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

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 down from the rock, I will not eat nor drink until I die, unless you cast out the spirit from the man and set the man free." 22.13 But before the words of his mouth were finished, the demon cried out, saying: "Oh violence, I am driven out; the simplicity of Paul drives me out, and where shall I go?" And immediately the spirit went out and was changed into a great dragon of seventy cubits, dragging itself to the Red Sea, so that the saying might be fulfilled: "A righteous man will declare his demonstrated faith." This is the miracle of Paul who was called "the Simple" by the entire brotherhood. 23 .tAbout Pachon 23.1 A certain Pachon by name, having reached about his seventieth year, was dwelling in Scetis. It happened that I, being troubled by desire for a woman, was distressed both by my thoughts and by nocturnal fantasies; and having come close to leaving the desert, driven by this passion, I did not confide the matter to my neighbors, nor to my teacher Evagrius; but having secretly gone aside into the deep desert, I met for fifteen days with the fathers who had grown old in the desert at Scetis; 23.2 among whom I also met Pachon. Finding him, therefore, more sincere and more ascetic, I dared to confide in him the things of my mind. And he says to me: "Do not be surprised by this matter; for you are not suffering this from laziness; for both the place testifies for you, both because of the lack of necessities and because there are no encounters with women; but rather from zeal. For the war of fornication is threefold. For sometimes the flesh attacks us when it is robust; sometimes the passions through thoughts; and sometimes the demon himself through malice. For I have observed much and found this. 23.3 Behold, as you see me, an old man; it is my fortieth year in this cell, caring for my own salvation; and being of this age I am tempted to this day." And as he swore, "For twelve years after my fiftieth year, he gave me no quarter, night or day, attacking me. Supposing, therefore, that God had abandoned me, and for this reason I was being overcome, I chose to die senselessly rather than to be disgraced by a passion of the body. And going out and wandering the desert, I found a hyena's cave; into which cave I placed myself naked during the day, so that the beasts, coming out, might devour me. 23.4 When, therefore, evening came, according to what is written, "You appointed darkness, and it became night; in it all the beasts of the forest will prowl," the beasts came out, both the male and the female, and they sniffed me from head to toe, licking me all over; and when I expected to be eaten, they withdrew from me. Having fallen then throughout the whole night I was not eaten; but reasoning that God had spared me, I returned again to the cell. The demon, therefore, having persevered for a few days, again attacked me more violently than the first time, so that I almost blasphemed. 23.5 Having transformed himself, therefore, into an Ethiopian girl, whom I had once seen in my youth harvesting reeds in the summer, he sat upon my knees, and he moved me to such an extent that I thought I had intercourse with her. Enraged, therefore, I gave her a blow and she disappeared. For two years, therefore, I could not bear the stench of my hand. Losing heart, therefore, and despairing, I went out into the deep desert wandering; and finding a small asp and taking it, I brought it to my reproductive organs, so that at least being bitten in this way I might die. And having rubbed the head of the beast against my organs, as being the cause of my temptation, I was not bitten. 23.6 I heard, therefore, a voice come into my mind, saying, "Go, Pachon, and struggle; for it was for this reason that I allowed you to be overcome, so that you would not become proud, as if you were able, but recognizing your weakness, you might not trust in your own way of life, but run to the help of God." Having been thus fully assured, I returned, and sitting down with courage and no longer caring for the war, I was at peace for the remaining days. But he who knew my

Καὶ στὰς κατὰ πέτρας ἐν τῷ ὄρει προσεύχεται καὶ λέγει οὕτως· "Σὺ βλέπεις, Ἰησοῦ Χριστέ, ὁ σταυρωθεὶς ἐπὶ Ποντίου Πιλάτου, ὅτι οὐ μὴ κατέλθω ἀπὸ τῆς πέτρας, οὐ φάγω οὐ πίω ἕως οὗ ἀποθάνω, ἐὰν μὴ ἐκβάλῃς τὸ πνεῦμα ἀπὸ τοῦ ἀνθρώπου καὶ ἐλευθερώσῃς τὸν ἄνθρωπον". 22.13 Πρὸ τοῦ δὲ τελεσθῆναι τοὺς λόγους τοῦ στόματος αὐτοῦ ἀνέ κραξεν ὁ δαίμων λέγων· "Ὦ βία, ἐλαύνομαι· ἡ ἁπλότης με τοῦ Παύλου ἐλαύνει, καὶ ποῦ ἀπέλθω;" Καὶ παρα χρῆμα ἐξῆλθε τὸ πνεῦμα καὶ εἰς δράκοντα μέγαν ἑβδομή κοντα πήχεων μετεβλήθη συρόμενος ἐπὶ τὴν θάλασσαν τὴν ἐρυθράν, ἵνα πληρωθῇ τὸ ῥηθέν· "Ἐπιδεικνυμένην πίστιν ἀπαγγελεῖ δίκαιος". Τοῦτό ἐστι τὸ θαῦμα Παύλου ὃς ἐπεκλήθη ἁπλοῦς παρὰ πάσης τῆς ἀδελφότητος. 23 .tΠερὶ Πάχωνοσ 23.1 Πάχων τις ὀνόματι ἀμφὶ τὸ ἑβδομηκοστὸν ἔτος ἐλάσας ἐκάθητο ἐν τῇ Σκήτει. Συνέβη δὲ ὀχληθέντα με ἐπιθυμίᾳ γυναικικῇ δυσφορεῖν καὶ πρὸς τοὺς λογισμοὺς καὶ πρὸς τὰς φαντασίας τὰς νυκτερινάς· καὶ ἐγγὺς γενόμενος τοῦ ἐξελθεῖν τῆς ἐρήμου, ἐλαύνοντός με τοῦ πάθους, τοῖς μὲν γείτοσι τοῖς ἐμοῖς οὐκ ἀνεθέμην τὸ πρᾶγμα, οὔτε τῷ διδασκάλῳ μου Εὐαγρίῳ· λεληθότως δὲ παραβαλὼν εἰς τὴν πανέρημον, συνετύγχανον ἐπὶ ἡμέρας δεκαπέντε τοῖς κατὰ τὴν Σκῆτιν γηράσασι πατράσιν ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ· 23.2 ἐν οἷς περιέτυχον καὶ τῷ Πάχωνι. Εὑρὼν οὖν αὐτὸν ἀκεραιότε ρον καὶ ἀσκητικώτερον, ἐθάρρησα ἀναθέσθαι μου αὐτῷ τὰ τῆς διανοίας. Καὶ λέγει μοι οὗτος· "Μὴ ξενίσῃ σε τὸ πρᾶγμα· οὐ γὰρ αὐτὸ πάσχεις ἀπὸ ῥᾳθυμίας· μαρτυρεῖ γάρ σοι καὶ ὁ τόπος καὶ διὰ τὴν σπάνιν τῶν χρειῶν καὶ διὰ τὸ μὴ εἶναι συντυχίας θηλειῶν· ἀλλὰ μᾶλλον ἀπὸ σπουδῆς. Τριπλοῦς γάρ ἐστιν ὁ πόλεμος ὁ πορνικός. Ποτὲ μὲν γὰρ ἡ σὰρξ ἡμῖν ἐπιτίθεται εὐρωστοῦσα· ποτὲ δὲ τὰ πάθη διὰ τῶν λογισμῶν· ποτὲ δὲ καὶ αὐτὸς ὁ δαίμων τῇ βασκανίᾳ. Ἐγὼ γὰρ πολλὰ παρατηρήσας εὕρηκα τοῦτο. 23.3 Ἰδοὺ ὡς ὁρᾷς με γέροντα ἄνθρωπον· τεσσαρακοστὸν ἔτος ἔχω ἐν ταύτῃ τῇ κέλλῃ φροντίζων τῆς ἐμαυτοῦ σωτηρίας· καὶ ταύτην ἄγων τὴν ἡλικίαν μέχρι τούτου πειράζομαι". Καὶ ὡς διώμνυτο ὅτι "Ἐπὶ δώδεκα ἔτη μετὰ τὸ πεντηκοστὸν ἔτος οὐ νύκτα μοι συνεχώρησεν, οὐχ ἡμέραν, ἐπιτιθέμενος. Ὑπονοήσας οὖν ὅτι ἀπέστη μου ὁ θεός, διὸ καὶ καταδυναστεύομαι, ᾑρε τισάμην ἀποθανεῖν ἀλόγως ἢ πάθει σώματος ἀσχημονῆσαι. Καὶ ἐξελθὼν καὶ περιελθὼν τὴν ἔρημον εὗρον σπήλαιον ὑαίνης· εἰς ὃ σπήλαιον ἔθηκα ἐμαυτὸν ἐν ἡμέρᾳ γυμνόν, ἵνα ἐξελθόντα φάγῃ με τὰ θηρία. 23.4 Ὡς οὖν ἐγένετο ἑσπέρα, κατὰ τὸ γεγραμμένον "Ἔθου σκότος καὶ ἐγένετο νύξ· ἐν αὐτῇ διελεύσονται πάντα τὰ θηρία τοῦ δρυμοῦ", ἐξελθόντες οἱ θῆρες, ὅ τε ἄρσην καὶ ἡ θήλεια, ὠσφράνθησάν μου ἀπὸ κεφαλῆς ἕως ποδῶν περιλείξαντες· καὶ ὡς προσε δόκων βρωθῆναι ἀνεχώρησαν ἀπ' ἐμοῦ. Πεσὼν οὖν διὰ πάσης νυκτὸς οὐκ ἐβρώθην· λογισάμενος δὲ ὅτι ἐφείσατό μου ὁ θεός, αὖθις ὑποστρέφω εἰς τὴν κέλλαν. Καρτερήσας οὖν ὁ δαίμων ἡμέρας ὀλίγας πάλιν ἐπέθετό μοι σφοδρότερον τοῦ πρώτου, ὡς παρὰ μικρόν με καὶ βλασφημῆσαι. 23.5 Με τασχηματισθεὶς οὖν εἰς αἰθιόπισσαν κόρην, ἣν ἑωράκειν ποτὲ ἐν νεότητί μου εἰς τὸ θέρος καλαμωμένην, ἐπικά θηταί μου τοῖς γόνασι, καὶ ἐπὶ τοσοῦτόν με κεκίνηκεν ὡς νομίσαι με συγγενέσθαι αὐτῇ. Ἀπομανεὶς οὖν ἔδωκα αὐτῇ κόσσον καὶ γέγονεν ἄφαντος. Ἐπὶ διετίαν οὖν τῆς δυσωδίας τῆς χειρός μου ἀνασχέσθαι οὐκ ἠδυνάμην. Μικροψυχήσας οὖν καὶ ἀπευδοκήσας ἐξῆλθον εἰς τὴν πανέρημον ἀλώμενος· καὶ εὑρὼν ἀσπίδα μικρὰν καὶ λαβὼν αὐτὴν προσφέρω τοῖς γεννητικοῖς μορίοις, ἵνα κἂν οὕτω δηχθεὶς ἀποθάνω. Καὶ προστρίψας τοῦ θηρίου τὴν κεφαλὴν τοῖς μορίοις, ὡς αἰτίοις μοι τοῦ πειρασμοῦ, οὐκ ἐδήχθην. 23.6 Ἤκουσα οὖν φωνῆς ἐλθούσης ἐν τῇ διανοίᾳ μου, ὅτι "Ἄπελθε, Πάχων, ἀγωνίζου· διὰ γὰρ τοῦτο ἀφῆκά σε καταδυναστευθῆναι, ἵνα μὴ μέγα φρονήσῃς ὡς δυνάμενος, ἀλλ' ἐπιγνούς σου τὴν ἀσθένειαν μὴ θαρρήσῃς τῇ σῇ πολιτείᾳ, ἀλλὰ προσδράμῃς τῇ τοῦ θεοῦ βοηθείᾳ". Οὕτω πληροφορηθεὶς ἀνέκαμψα, καὶ μετὰ θάρρους καθίσας καὶ μηκέτι φροντίσας τοῦ πολέμου εἰρή νευσα τὰς ἐπιλοίπους ἡμέρας. Ὁ δὲ γνούς μου τὴν κατα