July 26, 2025 • 21 mins
Embark on a journey through the life of Anthony (251-356CE), one of the pioneering figures of Christian desert monasticism in Egypt. At the tender age of 18, armed with a sermon about Jesus encouraging a young man to abandon his riches, Anthony renounced his inherited fortune. Promptly, he ventured into the barren desert to lead a life governed by poverty, chastity, and obedience. From battling demons to performing miracles, his life was one of extraordinary spiritual exploits. Anthony became a legend in his own right during his remarkably long lifetime. This podcast is a fascinating exploration of his inspiring life. (Summary by Matthew James Gray)
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Speaker 1 (00:01):
Section forty four to fifty six of the Life of Antony.
This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in
the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please
visit LibriVox dot org. Recording by Matthew James Gray. The
(00:21):
Life of Antony by Athanasius, translated by h. Alashore. While
Antony was thus speaking, all rejoiced in some, the love
of virtue increased in others. Carelessness was thrown aside, the
self conceit of others was stopped, and all were persuaded
to despise the assaults of the evil one, and marveled
(00:43):
at the grace given to Antony from the Lord for
the discerning of spirits. So their cells were in the
mountains like, filled with holy bands of men who sang psalms, loved, reading, fasted, prayed,
rejoiced in the hope of things to come, labored in
alms giving, and preserved love and harmony one with another.
(01:05):
And truly it was possible, as it were, to behold
a land set by itself, filled with piety and justice.
For then there was neither the evildoer, nor the injured,
nor the reproaches of the tax gatherer, but instead a
multitude of ascetics, and the one purpose of them all
(01:26):
was to aim at virtue, so that any one beholding
the cells again, and seeing such good order among the monks,
would lift up his voice and say, how goodly are
your dwellings, O Jacob, and your tents O Israel, as
shady glens, and as a garden by a river, as
tents which the Lord has pitched, and like cedars near
(01:49):
waters Numbers twenty four, verses five to six. Antony, however,
according to his custom, returned alone to his own cell,
increased his discipline, and sighed daily as he thought of
the mansions in heaven, having his desire fixed on them,
and pondering over the shortness of man's life. And he
(02:11):
used to eat and sleep, and go about all other
bodily necessities with shame when he thought of the spiritual
faculties of the soul. So often, when about to eat
with any other hermits recollecting the spiritual food, he begged
to be excused and departed far off from them, deeming
it a matter for shame if he should be seen
(02:33):
eating by others. He used, however, when by himself, to
eat through bodily necessity, but often also with the brethren
covered with shame on these occasions, yet speaking boldly words
of help. And he used to say that it behooved
a man to give all his time to his soul
(02:54):
rather than his body, yet to grant a short space
to the body through its necessit cities, but all the
more earnestly to give up the whole remainder to the
soul and seek its profit, that it might not be
dragged down by the pleasures of the body, but on
the contrary, the body might be in subjection to the soul.
(03:16):
For this is that which was spoken by the Savior.
Be not anxious for your life when you shall eat,
nor for your body what you shall put on. And
do you seek not what you shall eat or what
you shall drink. And be not of a doubtful mind,
for all these things the nations of the world seek after.
(03:36):
But your Father knows that you have need of all
these things. How be it do you seek first his kingdom?
And all these things shall be added unto you Matthew six,
verse thirty one, Luke twelve, verse twenty nine. After this,
the church was seized by the persecution, which then took
place under Maximianus, and when the Holy Arts were led
(04:00):
to Alexandria, Antony also followed, leaving his cell and saying,
let us go too, that if called, we may contend,
or behold them that are contending. And he longed to
suffer martyrdom for not being willing to give himself up.
He ministered to the confessors in the mines and in
the prisons, and he was very zealous in the judgment
(04:22):
hall to stir up to readiness those who were summoned
when in their contest, while those who were being martyred
he received and brought on their way until they were perfected.
