628. Abba John, who was cast out by the Marcionites, used to say: — On one occasion we went from Syria to Abba Poemen, and when we wished him to speak to us about hardness of heart [we found that] the old man did not know Greek, and there was no interpreter with leisure [to interpret there]. And the old man saw that we were troubled at this, and he began to talk to us in the Greek tongue, and at the beginning of his speech he said, "Water is by nature soft, and stone is hard, "nevertheless if thou suspendest a vessel full of water above
' i a stone, and wilt pour it out upon it drop by drop, it will "wear away the stone. In the same way the Word of God is " soft, and our heart is hard, but if it heareth continually the "Word of God, the heart will be opened, and will turn to the "fear of God."
629. A certain monk lived in the desert, and there was another brother who lived in a cell by his side, and when he visited him from time to time he used to see him praying and entreating our Lord that the wild animals might be at peace with him. And after the prayer a panther which was suckling her young was found by him, and that brother went down upon his knees and sucked with them. And on another occasion the blessed man saw that brother praying and beseeching God to make fire to be at peace with him; and he lit a fire, and knelt
down in the middle of it, and prayed. And that old man used to say, "If thou wishest to become a monk, bring thyself into " subjeftion that thou mayest be in the congregation of the "community, and mayest enter the monastery; but if thou " canst not cast away from thee care concerning [all kinds of] 44 occupations and affairs, thou canst never dwell in the con- " gregation. All the power thou hast is over a bottle of water."
630. And there are also wonderful things which the blessed Bessarion performed. He made the waters of the sea sweet, and Saul his disciple drank [of them]; he crossed over the water of the river; he prevented the sun from setting in the heavens; and the rooting up of the temples of the idols was revealed unto him. As they were going to John the Theban his disciple became thirsty, and Bessarion prayed, and water bubbled up, and he gave him to drink; and he healed also the young man who was a paralytic, so that he ran to his father; and he cast out a devil from a young man who was always asleep, and whom his parents besought him to wake up. I have, however, written down all these things in the history of the holy man Bessarion, wherein it is written that he was sitting at the door of the monastery and weeping bitterly.
Gbapter #t>* ©f tbe Greatness of tbe Subltme IRuIe of tbe Solitary %iic
THERE was a certain old man amongst the fathers who used to see visions, and this man testified, and said, "That power which I have seen existing in baptism, I
631. " have also seen in the apparel of the monks when they M take the garb of the monk."
632. An old man from Thebais used to say: — I was the son of a priest of idols, and when I was young I lived in the temple, and I have on many occasions seen my father go into the temple to perform the sacrifices to the idols. Once I went in secretly after him, and I saw Satan sitting [there], with his whole army before him, and, behold, one of his devils came and did homage to him. And Satan answered and said unto him, "Whence comest thou?" And the devil made answer, saying, "I was in such and such a country, and I stirred up " many wars and revolts, and I caused the shedding of blood, " and I have come to tell thee these things." Satan said unto him, « i How long did it take thee to do this?" and the devil said "Thirty days. " Then Satan commanded him to be beaten, saying unto him, "Is this all that thou hast done in so long a time?" And, behold, another devil came and worshipped him, and to him he said, "Whence comest thou?" And the devil answered and said, "I was in the sea, where I stirred up storms, and
1 * sank ships, and drowned many men, and I have come that "I may inform thee of these things." Then Satan answered and said unto him, "In how much time hast thou done this?" and the devil answered and said unto him, " In twenty days," and Satan commanded that he also should be beaten, saying unto him, "Why is it that in all these days thou hast only done "[what thou sayest]?" And when he had said this, behold, a third devil came and worshipped Satan, who answered and said unto him also, "And where dost thou come from?" and the devil answered and said unto him, "I have been in such " and such a city wherein there was a marriage feast, and I "stirred up a war there, and caused the shedding of much "blood, and the death of the bridegroom and the bride; and " as soon as I had done this I came to inform thee. " And Satan said unto him, "In how many days hast thou done this?" and the devil said, "In ten days"; and Satan commanded that he should be beaten, saying, "In all these days thou hast only "done this." Then afterwards, behold, a fourth devil came and worshipped him, and Satan answered and said unto him, "And whence comest thou also?" And he who was asked answered and said unto him, "I have been in the desert for forty "years striving with a monk, and to-night I have hurled him "into fornication"; and when Satan heard this, he rose up straightway and embraced and kissed that devil, and he took the crown off his head, and placed it upon him, and he made him to sit by his side upon his throne, saying, "And so thou "hast been able to do so great a work as this in so short a " time! For there is nothing which I prize so highly as the fall " of a monk." And the old man went on to say: — When I saw these things I said within myself, "Yea, so great then is the "army of the monks! And by the operation of God, Who de- " sired my redemption, I came forth, and became a monk."
633. In the time when Julian, the rebellious Emperor, was going down to the territory of the Persians, he sent a certain devil to go speedily to the country of the West, and to bring him from thence an account of what he had sent him [to do]. Now when that devil arrived at a certain place wherein dwelt a monk, he stopped and tarried there for a period of fifteen days without being able to move anywhere, and he was unable to travel onwards, because the monk did not cease from praying, either by night or by day; so he returned to the heathen who had sent him without having done anything. Then the wicked Julian said unto him, "Why hast thou tarried so long?" And the devil answered and said unto him, "I delayed in "coming, and I have done nothing; for a monk, who continued in prayer, came in my way and I tarried with him
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4 'fifteen days, expecting that he would some time cease to "pray and that I should be able to go on my way; but he " never ceased from his prayer, and I was prevented from going " on, and so I delayed in coming, and I have done nothing." Then was the wicked Julian angry, and he said, "When I "come back I will take vengeance upon him"; but before a few days were over, he was slain by Divine Providence. And straightway one of the eparchs who were with him went and sold everything which he possessed and gave [the money] to the poor, and he came to that monk, and himself became a chosen monk; and he died with a good ending, and with works which were pleasing unto God.
634. On one occasion Abba Pamb6 was travelling with some monks in the districts of Egypt; and seeing some worldly folk sitting down he said unto them, "Rise up, and salute the 4 * monks so that ye may be blessed, for they are always hold- " ing converse with God, and their mouths are holy."
