Life of Rev. Anthony the Great

Preface Life of St. Anthony the Great You entered into good competition with the Egyptian monks, wishing to either equal them or even surpass them in your deeds of virtue. For among you, monasteries are already appearing and monks are being established. Therefore, this disposition of yours is worthy of praise and for God to perfect it through your prayers. Since you also demanded from me information about the life of Blessed Anthony, and in order for you to gain his zeal, you wanted to know how he began his ascetic life, what he was like before entering it, what the end of his life was, and whether everything that was told about him was true, then I accepted your demand with great readiness, because for me there is a lot of benefit in just the memory of Anthony, and you, as I am sure, having heard about him and marveled at him, you will want to strive for the same goal that was suggested to them. For the life of Anthony for the monks is a sufficient example of asceticism. Therefore, do not consider it incredible what they told you about Anthony, but rather remain in the thought that you have only heard a little more, because even this little, no doubt, was difficult to retell to you. If I, at your request, describe what is in this message, then I will tell you only a little that I remember about Anthony. And don’t stop asking everyone who sails from here. For from everyone’s stories about what anyone knows, perhaps a complete story about Anthony will be compiled. So, having received your message, I intended to call some monks, especially those who were with him more often than others, so that, having received more information, I could tell you something more complete. But since the time of the voyage was coming to an end and the one leaving with letters was in a hurry, I tried to write to your reverence what I know about Anthony myself, having seen him many times, and what information I could acquire about him when I was his student and poured water on his hands. In all things, I cared about the truth, so that someone else, having heard more than he should, would not fall into unbelief, or, having heard less than he should, would not think disrespectfully about this man. Life of St. Anthony the Great 1. Anthony was an Egyptian by birth. Since his parents, noble people and quite rich, were Christians, he was raised Christianly and grew up with his parents as a child, not knowing anything else except them and his home. When he became a youth and already prospered in age, he did not want to learn to read or write, nor to get close to other youths, but had only one desire, like a man without guile, according to what is written about Jacob, to live in his own house (Gen. 25:27). Meanwhile, he went with his parents to the church of the Lord and was not lazy when he was a small youth, did not become careless when he began to grow up, but was submissive to his parents and, listening carefully to what was read in the church, observed the benefit he derived from it. Raised in moderate affluence, he did not bother his parents with demands for various and expensive dishes, did not seek pleasure in food, but was content with what he had and did not demand anything more. 2. After the death of his parents, he was left with one young sister, and, being eighteen or twenty years old, he himself had care of both the house and his sister. But not yet six months had passed after the death of his parents, when he, going according to custom to the church of the Lord and collecting his thoughts together, on the way began to reflect on how the apostles, leaving everything, followed the Savior, how the believers mentioned in the Acts, selling everything they had, brought it and laid it at the feet of the apostles for distribution to the needy, what hope they had and what rewards were prepared for them in heaven. With such thoughts he enters the church; in the Gospel being read then, he hears the words of the Lord to the rich man: If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and have treasure in heaven and come after Me (Matthew 19:21). Anthony, taking this as a reminder from above, as if this reading had actually been for him, immediately leaves the church and everything that he had in his possession from his ancestors (he had three hundred acres of very good, fertile land), gives it to the inhabitants of his estate, so that neither he nor his sister will be disturbed in anything, and he sells all other movable property and, having collected enough money, distributes it to the poor, leaving a few for his sister. 3. But how soon, having entered the church again, I heard that the Lord said in the Gospel: do not worry about the morning (Matthew 6:34), he does not stay in the church for a minute, he goes out and gives the rest to the poor people; Having entrusted his sister to virgins known to him and faithful, he gives him up to be raised in their monastery, and he himself, in front of his house, finally begins to practice asceticism, paying attention to himself and being patient. There were still few monasteries in Egypt, and the monk did not know the great desert at all; Each of those who intended to listen to himself labored, secluded himself not far from his village. Therefore, in one nearby village there was then an old man who had lived a solitary life from his youth. Anthony, seeing him, was jealous of his good deed and first of all began to retire to places lying in front of the village. And if he heard there about some kind of guardian of virtue, he went, looked for him like a wise bee, and not before returning to his place, as soon as he saw him. When he received from him some sort of parting word for walking the path of virtue, he went back. So, while initially spending his life there, Anthony watched his thoughts so that they would not return to the memory of his parents’ property and relatives. He directed all his desires, applied all his diligence to his ascetic labors. He worked with his own hands, hearing that the idle must eat (2 Thess. 3:10), and he spent some on bread for himself, and some on the needy. He prayed often, knowing that he must pray unceasingly in private (1 Thessalonians 5:17), and he was so attentive to what he read that not a single word of Scripture fell to the ground, but he kept everything within himself; why, finally, memory replaced books for him. 4. This is how Anthony behaved and was loved by everyone. He sincerely obeyed the zealots of virtue to whom he went, and in each he studied what particularly distinguished him in thoroughness and in feat: in one he observed his friendliness, in the other - tirelessness in prayers; in others I noticed his lack of anger, in others his love for mankind; in one he drew attention to his vigilance, in the other - to his love of learning; some were surprised at his patience, and others at his posts and reclining on the bare ground; did not leave the meekness of the one and the generosity of the other unobserved; in all, he paid attention to pious faith in Christ and love for each other. Thus, with abundant acquisitions, he returned to the place of his own asceticism, combining in himself what he borrowed from each, and trying in himself to reveal the advantages of all. And he did not enter into competition with those equal to him in age, unless it was to be second after them in perfection. And he did it in such a way that he did not offend anyone, but those with whom he competed rejoiced over him. Therefore, all the inhabitants of the village and all the lovers of goodwill with whom he was acquainted, seeing such a life of his, called him God-loving and loved him, some as a son, others as a brother. 5. But the hater of good, the envious devil, seeing such a disposition in young Anthony, did not tolerate this, but, as he is accustomed to acting, intends to do this to him. First, he tries to distract Anthony from the ascetic life, bringing to his mind either memories of property, then caring, then family ties, then the love of money, the enjoyment of various dishes and other conveniences of life, and, finally, the cruelty of the path of virtue and its many difficulties; mentally represents to him the weakness of the body, and the length of time, and generally arouses in his mind a strong storm of thoughts, wanting to turn him away from right will. When the enemy saw his weakness against Anthony’s intentions, and moreover, he saw that he himself was struggling with the firmness of Anthony, was being overthrown by his great faith, was being thrown into the dust by unceasing prayers, then, in firm hope in those weapons of his, even at the navel of the womb (Job. 40:11), and boasting of them (such are his first intrigues against the young), he advances on the young Anthony, confusing him at night and disturbing him so much during the day that their mutual struggle became noticeable to outsiders. One had impure thoughts, the other reflected them with his prayers; one irritated the members, the other, apparently ashamed of this, protected the body with faith, prayer and fasting. The accursed devil did not weaken, at night he took on a female image, imitated a woman in everything, just to seduce Anthony; Anthony, thinking about Christ and highly appreciating the nobility and rationality of the soul bestowed by Him, extinguished the coal of this seduction. The enemy again imagined to him the pleasantness of pleasures, and he, like one who is angry and offended, brought to mind fiery punishment and a tormenting worm and, opposing this to temptation, remained unharmed. Still, this served to shame the enemy. The young man who dreamed of being like God was now ridiculed. He who was magnified before flesh and blood was brought down by a man who bore flesh, because the Lord assisted him, for our sake he bore flesh and gave the body victory over the devil, which is why every true ascetic says: not I, but the grace of God which is with me (1 Cor. 15:10). 6. Finally, since this serpent was not able to overthrow Anthony by this, but on the contrary, saw that he himself was expelled from his heart, then, as it is written, he gnashes his teeth (Ps. 36:12), and, as if beside himself, as he is in mind, so he appears in appearance, precisely in the form of a black youth. And since this insidious one was overthrown, then, as if expressing humility, he no longer attacks with thoughts, but says in a human voice: “I deceived many and overthrew even more, but, among many, having now attacked you and your works, I was exhausted.” Then, when Anthony asked: “Who are you, addressing me with such a speech?” - without hiding at all, he answered in a plaintive voice: “I am a friend of fornication, I am obliged to catch young people in fornication, to incite fornication in them, and I am called the spirit of fornication. I deceived many who wanted to live chastely; He brought a great number of abstinent people to the point of falling with his kindling. For me, the prophet reproaches the fallen, saying: I was deceived by the spirit of asceticism (Hos. 4:12), because I was the cause of their stumbling. I have embarrassed you many times, but each time I was overthrown by you.” Anthony, having thanked the Lord, fearlessly said to the enemy: “That is why you are worthy of great contempt. For you are black in mind and powerless, like a youth. I no longer care about you. The Lord is my helper, and I will look upon my enemies (Ps. 118:7).” The black youth, hearing this, immediately fled in horror from these words, fearing to even approach Anthony. 7. This was Anthony's first struggle with the devil; better to say, and this in Anthony was the action of the power of the Savior, who condemned sin in the flesh, so that the justification of the law might be fulfilled in us, walking not according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit (Rom. 8:4). But Anthony did not fall into negligence and neglect of himself because the demon had already been defeated. And the enemy did not stop laying nets for him, as if defeated, but again walked like a lion, looking for an opportunity to attack the ascetic. Anthony, knowing from Scripture that the enemy had many wiles (Eph. 6:11), relentlessly practiced his exploits, reasoning that if the enemy could not deceive his heart with carnal pleasure, then, without a doubt, he would try to catch him in another way, because the demon is a sin-loving man. That is why Anthony more and more killed and enslaved the body, so that, having won in one, he would not lose victory over himself in another. Therefore, he accepts the intention to accustom himself to a more severe life; and many were surprised to see his work, but he endured it easily. His spiritual jealousy, with its longevity, produced in him a good habit, and therefore, even if others gave him a small reason, he showed great care in it. He was so tireless in his vigil that he often spent the whole night without sleep and, repeating this more than once, but many times, aroused surprise. He ate food once a day after sunset, sometimes he took it after two days, and often after four. His food was bread and salt, and his drink was only water. There is no need to talk about meat and wine, because you will hardly find anything similar among other zealous ascetics. During sleep, Anthony was content with matting, and mostly lay down on the bare ground. He did not agree to anoint himself with oil, saying that it is best for young people to be zealous for exploits and not to seek what weakens the body, but to accustom it to labor, keeping in mind the apostolic saying: when I am weak, then I am strong (2 Cor. 12:10). Mental strength, he used to say, is strong when bodily pleasures weaken. Wonderful, truly, and this is his thought. It is not by time, as he believed, that the path of virtue and the ascetic life for its sake should be measured, but by desire and will. At least, he himself did not remember the past time, but every day, as if just laying the foundation for asceticism, he made great efforts to advance, constantly repeating to himself Paul’s saying: forgetting the things that are behind, but reaching out to the things that are before (Phil. 3:13), and also remembering the words of the prophet Elijah, who says: As the Lord Almighty lives, I will stand before Him, for Today I will show myself to him (1 Kings 18:15). For, according to Anthony’s remark, the prophet, saying “today,” does not measure the past, but, as if constantly laying just the beginning, tries every day to present himself as he should appear before God, that is, with a pure heart and ready to obey no one else, but God’s will. And Anthony used to say to himself that in the life of Elijah, as in a mirror, the ascetic must always study his own life. 8. So, exhausting himself, Anthony withdrew to the tombs, which were far from the village, instructing one acquaintance to bring him bread after many days; he himself, entering one of the tombs and closing the door behind himself, remained alone in it. Then the enemy, unable to bear this, even fearing that Anthony would in a short time fill the desert with asceticism, comes to him one night with many demons and inflicts so many blows on him that he remains silently lying on the ground from pain; and, as Anthony himself assured, his suffering was very cruel and the blows inflicted by people could not, according to him, cause such pain. But according to God's Providence (for the Lord does not leave those who trust in Him without care), the next day the acquaintance who brought him bread comes. Opening the door and seeing that Anthony was lying on the ground as if dead, he took him and carried him to the church that was in the village, and laid him there on the ground. Many of the relatives and residents of the village surrounded Anthony like a dead man. Around midnight, Anthony comes to his senses and, waking up, sees that everyone is sleeping, only one of his acquaintances is awake. Calling him to him with signs, Anthony asks that, without waking anyone, he takes him and carries him back to the tomb. 9 . So Anthony was carried to them, and when, according to