The judge, therefore, beholding the fearlessness of Antony and his
companions and their zeal in this matter, commanded that no
monk should appear in the judgment hall, nor remain at
(04:44):
all in the city. So all the rest thought it
good to hide themselves that day. But Antony gave so
little heed to the command that he washed his garment,
stood all next day on a raised place before them,
and appeared in his best before the governor. Therefore, when
all the rest wondered at this, and the governor saw
(05:04):
and passed by with his array, he stood fearlessly, showing
the readiness of us Christians. For as I have said before,
he prayed himself to be a martyr. Wherefore he seemed
as one grieved that he had not borne his witness.
But the Lord was keeping him for our prophet and
that of others, that he should become a teacher to
(05:26):
many of the discipline which he had learned from the scriptures.
For many, only beholding his manner of life, were eager
to be imitators of his way. So he again ministered
as usual to the confessors, and as though he were
their fellow captive. He labored in his ministry. And when
at last the persecution ceased, and the blessed Bishop Peter
(05:50):
had borne his testimony, Antony departed and again withdrew to
his cell and was there daily a martyr to his
conscience and contending in the conflicts of faith. And his
discipline was much severer, for he was ever fasting, and
he had a garment of hair on the inside, while
the outside was skin, which he kept until his end.
(06:12):
And he neither bathed his body with water to free
himself from filth, nor did he ever wash his feet,
nor even endure so much as to put them into water,
unless compelled by necessity. Nor did any one even see
him unclothed, nor his body naked at all, except after
his death, when he was buried, and when therefore he
(06:34):
had retired and determined to fix a time after which
neither to go forth himself nor admit anybody. Martinian, a
military officer, came and disturbed Antony, for he had a
daughter afflicted with an evil spirit. But when he had
continued for a long while knocking at the door and
asking him to come out and pray to God for
his child, Antony, not bearing to open, looked out from
(06:57):
above and said, man, why do you call on me?
I also owe a man even as you. But if
you believe in Christ, whom I serve, go and according
as you believe, pray to God, and it shall come
to pass straightway. Therefore he departed, believing and calling upon Christ,
and he received his daughter cleansed from the devil. Many
(07:19):
other things also through Antony, the Lord did, who says,
seek and it shall be given unto you Luke eleven
verse nine. For many of the sufferers, when he would
not open his door, slept out aside his cell and
by their faith, and sincere prayers were healed. But when
he saw himself beset by many, and not suffered to
(07:41):
withdraw himself according to his intent as he wished, fearing
because of the signs which the Lord wrought by him,
that either he should be puffed up, or that some
other should think of him above what he ought to think,
he considered and set off to go into the Uppithobade,
among those to whom he was unknown, And having received
(08:02):
loaves from the brethren, he sat down by the bank
of the river, looking whether a boat would go by, that,
having embarked thereon, he might go up the river with them.
While he was considering these things, a voice came to
him from above, antony, where are you going? And why?
But he no way disturbed, but as he had been
(08:23):
accustomed to be called often, thus giving ear to it,
answered saying, since the multitude permit me not to be still,
I wished to go into the upper the bad on
account of the many hindrances that come upon me here,
and especially because they demand of me things beyond my power.
But the voice said, unto him, even though you should
(08:44):
go into the thebade, or even though as you have
in mind, you should go down to the Beecoulia. You
will have to endure more, aye, double the amount of toil.
But if you wish really to be in quiet, to
part now into the inner desert. And when Antony said,
who will show me the way? For I know it
(09:04):
not immediately the voice pointed out to him saracens about
to go that way. So Antony approached and drew near them,
and asked that he might go with them into the desert.
And they, as though they had been commanded by providence,
received him willingly, And having journeyed with them three days
(09:25):
and three nights, he came to a very lofty mountain,
and at the foot of the mountain ran a clear
spring whose waters were sweet and very cold. Outside there
was a plain and a few uncared for palm trees. Antony, then,
as it were moved by God, loved the place, for
(09:46):
this was the spot which he who had spoken with
him by the banks of the river, had pointed out. So,
having first received loaves from his fellow travelers, he abode
in the mountain alone, no one else being with him,
and recognizing it as his own home. He remained in
that place for the future. But the Saracens, having seen
(10:07):
the earnestness of Antony, purposely used to journey that way
and joyfully brought him loaves, while now and then the
palm trees also afforded him a poor and frugal relish.
