Homilies and Sermons 12.15–12.17
Authorship disputed: Most of these homilies are accepted as Basil's; a few (On Faith, On Humility, parts of the Ps. homilies) have been questioned. Judge each homily separately.
Greek text: PG 31.English: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), public domain (CC0).
Chapter 12
12.15PG 31:599
Ὁ δὲ γοήμων' κυδέργνησιν κτήσεται. Χρὴ τὸν μέλλοντα προσιέναι τέχνης τινὸς ἀναλήψει τὰς ἐκ τὸν παλαιστὴν τὴν τοῦ σώματος διάπλασιν καὶ τὴν ἰσχύν" τὸν δρομιχὸν τὴν εὐαρμοστίαν τῶν μελῶν καὶ τὴν χουφότητα᾽ οὕτω καὶ τὸν χυδερνήτην τὸ τῆς διανοίας ὀξὺ καὶ εὐπαραχολούθητον. Διὰ τοῦτο οὗ τὸν τυχόντα καλεῖ πρὸς τὴν χυδέρνησιν ὁ λόγος, ἀλλὰ τὸν νοήμονα. Τί δέ ἐστιν ἡ χυδέρνησις, ἣ πάντως ἐπιστήμη ψυχῆς περὶ τὴν ἄστατον φύσιν τῶν ἀνθρωπίνων πραγμάτων, ὅπως αὐτὴν διαπεραιοῦσθαι προσήχει; Πολλαχοῦ γὰρ ὕδατα καὶ θάλασσὰν τὸν βίον τοῦτον εὑρίσχομεν ὑπὸ τῆς Γραφῆς ὠνομασμένον, ὡς ἐν τῷ ψαλμῷ - Ἑξαπέστειλεν ἐξ ὕψους, καὶ ἔ1λαδέ με" προσελάδετό με ἐξ ὑδάτων πολλῶν. Πρόδηλον γὰρ, ὅτι τὴν ταραχὴν τοῦ βίου, ὕδατα λέγει. Οὔτε γὰρ τὰ δεξιὰ καὶ περισπούδαστα τοῖς πολλοῖς τὸ ἑστὼς καὶ μόνιμον ἔχει, οὔτε τὰ περ:στατιχὰ τῶν πραγμάτων καὶ χατηφῇ παγίως ἧδρασται" ἀλλὰ πάντα σάλῳ τινὶ καὶ χλόνῳ καὶ μεταδολαῖς ἀδοχήτοις ὑπόχειτα:. Ὥσπερ οὖν θάλασσαν ἀμήχανον τὴν αὐτὴν ἐπὶ πολὺ διαρχέσαι (τὴν γὰρ νῦν λείαν καὶ σταθερὰν μιχρὸν ὕστερον ὄψη βίαις ἀνέμων τραχυνομένην, καὶ μέντοι καὶ τὴν ἀγριαίνουσαν, καὶ βρασσομένην τῷ χλύδωνι, βαθεῖα γαλήνη ταχὺ χατἐστόρεσεν)" οὕτω καὶ τὰ τοῦ βίου πράγματα ῥᾳδίως λαμδάνει τὰς περιστροφὰς ἐφ᾽ ἑχάτερα. Διὰ τοῦτο χυδερνήτου χρεία, ἕνα καὶ ἐν γαλήνῃ τοῦ βίου πάντὼν αὐτῷ χατὰ ῥοῦν προϊόντων, τὰς μεταδολὰς ἐχδέχηται, καὶ μὴ ὡς ἀθανάτοις ἐπαναπαύηται τοῖς παροῦσι, καὶ ἐν τῇ σχυθρωποτέρᾳ χαταστάσει μὴ ἀπελπίζῃ ἑαυτὸν, μηδὲ τῇ περισσοτέρᾳ λύπῃ καταπουθεὶς ὑποόρύχιος φέρηται. Οὔτε γὰρ ὑγεία σιύματος, οὔτε νεότητος ἄνθος, οὐχ εὐθηνία οἴχου, οὐχ … ἡ λοιπὴ τοῦ βίου εὐημερία ἐπιπολὺ διαμένει" ἀλλ᾽ ἐν τῇ εὐδίᾳ ταύτῃ τοῦ βίου ὧν, ἐκδέχου ποτὲ καὶ χειμῶνα πραγμάτων. Ἥξει γὰρ νόσος, καὶ ἥξει πενία" οὐχ ἀεὶ χατὰ πρύμναν ἱσταμένου τοῦ πνεύματος" ἀλλὰ καὶ τὸν περίδλεπτον ἐν πᾶσι καὶ ζηλωτὸν ἀδόχητοι πολλάκις ἀδοξία! χαταλαμδάνουσι- καὶ πᾶσαν τὴν εὐημερίαν τοῦ βίου, οἷον σπιλάδες τινὲς, περιστάσεις ἀδούλητοι συνετάραξαν. Καὶ ἡ συνέχεια τῶν χαχῶν … φοθερὸν τῆς ζωῆς σοι τὸν χλύδωνα. ἴἼΟψε: ποτὲ καὶ ταῦτα παραδραμόντα, καὶ πρὸς ἱλαρότητα καὶ λευχὴν ὄντως γαλήνην τὸν βίον μεταδληθέντα. Οὗτος οὖν ἐστιν ὁ νοήμων χυδερνήτης, ὁ ἐστοχασμένως τῆς ὑποχειμένης φύσεως μεταχειριζόμενος τὰ συμπίπτοντα, καὶ ὅμοιος ἀεὶ αὐτὸς ἑαυτῷ διαμένων, μήτε ἐπαιρόμενος ἐν ταῖς εὐθυμίαις, μήτε καταπίπτων ἐν ταῖς συμφοραῖς. Πάλιν καὶ πρὸς ἕτερα χρήσιμον ἡμῖν ἔστι τὸ ἐχ τῆς χυδερνήσεως ἀγαθόν, Οἶδα γὰρ καὶ ἄλλα χύματα καὶ χλύδωνα φοδερὸν ἕπανἱστάμενον τῇ ψυχῇ, τὸν ἐχ τῶν παθῶν τῆς σαρκός. Θυμοὶ γὰρ καὶ φόθοι, καὶ ἡδοναὶ καὶ λύπαι, οἷον ἔχ τινος ζάλης βιαίας τοῦ τῆς σαῤχὸς φρονήματος προσπεσόντες, πολλάχις τὴν ἀκυδέρνητον ψυχὴν χάτεἐπόντισαν." Δεῖ τοίνυν τὸν νοῦν ὥσπερ τινὰ χυδερνήτὴν ἄϑω χαθήμενον τῶν παθῶν, καὶ οἱονεὶ πλοίου τῆς σαρχὺς ἐπιθάντα, καὶ ἐμπείρως τοὺς λογισμοὺς οἷον οἴαχας περιστρέφοντα, χαταπατεῖν μὲν γενναίως τὰ χύματα, ὑψηλὸν δὲ διαμένοντα, καὶ δυσπρύσιτον ὄντα τοῖς πάθεσι, μηδαμῶς τῦ;ς ἀπ᾽ αὐτῶν πιχρίας ὥσπερ ἅλμης τινὸς ἀναπίμπλασθαι, ἀλλ᾽ ἀεὶ προσεύχόμενον λέγειν: Ῥυσθείην ἐκ τῶν μισούντων με, καὶ ἐκ τῶν βαθέων ὑδάτων. Μή με καταπογτισότω καταιγὶς ὕδατος, μηδὲ καταπιέτω με βυθός.
