BOOK 16
Of patience

LIBELLUS DECIMUS SEXTUS.
De patientia.

1 . The brothers said that Abba Gelasius had a parchment book worth eighteen shillings, containing the whole of the Old and New Testament. The book was put in the church, so that any monk who wished could read it. But a travelling monk came to visit the old man: and when he saw the book, he coveted it, stole it, and went away. The old man, though he knew who the thief was, did not give chase or try to catch him. The thief went to a city and looked for a buyer. He found a man who wanted it, and began by asking him sixteen shillings for it. The man, who wished to beat him down, said: “First give it to me so that I may show it to someone and get advice, and then I will pay your price.” So the monk gave him the book for this purpose. He took the book to Abba Gelasius to discover whether it was a good bargain and worth this high price. He told Abba Gelasius the price that the seller was asking. The old man said: “Buy it. It is a good bargain, and worth that price.” So he went back to the seller, but instead of doing what the old man had told him, he said: “Look, I showed this book to Abba Gelasius, and he told me it was too highly priced, and not worth what you said.” The thief said: “Did the old man tell you nothing else?” He answered: “Nothing.” Then the thief said: “Now I do not want to sell the book.” Stricken in heart, he went to the old man, did penance, and asked him to take the book back. The old man did not want to accept it. Then the monk said: “Unless you take it back, I cannot have peace of mind.” And the old man said: “If you cannot have peace of mind unless I take it back, I will take it back.” And the brother remained with the old man until his death, and made progress by learning from his patience.

1. Dicebant fratres de abbate Gelasio, quia habuerit Codicem in membranis valentem solidos decem et octo  (Ruff., l. III, n. 30, nomine Anastasii) . Continebat vetus et novum Testamentum totum; et positus erat Codex ipse in ecclesia, ut qui vellet de fratribus legeret. Superveniens autem quidam frater peregrinus applicuit ad senem, et videns Codicem illum concupivit eum, et furatus eum exivit atque discessit. Senex vero non est secutus post eum ut comprehenderet eum, utpote qui intellexerat quod fecerat. Ille autem pergens in civitatem, quaerebat cui venderet eum. Et cum invenisset qui volebat  ^[0969D] emere, coepit solidos sedecim pretium ejus postulare. Ille vero volens comparare eum, dixit: Da mihi primum ut ostendam eum, et sic tibi pretium dabo. Dedit ergo ille Codicem ad ostendendum. Quem accipiens ille qui emere cupiebat, attulit eum ad abbatem Gelasium, ut probaret si bonus Codex esset, aut si tantum valeret. Dixerat enim ei et quantitatem, quam venditor postulabat. Et dixit senex: Eme illum, quia bonus Codex est, et valet pretium quod dixit tibi. Ille autem veniens dixit venditori aliter, et non sicut audierat a sene, dicens: Ecce ostendi illum abbati Gelasio, et dixit mihi quia charus est, et non valet quantum dixisti. Ille hoc audiens dixit ei: Nihil aliud tibi dixit senex? Et respondit: Nihil. Tunc  ^[0970A] dicit ei: Jam nolo vendere Codicem istum. Compunctus autem venit ad senem poenitentiam agens, et rogans eum ut reciperet Codicem, senex autem nolebat accipere eum. Tunc dixit ei frater: Quia si non recipis eum, non possum securus esse. Et dixit ei senex: Si non potes esse securus nisi recipiam, ecce recipio eum. Et remansit frater ille apud eum usque ad exitum suum, proficiens de patientia senis.

2. At a meeting of the hermits in Cellia, an Abba Evagrius spoke. And the priest there said: “Abba Evagrius, we know that if you were in your own country, perhaps you would already be a bishop, and ruling over many souls. Here you are like a stranger.” Evagrius was stricken in heart at the words: but, serenely and without haste, he bent his head, looked at the ground, wrote in the dust with his finger, and said: “Truly, Fathers, it is so. But, as it is written, I have spoken once: and I will no more answer.”69

2. Factus est aliquando conventus in Cellis pro causa quadam, et locutus est quidam abbas Evagrius, et dixit ei presbyter monasteriorum: Scimus, abba Evagri, quia si esses in patria tua, forte aut episcopus fueras, aut multorum caput; nunc autem hic velut peregrinus es. Ille vero compunctus, non quidem turbulenter aliquid respondit, sed moveos caput,  ^[0970B] respiciensque in terram, digito scribebat, et dixit eis: Revera ita est, Patres: verumtamen semel locutus sum, in Scripturis vero secundo nihil adjiciam.

3. The brothers surrounded Abba John the Short when he was sitting in front of the church, and each of them asked him about their thoughts. Another old man flared up in envy at the sight, and said: “Abba John, your cup is full of poison.” And Abba John answered: “Yes, Father, it is. But you have said this when you can only see the outside—what would you say if you saw the inside?”

3. Sedente aliquando abbate Joanne Brevi ante ecclesiam, circumdederunt eum fratres, exquirentes ab eo singuli de cogitationibus suis  (Ruff., l. III, n. 92) . Quidam autem senex hoc videns, accensus invidia dixit ei: Suriscula tua, abba Joannes, veneno est plena. Et respondit ei abbas Joannes: Ita est, abba. Hoc autem dixisti, quia ea quae sunt foris tantummodo vides; si autem videres quae intro sunt, quid esses dicturus?

4. John the Less of the Thebaid, a disciple of Abba Ammon­ius, was said to have lived for twelve years ministering to an old man who was ill, and sitting on a mat near him. But the old man was always cross with him; and although John worked a long time for him, he never said: “May it be well with you.” But when the old man was on his death-bed, in the presence of the elders of the place, he held John’s hand and said: “May it be well with you, may it be well with you.” And the old man commendedJohn to the old men, saying: “This is an angel, not a man.”

4. Dicebant de Joanne Minore de Thebaida, qui fuit discipulus abbatis Ammonii, quia duodecim annos  ^[0970C] fecerit in ministerio, serviens seni in infirmitate ejus, et posthaec sedebat super mattam; senex vero contristabatur pro eo  (Ruff., l. III, n. 155; Pasc., c. 19, n. 2) . Et dum multum laborasset cum eo, nunquam dixit ei: Sanus esto. Quando autem jam moriturus erat, residentibus senibus loci, tenuit manum ejus, et dixit: Sanus sis, sanus sis, sanus sis, Et tradidit 631 eum senibus, dicens: Hic angelus est, non homo.

5. They said of Abba Isidore, the priest in Scete, that if anyone had a monk sick, or weak, or insolent, and wanted to drive him out, he would say: “Bring him to me.” And he took him, and cured the soul by his patience.

5. Dicebant de abbate Isidoro, qui erat presbyter in Scythi, quia si quis habuisset fratrem infirmum, aut pusillanimem, aut injuriosum, et volebat eum expellere foris, ille dicebat: Adducite eum ad me. Et apprehendens eum, patientia sua curabat animum fratris illius.

6. Abba Macarius, when in Egypt, found a man who had brought a beast to his cell and was stealing his possessions. As though he was a traveller, who did not live there, he went up to the thief and helped him to load the beast, and peaceably led him on his way, saying to himself: “We brought nothing into this world; 70 but the Lord gave: as he willed, so it is done: blessed be the Lord in all things.”

 ^[0970D] 6. Abbas Macarius, in Aegypto positus  (Ruff., lib. III, n. 73, Pasch. c. 3, n. 1) , invenit hominem qui adduxerat animal, et rapiebat quae habebat; ipse vero ut peregrinus astitit furi, et adjuvabat eum ad animal carricandum, et cum omni quiete deduxit eum, dicens in semetipso: Nihil intulimus in hunc mundum, sed Dominus dedit; sicut voluit ipse, ita factum est: benedictus in omnibus Dominus  (I Tim. VI) .

7. At a meeting of monks in Scete, the old men wanted to test Abba Moses. So they poured scorn on him, saying: “Who is this blackamoor that has come among us?” Moses heard them, but said nothing. When the meeting had dispersed, the men who had given the insults, asked him: “Were you not troubled in your heart?” He answered: “I was troubled, and I said nothing.”

7. Facta aliquando congregatione fratrum in Scythi, cum voluissent senes probare abbatem Moysen, contempserunt eum, dicentes: Ut quid iste Aethiops venit in medio nostrum? Ille autem audiens, tacuit. Cum vero dimissus fuisset conventus, dixerunt ei hi  ^[0971A] qui eum injuriose tractaverant: Nec modo non es turbatus? Et ille respondit: Turbatus sum, et non sum locutus  (Psal. LXVII) .

8. Paysius, the brother of Abba Poemen, loved a monk of his cell. Abba Poemen did not like it. So he rose and fled to Abba Ammonas, and said to him: “My brother Paysius loves some people and I do not like it.” Abba Ammonas said to him: “Abba Poemen, are you still alive? Go sit in your cell, and put it in your heart that you have been already a year in your grave.”

8. Paysitis frater abbatis Pastoris habuit affectum cum quodam monacho ex cella sua; abbas autem Pastor nolebat hoc: qui consurgens fugit ad abbatem Ammonam, et dicit ei: Frater meus Paysius habet cum quibusdam affectum, quod ego non libenter fero. Dixit autem ei abbas Ammonas: Abba Pastor, adhuc vivis? Vade in cellam tuam, et pone in corde tuo, quia annum jam habes in sepulcro.

9. Abba Poemen said: “Whatever travail comes upon you shall be overcome by silence.”

9. Dixit abbas Pastor: Omnis labor quicunque evenerit tibi, ex taciturnitate superabitur.

10. A brother who was hurt by another brother went to the Theban Abba Sisois and said: “I want to avenge myself on a brother who has hurt me.” The old man begged him: “Don’t, my son: leave vengeance in the hands of God.” But he said: “I cannot rest until I avenge myself.” The old man said: “My brother, let us pray.” The old man stood up and said: “O God, we have no further need to think of thee, for we take vengeance of ourselves.” The brother heard it and fell at the old man’s feet, saying: “No longer will I quarrel with my brother: I beg you to forgive me.”

10. Quidam frater laesus ab alio fratre, venit ad abbatem Sisoi Thebaeum, et dicit ei: Laesus sum a  ^[0971B] quodam fratre, et volo me vindicare  (Ruff., l. III, n. 77; Pasch., c. 7, n. 1) . Senex autem rogabat eum, dicens: Noli, fili; sed dimitte magis Deo vindictam. Ille autem dicebat: Non quiesco donec meipsum vindicavero. Dixit autem senex: Oremus, frater. Et surgens dixit senex: Deus, jam te opus non habemus cogitare de nobis, quoniam nos ipsi vindictam nostram facimus. Hoc autem audiens frater, cecidit ad pedes illius senis, dicens: Jam non contendo cum fratre illo, sed, rogo, ignosce mihi.

11. A man who saw a religious person carrying a corpse on a bed, said: “Are you carrying dead men? Go and carry the living.”

11. Quidam videns quemdam religiosum portantem mortuum in lecto, dicit ei: Mortuos portas? Vade, viventes porta.

12. They said of a monk, that the more bitterly anyone injured or assailed him, the more he was well-disposed to him; for he said: “People like this are a means to cure the faults of serious men. People who make them happy, do their souls harm. For it is written: ‘They that call thee blessed, deceive thee.’ “ 71

12. Dicebant de quodam monacho, quia quantum eum injuriis quis appetisset aut exacerbasset  (Ruff.,  ^[0971C] l. III, n. 80; Pasch., c. 7, n. 4) , tanto magis ille ad eum concurrebat, dicens: Quia hujusmodi homines causa corrigendi fiunt his qui in conversatione studiosi sunt. Nam qui eos beatificant, magis confundunt animas eorum. Scriptum est enim: Quai qui beatificant vos, seducunt vos  (Isaiae III) .

13. Some robbers once came to the hermitage of an old man and said: “We have come to remove everything in your cell.” And he said: “Take what you see, my sons.” So they took what they found in the cell, and went away. But they missed a little bag which was hidden in the cell. The old man picked it up, and gave chase, shouting out: “My sons, you missed this—take it.” They admired his patience and restored everything, and did penance to him: and said to each other: “Truly this is a man of God.”

