Now when, finally, fear of the fire " took hold upon me my mind came down from heaven on the "third day, because I was unable to keep my mind collected " in the state in which it had been, and I came down to the "contemplation of the world and the things thereof. And this " happened so that I might not boast. "
And on another occasion I went to his cell, and I found a priest lying there by the side of the door; his whole head was consumed, and was eaten into holes by the disease which is called cancer, and the bone of his skull was shewing through. Now this man had come unto him to be healed, but Macarius did not wish to see him. And I myself besought the blessed man and said unto him, "I beseech thee to have mercy upon " him, and to give unto him a word." Then he answered and said unto me, "He is not worthy to be healed, for [this] "punishment was sent upon him from God. But if thou de- " sirest that he shall be healed persuade him to forsake the " ministration at the altar, for he used both to be minister at "the altar and to commit fornication, and for this reason he "was punished. Persuade him then to forsake [his ministra- " tions], and God will heal him." And having said these things to the sick man he pledged himself and swore an oath, saying, "I will never minister at the altar again"; and afterwards Macarius received him, and said unto him, "Dost thou be- ' ' lieve that God existeth ? " and the priest said unto him, ' ' Yea, " master." And again Macarius said unto him, "Peradventure " thou art able to scoff [at God]," and the priest said unto him, " Nay." Then the blessed man said unto him, "If now thou
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4< dost acknowledge thy folly, and also that thy punishment " was from God and that it was a fitting1 punishment for thy " deeds, first of all confess thy transgressions." And the priest gave a promise that he would not sin again, and that he would not minister at the altar, but that he would lead a life which •was suited to the capacity and grade of those who were in the world ; and Macarius laid his hand upon him, and in a few- days he was made whole, and the hair grew upon his head [again], and he went to his house healed whilst I was looking at him.
And again a certain young man who had an evil devil was brought unto him and he laid one hand on the head of the young man and another on his heart, and he prayed until he made the devil to rise up in the air, whereupon the young man breathed out his breath and became like a great [empty] skin bottle ; and he suddenly uttered a cry, and water flowed out from all parts of his members, and he was made whole and became as he was before the devil entered into him. Then Macarius anointed him with the oil of the martyrs, and com manded his father that he was not to taste flesh or wine for forty days, until he was thoroughly healed.
And again on a certain occasion certain thoughts of vain glory vexed him, and urged him to go forth from his cell and to depart and heal the multitudes in Rome and to give assis tance unto those who were lying [there] sick, for the grace and might of God were inciting him greatly to heal those who were possessed of devils and to make whole those who were diseas ed; but although he was much disturbed in his mind [on this matter], yet he was not persuaded to go, for the Evil One greatly pressed upon him in his thoughts. Finally, however, he lay down inside the door of his cell, and having set his legs (or feet) on the threshold, he cried out and said, "Pull, un- " clean devils, pull hard, for I will never go [thither] on my *' legs, and if you are able to carry me you must do so thus." And he took an oath to them [i.e., the brethren], saying, "I "continued to lie thus until the evening, and if ye had not " lifted me up, I should never have moved from my place." And when the night had come he stood up.
And again, on another occasion, when these thoughts were mounting up [in his mind] he filled with sand a basket which held two or three bushels, and lifting it on his shoulders he began to wander about [with it] in the desert. And his kins man Theosebius the Antiochian met him and he said unto him, "What art thou carrying on thy shoulders, father? Tell " me, so that I may carry thy load, and that thou mayest not " toil thyself." And he said unto him, " I am making to work
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" that which hath made me to work, for it wisheth to go forth "from its state of rest, and it fatigueth me"; and having walked about for a long time he went into his cell, having exhausted his body.
" And he said unto him, " I am making to work
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" that which hath made me to work, for it wisheth to go forth "from its state of rest, and it fatigueth me"; and having walked about for a long time he went into his cell, having exhausted his body.
And one day there laid hold upon me the chills of fever, and I went and sat down, and watched him from the window (or opening in the wall), in the feebleness of his old age. And I was thinking about him that he was like unto one of the brethren of old, and I began to listen unto him that I might see what he was saying, or what he was doing; now he was alone inside [his cell], and he was one hundred years old, and moreover, his teeth had fallen out by reason of his old age. And I listened unto him and to what he was saying, and he was striving with his soul and with Satan, and he was saying unto himself, " What dost thou wish for, O thou wicked old man? Behold, " thou hast eaten oil, and thou hast drunk wine, what more * ' dost thou wish for ? Wouldst [thou] eat Satan's white food ? " And he was reviling himself. And moreover he said unto Satan, " I cannot conquer thee in any wise, and thou art not able to " do anything unto me; get thee gone from me." And again he said unto himself, " How long shall I be with thee ?"
And moreover, Paphnutius, the disciple of this man, re lated unto myself and unto the blessed Evagrius, saying, " One day a female hyena took her whelp, which was blind, "and came and knocked with her head at the door of the "court when he was sitting therein, and she dropped the " whelp at his feet. And he took up the whelp, and prayed, and " spat in its eyes, and straightway its eyes were opened and it " saw ; and its mother gave it suck, and then took it up and " went forth. And one day later she brought unto the blessed "man a sheep-skin cloak, that is to say, a skin which hath " been stripped off a sheep; and the blessed woman Melania " spoke unto me concerning this sheep-skin cloak, saying, 'I "myself received this sheep-skin cloak from the hands of " Macarius as a blessing."
And Paphnutius also spake thus, " From the first day where- " on he received baptism he never spat upon the ground, and he " lived for sixty years after his baptism."
Now in his latter days he was beardless, and he only had a small quantity of hair upon his [upper] lip and upon his chin; because by reason of his excessive fasting and the abstinence of his solitary life not even the hair of [his] beard would grow.
I once went unto him when weariness of the ascetic life had laid hold upon me, and I said unto him, " Father, what shall
"
Now in his latter days he was beardless, and he only had a small quantity of hair upon his [upper] lip and upon his chin; because by reason of his excessive fasting and the abstinence of his solitary life not even the hair of [his] beard would grow. I once went unto him when weariness of the ascetic life had laid hold upon me, and I said unto him, " Father, what shall
II I do? For my thoughts vex me, and say unto me, 'Thou " 'art doing no [good], get thee gone from here.'" And he said
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unto me, "Say unto thy thoughts, 'For Christ's sake I will " 'guard these walls."'
