Life of Antony

 He was content with what he found, and sought nothing more. After the death of his parents, he was left alone with one very young sister and he was a

 he signified love for one another and thus filled, he would return to his own place of the hermitage then he himself, gathering to himself the thing

 I undertook to tickle the young, and I have been called the spirit of fornication. How many who wished to be chaste have I deceived! How many who were

 to learn of the ascetic from the life of the great Elijah, as in a mirror his own life always. Thus, then, having strengthened himself, Antony departe

 he forgot the contest of Antony, but came to his aid. So, looking up, he saw the roof as if opening, and a certain ray of light coming down to him. An

 that these were at work, and they themselves, being afraid, called for Antony. But he listened more to these than he cared for those. And coming near

 the Scriptures are sufficient for teaching but it is good for us to exhort one another in the faith, and to anoint one another with words. And you, t

 In this the Lord is also a helper, as it is written: To everyone who chooses the good, God works with him for the good. And so that we may not be negl

 in the air about us, and they are not far from us and there is a great difference among them. And concerning their nature and their difference would

 enemy: Having pursued I will overtake and again by another: I will take the whole world in my hand, as a nest, and I will take it up as abandoned egg

 God said to the sinner: Why do you declare my 26.884 statutes, and take up my covenant in your mouth? For they do all things, and they speak, and make

 worlds from which they ought rather to be despised as weak. For the true angel, sent by the Lord against the Assyrians, had no need of crowds, nor of

 they themselves lied. So also concerning the river's water they sometimes babble for having seen many rains occurring in the parts of Ethiopia, and k

 God so granting. For the vision of the saints is not troubled. For he will not strive, nor cry out, neither shall any man hear their voice. But it hap

 is of our virtue and life but to cast out demons, this grace is of the Savior who gave it. Whence to those who boast not in virtue, but in signs, and

 long-nosed. Then as I was saying Why then are you here? he said Why do the monks, and all other Christians, blame me in vain? Why do they curse me e

 was cast out, and the conceit of others was stopped and all were persuaded to despise the demonic plotting, marveling at the grace given to Antony by

 zeal for he himself also prayed to be martyred, as I said before. He therefore seemed to be grieving, because he had not been martyred but the Lord

 and a few neglected palm trees. Antony, therefore, as if moved by God, loved the place for this was what he who had spoken to him by the banks of the

 you are hesitating, but depart 26.920 for I am a servant of Christ. As Antony said these things, they fled, as if pursued by the whip of his word. Th

 examine, and test yourselves. Therefore, let each one take account to himself day by day of his actions by day and by night and, if he has sinned, le

 and for them to enter, this indeed he did not permit, but said: Go, and you will find her, if she has not died, healed. For this is not my achievement

 Amoun had fallen asleep at the hour in which his old man saw his soul being carried up. And indeed both these and those marveled at the purity of Anto

 to hinder so that he might not pass through. But when his guides fought against them, they demanded an account, whether he was not subject to them. So

 he conversed for their benefit but he yielded to him in the matter of prayer, not being ashamed to learn himself. For he often inquired, and 26.940 a

 believing they were being helped. Indeed, so many became 26.944 Christians in those few days, as many as one might see become in a year. Then, when so

 that Christ was made manifest as a man whereas you, separating the soul from heaven, claim that it has wandered and fallen from the vault of the heav

 we understand by faith, this you attempt to construct through words and often you are not even able to express what we understand so that the operat

 but faith working through love for Christ which if you also should have, you will no longer seek proofs through words but you will consider faith in

 Arians act irrationally like beasts. And when he saw this vision, he exhorted those with him, saying: Do not be disheartened, children for just as th

 coming upon you Therefore cease persecuting Christians, lest at any time the wrath should seize you for it is already about to come upon you. But Ba

 we shall see one another again in this life. It is time for me at last to depart for I am nearly one hundred and five years old. So when they heard t

 Remember me as a father. Do not let anyone take my body to Egypt, lest they place it in their houses for it was for this reason that I went into the

 those who are hiding themselves, and are striving to withdraw, He makes manifest and renowned everywhere on account of both their own virtue and the b

Life of Antony

THE LIFE AND CONDUCT OF OUR HOLY FATHER ANTONY, WRITTEN AND SENT TO THE MONKS IN FOREIGN LANDS BY OUR FATHER AMONG THE SAINTS, ATHANASIUS, BISHOP

OF ALEXANDRIA 26.837 PREFACE.

