The Sayings of the Desert Fathers — page 3 — Apophthegmata Patrum

But "the God of his fathers was with him, and He delivered him " out of all his tribulations, and Joseph is now with his fathers "in the kingdom of heaven; and let us also make supplication " with all our might that we too may in the same manner be " able to flee from and escape from the righteous judgement of "God. "

221. They say that there was with Abba Isidore, the priest of Scete, a certain brother who was infirm in his mind, and he was a man who used abusive language and possessed very little intelligence, and Abbd Isidore wished to turn him out from his abode ; and when that brother came to the door of the monas- tery, the old man said once again, "Bring him to me," and he rebuked him, saying, "Brother, be silent, lest through thy little "intelligence and thine impatience thou provoke our Lord to "anger"; and thus by his longsuffering AbbH Isidore quieted that brother.

222. A lover of ascetic labours saw a man carrying a dead person on a bier, and he said unto him, " Dost thou carry a "dead man? Go and carry the living."

223. They say that there was a certain monk who, whenever ' he found a man reviling and cursing him, used to run towards him with all his power, saying, " These [words] are the causes "of spiritual excellence in those who are strenuous, for those "who ascribe blessing to a man disturb the soul, as it is "written, ' Those who ascribe blessing to you lead astray "'your soul/"

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224. Certain old men came unto an old man who dwelt in the desert that they might reveal unto him their thoughts, and might profit by his knowledge, and they found some young men outside his cell who were pasturing sheep, and they were saying unto one another words which were unseemly* And the old men said unto the old man, " Father, how is it that thou * 4 dost not command these young men not to curse?" And the old man said unto them, "My brethren, believe me, I have " many times wished to command them [not to do so], but I " have rebuked myself, saying, 4 If thou canst not endure this " 'little thing, how couldst thou bear some severe trial if it " ' were to come upon thee?' I have therefore never said any- " thing to them, so that the matter might be a cause of remem- " bering that I have to endure the things which are to come. "

225. A certain brother ministered unto one of the fathers who was sick, now his disease was decline of the body, and he used to bring up foetid pus ; and the mind of the brother said unto him, "Flee from him, for thou canst not endure this foe- " tid smell. 1 ' Then the brother took an earthen vessel and put into it some of the water in which the old man had washed, and when he was thirsty he used to drink some of it ; and his mind began to say unto him, " Flee not, but drink not of this " filthy water." But that brother laboured on greatly in respect of the water in which the sick man had washed, and although his soul shrank from that filthiness, he persevered in drinking it ; and God saw his labour and tribulation, and He changed the filthy washing water which was in the earthen vessel into clean water, "and He healed that old man.

226. One of the monks wished to go out from his monastery and to wander about so that he might have a little relaxation and enjoyment, and when they saw him, an old man said unto him, "Seek not gratification in this world, O my son, but " work rather and persevere therein in the invincible power of "the Holy Trinity. ,,

227. Abbk Moses used to say, "Secret withdrawal [from " work] maketh dark the mind, but for a man to endure and * i to persevere in his works maketh light the mind in our Lord, " and it strengtheneth and fortifieth the soul."

228. And he used to say also, "Bear disgrace and affliction "in the Name of Jesus with humility and a troubled heart; " and shew before Him thy feebleness, and He will become " unto thee might."

229. Certain people praised one of the brethren before the blessed Anthony, and when that brother came to the blessed man the old man put him to the test, and he found that he could not bear contempt and contumely. And the old man said unto

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him, "Thou art like unto a palace the front of which is deco- " rated and beautiful, but the back whereof hath been broken "into by thieves and plundered."

230. A brother asked an old man a question, saying-, "What " shall I do?" And the old man said unto him, " Go and learn "to love putting restraint upon thyself in everything."

230. A brother asked an old man a question, saying-, "What " shall I do? " And the old man said unto him, " Go and learn "to love putting restraint upon thyself in everything. "

231. One of the old men said concerning Lazarus, the poor man, " We cannot find that Lazarus ever did one excellent "thing except that he never murmured against the rich man " as being one who had never shewn him an act of mercy ; but "he bore his infirmity with the giving of thanks, and because " of this God took him to Himself."

232. Abb£ Macarius used to say, " If contumely be accounted "by thee as an honour, and blame as praise, and poverty as "wealth, thou wilt not die."

233. A certain brother asked AbbA Poemen, saying, "What "mean the words, 'If a man be angry with his brother with- " 'out a cause?'" (St. Matthew v, 22.) The old man said unto him, "If thy brother make use of oppression, and wrong, and "fraud in respedt of thee, and thou art angry with him [be- cause of them], thou art angry with him without a cause. "And if he tear out thy right eye, or cut off thy right hand, "and thou art angry with him, thou art angry with him with- "out a cause; but if a man wisheth to separate thee or to put "thee away from God, then to be angry and wroth with him "is a good thing."

234. There were two men in the desert who were brethren in the flesh, and a devil came to separate them from each other; and one day the younger brother lit a lamp and set it upon a candlestick, but, by the agency of the Evil One, he overturned the candlestick and extinguished the lamp. Then the elder brother was angry and smote him, and the younger brother made excuses to him, saying, " Have a little patience with me, "and I will light the lamp again." Now when God saw his patient endurance, He punished that devil until the morning, and the devil came and told the prince of devils what had happened; and there was with the prince of devils a certain priest of idols, and straightway this man left everything, and he went and became a monk. And at the very beginning he laid hold upon humility, saying, ' i Humility is able to bring to "naught all the power of the Adversary, even as I have heard "from the devils, who said, 'Whensoever we stir up the " i monks, they turn to humility, and they make excuses one " 4 to the other, and thus they do away all our power.'"

235. Abbd Poemen said, "Abbd Isidore, the priest of the "church, on one occasion spake to the people, saying, My

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235. Abbd Poemen said, "Abbd Isidore, the priest of the "church, on one occasion spake to the people, saying, My

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"brethren, when ye are working in a certain place it is not "strength to depart therefrom because of the labour; and as 44 for myself, I wrap myself up in my cloak and I go to the "place where labour is, and labour becometh unto me a 44 pleasure."

236. Paesius, the brother of Abbd Poemen, had an afFeftion for the people who were outside his monastery, and Abbd Poemen did not wish this to be, and he rose up and fled to AbbA Ammon, and said unto him, 4 4 My brother Paesius hath 4 4 made a promise of love to certain folk, and I am not pleased 44 thereat." Abb£ Ammon said unto him, 44 Poemen, thou art 4 4 still alive. Go, and sit in thy cell, and meditate in thy 44 mind, saying, 4 Behold, there is a year for thee in the 4 4 4 grave.'"

237. There were two monks who lived in one place, and an old man came to them, and wishing to put them to the test, he took a stick, and began to beat to pieces the garden herbs of one of them; and when one monk saw him doing this, he hid himself. And when only one root was left, the other brother said unto him, 4 4 Father, if it please thee, leave me this root 44 that I may boil it and we may eat together." Then the old man made excuses to that brother, and said unto him, 4 4 The 44 Spirit of God hath rested upon thee, O my brother."

