Lausiac History (recension G)

 having written down the lives of the fathers, Abraham and those who followed, Moses and Elijah and John, they did not relate them in order to glorify

 goodness, faith, gentleness, and self-control, is acknowledged. Pref.14 For Paul himself said: For the fruit of the spirit is such and such things.

 being virgins but he entrusted them to Christ, saying: He who created you will provide for your life, as also for me. And there was with his sister

 a judge who orders one to be submitted to debauchery. 3.4 So that one, having gone mad, orders her, having been stripped, to be thrown into the cauld

 but haughty in disposition, exceedingly rich in money, giving † not † to a stranger, not to a virgin, not to the church, not an obol to a poor person.

 So having met and spent three years with the monasteries around Alexandria, with about two thousand most excellent and very zealous men, departing fro

 Lord and what do you command now? I command, he said, that each of us from now on remain by himself. But she did not agree, saying Let us rema

 without a fever, not having been sick, but sewing up the basket, being seventy years old who, having sent for me, and while the last stitch was on it

 at the martyrium called Roufinianais. Whose tomb is said to heal all who suffer from fever.] 12 .tConcerning Benjamin 12.1 In this mountain of Nitria

 were perfected. And some were pleased by this one, others by that one. When a dispute therefore arose among the brotherhood over the praises, they go

 therefore also to banish you from this. 16.3 Therefore, knowing that he had been mocked, he returned again to his first cell. And having completed th

 the tax-collectors are upon you, whose disease you also suffer. And it happened that he disobeyed after the death of Macarius, after another fifteen

 the saint, taking him, prayed over him, beseeching God. And after one or two days, when the affliction subsided, the holy Macarius says to her: 17.13

 ravens before my sight, and saying: What do you want, Macarius? What do you want, monk? Why have you come to our place? You cannot remain here. So I

 he did nothing with his hands. Therefore, when all the ascetics saw this, they rose up against the abbot, saying: From where have you brought us this

 you shall be shaken, I shall not hear you. 18.24 So after falling for a long time, he rose. And when night came, they attacked him again and filling

 fifty miles he went away to where he had his company. This so great man, at long last being pricked with compunction by some circumstance, gave himsel

 so that we should fear these flies more than he feared the demons. This was the way of life of Moses the Ethiopian, who was himself also numbered amon

 of Eulogius and worthily nourished by the disease. But after fifteen years a demon dwelt in him and he rebelled against Eulogius and he began to assa

 Do not turn aside anywhere, depart do not be separated from one another, but go to your cell where you have spent your time. For God is already sendi

 to them a way of life such as never in youth. 22.5 And having moistened palm leaves he says to him: “Take these, weave a rope as I do.” The old man we

 And standing by the rocks on the mountain he prays and says thus: You see, Jesus Christ, who was crucified under Pontius Pilate, that I will not come

 wisdom no longer approached me. 24 .tConcerning Stephen the Libyan 24.1 A certain Stephen, a Libyan by race, from the region of Marmarica and Mareoti

 to place in the little book for the security of the readers, just as among the holy plants of paradise was the tree of the knowledge of good and evil

 he fell into a fall of pride. And opening the window, she received the one serving her and was mixed with him, because she had not maintained her asce

 saying to her, We do not dare to meet them for we know their drunkenness and their recklessness. 31.3 But if you will have mercy both on the whole v

 to the angel that the prayers are few, the angel says to him: I have prescribed these things so that even the lesser ones may be able to complete the

 matter. So when the elder came, the other sisters reported the matter and he ordered that not a single one of their offerings be accepted and as for

 having been enclosed for years and receiving his needs through a window from the one who served him, he was deemed worthy of the gift of prophecy. Amo

 sufficiently, I thanked God when I learned that the pretexts driving me had been accomplished. 35.10 Then again he says to me, joking: Do you want to

 about to give birth, she was having a difficult labor, the spirit crushing her. So while the woman was demon-possessed, her husband came and begged th

 All ran up to him, both those wearing the tribon and those wearing the birrus, saying to him: What is the matter with you? And where are you from? An

 and why should I go out? He says to her: If you have died to the world and the world to you, it is the same to you to go out and not to go out ther

 suggests. 38.6 He says to him: If you listen to your friend, it is not expedient for you to live in this city. Evagrius says to him: If God delive

 he died among them, having partaken of communion on Epiphany in the church. He told us then about death that, It is the third year I have not been tr

 I appoint myself as a host for you. And taking money and partitioning the porticoes and setting up about three hundred beds, he nursed the starving,

 the hill of the ascension from where Jesus was taken up, he continued standing and singing psalms and praying and whether it snowed or it rained or i

 of those boiled by fire. Having persevered in these for eighteen years, he sang the hymn of victory to Christ. This man, having been warred against in

 in Jerusalem for the sake of a vow, bishops and monks and virgins, at their own expense they edified all whom they met, and they healed the schism of

 to many souls, in some there is an excellence of intellect, in others a fitness for discipline. But when neither the action nor the excellence is for

