let him mourn for a year; but as for monks, let him eat dry food for four months, when the others are eating, and perform one hundred prostrations daily. "Whoever slanders his neighbor in secret, him I have driven away."
B 4. On Talkativeness. He who is talkative, being darkened by the tongue, should fulfill a six-month period in penance; for thus the canons regarding such people decree. Since talkativeness is a proof of ignorance, a door to detraction, and a minister of falsehood; we, however, say that for three months he should be deprived of communion, eating dry food strictly at the sixth hour, and performing one hundred and fifty prostrations daily; for this vice is very slippery and dangerous even to those who seem worthy of esteem.
5. On Lying. The liar is considered a charming person; and yet, a lie is the destruction of charity, and perjury is the denial of God. Let no one, therefore, who is of sound mind, think that the sin of lying is a slight thing. For the Holy Spirit Himself has said: "You shall destroy all those who speak a lie" (Ps. v, 7). All decree that he should spend three months in penance; but we command him to have a strictly dry diet for forty days at the sixth hour, and one hundred and fifty prostrations daily; for this sin is to be feared above all others.
C 6. On Acedia (Sloth). The acediast is considered as one despairing of his own salvation; for indeed, acedia is a hatred of the monastic profession, an admiration of worldly things, a slanderer of God as unmerciful and a hater of men, and a languor in psalmody that grows weak in prayers. We decree that he also be in penance for forty days; that for three weeks he not partake of wine and oil, and that he perform two hundred and fifty prostrations daily; for the vice of acedia can lead one into the depth of Hades.
D 7. On Gluttony. The glutton is like a tomb full of rotting flesh. Gluttony is a hypocrisy of the belly, which, while full, nonetheless cries out that it is in need, and when burdened, compels one to hunger. Gluttony is a deception of the eyes. We decree for this vice, too, thirty days of mourning, one week of dry diet at the ninth hour, and eighty prostrations daily; for it sends those who obey it into the eternal fire.
8. On Avarice. The avaricious man suffers from an incurable disease, which consumes the inner man. Avarice is the worship of idols, the daughter of infidelity, a pretext for infirmities, and a voluntary apostasy. We decree that he likewise be in penance for four months, with a dry diet for forty days at the ninth hour, and fifty prostrations daily; since it is a vice that consumes the soul.
A 9. On Torpor. The torpid man is likened to a stone with sharp edges, which strikes but is not itself broken. Torpor is a deadening of the limbs, a sister of those possessed by demons, and the concord of drunkards. We decree for this vice a two-month period of penance, the use of oil only for twenty-one days, while abstaining from other things, and one hundred prostrations daily; for the torpid man is capable of casting his brother into an abyss.
10. On Vain-Glory. The seeker of vain-glory is reckoned as a proud man; for the cupidity of vain-glory is, in appearance, a change of nature, a perversion of morals, a seeking after blame, and a thorny labor of pride. We decree for this, too, a thirty-day period of penance, with a completely dry diet for two weeks at the ninth hour, and one hundred and forty prostrations daily, since this passion provides a cause and a lodging for the demon.
11. On Cowardice (missing). 12. On Pride. The proud man is like the devil who set his neck against God; for pride is a denial of God, a finding of demons, a destruction of men, B a mother of condemnation, a fountain of anger, and a root of hypocrisy. We decree for this a six-month period of penance in the holy church, with a strict dry diet for four weeks at the ninth hour, and one hundred and seventy prostrations daily.
13. On the Blasphemer. The blasphemer is reckoned in the portion of Cain; for the root of Satanic pride is cruel, brothers, and therefore it is necessary to bring it into the open, since the enemy is not of the common sort, but indeed the most cruel of all. We decree that a man of this sort should remain in penance until the disease is cured, that he be excluded from communion, that he eat dry food at sunset, and that he perform three hundred prostrations daily, until he desists from his impious blasphemy.
14. On the Irascible. The irascible man is like one possessed by a demon; for anger is a fellowship of demons. A man who is irascible is not C seemly; let anger be for you only against the serpent, by whom you fell. We decree a forty-day period of penance, and to abstain for one week from cheese, eggs, wine, and oil, and to perform one hundred prostrations daily; for the inclination of his anger is his own ruin, and anger destroys even the prudent.