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THEY say that Abbi John, the disciple of Abbd PaulS, possessed great obedience. Now in the place where they used to live there was a sepulchre, wherein dwelt

" Then the old man made excuses to that brother, and said unto him, 4 4 The 44 Spirit of God hath rested upon thee, O my brother. "

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THEY say that Abbi John, the disciple of Abbd PaulS, possessed great obedience. Now in the place where they used to live there was a sepulchre, wherein dwelt

238. a savage panther, and Abbi Paul6 saw in it a few little heaps of goods, and he said unto John, 4 4 Go to the sepulchre 44 and bring me some of the things from there"; and John said unto him, 4 4 My father, what shall I do with the panther?" And the old man laughed and said unto him, 44 If he cometh 44 against thee, tie him up and bring him here"; so John went there at eventide, and the panther came against him, and when he went to lay hold of him the animal fled from him. Then John pursued him, saying, 4 4 My father told me to fetter thee," and he seized him, and bound him with cords. Meanwhile the old man was very much troubled about John, and he was sitting waiting for him anxiously; and behold, he came dragging along the panther which was tied with ropes, and the old man saw and marvelled. Then the brother said unto him, 4 4 Father, be- 44 hold, I have taken prisoner the panther according as thou 44 didst command, and I have brought him here"; and the old man, wishing to remove from him the occasion for boasting,

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smote him, and said, "Thou hast brought a wandering dog!" and he untied the animal and let him depart.

239, Abbd Joseph used to say, "There are three things "which are held in honour before God: first, when a man is " sick, and he addeth to his toil, and receiveth it with thanks- ' ' giving; secondly, when a man maketh all his works to be "pure before God, and when he hath in them no human con- sideration; thirdly, when a man submitteth himself toautho- " rity, and obeyeth his father, and setteth aside his own will. " Such a man hath one crown the more, but I personally would "choose the sickness. "

240. They used to say that AbbA Sylvanus had in Scete a disciple whose name was Mark, and that he possessed to a great degree the faculty of obedience; he was a scribe, and the old man loved him greatly for his obedience. Now Sylvanus had eleven other disciples, and they were vexed because they saw that the old man loved Mark more than them, and when the old men who were in Scete heard [of this] they were afflidled about it And one day when they came to him to reprove him about this, Sylvanus took them, and went forth, and passing by the cells of the brethren, he knocked at the door of each cell, and said, "O brother, come forth, for I have need of "thee"; and he passed by all their cells, and not one of them obeyed him quickly. But when they went to the cell of Mark, he knocked at the door and said, " Brother Mark," and as soon as Mark heard the voice of the old man, he jumped up straight- way, and came out, and Sylvanus sent him off on some busi- ness. Then Sylvanus said unto the old men, "My fathers, "where are the other brethren?" And they went into Mark's cell, and looked at the quire of the book which he was writing, and they saw that he had begun to write [one side of] the Greek letter 0 (or w), and that as soon as he heard the voice of his master, [he ran out] and did not stay to complete the other side of the letter. Now when the old men perceived these things, they answered and said unto Sylvanus, 44 Verily, O old " man, we also love the brother whom thou lovest, for God "also loveth him."

241. On another occasion the mother of Mark came to see him, and she had with her an abundant company of members of her household; and an old man went forth to her, and she said unto him, "Abb£, tell my son to come forth and see me"; and the old man went in, and said to him, "Go forth and see "thy mother." Then Mark wrapped himself up in rags, and blackened his face by standing up in the sooty chimney, and he went forth thus fulfilling the behest of his master, and shutting his eyes, he said unto those [who were with his

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" Then Mark wrapped himself up in rags, and blackened his face by standing up in the sooty chimney, and he went forth thus fulfilling the behest of his master, and shutting his eyes, he said unto those [who were with his

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mother], "Live ye! Live ye!" but he did not look at them. Now his mother did not recognize him, and she sent in again to the old man a message, saying, " Send me my son, O father, " so that I may see him." Then the old man said unto Mark, " Did I not tell thee to go out and see thy mother?" And he said unto him, i ' Father, I went forth according to thy word, " but I beseech thee do not tell me to go forth again, lest per- " adventure I feel myself compelled to disobey thee"; and [the old man] spake with her, and quieted her, and sent her away in peace.

242. And they used to tell about two brethren who lived in a monastery, and who both had arrived at a high grade in the ascetic life; the one devoted himself to an austere life of self- denial and poverty, and the other was obedient and humble. And being angry with each other they wished to know which of the two [kinds of] service was the greater, and they went down to the river where there were many crocodiles, and that brother who possessed the faculty of obedience went in, and stood up among them, and they all worshipped him. Then he cried out to his fellow who was a mourner, and said unto him, " Forgive me, O my brother, I have not yet attained to such " a high degree of faith as thou hast"; and when they returned to the monastery, the head of the monastery heard a voice, saying, "The man who obeyeth is better than the man who " leadeth a life of voluntary poverty."

243. Abbd Daniel used to say, "On one occasion Abbd * * Arsenius called me and said unto me, * Make thy father to " 'be gratified, so that when he goeth to our Lord, he may " 'make entreaties to Him on behalf of thee, and good shall " 4 be unto thee.'"

244. A certain brother was engaged in a war against Satan, and he told the matter to Abb& Herakles; and wishing to strengthen and confirm him the old man told him the following story: — There was a certain old man who had a disciple, and he had been very obedient unto him for many years, and when the war came upon him, he made a request to his master, saying, " I beseech thee to make me a monk." And his master said unto him, "Seek out a place for thyself, and we will build " a cell for thee, and thou shalt become a monk." So the dis- ciple went and found a place, which was distant from his master about one hundred paces, and he made himself a cell. Then the old man said unto that brother, "Whatsoever I say " unto thee, that do. When thou art hungry, eat; and when " thou art thirsty, drink; and sleep, but thou must not go out " from thy cell until the Sabbath Day, when thou shalt come "to me." Then the old man went back to his cell. And the

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brother did according as the old man told him for two days, but on the third day he became dejefted, and wearied, and said, "What hath the old man done for me, seeing that he "hath not commanded me to make prayers?" Then he rose up and sang more Psalms than usual, and after the sun had set he ate his food, and he rose up, and went, and lay down upon his mat; and he saw, as it were, an Ethiopian who stood up and gnashed his teeth at him, and the monk, by reason of his great fear, ran quickly to his master, and he knocked hastily at his door, saying, "Father, have mercy upon me, and open " to me immediately." Now because the old man knew that he had not kept his commandment he refused to open the door to him until the morning, and when he opened the door in the morning, he found him [there], and as the brother entreated him to be allowed to enter, the old man had compassion upon him and brought him in. Then he began to say unto the old man, "I beseech thee, O father, [to believe me]. When I went " to lie down to go to sleep, I saw a black Ethiopian on my "bed." The old man said unto him, "This [happened] be- " cause thou didst not keep my words." Then he laid down a rule for him which was suitable to his strength and to the monastic life, and dismissed him, and little by little he became an excellent monk.

