Life Of Antony.

Life Of Antony.

LIFE OF ANTONY.

against me, delay not to attack ; but if you are unable, why trouble me in vain? For faith in our Lord is a seal and a wall of safety to us.'

So after many attempts they gnashed their teeth upon him, because they were mocking themselves rather than him. appeared was gold.

And Antony marvelled at the quantity, but passed it by as though he were going over fire; so he did not even turn, but hurried on at a run to lose sight of the place.

More and more confirmed in his purpose, he hurried to the mountain, and having found a fort, so long deserted that it was full of creeping things, on the other side of the river; he crossed over to it and dwelt there.

The reptiles, as though some one were chasing them, immediately left the place.

But he built up the entrance completely, having stored up loaves for six months—this is a custom of the Thebans, and the loaves often remain fresh a whole year—and as he found water within, he descended as into a shrine, and abode within by himself, never going forth nor looking at any one who came.

Thus he employed a long time training himself, and received loaves, let down from above, twice in the year. to. Nor was the Lord then forgetful of Antony's wrestling, but was at hand to help him.

So looking up he saw the roof as it were opened, and a ray of light descending to him.

The demons suddenly vanished, the pain of his body straightway ceased, and the building was again whole.

But Antony feeling the help, and getting his breath again, and being freed from pain, besought the vision which had appeared to him, saying, 'Where wert thou? Why didst thou not appear at the beginning to make my pains to*cease?' And a voice came to him,

' Antony, I was here, but I waited to see thy fight ; wherefore since thou hast endured, and hast not been worsted, I will ever be a succour to thee, and will make thy name known everywhere.'

Having heard this, Antony arose and prayed, and received such strength that he perceived that he had more power in his body than formerly.

And he was then about thirtyfive years old.

13. But those of his acquaintances who came, since he did not permit them to enter, often used to spend days and nights outside, and heard as it were crowds within clamouring, dinning, sending forth piteous voices and crying, 'Go from what is ours.

What dost thou even in the desert ? Thou canst not abide our attack.'

So at first those outside thought there were some men fighting with him, and that they had entered by ladders ; but when stooping down they saw through a hole there was nobody, they were afraid, accounting them to be demons, and they called on Antony.

Them he quickly heard, though he had not given a thought to the demons, and coming to the door he besought them to depart and not to be afraid,

11. And on the day following he went forth still more eagerly bent on the service of God, and having fallen in with the old man he had met previously, he asked him to dwell with him in the desert.

But when the other declined on account of his great age, and because as yet there was no such custom, Antony himself set off forthwith to the mountain.

And yet again the enemy seeing his zeal and wishing to hinder it, cast in his way what seemed to be a great

'for thus,' said he, 'the demons make their seeming onslaughts against those who are cowardly.

Sign yourselves therefore with the cross 4, and depart boldly, and let these make sport for themselves.'

So they departed fortified with the sign of the Cross.

But he remained in no wise harmed by the evil spirits, nor was he wearied with the contest, for there came to his silver dish.

But Antony, seeing the guile of the Evil One, stood, and having looked on the dish, he put the devil in it to shame, saying,

'Whence comes a dish in the desert?

This road is not well-worn, nor is there here a trace of any wayfarer ; it could not have fallen without being missed on account of its size ; and he who had lost it having turned back aid visions from above, and the weakness of to seek it, would have found it, for it is a desert the foe relieved him of much trouble and armed him with greater zeal.

For his acquaintances used often to come expecting to find him place.

This is some wile of the devil.

O thou Evil One, not with this shalt thou hinder my purpose ; let it go with thee to destruction.3'

And when Antony had said this it vanished dead, and would hear him singing 5, 'Let God arise and let His enemies be scattered, let them like smoke from the face of fire. also that hate Him flee before His face.

As smoke vanisheth, let them vanish; as wax 12. Then again as he went on he saw what was this time not visionary, but real gold scattered in the way.

But whether the devil showed it, or some better power to try the athlete and show the Evil One that Antony truly cared nought for money, neither he told nor do we know.

But it is certain that that which melteth before the face of fire, so let the sinners perish from the face of God ;' and again,

' All nations compassed me about, and in the name of the Lord I requited them ©.' ot de) Ae SS ee 4 Cf. de Incarn. x\vii. 2.

5 Ps, Ixviii. 1.

6 Ps, cxviii. 10.

Evagr. renders by ' vindicavi in ets.

3 Cf. Acts viii. 20.

VITA S. ANTONI.

thing to encourage one another in the faith, and to stir up with words.

Wherefore you, as children, carry that which you know to your father ; and I as the elder share my knowledge and what experience has taught me with you.

Let this especially be the common aim of all, neither to give way having once begun, nor to faint in trouble, nor to say: We have lived in the discipline a long time: but rather a- 'hough making a beginning dailyletus increase v i... earnestness.

For the whole life of man is very short, measured by the ages to come, wherefore all our time is nothing compared with eternal life.

And in the world everything is sold at its price, and a man exchanges one equivalent for another; but the promise of eternal life is bought for a trifle.

For it is written, '' The days of our life in them are threescore years and ten, but if they are in strength, fourscore years, and what is more than these is labour and sorrow *°." Whenever, therefore, we live full fourscore years, or even a hundred in the discipline, not for a hundred years only shall we reign, but instead of a hundred we shall reign for ever and ever.

And though we fought on earth, we shall not receive our inheritance on earth, but we have the promises in heaven ; and having put off the body which is corrupt, we shall receive it incorrupt.

17. ' Wherefore, children, let us not faint nor deem that the time is long, or that we are doing something great, "for the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed to us-ward 7#." Nor let us think, as we look at the world, that we have renounced anything of much consequence, for the whole earth is very small compared with all the heaven. Wherefore if it even chanced that we were lords of all the earth and gave it all up, it would be nought worthy of comparison with the kingdom of heaven.

For as if a man should despise a copper drachma to gain a hundred drachmas of gold ; so if a man were lord of all the earth and were to renounce it, that which he gives up is little, and he receives a hundredfold.

14. And so for nearly twenty years he continued training himself in solitude, never going forth, and but seldom seen byany.

After this, when many were eager and wishful to imitate his discipline, and his acquaintances came and began to cast down and wrench off the door by force, Antony, as from a shrine, came forth initiated in the mysteries and filled with the Spirit of God.

Then for the first time he was seen outside the fort by those who came to see him.

And they, when they saw him, wondered at the sight, for he had the same habit of body as before, and was neither fat, like a man without exercise, nor lean from fasting and striving with the demons, but he was just the same as they had known him before his retirement.

And again his soul was free from blemish, for it was neither contracted as if by grief, nor relaxed by pleasure, nor possessed by laughter or dejection, for he was not troubled when he beheld the crowd, nor overjoyed at being saluted by so many.

But he was altogether even as being guided by reason, and abiding in a natural state.

Through him the Lord healed the bodily ailments of many present, and cleansed others from evil spirits.

And He gave grace to Antony in speaking, so that he consoled many that were sorrowful, and set those at variance at one, exhorting all to prefer the love of Christ before all that is in the world.

And while he exhorted and advised them to remember the good things to come, and the loving-kindness of God towards us, 'Who spared not His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all 7,' he persuaded many to embrace the solitary life.

And thus it happened in the end that cells arose even in the mountains, and the desert was colonised by monks, who came forth from their own people, and enrolled themselves for the citizenship in the heavens.

15. But when he was obliged to cross the Arsenoitic Canal 8—and the occasion of it was the visitation of the brethren—the canal was full of crocodiles.

And by simply praying, he entered it, and all they with him, and passed over in safety.

And having returned to his cell, he applied himself to the same noble and valiant exercises ; and by frequent conversation he increased the eagerness of those already monks, stirred up in most of the rest the love of the discipline, and speedily by the attraction of his words, cells multiplied, and he directed them all as a father.

But if not even the whole earth is equal in value to the heavens, then he who has given up a few acres leaves as it were nothing ; and even if he have given up a house or much gold he ought not to boast nor be low-spirited.

Further, we should consider that even if we do not relinquish them for virtue's sake, still afterwards when we die we shall leave them behind—very often, as the Preacher saith **, to those to whom we do not wish.

Why then should we not give them up for virtue's sake, that we may inherit even a kingdom?

Therefore let the 16. One day when he had gone forth because all the monks had assembled to him and asked to hear words from him, he spoke to them in the Egyptian tongue as follows: 'The Scriptures are enough for instruction 9, but it is a good

OM. Vili. 32.

8 Between the Nile and the Fayfim.

9 Compare c. Gent. 1, de Synod. 6.

30 Ps. xc. 10, LXX.

1% Rom. viii. 18.

12 Eccl, iv. 8, vis 2.

LIFE OF ANTONY.

desire of possession take hold of no one, for what gain is it to acquire these things which we cannot take with us? Why not rather get those things which we can take away with us—to wit, prudence, justice, temperance, courage, understanding, love, kindness to the poor, faith in Christ, freedom from wrath, hospitality? If we possess these, we shall find them of themselves preparing for us a welcome there in the land of the meek-hearted. the things behind, like Lot's wife, all the more so that the Lord hath said, ''No man, having put his hand to the plough, and turning back, is fit for the kingdom of heaven*§."

And this turning back is nought else but to feel regret, and to be once more worldlyminded.

But fear not to hear of virtue, nor be astonished at the name.

For it is not far from us, nor is it without ourselves, but it is within us, and is easy if only we are willing, That they may get knowledge, the Greeks live abroad and cross the sea, but we have no need to depart from home for the sake of the kingdom of heaven, nor to cross the sea for the sake of virtue.

For the Lord aforetime hath said, "The kingdom of heaven is within you?7."

Wherefore virtue hath need at our hands of willingness alone, since it is in us and is formed from us.

For when the soul hath its spiritual faculty in a natural state virtue is formed.

And it is in a natural state when it remains as it came into existence.

And when it came into existence it was fair and exceeding honest.

