Wisdom And Foolishness

Scriptum est: Quia mundus in Dei sapientia, per sapientiam Deum non congnovit: placuit Deo per stultitiam praedicationis salvos facere credentes. Mundus sapientiam habuit, per quam Deum non potuit cognoscere positum in sapientia sua. Sapientia mundi fuit ratio humana, secundum visibilium rerum naturam et elementa hujus mundi formata. Sapientia Dei fuit ejus ineffabilis majestas, et incomprehensibilis bonitas. Erat et prudentia mundi circa commoda carnis diligens circumspectio. Sapientia ergo mundi quae humana ratione incedit, negat fidem; prudentia autem mundi quae carnis tantum commoda quaere docet, et vitare incommoda, destruit bonam operationem. Propterea sapientiam mundi stultam reputat Deus, et prudentiam judicat inimicam, quoniam illa veritati adversatur, ista dilectioni. Propterea utramque destruxit Deus: sapientiam, per stultitiam; prudentiam, per insaniam. Quasi enim, stultitam quaedem Dei fuit secundum humanum sensum, quod ad abjecta et indigna sibi se humiliavit. Insania autem reputata, quod sine necessitate tam dura susinuit. Et tamen qui in sapientia sua cognosci non potuit, quasi in stultitia agnita est, quoniam qui in sua celesitudine manes non potuit comprehendi, in sua humilitatione coepit agnosci. Quasi enim in sua sapientia Deus fuit, quando in eo quod ipsum decere videbatur, permansit; sed ibi agnitus non est, donec quasi desipuit et indigna suscepit. Ibi autem sapientiam mundi destruxit, ubi se in eo quod stultum mundo videtur, demonstravit, ut disceret homo supra rationem mundi esse quod videbat in natura hominis Deum apparere. Deinde autem quasi per insania Deus prudentiam carnis evacuavit, quando contra ejus existimationem agens carnem suam, sine retractione ad poenas et tormenta exposuit, et sic eam ad incorruptionem resurrectionis eduxit, ostendens quod non parcendo, sed castigando et persequendo carnem servare oportet. Sic ergo quia in sapientia sua per sapientiam mundus non cognovit Deum, placuit Deo per stultitiam praedicationis salvos facere credentes. Stulta enim videbantur quae dicebantur, sed tamen per haec demonstrata magis sunt stulta quae probabantur et amabantur. Quae probabantur ratione stulta, et quae amabantur dilectione insana; illa sine veritate, ist sine utilitate. Stultum enim fuit supra carnis sensum veritatem Dei pertinaciter non recipere, et insania fruit propter carnis commodum detrimentum animae patienter sustinere. Hugo De Sancte Victore, Miscellanea, Liber I, Tit CXCVII De sapientia Dei et mundi Source: Migne PL 177.586a-587a

It is written, 'Because in the wisdom of God the world did not know God through wisdom, it pleased God through the foolishness of preaching to save believers.' 1 The world had its wisdom, through which, established in it own wisdom, it was unable to know God. The wisdom of the world was human reason which was fashioned for visible things and the elements of this world. The wisdom of God was His ineffable majesty and incomprehensible goodness. The prudence of the world was for the affectionate care of the flesh. Therefore the wisdom of the world that is given to human reason denies faith, for the prudence of the world teaches that one should seek only the comforts of the flesh and avoid its harm, whence it ruins good work. Therefore God reckons the wisdom of the world foolishness and judges prudence to be an enemy, since the former is averse to truth, the latter to love. Whence God overthrew both, wisdom by foolishness and prudence by madness. For according to human understanding it was by a certain foolishness of God that He lowered Himself to an abject and unworthy state. And it was reputed madness that without necessity He endured such trials as He did. And yet He who was not able to be known in His own wisdom, was as by foolishness known, because He who  in His heaven cannot be comprehended began to be known in His humiliation. For He was as God in His own wisdom when He seemed to do what befitted Him, but because of that He was not known, until He, as one acting unreasonably, took up an unworthy state. And thereby He destroyed the wisdom of the world when in what seemed foolish to the world He revealed Himself, so that man might learn of the reason beyond the world, since He saw God appear in the nature of man. Finally as by madness God emptied the flesh of prudence when against its judgement He took up the flesh and exposed Himself without excuse to punishment and torment, yet by that He led it to the incorruption of resurrection, showing that it is not by being spared but by beatings and persecution that one should care for the flesh. Therefore because in its own wisdom the world did not know God, it pleased God through the foolishness of preaching to save believers. For what the preachers say seems foolish, yet by these things the things that men have approved and loved were demonstrated to be more foolish. What they approved in reason was foolish, and what they loved with delight was madness, for the former was without truth, the latter without usefulness. For it was foolish under the understanding of the flesh to stubbornly refuse the truth of God, and insane because of the advantage to the flesh to patiently suffer the ruin of the soul. Hugh Of Saint Victor, Miscellanea, Book 1, Chapter 197, On The Wisdom of God and the World 1 1 Cor 1.21

Sacrifices And Abominations

Abominationes, inquiunt, Aegyptiorum immolabimus Domino Deo nostro... Oves quippe Aegyptii edere dedignantur. Sed quod abominantur Aegyptii, hoc Israelitae Deo offerunt, quia simplicitatem conscientiae, quam sapientes hujus saeculi, hoc est, cives Aegypti, quasi fatuitatem deputant: hanc justi Deo in sacrificium immolant, et per id Deo placere procurant, quod saeculo et mundo abjectum et contemptibile esse considerant, secundum Apostolum qui ait: Nam quae stulta sunt mundi, elegit Deus, ut confundat sapientes. Ex quo autem loqui coepit Moyses ad Pharaonem, affligitur populus Dei, id est, ex quo in animam hominis sermo Dei perlatus fuerit, acrius callidus hostis consurgit, et majora vitia quibus vincatur immittit. Prius vero quam veniret sermo qui argueret vitia, in pace durabant; sed ubi sermo Dei facere ceperit uniuscujusque discrimen, tunc conturbatio magna consurgit. Sanctus Isidorus Hispalensis, Mysticorum Expositiones Sacramentorum Seu Quaestiones In Vetus Testamentum, In Exodum, Caput XI Source: Migne PL 83.291c-d

For we shall sacrifice to the Lord our God what are abominations to the Egyptians... 1 Certainly the Egyptians scorned to eat sheep. But what offends the Egyptians, this is what the Israelites offer to God, because simplicity of conscience, which is thought to be foolishness to the wise of this world, that is, the Egyptian people, this is what the righteous offer in sacrifice to God, and through it they please God, with that which to the age and the world is considered abject and contemptible, according to the Apostle who said, 'For what is foolish to the world, God chose, that He might confound the wise.' 2 And because of what Moses began to say to Pharaoh, the people of God were afflicted, that is, when the word of God comes into the soul of man, so more bitterly does the cunning of the enemy rise up, and he stirs up the great vices by which he conquers. For before the coming of the word which disputes with the vices, the vices dwell in peace, but when the word of God begins to make a division between each one, then great trouble rises up. Saint Isidore of Seville, Expositions of Sacred Mysteries or Questions on the Old Testament, On Exodus, Chapter 11 1 Exod 8.26 2 1 Cor 1.27