When I went " to lie down to go to sleep, I saw a black Ethiopian on my "bed. " The old man said unto him, "This [happened] be- " cause thou didst not keep my words. " Then he laid down a rule for him which was suitable to his strength and to the monastic life, and dismissed him, and little by little he became an excellent monk.

245. A man who wanted to be a monk came to AbbA Sisoes the Theban, and the old man asked him, if he had any pos- session whatsoever in the world, and he said, " I have one "son"; and the old man, wishing to find out if he possessed the faculty of obedience, said unto him, "Go, and throw him "in the river, and then come, and thou shalt be a monk," and because the man was obedient he went straightway to do it. Now when he had departed the old man sent another brother to prevent him from doing this thing, and when the man had taken up his son to throw him into the river, the brother said unto him, "Thou shalt not cast him in." Then the man said unto him, "My father told me that I was to cast him in, "and the brother replied, "He told me that thou wast not to cast "him in," so the man left him, and came [unto the old man], and through his obedience he became a chosen monk.

246. The Abbd who was in fliu used to say, " Obedience " cometh into existence because of obedience; for if a man "obeyeth God, God also will obey him."

247. On one occasion four brethren came to Abbd Pambd from Scete, and they were wearing skins, and each one of them, whilst his neighbour was absent, recounted [to him] his works, [saying], die first one fasteth very often, and the second leadeth a life of poverty, and the third possesseth great

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love, and concerning the fourth the other three said, " He hath "been in subjection to the old men for twenty-two years. " Then AbbA Pamb6 said unto them, "I say unto you that the "spiritual excellence of this man is great. Each of you hath "chosen the ascetic virtue which he possesseth according to " his own wish, but this man hath cut off his own desire, and " hath performed the will of others; and those who are thus " will, if they keep these things to the end, become confessors."

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ABBA POEMEN used to say, "Satan hath three kinds * 1 of power which precede all sin. The first is error, and " the second is negledl (or laxity), and the third is lust.

248. * ' When error hath come it produceth negle6l, and from "negledl springeth lust, and by lust man fell; if we watch " against error negledlwill not come, and if we be notnegligent, " lust will not appear, and if a man worketh not lust, he will, " through the help of Christ, never fall."

The first is error, and " the second is negledl (or laxity), and the third is lust. 248. * ' When error hath come it produceth negle6l, and from "negledl springeth lust, and by lust man fell; if we watch " against error negledlwill not come, and if we be notnegligent, " lust will not appear, and if a man worketh not lust, he will, " through the help of Christ, never fall. "

249. They used to say that there was a certain father who was [occupied] in great works, and that [on one occasion], when he was singing the Psalms and praying, one of the holy men came unto him, and he heard him striving with his thoughts, and say- ing, "How long for the sake of one thought wilt thou go " through all this?" Then the man who had come thought that the father was striving with another man, and he knocked at the door before going in to make peace between them; but when he had gone inside he saw no other man there. And because he possessed some authority over the father, he said unto him, "Father, with whom wast thou striving?" And he said, " With my thoughts. For I can repeat fourteen Books, but if 4 ' I hear one little word outside it will make useless my service " to me, and [the repetition] of all these Books will be in vain. "And this word only cometh and standeth before me at the " season of prayer, and it is because of this that I strive." And when the holy man heard [these things], he marvelled at the spiritual excellence and purity of the old man, and how openly he had told him about his war.

250. One of the old men used to say, "The Prophets com- " piled the Scriptures, and the Fathers have copied them, and "the men who came after them learned to repeat them by " heart; then hath come this generation and [its children] have ' * placed them in cupboards as useless things. "

251. A disciple of Abbd Ammon told the following story: " On one occasion when we were singing the service, my mind "became confused, and I forgot the verse in the Psalm; and

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"when we had ended the service Ammon answered and said "unto me, * Whilst I was standing up during the service it " 'seemed that I was standing on fire and was being consumed, " ' and my mind was unable to make me turn aside either to the " 'right hand or to the left. And as for thee, where was thy mind " 'when we were singing the service? for thou didst omit a " 'verse from the Psalm. Didst thou not know that thou wast "'standing in the presence of God, and that thou wast " 'speaking unto Him?*"

And as for thee, where was thy mind " 'when we were singing the service? for thou didst omit a " 'verse from the Psalm. Didst thou not know that thou wast "'standing in the presence of God, and that thou wast " 'speaking unto Him? *"

252. A certain brother came to dwell in a cell with one of the fathers, and he told him of a thought whereby he was afflicted; and the old man said unto him, "Thou hast left upon the earth "the excellent service of the fear of God, and thou hast taken " and hast laid hold upon a staff made of a reed, that is to say, " evil thoughts. Take unto thyself the fear of God, which is the "fire, and as soon as they come nigh unto thee they shall be " burned like reeds." Now this man was, according to what his disciple related about him, a great old man, and for twenty years he never lay upon either of his sides, but slept upon the seat whereon he sat to work. Sometimes he ate once in two days, and at other times once in four days, and at others once in five days, and in this manner he passed twenty years. Now I said unto him, "What is this which thou doest, O father?" And he said unto me, "Because I set the judgement of God " before my eyes I cannot be negligent, for I keep in remem- "brance [the fact that] my sins are many.

253. Whilst Abb£ Arsenius was dwelling in Canopus of Alexandria a certain noble lady came to him; she was a virgin, and was exceedingly rich, and she feared the Lord, and she was from Rome and had come to see Abb& Arsenius. Now Theo- philus, Archbishop of Alexandria, received her, and she begged him to entreat the old man to receive her. Then Theophilus went to Abb£ Arsenius and entreated him, saying, "Such and " such a noble lady hath come from Rome, and she wisheth to " see thee, and to be blessed by thee" ; but the old man refused to receive her. And when Theophilus informed her that the old man refused to receive her, she commanded them to make ready the beasts [for travelling], and she said, "By God, I " believe that I shall see him. I did not come to see men, for " there are men in my own city, but I came to see a prophet." And when she came outside the cell of the old man, he hap- pened, through the working of God, to be there, and she saw him, and fell down at his feet ; then he lifted her up eagerly, and looking at her, said, "If thou wishest to look upon my "face, behold, look"; but she by reason of her bashfulness, was not able to look upon his face. Then the old man said unto

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her, "Hast thou not heard about my works, and that I am a " sinner? For it is these which it is necessary for thee to see. 44 How didst thou dare to travel hither by ship? Didst thou not " know that thou wast a woman, and that it was incumbent " upon thee not to go forth anywhere? Wouldst thou go back 44 to Rome and make a boast to the women [there] that thou " hast seen Arsenius, and dost thou wish to make the sea into " a road whereby women shall come unto me?" And the lady said unto him, "Please God I will not let any woman come " unto thee; but pray for me that God may have me in remem- " brance always." Then Abb& Arsenius said unto her, "I will 44 pray to God that He may blot out the memory of thee from my 4 4 heart and when she heard these words she went forth, being afraid. Now as soon as she had come to the city a fever began to come upon her because of her grief of mind, and the people told the Bishop, saying, "That noble lady is ill"; and he came to her, and entreated her that he might learn the cause of her sick- ness. Then she said unto him, "Would that Inever had journeyed " thither ! For I said unto the old man Arsenius, 4 Make mention 44 4 of me in prayer,' and he said unto me, 4 1 will pray unto God 4 4 4 that He may blot out the remembrance of thee from my heart,' 44 and behold I shall die of grief. " And the Archbishop said unto her, 4 4 Dost thou not know that thou art a woman, and that 44 the Enemy doeth battle with the holy men by means of wo- 44 men? It was for this reason that the old man spake as he 44 did; for thy soul, however, he will pray always. " And the noble lady remembered [these things] in her mind, and she rose up, and went to her country with gladness.

