Preliminary Instruction (Ascetic Prologue) (complete)
Authorship disputed: Generally accepted as an ascetic prologue; its attribution to Basil is doubted by some (see Migne's prefatory note).
Greek text: PG 31.English: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), public domain (CC0).
Chapter 1
1PG 31:619
Καλὰ μὲν τοῦ βασιλέως τὰ πρὸς τοὺς ὑπηκόους νομοθετήματα· μείζονα δὲ καὶ βασιλικώτερα τὰ πρὸς στρατιώτας παραγγέλματα. "Ατε οὖν στρατιωτικῶν παραγγελμάτων κηρυσσομένων, προσεχέτω ὁ τῆς ἄνω καὶ μεγάλης ἀξίας ἐπιθυμῶν, ὁ Χριστοῦ διὰ παντὸς παραστάτης εἶναι βουλόμενος, ὁ τῆς μεγάλης ἐκείνης ἀκούων φωνῆς· Ἐάν τις ἐμοὶ διακονῇ, ἐμοὶ ἀκολουθείτω. Καὶ ὅπου εἰμὶ ἐγὼ, ἐκεῖ καὶ διάκονος ὁ ἐμὸς ἔστω. Ποῦ Χριστὸς ὁ βασιλεύς; Ἐν οὐρανῷ δηλαδή. Ἐνταῦθά σε ποιεῖσθαι τὸν δρόμον, στρατιῶτα, προσήκει. Ἐπιλάθου τῆς κατὰ γῆν ἀναπαύσεως πάσης. Οὐδεὶς στρατιώτης οἰκίαν κατασκευάζει, οὐδὲ κτήσεις ἀγρῶν περιβάλλεται, οὐδὲ ἐμπορίαις ποικίλαις χρημάτων ποριστικαῖς ἐγκαταμίγνυται. Οὐδεὶς στρατευόμενος ἐμπλέκεται ταῖς τοῦ βίου πραγματείαις, ἵνα τῷ στρατολογήσαντι ἀρέσῃ. Τροφὰς στρατιώτης ἔχει βασιλικάς· οὐ δεῖ πορίζειν ἑαυτῷ τροφάς, οὐδὲ περὶ τοῦτο ἀσχολεῖσθαι. Οἶκος ἀνέῳγεν αὐτῷ πανταχῆ παρὰ τοῖς ὑπηκόοις ἐκ βασιλέως προστάγματος. Οὐ δεῖ περὶ οἰκίας αὐτῷ διαπονεῖσθαι· ἐπὶ πλατείαις ἡ σκηνὴ, καὶ πρὸς ἀνάγκην ἡ τροφή, καὶ ποτὸν ὕδωρ, καὶ ὑπνοῦν τοσοῦτον, ὅσον ἡ φύσις προδιατύπωσις, Μεγάλα μὲν τοῦ. Καλὰ μὲν τοῦ. δέδωκεν. Ὁδοιπορίαι δὲ καὶ ἀγρυπνίαι πολλαί· καρτερίαι πρὸς καύματα, πρὸς ψύχος· ἀγῶνες πρὸς ἐναντίους· κίνδυνοι μέχρι τῶν ἐσχάτων· θάνατος, ἂν τύχῃ, πολλάκις· ἀλλὰ θάνατος ἔνδοξος, τιμαί τε, καὶ δῶρα βασιλικά. Ἐπίπονος ἐν πολέμοις ὁ βίος, λαμπρὸς ἐν εἰρήνῃ. Γέρας ἀριστείας, καὶ στέφανος καλῶς βεβιωκότι ἐν κατορθώμασιν, ἀρχὴν ἐγχειρισθῆναι, φίλον βασιλέως κληθῆναι, παραστῆναι πλησίον, δεξιώσεως τυχεῖν, ἐκ χειρὸς βασιλέως τετιμῆσθαι, παρὰ τοῖς ὑπηκόοις προΐστασθαι, καὶ πρεσβεύειν ὑπὲρ τῶν ἔξωθεν φίλων, ὧν ἂν βούλωνται
Kala men tou basileōs ta pros tous hypēkoous nomothetēmata; meizona de kai basilikōtera ta pros stratiōtas parangelmata. "Ate oun stratiōtikōn parangelmatōn kēryssomenōn, prosechetō ho tēs anō kai megalēs axias epithymōn, ho Christou dia pantos parastatēs einai boulomenos, ho tēs megalēs ekeinēs akouōn phōnēs; Ean tis emoi diakonę̄, emoi akoloutheitō. Kai hopou eimi egō, ekei kai diakonos ho emos estō. Pou Christos ho basileus? En ouranǭ dēladē. Entautha se poieisthai ton dromon, stratiōta, prosēkei. Epilathou tēs kata gēn anapauseōs pasēs. Oudeis stratiōtēs oikian kataskeuazei, oude ktēseis agrōn periballetai, oude emporiais poikilais chrēmatōn poristikais enkatamignytai. Oudeis strateuomenos empleketai tais tou biou pragmateiais, hina tǭ stratologēsanti aresę̄. Trophas stratiōtēs echei basilikas; ou dei porizein heautǭ trophas, oude peri touto ascholeisthai. Oikos aneǭgen autǭ pantachē para tois hypēkoois ek basileōs prostagmatos. Ou dei peri oikias autǭ diaponeisthai; epi plateiais hē skēnē, kai pros anankēn hē trophē, kai poton hydōr, kai hypnoun tosouton, hoson hē physis prodiatypōsis, Megala men tou. Kala men tou. dedōken. Hodoiporiai de kai agrypniai pollai; karteriai pros kaumata, pros psychos; agōnes pros enantious; kindynoi mechri tōn eschatōn; thanatos, an tychę̄, pollakis; alla thanatos endoxos, timai te, kai dōra basilika. Epiponos en polemois ho bios, lampros en eirēnę̄. Geras aristeias, kai stephanos kalōs bebiōkoti en katorthōmasin, archēn encheiristhēnai, philon basileōs klēthēnai, parastēnai plēsion, dexiōseōs tychein, ek cheiros basileōs tetimēsthai, para tois hypēkoois proïstasthai, kai presbeuein hyper tōn exōthen philōn, hōn an boulōntai
