on 06-Sep-2016 (Tue)

Pachomius seeks the teaching of anchorite Palamon

i.e. things about the life of Pachomius. interpreting the scripture in terms of your own askesis. your own life. your own experience.

What is the difference between a dream and a vision? Also does the author conflate hearing a call with visions? Pauline perhaps?

desert hermeneutic of scriptural exegesis as askesis and spiritual warfare

the philosophers were conversant with the Scriptures? this doesn't make sense. why would they need to test them on the scriptures. UNLESS they are note "pagan" philosophers, but philosopher is here meant to be a diminutive. Nevertheless in later Apothegmata (is it later) to "practice philosophy" means to do asceticism.

Origen fire imagery?

Et tempore opportuno post lucernarium, omnibus sedentibus, legantur lectiones; post haec autem consuetudinarii psalmi ante somnum dicantur.

Nemo sibi aliquid suum uindicet proprium, siue in uestimento, siue in quacumque re: apostolica enim uita optamus uiuere. 2

Sedentes ad mensam taceant, audientes lectionem

When you see a man, do not fix your eyes on him or any man. You are not forbidden to see men when you are out of the house. It is wrong, however, to desire men or to wish them to desir

Lust for men is mutually stimulated not only by tender touches but by sight as well. Make no claim to a pure mind when your eyes are impure; an impure eye is the herald of an impure heart. Unchaste hearts reveal themselves by exchanging glances even without any words; people yield to lust as they delight in their passion for each other. Chastity takes to its heels, even though their bodies remain unsullied by unchaste actions

The woman who directs her attention towards a man and enjoys his similar token of affection should not think others fail to notice this mutual exchange. She is certainly observed even by persons she thinks do not see her. But if her actions escape the notice of men and women, what will she do about the One who keeps watch on high, from whom nothing can be hidden?85 Is God therefore blind, because he looks on with patience proportionate to his wisdom? The holy woman should fear to displease God,86 lest she desire to please a man sinfully. So as not to look upon a man in a sinful manner, let her bear in mind that God sees everything. Fear of the Lord is recommended in this matter too where we read in the Scriptures: 'The Lord abhors a covetous eye'.S

Diligently and faithfully, then, attend to my words about suggestive glances at men. Such advice holds also for detection, prevention, disclosure, proof, and punishment of other offences, with love for the person and hatred for the sin.


me: Augustine really belabors the point!

· Those responsible for food, clothing, or books are to serve their sisters without grumbling. 10. Books are to be requested at a definite hour each day; requests made at other times will be denied.

These precepts should be read to you once a week, so that you will see yourselves in this little book as in a mirror and not neglect anything through forgetfulness. 114 When you find your- selves doing what has been written here, thank the Lord, the giver of all good gifts. However, if anyone of you realizes that she has failed on a specific point, let her be sorry for the past, safeguard the future, and continue to pray for her offences to be forgiven, and that she not be led into temptation. l

Besides, I have let the book go to you with some confidence because I cannot think that you will betray it to anyone else, since that is what you have promised. Nevertheless I have a fear that you may prove to be a gateway for it and that, if it once passes through, it can never be recalled. If that should happen, and you see it being read by others, will you, in your kindly indulgence, ask the readers to attend to the matter rather than to the language and not to take it too much to heart if a faulty locution should impinge upon their ears ; for the Kingdom of God comes not by eloquence but rests upon faith. Let them remember also that salvation was not preached to the world by orators (though Our Lord could assuredly have arranged for that too, if it would have served His purpose), but by simple fishermen.

For my part, indeed, from the day that I set myself to write (thinking it a sin that the miracles of so great a man should remain unknown), I made up my mind to feel no shame for solecisms

For I had never attained to any great knowledge of these matters; and, if I had ever gleaned anything from the study of them, I had lost it all by long disuse. Spare me, however, the necessity for these painful excuses by letting the book be published, if you are agreeable, with the name suppressed. To make this possible, please erase it from the tide-page, so that the silenced page an- nounces (and what more is wanted ?) the book's subject and does not announce the author.

MANY mortals, in the empty quest of earthly glory, have looked to win what they thought would be enduring remembrance for their own names by penning the lives of men of eminence. By so doing, they certainly gathered in, if nothing enduring, at least a little of the fruit for which they hoped, for they perpetuated their own memory, however uselessly; and their readers, too, were stirred to nO little emulation by the pictures of great men thus set before them.

PREFACE MANY mortals, in the empty quest of earthly glory, have looked to win what they thought would be enduring remembrance for their own names by penning the lives of men of eminence. By so doing, they certainly gathered in, if nothing enduring, at least a little of the fruit for which they hoped, for they perpetuated their own memory, however uselessly; and their readers, too, were stirred to nO little emulation by the pictures of great men thus set before them

But none of this anxiety of theirs was for the blessed and eternal life beyond; and how do they profit if their writings win a glory that must perish with this world? And what does posterity gain by reading of Hector fighting or Socrates philosophizing, seeing that it is not only folly to imitate them but madness to do less than wage strenuous war against them? For by valuing human life for its present activities only, they committed their hopes to romances, their souls to the tomb. Yes, they trusted for their immortality solely to the memories of men, whereas it is the duty of man to seek enduring life rather than enduring remembrance and to seek it, not by writing or fighting or philosophizing, but by a life of devotion, holiness and piety.

