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St. Basil the Great
- Bilingual Anthologyfrom St Basil's Letters, the Second Letter, * § 2. Translated by B. Jackson * Greek Fonts ||| St Basil Home Page
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 E must strive
after a quiet mind. As well might the eye ascertain an object put
before it while it is wandering restless up and down and sideways,
without fixing a steady gaze upon it, as a mind, distracted by a
thousand worldly cares, be able clearly to apprehend the truth. He
who is not yet yoked in the bonds of matrimony is harassed by
frenzied cravings, and rebellious impulses, and hopeless
attachments; he who has found his mate is encompassed with his own
tumult of cares; if he is childless, there is desire for children;
has he children? anxiety about their education, attention to his
wife, care of his house, oversight of his servants, misfortunes in
trade, quarrels with his neighbours, lawsuits, the risks of the
merchant, the toil of the farmer. Each day, as it comes, darkens the
soul in its own way; and night after night takes up the day's
anxieties, and cheats the mind with illusions in accordance. |
ἐν ἡσυχίᾳ τὸν νοῦν ἔχειν πειρᾶσθαι Ἐν ἡσυχίᾳ τὸν νοῦν ἔχειν πειρᾶσθαι προσήκει. ὡς γὰρ ὀφθαλμὸν περιαγόμενον συνεχῶς καὶ νῦν μὲν ἐπὶ τὰ πλάγια περιφερόμενον͵ νῦν δὲ πρὸς τὰ ἄνω καὶ κάτω πυκνὰ μεταστρεφόμενον͵ ἰδεῖν ἐναργῶς τὸ ὑποκείμενον οὐχ οἷόν τε͵ ἀλλὰ χρὴ προσερεισθῆναι τὴν ὄψιν τῷ ὁρωμένῳ͵ εἰ μέλλοι ἐναργῆ ποιεῖσθαι τὴν θέαν, οὕτω καὶ νοῦν ἀνθρώπου ὑπὸ μυρίων τῶν κατὰ τὸν κόσμον φροντίδων περιελκόμενον ἀμήχανον ἐναργῶς ἐνατενίσαι τῇ ἀληθείᾳ. ἀλλὰ τὸν μὲν οὔπω τοῖς δεσμοῖς τοῦ γάμου κατεζευγμένον λυσσώδεις ἐπιθυμίαι καὶ ὁρμαὶ δυσκάθεκτοι καὶ ἔρωτές τινες δυσέρωτες ἐκταράσσουσι· τὸν δὲ ἤδη συγκαθειργμένον ὁμοζύγῳ ἕτερος θόρυβος τῶν φροντίδων ἐκδέχεται· ἐν ἀπαιδίᾳ͵ παίδων ἐπιθυμία͵ ἐν τῇ κτήσει τῶν παίδων͵ παιδοτροφίας μέριμνα· γυναικὸς φυλακή͵ οἴκου ἐπιμέλεια͵ οἰκετῶν προστασίαι͵ αἱ κατὰ τὰ συμβόλαια βλάβαι͵ οἱ πρὸς τοὺς γείτονας διαπληκτισμοί͵ αἱ ἐν τοῖς δικαστηρίοις συμπλοκαί͵ τῆς ἐμπορίας οἱ κίνδυνοι͵ αἱ τῆς γεωργίας διαπονήσεις. πᾶσα ἡμέρα ἰδίαν ἥκει φέρουσα τῆς ψυχῆς ἐπισκότησιν. αἱ νύκτες͵ τὰς μεθημερινὰς φροντίδας παραλαμβάνουσαι͵ ἐν ταῖς αὐταῖς φαντασίαις ἐξαπατῶσι τὸν νοῦν. |
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Reference address : https://ellopos.net/elpenor/greek-texts/fathers/basil-quiet-mind.asp
