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De Vitis Patrum - Book II . . .  . . . . . . . . . . .

By Rufinus of Aquileia

Prologue

Blessed be God who wills all men to be saved and come to a knowledge of the truth.
It is he who has guided our steps to Egypt, and showed us great wonders, to be
recorded for the benefit of posterity. In this history will be found salutary examples
and teachings most conducive to true devotion, which for anyone wishing to walk in
holiness will reveal clearly the pathways along which our forefathers in the faith have
walked.
We feel it is impossible to do justice to the tale of such great matters, nor does it
seem right that an important attempt to portray high virtue should be entrusted to the
halting narrative of authors as unskilled and unimportant as we are. Nevertheless the
brothers of the holy Mount Olivet have in their charity frequently begged us to write
about the way of life of the monks of Egypt and what we saw of their spiritual
strengths, their devout practices and their heroic abstinence. Believing that I have no
option but to be obedient to their prayers, I accede to their requests, not to seek
praise for my authorship, but in the hope that future readers will draw inspiration from
this narrative, and encouraged by the example of what others have done may
likewise feel invited to despise the corruption of the world and truly seek rest for their
souls by embracing a disciplined life.
Truly, I have seen with my own eyes the riches of Christ hidden in human vessels,
and having found this treasure I had no desire to keep it enviously to myself, but to
make my findings common knowledge for the benefit of all. I am sure that the more
people that are enriched by this the richer I shall be myself. How can I fail to be
enriched, for my reward shall have been the salvation of others because of my
ministry.
At the beginning of this narrative therefore let us pray that the grace of our Lord
Jesus Christ may be with us, upon whose power depends all the discipline of the
Egyptian monks. For we saw among them many fathers living the life of paradise
while still dwelling here on earth, a new race of prophets, seers as well as people
with great strength of soul. The efficacy of their signs and wonders bears witness to
their worth, and deservedly so. Indeed, why should not these men acquire heavenly
power, despising as they do the carnal values of the world? We found that many of
them were cleansed to such an extent from all malicious and cynical thoughts that it
was as if they no longer had any memory of the evil in the world. So great was their
tranquillity of mind, so completely had simple goodness grown into them, that it could
deservedly be said of them: Great is the peace of them who love thy name, O Lord.
(Ps. 119.165)
They dwell in separate cells scattered about the desert, but united together in charity.
Their houses are ordered in this way so that as they keep their minds set in peaceful
silence on heavenly things they may be disturbed by no human voice, no meetings,
no unlooked for conversations. Each one in his own place looks for the coming of
Christ like good sons of the Father, or like soldiers in camp getting ready for the
presence of the Emperor, or like faithful servants looking for the coming of their lord
to set them free and shower gifts upon them. They all take no thought for what they
shall eat or what they shall wear. They know that as it is written in Scripture after all
these things do the gentiles seek (Matthew 6.32). For they seek first the kingdom of
God and his righteousness and all these things are added unto them.
When any of the necessities of life were lacking, many of them would not seek
human help but would turn to God, making their requests known as to a father, and
their requests were granted there and then. So great was their faith that they could
move mountains. There were some who by their prayers turned back flooding from
the river which was endangering the neighbouring region. They departed on foot into
the depths of the river valley, they tamed many wild beasts, and did many others of
the great and powerful signs which the apostles and prophets did of old. It cannot be
doubted but that their merits maintain the stability of the world.
It was wonderful to behold, that all those excellent gifts which are usually so rare and
difficult to obtain flourished among them not only in great numbers but also in
exceptional power. Some of them live in towns, some in the country, the best of them
scattered through the desert, like a heavenly army living in tents ready for battle,
always intent upon obedience to the commands of the king, fighting with the
weapons of prayer, protected by the shield of faith from the infidel enemy, winning the
kingdom of heaven for themselves. Their way of life is admirable, they are free from
conflict, gentle and peaceful, bound together in brotherly love. They strain every
nerve in the battle to acquire all the virtues. Each one strives to outdo the other in
clemency, kindness, humility and patience. If there is anyone who is wiser than the
others, it is held to be for the benefit of all, especially the less gifted, so that in
accordance with the Lord's command he may be seen as the least of all and the
servant of all.
It is a great gift from God that I have been able to see them all and converse with
them. I shall now try to talk about them one at a time as the Lord brings them to my
memory, so that anyone who has not seen them in the flesh may learn of their deeds,
and in reading about them understand what a perfect life is like. May they be
encouraged to follow the example of their holy works, and seek the palm of perfect
wisdom and patience.

Chapter I
JOHN (Also in VIII.43)

As a foundation stone for our task let us take John as an example of everything that
is good. For those who are religiously devoted to God, John will be more than
sufficient as a guide to the heights of virtue and the summit of perfection. We met him
in the desert parts of the Thebaid, living on the side of a steep mountain near the city
of Lycus. It was very difficult to get up to his monastery. The approach was so narrow
and full of obstacles that no one had joined him there for all of the fifty years since his
fortieth birthday. Whenever he heard people coming, he would show himself from a
window, from where he would offer a word about God, or give answers to those
seeking counsel. No women ever got near enough for him to see them, and even
men but rarely, and then only at certain fixed times. He did allow a guest house to be
constructed at some distance where those who had come from afar could rest a
while. He remained alone inside, occupied solely with God, ceasing not day or night
from prayers and supplications to God, in total purity of thought seeking that divine
essence which is above all thought. The further he cut himself off from all human
cares and conversation the closer he came to God. To such a fine quality of mind had
he attained that God gave him insights not only into present matters but also
rewarded him with foreknowledge of things to come. God quite plainly gave him the
gift of prophecy, so that he not only saw into the future of local citizens and country
dwellers alike, when asked, but often predicted how the wars of the Emperor
Theodosius would turn out, the manner in which he would gain his victories over
petty kings, or how many invasions he would suffer from the tribes of the barbarians.
At one time the Egyptians attacked the Roman fort at Cyrene, which is the city of the
Theban region nearest Ethiopia, causing much destruction and making off with a
great deal of plunder. The Roman officer in command feared to counter attack
because he had very few soldiers whereas the enemy was very numerous. He came
to John who named a certain day and said, "It will be quite safe for you to go out on
this day that I have named. You will overcome the enemy, you will take lots of spoils
and recover what you have lost." Once this had come to pass he used to prophesy
even for the benefit of Augustus, who accepted him and valued him greatly. But he
ascribed these gifts of prophecy more to the greatness of those who asked him than
to his own merits. He used to say that these prophecies were given by God on
account of those for whom they were intended, not because of himself.

There is another marvel that God manifested through him. A certain military tribune
came to him and begged him to give permission for his wife to visit him. He said that
she had already undergone great dangers in the effort to get to see him. John said
that he had never been in the habit of giving interviews to women, especially since
having shut himself up in this monastery on the cliff. The tribune persisted in his
pleas, saying that if she couldn't see him she would doubtless perish from grief.
Again and again he pleaded, repeating that his wife would surely die, in the belief
that she had lost all hope of being healed. Overcome at last by the tribune's faith no
less than his importunity, the old man said, "Go, your wife shall see me this night, not
here but at home in her own bed." At these words the tribune went away, pondering
in his heart the meaning of this reply. He told his wife what had been said, and she
also was no less puzzled by it. But when she was asleep the man of God appeared
to her in a vision, and standing next to her said, "Woman, great is your faith, and
therefore I have come to satisfy your desire. But I admonish you that you should not
try to seek the physical presence of the servants of God, but rather should
contemplate their acts and doings in the spirit. For it is the Spirit which gives life, the
flesh profits nothing. I have prayed to God for you, not because I am a righteous
person or a prophet, as you think, but simply because of your faith, and he has
granted you healing of all the diseases, which afflict your body. From now, you and
your husband will be whole, and your whole household will be blessed. Be mindful,
both of you, of the blessings which God has given you, fear him always and be
content with your wages. You have seen me in your dreams, that should be enough
for you, you don't need anything else." When the woman awoke she told her husband
what she had seen and heard, and described the man's face and what he was
wearing and all other distinguishing marks. Whereupon the man marvelled, and went
back to the man of God to give thanks. The man of God blessed him and he went
away in peace.

On another occasion a military commander came to him having left his heavily
pregnant wife at home. On the very day when he saw John, his wife gave birth and
became dangerously ill. Then the holy man of God said, "If only you knew that by
God's gift a son is born to you this day you would give thanks. His mother is seriously
ill but God will be with you and you will find that she will be all right. Make haste,
then, go back home to see your seven-day-old child. You shall call him John, and you
shall bring him up in your own home without any outside influence until he is seven
years old, and then you shall hand him over to a monastery to be taught under a holy
and heavenly discipline."

Many came to see him from far and near, and after questioning them he opened up
to them the secrets of their own hearts. Whatever sins they privately confessed to
him he admonished and counselled them, urging them to penitence and amendment
of life. He could predict whether the flooding of the Nile would be abundant or
meagre. If because of human sin it chanced that there were any natural disasters or
other visitations of God, he always knew about them in advance and was able to
point out the reasons why this punishment was being inflicted. To those who sought
him out he brought wholeness of mind and bodily cures, but in such a way that he
avoided ostentation. For he did not allow petitioners to come to him, but instead
blessed oil for them to be anointed with, by which means they were healed of all their
disorders.

When a certain senator's wife lost her eyesight she begged her husband to take her
to the man of God. When he replied that the man of God was not in the habit of
receiving women she begged him that at least he might make him aware of the
extent of her disability, and ask him to pray for her. The husband duly presented this
appeal to him, whereupon he prayed, blessed oil, and sent him back to her. After
applying this oil to her eyes for three days she recovered her sight and gave thanks
to God. But it would take a long time to tell of all his accomplishments. So let us pass
over all that we have heard tell about him and come to the things which we have
seen with our own eyes.

We were a group of seven who came to him, and when we had greeted him he
received us with great kindness, had a friendly word with each one of us, and asked
us to pray and give a blessing. (For it is the custom in Egypt that when brethren
arrive they join together with each other in prayer.) He then asked if any one of us
was a cleric, which we all denied. He looked at each one of us and knew that there
was one of us who was ordained as a deacon, but kept it secret apart from one other
in his confidence. The rest of his travelling companions did not know. Because of his
humility he had decided on not revealing the honour of his rank, preferring to be
ranked lower than all these men of such qualities that he deemed himself to be
inferior to them all. As the holy John looked at him and saw that he was younger than
the others he pointed at him and said, "This man is a deacon". He tried to deny it, but
John grasped him and kissed him saying, "Do not deny the grace of God, my son,
lest you exchange good for evil, and your humility is seen to be false. All untruth
should be avoided, whether for an evil intention or even for a good, for all lies are not
from God but from the evil one, as our Saviour teaches." Hearing this he accepted
the gentle rebuke graciously and apologized.

We offered prayer to God and when we had finished one of our number suffering
from a severe infection [tertiano typo "tertian ague"] begged the man of God to cure
him. "You are trying to rid yourself of something which is necessary for you," he
replied. "For just as bodies are cleansed by soda and other such remedies, so souls
are purified by bodily weakness and other afflictions of this sort." He went on from
there to give us a lengthy discourse upon mystical teaching, and finally blessed some
oil and gave it to him. The sick man anointed himself with it and vomited out a great
deal of poison, after which, restored to good health, he walked back to the
guesthouse.

After this he saw to it that the duties of humane hospitality should be fulfilled, and our
bodily needs attended to. He took thought for us, though neglectful of himself. For his
own longstanding custom and discipline was to eat nothing till evening, and then
sparingly. He was very thin, and desiccated of body because of his abstinence. His
beard and hair were so sparse and straggly, that no amount of food would be able to
nourish them, or refreshing draught give them strength. Although, as we have said,
he was a nonagenarian, he still would take no cooked food.
Having fulfilled the duties of hospitality he bade us come and sit down. He asked us
where we had come from and why, since now he had received us very happily as his
own sons. We replied that we had come from Jerusalem for the benefit and
advancement of our own souls. We wanted to verify with our own eyes what his fame
had brought to our ears, for it was much easier to fix in the memory what the eye saw
than what the ears heard. And the blessed John replied with an untroubled
countenance, half mockingly, but with great warmth, "I am astonished, my beloved
sons, at the great labour of such a journey as you have undertaken, when you can't
possibly see anything in me to make it worthwhile. I am but a humble and
unimportant person. There is nothing in me worth seeking out or marvelling at, and
even if in your opinion I did have something, surely you could have found as much by
studying the prophets and apostles. They are read out loud daily in the churches of
God, providing people among themselves in their own homes examples of life for
them to imitate without the need to travel to distant foreign places. So much the more
I marvel at your decision to undertake such research with so much effort, to travel
with difficulty through so many countries, simply for the sake of benefiting your own
souls. For ourselves we are so lazy and idle that we don't even venture outside our
cell! But if you really do think that there is something in me from which you can draw
profit, you must above all take care that you do not make the labour of visiting me an
occasion of boasting. It would diminish any profit for your soul if you were to put
yourself forward as something marvellous because you had actually been to visit
someone whom other people knew only by hearsay.

"Boasting is a very serious and dangerous fault. It can destroy even those who have
arrived at the peak of perfection. So I urge you above all to guard against this. This
evil comes in two ways. It happens to some in the first stages of their conversion.
They take on a bit of abstinence, they give some money to the poor, and because
they then think that they have managed to cast off some of their chains they begin to
act and think as if they were better than those to whom they had given alms. The
other kind of boasting comes to those who have arrived at the very peak of virtue, for
they ascribe this not wholly to God but to their own studious efforts, and in seeking
for human glory they lose the glory of God. So then, my sons, let us flee from the vice
of boasting, lest we open up a chink through which the devil may gain entry.
"We should take particular care to discipline our hearts and minds. We must take
care that no avarice, or evil thought, or empty desire or anything contrary to the will of
God take root in our hearts. From roots of this sort there constantly swarm vain and
useless thoughts. They are so evil that they do not cease even when we are praying
or standing in the presence of God, making a mockery of the prayers which are
offered for our salvation. They take our minds captive, and although our body
proclaims that we are at prayer our thoughts and feelings are dragged away in all
kinds of different ways. So for anybody who reckons to have renounced the world
and the devil it is not enough to have made a vow, and shed possessions and
estates and other worldly affairs unless you have also repudiated your own vices and
cast down your unprofitable and empty desires. This is what the Apostle is talking
about when he mentions 'foolish and hurtful lusts which drown men in destruction' (1
Tim.vi.9). This is what it means to renounce the devil and all his works.
"For the devil snatches an entry into our hearts through every occasion of vice and
corruption of will, because vices belong to him just as virtues come from God. If there
are vices in our heart they welcome the devil's approach as if into his own domain
and let him come in as if to his own property. And thence it comes that hearts like this
never know peace and quiet, they are always in turbulence, always in bondage, now
manic, now depressed, for they harbour a most evil tenant inside them. They have let
him in through their own passions and vices. In contrast to this is the mind which has
truly renounced the world, i.e. has repudiated and amputated every vice, blocked
every entry to the approach of the devil, subdued anger, restrained his passion, fled
falsehood, condemned envy, not only kept himself from slandering his neighbour, but
forbidden himself even to think evil or suspicious thoughts about him, rejoices with
his neighbour's rejoicing, and is saddened by his neighbour's sorrows. The mind that
observes these and suchlike precepts opens a space in himself for the Holy Spirit to
enter and enlighten, whence arise joy, gladness, charity, patience, longsuffering,
kindness and all other fruits of the Spirit. This is what the Lord says in the gospel, a
good tree cannot bear evil fruit, neither can a bad tree bear good fruit. By its fruits
shall the tree be known. (Matthew.7.18,20)

"Moreover there are some who seem to have renounced the world but have made no
effort towards purity of heart, they have not rooted out vices and passions from their
souls, nor amended their way of life. For these people their only thought is to seek
out some holy father, memorise the things he says, and then glorify themselves by
telling others what he has learnt from this or that person. By acquiring a knowledge of
some small scraps of wisdom which they have heard and learnt by heart, they
forever wish to be considered as teachers, but they teach not what they do
themselves but what they have heard and seen, thus despising others. They aspire
to priesthood and try to become members of the clerical class, ignorant of the fact
that someone in whom virtues flourish, yet is not so bold as to teach anyone else
about virtue, is more to be praised than one who teaches others about virtue while
still ruled by passions and vices. So, my little children, it is not important either to
avoid the clerical class or priesthood or avidly to seek after it. What is needed is to
drive out vice and acquire spiritual virtues. It can be left to the judgment and will of
God as to whom he wills to call to the priesthood or any other ministry. He whom the
Lord calls to himself is to be approved, not he who puffs himself up.
"The chief work of the monk is to offer up to God pure prayer with a clear conscience,
as the Lord says in the Gospel, "When you stand at prayer, forgive your brothers
from your heart if you have anything against them, for if you forgive not your brothers
neither will your Father in heaven forgive you." (Mark 11.25,26) If, as we have said,
we stand before God with a pure heart, free from all the passions and vices
mentioned above, we may see God, in so far as that is possible. Directing the eye of
the heart to him as we pray we contemplate with the mind, not with the body, that
which is invisible, with the discernment of pure knowledge, not physical eyesight. But
let no one imagine himself able to embrace the divine substance as it is in itself, as if
he were constructing in his heart a mental image like a picture corresponding to
something physical. Let him not imagine God has any shape for he is boundless, but
there may be a mental perception which can be experienced as a stirring up of the
affections of the heart, even though it is beyond comprehension and cannot be
described or explained. We must come to God with all reverence and fear, and let our
minds be fixed on him in such a way that we are aware always that he is
immeasurably greater than any images of splendour, brightness, brilliance or majesty
that a human mind may conceive. We say this may only happen if the mind is pure,
and free from any meanness of thought or perversity of will. To pay attention to these
things is of the greatest importance to those who have renounced the world in order
to seek God, as it is written, "Be still and know that I am God" (Psalms 46.10). If
anyone has come to know God, so far as is humanly possible, he will come at last to
an understanding of all other things and take hold of the mysteries of God. The more
his mind is purified, the more God will make himself known to him and reveal his
secrets. For he has now become a friend of God like those to whom the Saviour said,
'I no longer call you servants, but friends, and anything you seek from God will be
granted you as to a dearly beloved friend' (John 15.15,16). Indeed the angelic
powers and all the divine mysteries will love you as a friend of God and look
favourably on all your petitions. This is the meaning of the scripture, "Neither death
nor life, nor angels not principalities nor powers nor any other creature shall be able
to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus" (Romans 8.38,39)

"Therefore, my beloved, inasmuch as you have chosen to try and please God and
come to his love, take care to distance yourself from all boasting, all vices of the soul,
all bodily delights. And don't think that 'bodily delights' are limited to what pleases
worldly people. Anyone who practices abstinence must realize that 'delights'
comprise all things which he might have sought after with greediness, even such
commonplace things as might be normally used by an abstainer. For even bread and
water, if taken to satisfy greed rather than for mere bodily need, can lead to the vice
of gluttony. One must be accustomed in all things to keep the soul free from vice. The
Lord wishes to teach us how to resist the devices and desires of our own heart, and
so he says, 'Enter in by the narrow gate, for the way to death is broad and spacious,
but the way to life is strait and narrow'. (Matthew 7.13,14). The way of the soul is
broad when every desire is pandered to, the narrow way means denying satisfaction
to your own desires. A somewhat isolated dwelling and a solitary way of life can be of
great profit in grasping these things, for if there are a lot of fraternal visits and much
coming and going, the yoke of abstinence and frugality may be relaxed and little by
little one is led into the habit of enjoying 'delights'. Even the perfect can sometimes be
taken prisoner in this way. So at last hear what David says, 'See, I have fled far off to
dwell in solitude'". (Psalms 55.7).

