Cap. XXVIII
DE HIS QUI SAEPIUS CORREPTI EMENDARE NOLUERINT

[Ms P, fol. 94r – Paulus Diaconus –
Ps.-Basil: Ms K¹, fol. 62v; Ms E¹, fol. 113r; Ms E², fol. 178r]

Ch. 28
CONCERNING THOSE WHO HAVE REFUSED TO AMEND AFTER REPEATED CORRECTIONS

Translated by: James LePree

Saepe enim de tertio gradu dici potest.

It can often be said about the third step.

Sequitur: ₁Si quis frater frequenter correptus pro qualibet culpa, si etiam excommunicatus non emendaverit, acrior ei accedat correptio, i. e. ut verberum vindicta in eum procedat. ₂Quod si nec ita correxerit aut forte, quod absit, in superbia elatus etiam defendere voluerit opera sua, tunc abbas faciat, sicut sapiens medicus.

It follows: ₁If any brother is frequently corrected for some fault, and has not amended his actions even after excommunication, a harsher correction should be applied to him. For example, the abbot should follow up with the punishment of the rod against him. ₂But if this has still not corrected him or by chance (God forbid), puffed up with pride, he has wished to justify his actions, the abbot should act like a wise physician.

Rectum ordinem tenuit S. Benedictus in eo quod superius dixit de excommunicatione levis vel majoris culpae, et dixit sollicitudinem, quam debet abbas circa delinquentes fratres habere [cf. Regula Benedicti, c. 27.5], et nunc dixit de expulsione, quia ille, qui tam diligenter excommunicatus est et non emendaverit, et tantam sollicitudinem habuerit factam, sicuti hic dicit, dignus est expulsione [cf. Regula Benedicti, c. 28.6]. In hoc enim, quod dicit frequenter, intelligitur secreta admonitio et publica correptio.

St. Benedict maintained the correct order in that which he previously said about excommunication for a lesser or greater sin and he spoke about the care which abbot should exhibit towards delinquent brothers [cf. Regula Benedicti, c. 27.5] and then he spoke about expulsion because he who has been so diligently excommunicated and has not amended and has had such care shown to him, just as Benedict says here, he is worthy of expulsion. [cf. Regula Benedicti, c. 28.6] For here when he use the word frequently, he is referring to private admonition and public correction.

Sed hoc intuendum est, quia non debet abbas [page 361] statim post unum gradum ire ad alterum. Nam septem gradus sunt, quibus delinquens frater emendatur in spiritalibus culpis: primus gradus est, si secreta culpa fuerit, secreta admonitio semel et bis secrete facta [cf. Regula Benedicti, c. 23.2]; secundus est publica objurgatio [c. 23.3]; tertius est simplex excommunicatio [c. 23.4]; quartus est nimiis jejuniis (afflictio) [c. 24.3]; quintus vero est flagellum, si talis est persona, quae possit aut debeat flagellari [c. 23.4], si vero talis non est persona, castigetur iterum per nimium jejunium aut per aliquod aliud ingenium; sextus enim gradus est oratio ab omnibus pro ipso fratre incorrigibili facta [c. 28.4]; septimus vero gradus est expulsio de monasterio. [c. 28.6-8]

But after one step, the abbot should [page 361] seriously consider advancing the wayward monk immediately to another. For there are seven steps by which a delinquent brother is amended for his spiritual faults. The first step is if a private fault has been committed, a private warning is made once and then a second time. [cf. Regula Benedicti, c. 23.2] In the second step, a public rebuke is given. [c. 23.3] The third step is simple excommunication [c. 23.4]; the fourth is affliction by excessive fasting. The fifth step is whipping, if there is such a person who can or ought to be whipped [c. 23.4]; if there is not, he should be corrected again through excessive fasting or by some other means. The sixth step is prayer offered up by the whole community for the incorrigible brother himself. [c. 28.4] The seventh step is truly expulsion from the monastery. [c. 28.6-8]

