Sayings of Sisoes the Great
4. On one occasion Abbd Ammon came during the season of winter to AbbA Sisoes, and he saw that the old man was grieved because he had left the desert; and Abbd Ammon said unto him, " Why art thou distressed, O father ? For what " wast thou able to do in the desert in thine old age? " And the old man Sisoes looked at him fiercely, and said, " What " sayest thou to me, Ammon? Are not the mere thoughts of the " freedom which is in the desert better for us [than living out "of it]?"
8. When Abb& Sisoes was dwelling in the mountain of Abb& Anthony, the man who used to minister unto him departed and remained away for a period of ten months and did not come [back] to him, and he saw no man. And afterwards, as he was walking in the mountains, he saw a man hunting wild animals, and the old man said to him, " Whence comest thou? "And how long hast thou been here?" And the man said unto him, " Father, I have been in this mountain eleven months, "and I have seen no man except thyself." Then the old man having heard these things went into his cell, and smote upon his face, and said, "Behold, O Sisoes, well mayest thou think " that thou hast done nothing, for thou hast not made thyself "even like unto this man who is in the world, and is not a "monk."
11. A certain brother asked Abba* Sisoes, saying, "Father, "how was it that thou didst leave Scete where thou wast " with Abbd Macarius, and didst come here?" And the old man said unto him, " When Scete began to be filled [with monks] " I heard that AbbA Antonius had fallen asleep, and I came to " the mountain here, and found that this place was quiet, and " I lived here for a little time." The brother said unto him, "How long hast thou been here?" and the old man said, " Behold, I have been here seventy years this day."
15. They said concerning Abbd Sisoes that when the church began [to fill] he fled quickly to his cell, and, [though] the brethren said, "He hath a devil," he was performing the work of God.
48. Abba Sisoes used to say, " It is well for a man to dwell "in his cell, and if he suffer with patient endurance he will "find blessings of every kind."
74. On one occasion there was an offering [made] in the mountain of Abb£ Anthony, and a skin of wine was there, and one of the monks took some of it in a small vessel, and with a cup in his hand he went and carried it to Abb& Sisoes. And he mixed him a cupful, and he drank it, and he mixed him a second cupful, and he took it and drank it, but when he mixed him a third cupful Abb& Sisoes refused to drink it, saying, 14 Stay thy hand, brother, knowest thou not that [the third cup] 44 is of Satan?"
81. They used to say about Abbd Sisoes the Theban that he never ate bread. During the Easter Festival the brethren came to him, and having made excuses they entreated him to eat with them; and he answered and said, " I will do one [of two] " things; I will either eat bread and bread alone, or I will eat " of the meats which ye have boiled." And they said unto him, " Then eat bread only."
84. A brother asked AbbA Sisoes, "What [good do] I do "in going to church, for often [the devils] recognize me and "seize me?" The old man saith unto him, "There is work in "the matter."
98. The disciple of Abb& Sisoes had to say unto him several times, " Rise up and let us eat." And he used to say unto him, " My son, have we not eaten? " And the disciple would say unto him, "Nay, father." Then the old man would say unto him, " If we have not eaten, bring the food and let us eat."
111. They used to relate concerning Abbk Sisoes that if he did not bring down his hands swiftly when he was standing up in prayer, his mind would be carried off on high ; but when- soever it chanced that one of the brethren was with him he would bring his hands down hurriedly lest peradventure his mind should be carried off, and he should be left alone.
II5 # On one occasion Abbd Sisoes was sitting in his cell, and when his disciple knocked at the door [meaning to] go in, the old man cried out, saying, "Flee, Abraham, and do not come * ' in now, for this place is not empty. "
116. They say concerning AbbA Sisoes of Babylon that, wish- ing to vanquish sleep, he stood upright upon a mountain crag, and that the angel of the Lord came and rescued him from that place, and commanded him never to do such a thing again, and not even to hand on this tradition to another.