Word And Teacher

Ὡς γὰρ ἀγαθὸς διδάσκαλος κηδόμενος τῶν ἑαυτοῦ μαθητῶν, τοὺς μὴ δυναμένους ἐκ τῶν μειζόνων ὠφεληθῆναι, πάντως διὰ τῶν εὐτελεστέρων συγκαταβαίνων αὐτοὺς παιδεύει· οὕτως καὶ ὁ τοῦ Θεοῦ Λόγος, καθὼς καὶ ὁ Παῦλός φησιν· Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ ἐν τῇ σοφίᾳ τοῦ Θεοῦ οὐκ ἔγνω ὁ κόσμος διὰ τῆς σοφίας τὸν Θεόν, εὐδόκησεν ὁ Θεὸς διὰ τῆς μωρίας τοῦ κηρύγματος σῶσαι τοὺς πιστεύοντας. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ οἱ ἄνθρωποι ἀποστραφέντες τὴν πρὸς τὸν Θεὸν θεωρίαν καὶ ὡς ἐν βυθῷ βυθισθέντες κάτω τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς ἔχοντες, ἐν γενέσει καὶ τοῖς αἰσθητοῖς τὸν Θεὸν ἀνεζήτουν, ἀνθρώπους θνητοὺς καὶ δαίμονας ἑαυτοῖς θεοὺς ἀνατυπούμενοι· τούτου ἕνεκα ὁ φιλάνθρωπος καὶ κοινὸς πάντων Σωτήρ, ὁ τοῦ Θεοῦ Λόγος, λαμβάνει ἑαυτῷ σῶμα, καὶ ὡς ἄνθρωπος ἐν ἀνθρώποις ἀναστρέφεται, καὶ τὰς αἰσθήσεις πάντων ἀνθρώπων προσλαμβάνει, ἵνα οἱ ἐν σωματικοῖς νοοῦντες εἶναι τὸν Θεόν, ἀφ' ὧν ὁ Κύριος ἐργάζεται διὰ τῶν τοῦ σώματος ἔργων, ἀπ' αὐτῶν νοήσωσι τὴν ἀλήθειαν, καὶ δι' αὐτοῦ τὸν Πατέρα λογίσωνται. Ἄνθρωποι δὲ ὄντες καὶ ἀνθρώπινα πάντα νοοῦντες, οἷς ἐὰν ἐπέβαλον τὰς ἑαυτῶν αἰσθήσεις, ἐν τούτοις προσλαμβανομένους ἑαυτοὺς ἑώρων, καὶ πανταχόθεν διδασκομένους τὴν ἀλήθειαν. Εἴτε γὰρ εἰς τὴν κτίσιν ἐπτόηντο, ἀλλ' ἑώρων αὐτὴν ὁμολογοῦσαν τὸν Χριστὸν Κύριον· εἴτε εἰς ἀνθρώπους ἦν αὐτῶν ἡ διάνοια προληφθεῖσα, ὥστε τούτους θεοὺς νομίζειν, ἀλλ' ἐκ τῶν ἔργων τοῦ Σωτῆρος, συγκρινόντων τε ἐκείνων, ἐφαίνετο ἐν ἀνθρώποις μόνος ὁ Σωτὴρ Θεοῦ Υἱός, οὐκ ὄντων παρ' ἐκείνοις τοιούτων ὁποῖα παρὰ τοῦ Θεοῦ Λόγου γέγονεν. Εἰ δὲ καὶ εἰς δαίμονας ἦσαν προληφθέντες, ἀλλ' ὁρῶντες αὐτοὺς διωκομένους ὑπὸ τοῦ Κυρίου, ἐγίνωσκον μόνον εἶναι τοῦτον τὸν τοῦ Θεοῦ Λόγον, καὶ οὐκ εἶναι θεοὺς τοὺς δαίμονας. Εἰ δὲ καὶ εἰς νεκροὺς ἤδη τούτων ἦν ὁ νοῦς κατασχεθείς, ὥστε θρησκεύειν ἥρωας, καὶ τοὺς παρὰ ποιηταῖς λεγομένους θεούς· ἀλλ' ὁρῶντες τὴν τοῦ Σωτῆρος ἀνάστασιν, ὡμολόγουν ἐκείνους εἶναι ψευδεῖς, καὶ μόνον τὸν Κύριον ἀληθινόν, τὸν τοῦ Πατρὸς Λόγον, τὸν καὶ τοῦ θανάτου κυριεύοντα. Διὰ τοῦτο καὶ γεγέννηται, καὶ ἄνθρωπος ἐφάνη, καὶ ἀπέθανε, καὶ ἀνέστη, ἀμβλύνας καὶ ἐπισκιάσας τὰ τῶν πώποτε γενομένων ἀνθρώπων διὰ τῶν ἰδίων ἔργων, ἵνα ὅπου δ' ἂν ὦσι προληφθέντες οἱ ἄνθρωποι, ἐκεῖθεν αὐτοὺς ἀναγάγῃ, καὶ διδάξῃ τὸν ἀληθινὸν ἑαυτοῦ Πατέρα, καθάπερ καὶ αὐτός φησιν·Ἦλθον σῶσαι καὶ εὑρεῖν τὸ ἀπολωλός. Ἅγιος Αθανάσιος ο Μέγας, Λόγος περί της Ενανθρωπίσεως του Λόγου Source: Migne PG 25.121c-124b

For as a kind teacher who cares for His pupils, if some cannot profit by higher subjects, lowers himself to them and teaches them in a much simpler fashion, so also did the Word of God. As Paul also says: 'For since in the wisdom of God the world did not know God through wisdom, it pleased God to save those who believe through the foolishness of the word preached.' 1 For since men had turned away from the contemplation of God and with their eyes downward, as though sunk into the deep, they were seeking out God in nature and with the senses, feigning gods for themselves of mortal men and demons, because of this the loving and common Saviour of all, the Word of God, takes a body to Himself, and goes about among men as a man, and takes hold of the senses of all men, so that those who think that God is corporeal may perceive the truth by what the Lord does through the works of His body, and through Him infer the Father. Thus men being men, in all their thoughts, on whatever they fixed their senses, there they saw themselves laid hold of and taught the truth from every side. For if they wondered at creation, yet they saw how it confessed Christ as Lord, or if their minds turned to men, so that it thought them to be gods, yet from the works of the Saviour, when they compared them, the Saviour alone appeared the Son of God among men, for there were no such things done among them as were done by the Word of God. Or if they were inclined to spirits, yet seeing them cast out by the Lord, they knew that He alone was the Word of God and that the spirits were not gods. Or if their minds had sunk down even to the dead, so that they revered the heroes and the gods spoken by the poets, yet seeing the resurrection of the Saviour, they confessed them as lies and the Lord alone as true, the Word of the Father, having power even over death. For this He was both born and appeared as Man, and died, and rose again, by His own works dulling and casting into shadow the deeds of all the men who had been, that in whatever direction the inclination of men might turn, from there He might call them and teach them about His true Father, as He Himself says: 'I have come to save and find that which was lost.' 2 Saint Athanasius the Great, On The Incarnation of The Word 1 1 Cor 1.21 2 Lk 19.10

