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

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 was preserving him for our benefit and that of others, so that in the ascetic practice, which he himself had learned from the Scriptures, he might become a teacher to many. For indeed, just by seeing his way of life, many were eager to become imitators of his conduct. So again he ministered as usual to the confessors, and as one bound with them, he toiled in his services. But when at last the persecution ceased, and the blessed bishop Peter had been martyred, he departed, and again withdrew to his cell, and was there daily a martyr in his conscience, and contending in the contests of the faith. For indeed he used much and more intense asceticism; for he always fasted, and he had a garment of hair on the inside, and of skin on the outside, which he kept even until his death, neither washing his body with water on account of filth, nor washing his feet at all, nor even enduring to put them into water simply without necessity; but no one had seen him naked, nor did anyone ever see Antony's body naked, except when after his death he was being buried. So as he was withdrawing, and intending to spend some time so as neither to go forth himself nor to receive anyone, a certain Martinianus, a commander of soldiers, came and became a nuisance to Antony; for he had a daughter who was troubled by a demon; but as he continued for a long time knocking on the door and demanding that he come out and pray to God for the child; he did not consent to open, but peeping from above, he said: Man, why are you crying out at me? I am a man just as you are. If you believe in Christ, whom I serve, go, and as you believe pray to God, and it will be done. Immediately therefore, that man, having believed and called upon Christ, went away, with his daughter cleansed from the demon. And many other things the Lord did through him, who says: Ask, and it will be given to you. For very many of those who were suffering, since he would not open the door, only slept outside the cell, and believing and praying genuinely, were cleansed. But when he saw himself being troubled by many and not being permitted to withdraw according to his judgment, as he wished; being wary lest, from the things the Lord was doing through him, either he himself might be lifted up, or someone else might think of him as more than he was, he considered and was moved to go up to the upper Thebaid to those