But after this the brethren, learning of the place like
children mindful of their father, took care to send to him.
But when Antony saw that the bread was the cause
of trouble and hardships to some of them, to spare
(10:29):
the monks this, he resolved to ask some of those
who came to bring him a spade, an axe, and
a little grain. And when these were brought, he went
over the land round the mountain, and, having found a
small plot of suitable ground, tilled it, and having a
plentiful supply of water for watering, he sowed this doing
year by year he got his bread from thence rejoicing
(10:52):
that thus he would be troublesome to no one, and
because he kept himself from being a burden to any body.
But after this, seeing again that people came, he cultivated
a few potherbs, that he who came to him might
have some slight solace. After the labor of that hard journey.
(11:12):
At first, however, the wild beasts in the desert, coming
because of the water, often injured his seeds and husbandry.
But he, gently, laying hold of one of them, said
to them, all, why do you hurt me? When I
heard none of you to part? And in the name
of the Lord, come not near this spot. And from
that time forward, as though fearful of his command, they
(11:35):
no more came near the place. So he was alone
in the inner mountain, spending his time in prayer and discipline.
And the brethren who served him asked that they might
come every month and bring him olives, pulse, and oil,
for by now he was an old man. There then
(11:55):
he passed his life and endured such great wrestlings, not
a against flesh and blood Ephesians six, verse twelve, as
it is written, but against opposing demons, as we learned
from those who visited him, For there they heard tumults,
many voices, and as it were, the clash of arms
at night. They saw the mountain become full of wild beasts,
(12:18):
and him also fighting as though against visible beings, and
praying against them, and those who came to him he encouraged.
While kneeling he contended and prayed to the Lord. Surely
it was a marvelous thing that a man alone in
such a desert feared neither demons who rose up against him,
(12:39):
nor the fierceness of the four footed beasts and creeping things,
for all they were so many. But in truth, as
it is written, he trusted in the Lord as Mount Zion,
with a mind unshaken and undisturbed, so that the demons
rather fled from him, and the wild beasts, as it
(12:59):
is written Job five, verse twenty three, kept peace with him.
The devil, therefore, as David says in the Psalms, observed
Antony and gnashed his teeth against him. But Antony was
consoled by the Savior and continued unhurt by his wiles
and varied devices. As he was watching in the night,
(13:21):
the devil sent wild beasts against him, and almost all
the hyaenas in that desert came forth from their dens
and surrounded him. And he was in the midst while
each one threatened to bite. Seeing that it was a
trick of the enemy, he said to them, all, if
you have received power against me, I am ready to
be devoured by you. But if you were sent against
(13:42):
me by demons, Stay not, but depart, for I am
a servant of Christ. When Antony said this, they fled,
driven by that word, as with a whip. Few days later,
as he was working, for he was careful to work hard,
some one stood at the door and pulled the plate
which he was working. For he used to weave baskets,
(14:07):
which he gave to those who came in return for
what they brought him. And rising up, he saw a
beast like a man to the thighs, but having legs
and feet like those of an ass And Antony only
signed himself and said, I am a servant of Christ.
If you are sent against me, behold I am here.
(14:27):
But the beasts, together with his evil spirits, fled, so
that through his speed he fell and died. And the
death of the beasts was the fall of the demons.
For they strove in all manner of ways to lead
Antony from the desert, and were not able, and once
being asked by the monks to come down and visit
(14:47):
them and their abodes. After a time he journeyed with
those who came to him, and a camel carried the
loaves and the water for them. For all that desert
is dry, and there is no water at all fit
to drink, save in that mountain, from whence they drew
the water, and in which Antony's cell was so when
the water failed them on their way, and the heat
(15:09):
was very great, they were all in great danger, for
having gone round the neighborhood and finding no water, they
could walk no farther, but lay on the ground, and,
despairing of themselves, let the camel go. But the old man,
seeing that they were all in jeopardy, groaning in deep grief,
(15:30):
departed a little way from them. Kneeling down, he stretched
forth his hands and prayed. And immediately the Lord made
water to well forth where he had stood praying. And
so all drank and were revived. And having filled their bottles,
they sought the camel and found her, for the rope
happened to have caught in a stone and was held fast.