custom, the door was locked, he was again left alone in the tomb. From the blows dealt to him, he is still unable to stand on his feet and prays while lying down; through prayer he loudly calls out: “Here I, Anthony, do not run from your blows. If you inflict even more on me, nothing will separate me from the love of Christ.” Then he begins to sing: even if an army gathers against me, my heart will not fear (Ps. 26:3). This is what the ascetic thought and said. The enemy who hates good, marveling that Anthony dared to come even after the blows dealt him, calls his dogs and, bursting with frustration, says: “Look, we did not pacify him either with the spirit of fornication or with blows; on the contrary, he dares to oppose us. Let’s attack him in a different way.” But the devil does not find it difficult to express his anger. So now, at night, the demons make such thunder that, apparently, the whole place began to shake, and, as if they had destroyed the four walls of Anthony’s dwelling, they invade, transforming into beasts and reptiles. The whole place was instantly filled with the ghosts of lions, bears, leopards, oxen, snakes, adders, scorpions, and wolves. Each of these ghosts acts according to their outer appearance. The lion, preparing to attack, roars; the ox apparently wants to gore; the snake does not stop wriggling; The wolf strains his strength to rush. And all these ghosts make a terrible noise and display fierce rage. Anthony, struck and wounded by them, feels terrible bodily pain, but even more so, awake in soul, he lies without trembling and, although he groans from bodily pain, nevertheless, sober in mind and as if laughing, he says: “If you have any strength, then it was enough for one of you to come. But since the Lord has taken away your strength, you are trying to frighten them with multitudes. But even this serves as a sign of your weakness, that you turn into dumb.” And he boldly adds: “If you can and have power over me, then do not hesitate and attack. And if you can’t, then why are you fussing in vain? Faith in our Lord serves as our seal and wall of protection.” Thus, after many assassination attempts, the demons only gnashed their teeth against Anthony, because they were ridiculing themselves more than him. 10. The Lord did not forget Anthony’s feat and came to the aid of the ascetic. Raising his gaze, Anthony sees that the roof above him seems to have opened, and a ray of light descends towards him. The demons suddenly became invisible; the bodily pain instantly ceased; his home turned out to be undamaged in any way. And, feeling this help, breathing more freely, feeling relief from suffering, he turns with prayer to the vision that has appeared and says: “Where have you been? Why didn’t you come at first to stop my torment?” And a voice came to him: “I, Anthony, was here, but I waited, wanting to see your struggle; and since you stood firm and were not defeated, I will always be your helper and will make you famous everywhere.” Hearing this, Anthony rises up and begins to pray, and is so strengthened that he feels more strength in his body than he had before. He was then about thirty-five years old. 11. The next day, leaving the tomb and filled with even more zeal for godliness, he comes to the ancient elder mentioned above and asks him to live with him in the desert. Since the elder refused both due to his years and unaccustomment to desert life, Anthony immediately goes alone to the mountain. But the enemy, seeing again his zealous intention and wanting to prevent this, in a dream presents him with a large silver dish lying on the way. Anthony, realizing the cunning of the hater of good, stops and, looking at the dish, denounces the devil hiding in the ghost, saying: “Where does the dish come from in the desert? This road is not big, there are not even traces of anyone passing here. If the dish fell, it could not be hidden, because it is large, the lost one would return and, having searched, would certainly find it, for the place here is deserted. This is the devil's trick. But you will not hinder my firm intention with this, O devil: let this dish with you perish” (Acts 8:20). And when Anthony said this, it disappeared like wax before fire (Ps. 67:3). 12. Then he goes further and sees no longer ghosts, but real gold scattered on the road. Whether it was placed by the enemy or by some other higher power, which gave both the ascetic a chance to test himself and showed the devil that he did not care about property at all - Anthony did not say this, and we do not know; All that is known is that what he saw was gold. Anthony, although amazed at its multitude, nevertheless, jumping as if through fire, passes by, does not turn back and speeds up his procession so much that the place is lost and hidden from view. So, more and more confirmed in the fulfillment of his intention, he strove to the mountain and, on the other side of the river, finding an empty fenced place, filled with reptiles from long-standing desolation, he moved there and began to live there. The reptiles, as if driven by someone, immediately move away. Anthony, having blocked the entrance and stored grain for six months (this is how the Thebans store up grain, and their grain often remains unharmed for a whole year), having water inside the fence, as if hiding in some inaccessible place, he remains there alone, neither leaving nor seeing anyone coming. Thus, he labored for a long time, taking the loaves over the fence only twice a year. 13. Acquaintances who came to him, since he did not allow them to enter the fence, often spent days and nights outside it; and they hear that in the fence, as it were, whole crowds are restless, knocking, piteously screaming and crying out: “Get out of our places, what do you want in this desert? You won’t survive our intrigues.” Those standing outside thought at first that some people who had entered up the stairs were arguing with Anthony; when, having peered into one well, they saw no one, then, concluding that they were demons, they themselves began to call Anthony, overwhelmed with fear. And he rather heard the words of the latter than cared about the demonic screams. Approaching the door, he persuades those who came to leave and not be afraid. “Demons,” he says, “produce dreams to frighten the fearful. Therefore, seal yourself with the sign of the cross and go back boldly, but leave it to the demons to make a mockery of yourself.” And those who came, protected by the sign of the cross, depart, but Anthony remains and does not suffer the slightest harm from the demons, does not even get tired of the feat, because the frequency of the heavenly visions that he had and the weakness of his enemies give him great relief in his labors and arouse zeal for even greater labors. Acquaintances often came to him, thinking to find him already dead, but they found him singing: May God rise again, and may His enemies be scattered, and may those who hate Him flee from His face. As smoke disappears, let them disappear, as wax melts before the fire, so let sinners perish before the presence of God (Ps. 67:2-3); and again: All the nations have devoured me, and in the name of the Lord I have resisted them (Ps. 118:10). 14. Anthony spent about twenty years like this, laboring in solitude, not going anywhere and, during all this time, not visible to anyone. After that, since many sought and wanted to imitate his ascetic life, some of his acquaintances came and forcibly broke and tore off the door, Anthony comes out as a secret man and God-bearer from a certain sanctuary, and to those who come to him for the first time he appears from his fence. And when they see Anthony, they are filled with surprise that his body has retained its former appearance, has not become fat from lack of movement, has not withered from fasting and fighting demons. Anthony was the same as they knew him before his hermitage. In his soul there was again the same purity of character; He was not depressed by grief, was not delighted with pleasure, did not indulge in laughter or sadness, was not embarrassed when he saw a crowd of people, was not happy when everyone began to greet him, but remained indifferent, because his mind controlled him, and nothing could take him out of his ordinary natural state. The Lord healed through him many who suffered from bodily illnesses, freed others from demons, gave Anthony the grace of words: he comforted many who mourned, reconciled those who were in a quarrel, inspiring everyone to prefer nothing in the world to the love of Christ and, admonishing them, to keep in mind the future blessings and love of God towards us, who did not spare His Son, but gave Him all for our sake ( Rom.8:32), convinced many to choose the monastic life; and thus monasteries finally appeared in the mountains; the desert is inhabited by monks who left their property and joined the number of those living in heaven. 15. When the need came to cross the water ditch in Arsenoe, and precisely to visit the brethren, and the ditch was full of crocodiles, Anthony performed only a prayer; then he and all those who were with him enter the ditch and cross it unharmed. Having returned to the monastery, he practices his former strict labors with youthful vigor and, often talking, already increases the zeal of the monastics, while in others, and very many, he arouses a love for asceticism. And soon, by the power of his amazing word, numerous monasteries arise, and in all of them Anthony, as a father, becomes the leader. 16. One day he comes out; All the monks gather to him and want to hear a word from him. Anthony, in Egyptian 3, tells them the following: “The Scriptures are sufficient for teaching; however, it is fitting for us to comfort one another through faith and anoint each other with words. Therefore, you, like children, tell your father what you know; and I, as your elder, will tell you what I know and what I have experienced.” “Above all, let everyone have a common concern that, having begun, do not weaken in work, do not lose heart in your labors, and do not say: “We have been struggling for a long time.” It is better, like beginners, to increase our zeal every day, because the whole human life is very short in comparison with future centuries; why the whole time of our life is nothing before eternal life. And although every thing in the world is sold for its due price, and a person exchanges equal for equal, the promise of eternal life is bought for a small price. For it is written: The days of our years are seventy years, and if we can, eighty years, and their labor and sickness will multiply (Ps. 89:10). Therefore, if we remain in asceticism for all eighty, even a hundred years, then we will reign for a period not equal to a hundred years, but instead of a hundred years, we will reign for ever and ever; and, having labored on earth, we will receive an inheritance not on earth, but, according to the promises, we have it in heaven; Moreover, having laid aside our corruptible body, let us take on an incorruptible body.” 17. “Therefore, children, let us not be discouraged because we have been struggling for a long time, or because we have done anything great. The passions of this present time for the glory that desires to appear in us are unworthy (Rom. 8:18), and, looking at the world, let us not think that we have renounced anything great. For this whole earth is very small compared to the whole heaven. Therefore, if we were lords over the whole earth and renounced the whole earth, then this would not yet be equivalent to the Kingdom of Heaven. Just as he who despises one drachma of copper in order to acquire a hundred drachmas of gold, so he who is the lord of the whole earth and renounces it leaves behind a little and accepts a hundredfold more. If the whole earth is not equal to heaven, then the one who leaves small fields seems to leave nothing. If he leaves a house or a sufficient amount of gold, he should not boast or be sad.” “Moreover, we must consider that even if we do not leave this for the sake of virtue, we will leave it later when we die, and we will leave it, as often happens, to whom we would not like, as Ecclesiastes reminded us of this (Eccl. 4:8). So, why not leave this to us for the sake of virtue, so that we may inherit that Kingdom?” “Therefore, let none of us harbor the desire to acquire. For what is the benefit of acquiring something that we do not take with us? Isn't it better for us to acquire something that we can take with us, such as: prudence, justice, chastity, courage, prudence, love, love of poverty, faith in Christ, lack of anger, love of hospitability? These acquisitions will prepare for us a refuge in the land of the meek before we arrive there.” 18. “With these thoughts, let everyone convince himself not to be lazy, especially if he considers that he is the Lord’s servant and is obliged to work for the Master. Like a slave, he does not dare to say: “Because I worked yesterday, I don’t work today.” and, calculating the elapsed time, he will not stop working in the following days, on the contrary, every day, according to what is written in the Gospel, he shows the same zeal in order to please his master and not be in trouble, so we too will continue to be in asceticism every day, knowing that if we neglect one day, the Lord will not forgive us for the past time, but will be angry with us for our negligence. We hear this in Ezekiel (Ezekiel 18:24–26). So Judas, in one night, destroyed the work of the past time.” 19. “Therefore, children, let us persevere in heroic deeds and not give in to despondency. For in this the Lord is our helper, as it is written: God will make good progress for everyone who chooses what is good” (Rom. 8:28). “And in order not to be lazy, it is good to keep in mind the apostolic saying: I am dying all the days (1 Cor. 15:31). For if we live as those who daily prepare to die, we will not sin. What the apostle said has the meaning that every day, waking up from sleep, we must think that we will not live until evening, and also, falling asleep, we must imagine that we will not awaken from sleep, because the measure of our life is unknown to us, and every day is measured by Providence. And with this way of thinking, living like this every day, we will neither sin, nor harbor any desires, nor be angry with anyone, nor accumulate treasures for ourselves on earth; but, like those who daily expect death, we will not be covetous and will begin to forgive everyone everything. We will never allow carnal lust or other unclean pleasure to take possession of us; let us turn away from this as transitory, remaining in constant fear and always having the day of Judgment before our eyes. For strong fear and fear of torment destroy the pleasantness of pleasure and restore the soul, which is inclined to fall.” 20. “Having entered the path of virtue and begun the procession, let us even more strain our strength to stretch forward; and let no one turn back, like Lot's wife, especially heeding what was said by the Lord: no one lays his hand on his forehead and in vain turns back, he is ruled in the Kingdom of God (Luke 9:62). To turn back means nothing more than to regret and think again about worldly things.” “Do not be afraid when you hear about virtue, do not be embarrassed at its name. It is not far from us, it is not formed outside of us; its work is in us, and it is easy if we only wish it. The Greeks, in order to learn verbal sciences, undertake long journeys and cross seas, but we do not need to go far for the sake of the Kingdom of Heaven or cross the sea for the sake of virtue. The Lord said even earlier: The Kingdom of God is within you (Luke 17:21). Therefore, virtue has a need only for our will, because virtue is formed in us and from us. It is formed in the soul, in which rational forces act in accordance with its nature. And this the soul achieves when it remains as it was created; she was created good and completely right. Therefore, Joshua, commanding the people, said: Correct your hearts towards the Lord God of Israel (Joshua 24:23); and John says: Make His paths