The Golden Ring

Quomodo intelligendum est quod ait Circulus aureus in naribus suis, mulier pulchra et fatua? Hoc est, si circulum aureum in naribus porci infixeris, ille dum pergit terram vertere ac fodere naso, immergit circulum aureum in volutabrum luti, et tunc perdit circulis aureus decorem quem habuit. Similiter ergo mulier fatua, si habet pulchritudinem vultus, vel si accipiat ornamenta inaurium, monilium simul et vestimentorim, sordidat pulchritudinem vultus, et amittit decorem, si se coeno libidinis coinquinare diligit, et adulteriis corrumpit. Spiritualiter autem quomodo intelligenda est haec sententia? Quicunque sacras Scripturas intente meditatur, et jugiter perscrutatur divina eloquia, accipit ornamentum scientiae; quod si male vivendo corrumpit, et destruit quod intelligit, circumulum aureum habet in naribus, sed more suis terram fodiendo coinquinat et luto immergit, quia ornatum per quem notitiam Scripturarum accepit, immunda actione sordidavit. Talis anima, pulchra mulier et fatua est; pulchra quidem per scientiam; sed dedita carnalibus delectationibus, fatua est per actionem. Honorius Augustodunensis, Quaestiones Et Ad Easdem Responsiones In Duos Salomonis Libros, In Proverbia, Caput XI Source: Migne PL 172.318a-b

How should it be understood when it is said, 'A golden ring in the nose is a woman who is beautiful and foolish.' 1 That is, if you attach a golden ring to the snout of a pig, when he goes off to turn up the earth and dig in it with his snout, he covers the golden ring with the filth of the mud, and so he ruins the beauty of the golden ring which he has. Similar, therefore, is a foolish woman, if she has a beautiful appearance, or if she receives gilded ornaments, and likewise necklaces and clothes, and she defiles the beauty of her appearance and casts down the charm of them, delighting to foul herself in feasts of lust and to corrupt it with adulteries. But spiritually how should this be understood? Whoever meditates intently on the Scriptures and with it studies the divine words, he receives the ornament of knowledge, which if he corrupts with bad living, so he ruins what he understands. He has the golden ring in the nose, but his conduct befouls it with his digging in the earth and covering it in mud, whence the ornament which he received by his knowledge of the Scriptures is spoiled by unclean action. Such a soul is a beautiful and foolish woman, certainly beautiful by knowledge, but given over to carnal delights it is made foolish by action. Honorius of Autun, Questions and Answers on Two Books of Solomon, On Proverbs, Chapter 11 1 Prov 11.22

A Foolish People

Quia stultus populus meus me non cognovit: filii insipientes sunt et vecordes. Sapientes sunt ut faciant mala: bene autem facere nescierunt. Causa contritionis, vastitatis, fugaeque et buccinae, quia stultus factus est populus, non natura, sed studio voluntatis. Ipsaque stultitia hinc probatur: quia non cognoverunt Deum, et pro filiis sapientibus, stulti filii facti sunt et vecordes. Quae enim major potest esse stultitia, quam, cognoscente bove possessorem suum, et asino praesepe Domini sui, Israel Dominum non cognoscere, et praesentem contemnere quem semper videre cupiebat? Quodque infertur: Sapientes sunt ut faciant mala: bene autem facere nescierunt, hic sapientia pro malitia accipienda est, juxta quod et filii saeculi hujus sapientiores sunt filiis lucis: et villicus iniquitatis quaedam sapienter fecisse narratur; et serpens in paradiso prudentior cunctis bestiis legitur. Illa est ergo vera sapientia quae Dei timori jungitur. Alioquin ubi insidiae sunt et tergiversatio, non sapientia, sed versutia et calliditas appellanda est. Pro eo, quod nos diximus, quia stultus populus meus me non cognovit, Septuaginta transtulerunt: quia principes populi mei me non cognoverunt: ut magistrorum sit magis culpa quam populi Dei scientiam non habentis. Sanctus Hieronymus, Commentariorum In Jeremiam Propheta, Lib I Cap IV Source Migne PL 24.738b-d

For my people are foolish, they do not know me; they are mindless and senseless children. They are wise in doing evil, but they do not know how to do good.1 The cause of the contrition, of the devastation, of the flight, and of the trumpeting, 2 is that the people have become foolish, not by nature but by the intent of their will. And this foolishness is shown by the fact that they do not know God. Instead of being wise sons they have become foolish and senseless sons. For what could be more foolish than when the ox knows its owner and the donkey its master's crib, Israel does not know the Lord, and despises Him present, Him whom they have always longed to see? And with what follows: 'They are wise in doing evil but they do not know how to do good, 'wise' should be understood in a wicked sense, as when the sons of his world are wiser than the sons of light, and the dishonest steward is said to have done certain things wisely, 3 or when it is read that the serpent in paradise is wiser than any other wild creature. 4 True wisdom, therefore, is wisdom joined to the fear of the Lord. Otherwise, where there are plots and deception, it should not be called wisdom but cleverness or cunning. Where it is said, 'For my people are foolish, they do not know me,' the Septuagint has translated, 'For the princes of my people do not know me,' so the fault of the teachers is greater than the people's when the people have no knowledge of God. Saint Jerome, from the Commentary on Jeremiah, Book 4, Chapter 4 1 Jerem 4.22 2 Jerem 4.19-21 3 Gen 3.1 4 Lk 16.1-8

Fools To The World

Nos stulti propter Christum Verum est quia amantes Christum, stulti sunt mundo. Vos autem prudentes in Christo. Qui prudens in Christo judicatur a perfidis, non recte asserit Christum. Denqiue Mercion, quia negat Filium Dei, et incarnari Deum potuisse, prudens est mundo, et Photinus, quia non fatetur, Christum per id quod natus est, Deum, sapiens videtur mundanis. Ambrosiaster, In Epistolam Beati Pauli Ad Corinthios Primam, Caput IV Source: Migne PL 17.205b

