" and the old man held his peace. Then he sent and brought the blind man, and revealed to him concerning his departure, and the blind man wept and said unto him, "Wherefore leavest thou me, the blind man? " The old man saith unto him, "Pray that I may have openness of "face with God, and that I may find mercy before Him, and
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" I have hope through His help, that on the First Day of the " Week thou wilt be able to perform the service with thy com- "panions"; and straightway the old man died. And, accord- ing to his word, a few days later he appeared unto that brother, and his eyes were opened, and he became an Abbi and a head of monks. Now these things were related unto us by those who were acquainted with the period wherein the old man lived.
410. A certain man of abstinence saw a man who had a devil, and who was unable to fast, and he was exceedingly sorry for him; and by reason of the love for Christ with which he was filled, and because he not only took care for himself, but for his companion also, he prayed and entreated God that the devil might come to him, and that the man might be released from him. Now God looked upon his prayer and upon his good will, and saw that the holy man was carrying a great load on be- half of that demoniac, and since that brother began to prolong his fasting. and prayer, and to practise continually self-denial, in a few days that evil spirit departed.
411. They used to say concerning Abbd Poemen that when he was pressed by any man to go with him to eat at an unusual time, he would go, with the tears streaming from his eyes, so that he might not resist the wish of that brother and cause him annoyance; for he would forgo his own will, and he would humble himself and go.
412. There was an old man in the Cells whose name was Apollo, and when one of the brethren came to call him to work, he would go joyfully, saying, " 1 go to-day with the King " Christ to work on my own behalf, for this is the reward of " this labour."
413. On one occasion Abraham, the disciple of Abbd Sispes, was tempted by Satan, and the old man saw him fall down, and straightway he spread out his hands towards heaven, and said to God, " My Lord, I will not let Thee go until Thou hast "healed him," and straightway Abraham was healed.
414. A certain monk was sitting by the monastery, and whilst he was occupied in great labours, it happened that strangers came to the monastery, and they forced him to eat with them contrary to his usual custom, and afterwards the brethren said unto him, " Father, wast thou not just now af- "flicted?" And he said unto them, " My affli6fcion is to break " my will."
414. A certain monk was sitting by the monastery, and whilst he was occupied in great labours, it happened that strangers came to the monastery, and they forced him to eat with them contrary to his usual custom, and afterwards the brethren said unto him, " Father, wast thou not just now af- "flicted? " And he said unto them, " My affli6fcion is to break " my will. "
415. On one occasion three old men went to Abbi Akild, and on one of them [rested] some small suspicion of evil ; and one of them said unto him, " Father, make me a net," and he re- plied, " I will not make thee a net." Then another said unto him, ' ' Do [us] an act of grace, and make us a net, so that we
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" may be able to keep thee in remembrance in our monastery"; and AkilA said again, " I am not at leisure [to do so]." Then the third brother, on whom [rested] the suspicion of evil, also said unto him, " Father, make me a net which I can possess " [direct] from thy hands and Akfld answered straightway, and said unto this man, " I will make one for thee." And after- wards the [other] two brethren said unto him privately, " [Coh- " sider] how much we entreated thee, and yet thou wouldst not " be persuaded to make [a net] for us, and thou didst say to "this man, 'I will make thee one immediately The old man said unto them, " I told you that I would not make one, " and ye were not grieved, because I had not the leisure; but " if I had not made one for this man, he would have said, ' It " * was because the old man had heard about my sins that he " 1 was unwilling to make a net for me.' "
416. On one occasion three brethren went to harvest, and the three of them undertook to reap the harvest [in certain fields] together for a certain sum of money ; but one of them fell sick on the first day, and was unable to work, and he went back and lay down in his cell. Then one of the two brethren who remained said unto his companion, "Behold, O my " brother, thou seest that our brother hath fallen sick, let us "exert ourselves a little, thou and I, and let us believe that by " his prayers we shall be sufficiently strong to do his share of the ' * work ofharvest for him. "Then when the harvest was ended , and they came to receive their hire, they called the [sick] brother, and said unto him, " Come, brother, and take also the hire of " thy harvesting "; and he said, " What hire can there be for "me since I have not been harvesting?" And they said unto him, " Through thy prayers the harvest hath been reaped; "come now, and take [thy] hire." Then the contention between them waxed strong, for the [sick] brother contended that he ought not to receive [any wages], and they said, " We will not " leave thee until thou dost." So they went, that they might be heard by a certain great old man, and that brother answered and said, " O father, three of us went to harvest, but I fell sick "on the first day, and went and lay down in my cell, and al- though I did not work even one day these brethren urge me, " saying, 'Come and take the hire for which thou didst not " 'work.' " Then the two brethren said, "Three of us went to "the harvest, and we took certain fields [to reap] together, " and if we had been thirty we should have succeeded in reap- " ing them with great labour; but through the prayers of this "our brother the two of us reaped them quickly, and we "said to him, 'Come, take thy hire, because, through thy " 'prayers, God helped us, and we reaped quickly,' but he
<W Xove, Cbarits, ant> IxwpttaKts
" would not take [it]." Then the old man said unto the breth- ren who were with him, " Beat the board, and let all the " brethren be gathered together," and when they were as- sembled he said unto them, " Come, O ye brethren, and hear 11 this day a righteous judgement," and he related before them the whole matter, and they decided that the brother was to re- ceive his hire, and that he might do whatsoever he wished [therewith]. And the brother went away weeping and distressed.
417. On one occasion a certain demoniac came to Scete, and having passed a long time there without being healed, he com- plained about the matter to one of the old men, who made the
sign of the Cross over him, and healed him. But the devil was
angry, and said unto the old man, " Now that thou hast cast "me out I will come upon thee"; and the old man said unto
him, "Come gladly, and I shall rejoice." And the old man
passed twelve years with the devil inside him, vexing him, now
he used to eat twelve dates each day, and after these years
that devil leaped out of him, and departed from him. Now when ,
the old man saw that he was taking to flight, he said unto him, f
"To whom dost thou flee? Continue [with me] longer"; and
the devil answered and said unto him, " By Jupiter, God hath 1
"made thee useless, O old man; God alone is equal to thy
"strength."
418. The old man Theodore asked Abbd Pambd, saying, "Tell me a word"; and with much labour he said unto him, " Theodore, get thee gone, and let thy mercy be poured out on "every man, for [thy] lovingkindness hath found freedom of " speech (or boldness) before God. "
419. A certain brother went to buy some linen from a widow, and as she was selling it to him, she sighed ; the brother said unto her, " What aileth thee?" and the widow said unto him, "God hath sent thee this day that my orphans may be fed." Now when that brother heard [these words] he was distressed, and he took secretly from the linen which was his, and threw it on to the widow's side of the scales until he fulfilled an act of charity towards her.
420. A certain brother came to Abbd *6r, and said unto him, "Come with me to the village, and buy me a little wheat of "which I am in need"; now the old man was greatly troubled at this, because he was not accustomed to go to the village* nevertheless, being afraid [of transgressing] the command- ment, he rose up and went with him. And when they arrived at the village the old man saw a man passing by, and he called him and said unto him, "Do an a<5l of kindness, and "take this brother and satisfy his need," and in this way he was able to flee to the mountain.
