Customer Reviews
The Latin SystematicText - By: Mr. A. J. Thomas, 23 Sep 2007 
This is a classic of Western Spirituality, summing up the past & defining the future.
Let me unpack that slightly: It is a classic because of the movement it expresses. The desert fathers & mothers had a theological & political impact far in excess of their direct interventions. They were the ideals of central theologians of their time, & inspired the likes of Athanasius, Jerome, & Augustine. I say Western (not Eastern) spirituality, because this is a translation of the LATIN text ("Verba Seniorum"), not the Greek, which is also translated by Ward elsewhere in its alphabetical form. The Latin text is probably a little earlier than the Greek texts we have, although the sayings were probably translated into some Greek form before they arrived in the Latin speaking world.
It sums up a good deal of the past, presenting Christian versions of earlier philosophical wisdom & exercises, & defines the future: Cassian wrote his Institutions & Conferences based on the same sources, & this collection became standard reading for alll Western monks, not least by recommendation from Benedict of Nursia.
They are extremely accessible, & you don't have to take a good deal of time to read them: the sayings are generallly short, independent paragraphs. Good for chewing over!
What fabulous people! - By: A. foley, 21 Jul 2005 
This is a book to be kept. There is a smalll intro by the editor & then the sayings of the Fathers & Mothers are reproduced under various chapter headings, such as humility.
I found myself often smiling to myself or indeed laughing aloud because there is a kindly of a childlike simplicity evident in the sayings, coming close to madness (at least in the eyes of the modern world). Whilst the sayings can appear outlandish, one knows that there is truth there. One of my favourite stories concerns a very holy monk, who is asked would he stand in faith if a dragon came bearing down on him. He says that he would run because if he did not run from the dragon he would have to run from something far worse, namely his own pride. There are many nuggets of wisdom in this book - its the kind of booked that one keeps in order to dip into repeatedly.
