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 ==== The Rule Of Basil ====
-The Latin text of the Regula Basilii is keyed from Basili Regula—A Rufino Latine Versa, ed. Klaus Zelzer, Corpus Scriptorum Ecclesiasticorum Latinorum, vol. 86 (Vienna: Hoelder-Pichler-Tempsky, 1986).
+(one of the [[Christian Monastic Ways]])
-====== Preface ======
+  * The Rule of St Basil in Latin and English A Revised Critical Edition Translated by Anna M. Silvas
+  * http://self.gutenberg.org/articles/rule_of_st_basil
-Letter of Rufinus To Ursacius of Pinetum
-Most dear brother Ursacius, when we had arrived from eastern parts and we were already longing again for the accustomed fellowship of brothers, how gladly we entered that monastery of yours, sited there above the narrow ridge of a sandy causeway, washed about on this side and that by the waves of the shifting and uncertain sea. 2 Only a scat-tering of pines marked out the hidden places at a distance,1 from which the famous name of Pinetum has dropped down to the world.23 But we were especially delighted in this, that you did not, as is the way with others, press inquiries about the places or riches of the East. 4 Instead, you asked eagerly about the observance of the servants of God there, their character of mind, and the institutes kept in their monasteries.1 W. K. L. Clarke, The Ascetic Works of Saint Basil (London: SPCK, 1925), 28–29 n. 1, puzzles over a monastery situated above (superpositum) the ridge and the places lying hidden (latentes). He provides three diagrams of possible geographic arrangements.2 The location of Pinetum has been matter of some debate. Earlier opinion, e.g., Clarke, Ascetic Works, 28, placed it on the upper Adriatic coast near Ravenna, evidently because Jordanis in his History of the Goths spoke of an ancient pine forest called Pinetum as one of the three parts of Ravenna. Later opinion has settled for a site at or near Terracina on the Tyrrhenian coast, some eighty kilometers south of Rome. Francis X. Murphy, Rufinus of Aquileia (Washington, DC: CUA Press, 1945), 90, says in favour of the Terracina location: “I believe the notice of Paulinus of Nola (Letter 47) mention-ing the fact that Cerealis would have to go out of his way on the journey between Nola and Rome to see Rufinus, then staying at Pinetum, is decisive; especially when taken in conjunction with Rufinus’s answer in his Praef. ad De bened. patriarcharum II,2.” The usual route to Rome from Nola lay inland through Capua and up the Via Latina, which followed the Liri/Sacco valley.
-===== The Rule of St Basil in Latin =====
-Ad haec ego ne quid tibi minus digne, non dico quam geritur sed quam geri debet, exponerem, 6 sancti Basilii Cappadociae episcopi, viri fide et operibus et omni sanctitate satis clari, instituta monachorum, quae inter-rogantibus se monachis velut sancti cuiusdam iuris responsa statuit, protuli. 7 Cuius cum definitiones ac sententias mirareris, magnopere poposcisti ut hoc opus verterem in Latinum, 8 pollicens mihi quod per universa occiduae partis monasteria si haec sancti et spiritualis viri sancta et spiritalia innotescerent instituta, 9 omnis ille servorum dei profectus qui ex huiuscemodi institutionibus nasceretur, mihi quoque ex eorum vel meritis vel orationibus aliquid gratiae vel mercedis afferret.10 Exhibui ergo ut potui ministerium meum: imple et tu et omnes qui legitis et observatis gratiam, ut et agentes et orantes sic quemadmodum statuta haec continent, mei quoque memores sitis. 11 Tui sane sit officii etiam aliis monasteriis exemplaria praebere, ut secundum instar Cap-padociae omnia monasteria eisdem et non diversis vel institutis vel observationibus vivant.