Good are the king's laws for his subjects; but greater and more kingly are his orders to his soldiers. Since, then, military orders are being proclaimed, let him give heed who desires the high and great rank, who wishes to stand always beside Christ, who hears that great voice: “If anyone serves me, let him follow me; and where I am, there let my servant be also.” Where is Christ the king? In heaven, plainly. It is there, soldier, that you must make your course. Forget all rest on earth. No soldier builds a house, or acquires estates of land, or involves himself in various money-making trades. “No one serving as a soldier entangles himself in the affairs of life, so that he may please the one who enlisted him.” The soldier has rations from the king; he need not provide food for himself, nor be busy about it. Houses are opened to him everywhere among the subjects by the king's command. He need not toil over a house: his tent is in the open, his food is for necessity, his drink is water, and his sleep as much as nature has granted. But there are many marches and watches; endurance of heat and cold; struggles against enemies; dangers to the uttermost; death, perhaps, often; but a glorious death, and honours, and royal gifts. Toilsome in wars is his life, splendid in peace. The prize of valour and the crown for one who has lived well in good deeds is to be entrusted with command, to be called the king's friend, to stand near him, to be greeted by his right hand, to be honoured from the king's own hand, to be set over the subjects, and to intercede for friends outside, whoever they may be.
John 12:26 (quotation, high confidence) · 2 Tim 2:4 (quotation, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Basil compares the ascetic to the king's soldier, who owns nothing, is fed and housed by the king, endures hardships and dangers, and is rewarded with honour and closeness to the king.
- A few stray words (fragments of the opening sentence and a heading) have run into the text before “has granted” in the scan text; they are not translated.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR lost a letter; column letter): ποεῖσθαι → ποιεῖσθαι; Οὐδεὶς Β στρατευόμενος → Οὐδεὶς στρατευόμενος.
Cite (SBL): Basil, Prooem. ascet. 1 (PG 31:619; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/basil-praevia-institutio/1). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/basil-praevia-institutio/1
BibTeX · RIS · CSL-JSON (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-basil-praevia-institutio-1) · Report an error
Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 31 (Bavarian State Library OCR); compared afterwards with FOTC 9 (private error-check only).