Verumtamen sciendum est, quia non debet, cum admonitus fuerit frater semel et secundo, statim duci ad publicam objurgationem, si non emendaverit; et cum fuerit semel objurgatus, non statim debet duci ad excommunicationem, similiter si non emendaverit; et cum fuerit semel excommunicatus, non debet duci ad nimium jejunium, similiter si non emendaverit; et si in ipso jejunio semel frater fuerit detentus, non statim debet transire ad orationem, quae pro illo ab omnibus fuerit facta, similiter si non emendaverit; et post orationem semel factam, si non emendaverit, non statim de monasterio debet expelli, quia, si ita indiscrete et incaute factum fuerit, cito paene omnes de monasterio possunt expelli, eo quod, sicut dicit Apostolus: in multis offendimus omnes [Iac 3:2].

However, it must be understood that when a brother has been admonished first and then a second time, he should not immediately be advanced to a public rebuking. If he has not amended, and likewise when he has been publically rebuked once, he should not immediately be moved to excessive fasting, if he has not amended, and if the brother has been assigned to excessive fasting once, he should not cross over to prayer immediately which has been performed for him by the whole community if he has not amended. In a similar fashion, after prayer has been performed for him once if he has not amended, he should not be expelled immediately from the monastery. Because if what has been said thus far has been done without distinction and inconsiderately, almost everyone can be expelled immediately from the monastery. As the Apostle says: We all make mistakes in many ways [Iac 3:2].¹

Regula enim non dicit, cito duci per singulos gradus, nec dicit, in unoquoque gradu diu demorari atque detineri, sed dicit: faciat, sicut sapiens medicus et discretus doctor [cf. Regula Benedicti, c. 27.2].

For the rule does not say the abbot should lead a brother through each step quickly nor does it say that the abbot should hold and detain a brother in any one step for a long time. But it does say the abbot should act like a wise physician and a discriminating doctor [cf. Regula Benedicti, c. 27.2].

Medicus enim sapiens cum uno medicamine vel una potione tamdiu laborat circa infirmum, quamdiu cognoverit ipsum medicamen vel ipsam potionem infirmo non posse proficere. Et cum cognoverit, non posse illi proficere, tunc adhibet ei aliud medicamen et aliam potionem. Et iterum similiter laborat, cum ista secunda potione vel medicamine, sicut de primo, et ita facit, usquedum ad sanitatem infirmus perveniat.

For a wise physician works with one medicine and one potion a long time until he has learned or comes to the realization that the medicine and potion he is presently using cannot cure his ill patient. And when he has come to realize he cannot cure his patient, again he works in a similar way with that a second medicine and potion just as he did with the first and continues to work in this manner until the ill patient recovers his health.

Discretus autem doctor attendit quantitatem peccati, h. e. si magnum aut parvum peccatum est; attendit etiam qualitatem peccantis, [page 362] h. e. si voluntate aut fragilitate peccavit, ac per hoc quantum magnum et periculosum intellexit esse peccatum, tantum minus detinet peccantem in unoquoque gradu et transit per alterum gradum; et quantum intellexerit parvum esse peccatum et minus periculosum, tantum plus laborat cum illo in unoquoque gradu. Et qualiter agendum sit, melius viva voce, quam scriptis edocere¹ quis potest.

Moreover, the discriminating doctor (the abbot) should not only consider the quantity of the sin, i.e., whether it is a great or small sin but also the quality of the sinner; i.e., whether the brother sinned freely or through spiritual weakness. And by this means, to the extent the abbot has understood the sin to be great and dangerous, how much less he detains the sinner in each step, before he allows the brother to cross over to another step, and how much he has understood the sin to be small and less dangerous, how much more the abbot should work with that brother in each step. And without exception, the abbot must do this who can teach better with his voice than with his writings.

