The Defects Of Anger

Ὁργὴ πὰθος ἐστι μανιῶδες, καὶ τοὺς ἔχοντας γνῶσιν ἐξίστησιν εὐχερῶς, θηριοῖ τὴν ψυχὴν, καὶ πᾶσαν συντυχίαν ἐκκλίνειν ποιεῖ. Ἄνεμος σφοδρὸς οὐ κινήσει πύρψον, καὶ ψυχὴν ἀόργητον οὐ συναρπάζει θυμός. Ὕδωρ κειεῖται ὑπὸ βίας ἀνέμων, καὶ θυμώδης ταράσσεται ὑπὸ λογισμῶν ἀσυνέτων. Μοναχὸς ὀργίλος εἶδέ τινα, καὶ τοὺς ὀδόντας παρέθηξεν. Ὀμίχλης ἀνάδοσις παχύνει ἀόρα, καὶ θυμοῦ κίνησις διάνοιαν ὀργίλου. Ἐσκότισεν ἥλιον ὑποδραμὼν νέφος, καὶ νοῦν λογισμὸς μνησικακίας. Λέων ἐν χωγρεῖῳ ὤν κινεῖ τοὺς στρόφιγγας συνεχῶς, καὶ θυμώδς ἐν κέλλῃ λογισμοὺς ὀργῆς. Τερπνὴ θεωρία, γαληῶσα θάλασσα, ἀλλ' οὐκ ἔστι τερπνοτερα εἰρηνικoς κᾶταστάσεως· γληνώσῃ γὰρ θαλάσσῃ ἐγκολυμβῶσι δελφίνες, εἰρηνικῇ δὲ καταστάει ἐννήχεται νοήματα θεοπρεπῆ. Μακρόθυμος μοναχὸς, ἠσυχάζουσα πηγὴ, καὶ πᾶσι παρέχουσα προσηνὲς ποτὸν, διάνοια δὲ ὀργίλου διὰ παντὸς τετάρακται καὶ οὐκ ἐπιδώσει τῷ διψῶτι ὕδωρ, κἂν ἐπιδώσῃ, τεθολωμένον, καὶ ἄχρηστον, καὶ ὀφθαλμοὶ θυμώδους τεταραγμένοι καὶ ὕφαιμοι, καὶ τῆς ταρασσομένες καρδίας ἄγγελοι. Πρόσωπον δὲ μακροθύμου ὀρθὰ κατεσταλμένον, καὶ ὀφθαλμοὶ προσηνεῖς κάτω βλέποντες. Ἅγιος Νειλος, Περὶ Των Οκτώ Πνευμάτων Της Πονηρίας, Κεφαλ. Θ’, Περὶ ὀργῆς Source: Migne PG 79.1153c-d

Anger is a maddening passion, and it easily estranges the minds of those who are knowledgeable and makes their souls feral so that they refuse all company. A strong wind will not shake a tower, and anger will not carry off a meek soul. Water is disturbed by violent winds, and the angry man by foolish thoughts. An angry monk is as a solitary bee of the forest, he sees someone and he grinds his teeth. Spreading cloud makes the air heavy and the coming of anger weighs down the soul of the irascible man. As the sun is obscured by clouds running beneath it, so is the mind that is mindful of injuries. A lion is continually turning about in his lair, likewise the angry thoughts of a man in his cell. The sight of a tranquil sea is delightful, but nothing is more delightful than a man at peace. Dolphins swim in calm seas, and the thoughts of a peaceful soul swim amid the grace of God. The long suffering monk is a quiet fountain that offers sweet waters to everyone, but the mind that is deeply troubled by anger does not offer water to the thirsty, nor shall it give any, but it spoils its sustenance and offers what is polluted. Eyes disturbed by anger are bloodshot and the voice that comes from the heart is confused, but the face of the long suffering man is rightly composed and his gentle eyes look upon all things kindly. Saint Nilus of Sinai, On the Eight Spiritual Faults, Chapter 9, On Anger