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Life of Anthony (Version 2)-Athanasius of Alexandria · Blessed Edmund Campion

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  Speaker 1: Part one of the Life of Saint Anthony by Saint Asanasius.
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  Speaker 1: This is the LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in
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  Speaker 1: the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please
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  Speaker 1: visit LibriVox dot org. Recording by Afaltheos. The Life of
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  Speaker 1: Saint Anthony by Saint Athanasius, translated by Reverend H. Ellershaw,
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  Speaker 1: Part one, The Life and Conversation of our Holy Father Anthony,
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  Speaker 1: Written and sent to the Monks in Foreign Parts by
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  Speaker 1: our Father among the Saints, Asenasius, Bishop of Alexandria, Asenasius,
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  Speaker 1: the Bishop, to the brethren in foreign Parts. You have
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  Speaker 1: entered upon a noble rivalry, was the monks of Egypt.
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  Speaker 1: By your determination easier to equal or surpass them in
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  Speaker 1: your training in the way of virtue. For by this
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  Speaker 1: time there are monasteries among you, and the name of
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  Speaker 1: monk receives public recognition with reason. Therefore all men will
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  Speaker 1: prove this determination, and in answer to your prayers, God
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  Speaker 1: will give its fulfillment. Now, since you ask me to
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  Speaker 1: give you an account of the Blessed Anthony's way of life,
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  Speaker 1: and are wishful to learn how he began the discipline
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  Speaker 1: who and what manner of man he was previous to this,
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  Speaker 1: how he closed his life, and whether the things told
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  Speaker 1: of him are true, that you also may bring yourself
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  Speaker 1: to imitate him. I very readily accepted your behest for
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  Speaker 1: to me also the bearer collection of Anthony is a
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  Speaker 1: great accession of help. And I know that you, when
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  Speaker 1: you have heard, apart from your admiration of the man,
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  Speaker 1: will be wishful to emulate his determination, seeing that for
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  Speaker 1: monks the life of Anthony is a sufficient pattern of discipline. Wherefore,
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  Speaker 1: do not refuse credence to what you have heard from
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  Speaker 1: those who brought tidings of him, but think rather that
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  Speaker 1: they have told you only a few things, for at
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  Speaker 1: all events, they scarcely can have given circumstances of so
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  Speaker 1: great import in any detail. And because I, at your request,
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  Speaker 1: have called to mind a few circumstances about him, and
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  Speaker 1: shall send as much as I can tell an letter,
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  Speaker 1: do not neglect to question those who sail from here,
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  Speaker 1: for possibly, when all have told the tale, that the
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  Speaker 1: count will hardly be in proportion to his merits. On
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  Speaker 1: account of this, I was desirous when I received your
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  Speaker 1: letter to send for certain of the monks those especially
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  Speaker 1: who were wont to be more frequently with him, that
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  Speaker 1: if I could learn any fresh details, I might send
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  Speaker 1: them to you. But since the season for sailing was
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  Speaker 1: coming to an end, and the letter carry I urgent,
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  Speaker 1: I hastened to write your pity what I myself know,
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  Speaker 1: having seen him many times, and what I was able
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  Speaker 1: to learn from him, For I was his attendant for
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  Speaker 1: a long time, and poured water on his hands in
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  Speaker 1: all points, being mindful of the tooth that no one
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  Speaker 1: should disbelieve through hearing too much, nor on the other hand,
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  Speaker 1: by hearing too little, should despise the man. One Anthony,
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  Speaker 1: you must know, was by dissent an Egyptian, his pair
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  Speaker 1: and sway of good family, and possessed considerable wealth. And
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  Speaker 1: as they were Christians, he also was wearied in the
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  Speaker 1: same faith. In infancy, he was brought up with his parents,
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  Speaker 1: knowing nought else but them in his home. But when
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  Speaker 1: he was grown and arrived at boyhood and was advancing
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  Speaker 1: in years, he could not endure to learn letters, not
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  Speaker 1: caring to associate with other boys. But all his desire was,
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  Speaker 1: as it is written of Jacob, to live a plain
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  Speaker 1: man at home was his parents. He used to attend
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  Speaker 1: the Lord's house, and neither as a child was he idle,
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  Speaker 1: nor when older did he despise them, but was both
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  Speaker 1: obedient to his father and mother and attentive to what
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  Speaker 1: was read, keeping in his heart what was profitable in
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  Speaker 1: what he heard. And though as a child brought up
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  Speaker 1: in moderate affluence, he did not trouble his parents for
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  Speaker 1: varied or luxurious fare, nor was this a source of
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  Speaker 1: pleasure to him, but contemned. Simply was what he found,
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  Speaker 1: nor sought anything further. Who after the death of his
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  Speaker 1: father and mother, he was left alone with one little sister.
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  Speaker 1: His age was about eighteen or twenty, and on him
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  Speaker 1: the carribos of home and sister rested. Now it was
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  Speaker 1: not six months after the death of his parents, and
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  Speaker 1: going accorded to custom, into the lord's house, he communed
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  Speaker 1: with himself and reflected as he walked, how the apostles
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  Speaker 1: left all and followed the Savior, and how they, in
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  Speaker 1: the acts, sold their possessions and brought and laid them
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  Speaker 1: at the Apostle's feet for distribution to the needy, and
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  Speaker 1: what and how great hope was laid up for them
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  Speaker 1: in heaven. Pondering over these things, he entered the church,
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  Speaker 1: and it happened the Gospel was being read, and he
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  Speaker 1: heard the Lord saying to the rich man, if thou
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  Speaker 1: wouldst be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and
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  Speaker 1: give to the poor, and come follow me, and thou
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  Speaker 1: shalt have treasure in heaven. Anthony, as though God had
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  Speaker 1: put him in mind of the saints, and the passage
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  Speaker 1: had been read on him his account, went out immediately
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  Speaker 1: from the church and gave the possessions of his forefathers
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  Speaker 1: to the villagers. They were three hundred acres, productive and
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  Speaker 1: very fair, that they shouldn't be no more a clog
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  Speaker 1: upon himself and his sister. And all the rest that
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  Speaker 1: was movable he sold, and having got together much money,
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  Speaker 1: he gave it to the poor, reserving a little, however,
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  Speaker 1: for his sister's sake. Three and again, as he went
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  Speaker 1: into the church, hearing the Lord say in the gospel,
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  Speaker 1: be not anxious for the morrow, he could stay no longer,
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  Speaker 1: but went out and gave those things also to the poor.
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  Speaker 1: Having committed his sister to known and faithful versions and
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  Speaker 1: put her into a convent to be brought up, he
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  Speaker 1: henceforth devoted himself outside his house to discipline. Taking heed
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  Speaker 1: to himself and training himself was patience. For there were
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  Speaker 1: not yet so many monasteries in Egypt, and no monk
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  Speaker 1: at all knew of the distant desert. But all who
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  Speaker 1: wished to give heed to themselves practiced a discipline in
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  Speaker 1: solitude near their own village. Now there was then in
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  Speaker 1: the next village an old man who had lived the
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  Speaker 1: life of a hermit from his use up Anthony. After
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  Speaker 1: he had seen this man, imitated him in piety, and
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  Speaker 1: at first he began to abide in places outside the village. Then,
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  Speaker 1: if he heard of a good man anywhere, like the
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  Speaker 1: pudent bee, he went forth and sought him, nor turned
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  Speaker 1: back to his own palace until he had seen him,
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  Speaker 1: And he returned, having got from the good man, as
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  Speaker 1: it were, supplies for his journey in the way of virtue.
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  Speaker 1: So dwelling there at first he confirmed his purpose, not
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  Speaker 1: to return to the abode of his father's nor to
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  Speaker 1: the remembrance of his king's fall, but to keep all
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  Speaker 1: his desire and energy for perfecting his discipline. He worked, however,
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  Speaker 1: with his hands, having heard he who is idle, let
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  Speaker 1: him not eat, and part he spent on bread and
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  Speaker 1: part he gave to the needy, and he was in
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  Speaker 1: constant prayer, knowing that a man ought to pray in
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  Speaker 1: secret unceasingly. For he had given such heed to what
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  Speaker 1: was read, that none of the things that were written
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  Speaker 1: fell from him to the ground. But he remembered all,
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  Speaker 1: and afterwards his memory served him for books four. Thus
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  Speaker 1: conducting himself, Anthony was beloved by all. He subjected himself
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  Speaker 1: in sincerity to the good men, whom he visited and
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  Speaker 1: learned thoroughly, where each surpassed him in zeal and discipline.
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  Speaker 1: He observed the graciousness of one, the unceasing prayer of another.
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  Speaker 1: He took knowledge of another's freedom from anger, and another's
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  Speaker 1: loving kindness. He gave heed to one as he watched
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  Speaker 1: to another. As he studied one, he admired for his endurance,
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  Speaker 1: another for his fasting and sleeping on the ground. The
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  Speaker 1: meekness of one and the long suffering of another. He
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  Speaker 1: watched was care while he took note of the pity
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  Speaker 1: towards Christ and the mutual love which animated all. Thus filled,
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  Speaker 1: he returned to his own place of discipline, and henceforth
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  Speaker 1: would strive to unite the qualities of each and was
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  Speaker 1: eager to show in himself the virtues of all. With
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  Speaker 1: others of the same age, she had no rivalry save this,
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  Speaker 1: only that he should not be second to them in
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  Speaker 1: higher things. And this he did so as to hurt
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  Speaker 1: the feelings of nobody, but made them rejoice over him.
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  Speaker 1: So all day of that village. And the good man
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  Speaker 1: in whose intimacy he was, when they saw that he
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  Speaker 1: was a man of this sort, used to call him
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  Speaker 1: God beloved, and some welcomed him as a son, others
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  Speaker 1: at the brother five. But the devil, who hates and
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  Speaker 1: envies what is good, could not endure to see such
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  Speaker 1: a resolution in a youth, but endeavored to carry out
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  Speaker 1: against him what he had been wont to effect against others.
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  Speaker 1: First of all, he tried to lead him away from
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  Speaker 1: the discipline, whispering to him the remembrance of his wealth,
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  Speaker 1: care for his sister, claims of kindred, love of money,
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  Speaker 1: love of glory, the various pleasures of the table, and
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  Speaker 1: the other relaxations of life, and at last the difficulty
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  Speaker 1: of virtue and the labor of it. He suggested also
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  Speaker 1: the infirmity of the body and the lens of the time.
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  Speaker 1: In a word, he raised in his mind a great
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  Speaker 1: dust of debate, wishing to debar him from his settled purpose.
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  Speaker 1: But when the enemy saw himself to be weak for
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  Speaker 1: Anthony's determination, and that he rather was conquered by the
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  Speaker 1: other's firmness, overthrown by this great face, and falling through
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  Speaker 1: his constant prayers, then at length putting his trust in
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  Speaker 1: the weapons which are in the navel of his belly,
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  Speaker 1: and boasting in them, for they are his first snare
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  Speaker 1: for the young He attacked the young man, disturbing him
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  Speaker 1: by night and harassing him by day, so that even
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  Speaker 1: the onlookers saw the struggle which was going on between them.
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  Speaker 1: The one would suggest foul thoughts, and the other count
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  Speaker 1: to them was prayers. The one fire him was lush,
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  Speaker 1: the other as one who seemed to blush, fortify his
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  Speaker 1: body with face, prayers and fasting, and the devil unhappy
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  Speaker 1: wit one knight even took upon him the shape of
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  Speaker 1: Omen and imitated all her acts, simply to beguile Anthony.
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  Speaker 1: But he, his mind filled with Christ and the nobility
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  Speaker 1: inspired by Him, and considering the spirituality of the soul,
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  Speaker 1: quenched the coal of the other's deceit. Again the enemy
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  Speaker 1: suggested the ease of pleasure, But he, like a man
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  Speaker 1: filled with rage and grief, turned his thoughts to the
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  Speaker 1: threatened fire and the gnawing warm, and setting these in
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  Speaker 1: array against his adversary, passed through the temptation unscathed. All
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  Speaker 1: this was a source of shame to his foe, for he,
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  Speaker 1: deeming himself like God, was now marked by young men,
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  Speaker 1: And he who boasted himself against flesh and blood, was
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  Speaker 1: being put to flight by a man in the flesh.
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  Speaker 1: For the lord was working was Anthony, the Lord who,
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  Speaker 1: for our sake took flesh and give the body victory
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  Speaker 1: over the devil, so that all who truly find can say,
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  Speaker 1: not I but the grace of God which was with me.
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  Speaker 1: Six At last, when the dragon could not even thus
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  Speaker 1: overthrow Anthony, but saw himself thus start of his heart,
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  Speaker 1: gnashing his teeth, as it is with him, and as
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  Speaker 1: it were beside him. He appeared to Antony like a
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  Speaker 1: black boy, taking invisible shape in accordance was the color
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  Speaker 1: of his mind, and cringing to him as it were.
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  Speaker 1: He plied him with thoughts, no longer forguileful as he was,
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  Speaker 1: he had been worsted, But at last spoke in humored voice,
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  Speaker 1: and said many I deceived, many I cast down. But
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  Speaker 1: now attacking THEE and thy labors, as I had many others,
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  Speaker 1: I proved weak. When Anthony asked, who art thou who
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  Speaker 1: speakest us with me? He answered with a lamentable voice,
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  Speaker 1: I am the friend of Ornam, and have taken upon
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  Speaker 1: me incitements which lead to it against th young I
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  Speaker 1: am called the spirit of lust. How many have I
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  Speaker 1: deceived who wished to live soberly? How many are the
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  Speaker 1: chaste whom, by my incitements I have over persuaded. I
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  Speaker 1: am he who, on account of whom also the prophet
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  Speaker 1: who proves those who have fallen, saying, ye have been
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  Speaker 1: caused to err by the spirit of whoredom, For by
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  Speaker 1: me they have been tripped up. I am he who
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  Speaker 1: have so often troubled thee, and have so often been
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  Speaker 1: overthrown by THEE. But Anthony, having given thanks to the
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  Speaker 1: Lord whose good courage, said to him, thou art very despicable, then,
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  Speaker 1: for thou art black hearted and weak as a child.
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  Speaker 1: Henceforth I shall have no trouble from THEE. For the
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  Speaker 1: Lord is my helper, and I shall look down on
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  Speaker 1: mine enemies. Having heard this, the black ones straightway fled,
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  Speaker 1: shuddering at the words and dreading any longer even come
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  Speaker 1: near the man. Seven. This was Anthony's first struggle against
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  Speaker 1: the devil. Or rather, this victory was the Saviour's work
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  Speaker 1: in Anthony, who condemned sin in the flesh, that the
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  Speaker 1: ordinance of the law might be fulfilled in us, who
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  Speaker 1: walk not after the flesh but after the spirit. But
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  Speaker 1: neither did Anthony, although the evil one had fallen, henceforth,
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  Speaker 1: to relax his care and despise him. Nor did the enemy,
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  Speaker 1: as though conquered, teased to lay snares for him. For
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  Speaker 1: again he went round as a lion, seeking some occasion
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  Speaker 1: against him. But Anthony, having learned from the scriptures that
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  Speaker 1: the devices of the devil are many, dealously continued the discipline,
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  Speaker 1: reckoning that though the devil had not been able to
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  Speaker 1: deceive his heart by bodily pleasure, he would endeavor to
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  Speaker 1: ensnare him by other means, For the demon love sin. Wherefore,
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  Speaker 1: more and more he repressed the body and kept it
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  Speaker 1: in subjection. Lest haply having conquered on one side, he
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  Speaker 1: should be dragged down on the other. He therefore planned
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  Speaker 1: to accustom himself to a severer mode of life, and
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  Speaker 1: many marveled, But he himself used to bear the labor easily,
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  Speaker 1: for the eagerness of soul. Through the lens of time
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  Speaker 1: it had aboden him, had wrought a good habit in him,
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  Speaker 1: so that, taking but little initiation from others, he showed
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  Speaker 1: great zeal in this matter. He kept visual to such
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  Speaker 1: an extent that he often continued the whole night was
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  Speaker 1: out sleep, and this not once, but often to the
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  Speaker 1: marvel of other He ate once a day after sunset,
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  Speaker 1: sometimes once in two days, and often even in four.
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  Speaker 1: His food was bread and salt. His drink water only
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  Speaker 1: of flesh, and wine is superfluous even to speak, since
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  Speaker 1: no such thing was found with the other earnest men.
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  Speaker 1: A rush mat served him to sleep upon, and for
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  Speaker 1: the most part he lay upon the bare ground. He
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  Speaker 1: would not anoint himself with oil, saying it behooved young
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  Speaker 1: men to be earnest in training, and not to seek
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  Speaker 1: what would enervate the body. But they must accustom it
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  Speaker 1: to labor, mindful of the apostles words. When I am weak,
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  Speaker 1: then I am strong, For he said, the fiber of
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  Speaker 1: the soul is then sound, when the pleasures of the
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  Speaker 1: body are diminished. And he had come to this truly
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  Speaker 1: wonderful conclusion, that progress in virtue and retirement from the
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  Speaker 1: world for the sake of it, ought not to be
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  Speaker 1: measured by time, but by desire and fixity of purpose.
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  Speaker 1: He at least gave no thought to the past, but
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  Speaker 1: day by day, as if he were at the beginning
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  Speaker 1: of his discipline, applied greater prayers for advancement, often repeating
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  Speaker 1: to himself the saying of Paul, forgetting the things which
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  Speaker 1: are behind, and stretching forward to the things which are before.
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  Speaker 1: He was also mindful of the words spoken by the
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  Speaker 1: prophet Elias, the Lord lives before whose presence I stand
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  Speaker 1: to day, For he observed that in saying to day,
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  Speaker 1: the prophet did not compute the time that had gone by,
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  Speaker 1: but daily, as though ever commencing. He eagerly endeavored to
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  Speaker 1: make himself fit to appear before God, being pure in
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  Speaker 1: heart and ever ready to submit to his counsel and
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  Speaker 1: to him alone. And he used to say to himself
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  Speaker 1: that from the life of the Great Alias, the hermit
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  Speaker 1: ought to see his own as in a mirror, and
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  Speaker 1: of Part one part two of the Life of Saint
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  Speaker 1: Anthony by Saint as Nasius. This is the LibriVox recording.
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  Speaker 1: All Libervox recordings are in the public domain. For more
• 16:27
  Speaker 1: information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox dot org. Eight.
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  Speaker 1: Thus tightening his hold upon himself, Anthony departed to the tombs,
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  Speaker 1: which happened to be at a distance from the village,
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  Speaker 1: and having bid one of his acquaintances to bring him
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  Speaker 1: bread at intervals of many days, he entered one of
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  Speaker 1: the tombs, and the other having shut the door on him,
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  Speaker 1: he remained within alone, and when the enemy could not
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  Speaker 1: endure it, but was even fearful that in a short
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  Speaker 1: time Anthony would fill the desert was a discipline coming
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  Speaker 1: one night was a multitude of demons. He so caught
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  Speaker 1: him with stripes that he lay on the ground, speechless
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  Speaker 1: from the excess of pain. For he affirmed that the
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  Speaker 1: torture had been so excessive that no blows inflicted by
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  Speaker 1: men could ever have caused him such tournament, but by
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  Speaker 1: the providence of God, for the Lord never overlooks them,
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  Speaker 1: that opened him. The next day his acquaintance came, bringing
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  Speaker 1: him the loaves, and having opened the door, and seeing
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  Speaker 1: him lying on the ground, as though dead. He lifted
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  Speaker 1: him up and carried him to the church in the village,
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  Speaker 1: and laid him upon the ground, and many of his
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  Speaker 1: kings folk and the villagers sat around Anthony as round
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  Speaker 1: the corpse. But about midnight he came to himself and arose,
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  Speaker 1: And when he saw them all asleep, and his comrade
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  Speaker 1: alone watching, he motioned with his head for him to approach,
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  Speaker 1: and asked him to carry him again to the tombs.
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  Speaker 1: Was out waking anybody. Nine He was carried therefore by
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  Speaker 1: the man, and as he was wont when the door
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  Speaker 1: was shut, he was within alone, and he could not
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  Speaker 1: stand up on account of the blows. But he prayed
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  Speaker 1: as he lay, And after he had prayed, he said,
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  Speaker 1: was a shout here am I Anthony. I flee not
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  Speaker 1: from your stripes, for even if you inflict more, nothing
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  Speaker 1: shall separate to those from the love of Christ. And
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  Speaker 1: then he sang, though a camp be set against me,
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  Speaker 1: my heart shall not be afraid. These were the thoughts
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  Speaker 1: and words of this esthetic. But the enemy, who hates good,
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  Speaker 1: marveling that after the blows he dared to return, called
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  Speaker 1: together his hounds and burst force. Ye see, said he
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  Speaker 1: that neither by the spirit of lust. Nor by blows
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  Speaker 1: did we stay the man, but that he braves us,
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  Speaker 1: let us attack him in another fashion. But changes of
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  Speaker 1: form for evil are easy for the devil. So in
• 18:55
  Speaker 1: the night they made such a din that the whole
• 18:58
  Speaker 1: of that place seemed to be shaken by an earth,
• 19:00
  Speaker 1: and the demons, as if breaking the four walls of
• 19:03
  Speaker 1: the dwelling, seemed to enter through them, coming in the
• 19:07
  Speaker 1: likeness of beasts and creeping things, and the place was
• 19:10
  Speaker 1: on a sudden filled with the forms of lions, bears, leopards, bulls, serpents, asps, scorpions,
• 19:16
  Speaker 1: and wolves, and each of them was moving according to
• 19:19
  Speaker 1: his nature. The lion was roaring, wishing to attack, the bull,
• 19:23
  Speaker 1: seeming to toss with its horns, the serpent withing but
• 19:27
  Speaker 1: unable to approach, and the wolf, as it rushed on,
• 19:30
  Speaker 1: was restrained altogether. The noises of the apparitions, with their
• 19:34
  Speaker 1: angry ragings, more dreadful, but Anthony, stricken and goaded by them,
• 19:39
  Speaker 1: felt bodily pain severe. Still he lay watching, however, was unshaken,
• 19:45
  Speaker 1: soul groaning from bodily anguish but his mind was clear,
• 19:49
  Speaker 1: and as in mockery, he said, if there had been
• 19:52
  Speaker 1: any power in you, it would have sufficed had one
• 19:54
  Speaker 1: of you come. But since the Lord has made you weak,
• 19:58
  Speaker 1: you attempt to terrify me by numbers. And a proof
• 20:01
  Speaker 1: of your weakness is that you take the shapes of
• 20:03
  Speaker 1: brute beasts. And again with boldness, he said, if you
• 20:07
  Speaker 1: are able and have received power against me, delay not
• 20:10
  Speaker 1: to attack. But if you are unable, why trouble me
• 20:13
  Speaker 1: in vain? For faith in our Lord is a seal
• 20:16
  Speaker 1: and a wall of safety to us. So after many attempts,
• 20:20
  Speaker 1: they gnashed their teeth upon him, because they were mocking
• 20:23
  Speaker 1: themselves rather than him. Ten Nor was the Lord then
• 20:30
  Speaker 1: forgetful of Anthony's wrestling, but was at hand to help him.
• 20:34
  Speaker 1: So looking up, he saw the roof as it were opened,
• 20:37
  Speaker 1: and a ray of light descending to him. The demon
• 20:40
  Speaker 1: suddenly vanished, and the pain of his body straightway ceased,
• 20:44
  Speaker 1: and the building was again whole. But Anthony, feeling the
• 20:47
  Speaker 1: help and getting his breath again and being freed from pain,
• 20:51
  Speaker 1: besought the vision which had appeared to him, saying, where
• 20:55
  Speaker 1: wert thou? Why didst thou not appear at the beginning?
