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

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 was a certain man called Benjamin, who lived for eighty years and practiced asceticism to the utmost, and was deemed worthy of the gift of healing, so that whomever he laid his hand on or to whom he gave blessed oil, would be freed from every illness. This man, then, who was deemed worthy of such a gift, eight months before his death, suffered from dropsy, and his body swelled to such an extent that he appeared like another Job. Therefore Dioscorus the bishop, at that time a presbyter of the mountain of Nitria, taking us with him, both me and the blessed Evagrius, says to us: 12.2 "Come, see a new Job who, in such a swelling of body and incurable suffering, possesses immeasurable thankfulness". So we went and saw such a swelling of body that a finger of his hand could not be encircled by other fingers. Being unable to gaze at the severity of the affliction, we averted our eyes. Then that blessed Benjamin says to us: "Pray, children, that my inner man may not suffer from dropsy; for this one neither helped me when well, nor harmed me when sick." 12.3 For eight months, therefore, a very wide chair was set for him on which he sat without ceasing, being no longer able to lie down on a bed because of his other needs. And while in this affliction, he healed others. I have related this affliction, therefore, out of necessity, so that we may not be surprised when some adversity befalls righteous men. And when he died, the lintels of the door and the doorposts were taken away, so that the body could be carried out of the house; so great was the swelling. 13 .tConcerning Apollonius 13.1 A certain Apollonius by name, a former merchant, renounced the world and dwelt on the mountain of Nitria. Since he was not able to learn a trade or the practice of writing because he was advanced in years, having lived on the mountain for twenty years he undertook this discipline: from his own funds and his own labors he would buy all sorts of medical and cellar supplies in Alexandria, and ministered to the entire brotherhood in their illnesses. 13.2 And one could see him from dawn until the ninth hour, going around the monasteries, and entering door by door to see if anyone was lying ill; he carried raisins, pomegranates, eggs, fine wheaten bread, things which the sick need, having found this way of life profitable for him in his old age. When he was dying, he left his small possessions to another like himself, exhorting him to carry out this ministry. For since five thousand monks inhabited the mountain, this visitation was also needed because the place was a desert. 14 .tConcerning Paesius and Isaiah 14.1 Another, Paesius and Isaiah so-called, were brothers, sons of a merchant Spanodromus; who, when their father died, divided the property they had in real estate, consisting of five thousand gold pieces, and in clothing and slaves whatever was found. They considered with one another and took counsel among themselves, saying: "To what way of life shall we turn, brother? If we turn to the trade which our father pursued, we too will have to leave our labors to others; 14.2 and perhaps we will also fall into dangers from robbers or at sea. Come, therefore, let us turn to the solitary life, so that we may both gain our father's possessions, and not lose our souls." So the aim of the solitary life pleased them. But they were found to disagree with one another. For having divided the money, each held to the goal of pleasing God, but with a different way of life. 14.3 For the one, having scattered everything to hermitages and churches and prisons, and having learned a small trade from which to procure his bread, devoted himself to asceticism and prayer. The other, however, scattered nothing, but made a monastery for himself and took in a few brothers, and he received every stranger, every sick person, every old man, every poor person, setting three or four tables on Sunday and Saturday; in this way he spent his money. 14.4 And when both had died, different blessings were pronounced upon them, as though both

μαρτυρίῳ τῷ λεγομένῳ Ῥουφινιαναῖς. Οὗ τὸ μνῆμα λέγεται θεραπεύειν πάντας τοὺς ῥιγιαζομένους.] 12 .tΠερὶ Βενιαμίν 12.1 Ἐν τούτῳ τῷ ὄρει τῆς Νιτρίας ἀνήρ τις Βενιαμὶν οὕτω καλούμενος, βιώσας ἐπὶ ἔτη ὀγδοήκοντα καὶ εἰς ἄκρον ἀσκήσας, κατηξιώθη χαρίσματος ἰαμάτων, ὡς παντὶ ᾧ ἂν χεῖρα ἐπετίθει ἢ ἔλαιον εὐλογήσας ἐδίδου, πάσης ἀπαλλάτ τεσθαι ἀρρωστίας. Οὗτος τοίνυν ὁ τοιούτου χαρίσματος καταξιωθεὶς πρὸ ὀκτὼ μηνῶν τοῦ θανάτου αὐτοῦ ὑδρω πίασε, καὶ ἐπὶ τοσοῦτον ὠγκώθη αὐτοῦ τὸ σῶμα ὡς ἄλλον Ἰὼβ φαίνεσθαι. Παραλαβὼν οὖν ἡμᾶς ∆ιόσκορος ὁ ἐπίσκοπος, τότε δὲ πρεσβύτερος ὢν τοῦ ὄρους τῆς Νιτρίας, ἐμέ τε καὶ τὸν μακάριον Εὐάγριον, λέγει ἡμῖν· 12.2 "∆εῦτε, ἴδετε νέον Ἰὼβ ἐν τοσούτῳ ὄγκῳ σώματος καὶ πάθει ἀνιάτῳ ἄμε τρον κεκτημένον εὐχαριστίαν". Ἀπελθόντες οὖν ἐθεασάμεθα τοσοῦτον ὄγκον σώματος ὡς μὴ δύνασθαι δάκτυλον χειρὸς αὐτοῦ περιλαμβάνειν ἄλλους δακτύλους. Μὴ δυνάμενοι δὲ ἀτενίζειν τῇ τοῦ πάθους δεινότητι τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς ἀπεστρέ ψαμεν. Τότε λέγει ἡμῖν ὁ μακάριος ἐκεῖνος Βενιαμίν· "Εὔ ξασθε, τέκνα, ἵνα μὴ ὁ ἔσωθέν μου ἄνθρωπος ὑδρωπιάσῃ· οὗτος γὰρ οὔτε με εὐπαθῶν ὤνησεν, οὔτε δυσπαθῶν ἔβλαψε". 12.3 Τοὺς οὖν ὀκτὼ μῆνας δίφρος αὐτῷ ἔκειτο πλατύτατος ἐν ᾧ ἀδιαλείπτως ἐκαθέζετο, μηκέτι ἐν κλίνῃ ἀναπεσεῖν δυνάμενος διὰ τὰς χρείας τὰς λοιπάς. Ἐν τῷ πάθει δὲ τούτῳ ὢν ἄλλους ἰᾶτο. Ἀναγκαίως οὖν ἐξηγησάμην τὸ πάθος τοῦτο, ἵνα μὴ ξενιζώμεθα ὅταν τι περιστατικὸν ἀνδράσι δικαίοις συμβαίνῃ. Τελευτήσαντος δὲ αὐτοῦ, αἱ φλιαὶ τῆς θύρας ἐπήρθησαν καὶ αἱ παραστάδες, ἵνα δυνηθῇ τὸ σῶμα ἐξε νεχθῆναι τοῦ οἴκου· τοσοῦτος ἦν ὁ ὄγκος. 13 .tΠερὶ Ἀπολλωνίου 13.1 Ἀπολλώνιός τις ὀνόματι ἀπὸ πραγματευτῶν, ἀπο ταξάμενος καὶ οἰκήσας τὸ ὄρος τῆς Νιτρίας, μήτε τέχνην μαθεῖν δυνάμενος μήτε ἄσκησιν γραφικὴν τῷ ἠκμακέναι, ζήσας ἐν τῷ ὄρει εἴκοσι ἔτη ταύτην ἔσχε τὴν ἄσκησιν· ἐκ τῶν ἰδίων χρημάτων καὶ ἐκ τῶν ἰδίων πόνων παντοῖα ἰατρικὰ καὶ κελλαρικὰ ἀγοράζων εἰς τὴν Ἀλεξάνδρειαν, πάσῃ τῇ ἀδελφότητι ἐπήρκει εἰς τὰς νόσους. 13.2 Καὶ ἦν ἰδεῖν αὐτὸν ὄρθριον μέχρις ἐννάτης ὥρας, κυκλεύοντα τὰ μοναστήρια, καὶ κατὰ θύραν εἰσερχόμενον μή τις ἀνάκειται· ἐβάσταζε δὲ σταφίδας, ῥόας, ᾠά, σιλίγνια, ὧν ἐπιδέονται οἱ ἀρρωστοῦν τες, ταύτην αὐτῷ λυσιτελοῦσαν εὑρὼν πολιτείαν εἰς τὸ γῆρας. Ὃς τελευτῶν ὁμοίῳ ἑαυτοῦ καταλιμπάνει τὰ γρυτάρια, παρακαλέσας αὐτὸν ταύτην ἐκτελεῖν τὴν διακονίαν. Πεν τακισχιλίων γὰρ μοναχῶν οἰκούντων τὸ ὄρος χρεία ἦν καὶ τῆς ἐπισκέψεως ταύτης διὰ τὸ ἔρημον εἶναι τὸν τόπον. 14 .tΠερὶ Παησίου καὶ Ἠσαΐου 14.1 Ἄλλος Παήσιος καὶ Ἠσαΐας οὕτω καλούμενοι, ἀδελφοὶ ὑπῆρχον πατρὸς ἐμπόρου Σπανοδρόμου· οἵτινες τοῦ πατρὸς τελευτήσαντος ἐμερίσαντο τὰ ὑπάρχοντα ἐν ἀκινήτοις ἃ ἔσχον, ἐν μὲν νομισματίοις πεντακισχιλίοις, ἐν ἱματίοις δὲ καὶ οἰκέταις τὰ εὑρεθέντα. Οὗτοι μετ' ἀλλήλων ἐσκέψαντο καὶ συμβουλεύονται πρὸς ἑαυτοὺς λέγοντες· "Ἐπὶ ποίαν ἔλθωμεν μέθοδον τοῦ βίου, ἄδελφε; ἐὰν ἔλθωμεν ἐπὶ τὴν ἐμπορίαν ἣν μετῆλθεν ὁ πατὴρ ἡμῶν, καὶ ἡμεῖς ἑτέροις ἔχομεν καταλεῖψαι τοὺς πόνους· 14.2 ἴσως δὲ καὶ κινδύνοις περιπεσούμεθα λῃστρικοῖς ἢ θαλαττικοῖς. ∆εῦρο τοίνυν, ἐπὶ τὸν μονήρη βίον ἔλθωμεν, ἵνα καὶ τὰ τοῦ πατρὸς ἡμῶν κερδήσωμεν, καὶ τὰς ψυχὰς μὴ ἀπολέσωμεν". Ἤρεσεν οὖν αὐτοῖς ὁ σκοπὸς τοῦ μονήρους βίου. Εὑρέθησαν δὲ ἄλλος κατ' ἄλλο διαφωνοῦντες. Μερισάμενοι γὰρ τὰ χρήματα, τοῦ μὲν σκοποῦ εἴχοντο ἕκαστος τοῦ ἀρέσαι θεῷ, ἐνηλλαγμένῃ δὲ πολιτείᾳ. 14.3 Ὁ μὲν γὰρ πάντα διασκορπίσας ἀσκητη ρίοις καὶ ἐκκλησίαις καὶ φυλακαῖς, τεχνίδριον μαθὼν ὅθεν τὸν ἄρτον πορίσηται, τῇ ἀσκήσει καὶ τῇ εὐχῇ προσέσχεν. Ὁ δ' ἄλλος μηδὲν διασκορπίσας, ἀλλὰ ποιήσας ἑαυτῷ μοναστήριον καὶ προσλαβόμενος ἀδελφοὺς ὀλίγους, πάντα ξένον ἐδεξιοῦτο, πάντα ἄρρωστον, πάντα γέροντα, πάντα πένητα, κατὰ κυρια κὴν καὶ σάββατον τρεῖς ἢ τέσσαρας τραπέζας ἱστῶν· οὕτως αὐτοῦ κατηνάλωσε τὰ χρήματα. 14.4 Ἀμφοτέρων δὲ τελευτησάντων, διάφοροι μακαρισμοὶ τούτων ἐγίνοντο, ὡς ἀμφοτέρων