Chapter 2
2PG 31:621
῎Αγε δὴ, στρατιῶτα Χριστοῦ, μικρὰ ἐξ ἀνθρωπίνων πραγμάτων λαβὼν παραδείγματα, ἐνθύμησιν λάβε τῶν αἰωνίων ἀγαθῶν. ῎Αοικός σοι καὶ ἄπολις Β καὶ ἀκτήμων προκείσθω βίος. ῎Ανετος ἔσο, λελυμένος ἀπὸ πασῶν κοσμικῶν φροντίδων· μή σε δεσμεύσῃ γυναικὸς ἐπιθυμία, μή σε φροντὶς παιδός. ᾿Αδύνατον γὰρ ἐν τῇ θείᾳ στρατείᾳ τοῦτο. Τὰ γὰρ ὅπλα τῆς στρατείας ἡμῶν οὐ σαρκικά, ἀλλὰ δυνατὰ τῷ Θεῷ. Οὐ νικᾷ σε σώματος φύσις, οὐδὲ ἄγχει σε μὴ βουλόμενον· οὐ δεσμώτην ἀντ᾿ ἐλευθέρου ποιεῖ. Οὐ ζήτει ἐν γῇ καταλιπεῖν παῖδας, ἀλλ᾿ ἀναγαγεῖν εἰς τὸν οὐρανὸν· οὐ σωματικοῖς προσκολλᾶσθαι γάμοις, ἀλλὰ πνευματικῶν ὀρέγεσθαι, ἄρχειν ψυχῶν, καὶ παιδογονεῖν πνευματικῶς. Τὸν νυμφίον μιμοῦ τὸν οὐράνιον· καθαίρει πολεμίων ἀοράτων ἐπαναστάσεις· ἀρχαῖς καὶ ἐξουσίαις πολέμει, ἐξελαύνων αὐτὰς πρῶτον μὲν τῆς ἑαυτοῦ ψυχῆς, ἵνα μηδένα κλῆρον ἔχωσεν ἐν σοὶ, ἔπειτα τῶν σοι προσφευγόντων καί σε προβαλλομένων ἡγεμόνα καὶ πρόμαχον τῶν διὰ τοῦ σοῦ λόγου φυλαττομένων. Καθαίρει λογισμοὺς ἐπανισταμένους τῇ πίστει τοῦ Χριστοῦ· πολέμει διὰ τοῦ λόγου τῆς εὐσεβείας πρὸς τὸν ἀσεβῆ καὶ πονηρὸν λογισμόν. Λογισμούς γάρ, φησὶ, καθαιροῦντες, καὶ πᾶν ὕψωμα ἐπαιρόμενον κατὰ τῆς γνώσεως τοῦ Θεοῦ. Καὶ μάλιστα μὲν θάρσει τῇ τοῦ μεγάλου βασιλέως χειρὶ, φοβούσῃ καὶ τροπουμένη τοὺς ὑπεναντίους, ἐπειδὰν μόνον φανῇ· ἐπὰν δὲ καὶ διὰ κινδύνων ἀγαθὸν θέλῃ σε γενέσθαι, καὶ τὸ στράτευμα τὸ ἑαυτοῦ θελήσῃ συμβαλεῖν τῷ στρατεύματι τῷ ὑπεναντίῳ, ἐνταῦθα σὺ πρὸς πάντα πόνον ἀήττητος ἔσο τῇ παρασκευῇ, καὶ πρὸς κίνδυνον ἄτρεπτος τῇ ψυχῇ, καὶ γῆν ἐκ γῆς ἢ μετανίστασο προθύμως, καὶ θάλατταν ἐκ θαλάττης. Ὅταν γὰρ διώκωσιν ὑμᾶς, φησὶ, φεύγετε ἀπὸ πόλεως εἰς πόλιν. Καὶ εἰς δικαστήριον ὅταν δέῃ καλεῖσθαι, καὶ πρὸς ἄρχοντας παραστῆναι, καὶ δήμων ἐπαναστάσεις ὑπενεγκεῖν, καὶ δημίου βλέμμα φοβερὸν ἰδεῖν, καὶ σκληρὰν ἀκοῦσαι φωνὴν, καὶ κολαστη· ρίων ὄψιν ὑπομεῖναι χαλεπὴν, καὶ πειραθῆναι βασάνων, καὶ μέχρι θανάτου διαγωνίσασθαι, μὴ ἀπειθήσῃς πρὸς ἅπαντα ταῦτα, πρὸ ὀφθαλμῶν ἔχων τὸν ὑπὲρ σοῦ ἐν τούτοις γενόμενον Χριστὸν, εἰδὼς, ὅτι διὰ τὸν Χριστὸν ἐν τούτοις γενέσθαι σε δεῖ, καὶ νικήσεις ἐν τούτοις. Νικητῇ γὰρ ἀκολουθεῖς βασιλεῖ, τῆς νίκης αὐτοῦ βουλομένῳ σε γενέσθαι κοινωνόν. Οὐδὲ γὰρ ἀποθανὼν ἡττήθης, ἀλλὰ τότε δὴ καὶ τελεώτατα ἐνίκησας, ἄχρι τέλους ἄτρεπτον φυλάξας τὴν ἀλήθειαν σεαυτῷ, καὶ τὴν ὑπὲρ τῆς ἀληθείας παῤῥησιαν ἀμετακίνητον σχών. ζωὴν, ἀπὸ δὲ τῆς παρὰ ἀνθρώποις ἀτιμίας ἐπὶ τὴν δόξαντὴν παρὰ Θεοῦ, καὶ ἀπὸ τῶν ἐν κόσμῳ θλίψεων καὶ κολάσεων ἐπὶ τὰς αἰωνίους ἀναπαύσεις τὰς σὺν ἀγγέλοις. Γῆ σε πολίτην οὐκ ἀπεδέξατο, ἀλλ' οὐρανὸς ὑποδέξεται, κόσμος ἐδίωξεν, ἀλλὰ βαστάσουσιν ἄγγε· λοι παραστῆσαί σε Χριστῷ· καὶ φίλος κληθήσῃ, καὶ τὸν ποθεινότατον ἔπαινον ἀκούσεις· Εὖ, δοῦλε ἀγαθὲ καὶ πιστὲ, στρατιῶτα γενναῖε, καὶ μιμητὰ τοῦ Δεσπότου, βασιλέως ἀκόλουθε, ἐγώ σε τοῖς ἐμοῖς ἀμείψομαι δώροις· ἐγὼ τῶν σῶν ἀκούσομαι λόγων, ἐπεὶ καὶ σὺ τῶν ἐμῶν. Αἰτήσεις ἀδελφῶν σωτηρίαν καταπονουμένων, καὶ τοῖς κοινωνοῖς τῆς πίστεως καὶ τοῖς μύσταις τῆς ἱερᾶς ἀγάπης λήψῃ παρὰ τοῦ βασιλέως τὴν τῶν ἀγαθῶν μετουσίαν· χορεύσεις δὲ