For this cause Joshua, the son of Nun, in his exhortation said to the people, " Make straight your heart unto the Lord God of Israel*®8," and John, '' Make your paths straight*9."

For rectitude of soul consists in its having its spiritual part in its natural state as created.

But on the other hand, when it swerves and turns away from its natural staté, that is called vice of the soul.

Thus the matter is not difficult.

If we abideas we have been made, we are in a state of virtue, but if we think of ignoble things we shall be accounted evil.

If, therefore, this thing lad to be acquired from without, it would be difficult in reality; but if it is in us, let us keep ourselves from foul thoughts.

And as we have received the soul as a deposit, let us preserve it for the Lord, that He may recognise

18. 'And so from such things let a man persuade himself not to make light of it, especially if he considers that he himself is the servant of the Lord, and ought to serve his Master.

Wherefore as a servant would not dare to say, because I worked yesterday, I will not work today ; and considering the past will do no work in the future; but, as it is written in the Gospel, daily shows the same readiness to please his master, and to avoid risk: so let us daily abide firm in our discipline, knowing that if we are careless for a single day the Lord will not pardon us, for the sake of the past, but will be wrath against us for our neglect.

As also we have heard in Ezekiel*3; and as Judas because of one night destroyed his previous labour.

19. ' Wherefore, children, let us hold fast our discipline, and let us not be careless.

For in it the Lord is our fellow-worker, as it is written, ''to all that choose the good, God worketh with them for good 4."

But to avoid being heedless, it is good to consider the word ofthe Apostle, "I die daily*5." For if we too live as though dying daily, we shall not sin. And the meaning of that saying is, that as we rise day by day we should think that we shall not abide till evening ; and again, when about to lie down to sleep, we should think that we shall not rise up.

For our life is naturally uncertain, and Providence allots it to us daily.

But thus ordering our daily life, we shall neither fall into sin, nor have a lust for anything, nor cherish wrath against any, nor shall we heap up treasure upon earth.

But, as though under the daily expectation of death, we shall be without wealth, and shall forgive all things to all men, nor shall we retain at all the desire of women or of any other foul pleasure.

But we shall turn from it as past and gone, ever striving and looking forward to the day of Judgment.

For the greater dread and danger of torment ever destroys the ease of pleasure, and sets up the soul if it is like to fall.

His work as being the same as He made it.

21. 'And let us strive that wrath rule us not nor lust overcome us, for it is written, "The wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God.

And lust, when it hath conceived, beareth sin, and the sin when it is full grown bringeth forth death?"

Thus living, let us keep guard carefully, and as it is written, "keep our hearts with all watchfulness!."

Forwe have terrible and crafty foes— the evil spirits—and against them we wrestle, as the Apostle said, "' Not against flesh and blood, but against the principalities and against the powers, against the world-rulers of this darkness, against the spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places**."

Great is their 20. 'Wherefore having already begun and set out in the way of virtue, let us strive the more that we may attain those things that are before.

And let no one turn to 16 Phil. iii. 13; Gen. xix. 26; Luke ix. 62.

17 Luke xvii. a1 (from memory).

18 Josh. xxiv. 23.

19 Matt. iii. 3.

James i. 20 and 15. t Prov. iv. 23. za Eph. vi. 12.

13 Ezek. xviii. 26, 14 Rom. viii. 28, R.V. Marg.

15 x Cor. xv. 3%

VITA, S. ANTONE

they bold and very shameless, for if thus they are worsted they make an onslaught in another manner, and pretend to prophesy and foretell the future, and to shew themselves of a height reaching to the roof and of great breadth ; that they may stealthily catch by such displays those who could not be deceived by their arguments.

If here also they find the soul strengthened by faith and a hopeful mind, then they bring their leader to their aid. number in the air around us*, and they are not far from us.

Now there are great distinctions among them; and concerning their nature and distinctions much could be said, but such a description is for others of greater powers than we possess.

But at this time it is pressing and necessary for us only to know their wiles against ourselves.

22. 'First, therefore, we must know this: that the demons have not been created like what we mean when we call them by that name ; for God made nothing evil, but even they have been made good.

Having fallen, however, from the heavenly wisdom, since then they have been grovelling on earth.

On the one hand they deceived the Greeks with their displays, while out of envy of us Christians they move all things in their desire to hinder us from entry into the heavens ; in order that we should not ascend up thither from whence they fell.

Thus there is need of much prayer and of discipline, that when a man has received through the Spirit the gift of discerning spirits, he may have power to recognise their characteristics: which of them are less and which more evil ; of what nature is the special pursuit of each, and how each of them is overthrown and cast out.

For their villainies and the changes in their plots are many.

The blessed Apostle and his followers knew such things when they said, "for we are not ignorant of his devices3 ;" and we, from the temptations we have suffered at their hands, ought to correct one another under them.

Wherefore I, having had proof of them, speak as to children.

24. 'And he said they often appeared as the Lord revealed the devil to Job, saying, " His eyes are as the morning star.

From his mouth proceed burning lamps and hearths of fire are cast forth. The smoke ofa furnace blazing with the fire of coals proceeds from his nostrils.

His breath is coals and from his mouth issues flames." When the prince of the demons appears in this wise, the crafty one, as I said before, strikes terror by speaking great things, as again the Lord convicted him saying to Job, for '""he counteth iron as straw, and brass as rotten wood, yea he counteth the sea as a pot of ointment, and the depth of the abyss as a captive, and the abyss as a covered walk®." And by the prophet, '' the enemy said, I will pursue and overtake7," and again by another, "I will grasp the whole world in my hand as a nest, and take it up as eggs that have been left®."

Such, in a word, are their boasts and professions that they may deceive the godly.

But not even then ought we, the faithful, to fear his appearance or give heed to his words.

For he isa liar and speaketh of truth never a word.

And though speaking words so many and so great in his boldness, without doubt, like a dragon he was drawn witha hook by the Saviour9, and as a beast of burden he received the halter round his nostrils, and as a runaway his nostrils were bound with a ring, and his lips bored with an armlet'®. And he was bound by the Lord as a sparrow, that we should mock him.

And with him are placed the demons his fellows, like serpents and scorpions to be trodden underfoot by us Christians.

And the proof of this is that we now live opposed to him.

For he who threatened to dry the sea and seize upon the world, behold now cannot stay our discipline, nor even me speaking against him.

Let us then heed not his words, for he is a liar: and let us not fear his visions, seeing that they themselves are deceptive.

For that which appears in them is no true light, but they are rather the preludes and likenesses of the fire prepared for the demons who attempt to terrify men with those flames in which they themselves will be burned. Doubt23. 'The demons, therefore, if they see all

Christians, and monks especially, labouring cheerfully and advancing, first make an attack by temptation and place hindrances to hamper our way, to wit, evil thoughts.

But we need not fear their suggestions, for by prayer, fasting, and faith in the Lord their attack immediately fails.

But even when it does they cease not, but knavishly by subtlety come on again.

For when they cannot deceive the heart openly with foul pleasures they approach in different guise, and thenceforth shaping displays they attempt to strike fear, changing their shapes, taking the forms of women, wild beasts, creeping things, gigantic bodies, and troops of soldiers.

But not even then need ye fear their deceitful displays.

For they are nothing and quickly disappear, especially if a man fortify himself beforehand with faith and the sign of the cross4.

Yet are 2 This is not quite the view of Athanasius himself, who regards the air as cleared of evil spirits by thé Death of Christ, de Jucar. xxv. 5: but Athan. does not mean that their power over the wicked is done away; nor does Antony ascribe to them any power over the Christian, see §§ 24, 28, 41.

5 Je xli. 18, 19, 20 (vv. 9—11, LXX.), see above § 5, note 1».

Job xli. 27 sq.

7 Exod 8 Isai. x. 14, cf. ED.

XV. Oe Eg. 2.

9 Job xli. x. to Ibid. 2, Cf. Job xl. 19—24, 3 2 Cor. ii. 11.

4 See above, § 13.

LIFE OF ANTONY.

is paid to them forthwith they weep and lament as though vanquished. less they appear; but in a moment disappear again, hurting none of the faithful, but bringing with them the likeness of that fire which is about to receive themselves.

Wherefore it is unfitting that we should fear them on account of these things; for through the grace of Christ all their practices are in vain.

27. 'The Lord therefore, as God, stayed the mouths of the demons: and it is fitting that we, taught by the saints, should do like them and imitate their courage.

For they when they saw these things used to say: " When the sinner rose against me, I was dumb and humble, and kept silence from good words's,"

And again: " But I was as a deaf man and heard not, and as a dumb man who openeth not his mouth, and I became as a man who heareth not*®."

So let us neither hear them as being strangers to us, nor give heed to them even though they arouse us to prayer and speak concerning fasting.

But let us rather apply ourselves to our resolve of discipline, and let us not be deceived by them who do all things in deceit, even though they threaten death.

For they are weak and can do nought but threaten.

25. 'Again they are treacherous, and are ready to change themselves into all forms and assume all appearances.

Very often also without appearing they imitate the music of harp and voice, and recall the words of Scripture.

Sometimes, too, while we are reading they immediately repeat many times, like an echo, what is read.

They arouse us from our sleep to prayers; and this constantly, hardly allowing us to sleep at all.

At another time they assume the appearance of monks and feign the speech of holy men, that by their similarity they may deceive and thus drag their victims where they will.

But no heed must be paid them even if they arouse to prayer, even if they counsel us not to eat at all, even though they seem to accuse and cast shame upon us for those things which once they allowed.

For they do this not for the sake of piety or. truth, but that they may carry off the simple to despair; and that they may say the discipline is useless, and make men loathe the solitary life as a trouble and burden, and hinder those who in spite of them walk in it.

28. 'Already in passing I have spoken on these things, and now I must not shrink from speaking on them at greater length, for to put you in remembrance will be a source of safety.

Since the Lord visited earth?7, the enemy is fallen and his powers weakened.