13. Venerunt aliquando latrones in monasterium senis  (Prat. spirit. c. 212) , et dixerunt ad eum: Omnia quae in cella tua sunt tollere venimus. Et ille dixit: Quantum vobis videtur, filii, tollite. Tulerunt ergo quodcunque invenerunt in cella, et abierunt. Obliti sunt autem ibi saccellum, quod erat absconditum in cella. Senex vero tollens eum, secutus est post eos, clamans et dicens: Filii, tollite quod obliti estis in cella. Illi vero admirantes patientiam senis,  ^[0971D] retulerunt omnia in cella ejus, et poenitentiam egerunt omnes, ad invicem dicentes: Hic vere homo Dei est.

14. Some brothers came to a holy old man who lived in the desert; and outside the hermitage they found a boy tending the sheep and using ill-mannered words. After they had told the old man their thoughts and profited from his reply, they said: “Abba, why do you allow those boys to be here, and do not order them to stop hurling abuse at each other?” The old man said: “Believe me, my brothers, there are days when I want to order them, but I stop myself; saying, If I cannot put up with this little thing, how shall I put up with a serious temptation, if God ever lets me be so tempted? So I say nothing to the}n, and try to get a habit of enduring whatever happens.”

14. Fratres quidam venerunt ad senem quemdam sanctum in deserto loco sedentem, et invenerunt foris extra monasterium puerum pascentem pecora, et loquentem verba quae non decebat  (Ruff., l. III, n. 91) . Postquam autem viderunt senem, et indicaverunt ei cogitationes suas, et de responsione ejus se profecisse senserunt, dicunt ei: Abba, quomodo acquiescis habere tecum pueros istos, et non praecipis eis ne strinientur [(44) ^[0990D] Ne strinientur.] Ita Ms. Audomarensis. Prima editio, ne hystrientur. Coloniensis, ne histrientur. Parisiensis, ne struentur. Quaedam editiones, ut constringantur. Apud Ruffinum, libro III, num. 91, ubi idem refertur, est vociferentur. Flandris strijen est contendere, ut Gallis estriver litigare. Nescio an allusione ad hoc Latinum verbum. Vide Onomasticon.] ? Et dixit senex: Credite mihi, fratres, dies habeo, ex quo volo eis praecipere, et redarguo meipsum, dicens: Si hoc parum non portavero,  ^[0972A] quomodo majorem tentationem, si permiserit mihi Deus inferri, portare possum? Et propterea nihil eis dico, ut fiat consuetudo portandi quae superveniunt

15. There was a story that an old man had a little boy living with him. And seeing him doing some unsuitable work, he said: “Don’t do that.” The child disobeyed him. The old man, observing him to be disobedient, washed his hands of his upbringing, and let him do as he liked. But for three days the boy kept shut the door of the room with the bread and let the old man go •vithout food. The old man did not say: “Where are you?” or “What are you doing out there?” A neighbour of the old man saw that the boy was late in bringing food; he made a little stew, and passed it to him through a hole in the wall of the cell, and asked him to eat. And he said to the old man: “Why is that disciple of yours so long away?” The old man said: “When he has leisure, he will come back.”

15. Narraverunt de sene quodam, quia habuerit puerulum cohabitantem secum; et videns eum, quia fecerit opus quod non expediebat ei, dixit ei semel: Non facias hanc rem. Et ille non obedivit ei. Hoc autem senex videns, abjecit de cogitatione sua curam illius, jactans proprium judicium super ipsum; puer vero clausit ostium cellae, in qua erant panes, per tres dies, et dimisit senem jejunum, et non dixit ei senex: Ubi es, aut quid facis foris? Habebat autem vicinum senex: qui cum agnovisset, quia tardaret puerulus ille, fecit modicum pulmentum, et  ^[0972B] dabat ei per parietem, et rogabat ut gustaret, et dicebat seni: Quid tardat frater ille foris? Senex vero dicebat. Quando ei vacaverit, revertetur.

16. There was a story that some philosophers once came to test the monks. One of the monks came by dressed in a fine robe. The philosophers said to him: “Come here, you.” But he was indignant, and insulted them. Then another monk came by, a good person, a Libyan by race. They said to him: “Come here, you wicked old monk.” He came to them at once, and they began to hit him: but he turned the other cheek to them. Then the philosophers rose and did homage to him, saying: “Here is a monk indeed.” And they made him sit down in their midst, and asked him: “What do you do in this desert more than we do? You fast: and we fast also. You chastise your bodies and so do we. Whatever you do, we do the same.” The old man answered: “We trust in God’s grace, and keep a watch on our minds.” They said; “That is what we cannot do.” And they were edified, and let him go.

16. Narraverunt aliqui quia philosophi quidam aliquando voluerunt probare 632 monachos, et venit unus transiens stola indutus et bene vestitus  (Ruff., l. II, n. 74; Pasch., c. 3, n. 2) . Et dixerunt ei philosophi: Tu veni huc. Ille vero indignatus, injuriis aggressus est eos. Transiit et alter unus monachus magnus, rusticus genere; et ipsi dixerunt ei: Tu, monache male senex, veni huc. Ille vero cursim venit. Et coeperunt ei alapas dare; ille autem convertit eis aliam maxillam. Statim vero illi surrexerunt philosophi, et adoraverunt eum, dicentes: Vere ecce monachus. Et fecerunt eum sedere in medio  ^[0972C] sui, et interrogaverunt eum, dicentes: Quid est quod plus facitis de nobis in solitudine ista? Jejunatis, et nos jejunamus; et castigatis corpora vestra, et nos castigamus; sed et quidquid facitis, etiam et nos facimus. Quid ergo plus facitis a nobis sedentes in eremo? Respondit eis senex: In gratia Dei speramus nos, et mentem nostram custodimus. Et illi dixerunt ei: Nos hoc custodire non possumus. Et aedificati dimiserunt eum.

17. An old man, who had a proved disciple, once turned him out in a fit of irritation. The disciple sat down outside to wait: and the old man found him there when he opened the door, and did penance to him, saying: “You are my Father, because your humility and patience have conquered the weak­ness of my soul. Come inside: now you are the old father, and I am the young disciple: my age must give way to your conduct.”

17. Senex quidam erat habens probatum discipulum, quem aliquando contristatus expulit foras. Ille vero discipulus exspectabat sedens foris; et aperiens senex invenit eum, et poenitentiam egit apud eum senex, dicens: Tu Pater meus es, quia humilitas et patientia tua vicit pusillanimitatem animi  ^[0972D] mei. Veni intus, amodo enim tu senex et Pater, ego autem juvenis et discipulus, quoniam opere tuo superasti meam senectutem.

18. One of the old men said that he had heard holy men say that there are young men who show old men how to live: and they told this story. There was a drunken old man, who wove a mat a day, sold it in the next village, and drank as much as he could with the money. Then a monk came to live with him, and also wove a mat a day. The old man took this mat as well, sold it, bought wine with the price of both, and brought back to the monk only a little bread for the evening meal. Though this went on for three years, the brother said nothing. At the end of three years the monk said to himself: “Here am I, with little enough bread and nothing else, I will go away.” But then he had second thoughts, and said to himself “Where can I go? I will stay here, and for God’s sake continue with this common life.” And immediately an angel of the Lord appeared to him, and said: “Don’t go away, we shall come for you tomorrow.” That day the monk begged the old man: “Don’t go anywhere: today they will come to take me away.” At the time when the old man usually went out to the village, he said to the monk: “They will not come today, my son: it is already late.” The monk used every argument to show that they would come: and even while he was talking, he slept in peace. The old man wept, and said: “I am sorrowful, my son, that I have lived in neglect for so many years, and you through patience have saved your soul in so short a time.” And thence­forward the old man became sober and serious.

18. Dicebat quidam senum quod audierit aliquos viros sanctorum dicere esse juvenes qui ducatum praebeant senibus in vita hac, et narraverunt, dicentes: Quia erat quidam ebriosus senex, et operabatur unam mattam in die, et vendebat eam in vicino vico, et bibebat quod accipiebat de pretio ejus. Postea vero venit ad eum quidam frater, et manebat cum ipso, qui similiter operabatur et ipse mattam unam: tollebat autem eam senex et vendebat, et ambarum mattarum pretium expendebat in vino, illi autem fratri efferebat tantummodo modicum panem ad seram.  ^[0973A] Et cum hoc triennio jugiter faceret, nihil locutus est frater ille. Posthaec vero dixit frater ille in semetipso: Ecce nudus sum, et panem cum egestate comedo, surgam ergo et discedam hinc. Iterum autem cogitavit in semetipso, dicens: ubi habeo ire? Sedeo hic; ego enim propter Deum sedeo in hac vita communi. Et statim apparuit ei angelus Domini, dicens: Nusquam discedas, veniemus enim cras ad te. Et rogavit frater ille senem illum ipsa die, dicens: Non discedas hinc alicubi, quia venient hodie mei tollere me. Cum ergo facta fuisset hora qua solebat senex descendere ad vicum, dixit fratri: Non venient hodie, fili; jam enim tarde est. Et ille dixit ei modis omnibus, quia venient: et dum cum eo loqueretur, dormivit in pace; senex autem fiebat, dicens:  ^[0973B] Heu me, fili, quia multis annis sub negligentia vivo, tu autem in parvo tempore salvasti animam tuam per patientiam. Et ex illo die factus est senex sobrius et probatus.

19. A brother who lived near a great old man, is said to have entered his cell from time to time and stolen the contents. Though the old man saw him, he did not abuse him, but struggled to produce more than usual, saying: “I believe that brother is in need.” And while he worked harder than usual, he tightened his belt and ate less. When the old man was on his death-bed, the brothers stood round him. And he looked at the thief, and said: “Come here and touch me.” And he grasped his hand and kissed it, saying: “I thank these hands of yours, my brother: it is because of them that I go to the kingdom of heaven.” The thief was stricken with remorse and did penance: and he became a true monk, and followed the example of that great old man.

19. Dicebant de quodam fratre, qui seni cuidam magno vicinus erat, quia ingrederetur, et raperet quidquid haberet senex in cella sua  (Ruff., l. III, n. 74; Pasch., c. 3, n. 2) . Videbat autem eum senex, et non objurgabat eum, sed extorquebat sibi plus solito manibus operari, dicens: Credo, opus habet frater iste. Et exigebat a se majorem solito laborem; et astringebat ventrem suum, ut cum indigentia comederet panem. Cum autem mori coepisset senex ille, circumsteterunt eum fratres. Et respiciens in eum qui furabatur, dixit ei: Junge te huc ad me.  ^[0973C] Et tenuit et osculatus est manus ejus, dicens: Gratias ago istis manibus, frater, quia propter istas vado in regno coelorum. Ille autem compunctus et poenitentiam agens, factus est etiam ipse probatus monachus, exemplum sumens de actibus magni illius senis [1 ^[0973]

