1. Antony was an Egyptian by birth. Since his parents, noble and quite wealthy, were Christians, he too was raised as a Christian and grew up with his parents, knowing nothing but them and his home. When he became a boy and advanced in years, he did not want to learn to read or write or associate with other children, but had only one desire, as a man of integrity, according to what is written about Jacob, to live at home ( Gen. 25:27 ). Meanwhile, he went with his parents to the temple of the Lord and was not lazy when he was a small child, nor did he become careless when he began to grow up, but was submissive to his parents and, attentively listening to what was read in the temple, he observed the benefit derived from it. Brought up in moderate prosperity, 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 only one young sister, and, being eighteen or twenty years old, he himself had to care for both the house and his sister. But not yet six months had passed after the death of his parents, when he, going as usual to the temple of the Lord and collecting his thoughts together, began to reflect on how the apostles, having left everything, followed the Savior, how the believers mentioned in the Acts, selling everything they owned, brought 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 entered the temple; in the Gospel read then, he heard 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 you will have treasure in heaven, and come, follow me ( Matthew 19:21 ). Anthony, taking this as a reminder from above, as if this reading was actually for him, immediately leaves the temple and gives everything that he had in his possession from his ancestors (he had three hundred arura of very good, fertile land) to the inhabitants of his village, so that they would not bother him or his sister in any way, and sells all other movable property and, having collected enough money, distributes it to the poor, leaving some for his sister.
3. But as soon as he entered the temple again, he heard the Lord say in the Gospel: do not worry about the morning ( Matt. 6:34 ), he does not stay in the temple for a minute, but goes out and gives the rest to the poor; he entrusts his sister to the virgins known to him and faithful, and gives her to be raised in their monastery, and he himself, before his home, begins, finally, to practice asceticism, paying attention to himself and remaining patient.
In Egypt, monasteries were still few and far between, and monks were completely unaware of the great desert. Anyone who wished to attend to themselves struggled in solitude, secluded not far from their village. Therefore, in a nearby village there was an elder who had lived a solitary life from his youth. Seeing him, Anthony emulated his good deeds and began to isolate himself primarily in the places lying before the village. And if he heard of a zealot for virtue there, he would go and seek him out, like a wise bee, and not return to his own place until he had seen him. When he received from him some kind of direction for walking the path of virtue, he would return.
Thus, spending his initial life there, Anthony guarded his thoughts, lest they return to memories of his parents' property and relatives. He directed all his desires and applied all his diligence to ascetic labors. He worked with his own hands, hearing that the idle man should not eat ( 2 Thessalonians 3:10 ), and spent part of it on bread for himself, and the rest on the needy. He prayed often, knowing that he must pray without ceasing when alone ( 1 Thessalonians 5:17 ), and was so attentive to what he read that not a single word of Scripture fell to the ground, but he retained everything within himself; so that, finally, his memory took the place of books.
4. Thus did Antony conduct himself and was loved by all. He sincerely submitted to the devotees of virtue to whom he went, and studied in each one what particularly excelled him in diligence and asceticism: in one he observed his affability, in another his tirelessness in prayer; in another he noticed his lack of anger, in another his love for mankind; in one he noted his vigilance, in another his love for learning; in one he admired his patience, and in another his fasting and reclining on the bare ground; he did not overlook the meekness of one, nor the generosity of another; and in all he noted their pious faith in Christ and their love for one another. Thus, with abundant gain, he returned to the place of his own asceticism, combining in himself what he had borrowed from each, and striving to reveal in himself alone the advantages of all. He never competed with those equal in age, unless it was to be second to them in perfection. And he did this in such a way that he offended no one, and even those with whom he competed rejoiced in him. Therefore, all the villagers and all the philanthropists he knew, seeing his life like this, called him a lover of God and loved him, some like a son, others like a brother.
5. But the hater of goodness, the envious devil, seeing such a disposition in young Antony, would not tolerate it, but, as he is accustomed to doing, so he intends to deal with him. First, he attempts to distract Antony from the ascetic life, bringing to his mind memories of property, then care, then family ties, then the love of money, the enjoyment of various delicacies and other comforts of life, and, finally, the harshness of the path of virtue and its many difficulties. He mentally presents to him the weakness of the body and the length of time, and in general, he stirs up a powerful storm of thoughts in his mind, wishing to turn him away from right will. When the enemy saw his own weakness against Antony's intentions, and even more so when he saw that he himself was struggling against Antony's firmness, was brought down by his great faith, and was cast into the dust by his unceasing prayers, then, with firm hope in those weapons of his which are upon the navel of the belly ( Job 40:11 ), and boasting of them (such are his first wiles against the young), he also attacks young Antony, disturbing him at night and troubling him so much during the day that their mutual struggle became noticeable even to outsiders. One implanted impure thoughts, the other repelled them with his prayers; one irritated his limbs, the other, apparently ashamed of this, protected his body with faith, prayer, and fasting. The accursed devil did not weaken; at night he took upon himself the form of a woman, imitated a woman in everything, if only to seduce Antony; Anthony, reflecting on Christ and highly valuing the nobility and rationality of soul He bestowed upon him, quenched the embers of this deception. The enemy again presented him with the pleasantness of pleasure, but he, like one angry and offended, brought to mind the fiery threat and the tormenting worm, and, opposing these to the temptation, remained unharmed. Yet this served to shame the enemy. He who had dreamed of being like God was now mocked by a youth. He who had exalted himself before flesh and blood was cast down by a man who bore flesh, for the Lord assisted him, bearing the flesh for our sake and granting the body victory over the devil. This is why every true ascetic says, " Not I, but the grace of God which was with me" ( 1 Cor. 15:10 ).
6. Finally, since this serpent was unable to overthrow Antony by this, but on the contrary, saw that he himself was cast out of his heart, then, as it is written, he gnashed his teeth at him ( Psalm 37:12 ), and, as if beside himself, as he is in mind, so he appears in appearance, namely, in the form of a black youth. And since this cunning one was overthrown, then, as if expressing submission, he no longer attacks with thoughts, but speaks with a human voice: “I have deceived many and overthrown even more, but, having now attacked you and your labors among many, I have become exhausted.” Then, when Antony asked: “Who are you, who addresses me with such a speech?” – without hiding in the least, he answered in a plaintive voice: “I am a friend of fornication, I am obliged to catch young people in fornication, to produce in them fornication, and I am called the spirit of fornication. I have seduced many who desired to live chastely; I have brought a great number of abstinent people to their fall with my incitements. The prophet also reproaches the fallen for my sake, saying: “ They are deceived by the spirit of fornication ” ( Hos. 4:12 ), because I was the cause of their stumbling. Many times have I troubled you, but each time I was overthrown by you.” Anthony, having given thanks to the Lord, fearlessly said to the enemy: “Therefore you deserve great contempt. For you are black in mind and powerless, like a child. I no longer have any concern for you. The Lord is my helper, and I will look upon mine enemies ” ( Ps. 118:7 ). The black child, hearing this, immediately fled in horror from these words, afraid to even approach Anthony.
7. This was the first struggle of Anthony with the devil; or rather, 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, who walk not according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit ( Rom. 8:4 ).
But even Anthony did not become careless or neglectful of himself because the demon had already been defeated. And the enemy did not cease laying snares for him, as one defeated, but again prowled about like a lion, seeking an opportunity to attack the ascetic. Anthony, knowing from Scripture that the enemy has many wiles ( Eph. 6:11 ), tirelessly practiced his ascetic struggles, reasoning that even if the enemy could not deceive his heart with carnal pleasure, he would undoubtedly try to ensnare it in other ways, because the demon is sin-loving. Therefore, Anthony increasingly mortified and enslaved his body, lest, having conquered one thing, he succumb to victory in another. Therefore, he adopted the intention of training himself to a more severe life; and many were amazed, seeing his labor, but he endured it easily. His spiritual zeal, with its longevity, developed a fine habit in him, and for whatever others gave him, however slight, he displayed great diligence. He was so tireless in his vigilance that he often spent the entire night without sleep, and repeating this not once but repeatedly, aroused astonishment. He ate food once a day, after sunset, sometimes after two days, and often after four. His food consisted of bread and salt, and his drink was only water. Meat and wine are needless to say, for it is unlikely that one encounters anything similar among other ascetic ascetics. When sleeping, Anthony contented himself with a mat, but for the most part he lay on the bare ground. He refused to anoint himself with oil, saying that it is most fitting for young people to be zealous in their endeavors and not to seek out anything that weakens the body, but to accustom it to labor, keeping in mind the apostle's saying: " When I am weak, then am I strong" ( 2 Cor. 12:10 ). The powers of the soul, he said, are strong when bodily pleasures are weakened.
Truly, this thought of his is also marvelous. The path of virtue and the ascetic life for its sake should not be measured by time, as he believed, but by desire and will. At least, he himself was not mindful of the passage of time, but with each day, as if just beginning his ascetic life, he applied greater effort to progress, constantly repeating to himself the saying of Paul: " Forgetting those things which are behind, and straining forward to those things which are before " ( Phil. 3:13 ), and also recalling the words of the prophet Elijah, who says: " As the Lord of hosts liveth, with whom I stand before Him, for today I will be seen of Him" ( 1 Kings 18:15 ). For, as Anthony notes, the prophet, in saying "today," does not measure the past, but, as if continually establishing only a beginning, strives each day to present himself as one who appears before God—that is, pure in heart and ready to obey no one else but God's will. Anthony also said to himself that in the life of Elijah, as in a mirror, the ascetic should always study his own life.
8. Thus, exhausting himself, Anthony withdrew to the tombs, which were far from the village, entrusting a friend to bring him bread after many days had passed; he himself, entering one of the tombs and closing the door behind him, remained there alone. Then the enemy, unable to bear this, even fearing that Anthony would quickly fill the desert with asceticism, came to him one night with a multitude of demons and inflicted so many blows on him that he lay speechless on the ground from the pain; and, as Anthony himself asserted, his sufferings were very cruel, and blows inflicted by people could not, according to him, cause such pain. But by God's Providence (for the Lord does not leave without attention those who trust in Him), the next day the friend who brought him bread came. Opening the door and seeing Antony lying on the ground as if dead, he took him and carried him to the temple in the village, where he laid him on the ground. Many of his relatives and villagers surrounded Antony as if he were dead. Around midnight, Antony came to his senses and, waking, saw that everyone was asleep, with only one acquaintance awake. Calling him to him with signs, Antony asked that, without waking anyone, he take him and carry him back to the tomb.
9. So Antony is carried away by them, and when, according to custom, the door is locked, he remains alone again in the tomb. From the blows inflicted on him, he is still unable to stand on his feet and prays lying down; after praying, he cries out loudly: “Here I am, Antony, not fleeing from your blows. Even if you inflict even more blows on me, nothing will separate me from the love of Christ.” Then he begins to sing: “Though an army encamp against me, my heart will not fear” ( Psalm 27:3 ).
Thus thought and spoke the ascetic. The enemy, who hates goodness, marveling that Anthony dared to come even after the blows he had suffered, calls his dogs and, bursting with vexation, says: “Look, we have not subdued him either with the spirit of fornication or with blows; on the contrary, he dares to resist us. Let us attack him in another way.” But the devil does not hesitate in expressing his malice. So now, at night, the demons produce such thunder that, apparently, the whole place begins to shake, and, as if having razed the four walls of Anthony’s dwelling, they invade, transformed into beasts and reptiles. The whole place is instantly filled with the ghosts of lions, bears, leopards, oxen, snakes, asps, scorpions, wolves. Each of these ghosts acts in accordance with its outward appearance. The lion, preparing to attack, roars; The ox seems to be trying to gore; the snake continues to writhe; the wolf strains its strength to pounce. And all these apparitions make a terrible noise and display fierce rage. Anthony, struck and wounded by them, feels terrible physical pain, but even more so, being alert in spirit, he lies without trembling and, although he groans from physical pain, nevertheless, with a sober mind and, as if laughing, says: “If you had any strength, then it would have been enough for just one of you to come. But since the Lord has taken away your strength, you try to intimidate with your multitude. But this is also a sign of your weakness, that you become speechless.” And he adds with boldness: “If you can and have power over me, then do not hesitate and attack. But if you cannot, then why do you fuss in vain? Faith in our Lord serves as a seal and a wall of protection for us.” So the demons, after many attempts on Antony's life, only gnashed their teeth, because they mocked themselves more than him.