Wherefore although he could do nothing, still like a tyrant, he did not bear his fall quietly, but threatened, though his threats were words only.

And let each one of you consider this, and he will be able to despise the demons.

Now if they were hampered with such bodies as we are, it would be possible for them to say,

"Men when they are hidden we cannot find, but whenever we do find them we do them hurt."

'And we also by lying in concealment could 26. ' Wherefore the prophet sent by the Lord declared them to be wretched, saying: "Wo is he who giveth his neighbours to drink muddy destruction*?." For such practices and devices are subversive of the way which leads to virtue.

And the Lord Himself, even if the demons spoke the truth,—for they said truly:

"Thou art the Son of God*?"—still bridled their mouths and suffered them not to speak ; lest haply they should sow their evil alohg with the truth, and that He might accustom us never to give heed to them even though they appear to speak what is true.

For it is unseemly that we, having the holy Scriptures and freedom from the Saviour, should be taught by the devil who hath not kept his own order but hath gone from one mind to another*3, Wherefore even when he uses the language of Scripture He forbids him, saying: "But to the sinner said God, Wherefore dost thou declare

My ordinances and takest My covenant in thy mouth*?"

For the demons do all things —they prate, they confuse, they dissemble, they confound—to deceive the simple.

They din, laugh madly, and whistle; but if no heed escape them, shutting the doors against them.

But if they are not of sucha nature as this, but are able to enter in, though the doors be shut, and haunt all the air, both they and their leader the devil, and are wishful for evil and ready to injure; and, as the Saviour said, "From the beginning the devil is a manslayer and a father of vice*®;" while we, though this is so, are alive, and spend our lives all the more in opposing him; it is plain they are powerless.

For place is no hindrance to their plots, nor do they look on us as friends that they should spare us; nor are they lovers of good that they should amend.

But on the contrary they are evil, and nothing 1s so much sought after by them as wounding them that love virtue and fear God.

But since they have no power to effect anything, they do nought but threaten.

But if they could, they would not 16 Ps, xxxviii. 14.

18 John viii. 44.

15 Ps, xxxix. 2.

17 Cf. de Incar. 47, 48.

82 Luke iv. 41.

13 Grepa. avo'

4 Ps. 1. 16, Ep. Ag. 3.

&t Habak. ii. 15. LXX. érépwv, as in de [ncar. 11. 4.

VITA S. ANTONI.

swine?"

But if they had power not even against swine, much less have they any over men formed? in the image of God. hesitate, but forthwith work evil (for all their desire is set on this), and especially against us.

Behold now we are gathered together and speak against them, and they know when we advance they grow weak.

If therefore they had power they would permit none of us Christians to live, for godliness is an abomination to a sinner'?,

But since they can do nothing they inflict the greater wounds on themselves ; for they can fulfil none of their threats.

Next this ought to be considered, that we may be in no fear of them: that if they had the power they would not come in crowds, nor fashion displays, nor with change of form would they frame deceits.

But it would suffice that one only should come and accomplish that which he was both able and willing to do: especially as every one who has the power neither slays with display nor strikes fear with tumult, but forthwith makes full use of his authority as he wishes.

But the demons as they have no power are like actors on the stage changing their shape and frightening children with tumultuous apparition and various forms: from which they ought rather to be despised as shewing their weakness.

At least the true angel of the Lord sent against the Assyrian had no need for tumults, nor displays from without, nor noises nor rattlings, but in quiet he used his power and forthwith destroyed a hundred and eightyfive thousand.

But demons like these, who have no power, try to terrify at least by their displays?°.

30. 'So then we ought to fear God only, and despise the demons, and be in no fear of them.

But the more they do these things the more let us intensify our discipline against them, for a good life and faith in God is a great weapon.

At any rate they fear the fasting, the sleeplessness, the prayers, the meekness, the quietness, the contempt of money and vainglory, the humility, the love of the poor, the alms, the freedom from anger of the ascetics, and, chief of all, their piety towards Christ.

Wherefore they do all things that they may not have any that trample on them, knowing the grace given to the faithful against them by the Saviour, when He says, " Behold I have given to you power to tread upon serpents and scorpions, and upon all the power of the enemy 4."

31. 'Wherefore if they pretend to foretell the future, let no one give heed, for often they announce beforehand that the brethren are coming days after.

And they do come.

The demons, however, do this not from any care for the hearers, but to gain their trust, and that then at length, having got them in their power, they may destroy them.

Whence we must give no heed to them, but ought rather to confute them when speaking, since we do not need them. For what wonder is it, if with more subtle bodies than men have5, when they have seen them start on their journey, they surpass them in speed, and announce their coming? Just as a horseman getting a start of a man on foot announces the arrival of the latter beforehand, so in this there is no need for us to wonder at them.

For they know none of those things which are not yet in existence ; but God only is He who knoweth all things before their birth®.

But these, like thieves, running off first with what they see, proclaim it: to how many already have they announced our business—that we are assembled together, and discuss measures against them, before any one of us could go and tell these things.

This in good truth a fleet-footed boy could do, getting far ahead of one less swift.

But what I mean is this.

If any one begins to walk from the Thebaid, or from any other district, before he begins to walk, they do not know whether he will walk.

But when they have seen him walking they run on, and before he comes up report his approach.

And so it 29. 'But if any one having in mind the history of Job* should say, Why then hath the devil gone forth and accomplished all things against him; and stripped him of all his possessions, and slew his children, and smote him with evil ulcers? let such a one, on the other hand, recognise that the devil was not the strong man, but God who delivered Job to him to be tried.

Certainly he had no power to do anything, but he asked, and having received it, he hath wrought what he did.

So also from this the enemy is the more to be condemned, for although willing he could not prevail against one just man.

For if he could have, he would not have asked permission.

But having asked not once but also a second time, he shows his weakness and want of power. And it is no wonder if he could do nothing against Job, when destruction would not have come even on his cattle had not God allowed it. And he has not the power over swine, for as it is written in the Gospel, they besought the Lord, saying, "Let us enter the ee ee ee 2 Matt. viii. 32.

4Lukex.19, A 5 This materialistic view of demons may be paralleled from Origen and other fathers (D.C.B. i. 809), but is not Athanasian,

But it would be congenial to the Coptic mind ; compare the story told by Cassian of the Monk Serapion, who, on being convinced that 'God is a Spirit,' cried out, 'You have taken my God from me' (and see D.C.B. 1. p, 120).

Susann, 42.

3 Cf. de Incar. 3. 3, and passim.

'9 Ecclesiasticus i. Fob es fe 2 Kings xix, 35.

LIFE OF ANTONY.

falls out that after a few days the travellers arrive.

But often the walkers turn back, and the demons prove false, 34.

'Wherefore there is no need to set much value on these things, nor for the sake of them to practise a life of discipline and labour; but that living well we may please God.

And we neither ought to pray to know the future, nor to ask for it as the reward of our discipline; but our prayer should be that the Lord may be our fellow-helper for victory over the devil.

And if even once we have a desire to know the future, let us be pure in mind, for I believe that if a soul is perfectly pure and in its natural state, it is able9, being clear-sighted, to see more and further than the demons—for it has the Lord who reveals to it—like the soul of Elisha, which saw what was done' by ewe and beheld the hosts*™ standing on its side.

32. 'So, too, with respect to the water of the river, they sometimes make foolish statements.

For having seen that there has been much rain in the regions of Ethiopia, and knowing that they are the cause of the flood of the river, before the water has come to Egypt they run on and announce it.

And this men could have told, if they had as great power of running as thedemons.

And as David's spy" going up to a lofty place saw the man approaching better than one who stayed down below, and the forerunner himself announced, before the others came up, not those things which had not taken place, but those things which were already on the way and were being accomplished, so these also prefer to labour, and declare what is happening to others simply for the sake of deceiving them.

If, however, Providence meantime plans anything different for the waters or wayfarers—for Providence can do this—the demons are deceived, and those who gave heed to them cheated.

35. 'When, therefore, they come by night to you and wish to tell the future, or say, '' we are the angels," give no heed, for they lie. Yea even if they praise your discipline and call you blessed, hear them not, and have no dealings with them; but rather sign yourselves and your houses, and pray, and you shall see them vanish.

For they are cowards, and greatly fear the sign of the Lord's Cross, since of a truth in it the Saviour stripped them, and made an example of them ™*.

But if they shamelessly stand their ground, capering and changing their forms of appearance, fear them not, nor shrink, nor heed them as though they were good spirits.

For the presence either of the good or evil by the help of God can easily be distinguished.

The vision of the holy ones is not fraught with distraction: ''For they will not strive, nor cry, nor shall any one hear their voice 7,"

But it comes so quietly and gently that immediately joy, gladness and courage arise in the soul.

For the Lord who is our joy is with them, and the power of God 33. 'Thus in days gone by arose the oracles of the Greeks, and thus they were led astray by the demons.

But thus also thenceforth their deception was brought to an end by the coming of the Lord®, who brought to nought the demons and their devices.

For they know nothing of themselves, but, like thieves, what they get to know from others they pass on, and guess at rather than foretell things.

Therefore if sometimes they speak the truth, let no one marvel at them for this.

For experienced physicians also, since they see the same malady in different people, often foretell what it is, making it out by their acquaintance with it.

Pilots, too, and farmers, from their familiarity with the weather, tell at a glance the state of the atmosphere, and forecast whether it will be stormy or fine.

And no one would say that they do this by inspiration, but from experience and practice.

So if the demons sometimes do the same by guesswork, let no one wonder at it or heed them.

For what use to the hearers is it to know from them what is going to happen before the time? Or what concern have we to know such things, even if the knowledge be true? For it is not productive of virtue, nor is it any token of goodness,

For none of us is judged for what he knows not, and no one is called blessed because he hath learning and knowledge.

But each one will be called to judgment in these points—whether he have kept the faith and truly observed the commandments.

Bees ee ee the Father.

