The Paradise of the Holy Fathers, Volume 2

The Paradise of the Holy Fathers, Volume 2

Desert Fathers (anonymous)

4th–6th century

Sayings and stories of the desert fathers of Egypt, in the Syriac collection called the Paradise, made for Syriac-speaking monks in the sixth and seventh centuries from Greek sources. Budge’s square brackets mark words he supplied.

Book I — Chapter 1. Of Flight from Men, and of Silent Contemplation, and of Dwelling continually in the Cell, [a work] which was composed by Bishop Palladius for the Prefect Lansus

1. When Abbâ Arsenius was in the palace, he prayed to God, and said, "O Lord, direct me how to live"; and a voice came to him, saying, "Arsenius, flee from men, and thou shalt live." 2. And when Arsenius was living the ascetic life in the monastery, he prayed to God the same prayer, and again he heard a voice saying unto him, "Arsenius, flee, keep silence, and lead a life of silent contemplation, for these are the fundamental causes which prevent a man from committing sin." 3. A certain man said that there were once three men who loved labours, and they were monks. The first one chose to go about and see where there was strife, which he turned into peace; the second chose to go about and visit the sick; but the third departed to the desert that he might dwell in quietness. Finally the first man, who had chosen to still the contentions of men, was unable to make every man to be at peace with his neighbour, and his spirit was sad; and he went to the man who had chosen to visit the sick, and he found him in affliction because he was not able to fulfil the law which he had laid down for himself. Then the two of them went to the monk in the desert, and seeing each other they rejoiced, and the two men related to the third the tribulations which had befallen them in the world, and entreated him to tell them how he had lived in the desert. And he was silent, but after a little he said unto them, "Come, let each of us go and fill a vessel of water"; and after they had filled the vessel, he said unto them, "Pour out some of the water into a basin, and look down to the bottom through it," and they did so. And he said unto them, "What do ye see?" and they said, "We see nothing." And after the water in the basin had ceased to move, he said to them a second time, "Look into the water," and they looked, and he said unto them, "What do ye see?" And they said unto him, "We see our own faces distinctly"; and he said unto them, "Thus is it with the man who dwell-eth with men, for by reason of the disturbance caused by this affair of the world he cannot see his sins; but if he live

3 II-1a in the peace and quietness of the desert he is able to see God clearly." 4. On one occasion Abbâ Ammon came during the season of winter to Abbâ Sisoes, and he saw that the old man was grieved because he had left the desert; and Abbâ Ammon said unto him, "Why art thou distressed, O father? For what wast thou able to do in the desert in thine old age?" And the old man Sisoes looked at him fiercely, and said, "What sayest thou to me, Ammon? Are not the mere thoughts of the freedom which is in the desert better for us [than living out of it]?" 5. There were two brethren in the desert who were the equals of each other in the spiritual life, and they led a life of ascetic self-denial, and performed the exalted works which belong to spiritual excellence. And it happened that one of them was called to be the head of a habitation of the brethren, but the other remained in the desert, where he became a man perfect in self-denial. And he was held by God to be worthy of the gift of healing those who were possessed of devils, and he knew beforehand the things which were about to happen, and he made whole the sick. Now when he who had become the head of a habitation of brethren (i.e., a coenobium, or monastery) heard these things, he decided in his mind that his fellow monk must have acquired these powers suddenly, and he lived a life of silence and ceased from converse with men for three weeks, and he made supplication unto God continually that He would shew him how the monk in the desert wrought these mighty works, while he had not received even one of the gifts which he had. And an angel appeared and said unto him, "He who dwelleth in the desert maketh supplication to God both by night and by day, and his pain and anxiety are for our Lord's sake; but thou hast care for many things, and thou hast converse with many, and the consolation and encouragement of the children of men must be sufficient for thee."

6. Abbâ Arsenius on one occasion went to the brethren in a certain place where there were some reeds growing, and the wind blew upon them, and they were shaken. And the old man said, "What is this rustling sound?" and they said unto him, "It is that caused by the reeds which are being shaken by the wind." And he said unto them, "Verily I say unto you, if the man who dwelleth in silence heareth but the twittering of a sparrow, he shall not be able to acquire that repose in his heart which he seeketh; how much less then can ye do so with all this rustling of the reeds about you?" 7. A certain brother came to Abbâ Arsenius, and said unto him, "My thoughts vex me, and say, 'Thou canst not fast; "and thou art not able to labour, therefore visit the sick, which is a great commandment." Then Abbâ Arsenius, after the manner of one who was well acquainted with the war of devils, said unto him, "Eat, drink, and sleep, and toil not, but on no account go out of thy cell"; for the old man knew that dwelling constantly in the cell induceth all the habits of the solitary life. And when the brother had done these things for three days he became weary of idleness, and finding a few palm leaves on the ground, he took them and began to split them up, and on the following day he dipped them in water and began to work (i.e., to weave baskets); and when he felt hungry he said, "I will finish one more small piece of work, and then I will eat." And when he was reading in the Book, he said, "I will sing a few Psalms and say a few prayers, and then I shall eat without any compunction." Thus little by little, by the agency of God, he advanced in the ascetic life until he reached the first rank, and received the power to resist the thoughts and to vanquish them.

8. When Abbâ Sisoes was dwelling in the mountain of Abbâ Anthony, the man who used to minister unto him departed and remained away for a period of ten months and did not come [back] to him, and he saw no man. And afterwards, as he was walking in the mountains, he saw a man hunting wild animals, and the old man said to him, "Whence comest thou? And how long hast thou been here?" And the man said unto him, "Father, I have been in this mountain eleven months, and I have seen no man except thyself." Then the old man having heard these things went into his cell, and smote upon his face, and said, "Behold, O Sisoes, well mayest thou think that thou hast done nothing, for thou hast not made thyself even like unto this man who is in the world, and is not a monk."

9. I once asked Abbâ Sarmâtâ a question, and said unto him, "What shall I do, O my father, for I do nothing which the monks do? On the contrary, I am negligent, and I eat, and drink, and sleep, and I think many filthy thoughts, and my mind is ever disturbed, and I depart from one work to another, and from one group of thoughts to another. What shall I do, then? For I am troubled, and my soul is little." And Abbâ Sarmâtâ said unto him: "Sit thou in thy cell, and whatsoever thou canst do, that do, and trouble not thyself. For I wish thee to do now a little, even as did Abbâ Anthony in the mountain, and I believe that by sitting in [thy] cell for the sake of the Name of God, thou also wilt be found in the same place as Abbâ Anthony."

10. On one occasion the brethren went up from Scete to go to Abbâ Anthony, and having embarked in a boat to journey to him, they found [there] a certain old man, who was also going to visit him, and they were not acquainted with him. And as they were sitting in the boat, they spake now and again a word of the Fathers, or a word from the Book, or they talked about the work of their hands; and the old man listened unto all they said, but held his peace. Then, having crossed the ferry, the old man was found to be going also to Abbâ Anthony. And when they had all arrived at the place where he was, he said unto them, "Ye found excellent company in this old man"; and to the old man himself he said, "Thou didst find excellent brethren to travel with thee, O father." And the old man said, "They are excellent brethren, but they have no door to their house, and whosoever wisheth can go into the stable, and untie the ass, and go whither-soever he pleaseth on him." Now this he said because they uttered every word which came into their mouths.

11. A certain brother asked Abba Sisoes, saying, "Father, how was it that thou didst leave Scte where thou wast with Abba Macarius, and didst come here?" And the old man said unto him, "When Scte began to be filled [with monks] I heard that Abba Antonius had fallen asleep, and I came to the mountain here, and found that this place was quiet, and I lived here for a little time." The brother said unto him, "How long hast thou been here?" and the old man said, "Behold, I have been here seventy years this day." 12. They used to say concerning Abba Theodore and Abba Luk that they passed fifty years with disturbed minds, and were troubled the whole time about changing their place [of abode]; and they said, "Behold, we will change in the winter"; and when the winter arrived, they said, "We will change in the summer"; and thus they did unto the end of their lives.

13. A certain father came to Abba Arsenius, and he knocked at the door, and the old man opened unto him thinking that it was his servant [who had knocked]; and when he saw who it was, he cast himself upon his face, and the father entreated him, saying, "Stand up, O father, that I may give thee the salutation of peace." But Arsenius disputed with him, saying, "I will not stand up until thou hast departed"; and though he entreated him to do so often he would not stand up, and the father left him and departed. 14. Abba Battimion said, "When I went down to Scte they gave me some apples to take to the brethren, and when I had knocked at the door of Abba Abhila, he said to me when he saw me, 'If these apples had been of gold I would not have wished thee to knock at my door; and moreover, do not knock at the door of any other brother'; so I returned and placed the apples in the church and departed."