right (Matthew 3:3). For the soul to be right means for its rational power to be in such harmony with the nature in which it was created. When the soul deviates and becomes incongruous with nature, then it is called a vice of the soul. So, this matter is not difficult. If we remain as we were created, then we are virtuous. If we reason badly, we are condemned as vicious. If virtue were something acquired from outside, then, without a doubt, it would be difficult to become virtuous. If it is in us, then we will protect ourselves from unclean thoughts and keep our soul to the Lord, as a deposit received from Him, so that He will recognize His creation in it, when the soul is exactly the same as God created it.” 21. “Let us strive so that irritability does not rule over us and lust does not dominate us; for it is written: For the wrath of a man does not accomplish the righteousness of God... Lust, when conceived, gives birth to sin, but the sin of the sin gives birth to death” (James 1:20,15). “And with such a way of life, let us constantly be sober and, as it is written, guard our hearts with all care (Proverbs 4:23). For we have terrible and insidious enemies, crafty demons; We have a struggle with them, as the apostle said: For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers and powers and rulers of the darkness of this world, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in high places (Eph. 6:12). There are a great many of them in the air around us, and they are not far from us. There is a great difference between them, and there can be a long talk about their properties and differences, but let such reasoning be left to others who are higher than us; Now we have an urgent need to find out only their intrigues against us.” 22. “So, firstly, we know that demons are called that way not because they were created that way. God didn't do anything evil. On the contrary, they too were created good, but, having fallen from the heights of heavenly understanding and already revolving around the earth, just as they deceived the pagans with dreams, so we Christians, out of envy, set everything in motion, wanting to hinder our ascent to heaven, so that we would not ascend to where they fell from.” “Therefore, we need intense prayer and deeds, so that, having received from the Spirit the gift of spiritual discernment (1 Cor. 12:10), a person can learn about the demons which of them are less bad and which are worse than others, what goal each of them is trying to achieve, and how each can be overthrown and expelled. For they have many tricks and malicious aspirations. The blessed apostle and his followers were aware of these intrigues, and they say: for we are not ignorant of his plans (2 Cor. 2:11). And we, having learned so much from experience about these intrigues, are obliged to protect each other from them. Having acquired partly experienced knowledge of them, I communicate this to you as children.” 23. “So, demons for every Christian, especially a monk, as soon as they see that he is hardworking and successful, first of all they accept and attempt to put temptations in his path. Their temptations are evil thoughts. But we should not be afraid of such suggestions. Through prayer, fasting and faith in the Lord, enemies are immediately overthrown. However, even after the deposition they do not calm down, but soon they attack again insidiously and with cunning. And when they cannot seduce the heart with obvious and unclean lust, then they attack again in a different way and try to frighten with dreamy ghosts, transforming into different forms and taking on the likeness of women, animals, reptiles, giants, and many warriors. But even in this case, one should not be afraid of these ghosts, because they are nothing and soon disappear, especially if someone has protected himself with faith and the sign of the cross. However, demons are daring and extremely shameless. If they are defeated in this too, then they attack in another way: they take on the appearance of soothsayers, predicting what will happen in a little while; they appear either tall, reaching their heads to the roof, or having excessive fatness, so that those who cannot be deceived by thoughts are caught by such ghosts. If in this case they find that the soul is protected by heartfelt faith and hope, then they bring their prince with them.” 24. And Anthony said that “he often saw demons such as the Lord depicted the devil in the revelation to Job, saying: his eyes are the vision of the star. From his mouth come like burning candles, and like sparks of fire come out: from his nostrils comes the smoke of a furnace of coals burning with fire: his soul is like coals, and like flames come out of his mouth (Job 41:9-12). Appearing like this, the demonic prince frightens, according to what was said above, with his insidious grandeur, as the Lord also denounced him, saying to Job: for he counts iron as chaff, copper as rotten wood... He thinks of the sea as a world-bearer and Tartarus of the abyss as a captive: he counts the abyss as passage (Job.41:18, 22-23); and again speaking through the prophet: the enemy speaks: I will suffer persecution (Ex. 15:9); and also through another prophet: I will embrace the whole world in my hand like a nest, and like an abandoned egg I will take it away (Isaiah 10:14).” “This is how demons generally try to boast and make similar promises in order to deceive the godly. But we, the faithful, in this case also should not be afraid of the ghosts produced by the enemy and pay attention to his words, because the devil lies and does not say anything true at all. And indeed, he, who uttered so many such insolences, the Savior, like a serpent, took him out with a stripe, he, like a beast of burden, put a bridle about his nostrils, he, like a fugitive, put a ring in his nostrils, and twisted his mouth with an awl, and like a slave the Lord bound him, so that we would mock him ( Job 40:20–21, 24 ). The devil and all the demons with him were laid down before us, so that we Christians could tread on them like snakes and scorpions (Luke 10:19). The proof of this is that we now live according to rules that are contrary to him. And now the one who promises to destroy the sea and embrace the universe is not able to hinder your exploits and even stop me, who speaks against him. Therefore, we will not pay attention to whatever he says, because he lies. Let us not be afraid of his ghosts, because they too are deceitful. The light visible in them is not real light; it would be more accurate to say that demons carry within themselves the firstfruits and image of the fire prepared for them. In whatever way they burn, they will try to frighten people. They suddenly appear, but immediately also disappear, without causing harm to any of the believers, but carrying with them a semblance of that fire that will receive them into itself. Therefore, in this regard, one should not be afraid of them, because all their undertakings, by the grace of Christ, turn into nothing.” 25. “They are insidious and ready to turn into anything, take on all sorts of forms. Often, being invisible themselves, they appear to be singing psalms and recall sayings from the Scriptures. Sometimes, if we are engaged in reading, and they immediately, like an echo, repeat what we are reading; and if we are sleeping, they wake us up to pray and do this so often that they hardly allow us to fall asleep. Sometimes, having assumed the monastic image, they present themselves as reverent interlocutors in order to deceive with the likeness of the image and draw those deceived by them into whatever they want. But you don’t need to listen to them, whether they wake you up to prayer, or advise you not to eat at all, or seem to condemn and reproach us for the very thing on which they previously agreed with us. For they do this not out of reverence or for the sake of truth, but in order to plunge the inexperienced into despair. They represent asceticism useless, arouse in people an aversion to monastic life as the most difficult and burdensome, and prevent them from leading this way of life, which is disgusting to them.” 26. “And the prophet sent by the Lord announced the damnation of such, saying: Woe to the one who solders his girlfriend with muddy corruption (Hab. 2:15). Such intentions and thoughts lead astray from the path leading to virtue.” “And the Lord Himself, even to the demons who spoke the truth (for rightly they said: You are the Christ the Son of God (Luke 4:41)), commanded silence and forbade speaking, so that along with the truth they would not sow their own malice, and also so that we would learn never to listen to them, even if, apparently, they spoke the truth. It is indecent for us, who have the Holy Scriptures and freedom granted by the Savior, to learn from the devil, who has not kept his rank and has changed in his thoughts. Therefore, the Lord forbids him to pronounce the sayings of Scripture: But to the sinner God said: Of all kinds will you tell My justifications and accept My covenant with your lips? (Ps. 49:16)." “The demons do everything, talk, make noise, pretend, create riots and confusion to seduce the inexperienced, knock, laugh madly, whistle, and if anyone does not pay attention to them, they cry and shed tears as if defeated.” 27. “The Lord, as God, imposed silence on the demons; So, having learned from the saints, it is fitting for us to act like them and imitate their courage. And they, looking at this, said: Forever the sinner stood before me, I was dumb and humbled, and kept silent from good things (Ps. 39: 2-3); and again: Because I am deaf and do not hear, and because I am dumb and do not open my mouth; and like a man you would not hear (Ps. 37:14-15). So we will not listen to demons as alien to us, we will not obey them, even if they awaken us to prayer, even if they talk about fasting; Let us be more attentive to the asceticism we undertake, so that we are not deceived by demons who do everything with cunning. But we should not be afraid of demons, although, apparently, they attack us, even threaten us with death, because they are powerless and cannot do anything more than threaten.” 28. “Why, although I have already touched on this in passing, however, now I will not be too lazy to say about the same thing in more detail. This reminder will serve for your safety. When the Lord came, the enemy fell and his strength failed. Therefore, although he cannot do anything, nevertheless, like a tormentor after his fall, he does not remain in peace, but threatens, albeit only with words.” “Let each of you consider this, and then you will be able to despise demons. If the demons were surrounded by the same bodies that we are surrounded by, then they could say: we do not find people hiding, but we cause harm to those we find. Then we could take cover and hide from them by locking the doors. But they are not like that: they can enter through locked doors; and all the demons, and the first of them is the devil, rush throughout the air, moreover, they are malicious, ready to harm, and, as the Savior said, the father of evil, the devil, is a murderer from time immemorial (John 8:44). Meanwhile, we are still alive and even lead a lifestyle that is contrary to the devil. And it is so obvious that demons have no power. And the place does not prevent them from doing evil, and they do not see in us their friends whom they would spare, and they themselves are not lovers of good who could correct themselves, but, on the contrary, they are crafty - their only concern is to do harm to lovers of virtue and the pious; however, since they are unable to do anything, they do not harm, but only threaten. But if they had been able, they would not have hesitated, but would have immediately done evil, having the will to do so, and especially would have done evil to us. But having come together, we now speak against them, and they know that as we progress, they themselves become exhausted; therefore, if they had power, they would not have left any of the Christians alive, because godliness is an abomination to a sinner (Sir. 1:25). Since they are unable to do anything, they are even more wounded by the fact that they cannot fulfill their threats.” “Moreover, in order not to be afraid of demons, we must consider the following. If they had power, they would not come in crowds, would not create dreams and would not take on various images when plotting; but it would be enough for just one person to come and do what he can and wants, especially since everyone who has power does not amaze with ghosts, does not frighten with multitudes, but immediately uses his power as he wants. The demons, having no power, seem to amuse themselves at the spectacle, changing their disguises and frightening children with many ghosts and phantoms. That is why we should despise them most of all, as powerless. The true angel sent by the Lord to the Assyrians did not need a multitude, an external ghost, thunder and crashing; on the contrary, he exercised his power in silence and instantly destroyed one hundred and eighty-five thousand. The demons who have no power, such as those who argue with us, try to frighten us at least with dreams.” 29. “If anyone brings to mind what happened to Job and says: why did the devil come and do everything to him: he deprived him of his property, killed his children, and struck him himself with fierce pus (Job 1:15-22, 2:1-7), then let him know that this did not depend on the power of the devil, but on the fact that God handed Job over to him to be tempted. The devil, of course, was unable to do anything, so he asked and, having received permission, did it. And therefore, the enemy is all the more worthy of contempt, who, although he wanted, was not able to do anything even to one righteous person. For if he had the power to do this, he would not have asked. Since he asked, and asked not once, but twice, he turns out to be weak and completely powerless. And it is not surprising that he was unable to do anything with Job, when he could not destroy his livestock if God had not allowed him. The devil has no power even over pigs. For, as it is written in the Gospel, the demons asked the Lord, saying: Command us to go into the herd of swine (Matthew 8:31). If they do not have power over pigs, much less do they have power over man, created in the image of God.” 30. “Therefore, one should fear only God, and despise demons and not be in the least afraid of them. Even the more fears they create, the more strenuously we will strive against them. For their powerful weapon is right life and faith in God. They are afraid of ascetic fasting, vigils, prayers, meekness, silence, lack of love of money, lack of vanity, humility, love of poverty, almsgiving, lack of anger, and mainly of pious faith in Christ. That is why they use all measures so that there is no one to trample on them. They know what grace the Savior gave to the believers against them, Who said: Behold, I give you power to tread on the serpent and the scorpion and over all the power of the enemy” (Luke 10:19). 31. “Therefore, if they present themselves as soothsayers, let no one cleave to them. They often say several days in advance that the brothers will come, and they actually come. The demons do this not out of concern for those who listen to them, but in order to arouse in them faith in themselves, and then, having already subjugated them to themselves, destroy them. Therefore, we should not listen to demons, but we must object to their words, that we do not need them. For what is surprising if someone, having a body thinner than the human body and seeing those who have entered the path, precedes them in the procession and informs about them? The same thing is predicted by one sitting on a horse, anticipating one walking on foot. Therefore, there is no need to be surprised at the demons. They have no knowledge of what does not yet exist. One God is knowledgeable of all things before their existence (Dan.13:42). Demons, like thieves, get ahead of themselves and announce what they see. And now they will let many people know about what is happening with us, how we got together and are talking about them, before any of us leaves here and talks about it. But some briskly running youth can do the same, ahead of a slow one. And I precisely say: if someone intends to go from Thebaid or from some other country, then before he sets out on the journey, the demons do not know whether he will go; but as soon as they see someone coming, they run ahead and, before he arrives, announce him; and thus those who come after a few days actually come. It often happens that those who set off on a journey return back, and then the demons turn out to be liars.” 