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

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, being confident, brought the matter to the bishop. The bishop convened the clergy and had the lector summoned. The case was investigated; being questioned by the bishop, the lector would not confess; for how could what had not happened be spoken of? 70.2 The indignant bishop said to him sternly: "Do you not confess, you miserable and wretched man, full of impurity?" The lector answered: "I have spoken the truth, that I have no part in the matter; for I am innocent even of the thought concerning her. But if you wish to hear what is not true, I have done it." When he had said this, he deposed the lector. Then approaching, he entreated the bishop and said to him: "Therefore, since I have sinned, command that she be given to me as a wife; for I am no longer a cleric, nor is she a virgin." 70.3 So he gave her over to the lector, expecting the young man to be disposed toward her and to be otherwise unable to cut off his association with her. So the young man, having taken her from the bishop and from her father, entrusts her to a monastery of women and begs the deaconess of the sisterhood there to take care of her until her childbirth. So within a short time the days for her to give birth were fulfilled; the critical hour was at hand, groans, birth-pangs, labors, visions of underworld beings; and the baby would not come out. 70.4 The first day passed, the second, the third, the seventh; the woman, from the pain conversing with Hades, did not eat, did not drink, did not sleep, but cried out, saying: "Woe to me, wretched one, I am in peril for having slandered this lector." Going out, they told her father. The father, fearing to be condemned as a slanderer, kept quiet for another two days. The girl neither died nor gave birth. So when the ascetic women could not bear her cries, they ran and reported to the bishop that "So-and-so has been confessing for days, crying out that she slandered the lector." Then he sends deacons to him and makes it known to him: "Pray that she who slandered you may give birth." 70.5 But he gave them no answer, nor did he open his door from the day he had entered, praying to God. Again the father goes to the bishop; a prayer is made in the church; and not even so did she give birth. Then the bishop rose and went to the lector, and knocking on the door, he entered to him and says to him: "Eustathius, arise, loose what you have bound." And immediately when the lector knelt with the bishop, the woman gave birth. And his supplication and perseverance in prayer were powerful enough both to expose the slander and to discipline the slanderer; so that we may learn to persevere in prayers and to know their power. 