Paradise of the Holy Fathers (Palladius' Lausiac History, Apophthegmata Patrum)

The Sayings of the holy Fathers “its counterpart through its union with it, but also those “ devils which wage war against the soul, and they feel the ‘‘ labours of the body more than doth the soul. For immediately ‘the devils see the monk affli@ting his body with labours, ‘‘they become afraid, and stagger about, because they are ‘‘more tormented by the labours than is the man who is ‘‘ engaged in them. Therefore the blessed Evagrius, when the ‘demon of fornication assailed him, stripped off his tunic and ‘“stood the whole night long, in the season of winter, under ‘the open sky, and by these means he made the demon to “suffer pain, and he fled from him. And again, when the ‘© demon of blasphemy attacked him, he stood naked under ‘‘the open sky, in the season of winter, for forty days. And ‘“because the thought of gluttony stirred in the heart of Abba “Zeno, and made him to eat a cucumber by stealth, he cruci- ‘fied his soul in the sun, during the season of summer for five ‘days. In this wise the holy men were afflicting themselves ‘with labours and tribulations, and when the devils were ‘‘ stirring up in them the thoughts of sin, the demons were ‘‘ afflicted and tortured far more than they thereby. Now the ‘demons were afflicted and tormented by the labours of the ‘¢ patient endurance of the monks not only in their minds but ‘in their persons, through the operation of the holy angels, ‘‘and by the command of God, even as, on one occasion, one ‘of the devils was tortured the whole night in the cell of those ‘*two brethren who were brothers naturally, when he wished ‘*to separate them from each other. For when the younger ‘brother lighted a lamp the devil threw down the candlestick, ‘‘and extinguished the light, whereupon the [elder] brother ‘‘smote him [on] the cheek; and the other brother expressed ‘*his contrition, and said, ‘My brother, have patience, and I ‘«¢ will light the lamp [again].’ And when God saw the patient ‘‘endurance and humility of the young man, He commanded ‘‘ His angel, and he fettered the devil the whole night long in “‘their cell; and the devil was tormented therein until the ‘‘ morning because of that [blow on] the cheek which he made ‘‘the one brother to suffer from the other through his wicked ‘agency; and that wicked devil was fettered and tortured the ‘‘ whole night long. And the devils are tortured not only when ‘‘ we afflict our bodies with labours, in order that we may not “‘consent to the will of devils, but also when they stir up in ‘‘us evil thoughts; if we constrain ourselves a little, and cast ‘‘them from us, at the same time calling our Lord to our ‘‘assistance, straightway the holy angels which cleave unto ‘‘us will constrain the demons, and will drive them away from “us, and we shall be full of light, and of fervour, and of glad296

Questions and Answers on the Ascetic Rule ‘ness. Even as one of the demons said to Abba Pachomius, ‘© *A certain monk, against whom | wage war, is very strenu- ‘© ‘ous, and whensoever I draw nigh unto him to sow evil “thoughts in him, he betaketh himself to prayer, and I, ‘though burning with fire, have to depart from his presence “‘ ‘blazing (?) even like iron which hath been thoroughly well ‘« ‘(heated| in the fire.” Now monks are, at the beginning [of ‘‘their career] afflicted for a long time, not only by the stir- ‘ring up of the evil thoughts themselves, but also by their ‘« tarrying in the heart; but after a known time a man receiveth ‘‘ strength from our Lord, through their tarrying, and also <¢after a known time their motion is restrained, and then the ‘‘monk also hath rest from strivings, and he is held to be ‘¢ worthy of purity of heart. For at the beginning of the striv- ‘ings the devils stir up evil thoughts in the heart mightily; ‘¢sometimes, however, these are destroyed through prayer at ‘the very beginning of their movement, and sometimes they ‘‘ remain. And afterwards the mind becometh strong against ‘them, and doth not permit them to tarry altogether in the ‘‘ heart, but it is as yet unable to restrain their violent move- ‘‘ ment, and the [tribulation which they cause], even as one of ‘‘the old men said, ‘I carried on a strife for twenty years in «« ‘order that an evil thought might not enter my heart, and «« ‘until the ninth hour I used to see Satan with his bow drawn ‘‘ “tq shoot an arrow into my heart. And when he found no ‘< ‘opportunity of doing this, he would become dejected and go ‘< Saway ashamed each day.’ Now the old man [of whom we ‘‘ first spake] held fast to his rule in respect of the baskets, and ‘¢ though he was afflicted for a long time by the motion of evil ‘‘ thoughts, and sometimes even by their tarrying in his heart, ‘‘ finally he received power over their tarrying only, for their

‘rising up remained for a considerable time. And having ‘‘ Jaboured in striving for twenty years against the motion of ‘sand he arrived at a state of purity, and at the haven of im- ‘« passibility, and he was held to be worthy of revelations.” 626. The brethren said, ‘‘If the holy men themselves afflict ‘« themselves with labours of tribulation because of the tarrying ‘‘ of the evil thoughts which bestir themselves in them, and if ‘“‘ they sin against God though not consenting to them, why ‘‘ should we toil against the motion of the devils? For behold, ‘‘even as the blessed Evagrius said, ‘Whether they fight ‘« ‘against us or not the matter is not in our hands.’” The old man said, ‘The perfection of the monks ariseth froma spiritual ‘rule of life, and a spiritual rule of life cometh from purity of The Sayings of the tholy Fathers ‘‘heart, and purity of heart from divine vision; ‘Blessed are ‘‘ ‘those who are pure in heart, for they shall see God.’ When, ‘therefore, a monk laboureth, and afflicteth himself because ‘‘of the motion of evil thoughts, in order to prevent their re- ‘maining for a long time in his heart, and when after a con- ‘‘siderable time his heart becometh pure, there remaineth ‘disgust only therein, and it vexeth the mind of the monk, ‘*and preventeth his ascent to God, and cutteth off his journey- ‘ing to Him, and doth not allow him to enjoy the vision of ‘‘glory. Now when a monk worketh for a considerable time ‘because of the motion of evil thoughts [in him], God hath ‘compassion upon his trouble, and not only doth his heart ‘‘become cleansed, and his soul pure from every thought of ‘evil, but he is also held to be worthy of the sight of our Lord ‘‘in a revelation of light, and henceforth, the devils never ‘‘again dare to stir up evil thoughts in the heart of him that ‘‘hath been esteemed worthy of this great thing. And should ‘‘it happen that they dare so to do, they suffer pain and burn ‘even as he suffereth who is hot, and who kicketh away with ‘this feet the piercing goads of iron which glow with heat in ‘the fire. During the interval between the beginning of the ‘‘strife against evil thoughts and [the attainment of] purity of ‘heart, the devils sometimes vex the monk, and sometimes ‘fare vexed by him, even as the blessed Evagrius said, ‘If ‘* “those who go down to the conflict affli& [others], they are ‘« ‘themselves afflicted’; so the devils affliG us, and they are ‘also afflicted by us. They affli& us when we receive their evil ‘thoughts, and they are afflicted by us when we, by means of ‘* prayer and wrath, hide (i.e., suppress) their thoughts. When, ‘then, we labour and affli@ ourselves for a considerable time ‘‘in order that their thoughts may not tarry in us, we also ‘‘ afflict ourselves with labours and prayer so that they may not ‘vex and hinder us by [their] violent motion, and afterwards ‘‘ power is given unto us by our Lord to lift ourselves up upon ‘the necks of our enemies, and thenceforward our heart ‘‘resteth and is at peace, not only from the perception of their “thoughts, but from all the violence of their motion. And the ‘“peace and rest of God rule over our souls, and we see that ‘‘there remaineth only the war which is manifest of the visions ‘fof devils until the time of death merely to terrify us, so that ‘“we may not be exalted [unduly] and destroy ourselves. And ‘‘should it happen that the devils stir up thoughts in the heart ‘fof him that hath been made perfect, straightway they be- ‘“come extinguished, even as fire is extinguished when water ‘‘falleth thereon.”

627. The brethren said, “ Why do the devils fear the labours Questions and Answers on the Ascetic Rule ‘© of the monks, even as the Fathers say, ‘ If thou wishest the « ‘devils to be afraid of thee, despise lusts’?” The old man said, ‘‘They are afraid because of three things. 1. First. Be- “cause our Lord treated with contempt three kinds of pas- ‘sions, wherein are included and contained all the various ‘‘ classes of passions, and these are they: The love of the belly, ‘the love of money, and vainglory. By means of these the ‘‘ Calumniator fought against our Redeemer, and through His ‘¢ constancy inthe wilderness, and silentcontemplation, and fast- ‘ing, and prayer, He overcame Satan; therefore all the monks ‘‘ whotravel in His footsteps, and who by means of fasting, and ‘* prayer, andsilent contemplation, hideaway all the thoughts of ‘© sin, andwho perform their labours in righteousness, our Lord ‘‘ maketh to conquer by His strength, and He vanquisheth the ‘‘ devils who are their enemies. And as the demons fear and ‘‘tremble, not only by reason of the Crucifixion of Christ, but ‘even at the sign of the Cross, wheresoever it be made ap- ‘‘ parent, whether it be depicted upon a garment, or whether ‘© it be made in the air, so also do the devils fear and tremble, ‘‘not only by reason of the labours of our Lord and His con- ‘‘stancy in the wilderness, but also at the existence of the «© monks in the wilderness, and at their silent contemplation, ‘‘and their fasting, and their prayers, and their patient per- ‘“ sistence in the performance of difficult labours, which take ‘place for Christ’s sake. Therefore on one occasion Abba ‘Macarius said unto Palladius, ‘Speak to the devils which ‘“¢war against thee with disgust, and sluggishness, and «« « despair: if I had no labours of spiritual excellence, neverthe- ‘Jess for the sake of Christ I would guard these walls and ‘< © His Name would be sufficient for the redemption of my life.’ ‘« 2, Secondly. The war and contest which the devils [wage] ‘against the monks possess both rule and system, and they ‘Care neither irregular nor unsystematic. And as when the ‘< devils stir up the monks by means of evil thoughts of sin, ‘©and the monks accept them, and consent to them, and let ‘¢ themselves be incited to commit sin thereby, straightway ‘their souls become dark, and remote from God, and sorely ‘‘ afflicted, and ashamed, and guilty, and weak and miserable, ‘so when their souls accept not these thoughts, and they do ‘‘ not consent to them, and do not allow themselves to be in- ‘« cited to sin thereby, but drive them away and cast them out ‘as soon as ever they begin to have motion [in them], and ‘*call upon our Lord to help them, straightway all the former ‘‘ things which come against the monks, inasmuch as they do ‘not acquiesce in their incitings, are hurled upon the demons ‘‘ with greatly intensified force, and they become ashamed,

The Sayings of the tholy Fatbers ‘‘and tremble, and are destroyed, even as the blessed Mark ‘* said, ‘As he who breaketh into a house which is not his ‘**own taketh to flight with fear and trembling as soon as he ‘* “heareth the voice of the master of the house, so also doth ‘Satan,’ etc. 3. Thirdly. Because without labours and hu- ‘‘mility we who are rational beings are unable to please God, ‘‘and because without them neither men nor angels can en- ‘joy His love and His blessings, therefore also the demons and ‘* devils, which live wholly in a state of pride and laxity, [can- ‘not enjoy them].” 628. The brethren said, ‘‘Why is it that although the ‘“‘Fathers gave the admonition, ‘Whensoever a demon ap- ‘“**peareth unto a man in any form whatsoever, let that man make the sign of the Cross, and pray, and that similitude will disappear,’ we see that on several occasions the devils ‘* still remain, and not in appearance only, but also in terrors, ‘‘which remain for a long time, and in many cases in blows ‘and stripes?” The old man said, ‘‘The holy Fathers gave the ‘‘admonition because it would apply in the majority of cases. ‘‘ For since our Redeemer was crucified for us, and since He ‘““ exposed to disgrace the Rulers and Dominions, which are ‘“evil demons, and put them to shame openly by His Person, ‘feven as it is written, from that time onwards, whensoever ‘‘ they have made themselves visible to the adorers of Christ ‘‘in divers form [to do them] harm, as soon as a man hath ‘““made mention of the Name of Christ, and hath signed ‘‘himself with the sign of the Cross, the devils have fled ‘“straightway, and their forms have disappeared. And this ‘“ happeneth not only in the case of holy men, and perfect men, ‘“‘but also in respect of ordinary men who possess short- ‘*comings.”

629. The brothers said, ‘‘ Why was the blessed Martinyana, ‘after all the great ascetic practices which he had acquired, ‘‘and the gifts of the spirit which he had received, and after ‘““he had burned his fingers for the sake of the harlot, still ‘afraid of the war of fornication, and why, having gone and ‘dwelt in the island in the sea for thirty years, did he not ‘‘ stay [for] a season with that woman whom he had brought “‘up from the sea, but cast himself in the sea being afraid of ‘‘ the contest?” The old man said, ‘‘ Because the whole strength “of the demon of fornication was discharged upon him, and ‘‘ he was, therefore, properly afraid. For those who have not ‘“‘ with them this war in all its fierceness imagine that they ‘“‘ have overcome it, but let them not boast themselves, and “‘let them know the truth, that is to say, they have not van- “‘quished the demon of fornication, and it is only that he hath Questions and Answers on the Ascetic Rule “not waged war against them with all his strength, because ‘‘he hath not been permitted so to do, and he hath not been ‘permitted to do so because of their feebleness and laxity. ‘‘ For the war of fornication which cometh upon a man only ‘‘attacketh him in the degree which he is able to bear. For, ‘behold, the great and famous fathers who endured this war ‘‘in all its severity for a long time were always in a state of ‘fear and trepidation, as was also Abba Arsenius, who was a ‘‘ man eighty years old; and when the noble lady came to him ‘‘and said, ‘ Remember me in thy prayers,’ he did not hesitate ‘* to say, ‘I will pray to God that He may blot the remembrance ‘of thee out of my heart.’ And by means of this which he ‘spake, he put to shame the demon of fornication, and shewed ‘Chow great was the hatred for this unclean passion that war- ‘“‘reth against the holy men which he possessed.”

[The story of Martinyana and the harlot is as follows:— There was a certain monk who dwelt in the desert, and whose name was Martinyana, and he laboured in great works, and God wrought by his hands many mighty deeds, and he was applauded by all men. Now when Satan, the Evil One, saw that he was greatly applauded he became bitterly angry, and he wished to distract and to withdraw him from his rule of life and ascetic labours. One day Satan saw that many folk were glorifying him, and he went and dwelt ina certain harlot, and he sent her to the blessed man in order to make him fall. So the harlot took her attire, and placed it in a bag, and went to the holy man, and when she arrived at his abode it was evening; and she knocked at the door and said, ‘©O Saint Mar- ‘tinyana, open the door to me, so that the wild beasts may not eat me.” Now the holy man thought that she was a phantom, and he rose up and prayed, and since meanwhile she ceased not to cry out, he rose up from his prayer, and opened the door to her, and said to her, ‘‘ Whence comest thou to ‘me, O devil?” And she said, ‘‘|My] companions have for- ‘¢saken me on the road, and I wandered about in the desert, ‘6 and have arrived hither”; and he left her [there], and went into the inner cell, and shut the door thereof between himself and her. And after the old man had laid down to sleep the harlot arrayed herself in her attire, and put on her ornaments, and then sat down; and when the morning had come, the old man went forth from his cell, and seeing her dressed he said to her, ‘‘ Whence art thou? What is thy business?” And she said, ‘‘] am a daughter of people of high degree, and my parents ‘‘ are dead, and they have left me great wealth. I heard that thou ‘‘ wast a great man, and I have come to thee, and I beg thee ‘to come to my house and take me to wife, and we will live

The Sayings of the holy Fatbers ‘fon thy excellence.” Then the old man said unto her, ‘‘How ‘“‘can I forsake my labour and my rule of life, and take thee to ‘‘wife, and fall from my covenant?” And she said unto him, ‘* What sin is there in it? Did not Adam and all the Fathers take ‘* wives, and Noah, and Abraham, from whose seed Christ hath ‘‘ risen?” Now by repeating these and suchlike things, she wellnigh succeeded in leading the holy man away captive, and he said unto her, ‘‘O woman, tarry a little so that I may see, lest ‘‘peradventure some one may come and see us.” And having gone up to the roof to look, he woke up in his mind, and he made a flame of fire and stood up in it, and stayed in the fire until he burnt his toes; and when the harlot saw this, she fell down at his feet and wept, saying, ‘‘I have sinned against God ‘‘ and thee,” and she revealed untohim the wholetruth, [saying], ‘I repent.” And the holy man sent her to a nunnery, and he remained in his cell until his feet were healed of the burning of the fire. And after he was healed of his sickness, he rose up and went and dwelt in an island in the sea, where there were neither women nor men. |]

630. The brethren said, ‘‘What is the meaning of that ‘“which one of the old men said, ‘If thou seest the wings of ‘* ‘ravens flying about thou wilt also see the prayer of him ‘that is oppressed in mind being exalted?’” The old man said, ‘‘As the ravens do not in the course of their flight mount ‘upwards to the height of heaven like the eagle, but fly close ‘‘to the surface of the ground and wheel about [seeking] for ‘their unclean food, so is the mind of the man who is not fer- ‘*vent in the love of God, and who is continually in a state of ‘‘sluggishness and dejection, for when he standeth up for ‘‘ service or for prayer, his thought will not be exalted to the “height of the love of Christ, but his mind will wander after ‘evil passions.” 631. The brethren said, ‘‘An old man said, ‘If thou seest a ‘* “young man who, in his desire, ascendeth unto heaven, take ‘* “hold of his foot and sweep him hence, for in this way thou ‘* “wilt help him’; what is the meaning of the words, ‘Who in ‘“‘*his desire ascendeth unto heaven?’” The old man said, ‘‘ This resembleth that which Isaiah spake, ‘If the mind seeketh **“to ascend to the Cross before the feelings cease from feeble- *‘ “ness, the wrath of God shall come upon him because he hath ‘““begun to do something which is beyond his capacity, with- ** out having first of all cured his feelings.’ Now certain of the ‘“ beginners in the ascetic life are so silly and bold as to dare “‘to undertake things which are far above their capacity and “their strength; they do not wish to learn, and they will not ‘‘ be persuaded by the commands of their Fathers, but, without

Questions and Answers on the Ascetic Rule ‘having lived the proper period of time in the coenobium, ‘they dare to enter the cell, even as it is written concerning ‘one of the brethren in the Book of Paradise, for immediately ‘he had received the garb of the monk, he went and shut him- ‘“self up as a solitary recluse, saying, ‘I am a monk of the ‘« ‘desert’; and the Fathers went and brought him out into the ‘monastery [again]. There are others, too, who seek to shut ‘‘ themselves up for a week at a time, and it in no wise helpeth ‘them; and there are others, the children of this world, who ‘at the beginning of their careers imitate the exalted rule of life ‘of the Fathers, and who imagine that they can imitate the ‘rule of the mind, that is to say, of the spirit, when as yet ‘‘ they have not fulfilled the rule of the body. Therefore their ‘‘ fives and works are not open to the Fathers, and they will ‘ not receive correction, but they live according to their own ‘‘ desire, and they are delivered over into the hands of the ‘‘ devils who make a mock of them.”