 There was given to me a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan, to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure 47.16 lest ever with the won

 having drawn [their swords], they attacked. And such a thing happened: when he raised the sword and was about to draw it against Gaddana, the hand of

 she led to the solitary life. And having catechized her younger son Publicola, she led him to Sicily and having sold all her remaining property and r

 to her own daughter. 57.2 I knew this woman, who labored through every night, grinding with her hands for the subduing of the body, explaining that,

 of this one, named Taor, who, having been thirty years in the monastery, never wished to receive a new garment or veil or sandal, saying, I have no n

 of her own. And she freed the eight thousand slaves who wished it, for the rest did not wish it but chose to serve her brother to whom she conceded t

 was said to be most learned and most faithful who received Origen the writer, as he was fleeing the insurrection of the Greeks, for two years at her

 they may stir up some of the civil disturbances, falling away from their purpose. 67 .tConcerning Magna 67.1 In this city of Ancyra many other virgins

 to slander a certain lector of the city. And when she was already pregnant, being questioned by her father, she accused the lector. But the presbyter,

 warm loaves in his sheepskin at another time again wine and loaves. At another time again, when he was speaking, I knew that You are in need go the

Lord; and what do you command now?" "I command," he said, "that each of us from now on remain by himself." But she did not agree, saying; "Let us remain in the same house, but in different beds." So having lived for eighteen years with her in the same house, every day he devoted himself to the garden and the balsam grove; for he was a balsam-grower. This balsam is planted like a vine, being cultivated and pruned, involving much labor. So in the evening, entering the house, he would say prayers and eat with her; and again, having said a night prayer, he would go out. 8.4 As these things were being thus accomplished, and both had arrived at a state of passionlessness, the prayers of Amoun were effective, and at last she says to him: "I have something to say to you, my lord; so that, if you listen to me, I may be assured that you love me according to God." He says to her: "Say what you wish." And she says to him: "It is a just thing for you, being a man and practicing righteousness, and likewise for me, who have pursued the same path as you, to live separately. For it is unfitting for such virtue of yours to be hidden while you are living with me in chastity." 8.5 And he, having given thanks to God, says to her: "Therefore, you have this house; and I will make another house for myself." And going out, he took up residence in the inner part of the mountain of Nitria; for there were not yet any monasteries there; and he makes for himself two vaulted cells. And having lived another twenty-two years in the desert, he passed away, or rather, fell asleep, seeing his blessed wife twice a year. 8.6 The blessed Athanasius the bishop recounted a wonder of this man in the life of Antony, that when he was crossing the river Lycus with Theodore his disciple, and being hesitant to undress lest he see him naked, he was found on the other side, having been carried across by an angel without a ferry. This Amoun, therefore, lived in this way and was perfected in this way, so that the blessed Antony saw his soul being carried up by angels. I crossed this river with fear by a ferryboat; for it is a canal of the great Nile. 9 .tConcerning Or 9.1 In this mountain of Nitria there was an ascetic man named Or, to whose great virtue both the entire brotherhood testified, and especially the woman of God Melania, who entered the mountain before me; for I did not find him alive. And they would say this in their accounts: that he never lied, nor swore, nor cursed anyone, nor spoke beyond what was necessary. 10 .tConcerning Pambo 10.1 From this mountain also came the blessed Pambo, teacher of Dioscorus the bishop and of Ammonius and Eusebius and Euthymius the brothers, and of Origen, the nephew of Dracontius, a wonderful man. This Pambo had very many virtues and excellent qualities, among which was this also: he was such a despiser of gold and silver, as the account requires. 10.2 For the blessed Melania related to me that, "In the beginning, having come to Alexandria from Rome, and having heard about his virtue, with the blessed Isidore recounting it to me and guiding me to him in the desert, that I brought to him a silver container of three hundred pounds of silver, asking him to partake of my possessions. But he, sitting and weaving palm leaves, blessed me with his voice alone and said: 'May God give you your reward.' 10.3 And he says to his steward, Origen: 'Receive this and dispense it to all the brotherhood throughout Libya and the islands; for these monasteries are more in need'; having commanded him to give none of it to those in Egypt, because that country was wealthier. But I, she said, standing and expecting to be honored or praised by him for the gift, having heard nothing from him, said to him: 'So that you may know, lord, how much it is, it is three hundred pounds.' 10.4 But he, without even looking up at all, answered me: 'To whom you have brought it, child, he has no need of a scale. For he who weighs the mountains knows much more the quantity of the silver. For if you were giving it to me, you would have spoken well; but if to God, who did not overlook the two small coins, be silent.' Thus, she said, the Lord provided on my entering into the mountain. 10.5 After a short time the man of God falls asleep.