(cf VIII.xliv) Afterwards, however, the holy John discussed with us many aspects of
the vice of boasting and other matters of special benefit. Finally he gave us this
warning, "Let me reveal to you what happened recently to one of our brothers, as a
precedent and example to make you more cautious yourselves.
"There was a monk living nearby in the desert - his dwelling place was a cave - a
man of great abstinence, seeking his food by the daily labour of his hands,
persevering in prayer day and night, adorned with all the virtues of the soul. But he
began to feel happy and proud about how successful he was. Feeling confident of his
own powers he was not putting his trust in God, but imputing all his success to
himself. When the Tempter of the soul realised this he came near to prepare a trap
for him. One day at vesper time, he caused the appearance of a beautiful woman to
come wandering through the desert. She looked weary, as if she had been working
hard, and came to the monk's door pretending to be worn out with fatigue. She went
inside and threw herself at his knees.

"'Have pity on me,'" she said. "'Night has unfortunately overtaken me as I seek refuge
in this desert. Pray let me rest in a corner of your cell, lest I be attacked by nocturnal
beasts.'
"Overcome with compassion he welcomed her into the cave and began to ask her
why it was that she was wandering through the desert. She pitched him a sufficiently
plausible tale, and mixed it all up with sly flattery, and seductive poisons. She
portrayed her plight to be truly pitiful, and desperately in need of help. By the smooth
beauty of her way of talking she insinuated her way into the monk's affections, and
aroused in him illicit desire. She introduced a few jokes and laughter into her talk,
and then protesting how much she admired his bearded chin she wantonly stroked it,
then gently caressed his neck and shoulders. What more need I say? She led the
soldier of Christ on towards his inevitable captivity.
"Now he began to be internally disturbed, and burn with surges of lust, completely
forgetful of all his former labours and his monastic profession. He did not fight against
the concupiscence in his heart, but welcomed deceitful pleasure into his secret
thoughts. In his foolishness he disfigured his own life, and became as a horse or a
mule with no understanding (Psalms 32.9). But as he tried to take the woman into his
obscene embraces, she gave a terrifying howl, a bloodcurdling shriek, and slipped
from his enfolding arms like the insubstantial shade she was, and with foul mockery
left him clutching the empty air with shameless gestures.
"Now a crowd of demons gathered in the air to watch this sight, shouting loudly,
exulting with cacophonous derision.
"'You who exalted yourself to the high heavens,' they cried, 'Oh how cast down you
are now to the lowest depths! Learn the lesson that whoever exalts himself will be
humbled' (Luke 14.11).
"Almost out of his mind, and unable to bear the shame, he proceeded to deceive
himself to an even greater extent than the demons had done. What he ought to have
done was to repair the damage and renew the contest, and make satisfaction by the
fruits of tears and humility in order to wipe out the blame of his former conceitedness.
But he did not do this. Instead he handed himself over in despair to lasciviousness
and iniquity, as the Apostle says (Ephesians.4.19), and went back to the world,
conquered by the demons, avoiding the company of all the saints, so that nobody
was able to give him any useful advice which might have drawn him back from the
precipice. If only he had made up his mind to return to his former abstemious way of
life he would without doubt have regained his former state of grace.

"Now hear about what happened to another man who was similarly tempted, but who
had a different outcome to his temptation. This man lived a disgraceful and
disreputable life in a neighbouring state, committing all kinds of wicked deeds, so that
he was universally held in opprobrium. But by the mercy of God he was drawn to
repentance, and enclosed himself in a sepulchre, where day and night with his face
on the earth he bathed his former polluting deeds with fountains of tears. He would
not dare so much as lift up his eyes to heaven (Luke 18.13), nor use his voice to call
upon the name of the Lord, but never ceased groaning and weeping. Dead and
buried, he offered up from the mouth of hell the lamentations and groans of his heart.
After a week of this the demons came by night into his sepulchre, clamouring and
shouting.
"'What do you think you are doing, you unclean and disgraceful person? After being
sated with all that filthiness and impurity do you think that you can now become
chaste and religious? After having immersed yourself in wickedness, do you think
there is any power that can wipe out those deeds? You, wanting now to be
recognised as a Christian, modest and penitent! As if any other place is possible for
you, steeped in evil as you are, than that which is owed to you by us! You are one of
us. You can't be anything else. Come back, come back to us, and for whatever time
there is left to you don't miss out on the pursuit of pleasure. We shall prepare a flood
of delights for you, most excellent harlots, and all kinds of other things to restore you
to the flowering of your graceful youth. Why make vain and useless crosses for
yourself? Why hand yourself over to punishment before the time? Can the sufferings
of hell be any worse than what you are going through now? If punishment gives you
pleasure, just wait for it a little bit longer until you are really prepared for it. In the
meantime enjoy what we can give you, which you have always found sweet and
pleasant.'
"They castigated him with many more similar taunts, but he lay there without moving,
paying them no attention and saying nothing in reply. Over and over again they
repeated even fiercer taunts, but he still made no response, till at last, realising they
were being despised, they fell into a fury and attacked him with rods, leaving him half
dead with a multiplicity of crucifying wounds. Even in the midst of such torments he
moved not a jot from where he had lain down to pray.
"The next day some of his friends sought him out, simply from human kindness, and
found him grievously wounded. They asked him what had happened, and when they
were told, suggested that they take him back home where he could be cared for
properly. He refused, and stayed where he was. The following night the demons
sought him out again and tortured him with even more severe beatings, but even so
he would not move from the place.
"'Better to die than listen to the demons,' he said.
"The third night, nevertheless, a great crowd of demons gathered and fell upon him
without mercy, inflicting many grievous wounds. His body was almost dead because
of the wounds, but from the depths of his spirit he still refused to obey the demons.
Faced with this the demons at last cried, 'You have conquered, you have conquered!'
and departed in great haste as if pursued by power from heaven, and brought no
more of their wiles and wickedness to bear upon him.
"But he progressed so much in spiritual virtues, and came to live such a lovely life,
full of the power of every divine grace, that the whole region came to believe he was
one of the holy Angels who had dropped down from heaven, and cried aloud with one
voice, 'This is the change of the right hand of the Most High' (Psalms 77.10) What a
great example he was to those who had fallen into despair, and then returned to a
hope of salvation, and laid their hopes upon emendation of life where before there
was despair! How great an admiration for him was felt by those who were snatched
up from the inferno of sinners, with their virtuous nature restored. For his conversion
was so monumental that anything seemed possible for everybody. And it was not
only his emendation of life and the acquiring of virtues which adorned him, for even
greater graces of God were given him. The many signs and wonders which he did
testified how great were his merits in the eyes of the Lord. So it is that humility and
conversion are the source of all goodness; conceitedness and despair are the cause
of death.
"To avoid the danger of falling, and to acquire the grace of God, and to seize hold
upon the knowledge of his manifest divinity, the most fruitful path is that of the
hiddenness of dwelling in the desert. And this I think you may better learn not from
my words but from actual deeds and examples.
"There was a monk who lived in a part of the desert more remote than any other. For
many years he persevered in abstinence until time had brought him almost to the age
of senility. But he was adorned with every virtue, inspirational for the greatness of his
total continence, serving God sedulously with prayers and hymns. So great were the
merits of this soldier that the Lord prepared for him a great gift, in that while still in the
body he enjoyed the ministrations of an incorporeal Angel, judging him worthy to
receive celestial food in the desert, as one who sleeplessly sang the praises of the
heavenly King.
"God willed that he be given his promised reward even in this world, and took the
provision of his daily food into the care of his divine providence for when ever he
needed food as a necessity of nature he would go into his cave where he would find
bread of marvellous quality and exceptional freshness laid out on his table. He would
dine on this and give thanks to the divine presence and return again to this hymns
and prayers. He received many divine revelations, and warnings of the future were
given to him by God. In the midst of such manifold rewards he began to take pride in
his accomplishments, reckoning that the merits of his life deserved such heavenly
benefits, and gradually a sort of idleness entered his soul, so gradually that he did
not even notice it. This developed into even greater negligence, he came to his hymn
singing somewhat reluctantly, he no longer enjoyed getting up to pray, the psalms
were not sung with the same attentiveness as that with which he used to sing them;
having done a small proportion of what he used to do his soul was tired out as if it
had been overworked, and he hastily retired to rest.
"His senses dulled, he rapidly went from bad to worse, and his thoughts snatched
him away into all sorts of dangerous regions. But he kept to his usual routine, even
though there were thoughts of a disgraceful and contemptible nature hidden in his
heart. For just as a ship continues to glide through the water after the oars have
stopped rowing, because of its own momentum, so did his established routine carry
him through the usual offices. So it seemed as if he was still in the same state as
before. So after his prayers he looked for his food at vespertime as usual, he went to
the usual dining place, found the usual bread on the table, which he ate without
taking any attempt to amend the thoughts of his heart. He was not aware of any
change or deterioration, thought no less of himself, and did not understand how
gradually he was falling.
"Inwardly he began to be stirred up by a fierce flame of desire, and with sordid
eagerness began wanting to return to the world. But he restrained himself for the
moment, went in to take his food which he found placed on the table as usual,
although he found it a little stale. He wondered at this and felt a little sad, but
although he looked upon it as a sort of divine omen, he nevertheless took the bread
and ate it. After three days he was shaken by urges three times worse, they were
ever present in his thoughts and almost tangible. He imagined there was a woman
lying down with him, whom he seemed to embrace and with whom he performed
indecent acts. As he went next day to his usual duties of psalmodising there seemed
to be a cloud before his eyes, and his mind seemed to be held captive. When he
went for his food at vespertime he found it as usual on the table, but it was mouldy
and dried up, and looking as if mice or dogs had been at it. Seeing this, he groaned
and shed tears, but they did not come from the heart and were not sufficiently
copious to quench the flames of a great fire. But he took the food, though there was
not as much of it as he would have liked, and it did not have its usual taste.
"Meanwhile his thoughts besieged him like a army of barbarians, hurling javelins at
him from all directions, and once more took his mind captive to the thought of going
back to the world. He went by night to begin his journey through the desert to the city.
But when daylight came the city was still a long way off. He soon began to be
overcome by the heat and was wearied, and as he looked about him his eyes began
to register the fact that he was near a monastery. He saw the cell of some brothers,
and went towards it hoping that there he might find some rest. When the brothers
saw him approaching they immediately ran towards him, reverenced him as if he
were an Angel of God, washed his feet, invited him to prayer, prepared food for him,
and in fact did everything in accordance with the divine commandment of charity.
"When they had dined and rested a little they began, as is usual, to ask him for a
word of encouragement, as if he were a skilled and well-known father, able to give
them words of salvation. They asked him how to escape from the traps of the devil,
and how to drive out and cast down the evil thoughts which the devil puts into the
mind. Compelled to give the brothers some advice, and teach them something of the
way of salvation, he talked to them about the wiles of the devil which assail the
servants of God, and talked to them so plainly and forcefully that he was moved to
compunction himself and said to himself, 'Here am I giving others good advice when I
am in the depths of deception, myself. How do I dare tell others how to behave, when
I have not amended my own life? Wretch! First do yourself what you are urging
others to do.' Having cursed himself in this way and having realised how miserably
he had fallen from grace, he said goodbye to the brothers and took sudden flight into
the desert, returning to the cave he had left, prostrating himself in prayer before the
Lord, saying, 'If the Lord had not been my helper, my soul would have almost been in
hell.' (Psalms 94.17), and again, 'I had almost fallen into all kinds of evil, they had
almost consumed me upon earth' (Psalms 119.85,87), and the Scripture was fulfilled
which says, 'A brother giving aid to a brother shall be lifted up like a strong and
fortified city. The brother who helps a brother is like a city of good standing where all
his judgments are as strong as the city defences.' (Proverbs 18.19). From then on he
spent his life in tears and mourning, lamenting that he no longer enjoyed the
heavenly food which was formerly given him, and in the sweat of his own brow he
began to eat his own bread. He shut himself up in his cave, lying in the dust wearing
a hair shirt, and persevered weeping in prayer until the angel of the Lord came to his
aid, saying, 'The Lord has accepted your penitence and restored you, but take care 
lest you become proud and fall again. See, even now there are brothers on the way

to you, bringing you blessings for the teaching which you yourself gave them. Don't
turn them away, but take food with them and give thanks to God.'
"I have told you these things, my little children, that you may understand how strong
is humility and how greatly ruinous is self-conceit. Indeed our Saviour himself put
humility at the top of the beatitudes, saying, 'Blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is
the kingdom of heaven' (Matthew.5.3). I have given you examples of this so that you
may be on the alert against being seduced by demonic thoughts. Furthermore monks
use a custom of saying a prayer and invoking the name of the Lord whenever anyone
visits them, whether man or woman, old or young, well known or stranger, so that if it
is only a demon in disguise it may be put to flight by continual prayer. If the demons
suggest to your thoughts that there is something for which you deserve to be praised
and held up as an example don't listen to them, but humble yourself in the eyes of
the Lord when they try to make you seek after praise.
"The demons have often plagued me at night, preventing me both from sleeping and
praying by suggesting all kinds of phantasies to my thoughts and senses the whole
night long. But in the morning they made an illusory prostration before me, saying,
Forgive us, father, for causing you so much trouble all night. I replied, 'Depart from
me you workers of iniquity, and so not tempt the servant of God'. (Psalms 6. 8)
Therefore. my little children love silence and peacefulness (quies), seek after
understanding, purify your mind before God by frequent study (collatio) to banish any
impediment to your prayers before God.
"There are of course people living in the world who with a good conscience do good
works and busy themselves in a holy and religious manner by hospitality, works of
charity, visiting those in distress and other works of this kind. There is a lot of good in
such people, who also keep themselves pure. Those who please God in good works
are praiseworthy, very praiseworthy, and undoubtedly fulfil the commandments of
God. Nevertheless their actions are all rooted in the earthly sphere, concerned with
corruptible matter. But anyone who gives himself up to mental strife, and cultivates a
sense of the spiritual in himself, must surely be considered to be following a much
better way. For he prepares an interior dwelling place for the Holy Spirit, and
oblivious of earthly matters gives all his care to what is heavenly and eternal. He
places himself always in the presence of God, and casts all worry about the present
behind him, driven by a fiery desire for God. He sets himself to praise God and never
tires of singing hymns and psalms day and night."
With this and much more of the like the blessed John continued speaking to us for
three whole days, refreshing and renewing our spirits. And when we began to feel it
was time to go he gave us a blessing, "Depart in peace, my little children, and I would
like you to know that on this very day the victory of the religious emperor Theodosius
over the tyrant Eugenius has been proclaimed. It must also needs be that
Theodosius himself will come to the end of his life before very long." After we had left
him we found that these events had happened exactly as he had predicted.
A few days later some of the brothers followed after us to tell us that John himself
was now resting in peace. This was the manner of his passing. He said that no one
was to visit him for three days, and then knelt in prayer and gave up his spirit. Thus
he passed to the Lord, to whom be glory unto the ages of ages. Amen

Chapter II
HOR (cf. VIII.9)

We visited another venerable man in the Thebaid called Hor. He wore the habit of the
highest order of monks and was the father of many monasteries. He was ninety
years old with a very full and splendid silvery beard, a lively face and appearance,
reflecting something greater than mere human nature. He had lived at first in a
remote part of the desert, practising many works of abstinence, before founding a
monastery not far from the city. In several places near where he lived he had planted
young trees and thus established forests of various kinds of trees where there had
been no cultivation at all before he came, as several of the holy fathers confirmed.
His reason for planting these forests was so that brethren wishing to join him would
not have far to go to get timber. He took thought not only for what was necessary for
their bodily needs, but also for their faith and salvation. In the desert he had
subsisted on herbs and roots, which he found quite acceptable. He drank water when
he could find it, and occupied himself day and night with prayers and hymns of
praise. But when he had got to a mature age an angel of the Lord appeared in the
desert by a vision, saying, 'You will become a great people, and many through you
will believe, many thousands of human beings will be saved through you. Those
whom you convert to the way of salvation in this life will remain under your leadership
for the future, Fear not, you will never lack any provision for the bodily needs which
you ask the Lord to provide.'