(15:52):
Having led it and watered it, they placed the bottles
on its back and finished their journey in safety. And
when he came to the outer cells, all saluted him,
looking on him as a father, And he, too, as
though bringing supplies from the mountain, entertained them with his
words and gave them a share of help, and again
(16:12):
there was joy in the mountains, zeal for improvement and
consolation through their mutual faith. Antony also rejoiced when he
beheld the earnestness of the monks, and his sister grown
old in virginity, and that she herself was also the
leader of other virgins. So after certain days he went
(16:33):
in again to the mountain, and henceforth many resorted to him,
and others who were suffering ventured to go in. To
All the monks. Therefore who came to him, he continually
gave this precept. Believe in the Lord and love him.
Keep yourself from filthy thoughts and fleshly pleasures, And as
(16:53):
it is written in the Proverbs, be not deceived by
the fullness of the belly. Pray continually, avoid vainglory, sing
psalms before sleep, and on awaking, hold in your heart
the commandments of Scripture. Be mindful of the works of
the saints, that your soul's being put in remembrance of
the commandments may be brought into harmony with the zeal
(17:17):
of the saints. And especially you counseled them to meditate
continually on the Apostle's word. Let not the sun go
down upon your wrath Ephesians four, verse twenty six. And
he considered this was spoken of all commandments in common,
and that not on wrath alone, but not on any
other sin of ours, ought the sun to go down.
(17:40):
For it was good and needful that neither the sun
should condemn us for an evil by day, nor the
moon for a sin by night, or even for an
evil thought, that this state may be preserved in us.
It is good to hear the Apostle and keep his words,
for he says, try your own selves and prove your
own selves two Corinthians thirteen, verse five. Daily. Therefore, let
(18:06):
each one take from himself the tale of his actions,
both by day and night, and if he has sinned,
let him cease from it, while if he has not,
let him not be boastful. But let him abide in
that which is good, without being negligent, nor condemning his neighbors,
nor justifying himself, until the Lord come, who searches out
(18:29):
hidden things, as says the blessed Apostle Paul, for often
unawares we do things that we know not of. But
the Lord sees all these things, wherefore commanding the judgment
to him. Let us have sympathy one with another. Let
us bear each other's burdens delatiouss Six verse six. But
(18:49):
let us examine our own selves and hasten to fill
up that in which we were lacking. And as a
safeguard against sin, let the following be observed. Let us
us each one note and write down our actions and
the impulses of our soul, as though we were going
to relate them to each other. Be assured that if
(19:10):
we should be utterly ashamed to have them known, we
shall abstain from sin, and harbor no base thoughts in
our mind. For who wishes to be seen while sinning?
Or who will not rather lie after the commission of
a sin through the wish to escape notice, As then,
while we are looking at one another, we would not
(19:32):
commit carnal sin. So if we record our thoughts as
though about to tell them to one another, we shall
the more easily keep ourselves free from vile thoughts through shame,
lest they should be known. Wherefore, let that which is
written be to us in place of the eyes of
our fellow hermits that blushing as much to write as
(19:53):
if we had been caught, we may never think of
what is unseemly. Thus fashioning ourselves, we shall be able
to keep the body in subjection, to please the Lord,
and to trample on the devices of the enemy. This
was the advice he gave to those who came to him,
and with those who suffered, he sympathized and prayed, and
(20:14):
ofttimes the Lord heard him on behalf of many. Yet
he boasted not because he was heard, nor did he
murmur if he were not. But always he gave the
Lord thanks and besought the sufferer to be patient, and
to know that healing belonged neither to him nor to
man at all, but only to the Lord, who does
good when and to whom he will. The sufferers therefore
(20:38):
used to receive the words of the old Man as
though they were a cure, learning not to be downhearted,
but rather to be long suffering. And those who were
healed were taught not to give thanks to antony, but
to God alone. End of Sections forty four to fifty six.
