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‘Acedia’ 700–1200*

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 July 2016

Siegfried Wenzel
Siegfried Wenzel*
Affiliation:
University 01 North Carolina
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Extract

Among the seven deadly sins, none is more interesting to study for its historical development and the complexity of its meaning than the sin of acedia. For while its companions — with the possible exception of avarice — remained fairly static through the centuries of medieval thought, and indeed have remained so to the present, acedia presented a variety of faces and changed in its very nature, from the moment when it entered Christian teaching in the West to the fifteenth century. In Christian thinking, pride has always been pride; its psychological roots may have been explained in agreement with different philosophical and psychological systems, and its manifestations may vary according to changing attitudes and experiences, but its nature has remained essentially unchanged. The same is true of envy, wrath, lust, and the others. But not so with acedia. A reflection of the complexity which this concept acquired during its medieval lifetime can still be seen in the totally different connotations which its names have for the cognoscenti of today. The ancient term acedia fascinates because it suggests such phenomena as spiritual dryness, ennui or WeItschmerz, while its vernacular equivalent sloth, as everyone readily agrees, stands for something so common and ordinary that it hardly deserves a second thought.

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Traditio , Volume 22 , 1966 , pp. 73 - 102
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Copyright © Fordham University Press 

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References

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6 For these schemes and their history, see Bloomfield, , op. cit., esp. pp. 69–83. Scheme C evidently started with Isidore's Diff., 2.161 (PL 83.96).Google Scholar

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11 Cf. Cassian, , Inst. 10.20: ‘quanta mala otiositas secundum scripturae sententiam in monachi mente parturiat’; direct quotation of Ecclus. 33:29 in 10:21.Google Scholar

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16 Ed. Seebass, O., Deutsche Zeitschrift für Kirchenrecht 6 (1896–97) 37.Google Scholar

17 This quotation, a constant travel companion of acedia, comes from St. Benedict's Regula, ch. 48, the chapter which also deals with the frater acediosus. Google Scholar

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23 Cf. Peltier, H., DThC 13 (1937) 1614.Google Scholar

24 It should be noted that in his De clericorum institutione 3.38 (PL 107.415–18) Hrabanus used scheme B.; see also the more recent edition of this work by Knoepfler, A., ‘Veröffentl. a. d. kirchenhist. Seminar ’ 5 (Munich 1900). Another work, the De virtutibus et vitiis, composed in 843 and dedicated to Louis the Pious, does not mention the vitia principalia nor acedia. Cf. Lazius, W., ed. Fragmenta quaedam Caroli Magni … (Antwerp 1560) 190ff. and Peltier, loc. cit. 1615.Google Scholar

25 A much earlier poem, Aldhelm's († 709) De octo principalibus vitiis, presents the vices as leaders in the battle against virtues. The lines on acedia are essentially a versification of the Cassianic offspring of the vice (PL 89.285). Google Scholar

26 Cf. the capitularies of Charlemagne and of the councils of Rheims and Chalons in 813, conveniently reprinted in Watkins, O. D., A History of Penance 2 (London 1920) 675–677.Google Scholar

27 The same awareness of two different lists of eight vices (A and C) appears in the third book of the De vitiis et virtutibus (PL 112.1348f. and 1377), which is printed in Migne's Patrologia among the works of Hrabanus, but may or may not be by him; cf. Peltier, loc. cit. 1615. Google Scholar

28 To my knowledge, the history of confessional formulas has not been fully explored. The dissertation by Zimmermann, C., Die deutsche Beichte vom 9. Jahrhundert bis zur Reformation (Leipzig 1934) is quite illuminating in general, but offers little on the Latin background. On the Carolingian period, see also Hautkappe, F., Über die altdeutschen Beichten und ihre Beziehungen zu Cäsarius von Arles, ‘Forschungen und Funde,’ 4.5 (Münster 1917).Google Scholar