10. The Lord, however, did not forget Antony's struggle and came to the ascetic's aid. Looking up, Antony saw that the roof above him seemed to have opened, and a ray of light was descending upon him. The demons suddenly became invisible; his bodily pain instantly ceased; his dwelling was found to be completely unharmed. And, feeling this help, breathing more freely, feeling relief from his suffering, he addressed the vision with a prayer and said: "Where were You? Why did You not appear at the beginning—to end my torment?" And a voice came to him: "I was here, Antony, but I waited, desiring 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, Antony arose and began to pray, and became so strengthened that he felt more strength in his body than he had before. He was then about thirty-five years old.
11. The next day, emerging from the tomb and filled with even greater zeal for piety, he goes to the aforementioned ancient elder and asks him to live with him in the desert. Since the elder refused, both because of his age and because he was unaccustomed to the desert life, Anthony immediately sets off alone for the mountain. But the enemy, again seeing his zealous intention and wishing to hinder him, imagines a large silver plate lying on the way. Anthony, realizing the cunning of the hater of good, stops and, looking at the plate, exposes the devil hiding in the phantom, saying: “Where could a plate come from in the desert? This is not a major road; there are not even traces of anyone passing here. If the plate had fallen, it could not have been hidden, for it is large; the one who lost it would have returned and, having searched, would certainly have found it, for this is a deserted place. This is the devil’s cunning.” But you will not hinder my firm intention with this, O devil: let this dish be with you to destruction” ( Acts 8:20 ). And when Anthony said this, it vanished like wax before the fire ( Psalm 68:3 ).
12. Then he goes on and sees no longer phantoms, but actual gold, scattered along the road. Whether it was placed there by an enemy or by some higher power, which was giving the ascetic an opportunity to test himself and showing the devil that he cared nothing for his possessions—Anthony did not say, and we do not know. One thing is certain, however, that what he saw was gold. Anthony, although amazed at its abundance, nevertheless, leaping over it as if through fire, passes by, not turning back, and accelerates his progress so much that the place is lost and out of sight. Thus, becoming more and more determined to fulfill his intention, he rushed up the mountain and, finding an empty, fenced-in place on the other side of the river, filled with reptiles from long neglect, he moved there and began to live there. The reptiles, as if driven by something, immediately retreated. Antony, having barred the entrance and stored up enough bread for six months (the Thebans store it this way, and their grain often remains intact for a whole year), and having water inside the enclosure, as if hidden in some inaccessible place, remained there alone, neither leaving himself nor seeing anyone who came. Thus, in his ascetic labors, he spent a long time, receiving bread through the enclosure only twice a year.
13. His acquaintances, who came to him, since he did not allow them to enter the enclosure, often spent days and nights outside it; and they heard what seemed to be entire crowds commotion within the enclosure, knocking, wailing piteously and crying out: “Get out of our place, what good is this desert to you? You will not endure our wiles.” Those standing outside at first thought that some people who had entered to him by ladders were arguing with Antony; but when, peering through one chink, they saw no one, then, concluding that they were demons, they themselves began to call out to Antony, seized with fear. And he heard the words of the latter rather than caring about the demonic cries. Approaching the door, he persuades those who came to leave and not to be afraid. “Demons,” he says, “create dreams to frighten the cowardly. Therefore, sign yourselves with the sign of the cross and go back boldly, and leave the demons to make a mockery of you." And those who came, having protected themselves with the sign of the cross, depart, but Anthony remains and does not suffer the slightest harm from the demons, and does not even tire in his struggle, because the increasing frequency of his heavenly visions and the weakness of his enemies bring him great relief in his labors and inspire zeal for even greater labors. Acquaintances often came to him, thinking to find him already dead, but they found him singing: Let God arise, and let His enemies be scattered, and let those who hate Him flee from His presence. As smoke vanishes, let them vanish; as wax melts before the fire, so let sinners perish before the presence of God ( Psalm 68:2-3 ); and also: All nations have surrounded me, and in the name of the Lord I have resisted them ( Ps. 117:10 ).
14. Antony spent about twenty years thus, struggling in solitude, never going out and, all this time, unseen by anyone. Afterwards, since many sought and desired to imitate his ascetic life, some of his acquaintances came and forcibly broke down and tore off the door. Antony, like a mystery-keeper and God-bearer, emerges from some sanctuary, and for the first time shows himself from his enclosure to those who come to him. And they, seeing Antony, are filled with amazement that his body retained its former appearance, not having grown fat from lack of exercise, not having withered from fasting and struggling with demons. Antony was the same as they knew him before becoming a hermit. In his soul there was again the same purity of character; He was neither overwhelmed by sorrow, nor enraptured by pleasure, nor given over to laughter nor sadness, nor embarrassed at the sight of a crowd of people, nor rejoiced when everyone began to greet him, but remained indifferent, because reason governed 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, and granted Anthony the grace of speech: he consoled many who were grieving, reconciled those who were in conflict, inspiring everyone to prefer nothing in the world to the love of Christ and, exhorting us to keep in mind the future blessings and the love of God for us, " Who indeed did not spare His own Son, but gave Him up all things for us" ( Rom. 8:32 ), he convinced many to choose the monastic life; and thus, at last, monasteries appeared in the mountains; The desert is populated by monks who have abandoned their property and joined the ranks of those who dwell in heaven.
15. When the need arose to cross the water supply ditch at Arsenios, specifically to visit the brethren, and the ditch was full of crocodiles, Anthony offered only a prayer. Then he and all those with him entered the ditch and crossed unharmed. Returning to the monastery, he practiced his former rigorous labors with youthful vigor and, through frequent conversations, increased the zeal of the monks and aroused in many others a love for asceticism. And soon, through the power of his wondrous words, numerous monasteries arose, and Anthony, like a father, became the leader of them all.
16. One day he goes out; all the monks gather around him and want to hear a word from him. Anthony speaks to them in Egyptian : "The Scriptures are sufficient for instruction; however, it is fitting for us to console one another with faith and anoint one another 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 learned through experience."
"Above all, let it be the common concern of all, that once we have begun, we not grow weary in our work, nor lose heart in our labors, nor say, 'We have labored long enough.' Rather, as beginners, let us increase our zeal every day, for a whole human life is very short in comparison with the ages to come; therefore, all the time of our life is nothing compared to eternal life. And although everything in the world is sold for its due price, and a person exchanges like for like, yet the promise of eternal life is bought for a small price. For it is written: ' The days of our years are seventy years, or, if we have strength, eighty years; and more than that is labor and sorrow' ( Psalm 90:10 ). Therefore, even if we continue in the struggle for eighty, even a hundred years, we will not reign for a period equal to a hundred years, but, instead of a hundred years, we will reign forever and ever; and, having struggled on earth, we will not receive an inheritance on earth, but, according to the promises, we have it in heaven; and, having laid aside the corruptible body, we will receive an incorruptible body."
17. “Therefore, children, let us not be discouraged because we have been striving for a long time, or because we have accomplished anything great. The passions of this present time are unworthy of the glory that is to be revealed in us ( 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 of the whole earth and renounced the whole earth, this would not be equivalent to the Kingdom of Heaven. Just as someone who disdains one drachma of copper in order to acquire a hundred drachmas of gold, so the one who is lord of the whole earth and renounces it, leaves a little and receives a hundredfold more. If the whole earth is not equivalent to the heavens, then he who leaves a small field is as if he leaves nothing. If he leaves a house or a considerable amount of gold, he should not boast or lose heart.”
"Moreover, we must consider that even if we do not abandon this for the sake of virtue, we will abandon it later, when we die, and we will abandon it, as often happens, to those we do not want, as Ecclesiastes reminds us of this ( Ecclesiastes 4:8 ). So, why should we not abandon this for the sake of virtue, in order to inherit the Kingdom for that?"
"Therefore, let none of us harbor the desire to acquire. For what benefit is it to acquire something that we do not take with us? Is it not better for us to acquire what we can take with us, such as prudence, justice, chastity, courage, prudence, love, love for the poor, faith in Christ, freedom from anger, and hospitality? These acquisitions will prepare for us a haven in the land of the meek before we arrive there."
18. "Let each one of us be persuaded by such thoughts not to be lazy, especially if we consider that we are the Lord's servants and are obligated to work for the Master. Just as a servant would not dare to say, 'Because I worked yesterday, I will not work today,' and, reckoning up the time that has passed, would not cease to work on subsequent days, but, on the contrary, each day, as written in the Gospel, shows the same zeal in order to please our master and not be in trouble, so we too will continue in the ascetic struggle every day, knowing that if we are negligent for one day, the Lord will not forgive us for the time that has passed, but will be angry with us for our carelessness. We hear this also in Ezekiel ( Ezek. 18:24-26 ). So Judas, in one night, wasted the labor of the past time."
19. “Therefore, children, let us continue in the struggle and not give in to despondency. For the Lord is our co-worker in this matter, as it is written: ‘To everyone who chooses what is good, God works for good’” ( Rom. 8:28 ).
“And in order not to be lazy, it is good to keep in mind the apostle’s saying: I die all the day long ( 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 following meaning: every day, waking from sleep, we should think that we will not live until the evening, and likewise, falling asleep, we should imagine that we will not wake from sleep, because the measure of our life is unknown to us, and each day is measured by Providence. And with such a way of thinking, living like this every day, we will neither sin, nor nourish any desire in ourselves, nor be angry with anyone, nor store up treasures for ourselves on earth; but, as those who daily await death, we will be non-covetous and will forgive everyone everything. Let us never allow ourselves to be overcome by carnal lust or other impure pleasures. Let us shun these as transitory, remaining in constant fear and always keeping the Day of Judgment before our eyes. For intense fear and apprehension of torment destroy the sweetness of pleasure and restore a soul prone to fall."
20. "Having entered upon the path of virtue and begun our march, let us all the more exert ourselves to press forward; and let no one turn back, like Lot's wife, especially heeding what the Lord said: ' No one, having put his hand to the plough and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God' ( Luke 9:62 ). To turn back means nothing other than to regret and to think again about worldly things."
“Do not be afraid when you hear about virtue, do not be embarrassed by its name. It is not far from us, it is not formed outside of us; its work is within us, and it is easy, if we only desire it. The Greeks, in order to learn verbal sciences, undertake long journeys, 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 before: The Kingdom of God is within you ( Luke 17:21 ). Therefore, virtue has need only of our will, because virtue is formed in us and from us. It is formed in the soul, in which rational powers act in accordance with its nature. And the soul achieves this when it abides as it was created; and it was created good and completely upright. Therefore, Jesus Navin, commanding the people, said: Recite your hearts to the Lord God of Israel ( Josh. 24:23 ); And John says: Make His paths upright ( Matthew 3:3 ). For the soul to be upright means that its rational power must be in such agreement with the nature in which it was created. When the soul deviates and becomes inconsistent with nature, then this 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, then we are condemned as vicious. If virtue were something acquired from outside, then, undoubtedly, it would be difficult to become virtuous. But if it is within us, then let us guard ourselves from impure thoughts and preserve the soul for the Lord, as a pledge received from Him, so that He will recognize in it His creation, when the soul is exactly as God created it.
21. “Let us be careful that irritability does not rule over us, and lust does not prevail over us. For it is written: ‘ For the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God... When lust has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, 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 the heart with all diligence ( Prov. 4:23 ). For we have terrible and cunning enemies, crafty demons; with them we have a struggle, as the apostle said: For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in the heavenly places ( Eph. 6:12 ). There is a great multitude of them in the air around us, and they are not far from us. There is a great difference between them, and about their properties and differences one could talk at length, but let such a discussion be left to others who are above us; now, however, our urgent need is to learn only their wiles against us.”
