SELECTED DISCOURSES OF SHENOUTE THE GREAT Shenoute the Great (ca. 347–465) led one of the largest Christian monastic communities in late antique Egypt and was the greatest native writer of Coptic in history. For approximately eight decades, Shenoute led a federation of three monasteries and emerged as a Christian leader. His public sermons attracted crowds of clergy, monks,andlaypeople;headvisedmilitaryandgovernmentofficials; heworkedtoensurethathisfollowerswouldbefaithfultoorthodox Christianteaching;andhevigorouslyandviolentlyopposedpagan- ism and the oppressive treatment of the poor by the rich. This volume presents in translation a selection of his sermons and other orations.Theseworksgrantusaccesstothetheology,rhetoric,moral teachings, spirituality, and social agenda of a powerful Christian leaderduringaperiodofgreatreligiousandsocialchangeinthelater Roman Empire. david brakke isJoe R.EngleChairintheHistoryofChristianity and Professor of History at The Ohio State University. He is the authorofAthanasiusandthePoliticsofAsceticism(1995),Demonsand the Making of the Monk: Spiritual Combat in Early Christianity (2006),and TheGnostics: Myth, Ritual, and Diversity inEarlyChris- tianity (2010). He has also edited and translated Evagrius of Pontus, TalkingBack:A Monastic Handbook for Combating Demons (2009). andrew crislip is William E. and Miriam S. Blake Chair in the HistoryofChristianityandAssociateProfessorofHistoryatVirginia Commonwealth University. He is the author of two books on healingandmonasticisminlateantiquity,ThornsintheFlesh:Illness and Sanctity in Late Ancient Egypt (2012) and From Monastery to Hospital: The Transformation of Health Care in Late Antiquity (2005),aswellasnumerousarticlesandessaysonearlyChristianlife and thought. SELECTED DISCOURSES OF SHENOUTE THE GREAT Community, Theology, and Social Conflict in Late Antique Egypt Translated with introductions by DAVID BRAKKE and ANDREW CRISLIP UniversityPrintingHouse,Cambridgecb28bs,UnitedKingdom CambridgeUniversityPressispartoftheUniversityofCambridge. ItfurtherstheUniversity’smissionbydisseminatingknowledgeinthepursuitof education,learningandresearchatthehighestinternationallevelsofexcellence. www.cambridge.org Informationonthistitle:www.cambridge.org/9781107022560 ©DavidBrakkeandAndrewCrislip2015 Thispublicationisincopyright.Subjecttostatutoryexception andtotheprovisionsofrelevantcollectivelicensingagreements, noreproductionofanypartmaytakeplacewithoutthewritten permissionofCambridgeUniversityPress. Firstpublished2015 PrintedintheUnitedKingdombyClays,StIvesplc AcataloguerecordforthispublicationisavailablefromtheBritishLibrary LibraryofCongressCataloguinginPublicationdata Shenute,Saint,approximately348–466,author. [Works.Selections.English] SelecteddiscoursesofShenoutetheGreat:community,theology,andsocialconflictinlateAntique Egypt/translatedwithintroductionsbyDavidBrakkeandAndrewCrislip. pages cm Includesbibliographicalreferencesandindex. isbn978-1-107-02256-0(Hardback)–isbn978-1-107-60667-8(pbk.) 1. Shenute,Saint,approximately348–466. 2. Copticmonasticismandreligiousorders–Egypt–- History. 3. CopticChurch–History. I. Brakke,David,translator,writerofaddedcommentary. II. Crislip,AndrewT.(AndrewTodd),translator,writerofaddedcommentary. III. Title. bx137.2s54132015 271.8172–dc23 2015020778 isbn978-1-107-02256-0Hardback CambridgeUniversityPresshasnoresponsibilityforthepersistenceoraccuracy ofURLsforexternalorthird-partyinternetwebsitesreferredtointhispublication, anddoesnotguaranteethatanycontentonsuchwebsitesis,orwillremain, accurateorappropriate. To Stephen Emmel and in memory of Barbara Emmel Contents List of maps page ix List of figures x Acknowledgments xi Introduction: Shenoute’s life, times, and Discourses 1 part i heretics and other enemies of the church 27 1 And it happened one day 35 2 As I sat on a mountain 39 3 I am amazed 54 part ii shenoute as pastor and preacher 83 4 I see your eagerness 91 5 SomekindsofpeoplesiftdirtandWhoeverseeksGodwillfind 106 6 Theidolatrouspagans,or,Andwewillalsorevealsomethingelse 118 7 And let us also reprove 125 8 I answered 127 9 And after a few days 130 10 See how clearly revealed is the foolishness of pitiless people 132 11 Truly when I think 134 12 A priest will never cease 137 13 When the word says 146 vii viii Contents part iii the christian’s struggle with satan 157 14 In the night 163 15 Because of you too, O prince of evil 166 16 A beloved asked me years ago 174 17 As we began to preach 183 part iv the conflict with gesios 193 18 Not because a fox barks 201 19 Let our eyes (translated by Stephen Emmel) 206 20 A26 212 21 God says through those who are his 266 22 God is blessed 278 Bibliography 298 Index of names 305 Index of subjects 308 Index of biblical passages 314 Maps 1 Late ancient Egypt page xiii 2 The White Monastery Federation xiv ix Figures 1 Shenoute the Great. Red Monastery Church, north lobe of the triconch apse, sixth century. Photograph courtesy Elizabeth Bolman. Copyright American Research Center in Egypt page 2 2 Exterior of the church of Shenoute, east end, looking west toward the valley wall. Copyright Michael Burgoyne 6 3 Ruinous nave of the church of Shenoute (looking northeast), showing the stone pulpit steps (background, between second and third columns) and Coptic Christian visitors. Copyright Michael Burgoyne 7 4 Plan of the church of Shenoute, showing small narthex to the west and large narthex to the south 9 5 Founder’s inscription (Greek), on interior (northern) side of lintel above south entrance of the church of Shenoute leading to the larger of two narthexes: “To the eternal memory of the magnificent Count Caesarius, the son of Candidianus, who built (the church).” Copyright Michael Burgoyne 10 6 Tomb of Shenoute near the church of Shenoute; facing east with depiction of Shenoute on north wall. Fifth century. Photograph by Matjaz Kaciknik. Copyright Elizabeth Bolman 18 7 Detail from tomb of Shenoute. Painted inscription (Greek) reads, “[The (holy) tom]b of Abba Shenoute the Archimandrite.” Fifth century. Photograph by Matjaz Kaciknik. Copyright Elizabeth Bolman 19 x