Evagrius Ponticus: Ad Monachos
Overview
The first translation in English, Ad Monachos is a collection of monastic wisdom in proverbs.
Top Highlights
“Evagrius is fond of the metaphor of giving birth when it comes to speaking of the relation of the virtues among themselves.159 It is a firm metaphor and one especially suited for expressing his point, conveying a natural sense of one virtue leading to another, even containing the notion that it takes some time for the ‘child’ to grow in the ‘womb’ of the virtue that is giving it birth. The statement ‘prudence gives birth to passionlessness’ has its precise sense for Evagrius. If the role of prudence is directing operations against demons in the war of praktikē, then in time it will result in (in time ‘it will give birth to’) passionlessness, the goal of praktikē.160 The work of prudence gives way to the rest of wisdom.” (Page 299)
“Every rational creature fell from a beautiful state ‘like the morning star’s.’ This comes about for every rational creature as a result of an evil decision, a movement away from knowledge.192 When this fallen creature becomes a pure mind in a gentle soul (into which soul it has fallen as part of a plan for its salvation), then it is ‘like a morning star’ again.” (Page 315)
“The resurrection of the soul is described as a ‘return’ to a condition in which one is no longer bothered by the passions. The soul of the fallen mind is afflicted by passions in its various parts; but when health is reestablished in this soul, when it does not ‘derive evil from its flesh,’ then it reaches a condition of passionlessness. This is its resurrection.” (Pages 244–245)
“that love is praktikē’s goal and that love leads the way to knowledge.” (Page 102)
- Title: Evagrius Ponticus: Ad Monachos
- Authors: Evagrius Ponticus, Jeremy Driscoll
- Series: Ancient Christian Writers
- Volume: 59
- Publisher: Newman Press
- Print Publication Date: 2003
- Logos Release Date: 2015
- Language: English
- Resources: 1
- Format: Digital › Logos Research Edition
- Subjects: Evagrius, Ponticus, 345?-399. Ad monachos; Monastic and religious life › Early works to 1800; Spiritual life › Christianity--Early works to 1800
- ISBNs: 0809105608, 9780809105601
- Resource ID: LLS:VGRSPNTCSDMNCHS
- Resource Type: Monograph
- Metadata Last Updated: 2024-03-25T21:05:44Z