22. "So, first of all, we know that demons are not called that because they were created that way. God did not create anything evil. On the contrary, they, too, were created good, but having fallen from the heights of heavenly understanding and already orbiting around the earth, just as they deceived the pagans with their fantasies, so they envy us Christians, setting everything in motion, wanting to hinder our ascent to heaven, lest we ascend to where they fell."
"Therefore, we need intense prayer and struggle, so that, having received from the Spirit the gift of discernment of the spirits ( 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 strives to achieve, and how to overthrow and cast out each. For they have many tricks and evil aspirations. The blessed apostle and his followers were aware of these wiles, and they say: ' For we are not ignorant of his devices' ( 2 Cor. 2:11 ). And we, insofar as we have learned from experience about these wiles, are so obligated to protect one another from them. Having acquired some experience of them, I impart this to you as to children."
23. "So, the demons, as soon as they see any Christian, especially a monk, diligently and prosperously, first of all undertake and attempt to place 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, the enemies are immediately overthrown. However, even after their overthrow, they do not calm down, but soon attack again, cunningly and slyly. And when they cannot seduce the heart with overt and impure lust, then they attack again in a different manner and try to frighten with imaginary apparitions, transforming themselves into various forms and taking on the likenesses of women, beasts, reptiles, giants, and a multitude of warriors. But even in such a case, one should not be afraid of these apparitions, for they are nothing and quickly disappear, especially if one has protected oneself with faith and the sign of the cross. However, demons are bold and extremely shameless. If they are defeated in this, they attack in yet another way: they assume the guise of soothsayers, predicting what will happen in a short time; they appear either tall, reaching their heads to the roof, or excessively fat, so as to ensnare those whom they cannot deceive with their thoughts by such phantoms. If, however, 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 as the Lord depicted the devil in the revelation to Job, saying: his eyes are the vision of the morning star. From his mouth proceed as burning candles, and sparks of fire are scattered: from his nostrils proceeds the smoke of a furnace burning with the fire of coals: his soul is like coals, and flames proceed from his mouth ( Job 41:9-12 ). Being thus, the demonic prince frightens, as was said above, with his insidious eloquence, as the Lord also rebuked him, saying to Job: " For he counts iron as chaff, and copper as rotten wood... and he counts the sea as a myrrh-brewer, and Tartarus as a captive: he counted the abyss as a passage ( Job 41:18, 22-23 ); and also speaking through the prophet: the enemy said: I will pursue ( Ex. 15:9 ); and also through another prophet: I will comprehend the whole world with my hand as a nest, and I will take up the abandoned eggs ( Is. 10:14 )."
“In general, demons try to boast in this way and make such promises in order to deceive the pious. But we, the faithful, in this case too, should not be afraid of the apparitions produced by the enemy and pay attention to his words, because the devil lies and does not say anything true at all. And truly, him, who utters so many such insolences, the Savior pulled out with a hook like a serpent, him, like a beast of burden, he placed a bridle around his nostrils, him, like a fugitive, he put a ring through his nostrils and bored out his mouth with an awl, and the Lord bound him like a robin, so that we would mock him ( Job 40:20-21, 24 ). The devil and all the demons with him are cast down before us, so that we Christians, like serpents and scorpions, can tread on them ( Luke 10:19 ). Proof of this is that we now live by rules contrary to him. And so, he who promises to destroy the sea and embrace the universe is now powerless to hinder your exploits or even to stop me, who speaks against him. Therefore, let us not pay attention to whatever he says, for he lies. Let us not fear his apparitions, for they, too, are false. The light seen in them is not the real light; it would be more accurate to say that the demons carry within themselves the beginning and image of the fire prepared for them. Wherever they burn, they attempt to frighten people. They appear suddenly, but also immediately disappear, causing no harm to any of the believers, but carrying with them a likeness of the fire that will receive them. Therefore, in this regard, too, we should not fear them, because all their preliminaries, by the grace of Christ, come to nothing.
25. “They are cunning and ready to transform themselves into anything, to assume all sorts of forms. Often, being invisible themselves, they appear to be singing psalms, recalling passages from the Scriptures. Sometimes, if we are engaged in reading, they immediately, like an echo, repeat what we are reading; and if we are sleeping, they awaken us to prayer and do this so often that they almost do not allow us to fall asleep. Sometimes, having assumed the appearance of a monastic, they appear to be reverent interlocutors in order to deceive with the likeness of an image and to draw those they have seduced into whatever they want. But one should not listen to them, whether they awaken us to prayer, or advise us not to take food at all, or appear to condemn and reproach us for the very thing in 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 present asceticism as useless, they arouse in people an aversion to monastic life as the most difficult and burdensome, and they prevent them from leading this way of life, which is repugnant to them.”
26. "And the prophet sent by the Lord announced the wretchedness of such people, saying: Woe to him who gives his companion drink in filthy corruption ( Hab. 2:15 ). Such intentions and thoughts lead away from the path that leads to virtue."
"And the Lord Himself commanded silence even to those demons who spoke the truth (for they rightly said: You are the Christ, the Son of God ( Luke 4:41 )), and forbade them to speak, lest they sow their own malice along with the truth, and also that we too might learn never to listen to them, even if they seemed to speak the truth. For us, who have the Holy Scriptures and the freedom granted by the Savior, it is improper to learn from the devil, who has not kept his order and has changed in his thoughts. Therefore, the Lord forbids him to pronounce the sayings of Scripture: But to the sinner God said: Why do you declare My statutes and take My covenant on your lips? ( Psalm 49:16 )."
“The demons do everything, they talk, they make noise, they pretend, they create riots and confusion to deceive the inexperienced, they knock, they laugh madly, they whistle, and if someone does not pay attention to them, they cry and shed tears, like the defeated.”
27. “The Lord, as God, imposed silence on the demons; so it is fitting for us, having learned from the saints, to act like them and imitate their courage. But they, looking at this, said: When the sinner arose before me, I was speechless and humbled, and kept silent from good things ( Ps. 39:2-3 ); and again: But as for me, like a deaf man, I did not hear, and like a dumb man who did not open his mouth; and I became like a man who did not hear ( Ps. 38:14-15 ). So we too will not listen to the demons as strangers to us, we will not obey them, even if they awaken us to prayer, even if they speak of fasting; let us be more attentive to the asceticism we have undertaken, lest the demons, who do everything with cunning, deceive us. But we should not be afraid of demons, even though they seem to attack us and even threaten us with death, because they are powerless and can do nothing more than threaten.”
28. "Wherefore, although I have already touched upon this in passing, I will now take the trouble to speak of it in greater detail. Such a reminder will serve for your safety. At the coming of the Lord, the enemy fell, and his strength was exhausted. Therefore, although he can do nothing, nevertheless, like a tormentor after his fall, he does not remain at rest, but threatens, if only with words."
“Let each of you consider this, and then you will be able to despise the demons. If the demons were surrounded by the same bodies that we are surrounded by, they could say: we do not find people hiding, but we harm those who are found. Then we too could hide and conceal ourselves from them, locking the doors. But they are not like that: they can enter even through locked doors; and all demons, and the first of them is the devil, rush through all the air, moreover, they are malicious, ready to harm, and, as the Savior said, the father of evil, the devil, is a murderer from the beginning ( John 8:44 ). Meanwhile, we are still alive and even lead a way of life contrary to the devil. And so it is clear 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 such lovers of goodness as to be able to correct themselves, but, on the contrary, they are crafty - their only concern is to harm the lovers of virtue and the pious. However, since they are unable to do anything, they do no harm, but only threaten. But if they had the power, they would not hesitate, but would immediately do evil, having the will ready for it, and they would especially do evil to us. But behold, having come together, we now speak against them, and they know that as we succeed, they themselves are weakened; therefore, if they had the power, they would not leave any Christians alive, for piety to God is an abomination to a sinner ( Sir. 1:25 ). Since they are unable to do anything, they are all the more wounded by the fact that they cannot carry out their threats."
“Furthermore, so that we should not fear demons, we must also consider the following. If they had power, they would not come in crowds, would not produce fantasies, and would not assume various forms when plotting their schemes; but it would be enough for just one to come and do what he can and wants, especially since anyone in power does not strike with apparitions, nor does he frighten with a multitude, but immediately uses his power as he wishes. Demons, however, having no power, seem to amuse themselves at a spectacle, changing faces and frightening children with a multitude of apparitions and phantoms. Therefore, they should be despised above all else, as powerless. The true angel sent by the Lord against the Assyrians had no need of a multitude, of an external phantom, of thunder and crashing; on the contrary, he exerted his power in silence and instantly destroyed one hundred eighty-five thousand. “Those demons who have no power, like those who argue with us, try to frighten us even with dreams.”
29. "If anyone recalls what happened to Job and says: 'Why then did the devil come and do all this to him? He took away his property, killed his children, and struck him with a terrible plague' ( Job 1:15-22, 2:1-7 ), then let him know that this did not depend on the devil's power, but on the fact that God handed Job over to him to be tempted. The devil, of course, was not able to do anything, therefore he asked and, having received permission, did it. And therefore, all the more deserving of contempt is the enemy, who, although he desired, was not able to do anything even to one righteous man. For if he had the power to do this, he would not have asked. But since he asked, and asked not once, but twice, he is shown to be weak and utterly powerless. And it's no wonder he couldn't do anything to Job, when he couldn't even destroy his livestock if God hadn't allowed it. The devil has no power even over pigs. For, as the Gospel says, the demons begged the Lord, saying, " Command us, go into the herd of swine" ( Matthew 8:31 ). If they don't have power over pigs, how much less do they have power over man, created in the image of God.
30. “Therefore, we must fear only God, and despise demons and not be afraid of them at all. Indeed, the more fear they produce, the more intensely we will struggle against them. For a righteous life and faith in God are powerful weapons against them. They fear ascetic fasting, vigil, prayer, meekness, silence, non-covetousness, lack of vanity, humility, love for the poor, almsgiving, freedom from anger, and, above all, pious faith in Christ. Therefore, they use all means so that no one will trample them underfoot. They know what grace the Savior gave to believers against them, Who said: Behold, I give you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy” ( Luke 10:19 ).
31. “Therefore, if they pose as fortune tellers, let no one attach themselves to them. They often predict several days in advance that the brothers will come, and they actually do come. The demons do this not out of concern for those who listen to them, but to arouse their faith in them, and then, having subjugated them, to destroy them. Therefore, we must not listen to demons, but must respond to their words that we have no need of them. For what wonder is it if someone, having a body more subtle than a human body, and seeing those who have set out on a journey, goes ahead of them in the procession and warns them about them? The one riding on a horse also predicts the same thing, going ahead of one who is walking. Therefore, there is no need to be surprised at the demons in this. They have no foreknowledge of what does not yet exist. The only God is He who knows all things before their existence ( Dan. 13:42 ). The demons, like thieves, run ahead and report what they see. And now, what is happening among us, how we have gathered and are discussing these matters, they will let many know before any of us leaves here and tells of it. But even a fast-running youth can do the same, outstripping one who walks slowly. And I say precisely: if someone intends to travel from the Thebaid or from some other country, then before he sets out on his journey, the demons do not know whether he will go; but as soon as they see him coming, they run ahead and, before he arrives, report him; and thus, those traveling after a few days actually arrive. It often happens, however, that those who set out on a journey turn back, and then the demons are revealed to be liars.