71 .tOn the brother who was with him 71.1 Now, having said a few things about the brother who has been with me from youth until this day, I will end my discourse. I have known him over a long time not to have eaten with passion, nor to have fasted with passion; having conquered, as I believe, the passion for money, and for the most part, vainglory; being content with what was at hand, not adorning himself with clothes, giving thanks when despised, risking everything for genuine friends, having had experience of demons a thousand times and more; so that on one of the days a demon made an agreement with him and said: "Agree with me to sin even once, and whichever woman in the world you tell me, I will bring her to you." 71.2 And again at another time, having wrestled with him for fourteen nights, as he related to me, and pulling him by the foot in the night, it spoke to him with a voice, saying: "Do not worship Christ, and I will not come near you"; but he answered and said: "For this very reason I worship him, and I will glorify and worship him infinitely more, since you are utterly displeased by this." Having trodden a hundred and six cities, and having spent time in most of them, by the mercy of God he had no experience of a woman, not even in a dream, except for the spiritual warfare. 71.3 Thirdly, I knew him to have received needed food from an angel. One of the days, in the remotest desert and not having even a crumb, he found three

ἀναγνώστην τινὰ τῆς πόλεως συκοφαν-τῆσαι. Καὶ γενονυίας ἤδη ἐγκύου, ἐξεταζομένη παρὰ τοῦ πατρὸς κατεῖπε τοῦ ἀναγνώστου. Ὁ δὲ πρεσβύτερος θαρσῶν ἀνήνεγκε τῷ ἐπισκόπῳ. Ὁ δὲ ἐπίσκοπος συνεκρότησε τὸ ἱερατεῖον καὶ ἐποίησε κληθῆναι τὸν ἀναγνώστην. Ἐβασανίζετο ἡ ὑπόθεσις· ἐρωτώμενος παρὰ τοῦ ἐπισκόπου ὁ ἀναγνώστης οὐχ ὡμολόγει· τὸ γὰρ μὴ γενόμενον πῶς καὶ ἐνῆν ῥηθῆναι; 70.2 Ἀγανακτῶν ὁ ἐπίσκοπος ἐμβριθῶς ἔλεγε αὐτῷ· "Οὐχ ὁμολογεῖς, ἄθλιε καὶ ταλαίπωρε, καὶ ἀκαθαρσίας μεστέ;" Ἀπεκρίνατο ὁ ἀναγνώστης· "Ἐγὼ τὸ ὂν εἶπον, ὅτι οὐκ ἔχω πρᾶγμα· ἀναίτιος γάρ εἰμι καὶ τῆς ἐννοίας τῆς πρὸς ἐκείνην. Εἰ δὲ θέλεις τὸ μὴ ὂν ἀκοῦσαι, πέπραχα". Τοῦτο αὐτοῦ εἰρηκότος καθεῖλε τὸν ἀναγνώστην. Τότε προσελθὼν παρακαλεῖ τὸν ἐπίσκοπον καὶ λέγει αὐτῷ· "Οὐκοῦν ἐπειδὴ ἔπταισα κέλευσόν μοι αὐτὴν εἰς γυναῖκα δοθῆναι· οὔτε γὰρ ἐγὼ κληρικὸς λοιπὸν οὔτε ἐκείνη παρθένος". 