You have entered upon a noble rivalry with the monks of Egypt, resolving either to equal or even to surpass them in your practice of virtue. For now there are monasteries even among you, and the name of monk is established. One might rightly praise this purpose, and may God bring it to fulfillment through your prayers. And since you have also asked from me about the life of the blessed Antony, wishing to learn how he began his discipline, and who he was before it, and what kind of end his life had, and if the things said about him are true, so that you might lead yourselves to his zeal; with great eagerness I received the command from you. For to me also it is a great gain of profit even just to remember Antony. And I know that you too, when you hear, besides marveling at the man, will also wish to emulate his purpose; for the life of Antony is a sufficient model of discipline for monks. Therefore, do not disbelieve what you have heard about him from those who have reported it, but rather consider that you have heard little from them; for they too surely recounted so much with difficulty. Since I too, urged by you, whatever I shall signify by letter, will write, remembering only a few of his deeds; and you, for your part, do not cease to ask those sailing from here. For perhaps, with each one saying what he knows, a narration worthy of him might with difficulty be made. For I wished, upon receiving your letter, to send 26.840 for some of the monks, those especially accustomed to visit him more frequently; so that, having learned something more, I might write to you more fully. But since the sailing season was closing, and the letter-carrier was in a hurry; for this reason I have hastened to write to your piety what I myself know (for I have seen him many times), and what I was able to learn from him, having followed him for no little time, and having poured water on his hands; taking care for the truth in every way, so that no one hearing more may disbelieve, nor on the other hand, learning less than is proper, may despise the man. Antony was an Egyptian by race, of noble parents who possessed sufficient property, and 26.841 since they were Christians, he himself was also brought up as a Christian. And being a child, he was reared by his parents, knowing nothing else besides them and the house. And when he grew and became a boy, and advanced in age, he did not endure to learn letters, wishing to be apart even from the company of boys; but he had every desire, according to what is written concerning Jacob, to live as a simple man in his house. However, he would gather with his parents in the Lord's house; and neither as a child was he slothful, nor as he advanced in age did he become contemptuous; but he was subject to his parents, and paying attention to the readings, he kept the profit from them within himself. Nor again, being a child in moderate wealth, did he trouble his parents for varied and costly food, nor did he seek the pleasures from it; but with only

1

Vita Antonii

ΒΙΟΣ ΚΑΙ ΠΟΛΙΤΕΙΑ ΤΟΥ ΟΣΙΟΥ ΠΑΤΡΟΣ ΗΜΩΝ ΑΝΤΩΝΙΟΥ ΣΥΓΓΡΑΦΕΙΣ ΚΑΙ ΑΠΟΣΤΑΛΕΙΣ ΠΡΟΣ ΤΟΥΣ ΕΝ ΤΗ ΞΕΝΗ ΜΟΝΑΚΟΥΣ ΠΑΡΑ ΤΟΥ ΕΝ ΑΓΙΟΙΣ ΠΑΤΡΟΣ ΗΜΩΝ ΑΘΑΝΑΣΙΟΥ ΕΠΙΣΚΟΠΟΥ

ΑΛΕΧΑΝ∆ΡΕΙΑΣ 26.837 ΠΡΟΟΙΜΙΟΝ.

