Letter 982

To Epiphanius the Bishop. If our body is to remain entirely tranquil for us, and untroubled by any of the afflictions of satiety, we must provide a measure of more abstinent conduct and a limit to enjoyment, defining not pleasure but the need pertaining to each thing. And if pleasure too is often mingled together with need (for want knows how to sweeten everything by the vehemence of appetite, making delightful whatever happens to be present to meet the need), the need is not to be rejected on account of the enjoyment that attends it, nor again is pleasure to be pursued as the primary object; rather, selecting the useful out of all things, it is fitting to look beyond what gratifies the senses, and to partake of the need according to what is at each moment within, giving thanks to God.

Ὦ; ἂν μάλιστα γαληναῖον ἡμῖν τὸ σῶμα διαμείνῃ, καὶ μηδενὶ τῶν τοῦ κόρου παθημάτων ἐπιθολώμενον, προνοητέον τῆς ἐγκρατεστέρας διαγωγῆς μέτρον, καὶ δρον τῆς ἀπολαύσεως, οὐ τὴν ἡδονήν, ἀλλὰ τὴν ἐφ' ἕκαστα χρείαν ὁρίζοντας. Εἰ δὲ τῇ χρείᾳ καὶ τὸ ἡδὺ πολλάκις συγκαταμέμικται (πάντα γὰρ οἶδεν ἐφηδύνειν ἔνδεια τῷ σφοδρῷ τῆς ὀρέξεως, τὸ παρευρεθὲν τῇ χρείᾳ ἅπαν καταγλυκαίνουσα), οὐκ ἀπωστέον τὴν χρείαν διὰ τὴν ἐπακολουθοῦσαν ἀπόλαυσιν, οὐδὲ μὴν κατὰ τὸ προηγούμενον διωκτέον τὴν ἡδονήν, ἀλλ' ἐκ πάντων ἐκλεγομένους τὸ χρήσιμον ὑπερορᾶν προσήκει τοῦ τὰς αἰσθήσεις εὐφραίνοντος, καὶ τῆς χρείας κατὰ τὸ ἀεὶ ἐνδὸν μεταληπτέον εὐχαριστοῦντας τῷ Θεῷ.