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And when they arrived at the village the old man saw a man passing by, and he called him and said unto him, "Do an a<5l of kindness, and "take this brother and satisfy his need," and in this way he was able to flee to the mountain. 97 "-7 ;
tflbe Salinas of tbe f>ols jfatbers
421. On one occasion Adl&p, Bishop of Neapolis, went to visit Abba Sisoes, and when he wished to depart the old man made him and the brethren who were with htm to eat in the morning; now the days were the first days of the fast. And when they had made ready the table to eat, behold, certain men from the plough knocked at the door, and the old man said unto his disciple, " Open to them, and put some of the " boiled food in a dish, and set it before them to eat, for they "have just come from labour." The Bishop said, "Let it " alone, or perhaps they will say that Abbd Sisoes eateth at "this time." And the old man looked at the youth and said unto him, "Go, and give them the food"; and when the strangers saw the boiled food they said unto him, "Have ye " strangers with you? Perad venture Abba is also eating with "them?" And the disciple said unto them, "Yes." Then they cried out and spake words of condemnation to the company, saying, "May God forgive you, for ye have made the old man " to eat at this time of the day. Perhaps ye are unaware that " ye are causing him much vexation thereat?" And when the Bishop heard these things he expressed contrition, and said unto him, "Forgive me, I have behaved after the manner of a " man, but thou hast acted like God."
422. They used to say that, [on one occasion] when Abb£ Agathon came to the city to sell his handiwork, he found a stranger lying sick in the market, and he had no man to care for him, and the old man stayed with him; and he hired a room in the town and remained therein working with his hands, now [what he received therefor] he spent on the rent of the room and on the needs of the sick man, for a period of four months, and when the sick man was made whole the old man departed to his own cell.
423. And an old man used to say, " It is a defect in a man " if, when he is reviled by his brother, or when any evil cometh "to him from him, he cannot strengthen his love before he " meeteth him."
423. And an old man used to say, " It is a defect in a man " if, when he is reviled by his brother, or when any evil cometh "to him from him, he cannot strengthen his love before he " meeteth him. "
424. A brother was, on one occasion, sent from Scete by his Abba on a camel to Egypt to fetch palm leaves for [making] baskets, and having gone down and brought the camel, another brother met him and said unto him, " Had I known " that thou wast coming up I should have begged thee to bring " a camel for me also"; and when the brother came and told his Abba what had been said unto him by his companion, his Abb£ said unto him, "Take the camel and lead it to that * 1 brother, and say unto him, 1 We have taken counsel, and we " 'have given up the intention of bringing up palm leaves at " 'present, but do thou take [the camel] and bring some up
<W %ovc t GbaviVg, ant> IwapttaUts
" 'for thyself.'" Now the brother did not wish to accept the camel, but [his companion] entreated him [to do so], saying, " If thou dost not take him we shall waste what we have paid "in hire for him." So the brother took the camel and brought up his palm leaves. And after he had gone up to Egypt that brother took the camel a second time, and he came back that he himself might go up; and the brother said unto him, " Where "takestthou the camel?" and he said unto him, 4 'To Scete, " so that we also may bring up our palm leaves"; and that brother repented and was very sorry, and he expressed con- trition and said, " Forgive me, my brethren, for your great " charity hath taken away my hire."
425. One of the brethren said, " Whilst we were sitting and "talking about love, Abb£ Joseph said, 'Do we know what " 'love is?* And he said that Abb£ Agathon had a little knife, "and that a certain brother came to him and said, 'Father, '"the little knife which thou hast is pretty'; and Abbd Agathon "did not let him depart until he had taken it."
426. Abb4 Agathon used to say, "If I could find an Arian to " whom I could give my body and take his in its place, I would "do so, because this would be perfect love."
427. A brother asked Abbd Muthues, saying, "What shall I " do if a brother come unto me, and it be a time of fast or the "morning, and I am in tribulation?" The old man said unto him, " If thou art afflicted, and dost eat with the brother thou "doest well; but if thou dost not look at the man, and dost "eat, this is a matter of thy will only."
" The old man said unto him, " If thou art afflicted, and dost eat with the brother thou "doest well; but if thou dost not look at the man, and dost "eat, this is a matter of thy will only. "
428. Mother Sarah used to say, "It is a good thing for a " man to give alms, even though he do so for the approbation " of the children of men, for from this he will come to do it for "God's sake."
429. A brother asked Abb& Poemen, saying, "If I find a "place wherein there is pleasure for the brethren, dost thou " wish me to dwell there?" The old man said unto him, " Where " thou wilt not do harm to thy brother, there dwell."
430. AbbA Poemen used to say that whenever Isidore, the priest of Scete, used to address the brethren in the church, he spake the following words only: "My brethren, it is written, "Forgive thy brother that thou also mayest be accounted "worthy of forgiveness" (St. Luke vi, 37; St. Matthew vi, 14).
431. They used to say that at the beginning Abbd Zeno re- fused to take anything from any man, and that those who brought him things used to go away sorrowfully because he would not be persuaded to accept them from them. And other men used to come and ask him to give them gifts as of a great old man, and they also went away sorrowfully because he re-
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fused to do so. Then the old man said within himself, ' ' Those " who bring go away in sorrow, and those who beg also go " away grieving because they have received nothing; I will, " therefore, act as follows: If any man bringeth me anything " I will take it, and if any man asketh me for anything I will " give it"; and he did so, and pleased every one.
432. The disciple of Abbi Theodore said, "A certain man on " one occasion came to sell onions, and he filled a basin with " some of them and gave them to us; and the old man said " to me, 'Fill [the basin] with wheat and give it to him.' Now " there were two baskets of wheat there, one full of clean " wheat, and the other was full of wheat which was dirty, and " I filled the basin with the dirty wheat and gave it to him. " Then the old man looked at me in wrath and anger, and in " my fear I fell down, and broke the basin; and the old man " said unto me, 'Arise, thou art not akin to me, but I know " 'well what I said unto thee.' And the old man went in and " filled his garment with clean wheat, and gave it to the man "with the onions, together with his onions."
' And the old man went in and " filled his garment with clean wheat, and gave it to the man "with the onions, together with his onions. "
433. A certain monk used to dwell by the side of a coenobium, and he was occupied in great ascetic labours, and led a life of hard work, and strangers came to the coenobium, and forced him to eat before his time; and afterwards the brethren said unto him, "Art thou not now afflicted, father?" He said unto them, "Although I am afflicted I have cut off my "desire."
434. A certain old man used to say, "It is right for a man " to take up the burden for those who are akin (or near) to " him, whatsoever it may be, and, so to speak, to put his own " soul in the place of that of his neighbour, and to become, if "it were possible, a double man; and he must suffer, and " weep, and mourn with him, and finally the matter must be " accounted by him as if he himself had put on the actual body " of his neighbour, and as if he had acquired his countenance " and soul, and he must suffer for him as he would for him- " self. For thus is it written: — 'We are all one body/ and this " [passage] also affordeth information concerning the holy and " mysterious kiss."
435. An old man said that the father had a custom of going to the cells of the new brethren, who wished to live by them- selves, x to visit them, lest one of them might be tempted and injured in his mind by the devils, and if they found any man who had been harmed they would bring him to the church, and would place a wash-basin full of water [in the midst], and when prayer had been made on behalf of him that had been brought there, all the brethren would wash themselves and
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91 Xove, Cbarits, ant> Dospttaltts
then pour some of the water upon him, and immediately that brother was cleansed.
436. A brother asked an old man, saying, "If I find a "brother concerning whom I have heard [that he hath com- mitted] some offence, I never rest until I have brought him "into my cell; but if I see a man who leadeth a good life I "bring him unto myself gladly." The old man said unto him, "Do that which is good twice over unto the former man, for "he is sick, and he needeth help."
437. An old man used to say, "Defeat cometh to a man if, " when he is reviled and treated with contempt by his brother, "he doth not shew him evenness of heart before he repenteth "and asketh him to forgive him."
" The old man said unto him, "Do that which is good twice over unto the former man, for "he is sick, and he needeth help. "
437. An old man used to say, "Defeat cometh to a man if, " when he is reviled and treated with contempt by his brother, "he doth not shew him evenness of heart before he repenteth "and asketh him to forgive him. "
438. There was a monk, and away on the mountain, which was about ten miles distant from him, was another monk; and the first monk had some bread in his cell, and he meditated in his mind and determined to invite the other monk to come and partake of his bread. And again he thought in his mind, say- ing, " Since the bread is with me I shall give my brother the "labour [of walking] ten miles [if I invite him to come here], " but it will be more helpful [to himj if I take one half of the "bread which I possess, and carry it to him"; so he took the bread to carry it to the cell of the other brother. Now as he was journeying along, he tripped up, and fell, and injured one of his fingers, and as the blood was running down he began to cry because of the pain; and there appeared unto him sud- denly an angel who said unto him, "Why weepest thou?" And the monk said unto him, "I have hurt my finger, and it "paineth me"; and the angel said unto him, "Dost thou weep "because of this? Weep not, for the number of every step " which thou takest for our Lord's sake is written down, and " is estimated at a great reward (or hire) before Him, and the "report of the labour of such things goeth up to Him. And "that thou mayest be certain that such is the case, behold, in "thy presence I will take some of this blood and carry [it] to "our Lord"; and immediately the monk was healed, and with rejoicing and thanksgiving to God he set out again on his journey to go to his companion. And having come to him and given him the bread, he related unto him concerning the love for man which is found in the good Lord, the Creator of the universe, and then went back to his cell. Now after one day he took the other half of the bread and went to carry it to another monk. And it happened that he also was found to be burning with anxiety to emulate works of this kind, and he wanted to do even as the other monk had done; and having set out to go and carry the bread of the first monk, they hap-
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And it happened that he also was found to be burning with anxiety to emulate works of this kind, and he wanted to do even as the other monk had done; and having set out to go and carry the bread of the first monk, they hap-
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pened to meet each other on the way. Then the first monk who had done good to the other monk began to say unto him, 44 I possessed a certain treasure, and thou wishest to rob me "[of it]"; and the other monk said unto him, "Where is it 4 4 written that the strait and narrow door is sufficient for thy- 4 4 self alone? Let us, even us, go in with thee." Then straight- way, whilst they were holding converse, the angel of the Lord appeared, and said unto them, 4 4 Your contending hath as- cended unto the Lord even as a sweet smell."
439. On one occasion, a certain excellent man, who feared God in his life and works, and who was living in the world, went to Abbi Poemen, and some of the brethren, who were also with the old man, were asking him questions [wishing] to hear a word from him. Then Abbk Poemen said to the man who was in the world, 4 4 Speak a word to the brethren"; but he entreated him, saying, 4 4 Forgive me, father, but I came to 44 learn." And the old man pressed him [to speak], and, as the force of his urging increased, he said, 44 1 am a man living in 44 the world, and I sell vegetables, and because I do not know 44 how to speak from a book, listen ye to a parable. There was 44 a certain man who had three friends, and he said to the first, 4 4 4 Since I desire to see the Emperor come with me'; and the 44 friend said unto him, 4 1 will come with thee half the way.' 44 And the man said to the second friend, 4 Come, go with me 4 4 4 to the Emperor's presence'; and the friend said unto him, 4 4 4 1 will come with thee as far as his palace, but I cannot go 44 4 with thee inside'; and the man said the same unto his third 44 friend, who answered and said, 4 1 will come with thee, and 44 4 1 will go inside the palace with thee, and I will even stand 44 4 up before the Emperor and speak on thy behalf.'" Then the brethren questioned him, wishing to learn from him the strength of the riddle (or dark saying), and he answered and said unto them, 44 The first friend is abstinence, which leadeth as far as 44 one half of the way; and the second friend is purity and 44 holiness, which lead to heaven; and the third friend is loving- 44 kindness, which stablisheth a man before God, and speaketh 44 on his behalf with great boldness."
440. A brother went to visit a certain monk, and when he went forth from him, he said unto him, " Forgive me, father, 44 for having made thee to desist from thy rule"; and the monk said unto him, 4 4 My rule is to refresh thee, and to send thee 44 away in peace."
441. On one occasion a command was given to the brethren who were in Scete, and it was said unto them, 4 4 Fast ye this 44 week, and celebrate the Passover." And it happened that some brethren came from Egypt to Abb£ Moses, and whilst
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Qt DttmiUtB
he was boiling for them a little food, his neighbours saw the smoke [of his fire] rising up, and they said to the clergy, " Be- 44 hold, Moses hath broken the command, and hath boiled "some food in his cell"; and they said unto them, "Hold ye "your peace, and when he cometh to us we will speak to him. " Now when the Sabbath arrived, the clergy, having regard to his great ascetic labours, said unto him before the whole as* sembly, "O AbbA Moses, though thou dost break the com- "mand of men, thou stablishest [that of God]."
442. They used to tell the story of a certain brother who, when he was throwing away the handles of his baskets, heard his neighbour say, " What shall I do? For the festival draweth " nigh, and I have no handles to put on my baskets" ; and the brother went straightway and picked up the handles of his baskets, and brought them to his companion, saying, 44 Be- u hold I have these, of which I have no need, take them and M put them on thy baskets" ; and he left his own work and com- pleted that of his companion.
443. Certain of the old men went to Abbd Poemen, and said unto him, " Dost thou wish us if we see brethren sleeping " in the congregation, to smite them so that they may wake " up?" And he said unto them, " If I see my brother sleeping, " I place his head upon my knees, and I give him a place to " rest upon" ; then an old man said unto him, 4 4 And what dost 44 thou say unto God?" Abbd Poemen said unto him, 44 I say "unto Him thus: Thou Thyself hast said, * First of all pluck " 'the beam out of thine own eye, and then thou wilt be able 44 *to see to take the mote out of the eye of thy brother ' " (St. Matthew vii, 3).
Cbapter r, ©f DumUitg ant> of bow a /Ban sboulb tbinfe Ugbtlj? of bimseit, anb sboulb esteem Mmself tbe inferior of cvcvs /Ban
Matthew vii, 3). Cbapter r, ©f DumUitg ant> of bow a /Ban sboulb tbinfe Ugbtlj? of bimseit, anb sboulb esteem Mmself tbe inferior of cvcvs /Ban
ABBA ISAAC, the priest of the Cells, used to say: When I was a young man I used to dwell with Abb& Chronius, and he never at any time told me to do any
444. work; now he was an old man and he trembled, but he would stand up and give water with his hands to me, and to all of us alike. And with Abb& Theodore of ParmS it was the same, for he never told me to do any work whatsoever, but he would make ready the table with his own hands, and would say, u Brother, come [and] eat." And I said unto him, 44 Father, I " came that I might assist thee, and how is that thou dost not " tell me to do something?" But the old man in all this held his peace. And I went up and informed the old men, and they came to him, and said unto him, 44 Father, this brother came
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" unto thy holiness that he might be assisted [by thee], and " why dost thou not tell him to do something?" Then the old man said unto them, 4 1 Am I the head of a monastery that I " should give him a command? I shall say unto him nothing ex- " cept that [I] wish him to do that which he seeth me do." And from that time I was always before him in doing that which the old man was going to do; now whatsoever he did, he did in silence, and in this manner he made me to know and taught me to work in silence also.
I shall say unto him nothing ex- " cept that [I] wish him to do that which he seeth me do. " And from that time I was always before him in doing that which the old man was going to do; now whatsoever he did, he did in silence, and in this manner he made me to know and taught me to work in silence also.
445. There was a certain Egyptian monk in Constantinople under the reign of Theodosius the Less, and he used to dwell in a little cell, and when the Emperor went forth [on one occa- sion] to take his pleasure, he came by himself to the monk; now the following of men who were with him waited for him at a distance. And the Emperor took off his crown from his head, and hid it, and he knocked at the door of the monk, and when he opened to him he knew that it was the Emperor, but he [feigned] forgetfulness and would not recognize him, and he welcomed him as one of his own rank in life, and he prayed and sat down. Then the Emperor began to question him, say- ing, " How are the fathers who are in Egypt?" And the monk said unto him, " They all pray for thy health." And the Em- peror examined his cell, and saw nothing there except a small basket wherein was bread, and the monk said to him, " Eat," and he dipped the bread in water, and poured oil on it, and salt, and he gave it to the Emperor, who ate it; and he gave him some water, and he drank. Then the Emperor said unto him, " Knowest thou who I am?" And the monk said unto him, "God knoweth who thou art." And the Emperor said unto him, " I am Theodosius, the Emperor," and straightway the monk paid homage unto him. Then the Emperor said unto him, " Blessed art thou in that thou hast none of the cares of " this world; verily I was born to kingship and before this day * i I have never been satisfied with bread and water, and they " have pleased me greatly"; and the Emperor began to pay honour to him. And straightway that monk fled to Egypt with all the speed that was possible.
446. A certain brother came to Abba* Macarius, the Egyptian, and said unto him, " Father, speak to me a word whereby I " may live." Abb£ Macarius saith unto him, " Get thee to the " cemetery and revile the dead"; and he went and reviled them, and stoned them with stones, and he came and informed the old man [that he had done so]. And the old man said unto him, " Did they say nothing unto thee?" and the brother said unto him, " No." And again the old man said unto him, " Go " to-morrow and praise them, and call them, 1 Apostles,
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And the old man said unto him, " Did they say nothing unto thee? " and the brother said unto him, " No. " And again the old man said unto him, " Go " to-morrow and praise them, and call them, 1 Apostles,
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" 'Saints, and Righteous Men'"; and he came to the old man, and said, " I have praised them." And the old man said unto him, "And did they return thee no answer?" and he said "No." And the old man said unto him, "Thou seest how "thou hast praised them, and that they said nothing to thee, " and that although thou didstrevile them they returned thee no " answer. And thus let it be with thyself. If thou wishest to " live, become dead, so that thou mayest care neither for the " reviling of men nor for [their] praise, for the dead care for "nothing; in this wise thou wilt be able to live."
447. One of the fathers used to relate that he had an old man in a cell, who performed many ascetic labours, and who clothed himself in a palm-leaf mat; and this old man went to Abbd Ammon, who, seeing that he wore a palm-leaf mat only, said unto him, " This will profit thee nothing." And the old man asked him, saying, "Three thoughts vex me. Shall I go "to the desert, or shall I go forth into exile, or shall I shut " myself up in a cell, and receive no man, and eat once every two "days?" Abb£ Ammon said unto him, " Thou art not able to " do any one of these things, but go, sit in thy cell, and eat a "very little food each day, and let there be in thine heart al- " ways the word[s] of the publican, 4 God be merciful to me " 4 a sinner,' and thus thou shalt be able to live" (St. Luke xviii, 13).
448. Abb£ Daniel used to relate a story, saying: — There was with us in Babylon of Egypt the daughter of a man who was the captain of a company of soldiers, and she was possessed of a devil, and her father took her to many places, but she could not find healing. Now her father had a friend who was a monk, and he said unto him, " No man is able to cure her ex- " cept those monks of whom I spake unto thee, but even if we " entreat them to do this they will not agree to it, because they "flee from the love of the approbation [of men]. Nevertheless, "when they come to sell [their] baskets, ye shall pretend that " ye wish to buy some, and when they come to sell and to take "the price of the baskets from thy house, we will say unto " them, * Put up a prayer, and this maiden shall be healed' "; and the man did so. And they came as it were to buy baskets, and they found the disciple of these holy men sitting down and selling [them], and they took him and the baskets , and carried him to their houses, and then they set another man in his place, and command- ed him when the monks came to bring them to them. Now when their disciple entered the house, the maiden who was possessed of a devil went forth and smote him on the cheek, but that brother fulfilled the commandment and turned to her the other cheek, and straightway that devil, who was unable to bear the
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blow of the commandment of Christ which was fulfilled, cried out with a loud voice, and departed. And when the monks came [the people in the house] related unto them the reason for what had happened, and they glorified God, and said, 44 It 44 is customary for the boasting of the Evil One to fall before 44 the humility of the commandments of Christ."
And when the monks came [the people in the house] related unto them the reason for what had happened, and they glorified God, and said, 44 It 44 is customary for the boasting of the Evil One to fall before 44 the humility of the commandments of Christ. "
449. On one occasion Abbd Ammon went to Abbd Anthony, and he lost the way, and sat down for a little and fell asleep; and he rose up from his slumber, and prayed unto God, and said, 44 1 beseech Thee, O Lord God, not to destroy that which 44 Thou hast fashioned." Then he lifted up his eyes, and, be- hold, there was the form of a man's hand above him in the heavens, and it shewed him the way until he came and stood above the cave of Abb£ Anthony; and when he had gone into the cave to the old man, Abbd Anthony prophesied unto him, saying, 4 4 Thou shalt increase in the fear of God." Then he took him outside the cave, and showing him a stone, said, 4 4 Curse 44 this stone, and smite it," and he did so, and Abbd Anthony said unto him, 4 4 It is thus that thou shalt arrive at this state, 4 4 for thou shalt bear heaviness, and great abuse"; and this actually happened to Abb£ Ammon. Now, through his abun- dant goodness Abbd Ammon knew not wickedness. And after he had become a Bishop, through his spiritual excellence they brought unto him a virgin who had conceived, and they said unto him, * 4 So-and-so hath done this deed; let them receive 44 correction"; but he made the sign of the Cross over her belly, and ordered them to give her six pair of linen cloths, and he said, 4 4 Peradventure when she bringeth forth either she or the " child will die, [and if either dieth] let them be buried," Then those who were with him said unto him, 4 4 What is this that * 4 thou hast done? Give the command that they receive correc- 44 tion." And he said unto them, "See, O my brethren, she is 44 nigh unto death, and what can I do?" Then he dismissed her. And the old man never ventured to judge anyone, for he was full of lovingkindness and endless goodness to all the children of men.
450. They used to say that [on one occasion] when Abbd Arsenius the Great fell ill in Scete, a priest went and brought him to the church, and he spread a palm-leaf mat for him, and [placed] a small pillow under his head; and one of the old men came to visit him and saw that he was lying upon a mat and that he had a pillow under his head, and he was offended and said, 4 4 And this is Arsenius lying upon such things!" Then the priest took the old man aside privately, and said unto him, 44 What labour didst thou do in thy village?" and the old man said unto him, 44 1 was a shepherd." And the priest said unto
Qt Dumilttp
" Then the priest took the old man aside privately, and said unto him, 44 What labour didst thou do in thy village? " and the old man said unto him, 44 1 was a shepherd. " And the priest said unto
Qt Dumilttp
him, " What manner of life didst thou lead in the world?" and he said unto him, "A life of toil, and sore want." And when the old man had described all the tribulation which he had en- dured in the world, the priest said unto him, 4 'And here what "manner of life dost thou lead?" And the old man said unto him, "In my cell I have everything comfortable, and I have "more than I want"; and the priest said unto him, "Consider "[the position of] Abb A Arsenius when he was in the world! " He was the father of kings, and a thousand slaves, girt "about with gold-embroidered vests, and with chains and or- " naments round their necks, and clothed in silk, stood before "him; and he had the most costly couches and cushions Jto " lie upon]. But thou wast a shepherd, and the comforts which "thou didst never enjoy in the world thou hast here; but this "man Arsenius hath not here the comforts which he enjoyed "in the world, and now thou art at thine ease whilst he is "troubled." Then the mind of the old man was opened, and he expressed contrition and said, "Father, forgive me; I have "sinned. Verily this is the way of truth. He hath come to a "state of humility, whilst I have attained to ease." And the old man having profited went his way.
451. They used to say that on one occasion Abbi Macarius was passing along the road when Satan met him, and the Devil wished to cut him down with the scythe which he held in his hand, but he was unable to do so, and he said unto him, " Macarius, I am dragged along by thee with great force, but " I cannot overcome thee. Now, behold, everything which "thou doest I can do also. Thou fastest, and I never eat at " all. Thou watchest, and I never go to sleep, and there is one "thing only wherein thou dost conquer me." Then Macarius said unto him, "And what is that?" And Satan said, "It is "thy humility, for it is because of this that I cannot vanquish "thee"; then Macarius spread out his hands in prayer, and the Devil was no more seen.
452. On one occasion a devil took a knife and stood over Abbd Macarius wishing to cut off his leg, and when he was unable to do so on account of the humility [of the old man], he answered and said unto him, "Everything which ye pos- "sess we possess also, and it is only in humility that ye are "superior to us, and [it is only by means of it] that yecon- "quer us."
453. Abb£ Anthony said, "I saw all the snares of the Enemy laid out upon the ground, and I groaned and said, 'Who can " 'escape from these?' " And the devils said unto me, ' Humility ' 'maketh a man to escape from these, for we cannot attain "'untoit. , "
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454. An old man said, 1 4 Whensoever a man is praised it is " meet for him to think upon his sins, and he should consider, i ' saying, ' I am unworthy of the things which are said about me. ' "
455. The blessed Macarius behaved towards all the brethren without any wicked suspicion, and certain people said unto him, 4 'Why dost thou act in this manner?" And he said, "Be- "hold, for twelve years I have been supplicating my Lord to " give me this gift, and would you advise me to relinquish it? "If it happen that one of the brethren commit a sin before " the eyes of him who possesseth no wickedness, and he know "that it is an evil thing, it is not right that he should bear " some of the pain of him that hath fallen."
456. Abbd Poemen used to say, "No monk should condemn " any man in anything, and no monk should reward a man " with [evil for] evil, and no monk should be a man of anger."
457. An old man asked Abbd Poemen, saying, "Somebreth- " ren dwell with me; dost thou wish me to give them command- " ments?" And he said unto him, "No, but thou thyself must " first do work, and if they wish to live, they will observe [it] " and do [it]." The old man said unto him, "Ought they also " to wish me to govern them?" And Abb& Poemen said unto him, "No, be unto them an example, and not a lawgiver."
458. Abbd Poemen said, "If a brother come unto thee, and " thou be not benefited by his coming in [to thee], enquire in " thine heart, and learn what thought thou hadst [in thy mind] " before the entrance of that brother, and then thou wilt learn " whence cometh the source of injury; if thou wilt do this with "humility and knowledge, behold, thou wilt live without " blame with thy brother, and thou wilt bear thine own short- comings. If a man maketh his habitation with knowledge "it will not fall, for God is before it, and, as it appeareth to " me, from this habitation a man may acquire the fear of God."
If a man maketh his habitation with knowledge "it will not fall, for God is before it, and, as it appeareth to " me, from this habitation a man may acquire the fear of God. "
459. A brother asked an old man, saying, "By what means "may a man go forward? and the old man said unto him, "The greatness of a man consisteth of humility, for in pro- " portion as a man descendeth to humility, he becometh exalted " to greatness. "
460. Abb£ John used to say, "We relinquish a light burden * 1 when we condemn ourselves, but we take upon ourselves a " heavy burden when we [attempt to] make ourselves righteous."
461. On one occasion Abbd Theophilus went to the Nitrian Mountain to visit the fathers, and the priest of the Mountain came to him; and Abbst Theophilus said to him, now he was Theophilus the Bishop of Alexandria, "What thing of excel- " lence hast thou found on this road?" And the old man said unto him, "I make accusations against myself, and I blame
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" myself at all times"; and Abbd Theophilus said unto him, " Verily this is the way of truth."
A variant reads: "On one occasion the Archbishop Theo- " philus went to the mountain of Nitria, and a certain Abbd of "the monks who was in the mountain came unto him; Abbd "Theophilus said unto him, "What more do the monks find " in this way [than in any other]?" The old man said unto him, "They condemn themselves continually, and they do not judge "their neighbours"; and Abbd Theophilus said, "There is no "way but this."
462. On one occasion they brought a man possessed of a devil to one of the old men of Thebes, and entreated him to cast the devil out, but the old man was unwilling [to do soj ; but since they urged him strongly he was persuaded, and he had mercy on the man, and he said to the devil, "Get thee out "from that which God hath fashioned." Then the devil an- swered and said, "I am going out, but I would ask thee to "tell me one thing: What is the meaning of that which is "written in the Gospel, Who are the goats and who are the " sheep?" The old man answered and said, " I myself am [one "of] the goats, but God knoweth who the sheep are"; and when the devil heard this, he cried out with a loud voice, saying, "Behold, I go forth because of thy humility," and straightway he left the man and departed.
463. They used to say that on one occasion a few early, white figs came to Scete, but because they were nothing [of im- portance] they did not send any to Abbd Arsenius, not wishing to insult him; and when the old man heard of this he did not come to the congregation, saying, "Ye separated me from the "blessed gift which God sent to the brethren because I was "unworthy to partake of it." And when the old man heard [this] they profited [greatly] by his humility, and the priest went and carried some of the figs to him, and brought him to the congregation with great joy.
464. A certain AbbA asked AbbA Muthues, saying, " If I go to " a place to dwell, how wouldst thou have me conduct myself? " The old man said unto him, " If thou wishest to dwell in a cer- " tain place, [do so,] but do not let go forth concerning thyself "any fame for praiseworthy a£ts, [or say,] 4 1 do not eat, 1 or, " 'I do not drink,' for such things only produce empty fame; " and thou wilt find at length that thou wilt profit from many, "for men will go where they can find qualities of this kind." Then the brother said unto him, "What shall I do?" and the old man said unto him, "Wheresoever thou dwellest condudl " thyself in a simple manner like every one else, and what thou " seest those who fear God do, [I mean] those in whom thou
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" hast confidence, that do also, and thou shalt be at ease. For " to be as all other men are is true humility, and the men who " see that thou art like unto all other men will regard thee as " they regard every one else, and thou wilt not be troubled/ '
465. A certain brother went on one occasion from Egypt to Syria to visit Abba Zeno, and the Egyptians began to make accusations against his thoughts before the old man. And when Abba Zeno heard this, he marvelled and said, "The "Egyptians always hide the spiritual excellences which they " possess, but they describe the shortcomings which they do not "possess; on the other hand, the Syrians and the Greeks declare " that they possess the virtues which they have not, and they " hide the shortcomings which they do possess."
And when Abba Zeno heard this, he marvelled and said, "The "Egyptians always hide the spiritual excellences which they " possess, but they describe the shortcomings which they do not "possess; on the other hand, the Syrians and the Greeks declare " that they possess the virtues which they have not, and they " hide the shortcomings which they do possess. "
466. They used to talk about a certain old man who fasted for seventy weeks, and who only ate each Saturday; and he asked God that a word from the Book might be given unto him, but it was not given. Then he said within himself, "Behold, I " have laboured in all these things, and I have omitted nothing; " I will arise and go to my brother and question him [about " it]." And when he had shut the door to depart, the angel of the Lord appeared, and said unto him, "The seventy weeks "wherein thou didst fast have not come nigh unto God, but, " inasmuch as thou hast humbled thyself to go to thy brother, " I have been sent to make known unto thee a word, and to "give thee rest"; thereupon he made the word known unto him, and gave him rest, and departed.
467. A brother asked an old man, saying, "What shall I do? " For the love of praise is killing me." The old man said unto him, "Thou doest well, for behold, thou hast made the heavens " and the earth." Then the brother was sorry because of what the old man had said unto him, and he expressed contrition, and said, ' * Father, forgive me, but I have done nothing of the "kind"; the old man said unto him, "If now He Who did " make them came into this world in humility, why dost thou " who art mud boast thyself?"
468. One of the old men said, "Be not humble in thy words " only, but also in thy deeds."
469. On one occasion a certain governor came to see Abba Stoidn, and when the old man heard of his coming from those who came to make it known to him beforehand, he straightway girded up his loins, and went up a palm tree to clean it. And when those who came cried out to him, saying, "Old man, tell " us where the monk is," he said unto them, "He is not here"; so they departed from that place.
470. One of the fathers from Parm& told a story of how, on one occasion when he had returned to Abba Theodore, he found
no
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And when those who came cried out to him, saying, "Old man, tell " us where the monk is," he said unto them, "He is not here"; so they departed from that place. 470. One of the fathers from Parm& told a story of how, on one occasion when he had returned to Abba Theodore, he found
no
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him wearing a ragged shirt, and his breast was naked and bare, and his outer garment was dragged round in front of him. And, behold, a certain Count came to see him, and when his fol- lowers knocked at the door, and called the old man, he went out to meet him quite carelessly; and I took a small piece of coarse cloth and threw it over his shoulders that his breast might be covered, but the old man took it in his hand and waved it, and threw it away. And when the Count went I said to him, " Father, what is this that thou hast done? For a nobleman " came unto thee to be helped, and to gain profit, and behold, " he hath perhaps gone away offended. " And the old man said unto me, "Get thee gone, Abb£. We are still subjedl unto men. "We have done the deed, and he is gone; but whether he " wisheth to be benefited, or whether he wisheth to be offended "is his affair. As for me, as far as I am able I shall always "meet men of this kind in this way." And he commanded his disciple, saying, "If any man cometh and wisheth to see me, "say not to him anything after the manner of men, but if I "am eating, tell him that I am eating, and if I am asleep, tell "him that I am asleep."
471. A certain woman who was afHidled in her lungs with the disease called cancer, heard concerning Longinus and wished to see him; now he used to dwell in [the monastery of] Han ton in Alexandria. And whilst the woman was seeking and wishing for him, it happened that the blessed man was gathering sticks on the sea-shore, and when the woman found him, she said unto him, "Father, where dwelleth the man of " God, Abbi Longinus?" Now she did not know that he him- self was Longinus. And he said unto her, "What dost thou " want with that lying hypocrite? Do not go to him, for he is " a liar. What is it that causeth thee pain?" Then the woman shewed him the place, and the old man made the sign of the Cross over it, and he dismissed her, saying, "Go, and may our " Lord heal thee, for Longinus is unable to do thee any good "whatsoever." And the woman went away believing in the word, and she was healed straightway; and afterwards when she was telling folks the story, she said, "I have learned by "the marks which were on the old man that he himself was "AbbA Longinus."
" And the woman went away believing in the word, and she was healed straightway; and afterwards when she was telling folks the story, she said, "I have learned by "the marks which were on the old man that he himself was "AbbA Longinus. "
472. On one occasion a certain governor arranged to see Abb£ Simon, and the clergy told him beforehand, saying, " Father, make thyself ready, for a certain governor hath heard " of thy life and works, and he wisheth to come and be blessed "by thee"; and the old man said unto them, "I am ready." Then the old man went in and took in his hand some bread and cheese, and went out to the door and sat down there, and
in
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he changed about from place to place eating; and when the governor came with his company, and saw him sitting and eat- ing, they despised him, saying, "So this is the monk of whom " I have heard !" And they left him and departed.
473. An old man was asked, "How is it that there are men " who say, * We have seen a vision of angels?' " and the old man said, "Blessed is he who seeth his sins continually."
474. They used to say that when any man came to Abba Poemen he used to send him to Abba Job, his brother, saying to him, "He is older than I am"; and Job used to say to those who came, "Go unto my brother Poemen, for he possesseth " the grace of these gifts." Now if Abbd Joseph was sitting with him Abba Poemen would not speak before him.
475. When a certain brother went to the festival he asked Abbd Poemen, "What wouldst thou have me to do?" The old man said unto him, "Be thou a friend unto him that lead- " eth thee away by force, and sell thy work graciously."
476. A brother asked an old man, "What is the work ot "exile?" And the old man said unto him, "I knew a brother " who went forth into exile, and he went in to lodge in a church, " and it happened that the brethren were about to eat some of "the sacramental bread; and when they sat down this man "sat down with them. Now when some of the other monks " saw him, they said, 'Who hath brought this man in [to eat] " with us?' And one of them said [unto him], 'Arise, and get " 'thee outside,' and straightway he rose up and went forth " as the brother had told him; but the others being sorry about "this matter went out and brought him in. And after these "things a certain man asked him, 'What was in thy mind " 'when thou didst go out and come in again?' He said unto " them, ' I thought in my mind that I was like a dog which " 'when he is driven out goeth out, and when he is called " ' cometh in.'"
And after these "things a certain man asked him, 'What was in thy mind " 'when thou didst go out and come in again? ' He said unto " them, ' I thought in my mind that I was like a dog which " 'when he is driven out goeth out, and when he is called " ' cometh in. '"
477. They used to say that when Abbd Moses was one of the clergy he wore a long outer garment, and that the Bishop said unto him, "Behold, thou art wholly white, O AbbA " Moses. " The old man said unto him, " Is the P£p£ within "or without?" And again, wishing to try him, the Bishop said unto the clergy, "When Abbd Moses goeth into the " sacrarium drive him out, and go after him and hear what he "saith." Now when he went into the sacrarium they rebuked him and drove him out, saying, "Get outside, O Ethiopian"; and having gone forth he began to say to himself, "They have "treated thee rightly, O thou whose skin is dark and black; " thou shalt not go back as if thou wert a [white] man."
478. An old man used to say, "Do not despise or think
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" lightly of him that standeth before thee, for thou knowest "not whether the Spirit of God is in thee or in him, though "thou callest him who standeth before thee him that minis- "tereth unto thee."
479. Abbd John the Less used to say, "Humility and the "fear of God are more excellent than all the [other] virtues."
480. They used to say that a certain old man, who had young men living with him, told them on one occasion to do something, and when they did it not he said nothing further to them about it, but rose up himself in their sight and did what he had told them to do without anger, and without labour.
481. Another old man used to say, "Humility is not with- " out salt, but it is salted with salt."
482. An old man used to say, "I would rather learn than
"teach."
483. And he also used to say, "Do not learn before the "time, so that thou mayest not have little admonition all thy
"time."
484. Abba Agathon said, "If a man of wrath were to raise " the dead, he would not be accepted by any man."
485. A brother asked AbbA Timothy, saying, "I myself can "see that my memorial is ever before God"; and the old man said unto him, ' ' It would not be any great thing for thy thought " (or mind) to be with God, but it would be a great thing for a "man to see his soul beneath all creation."
486. Abbd Theodore used to say, "There is no spiritual " excellence greater than that of a man who despiseth not his "companion."
487. An old man was asked, "By what means doth the soul "receive humility?" And he said, "By searching into it, and " by remembering the evil things which have been done by it."
486. Abbd Theodore used to say, "There is no spiritual " excellence greater than that of a man who despiseth not his "companion. "
487. An old man was asked, "By what means doth the soul "receive humility? " And he said, "By searching into it, and " by remembering the evil things which have been done by it. "
488. One of the old men said, "I asked Abbd Sisoes, saying, " 'Tell me a word/ and he said, 'It is right for a monk to " 'humble himself lower than the idols'; and I went to my cell, " and took counsel with myself, and meditated for an hour, "saying, 'What do the words "lower than the idols" mean?' "Then I returned and went to the old man, and said unto " him, 'What do the words "lower than the idols" mean?' And "he said unto me, 'It is written concerning the idols, "They " ' "have a mouth and speak not, and they have eyes and see " ' "not, and they have ears and hear not"; even thus is it right " 'for a monk to be.' And because idols are an abomination, a "man must hold himself to be abominable in his own sight."
489. A brother asked Abb& Sisoes of Thebais, saying, " Speak "a word to me," and Sisoes said unto him, "What have I to
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"say unto thee? I read the New Testament, and I refleft on "the Old Testament."
490. That same brother went to Abb£ Sisoes of P£t4r4, and told him the word which Abbd Sisoes of the Thebaid had spoken, and Abbst Sisoes said unto him, "I lie down to sleep 44 in my sins, and I rise up in my sins."
491. There was a certain monk who lost himself in the desert, and he said to himself, "I have kept myself rightly, and I pos- " sess all the virtues," and he prayed to God and said, "If I "be lacking in anything, shew Thou me how I may perform " it." And God, wishing to humble his mind, said unto him, 44 Go to such and such a head of a monastery, and whatsoever " he telleth thee to do that do." And God sent a revelation to the head of the monastery, and said unto him, "Behold, such " and such a monk will come unto thee, and say thou unto him, 4 4 4 Take a whip in thy hands, and go forth and pasture swine. ' " And the monk went forth immediately, even as the head of the monastery told him, and pastured swine, and when those who had known him formerly, and those who had heard about him, saw him pasturing swine, they said, 4 4 Ye see the great monk " about whom we have heard, behold, his heart hath gone mad, " and a devil hath seized him, and he is [now] pasturing swine." Then God, when He saw his humility, and that he was hear- ing and bearing the reproach of men, set him free so that he might go back where he had been formerly.
492. An old man used to say, " If a man hath laid some work " upon a brother to do, he must perform that command in the " fear of God and in humility; for he who for God's sake layeth " [some work] upon a brother maketh the brother to submit " himself thereto, and [the one brother] must do what [the other 1 * brother] hath laid upon him. But if a man wisheth to give * 4 commands to a brother, not in the fear of God, but on his own 4 4 authority, wishing to be unto him a master and a governor, 44 God, Who seeth the hidden things of his heart, will not allow " him to be obedient unto him and to do [that] work, for the 44 work that is for God's sake is evident, and that which is of the 44 man's own authority is well known. For that which is for God's 44 sake cometh with humility and entreaty, whilst the works 44 which are of man's own authority are with wrath and trouble, 44 and they come from the Evil One."
493. A brother asked Abb£ Isidore, 4 4 Why is it that the 44 devils fear thee so greatly? The old man said, 4 4 Because 4 4 from the time that I became a monk I have laboured hard 44 not to allow anger to enter into my throat; that is why they 44 fear me."
494. An old man used to say, 44 On one occasion I went to
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" the fair to sell with [other] brethren a few things, and I saw " anger drawing nigh unto me, and I left the things and fled "straightway."
495. Abba* John the Less used to say, "On one occasion " when I was going up on the Scete road with some palm leaves " I heard a camel speaking words to me, and he was about to 1 * make me angry, but I straightway left the palm leaves and fled. "
496. The same old man when he was in the harvest [field] heard a brother speaking to his companion in anger, saying, 44 Come hither," and straightway he left the harvest and fled.
497. A brother asked an old man, 4 1 Why is it, when I am " performing my little services of prayer and praise, that I some- " times see in myself that there is nothing lacking in my heart, "and that I do not wish it?" The old man said unto him, " How then can a man appear to love God?"
498. Abbd John the Less said unto the brethren who were with him, " Although we be little folk in the eyes of men, let " us consider how we may be held in honour before God."
" The old man said unto him, " How then can a man appear to love God? "
498. Abbd John the Less said unto the brethren who were with him, " Although we be little folk in the eyes of men, let " us consider how we may be held in honour before God. "
499. They used to say that Abbd Patrd and Abbd Ampikos were close and affectionate friends, and that when the old men were eating in the church, and they were urging them to come to the table of the fathers, it was only with hard work that Abba* Patr& would go by himself; and after he had eaten, Abb& Ampikds said unto him, "How didst thou dare to go to the "table of the old men?" Abba* Patrd said unto him, "If I had " sat with you the brethren would have honoured me as an old " man, and they would have required it of me to be the first to " say the blessing, and I might have thought in my mind that " I was greater than you all. But since I went to the fathers I " am the least of you all, and I am abased, and I think in my " thoughts that I am nothing."
500. On one occasion a brother committed sin in the church, and the priest drove him out therefrom, and there was there a man of discretion whose name was Bessarion, and he also arose and went out of the church, and said, " If ye have judged that " this man who hath committed only one offence is not fit to "worship God, how very much less fit am I, who have com-* "mitted many sins, to do so?" And the old man said, "'Woe " 'be unto him that is without more than unto him that is with- " 'in,' that is to say, ' Woe be unto him that is [within him that " 'is without!'] Now this is what I would say, When a man in "the world findeth a cause [of complaint] against a man who "liveth a life of silent contemplation, or who hath departed "from the world, this is a [cause of] judgement and of a fall "unto him who giveth him reason [for complaint]. Take the " greatest possible care then, O monk, not to commit sin, lest
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41 thou disgrace God, Who dwelleth in thee, and drive Him out "from thy soul."
501. Abb£ Pi6r worked hard to be able to overcome the dis- position to say "Thou" to any of the brethren.
502. The disciple of Abbd Arsenius used to say, "When "the old man was about to die, he commanded us, saying, ' ' ' Do not let it be a care unto you to make a commemoration " 4 for me, but offer up the Offering only; for, he used to say, " 'if during my life-time I have done any thing which is worthy "'of commemoration, I shall most certainly find [a memorial " 'of it]/"
503. Abbd Ammon said, "A man may pass one hundred "years in his cell, and not know rightly how a monk should "live in his cell, or even how to live secluded for one day." And he used to say, "The proper way and manner for a monk " to live is to condemn himself continually."
504. Abbd Poemen used to say, " If a man will only condemn " himself he will be able to endure and continue wheresoever " he dwelleth."
505. Abbd Poemen used to say, "We live in the troubles and " trials which come upon us because we do not take to our- " selves the humble names which the Scriptures have given us; " and because we do not consider how our Lord Jesus relieved ' 1 the Canaanitish woman (St. Matthew xv, 22) who took to her- " self abominable names, moreover, we do not consider how, " when Abigail said unto David, 'On me be the sin' (1 Samuel " xxv, 24), he was entreated by her and loved her. Abigail must ' ' be taken as [representing] the person of the soul, and David "as the Godhead; if then, the soul will condemn itself before " God, He will love it, and will give it the delight of rest."
506. An old man used to say, "In all thy trials blame no man; "blame thyself only, saying, 'These things have happened to " 'me because of my sins.'"
507. On one occasion AbbA John was called to the church, and the brethren surrounded him and asked him questions about their thoughts; and one of the old men said unto him, "John is like unto a whore who adorneth herself that she may "multiply lovers for herself; thus art thou." And Abb£ John sighed and said, "Father, thou hast spoken the truth." After- wards a certain man told him that he loved him, [and said], "Art thou not disturbed within?" He said unto him, "No. " But as I am without, even so am I within."
508. One of the old men used to say about AbbA John, that he lived in such a way that, through the humility which he pos- sessed, he held all Scete suspended on his finger.
509. Abb& John of the Thebaid used to say that, before all
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else, it was right for a monk to acquire humility, for this was the first commandment of our blessed Redeemer, Who said, " Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of "God" (St. Matthew v, 3).
510. John Kolob used to say, " Humility is the door which "leadeth into the kingdom, and our fathers, through many "revilings, have gone into the city of God rejoicing."
Matthew v, 3). 510. John Kolob used to say, " Humility is the door which "leadeth into the kingdom, and our fathers, through many "revilings, have gone into the city of God rejoicing. "
511. An old man used to say, 44 It is good for a man to say, " 'Forgive me,' and then to make an offering of something; "for this suiteth the monkish garb."
512. The same old man also said, " A dog is better than I "am, for he hath love, and he cometh not to judgement."
513. Abbd Eupraxius used to say, "The tree of life which "riseth in the heights is humility." He also said, " Make thy- self like unto the publican; and be not made guilty with the " Pharisee; choose for thyself the meekness of Moses, so that " thine heart, which is as hard as steel, thou mayest change into " a fountain of water.
514. One of the old men said, " I would rather have defeat "with humility than conquest with boasting."
515. An old man said, " When the thought of pride goeth "up in thee, and thou becomest arrogant, examine thy con- " science [and see] if thou hast kept all the commandments, "and if thou lovest thine enemies, and if thou lovest the ap- probation of thine enemy, and if thou art grieved when he " is afflicted, and if thou art considered by thyself to be an " unprofitable servant, and a sinner greater than any other "man. And even if thou hast performed rightly all the de- "mands of ascetic excellence, thou shalt not be proud, for "thou must know that the thought of pride abrogateth and " maketh unprofitable all the virtues."
516. An old man used to say, " He who is held in greater "honour or is more praised than he deserveth suffereth great " loss; but the man who receiveth neither honour nor praise " from men shall be praised above all."
517. A brother asked an old man, saying, " Is it a good thing " for us to repent many times?" The old man said unto him, " We see that when Joshua, the son of Nun, lay upon his face " the Lord spake with him " (Joshua v, 14).
518. An old man was asked, " Why do the devils fight "against us in the way they do?" And he said, " Because we "throw away from us our armour, that is to say, obedience, "humility, and abstinence."
519. The old men used to say, "Whensoever we have no " war to wage then especially it is meet that we should abase "ourselves, for God, because He knoweth our feebleness,
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" giveth us His protection fornothing, but if we boast ourselves, " He removeth it from us and we perish."
519. The old men used to say, "Whensoever we have no " war to wage then especially it is meet that we should abase "ourselves, for God, because He knoweth our feebleness,
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" giveth us His protection fornothing, but if we boast ourselves, " He removeth it from us and we perish. "
520. A brother asked an old man, saying, "What istheper- " fection of a monk?" The old man saith unto him, " Humility, " for when once a man hath arrived at humility, he can reach " forward to the goal."
521. The old man said, " If a man can say unto his brother, " ' Forgive me,' and can humble himself, this belongeth to the " perfection of the monk."
522. One of the old men said, " When a man saith unto his "companion, ' Forgive me/ and at the same time humbleth "himself, the devils are consumed."
523. A certain brother was offended at his brother, and when the latter heard thereof he went to him to express his contri- tion, but he would not open the door; then he who had offended his brother went to another old man and related the matter unto him, and the old man answered and said, "Observe lest "in thine own mind thou art justifying thyself, and art con- " demning thy brother, as if he were the offender, for it may " be that because of this he would not be persuaded to open " unto thee. Nevertheless, do thou what I am going to tell thee. " For although he hath offended thee, go thou, and hold firmly " [to the belief] that thou hast offended against him, and may " God put it into thy brother's mind to be reconciled to thee."