κύριε· καὶ τί κελεύεις λοιπόν;" "Κελεύω, φησίν, ἵνα ἕκαστος ἡμῶν ἀπὸ τοῦ νῦν κατ' ἰδίαν μείνῃ". Ἡ δὲ οὐκ ἠνέσχετο, εἰποῦσα· "Ἐν τῷ αὐτῷ οἴκῳ μείνωμεν, ἐν διαφόροις δὲ κλίναις". Ζήσας οὖν ἔτη δεκαοκτὼ μετ' αὐτῆς ἐν τῷ αὐτῷ οἴκῳ, διὰ πάσης ἡμέρας ἐσχόλαζε τῷ κήπῳ καὶ τῷ βαλσαμῶνι· βαλσαμουργὸς γὰρ ἦν. Ἥτις βάλσαμος ἀμπέλου δίκην φυτεύεται, γεωργουμένη καὶ κλαδευομένη, πολὺν ἔχουσα πόνον. Ἑσπέρας οὖν εἰσερχόμενος εἰς τὸν οἶκον ἐποίει εὐχὰς καὶ ἤσθιε μετ' αὐτῆς· καὶ νυκτερινὴν πάλιν ποιή σας εὐχὴν ἐξήρχετο. 8.4 Τούτων οὕτως ἐπιτελουμένων, καὶ ἀμφοτέρων εἰς ἀπάθειαν ἐληλακότων, ἐνήργησαν αἱ εὐχαὶ τοῦ Ἀμοῦν, καὶ λέγει αὐτῷ τελευταῖον ἐκείνη· "Ἔχω σοί τι εἰπεῖν, κύριέ μου· ἵνα, ἐάν μου ἀκούσῃς, πληροφο ρηθῶ ὅτι κατὰ θεόν με ἀγαπᾷς". Λέγει αὐτῇ· "Εἰπὲ ὃ βούλει". Ἡ δὲ λέγει αὐτῷ· "∆ίκαιόν ἐστι πρᾶγμα ἄνδρα σε ὄντα καὶ δικαιοσύνην ἀσκοῦντα, ὁμοίως κἀμὲ ἐζηλωκυῖαν τὴν αὐτήν σοι ὁδόν, κατ' ἰδίαν μένειν. Ἄτοπον γάρ ἐστι κρύπτεσθαί σου τὴν τοιαύτην ἀρετὴν συνοικοῦντά μοι ἐν ἁγνείᾳ". 8.5 Ὁ δὲ εὐχαριστήσας τῷ θεῷ, λέγει αὐτῇ· "Οὐκοῦν ἔχε σὺ τοῦτον τὸν οἶκον· ἐγὼ δὲ ποιήσω ἐμαυτῷ ἕτερον οἶκον". Καὶ ἐξελθὼν κατέλαβε τὸ ἐνδότερον τοῦ τῆς Νιτρίας ὄρους· οὔπω γὰρ ἦν τότε μοναστήρια· καὶ ποιεῖ ἑαυτῷ δύο θόλους κελλίων. Καὶ βιώσας ἄλλα εἴκοσι δύο ἔτη ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ ἐτελεύτησε, μᾶλλον δὲ ἐκοιμήθη, δὶς τοῦ ἔτους ὁρῶν τὴν μακαρίαν σύμβιον αὐτοῦ. 8.6 Τούτου θαῦμα διηγήσατο ὁ μακάριος Ἀθανάσιος ὁ ἐπίσκοπος εἰς τὸν περὶ Ἀντωνίου βίον, ὅτιπερ παρερ χόμενος τὸν Λύκον ποταμὸν ἅμα Θεοδώρῳ μαθητῇ αὐτοῦ, καὶ εὐλαβούμενος ἀποδύσασθαι ἵνα μὴ γυμνὸν αὐτὸν ἴδῃ, εἰς τὸ πέραν εὑρέθη δίχα πορθμείου μετενεχθεὶς ὑπὸ ἀγγέλου. Οὗτος τοίνυν ὁ Ἀμοῦν οὕτως ἐβίωσε καὶ οὕτως ἐτελειώθη ὡς τὸν μακάριον Ἀντώνιον τὴν ψυχὴν αὐτοῦ ἰδεῖν ὑπὸ ἀγγέλων ἀναγομένην. Τοῦτον τὸν ποταμὸν μετὰ δειλίας ἐγὼ πορθμείῳ παρῆλθον· διῶρυξ γάρ ἐστι τοῦ μεγάλου Νείλου. 