1.1Book 1, Chapter 1. Of the Monk's Girdle.

1.2Book 1, Chapter 2. Of the Monk's Robe.

1.3Book 1, Chapter 3. Of the Hoods of the Egyptians.

1.4Book 1, Chapter 4. Of the Tunics of the Egyptians.

1.5Book 1, Chapter 5. Of their Cords.

1.6Book 1, Chapter 6. Of their Capes.

1.7Book 1, Chapter 7. Of the Sheepskin and the Goatskin.

1.8Book 1, Chapter 8. Of the Staff of the Egyptians.

1.9Book 1, Chapter 9. Of their Shoes.

1.10Book 1, Chapter 10. Of the modification in the observances which may be permitted in

1.11Book 1, Chapter 11. Of the Spiritual Girdle and its Mystical Meaning.

2.1Book 2, Chapter 1. Of the Canonical System of the Nocturnal Prayers and Psalms.

2.2Book 2, Chapter 2. Of the difference of the number of Psalms appointed to be sung in all

2.3Book 2, Chapter 3. Of the observance of one uniform rule throughout the whole of Egypt,

2.4Book 2, Chapter 4. How throughout the whole of Egypt and the Thebaid the number of Psalms

2.5Book 2, Chapter 5. How the fact that the number of the Psalms was to be twelve was

2.6Book 2, Chapter 6. Of the Custom of having Twelve Prayers.

2.7Book 2, Chapter 7. Of their Method of Praying.

2.8Book 2, Chapter 8. Of the Prayer which follows the Psalm.

2.9Book 2, Chapter 9. Of the characteristics of the prayer, the fuller treatment of which is

2.10Book 2, Chapter 10. Of the silence and conciseness with which the Collects are offered up

2.11Book 2, Chapter 11. Of the system according to which the Psalms are said among the

2.12Book 2, Chapter 12. Of the reason why while one sings the Psalms the rest sit down during

2.13Book 2, Chapter 13. The reason why they are not allowed to go to sleep after the night

2.14Book 2, Chapter 14. Of the way in which they devote themselves in their cells equally to

2.15Book 2, Chapter 15. Of the discreet rule by which every one must retire to his cell after

2.16Book 2, Chapter 16. How no one is allowed to pray with one who has been suspended from

2.17Book 2, Chapter 17. How he who rouses them for prayer ought to call them at the usual time.

2.18Book 2, Chapter 18. How they do not kneel from the evening of Saturday till the evening of

3.1Book 3, Chapter 1. Of the services of the third, sixth, and ninth hours, which are

3.2Book 3, Chapter 2. How among the Egyptians they apply themselves all day long to prayer

3.3Book 3, Chapter 3. How throughout all the East the services of Tierce, Sext, and None are

3.4Book 3, Chapter 4. How the Mattin office was not appointed by an ancient tradition but was

3.5Book 3, Chapter 5. How they ought not to go back to bed again after the Mattin prayers.

3.6Book 3, Chapter 6. How no change was made by the Elders in the ancient system of Psalms

3.7Book 3, Chapter 7. How one who does not come to the daily prayer before the end of the

3.8Book 3, Chapter 8. Of the Vigil service which is celebrated on the evening preceding the

3.9Book 3, Chapter 9. The reason why a Vigil is appointed as the Sabbath day dawns, and why a

3.10Book 3, Chapter 10. How it was brought about that they fast on the Sabbath in the city.