• 20:59
  Speaker 1: To make my pains to seize? And a voice came
• 21:02
  Speaker 1: to him, Anthony, I was here, but I waited to
• 21:06
  Speaker 1: see thy fight. Wherefore, since thou hast endured and hast
• 21:11
  Speaker 1: not been worsted, I will ever be a so core
• 21:13
  Speaker 1: to thee, and will make thy name known everywhere. Having
• 21:17
  Speaker 1: heard this, Anthony arose and prayed, and received such strends
• 21:21
  Speaker 1: that he perceived that he had more power in his
• 21:24
  Speaker 1: body than formerly. And he was then about thirty five
• 21:28
  Speaker 1: years old eleven. And on the day following he went
• 21:34
  Speaker 1: forth still more eagerly, bent on the service of God.
• 21:38
  Speaker 1: And having fallen in with the old man he had
• 21:40
  Speaker 1: met previously, he asked him to dwell with him in
• 21:43
  Speaker 1: the desert. But when the other declined, on account of
• 21:46
  Speaker 1: his great age, and because as yet there was no
• 21:50
  Speaker 1: such custom, Anthony himself set off forces to the mountain.
• 21:54
  Speaker 1: And yet again the enemy, seeing his zeal and wishing
• 21:57
  Speaker 1: to hinder it, east in his way what seemed to
• 22:00
  Speaker 1: be a great silver dish. But Anthony, seeing the guile
• 22:04
  Speaker 1: of the evil one, stood and having looked on the dish,
• 22:07
  Speaker 1: he put the devil in it to shame, saying, whence
• 22:10
  Speaker 1: comes the dish in the desert, This road is not
• 22:13
  Speaker 1: well worn, nor is there here a trace of any wayfarer.
• 22:18
  Speaker 1: It could not have fallen without being missed on account
• 22:20
  Speaker 1: of its size, and he who had lost it, having
• 22:23
  Speaker 1: turned back to seek it, would have found it, for
• 22:26
  Speaker 1: it is a desert place. This is some while of
• 22:29
  Speaker 1: the devil, O thou evil one, not with this, shalt
• 22:33
  Speaker 1: thou hinder my purpose? Let it go with thee to destruction.
• 22:37
  Speaker 1: And when Anthony had said this, it vanished like smoke
• 22:40
  Speaker 1: from the face of fire. Twelve. Then again, as he
• 22:46
  Speaker 1: went on he saw what was, this time not visionary
• 22:50
  Speaker 1: but real gold scattered in the way. But whether the
• 22:53
  Speaker 1: devil showed it or some better power to try the
• 22:56
  Speaker 1: athlete and show the evil one that Anthony truly cared
• 23:00
  Speaker 1: not for money, neither he told, nor do we know.
• 23:04
  Speaker 1: But it is certain that that which appeared was gold.
• 23:08
  Speaker 1: And Anthony marveled at the quantity, but passed it by
• 23:11
  Speaker 1: as though he were going over fire, so he did
• 23:14
  Speaker 1: not even turn. Then hurried on at Arran to lose
• 23:18
  Speaker 1: sight of the place. More and more confirmed in his purpose,
• 23:21
  Speaker 1: he hurried to the mountain, and, having found the fort
• 23:24
  Speaker 1: so long deserted that it was full of creeping things.
• 23:27
  Speaker 1: On the other side of the river, he crossed over
• 23:30
  Speaker 1: to it and dwelt there. The reptiles, as though some
• 23:33
  Speaker 1: one were chasing them, immediately left the place, But he
• 23:37
  Speaker 1: built up the entrance completely, having stored up cloves for
• 23:40
  Speaker 1: six months. This is a custom of the Thebans, and
• 23:43
  Speaker 1: the loaves often remained fresh a whole year. And as
• 23:46
  Speaker 1: he found wall within, he descended as into a shrine,
• 23:50
  Speaker 1: and a boat was in by himself, never going force
• 23:53
  Speaker 1: nor looking at any one who came. Thus he employed
• 23:56
  Speaker 1: a long time training himself, and received loaves let down
• 24:00
  Speaker 1: from above twice in the year thirteen. But those of
• 24:07
  Speaker 1: his acquaintances who came, since he did not permit them
• 24:10
  Speaker 1: to enter, often used to spend days and nights outside
• 24:14
  Speaker 1: and heard, as it were crowds within clamoring, dining, sending
• 24:18
  Speaker 1: for his piteous voices, and crying, go from what is ours?
• 24:23
  Speaker 1: What dost thou, even in the desert, Thou canst not
• 24:26
  Speaker 1: abide our attack? So at first those outside thought there
• 24:31
  Speaker 1: were some men fighting with him, and that they had
• 24:33
  Speaker 1: entered by ladders. But when stooping down they saw through
• 24:37
  Speaker 1: a hole there was nobody. They were afraid, accounting them
• 24:41
  Speaker 1: to be demons, and they called on Anthony them. He
• 24:45
  Speaker 1: quickly heard, though he had not given a thought to
• 24:47
  Speaker 1: the demons, and coming to the door, he besought them
• 24:51
  Speaker 1: to depart, and not to be afraid. For thus he said,
• 24:55
  Speaker 1: the demons make their seeming onslaught against those who are cowardly.
• 25:00
  Speaker 1: Sign yourselves therefore was a cross, and departed boldly, And
• 25:03
  Speaker 1: let these make sport for themselves. So they departed, fortified
• 25:07
  Speaker 1: with a sign of the cross. But he remained in
• 25:10
  Speaker 1: no wise harm by the evil spirits, nor was he
• 25:13
  Speaker 1: wearied was the contest, For there came to his aid
• 25:15
  Speaker 1: visions from above, and the weakness of the foe relieved
• 25:19
  Speaker 1: him of much trouble and armed him. Was great zeal,
• 25:23
  Speaker 1: for his acquaintances used often to come, expecting to find
• 25:26
  Speaker 1: him dead, and would hear him singing. Let God arise,
• 25:30
  Speaker 1: and let his enemies be scattered. Let them also that
• 25:33
  Speaker 1: hate him, flee before his face as smoke vanishes. Let
• 25:37
  Speaker 1: them vanish as wax meltless before the face of fire.
• 25:41
  Speaker 1: So let the sinneries perish from the face of God.
• 25:44
  Speaker 1: And again all nations compassed me about, and in the
• 25:47
  Speaker 1: name of the Lord I requitted them fourteen and so
• 25:54
  Speaker 1: for nearly twenty years he continued training himself in solitude,
• 25:58
  Speaker 1: never going forth, but seldom seen by any After this,
• 26:03
  Speaker 1: when many were eager and wishful to imitate his discipline,
• 26:07
  Speaker 1: and his acquaintances came and began to cast down and
• 26:10
  Speaker 1: wrench off the door by force, Anthony, as from a shrine,
• 26:15
  Speaker 1: came forth, st initiated in the mysteries and filled with
• 26:18
  Speaker 1: the spirit of God. Then for the first time he
• 26:21
  Speaker 1: was seen outside the fort by those who came to
• 26:23
  Speaker 1: see him, And they, when they saw him, wondered at
• 26:26
  Speaker 1: the sight, for he had the same habit of body
• 26:29
  Speaker 1: as before, and was neither fat like a man whose
• 26:32
  Speaker 1: out exercise, nor lean from fasting and striving with the demons.
• 26:36
  Speaker 1: But he was just the same as they had known
• 26:39
  Speaker 1: him before his retirement. And again his soul was free
• 26:42
  Speaker 1: from blemish, for it was neither contracted as if by grief,
• 26:46
  Speaker 1: nor relaxed by pleasure, nor possessed by laughter or dejection.
• 26:51
  Speaker 1: For he was not troubled when he beheld the crowd,
• 26:54
  Speaker 1: nor overjoyed at being saluted by so many. But he
• 26:57
  Speaker 1: was altogether even as being guided by reason and abiding
• 27:01
  Speaker 1: in a natural state. Through him, the Lord healed the
• 27:03
  Speaker 1: bodily ailments of many present, and cleansed others from evil spirits,
• 27:09
  Speaker 1: and he gave grace to Antony in speaking, so that
• 27:12
  Speaker 1: he consoled many that were sorrowful, and set those at
• 27:15
  Speaker 1: variance at one, exhorting all to prefer the love of
• 27:18
  Speaker 1: Christ before all that is in the world. And while
• 27:21
  Speaker 1: he exhorted and advised them to remember the good things
• 27:24
  Speaker 1: to come, and the loving kindness of God toward us,
• 27:27
  Speaker 1: who spared not his own son, but delivered him up
• 27:30
  Speaker 1: for us, all he persuaded many to embrace the solitary life.
• 27:34
  Speaker 1: And thus it happened in the end that sells arose
• 27:37
  Speaker 1: even in the mountains, and the desert was colonized by
• 27:40
  Speaker 1: monks who came force from their own people and enrolled
• 27:44
  Speaker 1: themselves for the citizenship in the heavens. Fifteen. But when
• 27:52
  Speaker 1: he was obliged to cross the Arsenoitic Canal, and the
• 27:55
  Speaker 1: occasion of it was the visitation of the Brethren, the
• 27:58
  Speaker 1: canal was full of crocodiles, and by simply praying, he
• 28:02
  Speaker 1: entered it, and all they was him and passed over
• 28:05
  Speaker 1: in safety. And having returned to his seal, he applied
• 28:08
  Speaker 1: himself to the same noble and valiant exercises and by
• 28:12
  Speaker 1: frequent conversation he increased the eagerness of those already monks,
• 28:17
  Speaker 1: stirred up in most of the rest the love of
• 28:19
  Speaker 1: the discipline, and speedily, by the attraction of his words,
• 28:22
  Speaker 1: cells multiplied, and he directed them all as a father.
• 28:27
  Speaker 1: Sixteen one day, when he had gone forth, because all
• 28:31
  Speaker 1: the monks had assembled to him and asked to hear
• 28:34
  Speaker 1: words from him, he spoke to them in the Egyptian
• 28:37
  Speaker 1: tongue as follows. The scriptures are enough for instruction, but
• 28:41
  Speaker 1: it is a good thing to encourage one another in
• 28:43
  Speaker 1: the face, and to stir up with words. Wherefore, you,
• 28:47
  Speaker 1: as children, carry that which you know to your father,
• 28:51
  Speaker 1: and I, as the elder, share my knowledge and what
• 28:54
  Speaker 1: experience has taught me with you. Let this especially be
• 28:58
  Speaker 1: the common aim of all, neither to give way, having
• 29:00
  Speaker 1: once begun, nor to feint in trouble, nor to say
• 29:04
  Speaker 1: we have lived in the discipline a long time, but
• 29:06
  Speaker 1: to razar, as though making a beginning daily, let us
• 29:09
  Speaker 1: increase our earnestness. For the whole life of man is
• 29:12
  Speaker 1: very short, measured by the ages to come. Wherefore all
• 29:16
  Speaker 1: our time is nothing compared with eternal life. And in
• 29:19
  Speaker 1: the world everything is sold at its price, and a
• 29:23
  Speaker 1: man exchanges one equivalent for another. But the promise of
• 29:26
  Speaker 1: eternal life is bought for a trifle. For it is
• 29:29
  Speaker 1: written the days of our life in them are three
• 29:31
  Speaker 1: score years and ten. But if they are in strength,
• 29:34
  Speaker 1: four score years. And what is more than these is
• 29:37
  Speaker 1: labor and sorrow. Whenever therefore we live full four score years,
• 29:42
  Speaker 1: or even a hundred in the discipline. Not for a
• 29:45
  Speaker 1: hundred years only shall we reign, But instead of a
• 29:47
  Speaker 1: hundred we shall reign forever and ever. And though we
• 29:51
  Speaker 1: fought on earth, we shall not receive our inheritance on earth.
• 29:54
  Speaker 1: But we have the promises in heaven, and having put
• 29:57
  Speaker 1: off the body which is grew up, we shall receive
• 30:00
  Speaker 1: it incorrupt seventeen. Wherefore, children, let us not faint nor
• 30:06
  Speaker 1: deem that the time is long, or that we are
• 30:09
  Speaker 1: doing something great, For the sufferings of this present time
• 30:12
  Speaker 1: are not worthy to be compared was the glory which
• 30:15
  Speaker 1: shall be revealed to us word. Nor let us think,
• 30:17
  Speaker 1: as we look at the world, that we have renounced
• 30:20
  Speaker 1: anything of much consequence. For the whole earth is very
• 30:23
  Speaker 1: small compared with all the heaven. Wherefore, if it even
• 30:27
  Speaker 1: chance that we were lords of all the earths and
• 30:29
  Speaker 1: gave it all up, it would be not worthy of
• 30:32
  Speaker 1: comparison was the kingdom of heaven. For as if a
• 30:35
  Speaker 1: man should despise a copper dragma to gain a hundred
• 30:38
  Speaker 1: dragmas of gold. For if a man were lord of
• 30:41
  Speaker 1: all the earths and were to renounce it, that which
• 30:44
  Speaker 1: he gives up is little, and he receives a hundredfold.
• 30:47
  Speaker 1: But if not even the whole earth is equal in
• 30:49
  Speaker 1: value to the heavens, then he who has given up
• 30:52
  Speaker 1: a few acres leaves as it were nothing. And even
• 30:55
  Speaker 1: if he had given up a house or much gold,
• 30:57
  Speaker 1: he ought not to boast nor below spear. Further, we
• 31:01
  Speaker 1: should consider that, even if we do not relinquish them
• 31:04
  Speaker 1: for virtue sake, still afterwards, when we die, we shall
• 31:07
  Speaker 1: leave them behind. Very often, as a preacher says, to
• 31:11
  Speaker 1: those to whom we do not wish, why then should
• 31:14
  Speaker 1: we not give them up for virtue's sake, that we
• 31:17
  Speaker 1: may inherit even a kingdom. Therefore, let the desire of
• 31:21
  Speaker 1: possession take hold of no one. For what gain is
• 31:24
  Speaker 1: it to acquire these things which we cannot take with us?
• 31:27
  Speaker 1: Why not rather get those things which we can take
• 31:30
  Speaker 1: away with us to it, prudence, justice, temperance, courage, understanding, love,
• 31:38
  Speaker 1: kindness to the poor, faith in Christ, freedom from wrath, hospitality.
• 31:43
  Speaker 1: If we possess these, we shall find them of themselves,
• 31:46
  Speaker 1: preparing for us a welcome there in the land of
• 31:48
  Speaker 1: the meek hearted. Eighteen. And so from such things, let
• 31:54
  Speaker 1: a man persuade himself not to make light of it,
• 31:57
  Speaker 1: especially if he considers that he himself is servant of
• 32:00
  Speaker 1: the Lord and ought to serve his master. Wherefore, as
• 32:04
  Speaker 1: a servant would not dare to say, because I worked yesterday,
• 32:07
  Speaker 1: I will not work to day, and considering the past,
• 32:10
  Speaker 1: will do no work in the future. But as it
• 32:13
  Speaker 1: is written in the Gospel, daily shows the same readiness
• 32:17
  Speaker 1: to please his master and to avoid risk. So let
• 32:20
  Speaker 1: us daily a bite firm in our discipline, knowing that
• 32:23
  Speaker 1: if we are careless for a single day, the Lord
• 32:25
  Speaker 1: will not pardon us for the sake of the past,
• 32:28
  Speaker 1: but will be wrath against us for our neglect, as
• 32:32
  Speaker 1: also we have heard in Ezekiel and as Judas, because
• 32:35
  Speaker 1: of one night destroyed his previous labor nineteen. Wherefore, children,
• 32:42
  Speaker 1: let us hold fast our discipline, and let us not
• 32:45
  Speaker 1: be careless, for in it the Lord is our fellow worker.
• 32:48
  Speaker 1: As it is written to all that choose the good,
• 32:51
  Speaker 1: God work is with them for good and to avoid
• 32:54
  Speaker 1: being heedless, it is good to consider the word of
• 32:56
  Speaker 1: the Apostle. I die daily, for if we too live
• 33:00
  Speaker 1: as though dying daily, we shall not sin. And the
• 33:03
  Speaker 1: meaning of that saying is that as we rise day
• 33:06
  Speaker 1: by day, we should think that we shall not abide
• 33:08
  Speaker 1: till evening. And again, when about to lie down to sleep,
• 33:12
  Speaker 1: we should think that we shall not rise up. For
• 33:14
  Speaker 1: our life is naturally uncertain, and Providence allots it to
• 33:18
  Speaker 1: us daily. But thus ordering our daily life, we shall
• 33:21
  Speaker 1: neither fall into sin, nor have a lust for anything,
• 33:24
  Speaker 1: nor sharsh wrath against any nor shall we heap up
• 33:28
  Speaker 1: treasure upon earth. But as though under the daily exception
• 33:32
  Speaker 1: of death, we shall be without wealth, and shall forgive
• 33:35
  Speaker 1: all things to all men. Nor shall we retain at
• 33:38
  Speaker 1: all the desire of women, or of any other foul pleasure.
• 33:42
  Speaker 1: But we shall turn from it as past and gone,
• 33:45
  Speaker 1: ever striving and looking forward to the day of judgment.
• 33:48
  Speaker 1: For the greater dread and danger of tornment ever destroys
• 33:51
  Speaker 1: the ease of pleasure and sets up the soul, if
• 33:55
  Speaker 1: it is like to fall twenty. Wherefore, having already begun
• 34:01
  Speaker 1: and set out in the way of virtue, let us
• 34:03
  Speaker 1: strive the more that we may attain those things that
• 34:06
  Speaker 1: are before, And let no one turn to the things behind,
• 34:10
  Speaker 1: like Lot's wife. All the more so that the Lord
• 34:13
  Speaker 1: has said, no man, having put his hand to the
• 34:16
  Speaker 1: plow and turning back, is fit for the Kingdom of Heaven.
• 34:21
  Speaker 1: And this turning back is nought else but to feel
• 34:24
  Speaker 1: regret and to be once more worldly minded. But fear
• 34:28
  Speaker 1: not to hear of virtue, nor be astonished at the name.
• 34:32
  Speaker 1: For it is not far from us, nor is it
• 34:35
  Speaker 1: without ourselves. But it is within us, and is easy
• 34:39
  Speaker 1: if only we are willing, that they may get knowledge.
• 34:42
  Speaker 1: The Greeks live abroad and cross the sea, But we
• 34:45
  Speaker 1: have no need to depart from home for the sake
• 34:47
  Speaker 1: of the Kingdom of Heaven, nor to cross the sea
• 34:50
  Speaker 1: for the sake of virtue. For the Lord aforetime has said,
• 34:55
  Speaker 1: the Kingdom of Heaven is within you. Wherefore virtue has
• 34:59
  Speaker 1: need at our hands of willingness alone, since it is
• 35:03
  Speaker 1: in us and is formed from us. For when the
• 35:06
  Speaker 1: soul has its spiritual faculty, in the natural state, virtue
• 35:10
  Speaker 1: is formed, and it is in a natural state when
• 35:13
  Speaker 1: it remains as it came into existence. And when it
• 35:16
  Speaker 1: came into existence, it was fair and exceeding honest. For
• 35:20
  Speaker 1: this cause, Joshua, the son of None, in his exploration
• 35:23
  Speaker 1: said to the people, make streate your heart unto the Lord,
• 35:27
  Speaker 1: God of Israel, and John, make your path straight. For
• 35:31
  Speaker 1: rectitude of soul consists in its having its spiritual part
• 35:35
  Speaker 1: in its natural state as created. But on the other hand,
• 35:38
  Speaker 1: when it serves and turns away from its natural state,
• 35:41
  Speaker 1: that is called vice of the soul. Thus the matter
• 35:44
  Speaker 1: is not difficult. If we abide as we have been made,
• 35:48
  Speaker 1: we are in a state of virtue. But if we
• 35:50
  Speaker 1: think of ignoble things, we shall be accounted evil. If
• 35:54
  Speaker 1: therefore this thing had to be acquitted from without, it
• 35:57
  Speaker 1: will be difficult in reality. If it is in us,
• 36:01
  Speaker 1: let us keep ourselves from foul thoughts. And as we
• 36:04
  Speaker 1: have received the soul as a deposit, let us preserve
• 36:07
  Speaker 1: it for the Lord, that he may recognize his work
• 36:10
  Speaker 1: as being the same as he made it. End of
• 36:14
  Speaker 1: Part two, Part three of the Life of Saint Anthony
• 36:24
  Speaker 1: by Saint Athanasius. This is a LibriVox recording. All libervox
• 36:29
  Speaker 1: recordings are in the public domain. For more information or
• 36:32
  Speaker 1: to volunteer, please visit libervox dot org twenty one. And
• 36:39
  Speaker 1: let us strive. The trass rule us not, nor must
• 36:43
  Speaker 1: overcome us. For it is written the wras of men
• 36:46
  Speaker 1: work is not the righteousness of God, and lust when
• 36:50
  Speaker 1: it has conceived bears sin, and the sin, when it
• 36:54
  Speaker 1: is full grown, brings forth deaths. Thus living, let us
• 36:58
  Speaker 1: keep God carefully, and as it is written, keep our
• 37:02
  Speaker 1: hearts was all watchfulness. For we have terrible and crafty foes,
• 37:07
  Speaker 1: the evil spirits, and against them we wrestle, as the
• 37:10
  Speaker 1: Apostle said, not against flesh and blood, but against the principalities,
• 37:15
  Speaker 1: and against the powers, against the world rulers of this darkness,
• 37:19
  Speaker 1: against the spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.
• 37:23
  Speaker 1: Great is their number in the air around us, and
• 37:26
  Speaker 1: they are not far from us. Now. There are great
• 37:28
  Speaker 1: distinctions among them, and concerning their nature and distinctions, much
• 37:33
  Speaker 1: could be said. But such a description is for others
• 37:36
  Speaker 1: of greater powers than we possess. But at this time
• 37:39
  Speaker 1: it is pressing necessary for us only to know their
• 37:42
  Speaker 1: wiles against ourselves twenty two. First, therefore we must know
• 37:50
  Speaker 1: this that the demons have not been created like what
• 37:53
  Speaker 1: we mean when we call them by that name. For
• 37:56
  Speaker 1: God made nothing evil, but even they have been made good,
• 38:00
  Speaker 1: having fallen, however, from the heavenly wisdom. Since then they
• 38:05
  Speaker 1: have been groveling on earth. On the one hand, they
• 38:09
  Speaker 1: deceived the Greeks was their displays, while out of envy
• 38:13
  Speaker 1: of us Christian, they move all things in their desire
• 38:16
  Speaker 1: to hinder us from entry into the heavens, in order
• 38:19
  Speaker 1: that we should not ascend up tisser from whence they fell.
• 38:23
  Speaker 1: Thus there is need of much prayer and of discipline,
• 38:27
  Speaker 1: that when a man has received, through the spirit the
• 38:29
  Speaker 1: gift of discerning spirits, he may have power to recognize
• 38:33
  Speaker 1: their characteristics, which of them are less and which more evil?
• 38:38
  Speaker 1: Of what nature is a special pursuit of each, and
• 38:41
  Speaker 1: how each of them is overthrown and cast out for
• 38:44
  Speaker 1: their villains, and the changes in their plots are many.
• 38:47
  Speaker 1: The Blessed Apostle and his followers knew such things when
• 38:50
  Speaker 1: they said, for we are not ignorant of their devices,
• 38:54
  Speaker 1: and we, from the temptations we have suffered at their hands,
• 38:58
  Speaker 1: ought to correct one another under them. Wherefore, I, having
• 39:02
  Speaker 1: had proof of them, speak as to children twenty three.