32. “So, sometimes they eloquently announce the water in the Nile River, seeing that there was a lot of rain in the Ethiopian countries and knowing that they cause flooding in the river; Before the water comes to Egypt, they run there and predict. But people would say the same thing if they could move from place to place so quickly, like demons. And just as David’s watchman, having ascended to the heights, saw the current one before the one below, and the one going forward, before the others, spoke not about anything that had not yet happened, but about what had already happened and about which the news was already approaching (2 Sam. 18:24-29), so the demons take on the work and make it known to others, just to deceive them. If Providence wants to do something else at this time with the waters or with the travelers (because this is also possible), then the demons will turn out to be liars, and those who listened to them will be deceived.” 33. “This is how pagan soothsaying arose, this is how people have long been misled by demons. But this seduction finally stopped. For the Lord came and brought the demons and their deceit to inaction. They don’t know anything on their own, but, like thieves, they divulge what they see from others, and guess more than they know by foreknowledge. Therefore, if they predict the truth, let no one marvel at them at this. For doctors, who have learned through experience the properties of diseases, often see the same disease in others, guessing by skill, and predict. Also, pilots and farmers, looking at the state of the air, use their skill to predict either bad weather or good air quality. And no one will therefore say that they predict by God’s inspiration, and not by experience and skill. Therefore, if demons sometimes, when guessing, also predict, then let no one marvel at them in this and do not listen to them.” “And what is the use of those who listen to demons to learn the future from them in advance? Or what is the importance of such foresight, even if we knew the truth? This does not constitute virtue and, without a doubt, does not serve as evidence of good morals. None of us is condemned for what we did not know, and no one is blessed for having acquired information and learned; but everyone is subject to judgment as to whether he has kept the faith and sincerely kept the commandments.” 34. “Therefore, we should not value such foresight highly, and strive and work not in order to foreknow, but in order to please God with a good life. We must pray not to have foresight, and not to ask for this reward for our deeds, but to ask the Lord to assist us in our victory over the devil.” “If, when it is important for us to have foresight, then let us keep our mind pure. For I am confident that a soul that is pure in everything and true to its nature, having become perspicacious, can see more and further than demons, because revelation is given to it from the Lord. Such was the soul of Elisha, which saw what was done by Gehazi (2 Kings 5:26), and saw the powers protecting it (2 Kings 6:16-17).” 35. “Therefore, when demons come to us at night, want to announce the future, or say: “We are angels,” do not listen to them, because they lie. If they praise your asceticism and please you, do not listen to them and do not get close to them at all; It’s better to seal yourself and your house with a cross and pray. Then you will see that they will become invisible, because they are fearful and especially fear the sign of the Cross of the Lord. For by the Cross, having taken away their strength, the Savior put them to shame.” “If they persist, mocking you and taking on different guises, do not be afraid, do not be horrified, do not listen to them as good spirits. For with God’s help it is possible and not difficult to recognize the presence of good and evil angels.” “The vision of saints can be calm. They will neither argue nor cry out; below will hear their voice outside (Is. 42:2). They appear silently and meekly, which is why joy, joy and boldness are immediately born in the soul; because the Lord is with the saints, who is our joy and the strength of God the Father. The thoughts of the soul are calm and undisturbed, and the soul, illuminated by vision, contemplates those who have appeared. A desire for divine and future blessings arises in her, and, of course, she will desire to be in union with the saints and to depart with them. If others, like people, are brought into fear by the vision of good angels, then those who appear at the same moment destroy this fear with their love, as Gabriel did with Zechariah (Luke 1:13) and the angel who appeared to the women in the Holy Sepulcher (Matt. 28:5), and another angel mentioned in the Gospel and who said to the shepherds: do not be afraid (Luke 2:10). Fear is felt not from spiritual fear, but from the consciousness of the presence of higher powers. This is the vision of the saints." 36. “And the invasion and vision of evil spirits is outrageous, with noise, voices and screams, like a riotous movement of poorly educated young people or robbers. From this, fear, confusion, confusion of thoughts, sadness, hatred of ascetics, despondency, sadness, memories of relatives, mortal fear and, finally, a bad desire, negligence of virtue, moral disorder immediately arise in the soul.” “Therefore, if, having seen what has appeared, you come into fear, but your fear is immediately destroyed, and instead of it, unspeakable joy, complacency, boldness, inspiration, equanimity of thoughts and everything else that was said above, courage, love for God occur in you, then do not lose hope and pray. For the joy and well-being of the soul show the holiness of what has appeared. Thus, Abraham, seeing the Lord, rejoiced (John 8:56), and John leaped with joy at the voice of the Mother of God Mary (Luke 1:44). And if whose appearance is accompanied by confusion, external noise and worldly pomp, the threat of death and everything said above, then know that this is an invasion of evil angels.” 37. “Let this also serve as a sign for you: when the soul continues to feel fear, the one who has appeared is an enemy, because demons do not destroy fear, as in Mary and Zechariah the great Archangel Gabriel, and in the women the angel who appeared in the tomb. On the contrary, demons, when they see people in fear, multiply the ghosts all the more in order to bring them into greater horror, and, advancing, they already curse, saying: worship me (Matthew 4:9). Thus they deceived the pagans, and they falsely recognized them as gods.” “But the Lord did not leave us to be deceived by the devil when, forbidding him to produce such phantoms, he said: Get away from Me, Satan. It is written: You will worship the Lord your God and serve Him alone (Matthew 4:10). Therefore, more and more let us despise this insidious one for this. What the Lord said to him, he said for our sake, so that the demons, hearing similar things from us, would take flight for the sake of the Lord, who forbade them to do this.” 38. “But we should not boast of the power to cast out demons and boast of the gift of healings; One should not marvel at the one who casts out demons, and disdain the one who does not cast out. Let each learn from the asceticism of the other: let him either imitate and compete with him, or correct him. It is not up to us to create signs, but it is the work of the Savior. He said to the disciples: Do not rejoice, for the souls obey you; rejoice, for your names are written in heaven (Luke 10:20). That names are written in heaven testifies to our virtue and life; and casting out demons is the grace of the bestowing Savior. Therefore, those who boasted not of virtue, but of signs, and said: Lord, have we not cast out demons in Your name, and in Your name have we created many mighty powers? - the Lord answered: I tell you, we do not know you (Matthew 7:22-23; Luke 13:27). For the Lord does not know the ways of the wicked.” “Above all, as I said above, we must pray to receive the gift of discernment of spirits, so that, according to what is written, we may not believe every spirit (1 John 4:1).” 39. “I intended to remain silent and not say anything on my own, being content with just what was said, but so that you would not think that I was saying this just like that, but on the contrary, you would be convinced that I was telling you the truth known from experience and the real truth, although I was acting as if it were senseless, however, since the Lord who listens to this knows the purity of my conscience, knows that I am doing this not for my own sake, but for the sake of your love and for your admonition, I will say I also learned about demonic undertakings. Many times demons pleased me, and I conjured them in the name of the Lord. Many times they predicted to me about the river flooding, and I asked them: what does it matter to you? Sometimes they came with threats and surrounded me like armed warriors. At other times, the house was filled with horses, beasts and reptiles, and I sang: These are on chariots, and these on horses: we will call in the name of the Lord our God (Ps. 19:8), and through prayers the Lord put them to flight. Sometimes they came in the darkness, having a ghost of light, and said: we have come to illuminate you, Anthony; but I closed my eyes and prayed, and immediately the light of the wicked faded away. A few months later they came - and it was as if they were singing psalms and reciting passages from the Scriptures; As if I were deaf and did not hear (Ps. 37:14). Sometimes the monastery was shaken, but I prayed, remaining motionless in thought. After this, more people came and began to applaud, whistle, and dance, but I prayed and, lying down, sang psalms to myself. Soon they began to cry and sob as if exhausted, and I glorified the Lord, who crushed and shamed their insolence and madness.” 40. “One day a demon, very tall, appeared with a numerous escort and dared to say: “I am God’s power; I am Providence; whatever you want, I will give you everything.” Then I blew on him, pronouncing the name of Christ, raised my hand to hit him and, as it seemed, struck him - and at the name of Christ this giant immediately disappeared with all his demons. One day, when I was fasting, this insidious one came in the form of a monk, having the ghost of bread, and gave me the following advice: “Eat and rest after much labor; and you, a human being, can get sick.” But I, realizing his machinations, rose up to pray, and the demon could not stand this, disappeared and, going out the door, disappeared like smoke. Many times in the desert the enemy dreamily showed me gold so that I would just touch it and look at it, but I repulsed the enemy by singing psalms, and he disappeared. Often the demons struck me, but I said: nothing will separate me from the love of Christ. And after this they began to strike each other with strong blows. However, it was not I who held them back and brought them into inaction, but the Lord, who said: I saw Satan like lightning falling from heaven (Luke 10:18). And I, children, remembering the apostolic saying, transfigured myself (1 Cor. 4:6), so that you learn not to lose heart in asceticism and not to be afraid of the ghosts of the devil and his demons.” 41. “Since I have become so senseless that I am talking about this, then for your own safety and fearlessness, accept the following from me and believe me, because I am not lying. One day someone in the monastery knocked on my door. And when I went out, I saw some huge giant appear. Then, when I asked: “Who are you?” - he answered: “I am Satan.” After this, to my question: “Why are you here?” - he said: “Why do the monks and all other Christians blame me in vain? Why do they curse me every hour?” And to my words: “Why are you embarrassing them?” - answered: “It’s not I who confuse them; they rebel against themselves, and I have become weak. Haven’t they read: The enemy has run out of weapons to the end, and you have destroyed cities (Ps. 9:7)? I no longer have a place, I have neither arrows nor a city. There are Christians everywhere: and the desert is finally filled with monks. Let them respect themselves and not curse me in vain.” Then, marveling at the grace of the Lord, I said to him: “You always lie and never tell the truth, but now, even against your will, you said it rightly.” For Christ, having come, made you weak and, deposing you, deprived you of everything.” Hearing the name of the Savior and not enduring His scorching power, the devil became invisible.” 42. “So, if the devil himself admits his powerlessness, then, of course, we must despise both him and his demons. The enemy and his dogs have many tricks, but we, having recognized their weakness, can despise them. Thus, let us not lose heart, nourish fear in our souls, let us not invent motives for fear for ourselves, saying: if the demon had not come and shaken me, he would not have captured me and cast me down; or, would not have attacked suddenly and caused confusion. Let us not give room to such thoughts at all and grieve like those who are perishing. Moreover, let us always be content and rejoice, as those who are being saved; Let us keep in mind that the Lord is with us, Who has overthrown and rendered the demons inactive. Let us always imagine and think that since the Lord is with us, our enemies will not do anything to us.” “The way they find us when they come to us is the way they themselves become in relation to us; and whatever thoughts they find in us, such are the ghosts that they present to us. Therefore, if they find us fearful and embarrassed, they immediately attack, like robbers who have found an unguarded place, and what we think in ourselves, they produce in greater form. If they see us as fearful and fearful, then they increase the fear even more with ghosts and threats, and finally the poor soul is tormented by this. But if they find us rejoicing in the Lord and thinking about future blessings, containing the works of the Lord in our thoughts and reasoning that everything is in the hand of the Lord, that the demon is not able to overcome a Christian and, in general, has no power over anyone - then, seeing the soul supported by such thoughts, the demons turn back with shame. So, the enemy, seeing Job protected, withdrew from him, but made Judas his captive, finding that he was deprived of such protection.” “Therefore, if we want to despise the enemy, then let us always think about the works of the Lord. Let the soul constantly rejoice in hope; and we will see that demonic games are the same as smoke, that the demons would rather run away than pursue us, because, as was said before, they are extremely fearful, waiting for the fire prepared for them.” 43. “And to make sure you are not afraid of demons, do this test: when there is any ghost, do not fall into fear, but, no matter what the ghost is, first of all, boldly ask: who are you and where are you from? And if this is the appearance of the saints, then they will confirm you and turn your fear into joy. And if this is a devilish ghost, it will immediately lose its power, as soon as your thought is firm. For a sign of an unperturbed spirit is to ask in every case: who are you and where are you from? So the son of Nun asked and found out who the One who appeared was (Joshua 5:13–14). So the enemy did not hide from Daniel who asked (Dan. 10:11-21).” 