I have written for thee these few things out of a very large number concerning the life and deeds of the holy man Maca- rius, and concerning the solitary monks who were his com panions; and everything is indeed true. I entreat all those brethren who read in this book, or who desire to take a copy therefrom, not to forget [to write] after [this section] the nar rative which is found in certain of the codices at the end of the above history which relateth unto the matters of Macarius, as if these histories had been composed by Hieronymus, but they must know that of a certainty that they were composed by Palladius. For I have found the absolute ending of this book which belonged to the histories of the matters of Macarius, with an apology and a preface which were com posed by Palladius [and addressed] to Lausus the Prefect, wherein he maketh known concerning all the various kinds of the divers histories of men and of women which were com posed by him; and I will prepare this apology and preface, and by the help of God I will write them down in the proper place.
Cbapter £i £. ©f tbe ffilessefc tf&an Paul tbe Simple, tbe HHsciple ot Hbba Hntbon^
NOW there was a certain husbandman whose name was Paul, who was more simple and innocent in nature than are [usually] the children of men ; and he had a wife who was beautiful in her appearance, and wicked in her deeds and actions, and she had wandered from him and had been committing adultery for a long time. And one day, suddenly Paul went into [his house] from the field, and he found her and another working impurity together; now this took place so that Divine Grace might incite Paul [to follow] that which was more excellent. And having [gone in and] seen them, he laughed chastely, and answered and said, "It is good, it is "good, truly she is not accounted mine by me. By Jesus, " henceforth I will not take her again. Get thee gone, and be- "hold she is thine, she and her children : and as forme, I will "go and become a monk." And saying nothing unto any man he went away a journey of eight stages, and he arrived at the cell of Mar Anthony the Great. And having knocked at the door, the blessed man Mar Anthony went out, and he said unto Paul, "What dost thou seek?" Paul said unto him, "I "seek to become a monk." Mar Anthony answered and said unto him, "[Thou art] an old man eighty years old, and it is "impossible for thee to become a monk here; but depart to
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And having knocked at the door, the blessed man Mar Anthony went out, and he said unto Paul, "What dost thou seek? " Paul said unto him, "I "seek to become a monk. " Mar Anthony answered and said unto him, "[Thou art] an old man eighty years old, and it is "impossible for thee to become a monk here; but depart to
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"the village, and work in the fields for thy living, and give "thanks unto God at the same time that thou art not able to "endure the afflictions of the desert." And again Paul answered and said unto him, "Whatsoever thou wilt teach "me, that will I do." Anthony said unto him, "I have told "thee that thou art an old man, and thou canst not [do it]; 'but if thou wishest to become a monk, get thee gone to some 'monastic house, and abide where the brethren are many, 'and where they will be able to bear with thy sickness (or 'infirmity). As for me, I live by myself alone here, and I only 'eat once in five days, and even then I do not eat a full meal." With these and suchlike words did Anthony frighten Paul. And as he would not be persuaded to depart, Anthony went into [his cell], and shut the door upon himself for three days, and because of him he did not go outside his cell for three whole days, not even for his need's sake. Nevertheless Paul did not go away; and on the fourth day, when his need com pelled him, Anthony opened the door and went forth. And again he said unto Paul, "Get theegone, O old man, why dost "thou trouble me? It is impossible for thee to stay here." Paul said unto him, "It is impossible for me to die in any other "place except this."
And the blessed Anthony, having looked carefully and seen that he was carrying no food with him, and no bread and no water, and that he had fasted during the four days which he had remained, said within himself, ' ' Peradventure he will escape and "die, and will plunge my soul in tribulation"; so he accepted him and brought him into [his cell]. And because of Paul duringthose days Anthony performed exceedingly severe ascetic labours, the like of which, even in his early manhood, he had never performed. And he soaked [palm] leaves in water, and gave them unto Paul, and said unto him, "Take these palm "leaves, and weave a mat therefrom even as do I myself." And the old man Paul took [them], and wove them [into a mat] fifteen cubits [long], until at the ninth hour he was ex hausted. And Anthony, seeing what he had woven, was angry with him, and said unto him, " Thou hast woven [the leaves] " loosely, unweave [them], and weave [them] over again neatly "and closely. "And Paul unwove what he had woven, and wove the leaves over again, but still he wove too loosely, because the leaves had become twisted through [the former] weaving and unweaving. Meanwhile Paul was fasting all these days, and Anthony laid these hard labours upon him while his soul was vexed with hunger, so that he might become disgusted and depart from him.
Now when Anthony saw that Paul was neither angry nor
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wrathful, and that he made no complaint, his mercy made itself manifest; and behold when Paul had lived [there an other] day, he said unto him, "Dost thou wish to eat a piece " of bread?" The old man Paul said unto him, "As it pleas- "eth thee, father." And this also especially shamed Mar Anthony, that he did not hasten in his desire to the promise of food, but that he cast all his desire upon him. There upon Anthony said unto him, " Set the table and bring "bread." And Anthony placed on the table four loaves, each of which was of the weight of about six ounces, and he dipped them in water because they were dry, and he placed one before himself and three before Paul. And having placed them [there] he sang a psalm which he knew twelve times, and he recited twelve prayers that he might try Paul, but Paul prayed with him in gladness ; and after the twelve prayers they sat down to eat in the late evening. Having eaten one loaf Anthony did not touch another, but the old man Paul ate slowly, and [when Anthony had finished] he had still some of his loaf [to eat], and Anthony was waiting for him to finish it. And having finished it, he answered and said unto him, "Little father, "wilt thou eat another loaf?" And Paul said unto him, "If "thou wilt eat another I will also; but if thou wilt not, I will "not." Anthony saith unto him, "I have had enough, for I "am a monk." And Paul said unto him, "I also have had "enough, for I also seek to become a monk." And after these things Anthony again stood up, and made twelve prayers, and when they had said together the psalms twelve times they slept for a little during the night, and then they sang and prayed until the morning.
" Anthony saith unto him, "I have had enough, for I "am a monk. " And Paul said unto him, "I also have had "enough, for I also seek to become a monk. " And after these things Anthony again stood up, and made twelve prayers, and when they had said together the psalms twelve times they slept for a little during the night, and then they sang and prayed until the morning.