• 39:08
  Speaker 1: The demons, therefore, if they see all Christians and monks,
• 39:12
  Speaker 1: especially laboring, cheerfully and advancing, first make an attack by temptation,
• 39:18
  Speaker 1: and place hindrances to hamper our way to wit evil thoughts.
• 39:23
  Speaker 1: But we need not fear their suggestions, for by prayer, fasting,
• 39:28
  Speaker 1: and faith in the Lord, their attack immediately fails. But
• 39:32
  Speaker 1: even when it does, they cease not but navishly by
• 39:35
  Speaker 1: subtly come on again. For when they cannot deceive the
• 39:38
  Speaker 1: heart openly with foul pleasures, they approach in different disguise,
• 39:43
  Speaker 1: and when forth shaping displays, they attempt to strike, fear
• 39:47
  Speaker 1: changing their shapes, taking the forms of women, wild beasts,
• 39:52
  Speaker 1: creeping things, gigantic bodies, and troops of soldiers. But not
• 39:57
  Speaker 1: even then need ye fear their deceitful display, for they
• 40:01
  Speaker 1: are nothing and quickly disappear, especially if a man fortify
• 40:04
  Speaker 1: himself beforehand with face and the sign of the cross.
• 40:09
  Speaker 1: Yet are they bold and very shameless, For if thus
• 40:12
  Speaker 1: they are worsted, they make an onslaught in another manner,
• 40:16
  Speaker 1: and pretend to prophesy and foretell the future. And to
• 40:20
  Speaker 1: shew themselves of a height reaching to the roof, and
• 40:23
  Speaker 1: of great breath, that they may stealthily catch by such
• 40:26
  Speaker 1: displays those who could not be deceived by their arguments.
• 40:30
  Speaker 1: If here also they find the souls transcend by faith
• 40:33
  Speaker 1: and a hopeful mind, then they bring their leader to
• 40:35
  Speaker 1: their aid twenty four. And he said they often appeared
• 40:42
  Speaker 1: as the Lord revealed the devil to job, saying, his
• 40:45
  Speaker 1: eyes are as the morning star. From his mouth proceed
• 40:49
  Speaker 1: burning lambs, an hearth of fire are east force. The
• 40:54
  Speaker 1: smoke of a furnace blazing with a fire of coals
• 40:57
  Speaker 1: proceeds from his nostrils. His breast is coals, and from
• 41:01
  Speaker 1: his mouse issues flames. When the Prince of the demons
• 41:05
  Speaker 1: appears in this wise, the crafty one, as I said before,
• 41:09
  Speaker 1: strikes stir by, speaking great things. As again the Lord
• 41:13
  Speaker 1: convicted him, saying to Jah, for he count as iron
• 41:17
  Speaker 1: as straw, and brass as rotten wood. Yea, he counteth
• 41:21
  Speaker 1: the sea as a pot of ointment, and the depths
• 41:24
  Speaker 1: of the abyss as a captive, and the abyss as
• 41:27
  Speaker 1: a covered walk. And by the prophet the enemy said,
• 41:31
  Speaker 1: I will pursue and overtake, And again by another, I
• 41:35
  Speaker 1: will grasp the whole world in my hand as a nest,
• 41:38
  Speaker 1: and take it up as eggs that have been left.
• 41:41
  Speaker 1: Such in a word, are their boasts and professions, that
• 41:44
  Speaker 1: they may deceive the godly. But not even then ought
• 41:47
  Speaker 1: we the faithful, to fear his appearance or give heat
• 41:50
  Speaker 1: to his words. For he is a liar, and speaks
• 41:53
  Speaker 1: of truth, never a word, and those speaking words so
• 41:56
  Speaker 1: many and so great in his boldness, without doubt. Like
• 42:00
  Speaker 1: a dragon, he was drawn was a hook by the Savior,
• 42:03
  Speaker 1: and as a beast of burden, he received the halter
• 42:06
  Speaker 1: round his nostrils, and as a runaway his nostrils were
• 42:09
  Speaker 1: bound was a ring, and his lips board was an armlet,
• 42:12
  Speaker 1: and he was bound by the Lord as a sparrow.
• 42:15
  Speaker 1: That we should mock him, and with him are placed
• 42:17
  Speaker 1: the demons, his flowered like serpents and scorpions, to be
• 42:21
  Speaker 1: trodden under foot by us Christians. And the proof of
• 42:24
  Speaker 1: this is that we now live opposed to him. For
• 42:28
  Speaker 1: he who threatened to dry the sea and seize upon
• 42:31
  Speaker 1: the world behold, now cannot stay our discipline, nor even
• 42:35
  Speaker 1: me speaking against him. Let us then, heed not his words,
• 42:40
  Speaker 1: for he is a liar, and let us not fear
• 42:42
  Speaker 1: his visions, seeing that they themselves are deceptive, for that
• 42:46
  Speaker 1: which appears in them is no true light. But they
• 42:49
  Speaker 1: are rather the prelude and likeness of the fire prepared
• 42:53
  Speaker 1: for the demons who attempted to terrify men with those
• 42:56
  Speaker 1: flames in which they themselves will be burnt. Doubtless, they appear,
• 43:00
  Speaker 1: but in a moment disappear again, hurting none of the faceball,
• 43:04
  Speaker 1: but bringing with them the likeness of that fire which
• 43:08
  Speaker 1: is about to receive themselves. Wherefore it is unfitting that
• 43:12
  Speaker 1: we should fear them on account of these things, for
• 43:15
  Speaker 1: through the grace of Christ, all their practices are in vain.
• 43:21
  Speaker 1: Twenty five. Again, they are treacherous and are ready to
• 43:26
  Speaker 1: change themselves into all forms, and assume all appearances, very
• 43:31
  Speaker 1: often also without appearing. They imitate the music of harp
• 43:36
  Speaker 1: and voice, and we call the words of scripture. Sometimes too,
• 43:41
  Speaker 1: while we are reading, they immediately repeat, many times like
• 43:44
  Speaker 1: an echo, what is read. They arouse us from our
• 43:48
  Speaker 1: sleep to prayers, and this constantly, hardly allowing us to
• 43:52
  Speaker 1: sleep at all. At another time, they assume the appearance
• 43:56
  Speaker 1: of monks and feign the speech of holy men. That
• 43:59
  Speaker 1: by their similarity they may deceive and thus drag their
• 44:02
  Speaker 1: victims where they will. But no heed must be paid them,
• 44:06
  Speaker 1: even if they arouse the prayer, even if they counsel
• 44:10
  Speaker 1: us not to eat at all, even though they seem
• 44:13
  Speaker 1: to accuse and cast shame upon us for those things
• 44:16
  Speaker 1: which once they allowed. For they do this not for
• 44:20
  Speaker 1: the sake of pity or truth, but that they may
• 44:23
  Speaker 1: carry off the simple to despair, and that they may
• 44:26
  Speaker 1: say the discipline is useless, and make men loath the
• 44:30
  Speaker 1: solitary life as a trouble and burden, and hinder those who,
• 44:33
  Speaker 1: in spite of them, walk in it twenty six. Wherefore
• 44:41
  Speaker 1: the prophet sent by the Lord declared them to be rench, saying,
• 44:45
  Speaker 1: woe is he who gives his neighbors to drink muddy destruction.
• 44:49
  Speaker 1: For such practices and devices are subversive of the way
• 44:53
  Speaker 1: which leads to virtue. And the Lord himself, even if
• 44:57
  Speaker 1: the demons spoke the truth, for they that truly thou
• 45:01
  Speaker 1: art the Son of God, still widdled their mouse and
• 45:04
  Speaker 1: suffered them not to speak. Lest haply they should sow
• 45:08
  Speaker 1: their evil along with the truth, and that he might
• 45:11
  Speaker 1: accustom us never to give heed to them. Even though
• 45:14
  Speaker 1: they appear to speak what is true. For it is
• 45:17
  Speaker 1: unseemly that we, having the holy scriptures and freedom from
• 45:21
  Speaker 1: the Savior, should be taught by the devil, who has
• 45:24
  Speaker 1: not kept his own order, but has gone from one
• 45:26
  Speaker 1: mind to another. Wherefore, even when he uses the language
• 45:30
  Speaker 1: of scripture, he forbids him saying, but to the sinner,
• 45:34
  Speaker 1: said God, wherefore dost thou declare my ordinances and takest
• 45:38
  Speaker 1: my covenant in thy mouse. For the demons do all
• 45:42
  Speaker 1: things they prayed, They confuse, they dissemble, They confound to
• 45:47
  Speaker 1: deceive the simple. They didn't laugh madly and hustle. But
• 45:51
  Speaker 1: if no heed is paid to them, forthwith they weep
• 45:53
  Speaker 1: and lament, as though vanquished. Twenty seven. The Lord, therefore,
• 46:00
  Speaker 1: as God, stayed the mouth of the demons. And it
• 46:04
  Speaker 1: is fitting that we taught by the saints should do
• 46:07
  Speaker 1: like them and imitate their courage. For they, when they
• 46:10
  Speaker 1: saw these things, used to say, when the sinner rose
• 46:13
  Speaker 1: against me, I was dumb and humble, and kept silence
• 46:17
  Speaker 1: from good words. And again, but I was as a
• 46:20
  Speaker 1: deaf man and heard not, and as a dumb man
• 46:23
  Speaker 1: who opens not his mouth. And I became as a
• 46:26
  Speaker 1: man who hears not. So let us need to hear
• 46:30
  Speaker 1: them as being strangers to us, nor give heed to them,
• 46:34
  Speaker 1: even though they aroused us to prayer and speak concerning fasting.
• 46:38
  Speaker 1: But let us rather apply ourselves to our resolve of discipline.
• 46:43
  Speaker 1: And let us not be deceived by them who do
• 46:45
  Speaker 1: all things in the sea, even though they threaten death,
• 46:49
  Speaker 1: for they are weak and can do nought but threaten.
• 46:54
  Speaker 1: Twenty eight. Already in passing I have spoken of these things.
• 47:00
  Speaker 1: Now I must not shrink from speaking on them at
• 47:02
  Speaker 1: greater lengths, for to put you in your remembrance, I
• 47:05
  Speaker 1: will be a source of safety. Since the Lord visited Earth,
• 47:09
  Speaker 1: the enemy has fallen and his powers weakened. Wherefore, although
• 47:14
  Speaker 1: he could do nothing, still like a tyrant, he did
• 47:17
  Speaker 1: not bear his fall quietly, but threaten, though his threats
• 47:21
  Speaker 1: were words only. And let each one of you consider this,
• 47:26
  Speaker 1: and he will be able to despise the demons. Now,
• 47:29
  Speaker 1: if they were hampered with such bodies as we are,
• 47:33
  Speaker 1: it would be possible for them to say, men, when
• 47:35
  Speaker 1: they are hidden, we cannot find. But whenever we do
• 47:39
  Speaker 1: find them, we do them hurt. And we, also, by
• 47:42
  Speaker 1: lying in concealment, could escape them. Shutting the doors against them.
• 47:47
  Speaker 1: But if they are not of such a nature as this,
• 47:50
  Speaker 1: but are able to enter in, though the doors be
• 47:53
  Speaker 1: shut and haunt all the air. Both they and their leader,
• 47:57
  Speaker 1: the Devil, and are wishful for evil and ready to injure.
• 48:02
  Speaker 1: And as the Savior said from the beginning, the devil
• 48:05
  Speaker 1: is a man's layer and the father of vice. While we,
• 48:09
  Speaker 1: though this is so, are alive and spend our lives
• 48:11
  Speaker 1: all the more in opposing him. It is plain they
• 48:14
  Speaker 1: are powerless, for place is no hindrance to their plots.
• 48:18
  Speaker 1: Nor do they look on us as friends that they
• 48:21
  Speaker 1: should spare us. Nor are they lovers of good that
• 48:24
  Speaker 1: they should amend. But on the contrary, they are evil,
• 48:28
  Speaker 1: and nothing is so much sought after by them as
• 48:31
  Speaker 1: wounding them that love virtue and fear God. But since
• 48:34
  Speaker 1: they have no power to affect anything, they do not
• 48:37
  Speaker 1: but threaten. But if they could, they would not hesitate,
• 48:40
  Speaker 1: but forceless work evil, For all their desire is set
• 48:43
  Speaker 1: on us, and especially against us. Behold, now we are
• 48:47
  Speaker 1: gathered together and speak against them, and they know when
• 48:51
  Speaker 1: we advance they grow weak. If therefore they had power,
• 48:55
  Speaker 1: they would permit none of us Christians to live, for
• 48:57
  Speaker 1: godliness is an abomination to a sinner. But since they
• 49:00
  Speaker 1: can do nothing, they inflict the greater wounds on themselves,
• 49:04
  Speaker 1: for they can fulfill none of their threats. Next, this
• 49:08
  Speaker 1: ought to be considered, that we may be in no
• 49:10
  Speaker 1: fear of them, that if they had the power, they
• 49:13
  Speaker 1: would not come in crowds, nor fashion displays, nor was
• 49:17
  Speaker 1: change of form, would they form deceits. But it would
• 49:21
  Speaker 1: suffice that what only should come and accomplish that which
• 49:24
  Speaker 1: he was both able and willing to do. Especially as
• 49:27
  Speaker 1: every one who has the power neither slays, was displays,
• 49:31
  Speaker 1: nor strikes fear with tumult but FORCEWSS makes full use
• 49:35
  Speaker 1: of his authority as he wishes. But the demons, as
• 49:39
  Speaker 1: they have no power, are like actors on the stage,
• 49:42
  Speaker 1: changing their shape and frightening children with tumultuous apparition and
• 49:46
  Speaker 1: various forms from which they ought, rather to be despised
• 49:50
  Speaker 1: as chewing their weakness. At least, the true angels of
• 49:53
  Speaker 1: the Lord sent against Assyrian had no need for tumults,
• 49:57
  Speaker 1: nor displays from without, nor noisest nor rattlings. But in
• 50:01
  Speaker 1: quite he used his power, and force was destroyed. One
• 50:05
  Speaker 1: hundred and eighty five thousand. But demons like these, who
• 50:08
  Speaker 1: have no power, try to terrify at least by their
• 50:12
  Speaker 1: displays twenty nine. But if any one, having in mind
• 50:19
  Speaker 1: the history of Jobs, should say, Waisan, has the devil
• 50:23
  Speaker 1: gone force and accomplished all things against him and stripped
• 50:27
  Speaker 1: him of all his possessions, and slew his children and
• 50:30
  Speaker 1: smote him with evil ulcers that such a one, on
• 50:34
  Speaker 1: the other hand, recognized that the devil was not the
• 50:37
  Speaker 1: strong man, but God, who delivered job to him to
• 50:40
  Speaker 1: be tried. Certainly, he had no power to do anything,
• 50:44
  Speaker 1: but he asked, and having received it, he has wrought
• 50:47
  Speaker 1: what he did. So also from this the enemy is
• 50:50
  Speaker 1: the more to be condemned, for although willing, he could
• 50:54
  Speaker 1: not prevail against one just man. For if he could have,
• 50:58
  Speaker 1: he would not have asked permission. But having asked not once,
• 51:02
  Speaker 1: but also a second time, he shows his weakness and
• 51:05
  Speaker 1: want of power. And it is no wonder if he
• 51:08
  Speaker 1: could do nothing against Job one, destruction would not have
• 51:12
  Speaker 1: come even on his cattle had not God allowed it.
• 51:16
  Speaker 1: And he has not the power over swine. For as
• 51:20
  Speaker 1: it is written in the Gospel, they besought the Lord, saying,
• 51:23
  Speaker 1: let us enter the swine. But if they had power
• 51:26
  Speaker 1: not even against swine, much less have they any over
• 51:30
  Speaker 1: men formed in the image of God. Thirty So then
• 51:35
  Speaker 1: we ought to fear God only and despise the demons,
• 51:38
  Speaker 1: and be in no fear of them. But the more
• 51:41
  Speaker 1: they do these things, the more let us intensify our
• 51:43
  Speaker 1: discipline against them, For a good life and face in
• 51:46
  Speaker 1: God is a great weapon. At any rate, they fear
• 51:50
  Speaker 1: the fasting, the sleeplessness, the prayers, the meekness, the quietness,
• 51:56
  Speaker 1: the contempt of money and vain glory, the humility, the
• 51:59
  Speaker 1: love of the poor, the alms, the freedom from anger
• 52:03
  Speaker 1: of the ascetics, and chief of all, their pity towards Christ.
• 52:08
  Speaker 1: Wherefore they do all things that they may not have
• 52:12
  Speaker 1: any that trample on them, knowing the grace given to
• 52:15
  Speaker 1: the faithful against them by the Savior when he says, behold,
• 52:20
  Speaker 1: I have given to you power to tread upon serpents
• 52:22
  Speaker 1: and scorpions, and upon all the powers of the enemy.
• 52:26
  Speaker 1: Thirty one. Wherefore, if they pretend to foretell the future,
• 52:30
  Speaker 1: let no one give heed. Or often they announce beforehand
• 52:34
  Speaker 1: that the brethren are common days after, and they do come.
• 52:37
  Speaker 1: The demons, however, do this not from any care for
• 52:40
  Speaker 1: the hearers, but to gain their trust, and that then
• 52:43
  Speaker 1: at length, having got them in their power, they may
• 52:47
  Speaker 1: destroy them. Whence we must give no heed to them,
• 52:51
  Speaker 1: but ought rather to confute them when speaking, since we
• 52:54
  Speaker 1: do not need them. For what wonder is it if
• 52:57
  Speaker 1: with more subtle bodies than men have, when they have
• 53:01
  Speaker 1: seen them start on their journey, they surpass them in
• 53:04
  Speaker 1: speed and announce their coming, just as a horseman getting
• 53:08
  Speaker 1: a start of a man on foot announces the arrival
• 53:10
  Speaker 1: of the latter beforehand. So in this there is no
• 53:14
  Speaker 1: need for us to wonder at them, for they know
• 53:16
  Speaker 1: none of those things which are not yet in existence.
• 53:19
  Speaker 1: But God only is he who knows all things before
• 53:22
  Speaker 1: their births. But these like thieves running off first was
• 53:27
  Speaker 1: what they see proclaim it to How many already have
• 53:30
  Speaker 1: they announced our business, that we are assembled together, and
• 53:34
  Speaker 1: discussed measures against them before any one of us could
• 53:37
  Speaker 1: go and tell these things? This is good tooths a
• 53:40
  Speaker 1: fleet footed boy could do, getting far ahead of one
• 53:44
  Speaker 1: less swift. But what I mean is this, if any
• 53:47
  Speaker 1: one begins to walk from this debaye, or from any
• 53:50
  Speaker 1: other district, before he begins to walk, they do not
• 53:53
  Speaker 1: know whether he will walk, But when they have seen
• 53:56
  Speaker 1: him walking, they run on, and before he comes up,
• 53:59
  Speaker 1: report his And so it falls out that after a
• 54:03
  Speaker 1: few days a traveler arrives. But often the walkers turn back,
• 54:07
  Speaker 1: and the demon's proof falls thirty two. So too was
• 54:13
  Speaker 1: respect to the water of the river. They sometimes make
• 54:16
  Speaker 1: foolish statements, for having seen that there has been much
• 54:20
  Speaker 1: rain in the regions of Ethiopia, and knowing that they
• 54:23
  Speaker 1: are the cause of the flood of the river. Before
• 54:26
  Speaker 1: the water has come to egipt, they run on and
• 54:28
  Speaker 1: announce it. And this man could have told if they
• 54:32
  Speaker 1: had as great power of running as a demon. But
• 54:35
  Speaker 1: as David Spy going up to a lofty place, saw
• 54:38
  Speaker 1: the man approaching better than one who stayed down below,
• 54:42
  Speaker 1: And the forerunner himself announced before the others came up,
• 54:45
  Speaker 1: not those things which had not taken place, but those
• 54:48
  Speaker 1: things which were already on the way and were being accomplished.
• 54:52
  Speaker 1: So these also prefer to labor and declare what is
• 54:55
  Speaker 1: happening to others, simply for the sake of deceiving them. If, however,
• 54:59
  Speaker 1: Providence meantime plans anything different for the waters or wayfayers,
• 55:03
  Speaker 1: for Providence can do this, the demons are deceived, and
• 55:07
  Speaker 1: those who gave heed to them cheated. Thirty three. Thus,
• 55:14
  Speaker 1: in days gone by arose the oracles of the Greeks,
• 55:17
  Speaker 1: and thus they were led astray by the demons. But
• 55:20
  Speaker 1: thus also thenceforce their deception was brought to an end
• 55:24
  Speaker 1: by the coming of the Lord, who brought to nought
• 55:27
  Speaker 1: the demons and their devices. For they know nothing of themselves,
• 55:31
  Speaker 1: but like thieves, what they get to know from others,
• 55:34
  Speaker 1: they pass on and guests add to rather than foretell things. Therefore,
• 55:39
  Speaker 1: if sometimes they speak the truth, let no one marvel
• 55:42
  Speaker 1: at them. For this for experienced physicians, also, since they
• 55:47
  Speaker 1: see the same malady in different people, often foretell what
• 55:50
  Speaker 1: it is, making it out by their acquaintance of it.
• 55:54
  Speaker 1: Pilots too, and farmers, from their familiarity was the weather,
• 55:59
  Speaker 1: tell at a glance as to the atmosphere and forecast
• 56:02
  Speaker 1: whether it will be stormy or fine. And no one
• 56:05
  Speaker 1: would say that they do this by inspiration, but from
• 56:08
  Speaker 1: experience and practice. So if the demons sometimes do the
• 56:12
  Speaker 1: same by guesswork, let no one wonder at it or
• 56:15
  Speaker 1: heed them, For what use to the hearers is it
• 56:18
  Speaker 1: to know from them what is going to happen before
• 56:21
  Speaker 1: the time. Or what concern have we to know such things,
• 56:25
  Speaker 1: even if the knowledge be true, For it is not
• 56:27
  Speaker 1: productive of virtue, nor is it any token of goodness.
• 56:31
  Speaker 1: For none of us is judged for what he knows not,
• 56:34
  Speaker 1: and no one is called blessed because he has learning
• 56:37
  Speaker 1: and knowledge. But each one will be called to judgment
• 56:40
  Speaker 1: in these points, whether he have kept the face and
• 56:43
  Speaker 1: truly observed the commandments and of Part three, Part four
• 56:53
  Speaker 1: of the Life of Saint Anthony by Saint A Synasius.
• 56:57
  Speaker 1: This is a LibriVox recording. All vivox recordings are in
• 57:01
  Speaker 1: the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please
• 57:05
  Speaker 1: visit LibriVox dot org thirty four. Wherefore, there is no
• 57:12
  Speaker 1: need to set much value on these things, nor for
• 57:15
  Speaker 1: the sake of them, to practice a life of discipline
• 57:17
  Speaker 1: and labor, but that living well we may please God.
• 57:21
  Speaker 1: And we neither ought to pray to know the future,
• 57:23
  Speaker 1: nor to ask for it as their word of our discipline.