who did not know him. And so, having received loaves from the brethren, he sat by the banks of the river, watching to see if a boat might pass by, so that he might embark and go up with them. And as he was considering these things, a voice came to him from above: Antony, where are you going, and why? But he, not being troubled, but as being accustomed to be called thus often, listened and answered, saying: Since the crowds do not permit me to be at rest, for this reason I wish to go up to the upper Thebaid, because of the many annoyances that happen to me here, and especially because things are demanded of me by them that are beyond my power. And it said to him: Even if you go up to the Thebaid, or, as you are considering, go down to the Bucolia, you will have to endure more and double the labor. But if you truly wish to be at rest, go up now into the inner desert. But when Antony said: And who will show me the way? For I am inexperienced of it; immediately it showed him Saracens about to travel that way. Approaching therefore, and drawing near to them, Antony asked to go with them into the desert. And they, as if by a command of Providence, received him eagerly; and having journeyed three days and three nights with them, he came to a very high mountain; and there was water under the mountain, very clear, sweet, and very cold. And a plain outside,

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προθυμίαν· ηὔχετο γὰρ καὶ αὐτὸς μαρ τυρῆσαι, καθὰ προεῖπον. Αὐτὸς μὲν οὖν λυπουμένῳ ἐῴκει, ὅτι μὴ μεμαρτύρηκεν· ὁ δὲ Κύριος ἦν αὐτὸν φυλάττων εἰς τὴν ἡμῶν καὶ τὴν ἑτέρων ὠφέλειαν, ἵνα καὶ ἐν τῇ ἀσκήσει, ἣν ἐκ τῶν Γραφῶν αὐτὸς μεμά θηκε, πολλοῖς διδάσκαλος γένηται. Καὶ γὰρ καὶ μό νον βλέποντες αὐτοῦ τὴν ἀγωγὴν, πολλοὶ τῆς πολι τείας αὐτοῦ ἐσπουδάζοντο ζηλωταὶ γενέσθαι. Πάλιν οὖν ὑπηρέτει συνήθως τοῖς ὁμολογηταῖς, καὶ ὡς συνδεδεμένος αὐτοῖς, ἦν κοπιῶν ἐν ταῖς ὑπηρεσίαις. Ἐπειδὴ δὲ λοιπὸν ὁ διωγμὸς ἐπαύσατο, καὶ μεμαρτύρηκεν ὁ μακαρίτης ἐπίσκοπος Πέτρος, ἀπ εδήμησε, καὶ πάλιν εἰς τὸ μοναστήριον ἀνεχώρει, καὶ ἦν ἐκεῖ καθ' ἡμέραν μαρτυρῶν τῇ συνειδήσει, καὶ ἀγωνιζόμενος τοῖς τῆς πίστεως ἄθλοις. Καὶ γὰρ καὶ ἀσκήσει πολλῇ καὶ συντονωτέρᾳ ἐκέχρητο· ἐνήστευε γὰρ ἀεὶ, τὸ δὲ ἔνδυμα εἶχεν ἔνδον μὲν τρίχινον, ἐπάνω δὲ δερμάτινον, ὃ καὶ ἕως τελευτῆς τετήρηκε, μήτε σῶμα διὰ ῥύπον ὕδατι λούσας, μήθ' ὅλως τοὺς πόδας ἀπονίψας, ἢ κἂν ἁπλῶς εἰς ὕδωρ αὐτοὺς χωρὶς ἀνάγκης ἀνασχόμενος ἐμβαλεῖν· ἀλλ' οὐδὲ γυμνω θέντα τις αὐτὸν ἑώρακεν, οὐδὲ ὅλως τὸ σῶμά τις εἶ δε Ἀντωνίου γυμνὸν, εἰ μὴ ὅτε τελευτήσας ἐθάπτετο. Ἀναχωροῦντι τοίνυν αὐτῷ, καὶ προθεμένῳ ποιῆσαι χρόνον, ὥστε μήτε αὐτὸν προϊέναι, μήτε τι νὰ δέξασθαι, Μαρτινιανός τις ἄρχων στρατιω τῶν, ἐλθὼν, ἐγίνετο δι' ὄχλου τῷ Ἀντωνίῳ· εἶχε γὰρ 26.913 ὑπὸ δαίμονος ἐνοχλουμένην τὴν θυγατέρα· ὡς δὲ ἐπὶ πολὺ διέμενε κόπτων τὴν θύραν καὶ ἀξιῶν ἐλθεῖν αὐ τὸν, καὶ εὔξασθαι τῷ Θεῷ διὰ τὴν παῖδα· ἀνοῖξαι μὲν οὐκ ἠνέσχετο, παρακύψας δὲ ἄνωθεν, εἶπεν· Ἄνθρω πε, τί μου κατακράζεις; ἄνθρωπός εἰμι κἀγὼ ὥσπερ καὶ σύ. Εἰ δὲ πιστεύεις τῷ Χριστῷ, ᾧ λατρεύω, ὕπαγε, καὶ ὡς πιστεύεις εὖξαι τῷ Θεῷ, καὶ γίνεται. Εὐθὺς οὖν ἐκεῖνος πιστεύσας, καὶ ἐπικαλεσάμενος τὸν Χριστὸν, ἀπῆλθεν, ἔχων τὴν θυγατέρα καθαρι σθεῖσαν ἀπὸ τοῦ δαίμονος. Πολλὰ δὲ καὶ ἄλλα δι' αὐ τοῦ πεποίηκεν ὁ Κύριος, ὁ λέγων· Αἰτεῖτε, καὶ δο θήσεται ὑμῖν. Πλεῖστοι γὰρ τῶν πασχόντων, μὴ ἀνοίγοντος αὐτοῦ τὴν θύραν, μόνον ἐκάθευδον ἔξω τοῦ μοναστηρίου, καὶ πιστεύοντες καὶ εὐχόμενοι γνη σίως, ἐκαθαρίζοντο. Ὡς δὲ εἶδεν ἑαυτὸν ὀχλούμενον ὑπὸ πολλῶν καὶ μὴ ἀφιέμενον κατὰ γνώμην ἀναχωρεῖν, ὡς βού λεται· εὐλαβηθεὶς μὴ ἐξ ὧν ὁ Κύριος ποιεῖ δι' αὐτοῦ, ἢ αὐτὸς ἐπαρθῇ, ἢ ἄλλος τις ὑπὲρ ὅ ἐστι λογίσηται περὶ αὐτοῦ, ἐσκέψατο καὶ ὥρμησεν ἀνελθεῖν εἰς τὴν ἄνω Θηβαΐδα πρὸς τοὺς ἀγνοοῦντας αὐτόν. Καὶ δὴ παρὰ τῶν ἀδελφῶν δεξάμενος ἄρτους, ἐκάθητο παρὰ τὰς ὄχθας τοῦ ποταμοῦ, σκοπῶν εἰ ἄρα παρέλθοι πλοῖον, ἵνα ἐμβὰς ἀνέλθῃ μετ' αὐτῶν. Ταῦτα δὲ αὐ τοῦ σκεπτομένου, φωνή τις ἄνωθεν γέγονε πρὸς αὐ τόν· Ἀντώνιε, ποῦ πορεύῃ, καὶ διὰ τί; Ὁ δὲ μὴ ταραχθεὶς, ἀλλ' ὡς εἰωθὼς καλεῖσθαι πολλάκις οὕτως, ἐπακούσας, ἀπεκρίνατο, λέγων· Ἐπειδὴ οὐκ ἐπιτρέ πουσί μοι ἠρεμεῖν οἱ ὄχλοι, διὰ τοῦτο βούλομαι ἀνελ θεῖν εἰς τὴν ἄνω Θηβαΐδα, διὰ τὰς πολλὰς τῶν ὧδέ μοι γινομένας ἐνοχλήσεις, καὶ μάλιστα διὰ τὸ ἀπαιτεῖσθαί με παρ' αὐτῶν τὰ ὑπὲρ τὴν ἐμὴν δύνα μιν. Ἡ δὲ πρὸς αὐτὸν ἔφη· Κἂν εἰς τὴν Θηβαΐδα ἀνέλθῃς, κἂν, ὡς ἐνθυμῇ, κατέλθῃς εἰς τὰ βουκόλια, πλείω καὶ διπλασίονα τὸν κάματον ἔχεις ὑπομένειν. Εἰ δὲ θέλεις ὄντως ἠρεμεῖν, ἄνελθε νῦν εἰς τὴν ἐνδο 26.916 τέραν ἔρημον. Τοῦ δὲ Ἀντωνίου λέγοντος· Καὶ τίς δείξει μοι τὴν ὁδόν; ἄπειρος γάρ εἰμι ταύτης· εὐθὺς ἔδειξεν αὐτῷ Σαρακηνοὺς μέλλοντας ὁδεύειν τὴν ὁδὸν ἐκείνην. Προσελθὼν τοίνυν, καὶ ἐγγίσας αὐ τοῖς ὁ Ἀντώνιος, ἠξίου σὺν αὐτοῖς εἰς τὴν ἔρημον ἀπελθεῖν. Οἱ δὲ, ὥσπερ ἐξ ἐπιτάγματος τῆς Προνοίας, προθύμως αὐτὸν ἐδέξαντο· καὶ ὁδεύσας τρεῖς ἡμέ ρας καὶ τρεῖς νύκτας μετ' αὐτῶν, ἦλθεν εἰς ὄρος ὑψη λὸν λίαν· καὶ ὕδωρ μὲν ἦν ὑπὸ τὸ ὄρος διειδέστατον, γλυκὺ, καὶ μάλα ψυχρόν. Πεδιὰς δὲ ἔξωθεν,

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