632. The brethren said, ‘‘One of the brethren asked Abba «© Poemen, saying, ‘ My body is feeble, and I cannot lead an ‘‘ 6 ascetic life.’ Abba Poemen said unto him, ‘Canst thou lead ‘© the ascetic life in thy thought, and not permit it to go with ‘«« deceit to thy neighbour?’ Tell us how the feeble man was ‘‘ able to lead the ascetic life in his thoughts.” The old man said, ‘‘ This question belongeth closely, both in order and ‘‘ meaning, to that which a certain brother asked Abba Poe- ‘men, saying, ‘ My body is feeble, but my thoughts are not.’ ‘‘ Now in the former case he spake having regard to those ‘‘ who were afraid that through pains and sickness they would ‘become negligent of the labours of spiritual excellence, and, ‘in a different manner, that they might fall into pains and ‘‘ sickness by way of punishment; in the latter case he spake ‘“having regard to those who had toiled for a very long time ‘in the labours of self-denial, and who had finally become en- ‘‘ feebled, either through old age, or through pains and sick- ‘‘ nesses, and who were ceasing from ascetic labours. Now ‘‘ this is what Abba Poemen [meant] when he said, ‘If thou art ‘* not now able, by reason of thy weakness, to toil in the la- ‘« ‘hours of the body as thou didst formerly, toil in the labours ‘« 6of the soul, that is to say, the ruling of the thoughts, ‘« ‘which is the ruling of the mind; if thou art unable to fast ‘“©from meats, fast from evil thoughts; and if thou art no ‘¢ “longer able, through the weakness of the body, to stand up ‘‘ ¢and to recite as many Psalms as formerly, make thy mind ‘© to stand up before our Lord, and pray before Him vigi- ‘‘‘Jantly with the prayer which is secret and pure, and be ‘* tranquil, and humble, and pleasant, and good, and forgiv-

The Sayings of the holy Fathers ‘¢ing, and merciful; and endure thy sickness and weakness ‘* “with praise, and make no man to be sorry by thy tongue; ‘‘and judge not, and blame not, and condemn not thy ‘** brother in thy heart. Now these excellences may be culti- “«“vated in the soul with the labours of the mind, and not ‘* “those of the body, and they are not impeded by the weak- ‘**ness of the body.’” 633. The brethren said, ‘Why is it that the monks are ‘obliged to go round about begging for the meat and rai- ‘‘ment of which they have need, like those who are in the ‘‘ world, although our Lord promised them, saying, ‘ Seek ye ‘* ‘first the kingdom of God and its righteousness, and that ‘fof which ye have need shall be given to you?’” (St. Matthew Vi, 33). The old man said, ‘‘ This [saying] is a proof of the ‘‘wisdom and grace of God towards those who are in the ‘‘ world, for, in the majority of cases, the righteousness of the ‘‘children of this world consisteth of alms and compassion; *‘ but the children of light are righteous men and monks who, ‘‘in their persons, and in their members, and in their thoughts, ‘“serve our Lord. And God hath made the monks to have ‘“‘need of the children of this world because of His love, so that ‘they may care each for the other, and may pray each for the ‘‘ other, that is to say, the children of the world must care for ‘‘the monks, and the monks must pray in love for them. And ‘fas the children of the world make the monks associates with ‘‘them in the corporeal things of the world, the monks must ‘‘make the children of the world to be associates with them ‘in the things of heaven, for our Lord spake to the children ‘‘ of the world, saying, ‘ Make ye to yourselves friends of this ‘“*“mammon of iniquity, so that when: they have become per- ‘*“ fect they may receive you into their tabernacles which are ‘** for ever’” (St. Luke xvi, 9).

634. The brethren said, ‘‘ What is the difference between ‘‘[the words], ‘I will dwell in you,’ and ‘I will walk in you,’ ‘‘ which God spake concerning the righteous? And what is the “meaning of ‘dwelling,’ and ‘walking’?” The old man said, ‘God dwelleth in the saints through the constant remembrance ‘‘with which they remember Him, as they marvel at Him, and ‘‘His works; but He walketh in them by means of His visions ‘‘and revelations [which He sendeth] upon them as they mar- *‘vel at His majesty, and rejoice continually in His love.” 635. The brethren said, ‘With how many, and with what ‘“names is the meditation upon God called?” The old man said, ‘Its names are six, and they are as follows :—1. Hope in God. ‘2, The state of being bound to our Lord. 3. Continuance *‘with God. 4. Persistence in all the good works of God. Questions and Answers on the Ascetic Rule . 5 Holding fast to God. 6. Dependence upon God. Hope in God : [meaneth], fix ye your gaze upon Him, and hope in Him, that “is to say, meditate ye upon Him. Being tied to our Lord ‘‘'meaneth] that we should be bound to our Lord, and should ‘fast and pray, until the old man cometh to an end, both ‘‘ without and within. Continuance with God is the state of “being gratified through Him. Persistence [meaneth] that ‘‘we should possess persistence in the Lord in all the good ““ works of God. Holding fast to God [meaneth], ‘Cut off from «< «thyself all cares which are not of Him, and let thy mind ‘« ‘fasten its gaze upon God only.’ Dependence upon God [mean- “eth], ‘Hang thyself upon God,’ to Whom be glory (or praise)! ‘¢ Amen.” 636. The brethren said, ‘An old man was asked a question by “‘ one of the brethren, who spake thus:— ‘If 1 amina state of ‘admiration of God, and in purity of soul, and the time of «« “prayer arriveth, ought I tocome to prayer or not ?’” And the old man said, ‘‘‘What man who possesseth riches will make ‘« ‘himself poor?’ Explain to us the meaning of the words of “the holy man.” The old man said, ‘‘The holy man calleth «admiration of God and purity [of soul]’ that to which the ‘blessed Mark gave the name ‘meditation upon God’ and <*¢ atmosphere of freedom.’ There are some brethren whose ‘hearts become pure after labours and great strivings, and ‘« they become worthy of pure prayer, and their hearts also be- « come illumined from time to time by the light of Divine Grace, ‘‘and they attain to the meditation which is on God, and to ‘the spiritual understandings which are superior to custom. «The Fathers would not permit the men who attained to this ‘‘capacity, when they were standing in the purity of soul ‘6 of this nature, and in the atmosphere which was free from “¢trouble, and when the beater struck the board, and the season “for prayer arrived, to leave this enjoyable meditation, and to ‘« stand upandsing the Psalms, but they [allowed]them toremain «therein untilithadcometoanend. Foraman to sing the Psalms ‘and to perform the service could always be found, but such ‘‘ meditation and such purity of the understanding, and the ‘‘atmosphere of freedom could not at all times be acquired, “and a man is neither able nor hath the power to attain to this «¢ state whensoever he pleaseth, for it is agift from heaven which ‘is given by our Lord from time to time to him that is worthy ‘<thereof. For this reason one of the Fathers gave the follow- “ing commandment:—If a man enjoyeth such meditation ‘« whilst he be standing up at the service, let him not interrupt ‘it until it cometh to an end, for such meditation filleth the ** place of the service of the Psalms. See then that thou drivest 305 11-20

The Sayings of the holy Fathers “not away from thee the gift of God, and let thy subservience ‘« (gr submission) to the same stand firm; but it is right to know ‘‘that certain brethren have not as yet attained to meditation ‘Cof this kind. They have thought that these words were ‘‘spoken for every man and for men of every kind of capacity, ‘Cand although their minds have been illumined somewhat by ‘‘the Psalms and prayers, they have relaxed the fulfilment of ‘‘ the canon of their service, wherein are placed their consola- ‘“tion, and their wages, and their profit, and have occupied ‘‘themselves [with the meditation], but on several occasions ‘‘they have been interrupted in the meditation which hath ‘come to them by the devils. It is, therefore, not right for the ‘brethren who are beginners in the ascetic life to do this, but ‘“‘ they should commit their life and works and meditation wholly ‘to God, and if it should happen that this meditation cometh to ‘‘them, let them reveal the matter to one of the old men who ‘is acquainted with such things, so that the demons may not ‘lead them astray and work their destruction.”

637. The brethren said, ‘‘By what means did the Fathers ‘‘sing the Psalms of the Holy Spirit without wandering [of ‘‘mind]?” The old man said, ‘‘First of all they accustomed ‘‘themselves whensoever they stood up to sing the service in ‘their cells to labour with great care to collect their minds ‘‘from wandering, and to understand the meaning of the ‘‘Psalms, and they took care never to let one word (or verse) ‘escape them without their knowing the meaning thereof, not ‘‘as a mere matter of history, like the interpreters, and not after ‘‘the manner of the translator, like Basil and John [Chrysos- ‘‘tom|, but spiritually, according to the interpretation of the ‘‘ Fathers, that is to say, they applied all the Psalms to their ‘own lives and works, and to their passions, and to their ‘* spiritual life, and to the wars which the devils waged against ‘*them.’Each man did thus according to his capacity, whether ‘‘he was engaged in a rule of life for the training of the body, ‘‘or of the soul, or of the spirit, even as it is written, ‘Blessed ‘**are the people who know Thy praises, O Lord,’ that is to ‘“say, blessed is the monk who, whilst glorifying Thee with ‘* praise, colle¢teth his mind from wandering, and understand- ‘‘eth clearly the knowledge and meaning of the Psalms of ‘‘the spirit, even as it is written, ‘Sing ye unto God with ‘‘ “praise, sing ye unto our King.’ When then a man singeth ‘*the service in this manner, and payeth attention to the mean- ‘fing of the verse, he acquireth daily the faculty of singing a ‘song mingled with the meditation of God and with the gaze ‘‘(which is fixed] upon Him. And after the time in which he ‘‘hath arrived at the spiritual rule of life, immediately a monk

Questions and Answers on the Ascetic Rule ‘hath begun to sing the Psalms, though one or two sections ‘of them become too great for him, he is permitted to sing “them with understanding and with the meditation which is ‘¢on God, and he refraineth from the customary Psalms, and ‘Che singeth a song which is superior [to that of] body and “flesh, and which is like unto that of angels, even as the ‘* Fathers say.” 638. The brethren said, ‘‘By means of what thoughts of “‘ excellence may the children of this world not be offended by ‘“ the monks, when they see or hear concerning the stumblings ‘(oy lapses) which come upon them through the frailty ot “{their] nature, and from the wars of the devils?” The old man said, ‘‘ When they consider and look upon the monks as ‘‘ frail men, who are clothed with a body which is full of pas- “‘ sions, and who although they are monks are striving to imi- ‘tate the life and deeds of angels, yet owing to the weakness ‘‘ of their bodies, and the inclination of their souls, and the « need which cleaveth unto them, and the strivings of the devils ‘‘ against them, the children of the world will see that it is quite ‘impossible that the monks should not be snared, involun- ‘‘tarily, by certain weaknesses, For behold, some of the per- «« fect men [mentioned] in the Old and New Testaments were ‘caught in snares against their will, through the frailty of ‘their nature and the war of the devils, as, for example, the ‘blessed and perfect men Moses, and Aaron, and David, and ‘© Samson, and Hezekiah, and Peter and Paul.”

639. The brethren said, «Why do the monks who have led ‘a life of hard labour become in their old age silly, and simple, ‘and a@ in a foolish way like children and drunken men?” The old man said, ‘‘ Because all the ascetic excellences which ‘‘ God hath placed in the nature of their souls, and which ap- ‘* pear in them from their youth up, perish through the relax- ‘‘ing of the will, and through the love of the body, and the ‘“‘ war of the devils, and finally through labours and contend- ‘‘ings. Sometimes they receive them from our Lord as gifts, ‘even as it is written, ‘Except ye turn, and become as little ‘« ‘children, ye shall not enter the kingdom of God,’ even as ‘our Lord said.” tie. 640. The brethren said, “ What should be the beginning of ‘the fight against sin of the man who hath cast all impedi- ‘¢ ments out of his soul, and who hath entered the arena, and ‘‘ where should he begin the contest?” The old man said, ‘It ‘is well known unto every man that in all the contests against ‘gin and its lusts the labour of fasting is the first thing [to ‘‘ undertake], and it is so especially in the case of him that ‘‘fighteth against the sin which is within him; and the sign of

The Sayings of the holy Fathers ‘“‘the enmity against sin and its lusts becometh apparent in ‘‘those who go down to this invisible conflict when they begin ‘to fast. And next cometh the rising up in the night, and ‘‘ whosoever loveth the occupation of fasting all the days of ‘his life is a friend of chastity. For as the pleasure of the ‘belly, and the laxity caused by the sleep which inciteth to a ‘« polluted bed, are the head and chief of all the sins which are ‘in the world, and all the abominations thereof, so fasting, ‘and strict vigil in the fear of God, with the crucifying of the ‘‘ body throughout the night against the pleasures of sleep, are ‘the foundation of the holy path of God, and of all the spiri- ‘tual excellences. For fasting is the strengthener of all spiritual ‘“excellences, it is the beginning and end of the strife, and it ‘Cis the foremost of all virtues; and as the enjoyment of the ‘light cleaveth closely to the eyes which are healthy, so doth ‘‘the desire for prayer cleave closely to the fasting [which is ‘‘ observed] with discernment. For as soon as a man hath begun ‘“to fast, he desireth greatly to converse with God in his mind. ‘The body which is fasting cannot continue to lie on [its] bed ‘‘the whole night, for fasting naturally inciteth to wakeful- ‘‘ness towards God, not only by day, but also by night; for ‘the empty body is not fatigued overmuch by its conflict with ‘‘sleep, even though it be weak in the senses thereof, for its ‘* mind is towards God in supplication, and it is better for it to ‘cease from labour through weakness than from the weights ‘‘of meats. As long as the seals of fasting lie upon the mouth ‘of man, his thoughts meditate upon repentance, and his ‘‘heart maketh prayers to arise; and mildness lieth upon his ‘“countenance, and abominable motions are remote from him, ‘‘and rejoicing never, in the smallest degree, appeareth in his ‘* forehead, for he is a foe of lusts and of unprofitable converse. ‘‘The man who fasted regularly and with understanding, and ‘*whom abominable lust brought into subjection hath never ‘been seen, for fasting is the abode of all spiritual excellences, ‘‘and he who holdeth it in contempt disturbeth them all. Now, ‘‘ the first commandment which God laid down for our nature ‘‘at the beginning gave [Adam] warning concerning the eat- ‘“‘ing of food, and the head of our race fell through eating, ‘‘therefore, at the point where the first corruption took place ‘‘[in asceticism], must begin the building of the fear of God, ‘when they lay down the first course for the observance of the ‘‘law. And moreover when our Lord shewed Himself at the ‘* Jordan He also began at this point, for after He was baptized ‘the Spirit took Him out into the wilderness, and He fasted ‘‘for forty days and forty nights; and all those who travel in ‘‘ His footsteps lay the beginning of their strife on this founda308

Questions and Answers on the Ascetic Rule “tion. For who shall treat with contempt, or hold lightly the *< armour which hath been forged by God? If He Who laid down ‘“the law fasted, who is there among those who would keep “< the law that hath not need thereof? Immediately this armour “appeareth on a man straightway terror falleth upon the ‘“ thoughts of the chief of the rebellion, that is, Satan; and his “‘ power is shattered at the sight of the arms which our Cap- ‘“tain of the host hath placed in our hands, for as soon as he “seeth the might of this armour on a man he knoweth at “‘ once that he is ready for the contest. What armour is there “which is as strong or which giveth such boldness in the “fight against evil spirits as hunger for the sake of Christ? “« For in proportion as a man is harried and brought low in his “body, at the time when the phalanx of Satan surroundeth “him, doth his heart support itself with confidence, and he “< who treateth this with contempt is lax and is a coward in “ respect of other spiritual triumphs, because he hath not upon ‘< him the armour whereby the divine athletes have gained the ‘« victory. And at the very beginning the sign of weakness “‘ appeareth in him, and he himself giveth the opportunity of “‘ defeat to his adversary, and since he goeth naked into the “strife it is evident that he will emerge therefrom without “‘yiétory, because he hath cast away from him the strength ‘6 which would stir up in him the divine zeal; for his members ‘are not clothed with the flame of hunger, that is to say, “fasting. As merchants cannot without labour and trouble “* save up riches, so the righteous man without anguish and “Jabour for the sake of righteousness cannot expect the crown ‘* and the reward.”