32. “So sometimes they proclaim pompously about the water in the Nile River, seeing that there has been much rain in the Ethiopian lands and knowing that this causes flooding in the river; before the water reaches Egypt, they run there and predict. But people would say the same thing if they could move from place to place as quickly as demons. And just as David’s watchman, ascending on high before the one below, saw the one moving, and going ahead before the others, spoke not of something that had not yet happened, but of something that had already happened and about which news was already approaching ( 2 Samuel 18:24-29 ), so the demons take upon themselves the labor and make others know, only to deceive them. If Providence should wish to do something else at this time with the waters or with travelers (because this is also possible), then the demons will be revealed as liars, and those who listen to them will be deceived.”
33. “Thus arose the pagan oracles; thus, from ancient times, men were led astray by demons. But this deception finally ceased. For the Lord came and rendered the demons and their cunning ineffective. They know nothing of themselves, but, like thieves, they divulge what they see in others, and they guess rather than know by foreknowledge. Therefore, if they predict the truth, let no one be surprised at them. For even physicians, having learned the properties of diseases through experience, as soon as they see the same illness in others, often, guessing by experience, predict. Likewise, helmsmen and farmers, looking at the state of the air, by experience predict either bad weather or favorable air. And no one will say, therefore, that they predict by divine inspiration, and not by experience and experience. Therefore, if demons sometimes, guessing, also predict, then let no one be surprised at them in this and let no one listen to them.”
"And what benefit does it avail those who listen to demons to learn the future from them beforehand? Or what significance does such foreknowledge have, even if we learn the truth? This does not constitute virtue and certainly does not serve as proof of good morals. None of us is condemned for what we did not know, and none is blessed for having acquired information and learned; but each one is subject to judgment as to whether he has kept the faith and sincerely observed the commandments."
34. "Therefore, we should not value such foresight highly, and strive and labor not to foresee, but to please God with a good life. We must also pray not for foresight, and not ask for this reward for our efforts, but ask the Lord to assist us in victory over the devil."
"If it is important for us to have foresight, then let us keep our minds pure. For I am sure that a soul that is pure in everything and true to its nature, having become clairvoyant, can see more and further than demons, because revelation is given to it from the Lord. Such was the soul of Elisha, who saw what Gehazi had done ( 2 Kings 5:26 ) and saw the powers protecting it ( 2 Kings 6:16-17 )."
35. "Therefore, when demons come to us at night, wanting to foretell the future or saying, 'We are angels,' do not heed them, for they are lying. If they praise your asceticism and call you blessed, do not listen to them and do not get close to them at all. Rather, sign yourself and your home with the cross and pray. Then you will see that they will become invisible, for they are timid and especially fear the sign of the Lord's Cross. For by the Cross, having taken away their power, the Savior put them to shame."
"If they persist, mocking and assuming various forms, do not be afraid, do not be terrified, do not pay attention to them as good spirits. For with God's help, it is possible and not difficult to discern the presence of angels, good and evil."
"The vision of the saints is undisturbed. They will neither argue nor cry out, nor will anyone hear beyond their voice ( Isaiah 42:2 ). They appear silently and meekly, which is why joy, gladness, and boldness are immediately born in the soul; for with the saints is the Lord, Who is our joy and the Power of God the Father. The soul's thoughts are undisturbed and unruffled, and the soul, illuminated by the vision, contemplates those who have appeared. A desire for divine and future blessings arises within it, and, of course, it will desire to be united with the saints and depart with them. "If others, such as people, are terrified by the vision of good angels, then those who appear immediately destroy this fear with their love, as Gabriel did with Zechariah ( Luke 1:13 ), and the angel who appeared to the women in the Lord's tomb ( Matthew 28:5 ), and also the angel mentioned in the Gospel who said to the shepherds: do not be afraid ( Luke 2:10 ). Fear is felt not from spiritual apprehension, but from the awareness of the presence of higher powers. Such is the vision of the saints."
36. "And the invasion and vision of evil spirits is disturbing, with noise, voices, and cries, like the wild movement of poorly educated youths or robbers. From this, fear, confusion, disordered thoughts, sadness, hatred of ascetics, despondency, sorrow, memories of relatives, mortal fear, and, finally, evil desires, negligence of virtue, moral disorder immediately arise in the soul."
"Therefore, if, upon seeing the one who has appeared, you are afraid, but your fear is immediately destroyed, and in its place there arises in you unspeakable joy, complacency, boldness, inspiration, equanimity of thoughts and everything else said above, courage, love for God - then do not lose hope and pray. For joy and well-being of the soul demonstrate the holiness of the one who has appeared. Thus, Abraham, seeing the Lord, rejoiced ( John 8:56 ), and John, at the voice of the Mother of God, leaped with joy ( Luke 1:44 ). But if someone's appearance is accompanied by confusion, external noise and worldly pomp, the threat of death and all of the 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 the great Archangel Gabriel did in Mary and Zechariah, and the angel who appeared in the tomb to the women. On the contrary, when demons see people in fear, they multiply the phantoms even more, in order to terrify them even more, and, attacking, they mock, saying: " Fall down and worship me" ( Matthew 4:9 ). Thus they deceived the pagans, and they falsely recognized them as gods."
"But the Lord did not abandon us to the devil's deception when, forbidding him to produce such phantoms, He said: ' Get behind Me, Satan. For it is written: 'You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only shall you serve ' ( Matthew 4:10 ). Therefore, let this crafty one be despised by us all the more for this. What the Lord said to him, He said for our sake, so that the demons, hearing similar things from us, would flee for the sake of the Lord, who forbade them."
38. “But one should not boast of the power to cast out demons, nor be exalted by the gift of healing; one should not marvel only at the one who casts out demons, nor disparage the one who does not cast them out. Let each one learn from the asceticism of another: let him either imitate and compete with him, or correct him. To perform signs does not depend on us, but is the work of the Savior. He said to the disciples: Rejoice not, for the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice, for your names are written in heaven ( Luke 10:20 ). The fact that our names are written in heaven testifies to our virtue and life; and casting out demons is the grace of the Savior who gave them. Therefore, who boasted not of virtue, but of signs, and said: Lord, did not we cast out demons in Your name, and in Your name do many mighty works? – the Lord answered: I say to you, I do not know you ( Matthew 7:22–23 ; Luke 13:27 ). For the Lord does not know the ways of the wicked."
“But above all, as I said above, we must pray that we may receive the gift of discerning of spirits, so that, as it is written, we may not believe every spirit ( 1 John 4:1 ).”
39. “I had intended to remain silent and say nothing of my own accord, contenting myself with what I had just said. But lest you think I am speaking this simply, and on the contrary, be assured that I am telling you the truth, known by experience, even though I am acting like a fool. However, since the Lord, who hears this, knows the purity of my conscience, knows that I am doing this not for myself, but for your love and for your edification, I will also say that I have learned of the demonic undertakings. Many times the demons have blessed me, and I have conjured them in the name of the Lord. Many times they have predicted to me the flooding of the river, and I have asked them: what business is this of yours? Sometimes they have come with threats and surrounded me like armed warriors. At other times they would fill the house with horses, wild beasts, and creeping things, and I would sing: " Some in chariots, and some on horses: but we will call on the name of the Lord our God" ( Ps. 19:8 ), and through prayers the Lord would put them to flight. Sometimes they would come in the darkness, having a semblance of light, and say: "We have come to enlighten you, Anthony"; but I, closing my eyes, would pray, and immediately the light of the wicked would go out. After a few months they would come—and they would seem to sing psalms and recite passages from Scripture: " But I, like a deaf man, heard not" ( Ps. 37:14 ). Sometimes they would shake the monastery, but I would pray, remaining motionless in thought. After this, others would come again and begin clapping their hands, whistling, and dancing, but I would pray and, lying down, sing psalms to myself. Soon they began to cry and wail as if they were exhausted, and I glorified the Lord, who had crushed and shamed their insolence and madness.”
40. “One day, a demon of very tall stature appeared with a large entourage and dared to say: ‘I am the power of God; I am Providence; whatever you want, I will grant you.’ Then I blew on him, pronouncing the name of Christ, raised my hand to strike him, and, as it seemed, struck him—and at the name of Christ, this giant and all his demons immediately disappeared. Once, when I was fasting, this treacherous one came in the guise of a monk, having with him the ghost of bread, and gave me this advice: ‘Eat and rest after many labors; you too, a man, can become ill.’ But I, realizing his wiles, arose to pray, and the demon could not bear this, disappeared, and, going out the door, vanished like smoke. Many times in the desert, the enemy dreamily showed me gold, so that I would only touch it and look at it, but I repelled 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 even greater force. However, it was not I who restrained them and rendered them inactive, but the Lord, who said: " I saw Satan fall as lightning from heaven" ( Luke 10:18 ). And I, my children, remembering the apostle's saying, have transformed it in myself ( 1 Corinthians 4:6 ), so that you may learn not to lose heart in your ascetic struggles and not to fear the apparitions of the devil and his demons."
41. “Since I have become so foolish as to tell about this, then for your own safety and fearlessness, accept the following from me and believe me, for I do not lie. One day, someone knocked on my door in the monastery. 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 the other Christians blame me in vain? Why do they curse me every hour?” And to my words: “And why do you trouble them?” he answered: “It is not I who trouble them; they trouble themselves, but I have become weak. Have they not read: ‘ The enemy’s weapons are utterly exhausted, and you have destroyed cities’ ( Psalm 9:7 )? There is no longer any place for me; I have neither arrows nor a city. Christians are everywhere: and the desert is finally filling with monks. Let them watch over 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, yet now, even against your will, you have spoken this truthfully." For Christ, having come, made you weak and, having cast you down, deprived you of everything. Hearing the name of the Savior and unable to bear His scorching power, the devil became invisible."
42. “So, if the devil himself admits his impotence, 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. Therefore, let us not lose heart, let us not harbor fear in our souls, let us not invent for ourselves motives for fear, saying: lest a demon come and shake me, lest he snatch me up and cast me down; or lest he attack me suddenly and throw me into confusion. Let us not at all give way to such thoughts in ourselves and grieve as those perishing. Rather, let us be of good spirits and always rejoice, as those being saved; let us keep in mind that the Lord is with us, Who cast down and rendered ineffective the demons. Let us always imagine and reflect that since the Lord is with us, our enemies will do nothing to us.”
"They become as they find us when they come to us; and whatever thoughts they find in us, such are the apparitions they present to us. Therefore, if they find us timid and confused, they immediately attack us, like robbers who have found an unguarded place, and what we think within ourselves, they produce in greater form. If they see us fearful and timid, they further increase our fear with apparitions and threats, and, finally, the poor soul is tormented by this. But if they find us rejoicing in the Lord and thinking of future blessings, keeping the Lord's deeds in our thoughts and reasoning that everything is in the Lord's hand, that the demon is powerless to overcome a Christian and, in general, has no power over anyone—then, seeing a soul strengthened by such thoughts, the demons turn back in shame. So the enemy, seeing Job protected, withdrew from him, but made Judah his prisoner, finding that he was deprived of such protection."
"Therefore, if we wish to despise the enemy, let us always think about the works of the Lord. Let the soul continually rejoice in hope; and we will see that the demons' games are as smoke, that the demons themselves would rather flee than pursue us, because, as was said before, they are extremely timid, awaiting the fire prepared for them."
43. "And to prove your fearlessness before demons, make this test: when any apparition occurs, do not give in to fear, but, whatever the apparition, first of all, boldly ask: Who are you and where are you from? And if it is a manifestation of saints, they will confirm you and transform your fear into joy. But if it is a demonic apparition, it will immediately lose its power, as soon as your thought is firm. For the sign of an unperturbed spirit is to ask at every opportunity: Who are you and where are you from? Thus did the son of Nun inquire and learn who the Apparition was ( Josh. 5:13-14 ). So the enemy did not hide from Daniel when he asked ( Dan. 10:11-21 )."
44. When Anthony spoke thus, everyone rejoiced; in some, love for virtue grew, in others, negligence was eradicated, in others, doubt ceased; and all, marveling at the grace given to Anthony by the Lord to discern spirits, were convinced that demonic slander must be despised.