Section forty four to fifty six of the Life of Antony.
This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in
the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please
visit LibriVox dot org. Recording by Matthew James Gray. The
(00:21):
Life of Antony by Athanasius, translated by h. Alashore. While
Antony was thus speaking, all rejoiced in some, the love
of virtue increased in others. Carelessness was thrown aside, the
self conceit of others was stopped, and all were persuaded
to despise the assaults of the evil one, and marveled
(00:43):
at the grace given to Antony from the Lord for
the discerning of spirits. So their cells were in the
mountains like, filled with holy bands of men who sang psalms, loved, reading, fasted, prayed,
rejoiced in the hope of things to come, labored in
alms giving, and preserved love and harmony one with another.
(01:05):
And truly it was possible, as it were, to behold
a land set by itself, filled with piety and justice.
For then there was neither the evildoer, nor the injured,
nor the reproaches of the tax gatherer, but instead a
multitude of ascetics, and the one purpose of them all
(01:26):
was to aim at virtue, so that any one beholding
the cells again, and seeing such good order among the monks,
would lift up his voice and say, how goodly are
your dwellings, O Jacob, and your tents O Israel, as
shady glens, and as a garden by a river, as
tents which the Lord has pitched, and like cedars near
(01:49):
waters Numbers twenty four, verses five to six. Antony, however,
according to his custom, returned alone to his own cell,
increased his discipline, and sighed daily as he thought of
the mansions in heaven, having his desire fixed on them,
and pondering over the shortness of man's life. And he
(02:11):
used to eat and sleep, and go about all other
bodily necessities with shame when he thought of the spiritual
faculties of the soul. So often, when about to eat
with any other hermits recollecting the spiritual food, he begged
to be excused and departed far off from them, deeming
it a matter for shame if he should be seen
(02:33):
eating by others. He used, however, when by himself, to
eat through bodily necessity, but often also with the brethren
covered with shame on these occasions, yet speaking boldly words
of help. And he used to say that it behooved
a man to give all his time to his soul
(02:54):
rather than his body, yet to grant a short space
to the body through its necessit cities, but all the
more earnestly to give up the whole remainder to the
soul and seek its profit, that it might not be
dragged down by the pleasures of the body, but on
the contrary, the body might be in subjection to the soul.
(03:16):
For this is that which was spoken by the Savior.
Be not anxious for your life when you shall eat,
nor for your body what you shall put on. And
do you seek not what you shall eat or what
you shall drink. And be not of a doubtful mind,
for all these things the nations of the world seek after.
(03:36):
But your Father knows that you have need of all
these things. How be it do you seek first his kingdom?
And all these things shall be added unto you Matthew six,
verse thirty one, Luke twelve, verse twenty nine. After this,
the church was seized by the persecution, which then took
place under Maximianus, and when the Holy Arts were led
(04:00):
to Alexandria, Antony also followed, leaving his cell and saying,
let us go too, that if called, we may contend,
or behold them that are contending. And he longed to
suffer martyrdom for not being willing to give himself up.
He ministered to the confessors in the mines and in
the prisons, and he was very zealous in the judgment
(04:22):
hall to stir up to readiness those who were summoned
when in their contest, while those who were being martyred
he received and brought on their way until they were perfected.
The judge, therefore, beholding the fearlessness of Antony and his
companions and their zeal in this matter, commanded that no
monk should appear in the judgment hall, nor remain at
(04:44):
all in the city. So all the rest thought it
good to hide themselves that day. But Antony gave so
little heed to the command that he washed his garment,
stood all next day on a raised place before them,
and appeared in his best before the governor. Therefore, when
all the rest wondered at this, and the governor saw
(05:04):
and passed by with his array, he stood fearlessly, showing
the readiness of us Christians. For as I have said before,
he prayed himself to be a martyr. Wherefore he seemed
as one grieved that he had not borne his witness.
