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

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, as many as two thousand or more, and continent and notable women, are distinguished. Among whom Magna, a most venerable woman, prevails in piety, whom I do not know what to call, a virgin or a widow. For having been joined to a man by force by her own mother, having enticed and put him off, as many say, she has remained untouched. 67.2 When he died after a short time, she gave herself wholly to God, taking care of her own household in a venerable manner, living a most ascetic and temperate life, having such a character that even bishops revered her for her excessive piety. She, supplying the remaining and surplus necessities to hostels and to the poor and to bishops passing through, does not cease working in secret by herself and by most faithful servants, not even abandoning the church during the nights. 68 .tConcerning the merciful monk 68.1 Likewise in this city we have found a monk who, though choosing not to accept ordination to the presbyterate, had come from military service a short time before; who is in his twentieth year in the ascetic life, having this way of life: he stays with the bishop of the city, and is so philanthropic and merciful as to go about even at night and to pity those in need. 68.2 This man neglects neither prison nor hospital, neither poor nor rich, but helps all, to some giving words of compassion as to the compassionless, championing others, making peace for others, and to others providing bodily necessities and garments. And what usually happens in all large cities is also the case in this one; for in the portico of the church a multitude of sick people lying about beg for their daily food, some unmarried and some married. 68.3 It happened then one day in the middle of the night that a certain man's wife gave birth in the portico in winter. So when she cried out in her pain he heard, and leaving his customary prayers he went out and looked, and finding no one he himself took the place of a midwife, not abhorring the accompanying filth of women giving birth, his mercy having worked in him a lack of sensation. 68.4 The appearance of his clothes is not worth an obol, and his food is a match for his clothes; he does not have the patience to bend over a book, his philanthropy driving him from his readings. If one of the brothers gives him a book, he sells it immediately, saying this to those who mock him: "How can I persuade my teacher that I have learned his art, if I do not sell him himself for the accomplishment of the