Ho de goēmōn' kydergnēsin ktēsetai. Chrē ton mellonta prosienai technēs tinos analēpsei tas ek ton palaistēn tēn tou sōmatos diaplasin kai tēn ischyn" ton dromichon tēn euarmostian tōn melōn kai tēn chouphotēta᾽ houtō kai ton chydernētēn to tēs dianoias oxy kai euparacholouthēton. Dia touto hou ton tychonta kalei pros tēn chydernēsin ho logos, alla ton noēmona. Ti de estin hē chydernēsis, hē pantōs epistēmē psychēs peri tēn astaton physin tōn anthrōpinōn pragmatōn, hopōs autēn diaperaiousthai prosēchei? Pollachou gar hydata kai thalassan ton bion touton heurischomen hypo tēs Graphēs ōnomasmenon, hōs en tǭ psalmǭ - Hexapesteilen ex hypsous, kai e1lade me" proseladeto me ex hydatōn pollōn. Prodēlon gar, hoti tēn tarachēn tou biou, hydata legei. Oute gar ta dexia kai perispoudasta tois pollois to hestōs kai monimon echei, oute ta per:staticha tōn pragmatōn kai chatēphę̄ pagiōs hēdrastai" alla panta salǭ tini kai chlonǭ kai metadolais adochētois hypocheita:. Hōsper oun thalassan amēchanon tēn autēn epi poly diarchesai (tēn gar nyn leian kai statheran michron hysteron opsē biais anemōn trachynomenēn, kai mentoi kai tēn agriainousan, kai brassomenēn tǭ chlydōni, batheia galēnē tachy chatestoresen)" houtō kai ta tou biou pragmata rhądiōs lamdanei tas peristrophas eph᾽ hechatera. Dia touto chydernētou chreia, hena kai en galēnę̄ tou biou pantōn autǭ chata rhoun proïontōn, tas metadolas echdechētai, kai mē hōs athanatois epanapauētai tois parousi, kai en tę̄ schythrōpoterą chatastasei mē apelpizę̄ heauton, mēde tę̄ perissoterą lypę̄ katapoutheis hypoorychios pherētai. Oute gar hygeia siymatos, oute neotētos anthos, ouch euthēnia oichou, ouch … hē loipē tou biou euēmeria epipoly diamenei" all᾽ en tę̄ eudią tautę̄ tou biou hōn, ekdechou pote kai cheimōna pragmatōn. Hēxei gar nosos, kai hēxei penia" ouch aei chata prymnan histamenou tou pneumatos" alla kai ton peridlepton en pasi kai zēlōton adochētoi pollakis adoxia! chatalamdanousi- kai pasan tēn euēmerian tou biou, hoion spilades tines, peristaseis adoulētoi synetaraxan. Kai hē synecheia tōn chachōn … photheron tēs zōēs soi ton chlydōna. iIOpse: pote kai tauta paradramonta, kai pros hilarotēta kai leuchēn ontōs galēnēn ton bion metadlēthenta. Houtos oun estin ho noēmōn chydernētēs, ho estochasmenōs tēs hypocheimenēs physeōs metacheirizomenos ta sympiptonta, kai homoios aei autos heautǭ diamenōn, mēte epairomenos en tais euthymiais, mēte katapiptōn en tais symphorais. Palin kai pros hetera chrēsimon hēmin esti to ech tēs chydernēseōs agathon, Oida gar kai alla chymata kai chlydōna phoderon hepanistamenon tę̄ psychę̄, ton ech tōn pathōn tēs sarkos. Thymoi gar kai phothoi, kai hēdonai kai lypai, hoion ech tinos zalēs biaias tou tēs sarchos phronēmatos prospesontes, pollachis tēn akydernēton psychēn chateepontisan." Dei toinyn ton noun hōsper tina chydernētēn aϑō chathēmenon tōn pathōn, kai hoionei ploiou tēs sarchys epithanta, kai empeirōs tous logismous hoion oiachas peristrephonta, chatapatein men gennaiōs ta chymata, hypsēlon de diamenonta, kai dysprysiton onta tois pathesi, mēdamōs ty?s ap᾽ autōn pichrias hōsper halmēs tinos anapimplasthai, all᾽ aei proseuchomenon legein: Rhystheiēn ek tōn misountōn me, kai ek tōn batheōn hydatōn. Mē me katapogtisotō kataigis hydatos, mēde katapietō me bythos.