15. They said concerning Abbâ Sisoes that when the church began [to fill] he fled quickly to his cell, and, [though] the brethren said, "He hath a devil," he was performing the work of God. 16. Abbâ Joseph said to Abbâ Nestîr, "What shall I do with my tongue, for I cannot conquer it?" Abbâ Nestîr said unto him, "If thou talkest wilt thou have relief from this [trouble]?" And he said unto him, "Nay." The old man said unto him, "If then thou hast no relief when thou talkest, why dost thou talk?" Abbâ Joseph said unto him, "What shall I do? For I cannot stand against it." The old man said unto him, "Wilt thou have relief then?" and he said unto him, "Nay." The old man said unto him, "If thou canst not gain relief by talking, then hold thy peace." 17. A certain brother went to Abbâ Poemen on the second Sunday in the Fast of Forty Days and repeated unto him his thoughts, and sighing over what the old man had told him, he said unto him, "I had almost kept myself from coming here to-day"; and the old man said, "Why?" Then the brother said, "I said in my mind, Peradventure during the fast the door will be closed against thee"; and Abbâ Poemen said unto him, "We do not learn to shut a door made of wood, but to close the door of the tongue."

18. When a certain brother in Scete was going to the harvest, he went to Abbâ Moses, the Black, and said unto him, "Father, tell me what I shall do; shall I go to the harvest? and Abbâ Moses said unto him, "If I tell thee, wilt thou be persuaded to do as I say? And the brother said unto him, "Yea, I will hearken unto thee. The old man said unto him, "If thou wilt be persuaded by me, rise up, go, and release thyself from going to the harvest, and come unto me, and I will tell thee what thou shalt do. The brother therefore departed and obtained his release from his companions, as the old man had told him, and then he came to him. And the old man said unto him, "Go into thy cell and keep Pentecost, and thou shalt eat dry bread and salt once a day [only], and after thou hast done this I will tell thee something else to do later on"; and he went and did as the old man had told him, and then came to him again. Now when the old man saw that he was one who worked with his hands, he shewed him the proper way to live in his cell; and the brother went to his cell, and fell on his face upon the ground, and for three whole days and nights he wept before God.

And after these things, when his thoughts were saying unto him, "Thou art now an exalted person, and thou hast become a great man," he used to contradict them, and set before his eyes his former shortcomings, [and say], "Thus were all thine offences. And again, when they used to say to him, "Thou hast performed many things negligently," he would say, "Nevertheless I do small services for God, and He sheweth His mercy upon me. And when by such means as these the spirits had been overcome, they appeared unto him in the form of corporeal creatures, and said unto him, "We have been vanquished by thee"; and he said unto them, "Why? and they said unto him, "If we humble thee, we are raised up by thee to an exalted position, and if we exalt thee we are accounted by thee for humility." 19. There was a certain brother in the monastery who worked hard, and the brethren who were in Scete heard about him, and came to see him, and they entered into the place where he used to work; and having received them, and saluted them, he turned round and began to work again. And when the brethren saw what he did, they said unto him, "John gave thee the garb of the monk, and made thee a dweller in a monastery, but he did not teach thee to receive a blessing (literally, prayer) from the brethren, or to give one, or to say to them, 'Pray ye,' or, 'Sit ye down.'" And John said unto them, "Nay, a sinner is not sufficient for these things." 20. Abbâ Anthony said, "As a fish when it is lifted up out of the water dieth, even so doth the monk who tarrieth outside his cell."

21. They tell the story of a certain brother who came to Scete to see Abbâ Arsenius, and who went into the church and entreated the clergy to take him to see him; and the clergy said unto him, "Refresh thyself a little, and thou shalt see him." And the brother said unto them, "I will eat nothing before I meet him and see him"; and when the clergy heard this they sent a brother with him to shew him Abbâ Arsenius, because his cell was some distance away. And when they had arrived there, they knocked at the door and went inside, and having saluted him, and prayed, they sat down and held their peace; and the brother who was from the church answered and said, "I will depart, pray ye for me." But when the other brother saw that he possessed not freedom of speech with the old man, he said unto the brother from the church, "I also will go with thee," and they departed together.

Then he entreated him, saying, "Take me also to Abbâ Moses who was a thief," and when they went to him, the old man received them with joy, and having refreshed them greatly he dismissed them in peace. And the brother who had brought the visitor to Abbâ Moses said unto him, "Behold, 'I brought thee to a man from a foreign land, and to an Egyptian, which of the two pleaseth thee?'" And he answered and said unto him, "The Egyptian who hath just received me, 'and refreshed me.'" And when one of the old men heard what had happened, he prayed to God, and said, "O Lord, shew 'me this matter; one fleeth from the world for Thy Name's sake, and another receiveth and is gracious for Thy Name's sake.'" And behold, suddenly there appeared unto him on the river two great boats, and lo, Abbâ Arsenius and the Spirit of God were travelling in silence in the one, and Abbâ Moses and the angels of God were in the other, and they were feeding the monk with honey from the comb.

22. A certain brother asked Abbâ Poemen a question, saying, "If I see something done, dost thou wish me to tell it 'abroad?'' The old man said unto him, It is written, 'Whosoever shall declare a matter incorrectly, it is a disgrace to him and [a subject for] mockery.' And if thou art asked, 'speak; and if thou art not asked, hold thy peace.'' 23. On one occasion there was an assembly in a great church, and all the old men were asked in a body, "What striving is 'the mightiest against the monks?'" And they all agreed that there was none stronger than that which would make a man leave his cell and depart, for when this striving is overcome, all the rest can quite easily be brought low. 24. They say concerning Abbâ Âpôs, who afterwards became Bishop of Oxyrhyncus, that when he was a monk he laboured with great toil in the ascetic life, and that he was moved every hour by Divine Grace, but that after he became Bishop, though he wished to perform the same labours, he was not able to do so. And he cast himself before God, and made supplication unto Him, saying, "Peradventure, O my 'Lord, it is because of the Bishopric that Thou hast removed Thy grace from me,'' and it was said unto him, It is not 'so, but formerly thou wast in the desert, and there were no men there, and God took care of thee; here, however, thou art in a portion of the world which is inhabited, and men care for thee.''

25. A certain brother from the Cells soaked some palm leaves in water, and then sat down to weave ropes, and his mind said unto him, "Go and visit such and such a brother"; and he pondered on the matter, and said, "I will go after a 'few days.'' And again his mind said unto him, Supposing 'thou shouldst die, what wilt thou do? for thou wouldst not see thy brother'; and once again he satisfied his mind by saying, 'I will go after such and such a time.'' Now when the summer had come, he said within himself, To-day is not the right time for going," and again he said to his mind, "As soon as thou hast cut off the end of the palm leaves it will be time for thee to go"; and he said to himself, "I will finish these leaves, and then I will go. And once again his mind urged him and said, "The weather is beautiful to-day," and he rose up straightway and left the palm leaves soaking in the water, and he picked up a cloak and ran off on his way. Now he had as a neighbour a certain old man who used to see visions, and as soon as this man saw the brother running, he cried out, and said unto him, "Prisoner, prisoner, come hither"; and when he had gone in the old man said unto him, "Go back to thy cell," and the brother went back, and he related unto him the whole story of his war.

And having entered his own cell, he offered up repentance unto God, and the devils cried out with a loud voice, saying, "Thou hast vanquished us, thou hast vanquished us, O monk. Now he had a palm-leaf mat under him, and it was charred as if it had been burned in the fire, and the devils vanished like smoke; then straightway the brother perceived their wiles, and he gave thanks unto God. 26. Abbâ Poemen said: A certain brother asked Abbâ Sîmôn, and said, "If I go out from my cell, and I find a brother absorbed and immersed in matters unnecessary for salvation, shall I associate myself also with him? And supposing also that I should find him laughing, and that I also should laugh, when I have gone into my cell again shall I not be forgiven my relaxation?" And the old man said unto him, "What dost thou wish? Dost thou mean that having gone out of thy cell and having found a man who was laughing, and laughed with him, and having found a man who was talking, and talked with him, thou canst go back to thy cell and find thyself as thou wast before thou didst go out?" And the brother said unto him, "If not, how then?" Then the old man answered and said unto him, "It is right for thee to keep a careful watch both within and without."

