Letter 441

To the Same [Elpidius the monk, addressee of the preceding letter]. If you say outright that you can no longer pass the time alone in your cell, being overcome, against all hope, by the immeasurable dread of the demon, after so long a time of renunciation and of solitary residence in the wilderness, then take to yourself now some God-loving and devout man, and let him dwell together with you, and keep company with you, and chant the psalms with you, and keep vigil with you, until both the divine assistance comes and the wicked demon is driven away.

Εἰ ὅλως λέγεις μηκέτι δύνασθαι μόνως διάξαι ἐν τῷ κελλίῳ, νικώμενος παρ' ἐλπίδας τῷ ἀμετρήτῳ φόβῳ τοῦ δαιμονίου, μετὰ τοσοῦτον τῆς ἀποταγῆς χρόνον, καὶ τῆς καταμόνας ἐπ' ἐρημίας διατριβῆς, προσλαβοῦ νῦν τινα θεοφιλῆ, καὶ εὐλαβῆ ἄνθρωπον, καὶ συνοικείτω σοι, καὶ συνεχέστω, συψαλλέτω τε, καὶ συναγρυπνείτω μέχρι τῆς τε θείας ἀντιλήψεως, καὶ τῆς ἀπελάσεως τοῦ πονηροῦ δαίμονος.