• 57:27
  Speaker 1: But our prayer should be that the Lord may be
• 57:29
  Speaker 1: our fellow helper for victory over the devil. And if
• 57:33
  Speaker 1: even once we have a desire to know the future,
• 57:36
  Speaker 1: let us be pure in mind. For I believe that
• 57:39
  Speaker 1: if a soul is perfectly pure and in its natural state,
• 57:43
  Speaker 1: it is able, being clear sighted, to see more and
• 57:46
  Speaker 1: further than the demons, for it has the Lord who
• 57:49
  Speaker 1: reveals to it, like the soul of Elis, which saw
• 57:52
  Speaker 1: what was done by Gehazi and beheld the host standing
• 57:55
  Speaker 1: on its side. Thirty five when there for they come
• 58:00
  Speaker 1: by night to you and wish to tell the future,
• 58:03
  Speaker 1: or say we are the angels, give no heed, for
• 58:07
  Speaker 1: they lie yea. Even if they praise your discipline and
• 58:10
  Speaker 1: call you blessed, hear them not, and have no dealings
• 58:14
  Speaker 1: with them, but to rather sign yourselves and your houses
• 58:17
  Speaker 1: and pray, and you shall see them vanish. For they
• 58:21
  Speaker 1: are cowards and greatly fear the sign of the Lord's cross,
• 58:25
  Speaker 1: since of a truce in it, the saviors strip them
• 58:27
  Speaker 1: and made an example of them. But if they shamelessly
• 58:31
  Speaker 1: stand their ground, capering and changing their forms of appearance,
• 58:35
  Speaker 1: fear them not, nor shrink, nor heed them as though
• 58:39
  Speaker 1: they were good spirits. For the presence either of the
• 58:42
  Speaker 1: good or evil, by the help of God can easily
• 58:45
  Speaker 1: be distinguished. The vision of the Holy ones is not
• 58:48
  Speaker 1: fraught was distraction, for they will not strive, nor cry,
• 58:53
  Speaker 1: nor shall any one hear their voice. But it comes
• 58:56
  Speaker 1: so quietly and gently that immediately joy sadness, and courage
• 59:01
  Speaker 1: arise in the soul. For the Lord, who is our
• 59:04
  Speaker 1: joy is with them, and the power of God the Father,
• 59:08
  Speaker 1: and the thoughts of the soul remain unruffled and undisturbed,
• 59:12
  Speaker 1: so that it enlightened as it where was raised, beholds
• 59:16
  Speaker 1: by itself those who appear. For the love of what
• 59:20
  Speaker 1: is divine and of the things to come possesses it,
• 59:23
  Speaker 1: and willingly it would be wholly joined with them if
• 59:27
  Speaker 1: it could depart along with them. But if being men,
• 59:30
  Speaker 1: some fear the vision of the good, those who appear
• 59:34
  Speaker 1: immediately take fear away, as Gabriel did in the case
• 59:38
  Speaker 1: of Zacharias, and as the Angel did who appear to
• 59:41
  Speaker 1: the women at the Holy Sepulcher, and as he did
• 59:44
  Speaker 1: who said to the shepherds in the Gospel, fear not,
• 59:48
  Speaker 1: for their fear arose not from timidity, but from the
• 59:51
  Speaker 1: recognition of the presence of superior beings. Such, then, is
• 59:55
  Speaker 1: the nature of the visions of the Holy Ones thirty six.
• 1:00:01
  Speaker 1: But the inroad and the display of the evil spirits,
• 1:00:04
  Speaker 1: as fraught with confusion, was thin with sounds and crying,
• 1:00:07
  Speaker 1: such as a disturbance of boris shoes or robberies, would
• 1:00:11
  Speaker 1: occasion from which arise fear in the heart, tumult and
• 1:00:15
  Speaker 1: confusion of thought, dejection, hatred towards them who live a
• 1:00:20
  Speaker 1: life of discipline, indifference, grief, remembrance of kinsfolk, and fear
• 1:00:25
  Speaker 1: of death, and finally desire of evil things, disregard of
• 1:00:29
  Speaker 1: virtue and unsettled habits. Whenever, therefore ye have seen aught
• 1:00:35
  Speaker 1: and are afraid, if your fear is immediately taken away,
• 1:00:39
  Speaker 1: and in place of it comes joy, unspeakable cheerfulness, courage,
• 1:00:44
  Speaker 1: renewed strends, calmness of thought, and all those I name before,
• 1:00:48
  Speaker 1: boldness and love toward God, take courage and pray for joy.
• 1:00:53
  Speaker 1: And a settled state of soul shows the holiness of
• 1:00:56
  Speaker 1: Him who is present. Thus Abraham beholding the Lord rejoiced.
• 1:01:02
  Speaker 1: So also Jean at the voice of Mary the God
• 1:01:05
  Speaker 1: there leaped for gladness. And if at the appearance of
• 1:01:08
  Speaker 1: any there is confusion, mocking without worldly displays, threats of deaths,
• 1:01:15
  Speaker 1: and the other things which I have already mentioned, know
• 1:01:18
  Speaker 1: ye that it is an onslaught of evil spirits thirty seven.
• 1:01:24
  Speaker 1: And let this also be a token for you. Whenever
• 1:01:27
  Speaker 1: the soul remains fearful, there is a presence of the enemies.
• 1:01:31
  Speaker 1: For the demons do not take away the fear of
• 1:01:33
  Speaker 1: their presence, as the great archangel Gabriel did for Mary
• 1:01:37
  Speaker 1: and Zachrias, and as he did who appeared to the
• 1:01:40
  Speaker 1: women and the tomb. But rather, whenever they see men afraid,
• 1:01:45
  Speaker 1: they increase their delusions, that men may be terrified the more,
• 1:01:49
  Speaker 1: and at last attacking they mock them, saying, fall down
• 1:01:53
  Speaker 1: and worship. Thus they deceived the Greeks, and thus by
• 1:01:58
  Speaker 1: them they were considered gods, falsely so called. But the
• 1:02:01
  Speaker 1: Lord did not suffer us to be deceived by the devil,
• 1:02:05
  Speaker 1: for he rebuked him whenever he framed such delusions against him, saying,
• 1:02:10
  Speaker 1: get behind me, Satan. For it is written, thou shalt
• 1:02:13
  Speaker 1: worship the Lord, thy God, and him only shalt thou
• 1:02:17
  Speaker 1: serve more and more. Therefore, let the deceiver be despised
• 1:02:21
  Speaker 1: by us for what the Lord has said. This for
• 1:02:25
  Speaker 1: our sakes he has done that the demons, hearing like
• 1:02:28
  Speaker 1: words from us, may be put to flight through the
• 1:02:31
  Speaker 1: Lord who rebuked them. In these words thirty eight. And
• 1:02:37
  Speaker 1: it is not fitting to boast at the casting force
• 1:02:39
  Speaker 1: of the demons, nor to be uplifted by the healing
• 1:02:43
  Speaker 1: of disease. Nor is it fitting that he who casts
• 1:02:46
  Speaker 1: sou devils should alone be highly esteemed, while he who
• 1:02:49
  Speaker 1: cast them not out should be considered not. But let
• 1:02:53
  Speaker 1: a man learn the discipline of each one, and either
• 1:02:56
  Speaker 1: imitate rival or corrected. For the working of signs is
• 1:03:00
  Speaker 1: not ours, but the Savior's work. And so he said
• 1:03:04
  Speaker 1: to his disciples, wi jowyest not that the demons are
• 1:03:07
  Speaker 1: subject to you, but that your names are written in
• 1:03:10
  Speaker 1: the heavens. For the fact that our names are written
• 1:03:13
  Speaker 1: in heaven is a proof of our virtuous life. But
• 1:03:16
  Speaker 1: to cast out demons is a favor of the Savior,
• 1:03:18
  Speaker 1: who granted it. Wherefore, to those who boasted in signs
• 1:03:23
  Speaker 1: but not in virtue, and said, Lord, in thy name,
• 1:03:26
  Speaker 1: did we not cast out demons? And in thy name
• 1:03:29
  Speaker 1: did many mighty works? He answered, verily, I say unto you,
• 1:03:35
  Speaker 1: I know you not, for the Lord knoweth not the
• 1:03:37
  Speaker 1: ways of the wicked. But we ought always to pray,
• 1:03:41
  Speaker 1: as I said before, that we may receive the gift
• 1:03:43
  Speaker 1: of discerning spirits, that as it is written, we may
• 1:03:47
  Speaker 1: not believe every spirit thirty nine. I should have liked
• 1:03:52
  Speaker 1: to speak no further and to say nothing from my
• 1:03:55
  Speaker 1: own promptings, satisfied with what I have said, But less
• 1:04:00
  Speaker 1: you should think that I speak a trend, and believe
• 1:04:02
  Speaker 1: that I detail these things without experience, or choose for
• 1:04:06
  Speaker 1: this cause, even though I should become as a fool.
• 1:04:10
  Speaker 1: Yet the Lord who hearest knows the clearness of my conscience,
• 1:04:13
  Speaker 1: and that it is not for my own sake, but
• 1:04:16
  Speaker 1: on account of your affection towards me, and at your petition,
• 1:04:20
  Speaker 1: did I again tell what I saw of the practices
• 1:04:23
  Speaker 1: of evil spirits? How often have they called me blessed,
• 1:04:27
  Speaker 1: and I have cursed them in the name of the Lord.
• 1:04:29
  Speaker 1: How often have they predicted the rising of the river?
• 1:04:32
  Speaker 1: And I answered them, what have you to do with it?
• 1:04:36
  Speaker 1: Once they came threatening and surrounded me like soldiers in
• 1:04:39
  Speaker 1: full armor. At another time they filled the house with horses,
• 1:04:44
  Speaker 1: wild beasts, and creeping things, and I sang, some in
• 1:04:48
  Speaker 1: chariots and some in horses, but we will boast in
• 1:04:51
  Speaker 1: the name of the Lord, our God. And at the prayers.
• 1:04:54
  Speaker 1: They were turned to flight by the Lord once they
• 1:04:57
  Speaker 1: came in darkness, bearing the appearance of all light, and said,
• 1:05:01
  Speaker 1: we are come to give thee a light anthony. But
• 1:05:04
  Speaker 1: I closed my eyes and pray, and immediately the light
• 1:05:08
  Speaker 1: of the wicked ones was quenched. And a few months
• 1:05:11
  Speaker 1: after they came as though, singing psalm and babbling the
• 1:05:14
  Speaker 1: words of scripture, but I, like a deaf man, heard not.
• 1:05:18
  Speaker 1: Once they shook the cell with an earthquake, but I
• 1:05:21
  Speaker 1: continued praying whose unshaken heart. And after this they came again,
• 1:05:26
  Speaker 1: making noises, whistling and dancing. But as I prayed, and
• 1:05:30
  Speaker 1: they singing psalms to myself, they forces began to lament
• 1:05:34
  Speaker 1: and weep, as if their strength had failed them. But
• 1:05:37
  Speaker 1: I gave glory to the Lord who had brought down
• 1:05:40
  Speaker 1: and made an example of their daring and madness. Forty once,
• 1:05:46
  Speaker 1: a demon exceeding high appeared with pomp and dared to say,
• 1:05:50
  Speaker 1: I am the power of God, and I am Providence.
• 1:05:53
  Speaker 1: What doest thou wish that I shalt give THEE? But I, then,
• 1:05:56
  Speaker 1: so much the more breezed upon him and spoke the
• 1:05:59
  Speaker 1: name of Christ, and set about to smite him. And
• 1:06:03
  Speaker 1: I seemed to have smitten him and force was he
• 1:06:06
  Speaker 1: big as he was, together with all his demons, disappeared
• 1:06:10
  Speaker 1: at the name of Christ. At another time, while I
• 1:06:14
  Speaker 1: was fasting, he came, full of craft under the semblance
• 1:06:17
  Speaker 1: of a monk, was what seemed to be loaves, and
• 1:06:20
  Speaker 1: gave me counsel, saying, eat and seize from thy many labors.
• 1:06:25
  Speaker 1: Thou also art a man, and art like to fall sick.
• 1:06:29
  Speaker 1: But I, perceiving his device, rose up to pray, and
• 1:06:33
  Speaker 1: he endured it. Not for he departed, and through the
• 1:06:36
  Speaker 1: door there seemed to go out, as it were a smoke.
• 1:06:39
  Speaker 1: How often in the desert has he displayed what resembled gold,
• 1:06:43
  Speaker 1: that I should only touch it and look on it.
• 1:06:46
  Speaker 1: But I sang psalms against him, and he vanished away.
• 1:06:49
  Speaker 1: Often they would beat me with stripes, and I repeated
• 1:06:52
  Speaker 1: again and again, nothing shall separate me from the love
• 1:06:55
  Speaker 1: of Christ. And at this they rather fell to beating
• 1:06:58
  Speaker 1: one another. Or was it that I stayed them and
• 1:07:01
  Speaker 1: destroyed their power? But it was the Lord who said,
• 1:07:05
  Speaker 1: I beheld satan as lightning fall from heavens. But I, children,
• 1:07:10
  Speaker 1: mindful of the Apostle's words, transferred this to myself, that
• 1:07:14
  Speaker 1: you might learn not to faint and discipline, nor to
• 1:07:17
  Speaker 1: hear the devil, nor the delusions of the demons. Forty
• 1:07:21
  Speaker 1: one And since I have become a fool in detailing
• 1:07:25
  Speaker 1: these things, received this also as an eight year safety
• 1:07:28
  Speaker 1: and fearlessness. And believe me, for I do not lie.
• 1:07:32
  Speaker 1: Once some one knocked at the door of myself, and
• 1:07:35
  Speaker 1: going forth I saw one who seemed of great size
• 1:07:38
  Speaker 1: and tall. Then, when I inquired, who art thou, he said,
• 1:07:42
  Speaker 1: I am Satan. Then, when I said, why art thou here?
• 1:07:46
  Speaker 1: He answered, why do the monks and all other Christians
• 1:07:50
  Speaker 1: blame me undeservedly? Why do they curse me hourly? Then
• 1:07:54
  Speaker 1: I answered, wherefore dost thou trouble them? He said, I
• 1:07:58
  Speaker 1: am not he who trouble them, but they trouble themselves,
• 1:08:02
  Speaker 1: For I am become weak. Have they not read? The
• 1:08:05
  Speaker 1: swords of the enemy have come to an end, and
• 1:08:07
  Speaker 1: thou hast destroyed the cities. I have no longer a place,
• 1:08:11
  Speaker 1: a weapon, a city. The Christians are spread everywhere, and
• 1:08:15
  Speaker 1: at length even the desert is filled with monks. Let
• 1:08:18
  Speaker 1: them take heed to themselves, and let them not curse
• 1:08:21
  Speaker 1: me unservedly. Then I marveled at the grace of the Lord,
• 1:08:25
  Speaker 1: and said to him, thou, who art even lire and
• 1:08:28
  Speaker 1: never speaketh the truth, this at length, even against thy will,
• 1:08:33
  Speaker 1: thou hast truly spoken. For the coming of Christ has
• 1:08:36
  Speaker 1: made thee weak, and he has cast thee down and
• 1:08:40
  Speaker 1: stript thee. But he, having heard the Saviour's name, and
• 1:08:44
  Speaker 1: not being able to bear the burning from it, vanished
• 1:08:48
  Speaker 1: forty two. If therefore the devil himself confesses that his
• 1:08:53
  Speaker 1: power is gone, we ought utterly to despise both him
• 1:08:57
  Speaker 1: and his demons, And since the enemy was Houns, has
• 1:09:01
  Speaker 1: but devices of this sort, we, having got to know
• 1:09:04
  Speaker 1: their weakness, are able to despise them. Wherefore, let us
• 1:09:09
  Speaker 1: not despond after this fashion, nor let us have a
• 1:09:12
  Speaker 1: thought of cowardice in our heart, nor frame fear for ourselves,
• 1:09:17
  Speaker 1: saying I am afraid lest the demon should come and
• 1:09:20
  Speaker 1: overthrow me, lest he should lift me up and cast
• 1:09:24
  Speaker 1: me down, or lest rising against me on a sudden
• 1:09:27
  Speaker 1: he confound me. Such thoughts let us not have in
• 1:09:31
  Speaker 1: mind at all, nor let us be sorrowful, as though
• 1:09:34
  Speaker 1: we were perishing. But to rather, let us be courageous
• 1:09:38
  Speaker 1: and rejoice, always believing that we are safe. Let us
• 1:09:42
  Speaker 1: consider in our soul that the Lord is with us,
• 1:09:46
  Speaker 1: who put the evil spirits to flight and brok their power.
• 1:09:50
  Speaker 1: Let us consider and lay the heart that while the
• 1:09:52
  Speaker 1: Lord is with us, our foes can do us no hurt.
• 1:09:56
  Speaker 1: For when they come, they approach us in a form
• 1:09:59
  Speaker 1: corresponding to the state in which they discover us, and
• 1:10:03
  Speaker 1: adapt their delusions to the condition of mind in which
• 1:10:06
  Speaker 1: they find us. If therefore they find us timid and confused,
• 1:10:10
  Speaker 1: they forthless beset the place like robbers, having found it unguarded.
• 1:10:16
  Speaker 1: And what we of ourselves are thinking they do. And
• 1:10:20
  Speaker 1: more also, for if they find us fainthearted and cowardly,
• 1:10:25
  Speaker 1: they mightily increase our terror by their delusions and threats,
• 1:10:29
  Speaker 1: And with these the unhappy soul is thenceforth tormented. But
• 1:10:34
  Speaker 1: if they see us rejoicing in the Lord, contemplating the
• 1:10:37
  Speaker 1: bliss of the future, mindful of the Lord, deeming all
• 1:10:41
  Speaker 1: things in his hand, and that no evil spirit has
• 1:10:44
  Speaker 1: any strengths against the Christian, nor any power at all
• 1:10:48
  Speaker 1: over anyone, when they behold the soul fortified with these thoughts,
• 1:10:53
  Speaker 1: they are discomfited and turned backwards. Thus the enemy, seeing
• 1:10:58
  Speaker 1: job fenced round with them, withdrew from him. But finding
• 1:11:03
  Speaker 1: Judas unguarded him, he took captive. Thus, if we are
• 1:11:08
  Speaker 1: wishful to despise the enemy, let us ever ponder over
• 1:11:11
  Speaker 1: the things of the Lord, and let the soul ever
• 1:11:14
  Speaker 1: rejoice in hope. Then we shall see us nearest of
• 1:11:17
  Speaker 1: the demon are like smoke, and the evil one themselves
• 1:11:21
  Speaker 1: flee rather than pursuit. For they are, as I said before,
• 1:11:26
  Speaker 1: exceeding fearful, ever looking forward to the fire prepared for them.
• 1:11:32
  Speaker 1: Forty three, And for your fearlessness against them, hold this
• 1:11:37
  Speaker 1: sure sign. Whenever there is any apparition, be not prostrate
• 1:11:41
  Speaker 1: was fear. But whatsoever it be, first boldly ask who
• 1:11:47
  Speaker 1: art thou, and from whence comest thou? And if it
• 1:11:51
  Speaker 1: should be a vision of holy ones, they will assure
• 1:11:54
  Speaker 1: you and change your fear into joy. But if the
• 1:11:58
  Speaker 1: vision should be from the devil, immediately it becomes feeble.
• 1:12:03
  Speaker 1: Beholding your firm purpose of mind. For merely to ask
• 1:12:07
  Speaker 1: who art thou and whence comest thou is a proof
• 1:12:11
  Speaker 1: of coolness. By thus asking, the son of None learned
• 1:12:16
  Speaker 1: who his helper was. Nor did the enemy escape the
• 1:12:19
  Speaker 1: questioning of Daniel forty four. While Anthony was thus speaking,
• 1:12:26
  Speaker 1: all rejoiced in sums, the love of virtue increased in others.
• 1:12:31
  Speaker 1: Carelessness was thrown aside, the self conceit of others was stopped,
• 1:12:36
  Speaker 1: and all were persuaded to despise assaults of the evil one,
• 1:12:40
  Speaker 1: and marveled at the grace given to Anthony from the
• 1:12:42
  Speaker 1: Lord for the discerning of spirits. So theirselves where in
• 1:12:47
  Speaker 1: the mountains like filled with holy bands of men who
• 1:12:51
  Speaker 1: sang psalms love to eating, fasted, prayed, rejoiced in the
• 1:12:55
  Speaker 1: hope of things to come, labored in almsgiving, and preserved
• 1:13:00
  Speaker 1: love and harmony. One was another, And truly it was possible,
• 1:13:04
  Speaker 1: as it were, to behold a land set by itself,
• 1:13:07
  Speaker 1: filled with s peedy and justice. For then there was
• 1:13:11
  Speaker 1: neither the evil door, nor the injured, nor the reproaches
• 1:13:14
  Speaker 1: of the tax gatherer, but instead a multitude of ascetics,
• 1:13:19
  Speaker 1: And the one purpose of them all was to aim
• 1:13:22
  Speaker 1: at virtue, so that any one beholding the cells again,
• 1:13:26
  Speaker 1: and seeing such a good order among the monks, would
• 1:13:29
  Speaker 1: lift up his voice and say, how goodly are thy dwellings,
• 1:13:33
  Speaker 1: O Jacob, and thy tents O Israel, as shady glends
• 1:13:37
  Speaker 1: and as a garden by a river as tents which
• 1:13:40
  Speaker 1: the Lord has pitched, and like cedars near water forty five. Anthony, however,
• 1:13:49
  Speaker 1: according to his custom, returned alone to his own cell,
• 1:13:53
  Speaker 1: increased his discipline, and cited daily as he thought of
• 1:13:57
  Speaker 1: the mansions in heaven, having his desired fixed on them,
• 1:14:01
  Speaker 1: and pondering over the shortness of man's life. And he
• 1:14:05
  Speaker 1: used to eat and sleep, and go about all other
• 1:14:07
  Speaker 1: bodily necessities with shame when he thought of the spiritual
• 1:14:11
  Speaker 1: faculties of the soul. So often, when about to eat
• 1:14:15
  Speaker 1: with any other hermits recollecting the spiritual food, he begged
• 1:14:19
  Speaker 1: to be excused and departed far off from them, deeming
• 1:14:24
  Speaker 1: it a matter for shame if he should be seen
• 1:14:26
  Speaker 1: eating by others. He used, however, when by himself to
• 1:14:31
  Speaker 1: eat through bodily necessity, but often also with the brethren,
• 1:14:35
  Speaker 1: covered with shame on these occasions, yet speaking boldly words
• 1:14:40
  Speaker 1: of help. And he used to say that it behooved
• 1:14:43
  Speaker 1: a man to give all his time to his soul
• 1:14:46
  Speaker 1: rather than his body, yet to grant a short space
• 1:14:49
  Speaker 1: to the body through its necessities, but all the more
• 1:14:53
  Speaker 1: earnestly to give up the whole remainder to the soul
• 1:14:55
  Speaker 1: and seek its profit, that it might not be dragged
• 1:14:59
  Speaker 1: down by the pleasure of the body, but on the contrary,
• 1:15:02
  Speaker 1: the body might be in subjection to the soul. For
• 1:15:05
  Speaker 1: this is that which was spoken by the Savior. Be
• 1:15:09
  Speaker 1: not anxious for your life what ye shall eat, nor
• 1:15:12
  Speaker 1: for your body what ye shall put on. And do
• 1:15:15
  Speaker 1: ye seek not what ye shall eat, or what ye
• 1:15:18
  Speaker 1: shall drink. But be not of a doubtful mind. For
• 1:15:22
  Speaker 1: all these things the nations of the world seek after.
• 1:15:26
  Speaker 1: But your Father knows that ye have need of all
• 1:15:28
  Speaker 1: these things. Howbeit seek ye first his kingdom, and all
• 1:15:33
  Speaker 1: these things shall be added unto you. Forty six after this,
• 1:15:40
  Speaker 1: the Church was seized by the persecution, which then took
• 1:15:43
  Speaker 1: place under Maximinus, And when the Holy Martyrs were led
• 1:15:47
  Speaker 1: to Alexandria, Anthony also followed, leaving his cell and saying,
• 1:15:52
  Speaker 1: let us go too, that if called, we may contend
• 1:15:54
  Speaker 1: or behold him that are contending. And he longed to
• 1:15:58
  Speaker 1: suffer martyr them, but not being willing to give himself up,
• 1:16:01
  Speaker 1: he ministered to the confessors in the mines and in
• 1:16:04
  Speaker 1: the prisons, and he was very zealous in the judgment
• 1:16:07
  Speaker 1: Hall to stir up to readiness those who were summoned
• 1:16:11
  Speaker 1: when in their contest, while those who were being martyred
• 1:16:14
  Speaker 1: he received and brought on their way until they were perfected.
