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

"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 wonders, the rest and the prosperity and the honor that came to him might cast him, being puffed up, into diabolical pride. The paralytic was also abandoned on account of sins, as Jesus says: "Behold, you are made whole, sin no more." Judas was also abandoned, preferring silver to the Word, for which reason he also hanged himself. Esau was also abandoned and fell into intemperance, preferring the dung of his bowels to a paternal blessing. 47.17 So that Paul, being aware of all these things, said concerning some: "For because they did not think fit to have God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not fitting;" and concerning certain others who seem to have knowledge of God with a corrupt mind: "For because, knowing God, they did not glorify Him as God or give thanks, God gave them over to dishonorable passions;" so that from this we know that it is impossible for anyone to fall into licentiousness without being abandoned by the providence of God." 48 .tConcerning Elpidius 48.1 In the caves near Jericho of the Amorites, which they had long ago hewn out while fleeing from Joshua the son of Nun who was at that time sacking the foreigners, into the mountain of Douka, a certain Elpidius of Cappadocia, later deemed worthy of the presbyterate, who belonged to the monastery of Timothy the Cappadocian, a country-bishop, a most capable man, came and dwelt in one of the caves; who showed such continence in his ascetic practice as to surpass all. 48.2 For living for twenty-five years he partook only on Sundays and the Sabbath, standing and chanting the psalms during the nights. With him, as with a king bee in the midst, dwelt the multitude of the brotherhood, and I also dwelt with him, and thus he populated the mountain; and it was possible there to see different ways of life. This Elpidius, while he was once chanting psalms at night and we were chanting with him, a scorpion struck; who, treading on it, did not even move from the posture of his position, disregarding the pain from the scorpion. 48.3 When a certain brother on one of the days was holding a piece of a vine-branch, he took it while sitting beside the bank of the mountain and stuck it in the ground as if planting it, although it was not the season; which grew to such an extent and became a vine as to cover the church. With him also ended his life a certain Aenesius, a notable man, and Eustathius his brother. And he reached such a degree of passionlessness, his body being so emaciated, that the sun shone through his bones. 