But the Lord was keeping him for our prophet and
that of others, that he should become a teacher to
(05:26):
many of the discipline which he had learned from the scriptures.
For many, only beholding his manner of life, were eager
to be imitators of his way. So he again ministered
as usual to the confessors, and as though he were
their fellow captive. He labored in his ministry. And when
at last the persecution ceased, and the blessed Bishop Peter
(05:50):
had borne his testimony, Antony departed and again withdrew to
his cell and was there daily a martyr to his
conscience and contending in the conflicts of faith. And his
discipline was much severer, for he was ever fasting, and
he had a garment of hair on the inside, while
the outside was skin, which he kept until his end.
(06:12):
And he neither bathed his body with water to free
himself from filth, nor did he ever wash his feet,
nor even endure so much as to put them into water,
unless compelled by necessity. Nor did any one even see
him unclothed, nor his body naked at all, except after
his death, when he was buried, and when therefore he
(06:34):
had retired and determined to fix a time after which
neither to go forth himself nor admit anybody. Martinian, a
military officer, came and disturbed Antony, for he had a
daughter afflicted with an evil spirit. But when he had
continued for a long while knocking at the door and
asking him to come out and pray to God for
his child, Antony, not bearing to open, looked out from
(06:57):
above and said, man, why do you call on me?
I also owe a man even as you. But if
you believe in Christ, whom I serve, go and according
as you believe, pray to God, and it shall come
to pass straightway. Therefore he departed, believing and calling upon Christ,
and he received his daughter cleansed from the devil. Many
(07:19):
other things also through Antony, the Lord did, who says,
seek and it shall be given unto you Luke eleven
verse nine. For many of the sufferers, when he would
not open his door, slept out aside his cell and
by their faith, and sincere prayers were healed. But when
he saw himself beset by many, and not suffered to
(07:41):
withdraw himself according to his intent as he wished, fearing
because of the signs which the Lord wrought by him,
that either he should be puffed up, or that some
other should think of him above what he ought to think,
he considered and set off to go into the Uppithobade,
among those to whom he was unknown, And having received
(08:02):
loaves from the brethren, he sat down by the bank
of the river, looking whether a boat would go by, that,
having embarked thereon, he might go up the river with them.
While he was considering these things, a voice came to
him from above, antony, where are you going? And why?
But he no way disturbed, but as he had been
(08:23):
accustomed to be called often, thus giving ear to it,
answered saying, since the multitude permit me not to be still,
I wished to go into the upper the bad on
account of the many hindrances that come upon me here,
and especially because they demand of me things beyond my power.
But the voice said, unto him, even though you should
(08:44):
go into the thebade, or even though as you have
in mind, you should go down to the Beecoulia. You
will have to endure more, aye, double the amount of toil.
But if you wish really to be in quiet, to
part now into the inner desert. And when Antony said,
who will show me the way? For I know it
(09:04):
not immediately the voice pointed out to him saracens about
to go that way. So Antony approached and drew near them,
and asked that he might go with them into the desert.
And they, as though they had been commanded by providence,
received him willingly, And having journeyed with them three days
(09:25):
and three nights, he came to a very lofty mountain,
and at the foot of the mountain ran a clear
spring whose waters were sweet and very cold. Outside there
was a plain and a few uncared for palm trees. Antony, then,
as it were moved by God, loved the place, for
(09:46):
this was the spot which he who had spoken with
him by the banks of the river, had pointed out. So,
having first received loaves from his fellow travelers, he abode
in the mountain alone, no one else being with him,
and recognizing it as his own home. He remained in
that place for the future. But the Saracens, having seen
(10:07):
the earnestness of Antony, purposely used to journey that way
and joyfully brought him loaves, while now and then the
palm trees also afforded him a poor and frugal relish.
But after this the brethren, learning of the place like
children mindful of their father, took care to send to him.