20. There was a harlot named Thais, so beautiful that for her sake many people impoverished themselves. Her lovers used always to be quarrelling, and several young men spilt their blood on her doorstep. When Abba Paphnutius heard of it, he took a secular dress and a gold shilling, and set out to see her in one of the cities of Egypt. He gave her his gold shilling for the price of her sin; she accepted it, and said: “Let us go into the house.” As he was about to lie on the bed, which was strewn with costly coverlets, he beckoned her and said: “If there is an inner room, let us go into it.” She said: “There is an inner room. But if you are frightened of men, no one comes into this outer room. If you are frightened of God, you cannot escape his eye any­where.” To this the old man said: “Do you know about God?” She answered: “I know about God, and the kingdom of the next world, and the future torment for sinners.” He said: “If you know this, why have you destroyed so many souls, and therefore will have to give account for theirs as well as your own?” When Thais heard this, she fell down at Paphnutius’ feet, weeping: and said: “Lay a penance upon me, father. I trust with your prayers to win forgiveness. Let me have three hours’ grace, and I will come wherever you command and do what­ever you tell me.” When Abba Paphnutius had appointed her a place to meet, she collected all the presents she had won by her sins. She took them into the city square and publicly burnt them, crying: “Come, all you people who have sinned with me, see how I am burning your presents.” The value of the pile was forty pounds. When she had burnt it all, she went to the appointed place. He found for her a hermitage for maidens, and put her in a 72 A later addition: found in none of the manuscripts. little cell. He sealed the door, and left a little window through which she could receive food, and told the sisters of the convent to bring her a little bread and water every day. When Paphnutius had sealed the door and was going away, Thais said to him: “Where, father, would you have me pour my water?” And he said: “In the cell, you are worthy.” Then she asked him how to pray to God. He said: “You are not worthy to have God’s name on your lips, nor to stretch out your hands towards heaven; for your lips are full of wickedness and your hands polluted. You must simply sit down, look towards the east, and say this prayer again and again: ‘Thou who hast fashioned me, have mercy upon me.’ “After she had been shut there for three years, Abba Paphnutius was moved with sympathy, and went to see Abba Antony, to ask him whether God had forgiven her sins or not. Abba Antony, learning all the circumstances, summoned his disciples and told them to watch all night, and persevere in earnest prayer that God would declare to one of them the answer for which Abba Paphnutius had come. They all went apart, and prayed continually: and Abba Paul, the chief disciple of Saint Antony, suddenly saw a bed in heaven covered with precious coverlets, and guarded by three maidens whose faces shone. Paul said to himself: “This is the gift of none but my father Antony.” And a voice came to him: “It is not the gift of your father Antony, but of the harlot Thais.”Abba Paul told what he had seen: and Abba Paphnutius recognized the will of God, returned to the hermitage where Thais was shut, and broke the seals on the door. She asked him to let her stay shut in. But he opened the door, and said: “Come out, for God has forgiven your sins.” She answered: “I call God to witness that from the time I came here I have kept my sins in my mind’s eye like a burden, and I have kept weeping at the sight of them.” Abba Paphnutius said: “God has forgiven you, not for your penitence, but because you always kept in your mind the thought of your sins.” And he brought her out: and she lived for only fifteen days, and died in peace.

Hic in editis sequebatur n. 20, de Thaisi meretrice; sed eam habes lib. I inter Vitas.] .

BOOK 17
Of charity

LIBELLUS DECIMUS SEPTIMUS.
De charitate.

1. Abba Antony said: “Now I do not fear God, but I love him: for love casts out fear.” (I John 4:18)

1. Dixit abbas Antonius: Ego jam non timeo Deum, sed amo, quia amor foras misit timorem  (I Joan. IV) .

2. He also said: ‘;From our neighbour are life and death. If we do good to our neighbour, we do good to God: if we cause our neighbour to stumble, we sin against Christ.”

2. Dixit iterum: Quia de proximo est vita et mors; si enim lucremur fratrem, lucrabimur Deum; si autem scandalizamus fratrem, in Christo peccamus.

3. Abba Ammon of Nitria came to Abba Antony, and said to him: “I see that I endure more than you: how is it that your reputation is great among men?” And Abba Antony said: “It is because I love God more than you do.”

3. Abbas Ammon de loco Nitrionis, venit ad abbatem  ^[0973D] Antonium, et dixit ei: Video quia majorem laborem quam tu sustineo, et quomodo nomen tuum magnificum est in hominibus super me? Et dixit ei abbas Antonius: Quoniam et ego diligo Deum plus quam tu.

4. Abba Hilarion once came from Palestine to Abba Antony on the mountain: and Abba Antony said to him: “Welcome, morning star, for you rise at break of day.” And Abba Hilarion said: “Peace to you, pillar of light, for you prop up the earth.”

4. Venit aliquando abbas Hilarion de Palaestina ad abbatem Antonium in montem, et dicit ei abbas Antonius: Bene venisti, Lucifer, qui mane oriris. Et dixit abbas Hilarion: Pax tibi, columna lucis, quae sustines orbem terrarum.

5. Abba Mark said to Abba Arsenius: “Why do you run away from us?” The old man said: “God knows I love you. But I cannot be with God and with men. The countless hosts of angels have but a single will, while men have many wills. So I cannot let God go, and come and be with men.”

5. Dixit abbas Marcus abbati Arsenio: Quare nos fugis? Et dicit ei senex: Scit Deus, quia diligo vos; sed non possum esse cum Deo et cum hominibus;  ^[0974A] superiorum 633 enim virtutum millia et millium millia unam voluntatem habent, homines autem multas voluntates. Non possum ergo dimittere Deum, et venire, et esse cum hominibus.

6. Abba Agatho said: “I never went to sleep intentionally while I kept a grudge against anyone. Nor did I let anyone go away to sleep while he had a grievance against me.”

6. Dixit abbas Agathon: Quai secundum voluntatem meam nunquam dormivi, retinens in corde adversus quemquam dolorem, neque dimisi dormire alium habentem adversum me aliquid  (Ruff., l. III, n. 95) .

7. Once when Abba John was going up from Scete with other monks, their guide missed his way in the night. The brothers said to Abba John: “What are we ta do, Abba, to prevent ourselves dying in the desert, now that this brother has missed the way?” The old man said: “If we say anything to him, he will be grieved. Look, I will pretend I am worn out, and say I cannot walk, and will lie here till daylight.” And they did so. The others said: “We will not go on, but will stay with you here.” They stayed there until daybreak, so that they should not abuse the monk who had wrongly guided them.

7. Ascendente aliquando de Scythi abbate Joanne cum aliis fratribus, erravit, qui eis ducatum praebebat, in via; erat enim nox. Et dixerunt fratres abbati Joanni: Quid facimus, abba, quia erravit frater iste de via, ne forte moriamur errantes? Et dixit eis senex: Si dixerimus ei aliquid, contristabitur. Sed  ^[0974B] ecce facio meipsum quasi defectum, et dico me non posse ambulare, sed jaceo hic usque mane. Et fecerunt sic. Sed et residui dixerunt: Nec nos ibimus, sed sedebimus tecum; et sederunt usque mane, ne objurgarent fratrem illum.

8. Before Abba Poemen went to Egypt, there was an old man there with a great reputation. But when Abba Poemen came up from Scete with his monks the people left this old man in favour of Abba Poemen. The old man was jealous, and spoke ill of them. When Poemen heard this, he was sad, and said to his monks: “What shall we do for that old man? These people have made us suffer, by leaving that old man and visiting us who are nobody. How can we heal his mind?” And he said to them: “Make some supper, and take a little jug of wine: we will go and eat with him, perhaps we shall be able to heal his mind.” So they took the bread which they had made ready, and went to the old man’s cell. When they knocked, his disciple answered the door, and said: “Who are you?” They said: “Tell the abba that it is Poemen, who wants to be blessed by you.” The disciplc told the old man, who returned the message: “Go away, I am busy.” But they persevered and said: “We will not go away until we have got the old man’s blessing.” So seeing their perseverance and their humility, the old man was stricken with remorse, and opened the door to them. They entered, and supped with him. While they were having supper, the old man said: “Truly, I have heard less than the truth about you. I see that you do a hundred­fold more than I was told.” And he became their friend from that moment.

8. Senex quidam erat in Aegypto, antequam veniret illic abbas Pastor: ille autem senex habebat notitiam hominum et multum honorem  (Ruff., lib. III, n. 95) . Cum ergo ascendisset abbas Pastor de Scythi cum suis, dimiserunt illum senem, et venerunt ad abbatem Pastorem: invidiatus autem senex male loquebatur de eis. Hoc audiens Pastor, contristabatur, et dicit fratribus suis: Quid faciemus de sene isto magno, quia nos in tribulatione miserunt homines derelinquentes senem, et ad nos qui nihil sumus,  ^[0974C] attendentes? Quomodo ergo possumus sanare eum? Et dixit eis: Facite aliquid ad gustandum, et tollite vasculum vini, et eamus ad eum, et gustemus simul, forsitan per haec possumus sanare animum ejus. Tulerunt ergo quos paraverant cibos, et perrexerunt ad eum; et dum pulsarent ostium, respondit discipulus ejus, dicens: Qui estis? Et illi dixerunt: Dic abbati, quia Pastor est, et desiderat benedici per vos. Hoc autem nuntiat ei discipulus ejus. Ille mandavit, dicens: Vade, quia non mihi vacat. Illi autem perseverantes in caumate dixerunt: Non discedimus, nisi meruerimus benedictionem senis. Senex autem videns perseverantiam et humilitatem eorum, compunctus aperuit eis, et intrantes gustaverunt cum eo; cum ergo manducarent, dixit senex: In veritate dico,  ^[0974D] minus quam quod est audivi de vobis; centuplum enim est quod video in opere vestro. Factus est ergo amicus eis ex illo die.

9. Abba Poemen said: “Try, so far as you can, to do wrong to no man, and keep your heart chaste to every man.”

9. Dixit abbas Pastor: Conare secundum virtutem tuam nulli omnino facere malum, et castum serva cor tuum omni homini.

10. He also said: “There is nothing greater in love than that a man should lay down his life for his neighbour. When a man hears a complaining word and struggles against himself, and does not himself begin to complain; when a man bears an injury with patience, and does not look for revenge; that is when a man lays down his life for his neighbour.”

10. Iterum dixit: Non est aliquid majus dilectione, etiam ut animam suam ponat quis pro proximo suo. Etenim si quis audiens sermonem tristem, cum possit ipse id facere, certet atque sustineat, et non recontristet; vel etiam si laesus in re aliqua patienter tulerit, non retribuens contristanti atque laedenti se; eo modo hujusmodi homo animam suam ponit pro  ^[0975A] proximo suo  (Ruff., l. II, n. 201; Pasch., c. 37, n. 3, Append. Mart., n. 14) .

11. Abba Pambo happened once to be travelling in Egypt with some monks. He saw some men from the world sitting down, and said to them: “Stand up, and give a greeting, and kiss the monks that you may be blessed. For they often talk with God, and their mouths are holy.”

11. Contigit aliquando abbatem Pambo iter cum fratribus in partibus Aegypti facere; et videns quosdam saeculares sedentes dixit eis: Surgite, et salutate, et osculamini monachos ut benedicamini, frequenter enim cum Deo loquuntur, et sancta sunt ora eorum  (Ruff., l. III, n. 164).

12. Abba Paphnutius is said to have drunk wine seldom. But once on a journey he happened upon a meeting-place of robbers, while they were drinking. The chief of the robber band recognized him and knew that he would not drink wine. He saw that he was tired out. So he filled a cup with wine, held a naked sword in his other hand, and said: “Ifyou do not drink, I will kill you.” The old man knew that the robber chieftain was trying to obey the commandment of God: and in his desire to help him, he took the cup and drank. Then the robber chieftain did penance before him, and said: “Forgive me, Abba, that I grieved you.” And the old man said to him: “I believe that because of this cup my God will have mercy upon you in this world and the next.” And the robber chieftain answered: “And I believe in God that henceforward T shall harm no one.” And the old man won over the whole ban( of robbers, because for God’s sake he let himself fall into their power.

12. Dicebant de abbate Paphnutio, quia non cito bibebat vinum  (Ruff. l. III, n. 151) . Ambulans autem aliquando iter, supervenit in conventu latronum, et invenit eos bibentes: cognovit autem eum qui primus erat latronum, et sciebat quia non biberet vinum. Videns ergo eum de multo labore fatigatum, implevit calicem vini, et in alia manu tenuit gladium evaginatum,  ^[0975B] et dicit seni: Si non bibis, occidam te. Sciens autem senex quia mandatum Dei vult facere, et volens eum lucrari, accepit et bibit. Ille vero princeps latronum poenitentiam apud eum egit, dicens: Ignosce mihi, abba, quia contristavi te. Et dicit ei senex: Credo in Deo meo, quia per hunc calicem faciet misericordiam tecum et in hoc saeculo, et in futuro. Et respondit primus latronum: Et ego credo in Deo, quia amodo non faciam alicui quidquam mali. Et lucratus est senex omne collegium illorum latronum, per id quod se propter Deum dimisit voluntati eorum.

