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

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 be a long discourse, and such a narrative is for others greater than us; but for now what is urgent and necessary for us, is only to know their crafty wiles against us. First, therefore, let us know this, that the demons have not been created as what they are called, demons; for God made nothing evil; but they too were made good, but having fallen from the heavenly wisdom, and henceforth wallowing about the earth, they deceived the Greeks with their apparitions, and envying us Christians, they move everything, wishing to hinder us from our ascent to heaven; so that we might not ascend to where they fell from. For which reason there is need of much prayer and ascetic practice; so that someone, having received through the Spirit the gift of discernment of spirits, might be able to know the things concerning them; both which of them are less wicked, and which of them are more wicked, and toward what practice each of them directs his energy, and how each of them is overthrown and cast out. For many are their crafty wiles, and the movements of their plotting. Therefore the blessed Apostle and those with him knew such things, saying; For we are not ignorant of his devices; but we, from the things we have suffered from them, ought to correct one another concerning them. At least I, having some experience of them, speak as to children. These, therefore, if they see all Chris 26.877 tians, and especially monks, being industrious and making progress, first they attempt and tempt, placing scandals in their path; and their scandals are evil thoughts. But we must not fear their suggestions; for by prayers and fastings and faith in the Lord they fall immediately. But even when they have fallen they do not cease, but again approach craftily and deceitfully. For when they are not able to deceive the heart by open and filthy pleasure, they attack again in another way; and henceforth they pretend to frighten by shaping fantasies, transforming themselves and imitating women, wild beasts, reptiles, and great bodies, and a multitude of soldiers. But not even so must one fear their apparitions; for they are nothing, but also quickly disappear; especially if one fortifies himself with faith and the sign of the cross. And they are daring and very shameless. For if they are defeated even so, they attack again in another way. And they pretend to prophesy, and to foretell things to come in the days after, and to show themselves as tall, reaching to the roof, and broad in size; so that those whom they were not able to deceive with thoughts, they might snatch away at least with such apparitions. And if even so they find the soul secured by faith, and by the hope of the mind, then they bring on their ruler. And he said that they often appeared as such, just as the Lord revealed the devil to Job, saying: His eyes are as the appearance of the morning star. Out of his mouth go burning lamps, and braziers of fire are scattered; out of his nostrils proceeds smoke of a furnace burning with a fire of coals. His soul is as coals; and a flame goes out of his mouth. And appearing as such, the ruler of the demons frightens, as I said before, the crafty one speaking great things, as again the Lord rebuked him, saying to Job: 26.880 For he regards iron as straw, and bronze as rotten wood; and he regards the sea as a pot of ointment, and the Tartarus of the abyss as a captive; he has considered the abyss as a promenade; and through the prophet: The said