27. An old man said, "One man is thought to be silent, and yet his heart judgeth and condemneth others, and the man who acteth thus speaketh continually; another man speaketh from morning till evening, and yet keepeth silence, that is to say, he speaketh nothing which is not helpful." 28. There were two excellent brethren in the Cells, and they were held to be worthy to see things of mystery, and each one of them saw the might which was sent down by God upon his brethren. Now it happened that one of them came on Friday to the coenobium, and as he was outside, he saw that some of the brethren were eating from the morning [upwards], and he said unto them, "Is it possible that ye eat at this time on Friday?" "And do ye usually hold a congregation at the turn of the day?" And as his brother looked upon him, he saw that the might of God was going away from him, and he was grieved, for he was accustomed to see it upon him. And when they had come to their own cell he said unto him, "What hast thou done, O my brother? Or what thoughts hast thou had? For I do not see upon thee as usual the might of God." And the brother made answer and said, "I know not; I do not feel that I have any filthy thoughts in me, and I do not perceive *"in my soul that any evil act hath been committed by me." His brother said unto him, "Peradventure some vain and empty word hath gone forth from thy mouth." Then that brother recalled the matter to his mind, and said, "Yea, yesterday I saw certain men outside the coenobium eating, and I said unto them, 'Do ye eat at this time on Friday?' This then is my sin. But I entreat thee to labour with me for two weeks, and thou and I will beg God to forgive me." And they did even as he had said, and after two weeks his brother saw that might which is of the goodness of God come upon him as usual.

29. The old men used to say about the blessed Abbâ Arsenius, and Abbâ Theodore of Parmê, that they possessed in a far greater degree than many monks a hatred of the admiration of men; Abbâ Arsenius was never pleased at meeting and conversing with a man, and Abbâ Theodore, even though he was willing to meet a man, was as sharp as a sword in his conversation. 30. Abbâ Macarius said unto the brethren when the service in the church was ended, "Flee ye, O brethren"; and one of the old men said, "Father, whither can we flee farther than this desert?" Then Macarius laid his hand upon his mouth, saying, "Flee in this manner," and straightway he went to his cell and, shutting the door, sat down. 31. Abbâ Poemen said:—Abbâ Moses asked Abbâ Zechariah a question when he was about to die, and said unto him, "Father, is it good that we should hold our peace?" And Zechariah said unto him, "Yea, my son, hold thy peace." And at the time of his death, whilst Abbâ Isidore was sitting with him, Abbâ Moses looked up to heaven, and said, "Re-joice and be glad, O my son Zechariah, for the gates of heaven have been opened."

32. A brother asked an old man, saying, "What is humility?" And the old man answered and said unto him, "That thou payest not back evil for evil." That brother said unto him, "And supposing that a man cannot attain to this measure, what must we do?" The old man said unto him, "Let us flee and follow after silence." 33. And an old man said, "Lay hold upon silence. Look carefully into and scrutinize the manner in which thou trainest thyself, both when thou art lying down, and when thou art standing up. Meditate upon the fear of God, and be not afraid of the attack of sinners. Consent not to everything. Be swift to hear and slow to believe." 34. An old man said: "The man, who hath learned by experience the sweetness of the quietness which is in his cell, doth not flee from meeting his neighbour because he is as one who despiseth him, but because of the fruits which he plucketh from silence."

35. Abbâ Moses used to say, "The man who fleeth from the world is like unto ripe grapes, but he who dwelleth among the attractions of the children of men is like unto sour grapes." 36. An old man said: "Human care and worry and anxiety about the things of the body destroy the faculties of knowledge and expression in a man, and leave him like unto a piece of dry wood." 37. They used to say about Abbâ Nastîr that the old man was like unto the serpent which Moses made for the healing of the people (Numbers xxi, 9 ff.), and that he was perfect in all spiritual excellences, and that, although he kept silence, he healed every man. 38. A certain brother asked an old man a question, and said unto him, "Father, what shall I do? For, although my body is in my cell, my thoughts wander about into every place, and because of this they vex me greatly, saying, 'Thou hast no benefit whatsoever, for though thy body is shut up in the cell, thy thoughts wander and are scattered abroad.' And they bring me to despair, and counsel me to go back to the world as one who has not the ability to acquire the rule of life which is proper for the ascetic monk." The old man said unto him, "Thou must know, O my son, that this is an attack of Satan, but go, and continue to abide in thy cell, and go not out of it at any time, and pray to God that He may give thee the power to endure patiently, and then thy mind shall collect itself in thee. For the matter is like unto that of a she-ass which hath a sucking foal. If she be tied up, however much the foal may gambol about or wander hither and thither, he will come back to her eventually, either because he is hungry, or for other reasons which drive him to her; but if it happen that his mother be also roaming about loose, both animals will go to destruction. And thus is it in the matter of the monk. If the body remain continually in its cell, the mind thereof will certainly come back to it after all its wanderings, for many reasons which will come upon it, but if the body as well as the soul wander outside the cell, both will become a prey and a thing of joy to the enemy."

39. A certain brother belonging to a habitation of brethren said to Abbâ Bessarion, "What shall I do?" The old man said unto him, "Keep silence, and consider thyself to be nothing." 40. Abbâ Moses besought Abbâ Zechariah, saying, "Speak a word of consolation to the brethren"; and Zechariah took his cloak, and placed it under his feet, saying, "Except a man die thus he cannot be a monk." 41. Abbâ Poemen said, "The rule of the monk is this—to bear at all times his own blame." 42. Abbâ Poemen said, "If thou holdest thyself in thine own sight to be of no account, thou mayest dwell where thou pleasest, and find rest." 43. The same old man used to say, "A man will be always tripped up by that thing which he will not cut off from himself." 44. Abbâ Alônîs said, "If a man will only remember that which is written, 'Thou shalt be justified by thy words, and shalt be condemned by thy words' (St. Matthew xii, 37), he would know that it is right to hold his peace."

45. Abbâ Poemen said, "If thou wishest to acquire the power to keep silence, think not and say not within thyself that thou art doing the works of spiritual excellence, but say, I am not even worthy to speak." 46. Abbâ Anthony said, "He who liveth in the desert is free from three kinds of spiritual attacks, that is to say, those which arise through the ears, speech, and sight; he hath only one kind to fight, namely, that of the heart." 47. Abbâ Alônîs said, "Unless a man saith in his heart, 'Only God and myself exist in this world,' he will not find rest." 48. Abbâ Sisoes used to say, "It is well for a man to dwell in his cell, and if he suffer with patient endurance he will find blessings of every kind." 49. A certain brother asked Abbâ Panbô (Pambo), "Is it a good thing for a man to praise his neighbour?" Saith the old man, "It is a much better thing for a man to hold his peace."

50. Abbâ Poemen said, "In all the labour which cometh upon a man, his victory is only assured when he holdeth his peace." 51. A certain brother said unto an old man, "If a brother 'bringeth unto me news from the outer world, dost thou wish me to tell him not to bring it to me?" The old man said unto him, "Nay," and the brother said unto him, "Why?" The old man said unto him, "Because not even we are able to flee 'from this. For having told our neighbour that he must not do this, we ourselves afterwards may be found doing the very same thing." And that brother said unto him, "What 'then is the right [course of action]?" Then the old man said unto him, "If we take upon ourselves to hold our peace, the 'example alone will be sufficient to make our neighbour do the same."

52. The blessed Theophilus, Archbishop of Alexandria, once went with a certain judge to Abbâ Arsenius, and begged the old man to let him hear some saying from him; and the old man held his peace for a little, and then answered him, and said, "If I speak a word to you will ye observe it?" And they promised to keep it. The old man said unto them, "In whatsoever 'place ye hear that Arsenius is, come not nigh thereunto." 53. Abbâ Macarius said unto Abbâ Arsenius, "Why fleest 'thou from us?" And the old man said unto him, "God know- 'eth that I love you, but I cannot be both with God and with men. The thousands and ten thousands of beings who are above have only one will, but men have many wills: I cannot, therefore, leave God and be with men." And the old man was always uttering these words, "Arsenius, for this 'thou didst go forth." And he used to say thus: "I have 'many times repented that I spoke, but that I held my peace I have never repented."

54. Abbâ Anthony said, "The cell of a monk is the furnace 'of Babylon wherein the Three Children found the Son of God, and it is also the pillar of cloud wherefrom God spake with Moses." 55. On one occasion the Fathers in Scete were gathered together, and because certain folk were wishing to see Abbâ Moses, they treated him with contumely, saying, "Why doth 'this Ethiopian come and go in our midst?" But Moses hearing this held his peace. And when the congregation was dismissed, they said unto him, "Abbâ Moses, wast thou not 'afraid?" And he said unto them, "Although I was afraid I 'uttered not a word." 56. On one occasion certain brethren came unto John the Less to tempt him, for they had heard that he never permitted his mind to think about any of the affairs of this world, and that he never spoke about them. And they said unto him, "Father, we thank God because He hath brought down this year rain in abundance, and the palms are thriving and are flourishing beautifully, and work for the hands of the brethren is abundant." The old man John saith unto them, "Even thus is it with the Holy Spirit of God, for when It descendeth upon the hearts of holy men they blossom and bring forth the fruit of the fear of God."