70.3 Ἔκδοτον οὖν αὐτὴν δέδωκε τῷ ἀναγνώστῃ, προσδοκήσας διακεῖσθαι τὸν νεώτερον περὶ αὐτὴν καὶ ἄλλως μὴ δύνασθαι ἀποκοπῆναι τὴν πρὸς αὐτὴν συνήθειαν. Λαβὼν οὖν αὐτὴν ὁ νεώτερος καὶ παρὰ τοῦ ἐπισκόπου καὶ παρὰ τοῦ πατρός, παρατίθεται μοναστηρίῳ γυναικῶν καὶ παρακαλεῖ τὴν αὐτόθι διάκονον τῆς ἀδελφότητος μέχρι τοῦ τοκετοῦ αὐτῆς ἀνέ χεσθαι. Ἐντὸς οὖν ὀλίγου χρόνου ἐπληρώθησαν αἱ ἡμέραι τοῦ τεκεῖν· παρέστη ἡ κρισίμη ὥρα, στεναγμοί, ὠδῖνες, πόνοι, καταχθονίων ὁράσεις· καὶ τὸ βρέφος οὐκ ἐξήρχετο. 70.4 Παρῆλθεν ἡ πρώτη ἡμέρα, ἡ δευτέρα, ἡ τρίτη, ἡ ἑβδόμη· ἡ γυνὴ ἀπὸ τῆς ὀδύνης τῷ ᾅδῃ προσομιλοῦσα οὐκ ἔφαγεν, οὐκ ἔπιεν, οὐκ ἐκαθεύδησεν, ἀλλ' ἐβόα λέγουσα· "Οἴμοι τῇ ἀθλίᾳ, κινδυνεύω συκοφαντήσασα τόνδε τὸν ἀναγνώστην". Ἀπελθοῦσαι λέγουσι τῷ πατρί. Ὁ πατὴρ φοβούμενος τὸ καταγνωσθῆναι ὡς συκοφαντήσας, ἡσυχάζει ἄλλας δύο ἡμέρας. Ἡ κόρη οὔτε ἐτελεύτα οὔτε ἐγέννα. Ὡς οὖν τὰς βοὰς αὐτῆς οὐκ ἔφερον αἱ ἀσκήτριαι δραμοῦσαι ἀπήγγειλαν τῷ ἐπισκόπῳ ὅτι "Ἐξομολογεῖται βοῶσα ἡ δεῖνα ἀπὸ ἡμερῶν ὅτι ἐσυκοφάντησε τὸν ἀναγνώστην". Τότε πέμπει πρὸς αὐτὸν διακόνους καὶ δηλοῖ αὐτῷ· "Εὖξαι ἵνα γεννήσῃ ἡ συκοφαντήσασά σε". 70.5 Αὐτὸς δὲ οὐκ ἔδωκεν αὐτοῖς ἀπόκρισιν οὔτε ἤνοιξε τὴν ἑαυτοῦ θύραν ἀφ' ἧς ἡμέρας εἰσῆλθε δεόμενος τοῦ θεοῦ. Ἀπέρχεται πάλιν ὁ πατὴρ πρὸς τὸν ἐπίσκοπον· γίνεται εὐχὴ ἐν τῇ ἐκκλησίᾳ· καὶ οὐδὲ οὕτως ἐγέννησε. Τότε ἀναστὰς ὁ ἐπίσκοπος ἀπῆλθε πρὸς τὸν ἀναγνώστην, καὶ πλήξας τὴν θύραν εἰσῆλθεν πρὸς αὐτὸν καὶ λέγει αὐτῷ· "Εὐστάθιε, ἀνάστα, λῦσον ὃ ἔδησας". Παραχρῆμα δὲ τοῦ ἀναγνώστου κλίναντος γόνυ σὺν τῷ ἐπισκόπῳ ἐγέννησεν ἡ γυνή. Ἴσχυσε δὲ ἡ τούτου δέησις καὶ ἡ παραμονὴ τῆς προσευχῆς ἀναδεῖξαι καὶ τὴν συκοφαντίαν καὶ παιδεῦσαι καὶ τὴν συκοφαντήσασαν· ἵνα μάθωμεν προσκαρτερεῖν ταῖς προσευχαῖς καὶ εἰδέναι αὐτῶν τὴν δύναμιν. 71 .tΠερὶ τοῦ συνόντος αὐτῷ ἀδελφοῦ 71.1 Ὀλίγα τοίνυν περὶ τοῦ συνόντος μοι ἀπὸ νεότητος ἀδελφοῦ ἕως τῆς σήμερον εἰρηκὼς καταπαύσω τὸν λόγον. Τοῦτον ἔγνων ἐγὼ ἐν μακρῷ χρόνῳ μὴ πάθει φαγόντα, μὴ πάθει νηστεύσαντα· νικήσαντα ὡς νομίζω πάθος χρημάτων, τὸ πλεῖστον κενοδοξίας· ἀρκούμενον τοῖς παροῦσι, μὴ καλλωπιζόμενον ἱματίοις, καταφρονούμενον εὐχαριστεῖν, ὑπερκινδυνεύοντα γνησίων φίλων, πεῖραν λαβόντα δαιμόνων χιλιάκις καὶ ἐπάνω· ὡς καὶ μιᾶς τῶν ἡμερῶν δαίμονα αὐτῷ συνθέσθαι καὶ εἰπεῖν· "Σύνθου μοι ἁμαρτῆσαι κἂν ἅπαξ, καὶ ἣν ἂν εἰπῇς μοι ἐν τῷ βίῳ ταύτην σοι ἄγω". 71.2 Καὶ πάλιν ἄλλοτε πυκτεύσας αὐτῷ ἐπὶ δεκατέσσαρας νύκτας, καθώς μοι διηγεῖτο, καὶ σύρας ἐκ ποδὸς ἐν νυκτὶ φωνῇ προσωμίλει λέγων· "Μὴ προσκύνει τὸν Χριστὸν καὶ οὐ μή σου ἐγγίσω"· τὸν δὲ ἀποκριθέντα εἰπεῖν· "∆ιὰ τοῦτο αὐτὸν προσκυνῶ καὶ ἀπειροπλασίονα δοξάσω καὶ προσκυνήσω, ἐπειδὴ ὅλως ἀηδίζῃ ἐν τούτῳ". Ἑκατὸν ἓξ πόλεις πατήσας, ἐν ταῖς πλείσταις δὲ καὶ χρονίσας, γυναικὸς ἐλέει θεοῦ πεῖραν οὐκ ἔσχεν, οὐδὲ κατ' ὄναρ, πλὴν τοῦ πολέμου. 71.3 Τρίτον αὐτὸν ἔγνων χρείαν βρώματος παρ' ἀγγέλου λαβόντα. Μιᾶς τῶν ἡμερῶν ἐν ἀκροτάτῃ ἐρήμῳ καὶ μηδὲ ψῖχα ἔχων, τρεῖς εὗρεν