138. Three old men once came to Abbi Sisoes because they had heard that he was a great man. And the first one said unto him, "Father, how can I escape from the river of fire?" And Abba Sisoes answered him never a word. Then the second old man said unto him, "Father, how can I escape from the "gnashing of teeth, and from the worm which never dieth?" And Abbk Sisoes answered him never a word. Then the third old man said unto him, "Father, what shall I do? For the re- membrance of the outer darkness troubleth me." And Abbi Sisoes answered and said unto them, "I never think on any "of these things, but I believe that God is Merciful, and that " He will shew mercy unto me"; then the old men went away
grieved at the answer which Abb& Sisoes had spoken unto them. Now because he did not wish to send them away sor- rowful, he brought them back, and said unto them, 4 * Blessed " are ye, O my brethren, for I have been jealous of you"; and they said unto him, "In what matter hast thou been jealous " of us?" And he said, "The first one of you spake about a "river of fire; and the second spake about the gnashing of "teeth and the worm which dieth not; and the third spake "about the outer darkness; if remembrances of this kind "have dominion over your minds it is impossible for you to " commit sin. What can I do who am stubborn of heart? For " hardness of heart will not allow me to perceive even that " there a punishment for men existeth, and because of this " I sin every hour." And when the old men had heard these words, they made excuses to him, and said, "In very truth " according to what we have heard, even so have we seen."
140. They say that when Abbi Sisoes was sick the old men who were sitting with him saw that he was talking [to some one], and they said unto him, "What seest thou, O father?" And he said unto them, "Some people came to take me away, " and I entreated them to leave me [here] a little longer that " I might repent." Then one of the old men said unto him, " What power hast thou in thee now for repentance?" Abb£ Sisoes said unto them, " If I can do nothing else I can sigh " and lament a little over my soul, and this will be sufficient "forme."
198. A certain brother was estranged from a fellow monk, and he came to Abbi Sisoes the Theban, and said unto him, " I am estranged from a fellow monk, and I wish to take ven- "geance for myself"; and the old man said, " Let us pray." And whilst he was praying, he said in his prayer, "O God, " henceforward we have no need of Thee to take care ot us, " for we will take vengeance for ourselves"; and when the brother heard these words he fell down at the feet of the old man straightway, and said unto him, "Henceforward I will "not enter into judgement with that brother. Forgive me, " O Father." And thus Abb£ Sisoes healed that brother.
201. Certain brethren asked Abbd Sisoes a question, and said unto him, "If we are going along a road, and he who is "conducting us forgetteth the way, is it necessary for us to "tell him?" And Abbd Sisoes said unto them, "No." Then a brother said unto him, "Are we then to let him lead us "astray?" And the old man said unto him, "What then? "Thou hast a stick, canst thou not take it and smite him? "Now I knew twelve brethren who were travelling along the " road, and in the night time he who was leading them lost the "way, and all the brethren knew that he had done so; and "every one of them struggled with his thoughts, [and de- cided] not to tell him. And when the day had come he who " had been leading them learned that he had wandered off the " road, and he made excuses and said unto them, ' Forgive me " i because I lost the way'; and they all said, * We all of us " ' knew it, brother, but we held our peace. ' And when he heard "this he marvelled, saying, ' The brethren would endure even "'unto death and would utter never a word'; and he glorified "God. Now the distance which they had wandered from the "road was twelve miles."
245. A man who wanted to be a monk came to AbbA Sisoes the Theban, and the old man asked him, if he had any pos- session whatsoever in the world, and he said, " I have one "son"; and the old man, wishing to find out if he possessed the faculty of obedience, said unto him, "Go, and throw him "in the river, and then come, and thou shalt be a monk," and because the man was obedient he went straightway to do it. Now when he had departed the old man sent another brother to prevent him from doing this thing, and when the man had taken up his son to throw him into the river, the brother said unto him, "Thou shalt not cast him in." Then the man said unto him, "My father told me that I was to cast him in, "and the brother replied, "He told me that thou wast not to cast "him in," so the man left him, and came [unto the old man], and through his obedience he became a chosen monk.
258. One of the old men used to say: "We were going [on " one occasion] to the mountain of the blessed Anthony to visit " AbM Sisoes, and when he sat down to eat there came up to "us a young man who begged for alms; and when we were " beginning to eat, the old man said, ' Ask that young man if he "'wisheth to come in and eat with us.' Now when one had "said this to him, the young man refused [to do so], and the "old man said, 'Let whatsoever is left over by us be given to " 'him to eat outside.' Then the old man brought out a jar of "wine which he kept for the Offering, and he mixed for each "one of us a cup, but he gave to the young man two cups, "whereat I smiled, and said unto him, 'I also will go outside, " ' and thou shalt give me two cups of wine also.' Abba Sisoes "said, 'If he had eaten with us he would have drunk the same "' quantity as ourselves, and he would have have been con- " ' vinced that we did not drink more than he did; but now he " 'will say in his mind, These monks enjoy themselves more " 'than I do. It is good therefore that our conscience should " 'not hold us in contempt.'"
260. A brother asked Abba Sisoes, saying, "Tell me a word "[whereby I may live]." The old man saith unto him, " Why "dost thou urge me, O brother, to speak a useless word? What- soever thou seest me do, that do thyself."
261. A brother asked Abb& Poemen, saying, "Is it possible "for a man to keep hold upon all thoughts, and not to give "any of them to the Enemy?" The old man said unto him, "There are some of them who give ten and keep one, and "there are some who give one and keep ten." And the brother told this saying to Abba* Sisoes, who said, "There are some "who do not give even one [thought] to the Enemy."
262. Abb£ Joseph asked Abba* Sisoes, saying, "How many "times is it right for a man to cut off his passions?" The old said unto him, "Dost thou wish to learn when thou must cut "them off?" and Joseph said unto him, "Yes." Abb4 Sisoes
264. Certain men who lived in the world came to see Abbd Sisoes, and though they spoke much he held his peace and an- swered them never a word; at length one of them said to his companions, "My brethren, why do ye trouble the old man? " He eateth not, and for this reason he is not able to talk." And when the old man heard this, he made answer unto them straightway, and said, "My sons, I eat whensoever I feel the " need of eating."
267. On one occasion the Arabs came and plundered Abbi Sisoes arid the brother who was with him of everything they had, and being hungry, the brethren went out into the desert to find something to eat. And when they were some distance from each other, Abbd Sisoes found some camel dung, and he
broke it, and found inside two grains of barley ; and he ate one grain and placed the other in his hand ; and when the brother came, and found that he was eating, he said unto him, " Is " this love ? Thou hast found food, and thou eatest it by thy- " self and hast not called me [to share it with thee]/' Abbd Sisoes saith unto him, " I have not defrauded thee, O brother, "for behold, I have kept thy share in my hands."
311. AbbA Sisoes used to say, "Seek the Lord, and search "[Him] out, but not only in the place where [thou] dwellest."
374. A brother asked Abbi Sisoes of ShSkfpi about his life and works, and the old man said unto him that which Daniel spake, "The bread of desire I have not eaten," that is to say, "A man should not fulfil the lust of his desire."
37S On one occasion Abraham said unto Abbd Sisoes, i 1 Abb£, " thou hast grown old, let us draw nigh unto the habitations " of the children of men for a little"; and Abb& Sisoes said unto him, "Let us go where there is no woman"; then his disciple said unto him, "And what place is there without a "woman except the desert?" The old man said unto him, " Then let us go to the desert."
378. On one occasion when Abb£ Sisoes was sitting down
382. One of the fathers asked Abbd Sisoes, saying, " If I am "living in the desert and the barbarians come against me to "kill me, supposing that I have strength may I kill one of "them?" The old man said untd him, "No. Commit thyself " unto God, and leave [it to Him], For with every trial which " cometh upon a man he should say, ' It hath come because of " 'my sins'; but if something good happeneth to him, let him "say, 'It is of the Providence of God.'"
421. On one occasion Adl&p, Bishop of Neapolis, went to visit Abba Sisoes, and when he wished to depart the old man made him and the brethren who were with htm to eat in the morning; now the days were the first days of the fast. And when they had made ready the table to eat, behold, certain men from the plough knocked at the door, and the old man said unto his disciple, " Open to them, and put some of the " boiled food in a dish, and set it before them to eat, for they "have just come from labour." The Bishop said, "Let it " alone, or perhaps they will say that Abbd Sisoes eateth at "this time." And the old man looked at the youth and said unto him, "Go, and give them the food"; and when the strangers saw the boiled food they said unto him, "Have ye " strangers with you? Perad venture Abba is also eating with "them?" And the disciple said unto them, "Yes." Then they cried out and spake words of condemnation to the company, saying, "May God forgive you, for ye have made the old man " to eat at this time of the day. Perhaps ye are unaware that " ye are causing him much vexation thereat?" And when the Bishop heard these things he expressed contrition, and said unto him, "Forgive me, I have behaved after the manner of a " man, but thou hast acted like God."
488. One of the old men said, "I asked Abbd Sisoes, saying, " 'Tell me a word/ and he said, 'It is right for a monk to " 'humble himself lower than the idols'; and I went to my cell, " and took counsel with myself, and meditated for an hour, "saying, 'What do the words "lower than the idols" mean?' "Then I returned and went to the old man, and said unto " him, 'What do the words "lower than the idols" mean?' And "he said unto me, 'It is written concerning the idols, "They " ' "have a mouth and speak not, and they have eyes and see " ' "not, and they have ears and hear not"; even thus is it right " 'for a monk to be.' And because idols are an abomination, a "man must hold himself to be abominable in his own sight."
489. A brother asked Abb& Sisoes of Thebais, saying, " Speak "a word to me," and Sisoes said unto him, "What have I to
490. That same brother went to Abb£ Sisoes of P£t4r4, and told him the word which Abbd Sisoes of the Thebaid had spoken, and Abbst Sisoes said unto him, "I lie down to sleep 44 in my sins, and I rise up in my sins."
526. Abbi Sisoes asked Abba '6r, and said unto him, 44 Tell
" me a word of excellence"; and he said unto him, "Dost thou " think me true, and dost thou believe my promise?" And Abbi Sisoes said unto him, "Yes." Abbst '6r said unto him, "Go, "and whatsoever ye have seen me do, that also do thyself"; and Abbd Sisoes said unto him, "What do I see in thee, O my " father?" And AbbU'Or answered and said unto him, "Mymind " is more abased than that of the least of all the children of men."
605. A brother asked Abb£ Sisoes, saying, "What shall I "do, father? Fori have fallen." The old man said unto him, " Rise up"; and the brother said unto him, "I did rise up, but
ABBA Sisoes said : When we were in Scete, with AbbaL Macarius, seven of us went up to reap with him, and behold, a certain widow followed after us gleaning, and 614. she ceased not to weep. And the old man cried to the lord of the estate, and said unto him, "What is the matter with the old woman who weepeth continually ?" He said unto him, " Her husband took a deposit of money from a man and he "died suddenly without saying with whom he had placed it, "and the owner of the deposit wisheth to take her and her " children as slaves." The old man said unto him, "Tell her to " come to us at the place where we rest at the season of noon," and it was told to her. And at the season of noon the woman came to them, and the old man said unto her, "Woman, why "dost thou weep continually?" And she said, "My husband is " dead. He had taken a deposit from a certain man, and he died " suddenly without telling us where he had laid it up." The old man said unto her, "Come [and] and show me where ye have " laid him"; and he took the brethren with him, and went with her, and having arrived at the place where the man was laid, the old man said unto her, "Get thee now to thy house." And after [she had departed] and he had made an end of his prayer, the old man cried out to the dead man and said, "O Such-an- " one, where hast thou laid up the deposit which belongeth to "the stranger?" Then the dead man answered straightway, and said, "It is hidden in my house beneath the leg of the bed"; and the old man said unto him, " Sleep now until the Resur- rection." Now when the brethren saw what had been done, they all fell down at his feet in fear; and the old man said unto them, " This hath not happened because of me, O my brethren,
616. On one occasion a certain man in the world went to Abba Sisoes in the mountain of Abba Anthony, and he had his son with him, and as they were going along the road his son died; now the man was in no wise disturbed, but he took him up in faith and brought him to the old man, and he came with his son, and fell down before him with his son upon his knees as if he was entreating him to bless them; and the father of the boy went out and left his son [lying] dead at the feet of the old man. Now the old man did not know that the boy was dead, but he thought that he was making supplication and entreaty to him; and he answered and said unto him, "Arise, "and go forth," and straightway without any delay whatso- ever, the youth rose up and went out to his father, who, when he saw him, marvelled; and his father took him and went in and did homage to the old man, and informed him about the matter. Now when the old man heard this he was troubled, for he did not wish this thing to happen because of the praise of men; and his disciple commanded them not to tell the story before any man until the day of his death.
621. They used to say that the face of Abba Pambd was like lightning, even as Moses received the glory of the likeness of Adam, and that his face shone, and that he was like a king who sitteth upon his throne; and thus was it also with AbbI Silvanus and with Abb£ Sisoes.