635. Abba John used to say, "The whole company of the " holy men is like unto a garden which is full of fruit-bearing "trees of various kinds, and wherein the trees are planted "in [one] earth, and all of them drink from one fountain; "and thus is it with all the holy men, for they have not one " rule only, but several varieties, and one man laboureth in one " way, and another man in another, but it is one Spirit which "operateth and worketh in them."
Cbapter f ♦ dtoestions anb answers on tbe IRulc of %ifc of tbe 1)oIb dDen wbicb tbep tauQbt before tbe flbultitube anb fn tbeir Cells on even? ftinb of Spiritual JEjcellence
TWO of the fathers entreated God to inform them as to the measure [of spiritual excellence] to which they had arrived, and a voice came to them which said, "In "such and such a village of Egypt there is a certain man in "the world who is called Eucharistos, and his wife Mary, and "ye have not as yet arrived at the same measure as they." Now when the fathers heard [this] they marvelled, and they rose up and came to that village, and they enquired for and found the house and the wife of Eucharistos, and they asked her, saying, "Where is thy husband?" And she answered and said unto them, " He is a shepherd, and he is in the field pasturing sheep"; and she brought them into her house. And when the evening had come her husband came from the sheep, and seeing the fathers he rejoiced with great joy, and he prepared a table [for them], and brought water that he might wash their feet. Then the fathers answered and said unto him, "We will "eat nothing, but tell us what is thy work"; and Eucharistos said unto them with great humility, "I am a shepherd, and "this is my wife." Now the fathers entreated him to inform them concerning his life and works, but he concealed the matter, and refused to speak. Finally they said unto him, "God "told us to come to thee," and when Eucharistos heard this he was afraid, and he told them, saying, "Behold, we inherited "these sheep from our parents, and whatsoever God provid- " eth as [our] income from them we divide into three portions; "one portion [we devote] to charity, one portion to the love "of strangers, and the remaining part serveth for our own " use. Since the time when I took this woman to wife we have "not defiled ourselves, and she is a virgin, and each of us "sleepeth alone; at night time we wear sackcloth, and in the "daytime we put it off and array ourselves in our [ordinary] " attire, and no man hath known this thing until the present "moment." And when the fathers heard [this] they glorified God.
2. They say concerning Abba Anthony that on one occasion, when he was praying in his cell he heard a voice which said unto him, "Anthony, thou hast not yet arrived [at the state of " excellence] of a certain man who is a tailor and who dwell- "eth in Alexandria." Then Anthony rose up in the morning,
and took a palm stick and departed to him, and when the man saw him, he was disturbed; and the old man said unto him, 44 Tell me what thou doest, and how thou livest," and the tailor said unto him, 14 I do not myself know that I do any "good, and I know only that when I rise up in the morning, 4 4 before I sit down to the labour of my hands, I give thanks 44 unto God, and praise Him, and that I set my evil deeds be- 44 fore mine eyes, saying, 4 All the men who are in this city will 4 4 4 go into the kingdom of God, because of their alms and good 4 4 4 deeds, except myself, and I shall inherit punishment for my 44 4 sins'; and again in the evening, before I sleep, I do the same 44 things." Now when Abba Anthony heard these things, he said, 44 Verily, as the man who worketh in gold, and who doeth 14 beautiful work, cleanly, and in peace, even so art thou; 44 through thy beautiful thoughts thou wilt inherit the king- 44 dom of God, whilst I, who have passed the whole of my life 44 in the desert, separated [from men], have never overtaken "thee."
3. Abba Anthony received a revelation in the desert, saying, 44 In such and such a city there is a man who resembleth thee; 44 he is a physician, and he worketh and giveth whatsoever he 44 earneth to the poor and needy, and each day he, with the 44 angels, ascribeth holiness to God three times a day."
4. When Abba Macarius was praying in his cell on one occasion he heard a voice which said, 4 4 Macarius, thou hast not 44 yet arrived [at the state of excellence] of two women who are 44 in such and such a city"; and the old man rose up in the morning, and took in his hand a palm stick, and he began to set out on the road to that city. Now therefore, when he had arrived at the city, and learned the place [of the abode of the women], he knocked at the door, and there went forth one of the women and brought him into the house. And when he had been sitting down for a little, the other woman came in, and he called them to him, and they came nigh and sat down before him. Then the old man said unto them, 4 4 On your account 44 I have made this long journey, and have performed all this 44 labour, and with great difficulty have come from the desert; 4 4 tell me, then, what works do ye do." And they said unto him, 4 4 Believe us, O father; neither of us hath ever been 44 absent from, or kept herself back from, her husband's 44 couch up to this day; what work, then, wouldst thou see in 44 us?" Then the old man made apologies to them, and entreated them to reveal to him and to show him their labour, and thereupon they said unto him, 4 4 According to worldly 44 considerations we are strangers one to the other, for we are 44 not kinsfolk, but it fell out that the two of us married two
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" men who were brethren in the flesh. And behold, up to this " present we have lived in this house for twelve years, and we "have never wanted to quarrel with each other, and neither 41 of us hath spoken one abominable word of abuse to her companion. Now we made up our minds together to leave our "husbands and to join the army of virgins, but, although we "entreated our husbands earnestly to allow us to do so, they "would not undertake to send us away. And as we were un- " able to do that which we wished, we made a promise between " ourselves and God that, until death, no worldly word should "go forth from our mouths." Now when Macarius heard [this] he said, "Verily, virginity by itself is nothing, nor " marriage, nor life as a monk, nor life in the world; for God "seeketh the desire [of a man], and giveth the Spirit unto "every man."
5. They used to tell a story about certain brethren who were members of the household of Abba Poemen. Now whilst these men were dwelling in Egypt their mother wished to see them, but was unable to do so, and she watched for them as they were going to the church, and went out to meet them, but as soon as they saw her they went back to their cell and shut the door on themselves, and then their mother took up her stand by the door, and spake [unto them], and wept and sighed heavily. And when Abba Job heard her, he went in to Abba Poemen and said unto him, "What shall we do in respeft of "this old woman who is weeping by the door?" Then Abba Poemen rose up and drew nigh to the door and pressed himself against it and, hearing her speaking in the deepest sorrow, he said unto her, "Wilt thou, who art an old woman, cry in " this fashion?" Now as soon as she heard his voice she wept the more, and she cried out, saying, "I want to see my sons. " For what is this that I see in you? Perad venture I did not rear "you? Perad venture I am not your mother? Peradventure ye " did not suck at my breasts? Peradventure ye did not go forth "from my womb? I am prevented by mine old age, but now "that I have heard thy voice my bowels have been moved." The old man said unto her, "Dost thou wish to see us here, " or wouldst thou see us in that country [beyond the grave]?" She said unto him, "My sons, if I do not see you here I shall " see you there." And the old man said unto her, "If thou wilt "compel thyself not to see us here, thou shalt, in very truth, " see us there." Then the old woman departed, saying, "Yea, " my son, if I shall see you there I shall not seek to see you "here."
6. There was a certain old man who lived a life of such stri<5l self-denial that he never drank wine. And when I arrived at
his cell we sat down to eat, and one brought dates and he ate, and he took water and drank; and I said unto him laughingly, " So thou art angry with absinthe, O father? Since thou hast 44 eaten dates and hast drunk water, why dost thou not drink " wine?" And he answered and said unto me, "If thou takest 44 a handful of dust and throwest it on a man will it hurt him?" and I said unto him, 4 'No." And he said unto me, 4 4 If thou 44 takest a handful of water and throwest it over a man, per- 44 adventure he will feel pain?" and I said unto him, 4 4 No." And he said unto me, 44 And again, if thou takest a handful of 44 chopped straw and throwest it over a man, peradventure it 44 will cause him pain? and I said unto him, 4 4 No." Then he said unto me, 4 4 But if thou bringest [them all] and dost mix 44 them together, and dost knead them well, and dost dry them, 4 4 thou mayest throw and hurl the mass on the skull of a man 4 4 and thou wilt not break it"; and I said unto him, 44 Yea, 44 father, [that is true]." And he said unto me, 4 4 The monks 44 do not abstain from certain things without good reason, and 44 thou must not listen to the men who are in the world who 44 say, 4 Why do they not eat this, and why do they not drink 4 4 4 that?* Is there not sin in them? Such people know not. Now 4 4 we abstain from certain things not because the things them- 44 selves are bad, but because the passions are mighty, and 44 when they have waxed strong they kill us."
7. On one occasion the priest of Scete went to the Archbishop of Alexandria, and when he had returned to Scete he wanted to send the brethren [to Alexandria], and he said unto them, 44 I have heard you say that there is a large assembly of people 44 in Alexandria. Verily, I say unto you that I who went there 44 did not see the face of any man except the Archbishop." Now when they heard [this] they were disturbed, and said, 44 Have they sunk into the ground, then?" And he said, 4 4 Nay, 44 not so, but my thoughts did not compel me to look at a man "; and when they heard [this] they marvelled, and they were greatly confirmed by these words [in their desire] to keep themselves from looking upon the vain things of the world.
8. One of the old men used to say: On one occasion the fathers were sitting and conversing together on the subject of ascetic excellence, and there was in their midst one of the old men who was a seer of visions, and he saw angels flying about over [the fathers]; but when they came to another subject of discourse, the angels departed, and he saw pigs rolling about among them and wallowing in the mire. And afterwards when the fathers renewed their conversation on spiritual excellence the angels came back and glorified God.
9. One of the fathers used to say that there were two
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brethren who were neighbours of his in the desert, and that one was a stranger and the other a native of the country; now the stranger was a man of little faith, but the native performed many worki in the service of God. And it happened that the stranger died, and the old man, who saw divine visions, saw multitudes of angels bearing away in triumph his soul until it arrived in heaven. And an inquiry arose concerning this, and the old man heard a voice from heaven which said, "He was " certainly a negligent man, but because of his being a stranger " they opened unto him." And afterwards the man who was a native of the country died, and his kinsfolk came to him and buried him, and the old man saw that there were no angels with him, and he marvelled, and he fell on his face and entreated God to inform him how it was that the stranger who was a negligent man was worthy of glory, whilst the man who had all those labours [to his credit] was not granted the same thing. And he heard a voice which said, "When the native " with all his works came to die, he opened his eyes and saw "his kinsfolk weeping, and his soul was refreshed; but the "stranger, although he was negligent, saw none of his kins- " folk, and he sighed and wept."
10. One of the fathers told a story, saying: There was a certain monk in the desert of Linopolis, and a man who was in the world ministered unto him; and there was in the city a certain rich and wicked man who died, and he was accompanied to his burial by the whole city, and by the Bishop, with lights and great honour. Now the man who ministered to the monk went forth to give him some bread, but he found him dead and eaten by the panthers; and he fell upon his face before the Lord and said, "My Lord, I will not rise up from "this place until Thou makest me to know why this wicked "man is buried with such great honour, and why this monk " who served Thee by night and by day hath come to such an " end." And an angel came and said unto him, "That wicked " man did one good work, and he was rewarded here so that "he might not find even one pleasure in the world to come; " but this holy man, because he was a man who was adorned " with divine virtues, although inasmuch as he was a man he "possessed certain shortcomings, will receive these things in "the world to come, so that there he may be found perfe<St "therein." And having heard [this] he returned, and glorified God for His judgements because they are good.
11. A brother asked an old man, saying, "Is it the name " or the work which maketh to live?" The old man said unto him, "I knew a certain brother who was praying on one "occasion, and who thought within himself, saying, 'I wish
44 4 to see the soul of a righteous man, and the soul of a sinner 44 'when they are leaving the body*; and because God wished 44 neither to make him grieve, nor to deprive him of his desire, " whilst he was sitting in his cell a wolf went in to him, and 44 laid hold of him by his clothes and dragged him outside, and " then having pulled him along he carried him to the outside " of a certain city, and then he left him there and departed.
44 Now whilst he was sitting outside the city there was a man " who lived in a monastery, and who had gained renown, and "and concerning whom a report had gone forth that he was a 44 monk of spiritual excellence; and this man was grievously "sick, and was waiting for the hour of his departure [from 4 4 this world]. And that brother looked on and saw the prepar- 44 ations which they were making, and the things which they 44 were putting ready for the event, namely, the wax candles, 44 and the lamps which they were trimming and preparing, and 44 he saw that all the city was weeping for him, and that his 44 people were in grief, and saying, * By his hand God hath 44 4 given us meat and drink, and by his hands He hath de- 44 4 livered us, and hath kept us and the whole city alive; if 44 4 anything happeneth to him we shall die. ' And when the time 44 for this man to end his life had come that brother looked, and 44 saw, and behold, the keeper of Sheol went in having in his 44 hand a fork of fire with three prongs, and he heard a voice 44 which spake [to the keeper], saying, 4 Thou shalt not give 44 4 his soul any rest, even for a moment, and thou shalt not 44 4 shew any compassion unto him when thou takestaway his 44 4 soul. Then he who had appeared to that brother went in, and 44 he drove that fiery, three-pronged fork which he had in his 4 4 hand into the heart of the dying man, and he tortured him 44 for a long time, and then he carried away his soul. And after 44 these things, when that brother was going into the city, he 44 saw a certain brother who was a stranger, and who was 44 lying sick in the market-place, and there was none to care 44 for him; and he remained with him for one day, and at the 44 time when his soul was departing the brother saw Gabriel and 44 Michael come for his soul, and they sat down, one on his 44 right hand, and the other on his left, and they stayed there 44 entreating his soul and wishing to carry it away. And since 44 his soul refused to leave its body, Gabriel said to Michael, 44 4 Lift up his soul and take it, so that we may depart'; and 44 Michael said unto him, 4 We were commanded by our Lord 44 4 to bring it out without pain and without suffering, and 44 4 therefore we cannot constrain it and do it violence.' Then 44 Michael cried out with a loud voice, saying, 4 What dost Thou 4 4 4 command concerning this soul which will not be entreated
" 1 to come forth, O Lord?' And there came unto him a voice " which said, 'Behold, I will send David and his harp, and all " 1 those who sing with him, so that when the soul heareth the " ' sweetness of their voices it shall come forth'; and they came "down and surrounded the soul, and as they were singing* " psalms and hymns the soul leaped forth, and it was rejoicing "in the hands of Michael, and was taken up on high with " gladness."
12. They used to say that a certain old man went on one occasion to a city to sell his handiwork, and it chanced that he sat down by the door of a house of a rich man who was dying, and whose death was very near at hand; and as he was sitting [there] he looked and saw black horses, with their black riders, who were exceedingly terrible, and they held in their hands staves of fire. And when they had come to the door of the house, they set their horses outside, and they went in together, and as soon as the sick man saw them, he cried out with a mighty voice, saying, " O Lord, help me." Then those who had been sent unto him said, "Now that the sun hath set upon thee thou "hast come to call God to remembrance; why didst thou not " seek Him while it was yet day? Now thou hast neither a por- "tion of hope nor consolation left." Then they took away his soul and departed.
13. There were two brethren who lived in cells, and one of them was an old man who had persuaded the younger man, saying, " My brother, let us dwell together," but he said unto him, " I am a sinner, and I cannot let thee be with me, O fa- "ther." Then the old man entreated him, saying, "Yes, we "can [live together]"; now that old man was pure in his thoughts, and he was not content to hear that there was in the young man the thought of fornication. And the brother said unto him, " Father, leave me for one week, and we will speak "[on the subject] again"; and when the week was ended the old man came and, wishing to try him, the brother said unto him, "During the past week, O father, I fell into great temp- " tation, for I went to a certain village on business, and I met "a woman." The old man said unto him, "There is repent- " ance"; and the brother said unto him, " Yea, there is." And the old man said unto him, " I will bear the half of this sin " with thee"; then the brother said unto him, " We shall now " be able to dwell together." So they dwelt together until the end of their lives.
14. Certain brethren from the great monastery went forth and departed to the desert, and they came to one of the monks who received them with gladness; and when he saw that, as was usual with monks, they had come from labour, he pre-
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pared for them a table before the appointed season, and whatsoever he had in his cell he set before them, and refreshed them. Now when the evening was come they sang twelve Psalms, and they did the same thing during the night, but the old man left them to rest, and he departed that he might sing and pray by himself. And whilst he was keeping vigil, he heard the brethren conversing together and saying, "The " monks who live in the desert live more comfortably than do " we who are in the monasteries." And when they were making ready in the morning to go to an old man who was his neighbour, he said unto them, " Salute him for me"; and they said unto him, " Thou shalt not water the green herb," and when he heard [thisj, he understood the matter. And he kept them until the evening working and fasting, and when the evening had come they sang the great service through, and the brother said unto them, " To-day, because ye have come from toil, we " have shortened the service somewhat," and he also said unto them, " We are not in the habit of eating every day, but be- " cause of you we will eat a little." And he prepared for them dry bread and salt, and he said unto them, " It is fitting that " on your account we should this day make a feast," and he sprinkled a little vinegar in the salt, and they rose up to sing and pray until the morning, and he said unto them, 11 We are, "on account of you, unable to perform the whole of the ser- " vice as we are wont to do, for ye must rest a little, and ye " are strangers. "Now when the morning had come they wished to escape, but he entreated them, saying, " Spend a few days " with us, especially that ye may live according to the custom " of the desert, for we cannot let you go"; and when they saw that he did not want to send them away, they rose up and fled secretly.
15. On one occasion a certain brother came to Mount Sinai to visit Abba Sylvanus, and he saw the brethren working with their hands to supply their wants, and he said unto Abba Sylvanus, with boasting, "Ye toil for the food which perisheth; " Mary chose a good portion for herself." Then Abba Sylvanus said unto Zechariah, his disciple, "Give him a book and " take him to a cell wherein there is nothing." And when the time of the ninth hour had come, the brother looked this way and that way to see if they were going to send for him to come and eat, but no man came to seek him. Then he rose up and came to the old man and said unto him, 1 ' Father, have not the "brethren eaten to-day?" and he said unto him, "Yea." And the brother said unto him, "Why have ye not called me?" The old man said unto him, "Thou art a spiritual man and hast " no need of the meat which is for the body, but we are cor-
" poreal beings, and we require to eat, and it is for this reason 4 * that we work. Thou hast chosen the [good] part; read all " day, and do not seek after the food of the body." Now when "that brother heard [this] he expressed his contrition, and "said, "Father, forgive me"; and the old man said, "Even " Mary bad need of Martha, for through the labour of Martha " Mary triumphed."
16. It happened on one occasion that a certain heathen priest came to Scete, and he visited the cell of one of the brethren, and passed the night there, and he saw the labours of his rule, and marvelled; and he said unto him, "Do ye labour so greatly " and yet do not see visions from your God?" and the brother said unto him, "We do not see [visions]." The priest of idols said unto him, "When we perform the part of priests to our "god he hideth nothing from us, and he revealeth unto us his " mysteries, whilst ye who perform the labours of vigil, and "abstinence, and silent contemplation, as thou sayest, see "nothing. There must be in your hearts evil thoughts which "separate you from your God, and it is for this reason that " He doth not reveal unto you His mysteries." Then the brother went and informed the old men of the word[s] of that priest of idols, and they marvelled and said, " It is thus, for " the thoughts which are not clean alienate a man from God. "
17. One of the brethren said unto one of the great old men, " If I could find one of the fathers according to my desire, I " would choose to die with him," and the old man said unto him with a laugh, "Good, my lord," and the brother said, "Such "is my desire." Now he did not understand the mind {or thought) of the old man. And when the old man saw that the brother was in truth speaking concerning himself that which he thoroughly believed, he said unto him, "If thou didst find " an old man according to thy desire, wouldst thou be able to " dwell with him?" And he said unto him, "Yea." The old man said unto him, "Well hast thou said, 'If I could find [an old " ' man] according to my desire* "; and afterwards he said unto him, "Thou dost not wish to be subject to the will of the old " man, but the old man must be subject unto thee!" Then the "brother rose up, and made apologies to him, saying, 'For- " give me, father; I have boasted greatly. I thought that I was "saying that which was good, but I find that I possess that " which is of no value."
18. Abba Daniel used to say about Abba Arsenius that immediately he heard that the fruits were [ripe] on the trees, he would tell them in his desire to bring him some, and that he used to eat once a year of every kind of fruit, so that he might give thanks to God.
19. Abba Abraham asked Abba Theodore, saying, 44 Father, " which is the better thing for me to do, [to give] praise or to 44 blame?" The old man said unto him, 44 1 myself prefer to 44 perform the works of praise, and not of blame"; and Abba Abraham said unto him, 44 How is this?" And the old man said unto him, 4 4 If I perform good works, and I be praised there- 44 for, I find that I can bring an accusation against my mind 44 whilst I flee from the love of approbation, and I can say that 44 I do not deserve this praise, but blame belongeth to evil 44 works, and how shall I be able to comfort my heart, because "men are offended at me? It is necessary for us to do good 44 works, and to be praised, without receiving upon ourselves 44 the love of approbation, and not evil deeds, lest we be 44 blamed." And Abba Abraham said, 4 4 Thou hast said well, 44 O father; even so is it."
20. They used to say about one of the fathers who had lived in the world, that when he was in the desert he was occupied in fighting [his desire] to return to his wife whom he had married before [he became a monk], and when he related the matter to the fathers, they appointed him certain works, so that he might be kept back from the fight [within him]. Now because he was an obedient man and one who laboured, he performed these works in excess, and at length his body became so emaciated that he was unable to rise up from his place. And, by the operation of God, a certain father who was a stranger came to the place of Scete, and he passed by the cell of that monk and found it to be empty; and as he passed by he said in his mind, 4 4 How is it that no man hath come out to 44 jneet me from this cell? And he went back there, and knocked, saying, 44 Perhaps he is sick"; and when he knocked the brother who was grievously sick went forth, and the father said unto him, 44 What is thy sickness, O father?" And the brother told him of all his suffering, saying, 4 4 1 belonged to the world, and the 44 Enemy made war upon me through my wife, and I told the 44 fathers the story, and they imposed upon me severe labours; 4 4 and having performed these my body hath become ill, and 44 the war hath waxed stronger against me." Now when the old man heard these things, he was grieved, and he said unto him, 4 4 The fathers have imposed upon thee great labours as 44 if [thou hadst been] a mighty man, but if thou wilt hearken 44 to my feeble [voice] thou wilt relinquish those labours, and 44 partake of a little food, at the appointed time, and wilt sing 44 and pray a little, and wilt cast thy business upon God. For by 44 thy pains and sickness thou wilt not be able to conquer this 14 matter, because our body is like unto a garment; if thou take 44 oare of it, it will last, but if thou negledl it, it will come to an
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44 end." Now the brother having heard these things afted thus, and in a few days the war passed away from him.
21. One of the fathers asked Abba Nastir, the friend of the blessed Anthony, saying, "What is the best work for me to "do?" And he said unto him, "Not all kinds of labour are the 44 same. For the book saith that Abraham was a lover of strangers, and that God was with him; and Elijah was a lover of 44 a life of silent contemplation, and God was with him; and 44 David was a humble man, and God was with him; therefore 44 whatsoever work thy soul wisheth to do, provided that it be 44 of God, that do, and keep thy heart from evil things."
And the brother asked him again, saying, "Father, tell me * * other things "; and the old man said, * 4 Abba Anbastfdn asked " Abba Athri, saying, 4 What shall I do? * And he said unto him, 44 4 Go, make thy belly little, and the work of thy hands great, u 4 and be not troubled in thy cell.'"
And again the brother asked him, saying, 44 If there be a 44 persecution, is it better to flee to the desert or to the habi- 44 tation of men?" And the old man said unto him, 4 4 Go wheresoever thou hearest that true believers are, and have no 44 friendship with a youth, and do not dwell with one; and if 44 thou art able so to do, dwell in thy cell, for this is good, and 44 cleanse thy garden herbs. This is far better than going to a 44 man and asking him questions."
And again the brother asked him, 44 I wish to dwell in close 44 friendship with a brother, and I want to live a life of silent 4 4 contemplation by myself in my cell, and he must give me 44 what I want, and I will give him the work of my hands." The old man said unto him, 4 4 The fathers have never sought 44 after a thing of this kind; and if thou dost not give bread 44 to the poor Satan will not permit thee [so to live]."
22. Abba Daniel Parndyd, the disciple of Abba Arsenius, used to tell about a man of Scete, and say that he was a man of great labours but simple in the faith, and in his ignorance he considered and declared that the bread which we receive is not in very truth the Body of Christ, but a similitude of His Body. And two of the fathers heard this word which he spake, but because they knew of his sublime works and labours, they imagined that he had spoken it in his innocence and simple- mindedness; and they came to him and said unto him, 4 4 Father, 44 we have heard a thing from a man which we do not believe, 44 for he saith that this bread which we receive is not in very 44 truth the Body of Christ, but a mere similitude." And he said unto them, 4 4 It is I who have said this thing," and they entreated him, saying, 4 4 Thou must not say thus, father, but 44 according to what the Holy Catholic Church hath handed
" down to us, even so do we believe, that is to say, this bread " is the Body of Christ in very truth, and is not a mere simili- " tude. As, in truth, God straightway took dust from the earth, " and fashioned man in His image, [and no man is able to say " that he is not the image of GodJ, so also was it the case of the " bread of which He said, 'This is My Body/ for it is not to be " regarded as a merely commemorative thing, and we believe " that it is indeed the Body of Christ." And the old man said, "Unless I be convinced by the thing itself I will not hearken " [to this]"; then the fathers said unto him, "Let us pray to " God for the whole week on this mystery, and we believe that " He will reveal [it] unto us," and the old man agreed to this with great joy, and each man went to his cell. Then the old man prayed unto God, saying, "O Lord, Thou knowest that it "is not from wickedness that I do not believe, but in order 4 4 that I may not go astray through ignorance, reveal Thou "therefore unto me, O Lord Jesus Christ, this mystery"; and the two other old men prayed unto God and said thus, " O Lord "Jesus Christ, make Thou this old man to have knowledge "concerning this mystery, and we believe that he will not " destroy his labours."
And God heard the entreaty of the two fathers, and when the week was ended they came to the church, and the three of them sat down by themselves on one seat, and the old man was between the other two; and the eyes of their understandings were opened, and when the time of the Mysteries had arrived, and the bread was laid upon the holy table, there appeared to the three of them as it were a child on the table. And when the priest stretched out his hand to break the bread, behold the angel of the Lord came down from heaven with a knife in his hand, and he slew the child and pressed out his blood into the cup; and when the priest broke off from the bread small members, the old man drew nigh that he might partake of the Holy Offering, and a piece of living flesh smeared and dripping with blood was given to him. Now when he saw [this] he was afraid, and he cried out with a loud voice, saying, "I believe, O Lord, " that the bread is Thy Body, and that the cup is Thy Blood"; and straightway the flesh which was in his hand became bread like unto that of the Mystery, and he took it and gave thanks unto God. And the old men said unto him, "God knoweth the "nature of men, and that it is unable to eat living flesh, and " for this reason He turneth His Body into bread, and His " Blood into wine, for those who receive Him in faith." Then they gave thanks unto God for that old man, and because he had not permitted Satan to destroy him from his labours, and the three of them went to their cells in gladness.
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23. Abba Daniel used to say that Abba Arsenius told him a story, as if he were speaking of some other man, saying: — Whilst a certain old man was sitting in his cell, there came unto him a voice which said, " Come hither, and I will shew "thee the works of the children of men"; and he rose up and went out. And the voice led him out and shewed him an Ethiopian cutting wood, and he made up a large bundle and wished to carry it away, but he was unable to do so. Then instead of making the bundle smaller, he went and cut down some more wood, and added thereto, and this he did many times. And when he had gone on a little further, the voice shewed him a man who was standing by a pit drawing up water, which he cast in a certain hollowed out place, and when he had thrown the water therein it ran down again into the pit.
And again the voice said unto him, "Come, and I will shew " thee other things." Then he looked, and, behold, there was a temple, and two men, who were riding horses, were carrying a piece of wood as wide as the temple was, and they wanted to go in through the door, but the width of the wood did not permit them to do so, for they would not humble themselves to go in, one after his companion, and to bring it in end-wise, and therefore they remained outside the door. Now these are the men who bear the yoke of righteousness with boasting, and they will not humble themselves to make themselves straight and go in the humble way of Christ, and therefore they remain outside the kingdom of God. And the man who was cutting wood is the man who laboureth in many sins, and who, instead ofrepenting and diminishing from his sins, addeth other wickednesses thereunto. Now he who was drawing water is the man who doeth good works, and who, because other things are mingled in his good works, destroyeth his works thereby. Now it is meet that a man should be watchful in his labour, lest he toil in vain.
24. On one occasion Abba Macarius was going from the wood to his cell, and was carrying [with him] some palm leaves, and Satan met him on the road holding a scythe [in his hand]; and when Macarius sought to wound him, Satan was afraid, and he fell down and did homage to the blessed man. Then the old man fled from that place, and he related to the brethren everything which had happened, and when they heard [it] they glorified God.
25. An old man used to say, "Be like a camel when thou " bearest thy sins, and be thou tied closely to him that know- "eththe way."
26. An old man used to say, "Become not a lawgiver unto " thyself, and judge no man, for thou art not under the Law,
' i but under grace; but give thou everything to Him that is * * able to do everything, for thou art unable to do anything. "Judge then [in] this [way], and do not sin at any time.,,
27. He also said, ' i He who wisheth to dwell in the desert "should become a learner, and he should not practise doctrine " lest he suffer loss; and his occupation should be with a man " who loveth God."
28. Unto one of the old men Satan appeared in the form of an angel of light, and said, "I, even I, am Gabriel who have " been sent unto thee and he said unto him, " Hast thou " not been sent unto another? for I am a sinner"; and when Satan heard this he did not again appear. And the old man said, i i If in very truth an angel appeareth unto thee, say, 'As "'unto whom [hast thou come in coming] to me? I am not "'worthy.'"
29. When Abba Gregory was dying he said these [words]: — " God demandeth three things from the man who hath been " baptized, true faith from the soul, and truth from the tongue, " and chastity from the body."
30. The old man said, "God seeketh nothing from Chris- " tians except true faith, and [belief] that the things which are "spoken shall come to pass in deed, and that we should be " persuaded by the orthodox fathers."
31. An old man was asked, "How can a man find God? By " fasting? By works? By watching? By mercy?" And he said, " By means of these certainly when they are mingled with discretion, but I say that there are many who have afflicted " their bodies without discretion, and they have departed vainly, " having gained nothing. Our mouth becometh foul through "thirst, and we repeat the Scriptures with our mouth, " and we go through all the Psalms of David in our service, "but that which God requireth, and which is necessary we 4 * have not, that is to say, a good word for each other. For as " a man cannot see his face in troubled waters, so the soul, un- " less it be cleansed from alien thoughts, is not able to appear " before God in prayer."
32. A certain monk was going along the road and he met some nuns, and he turned aside out of the path, and she who was leading them said unto him, * * Hadst thou been a perfect " monk thou wouldst never have regarded us as women."
33. Abba Anthony used to say, "A man's life or death " cometh from his neighbour; if we benefit our brother we " benefit ourselves, and if we offend him we sin against God."
34. A certain brother came to Abba Theodore, and he began to talk and to speak about the things which he had not done; and the old man said unto him, "So far thou hast not found a
"ship, and thou hast not let down in it thy possessions, and " before thou hast embarked thou hast gone to the city where- to thou wishest to go. First of all do the work, and then 4 * thou shalt arrive at that concerning which thou art now "talking."