3.11Book 3, Chapter 11. Of the points in which the service held on Sunday differs from what is

3.12Book 3, Chapter 12. Of the days on which, when supper is provided for the brethren, a Psalm

4.1Book 4, Chapter 1. Of the training of those who renounce this world, and of the way in

4.2Book 4, Chapter 2. Of the way in which among them men remain in the monasteries even to

4.3Book 4, Chapter 3. Of the ordeal by which one who is to be received in the monastery is

4.4Book 4, Chapter 4. The reason why those who are received in the monastery are not allowed

4.5Book 4, Chapter 5. The reason why those who give up the world, when they are received in

4.6Book 4, Chapter 6. The reason why the clothes of the renunciants with which they joined

4.7Book 4, Chapter 7. The reason why those who are admitted to a monastery are not permitted

4.8Book 4, Chapter 8. Of the practices in which the juniors are first exercised that they may

4.9Book 4, Chapter 9. The reason why the juniors are enjoined not to keep back any of their

4.10Book 4, Chapter 10. How thorough is the obedience of the juniors even in those things which

4.11Book 4, Chapter 11. The kind of food which is considered the greater delicacy by them.

4.12Book 4, Chapter 12. How they leave off every kind of work at the sound of some one knocking

4.13Book 4, Chapter 13. How wrong it is considered for any one to say that anything, however

4.14Book 4, Chapter 14. How, even if a large sum of money is amassed by the labour of each,

4.15Book 4, Chapter 15. Of the excessive desire of possession among us.

4.16Book 4, Chapter 16. On the rules for various rebukes.

4.17Book 4, Chapter 17. Of those who introduced the plan that the holy Lessons should be read

4.18Book 4, Chapter 18. How it is against the rule for any one to take anything to eat or drink

4.19Book 4, Chapter 19. How throughout Palestine and Mesopotamia a daily service is undertaken

4.20Book 4, Chapter 20. Of the three lentil beans which the Steward found.

4.21Book 4, Chapter 21. Of the spontaneous service of some of the brethren.

4.22Book 4, Chapter 22. The system of the Egyptians, which is appointed for the daily service

4.23Book 4, Chapter 23. The obedience of Abbot John by which he was exalted even to the grace

4.24Book 4, Chapter 24. Of the dry stick which, at the bidding of his senior, Abbot John kept

4.25Book 4, Chapter 25. Of the unique vase of oil thrown away by Abbot John at his senior's

4.26Book 4, Chapter 26. How Abbot John obeyed his senior by trying to roll a huge stone, which

4.27Book 4, Chapter 27. Of the humility and obedience of Abbot Patermucius, which he did

4.28Book 4, Chapter 28. How it was revealed to the Abbot concerning Patermucius that he had

4.29Book 4, Chapter 29. Of the obedience of a brother who at the Abbot's bidding carried about

4.30Book 4, Chapter 30. Of the humility of Abbot Pinufius, who left a very famous Coenobium

4.31Book 4, Chapter 31. How when Abbot Pinufius was brought back to his monastery he stayed

4.32Book 4, Chapter 32. The charge which the same Abbot Pinufius gave to a brother whom he

4.33Book 4, Chapter 33. How it is that, just as a great reward is due to the monk who labours

4.34Book 4, Chapter 34. Of the way in which our renunciation is nothing but mortification and

4.35Book 4, Chapter 35. How the fear of the Lord is our cross.

4.36Book 4, Chapter 36. How our renunciation of the world is of no use if we are again

4.37Book 4, Chapter 37. How the devil always lies in wait for our end, and how we ought

4.38Book 4, Chapter 38. Of the renunciant's preparation against temptation, and of the few who

4.39Book 4, Chapter 39. Of the way in which we shall mount towards perfection, whereby we may

4.40Book 4, Chapter 40. That the monk should seek for examples of perfection not from many

4.41Book 4, Chapter 41. The appearance of what infirmities one who lives in a Coenobium ought

4.42Book 4, Chapter 42. How a monk should not look for the blessing of patience in his own case

4.43Book 4, Chapter 43. Recapitulation of the explanation how a monk can mount up towards

5.1Book 5, Chapter 1. The transition from the Institutes of the monks to the struggle against

5.2Book 5, Chapter 2. How the occasions of these faults, being found in everybody, are

5.3Book 5, Chapter 3. How our first struggle must be against the spirit of gluttony, i.e. the

5.4Book 5, Chapter 4. The testimony of Abbot Antony in which he teaches that each virtue

5.5Book 5, Chapter 5. That one and the same rule of fasting cannot be observed by everybody.