Hearing this he moved to a more accessible neighbourhood, and began to live at first
in a little hut which he had built for himself, mixing in a few vegetables to his diet, but
sometimes vegetables alone, and then only after a long fast. To begin with he could
not read. But when he moved from the desert to these more accessible places which
we have described above a divine grace was given to him. For when he was given a
book by his brothers he began to read it as if he had always been able to read. He
had become very powerful in fighting demons, to such an extent that some
possessed by demons would come to him without even being invited, protesting
loudly about his supremacy. He also healed a great number of the sick.
He gathered about him great numbers of monks, but when he saw us arriving among
them he turned towards us with a most warm welcome. He greeted us, said a prayer
as was the custom, washed the feet of us guests with his own hands, and began to
point out to us from the Scriptures many things to help build up our lives and our
faith. God had given him a great gift for teaching. After giving us many wise
interpretations of Scripture he turned again to prayer. For it was his custom never to
take food until he had enjoyed a spiritual Communion with Christ. This done, he gave
thanks and invited us to eat. He sat down with us himself, but never ceased
conversing about spiritual subjects. This is one of the stories he told us:
"I know of a certain man living in the desert who ate no earthly food for the space of
three years, for an angel brought him bread from heaven every three or four days,
and this was meat and drink to him. And again there was another man like this to
whom the demons came looking like the armies of heaven, dressed like angels,
driving chariots of fire, sumptuously equipped as befitted the cohorts of some great
king. The one whom the others seemed to regard as king said, 'You have fulfilled all
things [required of you], O man. It remains only that you worship me and I will carry
you up like Elijah.'

"At this, the monk said to himself, 'What is all this about? Daily I worship the Saviour
who is my King. If this really be he, why is he asking me to do something which he
knows I have never stopped doing?'
"And he replied, 'I know my King whom I worship daily without ceasing. You are not
my King.'"
In actual fact he was inventing the character of some else to tell us about his own
experiences as if they belonged to another. Others of the fathers present confirmed 
for us that it was he who had seen and heard these things.

So there was this splendid father, who among other good deeds was accustomed to
deal like this with those who came wanting to stay with him: he would gather all the
brothers together in order to build for the newcomer a cell that same day. The
brothers all worked at this with a will. Each one of them would busy himself either in
building up the walls, or plastering with clay, or digging a well or collecting firewood.
When it was finished he handed it over personally to the brother, complete with all
the necessary utensils.

On one occasion a deceitful brother came having hidden some of his clothing so that
he might appear destitute. Hor denounced him in the midst of the community and
produced in their midst the hidden clothing, so that he struck fear into them all. No
one after that dared to try and deceive him, such was the virtue of his character, such
the greatness of the grace given him by God, acquired by his laborious abstinence
and his pure faith. And so full of grace were the multitudes of brothers around him
that when they gathered in church they seemed like choirs of angels, with shining
clothing and brilliant intelligence, keeping vigil with hymns and praises to God in
imitation of the heavenly powers.

Chapter III
AMMON (cf. VIII.48)

While in the Thebaid we saw another man called Ammon, the father of about three
thousand monks at Tabenna, men of great abstinence. They wear tunics with very
short sleeves (colobii), seemingly made out of flaxen sacking (quasi saccis lineis),
covered over by a cured sheepskin falling from the neck down the back and sides.
Their heads were hidden under cowls, especially when they came to a meal, so that
their faces were veiled and they could not see what each other was eating. There
was complete silence at meal times, so that when sitting at the table you could hardly
imagine there was anyone else there. Indeed their whole attitude towards each other
was as if each one was totally alone. In this way the abstinence of each one was
hidden, no one could see how sparingly the other was eating. It was as if they were
just sitting at table together rather than eating food, but they never stayed away from
table, even though they never fully satisfied their hunger. Great is the virtue of
continence, and keeping custody of the eyes and hands.

Chapter IV
BENUS (cf VIII.49)

We saw another old man who was gentle above all others. His name was Benus and
the brothers with him asserted that no oath or lie had ever come from his mouth, that
ho one had ever seen him losing his temper with anyone, or indulging in
unnecessary, idle conversation. He lived his life in a profound silence, his manner
was always peaceful, in all things he was a man who seemed to be angelic. His
humility was very deep, counting himself as nothing in every way. We ourselves
urgently pressed him to favour us with some encouraging conversation, but his
modesty prevented him from giving us more than just a few words.
Once there was a certain beast called a hippopotamus causing a great deal of
damage in a neighbourhood near him, and at the invitation of the farmers he came to
them and when he saw this immense animal he said, "I beg you in the name of our
Lord Jesus Christ that you devastate this region no longer" From this time onwards,
as if put to flight by a pursuing angel, it was no longer to be seen. Later on, so they
told us, he also put to flight a crocodile.

Chapter V
THE CITY OF OXYRYNCUS

Eventually we came to a certain city of the Thebaid called Oxyryncus, which was so
famous for good religious activities that no description could possibly do justice to
them all. We found monks everywhere inside the city and also in all the countryside
round about. What had been the public buildings and temples of a former
superstitious age were now occupied by monks, and throughout the whole city there
were more monasteries than houses. There are twelve churches in this very spacious
and populous city where public worship is conducted for the people, as well as the
monasteries which all have their own chapels. But from the very gates with its
battlements to the tiniest corner of the city there is no place without its monks who
night and day in every part of the city offer hymns and praises to God, making the
whole city one great church of God. No heretics or pagans are to be found there, for
all the citizens are Christians, all Catholics, so that it makes no difference whether the
bishop offers prayer in the streets or in the church. The magistrates, the leaders of
the city and other citizens keep watch over each gate, and whoever turns up,
whether pilgrim or pauper, is informed of the preconditions to which it is necessary for
him to conform.

But how can I possibly describe all the kind acts done to us by the people as they
watched us going through the city, greeting us like angels, making us welcome. We
were told by the holy bishop of that place that it contained twenty thousand virgins
and ten thousand monks. I could not possibly tell you, not even by stretching the truth
to its limits, how great was the kindness and hospitality shown to us, to the extent
that the clothes were almost torn off our backs by those who were eager to seize us
and take us home as their guests.

We saw there also many different holy fathers who were examples of various
different God-given graces, some by way of preaching, some by abstinence, others
by showing forth many signs and powers.

Chapter VI
THEO (cf. VIII.40)

Not far away from the city we saw another man called Theo, in a place bordering on
the desert, a holy man shut up by himself in his cell, who was noted for having kept
silence for thirty years and who had done so many marvellous deeds that he was
held to be a prophet. A great number of sick people came to him daily. He would put
his hand out the window and lay it on the head of each person, blessing them and
relieving them of all their ills. He was so gracious of countenance and excited such
reverence that he was regarded as an angel living among people, so radiant and full
of grace did he appear to people's view.

Not so long ago, so we were told, some robbers came one night thinking they might
find he had some gold, but he overpowered them by prayer alone and caused them
to remain fixed outside the door, unable to make the slightest movement. When the
usual crowd arrived in the morning and saw the robbers fixed near the door they
wanted to make a bonfire of them. But constrained by this emergency he actually
spoke, saying, "Let these evil-doers go, for otherwise the gifts of healing will leave
me." When the people heard this, not daring to contradict him, they drove them off.
When the robbers realized what had been done to them they lost their desire for
crime and did penance for their many past wickednesses by going to a neighbouring
monastery and embarking upon a programme of amendment of life.

This man was moreover skilled not only in Greek and Egyptian but also in Latin, as
we learned not only from those who knew him but from him himself. He evidently
wished us to know this, for, desiring to give us some reward for the labour of our
pilgrimage, he showed us just how grace-filled and learned his teaching was by
writing to us on tablets. He never ate cooked food and it is said that when he went
out to the desert at night he was usually accompanied by a great crowd of the wild

beasts of the desert. He rewarded their companionship by drawing water from the
well and pouring it into a bowl for them. Manifest evidence of this could be seen in
the traces of oxen, goats and wild asses which lay about his cell.

Chapter VII
APOLLONIUS (cf. VIII.52)

Another holy man we saw was named Apollonius, living in the Thebaid in the region
of Hermapolis, the city which tradition says that our Saviour visited with Mary and
Joseph, in accordance with the prophecy of Isaiah, Behold the Lord rideth upon a
swift cloud and shall come into Egypt and the idols of Egypt shall be moved at his
presence and fall to the ground (Isaiah 19,1). Indeed, we saw the very temple which
the Saviour entered, where there is a memorial to the idols falling to the ground and
shattering.

So we saw this man who had a monastery nearby in the desert by a mountain. He
was the father of about five hundred monks and was held in great esteem throughout
the whole of the Thebaid region. He was credited with many great works and powers,
for God did many signs and prodigies through him. Brought up from boyhood in
abstinence, he grew in the grace of God until he reached maturity. He was about
eighty when we saw him flourishing in his monastery, and it seemed that his disciples
also were so perfect and splendid that nearly all of them were able to perform signs.
They say that he was fifteen years old when he departed into the desert, where for
forty years he struggled in spiritual battles. It is said that then the voice of God came
to him saying, "Apollonius, through you I will confound the wisdom of the wise in
Egypt, and cast down the knowledge of the prudent. Through me you will confound
those who are reckoned among the wise in Babylon, and you will bring to ruin all the
worship of demons. Go now to the well populated areas where you will build up for
me a great and perfect people, seeking eagerly after the works of righteousness."
But he replied, "Deliver me, O Lord, from a boasting spirit, lest raised up above my
brothers I fall away from all your righteousness".

The voice of God came to him again, "Put your hand down your throat, pluck out
what you find there and bury it in the sand". Without delay he groped down into his
throat and pulled out what appeared to be a tiny Ethiopian. Immediately he thrust it
into the sand as it cried out, "I am the spirit of pride".

After this a voice came from God, saying, "Now make haste, for everything you ask
from God you will obtain". So then he went to a more populated area. This all
happened in the time of the tyrant Julian.

In this place there was a cave a little way into the desert where he began to live,
offering his prayers day and night without ceasing on bended knee, a hundred of
them by day (so they said) and the same number at night, existing more on heavenly
food than earthly. His clothing consisted of a tunic of coarse flaxen cloth, with a hood
to cover his head and neck. They say that he continued wearing these garments in
the desert and they never wore out. There he was in this place nearby in the desert,
living in the power of the Spirit, doing wonderful signs and healings, so great that it is
impossible to describe them (so we learned from the older men who were with him).
So greatly was his fame noised abroad that he began to be held in honour as a
prophet or apostle. Monks from various regions round about began to come to him,
offering the great gift of their own souls to this deeply respected father. He received
each one of them with total commitment, encouraging some to work and others to
study, but he also showed them by his example what he taught with his words. As a
general rule he allowed those with him to practise what abstinence they could, but on
Sunday, of his charity, he begged them to come and dine with him, although he
himself kept to his usual abstinence, eating only uncooked herbs and vegetables.
During the time of Julian, whom we mentioned above, he heard that one of the
brothers was locked up having been conscripted into military service. He visited him
with some brothers to support him and encourage him to remain steadfast in his time
of need, and despise and scorn all the dangers which threatened him. "It is a critical
time, now," he said, "when the resolve of the faithful will be tested and publicly
proved." With these words and others in the same vein he was giving the young man
courage, when the centurion arrived, very annoyed because they had dared to come
in. He immediately locked the prison from the outside, shutting all those visitors up,
presumably so that they too might be held for military service, and having set some
guards he departed. In the middle of the night an angel resplendent with a brilliant
light was seen to appear and open up the gates of the prison. The guards were
amazed and terrified. They fell down at the feet of those holy men and begged them
to depart, saying that they would rather die in their place than resist the power of a
god who took such care of them. In the morning the centurion himself came early to
the prison with other officers giving orders that all prisoners should be released, for
he said that his house had been shaken by a great earthquake and certain of his
servants had been killed. At this those holy men broke out into hymns and praises to
God, and returned to the desert as one man, being of one heart and soul together
after the example of the apostles (Acts 4, 32).

One of the older fathers gave them daily lessons in developing their virtues and
refusing entry to the deceits of the devil which he tries to insinuate into human
thoughts. "For if you break the serpent's head," he said, "his whole body is put to
death. This is why the Lord bids us beware of the serpent's head, that right from the
very beginning we refuse entry of all evil and sordid thoughts into our hearts. When
repulsed at the very beginning it is so much the more difficult for mental fantasies to
spread out into our senses." He also urged that each one of us should strive to outdo
one another in virtue, so that no one should fall short of what the other was
achieving. "You will know whether you have begun to advance in virtue if you have
lost all desire for the delights of the world. This is the first of God's gifts. And if any
one of you arrives at being able to do signs and wonders, don't let that make you
proud, or entertain thoughts that you ought to be promoted above your fellows. Don't
make a show of your gifts, lest you get carried away into deceit and lose grace."
It was a magnificent gift of teaching the word of God that he possessed, and we
ourselves enjoyed a sample of it. But a far greater grace lay in the deeds he
performed. Whatever he asked God for was granted immediately. He had had an
older brother living with him for a long time in the desert, seeking after a life of
perfection. After his death he had a dream, in which he saw him sitting in the
company of the Apostles and made one with them, handing on to him his legacy of
virtue and grace. He prayed to God that he might be taken quickly to enjoy rest
eternal with his brother in the heavens, but the Lord replied that he must carry on for
a little while longer until there were many more people emulating his manner of life.
He should believe that there would be many more monastic families and a whole
army of devout people, through whom he would find the reward from God which he
deserved. And it all happened according to this vision.

Monks gathered around him from all directions, attracted by the fame of his teaching
and above all by his example. There were so many of them renouncing the world that
they built a splendid monastery in this same mountain, with one accord maintaining a
common life and one refectory. It was obvious to us that they were a disciplined body
of angels in heaven, adorned with every virtue. None of them wore anything grubby.
The cleanliness of their clothing mirrored the splendour of their souls, so that, as
Scripture says, the thirsty land breaks forth into singing, and in the desert a multitude
(Isaiah 35.7). This saying refers to the Church, though as a matter of historical fact it
is exemplified most fully in the deserts of Egypt. There were many who found
salvation in the cities, but just as many were populating the Egyptian deserts. It
seemed to me that in them was fulfilled the saying of the Apostle, "Where sin did
abound, there grace was superabundant" (Rom.5.20). For at one time the poisonous
cult of idols was rife in Egypt as in no other nation ever before. They worshipped
dogs and monkeys and other such absurdities. They also believed that garlic, onions
and other kinds of herbs and vegetables were gods, so we learnt from the father
Apollonius, who expounded to us what their early superstitions had been like. At one
time also they believed the ox to be a god, inasmuch as country dwellers derived
from the ox not only food but a way of living. The Nile too they worshipped, for it
fertilized the Egyptian plains, which they venerated as being more fruitful than other
lands. The monkeys, dogs and various vegetables that we mentioned above they
worshipped because it was held that salvation had come from them in the time of the
Pharaohs. In connection with this an unusual custom seems to have arisen among
them, in that Apollonius, following the custom of the fathers, was immersed in water,
carrying some useful item which had been thought to be a god. To make it clear that

they no longer followed Pharaoh they said, "Because this used to be a god for me,
today I drown it along with myself, to show that I no longer follow Pharaoh."
This is the outline of what the holy Apollonius told us. But a great deal more can be
written both about his virtues and about the things he did. At one time there used to
be ten villages not far away in that area where devilish superstitions were seriously
followed. There was one large temple in which there was an image which used to be
carried about in procession by the priests, accompanied by a choir of females.
Crowds of people followed it, performing profane rainmaking rituals. It so happened
once that Apollonius and a few of the brothers were travelling through that place
when these orgies were being performed. When he saw these unfortunate people
rioting about through the fields as if possessed by demons, he felt sorry they were so
deluded and called upon our Lord and Saviour on his knees. All those conducting
these devilish ceremonies, together with the image, suddenly found themselves
standing still, unable to progress further by a single step. All day they remained like
this, scorched by the searing heat, unable to understand why they were stuck
motionless in one place. Then the priests said that it was the work of a certain
Christian called Apollonius living nearby in the desert, and that they could not be
released from their dangerous predicament unless they begged him to intervene.
This was heard by a large crowd which had gathered from all directions, wanting to
know the reason for this miraculous event, unable to account for it themselves. So
suspicion fell upon Apollonius, and they demanded that he be approached. But
certain of them, even though they agreed with this and had even seen Apollonius
going by with his companions, immediately began themselves to try and bring help.
They brought oxen, thinking that they should be strong enough to move the image,
but all in vain. Unable to achieve any progress, they sent a deputation to the man of
God, promising that if he would release these people from their bondage, perhaps he
might also free them from the bondage of their errors. On being approached he
straightway went down to them, poured out his prayers to God and so released them.
With one accord they all turned to him, believing in the salvation of our God and
giving thanks. The image, which was made of wood, they immediately consigned to
the fire. They all began to follow the man of God, and learning from him the faith of
the Lord they became members of God's church. Several of them stayed with him
permanently and even now still live in the monastery. The fame of this marvellous
deed was everywhere spread abroad, and many were converted to the faith of the
Lord, so that there remained hardly anyone in those parts who was a pagan.
A little while later there was a boundary dispute between two villages. When the man
of God heard about it he hurried down to try and make peace. But they had become
so angry in this dispute that they would in no way entertain any thoughts of peace,
mainly because the people on one side were putting their faith in the strength of a
certain robber who seemed to be the instigator of the struggle. When Apollonius saw
that this man was firmly setting his face against peace he said to him, "If you would
agree with me to work for peace I will pray to God and he will forgive you all your
sins" When he heard this he did not even argue, but fell on his knees and begged for
mercy. Then he turned to the crowd who followed him and bade them all disperse
peacefully. When they had gone he remained with the man of God seeking the
fulfilment of his promise. So Apollonius then took the robber back to the monastery
with him, teaching him how he ought to change his way of life and patiently wait for
God's mercy, looking for the promise by faith, for all things are possible for those who
believe (Mark 9.23).