The mountain monasteries were like tabernacles, filled with the divine faces of psalmists, lovers of learning, fasters, and men of prayer, who rejoiced in the hope of future blessings and who occupied themselves with handicrafts for almsgiving, sharing mutual love and harmony. A truly special realm of piety and righteousness truly existed there. There was neither oppressor nor oppressed, nor were there any reproaches from tax collectors; there were many ascetics, but all had one goal—to strive for virtue. And therefore, whoever saw these monasteries and such good order of the monks, he had to exclaim again and say: How good are your houses, O Jacob, and your tabernacles, O Israel! Like shade groves, and like gardens by the rivers, and like tabernacles which the Lord has planted, and like cedars by the waters ( Numbers 24:5-6 ).
45. Anthony himself, as was his custom, secluded himself in his monastery, intensifying his ascetic struggles and sighing daily, thinking of the heavenly abodes, longing for them and looking at the brevity of human life. When he wanted to eat, he lay down to sleep and began to fulfill other bodily needs; he felt shame, imagining the rationality of the soul. Often, approaching a meal with many other monks and remembering spiritual food, he would refuse to partake and leave them far away, considering it shameful for himself if others saw him eating. According to the necessary demands of the body, he ate food, but separately, and often together with the brethren, as much as he was ashamed of them, so much hoping to offer them a word of benefit.
He used to say: “All care must be given more to the soul than to the body, and only a little time must be given to the body when necessary, but everything else must be devoted primarily to the soul and to seeking its benefit, so that it is not carried away by bodily pleasures, but rather the body becomes enslaved to them. This is what the Savior said: Do not worry about your life, what you eat... nor about your body, what you will put on ( Matthew 6:25 ). And do not seek what you eat or what you drink, and do not be exalted. For all these things the nations of this world seek, but your Father knows that you need these things. However seek ye the kingdom of God, and all these things shall be added unto you” ( Luke 12:29–31 ).
46. Then the persecution of Maximian, which was then taking place, befell the Church . And when the holy martyrs were led to Alexandria, Anthony followed them, leaving his monastery and saying, "Let us go, either to struggle, if we are called, or to see those who struggle." He desired to accept martyrdom, but, unwilling to give himself up, he served the confessors in the mines and in prisons. He was greatly concerned with encouraging the ascetics summoned to court to zeal, taking part in the struggles of martyrdom, and accompanying them until their very end. The judge, seeing the fearlessness of Anthony and his companions and their concern, ordered that none of the monks should appear in court and that they should not remain in the city at all. All the others considered it best to hide that day. Anthony was so preoccupied that he even washed his outer garments and the next day, standing before everyone on a high place, appeared before the governor in clean clothes. While everyone marveled at this—even the governor saw him and passed by with his soldiers—he stood undaunted, thus demonstrating our Christian zeal. He himself seemed saddened by his failure to attain martyrdom; but the Lord preserved him for our benefit and for others, so that he might become a teacher of many in the ascetic life he had learned from the Scriptures. For many, looking only to his way of life, strove to become zealous followers of his way of life. So, according to his custom, he again began to serve the confessors and, as if bound together with them, labored in their service.
47. And when the persecution had already ceased and Bishop Peter of blessed memory had accepted martyrdom, Anthony left Alexandria and retired again to his monastery, where he was daily a martyr in his conscience and struggled in the feats of faith. His labors were many and great: he fasted incessantly; he kept his undergarments—hair and outer—leather—until his very death; he did not wash impurities from his body with water; he never washed his feet, nor even simply immersed them in water, except in extreme necessity. No one saw him undressed; no one could see Anthony's naked body until the time Anthony died and they began to bury him.
48. While he was living in solitude and had resolved to spend his time neither going out himself nor receiving anyone, a military commander named Martinian came and disturbed him. He had a daughter who was tormented by a demon. For a long time he continued to knock on the door and ask Antony to come out and pray to God for his daughter. Antony refused to open the door and, looking out, said: “Why are you crying out to me? I am a man like 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, departed with his daughter, now freed from the demon. The Lord performed many other signs through Antony, saying: “ Ask, and it will be given to you ” ( Luke 11:9 ). For many who suffered from demons, since Anthony did not open his door, but sat only outside the monastery, received healing through faith and sincere prayer.
49. When Antony saw that many were bothering him and not allowing him to remain in the solitude he had chosen, as he desired, then, fearing lest he himself should be exalted by what the Lord was doing through him, or lest someone else think of him as more than he was, he took the liberty of departing for the Upper Thebaid, where he was unknown. Taking some bread from the brethren, he sat down on the riverbank, watching to see if a ship would come by, so that he could board it and depart. While he was waiting for the ship, a voice came to him from above: "Where are you going, Antony, and why?" He was not disturbed, but, as he had become accustomed to hearing such calls, he answered: "Since the people do not allow me to remain in peace, I wish to go to the Upper Thebaid because of the many disturbances I have here, and especially because they demand of me that which is beyond my strength." A voice said to him, "If you go to the Thebaid, even, as you intend, to those tending flocks of oxen, you will suffer even greater and more difficult labors. But if you truly wish to remain in peace, then go now into the inner desert." To Antony's question, "Who will show me the way, for it is unknown to me?" the voice immediately pointed out to him the Saracens who were to take that path. Antony, approaching them, began to ask permission to go with them into the desert. To Antony's question, "Who will show me the way, for it is unknown to me?" the voice immediately pointed out to him the Saracens who were to take that path. Antony, approaching them, began to ask permission to go with them into the desert. The Saracens, as if by the command of Providence, willingly received him. Having spent three days and three nights on the road with them, he came to a very high mountain. From under the mountain flowed clear, sweet and rather cold water, around there was a plain and a few wild palm trees.
50. Antony, as if inspired by a higher power, fell in love with this place; it was the very one indicated to him by the voice speaking on the riverbank. So, having taken loaves from his companions, he began to dwell on the mountain at first alone, having no one else with him, and he began to recognize this place as his own home. The Saracens, seeing his zeal, began to pass by this way with intent and joyfully brought him loaves; sometimes he even received a small and meager consolation from palm trees. Later, his brothers, having learned of his whereabouts, like children remembering their father, took care to send him what he needed.
But Anthony, seeing that others were weary and laborious, sparing the monks in this too, devised a means for himself and begged for a spade, an axe, and some wheat to be brought. When this was brought, he circled the mountain and found a rather small, convenient spot. He cultivated it and, since there was sufficient water for irrigation, sowed it. Doing this annually, he received grain from there, rejoicing that he would not bother anyone and would be spared the necessity of being a burden to anyone. But after this, seeing again that some were coming to him, he grew a few vegetables, so that those who came to him might have at least a little consolation after the labors of such a difficult journey. At first, the wild animals that inhabited the desert, coming to drink water, often harmed his crops and farming. He, kindly catching one of the animals, said through it to everyone: "Why do you harm me, which does no harm to you? Go away and in the name of the Lord do not come near here again." From that time on, the animals, as if afraid of the prohibition, did not approach that place.
51. Thus 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 many battles he endured while living there, as it is written ( Eph. 6:12 ), not with flesh and blood, but with hostile demons, we know from those who came to him. For there they heard a noise, many voices, and the sound of weapons, and at night they saw the mountain filled with wild beasts. They noticed Antony himself, as if with some enemies visible to him, struggling and repelling them with prayer. And Antony encouraged those who came to him, while he himself struggled, kneeling and praying to the Lord. And it was truly worthy of wonder that one, living in such a desert, was not afraid of the demons attacking him, and with such a multitude of four-legged beasts and reptiles there, he was not afraid of their ferocity, but, truly, as it is written, he trusted in the Lord, was like Mount Zion ( Ps. 124:1 ), had an unshakable and untroubled mind, so that the demons fled from him and the wild beasts, as it is written, were reconciled to him ( Job 5:23 ).
52. Although the devil watched Anthony and, as David sings, gnashed his teeth at him ( Psalm 34:16 ), Anthony, comforted by the Savior, remained unharmed by the devil's wiles and manifold snares. Thus, one night, when Anthony was keeping vigil, the enemy sent beasts against him. Almost all the hyenas in the desert, emerging from their burrows, surrounded him. Anthony stood in the midst of them, each gaping at him and threatening to bite. Sensing the enemy's cunning, he said to the hyenas: "If you have power over me, then I am ready to be devoured by you. But if you are sent by demons, then do not hesitate and depart, for I am a servant of Christ." As soon as Anthony said this, the hyenas fled, as if driven by the whip of his words.
53. Then, a few days later, while he was busy with work (for he loved to work), someone stood at the door and pulled at what Antony was weaving. He made baskets and gave them to those who came in exchange for what they brought him. Antony stood up and saw a beast that resembled a man up to the loins, but its legs and feet were like those of a donkey. Antony signed himself alone with the sign of the cross and said, "I am the servant of Christ; if you have been sent against me, then here I am before you." The beast, with the demons within it, ran so fast that from the speed it fell and died. The death of this beast signified the fall of the demons, who had made every effort to remove Antony from the desert, but had failed.
54. One day, at the request of the monks to come and visit them and their place of residence for a while, he set out on a journey with the monks who had come to him. The camel carried bread and water for them, for the desert was waterless, and there was no drinkable water anywhere in it except for that one mountain on which stood the monastery of St. Anthony, where they had stocked up on water. When their water ran out on the way, and the heat was very intense, then everyone was in danger of losing their lives. Having walked around the surrounding area and not finding water, no longer having the strength to continue on their way, 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 need, became very sad and sighed, went away from them a short distance and, kneeling and raising his hands, began to pray; and the Lord soon caused water to flow on the spot where he stood in prayer. And so, everyone's thirst was quenched and they were revived. They filled their waterskins, searched for the camel, and found it. It so happened that the rope got caught around a stone and held the camel back. So, they brought it back, gave it water, loaded its waterskins onto it, and continued on their way safely. When Anthony reached the first monasteries on the way, everyone greeted him, looking upon him as a father, and he, as if bringing parting words from the mountain, entertained them with words and taught them what was beneficial. Once again, there was joy on the mountains, competition for progress, and mutual consolation in faith. Anthony himself rejoiced, seeing the zeal 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 returned to his mountain. And then many began to come to him; even some who were suffering dared to come. He constantly gave this commandment to every monk who came to him: “Believe in the Lord and love Him, keep yourself from impure thoughts and carnal pleasures, and, as it is written in Proverbs, do not be tempted by the filling of the belly ( Prov. 24:15 ). Flee 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, would have the zeal of the saints as an example for itself.” Anthony especially advised constantly meditating on the apostle's dictum, " Let not the sun go down on your wrath" ( Eph. 4:26 ), and to consider that this applies generally to every commandment, so that the sun does not go down not only on wrath but also on our other sins. For it is good and necessary that neither the sun condemn us for a daytime offense, nor the moon for a nighttime sin, or even for an evil thought. And to guard against this, it is good to listen to and heed the apostle's word. For it is said, "Examine yourselves, test yourselves" ( 2 Cor. 13:5 ). Therefore, let each one give an account daily of his actions, day and night. And if he has sinned, let him cease from sinning, but abide 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 comes ( 1 Cor. 4:5 ), who searches the secrets. Often, what we do is hidden even from ourselves. But although we do not know it, nevertheless, the Lord sees everything. Therefore, leaving the judgment to the Lord, let us be compassionate to one another, let us bear one another's burdens ( Gal. 6:2 ) and chastise ourselves, and where we are deficient, let us strive to make up for it. And to protect ourselves from sin, let us also observe the following. Let each of us note and write down our actions and spiritual movements, as if with the intention of communicating them to each other; And rest assured that, being ashamed of being known, we will certainly stop sinning and even entertaining any evil thoughts. For who, when sinning, wants it to be seen? Or who, having sinned, would not rather lie, just to conceal the sin? Just as, by watching one another, we will not commit fornication, so if we write down our thoughts, with the intention of communicating them to one another, we will more easily guard ourselves from impure thoughts, being ashamed of being known. Therefore, let writing take the place of the eyes of our companions, so that when we write, they will feel the same shame as we feel when they look at us; and we will not even entertain anything evil in our thoughts. If we discipline ourselves in this way, we will come to the state of enslaving our body, pleasing the Lord, and trampling on the wiles of the enemy.