We are fools for Christ. 1 It is true that the lovers of Christ are fools to the world. 'But you are wise in Christ.' 1 He who is wise in Christ is judged by the faithless not to speak correctly about Christ. So Marcion, because he denies the Son Of God and that God was able to be incarnate, is wise to the world, and Photinus, because he does not say that Christ was born so, seems to be wise to the worldly. Ambrosiaster, Commentary On The First Letter of Saint Paul To The Corinthians, Chapter 4 1 1 Cor 4.10

Foolish Labour

Kαὶ πᾶς ὁ ἀκούων μου τοὺς λόγους τούτους καὶ μὴ ποιῶν αὐτοὺς ὁμοιωθήσεται ἀνδρὶ μωρῷ, ὅστις ᾠκοδόμησεν αὐτοῦ τὴν οἰκίαν ἐπὶ τὴν ἄμμον. Καλῶς δὲ μωρὸν ἐκάλεσε τοῦτον. Τί γὰρ ἂν γένοιτο ἀνοητότερον τοῦ οἰκίαν οἰκοδομοῦντος ἐπὶ ψάμμου, καὶ τὸν μὲν πόνον ὑπομένοντος, τοῦ δὲ καρποῦ καὶ τῆς ἀναπαύσεως ἀποστερουμένου, καὶ ἀντι τούτου κόλασιν ὑπομένοντος; ὅτι γὰρ καὶ οἱ κακίαν μετιόντες κάμνουσι, παντί που δῆλόν ἐστιν· ἀλλ' οὐδὲ ἀπὸ τῶν πόνων τούτων καρποῦνται κέρδος, ἀλλὰ καὶ πολλὴν ὑπομένουσι τὴν ζημίαν· ὡς γάρ φησιν ὁ Παῦλος, Ὁ σπείρων ἐν τῇ σαρκὶ, ἐκ τῆς σαρκὸς θερίσει φθοράν. Ἅγιος Κύριλλος Ἀλεξανδρείας, Ἐξὴγησις Εἰς Τὸ Κατὰ Ματθαιον Εὐάγγελιον Source: Migne PG 72.388c

But whoever hears these commandments of mine and does not do them is like a foolish man who built his house on the sand... 1 And rightly is he called a fool. For what can be more mad than to build a house on sand, which labour having undergone one gains no reward or rest, but rather one suffers punishment? For to everyone it is clear that even those who partake of wickedness grow weary, yet they profit not at all by their toil, but suffer much harm. As Paul says, 'Those who sow in the flesh, shall reap the corruption of the flesh.' 2 Saint Cyril of Alexandria, Commentary On The Gospel Of Saint Matthew, Fragment 1 Mt 7.26 2 Galat 6.8

The Tomb Dwellers

Ἐπὶ τὸ αὐτὸ ἄφρων καὶ ἄνους ἀπολουνται, καὶ καταλείψουσιν ἀλλοτρίοις τὸν πλοῦτον αὐτῶν. Καὶ οἱ τάφοι αὐτῶν οἰκίαι αὐτῶν εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα. Τούτων δὲ αἱ οἰκίαι, τοῦ ἄφρονος καὶ τοῦ ἀνοήτου, τάφοι εἰσὶν εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα. Ὥν γὰρ  ὁ βίος νεκρῶν ἔργων τῶν ἀπὸ πάσης ἁμαρτίας πεπλήρωται, τούτων γενόμενος τοῖς παραπτώμασιν οὐκ οἰκίαν οἰκεὶ, ἀλλὰ τάφον, τῆς ἑαυτοῦ ψυχῆς νενεκρωμένης. Οἰκίαν μὲν γὰρ οἰκεῖ ὁ ἄδολος τὸ ἦθος καὶ ἁπλοὺς Ἰακὼβ, περὶ οὗ γέγραπται, ὅτι ἧν Ἄνθρωπος ἄπλαστος καὶ ἀγαθὸς, οἰκῶν οἰκίαν· τάφον δὲ οἰκεῖ ὁ παμπόνηρος, μηδὲ θεμέλιον μετανοίας καταβαλλόμενος ἀπὸ νεκρῶν ἔργων, ἀλλὰ παροιμοιάζων τάφῳ κεκεονιαμένῳ· ὃς ἔξωθεν μὲν ἐμφανὴς ὤν, ἔσωθεν δὲ γέμων ὀστέων νεκρῶν καὶ πάσης ἀκαθαρσίας. Διόπερ ὁ τοιοῦτος φθεγγόμενος οὐχὶ στόμα ἀνοίγει λόγῳ Θεοῦ, ἀλλὰ τάφον ἔχει ἀνεῳγμένον τὸν λάρυγγα αὐτοῦ. Εἴ τις οὖν εἰς Χριστὸν πιστεύων, μὴ ἀκολούθως τῇ πίστει τὰς πράξεις ἀποδίδωσιν, οὗτος διὰ τὸ μοχθηροῖς δόγμασι προσεσχηκέναι, διὰ τὸ παρτῇ πέτρᾳ μνημεῖον.  Ἅγιος Βασίλειος ὁ Μέγας, Ὁμιλία Ἐις Τους Ψαλμούς, Εἰς Τον ΜΗ' Ψαλμον

'Alike the foolish and witless perish and they leave their goods to strangers and their tombs are their houses into eternity.' 1  The houses of these, the foolish and witless, are tombs into eternity, for their life being replete with the dead works of every sin, their dead souls bring them to dwell not in a house but a tomb. For the innocent and simple Jacob kept to his dwelling, concerning which it is written, 'He was a man honest and good, keeping his dwelling,' 2 but in a tomb dwells the man who is altogether evil, and not making a foundation of penance for his dead works he is like the whitened tomb, which from the outside shines, but within it is full of bones and every uncleanliness. 3 Thus such a one when he speaks does not open the mouth with the word of God but his throat is like an open tomb. 4 And if one of them has faith in in Christ, he does not yield deeds consonant with the faith, for taking to the corrupting of the teachings he carves in stone his tomb.  Saint Basil of Caesarea, Homilies on the Psalms, from Psalm 48 1 Ps 48.11-12 2 Gen 25.27 3 Mt 23.27 4 Ps 5.11, Ps 13.3