57. A certain brother came to take some baskets from John the Less, and when he had knocked at the door, the old man came out to him, and said unto him, "What seekest thou?" And the brother said unto him, "Father, I want baskets." And John the Less went in to bring them out to him, but he forgot to do so, and sat down, and went on plaiting. And the brother knocked at the door again, and when Abbâ John went forth to answer him, he said unto him, "Wilt thou bring out the baskets to me, Father?" And again John went in, and sat down, and went on plaiting, and when the brother knocked again, John went forth and said unto him, "Brother, what seekest thou?" And he said unto John, "Baskets, Father"; and John took his hand and led him inside, saying, "If thou wishest for baskets take them and get thee gone, for I am not able [to bring them to you]."

58. Some time ago Abbâ Evagrius went to Scete to a certain father and said unto him, "Speak some word whereby I may be able to save myself." The old man saith unto him, "If thou wishest to be saved, when thou goest unto any man speak not before he asketh thee a question." Now Evagrius was sorry about this sentence, and shewed regret because he had asked the question, saying, "Verily I have read many books, and I cannot accept instruction of this kind"; and having profited greatly he went forth from him. 59. On one occasion there was a congregation in the Cells concerning a certain matter, and Abbâ Evagrius spoke. And a certain elder said unto him, "We know, Abbâ, that hadst thou been in thine own country where thou art a bishop and the governor of many, [thou wouldst have been right in speaking]; but in this place thou sittest [as] a stranger." Now Evagrius was sorry, but he was not offended, and he shook his head, and bent his gaze downwards, and he wrote with his finger and said unto them, "Verily, it is even as thou sayest, O my fathers; I have spoken once, but I will not do it a second time."

60. Abbâ John, who was in prison, said that there was a man sitting in his cell who always made mention of God, and in this was fulfilled that which is written, "I was in prison, and ye came unto Me" (St. Matthew xxv, 36). 61. They used to say about Abbâ Agathon that for a period of three years he placed a stone in his mouth [and kept it there], until he had learned thoroughly how to hold his peace. 62. A certain brother went to Abbâ Moses in Scete, and asked him to speak a word; and the old man said unto him, "Get thee gone, and sit in thy cell, and thy cell shall teach thee everything."

Chapter 2. Of Fasting and Abstinence and of other [similar] Labours

63. They used to say about Abbâ Paphnutius that he would not readily drink wine, and that on one occasion he came by chance upon a band of thieves, and found them drinking; and the captain of the thieves recognized him, and knew that he never drank wine; and he looked closely at him [and saw that] he was a man of great ascetic works. And the captain filled a cup with wine and, taking a sword in his hand, he said unto the old man, "If thou wilt not drink I will slay thee"; and the old man knew that the grace of God wished to work on the captain of the thieves through him, and sought to do good to him, so he took [the cup] and drank [the wine]. Then the captain made excuse to him and said, "Forgive me, father, for having distressed thee"; and the old man said unto him, "I believe, by God, that through this cup God will forgive thee thy sins." And the captain of thieves said unto him, "I believe, by God; from this time forth I will never vex any man." Thus, because for God's sake Paphnutius gave up his own wish, he was able to do good to all that band of thieves.

64. A certain old man came unto one of the holy men who was a companion of his, and who cooked a few lentiles; and one of the two said unto his fellow, "Shall we sing a part of the service?" And he sang the whole of the Psalms of David, and his companion repeated two books of the Great Prophets, and when it was morning the old man departed to his own place, and they forgot all about the food. And the old man went another evening and found the food which had been cooked, and he was sorry and said, "Oh! how was it that we came to forget that little mess of lentiles, and did not eat it?" 65. On one occasion a brother came to Abbâ Isaiah, who threw a handful of lentiles into a saucepan to boil, but when they had just begun to boil he took them off the fire; and the brother said unto him, "Are they not yet cooked, O father?" And the old man said unto him, "Is it not sufficient for thee to have seen the fire? For this [alone] is great refreshing."

66. A certain old man became very seriously ill, for he suffered from some disease of the stomach, and much blood came away from him; and one of the brethren had some dried prunes, and because of the severe illness of the old man he cooked a little food, and put some of the prunes in it, and brought it to him, and entreated him, saying, "Father, do [me] an act of grace, and take a little of this stew, for perhaps it will do thee good." And the old man lifted up his eyes and looked at him, and said, "In which of the Scriptures hast thou found this thing? Verily I have wished that God would leave me in this illness for the last thirty years, for when I am weak then am I strong"; and the old man, although he was grievously sick, would not take even a little of the food, and when the brother saw [this] he took it and went back to his cell.

67. They used to say concerning Abbá Macarius, the Egyptian, that if it happened that he ate with the brethren, he would make an agreement with himself that if there was wine [on the table] and he drank one cup of it, he would drink no water for a whole day; now the brethren, wishing him to be refreshed (or pleased), used to give him wine, and the old man took it joyfully so that he might torment his body. And when his disciple saw this thing, he said unto the brethren, "I entreat you, for our Lord's sake, not to give him wine to drink, for if he drinketh it he will go to his cell and afflict himself because thereof"; and when the brethren knew this they did not give him any more wine to drink. 68. There was a certain old man who made a vow not to drink any water during the Fast of Forty Days; and when he became thirsty (literally, hot) he would wash a potter's vessel, and fill it with water, and hang it up in front of him. Then the brethren asked him why and wherefore he acted thus, and he said, "That I may labour the more, and receive a reward from God"; now he said this that he might incite them to great labours.

69. A brother asked an old man questions about comforts [or pleasures], and the old man said unto him, "Eat grass, wear grass, and sleep on grass, and then thy heart will become like iron." 70. A certain brother was hungry one morning, and he fought against his inclination and determined not to eat until the third hour; and when the third hour had passed, he dipped his bread in water, and sat down to eat, but he forced himself to wait until the sixth hour arrived, when he said within himself, "Let us wait till the ninth hour." And when the ninth hour had come, he prayed, and saw the working of Satan rising up before him like smoke, and he suppressed his desire [to eat], and his hunger passed away from him. 71. A certain brother from the Cells brought some new bread, and he invited all the old men who were under vows at

17 Scete to partake of a meal; and when each of them had eaten two bread-cakes, they ceased eating. Then the brother, who knew their labours of abstinence, and that they did not usually eat, and never satisfied themselves, made excuses to them, saying, "Eat ye this day, for our Lord's sake, until ye are satisfied"; and hearing this each ate ten cakes more. All this [sheweth] how much they afflicted themselves in not satisfying themselves with any kind of food. 72. On one occasion two old men were going up from Scete to Egypt, and because of the fatigue of the way they sat down on the bank of the river to eat some food, and one of them took his bread-cake in his hand and dipped it in the water; and he answered and said unto his companion, "Wilt thou not dip thy cake in water, O father?" And his companion answered and said unto him, "It is written, When a possession increaseth set not thy heart upon it" (Psalm lxii, 10).

73. They used to say about Abbâ Isaac, the priest of the Cells, that he ate the ashes of the censer which was before the altar with his bread. 74. On one occasion there was an offering [made] in the mountain of Abbâ Anthony, and a skin of wine was there, and one of the monks took some of it in a small vessel, and with a cup in his hand he went and carried it to Abbâ Sisoes. And he mixed him a cupful, and he drank it, and he mixed him a second cupful, and he took it and drank it, but when he mixed him a third cupful Abbâ Sisoes refused to drink it, saying, "Stay thy hand, brother, knowest thou not that [the third cup] is of Satan?" 75. Abbâ John said, "If a king wishes to subdue a city be-longing to enemies, he first of all keepeth them without bread and water, and the enemy being in this wise harassed by hunger becometh subject unto him; and thus it is in respect of the hostile passions, for if a man endureth fasting and hunger regularly, his enemies become stricken with weak-ness in the soul."

76. They used to say about Abbâ Dioscurus that his bread was made of barley and lentiles, and that at the beginning of each year he would set himself some [new] task of ascetic excellence, saying, "This year I will not hold converse with (or visit) any man," or, "I will not speak at all," or, "I will not eat food which hath been boiled," or, "I will not eat fruit," or, "I will not eat vegetables." He began each year with resolutions of this kind and carried them out, and each year he set himself some new task. 77. On one occasion when certain brethren went to the church during the Easter Festival, they gave a brother a cup of wine, and when they urged him to drink it, he said to them, "Forgive me, O my fathers, but ye did the same thing to me last year, and I drank a cup of wine, and I was greatly troubled thereby for a long time."