5.6Book 5, Chapter 6. That the mind is not intoxicated by wine alone.

5.7Book 5, Chapter 7. How bodily weakness need not interfere with purity of heart.

5.8Book 5, Chapter 8. How food should be taken with regard to the aim at perfect continence.

5.9Book 5, Chapter 9. Of the measure of the chastisement to be undertaken, and the remedy of

5.10Book 5, Chapter 10. That abstinence from food is not of itself sufficient for preservation

5.11Book 5, Chapter 11. That bodily lusts are not extinguished except by the entire rooting out

5.12Book 5, Chapter 12. That in our spiritual contest we ought to draw an example from the

5.13Book 5, Chapter 13. That we cannot enter the battle of the inner man unless we have been

5.14Book 5, Chapter 14. How gluttonous desires can be overcome.

5.15Book 5, Chapter 15. How a monk must always be eager to preserve his purity of heart.

5.16Book 5, Chapter 16. How, after the fashion of the Olympic games, a monk should not attempt

5.17Book 5, Chapter 17. That the foundation and basis of the spiritual combat must be laid in

5.18Book 5, Chapter 18. Of the number of different conflicts and victories through which the

5.19Book 5, Chapter 19. That the athlete of Christ, so long as he is in the body, is never

5.20Book 5, Chapter 20. How a monk should not overstep the proper hours for taking food, if he

5.21Book 5, Chapter 21. Of the inward peace of a monk, and of spiritual abstinence.

5.22Book 5, Chapter 22. That we should for this reason practise bodily abstinence that we may

5.23Book 5, Chapter 23. What should be the character of the monk's food.

5.24Book 5, Chapter 24. How in Egypt we saw that the daily fast was broken without scruple on

5.25Book 5, Chapter 25. Of the abstinence of one old man who took food six times so sparingly

5.26Book 5, Chapter 26. Of another old man, who never partook of food alone in his cell.

5.27Book 5, Chapter 27. What the two Abbots Pæsius and John said of the fruits of their zeal.

5.28Book 5, Chapter 28. The lesson and example which Abbot John when dying left to his

5.29Book 5, Chapter 29. Of Abbot Machetes, who never slept during the spiritual conferences,

5.30Book 5, Chapter 30. A saying of the same old man about not judging any one.

5.31Book 5, Chapter 31. The same old man's rebuke when he saw how the brethren went to sleep

5.32Book 5, Chapter 32. Of the letters which were burnt without being read.

5.33Book 5, Chapter 33. Of the solution of a question which Abbot Theodore obtained by prayer.

5.34Book 5, Chapter 34. Of the saying of the same old man, through which he taught by what

5.35Book 5, Chapter 35. A rebuke of the same old man, when he had come to my cell in the middle

5.36Book 5, Chapter 36. A description of the desert in Diolcos, where the anchorites live.

5.37Book 5, Chapter 37. Of the cells which Abbot Archebius gave up to us with their furniture.

5.38Book 5, Chapter 38. The same Archebius paid a debt of his mother's by the labour of his own

5.39Book 5, Chapter 39. Of the device of a certain old man by which some work was found for

5.40Book 5, Chapter 40. Of the boys who when bringing to a sick man some figs, died in the

5.41Book 5, Chapter 41. The saying of Abbot Macarius of the behaviour of a monk as one who was

7.1Book 7, Chapter 1. How our warfare with covetousness is a foreign one, and how this fault

7.2Book 7, Chapter 2. How dangerous is the disease of covetousness.

7.3Book 7, Chapter 3. What is the usefulness of those vices which are natural to us.

7.4Book 7, Chapter 4. That we can say that there exist in us some natural faults, without

7.5Book 7, Chapter 5. Of the faults which are contracted through our own fault, without

7.6Book 7, Chapter 6. How difficult the evil of covetousness is to drive away when once it

7.7Book 7, Chapter 7. Of the source from which covetousness springs, and of the evils of

7.8Book 7, Chapter 8. How covetousness is a hindrance to all virtues.