The Death Of The Wise

Ὅτι οὐκ ὄψεται καταφθορὰν, ὅταν ἴδῃ σοφοὺς ἀποθνήσκοντας, ἐπιτοαυτὸ ἄφρων καὶ ἄνους ἀπολοῦνται, κ.τ.ἑ. Ὀψόμεθα τοὺς σοφοὺς τοῦ κόσμου τούτου ἐν τῷ αἰῶνι τῷ μέλλοντι στερηθέντας τῆς ζωῆς τῆς εἰπούσης· Ἐγω εἰμι ἡ ζωή. Τίνες δὲ οὖτοι οἱ ἀποθνήσκοντες σοφοὶ, ἢ περὶ ὦν λέλεκται· Ἀπολῶ τὴν σοφίαν τῶν σοφῶν, ἀφ' ὦν ἔκρυψεν ὁ Θεὸς τὰ μυστήρια ἂ νηπίπις ἀπεκάλυψε; Λέγει δὲ σοφοὺς τοὺς πανούργους κατὰ τὸ, Σοφοί εἰσι τοῦ κακοποιῆσαι, καὶ τοὺς μαθητὰς τῶν ἀρχόντων τοῦ αἰῶνος τούτου· ὦν τὸν θάνατον οὐκ ὄψεται ὁ λυτρωθεὶς ὑπὸ τοῦ εὐδοκήσαντος διὰ τῆς μωρίας τοῦ κηρύγματος σῶσαι τοὺς πιστεύοντας. Ὁ πεπληροφορημένος περὶ τῆς μελλούσης κρίσεως, ὅταν ἴδῃ τοὺς σοφοὺς ἀποθνήσκοντας, οὐ νομίσῃ τὸ γινόμενον καταφθορὰν ὁμοῦ ψυχῆς τε καὶ σώματος, ὡς ἐκεῖνοι ζῶντες τὸν θάνατον ὡριζοντο, ἀλλὰ μετοικίαν εἰς κόσμον ἕτερον. Ὠριγένης, Εἰς Ψαλμους, Ψαλμος ΜΗ'

'Because he shall not see death, when he sees the wise dying, alike  the foolish and witless perish.' 1 We see the wise of this world in the future age shall be deprived of the life of Him who said, 'I am the life'. 2 For who are these wise who die unless concerning which it was said, 'I shall destroy the wisdom of the wise,' 3 from whom God conceals his mysteries which he reveals to little ones? 4 And the wise are even named the wicked , according to which it is said, 'They are wise in the doing of evil,' 5 and they are the disciples of the prince of this age. And he who shall not see death is that one who is redeemed by Him who is pleased through the foolishness of the preaching to save the faithful. 6 He who shall be justified in the future judgement when he sees the wise dying, not thinking that the soul is dissolved along with the body, as those ones living defined death, but a passing over to another world. Origen, On the Psalms, from Psalm 48 1 Ps 48.5 2 Jn 14.6 3 1 Cor 1.19 4 Lk 10.21 5 Jer 4.22 6 1 Cor 1.21

The Foolish Man

Καὶ πᾶς ὁ ἀκούων μου τοὺς λόγους τούτους, καὶ μὴ ποιῶν αὐτοὺς, ὁμοιωθήσεται ἀνδρὶ μωρῷ, ὅστις ᾦκοδόμησε τὴν οἰκίαν αὐτοῦ ἐπὶ τὴν ἄμμον.   Ὁ ἀκροατὴς μόνος τοῦ λόγου, οὐ μὴν καὶ ποιητὴς, οἴκῳ ἀπεικάζεται ἐπὶ τῆς ψάμμου οἰκοδομηθέντι, ὅς ἐν καιρῷ πειρασμοῦ καταπίπτει, καὶ χώνυται, τῶν πατέρων τῆς πονηρίας ἐπιπνευσάντων, τῶν ταρατομένων ὑδάτων ἔως ψυχῆς εἰσελθόντων, καὶ τοῦ θολεροῦ χειμάῥῥου τῆς ἀνομίας αὐτὸν ἐκταράξαντος, καὶ τὸν περὶ τῶν ἐσχάτων ἐπισείσαντος κίνδυνον. Καλῶς δὲ ἐπὶ μὲν τοῦ φρονίμου, Ὁμοιώσω αὐτὸν, εἴπεν· ἐπὶ δὲ τοῦ μωροῦ Ὁμοιωθήσεται. Ὁ μὲν γὰρ τῆς ἀρετῆς ἐργάτης πάντα ἰσχύει ἐν τῷ ἐνδυναμοῦνται αὐτὸν Χριστῷ, παρ' οὖ παρ' ἀνθρώποις τὸ κατορθούμενον, παρ' οὖ  σοφία καὶ σύνεσις καὶ πρὸς ὁ ἀγαθὸν ἐξομοίωσις. Ὁ δε φαῦλος οὐχὶ Θεὸν ἔχει τῆς ἑαυτοῦ κακίας καὶ ἀφροσύνης αἴτιον, ἀλλ' αὐτὸς ὁμοιοῦται τῷ ἄφρονι τοῦ κατὰ φύσιν ἀποστὰς, καὶ ἐν τῷ παρὰ φύσιν γενόμενος. Ἅγιος Κύριλλος Ἀλεξανδρείας, Ἐξὴγησις Εἰς Τὸ Κατὰ Ματθαιον Εὐάγγελιον

'And everyone who hears my words and does not do them, he shall be like a foolish man who built his house on the sands.'  1 He who is a mere hearer of the word, and not a doer, is compared to one who built a house on the sands, which in the time of trial falls, and he is overturned by the breath of the father of iniquity, and the foaming waters pour into his very soul, 2 and by the turbid tempests of iniquity he is thrown about and swept away into extreme peril. And rightly He said concerning the wise man, 'I shall liken him,' and concerning the foolish man 'he shall be like,' because the worker of virtue is able to do everything by Him who strengthens him, 3 that is, Christ, by whom men act rightly, and by whom is wisdom and understanding and every similar good thing. The wretched man, not having God, is the cause of his own vice and madness, for he is like a demented man who has been separated from his own nature, and so he does those things which do not accord with his nature. Saint Cyril of Alexandria, Commentary on Matthew, Fragment 1 Mt  7.26 2 cf Ps 68.2 3 cf Philipp 4.13