[15] “But the intelligent man will acquire steering.” One who is going to take up some art must have … from [nature]: the wrestler, the build and strength of body; the runner, the good proportion of his limbs and lightness; so also the helmsman, sharpness of mind and quickness to follow. That is why the word calls to steering not just anyone, but the intelligent. And what is steering, if not the soul's knowledge, concerning the unstable nature of human affairs, of how one ought to cross it? For in many places we find this life called waters and sea by Scripture, as in the psalm: “He sent from on high and took me; he drew me out of many waters.” Clearly he calls the turmoil of life waters. For neither do the prosperous things the many strive for have stability and permanence, nor are the distressing and gloomy circumstances firmly settled; all are subject to tossing and agitation and unexpected changes. As, then, it is impossible for the sea to stay the same for long (for the sea now smooth and steady you will see a little later roughened by violent winds, and again the sea that rages and seethes with the swell a deep calm quickly lays flat), so too the affairs of life easily take turns in either direction. Therefore there is need of a helmsman, so that even in the calm of life, when everything flows along with the current for him, he may expect the changes and not rest on present things as if they were immortal, and in the gloomier state may not despair of himself, nor be overwhelmed by excessive grief and carried under. For neither health of body, nor the bloom of youth, nor prosperity of house, nor … the rest of life's good fortune lasts long; but while you are in this fair weather of life, expect sometime a storm of affairs too. For illness will come, and poverty will come; the wind does not always stand at the stern; unexpected disgraces often overtake even the one admired and envied in everything, and unwelcome circumstances, like hidden reefs, have shaken all the prosperity of life. And if the succession of evils … the surge of life fearful to you, you will see sometime that these things too have passed by, and life has changed to cheerfulness and a truly bright calm. This, then, is the intelligent helmsman: the one who handles what befalls him with regard to the nature of the circumstances, and remains always like himself, neither elated in good cheer nor cast down in misfortunes. Again, the good that comes from steering is also useful to us for other things. For I know other waves too, and a fearful surge rising against the soul: the one that comes from the passions of the flesh. For angers and fears, pleasures and griefs, falling on it as from a violent squall of the mind of the flesh, have often sunk the soul that has no helmsman. The mind, then, must sit like a helmsman above the passions, mounted as it were on the ship of the flesh, and, turning the thoughts skillfully like rudders, nobly trample the waves; and remaining on high, hard for the passions to reach, never be filled with their bitterness as with brine, but always pray and say: “May I be delivered from those who hate me, and from the deep waters. Let not the storm of water drown me, nor the deep swallow me up.”
