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

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 the Lord for the discernment of spirits. So the monasteries in the mountains were like tents filled with divine choirs, singing psalms, loving learning, fasting, praying, rejoicing in the hope of things to come, and working to give alms, and having love and harmony toward one another. And it was truly possible to see, as it were, a country by itself, of piety and righteousness. For there was no one there who wronged or was wronged, nor the reproach of a tax-collector; but a multitude of ascetics, and the one mind of all was set on virtue; so that someone seeing the monasteries again, and such an order of monks, would cry out and say: How beautiful are your houses, O Jacob, your tents, O Israel! as shady glens, and as a garden by a river, and as tents which the Lord pitched, and as cedars beside the waters. He, however, usually withdrawing by himself in his own monastery, intensified his asceticism, and daily he would groan, thinking on the mansions in heaven, and having a longing for them, and contemplating the ephemeral life of men. For when he was about to eat and to sleep, and to come to the other necessities of the body, he was ashamed, considering the intellectual nature of the soul. Often, indeed, when about to eat with many other monks, remembering the spiritual food, he would refuse, and depart far from them, thinking he would blush if he were seen eating by others; he ate, however, by himself because of the body's need; and often also with the brothers; being ashamed indeed at these things, but speaking freely on words for their benefit. And he used to say that all leisure ought to be given to the soul rather than to the body, and to concede a little time to the body because of necessity, but for the whole to be at leisure for the soul rather, and to seek its benefit; so that it might not be dragged down by the pleasures of the body, but rather the body might be brought into subjection by it; for this was what was said by the Savior: Be not anxious for your soul, what you shall eat, nor for your body, what you shall put on. And you, seek not what you shall eat or what you shall drink, and be not of doubtful mind; for all these things the nations of the world seek after. But your Father knows that you have need of all these things. But seek first his kingdom, and all these things shall be added to you. After these things, the persecution which took place at that time under Maximinus overtook the Church; and when the holy martyrs were being led to Alexandria, he himself also followed, having left the monastery, saying: Let us also go, that we may contend when called, or that we may behold those who are contending. And he had a desire to bear witness; but not wishing to give himself up, he ministered to the confessors both in the mines and in the prisons. And great was his zeal in the court of justice, anointing for eagerness those who were called to contend, and receiving and escorting those who bore witness until they were perfected. The judge, therefore, seeing his fearlessness and that of those with him, and their zeal in this matter, ordered that none of the monks should appear in the court of justice, nor stay in the city at all. All the others, therefore, seemed to hide themselves that day; but Antony cared so little, that he even washed his outer garment the more, and on the next day stood in a high place before them, and appeared glorious to the governor. While all, therefore, were marveling at this, and the governor was watching and passing by with his retinue, he stood calmly, showing the ... of us Christians