641. The brethren said, ‘‘If a man attaineth unto purity of “heart what is the sign thereof? And when will he know «himself if the heart is coming to purity?” The old man said, << When he seeth that all men are fair, and when no man ap- ‘s reth to him to be unclean or polluted; whosoever is thus «<jndeed standeth in purity. And if this be not the case, how << can he fulfil the word of the Apostle which saith, ‘When a «<‘man standeth wholly in purity, he will think that every man ‘< “is better than he in heart and in truth,’ unless it be that he ‘‘ attaineth to the state of him of whom it is said, ‘He whose “ ‘eyes are pure seeth not wickedness.’” 642. The brethren said, ‘‘ What is purity? And to what “length doth its limit extend?” The old man said, “In my “‘ opinion purity consisteth in oblivion of the various kinds of ‘‘ knowledge which are beyond nature, and which nature hath «‘ discovered in the world; and the limit thereof is that a man ‘should be wholly free from them, so that he may arrive at

The Savings of the tholy Fathers ‘the state of natural simplicity and integrity which he pos- ‘sessed at first, and which somewhat resembleth that of a ‘‘ child, except in the case of small matters.” : 643. The brethren said, ‘‘Is it possible for a man to attain ‘to this state?” The old man said, ‘‘ Yea. Behold, one of the ‘‘old men attained to this state to such a degree that he was ‘Cin the habit of asking his disciple continually if he had eaten ‘or not. And on one occasion one of the saints, who was a ‘*a very old man, became too innocent and simple, and attained ‘to such a state of simplicity and purity that he did not even ‘‘know how to keep watch upon himself so that he might ‘* partake of the Mysteries, or whether he had done so or not, ‘‘until at length his disciples kept him in his cell, and took ‘‘him that he might partake of the Mysteries, just as if he ‘“had been a child. Now although he was in this state as re- ‘‘gards the things of this world, he was perfect in his soul.” 644. The brethren said, ‘‘ What are the [subjects of | medita- ‘*tion and conversation which it is meet fora man to have ‘‘ whilst he is living the life of the recluse and passing his time ‘in silent contemplation, so that his understanding may not ‘‘occupy itself with casual thoughts?” The old man said, ‘* Dost thou ask concerning meditation, what shall a man have ‘‘wherewith to put to death the world in his cell? Hath the ‘“man whose soul is strenuous and watchful any need [to ask] ‘*the question as to what labour he shall occupy himself with ‘“when he is alone? What is there for the monk to occupy him- ‘‘self with except weeping? If, then, the monk be unoccupied ‘‘ with weeping, and he be able to pay attention to [any] other ‘thought, what is the meditation which hath died out of him? ‘« And if we come to silent meditation, we can also be constant ‘‘in weeping, and therefore let us beseech our Lord most ear- ““nestly with the mind that He may grant this unto us.”

645. The brethren said, ‘‘Since, then, a man is not sufficient ‘‘ for the constant exercise of this faculty, because of the frailty ‘* (or sickness) of his bodily nature, it is right that he should ‘‘have something else besides this which shall be useful for ‘‘the consolation of his mind, so that the passions may not ‘‘attack him through the idleness of the understanding.” The old man said, ‘‘The passions cannot attack the soul of the ‘““monk, whose heart hath been cut off from the world by living ‘‘a solitary ascetic life, unless he hath been negligent of the ‘things which it is proper for him to do; and this is so especi- ‘‘ally if he hath, besides the employment [of reading] the ‘Scriptures, the helpful thoughts of the man who is occupied ‘‘ with spiritual excellence. And living alone and in silence will ‘help this [result] greatly, and he will receive in his mind the Questions and Answers on the Hscetic Rule ‘hope of the world which is to come, and the glory which is ‘‘Jaid up for the saints.” 646. The brethren said, ‘‘One of the old men said, ‘I have “‘ ¢toiled for twenty years that I might see all men together (ie. alike).’ How can a man attain to this measure, and ‘‘when, and by what means? Give us a demonstration con- ‘“cerning this matter.” The old man said, ‘‘It is only the per- ‘ fe& men who attain to this measure, and according to what ‘« the Fathers say, without contemplation in silence, and prayer, ‘and great conflicts, and humility, no man can attain thereto. ‘And there is a similarity to this demonstration in the case of ‘‘natural parents, for as they regard all their children in the ‘same way, and as they love them all equally, and pity and “spare all of them alike, even though there be among them ‘‘ereat and small, and healthy and sick, and righteous and ‘‘ sinners, and good-looking and bad-looking, so the strenuous ‘‘ Fathers after the labours and the contests which they have ‘passed through during long periods of time spent in silent ‘Cand solitary retirement, regard all men, both the righteous ‘‘and the sinners, in the same way, and they love them all «alike and without distin@tion. And as God maketh the shadow ‘to fall upon all men, both upon the righteous and upon sin- ‘‘ ners, even though he loveth the righteous for their righteous- ‘‘ ness, yet He sheweth most compassion upon the sinners. And ‘the coming of our Lord was for the sake of sinners, for [saith ‘Hel, ‘I did not come to call the righteous,’ &c.”

647. The brethren said, ‘‘ Why was it, when the brother, ac- ‘« cording to the body, of one of the Fathers who was living the ‘life of a recluse, sent to him, when he was about to die, to <©come and see him, that he would not do so, and that the one ‘‘prother died without seeing the other? And what is the “meaning of the words which he spake, ‘If I go forth and see “6 him my heart will not be pure before God’?” The old man said, ‘‘The holy man was living secluded in a cell, in a habi- ‘‘ tation of the brethren, and his brother according to the body ‘was also living, like the other brethren in another cell, and ‘‘ when the latter became sick unto death, he wished to see his ‘‘ brother before he died. Now to the holy man, since he was ‘‘ keeping silence in respect of all the other brethren, it did not ‘‘ appear to be right to go forth to his brother according to the ‘body, and not to go forth afterwards to his spiritual brethren, ‘that is to say, to those who dwelt in the monastery with him. ‘‘ Had he gone forth to his brother according to the body at ‘< the season of his death, and had not gone forth to his brethren ‘Sin the spirit, he would not have found freedom of speech with ‘‘ God at the season of prayer, but his mind would have passed

The Sayings of the tholy Fathers ‘‘judgement upon him, and his mind would have been dark- ‘ened, as if he had held in contempt and treated his brethren ‘fin the spirit in a dishonourable fashion, and had done more ‘‘honour to his brother according to the body than to them. ‘‘ This is the meaning of what he said, ‘I cannot go forth, for ‘if Ido, my heart will not be pure before God.’” 648. The brethren said, ‘‘The sage said, ‘Whosoever pos- ‘**sesseth not the art of labouring, that is, either the things ‘‘*which belong to the labour of the spirit, whereby he may ‘‘*find consolation from God in his inner man in the spirit, or ‘** the things which belong to the art of human labour, cannot ‘** tarry long in his cell; whosoever doth not possess one or ‘**other of these cannot tarry long in his cell.’ Explain to us ‘‘the words of the old man.” The old man said, ‘‘The things ‘‘ which belong to the art of human labour are well known unto ‘“every man; but things which belong to labour of the spirit ‘“he calleth the following: fasting, vigil, the singing of psalms ‘‘and hymns, the prayers which are said kneeling down, an- ‘‘ guish, weeping, tears, and other labours which are like unto ‘‘these. And together with these [there must be the recital of] ‘‘ the offices for the seven hours [of the day and night], and ‘‘the reading of the Holy Scriptures and of the [books of] ‘‘ doctrine of the old men, and these make the monk to acquire ‘* patient endurance, and the ability to live the ascetic life alone ‘‘in a cell, and they produce for him joy and spiritual comfort. ‘‘ If he be a beginner in the ascetic life and strong, and he toil- ‘‘eth in labours, he will acquire consolation; and if he be a ‘*feeble old man, or sick, he will labour in the labours of the ‘‘mind, and will find joy. For as all the objects which are of ‘gold are wrought by means of anvil, and a hammer, and a ‘‘pair of tongs, so by means of the labour of the body in a ‘‘ place of silence and seclusion, and the striving of the mind, ‘‘are wrought all the fruits of the spirit, which the Apostle ‘“‘said were love, joy, peace, faith, humility, graciousness, ‘‘ pleasantness, long-suffering and patient endurance.”

649. The brethren said, ‘‘On one occasion, when the bre- ‘‘thren were sitting down and asking questions about the ‘‘thoughts, one of them said, ‘It is not a great matter if a ‘““*man seeth thoughts afar off.’ What did he want to say? ‘‘Explain to us the words of the old men.” The old man said, ‘‘When the brethren drew nigh to the Fathers and asked ‘‘them questions [wishing] to learn concerning the mode of ‘action and thought in respect of the wars of the devils, the ‘Fathers did not persuade those among them who appeared ‘to possess subtlety of thought, and intelligence, and under- ** standing, and to hate the passions, and to be fervent in the Questions and Answers on the Ascetic Rule ‘« spirit, to cast out from themselves straightway the thoughts ‘« of the passions whensoever they stirred in them, and to make ‘‘them to depart foolishly, but they ordered them to tarry with ‘“them, and to examine carefully how they arose, and then to ‘contend against them; for in proportion as they were trained ‘Sin the knowledge of strivings and contendings against the ‘passions and against devils they would benefit not them- ‘‘selves only, but many other people also. And in this wise ‘‘ acted also Evagrius, that man of understanding, and Abba ‘©Poemen, and others who were like unto them. Therefore ‘« Abba Joseph said to Abba Poemen, ° When the passions rise ‘« ¢ yp in thee, give unto and receive from them, and understand ‘‘ ‘carefully their crafty nature, and train thyself to contend ‘against them.’ Nowthere are certain weak and foolish breth- “ren whom in no way whatsoever doth it benefit to dally with “the rise of the thoughts of the passions which are in the ‘‘ heart, on the contrary, it is far better for them, immediately ‘they perceive the motions of the passions, to cast them forth “‘ from them by prayer, and with anger and hatred. Therefore, ‘‘when several of the Fathers were gathered together and ‘‘ were discussing the conflicts of the thoughts, and whether it ‘‘ was right to dally with them because of knowledge [concern- ‘ing them], or to suppress them by means of prayer through ‘* fear [of them], one of the Fathers said, ‘ Even to understand ‘¢ the thoughts afar off is a great and excellent work, but it ‘is a far greater work, and one which maketh a man to ac- ‘* quire practice, for him to understand the thoughts, and to “wage war against them. When he hath gained experience ‘‘¢of their crafty character, then he will suppress them and ‘©‘ make them to disappear by the power of prayer and hu- ‘«¢ mility. Now the meaning of this question is this. When a ‘© man hath laboured in conflict and contest against the pas- ‘ «gions for a long time in seclusion, by the grace of our Lord «his heart becometh purified, and rest and peace reign in his “soul, and he hath relief from tribulation, and he rejoiceth in ‘6 ‘God at all seasons, and the devils have no power henceforth “¢to stir up evil thoughts in his soul, because his heart 1s ‘‘ *filled with divine thoughts, and the understanding of spiri- ‘* tual things, and he is never without the mind which is in ‘©¢God, and the remembrance of His fear and mercy. And ‘© should the demons dare to stir up thoughts in him, they ‘« © will not [succeed] in rousing those which cause anguish ‘«‘¢and which bring to naught spiritual excellences, but only ‘those which are of an ordinary nature, and which impede ‘‘ ‘the vision, even as Evagrius said.’”

650. The brethren said, ‘‘ How is it possible for a man to live 320 The Savings of the tholy Fathers ‘“in such a way as to be pleasing to God?” The old man said, ‘“It is impossible for a monk to rise to the height of the love ‘of God, unless he first of all regard with affection and love ‘‘man, the image of God; for this is the end of all the com- ‘‘mandments of our Lord Jesus Christ, even as He Himself ‘‘ said, ‘If ye love Me, keep My commandments.’”’ 651. The brethren said, ‘‘ An old man said, ‘If there rise up ‘in thy mind a thought about the need of the body, and thou ‘““castest it out once, and it cometh to thee a second time, ‘and thou castest it out, should it come a third time, pay no ‘‘‘regard to it, for it appertaineth to war’; explain to us ‘these words.” The old man said, ‘‘If whilst thou art in seclu- ‘* sion, and art engaged in spiritual labour, Satan, being envi- ‘fous of thee, and wishing to drive thee out of the cell, or to ‘‘impede thy spiritual progress, stir up in thee one of the ‘thoughts which goad a man into sin, either to eat before the ‘proper time, or to lie down and sleep, or to visit some one, ‘*or to do something else; and if he sheweth thee thy power ‘‘of discretion [saying], ‘It is unseemly for thee to do this ‘*thing’; or again, should some evil devil constrain thee, and ‘*hinder thee, and wishing to make thee to cease from thy la- ‘*bour, should mock and scoff at thee; then stand thou up ‘*quickly, and bestir thyself boldly, and bow thy knee before ‘four Lord, and pray, and ask, and entreat for help, and ‘‘mercy, and protection. For that brother who soaked palm ‘‘fibres in water, and who sat down to plait ropes and mats, ‘‘was engaged in a similar war, and a demon roused up in him ‘the thought to go and visit one of the brethren; and he cast ‘‘the thought from him twice, and thrice. Now finally, because ‘“he did not understand that the war was of the Evil One, who ‘‘sought to stop [his work] and drive him out of his cell, he ‘“was overcome by the war, and he left the palm leaves soak- ‘‘ing in the water, and ran and hurried out in great haste. At ‘“‘length the matter was revealed unto one of the holy men ‘‘ who was a neighbour of his, and he cried out tc him, saying, ‘** Captive, Captive,’ and made him to come back to his cell, ‘and afterwards the devils cried out with a loud voice, saying, ‘** Ve have overcome us, O monks.’ For the demons are so ‘“‘ wicked, and they are so envious of the monks when they re- ‘‘main constantly in seclusion for our Lord’s sake, that on ‘* several occasions they have, in an irregular manner, driven ‘‘them out of their cells, as if for a good object, but their ob- ‘* ject was not a good one.”

652. The brethren said, ‘“Why was it that Abba Ammon ““was not able to overcome the passion of wrath for fourteen ‘‘years, although he said unto us, that he had entreated God, Questions and Answers on the Ascetic Rule ‘‘with anguish and tears, both by day and by night unceas- ‘‘ingly, to give him the victory over it?” The old man said, ‘‘ That passion probably overcame him to an excessive degree ‘through the natural constitution of his body, but it is quite ‘certain that the passions and the devils waged war against ‘‘him like a mighty man and a warrior. For the devils made ‘‘war upon the Fathers with intense fierceness and violence, ‘upon each man according to his capacity, and in proportion ‘to their power to triumph, through long-suffering, that is to ‘‘say, through patient and persistent endurance, the battle ‘‘ against them was protracted.” 653. The brethren said, ‘‘Abba Dorotheus said, ‘Our lack ‘© of ability to distinguish between matters will permit us to ‘* “acquire great excellence in the virtues’; explain to us what ‘the old man [intended] to say.” The old man said; “hie ‘‘ wished to say as follows :—‘ Because of our lack of ability to ‘¢ «distinguish between matters we do not make progress in ‘the virtues, and our heart is not quickly purified, and we ‘« ©do not ascend to perfection, because we do not labour with ‘‘ “the knowledge and power of discernment which it is right ‘«<Tfor us to have]; but [we progress] painfully, and [only] for ‘<< the sake of vainglory, and as the result of chance circum- “stances, and without discretion. And, as it cometh, this re- ‘6 sembleth that which the blessed Evagrius spake, saying, ‘6 © Ag it is not the material foods themselves which nourish ‘<6 the body, but the power which is in them, so it is not « « «¢ matters themselves which make the soul to grow, but the ‘© © Dower of discernment which [cometh] from them.” And ‘‘¢he also said, ‘As the feeding, and health, and growth of ‘« «the body do not come through the actual materials of our ‘66 6 foods, for these are cast out of the body in the draught, ‘6 © but from the hidden power which is in them, so also the ‘©¢<6nourishment and the growth of the soul take place ‘© ©“ through the fear of God. And the healthy state thereof ‘66 which ariseth through impassibility, and the perfection ‘6 © 6 thereof which is in righteousness, do not exist through ‘6 © the labours of the body only, but from the deeds and acts ‘¢ «6 which [are performed] with knowledge, that is to say, ‘66 «6 with a straight object, and from the action of the mind ‘<6 6 which hateth passions, and from the prayer which is joined ‘< «to humility, and from the mind which is in God.”’”