48.4 A story is told by his zealous disciples that he never turned towards the west, because the mountain rose to a height over the door of the cave; nor did he ever see the sun after the sixth hour, when it was over the peak and declining towards the west, nor the stars rising in the west, for twenty-five years; who, from the time he entered the cave, did not come down from the mountain until he was buried. 49 .tConcerning Sisinnius 49.1 [A disciple of this Elpidius was Sisinnius by name, coming from a servile condition but free according to the faith, a Cappadocian by race; for it is necessary to point these things out for the glory of Christ who ennobles us, and leads us to true nobility. This man, having spent a sixth or seventh year with Elpidius, later shut himself up in a tomb and for three years continued in prayers in the tomb, neither by night nor by day sitting down, nor lying down, nor walking outside. This man was deemed worthy of the gift against demons. 49.2 But now, having returned to his own country, he was deemed worthy of the presbyterate, gathering a brotherhood of both men and women, through his venerable way of life having driven out the male element of his own desire and muzzled the female element of the women with continence, so that what is written was fulfilled: "In Christ Jesus there is neither male nor female." He is also hospitable, although possessing nothing, as a rebuke to the ungenerous rich.] 50 .tConcerning Gaddanas 50.1 I knew a certain Palestinian elder named Gaddanas, who lived a homeless life in the regions around the Jordan. Upon him once some Jews, out of zeal, having attacked him in the regions around the Dead Sea, a sword

"Ἐδόθη μοι σκόλοψ τῇ σαρκὶ ἄγγελος σατᾶν, ἵνα με κολαφίζῃ, ἵνα μὴ ὑπεραίρωμαι"· 47.16 μήποτε μετὰ τῶν θαυμάτων καὶ ἡ ἄνεσις καὶ ἡ εὐθηνία καὶ ἡ τιμὴ αὐτῷ προσγενομένη εἰς τῦφον αὐτὸν ἐμβάλλῃ διαβολικὸν χαυνω θέντα. Ἐγκατελείφθη καὶ ὁ παραλυτικὸς δι' ἁμαρτίας, ὡς λέγει ὁ Ἰησοῦς· "Ἴδε, ὑγιὴς γέγονας, μηκέτι ἁμάρτανε". Ἐγκατελείφθη καὶ ὁ Ἰούδας προτιμήσας λόγου ἀργύριον, διὸ καὶ ἀπήγξατο. Ἐγκατελείφθη καὶ ὁ Ἠσαῦ καὶ περιέπεσεν ἀκολασίᾳ, προτιμήσας κόπρον ἐντέρων εὐλογίας πατρικῆς. 47.17 Ὡς ταῦτα πάντα συναισθανόμενον τὸν Παῦλον εἰπεῖν περί τινων μέν· "Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ οὐκ ἐδοκίμασαν τὸν θεὸν ἔχειν ἐν ἐπιγνώσει, παρέδωκεν αὐτοὺς ὁ θεὸς εἰς ἀδόκιμον νοῦν, ποιεῖν τὰ μὴ καθήκοντα"· περὶ δὲ ἑτέρων τινῶν τῶν δοκούντων ἔχειν γνῶσιν θεοῦ μετὰ διεφθαρμένης γνώμης· "Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ γνόντες τὸν θεὸν οὐ ὡς θεὸν ἐδό ξασαν ἢ ηὐχαρίστησαν, παρέδωκεν αὐτοὺς ὁ θεὸς εἰς πάθη ἀτιμίας"· ὡς ἐκ τούτου γινώσκειν ἡμᾶς ὅτι ἀμήχανόν ἐστι πεσεῖν τινὰ εἰς ἀκολασίαν μὴ ἐγκαταλειφθέντα ὑπὸ τῆς προ νοίας τοῦ θεοῦ". 