Prov 1:5 (quotation, high confidence) · Ps 18:16 (17:17 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · Rom 8:6 (echo, medium confidence) · Ps 69:14 (68:15 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · Ps 69:15 (68:16 LXX) (quotation, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: The “steering” of Prov 1:5 is the skill of crossing the changing sea of life and the storm of the passions without being elated or sunk.
- Section 15. Words are lost after “must have” (marked “…”; “nature” is supplied by sense), in the list of goods that do not last, and the verb after “the succession of evils” (Migne's notes and Latin cover them). Quotations: Prov 1:5; Ps 18:16 (17:17 LXX); Rom 8:6–7 (“mind of the flesh”); Ps 69:14–15 (68:15–16 LXX).
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (Latin translation; Greek words lost here; Migne's marginal references and Latin translation; a Greek word lost here; column letter; footnote marker; stray letters): πιοᾶυπι χυ θογΓηδίογεπη, δου πιο δ Π(5 ἃ. Ρὲι πιὸ: ἀξειπιροὶς πιὸ ἐδ ἀφεὶς πιμἐ ὶς 1". ἘϊΘΠΐΩι Υἱτα Ροίοϑί, υἱ τηᾶγα ἀΐι ἰἀδπὶ) ρογπιδηθᾶὶ ( φιιοά δηΐηι ἢυπο ΤΡΆΠ]ΝΪΠῸΠ) ἃς [8 0116 νἀ 68, ρᾶι]ο ροβί σοῦδρ[οἼ68. γοπίογι πὶ Υἱ ὀχαβρογαίαπι : οι νογο οο- Ργβ οἰ δῖ γ, πος ἰπ ρΓΒΘΏλ 115 → … ; 15.}} (ογ. πὶ, 7. ἶγϑ. αυλη ποοθϑϑγί}}) Θϑὲ ΠΟὈ]5 σα 6 Γη Δι 0η15 ἀοη πη ξοτα, δἱ ποίη} ἃοὶ ρυάοτγα ᾿π πο γῸ ὀχ θηάο, → … ; μεταδολαῖς αὶ; ἀδοχήτοις → μεταδολαῖς ἀδοχήτοις; ἐν Ὦ τῇ εὐδίᾳ → ἐν τῇ εὐδίᾳ; τὰ συμπίπτοντα (δ4), → τὰ συμπίπτοντα,.
Topics: Ethics
Cite (SBL): Basil, Hom. 12.15 (PG 31:599; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/basil-homiliae-variae/12-15/#p-12-15). (abbreviation not yet checked)
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek of Migne PG 31 (archive.org OCR; slips, Migne's Latin and notes removed as logged corrections; sections renumbered to the Benedictine divisions) and checked privately against FOTC 9 where it has the homily; otherwise re-read against the Greek (no public-domain English).