254. They say that Abbd H6r {or 6r) of the Cells dwelt for twenty years in the church, and that he never once lifted his eyes and saw the roof thereof.

255. Abb£ Ammon asked Abb£ Poemen about the unclean thoughts which a man begetteth, and about vain lusts; Abbd Poemen said unto him, 44 Peradventure shall an axe boast itself 44 without him that heweth therewith? (Isaiah x, 15.) Do not 44 henceforward aid these thoughts and they will come to an 44 end."

255. Abb£ Ammon asked Abb£ Poemen about the unclean thoughts which a man begetteth, and about vain lusts; Abbd Poemen said unto him, 44 Peradventure shall an axe boast itself 44 without him that heweth therewith? (Isaiah x, 15. ) Do not 44 henceforward aid these thoughts and they will come to an 44 end. "

256. They say concerning Abbd Paphnutius, the disciple of Abba Macarius, that when he was a youth he used to look after the oxen with others of his companions; and they went to take some cucumbers to the animals, and as they were going along one of the cucumbers fell, and Abb& Paphnutius took it up and ate it, and whensoever he remembered this thing, he used to sit down and weep over it with great feeling.

257. One of the fathers went to Abb£ AkM and saw that he was throwing up blood from his mouth, and he asked him,

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saying, "What is this, O father?" and the old man said unto him, "It is a word. I was vexed with a certain brother, and "I was engaged in a strife of which I knew nothing, and I "made supplication to God that it might be taken from me; "and straightway that word became blood in my mouth, but "when I spat it up I was relieved, and I forgot my vexation."

258. One of the old men used to say: "We were going [on " one occasion] to the mountain of the blessed Anthony to visit " AbM Sisoes, and when he sat down to eat there came up to "us a young man who begged for alms; and when we were " beginning to eat, the old man said, ' Ask that young man if he "'wisheth to come in and eat with us.' Now when one had "said this to him, the young man refused [to do so], and the "old man said, 'Let whatsoever is left over by us be given to " 'him to eat outside.' Then the old man brought out a jar of "wine which he kept for the Offering, and he mixed for each "one of us a cup, but he gave to the young man two cups, "whereat I smiled, and said unto him, 'I also will go outside, " ' and thou shalt give me two cups of wine also.' Abba Sisoes "said, 'If he had eaten with us he would have drunk the same "' quantity as ourselves, and he would have have been con- " ' vinced that we did not drink more than he did; but now he " 'will say in his mind, These monks enjoy themselves more " 'than I do. It is good therefore that our conscience should " 'not hold us in contempt.'"

259. One of the old men came to another old man who was his companion, and as they were talking together one of them said, "I have died to the world"; and his companion said, " Have no confidence in thyself that this is so until thou goest " forth from the world, for although thou sayest, ' I have died,* "Satan is not dead."

260. A brother asked Abba Sisoes, saying, "Tell me a word "[whereby I may live]." The old man saith unto him, " Why "dost thou urge me, O brother, to speak a useless word? What- soever thou seest me do, that do thyself."

261. A brother asked Abb& Poemen, saying, "Is it possible "for a man to keep hold upon all thoughts, and not to give "any of them to the Enemy?" The old man said unto him, "There are some of them who give ten and keep one, and "there are some who give one and keep ten." And the brother told this saying to Abba* Sisoes, who said, "There are some "who do not give even one [thought] to the Enemy."

262. Abb£ Joseph asked Abba* Sisoes, saying, "How many "times is it right for a man to cut off his passions?" The old said unto him, "Dost thou wish to learn when thou must cut "them off?" and Joseph said unto him, "Yes." Abb4 Sisoes

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said unto him, i 4 Whensoever passion cometh cut it off im- mediately."

263. Abbd Nastir and a certain brother were walking to- gether in the desert, and they saw a serpent, and both took to flight; and the brother said to Nastir, "Father, art thou also "afraid?" The old man said unto him, "My son, I am not " afraid, but it was a beneficial thing for me to flee, for other- " wise I should not have been able to escape from the thought " of the love of approbation."

264. Certain men who lived in the world came to see Abbd Sisoes, and though they spoke much he held his peace and an- swered them never a word; at length one of them said to his companions, "My brethren, why do ye trouble the old man? " He eateth not, and for this reason he is not able to talk." And when the old man heard this, he made answer unto them straightway, and said, "My sons, I eat whensoever I feel the " need of eating."

" He eateth not, and for this reason he is not able to talk. " And when the old man heard this, he made answer unto them straightway, and said, "My sons, I eat whensoever I feel the " need of eating. "

265. On one occasion a certain judge of the district wished to see Abbd Poemen, but the old man refused [to see him]. And, like a crafty man, the judge made an excuse, and seized Abb&'s nephew, and threw him into prison, saying, "Unless Abbi * i cometh and maketh entreaty on his behalf he shall not go " out." Then Abbd's sister came and stood by the door of his cell and wept for her son, but although she importuned him greatly, he did not give her an answer; now when the woman saw this she began to revile him, saying, "O thou who pos- " sessest mercy of brass, have mercy upon me, for my son is "the only [child] I have." And Abbd Poemen sent her a mes- sage, saying, "Poemen hath no sons," and thus she departed. And when the judge heard [these things] he answered and said, " If Abb£ will only give the order I will release him"; and after this the old man sent him a message, saying, "Examine and "consider his case according to the Law, and if he be worthy " of death, let him die; and if he be not do whatsoever thou " pleases t with him."

266. They say that in the mountain of AbM Anthony seven brethren dwelt, each of whom used to watch in the date sea- son and drive away the birds ; and among them was an old man who, when it was his day for watching [the dates], used to cry out, saying, " Depart, O ye evil thoughts, from within, " and depart, O ye birds, from without."

267. On one occasion the Arabs came and plundered Abbi Sisoes arid the brother who was with him of everything they had, and being hungry, the brethren went out into the desert to find something to eat. And when they were some distance from each other, Abbd Sisoes found some camel dung, and he

to TKHatcbfuIness

broke it, and found inside two grains of barley ; and he ate one grain and placed the other in his hand ; and when the brother came, and found that he was eating, he said unto him, " Is " this love ? Thou hast found food, and thou eatest it by thy- " self and hast not called me [to share it with thee]/' Abbd Sisoes saith unto him, " I have not defrauded thee, O brother, "for behold, I have kept thy share in my hands."