This common error, when perpetuated in literature, has had sufficient influence to send many questing after empty philosophy or that silly valour. For this reason I think it worth my while to write the life of a very holy man, to serve hereafter as an example

to others and to rouse in the reader a desire for true wisdom, for the heavenly warfare and for a valour inspired by God. And I reckon that I too shall be the gainer by the work, in being able to look, not to a futile remembering by men, but to an eternal reward from God. For though I have not myself so lived that I can be an example to others, I have at least taken pains to ensure that one who really should be imitated does not remain unknown

For matter of that, even of what I have ascer- tained I have omitted much, deeming it sufficient to record only what is outstanding. There was the reader also to be considered, who might be wearied by the accumulated mass of material. But I do ask those who are intending to read to give credence to what is said and not think that I have written anything not duly ascer- tained and tested. Rather than utter falsehoods, I would have chosen to say nothing at al

His parents were some- what above the lowest grade in worldly dignity, but were pagans. His father had begun life as a common soldier and rose to be a military tribune. 3 Martin himself in his youth served in th

Though not yet reborn in Christ, he acted as one already robed in the good works of baptism-caring for the sUffering, succouring the unfortunate, feeding the needy, clothing the naked, keeping nothing for himself out of his army pay beyond his daily food. For even then he was no deaf hearer of the Gospel, and he took no thought for the morrow

So he said to the Caesar: "I have been your soldier up to now. Let me now be God's. Let someone who is going to fight have your bonus. I am Chrises soldier; I am not allowed to fight."

Mter leaving the army he sought out the holy Hilary, Bishop of Poitiers, 1 a man well known at that time for his proved fidelity in the things of God. He stayed with him for a while and Hilary tried to attach him more closely to himself and to bind him to the sacred ministry by conferring the diaconate upon him. But he refused again and again, vehemently protesting his unworthi- ness, until this deeply understanding man saw that there was only one way of keeping a hold on him and that was by conferring on him an office which could be taken as a slight on him. He therefore told him that he must be a

Now, the Arian heresy had been making headway all over the world and particularly in Illyricum, 2 and presently Martin was

No craft was practised there except that of the copyist, and that was assigned to the younger men. The older ones were left free for prayer.

I will also relate what happened in the country of the Aedui. 1 He was demolishing a temple there also, when a frenzied mob of rustic pagans made a rush at him and one of them, more audacious than the rest, drew his sword and went for him. Throwing back his cloak, Martin offered his bare neck to the stroke. Nor was the pagan slow to strike but, when his hand was well above his head, he fell flat on his back. Stricken with the fear of God, he asked for pardon. Nor was the following incident dissimilar. Once, when he was destroying some idols, someone planned to stab him with a large knife. But in the very act of striking, the weapon was struck from his hand and disappeared. More often, however, when the rustics were protesting against the destruction of their shrines, he so subdued their pagan hearts by his holy preaching that the light of the truth penetrated to them and they themselves threw down their own temples

A man named Paulinus, who was afterwards to be an example to all, had begun to suffer from acute pain in one eye and a fairly thick film had by now grown over the pupil. Martin, by touching the eye with a fine paintbrush, restored it to its former state and at the same time banished all the pain. 2

But it would be tedious to go through all the instances; and these few out of a great number must suffice. Let it be enough if in things so surpassing I have told the whole truth, and among so many have never been wearisome.

aited expectantly to receive it from the Bishop's own hands. But Martin, after drinking himself, passed the ~ goblet to his priest, holding that no one had a better right to ~ drink immediately after himself and that it would not be honest of him to give precedence over the priest either to the Emperor or to those who ranked next to him. The Emperor and all who were present were so struck by this action that the very gesture by which they had been humiliated became for them a source of pleasure. And the news went all round the palace that Martin had done at the Emperor's table what no other bishop would have done even when dining with the least of his magistrates.

It is certain that Martin actually saw angels very often, even .Q. to the extent of engaging in continuous conversation with them. \).}''' As for the devil, it was so fully within his power to see him that u he recognized him under any form, whether he kept to his own character or changed himself into any of the various shapes of " spiritual wickedness ".

Meawnhlle Qarus had been urging the brethren to pray their hardest to be shown by the Lord what it was. The rest of the night, therefore, was spent in singing hymns and psalms. At day- break he took Anatolius by the hand with the intention of taking him to Martin, being well aware that Martin could not be taken in by a trick of the devil. At this, the wretched man began to resist and protest loudly, saying that he had been forbidden to show himself to Martin. And when he was being forced to go against his will, between the hands of those who were dragging him the garment disappeared. Who, then, can doubt that Martin had this power also, that the devil was unable to keep up his illusions or conceal their nature when they were to be submitted to Martin's eyes?

But my book is asking to be ended, my story must be brought to a close, not because there is no more to be said about Martin, but because I, like an indolent craftsman, growing careless as his task is ending, have abandoned the effort, beaten by the weight of the material. For although it was possible to depict his outward actions in words (after a fashion), no language at all-none, I can say with truth-could ever depict his interior life, his everyday behaviour and his mind ever fixed upon heaven. I say again, not even Homer, if, as the saying goes, he returned from Hades, could do justice to his perseverance and self-discipline in abstinence and fasting; to his capacity for night vigils and prayer; to the nights,

I will only add that if anyone reads it sceptically he will be sinning. I am clear in my own conscience that my motives for writing were the certainty of the facts and the love of Christ and that I have only related what is well known, only said what is true. As for the reward prepared (as I hope) by God, not he who reads, but cc he who believes" 1 shall have it.