Category: Quotation

Ephriam was passing by when a harlot (she was the devil’s agent) began to make every effort to attract him to sinful intercourse: or, if she failed in this, at least to stir him to anger, for no one had ever seen him angry or brawling.

He said to her, “Come with me.” When they came to a crowded place, he said to her, “Come on, I will lie with you here as you wanted.”

She looked round at the  crowed and said, “How can we do it here, with all these people standing round? We should be ashamed.”

He said, “If you blush before men, should you not blush the more before God, who discloses the hidden things of darkness?” So she went away confused and taken aback, without gaining anything.

– De vitis Patrum, Sive Verba Seniorum, Liber V

A hermit said, “Do not judge an adulterer if you are chaste or you will break the law of God just as much as he does. For he who said “Do not commit adultery” also said “Do not judge”

– De vitis Patrum, Sive Verba Seniorum, Liber V

“The monk who cannot control his tongue when he is angry, will not control his passions at other times”.

– De vitis Patrum, Sive Verba Seniorum, Liber V

Ammon… brought this question to Sisois: “When I read Scripture, I am tempted to make elaborate commentaries and prepare myself to answer questions on it.”

He replied, “You don’t need to do that. It is better to speak simply, with a good conscience and a pure mind.”

– De vitis Patrum, Sive Verba Seniorum, Liber V