654. The brethren said, ‘‘ Abba Arsenius said unto one of ‘<the brethren, ‘Lead the ascetic life with all the strength that ‘thou hast, and the hidden labour which is within, and which ‘‘ ¢is performed for God’s sake, shall vanquish thine external ‘* passions’; to what doth he give the name of ‘passions’? The Savings of the holy Fathers The old man said, ‘‘In this case Arsenius calleth the labours ‘fof the body ‘passions.’ For labours are also called by the ‘name of ‘passions,’ because they constrain those who toil, ‘and make them feel pain, even as Abba Macarius said, ‘““Constrain thy soul with pains and labours of every kind in ‘* “ascetic excellence.’ And this is what Abba Arsenius said to ‘‘that brother, Labour with all thy might in the work of ‘‘righteousness, and toil with the labours of the mind more **than with all the various kinds of work of the body. For the ‘labours of the body only incite and gratify the passions of ‘the body, but the labours of the mind, that is to say, the ‘*thought which is in God, and prayer without ceasing, and ‘‘the suppression of the thought[s] with humility, liberate [a ‘‘man] from all the passions, and they vanquish devils, and ‘‘purify the heart, and make perfect love, and make him ‘‘ worthy of the revelations of the spirit.”

655. The brethren said, ‘‘ What is the meaning of that which ‘‘Abba Benjamin said, ‘Had Moses not been gathering the ‘** sheep into the fold he would not have seen Him that was ‘**in the bush’?” The old man said, ‘‘ What he said was ‘‘this:—As the blessed Moses, who was held worthy of the ‘vision in the bush, first gathered together the sheep which ‘“he was tending into one company lest, when going to see ‘‘that wonderful sight, his mind should be perturbed through ‘“‘anxiety about the sheep which were [wandering] in the ‘desert, so also is it with the monk, for if he wisheth and ‘‘desireth the purity of heart which looketh upon God in the ‘revelation of light, it is right that first of all he should aban- ‘don every earthly possession, and his feelings, and his ‘* passions, and he should live in seclusion always, and should ‘collect his mind and free it from all wandering and straying, ‘‘and should have one object only to gaze upon, that is God. ‘In this manner he will become worthy of purity of heart, and ‘he will enjoy visions and revelations concerning Him.” 656. The brethren said, ‘‘ Hieronymus said that the blessed ‘‘ Evagrius commanded the brethren who were with him not ‘“‘to drink their fill of water, and said, ‘There are always ‘* “demons in the places wherein there is water’; what opinion ‘‘is this?” The old man said, ‘‘ The blessed Evagrius inter- ‘“ preted these words spiritually, as being suitable to our mode ‘‘ of life, and he said that which our Lord said, ‘The demon ‘**goeth round about in the places wherein there is no water, ‘‘that he may seek for rest, and he findeth it not’; which say- ‘‘ing maketh us to understand that when the unclean devil of ‘‘fornication wageth war against the monk, if the monk ‘‘afflicteth himself by eating food sparingly, and especially by

Questions and Answers on the Ascetic Rule “drinking water sparingly, Satan will never be able to injure ‘Chim by means of this passion. And the devil will never be “ eratified at the fulfilment of this passion by him, for there is “nothing which will dry up the arteries, and prevent the ‘‘accident of the night, and make a monk to possess chaste ‘and quiet thoughts by day, so much as the restraining of “the belly by thirst. Some fast the whole day until the even- ‘ing, and some fast for [several] nights at a time, yet when “‘ they break their fast and eat a little food, because they drink ‘‘ much water, they benefit in no wise by their fasting and by ‘the sparing use of food which they practise because of the “war of lust. For the drinking of much water filleth the ‘arteries [of the monk] with [excessive] moisture, and Satan « findeth an occasion for exciting him by means of thoughts ‘in the daytime, and he trippeth him up by means of dreams ‘‘ by night, and he depriveth him of the light of purity. There- ‘fore, in another place, Abba Evagrius admonisheth the ‘monk, saying, ‘If thou wishest for chastity make little thy ‘food, and restrain thyself in the drinking of water, and then ‘“‘impassibility of heart shall rise upon thee, and thou shalt ‘see in thy prayer a mind which emitteth light like unto a Estar’ 657. The brethren said, ‘In how many ways doth Divine ‘‘ Grace call the brethren unto the life of the solitary ascetic?” The old man said, ‘‘In very many and different ways. Some- ‘times Divine Grace moveth a man suddenly, even as it moved “‘ Abba Moses, the Ethiopian, and sometimes by the hearing ‘‘ of the Scriptures, as in the cases of the blessed Mar Anthony ‘and Mar Simon Stylites, and at others by the doctrine of the “‘ word, as in the cases of Serapion, and Abba Bessarion, and «‘ others who were like unto them. Concerning these three ways ‘« whereby Divine Grace calleth to those who would repent, I *‘ would say that Divine Grace moveth the conscience of a «‘ monk in the manner which is pleasing to God, and that ‘« through these even evil-doers have repented and pleased God. ‘And there is, moreover, the departure from this world by ‘“‘the hands of angels, by terrors, and sicknesses, and afflic- ‘tions, even as that which took place in respect of the blessed ‘‘Evagrius; and sometimes God Himself calleth from heaven ‘‘and taketh a man out of the world, as in the cases of Paul, ‘©and Abba Arsenius.” } 658. The brethren said, ‘‘Wherefore is it that the beginning ‘‘ of the doctrine of the old men is laid down in the books from ‘* the choice (or election) of Abba Arsenius, and on [his] com- ‘ing forth from the world into a monastery, and from a monas- “tery of the brethren into the seclusion which is in a cell?’

The Sayings of the holy Fathers The old man said, ‘‘Because he was called by God to the ‘monastery, and from the monastery to the cell, and because ‘it is certain that these two calls were according to the Will ‘of God, well was it that the beginning of the doctrine of the ‘old men [was derived] from the history of this holy man.” 659. The brethren said, ‘‘ Explain unto us these two calls of ‘« Abba Arsenius. What is the meaning of that which was said ‘‘in the first call, ‘Flee from the children of men and thou ‘« ‘shalt live,’ and what is the signification of that which was ‘said at the second call, ‘Flee, keep silence and live a life of ‘‘¢contemplation in silence, for these are the principal thing's “(which keep a man from sinning?’” The old man said, ‘‘The ‘meaning of ‘Flee from the children of men, and thou shalt ‘live,’ is this:—If thou wishest to be delivered from the ‘‘ death which is in sin, and to live the perfect life which is in ‘‘ righteousness, leave thy possessions, and family, andcountry, ‘and depart into exile, that is, to the desert and mountains ‘to the holy men; and cultivate with them My command- ‘ments, and thou shalt live a life of grace. And the meaning ‘of ‘Flee, keep silence, and live a life of contemplation in ‘« ‘silence’ is this: Since when thou wast in the world thou ‘Cwast drawn towards anxieties about the affairs thereof, I ‘(have made thee to come out from the world, and I have ‘sent thee to the habitation of monks, so that after a short ‘‘ time of dwelling in the coenobium thou mayest be drawn, first ‘to the cultivation of My commandments openly, and secondly ‘to contemplation in silence. And now that thou art trained ‘in the former sufficiently, thou mayest flee, that is to say, ‘‘ get thee forth from the monastery of the brethren, and enter ‘into thy cell, just as thou didst go forth from the world, and ‘‘ didst enter into the monastery. And the meaning of ‘Keep «silence, and lead a life of contemplation in silence,’ is:— ‘‘ Having entered into thy cell to contemplate in silence, thou ‘shalt not give the multitude an opportunity of coming in to ‘thee, and talking to thee unnecessarily, except on matters ‘‘which relate to spiritual excellence; if thou dost not do this ‘thou wilt benefit by sitting in silent contemplation. For ‘through the sight, and the hearing, and the converse of the ‘«¢ multitude who shall come in to thee, the captivity of wander- ‘ing thoughts will carry thee off, and thy silence and thy con- ‘“templation will be disturbed. But do not imagine that the ‘‘mere fact of having left the brethren in the monastery, or ‘not bringing other men into thy cell to be disturbed by them ‘will be sufficient to make thy mind to be composed, or to ‘“‘enable thee to meditate upon God, and to corre¢t thyself, ‘unless thou dost take good heed not to occupy thy mind 318

Questions and Answers on the Ascetic Rule ‘*with them in any way whatsoever when they are remote ‘from thee. For until a man arriveth at a state of impassi- ‘“ bility, and overcometh by striving both the passions and the ‘* devils, whensoever a monk remembereth any man in his cell, “he remembereth him in connexion with some passion, that ‘‘is to say, with desire (07 lust), or with anger, or with vain- ““slory. And if it should happen that the mind wandereth in “ respect of ordinary things (ov means), unless he cutteth them ‘¢ off from him, his wandering inclineth through absolute neces- ‘« sity towards a remembrance which is allied to some passion. ‘‘ And it is also thus in the case of a neophyte, for whensoever ‘during his contemplation in silence he remembered women ‘he falleth into the lust of fornication; and whensoever he ““remembereth men, he is either wroth with them in his ‘thoughts, and he maketh accusations against them, and ‘‘blameth them, and condemneth them, or he demandeth from ‘them vainglory, and he inclineth to passibility. Therefore ‘when Abba Macarius was asked, ‘What is the right way for ‘<a brother, who is a neophyte, to live in his cell?’ he said, <¢¢Let no monk when he is in his cell have any remembrance ‘< ‘whatsoever of any man, for he cannot profit in any way in ‘« ‘restraining his feelings from the conversation of men, ex- ‘« <cept he take care to withhold his thoughts from secret in- ‘<<tercourse with them.’ This is the meaning of the words, ‘<<Flee, keep silence, and contemplate in silence.’”

660. The brethren said, ‘‘ What is the meaning of the words ‘‘ which one of the old men spake, saying, ‘He who dweileth << ‘with men, because of the commotion of worldly affairs is un- «« ‘able to see his sins; but if he dwell in the silent repose of ‘<< the desert he will be able to see God in a pure manner?’” The old man said, ‘‘ The excellences which are cultivated in “the world, and to which our Lord, speaking in the Gospel, ‘ascribed blessing, are lovingkindness, peace-making and “¢the other commandments which are like unto them, and it ‘‘is quite possible for such virtues to be cultivated in the world ““by certain strenuous persons. But the purity of heart which ‘“ seeth God, and to which our Lord ascribed blessing, saying, ‘< ‘Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God,’ can- “not be acquired without dwelling in the desert, and solitary ‘and silent contemplation, and the monk must acquire it in ‘the following way. First of all a man must go forth from <¢the world, and dwell in a monastery, and after his training ‘‘in a monastery and having gone into his cell, he must die ‘through contemplation in silence, and through the other ‘labours of his body, and through striving against the pas- ‘sions, and through conflict with devils. Then through the

The Sayings of the holy Fathers ‘tranquillity of mind [which he will acquire] in silent contem- ‘‘ plation, he will remember his sins, and when he hateth his ‘‘ passions, and hath petitioned for the remission of his sins, ‘and hath suppressed his thoughts, and hath become constant ‘‘in pure prayer, and hath cleansed his heart from odious ‘thoughts, then shall he be worthy to see in his heart, even ‘as in a polished mirror, the light of the revelation of our Lord ‘‘[shine] upon it, even as the Fathers say. Well, then, did that ‘holy man say to those brethren, Visit the sick, reconcile the ‘‘men of wrath, for he who cultivateth spiritual excellences in ‘the world cannot, by reason of the commotion of the affairs ‘‘thereof, see his sins; but if he continue in silent contempla- ‘tion and prayer he shall see God.” 661. The brethren said, ‘‘ What is [the meaning of] that ‘‘which Abba Sisoes said to Abba Ammon, ‘ Freedom of my ‘*<thoughts in the desert is sufficient for me?’” The old man said, ‘‘ Sisoes was a great anda perfect old man, and he dwelt ‘Call the days of his life in the remote desert, and after he had ‘* become old, and was exceedingly feeble, the Fathers brought ‘‘him to the monastery of the brethren, who used to go in ‘‘and visit him each day, for the sake of some profitable dis- ‘“course and helpful prayer. And because he was unaccustomed ‘to feel comfortable in the presence of many folks, his mind ‘‘began to wander about in remembering the brethren, and ‘‘to meditate upon many things, and he was unable to find ‘‘that dominant freedom for the continuous, secret prayer of ‘‘the mind, which is superior to every influence that would ‘‘make it decline, and is free from every [other] attraction, ‘and he was, therefore, rightly grieved. Now one day, Abba ‘‘Ammon went to visit him, and he saw that he was sorry ‘‘about his coming from the desert, and he said unto him, ‘** Father, it is not right for thee to be sorrowful because thou ‘** hast drawn nigh to the place where the brethren dwell, for ‘‘*thy body hath become feeble, and thou art unable to per- ‘** form those works wherein thou wert wont to labour in the ‘desert.’ Now when Abba Sisoes heard these things, he ‘‘looked at Abba Ammon sternly, and he answered him with ‘‘indignation, saying, ‘What sayest thou to me, Ammon? ‘‘“Was not the freedom of the thoughts which I had in the ‘** desert sufficient to take the place for me of all labours? ‘** And as regards thyself also, O Ammon, who art conscious ‘of the life and acts of the freedom of the mind, and who art not subject unto the constraint of wandering and disturbance of the mind, and who art not impeded by old age and ‘‘‘infirmity, tell me what thou art able to do in the desert at ‘““thy great age? Even if I be unequal to the labours of the

Questions and Answers on the Ascetic Rule “tbody, because I have become infirm through old age, I am : better able to perform the labours of the mind than I was ‘in the time of my early manhood. Or, perhaps in thy opinion “«¢the clear shining of the mind, which a monk acquireth by ‘(6a life of contemplation in silence, and the constant inter- “¢¢ course with God, and the prayer which is without ceasing, <¢¢and the remembrance of Christ, and the constant gazing “‘¢upon Him, and the exultation of the soul in Him, and the “«¢ favour of His love, and the affection for His command- ‘«¢ ments, and the desire for His good things, and the medita- ‘<<tion upon His glory, and the thought about His excellence ‘‘¢and His majesty, and the admiration of His humility, are <¢¢ matters which are small and contemptible? All these labours ‘<6 of the mind, and many others which are like unto them, “‘¢neither old age nor infirmity impedes, but they are pre- ‘“«¢vented, and brought low, and, by degrees, are destroyed, ‘by converse with the children of men, and by seeing many ‘*“ people, and by care about worldly affairs.’” 662. The brethren said, ‘‘They used to say that when the ser- <¢ vice in the church was over, Abba Macarius was wont to flee ‘to his cell, and that the brethren said, ‘He hath a devil, but “‘¢he doeth the work of God.’ Now who were those who said ‘that he had a devil? And what was the work of God which ‘‘he used to do?” The old man said, ‘‘Those who said that ‘he had a devil were the lazy brethren. Whensoever Satan ‘6 seeth the monks who are leading a life of spiritual excellence ‘‘in the monastery, the devils stir up the lazy brethren to wage ‘Cwar against them, by means of abuse, and revilings, and “‘backbiting, and calumny, and by means of the trials which ‘‘they bring upon them. Now the work of God which Abba ‘ Sisoes did when he fled [to his cell] was this: Prayer ac- ‘“companied by weeping and tears, according to the exhorta- ‘tion of Abba Isaiah, who said, ‘When the congregation is ‘¢¢ dismissed, or when thou risest up after eating, sit not ‘<¢ down to talk with any man, either concerning the affairs ‘<¢ of the world, or concerning matters of spiritual excellence; “but go thou into thy cell, and weep for thy sins, even as ‘«¢ Abba Macarius the Alexandrian said unto the brethren who ‘¢6¢were with him, ‘‘Brethren, flee.” And the brethren said, ‘<«s6 Father, how can we flee more than [in coming] to the «6666 desert?” and he laid his hand upon his mouth, and said ‘unto them, ‘‘Flee ye in this manner”; and straightway ‘<¢ every man fled to his cell and held his peace.’”’

663. The brethren said, ‘Abba Anthony said, ‘As a fish «< © dieth when it is lifted up out of the water, so doth the monk “« «Tdie] if he remain long outside his cell’; explain these words The Savings of the holy Fatbers ‘to us.” The old man said, ‘‘ Because the remembrance of «* God is, in our Lord Jesus Christ, the life of the soul, which ‘‘the Fathers call the ‘repository of life,’ and ‘the breath of ‘« «the life of the soul and of the mind,’ when the monk tarri- ‘eth in the cities, and in the sight and converse of the child- ‘‘ren of men, he dieth in respect of the breath of life which ‘is in God, that is to say, he forgetteth God, and the love of ‘Christ groweth cold in his heart, the love which he hath ac- “‘ quired by many labours, and he forgetteth his virtues, and he ‘‘becometh lax in respect of [his] liking for tribulations, and ‘‘he loveth pleasures, and hath an affection for lusts, and the **sincerity of his heart is troubled through the disturbance ‘‘ which entereth into his senses, that is, seeing, and speaking, **and hearing, which are indeed the strength of the soul; and it “‘ happeneth also that he falleth into great passions, wherefrom “‘may Christ God save us! Amen.”