7.9Book 7, Chapter 9. How a monk who has money cannot stay in the monastery.

7.10Book 7, Chapter 10. Of the toils which a deserter from a monastery must undergo through

7.11Book 7, Chapter 11. That under pretence of keeping the purse women have to besought to

7.12Book 7, Chapter 12. An instance of a lukewarm monk caught in the snares of covetousness.

7.13Book 7, Chapter 13. What the elders relate to the juniors in the matter of stripping off

7.14Book 7, Chapter 14. Instances to show that the disease of covetousness is threefold.

7.15Book 7, Chapter 15. Of the difference between one who renounces the world badly and one who

7.16Book 7, Chapter 16. Of the authority under which those shelter themselves who object to

7.17Book 7, Chapter 17. Of the renunciation of the apostles and the primitive church.

7.18Book 7, Chapter 18. That if we want to imitate the apostles we ought not to live according

7.19Book 7, Chapter 19. A saying of S. Basil, the Bishop, directed against Syncletius.

7.20Book 7, Chapter 20. How contemptible it is to be overcome by covetousness.

7.21Book 7, Chapter 21. How covetousness can be conquered.

7.22Book 7, Chapter 22. That one who actually has no money may still be deemed covetous.

7.23Book 7, Chapter 23. An example drawn from the case of Judas.

7.24Book 7, Chapter 24. That covetousness cannot be overcome except by stripping one's self of

7.25Book 7, Chapter 25. Of the deaths of Ananias and Sapphira, and Judas, which they underwent

7.26Book 7, Chapter 26. That covetousness brings upon the soul a spiritual leprosy.

7.27Book 7, Chapter 27. Scripture proofs by which one who is aiming at perfection is taught not

7.28Book 7, Chapter 28. That the victory over covetousness can only be gained by stripping

7.29Book 7, Chapter 29. How a monk can retain his poverty.

7.30Book 7, Chapter 30. The remedies against the disease of covetousness.

7.31Book 7, Chapter 31. That no one can get the better of covetousness unless he stays in the

8.1Book 8, Chapter 1. How our fourth conflict is against the sin of anger, and how many evils

8.2Book 8, Chapter 2. Of those who say that anger is not injurious, if we are angry with

8.3Book 8, Chapter 3. Of those things which are spoken of God anthropomorphically.

8.4Book 8, Chapter 4. In what sense we should understand the passions and human arts which

8.5Book 8, Chapter 5. How calm a monk ought to be.

8.6Book 8, Chapter 6. Of the righteous and unrighteous passion of wrath.

8.7Book 8, Chapter 7. Of the only case in which anger is useful to us.

8.8Book 8, Chapter 8. Instances from the life of the blessed David in which anger was rightly

8.9Book 8, Chapter 9. Of the anger which should be directed against ourselves.

8.10Book 8, Chapter 10. Of the sun, of which it is said that it should not go down upon your

8.11Book 8, Chapter 11. Of those to whose wrath even the going down of the sun sets no limit.

8.12Book 8, Chapter 12. How this is the end of temper and anger when a man carries it into act

8.13Book 8, Chapter 13. That we should not retain our anger even for an instant.

8.14Book 8, Chapter 14. Of reconciliation with our brother.

8.15Book 8, Chapter 15. How the Old Law would root out anger not only from the actions but from

8.16Book 8, Chapter 16. How useless is the retirement of those who do not give up their bad

8.17Book 8, Chapter 17. That the peace of our heart does not depend on another's will, but lies

8.18Book 8, Chapter 18. Of the zeal with which we should seek the desert, and of the things in

8.19Book 8, Chapter 19. An illustration to help in forming an opinion on those who are only

8.20Book 8, Chapter 20. Of the way in which auger should be banished according to the gospel.

8.21Book 8, Chapter 21. Whether we ought to admit the addition of "without a cause," in that

8.22Book 8, Chapter 22. The remedies by which we can root out anger from our hearts.

