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Poenae in monachos delinquentes

Basilius Caesariensis · khazarzar

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JSON Dossier
machine-draft · no human review 2 passages · 466 words

Work dossier · summary and historical context

Summary

The Poenae in monachos delinquentes is a short Greek disciplinary text attributed to Basil of Caesarea (c. 330–379). It prescribes graduated penances—chiefly excommunication and fasting—for monastic faults such as idle talk, neglect of duties, and failure in fraternal correction. The work survives in Greek manuscripts of the Basilian corpus, often appended to the Longer Rules, and its legislative tone resembles canonical epistles. It influenced later Eastern monastic typika and penitential handbooks and was quoted at the Council of Trullo (692) and by Theodore the Studite. The source edition (khazarzar) lacks critical apparatus, so textual variants and editorial choices cannot be verified.

The Poenae in monachos delinquentes is significant as an early example of monastic disciplinary legislation, bridging Basil's ascetic rules and later Eastern penitential traditions. Its citation at the Council of Trullo and by Theodore the Studite demonstrates its authority in shaping Byzantine monastic discipline. The work also illustrates the application of Pauline and Gospel injunctions to communal monastic life.

Historical context

The work is attributed to Basil of Caesarea (c. 330–379), a key figure in the development of coenobitic monasticism in Cappadocia. It was likely composed during his episcopate (after 370), when he wrote extensively on monastic discipline, including the Longer and Shorter Rules. The text reflects the legislative, canonical register of Basil's ascetic writings, prescribing penalties for specific faults in a numbered list (αʹ–ηʹ). It survives in Greek manuscripts of the Basilian corpus, often appended to the Longer Rules, indicating its transmission within ascetic collections. Its influence extended to later Eastern monastic typika and penitential handbooks, and it was cited at the Council of Trullo (692) and by Theodore the Studite. The precise date and original community remain uncertain, but the work likely originated in a Cappadocian monastic setting under Basil's authority.

Apparatus · what the pipeline recorded

Annotation and terms

12 commentary units 4 scripture2 structure2 background2 caution1 term1 parallel 0 derived notes 4 open questions 2 narrative
What the kinds mean

Pipeline notes

  • coverageNo English translation could be identified: a language model asked twice could not name one, though it could not rule one out either. That is not proof that none exists — translations in dissertations, recent books and other modern languages are easily missed.
  • limitThe English is a machine draft produced passage by passage from the transcribed Coptic; no human has verified it. The commentary is model-written and cites only keys the pipeline could resolve.
  • registerRegister: other in ancient Greek; the English keeps the liturgical formulae and the vocatives rather than normalising them.
  • structurePassages: 2 narrative.
  • sourceSource edition: khazarzar — Migne PG text (public domain); khazarzar host and the digitising project state no licence for this layer