While both were asleep in the monastery that night each of them saw a vision of
heaven, where they were standing before the judgment seat of Christ, together with
the angels of God and his saints adoring the Lord. At this sight they also fell down
and worshipped and they heard a voice from God saying, "Although it is not fitting for
light to have any fellowship with darkness, nor the unfaithful to receive their portion
with the faithful (1 Cor.6.14), nevertheless, Apollonius, salvation has been granted to
him for whom you have made supplication." Many other things they heard in this
vision beyond the power of tongue to relate or ear to hear, and when they arose from
sleep they described their vision to the brothers. They were greatly astonished that
each one had had the same dream as the other.
The robber, already in the process of becoming holy, remained with the brothers,
changing his former habits and way of life into ways of innocence and devotion. So
radically was he changed from a wolf into a lamb that in him was visibly displayed in
full measure the prophecy of Isaiah that the wolves shall lie down with the lambs and
the ox and the lion feed from the same manger (Isaiah 11.6). We noticed also that
there were many Ethiopians living in the monastery, excelling many of the other
monks in religious observance and spiritual virtue, so that in them was visibly fulfilled
the Scripture that Ethiopia shall lift up her hands to God (Psalms 68.31).
The following story is also told about Apollonius. A dispute had arisen between two
neighbouring villages, one Christian, the other pagan. A great crowd of armed men
was coming out from both villages, when by chance Apollonius came in between
them. He urged them to make peace, but the man who seemed to be the leader of
the pagans and who was the prime cause of the dispute, a fierce and quarrelsome
person, vehemently refused, saying that he would never make peace but would
rather die. "So be it", said Apollonius, "and you will be the only one to lose your life.
And your tomb will be no more than you deserve, not in the earth but in the bellies of
beasts and vultures." In due course his words turned out to be true, for he was the
only one on either side who fell. And when the battle was over and they returned next
morning they found that the beasts had dug him up and torn him to pieces and
vultures had helped to devour him. They were all amazed that the word of the man of
God had been thus fulfilled, and were all converted to the faith of our Lord and
Saviour, hailing Apollonius as a prophet.

It did not escape our notice either what he had done in the early days when he had
begun to live in a cave with a few companions. It was the time of the paschal feast,
and when the holy vigils and sacraments in the cave had come to an end, some of
those with him prepared a meal, but there was nothing except some dry bread and a
few vegetables preserved in salt. Apollonius said to those with him; "If we have faith,
as true and faithful servants of Christ, let us each one ask God whether he has
anything for us to enjoy freely on this festal day." But they preferred that he alone
should ask this of God, because he excelled them not only in age but in virtue, while
they were much inferior to him in grace. He enthusiastically poured forth a prayer to
God, to which they all replied Amen, and suddenly there appeared at the mouth of
the cave a number of complete strangers who brought with them a vast supply of all
kinds of different foods. Nobody before in the whole country of Egypt had ever seen
such a diversity of so many different kinds of food. There were grapes, nuts, figs,
pomegranates, besides things completely out of place such as milk, honeycombs
and honey. There were also warm "nicolae", a type of richly decorated loaf which
obviously originated in foreign lands. No sooner had the bearers of these gifts
handed them over than they departed, as if they could hardly wait to get back to
whoever it was who had sent them. The monks gave thanks to God and began to
feast on what had been given them. There was so much of it that it lasted till the feast

of Pentecost. They had no doubt that God had sent these things for the celebration of
the feast.
We learned also that one of the brothers who was completely lacking in the graces of
humility and gentleness asked Apollonius to pray to God that he might be given these
graces. Apollonius prayed, and the graces of humility and gentleness which came to
him were so great that the brothers were amazed at the peace of mind and modesty
which they saw in him where previously they had seen none.
At one time there was a famine in the Thebaid. The local people knew that Apollonius
and the monks who served God were frequently fed by God alone when they had no
food, so they all came to him, along with their wives and children, asking not only a
blessing but also food. Unhesitatingly he began to share with them the food which
had been set aside for the use of the brothers, giving freely to one and all. At last
there were only three baskets of bread left, but there were people still hungry. He
ordered the three remaining baskets of bread to be brought out - only just enough to
feed the monks for one day - and in the presence of all the people whose hunger had
brought them together he lifted up his hands to God and said, "Is not the hand of the
Lord mighty to make these multiply? Thus says the Holy Spirit. 'The bread in the
baskets shall not run out till we all are filled with the new harvest'." And many of those
who were there testified to us that for four months he continued to take bread out of
the baskets without the supply diminishing. They also said that on another occasion
he did the same with oil and grain.
The devil was annoyed by these powers, and is said to have reproached him thus, "I
suppose you think you are Elias or some other prophet that you dare to do these
things?"
He replied, "Come now. Are not the prophets and apostles they who handed on to us
their faith and their grace? Was God present then and absent now? God forbid. God
is almighty, and what he can do he can always do. If God is good, you devil, why is it
that you are evil?"
As we have said, these stories of his deeds were faithfully told to us by the seniors,
holy and religious men. But notwithstanding the reliance that should be placed in
their truth, the Lord provided us with even greater grounds for belief by means of that
which we witnessed with our own eyes. For we saw baskets of bread being carried to
the tables and all ate their fill. But the baskets were gathered up again just as full as
before.
I must tell you also about another thing we can bear witness to. When we were on
the way to this monastery and still a long way off, three brothers came to meet us for
he had told them three days earlier that we were coming. They were singing psalms
as they came, for this is their custom always when monks turn up. They prostrated
themselves, embraced us, and pointing to us said to each other, "These are the three
brothers whom our father Apollonius told us about three days ago. He said, 'Three
brothers from Jerusalem will be with us in three days time.'" Some of the brothers
then walked on before us, others behind, and both groups were singing psalms.
When we were nearly there the holy Apollonius heard the psalmody and came out
himself to meet us. When he saw us he first of all prostrated himself, then embraced
us, took us into the monastery, and offered a prayer (as is the custom) before
washing our feet with his own hands and seeing to all our other bodily needs. He
does this for all new arrivals. It is also the custom for him and all the brothers with
him not to take food before receiving the Communion of the Lord at around about the
ninth hour, and in the interval between then and Vespers they listen to the word of
God and with no let up are given instruction on fulfilling the commandments of the
Lord (cf. VIII.9). After the evening meal some of them go to their hermitages and
spend the light reciting the Scriptures by heart, others remain gathered together and
keep vigil till morning light with hymns and praises to God. I was present and saw
this.
Some of them at the ninth hour came down from the mountain to receive Communion
and straightway went back again, content with this spiritual food alone, and kept this
up for several days. But there was such a great happiness and joyfulness in them,
such exaltation, as no other man on earth could display. No one showed any signs of
sadness, or if any one did happen to look a bit out of sorts father Apollonius
immediately enquired what was the matter. It frequently happened that if anyone tried
to conceal [his thoughts] Apollonius would say out loud what was being hidden, in
order to make the victim face up to it. He would admonish them that it was absolutely
wrong to be dejected when God was their salvation and their hope was in the
kingdom of heaven. "Let the gentiles be sad," he would say, "let the Jews mourn, let
sinners weep unceasingly, but let the righteous rejoice. For if lovers of the world take
comfort in their fragile and perishable possessions, should not we be overflowing with
joy when our hope lies in such great glory and the promise of eternity? Hasn't the
Apostle implored us to 'rejoice always, pray without ceasing, and in all things give
thanks'?" (1 Thess.5.16). But who can do justice to the grace of his words and
doctrine? It were better that I say no more rather than fail to commend him
adequately.
In personal interviews the blessed Apollonius discussed many things with us - the
underlying principles of abstinence, living a balanced life, the duty of hospitality. This
latter especially he impressed upon us, that we should greet visiting brothers as if it
were the Lord coming to us. "For this tradition of giving every honour to visiting
brothers," he said, "is maintained among us for it is certain that to welcome brothers
is the same as to welcome the Lord Jesus, who said, 'I was a stranger and you took
me in' (Matthew 25.43). Abraham likewise took in some who appeared to be men but
whom he understood to be the Lord. (Genesis 18)". Moreover he said you should
insist on giving hospitality to the brothers even against their will, and he cited the
example of the holy Lot who insisted on the angels seeking refuge in his own house
(ibid.19).
He also urged that as far as possible monks should partake of the mysteries of Christ
daily, lest if they stay away too long they stray away from God. "It is the frequent
communicant who frequently receives the Saviour, for the Saviour himself said, 'He
who eats my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me and I in him' (John.6.56). This
commemoration of the Lord's passion is exceptionally beneficial as it provides an
example of patient suffering." And he warned us that each one of us should always
take care to prepare himself, lest he be found unworthy of the mysteries of the Lord,
adding that through the mysteries the remission of sins is given to those who believe.
He warned that except for some great necessity there should be no relaxing of the
statutory fasts on Wednesday and Friday, for on Wednesday Judas planned the
betrayal of Jesus and on the Friday the Saviour was crucified. It followed that anyone
who needlessly relaxed the fast on these days betrayed the Saviour along with the
traitor, and crucified him with the crucifiers. But he went on to say that if any brother
did arrive on either of these two days and you wished to refresh him after his journey,
even if it was before the ninth hour, you should just offer him food by himself. If he did
not wish it he would not be put under any pressure. This is the generally accepted
rule. He also castigated soundly those who fussed over their hair (comam capitis
nutriunt. [washed their hair? combed it? cut it?]), or wore iron necklets, or did
anything else which only drew attention to themselves. "It's obvious," he said, "that
these people are only looking for human praise. They do it to make themselves
noticed, but the commandment is that even your fasting should be carried out in
secret, that it may be known to God alone who sees in secret and rewards openly
(Matthew.6.18). As you can see, they are not content with the testimony and reward
of him who sees in secret, but wish people to be able to see them. The complete
regime of abstinence should be kept secret, so that the body is kept under by fasting
without boasting to your fellows and your reward sought only from the Lord."
This and much more he told us about the life-style of the monks and how it varied
during the week, and he pointed to their deeds as bearing out the faithfulness of his
teaching. As we were about to depart he produced one more little admonition, "Above
all, beloved, maintain peace among you, let there be no divisions among you." Then
turning to the brothers, who along with him were seeing us on our way, he said,
"Which one of you would like to take them to the fathers in the monasteries nearby?"
Nearly all of them immediately expressed themselves willing to do so and wanted to
come with us. The holy father Apollonius therefore chose three of them who were
fluent in both Greek and Egyptian to do any necessary interpreting for us. They were
also such people as would be able to help us in what they said themselves. As he
sent us off with them he urged us not to part company with them before we had seen
all the fathers and all the monasteries we wanted to, although no one would have
been able to see them all. He dismissed us with a blessing in these words; "The Lord
bless you out of Sion that you may see the good things of Jerusalem all the days of
your life." (Psalms 128.5).

Chapter VIII
AMMON (cf. the last section of VIII.52)
I don't believe we should omit what we heard from Ammon, another holy man, whose
place where he lived in the desert we visited. After we left the blessed Apollonius we
went to a part of the desert towards the south when we saw in the sand traces of the
footprints of a large serpent (draco). They were big enough to look as if a large piece
of timber had been dragged along. We were absolutely terrified when we saw them,
but the brothers guiding us urged us to be in no way afraid but to have faith and
follow the serpent. "You will see the power of faith," they said, "when you have seen
us destroy it. For there are lots of serpents, snakes and horned creatures (?
cornutas) which have perished at our hands. For thus we read the scriptures, 'The
Saviour enables those who believe in him to tread upon serpents and scorpions and
every power of the enemy'" (Luke 10.19). What they said simply made us more and
more afraid, in our weak lack of faith, and we begged them not to follow the tracks of
the serpent but keep to the right path. But one of them impatiently rushed off to follow
the serpent, and almost immediately he came to its cave. He shouted to us to come
and see what would happen. But one of the brothers who lived in the neighbourhood
came out to us and advised against following the serpent for he was sure we would
not be able to bear it, especially as we were not used to seeing such things. He had
often seen it himself, he said, and it was unbelievably large, at least fifteen cubits
long [cubit = distance from elbow to tip of middle finger]. After urging us to avoid the
place, he ran up to the brother who was prepared to destroy the serpent and was
expecting us to follow him. He took him by the arm and begged him to come back
with him. And by his insistent pleading he prevailed over the one who was still
unwilling to depart without destroying the serpent. He then came up to us, saying that
he would not have it that we were craven or faithless.
(At this point, cf VIII.53) He then led us to his cell and with great friendliness offered
us some refreshment. He told us that the place where he lived had been the home of
a holy man named Ammon, whose disciple he had been. The Lord had done many
great things through him, among which had been the following:
Robbers often had been stealing his bread, his sole means of subsistence, even the
meagre supply which he had in store. Having put up patiently with this for quite some
time he went out one day into the desert and returned with two large serpents which
he ordered to live with him and told them to stay at the door of his cell (monasterium)
to guard the entrance. When the robbers came as usual they saw something
guarding the cell, and when they realized it was serpents they became paralysed and
senseless, they were struck dumb and fell to the ground. When the old man realized
what was happening he came out and found them half dead. He came to them and
raised them up, and rebuked them, saying, "You should realise that you are worse
than these serpents, for whereas they have been obedient to us for God's sake, you
neither fear God nor are ashamed to disturb the lives of the servants of God."
Whereupon he took them into his cell, sat them down at the table and gave them
food. They were cut to the heart, and turned away with repulsion from their barbarous
ways. In a very short time they became even more virtuous than many who had
already begun to serve the Lord. Their penitence began to effect such radical
changes that it was not very long before they were doing the same signs and
wonders as Ammon.
On another occasion there was an immense serpent which was terrorising the
neighbouring region and killing many people, and the local inhabitants came to the
aforesaid father begging him to rid the area of this beast. They also hoped to excite
his pity by bringing to him a lad, the son of a shepherd, who at the mere sight of this
serpent had been frightened out of his wits. The mere breath of the serpent had
rendered him unconscious and bloated, but the holy man anointed him with oil and
restored him to health. However, although he accepted the need for the serpent to be
killed, he at first seemed unwilling to promise anything, as if there was nothing he
could do to help them. But in due course he did go out to meet the beast, and knelt
down praying to the Lord. The beast began a furious rush towards him, uttering
terrifying groans and hissing loudly. But he cared nothing for all that. He turned
towards the serpent and said, "May Christ the Son of God who will slay the great
whale (Isaiah 27.1) bring you to destruction." At the old man's words this most
horrible serpent burst asunder, even as it was spewing forth poison with all its force.
The neighbouring people gathered together, amazed at such a great miracle. Unable

to bear the smell it left behind they began to pile up a huge pile of sand over it.
Ammon remained near at hand, for even though the beast was dead they would not
have dared approach it without him being there.

