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Sayings of Theodore of Pherme

Apophthegmata

Date written: collected about 450 to 500; the place is not known. The date is the usual view of scholars; some doubt it.

Theodore of Pherme did not write this text. Another person wrote it about Theodore of Pherme, or wrote down what Theodore of Pherme said.

Sayings and short stories of Theodore of Pherme, taken from the Sayings of the Desert Fathers.

Sayings · first written in Greek

Theodore did not write this. The sayings are spoken words and stories that the unknown collectors of the Sayings of the Desert Fathers wrote down. The corpus files it under Theodore.

Translated by E. A. Wallis Budge (1907). The Paradise or Garden of the Holy Fathers, vol. 2 (London: Chatto & Windus, 1907); sayings picked out of it Public domain. Source and rights

About this text (1 note)

Theodore did not write this. The sayings are spoken words and stories that the unknown collectors of the Sayings of the Desert Fathers wrote down. The corpus files it under Theodore.

How we know the date and place
Date written probable
Sayings were gathered and written in Greek in the later 5th century (W. Bousset, Apophthegmata, 1923; J.-C. Guy, Sources Chretiennes 387, 1993)
The man spoke in his own lifetime; this date is for the written collection. The English is from Budge, Paradise of the Fathers (1907), made from the 7th-century Syriac of Anan-Isho.
Place written not known
Guy (SC 387) and L. Regnault think the Greek collection was made in Palestine; no town is known

1,396 words. 1 section.

Sayings of Theodore of Pherme

§ 1

12. They used to say concerning AbbA Theodore and AbbA Luk that they passed fifty years with disturbed minds, and were troubled the whole time about changing their place [of abode]; and they said, "Behold, we will change in the winter"; and when the winter arrived, they said, " We will change in " the summer"; and thus they did unto the end of their lives.

29. The old men used to say about the blessed Abbd Arse- nius, and Abbd Theodore of Parmfi, that they possessed in a far greater degree than many monks a hatred of the admira- tion of men; Abbd Arsenius was never pleased at meeting and conversing with a man, and AbbA Theodore, even though he was willing to meet a man, was as sharp as a sword in his conversation.

145. They used to say that AbbA Theodore and AbbA '6r put on the skins of lambs for clothing; and they said to each other, "If God were to visit us now what should we do?" and they left [the skins], and departed to their cells weeping.

269. A certain brother came to Abb& Theodore and entreated him to shew him how he twisted palm leaves, and he sent him away, saying, "Go away, and come here to-morrow morning." Then the old man rose up straightway, and put some leaves to soak in water, and made ready, and when the brother came in the morning he shewed him [how to make] one or two plaits, and he said to him, " Work thus" ; and the old man left him and went to his cell. And at the proper season the old man took him food and made him eat, and he rose up and went away; and when he came [back again] in the morning, the old man said unto him, " Why didst thou not take some palm "leaves with thee? Take some now, and get thee gone, for " thou hast made me fall into the temptation of caring about "things," and he did not allow him to come inside [his cell] again.

315. Abba Theodore used to say, 41 If thou hast affection 4 4 for a man, and it happeneth that he fall into temptation, 44 stretch out thy hand to him, and lift him up therefrom, but 44 if he fall into heresy, and will not be persuaded by thee to 44 return, cut him off from thee immediately, lest, if thou tarry 44 long with him, thou be drawn unto him, and thou sink down 44 into the uttermost depths."

444. work; now he was an old man and he trembled, but he would stand up and give water with his hands to me, and to all of us alike. And with Abb& Theodore of ParmS it was the same, for he never told me to do any work whatsoever, but he would make ready the table with his own hands, and would say, u Brother, come [and] eat." And I said unto him, 44 Father, I " came that I might assist thee, and how is that thou dost not " tell me to do something?" But the old man in all this held his peace. And I went up and informed the old men, and they came to him, and said unto him, 44 Father, this brother came

470. One of the fathers from Parm& told a story of how, on one occasion when he had returned to Abba Theodore, he found

588. A brother asked Abb& Theodore of Scete, saying, "The

611. Abb£ Theodore of Parm£ used to say, 4 4 The man who 44 is in [a state of] repentance is not bound by the Law."

19. Abbd Abraham asked Abb£ Theodore, saying, 44 Father, " which is the better thing for me to do, [to give] praise or to 44 blame?" The old man said unto him, 44 1 myself prefer to 44 perform the works of praise, and not of blame"; and Abbi Abraham said unto him, 44 How is this?" And the old man said unto him, 4 4 If I perform good works, and I be praised there- 44 for, I find that I can bring an accusation against my mind 44 whilst I flee from the love of approbation, and I can say that 44 I do not deserve this praise, but blame belongeth to evil 44 works, and how shall I be able to comfort my heart, because "men are offended at me? It is necessary for us to do good 44 works, and to be praised, without receiving upon ourselves 44 the love of approbation, and not evil deeds, lest we be 44 blamed." And Abbd Abraham said, 4 4 Thou hast said well, 44 O father; even so is it."

148. On one occasion Abb£ Theodore went to Abbd John,

243. They used to say that when Abb£ Theodore was a deacon in Scete he refused to perform the ministrations of deacon, and that he fled to several places [to avoid doing so], but the old men would bring him back again, saying, 4 4 Thou 44 shalt not forsake thy place. " Abb£ Theodore said unto them, 44 Permit me to make a request unto God, and if He permit me 44 1 will stand up in my place"; and when he made his petition to God, he said, 44 If it be Thy will, O my Lord, for me to re- 44 main, permit me [so to do]." Then there appeared unto him a pillar of fire [which reached] from earth to heaven, and a voice said unto him, 44 If thou art able to be like unto this 44 pillar, go and perform thy ministrations"; but although he heard these things he would not consent to minister. And when he came to the church the brethren fell down before him and entreated him, saying, 4 4 If thou refusest to minister, at 44 least hold the cup," but he refused and said, 4 4 If ye will not 44 allow me [to be] here [as I am], I will depart from these 44 places"; and so they left him [there].

277. They used to say that when Abba Theodore dwelt in Scete, a devil came and wanted to go into him, and the old man perceived that he wanted to go into [his cell], but he kept him fettered outside. Then another devil came to go in, and the old man fettered him also, and a third devil also came, and finding the other two fettered by the door, he said unto them, " Why do ye stand outside here?" They said unto him, "He "who dwelleth within will not permit us to go in"; and the

third devil stirred up strife, and, holding Abb& Theodore in contempt, made so bold as to go in. Now when the old man saw him he fettered him also, and being afraid of the prayers of the old man, they entreated him, saying, "Set us free." And the old man accepted their petition, and released them, saying, " Get ye gone"; and then they departed being ashamed.

354. Abba Theodore used to say, "If God imputeth to us 4 ' carelessness in prayer, and the snare in [His] service wherein " we have been captured, we shall not be able to stand."

666. The brethren said, "Abba Theodore and Abba Lukf " passed fifty years in being harassed by their thoughts which " urged them vexatiously to change [their] place [of living]; "and they said, 'When the winter cometn we will change/ " And when the winter had come, they said, ' We will change " 4 in the summer '; and thus they continued to do till the end "of their lives. Reveal to us if it were the devils who were " urging these famous Fathers to go forth from their cells for "a period of fifty years, that is, until their death." The old man said, "The devils urged the great Fathers to wander and "to go forth from their spiritual repose because they well " knew the benefit which accrued to them therefrom, and these " holy Fathers were urged by the devils also, but did not leave "their cells. To-day, however, in this generation, the same