44. When Anthony talked like this, everyone rejoiced; in some the love of virtue increased, in others negligence was eradicated, in others doubt ceased; nevertheless, marveling at the grace given from the Lord to Anthony for discerning spirits, they were convinced that they should despise demonic slander. The monasteries in the mountains were like tabernacles, filled with the divine faces of psalmists, lovers of learning, fasters, prayer books, who were pleased with the hope of future blessings and who were engaged in handicrafts to give alms, had mutual love and agreement among themselves. There truly seemed to be a special, certain area of ​​piety and truth there. There was neither oppressor nor oppressed, there were no reproaches from the tax collector; There were many ascetics, but they all had one thought - to strive in virtue. Therefore, whoever saw these monasteries and such order of the monks, he had to exclaim again and say: How good are your houses to Jacob, and your tabernacles to Israel: like overshadowing oak groves, and like a garden by the rivers, and like the tabernacles that the Lord has planted, and like cedar trees by the waters (Num. 24:5-6). 45. And Anthony himself, as usual, secluded himself especially in his monastery, intensified his exploits and sighed daily, thinking about the heavenly abodes, longing for them and turning his gaze to the shortness of human life. When I wanted to eat food, I went to bed and began to fulfill other bodily needs; he felt shame, imagining the rationality of the soul. Often, having started a meal with many other monks and remembering spiritual food, he refused to eat and went far away from them, considering it a shame for himself if others saw that he was eating. According to the necessary requirements of the body, he ate food, but separately, and often together with the brethren, ashamed of them, and hoping to offer them a word for the benefit. He used to say: “All care should be taken more for the soul, and not for the body, and the body should be given a little time when necessary, but the rest should be devoted especially to the soul and seek its benefit, so that it does not get carried away by bodily pleasures, but rather the body is enslaved to it. This is what the Savior said: Do not worry about your soul, what you eat, or about your body, what you put on (Matthew 6:25). And do not look for what you eat or what you drink, and do not be exalted. The pagans of this world are looking for all these, but your Father knows that you demand these. Seek rather the kingdom of God, and all these things will be added to you” (Luke 12:29–31). 46. Then the Maximian persecution that was happening at that time befell the Church. And when the holy martyrs were led to Alexandria, Anthony followed them, leaving his monastery and saying: “We too will go, either to struggle, if we are called, or to see those struggling.” He had a desire to accept martyrdom, but, not wanting to betray himself, he served confessors in mines and in prisons. He had a lot of care - to encourage the ascetics called to the court to be zealous and to take part in those who entered into martyrdom, and to accompany them until their death. The judge, seeing the fearlessness of Anthony and those with him and their guardianship, ordered that none of the monks should appear in court and that they should not remain in the city at all. Everyone else thought it best to hide that day. Anthony was so concerned that he even washed his outer clothes and the next day, standing in front of everyone in a high place, he appeared before the hegemon in clean clothes. When everyone was amazed at this, even the hegemon saw him and passed by him with his soldiers - he stood fearless, thereby showing our Christian zeal. And he himself seemed to be sad that he was not worthy of martyrdom; but the Lord kept him for the benefit of us and others, so that he could become a teacher of many in the ascetic life, which he learned from the Scriptures. For many, looking only at the way of his life, tried to become zealots of his life. So, he again began, according to his custom, to serve the confessors and, as if bound together with them, worked in serving them. 47. And when the persecution had already ceased and Bishop Peter of blessed memory accepted martyrdom, Anthony left Alexandria and retired again to his monastery, where he was daily a martyr in his conscience and labored in the deeds of faith. His labors are numerous and great: he fasted incessantly; he kept his underwear - hair and outer clothing - leather until his death; did not wash away impurities from the body with water; I never washed my feet, or even simply immersed them in water, except when absolutely necessary. No one saw him undressed; no one could see Anthony’s naked body until Anthony died and they began to bury him. 48. When he was in solitude and decided to spend time without going out himself, and without receiving anyone, then one military leader, Martinian, came and disturbed him. He had a daughter tormented by a demon. For a long time he continued to knock on the door and ask Anthony to come out and pray to God for his daughter. Anthony did not agree to open the doors and, looking out from above, said: “Why are you crying out to me? And I'm the same person as you. If you believe in Christ, Whom I serve, then go and, as you believe, pray to God, and your request will be fulfilled.” Martinian immediately believed and, calling on the name of Christ, left with his daughter, already freed from the demon. The Lord performed many other signs through Anthony, who said: Ask and it will be given to you (Luke 11:9). For many who suffered from demons, since Anthony did not open his door, having only sat outside the monastery, received healing through faith and sincere prayer. 49. When Anthony saw that many were bothering him and did not allow him to remain in his chosen solitude, as he would have liked, then, fearing that either he himself would not be exalted by what the Lord was doing through him, or that someone else would think of him higher than what he was, he decided to go to Upper Thebaid, where they did not know him. And, taking bread from the brethren, he sat down on the bank of the river, looking to see if any ship would come, so that he could board it and leave. When he was waiting for the ship, a voice came to him from above: “Where are you going and why, Anthony?” He was not embarrassed, but, as he was already accustomed to often hearing such appeals, after listening to this, he said in response: “Since the people do not allow me to be in peace, I want to go to Upper Thebaid because of the many worries I have here and especially because they demand from me what is beyond my strength.” A voice told him: “If you go to Thebaid, and even, as you intend, to those grazing herds of oxen, then you will endure even greater and more severe labor. If you really want to be at peace, then go now to the inner desert.” To Anthony’s question: “Who will show me the way, since it is unknown to me?” – the voice immediately showed him the Saracens who were supposed to go this way. Anthony, approaching them, began to ask permission to go with them into the desert. The Saracens, as if at the behest of Providence, willingly accepted him. After spending three days and three nights on the road with them, he comes to one very high mountain. Clear, sweet and rather cold water flowed from under the mountain; all around there was a plain and several wild palm trees. 50. Anthony, as if by inspiration from above, loved this place; it was the same as the voice that spoke on the river bank had indicated to him. So, taking the bread from his companions, he began to stay on the mountain alone at first, not having anyone else with him, and he already recognized this place as his own home. The Saracens, seeing his jealousy, began to pass this way with the intention and joyfully brought him bread; sometimes even from the palm trees he had some small and meager consolation. Subsequently, the brothers, having learned his whereabouts, like children, remembering their father, took care to send him what he needed. But Anthony, seeing that others are tired and are toiling, sparing the monks in this too, comes up with a remedy for himself and begs them to bring a spade, an ax and some wheat. When this was brought, he went around the mountain, found one very small, convenient place, cultivated it and, since there was enough water for irrigation, sowed it. By doing this every year, he gets bread for himself from here, rejoicing that he will not bother anyone and will prevent himself from being a burden to anyone. But after this, seeing again that some come to him, he grows a few vegetables on his own, so that whoever comes to him will have at least a little consolation after the labors of such a difficult journey. At first, the animals that lived in the desert, coming to drink water, often caused damage to his crops and agriculture. He, with affection, caught one animal and said through it to everyone: “Why are you harming me, which does no harm to you? Go away and in the name of the Lord come no more here.” From that time on, the animals, as if fearing a ban, did not approach that place. 51. So Anthony remained alone on the inner mountain, spending his time in prayer and asceticism. The brothers who served him asked him to allow them to come every other month and bring olives, vegetables and oil, because he was already old. How much battle, while living there, he endured, according to what is written (Eph. 6:12), not with flesh and blood, but with opposing demons, we know about this from those who came to him. For even there they heard a noise, many voices and a sound like weapons, and at night they saw that the mountain was filled with animals; They noticed that Anthony himself, as if with some enemies visible to him, was fighting and repelling them with prayer. And Anthony encouraged those who came to him, and he himself labored, kneeling and praying to the Lord. And it was truly worthy of surprise that one, living in such a desert, was not afraid of the demons attacking him, and with such a multitude of four-legged animals and reptiles there, he was not afraid of their ferocity, but, truly, as it is written, he trusted in the Lord, he was like Mount Zion (Ps. 125:1), had an unshakable and untroubled mind, so that the demons fled from him and the wild beasts, according to what is written, were reconciled to him (Job.5:23). 52. Although the devil watched Anthony and, as David sings, gnashed his teeth at him (Ps. 34:16), Anthony, consoled by the Savior, remained unharmed from the deceit and many different wiles of the devil. So, one night, when Anthony was spending time on vigil, the enemy sends animals to attack him. Almost all the hyenas that were in this desert, emerging from their holes, surround him; Anthony stood in the midst of them, and each gaped at him and threatened him with remorse. Realizing this was the enemy’s cunning, he said to the hyenas: “If you have power over me, then I am ready to be devoured by you. And if you were sent by demons, then do not hesitate and leave, because I am a servant of Christ.” As soon as Anthony said this, the hyenas fled, as if driven by a scourge of words. 53. Then, a few days later, when he was busy with work (for he loved to be at work), someone, standing at the door, pulled towards him what Antony was then weaving; He made baskets and gave them to those who came for what they brought to him. Anthony stood up and saw a beast that resembled a man up to the loins, and its legs and legs were like those of a donkey. Anthony sealed only himself with the sign of the cross and said: “I am a servant of Christ; if you were sent against me, then here I am before you.” The beast with the demons in it ran so fast that it fell and died from the speed. The death of this beast meant the fall of the demons, who made every effort to remove Anthony from the desert, and were unable to do so. 54. One day, at the request of the monks to come to them and visit them and their place of residence for a while, he set off on a journey along with the monks who came to him. The camel carried bread and water for them, because this desert is waterless, and there is no water suitable for drinking anywhere in it, except for that one mountain on which the Anthony monastery was, where they stocked up on water. When on the way their water ran out and the heat was very intense, then everyone was in danger of losing their lives. Having walked around the surroundings and not finding water, they were no longer able to continue the journey, they lay down on the ground and, despairing of their lives, let the camel go wherever it wanted. The elder, seeing that everyone was in poverty, became very sad and sighed, moves away not far from them and, bending his knees and raising his hands, begins to pray; and the Lord soon caused water to flow in the place where he stood in prayer; and thus they all quenched their thirst and revived, filled the bottles with water, began to look for the camel and found it. It so happened that the rope wrapped around one stone and held the camel. So, they brought him back and, having given him something to drink, put the wineskins on him and continued on their way comfortably. When Anthony reached the first monasteries on the way, everyone greeted him, looked at him as a father, and he, as if bringing parting words from the mountain, treated them with words and taught them what was beneficial. Again on the mountains there was joy, competition for success and mutual consolation of each other through faith. Anthony himself rejoiced when he saw the jealousy of the monks and his sister, who had grown old in virginity and was already the abbess of other virgins. 55. A few days later he went back to his mountain. And then many began to come to him; Other sufferers even dared to come. He constantly gave the following commandment to every monk who came to him: “Believe in the Lord and love Him, keep yourself from unclean thoughts and carnal pleasures and, as it is written in Proverbs, be tempted by the satiety of the belly (Proverbs 24:15). Avoid vanity, pray unceasingly, sing psalms before and after sleep, repeat the commandments given to you in Scripture, keep in mind the deeds of the saints, so that your soul, remembering the commandments, has the zeal of the saints as a model for itself.” Anthony especially advised us to constantly meditate on the apostolic saying: Let not the sun go down on your anger (Eph. 4:26), and think that this is said in general in relation to every commandment, so that the sun does not go down not only on anger, but also on our other sin. For it is good and necessary that neither the sun condemn us for a daytime transgression, nor the moon condemn us for a nighttime sin, or even for an evil thought. And in order to keep yourself from this, it is good to listen and preserve the apostolic word. For it is said: torture yourself, tempt yourself (2 Cor. 13:5). Therefore, let everyone daily give themselves an account of their day and night actions. And if he has sinned, let him stop sinning, but let him remain in goodness, and not indulge in negligence, and not condemn his neighbor, and not consider himself righteous, until, as the blessed Apostle Paul said, the Lord will come (1 Cor. 4:5), testing the secret. It is often hidden from ourselves what we do. But although we do not know this, nevertheless, the Lord sees everything. Therefore, having left judgment to the Lord, let us be compassionate towards one another, let us bear each other’s burdens (Gal.6:2) and torment ourselves, and where we are deficient, we will try to make up for it. And to protect ourselves from sin, let us observe the following. Let each of us notice and record our actions and mental movements, as if with the intention of communicating this to each other; and, be sure that, being ashamed of fame, we will certainly stop sinning and even containing anything bad in our thoughts. For who, when he sins, wants it to be seen? Or who, having sinned, would not rather lie, just to hide the sin? Just as, watching each other, we will not commit fornication, so if we write down our thoughts with the intention of communicating them to each other, then we will more easily keep ourselves from unclean thoughts, ashamed of fame. So, let writing replace the eyes of our companions for us, so that when we write, we feel the same shame that we feel when they look at us; and we won’t even entertain anything bad in our thoughts. If we educate ourselves in this way, we will come to the state of enslaving our body, pleasing the Lord and trampling on the machinations of the enemy.” 