Knowledge and Limit

Non est autem in tantum confidendum prudentia humana, ut perfectum se quis putet sapere quod sapiat: et in eo arbitretur absolutae rationis summae contineri, quod ipsa mente pertractans, aequabili undique apud se existimet veritatis opinione constare. non enim concipiunt imperfecta perfectum, neque quod ex alio subsistit, absolute vel auctoris sui potest intelligentiam obtinere, vel propriam: se quidam in eo tantum quod est sentiens, caeterum ulterius sensum suum quam sibi constituta sit natura non tendens. Notum enim suum non sibi debet, sed auctori: et idcirco id, quod in aliud ex auctore subsistit, imperfectum sibi est, dum constat aliunde; et necesse est, ut in quo se perfectum putet sapere, desipiat: quia naturae suae non moderans necessitatem, et omnia infirmitatum suarum existimans terminis contineri, falso jam sapientiae nomine gloriantur: quia sapere, sibi ultra sensus sui non liceat potestatem, et quam infirmum subsistendi est virtute, tam sensus sit. Atque ob id imperfectae naturae substitutio, perfecti sensus sapientiam obtinere se glorians, stultae sapientiae irridetur opprobrio, Apostolo dicente: 'Non enim misit me Christus baptizare, sed evangelizare, non in sermone sapientiae, ne inanis fiat crux Christi: verbum enim crucis stultitia est his qui pereunt, iis autem qui salvantur, virtus Dei est. Scriptum est enim: Perdam sapientiam sapientium, et intellectum intelligentium reprobabo. Ubi sapiens? Ubi scriba? Ubi conquisitor hujus saeculi? Nonne stultam fecit Deus sapientiam hujus mundi? Quoniam quidem in sapientia Dei non cognovit mundus per sapientiam Deum, decrevit Deus per stultitiam praedicationis salvare credentes: quoniam Juaei signa petunt et Graecu sapientiam quaerunt: nos autem praedicamus Christum Jesum crucifixum, Jaudeis quidem scandalum, gentibus autem stultitiam, ipsis autem vocatis Judaeis et Graecis Christum Dei virtutem et Dei sapientiam: quia quod infirmum est Dei fortius est hominibus, et quod stultum est Dei, sapientius est hominibus.' Omnis itaque infidelitas stultitia est: quia imperfecti sensus sui usa sapientia, dum omnia infirmitatis suae opinione moderatur, putat effici non posse quod non sapit. Causa enim infidelitatis de sententia est infirmitatis, dum gestum esse quis non putat, quod geri non posse definiat. Sanctus Hilarius Pictaviensis, De Trinitate, Liber III

One most not have total confidence in the human intellect as to imagine that one thinks one perfectly knows what one may know and to judge that in oneself is contained the absolute peak of reason, that drawing something into the mind and equally from all side judging it, that one stands firmly in the opinion of truth. The imperfect cannot conceive the perfect; a being dependent for its existence upon another cannot attain to perfect knowledge either of its Creator or of itself, for in its consciousness of self and of other things outside itself nature has established limits beyond which it may not reach. Its own knowledge is not self-caused, but due to the Creator, and so that which depends on a Creator is imperfect, since its origin is from elsewhere, and so necessarily it is an error for that being to say that it has perfect knowledge of anything; it cannot modify the necessity of its own nature, and judging its own infirmity to contain everything it falsely glories in the name of wisdom, for to know what is beyond its mental power is not possible, its strength of perception restricted by its limitations. And therefore this masquerade of an imperfect nature glorying that it possesses the wisdom of a perfect mind, is laughed at for the disgrace of confusing folly and wisdom, the Apostle saying, 'For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the Gospel, not in words of wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be worthless. For the word of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to those who are being saved it is the power of God. For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise and the understanding of the prudent I will reject. Where is the wise? Where the scribe? Where is the enquirer of this world? Has God not made foolish the wisdom of this world? For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom knew not God, God decreed through the foolishness of preaching to save those who believe. For the Jews ask for signs and the Greeks seek wisdom, but we preach Jesus Christ crucified, to the Jews indeed a scandal and to the Gentiles foolishness, but unto those called, Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. Because the weakness of God is stronger than men, and the foolishness of God is wiser than men.' 1Thus all unbelief is foolishness, because it takes up the wisdom of its imperfect mind, and, measuring everything by its own infirmity, it determines that which it is not able to understand must not be possible. For the cause of unbelief is born of flawed judgement, so that when something happens they do not think it did because what has happened they are not able to contain within their limits. Saint Hilary of Poitiers, On The Trinity, Book 8 1 1 Cor 1. 17- 25