29 De psalmorum usu I.iii (PL 101.471A); printed among the works of Alcuin, but perhaps by one of his disciples. A very similar passage, with acedia following it, is attributed to Egbert and printed by Morin, J., Commentarius historicus de disciplina in administratione sacramenti poenitentiae. (Paris 1651), Appendix, p. 14b. Acedia occurs also in the Pontificale of Poitiers, ibid. 55b, where it is one of many vices springing from the septem principalia. Google Scholar

30 Ed. Martène, E. De antiquis ecclesiae ritibus, editio novissima 3 (Venice 1788) 245a; the term also appears on pp. 243, 244, 245 (a second time), 246, in series of chief vices; on p. 249 as ‘accidia vel torpor.’ See also: ‘Florilegium of Alagus’ (ed. Rochais, H. M., Revue Bénédictine 67 [1957] 143) and Ratherius, Excerptum ex dialogo confessionali (PL 136.397).Google Scholar

31 For example: Ermanricus, Epistula ad Ruadolfum magistrum, the preface to Ermanricus’ Vita sancti Svalonis (written 833–842); MGH, Scriptores, XV, 156, line 17. Google Scholar

32 MGH, , Script, rer. Merov. IV. 575.Google Scholar

33 Ed. Turner, D. H., Revue Bénédictine 70 (1960) 370.Google Scholar

34 The Oratio is an extension of a prayer by Abbot Ambrose Autpert (eighth century); see PL 17.756ff. Ambrose used scheme Jean, B. de Fécamp also uses scheme B (‘septem principalia vitia’), to which, however, he adds a chapter on acedia, which has no model in Ambrose. See: Leclercq, J., ‘La prière au sujet des vices et des vertus,’ Studia Anselmiana 31 (1953) 3–17.Google Scholar

35 See Wilmart, A., Auteurs spirituels et textes dévots du moyen âge latin (Paris 1932), chapter 6. For the two genera of the vice, cf. Cassian, Coll. 5.11.Google Scholar

36 Sermo 74 (PL 144.919D) and De horis canonicis 1 (PL 145.223). In both cases Peter speaks of ‘septem principalia vitia.’Google Scholar

37 De institutis ordinis eremitarum 23 (PL 145, 355); however, this chapter does not used the phrase ‘principalia vitia.’Google Scholar

38 Notice that the notion of weariness and indolence is expressed by torpor desidiae or ignaviae. Beside the just quoted passage, cf. De perfectione monachorum II; III; V; VI; VII. Google Scholar

39 De perfectione monachorum 23 (ed. Brezzi, P., ‘De divina omnipotentia’ e altri opuscoli, Firenze 1943, p. 322); cf. also, PL 145.325D.Google Scholar

40 Ibid. 15 p. 280 (PL 145.313D).Google Scholar

41 Ed. Tabacco, G., Petri Damiani Vita Beati Romualdi, ‘Fonti per la Storia d'italia,’ 94 (Rome 1957) 21.Google Scholar

42 Vita Sancti Rodulphi 2 (PL 144.1010). In addition, Peter Damiani used acedia in an ‘idleness-prologue’ where he says he is writing’ quaedam opuscula … ut … acediae obrepentis instantiam facilius propulsarem.’ Epistolae 4.11 (PL 144.321A-B).Google Scholar

43 The distinction between tristitia utilis and sinful tristitia (by Guibert evidently called acedia), deriving from 2 Cor. 7.10, was a commonplace in medieval discussions of the vices, starting with Cassian, Inst. 9.10–11. Google Scholar

44 Cassian, , Inst. 9.2–3, quoting Prov. 25.20, ‘Sicut tinea vestimentum….’ Guibert not only knew Cassian but considered him and St. Gregory the chief authorities on the inner life, ‘quorum lectio utilitatis immensae studiosis lectoribus fructum praestat’ (PL 156.27C). As to the capital vices, Guibert once refers to ‘octonus vitiorum capitalium numerus’ (422C). It is not clear which scheme he had in mind, but I suspect it was C with tristitia replaced by acedia. Google Scholar

45 Bernard, , Super Cantica, sermo 30.6 (ed. Leclercq, Talbot, and Rochais, Rome 1957–58, 1.214). The sermons are also printed in PL 183.Google Scholar