Ἀγαθὴν ἅμιλλαν ἐνεστήσασθε πρὸς τοὺς ἐν Αἰγύπτῳ μοναχοὺς, ἤτοι παρισωθῆναι, ἢ καὶ ὑπερβάλλεσθαι τούτους προελόμενοι τῇ κατ' ἀρετὴν ὑμῶν ἀσκήσει. Καὶ γὰρ καὶ παρ' ὑμῖν λοιπὸν μοναστήρια, καὶ τὸ τῶν μοναχῶν ὄνομα πολιτεύεται. Ταύτην μὲν οὖν τὴν πρόθεσιν δικαίως ἄν τις ἐπαινέσειε, καὶ εὐχομέ νων ὑμῶν, ὁ Θεὸς τελειώσειεν· ἐπειδὴ δὲ ἀπῃτή σατε καὶ παρ' ἐμοῦ περὶ τῆς πολιτείας τοῦ μακαρίου Ἀντωνίου, μαθεῖν θέλοντες ὅπως τε ἤρξατο τῆς ἀσκή σεως, καὶ τίς ἦν πρὸ ταύτης, καὶ ὁποῖον ἔσχε τοῦ βίου τὸ τέλος, καὶ εἰ ἀληθῆ τὰ περὶ αὐτοῦ λεγό μενά ἐστιν, ἵνα καὶ πρὸς τὸν ἐκείνου ζῆλον ἑαυτοὺς ἀγάγητε· μετὰ πολλῆς προθυμίας ἐδεξάμην τὸ παρ' ὑμῶν ἐπίταγμα. Κἀμοὶ γὰρ μέγα κέρδος ὠφελείας ἐστὶ καὶ τὸ μόνον Ἀντωνίου μνημονεύειν. Οἶδα δὲ, ὅτι καὶ ὑμεῖς ἀκούσαντες, μετὰ τοῦ θαυμάσαι τὸν ἄν θρωπον, θελήσετε καὶ ζηλῶσαι τὴν ἐκείνου πρόθεσιν· ἔστι γὰρ μοναχοῖς ἱκανὸς χαρακτὴρ πρὸς ἄσκησιν ὁ Ἀντωνίου βίος. Οἷς μὲν οὖν ἠκούσατε περὶ αὐτοῦ παρὰ τῶν ἀπαγγειλάντων, μὴ ἀπιστήσητε, ὀλίγα δὲ μᾶλλον ἀκηκοέναι παρ' αὐτῶν νομίζετε· πάντως γὰρ κἀκεῖνοι μόγις τοσαῦτα διηγήσαντο. Ἐπεὶ κἀγὼ, προτραπεὶς παρ' ὑμῶν, ὅσα ἂν διὰ τῆς ἐπιστολῆς ση μανῶ, ὀλίγα τῶν ἐκείνου μνημονεύσας ἐπιστείλω· καὶ ὑμεῖς δὲ μὴ παύσησθε τοὺς ἐνθένδε πλέοντας ἐρω τᾷν. Ἴσως γὰρ, ἑκάστου λέγοντος ὅπερ οἶδε, μόγις ἐπαξίως ἡ περὶ ἐκείνου γένηται διήγησις. Ἐβουλό μην γὰρ οὖν, δεξάμενος ὑμῶν τὴν ἐπιστολὴν, μετα 26.840 πέμψασθαί τινας τῶν μοναχῶν, τῶν μάλιστα πυκνό τερον εἰωθότων πρὸς αὐτὸν παραγίνεσθαι· ὡς ἄν τι πλέον μαθὼν πληρέστερον ὑμῖν ἐπιστείλω· ἐπειδὴ δὲ γὰρ καὶ ὁ καιρὸς τῶν πλωΐμων συνέκλειε, καὶ ὁ γραμματοφόρος ἔσπευδε· διὰ τοῦτο ἅπερ αὐτός τε γινώσκω (πολλάκις γὰρ αὐτὸν ἑώρακα), καὶ ἃ μαθεῖν ἠδυνήθην παρ' αὐτοῦ, ἀκολουθήσας αὐτῷ χρό νον οὐκ ὀλίγον, καὶ ἐπιχέων ὕδωρ κατὰ χεῖρας αὐτοῦ, γράψαι τῇ εὐλαβείᾳ ὑμῶν ἐσπούδασα· παντα χοῦ τῆς ἀληθείας φροντίσας, ἵνα μήτε πλέον τις ἀκού σας ἀπιστήσῃ, μήτε πάλιν ἐλάττονα τοῦ δέοντος μαθὼν, καταφρονήσῃ τοῦ ἀνδρός. Ἀντώνιος γένος μὲν ἦν Αἰγύπτιος, εὐγενῶν δὲ γονέων καὶ περιουσίαν αὐτάρκη κεκτημένων, καὶ 26.841 Χριστιανῶν αὐτῶν ὄντων, Χριστιανικῶς ἀνήγετο καὶ αὐτός. Καὶ παιδίον μὲν ὢν, ἐτρέφετο παρὰ τοῖς γο νεῦσι, πλέον αὐτῶν καὶ τοῦ οἴκου μηδὲν ἕτερον γινώ σκων· ἐπειδὴ δὲ καὶ αὐξήσας ἐγένετο παῖς, καὶ προ έκοπτε τῇ ἡλικίᾳ, γράμματα μὲν μαθεῖν οὐκ ἠνέσχετο, βουλόμενος ἐκτὸς εἶναι καὶ τῆς πρὸς τοὺς παῖδας συν ηθείας· τὴν δὲ ἐπιθυμίαν πᾶσαν εἶχε, κατὰ τὸ γεγραμ μένον περὶ τοῦ Ἰακὼβ, ὡς ἄπλαστος οἰκεῖν ἐν τῇ οἰκίᾳ αὐτοῦ. Συνήγετο μέντοι μετὰ τῶν γονέων ἐν τῷ Κυριακῷ· καὶ οὔτε ὡς παῖς ἐῤῥᾳθύμει, οὔτε ὡς τῇ ἡλικίᾳ προκόπτων κατεφρόνει· ἀλλὰ καὶ τοῖς γονεῦσιν ὑπετάσσετο, καὶ τοῖς ἀναγνώσμασι προσ έχων, τὴν ἐξ αὐτῶν ὠφέλειαν ἐν ἑαυτῷ διετήρει. Οὔτε δὲ πάλιν ὡς παῖς ἐν μετρίᾳ περιουσίᾳ τυγχάνων ἠνώχλει τοῖς γονεῦσι ποικίλης καὶ πολυτελοῦς ἕνεκα τροφῆς, οὔτε τὰς ἐκ ταύτης ἡδονὰς ἐζήτει· μόνοις δὲ

1