Letter 906

To Julius the Deacon. Do not cower before a passion of the soul, variously shaped by the demons that are hostile to us, even if it grows altogether savage; but above all things arm yourself with the worship of prayer and with the singing of psalms. For those who hate us also struggle exceedingly, and they have this as their aim: that by their assault, and by their pressure, and by the harassment of any passion whatsoever, they may persuade our very heart and our mind to withdraw from the more frequent remembrance of God, as though it were of no benefit. Therefore, recognizing for yourself the aim of these adversaries, do not throw away your spiritual weapons, but be manly, and take courage, and be strong, and with all your might exhort yourself.

Μὴ πτήξῃς πάθος ψυχῆς ὑπὸ τῶν ἐχθραινόντων ἡμῖν δαιμόνων ποικίλως μορφούμενον, κἂν πάνυ τραχύνηται, ἀλλ’ ὑπὲρ πάντα τῇ εὐκτικῇ λατρείᾳ καὶ τῇ ψαλμῳδίᾳ ὁπλίζου. Διότι καὶ οἱ μισοῦντες ἡμᾶς λίαν ἀγωνίζονται, καὶ σκοπὸν ἔχουσιν, ἵνα τῇ ἐπιθέσει, καὶ τῷ βάρει, καὶ τῇ παρενοχλήσει οἱουδήποτε πάθους, πείσωσιν αὐτὴν τὴν καρδίαν ἡμῶν, καὶ τὸν νοῦν ἀποστῆναι τῆς πυκνοτέρας μνήμης τοῦ Θεοῦ, ὡς μηδὲν ὠφελούσης. Αὐτὸς τοίνυν τὸν σκοπὸν τῶν δυσμενῶν ἐπιγνοὺς, μὴ ῥίψῃς τὰ νοητά σου ὅπλα, ἀλλ’ ἀνδρίζου, καὶ θάρρει, καὶ ἴσχυε, καὶ παντὶ σθένει σεαυτὸν παρακάλει.