78. The monks were celebrating a festival in Scete, and they gave a certain old man a cup of wine, and he handed it back, saying, "Take this death away from me"; and when the others who were eating with him saw him [do this] they also would not take the wine. 79. And again on another occasion certain first-fruits of wine were sent that it might be given to the brethren cup by cup, (i.e., a cup each). And one of the brethren went up to a roof, that he might escape from drinking, and it parted asunder beneath him, and he fell through it; and when the sound came [to the brethren] they went and found him lying [on the ground], and they began to think about him, and said, "O lover of vain-glory, this hath befallen thee rightly." And an old man laid him out, saying unto them, "Forgive ye my son, for he hath done a good work. And, as the Lord liveth, this breach shall not be built up in my days, for all the world shall know that because of a cup of wine a schism hath taken place in Scete."

80. It was reported to Abbâ Poemen about a certain brother that he would not drink wine, and the old man Poemen said, "The nature of wine is not such as to make it useful to the dwellers in monasteries." 81. They used to say about Abbâ Sisoes the Theban that he never ate bread. During the Easter Festival the brethren came to him, and having made excuses they entreated him to eat with them; and he answered and said, "I will do one [of two] things; I will either eat bread and bread alone, or I will eat of the meats which ye have boiled." And they said unto him, "Then eat bread only." 82. A certain old man said, "Reduce thy knowledge of the things of man, and thy belly also, and thou shalt find all [manner of] delights." 83. Abbâ Poemen used to say, "The Spirit of God never entereth into the house wherein there are delights and pleasures."

84. A brother asked Abbâ Sisoes, "What [good do] I do in going to church, for often [the devils] recognize me and seize me?" The old man saith unto him, "There is work in the matter." 85. Abraham his disciple thereupon said unto him, "Father, if there happen to be a congregation on the Sabbath, or on Sunday, and a brother drink three cups of wine, is that too much?" The old man saith unto him, "If Satan did not exist three cups would not be too much to drink, but since he doth exist three cups are too much." 86. On one occasion some early grapes were sent to Abbâ Macarius because he longed for them, and to give a proof of his abstinence, he sent them to another brother who was sick, and who craved for grapes; and having received them, he rejoiced over them greatly, and then he despised his desire, and sent them on to another brother, as one who had no wish for food of any kind, and who held his self-denial in contempt. Now when the brother had received the grapes, although he desired greatly to eat them, he did the same as the other brother had done, and no man wished to eat them. And after they had gone about among many of the brethren, the last one who received them sent them to the blessed Macarius as a gift of great honour; and when the blessed Macarius saw the grapes he marvelled at the extent of the self-denial of the brethren, and gave thanks unto God, and he did not eat them.

87. On one occasion certain monks went down from Egypt to visit the Fathers, and when they saw that they were eating—now it was after prolonged hunger and very much fasting, and continual abstinence,—they were greatly offended; and when the elder of the coenobium learned [about this] he came to quiet their minds. And he proclaimed in the church of the congregation, saying, "Ye shall fast in your customary manner, and honour your ascetic rule of life, so that your voluntary abstinence may not be held in contempt." Now the Egyptian strangers wished to depart, but the monks shut them in cells. And when they had fasted the whole of the first day they began to feel faint, but notwithstanding this the monks made them to fast two days at a time; now the monks who were in Scete used to fast for a week at a time. And when the day of the Sabbath came, the Egyptians sat down to eat with the old men, and when one of the Egyptians began to eat hurriedly and voraciously, one of the old men caught hold of his hands, saying, "Eat moderately, (or according to rule) like the monks." Then one of the others clutched at the old man's hand, saying, "Let me eat so that I may not die, for behold, I have not eaten a piece of boiled food for a whole week." And the old man said unto him, "If now ye have become so very weak after having fasted but one night only, why were ye offended at the brethren who live a life of self-denial for long periods of time, and who fulfil their seasons with voluntary abstinence?" And straightway those Egyptians made excuses to the old men, and they were edified by their patient endurance, and departed rejoicing.

88. Once Abbâ Agathon had two disciples, and they separated from him, and each of them dwelt in a place by himself. One day he asked one of them, and said, "How dost thou live in thy cell?" And the disciple answered and said, "I fast until evening, and then I eat two bread-cakes"; and Abbâ Agathon said unto him, "It is a beautiful way of living, but it is very laborious." Then Abbâ Agathon said unto the other disciple, "And how dost thou live?" And the disciple answered and said unto him, "I fast two days at a time, and after each fast I eat two bread-cakes." Then the old man said unto him, "Thou toilest greatly, and maintainest a twofold strife. For one man eateth every day and filleth not his belly, and another fasteth two days at a time and taketh whatsoever he needeth; but thou, though thou dost fast two days at a time, dost not fill thy belly."

89. Abbâ Abraham went to Abbâ Areus, and as they were sitting down, another brother came to Abbâ, and asked him, saying, "Tell me what I shall do to live?" And he said unto him, "Go and pass the whole week in plaiting palm leaves and twisting ropes thereof, and eat bread and salt once each day in the evening, and then come again to me, and I will tell thee [what else to do]." And the brother went away and did as he had told him to do, and when Abbâ Abraham heard this he wondered. Now when the week was ended that brother came again to the old man Areus, with whom there happened to be also Abbâ Abraham. And the old man said unto the brother, "Get thee gone, and pass thou the whole week in fasting two days at a time." And when that brother had gone, Abbâ Abraham said unto Abbâ Areus, "Why dost thou command all the other brethren to bear a light burden, but layest a heavy load upon the brother who was here?" Then the old man said unto him, "The other brethren as they come, ask, and according as they ask they receive and depart; but this brother cometh for God's sake, that he may hear the word of profit, for he is a worker, and whatsoever I say unto him he performeth with care and diligence."

90. Abba Theodotus used to say, "Abstinence from bread quieteth the body of the monk." 91. A certain old man used to say, "I knew Abba Pater-muthis in the cells, and he did not drink wine, but when they took some wine and mixed it with water, and urged him to drink [it], he said, 'Believe me, O my brethren, I hold it to be a most beautiful thing.' And he blamed himself and condemned himself because of the mixing, and at the same time he gave thanks unto God and accepted His gracious gift." 92. They used to say about Abba Paphnutius that he did not drink wine readily, even though he was sick. 93. Abbâ Poemen said, "The soul can be humbled by nothing except thou enfeeble it by the eating of [little] bread." 94. They used to say about Abbâ Sarnâôs that he laboured exceedingly hard, and that he only ate two bread-cakes each day. And when he came to Abbâ Job, who was a man that was perfect in the laborious work of active excellence, and who was also a man that practised strict self-denial and abstinence, he said unto him, "As long as I live in my cell I can observe my rule of life, but if I go outside my cell I make openly submission because of the brethren." Then Abbâ Sarnâôs said unto him, "To be able to keep hold upon thy rule of life only so long as thou art in thy cell is no great act of spiritual excellence, but it would be if thou couldst do so when thou didst go forth outside thy cell."

95. Abbâ Poemen used to say, "As smoke driveth away bees, and men take the sweetness of their labour, even so also doth ease of the body drive away the fear of God from the heart, and it carrieth away all the good [effect] of its labour." 96. On one occasion Abbâ Sylvanus and Zechariah his disciple were going to a monastery, and they prepared a little food to eat before they set out on their journey. And when they had gone forth his disciple found water on the way, and he wished to drink, but the old man said unto him, "Zechariah, to-day is a fast day," but the disciple said, "Nay, O father, for behold we have eaten." Then Abbâ Sylvanus said unto him, "The food which we ate was obligatory, but let us keep the fast, O my son." 97. Abbâ Poemen said, "Every corporeal pleasure is contemptible before the Lord."

98. The disciple of Abbâ Sisoes had to say unto him several times, "Rise up and let us eat." And he used to say unto him, "My son, have we not eaten?" And the disciple would say unto him, "Nay, father." Then the old man would say unto him, "If we have not eaten, bring the food and let us eat." 99. Abbâ Daniel used to say, "In proportion as the body groweth, the soul becometh enfeebled; and the more the body becometh emaciated, the more the soul groweth." 100. Abbâ Benjamin, the priest of the Cells, said, "On one occasion we went to a certain old man in Scete, and we wanted to give him a little oil; and he said unto us, 'Behold, that little vessel of oil which ye brought to me three years ago is still lying in the place where ye put it, and it hath remained in the same state as that wherein ye brought it.' And when we heard [this] we marvelled at the old man's manner of life."