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ἐν τῷ καθ' ἡμᾶς ἀέρι, καὶ μακρὰν οὐκ εἰσὶν ἀφ' ἡμῶν· πολλὴ δέ τίς ἐστιν ἐν αὐτοῖς ἡ διαφορά. Καὶ περὶ μὲν τῆς φύσεως αὐτῶν καὶ τῆς διαφορᾶς πολὺς ἂν εἴη λόγος, καὶ ἄλλων μει ζόνων ἢ καθ' ἡμᾶς ἐστι τὸ τοιοῦτον διήγημα· τὸ δὲ νῦν κατεπεῖγον καὶ ἀναγκαῖον ἡμῖν, γνῶναί ἐστι μό νον τὰς καθ' ἡμῶν αὐτῶν πανουργίας Πρῶτον τοίνυν τοῦτο γινώσκωμεν, ὅτι οἱ δαίμονες οὐ καθ' ὃ δαίμονες καλοῦνται, οὕτω γεγό νασιν· οὐδὲν γὰρ κακὸν ἐποίησεν ὁ Θεός· ἀλλὰ καλοὶ μὲν γεγόνασι καὶ αὐτοὶ, ἐκπεσόντες δὲ ἀπὸ τῆς οὐ ρανίου φρονήσεως, καὶ λοιπὸν περὶ τὴν γῆν καλιν δούμενοι, τοὺς μὲν Ἕλληνας ἠπάτησαν ταῖς φαντα σίαις, ἡμῖν δὲ τοῖς Χριστιανοῖς φθονοῦντες, πάντα κινοῦσι, θέλοντες ἐμποδίζειν ἡμᾶς τῆς εἰς οὐρανοὺς ἀνόδου· ἵνα μὴ ὅθεν ἐξέπεσον αὐτοὶ ἀνέλθωμεν ἡμεῖς. ∆ι' ὃ καὶ πολλῆς εὐχῆς, καὶ ἀσκήσεώς ἐστι χρεία· ἵνα τις, λαβὼν διὰ τοῦ Πνεύματος χάρισμα διακρί σεως πνευμάτων, γνῶναι δυνηθῇ τὰ κατ' αὐτούς· καὶ τίνες μὲν αὐτῶν εἰσιν ἔλαττον φαῦλοι, τίνες δὲ ἐκείνων φαυλότεροι, καὶ περὶ ποῖον ἐπιτήδευμα ἕκαστος αὐτῶν ἔχει τὴν σπουδὴν, καὶ πῶς ἕκαστος αὐτῶν ἀνατρέπεται καὶ ἐκβάλλεται. Πολλὰ γὰρ αὐ τῶν ἐστι τὰ πανουργεύματα, καὶ τὰ τῆς ἐπιβουλῆς κινήματα. Ὁ μὲν οὖν μακάριος Ἀπόστολος καὶ οἱ κατ' αὐτὸν ᾔδεισαν τὰ τοιαῦτα λέγοντες· Οὐ γὰρ αὐ τοῦ τὰ νοήματα ἀγνοοῦμεν· ἡμεῖς δὲ ἀφ' ὧν ἐπει ράθημεν παρ' αὐτῶν, ὀφείλομεν ἀλλήλους ὑπ' αὐτῶν διορθοῦσθαι. Ἐγὼ γοῦν, ἐκ μέρους πεῖραν αὐτῶν ἔχων, ὡς τέκνοις λέγω. Οὗτοι μὲν οὖν, ἐὰν ἴδωσι καὶ πάντας μὲν Χρι 26.877 στιανοὺς, μάλιστα δὲ μοναχοὺς, φιλοπονοῦντας καὶ προκόπτοντας, πρῶτον μὲν ἐπιχειροῦσι καὶ πειρά ζουσιν, ἐχόμενα τρίβου τιθέντες σκάνδαλα· σκάνδαλα δὲ αὐτῶν εἰσιν οἱ πονηροὶ λογισμοί. Οὐ δεῖ δὲ ἡμᾶς φοβεῖσθαι τὰς ὑποβολὰς αὐτῶν· εὐχαῖς γὰρ καὶ νηστείαις καὶ τῇ εἰς τὸν Κύριον πίστει πίπτουσιν εὐθὺς ἐκεῖνοι. Ἀλλὰ καὶ πεσόντες οὐ παύονται, αὖ θις δὲ πάλιν προσέρχονται πανούργως καὶ δολίως. Ἐπειδὰν γὰρ ἐκ φανεροῦ καὶ ῥυπαρᾶς ἡδονῆς μὴ δυνηθῶσιν ἀπατῆσαι τὴν καρδίαν, ἄλλως πάλιν ἐπιβαίνουσι· καὶ λοιπὸν φαντασίας ἀναπλάττοντες ἐκφοβεῖν προσποιοῦνται, μετασχηματιζόμενοι, καὶ μιμούμενοι γυναῖκας, θηρία, ἑρπετὰ, καὶ μεγέθη σωμάτων, καὶ πλῆθος στρατιωτῶν. Ἀλλ' οὐδὲ οὕτως δεῖ τὰς τούτων φαντασίας δειλιᾷν· οὐδὲν γάρ εἰσιν, ἀλλὰ καὶ ταχέως ἀφανίζονται· ἐὰν μάλιστα τῇ πίστει καὶ τῷ σημείῳ τοῦ σταυροῦ ἑαυτόν τις περι φράττῃ. Τολμηροὶ δέ εἰσι καὶ λίαν ἀναιδεῖς. Ἐὰν γὰρ καὶ οὕτως ἡττηθῶσιν, ἄλλῳ τρόπῳ πάλιν ἐπι βαίνουσι. Καὶ προσποιοῦνται μαντεύεσθαι, καὶ προ λέγειν τὰ μεθ' ἡμέρας ἐρχόμενα, δεικνύειν τε ἑαυ τοὺς ὑψηλοὺς ἄχρι τῆς στέγης φθάνοντας, καὶ πλατεῖς τῷ μεγέθει· ἵνα οὓς οὐκ ἠδυνήθησαν ἀπατῆσαι τοῖς λογισμοῖς, κἂν ταῖς τοιαύταις φαντασίαις ὑφαρπά σωσιν. Ἐὰν δὲ καὶ οὕτως εὕρωσι τὴν ψυχὴν ἠσφαλισμένην τῇ πίστει, καὶ τῇ ἐλπίδι τῆς διανοίας, λοιπὸν ἐπάγονται τὸν ἄρχοντα ἑαυτῶν Καὶ φαίνεσθαι αὐτοὺς πολλάκις ἔλεγε τοιού τους, οἷον τὸν διάβολον τῷ Ἰὼβ ὁ Κύριος ἀπεκάλυψε, λέγων· Οἱ ὀφθαλμοὶ αὐτοῦ ὡς εἶδος ἑωσφόρου. Ἐκ στόματος αὐτοῦ ἐκπορεύονται λαμπάδες και όμεναι, καὶ διαῤῥιπτοῦνται ἐσχάραι πυρός· ἐκ μυκτήρων αὐτοῦ ἐκπορεύεται καπνὸς καμίνου καιομένης πυρὶ ἀνθράκων. Ἡ ψυχὴ αὐτοῦ ἄν θρακες· φλὸξ δὲ ἐκ στόματος αὐτοῦ ἐκπορεύε ται. Τοιοῦτος δὲ φαινόμενος ὁ τῶν δαιμονίων ἄρχων, ἐκφοβεῖ, καθὰ προεῖπον, μεγάλα λαλῶν ὁ πανοῦργος, ὡς πάλιν ἐξήλεγξεν αὐτὸν ὁ Κύριος, τῷ μὲν Ἰὼβ 26.880 λέγων· Ἥγηται μὲν γὰρ σίδηρον ἄχυρα, χαλκὸν δὲ ὥσπερ ξύλον σαθρόν· ἥγηται δὲ θάλασσαν ὥσπερ ἐξάλειπτρον, τὸν δὲ τάρταρον τῆς ἀβύσ σου ὥσπερ αἰχμάλωτον· ἐλογίσατο ἄβυσσον ὡς περίπατον· διὰ δὲ τοῦ προφήτου· Εἶπεν ὁ

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