13. Abba Hyperichius said: “Snatch your neighbour from his sins, so far as you can, and refrain from condemning him: for God does not reject those who turn to him. Let rso word of wickedness towards your brother dwell in your heart, so that you can say: ‘Forgive us our debts, as we also forgive our debtors.”‘

13. Dixit abbas Hyperichius: Eripe proximum a peccatis, quanta tibi est virtus, sine improperio, quoniam Deus convertentes non repellit a se. Verbum autem malitiae et nequitiae non habitet in corde  ^[0975C] tuo adversus fratrem tuum, ut possis dicere: Dimitte nobis debita nostra, sicut et nos dimittimus debitoribus nostris  (Matth. VI).

14. Two monks were in Cellia. One of them was an old man, and asked the younger: “Let us stay together, my brother.” The other said: I am a sinner, and cannot stay with you, Abba.” But he begged him: “Yes, we can stay together.” The old man had a clean heart, and the younger did not want him to know that he sometimes fell to lust. The monk then said: “Let me go away for a week, and we will talk about it again.” At the end of the week the old man came back, and the younger, wishing to test him, said: “I succumbed to a great temptation during this week, Abba. When I had gone to a village on an errand, I lay with a woman.” The old man said: “Are you penitent?” And the brother said: “Yes.” The old man said: “I will carry half the burden of the sin with you.” Then the brother said: “Now I know that we can stay together.” And they remained together till death parted them.

14. Duo fratres erant in Cellis: unus autem ex eis senex erat, et rogabat illum qui erat juvenis, dicens: Maneamus simul, frater. Et ille dixit ei: Peccator sum, et non possum manere tecum, abba  (Ruff., l. III, n. 152) . Ille autem rogabat eum, dicens: Etiam possumus. Erat autem senex ille mundus, et nolebat audire, quia monachus haberet in cogitatu fornicationem. Et dicit ei frater: Dimitte mihi unam hebdomadam, et iterum loquemur. Venit ergo senex, et volens eum juvenis ille probare, dicebat: In magna 634 tentatione incurri hebdomada ista, abba; pergens enim pro ministerio quodam in vicum, incidi in  ^[0975D] mulierem. Et dixit ei senex: Estne poenitentia? Et dixit frater: Etiam. Senex autem dixit: Ego tecum porto medietatem peccati hujus. Tunc dixit frater ille: Modo scio quia possumus simul manere. Et manserunt simul usque ad exitum suum.

15. One of the fathers said: “If anyone asks you for some­thing, and you give it to him; even if you are forced to give it, let your heart be in the gift: as it is written: ‘If a man forces you to go with him one mile, go with him two’: 74 it means, if you are asked for something, give it with a willing heart.”

15. Dixit quidam Patrum: Si quis te petierit rem aliquam, et violenter praestiteris ei, sit voluntas animi in id quod datur, sicut scriptum est: Quia si quis te angariaverit milliario, vade cum ipso duo  (Matth. V) : hoc autem est, ut si quis te petierit rem aliquam, des ei ex animo et spiritu.

16. A monk is said to have made baskets and put handles on them, when he heard another monk saying nearby: “What am I to do? The trader is soon coming, and I have no handles to put on my baskets.” So he took off the handles he had put on his own baskets, and took them to the nearby monk, saying: “I do not need these: take them and put them on your baskets.” And he allowed the brother to finish his baskets, but left his own unfinished.

16. Dicebant de quodam fratre quia cum fecisset sportas et posuisset eis ansas  (Ruff., lib. III, n. 147),   ^[0976A] audivit etiam vicinum suum alium monachum dicentem: Quid facio, quia proximum est mercatum, et non habeo ansas quas imponam sportellis meis? Ille vero resolvit ansas quas imposuerat sportellis, et fratri illi vicino attulit, dicens: Ecce istas superfluas habeo, tolle, impone in sportas tuas. Et fecit opus fratris sui perficere ad quod opus erat, proprium autem opus reliquit imperfectum

17. They said that an old man in Scete, who was ill, wanted to eat a little new bread. One of the experienced monks heard of it: and he took his cloak, put stale bread into it, went to Egypt, changed the stale bread for new, and brought the new bread back to the old man. When the brothers saw the new bread, they were astonished. The old man did not want to eat it, and said: “It is the blood of this brother.” And the old men begged him, saying: “For God’s sake eat, so that his sacrifice is not vain.” And so he ate it.

17. Dicebant de quodam sene in Scythi, quia aegrotavit, et voluit manducare modicum panem recentem: hoc autem audiens quidam exercitatorum fratrum, tulit melotem suam, et misit in eam panem siccum, et vadens in Aegyptum, mutavit illum ad panem recentem, et attulit seni. Et cum vidissent fratres panes illos recentes, mirati sunt; senex autem  ^[0976B] noluit gustare, dicens: Quia sanguis fratris est. Et rogaverunt senes, dicentes: Propter Deum comede, ne vacuum sit sacrificium fratris istius. Atque ita rogatus comedit.

18. A brother asked an old man: “There are two monks: one stays quietly in his cell, fasting for six days at a time, and laying many austerities upon himself: and the other ministers to the sick. Which of them is more acceptable to God?” The old man answered: “If the brother, who fasts six days, even hung himself up by his nostrils, he could never be the equal of him who ministers to the sick.”

18. Frater interrogavit quemdam senem, dicens: Duo sunt fratres, ex quibus unus quiescit in cella sua, protrahens jejunium sex dierum, et multum sibi laborem imponens; alter vero aegrotantibus deseruit. Cujus opus magis acceptum est Deo? Respondit ei senex: Si frater ille, qui sex diebus jejunium levat, appendat se per nares, non potest esse aequalis illi qui infirmantibus deseruit.

19. An old man was asked: “How is it that some struggle away at their religious life, but do not receive grace like the old fathers?” The old man said: “Because then charity ruled, and each one drew his neighbour upward. Now charity is growing cold, and each of us draws his neighbour downward, and so we do not deserve grace.”

19. Interrogavit quidam senem quemdam, dicens: Quomodo sunt modo quidam laborantes in conversatione, et non accipiunt gratiam sicut antiqui  (Ruff., lib. III, n. 181; Pasch., cap. 28, n. 4) ? Dicit ei senex:  ^[0976C] Quia tunc charitas erat, et unusquisque proximum suum trahebat sursum; nunc autem refrigescente charitate, unusquisque proximum suum deorsum trahit, et propterea gratiam non meremur accipere.

20. Three monks once went to harvest, and were given a big area to harvest. But the first day one of them fell sick, and returned to his cell. Of the two remaining, one said to the other: “Look, brother, our brother has fallen ill: you work as hard as you can, and I will do what little extra I can, and we will trust God that by our sick brother’s prayers we shall harvest his part of the field as well as finishing our own part.” So they harvested the whole area which they had been given, and went to receive their pay. And they summoned their brother, saying: “Come, brother, take your money.” He said: “I have not harvested, so I have earned nothing.” They said to him: “We finished the harvest through your prayers: come and take your pay.” And there was fierce argument between them, the one saying: “I will not take it because I have not earned it,” the others refusing to accept their pay unless he would take his share. So they went off to a great old man, to accept his judgement. And the brother who had been sick said to him: “We three went to earn money by harvesting in a man’s field. When we came to the place, I fell ill on the first day and returned to my cell, and I could not har­vest a single day with them. And now they are forcing me, saying: ‘Come, brother, take your pay for work you have not done.’ “ But the other two said: “The truth is this. When we arrived at the field, we were given a big area to harvest. If there had been three of us, we might with the greatest difficulty have just finished the work. But by the prayers of this our brother, the pair of us harvested the field more quickly than three of us would have done. So we say to him: ‘Come, take your pay,’ and he will not.” The old man marvelled to hear them, and said to one of his monks: “Ring the bell in the brothers’ cells to gather them here.” When they had assembled, he said to them: “Come, brothers, and hear today a just judgement.” And the old man told them the whole story, and decided that the brother should receive his pay, and do with it whatever he would. And the brother went away grieved and weeping like a man who has been sentenced.

20. Perrexerunt aliquando tres fratres ad messem, et susceperunt certum spatium sexaginta modiorum quod meterent  (Append. Mart., n. 9) . Unus autem ex eis ipsa prima die infirmari coepit, et reversus est ad cellam suam. Duo autem qui remanserant, unus alteri dixit: Ecce frater vides, quia incurrit in aegritudinem frater noster; extorque ergo tu animo tuo, et ego similiter meo paululum, et credamus in Deo, quia per orationem ejus implebimus nos duo opera, et metemus partem ipsius. Cum ergo explicassent  ^[0976D] messem totius loci illius quem susceperant, venerunt accipere mercedes suas: et vocaverunt fratrem illum, dicentes: Veni, frater, accipe laborem tuum. Et ille dixit eis: Qualem laborem accipiam, qui non messui? Et illi dixerunt ei: Orationibus consummata est messis; veni ergo, accipe mercedes tuas. Facta ergo plurima contentione inter eos de hac re; illo scilicet dicente: Non accipiam, qui non laboravi; illis vero non acquiescentibus, nisi et ipse perciperet partem suam, abierunt ad judicium cujusdam magni senis. Et dixit ei ille frater: Perreximus tres, ut meteremus in agro cujusdam ad mercedes. Cum autem venissemus ad locum quem messuri eramus,  ^[0977A] ipsa prima die in aegritudine cecidi, et reversus sum in cellam meam, nec una die metere praevalens cum eis. Et nunc cogunt me isti, dicentes: Frater, veni, accipe mercedes ubi non laborasti. Dixerunt autem et illi fratres: Revera perreximus metere, et suscepimus spatium sexaginta modiorum quod meteremus; et si fuissemus toti tres, cum grandi labore vix potuissemus explicare illud; orationibus autem fratris hujus nos duo velocius quam tres potuimus et demessuimus agrum, et dicimus ei: Veni, accipe mercedes tuas, et non vult. Hoc autem audiens senex, miratus est, et dixit uni de monachis suis: Percute signum [(45) ^[0990D] Percute signum.] Sic apud Joannem, infra, libello III, num. 2, percutiens. Pulsabant olim ligna ad sonitum edendum, et excitationem fratrum. Vide Onomascticon.]  in cella fratrum, ut congregent se hic omnes. Qui cum venissent, dixit eis: Venite, fratres, et audite hodie justum judicium. Et indicavit  ^[0977B] eis omnia senex, et adjudicavit fratrem illum, ut acciperet mercedes suas, et faceret ex his mercedibus quod ipse vellet. Et discessit frater ille contristatus et plorans, quasi praejudicium passus.

21. An old man said: “Our fathers had the custom of visiting the cells of new brothers who wanted to lead a solitary life, to see if any of them was tempted by demons and had taken harm from his thoughts. And if they found anyone who had taken harm, they brought him to church. A basin was filled with water. Then, after they had all prayed for the one who was suffering under temptation, all the monks washed their hands in the basin: and then the water was poured upon the tempted brother, and he was at once cleansed.”

21. Dicebat quidam senex: Quia Patres nostri consuetudinem habuerunt venire ad cellas novorum fratrum, qui solitarii conversari volebant, et visitabant eos, ne quis eorum tentatus a daemonibus laederetur 635 a cogitatione sua. Et si quando aliquis eorum inveniebatur laesus, adducebant eum ad ecclesiam, et ponebatur pelvis cum aqua, et fiebat pro eo oratio qui tentationibus laborabat, et lavabant omnes fratres manus suas in pelvi, et perfundebatur aqua illa fratri qui tentabatur, atque ita statim purgabatur frater ille.

