The rod of Aaron, in what manner it blossomed, 918, c. Virginity is the altar and temple of God, 211, d. By virginity the soul is endowed with an angelic nature, 251, a. b. He who wishes to preserve virginity should avoid all vices, 531, a. He is truly a virgin who keeps his body and soul whole, 551, a. The prayers of virgins are precious, 231, b. From whence virtue received its name, 1098, c. It shines not only through the things it performs, but also through the grievous trials by which it is opposed, ibid. b. Virtue is more excellent than nature, 733, a. It is estimable beyond riches, 717, a. It is acquired not by opinion but by work, 206, a. Virtue alone is worthy of praise, 142, d. It aids everyone, 162, d. Although it may not be pursued by Barbarians, it is at least held in veneration, 227, a. Virtue, since it is light itself, shines with its own splendors, 822, d. It is the tunic of God; we must weave it ourselves, 1242, d. If virtue is opposed, it obtains an easy victory without anxiety, God assisting, 919 et seqq. Where virtue is greater, there is greater temptation, 574, b. Virtue is true and is so called, 415, a. Neither virtue nor malice is always constant, 231, b. The sacrifice of him who labors for empty glory is a crushed thing, 1162, a. The effects of virtue, 742, 743. If the habit of virtue is neglected, it turns into things contrary, 318, b. The labor of virtue is the seed of unfailing fruit, 975, b. Many, scarcely knowing the name of virtue, believe themselves perfect, 438, b. It is the property of virtue to be celebrated, and to spread fame everywhere as a messenger of its goods, 747, b. Although the followers of virtue may sometimes be broken by temptations, they nevertheless rise again, 203, a. 338, a. The affection of worldly things is a hindrance to virtue, 734, b. c. d. Even wild beasts have admired and honored virtue, 794, c. Virtues should be multiplied daily, 526, d. Virtues are not borne in the beauty of garments, but in the decorum of the soul, 1126, a. The four virtues are opposed by four vices from the devil, 163, d. 166, a. An abundance of virtues humbles a man's sense, just as the copious fruit of a tree bends its branches, 1162, c. d. The beginning and foundation of virtues is abstinence, 818, b. From the disposition of virtues arises an ineffable beatitude in the heavens, 131, b. The life of a Christian is not free from all trouble, 419, c. The apostolic life is necessarily exposed to evils, 583, b. c. The life of those in power is unhappy, 371, b. Human life is brief, 559, a. One day, 199, b; full of tears, 243, d; like a scene, 267, b. This life is night and a dream, 710, c. The present life is a passing shadow, 1283, a. A quiet life is brighter than riches, 747, a. A righteous life is more effective in persuading through the power of words, 1267, a. A remiss life is more desirable than a broad one, 186, a. He who is tossed by a tempest casts his merchandise into the sea so that his life may be saved, 327, b. The praise and advantages of the solitary life, 590, 591. The active life is opposed chiefly by three demons, 1227, b. c. He who spends his life with moderate use is blessed, 435, a. We must insist upon what we should do for eternal life, not upon vain questions, 382, b. The lives of the saints are to be investigated, 698, a. 771, d. Which vices are opposed to which virtues, 1159 et seqq. In the collection of vices, fire kindles, 1122, d. The living manner of speaking to those drinking had its origin after the flood, 551, d. It is possible to live even without eating, when God so wills, 738, a. b. What the rule of living according to nature is, 803, c. d. Man cannot elude the divine will, 851, c. From the will, good and evil things arise, 159, d. 278, c. 286, a. 331, b. 362, a. Pleasure is excited when that which pleases the sight stimulates the appetite, 1083, c. Pleasure is the hook of the devil, 562, a. Pleasure does not admit of labor, nor gladness of pain, nor delight of sorrow, 810, a. b. Pleasure, when dormant, is ignited by the satiety of food, 1147, b. c. Pleasure extends itself to the extremes, 803, b. c. Lovers of pleasure sit over the pots, 787, c. The mother of pleasure is satiety, 787, c. Pleasures and useless cares are thorns, 205, c. Lovers of pleasures, being deprived of pleasures, become angry, 787, d. The voluptuous fall into the hands of the devil, just as Samson, because of intemperate pleasure, fell into the hands of the Philistines, 259, b. c., 593, b. c. To the voluptuous, the words of God are not to be entrusted, 203, c. The face is the most faithful interpreter of internal feelings, 674, a. b. Nature fashioned the face as a mirror of the soul, 866, b. The features of faces and other signs of the body teach by similarity whose father or son each person is, 1022, b.
ORDER OF CONTENTS CONTAINED IN THIS VOLUME
S. NILUS. Notice. 9 Another notice. 26 FOUR BOOKS OF EPISTLES. Leo Allatius' dedicatory epistle. 58 Names of those to whom S. Nilus wrote. 59 Beginnings of the epistles. 67 BOOK ONE, containing 555 epistles. 82 BOOK II, containing 555 epistles. 203 BOOK III, containing 533 epistles. 363 BOOK IV, containing 62 epistles. 513
NARRATIVES. Possinus' dedicatory epistle. 583 Admonition. 587 Narrative I. S. Nilus, having recently lost his son Theodulus, rejecting the consolation of friends, laments his calamity before them. 590 Narrative II. S. Nilus tells of his own conversion from the beginning. Then, having recounted the recent slaughter of the saints, he disputes on Providence, with many examples from sacred History repeated. 569 Narrative III. The customs and religions of the Barbarous Arabs are described. Also, the studies and virtues of the holy monks who lived the solitary life around Mount Sinai are declared. 611 Narrative IV. Contains the sudden incursion of the Barbarians against the holy monks, the slaughter of some, the captivity of Theodulus, the solitude and laments of S. Nilus, and his consolation. 626 Narrative V. A young fellow-servant of Theodulus, sent by flight to Nilus while he was talking with friends, describes at length the most cruel slaughter of many and the struggles of the saints; and announces that Theodulus is to be sacrificed the next day in a solemn sacrifice by the Barbarians. 642 Narrative VI. S. Nilus, incredibly devastated by the atrocious news concerning the danger to Theodulus, is raised up by the example of a most generous matron who bore the announced slaughter of her son most constantly. The Pharanites send delegates to the King of the Barbarians to protest the recent injury of the raid. Nilus buries the bodies of the saints with his companions. Soon, having received a kindly message from the King of the Barbarians, he sets out to search for his son. He is captured by the Barbarians, and liberated shortly after. He receives certain news of his son's safety, and arrives at Elusa to him. 635 Narrative VII. Theodulus, having been found at Elusa, tells his father of his troubles, and how he escaped the danger of the sacrifice. The Bishop of Elusa ordains the holy Nilus as presbyter, and, having invited him in vain to stay with him, sends him on his way with provisions as he returns to the monastery with his son. 679
ORATION ON ALBIANUS. 695
OPUSCULA. Suarezius' dedicatory epistle. 714 His preface. 715 BOOK ON MONASTIC EXERCISE. 719 PERISTERIA, OR A TRACTATE ON THE CULTIVATION OF VIRTUES AND THE AVOIDING OF VICES. 811 Section I. Preface. 811 Section II. On temperance or abstinence. 818 Section III. On vain glory. 822 Section IV. On reading and prayer. 826 Section V. That souls overly desirous of the riches of life are with difficulty torn from here at the hour of death. 850 Section VI. That those who leave their faculties indiscriminately to anyone are rightly punished. 855 Section VII. Concerning those who in the time of death have no care for their own salvation, but even write testaments. 858
CONTENTS OF THIS VOLUME
to command things over which they have no power. 858 Section VIII. That those who arrive at that illness without being touched by any compunction of sorrow, neglecting at the end of life to have care for what concerns themselves, strive to transmit their property to heirs. 862 Section IX. Rebuking those who write wills. 862 Section X. Concerning the conversation of the blessed and the malice of the devil. 886 Section XI. Concerning Joseph and Susanna, and that the struggle of Joseph was greater because it was undertaken against the blessed Susanna. 902 Section XII. Concerning the parable of the vineyard and the wages of the laborers hired for different hours. 938
TREATISE ON VOLUNTARY POVERTY 967 OF THE EXCELLENCE OF MONKS 1062 TREATISE TO EULOGIUS THE MONK 1094
CONCERNING VICES THAT ARE OPPOSED TO THE VIRTUES 1139 CONCERNING THE EIGHT SPIRITS OF WICKEDNESS 1146 CONCERNING PRAYER 1166 CONCERNING EVIL THOUGHTS 1199 INSTITUTION FOR MONKS 1235 SENTENCES 1259 Exhortatory Chapters 1260 SERMON on that passage of the Gospel: Now, he who has a moneybag, let him take it, and likewise a scrip etc. 1263 MORAL TREATISE 1279 EPICTETUS' MANUAL 1286 SUAREZ'S DISSERTATION ON THE WORKS OF ST. NILUS 1318
CHRONOLOGICAL BOOK CONCERNING THE LIFE OF ST. NILUS 1367 CONCERNING EIGHT VICIOUS THOUGHTS 1435 EXHORTATION OF HYPERECHIUS TO MONKS 1471 FRAGMENTS OF THE SERMONS AND HOMILIES OF ST. NILUS 1490 Analytical index 1503
THE END OF THE SEVENTY-NINTH VOLUME.