Abbatia
Sancti Petri
de Curte

The Sayings of the Elders (Verba seniorum, Book VII)

Against the love of money, and on perfect renunciation

Contra philargyriam, et de perfecta abrenuntiatione.

1

Quidam juvenis volebat abrenuntiare mundo, et frequenter eum egressum de domo sua revocabant cogitationes involventes plurimis negotiis; erat enim dives valde. Uno die egresso eo, hostes immundi circumdederunt eum, et multum pulverem excitaverunt ante illum. Ille vero confestim exspolians se et jactans vestimenta sua, currebat nudus ad monasterium. Declaravit autem Deus uni seni, dicens: Surge, et suscipe athletam meum. Surgens ergo senex, obviavit illi nudo; et cognoscens causam, admiratus est, et dedit illi habitum monachalem. Quando autem aliqui veniebant ad senem requirere de cogitationibus variis, instruebat eos de abrenuntiatione mundana, et dicebat: Illum fratrem requirite, qui nec indumenta sui corporis servavit, quia ego ad mensuram renuntiationis istius necdum perveni.

— omitted in this translation —

2

Dicebat autem Paulus abbas Galata: Si aliquas res voluerit monachus in cella sua habere præter eas sine quibus non potest vivere, frequenter cogitur e cella egredi, et ita a dæmonibus prævaricatur ac decipitur. Hic autem ipse Paulus in una quadragesima cum sextario lentis et parvo vasculo aquæ perduravit, et unam mattulam faciens, eamdem texebat et retexebat, ne tantummodo foras exiret.

— omitted in this translation —

3

Quidam frater requisivit senem, dicens: Fac, abba, charitatem, et dic mihi sermonem, quid debeam in juventute congregare, ut habeam illud in senectute. Respondit senex: Aut Christum adipiscere, et cogita de te; aut certe pecuniam, ne mendices; ergo tuum est eligere aut Dominum Deum, aut mammonam.

A certain brother once came to an elder, and said, “My father, of your kindness tell me, I beseech you, what I ought to strive for in my youth, that I may own something in my old age.” The old man replied to him, “You may either gain Christ or gain money. It is for you to choose whether you will have for your God the Lord or mammon.”

4

Frequenter abbas Agathon suum discipulum commonebat, dicens: Ne aliquando tale aliquid tibi acquiras, quod fratri te petenti dare pigeat, et per hoc inveniaris mandata Dei transgrediens. Qui petit, da ei; et volenti a te mutuari, ne avertaris.

An old man said, “Own nothing which it would grieve you to give to another, nothing which would lead you to transgress the commandment of the Lord—‘Give to him that asketh you.’”

Latin text: Verba seniorum, Book VII of the Vitae Patrum, translated from the Greek by Paschasius of Dumium for Abbot Martin (Martin of Braga), in H. Rosweyde’s edition as reprinted in Migne’s Patrologia Latina, vol. 73 (1879 reprint), cols. 1025–1062, checked against the scans; without the editor’s notes and cross-references, and without the Greek text of chapter XLIV printed in the notes. · English translation by James O. Hannay († 1950), The Wisdom of the Desert, London, Methuen, 1904 — a selection: he translates fourteen sayings of this book; the others, the prologue and the chapter titles are given in Latin only. His captions are not reproduced. One sentence he added (VII.25.4) is not reproduced; his linking sentence in VII.42.4 is kept because the next sentence depends on it. Collated with the 1904 print. 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