48 .tΠερὶ Ἐλπιδίου 48.1 Ἐν τοῖς κατὰ Ἱεριχὼ σπηλαίοις τῶν Ἀμορραίων, ἃ πάλαι λελαξεύκεισαν φεύγοντες Ἰησοῦν τὸν τοῦ Ναυῆ ἐκπορθοῦντα τὸ τηνικαῦτα τοὺς ἀλλοφύλους εἰς τὸ ὄρος τοῦ ∆ουκᾶ, Ἐλπίδιός τις Καππαδόκης ἐς ὕστερον πρε σβυτερίου ἠξιωμένος, τοῦ μοναστηρίου γενόμενος Τιμοθέου τοῦ Καππάδοκος χωρεπισκόπου, ἀνδρὸς ἱκανωτάτου, ἐλθὼν παρῴκησεν ἐν ἑνὶ τῶν σπηλαίων· ὃς τοσαύτην ἐγκράτειαν ἀσκήσεως ἐνεδείξατο ὡς καλύψαι σύμπαντας. 48.2 Ζήσας γὰρ εἰκοσιπέντε ἔτη τὰς κυριακὰς μετελάμβανε μόνον καὶ τὸ σάββατον, τὰς νύκτας ἑστὼς καὶ ψάλλων. Ὧι καθάπερ βασιλίσκῳ τῶν μελισσῶν ἐν μέσῳ συνῴκει τὸ πλῆθος τῆς ἀδελφότητος, κἀγὼ δὲ συνῴκησα αὐτῷ, καὶ οὕτω τὸ ὄρος ἐπόλισε· καὶ ἦν ἐκεῖ ἰδεῖν διαφόρους πολιτείας. Τοῦτόν ποτε τὸν Ἐλπίδιον ψάλλοντα ἐν νυκτὶ καὶ συμψαλλόντων ἡμῶν σκορπίος ἔπληξεν· ὃς πατήσας αὐτὸν οὐδὲ μετέστη τῆς τοῦ σχήματος στάσεως ἀλογήσας τῆς κατὰ τὸν σκορπίον ὀδύνης. 48.3 Ἀδελφοῦ δέ τινος κατέχοντος μιᾶς τῶν ἡμερῶν κλήμα τος κόμμα, λαβὼν ἐν τῷ καθῆσθαι παρὰ τὴν ὄχθαν τοῦ ὄρους ἔχωσεν ὡς φυτεύων, καίπερ ἐν οὐ καιρῷ· ὃ εἰς τοσοῦ τον ηὐξήθη καὶ γέγονεν ἄμπελος ὡς σκεπάζειν τὴν ἐκκλησίαν. Ὧι συνετελειώθη καὶ Αἰνέσιός τις ἀνὴρ ἀξιόλογος, καὶ Εὐστά θιος ὁ ἀδελφὸς αὐτοῦ. Ἐπὶ τοσοῦτον δὲ ἤλασεν ἀπαθείας ταριχευθεὶς τὸ σῶμα ὡς ἥλιον διαφαίνειν αὐτοῦ τῶν ὀστέων. 48.4 Φέρεται δὲ διήγημα παρὰ τῶν σπουδαίων αὐτοῦ μαθητῶν ὅτι ἐπὶ δύσιν οὐδέποτε ἐστράφη τῷ ἐπικεῖσθαι τὸ ὄρος εἰς ὕψος τῇ τοῦ σπηλαίου θύρᾳ· οὐδὲ τὸν ἥλιον μετὰ ἕκτην ὥραν ὑπὲρ κορυφῆς γενόμενον καὶ κατὰ δύσιν κλίνοντα εἶδέ ποτε, οὐδὲ τοὺς κατὰ δυσμὰς ἀνατέλλοντας ἀστέρας, ἐπὶ εἰκοσιπέντε ἔτη· ὃς ἀφ' οὗ εἰσῆλθεν εἰς τὸ σπήλαιον οὐ κατῆλθε τοῦ ὄρους μέχρις οὗ ἐτάφη. 49 .tΠερὶ Σισιννίου 49.1 [Τούτου τοῦ Ἐλπιδίου μαθητὴς γέγονε Σισίννιος ὀνόματι, ἐξ οἰκετικῆς μὲν ὁρμώμενος τύχης ἐλεύθερος δὲ κατὰ τὴν πίστιν, τῷ γένει Καππαδόκης· δεῖ γὰρ καὶ τάδε σημαίνειν πρὸς δόξαν τοῦ ἐξευγενίζοντος ἡμᾶς Χριστοῦ, καὶ εἰς τὴν ἀληθινὴν ἀπάγοντος ἡμᾶς εὐγένειαν. Οὗτος χρονίσας παρὰ τῷ Ἐλπιδίῳ ἕκτον ἢ ἕβδομον ἔτος ἐς ὕστερον μνήματι ἑαυτὸν καθεῖρξε καὶ ἐπὶ τρία ἔτη ἐν τῷ μνήματι ἐν προσ ευχαῖς διετέλει, μὴ νύκτωρ μὴ μεθ' ἡμέραν μὴ καθίσας, μὴ ἀναπεσών, μὴ βαδίσας ἔξω. Οὗτος κατηξιώθη χαρίσμα τος κατὰ δαιμόνων. 49.2 Νυνὶ δὲ ἐπανελθὼν ἐπὶ τὴν πατρί δα ἠξιώθη πρεσβυτερίου, συναγαγὼν ἀδελφότητα ἀνδρῶν τε καὶ γυναικῶν, διὰ τῆς σεμνῆς πολιτείας καὶ τὸ ἑαυτοῦ ἄρρεν τῆς ἐπιθυμίας ἐλάσας καὶ τὸ τῶν γυναικῶν θῆλυ τῇ ἐγκρα τείᾳ φιμώσας, ὡς πληροῦσθαι τὸ γεγραμμένον· "Ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ οὐκ ἔνι ἄρσεν καὶ θῆλυ". Ἔστι δὲ καὶ φιλόξενος καίπερ ὢν ἀκτήμων, εἰς ἔλεγχον τῶν ἀμεταδότων πλουσίων.] 50 .tΠερὶ Γαδδανᾶ 50.1 Ἔγνων γέροντα Παλαιστῖνόν τινα Γαδδανᾶν ὀνόματι, ὃς τὸν ἄστεγον ἔζησε βίον εἰς τοὺς περὶ τὸν Ἰορδάνην τό πους. Τούτῳ ποτὲ Ἰουδαῖοι κατὰ ζῆλον ἐπιθέμενοι ἐν τοῖς περὶ τὴν Νεκρὰν θάλασσαν τόποις ξίφος