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Three Millennia of Greek Literature

 

St. Basil the Great - Bilingual Anthology

LOVE CAN NOT BE TAUGHT

from the Long Rules, * Rule 2. Translated by Elpenor * Greek Fonts ||| St Basil Home Page


ELPENOR EDITIONS IN PRINT

The Original Greek New Testament
OVE for God can not be taught. No one taught us to enjoy the light nor to want life, nor anyone else taught us to love our parents or those who raised us. Similarly or rather much more, knowledge of divine love does not come from outside. But in the same time when man was composed, a seminal reason was deposited in us, which has by itself the causes of appropriating love. ...

Only the good is properly beautiful and lovable. God is good. Everything loves good, therefore, everything loves God. … To be alienated and to depart from God is unbearable, even more than the fire of hell. …

 

 

 

ἀδίδακτος ἡ πρὸς τὸν Θεὸν ἀγάπη

Ἀδίδακτος μὲν ἡ πρὸς τὸν Θεὸν ἀγάπη. Οὔτε γὰρ φωτὶ χαίρειν͵ καὶ ζωῆς ἀντιποιεῖσθαι παρ΄ ἄλλου μεμαθήκαμεν͵ οὔτε τὸ ἀγαπᾷν τοὺς τεκόντας ἢ θρεψαμένους ἕτερος ἐδίδαξεν. Οὕτως οὖν͵ ἢ καὶ πολὺ μᾶλλον τοῦ θείου πόθου οὐκ ἔξωθέν ἐστιν ἡ μάθησις· ἀλλ΄ ὁμοῦ τῇ συστάσει τοῦ ζώου τοῦ ἀνθρώπου φημὶ͵ σπερματικός τις λόγος ἡμῖν ἐγκαταβέβληται οἴκοθεν ἔχων τὰς ἀφορμὰς τῆς πρὸς τὸ ἀγαπᾷν οἰκειώσεως. ...

Κυρίως δὲ καλὸν καὶ ἀγαπητὸν τὸ ἀγαθόν. Ἀγαθὸς δὲ ὁ Θεός· ἀγαθοῦ δὲ πάντα ἐφίεται· Θεοῦ ἄρα πάντα ἐφίεται. ... Θεοῦ γὰρ ἀλλοτρίωσις καὶ ἀποστροφὴ καὶ τῶν ἐν γεέννῃ προσδοκωμένων κολάσεων ἀφορητότερόν ἐστι ... 

Cf. ORPHICA : Everything was generated by Love ||| EURIPIDES : To recognise our friends is of God ||| SYMEON THE NEW THEOLOGIAN : Don't put yourself in despair 


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