56. Anthony gave such instructions to those who came; He was compassionate towards the suffering and prayed with them. And the Lord often listened to his prayers for many. But when he was heard by the Lord, he did not boast; and when he was not heard, he did not complain. But just as he himself always thanked the Lord, he also inspired those who suffered to be patient and to know that healing does not come from him and not from people at all, but from God alone, who gives it when he wants and to whomever he wants. Therefore, those who suffered accepted the elder’s instructions as medicine, learning not to be cowardly, but even more so to be patient; and those being healed learned to give thanks not to Anthony, but to God alone. 57. A certain man named Fronto, one of the courtiers, suffering from a severe illness, bit his tongue and was ready to deprive himself of his sight. Arriving at the mountain, he asked Anthony to pray for him. Anthony, having prayed, said to Fronto: “Go and be healed.” And when the sick man persisted and remained in the monastery for several days, Anthony stood by his word, saying: “You cannot be healed while you are here; Go, and when you reach Egypt, you will see a sign done on you.” Fronton believed, left, and as soon as he saw Egypt, his illness passed, and he became healthy according to the word of Anthony, as the Savior revealed to him during prayer. 58. One girl from Tripoli Busiris had a terrible and extremely vile illness. Her tears, phlegm and moisture flowing from her ears, as soon as they fell to the ground, immediately turned into worms; Her body was relaxed, and her eyes were not in a natural state. Her parents, having learned that the monks were going to Anthony, out of faith in the Lord, who healed the bleeding woman, asked them to go on the journey with their daughter. Since the monks refused, the parents and the young woman remained outside the mountain with the confessor and monk Paphnutius. The monks came to Anthony and barely wanted to inform him about the girl, when he warned them and told them what kind of illness the girl had, and how she walked with them; when they began to ask that the parents and the girl be allowed to enter, Anthony did not allow this, but said: “Go, and if the girl is not dead, you will find her healed. This is none of my business, and there is no reason for her to come to me, a poor man; healing comes from the Savior, Who in every place shows His mercy to those who call on Him. The Lord bowed to her prayer, and His love for mankind revealed to me that He would heal the illness of the young woman there.” Thus a miracle happened; The monks went and found the parents rejoicing, and the young woman already healthy. 59. Two brothers were walking, and when they ran out of water on the way, one died, and the other was close to death and, not having the strength to walk, was already lying on the ground and waiting to die. Anthony, who was in grief, calls on the two monks who were then with him and urges them to hurry, saying: “Take the vessels with water and quickly go to the Egyptian road. Of the two travelers, one has already died, the other will die soon if you don’t hurry. This is revealed to me now during prayer.” The monks go, find a dead man lying, give him burial, and bring the other back to life with water and bring him to the elder; the distance was one day's journey. If anyone asks why Anthony did not speak before the other died, the question will be wrong. The definition of death was not from Anthony, but from God, who determined for one to die, and gave revelation about another. The only wonderful thing about Anthony was that, while in grief, he had a sober heart; and the Lord showed him what was happening in the distance. 60. Once again, while in grief and looking up, Anthony sees someone ascending through the air, to the great joy of those who meet him. Then, marveling and pleasing such a host, he begins to pray that it will be revealed to him what this means. And suddenly a voice comes to him: “This is the soul of Amun, the Nitrian monk.” Amun remained an ascetic until old age. And the distance from Nitria to the mountain where Anthony lived was thirteen days' journey. Therefore, those who were with Anthony, seeing the marveling old man, wanted to know the reason and heard that Amun had recently died; and he was known to them, because he was often there, and besides, he performed many signs, of which one was like this. One day Amun needed to cross the river called Lykos, because there was high water at that time. Amun began to ask Theodore, who was with him, to move further away so that they would not see each other naked when they swam across the river. Then, when Theodore left, Amun was ashamed to even see himself naked, but while he was struggling with shame and worry, he was suddenly transported to the other shore. Theodore, also a reverent man, approached and saw that Amun had preceded him and had not at all wetted himself in the water, asking to tell how he swam across. When he saw that Amun did not want to say this, he hugged his legs and began to assure him that he would not let him in until he found out. Then Amun, in response to Theodore’s stubbornness and especially for the sake of the word spoken by him, first asks not to tell anyone about this until his death, and then announces that he was transferred and placed on the other shore, but did not walk on the waters at all; for this is completely impossible for people, but it is possible for the One Lord and to whom He will allow it, as He allowed the great Apostle Peter. Theodore told this after the death of Amun. The monks, to whom Anthony told about the death of Amun, noticed the day. And when, thirty days later, the brothers came from Nitria, they asked them and found out that Amun rested on the very day and hour on which the elder saw his soul ascended. Both of them marveled greatly at the purity of Anthony’s soul and how he recognized what had happened at a distance of a thirteen-day journey at the same moment and saw the ascending soul. 61. One day Archelaus comes, finding Anthony on the outer mountain, and asks him only to pray for Polycrates, the wonderful and Christ-bearing virgin in Laodicea. She suffered from extreme feats of severe pain in the womb and side and was completely exhausted physically. Anthony prayed, and the committee noticed the day on which the prayer was offered, and, returning to Laodicea, he found the virgin healthy. Having asked when and on what day she was freed from illness, he takes out the charter on which he wrote down the time of prayer, and after the healed woman’s answer, shows his note; and everyone was surprised to learn that then the Lord delivered her from suffering when Anthony prayed for her and called on the Savior’s goodness to help. 62. Antony often predicted about those coming to him several days, even a month in advance, for what reason they were coming. For some came solely to see him, others because of illness, and others because they suffered from demons. And no one considered the difficulty of the journey a burden for themselves and did not regret the work, because everyone returned feeling the benefit. When Anthony had a similar vision and he told about it, he always asked that no one should be surprised at him in this, but would be more surprised at the Lord, Who has given us, humans, the opportunity to know Him to the best of our ability. 63. Once again, having come to the monasteries that were on the outer mountain, when they begged him to board the ship and pray with the monks, he alone felt a strong and very disgusting stench. Those on the ship said that there was fish and salted meat here, that’s why the smell; but Anthony said it was a different kind of stench. While he was still speaking, a young man suddenly cried out, possessed by a demon, who, having entered the ship before the others, was hiding on it. The demon, according to the rebuke given to him in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, came out, and the man became healthy, and everyone understood that the stench was from the demon. 64. And another one of the noble people came to Anthony, having a demon in him; This demon was very fierce; the one possessed by him did not know that he was brought to Anthony, and devoured the eruptions of his body. Those who brought him asked Anthony to pray for the demoniac. Anthony, out of compassion for the young man, prays and spends the whole night in vigil with him. Before dawn, the young man, suddenly rushing at Anthony, throws him to the ground, and when those who came with him were indignant at this, Anthony tells them: “Do not be angry with the young man; It is not he who is to blame, but the demon living in him. Since a ban was imposed on him and he was ordered to go to places without water, he became furious and did the same to me. Therefore glorify the Lord. For the young man’s rush towards me was a sign to you that the demon had come out.” While Anthony was still saying this, the young man immediately became healthy and, finally, coming to his senses, found out where he was and greeted the old man, giving thanks to God. 65. Quite a few of the monks agreed and said in the same way that Anthony had done many other similar things. But this is not so much wonderful as, compared to everything else, the following seems most wonderful. One day, before eating food at about the ninth hour, having risen to pray, Anthony feels within himself that he is delighted with his mind, and what is most surprising, he sees himself, as if he were beside himself, and someone seemed to be lifting him through the air; in the air there are some gloomy and terrible faces who want to block his path to ascension. Since the Antonian guides resisted them, they demand an account - whether Anthony is subject to any responsibility before them, and therefore they want to keep count from his very birth, but the Antonian guides prevented this, saying: “What was from his birth, the Lord blotted out; keep count from the time he became a monk and made a vow to God.” Then, since the accusers could not convict him, his path became free and unobstructed. And suddenly he sees that he seems to be returning and entering into himself, and again becoming the old Anthony. At this time, forgetting about eating food, he spends the rest of the day and the whole night in sighs and prayer; for I was surprised to see how many enemies we had to fight with and with what difficulty a person must go through the air. And then it came to his mind that in this very sense the apostle said: According to the prince of the powers of the air (Eph. 2:2). For the enemy has the power in the air to enter into a fight with those passing through it, and attempts to block their path. This is why the apostle especially advised: Take all the weapons of God, so that you may be able to resist in the day of cruelty (Eph.6:13), so that the enemy may be put to shame, having nothing to say reproachfully about us (Titus 2:8). And we, hearing this, bring to mind the apostle who says: If in the body we do not know, if apart from the body we do not know, God knows (2 Cor. 12:2). But Paul was caught up to the third Heaven and descended from there, hearing ineffable verbs; and Anthony saw himself passing through the air and struggling there until he found himself free. 66. Anthony also had this talent. During his stay on the mountain in solitude, if sometimes, having proposed any question to himself, he became perplexed, then, according to God's providence, during prayer there was a revelation to him about it, and the blessed one, according to what is written, was taught by God (Is. 54:13, John 6:45). So, one day he was having a conversation with those who came to him about the state of the soul after death and where its location would be. The next night someone from above calls him, saying: “Get up, Anthony, come out and look.” Anthony goes out (for he knew who must be obeyed) and, raising his gaze, sees that someone is standing tall, ugly, terrible and touches the head of the clouds, and that some others are ascending, as if inspired; and the first stretches out his hands to the latter and blocks the path for some, while others fly over him and, having passed him, comfortably ascend upward; on the latter, this giant gnashes his teeth, but on those that fall down, he rejoices. Suddenly a voice says to Anthony: “Understand what is seen.” Then his mind opened and he realized that this is the passage of souls, that the standing giant is an enemy, jealous of the faithful, and he holds back those who fall under his power and forbids them to go further, but cannot detain those who do not submit to him, because they pass above him. Having seen this and taking such a vision as a reminder to himself, Anthony began to make even greater efforts to daily succeed in his previous exploits. He announced such visions reluctantly. But since those who were with him, when they saw that he was praying longer than usual and seemed surprised, asked him and pestered him with their questions, he was forced to tell them like a father who cannot hide anything from his children; Moreover, he reasoned that his conscience would remain clear, and his story would benefit them when they learned that asceticism has good fruits, and visions are often a consolation in their labors. 67. Anthony was of a patient disposition and had a humble heart. For all his spiritual height, he extremely respected church rules and was ready to give preference to any clergyman. He was not ashamed to bow his head before bishops and elders. If when a deacon came to him for his own benefit, he offered him a word for his benefit, but left the prayers to the deacon, not being ashamed to learn himself. He often asked questions and wanted to listen to those who were with him; he admitted that he himself benefits if someone says something useful. And his face had a great and extraordinary pleasantness. Anthony also received this gift from the Savior: if he was surrounded by many monks, and it was desirable for someone who did not know him before to see him, then the person who wished, passing the others, directly approached Anthony, as if attracted by his gaze. What distinguished Anthony from others was not his height and good looks, but his good manners and purity of soul. Since the soul was serene, the external feelings also remained undisturbed; and therefore, from spiritual joy, the face was cheerful, and by bodily movements one could feel and understand the calmness of the soul, in accordance with what is written: A joyful heart makes the face bloom; but I am in sorrow and lament (Proverbs 15:13). So Jacob found out that Laban was plotting something bad, and he said to his wives: I see the face of your father, as it was not for me, as it was yesterday and the third day (Gen. 31:5). So Samuel recognized David, because his eyes were joyful and his teeth were white as milk. This is how Anthony was recognized, because with peace of mind he never became indignant, and with a joyful state of mind he was never gloomy. 68. He was very wonderful in faith and pious. I never had contact with the renegade Meletians, knowing their long-standing deceit and apostasy; did not talk friendly with the Manichaeans or with other heretics, except for admonition, so that they would turn to piety. And he thought so himself, and inspired others that friendship and conversation with heretics is harm and destruction to the soul. He also abhorred the Arian heresy and gave a commandment to everyone not to get close to the Arians and not to have their evil faith. When some of the Arians came to him, having experienced and learned that they were ungodly, he drove them away from the mountain, saying that their speech was worse than snake venom. 