ATHANASIUS

The Life of Antony

 

St. Athanasius. St. Katharines', Sinai,

 Transfiguration, St. Katharines', Sinai,
6^th century mosaic

THE LIFE of ANTONY
 

YOU have entered upon a noble rivalry with the monks of Egypt by your determination either to equal or surpass them in your ascetical practice of virtue.  For now there are monasteries among you, and the name of” monks” receives public recognition.  Your determination is justly to be praised; and may God bring it to perfection through your prayers.

¹Ἀγαθὴν ἅμιλλαν ἐνεστήσασθε πρὸς τοὺς ἐν Αἰγύπτῳ μοναχοὺς, ἤτοι παρισωθῆναι, ἢ καὶ ὑπερβάλλεσθαι τούτους προελόμενοι τῇ κατ' ἀρετὴν ὑμῶν ἀσκήσει.  Καὶ γὰρ καὶ παρ' ὑμῖν λοιπὸν μοναστήρια, καὶ τὸ τῶν μοναχῶν ὄνομα πολιτεύεται. Ταύτην μὲν οὖν τὴν πρόθεσιν δικαίως ἄν τις ἐπαινέσειε, καὶ εὐχομένων ὑμῶν, ὁ Θεὸς τελειώσειεν·

    Now since you asked me to give you an account of the blessed Antony’s way of life, and you wish to learn how he began to practice asceticism, what [kind of man] he was previous to this, how he closed his life, and whether the things told of him are true, that you also may bring yourselves to imitate him, I very readily accepted your request. 

Youth and

Family

   1. Antony was of the Egyptian race: his parents were of good family and wealthy; and since they were Christians he was also brought up as a Christian.  As a child he was raised by his parents, knowing nothing but them and his home. But as he grew, attaining boyhood and advancing in years, he could not abide learning letters, nor did he wish to associate with other boys; rather, his whole desire was (as it is written of Jacob) to live a simple life at home (Gen 25:27) 

1.Ἀντώνιος γένος μὲν ἦν Αἰγύπτιος, εὐγενῶν δὲ γονέων καὶ περιουσίαν αὐτάρκη κεκτημένων, καῒ Χριστιανῶν αὐτῶν ὄντων, Χριστιανικῶς ἀνήγετο καὶ αὐτός. Καὶ παιδίον μὲν ὢν, ἐτρέφετο παρὰ τοῖς γονεῦσι, πλέον αὐτῶν καὶ τοῦ οἴκου μηδὲν ἕτερον γινώσκων· ἐπειδὴ δὲ καὶ αὐξήσας ἐγένετο παῖς, καὶ προέκοπτε τῇ ἡλικίᾳ, γράμματα μὲν μαθεῖν οὐκ ἠνέσχετο, βουλόμενος ἐκτὸς εἶναι καὶ τῆς πρὸς τοὺς παῖδας συνηθείας· τὴν δὲ ἐπιθυμίαν πᾶσαν εἶχε, κατὰ τὸ γεγραμμένον περὶ τοῦἸακὼβ, ὡς ἄπλαστος οἰκεῖν ἐν τῇ οἰκίᾳ αὐτοῦ.

THE FAIYUM OASIS: ANTONY's HOME

 FAIYUM MUMMY PORTRAIT
of a youth (2^nd cent.)

   With his parents he used to attend church, and he neither showed a child’s lack of interest; nor when older did he despise such things. Rather, he was obedient to his father and mother and attentive to what was read, [carefully] keeping in his heart what was profitable in what he heard.  And though as a child brought up in moderate affluence, he did not trouble his parents for varied or luxurious food, nor was this a source of pleasure to him. Instead, he was content simply with what he found [before him] and sought nothing further.

Συνήγετο μέντοι μετὰ τῶν γονέων ἐν τῷ Κυριακῷ· καὶ οὔτε ὡς παῖς ἐῤῥᾳθύμει, οὔτε ὡς τῇ ἡλικίᾳ προκόπτων κατεφρόνει· ἀλλὰ καὶ τοῖς γονεῦσιν ὑπετάσσετο, καὶ τοῖς ἀναγνώσμασι προσέχων, τὴν ἐξ αὐτῶν ὠφέλειαν ἐν ἑαυτῷ διετήρει.  Οὔτε δὲ πάλιν ὡς παῖς ἐν μετρίᾳ περιουσίᾳ τυγχάνων ἠνώχλει τοῖς γονεῦσι ποικίλης καὶ πολυτελοῦς ἕνεκα τροφῆς, οὔτε τὰς ἐκ ταύτης ἡδονὰς ἐζήτει· μόνοις δὲ οἷς ηὕρισκεν ἠρκεῖτο, καὶ πλέον οὐδὲν ἐζήτει.

Call to Asceticism through aural 

Lectio Divina

   2.  After the death of his parents he was left alone with his only little sister: his age was about eighteen or twenty, and he was now responsible for the care of both his home and his sister.  less than six months after the death of his parents he  went to church, as he was accustomed to do.  He gathered his thoughts and reflected as he walked: (1)  how the Apostles left all and followed the Saviour (Mt. 4:20); and (2)  how in the Acts they sold their possessions and brought and laid them at the Apostles’ feet for distribution to the needy (Acts 4:35); and (3) what a great hope was laid up for them in heaven. 