Et hoc sciendum est, quia in isto capitulo hi septem gradus possunt inveniri. Nam primus gradus potest esse, i. e. secreta admonitio, cum dicit: ₃si exhibuit fomenta sive unguenta adhortationum; secundus gradus, i. e. publica objurgatio potest esse, cum dicit: ₃si medicamina divinarum scripturarum; tertius autem gradus potest esse, i. e. excommunicatio, sive quartus vel quintus, cum dicit: ₃ad ultimum ultionem² excommunicationis vel plagarum virgarum. In ista enim excommunicatione possunt intelligi duo: i. e. excommunicatio, quae dicitur simplex, et excommunicatio, quae dicitur nimiis jejuniis [cf. Regula Benedicti, c. 30.3]. Quod vero dicitur plagarum virgarum, intelligitur unus. Ecce jam sunt quinque gradus.

And this must be understood, that in this chapter, these seven steps can be found . For the first step, i.e., private admonition, can be found when Benedict says that ₃the abbot applies the poultices and oils of encouragement. St. Benedict refers to the second step, i.e., a public rebuke when he speaks about the ₃remedy of divine scriptures. The third step, as well as the fourth and fifth can be excommunication when Benedict refers to the ₃cauterization of Excommunication and whipping. Referring to excommunication, two types can be discerned. In other words, excommunication which is called absolute and excommunication which is accompanied by excessive fasting [cf. Regula Benedicti, c. 30.3]. What in truth he calls whipping is understood to be one step. So now we have discussed five steps.

Sextus est, cum dicit: ₄et jam si viderit nihil suam praevalere industriam, adhibeat etiam, quod majus est, suam et omnium fratrum pro eo orationem.

The sixth step is when Benedict says: ₄And now if the abbot has seen that all his efforts have not been effective, he should apply an even greater remedy, that he and all his brothers should pray for him (the spiritually wayward brother).

Septimus gradus est expulsio, cum dicit: ₆tunc jam utatur abbas ferro abscissionis, ut ait Apostolus: Auferte malum ex vobis [1 Cor 5:13] et reliq.

The seventh step is expulsion when Benedict says: ₆Then the abbot should use the knife of amputation,’ as the Apostle says: Remove the evil from your community [1 Cor 5:13]. and the rest.

Ille enim, quia memoriam medici superius fecit, cum dicit faciat, quod sapiens medicus, ideo etiam ipsa verba medicinae interposuit, cum ait: fomenta, unguenta, et ferro abscissionis, quia sic facit medicus. Prius [enim] adhibet fomentum, deinde unguentum, postea vero, si viderit, ipsum vulnus nec per fomentum nec per diversa unguenta sanari, tunc utitur ferro incisionis. Fomentum enim est, quod infusionem nos nominamus. Facimus enim illud cum aqua calida et oleo aut alia aliqua re ad ossum, cum de suo loco excutitur; deinde etiam, ut auferatur dolor, adhibemus [page 363] diversa unguenta. Abbas autem quasi fomentum et unguentum adhibet, cum peccatori dicit: Fuistis aliquando tenebrae, nunc autem lux in Domino [Eph 5:8], et cum adhibet illi exemplum David, qui per poenitentiam meruit salvari, et cetera alia verba, quae lenia et dulcia esse videntur, de regno Dei, quatenus revertatur peccator ad locum suum, unde sicut os lapsus est.

For Benedict because he made mention of a doctor previously when he said what a wise physician should do, therefore also uses the words of medicine when he says: Poultices, ointments and amputation, which is exactly what a doctor does. For first, the doctor applies a poultice, then ointment. Afterwards, if he has seen that the wound cannot be cured by poultices nor by diverse ointments, the he resorts to amputation. For a poultice is what we call a pouring in. For we apply that with warm water and oil or some other substance to the bone when it is removed from its place then also so that the patient does not suffer undue pain, we apply [page 363] diverse ointments. It is if the abbot is applying a poultice and ointment when he says to the sinner: You were at length darkness, how however you are light in the Lord [Eph 5:8] and when he uses the example of that David who deserved to be saved through his penance, and all the other words which seems to be gentle and sweet about the kingdom of God, thus the sinner returns to his place from when he fell, just like a (broken bone).

Medicamina divinarum scripturarum bene dicit. Quid enim est aliud scriptura divina, nisi medicamenta infirmarum animarum, quae hortantur peccatores, ne desperent, ne desperando pereant, sed sumant vires in poenitendo, plangendo, orando, vigilando, et semper illorum, exempla attendant, qui post lapsum per poenitentiam meruerunt etiam melius Domino placere, quam ante lapsum placebant.

Benedict’s phrase the remedy of the divine scriptures is very appropriate for what else is divine scripture except the remedy for sick souls which encourage sinners lest they despair, lest by despairing they should perish, but their spirits are lifted by repenting, lamenting, praying, being vigilant and always follow the examples of those who after falling into sin have still deserved through penance to please God better than they pleased him before the fall.

Iste locus, in quo dicit Auferte malum ex vobis [1 Cor 5:13], necessaria discretio est. Nam non est rectum, ut ita expellatur ille, qui in monasterio fuit nutritus ab infantia in bona vita, et eat ad pejorem, i. e. ad saecularem vitam, sicuti expellitur ille, qui de saeculo veniens et in bona vita ante non vixit.

That place where Benedict says to expel evil from the community [1 Cor 5:13], we must make a necessary distinction. For it not right that a monk should be expelled who, raised from infancy, enjoying good life in the monastery should go to a worse life; i.e. a worldly existence, the same as he is expelled, who coming from the world, did not live the good life before.

Ac per hoc ita debet fieri ista expulsio: i. e. si saecularis fuerit, qui expellendus est, expellatur ad saeculum, unde venit; si autem ille, qui expellendus est, fuit ab infantia in monasterio, sicut diximus, nutritus, non debet expelli, sed magis in carcerem mitti, quoadusque malum suum emendet et bonum etiam facere velit.

Expulsion, therefore, should be done in the following manner. In other words, if he was a worldly person who is about to be expelled, let him be expelled to the world where he came from. If, however, he who is about to be expelled was in the monastery since infancy, as we said, nourished, he should not be expelled but rather sent to the Monastery’s prison until he should amend his sinful ways and still desire to do good.

Istud enim quod dicit Auferte malum ex vobis, de Paulo apostolo sumpsit. Paulus apostolus enim dixit hoc Corinthiis de illo, qui cum uxore patris sui moechatus est, quem in carcerem, sicut multi intelligunt, jussit mitti.

For Benedict’s phrase Drive the evil from your community comes from the Apostle Paul. Paul says this to the Corinthians about the one who fornicated with his father’s wife who ordered him to be sent to prison as many understand it. Our masters understand the distinction.

Nostri autem magistri intelligunt ita discrete, sicut superius diximus. Hoc autem quod dicit ₇Infidelis, si discedit, discedat [1 Cor 7:15], Paulus apostolus dicit Corinthiis de matrimonio, quod constat ex fideli et infideli persona, ut quamvis una persona sit fidelis et altera infidelis, ob hoc non dividatur - ita tamen, si consenserint, in simul habitare; si vero non sibi invicem consenserint, et infidelis vult discedere, non detineatur. Ait enim: Infidelis, si discedit, discedat; non est enim servituti subjectus frater aut soror in ejusmodi. In pace autem voca [page 364] vit nos Deus [1 Cor 7:15].

As we mentioned previously, when Paul is speaking about the ₇unfaithful, if he/she departs, let him/her depart, Paul is speaking to the Corinthians about marriage which consists of a faithful and unfaithful person, that although one person is faithful and the other unfaithful, the marriage should not be dissolved for this reason, if they have consented to live together in this fashion. If they have not consented to this arrangement and the unfaithful wishes to depart, he/she should not be detained. For Paul said: But if the unbeliever wishes to depart, let him/her depart for in a situation of this sort, a brother or sister should not be held in bondage [page 364] since God has called us into peace [1 Cor 7:15].

Sed in hoc loco videtur istud exemplum contrarium. Quid enim attinet hoc exemplum monacho, si discere vult, ut discedat, cum Paulus apostolus de matrimonio dicat, quod constat ex fideli et infideli persona? Non est contrarium, quia sicut ille conjunctus est mulieri vel viro, ita et iste monachus quasi mulieri et viro conjunctus est, cum corpori monasterii se sociavit; deinde, sicut ille discedit, quia infidelis est, ita et iste monachus infidelis est, cum professionis suae transgressor existit.

But in this place that example seems to be a contradiction. For what does this have to do with a monk who should leave the monastery if he wishes to. When Paul is speaking about marriage which consists of a faithful and unfaithful person? Because just as a man is joined to a woman, so the monk, like the man and woman, is joined to the body of the monastery. Then, just as the unfaithful partner in marriage departs because he/she is unfaithful, so that monk is unfaithful when he becomes the transgressor of his profession.

Et reddit causam, quare, cum dicit: ₈ne una ovis morbida totum gregem contagiet, i. e. contaminet. Istud exemplum notum est, quia talis est infirmitas in una ove, quae totum gregem coinquinat et ad perniciem ducit - ac si diceret aliis verbis: 'Ideo dico discedere a corpore monasterii illum, qui ita infirmus est, ut istis modis sanari non valeat, ne ejus miseria alii pereant capiendo ab eo malum exemplum, sicut grex solet perire ex contagione morbidae ovis'.

But Benedict explains this when he says: ₈One diseased sheep should not touch the whole flock, i.e., contaminate it. That example is well known that such is the illness in one sheep that it affects the whole flock and leads them to destruction and if he were to speak with other words: 'Therefore I say that he should depart from the body of the monastery who is so ill that he is not strong enough to be cured by these methods. Lest by his sadness, others perish by following his bad example, just as an entire flock will perish by the infection of one diseased sheep.'

De hac ove morbida, quae totum gregem suo tactu contaminat, ut ante occidatur, etiam Virgilius dicit in tertio libro (v. 464-473) Georgicon: Quam procul [omitted in the Mittermüller edition, inserted from Loeb molli succedere saepius umbrae / videris, aut summas carpentem ignavius herbas / extremamque sequi, aut medio procumbere campo / pascentem, et serae solam decedere nocti, continuo culpam ferro compesce, prius quam / dira per incautum serpant contagio volgus. / non tam creber agens hiemem ruit aequore turbo, quam mutlae pecundum pestes. Nec singula morbid / corpora corripiunt, sed tota aestiva repente, / spemque gregemque simul conctamque] ab origine gentem [Vergil, Georgica III.464-473].

Concerning this diseased sheep, which infects the whole flock with its touch, as Virgil says in the third book of the Georgics: Should you see a sheep oft withdraw afar into soft shade, or listlessly nobble the top of the grass, lagging in the rear, or sink while grazing in the midst of the field and retire, late and lonely, before night’s advance, straightway with the knife check the offence, ere the dread taint spreads through the unwary throng: Not so thick with driving gales sweeps a whirlwind from the sea, as scourges swarm among cattle. Not single victims do disease seize, but a whole summer’s fold in one stroke, the flock and the hope of the flock, and the whole race, root and branch [Vergil, Georgica III.464-473, transl. H. Rushton Fairclough, Loeb Classical Library, vol. 63, Cambridge/London 1978, pp. 187-189].

Verumtamen sciendum est, quia istud, quod dicit Infidelis, si discedit, discedat, duobus modis intelligitur, sive ad illum, qui vult exire et ductus est per sex gradus, sive etiam ad illum, qui per sex gradus ductus non emendaverit et [tamen] quamvis nolens voluntarie exire, projicitur, eo quod iste talis, quamvis corpore non discessit, tamen mente discessit; unde sicut discessit mente, discedat etiam et corpore.

However, it must be understood that when Benedict says: The unfaithful, if he leaves, let him leave can be understood in two ways: It refers either to the monk who wishes to leave and has been led through the six steps and also to him who, led through the six steps, has not emended and although not willing to go freely, is expelled. Such a monk, although he has not departed in body, yet he has departed in spirit, but just as he has departed in spirit, let him also depart in body.