• 1:16:18
  Speaker 1: The judge, therefore, beholding the fearlessness of Anthony and his
• 1:16:22
  Speaker 1: companions and their zeal in this matter, commanded that no
• 1:16:26
  Speaker 1: monk should appear in the judgment hall, nor remain at
• 1:16:29
  Speaker 1: all in the city. So all the rest thought it
• 1:16:32
  Speaker 1: good to hide themselves that day. But Anthony gave so
• 1:16:36
  Speaker 1: little heed to the command that he watched his garment
• 1:16:39
  Speaker 1: and stood all next day on a raised place before them,
• 1:16:42
  Speaker 1: and appeared in his best before the governor. Therefore, when
• 1:16:46
  Speaker 1: all the rest wondered at this, the governor saw and
• 1:16:49
  Speaker 1: passed by with his array, he stood fearlessly, showing the
• 1:16:54
  Speaker 1: readiness of us Christians. For as I said before, he
• 1:16:57
  Speaker 1: prayed himself to be a martyr. Wherefore he seemed as
• 1:17:01
  Speaker 1: one grieved that he had not borne his witness. But
• 1:17:04
  Speaker 1: the Lord was keeping him for our profit and that
• 1:17:07
  Speaker 1: of others, that he should become a teacher to many
• 1:17:10
  Speaker 1: of the discipline which he had learned from the scriptures.
• 1:17:14
  Speaker 1: For many, only beholding his manner of life, were eager
• 1:17:17
  Speaker 1: to be imitators of his ways. So he again ministered
• 1:17:21
  Speaker 1: as usual to the confessors, and as though he were
• 1:17:24
  Speaker 1: their fellow captive. He labored in his ministry forty seven.
• 1:17:30
  Speaker 1: And when at last the persecution ceased, and the blessed
• 1:17:33
  Speaker 1: Bishop Peter had borne his testimony, Anthony departed and again
• 1:17:38
  Speaker 1: was due to his cell and was there daily a
• 1:17:41
  Speaker 1: martyr to his conscience and contending in the conflicts of faith.
• 1:17:45
  Speaker 1: And his discipline was much severer, for he was ever fasting,
• 1:17:49
  Speaker 1: and he had a garment of hair on the inside,
• 1:17:52
  Speaker 1: while the outside was skin, which he kept until his end.
• 1:17:57
  Speaker 1: And he neither based his body was water to himself
• 1:18:00
  Speaker 1: from phils, nor did he ever wash his feet, nor
• 1:18:04
  Speaker 1: even and do so much as to put them into water,
• 1:18:07
  Speaker 1: unless compelled by necessity. Nor did anyone even see him unclosed,
• 1:18:12
  Speaker 1: nor his body naked at all, except after his death,
• 1:18:16
  Speaker 1: when he was buried. And of Part four Part five
• 1:18:28
  Speaker 1: of the Light was Saint Ansom by sand As Nasus.
• 1:18:33
  Speaker 1: This is a Libervox recording. All liberal Vox recordings are
• 1:18:36
  Speaker 1: in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer,
• 1:18:40
  Speaker 1: please visit libervox dot org. Forty eight. When therefore he
• 1:18:48
  Speaker 1: had retired and determined to fix the time, after which
• 1:18:52
  Speaker 1: neither to go force himself nor admit anybody. Martinian, a
• 1:18:56
  Speaker 1: military officer, came and disturbed Anson, for he had the
• 1:19:00
  Speaker 1: daughter afflicted was an evil spirit. But when he continued
• 1:19:03
  Speaker 1: for a long while knocking at the door and asking
• 1:19:07
  Speaker 1: him to come out and pray to God for his child, Anthony,
• 1:19:11
  Speaker 1: not bearing to open, looked out from above and said, men,
• 1:19:15
  Speaker 1: why dost thou call a meek? I also am a man,
• 1:19:18
  Speaker 1: even as you. But if you believe on Christ, whom
• 1:19:22
  Speaker 1: I serve, go and according as you believe, pray to God,
• 1:19:26
  Speaker 1: and it shall come to pass straightway. Therefore he departed,
• 1:19:30
  Speaker 1: believing and calling upon Christ, and he received his daughter
• 1:19:34
  Speaker 1: cleansed from the devil. Many other things also through Anthony,
• 1:19:38
  Speaker 1: the Lord did, who says, seek and it shall be
• 1:19:41
  Speaker 1: given unto you. For many of the sufferers, when he
• 1:19:45
  Speaker 1: would not open his door, slept outside his cell and
• 1:19:48
  Speaker 1: by their face, and sincere prayers were healed forty nine.
• 1:19:54
  Speaker 1: But when he saw himself beset by many, and not
• 1:19:57
  Speaker 1: suffered to withdraw himself according to his intent, as he wished,
• 1:20:01
  Speaker 1: fearing because of the signs which the Lord drew upon him,
• 1:20:04
  Speaker 1: that easier he should be puffed up, or that some
• 1:20:07
  Speaker 1: other should think of him above what he ought to think.
• 1:20:10
  Speaker 1: He considered and set off to go into the upper Thibet,
• 1:20:14
  Speaker 1: among those to whom he was unknown, And having received
• 1:20:18
  Speaker 1: loaves from the brethren, he sat down by the bank
• 1:20:21
  Speaker 1: of the river, looking whether a boat would go by, that,
• 1:20:24
  Speaker 1: having embarked thereon, he might go up the river with them.
• 1:20:28
  Speaker 1: While he was considering these things, a voice came to
• 1:20:31
  Speaker 1: him from above, Anthony, whither goest thou and wherefore? But
• 1:20:36
  Speaker 1: he no way disturbed, But, as he had been accustomed
• 1:20:39
  Speaker 1: to be called often, thus giving ear to it, answered saying,
• 1:20:44
  Speaker 1: since the multitude permit me not to be stilled, I
• 1:20:47
  Speaker 1: wished to go into the upper Thibad, on account of
• 1:20:50
  Speaker 1: the many hindrances that come upon me here, and especially
• 1:20:53
  Speaker 1: because they demand of me things beyond my power. But
• 1:20:57
  Speaker 1: the voice said unto him, even though you should go
• 1:21:00
  Speaker 1: into the Tabad, or even though, as you have in
• 1:21:03
  Speaker 1: mind I you should go down to the Bucolia, you
• 1:21:07
  Speaker 1: will have to endure more I double the amount of toil.
• 1:21:11
  Speaker 1: But if you wish really to be in quiet, depart
• 1:21:14
  Speaker 1: now into the inner desert. And when Anthony said, who
• 1:21:17
  Speaker 1: will show me the way, for I know it not
• 1:21:20
  Speaker 1: Immediately the voice pointed out to him Saracins about to
• 1:21:24
  Speaker 1: go that way. So Anthony approached and drew near them,
• 1:21:28
  Speaker 1: and asked that he might go with them into the desert.
• 1:21:31
  Speaker 1: And they, as though they had been commanded by Providence,
• 1:21:34
  Speaker 1: received him willingly, And having journeyed with him three days
• 1:21:38
  Speaker 1: and three nights, he came to a very lofty mountain,
• 1:21:41
  Speaker 1: and add the foot of the mountain ran a clear
• 1:21:43
  Speaker 1: spring whose waters were sweet and very cold. Outside there
• 1:21:48
  Speaker 1: was a plain and a few uncared for palm trees.
• 1:21:53
  Speaker 1: Fifty Anthony, then, as it were moved by God, loved
• 1:21:57
  Speaker 1: the place, for this was a spot which he who
• 1:22:00
  Speaker 1: had spoken with him by the banks of the river,
• 1:22:02
  Speaker 1: had pointed out. So, having first received loaves from his
• 1:22:05
  Speaker 1: fellow traveler, he abode in the mountain alone, no one
• 1:22:09
  Speaker 1: else being with him, and recognizing it as his own home.
• 1:22:14
  Speaker 1: He remained in that place for the future. But the Saracans,
• 1:22:17
  Speaker 1: having seen the earnestness of Antony, purposely used to journey
• 1:22:21
  Speaker 1: that way and joyfully brought him loaves, while now and
• 1:22:25
  Speaker 1: then the palm trees also afforded him a poor and
• 1:22:27
  Speaker 1: frugal relish. But after this the brethren, learning of the
• 1:22:31
  Speaker 1: place like children mindful of their father, took care to
• 1:22:35
  Speaker 1: send to him. But when Antony saw that the bread
• 1:22:38
  Speaker 1: was a cause of trouble and hardships to some of them,
• 1:22:42
  Speaker 1: to spare the monks us, he resolved to ask some
• 1:22:44
  Speaker 1: of those who came to bring him a spade and
• 1:22:47
  Speaker 1: axe and little corn. And when these were brought, he
• 1:22:49
  Speaker 1: went over the land round the mountain, and, having found
• 1:22:52
  Speaker 1: a small plot of suitable ground, tilted, and having a
• 1:22:56
  Speaker 1: plentiful supply of water for watering, he sowed this doing
• 1:23:00
  Speaker 1: year by year he got his bread from thence rejoicing
• 1:23:04
  Speaker 1: that thus he would be troublesome to no one, and
• 1:23:06
  Speaker 1: because he kept himself from being a burden to anybody.
• 1:23:10
  Speaker 1: But after this, seeing again that people came, he cultivated
• 1:23:14
  Speaker 1: a few pot herbs, that he who came to him
• 1:23:17
  Speaker 1: might have some slight solace after the labor of that
• 1:23:20
  Speaker 1: hard journ. At first, however, the wild beasts in the desert,
• 1:23:24
  Speaker 1: coming because of the water, often injured his seeds and husbandry.
• 1:23:28
  Speaker 1: But he, gently, laving hold of one of them, said
• 1:23:32
  Speaker 1: to them, all, why do you hurt me when I
• 1:23:34
  Speaker 1: hurt none? A few depart, and in the name of
• 1:23:37
  Speaker 1: the Lord, come not night this spot. And from that
• 1:23:40
  Speaker 1: time forward, as though fearful of his command, they no
• 1:23:43
  Speaker 1: more came near the place. Fifty one. So he was
• 1:23:48
  Speaker 1: alone in the inner mountain, spending his time in prayer
• 1:23:52
  Speaker 1: and discipline. And the brethren who served him asked that
• 1:23:55
  Speaker 1: they might come every month and bring him olives, pulse,
• 1:23:59
  Speaker 1: and oil, for by now he was an old man.
• 1:24:02
  Speaker 1: There then he passed his life and endured such great westlings,
• 1:24:07
  Speaker 1: not against flesh and blood, as it is written, but
• 1:24:09
  Speaker 1: against opposing demons, as we learned from those who visited him,
• 1:24:14
  Speaker 1: For there they heard Tumult's many voices, and as it were,
• 1:24:18
  Speaker 1: the clash of arms at night, they saw the mountain
• 1:24:22
  Speaker 1: become full of wild beasts, and him also fighting as
• 1:24:26
  Speaker 1: though against visible beings, and praying against them, and those
• 1:24:30
  Speaker 1: who came to him he encouraged. While kneeling he contended
• 1:24:33
  Speaker 1: and prayed to the Lord. Surely it was a marvelous
• 1:24:37
  Speaker 1: thing that a man alone in such a desert feared
• 1:24:40
  Speaker 1: neither the demons who rose up against him, nor the
• 1:24:43
  Speaker 1: fierceness of the four footed beasts and creeping things, for
• 1:24:47
  Speaker 1: all they were so many, but in truce, as it
• 1:24:49
  Speaker 1: is written, he trusted in the Lord as mount Sion,
• 1:24:53
  Speaker 1: was a mind unshaken and undisturbed, so that the demons
• 1:24:57
  Speaker 1: rather fled from him, and the wild beasts, as it
• 1:24:59
  Speaker 1: is witten, kept peace with him. Fifty two. The devil, therefore,
• 1:25:05
  Speaker 1: as David says in the Psalms, observed Anthony and gnatched
• 1:25:08
  Speaker 1: his teeth against him. But Antony was consoled by the Savior,
• 1:25:13
  Speaker 1: and continued unheard by his wiles and varied devices. As
• 1:25:17
  Speaker 1: he was watching in the night, the devil sent wild
• 1:25:19
  Speaker 1: beasts against him, and almost all the hyenas in that
• 1:25:23
  Speaker 1: desert came force from their dens and surrounded him. And
• 1:25:27
  Speaker 1: he was in the midst while each one threatened to bite.
• 1:25:31
  Speaker 1: Seeing that it was a trick of the enemy, he
• 1:25:33
  Speaker 1: said to them, all, if ye have received power against me,
• 1:25:37
  Speaker 1: I am ready to be devoured by you. But if
• 1:25:39
  Speaker 1: he were sent against me by demons, stay naught, but depart,
• 1:25:43
  Speaker 1: for I am a servant of Christ. When Anthony said this,
• 1:25:47
  Speaker 1: they fled, driven by that word, as with a whip.
• 1:25:52
  Speaker 1: Fifty three. A few days later, as he was working
• 1:25:56
  Speaker 1: for he was careful to work hard, someone stood at
• 1:25:59
  Speaker 1: the door and pulled the plate which he was working.
• 1:26:02
  Speaker 1: For he used to weave baskets, which he gave to
• 1:26:05
  Speaker 1: those who came in return for what they brought him.
• 1:26:09
  Speaker 1: And rising up, he saw a beast like a man
• 1:26:11
  Speaker 1: to the thighs, but having legs and feet like those
• 1:26:14
  Speaker 1: of an ast And Anthony only signed himself and said,
• 1:26:18
  Speaker 1: I am a servant of Christ. If thou art sent
• 1:26:21
  Speaker 1: against me, behold I am here. But the beast together
• 1:26:25
  Speaker 1: was his evil spirits fled, so that through his speed
• 1:26:29
  Speaker 1: he fell and died. And the deaths of the beast
• 1:26:32
  Speaker 1: was the fall of the demons. For they strove in
• 1:26:34
  Speaker 1: all manner of ways to lead Anthony from the desert,
• 1:26:37
  Speaker 1: and were not able fifty four and once being asked
• 1:26:43
  Speaker 1: by the monks to come down and visit them and
• 1:26:45
  Speaker 1: their abodes. After a time he journeyed with those who
• 1:26:48
  Speaker 1: came to him, and a camel carried the loaves and
• 1:26:51
  Speaker 1: the water for them, For all that desert is dry,
• 1:26:55
  Speaker 1: and there is no water at all that is fit
• 1:26:56
  Speaker 1: to drink, save in that mountain, from whence they to
• 1:27:00
  Speaker 1: through the water, and in which Anthony's cell was so
• 1:27:04
  Speaker 1: when the water failed them on their way, and the
• 1:27:06
  Speaker 1: heat was very great. They all were in danger, for
• 1:27:09
  Speaker 1: having gone round the neighborhood, and finding no water, they
• 1:27:13
  Speaker 1: could walk no further but lay on the ground, and,
• 1:27:16
  Speaker 1: despairing of themselves, let the camel go. But the old men,
• 1:27:20
  Speaker 1: seeing that they were all in jeopardy, groaning in deep grief,
• 1:27:24
  Speaker 1: departed a little way from them, and kneeling down, he
• 1:27:28
  Speaker 1: stretched forth his hands and prayed. And immediately the lord
• 1:27:31
  Speaker 1: made water to well force where he had stood praying,
• 1:27:34
  Speaker 1: And so all drank and were revile. And having filled
• 1:27:38
  Speaker 1: their bowles, they sought the camel and found her. For
• 1:27:41
  Speaker 1: the rope happened to have caught in a stone, and
• 1:27:43
  Speaker 1: so was held fast. Having led it and watered it,
• 1:27:46
  Speaker 1: they placed the bottles on its back, and finished their
• 1:27:49
  Speaker 1: journey in safety. And when he came to the outer cells,
• 1:27:53
  Speaker 1: all saluted him, looking on him as a father. And he, too,
• 1:27:56
  Speaker 1: as though bringing supplies from the mountain, entertained them. Was
• 1:28:00
  Speaker 1: his words and gave them a share of health, And
• 1:28:03
  Speaker 1: again there was joy in the mountains, zeal for improvement
• 1:28:06
  Speaker 1: and consolation through their mutual face. Antony also rejoiced when
• 1:28:11
  Speaker 1: he beheld the earnestness of the monks, and his sister
• 1:28:15
  Speaker 1: grown old in virginity, and that she herself also was
• 1:28:18
  Speaker 1: a leader of other versions. Fifty five. So after certain
• 1:28:24
  Speaker 1: days he went in again to the mountain, and henceforth
• 1:28:27
  Speaker 1: many resorted to him, and others who were suffering venture
• 1:28:30
  Speaker 1: to go in. To all the monks therefore who came
• 1:28:33
  Speaker 1: to him, he continually gave his precept. Believe in the
• 1:28:37
  Speaker 1: Lord and love him. Keep yourselves from filthy thoughts and
• 1:28:41
  Speaker 1: fleshly pleasures, And as it is written in the proverbs,
• 1:28:45
  Speaker 1: be not deceived by the fullness of the belly. Pray continually,
• 1:28:50
  Speaker 1: avoid vainglory, sing psalms before sleep and unawaking. Hold in
• 1:28:55
  Speaker 1: your heart the commandments of scripture. Be mindful of the
• 1:28:58
  Speaker 1: works of the saints, that your souls, being put in
• 1:29:01
  Speaker 1: remembrance of the commandments, may be brought into harmony with
• 1:29:05
  Speaker 1: the zeal of the saints. And especially he counseled them
• 1:29:09
  Speaker 1: to meditate continually on the Apostle's words, let not the
• 1:29:13
  Speaker 1: sun go down upon your wrath. And he considered this
• 1:29:16
  Speaker 1: was spoken of all commandments in common, and that not
• 1:29:20
  Speaker 1: un ras alone, but not on any other sin of ours,
• 1:29:24
  Speaker 1: ought the sun to go down, for it was good
• 1:29:26
  Speaker 1: and needful that neither the sun should condemn us for
• 1:29:30
  Speaker 1: an evil by day, nor the moon for a sin
• 1:29:32
  Speaker 1: by night, or even for an evil thought, that this
• 1:29:36
  Speaker 1: state may one be preserved in us. It is good
• 1:29:39
  Speaker 1: to hear the Apostle and keep his words, for he says,
• 1:29:43
  Speaker 1: try your own selves and prove your own selves daily. Therefore,
• 1:29:47
  Speaker 1: let each one take from himself the tale of his actions,
• 1:29:51
  Speaker 1: boast by day and night, and if he have sinned,
• 1:29:54
  Speaker 1: that him sees from it. While if he have not,
• 1:29:57
  Speaker 1: let him not be boastful. But let him in that
• 1:30:00
  Speaker 1: which is good, without being negligent, nor condemning his neighbors,
• 1:30:04
  Speaker 1: nor justifying himself, until the Lord come, who searches out
• 1:30:08
  Speaker 1: hidden things, as says by the blessed Apostle Paul, for
• 1:30:12
  Speaker 1: often unawares we do things that we know not of,
• 1:30:17
  Speaker 1: But the Lord sees all things. Wherefore, committing the judgment
• 1:30:21
  Speaker 1: to him, let us have sympathy one was another. Let
• 1:30:25
  Speaker 1: us bear each other's burdens, but let us examine our
• 1:30:28
  Speaker 1: own selves and hasten to fill up that in which
• 1:30:31
  Speaker 1: we are lacking. And as a safeguard against sin, that
• 1:30:35
  Speaker 1: the following be observed, let each one note and write
• 1:30:39
  Speaker 1: down our actions, and the impulses of our soul, as
• 1:30:43
  Speaker 1: though we were going to relate them to each other,
• 1:30:46
  Speaker 1: and be assured that if we should be utterly ashamed
• 1:30:49
  Speaker 1: to have them known, we shall abstain from sin, and
• 1:30:52
  Speaker 1: harbor no bay's thoughts in our minds. For who wishes
• 1:30:55
  Speaker 1: to be seen while sinning, or who will not to
• 1:30:58
  Speaker 1: rather lie after the commission of a sin, though the
• 1:31:01
  Speaker 1: wish to escape notice, as then while we are looking
• 1:31:05
  Speaker 1: at one another, we would not commit cardinal sin. So
• 1:31:09
  Speaker 1: if we record our thoughts as though about to tell
• 1:31:12
  Speaker 1: them to one another, we shall the more easily keep
• 1:31:14
  Speaker 1: ourselves free from vile thoughts through shame, lest they should
• 1:31:18
  Speaker 1: be known. Wherefore, let that which is written be to
• 1:31:21
  Speaker 1: us in places of the eyes of our fellow hermits, that,
• 1:31:25
  Speaker 1: blushing as much to write, as if we had been taught,
• 1:31:29
  Speaker 1: we may never think of what is unseemly. Thus fashioning ourselves,
• 1:31:33
  Speaker 1: we should be able to keep the body in subjection,
• 1:31:36
  Speaker 1: to please the Lord, and to trample on the devices
• 1:31:39
  Speaker 1: of the enemy. Fifty six. This was the advice he
• 1:31:44
  Speaker 1: gave to those who came to him, and with those
• 1:31:46
  Speaker 1: who suffered. He sympathized and prayed, and oftentimes the Lord
• 1:31:50
  Speaker 1: heard him on behalf of many. Yet he boasted not
• 1:31:53
  Speaker 1: because he was heard, nor did he murmur if he
• 1:31:56
  Speaker 1: were not. But always he gave the Lord thanks and
• 1:31:59
  Speaker 1: be sought the sufferer to be patient, and to know
• 1:32:02
  Speaker 1: that healing belonged neither to him nor to man at all,
• 1:32:06
  Speaker 1: but only to the Lord, who does good when and
• 1:32:08
  Speaker 1: to whom he will. The sufferers therefore used to receive
• 1:32:12
  Speaker 1: the words of the old Man as though they were
• 1:32:14
  Speaker 1: a cure, learning not to be downhearted, but rather to
• 1:32:18
  Speaker 1: be long suffering. And those who were healed were taught
• 1:32:21
  Speaker 1: not to give thanks to Anthony but to God alone.
• 1:32:24
  Speaker 1: Fifty seven. Wherefore a man Fronto by name, who was
• 1:32:28
  Speaker 1: an officer of the court, and had a terrible disease,
• 1:32:31
  Speaker 1: for he used to bite his own tongue and was
• 1:32:33
  Speaker 1: in danger of injury to his eyes, having come to
• 1:32:36
  Speaker 1: the mountain, asked Anthony to pray for him. But Anthony
• 1:32:40
  Speaker 1: said to him, depart, and thou shalt be healed. But
• 1:32:43
  Speaker 1: when he was violent and remained within some days, Anthony
• 1:32:47
  Speaker 1: waited and said, if thou stayest here, thou cannot be healed. Go,
• 1:32:52
  Speaker 1: And having come into Egypt, thou shalt see the sign
• 1:32:55
  Speaker 1: brought in thee and he believed and went, And as
• 1:32:58
  Speaker 1: soon as he set eyes on Egypt, his sufferings seized,
• 1:33:02
  Speaker 1: and the man became whole, according to the word of
• 1:33:04
  Speaker 1: Anthony which the Savior had revealed to him in prayer
• 1:33:09
  Speaker 1: fifty eight. There was also a maiden from Bossius to Politana,
• 1:33:14
  Speaker 1: who had a terrible and very hideous disorder, for the
• 1:33:17
  Speaker 1: runnings of her eyes, nose, and ears fell to the
• 1:33:20
  Speaker 1: ground and immediately became warms. She was paralyzed, also un squinted.