And the thoughts of the soul remain unruffled and undisturbed, so that it, enlightened as it were with rays, beholds by itself those who appear.

For the love of what is divine and of the things to come possesses it, and willingly it would be wholly joined with them if it could depart along with them.

But if, being men, some fear the vision of the good, those who appear immediately take fear away ; as Gabriel*3 did in the case of Zacharias, and as the angel ™ did who appeared to the women at the holy 9 Compare below, §§ 59, 62, for examples.

This quite goes beyond any teaching of Athanasius himself; at the same time it finds a point of contact in what he says about dreams inc. Gent.

10 (wavrevopevos Kat mpoyryvooxwy), and about the soul's capacity 'or objective thought, 1b, 33, de /ucar. 17. 3+

' to 2 Kings v. 26.

11 2 Kings vi. 17.

18 Col. fi. 15.

12 Matt. xii. 19, cf. Isai. xlii. 2.

33 Luke i. 13.

14 Matt. xxviil. 5.

7 2 Sam. xviii. 24.

8 De Incar. 47.

ANTONI.

VITARS. sepulchre, and as He did who said to the shepherds in the Gospel, "Fear not."

For their fear arose not from timidity, but from the recognition of the presence of superior beings.

Such then is the nature of the visions of the holy ones. casting forth of the demons, nor to be uplifted by the healing of diseases: nor is it fitting that he who casts out devils should alone be highly esteemed, while he who casts them not out should be considered nought.

But let a man learn the discipline of each one and either imitate, rival, or correct it.

For the working of signs is not ours but the Saviour's work: and so He said to His disciples:

"' Rejoice not that the demons are subject to you, but that your names are written in the heavens *®." For the fact that our names are written in heaven is a proof of our virtuous life, but to cast out demons is a favour of the Saviour who granted it.

Wherefore to those who boasted in signs but not in virtue, and said: "Lord, in Thy name did we not cast out demons, and in Thy name did many mighty works*9?" He answered,

"Verily I say unto you, I know you not ;" for the Lord knoweth not the ways of the wicked.

But we ought always to pray, as I said above, that we may receive the gift of discerning spirits; that, as it is written?°, we may not believe every spirit.

36. 'But the inroad and the display of the evil spirits is fraught with confusion, with din, with sounds and cryings such as the disturbance of boorish youths or robbers would occasion.

From which arise fear in the heart, tumult and confusion of thought, dejection, hatred towards them who live a life of discipline, indifference, grief, remembrance of kinsfolk and fear of death, and finally desire of evil things, disregard of virtue and unsettled habits.

Whenever, therefore, ye have seen ought and are afraid, if your fear is immediately taken away and in place of it comes joy unspeakable, cheerfulness, courage, renewed strength, calmness of thought and all those I named before, boldness and love toward God,—take courage and pray.

For joy and a settled state of soul show the holiness of him who is present.

Thus Abraham beholding the Lord rejoiced % ; so also John '5 at the voice of Mary, the Godbearer ?®, leaped for gladness.

But if at the appearance of any there is confusion, knocking without, woridly display, threats of death and the other things which I have already mentioned, know ye that it is an onslaught of evil spirits.

39. 'I should have liked to speak no further and to say nothing from my own promptings, satisfied with what I have said: but lest-you should think that I speak at random and believe that I detail these things without experience or truth; for this cause even though I should become as a fool, yet the Lord who heareth knoweth the clearness of my conscience, and that it is not for my own sake, but on account of your affection towards me and at your petition that I again tell what I saw of the practices of evil spirits.

How often have they called me blessed and I have cursed them in the name of the Lord!

How often have they predicted the rising of the river, and I answered them, "' What have you to do with it?"

Once they came threatening and surrounded me like soldiers in full armour.

At another time they filled the house with horses, wild beasts and creeping things, and I sang: ''Some in chariots and some in horses, but we will boast in the name of the Lord our God? ;" and at the prayers they were turned to flight by the Lord.

Once they came in darkness, bearing the appearance of a light, and said, "We are come to give thee a light, Antony."

But I closed my eyes and prayed, and immediately the light of the wicked ones was quenched.

And a few months after they came as though singing psalms and babbling the words of Scripture,

37. 'And let this also be a token for you: whenever the soul remains fearful there is a presence of the enemies.

For the demons do not take away the fear of their presence as the great archangel Gabriel did for Mary and Zacharias, and as he did who appeared to the women at the tomb; but rather whenever they see men afraid they increase their delusions that men may be terrified the more; and at last attacking they mock them, saying,

"fall down and worship."

Thus they deceived the Greeks, and thus by them they were considered gods, falsely so called.

But the Lord did not suffer us to be deceived by the devil, for He rebuked him whenever he framed such delusions against Him, saying: 'Get behind me, Satan : for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and Him only shalt thou serve *7." More and more, therefore, let the deceiver be despised by us; for what the Lord hath said, this for our sakes He hath done: that the demons hearing like words from us may be put to flight through the Lord who rebuked them in those words, "But I like a deaf man, heard not*." Once they shook the cell3 with an earthquake, but I continued praying with unshaken heart.

And 38. 'And it is not fitting to boast at the 14 John viii. 56, 16 Qeorokos, as in Orat. iii. 14 (where see

17 Matt. iv. 10.

5 Luke i. 4x note 3).

18 ae 20.

19 Matt, vii. 2a. x John iv. 1.

I Ps. xx.

2 Ps. xxxviii. 14.

3 povacryptov. é

LIFE OF ANTONY.

after this they came again making noises, whistling and dancing.

But as I prayed and lay singing psalms to myself they forthwith began to lament and weep, as if their strength had failed them.

But I gave glory to the Lord, who had brought down and made an example of their daring and madness.

The Christians are spread everywhere, and at length even the desert is filled with monks.

Let them take heed to themselves, and let them not curse me undeservedly."

Then I marvelled at the grace of the Lord, and said to him: "Thou who art ever a liar and never speakest the truth, this at length, even against thy will, thou hast truly spoken.

For the coming of Christ hath made thee weak, and He hath cast thee down and stripped thee." But he having heard the Saviour's name, and not being able to bear the burning from it, vanished.

40. 'Once a demon exceeding high appeared with pomp, and dared to say, ''I am the power of God and I am Providence, what dost thou wish that I shall give thee?" But I then so much the more breathed upon him 34, and spoke the name of Christ, and set about to smite him.

And I seemed to have smitten him, and forthwith he, big as he was, together with all his demons, disappeared at the name of Christ.

At another time, while I was fasting, he came full of craft, under the semblance of a monk, with what seemed to be loaves, and gave me counsel, saying, '"' Eat and cease from thy many labours. Thou also arta man and art like to fall sick." But I, perceiving his device, rose up to pray; and he endured it not, for he departed, and through the door there seemed to go out as it were smoke.

How often in the desert has he displayed what resembled gold, 42. 'If, therefore, the devil himself confesses that his power is gone, we ought utterly to despise both him and his demons ; and since the enemy with his hounds has but devices of this sort, we, having got to know their weakness, are able to despise them.

Wherefore let us not despond after this fashion, nor let us have a thought of cowardice in our heart, nor frame fears for ourselves, saying, I am afraid lest a demon should come and overthrow me; lest he should lift me up and cast me down; or lest rising against me on a sudden he confound me.

Such thoughts let us not have in mind at all, nor let us be sorrowful as though we were perishing ; but rather let us be courageous and rejoice always, believing that we are safe.

Let us consider in our soul that the Lord is with us, who put the evil spirits to flight that I should only touch it and look on it.

But I sang psalms against him, and he vanished away.

Often they would beat me with stripes, and I repeated again and again, "' Nothing shall separate me from the love of Christ4," and at this they rather fell to beating one another.

Nor was it I that stayed them and destroyed their power, but it was the Lord, who said, "I beheld Satan as lightning fall from Heavens;" but I, children, mindful of the Apostle's words, transferred ® this to myself, that you might learn not to faint in discipline, nor to fear the devil nor the delusions of the demons, Let us consider and lay to heart that while the Lord is with us, our foes can do us no hurt.

For when they come they approach us in a form corresponding to the state in which they discover us®, and adapt their delusions to the condition of mind in which they find us.

If, therefore, they find us timid and confused, they forthwith beset the place, like robbers, having found it unguarded ; and what we of ourselves are thinking, they do, and more also.

For if they find us fainthearted and cowardly, they mightily increase our terror, by their delusions and threats ; and with these the unhappy soul is thenceforth tormented.

But if they see us rejoicing in the Lord, contemplating the bliss of the future, mindful of the Lord, deeming all things in His hand, and that no evil spirit has any strength against the Christian, nor any power at all over any one— when they behold the soul fortified with these thoughts—they are discomfited and turned backwards. Thus the enemy, seeing Job fenced round with them, withdrew from him; but finding Judas unguarded, him he took captive.

Thus if we are wishful to despise the enemy, let us ever ponder over the things of the Lord, and let the soul ever rejoice in hope.

And we and broke their power.

41. 'And since I have become a fool in detailing these things, receive this also as an aid to your safety and fearlessness; and believe me for I do not lie.

Once some one knocked at the door of my cell, and going forth I saw one who seemed of great size and tall.

Then when I enquired, '' Who art thou?" he said, "'I am Satan." Then when I said, ''Why art thou here?" he answered,

"Why do the monks and all other Christians blame me undeservedly ? Why do they curse me hourly?" Then I answered, '" Wherefore dost thou trouble them?" He said, ''I am not he who troubles them, but they trouble themselves, for I am become weak.

Have they not read?, " The swords of the enemy have come to an end, and thou hast destroyed the cities ?"

I have no longer a place, a weapon, a city.

4 Rom. viii. 35.

3 See D.C.A. p. 652. c vial 7 Os, ix, 6 5 Luke x. 18.

6 x Cor. iv. 6.

8 © An important psychological observation.' (Schaff, Ch. Hist.)