art?" 69 .tConcerning a virgin who fell and repented 69.1 A certain ascetic virgin, staying with two others, practiced asceticism for nine or ten years. This woman, having been enticed by a certain cantor, fell, and having conceived, she gave birth. And having come to an extreme hatred for the one who enticed her, she was pricked to the depth of her soul, and she drove herself to such repentance as to openly starve herself and kill herself with hunger. 69.2 And praying she besought God, saying: "O great God, who bears the evils of all creation and does not wish the death and destruction of those who sin; if you wish me to be saved, in this show me your wonders and take away the fruit of my sin which I have borne, so that I do not use a rope, or throw myself from a height." Praying these things she was heard; for the one who was born died not long after. 69.3 From that day, then, she no longer met with the one who had captured her, but giving herself over to the most extreme fasting, she served the sick and the maimed for thirty years, thus propitiating God so that it was revealed to one of the holy presbyters that "So-and-so pleased me more in her repentance than in her virginity." I write these things so that we may not despise those who genuinely repent. 70 .tConcerning a lector who was slandered 70.1 The daughter of a certain presbyter in Caesarea of Palestine, a virgin who had fallen, was taught by the one who had corrupted her

σπάσωσί τι τῶν πολιτικῶν θορύβων ἐκπίπτοντες τῆς προ θέσεως. 67 .tΠερὶ Μάγνασ 67.1 Ἐν ταύτῃ τῇ πόλει Ἀγκύρᾳ πολλαὶ μὲν καὶ ἄλλαι παρθένοι ὡς χιλιάδες δύο ἢ πλεῖον καὶ ἐγκρατευόμεναι καὶ ἐπίσημοι γυναῖκες διαπρέπουσιν. Ἐν αἷς ἐπικρατεῖ κατ' εὐλάβειαν Μάγνα σεμνοτάτη γυνή, ἣν οὐκ οἶδα τί ὀνομάσω, παρθένον ἢ χήραν. Βίᾳ γὰρ συναφθεῖσα παρὰ τῆς ἰδίας μη τρὸς ἀνδρί, δελεάσασα τοῦτον καὶ ὑπερθεμένη, ὥς φασιν οἱ πολλοί, μεμένηκεν ἄψαυστος. 67.2 Οὗ μετ' ὀλίγον τελευτή σαντος ὅλην ἑαυτὴν ἐπέδωκε τῷ θεῷ, φροντίζουσα σεμνῶς τῶν ἰδίων οἴκων, ζῶσα ἀσκητικώτατον βίον καὶ σώφρονα, τοιαύτην ἔχουσα τὴν συντυχίαν ὡς αἰδεῖσθαι αὐτὴν καὶ ἐπι σκόπους ὑπερβολῇ εὐλαβείας. Αὕτη τὰς λοιπὰς καὶ περιτ τευούσας χρείας ξενοδοχείοις καὶ πτωχοῖς καὶ διοδεύουσιν ἐπισκόποις χορηγοῦσα, οὐ παύεται ἐργαζομένη κατὰ τὸ λεληθὸς δι' ἑαυτῆς καὶ δι' οἰκετῶν πιστοτάτων μηδὲ ἀπο λιμπανομένη τῆς ἐκκλησίας ἐν ταῖς νυξίν. 