᾿Age dē, stratiōta Christou, mikra ex anthrōpinōn pragmatōn labōn paradeigmata, enthymēsin labe tōn aiōniōn agathōn. ᾿Aoikos soi kai apolis B kai aktēmōn prokeisthō bios. ᾿Anetos eso, lelymenos apo pasōn kosmikōn phrontidōn; mē se desmeusę̄ gynaikos epithymia, mē se phrontis paidos. ᾿Adynaton gar en tę̄ theią strateią touto. Ta gar hopla tēs strateias hēmōn ou sarkika, alla dynata tǭ Theǭ. Ou niką se sōmatos physis, oude anchei se mē boulomenon; ou desmōtēn ant᾿ eleutherou poiei. Ou zētei en gę̄ katalipein paidas, all᾿ anagagein eis ton ouranon; ou sōmatikois proskollasthai gamois, alla pneumatikōn oregesthai, archein psychōn, kai paidogonein pneumatikōs. Ton nymphion mimou ton ouranion; kathairei polemiōn aoratōn epanastaseis; archais kai exousiais polemei, exelaunōn autas prōton men tēs heautou psychēs, hina mēdena klēron echōsen en soi, epeita tōn soi prospheugontōn kai se proballomenōn hēgemona kai promachon tōn dia tou sou logou phylattomenōn. Kathairei logismous epanistamenous tę̄ pistei tou Christou; polemei dia tou logou tēs eusebeias pros ton asebē kai ponēron logismon. Logismous gar, phēsi, kathairountes, kai pan hypsōma epairomenon kata tēs gnōseōs tou Theou. Kai malista men tharsei tę̄ tou megalou basileōs cheiri, phobousę̄ kai tropoumenē tous hypenantious, epeidan monon phanę̄; epan de kai dia kindynōn agathon thelę̄ se genesthai, kai to strateuma to heautou thelēsę̄ symbalein tǭ strateumati tǭ hypenantiǭ, entautha sy pros panta ponon aēttētos eso tę̄ paraskeuę̄, kai pros kindynon atreptos tę̄ psychę̄, kai gēn ek gēs ē metanistaso prothymōs, kai thalattan ek thalattēs. Hotan gar diōkōsin hymas, phēsi, pheugete apo poleōs eis polin. Kai eis dikastērion hotan deę̄ kaleisthai, kai pros archontas parastēnai, kai dēmōn epanastaseis hypenenkein, kai dēmiou blemma phoberon idein, kai sklēran akousai phōnēn, kai kolastē; riōn opsin hypomeinai chalepēn, kai peirathēnai basanōn, kai mechri thanatou diagōnisasthai, mē apeithēsę̄s pros hapanta tauta, pro ophthalmōn echōn ton hyper sou en toutois genomenon Christon, eidōs, hoti dia ton Christon en toutois genesthai se dei, kai nikēseis en toutois. Nikētę̄ gar akoloutheis basilei, tēs nikēs autou boulomenǭ se genesthai koinōnon. Oude gar apothanōn hēttēthēs, alla tote dē kai teleōtata enikēsas, achri telous atrepton phylaxas tēn alētheian seautǭ, kai tēn hyper tēs alētheias parrhēsian ametakinēton schōn. zōēn, apo de tēs para anthrōpois atimias epi tēn doxantēn para Theou, kai apo tōn en kosmǭ thlipseōn kai kolaseōn epi tas aiōnious anapauseis tas syn angelois. Gē se politēn ouk apedexato, all' ouranos hypodexetai, kosmos ediōxen, alla bastasousin ange; loi parastēsai se Christǭ; kai philos klēthēsę̄, kai ton potheinotaton epainon akouseis; Eu, doule agathe kai piste, stratiōta gennaie, kai mimēta tou Despotou, basileōs akolouthe, egō se tois emois ameipsomai dōrois; egō tōn sōn akousomai logōn, epei kai sy tōn emōn. Aitēseis adelphōn sōtērian kataponoumenōn, kai tois koinōnois tēs pisteōs kai tois mystais tēs hieras agapēs lēpsę̄ para tou basileōs tēn tōn agathōn metousian; choreuseis de
Come, then, soldier of Christ, taking these small examples from human affairs, consider the eternal good things. Let a life without house, without city, without possessions be set before you. Be free, released from all worldly cares; let not desire for a wife bind you, nor care for a child. For this is impossible in the divine warfare. “For the weapons of our warfare are not fleshly, but mighty for God.” The nature of the body does not overcome you, nor constrain you against your will; it does not make you a prisoner instead of a free man. Seek not to leave children on earth, but to lead them up to heaven; not to cling to bodily marriages, but to reach for spiritual ones, to rule souls and beget children spiritually. Imitate the heavenly Bridegroom; put down the uprisings of unseen enemies; make war on principalities and powers, driving them out first from your own soul, so that they may have no portion in you, and then from those who flee to you and put you forward as leader and champion, those guarded by your word. Put down reasonings that rise up against faith in Christ; make war by the word of godliness against the ungodly and wicked reasoning. “Casting down reasonings,” it says, “and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God.” And above all take courage in the hand of the great King, which frightens and routs the adversaries the moment it appears. But when he wishes you to prove yourself good through dangers too, and wishes his army to engage the hostile army, then be unconquerable in your readiness for every toil and unshaken in soul before danger, and move gladly from land to land and from sea to sea. “For when they persecute you,” he says, “flee from city to city.” And when you must be summoned to court, and stand before rulers, and bear the uprisings of mobs, and see the fearful look of the executioner, and hear a harsh voice, and endure the grim sight of instruments of punishment, and undergo tortures, and contend even to death, do not disobey in any of these things, having before your eyes Christ, who went through these things for you, knowing that for Christ's sake you must go through them, and that you will conquer in them. For you follow a victorious King, who wishes you to share in his victory. For even if you die, you have not been defeated; rather it is then that you have conquered most perfectly, having kept the truth unshaken in yourself to the end, and held unmoved your boldness for the truth. And from death you will pass to eternal life, from dishonour among men to the glory that comes from God, and from the afflictions and punishments in the world to eternal rest with the angels. Earth did not receive you as a citizen, but heaven will receive you; the world persecuted you, but angels will carry you to present you to Christ; and you will be called a friend, and will hear the most longed-for praise: “Well done, good and faithful servant, noble soldier, imitator of your Master, follower of the King! I will repay you with my gifts; I will hear your words, since you heard mine.” You will ask salvation for brothers who are hard pressed, and for the sharers of the faith and the initiates of holy love you will receive from the King a share in the good things. And you will dance …
2 Cor 10:4 (quotation, high confidence) · Matt 9:15 (allusion, low confidence) · Eph 6:12 (allusion, high confidence) · 2 Cor 10:5 (quotation, high confidence) · Matt 10:23 (quotation, high confidence) · Matt 10:18 (allusion, high confidence) · Luke 16:22 (allusion, medium confidence) · John 15:14–15 (allusion, medium confidence) · Matt 25:21 (quotation, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: The soldier of Christ must live without home, property, wife, or child, fighting unseen enemies within and for others, enduring persecution, trials, and death after Christ's example, sure that death is victory and will be rewarded with heaven and Christ's praise.