12.16PG 31:599
Βούλει σοι καὶ ἕτερον πλοῦν διηγήσωμαι, πρὸς ὃν ἀναγχαῖον ἡ μῖν ἐστι τὸ δῶρον τῆς χυδερνήσεως; Ἡ βασιλεία τῶν οὐρανῶν ὁμοία ἐστὶν ἀνδρὶ ἐμπόρῳ. Πάντες οὖν οἱ τὴν εὐαγγελιχὴν ὁδὸν πορευόμενοι ἔμποροί ἐσμεν, διὰ τῆς ἐργασίας τῶν ἐντολῶν τὴν χτῇσιν ἑαυτοῖς τῶν οὐρανίων πραγματευόμενοι. Δεῖ οὖν ἡμᾶς πολὺν καὶ ποιχίλον τὸν οὐράνιον πλοῦτον συναγαγεῖν, εἰ μὴ μέλλοιμεν χαταισχύνεσθαι ἐν τῇ ἐπιδείξει τῆς ἐργασίας, ὡς οἱ λαθόντες τὰ τάλαντα, μτδὲ ἀκούειν, Δοῦ.1ε πονηρὲ καὶ ὀχνηρέ " ἐνθεμένους δὲ τὰ ἀγώγιμα, ἀσφαλῶς πειρᾶσθαι τὴν ζωὴν ταύτην διαπερᾷν. Πολλοὶ γὰρ πολλὰ συναθροίσαντες ἐκ νεότητος, περὶ τὰ μέσα τοῦ βίου γενόμενοι, ἐπαναστάντων αὐτοῖς πειρασμῶν ἐχ τῶν πνευμάτων τῆς πονηρίας, οὐχ ἥνεγχαν τοῦ χειμῶνος τὸ βάρος, διὰ τὸ τὴν χυδέρνησιν αὐτοῖς μὴ παρεῖναι, ἀλλὰ πάντων ἐχείνων τὴν … ἐγσαυάγησαγ' ἄλλοι δὲ σωφροσύνην, ἣν συνήγαγον ἔχ νεότητος, ὥσπερ καταιγίδος τινὸς ἀδοχήτου εἰνότατον θέαμα μετὰ νηστείαν, μετὰ σχληραγωγίαν, μετὰ προσευχὴν ἐχτενῆῇ, μετὰ δάχρυον δαψιλὲς, μετὰ ἐγκράτειαν ἐτῶν εἴχοσί που ἣ καὶ τριάχοντα, δι᾿ ἀπροσεξίαν ψυχῆς καὶ ἀμέλειαν γυμνὸν ἀπάντων ἀποδειχθῆναι, καὶ παραπλήσιον γενέσθαι τὸν τῇ ἐρχασίᾳ τῶν ἐντολῶν εὐθηνούμενον ἐμπόρῳ τινὶ μεγαλοπλούτῳ, ὃς τῷ πλήθει τῶν ἀγωγίμων ἐπαγγελλόμενος, ἐξ οὐρίας αὐτῷ τῆς νεὼς φερομένης, τὰ φοδερὰ πελάγη διαδραμὼν, πρὸς αὐτοῖς τοῖς λιμέσι διαῤῥαγέντος τοῦ πλοίου, πάντων ἀθρόως ἔρημος ἀπεδείχθη" ἐὰν καὶ οὗτος τὰ μυρίοις πόνοις καὶ ἱδρῶσι χτηθέντα μιᾷ προσθολῇ δαίμονος ἀπολέσῃ, ὥσπερ «τινὶ ἀγρίᾳ λαίλαπι, τῇ ἁμαρτίᾳ βυθισθείς. “Πρέπουσα φωνὴ τῷ πᾶσαν ὁμοῦ τὴν ἀρετὴν ναυαγήσαντι" Ἦλθον εἰς τὰ βάθη τῆς θαλάσσης, καὶ καταιγὶς χατεπόντισέ με. ᾿
Boulei soi kai heteron ploun diēgēsōmai, pros hon ananchaion hē min esti to dōron tēs chydernēseōs? Hē basileia tōn ouranōn homoia estin andri emporǭ. Pantes oun hoi tēn euangelichēn hodon poreuomenoi emporoi esmen, dia tēs ergasias tōn entolōn tēn chtę̄sin heautois tōn ouraniōn pragmateuomenoi. Dei oun hēmas polyn kai poichilon ton ouranion plouton synagagein, ei mē melloimen chataischynesthai en tę̄ epideixei tēs ergasias, hōs hoi lathontes ta talanta, mtde akouein, Dou.1e ponēre kai ochnēre " enthemenous de ta agōgima, asphalōs peirasthai tēn zōēn tautēn diaperąn. Polloi gar polla synathroisantes ek neotētos, peri ta mesa tou biou genomenoi, epanastantōn autois peirasmōn ech tōn pneumatōn tēs ponērias, ouch hēnenchan tou cheimōnos to baros, dia to tēn chydernēsin autois mē pareinai, alla pantōn echeinōn tēn … egsauagēsag' alloi de sōphrosynēn, hēn synēgagon ech neotētos, hōsper kataigidos tinos adochētou einotaton theama meta nēsteian, meta schlēragōgian, meta proseuchēn echtenēę̄, meta dachryon dapsiles, meta enkrateian etōn eichosi pou hē kai triachonta, di᾿ aprosexian psychēs kai ameleian gymnon apantōn apodeichthēnai, kai paraplēsion genesthai ton tę̄ erchasią tōn entolōn euthēnoumenon emporǭ tini megaloploutǭ, hos tǭ plēthei tōn agōgimōn epangellomenos, ex ourias autǭ tēs neōs pheromenēs, ta phodera pelagē diadramōn, pros autois tois limesi diarrhagentos tou ploiou, pantōn athroōs erēmos apedeichthē" ean kai houtos ta myriois ponois kai hidrōsi chtēthenta mią prostholę̄ daimonos apolesę̄, hōsper «tini agrią lailapi, tę̄ hamartią bythistheis. “Prepousa phōnē tǭ pasan homou tēn aretēn nauagēsanti" Ēlthon eis ta bathē tēs thalassēs, kai kataigis chatepontise me. ᾿
