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

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 happens quietly and gently, so that immediately joy and exultation and courage are born in the soul; for with them is the Lord, who is our joy, and the power of God the Father; and its thoughts remain untroubled and calm; so that, being enlightened by it, it beholds those who appear. For a longing for divine and future things enters it, and it will surely wish to be united with them, if it were to depart with them. But if, as men, some should be afraid at the vision of the good, those who appear immediately take away the fear by their love; as Gabriel did to Zacharias, and the angel who appeared at the divine tomb to the women, and he who said to the shepherds in the Gospel: Fear not. For their fear is not from cowardice of soul, but from recognition of the presence of superior beings. Such then is the vision of the saints. But the attack and fantasy of the wicked is troubled, with a crash and sound and cry; such as might be the movement of unruly youths and robbers. From which immediately comes cowardice of soul, turmoil and disorder of thoughts, dejection, hatred toward the ascetics, accidie, grief, memory of one's relatives, and fear of death; and finally, desire for evil things, contempt for virtue, and instability of character. When, therefore, having seen someone you are afraid, if the fear is immediately taken away, and in its place there comes unspeakable joy, and cheerfulness, and courage, and recovery, and tranquility of thoughts, and the other things which I mentioned before, both manliness and love for God, be of good courage and pray; for the joy and the state of the soul show the holiness of the one present. Thus Abraham, seeing the Lord, rejoiced; 26.897 and John, when the voice of the Theotokos Mary came, leaped with exultation. But if when some appear there is turmoil, and a crash from without, and a worldly fantasy, and a threat of death, and the things I said before; know that it is an attack of the wicked. For let this also be a sign to you; whenever the soul remains fearful, it is the presence of enemies. For the demons do not take away the fear of such things, as the great archangel Gabriel did for Mary and Zacharias, and he who appeared at the tomb to the women; but rather when they see them fearful, they increase the phantoms, in order to frighten them more; and then attacking, they mock them, saying: Fall down and worship. Thus then they deceived the Greeks; for thus they were considered by them to be falsely-named gods; but the Lord did not permit us to be deceived by the devil, when rebuking him for making such phantoms he said: Get thee behind me, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve. Therefore let the crafty one be all the more despised by us for these things; for what the Lord said, He did on our behalf; so that the demons, hearing such words also from us, might be turned back through the Lord, who in these words rebuked them. But one must not boast in casting out demons, nor be exalted over healings; nor should one only admire the one who casts out demons, and despise the one who does not; but let one learn the ascetic practice of each, and either imitate and emulate it, or be corrected. For to perform signs is not ours; this is the work of the Savior; for he said to the disciples: Do not rejoice that the demons are subject to you; but that your names are written in the heavens. For the names being written in heaven 26.900 is a testimony