VITA S. ANTONI.

to eat through bodily necessity, but often also with the brethren; covered with shame on these occasions, yet speaking boldly words of help.

And he used to say that it behoved a man to give all his time to his soul rather than his body, yet to grant a short space to the body through its necessities; but all the more earnestly to give up the whole remainder to the soul and seek its profit, that it might not be dragged down by the pleasures of the body, but, on the contrary, the body might be in subjection to the soul.

For this is that which was spoken by the Saviour: 'Be not anxious for your life what ye shall eat, nor for your body what ye shall put on.

And do ye seek not what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink, and be not of a doubtful mind.

For all these things the nations of the world seek after.

But your Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.

Howbeit seek ye first.

His Kingdom, and all these things shall be added unto you *3,' shall see the snares of the demon are like smoke, and the evil ones themselves flee rather than pursue.

For they are, as I said before, exceeding fearful, ever looking forward to the fire prepared for them.

43. 'And for your fearlessness against them hold this sure sign—whenever there is any apparition, be not prostrate with fear, but whatsoever it be, first boldly ask, Who art thou?

And from whence comest thou? And if it should be a vision of holy ones they will assure you, and change your fear into joy. But if the vision should be from the devil, immediately it becomes feeble, beholding your firm purpose of mind.

For merely to ask, Who art thou9? and whence comest thou P is a proof of coolness.

By thus asking, the son of Nun learned who his helper was ; nor did the enemy escape the questioning of Daniel ?°'

44. While Antony was thus speaking all rejoiced ; in some the love of virtue increased, in others carelessness was thrown aside, the selfconceit of others was stopped ; and all were persuaded to despise the assaults of the Evil One, and marvelled at the grace givento Antony from the Lord for the discerning of spirits.

So their cells were in the mountains, like tabernacles, filled with holy bands of men who sang psalms, loved reading, fasted, prayed, rejoiced in the hope of things to come, laboured in almsgiving, and preserved love and harmony one with another.

And truly it was possible, as it were, to behold a land set by itself, filled with piety and justice.

For then there was neither the evil-doer, nor the injured, nor the reproaches of the tax-gatherer : butinstead a multitude of ascetics ; and the one purpose of them all was to aim at virtue.

So that any one beholding the cells again, and seeing such good order among the monks, would lift up his voice and say,

46.

After this the Church was seized by the persecution which then *4 took place under Maximinus, and when the holy martyrs were led to Alexandria, Antony also followed, leaving his cell, and saying, Let us go too, that if called, we may contend or behold them that are contending.

And he longed to suffer martyrdom, but not being willing to give himself up, he ministered to the confessors in the mines and in the prisons.

And he was very zealous in the judgment hall to stir up to readiness those who were summoned when in their contest, while those who were being martyred he received and brought on their way until they were perfected.

The judge, therefore, beholding the fearlessness of Antony and his companions, and their zeal in this matter, commanded that no monk should appear in the judgment hall, nor remain at all in the city.

So all the rest thought it good to hide themselves that day, but Antony gave so little heed to the command that he washed his garment, and stood all next day on a raised place before them, and appeared in his best before the governor.

Therefore when all the rest wondered at this, and the governor saw and passed by with his array, he stood fearlessly, shewing the readiness of us Christians.

For, as I said before, he prayed himself to be a martyr, wherefore he seemed as one grieved that he had not borne his witness.

But the Lord was keeping him for our profit and that of others, that he should become a teacher to many of the discipline which he had learned from the Scriptures.

For many only beholding his manner of life were eager to be imitators ' How goodly are thy dwellings, O Jacob, and thy tents, O Israel; as shady glens and as a garden" by a river; as tents which the Lord hath pitched, and like cedars near waters ?,'

45. Antony, however, according to his custom, returned alone to his own cell, increased his discipline, and sighed daily as he thought of the mansions in Heaven, having his desire fixed on them, and pondering over the shortness of man's life.

And he used to eat and sleep, and go about all other bodily necessities with shame when he thought of the spiritual faculties of the soul.

So often, when about to eat with any other hermits, recollecting the spiritual food, he begged to be excused, and departed far off from them, deeming it a matter for shame if he should be seen eating by others.

He used, however, when by himself, ee EE eS Se MG KLE, SOE 9 Josh. v. 13. to Susann.

51—! tr LXX. ' gardens.' aes 72 Num, xxiv. 5, 6.

13 Matt. vi. 31; Luke Xii. 29.

™%4 A.D. 303—31%.

ANTONY.

LIFE OF of his ways.

So he again ministered as usual to the confessors, and as though he were their fellow captive he laboured in his ministry. giving ear to it, answered, saying, 'Since the multitude permit me not to be still, I wish to go into the upper Thebaid on account of the many hindrances that come upon me here, and especially because they demand of me things beyond my power.'

But the voice said unto him, 'Even though you should go into the Thebaid, or even though, as you have in mind, you should go down to the Bucolia'7, you will have to endure more, aye, double the amount of toil.

But if you wish really to be in quiet, depart now into the inner desert.'

And when Antony said, ' Who will show me the way for I know itnot?" immediately the voice pointed out to him Saracens about to go that way.

So Antony approached, and drew near them, and asked that he might go with them into the desert.

And they, as though they had been commanded by Providence, received him willingly.

And having journeyed with them three days and three nights, he came to a very lofty mountain, and at the foot of the mountain ran a clear spring, whose waters were sweet and very cold ; outside there was a plain and a few uncared-for palm trees.

47. And when at last the persecution ceased, and the blessed Bishop Peter's had borne his testimony, Antony. departed, and again withdrew to his cell, and was there daily a martyr to his conscience, and contending in the conflicts of faith

And his discipline was much severer, for he was ever fasting, and he had a garment of hair on the inside, while the outside was skin, which he kept until his end.

And he neither bathed his body with water to free himself from filth, nor did he ever wash his feet, nor even endure so much as to put them into water, unless compelled by necessity.

Nor did any one even see him unclothed, nor his body naked at all, except after his death, when he was buried.

48. When therefore he had retired and determined to fix a time, after which neither to go forth himself nor admit anybody, Martinian, a military officer, came and disturbed Antony.

For he had a daughter afflicted with an evil spirit.

But wher he continued for a long while knocking at the door, and asking him to come out and pray to God for his child, Antony, not bearing to open, looked out from above and said, 'Man, why dost thou call on me? I also am aman even as you.

But if you believe on Christ whom I serve, go, and according as you believe, pray to God, and it shall come to pass.'

Straightway, therefore, he departed, believing and calling upon Christ, and he received his daughter cleansed from the devil.

Many other things also through Antony the Lord did, who saith, 'Seek and it shall be given unto you *6,'

For many of the sufferers, when he would not open his door, slept outside his cell, and by their faith and sincere prayers were healed.

50. Antony then, as it were, moved by God, loved the place*', for this was the spot which he who had spoken with him by the banks of the river had pointed out.

So having first received loaves from his fellow travellers, he abode in the mountain alone, no one else being with him.

And recognising "it as his own home, he remained in that place for the future.

But the Saracens, having seen the earnestness of Antony, purposely used to journey that way, and joyfully brought him loaves, while now and then the palm trees also afforded him a poor and frugal relish.

But after this, the brethren learning of the place, like children mindful of their father, took care to send to him.

But when Antony saw that the bread was the cause of trouble and hardships to some of them, to spare the monks this, he resolved to ask some of those who came to bring him a spade, an axe, and a little corn.

And when these were brought, he went over the land round the mountain, and having found a small plot of suitable ground, tilled it ; and having a plentiful supply of water for watering, he sowed.

This doing year by year, he got his bread from thence, rejoicing that thus he would be troublesome to no one, and because he kept himself from being a burden to anybody.

But after this, seeing again that people came, he cultivated a few pot-herbs, that he who came to him might have some slight solace after the labour

49. But when he saw himself beset by many, and not suffered to withdraw himself according to his intent as he wished, fearing because of the signs which the Lord wrought by him, that either he should be puffed up, or that some other should think of him above what he ought to think, he considered and set off to go into the upper Thebaid, among those to whom he was unknown.

And having received loaves from the brethren, he sat down by the bank of the river, looking whether a boat would go by, that, having embarked thereon, he might go up the river with them.

While he was considering these things, a voice came to him from above, 'Antony, whither goest thou and wherefore ?'

But he no way disturbed, but as he had been accustomed to be called*™ often thus,

17 In Lower Egypt. | 18 Mount Colzim, seven hours distant from the Red Sea, where ee on this subject reed of the | an old cloister still preserves his name and memory (Schaff, Ch,

Hist. Nic. p. 183).

15 oes on Nov. 25» git, cf. Eus. H.£. vii 16 Luke xi.

Living,' vol. 1, z. 4805q (Trifboes 1886).

VOL, IV

VITAYS, ANTONE

they brought him.

And rising up he saw a beast like a man to the thighs but having legs and feet like those of an ass.

And Antony only signed himself and said, 'I am a servant of Christ.

If thou art sent against me, behold I am here.'

But the beast together with his evil spirits fled, so that, through his speed, he fell and died.

And the death of the beast was the fall of the demons.

For they strove in all manner of ways to lead Antony from the desert and were not able. of that hard journey.

At first, however, the wild beasts in the desert, coming because of the water, often injured his seeds and husbandry.

But he, gently laying hold of one of them, said to them all, 'Why do you hurt me, when I hurt none of you? Depart, and in the name of the Lord come not nigh this spot.'

And from that time forward, as though fearful of his command, they no more came near the place.

51. So he was alone in the inner mountain, spending his time in prayer and discipline.

And the brethren who served him asked that they might come every month and bring him olives, pulse and oil, for by: now he was an old man.

There then he passed his life, and endured such great wrestlings, ' Not against flesh and blood 9,' as.it is written, but against opposing demons, as we learned from chose who visited him.

For there they heard tumults, many voices, and, as it were, the clash of arms.