56. Such were the instructions Anthony gave to those who came; he was compassionate toward the suffering and prayed with them. And the Lord often heard 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, so he urged those who suffered to be patient and to know that healing did not come from him, nor from people at all, but from God alone, who grants it when He wills and to whom He wills. Therefore, the suffering also accepted the elder's instructions as a cure, learning not to be fainthearted, but rather to be patient; and those who were healed learned to give thanks not to Anthony, but to God alone.
57. A certain courtier named Fronto, suffering from a severe illness, bit his tongue and was ready to lose his sight. Arriving at the mountain, he asked Anthony to pray for him. Anthony, having prayed, said to Fronto: "Go and you will be healed." But when the sick man persisted and remained in the monastery for several days, Anthony stood by his word, saying: "You cannot be healed while here; go and, when you reach Egypt, you will see the sign that has happened to you." Fronto believed, left, and as soon as he saw Egypt, his illness passed, and he became healthy at Anthony's word, as the Savior revealed to him during prayer.
58. A certain maiden from Tripoli's Busiris suffered from a terrible and extremely vile illness. Her tears, phlegm, and the moisture flowing from her ears immediately turned into worms as soon as they fell to the ground; her body was weakened, and her eyes were not in a natural state. Her parents, learning that the monks were going to Anthony, who, through faith in the Lord, had healed the woman with an issue of blood, asked them to go with their daughter. Since the monks refused, the parents and the maiden remained outside the mountain with the confessor and monk Paphnutius. The monks came to Anthony and were just about to inform him about the maiden, when he warned them and told them what illness the maiden had and how she had traveled with them. When they began to ask him to allow the parents and the maiden to enter, Anthony did not allow this, but said: "Go, and if the maiden is not dead, you will find her healed." This is not my business, and there is no reason for her to come to me, a poor man; healing is granted by the Savior, Who in every place shows His mercy to those who call upon Him. The Lord inclined to her prayer, and His love for mankind revealed to me that He would heal the illness of the young girl who was there. Thus the miracle occurred; the monks went and found the parents rejoicing, and the young girl already healthy.
59. Two brothers were traveling, 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 two monks who were with him at the time and urges them to hurry, saying: “Take vessels with water and go quickly to the Egyptian road. Of the two travelers, one has already died, the other will soon die if you do not hurry. This was revealed to me today during prayer.” The monks go, find the lying dead man, bury him, 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 tell before the other died, the question is wrong. The determination of death was not from Anthony, but from God, Who determined the death of one, and gave a revelation about the other. The only marvelous thing about Anthony was that, being in grief, he had a sober heart; and the Lord showed him what was happening in the distance.
60. Once again, while on a mountain, Antony, looking up, saw someone ascending through the air, to the great joy of those who greeted him. Then, marveling and exulting at such a multitude, he began to pray that it might be revealed to him what this meant. And suddenly a voice came to him: "This is the soul of Amun, the Nitrian monk." Amun had been an ascetic until old age. And the distance from Nitria to the mountain where Antony lived was thirteen days' journey. Therefore, those with Antony, seeing the old man marveling, wanted to know the reason and learned that Amun had recently died. He was known to them, for he had often been there, and had performed many signs, one of which was this.
One day, Amun needed to cross the river called Lykos, as the waters were high. Amun begged Theodore, who was with him, to move further away so that they would not see each other naked as they crossed. Then, when Theodore had gone, Amun was ashamed even to see himself naked, but while he was struggling with his shame and anxiety, he was suddenly transported to the other bank. Theodore, also a pious man, approached and, seeing that Amun had preceded him and had not wet himself in the least, asked him to tell him how he had swum across. When he saw that Amun was unwilling to say this, he embraced his feet and began to assure him that he would not let him go until he knew. Then, in response to Theodore's obstinacy, and especially for the sake of the word he had spoken, Amun himself first asked that no one be told of this until his death, and then declared that he had been transported and placed on the other bank without having walked on the water at all. For this is completely impossible for people, but possible for the One Lord and for whomever He allows it, as He allowed it to the great Apostle Peter. Theodore recounted this after the death of Amun.
The monks to whom Anthony had told of Amun's death noted the day. And when, thirty days later, the brothers from Nitria arrived, they questioned them and learned that Amun had reposed on the very day and hour the elder had seen his soul ascend. Both were greatly amazed at the purity of Anthony's soul and how he recognized at that very moment what had happened thirteen days' journey away and saw his soul ascend.
61. One day, Count Archelaus, finding Antony on the outer mountain, asks him only to pray for Polycratia, the wondrous and Christ-bearing virgin in Laodicea. She suffered from extreme asceticism, suffering severe pain in her womb and side, and was completely exhausted. Antony prayed, and the count noted the day on which the prayer was offered, and, returning to Laodicea, found the virgin healthy. Having inquired when and on what day she was freed from her illness, he takes out the document on which he had written down the time of the prayer, and after the healed woman's response, he shows his note. Everyone was amazed to learn that the Lord had delivered her from her suffering when Antony prayed for her and invoked the Savior's grace for help.
62. Often, even for those coming to him, Anthony would predict the reason for their coming several days, even a month in advance. For some came solely to see him, others because of illness, and still others because they were plagued by demons. And no one considered the difficulty of the journey a burden or regretted the effort, for each returned feeling benefited. When Anthony had such a vision and recounted it, he always asked that no one be surprised at him, but rather that they marvel at the Lord, Who has granted us humans the opportunity to know Him according to our ability.
63. Once again, having arrived at the monasteries on the outer mountain, when he was urged to board the ship and pray with the monks, he alone sensed a strong and extremely repulsive stench. Those on the ship said that there was fish and salted meat there, which was the source of the smell; but Anthony said that this stench was of a different kind. While he was still speaking, a young man possessed by a demon suddenly cried out. The demon, having entered the ship before the others, hid on it. The demon, having been rebuked in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, left, and the man became healthy, and everyone realized that the stench was from the demon.
64. And another nobleman came to Antony, possessed by a demon. This demon was very fierce; the one possessed by it did not know that he was brought to Antony, and devoured the effluvia of his body. Those who brought him asked Antony to pray for the demon-possessed man. Antony, out of compassion for the youth, prayed and spent the whole night in vigil with him. Before dawn, the youth, suddenly rushing at Antony, threw him to the ground, and when those who came with him were indignant at this, Antony said to them: “Do not be angry with the youth; it is not he who is to blame, but the demon living in him. Since a ban was placed on him and he was ordered to go to dry places, he became enraged and did this to me. Therefore, glorify the Lord. For this rush of the youth on me was a sign to you that the demon had gone out.” While Anthony was still speaking, the young man immediately became healthy and, finally coming to his senses, found out where he was and greeted the elder, giving thanks to God.
65. Many of the monks agreed and recounted with one accord that Anthony had done many other similar things. But this is not so much marvelous as, above all else, the following seems most marvelous. One day, before eating, around the ninth hour, having risen to pray, Anthony felt within himself that he was raptured in his mind, and, most astonishing of all, he saw himself as if outside of himself, and as if someone were lifting him up through the air; in the air stood some gloomy and frightening faces who wanted to block his path to ascent. Since Anthony's guides resisted them, they demanded an account of whether Anthony was liable to any responsibility before them, and therefore wanted to keep track of his deeds from his very birth. But Anthony's guides prevented this, saying: "What was from his birth, the Lord has blotted out; keep track of them 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 unhindered. And suddenly he saw himself returning and entering into himself, and again becoming the former Antony. At this time, forgetting about eating, he spent the rest of the day and the whole night in sighing and prayer; for he was amazed, seeing how many enemies we must contend with and with what labors a man must pass through the air. And then it came to his mind that in this very sense the apostle had said: According to the prince of the power of the air ( Eph. 2:2 ). For the enemy has power in the air to make war on those who pass through it, attempting to block their way. Therefore, the apostle especially advised: Take up the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day ( Eph. 6:13 ), so that the enemy may be ashamed, having nothing to say against us ( Titus 2:8 ). And we, hearing this, let us recall the apostle who says: Whether in the body, I know not; or whether outside the body, I know not: God knows ( 2 Cor. 12:2 ). But Paul was caught up to the third heaven and descended from there, hearing unspeakable words; and Anthony saw himself walking in the air and struggling there until he found himself free.
66. Anthony also had this gift. During his solitary stay on the mountain, if he sometimes found himself perplexed by some question he asked himself, then, by God's providence, during prayer a revelation about it would come to him, and the blessed one, as it is written, was taught by God ( Isaiah 54:13 , John 6:45 ). Thus, one day he was talking with those who came to him about the state of the soul after death and where its abode would be. The following night someone called him from above, saying: "Arise, Anthony, go out and see." Anthony went out (for he knew whom he must obey) and, raising his gaze, saw that someone tall, ugly, terrible was standing and touching the clouds with his head, and that some others were ascending, as if winged; And the first one stretches out his hands to the last ones and blocks the way for some, while the others fly over him and, having passed him, ascend safely upward. At the last ones, this giant gnashes his teeth, but rejoices over those who fall below. Suddenly, a voice speaks to Antony: "Understand what is seen." Then his mind was opened and he understood that this is the passage of souls, that the standing giant is an enemy, envious of the faithful, and he holds back those who have fallen into his power and forbids them from going further, but cannot detain those who have not submitted to him, because they pass above him. Having seen this and such a vision, and taking it as a reminder, Antony began to exert even greater effort to daily progress in his previous exploits. However, he reluctantly announced such visions. But since those who were with him, when they saw that he was praying longer than usual and seemed surprised, questioned 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 be of benefit to them, when they learned that asceticism has good fruits, and visions are often a consolation in labors.
67. Anthony was patient in nature and humble in heart. Despite his spiritual heights, he held the church canon in the highest regard and was willing to give precedence to any clergyman. He was not ashamed to bow his head before bishops and presbyters. If a deacon came to him for his own benefit, he would offer him a sermon, but he left the performance of prayers to the deacon, not being ashamed to learn himself. He often asked questions and was eager to listen to those with him; he acknowledged that he himself would benefit if anyone said anything useful. His countenance was also of great and unusual grace. Anthony also received this gift from the Savior: if he was surrounded by a multitude of monks, and someone who had not previously known him wished to see him, the deacon would pass by the others and approach Anthony directly, as if drawn by his gaze. Antony was distinguished from others not by his height and good looks, but by his good character and purity of soul. Because his soul was tranquil, his external senses remained undisturbed; therefore, from spiritual joy, his face was cheerful, and by his bodily movements one could sense and understand the calm of the soul, in accordance with what is written: When the heart is merry, the face blooms: but when it is in sorrow, it mourns ( Prov. 15:13 ). Thus Jacob recognized that Laban was plotting evil, and said to his wives, I behold your father's face, that it is not like mine, as yesterday and the day before ( Gen. 31:5 ). Thus Samuel recognized David, for his eyes were joyful and his teeth white as milk. Thus Antony was recognized, for when his soul was calm, he was never disturbed, and when his spirit was joyful, he was never gloomy.
68. He was exceedingly pious and marvelous in his faith. He never associated with the Meletian renegades, knowing their long-standing wickedness and apostasy. He did not converse amicably with Manichaeans or other heretics, except to instruct them and encourage them to return to piety. He himself believed this, and he instilled in others that friendship and conversation with heretics were harmful and destructive to the soul. He also abhorred the Arian heresy and commanded everyone not to associate with the Arians or share their evil beliefs. When some Arians came to him, he tested them and discovered their impiety, and he drove them from the mountain, saying that their words were worse than snake venom.
