Saint Arsenius the Hermit

Where neither vast and indefatigable time, dragging along the offspring of the earth, nor shameless diseases of the deep-waving wood, 349 but the ancient age itself, free from old age, which is at once young and old, is the dispenser of the perpetual mansion to the gods. 60

HYMN X

ANNO DOMINI CCCXCIV-CDXLIX.

S. ARSENIUS EREMITE

NOTITIA

I. Concerning the great Arsenius, Metaphrastes ^A and Nicephorus ^B have handed down many things, which, however, by critical men are—not without reason—less approved; such as that which, besides the Greek Menologies ^C, Zonaras ^D also recorded, namely, that he had been a deacon of the holy Roman Church. Regarding this matter, the Bollandists [F] have provided more than Tillemont [E]. But we have it as more certain that he was a Roman, *from ancient Rome*, and of the senatorial order [G]; furthermore, he was exceedingly cultured in Greek and Latin letters and in every kind of discipline [H]: or, as the Apophthegmata Patrum [I] have it, *being learned in Roman and Greek education*. Such a man, therefore, excelling greatly in doctrine and erudition, was summoned to the court by the great Theodosius to instruct the Augusti Arcadius and Honorius; and he is reported to have received them at their baptism: so that for this reason he was called the father of the emperors, as we understand from Cyril, a writer of the sixth century [J].

II. But Arsenius himself, in the year of Christ 394, as Tillemont [K] sees it, left the emperor's court and withdrew into solitude, and first sat down in Scetis; where, having passed 40 years, he then betook himself to Troe, which is opposite Memphis in Upper Babylon, and there he is found to have spent ten years. Departing from thence, he remained for three other years at Canopus near Alexandria: when these had passed, he returned to Troe, and in that place he completed the two remaining years of his pilgrimage. And this more certain chronotaxis of Arsenius’s solitary life is produced by the Apophthegmata Patrum [L]. Therefore, the blessed Arsenius, living his 95th year, after he had been in solitude—

1617 DOCTRINA. 1618

dine years, he having lived his life, he finally reached the end of his course in the year 449 of the common era, with happiness. The Greeks commemorate his memory on the 8th of May, the Latins on the 19th of July. As for the noble things the holy abbot did and taught in the wilderness, the blessed Theodore the Studite zealously collected them and committed them to writing, and his work, transcribed from a very ancient Seguierian codex, has been published by the Bollandist hagiographers, illustrated with learned remarks.

III. That the great Arsenius was to be admired for both Greek and Roman wisdom is testified by the same Studite who recorded his deeds in writing. The Apophthegms of the Fathers relate this no differently, as we have seen above. Moreover, if Nicephorus is to be believed, that blessed old man is said to have left behind several books, which the history concerning him records: "And having left behind very many discourses, which the history concerning him narrates." But only one, it seems, of the Great Arsenius’s doctrine and exhortation to monks has reached us, which Combefis first brought to public notice, expressed with great majesty and clarity, in such a brief compass of words. Thus indeed does the learned editor reckon concerning this little work; and William Cave subscribes to his opinion. To this Arsenian Doctrine, which is to be highly valued, we have added what else is held concerning the deeds and sayings of this holy abbot in the Apophthegms of the Fathers of Cotelier and Possinus. As for what remains, we think it should be mentioned that John Geometra composed three quatrains about our most blessed old man, which are indeed worthy to be read; they are numbers 9 and 11.

OF THE HOLY ARSENIUS THE GREAT: DOCTRINE AND EXHORTATION

^A I. Brothers and Fathers, whatever business anyone may undertake, a reason and a goal must precede it, according to which it is done. As for the reason for our own flight from the world, we could name no other than the cleansing of the soul, and the salvation that follows upon it. We must, therefore, strive with all our might to cleanse ourselves, and especially the inner man, where indeed the warfare is greater and the victory is more difficult. For there are many who have shown great self-control in the cleansing of the filth of the flesh and of sin committed in action, and have used fasts, and vigils, and all other such bodily mortifications; yet concerning the cleansing of the mind and the perfect purification, they have taken little or no care at all; even though the command concerns not only the cleansing of the filth of the flesh, but also that of the spirit. Not that they did not generally care to flee from fornication and other sensuality; yet, regarding the more hidden passions, such as envy, vainglory, pride—^B (to escape these...)