• 1:33:25
  Speaker 1: Her parents, having heard of monks going to anything and
• 1:33:28
  Speaker 1: believing on the Lord who healed the woman was the
• 1:33:31
  Speaker 1: issue of blood, asked to be allowed together with their
• 1:33:34
  Speaker 1: daughter to journey with them, And when they suffered them,
• 1:33:38
  Speaker 1: the parents together was The girl remained outside the mountain
• 1:33:41
  Speaker 1: with Pafnuccius, a confessor and monk. But the monks went
• 1:33:44
  Speaker 1: into Anthony, and when they only wished to tell about
• 1:33:47
  Speaker 1: the damsel, he anticipated them and detailed both the sufferings
• 1:33:51
  Speaker 1: of the child and how she journeyed was them. Then,
• 1:33:54
  Speaker 1: when they asked that she should be admitted, Anthony did
• 1:33:57
  Speaker 1: not allow it, but said, go and if she be
• 1:34:01
  Speaker 1: not dead, you will find her healed. For the accomplishments
• 1:34:04
  Speaker 1: of this is not mine that she should come to me,
• 1:34:07
  Speaker 1: wretched men that I am. But her healing is the
• 1:34:10
  Speaker 1: work of the Savior, who in every place choose his
• 1:34:13
  Speaker 1: pity to them that call upon him. Wherefore, the Lord
• 1:34:17
  Speaker 1: has inclined to her as she prayed, and his loving
• 1:34:20
  Speaker 1: kindness has declared to me that he will heal the
• 1:34:23
  Speaker 1: child where she now is. So the wonder took place,
• 1:34:26
  Speaker 1: and going out they found the parents rejoicing, and the
• 1:34:29
  Speaker 1: girl hole fifty nine. But when two brethren were coming
• 1:34:34
  Speaker 1: to him, the water failed on the way, and one died,
• 1:34:37
  Speaker 1: and the other was at the point of death, for
• 1:34:39
  Speaker 1: he had no strength to go on, but lay upon
• 1:34:41
  Speaker 1: the ground, expecting to die. But Ensony, sitting in the mountain,
• 1:34:46
  Speaker 1: called two monks who chanced to be there, and urged them, saying,
• 1:34:50
  Speaker 1: take a picture of water and one on the road
• 1:34:52
  Speaker 1: towards Egypt, for of two men who were coming, one
• 1:34:55
  Speaker 1: is already dead, and the other will die unless you hasten,
• 1:34:59
  Speaker 1: for this has been revealed to me as I was praying.
• 1:35:02
  Speaker 1: The monks therefore went and found one lying dead, whom
• 1:35:06
  Speaker 1: they buried, and the other they restored with water. And
• 1:35:09
  Speaker 1: led him to the old man, for it was a
• 1:35:11
  Speaker 1: day's journey. But if anyone asks why did he not
• 1:35:14
  Speaker 1: speak before the other died, the question ought not to
• 1:35:17
  Speaker 1: be asked, for the punishment of death was not Anthony's,
• 1:35:20
  Speaker 1: but God's, who also judged the one and revealed the
• 1:35:23
  Speaker 1: condition of the other. But the marvel here was only
• 1:35:26
  Speaker 1: in the case of Anthony, that he sitting in the mountain,
• 1:35:29
  Speaker 1: had his heart watchful, and had the Lord to show
• 1:35:32
  Speaker 1: him things afar off sixty. And this is so, for
• 1:35:37
  Speaker 1: once again he was sitting on the mountain, and looking up,
• 1:35:40
  Speaker 1: saw in the air someone being borne upward, and there
• 1:35:44
  Speaker 1: was much joy among those who met him. Then, wondering
• 1:35:48
  Speaker 1: and deeming a company of that kind to be blessed,
• 1:35:51
  Speaker 1: he prayed to learn what this might be, and immediately
• 1:35:54
  Speaker 1: a voice came to him, This is the soul of Emmond,
• 1:35:57
  Speaker 1: the monk at Ntria. Now Amund had persevered in the
• 1:36:01
  Speaker 1: discipline up to old age, and the distance from Nitria
• 1:36:04
  Speaker 1: to the mountain where Ethny was was thirteen days journey.
• 1:36:08
  Speaker 1: The companions of Anthony, therefore, seeing the old man, amazed,
• 1:36:12
  Speaker 1: asked to learn and heard that Emmond was just dead,
• 1:36:16
  Speaker 1: and he was well known, for he had stayed there
• 1:36:18
  Speaker 1: very often, and many signs had been wound by his means,
• 1:36:22
  Speaker 1: and this is one of them. Once, when he had
• 1:36:24
  Speaker 1: need to cross the river called Licus, now it was
• 1:36:28
  Speaker 1: the season of the flood, he asked his comrade Theodorus
• 1:36:31
  Speaker 1: to remain at a distance, that they should not see
• 1:36:34
  Speaker 1: one another naked as they swam the water. Then, when
• 1:36:37
  Speaker 1: Theodorus was departed, he again felt ashamed even to see
• 1:36:41
  Speaker 1: him naked. While therefore he was pondering, filled with shame,
• 1:36:45
  Speaker 1: on a sudden he was borne over to the other side. Theodorus, therefore, himself,
• 1:36:50
  Speaker 1: being a good man, approached and, seeing Amond across first
• 1:36:54
  Speaker 1: without a drop of water falling from him, inquired how
• 1:36:57
  Speaker 1: he had got over, And when he saw the Ammond
• 1:37:00
  Speaker 1: was unwilling to tell him, he held him by defeat
• 1:37:03
  Speaker 1: and declared that he would not let go before he
• 1:37:05
  Speaker 1: had learned it from him. So Ammond, seeing the determination
• 1:37:09
  Speaker 1: of Theodorus, especially from what he had said, and having
• 1:37:13
  Speaker 1: asked him to tell no man before his deaths told
• 1:37:16
  Speaker 1: him that he had been carried and placed on the
• 1:37:18
  Speaker 1: further side, and that he had not even set foot
• 1:37:21
  Speaker 1: on the water. Nor was that possible for man, but
• 1:37:25
  Speaker 1: for the Lord alone, and those whom he permits, as
• 1:37:29
  Speaker 1: he did for the great Apostle. Peter Theodorus therefore told
• 1:37:33
  Speaker 1: us after the death of Ammon, and amongst to whom
• 1:37:36
  Speaker 1: Ethny spoke concerning Ammond's deaths marked the day, and when
• 1:37:40
  Speaker 1: the brethren came up from nytwea thirty days after, they
• 1:37:44
  Speaker 1: inquired of them, and learned that Ammond had fallen asleep
• 1:37:47
  Speaker 1: at that day, an hour in which the old man
• 1:37:50
  Speaker 1: had seen his soul borne upwards. And both these and
• 1:37:53
  Speaker 1: the others marveled at the purity of Edesley's soul. How
• 1:37:57
  Speaker 1: he had immediately learned that which was taken place at
• 1:38:00
  Speaker 1: a distance of thirteen days journey, and had seen the
• 1:38:04
  Speaker 1: soul as it was taken up sixty one And Archie
• 1:38:08
  Speaker 1: Laouis too the Count, on a time, having found him
• 1:38:11
  Speaker 1: in the outer mountain, asked him merely to pray for
• 1:38:14
  Speaker 1: Polycratia of Laodyssia, an excellent and Christian maiden, for she
• 1:38:20
  Speaker 1: suffered terribly in the stomach and sight, threw over much discipline,
• 1:38:24
  Speaker 1: and was altogether weekly of body. Anthony prayed therefore, and
• 1:38:29
  Speaker 1: the Count noted the day in which the prayer was made,
• 1:38:32
  Speaker 1: and having departed to Laudiciya, he found the maiden whole,
• 1:38:36
  Speaker 1: and having inquired when and on what day she was
• 1:38:39
  Speaker 1: relieved of her infirmity, he produced a paper on which
• 1:38:42
  Speaker 1: he had written the time of the prayer, And having
• 1:38:45
  Speaker 1: read it, he immediately shewed the writing on the paper,
• 1:38:49
  Speaker 1: and all wondered when they knew that the Lord had
• 1:38:52
  Speaker 1: retrieved her of pain at the time when Anthony was
• 1:38:55
  Speaker 1: praying and invoking the goodness of the Savior on her
• 1:38:58
  Speaker 1: behalf sixty two. And concerning those who came to him,
• 1:39:04
  Speaker 1: he often foretold some days or sometimes a month beforehand,
• 1:39:08
  Speaker 1: what was the cause of their coming. For some came
• 1:39:11
  Speaker 1: only for the sake of seeing him, others through sickness,
• 1:39:15
  Speaker 1: and others suffering from evil spirits. And all thought the
• 1:39:18
  Speaker 1: labor of the journey neither trouble nor loss, for each
• 1:39:21
  Speaker 1: one returned aware that he had received benefit. But those
• 1:39:25
  Speaker 1: saying such things and beholding such sights, he used to
• 1:39:29
  Speaker 1: ask that no one should wonder at him for this,
• 1:39:32
  Speaker 1: but should rather marvel at the Lord for having granted
• 1:39:35
  Speaker 1: to us men to know him as far as our
• 1:39:38
  Speaker 1: powers extended. Sixty three Afterwards, on another occasion. Having descended
• 1:39:45
  Speaker 1: to the outer cells, he was asked to enter a
• 1:39:47
  Speaker 1: vessel and pray with the monks, and he alone perceived
• 1:39:51
  Speaker 1: an exceedingly unpleasant smell. But those on board said that
• 1:39:55
  Speaker 1: this stench arose from the fish and salt meat in
• 1:39:57
  Speaker 1: the ship. He replied, however, the smell was different from that,
• 1:40:02
  Speaker 1: And while he was speaking a youth was an evil
• 1:40:04
  Speaker 1: spirit who had come and hidden himself in the ship,
• 1:40:08
  Speaker 1: cried out, But the demon, being rebuked in the name
• 1:40:11
  Speaker 1: of the Lord Jesus Christ, departed from him, and the
• 1:40:14
  Speaker 1: man became whole, and all knew that the evil smell
• 1:40:17
  Speaker 1: arose from the demon. And of Part five, Part six
• 1:40:27
  Speaker 1: of the Life of Saint Anthony by Saint Asanasius. This
• 1:40:32
  Speaker 1: is the LibriVox recording. All Libera vox recordings are in
• 1:40:35
  Speaker 1: the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please
• 1:40:38
  Speaker 1: visit Libervox dot org sixty four. And another a person
• 1:40:44
  Speaker 1: of Frank came to him possessed by a demon, and
• 1:40:47
  Speaker 1: the demon was so terrible that the man possessed did
• 1:40:49
  Speaker 1: not know that he was coming to Antony. But he
• 1:40:52
  Speaker 1: even aid the exquita from his body, so those who
• 1:40:55
  Speaker 1: brought him besought Anthony to pray for him, and Anthony pity.
• 1:41:00
  Speaker 1: The young men prayed and kept watch with him all night,
• 1:41:03
  Speaker 1: and about dawn the young man suddenly attacked Anthony and
• 1:41:07
  Speaker 1: gave him a push. But when those who came with
• 1:41:09
  Speaker 1: him were angry, Anthony said, do not be angry. Was
• 1:41:13
  Speaker 1: the young man, for it is not he but the
• 1:41:15
  Speaker 1: demon which is in him, And being rebuked and commanded
• 1:41:19
  Speaker 1: to go into dry places, the demon became waging mad.
• 1:41:22
  Speaker 1: And he has done this. Wherefore give thanks to the
• 1:41:25
  Speaker 1: Lord for his attack on me. Thus is a sign
• 1:41:28
  Speaker 1: of the departure of the evil spirit. When Anthony had
• 1:41:31
  Speaker 1: said this straightway, the young men had become whole, and
• 1:41:35
  Speaker 1: having come at last to his right mind, knew where
• 1:41:37
  Speaker 1: he was, and saluted the old man, and give thanks
• 1:41:40
  Speaker 1: to God. Sixty five. And many monks have related with
• 1:41:45
  Speaker 1: the greatest agreement and unanimity that many other such like
• 1:41:49
  Speaker 1: things were done by him. But still these do not
• 1:41:52
  Speaker 1: seem as marvelous as certain other things appear to be.
• 1:41:56
  Speaker 1: For once, when about to eat, having risen up to
• 1:41:58
  Speaker 1: pray about the ninth hour, he perceived that he was
• 1:42:01
  Speaker 1: caught up in the spirit and wonderful to tell he
• 1:42:04
  Speaker 1: stood and saw himself as it were, from outside himself,
• 1:42:08
  Speaker 1: and that he was led in the air by certain ones. Next,
• 1:42:11
  Speaker 1: certain bitter and terrible beings stood in the air and
• 1:42:15
  Speaker 1: wished to hinder him from passing through. But when his
• 1:42:17
  Speaker 1: conductors opposed him, they demanded whether he was not accountable
• 1:42:21
  Speaker 1: to them. And when they wished to sum up the
• 1:42:23
  Speaker 1: account from his burths, Anthony's conductors stopped them, saying, the
• 1:42:27
  Speaker 1: Lord has wiped out the sins from his bursts. But
• 1:42:30
  Speaker 1: from the time he became a monk and devoted himself
• 1:42:33
  Speaker 1: to God, it is permitted you to make a reckoning. Then,
• 1:42:37
  Speaker 1: when they accused him and could not convict him, his
• 1:42:39
  Speaker 1: way was free and unhindered. And immediately he saw himself
• 1:42:44
  Speaker 1: as it were, coming and standing by himself, and again
• 1:42:47
  Speaker 1: he was Anthony as before. Then, forgetful of eating, he
• 1:42:51
  Speaker 1: remained the rest of the day and through the whole
• 1:42:53
  Speaker 1: of the night, groaning and praying, for he was astonished
• 1:42:56
  Speaker 1: when he saw against what mighty opponents our wrestling is,
• 1:43:00
  Speaker 1: and by what labors we have to pass through the air.
• 1:43:02
  Speaker 1: And he remembered that this is what the apostle said.
• 1:43:05
  Speaker 1: According to the Prince of the power of the air,
• 1:43:08
  Speaker 1: for in it the enemy has power to fight and
• 1:43:10
  Speaker 1: to attempt to hinder those who pass through. Wherefore, most
• 1:43:13
  Speaker 1: earnestly he exhorted, take up the whole armor of God,
• 1:43:17
  Speaker 1: that he may be able to withstand in the evil day,
• 1:43:20
  Speaker 1: that the enemy, having no evil thing to say against us,
• 1:43:24
  Speaker 1: may be ashamed. And we who have learned this, let
• 1:43:27
  Speaker 1: us be mindful of the apostle when he says, whether
• 1:43:30
  Speaker 1: in the body I know not, or whether out of
• 1:43:32
  Speaker 1: the body I know not, God knows. But Paul was
• 1:43:36
  Speaker 1: caught up unto the third heaven, and having heard things unspeakable,
• 1:43:41
  Speaker 1: he came down while ansoney thaws that he had come
• 1:43:45
  Speaker 1: to the air, and contended until he was free sixty
• 1:43:49
  Speaker 1: six And he had also this favor granted him, for
• 1:43:53
  Speaker 1: as he was sitting alone on the mountain, if ever
• 1:43:56
  Speaker 1: he was in perplexity in his meditations, this was revealed
• 1:44:00
  Speaker 1: to him by providence in prayer. And the happy man,
• 1:44:03
  Speaker 1: as it is written, was thought of God after this,
• 1:44:07
  Speaker 1: when he once had the discussion with certain men who
• 1:44:10
  Speaker 1: had come to him concerning the state of the soul
• 1:44:13
  Speaker 1: and of what nature its place will be after his life.
• 1:44:16
  Speaker 1: The following night, one from above, called him, saying, Anthony, wise,
• 1:44:20
  Speaker 1: go out and look. Having gone out therefore, for he
• 1:44:24
  Speaker 1: knew whom he ought to obey. Looking up, he behold
• 1:44:27
  Speaker 1: one standing and reaching to the clouds, tall, hideous and fearful,
• 1:44:32
  Speaker 1: and others ascending as though they were winged, and the
• 1:44:35
  Speaker 1: figure stretched forth his hand, and some of those who
• 1:44:38
  Speaker 1: were ascending were stayed by him, while others flew above,
• 1:44:43
  Speaker 1: and having escaped heavenward, were borne aloft, free from care.
• 1:44:47
  Speaker 1: At such therefore, the giant gnashed his teeth, but rejoiced
• 1:44:51
  Speaker 1: over those who fell back and forcewiz. A voice came
• 1:44:54
  Speaker 1: to Anthony, understandest thou what thou see? And his understanding
• 1:44:59
  Speaker 1: was opened, and he understood that it was the passing
• 1:45:02
  Speaker 1: of souls, and that the tall being who stood was
• 1:45:05
  Speaker 1: the enemy who envies the faithful, and those whom he
• 1:45:08
  Speaker 1: caught and stopped from passing through are accountable to him,
• 1:45:12
  Speaker 1: while those whom he was unable to hold as they
• 1:45:14
  Speaker 1: passed upward had not been subservient to him. So, having
• 1:45:18
  Speaker 1: seen this, and as it were being reminded, he struggled
• 1:45:22
  Speaker 1: the more daily to advance towards those things which were before,
• 1:45:25
  Speaker 1: and these visions he was unwilling to tell, but as
• 1:45:28
  Speaker 1: he spent much time in prayer, and was amazed when
• 1:45:31
  Speaker 1: those who were with him pressed him with questions and
• 1:45:34
  Speaker 1: forced him, he was compelled to speak, as if other
• 1:45:37
  Speaker 1: who cannot withhold aught from his children. And he thought
• 1:45:41
  Speaker 1: that as his conscience was clear, the account would be
• 1:45:44
  Speaker 1: beneficial for them, that they might learn that discipline bore
• 1:45:47
  Speaker 1: good food, and that visions were oftentimes the solace of
• 1:45:50
  Speaker 1: their labors. Sixty seven added to this, he was tolerant
• 1:45:56
  Speaker 1: in disposition and humble in spirit. For though he was
• 1:45:59
  Speaker 1: such an he observed the rule of the church most rigidly,
• 1:46:03
  Speaker 1: and was willing that all clergy should be honored above himself.
• 1:46:07
  Speaker 1: For he was not ashamed to bow his head to
• 1:46:09
  Speaker 1: bishops and presbyters, And if ever a deacon came to
• 1:46:13
  Speaker 1: him for help, he discoursed with him on what was profitable,
• 1:46:17
  Speaker 1: but gave place to him in prayer, not being ashamed
• 1:46:20
  Speaker 1: to learn himself. For often he would ask questions and
• 1:46:23
  Speaker 1: desire to listen to those who were present, and if
• 1:46:26
  Speaker 1: any one said anything that was useful, he confessed that
• 1:46:29
  Speaker 1: he was profited, and besides his countenance had a great
• 1:46:33
  Speaker 1: and wonderful grace his gift also he had from the Savior,
• 1:46:38
  Speaker 1: For if he were present in a great company of monks,
• 1:46:40
  Speaker 1: and any one who did not know him previously wished
• 1:46:43
  Speaker 1: to see him, immediately coming forward, he passed by the
• 1:46:46
  Speaker 1: rest and hurried to Anthony, as though attracted by his appearance.
• 1:46:51
  Speaker 1: Yet neither in height nor breadths was he conspicious above others,
• 1:46:56
  Speaker 1: but in the serenity of his manner and the purity
• 1:46:59
  Speaker 1: of his soul. For as his soul was free from disturbances,
• 1:47:03
  Speaker 1: his outward appearance was calm. So from the joy of
• 1:47:06
  Speaker 1: his soul he possessed a cheerful countenance, and from his
• 1:47:11
  Speaker 1: bodily movements could be perceived the condition of his soul.
• 1:47:14
  Speaker 1: As it is written, when the heart is merry, the
• 1:47:17
  Speaker 1: countenance is cheerful, but when it is sorrowful, it is
• 1:47:21
  Speaker 1: cast down. Thus Jacob recognized the council the band had
• 1:47:25
  Speaker 1: in his heart, and said to his wives, the countenance
• 1:47:28
  Speaker 1: of your father is not as it was yesterday and
• 1:47:31
  Speaker 1: the day before. Thus Samuel recognized David, for he had
• 1:47:36
  Speaker 1: merciful eyes and teas white as milk. Thus Anthony was recognized,
• 1:47:41
  Speaker 1: for he was never disturbed, for his soul was at peace.
• 1:47:45
  Speaker 1: He was never downcast, for his mind was joyous sixty eight.
• 1:47:51
  Speaker 1: And he was altogether wonderful in face and religious. For
• 1:47:54
  Speaker 1: he never held communion with the Malician schismaics, knowing their
• 1:47:58
  Speaker 1: wickedness an apostas from the beginning, nor had he friendly
• 1:48:02
  Speaker 1: dealings with the Manchians or any other heretics, for if
• 1:48:06
  Speaker 1: he had only as far as advice, that they would
• 1:48:09
  Speaker 1: change to pity. For he thought and asserted that intercourse
• 1:48:13
  Speaker 1: disease was harmful and destructive to the soul. In the
• 1:48:16
  Speaker 1: same manner, also he lost the heresy of the Aryans,
• 1:48:19
  Speaker 1: and exhorted all neither to approach them, nor to bulb
• 1:48:22
  Speaker 1: their erroneous belief. And once, when certain Aryan madmen came
• 1:48:27
  Speaker 1: to him, when he had questioned them and learned their impiety,
• 1:48:31
  Speaker 1: he drove them from the mountain, saying that their words
• 1:48:33
  Speaker 1: were worse than the poison of serpents sixty nine. And
• 1:48:39
  Speaker 1: once also the Aryans, having lyingly asserted that Ensiony's opinion
• 1:48:43
  Speaker 1: were the same as theirs, he was displeased and lost
• 1:48:47
  Speaker 1: against them. Then, being summoned by the bishops and all
• 1:48:49
  Speaker 1: the brethren, he descended from the mountain, and having entered Alexandria.
• 1:48:53
  Speaker 1: He denounced the Arians, saying that their heresy was the
• 1:48:57
  Speaker 1: last of all and the forerunner of Antichrist. And he
• 1:49:00
  Speaker 1: taught the people that the Son of God was not
• 1:49:02
  Speaker 1: a created being, neither had he come into being from
• 1:49:05
  Speaker 1: non existence, but that he was the eternal Word and
• 1:49:09
  Speaker 1: wisdom of the essence of the Father. And therefore it
• 1:49:12
  Speaker 1: was impious to say there was a time when he
• 1:49:15
  Speaker 1: was not, for the Word was always coexistent, was the Father.
• 1:49:19
  Speaker 1: Wherefore have no fellowship. Was the most impious Arrians, for
• 1:49:23
  Speaker 1: there is no communion between light and darkness. For you
• 1:49:27
  Speaker 1: are good Christians. But they, when they say that the
• 1:49:30
  Speaker 1: Son of the Father, the Word of God is a
• 1:49:33
  Speaker 1: created being, differ in nott from the Heathen, since they
• 1:49:36
  Speaker 1: worship that which is created, rather than God the Creator.