Chapter IX
THE PRESBYTER COPRES AND PATERMUTIUS (cf. VIII.54)
There was a presbyter called Copres who had a cell (monasterium) in that same
desert, a holy man about eighty years old, who had done many great deeds,
encouraging the weary and healing the sick, driving out demons and doing many
miracles, some of which he did while we were there. In greeting us he embraced us,
and after the usual prayer washed our feet, after which he asked us for news of the
world. We would rather that he would tell us of his own doings, and asked him about
the deeds and worthiness through which the Lord had bestowed upon him such
graces. But he demurred, and began to make a comparison between his own life and
those who had gone before him, saying that they were far more illustrious than
himself, being barely able to follow their example. "There is nothing marvellous about
me," he said, "in comparison with the holy fathers."
[The following account of Patermutius is not in Book VIII]
"Before us there was this splendid man, Father Mutius by name. He was the first
monk in this place and was the first to teach the way of salvation to all of us in this
desert. He was a pagan (gentilis) at first, a most notorious thief and tomb robber, a
connoisseur of every kind of wickedness. His saving moment happened in this way:
"He went one night to the house of a certain consecrated virgin in order to burgle it.
He climbed up on to the roof, equipped with a well known type of tool-kit, trying to
find a method or an opening by which he could break in. The operation proved too
difficult for him, and he spent the greater part of the night on the roof to no avail.
Frustrated by the failure of many attempts he felt weary and fell asleep and saw in a
vision someone standing by him dressed like a king, who said, 'Desist from all these
crimes, and from the spilling of blood. Turn all your efforts towards religious purposes
instead of shameful theft, and join the angelic host of heaven. From now on live with
virtue in mind, and I will make you the principal leader of this host.'
"He listened to what was being said to him with a great feeling of joy, and was then
shown a great army of monks, of which he was bidden to be the leader. As he awoke
he saw the virgin standing there, demanding to know who and whence he was and
what he was doing there. Like somebody out of his mind all he could say was,
'Please take me to a church.' She realised that some divine operation was working in
her, and she took him to the church and introduced him to the presbyters. He
prostrated himself in front of them and begged to be made a Christian and do
penance. The presbyters knew this man to be the instigator of all kinds of
wickednesses and wondered if he were really genuine. But he persisted, and
convinced them he really meant what he was asking for. They warned him that if that
was what he wanted he would have to leave off from his former way of life. He was
baptised, and begged to be given some precepts by which he might begin to walk
along the way to salvation. They gave him the first three verses of Psalm 1 [Blessed
is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of
sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the Lord,
and in his law doth he meditate day and night. And he shall be like a tree planted by
the waterside, that bringeth forth his fruit in due season, and whatsoever he doeth
shall prosper] They told him that if he diligently took these verses to heart it would be
enough to lead him into the way of salvation and to a growth in holiness (scientia
pietatis). He stayed with them for three days and then went off to the desert where he
stayed for a long time, persevering day and night in prayers and tears, living off roots
and herbs.
"He went back to the church where the presbyters realised how the three verses of
Psalm 1 which they had given him had affected his speech, his actions and his whole
way of life. The presbyters marvelled at how such a sudden conversion could have
led him immediately into such a strict self-discipline. They gave him further instruction
in the holy Scriptures, and suggested that he stay with them permanently. So as not
to appear disobedient he lived out a week with them but then returned to the desert,
where he spent the next seven years very abstemiously, receiving such a fulness of
grace from the Lord, that he was able to learn almost the whole of Scripture by heart.
He took bread only on Sundays, and this was given to him by divine providence. For
after he came away from his prayers he would find bread there which no human
hand had brought. When he had given thanks and consumed it he found that it was
sufficient to see him through to the next Sunday.
"A long time afterwards he came back from the desert and encouraged many people
to follow his example, among whom was a young man who wanted to be his disciple.
After giving him the monastic habit, that is, the sleeveless tunic, the hood and the
goatskin cloak, he began to instruct him in the other principles of monastic life,
especially the duty of taking care to bury Christians who had died. And when that
disciple had observed the care with which he clothed the dead in burial garments, he
said, 'I hope that when I am dead, master, you will prepare and bury me like that.'
"'I will indeed, my son, and I shall keep on clothing you until you say "enough"'.
"Not long after this the young man died and this promise was fulfilled. For having
clothed him in several garments he said in the presence of all those there, 'Is this
sufficient for your burial, my son, or should we add some more?' Everybody then
heard the voice of the dead boy, even though his jaw had been tied up and his face
covered, saying, 'Enough, father. You have fulfilled your promise'. Those present
were astonished, and wondered exceedingly about such a miraculous deed. But
once the boy was buried, he made no attempt to boast about it but went straight back
to his hermitage.
"On another occasion he left his hermitage to visit the brothers whom he had
established. It was revealed to him that one of them was in extremis and likely to die.
It was already getting towards evening, so he was hurrying in order to see him. But
the place where the sick man lived was still a long way off and he did not want to get
to the place after dark. He called to mind the saying of the Lord, 'Walk while you have
the light lest the darkness overtake you' (John 12.35) and 'He who walks in the light
does not stumble' (John 11.10). And as he saw the sun beginning to set he said to it,
'In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ stay still for a while until I arrive at my
destination.' And although it had partially begun to sink it stopped, and stood still until
he had arrived. This was obvious to all those who were waiting there. As they stood
and watched the sunset being delayed they wondered what sort of an omen it could
be for them that the sun should delay its setting for such a long time. So when they
saw Father-Mutius coming out of the desert they asked him what sort of a portent
was signified by the sun. He replied, 'Have you forgotten the word of our Lord and
Saviour, "If you have faith as much as a grain of mustard seed you will do greater
things than these"?' (Matthew 17.20). And when they realised that the sun had stood
still because of his faith they feared greatly, and many of them joined his band of
disciples and began to follow him.
"He went into the house of the brother who had been the reason for his hasty journey
and found him already dead. He prayed, went to the bed, embraced him and said,
'What would you rather, brother, to depart and be with Christ or remain in the flesh?'
"His life came back to him, he sat up and said, 'Why are you calling me back, father?
It is better for me to depart and be with Christ. I do not need to remain in the flesh
any longer.'
"'Sleep then in peace, my son,' he replied, 'and pray for me.' And immediately he lay
back on the bed and fell asleep. Those present were astounded. 'Truly this is a man
of God,' they said. He then clothed the young man appropriately according to his
custom and kept vigil the whole night with psalms and hymns before giving him
decent burial.
"There was another brother whom he visited in bed sick, and he could see that this
brother felt himself to be condemned by his own conscience and was frightened of
dying. 'Why are you unprepared for death, my son?' he asked. 'It is laziness, as far
as I can see, that your conscience is accusing you of.'
"The brother then begged him, 'Please, father, intercede for me to God that I may be
allowed a little more time in which to amend my life.'
"He replied, 'You are asking for more time now, when you have come to the end of
your life? What were you doing for all the rest of the time in your life? Weren't you
able to cure your own wounds? Haven't you been adding even more wrongdoings
right up till now?' The brother continued to implore him, until the old man said, 'As
long as you don't add any more sins to the ones you have already committed, we will
pray to God for you. For he is good and long-suffering and will allow you a little more
time in this life to enable you to make up for all your failings.' He then prayed to God
and when he had finished he said, 'See, the Lord has given you three years more in
which you can apply yourself to doing penance.' And stretching out his hand he
raised him up from the bed. Without any delay he followed him back to the desert.
Three years later the old man summoned him back to the place where he had raised
him up, so that everyone could be enlightened by [the example of] his way of life,
asserting before God that rather than being a mere human being, he was now more
like a man turned angel. He called an assembly of brothers and set him in the midst
of them. Using him as an example he then discoursed to the brothers the whole night
through on the subject of his conversion and the fruits which penitence brings forth.
As he was preaching, the brother began first to look a little drowsy and then suddenly
fell asleep for good. He prayed over him, did everything necessary for his burial
according to his custom, and hastily went back to his hermitage.
"He frequently walked across the vast river Nile, with the water coming only up to his
knees.
"On another occasion he came in to the brothers through closed doors when they
were gathered together in an upper room, and would often be transported in a
moment of time to somewhere else, however far away it might be.
"It is said that at the time of his first conversion when he was in the desert, after
fasting for a week a man came to him out of the desert bringing with him bread and
water, begging him to accept it for it had been sent to him from heaven.
"Once a demon came to him and showed him a great treasure hidden in the earth
which had once belonged to Pharaoh. 'Take your treasure with you to perdition in the
middle of the earth', he replied. The Lord did all these things and many more through
him. But there were many other fathers as well of whom the world was not worthy
(Hebrews 11.38), performing heavenly signs and marvels. Why should you be
surprised if it is only very small things that we small people can do, such as caring for
the blind and the lame, which any doctor can do by means of his art?"
As Copres was telling us these things one of our brothers was evidently sceptical
about what was being told us and got so bored with it all that he fell asleep. In a deep
slumber he saw in a vision Copres holding a book written in golden letters, from
which he seemed to be reading what he was telling us. Beside him was someone of
most venerable gray-haired appearance who severely rebuked him, saying, "Why
aren't you listening intently to what is being said, instead of falling asleep in
disbelief?" Greatly troubled he woke up, and quietly told us in Latin what he had
seen.
While all this was going on we also noticed a peasant coming to Copres' door
carrying a bowl full of sand, patiently waiting until Copres had finished talking to us.

Having seen him, we asked Copres what the peasant wanted, standing there with a
bowl of sand in his hand. "I really shouldn't tell you," he said, "for fear that we should
be seen to boast about God's work in us and so lose the due reward of our labour.
However, for your edification and benefit, bearing in mind that you have come such a
long way to visit us, I cannot let myself hide from you the works of God which he has
deigned to do among us.
"All the cultivated land round here was very sterile and unfruitful. But the seed still
had to be sown, even though it only returned twofold. Maggots were appearing on
the stalks of the new shoots, which consumed the grains as they grew upwards. Now
the peasants in that place had been pagans, but since we had taught them to believe
in God and to become Christians, they came to us as newly made Christians asking
that we should pray to God for their crops. We told them that we would indeed pray,
but that God required from them a faith that would deserve such prayer. So they filled
the fold of their robes with sand that we ourselves had walked on and brought it to us
begging that we would bless it in the name of the Lord. I said to them, 'Be it unto you
according to your faith.' They took the sand away with them and mixed it with the
seed they were sowing and scattered it over the fields. The crop which resulted was
greater than anything which the land of Egypt had ever previously been able to
produce. From then on the custom arose of them coming to us twice a year with the
same request.
"I won't leave you ignorant either about something else which the Lord for the glory of
his name did through me. I had gone down to the city once and found there a
Manichaean teacher subverting the people with whom I began a dispute. But he was
a very crafty individual, and I was not able to convince him by words, so, fearing that
the people would come to some harm if he seemed to win the argument, I said so
that the people could hear me; 'Make a big fire in the centre of the square and let us
both walk into the midst of the flames, and if there should be one of us that is not
burned in it, let the faith of that one be believed to be the true one.' The people were
pleased with what I said and immediately set a big fire going. I took him and began to
drag him towards the fire, but he said, 'No, not like this. Each one of us should go in
separately, and since this is your idea you should go in first.' Committing myself in the
name of Christ I walked into the midst of the flames, which began to part here and
there and move away from me almost entirely. I stayed in the midst of that fire nearly
half an hour and in the name of the Lord hardly came to any harm at all. The
watching people shouted out with great approval and blessed God, saying, 'God is
wonderful in his saints!' (Psalms 68.35). Then they began to goad the Manichaean
into going into the fire, which he was very reluctant to do and tried to get away.
Whereupon the crowd seized him and threw him into the fire. The flames immediately
licked round him and delivered him up again half burned and still on fire. The people
reviled him and threw him out of the city. shouting, 'Let the deceiver burn alive'. But
me they took with them to the church, blessing the Lord.
"On another occasion I was passing by a temple where I saw the pagans offering
sacrifices, and I said to them, 'You are people endowed with reason. Why are you
offering up these dumb and insensible images? Are you not even more insensible
than what you are offering up?' And because of what I had said the Lord opened up
their minds and they stopped being governed by error and followed me, believing in
our God and Saviour.
"I used to have a little garden near my cell where I used to grow vegetables in order
to entertain any visiting brothers. One night a pagan came in and stole some
vegetables. He took them home and began to cook them on the fire, but after three
hours over a steadily burning flame they would neither get hot, nor soften up nor get
warm to the slightest degree, remaining as fresh as they were before. The water just
would not get the slightest bit warm. This made him realise in himself that he was a
thief, and he snatched the vegetables off the fire and brought them back to us, where
he prostrated himself at our feet and begged that he might find forgiveness for his
sins and become a Christian, which indeed was brought to pass.
"And it so happened that on that very same day a number of brothers came to us as
guests. The vegetables therefore were already most opportunely prepared for them.
We gave thanks to God for his wonders, having a twofold cause for rejoicing: the
salvation of a human being and gifts from God besides."

Chapter X
ABBAS SYRUS, ISAIAH, PAUL AND ANUPHIUS
(VIII. 55-58)
He also added this story:
Three abbas, Syrus, Isaias and Paul met together at the bank of a river. They were
upright men, of great abstinence and very religious. They were intending to visit a
certain Anuphius, whose cell was three days journey away. They wanted to cross the
river but there was absolutely no transport available, so they said among themselves,
"Let us ask for God's grace that the good work of this journey will not be hindered."
And turning to Abba Syrus, the other two said, "You especially must pray to God, for
we know that God listens to you and always provides what you ask for." So he urged
them to bend their knees along with himself, and prostrated himself face down before
the Lord. Their prayer completed they got up and behold! they saw that a boat had
been called up, ready to cross the river and help them on their way in the journey
they were making. They got aboard, and were carried so quickly up river that in the
space of one hour they covered the whole journey which they had expected would
have taken three days. When they came ashore Isaias said, "The Lord has given me
a vision of this man we are hurrying to meet, coming towards us, being told all the
secrets of the heart of each one of us." And Paul said, "And the Lord showed me that
in three days time he will be taken from this world."
They had progressed a little way from the river on their journey to the cell, when they
saw coming towards them the man they were coming to visit. He greeted them and
said, "Blessed be God who has often shown you to me in spirit, but now in the flesh."
And he began to spell out the virtues of each one of them in the sight of the Lord, and
all the things they had done. And Paul said, "Since the Lord has revealed to us that in
three days time he will take you from this world, we beg you to tell us about all your
virtues and deeds which have been pleasing to the Lord, and don't be frightened that
we will think you boastful. Leave us with a memorial of your doings before you die, as
an example for posterity."
"I don't know that I have done anything remarkable," he said, "but I did succeed in
this, that I confessed the name of my Saviour through all the persecutions, nor did
any lie ever proceed out of my mouth after this confession of truth, nor have I loved
the things of earth more than the things of heaven, and the grace of God has never
failed me in these things. He has never failed me in anything I have needed on earth;
by the ministry of angels he has always supplied me with sufficient food. The Lord
has always shown me what was happening on earth, and his light has never
departed from my heart. Sustained by that light I have done without sleep, nourished
always by a longing to see him. His angel has always been sent to stand by me,
teaching me about each and every virtue in the world. His light has never been shut
out of my mind. Anything I have asked for I have immediately carried out. He has
often showed me multitudes of angels standing round about him, I have seen the
assemblies of the just, the congregations of martyrs, the gatherings of kings and of
all the saints, that is, of all those whose task is nothing other than to praise and bless

the Lord for ever in simplicity of heart and faith. As against that I have seen Satan
and all his angels cast into eternal fire, and again, the just enjoying eternal bliss."
After telling them about these things and many more for three days, he gave up his
spirit. And straight away they saw his soul taken up by the angels and carried to
heaven, and they heard the sound of the hymns with which his soul was praising God
along with the angels as he was going to the Lord.

Chapter XI
HELENUS (VIII.59)
There was another holy man called Helenus who had been serving the Lord since
boyhood. Schooled in the ways of chastity and moderation in all things, he had
become a very praiseworthy person. While he was still a boy in the monastery, if he
needed to ask a neighbour for fire, he would carry burning coals away in pieces of
cloth without their getting burnt. All the brothers admired him and tried to follow the
example of his attitude of mind, and the good points of his way of life. Once when he
was alone in the desert he felt a sudden craving for honey. Looking around, he saw a
honeycomb fixed to a rock and immediately recognised it as a deception from the
devil. Angrily he said within himself, "Depart from me you deceiver with your illicit
desires. For it is written 'Walk in the spirit and do not fulfil the desires of the flesh'"
(Galatians, 5.16). And from then on he left his own home and went to the desert,
where he began to discipline himself with fasting in order to punish his fleshly
desires. In the third week of his fast he saw several apples scattered about in the
desert, but knowing the wiles of the enemy he said, "I won't eat them, I won't even
touch them, lest I cause offence to my brother, that is, my soul. For it is written, 'Man
shall not live by bread alone but by every word of God'" (Deut. 8.3 & Matthew. 4.4).
After he had fasted another week he had been asleep for a little while when an angel
of the Lord appeared to him in a vision and said, "Get up, and what you find put
ready for you, eat without fear." He got up and found a gently flowing stream of water,
with its banks teeming all around with tender and sweet-smelling fruits. He went up to
them and picked and ate, and drank from the stream. He realised that never in his
whole life had he tasted anything quite so sweet and delicious. In this same place he
found a cave where he stayed for quite some time. And whenever his body needed
refreshment he prayed to the Lord and by the grace of God he lacked nothing.
He was once making a rather difficult visit to some brothers, loaded up with various
things for their bodily needs. As he journeyed his burden was getting heavier and
heavier when he saw at a distance some wild asses going through the desert. He
shouted out "In the name of Jesus Christ let one of you come and take my load!" And
behold, just one out of all that herd came gently up to him, offering its services of its
own free will. He loaded it up, sat on it himself, and was carried in no time to the cells
of the brothers he wanted to visit.
On another occasion he visited a certain monastery on a Sunday and found that they
were not observing the solemnity of the day. Upon asking why, he was told that the
presbyter who lived on the other side of the river had not come. No one indeed was
willing to cross the river for fear of the crocodiles. "If you like," he said, "I'll go across
and get him." And he immediately made his way to riverbank. He called upon the
name of the Lord, and suddenly a crocodile appeared, ready to stop being a terror to
mankind and change into a ferry for the righteous. It offered him his back, which he
accepted, all fear cast aside, and was carried to the opposite back. Helenus went
straight up to the presbyter and begged him to come to the brothers. Now his clothing
was quite mean and dishevelled, and the presbyter wondered wherever this person
had come from and asked him what he wanted. But when he realised that he was
indeed a man of God he began to follow him to the river. He mentioned that there
was no boat to be found in which they could cross, but abba Helenus said to him,
"Don't worry, father, I am now about to call up a ferry." And in a loud voice he
commanded the beast to appear. It came as soon as it heard his voice, and
peacefully offered his back. Helenus got on first and then invited the presbyter to do
so. "Come on, don't be afraid," he said. But the presbyter was so frightened at the
appearance of this monster that he took to his heels and fled.
Fear and amazement fell on all his companions when they say him being carried
across the waters of the river by a crocodile. When got back, he led the beast up the
bank with him and said, "Death would be a better thing for you than to be burdened
with the guilt of so many assaults and homicides." And immediately the beast durst
asunder and died.
The holy Helenus remained three days in this monastery, giving talks to the brothers
on spiritual matters. As a result many of them brought out into the open the thoughts
and secret workings of their hearts. One said that he was troubled by the spirit of
fornication, another by the spirit of anger, another by the love of money, and several
admitted to being deceived by boasting and spiritual pride. He drew attention to the
gentleness of one, the justice of another and the patience of someone else. And so
by underlining quite impartially the vices of some and virtues of others, he
encouraged in a wonderful way the advancement of them all. Some of the sceptical
among them were cut to the quick and changed their minds after certain things came
to pass among them exactly as he had foretold. For as he was about to leave he said
to them, "Prepare some food against the arrival of some more of the brothers." As
they were making preparations some brothers did arrive on the instant and were
gladly welcomed, while he went back to the desert.
One of the brothers asked if he might be allowed to live with him in the desert. He
replied that it was a very serious matter, and very laborious, to withstand the
temptations of the demons, but the young man urged it all the more vigorously,
protesting that he would be able to put up with anything as long as Helenus would
give him generous support. So he gave him permission and the young man followed
him into the desert, where Helenus told him to live in a cave not far away from his
own. That night the demons flocked around him, first of all stirring up sordid and filthy
thoughts, and then violently threatening to rush in and kill him. But the young man
rushed out and fled to the cell of the holy Helenus to tell him of the evils that were
assailing him. Then the old man gave him a few words of comfort, advocating the
virtues of faith and patience, before going back with him to the cave from which he
had fled. There he traced a line in the sand before the cave with his finger, and in the
name of the Lord he forbade the demons to dare trying to cross this boundary. And it
was so, that by the power of his word the young man was safe from then on.
It was said of him that when he himself was a young man in the desert he often
received food from heaven. Some brothers were visiting him when he had nothing to
offer them, but a young man came bringing bread and other necessaries, and having
put them down in front of the cave was no longer to be seen. "Let us bless the Lord,"
said Helenus, "who provides food for us in the desert."
All this and much more father Copres told us of the life and doings of the holy fathers,
enlightening us with great kindness. After his very instructive talk he took us to his
little garden and showed us the palms and other fruit trees which he had planted. "It
was the faith of the local peasants" he said, "which encouraged me to plant these in
the desert. For I saw what great faith they had when they took the sand that we had
walked on and scattered it over their fields, thereby turning sterile soil into abundant
fertility. It would have been a shame if we had been seen to be inferior to them in
faith, when it was through us that God had granted faith to them."