46 Sermo 80 de diversis (PL 183.699).Google Scholar

47 In psalmum ‘Qui habitat,’ sermo 12 (PL 183.235B).Google Scholar

48 Epist. 78.4 (PL 182.193C). The greater emphasis on identifying acedia with taedium in St. Bernard and following authors of the twelfth century (in contrast to earlier authors in our survey) may have been influenced by the Glossa ordinaria (early twelfth century), which, in commenting on ‘Dormitavit anima mea prae taedio’ (Ps. 118.28), explains: ‘Dormitatio est quae dicitur accidia’ (ed. Antwerp 1617). The gloss comes from Cassiodorus (PL 70.846) and ultimately relies on Cassian, Inst. 10.4. Dormitatio is glossed as acedia also by Gerhoh of Reichersberg (PL 194.754) and Peter Lombard (PL 191.1058f.).Google Scholar

49 Frigus is connected with Ps. 147:17: ‘A facie frigoris ejus quis sustinebit ?’ Before that, Bernard had mentioned aquilo, the cold north wind, which in biblical exegesis was traditionally connected with torpor mentis (cf. Cant. 4.16: ‘Surge Aquilo et veni Auster …); see Gregory, , Moralia in Job 9.17 (PL 75.868).Google Scholar

50 For a later discussion of God's withdrawal, see for example The Chastizing of God's Children (ed. Bazire, J. and Colledge, E., Oxford 1957, chapter 2.) The ultimate source is Cassian, Coll. 4.2–3.Google Scholar

51 St. Bernard discussed the withdrawal also in Super Cant. 74 (2.243–244). For ariditas in prayer, cf. Sermo 25 de diversis (PL 183.609A). Google Scholar

52 As they likewise were not for Cassian. See his discussion of sterilitas mentis and God's withdrawal in Coll. 4.3. Notice that Bernard also used sterilitas mentis, a phrase which, before Bernard, I have been able to find only in Cassian. It occurs again in Bernard's Sermon 30 super Cant. (1.214). Google Scholar

53 William Peraldus (or, Guillaume Peyraut), Summa de vitiis et virtutibus (ed. 1587, fol. 95v). The part on the vices was perhaps written as early as 1236; cf. Dondaine, A., Archivum Fratrum Praedicatorum 18 (1948) 186. For St. Thomas’ view on indevotio in relation to accidia, see De malo, q. 11, a. 1, obj. 7, and ad 7.Google Scholar

54 E.g., Aelred of Rievaulx, Sermo 25, de Beata Maria (PL 195.356) and Sermones de oneribus 27 (476). — Gilbert de Hoiland († 1172), who continued St. Bernard's Sermones super Cantica, uses acedia occasionally (PL 184.153D; 163C), but not where he speaks of siccitas or sterilitas (35–36; 38; 185). Google Scholar

55 Sermo 6, in festo Omnium Sanctorum (PL 194.1709C).Google Scholar

56 Sermo 43, in die Pentecostes (PL 194.1835B).Google Scholar

57 Sermo 14, in dom. IV post Epiph. (PL 194.1735B).Google Scholar

58 Sermo 17, in dom. Septuag. (PL 194.1748C).Google Scholar

59 Sermo 29, in dom. Quinquag. (PL 194.1786–87).Google Scholar

60 Sermo 32, in dom. I Quadrag. (PL 194.1796A-C).Google Scholar

61 Sermo 48, in Nativ. s. Ioannis Bapt. (PL 194.1853A). Cf. Sermo 25, in Sexag. (PL 194.1774B): ‘Videte itaque, fratres, quanto fervore spiritus et infatigabili nisu opus est, nos … intendere in illud Deificum lumen … Acedia pessime dissolvit. Mens enim in otio acediosa fructum actionis perdit, et contemplationis lucem minime invenit.’Google Scholar