268. Mother Sarah used to say, " Whensoever I put my foot " on the ladder to go up, before I ascend it I set my death be- fore mine eyes."

268. Mother Sarah used to say, " Whensoever I put my foot " on the ladder to go up, before I ascend it I set my death be- fore mine eyes. "

269. A certain brother came to Abb& Theodore and entreated him to shew him how he twisted palm leaves, and he sent him away, saying, "Go away, and come here to-morrow morning." Then the old man rose up straightway, and put some leaves to soak in water, and made ready, and when the brother came in the morning he shewed him [how to make] one or two plaits, and he said to him, " Work thus" ; and the old man left him and went to his cell. And at the proper season the old man took him food and made him eat, and he rose up and went away; and when he came [back again] in the morning, the old man said unto him, " Why didst thou not take some palm "leaves with thee? Take some now, and get thee gone, for " thou hast made me fall into the temptation of caring about "things," and he did not allow him to come inside [his cell] again.

270. On one occasion Abbi Muthues went from Re'ith to Mount GebSl, and he had with him his brother 'Aws&bh, and K&ntfrsd, the Bishop, took the old man and made him a priest. And when they were eating together the Bishop said unto him " Forgive me, Abb&, for I know that thou didst not wish for " this thing, but I ventured to do this thing that I might be " blessed by thee." Then the old man said unto him with a meek spirit, and with a sorrowful mind, * ' I will labour in this work, " though I must be separated from this my brother who is with " me, for I cannot endure the making of all the prayers." The Bishop said unto him, " If thou knowest that he is worthy I "will make him a priest also"; and Abbi Muthues said unto him, " Whether he be worthy [or not] I do not know, but one " thing I know, and that is, that he is better than I am," so the Bishop laid his hands upon him and made him a priest al- so. And they ended their lives together, but one of them never approached the altar for the purpose of offering up the Offer- ing, for the old man used to say, " By God, I hope that ordi- " nation doth not make it obligatory on me to do so, because " I cannot offer up the Offering, for ordination belongeth un- " to those who are pure [only]."

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271. A certain brother in Scete called one of his companions to come to him in his cell to wash his feet, and he did not go; and twice and thrice he said, " Come to [my] cell, and wash " thy feet," and he went not. And at length the brother went to him, end made excuses to him, and entreated him to go with him, and he rose up and went ; and the brother said unto him, ' 1 How is it that thou didst not come when I entreated thee so "often to do so?" And he answered and said unto him, " Whilst thou wast speaking my will would not consent to my " coming, but when I saw that thou wast doing the work of "monks, that is to say, repenting, then I rejoiced and came. "

272. On one occasion when the old man Zeno was walking in Palestine, he became weary, and he sat down by the side of a cucumber bed to eat; and his thought said to him, " Take "a cucumber and eat, for of what value is one cucumber?" And he answered and said to his thought, "Those who steal " go to torment; try thy soul, then, and see if it be able to en- " dure the torment." And he crucified himself in the heat for five days, and having tortured himself he said unto his thought, ' 4 1 cannot endure that torment ; how then can the man who " cannot do this steal and eat?"

273. They say that on one occasion, when it was time for Abbi Poemen to go to the congregation for the service, he sat down for about one hour examining and passing judgement up- on his thoughts, and that at the end of this time he went forth.

274. They say that a certain old man dwelt by himself in silence, and that a son of the world used to minister unto him continually ; and it happened that the son of that son of the world fell sick, and his father entreated the old man to go with him to his house and to pray over him, and, when he had en- treated him to do so often, the old man went forth and de- parted with him. And the man went before him and entered the village, and he said unto the people thereof, ' 6 Come forth i 4 to meet the monk"; now when the old man saw the people from afar off, and perceived that they had come forth to meet him carrying lanterns, straightway he stripped off his gar- ments, and dipped them in the river, and he began to wash them, being naked. And when the man who ministered unto him saw [this], he was ashamed, and he entreated the people of the village, saying, " Get ye back, for the old man hath cer- " tainly gone mad"; then he approached the old man, and said unto him, " Father, what is this which thou hast done? For "all the people are saying that the old man hath a devil." And the old man said, " This is what I wished to hear."

275- Paesius on one occasion had strife with the brother who

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was with him whilst Abb& Poemen was sitting by, and they fought with each other until the blood ran down from both their heads; and although the old man saw [them] he uttered no word whatsoever. Then Abbk Job came and found them fighting, and he said to Poemen, " Why hast thou let these " brethren fight, and hast said nothing to them whilst they "have been fighting?" Abbd Poemen said unto him, "They are " brethren, and will become reconciled again. " Abba Job said, " What is this that thou hast said? Thou seest that they con- " tinue to fight, and yet thou say est that they will be reconciled "again." Abbd Poemen said unto him, " Thou must think in " thy heart that I am not here."

276. Mother Sarah sent a message to Abta Paphnutius, saying, "Dost thou think that thou art doing God's work in " allowing thy brother to be reviled?" Abbk Paphnutius saith, "Paphnutius is here doing the work of God, and I have no "concern whatsoever about man."

277. The old man Poemen used to say, " Thou shalt have no " dealings whatsoever with a child of the world, and thou shalt "hold no converse with women"; and he also said, "Thou "shalt possess no knowledge of the judge (or governor), lest, "when thou hearest his words, thou perform his work."

278. One of the old men used to say, " I have never taken " one step forwards without first of all learning where I was "about to set my foot, and I have neither crossed my boun- " dary to walk on a height, nor have I descended into a deep "place, and been troubled by so doing; for my only care hath "been to beseech God until He brought me forth from the "old man."

279. On one occasion the brethren were gathered together in Scete that they might enquire into the history of Melchisedek, and they forgot to invite Abbd Copres to be with them; finally, however, they did call him, and they enquired of him concern- ing the matter. And he smote three times on his mouth, and said, "Woe be to thee! Woe be to thee, O Copres, for thou "hast left undone what God commanded thee to do, and thou "art enquired of concerning the things which God hath not "demanded of thee"; and they all left the place and fled to their cells.

280. An old man used to say, " Freedom of speech (at bold- ness) is a wind which parcheth, and it smiteth the fruit at "the harvest."

281. An old man used to say, " The a<5i of despising oneself " is a strong fence for a man."

282. The old man said, "The withdrawal in secret [from

"works] maketh dark the understanding, but the persisting

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"in endurance with vigilance illuminateth and strengthened " the soul of a man."

283. An old man used to say, " Laughter and familiar talk- " ing are like unto the fire which kindleth among the reeds."

284. Certain heretics came on one occasion to Abbi Poemen, and they began to calumniate the Archbishop of Alexandria, and to speak evil things concerning him, and they sought to prove that as they had received consecration from the priests, they were consecrated like [other] priests; and the old man held his peace. Then he called his brother, and said unto him, 44 Make ready a table and make them eat," and he dismissed them that they might depart in peace.

