John Cassian, The Conferences
Preface (Conferences XVIII–XXIV)
Praefatio.Preface.
Emissis iuuante gratia Christi decem conlationibus patrum, quae exigentibus beatissimis episcopis Helladio ac Leontio utcumque digestae sunt, septem alias beato episcopo et nomine et meritis Honorato, sancto quoque famulo Christi Eucherio dedicaui: totidem et nunc uobis, o sancti fratres Iouiniane, Minerui, Leonti et Theodore, credidi consecrandas. posterior siquidem uestrum illam coenobiorum sanctam atque egregiam disciplinam in prouinciis Gallicanis antiquarum uirtutum districtione fundauit, ceteri uero non solum coenobialem professionem adprime monachos expetere, uerum etiam anachoreticam sitire sublimitatem uestris institutionibus prouocastis. ea namque conlationes istae summorum patrum disputatione contextae sunt et ita in omnibus temperatae, ut utrique professioni, qua non solum occiduas regiones, uerum etiam insulas maximis fratrum cateruis fecistis florere, conueniant: id est ut non solum hi qui adhuc per congregationes laudabili subiectione perdurant, sed etiam illi qui haud longe a uestris coenobiis secedentes anachoretarum sectari gestiunt disciplinam, pro condicione locorum ac status sui mensura plenius instruantur. quibus hoc praecipuum contulit praecedens uestri laboris industria, ut parati iam atque in isdem exercitiis deprehensi facilius praecepta seniorum atque instituta suscipiant, ipsosque in cellulas suas auctores conlationum cum ipsis conlationum uoluminibus recipientes et cotidianis quodammodo cum eis interrogationibus ac responsionibus conloquentes non propriis adinuentionibus arduam istam et incognitam ferme in hac regione adpetant uiam, sed periculosam etiam illic, ubi iam tritissimi calles et innumera praecedentium exempla non desunt, anachoreseos disciplinam illorum potius praeceptis capere consuescant, quos in omnibus et antiqua traditio et longae experientiae instruxit industria.
When by the help of the grace of Christ I had published ten Conferences of the Fathers, which were composed at the urgent request of the most blessed Helladius and Leontius, I dedicated seven others to Honoratus a Bishop blessed in name as well as merits, and also to that holy servant of Christ, Eucherius. The same number also I have thought good to dedicate now to you, O holy brothers, Jovinianus, Minervius, Leontius, and Theodore. Since the last named of you founded that holy and splendid monastic rule in the province of Gaul, with the strictness of ancient virtue, while the rest of you by your instructions have stirred up monks not only before all to seek the common life of the cœnobia, but even to thirst eagerly for the sublime life of the anchorite. For those Conferences of the best of the fathers are arranged with such care, and so carefully considered in all respects, that they are suited to both modes of life whereby you have made not only the countries of the West, but even the isles to flourish with great crowds of brethren; i.e., I mean that not only those who still remain in congregations with praiseworthy subjection to rule, but those also who retire to no great distance from your monasteries, and try to carry out the rule of anchorites, may be more fully instructed, according as the nature of the place and the character of their condition may require. And to this your previous efforts and labours have especially contributed this, that, as they are already prepared and practised in these exercises, they can more readily receive the precepts and institutes of the Elders, and receiving into their cells the authors of the Conferences together with the actual volumes of the Conferences and talking with them after a fashion by daily questions and answers, they may not be left to their own resources to find that way which is difficult and almost unknown in this country, but full of danger even there where well-worn paths and numberless instances of those who have gone before are not wanting, but may rather learn to follow the rule of the anchorite's life taught by their examples, whom ancient tradition and industry and long experience have thoroughly instructed.
Latin text: Conlationes XXIIII, ed. M. Petschenig, Corpus scriptorum ecclesiasticorum Latinorum 13, Vienna, 1886, checked against the scans; without the critical apparatus. · English translation by E. C. S. Gibson († 1924), Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, 2nd series, vol. 11, New York, 1894. Gibson left Conferences XII and XXII untranslated. Public-domain text in France (art. L123-1 of the French Intellectual Property Code). Transcription and revision: Abbatia Sancti Petri de Curte. Report an error