Letter 1526
Isidore of Pelusium→Unknown|isidore pelusium
From: Isidore of Pelusium, monk
To: Apocras the Sophist
Date: ~410 AD
Context: Isidore distinguishes the 'wise' from the 'good,' drawing on intellectual vs. practical virtue.
My definition of the wise — I am not laying down law, but offering my judgment — is those adorned with the virtues of the intellect: men like the ones who possessed both reason and the wisdom of knowledge. By 'the good' I mean those who pursue what some call the non-rational virtues: men incapable of saying anything philosophically profound, yet who educate those who observe them by the sheer quality of their way of life. Their silence is more useful than words emptied of action.
If anyone should possess both the rational and the so-called non-rational virtues together, I would call that man both good and wise.
Οκὶς εαρίεπε ῥτορτίε αἋ ϑοπμα αἀἱςεπάμδ. ἀοπί. ἐρὶε!. . Σοφοὺς ἔγωγε ὁρίζομαι (οὐ γὰρ νομεθετῶ, ἀλλὰ ΒῸ ϑαρίοηιοδ ααϊάθια δρρεϊϊλνογο ( πἰμ! ἰδινδα Ὑνώμην ἀποφαίνομαι) τοὺς τῶν νοερῶν ἀρεταῖς χεχοσμημένους, οἷοι ἧσαν οἱ λόγον ἔχοντες χαὶ σο- φίαν γνώσεως ᾿ ἀγαθοὺς δὲ, τοὺς ταῖς παρά τινων χαλουμέναις ἀλόγοις. Οἷοι ἧσαν οἱ σοφὸν μὲν εἰπεῖν οὐδὲν δυνάμενοι, διὰ δὲ τῆς ἀρίστης πολιτείας τοὺς θεωμένους παιδεύοντες" ὧν ἡ σιγὴ τοῦ λόγου τοῦ ἐρήμου πράξεων χρησιμωτέρα. Εἰ δέ τις χαὶ τὰς νοερὰς, καὶ ἅς φασιν ἀλόγους ἔχοι, τοῦτον καὶ ἀγα- θὸν χαὶ σοφὸν ὁρισαίμην. Ῥγα)υάϊοο, δοὰ δοηϊοη δα) ρεοίθεο πηθᾶπι) ] ἰμ0δἰ-- Ἰοοῖυ5 Υἱγίυ δύηϊ ογπϑιΐ, φ δι68 δυοϊ., ααἱ Γἅ- τἰοοΐὶ οουνοηΐοηίεν υἱνυηι, αφυΐ4υθ γογυ οορηΐοη6 δδρί οηιἴδαυθ ργβα ἶ δυὴϊ. ΒοΟΏΟΘ γόγοὸ ἀΐχοτο, φυΐ, 4ᾳυδ γϑιϊίοηΐἱ οοηδοηΐβηθ8 Π01)] Β0η1, . ΠΟ Γδ[Ϊ0η8- [ νἱγίυϊο5, υἱ ἃ αυϊθυδύθηι ποπιϊηδηϊυ, ροβδί ἀθηί. ΒΘΘ Θυλ68 ὀγδηὶ, αυὶ δαρίδηβ εἰ ἢ ργοίεγγο οι ροβϑθηὶ, ἴρδθ08 Οοιιϑβί δγδηίθβθ, οριϊπιῦτῃ (: Υἱ15 ἰμϑι Παση πιούυμπη Γαιοηθ ργῦθηϊ, οὲ δἷ. ἱρ5ὶδ οἰἶδπὶ βρϑοίδηι θυ ἀοσοηὰο ργθδυῃ!, ' ΦΌΟΓΟΠῚ ἴῃ ϑογπθη6 ἰδοϊ υγΓηΐ ΠΠ10Γ , φυδηὶ ᾿ δ6γ0, αυἱΐ ῥγαδίἀΐο γογυ ἀσϑιϊυῖυ89 . δ᾽ Ὑ6γῸ οἱ ἰη(]]6οἴυΔ οἰ γοσδηΐ ποη ἰηί(οἰ δου" ἰ65 μαδοδὶ υἱγίυίο5 ; θης αἱ Ὀοηυπηὶ οἱ δρί θη Π ΠὈΠΟυΡΔΥΘΓΟ.
◆
From: Isidore of Pelusium, monk
To: Apocras the Sophist
Date: ~410 AD
Context: Isidore distinguishes the 'wise' from the 'good,' drawing on intellectual vs. practical virtue.
My definition of the wise — I am not laying down law, but offering my judgment — is those adorned with the virtues of the intellect: men like the ones who possessed both reason and the wisdom of knowledge. By 'the good' I mean those who pursue what some call the non-rational virtues: men incapable of saying anything philosophically profound, yet who educate those who observe them by the sheer quality of their way of life. Their silence is more useful than words emptied of action.
If anyone should possess both the rational and the so-called non-rational virtues together, I would call that man both good and wise.
Modern English rendering for readability. See the 19th-century translation or original Latin/Greek for scholarly use.