9.1Book 9, Chapter 1. How our fifth combat is against the spirit of dejection, and of the

9.2Book 9, Chapter 2. Of the care with which the malady of dejection must be healed.

9.3Book 9, Chapter 3. To what the soul may be compared which is a prey to the attacks of

9.4Book 9, Chapter 4. Whence and in what way dejection arises.

9.5Book 9, Chapter 5. That disturbances are caused in us not by the faults of other people,

9.6Book 9, Chapter 6. That no one comes to grief by a sudden fall, but is destroyed by

9.7Book 9, Chapter 7. That we ought not to give up intercourse with our brethren in order to

9.8Book 9, Chapter 8. That if we have improved our character it is possible for us to get on

9.9Book 9, Chapter 9. Of another sort of dejection which produces despair of salvation.

9.10Book 9, Chapter 10. Of the only thing in which dejection is useful to us.

9.11Book 9, Chapter 11. How we can decide what is useful and the sorrow according to God, and

9.12Book 9, Chapter 12. That except that wholesome sorrow, which springs up in three ways, all

9.13Book 9, Chapter 13. The means by which we can root out dejection from our hearts.

10.1Book 10, Chapter 1. How our sixth combat is against the spirit of accidie, and what its

10.2Book 10, Chapter 2. A description of accidie, and the way in which it creeps over the heart

10.3Book 10, Chapter 3. Of the different ways in which accidie overcomes a monk.

10.4Book 10, Chapter 4. How accidie hinders the mind from all contemplation of the virtues.

10.5Book 10, Chapter 5. How the attack of accidie is twofold.

10.6Book 10, Chapter 6. How injurious are the effects of accidie.

10.7Book 10, Chapter 7. Testimonies from the Apostle concerning the spirit of accidie.

10.8Book 10, Chapter 8. That he is sure to be restless who will not be content with the work of

10.9Book 10, Chapter 9. That not the Apostle only, but those two who were with him laboured

10.10Book 10, Chapter 10. That for this reason the Apostle laboured with his own hands, that he

10.11Book 10, Chapter 11. That he preached and taught men to work not only by his example, but

10.12Book 10, Chapter 12. Of his saying: "If any will not work, neither shall he eat."

10.13Book 10, Chapter 13. Of his saying: "We have heard that some among you walk disorderly."

10.14Book 10, Chapter 14. How manual labour prevents many faults.

10.15Book 10, Chapter 15. How kindness should be shown even to the idle and careless.

10.16Book 10, Chapter 16. How we ought to admonish those who go wrong, not out of hatred, but out

10.17Book 10, Chapter 17. Different passages in which the Apostle declares that we ought to work,

10.18Book 10, Chapter 18. That the Apostle wrought what he thought would be sufficient for him

10.19Book 10, Chapter 19. How we should understand these words: "It is more blessed to give than

10.20Book 10, Chapter 20. Of a lazy brother who tried to persuade others to leave the monastery.

10.21Book 10, Chapter 21. Different passages from the writings of Solomon against accidie.

10.22Book 10, Chapter 22. How the brethren in Egypt work with their hands, not only to supply

10.23Book 10, Chapter 23. That idleness is the reason why there are not monasteries for monks in

10.24Book 10, Chapter 24. Abbot Paul who every year burnt with fire all the works of his

10.25Book 10, Chapter 25. The words of Abbot Moses which he said to me about the cure of accidie.

11.1Book 11, Chapter 1. How our seventh combat is against the spirit of vainglory, and what its

11.2Book 11, Chapter 2. How vainglory attacks a monk not only on his carnal, but also on his

11.3Book 11, Chapter 3. How many forms and shapes vainglory takes.

11.4Book 11, Chapter 4. How vainglory attacks a monk on the right had and on the left.

11.5Book 11, Chapter 5. A comparison which shows the nature of vainglory.