101. Abbâ Benjamin also said, "We went to another old man, and he took some food which we were going to eat, and threw into it a little oil of radishes. And we said unto him, 'Father, throw into our food a little sweet oil,' but when he heard these words, he made the sign of the Cross over himself, and said, 'If there be any other oil besides this I know not of it.'" 102. Abbâ Joseph asked Abbâ Poemen what was the proper way in which to fast, and Abbâ Poemen said unto him, "I prefer the man who eateth every day a very small quantity of food, and who doth not satisfy his cravings for food." And Abbâ Joseph said unto him, "When thou wast a young man didst thou not fast two days at a time, O father?" Then the old man said unto him, "Yea, I did, and three days at a time, and four days at a time, and even a week at a time; and the old men, like men of might, have tried all these by experience, but they have found that it is beneficial for a man to eat an exceedingly small quantity of food each day, and because of this they have delivered unto us an easy way to the kingdom."

103. One of the fathers said, "I knew a brother in the Cells who used to fast the whole of the Great Sabbath, and when the brethren were assembled in the evening he used to flee to his cell in order that he might eat nothing in the church; and he would eat a few plantains with salt, and without bread, that he might conceal his abstinence." 104. They used to tell about a certain monk who, having gone forth from the world, and lived in the coenobium for a number of years, was gracious unto every man in his humility, and all the brethren marvelled at his abstinence from meats; then he went to the barren desert, and lived there for many years, eating for food wild herbs. And afterwards he entreated God to inform him what reward He would give him, and it was said unto him by an angel, "Go forth from this desert and get thee along the road, and behold a certain shepherd shall meet thee, and according to [what he saith] so shalt thou receive. Now when he had made ready to depart, the shepherd of whom he had been told by the angel met him, and saluted him, and having sat down to hold converse with each other, the monk saw in the shepherd's bag some green herbs, and he asked him, saying, "What is this? And the shepherd said unto him, It is my food. And the monk said unto him, How long hast thou been feeding thyself on these green herbs? And the shepherd said unto him, "Behold, for the last thirty years, more or less, and I have never tasted anything else except these herbs which I have eaten once a day, and I drink as much water as my food requireth; and the wages which are given to me by the owner of the sheep I give unto the poor.

Now when the monk heard these things he fell down at the feet of the shepherd, and said, "I imagined that I had laid hold upon abstinence, but thou through thy well-ordered life art worthy of a greater reward than I, because I have eaten every kind of green thing immediately it came in my way. Then the shepherd said unto him, "It is not right that rational men should make themselves like unto the beasts, but they should eat whatsoever is prepared for them at the seasons which are duly ordered and appointed for them, and afterwards they should fast from everything until an appointed time. And the monk profited by these words, and he added to his labour and became perfect, and he praised God, and marvelled how many were the saints in the world who were not known to the children of men.

Chapter 3. Of the Reading of the Scriptures, and of watching by Night, and of the Service of the Psalms, and of constant Prayers

105. They used to say about Abbâ Arsenius that no man was able to attain to the manner of life in his abode. And they also said about him that on the night of the Sabbath which would end in the dawn of Sunday, he would leave the sun behind him, and would stretch out his hands towards heaven, and would pray [in this position] until the sun rose in his face, when he would satisfy his eyes with a little slumber. 106. A certain old man was complete in all perfection, and he could see what was happening from a very long way off; and he said, "I once saw in a monastery a certain brother who was meditating on the study of God in his cell, and behold, a devil came and stood outside, and he wanted to go in, but he could not do so, so long as the brother was meditating. Finally, however, when the monk ceased his contemplation the devil was able to enter his cell, for his power is not able to vanquish those whose converse is with God."

107. An old man said, "Whensoever a man readeth the Divine Books, the devils are afraid." 108. They used to say about Abbâ Pachomius that he spent much time in striving with devils like a true athlete, and after the manner of Saint Anthony. And because many devils came against him in the night season, he asked God to keep away sleep from him both by day and by night, so that he might not sleep at all, and might be able to bring low the might of the Enemy, even according to that which is written, "I will not turn back until I have made an end of them"; for they are powerless against the faith which is in the Lord. Now this gift was given unto him, even as he had asked, for a certain time, and because he was pure, his heart used to see God, Who is invisible, as in a mirror.

109. They used to say about Abbâ Pachomius and Abbâ John that they lived together in the same religious house (now John was larger in stature than Pachomius), but both had adopted a life of poverty voluntarily, and they possessed nothing whatsoever except the fear of God. Whatsoever they gained by the work of their hands they gave to those who were in need, and they kept for themselves only what was sufficient for their bare necessities; in respect of clothes they were well-nigh destitute, and they had so few of them that they were obliged to wash those which they wore [and put them on again]. Now Abbâ Pachomius always wore a garment made of hair, because of the toil of his body. And whensoever they wished to refresh their bodies by a little sleep after their vigil and prayer, each of them would sit down in the middle of the cell, and, without leaning against a wall, would go to sleep. And they continued to do this for fifteen years, and many of the fathers heard of them, and saw them living thus, and they also strove in like manner to humble their bodies for the redemption of their souls.

110. They used to say about Abbâ Joseph that when he was about to die, and the old men were sitting about him, he looked at the window and saw Satan sitting there; and he cried out to his disciple and said, "Bring me a stick here, for this devil thinketh that I have become old, and that I am no longer able to stand up against him," and as soon as he grasped the stick in his hand, Satan, in the form of a dog, threw himself from the window, and the old man saw him taking to flight. 111. They used to relate concerning Abbâ Sisoes that if he did not bring down his hands swiftly when he was standing up in prayer, his mind would be carried off on high; but whensoever it chanced that one of the brethren was with him he would bring his hands down hurriedly lest peradventure his mind should be carried off, and he should be left alone.

112. Abbâ Isaiah, the elder of the church, rebuked the brethren when they were eating that which had been prepared for them because they began to talk with each other, and he said to them, "Hold ye your peace, O my brethren. I know a brother who eateth with us and drinketh with us full (?) cups even as we do, and yet his prayer ascendeth up before God like fire." 113. One day Abbâ Arsenius called Abbâ Alexander and Abbâ Zôllâ, and said unto them, "Because the devils are striving with me, and because I do not know but that they may carry me off during [my] sleep, toil ye here with me this night, and keep vigil, and watch me and see if I sleep during [my] vigil." So they sat down, one on his right hand, and the other on his left, from the evening even until the morning. And they said, "We slept and we woke up, and we did not observe that he slept at all; but when it began to be light there came unto us three times the sound of breathing in his nostrils, but whether he did this purposely so that we might think he slept or whether slumber had really fallen upon him we know not." And he stood up and said unto us, "Have I been asleep?" And we answered and said unto him, "We do not know, O father, for we ourselves went to sleep."

114. A brother asked Abbâ Poemen, saying, "How, and in what manner is it right for a man to walk in the path of righteousness?" Abbâ Poemen said unto him, "We have seen Daniel, and also that his enemies were unable to bring any accusation whatsoever against him except in respect of his service of God." 115. On one occasion Abbâ Sisoes was sitting in his cell, and when his disciple knocked at the door [meaning to] go in, the old man cried out, saying, "Flee, Abraham, and do not come in now, for this place is not empty." 116. They say concerning Abbâ Sisoes of Babylon that, wishing to vanquish sleep, he stood upright upon a mountain crag, and that the angel of the Lord came and rescued him from that place, and commanded him never to do such a thing again, and not even to hand on this tradition to another.

117. An old man said, "I knew a brother who used to sit with the brethren at the meal which is made for the coming of the brethren, and although the brethren ate and drank, he never made himself to be remote from converse with God in his prayer, and he did not drink even a cup of wine. Now this man's manner of life was marvellous, and a certain man used to say about him, 'I once wished to count the prayers which he made, and I saw that he did not cease to pray either by day or by night.'" 118. On one occasion a Bishop was sent secretly to Abbâ Epiphanius by the head of a certain monastery in Palestine, saying, "We have not treated lightly thy services of prayer since thy departure from us, but we perform most carefully the services for the third, and sixth, and ninth hours, and also vespers." Then Abbâ Epiphanius blamed those who sent him, and wrote a message, which he sent to them, saying, "Ye must know that ye are indeed neglectful of the services and prayers which belong to the other eight hours which are in the day, for it is right for the monk who hath made himself to be remote from the world to be occupied with prayers to God unceasingly, and he should pray either in his heart, or in a carefully defined service, or in that service which he performeth with his will and with understanding. For the Calumniator addeth greatly to any small failing which he may find in a monk, and by being with him continually he enlargeth greatly the breach which he hath made, and by his habit of persistency he acquireth his natural power, and more particularly is this so in the case of those who are careless and lazy."