Isidora the Fool

Ἐν τούτῳ μοναστηρίῳ παρθένος τις ἦν μία Ἰσιδώρα καλουμένὴ, διὰ τὸν Χριστὸν ὑποκρινομένη μωρίαν καὶ δαιμονᾷν, προθεμένη δι’ αὐτῶν κατορθῶσαι τὴν ἀρετὴν, εἰς ἄκρον ἑαυτὴν ταπεινοῦσα καὶ κατευτελίζουσα. Ταύτην ἐπὶ τοσοῦτον ἐβδελύξαντο αἱ λοιπαὶ, ὥστε μηδὲ συνεσθίειν αὐτῇ, καὶ τοῦτο ἐκείνης μετὰ χαρᾶς καταδεξαμέντης. Ἀλωμένη οὖν περὶ τὸ μαγειπϊον ἐκείνη πᾶσαν ἐποίει ὑπηρεσίαν πάσαις αὐταῖς, ὡς δούλη ὑπακούσα εἰς πᾶσαν ὑπακοήν. Καὶ ἥν αὔτη ἡ μακαρῖτις (τὸ δὴ λεγόμενον) σπόγγος τῆς συνοδίας, ἔργῳ πληροῦσα τὸ γεγραμμένον ἐν τῷ ἀγίῳ. Εὐαγγελίῳ, τὸ Ὁ θελων ἐν ὑμῖν εἶναι μέγας, ἒστω πάντων δοῦλος καὶ πάντων διάκονος. Καὶ εἴ τις δοκεῖ σοφος εἰναι, ἐν τῷ αἰῶνι τούτῳ μωρὸς γενέσθω, ἵνα γένηται σοφός. Τῶν οὖν ἄλλων παρθένων τὸ σχῆμα ἠν κεκαρμένων, ἐχουσῶν κουκούλλια ἐπὶ τῶν κεφαλῶν. Αὐτη δὲ ῥάκος ἀναδήσασα τὴν κεφαλὴν, οὕτως ἐποίει πᾶσαν αὐτῶν τὴν ὑπηρεσίαν. Ταύτην μασσωμένην οὐκ ἴδεν οὐ μία τῶν τετρακοσίων τὰ ἔτη τῆς ζωῆς αὐτῆς. Ἐπι τραπέζης οὐδέ ποτε ἐκαθέσθη, οὐδὲ κλάσματος ἄπρου μετέλαβέν ποτε, ἀλλὰ τὰς ψιχας σπογγολογοῦσα τῶν τραπεζῶν, καὶ τὰς χότρας περιπλύουσα, τούτοις ἠρκείτο, μή ὑποδρησαμένη ποτε, μὴ ὑβρίσασα τινα, μὴ γογγύσασα μικρὸν ἤ μέγα ῥῆμα, καίπερ ὑβριζομένη, καὶ καταρωμένη, καἰ ὑπὸ τῶν πλειόνων μυσαττομένη. Περὶ ταὺτης τῆς ὁσίας τῷ ἀγίῳ Πιτηροὺμ παρέστη ὁ ἄγγελος ἐν τῷ Πορφυρίτῃ καθεζομένῳ ἀναχωρητῇ, ἀνδρὶ δοκιμωτάτῳ εὶς τὴν τῆς ἀσκήσεως ἀρετήν. Και λέγει αὐτῷ. Διὰ τί μέγα φρονεῖς ἐπὶ τοῖς σαυτοῦ κατοπθώμασιν ὡς εὐλαβὴς, καὶ ἐν τοιούτῳ καθεζόμενος τόπῳ; θέλεις ἰδεῖν σου εὐλαβεστέραν γυναίκα; ἀπελθε εἰς τὸ μοναστήριον τῶν γυναικῶν τῶν Ταβεννησιωτῶν, καὶ εὐρήσεις ἐκεῖ μίαν, διάδημα ἔχουσαν ἐπὶ τῆς πεφαλῆς αὐτῆς· ἐκείνη σου ἀμείνων ἐστί. Τοσούτῳ γὰρ ὄχλῳ πυκτεύουσα, καὶ διαφόρως πάσαις δουλεύουσα, τὴν ἑαυτῆς καρδίαν οὐδέποτε ἀπέστησεν τοῦ θεοῦ, καίπερ παρὰ πασῶν καταφρονουμένη. Σὺ δὲ κατεζομενος ὦδε ἀνὰ τὰς πόλεις πλανᾶσαι τῇ διανοίᾳ, ὁ μηδέποτε οἰκουμένην πατήσας. Ἀναστὰς δὲ ἐκ τούτου τοῦ τόποῦ ὁ μέγας Πιτηρούμ, ἦλθεν ἔως τοῦ μοναστηρίου τῶν Ταβεννησιωτῶν , καὶ παρακαλεῖ τοὺς διδασκάλους διαβῆναι εἰς τὸ μοναστήριον τῶν γυναικῶν. Ὡς οὖν ἐπίδοξον τῶν Πατέρων καὶ ἐν τῇ ἀσκήσει γεγηρακότα θαῥοῦντες εἰσήγαγον αὐτὸν, διαπεράσαντες τὸν ποταμόν. Καὶ μετὰ τὸ εὔξασθαι αὐτοὺς, ἐπεζήτησεν ὁ μέγας πάσας τὰς παρθένους ἰδεῖν κατὰ πρόωπον. Πασῶν οὖν ἐλθουσῶν ἐν τῷ μέσῳ ἐκείνη οὐ παρεφαίνετο. Τέλος λέγει αὐταῖς, Λείπει μία, ἢν ἐδειξέν μοι ὁ ἄγγελος. Λέγουσιν αὐτῷ· Μίαν ἔχομεν σαλήν· ἐν τῷ μαγει. ῥίῳ ἐστίν. Οὔτω γὰρ ἐκεῖ καλοῦσι τὰς πασχούσας. Λέγει ὁ μέγας· Ἀγάγετε κὰκείνην, ἄφετε ἴδω αὐτήν. Ἀπῆλθον οὖν φωνῆσαι αὐτήν. Ἡ δὲ οὔχ ὑπήκουσεν τότε αἰσθομενη τοῦ πράγματος· ἴσως γὰρ καὶ ἀπεκαλύφθη αὐτῇ. Σύρουσιν οὖν αὐτὴν μετὰ βίας ἀγουσαι καὶ λέγουσαι αὐτῇ· Ὁ ἅγιος Πιτηροὺμ ἰδεῖν σε θέλει. Ἤν γὰρ οὖτος ὀνομαστός. Ἀχθείσης οὖν αὐτῆς, ἐθεάσατο ὁ μέγας τὸ πρόσωπον αὐτῆς, καὶ τὸ ῥάκος ἐπὶ τῆς κεφαλῆς αὐτῆς καὶ τοῦ μετώπου. Καὶ πεσὼν αὐτοῦ εἰς τοὺς πὸδας, λέγει αὐτῇ· Εὐλόγησόν με ἀμμᾶ. Πεσοῦσα δὲ καὶ αὐτὴ εἰς τοὺς πόδας αὐτοῦ, ἔλεγεν· Σύ με εὐλόγησον, κύριέ μου· Ἰδοῦσαι δὲ τούτο πᾶσαι, ἐξέστησαν λέγουσαι αὐτᾡ· Ἀββᾶ, μὴ πάσχε ὕβριν· σαλὴ γάρ ἐστιν. Λέγει αὐταϊς πάσαις ὁ ἅγιος Πιτηρούμ· Ὑμεϊς ἐστε σαλαί. Αὔτη γὰρ καὶ ὑμῶν καὶ ἐμοῦ ἀμείνων οὖσα ἀμμᾶς ἐστιν· καὶ εὔχομαι ἀξιος αὔτῆς εὐρεθῆναι ἐν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ τῆς κρίσεως. Ἀκούσασαι δὲ τούτων ἔπεσαν αὐτοῦ εἰς τοὺς πόδας, κλαὶουσαι καὶ ἐξομολογούμεναι πᾶσαι, πῶς διαφόρως τὴν ἀγιαν ταύτην ἐλύπουν· ἡ μὲν λέγουσα. Ἐγὼ αὐτὴν ἂεὶ ἐχλεύαζον· καὶ ἄλλη· Ἐγὼ δὲ τὸ σχῆμα αὐτῆς ταπεινὸν κατεγέλων· καὶ ἑτέρα. Ἐγὼ αὐτὴν ὕβριζον σιωπῶσαν· καὶ πάλιν ἀλλη· Ἐγὼ τοῦ πίνακος τὸ ἀπόπλυρα πολλάκις αὐτῇ κατέχεα· ἀλλη· Πληγὰς αὐτῇ ἐγὼ ἔδωκα· καὶ ἑτέρα πάλιν· Ἐγὼ ἤμην κονδύλος αὐτῇ ἐντριψαμένη· ἀλλη πάλιν· Ἐγὼ πολλάκις τὴν ῥινα αὐτῆς ἐσιναπησα· καὶ ἁπαξαπλως, πᾶσαι διαφόρους ὕβρεις ἀπήγγελλον πεποιηκοϊαι εἰς αὐτήν. Δεξάμενος οὖν αὐτῶν τὴν ἐξομολόγησιν ὁ ἅγιος Πιτηροὺμ, καὶ εὐξάμενος ὑπὲρ αὐτῶν ἅμα αὐτῇ, καὶ ἐπὶ πολὺ παρακαλέσας τὴν τιμίαν τοῦ Χριστοῦ δούλην, οὕτως ἐξῆλθεν. Μετὰ δὲ ὀλίγας ἡμέρας ὑπὸ πασῶν τιμωμένη μεγάλως, καὶ παρὰ πασῶν θεραπεὺομένη, μὴ ἐνεγκοῦσα ἐκείνη ἡ μακαρῖτις τὴν δόξαν καὶ τὴν τιμὴν τὴν παρὰ πάσης τῆς ἀδελφότητος, καὶ τὰς ἀπολογίας, ἄχθος τοῦτο ἡγησαμένη, λάθρα ἐξῆλθεν τοῦ μοναστηρίου· καὶ ὅπου ἀπῆλθεν, ἤ ποῦ κατέδυ, ἤ ποῦ ἐτελεύτυσαν, ἔγνω οὐδεὶς ἄχρι τῆς δεῦρο.   Ἡ Προς Λαυσον Ἱστορια, Παλλαδιος