2.  Μετὰ δὲ τὸν θάνατον τῶν γονέων, αὐτὸς μόνος κατελείφθη μετὰ μιᾶς βραχυτάτης ἀδελφῆς· καὶ ἦν ἐτῶν ἐγγὺς δέκα καὶ ὀκτὼ, ἢ καὶ εἴκοσι γεγονὼς, αὐτός τε τῆς οἰκίας καὶ τῆς ἀδελφῆς ἐφρόντιζεν. Οὔπω δὲ μῆνες ἓξ παρῆλθον τοῦ θανάτου τῶν γονέων αὐτοῦ, καὶ κατὰ τὸ εἰωθὸς προερχόμενος εἰς τὸ  Κυριακὸν, καὶ συνάγων ἑαυτοῦ τὴν διάνοιαν, ἐλογίζετο περιπατῶν, πῶς οἱ μὲν ἀπόστολοι πάντα καταλιπόντες ἠκολούθησαν τῷ Σωτῆρι· οἱ δὲ ἐν ταῖς Πράξεσι πωλοῦντες τὰ ἑαυτῶν ἔφερον καὶ ἐτίθουν παρὰ τοὺς πόδας τῶν ἀποστόλων, εἰς διάδοσιν τῶν χρείαν ἐχόντων, τίς τε καὶ πόση τούτοις ἐλπὶς ἐν οὐρανοῖς ἀπόκειται.

IF YOU would be perfect, go and sell all you have and give it to the poor; and come follow me, and you shall have treasure in heaven. (Mt. 19:21)

Farm, The Fayum

 Christ in Glory,
Monastery of St. Antony

     And all the rest of their movable holdings he sold, and having received a large amount of money for them, he gave it to the poor, reserving only a little for his sister.

  Τὰ δὲ ἄλλα ὅσα ἦν αὐτοῖς κινητὰ, πάντα πωλήσας, καὶ συναγαγὼν ἀργύριον ἱκανὸν, δέδωκε τοῖς πτωχοῖς, τηρήσας ὀλίγα διὰ τὴν ἀδελφήν.

Canal, The Fayum

 Young Girl, 2^nd c.
Fayum Mummy Portrait,

Private Asceticism 

     Then he devoted himself to the ascetic life near his home, taking heed to himself and training himself with patience.  For there were not yet many monasteries in Egypt, and no monk knew anything of the distant desert; but all who wished to give heed to themselves practised asceticism in solitude near their own village. 

αὐτὸς πρὸ τῆς οἰκίας ἐσχόλαζε λοιπὸν τῇ ἀσκήσει, προσέχων ἑαυτῷ καὶ καρτερικῶς ἑαυτὸν ἄγων.  Οὔπω γὰρ ἦν οὕτως ἐν Αἰγύπτῳ συνεχῆ μοναστήρια, οὐδ' ὅλως ᾔδει μοναχὸς τὴν μακρὰν ἔρημον, ἕκαστος δὲ τῶν βουλομένων ἑαυτῷ προσέχειν οὐ μακρὰν τῆς ἰδίας κώμης καταμόνας ἠσκεῖτο.

Apprenticeship in

Asceticism 

   Now there was at that time in the next village an old man who had lived the life of a hermit from his youth onwards.  Antony, after he had seen this man, imitated him in piety.  And at first he began to abide in places outside the village. Then if he heard of a zealous person anywhere, like a wise bee, he went out to seek them, not returning to his own place until he had seen them.  And he returned, having received from them, as it were, supplies for his journey in the path of virtue.

Ἠν τοίνυν ἐν τῇ πλησίον κώμῃ τότε γέρων, ἐκ νεότητος τὸν μονήρη βίον ἀσκήσας· τοῦτον ἰδὼνἈντώνιος, ἐζήλωσεν ἐν καλῷ· καὶ πρῶτον μὲν ἤρξατο καὶ αὐτὸς μένειν ἐν τοῖς πρὸ τῆς κώμης τόποις. Κἀκεῖθεν εἴ που τινὰ σπουδαῖον ἤκουεν, προερχόμενος ἐζήτει τοῦτον ὡς ἡ σοφὴ μέλισσα· καὶ οὐ πρότερον εἰς τὸν ἴδιον τόπον ἀνέκαμπτεν, εἰ μὴ τοῦτον ἑωράκει, καὶ ὥσπερ ἐφόδιόν τι τῆς εἰς ἀρετὴν ὁδοῦ παρ' αὐτοῦ λαβὼν, ἐπανῄει.

   So dwelling there at first, he confirmed his purpose not to return to his ancestral home, nor to the recollection of his relatives; but to keep all his desire and energy for perfecting his asceticism.  But he worked with his hands, having heard, that he who is idle should not eat. (2Th 3:10)   Part of his earnings he spent on bread and part he gave to the needy. And he was constant in prayer, knowing that a man ought to pray in secret (Mt 6:7) unceasingly (1Th 5:17) . 