119. Abbâ Epiphanius also said, "Whatsoever food thou wishest to eat with gratification, that give not to thy body, especially when thou art in good health, and that which thou lustest after, eat not; and when thou feedest upon the things which are sent unto thee by God, give thanks unto Him at all seasons, and receive His gracious gift, the delights and the pleasures which we have received through the name of monk, [although] we do not do the works of monks. And [if] it be that thou art a monk, wilt thou then not make thyself strong, lest peradventure thou art arrayed in apparel which is strange to thee? Tell me, O brother, dost thou possess the seal of the service, that is to say, humility? For the holy man who seeth another man sin weepeth bitterly, saying, 'It is this man who sinneth now, but some time subsequently it may be myself.' However much then a man may sin before thee, condemn him not, but esteem thyself a sinner far greater than he is, even though he may be a child of this world, and besides there is the fact that he may have sinned greatly against God."

120. And he said also, "Know thyself, and thou shalt never fall. Give thy soul work, that is to say, constant prayer, and love of God, before another can give it evil [and filthy] thoughts; and pray ye that the spirit of error may be remote from you." 121. And he also said, "Whatsoever ye do successfully, and what ye boast of, destroy, for it is not right for a monk to boast of his fair deeds, and if he boasteth he will fall." 122. [And he also said], "When thou prayest speak unto God in a quiet voice and say, 'How can I possess Thee, O Lord? Thou knowest full well that I am a beast, and that I know nothing. Thou hast brought me to the prime of this life, deliver me then for Thy mercy's sake; I am Thy servant, and the son of Thine handmaiden, O Lord, by Thy will, vivify Thou me.' The old man is falsehood, and the new man is truth; the truth is the root of good works, and falsehood is death. If the liar, and the thief, and the calumniator knew that they would finally be made known unto all and [their works] revealed, they would never offend. And thus also was it with the adulterous sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, for they were not priests of the Lord, and they feared not God, and they perished, together with all their house. And the man who taketh hold of, and bindeth to himself, and shutteth within himself the memory of evil things is like unto the man who hideth fire in straw. If thou speakest to a man concerning life, and if thou sayest a word unto him let it be with feeling, and penitence, and with tears; and say thy word to the man who will hearken and will do it, but if not, speak not, lest thou die, and thou depart from this world without any profit from the words whereby thou didst wish to give life unto others. For unto the sinner God saith, 'What hast thou to do with the Books of My Commandments? For thou hast taken My covenant in thy mouth [only]'" (Psalm I, 16).

123. Abbâ Epiphanius said, "Whensoever a thought cometh and filleth thy bosom, that is to say, thy heart, with vainglory or with pride, say thou unto thyself, 'Old man, behold thy fornication.'" 124. And he also said, "If we do evil things God will be unmindful of His longsuffering; but if we do good things, it will not help us greatly because we increase the advantage of freedom, and the merchandise is not plundered thereby, for the will rejoiceth in the striving." 125. Certain brethren entreated Abbâ Epiphanius on one occasion, saying, "Father, speak unto us some word of life, even though when thou speakest we may not grasp the seed of thy word, because the soil is salt." Then the old man answered and said unto them, "Whosoever receiveth not all the brethren, but maketh distinctions between them, cannot become a perfect man. If a man revile thee, bless him, whether it be good for both of you, or whether it be not; it will be he who will receive a reward of blessing. This is the right way for a monk to live, and in this way lived Abbâ Arsenius, who took care each day to stand up before God without sin, and he drew nigh unto Him with tears like the sinful woman. In this manner pray to the Lord God—as if He were standing before thee, for He is nigh unto thee and He looketh upon thee. It is right that the man who wisheth to dwell in the desert should be [as] a teacher in his knowledge, and he must not be in need of instruction lest he be swept away by the devils; and he must look into his mind most minutely, both in respect of the things which are above, and those which are below, lest he become a laughing-stock unto them by some means or other. It is right that the manner of life of the man who loveth God should be blameless."

126. A certain man made answer to the brethren against evil thoughts, saying, "I entreat you, O my brethren, let us cease from ascetic works, and let us give up also anxious thoughts. For what are we? A voice which cometh out of the dust, or a cry which riseth from the mud? When Joseph of Ramah had asked to be allowed to take the body of Jesus, he took it, and wrapped it round in a sheet of clean linen, and then he laid it in a new sepulchre of the new man" (St. Matthew xxvii, 59). 127. On one occasion a certain monk saw a devil who was calling to his fellow to come with him, so that the two together might wake up a monk for service, and might lead him into error thereby, [and cause him to think] that angels had appeared unto him. And the monk heard the voice of the other devil, who made answer to his fellow, saying, "I cannot do this. For once I woke him up, and he stood up and broke me with a terrible breaking, and [all the time he was doing it] he sang psalms and prayed."

128. A brother asked an old man and said, "Why is it that when I go forth to labour I feel wearied and disgusted in my soul, and my mind is wholly empty of spiritual thoughts?" And the old man said unto him, "Because thou dost not desire to fulfil that which is written, 'I will bless the Lord always, and His praises shall be ever in my mouth' (Psalm xxxiv, 1). Therefore, whether thou art inside or outside, and whithersoever thou goest thou must not cease from blessing God; not only in actions, but with word and mind thou shalt bless thy Maker. For God doth not dwell in any place which hath bounds and limits, but He is everywhere, and by His Divine Power He sustaineth all things, and is capable of all things." 129. A brother asked Abbâ Poemen concerning the thoughts which invaded his mind, and he said unto him, "This matter is like unto that of a man who hath a fire on his left hand, and a tank of water on his right hand; if he wisheth to extinguish the fire, he taketh the water from the tank and doeth it, and it is right for a man to act thus every hour. Now the fire is the evil thought, which cometh from enemies, and the water is the pouring out of the soul before the Lord which a man should do."

130. There was a certain monk who did not do any work whatsoever with his hands, but he prayed without ceasing; and at eventide he would go into his cell and find his bread laid there [for him], and he would eat it. Now another monk came to him, who had upon him [materials] for the labour of his hands, and wheresoever he entered in he worked, and he made the old man, into whose cell he had entered, to work with him. And when the evening had come, he wished according to his custom, to eat, but he found nothing, and he therefore lay down in sorrow; and it was revealed unto him, saying, "Whilst thou wast occupied in converse with Me, I fed thee, but now thou hast begun to work, thou must demand thy food from the labour of thy hands." 131. They tell the story that on one occasion, whilst the blessed Anthony was dwelling in the desert, thoughts of dejection and despair rose up in his mind, and he was in deep gloom of thought, and said unto God, "Lord, I wish to live, but my thoughts will not permit me to do so. What shall I do in my tribulations to be saved?" And he came a little nearer [to the town] from the place where he was, and he saw a man who was like unto himself, and was in his own form, and he was sitting down and twisting palm leaves into ropes; and this man rose up from his work, and prayed, and afterwards he sat down again and continued his work, and then he stood up once more, and prayed. Now the man was an angel who had been sent from God to correct and to admonish the blessed Anthony, who afterwards heard him say unto him, "O Anthony, do thou also do this and live"; and when Anthony heard this, the blessed man had great joy, and afterwards he did as the angel had done, and lived.

132. They said concerning Abbâ John the Less that, on one occasion, he steeped the palm leaves for two baskets in water, and sewed one basket to the other without perceiving it until he came to the side of it, for his mind was led captive by the sight of God. 133. And Abbâ Daniel used to say concerning Abbâ Arsenius that he would pass the whole night in vigil, and when, for the sake of nature, he wished for the approach of the morning so that he might have some relief, he would struggle against sleep, and say, "Get thee gone, O wicked handmaiden"; then he would snatch a very little slumber and stand up straightway. 134. Abbâ Arsenius used to say, "One hour's sleep is sufficient for a monk, provided that he be strenuous. 135. They used to say about a certain monk who lived in a monastery of the brotherhood, that although he kept frequent vigil and prayed he was neglectful about praying with the congregation. And one night there appeared unto him a glorious pillar of brilliant light from the place where the brethren were congregated, and it reached up into the heavens;

and he saw a small spark which [flew] about the pillar, and sometimes it shone brightly, and sometimes it was extinguished. And whilst he was wondering at the vision, it was explained to him by God, Who said, "The pillar which thou seest is the prayers of the many [brethren] which are gathered together and go up to God and gratify Him; and the spark is the prayers of those who dwell among the congregation, and who despise the appointed services of the brotherhood. And now, if thou wouldst live, perform that which it is customary to perform with the brethren, and then, if thou wishest to do so, and art able to pray separately, do so." And the monk related all these things before the brotherhood, and they glorified God.