And when Anthony saw that the old man was carrying out with gladness a rule of life similar unto his own in every respe<5t, he said unto him, " If thou art able to bear every " day passed in this wise, then stay with me." Paul said unto him, "Although I know nothing else, yet the things which " I do know I can perform easily"; and on another day An thony said unto him, ' ' Behold, thou hast become a monk." And a few months afterward when Anthony saw that his soul was perfect before God, and that he was simple beyond measure, and that Divine Grace was helping him, he built him a cell at a distance of about three or four miles away, and said unto him, "Behold, thou art a monk, and henceforth thou must " live by thyself so that thou mayest receive the temptation of "devils." Now when Paul had lived by himself for a year, the gift of healing and of casting out devils was given unto him
And in those times they brought unto Anthony a certain man who was vexed by a fierce devil, and that devil was one
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" Now when Paul had lived by himself for a year, the gift of healing and of casting out devils was given unto him
And in those times they brought unto Anthony a certain man who was vexed by a fierce devil, and that devil was one
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of the princes of the devils, and he was so fierce that he would even revile and blaspheme the heavens. And when Anthony saw the man he said, "I cannot heal this man, for [over this " race of princes] neither the gift nor the power [of healing] "hath been given unto me; unto Paul it belongeth to heal " this man." And Anthony therefore took them with him and went unto him, and said unto him, "O Abba Paul, cast out "this devil from this man, so that, being made whole, he " may depart to his house." Then Paul said unto him, " And "what wilt thou do?" And Anthony said unto him, "lam " not able to do it, for I have other work [to do]" ; and he left the man with Paul and went [back] to his cell. Then the old man Paul rose up and prayed a prayer with great feeling, and he began to speak unto that devil, saying, "Father Anthony "saith, 'Go forth from this man.'" And the devil answered with blasphemies, saying, "I will not go forth, O thou who " eatest white bread"; then the old man took his shoulder garment (or skull cap), and began to smite the devil on his back and sides, saying, "I tell thee that Abba Anthony saith, "' Get thee forth from him'"; whereupon the devil began to curse and revile Abba Anthony and the old man Paul. Finally Paul said [unto him], "Wilt thou go forth, or must I go and "tell Christ, yea Jesus? For if thou wilt not go forth I will "go and tell Christ, and great woe shall come upon thee"; and again he blasphemed and said, "I will not go forth." Then was the blessed man Paul wroth with him, and he went out from his cell; now it was the season of noon, and the heat with the Egyptians [at this time] is so fierce that it is akin to the heat of the fiery furnace of the Babylonians. And he stood upon a stone and prayed, and spake thus, "Behold, O Jesus ' ' Christ, Who wast crucified in the days of Pontius Pilate, I will "not come down from this stone, and I will neither eat nor " drink until I die unless Thou dost cast out that devil from " this man, and dost set him free from him." And whilst these words were yet in his mouth the devil cried out by reason of his tribulation, and said, "By Hercules, by whom am I ruled, "by Hercules, I am being persecuted with violence, for the "simplicity of Paul pursueth me; whither shall I go?" Paul saith unto him, "To the uttermost depths of the abyss"; and straightway the devil went forth from the man, and he trans formed himself and became like unto a mighty dragon seventy cubits long, and he wriggled along the ground and in this wise went down to the Red Sea, that might be fulfilled that which is written, "Perfect faith removeth mountains" (St. Matthew xvii, 20). This is the triumph of Paul, who was called the "Simple" by the whole brotherhood.
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AND there was also another man whose name was Pachomius, who was seventy years old and who dwelt in that mountain which is called Scete; unto him I once went when lustful thoughts concerning- women were afflict ing me, and when my mind was dark and obscured by the thoughts of lust, and by the visions and heaviness of the nights, and when I was well nigh departing from the desert, for lust laid upon me many things [hard to bear]. Now I did not reveal unto my neighbours and unto the brethren who were living with me my tribulations, and not even unto my master Evagrius; but I went forth and I began to wander about in the desert, and I saw one of the old men who had grown old in the place — now they were all perfect fathers — and after this I saw this blessed old man Pachomius, and I found that he was superior to them all in his life, and deeds, and in his understanding. And I took courage to reveal unto him the strife of my mind, and he spake unto me thus: ''Do " not imagine that this is a strange matter in any way. This " thing hath not happened unto thee through thine own negli- " gence, and the place itself in which thou livest is a witness " for thee, for it is restricted in the matter of things of every " kind, and there is no woman therein; this lust hath fallen 4 'upon thee through [thy] strenuousness. For this warfare " of lust and also of fornication is of a threefold [character]; " sometimes it setteth our body against us when it is healthy " and well fed, and at others lust itself, with the natural pas- " sion which is implanted in us [attacketh us], and at others " the Evil One himself because of his envy. And I have " watched many times, and I have found that it is even as " I have said unto thee." And he said unto me, "I, the old " man whom thou seest, have lived in this cell for forty years, " and I have taken the utmost care for my life and for the re- " demption of my soul, and even in this period of great old " age, wherein thou seest that I am, I am greatly tormented "by lust."
" And he said unto me, "I, the old " man whom thou seest, have lived in this cell for forty years, " and I have taken the utmost care for my life and for the re- " demption of my soul, and even in this period of great old " age, wherein thou seest that I am, I am greatly tormented "by lust. "
And he assured me with an oath, saying, " When I was " fifty years old lust placed itself [upon] me for twelve years, " never going away from me either by day or by night, and I " thought in my mind that God had forsaken me, and there- " fore (for to such an extent had lust gained dominion over "me) I determined in my heart that I would either suffer " death through dumb beasts, or that I should become a " laughing-stock or a man condemned through the lust of the "body. And I went forth and wandered round about in the
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And I went forth and wandered round about in the
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44 desert, and I found a den of hyenas, and I laid myself down 44 naked at the entrance thereof that they might come out and 44 devour me. And when it was evening — as it is written, 'Hehath 44 'made the darkness, and it becometh night, wherein all the 14 'beasts of the forest do move (Psalm cxiv, 20), and the lions 44 4roartobreak[theirprey]' — the hyenas, both male and female, "came out, and they all sniffed at (or smelt) me, and licked 44 my body from my head to my feet, and while I was thinking 44 that they would eat me they went away from me; and there 44 I remained the whole of that night, and they ate me not. 44 And again I thought that God had had compassion upon me, 44 and straightway I returned and came to my cell. And that 44 devil of lust, having forborne with me a little, returned once 44 again, and moreover he attacked me more fiercely than be- 4 'fore, and he did so with such vigour that by reason of my 44 affliction I well nigh cursed myself. Now, this devil of lust 44 used to take the form of an Ethiopian damsel whom I saw 44 in my early manhood gathering canes in the summer, and he 44 came in her form and sat upon my knees, and he used to set " me on fire with lust to such an extent that I imagined I was "having intercourse with her, and when through the burning 14 of my heart and the madness thereof, I gave her the cheek, 44 straightway she would lift herself up from me and take 44 to flight. And from the time when I touched her my hand 44 was so polluted that for the space of two hours [afterwards] 41 whensoever I brought my hand near me I was unable [to free 44 it] from her foulness. But again I went forth because of my 44 affliction, and I began to wander about in the desert, and I 44 found a small asp, and I took it and placed its head upon 44 the members of my body, and I squeezed the head of the "asp so that it might bite me and I might die, and so find 44 relief, but it bit me not. And after this I heard a voice which 44 came to my ears and said unto me, 'Depart, Pachomius, 44 'and be strong; I have allowed thee to be overcome in order 44 'that thou mightest not imagine that thou wast a mighty 4' 4 man and a man of perfection, and that thou hadst triumphed 4' 'through thine own life and deeds, but that thou mightest 44 'know thine infirmity, and the feebleness of thy nature, and 44 'that thou mightest not rely upon thine asceticism but 44 'mightest confess the help of God and cry out to Him al- 44 'ways.' And having heard these words I returned to my cell, 44 and I dwelt therein with great boldness of heart, and I never 44 again had anxious care concerning this warfare of lust, but 4' I continued in peace for the rest of my days after this war- 44 fare. Now, the devil of lust, seeing that I no longer medi- 44 tated about the matter, never again approached me." With
' And having heard these words I returned to my cell, 44 and I dwelt therein with great boldness of heart, and I never 44 again had anxious care concerning this warfare of lust, but 4' I continued in peace for the rest of my days after this war- 44 fare. Now, the devil of lust, seeing that I no longer medi- 44 tated about the matter, never again approached me. " With
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these words about the striving against Satan the holy man Pachomius confirmed me, and he made me strong to play the man more and more, and to be mighty in the warfare against the devil of fornication, and he dismissed me and said unto me, "Be strong and mighty in our Lord."
Cbapter ££j. ©f tbe Blessed /I&an Stepben
STEPHEN was a man who was by race of the Libyans who [dwell by] the side of Marmarica and Mareotis, and he lived there for sixty years. Now in another codex [the text readeth] differently, thus : There was also in the desert a certain blessed man whose name was Stephen, and he was by race a Libyan from the border (or side) of Marmarica; and he dwelt there in the desert for sixty years. And having attained unto the heights of a perfect rule of life, he was esteemed [by Divine Grace] worthy of the gift of discerning prudence and of the faculty of giving consolation to such an extent that whosoever drew nigh unto him, being afflicted in any way whatsoever, departed from him with joy. Now the blessed Anthony was acquainted with this man. And this Stephen continued in this life even unto our own days, but I never lived with him and I never met him, because the mountain [wherein he dwelt] was a long way off from me. The holy men Ammonius and Evagrius, however, who went to visit him rela ted unto me stories concerning him, and they said, "Having ' gone to him we found him grievously sick of a certain sore
* sickness which had come upon him, for a cancerous sore ' had broken out in the lower parts of his body; now this ' sore is called 'gangrene,' and we found him being cut by a ' certain physician. Nevertheless the holy man was working ' with his hands and was plaiting [palm] leaves, and he held 4 converse with us whilst portions of his body were being cut ' off. And he possessed the faculty of patient endurance to
* such a degree that it seemed as if the body of some one else 4 was being cut instead of his own; now when his members
* had been shorn off like hair he continued, through the ' grace of God, to be without perception thereof. And whilst ' the physician was binding him up he sat still and plaited ' baskets with his hands, and he conversed with us, rejoicing ' and giving thanks unto God. And moreover, he displayed
* such patient endurance whilst his member was being cut off ' that one might have thought that it had not been cut off at 4 all, and he resembled altogether a man from whose body ' threads of hair are being plucked. Now we stood there and ' marvelled at this affliction, for we could not bear to see the ' man who had led a life of such ascetic and spiritual excel-
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"lences fall into such a state of suffering that at length " amputation of his members was necessary. And the blessed " man, having perceived our thoughts and seen that it grieved "us, answered and said unto us, 'O my sons, be not ye " 'afflicted concerning this matter, and do not lessen your *' 'faith because of this thing, for God never performeth any- *' 'thing whatsoever that is evil, on the contrary, He looketh " 'for a happy conclusion [to His work]. Oh, how many were " 'the times when these members were condemned to punish- " 'ment! For they merited being cut off, and it is better that " 'they should receive their reward here than after their depar- " 'ture out of this world.' These were the things which he 14 spake unto us, and he comforted us and sent us away, say- " ing, ' Be not ye scandalized when ye see trials of this kind " 'coming upon holy men, for by such God hath built us up " 'and comforted us, and hath made us to be confirmed in the (l 'laws which are against tribulations.' " I have related these things in order that we may not wonder when we see the saints falling into tribulations.
H preface concerning tbose wbo bave fallen into tbe Brrors of Sins
IT is very necessary, O my brethren, that we should also keep in memory the histories which concern the life and deeds of those who have tripped up and fallen as an excel lent admonition of those who come across this book (just as among the trees that were in Paradise the Tree of Good and Evil was also found), so that if it happen that certain men lead good lives through the Grace and help of God, Who is wont to help those whose motive of soul is [directed] straight to the mark, they may not be exalted overmuch and have pride in their works of ascetic excellence. For on many oc casions this very excellence itself hath been the cause of a fall when it hath not been made perfect by means of a correct motive, for it is written, "I have seen the righteous man who hath perished in his righteousness, which also is vanity" (Ecclesiasticus vii, 15).
Gbapter ££ij. ©f Iflalens tbe Palestinian
For on many oc casions this very excellence itself hath been the cause of a fall when it hath not been made perfect by means of a correct motive, for it is written, "I have seen the righteous man who hath perished in his righteousness, which also is vanity" (Ecclesiasticus vii, 15). Gbapter ££ij. ©f Iflalens tbe Palestinian
AND there was a certain man whose name was Valens, who was by race a Palestinian and by education a Corinthian ; now the blessed Paul ascribed to the Corinthians (i Corinthians iv) as a special attribute the passion of pride and inflatedness. And having come to the desert and dwelt with us for many years, at length he arrived at such a degree of vaunting that he was laughed at by the devils; and
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IDalens
from this state he went astray, little by little, until he was de rided by them, and they became able to make him think that angels were appearing unto him. Now therefore one day, according to what they relate concerning him, as he was work ing in the dark at the labour of his hands, the needle where with he was sewing together the palm leaves fell down [on the ground], and although he searched for it he could not find it; and a devil lit a fire for him until he found it, and because of this thing he became the more proud. And at length he be came so proud, and allowed such arrogant thoughts to rise up in his mind that he despised and thought scorn of the Holy Mysteries of the Body and Blood of Christ. And moreover, it came to pass that certain men of discernment came and brought unto the church some dried fruits as a [means of obtaining a] blessing, and the blessed Macarius, our elder, received [them] and sent [them] to the brethren, that is, some to every man in his cell, and among the brethren he also sent [some] to Valens. And Valens took the man who had been sent to bring the fruit to him, and heaped insults upon him and smote him, saying, " Go and say unto Macarius: 'I am neither inferior unto thee " 'nor am I more of a servant than artthou, that thou shouldst " 'send me a blessing.' "
And Valens took the man who had been sent to bring the fruit to him, and heaped insults upon him and smote him, saying, " Go and say unto Macarius: 'I am neither inferior unto thee " 'nor am I more of a servant than artthou, that thou shouldst " 'send me a blessing. ' "
Now Macarius knew that he had been laid hold upon by error, and he rose up and went unto him at the turn of the day that he might persuade him, and he said unto him, " Valens, Valens, thou hast made thyself a laughing-stock, and hast fallen into error; receive then correction"; but seeing that he was unwilling to hearken unto his admonition and reproof he left him and departed. And having become more confirmed in his pride, and having reached the summit thereof, that devil, who had completely led him astray, went and made unto himself a form wherein he resembled our Redeemer; and he came unto him by night, together with phantoms of angels in great numbers who marched along bearing lamps and wax candles, and they advanced with chariots and carnages of fire, as if that devil were Christ Himself. Then one of the angels came forward unto him, and said unto him, "Christ ' loveth greatly thy life and deeds, and thy boldness of speech,
* and He hath come to see thee. Get thee forth from thy cell,
* and do nothing whatsoever except such things as I shall tell
* thee. When thou seest Him afar off fall down and worship ' Him, and go back to thy cell." Now therefore when Valens
had gone forth and seen the ranks [of phantoms] bearing lamps of fire, and Antichrist himself sitting upon a chariot of fire — now he was distant from him about a mile — he fell down and worshipped him. And Valens was so much injured in his
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niind that at the turn of the day he was sufficiently mad to come into the church and to say before all the brotherhood who were assembled therein, " I have no need to become a " partaker in the offering, for this day I have seen Christ " Himself." Then the fathers tied him up and put iron fetters upon him for about the space of one year, and in this way they made him whole; and he was praying continually, and they humbled him and brought him down from the exalted concep tion which he held concerning himself by means of sundry and divers works of a lovely and humble character, and thus they rooted out from him pride, even as it is written, "Each oppos ing sickness must be healed by medicines which are contrary and opposite thereto."
Cbapter stfij. ©f 1bero tbe Hlejanbrtan [Bfsbop of E>iospolis about H.H>, 365]
"
Cbapter stfij. ©f 1bero tbe Hlejanbrtan [Bfsbop of E>iospolis about H. H>, 365]
AND there was also my neighbour, a man whose name was Ahron (Hero), who was by race an Alexandrian; now his early manhood was exceedingly glorious, and he was enlightened in his mind, and his intellect was keen, and the habits of his life were pure. This man, I say, after [performing] many labours was also seized by the passion of boasting and pridefulness, and he wavered and fell; and he evolved in his mind and imagined great things against the fathers, and he reviled also the blessed Evagrius, saying, "Those who allow themselves to be persuaded [into accept- " ing] thy doctrine certainly go astray and err, for [men] re- " quire no other teacher than Christ." And he put forward and urged in witness of his words, with foolish intent, the speech from the Gospel (which our Redeemer also spake), "Ye shall " call no man master on the earth" (St. Matthew xxiii, 8). And his understanding became so greatly blinded that at length on him also iron fetters fell, and he was fast bound, because he would neither be persuaded nor would he receive or be a partaker of the Holy Mysteries, although he loved the truth greatly. Now, the food upon which he lived was too little and the habits of his life were immeasurably strict, for, according to what those who were continually with him used to relate, on several occasions he only partook of a meal once in three months, the participation in the Mysteries only being sufficient for him; but if it happened that he came across some wild herbs by chance [he would eat them].
Now I myself, with the blessed man Albinus, received an experience of him when we were going to Scete. Scete was forty miles distant from us, and we partook of two meals and drank water three times [on the way], whilst he tasted nothing
Ptolemy of Scete
Now I myself, with the blessed man Albinus, received an experience of him when we were going to Scete. Scete was forty miles distant from us, and we partook of two meals and drank water three times [on the way], whilst he tasted nothing
Ptolemy of Scete
at all during his journey with us. He travelled on foot, and he was repeating [passages] from the Scriptures by heart; during the time that he went with us, he repeated [passages] from the Scriptures and sang fifteen Psalms, and he repeated the Beati tudes and the Epistle to the Hebrews, and [the book of] Isaiah the Prophet, and a portion of Jeremiah, and after [that] the Gospel of [Saint] Luke, and after [that] the Proverbs; and in spite of all this we were unable to overtake him as he trudged along. Now therefore this man was at length persecuted by lust as by a fire, and he was never again able to dwell in his cell, but he went to Alexandria, and by reason of his pride it happened unto him, through Divine Providence, even as it is said, "One good is rooted up by another." Nevertheless, having fallen willingly into a state of indifference, he finally found redemption. Now he was present continually at the shows of the theatres and circuses, and he was never absent from the public drinking rooms of the taverns; and thus whilst he was leading this life of prodigality and drunkenness he fell and was brought to a standstill in the miry ditch of the lust of women. At length he went to one of those women who are at the head of the grade of harlots, and because of his passion with all boldness he held converse with her, and these things having thus been done by him there broke out in the place of his nature a carbuncle which grew with great vigour, and his sickness waxed sore upon him for a space of six months, and his members rotted away and they had to be cut off. By these means he became finally cured, but he remained without mem bers; and afterwards he went back again to the integrity of [his] nature, and to divine thoughts. [And he came to the desert] and confessed all these things to the fathers, and though he remained not a long time [there] he did not flee from leading the ascetic life, nor from weeping because of what had happened to him, nor from offering up the repentance which was meet. And after a few days he died and departed from this world.
Gbapter ££ix>* ©f Iptolems tbe Egyptian wbo was in Scete
[And he came to the desert] and confessed all these things to the fathers, and though he remained not a long time [there] he did not flee from leading the ascetic life, nor from weeping because of what had happened to him, nor from offering up the repentance which was meet. And after a few days he died and departed from this world. Gbapter ££ix>* ©f Iptolems tbe Egyptian wbo was in Scete
AND there was also another man whose name was Ptolemy, and he was by race from Egypt, and he ob served a rule of life which no man is able to describe, or rather it is very difficult to relate the story of his life. He dwelt away beyond Scete in that [district] which is called " Klimax." Now the place which is thus called it is impossible for a man to dwell in by reason of its ruggedness, and it was distant from the stream of water wherefrom the brethren used
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to draw twelve miles. Now this man Ptolemy used to take many vessels for water, and carry [them] to a certain spot where much dew fell, and in December and January he used to collect it, for in those countries the dewfall is abundant. And having gathered together for himself water in sponge[s] from time to time they were squeezed out by him, and the water which he had collected from the dew ran out, and this he was in the habit of doing during the fifteen years which he dwelt there. Now this man, having for much time been deprived of doctrine (or teaching), and of the meetings with the holy fathers, and of the intercourse of edifying speech, and especi~ ally of participation in the Mysteries, went as wholly astray from the straight path as if he had said, "The matters of service, "that is to say, the Holy Mysteries, are nothing at all." And from this state he senselessly departed and went on until at length he went into Egypt and delivered himself over to pro digal and riotous living, and he never more spake a word of excellence unto any man. And his madness came upon Ptolemy also because of the senseless and exalted opinion which he held of himself, even as it is written, "Those who are not under " the law of the governors shall fall like leaves."
Cbapter ££\>. ®f Hbrabam tbe
AND there was also a certain man whose name was Abraham, and he kept a rule of life of the sternest hardness in the desert ; and he was hurt in his under standing by reason of the vain opinion which he held concern ing himself. One day he came to the church and strove with the elders, saying, " I have been made an elder by Christ "during the past night, and ye must associate me in the "ministrations of the priesthood." And when the fathers had come to a decision concerning him, and had brought him out of the desert, they laid a light rule of life upon him, and in this manner they cured him of his arrogance, and brought him to the state of being sensible of his feebleness, and of having knowledge of his infirmity, through which the devils made a mock of him.
Cbapter ££\>j* <W a certain IDir^in wbo was in 3eru* salem
AND moreover, I saw a certain virgin in Jerusalem who had been clothed in sackcloth for three years, and she had secluded herself in a solitary cell, and had never permitted herself to enjoy any of the desirable things wherein there is pleasure. Now this woman, having been forsaken by the Divine Providence, because of her immeasurable pride and
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arrogance fell into the ditches of fornication, and she opened the window of the habitation in which she had secluded her self, and received [tht rein] the man who ministered unto her, and she had inteiv^arse with him. And because she did not continue to persevere in faith and in the ascetic life with a perfect will, and with a mind which possessed Divine love, but [departed therefrom] for the sake of men, that is to say, for the sake of vainglory, doing so, moreover, with an evil intent and with a corrupt and lascivious mind — for her own thoughts having been cut off, since they had been robbed of the Divine understanding, she came to the condition of casting blame upon others — the guardian of chastity did not remain with her.
Cbapter ££v>ij* ©f tbe Dirgin wbo was in Caesarea of Palestine*
AND again there was a certain virgin who was the daughter of an elder in Caesarea, and having been beguiled and led astray by a man, he who led her astray taught her to bring an accusation against a certain reader of the church of the city. And the time having arrived when it was known [unto all] that she was with child, and being called upon by her father to confess her matter, she made an accusation against that reader. Now her father, the elder, because he believed [her] implicitly, made known the matter unto the Bishop, and the Bishop was a holy man, and a fearer of God, and one who did not hastily pass sentence of death or punishment upon any man, and then only when it was revealed unto him by God whether he who was accused before him was indeed guilty [or not]. So the Bishop went and shut himself up until the matter was made plain [unto him] ; and because God informed him that the reader had never been nigh unto the woman he held him to be innocent, and con demned the virgin.
Cbapter E£\>iij* ©f a certain Woman wbo fell an& repentefc
So the Bishop went and shut himself up until the matter was made plain [unto him] ; and because God informed him that the reader had never been nigh unto the woman he held him to be innocent, and con demned the virgin. Cbapter E£\>iij* ©f a certain Woman wbo fell an& repentefc
THERE was a certain virgin who was a nun, and who dwelt with two other nuns, and she had led a life of absti nence and voluntary self-denial for nine or ten years. And having been beguiled and led astray by a certain singer of Psalms, she tripped, and fell, and conceived, and gave birth to a child ; now she hated with the fullest hatred him that had beguiled her. [And she repented within herself with a perfect repentance,] and she followed after repentance with such vigour that she went beyond the bounds of what was seemly, **See Chapter xvix. 137
ZTbe parabise of tbe 1bols jfatbers
and she continued to observe fasts with such self-denial and strictness that she well nigh died of hunger. In her prayers she used to make supplication, saying, "O God, Who dost "support and sustain all creation, and Who desirest not the " death and destruction of those who err and commit sin, if "Thou wishest me to live before Thee, shew me a marvellous "thing in this matter, and gather in this fruit of sin which I "have brought forth, lest, because I cannot again attain to "chastity, I kill myself through reproach and disgrace." And having made supplication for this thing, she was hearkened unto, and he who had been born unto her did not remain very long alive. And from the day wherein she fell and onwards she neither saw him that had beguiled her and led her captive, nor held converse with him, but she gave herself to frequent fasting and to ministering unto the women who were sick and smitten with disease for the whole of a period of thirty years ; and thus her repentance was accepted by God, and He at length revealed unto a certain holy old man concerning her, saying, ' ' Such and such a woman is very much more pleasing "unto Me by her penitence than by her virginity." Now I write down these things in order that, if any man be observing a correct rule of life of any kind whatsoever which is pleasing unto God, he may take heed lest he fall, and that even if he be tripped up in a snare and fall he may not come to despair, and remain in his fallen condition, but that by leaning upon the staff of the hope of the Divine Mercy, and by arraying himself through repentance in the apparel of simplicity and humility he may again become strong enough to stand up, for we should not despise those who truly repent.
Gbapter ££(£. ©f anotber Iflirain wbo fell anfc repenteb
A CERTAIN virgin, the daughter of an elder in Caesarea of Palestine, having been beguiled and led astray by a man, fell, and he who had beguiled her instructed her to make an accusation against a certain reader of the church of the city. And the time having arrived when her conception became known, and being called upon to confess her matter by her father, she made the accusation against that reader, and the elder, her father, thereupon, like one who believed [her] im plicitly, made the affair known to the Bishop. Then the Bishop laid his hand upon the shrine, and commanded that the reader should be called, and his affair having been enquired into, like one who was confident in his own integrity, he was unwilling- to confess [that he had done the wrong] ; for how was it pos sible for him to accuse himself of that which he had not done? And the Bishop becoming angry said unto him, "Wilt thou
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tube 1bol2 Women
"not confess, O wretched and polluted man, thou guilty one "who art full of uncleanness?" And the reader made answer unto him, saying, "Master, I have neither knowledge nor "feeling about this matter, for my thoughts and mind are clean "in respect thereof, and [no thought] concerning this woman "hath ever entered my mind. But if thou wishest to hear that "which hath never taken place [I will say that] I myself "committed the offence"; and having spoken thus, the Bishop straightway removed the reader from his position. Then the reader drew nigh and entreated the Bishop, saying, "Master, "since I have tripped up and fallen, give the command that "the woman be given unto me to wife, for I am no longer a "cleric, and she is not a virgin"; so the Bishop gave the woman to the reader to wife, because he thought that he was held by love of her, and that he could not cut the affair con cerning her out of his thoughts.
And when the reader had received the woman from the Bishop, he placed her in a religious house for women, and he begged the woman who ministered unto the wants of the sisters to take great care of her straightway. Now a short time afterwards the day arrived wherein she must give birth to her child, but the poor creature was not able to bring it to the birth, and although she could hardly bear the cruel and violent pains of her birth-pangs which were bringing her to the house of the dead, her child did not come forth. And one, two, three days passed by until the seventh [day arrived], and by reason of her great and frequent sufferings the woman was nigh to come unto Sheol; and she neither ate, nor drank, nor slept, but she was crying out and saying, "Woe unto me, for I am "dying, and I made an accusation of fatherhood against such " and such a reader." Now the women who were standing be fore her having heard these words made them known to her father, who, however, fearing lest he should be blamed severely because he had made an accusation of fatherhood against the reader, held his peace concerning the matter for another two days ; and meanwhile the young woman neither gained relief from her sufferings nor died. Now therefore when the nuns could no longer bear the pain of her violent shrieks, they ran and told the Bishop, saying, "Such and such a woman hath " for some days past been crying out and confessing that she " made an accusation of fatherhood against the reader." Then the Bishop sent deacons unto him with the message, "Pray "thou that the woman who made an accusation against thee "may have relief"; but the reader answered them never a word. Now he had not opened his door since the day on which the accusation had been made against him, but he entreated
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ZTbe paraMse of tbe tools jf atbers
" Then the Bishop sent deacons unto him with the message, "Pray "thou that the woman who made an accusation against thee "may have relief"; but the reader answered them never a word. Now he had not opened his door since the day on which the accusation had been made against him, but he entreated
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ZTbe paraMse of tbe tools jf atbers
God and made supplication unto him that the matter might become known and the truth revealed. Thereupon the father of the woman went to the Bishop, and prayer was offered up in the church, but even by these proceedings the woman did not obtain relief. Then the Bishop rose up and went to the reader, and knocked at the door and the reader opened [it] to him, and he went in to him and said, " Eustathius, rise up and "unloose that which thou hast fastened." And at once the reader knelt down with the Bishop, and they prayed to God, and straightway the woman gave birth to her child. Thus were the supplication of this man and his constant persistence in prayer able to clear away oppression and to chastise and re buke also the woman who made the false accusation, for from that day onwards she fulfilled the days of her life with good works ; and we should learn to be constant in prayer and to recognize the power thereof when it is offered unto God with the deep feeling of the whole heart.
Gbapter u& ©f tbe JSlessefc Woman Ubais or Ubaisis
AND now I desire to narrate unto you the excellent his tory and the great repentance of the blessed woman Thais or Thaisis, for speech concerning her is most ex cellent, and it is full of encouragement and penitence of soul unto those who love God. Now this woman had a mother who, because her daughter was beautiful of face, made her to take up a position in the market, and the rumour of her beauty travelled unto every place, and those who were living afar off desired greatly to see her ; and no man who looked upon her was satisfied with the sight of her face, because she burned like a flame of fire into the hearts of those who saw her, and many by reason of their mad love for her sold whatever pro perty they had to her parents that they might have commerce with her. Now when Bessarion, the servant of God, heard these things concerning this woman and that through her beauty she was dragging many to destruction, he arrayed him self in the apparel of a man who was in the world, and took with him one dinar and went unto her, and when he saw her he brought forth the dinar and gave it to her; and having taken the dinar she said unto him, "Let us go into a room," and he said unto her, "Yea, let us go in." And having gone in, the blessed man Bessarion saw the couch which was laid out, now it was a very high one, and the woman said unto the old man, "Come, get up on this bed"; and he said unto her, 44 Hast thou not inside this chamber another room?" and she said unto him, "Yea." Then he said unto her, "Let us then go in there." And Thais answered and said unto him, "If it
140
tools Women
" and she said unto him, "Yea. " Then he said unto her, "Let us then go in there. " And Thais answered and said unto him, "If it
140
tools Women
" be that thou art ashamed of men [seeing1 thee, know] that no *' man can see [us] in this chamber; but if it be God of Whom " thou art afraid He can see us in whatsoever place we enter." And the blessed man Bessarion hearing- these words, said unto her, "My daughter, dost thou know that God existeth?" And she said unto him, "Yea, I know that God existeth, and [that 11 there will be] kingdom, and judgement." Then the old man said unto her, "If thou knowest that God is, and [that there " will be] kingdom and judgement, why dost thou destroy men "in this manner?" And straightway the woman cast herself at his feet, and said unto him, "I know that there is repen- " tance for those who sin. But I beseech thee, master, to tarry " with me for three hours, and whatsoever thou wishest to do "unto me that do because of all the evil thing's which have " been wrought by me" ; and having told her in what place he would await her he left her and went away.
Then in that same hour the woman took everything which she had gained by fornication and burnt it with fire in the midst of the city, and she said, "Come, O all ye who have had commerce with " me, and see that I amburningbeforeyoureyesevery possession " which I havegatheredtogetherby means of sin"; andthethings which were burned were [worth] three hundred pounds of gold, and there were there also goods and apparel of all kinds; and after she had burned up everything- she went to the blessed man Bess arion. And when Bessarionsnwherhetookherbyherhandandled her along and brought her to a religious house of sisters, and he shut her in a little cell, leaving her only one small window in the wall through which a woman passed in food to her. And the blessed Bessarion said unto the head of the house, "Give her a pound of dry bread each day, and water according" to her need. " Then the blessed woman Thais said unto the venerable Bessarion, " With what petition dost thou command me to pray unto God? " That He should forgive me my sins?" The blessed Bessarion said unto her, "Thou art neither worthy to pray unto God, nor * ' to make mention of His Name with thy lips, nor to stretch out " thy hands unto Him; for thy lips areunc'~°n and polluted, and " thy hands are contaminated with impurity; m^ "halt only sit " down and gaze towards the East, and thou shalt say nothing 4 ( except, * O Thou who didst create me, have mercy upon me. ' " And having dwelt in that cell for a space of about three years, the blessed Bessarion had mercy upon her, and the blessed man went to Abba" Anthony that he might learn from him whether God had forgiven her her sins or not. Then having spoken con cerning her unto Anthony that blessed man called unto his dis ciples, and said unto them, "Let each one of you shut himselt " in [his] cell all night, and pray ye unto God that we may see
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Ube paraMse of tbe 1bol£ jfatbers
4 'unto whom shall be revealed the matter concerning which " the blessed Bessarion hath come unto us [this day]."
Then having spoken con cerning her unto Anthony that blessed man called unto his dis ciples, and said unto them, "Let each one of you shut himselt " in [his] cell all night, and pray ye unto God that we may see
141
Ube paraMse of tbe 1bol£ jfatbers
4 'unto whom shall be revealed the matter concerning which " the blessed Bessarion hath come unto us [this day]. "
And when they all had done as they had been commanded and when a long time had elapsed, the blessed Paul, the chief of the disciples of Mar Anthony, looked into the heavens and saw a couch which had been spread with great splendour, and three angels who were carrying three lamps were standing before that couch, and a crown of glory was laid thereupon. And hav ing seen all this glorious sight, he said, "This couch can only be " for my father Anthony." Then a voice came unto him from heaven, saying, "This couch is not for Anthony, thy father, but "for Thais the harlot"; and the blessed Paul rose up early in the morning and related the vision which he had seen. And the blessed Mar Bessarion came back from Abba Anthony in great joy, and he went to the religious house of the sisterhood, and he opened the door that he might bring the woman out from the cell wherein she was secluded; but she made entreaty unto him, saying, "Leave me here until my death, for my sins are many." Then the blessed man said unto her, "Behold the merciful God " hath had compassion upon thee, and He hath accepted thy re- "pentance"; and then she wished to go forth from her cell. And she answered and said unto him, "Believe me, O Father, from " the day wherein I entered this cell I have made all my sins a " mighty burden and I have set it before my eyes, in suchwise * ' that as the breath of my nostrils hath not separated itself from " me, so my sins have not separated themselves from me until "this hour."
And the blessed Bessarion answered and said unto her, "God " hath not forgiven thee thy sins because of thy repentance, but " because of the thought which thou hadst — that thou wouldst " deliver thyself over unto Christ." Now this blessed woman Thais lived (literally, made) after her repentance fifteen days, and she departed unto our Lord in peace. Thus was thecrowning of the blessed Thais, who was lost and was found, and was dead and who came to life by the grace of Christ, unto Whom belong mercy, and compassion, and glory, and honour, for ever and ever. Amen.
Cbapter £j£j, ©f tbe iBlesseb /Ifcan Hbba JEUjab
THERE was a certain man whose name was Elijah who loved the virgins exceedingly, for there are souls which are thus inclined, and having compassion upon the order of virgins [and] women who lived celibate lives in Thebes, and in the cities which were [round about], and in the Tcity of Atrepe (near Akhmim), and possessing many flocks and herds, he built a large nunnery, and he gathered
142
Hbba JElijab
Cbapter £j£j, ©f tbe iBlesseb /Ifcan Hbba JEUjab
THERE was a certain man whose name was Elijah who loved the virgins exceedingly, for there are souls which are thus inclined, and having compassion upon the order of virgins [and] women who lived celibate lives in Thebes, and in the cities which were [round about], and in the Tcity of Atrepe (near Akhmim), and possessing many flocks and herds, he built a large nunnery, and he gathered
142
Hbba JElijab
together thereunto every woman who chose to adopt the garb of the nun, and placed them therein. And with ready will he took care to provide them with everything- which was necessary for them, and he supplied everything required for their well-being, and he also made a garden for them, and he filled their every want with great zeal and care, for our Lord's sake. And inasmuch as these women were gathered together from various places, they used to quarrel with each other con tinually, and because it was meet to keep them in order (now he had gathered together about three hundred), he was obliged to take means to pacify them; and he hearkened unto their affairs and arranged the disputes which broke out among them for the space of two years.
Now this man being young, that is to say being about thirty or forty years old, more or less, was vexed by the passion of lust, and forthisreasonhedeparted from that nunnery, and wandered about for two days in the desert, and he made entreaty and sup plication unto God, saying, "O Lord, either killmesothatl may " not see those who are in trouble and may not become afflicted " thereby, or remove from me this passion, so that I may be able " to provide for the women in everything." And when the even tide had come he lay down and slept in the desert and, according to what he related, three angels came to him and took hold of him, saying, " Why didst thou go forth from the nunnery?" And he related unto them the matter and said unto them, "I " was afraid lest I should do harm not only unto them, but unto " mine own soul also." The angels said unto him, "If now we " make thee to be free from this passion wilt thou go and take "care of the women in the nunnery?" And having promised that he would do this they required from him an oath, and the oath which he uttered was as follows ; the angels said, "Swear an oath unto us," and he said: "I swear by Him Who taketh " care of me, that I will take care of them." Then having laid hold of him by his hands and his feet, one of them took a razor and mutilated him, not indeed in very truth but only apparently and in a phantomlike manner, and he imagined in the vision that, as one might say, he had been cured of his malady. And next they asked him, ' ' Feelest thou that thou hastbeen helped?" And he said unto them, "I am greatly relieved, and I feel sure ' ' that I have been set free from the pain and suffering, and " that I have already been delivered therefrom." Then the angels said unto him, * * Depart and return. " And after five days, whilst the women who were in the nunnery were weeping be cause of what had taken place, and because he had forsaken them, and because the care which he had taken for their needs had come to an end, he entered into the monastery wherein
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