664. The brethren said, ‘‘The excellent man Hieronymus *« said in the history of the triumphs of the blessed Isidore, the ‘‘archimandrite, that he had in his monastery one thousand ‘‘monks, and that they all lived within the gate of his habita- ‘‘tion, and that none of them ever went outside it until the day ‘of his death, except two brethren who only set out therefrom ** to sell their handiwork, and who brought in only such things ‘‘as were required for their absolute needs. How is it that in “‘an assembly of our early Fathers, that is, a congregation ‘containing one thousand brethren, two men only were suffi- ‘cient [to provide for] their ministrations? In our generation “if there was a congregation of five and fifty monks, only five ‘‘ would lead a life of ascetic excellence in seclusion, and the ‘‘Tother] fifty would be going out and coming in ceaselessly ‘‘and without rest to supply them with what they needed.” The old man said, ‘‘ Concerning the love for labours, and the ‘““watch which the early Fathers kept [on themselves], and ““concerning the love of pleasure, and the laxity of ourselves “who belong to a later time, if it be right to tell the truth, we ‘ought to speak most concerning the laxity and ignorance of ‘‘the governors of monasteries. In former times the brethren ‘‘who lived lives of contemplation and seclusion and loved ‘‘ spiritual repose were many, and those who went out on to ‘‘ the high roads, and entered the cities, and performed outside “‘labours were few; but in our days, in a congregation which, *‘as ye have said, containeth five and fifty monks, five will lead ‘‘a life of spiritual repose inside the monastery, and the other ‘‘ fifty will toil ceaselessly in the works which are outside it; “‘and during the whole time they will complain and blame the “‘five who are inside, because they do not go out and serve

Questions and Answers on the Ascetic Rule “even as do they. And through the words of these foolish and ““insolent men all the spiritual excellences which are cultivated ‘¢in the monastery will perish and come to an end. And accor- ‘« ding to what I say, if the Fathers set the life of contempla- ‘tion in silence against the whole of the labour of the ascetic “life, and if it be more excellent than it all, who would blame ‘him that loveth spiritual contemplation and repose, and the “quiet of the cell?” 665. The brethren said, ‘‘On one occasion a congregation ‘‘of monks assembled on the great festival of the Resurrec- “tion, and there were gathered together in the monastery all “the Fathers, and all the recluses, and other monks, and all ‘‘the old men in the congregation were asked, Which is the ‘‘ mightiest and most severe war which can come upon monks? “« And they all agreed that no war is harder or more cruel ‘‘than that which maketh a man to leave his cell and depart, ‘Sand that when that war is fought down, all other contests ‘‘ may be easily reduced. Explain to us the meaning of these “words.” The old man said, ‘‘ Constant spiritual repose in a ‘cell hath hope closely bound up in it, but going out there ‘from is united to despair. As long as a man liveth in spiri- ‘‘tual repose, and loveth the quiet of the cell, little by little he ‘“ooeth forward, one step ata time, according to the order of ‘Succession; and he hath hope that in our Lord he will van- “<quish each of the passions, and that through his repose and ““Jabours he will acquire spiritual excellences and the grace of “Christ. But if the life becometh tedious to him, and he go ‘forth and leave his cell, and wander about, he will neither ‘vanquish the passions, nor acquire spiritual virtues, but he ‘¢ will incline to despair, and to utter destruction. Therefore ‘the Fathers have well said that no war is more cruel than ‘the war of wandering.”

666. The brethren said, ‘‘ Abba Theodore and Abba Laki ‘« passed fifty years in being harassed by their thoughts which ‘‘urged them vexatiously to change [their] place [of living]; ‘©and they said, ‘When the winter cometh we will change.’ “And when the winter had come, they said, ‘ We will change ‘< ¢in the summer’; and thus they continued to do till the end ‘of their lives. Reveal to us if it were the devils who were ‘urging these famous Fathers to go forth from their cells for ‘a period of fifty years, that is, until their death.” The old man said, ‘‘The devils urged the great Fathers to wander and ‘““to go forth from their spiritual repose because they well <<‘ knew the benefit which accrued to them therefrom, and these ‘holy Fathers were urged by the devils also, but did not leave ‘their cells. To-day, however, in this generation, the same 323 II-21a The Savings of the holy Fatbers ‘‘ devils harass the monks, and drive them out of their cells ‘‘by this war of departure, and therefore the great Fathers ‘“who have felt this war of wandering and of departure have ‘said, ‘There is no war which is more cruel to the monk than ‘«< this; may Christ help us and deliver us from it.’”

667. The brethren said, ‘‘ Abba Anthony used to say, ‘ He «who dwelleth in the desert is free from three wars, that is, ‘from speaking, hearing, and seeing’; explain these words to ‘“ug.” The old man said, ‘‘The old man did not speak [thus] “‘ because the strife of him that dwelt in spiritual repose in the ‘“ desert was less fierce than that of him that wandered about ‘(and mingled with men, but that he might show how much ‘‘ more hard and laborious was the war of devils which taketh ‘‘place in the heart of those who dwell in spiritual repose ‘than that which cometh in the heart of those who dwell with ‘‘brethren. And because of this the fathers pursued after a life ‘of contemplation in silence, lest when the wars of speaking ‘Cand seeing and hearing were added unto that which was ‘already in their heart, they would fall by reason of their ‘“ severity, even as actually happened on one occasion, for a ‘‘woman came to the monks who were living a life of silent ‘‘contemplation, and there was added to the war which was ‘‘ already in their hearts the wars of seeing, and hearing, and ‘‘speaking, and they would have been vanquished by the ‘‘ severity thereof had it not been that the grace of our Lord ‘‘supported them. That the war which taketh place in the ‘senses of the soul against the monks who live a life of silent ** contemplation is mightier and fiercer than that which taketh ‘* place in the senses of the body, is well known from the words ‘‘which the blessed Evagrius spake, saying, Against the ““monks who lead a life of silent contemplation the devils in ‘“ person wage war, but against those who lead a life of spiri- ‘tual excellence in a general assembly of brethren, the devils ‘only stir up and incite the lazy brethren; but the war which ‘‘ariseth from the sight, and the hearing, and the speech is ‘* much less fierce that that which is waged against the monks ‘‘ who dwell in silent solitude.”

668. The brethren said, ‘‘ What is the meaning of that which ‘‘Abba Anthony said, ‘A monk’s cell is the furnace of Baby- **“lon, and it is also a pillar of light’? The old man said, ‘‘ There are two things peculiar to the cell; the one warmeth ‘‘and setteth on fire, and the other giveth light and rejoicing. ‘“To neophytes it is oppressive and troublesome, by reason of ‘‘the many wars and the dejection which are therein, but it ‘‘rejoiceth the perfect and maketh them glad, with purity of ‘‘heart, and impassibility, and revelations of light; and it is Questions and Answers on the Ascetic Rule ‘‘even thus with those who begin to live in silent contempla- “tion, for although at the beginning they are for a consider- “‘ able time afflicted by the wars of the passions, and by devils, ‘““they are never forsaken by the help of Divine Grace. For our “‘ Lord Himself, the Son of God, Jesus Christ, cometh to them “secretly, and he becometh to them a helper and a companion, ‘Cand after they have overcome both passions and devils, ac- ‘“cording to systematic order, He maketh them worthy of the ‘‘ happiness which is in His perfect love, and the revelation of ‘* His glorious light.”

669. The brethren said, ‘‘ Abba Moses the Ethiopian was on “‘ one occasion reviled by certain men, and the brethren asked ‘‘him, saying, ‘Wast not thou troubled in thy heart, O father, <¢¢ when thou wast reviled?’ And he said unto them, ‘Although “<<T was troubled, yet I said nothing.’ What is the meaning “© of the words, ‘ Although I was troubled I spake not’?” The old man said, ‘‘ The perfection of monks consisteth of two ‘parts, that is to say, of impassibility of the senses of the body, ‘« and of impassibility of the senses of the soul. Impassibility of ‘the body taketh place when a man who is reviled restraineth ‘‘ himself for God’s sake and speaketh not, even though he be “ troubled; but impassibility of the soul taketh place whenaman <‘is abused and reviled, and yet is not angry in his heart when ‘he is abused, even like John Colobos. For on one occasion ‘when the brethren were sitting with him, a man passed by ‘Cand upbraided him, but he was not angry, and his coun- ‘¢tenance changed not; then the brethren asked him, saying, << © Art thou not secretly troubled in thy heart, O father, being ‘ ‘reviled in this fashion?’ And he answered and said unto “‘them, ‘I am not troubled inwardly, for inwardly I am just ‘« as tranquil as ye see that I am outwardly’; and this is per- ‘‘fe&t impassibility. Now at that time Abba Moses had not «arrived at this state of perfection, and he confessed that al- ‘‘though outwardly he was undisturbed, yet he was waging a ‘‘contest in his heart, and he maintained silence and was not ‘‘ angry outwardly; and even this was a spiritual excellence, “although it would have been a more perfect thing had he not “‘been angry either inwardly or outwardly. And the blessed «¢ Nilus made a comparison of these two measures of excellence <¢in the cases of the blessed men Moses and Aaron. The act of “«covering the breast and heart with the priestly tunic which “« Aaron performed when he went into the Holy of Holies re- ‘* presented the state of a man who, though angry in his heart, “« suppresseth his wrath by striving and prayer; and the state ‘of a man not being angry at all in the heart, because he hath << been exalted to perfection by [his] victory over the passions

The Savings of the holy Fathers ‘Cand the devils, Nilus compared to that which is said of the ‘‘ blessed Moses, saying, ‘Moses took the breast for an offer- ‘ing, because the soul dwelleth in the heart, and the heart ‘in the breast.’ And Solomon said, ‘Remove anger from thy ‘ ¢ heart,’ and concerning Aaron the Book saith, ‘He was cover- ‘«¢ing his breast with the ephod and tunic,’ and this teacheth ‘‘us monks that it is meet for us to cover over the wrath which ‘is in the heart with gentle, and humble, and tranquil thoughts, ‘“and that we should not allow it to ascend to the opening of ‘our throat, and that the odiousness and abomination thereof «shall be revealed by the tongue.” 670. The brethren said, ‘‘ Why is it that, although all the ‘‘fathers used to admonish the brethren to ask the old men ‘questions continually, and to learn from them, and to reveal ‘“to them their thoughts, and to live according to their direc- ‘tions, one of the old men said to one of the brethren, ‘Go, ‘“ «sit in thy cell, and thy cell shall teach thee everything’?” The old man said, ‘‘There is no contradiction in these words ‘Cof the Fathers, and what the old man said hath an object, ‘the meaning of which is well known. The old man who ad- ‘‘monished the brother that he should learn like a beginner ‘‘was great and famous, and to that brother who asked him ‘‘the question he spake thus:—In the early days when thou ‘‘ goest to thy cell lay hold upon the habits (or orders) of the ‘“neophytes, and live according to them for a considerable ‘‘ period, that is to say, with fasting, and vigil, and reading, ‘‘and reciting the offices, and all the other things, until at ‘length, after the lapse of time, the life of contemplation in ‘* silence shall give thee the order which befitteth thy seclusion, “and will add those things which are seemly, and will diminish ‘* those which are not. This is the meaning of that which was ‘* said by the holy man, ‘Sit in thy cell, and it shall teach thee ‘* “everything.’”

671. The brethren said, ‘‘One of the old men used to say, ‘**A man shall have no care, and he shall contemplate in ‘* “silence, and shall cover up himself; three meditations shall ‘** teach purity.” What is the meaning of these three words?” The old man said, ‘‘‘A man shall have no care’ means that ‘he shall not care concerning the shortcomings of others, and ‘that all his anxiety shall be concerning his own shortcomings. ‘‘ And, ‘He shall contemplate in silence’ means that he shall ‘‘not speak even concerning matters of spiritual excellence ‘if it will trouble any man or condemn him. And ‘He shall ‘**cover up himself’? meaneth that he shall not reveal his ‘‘life and deeds, but as far as possible, he shall be un- ‘‘known and unhonoured. Now by these things is esta- Questions and Answers on the Ascetic Rule ‘‘blished the purity of heart which seeth God in a revelation “of light.” 672. The brethren said, ‘‘How is it possible for a monk to ‘‘ die every day for the love of Christ, even as the blessed Paul “said, ‘I swear by your boasting, my brethren, that, in our ‘«« Lord Jesus Christ, I die daily, and the world is dead unto ‘¢¢me, and I am crucified unto the world, and the world is “* ‘crucified unto me, and I live, yet not I, but Christ liveth in «© ¢me’?” The old man said, ‘‘A man [can do this] if he con- ‘template in silence at all seasons, and perform the other “works of the body, I mean fasting, and vigil, and the recital “‘ of the books of the Psalms, and prayers, and genuflexions, ‘‘and groanings, and pain, and weeping, and tears, and sighs, ‘and the reading of the Holy Scriptures. And he must espe- *‘ cially take care concerning the works of the mind, that is, “ the constant remembrance of God, and meditation upon Him ‘and His blessings, and upon His commandments and His ‘threatening; and his gaze must always be on our Lord, and ‘“‘ his prayer must be without ceasing and without wandering, ‘‘ and the odicusness of the passions must be away from the ‘heart, and he must suppress with keenness the thoughts of “‘the devils which arise at their prompting. And he must ‘« possess that excellence which is the first and most important * of all the spiritual virtues, and of all the labours of the ascetic “life of the mind, that is to say, death in respect of all the ‘‘ anxieties and cares of this world. And a monk must have no ‘care, and no anxiety, and he must not think about anything, ‘‘or seek anything, or desire anything, or lust for anything, ‘‘ except for the time when he will attain to the perfect love of ‘‘ God in our Lord Jesus Christ. And he must fulfil at all times ‘“the command of the blessed Paul, and his admonition to us ‘‘ wherein he said, ‘Love ye your Lord, rejoice in your hope, ‘““pray without ceasing, be fervent in spirit, endure your ‘<¢tribulations, be not anxious about anything, cast all your ‘“<care upon the Lord; and let all your prayers, and all your ‘requests, and all your petitions be made known unto God, <<¢t 9 Whom be glory for ever and ever! Amen.’” . The brethren said, ‘‘ How can love be acquired by men “‘ of understanding?” The old man said, ‘‘True and pure love ‘‘is the way of life, and the haven of promises, and the trea- “ sure of faith, and it sheweth [the way of] the kingdom, and ‘it is the expositor of the judgement, and the preacher concern- ‘‘ing what is hidden.”

4. The brethren said, ** We do not know the power of the «‘ word.” The old man said, ‘‘If a man doth not love God he << will not believe in Him, and His promises are not certain to The Sayings of the holy Fathers ‘Chim, and he feareth not His judgement, and he goeth not ‘after Him ; but, because love is not in him, so that he may flee ‘from iniquity, and wait for the life which hath been pro- “mised, he is always performing the work of sin. And he doth ‘this because His judgement is raised too far above his eyes. ‘‘Therefore let us run after love, wherein the holy fathers ‘were rich, for it is able to reward its nature and its God, and ‘‘ this is its praise.” me ra 675. The brethren said, ‘‘In what way doth wisdom live in ‘©a man?” The old man said, ‘‘ Now when a man hath gone ‘‘ forth to follow God with a sincere mind, grace taketh up its ‘‘ abode in him, and his life and deeds are strengthened in the ‘ Spirit, and he hath taken a hatred to the world, for he per- ‘‘ceiveth that new spiritual life which is in the new man, and ‘which is exalted above the impurity of human life, and in ‘his mind he thinketh upon the humility of the life and works ‘‘ which are to come, and which are [more] excellent than those eeneresm

676. The brethren said, ‘‘ By what is love made known?” The old man said, ‘‘ By the fulfilment of work, and by spiri- ‘tual meditation and by the knowledge of faith.” 677. The brethren said, ‘‘ What are works?” The old man said, ‘‘ The keeping of the commandments of God in the purity ‘‘of the inner man, together with the [performance of] labours ‘‘by the outer man.” 678. The brethren said, ‘‘Is every man who is destitute of ‘‘ works also destitute of love?” The old man said, ‘‘ It is im- ‘‘possible for the man who is in God not to love and it is ‘‘impossiblethat he who loveth should not work; and it is incre- ‘‘dible that he who teacheth and doth not work is indeed a ‘believer, for his tongue is the enemy of his a¢tions, and al- ‘‘though he speaketh life, he is in subjection unto death.” 679. The brethren said, ‘‘ And is he who is in this state de- ‘“stitute of reward?” The old man said, ‘*‘ The man who ‘‘speaketh the things of the spirit, and who performeth the ‘‘ things of the body is not destitute of reward, and that which ‘he needeth is fulfilled for him, but he is deprived of the crown ‘‘of light, because he desireth not that the rule of the spirit ‘shall have dominion over him.”

680. The brethren said, ‘‘Fasting and prayer: what are “‘they?” The old man said, ‘‘Fasting is the subjugation of ‘‘the body, and prayer is converse with God, vigil is the war ‘‘with Satan, abstinence is the being weaned from meats, ‘* standing up is the humility of the primitive man, genuflexion ‘is the bowing down before the Judge, tears are the remem- ‘‘brance of sins, nakedness is our captivity through trans- Questions and Answers on the Ascetic Rule “gression, and [reciting the] service is constant supplication ‘‘and the praising of God.” 681. The brethren said, ‘‘Are these things able to redeem “the soul?” The old man said, ‘‘When the things which are ‘‘ within agree with the things which are without and the hu- <‘mility which is manifest appeareth in the hidden works <¢which are within, in very truth a man is redeemed from the “‘heaviness of the body.” 682. The brethren said, ‘‘And what is internal humility?” The old man said, ‘‘It is humility of love, peace, concord, “* purity, restfulness, gentleness, subjection, faith, remoteness <‘ from envy, [and it is] the soul which lacketh the fervour of ‘anger, and is remote from the lust of arrogance, and is ‘“separated from vainglory, and is filled with patient endur- «<ance like the great deep, and whose motion is drawn after ‘‘the knowledge of the spirit, and before whose eyes is de- <« picted the departure from the body, and the great marvel of << the Resurrection, andthecallto judgement, which {shall come | «after the quickening, and its standing before the awful throne <‘ of God, and the being redeemed.”