285. Some of the old men asked Abba Poemen, saying, "If "we see one of the brethren committing sin, wouldst thou "have us rebuke him?" And the old man said unto them, " If I had some business which made me pass by him, and in " passing by him I saw him committing sin, I should pass him " by and not see him."

285. Some of the old men asked Abba Poemen, saying, "If "we see one of the brethren committing sin, wouldst thou "have us rebuke him? " And the old man said unto them, " If I had some business which made me pass by him, and in " passing by him I saw him committing sin, I should pass him " by and not see him. "

286. And the old man also said, "It is written, * Whatsoever " 4 thine eyes have seen, that declare.' But I say unto you, that " unless ye have not first touched with your hands, ye shall not " testify. For on one occasion the devil led astray a brother in 4 4 a matter of this kind. This brother saw a brother committing " sin with a woman, and the war being strong against him, he " went to them, thinking that what he saw was really a man * * and a woman, and he kicked them with his foot, and said, " 'Enough, enough, how long [will ye act thus]?' And sud- denly he discovered that the things were sacks of wheat. 4 4 For this reason I say unto you that unless ye have felt with 4 4 your hands ye should not offer rebuke."

287. One of the fathers related a story, saying: — On one oc- casion in Scete when the clergy were offering up the Offering, something which was like unto an eagle descended upon the Offering, and no man saw the appearance except the clergy; and one day a brother questioned the deacon about the matter, and the deacon said unto him, 44 1 am not at leisure now [to 44 discuss it]." And afterwards when the time arrived for the Offering, and the clergy went in as usual to offer It up, the form of the eagle did not appear as it did before; and the priest said unto the deacon, 44 What is this? The eagle hath not come 44 as usual, and the fault of this lieth either upon me or thee. 44 But get thee gone from me, and if the eagle then appeareth 44 and descendeth, it will be evident that it did not come down 4 4 now because of thee, and if it doth not descend thou wilt know 44 that the fault is mine." Now as soon as the deacon had de- parted, the eagle appeared as usual, and after the Office had

<W Matcbfulness

been said, and the service was ended, the priest said unto the deacon, "Tell me what thou hast done." And the deacon, wishing to shew him everything, made excuses, saying, "I "am not conscious in my soul of having committed any sin, " except when a brother came to me, and asked me a question " on the matter, and I made answer to him, saying, * I am not at " 'leisure [to talk] with thee.'" Then the priest said, " It was " because of thee that the eagle came not down, for the brother "was offended at thee"; and straightway the deacon went to the brother, and expressed his contrition, and entreated him [to forgive] him his offence.

288. They used to speak about a certain father, who for seven years asked God to give him a certain gift, and [at length] it was given unto him; and he went to a great old man and told him about the gift, and when the old man heard thereof, he was grieved, and said, " What great labour!" Then he said unto the father, "Go and spend seven years more in entreat- " ing God that the gift may be taken away from thee, for it will "do thee no good"; and the old man went, and did as he had told him until the gift was taken away from him.

289. A certain brother dwelt in a cell outside his village, and he had passed many years without going into the vil- lage; and he said unto the brethren who were with him, "Be- hold, how many years have I lived here without going into "the village, whilst ye are always going therein." Now Abbi Poemen was told about this man, and that he used to say words of this kind to the brethren, and he said, " If I were "[that man] I would go up and walk round about in the vil- "lage during the night, so that my thoughts might not be "able to boast themselves that I had not gone into it."

290. One of the fathers said, "God beareth with the sins of "those who live in the world, but He will not endure the sins " of those who live in the desert."

291. Abbi Job used to say, " Since the time when I was "[first] called by the Name of Christ, falsehood hath never "gone forth from my mouth."

292. Abba Poemen used to say, "If a man dwelleth with a "youth, however much he may guard his thoughts he maketh "a means for sin."

293. A certain brother asked an old man, saying, "What " shall I do because of my negligence?" The old man said unto

, him, "If thou wilt root out this small plant, which is negli- gence, a great forest will come into being."

294. Abb£ Poemen used to say, "Do not dwell in a place "wherein thou seest that there are those who have envy "against thee, for if thou dost thou wilt never advance."

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295. AbbA Chronius used to say, "The man who dwelleth " with a youth will, unless he be mighty, go downwards, and if " he be mighty, even though he doth not go downwards tempo- " rarily, yet he will never advance in spiritual excellence."

296. AbbA Anthony used to say, 4 4 There are some monks " who vex their bodies with the labours of abstinence and self- " denial, and who, because they have not found understanding, " are remote from the path of God."

297. Abb& Poemen used to say, " Teach thy heart to keep " that which thy tongue teacheth."

298. AbbA Poemen used to say, "One man is thought to be "silent, yet his heart condemneth others, and he who is thus 4 4 speaketh everything ; and another speaketh from morn until " evening, and yet keepeth silence, but such a man speaketh " not without profit."

299. I have heard that there were two old men who dwelt together for many years, and who never quarrelled, and that one said to the other, "Let us also pick a quarrel with each " other, even as other men do." Then his companion answered and said unto him, "I know not how a quarrel cometh," and the other old man answered and said unto him, "Behold, I " will set a brick in the midst, and will say, 'This is mine,' " and do thou say, 4 It is not thine, but mine'; and from this " quarrelling will ensue. " And they placed a brick in the midst, and one of them said, "This is mine," and his companion an- swered and said after him, "This is not so, for it is mine"; and straightway the other replied and said unto him, "If it "be so, and the brick be thine, take it and go." Thus they were not able to make a quarrel.

300. There was a certain brother who lived a life of very stri6l seclusion, and the devils, wishing to lead him astray, [used to appear] to him, when he was sleeping at night, in the form of angels, and wake him up to sing the Psalms and pray, and they would shew him a light. And he went to an old man, and said unto him, "Father, the devils come to me with a light " and wake me up to sing and pray"; and the old man said unto him, " Hearken not unto them, O my son, for they are "devils, but, if they come to wake thee up, say unto them, " 4 When I wish to rise up I will do so, but unto you I will not " 4 hearken.' " And when they came to wake him he said unto them what the old man had told him, and they said unto him forthwith, "That wicked old man is a liar, and he hath led # " thee astray. For a certain brother came to him and wished "to borrow some oboli on a pledge, and although he had

" money to lend, he lied and said, 4 1 have none,' and he gave 44 him none, and learn from this thing that he is a liar." Then

For a certain brother came to him and wished "to borrow some oboli on a pledge, and although he had

" money to lend, he lied and said, 4 1 have none,' and he gave 44 him none, and learn from this thing that he is a liar. " Then

the brother rose up early in the morning and went to the old man and related unto him everything which he had heard, and the old man said unto him, "The matter is thus. I had some "oboli, and a brother came and asked me for some money, "and I would not give him any because I saw that if I did so "we should arrive at the loss of [our] soulfs]. And I made up "my mind that I would treat with contempt one of the com- "mandments, and not ten, and [therefore] we came to en- tity [with each other]. But do thou hearken not unto the " devils who wish to lead thee astray. " And when he had been greatly confirmed by the old man, that monk departed to his cell

301. Abbd Isaac, the priest of the Cells, said, "I saw a cer- "tain brother reaping the harvest in the field, and he wanted " to eat one ear of wheat ; and he said to the owner of the field, " 'Dost thou wish me to take one ear of wheat to eat?' And "the owner of the field wondered (now he profited greatly "therefrom), and said unto him, 'My son, the field is thine, " 'and dost thou ask [my] permission to eat?' To this extent "did that brother shew scrupulous care."