69. Once the Arians spread a false rumor that Anthony shared their views. Then he became indignant and angry with them. 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 was the last heresy and the forerunner of the Antichrist. He taught the people that “the Son of God is not a creature and not from non-existence, but is the eternal Word and Wisdom of the Father’s essence. Therefore, it is impious to say of the Son: ‘There was when He was not.’ For the Word is always co-existent with the Father. Therefore, have no fellowship with the most impious Arians. For light has no fellowship with darkness” ( 2 Cor. 6:14 ). "Just as you, devout believers, call yourself Christians, so they, who call the Son of God and the Word of the Father created by the Father, are no different from pagans, serving creation more than God, the Creator. Believe me, then, that even all creation is indignant at them for counting the Creator and Lord of the universe, by whom all things were made, among created beings."
70. All the people rejoiced, hearing that such a man was anathematizing the heresy that fought against Christ. All the inhabitants of the city flocked to see Antony. Even the pagans and their so-called priests came to the temple of the Lord, saying, "We desire to see the man of God." For that is what everyone called him. And here the Lord, through him, freed many from demons and healed those who were deranged in their minds. Many even of the pagans desired at least to touch the elder, confident that they would receive benefit from this. And indeed, in those few days as many people converted to Christianity as at other times converted in the course of a year. Some thought that the crowds were disturbing him and therefore drove away all who came; but Antony, unperturbed by anything, said, "The number of those coming is no greater than the number of demons with whom we wage war on the mountain."
71. As Anthony was leaving and we were accompanying him, just as we reached the city gates, a woman cried out behind us, "Stop, man of God! My daughter is being cruelly tormented by a demon. Stop, I beg you, lest I, who am running after you, suffer harm." The elder heard this and, at our entreaty, 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 arose healthy, for the unclean demon had left her. The mother blessed God, and everyone gave Him thanks. Anthony himself rejoiced, returning to the mountain as if to his own home.
72. He was quite intelligent and, surprisingly, without having studied to read and write, he was distinguished by the subtlety and insight of his mind. One day, two pagan philosophers came to him, thinking they could tempt Antony. 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, about a foolish man?” When they replied that Antony was not at all foolish, but on the contrary, very intelligent, then he continued: “If you came to a foolish man, then your labor is in vain. But if you consider me intelligent, then be like me, for what is good must be imitated. If I came to you, I would imitate you. But if you came to me, then be like me, and I am a Christian.” The philosophers withdrew in amazement. They saw that even the demons feared Antony.
73. When others like these philosophers met him on the outer mountain and thought to ridicule him for not having learned to read and write, Antony asked them: "What do you say is primary—mind or writing? And which is the cause of which: mind over writing, or writing over mind?" When they answered that mind is primary and is the inventor of writing, Antony replied: "Therefore, he who has a sound mind does not need writing." This answer astonished both the philosophers and all those present, and they left, amazed that they had found such insight in an uneducated man. For Antony was not of a rude disposition, as one who had grown up and aged on the mountain, but on the contrary, he was pleasant and courteous. His words were mixed with divine salt; and therefore no one hated him; indeed, all who came to him rejoiced in him even more.
74. And indeed, when after this several more pagans, considered wise men, came to him and asked him to speak about our faith in Christ, intending to discuss the preaching of the Divine Cross in order to mock them; then Anthony, after a short silence and first pitying their ignorance, said to them through an interpreter, who faithfully transmitted his words: "Which is better—to confess the Cross or to attribute fornication and child-debauchery to your so-called gods? What we preach is proof of courage and a sign of contempt for death; but what you teach is infected with obscenity. Besides, which is better: to say that the Word of God did not change and, remaining the same, for the benefit of men and for their salvation, took upon Himself a human body, so that, having partaken of human existence, He might make men partakers of the Divine and spiritual nature; or to liken the Divinity to the speechless, and therefore to honor quadrupeds, reptiles, and human images? And such are the venerations of your wise men! How dare you mock us, who assert that Christ appeared as a man, when you yourselves, bringing down the soul from heaven, assert that it wanders and falls from the firmament into the body? And let it only fall into the human body, and not pass over and migrate into quadrupeds and reptiles! Our faith speaks of the Coming of Christ for the salvation of man; "But you are mistaken, because you speak of the unborn soul. We discuss the omnipotence and love of mankind of Providence, because this is not impossible for God. But you, calling the soul an image of the Mind, ascribe falls to it and vainly say that it is perverse; and finally, because of the perversity of the soul, you admit that the Mind itself is perverse. For as the image is, so must also be the one whose image it is. Since you think thus of the Mind, then consider whether you are not thereby blaspheming Him who is the Father of the Mind."
75. “And speaking of the Cross, which do you consider better: to endure the Cross through the wiles of wicked men and not be terrified of any kind of death, or to invent fables about the wanderings of Osiris and Isis, the wiles of Typhon, the flight of Cronus, the swallowing of children, and parricides? For these are your own philosophies. Why then, laughing at the Cross, do you not marvel at the Resurrection? For those who said one thing have also written another. Or why, when you mention the Cross, are you silent about the resurrection of the dead, the sight of the blind, the healing of the paralytic, the cleansing of lepers, the walking on the sea, and other signs and wonders that show that Christ is not a man, but God? It seems to me that you are very unfair to yourselves and have not read our Scriptures with sincere disposition. Read and see: the works done by Christ prove that He is God, who came to save men.”
76. “So tell us your teaching. What can you say about the dumb animals, except that they are foolish and ferocious? But if, as I hear, you intend to assert that all this is said by you in parables, and the abduction of the virgin is an allegory about the earth, and the lame Hephaestus about fire, Hera about the air, Apollo about the sun, Artemis about the moon, Poseidon about the sea; even in this case you do not honor God Himself, but, instead of the God who created all things, you serve the creature. For if you have composed such fables because the creature is beautiful, then you should have only admired the creatures, and not deified them, lest you give the honor due to the Creator to the creatures. Otherwise, you should give the honor due to the architect to the house he built, or the honor due to the commander to the warrior. What do you say to this, from which we could learn: does the Cross really have anything in it worthy of ridicule?
77. Since they were perplexed and turned back and forth, Antony, smiling, said again through the interpreter: “Although at first glance this is obvious, nevertheless, since you rely more on the proof of their reason and, possessing this art, demand that our piety also not be without proof from reason, then tell me first of all: how is exact knowledge of things and especially knowledge of God acquired - through proofs from reason, or through real faith? And which is primary: real faith or rational proof?” When they answered that real faith is primary and that it is exact knowledge, then Antony said: “You speak well. Faith comes from the disposition of the soul, and dialectic from the art of its compilers. Therefore, for someone in whom there is real 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 unable to express in words what we understand clearly; and therefore the reality of faith is better and more solid than your wise conclusions."
78. “So, for us Christians, the mystery of knowledge of God is not in the wisdom of pagan reasoning, but in the power of faith given to us by God through Jesus Christ. And my word is true, for now we, without having studied letters, believe in God, knowing His Providence for everything from His creations. And our faith is effective, for now we are strengthened in faith in Christ, and you - in wise debates; and your idols no longer work miracles, but our faith is spreading everywhere; and you, with your conclusions and your great wisdom, do not convert anyone from Christianity to paganism, but we, teaching faith in Christ, turn people away from your superstition, because everyone recognizes Christ as God and the Son of God; You, with your eloquence, cannot put obstacles to the teaching of Christ, but we, in the name of the crucified Christ, drive away all the demons that you fear as gods, and where the sign of the cross is, there sorcery is weakened, magic is ineffective."
79. “Tell me, where are your oracles now? Where are the Egyptian sorceries? Where are the phantoms of the sorcerers? When did all this cease and lose its power? Was it not from the time when the Cross of Christ appeared? Is it therefore worthy of ridicule, or is it more ridiculous that it has been trampled upon and exposed as infirm? And what is still more astonishing is 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 flourishes and spreads more than yours. And your faith, praised and glorified, is perishing; but the Christian faith and the teaching of Christ, ridiculed by you and often persecuted by kings, have filled the universe. For when did the knowledge of God shine forth so brightly? Or when did chastity and the virtue of virginity appear in such strength? And when did people begin to despise death to such an extent? "Has it not been since the Cross of Christ? No one will doubt this, seeing the martyrs who, for Christ's sake, despised death, seeing the virgins of the Church who, for Christ's sake, kept their bodies pure and undefiled."
80. "And these arguments are sufficient to prove that the faith of Christ is the only true piety. Until now, there is no faith among you, who seek proofs from reason. But we, as our teacher said, do not seek proofs in the thorny words of human wisdom ( 1 Cor. 2:4 ), but we clearly convince by faith, which precedes the constructions of reason. Here, too, are those tormented by demons." (Among those who came to Anthony were those tormented by demons.) And Anthony, bringing them into the middle, said: "Either you, with your own conclusions and whatever art and sorcery you like, summon your idols and cast out the demons from them, or, if you cannot, stop arguing with us and you will see the power of the Cross of Christ." Having said this, he invoked the name of Christ, and a second and third time he made the sign of the cross over the sufferers, and suddenly they were freed from their suffering, regained their senses, and finally gave thanks to the Lord. The so-called philosophers marveled and were truly astonished, seeing both Antony's prudence and the miracle he had performed. Antony then said to them, "Why do you marvel at this? We do not do this, but Christ does it through those who believe in Him. Therefore, believe you also; then you will see that with us, it is not the art of wielding words, but faith, strong through an active love for Christ. If you too had this faith, you would not seek proof from reason, but would consider faith in Christ sufficient for yourselves." Thus spoke Antony. They departed in amazement, kissing Antony and acknowledging that they had received benefit from him.
81. The rumor about Antony reached the emperors. Constantine Augustus and his sons, Constantius and Constans Augustus, wrote to him as to a father, desiring an answer from him. But the royal letters meant little to Antony; he was not delighted with these messages, but remained the same as he had been before the emperors wrote to him. And when these messages were brought to him, he called together the monks and said: "Do not be surprised if an emperor writes to us, for he too is a man, but marvel rather that God wrote the law for men and spoke to them through His own Son." Therefore, he considered rejecting the letters, saying: "I do not know how to answer such writings." But the monks imagined that these emperors were Christians and could be offended if the letters were rejected; Therefore, he allowed them to be read and responded to these letters, praising the kings for worshiping Christ and giving them salutary advice: not to value the present, but rather to remember the future Judgment and to know that Christ is the only true and eternal King. He also asked the kings to be philanthropic, to care for justice and for the poor. And they joyfully accepted the answer. So beloved was he by all, so much did they desire to have him as a father.
82. Having already become so famous and having given such answers to those who came, he again returned to the inner mountain and spent his time in his usual ascetic pursuits. Often, while sitting or walking with those who came to him, he would be terrified, as it is written about Daniel ( Dan. 4:16 ), and after some time, he would again continue his conversation with the brothers who were with him. And they guessed that Anthony had seen some kind of vision. For often, while in the mountain, he would see what was happening in Egypt and recount this to Bishop Serapion, who was then with Anthony and noted that Anthony had seen a vision. One day, while sitting and doing his handiwork, Anthony was as if raptured and sighed deeply during the vision. Then, after some time, turning to those who were with him, he sighed and, trembling all over, began to pray, kneeling, and remained in this position for a long time. The elder arose and began to weep. Therefore, those who were with him, overcome with trembling and great fear, expressed a desire to know the meaning of this vision and pestered him with requests for a long time until they forced him to speak. And, sighing deeply, he said: "It is better, children, to die before the vision is fulfilled." Since they again began to entreat, he, bursting into tears, said: "Wrath will befall the Church , it will be handed over to people who are like dumb animals. For I saw the table of the temple of the Lord and around it on all sides the Muscovites 4 standing , kicking at it, as cattle usually do when they jump and kick indiscriminately. Surely you noticed," he continued, "how I sighed, for I heard a voice saying: "My altar will be defiled." Such was the vision the elder had. And two years later, the current Arian invasion and plunder of churches began among us, when the Arians, forcibly stealing church vessels, forced the pagans to carry them, when the pagans were forced to leave their work and go to Arian gatherings, where, in the presence of the pagans, they did whatever they wanted at the holy tables. Then we all understood that the kicking of the Muscovites had foretold to Anthony precisely what the Arians, like beasts, were now foolishly doing. After Anthony had this vision, he consoled those present, saying: "Do not be discouraged, children; as the Lord was wroth, so He will heal again. And the Church will soon regain her beauty and her usual radiance. Then you will see that the persecuted will be restored, impiety will once again retreat to its holes, and the pious faith will be proclaimed everywhere with all freedom. Just do not defile yourself with the Arians, because this is not an apostolic teaching, but a demonic one, originating from their father the devil and, better to say, just as fruitless, unreasonable, and devoid of right meaning as the speechless Muscovites.”