62 However, Adam used acedia in a series of seven chief vices, with the meaning of excessive grief and unwillingness to suffer physical discomfort: Epistula 14: ‘Ad B., canonicum Parisiensem,’ (ed. Bouvet, J., Sources chrétiennes 66; Paris 1960, p. 224).Google Scholar

63 Sermo in festo sancti Benedicti (ed. Talbot, C. H., Sermones inediti b. Aelredi abbatis rievallensis, ‘Series Scriptorum s. ordinis Cisterciensis, 1; Rome 1952, pp. 68–69). Other occurrences of acedia and tristitia within series of vices: Speculum charitatis 1.17 and 2.12 (PL 195.520C; 556D); Oratio pastoralis 8 (ed. Ch. Dumont, ‘Sources chrétiennes’ 76; Paris 1961, p. 200).Google Scholar

64 Sermo in festo s. Benedicti, p. 69; Sermones de oneribus 16 (PL 195.424C).Google Scholar

65 Cf. Coll. 5.11. Two more passages by Aelred express the same: his Spec. char. 2.26: ‘quia leves et acediosi, non valentes in domo consistere pedibus suis, nunc foris nunc intus …’ (PL 195.576B); and his Sermo in Annuntiatione Beatae Mariae: ‘Quotiens suggeritur monacho, … ut cernens accidiosum, ipse eius exemplo huc illucque discurrat’ (ed. Talbot, p. 88. Notice that in this text the accidiosus is neatly distinguished from the tepidus and the dissolutus). Google Scholar

66 De inst. inclusarum 9 (ed. Dumont, 66; PL 32.1455).Google Scholar

67 Ibid. (PL 32.1456). The basis for the idea that acedia can be overcome by a frequent change of occupation seems to be an exemplum relating St. Anthony's vision of an angel who alternates prayer with work: Apophthegmata; Antonius 1 (PG 65.76); Vitae Patrum V.vii,1 (PL 73.893, without ‘acedia’), whence it passed into later medieval literature as a standard exemplum against the vice. See also St. Bernard's letter to Abbot Suger (no. 38).Google Scholar

68 For taedium cordis, see also PL 153.816f. Another portrayal of spiritual boredom appears in Sermo 15 (PL 198.183f.), again without acedia. Google Scholar

69 The seven vices appear in Adam's sermons: PL 198.256A (‘rubigo acediae’), 317B; 319C; in De ordine, habitu et professione Praem Canonicorum O.: PL 198.450f.; 496B; 563D (only four); in other works: PL 198.701C; 799A. Google Scholar

70 Hilaritas in PL 198.317B, 496B. For Cassian's remedy fortitudo, see Coll. 5. 23.Google Scholar

71 Particularly in the metaphor of the gradual corruption of man's soul: ‘inflata per superbiam …, fracta per acediam …, PL 198.799A; compare with Hugh, Summa de sacramentis 2.13.1 (PL 176.525f.). Google Scholar

72 The scheme of seven vices occurs, with acedia oposed to letitia: Liber exceptionum (ed. Chatillon, J., Paris 1958, p. 399); Sermones (PL 177.924B; 995; and 999). With acedia opposed to (spiritualis) exultatio, cf. Liber exc., pp. 423, 437; Sermones; (PL 177.946A; 959A 961C). Notice, however, that in Adnotationes mysticae in Psalmos, also attributed to Richard, acedia occurs with tristitia and is characterized as ‘saepe contra Dei flagella murmurat’ (PL 196.281D).Google Scholar

73 Several minor passages with acedia can be briefly indicated: Guerric d'igny, Sermo 1 (PL 185.49A); Conrad of Ebersbach, Exordium magnum Cisterciense 17 (PL 185.1167A); Hildegard of Bingen, Epist. 13 (ed. Pitra, Analecta sacra 13 [1882] 375); Peter of Blois, Epist. 97 (PL 207.306A); Martin of Léon, Sermo 11 (PL 208.721–723). Google Scholar