69. One day the Arians spread a false rumor that Anthony had the same thoughts as them. Then he was indignant and angry against them; and then, at the request of the bishops and all the brethren, he came down from the mountain and, arriving in Alexandria, condemned the Arians, saying that Arianism is the last heresy and the forerunner of the Antichrist. He taught the people that “the Son of God is not a creature or non-existent, but is the eternal Word and Wisdom of the Father’s essence. Therefore, it is wicked to say about the Son: “It was when He was not.” For the Word is always coexistent with the Father. Therefore, have no fellowship with the most wicked Arians. For there is no communication between light and darkness (2 Cor. 6:14). Just as you, pious believers, are called Christians, so they, who call the Son of God from the Father the Son and the Father's Word, are no different from the pagans, serving the creation more than God who created. Believe, then, that even all creation is indignant at them because the Creator and Lord of the universe, in Whom all things were, are numbered among created beings.” 70. The whole people rejoiced when they heard that such a man was anathematizing the heresy against Christ. All the inhabitants of the city came running to see Anthony. Even the pagans and their so-called priests came to the temple of the Lord, saying: “We wish to see the man of God.” Because that's what everyone called him. And here the Lord, through him, freed many from demons and healed those who were damaged in their minds. Many even among the pagans wanted to at least touch the elder, in the confidence that they would receive benefit from this. And indeed, in these few days, as many people converted to Christianity as at other times converted throughout the year. Others thought that the crowd of people was bothering him, and therefore drove away everyone who came from him; but Anthony, unperturbed by anything, said: “The number of those coming is not greater than the number of demons with whom we are fighting on the mountain.” 71. When Anthony was leaving and we were accompanying him, then, as soon as we reached the city gates, one woman exclaimed behind us: “Stop, man of God! My daughter is severely tormented by a demon. Stop, I beg you, so that I, who is running after you, will not suffer trouble.” The elder heard this and, begged by us, willingly stopped. And as soon as the woman approached, her daughter was thrown to the ground; but Anthony prayed and called on the name of Christ; Then the girl rose up healthy, because an unclean demon came out of her. The mother blessed God, and everyone gave thanks to Him. Anthony himself rejoiced, returning to the mountain as if to his own home. 72. He was very intelligent and, surprisingly, without learning to read and write, he was distinguished by the subtlety and insight of his mind. One day two pagan philosophers came to him, thinking that they could tempt Anthony. He was on the outer mountain and, guessing from the faces of those walking, what kind of people they were, he went out to them and said through an interpreter: “Why are you so worried, philosophers, for a foolish person?” When they answered that Anthony was not a foolish man, but on the contrary, he was very intelligent, then he continued: “If you went to a foolish man, then your labor was in vain. And if you consider me reasonable, then be the same as I am, because good must be imitated. If I came to you, I would imitate you. If you came to me, then be the same as I am, and I am a Christian.” The philosophers left in surprise. They saw that the demons were also afraid of Anthony. 73. When others, similar to these philosophers, met him on the outer mountain and thought to ridicule him for not learning to read and write, then Anthony asks them: “What do you say comes first—the mind or the writing? And what is the reason for what: is it the mind for the writing, or the writing for the mind?” Since they answered: the mind is more primary, and he is the inventor of writing, then Anthony said: “Therefore, whoever has a sound mind does not need writing.” This answer amazed both the philosophers and everyone who was present, and they left, amazed that they had found such insight in an unlearned person. For Anthony did not have a rude disposition, like one who grew up and grew old on the mountain, but on the contrary, he was pleasant and courteous. His word was dissolved with Divine salt; and therefore no one hated him, yet those who came to him rejoiced over him. 74. And indeed, when after this several more pagan people, revered as wise men, came to him and demanded from him a word about our faith in Christ, but they had the intention of entering into a discussion about the preaching of the Divine Cross in order to laugh; Then Anthony, after being silent for a while and at first regretting their ignorance, said to them through an interpreter, who correctly conveyed his words: “What is better - to confess the Cross or to attribute fornication and child molestation to your so-called gods? What we preach is a proof of courage and a sign of contempt for death; and what you teach is contaminated with obscenity. Moreover, what is better: is it better to say that the Word of God has not changed and, remaining one and the same, for the benefit of people and for their salvation, took upon itself the human body, so that, having joined human existence, it could make people partakers of the Divine and spiritual nature, or liken the Divinity to the dumb, and therefore honor four-legged animals, reptiles and human images? And such are the venerations of your sages! How dare you laugh at us who claim that Christ appeared as a man, when you yourself, bringing the soul down from heaven, claim that it wanders and falls from the vault of heaven into the body? And let it only fall into the human body, and not pass over and move into four-legged and reptiles! Our faith speaks of the Coming of Christ for the salvation of man; but you are mistaken because you talk about the unborn soul. We talk about the omnipotence and philanthropy of Providence, because even this is not impossible for God, but you, calling the soul the image of the Mind, attribute to it falls and vainly say that it is perverse; and, finally, due to the vicissitudes of the soul, you admit that the Mind itself is corrupt. For whatever the image is, such must be the one whose image it is. Since you think this way about the Mind, then consider whether through this you are not blaspheming the One who is the Father of the Mind?” 75. “And if we talk about the Cross, what do you recognize as better: to endure the Cross through the malice of evil people and not be horrified by any kind of death, or to compose fables about the wanderings of Osiris and Isis, about the machinations of Typhon, about the flight of Cronus, about the absorption of children and about parricides? For these are your wisdom. Why, laughing at the Cross, are you not surprised at the Resurrection? For those who said one thing wrote another. Or why, when mentioning the Cross, are you silent about the resurrected dead, about the blind receiving their sight, about the healing of the paralytic, about the cleansed lepers, about walking on the sea and other signs and wonders showing that Christ is not a man, but God? It seems to me that you are very unfair to yourself and have not read our Scriptures with sincere affection. Read and see: the works done by Christ prove that He is God, who came to save men.” 76. “Tell us your teaching too. What can you say about the dumb, except that they are unreasonable and ferocious? If, as I hear, you intend to assert that all this is said in your parables, and the abduction of the maiden is an allegory about the earth, and the lame Hephaestus is about fire, Hera is about the air, Apollo is about the sun, Artemis is about the moon, Poseidon is about the sea; and in this case, you do not honor God Himself, but, instead of God who created everything, you serve the creature. For if you composed such fables for the reason that creation is beautiful, then you should only be amazed at creatures, and not idolize them, so as not to give the honor due to the Creator to creatures. Otherwise, you should give the honor that belongs to an architect to the house he built, or the honor that belongs to a military leader to give to a warrior. What do you say to this, from which we could find out: does the Cross really have something worthy of ridicule in itself?” 77. Since they were in bewilderment and turned back and forth, Anthony, smiling, said through the translator: “Although at first glance this is obvious by itself, however, since you rely more on the proof of their reason and, having mastered this art, demand that our godliness should not be without proof from reason, then tell me first of all: how is accurate knowledge of things and mainly knowledge about God acquired - either through proof from reason, or through real faith? And what comes first: real faith or reasonable evidence? When they answered that real faith is more primary and that it is accurate knowledge, then Anthony said: “You say well. Faith comes from spiritual disposition, and dialectics from the art of its compilers. Therefore, in whom there is reality of faith, proofs from reason are not necessary, but rather superfluous. For what we understand by faith, you try to affirm from reason, and often you are not able to express in words what we understand clearly; and therefore the reality of faith is better and stronger than your wise conclusions.” 78. “So, for us Christians, the mystery of knowledge of God is not in the wisdom of pagan speculation, but in the power of faith given to us from God by Jesus Christ. And my word is true, for now we, without learning to write, believe in God, learning from His creation about all things. And our faith is effective, for now we are confirmed in faith in Christ, and you are in wise debates; and your idols no longer work miracles, and our faith spreads everywhere; and you, with your conclusions and your great wisdom, do not seduce anyone from Christianity into paganism, but we, teaching faith in Christ, turn people away from your superstition, because everyone recognizes Christ as God and the Son of God; With your eloquence you cannot put barriers to the teaching of Christ, but we, in the name of Christ crucified, drive away all the demons whom you fear as gods, and where the sign of the cross is, there witchcraft fails, magic is ineffective.” 79. “Tell me, where are your soothsayers now? Where are the Egyptian sorceries? Where are the ghosts of sorcerers? When did all this stop and lose its power? Is it not from the time when the Cross of Christ appeared? Therefore, is he worthy of ridicule, or is it more ridiculous that he tramples under foot and exposes him to weakness? And it’s also amazing that your faith has never been persecuted, but is honored by people in the cities; The confessors of Christ are persecuted, and yet our faith blooms and spreads more than yours. And your faith, praised and glorified, perishes; and the Christian faith and the teachings of Christ, ridiculed by you and often persecuted by kings, filled the universe. For when did the knowledge of God shine so brightly? Or when did chastity and the virtue of virginity appear in such power? And when did people begin to despise death to such an extent? Is it not from the time of the Cross of Christ? No one will doubt this, seeing the martyrs who despise death for the sake of Christ, seeing the virgins of the church who for the sake of Christ keep their bodies pure and undefiled.” 80. “And these arguments are sufficient to prove that the faith of Christ is the only true godliness. To this day you still have no faith, seeking proof from reason. And we, as our teacher said, do not look for evidence in the precarious words of human wisdom (1 Cor. 2:4), but clearly convince by faith, which precedes the construction of the mind. Here too are those suffering from demons.” (Among those who came to Anthony were also those tormented by demons.) And Anthony, leading them to the middle, said: “Either you, with your conclusions and whatever art and sorcery you like, call upon your idols, cast out the demons from them, or, if you cannot, stop arguing with us and see the power of the Cross of Christ.” Having said this, he called on the name of Christ, a second and third time he sealed the suffering with the sign of the cross, and suddenly they were freed from suffering, became sound in mind and finally thanked the Lord. And the so-called philosophers marveled and were truly amazed, seeing both the prudence of Anthony and the miracle he performed. Anthony said to them: “Why are you amazed at this? We do not do this, but Christ does this through those who believe in Him. Therefore you also believe; Then you will see that we do not have the art of mastering words, but faith, strong with effective love for Christ. If you also had this faith, you would not seek evidence from reason, but would consider faith in Christ sufficient for yourself.” This is what Anthony said. They walked away in surprise, kissing Anthony and confessing that they had gained benefit from him. 81. The rumor about Anthony reached the kings. Constantine Augustus and his sons, Constantius and Constantius Augustus, based on this rumor, wrote to him as to their father and wanted to receive an answer from him. But the royal letters also meant little to Anthony; He did not admire these messages, but remained the same as he was before the kings wrote to him. And when these messages were brought to him, he called the monks and said: “Do not be surprised if the king writes to us, because he is also a man, but marvel even more at the fact that God wrote the law to people and spoke to them through His own Son.” Therefore, he thought not to accept the letters, saying: “I don’t know how to respond to such writings.” But the monks imagined that these kings were Christians and could be tempted if the letters were rejected; therefore, he allowed us to read and responded to these messages, praising the kings for worshiping Christ, and gave them saving advice: not to highly value the present, but to remember more about the future Judgment and to know that Christ is the only true and eternal King; He also asked the kings to be philanthropic, to take care of the truth and the poor. And they gladly accepted the answer. So he was loved by everyone, so everyone wanted to have him as a father. 