Longer Rules (Asceticon, Regulae fusius tractatae) 16–23
Greek text: PG 31.English: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), public domain (CC0).
Chapter 16
16PG 31:957
Εἰ ἀναγκαῖον τῷ μέλλοντι εὐσεβῶς ζῇν τὸ ἐγκρατεύεσθαι. ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ. Ὅτι μὲν ἀναγκαῖος ὁ τῆς ἐγκρατείας λόγος, δῆλον· πρῶτον μὲν ἐκ τοῦ τὸν ᾿Απόστολον ἐν τοῖς καρποῖς τοῦ Πνεύματος τὴν ἐγκράτειαν ἀριθμῆσαι, ἔπειτα δὲ ἐκ τοῦ τὸ ἄμωμον τῆς διακονίας καὶ ἐκ ταύτης εἰπεῖν κατορθοῦσθαι, ἐν οἷς φησιν· Ἐν κόποις, ἐν ἀγρυπνίαις, ἐν νηστείαις, ἐν ἁγνότητι· καὶ ἑτέρωθι· Ἐν κόπῳ καὶ μόχθῳ, ἐν ἀγρυπνίαις πολλάκις· ἐν λιμῷ καὶ δίψει· ἐν νηστείαις πολλάκις· καὶ πάλιν· Πᾶς δὲ ὁ ἀγωνιζόμενος πάντα ἐγκρατεύεται. Καὶ ὁ ὑπωπιασμὸς δὲ τοῦ σώματος, καὶ ἡ δουλαγωγία, ὑπ᾿ οὐδενὸς ἄλλου τοσοῦτον, ὡς ὑπὸ τῆς ἐγκρατείας κατορθοῦται. Τὸ γὰρ βράζον τῆς νεότητος, καὶ πρὸς τὰς ὁρμὰς δυσκάθεκτον, οἷον χαλινῷ τινι τῇ ἐγκρατείᾳ καθείργεται. Οὐ γὰρ συμφέρει ἄφρονι τρυφή, κατὰ τὸν Σολομῶντα. Τί δὲ σαρκὸς εὐπαθούσης καὶ νεότητος περιφερομένης ἀφρονέστερον; Διό φησιν ὁ ᾿Απόστο λος· Καὶ τῆς σαρκὸς πρόνοιαν μὴ ποιεῖσθε εἰς ἐπιθυμίας· καὶ, Ἡ σπαταλῶσα, ζῶσα τέθνηκεν. Καὶ τὸ ὑπόδειγμα δὲ τῆς τοῦ πλουσίου τρυφῆς ἀναγκαίαν ἡμῖν τὴν ἐγκράτειαν παρίστησι, μήποτε ἀκούσωμεν ὁ ἤκουσεν ὁ πλούσιος, ὅτι Ἀπέλαβες τὰ ἀγαθὰ σου ἐν τῇ ζωῇ σου. Ὅπως δὲ φοβερὸν ἡ ἀκρασία, καὶ ὁ Ἀπόστολος ἔδειξεν, ἐν τοῖς ἰδιώμασι τῆς ἀποστασίας καταριθμήσας αὐτὴν, καὶ εἰπών· Ἐν ἐσχάταις ἡμέραις ἐνστήσονται καιροί χαλεποί. Ἔσονται γὰρ ἄνθρωποι φίλαυτοι. Καὶ πλείονα ἀπαριθμησάμενος τῆς κακίας εἴδη, ἐπήγαγε· Διάβολοι, ἀκρατεῖς. Καὶ ὁ Ἡσαῦ δὲ τὸ μέγιστον τῶν κακῶν τὴν ἀκρασίαν κατηγορήθη, ὡς ἀντὶ βρώσεως μιᾶς ἀποδόμενος τὰ πρωτοτόκια. Καὶ ἡ πρώτη παρακοὴ δι᾿ ἀκρασίας ἐνέπεσε τῷ ἀνθρώπῳ. Ἐν ἐγκρατείᾳ δὲ οἱ ἅγιοι πάντες ἐμαρτυρήθησαν. Καὶ πᾶσα δὲ ἡ τῶν ἁγίων καὶ μακαρίων ζωή, καὶ τὸ παρ' αὐτοῦ τοῦ Κυρίου ἐν τῇ ἐπιδημίᾳ τῇ διὰ σαρκὸς ὑπόδειγμα πρὸς τοῦτο ἡμᾶς ὠφελεῖ. Ὁ Μωϋσῆς διὰ τῆς μακρᾶς ἐν νηστείᾳ καὶ προσευχῇ προσεδρίας τὸν νόμον ἔλαβε, καὶ Θεοῦ λόγων ἤκουσεν, Ὡς ἂν εἴτις λαλήσαι φησὶ, τῷ ἑαυτοῦ φίλῳ. Ὁ Ἠλίας τότε τῆς ὀπτασίας τοῦ Θεοῦ κατηξιώθη, ὅτε καὶ αὐτὸς ἐν τῷ ἴσῳ μέτρῳ τῆς ἐγκρατείας γέγονε. Τί δὲ ὁ Δανιήλ; Πῶς ἐν τῇ ὀπτασίᾳ τῶν παραδόξων ἐγένετο; Οὐ μετὰ τὴν εἰκοστὴν τὴν νηστείας ἡμέραν; Πῶς δὲ οἱ τρεῖς παῖδες τὴν δύναμιν ἔσβεσαν τοῦ πυρός; Οὐ διὰ τῆς ἐγκρατείας; Καὶ Ἰωάννου δὲ ἡ πᾶσα τοῦ βίου ἔνστασις ἀπὸ τῆς ἐγκρατείας ὥρμητο. Ἀπὸ ταύτης καὶ ὁ Κύριος τῆς φανερώσεως αὐτοῦ ἤρξατο. Ἐγκράτειαν δὲ λέγομεν οὐ πάντως τὴν παντελῆ ἀποχὴν τῶν βρωμάτων (τοῦτο γὰρ βιαία τίς ἐστι διάλυσις τῆς ζωῆς), ἀλλὰ τὴν ἐπὶ καθαιρέσει τοῦ φρονήματος τῆς σαρκὸς πρὸς τὸν τῆς εὐσεβείας σκοπὸν ἐπιτετηδευμένην ἀποχὴν τῶν ἡδέων. Καὶ ἁπαξαπλῶς, ὧν αἱ ἀπολαύσεις ἐπιθυμηταὶ τοῖς κατὰ πάθος ζῶσι, τούτων ἡμῖν ἡ ἐγκράτεια ἀναγκαία τοῖς ῥυθμιζομένοις πρὸς τὴν εὐσέβειαν Οὐ μὴν περὶ τὴν ἡδονὴν τῶν βρωμάτων μόνην ἡ τῆς ἐγκρατείας ἄσκησις κατορθοῦται, ἀλλὰ διατείνει καὶ ἐπὶ πᾶσαν τοῦ ἐμποδίζοντος ἀποχήν. Ωστε ὁ ἀκριβῶς ἐγκρατὴς οὐ γαστρὸς μὲν κρατήσει, δόξῃ δὲ ἀνθρωπίνῃ ἡττηθήσεται· οὐκ ἐπιθυμίας μὲν αἰσχρᾶς περιγενήσεται, πλούτου δὲ οὐκέτι, οὐδὲ ἄλλης τινὸς ἀγεννοῦς διαθέσεως, οἷον ὀργῆς, ἢ λύπης, ἢ τῶν ὅσα τὰς ἀπαιδεύτους ψυχὰς καταδουλοῦσθαι πέφυκε. Σχεδὸν γὰρ, ὁ ἐπὶ πασῶν θεωροῦμεν τῶν ἐντολῶν, ὅτι ἀλλήλων ἔχονται, καὶ ἀπεσχισμένως ἄλλην ἀπ᾿ ἄλλης κατορθοῦσθαι ἀμήχανον, τοῦτο μάλιστα περὶ τὴν ἐγκράτειαν θεωρεῖται. Ταπεινόφρων τε γάρ ἐστιν ὁ περὶ δόξαν ἐγκρατής· καὶ τῆς ἀκτημοσύνης τὸ εὐαγγελικὸν ἐκπληροῖ μέτρον ὁ περὶ χρήματα ἐγκρατῶς διακείμενος· καὶ ἀόργητος ὁ θυμοῦ καὶ ὀργῆς ἐπικρατῶν. Καὶ γλώσσῃ δὲ μέτρα, καὶ ὀφθαλμοῖς ὅρους, καὶ ὠσὶν ἀπερίεργον ἀκοὴν ὁ ἀκριβὴς τῆς ἐγκρατείας ὁρίζει λόγος· οἷς ὁ μὴ ἐμμένων ἀκρατὴς καὶ ἀκόλαστος. Ὁρᾷς πως περὶ μίαν ἐντολὴν ταύτην αἱ πᾶσαι ὡς ἐν χορῷ ἀλλήλων ἔχονται;
Ei anankaion tǭ mellonti eusebōs zę̄n to enkrateuesthai. APOKRISIS. Hoti men anankaios ho tēs enkrateias logos, dēlon; prōton men ek tou ton ᾿Apostolon en tois karpois tou Pneumatos tēn enkrateian arithmēsai, epeita de ek tou to amōmon tēs diakonias kai ek tautēs eipein katorthousthai, en hois phēsin; En kopois, en agrypniais, en nēsteiais, en hagnotēti; kai heterōthi; En kopǭ kai mochthǭ, en agrypniais pollakis; en limǭ kai dipsei; en nēsteiais pollakis; kai palin; Pas de ho agōnizomenos panta enkrateuetai. Kai ho hypōpiasmos de tou sōmatos, kai hē doulagōgia, hyp᾿ oudenos allou tosouton, hōs hypo tēs enkrateias katorthoutai. To gar brazon tēs neotētos, kai pros tas hormas dyskathekton, hoion chalinǭ tini tę̄ enkrateią katheirgetai. Ou gar sympherei aphroni tryphē, kata ton Solomōnta. Ti de sarkos eupathousēs kai neotētos peripheromenēs aphronesteron? Dio phēsin ho ᾿Aposto los; Kai tēs sarkos pronoian mē poieisthe eis epithymias; kai, Hē spatalōsa, zōsa tethnēken. Kai to hypodeigma de tēs tou plousiou tryphēs anankaian hēmin tēn enkrateian paristēsi, mēpote akousōmen ho ēkousen ho plousios, hoti Apelabes ta agatha sou en tę̄ zōę̄ sou. Hopōs de phoberon hē akrasia, kai ho Apostolos edeixen, en tois idiōmasi tēs apostasias katarithmēsas autēn, kai eipōn; En eschatais hēmerais enstēsontai kairoi chalepoi. Esontai gar anthrōpoi philautoi. Kai pleiona aparithmēsamenos tēs kakias eidē, epēgage; Diaboloi, akrateis. Kai ho Hēsau de to megiston tōn kakōn tēn akrasian katēgorēthē, hōs anti brōseōs mias apodomenos ta prōtotokia. Kai hē prōtē parakoē di᾿ akrasias enepese tǭ anthrōpǭ. En enkrateią de hoi hagioi pantes emartyrēthēsan. Kai pasa de hē tōn hagiōn kai makariōn zōē, kai to par' autou tou Kyriou en tę̄ epidēmią tę̄ dia sarkos hypodeigma pros touto hēmas ōphelei. Ho Mōÿsēs dia tēs makras en nēsteią kai proseuchę̄ prosedrias ton nomon elabe, kai Theou logōn ēkousen, Hōs an eitis lalēsai phēsi, tǭ heautou philǭ. Ho Ēlias tote tēs optasias tou Theou katēxiōthē, hote kai autos en tǭ isǭ metrǭ tēs enkrateias gegone. Ti de ho Daniēl? Pōs en tę̄ optasią tōn paradoxōn egeneto? Ou meta tēn eikostēn tēn nēsteias hēmeran? Pōs de hoi treis paides tēn dynamin esbesan tou pyros? Ou dia tēs enkrateias? Kai Iōannou de hē pasa tou biou enstasis apo tēs enkrateias hōrmēto. Apo tautēs kai ho Kyrios tēs phanerōseōs autou ērxato. Enkrateian de legomen ou pantōs tēn pantelē apochēn tōn brōmatōn (touto gar biaia tis esti dialysis tēs zōēs), alla tēn epi kathairesei tou phronēmatos tēs sarkos pros ton tēs eusebeias skopon epitetēdeumenēn apochēn tōn hēdeōn. Kai hapaxaplōs, hōn hai apolauseis epithymētai tois kata pathos zōsi, toutōn hēmin hē enkrateia anankaia tois rhythmizomenois pros tēn eusebeian Ou mēn peri tēn hēdonēn tōn brōmatōn monēn hē tēs enkrateias askēsis katorthoutai, alla diateinei kai epi pasan tou empodizontos apochēn. Ōste ho akribōs enkratēs ou gastros men kratēsei, doxę̄ de anthrōpinę̄ hēttēthēsetai; ouk epithymias men aischras perigenēsetai, ploutou de ouketi, oude allēs tinos agennous diatheseōs, hoion orgēs, ē lypēs, ē tōn hosa tas apaideutous psychas katadoulousthai pephyke. Schedon gar, ho epi pasōn theōroumen tōn entolōn, hoti allēlōn echontai, kai apeschismenōs allēn ap᾿ allēs katorthousthai amēchanon, touto malista peri tēn enkrateian theōreitai. Tapeinophrōn te gar estin ho peri doxan enkratēs; kai tēs aktēmosynēs to euangelikon ekplēroi metron ho peri chrēmata enkratōs diakeimenos; kai aorgētos ho thymou kai orgēs epikratōn. Kai glōssę̄ de metra, kai ophthalmois horous, kai ōsin aperiergon akoēn ho akribēs tēs enkrateias horizei logos; hois ho mē emmenōn akratēs kai akolastos. Horąs pōs peri mian entolēn tautēn hai pasai hōs en chorǭ allēlōn echontai?
Whether self-control is necessary for one who means to live a godly life.
Answer. That the principle of self-control is necessary is clear: first, because the Apostle counts self-control among the fruits of the Spirit; then, because he says that the blamelessness of the ministry is achieved by this too, where he says: “In labours, in watchings, in fastings, in purity”; and elsewhere: “In toil and hardship, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often”; and again: “Everyone who competes exercises self-control in all things.” The pommelling of the body and bringing it into subjection are achieved by nothing else so much as by self-control. For the seething of youth, hard to restrain in its impulses, is held in by self-control as by a bridle. “Luxury does not befit a fool,” according to Solomon. And what is more foolish than flesh at ease and youth carried about? Therefore the Apostle says: “And make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires”; and: “She who lives in self-indulgence is dead while she lives.” The example of the rich man's luxury also shows us that self-control is necessary, lest we hear what the rich man heard: “You received your good things in your lifetime.” How fearful a thing lack of self-control is, the Apostle also showed, counting it among the marks of apostasy and saying: “In the last days there will come times of difficulty. For people will be lovers of self”; and after listing many kinds of vice he added: “slanderers, without self-control.” Esau too was accused of the greatest of evils, lack of self-control, since he sold his birthright for a single meal. And the first disobedience came upon man through lack of self-control.
But all the saints have been commended for self-control. The whole life of the holy and blessed ones, and the example of the Lord himself in his coming in the flesh, help us toward this. Moses received the law through long attendance in fasting and prayer, and heard words from God “as a man speaks,” he says, “to his friend.” Elijah was counted worthy of the vision of God when he too had come to the same measure of self-control. What of Daniel? How did he come to see wonderful visions? Was it not after the twentieth day of fasting? And how did the three youths quench the power of the fire? Was it not through self-control? The whole manner of John's life, too, sprang from self-control. With it the Lord also began his manifestation.