But when Antony saw that the bread was the cause
of trouble and hardships to some of them, to spare
(10:29):
the monks this, he resolved to ask some of those
who came to bring him a spade, an axe, and
a little grain. And when these were brought, he went
over the land round the mountain, and, having found a
small plot of suitable ground, tilled it, and having a
plentiful supply of water for watering, he sowed this doing
year by year he got his bread from thence rejoicing
(10:52):
that thus he would be troublesome to no one, and
because he kept himself from being a burden to any body.
But after this, seeing again that people came, he cultivated
a few potherbs, that he who came to him might
have some slight solace. After the labor of that hard journey.
(11:12):
At first, however, the wild beasts in the desert, coming
because of the water, often injured his seeds and husbandry.
But he, gently, laying hold of one of them, said
to them, all, why do you hurt me? When I
heard none of you to part? And in the name
of the Lord, come not near this spot. And from
that time forward, as though fearful of his command, they
(11:35):
no more came near the place. So he was alone
in the inner mountain, spending his time in prayer and discipline.
And the brethren who served him asked that they might
come every month and bring him olives, pulse, and oil,
for by now he was an old man. There then
(11:55):
he passed his life and endured such great wrestlings, not
a against flesh and blood Ephesians six, verse twelve, as
it is written, but against opposing demons, as we learned
from those who visited him, For there they heard tumults,
many voices, and as it were, the clash of arms
at night. They saw the mountain become full of wild beasts,
(12:18):
and him also fighting as though against visible beings, and
praying against them, and those who came to him he encouraged.
While kneeling he contended and prayed to the Lord. Surely
it was a marvelous thing that a man alone in
such a desert feared neither demons who rose up against him,
(12:39):
nor the fierceness of the four footed beasts and creeping things,
for all they were so many. But in truth, as
it is written, he trusted in the Lord as Mount Zion,
with a mind unshaken and undisturbed, so that the demons
rather fled from him, and the wild beasts, as it
(12:59):
is written Job five, verse twenty three, kept peace with him.
The devil, therefore, as David says in the Psalms, observed
Antony and gnashed his teeth against him. But Antony was
consoled by the Savior and continued unhurt by his wiles
and varied devices. As he was watching in the night,
(13:21):
the devil sent wild beasts against him, and almost all
the hyaenas in that desert came forth from their dens
and surrounded him. And he was in the midst while
each one threatened to bite. Seeing that it was a
trick of the enemy, he said to them, all, if
you have received power against me, I am ready to
be devoured by you. But if you were sent against
(13:42):
me by demons, Stay not, but depart, for I am
a servant of Christ. When Antony said this, they fled,
driven by that word, as with a whip. Few days later,
as he was working, for he was careful to work hard,
some one stood at the door and pulled the plate
which he was working. For he used to weave baskets,
(14:07):
which he gave to those who came in return for
what they brought him. And rising up, he saw a
beast like a man to the thighs, but having legs
and feet like those of an ass And Antony only
signed himself and said, I am a servant of Christ.
If you are sent against me, behold I am here.
(14:27):
But the beasts, together with his evil spirits, fled, so
that through his speed he fell and died. And the
death of the beasts was the fall of the demons.
For they strove in all manner of ways to lead
Antony from the desert, and were not able, and once
being asked by the monks to come down and visit
(14:47):
them and their abodes. After a time he journeyed with
those who came to him, and a camel carried the
loaves and the water for them. For all that desert
is dry, and there is no water at all fit
to drink, save in that mountain, from whence they drew
the water, and in which Antony's cell was so when
the water failed them on their way, and the heat
(15:09):
was very great, they were all in great danger, for
having gone round the neighborhood and finding no water, they
could walk no farther, but lay on the ground, and,
despairing of themselves, let the camel go. But the old man,
seeing that they were all in jeopardy, groaning in deep grief,
(15:30):
departed a little way from them. Kneeling down, he stretched
forth his hands and prayed. And immediately the Lord made
water to well forth where he had stood praying. And
so all drank and were revived. And having filled their bottles,
they sought the camel and found her, for the rope
happened to have caught in a stone and was held fast.