At night they saw the mountain become full of wild beasts, and him also fighting as though against visible beings, and praying against them.

And those who came to him he encouraged, while kneeling he contended and prayed to the Lord. Surely it was a marvellous thing that a man, alone in such a desert, feared neither the demons who rose up against him, nor the fierceness of the four-footed beasts and creeping things, for all they were so many.

54. And once being asked by the monks to come down and visit them and their abodes after a time, he journeyed with those who came tohim. And acamel carried the loaves and the water for them.

For all that desert is dry, and there is no water at all that is fit to drink, save in that mountain from whence they drew the water, and in which Antony's cell was.

So when the water failed them on their way, and the heat was very great, they all were in danger. For having gone round the neighbourhood and finding no water, they could walk no further, but lay on the ground and despairing of themselves, let the camel go.

But the old man seeing that they were all in jeopardy, groaning in deep grief, departed a little way from them, and kneeling down he stretched forth his hands and prayed. And immediately the Lord made water to well forth where he had stood praying, and so all drank and were revived.

And having filled their bottles they sought the camel and found her, for the rope happened to have caught in a stone and so was held fast..

Having led it and watered it they placed the bottles on its back and finished their journey in safety.

And when he came to the outer cells all saluted him, looking on him as a father.

And he too, as though bringing supplies from the mountain, entertained them with his words and gave them a share of help.

And again there was joy in the mountains, zeal for improvement and consolation through their mutual faith.

Antony also rejoiced when he beheld the earnestness of the monks, and his sister grown old in virginity, and that she herself also was the leader of other virgins.

But in truth, as it is written, 'He trusted in the Lord as Mount Sion®,' with a mind unshaken and undisturbed ; so that the demons rather fled from him, and the wild beasts, as it is written 2!, 'kept peace with him.'

52. The devil, therefore, as David says in the Psalms, observed Antony and gnashed his teeth against him.

But Antony was consoled by the Saviour and continued unhurt by his wiles and varied devices.

As he was watching in the night the devil sent wild beasts against him, And almost all the hyenas in that desert came forth from their dens and surrounded him ; and he was in the midst, while each one threatened to bite.

Seeing that it was a trick of the enemy he said to them all: 'If ye have received power against me I am ready to be devoured by you ; but if ye were sent against me by demons, stay not, but depart, for I am a servant of Christ.'

When Antony said this they fled, driven by that word as with a whip.

55. So after certain days he went in again to the mountain.

And henceforth many resorted to him, and others who were suffering ventured to go in.

To all the monks therefore who came to him, he continually gave this precept: 'Believe on the Lord and love

Him; keep yourselves from filthy thoughts and fleshly pleasures, and as it is written in the Proverbs, be not deceived '' by the fulness of the belly?."

Pray continually ; avoid vain53. A few days after, as he was working (for he was careful to work hard), some one stood at the door and pulled the plait which he was working, for he used to weave baskets, which he gave to those who came in return for what

——— 20 PS, CXXVe To 8t Job v. 23. t9 Eph. vi. 12.

2 Prov. xxiv. 15, LXX. t Ps, xxxv. 16,

LIFE OF ANTONY.

2I8 glory; sing psalms before sleep and on awaking; please the Lord, and to trample on the devices of the enemy. hold in your heart the commandments of Scripture ; be mindful of the works of the 56. This was the advice he gave to those who came to him.

And with those who suffered he sympathised and prayed.

And ofttimes the Lord heard him on behalf of many: yet he boasted not because he was heard, nor did he murmur if he were not.

But always he gave the Lord thanks and besought the sufferer to be patient, and to know that healing belonged neither to him nor to man at all, but only to the Lord, who doeth good when and to whom He will.

The sufferers therefore used to receive the words of the old man as though they were a cure, learning not to be downhearted but rather to be long-suffering.

And those who were healed were taught not to give thanks to Antony but to God alone. saints that your souls being -put in remembrance of the commandments may be brought into harmony with the zeal of the saints.' And especially he counselled them to meditate continually on the apostle's word, 'Let not the sun go down upon your wrath?'

And he considered this was spoken of all commandments in common, and that not on wrath alone, but not on any other sin of ours, ought the sun to go down.

For it was good and needful that neither the sun should condemn us for an evil by day nor the moon for a sin by night, or even for an evil thought.

That this state may be preserved in us it is good to hear the apostle and keep his words, for he says, 'Try your own selves and prove your own selves4.' Daily, therefore, let each one take from himself the tale of his actions both by day and night ; and if he have sinned, let him cease from it ; while if he have not, let him not be boastful.

But let him abide in that which is good, without being negligent, nor condemning his neighbours, nor justifying himself, ' until the Lord come who searcheth out hidden things5,' as saith the blessed apostle Paul.

For often unawares we do things that we know not of; 57. Wherefore a man, Fronto by name, who was an officer of the Court and had a terrible disease, for he used to bite his own tongue and was in danger of injury to his eyes, having come to the mountain, asked Antony to pray for him.

But Antony said to him, ' Depart and thou shalt be healed.'

But when he was violent and remained within some days, Antony waited and said, 'If thou stayest here, thou canst not be healed.

Go, and having come into Egypt thou shall see the sign wrought in thee.'

And he believed and went.

And as soon as he set eyes' on Egypt his sufferings ceased, and the man became whole according to the word of Antony, which the Saviour had revealed to him in prayer. but the Lord seeth all things.

Wherefore committing the judgment to Him, let us have sympathy one with another.

Let us bear each other's burdens®: but let us examine our own selves and hasten to fill up that in which we are lacking.

And as a safeguard against sin let the following be observed.

Let us each one note and write down our actions and the impulses of our soul as though we were going to relate them to each other.

And be assured that if we should be utterly ashamed to have them known, we shall abstain from sin and harbour no base thoughts in our mind.

58. There was also a maiden from Busiris Tripolitana, who had a terrible and very hideous disorder.

For the runnings of her eyes, nose, and ears fell to the ground and immediately became worms.

She was paralysed also and squinted.

Her parents having heard of monks going to Antony, and believing on the Lord who healed 7 the woman with the issue of blood, asked to be allowed, together with their daughter, to journey with them.

And when they suffered them, the parents together with the girl, remained outside the mountain with Paphnutius, the confessor and monk; but the monks went in to Antony.

And when they only wished to tell about the damsel, he anticipated them, and deFor who wishes to be seen while sinning? or who will not rather lie after the commission of a sin, through the wish to escape notice?

As then while we are looking at one another, we would not commit carnal sin, so if we record our thoughts as though about to tell them to one another, we shall the more easily keep ourselves free from vile thoughts through shame lest they should be known.

Wherefore let that which is written be to us in place of the eyes of our fellow hermits, that blushtailed both the sufferings of the child and how she journeyed with them.

Then when they asked that she should be admitted, Antony did not allow it, but said, 'Go, and if she be not dead, you will find her healed: for the accomplishment of this is not mine, that she should come to me, wretched man that I am,

OT EOE Me Pe er ee eee ae ing as much to write as if we had been caught, we may never think of what is unseemly.

Thus fashioning ourselves we shall be able to keep the body in subjection, to nn

ETE EIRENE EREEEEEEREEE SEER

3 Eph. iv. 26.

4 2 Cor. xiii. 5.

5 x Cor. iv. 5; Rom. ii. 16.

6 Gal. vi. 6.

7 Matt. ix. 20, P2

VITA

*S) ANTONI,

himself naked.

While, therefore, he was pondering filled with shame, on a sudden he was borne over to the other side.

Theodorus, therefore, himself being a good man, approached, and seeing Amun across first without a drop of water falling from him, enquired how he had got over.

And when he saw that Amun was unwilling to tell him, he held him by the feet and declared that he would not let him go before he had learned it from him.

So Amun seeing the determination of 'Theodorus especially from what he had said, and having asked him to tell no man before his death, told him that he had been carried and placed on the further side.

And that he had not even set foot on the water, nor was that possible for man, but for the Lord alone and those whom He permits, as He did for the great apostle Peter9.

Theodorus therefore told this after the death of Amun.

And the monks to whom Antony spoke concerning Amun's death marked the day ; and when the brethren came up from Nitria thirty days after, they enquired of them and learned that Amun had fallen asleep at that day and hour in which the old man had seen his soul borne upwards.

And both these and the others marvelled at the purity of Antony's soul, how he had immediately learned that which was taking place at a distance of thirteen days' journey, and had seen the soul as it was taken up. but her healing is the work of the Saviour, who in' every place sheweth His pity to them that call upon Him.

Wherefore the Lord hath inclined to her as she prayed, and His lovingkindness hath declared to me that He will heal the child where she now is.'

So the wonder took place; and going out they found the parents rejoicing and the girl whole.

59. But when two brethren were coming to him, the water failed on the way, and one died and the other was at the point of death, for he had no strength to go on, but lay upon the ground expecting to die.

But Antony sitting in the mountain called two monks, who chanced to be there, and urged them saying, 'Take a pitcher of water and run on the road towards Egypt.

For of two men who were coming, one is already dead and the other will die unless you hasten.

For this has been revealed to me as I was praying."

The monks therefore went, and found one lying dead, whom they buried, and the other they restored with water and led him to the old man.

For it was a day's journey7*.

But if any one asks, why he did not speak before the other died, the question ought not to be asked.

For the punishment of death was not Antony's but God's, who also judged the one and revealed the condition of the other.

But the marvel here was only in the case of Antony: that he, sitting in the mountain had his heart watchful, and had the Lord to show him things afar off.

61. And Archelaus too, the Count, on a time having found him in the outer mountain, asked him merely to pray for Polycratia of Laodicea, an excellent and Christian maiden, for she suffered terribly in the stomach and side through over much discipline, and was altogether weakly of body. Antony prayed therefore, and the Count noted the day in which the prayer was made, and having departed to Laodicea he found the maiden whole.