[16] Would you like me to describe to you another voyage too, for which the gift of steering is necessary for us? “The kingdom of heaven is like a merchant.” All of us, then, who travel the gospel road are merchants, trading through the working of the commandments for the possession of heavenly things. We must, then, gather much and varied heavenly wealth, if we are not to be put to shame when we show what our work has gained, like those who hid the talents, and not to hear, “Wicked and slothful servant”; and having put our cargo on board, we must try to cross this life in safety. For many, having gathered much from youth, when they reached the middle of life and temptations rose up against them from the spirits of wickedness, did not bear the weight of the storm, because they had no skill in steering, but [lost] all those … were shipwrecked; others [lost] the self-control which they had gathered from youth, as by some unexpected squall … It is a most pitiable sight: after fasting, after hard living, after earnest prayer, after abundant tears, after self-control of some twenty or even thirty years, to be shown stripped of everything through the soul's heedlessness and negligence; and for one who grew rich in the working of the commandments to become like a very wealthy merchant who, proud of the abundance of his cargo, his ship carried by a fair wind, ran through the fearful seas, and then, when the ship broke up at the very harbor, was shown bereft of everything at once: if this man too loses by one onset of a demon what he acquired by countless labors and sweat, sunk by sin as by some savage hurricane. A fitting cry for one who has shipwrecked all virtue at once is: “I came into the depths of the sea, and a storm drowned me.”
Textual problem in this passage: see the notes.
Matt 13:45 (quotation, high confidence) · Matt 25:18 (allusion, high confidence) · Matt 25:26 (quotation, high confidence) · Eph 6:12 (allusion, high confidence) · Ps 69:2 (68:3 LXX) (quotation, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Christians are merchants carrying the cargo of good works; without the skill of steering, years of virtue can be lost in one shipwreck of sin.
- Section 16 (the scan reads the numeral as “10”). Migne's notes (including the variant ζωῆς σου for section 15) and Latin are removed; words lost under them are marked “…”, and “lost” is supplied in brackets by sense. Quotations: Matt 13:45; Matt 25:18, 26; Eph 6:12; Ps 69:2 (68:3 LXX).
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (Latin translation; Migne's notes and marginal references; Greek words lost here; column letter): {ἢ Βα. ρῥυΐπιιϑ ζωῆς σον τόν. δ4) Πα, ὁ ἐὐ τὸ ἀὐμένως τῆς ὑποχειμένης φύσεως δῖ, τῆς ὑποχειμένης φύσεως, ετ 4υο ἤϊ αἱ ἀυθἰτατὶ Μαῖ. χαν, 20. → … ; ἱποοηβίἀογδηιίδηι ἃς ἱπουγίαπι, πυά πὶ εἰ Βρο] δία πὶ φιυαδῖυ ορυ]εηῖυ8 Θοὶ, σοηδβί πιο βογὶ ρα ϊνιὶ → ; καταιγὶς Β. χατεπόντισέ → καταιγὶς χατεπόντισέ.
Cite (SBL): Basil, Hom. 12.16 (PG 31:599; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/basil-homiliae-variae/12-15/#p-12-16). (abbreviation not yet checked)
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek of Migne PG 31 (archive.org OCR; slips, Migne's Latin and notes removed as logged corrections; sections renumbered to the Benedictine divisions) and checked privately against FOTC 9 where it has the homily; otherwise re-read against the Greek (no public-domain English).
