The Rule of St. Basil in Latin and English: A Revised Critical Edition

Description

one of the four official religious rules

Basil of Caesarea (AD 329-78), called "the Great" by later generations, was one of the fourth century's greatest theologians and pastors. His influence on the foundation of monastic life was enormous.

As he toured the early ascetic communities, members would ask Basil about various aspects of living the Gospel life. Their questions and Basil's replies were taken down by tachygraphers and eventually became the Small Asketikon, first published in 366. The Regula Basilii is a Latin translation of this work, done by Rufinus of Aquileia in 397. It is one of the major sources of the Rule of Saint Benedict, and Benedict recommends it to zealous monks, calling it "the rule of our holy father Basil."

This volume represents a new Latin edition, translated and annotated in English by Anna M. Silvas. It is based on the Latin text Basili Regula - A Rufino Latine Versa from Klaus Zelzer: Corpus Scriptorum Ecclesiastricoum Latinorum, Vol. 86. It also includes three extra questions and answers that survive only in the Syriac translation. Silvas balances masterfully between the rigors of academic research and the interests of an intelligent, non-specialist readership. This volume promises to become an indispensable resource in understanding both the history and the spirituality of monastic life.

09/01/25The Rule of Basil : 340

Q: Who is the meek? (Matt 5:5)
R: 1 One who is not diverted from the decisions by which he is resolved and determined to please God.

This seems to be constancy.

09/01/25The Rule of Basil : 343

Question 53
Q: Is laughter altogether disallowed? (cf. Luke 6:25)
R: 1 Since the Lord condemns those who laugh now (Luke 6:25), it is clear that for the faithful soul there is never a time for laughter, 2 especially since there are so many who through their transgression of the law dishonour God (cf. Rom 2:23) and are dying in their sins (cf. John 8:24), over whom it is fitting to sorrow and to groan unceasingly

Stoic. St. Thom says it‘s a sin to lack mirth.

09/01/25The Rule of Basil : 359

do anything at all of one’s own accord or authority is blameworthy

so no good ambition?

09/01/25The Rule of Basil : 359

One who loves God faithfully and purely and is assured of recompense from the Lord 2 is not content to think of the tasks enjoined, but is always seeking an increase of the work and desiring and reaching for something greater than what is enjoined

09/03/25The Rule of Basil : 377

Do nothing from favoritism or from partiality (1 Tim 5:21), 2

didn’t Jesus have favorites, distribute more grace to some than others?

09/03/25The Rule of Basil : 383

Question 120
Q: Is he who does another’s will an accomplice and associate of him whose will he does?
R: 1 If we believe the Lord who says: anyone who commits sin is the slave of sin (John 8:34) and again: you are from your father, the devil, and it is the desires of your father you wish to accomplish (John 8:44), 2 we know that one like this is not only an accomplice and associate but claims as his lord and father him whose work he does. 3 The Apostle also bears witness to this when he says: Do you not know that if you yield yourselves to anyone as slaves for obedience, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin that leads to death, or of obedience that leads to righteousness? (Rom 6:16).

material/formal cooperation

09/03/25The Rule of Basil : 386

Yes and there is Eli the priest too (cf. 1 Sam 2:22–4:18).124 Although he did not pass over in silence the sins of his own sons—who were baleful sons indeed—but warned them frequently and chastised them saying: 9 No, my sons, the things I hear about you are not good (1 Sam 2:24) and so on, and pointed out the sin and warned of the judgment of God, 10 yet because he neither put things right nor was moved by a fitting zeal for God against them, he provoked such a wrath from God 11 that the whole people itself, together with his sons, were destroyed and the Ark of the Covenant was snatched by alien hands, while he himself, overwhelmed by all these disasters, fell backwards in a miserable death

Woe to superiors who don’t correct!

09/03/25The Rule of Basil : 387

Why did you not mourn instead, so that the one who did this deed might be removed from your midst? (1 Cor 5:2)

09/04/25The Rule of Basil : 395

those who frame toil by decree (Ps 93:20).

frame or fein?

09/04/25The Rule of Basil : 405

vaunting oneself (1 Cor 13:4)

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courter of human favour (Eph 6:6; Gal 1:10

Am I this?

09/04/25The Rule of Basil : 406

Question 147
Q: What is pollution of the flesh and pollution of the spirit and how shall we be cleansed from them, and what is sanctification and how do we obtain it? (cf. 2 Cor 7:1)
R: 1 Pollution of the flesh is to mingle with those who practise forbidden and unspeakable things, whereas pollution of the spirit is when we associate indifferently with those of impious sentiments concerning the faith.

communicatio in sacris?

09/04/25The Rule of Basil : 415

when they persecute you in one city, flee to another (Matt 10:23).

Did St. Dominic heed this by staying in Toulouse?

09/04/25The Rule of Basil : 416

Question 161
Q: How can one be converted and become as little children? (cf. Matt 18:3)
R: 1 This very reading of the gospel teaches us the whole reason why this was revealed, that we are not to seek arrogance or haughtiness, but recognize our equality of nature and put ourselves on an equal basis with those who seem to be our inferiors. 2 For it is characteristic of little children to be equal with those associated with them not by rank but by age, until, with the passage of time and the baseness of their guardians, they are infected with the poison of haughtiness.143

pro-life: We share the same nature as the unborn!

09/04/25The Rule of Basil : 425

Question 174
Q: Should anyone who wishes to be allowed to meet the sisters, or only certain persons and times? And how ought the sisters to be seen?

interesting

09/04/25The Rule of Basil : 426

Nothing therefore is to be done idly and aimlessly—instead, a definite person must appear and speak at a definite time, in a definite place with definite persons, 6 so that every base suspicion is excluded and we preserve ourselves blameless before all and appear to each for the upbuilding of the faith

09/05/25The Rule of Basil : 441

sorech vine (Isa 5:4

?

09/05/25The Rule of Basil : 441

bitterness, an alien vine

How is bitterness a vine?

08/28/25The Rule of Basil : 450

Basil’s teaching on perfection is very clear in Homily on Ps 44 (PG 29.388A)

09/04/25The Rule of Basil : 470

NT hapax

?