Letter 404

To Arsinous the Monk. Whenever you are able to root out all the destructive and frenzied passions, then give yourself over to the contemplation of lofty thoughts. But if, before you have vanquished the warring demons, you should dare to force your way through and ascend the mountain contrary to what seems good to the divine will, you will not obtain the help and the alliance of God, and the enemies will wound you just as the bees do [an allusion to Deuteronomy 1:44, where the Amorites pursued Israel "as bees do"].

Ὅταν ποτὲ δυνηθῇς ἐκριζῶσαι πάντα τὰ ἀλέθρια, καὶ μανιώδη πάθη, τηνικαῦτα σαυτὸν ἐπίδου τῇ θεωρίᾳ τῶν ὑψηλῶν νοημάτων. Εἰ δὲ πρὸ τοῦ καταγωνίσασθαι τοὺς πολεμίους δαίμονας, τολμήσειας διαδιασάμενος ἀναβῆναι εἰς τὸ ὄρος παρὰ τὸ δοκοῦν τῷ θείῳ βουλήματι, οὐ τεύξῃ βοηθείας, καὶ συμβαχίας Θεοῦ, καὶ τρώσουσίν σε οἱ ἐχθροὶ καθάπερ αἱ μέλισσαι.