- The clause “And from death you will pass to eternal life” stands at the beginning of section 3 in the scan text and is translated here where it belongs; several lines of sections 2 and 3 are disordered in the scan text. On marriage and children, the treatise addresses those entering the ascetic life; translated as written.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR letter; column letter inside a word; split word): ἐλευθέ· ρου → ἐλευθέρου; καλεῖΑ σθαι → καλεῖσθαι; βασά νων → βασάνων; μιμητὸ τοῦ → μιμητὰ τοῦ.
Topics: Martyrdom, Persecution, Marriage
Cite (SBL): Basil, Prooem. ascet. 2 (PG 31:621; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/basil-praevia-institutio/2). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/basil-praevia-institutio/2
BibTeX · RIS · CSL-JSON (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-basil-praevia-institutio-2) · Report an error
Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 31 (Bavarian State Library OCR); compared afterwards with FOTC 9 (private error-check only).
Chapter 3
3PG 31:623
Καὶ ἀπὸ τοῦ θανάτου μὲν πρὸς αἰώνιον ὁδεύσεις τὰς αἰωνίους χορείας, καὶ μεταξὺ τῶν ἀγγέλων στεκαὶ τὸ θῆλυ παρὰ Χριστῷ, τῇ ψυχικῇ ἀνδρείᾳ καταλεγόμενον εἰς τὴν στρατείαν, καὶ οὐ διὰ τὴν τοῦ σώκαὶ τοῖς κοινωνοῖς τῆς πίστεως, φανηφορήσεις, βασιλεύων κτίσεως ὑπὸ τῷ βασιλεῖ, καὶ συνδιαιωνίζων μακαρίως τῷ τῆς μακαριότητος χορῷ. Εἰ δὲ καὶ ἐπὶ κόσμου σε καταλείψαι ἔτι μετὰ τοὺς ἀγῶνας θέλοι, ἵνα καὶ πλείονας ἀγῶνας καὶ ποικίλους διαγωνίσῃ, καὶ σώσῃς ἐκ τῶν ἀοράτων καὶ ὁρατῶν πολέμων πολλοὺς, μεγάλη σου καὶ κατὰ γῆν ἡ δόξα, καὶ παρὰ τοῖς φίλοις ἔσῃ τίμιος, προστάτην σε καὶ βοηθὸν καὶ πρεσβευτὴν ἀγαθὸν εὐρηκόσιν. Οὗτοι θρέψουσιν ὡς στρατιώτην ἀγαθόν· οὗτοι τιμήσουσιν ὡς ἀριστέα γενναῖον· οὗτοι δεξιώσονται καὶ μετὰ χαρᾶς ὑποδέξονται ὡς ἄγγελον Θεοῦ δεχόμενοι, καθὰ Παῦλός φησιν, ὡς Χριστὸν Ἰησοῦν. Ταῦτα καὶ τὰ τοιαῦτα τῆς θείας στρατείας τὰ παραδείγματα. Διαλέγεται δὲ οὐκ ἀνδράσι μόνοις ὁ λόγος. Στρατεύεται γὰρ καταπονουμένων, καὶ τοῖς μύσταις· ἀγαθῶν κοινωνίαν. ματος ἀσθένειαν ἀποδοκιμαζόμενον, καὶ πολλαὶ γυναῖκες ἠρίστευσαν ἀνδρῶν οὐκ ἔλαττον. Εἰσὶ δὲ αἱ καὶ μειζόνως εὐδοκίμησαν. Ἐκ τούτων εἰσὶν αἱ τῆς παρθενίας πληροῦσαι τὸν χορόν. Ἐκ τούτων αἱ τοῖς ἀγῶσι τῆς ὁμολογίας καὶ ταῖς νίκαις τῆς μαρτυρίας ἐκπλάμπουσιν. Ἠκολούθουν δὲ καὶ αὐτῷ τῷ Κυρίῳ κατὰ τὴν παρουσίαν οὐκ ἄνδρες μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ γυναῖκες, καὶ δι᾿ ἀμφοτέρων ἡ λειτουργία τοῦ Σωτῆρος ἐπετελεῖτο. Τοιούτων καὶ οὕτως ἐνδόξων ἀποκειμένων τῇ στρατείᾳ τῇ κατὰ Χριστὸν, ἐπιθυμείτωσαν, αὐτῆς καὶ πατέρες παίδων, καὶ μητέρες θυγατέρων. Προσαγέτωσαν τὰ αὐτῶν γεννήματα, χαίροντες ἐπὶ ταῖς αἰωνίοις ἐλπίσιν, ὧν οἱ παῖδες αὐτοῖς μεθέξουσι, προστάτας ἔχειν παρὰ Χριστῷ καὶ πρεσβευτὰς ἀγαθοὺς ἐπιθυμοῦντες. Καὶ μὴ μικρόψυχοι περὶ τοὺς παῖδας γενώμεθα, μηδὲ φοβηθῶμεν εἰ πονήσουσιν, ἀλλ᾽ εὐφρανθῶμεν, ὅτι δοξασθήσονται. Παραστήσωμεν τῷ Κυρίῳ τὰ δοθέντα παρ' αὐτοῦ, ἵνα καὶ τῆς εὐδοκιμήσεως τῶν παίδων γενώμεθα κοινωνοί, συμπροσάγοντες ἑαυτοὺς καὶ συμπαριστῶντες. Τοῖς δὴ οὕτω προθυμουμένοις καὶ οὕτως ἀγωνιζομένοις καλῶς ἄν τις ἐκ τοῦ Ψαλμῳδοῦ λέγοι· Εὐλογημένοι ὑμεῖς τῷ Κυρίῳ τῷ ποιήσαντι τὸν οὐρανὸν καὶ τὴν γῆν. Καὶ κατὰ τὸν. Μωσέα, εὔξεται περὶ αὐτῶν· Εὐλόγει, Κύριε, τὰ ἔργα αὐτῶν· κάταξον ὀφρὺν ἀνθεστηκότων αὐτοῖς. ᾿Ανδρίζεσθε ὡς γενναίοι, δράμετε γενναίως τὸν δρόμον ἐπὶ τοῖς αἰωνίοις στεφάνοις, ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ τῷ Κυρίῳ ἡμῶν, ᾧ ἡ δόξα εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας. Αμήν.