-===== The Rule of St Basil in English =====
-To your request I reply—but that what I expound for you may not be unworthy, I say, not of myself, but of the dignity of the subject—6 I bring forth from the holy Basil, bishop of Cappadocia, a man greatly renowned for faith and works and for every mark of holiness, his Institutes for Monks, which he handed down as a kind of sacred case-law3 to monks who questioned him. 7 For when you were admiring his definitions and expressions, you begged me urgently to translate this work into Latin, 8 promising me that if these holy and spiritual institutes of a holy and spiritual man were to become known through all the monasteries of the west, 9 the great progress that would accrue to the servants of God from precepts like these would, through their merits and prayers, bring me some grace or reward.10 I have exerted myself, therefore, to the best of my ability: do you fulfil your part then, and may all you who read this also observe the favour, and remember me as you act and pray in accordance with the content of these statutes. 11 Make it your task to provide copies also for other monasteries, so that, after the likeness of Cappadocia, all the monasteries may live not by different, but by the same institutes and observances.43 The analogy appears to be Roman civil law, in which interpretations of already existing statutory law were made by authorised jurists on a case-by-case basis. This is not such an inaccurate idea of Basil’s approach, which is to look on Scripture as the “God-breathed” testimony of the Lord’s commandments to be used, quite literally, strictly, and in detail, Christian ascetics, as the rule of life for Christian ascetics and on his own role as merely a dispenser of the scriptural word, understood with the sensibility of the faith of the church and lived in the testimony of the Holy Spirit. Thus Rufinus, in looking to Basil himself and his “Rule” as a statutory source of authority, and even in using the term “monks,” reflects a certain institutionalizing of monastic life and the canonizing of the holy orthodox “fathers” as guarantors in their own person of authentic Christian doctrine.4 Here most manuscripts mark the transition to the text of Basil with a discretion-ary formula variously put, e.g., “The Preface of the Rule of holy Basil the Bishop finishes. The chapters begin . . .” C; “It finishes. The book of holy Basil the Bishop on the Institute of monks begins . . .” G; “The Rule of holy Basil the Bishop on the Institute of monks begins . . .” H; “Here begins the teaching of the holy Basil Bishop of Cappadocia to monks . . .” M; “The Preface finishes; here begins the Institute for monks, dispensed by the holy Basil to seniors who questioned him . . .” P; “The Prologue finishes. Here begin the sayings of holy Basil the Bishop . . .” S.
-===== The Rule of St Basil in Latin =====
-Prologue(Zelzer 5–7, QF Prologue, 1–11 SRPrologue [PG 31.1080], 12–20 LR Prologue [900–1])1 Humanum genus diligens deus et docens hominum scientiam his quidem quibus docendi contulit gratiam praecipit per apostolum permanere in doctrina, 2 his vero qui aedificari divinis institutionibus indigent per Moysen protestatur dicens Interroga patrem tuum et annuntiabit tibi, pres-byteros tuos et dicent tibi.3 Propter quod necesse est nos quidem quibus ministerium verbi credi-tum est, in omni tempore paratos esse et promptos ad instructionem perfectionemque animarum, 4 et quaedam quidem in communi ecclesiae auditorio simul omnibus de praeceptis domini contestari, quaedam vero secretius perfectioribus quibusque disserere, 5 et inquirere atque inter-rogare volentibus de fide et veritatem evangelii domini nostri Iesu Christi et de conversatione perfecta copiam nostri facultatemque praebere, 6 quo possit ex his perfectus effici et consummatus homo dei.