12.17PG 31:599
Ἔχε οὖν ἀσφαλῶς τῆς ζωῆς τὰ πηδάλια" χυδέρνα τὸν ὀφθαλμόν σου, μήποτέ σοι δ'᾽ ὀφθαλμῶν λάδρον ἐμπέσῃ τῆς ἐπιθυμίας τὸ χῦμα- τὴν ἀχοὴν, τὴν γλῶσσαν, μὴ παραδέξῃ τι βλαδερὸν, μηδὲ φθέγξῃ τι τῶν ἀπηγορευμένων. Μὴ σε ἀνατρέψῃ τοῦ θυμοῦ ἡ ζάλη“ μή πού σε ἐπιχλύσωσι τῶν φόδων αἱ κατατάτξεις, μἡ σε καταδαπτίσῃ τῆς λύπης τὸ βάρος. Κύματά ἔστι τὰ πάθη, ὧν ὑψηλότερον σεαυτὸν ἀνέχων, ἀσφαλὴς ἔσῃ χυδερνήτης τοῦ βίου. Ἐὰν δὲ μὴ ἐπιστημόνως καὶ εὐσταθῶς ἕχαστον τούτων ἐχχλίνῃς, ὥσπερ τι πλοῖον ἀνερμάτιστον ὑπὸ τῶν ἀεὶ προσπιπτόντων περιφερόμενος, ἐναφανισθήσῃ τῷ πελάγει τῆς ἁμαρτίας. ἼΛχουε τοίνυν πῶς ἄν σοι καὶ ἣ τῆς χυδερνήπεως ἐπιστήμη προσγένηται. Ἔθος τοῖς ναυτιλλομένοις πρὸς οὐρανὸν ἀναθλέπειν, χἀχεῖθεν λαμδάνειν τὴν ὁδηγίαν τοῦ πλοῦ, ἐν ἡμέρᾳ μὲν ἀπὸ τοῦ ἡλίου, ἐν νυχτὶ δὲ ἀπὸ τῆς ἼΑἌρχτου, ἢ τινος ἄλλου τῶν ἀειφανῶν ἀστέρων καὶ τούτοις ἀεὶ τεχμαίρεσθαι τὴν εὐθύτητα. Καὶ σὺ τοίνυν πρὸς οὐραὃν ἔχε τὸ ὄμμα, κατὰ τὸν εἰπόντα: Πρὸς σὲ ἦρα τοὺς ὀρθαλμούς μου, τὸν κατοικοῦντα ἐν τῷ οὐρανῷ. ᾿Απόδλεπε πρὸς τὸν ἥλιον τῆς διχαιοσύνης" καὶ οἷόν τισιν ἄστροις περιφανέσι ταῖς ἐντολαῖς τοῦ Κυρίου χατευθυνόμενος, ἀχοίμητον ἔχε τὸ ὄμμα, μὴ διδοὺς ὕπνον τοῖς ὀφθαλμοῖς σου, μηδὲ τοῖς βλεφάροις σου νυσταγμὸν, ἵν᾽ ἔχῃς διαρχῆ τὴν ἐχ τῶν ἐντολῶν ὁδηγίαν. Λύχνος γὰρ, φησὶ, τοῖς ποσί μου ὁ νγέμος σου, καὶ φῶς ταῖς τρίδοις μου. Ἐὰν γὰρ μτδέποτε ἐπινυστάξῃς τοῖς οἴαξιν, ἕως εἶ ἐν τῷ βίῳ πούτῳ, ἐν τῇ ἀστάτῳ φύσει τῶν τοῦ χόσμου πραγμάτῶν, καὶ τὴν παρὰ τοῦ Πνεύματος συνέργειαν λήψῃ, προπέμποντος εἰς τὸ ἔμπροσθεν. καὶ πραείαις αὔραις καὶ εἰρηνιχαῖς ἀσφαλῶς σε διαχομίζοντος, ἕως ἀποσωθῇς πρὸς τὸν ἀχύμονα ἐχεῖνον καὶ εὖὔδιον λιμένα τοῦ θελήματος τοῦ Θεοῦ" ᾧ ἡ δόξα καὶ τὸ χράτος εἰς τοὺς ἀτελευτήτους αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων ᾿Αμῆν.
Eche oun asphalōs tēs zōēs ta pēdalia" chyderna ton ophthalmon sou, mēpote soi d'᾽ ophthalmōn ladron empesę̄ tēs epithymias to chyma- tēn achoēn, tēn glōssan, mē paradexę̄ ti bladeron, mēde phthenxę̄ ti tōn apēgoreumenōn. Mē se anatrepsę̄ tou thymou hē zalē“ mē pou se epichlysōsi tōn phodōn hai katatatxeis, mē se katadaptisę̄ tēs lypēs to baros. Kymata esti ta pathē, hōn hypsēloteron seauton anechōn, asphalēs esę̄ chydernētēs tou biou. Ean de mē epistēmonōs kai eustathōs hechaston toutōn echchlinę̄s, hōsper ti ploion anermatiston hypo tōn aei prospiptontōn peripheromenos, enaphanisthēsę̄ tǭ pelagei tēs hamartias. ILchoue toinyn pōs an soi kai hē tēs chydernēpeōs epistēmē prosgenētai. Ethos tois nautillomenois pros ouranon anathlepein, chacheithen lamdanein tēn hodēgian tou plou, en hēmerą men apo tou hēliou, en nychti de apo tēs IAArchtou, ē tinos allou tōn aeiphanōn asterōn kai toutois aei techmairesthai tēn euthytēta. Kai sy toinyn pros ouraon eche to omma, kata ton eiponta: Pros se ēra tous orthalmous mou, ton katoikounta en tǭ ouranǭ. ᾿Apodlepe pros ton hēlion tēs dichaiosynēs" kai hoion tisin astrois periphanesi tais entolais tou Kyriou chateuthynomenos, achoimēton eche to omma, mē didous hypnon tois ophthalmois sou, mēde tois blepharois sou nystagmon, hin᾽ echę̄s diarchē tēn ech tōn entolōn hodēgian. Lychnos gar, phēsi, tois posi mou ho ngemos sou, kai phōs tais tridois mou. Ean gar mtdepote epinystaxę̄s tois oiaxin, heōs ei en tǭ biǭ poutǭ, en tę̄ astatǭ physei tōn tou chosmou pragmatōn, kai tēn para tou Pneumatos synergeian lēpsę̄, propempontos eis to emprosthen. kai praeiais aurais kai eirēnichais asphalōs se diachomizontos, heōs aposōthę̄s pros ton achymona echeinon kai euydion limena tou thelēmatos tou Theou" hǭ hē doxa kai to chratos eis tous ateleutētous aiōnas tōn aiōnōn ᾿Amēn.
