| Abstract |
"This tripartite book is the best-known and most important book by the ascetic philosopher and teacher Evagrius of Pontus. Among the writers of his age, Evagrius stands out for his short, puzzling, and absorbing aphorisms, which provide sharp insight into philosophy, Scripture, and observation of the natural world. The first part of the trilogy, the Praktikos (The Practiced One), provides a diagnosis and treatment of the eight temptations. The second, Gnostikos (The Knower), explains how someone who has mastered the body and mental delusions should teach others. The third, longest, and most controversial part, the Kephalaia gnostika (Gnostic Chapters), ranges broadly over the origin of the universe, the nature of rational beings, and the hidden symbols of Scripture. The Trilogy, arguably the magnum opus of Evagrius, is highly significant. The Praktikos was a foundational text for monastic asceticism, and was the basis for the later Seven Deadly Sins tradition. The Kephalaia gnostika was responsible for Evagrius's condemnation as a heretic in the sixth century. As a result, the writing does not survive intact in the original Greek, and must be restored from ancient translations. The present work, the first time since antiquity that the Trilogy has been presented as a complete whole, provides a fresh comprehensive English translation of all three works, in all their known ancient versions, both Greek and Syriac. Detailed explanatory notes provide the reader with the resources needed to think about the ancient text, which is often intentionally puzzling. Cross-references are provided to Scripture, to ancient literature, and to Evagrius's other writings. Comments on the translation techniques of the Syriac translators provide insight into the versions that were read by Eastern Christians"-- Provided by publisher. |