Chapter 4. Of how it is meet for us to Weep for our Sins and to Mourn for them always

136. A brother asked Abba Ammon, and said unto him, "Tell me some word whereby I may live"; and Abba Ammon said unto him, "Go and make thy mind like unto the minds of those evil-doers who are in the prison house, and who ask those who go to them, saying, 'Where is the governor? When will he come here?' And their minds tremble in fearful expectation. Thus also is a monk bound to wait in expectation always, and he must admonish himself, saying, 'Woe is me! For how can I stand before the throne of Christ? And how shall I be able to make answer unto Him?' If thou art able to think thus always thou wilt be able to live." 137. Abba Poemen was once passing through Egypt, and he saw a woman sitting in the cemetery and weeping, and he said, "If every kind of instrument of sweet music in the world were to come [here] they would not be able to change the grief of this woman's soul [into gladness]; even thus it is meet for a monk to have pain (or grief) within himself."

138. Three old men once came to Abba Sisoes because they had heard that he was a great man. And the first one said unto him, "Father, how can I escape from the river of fire?" And Abba Sisoes answered him never a word. Then the second old man said unto him, "Father, how can I escape from the gnashing of teeth, and from the worm which never dieth?" And Abba Sisoes answered him never a word. Then the third old man said unto him, "Father, what shall I do? For the remembrance of the outer darkness troubleth me." And Abba Sisoes answered and said unto them, "I never think on any of these things, but I believe that God is Merciful, and that He will shew mercy unto me"; then the old men went away grieved at the answer which Abbâ Sisoes had spoken unto them. Now because he did not wish to send them away sorrowful, he brought them back, and said unto them, "Blessed 'are ye, O my brethren, for I have been jealous of you"; and they said unto him, "In what matter hast thou been jealous 'of us?" And he said, "The first one of you spake about a 'river of fire; and the second spake about the gnashing of teeth and the worm which dieth not; and the third spake about the outer darkness; if remembrances of this kind have dominion over your minds it is impossible for you to commit sin. What can I do who am stubborn of heart? For hardness of heart will not allow me to perceive even that there a punishment for men existeth, and because of this I sin every hour." And when the old men had heard these words, they made excuses to him, and said, "In very truth 'according to what we have heard, even so have we seen."

139. A certain father said that on one occasion when the brethren were eating the food of grace, one of them laughed at table; and Abbâ Sînû saw him, and burst into tears, and said, "What can there be in the heart of this brother who 'hath laughed? It is meet that he should weep because he is eating the food of grace." 140. They say that when Abbâ Sisoes was sick the old men who were sitting with him saw that he was talking [to some one], and they said unto him, "What seest thou, O father?" And he said unto them, "Some people came to take me away, 'and I entreated them to leave me [here] a little longer that I might repent." Then one of the old men said unto him, "What power hast thou in thee now for repentance?" Abbâ Sisoes said unto them, "If I can do nothing else I can sigh 'and lament a little over my soul, and this will be sufficient for me."

141. Certain brethren went to an old man and, making apologies to him, they said, "Father, what shall we do, for Satan 'is hunting after us?" And he said unto them, "It is right 'for you to be watchful and to weep continually. My own thoughts are always fixed upon the place where our Lord was crucified, and I sigh and lament and weep about it always;" and thus having received a good example of repentance the brethren departed and became chosen vessels. 142. A brother asked Abbâ Muthues, saying, "Speak a word 'to me"; and the old man replied, "Cut off from thee contention concerning every matter whatsoever, and weep, and 'mourn, for the time hath come." 143. Abbâ Ammon said that he saw a young man who laughed, and he said unto him, "Laugh not, O brother, for if thou dost, thou wilt drive the fear of God out of thy soul."

144. Abbâ Paule used to say, "I had sunk in the mire up to my neck, and I wept and spake before God, saying, 'Have mercy on me.'" 145. They used to say that Abbâ Theodore and Abbâ 'Ôr put on the skins of lambs for clothing; and they said to each other, "If God were to visit us now what should we do?" and they left [the skins], and departed to their cells weeping. 146. A blessed Archbishop, when he was about to depart from this world, said, "Blessed art thou, O Arsenius, because thou hast remembered this hour." 147. An old man said, "God dwelleth in the man into whom nothing alien entereth." 148. A brother asked a certain old man, and said unto him, "My soul desireth tears, even as I have heard that the old men [desire] them, but they will not come to me, and my soul is vexed." And the old man said unto him, "The children of Israel entered into the land of promise [after] forty years; now tears are the land of promise, and since thou wouldst enter therein thou must not henceforward be afraid of fighting. For God wisheth to bring tribulation upon the soul in this manner in order that it may at all times be wishful to enter into that land [of promise]."

149. A brother asked Abbâ Poemen a question and said unto him, "What shall I do? for my thoughts disturb me, and they say unto me, 'Thy sins have been forgiven thee,' and they make me to pry into the shortcomings of the brethren." Then Abbâ Poemen spake to him about Abbâ Isidore, who dwelt in a cell and wept over his soul, and his disciple used to dwell in another cell; and the disciple came to the old man, and finding him weeping, said unto him, "My father, why weepest thou?" And the old man said unto him, "I am weeping for my sins." Then the disciple said unto him, "And hast thou any sins, father?" And the old man said unto "him, Indeed I have, my son, and if I were permitted to see my sins, not three or even four men would suffice to weep with me for them." Then Abbâ Poemen said, "Thus it is with the man who knoweth himself."

150. I have heard that the old men who lived in Nitria sent to Macarius the Great, who was living in Scete, and entreated him, saying, "In order that all the people may not be vexed, we beseech thee, O our father, to come to us so that we may see thee before [thou departest] to our Lord. And having gone [to them] they all gathered together to him, and the old men begged and entreated him to speak unto the brethren one 33 word of profit; and the holy old man wept, and said unto them, "Let us weep, O my brethren, and let us make our eyes to overflow with tears before we go to the place where the tears of our eyeballs will burn up our bodies." And they all wept, and they fell upon their faces, saying, "Father, pray for us." 151. When the blessed Arsenius was about to deliver up his spirit the brethren saw him weeping, and they said unto him, "Art thou also afraid, O father?" And he said unto them, "The dread of this hour hath been with me in very truth from the time when I became a monk, and was afraid." And so he died.

152. And when Abbâ Poemen heard that he was dead, that is to say, that Abbâ Arsenius had gone to his rest, he said, "Blessed art thou, O Abbâ Arsenius, for thou didst weep over thyself in this world. For he who weepeth not for himself in this world must weep for ever in the next. He may weep here voluntarily, or there because of the punishments [which he will receive], but it is impossible for a man to escape weeping either here or there." 153. A brother asked Abbâ Poemen and said unto him, "What shall I do in the matter of my sins?" And the old man said unto him, "When Abraham went into the Land of Promise he bought himself a grave, and through the grave he inherited the land." And the brother said unto him, "What is a grave?" Then the old man said unto him, "Weeping and mourning are a grave and a place [of burial]."

154. One of the brethren asked Abbâ Poemen, saying, "Father, what shall I do in the matter of my sins?" The old man said unto him, "Whosoever wisheth to blot out his offences can do so by weeping, and he who wisheth to acquire good works can do so by means of weeping; for weeping is the path which the Scriptures have taught us, and the fathers have also wept continually, and there is no other path except that of tears." 155. And the same old man (i.e., Poemen) said, "There are two things [to remember]: We must fear our Lord, and do good unto our neighbour." 156. Abbâ Noah asked Abbâ Macarius, and said unto him, "Speak to me a word"; and the old man said, "Flee from the children of men." Noah said unto him, "Father, what doth it mean to flee from the children of men?" The old man said unto him, "Thou shalt sit in thy cell and weep for thy sins."

157. A brother asked an old man, and said unto him, "What shall I do, father?" The old man said unto him, "It is right that we should sigh and lament always." Now it happened that one of the old men fell asleep, and that after a long interval he came to himself again, and the brethren asked him, saying, "What didst thou see there, O father?" and he said unto us with many tears, "I heard there the sound of the weeping of many, who were crying out and wailing incessantly, and saying, 'Woe is me! Woe is me!' And it is meet that we should always be saying the same thing."