35. A brother asked Abba Anthony, saying, " What [com- "mandment] shall I keep so that I may please God?" And he answered and said unto him, 4 i That which I command " thee observe. Set thou God before thine eyes continually, 11 wheresoever thou goest; whatsoever thou doest make to it " a witness (or testimony) from the Scriptures; and in whatsoever place thou dwellest be not easily moved therefrom, " but abide therein persistently. Observe these three things, " and thou shalt be saved."
36. They used to say about a certain old man that whensoever he sat in his cell toiling in the contest, he saw the devils face to face, and that he treated them with contempt and despised them through his contest. Now when Satan saw that he was being overcome by the old man, he appeared unto him in human form, and said unto him, " I am "Christ." And when the old man saw him, he winked his eyes and made a mock of him. Then Satan said unto him, " Why dost thou wink thine eyes? I, even I, am Christ." And the old man answered and said unto him, "I do not desire to "see Christ here"; and when Satan heard these things he departed from him and was no more seen.
37. Abba John used to say, that he saw in a vision one ot the old men in a state of stupefadlion, and behold, three monks were standing on the shore of a lake, and a voice came to them from heaven (or from the other shore of the lake), which said, "Take ye wings of fire and come to me"; and two of them took wings of fire and flew over to the other side, even as it was told them. Now the third remained behind, and he wept abundantly, and cried out, and at length wings were given to him also, but they were not of fire like those of his companions, for they were weak and feeble wings, and it was only with the greatest difficulty, and after dropping down into the water, and with most painful exertions that he reached the [opposite] shore. And even so is it with this generation, for although it taketh to itself wings, they are not the powerful wings of fire, but it forceth itself to take weak and feeble wings.
38. An old man used to say, " Every wickedness which is " not perfe<St is not wickedness, and every righteousness which "is not perfedl is not righteousness; for the man who hath "not good and evil thoughts is like unto the land of Sodom,
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" which is salted, and which bringeth forth neither green " herb nor fruit. Now good ground produceth wheat and ex- " pelleth tares from itself."
39. Certain brethren came and asked Abba Anthony a question about the Book of the Levites, and the old man went forth to the desert, and Abba Ammon, who knew his habit, followed him secretly. And when the old man had gone some distance, he cried out with a loud voice, and said, " O God, send Moses " unto me, and let him teach me [the meaning of] this verse"; and straightway a voice was heard holding converse with him. Now Abba Ammon heard this voice, and said, " I heard the " voice which spake with him, but the force of the verse I " never learned."
40. On one occasion when Abba Poemen was a youth, he went to an old man to ask him [concerning] three matters, and having gone into his presence he forgot one of them, and he turned to go to his cell; and as he put the key [in the door] to open [it], he remembered the matter which he had forgotten, and straightway he left the key in the door and returned to the old man, and the old man said unto him, 1 i Thou hast " returned quickly, brother." And Abba Poemen told him the story thus: — " When I put the key [in the door] to open [it], I " remembered the matter which I wanted to know, and I did "not open the door because I came back hither speedily." Now the rocky ground which [he had traversed] in the interval was of no inconsiderable length. And the old man said unto him, ' ' Thy name shall be spoken about throughout all « Egypt."
4I # A brother said unto an old Abba, " Behold, I have en- " treated the old men, and they talk to me about the redemp- " tion of my soul, but I can lay hold upon nothing in their " words; what is the use, then, of making them toil when I can " do nothing [with what they say], for I am wholly in a state " of uncleanness?" Now there were there two basins, and the old man said unto him, "Go, bring me one of these basins, " and pour some oil into it, and rinse the basin round with it, " and then empty it out"; and he did so twice. Then the old man said unto him, " Bring now the two [basins] together"; and the brother did as he told him. [And the old man said, " Look and see which basin is the cleaner," and the brother said unto him], "That into which the oil hath been poured is " the cleaner." The old man said unto him, "And thus also is " it with the soul, for even if it layeth hold of nothing through "that which it asketh, it is cleaner than if it had never asked "a question at all."
42. A brother asked Abba John, and said unto him, "How is
" it that the soul which hath blemishes in itself is not ashamed " to speak about its neighbour, and to calumniate it?" And the old man spake unto him a word concerning calumny, saying, " There was a certain man who was poor, and he had a wife, and " he saw another woman who hearkened unto him, and he took " her to wife also; now the two women were naked. And when " there was a fair in a certain place the two women persuaded " him to take them to it, and he took his two wives, and put " them in a boat, and when he had gone up out of the boat he " arrived at a certain place. Now when the day had waxed " hot, and every man was resting, one of the women looked " out and saw that there was no man outside, and she leaped "up and went forth to a heap of waste rubbish, and chose "therefrom some old rags and made a girdle for herself, and " then walked about boldly. Meanwhile her companion was " sitting down naked, and she said unto her husband, ' Look "'at that harlot going about naked and without shame'; "then her husband, with sadness, said unto her, 'The thing " 'to be wondered at is that, whilst she hath, at least, covered " 'her shame, thou art entirely naked, and dost speak these "'words without being ashamed. ' Now a calumny [uttered] "against a neighbour is like unto this."
43. They used to say that one of the old men asked God that he might see the fathers, and he saw them [all], with the exception of Abba Anthony; and he said unto him that shewed [them] to him, " Where is Abba Anthony?" And he said unto him, " Wheresoever God is there is Anthony."
44. Abba Poemen used to say, "This is what is written, " 'As the hart crieth out for the water-brooks, even so crieth "'out my soul unto Thee, O Lord' (Psalm xlii, 1). For the "harts in the desert swallow many serpents, and when the "poison of these maketh them hot within, they cry out to "come to the water-brooks, but as soon as they have drunk "the burning which cometh from the serpents inside them is " cooled. And thus is it with the monks who are in the desert, "for they are burnt up by the envy of evil devils, and they "wait for the Saturday and Sunday that they may come to "the fountain of water, that is to say to the body of Christ, " and they sweeten and purify themselves from the gall of the "Evil One."
45* On one occasion when the brethren were sitting with AbM Moses, he said unto them, " Behold, this day have the "barbarians come to Scete; rise up and flee." And they said unto him, "Wilt thou not flee, father? He said unto them, "I " have been expecting this day to come for many years past, "so that might be fulfilled the command of our Redeemer,
14 Who said, 'Those who take the sword shall perish by the " 'sword'" (St. Matthew xxvi, 52). And they said unto him, " We then will not flee, but will die with thee." He said unto them, 4 * This is not my affair, but your own desire; let every man " look after himself in the place where he dwelleth." Now the brethren were seven in number. And after a little he said unto them, "Behold, the barbarians have drawn near the " door"; and the barbarians entered and slew them. Now one of them had been afraid, and he fled behind the palm leaves, and he saw seven crowns come down and place themselves on the heads of those who had been slain.
46. The brethren asked an old man, saying, " How is it that "God promiseth in the Scriptures good things to the soul, "and that the soul desireth them not, but turneth aside toim- " purity?" And he answered and said unto them, " It is my " opinion that it is because it hath not yet tasted the good " things which are above, and therefore the good things which " are here are dear unto it."
47. Abba Arsenius used to say, " The monk is a stranger in "a foreign land; let him not occupy himself with anything " [therein], and he will find rest."
48. They used to say that on one occasion when Abba Macarius the Great went up from Scete, and was carrying palm leaves, he became weary and sat down; and he prayed to God,and said, "God, thou knowest that I have no strength," and straightway he found that he was by the side of the sea (or river).
49. There was a certain old man in the mountain of Athlibi (Athribis), and thieves came to attack him, and he cried out; and when his neighbours heard [his cry] they hunted down the thieves, and they sent them to the governor, who shut them up in prison. And the brethren were sorry, and said, "They " were delivered into our hands"; and they rose up and went to Abba Poemen, and informed him about the matter. Then he wrote to that old man, and said unto him, " Thou must " understand whence hath come the first betrayal, and then " thou wilt perceive how the second betrayal arose; for if thou " hadst not been betrayed first of all by those that were with-
' ' in thou wouldst never have effected the second betrayal. " Now when the old man heard the letter of Abba Poemen, who was famous throughout all that country, and who kept himself strictly secluded in his cell, and never went out, straightway he rose up and went into the city, and took the thieves out of prison, and thus the assembly set them free.
50. On one occasion Abba" Macarius, wishing to rebuke the brethren, said unto them, " There came here a young man with
"his mother, and he was under the power of a devil, and he "said unto his mother, ' Rise up, let us depart from here'; " and she said unto him, * I cannot walk.' Then the young " man said unto him, ' I will carry thee myself/ " And Abba Macarius marvelled at the wickedness of that devil, and sought to drive them away.
51. On one occasion five brethren came to visit a great old man, and he asked the first one, saying, 4 1 What kind of work " doest thou?" And he said unto him, "I twist palm leaves "into ropes, father"; and the old man said unto him, "God " shall plait a crown for thee, O my son." Then he said to the second brother, "And what dost thou do?" And he said unto him, "I make mats, father"; and the old man said unto him, " God shall give thee strength, O my son." And he said unto the third brother, "And what dost thou do?" And he said unto him, " [I make] sieves, father"; and the old man said unto him, "God shall preserve thee, O my son." Then he asked the fourth brother, saying, "What dost thou do?" And he said unto him, " I can write well." And the old man said unto him, " Thou knowest." Then he said unto the fifth brother, " And "what dost thou do?" And he said unto him, "I weave " linen." Then the old man said, " I am not near," and he said also, " If the twister of palm-leaf ropes be watchful with God " He will plait him a crown for him; mat[-makingl requireth "strength because there is labour therein; and God must pro- " tt€t him of the sieves because he hath to sell them in the vil- " lages; as to the scribe, he must be humble in heart, for there " is in his business exaltation of spirit, as regardeth the linen " weaver, I am not near (i.e., concerned) to speak, for he is a " merchant and he tradeth. But if a man seeth a brother afar " off carrying palm branches, or palm-leaf mats, or sieves, he "saith, * This man is a monk, for grass is the work of our " 4 hands, and he is avoiding the burning of the fire'; and if he " seeth a man selling linen, he saith straightway, 4 Behold, " ' the merchants have come, for the [selling of] linen is the " ' work of this world, and it doth not benefit many.' "
52. Abba Jacob used to say, "It is not only words which " are required, for in this [life of] time many have abundance " of words, but it is work which is required, and it is neces- " sary to have it, and not words wherein there is no work."
53. One of the old men used to say, " That which is hated " by thee do not unto thy companion; if it be hateful to thee " for him to calumniate thee, do not thou calumniate any man; " if it be hateful to thee to be accused, accuse thou no man; if " it be hateful to thee for a man to revile thee, or to treat thee "with contempt, or to pluck thee away, or to do any such
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44 thing unto thee, do not thou do unto any man anything of 44 the kind. He who is able to perform this commandment is 44 able to redeem his own soul."
54. 44 On one occasion I went to Abba Muthues, and when 44 I was about to return, I said unto him, 4 I wish to goto the 44 4 Cells'; and he said unto me, 4 Salute Abba John for me.' 44 Now when I came to Abba John, I said unto him, * Abba 44 4 Muthues saluteth thee'; and the old man said unto me, 44 1 Behold, Abba Muthues is indeed a man of Israel in whom 44 4 there is no guile.' And after one year I went to Abba 44 Muthues, and I told him the greeting of Abba John; and the 44 old man said unto me, 4 I am unworthy of the old man's 4 4 4 words, but know, if ever thou hearest an old man praising 4 4 4 his companion more than himself, that he hath attained 4 4 4 unto a great measure of perfection, for it is indeed obe- 4 4 4 dience for a man to praise his companion more than 44 4 himself.'"
55. A brother asked an old man, and said unto him, 44 My 44 brother abuseth me, and I cannot bear him any longer; what 44 shall I do? Shall I rebuke him, or shall I speak evil words 44 to him?" The old man said unto him, 44 Both things are bad, 44 whether a man rebuke him, or whether a man speak unto 44 him evil words"; and the brother said unto him, 44 And 44 what shall I do? For I cannot endure either." The old man said unto him, 44 If thou canst not bear both things, speak to 44 him, but do not rebuke him; but if thou speakest unto him 44 with words of evil, and he listeneth, thou wilt be able to 44 quiet him, saying, 4 I did not say such and such a thing, and 4 4 4 it will be possible for the matter which is between you to 44 4 be healed; but if thou rebuke him to his face, thou wilt 44 4 make a sore which will be incurable.' "