Term index

CopticRenderingCountFirst
no glossary terms recorded
khazarzar-basilius-caesariensis-poenae-in-monachos-delinquentes:1 · narrativehigh
Source
ΕΠΙΤΙΜΙΑ. αʹ Εἴ τις ὑγιαίνων τῷ σώματι ἀμελοίη τῶν προσευχῶν, ἢ τῆς ἐκμαθήσεως τῶν ψαλμῶν, προφασιζόμενος προφάσεις ἐν ἁμαρτίαις, οὗτος ἀφοριζέσθω, ἢ νηστευέτω ἑβδομάδα μίαν. βʹ Εἴ τις ἐλέγχοιτο ἐπὶ πταίσματι μετὰ ἀγάπης, καὶ μὴ καταδέχοιτο τὸν ἔλεγχον, μετὰ πάσης εὐλαβείας παρακαλῶν, καὶ αἰτῶν συγγνώμην ἐφ' οἷς ἐπλημμέλησε, καὶ αὐτὸς ἀφοριζέσθω ἑβδομάδα μίαν. γʹ Εἴ τις συγγνῷ τινι ἁμάρτημα, καὶ μὴ διορθώσεται αὐτὸν, ἢ ἐλέγξει ἐν εἰρήνῃ μετὰ ἀγάπης τῆς ἐν Χριστῷ, ἀλλ' ἐν λύπῃ, ὡς θριαμβεύων μᾶλλον τὸν ἀδελφὸν, ἢ θεραπεύων τὸν αἴτιον τῆς ἁμαρ τίας, καὶ αὐτὸς συναφοριζέσθω τῷ ἐλεγχομένῳ ἐπὶ τῷ ἁμαρτήματι ἑβδομάδας δύο, ἐπειδὴ ὡς ἐχθρὸς, καὶ οὐχ ὡς ἀδελφὸς ἤλεγξεν. δʹ Εἴ τις ὑβρίζει ἢ ἀντιλέγει, ἐπιτασσόμενος παρὰ ἀδελφοῦ τὰ κατὰ δύναμιν, καὶ μὴ ὑπακούει μετὰ πάσης τῆς ἐν Χριστῷ χαρᾶς, ὡς πληροφο ρῶν αὐτὸν, ὁμοίως ἀφοριζέσθω ἑβδομάδα μίαν. εʹ Εἴ τις ἀργολογοίη ἢ εὐτραπελεύοιτο, μὴ φυλάσ σων μετὰ φόβου καὶ τρόμου τὴν διδασκαλίαν τοῦ μακαρίου Ἀποστόλου καὶ τῶν Εὐαγγελίων, καὶ αὐτὸς ἀφοριζέσθω ἑβδομάδα μίαν. ςʹ Εἴ τις πλὴν τοῦ ναὶ καὶ τοῦ οὒ, ἄλλον ὀμνύει ὅρκον, καὶ αὐτὸς ἀφοριζέσθω ἑβδομάδα μίαν. ζʹ Εἴ τις συγγνῷ τινι ἀδελφῷ πταίσαντι, καὶ μετὰ τὸ παρελθεῖν ὀνειδίζοι, ὡς παραδειγματίζων, καὶ αὐτὸς ὡς ἀσυμπαθὴς καὶ ἐπιχαιρέ κακος ἀφοριζέσθω ἑβδομάδα μίαν. ηʹ Εἴ τις συγγνῷ τινι ἁμάρτημα, καὶ ὁρᾷ αὐτὸν ἀδιαφόρως φέροντα, καὶ μὴ μετὰ συντριμμοῦ καρδίας καὶ πολλῶν δακρύων ἐξιλεούμενον τὸν Κύριον, παρακαλείτω καὶ ὑπομιμνησκέτω αὐτὸν μετα νοεῖν, καὶ ἐπιδείκνυσθαι ἔργα μετανοίας.
English
Penances. 1. If anyone, being healthy in body, neglects the prayers or the learning of the psalms, alleging pretexts in sins, let him be excommunicated, or let him fast for one week. 2. If anyone is reproved for a fault with love, and does not accept the reproof, entreating with all reverence and asking forgiveness for the things in which he has offended, let him also be excommunicated for one week. 3. If anyone is aware of a sin in another and does not correct him, or reprove him in peace with love in Christ, but with grief, as one triumphing over the brother rather than healing the cause of the sin, let him be excommunicated together with the one reproved for the sin for two weeks, since he reproved as an enemy and not as a brother. 4. If anyone insults or contradicts, when ordered by a brother to do what is within his power, and does not obey with all joy in Christ, as one giving him assurance, let him likewise be excommunicated for one week. 5. If anyone engages in idle talk or jesting, not guarding with fear and trembling the teaching of the blessed Apostle and the Gospels, let him also be excommunicated for one week. 6. If anyone swears any oath other than yes and no, let him also be excommunicated for one week. 7. If anyone is aware of a brother who has stumbled, and after the matter has passed reproaches him, as one holding him up to scorn, let him also, as unsympathetic and rejoicing in evil, be excommunicated for one week. 8. If anyone is aware of a sin in another and sees him bearing it indifferently, and not propitiating the Lord with contrition of heart and many tears, let him exhort and remind him to repent and to show works of repentance.
khazarzar-basilius-caesariensis-poenae-in-monachos-delinquentes:2 · narrativehigh
Source
Εἰ δὲ τούτων γινομένων ἀμελοίη τῆς ἑαυτοῦ σωτηρίας, χωριζέσθω ὁ τοιοῦτος τῆς συνοδίας παντελῶς. Μικρὰ γὰρ ζύμη ὅλον τὸ φύραμα ζυμοῖ, κατὰ τὸν εἰπόντα ἅγιον. θʹ Εἴ τις προέρχοιτο παρὰ τὰς ἀναγκαίας χρείας, περιάγων ἀκαίρως, ἀφοριζέσθω ὁ τοιοῦτος, ἵνα ἡσυχάζωσιν ἐν οἴκῳ οἱ πόδες αὐτοῦ, καθὼς γέγραπται. ιʹ Εἴ τις ὀργισθῇ εἰκῆ, καὶ μὴ παραχρῆμα παρακαλέσῃ τὸν ἀδελφὸν ὃν ἐλύπησεν, ὅπως ἀφῇ αὐτῷ τὴν ἁμαρτίαν ἣν ἥμαρτεν εἰς αὐτὸν, ἀφοριζέσθω καὶ αὐτὸς ἑβδομάδα μίαν. ιαʹ Εἴ τις ὑβρισθείη παρὰ ἀδελφοῦ, καὶ παρακληθεὶς ὑπὸ τῆς συνοδίας, μὴ συγχωρήσῃ τὸ ἁμάρτημα, μνημονεύσας τοῦ λέγοντος· Ἐάν τις πρός τινα ἔχῃ μομφήν· καθὼς καὶ ὁ Χριστὸς ἐχαρίσατο· καὶ αὐτὸς ὁμοίως ἀφοριζέσθω ἑβδομάδα μίαν.
English
If, these things being done, he should be neglectful of his own salvation, let such a one be separated from the community entirely. For a little leaven leavens the whole lump, according to the holy one who said this. 9. If anyone should go out beyond necessary needs, wandering about unseasonably, let such a one be separated, so that his feet may rest in the house, as it is written. 10. If anyone becomes angry without cause, and does not immediately appease the brother whom he has grieved, so that he may forgive him the sin which he committed against him, let him also be separated for one week. 11. If anyone should be insulted by a brother, and, having been entreated by the community, does not forgive the offense, remembering the one who says: If anyone has a complaint against someone; just as Christ also forgave; let him likewise be separated for one week.
Citation. Tergwame, “Poenae in monachos delinquentes”, khazarzar-basilius-caesariensis-poenae-in-monachos-delinquentes:1, machine-draft, 2026. https://naxiai.com/christian/works/khazarzar-basilius-caesariensis-poenae-in-monachos-delinquentes#s1
Colophon. Source: khazarzar · licence: Migne PG text (public domain); khazarzar host and the digitising project state no licence for this layer · model: deepseek/deepseek-v4-flash:floor · provider: Relace · cost: $0.0018 · generated 2026-11-15.