302. A brother asked an old man, and said unto him, "What " shall I do? For the thoughts which make war with me are "many, and I know not how to contend against them." The old man said unto him, "Do not strive against them all, but "against one, for all devilish thoughts have only one head, " and it is necessary for a man to understand and to make war "upon this head only, for afterwards all the rest will perforce " be brought low. Just as in war, if on one side a very mighty " man appear, the men on the other side use every means in " their power to set up in opposition to him a mighty man who "is stronger than he is, because, if he be able to hurl down "that chief, all the rest will take to flight and be van- quished. In this same manner there is one head to all the "thoughts which come from devils, whether it be fornica- "tion, or riotous living, or love of money, or wandering about "from place to place, for if thou wilt first of all recognize it "and wilt drive it out, it will not lead thee astray in respedfc " of other things. " And [when] that chief thought came, and stood up and fought against him, he recognized which it was, ahd contended against it only.

303. Abb£ L6t went to Abbi Joseph, and said unto him, " Father, according to my strength I sing a few Psalms, and " I pray a little, and my fasting is little, and my prayers and "silent meditations [are few], and as far as lieth in my power "I cleanse my thoughts, what more can I do?" Then the old man stood up, and spread out his hands towards heaven, and

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his fingers were like unto ten lamps of fire, and he said unto him, 44 If thou wishest, let the whole of thee be like unto fire."

304. A certain brother entreated one of the old men to in- terpret to him some words which he had asked him, saying, ** If I see a man doing something, and I tell others about it, I 44 mean not by way of passing judgement upon him, but merely "for the sake of conversation, would this be considered as 44 evil talk of the thoughts?" The old man said unto him, 44 If 44 there be any motion of passion the repetition is wicked, but 41 if it be free from passion the repetition is not wicked, but 4 4 speak in such a way that evil increase not." And another brother made answer to the old man, and said, 44 If I come to one 44 of the old men and ask him, saying, 4 1 wish to dwell with such 4 4 4 and such a man, [may I do so?]' and I know at the same 44 time that it will not be profitable for me, what answer must 44 he make me? If he saith, 4 Thou shalt not go,' hath he not 4 4 condemned that man in his mind?" Then the old man an- swered and said unto him, 44 This refinement [of thought] is 44 not [given] to many, and I do not regard it as a sure mat- 44 ter. If there be any passion in the motion of the soul I 44 should say that he would injure himself; but in words there 4 4 is no power [to do so]. And as to 4 What is he bound to 4 4 4 say?' I say that I do not know, if his soul be [not] free 44 [from passion]; but if it be free from passions he will not 4 4 condemn any man, and he will condemn himself, and say, 14 4 1 am a changeable person,' now perhaps [this] will not help 44 thee, but if he be a man of understanding he will not go." Now the old man did not speak concerning wickedness, but only that wickedness might not be multiplied.

305. Abbd Arsenius said unto Abbi Alexander, 44 When thou 44 hast finished the work of thy hands, come to me and we will 44 eat; but if strangers come, eat with them, and do not come 44 to me." Now Alexander continued at his work late, and when the time for the meal had arrived, and palm leaves were still standing before him, although he was anxious to keep the word of the old man, he also wanted to finish up the leaves, and then to go to him. Now when the old man saw that Abb£ Alexander delayed [in coming] to eat, he thought that it was because stran- gers had come to him. And when Abbi Alexander had finished his work he went to the old man, who said unto him, 4 4 Did 44 strangers come to thee? " And Alexander said unto him, 44 No, 44 father." Then the old man said unto him, 44 Why hast thou 4 4 delayed [in coming]?" And Alexander answered and said unto him, 4 4 Because thou didst say unto me, 4 When thou hast 4 4 4 finished thy leaves come to me'; and paying heed to thy 44 word, and having finished [my work], behold, I have come."

DigiiiisOJsy GoOglg,

<W Watchfulness

And the old man marvelled at this scrupulous obedience, and said unto him, "Make haste and perform thy service of praise "and prayer, and bring it to an end, and drink some water, " for if thou dost not do it quickly thy body will become sick. "

306. Abbd Poemen used to say often, "We need nothing "except a watchful and strenuous heart."

307. A brother asked Abba* Poemen, saying, "How is it "right for me to live in the place wherein I am?" The old man saith unto him, "Acquire the thought of sojourning in "the place where thou livest, and desire not to cast thy word "among the multitude, or to be the first to speak, and thou "wilt find rest"

308. Abba Agathon said concerning Abba M uain that, on one occasion, he made fifty bushels of wheat into bread for the needs of the community, and then laid it out in the sun, but before it became dry and hard he saw something in the place which was not helpful to him, and he said to the brethren who were with him, "Arise, let us go hence"; and they were greatly grieved. And when he saw that they were grieved, he said unto them, "Are ye troubled about the bread? Verily I " have seen men take to flight and forsake their cells, although "they were well whitewashed and contained cupboards which "were filled with books of the Holy Scriptures and service "books, and they did not even shut the cupboard doors, but "departed leaving them wide open."

And when he saw that they were grieved, he said unto them, "Are ye troubled about the bread? Verily I " have seen men take to flight and forsake their cells, although "they were well whitewashed and contained cupboards which "were filled with books of the Holy Scriptures and service "books, and they did not even shut the cupboard doors, but "departed leaving them wide open. "

309. Abba Copres used to say, "Blessed is the man whc "beareth temptation with thanksgiving."

310. Abbd Poemen used to say, "The mighty ones have " been many, and those who never felt envy have been many, "and they have neither been jealous in an evil way, nor have "they stirred up their own passions."

311. AbbA Sisoes used to say, "Seek the Lord, and search "[Him] out, but not only in the place where [thou] dwellest."

312. An old man used to say, "Eat not before thou art "hungry; lie not down to sleep before thou art sleepy; and " speak not before thou art asked a question."

313. An old man used to say, "Prepare not a table before "the time when thou art alone, and speak not before thou art "asked a question, and if thou art asked a question, speak " that which is fair and helpful, and not that which is evil and "destru&ive."

314. Abb& Euprepius said, "If thou art not certain in thy- self that God is faithful and mighty, believe in Him, and "associate thyself with those who are His, but if thou art " doubtful thou canst not believe. For we all believe and con- "fess that God is mighty, and we are certain that all things

ttbc Salinas of tbc tooly Jf atbcrs

4 4 are easy for Him [to do]; do thou then also shew thy belief 44 in Him by thy works, for in thee also He worketh miracles, 4 4 and doeth wonders, and sheweth forth marvels."

