Law, Apatheia, and the Soul
By this proverb, it applies also to the shepherds of the churches, whom it is necessary to attend not to faces, but to hearts, and to shepherd the sheep intellectually.
Regarding the one who cares for the green things in the field and shears wool and gathers a pasture in the mountainous field, the mind says: the green things are the virtues that exist within it in potential, of which the one caring shears wool, being a symbol of the knowledge of God, which he again calls a mountainous pasture; for a mountainous pasture represents the knowledge of holy powers that suits the soul's unreasoned state. It is a custom in Scripture to call holy mountains such. Thus also David lifts up his soul, asking, 'From where will my help come?' (Psalm 121:1); and again: 'The mountains leap like rams, and the hills like lambs of the flock' (Psalm 114:4) concerning the salvation of Israel. For if angels rejoice over one repenting, how much more over such a multitude traveling from wickedness to virtue.
Therefore, only the knowledge of the holy angels nourishes the virtues in us, from which the soul clothes itself with the bowels of compassion, kindness, patience, humility, faith, self-control, love, and the good things generated from these. That David speaks of rational souls regarding fields, from this one can learn: 'And your fields, he says, shall be filled with fullness' (Proverbs 12:14); and again shortly after: 'And the valleys shall abound with grain; for they shall cry out and shall sing' (Psalm 65:12); for hymn and cry are by nature suited to join with the rational nature.
Regarding the man who is brave in impieties, slandering the poor like a useless and empty cloud: if he is brave in impieties, he is brave also in virtues; and if the brave man in impieties slanders the poor, the brave man in virtues exhorts the poor; surely everyone who exhorts the poor is brave in piety. Thus those abandoning the law praise impiety; but those loving the law surround themselves with a wall. Everyone who loves the law makes the...
Law: everyone practicing the law acquires apatheia and the knowledge of God. If 'those loving the law surround themselves with a wall', now the wall signifies apatheia and the knowledge of God, which alone is fit to guard the rational nature.
344 28, 7 He who guards the law is a prudent son; but he who pastures intemperance dishonors his father the Shepherd, calling the mind the shepherd, and the passions within it sheep, which he nourishes within himself, 'through the transgression of the law he dishonors God'. For intemperance of the soul is passionate thoughts being carried out through the body; but intemperance of the mind is the assumption of false dogmas and theories.
345 28, 8 He who increases his wealth through usury and excess, bringing the poor to him whom he pities—if the wealth of the ungodly is wickedness, and wise men will lose him, it is evident that the righteous and wise are losing wickedness, by means of spiritual teaching leading the impure back to virtue.
346 28, 9 He who turns his ear from not hearing the law, and he himself has detested his prayer; the law does not detest anyone's prayer, but God who gave the law. And Paul says: 'the Scripture foretelling' (Hebrews 1:1) the future, instead of 'he who gave the Scripture'.
347 28, 13 He who covers his ungodliness will not prosper; but he who explains reproofs will be loved, 'I said: I will confess my iniquity to the Lord, and you have forgiven the ungodliness of my heart' (Psalm 32:9).
348 28, 15 A hungry lion and a thirsty wolf who tyrannizes, being poor, of a needy nation; if 'blessed' (Matthew 5:6) are 'those who hunger and thirst for righteousness', lions and wolves are those who hunger and thirst for injustice.
349 28, 16 A needy king is a great slanderer; but he who hates injustice will live a long time. The approaches of the evil king are wickednesses and false dogmas; for these approach him, those who are ruled by him.