And having enquired when and on what day she was relieved of her infirmity, he produced the paper on which he had written the time of the prayer, and having read it he immediately shewed the writing on the paper.

And all wondered when they knew that the Lord had relieved her of pain at the time when Antony was praying and invoking the goodness of the Saviour on her behalf.

60. And this is so, for once again he was sitting on the mountain, and looking up saw in the air some one being borne upwards, and there was much joy among those who met him. Then wondering and deeming a company of that kind to be blessed, he prayed to learn what this might be. And immediately a voice came to him: ' This is the soul of Amun, the monk at Nitria.'

Now Amun had persevered in the discipline up to old age; and the distance from Nitria to the mountain where Antony was, was thirteen days' journey.

The companions of Antony therefore, seeing the old man amazed, asked to learn, and heard that Amun was just dead®, And he was well known, for he had stayed there very often, and many signs had been wrought by his means.

And this is one of them.

Once when he had need to cross the river called Lycus (now it was the season of the flood), he asked his com62. And concerning those who came to him, he often foretold some days or sometimes a month beforehand what was the cause of their coming.

For some came only for the sake of seeing him, others through sickness, and others suffering from evil spirits.

And all thought the labour of the journey neither trouble nor loss.

For each one returned eer ipennneeers _ rade Theodorus to remain at a distance, that they should not see one another naked as they swam the water.

Then when Theodorus was departed he again felt ashamed even to see 7 For simi ma 6 es ee eerie cases, cf.

'Phantasms of the Living,' vol. 2, same story is told (by Bede in his Life) of St. who saw the soul of St. Aidan being carried 2 eat er was probably the recipient of the letter, No. 48 in this volume,

9 Matt. xiv. 28, # Xpicroddpos, lit. Christ-bearing.

LIFE OF ANTONY.

birth, Antony's conductors stopped them, saying, 'The Lord hath wiped out the sins from his birth, but from the time he became a monk, and devoted himself to God, it is permitted you to make a reckoning.'

Then when they accused him and could not convict him, his way was free and unhindered. And immediately he saw himself, as it were, coming and standing by himself, and again he was Antony as before.

Then forgetful of eating, he remained the rest of the day and through the whole of the night groaning and praying.

For he was astonished when he saw against what mighty opponents our wrestling is, and by what labours we have to pass through the air.

And he remembered that this is what the Apostle said, 'according to the prince of the power of the air™.'

For in it the enemy hath power to fight and to attempt to hinder those who pass through.

Wherefore most earnestly he exhorted, 'Take up the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day *t,' that the enemy, 'having no evil thing to say against us, may be ashamed*.'

And we who have learned this, let us be mindful of the Apostle when he says, 'whether in the body I know not, or whether out of the body I know aware that he had received benefit.

But though saying such things and beholding such sights, he used to ask that no one should wonder at him for this; but should rather marvel at the Lord for having granted to us men to know Him as far as our powers extended.

63. Afterwards, on another occasion, having descended to the outer cells, he was asked to enter a vessel and pray with the monks, and he alone perceived an exceedingly unpleasant smell.

But those on board said that the stench arose from the fish and salt meat in the ship.

He replied however, the smell was different from that; and while he was speaking, a youth with an evil spirit, who had come and hidden himself in the ship, cried out.

But the demon being rebuked in the name of the Lotd Jesus Christ departed from him, and the man became whole. And all knew that the evil smell arose from the demon.

64. And another, a person of rank, came to him, possessed by a demon; and the demon was so terrible that the man possessed did not know that he was coming to Antony.

But he even ate the excreta from his body.

So those who brought him besought Antony to pray for him.

And Antony pitying the young man prayed and kept watch with him all the night.

And about dawn the young man suddenly attacked Antony and gave him a push.

But when those who came with him were angry, Antony said, 'Be not angry with the young man, for it is not he, but the demon which is in him.

And being rebuked and commanded to go into dry places, the demon became raging mad, and he has done this.

Wherefore give thanks to the Lord, for his attack on me thus is a sign of the departure of the evil spirit'

When Antony had said this, straightway the young man had become whole, and having come at last to his right mind, knew where he was, and saluted the old man and gave thanks to God. not; God knoweth *3.' But Paul was caught up unto the third heaven, and having heard things unspeakable he came down ; while Antony saw that he had come to the air, and contended until he was free.

66. And he had also this favour granted him.

For as he was sitting alone on the mountain, if ever he was in perplexity in his meditations, this was revealed to him by Providence in prayer.

And the happy man, as it is written, was taught of God*.

After this, when he once had a discussion with certain men who had come to him concerning the state of the soul and of what nature its place will be after this life, the following night one from above called him, saying, 'Antony, rise, go out and look.'

Having gone out therefore (for he knew whom he ought to obey) looking up, he beheld one standing and reaching to the clouds, tall, hideous, and fearful, and others ascending as though they were winged.

And the figure 65. And many monks have related with the greatest agreement and unanimity that many other such like things were done by him.

But still these do not seem as marvellous as certain other things appear to be.

For once, when about to eat, having risen up to pray about the stretched forth his hands, and some of those who were ascending were stayed by him, while ninth hour, he perceived that he was caught up in the spirit, and, wonderful to tell, he stood and saw himself, as it were, from outside himself, and that he was led in the air by certain ones.

Next certain bitter and terrible beings stood in the air and wished to hinder him from passing through.

But when his conductors opposed them, they demanded whether he was not accountable to them.

And when they wished to sum up the account from his others flew above, and having escaped heavenward, were borne aloft free from care.

At such, therefore, the giant gnashed his teeth, but rejoiced over those who fell back.

And forthwith a voice came to Antony, 'Understandest thou what thou seest?' And his understanding was bales I. tv lll aes aR RO = RTS 80 Eph. ii. 2.

83 Eph. vi. 13.

12 Tit. ii. 8.

P A pee vae

13 2 Cor. xii. 2.

14 Isai. liv. 13; John vi. 45.

VITA S. ANTONI.

for he had mirthful eyes, and teeth white as milk.

Thus Antony was recognised, for he was never disturbed, for his soul was at peace ; he was never downcast, for his mind was joyous. f 68. And he was altogether wonderful in faith and religious, for he never held communion with the Meletian schismatics, knowing their wickedness and apostacy from the beginning ; nor had he friendly dealings with the Manicheeans or any other heretics ; or, ifhe had, only as far as advice that they should change to piety.

For he thought and asserted that intercourse with these was harmful and destructive to the soul.

In the same manner also he loathed the heresy of the Arians, and exhorted all neither to approach them nor to hold their erroneous belief.

And once when certain Arian madmen came to him, when he had questioned them and learned their impiety, he drove them from the mountain, saying that their words were worse than the poison of serpents, opened, and he understood that it was the passing of souls, and that the tall being who stood was the enemy who envies the faithful.

And those whom he caught and stopped from passing through are accountable to him, while those whom he was unable to hold as they passed upwards had not been subservient to him.

So having seen this, and as it were being reminded, he struggled the more daily to advance towards those things which were before.

And these visions he was unwilling to tell, but as he spent much time in prayer, and was amazed, when those who were with him pressed him with questions and forced him, he was compelled to speak, as a father who cannot withhold ought from his children.

And-he thought that as his conscience was clear, the account would be beneficial for them, that they might learn that discipline bore good fruit, and that visions were oftentimes the solace of their labours.

67. Added to this he was tolerant in disposition and humble in spirit.

For though he was such a man, he observed the rule of the Church most rigidly, and was willing that all the clergy should be honoured above himself*7.

For he was not ashamed to bow his head to bishops and presbyters, and if ever a deacon came to him for help he discoursed with him on what was profitable, but gave place to him in prayer, not being ashamed to learn himself.

For often he would ask questions, and desired to listen to those who were present, and if any one said anything that was useful he confessed that he was profited.

And besides, his countenance had a great and wonderful grace.

This gift also he had from the Saviour.

For if he were present in a great company of monks, and any one who did not know him previously, wished to see him, immediately coming forward he passed by the rest, and hurried to Antony, as though attracted by his appearance.

Yet neither in height nor breadth was he conspicuous above others, but in the serenity of his manner and the purity of his soul.

For as his soul was free from disturbances, his outward appearance was calm ; so from the joy of his soul he possessed a cheerful countenance, and from his bodily movements could be perceived the condition of his soul, as it is written, 'When the heart is merry the countenance is cheerful, but when

It 1s sorrowful it is cast down®'.'

Thus Jacob recognised the counsel Laban had in his heart, and said to his wives, 'The countenance of your father is not as it was yesterday and the day before 9." Thus Samuel recognised David, a ee 69. And once also the Arians having lyingly asserted that Antony's opinions were the same as theirs, he was displeased and wroth against them.

Then being summoned by the bishops and all the brethren, he descended from the mountain, and having entered Alexandria', he denounced the Arians, saying that their heresy was the last of all and a forerunner of Antichrist.

And he taught the people that the Son of God was not a created being, neither had He come into being from non-existence, but that He was the Eternal Word and And therefore it was impious to say, 'there was a time when He was not,' for the Word was always co-existent with the Father.

Wherefore have no fellowship' with the most impious Arians.

For there is no communion between light and darkness*°, For you are good Christians, but they, when they say that the Son of the Father, the Word of God, is a created being, differ in nought from the heathen, since they worship that which is created, rather than God the creator?.

But believe ye that the Creation itself is angry with them because they number the Creator, the Lord of all, by whom all things came into being, with those things which were originated.

'Wisdom of the Essence of the Father.

7°. All the people, therefore, rejoiced when they heard the anti-Christian heresy anathematised by such a man.

And all the people in the city ran together to see Antony ; and the Greeks and those who are called their Priests,

17 This was by no means universal among monks:

Athan, argues to Dracontius (cc. 8, 9) against the monastic tendency to think little of the clergy. ere, he propounds the example of Antony for the imitation of the ' peregrini fratres.'

OV. XV. 13.