315. Abba Theodore used to say, 41 If thou hast affection 4 4 for a man, and it happeneth that he fall into temptation, 44 stretch out thy hand to him, and lift him up therefrom, but 44 if he fall into heresy, and will not be persuaded by thee to 44 return, cut him off from thee immediately, lest, if thou tarry 44 long with him, thou be drawn unto him, and thou sink down 44 into the uttermost depths."

316. One of the fathers used to tell the story of Abbd John, the Persian, who by reason of the abundance of his spiritual excellence arrived at goodness; now this man used to dwell in the Arabia of Egypt. And on one occasion he borrowed one dindr from a brother, and bought some flax to weave, and a brother came and entreated him, saying, 44 Give me a little flax 4 4 that I may make a tunic for myself " ; and he gave it to him with joy; and then another [brother] entreated him, saying, 44 Give me a little flax that I may make myself a turban," and he gave unto him also, and the man departed. And many other brethren borrowed from him, and he gave them [the flax] with rejoicing; but finally the owner of the din&r came, and wanted to take it back. Then the old man said unto him, 44 1 44 will go and bring it to thee," but as he had no place where- from he could give it to him, he rose up and went to Abba Jacob, so that he might persuade him to give him a dinar wherewith to repay the brother; and as he was going he found a din&r lying on the ground, but he was not disposed to offer it to him, so he prayed and returned to his cell. And the brother came again and pressed him to let him have what was his own, and the old man said unto him, 44 Have patience with me this 44 time only, and I will bringit toyou. " And he againrose up and went to that place where he had found the daric, and, having made a prayer, he took it. And he came to the old man Jacob, and said unto him, 44 As I was coming toyou, O father, I found 44 this din&r on the road. Do now, O father, an act which is 44 worthy of love, and make a proclamation throughout these bor- 44 ders, forperhaps someonehathlostthe din&r, and if its owner 44 befound, give it unto him. "Then the old man went, and made a proclamation for three days, and he could not find the man who had lost the dmdr. Then the old man said unto Abbd Jacob, 44 If no man hath lost the dindr give it unto that brother to 44 whom I owe one, for I was coming to obtain one from thee 44 for the Lord's sake, when I found it. " And the old man Jacob marvelled at him, because, although he owed a dmdr, and had found one, he did not immediately take it and pay his debt.

Of TWtatcbfuInea*

" And the old man Jacob marvelled at him, because, although he owed a dmdr, and had found one, he did not immediately take it and pay his debt. 70

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Now this habit also was found with that old man who owed the din&r: if any man came and wanted to borrow something from him, he did not give it unto him with his own hands, but he said unto him, i 'Take for thyself whatsoever thou wish- " est"; and when the man brought back that which he had taken, the old man would say unto him, " Place it where thou " didst take it from," and if he did not bring it back he would say to him nothing at all.

317. AbbA Daniel used to say that on one occasion certain fathers came from Alexandria to see Abbd Arsenius, and one of them was the brother of Timothy, Patriarch of Alexandria, and they were taking his nephew also. Now the old man was ill at that season, and he did not wish to spend much time with them, lest, peradventure, they should come to visit him another time and trouble him; and he was then living in PatdrA of Est6ris, and the fathers went back sorrowfully. And it hap- pened on one occasion that the barbarians invaded the country, and then Abbd Arsenius came and dwelt in the lower countries; and when those same fathers heard [of his coming] they went to see him, and he received them with gladness. Then the brother who belonged to them said unto him, " Father, know- "est thou not that when [these fathers] came to thee on the " first occasion at Estoris thou didst not protract thy conversa- " tion with us?" The old man said unto him, 4< My son, ye ate " bread, and ye drank water, in very truth, but I refused to eat " bread and drink water, and I would not sit upon my legs " through torturing myself, until the time when I knew from ex- " perience that ye must have arrived at your homes, for I knew " that for my sake ye had given yourselves trouble. " Thus they were pleased and gratified in their minds and they departed rejoicing.

318. Abbd Daniel used to say: Abbd Alexander dwelt with Abb£ Agathon, and the old man loved Abbd Alexander because he was a man of labour, and he was gentle and gracious. And it happened that all the brethren were washing their linen armcloths in the river, and Alexander was quietly washing his with them ; but the brethren said unto Abbi Agathon, " Bro- ther Alexander doeth nothing," and the^oldman, wishing to quiet his disciples, said unto him, " Wash well, O brother, for "the armcloth is [made] of linen." Now when Alexander heard [this] he was grieved, and afterwards the old man en- treated him, saying, " What then? Do I not know that thou "canst wash well? But I spake as I did to thee before them "so that I might rebuke their minds by thine obedience."

319. They used to say that one day when Abb& John came to the church which was in Scete he heard the brethren quar-

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relling with each other, and that he went back to his cell, and went round it three times, and then entered it ; now the bre- thren saw him, and they expressed their contrition to him, saying, "Tell us why thou didst go round thy cell three times." And he said unto them, "Because the sound of the quarrel "was still in my ears, and I said, ' I will first of all drive it " 'out from them, and then I will go into the cell. ,,,

320. They used to say about AbbA '6r that whilst other monks would give a pledge for the palm leaves when they wished to buy, he would never give any pledge whatsoever, but whensoever he required leaves he would send the price of them, and take them. Now his disciple went on one occasion to buy leaves, and the gardener said unto him, "A man gave "me a deposit, but he hath not taken away his leaves, and " therefore thou mayest take them"; and having brought them he came to the old man and related unto him the matter as it had happened. And when the old man heard it, he wrung his hands, and said, " *6r will not work this year," and he did not cease [to importune] his disciple until he had returned the palm leaves to their [proper] place.

321. They used to tell the story of a certain brother who never ate bread, but only unleavened cakes soaked in water; and whenever he visited the monks when they sat down to eat he would set before himself unleavened cakes and eat [them]. And it happened that one day he went to a certain great Sage, and there also visited him at the same time other strangers, and the old man boiled a few lentiles for them ; and when they sat down to eat that brother also brought out his soaked cakes, and set them before himself, and ate them. Now when the old man saw this, he held his peace and did not rebuke him before the brethren who happened to be there, but when they rose up from the table, he took him aside privately, and said unto him, "O brother, if thou goestto visit a man do not " reveal thy rule of life, but eat with the brethren that thou "mayest not think within thyself that thou art better than " they, and so condemn them. But if thou wishest to keep hold " upon thy self-denial, sit in thy cell and do not go out of it." Then the brother was persuaded by the old man, and he ate with the brethren what they ate so as to deceive them, accord- ing to what the old man had said.

322. A certain father whose name was Eulogius, having led a life of great austerity and labour in Constantinople, obtained great fame and reputation ; and he came to Egypt in order that he might see something more excellent, and when he heard about Abbd Joseph he came to him, expecting to see a very much more laborious form of life than his own. And the old

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