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Longer Rules

St Basil the Great, tr. Lowther Clarke, 1925

19. Rule 19: What is the Measure of Continence (R. 9)

As regards the vices of the soul, there is one measure of continence, namely complete abstinence from all that tends to harmful pleasure.¹ But as regards food, different men have different needs, which vary according to age and occupation and proportionately to the habit of the body; so also is the measure and fashion of the use of food. And so it is impossible that all who are being trained in godliness should be comprehended under the same rule. But having defined the measure to be observed by those of the ascetics who are in health, we allow those responsible for the discipline to make wise deviations from it to meet individual circumstances. For it is not possible to deal with every single case in my instructions, but only with the broad outlines of generally applicable teaching.² For whether it be invalids wanting strengthening food, or a man otherwise exhausted after strenuous toil, or one who needs food to prepare him for labour such as a journey or other hard task, the superiors will always arrange according to the need, following the saying: D “They were parted unto all according as each had need.”³ It is impossible therefore to fix the same hour for taking food, or the same manner or measure; but let the satisfying of the need be the aim in each case. For to have the stomach full to excess, and weighed down with food, entails a curse, since the Lord said: “Woe unto you, ye that are full now”⁴; and renders the body itself useless for activities, prone to slumber, and exposed to injuries. Nor indeed should we make pleasure the end of eating, but utility in order to preserve life, avoiding the intemperance of pleasure. For to be enslaved to pleasures is nothing else than to make one’s belly one’s god. For since our body, being always emptied and diminished, needs to be filled—on which account our appetites for food are natural—the right principle of the use of food prescribes the filling up of what has been emptied in order to support the animal nature, whether the need be for dry or liquid nourishment.

Whatever then is calculated to free us from our need with the least trouble, that is to be employed. The Lord Himself shows this by the manner in which He entertained the wearied multitude in the desert, “lest they should faint in the way.”⁵ For though He had the power to extend the miracle in the desert by devising a sumptuous repast, He prepared a meal for them so frugal and simple as to consist of barley loaves and a little fish besides the bread.⁶ Drink is not even mentioned, since all could get water, which is available by nature for all, and is sufficient for our needs; unless indeed such a beverage is harmful to anyone owing to his infirmities and therefore to be avoided in accordance with Paul’s advice to Timothy.⁷ In fact all things which are manifestly harmful are to be avoided. For it is incongruous to take food in order to sustain the body and then by means of this very food to wage war with the body and hinder it in observing the commandments. The same principle teaches us to accustom our soul to avoid what is harmful, however pleasurable it be. We must however by all means prefer what is easily procured, so that we do not under pretext of continence take pains to get expensive foods, seasoning our dishes with costly condiments. But in each district we must choose what is easily procurable and cheap and ready for the use of the public,⁸ of imported foods using only such as are essential for life, such as oil and the like, and whatever is necessary for invalid’s diet, and that only if it can be got without fuss and disturbance and distraction.

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