19 Gen. xxxi. 5; 1 Sam. xvi. 12, XVii. 32.

198 July 25—27, 338, Fest. Ind. x.

20 2 Cor. vi. 14.

2 Orat. ii. 23, &c. 'This was an argument much used against Arianism.

Antony's arguments may be compared with those of Ath. in ZA. 4g 13

LIFE OF ANTONY.

And when they answered mind is first and the inventor of letters, Antony said, 'Whoever, therefore, hath a sound mind hath not need of letters.'

This answer amazed both the bystanders and the philosophers, and they departed marvelling that they had seen so much understanding in came into the church, saying, 'We ask to see the man of God,' for so they all called hia. For in that place also the Lord cleansed many of demons, and healed those who were mad.

And many Greeks asked that they might even but touch the old man, believing thet they should be profited.

Assuredly as many became Christians in those few days as one would have seen made inayear.

Then when some thought that he was troubled by the. crowds, and on this account turned them all away from him, he said, undisturbedly, that there were not more of them than of the demons with whom he wrestled in the mountain.

For his manners were not an ignorant man. rough as though he bad been reared in the mountain and there grown old, but graceful and polite, and his speech was seasoned with the divine salt, so that no one was envious, but rather all rejoiced over him who visited him.

74. After this again certain others came; and these were men who were deemed wise among the Greeks, and they asked him a reason for our faith in Christ.

But when they attempted to dispute concerning the preaching of the divine Cross and meant to mock, Antony stopped for a little, and first pitying their ignorance, said, through an interpreter, who could skilfully interpret his words, ' Which 71. But when he was departing, and we were setting him forth on his way, as we? arrived at the gate a woman from behind cried out,

'Stay, thou man of God, my daughter is grievously vexed by a devil.

Stay, I beseech thee, lest I too harm myself with running.'

And the old man when he heard her, and was asked by us, willingly stayed.

And when the woman drew near, the child was cast on the ground.

But when Antony had prayed and called upen the name of Christ, the child was raised whole, for the unclean spirit was gone forth.

And the mother blessed God, and all gave thanks. also rejoiced, departing to the mountain as though it were to his own home. is more beautiful, to confess the Cross or to attribute to those whom you call gods adultery and the seduction of boys? For that which is chosen by us is a sign of courage and a sure token of the contempt of death, while yours are the passions of licentiousness.

Next, which is better, to say that the Word of God was not changed, but, being the same, He took a human body for the salvation and well-being of man, that having shared in human birth He might make man partake in the divine and spiritual nature+; or to liken the divine to senseless animals and consequently to worship fourfooted beasts, creeping things and the likenesses of men?

For these things, are the objects of reverence of you wise men.

But how do you dare to mock us, who say that Christ has appeared as man, seeing that you, bringing the soul from heaven, assert that it

And Antony himself 72. And Antony also was exceeding prudent, and the wonder was that although he had not learned letters, he was a ready-witted and sagacious man.

At all events two Greek philosophers once came, thinking they could try their skill on Antony ; and he was in the outer mountain, and having recognised who they were from their appearance, he came to them and said to them by means of an interpreter,

'Why, philosophers, did ye trouble yourselves so much to come to a foolish man?' And when they said that he was not a foolish man, but exceedingly prudent, he said to them,

"If you came to a foolish man, your labour has strayed and fallen from the vault of the sky into body 5? And would that you had said that it had fallen into human body alone, and not asserted that it passes and changes into four-footed beasts and creeping things.

For our faith declares that the coming of Christ was for the salvation of men.

But you err because you speak of soul as not generated.

And we, considering the power and lovingkindness of Providence, think that the coming of Christ in the flesh was not impossible with God.

But you, although calling the soul the likeness of Mind®, connect it with falls and ee ee en eee is superfluous; but if you think me prudent become as I am, for we ought to imitate what is good.

And if I had come to you I should have imitated you; but if you to me, become as I am, for I am a Christian.'

But they departed with wonder, for they saw that even demons feared Antony.

73. And again others such as these met him in the outer mountain and thought to mock 3 him bécause he had not learned letters.

And Antony said to them, ' What say ye? which is first, mind or letters? And which is the cause of which—mind of letters or letters of mind?' a 4 CE. de Incar. 54. 3; 2 Pet.i. 4.

/ 8 Cf. Plat. Pedr. 274. B: but the resemblances is not close and the relation of this passage to the Phadrus is probably mediate.

I cannot see that the doctrine referred to here is necessarily different from that of Plotinus (Zum. IV. iii. x 5). i 6 Plotinus (2. V. i. 3) tqught that the soul was, as it bt an image of Mind, as the uttered word is of the word in the sou

I (cf Philo. Vit. Mos. iii. 13).

2 This seems to imply Athanasius as the (real or ostensible) narrator.

3 Cf. c. Gent. 1, de Incar. 1, 41, 48. 7-

VITA

tS: ANTONI.

77. But when they were at a loss, turning hither and thither, Antony smiled and said— again through an interpreter—'Sight itself carries the conviction of these things.

But as you prefer to lean upon demonstrative arguments, and as you, having this art, wish us also not to worship God, until after such proof, do you tell first how things in general and specially the recognition of God are accurately known.

Is it through demonstrative argument or the working of faith?

And which is better, faith which comes through the inworking (of God) or demonstration by arguments?'

And when they answered that faith which comes through the inworking was better and was accurate knowledge, Antony said, 'You have answered well, for faith arises from disposition of soul, but dialectic from the skill of its inventors.

Wherefore to those who have the inworking through faith, demonstrative argument is needless, or even superfluous.

For what we know through faith this you attempt to prove through words, and often you are not even able to express what we understand.

So the inworking through faith is better and stronger than your professional arguments. — feign in your myths that it is changeable, and consequently introduce the idea that Mind itself is changeable by reason of the soul.

For whatever is the nature of a likeness, such necessarily is the nature of that of which it 1s a likeness.

But whenever you think such a thought concerning Mind, remember that you blaspheme even the Father of Mind Himself.

75. But concerning the Cross, which would you say to be the better, to bear it, when a plot is brought about by wicked men, nor to be in fear of death brought about under any form whatever®; or to prate about the wanderings of Osiris and Isis, the plots of Typhon, the flight of Cronos, his eating his children and the slaughter of -his father.

For this is your wisdom.

But how, if you mock the Cross, do you not marvel at the resurrection ? For the same men who told us of the latter wrote the former.

Or why when you make mention of the Cross are you silent about the dead who were raised, the blind who received their sight, the paralytics who were healed, the lepers who were cleansed, the walking upon the sea, and the rest of the signs and wonders, which shew that Christ is no longer a man but God?

To me you seem to do yourselves much injustice and not to have carefully read our Scriptures.

But read and see that the deeds of Christ prove Him to be God come upon earth for the salvation of men.

78. 'WeChristians therefore hold the mystery not in the wisdom of Greek arguments, but in the power of faith richly supplied to us by God through Jesus Christ.

And to show that this statement is true, behold now, without having learned letters, we believe in God, knowing through His works His providence overall things.

And to show that our faith is effective, so now we are supported by faith in Christ, but you by professional logomachies.

The portents of the idols among you are being done away, but our faith is extending everywhere.

You by your arguments and quibbles have converted none from Christianity to Paganism. We, teaching the faith on Christ, expose your supersti76. But do you tell us your religious beliefs.

What can you say of senseless creatures except senselessness and ferocity? But if, as I hear, you wish to say that these things are spoken of by you as legends, and you allegorize the rape of the maiden Persephone of the earth ; the lameness of Hephaestus of fire ; and allegorize the air as Hera, the sun as Apollo, the moon as Artemis, and the sea as Poseidon ; none the less, you do not worship God Himself, but serve the creature rather than God who created all things.

For if because creation is beautiful you composed such legends, still it was fitting that you should stop short at admiration and not make gods of the things created; so that you should not give the honour of the Creator to that which is created.

Since, if you do, it is time for you to divert the honour of the master builder to the house built by him; and of the general to the soldier.

What then can you reply to these things, that we may know whether the Cross hath anything worthy of mockery ?' ae eee tion, since all recognise that Christ is God and the Son of God.

You by your eloquence do not hinder the teaching of Christ.

But we by the mention of Christ crucified put all demons to flight, whom you fear as if they were gods.

Where the sign of the Cross is 9, magic is weak and witchcraft has no strength.

79. 'Tell us therefore where your oracles are now ? Whereare the charms of the Egyptians?

Where the delusions of the magicians ? When did all these things cease and grow weak except when the Cross of Christ arose? Is It then a fit subject for mockery, and not rather the things brought to nought by it, and convicted of weakness?

For this is a marvellous thing, that yourreligion wasnever persecuted, but even was honoured by men in every city, while

7 Itis certainly startling to find Antony, ignorant of Greek and of letters, reasoning with philosophers upon the doctrines of Neoplatonism.

His whole lite, excepting two short visits to Alexandria, had been spent out of ear-shot of such discussions.

Yet it 4s not easy to say exactly how much a man of'strong mind and retentive memory may have picked up from the conversation of those who visited him upon subjects so widely discussed as these speculatfons were. e Incar. 24. 3

9 De Incar. 47. 4

LIFE 'OF ANTONY.

the followers of Christ are persecuted, and still our side flourishes and multiplies over yours.

What is yours, though praised and honoured, perishes, while the faith and teaching of Christ, though mocked by you and often persecuted by kings, has filled the world.

For when has the knowledge of God so shone forth? or when has self-control and the excellence of virginity appeared as now? or when has death been so despised except when the Cross of Christ has appeared? And this no one doubts when he sees © the martyr despising death for the sake of Christ, when he sees for Christ's sake the virgins of the Church keeping themselves pure and undefiled. his sons Constantius and Constans the Augusti wrote letters to him, as to a father, and begged an answer from him.

But he made nothing very much of the letters, nor did he rejoice at the messages. but was the same as he had been before the Emperors wrote to him.

But when they brought him the letters he called the monks and said, ' