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

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, burying those who were expiring, but nursing those who had hope of life, and simply provided lodging and service daily to all who flocked there because of the famine, out of what was supplied to him. 40.4 So when the year was completed and abundance succeeded it and all were going to their homes, having nothing more to do, he entered his own cell and died after a month, God having provided him this occasion as a kind of crown at the end of his life. He also left behind writings, most of which are worthy of study. 41 .tConcerning holy women 41.1 It is necessary to make mention also of courageous women in this book, to whom God granted rewards for their contests equal to those of men, so that they might not make the excuse that they were too weak for the achievement of virtue. So I have seen many, and I have met with many refined virgins and widows; 41.2 [among whom was Paula the Roman, the mother of Toxotius, a most refined woman in the spiritual way of life; an impediment to whom was a certain Jerome from Dalmatia; for though she was able to soar above all, being most gifted, he hindered her by his own jealousy, drawing her to his own purpose. Her daughter is Eustochium by name, who is now an ascetic in Bethlehem; whom I have not met, but she is said to be extremely temperate, having a company of fifty virgins. 41.3 I also knew Veneria, the wife of Count Vallovicus, who scattered well the camel's burden, and was freed from the wounds of matter; and Theodora, the wife of the tribune, who advanced to such a degree of poverty that she died in the monastery of Hesychas by the sea while receiving alms. I knew one named Hosia, in all things a most venerable woman; and her sister Adolia, who lived not as worthily as she, but worthily of her own capacity. 41.4 I also knew Basianilla, the wife of Candidianus the general, who practiced virtue eagerly and piously, and who still even now holds fast intensely to her struggles; and Photine, a most venerable virgin to the highest degree, the daughter of Theoctistus the presbyter from Laodicea. And I met in Antioch a most venerable woman who communed with God, the deaconess Sabiniana, aunt of John the bishop of Constantinople. And I saw in Rome the good virgin Asella, grown old in the monastery, a very gentle woman and tolerant of company. 41.5 Among whom I saw men and women who were new catechumens; I also saw Avita, worthy of God, with her husband Apronianus and their daughter Eunomia, pleasing God, so that they were openly transferred to the virtuous and temperate way of life, being deemed worthy in these things also of falling asleep in Christ, having been freed from all sin and having come to be within knowledge, leaving behind their life in good memory.] 42 .tConcerning Julian 42.1 [I have heard about a certain Julian in the region of the Edessenes, a most ascetic man; who, having wasted away his flesh to an extreme degree, carried around only bones and skin. This man, at the very end, was deemed worthy of the honor of the gift of healing.] 43 .tConcerning Adolius 43.1 I knew another man in Jerusalem named Adolius, a Tarsian by race, who, having arrived in Jerusalem, traveled a very untrodden road, not the one which many of us walked, but having carved out for himself a certain strange way of life; for he practiced asceticism beyond human measure, so that even the demons themselves, shuddering at his austerity, did not even dare to approach him. For through an excess of self-control and watchfulness, he was even supposed to be a phantom. 43.2 For during the forty days he ate every fifth day, but the rest of the time, every other day. But this was his great feat: from evening until the brotherhood gathered again in the oratories, on the Mount of Olives in the

ὑμᾶς χειροτονῶ ἐμαυτὸν ξενοδόχον." Καὶ λαβὼν ἀργύ ρια καὶ διαφράξας τοὺς ἐμβόλους καὶ στήσας κλίνας ὡς τριακοσίας ἐνοσοκόμει τοὺς λιμώττοντας, τοὺς μὲν ἐκλιμ πάνοντας θάπτων, τοὺς δὲ ἐλπίδα ἔχοντας ζωῆς νοσοκο μῶν, καὶ ἁπλῶς πᾶσι τοῖς ἐπιχωριάζουσι τοῦ λιμοῦ ἕνεκεν ξενοδοχίαν καὶ ὑπηρεσίαν καθ' ἡμέραν παρέχων ἐκ τῶν χορηγουμένων αὐτῷ. 40.4 Πληρωθέντος οὖν τοῦ ἐνιαυτοῦ καὶ διαδεξαμένης τῆς εὐθηνίας καὶ πάντων οἴκοι πορευο μένων, μηκέτι ἔχων ὃ πράξει εἰσῆλθεν εἰς τὴν ἑαυτοῦ κέλλαν καὶ ἐτελεύτησε μετὰ μῆνα, τοῦ θεοῦ παρασχόντος αὐτῷ τὴν ἀφορμὴν ταύτην στεφάνου τρόπον εἰς τὰ ἔσχατα αὐτοῦ. Κατέλιπε δὲ καὶ συντάγματα ὧν τὰ πλεῖστα σπουδῆς ἄξια. 41 .tΠερὶ γυναικῶν ἁγίων 41.1 Ἀναγκαῖον δέ ἐστι καὶ γυναικῶν ἀνδρείων μνη μονεῦσαι ἐν τῷ βιβλίῳ, αἷς καὶ ὁ θεὸς τὰ ἴσα τοῖς ἀνδράσι τῶν ἄθλων ἐχαρίσατο, ὑπὲρ τοῦ μὴ προφασίζεσθαι αὐτὰς ὡς ἀσθενεστέρας οὔσας πρὸς κατόρθωσιν τῆς ἀρετῆς. Πολλὰς μὲν οὖν ἑώρακα, καὶ πολλαῖς ἀστείαις συντετύχηκα παρθένοις τε καὶ χήραις· 41.2 [ἐν αἷς καὶ Παύλῃ τῇ Ῥωμαίᾳ τῇ μητρὶ Τοξοτίου, γυναικὶ εἰς τὴν πνευματικὴν πολιτείαν ἀστειοτάτῃ· ἧς ἐμπόδιον γέγονεν Ἱερώνυμός τις ἀπὸ ∆αλ ματίας· δυναμένην γὰρ αὐτὴν ὑπερπτῆναι πασῶν, εὐφυεστάτην οὖσαν, προσενεπόδισε τῇ ἑαυτοῦ βασκανίᾳ ἑλκύσας αὐτὴν πρὸς τὸν ἴδιον αὐτοῦ σκοπόν. Ἧς θυγάτηρ ἐστί, καὶ νῦν ἀσκεῖται, Εὐστόχιον ὀνόματι ἐν Βηθλεέμ· ἧς ἐγὼ ἐν συν τυχίᾳ οὐ γέγονα, λέγεται δὲ σφόδρα εἶναι σωφρονεστάτη, συνοδίαν ἔχουσα πεντήκοντα παρθένων. 41.3 Ἔγνων δὲ καὶ Βενερίαν τὴν Βαλλοβίκου τοῦ κό μητος, καλῶς διασκορπίσασαν τὸ τῆς καμήλου φορτίον, καὶ ἀπαλλαγεῖσαν τῶν ἐκ τῆς ὕλης τραυμάτων· καὶ Θεο δώραν τὴν τοῦ τριβούνου, τὴν ἐπὶ τοσοῦτον ἀκτημοσύνης ἐλάσασαν ὡς ἐλεημοσύνην λαβοῦσαν οὕτω τελευτῆσαι ἐν τῷ μοναστηρίῳ τοῦ Ἡσυχᾶ παρὰ θάλατταν. Ἔγνων Ὁσίανὀνόματι, τὰ ὅλα καὶ σεμνοτάτην γυναῖκα· καὶ τὴν ταύτης ἀδελφὴν Ἀδολίαν, οὐκ ἀξίως μὲν ταύτης, ἐπαξίως δὲ τῆς δυνάμεως ἑαυτῆς ζήσασαν. 41.4 Ἔγνων ἐγὼ καὶ Βασιανίλ 41.4 λαν, τὴν Κανδιδιανοῦ τοῦ στρατηλάτου, προθύμως καὶ εὐλα βῶς τὴν ἀρετὴν ἐξασκήσασαν, καὶ ἐχομένην εἰσέτι καὶ νῦν τῶν ἀγώνων σφοδρῶς· καὶ Φωτεινὴν παρθένον σεμνοτάτην εἰς ἄκρον, θυγατέρα Θεοκτίστου τοῦ πρεσβυτέρου τοῦ κατὰ Λαοδίκειαν. Συνέτυχον δὲ καὶ ἐν Ἀντιοχείᾳ σεμνοτάτῃ γυναικὶ καὶ τῷ θεῷ προσομιλούσῃ, τῇ διακονίσσῃ Σαβινιανῇ, θείᾳ Ἰωάννου τοῦ ἐπισκόπου Κωνσταντινουπόλεως. Εἶδον δὲ καὶ ἐν Ῥώμῃ τὴν καλὴν Ἀσέλλαν τὴν παρθένον γεγηρακυῖαν ἐν τῷ μοναστηρίῳ, σφόδρα πραϋτάτην γυναῖκα καὶ ἀνεχομένην συνοδίας. 41.5 Ἐν οἷς ἐθεασάμην ἄνδρας τε καὶ γυναῖκας νεοκατηχήτους· ἐθεασάμην καὶ Ἀβίταν τὴν τοῦ θεοῦ ἀξίαν σὺν τῷ ταύτης ἀνδρὶ Ἀπρονιανῷ καὶ τῇ τούτων θυγατρὶ Εὐνομίῃ, εὐαρεστοῦντας τῷ θεῷ, ὡς ἄντικρυς μετα τεθῆναι ἐπὶ τὴν ἐνάρετον καὶ ἐγκρατῆ πολιτείαν, καταξιω θέντες ἐν τούτοις καὶ τῆς ἐν Χριστῷ κοιμήσεως, ἐλευθερωθέν τες μὲν πάσης ἁμαρτίας ἐντὸς δὲ καὶ γνώσεως γενόμενοι, ἐν μνήμῃ ἀγαθῇ τὸν βίον ἑαυτῶν καταλείψαντες.] 42 .tΠερὶ Ἰουλιανοῦ 42.1 [Ἀκήκοα περὶ Ἰουλιανοῦ τινὸς ἐν τοῖς μέρεσι τῶν Ἐδεσηνῶν, ἀνδρὸς ἀσκητικωτάτου· ὃς καθ' ὑπερβολὴν κατα τήξας αὐτοῦ τὸ σαρκίον ὀστέα καὶ δέρμα περιέφερε μόνον. Οὗτος εἰς τὰ ἔσχατα τοῦ τέλους κατηξιώθη τιμῆς χαρίσμα τος ἰαμάτων.] 43 .tΠερὶ Ἀδολίου 43.1 Ἔγνων τινὰ πάλιν εἰς τὰ Ἱεροσόλυμα ὀνόματι Ἀδόλιον, Ταρσέα τῷ γένει, ὃς παραγενόμενος ἐν τοῖς Ἱεροσολύμοις λίαν τὴν ἄτριπτον ὥδευσεν ὁδόν, οὐχ ἣν οἱ πολλοὶ ἐβαδίσαμεν, ἀλλὰ ξένην τινὰ ἀνατεμὼν ἑαυτῷ πολιτείαν· ὑπὲρ ἄνθρωπον γὰρ ἤσκησεν, ὡς καὶ αὐτοὺς τοὺς δαίμονας φρίξαντας αὐτοῦ τὸ αὐστηρὸν μηδὲ τολμῆσαι αὐτῷ προσεγ γίσαι. ∆ι' ὑπερβολὴν γὰρ ἐγκρατείας καὶ ἀγρυπνίας ὑπε νοήθη καὶ φάσμα εἶναι. 43.2 Ἐν μὲν γὰρ τῇ τεσσαρακοστῇ ἤσθιε διὰ πέντε, τὸν δὲ ἄλλον ὅλον καιρὸν μίαν παρὰ μίαν. Τὸ δὲ μέγα αὐτοῦ τοῦτο ἦν· ἀφ' ἑσπέρας μέχρις ὅτε πάλιν ἡ ἀδελφότης συνήγετο εἰς τοὺς εὐκτηρίους οἴκους, ἐν τῷ Ἐλαιῶνι εἰς τὸν