22. Two old tnen lived together for many years without a quarrel. One said to the other: “Let us have one quarrel with each other, as is the way of men.” And the other answered: “I do not know how a quarrel happens.” And the first said: “Look, I put a tile between us, and I say, That’s mine. Then you say, No, it’s mine. That is how you begin a quarrel.” So they put a tile between them, and one of them said: “That’s mine.” And the other said: “No; it’s mine.” And he answered: “Yes, it is yours. Take it away.” And they went away unable to argue with each other.

  ^[0977C] 22. Duo senes multis annis simul conversati sunt, et nunquam inter se litem habuerunt  (Ruff. l. III, n. 96).  . Dixit autem unus alteri: Faciamus et nos unam litem, sicut homines faciunt. Et ille respondit fratri, dicens: Nescio qualiter fiat lis. Et ille dixit: Ecce pono in medio laterculum, et ego dico: Meum est hoc. Tu autem dic: Non, sed meum est; inde sit litis initium. Posuerunt ergo testam in medio sui, et dicit unus eorum: Meum est hoc. Et alter dixit: Non, sed meum est. Et ille respondit ei: Etiam tuum est; tolle ergo et vade. Et discesserunt, nec contendere inter se potuerunt.

23. A brother asked an old man: “If I see a monk of whom I have heard as guilty of a sin, I cannot persuade my soul to bring him into my cell. But if I see a good monk, I gladly bring him in.” And the old man said: “If you do good to a good brother, it is little to him. To the other, give twofold, for it is he who is sick.”

23. Frater aliquis interrogavit senem quemdam, dicens: Si videro fratrem, de quo audivi aliquam culpam, non possum suadere animo meo ut introducam  ^[0977D] eum in cellam meam; si autem videro bonum fratrem, ipsum libenter suscipio. Et dixit ei senex: Si facis bonum fratri bono, illi parum; alteri duplum impende, ipse est enim qui infirmatur.

24. An old man said: “I never wanted a work to be useful to me while causing loss to my brother: for I have this hope, that what helps my brother will bring fruit to me.”

24. Dixit quidam senex: Nunquam desideravi opus quod mihi utile esset, et fratri meo dispendium faceret, hujusmodi habens spem, quia lucrum fratris mei, opus fructificationis est mihi.

25. There was a brother who served one of the fathers. The old man’s body happened to be badly hurt, and evil-smelling pus flowed out of the wound. The serving brother thought to himself: “Get out of here. You cannot bear the smell of the gangrene.” To quell the thought, he took a bowl, washed the wound, and kept the water which he used: and whenever he was thirsty, he drank from it. But the thought began to trouble him again, saying to him: “If you will not go away, at least do not drink this pus.” The brother struggled away with endurance, ^[p.187] and wernt on drinking the washing water. And God saw his charity as he ministered to the old man; and God turned the washing water into the purest water, and by some unseen means healed the old man.

25. Quidam frater erat minister cujusdam Patris. Contigit autem ut vulnus fieret in corpore senis, et sanies multa ex eo cum fetore proflueret. Dicebat autem cogitatio sua fratri illi qui ei deserviebat: Diseede hinc, quia non potes sustinere fetorem putredinis istius. Ille vero frater, ut reprimeret hujusmodi  ^[0978A] cogitationem, tulit vas et lavit vulnus senis illius, et recolligit ipsam aquam in vase; et quoties sitiebat, ex ea bibebat. Coepit autem iterum cogitatio sua sollicitare eum, dicens: Si non vis fugere, vel non bibas fetorem hunc. Frater autem ille laborabat, et toleranter ferebat, bibens lavaturam vulneris illius. Et cum ita ministraret seni, vidit Deus charitatem laboris ejus, et illam lavaturam vulneris in aquam mundissimam vertit, et senem invisibili medicamento sanavit.

BOOK 18
On Precognition or Contemplation

LIBELLUS DECIMUS OCTAVUS.
De praevidentia sive contemplatione.

1. A brother went to the cell of Arsenius in Scetis, and looked in through the window, and saw him like fire from head to foot. (He was a brother worthy to see such sights.) When he knocked, Arsenius came out, and saw the brother standing there amazed, and said to him, `Have you been knocking long? Did you see anything?’ He answered, `No.’ After talking with him, Arsenius sent him on his way.

1. Frater abiit ad cellam abbatis Arsenii in Scythi, et attendit per fenestram, et vidit senem totum quasi igneum: erat autem frater ille dignus qui talia intueretur.  ^[0978B] Et cum pulsasset, egressus est senex, et vidit fratrem illum stupentem, et dicit ei: Diu est quod hic pulsas? ne aliquid vidisti? Et ille respondit ei: Non. Et colloquens cum eo, dimisit eum.

2. Daniel used to say that Arsenius told him a story, as if he were speaking of some other man, and it went like this: Whilst a certain hermit was sitting in his cell, a voice came to him which said, `Come here, and I will show you the works of the children of men,’ so he got up and went out. The voice led him out and showed him a black man cutting wood; he made up a large bundle and wanted to take it away, but he could not do so. Then instead of making the bundle smaller, he went and cut down some more wood, and added it to the first, and this he did many times. When he had gone on a little further, the voice showed him a man who was standing by a pit drawing up water; he poured it out into a certain hollowed-out place, and when he had poured the water into it, it ran down back into the pit. Again the voice said to him, `Come, and I will show you other things.’ Then he looked, and, behold, there was a temple, and two men on horseback were carrying a piece of wood as wide as the temple between them. They wanted to go in through the door, but the width of the wood did not let them do so, and they would not humble themselves to go in one after his

companion to bring it in end-wise, and so they remained outside the door. Now these are the men who bear the yoke of righteous­ness with boasting, and they will not be humble enough to correct themselves and go in by the humble way of Christ, and therefore they remain outside the kingdom of God. The man who was cutting wood is the man who labours at many sins, and who, instead of repenting and diminishing his sins, adds other wickednesses to them. Now he who was drawing water is the man who does good works, but because other things are mingled in his good works they are lost. It is right for us to be watchful in all we do, lest we toil in vain.

2. Dixit abbas Daniel  (Ruff., lib. III, n. 38) , qui erat discipulus abbatis Arsenii, quia narravit ei abbas Arsenius, tanquam de alio aliquo dicens (puto tamen quod de eo dicebatur), quia cum sederet in cella sua quidam senum, venit vox dicens ei: Veni, ostendam tibi opera hominum. Et surgens exiit, et duxit eum in quemdam locum, et ostendit ei Aethiopem incidentem ligna, et facientem sarcinam grandem, et tentabat portare eam, et non poterat, et pro eo ut auferret ex sarcina illa, ibat item, et incidebat ligna, et addebat ad sarcinam: hoc autem  ^[0978C] faciebat diutius. Et procedens paululum, ostendit ei hominem rursus stantem super lacum, et implevit vas aqua, et ex eo infundentem in cisternam pertusam, quae cisterna iterum aquam ipsam refundebat in lacum. Et dicit ei iterum: Veni, ostendam tibi aliud; et ecce vidi templum, et duos viros sedentes in equis, et portantes lignum transversum unum contra unum: volebant autem per januam intrare in templum, et non poterant propter lignum illud, quod in transverso portabant, et non inclinantes se unus post alium, ut fieret lignum illud directum, remanserunt foris extra januam templi. Et cum interrogasset quid hoc esset, ille respondit ei: Hi sunt qui portant velut justitiae cum superbia jugum, et humiliati non sunt ut corrigant se et ambulent  ^[0978D] humiliter in via Christi, propter quod et remanent foris a regno Dei. Ille autem qui ligna incidit, homo est in peccatis multis, et pro illis non agit poenitentiam, nec subtrahit de peccatis suis, sed et iniquitates adhibet supra iniquitates suas. Qui autem aqua implet cisternam, homo est qui opera quidem facit bona, sed quia habet etiam in eis permixta et mala, pro hoc perdit etiam et bona opera sua. Quapropter convenit omnem hominem sobrium esse in considerandis operibus suis, ne in vanum videatur sustinere labores.

3. Daniel the disciple of Arsenius used to talk also about a hermit in Scetis, saying that he was a great man but simple in the faith, and in his ignorance he thought and said that the bread which we receive is not in very truth the Body of Christ, but a symbol of His Body. Two of the monks heard what he said but because they knew of his sublime works and labours, they imagined that he had said it in innocence and simple­mindedness; and so they came to him and said unto him, ‘Abba, someone told us something that we do not believe; he said that this bread that we receive is not in very truth the Body of Christ, but a mere symbol.’ He said to them, `I said that.’ They begged him, saying, `You mustn’t say that, abba; according to what the Catholic Church has handed down to us, even so do we believe, that is to say, this bread is the Body of Christ in very truth, and is not a mere symbol. It is the same as when God took dust from the earth, and made man in His image; just as no one can say that he is not the image of God, so also with the bread of which He said, “This is My Body” is not to be regarded as a merely commemorative thing; we believe that it is indeed the Body of Christ.’ The hermit said, `Unless I can be convinced by the thing itself I will not listen to this.’ Then the monks said to him, `Let us pray to God all week about this mystery, and we believe that He will reveal the truth to us.’ The hermit agreed to this with great joy, and each went to his cell. Then the hermit prayed, saying, `O Lord, you know that it is not out of wickedness that I do not believe, so in order that I may not go astray through ignorance, reveal to me, Lord Jesus Christ, the truth of this mystery.’ The other two brothers prayed to God and said, `Lord Jesus Christ, give this hermit understanding about this mystery, and we believe that he will not be lost.’ God heard the prayer of the two monks. When the week was over they came to the church, and the three of them sat down by themselves on one seat, the hermit between the other two. The eyes of their under­standing were opened, and when the time of the mysteries arrived, and the bread was laid upon the holy table, there appeared to the three of them as it were a child on the table. Then the priest stretched out his hand to break the bread, and behold the angel of the Lord came down from heaven with a knife in his hand, and he killed the child and pressed out his blood into the cup. When the priest broke off from the bread small pieces, the hermit went forward to receive communion and a piece of living flesh smeared and dripping with blood was given to him. Now when he saw this he was afraid and he cried out loudly, saying, `Lord, I believe that the bread is Your Body, and that the cup is Your Blood.’ At once the flesh that was in his hand became bread, and he took it and gave thanks to God. The brothers said to him, `God knows the nature of men, and that we are unable to eat living flesh, and so He turneth His Body into bread, and His Blood into wine for those who receive Him in faith.’ Then they gave thanks to God for the hermit, because He had not let Satan destroy him, and the three of them went back to their cells joyfully.