82. Having already become so famous and after giving such answers to those who came, he again returned to the inner mountain and spent his time in his usual exploits. Often, sitting or walking with those who came to him, he was horrified, as it is written about Daniel (Dan. 4:16), and after some time he again continued his conversation with the brothers who were with him. And they guessed that Anthony had some kind of vision. For often, while in grief, he saw what was happening in Egypt, and recounted this to Bishop Serapion, who was then with Anthony and noted that Anthony had a vision. One day, sitting and doing needlework, Anthony seemed to be in admiration and sighed greatly during the vision. Then, after a while, turning to those who were with him, he sighed and, trembling with his whole body, began to pray, bending his knees, and remained in this position for a long time. Getting up, the old man began to cry. Therefore, those who were with him, brought into awe and great fear, expressed a desire to know this vision and bothered him with requests for a long time until they were forced to tell him. And, sighing heavily, he said: “It is better, children, to die before the vision is fulfilled.” Since they began to beg again, he burst into tears and said: “Wrath will befall the Church, she will be betrayed to people who are like dumb animals. For I saw the table of the church of the Lord and all around it there were Muscovites 4 standing around it, kicking at it, as wildly jumping and kicking cattle usually do. “Of course, you noticed,” he continued, “how I sighed, for I heard a voice saying: “My altar will be desecrated.” The old man had such a vision. And two years later we discovered the current invasion of the Arians and the plunder of churches, when the Arians, by force, stealing church utensils, forced the pagans to wear them, when the pagans were forced to leave their work and go to the meetings of the Arians, where they, in the presence of the pagans, did whatever they wanted at holy meals. It was then that we all understood that the kicking of the Muscovites had indicated to Anthony exactly what the Arians were now foolishly doing, like beasts. After Anthony had this vision, he consoled those who were with him, saying: “Do not be discouraged, children; just as the Lord was angry, so He will heal again. And the Church will soon regain its splendor and its usual radiance. Then you will see that the persecuted will be restored, wickedness will again retreat into its holes, and pious faith will be proclaimed everywhere with all freedom. Just do not defile yourself with the Arians, because this teaching is not apostolic, but demonic, originating from their father the devil and, better to say, it is just as fruitless, unreasonable, devoid of rightful meaning, like the wordless gods.” 83. Such are the acts of Anthony, and we should not be plunged into disbelief by the fact that so many miracles were performed by man. For the Savior made a promise, saying: If you have faith like the grain of a mountain, you will say to this mountain, “Depart from here, and it will pass away, and nothing will be impossible for you” (Matthew 17:20); and again: Amen, amen I say to you... whatever you ask of the Father in my name, he will give it to you... Ask and you will receive (John 16:23–24). The Lord Himself says to the disciples and all those who believe in Him: Heal the sick... cast out demons: eat tuna, give tuna (Matthew 10:8). 84. Anthony healed not with a commanding word, but with prayer and invocation of the name of Christ, wanting to make it clear to everyone that it was not he who was doing this, but the Lord, through Anthony, showing his love for mankind and healing the suffering; Anthony belongs only to prayer and deeds, for the sake of which, while in grief, he was consoled by Divine visions. He grieved that many were bothering him and forcing him to leave the mountain. All the judges asked him to come down from the mountain, citing the impossibility of entering there themselves with the defendants accompanying them, but in fact only wanting Anthony to come and to be able to see him. Therefore, Anthony avoided this and refused to go to them. But they insisted and even sent the defendants forward, accompanied by soldiers, so that at least Anthony would come down for their sake. Therefore, forced by necessity and seeing their complaints, he went out to the outer mountain. And this work of his was also not useless; on the contrary, his coming served the benefit of many and was beneficial. And he gave useful advice to the judges to prefer truth to everything, to fear God and to know that by the kind of court they themselves judge, so they will be judged (Matthew 7:2). However, most of all he loved being in grief. 85. Therefore, one day, when those who needed him strongly urged him to come down from the mountain, and one military leader asked for a long time, Anthony came and, having briefly talked about what serves to salvation and about the needs of those in need, hurried to go back. Since the mentioned military leader began to ask him to slow down, he said that he could not stay with them any longer, and convinced the military leader of this with such a witty comparison: “Just as fish, remaining for a long time on dry land, die, so the monks, slowing down with you and spending time in your company, relax. Therefore, just as a fish must hurry to the sea, so we must hurry to the mountain, so that, having lingered with you, we do not forget what is inside.” The military commander, having heard this and much more from him, said in surprise: “Truly he is God’s servant. For how could an unlearned person have such a great mind if he were not loved by God?” 86. One military leader, named Valacius, mercilessly persecuted us Christians out of zeal for the evil Arians. He was so cruel that he beat virgins, stripped and punished monks with whips. Anthony sends to him and writes a letter in the following sense: “I see the wrath of God coming upon you. Stop persecuting Christians, otherwise wrath will overtake you. For he is ready to strike you.” Valacius, laughing, threw the letter on the ground and spat on it, insulted those who brought it and ordered Anthony to say the following: “Since you care about the monks, I will reach you too.” But less than five days passed before the wrath of God befell him. Balacius with Nestorius, the eparch of Egypt, went to the first overnight stop from Alexandria, called Chaereus; both rode on horses that belonged to Valacius, and these horses were the calmest of all that he had ever kept at his place. Before they had time to get there, the horses began to play among themselves as usual, and the quietest of them, on which Nestorius was riding, suddenly began to bite Valacius and chewed his leg with his teeth so much that they immediately carried him to the city, and on the third day he died. Then everyone was surprised that Anthony’s prediction was fulfilled so quickly. 87. This is how Anthony admonished hard-hearted people, and brought others who came to him into such a state of tenderness that they immediately forgot about legal matters and began to please those who had renounced worldly life. Anthony stood up for those who were offended with such force that one might think that it was he himself who was being offended, and not someone else. Moreover, he was able to speak to the benefit of everyone to such an extent that many of the military people and those with great wealth laid aside the burdens of life and eventually became monks. In a word, as a doctor, he was given by God to Egypt. For who, if he came to him sad, returned from him not rejoicing? Who, if he came to him shedding tears for the dead, did not immediately stop crying? Who, if he came angry, did not change his anger to affection? What beggar, coming to him in despondency, and listening to him, and looking at him, did not begin to despise wealth and was not comforted in his poverty? What monk, who indulged in negligence, did not become much stronger as soon as he came to him? What young man, coming to the mountain and seeing Anthony, did not immediately renounce pleasures and begin to love chastity? Who came to him, tempted by a demon, and found no peace? Who came to him, troubled by thoughts, and did not find peace of mind? 88. The great fruit of Anthony’s asceticism was that Anthony, as I said above, having the gift of discerning spirits, recognized their movements, and it did not remain unknown to him what the zeal and striving of any spirit was for. Not only was he not mocked by demons himself, but he also consoled those who were troubled by their thoughts and taught them how to cast down the slander of their enemies, telling them about their weakness and deceit. Therefore, everyone left him, strengthened in strength to fearlessly resist the intentions of the devil and his demons. How many virgins who already had grooms, when they first saw Anthony from afar, remained virgins of Christ! They also came to him from foreign lands and, having benefited along with everyone else, returned, as if parting with their father. And now, after his dormition, everyone, having become like orphans after their father, is consoled by the mere memory of him, keeping his instructions and admonitions in their hearts. 89. And what the end of his life was like is worthy of reminding me and of listening to you with love, because in this too it must compete with him. He visited, according to custom, the monks living on the outer mountain, and, forewarned by Providence of his death, he said to the brethren: “This is my last visit to you; and it will be amazing if we see each other again in this life. And it’s time for me to resolve myself, because I’m about a hundred and five years old.” The brothers, hearing this, cried, hugged and kissed the elder. And he, as if returning from a foreign city to his own, talked with them cheerfully and commanded them to work unflatteringly and not to lose heart in the feat, but to live as if dying daily, and, as said above, try to protect their souls from unclean thoughts, to compete with the saints, not to get close to the renegade Meletians, knowing their evil and vile will, not to have any communication with the Arians, because their wickedness is obvious to everyone. “And if you see that judges are protecting them, do not be embarrassed, because their false wisdom will cease, it is temporary and will not last. Therefore, keep yourselves especially pure from it, observe the tradition of the fathers, and preferably to all, the pious faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, which you learned from the Scriptures and which I often reminded you of.” 90. When the brothers persistently began to ask him to stay with them and die, he did not agree to this, both for many reasons, which, even keeping silent about them, he nevertheless allowed to be understood, and especially for the following. The Egyptians have the custom, although they perform the rite of burial over the bodies of the deceased people they respect, and especially the holy martyrs, wrapping them in shrouds, but not burying them in the ground, but laying them on beds and keeping them in their homes, thinking that this is honoring the departed. Anthony repeatedly asked the bishops to prohibit this for the laity, and he himself convinced the laity and reprimanded the women, saying: “This is illegal and completely dishonest. For the bodies of the patriarchs and prophets are kept in tombs to this day, and the body of the Lord itself was laid in the tomb, and a rolled stone hid it until it was resurrected on the third day.” By saying this, he showed that he was acting illegally if he did not bury the bodies of the deceased, even saints, after death. For what is more honorable and holy than the body of the Lord? Therefore, many, having heard this, then began to bury the bodies of the dead and, having learned from Anthony, thanked the Lord for this. 91. Anthony, knowing this custom and fearing that they would not do the same with his body, said goodbye to the monks who were on the outer mountain, hastened to depart and, coming to the inner mountain, where he usually stayed, after a few months fell into illness. Then, calling those who were with him (there were two of them: they lived with him on the inner mountain, having labored for fifteen years and serving Anthony because of his old age), he said to them: “I,” as it is written, “I am going on the path of my fathers (Josh. 23:14). For I see that the Lord is calling me. But you, be sober and do not ruin our many years of exploits, but as you have begun now, so try maintain your zeal. You know how cruel they are, but weak in power. Therefore, do not be afraid of them, but always be strong in Christ and live as if you were dying daily; remember the instructions that you heard from me. Do not have any communication with the renegades, and especially with the heretical Arians. for their anti-Christ and other-minded heresy. Try more than ever to remain in unity with each other, and mainly with the Lord, and then with the saints, so that after death they will receive you into eternal blood, as friends and acquaintances. Think about this, hold on to these thoughts, and if you care about me and remember me as a father, then do not allow anyone to take my body to Egypt and lay it in their house; To avoid this, I went up the mountain and came here. You know, how I always condemned those who did this and urged them to leave such a custom. Give my body a burial and hide it underground. Let this word of mine be kept by you, so that no one knows the place of burial of my body except you alone; because at the resurrection of the dead I will receive it from the Savior incorruptible. Divide my clothes: give Bishop Athanasius one mantle 5 and the clothes placed under me - they gave me new ones and they are worn out, and give Bishop Serapion the other mantle, take the hair shirt for yourself. Farewell, children, Anthony is moving away, and he will no longer be with you!” 92. Having said this, when those who were with him kissed him, Anthony stretched out his legs and, as if seeing friends who had come to him and rejoiced at their arrival (for he was reclining with a cheerful face), he died and kissed his fathers. They, as he gave them the commandment, having completed the rite of burial, wrapped the body, they buried it, and, except for the two of them, to this day no one knows where it was buried. Each of those who received the mantle of Blessed Anthony and the clothes he wore out treasures them as something great. For to look at this means to see Anthony himself, and to wear it on oneself means to carry out his instructions with joy. 93. This was the end of Anthony’s life in the body, and this was the beginning of his asceticism. And although this story is insignificant in comparison with Anthony’s virtues, nevertheless, from this you can conclude what kind of man of God Anthony was. From his youth to that age, he observed equal zeal for asceticism, neither because of his old age was he deceived by expensive foods, nor because of the weakness of his body did he not change the appearance of his clothes or even wash his feet with water; However, he suffered no harm in any way. His eyes were healthy and unharmed, and he saw well. Not a single tooth fell out, but they only weakened in the gums due to the old man’s advanced years. He was healthy in arms and legs. In a word, he seemed more cheerful and stronger than anyone who used various foods, ablutions and various clothes. And what people talked about him everywhere, everyone was amazed at him, even those who had not seen him loved him, this serves as proof of his virtue and God-loving soul. For Anthony became known not for his writings and external wisdom, not for any kind of art, but for his single piety. And no one will deny that it was God's gift. For how would rumors have reached Spain, Gaul, Rome and Africa about a man who was hiding and living in the mountain, if God had not made His servants known everywhere, as He promised to Anthony at the beginning? Although the hermits themselves do everything in secret and wish to be hidden, the Lord makes them visible to everyone, like lamps, so that, hearing about them, they would know how the commandments can lead to prosperity, and would be zealous to follow the path of virtue. 94. Therefore, read this biography to other brothers, let them know what monastic life should be like, and let them be convinced that our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ glorifies those who glorify Him and serve Him to the end, not only brings them into the Kingdom of Heaven, but even here, no matter how much they hide and try to remain in solitude, makes them known and glorious everywhere for the sake of their virtue and for the benefit of others. If need demands, read this to the pagans; let them also learn in this way that not only our Lord Jesus Christ is God and the Son of God, but also Christians who sincerely serve Him and piously believe in Him, those very demons that the pagans honor as gods, not only expose that they are not gods, but, as seducers and corrupters of man, they trample and drive away in Christ Jesus our Lord. Glory to him forever and ever! Amen. Arura is the Egyptian measure of land of one hundred cubits. In the translation of Evagrius (IV century) it reads “not far.” – /A.Sh./ Milot is the outer clothing of monks in ancient monasteries. You might be interested in: