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Shorter Rules

St Basil the Great, tr. Lowther Clarke, 1925

Rule 44: If a Man is Cross or Angry When Awakened from Sleep, What Does He Deserve? (R.…

Temporary separation1 and deprivation of food, to see if he is able to feel compunction and learn how many and great blessings he has deprived himself of by his stupidity and so be converted and rejoice with the same affection as he who said: “I re-c membered God and rejoiced.”2 But if he abide in his stupidity, let him be cut off from the body as a rotten and corrupt branch. For it is written: ‘It is profitable that one of thy members should perish and not thy whole body be cast into hell.”3

Notes

  1. ἀφορισμοῦ. Not here of excommunication, cf. Poen. 4 ἀφοριζέσθω ἑβδομάδα μίαν. Light is thrown on this passage by Ben. Reg. xxv, where delinquents are suspended from meals, prayers, and converse with the brethren. They are to eat alone as the abbot directs. They must continue to work.
  2. Ps. lxxvii. 3.
  3. Mt. v. 30 βληθῇ εἰς γέενναν for εἰς γ. ἀπελθῇ K.

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