683. The brethren said, ‘‘Is it possible for a man to fast and <‘not to be redeemed?” The old man said, ‘‘There is a fasting << which is a matter of habit, and another which is of desire, <«and another which is of constraint, and another which is of ““ the sight, and another which is of vainglory, and another of «tribulation, and another of repentance, and another of spiritual ‘Jove; and although each one of them is the same outside the <« mind, yet in the word of knowledge they are distin¢ét. Now ‘although the manner of each in respect of the body is the ““same, yet each should be undertaken with thorough pur- **« pose, and a man should journey straightly along the way of <‘Jove, and should bear his burden with spiritual patience, and <‘he should not rejoice in his honour.” 684. The brethren said, ‘‘ Who is the true [monk]?” The old man said, ‘‘ He who maketh his word manifest indeed, and en- «‘dureth his pain patiently; with such a man new life is found, scand the knowledge of the spirit dwelleth in him.” 685. The brethren said, ‘‘Who is he that liveth purely?” The old man said, ‘‘He who is free from the delights of the body, “and who rejoiceth in the love of his neighbours in the love of «‘God; for in proportion as need hath rule over the soul is ‘« spiritual repose produced [therein].”

636. The brethren said, ‘With what can we vanquish lust?” The old man said, “With the remembrance of the good things “of the spirit; for, if the desire for the good things which are <<to come doth not abrogate the lust for the delights of this The Savings of the holy Fatbers ‘world, a man cannot overcome at all. Except the merchant’s “ship be laden with manifold hope it will not be able to endure “the storms, and will sail on the path of tribulation.” 687. The brethren said, ‘In what way doth a man go forth “*from the world?” The old man said, ‘‘He doeth this when he ‘‘forsaketh the gratification of all his lust, and when, so far as ‘‘it lieth in his power, he runneth to fulfil the commandments; ‘“‘the man who doth not do this will fall.” 688. The brethren said, ‘Through what did the men of old ‘“‘triumph over nature?” The old man said, ‘‘Through the ‘fervour of their love which was above nature, and through ‘‘the death of the man which is corruptible, and through con- ‘‘tempt of arrogance, and through abatement of the belly, and ‘‘through the fear of the judgement, and through the sure and “certain promise; through the desire of these glorious things ‘“‘the Fathers acquired in the soul a spiritual body.”

689. The brethren said, ‘‘How can we vanquish the passions ‘which afflict us, since they are placed in our nature?” The old man said, ‘‘ Through your death to the world, for except a man “burieth himself in the grave of continence the spiritual Adam ““can never be quickened in him. For when a dead man de- ‘‘parteth from this temporary life, he hath no perception of the “* world, and all his senses are at rest and they are useless. Now “if that which appertaineth to thy natural body thou dost for- “‘sake naturally, and thou dost not do the same voluntarily in ‘“ respect of thine own person, thou wilt die; but if thy desire ‘‘dieth through repentance, [thy] nature will cease from this ‘“‘ temporary life in the death of the spirit, even as the natural ‘“‘emotions of the body ceased through its natural end.” 690. The brethren said, ‘‘ To what extent isa man held to be “‘ worthy of revelations?” The old man said, ‘‘To the same “‘extent as he is held to be worthy to cast off sin inwardly and “‘ outwardly. For when a man dieth through spiritual slaughter ‘“‘to all the conversation of this temporary life, and when he ‘‘hath committed his life to the life which is after the quicken- ““ing, Divine Grace alighteth upon him, and he is held to be ‘worthy of divine revelations; for the impurity of the world is ‘‘a dark covering to the soul, and it preventeth it from dis- ““cerning spiritual meanings.”

691. The brethren said, “Can the man who loveth money be “‘ faithful to the promises?” The old man said, ‘‘ Ifhe believeth ‘““why doth he possess [anything]? Is our hope fixed upon ‘“gold? Or is the hand of the Lord too short to redeem? He “gave us the Body of our Lord for happiness, and His holy ‘‘Blood as a drink unto our redemption; and hath He kept back ‘‘from us the loaf of bread and the apparel which grow old? Questions and Answers on the Ascetic Rule ‘‘ He who loveth money hath a doubt in his mind concerning ‘‘ God, and he prepareth [the means of] life before God giveth ‘them unto him; and, although in his words he rejoiceth ‘‘in the promises, he maketh ‘them to be a lie by his deeds. ‘“ True is the word of our Lord, Who said, ‘ Itis as difficult for ‘‘¢a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God, as for a ‘<* camel to go into the eye of a needle’ (St. Matthew xix, 24); ‘to possess both God and mammon in one abode is impossi- ‘ble. Now those who follow the ascetic life do not Belong to ‘‘the things which are seen.” &

692. The brethren said, ‘ Who is truly the man of astetic ex- ‘ cellence?” The old man said, ‘ He who at all times crieth out ‘that he is a sinner, and asketh mercy from the Lord, whose “‘ speech beareth the sense of discretion, whose feelings bear ‘‘ the excellence of works, who though silent yet speaketh, and “ who though speaking yet holdeth his peace, and whose acts «and deeds bear good fruit to his temporary life and the mani- ‘‘festation of Christ.” 693. The brethren said, ‘‘ Which is the way of life?” The old man said, ‘‘ That whereby a man goeth forth from this world ‘in his entrance into the other; but if a man forsaketh his ‘childhood of humility, and cometh to the old age of this ‘« world in his love, he revealeth the way of life. Now the true ‘departure from this world is remoteness therefrom.” 4. A brother said, ‘‘What shall I do to this world when it ‘‘troubleth me?” The old man said, ‘‘ The world troubleth ‘‘thee because the cares thereof are in thy mind, and love ‘therefor is in thy body, and its delights are in thy heart. Let ‘the world depart from thee, and tear out from thee all the “roots (or branches) thereof, and lo, the war thereof will ‘‘ cease from thee. For as long as thy body seeketh [its] plea- ‘‘ sures, and its lust is of the world, it is impossible for thee to tive.

695. The brethren said, ‘‘ What is pure prayer?” The old man said, ‘‘ That which is of few words and is abundant in «‘ deeds. For if [thy] actions be not more than thy petition, thy ‘(prayers are mere words wherein the seed of the hands is ‘not; and if it be not thus, why do we ask and not receive, “‘ since the mercy of Grace aboundeth. The manner of the peni- ‘tent is one thing, and the labour of the humble is another ; ‘the penitent are hirelings, but the humble are sons.” . The brethren said, “ By what is the love of money pro- ‘¢ duced?” The old man said, ‘‘From lust, for except a man “Justeth he will not possess [money], and if he doth not pos- ‘sess [money] he will not lust. When a man lusteth he pos- «« sesseth [money], and having acquired it he fulfilleth his lust; The Sayings of the holy Fathers “and having fulfilled his lust, he becometh greedy, and having ““become greedy he committeth fraud; and having committed ‘‘fraud his possessions increase, and when his possessions ‘“‘have increased love becometh little in him. And when love ‘hath diminished the remembrance of God is wanting in the ‘heart, and the intelligence becometh darkened, and his power ““of discernment becometh blinded, and when the power of ‘‘ discernment hath become blinded, the power of distinguish- “ing is darkened, and when the power of distinguishing hath ““become darkened, the soul goeth blind. And when the soul ‘“‘hath become blind goodness is rooted out therefrom, and ‘“ wickedness entereth in, and sin hath dominion; and when ‘“sin hath obtained dominion the thought of God is blotted ‘“‘out, the passions of the body are roused up, and they seek “for the means for working out their needs. And when they ‘“have obtained that which they seek it becometh necessary ‘‘for much money to be gathered together, and when money ‘“‘hath multiplied the pleasure of the body is fulfilled, and a ‘““man eateth, and drinketh, and committeth adultery and forni- “‘cation, and he lieth and acteth fraudulently, and transgresseth ‘*the covenant, and he destroyeth the Law, and despiseth the ‘* promises, and lust is fulfilled, and God is wroth. For if the “‘lust for the things which are seen be hated in our sight, we ‘shall not love money, but if we perform the lust of the flesh ‘fit is necessary to love money, because it belongeth to the “‘flesh and not to the spirit, even as the Apostle said, ‘The ‘flesh hurteth the spirit, and the spirit the flesh, and both ““ “are opponents each of other’” (Galatians v, 17).

697. The brethren said, ‘“What kind of prayer is that which ‘“‘is not acceptable before God?” The old man said, ‘‘[The “‘ prayer for the] destru€tion of enemies. When we ask that ‘“ evil things [may come] upon those who do harm to us, and ‘‘for bodily health, and abundance of possessions, and fertility ‘in respect of children, these requests are not acceptable be- ‘“ fore God. If God beareth with us, who are sinners and who “‘ offend Him, how much more is it right that we should bear ‘“each with the other? It is, then, not meet that we should “‘ask for the things which concern the body, for the wisdom “* of God provideth everything [necessary]. ” 698. The brethren said, “What is purity of soul?” The old man said, ‘‘Remoteness from anger, and the error of remem- ‘“brance of evil things, being weaned from a bitter disposition, ‘‘ friendliness towards our enemies, peace which is superior to ““troubling, and sincere love which is above the world; by ““means of these the hidden man is purified, and he putteth on ‘‘Christ, and is redeemed.” Questions and Answers on the Ascetic Rule 699. The brethren said, ‘‘ What is envy?” The old man said, “‘ Hatred towards the virtues of others, and wickedness to- ‘wards the good, and a bitter disposition towards theinnocent, ‘Cand anger against those who are prosperous in this world, ‘‘and the concealment of the upright acts and deeds of the ‘‘ penitent, and vexation at the peace of the friends of God.”

700. The brethren said, ‘‘In what way ought we to pray ‘before God?” The old man said, ‘‘For the repentance of ‘« sinners, and the finding of the lost, and the drawing nigh of ‘© those who are afar off, and friendliness towards those who ‘do us harm, and love towards those who persecute us, and ‘ sorrowful care for those who provoke God to wrath. And if ‘‘a man doeth these things truly and with a penitent mind, ‘the sinners will often gain life, and the living soul will be ‘‘ redeemed. Now the prayer which our Lord delivered to us ‘as to the needs of the body, is one which applieth to the ‘‘whole community, and it was not uttered for the sake of ‘ those who are strangers to the world, and with whom the ‘‘ pleasures of the body are held in contempt. He in whose ‘‘ habitation (07 life) the kingdom of God and His righteousness “are found lacketh nothing, even when he asketh not.” OI. The brethren said, “‘ What is remoteness from the ‘< world?” The old man said, ‘‘The thought which vanquisheth ‘the love of the body, for if the body be not trodden down by ‘‘the lust of patient endurance, a man cannot conquer in the “fight.”

es The brethren said, ‘‘ Can the soul of a man who is held «« fast in the love of the things which are seen be pleasing unto ‘‘ God?” The old man said, ‘‘ Who is able to live in chastity ‘‘ when the body is making demands upon*him? Or, how can ‘be found the love of our Lord in the soul which hath its ‘‘ abode with the things which are seen and are corruptible? ‘‘ No man can serve two masters, and the soul cannot please ‘flesh is not able to please God; except the world dieth out 703. The brethren said, ‘‘ Why is the mind disturbed at the ‘‘meeting with females?” The old man said, “ Because they ‘are employed in the fulfilment of the lust of nature. When the ‘< gaze falleth upon the stru€ture which [is intended for | the pro- ‘‘ duction of children, and for the pleasures of the body, the ‘‘ poison of olden time seizeth upon a man, and the law of his <«will becometh confused; now the will conquereth nature, not The Sayings of the holy Fathers ‘by the stirring up of the passions, but by the fulfilment of ‘‘works. The humble by the power of our Lord conquer “‘everything by their love through the patient endurance of ‘‘the merit of our Lord.”

704. The brethren said, ‘‘Who is the mightier man? He ‘who is remote from the world, or he who dwelleth therein?” The old man said, ‘‘ The mighty man, wheresoever he dwell- ‘‘eth, conquereth whether he be in the world or out of it. Now ‘‘the Fathers departed to the desert place which was free from ‘‘noise and tumult, because they were afraid that so long as ‘‘they abode in the body the passions which afflicted them ‘‘would cleave unto them; but those who have completed the ‘‘ great strife of their contest in the world [have performed] an ‘act of grace the power whereof hath worked, and still work- ‘‘eth, for the help and benefit of the community. And verily ‘‘their crown shall be a great one, because into the disturbed ‘and troubled sea of the world their spiritual ship, which was ‘on its way to heaven along the straight path which was full ‘of fear, hath not gone down.” 705. The brethren said, ‘‘If a man maketh himself a stranger ‘‘to the world, is it helpful to his soul?” The old man said, “Tf it fulfilleth with praise it is helpful, and if it endureth tri- ‘‘bulation in chastity, and rejoiceth in our Lord, it is benefi- ‘‘cial, but it is not, if it doeth away the good seed and pre- ‘‘ ventethit from producing beloved fruit unto God. If it beareth “‘and is blessed, it hath a reward, but if it lack these things ‘it becometh a wandering to the mind, and a sight which is ‘‘profitless; but best of all these things is the tranquillity ‘of the mind which is nigh unto God.”

706. The brethren said, ‘‘ Since all the creatures which ‘God hath made are holy, why were the Fathers in the habit ‘of making the sign of the blessed Cross over such of them ““as they ate as food?” The old man said, ‘Verily, all God’s “‘creatures are pure, through the Grace of Him that created ‘‘them, yet, because sin obtained dominion, every one of “‘them became polluted; then came the advent of our Lord ‘‘and abrogated sin, and righteousness obtained dominion, ‘“‘and everything became sanétified, whether it was in the ‘heaven or on the earth. But because the blessed Fathers ‘‘ knew the harmful disposition of Satan, who even by means ‘‘ of such things as are used as food carrieth on a war to our ‘‘injury, they sealed their foods with the holy sign of the Great ‘Cross, that they might bring to naught all the crafts of the ‘‘Calumniator. For one of the old men said, ‘On one occa- ‘““sion, when I was lying down at night, I thirsted for water ““*to drink. And there was near me a holy man who lived Questions and Answers on the Ascetic Rule <«¢chastely, and he saw me take up a vessel of water to drink <«* without having made over it the sign of the Cross. And he <«“said unto me, ‘‘ Wait, master, wait,” and he made the << sion of the Cross over it, and straightway there fell from «« ¢the vessel the Calumniator in the form of a flash of fire; and << ‘both he and I saw this, and we marveiled at the great power << © of the Redeemer, and atthe wonderfulsign of Hismerit.’ An- <« other version of the story reads:—And one of the Fathers said, <‘ On one occasion I was lying down at night, and I thirsted for ‘water to drink. And there was near me a certain widow, who ‘led a chaste life, both when she was with her husband, and ‘¢ afterwards, and she said to me, ‘Wait, master, wait,’ and she «‘ made the sign of the Holy Cross over the vessel of water, and “¢ straightway the Calumniator fell from the vessel in the form of “<a flash of fire; and both she and I sawit, and we marvelled at “(the great power of our Redeemer, and at the wonderful sign of <‘ His merit. These things were indeed spoken by that holy mouth <¢ which was remote from falsehood. Therefore we must neces- “sarily do this (i.e., make the sign of the Cross over our food) “for the protection of our life. For against this holy woman ‘‘who did these things, the enemy waged war openly, ac- “‘ cording to what I have learned from a certain saint, a chosen ‘‘ man of God, who heard the matter from her own mouth, ‘¢and he spake thus:—The blessed woman spake unto me, ‘saying, One day I went to the house of God, and Satan “‘drew nigh, and said unto me, Why dost thou pray like a ‘*man, and say, Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and “to the Holy Ghost? And I said unto him, If I am not to “< pray thus, how shall I pray? And the blessed woman said, «« Satan said unto me, Pray thus, and say, Glory be unto thee, <©O Mary, mother of Christ. Then I answered and said unto «him, [There are] ashes in thine eyes, O Satan. Why should ‘©] forsake the Lord and adore the mother? And Satan disap- ‘peared. And the blessed man also said unto me, This same «¢old woman said unto me:—On another occasion I went to ‘‘ church according to custom, and I knelt down and prayed, ‘‘and then the Enemy came and made blind mine eyes, and I “could not see, and I called to one of the women, and she led ‘¢me to my house. After three days Satan departed from be- <‘ fore mine eyes, and he began to go away from before me, ‘‘and then I said unto him, There is something which I must «« make thee do. Go thou to the place where thou didst seize ‘upon me; and we went to the church, both he and I, and I ‘¢left him where he seized upon me. Then I went away a short “¢ distance, and when I turned and looked at him I saw that “(he was standing like a shadow; and I went on again, and

The Sayings of the holy Fathers ‘‘then turned, and still I saw him. And I shut the door of ‘‘the temple and went forth, and then I opened it again and ‘went in, and I saw him still standing [there], and at that ‘‘time his wiles ceased from me. Such were the great things ‘‘ which happened to that blessed old woman. For the monk ‘“must not boast himself over the man who liveth in the ‘world, for there are mighty men in the world; for if such ‘qualities are found in Eve, how much greater ones should be ‘¢found in the Adam which is redeemed by Adam?” ‘One of the Fathers said unto me, ‘One night whilst I was ‘‘ sleeping, the Enemy came and smote me, and said unto ““*me, ‘*Get thee into the world and cultivate righteousness, ‘«« «for why dost thou shut thyself up like a beast in caves?” ‘«* And knowing the wickedness of the Enemy, who was look- ‘«¢ing at me with an evil eye, I made the sign of the Cross in ‘his face, and he fled from me. Then he waited a few days, ‘‘¢and came and smote me on the neck, and said unto me ‘¢* mockingly, ‘‘ Now thou art a righteous man, rise up, and ‘« ¢¢ oet thee into the world, that I may not destroy thee”; and ‘*“having prayed, and made the sign of the Cross over my ‘« “face, he departed from me. And a little while afterwards he ‘‘¢came again, and sat upon my neck; then I made myself ** “bold, and stood up, and made the sign of the Cross, the em- ‘**blem of merit, before him, and again he disappeared, for he ‘‘“was unable to resist me. For all these things took place, ‘“¢and happened in very truth, and we may therefore know ~ ‘‘fand understand that there is no rule of life in which ‘**God so much rejoiceth, or which is so terrible unto the ‘*“devils, and unto all evil spirits, as the rule of humility, ** “and penitence of mind, and the subjection of the body, and remoteness from the things which are seen. Whosoever despiseth these things will fall into the mire of the world; and whosoever holdeth in contempt the good riches of the fear ‘** of God, shall have his hope of the inheritance of the saints ‘**cut off, and of the delights of heaven, which never pass ‘“* away and never end. May we all be held worthy of these ‘**through the grace and mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ, the ‘‘* True God, to Whom, with His Father, and the Holy Spirit, ** “be glory, now, and always, and for ever and ever! Amen.’”