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τοῦ Θεοῦ διδόντος οὕτως. Ἡ μὲν γὰρ τῶν ἁγίων ὀπτασία οὐκ ἔστι τεταραγμένη. Οὐκ ἐρίσει γὰρ, οὔτε κραυγάσει, οὐδὲ ἀκούσει τις τῆς φωνῆς αὐτῶν. Ἡσύχως δὲ καὶ πράως γίνεται οὕτως, ὡς εὐθὺς χαρὰν καὶ ἀγαλλίασιν καὶ θάρσος ἐγγίνε σθαι τῇ ψυχῇ· ἔστι γὰρ μετ' αὐτῶν ὁ Κύριος, ὅς ἐστιν ἡμῶν μὲν χαρὰ, τοῦ δὲ Θεοῦ Πατρὸς ἡ δύναμις· οἵ τε λογισμοὶ αὐτῆς ἀτάραχοι καὶ ἀκύμαντοι διαμέ νουσιν· ὥστε καταυγαζομένην αὐτὴν ὑπ' αὐτῆς, τοὺς φαινομένους θεωρεῖν. Καὶ γὰρ πόθος τῶν θείων καὶ τῶν μελλόντων αὐτῇ ἐπεισέρχεται, καὶ θελήσει πάντως συναφθῆναι τούτοις, εἰ ἀπήρχετο μετ' αὐτῶν. Ἐὰν δὲ καὶ, ὡς ἄνθρωποι, τινὲς φοβηθῶσι τὴν τῶν καλῶν ὀπτασίαν, ἀφαιροῦσιν οἱ φαινόμενοι τὸν φόβον παρ' αὐτὰ τῇ ἀγάπῃ· ὡς ἐποίησε Γαβριὴλ τῷ Ζαχαρίᾳ, καὶ ὁ φανεὶς ἄγγελος ἐν τῷ θείῳ μνημείῳ ταῖς γυναιξὶ, καὶ ὁ τοῖς ποιμέσι λέγων ἐν τῷ Εὐαγ γελίῳ· Μὴ φοβεῖσθε. Ἔστι γὰρ ὁ φόβος ἐκείνων οὐ κατὰ δειλίαν ψυχῆς, ἀλλὰ κατ' ἐπίγνωσιν τῆς τῶν κρειττόνων παρουσίας. Τοιαύτη μὲν οὖν ἡ τῶν ἁγίων ὀπτασία. Ἡ δὲ τῶν φαύλων ἐπιδρομὴ καὶ φαντασία τεταραγμένη, μετὰ κτύπου καὶ ἤχου καὶ κραυγῆς· οἵα ἂν γένοιτο νεωτέρων ἀπαιδεύτων καὶ λῃστῶν κίνησις. Ἐξ ὧν εὐθὺς γίνεται δειλία ψυχῆς, τάραχος καὶ ἀταξία λογισμῶν, κατήφεια, μῖσος πρὸς τοὺς ἀσκητὰς, ἀκηδία, λύπη, μνήμη τῶν οἰκείων, καὶ φόβος θανάτου· καὶ λοιπὸν ἐπιθυμία κακῶν, ὀλι γωρία πρὸς τὴν ἀρετὴν, καὶ τοῦ ἤθους ἀκαταστα σία. Ὅταν τοίνυν θεωρήσαντές τινα φοβηθῆτε, ἐὰν μὲν εὐθὺς ὁ φόβος ἀφαιρεθῇ, καὶ ἀντ' ἐκείνου γένηται χαρὰ ἀνεκλάλητος, καὶ εὐθυμία, καὶ θάρσος, καὶ ἀνάκτησις, καὶ τῶν λογισμῶν ἀταραξία, καὶ τὰ ἄλλα ὅσα προεῖπον, ἀνδρία τε καὶ ἀγάπη εἰς τὸν Θεὸν, θαρσεῖτε καὶ εὔχεσθε· ἡ γὰρ χαρὰ καὶ ἡ κα τάστασις τῆς ψυχῆς δείκνυσι τοῦ παρόντος τὴν ἁγιό τητα. Οὕτως Ἀβραὰμ ἰδὼν τὸν Κύριον ἠγαλλιάσατο· 26.897 καὶ ὁ Ἰωάννης, γενομένης φωνῆς παρὰ τῆς Θεοτό κου Μαρίας, ἐσκίρτησεν ἐν ἀγαλλιάσει. Ἐὰν δὲ φανέντων τινῶν ταραχὴ γένηται, καὶ κτύπος ἔξωθεν, καὶ φαντασία κοσμικὴ, καὶ ἀπειλὴ θανάτου, καὶ ὅσα προεῖπον· γινώσκετε ὅτι φαύλων ἐστὶν ἡ ἔφοδος. Καὶ γὰρ καὶ τοῦτο γνώρισμα ὑμῖν ἔστω· ὅτ' ἂν τοίνυν ἐπιμένῃ δειλιῶσα ἡ ψυχὴ, παρουσία τῶν ἐχθρῶν ἐστιν. Οὐ γὰρ ἀφαιροῦνται τὴν δειλίαν τῶν τοιούτων οἱ δαίμονες, ὥσπερ πεποίηκεν ὁ μέγας ἀρχάγγελος Γαβριὴλ τῇ Μαρίᾳ καὶ τῷ Ζαχαρίᾳ, καὶ ὁ φανεὶς ἐν τῷ μνημείῳ ταῖς γυναιξίν· ἀλλὰ μᾶλλον ὅταν ἴδωσι δειλιῶντας, αὐξάνουσι τὰς φαντασίας, ἵνα μειζόνως αὐτοὺς καταπτήξωσι· καὶ λοιπὸν ἐπιβάν τες, προσπαίζωσι λέγοντες· Πεσόντες προσκυνήσατε. Τοὺς μὲν οὖν Ἕλληνας οὕτως ἠπάτησαν· οὕτως γὰρ ἐνομίσθησαν παρ' αὐτοῖς ψευδώνυμοι θεοί· ἡμᾶς δὲ οὐκ ἀφῆκεν ὁ Κύριος ἀπατηθῆναι παρὰ τοῦ διαβόλου, ὁπηνίκα τὰς τοιαύτας αὐτῷ ποιοῦντι φαντασίας ἐπιτιμῶν εἴρηκεν· Ὕπαγε ὀπίσω μου, Σατανᾶ· γέγραπται γάρ· Κύριον τὸν Θεόν σου προσκυνήσεις, καὶ αὐτῷ μόνῳ λατρεύσεις. Μᾶλλον οὖν καὶ μᾶλλον ὁ πανοῦργος διὰ ταῦτα καταφρονείσθω παρ' ἡμῶν· ὃ γὰρ εἴρηκεν ὁ Κύριος, τοῦτο ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν πεποίηκεν· ἵνα καὶ παρ' ἡμῶν ἀκούοντες οἱ δαίμονες τὰς τοιαύτας φωνὰς ἀνα τρέπωνται διὰ τὸν Κύριον, τὸν ἐν ταύταις αὐτοῖς ἐπιτιμήσαντα. Οὐ δεῖ δὲ ἐπὶ τῷ δαίμονας ἐκβάλλειν καυχᾶ σθαι, οὐδ' ἐπὶ ταῖς θεραπείαις ἐπαίρεσθαι· οὐδὲ τὸν μὲν ἐκβάλλοντα δαιμόνια θαυμάζειν μόνον, τὸν δὲ μὴ ἐκβάλλοντα ἐξουθενεῖν· ἑκάστου δὲ τὴν ἄσκησιν καταμανθανέτω τις, καὶ ἢ μιμείσθω καὶ ζηλούτω, ἢ διορθούσθω. Τὸ γὰρ ποιεῖν σημεῖα οὐχ ἡμῶν· τοῦτο Σωτῆρος ἔργον ἐστί· τοῖς γοῦν μαθηταῖς ἔλεγε· Μὴ χαίρετε, ὅτι τὰ δαιμόνια ὑμῖν ὑπο τάσσεται· ἀλλ' ὅτι τὰ ὀνόματα ὑμῶν γέγραπται ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς. Τὸ μὲν γὰρ ἐν οὐρανῷ γεγράφθαι 26.900 τὰ ὀνόματα, μαρτύριόν

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