| Δεσπότης ἐστὶν ὁ νοῦς, δοῦλος δὲ τὸ σαρκίον. Μὴ τοίνυν τὸν δοῦλον ἀμέτρως θεράπευε διὰ γαστριμαργίας, ἵνα μὴ ἐπιλαθόμενος τῶν ἰδίων μέτρων εἰς τυραννίδα ἔλθῃ, καὶ ὅπλα πολμήσῃ ἆραι κατὰ τοῦ κτησαμένου· διόπερ ὁ Σολομὼν ἐπιστράμενος τὴν ἀφορσύνην τοῦ σώματος ἔλεγεν· Οὐ συμφέρει τῷ ἄφρονι ἡ τρυφὴ, κἂν οἰκέτης ἄρχῃ μεθ' ὕβρεως τοῦ ἰδίου δεσπότου. Ἅγιος Νειλος, Βιβλιον Πρῶτον, Ἐπιστολὴ ΡΞ Δεκουριωνι Source: Migne PG 79.148c |
The mind is the master, flesh the servant. Do not then indulge the body in gluttony without measure, lest neglecting the proper rule a tyrant come forth, and he dares to equip himself that he might take possesion. On account on which insolence of the body Solomon said: 'Do not give yourself to mindless luxury, lest an insolent house servant comes to rule over the master.' 1 Saint Nilus of Sinai, Book 1, Letter 147, to Decurion 1 Prov 19.10 |
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