9 .tΠερὶ Ὤρ 9.1 Ἐν τῷ ὄρει τούτῳ τῆς Νιτρίας γέγονεν ἀνὴρ ἀσκητὴς Ὢρ ὀνόματι, ᾧ πολλὴν προσεμαρτύρει ἀρετὴν καὶ πᾶσα μὲν ἡ ἀδελφότης ἐξαιρέτως δὲ ἡ ἄνθρωπος τοῦ θεοῦ Μελάνιον, πρὸ ἐμοῦ εἰσελθοῦσα εἰς τὸ ὄρος· ἐγὼ γὰρ αὐτὸν οὐ κατείληφα ζῶντα. Καὶ τοῦτο ἔλεγον ἐν τοῖς διηγήμασιν ὅτι οὔτε ἐψεύσατό ποτε, οὔτε ὤμοσεν, οὔτε κατηρήσατό τινα, οὔτε ἐκτὸς τῆς χρείας ἐλάλησεν. 10 .tΠερὶ Παμβώ 10.1 Τούτου τοῦ ὄρους γέγονε καὶ ὁ μακάριος Παμβώ, διδάσκαλος ∆ιοσκόρου τοῦ ἐπισκόπου καὶ Ἀμμωνίου καὶ Εὐσεβίου καὶ Εὐθυμίου τῶν ἀδελφῶν, καὶ Ὠριγένους τοῦ ἀδελφιδοῦ ∆ρακοντίου ἀνδρὸς θαυμαστοῦ. Ὃς Παμβὼ εἶχε μὲν ἀνδραγαθήματα καὶ προτερήματα πλεῖστα, ἐν οἷς δὲ καὶ τοῦτο· τοσοῦτον ἦν ὑπερόπτης χρυσοῦ καὶ ἀργύρου, ὡς ἀπαιτεῖ ὁ λόγος. 10.2 ∆ιηγεῖτο γάρ μοι ἡ μακαρία Μελάνιον ὅτι "Ἐν ἀρχαῖς παραγενομένη εἰς Ἀλεξάνδρειανἀπὸ τῆς Ῥώμης, καὶ ἀκούσασα περὶ τῆς τούτου ἀρετῆς, Ἰσιδώρου μοι τοῦ μακαρίου διηγησαμένου καὶ ὁδηγήσαντος πρὸς αὐτὸν εἰς τὴν ἔρημον, ὅτι προσήνεγκα αὐτῷ ἀργεντα ρίαν τριακοσίων λιτρῶν ἀργυρίου, παρακαλοῦσα αὐτὸν ἐκ τῶν πραγμάτων μου μετασχεῖν. Ὁ δὲ καθεζόμενος καὶ πλέκων θαλλοὺς εὐλόγησέ με φωνῇ μόνῃ καὶ εἶπεν· "Ὁ θεὸς δῴη σοι τὸν μισθόν". 10.3 Καὶ λέγει τῷ οἰκονόμῳ αὐτοῦ Ὠριγένει· "∆έξαι καὶ οἰκονόμησον αὐτὸ πάσῃ τῇ κατὰ Λιβύην καὶ τὰς νήσους ἀδελφότητι· ταῦτα γὰρ τὰ μοναστήρια πένεται πλέον"· παραγγείλας αὐτῷ μηδενὶ τῶν ἐν Αἰγύπτῳ δοῦναι, διὰ τὸ εὐπορωτέραν εἶναι τὴν χώραν. Ἐγὼ δέ, φησίν, ἑστῶσα καὶ ἐκδεχομένη τιμηθῆναι ἢ δοξασθῆ ναι ὑπ' αὐτοῦ ἐπὶ τῇ δόσει, μηδὲν παρ' αὐτοῦ ἀκούσασα, εἶπον αὐτῷ· "Ἵνα οἶδας, κύριε, πόσον ἐστί, τριακόσιαι λίτραι εἰσίν". 10.4 Ὁ δὲ μηδὲ ὅλως ἀνανεύσας ἀπεκρίνατό μοι· "Ωι ἤνεγκας αὐτά, τέκνον, σταθμοῦ χρείαν οὐκ ἔχει. Ὁ γὰρ τὰ ὄρη σταθμίζων πολλῷ μᾶλλον ἐπίσταται τὴν ποσότητα τοῦ ἀργυρίου. Εἰ μὲν γὰρ ἐμοὶ αὐτὸ ἐδίδως, καλῶς ἔλεγες· εἰ δὲ θεῷ, τῷ τοὺς δύο ὀβολοὺς μὴ παριδόντι, σιώπα". Οὕτως ᾠκονόμησε, φησίν, ὁ κύριος ἐν τῷ εἰσελθεῖν με εἰς τὸ ὄρος. 10.5 Μετ' ὀλίγον χρόνον κοιμᾶται ὁ ἄνθρωπος τοῦ θεοῦ