By self-control we do not mean complete abstinence from food in every case (for that is a violent ending of life), but the abstinence from pleasant things practised for the overthrow of the mind of the flesh, with a view to the goal of godliness. In a word, for us who are ordering our lives toward godliness, self-control is necessary with regard to all those things whose enjoyment is desired by people who live by passion. The discipline of self-control is not exercised only with regard to the pleasure of food, but extends to abstaining from everything that hinders. So the one who is exactly self-controlled will not master his belly and then be overcome by human glory; he will not overcome shameful desire and then fail against wealth or any other ignoble disposition, such as anger or grief or whatever naturally enslaves untrained souls. For what we observe in nearly all the commandments, that they hang together and cannot be achieved separately one from another, is seen most of all in self-control. The one self-controlled about glory is humble; the one disposed to self-control about money fulfils the Gospel measure of poverty; the one who masters wrath and anger is free from anger. The exact principle of self-control sets measures for the tongue, limits for the eyes, and for the ears a hearing free from idle curiosity; and the one who does not keep to these is without self-control and undisciplined. Do you see how around this one commandment all the others hold together as in a dance?
Textual problem in this passage: see the notes.
Gal 5:23 (allusion, high confidence) · 2 Cor 6:5–6 (quotation, high confidence) · 2 Cor 11:27 (quotation, high confidence) · 1 Cor 9:25 (quotation, high confidence) · 1 Cor 9:27 (allusion, high confidence) · Prov 19:10 (quotation, high confidence) · Rom 13:14 (quotation, high confidence) · 1 Tim 5:6 (quotation, high confidence) · Luke 16:25 (quotation, high confidence) · 2 Tim 3:1–3 (quotation, high confidence) · Gen 25:33–34 (allusion, high confidence) · Heb 12:16 (allusion, medium confidence) · Gen 3:6 (allusion, high confidence) · Exod 34:28 (allusion, high confidence) · Exod 33:11 (quotation, high confidence) · 1 Kgs 19:8 (allusion, high confidence) · Dan 10:2–3 (allusion, high confidence) · Dan 1:12 (allusion, medium confidence) · Dan 3:25 (allusion, medium confidence) · Matt 3:4 (allusion, high confidence) · Matt 4:2 (allusion, high confidence) · Rom 8:7 (allusion, medium confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Basil shows from Scripture and the saints that self-control is necessary for the godly life, defines it as abstinence from pleasures for the subduing of the flesh rather than total fasting, and extends it to glory, wealth, anger, speech, sight, and hearing.
- Debris from the Migne edition's footnotes (variant readings) near the end of the rule has been removed by a logged correction. “Luxury does not befit a fool”: Prov 19:10.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (Migne's margin letter A left in the text; Migne's margin letter B left in the text; OCR letter confusion (Ε for β); OCR letter confusion (ο for α); debris of Migne's footnotes (variant readings) leaked into the text): πρὸς Α τοῦτο → πρὸς τοῦτο; τῆς Β σαρκὸς → τῆς σαρκὸς; γόρ ἐστιν → γάρ ἐστιν; μέτρα, καὶ βρωμάτων ἐγένετο. Τοῦ Δανιὴλ δὴ καὶ ἡ τῶν τριῶν παίδων πρὸς Θεὸν εὐαρέστησις καὶ τὸ πάντων κατακρατῆσαι τῶν ἐχθρῶν δι᾽ ἐγκρατείας κατωρθώθη, καὶ Ἰωάννου. ὁ Μωϋσῆς διὰ τῆς, ἄσκησιν κατορθοῦσθαι, ἀλλὰ διατείνειν ἐπὶ πᾶσαν τοῦ βλάπτοντος ἀποχήν. Ὥστε ὁ ἀκριβής. Ὥστε ὁ ἀκριβὴς ἐγκρατὴς οὐ δόξης ἀνθρωπίνης, οὐκ ἐπιθυμίας, οὐ πλούτου, οὐκ ἄλλης τινὸς ἀπρεὀφθαλμοῖς ὅρους → μέτρα, καὶ ὀφθαλμοῖς ὅρους; ἀκριΕὴς τῆς → ἀκριβὴς τῆς.
Cite (SBL): Basil, Reg. fus. 16 (PG 31:957; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/basil-regulae-fusius/16). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/basil-regulae-fusius/16
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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 17
17PG 31:961
῞Οτι δεῖ καὶ γέλωτος ἐγκρατῶς ἔχειν. ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ. Καὶ τὸ παρὰ τοῖς πολλοῖς δὲ παρορώμενον οὐ μετρίας φυλακῆς τοῖς ἀσκουμένοις ἄξιον. Τὸ γὰρ γέλωτι ἀκρατεῖ καὶ ἀσχέτῳ κατέχεσθαι, ἀκρασίας σημεῖον, καὶ τοῦ μὴ κατεσταλμένα ἔχειν τὰ κινήματα, καὶ τοῦ μὴ ἀκριβεῖ λόγῳ τῆς ψυχῆς τὸ χαῦνον καταπιέζεσθαι. ῎Αχρι μὲν γὰρ μειδιάματος φαιδροῦ τὴν διάχυσιν τῆς ψυχῆς ὑποφαίνειν οὐκ ἀπρεπὲς, ὅσον δεῖξαι μόνον τὸ γεγραμμένον· Καρδίας εὐφραινομένης, πρόσωπον θάλλει· ἐγκαγχάζειν δὲ τῇ φωνῇ, καὶ ἀναβράζεσθαι ἀπροαιρέτως τὸ σῶμα, οὐ τοῦ κατεσταλμένου τὴν ψυχὴν, οὐδὲ τοῦ δοκίμου, οὐδὲ τοῦ περικρατῶς ἔχοντος ἑαυτοῦ. Τοῦτο εἶδος τοῦ γέλωτος καὶ ὁ Ἐκκλησιαστὴς παραιτούμενος, ὡς περιτρέπον μάλιστα τὸ σταθερὸν τῆς ψυχῆς, φησί Τῷ γέλωτι εἶπα περιφοράν· καί· Ὡς φωνή τῶν ἀκανθῶν ὑπὸ τὸν λέβητα, οὕτως ὁ γέλως τῶν ἀχρόνων. Καὶ ὁ Κύριος τὰ μὲν ἀναγκαῖα πάθη τῆς σαρκὸς ὑπομείνας φαίνεται, καὶ ὅσα ἀρετῆς μαρτυρίαν φέρει· οἷον κόπον, καὶ τὸν ἐπὶ τοῖς θλιβομένοις ἔλεον· γέλωτι δὲ μηδαμοῦ χρησάμενος, ὅσον ἐκ τῆς τῶν Εὐαγγελίων ἱστορίας, ἀλλὰ καὶ ταλανίζων τοὺς κατεχομένους ὑπ᾿ αὐτοῦ. Μὴ παρακρουέσθω δὲ ἡμᾶς ἡ ὁμωνυμία τοῦ γέλωτος. Σύνηθες γὰρ τῇ Γραφῇ πολλάκις τὴν χαρὰν τῆς ψυχῆς καὶ τὴν φαιδρὰν ἐπὶ τοῖς ἀγαθοῖς διάθεσιν γέλωτα ὀνομάζειν, ὡς ἡ Σάρρα φησί· Γέλωτά μοι ἐποίησεν ὁ Θεός· καὶ τὸ, Μακάριοι οἱ κλαίοντες νῦν, ὅτι γελάσετε καὶ τὸ ἐν τῷ Ἰὼβ δὲ κείμενον· Ἀληθινὸν δὲ στόμα ἐμπλήσει γέλωτος. Ταῦτα γὰρ πάντα ἀντὶ ἱλαρότητος ἐπὶ τῆς κατὰ ψυχὴν ἀγαλλιάσεως εἴληπται τὰ ὀνόματα. Ὥστε ὁ παντὸς πάθους ἀνώτερος, καὶ μηδένα εξ ἡδονῆς ἐρεθισμὸν πάσχων, ἢ καὶ προϊέμενος ἀλλ᾽ ἐγκρατῶς καὶ ἀνενδότως πρὸς πᾶσαν ἀπόλαυσιν βλαβερὰν διακείμενος, ὁ τέλειός ἐστιν ἐγκρατής· ὁ δὲ τοιοῦτος δηλονότι καὶ πάσης ἀπήλλακται άμαρτίας. Ἔστι δὲ ὅτε καὶ αὐτῶν τῶν συγκεχωρημένων καὶ ἀναγκαίων πρὸς τὸ ζῇν ἀφεκτέον, ὅταν ἐπ᾿ ὠφελείᾳ τῶν ἀδελφῶν ἡμῶν ἡ ἀποχὴ οἰκονομῆται Ὡς ὁ ᾿Απόστολος· Εἰ βρῶμα σκανδαλίζει τὸν ἀδελφύν μου, φησὶν, οὐ μὴ φάγω κρέα εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα. Καὶ ἔχων ἐξουσίαν ἐκ τοῦ Εὐαγγελίου ζῇν, οὐκ ἐχρή σατο τῇ ἐξουσίᾳ, ἵνα μὴ ἐγκοπήν τινα δῷ τῷ Εὐαγγελίῳ τοῦ Χριστοῦ. Ἔστιν οὖν ἡ ἐγκράτεια ἁμαρτίας ἀναίρεσις, παθῶν ἀπαλλοτρίωσις, σώματος νέκρωσις μέχρι καὶ αὐτῶν τῶν φυσικῶν παθημάτων τε καὶ ἐπιθυμιῶν, ζωῆς πνευματικῆς ἀρχὴ, τῶν αἰωνίων ἀγαθῶν πρόξενος, ἐν ἑαυτῇ τὸ κέντρον τῆς ἡδονῆς ἀφανίζουσα. Ἡδονὴ γάρ ἐστι τὸ μέγα τοῦ κακοῦ δέλεαρ, δι᾽ ἣν εὐέμπτωτοι μάλιστα πρὸς ἁμαρτίαν ἐσμὲν οἱ ἄνθρωποι· ὑφ᾽ ἧς πᾶσα ψυχὴ ὡς ὑπ᾿ ἀγκίστρου πρὸς τὸν θάνατον ἕλκεται. Ὡς ὅ γε μὴ ἐκθηλυνόμενος, μηδὲ κατακαμπτόμενος ὑπ' αὐτῆς, διὰ τῆς ἐγ κρατείας πᾶσαν φυγὴν ἁμαρτημάτων κατώρθωσεν. Εἰ δὲ τὰ μὲν πλεῖστα ἔφυγεν, ὑφ᾽ ἑνὸς δὲ κρατεῖται, οὐκ ἐγκρατὴς ὁ τοιοῦτος· ὥσπερ καὶ ὁ ὑφ' ἑνὸς πάθους σωματικοῦ ἐνοχλούμενος οὐχ ὑγιής· καὶ ὑφ᾽ ἑνὸς καὶ τοῦ τυχόντος κυριευόμενος οὐκ ἐλεύθε ρος. Αἱ μὲν οὖν λοιπαὶ ἀρεταὶ, ἐν τῷ κρυπτῷ κατορθούμεναι, ὀλιγάκις διαφαίνονται τοῖς ἀνθρώποις· ἡ δὲ ἐγκράτεια ἀπ᾿ αὐτῆς τῆς συντυχίας γνώριμον ποιεῖ τὸν ἔχοντα. Ὡς γὰρ τὸν ἀθλητὴν ἡ πολυσαρκία καὶ ἡ εὔχροια χαρακτηρίζει, οὕτω τὸν Χριστιανὸν τὸ κατεσκληκὸς τοῦ σώματος, καὶ ἡ ἐκ τῆς ἐγκρατείας ἐπανθοῦσα ὠχρία δείκνυσιν, ὅτι ἀθλητὴς ὄντως ἐστὶ τῶν ἐντολῶν τοῦ Χριστοῦ· ἐν τῇ ἀσθενείᾳ τοῦ σώματος καταπαλαίων ἑαυτοῦ τὸν ἐχθρὸν, καὶ τὸ δυνατὸν ἐν τοῖς τῆς εὐσεβείας ἄθλοις ἐπιδεικνύμενος, κατὰ τὸ εἰρημένον, ὅτι ὅταν ἀσθενῶ, τότε δυνατός είμι. Ὅσον τὸ κέρδος, ὀφθῆναι μόνον τὸν ἐγκρατῆ, μόλις καὶ κατὰ μικρὸν τῶν ἀναγκαίων ἁπτόμενον, καὶ ὡς λειτουργίαν ἐπαχθῆ ὑποτελοῦντα ταῦτα διατριβῆς, ταχὺ δὲ τῆς τραπέζης ἀποπηδῶντα πρὸς τὴν τῶν ἔργων σπουδήν. Οἶμαι γὰρ ἂν καὶ τοῦ ἀκολάστου περὶ γαστέρα μηδένα λόγον τοσοῦτον τῆς ψυχῆς καθάψασθαι, καὶ πρὸς μεταβολὴν ἐναγαγεῖν, ὅσον καὶ μόνην τὴν συντυχίαν τοῦ ἐγκρατοῦς. Καὶ τοῦτό ἐστιν, ὡς ἔοικε, τὸ εἰς δόξαν Θεοῦ ἐσθίειν καὶ πίνειν· ὥστε καὶ ἐπὶ τῆς τραπέζης λάμπειν τὰ καλὰ ἡμῶν ἔργα πρὸς τὸ δοξασθῆναι τὸν Πατέρα ἡμῶν τὸν ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς.
῾Oti dei kai gelōtos enkratōs echein. APOKRISIS. Kai to para tois pollois de parorōmenon ou metrias phylakēs tois askoumenois axion. To gar gelōti akratei kai aschetǭ katechesthai, akrasias sēmeion, kai tou mē katestalmena echein ta kinēmata, kai tou mē akribei logǭ tēs psychēs to chaunon katapiezesthai. ᾿Achri men gar meidiamatos phaidrou tēn diachysin tēs psychēs hypophainein ouk aprepes, hoson deixai monon to gegrammenon; Kardias euphrainomenēs, prosōpon thallei; enkanchazein de tę̄ phōnę̄, kai anabrazesthai aproairetōs to sōma, ou tou katestalmenou tēn psychēn, oude tou dokimou, oude tou perikratōs echontos heautou. Touto eidos tou gelōtos kai ho Ekklēsiastēs paraitoumenos, hōs peritrepon malista to statheron tēs psychēs, phēsi Tǭ gelōti eipa periphoran; kai; Hōs phōnē tōn akanthōn hypo ton lebēta, houtōs ho gelōs tōn achronōn. Kai ho Kyrios ta men anankaia pathē tēs sarkos hypomeinas phainetai, kai hosa aretēs martyrian pherei; hoion kopon, kai ton epi tois thlibomenois eleon; gelōti de mēdamou chrēsamenos, hoson ek tēs tōn Euangeliōn historias, alla kai talanizōn tous katechomenous hyp᾿ autou. Mē parakrouesthō de hēmas hē homōnymia tou gelōtos. Synēthes gar tę̄ Graphę̄ pollakis tēn charan tēs psychēs kai tēn phaidran epi tois agathois diathesin gelōta onomazein, hōs hē Sarra phēsi; Gelōta moi epoiēsen ho Theos; kai to, Makarioi hoi klaiontes nyn, hoti gelasete kai to en tǭ Iōb de keimenon; Alēthinon de stoma emplēsei gelōtos. Tauta gar panta anti hilarotētos epi tēs kata psychēn agalliaseōs eilēptai ta onomata. Hōste ho pantos pathous anōteros, kai mēdena ex hēdonēs erethismon paschōn, ē kai proïemenos all᾽ enkratōs kai anendotōs pros pasan apolausin blaberan diakeimenos, ho teleios estin enkratēs; ho de toioutos dēlonoti kai pasēs apēllaktai amartias. Esti de hote kai autōn tōn synkechōrēmenōn kai anankaiōn pros to zę̄n aphekteon, hotan ep᾿ ōpheleią tōn adelphōn hēmōn hē apochē oikonomētai Hōs ho ᾿Apostolos; Ei brōma skandalizei ton adelphyn mou, phēsin, ou mē phagō krea eis ton aiōna. Kai echōn exousian ek tou Euangeliou zę̄n, ouk echrē sato tę̄ exousią, hina mē enkopēn tina dǭ tǭ Euangeliǭ tou Christou. Estin oun hē enkrateia hamartias anairesis, pathōn apallotriōsis, sōmatos nekrōsis mechri kai autōn tōn physikōn pathēmatōn te kai epithymiōn, zōēs pneumatikēs archē, tōn aiōniōn agathōn proxenos, en heautę̄ to kentron tēs hēdonēs aphanizousa. Hēdonē gar esti to mega tou kakou delear, di᾽ hēn euemptōtoi malista pros hamartian esmen hoi anthrōpoi; hyph᾽ hēs pasa psychē hōs hyp᾿ ankistrou pros ton thanaton helketai. Hōs ho ge mē ekthēlynomenos, mēde katakamptomenos hyp' autēs, dia tēs eg krateias pasan phygēn hamartēmatōn katōrthōsen. Ei de ta men pleista ephygen, hyph᾽ henos de krateitai, ouk enkratēs ho toioutos; hōsper kai ho hyph' henos pathous sōmatikou enochloumenos ouch hygiēs; kai hyph᾽ henos kai tou tychontos kyrieuomenos ouk eleuthe ros. Hai men oun loipai aretai, en tǭ kryptǭ katorthoumenai, oligakis diaphainontai tois anthrōpois; hē de enkrateia ap᾿ autēs tēs syntychias gnōrimon poiei ton echonta. Hōs gar ton athlētēn hē polysarkia kai hē euchroia charaktērizei, houtō ton Christianon to katesklēkos tou sōmatos, kai hē ek tēs enkrateias epanthousa ōchria deiknysin, hoti athlētēs ontōs esti tōn entolōn tou Christou; en tę̄ astheneią tou sōmatos katapalaiōn heautou ton echthron, kai to dynaton en tois tēs eusebeias athlois epideiknymenos, kata to eirēmenon, hoti hotan asthenō, tote dynatos eimi. Hoson to kerdos, ophthēnai monon ton enkratē, molis kai kata mikron tōn anankaiōn haptomenon, kai hōs leitourgian epachthē hypotelounta tauta diatribēs, tachy de tēs trapezēs apopēdōnta pros tēn tōn ergōn spoudēn. Oimai gar an kai tou akolastou peri gastera mēdena logon tosouton tēs psychēs kathapsasthai, kai pros metabolēn enagagein, hoson kai monēn tēn syntychian tou enkratous. Kai touto estin, hōs eoike, to eis doxan Theou esthiein kai pinein; hōste kai epi tēs trapezēs lampein ta kala hēmōn erga pros to doxasthēnai ton Patera hēmōn ton en tois ouranois.
That one must exercise self-control also over laughter.
Answer. What is overlooked by most people is also worthy of no small watchfulness by those in training. To be possessed by uncontrolled and unrestrained laughter is a sign of lack of self-control, of not having one's movements composed, and of the soul's slackness not being kept down by exact reason. To show the soul's cheerfulness as far as a bright smile is not unbecoming, enough only to show what is written: “A glad heart makes a cheerful face.” But to burst out loudly and to have the body shaken involuntarily does not belong to one whose soul is composed, or who is approved, or who has mastery over himself. The Preacher too rejects this kind of laughter, as most of all overturning the soul's steadiness, when he says: “I said of laughter, It is mad”; and: “As the crackling of thorns under a pot, so is the laughter of fools.” And the Lord is seen to have undergone the necessary passions of the flesh, and those that bear witness to virtue, such as weariness and compassion for the afflicted; but he never used laughter, so far as the Gospel narrative shows, and he even pronounced woe on those who are possessed by it.
But let us not be misled by the sameness of the word “laughter.” For Scripture often calls the joy of the soul and the cheerful disposition at good things “laughter,” as when Sarah says, “God has made laughter for me”; and “Blessed are you who weep now, for you shall laugh”; and the saying in Job, “He will fill a truthful mouth with laughter.” In all these the words are used for gladness, of the soul's exultation.
So the one who is above every passion, and who suffers no incitement from pleasure, or does not give way to it, but is disposed with self-control and unyielding firmness toward every harmful enjoyment, is perfectly self-controlled; and such a one is plainly free from all sin as well. There are times when one must abstain even from things permitted and necessary for life, when the abstinence is arranged for the benefit of our brothers. As the Apostle says: “If food makes my brother stumble, I will never eat meat.” And though he had authority to live by the Gospel, he did not use that authority, so as not to put any obstacle in the way of the Gospel of Christ.
Self-control, then, is the destruction of sin, estrangement from the passions, the putting to death of the body even as to its natural passions and desires, the beginning of spiritual life, the agent of eternal goods, destroying in itself the sting of pleasure. For pleasure is the great bait of evil, through which we human beings are most prone to sin, by which every soul is dragged as by a hook to death. So the one who is not softened or bent by it has, through self-control, achieved complete flight from sins. But if someone has escaped most things but is held by one, he is not self-controlled; just as one troubled by a single bodily ailment is not healthy, and one ruled by a single master, whoever he may be, is not free. The other virtues, achieved in secret, are seldom visible to men; but self-control makes its possessor known from the very first meeting. For as bulk and a fine colour mark the athlete, so the Christian's lean body and the pallor that blooms from self-control show that he is truly an athlete of Christ's commandments, overthrowing his enemy in the weakness of the body and showing his strength in the contests of godliness, according to the saying, “When I am weak, then I am strong.” How great the gain merely to see the self-controlled man, touching necessities scarcely and little by little, rendering them [to nature] as a burdensome service, [and begrudging] the time spent on it, and quickly springing up from the table to the zeal of work! For I think that no word would touch the soul of one undisciplined in eating, and bring him to change, so much as the mere meeting with a self-controlled man. And this, it seems, is eating and drinking to the glory of God: that even at table our good works should shine, so that our Father who is in heaven may be glorified.
Prov 15:13 (quotation, high confidence) · Eccl 2:2 (quotation, high confidence) · Eccl 7:6 (quotation, high confidence) · John 4:6 (allusion, medium confidence) · Luke 6:25 (allusion, high confidence) · Gen 21:6 (quotation, high confidence) · Luke 6:21 (quotation, high confidence) · Job 8:21 (quotation, high confidence) · 1 Cor 8:13 (quotation, high confidence) · 1 Cor 9:12 (allusion, high confidence) · 1 Cor 9:14 (allusion, high confidence) · 2 Cor 12:10 (quotation, high confidence) · 1 Cor 10:31 (allusion, high confidence) · Matt 5:16 (allusion, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Basil rules that ascetics must restrain loud laughter, which Christ never used, though a cheerful smile and spiritual joy are fitting, and describes self-control as the destruction of sin and the visible mark of the athlete of Christ.
- Two lines stand out of place in the scan text (“touching … as a burdensome service” before the definition of self-control, and “our good works should shine, so that … may be glorified” at the start of Rule 18); they are restored by logged corrections. After “as a burdensome service” a few words are still lost; “and begrudging” is supplied by sense. “He will fill a truthful mouth with laughter”: Job 8:21 LXX.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR slip (οἱ for οὐ); displaced line restored to its place (words are still lost after it); displaced line; restored below to its place; line displaced into the opening of Rule 18 restored to its place): οἱ μετρίας → οὐ μετρίας; τοῦ Χριστοῦ. ἁπτόμενον, καὶ ὡς λειτουργίαν ἐπαχθῆ ὑποτελοῦντα Ἔστιν οὖν → τοῦ Χριστοῦ. Ἔστιν οὖν; τῶν ἀναγκαίων ταῦτα διατριβῆς → τῶν ἀναγκαίων ἁπτόμενον, καὶ ὡς λειτουργίαν ἐπαχθῆ ὑποτελοῦντα ταῦτα διατριβῆς; τραπέζης Πατέρα → τραπέζης λάμπειν τὰ καλὰ ἡμῶν ἔργα πρὸς τὸ δοξασθῆναι τὸν Πατέρα.
Cite (SBL): Basil, Reg. fus. 17 (PG 31:961; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/basil-regulae-fusius/17). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/basil-regulae-fusius/17
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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 18
18PG 31:965
Ὅτι δεῖ πάντων τῶν παρατιθεμένων ἡμῖν ἀπογεύεσθαι. ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ. Ἀναγκαίως μέντοι κἀκεῖνο προσδιωρίσθω, ὅτι πρὸς τὸν ὑπωπιασμὸν τοῦ σώματος ἀπαραίτητον τοῖς τῆς εὐσεβείας ἀγωνισταῖς ἡ ἐγκράτεια· Πᾶς γὰρ ὁ ἀγωνιζόμενος, πάντα ἐγκρατεύεται. Πρὸς δὲ τὸ μὴ συνεμπίπτειν τοῖς ἐχθροῖς τοῦ Θεοῦ τοῖς κεκαυτηριασμένοις τὴν ἰδίαν συνείδησιν, καὶ διὰ τοῦτο ἀπεχομένοις βρωμάτων, ἃ ὁ Θεὸς ἔκτισεν εἰς μετάληψιν μετ᾿ εὐχαριστίας τοῖς πιστοῖς, ἅπτεσθαι μὲν ἑκάστου χρὴ, καιροῦ ποτε συνεμπεσόντος, ὅσον ἐνδείκνυσθαι τοῖς ὁρῶσιν, ὅτι πάντα καθαρὰ τοῖς καθαροῖς καὶ ὅτι πᾶν κτίσμα Θεοῦ καλὸν, καὶ οὐδὲν ἀπόβλητον μετ' εὐχαριστίας λαμβανόμενον· Ἁγιάζεται γὰρ διὰ λόγου Θεοῦ, καὶ ἐντεύξεως· φυλάσσειν δὲ καὶ οὕτω τὸν τῆς ἐγκρατείας σκοπόν· τοῖς μὲν εὐτελεστέροις καὶ ἀναγκαίοις πρὸς τὸ ζῇν μέχρι τῆς χρείας προσδιατρίβοντα, καὶ ἐν τούτοις τοῦ κóρου τὸ βλαβερὸν ἐκκλίνοντα, τῶν δὲ πρὸς ἡδονὴν καθόλου ἀπεχόμενον. Οὕτω γὰρ καὶ τῶν φιληδόνων τὸ πάθος ἐκκόψομεν, καὶ τοὺς κεκαυτηριασμένους τὴν ἰδίαν συνείδησιν, τό γε ἐφ' ἡμῖν, θεραπεύσομεν, καὶ ἑαυτοὺς δὲ τῆς ἐν ἑκατέρᾳ ὑπονοίας έλευθερώσομεν. "Ινα τί γὰρ, φησὶν, ἡ ἐλευθερία μου κρίνεται ὑπὸ ἄλλης συνειδήσεως; Ἐγκράτεια δείκνυσι τὸν συναποθανόντα Χριστῷ, καὶ νεκρώσαντα ἑαυτοῦ τὰ μέλη τὰ ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς. Ταύτην οἴδαμεν σωφροσύνης μητέρα, ὑγείας πρόξενον, τῆς τῶν ἀγαθῶν ἐν Χριστῷ καρποφορίας ἱκανῶς ὑπεξαίρουσαν τὰ ἐμπόδια· εἴπερ, κατὰ τὴν τοῦ Κυρίου φωνὴν, αἱ μέριμναι τοῦ αἰῶνος τούτου, καὶ αἱ ἡδο ναὶ τοῦ βίου, καὶ αἱ περὶ τὰ λοιπὰ ἐπιθυμίαι συμπνίγουσι τὸν λόγον, καὶ ἄκαρπος γίνεται. Ταύτην καὶ δαίμονες ἀποφεύγουσιν, αὐτοῦ τοῦ Κυρίου διδάξαντος ἡμᾶς, ὅτι Τοῦτο τὸ γένος οὐκ ἐκπορεύεται, εἰ μὴ ἐν προσευχῇ καὶ νηστείᾳ.
Hoti dei pantōn tōn paratithemenōn hēmin apogeuesthai. APOKRISIS. Anankaiōs mentoi kakeino prosdiōristhō, hoti pros ton hypōpiasmon tou sōmatos aparaitēton tois tēs eusebeias agōnistais hē enkrateia; Pas gar ho agōnizomenos, panta enkrateuetai. Pros de to mē synempiptein tois echthrois tou Theou tois kekautēriasmenois tēn idian syneidēsin, kai dia touto apechomenois brōmatōn, ha ho Theos ektisen eis metalēpsin met᾿ eucharistias tois pistois, haptesthai men hekastou chrē, kairou pote synempesontos, hoson endeiknysthai tois horōsin, hoti panta kathara tois katharois kai hoti pan ktisma Theou kalon, kai ouden apoblēton met' eucharistias lambanomenon; Hagiazetai gar dia logou Theou, kai enteuxeōs; phylassein de kai houtō ton tēs enkrateias skopon; tois men eutelesterois kai anankaiois pros to zę̄n mechri tēs chreias prosdiatribonta, kai en toutois tou korou to blaberon ekklinonta, tōn de pros hēdonēn katholou apechomenon. Houtō gar kai tōn philēdonōn to pathos ekkopsomen, kai tous kekautēriasmenous tēn idian syneidēsin, to ge eph' hēmin, therapeusomen, kai heautous de tēs en hekaterą hyponoias eleutherōsomen. "Ina ti gar, phēsin, hē eleutheria mou krinetai hypo allēs syneidēseōs? Enkrateia deiknysi ton synapothanonta Christǭ, kai nekrōsanta heautou ta melē ta epi tēs gēs. Tautēn oidamen sōphrosynēs mētera, hygeias proxenon, tēs tōn agathōn en Christǭ karpophorias hikanōs hypexairousan ta empodia; eiper, kata tēn tou Kyriou phōnēn, hai merimnai tou aiōnos toutou, kai hai hēdo nai tou biou, kai hai peri ta loipa epithymiai sympnigousi ton logon, kai akarpos ginetai. Tautēn kai daimones apopheugousin, autou tou Kyriou didaxantos hēmas, hoti Touto to genos ouk ekporeuetai, ei mē en proseuchę̄ kai nēsteią.
That we must taste all the foods set before us.
Answer. This must necessarily be laid down as well: that for the pommelling of the body self-control is indispensable to those who contend for godliness, “for everyone who competes exercises self-control in all things.” But so as not to fall in with the enemies of God, who are seared in their own conscience and therefore abstain from foods which God created to be received with thanksgiving by the faithful, we must touch each food when occasion arises, enough to show those who see us that “to the pure all things are pure,” and that “everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving; for it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer.” Yet even so we must keep the aim of self-control: using the cheaper things necessary for life only as far as need requires, and even in these avoiding the harm of satiety, while abstaining altogether from those that serve pleasure. So we shall both cut out the passion of the lovers of pleasure and, as far as in us lies, heal those seared in their own conscience, and free ourselves from suspicion on either side. “For why,” he says, “should my liberty be judged by another's conscience?”
Self-control marks the one who has died with Christ and put to death his members that are on earth. We know it as the mother of chastity, the agent of health, sufficiently removing the hindrances to bearing the fruit of good things in Christ; since, according to the Lord's word, “the cares of this age and the pleasures of life and the desires for other things choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful.” Even demons flee from it, as the Lord himself taught us: “This kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting.”
1 Cor 9:27 (allusion, high confidence) · 1 Cor 9:25 (quotation, high confidence) · 1 Tim 4:2–5 (quotation, high confidence) · Titus 1:15 (quotation, high confidence) · 1 Cor 10:29 (quotation, high confidence) · Rom 6:8 (allusion, medium confidence) · Col 3:5 (allusion, high confidence) · Mark 4:19 (quotation, high confidence) · Luke 8:14 (allusion, medium confidence) · Matt 17:21 (quotation, high confidence) · Mark 9:29 (allusion, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Basil rules that ascetics should taste every food set before them, to show against heretics who reject foods that all God's creation is good, while still keeping self-control by using simple food only as need requires.
- “The enemies of God, who are seared in their own conscience”: those who reject foods as evil (1 Tim 4:2–3); Basil does not name them.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (Migne's margin letter B left in the text; line displaced from the end of Rule 17; restored there; word split in the OCR): ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ. λάμπειν τὰ καλὰ ἡμῶν ἔργα πρὸς τὸ δοξασθῆναι τὸν Αναγκαίως → ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ. Ἀναγκαίως; Πᾶς Β γὰρ → Πᾶς γὰρ; και θαροῖς → καθαροῖς.
Topics: Fasting, Heresy, Ethics
Cite (SBL): Basil, Reg. fus. 18 (PG 31:965; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/basil-regulae-fusius/18). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/basil-regulae-fusius/18
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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 19
19PG 31:967
Τι τὸ μέτρον τῆς ἐγκρατείας. ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ. Επὶ μὲν τῶν τῆς ψυχῆς παθῶν ἐν μέτρον ἐγ κρατείας, ἡ παντελὴς ἀπαλλοτρίωσις τῶν πρὸς τὴν ὀλεθρίαν ἡδονὴν φερόντων· ἐπὶ δὲ τῶν βρωμάτων, ὥσπερ αἱ χρεῖαι ἄλλαι ἄλλων εἰσὶ, κατά τε ἡλικίας καὶ ἐπιτηδεύματα, καὶ πρὸς τὴν τοῦ σώμα τος ἕξιν οἰκείως διαιρούμεναι· οὕτω δὴ καὶ τὸ μέτρον τῆς χρήσεως διάφορον, καὶ ὁ τρόπος. Ὥστε ἑνὶ μὲν κανόνι πάντας περιλαμβάνεσθαι τοὺς ἐν τῇ γυμνασίᾳ τῆς εὐσεβείας ἀδύνατον· ἀφορίσαντες δὲ τὸ περὶ τοὺς ὑγιαίνοντας τῶν ἀσκουμένων μέτρον, ἀπὸ τούτου τὴν παραλλαγὴν πρὸς τὰ ἑκάστῳ συμπίπτοντα ἐστοχασμένως γίνεσθαι παρὰ τῶν ἐπιτεταγμένων τὴν οἰκονομίαν ἀφίεμεν. Οὐδὲ γὰρ τὰ καθέκαστον τῷ λόγῳ περιλαμβάνειν δυνατὸν, ἀλλ᾽ ὅσα τῆς κοινῆς καὶ καθόλου διδασκαλίας ἤρτηται. Τὴν γὰρ τῶν ἀῤῥώστων παραμυθίαν ἐκ τῶν βρωμάτων, ἢ τὴν τοῦ ἄλλως κεκμηκότος ἐπὶ συντόνοις ἔργοις, ἢ καὶ τὴν τοῦ παρασκευαζομένου πρὸς κάματον οἷον ὁδοιπορίας, ή τινος ἄλλου τῶν ἐπιπόνων, οἱ ἐφεστῶτες πρὸς λόγον ἀεὶ τῆς χρείας οἰκονομήσουσιν, ἑπόμενοι τῷ εἰπόντι, ὅτι Διεδίδοτο ἑκάστῳ καθότι ἄν τις χρείαν εἶχεν. Οὔτε οὖν καιρὸν τροφῆς τὸν αὐτὸν πᾶσι νομοθετῆσαι δυνατὸν, οὔτε τὸν τρόπον, οὔτε τὸ μέτρον· ἀλλὰ σκοπὸς μὲν κοινὸς ἔστω ἡ τῆς χρείας ἐκπλήρωσις. Τὸ γὰρ ὑπερεμπίπλασθαι τὴν γαστέρα, καὶ καταβαρύνεσθαι ταῖς τροφαῖς, κατ άρας ἄξιον, τοῦ Κυρίου εἰπόντος· Οὐαὶ ὑμῖν οἱ ἐμπεπλησμένοι νῦν· καὶ αὐτὸ δὲ τὸ σῶμα δύσχρηστον πρὸς τὰς ἐνεργείας παρασκευάζει, καὶ πρὸς ὕπνους εὐκατάφορον, καὶ ἑτοιμότερον πρὸς τὰς βλάβας. Οὐ μὴν οὐδὲ τὸ ἡδὺ τέλος ποιεῖσθαι τῆς βρώ σεως χρὴ, ἀλλὰ τὴν πρὸς τὸ ζῇν χρείαν, παραιτουμένους τῆς ἡδονῆς τὸ ἀκόλαστον. Τὸ γὰρ δουλεύειν ταῖς ἡδοναῖς οὐδὲν ἕτερόν ἐστιν ἡ Θεὸν ἑαυτοῦ τὴν κοιλίαν ποιεῖν. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ τὸ σῶμα ἡμῶν, ἀεὶ κενούμενον καὶ ἀποῤῥέον, τῆς πληρώσεως ἐπιδεῖται (διὸ καὶ φυσικαί εἰσιν αἱ τῆς τροφῆς ὀρέξεις), ὁ ὀρ θὸς λόγος τῆς τῶν βρωμάτων χρήσεως τὴν πλήρωσιν τοῦ κενωθέντος πρὸς τὴν τοῦ ζώου σύστασιν ὑπαγορεύει, εἴτε ξηρᾶς εἶτε ὑγρᾶς τροφῆς ἡ ἔνδεια γένοιτο. Ὅπερ ἂν οὖν μέλλῃ ἀπεριεργότερον ἡμᾶς ἀπαλλάσσειν τῆς χρείας, τοῦτο προσενεκτέον. Δηλοῖ δὲ τοῦτο αὐτὸς ὁ Κύριος ἐν οἷς ἐδεξιοῦτο τὰ κεκμηκότα πλήθη πρὸς τὸ μὴ ἐκλυθῆναι ἐν τῇ ὁδῷ, ὡς γέγραπται. Δυνάμενος γὰρ ἐπιτεῖναι τὸ θαυμάσιον ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ τῇ ἐπινοίᾳ τῆς πολυτελείας, οὕτω λιτὴν καὶ ἀπέριττον τὴν τροφὴν αὐτοῖς παρεσκεύασεν, ὥστε ἄρτους μὲν κριθίνους εἶναι, καὶ ἰχθύος δὲ μέρος ἐπὶ τῷ ἄρτῳ. Περὶ δὲ ποτοῦ οὐδὲ ἐμνημόνευσεν, ὡς αὐτοφυοῦς πᾶσι καὶ ἀρκοῦντος ταῖς χρείαις τοῦ ὕδατος προκειμένου· πλὴν εἰ μή τινι δι᾿ ἀρῥωστίαν βλαβερὸν εἴη τὸ τοιοῦτον ποτὸν, ὡς παραι τητέον κατὰ τὴν συμβουλὴν Παύλου τὴν πρὸς Τιμόθεον. Καὶ πάντα δὲ ὅσα προφανῆ τὴν βλάβην ἔχει παραιτητέα. ᾿Ανακόλουθον γὰρ διὰ μὲν τὴν σύστασιν τοῦ σώματος τὰς τροφὰς αἱρεῖσθαι, δι᾿ αὐτῶν δὲ πάλιν τῶν τροφῶν προσπολεμεῖν τῷ σώματι, καὶ ἐμποδίζειν αὐτῷ πρὸς τὴν τῆς ἐντολῆς ὑπηρεσίαν. Τὸ αὐτὸ δὲ τοῦτο καὶ ὑπόδειγμα ἡμῖν ἐστι τοῦ τὴν ψυχὴν ἡμῶν ἐθίζειν φεύγειν τὰ βλαβερὰ, κἂν ἡδονὴν ἔχῃ. Χρὴ μέντοι ἐκ παντὸς τρόπου τὸ εὐποριστότερον προτιμᾶν, ὥστε μὴ προφάσει ἐγκρατείας περιεργάζεσθαι ἡμᾶς τὰ τιμιώτερα, καὶ πολυδάπανα παραρτύοντας διὰ τῶν πολυτιμήτων ἡδυσμάτων τὰ βρώματα· ἀλλὰ τὸ ἐν ἑκάστῃ χώρᾳ εὔληπτον καὶ εὐτελὲς καὶ τοῖς πολλοῖς εἰς χρῆσιν ἕτοιμον, τοῦτο αἱρεῖσθαι, τῶν ἐπεισάκτων μόνοις τοῖς ἀναγκαιοτάτοις πρὸς τὴν ζωὴν κεχρημένους· οἷον ἐλαίῳ, καὶ τοῖς τοιούτοις, καὶ εἴ τι πρὸς τὴν ἀναγκαίαν τῶν ἀσθενούντων παραμυθίαν ἐπιτήδειον, καὶ τοῦτο ἐὰν ὑπάρχῃ ἄνευ πολυπραγμοσύνης καὶ θορύβων καὶ περισπασμῶν περιγενέσθαι
Ti to metron tēs enkrateias. APOKRISIS. Epi men tōn tēs psychēs pathōn en metron eg krateias, hē pantelēs apallotriōsis tōn pros tēn olethrian hēdonēn pherontōn; epi de tōn brōmatōn, hōsper hai chreiai allai allōn eisi, kata te hēlikias kai epitēdeumata, kai pros tēn tou sōma tos hexin oikeiōs diairoumenai; houtō dē kai to metron tēs chrēseōs diaphoron, kai ho tropos. Hōste heni men kanoni pantas perilambanesthai tous en tę̄ gymnasią tēs eusebeias adynaton; aphorisantes de to peri tous hygiainontas tōn askoumenōn metron, apo toutou tēn parallagēn pros ta hekastǭ sympiptonta estochasmenōs ginesthai para tōn epitetagmenōn tēn oikonomian aphiemen. Oude gar ta kathekaston tǭ logǭ perilambanein dynaton, all᾽ hosa tēs koinēs kai katholou didaskalias ērtētai. Tēn gar tōn arrhōstōn paramythian ek tōn brōmatōn, ē tēn tou allōs kekmēkotos epi syntonois ergois, ē kai tēn tou paraskeuazomenou pros kamaton hoion hodoiporias, ē tinos allou tōn epiponōn, hoi ephestōtes pros logon aei tēs chreias oikonomēsousin, hepomenoi tǭ eiponti, hoti Diedidoto hekastǭ kathoti an tis chreian eichen. Oute oun kairon trophēs ton auton pasi nomothetēsai dynaton, oute ton tropon, oute to metron; alla skopos men koinos estō hē tēs chreias ekplērōsis. To gar hyperempiplasthai tēn gastera, kai katabarynesthai tais trophais, kat aras axion, tou Kyriou eipontos; Ouai hymin hoi empeplēsmenoi nyn; kai auto de to sōma dyschrēston pros tas energeias paraskeuazei, kai pros hypnous eukataphoron, kai hetoimoteron pros tas blabas. Ou mēn oude to hēdy telos poieisthai tēs brō seōs chrē, alla tēn pros to zę̄n chreian, paraitoumenous tēs hēdonēs to akolaston. To gar douleuein tais hēdonais ouden heteron estin hē Theon heautou tēn koilian poiein. Epeidē gar to sōma hēmōn, aei kenoumenon kai aporrheon, tēs plērōseōs epideitai (dio kai physikai eisin hai tēs trophēs orexeis), ho or thos logos tēs tōn brōmatōn chrēseōs tēn plērōsin tou kenōthentos pros tēn tou zōou systasin hypagoreuei, eite xēras eite hygras trophēs hē endeia genoito. Hoper an oun mellę̄ aperiergoteron hēmas apallassein tēs chreias, touto prosenekteon. Dēloi de touto autos ho Kyrios en hois edexiouto ta kekmēkota plēthē pros to mē eklythēnai en tę̄ hodǭ, hōs gegraptai. Dynamenos gar epiteinai to thaumasion en tę̄ erēmǭ tę̄ epinoią tēs polyteleias, houtō litēn kai aperitton tēn trophēn autois pareskeuasen, hōste artous men krithinous einai, kai ichthyos de meros epi tǭ artǭ. Peri de potou oude emnēmoneusen, hōs autophyous pasi kai arkountos tais chreiais tou hydatos prokeimenou; plēn ei mē tini di᾿ arrhōstian blaberon eiē to toiouton poton, hōs parai tēteon kata tēn symboulēn Paulou tēn pros Timotheon. Kai panta de hosa prophanē tēn blabēn echei paraitētea. ᾿Anakolouthon gar dia men tēn systasin tou sōmatos tas trophas haireisthai, di᾿ autōn de palin tōn trophōn prospolemein tǭ sōmati, kai empodizein autǭ pros tēn tēs entolēs hypēresian. To auto de touto kai hypodeigma hēmin esti tou tēn psychēn hēmōn ethizein pheugein ta blabera, kan hēdonēn echę̄. Chrē mentoi ek pantos tropou to euporistoteron protiman, hōste mē prophasei enkrateias periergazesthai hēmas ta timiōtera, kai polydapana parartyontas dia tōn polytimētōn hēdysmatōn ta brōmata; alla to en hekastę̄ chōrą eulēpton kai euteles kai tois pollois eis chrēsin hetoimon, touto haireisthai, tōn epeisaktōn monois tois anankaiotatois pros tēn zōēn kechrēmenous; hoion elaiǭ, kai tois toioutois, kai ei ti pros tēn anankaian tōn asthenountōn paramythian epitēdeion, kai touto ean hyparchę̄ aneu polypragmosynēs kai thorybōn kai perispasmōn perigenesthai
What is the measure of self-control?
Answer. With regard to the passions of the soul, there is one measure of self-control: complete estrangement from whatever leads to destructive pleasure. With regard to food, just as needs differ from one person to another, according to age and occupation, and are distributed fittingly according to the condition of the body, so too the measure and manner of use differ. So it is impossible to include all those in the training of godliness under one rule; but having fixed the measure for the healthy among the ascetics, we leave to those appointed over them the arrangement of variations from it, made with judgment according to what befalls each person. For it is not possible to cover every particular in words, but only what belongs to common and general teaching. For the relief of the sick by means of food, or of one otherwise exhausted by strenuous work, or of one preparing for toil such as a journey or some other laborious task, those in charge will always arrange in proportion to the need, following the one who said, “Distribution was made to each as any had need.” So it is not possible to lay down for all the same time of eating, or the same manner or measure; but let the common aim be the satisfying of need. For to overfill the belly and be weighed down with food deserves a curse, since the Lord said, “Woe to you who are full now”; and it makes the body itself unfit for its activities, prone to sleep, and readier to suffer harm. Nor should we make pleasure the end of eating, but the need of life, refusing the excess of pleasure. For to be a slave to pleasures is nothing other than to make one's belly one's god.
Since our body, always being emptied and wasting away, needs to be filled (which is why the appetites for food are natural), right reason in the use of food prescribes the filling of what has been emptied, for the maintenance of the living creature, whether the lack is of dry or of liquid food. Whatever, then, will relieve our need with the least fuss, that is what should be taken. The Lord himself shows this when he welcomed the weary crowds, so that they should not faint on the way, as it is written. For though he could have heightened the wonder in the desert by devising something costly, he prepared food for them so plain and simple that it was barley loaves, with a little fish besides the bread. Of drink he made no mention at all, since water lay at hand for all, natural and sufficient for their needs; unless for someone, because of illness, such a drink should be harmful, so that it must be refused, according to Paul's advice to Timothy. Everything plainly harmful must also be refused. For it is inconsistent to choose food for the maintenance of the body and then, by the food itself, to make war on the body and hinder it from serving the commandment. This same thing is also an example to us of training our soul to flee what is harmful, even if it gives pleasure.
We should, however, in every way prefer what is easier to obtain, so that we may not, on the pretext of self-control, busy ourselves with more costly things, preparing expensive dishes with costly seasonings; but we should choose what is easily obtained in each region, cheap, and ready for the use of most people, using imported things only for what is most necessary to life, such as oil and the like, and anything suitable for the necessary relief of the sick, and this only if it can be obtained without much trouble, commotion, and distraction.
Textual problem in this passage: see the notes.
Acts 4:35 (quotation, high confidence) · Luke 6:25 (quotation, high confidence) · Phil 3:19 (allusion, high confidence) · Matt 15:32 (allusion, high confidence) · John 6:9 (allusion, high confidence) · 1 Tim 5:23 (allusion, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Basil teaches that self-control toward the passions means complete estrangement from harmful pleasure, while with food the measure varies by age, work, and health, the common aim being to meet need simply and cheaply, as Christ fed the crowds with barley loaves and fish.
- Debris from the Migne edition's footnotes (variant readings) has been removed in two places by logged corrections.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (Migne's margin letter B left in the text; debris of Migne's footnotes (variant readings) leaked into the text; word split by a stray letter in the OCR): παρὰ τῶν ἐπιτεπρὸς τὰ ἑκάστῳ συνεμπίπτοντα. Οὐ γὰρ τὰ καθέκαστον τῷ λόγῳ περιλαβεῖν δυνατὸν, ἀλλ᾽ ὅσα τῆς κοινῆς διδασκαλίας καθόλου ἤρτηται. ταγμένων τὴν → παρὰ τῶν ἐπιτεταγμένων τὴν; γέΗ νοιτο → γένοιτο; Δηλοῖ δὲ ἀεὶ τῆς χρήσεως, Διεδίδοτο δὲ ἑκάστῳ καθ' ὂν ἄν. τοῦτο αὐτὸς → Δηλοῖ δὲ τοῦτο αὐτὸς; Τὸ Β αὐτὸ → Τὸ αὐτὸ.
Cite (SBL): Basil, Reg. fus. 19 (PG 31:967; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/basil-regulae-fusius/19). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/basil-regulae-fusius/19
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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 20
20PG 31:969
Τις ὁ τρόπος τῆς ἐν βρώμασι δεξιώσεως. ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ. Ἡ κενοδοξία, καὶ ἡ ἀνθρωπαρέσκεια, καὶ τὸ πρὸς ἐπίδειξίν τι ποιεῖν, ὅλως ἐπὶ παντὸς πράγματος Χριστιανοῖς ἀπηγόρευται· ὅπου γε καὶ αὐτὴν τὴν ἐντολὴν ὁ πρὸς τὸ θεαθῆναι ὑπὸ τῶν ἀνθρώπων καὶ δοξασθῆναι ποιῶν τὸν ἐπ᾿ αὐτῇ μισθὸν ἀπόλλυσι. Τοῖς δὲ πᾶν εἶδος ταπεινώσεως διὰ τὴν ἐντολὴν τοῦ Κυρίου καταδεξαμένοις μεθ᾽ ὑπερβολῆς φευκτέος πᾶς κενοδοξίας τρόπος. Ἐπεὶ δὲ τοὺς ἔξωθεν ὁρῶμεν τὸ ταπεινὸν τῆς πενίας αἰσχυνομένους, καὶ ἐπιτηδεύοντας πᾶσαν ἀφθονίαν βρωμάτων καὶ πολυτέλειαν, ὅταν τινὰ τῶν ξένων δέχωνται, φοβοῦμαι μὴ καὶ ἡμῶν κατὰ τὸ λανθάνον τὸ αὐτὸ πάθος ἅψηται, καὶ ἐλεγχθῶμεν ἐπαισχυνόμενοι τὴν ὑπὸ Χριστοῦ μακαριζομένην πτωχείαν. Ὥσπερ οὖν σκεύη ἀργυρᾶ, ἢ καταπετάσματα περιπόρφυρα, ἢ στρωμνήν μαλακὴν, ἢ ἐπιβλήματα διαφανῆ συμπορίζεσθαι ἔξωθεν οὐκ εὐπρεπὲς ἡμῖν· οὕτως οὐδὲ βρώματα περινοεῖν παρὰ πολὺ τῆς ἡμετέρας διαίτης ἐξηλλαγμένα. Τὸ γὰρ περιτρέχειν ἡμᾶς διερευνωμένους τὰ μὴ πρὸς τὸ ἀναγκαῖον τῆς χρείας ἐπιζητούμενα, ἀλλὰ πρὸς τὴν ἀθλίαν ἡδονὴν καὶ ὀλεθρίαν κενοδοξίαν περινενοημένα, οὐ μόνον αἰσχρὸν καὶ ἀσύμφωνον τῷ προκειμένῳ ἡμῖν σκοπῷ, ἀλλὰ καὶ βλάβην ἔχον οὐ τὴν τυχοῦσαν, ὅταν οἱ τρυφῶντες, καὶ ταῖς ἡδοναῖς τῆς γαστρὸς τὴν μακαριότητα ὁριζόμενοι, περὶ τὰς αὐτὰς φροντίδας ὁρῶσι καὶ ἡμᾶς στρεφομένους, περὶ ἃς ἐκεῖνοι ἐπτόηνται.. Εἰ γὰρ πονηρὸν ἡ τρυφὴ καὶ φευκτὸν, οὐδέποτε ἡμῖν αἱρετή. Οὐδὲν γὰρ τῶν κατεγνωσμένων δύναται εἶναι πρὸς καιρὸν ἐπιτήδειον. Οἱ σπαταλῶντες, καὶ τὰ πρῶτα μύρα χριόμενοι, καὶ τὸν διυλισμένον οἶνον πίνοντες, κατηγοροῦν ται ὑπὸ τῆς Γραφῆς. Καὶ διὰ τὴν σπατάλην ἡ χήρα, ζῶσα, τεθνηκέναι λέγεται. Ὁ πλούσιος ἀπεστερήθη τοῦ παραδείσου διὰ τὴν ἐνταῦθα τρυφήν. Τί οὖν ἡμῖν καὶ ταῖς πολυτελείαις; Ἐπεδήμησέ τις τῶν ξένων; Εἰ μὲν ἀδελφὸς, καὶ τὸν αὐτὸν σκοπὸν ἔχων τοῦ βίου, τὴν οἰκείαν τράπεζαν ἐπιγνώσεται. "Α γὰρ κατέλιπεν οἴκοι, ταῦτα εὑρήσει παρ' ἡμῖν. Ἀλλὰ κέκμηκεν ἐκ τῆς ὁδοιπορίας; Τοσοῦτον αὐτῷ προστίθεμεν ὅσον τὸν κόπον παραμυθήσασθαι. "Αλλος ἐλήλυθεν ἐκ τοῦ ἔξωθεν βίου; Μαθέτω διὰ τῶν ἔργων, ὅσα ὁ λόγος αὐτὸν οὐκ ἔπεισε, καὶ λαβέτω τύπον καὶ ὑπογραμμὸν τῆς ἐν τροφαῖς αὐταρκείας. Ἐναπομεινάτω αὐτῷ ὑπομνήματα Χριστιανῶν τραπέζης, καὶ ἀνεπαισχύντου διὰ Χριστὸν πτωχείας. Εἰ δὲ οὐ προσέξει, ἀλλὰ καταγελάσει, δεύτερον ἡμῖν οὐκ ἐνοχλήσει. Ἡμεῖς δὲ, ὅταν τινὰς τῶν πλουσίων ἴδωμεν, οἱ τὴν ἀπόλαυσιν τῶν ἡδέων ἐν τοῖς πρώτοις τῶν ἀγαθῶν τίθενται, μέγα στενάζομεν ἐπ᾿ αὐτοῖς, ὅτι τῇ ματαιότητι πάντα τὸν βίον προσαναλίσκοντες, καὶ θεοποιήσαντες ἑαυτῶν τὰς ἡδονὰς, ἐν τῇ ζωῇ ταύτῃ τῶν ἀγαθῶν τὸ μέρος ἀπολαμβάνοντες οὐκ αἰσθάνονται, διὰ τῆς ἐνταῦθα τρυφῆς, ἐφ᾿ ἕτοιμον τὸ πῦρ καὶ τὸν ἐν αὐτῷ καύσωνα πορευόμενοι. Κἂν καιροῦ ποτε τύχωμεν, οὐδὲ πρὸς αὐτοὺς ἐκείνους ταῦτα διεξελθεῖν ὀκνοῦμεν. Εἰ δὲ μέλλοιμεν καὶ αὐτοὶ τοῖς αὐτοῖς ἐνέξεσθαι, καὶ, κατὰ τὴν ὑπάρχουσαν ἡμῖν δύναμιν, καὶ τὰ πρὸς ἡδονὴν ἐπιζητεῖν, καὶ πρὸς ἐπίδειξιν παρασκευάζεσθαι, φοβοῦμαι, μὴ ἃ καταλύομεν, ταῦτα φανῶμεν οἰκοδομοῦντες, καὶ δι' ὧν ἑτέρους κρίνομεν, ἑαυτοὺς κατακρίνωμεν, ἐσχηματισμένως τῷ βίῳ κεχρημένοι, καὶ ἄλλοτε ἄλλως μεταμορφούμενοι, εἰ μὴ ἄρα καὶ τὰς ἐσθῆτας ἡμῶν διαμείψωμεν, ὅταν τοῖς ὑπερηφάνοις περιτυγχάνωμεν. Εἰ δὲ τοῦτο αἰσχρὸν, πολλῷ αἰσχρότερον διὰ τοὺς τρυφῶντας τὴν τράπεζαν ἡμῶν μετασκευάζεσθαι. Μονότροπός ἐστιν ὁ τοῦ Χριστιανοῦ βίος, ἕνα σκοπὸν ἔχων, τὴν δόξαν τοῦ Θεοῦ. Εἴτε γὰρ ἐσθίετε, εἴτε πίνετε, εἴτε τι ποιεῖτε, πάντα εἰς δόξαν Θεοῦ ποιεῖτε, φησὶν ὁ ἐν Χριστῷ λαλῶν Παῦλος. Πολύτροπος δὲ καὶ ποικίλος ὁ τῶν ἔξωθεν βίος, ἄλλοτε ἄλλως πρὸς τὴν ἀρέσκειαν τῶν ἐντυγχανόντων μεταπλασσόμενος Ὥστε καὶ σὺ, πλήθει βρωμάτων καὶ περιεργίᾳ πρὸς ἡδονὴν μετασκευάζων τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ σου τὴν τρά πεζαν, κατηγορεῖς αὐτοῦ φιληδονίαν, καὶ καταχέεις αὐτοῦ γαστριμαργίας ὀνείδη δι' ὧν παρασκευάζῃ, ἐλέγχων αὐτοῦ τὴν περὶ ταῦτα ἡδυπάθειαν. Η οὐχὶ πολλάκις, τὸ εἶδος καὶ τὸν τρόπον τῆς παρασκευῆς θεωρήσαντες, ἐστοχάσμεθα τοῦ προσδοκωμένου, ὅστις ἐστὶν, ἢ ὅπερ ἐστίν; Οὐκ ἐπήνεσε τὴν Μάρθαν εἰς πολλὴν διακονίαν περισπωμένην ὁ Κύριος· ἀλλὰ, Μεριμνᾶς, καὶ τυρβάζῃ, φησὶ, περὶ πολλά· ὀλίγων δὲ ἐστι χρεία, ἢ ἑνός· ὀλίγων μὲν, δηλονότι τῶν πρὸς παρασκευὴν, ἑνὸς δὲ τοῦ σκοποῦ, ὥστε τὴν χρείαν ἐκπληρωθῆναι. Αὐτὸς δὲ ὁ Κύριος ὁποίαν παρέθηκε τοῖς πεντακισχιλίοις τροφὴν οὐκ ἀγνοεῖς. Ἡ δὲ εὐχὴ τοῦ Ἰακὼβ πρὸς τὸν Θεόν· Ἐὰν δῷς μοι, φησὶν, ἄρτον φαγεῖν, καὶ ἱμάτιον περιβαλέσθαι· οὐκ, Ἐὰν τρυφὴν δῷς μοι καὶ πολυτέλειαν. Τί δὲ ὁ σοφώτατος Σολομών; Πλοῦτον δὲ καὶ πενίαν, φησί, μή μοι δῷς· σύνταξον δὲ μοι τὰ δέοντα, καὶ αὐτάρκη, ἵνα μὴ πλησθεὶς ψευδὴς γένωμαι, καὶ εἴπω· Τίς με ὁρᾷ; ἢ πενόμενος κλέψω, καὶ ὀμόσω τὸ ὄνομα τοῦ Θεοῦ μου· πλοῦτον μὲν εἶναι τὴν πλησμονὴν ὁριζόμενος, πενίαν δὲ τὴν παντελῆ ἀπορίαν τῶν πρὸς τὸ ζῇν ἀναγκαίων· διὰ δὲ τῆς αὐταρκείας τὸ ἀνενδεὲς ὁμοῦ καὶ ἀπέριττον τῶν πρὸς τὴν χρείαν δηλῶν. Αὐτάρκεια δὲ ἄλλη ἄλλῳ κατά τε τὴν τοῦ σώματος ἔξιν καὶ τὴν πρὸς τὸ προκείμενον χρείαν. Τῷ μὲν γὰρ πλείονος τροφῆς καὶ ἰσχυροτέρας χρεία διὰ τὸν κόπον, τῷ δὲ λεπτοτέρας καὶ κουφοτέρας, καὶ καταλλήλου τὰ πάντα διὰ τὴν ἀσθένειαν· κοινῇ δὲ πᾶσιν εὐτελεστέρας καὶ εὐποριστοτέρας. Ἐν παντὶ μέντοι͵ τὸ ἐπιμελὲς καὶ τὸ εὐτράπεζον ἀναγκαῖον, μηδαμοῦ τοὺς ὅρους ἡμῶν τῆς χρείας ὑπερβαινόντων· ἀλλὰ τοῦτο ἔστω τῆς δεξιώσεως πέρας, τὸ παρὰ τῆς ἑκάστου χρείας τῶν ἐπιδημούντων ἐπιζητούμενον. Ὡς χρώμενοι γὰρ, φησὶ, τῷ κόσμῳ τούτῳ, καὶ μὴ παραχρώμενοι Παράχρησις δὲ ἐστιν ἡ ὑπὲρ τὴν χρείαν δαπάνη. Οὐκ ἔχομεν χρήματα; μηδὲ ἔχοιμεν. Οὐ γέμουσιν ἡμῶν αἱ ἀποθῆκαι; Ἐφήμερος γὰρ ἡμῖν ἡ τροφή· διὰ χειρῶν ὁ βίος. Τί οὖν τὴν δεδομένην παρὰ Θεοῦ τροφὴν τοῖς πεινῶσιν εἰς ἡδονὰς τρυφώντων παραναλίσκομεν; ἀμφοτέρωθεν ἁμαρτάνοντες, καὶ τούτοις ἐπιτείνοντες τὰς ἐκ τῆς ἐνδείας θλίψεις, κἀκείνοις τὰς βλάβας τὰς ἐκ τοῦ κόρου.
Tis ho tropos tēs en brōmasi dexiōseōs. APOKRISIS. Hē kenodoxia, kai hē anthrōpareskeia, kai to pros epideixin ti poiein, holōs epi pantos pragmatos Christianois apēgoreutai; hopou ge kai autēn tēn entolēn ho pros to theathēnai hypo tōn anthrōpōn kai doxasthēnai poiōn ton ep᾿ autę̄ misthon apollysi. Tois de pan eidos tapeinōseōs dia tēn entolēn tou Kyriou katadexamenois meth᾽ hyperbolēs pheukteos pas kenodoxias tropos. Epei de tous exōthen horōmen to tapeinon tēs penias aischynomenous, kai epitēdeuontas pasan aphthonian brōmatōn kai polyteleian, hotan tina tōn xenōn dechōntai, phoboumai mē kai hēmōn kata to lanthanon to auto pathos hapsētai, kai elenchthōmen epaischynomenoi tēn hypo Christou makarizomenēn ptōcheian. Hōsper oun skeuē argyra, ē katapetasmata periporphyra, ē strōmnēn malakēn, ē epiblēmata diaphanē symporizesthai exōthen ouk euprepes hēmin; houtōs oude brōmata perinoein para poly tēs hēmeteras diaitēs exēllagmena. To gar peritrechein hēmas diereunōmenous ta mē pros to anankaion tēs chreias epizētoumena, alla pros tēn athlian hēdonēn kai olethrian kenodoxian perinenoēmena, ou monon aischron kai asymphōnon tǭ prokeimenǭ hēmin skopǭ, alla kai blabēn echon ou tēn tychousan, hotan hoi tryphōntes, kai tais hēdonais tēs gastros tēn makariotēta horizomenoi, peri tas autas phrontidas horōsi kai hēmas strephomenous, peri has ekeinoi eptoēntai.. Ei gar ponēron hē tryphē kai pheukton, oudepote hēmin hairetē. Ouden gar tōn kategnōsmenōn dynatai einai pros kairon epitēdeion. Hoi spatalōntes, kai ta prōta myra chriomenoi, kai ton diylismenon oinon pinontes, katēgoroun tai hypo tēs Graphēs. Kai dia tēn spatalēn hē chēra, zōsa, tethnēkenai legetai. Ho plousios apesterēthē tou paradeisou dia tēn entautha tryphēn. Ti oun hēmin kai tais polyteleiais? Epedēmēse tis tōn xenōn? Ei men adelphos, kai ton auton skopon echōn tou biou, tēn oikeian trapezan epignōsetai. "A gar katelipen oikoi, tauta heurēsei par' hēmin. Alla kekmēken ek tēs hodoiporias? Tosouton autǭ prostithemen hoson ton kopon paramythēsasthai. "Allos elēlythen ek tou exōthen biou? Mathetō dia tōn ergōn, hosa ho logos auton ouk epeise, kai labetō typon kai hypogrammon tēs en trophais autarkeias. Enapomeinatō autǭ hypomnēmata Christianōn trapezēs, kai anepaischyntou dia Christon ptōcheias. Ei de ou prosexei, alla katagelasei, deuteron hēmin ouk enochlēsei. Hēmeis de, hotan tinas tōn plousiōn idōmen, hoi tēn apolausin tōn hēdeōn en tois prōtois tōn agathōn tithentai, mega stenazomen ep᾿ autois, hoti tę̄ mataiotēti panta ton bion prosanaliskontes, kai theopoiēsantes heautōn tas hēdonas, en tę̄ zōę̄ tautę̄ tōn agathōn to meros apolambanontes ouk aisthanontai, dia tēs entautha tryphēs, eph᾿ hetoimon to pyr kai ton en autǭ kausōna poreuomenoi. Kan kairou pote tychōmen, oude pros autous ekeinous tauta diexelthein oknoumen. Ei de melloimen kai autoi tois autois enexesthai, kai, kata tēn hyparchousan hēmin dynamin, kai ta pros hēdonēn epizētein, kai pros epideixin paraskeuazesthai, phoboumai, mē ha katalyomen, tauta phanōmen oikodomountes, kai di' hōn heterous krinomen, heautous katakrinōmen, eschēmatismenōs tǭ biǭ kechrēmenoi, kai allote allōs metamorphoumenoi, ei mē ara kai tas esthētas hēmōn diameipsōmen, hotan tois hyperēphanois peritynchanōmen. Ei de touto aischron, pollǭ aischroteron dia tous tryphōntas tēn trapezan hēmōn metaskeuazesthai. Monotropos estin ho tou Christianou bios, hena skopon echōn, tēn doxan tou Theou. Eite gar esthiete, eite pinete, eite ti poieite, panta eis doxan Theou poieite, phēsin ho en Christǭ lalōn Paulos. Polytropos de kai poikilos ho tōn exōthen bios, allote allōs pros tēn areskeian tōn entynchanontōn metaplassomenos Hōste kai sy, plēthei brōmatōn kai periergią pros hēdonēn metaskeuazōn tou adelphou sou tēn tra pezan, katēgoreis autou philēdonian, kai katacheeis autou gastrimargias oneidē di' hōn paraskeuazę̄, elenchōn autou tēn peri tauta hēdypatheian. Ē ouchi pollakis, to eidos kai ton tropon tēs paraskeuēs theōrēsantes, estochasmetha tou prosdokōmenou, hostis estin, ē hoper estin? Ouk epēnese tēn Marthan eis pollēn diakonian perispōmenēn ho Kyrios; alla, Merimnas, kai tyrbazę̄, phēsi, peri polla; oligōn de esti chreia, ē henos; oligōn men, dēlonoti tōn pros paraskeuēn, henos de tou skopou, hōste tēn chreian ekplērōthēnai. Autos de ho Kyrios hopoian parethēke tois pentakischiliois trophēn ouk agnoeis. Hē de euchē tou Iakōb pros ton Theon; Ean dǭs moi, phēsin, arton phagein, kai himation peribalesthai; ouk, Ean tryphēn dǭs moi kai polyteleian. Ti de ho sophōtatos Solomōn? Plouton de kai penian, phēsi, mē moi dǭs; syntaxon de moi ta deonta, kai autarkē, hina mē plēstheis pseudēs genōmai, kai eipō; Tis me horą? ē penomenos klepsō, kai omosō to onoma tou Theou mou; plouton men einai tēn plēsmonēn horizomenos, penian de tēn pantelē aporian tōn pros to zę̄n anankaiōn; dia de tēs autarkeias to anendees homou kai aperitton tōn pros tēn chreian dēlōn. Autarkeia de allē allǭ kata te tēn tou sōmatos exin kai tēn pros to prokeimenon chreian. Tǭ men gar pleionos trophēs kai ischyroteras chreia dia ton kopon, tǭ de leptoteras kai kouphoteras, kai katallēlou ta panta dia tēn astheneian; koinę̄ de pasin eutelesteras kai euporistoteras. En panti mentoi͵ to epimeles kai to eutrapezon anankaion, mēdamou tous horous hēmōn tēs chreias hyperbainontōn; alla touto estō tēs dexiōseōs peras, to para tēs hekastou chreias tōn epidēmountōn epizētoumenon. Hōs chrōmenoi gar, phēsi, tǭ kosmǭ toutǭ, kai mē parachrōmenoi Parachrēsis de estin hē hyper tēn chreian dapanē. Ouk echomen chrēmata? mēde echoimen. Ou gemousin hēmōn hai apothēkai? Ephēmeros gar hēmin hē trophē; dia cheirōn ho bios. Ti oun tēn dedomenēn para Theou trophēn tois peinōsin eis hēdonas tryphōntōn paranaliskomen? amphoterōthen hamartanontes, kai toutois epiteinontes tas ek tēs endeias thlipseis, kakeinois tas blabas tas ek tou korou.
What is the manner of receiving guests at table?
Answer. Vainglory, the wish to please men, and doing anything for show are entirely forbidden to Christians in every matter; for even the one who does the commandment itself so as to be seen and glorified by men loses the reward for it. And those who have accepted every kind of humility because of the Lord's commandment must shun every form of vainglory all the more. Since we see outsiders ashamed of the lowliness of poverty and striving for every abundance and extravagance of food whenever they receive a guest, I fear lest the same passion may touch us too without our noticing, and we be found ashamed of the poverty that Christ called blessed. Just as it is not fitting for us to procure from outside silver vessels, or curtains with purple borders, or a soft bed, or transparent coverlets, so neither is it fitting to devise foods far different from our own diet. For us to run about searching for things not sought for the necessity of need but devised for wretched pleasure and destructive vainglory is not only shameful and out of keeping with the goal set before us, but also does no ordinary harm, when those who live in luxury and define happiness by the pleasures of the belly see us too busy with the same concerns that excite them. For if luxury is evil and to be shunned, it is never to be chosen by us; for nothing that has been condemned can be suitable for an occasion. Those who live wantonly, who anoint themselves with the finest ointments and drink strained wine, are accused by Scripture; and because of her self-indulgence the widow is said to be dead while she lives. The rich man was deprived of paradise because of his luxury here. What, then, have we to do with extravagance?
Has a guest arrived? If he is a brother with the same goal of life, he will recognize his own table; for what he left at home he will find with us. But is he weary from the journey? We add as much as will relieve his weariness. Has another come from life outside? Let him learn by deeds what words did not persuade him of, and let him take a model and pattern of contentment in food. Let him keep memories of a Christians' table and of poverty for Christ's sake that is not ashamed. If he pays no heed but mocks, he will not trouble us a second time. As for us, when we see rich people who place the enjoyment of pleasant things among the first goods, we groan greatly over them, because they spend their whole life on vanity and have made their pleasures their god, and do not perceive that in this life they are receiving their share of good things, and through their luxury here are heading for the fire prepared and its burning heat. And if ever we find an occasion, we do not hesitate to go through these things even with them. But if we ourselves are to be held by the same things, and, as far as our means allow, to seek what serves pleasure and prepare for display, I fear lest we be seen building up what we tear down, and condemning ourselves by the very things for which we judge others, living a life of pretence and changing shape now one way and now another, unless indeed we also change our clothes whenever we meet the proud. If that is shameful, it is far more shameful to change our table for the sake of those who live in luxury.
The Christian's life is of one form, having one goal, the glory of God. “For whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God,” says Paul, who speaks in Christ. But the life of outsiders is many-formed and varied, reshaped now one way and now another to please those it meets. So you too, when by the quantity of dishes and by elaborateness for pleasure you change your table for your brother, accuse him of love of pleasure and heap on him the reproach of gluttony by what you prepare, convicting him of self-indulgence in these things. Or do we not often, seeing the kind and manner of the preparations, guess who the expected guest is, or what he is like? The Lord did not praise Martha, distracted with much serving, but said: “You are anxious and troubled about many things; but few things are needed, or one”: few, that is, for the preparation, and one for the aim, that the need be met. And you are not unaware what kind of food the Lord himself set before the five thousand. Jacob's prayer to God was: “If you give me bread to eat and a garment to put on”; not, “If you give me luxury and extravagance.” And what of the most wise Solomon? “Give me neither wealth nor poverty,” he says, “but appoint for me what is needful and sufficient, lest I be full and become false and say, Who sees me? or be poor and steal and swear by the name of my God.” He defines wealth as surfeit and poverty as complete lack of what is necessary to live, and by sufficiency he means what is both without want and without excess in what is needed. Sufficiency differs from one to another according to the condition of the body and the present need. One needs more and stronger food because of toil; another lighter and less heavy food, suited in every way to his weakness; but all in common need food that is cheaper and easier to obtain. In everything, indeed, care and a well-kept table are necessary, so long as we nowhere pass the limits of need; but let the limit of hospitality be what each guest's need requires. “For let those who use this world,” he says, “be as not misusing it.” Misuse is spending beyond need. Have we no money? May we never have any. Are our storehouses not full? Our food is for the day; our living is by our hands. Why, then, do we spend the food God has given for the hungry on the pleasures of the luxurious? We sin both ways, increasing for the one the distress of want, and for the other the harm of surfeit.
Textual problem in this passage: see the notes.
Matt 6:1 (allusion, high confidence) · Matt 6:2 (allusion, medium confidence) · Luke 6:20 (allusion, medium confidence) · Amos 6:4–6 (allusion, high confidence) · 1 Tim 5:6 (allusion, high confidence) · Luke 16:19–25 (allusion, high confidence) · Phil 3:19 (allusion, medium confidence) · Luke 16:25 (allusion, high confidence) · Matt 25:41 (allusion, medium confidence) · Gal 2:18 (quotation, high confidence) · Rom 2:1 (allusion, high confidence) · 1 Cor 10:31 (quotation, high confidence) · 2 Cor 13:3 (allusion, medium confidence) · Luke 10:40–42 (quotation, high confidence) · Matt 14:17–21 (allusion, high confidence) · Gen 28:20 (quotation, high confidence) · Prov 30:8–9 (quotation, high confidence) · 1 Cor 7:31 (quotation, high confidence) · 1 Thess 4:11 (echo, low confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Basil rules that guests should be served the community's own simple fare, adding only what a weary traveller needs, so as to avoid vainglory, teach outsiders by example, and not waste on luxury the food God gives for the hungry.
- Debris of the Migne edition's footnotes (variant readings) has been removed in two places, and a line displaced in the scan text (“we do not hesitate to go through these things even with them”) restored to its place, by logged corrections. “The fire prepared”: Matt 25:41.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR letter confusion (ο for α); OCR letter confusion and words run together; a displaced line (restored below) and footnote variants leaked into the text; debris of Migne's footnotes (variant readings to Rule 19) leaked into the text; displaced line restored to its place; word split by Migne's margin letter B): Ὥσπερ οὖν σκεύη ἀργυρᾶ, μέλλοι ἀπεριεργότερον. ὅτε γένοιτο εὐκολώτερον. Δηλοῖ δὲ καὶ ὁ Κύριος ἐν οἷς. ἢ → Ὥσπερ οὖν σκεύη ἀργυρᾶ, ἢ; ἐπιτήΒ δειον → ἐπιτήδειον; Μαθέτω πρὸς αὐτοὺς ἐκείνους ταῦτα διεξελθεῖν ὀκνοῦτον αὐτὸν προτίθεμεν. τοσοῦτον αὐτῶ προστίθεμε διὰ τῶν ἔργων → Μαθέτω διὰ τῶν ἔργων; τύχωμεν, οὐδὲ μεν. → τύχωμεν, οὐδὲ πρὸς αὐτοὺς ἐκείνους ταῦτα διεξελθεῖν ὀκνοῦμεν.; ταῦτο φανῶμεν → ταῦτα φανῶμεν; εῷ κόσμῳτούτῳ → τῷ κόσμῳ τούτῳ.
Cite (SBL): Basil, Reg. fus. 20 (PG 31:969; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/basil-regulae-fusius/20). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/basil-regulae-fusius/20
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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 21
21PG 31:975
Πῶς δεῖ περὶ τὰς καθέδρας καὶ τὰς κατακλίσεις ἐν τῷ καιρῷ τῶν ἀρίστων ἢ δείπνων ἔχειν ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ. Ἐπειδὴ πρόσταγμά ἐστι Κυρίου πανταχοῦ πρὸς τὴν ταπείνωσιν ἐθίζοντος ἡμᾶς τὸ καὶ ἐν τοῖς ἀρίστοις κατακλινομένους τὸν ἔσχατον τόπον προκαταλαμβάνειν, ἀνάγκη τὸν πάντα κατ' ἐντολὴν ποιεῖν ἐσπουδακότα μηδὲ τοῦτο παρορᾶν τὸ πρόσταγμα. Αν μὲν οὖν κοσμικοί τινες ἡμῖν συγκατακλίνωνται ὑπόδειγμα αὐτοῖς πρὸς τὸ μὴ ὑπεραίρεσθαι, μηδὲ τὸ φιλόπρωτον ἐπιζητεῖν, καὶ ἐκ τούτου τοῦ μέρους γίνεσθαι ἡμᾶς προσήκει. "Όπου δὲ πάντες κατὰ τὸν ἴσον σκοπὸν συνέρχονται, ὥστε ἐν παντὶ καιρῷ τὴν δοκιμὴν τῆς ταπεινοφροσύνης ἑαυτῶν διδόναι, τὸ μὲν προκαταλαμβάνειν τὸν ἔσχατον τόπον κατὰ τὴν ἐντολὴν τοῦ Κυρίου ἑκάστῳ ἐπιβάλλον· τὸ γε μὴν πάλιν φιλονείκως περὶ τοῦτον συνωθεῖσθαι ἀδόκιμον, ὡς ἀναιρετικὸν τῆς εὐταξίας καὶ θορύβου αἴτιον. Καὶ τὸ πρὸς ἀλλήλους δὲ ἀνενδότως ἔχειν, καὶ ἡ περὶ τούτου μάχη, ὁμοίους ἡμᾶς ποιήσει τοῖς περὶ πρωτείων φιλονεικοῦσι. Διόπερ χρὴ καὶ ἐνταῦθα, τὸ πρέπον ἡμῖν περιεσκεμμένως γνωρίζοντας καὶ σπουδάζοντας, ἐπιτρέπειν τῷ ὑποδεχομένῳ καὶ τὴν τῆς κατακλίσεως τάξιν, καθὰ καὶ ὁ Κύριος ὑπέθετο, τῷ οἰκοδεσπότῃ προσήκειν εἰπὼν τὴν περὶ τούτων διαταγήν. Οὕτω γὰρ καὶ ἀνεξόμεθα ἀλλήλων ἐν ἀγάπῃ, πάντα εὐσχημόνως καὶ κατὰ τάξιν ποιοῦντες· καὶ οὐ πρὸς ἔνδειξιν τῶν πολλῶν, οὔτε δημοκοπικῶς τὴν ταπεινοφροσύνην ἐπιτηδεύειν διὰ τῆς ἀνενδότου
Pōs dei peri tas kathedras kai tas katakliseis en tǭ kairǭ tōn aristōn ē deipnōn echein APOKRISIS. Epeidē prostagma esti Kyriou pantachou pros tēn tapeinōsin ethizontos hēmas to kai en tois aristois kataklinomenous ton eschaton topon prokatalambanein, anankē ton panta kat' entolēn poiein espoudakota mēde touto paroran to prostagma. An men oun kosmikoi tines hēmin synkataklinōntai hypodeigma autois pros to mē hyperairesthai, mēde to philoprōton epizētein, kai ek toutou tou merous ginesthai hēmas prosēkei. "Opou de pantes kata ton ison skopon synerchontai, hōste en panti kairǭ tēn dokimēn tēs tapeinophrosynēs heautōn didonai, to men prokatalambanein ton eschaton topon kata tēn entolēn tou Kyriou hekastǭ epiballon; to ge mēn palin philoneikōs peri touton synōtheisthai adokimon, hōs anairetikon tēs eutaxias kai thorybou aition. Kai to pros allēlous de anendotōs echein, kai hē peri toutou machē, homoious hēmas poiēsei tois peri prōteiōn philoneikousi. Dioper chrē kai entautha, to prepon hēmin perieskemmenōs gnōrizontas kai spoudazontas, epitrepein tǭ hypodechomenǭ kai tēn tēs katakliseōs taxin, katha kai ho Kyrios hypetheto, tǭ oikodespotę̄ prosēkein eipōn tēn peri toutōn diatagēn. Houtō gar kai anexometha allēlōn en agapę̄, panta euschēmonōs kai kata taxin poiountes; kai ou pros endeixin tōn pollōn, oute dēmokopikōs tēn tapeinophrosynēn epitēdeuein dia tēs anendotou
How one should behave about seats and places at table at the time of the midday and evening meals.
Answer. Since it is a command of the Lord, who everywhere trains us in humility, that when we recline even at meals we should take the lowest place first, the one who is eager to do everything according to the commandment must not overlook this command either. If, then, any people of the world recline with us, it is fitting that we should be an example to them in this respect too, so that they may not exalt themselves or seek the first place. But where all come together with the same aim, so as to give proof of their humility on every occasion, it falls to each to take the lowest place first, according to the Lord's commandment; yet to jostle over it contentiously is unacceptable, since it destroys good order and causes disturbance. Being unyielding toward one another and fighting about this will make us like those who quarrel over the first places. Therefore here too, recognizing and pursuing with forethought what is fitting for us, we should leave the order of places at table to the one who receives us, as the Lord also laid down, saying that the arrangement of these things belongs to the master of the house. For so we shall bear with one another in love, doing all things decently and in order; and [we shall not seem] to practise humility for show before the many, or to court popularity, by unyielding …
Textual problem in this passage: see the notes.
Luke 14:8–10 (allusion, high confidence) · Matt 23:6 (allusion, medium confidence) · Eph 4:2 (quotation, high confidence) · 1 Cor 14:40 (quotation, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Basil rules that brothers should seek the lowest place at table as Christ commanded, but without contending for it, leaving the seating to the host so that humility is not turned into display.
- The scan text breaks off at the end; the remaining words (variants of which appear as debris in the next rule) are lost. The bracketed words are supplied by sense.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (letter doubled in the OCR): παρορᾷᾶν → παρορᾶν.
Topics: Ethics
Cite (SBL): Basil, Reg. fus. 21 (PG 31:975; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/basil-regulae-fusius/21). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/basil-regulae-fusius/21
BibTeX · RIS · CSL-JSON (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-basil-regulae-fusius-21) · 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 22
22PG 31:977
Τι τὸ πρέπον ἔνδυμα τῷ Χριστιανῷ ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ. Προλαβὼν ὁ λόγος τήν τε ταπεινοφροσύνην ἀναγκαίαν ἔδειξε, καὶ τὴν λιτότητα, καὶ τὸ ἐν πᾶσιν εὐτελὲς, καὶ ὀλιγοδάπανον, ὡς ὀλίγας ἐκ τῶν σωματικῶν χρειῶν τὰς ἀφορμὰς τῶν περισπασμῶν ἐγγίνεσθαι ἡμῖν. Ἐκείνοις οὖν τοῖς σκοποῖς ἔπεσθαι χρή καὶ τὸν περὶ ἐνδύματος λόγον. Εἰ γὰρ πάντων προσἐκει ἡμᾶς σπουδάζειν ἐσχάτους εἶναι, καὶ ἐν τούτῳ, δηλονότι, τὸ ἔσχατον προτιμότατον. Ωσπερ γὰρ οἱ φιλόδοξοι καὶ ἐκ τῆς περιβολῆς τῶν ἐνδυμάτων τὴν δόξαν ἑαυτοῖς θηρῶνται, ἀποβλέπεσθαι καὶ ζηλοῦσθαι ἐπὶ τῇ πολυτελείᾳ τῆς ἐσθῆτος φιλοτιμούμενοι· οὕτω, δηλονότι, τὸν εἰς ἔσχατον αὐτοῦ τὴν ζωὴν διὰ τῆς ταπεινώσεως καταβαλόντα αἱρεῖσθαι προσήκει καὶ ἐν τούτοις τὸ πάντων ἔσχατον. Ὥσπερ γὰρ ἐν τῷ δημοσίῳ δείπνῳ ἐγκαλοῦνται Κορίνθιοι, ὡς τῇ ἑαυτῶν πολυτελείᾳ καταισχύνοντες τοὺς μὴ ἔχοντας· οὕτω, δηλονότι, καὶ ἐν τῇ κοινῇ καὶ προφανεῖ τῶν ἐνδυμάτων χρήσει ὁ ὑπὲρ τοὺς πολλοὺς σχηματισμὸς οἱονεὶ διὰ τῆς συγκρίσεως καταισχύνει τὸν πένητα. Τοῦ δὲ Ἀποστόλου λέγοντος· Μὴ τὰ ὑψηλὰ φρονοῦντες, ἀλλὰ τοῖς ταπεινοῖς συναπαγόμενοι, ἐξεταζέτω ἕκαστος ἑαυτὸν, ἡ πρὸς τίνα ὁμοίωσις ἁρμοδιωτέρα ἐστὶ Χριστιανοῖς, τοὺς ἐν τοῖς βασιλείοις οἰκοῦντας, καὶ τὰ μαλακὰ ἡμφιεσμένους, ἢ ἡ πρὸς τὸν ἄγγελον καὶ κήρυκα τῆς τοῦ Κυρίου ἐπιδημίας, οὗ μείζων ἐν γεννητοῖς γυναικῶν οὐκ ἐγήγερται. Ἰωάννην λέγω, τὸν τοῦ Ζαχαρίου, οὗ τὸ ἔνδυμα ἦν ἐκ τριχῶν καμήλου. Καὶ οἱ πάλαι δὲ ἅγιοι περιῆλθον ἐν μηλωταῖς, ἐν αἰγείοις δέρμασι. Τὸν δὲ σκοπὸν τῆς χρήσεως ὑπέβαλεν ὁ ᾿Απόστολος, διὰ μιᾶς λέξεως εἰπών· Ἔχοντες διατροφὰς καὶ σκεπάσματα, τούτοις ἀρκεσθησόμεθα ὡς τῆς σκέπης ἡμῶν προσδεομένων μόνης· οὐκέτι μέντοι καὶ τῆς ποικιλίας, καὶ τοῦ ἀπ᾿ αὐτῆς καλλωπισμοῦ εἰς τὴν ἀπηγορευμένην περπερίαν ἐκπιπτόντων· ἵνα μὴ τι χεῖρον λέγω. Ταῦτα γὰρ ὕστερον ἐπεισήχθη διὰ τῆς περιέργου ματαιοτεχνίας τῷ βίῳ. Δήλη δὲ καὶ ἡ πρώτη τῶν σκεπασμάτων χρῆσις, ἣν αὐτὸς ὁ Θεὸς τοῖς ἐπιδεηθεῖσιν ἔδωκεν. Ἐποίησε γὰρ αὐτοῖς, φησὶν, ὁ Θεὸς χιτῶνας δερματίνους. Πρὸς γὰρ τὴν τῶν ἀσχημόνων ἐπικάλυψιν ἐξήρκει καὶ ἡ τοιαύτη τῶν χιτώνων χρῆσις. Ἐπειδὴ δὲ καὶ ἕτερος σκοπὸς συνεισέρχεται, ὁ τοῦ θάλπεσθαι διὰ τῶν σκεπασμάτων, ἀνάγκη ἀμφοτέρων ἐστοχασμένην εἶναι τὴν χρῆσιν, τοῦ τε περιστέλλειν ἡμῶν τὰ ἀσχήμονα, καὶ τοῦ ἀλεξήματα εἶναι πρὸς τὴν τῶν ἀέρων βλάβην. Ἐπεὶ μέντοι καὶ ἐν αὐτοῖς τούτοις τὰ μὲν ἔστι πολύχρηστα, τὰ δὲ ἥττονα, ἀκόλουθον προτιμᾷν ὅσα ἐπὶ πλείονας ἕλκεσθαι χρείας δύναται, ὥστε μηδὲν τὸν τῆς ἀκτημοσύνης παραβλάπτεσθαι λόγον· καὶ μὴ ἄλλα μὲν εἶναι τὰ πρὸς ἐπίδειξιν ἡμῖν παρεσκευασμένα, ἄλλα δὲ πρὸς τὴν κατ' οἶκον χρείαν· καὶ ταῦτα πάλιν ἕτερα μὲν τὰ μεθημερινὰ, ἕτερα δὲ τὰ ἐν τῇ νυκτὶ ἐπιβλήματα· ἀλλὰ ἐπινοεῖν ἑνὸς τοιούτου τὴν κτῆσιν, δ πρὸς πάντα ἡμῖν ἐξαρκεῖν δύναται, πρός τε τὴν εὐσχήμονα μεθ᾽ ἡμέραν περιβολὴν καὶ πρὸς τὴν ἀναγκαίαν ἐν τῇ νυκτί. Ἐκ δὲ τούτου συμβαίνει ἡμᾶς καὶ τῷ σχήματι κοινωνεῖν ἀλλήλοις, καὶ οἱονεὶ χαρακτῆρά τινα ἰδιάζοντα καὶ ἐκ τοῦ ἐνδύματος τῷ Χριστιανῷ ἐπικεῖσθαι. Τὰ γὰρ πρὸς ἕνα σκοπὸν συνα τείνοντα ὡς τὰ πολλὰ ταυτά ἐστιν ἀλλήλοις. Χρήσιμον δὲ καὶ τὸ ἐκ τῆς ἐσθῆτος ἰδίωμα προκηρυττούσης ἕκαστον, καὶ προδιαμαρτυρομένης τὸ ἑπάγγελμα τῆς κατὰ Θεὸν ζωῆς· ὥστε ἀκόλουθον καὶ τὴν πρᾶξιν παρὰ τῶν συντυγχανόντων ἡμῖν ἀπαιτεῖσθαι. Οὐ γὰρ ὁμοίως τὸ ἀπρεπὲς καὶ ἄσχημον ἐν τοῖς τυχοῦσι καὶ ἐν τοῖς μεγάλα ὑπισχνουμένοις διαφαίνεται. Δημότην μὲν γὰρ, ἤ τινα τῶν τυχόντων διδόντα πληγὰς ἡ λαμβάνοντα δημοσίᾳ, καὶ φωνὰς ἀπρεπεῖς ἀφιέντα, καὶ ἐν καπηλείοις διαιτώμενον, καὶ ἄλλα παραπλήσια τούτοις ἀσχημονοῦντα, οὐκ ἄν τις ῥᾳδίως οὐδὲ παρατηρήσειεν, ἀκόλουθα εἶναι τῇ ὅλῃ προαιρήσει τοῦ βίου καταδεχόμενος τὰ γινόμενα· τὸν δὲ ἐν ἐπαγγέλματι ἀκριβείας, κἂν τὸ τυχὸν παρίδῃ τῶν καθηκόντων, πάντες ἐπιτηροῦσι, καὶ ἀντ᾿ ὀνείδους αὐτῷ προφέρουσι ποιοῦντες τὸ εἰρημένον ὅτι, Στραφέντες ῥήξουσιν ὑμᾶς. "Ωστε οἱονεὶ παιδαγωγία τίς ἐστι τοῖς ἀσθενεστέροις, πρὸς τὸ καὶ ἄκοντας αὐτοὺς ἀπὸ τῶν φαύ λων εἴργεσθαι, ἡ διὰ τοῦ σχήματος ἐπαγγελία Ὡς οὖν ἐστί τι στρατιώτου ἴδιον ἐν τῷ ἐνδύματι, καὶ ἄλλο τοῦ συγκλητικοῦ, καὶ ἄλλο ἄλλου, ἀφ᾿ ὧν εἰκάζεται αὐτῶν, ὡς ἐπὶ τὸ πλεῖστον, τὰ ἀξιώματα, οὕτως εἶναί τινα καὶ Χριστιανοῦ ἰδιότητα καὶ ἀπὸ τῆς ἐσθῆτος εὐπρεπὲς καὶ ἀκόλουθον σώζουσαν τὴν ὑπὸ τοῦ Ἀποστόλου παραδεδομένην κοσμιότητα· ποτὲ μὲν τὸν ἐπίσκοπον κόσμιον εἶναι διοριζομένου, ποτὲ δὲ τὰς γυναῖκας ἐν καταστολῇ κοσμίῳ εἶναι διατασσομένου, τοῦ κοσμίου δηλονότι κατὰ τὸν ἴδιον τοῦ Χριστιανισμοῦ σκοπὸν νοουμένου. Ὁ αὐτὸς δέ μοι λόγος καὶ περὶ ὑποδημάτων ἐστίν· ὥστε τὸ ἀπερίεργον καὶ εὐποριστότερον, καὶ πρὸς τὸν σκοπὸν τῆς χρείας ἀρκοῦν, τοῦτο αἱρετὸν εἶναι ἐν ἑκάστῳ καιρῷ.
Ti to prepon endyma tǭ Christianǭ APOKRISIS. Prolabōn ho logos tēn te tapeinophrosynēn anankaian edeixe, kai tēn litotēta, kai to en pasin euteles, kai oligodapanon, hōs oligas ek tōn sōmatikōn chreiōn tas aphormas tōn perispasmōn enginesthai hēmin. Ekeinois oun tois skopois epesthai chrē kai ton peri endymatos logon. Ei gar pantōn prosekei hēmas spoudazein eschatous einai, kai en toutǭ, dēlonoti, to eschaton protimotaton. Ōsper gar hoi philodoxoi kai ek tēs peribolēs tōn endymatōn tēn doxan heautois thērōntai, apoblepesthai kai zēlousthai epi tę̄ polyteleią tēs esthētos philotimoumenoi; houtō, dēlonoti, ton eis eschaton autou tēn zōēn dia tēs tapeinōseōs katabalonta haireisthai prosēkei kai en toutois to pantōn eschaton. Hōsper gar en tǭ dēmosiǭ deipnǭ enkalountai Korinthioi, hōs tę̄ heautōn polyteleią kataischynontes tous mē echontas; houtō, dēlonoti, kai en tę̄ koinę̄ kai prophanei tōn endymatōn chrēsei ho hyper tous pollous schēmatismos hoionei dia tēs synkriseōs kataischynei ton penēta. Tou de Apostolou legontos; Mē ta hypsēla phronountes, alla tois tapeinois synapagomenoi, exetazetō hekastos heauton, hē pros tina homoiōsis harmodiōtera esti Christianois, tous en tois basileiois oikountas, kai ta malaka hēmphiesmenous, ē hē pros ton angelon kai kēryka tēs tou Kyriou epidēmias, hou meizōn en gennētois gynaikōn ouk egēgertai. Iōannēn legō, ton tou Zachariou, hou to endyma ēn ek trichōn kamēlou. Kai hoi palai de hagioi periēlthon en mēlōtais, en aigeiois dermasi. Ton de skopon tēs chrēseōs hypebalen ho ᾿Apostolos, dia mias lexeōs eipōn; Echontes diatrophas kai skepasmata, toutois arkesthēsometha hōs tēs skepēs hēmōn prosdeomenōn monēs; ouketi mentoi kai tēs poikilias, kai tou ap᾿ autēs kallōpismou eis tēn apēgoreumenēn perperian ekpiptontōn; hina mē ti cheiron legō. Tauta gar hysteron epeisēchthē dia tēs periergou mataiotechnias tǭ biǭ. Dēlē de kai hē prōtē tōn skepasmatōn chrēsis, hēn autos ho Theos tois epideētheisin edōken. Epoiēse gar autois, phēsin, ho Theos chitōnas dermatinous. Pros gar tēn tōn aschēmonōn epikalypsin exērkei kai hē toiautē tōn chitōnōn chrēsis. Epeidē de kai heteros skopos syneiserchetai, ho tou thalpesthai dia tōn skepasmatōn, anankē amphoterōn estochasmenēn einai tēn chrēsin, tou te peristellein hēmōn ta aschēmona, kai tou alexēmata einai pros tēn tōn aerōn blabēn. Epei mentoi kai en autois toutois ta men esti polychrēsta, ta de hēttona, akolouthon protimąn hosa epi pleionas helkesthai chreias dynatai, hōste mēden ton tēs aktēmosynēs parablaptesthai logon; kai mē alla men einai ta pros epideixin hēmin pareskeuasmena, alla de pros tēn kat' oikon chreian; kai tauta palin hetera men ta methēmerina, hetera de ta en tę̄ nykti epiblēmata; alla epinoein henos toioutou tēn ktēsin, d pros panta hēmin exarkein dynatai, pros te tēn euschēmona meth᾽ hēmeran peribolēn kai pros tēn anankaian en tę̄ nykti. Ek de toutou symbainei hēmas kai tǭ schēmati koinōnein allēlois, kai hoionei charaktēra tina idiazonta kai ek tou endymatos tǭ Christianǭ epikeisthai. Ta gar pros hena skopon syna teinonta hōs ta polla tauta estin allēlois. Chrēsimon de kai to ek tēs esthētos idiōma prokēryttousēs hekaston, kai prodiamartyromenēs to hepangelma tēs kata Theon zōēs; hōste akolouthon kai tēn praxin para tōn syntynchanontōn hēmin apaiteisthai. Ou gar homoiōs to aprepes kai aschēmon en tois tychousi kai en tois megala hypischnoumenois diaphainetai. Dēmotēn men gar, ē tina tōn tychontōn didonta plēgas hē lambanonta dēmosią, kai phōnas aprepeis aphienta, kai en kapēleiois diaitōmenon, kai alla paraplēsia toutois aschēmonounta, ouk an tis rhądiōs oude paratērēseien, akoloutha einai tę̄ holę̄ proairēsei tou biou katadechomenos ta ginomena; ton de en epangelmati akribeias, kan to tychon paridę̄ tōn kathēkontōn, pantes epitērousi, kai ant᾿ oneidous autǭ propherousi poiountes to eirēmenon hoti, Straphentes rhēxousin hymas. "Ōste hoionei paidagōgia tis esti tois asthenesterois, pros to kai akontas autous apo tōn phau lōn eirgesthai, hē dia tou schēmatos epangelia Hōs oun esti ti stratiōtou idion en tǭ endymati, kai allo tou synklētikou, kai allo allou, aph᾿ hōn eikazetai autōn, hōs epi to pleiston, ta axiōmata, houtōs einai tina kai Christianou idiotēta kai apo tēs esthētos euprepes kai akolouthon sōzousan tēn hypo tou Apostolou paradedomenēn kosmiotēta; pote men ton episkopon kosmion einai diorizomenou, pote de tas gynaikas en katastolę̄ kosmiǭ einai diatassomenou, tou kosmiou dēlonoti kata ton idion tou Christianismou skopon nooumenou. Ho autos de moi logos kai peri hypodēmatōn estin; hōste to aperiergon kai euporistoteron, kai pros ton skopon tēs chreias arkoun, touto haireton einai en hekastǭ kairǭ.
What clothing is fitting for the Christian?
Answer. The argument has already shown that humility is necessary, and plainness, and cheapness and small expense in all things, so that few occasions of distraction may arise for us from bodily needs. The account of clothing too must follow those aims. For if we should be eager to be last of all, plainly in this too the last is most to be preferred. For just as lovers of glory hunt for glory from the clothes they wear, ambitious to be looked at and envied for the costliness of their dress, so plainly the one who has brought his life down to the last place through humility should choose in these things too what is last of all. For just as at the common supper the Corinthians are reproached for shaming those who have nothing by their own extravagance, so plainly in the common and visible use of clothes too, display above the many shames the poor man, as it were, by comparison. And since the Apostle says, “Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly,” let each examine himself: which likeness is more fitting for Christians, to those who dwell in kings' palaces and are clothed in soft garments, or to the messenger and herald of the Lord's coming, than whom none greater has arisen among those born of women? I mean John the son of Zechariah, whose garment was of camel's hair. And the saints of old went about in sheepskins and goatskins. The Apostle set out the aim of use in a single phrase, saying: “Having food and covering, with these we shall be content,” as though we need only covering, not variety and the adornment that comes from it, which falls into the forbidden vanity, not to say anything worse. For these things were brought into life later by meddlesome and useless craft.
The first use of coverings, which God himself gave to those who needed them, is also plain: “God made for them,” it says, “garments of skins.” For such a use of tunics was enough to cover what is unseemly. But since another aim enters too, that of being kept warm by the coverings, the use must aim at both: covering our unseemliness and being a defence against harm from the weather. And since even among these some things serve many uses and others fewer, it follows that we should prefer whatever can be put to more uses, so that the principle of poverty may not be harmed at all; and not have some things prepared for display and others for use at home, and these again different coverings for day and for night; but we should think of acquiring one such thing as can suffice us for everything, both for decent clothing by day and for what is needed at night. From this it follows that we share in common dress with one another, and that a kind of distinctive mark, given by the clothing too, is set upon the Christian. For things that tend to one goal are for the most part alike. The distinctiveness of dress is also useful, proclaiming each person in advance and declaring beforehand his profession of the life according to God, so that those who meet us demand conduct to match. For what is unbecoming and unseemly does not show in the same way in ordinary people and in those who promise great things. If a commoner, or any ordinary person, gives or receives blows in public, utters unseemly words, spends his time in taverns, and behaves shamefully in other such ways, no one would readily even notice, accepting what happens as consistent with his whole chosen way of life; but the one who professes exactness, if he overlooks even the least of his duties, all watch him and cast it up against him as a reproach, doing what was said: “They will turn and tear you.” So the profession made by the dress is a kind of tutor for the weaker, to keep them from base things even against their will. Just as there is something proper to the soldier in his dress, and another to the senator, and another to another, from which their ranks are usually guessed, so there should be also a distinctiveness of the Christian, even from his clothing, that is seemly and consistent, preserving the decorum handed down by the Apostle, who at one time prescribes that the bishop be decorous, at another that women be in decorous apparel, decorum plainly being understood according to the proper goal of Christianity. The same principle, I say, holds also for shoes: what is unelaborate, easier to obtain, and sufficient for the aim of need is to be chosen in each case.
Textual problem in this passage: see the notes.
Mark 9:35 (allusion, medium confidence) · 1 Cor 11:21–22 (allusion, high confidence) · Rom 12:16 (quotation, high confidence) · Matt 11:8 (allusion, high confidence) · Matt 11:11 (allusion, high confidence) · Matt 3:4 (allusion, high confidence) · Heb 11:37 (quotation, high confidence) · 1 Tim 6:8 (quotation, high confidence) · Gen 3:21 (quotation, high confidence) · Matt 7:6 (quotation, high confidence) · 1 Tim 3:2 (allusion, high confidence) · 1 Tim 2:9 (allusion, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Basil rules that the Christian's clothing should be the plainest and cheapest, one garment serving day and night, and that a common, distinctive dress both expresses humility and holds the wearer to the life he professes.
- Debris of the Migne edition's footnotes (variant readings to the end of Rule 21) has been removed, and a line displaced in the scan text (“at another that women be in decorous apparel”) restored to its place, by logged corrections.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (Migne's margin letter B left in the text; OCR letter confusion (μ for ρ); debris of Migne's footnotes (variant readings) and margin letter A splitting the word; displaced line restored to its place; displaced line splitting a word; restored below to its place; word split by Migne's margin letter B): τὴν Β ζωὴν → τὴν ζωὴν; Κομίνθιοι → Κορίνθιοι; ἐστοχαδημοκοπικώς. δημοκοπητικῶς. δημοτικῶς. δόξωμεν. δόξομεν. δείξομεν. Α σμένην → ἐστοχασμένην; χαραΒ κτῆρά → χαρακτῆρά; καταδεποτὲ δὲ τὰς γυναῖκας ἐν καταστολῇ κοσμίῳ εἶναι χόμενος → καταδεχόμενος; διοριζομένου, διατασσομένου, → διοριζομένου, ποτὲ δὲ τὰς γυναῖκας ἐν καταστολῇ κοσμίῳ εἶναι διατασσομένου,.
Topics: Ethics
Cite (SBL): Basil, Reg. fus. 22 (PG 31:977; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/basil-regulae-fusius/22). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/basil-regulae-fusius/22
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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 23
23PG 31:981
Περὶ τῆς ζώνης ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ. Τὴν δὲ τῆς ζώνης χρείαν δηλοῦσιν ἀναγκαίαν οὗσαν καὶ οἱ προλαβόντες ἅγιοι· Ἰωάννης μὲν δερματίνῃ ζώνῃ περισφίγγων ἑαυτοῦ τὴν ὀσφὺν, καὶ Ἠλίας ἔτι πρότερον. Γέγραπται γὰρ, ὥσπερ ἰδίωμά τι τοῦ ἀνδρὸς, τὸ, Ἀνὴρ δασὺς, καὶ ζώνη δερματίνη περὶ τὴν ὀσφὺν αὐτοῦ. Καὶ Πέτρος δὲ ζώνῃ κεχρημένος δείκνυται, ὡς δῆλον ἐκ τῶν τοῦ ἀγγέλου ῥημάτων πρὸς αὐτὸν λέγοντος· Ζῶσαι, καὶ ὑπόδησαι τὰ σανδάλιά σου. Καὶ ὁ μακάριος Παῦλος ἐκ τῆς τοῦ Ἀγάβου προφητείας τῆς εἰς αὐτὸν φαίνεται κεχρημένος ζώνῃ. Τὸν γὰρ ἄνδρα οὗ ἐστιν ἡ ζώνη αὕτη οὕτως δήσουσι, φησὶν, ἐν Ἱεροσολύμοις Καὶ ὁ Ἰὼβ δὲ παρὰ τοῦ Κυρίου ζώσασθαι προστάσσεται. Ὡς γὰρ ἀνδρείας τινὸς, καὶ τῆς πρὸς τὰ ἔργα ἑτοιμασίας σύμβολον, Ζῶσαι, φησὶν, ὥσπερ ἀνὴρ τὴν ὀσφύν σου. Καὶ δῆλον, ὅτι πᾶσι τοῖς μαθηταῖς τοῦ Κυρίου συνήθης ἦν ἡ τῆς ζώνης χρῆσις, οἷς ἀπηγόρευτο μὴ ἔχειν χαλκὸν εἰς τὰς ζώνας. ῎Αλλως τε καὶ μέλλοντα αὐτουργήσειν ἀνάγκη εὐσταλῆ καὶ ἀνεμπόδιστον εἶναι πρὸς τὰς κινήσεις. Ὥστε καὶ ζώνης αὐτῷ χρεία, δι' ἧς προσταλήσεται τῷ σώματι ὁ χιτών· καὶ μᾶλλόν γε αὐτὸν θάλψει περιπτυσσόμενος πανταχόθεν, καὶ τὸ ἀκώλυτον αὐτῷ πρὸς τὰς κινήσεις παρασκευάσει. Ἐπεὶ καὶ ὁ Κύριος, ὅτε εἰς τὴν διακονίαν τῶν μαθητῶν παρεσκευάζετο, λαβὼν λέντιον διέζωσεν ἑαυτόν. Περί γε μὲν τοῦ πλήθους τῶν ἐνδυμάτων οὐδὲν δεόμεθα λέγειν, ἱκανῶς ἡμῖν ἐν τῷ περὶ ἀκτημοσύνης λόγῳ προεξητασμένου τούτου. Εἰ γὰρ ὁ ἔχων δύο χιτῶνας προστάσσεται μεταδοῦναι τῷ μὴ ἔχοντι δηλονότι ἡ τῶν πλειόνων ἑαυτοῦ ἕνεκεν κτῆσις ἀπηγορευμένη ἐστίν. Οἷς οὖν τὸ ἔχειν δύο χιτῶνας ἀπαγορεύεται, τούτοις περὶ τῆς χρήσεως τί προσήκει νομοθετεῖν·
Peri tēs zōnēs APOKRISIS. Tēn de tēs zōnēs chreian dēlousin anankaian housan kai hoi prolabontes hagioi; Iōannēs men dermatinę̄ zōnę̄ perisphingōn heautou tēn osphyn, kai Ēlias eti proteron. Gegraptai gar, hōsper idiōma ti tou andros, to, Anēr dasys, kai zōnē dermatinē peri tēn osphyn autou. Kai Petros de zōnę̄ kechrēmenos deiknytai, hōs dēlon ek tōn tou angelou rhēmatōn pros auton legontos; Zōsai, kai hypodēsai ta sandalia sou. Kai ho makarios Paulos ek tēs tou Agabou prophēteias tēs eis auton phainetai kechrēmenos zōnę̄. Ton gar andra hou estin hē zōnē hautē houtōs dēsousi, phēsin, en Hierosolymois Kai ho Iōb de para tou Kyriou zōsasthai prostassetai. Hōs gar andreias tinos, kai tēs pros ta erga hetoimasias symbolon, Zōsai, phēsin, hōsper anēr tēn osphyn sou. Kai dēlon, hoti pasi tois mathētais tou Kyriou synēthēs ēn hē tēs zōnēs chrēsis, hois apēgoreuto mē echein chalkon eis tas zōnas. ᾿Allōs te kai mellonta autourgēsein anankē eustalē kai anempodiston einai pros tas kinēseis. Hōste kai zōnēs autǭ chreia, di' hēs prostalēsetai tǭ sōmati ho chitōn; kai mallon ge auton thalpsei periptyssomenos pantachothen, kai to akōlyton autǭ pros tas kinēseis paraskeuasei. Epei kai ho Kyrios, hote eis tēn diakonian tōn mathētōn pareskeuazeto, labōn lention diezōsen heauton. Peri ge men tou plēthous tōn endymatōn ouden deometha legein, hikanōs hēmin en tǭ peri aktēmosynēs logǭ proexētasmenou toutou. Ei gar ho echōn dyo chitōnas prostassetai metadounai tǭ mē echonti dēlonoti hē tōn pleionōn heautou heneken ktēsis apēgoreumenē estin. Hois oun to echein dyo chitōnas apagoreuetai, toutois peri tēs chrēseōs ti prosēkei nomothetein;
On the belt.
Answer. The saints who went before also show that the belt is necessary: John binding his loins with a leather belt, and Elijah still earlier; for it is written, as a mark of the man, “A hairy man, with a leather belt about his loins.” Peter too is shown to have used a belt, as is clear from the angel's words to him: “Gird yourself and put on your sandals.” And blessed Paul appears from Agabus's prophecy about him to have used a belt: “So shall they bind the man who owns this belt,” he says, “in Jerusalem.” And Job is commanded by the Lord to gird himself; for as a symbol of courage and readiness for work he says, “Gird your loins like a man.” And it is clear that the use of a belt was customary for all the Lord's disciples, since they were forbidden to have copper in their belts. Besides, one who is to work with his own hands must be neatly dressed and unhindered in his movements. So he needs a belt too, by which his tunic will be drawn close to his body; and it will keep him warmer by wrapping him round on all sides, and make him free to move. For the Lord too, when he was preparing to serve his disciples, took a towel and girded himself. About the number of garments we need say nothing, since this has been examined sufficiently before in the discussion of poverty. For if one who has two tunics is commanded to share with him who has none, plainly the possession of more for oneself is forbidden. What need is there to legislate about the use of two tunics for those who are forbidden even to have them?
Matt 3:4 (allusion, high confidence) · 2 Kgs 1:8 (quotation, high confidence) · Acts 12:8 (quotation, high confidence) · Acts 21:11 (quotation, high confidence) · Job 38:3 (quotation, high confidence) · Matt 10:9 (allusion, high confidence) · John 13:4 (allusion, high confidence) · Luke 3:11 (allusion, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Basil commends the belt from the examples of John, Elijah, Peter, Paul, Job, and Christ himself, as a sign of readiness for work, and refers to his earlier teaching against owning more than one tunic.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR letter confusion (ἔ for ζ) and a stray chapter numeral): Περὶ τῆς ἔώνης ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ. ΧΧΙΙΙ. → Περὶ τῆς ζώνης ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ..
Topics: Ethics
Cite (SBL): Basil, Reg. fus. 23 (PG 31:981; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/basil-regulae-fusius/23). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/basil-regulae-fusius/23
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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).