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παρεκβαλεῖτο, καὶ ἄλλων ἡ οἴησις ἐπαύετο· πάντες τε ἐπείθοντο καταφρονεῖν τῆς δαιμονικῆς ἐπιβουλῆς, θαυμάζοντες τὴν δοθεῖσαν παρὰ τοῦ Κυρίου Ἀντωνίῳ χάριν εἰς τὴν διάκρισιν τῶν πνευμάτων. Ἦν οὖν ἐν τοῖς ὄρεσι τὰ μοναστή ρια ὡς σκηναὶ πεπληρωμέναι θείων χορῶν, ψαλλόν των, φιλολογούντων, νηστευόντων, εὐχομένων, ἀγαλ λιωμένων ἐπὶ τῇ τῶν μελλόντων ἐλπίδι, καὶ ἐργαζομένων εἰς τὸ ποιεῖν ἐλεημοσύνας, ἀγάπην τε καὶ συμφωνίαν ἐχόντων εἰς ἀλλήλους. Καὶ ἦν ἀληθῶς ἰδεῖν ὥσπερ χώραν τινὰ καθ' ἑαυτὴν οὖσαν θεοσε βείας καὶ δικαιοσύνης. Οὐκ ἦν γὰρ ἐκεῖ ὁ ἀδικῶν ἢ ὁ ἀδικούμενος, οὐδὲ μέμψις φορολόγου· ἀλλὰ πλῆθος μὲν ἀσκητῶν, ἓν δὲ τῶν πάντων εἰς ἀρετὴν τὸ φρό νημα· ὥστε ἰδόντα τινὰ πάλιν τὰ μοναστήρια, καὶ τὴν τοιαύτην τῶν μοναχῶν τάξιν, ἀναφωνῆσαι καὶ εἰπεῖν· Ὡς καλοί σου οἱ οἶκοι, Ἰακὼβ, αἱ σκηναί σου, Ἰσραήλ! ὡσεὶ νάπαι σκιάζουσαι, καὶ ὡσεὶ παράδεισος ἐπὶ ποταμὸν, καὶ ὡσεὶ σκηναὶ, ἃς ἔπηξεν ὁ Κύριος, καὶ ὡσεὶ κέδροι παρ' ὕδασιν. Αὐτὸς μέντοι συνήθως καθ' ἑαυτὸν ἀναχω ρῶν ἐν τῷ ἑαυτοῦ μοναστηρίῳ, ἐπέτεινε τὴν ἄσκη σιν, καθ' ἡμέραν τε ἐστέναζεν, ἐνθυμούμενος τὰς 26.909 ἐν οὐρανῷ μονὰς, τόν τε πόθον ἔχων εἰς αὐτὰς, καὶ σκοπῶν τὸν ἐφήμερον τῶν ἀνθρώπων βίον. Καὶ γὰρ μέλλων ἐσθίειν καὶ κοιμᾶσθαι, καὶ ἐπὶ ταῖς ἄλλαις ἀνάγκαις τοῦ σώματος ἔρχεσθαι, ᾐσχύνετο, τὸ τῆς ψυχῆς λογιζόμενος νοερόν. Πολλάκις γοῦν μετὰ πολ λῶν ἄλλων μοναχῶν μέλλων ἐσθίειν, ἀναμνησθεὶς τῆς πνευματικῆς τροφῆς, παρῃτήσατο, καὶ μακρὰν ἀπ' αὐτῶν ἀπῆλθε, νομίζων ἐρυθριᾷν, εἰ βλέποιτο παρ' ἑτέρων ἐσθίων· ἤσθιε μέντοι καθ' ἑαυτὸν διὰ τὴν τοῦ σώματος ἀνάγκην· πολλάκις δὲ καὶ μετὰ τῶν ἀδελφῶν· αἰδούμενος μὲν ἐπὶ τούτοις, παῤῥησια ζόμενος δὲ ἐπὶ τοῖς ὑπὲρ ὠφελείας λόγοις. Καὶ ἔλεγε χρῆναι τὴν πᾶσαν σχολὴν διδόναι τῇ ψυχῇ μᾶλλον ἢ τῷ σώματι, καὶ συγχωρεῖν μὲν διὰ τὴν ἀνάγκην ὀλί γον καιρὸν τῷ σώματι, τὸ δὲ ὅλον σχολάζειν τῇ ψυχῇ μᾶλλον, καὶ τὴν ταύτης ὠφέλειαν ζητεῖν· ἵνα μὴ αὕτη καθέλκηται ὑπὸ τῶν ἡδονῶν τοῦ σώματος, ἀλλὰ μᾶλλον τὸ σῶμα παρ' αὐτῆς δουλαγωγῆται· τοῦτο γὰρ εἶναι τὸ λεγόμενον παρὰ τοῦ Σωτῆρος· Μὴ με ριμνήσητε τῇ ψυχῇ ὑμῶν τί φάγητε, μηδὲ τῷ σώματι τί ἐνδύσησθε. Καὶ ὑμεῖς μὴ ζητεῖτε τί φάγητε ἢ τί πίητε, καὶ μὴ μετεωρίζεσθε· ταῦτα γὰρ πάντα τὰ ἔθνη τοῦ κόσμου ἐπιζητεῖ. Ὑμῶν δὲ ὁ Πατὴρ οἶδεν, ὅτι χρῄζετε τούτων ἁπάντων. Πλὴν ζητεῖτε πρῶτον τὴν βασιλείαν αὐτοῦ, καὶ ταῦτα πάντα προστεθήσεται ὑμῖν. Μετὰ ταῦτα κατέλαβε τὴν Ἐκκλησίαν ὁ κατὰ Μαξιμῖνον τὸ τηνικαῦτα γενόμενος διωγμός· καὶ τῶν ἁγίων μαρτύρων ἀγομένων εἰς τὴν Ἀλεξάνδρειαν, ἠκολούθησε καὶ αὐτὸς, ἀφεὶς τὸ μοναστήριον, λέγων· Ἀπέλθωμεν καὶ ἡμεῖς, ἵνα ἀγωνιζώμεθα κληθέν τες, ἢ θεωρήσωμεν τοὺς ἀγωνιζομένους. Καὶ πό θον μὲν εἶχε μαρτυρῆσαι· παραδοῦναι δὲ μὴ θέλων ἑαυτὸν, ὑπηρέτει τοῖς ὁμολογηταῖς ἔν τε τοῖς μετάλ λοις καὶ ἐν ταῖς φυλακαῖς. Πολλή τε ἦν αὐτῷ σπουδὴ ἐν τῷ δικαστηρίῳ, ἀγωνιζομένους μὲν τοὺς καλουμέ νους ἐπαλείφειν εἰς προθυμίαν, μαρτυροῦντας δὲ αὐ τοὺς ἀπολαμβάνειν καὶ προπέμπειν ἕως τελειωθῶσιν. 26.912 Ὁ γοῦν δικαστὴς, βλέπων αὐτοῦ τε καὶ τῶν σὺν αὐ τῷ τὸ ἄφοβον, καὶ τὴν εἰς τοῦτο σπουδὴν, παρήγ γειλε μηδένα τῶν μοναχῶν ἐν τῷ δικαστηρίῳ φαίνε σθαι, μηδὲ ὅλως ἐν τῇ πόλει διατρίβειν. Οἱ μὲν οὖν ἄλλοι πάντες ἔδοξαν κρύπτεσθαι τὴν ἡμέραν ἐκείνην· ὁ δὲ Ἀντώνιος τοσοῦτον ἐφρόντισεν, ὥστε καὶ μᾶλλον πλῦναι τὸν ἐπενδύτην, καὶ τῇ ἑξῆς ἔμπροσθεν ἐφ' ὑψηλοῦ στῆναι, καὶ φαίνεσθαι τῷ ἡγεμόνι λαμπρόν. Πάντων οὖν ἐπὶ τούτῳ θαυμαζόντων, καὶ τοῦ ἡγεμό νος ὁρῶντος, καὶ μετὰ τῆς τάξεως αὐτοῦ διαβαίνον τος, αὐτὸς ἀτρέμας εἱστήκει, δεικνὺς ἡμῶν τῶν Χρι στιανῶν τὴν

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