Kai apo tou thanatou men pros aiōnion hodeuseis tas aiōnious choreias, kai metaxy tōn angelōn stekai to thēly para Christǭ, tę̄ psychikę̄ andreią katalegomenon eis tēn strateian, kai ou dia tēn tou sōkai tois koinōnois tēs pisteōs, phanēphorēseis, basileuōn ktiseōs hypo tǭ basilei, kai syndiaiōnizōn makariōs tǭ tēs makariotētos chorǭ. Ei de kai epi kosmou se kataleipsai eti meta tous agōnas theloi, hina kai pleionas agōnas kai poikilous diagōnisę̄, kai sōsę̄s ek tōn aoratōn kai horatōn polemōn pollous, megalē sou kai kata gēn hē doxa, kai para tois philois esę̄ timios, prostatēn se kai boēthon kai presbeutēn agathon eurēkosin. Houtoi threpsousin hōs stratiōtēn agathon; houtoi timēsousin hōs aristea gennaion; houtoi dexiōsontai kai meta charas hypodexontai hōs angelon Theou dechomenoi, katha Paulos phēsin, hōs Christon Iēsoun. Tauta kai ta toiauta tēs theias strateias ta paradeigmata. Dialegetai de ouk andrasi monois ho logos. Strateuetai gar kataponoumenōn, kai tois mystais; agathōn koinōnian. matos astheneian apodokimazomenon, kai pollai gynaikes ēristeusan andrōn ouk elatton. Eisi de hai kai meizonōs eudokimēsan. Ek toutōn eisin hai tēs parthenias plērousai ton choron. Ek toutōn hai tois agōsi tēs homologias kai tais nikais tēs martyrias ekplampousin. Ēkolouthoun de kai autǭ tǭ Kyriǭ kata tēn parousian ouk andres monon, alla kai gynaikes, kai di᾿ amphoterōn hē leitourgia tou Sōtēros epeteleito. Toioutōn kai houtōs endoxōn apokeimenōn tę̄ strateią tę̄ kata Christon, epithymeitōsan, autēs kai pateres paidōn, kai mēteres thygaterōn. Prosagetōsan ta autōn gennēmata, chairontes epi tais aiōniois elpisin, hōn hoi paides autois methexousi, prostatas echein para Christǭ kai presbeutas agathous epithymountes. Kai mē mikropsychoi peri tous paidas genōmetha, mēde phobēthōmen ei ponēsousin, all᾽ euphranthōmen, hoti doxasthēsontai. Parastēsōmen tǭ Kyriǭ ta dothenta par' autou, hina kai tēs eudokimēseōs tōn paidōn genōmetha koinōnoi, symprosagontes heautous kai symparistōntes. Tois dē houtō prothymoumenois kai houtōs agōnizomenois kalōs an tis ek tou Psalmǭdou legoi; Eulogēmenoi hymeis tǭ Kyriǭ tǭ poiēsanti ton ouranon kai tēn gēn. Kai kata ton. Mōsea, euxetai peri autōn; Eulogei, Kyrie, ta erga autōn; kataxon ophryn anthestēkotōn autois. ᾿Andrizesthe hōs gennaioi, dramete gennaiōs ton dromon epi tois aiōniois stephanois, en Christǭ Iēsou tǭ Kyriǭ hēmōn, hǭ hē doxa eis tous aiōnas. Amēn.
… the eternal dances, and among the angels you will wear a crown, reigning over creation under the King, and living for ever in blessedness with the chorus of the blessed. And if he should wish to leave you still in the world after the contests, so that you may fight more and various contests and save many from the unseen and seen wars, great will be your glory on earth too, and you will be honoured by your friends, who have found in you a protector, a helper, and a good intercessor. They will feed you as a good soldier; they will honour you as a noble champion; they will greet you and receive you with joy, as receiving an angel of God, as Paul says, as Christ Jesus. These and such things are the examples of the divine warfare.