1 Samuel ” ”” one xix, 20 XXV, 27 Vy XXIV, XVi, XXV, Vas Xi, 25 XVli, I Xvii, I ii, Q-12 XIX, 35 XXXll, 21 V5) 23 Wi; 6 Neatiy 9/ xl, 8 Vile od vii, 14 ity 3 XVill, 29 XX, 7 XXIV, 3, 4 XXxXiv, I XXXVli, 15 "2 lity col i LO hy, 6,7 9 3 baie ee Aly scvily On ee ibe iathiy tiny 2. ol, Ixvill, I 1; Ixvili, 31 +5, [Riyals 2a Ixxiii, 22 U, Ixxxiii, 13 U1, Ixxxix, 25 Il, xc, 10°, #, xcli, 12 W, XClV, II 1, ci 5. 4, Cxvill, 6 II, CXVill, IO T, cxiv, 20 I, xix, 105, 41; cxix, 165 I, ExXvVilil, 5 1; Cxxvilil, 5 I, CXXxi, I Il, xi, 3. +; iV, 2300s xiv, 15 I, xvi, 5 41, XVii, 22 I, xxV1, 2 41; Vij)’ 5 il, my Lhe aly M,f0; 7-41, xiv, 12 <I, xiv, 13-15 1, Sepa eA RXSV, OE #4; KXXVil, 26 I, hiv, <3 ared, liv, 13 «1, Lise. aL I-22 The Paradise of the holy Fathers Isaiah Ixii, 10 ” Ixv, 24 Jeremiah v, 8 Ezekiel xiv, 14 “6 XXXIil, I1 Daniel Vine2e x vii, 28 Hosea Ni We Amos i, 9 Ecclus. XIX, 30 St. Matthew iv, 3 ” iv, ae

Zndexr to Texts from Scripture St Luke xiv; LE , ied ” Xvii, 21 af XViil, 13 as XXxil, 36 An xxii, 40, 46 St. John Vv, 14 ” vi, 45 ” MPU 44 =i viii, 44 aA xi, 35 Acts of the Apostles iv, 32 - Xiv, 22 Romans i, 21-28 Aa Le2o - Vise 2O om) vill, 4 Se Vill, 26 , viii, 35 5 viii, 39 ”9 Xl, 5 1 Corinthians i-ii1, ~ iii, 18 ey) ib, 105-20 9 iv, ” vl, 9 ss vii, 16 ” ix, 24, 25 yy) 1X, 25, 27 ” xX, 12 ” X, 3i . xli, IO A: xiv, 20 me XV, IO ” XV5 3! I, i, I, it, 1 Corinthians xv, 31 2Corinthians vi, 2 ef Xi 5 Galatians iii, 28 ” v, 16 ” Vy 22, 23 ” Vy 22, 23 Ephesians iv, 26 » ES ar Wily, 02 Philippians i, 23 9 iba 1 Thess. v, 16-18 yn iii, IO 1 Timothy iv, — ” vi, 14 be A tie 20,0 28 Titus Lbs Hebrews Bly BR ms xiii, 6 St. James 1,085 LotpRetes x tes bia ees eee 1 St. John. liga to ARON, brother of Moses, 1, 3793 Ul, 241, 307, 325, 326

Abban, the monk, I, 337 Abel, son of Adam, I, 228 Abhila, a monk, 1, 6 Abigail and David, 4, 116 Abiram, the rebel, 1, 286 Ablavius, grandfather of Melania, TAtO3 Abraham, the Patriarch, 1, 109, 159; 11, 229, 302 Abraham, disciple of Sisoes, 11, 19 Abraham, the Egyptian, 1, 136 Abraham, Abb4, I, 379; 1, 21, 26, 84, 95, 128, 158, 178, 208, 240 Achilles, Abba, Saying of, 11, 210 Acre in Syria, 1, 356 Adam, the first man, II, 144, 211, 273, 302, 308, 336 Adelphius, an exiled Bishop, 1, 156 Adlép, Bishop of Neapolis, 11, 98 Adolius (Aurelius) of Tarsus, I, 214 Aenesius, the vine of, I, 185 Africa, I, 75, 162 Agathon, Abbé, Sayings of, 11, 20, 21, 38, 40, 69, 71, 79, 80, 87, 98, 99, 113, 129, 176, 207, 208, 220, 223, 233, 235, 250, 251, 253, 258 Agids of Nitria, I, 99 Ahr6n (Hero) of Alexandria, 1, 134 Akhila, Abba, 11, 187 Akhmim (Panopolis), I, 142 Akila, Abba, 11, 58, 95, 96 Akar (Acre), 1, 356 AlAnia (Germany), I, 75 Albina,daughter-in-law of Melania, T, 158, 162 Albinus, AbbA, 1, 134 Alipius, a Roman governor, I, 170 Alexander, Abbé, 1, 40; I, 25, 68, TL, 78, 123

Alexandra, the maiden, 1, 95, 96 Alexandria, I, 39, 57, 58, 79, 89, 95, 98, 99, 102, 105, 107, 135, 150, 154, 156, 172, 173, 199, 193, 195, 196, 199, 203, 204, 273, 334, 380, 381; I, 37, 57; 64, 71, 108, III, 152, 191, 194, 242, 257 Aleppo, city of, I, 226, 228 Al6énis, Abba, 1, 13, 87, 123, 173, 174, 202 Amatus, disciple of Anthony, 1, 192 Ammon the First, 1, 377 Ammon, Abba, I, 51, 100-102; Abbot of 3,000 monks, I, 336; II, 4, 31, 32, 44, 52, 56, 57, 58, 74, 92, 105, 106, 116, 122, 139, 164, 171, 183, 187, 210, 216, 219, 227, 232, 234, 253, 255, 314, 320 Ammon and the Serpents, I, 352, 353 Ammon (another), 1, 378 Ammon of Nitria, I, 50 Ammon of Ritheadén, II, 139 Ammon, desert of, I, 290 Ammonius, the Bishop, I, 103 Ammonius, I, 104, 105,131,156,157 Amé®nis, II, 227 Amos, the Prophet, 1, 154 Ampikés, Abba, 1, 115 Anbastién, Abba, II, 159 Ancient of Days, the, 1, 273 Ancyra, city of, I, 166, 167 Angels, the, 1, 220 Anicetus, Abba, 1, 131 Animals, worship of, explained, 1, Anthony, the Great, I, 4; his origin 5, his property and sister 6, surnamed Theophilus 9, his labours 12, lived in a tent 13, attacked by devils 13, goes to the desert for 20 years 18, his battles with the devils 2o0ff, goes to Alexandria 39, his dress 40, goes to the Thebaid 41, his occupation 44, miracles 45, 48, knew only Egyptian language 50, death of 71, objects to embalmment 72; 95, 100, 125, 126, 127, 141, 142, 175, 193, 194, 195, 197, 199, 202, 278, 374, 377; 1 5, 6, 8, 13, 18, 24, 39, 45, 50, 60, 66, 93, 106, 107, 124, 140, 142, 149, 150, 159, 162, 164, 165, 168, 170, 178, 183, 189, 193, 196, 198, 200, 201, 203, 205, 219, 220, 223, 226, 234, 238, 249, 254; his Life by St. Athanasius, 1, 3ff.

Antinoé, city of, 1, 153, 180, 181, 219, 339 The Paradise of the holy Fathers Antioch, city of, 1, 162, 226; HU, TIS, DLO; 275, 270 Apellen, Abba, 1, 353; crosses a river on a crocodile, I, 354, 355, II, 292 Apes, worship of, I, 344 Apollinarius, Bishop of Laodicea, 3 A Apollo, Abba, 1, 270, 340 Apollo of Acre, I, 356 Apollo of the Cells, 1, 95 Apollo the Less, 1, 380 Apollonius, the merchant, 1, 9 Apos, Bishop of Oxyrrhynchus, II, 9 Apostles, the Twelve, 1, 202 Apronianus, a converted pagan, I, 158 Arabs, I, 42; 11, 60 Arcadius, the Emperor, II, 37 Archelaus, Count, I, 52 Aréa, Abba, 1, 240 Areus, Abba, I, 21 Arians, I, 57, 58, 67, 69, 73, 150 Arsania, district of, 11, 235 Arsenius, Abba, I, 156; II, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, II, 24, 25, 28, 39, 33, 34, 35, 30, 46, 49, 54, 57, 58, 68, 71, 7. Ss LOO, 91 OF) LO, ol 2O;e 123, 124, 145, 157, 159, 161, 166, 197, 202, 203, 233, 246, 256, 284, 285, 301, 315, 316, 317, 318 Arsisius, I, 99, 100 Ascalon, Askelon, city of, I, 160; 11, 258 Askétikon, the, of Pachomius, 1 28 3ff

Ass, a form of the Devil, 1, 112 Assyrians, I, 25 : Athanasius, Archbishop of Alexandria.24,.73}500,095982O2,010 50; Sis AXONS Ih ice Nobicy Irie, (oye Anthony, I, 3ff Athliba (i.e., the city of Athribis), II, 166 Athribis, city of, 11, 166 Aurelius (Adolius), of Tarsus, 1 214 Aurelius, Abba, 11, 225 Avita, wife of Apronianus, I, 158 *Awsdbh, U, 61 ABYLON of Mesopotamia, I, 380; Il, 244, 324 Babylon of Egypt, 1, 192, 340; I, 26, 37, 105 Balacius, his fate, 1, 69, 70 Balak, his fate, 1, 69, 70 Bakers, the, of Nitria, 1, 99 Barsis, Rabba, 1, 99 Basil, the Bishop, 1, 160, 223; 1, 238, 306 Beatitudes, the, 1, 135 Benjamin, son of Jacob, 11, 253 Benjamin, Abba, his Sayings, 1, 22, 22 UA2ihT eo Benjamin of Nitria, the physician, I, 106 Benus and the hippopotamus,]I, 337 Bessarion, Abba, Sayings and Stories of, I, 140, 141,142,242, 243ff; II, 13, 115,146, 234,291, 292, 293, 317 Bethlehem of Judea, 1, 173, 174 Béth Raya, 1, 289 Betimius, Abbé, 11, 122, 187, 237 Bithynia, 1, 172 Blemmyes in Upper Egypt, 1, 302 Book of Clement, I, 154 Book of Life, 1, 31 Bosphoria (Dosphoria), 1, 166 Brothers, the Tall, 1, 105 Bull, worship of, I, 344 Busiris, Abbé, 1, 99 Busiris, the Virgin of, 1, 48 Bytinius, Abba, 1, 240

ZESAREA, 1, 156, 158, 166; 223 Campania, the, I, 162 Campagna, I, 82 Cancer, the disease, 11, 111 Candida, daughter of Trajan the general, 1, 165 Canons of the Church, 1, 56 Canopus, of Alexandria, 11, 37 Cappadocia, I, 166 Cells, the, in Nitria, 1, 117, 120, 225 N25 VeVIT, ©; sO) e722 sug 7 ON 58, 67, 99, 103, 170, 199 Cheremon, the anchorite, 1, 1 753 II, 46 Charity, Sayings on, J, 88 ft Children, the Three Holy, 11, 244 Christ, efficacy of His Name, 1, 44 Christians, 1, 59, 63, 66, 108, 151, 154, 198, 238, 239, 280, 381 Chronius, 1, 196, 379; 1, 66, 193 Chronius of Phoenix, I, 175 Chrysostom, John, Saint, 1, 90 Church, persecution of, 1, 39 Constantine the Great, 1, 65, 184 Constantine the Less, I, 150, 151 Constantinople, 1, 106, 163, 165, 172, 223; Il, 72, 104, 237 Constantius, I, 65, 150, 151 Copres (Kopres), I, 364ff; 11, 63, 60) 133,, 220 Cornelius, the martyr, I, 197 Cosmas, of Sinai, I, 270 Cronius, of Nitria, I, 192 Cross, the, 1, 60, 61, 62, 64 Cross, the Name of the, I, 43 Cross, the Sign of the, I, 10, 16, 44, 156, 278, 322; I, 23, 106, 144, 269, 270, 299, 300, 334» 335» 336

Cfish (Nubia), 1, 99 Cyzicus, city Ofa ts ABHA (ie., Wolf River), 1 Dagon, the idol, 11, 193 Dalgaw, desert of, 1, 334 Damanhur, city of, 1, 89 Daniel, Abba, Sayings Gin 15 27/8 TI, 220 30m 54+, 710 78, 85, 105, 128, 157, 161, 177, 188, 253, 250 Daniel, the Prophet, 1, 26, 83, 196, Daniel, Parnaya, Il, 159 David, King of Israel, 1, 43, 59, 228, 375; U, 16, 116, 194, 208, 226, 250, 284, 307 Dead Sea, the, 1, 187 Decius, Emperor, 1, 90 Demetrius, Bishop of Pessinus, 1 go ; Devil, appears in the form of an Indian, 1, 11; a3 an ass, I, 112 Devils, the, and Pachomius, 1! 290; attack Anthony, 1, 133 described, I, 22 Didymus, Abba, 1, 95, 106, 378 DikApélis (Decapolis?), 1, 379 Diocles, the wandering monk, 1, 180, 181; 11, 287 Diogenes, the philosopher, 1, 85 Dioscorus (Dioscurus) ,Abba, I, 103, 105, 106, 156, 363; I, 18, 227 Dogs, worship of, I, 344 Dorotheos of Thebes, 1, 91, 92, 144, 180 Dosphoria, wife of Heronion, I, 166 Dracontius, uncle of Origen, I, 103 Dulas, Abba, disciple of Bessarion, I, 243 Been city of, 1, 182, 228 Egypt, 1, 82, 159, 162, 211, 224, 236, 238, 264, 34¢, 374; MH, 18, 20, 37> 70, 72, 91, 98, 99% 110, 124, 149, 244 :

Egypt, Inner, 1, 4; worship of idols in, 1, 344 — Egyptians, 1, 128, 194, 198, 351; Ti, 20, 110 Eli, the high priest, II, 28, 246 Elijah the Great, the Prophet, I, 13, 109, 142, 197, 202, 336, 339; m1, 85, 159, 189, 199, 255 Elijah, Abba, 0, 208, 232, 233 Elijah of the Cave, I, 187 Elisha, the Prophet, 11, 29, 255 Elpidius, the Cappadocian, I, 185, 186 Emeralds, 1, 97, 98 Epiphanius, Abba, 1, 26, 27; 1, 28, 77, 119, 246 Epiphany, the, 1, 118, 375 Ephraim of Edessa, I, 182, 183 Esau, 1, 165, 179 Espir, a place in the Red Sea desert, I, 192 Rstarkina, city of, 0, 218 The Paradise of the holy Fathers Ethiopian, I, 347 : Ethiopian, the spirit of pride, 1, 341 Ethiopians, 1, 347; 11, 130 Eucarpius, a monk, 1, 176 Eucarpus, a monk, 1, 262, 264 Eucharist, doctrine of, 11, 160 Eugenia, a nun, II, 38, 77 Eugenius, the rebel, 1, 169, 334 Eulogius and the Arian, 1, 192ff, 362; II, 72, 73 Eunomius, Bishop of Cyzicus, 1, 225 Eupraxius, Abba, 11, 117 Euprepius, Abba, 1, 67 Eusebius, Bishop, 1, 103, 105, 150 Eustathius, brother of Elpidius, 1, 140, 186

Euthemis, Bishop, 1, 103 Euthymius, Abba, 1, 105 Eutymius, Abba, 1, 103 Evagrius, the monk, I, 106, 120, 124, 129, 131, 134, 170, 191, 202, 222, 226, 260, 261, 263; 11, 281, 287, 294, 297, 313, 315, 316, 317, 324 Evagrius, Triumph of, 1, 373 Excellences, the nine spiritual, 1, 294 AMILIAR spirit, 1, 344 Epes, Tet + oT Out Fast of Forty Days, 1, 117, 120, 12! Fast of Seventy Weeks, 11, 110 Fear, caused by devils, 1, 30 Fear of God, 11, 277 Fig tree of Paradise, 1, 369 Fig tree, story of, 1, 310 Fire, devils disappear in, 1, 17 Firstborn, death of the, 1, 180 Fisanis, 1, 156 Flax weavers of Nitria, 1, 100 Fornication, maxims about, 11, 126ff ABRIEL, Archangel, 1, 29; II, 154, 162 Galatia Secunda, 1, 90 Garden of Jannes and Jambres, 1, 118 Garlic, worship of, I, 344 Gehenna, I, 14, 259; 11, 81, 237 Gelasia, daughter of a tribune, 1, 166 Gihon (Nile), 1, 27, 32 Gold, 1, 16, 34 Great Monastery, 11, 93 Greeks, I, 69, 198, 226, 351; II, 110, 218 Gregory, Abba, 11, 162, 238 Gregory Nazianzus, I, 160, 223 Hexen Monastery of, 11,111 Hatil, Abba, 11, 140

Helit, Abba, 11, 140 Herakles, Abba, 11, 54 Hermopolis, 1, 156; Christ, 1, 340 Hermopolis Parva, 1, 89 Hero, the Alexandrian, re 176 Hieronymus, author of Lives of Monks, I, 125, 203, 317; 1h, 328 Hieronymus, the elder, 1, 174 Hieronymus, the monk, I, 382 Hilarion, Abbé, 11, 1 77, 199 Hippopotamus, the, and Abba Benus, 1, 337 Honorius, Emperor, m1, a7 Hophni, 11, 28, 246 Hér, Abba, 11, 58 Hér, Abbot of 1,000 monks, 1 334 Hér, the confessor, 1, 372 Hr, of Nitria, 1, 102 Hyena, stories of, 1, 124, 200 Hyparchus, a sage, m1, 79 Indian, a form of the Devil, 1, 11 Innocent I, 1, 90 Innocent, the priest, 1, 183 Isaac, Abba, 11, 18, 37, 39, 67, 103, 129, 190, 223, 231, 235, 330, 333 Isaiah, Abba, I, 135; I, 16, 210, 295, 302 Isaiah, the confessor, I, 372 Jsaiah, the monk, I, 108 Isaiah, the Elder, 11, 25 Isaiah, the Prophet, 11, 273, 280 Israel, 1, 38, 119, 236, 344; Il, 226 Isidore, Abba, I, 91, 103, 2173; II, II, 49, 51, 99, 114, 126, 127, 205, 206, 223, 289, 290 Isidore, a priest, I, 97 Isidore, Bishop of Hermopolis Parva, I, 89 Tsidore of Thebais, 1, 363

Isidore, the Confessor, 1, 156 Italy, 1, 163, 174 ACOB, Abba, 1, 38, 56, 228; 11, Jacob, the Patriarch, 1, 5; H, 36, 171, 187, 253, 295 James the Lame, 1, 175ff; 11, 287 Jannes, the magician, I, 118 Jerusalem, 1, 157, 159, 214, 224, 349, 351, 361; 1, 35, 118, 119, 239, 241, 275 Jerusalemites, I, 194, 195 Jericho, 1, 185, 187 Jews, 1, 85, 86, 105, 166, 187, 359, 351 Job, Abba, 1, 25, 106, 179, 211, 262, 326; Il, 22, 63, 65, 112, 172, 196, 197, 236, 247 Job, the Patriarch, II, 47 John, Abba, 1, 263; 1, 18, 25, 52, 70, 71, 108, 116, 125, 132, 149, 162, 164, 168, 184, 186, 187, 189, 200, 207, 208, 222, 260, 280, 281 John Colob (Colobos, Kolob), 11, 47 117, 182, 184, 199, 325 John Chrysostom, I, 172; II, 306 John, Saint, 1, 202 John, son of the Prefect, I, 321 John the Baptist, 1, 85, 86, 184, 197 : John the Bishop, 1, 162 John the Less, 11, 30, 44, 113, IIS, 172, 179, 248 John, a monk, I, 356; , 8 John, disciple of Macarius, I, 114 John of Decapolis, 1, 379 John of Lycus, 1, 169-174, 219, 244, 3207334

John of the Thebaid, 11, 116 Jonah, a gardener, 1, 308 Jordan, 1, 187, 239; 1, 308 Joseph, Abba, 1, 211; 1, 7, 23, 25, 53, 59, 67, 72, 73, 83, 91, 99, 112, 124, 143, 171; II, 173, 175, 176, 198, 206, 208, 209, 212, 248, 258, 260, 284 Joseph of Ramah, U1, 29, 247 Joseph, the Carpenter, I, 340 Joseph, the Patriarch, 1, 380; 1, 47, 135, 244, 253, 295 Joshua, 1, 37, 185 Joshua, son Of NUNS 2s Ihe117; 234 Jovinianus, deacon of Ascalon, I, 159, 160 Judah (Judas), 1, 18, 36, 179; 1, Julian, the Emperor, I, 95, 341, 342; II, 147, 148 Jupiter, 1, 194; II, 97 ANTIRSA, Bishop, u, 61 Kapiton of Antinoé, I, 181 Kawsyan, Monastery Of, i275. 276 Keneshrin (Kenn-Neshrin), 1, 226 Kérién, 1, 257 Khronis (Chronius), 1, 99 Kindondénja (John), 11, 289 Kirién, Abba, 1, 211 Klimax, the, I, 135 Kopris, Abb&, I, 371 Kush (Nubia), 1, 347 Kushaye, I, 320 ABAN, the Syrian, 1, 56; 1, 295 Laodicea, I, 52, 225 Lausus, the Prefect, I, 77, 80, 89, 113, 125, 3173 UL, 3, 283 Lausus, Counsels to, I, 80 Lazarus, the beggar, U, 51, 229 Lazarus, grave of, I, 185 Leah, 11, 295 Levites, 1, 164 Libya, I, 82, 103, 120

The Paradise of the tholy Fathers Lion, devil in form of, 1, 14 Lions bury Paule, 1, 202, 203 Longinus, Abba, 1, 111, 212 Lét, Abba, 1, 69, 90, 207, 248 Lot, wife of, 1, 20 Love, Sayings about, 11, 88ff, 277 Lucius, Abba, 11, 212 Lycus, the Wolf City, 1, 169, 170, 219, 244, 320, 375 203, 240, 260, 263, 271, 272; Tl, OT 2Onesy O45 hal, 42, 51, 58, 75, 92, 104, 107, 108, 125, 141, 150, 1§1, 161, 166, 167, 174, 177, 192, 197, 201, 204, 205, 211, 224, 233, 238, 257, 287, 290, 292, 293, 294, 299, 316, 319, 321 Macarius and the Virgin, 1, 96 Macarius, the Alexandrian, I, 113, 117-125; and the panther, 11, 228 Macarius, the Egyptian, 1, 113-117, 234, 273, Il, 17 Macarius, the assessor, I, 163 Macarius, the child of his cross, 1, 107 Macarius, disciple of Anthony, 1 194 Macarius, the elder, 1, 133 Macarius, the priest, 1, 97, 197 Magatis, Rabba, 11, 214 Magistrianus, the, and the virgin, 1, 154-156 Magna, a pious woman, I, 167 Malchus of M4rénia, 1, 226, 234 Manichzans, the, I, 85 Manilius (Miles) Abba, 1, 142 Marcellinus, a Roman Consul, 1 156 Marcianus, Abba, 1, 185

Mareotis, Lake, I, 99, 109, 131, 375 Maria, a pious woman, 1, 248-251 Mark, Abba, 1, 234; 11, 53, 54, 305 Mark the Less, 1, 278 Mark the Mourner, 1, 197 Martinianus, a Roman noble, 1, 40 MartinyAn4, 11, 300, 301 Mary, sister of Martha, 11, 157 Mary, wife of Eucharistos, 11, 149 Mary, the Virgin, I, 340; U1, 235, 2709, 335 Mats of palm leaves, I, 12 Matthew, Saint, 17, 285 Maximinus, Emperor, I, 39 Maximus, the rebel, 1, 169 Mazaki, tribe, I, 99 Melania, the Great, I, 96, 102, 103, 124, 156—160, 180, 2243; II, 228 Melania, the Less, or Younger, 1, 161, 180 Melchisedek, 1, 273; 1, 63 Meletians, 1, 57, 72 Melha (Melania), 1, 96, 102, 103 Memphis, 1, 380; 11, 37 Meshannayané, or wandering monks, II, 291 Mesopotamia, I, 82, 233 Michael, Archangel, 11, 154, 155 Miles, Abba, I, 142 Mina, Mar, the martyr, 11, 243 Mines, the Christians deported there, I, 39 Monastery of St. Anthony, I, 192 Monastery of the Broken Ones, 1, 120 Monastery of the Shepherds, 1, 173 Moses, the Great, I, 110, 236; 1, 12, 117, 144, 164, 175, 206, 252, 273, 307, 325, 326 Moses the Black, or the Indian, Abba, 1, 215ff, 228, 267; 1, 7, 8, 9, 12, 13, 16, 50, 83, 102, 103, 112, 122, 123, 143, 144, 165, 180, 203, 284, 285, 289, 290, 317, 325

Moses the Libyan, 1, 219 Moses of Patara, 1, 126, 127 Mount Gebél, 11, 61 Mount of Olives, 1, 183, 184, 215, 317; 11, 69 Muthues, It, 32, 61, 99, 109, 124, 125, 132, 168, 171, 184, 189, 205, 230, 255 Nea hata Name of Christ, a word of power, I, 31, 33, 35, 43, 44, 59, 68 ; I1, 300 Name of God, 1, 33 Nastir, Abba, I, 12, 38, 60, 159, 193, 194 Nathaniel, Abba, I, 111, 112 Nebatién (Anicetus), II, 131 Nebridius, sub-prefect, 1, 163 Nebuzaradan (Nabu-zir-idinna), II, 219 Nectarius, Bishop, I, 223 Nestir, Abb4, 0, 7, 283, 284 Nestor, prefect of Alexandria, 1, 70 Netira, Abba, 11, 236 Nicetas, Abba, 11, 76 Nicius, city of, 1, 173 Nile (Gihon), 1, 32, 102 FES2 LOL, 192, 215, 220, 322, 326, 344, 375, 382 Nile-flood, the, 1, 27 Nile, worship of, 1, 344 Nisibis, city of, 1, 226 Nitria, 1, 50, 51, 129, 156, 170, 199, 224, 234, 375, 376; I, 33, 108, 109, 187, 193 Nitria, Monks of, 1, 99 Noah, Abba, 1, 34, 302 Noah, the Patriarch, 11, 78, 196 N6pi, the Confessor, I, 372 Nun te, 37) TOS LU LE 7, OF eae Maxims about,

Oil, Curative effect of, I, 323 Oil, not used by monks, I, 12 Oil of the Martyrs, I, 123 Olympias, daughter Seleucus, I, 161, 163 Onions, worship of, I, 344 Or, Abba, 1, 356; U, 33, 72, 80, 97, Rion 120 Origen, I, 103, 104, 105, 106, 166, 170 Oxyrrhynchus, city of, 1, 9, 205; the 20,000 monks of, 1, 337 INGHOMUUS, 9 So 4102; 120, 129-131, 144-149, 283ff; 1, 24, 25, 81, 297; his vision, I, 295; his doctrine, 296; the famine in his days, 298; the devils which came to him, ], 290; his gift of tongues, I, 307 Paesius, the monk, 1, 108; Wy, 52, 63 Palestine, 1, 82, 138, 156, 157, 162, 170; 11, 26, 62 Palladius, I, 77, 191, 203, 315, 316; Il, 3, 283, 287, 299 Palms, the Seventy, 1, 236 Pambé (Panbé), Abba, 1, 103, 104, 105, 109, 156, 234; H, 13, 37, 39, 55, 50, 74, 84, 97, 144, 148, 175, 183, 194, 196, 207, 284, 285 Pammachius, the noble, 1, 163 Panther, 1, 14; the panther and Abba John, I, 52 Paphnutius, AbbA, I, 49, 124, 156, 176, 358ff; 1, 16, 21, 58, 63, 86, 93, 177, 222, 231, 248, 287

Paphnutius Cephala, 1, 175ff Paphnutius, the Simple, 11, 219 Papyrus plant, 1, 375 Paradise of Eden, 1, 100, 199 Paradise, I, 132, 202, 347, ATe)e Vo 260, 295 Paradise, Plan of the Book of, 1, FOigdtnsOs Parmé, 0, II, 35, 48, 103, 110, 140, 257 PatarA, 1, 46, 71, 126, 143 PatrA, Abba, 1, 115 Paul, Saint, 1, 20, 47, 132, Wa; 180, 350; I, 85, 182, 307, 317, 327 Paul the Confessor, 1, 372 Paul the Elder, 1, 161 Paul the Great, 1, 97 Paul the Monk, I, 142; 0, 224 Paul the Simple, 1, 125-128 Paula, a free woman, I, 174 Paulé, Abba, 1, 48, 52, 142 Paulé, Mar, I, 197 Paule, disciple of Anthony, U1, 287 Paule, the Simple, 1, 278 Paule, son of Innocent, 1, 184 Paulus, Abba, 1, 197 Pelusium, 1, 160 Pentecost, 1, 118; 11,7 Perdmé, I, 175 Persians, I, 158, 226; II, 147 Pessinus, I, 90 PetA-Bast, I, 99 The Paradise of the Moly Fathers Peter, Bishop of Alexandria, 1, 40 Peter, St. 1, $1, 1887 3743 1, 307 Peter the Egyptian, 1, 174 Peter the Monk, 1, 214 Petra, Abba, 11, 207 Petronius, 1, 285, 286 Pharaoh, I, 224, 344, 369 Philemon, 1, 379, 381

Philosophers, their visit to Anthony, I, 59 Phinehas, 11, 28, 246 Physicians of Nitria, 1, 100 Piamon, the virgin, 1, 152 Pierius, the author, I, 106, 160 Pilisi6n (Pelusium), 11, 232 Pinianus, husband of Melania, 1, I6I, 162 Pidr, Abba, 1, 104, 218; 11, 43, 116, 224 Piterius, of the Porphyry Mountain, 1, 148 Pitéroum, Abbé, 1, 148 Poemen, AbbA, 1, 265, 266; 11, TO) 10, 13, 19, 22, 23, 26, 20, 31, 33, 34, 38, 39, 44, 47, 51, 52, 56, 58, 59, 60, 63, 64, 65, 66,69,75,82,83, 85, 86, 87, 99, 102, 103, 108, 172) LLO; TIO, 120) 127, 6122" 123, 124, 125, 127, 129, 130, 131, 139, 140, 143, 144,145, 151, 164, 165, 166, 171, 172, 173, 174, 175, 176, 170, 180, 183, 184, 185, 188, 189, 190, 192, 194, 196, 197, 198, 201, 203, 205, 206, 212, 216, 219, 222, 2O3 225, 226, 232, 234, 235, 236, 247, 248, 249, 250, 253, 255, 257, 284, 303 Pomegranates, I, 107, 119 Possidonius, 1, 173, 174 Poverty, Maxims about, 1, 35 it Prayer, Constant, 11, 24ff Proverbs, Book of, 1, 135 Psalms, Book of, 1, 43, 46, 96, 100, 135, 228, 270, 288, 289, 349, 365; 1, 5, 278, 305, 306

Psalms, service of, 11, 24ff Ptolemy, the Egyptian, 1, 135, 176 Publicola, 1, 159 Pyramids of Gizah, 1, 380 Pythagoras, 1, 85 ABBA of Tabenna, 1, 283ff Raisins, 1, 107 Ramah, 1, 29, 247 Raven, 1, 185 Red Sea, 1, 128, 192 Reeds, 11, 4 Reith, 11, 61 Resurrection, 1, 62, 73, 150; Festival of, 1, 118 Rumnin, 1, 191 Ritheaén, 1, 139 River, the Wolf, 1, 50 Romans, I, 82, 351 Rome, I, 75, 90, 123, 156, 158, 159, 190, 191, 197, 224; II, 57, 119, Rufinus, 1, 106, 157; martyrdom of, I, 106 eee I, 187 Sabinus, 1, 233 Salt, 1, 12 Sara (Sarah), EmmdA, or Mother, II, 46, 61, 63, 99, 127, 173, 257 Sarmata, 11, 5, 140 Satan, I, 31, 34, 35, 46, 55, 96, 124, 131, 179, 208, 210, 211, 214, 220, 227, 234, 237, 247, 261, 262, 274, 310, 356, 373; U1, 18, 48, 54, 82, 85, 94, 107, 176, 239, 240, 281, 297, 299, 301, 321, 335 Satan and Macarius, 1, 161 Satan as a dog, 1, 25; as Gabriel, II, 162; as Christ, 01, 163 Sayings of the Fathers, 10,600, I, 106 Scete, 1, 114, 118) 120, 129, 134, 135, 156, 176, 209, 216, 217, 234, 240, 260, 267, 268, 2703 Il, 53 6, 7, 8, 16, 18, 19, 33, 35, 36, 37) 41, 45, 46, 49, 53, 55, 62, 63, 64, 71, 92, 99, 102, 106, 107, 115, 116, 121, 122, 124, 128, 130, 132, 141, 143, 145, 152, 157, 158, 159, 166, 176, 177, 182, 185, 186, 187, 191,