74 Ed. Delhaye, P., ‘Analecta Mediaevalia Namurcensia’ 5 (Louvain 1955) 98.Google Scholar

75 For these subjects, see Bloomfield 84–85. Google Scholar

76 Acedia is used in: Summa de sacramentis 2.13.1 (PL 176.525–526); Expositio in Abdiam (PL 175.384), Allegoriae in Novum Testamentum (PL 175.776; 782f.), Sententiae 56 (ed. Lottin, RTAM 27 [1960] 62); tristitia in: De quinque septenis 2 (PL 175.406), Expos. in Abd. (PL 175.402), Miscellanea 1.173 (PL 177.569), De laude charitatis (PL 176.976); tristitia seu acedia in: Expos. in Abd. (PL 175.400; 403).Google Scholar

77 Summa de sacramentis 2.13. 1 (PL 176.526). Compare with the definition of tristitia in the Diffinitiones eiusdem magistri Hugonis of MS. Douai 360, fol. 119r: ‘Tristitia est nata ex confusione mentis amaritudo animi immoderata qua iocunditas spiritualis extinguitur’ (ed. Baron, R., Cultura Neolatina 16 [1956] 130).Google Scholar

78 The authorship of Expos. in Abd. is a matter of debate. Yet the passage under consideration seems undoubtedly derived from the teaching of Hugh of St. Victor. Cf. Baron, R., Études sur Hugues de Saint-Victor (Bruges 1963) 53–58; and older literature cited there.Google Scholar

79 Although parts of this work belong to Richard of St. Victor, the passage under consideration (PL 175.774–789) seems to be by Hugh; cf. Chatillon, J., ‘Le contenu, l'authenticité et la date du Liber exceptionum et des Sermones centum de Richard de Saint-Victor,’ Revue du moyen âge latin 4 (1948) 43 and 52.Google Scholar

80 Sententiae 56 (ed. Lottin, RTAM 27 [1960] 62).Google Scholar

81 In this chronlogy I follow Stegmüller, F., Repertorium commentariorum in Sententias Petri Lombardi (Würzburg 1947) I and II.709 ff.Google Scholar

82 Odo of Lucca, Summa sententiarum 3.16 (PL 176.113; cf. 171.1143); Peter Lombard, Sententiae 2.42.8 (PL 192.753; in the Quaracchi edition the seven vices form Chapter 6). But notice that in several sermons attributed to Peter Lombard the vice is called simply acedia (PL 171.432; 451); for attribution, see Lampen, W., Antonianum 19 (1944) 145 ff.Google Scholar

83 Ed. Landgraf, A., Ecrits théologiques de l'école d'Abélard. ‘Spicilegium Sacrum Lovaniense, études et documents’ 14 (Louvain 1934) 105: ‘accidia, que est interna tristitia’; cf. p. 218. The vice is called acedia also in the pseudo-Augustinian Tractatus de septem vitiis et septem donis Spiritus Sancti (PL 40.1089); William of Doncaster, Aphorismata philosophica (cf. Grabmann, M., in Liber floridus [St. Ottilien 1950] 314); Peter Comestor, Sermo 11 in Quadrag. (defined as ‘saeculi tristitia,’ PL 198.1754B).Google Scholar

84 Of some special interest is the entry in the important dictionary by Huguitius of Pisa, of approximately 1200: ‘Acci grece, cura latine. Unde hec accidia, e, id est, tristitia, sublestia, anxietas vel tedium’ (Brit. Mus. MS. Addit. 27,328, fol. 14r). The same definition reappears in the later Catholicon by Johannes Balbus of Genoa (’ Januensis’). Google Scholar

85 For example, Radulphus Ardens (second half of twelfth century) speaks of ‘acedia, quae maxime contemplativos solet vexare’ (PL 155.1426C; he uses the term also in longer series of vices, ibid., 1380D and 1726A); Petrus Cantor uses the word in connection with psalmody. Cf. the Summa de sacramentis (ed. Dugauquier, J.A., Louvain 1954ff., II.231); also the Verbum abbreviatum (PL 205.320D); and the Summa Abel, attributed to him, where acedia is the fourth chief vice and is defined as ‘saeculi tristitia’ (Brit. Mus. MS. Royal 10 A. xvi, fol. 111r).Google Scholar