69. One of the old men asked Abbd Sisoes, saying, "Did " Satan persecute the men of olden time as he doth those of " to-day ?" Sisoes said unto them, "He persecuteth the men " of this age especially, because his time hath come."
93. They used to say that a certain man asked Abb£ Sisoes about Abba* Pambd, saying, "Tell us about his life and con- "du6l"; the old man made answer to him, saying, "Abba* " Pamb6 is great in his works."
95. They used to say that [on one occasion] when certain of the old men were sitting with Abb£ Poemen and were discuss- ing some of the fathers, and were [asking each other] if they remembered Abb& Sisoes, Abb£ Poemen said, "Quit talking "about Abb£ Sisoes, for he hath surpassed the measure (or "limit) of all histories."
" making mats, but I am unable to make [them] here." The old man said unto him, "Abb£ Sisoes used to say, ' It is not the " 'work which is easy for us that we ought to do, but that " 'which befitteth the place, and a brother should labour " 'according to what it will cost to keep him.'"
103. Abb£ Sisoes shewed us the cave of Abbd Anthony, and said, "Thus in the cave of a lion a fox dwelleth."
107. They used to say that one day when Abb£ Sisoes was sitting down he cried out with a loud voice, and said, "O my " feebleness"; his disciple said unto him, "What aileth thee, O
109. When Abbd Sisoes was about to die, and the fathers were sitting about him, they saw that his face was shining like the sun; and he said unto them straightway, "Behold, AbbdAnthony " hath come"; and after a little while he said also, "Behold, the "company of the prophets hath come"; his face shone again, and he said, "Behold the company of apostles hath come"; and again his face shone with twofold brightness, and he became suddenly like unto one who was speaking with some one. Then the old men who was sitting [therej entreated him, and said, " Show us with whom thou art talking, father"; and straight- way he said unto them, "Behold, the angels came to take me " away, and I besought them to leave me so that I might tarry "here a little longer, and repent." And the old men said unto him, "Thou hast no need to repent, father"; the old man said unto them, "I do not know in my soul if I have rightly begun " to repent"; and they all learned that the old man was perfedt. Then again suddenly his face beamed like the sun, and all who sat there were afraid, and he said unto them straightway, "Look ye, look ye. Behold our Lord hath come, and He "saith, ( Bring ye unto Me the chosen vessel which is in the " 4 desert 1 "; and straightway he delivered up his spirit, and he became [like] lightning, and the whole place was filled with a sweet odour.
162. Abbd Sisoes asked Abbd Poemen about filthy thoughts, and the old man said unto him, "The matter is like unto a box "of clothes: if a man leaveth the clothes inside it for a long " time without being turned, they will become eaten up in pro- "cess of time and destroyed. And thus also is it with the " thoughts, and if a man doth not drive them out from his body "they will be destroyed and perish."
183* One of the brethren entreated Abbd Sisoes, saying, 4 4 Do 4 4 an act of love, father, and do thou thyself speak to me a 44 word"; and he answered and said, 44 He who holdeth with 44 knowledge [the belief] that a man should not esteem himself 44 fulfilleth the whole Book."
241. A brother asked Abb£ Sisoes, 44 Why do my thoughts 44 not depart from me?" He said unto him, 4 4 Because thy 44 things are within thee; give them their pledge and they will 4 4 depart."
307. A certain man asked Abbd Sisoes, saying, " Hast thou "not even yet arrived at the measure of Abbd Anthony, our " father?" And the old man answered and said, " If I had even
331. Abb& Sisoes said, "Exile consisteth in a man living a "silent and solitary life."
332. One of the fathers said, "I once asked Abbk Sisoes and " besought him to speak a word of life to me, and the old man "answered and said, He who taketh care to guard himself " against esteeming himself, and against comparing himself " [with other men] in every work of understanding (<?rdiscretion), " is he who fulfilleth the Book."
370. On one occasion certain of the brethren came to Abba Sisoes in order that they might hear some profitable words, and when theyhadspoken much with him, he said nothing unto them about whatsoever they had said, but only, ' ' Forgive me. " Then they saw that he was plaiting palm leaves, and they said unto Abraham his disciple, "What are ye doing with these " palm-leaf ropes and mats?" And he said unto them, "We send " them out here and there. " Now when the old man heard this he said, "Sisoes eateth here and there." And when they had heard [these things] they were greatly profited, and they de- parted in great joy because they had seen his humility.