• 1:49:40
  Speaker 1: But believe ye that the creation itself is angry with them,
• 1:49:43
  Speaker 1: because they number the Creator, the Lord of all, by
• 1:49:46
  Speaker 1: whom all things came into being, was those things which
• 1:49:50
  Speaker 1: were originated seventy All the people therefore rejoice when they
• 1:49:55
  Speaker 1: heard the anti Christian heresy anathematized by such a man,
• 1:50:00
  Speaker 1: And all the people in the city ran together to
• 1:50:03
  Speaker 1: see antony, and the Greeks and those who are called
• 1:50:06
  Speaker 1: their priests came into the church, saying, we asked to
• 1:50:10
  Speaker 1: see the men of God. For so they all called him.
• 1:50:13
  Speaker 1: For in that place also the Lord cleansed many of
• 1:50:15
  Speaker 1: demons and healed those who were mad. And many Greeks
• 1:50:19
  Speaker 1: asked that they might even but touch the old Man,
• 1:50:22
  Speaker 1: believing that they should be profited assuredly, as many became
• 1:50:26
  Speaker 1: Christians in those days, as one would have seen made
• 1:50:29
  Speaker 1: in a year. Then, when some thought that he was
• 1:50:31
  Speaker 1: troubled by the crowds, and on this account turned them
• 1:50:35
  Speaker 1: all away from him, he said undisturbingly that there were
• 1:50:38
  Speaker 1: not more of them than of the demons with whom
• 1:50:41
  Speaker 1: he wrestled in the mountain seventy one. But when he
• 1:50:46
  Speaker 1: was departing, and were sitting him force on his way,
• 1:50:49
  Speaker 1: as we arrived at the gate, a woman from behind
• 1:50:52
  Speaker 1: cried out, stay thou, men of God. My daughter is
• 1:50:55
  Speaker 1: grievously vexed by a devil. Stay I beseech thee dost
• 1:50:59
  Speaker 1: I too harm. Myself was running, and the old man,
• 1:51:02
  Speaker 1: when he heard her and was asked by us, willingly stayed.
• 1:51:06
  Speaker 1: And when the woman drew near, the child was cast
• 1:51:09
  Speaker 1: on the ground. But when Anthony had prayed and called
• 1:51:13
  Speaker 1: upon the name of Christ, the child was raised whole,
• 1:51:16
  Speaker 1: for the unclean spirit was gone force, and the mother
• 1:51:19
  Speaker 1: blessed God, and all gave thanks. And Anthony himself also rejoiced,
• 1:51:25
  Speaker 1: departing to the mountain as though it were to his
• 1:51:27
  Speaker 1: own home. Seventy two. And Anthony also was exceeding prudent.
• 1:51:34
  Speaker 1: And the one there was that, although he had not
• 1:51:36
  Speaker 1: learned letters, he was a ready witted and sagacious man
• 1:51:41
  Speaker 1: at all events. Two Greek philosophers once came, thinking they
• 1:51:45
  Speaker 1: could try their skill on Antony, and he was in
• 1:51:48
  Speaker 1: the outer mountain, and having recognized who they were from
• 1:51:51
  Speaker 1: their appearance, he came to them and said to them,
• 1:51:54
  Speaker 1: by means of an interpreter, why philosophers, did ye trouble
• 1:51:58
  Speaker 1: yourself so much to come to a foolish man? And
• 1:52:01
  Speaker 1: when they said he was not a foolish man, but
• 1:52:04
  Speaker 1: exceedingly prudent, he said to them, if you come to
• 1:52:07
  Speaker 1: a foolish man, your labor is superfluous. But if you
• 1:52:11
  Speaker 1: think me prudent, become as I am, For we ought
• 1:52:14
  Speaker 1: to imitate what is good, And if I had come
• 1:52:16
  Speaker 1: to you, I should have imitated you, But if you
• 1:52:19
  Speaker 1: to me, become as I am, for I am a Christian.
• 1:52:23
  Speaker 1: But they departed was wonder for they saw that even
• 1:52:26
  Speaker 1: demons feared Anthony. Seventy three. And again others such as
• 1:52:32
  Speaker 1: these met him in the outer mountain and thought to
• 1:52:35
  Speaker 1: mock him because he had not learned letters. And Anthony
• 1:52:38
  Speaker 1: said to them, what say ye, which is first mine
• 1:52:42
  Speaker 1: or letters? And which is the cause of which mind
• 1:52:46
  Speaker 1: of letters? Or letters of mind? And when they answered,
• 1:52:49
  Speaker 1: mine is first, and the inventor of letters, Anthony said,
• 1:52:53
  Speaker 1: whoever therefore has a sound mind has not need of letters.
• 1:52:57
  Speaker 1: This answer amazed both suby standards and the philosophers, and
• 1:53:01
  Speaker 1: they departed, marveling that they had seen so much understanding
• 1:53:05
  Speaker 1: in an ignorant man. For his manners were not rough,
• 1:53:08
  Speaker 1: as though he had been wearied in the mountain, and
• 1:53:11
  Speaker 1: there grown old but graceful and polite, and his speech
• 1:53:15
  Speaker 1: was seasoned. Was a divine soul, so that no one
• 1:53:19
  Speaker 1: was envious, but rather all re joiced over him who
• 1:53:22
  Speaker 1: visited him seventy four. After this again certain others came,
• 1:53:28
  Speaker 1: and these were men who were deemed wise among the Greeks,
• 1:53:32
  Speaker 1: and they asked him a reason for our face in Christ.
• 1:53:35
  Speaker 1: But when they attempted to dispute concerning the preaching of
• 1:53:38
  Speaker 1: the divine Cross, and meant to Monk Anthony stopped for
• 1:53:42
  Speaker 1: a little, and, first, pitying their ignorance, said to an
• 1:53:45
  Speaker 1: interpreter who could skillfully interpret his words, which is more
• 1:53:50
  Speaker 1: beautiful to confess the cross or to attribute to those
• 1:53:53
  Speaker 1: whom you call gods adultery and the seduction of boys.
• 1:53:57
  Speaker 1: For that which is chosen by us is, as of course,
• 1:54:01
  Speaker 1: and a sure token of the contempt of deaths, while
• 1:54:04
  Speaker 1: yours are the passions of the sensuousness. Next, which is
• 1:54:08
  Speaker 1: better to say that the word of God was not changed,
• 1:54:11
  Speaker 1: but being the same, he took a human body for
• 1:54:14
  Speaker 1: the salvation and well being of men, that, having shared
• 1:54:18
  Speaker 1: in human bursts, he might make men partake in the
• 1:54:21
  Speaker 1: divine and spiritual nature. Or to liken the divine to
• 1:54:24
  Speaker 1: senseless animals, and consequently to worship four footed beasts, creeping things,
• 1:54:29
  Speaker 1: and the likeness of men. For these things are the
• 1:54:32
  Speaker 1: objects of reverence of you, wise men. But how do
• 1:54:35
  Speaker 1: you dare to mock us who say that Christ has
• 1:54:38
  Speaker 1: appeared as men? Seeing that you bringing the soul from
• 1:54:42
  Speaker 1: heaven assert that it has trade and fallen from the
• 1:54:46
  Speaker 1: vault of the sky into body, And would that you
• 1:54:48
  Speaker 1: had said that it had fallen into human body alone,
• 1:54:52
  Speaker 1: and not asserted that it passes and changes into four
• 1:54:54
  Speaker 1: footed beasts and creeping things. For our faith declares that
• 1:54:59
  Speaker 1: the coming of Christ was for the salvation of men.
• 1:55:02
  Speaker 1: But you err, because you speak of soul as non generated.
• 1:55:06
  Speaker 1: And we, considering the power and loving kindness of Providence,
• 1:55:10
  Speaker 1: think that the coming of Christ in the flesh was
• 1:55:13
  Speaker 1: not impossible with God. But you, although calling the soul
• 1:55:16
  Speaker 1: the likeness of mind, connected with false and fain in
• 1:55:19
  Speaker 1: your myth that it is changeable, and consequently introduce idea
• 1:55:24
  Speaker 1: that mind itself is changeable by reason of the soul.
• 1:55:28
  Speaker 1: For whatever is the nature of a likeness, such necessarily
• 1:55:32
  Speaker 1: is the nature of that of which it is a likeness.
• 1:55:35
  Speaker 1: But whenever you think such a thought concerning mind, remember
• 1:55:39
  Speaker 1: that you blasphem even the father of mind himself seventy five.
• 1:55:45
  Speaker 1: But concerning the cross, which would you say to be
• 1:55:48
  Speaker 1: the better to bear it when a plot is brought
• 1:55:51
  Speaker 1: about by wicked men, Nor to be in fear of
• 1:55:54
  Speaker 1: death brought about under any form whatever, or to prate
• 1:55:58
  Speaker 1: about the wanderings of Osiris, and is the plots of Typhan,
• 1:56:02
  Speaker 1: the flight of Cronus, he is eating his children, and
• 1:56:05
  Speaker 1: the slaughter of his father. For this is your wisdom.
• 1:56:09
  Speaker 1: But how if you mock the Cross, do you not
• 1:56:11
  Speaker 1: marvel at the resurrection? For the same men who told
• 1:56:15
  Speaker 1: us of the latter wrote the former? Or why when
• 1:56:18
  Speaker 1: you make mention of the cross, are you silent about
• 1:56:21
  Speaker 1: the dead who were raised, the blind who received their sight,
• 1:56:25
  Speaker 1: the paralytics who were healed, the leperous hoary cleansed, the
• 1:56:29
  Speaker 1: walking upon the sea, and the rest of the signs
• 1:56:32
  Speaker 1: and wonders which show that Christ is no longer a
• 1:56:34
  Speaker 1: man but God. To me, you seem to do yourselves
• 1:56:38
  Speaker 1: much injustice, and not to have carefully read our scriptures.
• 1:56:42
  Speaker 1: But read and see that the deeds of Christ prove
• 1:56:45
  Speaker 1: him to be God. Came upon earth for the salvation
• 1:56:48
  Speaker 1: of men seventy six. But do you tell us your
• 1:56:53
  Speaker 1: religious beliefs. What can you say of senseless creatures except
• 1:56:58
  Speaker 1: senselessness and ferocity? But if as I hear you wish
• 1:57:02
  Speaker 1: to say that these things are spoken of by you
• 1:57:05
  Speaker 1: as legends, and you allegorize the rape of the maiden
• 1:57:08
  Speaker 1: perciform of the earth, the lameness of Hephastus of fire,
• 1:57:12
  Speaker 1: and allegorize the air as Hera, the sun as Apollo,
• 1:57:16
  Speaker 1: the moon as Artemis, and the sea as Poseidon. None
• 1:57:19
  Speaker 1: the less, you do not worship God himself, but serve
• 1:57:23
  Speaker 1: the creature rather than God, who created all things. For
• 1:57:27
  Speaker 1: if because creation beautiful you compose such legends, still it
• 1:57:31
  Speaker 1: was fitting that you should stop short at admiration and
• 1:57:34
  Speaker 1: not make gods of things created, so that you should
• 1:57:37
  Speaker 1: not give the honor of the creator to that which
• 1:57:39
  Speaker 1: is created. Since if ye do, it is time for
• 1:57:43
  Speaker 1: you to diverd the honor of the master builder to
• 1:57:45
  Speaker 1: the house built by him, and of the general to
• 1:57:48
  Speaker 1: the soldier. What then can you reply to these things,
• 1:57:53
  Speaker 1: that we may know whether the cross has anything worthy
• 1:57:56
  Speaker 1: of mockery seventy seven. But when when they were at
• 1:58:00
  Speaker 1: a loss, turning hither and thither, Ansony smiled and said again,
• 1:58:05
  Speaker 1: through an interpreter, sight itself carries the convention of these things.
• 1:58:10
  Speaker 1: As you prefer to lean upon demonstrative arguments, and as you,
• 1:58:14
  Speaker 1: having this art, wishes also not to worship God until
• 1:58:18
  Speaker 1: after such proof, do you tell first how things in general,
• 1:58:22
  Speaker 1: and especially the recognition of God are accurately known? Is
• 1:58:26
  Speaker 1: it through demonstrative argument or the working of face? And
• 1:58:29
  Speaker 1: which is better, face which comes through the inworking of
• 1:58:32
  Speaker 1: God or demonstration by arguments. And when they answered that
• 1:58:37
  Speaker 1: face which comes through the in working was better and
• 1:58:40
  Speaker 1: was accurate knowledge, Anthony said, you have answered well, for
• 1:58:44
  Speaker 1: face arises from disposition of soul, but dialectic from the
• 1:58:48
  Speaker 1: skill of its inventors. Wherefore, to those who have the
• 1:58:53
  Speaker 1: in working through face, demonstrative argument is needless or even superfluous.
• 1:58:59
  Speaker 1: For what we know through face, this you attempt to
• 1:59:01
  Speaker 1: prove through words, and often you are not even able
• 1:59:05
  Speaker 1: to express what we understand. So that in working through
• 1:59:08
  Speaker 1: face is better and stronger than your professional arguments seventy eight.
• 1:59:14
  Speaker 1: We Christians therefore hold the mystery not in the wisdom
• 1:59:18
  Speaker 1: of Greek arguments, but in the power of faith richly
• 1:59:21
  Speaker 1: supplied to us by God through Jesus Christ. And to
• 1:59:24
  Speaker 1: show that this statement is true, behold now, without having
• 1:59:28
  Speaker 1: learned letters, we believe in God, knowing through his works
• 1:59:33
  Speaker 1: his providence over all things. And to show that our
• 1:59:36
  Speaker 1: face is effective. So now we are supported by faith
• 1:59:39
  Speaker 1: in Christ, but you by professional logo machines. The importance
• 1:59:44
  Speaker 1: of the idols among you are being done away, but
• 1:59:48
  Speaker 1: our face is extending everywhere. You, by your arguments and quibbles,
• 1:59:52
  Speaker 1: have converted none from Christianity to Pasianism. We, teaching the
• 1:59:57
  Speaker 1: face on Christ, expose your superstition, since all recognize that
• 2:00:02
  Speaker 1: Christ is God and the Son of God. You, by
• 2:00:05
  Speaker 1: your eloquence, do not hinder the teaching of Christ. But we,
• 2:00:09
  Speaker 1: by the mention of Christ crucified, put all demons to flight,
• 2:00:14
  Speaker 1: whom you fear as if they were gods. Where the
• 2:00:17
  Speaker 1: sign of the Cross is magic is weak, and which
• 2:00:20
  Speaker 1: craft has no strengths seventy nine tell us therefore, where
• 2:00:26
  Speaker 1: your oracles are now? Where are the charm of the Egyptians?
• 2:00:30
  Speaker 1: Where the delusions of the Masicians? Where did all these
• 2:00:33
  Speaker 1: things seize and grow weak? Except when the Cross of
• 2:00:36
  Speaker 1: Christ arose? Is it then e fit subject for mockery,
• 2:00:40
  Speaker 1: and not rather the things brought to nought by it
• 2:00:43
  Speaker 1: and convicted of weakness. For this is a marvelous thing,
• 2:00:47
  Speaker 1: that your religion was never persecuted, but even was honored
• 2:00:51
  Speaker 1: by men in every city, while the followers of Christ
• 2:00:54
  Speaker 1: are persecuted, and still our side flourishes and multiplies over yours.
• 2:00:59
  Speaker 1: What is yours, though praised and honored, perishes, While the
• 2:01:03
  Speaker 1: faith and teaching of Christ, though mocked by you and
• 2:01:06
  Speaker 1: often persecuted by kings, has filled the world. For when
• 2:01:10
  Speaker 1: has the knowledge of God so shown force? Or when
• 2:01:13
  Speaker 1: has self control and the excellence of virginity appeared as now?
• 2:01:17
  Speaker 1: Or when has death been so despised, except when the
• 2:01:19
  Speaker 1: cross of Christ has appeared. And this no one doubts
• 2:01:22
  Speaker 1: when he sees the martyr despising thus for the sake
• 2:01:24
  Speaker 1: of Christ, when he sees, for Christ's sake, the versions
• 2:01:28
  Speaker 1: of the Church keeping themselves pure and undefiled, And of
• 2:01:32
  Speaker 1: Part six Part seven of the Life of Saint Anson
• 2:01:41
  Speaker 1: by Saint Asanasius. This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox
• 2:01:45
  Speaker 1: recordings are in the public domain. For more information or volunteer,
• 2:01:49
  Speaker 1: please visit LibriVox dot org eighty. And these signs are
• 2:01:54
  Speaker 1: sufficient to prove that the face of Christ alone is
• 2:01:57
  Speaker 1: a true religion. But see you still do not believe,
• 2:02:01
  Speaker 1: and are seeking for arguments. We, however, make our proof,
• 2:02:05
  Speaker 1: not in the persuasive words of Greek wisdom, as our
• 2:02:08
  Speaker 1: teacher has it, but we persuade by the face, which
• 2:02:12
  Speaker 1: manifestly precedes argumentative proof. Behold, there are here some vexed
• 2:02:17
  Speaker 1: with demons. Now there were certain who had come to him,
• 2:02:21
  Speaker 1: very disquieted by demons, and bringing them into the mists.
• 2:02:24
  Speaker 1: He said, do you cleanse them easier by arguments, and
• 2:02:28
  Speaker 1: by whatever art or magic you choose, calling upon your idols,
• 2:02:33
  Speaker 1: or if you are enabled, put away your strife with us,
• 2:02:36
  Speaker 1: and you shall see the power of the cross of Christ.
• 2:02:38
  Speaker 1: And having said this, he called upon Christ and signed
• 2:02:42
  Speaker 1: the sufferers two or three times with the sign of
• 2:02:45
  Speaker 1: the cross. And immediately the men stood up whole and
• 2:02:48
  Speaker 1: in their right mind and forceless give sayings unto the Lord.
• 2:02:53
  Speaker 1: And the philosophers, as they are called, wondered and were
• 2:02:56
  Speaker 1: astonished exceedingly by the understanding of the man, and at
• 2:03:00
  Speaker 1: the sign which had been wrought. But Annesony said, why,
• 2:03:04
  Speaker 1: marvel ye at this. We are not the doors of
• 2:03:06
  Speaker 1: these things, but it is Christ who works them by
• 2:03:09
  Speaker 1: means of those who believe in Him. Believe therefore also yourselves,
• 2:03:14
  Speaker 1: and you shall see that with us there is no
• 2:03:16
  Speaker 1: trick of words, but faith through love, which has wrotten
• 2:03:19
  Speaker 1: us towards Christ, which if you yourselves should obtain, you
• 2:03:23
  Speaker 1: will no longer seek demonstrative arguments, but will consider faith
• 2:03:26
  Speaker 1: in Christ sufficient. These are the words of Antony, And they,
• 2:03:30
  Speaker 1: marveling at this, also saluted him and departed, confessing the
• 2:03:34
  Speaker 1: benefit they had received from him. Eighty one and the
• 2:03:40
  Speaker 1: fame of Anthony came even unto kings. For Constantine Augustus
• 2:03:44
  Speaker 1: and his sons Constantius and Constance. The Augustine wrote letters
• 2:03:49
  Speaker 1: to him as to a father, and begged an answer
• 2:03:52
  Speaker 1: from him. But he made nothing very much of the letters,
• 2:03:56
  Speaker 1: nor did he rejoice at the messages, but twas the
• 2:03:59
  Speaker 1: same as he had been before the emperors wrote to him.
• 2:04:02
  Speaker 1: But when they brought him the letters, he called the
• 2:04:04
  Speaker 1: monks and said, do not be astonished if an emperor
• 2:04:07
  Speaker 1: writes to us, for he is a man. But to
• 2:04:10
  Speaker 1: other wonder that God wrote the law for men and
• 2:04:13
  Speaker 1: has spoken to us through his own son. And so
• 2:04:16
  Speaker 1: he was unwilling to receive the letters, saying that he
• 2:04:19
  Speaker 1: did not know how to write an answer to such things.
• 2:04:22
  Speaker 1: But being urged by the monks because the emperors were
• 2:04:25
  Speaker 1: Christian unless they should take offense on the ground that
• 2:04:28
  Speaker 1: they had been spurned, he consented that they should be
• 2:04:31
  Speaker 1: read and wrote an answer, approving them because they worshiped Christ,
• 2:04:35
  Speaker 1: and giving them counsel on sings pertaining to salvation, not
• 2:04:39
  Speaker 1: to think much of the present, but to other to
• 2:04:41
  Speaker 1: remember the judgment that is coming, and to know that
• 2:04:44
  Speaker 1: Christ alone was the true and eternal king. He begged
• 2:04:47
  Speaker 1: them to be merciful and to give heed to justice
• 2:04:50
  Speaker 1: and the poor, and they, having received the answer, rejoiced.
• 2:04:54
  Speaker 1: Thus he was dear to all and all desire to
• 2:04:57
  Speaker 1: consider him as a father eighty two, being known to
• 2:05:03
  Speaker 1: be so great a man. Therefore, and having thus given
• 2:05:05
  Speaker 1: answers to those who visited him, he returned again to
• 2:05:08
  Speaker 1: the inner mountains and maintained his wonted discipline, and often
• 2:05:12
  Speaker 1: when people came to him as he was sitting or walking,
• 2:05:15
  Speaker 1: as it is written in Daniel, he became dumb, and
• 2:05:18
  Speaker 1: after a season he resumed the thread of what he
• 2:05:21
  Speaker 1: had been saying before to the brethren, who were with
• 2:05:24
  Speaker 1: him and his companions perceived that he was seeing a vision,
• 2:05:27
  Speaker 1: for often when he was on the mountains, he saw
• 2:05:30
  Speaker 1: what was happening in Egypt and told it to Serapion,
• 2:05:33
  Speaker 1: the bishop, who was indoors with him, and who saw
• 2:05:36
  Speaker 1: that Ensny was wrapped in a vision. Once he was
• 2:05:39
  Speaker 1: sitting and working, he fell, as it were, into a
• 2:05:41
  Speaker 1: trance and grown much at what he saw. Then, after
• 2:05:45
  Speaker 1: a time, having turned to the bystanders with groans and trembling,
• 2:05:48
  Speaker 1: he prayed, and, falling on his knees, remained so a
• 2:05:51
  Speaker 1: long time, and having arisen, the old man wept. His companions, therefore,
• 2:05:56
  Speaker 1: trembling and terrified, desired to learn from him what it was,
• 2:06:00
  Speaker 1: and they troubled him much until he was forced to speak,
• 2:06:03
  Speaker 1: And with many grones, he spoke as follows, O, my children,
• 2:06:07
  Speaker 1: it were better to die before it has appeared in
• 2:06:10
  Speaker 1: the vision come to pass. And when again they asked him,
• 2:06:13
  Speaker 1: having burst into tears, he said, grass is about to
• 2:06:16
  Speaker 1: seize the church, and it is at the point of
• 2:06:19
  Speaker 1: being given up to men who are like senseless beasts.
• 2:06:23
  Speaker 1: For I saw the table of the lord's house, and
• 2:06:25
  Speaker 1: mules standing around it on all sides in a ring,
• 2:06:28
  Speaker 1: and kicking the things therein, just like a herd kicks
• 2:06:32
  Speaker 1: when it leaps in confusion. And you saw, said he
• 2:06:36
  Speaker 1: how I gone? For I heard a voice saying, my
• 2:06:38
  Speaker 1: altars shall be defiled. These things the old men saw,
• 2:06:42
  Speaker 1: and after two years the present in road of the Arians,
• 2:06:45
  Speaker 1: and the plunder of the church took place when they
• 2:06:48
  Speaker 1: violently carried off the vessels and made the Heazen carry them,
• 2:06:51
  Speaker 1: and when they forced the Heazen from the prisons to
• 2:06:54
  Speaker 1: join in the services, and in their presence did upon
• 2:06:57
  Speaker 1: the table as they would. Then we all understand stood
• 2:07:00
  Speaker 1: that these kicks of the mules signified to Anthony what
• 2:07:03
  Speaker 1: the Arians, senselessly like beasts, are now doing. But when
• 2:07:07
  Speaker 1: he saw the vision, he comforted those who with him, saying,
• 2:07:10
  Speaker 1: be not downcast, my children, For as the Lord has
• 2:07:13
  Speaker 1: been angry, so again will he heal us. And the
• 2:07:16
  Speaker 1: Church shall soon again receive her own order and shall
• 2:07:20
  Speaker 1: shine force as she is wont And you shall behold
• 2:07:24
  Speaker 1: the persecuted restored, and wickedness again was drawn to its
• 2:07:27
  Speaker 1: own hiding place, and pious face speaking boldly in every
• 2:07:32
  Speaker 1: place was all freedom. Only defile not yourselves, was the Arians.