[17] Hold, then, the rudders of life securely. Steer your eye, lest the wave of desire ever fall violently on you through the eyes; [steer] your hearing and your tongue, so that you neither admit anything harmful nor utter anything forbidden. Let not the squall of anger overturn you; let not the downpours of fears ever flood you; let not the weight of grief sink you. The passions are waves; if you hold yourself above them, you will be a safe helmsman of life. But if you do not skillfully and steadily avoid each of them, you will be carried about like an unballasted boat by whatever strikes it, and will vanish in the sea of sin. Hear, then, how the knowledge of steering may come to you. It is the custom of sailors to look up to heaven and take from there the guidance of the voyage: by day from the sun, by night from the Bear or another of the stars that are always visible, and by these always to judge the straight course. You too, then, keep your eye toward heaven, like the one who said, “To you I lifted up my eyes, you who dwell in heaven.” Look to the sun of righteousness; and, directed by the commandments of the Lord as by bright stars, keep your eye sleepless, giving no sleep to your eyes nor slumber to your eyelids, so that you may have continual guidance from the commandments. “For your law,” it says, “is a lamp to my feet and a light to my paths.” For if you never doze at the tiller while you are in this life, in the unstable nature of the world's affairs, you will receive the help of the Spirit too, who sends you onward and carries you safely with gentle and peaceful breezes, until you come safe to that waveless, fair-weather harbor of the will of God; to whom be the glory and the power to the endless ages of ages. Amen.
Textual problem in this passage: see the notes.
Ps 123:1 (122:1 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · Mal 4:2 (3:20 LXX) (allusion, high confidence) · Ps 132:4 (131:4 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · Ps 119:105 (118:105 LXX) (quotation, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Steering by heaven: keep the eyes on God, the sun of righteousness and the commandments, and the Spirit will bring you to the harbor of God's will.
- Section 17, the end of the homily. Migne's notes (a variant reads “the help of the Savior” for “the help of the Spirit”) and his Latin are removed. Quotations: Ps 123:1 (122:1 LXX); Mal 4:2 (3:20 LXX); Ps 132:4 (131:4 LXX); Ps 119:105 (118:105 LXX).
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (Latin translation at the end of the page; Migne's notes, marginal references, and Latin translation; footnote marker): 1 (ογ. ν, ὅ. Τιι5. Υἱ 85 συ γπδίον. δα, δἱ ποθὴ βοἰία ἃς δοῃδβίδηιθ5) δ. ρυίπιυβ παρὰ τοῦ Σωτῆρος συνεργίαν, ἄν. Ὗοχ ἀτελευτήτους, αι πιοχ 5δοαυίίυν, ἀδεδὲ ἰμ δνα 45 ἃ ἰγαπαυλ ! αὶ ἰΠυπὶ ἃς δόγοηθιη ρογίππι Α → ; (Πετγὶ δηὶπὶ πο Ροϊεβί, υἱ πιογίεπι οχρογίδιιγ αυὶ οὶ ποὴ ροῖθϑὶ δ᾽, υἱ να] άα βρίγ8 δἰΐδοιίο ἰπ → ; τὸ ὄμμα (θὅ), → τὸ ὄμμα,.
Topics: Ethics
Cite (SBL): Basil, Hom. 12.17 (PG 31:599; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/basil-homiliae-variae/12-15/#p-12-17). (abbreviation not yet checked)
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek of Migne PG 31 (archive.org OCR; slips, Migne's Latin and notes removed as logged corrections; sections renumbered to the Benedictine divisions) and checked privately against FOTC 9 where it has the homily; otherwise re-read against the Greek (no public-domain English).