An Educational Advance

Οὑτος δὲ ὁ Διοκλῆς ἄπο γραμματικῆς μὲν ἀχθεὶς τὰ πρῶτα, εἰς ὕστερον δὲ δοὺς ἑαυτὸν εἰς φιλοσοφούμενα, τῷ χρόνῳ τῆς χάριτος αὐτὸν ἑλκυσάσης εἰς τὴν οὐρὰνιον φιλοσοφὶαν· εἰκοστον τοίνυν ὄγδοον ἔτος ἄγων τῆς ἡλικίας, ἀπετάξατο μὲν τῶν ἐγκυκλίων παιδευμάτων, συνεταξατο δὲ τῶν τοῖς οὐρανίοις τοῦ Χριστοῦ μαθήμασι. Καὶ αὐτὸς ἔχων τριακοστὸν πέμπτον ἔτος ἐν τοῖς σπηλαίοις. Οὐτος ἔλεγεν ἡμῖν· Ὁ νοῦς ἀποστας τῆς τοῦ Θεοῦ θεωρίας κατ’ ἔννοιαν, ἤ δαίμων γίνεται ἤ κτῆνος· ἡμῶν δὲ φιλοπευστούντων τὸν τρόπον ὅν εἶπεν, ἔλεγεν οὕτως ὅτι Νοῦς ἀνθρώπου Θεοῦ θεωρίας ἀναχωρήσας ἐξ ἀνάγκης ἤ τῴ τῆς ἐπιθυμίας δαίμονι περιπίπτει τῷ ἄγοντι εἰς ἄκολασίαν, ἤ τῷ θυμικῷ πνεύματι περιπίπτει τῷ πονερῷ, ὅθεν αἱ ἄλογοι τίκτονται ὀρμαί. Καὶ τὴν μὲν ἀκόλαστον ἐπιθυμίαν ἔλεγεν εἶναι κτηνώδη, τὸν δὲ θυμὸν κίνησιν δαιμονιώδη. Ἐμοῦ δὲ ἀντιλέγοντος, ὃτι Πῶς δύνατόν ἔστιν εἶναι νοῦν ἀνθρώπινον ἀδιαλείπτως μετά Θεοῦ, ἐλεγεν οὖτος, ὅτι Ἐν ῷ δ’ ἄν νοήματι ἤ πράγματι τυγχάνει ἡ ψυχὴ οὖσα, μόνον ἐν εὐσεβεῖ λογισμῷ καὶ θειῳ, μετὰ Θεοῦ ἐστιν.  Ἡ Προς Λαυσον Ἱστορια, Παλλαδιος

This Diocles first took to the study of literature, but later gave himself to philosophising, then, in time, grace drew him to the heavenly philosophy, and in the twenty eighth year of life he put aside the common cycle of studies and made himself a disciple of Christ. He had spent thirty five years in the caves. He told us this: ' The mind separated from the contemplation of God becomes either a demon or a beast.' But since we were inclined to understand this way of speaking he said: ' The mind of man withdrawn from the contemplation of God inevitably falls into demonic desire and the struggles of intemperance, or becomes a spirit burning for wickedness ever driven by irrational thoughts. Intemperate desire makes one a beast and a driven soul is demonic.' But I objected, ' How can the human mind be continually with God?' He said, ' Only when the soul is engaged in a thought or action that is pious and godly is it with God." Lausiac History, Palladius of Galatia