Monks and Philosophy

Φιλοσοφία ἀποστρέφεται θόρυβον, καὶ γυνασὶα μοναχικὴ ἐξω κατορθοῦται συγχύσεως, ἵνα ταύτῃ χρήσηται ὑποβάθρᾳ τοῦ ὕψους τῆς ταπεινώσεως, τῇ κατὰ μόνας σχολῇ καὶ πραγμάτων ὀχληρῶν, καὶ ῥημάτων ἀπρεπῶν, σπουδαίως καὶ τελείως ἐκλαθόμενος. Εἰ δὲ τρίβωνα καὶ ὑπήνην, καὶ βάκτρον ἀρκεῖν ἡμῖν πρὸς ἐξάνυσιν τῆς ἀγγελικῆς πολιτείας οἰόμεθα, και μέσοι δήμων, καὶ θεαμάτων καὶ ἀκουσμάτων ἀστικῶν συμφυρόμεθα, τοῖς ὀργάνοις τῆς νίκης μόνοις ἐναβρυνόμενοι, τὴν δὲ πάλην καὶ μάχην ἐκκλίνοντες, ἐξ ἧς ἡ νικη προσγίνεται, μᾶλλον δὲ τὰς αἰτίας τὴς πάλης ἐν ἑαυτοῖς ἀνακαίοντες, λανθάνομεν κύνες τυγχάνοντες, καὶ πρὸς τὸν ἔμετον ὑποστρέφοντες ἤ ὗς τῷ βορβόρῳ τῆς παλαίᾶς συνηθείας ἐγκαλινδούμενοι. Ἅγιος Ἰσίδωρος Του Πηλουσιώτου, Βιβλιον Πρῶτον, Ἐπιστολή ϟΒ' Θωμᾳ Μονακῳ

Philosophy is averse to clamour and the monastic exertion is perfected far from tumult and confusion, that this might be a step to attain the height of humility, and that through the leisure of solitude forgetfulness may adhere to the troubles of business and every base speech . If we should think a cloak and a beard and a stick  sufficient to satisfy the angelic life and take to the crowds and spectacles and talk of the city, fleeing from the only instruments of victory, avoiding those struggles and fights by which triumph is acquired, rather than the cause of struggle in our selves inflaming, we will overlook that we have become like dogs turning back to vomit, or pigs wishing to wallow in old habits. Saint Isidore of Pelusium, Book 1, Letter 92, To the Monk Thomas