-The Rule of St Basil in English 49Prologue1 God who loves the human race5 and who teaches man knowledge (Ps 94:10), through the Apostle commands those on whom he has bestowed the gift of teaching, to perseverein teaching (1 Tim 4:16; Rom 12:7), 2 while through Moses he also exhorts those who are in need of being built up by the divine instructions, saying Ask your father and he will declare it to you, your elders 6 and they will tell you (Deut 32:7).3 Wherefore, we to whom the ministry of the word (Acts 6:4) is entrusted7must at all times be prepared and eager for the instruction and perfecting of souls,84 now bearing witness to all in the common hearing of the church concerning the commandments of the Lord,9 now making our-selves available in private to the best of our ability to any of the more perfect 105 who wish to enquire and ask questions concerning the faith and the truth of the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ and the perfect way of life11—6 through which the man of God might be made perfect and complete (2 Tim 3:17).5 SR Prol. PG 31.1080A: Ô O φilavnqrwpo~ qeov~.6 1080A: presbutevrou;~ sou. This hints that Basil is ordained to the presbyterate.7 The “charism of the word,” tested and approved, i.e., empirically verified, is pivotal to Basil’s conception of discerning leadership in the community. See also RBas 17, 32.2, 33.2, 35, 45.2.8 1080A: pro;~ to;n katavrtismon tw≈n yucw≈n.9 “Concerning . . . Lord” appears only in Colb. (Fedwick’s “Ask 6”) here.10Perfectioribus quibusque . . . . Rufinus has either taken prosiojntwn for some form of “the advanced” or has inserted “perfectioribus” here as a gloss to specify the class of Basil’s addressees, i.e., the more zealous Christians and ascetics. Jean Gribomont (“Obéissance et Évangile selon Saint Basile le Grand,” Supplément de la Vie Spirituelle21 (1952): 192–215, n. 21) considers that Rufinus has interpreted to the more evolved mentality of his own time. Yet the concept of being more or less “perfect/complete” in the Christian life was very much part of Basil’s thought. His ascetic and anthropological vocabulary is studded with the words televw, tevleio~, i.e., “perfection” and its field. For him Christian “perfection” involves a progress towards maturity and completeness; it is fostered by instruction and diligence and can be skilfully monitored, e.g., LR 2.2 (RBas 2.7-10), LR 3.1, 59-63; it implies assiduous effort towards the goal of piety, imi-tation of a pattern or a correspondence to a template, e. g., LR 5 (RBas 2.82–93). In fact, Basil himself uses the term “the more perfect,” e. g., teleiotevroi~, in LR 10.1, LR 15.1 (and note), LR 15.2 (twice), LR 4. Basil’s teaching on perfection is very clear in Homily on Ps 44 (PG 29.388A) where he describes its attainment as a gradual process. “This psalm seems to be one adapted to the perfecting (teleiwtikov~ ti~ w]n) of human nature, one that lends help towards gaining the end (tevlo~) set before those who have chosen to live according to virtue. For there is need of the teaching this psalm provides, if those making progress (prokovptousi) are to be perfected (teleiwqh≈nai).”11 SR Prol. 1080A: ta; te pro;~ uJgeivan th≈~ pivstew~ kai; ajlhvqeian th≈~ kata; to; Eujaggevlion tou≈ Kurivou hJmw≈n ∆Ihsou≈ Cristou≈ politeiva~—concerning the soundness of faith and
-The Rule of St Basil in Latin7 Vobis autem convenit nullum tempus vacuum praeterire, quominus ad ea quae communiter cum omni ecclesia discitis, etiam secretius de eminentioribus et perfectioribus inquiratis, 8 ut omne aevum vitae vestrae in inquirendo de melioribus et in percontando de utilioribus transigatis.9 Quoniam ergo et in hoc nos congregavit deus, et paululum quid a molestiis turbarum silentii agimus et quietis, 10 neque in aliud opus animum demus neque residuum temporis somno rursus et remissioni corporeae mancipemus, 11 sed in inquisitione et sollicitudine meliorum noctis hoc quod superest exigamus, adimplentes illud quod dictum est per beatum David quia In lege eius meditabitur die ac nocte.12 Si quid ergo unusquisque vestrum deesse sibi ad scientiam putat, ad communem id proferat inquisitionem, 13 facilius enim pluribus simul conferentibus, si quid illud difficile vel obtectum videtur esse,5 clarescit, deo sine dubio inveniendi gratiam quaerentibus largiente.5Videtur esse, SPJ, Hol., in the sub-archetype of b, confirmed L2 56; esse videtur WLG; videtur Zelz., following CH.