11.6Book 11, Chapter 6. That vainglory is not altogether got rid of by the advantages of

11.7Book 11, Chapter 7. How vainglory, when it has been overcome, rises again keener than ever

11.8Book 11, Chapter 8. How vainglory is not allayed either in the desert or through advancing

11.9Book 11, Chapter 9. That vainglory is the more dangerous through being mixed up with

11.10Book 11, Chapter 10. An instance showing how King Hezekiah was overthrown by the dart of

11.11Book 11, Chapter 11. The instance of King Uzziah who was overcome by the taint of the same

11.12Book 11, Chapter 12. Several testimonies against vainglory.

11.13Book 11, Chapter 13. Of the ways in which vainglory attacks a monk.

11.14Book 11, Chapter 14. How it suggests that a man may seek to take holy orders.

11.15Book 11, Chapter 15. How vainglory intoxicates the mind.

11.16Book 11, Chapter 16. Of him whom the superior came upon and found in his cell, deluded by

11.17Book 11, Chapter 17. How faults cannot be cured unless their roots and causes have been

11.18Book 11, Chapter 18. How a monk ought to avoid women and bishops.

11.19Book 11, Chapter 19. Remedies by which we can overcome vainglory.

12.1Book 12, Chapter 1. How our eighth combat is against the spirit of pride, and of its

12.2Book 12, Chapter 2. How there are two kinds of pride.

12.3Book 12, Chapter 3. How pride is equally destructive of all virtues.

12.4Book 12, Chapter 4. How by reason of pride Lucifer was turned from an archangel into a

12.5Book 12, Chapter 5. That incentives to all sins spring from pride.

12.6Book 12, Chapter 6. That the sin of pride is last in the actual order of the combat, but

12.7Book 12, Chapter 7. That the evil of pride is so great that it rightly has even God Himself

12.8Book 12, Chapter 8. How God has destroyed the pride of the devil by the virtue of humility,

12.9Book 12, Chapter 9. How we too may overcome pride.

12.10Book 12, Chapter 10. How no one can obtain perfect virtue and the promised bliss by his own

12.11Book 12, Chapter 11. The case of the thief and of David, and of our call in order to

12.12Book 12, Chapter 12. That no toil is worthy to be compared with the promised bliss.

12.13Book 12, Chapter 13. The teaching of the elders on the method of acquiring purity.

12.14Book 12, Chapter 14. That the help of God is given to those who labour.

12.15Book 12, Chapter 15. From whom we can learn the way of perfection.

12.16Book 12, Chapter 16. That we cannot even make the effort to obtain perfection without the

12.17Book 12, Chapter 17. Various passages which clearly show that we cannot do anything which

12.18Book 12, Chapter 18. How we are protected by the grace of God not only in our natural

12.19Book 12, Chapter 19. How this faith concerning the grace of God was delivered to us by the

12.20Book 12, Chapter 20. Of one who for his blasphemy was given over to a most unclean spirit.

12.21Book 12, Chapter 21. The instance of Joash, King of Judah, showing what was the consequence

12.22Book 12, Chapter 22. That every proud soul is subject to spiritual wickedness to be deceived

12.23Book 12, Chapter 23. How perfection can only be attained through the virtue of humility.

12.24Book 12, Chapter 24. Who are attacked by spiritual and who by carnal pride.

12.25Book 12, Chapter 25. A description of carnal pride, and of the evils which it produces in

12.26Book 12, Chapter 26. That a man whose foundation is bad, sinks daily from bad to worse.

12.27Book 12, Chapter 27. A description of the faults which spring from the evil of pride.

12.28Book 12, Chapter 28. On the pride of a certain brother.

12.29Book 12, Chapter 29. The signs by which you can recognize the presence of carnal pride in a

12.30Book 12, Chapter 30. How when a man has grown cold through pride he wants to be put to rule

12.31Book 12, Chapter 31. How we can overcome pride and attain perfection.

12.32Book 12, Chapter 32. How pride which is so destructive of all virtues can itself be

12.33Book 12, Chapter 33. Remedies against the evil of pride.

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