pettiness,
confusion,
lying,
verbosity,
empty words,
mindless joy,
daydreaming,
mindless friendship,
bad habits,
nonsensicality,
silly talk,
garrulity,
niggardliness,
depravity,
intolerance,
affluence,
rancour,
misuse,
ill-temper,
clinging to life,
ostentation,
affectation,
pusillanimity,
satanic love,
curiosity,
contumely,
lack of the fear of God,
unteachability,
senselessness,
haughtiness,
self-inflation,
scorn for one's neighbor,
mercilessness,
insensitivity,
hopelessness,
spiritual paralysis,
hatred of God,
despair,
suicide,
a falling away from God
in all things,
utter destruction --
altogether 298 passions.
them down in a single list, as I did at the beginning of my discourse with the various
books I have used. I have not tried, nor would I have been able, to arrange them all in
order; this would have been beyond my powers, for the reason given by St. John
Klimakos: 'If you seek understanding in wicked men, you will not find it.' For all that the
demons produce is disorderly. In common with the godless and the unjust, the demons
have but one purpose: to destroy the souls of those who accept their evil counsel. Yet
sometimes they actually help men to attain holiness. In such instances they are conquered
by the patience and faith of those who put their trust in the Lord, and who through their
good actions and resistance to evil thoughts counteract the demons and bring down curses
upon them.
The Philokalia; The Complete Text compiled by St. Nikodimos of the Holy Mountain and St. Makarios of
Corinth, Volume Three
Translated from the Greek and edited by G.E.H. Palmer, Philip Sherard, Kallistos Ware faber and faber,
1984