409. They used to say that Abba Sisoes the Theban was wont to dwell among the reeds of Ars£nt&, where there was, at some distance from him, an old man who was sick; and
497. Abb! Ammon asked Abb! Sisoes, saying, 4 4 When I 44 read in the Book my mind wisheth to arrange the words so 44 that there may be an answer to [my] question." The old man said unto him, 4 4 This is unnecessary, for only purity of heart 44 [is required]." From this it ariseth that a man should speak without overmuch care.
528. A brother asked Abbd Sisoes, saying, "Why do not the "passions depart from me?" The old man said unto him, " Because their possessions are in thee; give them their pledge " (or security), and they will depart."
66l. The brethren said, 44 What is [the meaning of] that 44 which Abba Sisoes said to Abba Ammon, 4 Freedom of my 4 4 4 thoughts in the desert is sufficient for me?'" The old man said, 44 Sisoes was a great and a perfect old man, and he dwelt 44 all the days of his life in the remote desert, and after he had 44 become old, and was exceedingly feeble, the Fathers brought 44 him to the monastery of the brethren, who used to go in 44 and visit him each day, for the sake of some profitable dis- 44 course and helpful prayer. And because he was unaccustomed 44 to feel comfortable in the presence of many folks, his mind 44 began to wander about in remembering the brethren, and 44 to meditate upon many things, and he was unable to find 44 that dominant freedom for the continuous, secret prayer ot 4 4 the mind, which is superior to every influence that would 44 make it decline, and is free from every [other] attraction, 44 and he was, therefore, rightly grieved. Now one day, Abba 44 Ammon went to visit him, and he saw that he was sorry 4 4 about his coming from the desert, and he said unto him, 4 4 4 Father, it is not right for thee to be sorrowful because thou 4 4 4 hast drawn nigh to the place where the brethren dwell, for 444 thy body hath become feeble, and thou art unable to per- 444 form those works wherein thou wert wont to labour in the 44 4 desert/ Now when Abba Sisoes heard these things, he 44 looked at Abbd Ammon sternly, and he answered him with 44 indignation, saying, 4 What sayest thou to me, Ammon? " 4 Was not the freedom of the thoughts which I had in the 44 4 desert sufficient to take the place for me of all labours? « 4 4 And as regards thyself also, O Ammon, who art conscious 44 4 of the life and acts of the freedom of the mind, and who art " 4 not subject unto the constraint of wandering and disturb- 44 4 ance of the mind, and who art not impeded by old age and 41 4 infirmity, tell me what thou art able to do in the desert at 4 4 4 thy great age? Even if I be unequal to the labours of the
662. The brethren said, "They used to say that when the ser- ' ' vice in the church was over, Abba\ Macarius was wont to flee " to his cell, and that the brethren said, 'He hath a devil, but '"he doeth the work of God.' Now who were those who said " that he had a devil? And what was the work of God which "he used to do?" The old man said, "Those who said that "he had a devil were the lazy brethren. Whensoever Satan "seeth the monks who are leading a life of spiritual excellence " in the monastery, the devils stir up the lazy brethren to wage "war against them, by means of abuse, and revilings, and " backbiting, and calumny, and by means of the trials which "they bring upon them. Now the work of God which Abba\ "Sisoes did when he fled [to his cell] was this: Prayer ac- " companied by weeping and tears, according to the exhorta- "tion of Abba\ Isaiah, who said, 'When the congregation is '"dismissed, or when thou risest up after eating, sit not "'down to talk with any man, either concerning the affairs " ' of the world, or concerning matters of spiritual excellence; "'but go thou into thy cell, and weep for thy sins, even as "' Abbf Macarius the Alexandrian said unto the brethren who "'were with him, "Brethren, flee." And the brethren said, "'"Father, how can we flee more than [in coming] to the " « " desert?" and he laid his hand upon his mouth, and said "'unto them, "Flee ye in this manner"; and straightway " ' every man fled to his cell and held his peace.'"
159; n, 229, 302 Abraham, disciple of Sisoes, 11, 19 Abraham, the Egyptian, 1, 136 Abraham, Abba, 1, 379; n, 21, 26,