¹̓Ἐκεῖ τοίνυν τὰς ἀρχὰς διατρίβων, τὴν διάνοιαν ἐστάθμιζεν, ὅπως πρὸς μὲν τὰ τῶν γονέων μὴ ἐπιστρέφηται, μηδὲ τῶν συγγενῶν μνημονεύῃ· ὅλον δὲ τὸν πόθον καὶ πᾶσαν τὴν σπουδὴν ἔχῃ περὶ τὸν τόνον τῆς ἀσκήσεως. Εἰργάζετο γοῦν ταῖς χερσὶν, ἀκούσας·Ὁ δὲ ἀργὸς μηδὲ ἐσθιέτω· καὶ τὸ μὲν ^[26.845] εἰς τὸν ἄρτον, τὸ δὲ εἰς τοὺς δεομένους ἀνήλισκε.  Προσηύχετο δὲ συνεχῶς, μαθὼν, ὅτι δεῖ κατ' ἰδίαν προσεύχεσθαι ἀδιαλείπτως. .

Aural Lectio Divina : the Source

of Antony's Wisdom 

The Parish Community: Source of

Models of Holiness 

   4.  And comporting himself in this way, Antony was loved by all.  He subjected himself in sincerity to the pious men he visited, and learned thoroughly where each surpassed him in zeal and discipline.  He observed: 

4.  Οὕτω μὲν οὖν ἑαυτὸν ἄγων, ἠγαπᾶτο παρὰ πάντων ὁἈντώνιος· αὐτὸς δὲ τοῖς σπουδαίοις, πρὸς οὓς ἀπήρχετο, γνησίως ὑπετάσσετο, καὶ καθ' ἑαυτὸν ἑκάστου τὸ πλεονέκτημα τῆς σπουδῆς καὶ τῆς ἀσκήσεως κατεμάνθανε·

(1) the graciousness of one;

(2)  the intense prayer of another;

(3) he studied one person’s freedom from anger

(4) and another’s love of humankind;

(5) he gave heed to one as he kept vigil,

(6) to another’s love of study;

(7) one he admired for his endurance,

(8) another for his fasting and sleeping on the ground;

(9) he carefully watched the gentleness of one

(10) and the patient endurance of another;

(11) while in all he took note of their piety towards Christ

(12) and their love for one another. (Rom 13:8) 

καὶ τοῦ μὲν τὸ χαρίεν,

τοῦ δὲ τὸ πρὸς τὰς εὐχὰς σύντονον ἐθεώρει·

καὶ ἄλλου μὲν τὸ ἀόργητον,

ἄλλου δὲ τὸ φιλάνθρωπον κατενόει·

καὶ τῷ μὲν ἀγρυπνοῦντι,

τῷ δὲ φιλολογοῦντι προσεῖχε·

καὶ τὸν μὲν ἐν καρτερίᾳ,

τὸν δὲ ἐν νηστείαις καὶ χαμευνίαις ἐθαύμαζε·

καὶ τοῦ μὲν τὴν πραότητα,

τοῦ δὲ τὴν μακροθυμίαν παρετηρεῖτο·

πάντων δὲ ὁμοῦ τὴν εἰς τὸν Χριστὸν εὐσέβειαν,

καὶ τὴν πρὸς ἀλλήλους ἀγάπην ἐσημειοῦτο·̈

   5.  But the devil, who hates and envies what is good, could not endure to see such a resolution in a youth, but endeavored to carry out against him what he was accustomed effect against others.  First of all he tried to lead him away from the asceticism, whispering to him the remembrance of  his wealth, care for his sister, claims of kindred, love of money, love of glory, the different pleasures of the table and the other relaxations of life, and at last the difficulty of virtue and the labour of it. He suggested also the infirmity of the body and the length of the time.  In a word he raised in his mind a great dust of debate, wishing to keep him from his set purpose.

5. Ὁ δὲ μισόκαλος καὶ φθονερὸς διάβολος οὐκ ἤνεγκεν ὁρῶν ἐν νεωτέρῳ τοιαύτην πρόθεσιν.Ἀλλ' οἷα μεμελέτηκε ποιεῖν, ἐπιχειρεῖ καὶ κατὰ τούτου πράττειν· [26.848] καὶ τὸ μὲν πρῶτον ἐπείραζεν αὐτὸν ἀπὸ τῆς ἀσκήσεως καταγαγεῖν, ὑποβάλλων μνήμην τῶν κτημάτων, τῆς ἀδελφῆς τὴν κηδεμονίαν, τοῦ γένους τὴν οἰκειότητα, φιλαργυρίαν, φιλοδοξίαν, τροφῆς τὴν ποικίλην ἡδονὴν, καὶ τὰς ἄλλας ἀνέσεις τοῦ βίου, καὶ τέλος τὸ τραχὺ τῆς ἀρετῆς, καὶ ὡς πολὺς αὐτῆς ἐστιν ὁ πόνος· τοῦ τε σώματος τὴν ἀσθένειαν ὑπετίθετο, καὶ τοῦ χρόνου τὸ μῆκος. Καὶ ὅλως πολὺν ἤγειρεν αὐτῷ κονιορτὸν λογισμῶν ἐν τῇ διανοίᾳ, θέλων αὐτὸν ἀποσχοινίσαι τῆς ὀρθῆς προαιρέσεως