68 .tΠερὶ τοῦ ἐλεήμονος μοναχοῦ 68.1 Ὁμοίως ἐν ταύτῃ τῇ πόλει εὑρήκαμεν μονάζοντα χειροτονίαν μὲν μὴ αἱρούμενον δέξασθαι πρεσβυτερίου, ἀπὸ στρατείας δὲ ἠγμένον ὀλίγου χρόνου· ὃς εἰκοστὸν ἄγει ἔτος ἐν τῇ ἀσκήσει ταύτην ἔχων τὴν πολιτείαν· παραμένει μὲν τῷ ἐπισκόπῳ τῆς πόλεως, τοσοῦτον δέ ἐστι φιλάνθρωπος καὶ ἐλεήμων ὡς καὶ τὰς νύκτας περιιέναι καὶ ἐλεεῖν τοὺς δεομέ νους. 68.2 Οὗτος οὐκ ἀμελεῖ οὐ φυλακῆς οὐ νοσοκομείου οὐ πτωχοῦ οὐ πλουσίου, ἀλλὰ πᾶσιν ἐπικουρεῖ, τοῖς μὲν λόγους εὐσπλαγχνίας διδοὺς ὡς ἀσπλάγχνοις, τῶν δὲ προιστάμενος, τοὺς δὲ εἰρηνεύων, τοῖς δὲ χρείας σωματικὰς καὶ ἱμάτια παρέχων. Ὃ φιλεῖ δὲ συμβαίνειν ἐν πάσαις ταῖς μεγάλαις πόλεσι ἔστι καὶ ἐν αὐτῇ· ἐν γὰρ τῇ στοᾷ τῆς ἐκκλησίας πλῆθος νοσούντων κατακείμενον ἐρανίζεται τὴν ἐφήμερον τροφήν, τῶν μὲν ἀγάμων τῶν δὲ γεγαμηκότων. 68.3 Συνέβη οὖν μιᾶς τῶν ἡμερῶν ἐν μέσῃ νυκτὶ τίκτειν ἑνὸς γυναῖκα ἐν τῇ στοᾷ ἐν χειμῶνι. Βοώσης οὖν αὐτῆς ἐν τῇ ὀδύνῃ ἐπήκουσε, καὶ καταλείψας τὰς συνήθεις αὐτοῦ προσευχὰς ἐξελθὼν ἐπεῖδε, καὶ μηδένα εὑρὼν αὐτὸς ἰατρίνης ἐπέσχε τόπον, οὐ βδελυξάμενος τὸ παρακολουθοῦν μῦσος ταῖς τικτού σαις, ἀναισθησίαν ἐν αὐτῷ τῆς ἐλεημοσύνης ἐργασαμένης. 68.4 Τούτου τὸ μὲν σχῆμα τῶν ἱματίων οὐκ ἔστιν ἄξιον ὀβολοῦ, τὸ δὲ βρῶμα ἀμφήριστον τῶν ἱματίων· πυκτίῳ ἐγκύψαι οὐ καρτερεῖ τῆς φιλανθρωπίας αὐτὸν ἐλαυνούσης τῶν ἀναγνωσ μάτων. Βιβλίον αὐτῷ ἐάν τις χαρίσηται τῶν ἀδελφῶν πα ραχρῆμα αὐτὸ πιπράσκει, τοῦτο ἐπιλέγων τοῖς ἐπισκώπτου σιν ὅτι "Πόθεν ἔχω πεῖσαι τὸν διδάσκαλόν μου ὅτι τὴν τέχνην αὐτοῦ μεμάθηκα, ἐὰν μὴ ἐκεῖνον αὐτὸν πωλήσω εἰς τὸ τῆς τέχνης κατόρθωμα;" 69 .tΠερὶ παρθένου ἐκπεσούσης καὶ μετανοησάσησ 69.1 Ἀσκήτριά τις παρθένος μένουσα σὺν ἄλλαις δύο ἠσκήθη ἐπὶ ἔτη ἐννέα ἢ δέκα. Αὕτη δελεασθεῖσα παρὰ ψάλτου τινὸς ἐξέπεσε, καὶ κατὰ γαστρὸς λαβοῦσα ἐγέν νησεν. Εἰς ἄκρον δὲ μῖσος ἐλάσασα τοῦ ταύτην δελεάσαντος κατενύγη τὴν ψυχὴν εἰς βάθος, καὶ εἰς τοσοῦτον ἤλασε μετανοίας ὡς ἄντικρυς ἀποκαρτερῆσαι καὶ λιμῷ ἑαυτὴν ἀποκτεῖναι. 69.2 Προσευχομένη δὲ ἐδέετο τοῦ θεοῦ λέ γουσα ὅτι "Ὁ θεὸς ὁ μέγας, ὁ βαστάζων τὰ κακὰ πάσης κτίσεως καὶ μὴ βουλόμενος τὸν θάνατον καὶ τὴν ἀπώλειαν τῶν πταιόντων· εἰ θέλεις με σωθῆναι, ἐν τούτῳ μοι δεῖξον τὰ θαυμάσιά σου καὶ συνάγαγε τὸν καρπὸν τῆς ἐμῆς ἁμαρτίας ὅνπερ γεγέννηκα, ἵνα μὴ ἢ σχοινίῳ χρήσωμαι, ἢ ἐμαυτὴν δισκεύσω". Ἐν τούτοις δεομένη εἰσηκούσθη· τὸ γὰρ τεχθὲν μετ' οὐ πολὺ ἐτελεύτησεν. 69.3 Ἀπὸ οὖν τῆς ἡμέρας ἐκείνης τῷ μὲν ταύτην αἰχμαλωτεύσαντι οὐκέτι συνέτυχεν, ἔκδοτον δὲ ἑαυτὴν εἰς ἀκροτάτην νηστείαν δοῦσα, νοσούσαις καὶ λελωβημέναις ἐξυπηρετήσατο ἐπὶ τριάκοντα ἔτη, οὕτως τὸν θεὸν δυσωπήσασα ὡς ἀποκαλυφθῆναί τινι τῶν ἁγίων πρεσβυτέρων ὅτι "Ἡ δεῖνά μοι εὐηρέστησε μᾶλλον ἐν τῇ μετανοίᾳ ἢ ἐν τῇ παρθενίᾳ". Ταῦτα δὲ γράφω ἵνα μὴ καταφρονῶμεν τῶν γνησίως μετανοούντων. 70 .tΠερὶ ἀναγνώστου συκοφαντηθέντοσ 70.1 Πρεσβυτέρου τινὸς θυγάτηρ ἐν Καισαρείᾳ τῆς Παλαιστίνης ἐκπεσοῦσα παρθένος παρὰ τοῦ ταύτην φθείραντος ἐδιδάχθη