Greek
ταύτῃ τῇ παροιμίᾳ καὶ πρὸς τοὺς ποιμένας τῶν ἐκκλησιῶν, οὓς δεῖ μὴ προσώποις, ἀλλὰ καρδίαις προσέχειν καὶ νοητῶς ποιμαίνειν τὰ πρόβατα. 341 27, 25 ἐπιμελοῦ τῶν ἐν τῷ πεδίῳ χλωρῶν καὶ κερεῖς πόαν καὶ συνάγαγε χόρτον ὀρεινόν Πεδίον λέγει τὸν νοῦν, χλωρὰ δὲ τὰς ἐν αὐτῷ κατὰ δύναμιν ἐνυπαρχούσας ἀρετάς, ὧν ὁ ἐπιμελούμενος κερεῖ πόαν, σύμβολον οὖσαν τῆς γνώσεως τοῦ θεοῦ, ἣν καὶ χόρτον πάλιν ὀρεινὸν ὀνομάζει· χόρτος γάρ ἐστιν ὀρεινὸς γνῶσις ἁγίων δυνάμεων ἁρμόζουσα τῇ ἀλογωτέρᾳ τῶν ψυχῶν καταστάσει. Ἔθος δὲ τῇ γραφῇ τοὺς ἁγίους ὄρη καλεῖν. Οὕτω καὶ ὁ ∆αυὶδ αἴρει τὴν ψυχὴν αὐτοῦ «εἰς τὰ ὄρη πόθεν ἥξει ἡ βοήθεια» αὐτοῦ· καὶ πάλιν· «ὄρη σκιρτῶσιν ὡς κριοὶ καὶ βουνοὶ ὡς ἀρνία προβάτων» ἐπὶ τῇ σωτηρίᾳ τοῦ Ἰσραήλ. Εἰ γὰρ ἐπὶ ἑνὶ μετανοοῦντι χαίρουσιν ἄγγελοι, πόσῳ μᾶλλον ἐπὶ πλήθει τοσούτῳ ὁδεύοντι ἀπὸ κακίας εἰς ἀρετήν. ∆ιὸ καὶ μόνη ἡ γνῶσις τῶν ἁγίων ἀγγέλων τρέφει τὰς ἐν ἡμῖν ἀρετάς, ἀφ' ὧν ἐνδύεται ψυχὴ σπλάγχνα οἰκτιρμοῦ, χρηστότητα, μακροθυμίαν, ταπεινοφροσύνην, πίστιν, ἐγκράτειαν, ἀγάπην καὶ τὰ ἐκ ταύτης γεννώμενα ἀγαθά. Ὅτι δὲ πεδία καὶ ὁ ∆αυὶδ λέγει τὰς λογικὰς ψυχάς, ἐντεῦθεν ἔστι μαθεῖν· «καὶ τὰ πεδία σου γάρ, φησίν, πλησθήσονται πιότητος»· καὶ πάλιν μετ' ὀλίγα· «καὶ αἱ κοιλάδες πληθυνοῦσι σῖτον· κεκράξονται καὶ γὰρ ὑμνήσου-σιν»· ὕμνος δὲ καὶ κραυγὴ μόνῃ πέφυκεν ἐπισυμβαίνειν τῇ φύσει τῇ λογικῇ. 342 28, 3 ἀνδρεῖος ἐν ἀσεβείαις συκοφαντεῖ πτωχούς, ὥσπερ ὑετὸς λάβρος καὶ ἀνωφελήσ Εἰ ἔστιν ἀνδρεῖος ἐν ἀσεβείαις, ἔστιν ἀνδρεῖος καὶ ἐν ἀρεταῖς· καὶ εἰ ὁ ἀνδρεῖος ἐν ἀσεβείαις συκοφαντεῖ πτωχούς, ὁ ἀνδρεῖος ἐν ἀρεταῖς παρακαλεῖ πτωχούς· οὐκοῦν πᾶς ὁ παρακαλῶν πτωχοὺς ἀνδρεῖός ἐστιν ἐν εὐσε-βείαις. 28, 4 οὕτως οἱ ἐγκαταλείποντες τὸν νόμον ἐγκωμιάζουσιν ἀσέβειαν· οἱ δὲ ἀγαπῶντες τὸν νόμον περιβάλλουσιν ἑαυτοῖς τεῖχοσ Πᾶς ὁ ἀγαπῶν τὸν νόμον ποιεῖ τὸν νόμον· πᾶς δὲ ὁ ποιῶν τὸν νόμον ἀπάθειαν κτᾶται καὶ γνῶσιν θεοῦ. Εἰ δὲ «οἱ ἀγαπῶντες τὸν νόμον περιβάλλουσιν ἑαυτοῖς τεῖχος», νῦν τὸ τεῖχος τὴν ἀπάθειαν σημαίνει καὶ τὴν γνῶσιν τὴν τοῦ θεοῦ, ἅπερ μόνα πέφυκε φυλάσσειν τὴν φύσιν τὴν λογικήν. 