Abstract
The Foundations of the Monastic Life: A Presentation of the Practice of Stillness, To Eulogios: On the Confession of Thoughts and Counsel in their Regard, On the Vices Opposed to the Virtues, On the Eight Thoughts, The Monk: A Treatise on the Practical Life [i.e. Praktikos], To Monks in Monasteries and Communities [i.e. Ad Monachos], Exhortation to a Virgin, On Thoughts, Chapters on Prayer, Reflections, Exhortations, Thirty-Three Ordered Chapters, and Maxims. The doctrinal summary is excellent, covering each stage of the monastic life: the foundations, asceticism and the discernment of thoughts, the types and gradations of contemplation, and Evagrian protology and eschatology. Others contend that Evagrius represents traditional desert monasticism at its very best, not a corrupting foreign influence on this tradition. Because the focus of this volume is on ascetic writings, we encounter an Evagrius generally in line with traditional desert monasticism.