15. On Him Who Easily Becomes Angry. He who is prone to anger is made like the brothers of Joseph; for anger is a plundering of the mind, an upsetting of the settled state of the brethren, and a savage form of character. We decree for the irascible man a two-month period of penance, a dry diet for forty days at the ninth hour, and two hundred prostrations; for the Lord has said that he who is angry with his brother is liable to punishment; whence his fall is indeed D fearful.
16. On Sadness
A He who is plunged into sadness is like a man suffering a storm at sea; for sadness is a dryness of the soul. For the bones of a sad man are dried up. And, "Remove sadness far from thee." We determine that such a person should weep unceasingly at the altar with prayers; and let him perform two hundred and fifty prostrations a day, and five hundred [repetitions of] "Lord, have mercy"; for sadness can propel one toward blasphemy.17. On the Murderer
The murderer should indeed die by the sentence of the law; the holy Basil, however, decreed fifteen years for him to weep, to eat only dry food at the ninth hour, and to remain outside of communion. But we reduce this canon to a three-year period, if he is repentant and his affliction is evident; but if he is negligent, let him complete the fifteen years, according to the great Basil.18. On the Adulterer
The adulterer is similar to the murderer; for he who plots against his neighbor’s wife wields a two-edged sword and brings about division. And the holy Basil indeed (decreed) fifteen years of eating strictly dry food at the ninth hour; but we, as the passion is broken off, determine a two-year period of excommunication, eating only dry food, and two hundred daily prostrations.19. On the Fornicator
The fornicator is to be six years outside of communion, eating dry food at the ninth hour, and one hundred and fifty prostrations; but if he is negligent, let him be condemned to the greater punishment of St. Basil.20. On the Sodomite
Regarding him who displays lewdness with males, the holy Basil decreed fifteen years of excommunication, fasting and weeping; we, however, if he turns away from the evil with conviction, order two years of excommunication, eating dry food at the ninth hour, and two hundred prostrations; but if he is negligent, let him fulfil the fifteen-year penalty.21. On the Bestializer
He who commits lewdness with animals shall, according to St. Basil, be B fifteen years outside of communion; but we, if he has ceased from the crime, decree two years of excommunication for him, with dry food at the ninth hour, and two hundred prostrations. But if he is negligent, let him fulfil the fifteen-year penalty.22. On Incest, that is, Blood-Defilement
He who falls with his own sister is fifteen years outside of communion according to the great Basil; but according to us, if he turns away from the evil, let him be penalized for a three-year period, eating dry food at the ninth hour, and two hundred prostrations; but if he is negligent, let him fulfil the fifteen years.23. On Incest with a Daughter-in-law
He who falls with a daughter-in-law is, according to St. Basil, eleven years outside of communion; but we, if he turns away Cof the evil, we decree that he be excommunicated for two years, partaking of dry food at the ninth hour, and performing three hundred metanoiae. But if he neglects this canon and persists in the evil, let him fulfill the penalty of eleven years.
24. Concerning a thief. A thief, if he does not confess, says St. Basil, let him be penalized for only two weeks; but if he is convicted by another, for two years. We, however, decree forty days, to eat dry food at the ninth hour, and to perform one hundred metanoiae, provided clearly that the passion A is being cut off.
25. Concerning a grave-robber. A grave-robber, according to St. Basil, shall be excommunicated for fifteen years. We, however, provided the passion is being cut off, decree that he be excommunicated for one year, eating dry food at the ninth hour, and performing two hundred metanoiae.
26. Concerning incantations and sorcery. He who confesses to incantation and sorcery shall, according to St. Basil, eat dry food for fifteen years at the ninth hour. We, however, abridge the same canon to a three-year period, after the man has departed from the sin, and to perform two hundred metanoiae daily.
27. Concerning incantations and divination. For one who approaches diviners, the great Basil decreed B an excommunication of fifteen years. We, however, impose upon him the penalty only of our preceding canon concerning sorceries, if he has refrained from such activity.
28. Concerning the good life. If any one wishes to pass an imperturbable and calm life, let him consider himself as earth and ashes, and let him give thanks like an angel of God. But if it happens that he slanders, let him eat dry food for one week, performing fifty metanoiae, as if he had slandered God.
Questions
Of our Holy Father and Confessor Theodore, presbyter and abbot of the Studium, the canons collected by him concerning questions and their solutions.1. Interrogation. In the holy synodal canons it is written concerning Great Thursday that one ought not, in the forty days, in the final week, to dishonor the forty days by breaking the fast on Thursday. If, therefore, C it is thus contained in the holy canons, why do we break the fast on Great Thursday with oil and wine?