344 28, 7 φυλάσσει νόμον υἱὸς συνετός· ὃς δὲ ποιμαίνει ἀσωτίαν ἀτιμάζει πατέρα αὐτοῦ Ποιμένα λέγει τὸν νοῦν, πρόβατα δὲ τὰ ἐν αὐτῷ ἐμπαθῆ νοήματα, ἅπερ ἐκτρέφων ἐν ἑαυτῷ «διὰ τῆς παρα-βάσεως τοῦ νόμου τὸν θεὸν ἀτιμάζει». Ἀσωτία γὰρ ψυχῆς ἐστι λογισμοὶ ἐμπαθεῖς διὰ τοῦ σώματος ἐκτελού-μενοι· ἀσωτία δὲ νοῦ ἐστι ψευδῶν δογμάτων καὶ θεωρημάτων ὑπόληψις. 345 28, 8 ὁ πληθύνων τὸν πλοῦτον αὐτοῦ μετὰ τόκων καὶ πλεονασμῶν τῷ ἐλεῶντι πτωχοὺς συνάγει αὐτόν Εἰ πλοῦτος ἀσεβῶν κακία, ἄνδρες δὲ σοφοὶ ἀπο-λέσουσιν αὐτόν, δηλονότι κακίαν ἀπολλύουσιν οἱ δίκαιοι καὶ σοφοί, διὰ τῆς πνευματικῆς διδασκαλίας τοὺς ἀκαθάρτους πρὸς τὴν ἀρετὴν ἐπανάγοντες. 346 28, 9 ὁ ἐκκλίνων τὸ οὖς αὐτοῦ τοῦ μὴ εἰσακοῦσαι νόμου καὶ αὐτὸς τὴν προσευχὴν αὐτοῦ ἐβδέλυκται Οὐχ ὁ νόμος βδελύσσεταί τινος τὴν προσευχήν, ἀλλ' ὁ δεδωκὼς τὸν νόμον θεός. Καὶ ὁ Παῦλός φησιν· «προϊδοῦσα δὲ ἡ γραφὴ» τὸ μέλλον, ἀντὶ τοῦ ὁ τὴν γραφὴν δεδωκώς. 347 28, 13 ὁ ἐπικαλύπτων ἀσέβειαν ἑαυτοῦ οὐκ εὐοδωθήσεται· ὁ δὲ ἐξηγούμενος ἐλέγχους ἀγαπηθήσεται «Εἶπα· ἐξαγορεύσω κατ' ἐμοῦ τὴν ἀνομίαν μου τῷ κυρίῳ καὶ σὺ ἀφῆκας τὴν ἀσέβειαν τῆς καρδίας μου.» 348 28, 15 λέων πεινῶν καὶ λύκος διψῶν ὃς τυραννεῖ πτωχὸς ὢν ἔθνους πενιχροῦ Εἰ «μακάριοί» εἰσιν «οἱ πεινῶντες καὶ διψῶντες τὴν δικαιοσύνην», λέοντες καὶ λύκοι εἰσὶν οἱ διψῶντες καὶ πεινῶντες τὴν ἀδικίαν. 349 28, 16 βασιλεὺς ἐνδεὴς προσόδων μέγας συκοφάντης· ὁ δὲ μισῶν ἀδικίαν μακρὸν χρόνον ζήσεται Αἱ πρόσοδοι τοῦ πονηροῦ βασιλέως εἰσὶν αἱ κακίαι καὶ τὰ ψευδῆ δόγματα· ταῦτα γὰρ αὐτῷ προσοδεύουσιν οἱ βασιλευόμενοι ὑπ' αὐτοῦ. 350 28, 17
About this text
Evagrius's short notes on Proverbs, turning each proverb toward the fight against temptation.
Original English Translation of Evagrius Ponticus’s Scholia in Proverbia — new OET from PG 40 Greek.
Catalogue & scope
Khazarzar scan
Witnesses
- Copy-text PG 40 (Khazarzar) (Greek)
This is an AI-assisted study translation. Source fidelity and completeness have not been independently certified. Open Greek on each section for the source text. This is not a complete critical edition.