• 2:07:36
  Speaker 1: For their teaching is not that of the apostles, but
• 2:07:39
  Speaker 1: that of demons and their father, the devil. Yea. Rather,
• 2:07:43
  Speaker 1: it is barren and senseless, and was out like understanding,
• 2:07:46
  Speaker 1: like the senselessness of these mules. Eighty three. Such are
• 2:07:52
  Speaker 1: the words of Anthony and we ought not to doubt
• 2:07:54
  Speaker 1: whether such marvels were wrought by the hand of a man.
• 2:07:58
  Speaker 1: For it is the promise of the Savior when he says,
• 2:08:01
  Speaker 1: if ye have faced as a grain of mustard seed,
• 2:08:04
  Speaker 1: ye shall say to this mountain remove hence, and it
• 2:08:06
  Speaker 1: shall remove, and nothing shall be impossible unto you. And again, verily, verily,
• 2:08:12
  Speaker 1: I say unto you, if he shall ask the Father
• 2:08:15
  Speaker 1: in my name, he will give it to you. Ask,
• 2:08:17
  Speaker 1: and ye shall receive. And he himself it is who
• 2:08:21
  Speaker 1: says to his disciples and to all who believe on him,
• 2:08:25
  Speaker 1: heal the sick, cast out demons freely, Ye have received
• 2:08:29
  Speaker 1: freely give eighty four. Anthony, at any rate healed not
• 2:08:34
  Speaker 1: by commanding, but by prayer and speaking the name of Christ,
• 2:08:38
  Speaker 1: so that it was clear to all that it was
• 2:08:40
  Speaker 1: not he himself who worked, but the Lord, who show
• 2:08:43
  Speaker 1: mercy by his means and heal the sufferers. But Ansony's
• 2:08:47
  Speaker 1: part was only prayer and discipline, for the sake of
• 2:08:50
  Speaker 1: which he stayed in the mountain, rejoicing in the contemplation
• 2:08:53
  Speaker 1: of divine things, but grieving when troubled by much people,
• 2:08:57
  Speaker 1: and drag to the outer mountain. For all judges used
• 2:09:00
  Speaker 1: to ask him to come down, because it was impossible
• 2:09:03
  Speaker 1: for them to enter on account of their following of litigants.
• 2:09:06
  Speaker 1: But nevertheless they asked him to come, that they might
• 2:09:09
  Speaker 1: but see him. When therefore he avoided it and refused
• 2:09:12
  Speaker 1: to go to them, they remained firm and sent to
• 2:09:15
  Speaker 1: him all the more the prisoners under charge of soldiers,
• 2:09:18
  Speaker 1: that on account of these he might come down. Being
• 2:09:20
  Speaker 1: forced by necessity, and seeing them lamenting, he came into
• 2:09:24
  Speaker 1: the outer mountain, And again his labor was not unprofitable,
• 2:09:28
  Speaker 1: for his coming was advantageous and serviceable to many, and
• 2:09:31
  Speaker 1: he was of profit to the judges, counseling them to
• 2:09:34
  Speaker 1: prefer justice to all things, to fear God, and to
• 2:09:37
  Speaker 1: know that with what judgment they judged, they should be judged.
• 2:09:41
  Speaker 1: But he loved more than all things his sojourn into
• 2:09:43
  Speaker 1: the mountain eighty five at another time, suffering the same
• 2:09:50
  Speaker 1: compulsion at the hands of them who had need, And
• 2:09:52
  Speaker 1: after many entreaties from the commander of the soldiers, he
• 2:09:56
  Speaker 1: came down. And when he was come, he spoke to
• 2:09:58
  Speaker 1: them shortly of the things which made for salvation, and
• 2:10:01
  Speaker 1: concerning those who wanted him, and was hastening away, But
• 2:10:04
  Speaker 1: When the Duke, as he is called, entreated him to stay,
• 2:10:07
  Speaker 1: he replied that he could not linger among them, and
• 2:10:10
  Speaker 1: persuaded him by pretty simel, saying, fishes, if they remained
• 2:10:14
  Speaker 1: long on dry land, die, and so monks lose their
• 2:10:17
  Speaker 1: strengths if they loiter among you and spend their time
• 2:10:20
  Speaker 1: with you. Wherefore, as fish must hurry to the sea,
• 2:10:24
  Speaker 1: so must we hasten to the mountain. Thus haply if
• 2:10:28
  Speaker 1: we delay, we forget the things was in us. And
• 2:10:30
  Speaker 1: the general, having heard this and many other things from him,
• 2:10:34
  Speaker 1: was amazed, and said, of a trust, this man is
• 2:10:36
  Speaker 1: a servant of God. For unless he were beloved of God,
• 2:10:39
  Speaker 1: whence could an ignorant man have such great understanding? Eighty
• 2:10:44
  Speaker 1: six and a certain general, Blachius by name, persecuted us
• 2:10:49
  Speaker 1: Christians bitterly on account of his regard for the Aryans,
• 2:10:53
  Speaker 1: that name of ill Omen, and his ruselessness was so
• 2:10:56
  Speaker 1: great that he beat versions and stript and scar monks.
• 2:11:01
  Speaker 1: Anthony at this time got the letter as follows and
• 2:11:04
  Speaker 1: sent it to him. I see wrath coming upon thee.
• 2:11:07
  Speaker 1: Wherefore cease to prosecute the Christians. Doest happily rass catch
• 2:11:11
  Speaker 1: hold of thee and even now it is on the
• 2:11:14
  Speaker 1: point of coming upon thee But Baalachius laughed and threw
• 2:11:18
  Speaker 1: the letter on the ground and spit on it, and
• 2:11:21
  Speaker 1: insulted the bearers, bidding them tell this to Anthony, since
• 2:11:26
  Speaker 1: thou takest thought for the monk soon, I will come
• 2:11:28
  Speaker 1: after thee also. And five days had not passed before
• 2:11:32
  Speaker 1: ras came upon him. For Blachius and Astoroius, the perfect
• 2:11:36
  Speaker 1: of Egypt, went forth to the first halting place from Alexandria,
• 2:11:41
  Speaker 1: which is called Schiro, And both were on the horseback,
• 2:11:45
  Speaker 1: and the horses belonged to Balacchius, and were the quietest
• 2:11:49
  Speaker 1: of all his table. But they had not gone far
• 2:11:52
  Speaker 1: towards the palace when the horses began to frisk with
• 2:11:54
  Speaker 1: one another, as they are wont to do. And suddenly
• 2:11:58
  Speaker 1: the quieter on which Nestorius sat where a bite, dismounted
• 2:12:01
  Speaker 1: Baalachius and attacked him and tore his sigh. So badly
• 2:12:05
  Speaker 1: was its tease that he was borne straight back to
• 2:12:07
  Speaker 1: the city, and in three days died, And all wondered
• 2:12:11
  Speaker 1: because what Antony had foretold had been so speedily fulfilled
• 2:12:17
  Speaker 1: eighty seven. Thus therefore he warned the cruel but the
• 2:12:21
  Speaker 1: rest who came to him, He so instructed that they
• 2:12:24
  Speaker 1: straightway forget their lawsuits, and felicitated those who were in
• 2:12:27
  Speaker 1: retirement from the world, And he championed those who were
• 2:12:31
  Speaker 1: wrong in such a way that you would imagine that he,
• 2:12:34
  Speaker 1: not the others, was a sufferer. Further, he was able
• 2:12:37
  Speaker 1: to be of such use to all that many soldiers
• 2:12:40
  Speaker 1: and men who had great possessions laid aside the burdens
• 2:12:43
  Speaker 1: of life and became monks for the rest of their days.
• 2:12:46
  Speaker 1: And it was as if a physician had been given
• 2:12:49
  Speaker 1: by God to Egypt. For who in grief met Antony
• 2:12:52
  Speaker 1: and did not return rejoicing, Who came mourning for his dead,
• 2:12:56
  Speaker 1: and did not force whispert off his sorrow, Who came
• 2:12:59
  Speaker 1: in anger and was not converted to friendship. What poor
• 2:13:02
  Speaker 1: and low spirited man met him, who, hearing him and
• 2:13:06
  Speaker 1: looking upon him, did not despise wells and console himself
• 2:13:10
  Speaker 1: in his poverty. What monk, having been neglectful, came to
• 2:13:14
  Speaker 1: him and became not all the stronger. What young men,
• 2:13:18
  Speaker 1: having come to the mountain and seen Anthony, did not forcewist,
• 2:13:21
  Speaker 1: deny himself pleasure and loved temperance, Who, when tempted by
• 2:13:25
  Speaker 1: a demon came to him and did not find rest,
• 2:13:28
  Speaker 1: and who came troubled with doubts and did not get
• 2:13:31
  Speaker 1: quietness of mind eighty eight. For this was the wonderful
• 2:13:36
  Speaker 1: thing in Anthony's discipline, that, as I said before, having
• 2:13:40
  Speaker 1: the gift of discerning spirits, he recognized their movements, and
• 2:13:45
  Speaker 1: was not ignorant. Was there any of them, turned his
• 2:13:47
  Speaker 1: energy and made his attack. And not only was he
• 2:13:50
  Speaker 1: not deceived by them himself, but shearing those who were
• 2:13:53
  Speaker 1: trouble with doubts, he taught them how to defeat their plans,
• 2:13:57
  Speaker 1: telling them of the weakness and craft of those who
• 2:14:00
  Speaker 1: zzest them. Thus, each one, as though prepared by him
• 2:14:03
  Speaker 1: for battle, came down from the mountain, waving the designs
• 2:14:06
  Speaker 1: of the devil and his demons. How many maidens who
• 2:14:09
  Speaker 1: had suitors, having but seen Anthony from afar, remained maidens
• 2:14:13
  Speaker 1: for Christ's sake. And people came also from foreign parts
• 2:14:17
  Speaker 1: to him, and, like all others, having got some benefit,
• 2:14:21
  Speaker 1: returned as though set forward by a father. And certainly
• 2:14:24
  Speaker 1: when he died, all, as having been bereft of a father,
• 2:14:28
  Speaker 1: consoled themselves solely by the remembrances of him. Preserving at
• 2:14:32
  Speaker 1: the same time his counselor and advice eighty nine. It
• 2:14:38
  Speaker 1: is worse while that I should relate, and that Hugh,
• 2:14:40
  Speaker 1: as you wish, should hear what his death was like,
• 2:14:44
  Speaker 1: for this end of his is worthy of imitation. According
• 2:14:47
  Speaker 1: to his custom, he visited the monks in the outer Mountain, and,
• 2:14:51
  Speaker 1: having learned from providence that his own end was at hand,
• 2:14:54
  Speaker 1: he said to the brethren, this is my last visit
• 2:14:57
  Speaker 1: to you, which I shall make, and I shall be
• 2:14:59
  Speaker 1: surprised if we see each other again in this life
• 2:15:02
  Speaker 1: at length. The time of my departure is at hand,
• 2:15:05
  Speaker 1: for I am near a hundred and five years old.
• 2:15:08
  Speaker 1: And when they heard it, they wept and embraced and
• 2:15:11
  Speaker 1: kissed the old man. But he, as though sailing from
• 2:15:14
  Speaker 1: a foreign city to his own, spoke joyously and exhorted
• 2:15:18
  Speaker 1: them not to grow idle in their labors, nor to
• 2:15:21
  Speaker 1: become faint in their training, but to live as though
• 2:15:24
  Speaker 1: dying daily, and as he had said before, zealously to
• 2:15:27
  Speaker 1: guard the soul from foul thoughts, eagerly to imitate the saints,
• 2:15:32
  Speaker 1: and to have naught to do with Malicia's chismatics, for
• 2:15:35
  Speaker 1: you know their wicked and profane character, nor have any
• 2:15:38
  Speaker 1: fellowship with the Arians, for the impiety is clear to all,
• 2:15:42
  Speaker 1: nor be disturbed if he sees the judges protect him,
• 2:15:45
  Speaker 1: for it shall cease. For the pomp is mortal and
• 2:15:47
  Speaker 1: of short duration. Wherefore, keep yourselves all the more untainted
• 2:15:51
  Speaker 1: by them, and observe the traditions of the fathers, and
• 2:15:55
  Speaker 1: chiefly the holy faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, which
• 2:15:59
  Speaker 1: you have learned from the scripture, and of which you
• 2:16:01
  Speaker 1: have often been put in mind by me ninety But
• 2:16:07
  Speaker 1: when the brethren were urging him to abide with them
• 2:16:09
  Speaker 1: and there to die, he suffered it. Not for many reasons,
• 2:16:13
  Speaker 1: as he showed by keeping silence, and especially for this.
• 2:16:17
  Speaker 1: The Egyptians are wont to honor with funeral rites and
• 2:16:20
  Speaker 1: to wrap in linen clothes at death the body of
• 2:16:22
  Speaker 1: good men, and especially of the holy martyrs, and not
• 2:16:26
  Speaker 1: to bury them underground, but to place them on couches
• 2:16:29
  Speaker 1: and to keep them in their houses, thinking in this
• 2:16:32
  Speaker 1: to honor. They departed, and Anthony often urged the bishops
• 2:16:36
  Speaker 1: to give commandment to the people on this matter. In
• 2:16:38
  Speaker 1: like manner he taught the lady and who proved the women,
• 2:16:41
  Speaker 1: saying that this thing was neither lawful nor wholly at all.
• 2:16:45
  Speaker 1: For the bodies of the patriarchs and prophets are until
• 2:16:48
  Speaker 1: now preserved in tombs, and the very body of the
• 2:16:51
  Speaker 1: Lord was laid in the tomb, and as stone was
• 2:16:54
  Speaker 1: laid upon it, and hid it until he rose on
• 2:16:56
  Speaker 1: the third day, And thus saying, he showed that he
• 2:16:59
  Speaker 1: who did did not buried the bodies of the dead
• 2:17:01
  Speaker 1: after death, triangressed the law, even though they were sacred,
• 2:17:06
  Speaker 1: For what is greater or more sacred than the body
• 2:17:08
  Speaker 1: of the Lord. Many, therefore, having heard, henceforth buried the
• 2:17:12
  Speaker 1: dead underground, and gave thanks to the Lord that they
• 2:17:15
  Speaker 1: had been taught greatly ninety one. But he, knowing the custom,
• 2:17:21
  Speaker 1: and fearing that his body would be tweeted this way, hastened, and,
• 2:17:25
  Speaker 1: having bidden farewell to the monks in the outer mountain,
• 2:17:28
  Speaker 1: entered the inner mountain, where he was accustomed to abide,
• 2:17:32
  Speaker 1: And after a few months he fell sick. Having summoned
• 2:17:35
  Speaker 1: those who were there, they were two in number who
• 2:17:38
  Speaker 1: had remained in the mountain fifteen years, practicing the discipline,
• 2:17:42
  Speaker 1: and attending on Anthony on account of his age, he
• 2:17:45
  Speaker 1: said to them, I, as it is written, go the
• 2:17:48
  Speaker 1: way of the fathers. For I perceive that I am
• 2:17:51
  Speaker 1: called by the Lord. And do you be watchful and
• 2:17:53
  Speaker 1: destroy not you long discipline, but as though now making
• 2:17:56
  Speaker 1: a beginning, zealously preserve your determination. For ye know the
• 2:18:01
  Speaker 1: treachery of the demons, how fierce they are, but how
• 2:18:04
  Speaker 1: little power they have. Wherefore fear them not, but rather
• 2:18:09
  Speaker 1: ever breathe Christ and trust him, live as though dying daily.
• 2:18:13
  Speaker 1: Give heed to yourselves, and remember the admonition you have
• 2:18:17
  Speaker 1: heard from me. Have no fellowship posit schismatics, nor any
• 2:18:21
  Speaker 1: dealings at all. Was the heretical Arrians, For ye know
• 2:18:24
  Speaker 1: how I shun them on account of their hostility to
• 2:18:26
  Speaker 1: Christ and the strange doctrines of their heresy. Therefore, be
• 2:18:31
  Speaker 1: the more earnest always to be followers, first of God
• 2:18:34
  Speaker 1: and then of the Saints, that after death they also
• 2:18:37
  Speaker 1: may receive you, as well known friends, into the eternal habitations.
• 2:18:41
  Speaker 1: Ponder over these things and think of them. And if
• 2:18:44
  Speaker 1: you have any care for me and are mindful of
• 2:18:47
  Speaker 1: me as of a father, suffer no one to take
• 2:18:50
  Speaker 1: my body into Egypt, lest haply they placed me in
• 2:18:53
  Speaker 1: the houses. For to avoid this I entered into the
• 2:18:56
  Speaker 1: mountain and came here. Moreover, you know how I always
• 2:18:59
  Speaker 1: put to abuse those who had this custom, and exhorted
• 2:19:02
  Speaker 1: them to cease from it. Bury my body therefore, and
• 2:19:05
  Speaker 1: hide it underground yourselves, and let my words be observed
• 2:19:08
  Speaker 1: by you, that no one may know the place but
• 2:19:11
  Speaker 1: you alone. For at the resurrection of the dead, I
• 2:19:14
  Speaker 1: shall receive it incorruptible from the Savior. And divide my
• 2:19:17
  Speaker 1: garments to Athanasius the Bishop. Give one sheep skin, and
• 2:19:21
  Speaker 1: the garment whereon I am laid, which he himself gave
• 2:19:25
  Speaker 1: me new, but which was me has grown old to Serapia.
• 2:19:29
  Speaker 1: And the Bishop give the other sheepskin, and keep the
• 2:19:32
  Speaker 1: hair garments yourself for the rest. Fare ye well, my children,
• 2:19:37
  Speaker 1: for Anthony is departing and is with you no more
• 2:19:42
  Speaker 1: ninety two. Having said this, when they had kissed him,
• 2:19:46
  Speaker 1: he lifted up his feet, and as though he saw
• 2:19:48
  Speaker 1: friends coming to him, and was glad because of them,
• 2:19:51
  Speaker 1: for as he lay his countenance appeared joyful. He died
• 2:19:55
  Speaker 1: and was gathered to the fathers, and they, afterward, according
• 2:19:58
  Speaker 1: to his commandment, him up and buried him, hiding his
• 2:20:02
  Speaker 1: body underground. And no one knows to this day where
• 2:20:05
  Speaker 1: it was buried. Save those two only, but each of
• 2:20:09
  Speaker 1: those who received the sheepskin of the blessed Anthony and
• 2:20:12
  Speaker 1: the garment wore by him guarded as a precious treasure.
• 2:20:15
  Speaker 1: For even to look on them is as it were
• 2:20:18
  Speaker 1: to behold Anthony, and he who is closed in them
• 2:20:21
  Speaker 1: seems with joy to bear his admonitions. Ninety three. This
• 2:20:28
  Speaker 1: is the end of Anthony's life in the body, and
• 2:20:31
  Speaker 1: the above was the beginning of the discipline. Even if
• 2:20:34
  Speaker 1: this account is small compared with his merit, still from
• 2:20:37
  Speaker 1: this reflect how great Anthony, the man of God was, who,
• 2:20:41
  Speaker 1: from his use to so great an age, preserved a
• 2:20:44
  Speaker 1: uniform zeal for the discipline. And either through old age
• 2:20:48
  Speaker 1: was subdued by the desire of costly food, nor through
• 2:20:51
  Speaker 1: the infirmity of his body, changed the fashion of his clothing,
• 2:20:54
  Speaker 1: nor washed even his feet was water, and yet remained
• 2:20:57
  Speaker 1: entirely free from harm, for his eyes were undimmed and
• 2:21:01
  Speaker 1: quite sound, and he saw clearly of his teace. He
• 2:21:05
  Speaker 1: had not lost one, but they had become worned to
• 2:21:08
  Speaker 1: the gums. Through the great age of the old man.
• 2:21:11
  Speaker 1: He remained strung both in hands and feet. And while
• 2:21:14
  Speaker 1: all men were using various foods and washings and divers garments,
• 2:21:19
  Speaker 1: he appeared more cheerful and of greater strengths. And the
• 2:21:22
  Speaker 1: fact that his fame has been blazoned everywhere, that all
• 2:21:25
  Speaker 1: regard him was wonder and that those who have never
• 2:21:28
  Speaker 1: seen him long for him. This clear proof of his
• 2:21:31
  Speaker 1: virtue and God's love of his soul. For not from writings,
• 2:21:35
  Speaker 1: nor from mordly wisdom, nor through any art was Anthony renowned,
• 2:21:39
  Speaker 1: but solely from his speedy towards God. That this was
• 2:21:42
  Speaker 1: the gift of God no one will deny. For from
• 2:21:45
  Speaker 1: whence into Spain and into Gaul, how into Roman Africa
• 2:21:49
  Speaker 1: was the man heard of who abode hidden in a mountain.
• 2:21:52
  Speaker 1: Unless it was God who maketh his own known everywhere,
• 2:21:55
  Speaker 1: who also promises to Anthony at the beginning. For even
• 2:21:58
  Speaker 1: if they work secretly, even if they wish to remain
• 2:22:01
  Speaker 1: in obscurity, yet the Lord shows them as theambs to
• 2:22:04
  Speaker 1: lighten all, that those who here may thus know that
• 2:22:07
  Speaker 1: the precepts of God are able to make men prosper,
• 2:22:10
  Speaker 1: and thus be zealous in the pass of virtue. Ninety four.
• 2:22:16
  Speaker 1: Read these words therefore to the rest of the brethren,
• 2:22:19
  Speaker 1: that they may learn what the life of monks ought
• 2:22:21
  Speaker 1: to be and may believe that our Lord and Savior
• 2:22:24
  Speaker 1: Jesus Christ glorifies those who glorify him, and leads those
• 2:22:29
  Speaker 1: who serve him unto the end, not only to the
• 2:22:31
  Speaker 1: kingdom of Heaven, but here also, even though they hide themselves,
• 2:22:36
  Speaker 1: and our desires of withdrawing from the world, makes them
• 2:22:40
  Speaker 1: illustrious and well known everywhere on account of their virtue
• 2:22:43
  Speaker 1: and the help they render others. And if need be
• 2:22:46
  Speaker 1: read this among the Heathen, that even in this way
• 2:22:49
  Speaker 1: they may learn that our Lord Jesus Christ is not
• 2:22:52
  Speaker 1: only God and Son of God, but also that the Christians,
• 2:22:55
  Speaker 1: who truly serve Him and religiously believe on him, prove
• 2:22:59
  Speaker 1: not only that the demons, whom the Greeks themselves think
• 2:23:02
  Speaker 1: to be gods, are no gods, but also tread them
• 2:23:05
  Speaker 1: on their foot and put them to flight as deceivers
• 2:23:08
  Speaker 1: and corruptors of mankind. Through Jesus Christ, our Lord, to
• 2:23:12
  Speaker 1: whom be glory forever and ever Amen end of Part
• 2:23:17
  Speaker 1: seven recording by Ephalthaeus. End of Life of Saint Antony
• 2:23:23
  Speaker 1: by Saint Asynasius of Alexandria, translated by h Elersha