   The one would suggest foul thoughts and the other would counter them with prayers. The one would fire him with lust, while the other, with a sense of shame, would  fortify his body with faith, prayers, and fasting.  And one night the wretched devil even took on the shape of a woman and imitated all her acts simply to lead Antony astray.  But he, his mind filled with Christ and the nobility that comes from, considered the spiritual state of the soul, and thus quenched the glowing coal of the other’s deceit.  And now the enemy suggested the ease of pleasure.  But [Antony] was quite reasonably angered and grieved; and he turned his thoughts to the threatened fire and the gnawing worm (cf. Mk 9:48)  .  And setting these in array against his adversary, passed through unscathed

.Ὁ μὲν γὰρ ὑπέβαλλε λογισμοὺς ῥυπαροὺς, ὁ δὲ ταῖς εὐχαῖς ἀνέτρεπε τούτους· καὶ ὁ μὲν ἐγαργάλιζεν, ὁ δὲ, ὡς ἐρυθριᾷν δοκῶν, τῇ πίστει καὶ ταῖς εὐχαῖς καὶ νηστείαις ἐτείχιζε τὸ σῶμα· καὶ ὁ μὲν διάβολος ὑπέμενεν ὁ ἄθλιος καὶ ὡς γυνὴ σχηματίζεσθαι νυκτὸς, καὶ πάντα τρόπον μιμεῖσθαι, μόνον ἵνα τὸνἈντώνιον ἀπατήσῃ· ὁ δὲ τὸν Χριστὸν ἐνθυμούμενος, καὶ τὴν δι' αὐτὸν εὐγένειαν, καὶ τὸ νοερὸν τῆς ψυχῆς λογιζόμενος, ἀπεσβέννυε τὸν ἄνθρακα τῆς ἐκείνου πλάνης. Πάλιν τε ὁ μὲν ἐχθρὸς ὑπέβαλλε τὸ λεῖον τῆς ἡδονῆς· ὁ δὲ, ὀργιζομένῳ καὶ λυπουμένῳ ἐοικὼς, τὴν ἀπειλὴν τοῦ πυρὸς καὶ τοῦ σκώληκος τὸν πόνον ἐνεθυμεῖτο· καὶ ἀντιτιθεὶς ταῦτα, διέβαινε τούτων ἀβλαβής.

    All this was a source of shame to his enemy.  For he who had regarded himself like God was now mocked by a young man; and he who arrogantly disdained flesh and blood was being put to flight by a man of flesh.  For the Lord was working with Antony-the Lord who for our sake took flesh and gave the body victory over the devil, so that all who truly fight can say, Not I but the grace of God with me. (I Cor 15:10) [...]

åἨν δὲ ταῦτα πάντα πρὸς αἰσχύνην γινόμενα τοῦ ^[26.849] ἐχθροῦ.Ὁ γὰρ νομίσας ὅμοιος γενέσθαι Θεῷ ὑπὸ νεανίσκου νῦν ἐπαίζετο· καὶ ὁ σαρκὸς καὶ αἵματος κατακαυχώμενος ὑπὸ ἀνθρώπου σάρκα φοροῦντος ἀνετρέπετο. Συνήργει γὰρ ὁ Κύριος αὐτῷ, ὁ σάρκα δι' ἡμᾶς φορέσας, καὶ τῷ σώματι δοὺς τὴν κατὰ τοῦ διαβόλου νίκην· ὥστε τῶν ὄντως ἀγωνιζομένων ἕκαστον λέγειν·  Οὐκ ἐγὼ δὲ, ἀλλ' ἡ χάρις τοῦ Θεοῦ ἡ σὺν ἐμοί.

   6.  [In Chapter 6 Antony Conquers the Demon of Lust]

Περιήρχετο γὰρ πάλιν ὡς λέων, ζητῶν τινα πρόφασιν κατ' αὐτοῦ.Ὁ δὲἈντώνιος, μαθὼν ἐκ τῶν Γραφῶν πολλὰς εἶναι τὰς μεθοδείας τοῦ ἐχθροῦ, συντόνως ἐκέχρητο τῇ ἀσκήσει, λογιζόμενος, ὅτι, εἰ καὶ μὴ ἴσχυσε τὴν καρδίαν ἐν ἡδονῇ σώματος ἀπατῆσαι, πειράσει πάντως δι' ἑτέρας ἐνεδρεῦσαι μεθόδου· ἔστι γὰρ φιλαμαρτήμων ὁ δαίμων. Μᾶλλον οὖν καὶ μᾶλλον ὑπεπίαζε τὸ σῶμα καὶ ἐδουλαγώγει, μήπως, ἐν ἄλλοις νικήσας, ἐν ἄλλοις ὑποσυρῇ. Βουλεύεται τοίνυν σκληροτέραις ἀγωγαῖς ἑαυτὸν ἐθίζειν.

The Specifics of Antony's

Asceticism

(1) His vigils were such that he often continued throughout the night without sleep; and this not once but often, to the amazement of others.

 ἠγρύπνει γὰρ τοσοῦτον, ὡς πολλάκις καὶ ὅλην τὴν νύκτα διατελεῖν αὐτὸν ἄϋπνον· καὶ τοῦτο δὲ οὐχ ἅπαξ, ἀλλὰ καὶ πλειστάκις ποιῶν ἐθαυμάζετο.

(2) He ate once a day after sunset, and sometimes [only] once in two days, and often he partook [of food only] once in four days.

(3) His food was bread and salt, his drink, water only.

(4) There is no need to even mention meat and wine, since no such thing could be found among the other devotees.

(5) A rush mat served him for sleeping, but for the most part he lay upon the bare ground. 

(6) He would not anoint himself with oil, saying that young men ought to take asceticism seriously, and not seek what enervates the body;

... forgetting the things that are behind and straining forward to the things that are ahead. (Phil 3:14)

    He recalled, too, the voice of the prophet Elijah, the Lord lives in whose presence I stand today. (1Ki 18:15) 

μνημονεύων τε καὶ τῆς φωνῆς τοῦ προφήτου Ἠλίου λέγοντος· Ζῇ Κύριος, ᾧ παρέστην ἐνώπιον αὐτοῦ σήμερον.

NB: Benedict in the Dialogues of Gregory the Great is constantly depicted as a new Elijah

Struggles with Demons

in the Tombs

Many of his kinsfolk and the villagers sat around Antony as around a corpse.  But about midnight he came to himself and awoke.  And when be saw that they were all asleep and that only his acquaintance was keeping watch, he motioned for him to approach, and asked him to carry him again to the tombs without awakening anyone.

   9.  He was thus carried back by the man, and as was [now] his custom, when the door was shut he was again alone inside.  And he was to weak to stand because of the beatings, so he prayed as he lay.  And after he had prayed, he said with a shout, Here I am - Antony: I am not intimidated by your beatings, for even if you inflict more nothing shall separate me from the love of Christ (cf Rom 8:35). And then he sang, even if a camp is set against me, my heart will not fear (Ps 26:3).’ These were the thoughts and words of this ascetic.  But the enemy, the hater of good, marvelling that after the beatings [Antony] dared to return, called his dogs together and bursting with anger said, “You see that neither by the spirit of sexual immorality nor by blows did we halt him; indeed, he challenges us, so let us go after him in a different way. 

   But [different] forms of evil are easy for the devil.  So during the night they made such an uproar that it was as if the whole place were shaken by an earthquake, and the demons seemed to be breaking the four walls of the dwelling, entering through through them, transformed into beasts and reptiles.  And the place was suddenly filled with the phantasms of lions, bears, leopards, bulls, serpents, cobras, scorpions, and wolves.  And and each of them moved according to its own form.  The lion was roared, wishing to attack, the bull appeared to threaten to charge with its horns, the serpent writhed but unable to approach; and the wolf rushed straight towards him. The simultaneous noises of all the the apparitions were terrifying and their raging was furious. 

   But Antony, injured and stabbed by them, felt even worse bodily pains. Yet he lay unshaken, ever more vigilant in soul, although groaning from bodily pain; but his mind was sober, and as in mockery he said, “If there had been any power in you, it would have been enough for one of you come, but since the Lord has made you weak you try to terrify me by [your] numbers.  And a proof of your weakness is that you imitate the forms of brute beasts.”  

 And boldly he again said, “If you are able, and have been given power against me, do not wait to attack; but if you are unable, why do you make such trouble in vain ? For faith in our Lord is a seal and a wall of safety to us.” So after many attempts they gnashed their teeth against him, because they were mocking themselves rather than him.

   10. And in all this the Lord was not forgetful of Antony’s wrestling, but was at hand to assist him.  For looking up he saw, as it were, the roof opening and a ray of light descending to him.  The demons suddenly vanished, his bodily pain immediately ceased, and the building was again made whole. But Antony, sensing the assistance, getting his breath again and freed from pain, inquired of the vision that appeared to him, saying, “Where were you? Why did you not appear at the beginning to make my pains cease?” 

^[[26.860] 10. Ὁ δὲ Κύριος οὐδὲ ἐν τούτῳ ἐπελάθετο τῆς ἀθλήσεωςἈντωνίου, ἀλλ' εἰς ἀντίληψιν αὐτοῦ παραγέγονεν.Ἀναβλέψας γοῦν, εἶδε τὴν στέγην ὥσπερ διανοιγομένην, καὶ ἀκτῖνά τινα φωτὸς κατερχομένην πρὸς αὐτόν. Καὶ οἱ μὲν δαίμονες ἐξαίφνης ἄφαντοι γεγόνασιν· ὁ δὲ πόνος τοῦ σώματος εὐθὺς ἐπέπαυτο, καὶ ὁ οἶκος πάλιν ἦν ὁλόκληρος.Ὁ δὲ Ἀντώνιος, αἰσθόμενος τῆς ἀντιλήψεως, καὶ πλέον ἀναπνεύσας, κουφισθείς τε τῶν πόνων, ἐδέετο τῆς φανείσης ὀπτασίας, λέγων· Ποῦ ἦς; διὰ τί μὴ ἐξ ἀρχῆς ἐφάνης, ἵνα μου τὰς ὀδύνας παύσῃς;

   And a voice came to him, “Antony, I was here, but I waited to see you fight your best.  And since you have patiently endured and not surrendered, I will always be your helper and will make your name known everywhere.” 

Καὶ φωνὴ γέγονε πρὸς αὐτόν·Ἀντώνιε, ὧδε ἤμην, ἀλλὰ περιέμενον ἰδεῖν τὸ σὸν ἀγώνισμα.Ἐπεὶ οὖν ὑπέμεινας, καὶ οὐχ ἡττήθης, ἔσομαί σοι ἀεὶ βοηθὸς, καὶ ποιήσω σε ὀνομαστὸν πανταχοῦ γενέσθαι.

   Having heard this, Antony arose and prayed, and received such strength that he sensed he had more power in his body than before. And he was then about thirty-five years old.

Ταῦτα ἀκούσας, ἀναστὰς ηὔχετο· καὶ τοσοῦτον ἴσχυσεν, ὡς αἰσθέσθαι αὐτὸν, ὅτι πλείονα δύναμιν ἔσχεν ἐν τῷ σώματι μᾶλλον, ἧς εἶχε τὸ πρότερον. Ἦν δὲ τότε λοιπὸν ἐγγὺς τριάκοντα καὶ πέντε ἐτῶν.

He crosses the Nile to live for twenty years in an abandoned fort -

Antony's "outer mountain" at Pispir

    11.  On the following day he went out even more eager for the service of God. And meeting the previously-mentioned old man, he pleaded with him to dwell in the desert with him.  But when the other declined on account of his great age and because there was as yet no such custom, [Antony] himself  immediately set off for the mountain. [he is tempted by images of silver and gold]

   12. […] And so, more and more strengthened in his purpose, he hurried to the mountain and, having found a fort on the other side of the [Nile] river so long deserted that it was full of reptiles, he crossed over to it and made it his home.  The reptiles immediately withdrew from the place as though some one were chasing them.  But he built up the entrance completely, having stored up [enough] bread for six months: this is a custom of the Thebans; and the loaves often remain fresh for a whole year. And finding water within, he descended as into a shrine; and in solidude [monon] he abode within, never going forth nor looking at any one who came.  Thus he undertook a long period of ascetic[al training], receiving loaves only twice a the year, let down from a house above.

   13.  But his acquaintances came to him: and since he did not permit them to enter,  they often used to spend days and nights outside, where they hear what sounded like rioting noisy crowds inside, crying in wailing, piteous voices, ‘Go away from what belongs to us!  What do you have to do with the desert? You cannot withstand our attack.’  So at first those outside thought there were men fighting with him and that they had entered by ladders; but when they bent down and saw through a hole that there was no one, they presumed them to be demons, they were afraid, and they called to Antony.  But upon hearing them he was more concerned for their [sakes] that he was to give any thought to the demons.  And so,  coming to the door he advised them to withdraw and not be afraid: “For the demons,” he said  “summon fantasies only against the fearful.  Sign yourselves therefore with the cross and depart boldly; and let these make themselves foolish.” 

   So they departed, fortified with the sign of the Cross. But he remained, not harmed in any way by the evil spirits, nor wearied by the contest: for there came to his aid contemplative visions from above; and the weakness of the enemies relieved him of many pains and armed him with greater enthusiasm.  For his acquaintances would often come, expecting to find him dead, and would hear him singing;

Let God arise and let his enemies be scattered, let those who hate him flee before his face.  As smoke vanishes, let them vanish; as wax melts before the face of fire, so let the sinners perish from the face of God ; (Ps 67:2 f.)

ὁ Θεὸς, καὶ διασκορπισθήτωσαν οἱ ἐχθροὶ αὐτοῦ, καὶ φυγέτωσαν ἀπὸ προσώπου αὐτοῦ οἱ μισοῦντες αὐτόν. Ὡς ἐκλείπει καπνὸς, ἐκλειπέτωσαν· ὡς τήκεται κηρὸς ἀπὸ προσώπου πυρὸς, οὕτως ἀπόλοιντο οἱ ἁμαρτωλοὶ ἀπὸ προσώπου τοῦ Θεοῦ·

He Emerges from

the Fort

      14.  And so for nearly twenty years he continued to practice asceticism in solitude, never going out,  and rarely seen by others.  After this when there were many who were eager and zealously wished to imitate his asceticism, his acquaintances came and began to break down the door and to wrench it open by force.

14.  Εἴκοσι τοίνυν ἐγγὺς ἔτη διετέλεσεν, οὕτω καθ' ἑαυτὸν ἀσκούμενος, οὔτε προϊὼν, οὔτε παρά τινων συνεχῶς βλεπόμενος. Μετὰ δὲ ταῦτα, πολλῶν ποθούντων καὶ θελόντων αὐτοῦ τὴν ἄσκησιν ζηλῶσαι, ἄλλων τε γνωρίμων ἐλθόντων, καὶ βίᾳ τὴν θύραν καταβαλόντων καὶ ἐξεωσάντων·

Antony,Athos, Dionys. 17th c. 

It is at this point that the pioneer begins to break new ground, his old ascetic master refusing to go with him into the desert ‘for as yet there was no such custom’. Antony is now about thirty-five­ which brings us to the beginning of the reign of Diocletian and Maximian. Alone he crosses the Nile, and shuts himself in for twenty years of solitude in a deserted fort on the confines of the desert, where bread is brought to him twice a year. He enters this dark fort as an ἀδύτον [aduton - ὥσπερ ἐν ἀδύτοις   : as into a shrine]. And when after twenty years his friends break down the gate and he comes forth, he does so ‘as from some inmost shrine, initiate into the mysteries and God-borne’ ὥσπερ ἔκ τινος ἀδύτου μεμυσταγωγημένος καὶ θεοφορούμενος· [hosper ek tinos adutou memystagogemenos kai theophoroumenos.

Of course Athanasius in writing this has his eye on the pagan world. Here is the true initiate of the mysteries, who in achieving his Gospel vocation to become – te/leoij  ‘perfect’  is achieving an ideal which the pagan can understand  he very word is common to Calvary and Eleusis. And while, primarily, Antony looked back to Elijah for his prototype, his way of life had also its praeparatio in Greek and Egyptian philosophy and religion  NeoPlatonist, Pythagorean, Stoic, Cynic, etc. But Athanasius at once draws a distinctively Christian picture in this respectAntony’s body con­dition is not deteriorated but improved by his strange training. His friends marvel to see his body neither grown fat from lack of exercise, nor dried up from fasting and fighting with the demons. Physically and in disposition of soul he is ‘all balanced, as one governed by reason and standing in his natural condition’  ' ὅλος ἦν ἴσος, ὡς ὑπὸ τοῦ λόγου κυβερνώμενος, καὶ ἐν τῷ κατὰ φύσιν ἑστώς. [holos en isos hupo tou logou kubernomenos, kai en to kata phusin estos].

    We are reminded how Porphyry’s Life of Plotinus starts off in the first sentence by describing Plotinus as like a man ashamed of being in a body. [Porphyry, Vita Plotini, c. 1.] The contrast is quite clear. Against all types of dualism, pagan or para-Christian, Antony’s perfection is shown reflected in his bodily condition, retained right up to his death fifty years later, when he was still sound in all his senses and vigorous in his limbs, with even his teeth complete in number[...]

Derwas Chitty, The Desert A City ,Chapter 1 - The Call,
(Oxford: 1966; St. Vlad. Sem. 1977) ISBN: 0-913836-45-1, pp. 3-4.

At this point, before continuing the narrative, it is appropriate to note what Derwas Chitty writes about this episode in The Desert A City

He leaves the fort and crosses the desert
to the INNER MOUNTAIN 

(the site of the modern-day Monastery of St. Antony on the Red Sea)

   49.  But when he saw himself beset by many, and not allowed to withdraw [into solitude] according to his intention as he wished, concerned [too,] that because of what the Lord was doing through him (cf 2Cor 12:4)  either he would become arrogant, or another might think more of him than he ought, he looked about and set off to go into the upper Thebaid, among those to whom he was unknown.  And having received loaves from the brethren, he sat down by the bank of the river to see whether a boat would go by; so that having embarked he might go up [the river] with them.  While he was considering these things, a voice came to him from above, “Antony, where are you going, and why?” 

49. Ὡς δὲ εἶδεν ἑαυτὸν ὀχλούμενον ὑπὸ πολλῶν καὶ μὴ ἀφιέμενον κατὰ γνώμην ἀναχωρεῖν, ὡς βούλεται· εὐλαβηθεὶς μὴ ἐξ ὧν ὁ Κύριος ποιεῖ δι' αὐτοῦ, ἢ αὐτὸς ἐπαρθῇ, ἢ ἄλλος τις ὑπὲρ ὅ ἐστι λογίσηται περὶ αὐτοῦ, ἐσκέψατο καὶ ὥρμησεν ἀνελθεῖν εἰς τὴν ἄνω Θηβαΐδα πρὸς τοὺς ἀγνοοῦντας αὐτόν. Καὶ δὴ παρὰ τῶν ἀδελφῶν δεξάμενος ἄρτους, ἐκάθητο παρὰ τὰς ὄχθας τοῦ ποταμοῦ, σκοπῶν εἰ ἄρα παρέλθοι πλοῖον, ἵνα ἐμβὰς ἀνέλθῃ μετ' αὐτῶν. Ταῦτα δὲ αὐτοῦ σκεπτομένου, φωνή τις ἄνωθεν γέγονε πρὸς αὐτόν·Ἀντώνιε, ποῦ πορεύῃ, καὶ διὰ τί;

   But he was not disturbed, for he had become accustomed to often being called this way; and having listened  he answered, saying: “Since the crowds do not allow me any tranquility, I wish to go into the upper Thebaid on account of the many annoyances that come upon me here; and especially because they demand of me things beyond my power.”  But the voice said unto him, “Even if you were to go into the Thebaid, or as you have it in mind to do, to go down to Bucolia [the pastures], you will have to endure more; even, twice the trouble [you now have].  But if you truly wish tranquility, depart now up into the inner desert.” 