3. Narravit iterum abbas Daniel, dicens: Dixit Pater noster abbas Arsenius de quodam 636 sene, qui erat magnus in hac vita, simplex autem in fide,  ^[0979A] et errabat pro eo quod erat idiota, et dicebat, non esse naturaliter corpus Christi panem quem sumimus, sed figuram ejus esse. Hoc autem audientes duo senes quod diceret hunc sermonem, et scientes quia magna esset vita et conversatio ejus, cogitaverunt quia innocenter et simpliciter diceret hoc, et venerunt ad eum, et dicunt ei: Abba, audivimus sermonem cujusdam infidelis, qui dicit quia panis quem sumimus, non natura corpus Christi, sed figura est ejus. Senex autem ait eis: Ego sum qui hoc dixi. Illi autem rogabant eum, dicentes: Non sic teneas, abba, sed sicut Ecclesia catholica tradidit: nos autem credimus quia panis ipse corpus Christi est, et calix ipse est sanguis Christi secundum veritatem, et non secundum figuram: sed sicut in principio  ^[0979B] pulverem de terra accipiens plasmavit hominem ad imaginem suam, et nemo potest dicere quia non erat imago Dei, quamvis incomprehensibilis; ita et panis, quem dixit: Quia corpus meum est, credimus quia secundum veritatem corpus Christi est. Senex autem ait eis: Nisi reipsa cognovero, non mihi satisfacit responsio vestra. Illi autem dixerunt ad eum: Deprecemur Deum hebdomada hac de mysterio hoc, et credimus quia Deus revelabit nobis. Senex vero cum gaudio suscepit sermonem istum, et deprecabatur Deum, dicens: Domine, si tu cognoscis quoniam non per malitiam incredulus sum rei hujus, sed per ignorantiam errem, revela ergo mihi, Domine Jesu Christe, quod verum est. Sed et illi senes abeuntes in cella sua, rogabant et ipsi,  ^[0979C] dicentes: Domine Jesu Christe, revela seni mysterium hoc, ut credat et non perdat laborem suum. Exaudivit autem Deus utrosque: et hebdomada completa venerunt Dominico die in ecclesia, et sederunt ipsi tres soli super sedile de scirpo, quod in modum fascis erat ligatum, medius autem sedebat senex ille. Aperti sunt autem oculi eorum intellectuales; et quando positi sunt panes in altari, videbatur illis tantummodo tribus tanquam puerulus jacens super altare. Et cum extendisset presbyter manus, ut frangeret panem, descendit angelus Domini de coelo habens cultrum in manu, et secavit puerulum illum, sanguinem vero excipiebat in calice. Cum autem presbyter frangeret in partibus parvis panem, etiam et angelus incidebat pueri  ^[0979D] membra in modicis partibus. Cum autem accessisset senex, ut acciperet sanctam communionem, data est ipsi soli caro sanguine cruentata. Quod cum vidisset, pertimuit, et clamavit, dicens: Credo, Domine, quia panis qui in altari ponitur, corpus tuum est, et calix tuus est sanguis. Et statim facta est pars illa in manu ejus panis, secundum mysterium, et sumpsit illud in ore, gratias agens Deo. Dixerunt autem ei senes: Deus scit humanam naturam; quia non potest vesci carnibus crudis, et propterea transformat corpus suum in panem, et sanguinem suum in vinum, his qui illud cum fide suscipiunt. Et egerunt gratias Deo de sene illo; quia non permisit Deus  ^[0980A] perire labores ejus, et reversi sunt cum gaudio ad cellas suas.

4. Daniel told a story of another hermit who used to live in the lower parts of Egypt, and who said in his simplicity that Melchizedek was the Son of God. Now when the blessed man Theophilus, the archbishop of Alexandria, heard of it, he sent a message asking the monks to bring the hermit to him. When he saw him, he realized that he was a man of vision and that every thing that he had asked for God had given him, and that he had only said this out of simplicity. The archbishop dealt with him wisely in the following manner, saying, ‘Abba, pray to God for me, because I have begun to think that Melchizedek was the Son of God,’ and he added, `It cannot be true, for the

high priest of God was a man. But because I had doubts in my mind about this, I sent for you to pray to God for me that He may reveal the truth of the matter to you.’ Then, because the hermit had confidence in the power of prayer, he said to him firmly, `Wait three days, and I will ask God about this and then I shall be able to tell you who Melchizedek was.’ So the hermit went away, and returned after three days, and said to the blessed Archbishop Theophilus, `Melchizedek was a man.’ The Arch­bishop said unto him, `How do you know that, abba?’ The hermit said, `God showed me all the Patriarchs, one by one, and they passed before me one after the other, from Adam to Melchizedek, and an angel said to me, “This is Melchizedek.” That is indeed how the truth of this matter appeared tome.’ The hermit went away, and he himself proclaimed that Melchizedek was a man, and the blessed Theophilus rejoiced greatly.

4. Iterum ipse abbas Daniel narravit de alio sene magno, qui habitabat in inferiores partes Aegypti, quia diceret per simplicitatem quod Melchisedech ipse est filius Dei. Hoc autem indicatum est sanctae memoriae Cyrillo archiepiscopo Alexandrino, et misit ad eum. Sciens autem quia signifer esset ille senex, et quidquid peteret a Deo revelabatur ei, et quia simpliciter diceret hoc verbum, usus est hujusmodi ratione, dicens: Abba, rogo te quia in cogitatione mea est, quod Melchisedech ipse sit filius Dei; et rursus alia cogitatio mea dicit quia non sit, sed homo sit, et sacerdos summus fuerit Dei. Quoniam ergo haesito de hoc, idcirco misi ad te ut depreceris  ^[0980B] Deum, quatenus revelare tibi dignetur de hoc quid veritas habeat. Senex autem de conversatione sua praesumens, cum fiducia dixit: Da mihi per tres dies inducias, et ego deprecor Deum de hac re, et renuntio tibi quod mihi fuerit revelatum de hoc. Intrans ergo in cellam suam, deprecabatur Deum de verbo hoc; et veniens post tres dies dixit sanctae memoriae Cyrillo: Homo est Melchisedech. Archiepiscopus autem respondit ei: Quomodo constat apud te, abba? Et ille dixit ei: Deus ostendit mihi omnes patriarchas, ita ut singuli eorum coram me transirent ab Adam usque ad Melchisedech, et angelus assisiens mihi dixit: Ecce iste est Melchisedech; et ideo, archiepiscope, certus esto quia sic est. Abiens autem senex, per semetipsum praedicabat quia homo  ^[0980C] esset Melchisedech. Et gavisus est magnifice sanctae memoriae Cyrillus.

5. In that place when Ephriam of holy memory was a boy, he saw in sleep, or by revelation, that a vine was planted on his tongue and it grew and filled the whole earth with very great fruitfulness and so all the birds of the air came and ate the fruits of that vine and spread the fruit further.

5. Puer erat adhuc sanctae memoriae Ephraem, et vidit somnium sive revelationem, quia nata sit vitis in lingua ejus, et creverit, et impleverit totam terram fructifera nimis; et quia venirent omnia volatilia coeli, et comedebant de fructu vitis illius; quantum autem maducabant, eo amplius implebatur fructu  (Supra, in Vita Ephraem, cap. 1) .

6. One of the monks saw in a dream a company of angels coming down from heaven by the commandment of God, and one of them held in his hand a scroll that was written on the inside and on the outside, and the angels said to each other, `Who is fit to be entrusted with this?’ Then some of them mentioned one man and others another, and others answered and said, `Indeed those you mention are holy and righteous, but not sufficiently so to be trusted with this thing.’ After they had considered many names of the saints, they finally said, `No one is fit to be entrusted with this except Ephriam.’ Then the hermit who was having this vision saw that they gave the scroll to Ephriam. When he got up in the morning, he heard that they were saying, ‘Ephriam is teaching, and words flow from his mouth like water from a fountain.’ Then the hermit who had seen the vision realized that whatever he said came from the Holy Spirit.

6. Iterum vidit quidam sanctorum in 637 somnis ordinem angelicum descendentem de coelo  (Supra in Vita Ephraem, c. 3) , secundum praeceptum Dei, habentem in manu librum, hoc est tomum scriptum intus et foris: dicebant autem ad invicem: Cui debet committi hoc? Quidam autem dicebant de illo,  ^[0980D] alii de alio: responderunt autem et dixerunt: Vere quidem utrique sancti sunt et justi, quos dicitis; verumtamen hoc eis committi non potest. Multa etiam alia nomina sanctorum dicentes, postea dixerunt: Quia nemini potest alteri hoc committi nisi Ephraem: et vidit senex ille, cui hoc in somnis apparuit, quia Ephraem dederunt tomum illum. Mane autem surgens audivit Ephraem docentem et velut fontem ebullientem de ore ipsius: et cognovit senex, qui somnium viderat, quia Spiritus sancti operatio est, quod egrediebatur de labiis Ephraem.

7. It was said about Zeno that when he was living in Scetis he went out of his cell at night, going towards the marshes. He spent three days and three nights there wandering at random. At last, tired out, his strength failed him, and he fell down as though dying when suddenly a little child stood before him with bread and a jar of water and said to him, `Get up, and eat.’ He stood up and prayed, thinking that it was an illusion. The child said to him, `You have done well.’ He prayed a second, and then a third time. The child said again, `You have done well.’ Then the hermit got up, took some of the food and ate. The child said to him, `As far as you have walked, so far are you from your cell. So then, get up and follow me.’ Immediately he found himself in his cell. Then the hermit said to the child, `Come in and let us pray.’ But when Zeno went inside, the other had vanished.

7. Dicebant de abbate Zenone, quia cum moraretur in Scythi, exiit nocte de cella sua velut ad paludem  ^[0981A]  (Ruff., lib. III, n. 210) ; et cum errasset, fecit tres dies et tres noctes ambulans et laborans; et cum defecisset, cecidit semianimis: et ecce puerulus stetit ante eum habens panem et surisculam aquae, et dicebat ei: Surge, manduca. Ille autem surgens oravit, existimans quia phantasma esset; puer autem respondens, dixit ei: Bene fecisti. Et iterum oravit secundo, et tertio. Et dixit ei: Bene fecisti. Surgens ergo accepit et manducavit. Et posthaec dixit ei: Quantum ambulasti, tantum longe es a cella tua; sed surgens sequere me. Et statim inventus est in cella sua. Dixit ergo ei senex: Veni intra, et da nobis orationem. Et cum intrasset senex, ille subito non comparuit.

8. John said that a hermit saw in a rapture three monks standing on the edge of the sea and a voice came to them from the other side saying, `Take wings of fire and come to me.’ The first two did so and reached the other shore, but the third stayed where he was crying and weeping. Later on wings were given to him also, not of fire but weak and feeble so that he reached the other shore with great difficulty, sometimes in the water, sometimes over it. So it is with the present generation: the wings they are given are not of fire, they are weak and feeble.

8. Dixit abbas Joannes: Quia vidit quidam senum  ^[0981B] in excessu mentis, tres monachos stantes trans mare; et facta est vox ad eos ex alia parte littoris, dicens: Accipite alas igneas et venite ad me. Et duo quidem ex eis acceperunt alas, et volaverunt ad aliud littus, unde facta est vox. Tertius vero remansit et flebat et clamabat fortiter. Postea vero datae sunt sibi alae, sed non igneae, sed infirmae et debiles, ita ut cum omni labore mergendo et resurgendo nimis afflictus veniret illuc. Sic est et generatio haec, quae si accipit pennas, non tamen igneas, sed vix infirmas et debiles potest accipere.

9. When Macarius was living in the utter desert he was the only one who lived as a solitary, but lower down there was another desert where several brothers lived. One day he glanced down the road and he saw Satan coming along looking like a man, who passed by Macarius’ dwelling. He seemed to be wearing a cotton garment full of holes and a small flask hung at each hole. Macarius said to him, `Hey, mister, where are you off to?’ He said, `I’m going to stir up the memories of the monks.’ The hermit said, `What are these small flasks for?’ He replied, `I’m taking food for the brethren to taste.’ The hermit said, `So many kinds?’ He replied, `Yes, if a brother doesn’t like one sort of food, I offer him another, and if he doesn’t like the second any better, I offer him a third; and of all these varieties he’ll like one at least.’ With these words he went on; Macarius remained watching the road until he saw him coming back again. When he saw the devil, he said to him, `Good health to you.’ The other replied, `How can I be in good health?’ The hermit asked him what he meant, and he replied, `Because they all opposed me, and no one received me.’ Macarius said, ‘Ah, so you didn’t find any friends down there?’ He replied, `Yes, I have one monk who is a friend down there. He at least obeys me and when he sees me he changes like the wind.’ The hermit asked him the name of this monk: `Theopemptus,’ he replied. With these words he went away. Then Macarius got up and went to the desert below his own. When they heard of it the brothers took branches of palm to go to meet him. Each one got ready, thinking that it was to him that the hermit was coming. But he asked which was the one called Theopemptus, and when he had found out, it was to his cell that he went. Theopemptus received him with joy. When he was alone with him Macarius asked him, `How are you getting on?’ Theopemptus replied, `Thanks to your prayers, all goes well.’ The hermit asked him, `Don’t your thoughts war against you?’ He replied: `Up to now, it’s all right,’ for he was afraid to admit anything. The hermit said to him, `Well, after so many years living as an ascetic, and being praised by all, though I am old, the spirit of fornication troubles me.’ Theopemptus said, `As a matter of fact, abba, it is the same for me.’ Macarius went on admitting that other thoughts still warred against him, until he had brought him to admit them about himself. Then Macarius said, `How long do you fast?’ He replied, `Till the ninth hour.’ `Practise fasting till a little later,’ he said. `Meditate on the Gospel and the other Scriptures; if a bad thought comes to you, don’t look at it but always look upwards, and the Lord will come at once to your help.’ When he had given the brother this rule, Macarius returned to his solitude. He was watching the road once more when he saw the devil, and he said to him, `Where are you going this time?’ He replied, `To stir up the memories of the brothers,’ and he went on his way. When he came back the saint asked him, `How are the brothers?’ He told him that it had gone badly and Macarius asked him why. He replied, `They are all obdurate, and the worst is the one friend I had who used to obey me. I don’t know what has changed him, but he doesn’t obey me any more; he’s become the most stubborn of them all. So I have decided not to go down there again or at least not for a very long time.’ When he had said this he went away and Macarius returned to his cell adoring and thanking God the Saviour.