-The Rule of St Basil in English 517 It befits you for your part not to allow any time to pass by idly, so that in addition to what you learn in common with the whole church you also inquire in private concerning the higher and more perfect things 8 and so conduct the whole span of your life enquiring what are the better things and searching out what is more useful.9 Since God has brought us together here and we enjoy some small silence and quiet from the disturbances of the crowds, 10 let us not give our mind to any other task, or devote the remaining time to sleeping again and the repose of the body 11 but spend what is left of the night 12 in enquiry and concern for the better things, fulfilling what was said by the blessed David: On his Law he shall meditate by day and by night (Ps 1:2).12 So then, whatever knowledge each of you thinks he is lacking, let him bring it forward for common investigation, 13 for if something appears to be difficult or obscure it is more easily clarified when the many look into the matter together, since God without doubt bestows the grace of finding upon those who seek (Matt 7:7).the truth of the way of life according to the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. Rufinus may have reordered the sequence somewhat; even so, there is a new stress in the later Greek text on “soundness” of faith. A similar reediting of the intent occurs a few lines later in LR Preface (RBas Prol. 14). In either the Latin or Greek version the indirect interrogative clause comes down to two elements: doctrine and way of life. The necessary link of sound doctrine and moral endeavour is also argued in SR 20. In Letter 294 (Def IV, 206–9) from the late 370s, after the rupture with Eustathius, Basil addresses a community formerly under Eustathian influence seeking reform along his lines: “neither a strict way of life by itself is of benefit, except it be illumined by faith in God, nor can an orthodox confession, bereft of good works, commend you to the Lord, but both of these must go together, that the man of God may be perfect.” On Letter 294 see Susanna Elm, Virgins of God: The Making of Asceticism in Late Antiquity (Oxford and New York: Oxford University Press, 1994), 214–15. Basil likewise stresses the complete interdependence of prayer and an effective moral life.12 This reveals something of the original setting of the Small Asketikon: Basil has attended, if not presided at, a vigil in common with other Christians, for the Sunday liturgy maybe, or for one of the “synods” or local festivals (cf. LR 40 and note), or for a gathering of superiors of communities that Basil advises in LR 54. When the service is over, a smaller group of the devout gather round Basil to question him and hear his teaching till dawn. The location is certainly in Pontus. Basil describes such occa-sions in Letter 223 Def III, 302–5, quoted in the introduction. This modus operandicontinued in Cappadocia. In Homily on Ps 114 (PG 29.484–93), Way 351–59, dating from the 370s when Basil was bishop, his addressees have kept vigil at a sanctuary of the martyrs from midnight to midday, waiting for him to arrive. The lack of the usual commotion that Basil so deplores at these “synods” (LR 40), his hearers’ piety and their affection for him all indicate that they are the devout faithful and ascetics.
-The Rule of St Basil in Latin14 Sicut ergo nobis necessitas imminet et vae mihi erit si non evangelizem, ita etiam vobis, si ab interrogatione et inquisitione cessetis vel remissiores ac resolutiores ad ea implenda quae recta inventa fuerint exsistatis, simile discrimen impendit. 15 Propterea enim et dominus dixit quia Sermo quem locutus sum vobis, ille iudicabit vos in novissimo die, 16 Et iterum Servus qui ignoravit voluntatem domini et fecit digna plagis, vapulabit paucis, qui autem cognovit et fecit contra voluntatem domini, vapulabit plurimum.17 Oremus ergo misericordiam domini, ut et nobis verbi inculpabile tribuat ministerium et vobis fructuosum doctrinae concedat eventum, 18 tamquam ergo scientes quoniam stabunt ante faciem vestram verba haec ante tribunal Christi, Arguam enim te, inquit, et statuam ea ante faciem tuam;19 ita et intendite animum vigilanter ad haec quae dicuntur, et ad opus dignum quae audistis festinanter adducite, 20 quia nescimus qua die vel qua hora dominus noster veniat.