In this monastery was a certain nun named Isidora, who for Christ appeared as a fool, indeed as one possessed, and by the greatest humility and abasement she proved an example to virtue. The rest of the nuns there held her in contempt, not understanding her, and she with grace accepted it. She was kept in the kitchen there to serve everyone, as a slave attendant to every command, and she was happy, so to speak, to be the sponge of the assembly, fulfilling her service, for as it is written in the Gospel: 'He among you who wishes to be great let him be the slave and servant of all.' 1 And 'If someone would appear wise in this age let him be a fool that he might be wise.' Though all the others were tonsured, she heaped rags on her head and with these rags wrapped around her head she performed her every service. Not one of the other four hundred even knew how old she was, for they would not sit with her at table and they would ward her off to eat apart, but she did not respond to this, she did not assert her pride, she did not reply with a little or great word, although insulted and rejected, and to the many she was an absurdity. Regarding this woman, then, an angel appeared to the Holy Piteroum in the Porphyrites, when he was sitting withdrawn. The angel said to him, ' Why do you think that you will more easily obtain great things sitting in this place? Do you wish to know of a woman more advanced than you? Go then to the monastery of Tabennisi and seek one there who has a crown upon her head. She is better than you. She struggles with the crowd and endures every suffering, and her heart does not fall away from God though she is abused by everyone. But you sit here wandering in your mind through city streets you have never never walked down.' The Great Piteroum rose and went to the monastery of Tabennisi and begged the guardians there to let him meet the women. On account of his fame and age they gladly allowed him access and he crossed over the river. Then after praying for them the great man looked among the women for the one he sought but she did not appear to him among all those gathered together. Eventually he said to them, 'The one who the angel told me to find is not here.' They replied, 'We do have a crazy woman here; but we keep her in the kitchen.' The famed one said ' Bring her out and allow me to see her.' And so they went and summoned her. But she did not obey sensing what was happening, indeed perhaps it was revealed to her. But by force they dragged her out, saying to her, ' The holy Piteroum wishes to see you,' for his name was famous. And as she stood there troubled, seeing her face and the rags on her head, Piteroum fell down at her feet and said, ' Bless me, mother.' And she fell down at his feet and said, ' You bless me, my lord.' And everyone seeing these things were astonished and they said to him, 'Father, do not suffer her; she is a crazy woman' The Holy Piteroum said to them, ' We are the mad; she is better than us and the mother of you and me; and I pray I will be worthy of her on the Day of Judgement.' Hearing this they all fell at his feet, weeping and confessing how they had grieved this holy woman: one said ' I doused her with dirty water'; another said, ' I mocked her plain attire.' And another: 'I was haughty and silent with her.' And another: ' I threw plate scrapings at her.' And another: ' I beat her.' And another: ' I rapped her knuckles .' And Another: I often spread mustard on her nose.' And in general everyone lamented the pride with which they had treated her. Having received their confessions the Holy Piteroum prayed for them, which was of much comfort to the handmaid of Christ, and so he departed. But after a few days, the Holy Woman could no longer endure staying where she was on account of the great honour and considerate attention she now received from everyone, and all the glory and praise which they now bestowed upon her, and so in secret, to save herself, she left the monastery. And no one knew where she went, nor where she ended up, nor indeed what became of her. Lausiac History, Palladius of Galatia  1 Mt 20 26-27 2 1 Cor 3.18

A Holy Fool Comes to Town

Διατρίψας τὰς τρεῖς ἡμερας ἐν τοῖς ἀγιος τόποις καταλαμβάνει τὴν Ἐμεσηνῶν πολιν. Ὁ δὲ τρόπος τῆς ἐν τῇ πόλει εἰσόδου αὐτοῦ ὑπῆρχεν οὔτως. Εὐρὼν ὁ ἀοιδιμος ἐπι τῆς κοπρίας τῆς ἔξω τῆς πόλεως, κύνα νεκρὸν, λύσας. ὅ ἐφόρει, ζωναριον ἐκ σχοινίου, καὶ δήσας τὸν πόδα αὐτοῦ, ἔσυρεν αὐτὸν τρεχων, καὶ εἰσερχόμενος διὰ τῆς πόρτης, ὅπου πλησίον ἐστὶν τὸ σχολίον τῶν παιδίων. Ὡς τοῦτον οὖν ἐθεάσαντο όι παιδες, ἣρξαντο κραζειν· Ἐ ἀββᾶς μωρός· καὶ ἐβαλλον τρέχειν ὀπίσω αὐτοῦ καὶ κοσσίζειν αὐτόν. Τῇ οὖν ἐπαύπριον, Κυριακῆ οὔσης. ἔλαβεν κάρυα, καὶ εἰσῆλθεν ἐν τῇ ἐκκλησίᾳ έν τῇ ἀρχῇ τῆς λειτουργίας καρυδίζων, καὶ σβέσων τὰς κανδήλας, Ὡς οὖν τοῦτον ἐξενέγκαι κατέτρεχον, ἀνέρχεται εἰς τὸν ἅμβωνα, και ἐκεὶθεν ἐλίθαζεν τὰς γυναῖκας τοίς καρυδίοις. Πολλῷ οὖν κόπῳ ἐξενεγκαντων αὐτὸν, ἐν τῷ ἐξέρχεσθαι, ἔστρεψεν τὰ ταβλία τῶν πλακουνταριων, οἱ καὶ ἔδωκαν αὐτῷ πληγὰς εὶς θάνατον.  ὁ βιος του Συμεών, Λεόντιος Νεαπόλις

After spending three days in the Holy Places he came to the city of Edessa. The manner of the entry into the city was as follows: he found a dead dog on a dunghill outside the city, loosened the rope belt he was wearing and tied it to the dog's foot. Then he dragged the dog as he ran and entered the gate. There was a boy's school nearby and when the boys saw him they began to cry, ' Ha, Father is mad! ' And they ran after him and struck him. The next day, a Sunday, he took some nuts and entering the church at the beginning of the liturgy, he threw the nuts around and put out the candles. When the men rushed after him, he hurried up to the pulpit and from there pelted the women below with nuts. With greater effort the men chased after him and running outside he turned over the tables of the pastry sellers. There they seized him and beat him near to death. The Life of Symeon the Holy Fool, Leontius of Neapolis,