(15:52):
Having led it and watered it, they placed the bottles
on its back and finished their journey in safety. And
when he came to the outer cells, all saluted him,
looking on him as a father, And he, too, as
though bringing supplies from the mountain, entertained them with his
words and gave them a share of help, and again
(16:12):
there was joy in the mountains, zeal for improvement and
consolation through their mutual faith. Antony also rejoiced when he
beheld the earnestness of the monks, and his sister grown
old in virginity, and that she herself was also the
leader of other virgins. So after certain days he went
(16:33):
in again to the mountain, and henceforth many resorted to him,
and others who were suffering ventured to go in. To
All the monks. Therefore who came to him, he continually
gave this precept. Believe in the Lord and love him.
Keep yourself from filthy thoughts and fleshly pleasures, And as
(16:53):
it is written in the Proverbs, be not deceived by
the fullness of the belly. Pray continually, avoid vainglory, sing
psalms before sleep, and on awaking, hold in your heart
the commandments of Scripture. Be mindful of the works of
the saints, that your soul's being put in remembrance of
the commandments may be brought into harmony with the zeal
(17:17):
of the saints. And especially you counseled them to meditate
continually on the Apostle's word. Let not the sun go
down upon your wrath Ephesians four, verse twenty six. And
he considered this was spoken of all commandments in common,
and that not on wrath alone, but not on any
other sin of ours, ought the sun to go down.
(17:40):
For it was good and needful that neither the sun
should condemn us for an evil by day, nor the
moon for a sin by night, or even for an
evil thought, that this state may be preserved in us.
It is good to hear the Apostle and keep his words,
for he says, try your own selves and prove your
own selves two Corinthians thirteen, verse five. Daily. Therefore, let
(18:06):
each one take from himself the tale of his actions,
both by day and night, and if he has sinned,
let him cease from it, while if he has not,
let him not be boastful. But let him abide in
that which is good, without being negligent, nor condemning his neighbors,
nor justifying himself, until the Lord come, who searches out
(18:29):
hidden things, as says the blessed Apostle Paul, for often
unawares we do things that we know not of. But
the Lord sees all these things, wherefore commanding the judgment
to him. Let us have sympathy one with another. Let
us bear each other's burdens delatiouss Six verse six. But
(18:49):
let us examine our own selves and hasten to fill
up that in which we were lacking. And as a
safeguard against sin, let the following be observed. Let us
us each one note and write down our actions and
the impulses of our soul, as though we were going
to relate them to each other. Be assured that if
(19:10):
we should be utterly ashamed to have them known, we
shall abstain from sin, and harbor no base thoughts in
our mind. For who wishes to be seen while sinning?
Or who will not rather lie after the commission of
a sin through the wish to escape notice, As then,
while we are looking at one another, we would not
(19:32):
commit carnal sin. So if we record our thoughts as
though about to tell them to one another, we shall
the more easily keep ourselves free from vile thoughts through shame,
lest they should be known. Wherefore, let that which is
written be to us in place of the eyes of
our fellow hermits that blushing as much to write as
(19:53):
if we had been caught, we may never think of
what is unseemly. Thus fashioning ourselves, we shall be able
to keep the body in subjection, to please the Lord,
and to trample on the devices of the enemy. This
was the advice he gave to those who came to him,
and with those who suffered, he sympathized and prayed, and
(20:14):
ofttimes the Lord heard him on behalf of many. Yet
he boasted not because he was heard, nor did he
murmur if he were not. But always he gave the
Lord thanks and besought the sufferer to be patient, and
to know that healing belonged neither to him nor to
man at all, but only to the Lord, who does
good when and to whom he will. The sufferers therefore
(20:38):
used to receive the words of the old Man as
though they were a cure, learning not to be downhearted,
but rather to be long suffering. And those who were
healed were taught not to give thanks to antony, but
to God alone. End of Sections forty four to fifty six.
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