83. Such are the works of Antony, and we should not be led to disbelief by the fact that so many miracles were performed by man. For the Savior gave a promise, saying: If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say to this mountain, Pass away from here, and it shall pass away, and nothing shall be impossible unto you ( Matt. 17:20 ); and again: Verily, verily, I say unto you... If ye ask any thing of the Father in my name, he will give it you... Ask, and ye shall receive ( John 16:23-24 ). The Lord Himself says to the disciples and to all who believe in Him: Heal the sick... Cast out demons: freely ye have received, freely ye shall give ( Matt. 10:8 ).
84. Antony healed not with words of command, but by prayer and invocation of the name of Christ, wishing to make it clear to all that it was not he who was doing this, but the Lord, through Antony, demonstrating His love for mankind and healing the suffering. Antony's only devotion was prayer and ascetic labors, for which, while in grief, he was consoled by divine visions. He grieved that many were disturbing him and forcing him to leave the mountain. All the judges begged him to descend from the mountain, citing the impossibility of their own entry with the defendants accompanying them, but in reality they only desired Antony to come and be seen. Therefore, Antony avoided this and refused to go to them. But they insisted and even sent the defendants ahead, accompanied by soldiers, so that Antony would descend, at least for their sake. Therefore, forced by necessity and seeing their complaints, he went out to the outer mountain. And this labor of his was not in vain; on the contrary, his coming was of benefit and beneficial to many. He also gave helpful advice to judges: to prefer righteousness to all else, to fear God, and to know that with what judgment they judge, they will also be judged ( Matthew 7:2 ). However, above all, he loved to dwell in sorrow.
85. Therefore, one day, when those in need of him were strongly urging him to come down from the mountain, and a certain military commander had long entreated him to do so, Anthony came and, after a brief conversation about what serves for salvation and the needs of those in need, hastened to return. When the aforementioned commander began to ask him to linger, he said that he could no longer remain with them, and he convinced the commander of this with the following witty comparison: “Just as fish, remaining long on dry land, die, so monks, lingering with you and spending time in your company, weaken. Therefore, just as a fish must hasten to the sea, so we must hasten up the mountain, lest, lingering with you, we forget what is within.” The commander, having heard this and much more from him, said in amazement: “Truly he is God’s servant.” For how could an uneducated man have such a great mind, if he were not loved by God?
86. A certain general named Balacius mercilessly persecuted us Christians out of zeal for the infamous Arians. He was so cruel that he beat virgins and stripped and flogged monks. Antony sent him a letter to this effect: “I see the wrath of God coming upon you. Cease persecuting Christians, otherwise the wrath will overtake you. For it is already ready to strike you.” Balacius, laughing, threw the letter to the ground and spat on it, and insulted those who brought it and ordered them to tell Antony the following: “Since you care for the monks, I will come to you too.” But five days had not passed before the wrath of God overtook him. Balacius, with Nestorius, the eparch of Egypt, set out for the first overnight stop from Alexandria, called Hereus; Both were riding horses belonging to Valacius, and these horses were the tamest of all he kept. They had barely reached their destination when the horses began to play among themselves, as was their custom, and the tamest of them, the one Nestorius rode, suddenly began to bite Valacius and gnawed his leg so hard that he was immediately carried back to the city, and on the third day he died. Everyone was then amazed that Antony's prophecy had come true so quickly.
87. Thus Antony admonished the hard-hearted, and he moved others who came to him to such tenderness that they immediately forgot about legal matters and began to appease those who had renounced worldly life. Antony interceded for the wronged with such force that one might have thought he himself, and no one else, was the one suffering the insult. Moreover, he was so able to speak for everyone's benefit that many soldiers and those with great wealth laid aside their worldly burdens and eventually became monks. In a word, as a physician, he was a gift from 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 abandon his weeping? Who, if he came angry, did not exchange anger for kindness? What beggar, coming to him in despondency, and listening to him, and looking at him, did not begin to despise riches and be consoled by his poverty? What monk, given to negligence, did not become much stronger the moment he came to him? What youth, arriving on the mountain and seeing Anthony, did not immediately renounce pleasures and begin to love chastity? Who came to him, tempted by a demon, and did not find peace? Who came to him, troubled by thoughts, and did not find peace of mind?
88. Another great fruit of Anthony's asceticism was that, as I mentioned above, Anthony, possessing the gift of discerning spirits, recognized their movements, and the zeal and striving of any given spirit was never unknown to him. Not only was he himself not mocked by demons, but he also consoled those troubled by their thoughts, teaching them how to defy their enemies' slanders, recounting their weakness and treachery. Therefore, everyone departed from him strengthened in their strength to fearlessly resist the schemes of the devil and his demons. How many virgins, already married, became virgins of Christ when they first saw Anthony from afar! They came to him from foreign lands, and, having received benefit along with everyone else, they returned, as if parting from their father. And now, after his death, everyone, having become like orphans after their father, is consoled by one memory of him, keeping his instructions and admonitions in their hearts.
89. And what was the end of his life, it is worthy of both me to recall and you to listen to with love, for in this too you should emulate him. He visited, as was his custom, the monks living on the outer mountain, and, forewarned by Providence of his end, he spoke to the brethren thus: "This is my last visit to you; and it will be astonishing if we meet again in this life. And it is time for me to depart, for I am nearly one hundred and five years old." The brethren, hearing this, wept, embraced, and kissed the elder. And he, as if returning from a foreign city, spoke with them cheerfully and commanded them to labor without flattery and not to lose heart in their struggle, but to live as if dying daily, and, as stated above, to strive to guard their souls from impure thoughts, to emulate the saints, to avoid associating with the renegade Meletians, knowing their wicked and vile intentions, and to have no fellowship with the Arians, for their impiety is obvious to everyone. "And if you see that the judges favor them, do not be disturbed, for their false wisdom will cease; it is temporary and short-lived. Therefore, keep yourselves pure from it, observe the tradition of the fathers, and above all, the pious faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, which you have learned from Scripture and which I have often reminded you of."
90. When the brothers persistently requested that he remain with them and die, he refused, for many reasons which, even though he remained silent about them, he nevertheless made clear, especially the following. The Egyptians have a custom of performing the rite of burial over the bodies of those they venerate, especially holy martyrs, by wrapping them in shrouds, but not committing them to the earth, but placing them on biers and keeping them in their homes, thinking that in this way they are honoring the departed. Anthony repeatedly asked the bishops to forbid this practice for the laity, and he himself urged the laity and rebuked the women, saying: "This is unlawful, and altogether impious. For the bodies of the patriarchs and prophets are preserved in tombs to this day, and the body of the Lord himself was placed in a tomb, and a rolled stone concealed it until He arose on the third day." By saying this, he showed that it was unlawful for anyone not to bury the bodies of the dead, even saints, after death. For what is more honorable and holy than the Lord's body? Therefore, many, having heard this, began to bury the bodies of the dead and, having learned from Antony, gave thanks to the Lord for this.
91. Anthony, knowing this custom and fearing that they would do the same with his body, having said goodbye to the monks who were staying on the outer mountain, hastened to leave and, having arrived at the inner mountain, where he usually stayed, after several months he fell ill. Then, calling those who were with him (there were two of them: they lived with him on the inner mountain, having already struggled for fifteen years and serving Anthony because of his old age), he said to them: “I, ” as it is written, “ go the way of the fathers ( Josh. 23:14 ). For I see that the Lord is calling me. But be sober and do not ruin our many years of struggle, but as you have now begun, so try to maintain your zeal. You know the wickedness of demons, you know how cruel they are, but weak in strength. Therefore, do not be afraid of them, but rather be always strengthened in Christ and believe in Him; live as if dying daily; be attentive to yourselves; remember the instructions you heard from me. Let you have no fellowship with renegades, and especially with the Arian heretics. For you know how much I avoided them because of my fight against Christ and their heterodox heresy. Strive rather to remain always in unity among yourselves, and especially with the Lord, and then with the saints, that they may receive you also after death into the eternal roof, as friends and acquaintances. Think about this, hold on to these thoughts, and if you have care for me and remember me as a father, then do not allow anyone to take my body to Egypt and place it in their house. To avoid this, I withdrew to the mountain and came here. You know how I always rebuked those who did this and urged them to abandon such a custom. Commit my body to 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; for at the resurrection of the dead I will receive it from the Savior incorruptible. Divide my clothes: give one mantle 5 to Bishop Athanasius and the clothes spread under me - they were given to me new by him. "And mine has become worn out, and give the other mantle to Bishop Serapion, take the hair shirt for yourself. Farewell, children, Anthony is moving on, and he will no longer be with you!"
92. Having said this, and having been kissed by those who were with him, Anthony stretched out his legs and, as if seeing his friends come to him and rejoicing at their arrival (for he lay with a cheerful face), died and was laid to rest beside his fathers. They, as he had commanded, performed the burial rite, wrapped the body in a circle, and committed it to the earth, and, except for the two of them, to this day no one knows where it is buried. Each of those who received the mantle of blessed Anthony and the garments he wore, treasures them as something great. For to look upon them is as if to see Anthony himself, and to wear them is as if to joyfully fulfill his instructions.
93. Such was the end of Antony's life in the body, and such was the beginning of his asceticism. And although this account is insignificant in comparison with Antony's virtues, nevertheless, judge from this what kind of man of God Antony was. From his youth until this age, he maintained equal zeal for asceticism, neither seduced by expensive foods in old age, nor altered his clothing due to his physical infirmity, nor even washed his feet with water; yet, in no way did he suffer harm. His eyes were healthy and unharmed, and he saw clearly. Not a single tooth had fallen out, but they had become weakened at the gums due to the old man's advanced years. His arms and legs were healthy. In a word, he seemed more vigorous and robust than anyone who enjoyed a variety of foods, ablutions, and clothing. That he was talked about everywhere, admired by all, and loved by even those who had never seen him, is proof of his virtue and God-loving soul. For Antony became famous not through writings or external wisdom, not through any art, but through his piety alone. And no one will deny that this was a gift from God. For how would word have spread to Spain, Gaul, Rome, and Africa about a man who hid and lived in the mountains, if God had not made His servants known everywhere, as He promised Antony from the very beginning? Although hermits themselves do everything secretly and desire to remain hidden, the Lord makes them visible to all, like lamps, so that, hearing of them, they will know how the commandments can lead to progress and become zealous in following the path of virtue.
94. Therefore, read this biography to the other brothers as well, so that they may learn what monastic life should be like, and so that they may be convinced that our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ not only glorifies those who glorify Him and serve Him to the end, but also leads them into the Heavenly Kingdom, no matter how much they conceal themselves and strive to remain in solitude, He makes them known and renowned everywhere for their virtue and for the benefit of others. If need be, read this to the pagans as well; so that they too may come to know that not only is our Lord Jesus Christ God and the Son of God, but also that Christians who sincerely serve Him and piously believe in Him not only expose the very demons whom the pagans venerate as gods, but also trample upon and drive away, as deceivers and corrupters of man, in Christ Jesus our Lord. To Him be glory forever and ever! Amen.
Source:https://azbyka.ru/otechnik/Afanasij_Velikij/zhitie-prep-antonija-velikogo/