THE EVERGETINOS A Complete Text Volume I of The Second Book

Religion/Theology
ISBN 0-911165-41-X
One of the classic collections of Orthodox spiritual writings, the Evergetinos is a source of inspiration, spiritual guidance, and insight into the lives of men and women who, during the first few centuries of Christianity, attained to the
higest ideals of the spiritual life. In the spiritual laboratory
of the Egyptian deserts, these seekers after salvation, enlightenment, and union with Christ brought into sharp focus the
teachings of the Apostles and the message of Holy Writ in
their daily lives and activities. The stern, the loving, “fools
for Christ”—all of the exemplars of Christian sainthood, the
many inhabitants of the many mansions above, are to be
found in the rich and profitable lives portrayed in this collection. Also to be found are perfect models for every modern
Christian who wishes sincerely to imitate those who have
walked the path towards moral and spiritual perfection.
This is the first volume of Book Two of the Evergetinos and
one of many forthcoming volumes in what will eventually
constitute the only English-language text of the complete collection.
Chrysostomos, Patapios, & Auxentios • THE EVERGETINOS • (2) III • C.T.O.S.
THE EVERGETINOS: A COMPLETE TEXT
Volume I of The Second Book
THE EVERGETINOS
A Complete Text
Volume I of
The Second Book
Translated and Edited by
Hieromonk Patapios
and
Bishop Auxentios
with
Archbishop Chrysostomos
CENTER FOR TRADITIONALIST
ORTHODOX STUDIES
THE EVERGETINOS
A Complete Text
Volume I
of
The Second Book
Translated and Edited by
Hieromonk Patapios
and
Bishop Auxentios
with
Archbishop Chrysostomos
CENTER FOR TRADITIONALIST
ORTHODOX STUDIES
Etna, California 96027
1999
A NOTE ON THE TEXT AND
TRANSLATION
In our English translation of the EÈergetinÒw, we have used
the 1977 edition of Archimandrite Matthew Langes’ four-volume Greek text. This text has long been used by Greek readers
and scholars, and is particularly helpful since it contains not
only St. Nicodemos’ edited version of the original eleventh-century manuscript of the EÈergetinÒw but a careful rendering of
these collected writings from and about the Desert Fathers into
the modern Greek dialect. Indeed, we have worked with both
the older and modern Greek texts. In some instances, loyalty to
the older text has made the English translation clearer, since the
modern Greek text often employs contemporary idioms, in expressing the complex Greek of the original text, that have no
counterpart in English. In other places, the modern Greek text,
which sometimes uses explanatory phrases to expand on the laconic original, has provided a better model for a clear English
translation. Decisions in this regard have been the prerogative
of the various translators, resulting in a text which nonetheless
expresses a certain editorial consistency.
The reader will note, too, that we have followed loyally
the often idiosyncratic system by which passages are labeled
in the Greek text of the EÈergetinÒw—a weakness with which
he will simply have to deal. We have also avoided editorial addenda and any scholarly treatment of the manuscript tradition
of the EÈergetinÒw. Our purpose in this translation is to provide a readable text of the standard collection of the sayings
and aphorisms of the Desert Fathers as they are available today to the average Greek reader. Those seeking scholarly apparatus or material for a pedantic exercise in philological criticism would do well to look elsewhere. What we have done
here addresses the priorities of the soul, not the vagaries of
academic whim and desires for scholarly recognition. Of what
profit, indeed, a satisfied mind, but an empty heart?
Hypothesis XII
We should reprove those who talk idly or converse
with each other in the Divine services; and if
they do not correct themselves, we should
sternly eject them from the Church.
A. From the Life of St. John the Merciful
St. John the Great made sure to correct as much as he
could those who talked heedlessly in Church. If he saw
that anyone remained uncorrected after the first and second counsel, he immediately threw him out of the Church
and repeated to him the words of the Master Christ: “The
house of God must be a house of prayer.” Conversely,
those who showed interest in the services, and followed
them with reverence and compunction, he received with
joy, as lovers of God, and praised them, even honoring
them with various ecclesiastical appointments.
B. From the Gerontikon
1. An Elder said: “If anyone, at the time of services,
whether there be many or few people in the Church, closes his mouth so as not to chant to God, he does the work
of demons; for since the demons cannot stand to hear the
praise of Christ, it is they who suppress those who are
chanting.”
2. Abba Evagrios said: “It is a great thing for anyone
to pray undistracted; but it is better to chant without distractions.”
C. From St. Ephraim
My brother, if you stand in the house of the Lord (the
Church) for spiritual worship, you should be eager to take
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part in the chanting; but if you are silent, I too shall be
silent, and our neighbor will be silent; and then, of necessity, the chanting will stop. But this should not happen.
For if those who are acclaiming a ruler or king, when they
are standing in the theater, see that someone in their midst
is not cheering with them in a loud voice, push him away
and then chase him out, because they consider him unworthy to stand there, ought we not all the more, when
we stand before the Master of Heaven and earth, chant
with eagerness, and with appropriate vigor, the hymnody
that befits Him?
Be careful, brother, that you do not occasion to disturb
a group of ascetics, when they are standing and chanting
in praise of the Lord, lest Divine wrath and chastisement
fall upon your head. For that anyone should sin against
God is fearful and unforgivable, “and the spirits of the
prophets are subject to the prophets,” according to Holy
Scripture (I Corinthians 14:32); for God is not a God of disorder, but a God of peace and order.
D. From Antiochos (author of the Pandects)
Psalmody is the work of the Bodiless Powers, who
stand beside God and praise Him unceasingly, as the
Psalmist says: “Praise the Lord from the heavens, all ye
His Angels and all ye His Hosts” (cf. Psalm 148:1-2, Septuaginta). This is also required of all men; for, as the Psalmist
again says: “Let every breath praise the Lord.” Especially
is this required of monks, who have chosen and who follow the Angelic life. Scripture says: “Ye that fear the Lord,
praise Him, all ye that are of the seed of Jacob, glorify
Him” (Psalm 21:23, Septuaginta).
Psalmody, then, is an unceasing sacrifice and a sacrifice of praise, as Scripture says: “A sacrifice of praise will
glorify Me” (Psalm 49:23, Septuaginta). For this reason, we
monks ought constantly and unceasingly to offer to God
the doxologies that have been enjoined by Him, in this
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141
way heeding David, who exhorts us to this, saying: “O
chant unto our God, chant ye; chant unto our King, chant
ye; O chant ye with understanding” (Psalm 47:6-7,
Septuaginta); “Chant well unto Him with jubilation”
(Psalm 32:3, Septuaginta); “My lips shall rejoice when I
chant unto Thee, yea, even my soul which Thou hast
redeemed” (Psalm 70:23, Septuaginta); “His praise is in
the Church of the Saints” (Psalm 149:1, Septuaginta); “Let
the sons of Sion rejoice in their King” (Psalm 149:2,
Septuaginta); “I will sing and chant in my glory” (Psalm
107:1, Septuaginta); “My heart grew hot within me, and in
my meditation a fire was kindled” (Psalm 38:3, Septuaginta); “So shall I bless Thee in my life, and in Thy name
will I lift up my hands; as with marrow and fatness let my
soul be filled, and with lips of rejoicing shall my mouth
praise Thee” (Psalm 62:4-5, Septuaginta); “And of the torrent of Thy delight shalt Thou make to drink those who
chant to Thee.”
But what need is there for us to cite the testimonies
which David offers concerning psalmody, or to speak
about the joy and gladness that are born in the heart of
him who chants with compunction and attention? Those
who have experience of this matter are quite familiar with
such a state. Let us stand, then, brethren, with reverence in
psalmody and prayer, fleeing the preoccupations which
our thoughts and material concerns provoke in us. For
when the demons see someone who chants or prays with
eagerness, they are accustomed to placing in his mind certain thoughts of earthly things, which are supposedly
necessary, turning his mind to the resolution of these matters, with the goal of luring it away from its recollection
and making it lose the sweetness of its psalmody.
For this reason, Christ perfects praise from the mouths
of infants, that is, of those who through want of any evil
in their hearts resemble infants, so that by this psalmody
He may destroy the enemy who tyrannizes us and the
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Devil who wreaks vengeance on the human race, who is
the enemy of all virtues and the champion of evil.
When we praise the Lord with simplicity, we crush
and render useless all the machinations of the Devil. Let
our psalmody be unceasing; for when the name of God is
merely mentioned, it chases the demons far away. I must,
however, remind you of this point as well: that our psalmody is called a canon, as you yourselves also know. Just
as a farmer, if he does not fulfill completely and properly
his “canon,” that is, his obligation, suffers many punishments, is kept in prison, suspended and flayed, until he
returns his debt in full, so also the monk, when he neglects his canon, is immediately abandoned by Divine
Grace and is delivered to his enemies and trampled under their feet.
E. From Abba Isaiah
Brethren, do not talk at all, except out of great necessity, in the Trapeza, or in the services, and do not correct anyone who chants, unless he asks you. For if he makes a mistake in one word and passes over it, he has passed over a
simple word. Do not immediately tell him his mistake and
agitate him. But if he says to you, “Please, tell me my mistake,” then you should indicate it to him.
F. From St. Ephraim
Brother, if you do not want to build, at least do not
overturn what has been built; if you do not want to plant,
do not uproot what has been planted; that is, when you
are standing in the services and do not want to chant to
the Lord, do not bother the chanters. When a rich man
speaks, all are silent, so that his speech might be heard as
far as the clouds. And when God speaks to us through the
Holy Scriptures, should we not desire to be silent and listen? Yet, one man talks, another feels drowsy, another lets
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143
his mind wander away in thoughts. But what does Holy
Scripture say about this? “He who turneth away his ear so
as not to hear the laws of the Most High, will be abominable before God, as will his prayer” (cf. Proverbs 28:9).
The negligent monk, at the time of prayer, is in a hurry
to hear the “Amen”; but he who prays with attention and
a pure mind does not get bored or irritated. Let us be sure
that what the Prophet said does not apply to us as well:
“Thou art close to their lips, but far from their hearts” (cf.
Isaiah 29:13). O monk, when your brethren are standing in
the service, they are blessing God—yet you are obviously
occupied with other things? Do you not know that you are
harming yourself? Say to your thoughts: “If money were
being offered or some other material goods, would we not
be the first to run after them? And if we show such interest in things of the flesh, should we not show it much
more in things of the spirit?”
Be fervent in spirit, as were the Saints, that you might
be with them in the Kingdom of Heaven.
Religion/Theology
ISBN 0-911165-41-X
One of the classic collections of Orthodox spiritual writings, the Evergetinos is a source of inspiration, spiritual guidance, and insight into the lives of men and women who, during the first few centuries of Christianity, attained to the
higest ideals of the spiritual life. In the spiritual laboratory
of the Egyptian deserts, these seekers after salvation, enlightenment, and union with Christ brought into sharp focus the
teachings of the Apostles and the message of Holy Writ in
their daily lives and activities. The stern, the loving, “fools
for Christ”—all of the exemplars of Christian sainthood, the
many inhabitants of the many mansions above, are to be
found in the rich and profitable lives portrayed in this collection. Also to be found are perfect models for every modern
Christian who wishes sincerely to imitate those who have
walked the path towards moral and spiritual perfection.
This is the first volume of Book Two of the Evergetinos and
one of many forthcoming volumes in what will eventually
constitute the only English-language text of the complete collection.
Chrysostomos, Patapios, & Auxentios • THE EVERGETINOS • (2) III • C.T.O.S.
THE EVERGETINOS: A COMPLETE TEXT
Volume I of The Second Book
THE EVERGETINOS
A Complete Text
Volume I of
The Second Book
Translated and Edited by
Hieromonk Patapios
and
Bishop Auxentios
with
Archbishop Chrysostomos
CENTER FOR TRADITIONALIST
ORTHODOX STUDIES