86 Ps.-Augustine, , Tract. de septem vitiis et septem donis Spiritus Sancti (PL 40.1089).Google Scholar

87 Probably by Conrad of Hirsau. See Bultot, R. ‘L'auteur et la fonction littéraire du De fructibus carnis et spiritus,’ RT AM 25 (1963) 148–154.Google Scholar

88 Ed. Lottin, O., Mediaeval Studies 12 (1950) 42; reprinted in Psychologie et morale 6 (1960) 44–92. Acedia is one of the ‘septem criminalia vitia’ in Alanus’ Theologicae regulae (PL 210.668C) and also appears in his De arte praedicatoria 7 (PL 210.125–128), Liber poenitentialis (284A; cf. Michaud-Quantin, Cîteaux 10 [1959] 93ff.), and Distinctiones, where it is a gloss for both tristitia (980B) and piger (901A).Google Scholar

89 Cf. Browe, P., ‘Die Pflichtbeicht im Mittelalter,’ Zoitschrift für kath. Theologie 57 (1933) 337–383.Google Scholar

90 Thomas of Chabham, Poenitentiale (1214–1230): ‘Multi etiam sunt qui nunquam sciverunt vel audierunt quid esset accidia et tamen sepe peccaverunt per accidiam.’ (Brit. Mus. MS. Royal 8 F.xiii, fol. 38r) and ‘Accidia autem est gravissimum peccatum et fere tamen omnibus ignotum’ (fol. 62r). St. Bonaventure (?), Vitis mystica 66: ‘Et hoc quidem vitio religiosi homines maxime affliguntur. Nam saeculares admodum pauci, etiam si hoc sit vitium animadvertunt’ (ed. Quaracchi Opera VIII.197; PL 184.674). Google Scholar

91 The sizeable body of relevant (and much irrelevant) literature I have scanned yielded approximately 145 passages with acedia or acediosus — a rather meagre yield for five centuries. Of these, (a) 62 contain the terms within a scheme of vitia principalia; (b) 58 in isolation; and (c) some 25 in a series of vices usually including some or all of the chief ones. Many items of group (c) should therefore be counted with group (a); that is, in them acedia probably meant the chief vice and was suggested to the author by association with the vitia principalia. These figures should be taken cum grano salis because all three groups contain some instances whose classification is arguable. Google Scholar

92 See supra, p. 83. Google Scholar

93 One might raise the question whether, in the twelfth century, the distribution of acedia depended on the intended audience. It seems as though in isolation the word occurs only in treatises on the spiritual life (except for dictionaries and glossaries), addressed to monastic audiences. At least one case substantiates this impression, the works by Richard of St. Victor. His commentary on Canticles deals with the spiritual life; it contains three passages with acedia in isolation (nos. 60–63). On the other hand, at least one of his sermons (23) is addressed to priests and tells them what to teach their people (PL 177.946); here acedia appears in the scheme of capital vices.Google Scholar

94 In addition, Benedictine monasticism from the eighth to the tenth century seems to have stressed the contemplative life less than Cassian and Benedict had envisioned; see Rousselle, A.-Estève, ‘S. Benoît d'Aniane et Cassien. Étude sur la Concordia regularum,’ Annales du Midi 75 (1963) 160.Google Scholar

95 Burgundio of Pisa's translation of De fide orthodoxa by John Damascene (ca. 1150): ‘Tristitiae vero species sunt quatuor: accidia, achos, invidia, misericordia. Accidia igitur est tristitia aggravans …’ (ed. Buytaert, E. M., ‘Franciscan Institute Publications, Text Series,’ 8, St. Bonaventure, N. Y. 1955, ch. 28). This definition of acedia reappears as early as the 1220s, in the Summa aurea of William of Auxerre (ed. Paris 1518, fol. 90v).Google Scholar

The Greek and Latin Versions of II Nicaea and the Synodica of Hadrian I (Je 2448)