Chapter XII
ELIAS (cf. VIII.51)
We saw another venerable old man called Elias in a remote part of the territory of
Antinoe, a city of the Thebaid. He was said to be a hundred and ten years old, and
the spirit of Elijah was said to rest upon him. Many marvellous things were told about
him. They said that he had spent seventy years in the depths of this vast wilderness,
a desert so fearful and inhospitable that no word was adequate to describe it.This old
man had lived there all that time having no contact with any place of human
habitation. The trackway which led to him was narrow and stony and very difficult for
visitors to find. The place where he actually lived was a horrible cave, striking terror
into the hearts of those who found it. He himself had trembled and shaken in all his
limbs for all his adult life. But every day he was doing signs, for he loosed the bonds
of all who came to him, whatever troubles they might have been burdened with. All
the fathers agreed that no one could remember when it was that he had come to this
hermitage. For food he took a little bit of bread and a few olives, even in his extreme
old age. In his youth, however, he had frequently fasted the whole week through.

Chapter XIII
PITHYRION (VIII.59)
After this we returned to the Thebaid to see a rugged mountain, overhanging a river,
a very menacing, rocky apparition, fearful to look at, and in this precipitous place
there were caves which were terribly difficult to approach. Many monks dwelt here,
the leader of whom was a father called Pithyrion. He had been a disciple of the
blessed Antony, after whose death he had lived with the holy Ammon. When Ammon
died he settled in this mountain. He was so abundantly virtuous, so greatly endowed
with the grace of being able to give sound counsel, and with such power against the
demons, that he seemed to have inherited a double portion, worth two of the greatest
men all by himself. He encouraged many with his words of warning, and was the
source of much sound teaching. In particular he taught us about the discernment of
spirits, saying that there are certain demons who latch on to whatever definite vices
people have. Anyone who seems to be passively subject to any vicious motions in
the soul they turn to positive deeds of evil. So if there is anyone who is looking to be

dominated by demons, be sure they are first of all dominated by their own passions
and vices. But whatever vice with its appropriate passion you have been able to cut
off in yourself, you will then have the power of expelling the demon of this vice from
those possessed by it. He took food only twice a week, accepting a few little portions
of gruel made from flour (pulticulas ex farina), nor would he ever eat meat, allowing
no alteration to his customs because of his age.

Chapter XIV
THE FATHER CALLED EULOGIUS (cf. VIII.75)
We saw another holy father called Eulogius, who had received from God the grace of
being able to discern both the merits and the guilt of anyone who approached the
altar of God, so that he would stop some of the monks coming to him for Communion
saying, "How can you dare to approach the divine Sacraments when your mind and
intentions are evil? In fact, last night you had thoughts of fornication, but you said to
yourself, 'It makes no difference whether you come to the Sacrament as one of the
sinful or one of the righteous.'"
And there was another who quibbled in his heart, saying; "Well, isn't Communion
able to sanctify me anyway?"
He refused to give Communion to each one of these and said, "Go away for a while
and do penance. Purify yourself by making satisfaction [for your sins] in tears. Then
you may be fit to receive the Communion of Christ."

Chapter XV
THE PRESBYTER APELLES, AND JOHN (cf. III.51)
We saw another presbyter, a righteous man, in the neighbouring region called
Apelles. He was a smith and made whatever utensils the brothers needed. Once
when working at the forge in the silence of the night, the devil came to him in the
shape of a beautiful woman, bringing some work for him to do. But he picked up a
hot iron from the furnace with his bare hands and thrust it into its face. It fled,
shouting and screaming, and all the brothers round about heard the screaming as it
fled. And from that time onwards he was habitually able to pick up burning iron with
his bare hands without taking any harm. When we visited him he gave us a most
kindly welcome. We asked him if he would speak to us on the subject of the virtues,
using either his own deeds as an example or the deeds of those whom he knew to be
of conspicuous sanctity. He replied:
"In the nearby desert there is an elderly brother called John who excels everybody in
his life, his customs, and his abstinence. When he first came to the desert he stood
underneath a protruding rock face for three years continuously, always praying, never
sitting or lying down. He took only what sleep he could standing up. He took food
only on Sunday. For on that day a presbyter came and offered the Holy Sacrifice for
him, and the Sacrament was his only food. One day Satan, wishing to undermine
him, disguised himself as the presbyter who usually came to him, and arriving at an
earlier hour than usual, pretended to have come to administer the Sacraments. But,
ever vigilant, he recognised the devil's deceits and indignantly said to him, 'O, father
of all grief and fraud, you enemy of all justice, not only do you never cease from
seducing Christian souls but you even dare to penetrate into the terrible and
sacrosanct mysteries.' He replied, 'I thought you were a prize I could win, for I
deceived another of you people like this so that he blew his mind and fell senseless.
When I left him he thought he was insane because of what I had done, and the
prayers of a great number of the righteous were hardly able to restore him to his
former state of sanity'. Having said this the demon left him.
"He persisted in the task which he had begun and persevered in prayer. From
standing still so long his feet became ulcerated, with pus oozing out of them. When
three years were up an angel of the Lord came to him and said, 'The Lord Jesus
Christ and the Holy Spirit have heard your prayers. They bring healing to the wounds
in your body and grant you an abundance of heavenly knowledge and speech.' He
touched his mouth and his feet, making him whole from his ulcers, and immune to
the pangs of hunger. He ordered him to travel to another place and to visit the
brothers in the desert nearby in order to instruct them in the words and teachings of
the Lord. But on Sundays he always came back to his original spot to receive the
Sacrament in the same way as before. On other days he worked with his hands,
making harness for the draught animals, weaving palm leaves together as was the
custom of that place.
"A lame man seeking a cure once decided to go and visit him. And it happened that
the animal he was intending to ride had a girth which had been made by the man of
God. He got on to the beast and as soon as his feet touched the girth he was healed.
The man of God also sent blessed bread to whoever was ill, and as soon as they
received it they were healed. The Lord did many other signs and healings through
him.
"He excelled all the fathers and other people in one particular grace, that the way of
life of all the brothers in the neighbouring monastery was revealed to him. He could
write to their superiors and tell them that some person or other was lazy and did not
rightly fear God, or that other people were making good progress in faith and virtue.
But he also wrote to the brothers themselves, to some because they were lagging
behind their brothers and showing little inclination for being patient, to others
because they were constantly acting carefully, and were a great help to their
brothers. He predicted the rewards due to this one because of his virtues and the
punishment threatened by the Lord to that one because of his laziness. He even
described the deeds, motives, merits or negligences of people in their absence, so
that when they heard what he had said they were convicted by their own conscience
and could not make any denials. He taught everyone that they should lift up their
minds from visible and bodily things to things invisible and incorporeal. 'We have
been given time,' he said, 'in order that we might transfer our attention to studies of
that sort. We should not remain always as immature infants, but aspire now to the
higher things of the spirit, take control of our senses and direct our intelligence
towards perfection, so that virtues may shine in our souls."
This holy man of God, Apelles, commended to us most authentically many other
things about this man, John, which if they were to be written down would be
excessively long and so superhuman as to be scarcely credible to whoever might
hear them.

Chapter XVI
PAPHNUTIUS (cf. VIII.62)
We also saw the monastery of the holy Paphnutius, the man of God, the most
famous anchorite in those parts. He lived in the most distant part of the desert in the
region of Heracleos, that splendid city of the Thebaid.
We learned about him from a very faithful account given to us by the fathers. When
he was already living the angelic life he once prayed God to show him if there were
any other holy people he could be compared with. An angel appeared and told him
that there was a musician (symphoniacus) like him (cf. VIII.63) in a certain village,
who made a living by practising his art. Astonished by this strange reply he made his
way with all haste to the village and sought the man out. When he had found him he
tried to lay bare everything that the man did and earnestly enquired of him why in the
world he was performing holy and religious works. He replied that the fact of the
matter was that he was a sinner, a man of a shameful kind of life. Not long since he

had been a robber, but had turned from that disgraceful trade to what he was now
seen to be doing. Paphnutius pressed him further to tell him whether if by chance he
had done any good deeds in the course of his robberies. "I'm not in the least bit
conscious of having done anything good," he said. "But I do know this - that when I
was among the robbers we once captured a virgin consecrated to God. My fellow
robbers wanted to rape her, but I stood up and objected. I rescued her from that
degradation, and took her back to her village and her own home unharmed.
"Another time I found a respectable looking woman wandering about in the desert
and I asked her what she was doing in that place. (cf.VIII.63) 'Don't ask me,' she
said. 'I am a most unfortunate woman. Don't ask why - but if you want a servant take
me wherever you like. I am unlucky enough to have a husband who because of his
debts has been repeatedly hung up and beaten and punished by all sorts of tortures.
He has been shut up in prison and is not let out except to be tortured again. We have
three sons who have also been seized because of this debt. Since they started
looking to punish me in my misery I have fled from place to place. I have no food, I
am totally distressed, I have been wandering about without detection in this place for
three days now without anything to eat.' Upon hearing this I took pity on her and led
her to my cave, where I refreshed her spirits which were almost spent through
hunger, and I gave her three hundred solidi, for the sake of which she and her
husband and her three sons had become liable not only to slavery but to physical
punishment. She went back to the city and freed them all with the money I had given
her."
Then father Paphnutius said, "I have not done anything like that. I have been sent to
you because the name of Paphnutius was fairly well known among monks. I am fairly
well versed in being able to lead my life under monastic discipline. And it was for this
reason that God revealed to me that you are just as worthy in the sight of God as I
am. So, brother, don't neglect your soul, for you must see that you have a high place
in God's eyes." And at once he put down the flute which he was holding and followed
him to the desert. He turned his musical art into a spiritual harmony of heart and mind
and for three whole years gave himself over to [a regime of] strict abstinence
exercising himself day and night in prayers and psalms. Still pursuing his heavenly
journey with all the power of his soul, he gave up his spirit at last into the choirs of the
holy angels.
(cf. VIII.64) After Paphnutius had given up to the Lord this musician who had been
blessed with the practice of every virtue, he himself worked even harder at his
disciplines. And again he asked the Lord if there was anyone else like him upon the
earth. And again the voice of the Lord came to him, saying, "Know that the headman
of the next village is similar to you." On hearing this Paphnutius hurried to him without
delay and knocked on his door. Now this man always welcomed guests, and he
greeted Paphnutius, took him inside, washed his feet and set food before him, all in
the most friendly manner. As he was eating Paphnutius began to question his host
about his deeds, his disciplines, his rules of life. He replied in humility that he
preferred to hide his good deeds rather than publish them, but Paphnutius insisted,
saying that it had been revealed to him that he was equal in worth to any monk. This
made him feel even more humble still. "I am not aware of anything particularly good
in anything I do," he said. "But since the Word of God from whom nothing is hidden
has come to you I cannot remain silent. So I will tell you of what I do in the midst of
the many situations in which I am placed. No one knows that for the last thirty years
my wife and I have agreed to be continent. She had given me three sons, they were
the only reason for having sex with her, I have not been with anyone else, nor she
either. I have always received guests, since no one before me seems to have been
willing to give a welcome to visiting pilgrims. I have never let anyone go from my
house without giving them food for their journey. I have never neglected the poor, but
have contributed to their needs. When administering justice I have never practised
any favouritism even to my own sons. The profits due to someone else's labour has
never found its way into my house. Where I have seen strife I have spared no effort
in trying to bring peace to the quarrelling parties. No one has ever been able to bring
any reproach against my servants, my flocks have never caused any harm to my
neighbour's produce, I have never stopped anyone from producing food in my district,
I have never chosen the best bit of new ploughed land for myself leaving the less
fertile to others, as far as I could I have never let the strong oppress the weak, I have
tried throughout my life not to grieve anyone. If I have been involved in any lawsuit I
have not condemned anyone out of hand, but have tried to bring adversaries to
agreement. This, now, by the grace of God has been my way of life up to the
present."
Listening to this the blessed Paphnutius kissed him and blessed him saying, "'May
the Lord bless you out of Sion, and may you see the good things of Jerusalem'
(Psalms 128.5). You have done all these things thoroughly and properly. One thing is
lacking, the greatest good of all, that putting all else aside you seek that true wisdom
of God, and search for those hidden treasures which you cannot arrive at in any
other way than by denying yourself, and taking up your cross and following Christ"
(Matthew.16.24). On hearing this he did not wait even to set things in order in his
house, but followed the man of God to the desert.
When they came to the river there was no ferry to be found, but Paphnutius bade him
walk into the water with him, even though it was quite deep at that place. They
crossed over easily, the water coming scarcely up to their waist. When they arrived at
the desert Paphnutius put him in a cell at a little distance from the monastery and
gave him a spiritual rule to live by. He instructed him in the practice of striving after
perfection, and initiated him into the more advanced levels of wisdom (scientiae
secretiora). While giving him all this instruction he devoted himself anew to even
greater efforts, because he judged that the works of this person who had been busied
with the affairs of the world had been even more demanding. "For," he said, "if people
living in the world can do such good works, how much more should we not
endeavour to surpass them in works of abstinence, both in quantity and in quality."
After spending some time in this programme, Paphnutius had drawn him so far into
the knowledge of wisdom (scientiae perfectionem) that he had already become
perfect in what he was doing. And one day as Paphnutius sat in his cell he saw that
man's soul taken up to heaven amidst choirs of angels singing "Blessed is he whom
thou hast chosen and taken. He shall dwell in thy tabernacles." (Psalms 65.5).
Paphnutius then continued in fasting and prayer, giving himself up to even greater
efforts towards perfection.
Once more he prayed to the Lord to show him someone like himself. And again a
voice from heaven replied, "You are like a certain merchant (cf.VIII.65) whom you will
see approaching. Get up quickly and run to meet him. He is a man who I judge to be
like you." Paphnutius went out without delay and went to meet this merchant from
Alexandria, who was coming back from the Thebaid with three ships and a profit of
twenty thousand solidi. And because he was a religious man always trying to do good
works he had loaded his sons up with three bags of vegetables to take to the
monastery of the man of God. Hence his meeting with Paphnutius, who as soon as
he came into view cried out, "What is that you have done, that you are most precious
and worthy in the sight of God? What sort of work have you been doing on earth
such that your lot and fellowship has risen into the realms of heaven? Relinquish all
these things into the hands of those who are of the earth and whose thoughts are
earthy, and become a merchant of the kingdom of God to which you are called.
Follow the Saviour, to whose presence in a short while you must be taken up." And
without any hesitation he instructed his sons to disburse any superfluous profits to
the poor, even though he had already distributed a great deal himself. But he
followed the holy Paphnutius to the desert, where he was installed in the same place
as those who had earlier been taken to the Lord. He was instructed in the same way,
and persevered in spiritual exercises, and in the study of divine wisdom. After a short
while he too was taken up into the congregation of the righteous.
Paphnutius himself continued to develop his life to the highest degree of abstinence
and spiritual labours, and not long after this an angel of the Lord came to him saying;
"Come, O blessed one, and enter into those eternal tabernacles which are your just
deserts. Behold the prophets, who take you up into their choirs. You have not been
told about this before lest you become conceited and receive only damnation as a
reward for your labours." He was given one more day in the flesh after this while
certain presbyters came to visit him, to whom he made known all that the Lord had
revealed to him. He told them that no one living in the world should be given up for
lost, even if they had been robbers, or actors, or farmers, or married, or merchants
seeking profits. For in every sphere of life there were souls pleasing to God, doing in
secret works with which God was well pleased. Whence it was obvious that it was not
an outward profession of life or the wearing of a habit which was pleasing to God so
much as sincerity and integrity of mind, and honesty in all one's dealings. He
expressed a few similar sentiments on each of these topics and gave up his spirit.
And the presbyter and all the brethren present plainly saw him taken up by the
angels singing hymns and praising God all together.

Chapter XVII
THE MONASTERY OF ABBA ISIDORE (cf. VIII.71)
In the Thebaid we also saw the monastery of Isidore, a large enclosed space
surrounded by a wall, within which could be seen a large number of buildings in
which the monks lived. Inside there were several wells, irrigated gardens and
sufficient apple trees and trees of paradise to supply all needs, in fact more than
enough. This ensured that none of the monks living there had any need to go outside
to get anything that was needed. At the gate sat a senior, chosen out of the leading
men for his gravity, whose task it was to acquaint newcomers with this rule that once
they were in they would not be allowed to come out. This was an unbreakable law for
those who decided to go in, but the wonderful thing was that it was not the obligation
of law that kept them in but the blessedness and perfection of their lives. This old
gatekeeper lived in a guest house of which he was in charge and where he gave
hospitality to visitors and showed them every possible human kindness. So when we
were received by him we were not allowed to go inside, though we did learn from him
what kind of blessed life was lived there. He said that there were only two of the
senior men who had liberty to go in and out, with the responsibility for selling articles
which the men had made and for bringing in anything which was needed. All the
others lived in peace and quietness giving themselves to prayers and religious
exercises, and cultivating the virtues of the soul of which they all showed evidence.
And the most wonderful sign of all was that none of them ever fell ill. Even when they

And the most wonderful sign of all was that none of them ever fell ill. Even when they
approached the end of their lives they were completely aware of it beforehand. Each
of them would warn the other brothers of his departure and wish everyone farewell,
whereupon he would lie down and give up his spirit with joy.

Chapter XVIII
SERAPION THE PRESBYTER (cf. VIII.76)
In the region of Arsinoe we saw the presbyter Serapion who was the father of many
monasteries. Many and diverse were the monasteries under his care, containing
about ten thousand monks. They all worked together, especially in harvest time, to
gather up the fruit of their manual labour, out of which they brought the greater share
to the aforesaid father for distribution to the poor. This was the custom not only of
them but of nearly all the Egyptian monks, that at harvest time they would hire out
their labour to harvesting, as a result of which each one would collect eighty
measures of grain, more or less, and give the greater part of it to the poor. This not
only fed the poor of that region but ships laden with grain sailed to Alexandria in order
to extend the benefit to those in prison, or pilgrims, or other needy people. For there
were not enough poor people within Egypt to absorb the benefit and fruit of their
almsgiving.
In the regions of Memphis and Babylon we saw great numbers of monks among
whom we observed various gifts of grace and examples of virtue. There is a tradition
that these places, which they call the treasures of Joseph, are where Joseph is said
to have stored up the grain. Others say it is the Pyramids themselves in which it is
thought that the grain was collected.

Chapter XIX
APOLLONIUS, MONK AND MARTYR (cf. VIII.66)
The elders among them related a tradition that at the time of the persecutions there
had been a monk called Apollonius who as the culmination of a magnificent life
among the brothers had been ordained deacon. During the persecutions he took it
upon himself to go around the brothers and encourage them to martyrdom. He was
eventually arrested himself and cast into prison where a great crowd of the gentiles
came to mock him and cry out against him with many blasphemous and impious
words.
A man called Philemon was one of them, a famous flute-player, greatly loved by the
people. He piled insults upon Apollonius, calling him impious, wicked, deceiver of
humanity, worthy of being held in abhorrence by all. After suffering all this and many
other even worse insults, Apollonius replied, "May the Lord have mercy on you, my
son, and impute to you as a sin nothing of what you have said." These words cut
Philemon to the quick. In his own mind he felt the force of something that was more
than human, so much so that he instantly declared himself to be a Christian. And
immediately he rushed from there to the judge's seat and shouted out in the hearing
of all the people, "You wicked judge. It is unjust to punish these religious men who
are loved of God, for Christians neither do nor teach anything evil." At first the judge
thought he was joking, seeing that he was a [well known] man of that place. But
when he saw that he was persisting and carrying on without any let up he said, "You
are mad, Philemon. You have had a sudden brainstorm."
He replied, "I am not mad. It is you who are unjust and crazy to persecute unjustly so
many just men. For I am a Christian, a most noble sort of human being." The judge
then in the presence of all the people began with many persuasive arguments to try
and get him to recant from that which he saw he had become. But Philemon
remained obdurate, so the judge threatened him with all kinds of tortures. He realised
that this change had come about through the words of Apollonius, so he seized him
and subjected him to very severe tortures, making a very big issue out of the crime of
being a deceiver. Apollonius said, "I would to heaven that you, O judge, and all those
present who hear what I am saying, would follow what you call this error of mine."
The judge immediately ordered that he and Philemon should be thrown into the
flames in the sight of all the people. From the midst of the fire the blessed Apollonius
cried out to the Lord so that all could hear, "'Deliver not up to the beasts, O Lord, the
souls that confess thee' (Psalms 74. 19), 'but show us clearly thy salvation'." (Psalms
84.8.) When Apollonius had spoken to the Lord so that all the people and the judge
could hear, a rain cloud suddenly surrounded them and put out the rising flames of
fire. The judge and people were stupefied, and began to cry out with one voice,
"Great is the one God of the Christians, he alone is immortal."
The news of this came to the ears of the prefect of Alexandria, and made him
ferociously angry. He picked out some of the most cruel and savage members of his
entourage, more like beasts than men, and sent them with orders to bring bound to
Alexandria the judge who had believed as a result of the divine miracle and those
through whom the power of God had been shown forth. But while they were all bound
and being taken to Alexandria the grace of God appeared in what Apollonius said, for
he began to teach faith in God to those who had bound them and were taking them.
Believing in the mercy of God they wholeheartedly accepted faith in God, and
appeared before the judge as professing Christians along with those whom they
brought in bonds. When the prefect saw that they were steadfastly persisting in
believing in God he ordered that they should all alike be cast into the sea, not
knowing in his arrogance what he was doing. For them this was not a death but a
Baptism.
But their bodies, doubtless by the providence of God, were washed up on the shore,
whole and cleansed. People came to give them a decent funeral, recovered the
bodies, and took them to be gathered together in one sepulchre as a final resting
place. From that time to this they have performed many signs and wonders to the
astonishment of all. For they take up the vows and prayers of all, and bring our
petitions to fruition in the place where the Lord deigns to lead us and fulfil the vows
and petitions of us all.

Chapter XX
DIOSCUROS THE PRESBYTER (cf. VIII.68)
We saw another venerable father in the Thebaid, a presbyter called Dioscuros, who
had a monastery of about a hundred monks. We noted that when people came to the
Sacrament he took particular care and diligence to ensure that no one who came
should bring with him any stain on his conscience. He even warned about those
things which happen to men when they are asleep, either because of fantasies about
women appearing to them or because of the natural overflow of bodily fluids. "If such
things happen without any accompanying fantasies about women," he said, "there is
no sin in it. For once these fluids have been produced in the body and filled up their
proper receptacle they have to be expelled by their own proper channels, and thus
far it does not occasion sin. But accompanied by images of women and the
pleasures of the flesh they are a sure sign that there is a desire in their souls to be
taken up with such illicit thoughts. Monks therefore should drive all kinds of images
like this from their minds, nor let their senses be aroused by these blandishments of
the devil, otherwise there would not seem to be any difference between them and
those who live in the world. But the monk should labour at taming and overcoming
the natural man with much abstemious fasting and many prayers and reduce the
stain of his [nocturnal] flux by even more prayer and fasting. Furthermore, if doctors
recommend to those who live luxuriously that they should abstain, for the good of
their bodily health, from all things harmful, why should not a monk do much more
than that in seeking health of soul and spirit.

Chapter XXI
THE MONKS LIVING IN NITRIA (cf. VIII.69)
We arrived at Nitria, that most famous place among all the monasteries of Egypt,
about forty miles from Alexandria. It takes its name from the nearby village where
natron [native sesquicarbonate of soda, or soap] is produced. The name of Nitria, by

the foresight of divine providence, I believe, carries with it the idea that however
sordid the sins of men they could be cleansed and washed away in this place as if by
natron. Here, there are not much fewer than fifty dwellings near each other under the
rule of a single father. Some have many occupants, some just a few, quite a lot only
one, but although their dwellings are all separate, nevertheless they are all
inseparably joined in faith and charity.
As we approached the place they sensed that pilgrim brothers were drawing near,
and immediately like a swarm of bees they all rushed out of their cells and came to
meet us, vying with each other in the happiness and hastiness of their approach.
Several of them carried with them jugs of water and bread, for the prophet had
rebuked some people saying; "You did not go out to meet the children of Israel in the
way with bread and water" (2 Esdras.13). So, having greeted us, they first of all took
us to the church, singing psalms, then washed our feet, with each one of them wiping
our feet with the strips of linen which they use, ostensibly to lighten the labour of our
journey, but in reality embodying the mystical tradition of bringing balm to the troubles
of human life.
What can I say now about their humanity, their work, their charity, since all of them
beckoned us towards their own cells, not only fulfilling the obligation of hospitality, but
also showing us the humility and gentleness and other virtues of this sort which are
learned by people thus separated from the world. Their gifts of grace were various,
the doctrine [by which they lived] was one and the same for all. Nowhere else had we
seen such charity flourishing, nowhere such acts of compassion and eager
hospitality, nowhere else such knowledge and thoughts about the divine Scriptures,
nowhere else so many methods of gaining knowledge of the divine (scientiae divinae
tanta exercitia), that you might well believe that nearly every one of them was an
expert in divine wisdom.

Chapter XXII
THE PLACE CALLED CELLIA (cf. VIII.69)
There is another place about ten miles further on into the desert called Cellia,
because of the number of cells scattered about in the wilderness. To this place,
having first been taught in the Thebaid, fled those who wished to cast all care aside
and live a more secluded life. In this empty desert there was so much space between
each of the cells that none of them could either see or hear each other. Living one to
a cell there is a great silence and quietness among them. Only on Saturdays and
Sundays do they come together in church, where it seems to them as if they are
restored to heaven. If anyone is missing they realise that he is prevented by some
bodily ailment, and each one visits with something of his own which might be
welcome to one who is sick - not all at once, but they all take turns. There is no other
reason for anyone to dare break into the silence of his neighbour, unless it might be
for someone to be able to give a word of instruction, and like athletes in the arena
anoint each other with the oil of a consoling word. Some of them come from three or
four miles away from the church, so spaced out are their cells from each other. But
so great is the charity among them, and so thoughtful are they for each other and for
all the brothers, that they are held in admiration and as an example for all. As soon
as they know that anyone else wants to come a live with them, each of them is quite
willing to offer his own cell.

Chapter XXIII
AMMON (cf. VIII.12)
Among them we saw another venerable father called Ammon, upon whom God had
conferred a great fulness of spiritual gifts. If you could see the grace of charity in him
you would say that you had never seen anything like it anywhere. And if you were
thinking about his humility you would have to say that he was more accomplished by
a long way in this gift than anyone else. And again, if you considered how he excelled
all others in each one of the virtues of patience, gentleness, kindness, you would not
know how to find anyone better than him. God had conferred upon him such gifts of
wisdom and knowledge that you would believe that no one out of all the fathers had
penetrated so deeply into the realms of every kind of knowledge there is. Everybody
who met him said that no one had been taken up so closely into the wisdom of God.
He had two of his brothers with him, Eusebius and Euthymius. His older brother
Dioscuros had been elevated to the episcopate. They were not only brothers
according to the flesh, but brothers in their style of life and total nobility of soul. Like a
nurse caring for her children, they were a source of strength to all the brothers living
in that place, instructing each one of them, and striving to lead them to the highest
peak of perfection.
We found that this man of God, Ammon, had a cell (monasterium) with a wall round
it, which was very easy to construct out of rough building blocks in these parts. Inside
it was everything he needed - he had even dug a well. There was once a brother who
came to him seeking salvation and who asked him if there was an empty cell
anywhere where he could live.
"I will find out", he said. "But until I do, stay here in this cell. I am going out now to
see to what you want." And he left his cell and everything in it and found a tiny little
cell quite some distance away and set himself up in it. The newly arrived brother did
not even realise that Ammon had given him his own cell and everything in it.
But if several people arrived at once seeking salvation he would gather the brothers
together and quickly give them instructions so that a new cell would be built on that
very day. And when a sufficient number of cells had been built to cater for the needs
of them all, he took those who would be living in them to the church as if to provide
them with refreshment, but while they were in there each one of the brothers would
bring necessary items from their own cells and put them in the new ones. As a result
of this charitable exercise there was no lack of either tools or food, and it wasn't at all
obvious who had given what. At vespers time, those for whom the cells had been
prepared came back and found them fitted out with everything necessary for living in.
The cells had been so built that there was nothing lacking.

Chapter XXIV
DIDYMUS
Among the seniors we also met a good man called Didymus in whom were many
graces from God, as his face showed. This man got rid of insects which lie on the
earth in wait for the feet, such as scorpions, horned caterpillars (? cerastas quos
cornutas vocant) and snakes which flourish in these places because of the heat of
the sun, so that no one was ever stung by them.

Chapter XXV
CRONIUS (cf. VIII. 25&89)
We also met among them another father of great age called Cronius, still going in
spite of his marvellous age. His lifespan was about to be accomplished, for he was a
hundred and ten years old. He was a survivor from the disciples of Antony and
among the many other virtues of his soul we were aware of his great grace of
humility.

Chapter XXVI
ORIGEN (cf. VIII.10)
There was another of Antony's disciples called Origen, a magnificent man of great
discretion, whose sermons and talks about the virtues of his great master, the man of
God, edified all who heard. He stirred people up so powerfully that they could almost
see the things he talked about before their naked eyes.

Chapter XXVII
EVAGRIUS (VIII.86)
We saw there this most wise man, wonderful in all sorts of ways, called Evagrius.
Among the other virtues of his soul he had been given the grace of discernment of
spirits (1 Cor.12.10) and the renewal of the mind (Ephesians 4.23) as the Apostle
teaches. There was no other among the brothers who had attained to such a great
and subtle spiritual knowledge. He had amassed an impressive store of learning
through his experience in so many matters, and not least through the grace of God,
but much of his learning had come to him through having been a disciple for a long
time of the blessed Macarius, a most famous man by the grace of God, outstanding
in signs and virtues, as everyone knows.
His abstinence was incredible, and he gave instruction to the brothers about it. If they
were really serious about mortifying the body and driving away demonic phantasies
he would encourage them to be very sparing in the amount of water they drank.
"For," he said, " If you flood the body with a lot of water you generate even more
phantasies, and offer a bigger space to the demons." He taught many other things
about abstinence very insistently. For himself he used water very sparingly and
hardly even ate much bread. The other brothers in that place were quite content with
bread and salt. In all that great number of people you could hardly find anyone who
even used a little oil. Many of them did not lie down to sleep, but sat and meditated,
as I do believe, on the divine Word.

Chapter XXVIII
THE TWO MACARII. AND FIRST, MACARIUS THE GREATER, OF EGYPT (cf. VIII.
19 & 20)
Some of the fathers living there told us how the two Macarii had been shining lights
of heaven in those parts. One of them had been a disciple of Antony and was known
as "from Egypt", the other "from Alexandria". Their spiritual virtues and their
magnificent graces from heaven were consistent with their names ["Macarios"
(Greek) means "blessed"]. Both Macarii were equally distinguished in the practice of
abstinence and in spiritual virtues, but the former was held to be superior only for
having inherited the graces and virtues of the blessed Antony.
(The following incident not in Book VIII but appears in III.41) They said that once
there had been a murder committed in a neighbouring village and a certain innocent
person had been accused of it. The man thus falsely accused fled to Macarius' cell.
His accusers followed after, saying that they would not be safe unless this murderer
were arrested and handed over to the law. The accused however swore on the
Sacrament that he was not guilty of that person's blood. The argument went back
and forth for some time, until the holy Macarius asked where the murdered person
was buried. When they had told him he hastened to the grave along with all the
accusers, and with bent knee called on the name of Christ. "Let the Lord now show
us, "he said to those present, "whether this man you accuse is guilty." And raising his
voice, he called upon the dead man by name. There came an answer from the tomb,
and Macarius said, "I conjure you, by the faith of Christ, that you testify whether you
were killed by this man who is being accused of it." From the sepulchre came a clear
voice saying, "I was not killed by him."
Stupefied, everyone threw themselves to the ground, prostrate at Macarius' feet.
Then they began to ask him to enquire who the murderer was. "I will not ask that, "
he replied. "Sufficient for me that the innocent is freed. It is not for me to produce the
guilty one."
There was also a tale about another kind of miracle. (cf. VIII.19). It appeared to
people that the daughter of a householder (paterfamilias) in a nearby town had been
turned by the spells of a magician into a horse. They really thought she was a mare
and not a little girl. They brought her to Macarius.
"What do you want?" he asked
"This mare that you see," said his parents, "is a little girl, our virgin daughter, but
wicked men have turned her by magic arts into this animal which you see before you.
We are asking you to pray to the Lord to change her back to what she was."
"All I can see is that it is a girl you are showing me," he said, "with nothing of the
beast about her at all. What you are telling me is not in her body but in the eyes of
those who are looking at her. Demonic phantasies, not true."
He took her and her parents into his cell and on bended knees began to pray to the
Lord, and he asked the parents to pray to the Lord with him. After which he anointed
her with oil in the name of the Lord, which resulted in all the false vision being
destroyed, so that the girl was seen by all just as she used to be.
Another small girl was brought to him whose private parts (obscoena corporis) were
diseased through and through. The flesh was so eaten away that the inside of her
body was laid bare, with a great number of maggots spewing out from there. People
could hardly bear to come near her because of the horrible smell. He took pity on this
suffering virgin when she was brought to him by her parents and laid outside his door.
"Be of good cheer, my daughter," he said. The Lord intends this for your salvation not
for your damnation. It was foreseen that your health would save you from danger."
And after a session of prayer which lasted for seven days, he blessed some oil and
anointed her members, and so restored her to health that she no longer had the
appearance or the body of a woman, but took her place among the male sex, freed
from the hindrance of being a woman or even of being suspected to be a woman.
(absque feminieae suspicionis obstaculo)
They told us also how he was visited by a certain heretic of the Hieracitus
persuasion, a class of heresy prevalent in Egypt. He was upsetting several of the
brothers in the desert by his persistent arguments, and even dared to make known
his false faith to Macarius himself. Macarius resisted him and contradicted him, but
this man ridiculed Macarius' simple words with powerful arguments. The old man saw
that the brothers' faith was in danger, so he said, "What is the use of bandying words
about to the repulsion of our audience? Let us go to the graves of those who have
gone before us in the Lord, and let each of us pray to the Lord to raise up the dead
out of the tomb, so that all may know whose faith it is that is approved by God." The
brothers all approved of this idea. They went to the graves and Macarius urged the
Hieracitus heretic to call up the dead in the name of the Lord.
"No, you go first," he replied. "It was your idea in the first place."
Macarius prostrated himself in prayer before the Lord, and after he had prayed for
some time he lifted up his eyes and said to the Lord, "Tell us, O Lord, which of us two
holds the true faith by raising up this dead person." And he called upon the name of
the person who had recently been buried there. A voice was heard coming from the
mound of earth, and the brothers quickly came, removed the earth, and lifted the
dead person out of the grave. They unloosed the grave garments tied around him
and showed that he was really alive. Seeing this, the Hieracitan fled in terror. And the
brothers drove him and all his followers out beyond the borders of that land.
Many other things are related about him too numerous to write down, but from these
few examples some idea can be gained of his other deeds.