And the word is not addressed to men only. For the female too serves as a soldier with Christ, enrolled in the army by courage of soul and not rejected for weakness of body; and many women have excelled no less than men, and some have even won greater renown. From among them are those who fill the choir of virginity; from among them those who shine in the contests of confession and the victories of martyrdom. And women as well as men followed the Lord himself during his coming, and the ministry of the Saviour was carried out by both. Since such glorious things are laid up for the warfare according to Christ, let both fathers of sons and mothers of daughters desire it. Let them bring their offspring, rejoicing in the eternal hopes in which their children will share, desiring to have them as protectors and good intercessors with Christ. And let us not be faint-hearted about our children, nor fear that they will toil, but rejoice that they will be glorified. Let us present to the Lord what he has given, so that we too may share in our children's renown, bringing ourselves forward and presenting ourselves together with them. Of those who are so eager and so contend one might well say, from the Psalmist: “Blessed are you of the Lord, who made heaven and earth.” And, as Moses did, one will pray for them: “Bless, O Lord, their works; strike down the pride of those who oppose them.” Be strong as noble men; run the course nobly for the eternal crowns, in Christ Jesus our Lord, to whom be glory for ever. Amen.
Gal 4:14 (quotation, high confidence) · Luke 8:1–3 (allusion, high confidence) · Ps 115:15 (113:23 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · Deut 33:11 (quotation, high confidence) · 1 Cor 16:13 (allusion, medium confidence) · 1 Cor 9:24–25 (allusion, medium confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Basil promises the faithful ascetic a crown among the angels or, if left on earth, honour as a protector of many; he adds that women too serve in Christ's army, as virgins and martyrs, and urges parents to offer their children to this service.
- Several lines are disordered in the scan text (fragments of section 2 and of the sentence about women run into this section); translated in their proper order by sense. The prayer ascribed to Moses is Deut 33:11 LXX.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (repeated syllables; split word): φοβηθ βηθῶμεν → φοβηθῶμεν; συμπροσ άγοντες → συμπροσάγοντες.
Topics: Martyrdom
Cite (SBL): Basil, Prooem. ascet. 3 (PG 31:623; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/basil-praevia-institutio/3). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/basil-praevia-institutio/3
BibTeX · RIS · CSL-JSON (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-basil-praevia-institutio-3) · Report an error
Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 31 (Bavarian State Library OCR); compared afterwards with FOTC 9 (private error-check only).