¸Ο δὲ μὴ ταραχθεὶς, ἀλλ' ὡς εἰωθὼς καλεῖσθαι πολλάκις οὕτως, ἐπακούσας, ἀπεκρίνατο, λέγων·Ἐπειδὴ οὐκ ἐπιτρέπουσί μοι ἠρεμεῖν οἱ ὄχλοι, διὰ τοῦτο βούλομαι ἀνελθεῖν εἰς τὴν ἄνω Θηβαΐδα, διὰ τὰς πολλὰς τῶν ὧδέ μοι γινομένας ἐνοχλήσεις, καὶ μάλιστα διὰ τὸ ἀπαιτεῖσθαί με παρ' αὐτῶν τὰ ὑπὲρ τὴν ἐμὴν δύναμιν.Ἡ δὲ πρὸς αὐτὸν ἔφη· Κἂν εἰς τὴν Θηβαΐδα ἀνέλθῃς, κἂν, ὡς ἐνθυμῇ, κατέλθῃς εἰς τὰ βουκόλια, πλείω καὶ διπλασίονα τὸν κάματον ἔχεις ὑπομένειν.  Εἰ δὲ θέλεις ὄντως ἠρεμεῖν, ἄνελθε νῦν εἰς τὴν ἐνδο ^[26.916] τέραν ἔρημον. Τοῦ δὲἈντωνίου λέγοντος·

   And when Antony said, “Who will show me the way for I do not know it?”  [the voice] immediately indicated to him Saracens about to go that way.  So [Antony] approached, and drew near them, and asked to go with them into the desert.  And they received him gladly, as if commanded by providence to do so. And having journeyed three days and three nights with them, he came to a very high mountain; and at the base of the mountain ran a clear spring, whose waters were sweet and very cold. Extending out there was a plain and a few uncared-for palm trees.

Καὶ τίς δείξει μοι τὴν ὁδόν; ἄπειρος γάρ εἰμι ταύτης· εὐθὺς ἔδειξεν αὐτῷ Σαρακηνοὺς μέλλοντας ὁδεύειν τὴν ὁδὸν ἐκείνην. Προσελθὼν τοίνυν, καὶ ἐγγίσας αὐτοῖς ὁἈντώνιος, ἠξίου σὺν αὐτοῖς εἰς τὴν ἔρημον ἀπελθεῖν. Οἱ δὲ, ὥσπερ ἐξ ἐπιτάγματος τῆς Προνοίας, προθύμως αὐτὸν ἐδέξαντο· καὶ ὁδεύσας τρεῖς ἡμέρας καὶ τρεῖς νύκτας μετ' αὐτῶν, ἦλθεν εἰς ὄρος ὑψηλὸν λίαν· καὶ ὕδωρ μὲν ἦν ὑπὸ τὸ ὄρος διειδέστατον, γλυκὺ, καὶ μάλα ψυχρόν. Πεδιὰς δὲ ἔξωθεν, καὶ φοίνικες ἀμεληθέντες ὀλίγοι.

 The Monastery of St. Antony on the Red Sea,
the site of Antony's Inner Mountain

 The fort at Pispir and the Inner Mountain on the Red Sea

   50.  Antony then, as if moved by God, fell in love with the place, for this was what he who had spoken with him by the banks of the river had meant.  So having first received bread from his fellow travellers, he abode in the mountain in solitude [monos], no one else being with him. And he remained in that place for the future, regarding it as his own home. […]

50. Ὁ οὖνἈντώνιος, ὥσπερ θεόθεν κινούμενος, ἠγάπησε τὸν τόπον· οὗτος γὰρ ἦν ὃν ἐσήμανεν ὁ λαλήσας αὐτῷ παρὰ τὰς ὄχθας τοῦ ποταμοῦ. Τὴν μὲν οὖν ἀρχὴν δεξάμενος παρὰ τῶν συνοδευσάντων ἄρτους, ἔμενεν ἐν τῷ ὄρει μόνος, οὐδενὸς ἑτέρου συνόντος αὐτῷ· ὡς γὰρ ἴδιον οἶκον ἐπιγνοὺς, εἶχε λοιπὸν τὸν τόπον ἐκεῖνον.

   [He undertakes gardening] At first, however, wild beasts in the desert, coming because of the water, often injured his sprouts and his gardening.  But he, gently laying hold of one of them, said to them all, “Why do you hurt me, when I hurt none of you?  Depart, and in the name of the Lord do not approach here.”  And from that time forward, as though afraid of his command, they did not approach the place.

Τὴν μὲν οὖν ἀρχὴν τὰ ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ θηρία, ^[26.917] προφάσει τοῦ ὕδατος ἐρχόμενα, πολλάκις ἔβλαπτον αὐτοῦ τὸν σπόρον καὶ τὴν γεωργίαν· αὐτὸς δὲ χαριέντως κρατήσας ἓν τῶν θηρίων, ἔλεγε τοῖς πᾶσι· Διὰ τί με βλάπτετε, μηδὲν ἐμοῦ βλάπτοντος ὑμᾶς; Ἀπέλθετε, καὶ ἐν τῷ ὀνόματι τοῦ Κυρίου μηκέτι ἐγγίσητε τοῖς ὧδε. Καὶ ἐξ ἐκείνου λοιπὸν, ὥσπερ φοβηθέντα τὴν παραγγελίαν, οὐκ ἔτι τῷ τόπῳ ἤγγισαν.