Chapter XXIX
MACARIUS THE LESSER, OF ALEXANDRIA (cf. VIII. 19 & 20)
The other holy Macarius also became magnificent in his virtues. Much has been
written about him by others, which suffices to show how the greatness of his virtues
should be cherished, so it would be better for us not to deal with those matters.
They say that above all others he was a great lover of the desert. In fact he
penetrated so far into the most distant and inaccessible places of the desert that he
came across a certain place which had been set up at the farthest boundaries where
fruit bearing trees had been planted and which was replete with all kinds of good
things. It is said that he found two brothers there, and he asked them if they would let
him bring monks with him to settle there, since it was a pleasant place, with an
abundance of everything necessary. They replied, "You can't bring a lot of people
here, lest they be deceived by demons as they pass through the desert. For the
desert holds many demons and monsters, and anyone not used to their cunning
wiles would not be able to withstand them."
He went back to his own brothers and told them what a favourable place it was, so
that many of them became quite eager to go there with him. But when the rest of the
fathers realised that their minds were all agitated, they discouraged them with some
very sound advice. "This place is supposed to have been set up by Jannes and
Mambres (2 Tim 3.8 & Ex.7.11), and if that is true you need not believe anything
other than that it has been prepared by the work of the devil for our deception. If it is
indeed pleasant and abundant, as alleged, what can we hope for in the world to
come if we are to enjoy sweet things here?" That, and other arguments of this sort,
damped down the enthusiasm of the younger brothers.
The place where Macarius himself lived, however, is called Scythia, situated in a vast
empty desert, a night and a day's journey from the monasteries of Nitria. There is no
marked road to it, no landmarks or other earthly signs to be noted as pointing to it,
you can only travel there by the stars in their courses. You find water only rarely, and
when you do it has rather a bitter smell, somewhat bituminous, although safe to
drink. There are men there who have been brought to a high stage of perfection (for
those living there could not endure such a terrible place unless their way of life were
perfect and they had great perseverance). They practise great charity among
themselves and show the greatest consideration towards everyone who manages to
visit them.
It is said that Macarius was once given a bunch of grapes, and "seeking not his own
but that which is another's" (1 Cor.10.24), he gave them out of charity to another
brother who he thought was somewhat infirm. This brother gave thanks to God for
this brotherly kindness, and thinking no less of his neighbour than of himself gave
them to someone else, and this person again to another, and thus the bunch of
grapes was handed on throughout all the cells which were scattered at great
distances from each other through the desert, with no one any the wiser about who
had first sent them. In the end they came back to the sender, and Macarius gave
great thanks that he had been a witness of such restraint and charity among the
brothers, and increased in severity the practices of his own spiritual life.
The following story, which they had heard from his own mouth, further strengthened
our belief in him. A demon beat on the door of his cell one night, saying, "Get up,
Macarius, and let us go to the meeting (collecta) where the brothers are gathered
together for vigils."
"Liar and enemy of truth!" said Macarius, who was too full of the grace of God to be
deceived, and who knew the devil was lying. "What fellowship and companionship do
you have with the meetings and gatherings of the saints?"
"Didn't you know, Macarius," he replied, "that no meeting or gathering of monks goes
on without us? Come with me, and you will see what we do."
"The Lord rebuke thee (Jude 9), you unclean sprit," he said, and turning to prayer he
begged the Lord to show him whether what the devil was boasting about was true.
He then went to the meeting where the brothers were celebrating vigils, and again in
prayer he begged the Lord to show him the truth of the matter. And behold,
throughout the whole church he saw little Ethiopian boys darting about hither and
thither as if carried about on wings.
Now it is the custom in these services for all to sit while one person says a psalm,
with the others listening, then joining together in a responsory. The little Ethiopian
boys were tormenting those sitting down by pressing two fingers against their eyelids,
whereupon they started dozing. By putting a finger in anyone's mouth they
immediately made him yawn. When the brothers prostrated themselves for prayer
after the psalm they did not cease running around each of them, appearing like a
woman to one monk lying in prayer, like builders carrying things to another, or
performing various other antics. And whatever shape the teasing demons took got
mixed up with the thoughts in the hearts of those praying. Some of them however,
when they started these tactics, were suddenly thrown backwards as if by some
superior force, and hardly dared to stand upright or cross over to someone else. But
others danced about on the necks and backs of the weaker brothers because they
were not intent on their prayers.
Macarius groaned deeply at this sight, and shed tears before the Lord. "'Look, O
Lord,' he said, 'and do not keep silent nor show leniency, O God. (Psalms 83.1). Arise
O Lord, and let your enemies be scattered and flee before your face' (Psalms 68.1),
for our hearts are filled with illusion." After the prayers, in order to make the truth
clear, he spoke to each one of the brothers before whose faces he had seen the
demons dancing about in various guises and shapes. He asked them if they had
been thinking during the prayers of building works, or going on a journey or any other
of the diverse images which he had seen the demons presenting to each person. And
each of them admitted that the thoughts of their hearts had been exactly as he said.
And so he established that all the vain and unnecessary thoughts of each person
during both the psalmody and the prayers had come about through the wiles of the
demons, and that the disgusting Ethiopians had been driven back by those who kept
custody of their hearts. The mind united to God will admit nothing unfitting or
superfluous, especially if intent upon God during the time of prayer.
He saw something even more awesome when the brothers were receiving the
Sacrament. As they held out their hands to receive, Ethiopians rushed in to put hot
burning coals into the hands of some of them, while the Body which ostensibly was
given by the hands of the priests returned to the altar. But the demons drew back and
fled in great fear from some of the others, aided as they were by their superior merits.
And he saw that an angel of the Lord assisted at the altar, and with his own hand
overruled the hands of the priests. And this grace from God remained with him
always, that he knew what stray thoughts the demons were putting into anyone's
heart at the time of psalmody and prayer during vigils, nor was the unworthiness or
the merits of those approaching the altar hidden from him.
On another occasion both Macarii, the men of God, together with some brothers
were on a journey in order to visit someone. They took a ferry to cross the river, and
in the ship with them were some tribunes, very rich and powerful men, who had with
them several horses and grooms and many servants. One of the tribunes noticed the
monks sitting in the lower part of the ship, in rough clothing and uncluttered by any
possessions.
"Blessed are you," he said, "who despise this world and ask for nothing from it but
the meanest clothing and a little food."
"What you say is true," said one of the Macarii. "Those who follow the Lord despise
(illudunt) the world, and we are sorry for you, for on the contrary it is the world which
deceives (illudit) you."
The Tribune was greatly moved by this reply, and as soon as he got home gave up
everything he possessed, divided it up and gave it to the poor. He began to follow
God and embraced the monastic life.
But there are many other marvellous things, as we have said, on the subject of the
deeds of Macarius of Alexandria. Anyone looking for them will find many of them in
the eleventh book of the Ecclesiastical History.

Chapter XXX
AMMON, THE FIRST MONK OF NITRIA
(cf. VIII. 8)
The first monastic dwellings in Nitria are attributed to a certain Ammon, whose soul
the blessed Antony saw carried up out of the body to heaven, according to the book
which describes Antony's life. (Book I, Vita Antonii, cap. 32). This Ammon was born of
wealthy and generous parents, who arranged a marriage for him even though he did
not want it. He was unable to defy his parent's will and accepted a virgin bride, but
when they were left together in the marriage bedroom, he took advantage of the
secret silence of the bedchamber to speak to the girl on the subject of chastity, and
began to urge her to preserve her virginity.
"Corruption breeds corruption," he said, "but incorruption looks for incorruption. So
therefore it would be much better for us to persevere in virginity, than for each of us
to be corrupted by the other."
The girl agreed, and they kept secret the treasure of their incorruption. Content with
the witness of God alone, they lived for a long time joined together more in spirit than
in flesh and blood, until when the parents of both were dead he went off to a nearby
desert place. She stayed in the house, where after a short time she gathered about
her a great number of virgins, just as he gathered a congregation of monks.
While he was still hidden away in the desert a young man with rabies, because of
having been bitten by a rabid dog, was brought to him bound in chains. His parents
were with him beseeching Ammon to help.
"Why are you people bothering me?" he asked. "What you are asking is beyond what
I am worthy of doing. But what I can tell you is that his health lies in your own hands.
Give back the ox that you have stolen and your son will be restored to you whole."
And it was forcibly brought home to them that their secret deeds were not hidden
from the man of God. So they rejoiced that this means of healing was open to them
and without delay they made good the theft. And the man of God prayed, and the
young man was restored to full health.
On another occasion, some people came to him, whose intentions he wished to test.
So he told them he needed a dolium (i.e. a large globular water jar) in which he could
store water for visitors. They promised to bring one, but then one of them became
quite worried that he would endanger his camel if he were to place such a heavy load
on it.
"You take it, if you can or if you want to," he said. "I am thinking of my camel lest it
die."
"But I haven't got a camel, as you know," said the other. "I've only got an ass. What
makes you think an ass can carry what a camel can't?"
"Do what you like. It's your business." he replied. "But I am not going to put my camel
at risk."
"Right," said the other. "I will put this heavy load on my ass which you say is too
much for your camel, and may the merits of the man of God make possible that
which is impossible."
So he loaded the dolium on to the ass and led it to the monastery of the man of God,
with the ass not feeling as if he were carrying anything very heavy at all.
"You've done well to load the dolium on the ass," said Ammon when he saw him, "for
your friend's camel has died."
And when he went back home he found that it was even as the servant of God had
said.
And the Lord did many other signs through him. When he wanted to cross the river
Nile, it is said that he was too embarrassed to take his clothes off, but that by the
power of God he was suddenly translated to the other side. The blessed Antony
greatly admired his way of life and commemorates his uprightness and the virtues of
his soul.

Chapter XXXI
PAUL THE SIMPLE (cf. VIII. 28)
Among the disciples of the blessed Antony was one Paul, nicknamed the Simple. His
first conversion happened like this:
With his own eyes he saw his wife committing adultery one day, so without saying
anything to anyone he left home, overwhelmed with sadness in his heart, and fled to
the desert. After wandering about there in distress, he came at last to Antony's
monastery. He took comfort from this fortunate chance, because of what he had
heard about the place. He met Antony and asked him how he could find a path to
salvation. Antony sensed that he was a simple sort of man, and told him that if he
would abide by the instructions that he would give him he would be saved. He replied
that he would do whatever he was asked. To test this promise Antony said to him as
he stood outside the door of his cell, "Wait here and pray until I come back again". He
then went inside and stayed there for a day and a night, from time to time watching
Paul secretly through the window. He saw that Paul prayed without ceasing, never
moving at all, just standing there in the heat of the day and the dew of the night, so
intent on what he had been told that he did not move from the spot in the slightest
degree.
When Antony came out the next day he took him in and began to teach him about
each sort of manual work customary in solitude. Work with the hands took care of the
needs of the body, while the thoughts of the heart and the intention of the mind made
room for what came from God. He told him to take food in the evening, but warned
him never to satisfy his hunger completely, and to be particularly sparing in what he
drank, for mental phantasies were encouraged just as much by too much water as
bodily heat by too much wine. And when he had fully instructed him how to conduct
himself properly in all things he built a cell for him not far away, that is, at a distance
of three miles, where he ordered him to carry on doing what he learned. He visited
him from time to time, and was delighted to see that he was keeping a firm grasp on
what he had been taught, persevering wholeheartedly in his solitude.
One day some senior brothers came to visit the holy Antony, men very advanced in
spirituality, and Paul happened to be visiting at the same time. There was a long
conversation on deep and mystical subjects, and much discussion about the
Prophets and the Saviour.
"Did Christ come before the Prophets?" asked Paul out of the simplicity of his heart.
Antony was rather embarrassed for him for asking such a stupid question.
"Get away with you, say no more," he said, in the indulgent sort of tone of voice
reserved for idiots.
But Paul believed that everything Antony told him to do was as it were a command
from God, and obeyed immediately. He went back to his cell and accepted this
command and began to keep absolute silence, allowing not a word to pass his lips.
When Antony realised this he wondered why he was behaving like this, for he was
quite unaware that he had given Paul any command. He ordered him to speak, and
tell him why he was keeping silent.
"You, father," said Paul, "told me to get away and say no more."
Antony was amazed that Paul was taking literally the words which he had quite
carelessly said
"This man puts us all to shame," he said. "For we fail to hear what is spoken to us
from heaven, whereas he observes whatever comes out of our mouth."
Antony was determined to teach him a great deal about obedience, and was
accustomed to give orders which seemed quite unreasonable and purposeless, in
order to train his mind in the habit of obedience. He told him once to draw water from
the well and pour it out on the ground, he told him to unravel baskets and then weave
them together again, to tear his garment apart then sew it up again, then take it apart
again. In all such practices, Antony bears witness that he remained totally receptive.
He learned not to contradict in any of those unreasonable things which he was
commanded to do, and so he was brought on by all these things and soon arrived at
a state of perfection.
Antony used him as an example. "If anyone wishes to come quickly to perfection," he
taught, "he should not be his own master nor obey his own will even if he thought he
was in the right. According to the command of the Saviour he should take note that
above all else he should deny himself and renounce his own will (Matthew 16.24), for
the Saviour himself said, 'I came not to do my own will but the will of him who sent
me.' (John 6.38) The will of Christ, of course, could not be in any way different from
the will of the Father, for he who came to teach obedience would not have been
obedient himself if he had merely been doing his own will. How much more, then, will
we be judged disobedient if we do our own will? Therefore this Paul is an example for
us, for by the merits of his simplicity and obedience he has attained to such a height
of spiritual grace that the Lord has shown forth a great number of much more
powerful virtues in him than in Antony."
Because of the abundance of his gifts, many people came from all parts to be cured
by him. Antony feared that the attentions of such a large crowd would overwhelm
him, so he sent him deeper into the desert where it was not so easy for anyone to get
to him, and Antony would thus be more able to deal with visitors. But if Antony
himself could not cure anyone he would then send them to Paul as being more
abundantly supplied with healing gifts. And Paul cured them.
The simplicity of his faithfulness was great in the eyes of the Lord. They say that
once someone suffering from rabies was biting like a dog everyone who was trying to
come and see Paul. He was brought to Paul, who persisted in prayer that the demon
troubling him should be put to flight. And after a while, when there did not seem to be
anything happening, he is said to have cried out indignantly, like a small child, to the
Lord, "If you don't cure him, I am not going to get anything to eat today!" And
immediately God granted him his request, as if he were a favourite child. The rabies
was instantly cured.

Chapter XXXII
PIAMMON THE PRESBYTER (cf. VIII. 72)
It would not seem to me to be right to pass over in silence those who live in the
desert near the Parthian Sea, near the town called Diolcus. There we met a certain
admirable presbyter called Piammon, a man of exceptional humility and
benevolence, who had a gift of seeing. For once when he was offering the sacrifice to
the Lord he saw an angel of the Lord standing by the altar writing down the names of
the monks as they approached the altar, but there were some whose names he did
not write down. Piammon took a careful note of those whose names were not written
down, and after the mysteries were completed he called each one of them to him and
demanded to know what secret sins they were guilty of. He found that each one of
them was guilty of a mortal sin and urged them to do penance. Along with them he
prostrated himself day and night before the Lord, as if he himself was guilty of their
sins. He wept, and continued with them in penitence and tears, until once more he
saw the angel standing there writing down the names of those going up to
Communion. And after writing down all the names, he called out the names of the
sinners, inviting them to be reconciled once more with the altar. Seeing this,
Piammon knew that their penance had been accepted, and restored them to the altar
with great joy.
They say also that once he was so beaten by the demons that he could not stand or
move. So when Sunday came with the need to offer the sacrifice he told the brothers
to carry him to the altar. While prostrate in prayer he saw the angel of the Lord
standing in his usual place by the altar, who reached out his hands and lifted him up
from the earth. And all his pain disappeared at once, and he was restored to his
usual good health.

Chapter XXXIII
JOHN (cf. VIII. 73)
There was a holy man called John in that place, whose gifts of grace were
overflowing. He had such a great gift of consolation that anyone whose soul was
oppressed with sadness or weariness could be speedily and joyfully restored by a
few words from him. Many gifts of healing were given him by the Lord.

EPILOGUE (cf. VIII. 151)
The dangers of journeying to the deserts
In many other parts of Egypt we came across holy men of God of great virtue doing
marvellous things, totally filled with the grace of God. We have only mentioned a few
of them. To describe them all would be beyond our powers.
We learned only by hearsay of those who are said to live in the upper Thebaid, that is
around Syene, but they were held by almost everyone whom we did see to be even
greater and more wonderful still. But we were unable to visit them because of the
dangers of the journey. All parts of Egypt are infested with robbers, but beyond the
city of Lycos you are in danger from barbarians as well. So none of us managed to
visit there, though in truth even getting to see those whom we mention above was not
without its perils.
We ran into danger seven times in this journey and even in the eighth we suffered no
harm, as it is written (Job 5.19), the Lord always protecting us.
Once we wandered for five days and nights in the desert, suffering from thirst and
near exhaustion.
Then we went through a valley which exuded a sort of salty liquid which the heat of
sun turned into a salty deposit with sharp spikes just like winter hoarfrost turned to
ice. The whole area was so rough that our feet were torn and scratched, as were the
shoes we wore. Once we had got into this place we only managed to get out of it with
great difficulty.
Thirdly, when we notwithstanding persevered onwards into the desert we came to a
valley which again discharged a similar sort of liquid, but when we tried to cross
through this place full of stones and stinking filth we sank up to our thighs. We were
almost about to be covered in it when we cried to the Lord in the words of the psalm,
"Save me, O God, for the waters have come in even unto my soul. I am stuck in the
deep mire where there is no ground" (Psalms 69.1-2).
Fourthly, we suffered danger in the waters left behind after the flooding of the Nile,
through which we struggled for three days, and were scarcely able to get through.
Fifthly, we were in danger from pirates when we were travelling by sea. They followed
us for ten miles but failed to put us to the sword, but left us to flee almost dead [with
fright].
Sixthly, we had an accident in crossing the Nile when we were almost drowned.
Seventhly, in the swamps named after Mary [Maraotis palus, just west of the Cells],
a fierce wind cast us up on an island during a terrible storm in the middle of winter. It
was during Epiphanytide.
Eighthly, when we were on the way to the monasteries of Nitria we came to a place
where the floodwaters of the Nile were still lying, making a sort of bog, in which were
a lot of beasts, especially crocodiles. When the sun came out they lay on the shore,
seeming dead to us in our ignorance. We went closer in order to see and admire the
size of these beasts which we thought dead, but as soon as they heard the sound of
our feet they woke up and began to rush towards us. With a great shout and groan
we called upon the name of the Lord. who had mercy on us, and the beasts rushing
towards us were driven back as if by an angel and cast immediately into the bog. And
we continued quickly on our journey to the monastery, giving thanks to God who
delivered up from such great perils and showed us such wonders. To him be glory
and honour unto the ages of ages. Amen.
End of Book II

De Vitis Patrum, Book III
by Rufinus of Aquileia, Presbyter

(to be continued)

• Life of Paula, widow, by Jerome, presbyter  • Life of Marcella, widow, by Jerome • Life of Pelagia, the Harlot

• Main page -

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