9. Abbas Macarius habitabat in loco nimis deserto: erat autem solus in eo solitarius  (Ruff., l. III, n. 61; Pasch., c. 1, n. 8) . In inferiore vero parte erat alia solitudo, in qua habitabant plurimi fratres. Observabat  ^[0981C] autem senex ad iter, et vidit Satanam venientem in habitu hominis, ut transiret per cellam ejus. Videbatur autem tunica uti linea omnino vetusta et tota cribrata, et per omnia foramina ejus pendebant ampullae. Et dixit ei senex: Ohe, major: ubi vadis? Et ille respondit: Vado commemorare fratres. Senex autem dixit illi: Ut quid tibi ampullae istae? et dixit illi: Gustum fratribus porto. Et dixit ei senex: Et totas cum gustu portas? Et respondit: Etiam; si unum alicui non placet, offeram aliud; si autem nec illud, dabo tertium, et ita per ordinem, ut modis omnibus vel unum ex eis placeat ei. Et cum hoc dixisset, transiit; et observabat senex custodiens vias, donec ille iterum remearet: et cum vidisset eum senex, dicit ei: Sanus sis. Et respondit ei: Ubi est  ^[0981D] mihi salus? Et dicit ei senex: Quare? Et respondit: Quia modo omnes sanctificati sunt, et nemo mihi acquiescit. Et dixit ei senex: Neminem ergo amicum habes illic? Et respondit: unum tantummodo habeo fratrem illic, vel ipse solus mihi acquiescit; et quando videt me, convertitur velut ventus. Senex vero dixit ei: Et quid vocatur frater ille? Respondit: Theoctistus [Ruffinus Theopemptus]. Et cum hoc dixisset, transiit. Surgens autem abbas Macarius, perrexit ad inferiorem eremum: quod cum vidissent fratres, acceperunt ramos palmarum, et occurrerunt obviam ei, et singuli eorum parabant cellas suas, incerti apud quem declinaret. Senex autem requirebat quis inter eos Theoctistus vocaretur in loco illo: et inveniens  ^[0982A] eum, intravit in cellam ejus. Theoctistus autem suscepit eum gaudens. Cum ergo coepissent loqui secrete, dicit ei senex: Quomodo circa te est frater? Et ille dixit: Orationibus tuis bene. Et dixit senex: Ne impugnant te cogitationes? Et ille dixit: Interim bene sum. Erubescebat enim dicere ei. Et dixit ei senex: Ecce quot annos habeo in conversationes loci istius, et omnes honorant me, et tamen in hac senectute mea infestus mihi est spiritus fornicationis. Et respondit Theoctistus, dicens: Crede, abba, quia et mihi. Senex autem simulabat alias cogitationes sibi esse molestas, donec faceret eum confiteri. Deinde dicit ei; Quo modo jejunas? Et ille dixit: Ad nonam. Dicit ei senex: Jejuna usque ad seram, et abstine te, et commenda Evangelia, ut memoriter  ^[0982B] retineas, sed et alias residuas ex animo meditare Scripturas; et si tibi ascenderit cogitatio mala, nunquam deorsum aspicias, sed semper de sursum; et statim te Dominus adjuvabit. Et corrigens senex fratrem illum, reversus est in solitudinem suam. Et cum observaret, vidit iterum daemonem illum, et dicit ei: Ubi vadis iterum? Et ille respondit: Commemorare fratres. Et abiit. Cum autem revertetur, 638 dicit ei senex: Quomodo sunt ibi fratres? Et ille respondit: Male. Senex autem dixit: Quare? Et ille respondit: Quia toti sancti sunt; et majus malum, quia et unus, quem habui amicum et obedientem mihi, etiam ipse nescio unde subversus est, et nec ipse mihi acquiescit, sed omnibus sanctior est factus. Et propterea juravi jam non calcari ad illum nisi post  ^[0982C] longum tempus. Haec dicens transivit relinquens senem; senex vero sanctus intravit in cellam suam, adorans et gratias agens Deo Salvatori.

10. Macarius wanted to encourage the brothers so he said, `A little while ago a mother came here with her son who was vexed . by a devil, and he said to his mother, “Get up, let us go away from here.” But she said, “My feet are so bad that I can’t walk away.” So her son said to her, “I will carry you.” I am amazed at the cleverness of the devil, how much he wanted them to flee from this place.’

10. Abbas Macarius volens consolari fratres, dicebat: Venit huc aliquando cum matre sua puer, qui a daemonio vexabatur, et dicebat matri suae: Surge, eamus hinc. Illa autem dicebat: Non possum pedibus ambulare. Et dicebat ei filius suus: Ego te porto. Et admiratus sum astutiam daemonum, quomodo eos exinde fugare volebat.

11. He also told the brothers about the devastation of Scetis. He said, `When you see cells built beside the swamp know that the desolation of Scetis is near; when you see trees planted there know that it is at the door; when you see boys there take your sheepskins and go away.’

11. Dicebat iterum de desolatione Scythi ad fratres: Quando videritis cellam aedificatam juxta paludem, scitote quia prope est desolatio Scythi; quando autem arbores videritis, jam ante januam est; quando autem videritis pueros, tollite melotes vestras, et  ^[0982D] discedite.

12. It happened that Moses, who lived in Petra, was struggling with the temptation to fornication. Unable to stay any longer in the cell, he went and told Isidore about it. He advised him to return to his cell. But he refused, saying, ‘Abba, I cannot.’ Then Isidore took Moses out onto the terrace and said to him, `Look towards the west.’ He looked and saw hordes of demons stand­ing about and making a noise before launching an attack. Then Isidore said to him, `Look towards the east.’ He turned and saw an innumerable multitude of holy angels shining with glory. Isidore said, `See, these are sent by the Lord to the saints to bring them help, while those in the west fight against them. Those who are with us are more in number than they are against us’ (cf. z Kgs. 6:16). So Moses gave thanks to God, plucked up courage and returned to his cell.

12. Abbas Moyses, qui habitabat in Petra, impugnatus est aliquando nimis a fornicatione; et cum non praevaleret se tenere in cella, perrexit et indicavit hoc abbati Isidoro; et rogavit eum senex ut reverteretur in cellam suam  (Ruff., lib. III, n. 10) . Ille autem non acquievit, dicens: Non possum, abba. Et assumpsit eum, et levavit secum in domo. Et dicit ei: Attende ad Occasum. Et attendens vidit multitudinem daemonum; et hi erant confusi, et turbantes se ad oppugnandum. Dicit ei iterum abbas Isidorus: Respice ad Orientem. Et attendit, et vidit innumerabilem multitudinem angelorum in gloria. Dixit ergo abbas Isidorus: Ecce isti sunt qui missi sunt ad  ^[0983A] auxiliandum; qui vero ad Occasum ascendunt, hi sunt qui impugnant nos; plures ergo qui nobiscum sunt, quam qui adversum nos sunt  (IV Reg. VI) . Et ita agens gratias Deo abbas Moyses sumpsit fiduciam, et reversus est in cellam suam.

13. When he was in Scetis, Moses used to say, `If we keep the commandments of our predecessors I will answer on God’s behalf that the barbarians will not come here. But if we do not keep the commandments of God, this place will be devastated.’

13. Dicebat abbas Moyses in Scythi: Si custodimus mandata patrum nostrorum, ego praesumens de Deo spondeo vobis quia huc barbari non venient; si autem non custodierimus, desolandus est locus iste.

14. One day when the brothers were sitting near him, Macarius said to them, `Look, the barbarians are coming to Scetis today; get up and flee.’ They said to him, ‘Abba, won’t you flee too?’ He said to them, `I’ve been waiting for many years for this day when the word of Christ will be fulfilled, “They who take the sword shall perish by the sword” (Matt. 26:52).’ They said to him, `We will not flee either, we will die with you.’ He replied, `That’s nothing to do with me; let each one decide for himself if he will stay or flee.’ There were seven brothers there and he said to them, `Look, the barbarians are nearly at the door,’ and they came in and slew them. But one of them fled and hid under a pile of rope and he saw seven crowns coming down and crowning each of them.

14. Sedentibus aliquando fratribus apud eumdem abbatem Moysen, dicit eis: Ecce barbari hodie in Scythi venient, sed surgite et fugite. Dicunt ei illi: Et tu non fugies, abba? Ille autem dicit eis: Ego per tot annos exspecto diem istum, ut impleatur  ^[0983B] sermo Domini mei Jesu Christi dicentis: Omnes qui accipiunt gladium, gladio peribunt  (Matth. XXVI) . At illi dixerunt ei: Neque nos fugiemus, sed tecum moriemur. Et ille dixit eis: Ego causam non habeo: unusquisque vestrum videat quomodo sedeat. Erant autem septem fratres cum eo, et dicunt ei: Ecce barbari appropinquarunt januae, et statim intrantes barbari occiderunt eos. Unus autem ex eis timore carnali perterritus fugit, et abscondit se post plectas de palmis; et vidit septem coronas descendentes et coronantes abbatem Moysem et sex fratres qui cum eo fuerant interfecti.

15. It was said that Silvanus wanted to go away to Syria but his disciple Mark said to him, ‘Abba, I don’t want to leave this place, nor will I let you leave. Stay here for three days.’ On the third day Mark died.

15. Dicebant de abbate Silvano, quia voluit aliquando pergere in Syriam; et dicit ei discipulus suus Marcus: Pater, nolo exire hinc, sed neque te dimitto  ^[0983C] abire, abba. Exspecta ergo hic alios tres dies. Et cum exspectaret abbas, tertia die dormivit in pace Marcus discipulus ejus.

16. John who had been exiled by the Emperor Marcion, said, `One day we went into Syria to see Poemen for we wanted to ask him about hardness of heart. But he did not know Greek and we did not have an interpreter. When he saw we were embarrassed, he began to speak in Greek saying, `The nature of water is soft, the nature of stone is hard; but if a bottle is hung above a stone letting water drip down, it wears away the stone. It is like that with the word of God; it is soft and our heart is hard, but if a man hears the word of God often, it will break open his heart to the fear of God.’

16. Dicebat abbas Joannes, qui exsiliatus est a Marciano: Quia venimus aliquando de Syria ad abbatem Pastorem, et volebamus interrogare eum de duritia cordis. Senex autem Graece nesciebat, neque interpres inveniebatur. Videns ergo nos senex tribulantes, coepit Graeca lingua loqui, dicens: Natura aquae mollis est, lapidis autem dura est; et si vas aquae plenum pendeat supra lapidem, ex quo assidue stillans gutta cadat in lapidem, perforat eum; ita et sermo divinus lenis est, cor autem nostrum durum; audiens ergo homo frequenter divinum sermonem,  ^[0983D] aperitur cor ejus ad timendum Deum.

17. Poemen said, `It is written, “Like as the hart longs for the waterbrooks, so longs my soul for you, O my God” (Ps. 42:1). Indeed, the harts in the desert eat many snakes and when their venom makes them burn with thirst they come to the waters to assuage their burning thirst. It is the same for monks: in the desert, they are burned by the poison of the demons and they long for Saturday and Sunday to come so that they can go to the springs of water, that is, to the Body and Blood of the Lord, to be purified from the poison of the evil ones.’

17. Dixit abbas Pastor: Scriptum est: Quemadmodum desiderat cervus ad fontes aquarum, ita desiderat anima mea ad te, Deus  (Psal. XL) . Quoniam igitur cervi in solitudine serpentes plurimos glutiunt, et cum accensi eorum veneno fuerint, ad aquas pervenire desiderant, bibentes autem tentantur a fervore serpentini virus; ita et monachi in solitudinibus habitantes, accenduntur daemonum malignorum veneno, et propterea desiderant Sabbato Dominico venire ad fontes aquarum, hoc est ad corpus et sanguinem Domini nostri Jesu Christi, ut purgentur ab omni amaritudine daemonum malignorum.

18. A brother asked Poemen about the words, `Do not render evil for evil’ (i Thess. <sub>5:15).</sub> He said to him, `The passions work in four stages: first in the heart, then in the face, third in words, fourth in deeds - and it is in deeds that it is essential not to render evil for evil. If you purify your heart, passion will not show in your expression, but if it does, take care not to speak about it; if you do speak, cut the conversation short in case you render evil for evil.’

18. Interrogavit aliquis abbatem Pastorem, dicens:  ^[0984A] Quid est quod scriptum est, Non reddas malum pro malo  (I Thess. V; I Pet. III) ? Dicit ei abbas Pastor: Haec passio quatuor modos habet: primum de corde, secundum de aspectu, tertium de lingua, quartus est facere malum pro malo. Si enim potueris purgare cor, non venit ad aspectum; custodi etiam ne 639 loquaris; si autem locutus fueris, cito te corripe, ne facias malum pro malo.

19. The holy bishop Basil told this story: In a certain monastery of nuns there was a girl who pretended she was mad and pos­sessed by a devil. The others felt such contempt for her that they never ate with her, which pleased her very much. She took herself to the kitchen and used to perform all the most menial tasks; she was, as the saying is, `the sponge of the monastery,’ but in fact she was fulfilling the Scriptures where it says, `If any man among you seem to be wise in this world, let him become a fool that he may be wise’ (i Cor. 3:18 ). She wore a rag around her head, while all the others had their hair closely cropped and wore cowls, and she used to serve them dressed like that. Not one of the four hundred ever saw her chew in all the years of her life. She never sat down at table or ate a scrap of bread, but she wiped up with a sponge the crumbs from the tables and was satisfied with the scouring from the pots. She was never angry with anyone, nor did she grumble or chatter, either little or much, although she was maltreated, insulted, cursed and loathed. Now an angel appeared to the holy Piterion, the famous anchor­ite dwelling at Porphyrite and said to him, `Why do you think so much of yourself for being pious and dwelling in a place such as this? Do you want to see someone more pious than yourself, a woman? Go to the women’s monastery at Tabennisi and there you will find one with a cloth on her head. She is better than you are. While being knocked about by many she has never let her attention turn from God. But you live here alone and let your attention wander about in cities.’ So Piterion, who had never left his cell, asked those in charge to allow him to enter the monastery of women. They let him in, since he was well on in years and, moreover, had a great reputation. So he went in and insisted upon seeing all of them. The woman he wanted to see did not appear. Finally he said to them, `Bring them all to me, for the one I want to see is missing.’ They said, `We have a sister in the kitchen who is touched in the head’ (that is what they call afflicted ones). He told them, `Bring her to me. Let me see her.’ They went to call her, but she did not answer, either because she had heard what was happening or because it had been revealed to her. They seized her forcibly and told her, `The holy Piterion wants to see you’ (for he was famous). When she came in he saw the rag on her head and, falling down at her feet, he said, `Bless me!’ She too fell down at his feet and said, `Bless me, my lord.’ All the women were amazed at this and said, ‘Abba, do not let her insult you. She is touched.’ Piterion then spoke to all the women, `You are the ones who are touched! This woman is an amma (which is what they called spiritual mothers) to both you and me and I pray that I may be counted as worthy as she on the Day of Judgement.’ Hearing this, they fell at his feet, confessing various things, one saying how she had poured the leavings of her plate over her; another how she had beaten her with her fists; another how she had blistered her nose. So they confessed various and sundry outrages. After praying for them, he left. After a few days she was unable to bear the praise and honour of the sisters, and all their apologizing was so burdensome to her that she left the monastery. Where she went and where she disappeared to, and how she died, nobody knows.

19. Narravit sanctus Basilius episcopus, dicens: Fuit in quodam monasterio feminarum virgo quaedam, quae stultam esse ac daemonem se habere simulabat  (Pallad., c. 41, 42) : Quae usque adeo ab omnibus aliis pro errore habebatur, ita ut nec cibum quidem cum ea caperent. Talem siquidem elegerat vitam, ut a coquina nunquam recedens, totius illic  ^[0984B] ministerii impleret officium: et erat secundum vulgare proverbium, universae domus spongia, impletum a se rebus probans, quod sanctis libris scriptum legimus: Si quis, inquit, ex vobis putat se esse sapientem in hoc mundo, sit stultus, ut sapiens fiat  (I Cor. III) . Haec igitur involutum pannis habens caput, ita quoque in omnibus serviebat; caeterae autem virgines tonsae cucullis cooperiuntur. Nulla aliquando potuit hanc de quadringentis virginibus videre manducantem, nunquam per omne aevum suum sedit ad mensam. A nulla vel modicam partem panis accepit, sed micas tantum detergens ipsarum mensarum, et abluens ollas, his solis alimoniis contenta vivebat. Nulli unquam fecit injuriam, nulla ipsius murmur audivit, nulli aut parum aut satis locuta est unquam. Et certe cum ab omnibus caederetur, cum omnium  ^[0984C] odio viveret, maledicta omnium sustineret, sancto Pyoterio, cui hoc vocabulum erat, probatissimo viro, semperque in diserto viventi astitit angelus Domini quadam die sedenti in loco Porphyrite, affatusque est his verbis: Cur, inquit, grande aliquid esse te credis, ut sanctus, et in hujusmodi degens loco? Vis videre mulierem te sanctiorem? Vade ad Tabennesiotarum monasterium feminarum, et unam ex ipsis illic invenies habentem in capite coronam, ipsamque cognosce te esse meliorem. Quae dum contra tantum populum sola diebus ac noctibus pugnat, cor ipsius a Deo nunquam recessit, tu autem uno in loco residens, neque quoquam aliquando progrediens, per omnes urbes animo et cogitatione vagaris. Statimque ad supradictum monasterium venit, et magistros  ^[0984D] fratrum rogavit, ut introducerent eum ad habitaculum feminarum. Quem mox illi, ut virum non solum vita gloriosum, verum etiam et provectioris aetatis, cum fiducia grandi introduci fecerunt. Ingressus autem, omnes sorores desideravit inspicere: inter quas solam illam, propter quam venerat, non videbat. Ait autem ad postremum: Omnes, inquit, mihi adducite, deesse mihi videtur aliqua. Dicunt ei: Unam, inquiunt, stultam (Pallad., salem) habemus intrinsecus in coquina. Sic enim eas quae a daemone vexantur appellant. At ille: Exhibete, inquit, ad me ipsam quoque, ut eam videam. Quo audito, supra memoratam vocare coeperunt. Quae cum nollet audire, sentiens, ut credo, aliquid, aut fortassis hoc ipsum divina  ^[0985A] revelatione cognoscens, dicunt ei: Sanctus Pyoterius te videre desiderat. Erat enim vir famae ac nominis grandis. Cumque ad eum fuisset exhibita, vidissetque panno frontem ipsius involutam, projecit se ad pedes ipsius, dicens: Benedic me, inquit. Quod rursus ad illius pedes tunc et ipsa fecit, ac dixit: Tu me benedic, domine. Omnes sorores obstupuerunt simul, dicentes: Noli, abba, talem injuriam sustinere; fatua est enim ista quam cernis. Et sanctus Pyoterius hoc ipsis omnibus ait: Vos, inquit, estis fatuae; nam haec et vestra et mea est Amma [(46) ^[0990D] Amma.] Mira hic varietas qua ab Editis libris, qua a Mss. Parisiensis editio, et Palladius, cap. 42, anima. Aliae, nonna, aliae domna. Ms. Audomarensis Amma. Atque haec verissima lectio est. Firman  ^[0991A] Graeca Palladii. Auåth gaþr kaiþ uJmwðn, kaiþ ejmou ajmeivnwn ouýsa 1Ammaðÿ ejstiþn (ouåtwÿ gaþr kalouðsi taþÿ pneumatikaþÿ mhtevraÿ). «Haec enim et me et vobis melior, existens est Amma (sic enim vocant matres spiritales). Sic apud eumdem Palladium, cap. 37, Amma Piamun, cap. 137, Amma Taor; cap. 138, Amma Talida. Vide Onomasticon.] . Hoc enim in ea vocant illi feminas spirituales. Et deprecor Deum, ait, ut dignum ipsa in die judicii merear inveniri. Quo audito, omnes simul ad pedes ipsius prociderunt, singulae varia peccata ei propria confitentes. Alia enim abluens sordes catini supra eam se fudisse  ^[0985B] dicebat; alia vero colaphis eam a se verberatam saepe memorabat; alia nares ipsius sinapi impletas a se esse deflebat; caeterae quoque diversas referebant se ei injurias irrogasse. Pro quibus omnibus sanctus ille fusis Deo precibus egressus est. Post paucos autem dies non ferens illa tantam sui gloriam, tantoque se nolens sororum honore cumulari, gravarique se credens excusationibus singularum, egressa est de monasterio illo occulte, et quo ierit, in quem se miserit locum, vel quo fine defecerit, ad nullius potuit notitiam pervenire.

The exception was one whose face was sick and afflicted, and whose whole body was in darkness; devils grasped both his hands, and they were lifting him up and dragging him towards them, and they had put a ring in his nose. Paul saw also that the holy angel of this man was a long way from him, and that he followed after him sadly and sorrowfully. When the blessed Paul saw these things he wept and smote himself upon the breast many times, and sitting down outside the church, he wept unceasingly for the man who had appeared to him in this state.

Ingredientibus ergo omnibus clara facie et splendido vultu, unum vidit nigrum et obscurum corpore toto, et daemones ex utraque parte ejus tenentes et trahentes eum ad semetipsos, et capistrum in naribus ejus mittentes: sanctum vero angelum ejus de longe lugubrem tristemque sequentem. Paulus 640 vero lacrymans et manu frequenter pectus  ^[0985D] tundens sedebat ante ecclesiam, plorans valde eum qui ei talis apparuerat.

Now therefore, Christians, since we know from the holy Scriptures and from divine revelation how great is the grace God gives to those who truly run to Him for refuge and blot out their former sins by repentance, and also how according to His promise He rewards them with good things and neither takes vengeance according to justice nor punishes them for their former sins, let us not despair. For as He promised by the prophet Isaiah, He will cleanse those who have lived in sin and will make them bright and white like clean wool and snow, and glad with the blessings of heaven. Moreover, God asserts by the prophet Ezekiel that he does not desire their destruction when He says, `I do not desire the death of a sinner but rather that he should turn from his evil ways and live (Ezek. 33:11).’

Quapropter agnoscentes hoc Christiani de sanctis Scripturis ac divinis revelationibus, quantam Deus habeat bonitatem circa eos qui ad eum devote confugiunt, et per poenitentiam emundant priora delicta, non solum non coguntur poenas solvere pro peccatis ante commissis, verum etiam consequuntur promissa bona. Non ergo desperemus de nostra salute: quia sicut per Isaiam prophetam promisit eos qui in peccatis sunt involuti denuo lavare, et sicut lanam et nivem dealbare, et bonorum coelestium, quae in coelestis Jerusalem civitate sunt,  ^[0987A] replere; ita et iterum nunc per Ezechielem prophetam cum jurejurando promisit: Vivo, inquit, ergo,  ^[0988A] dicit Dominus, quia nolo mortem peccatoris, sed ut magis convertatur et vivat  (Ezech. XVIII) .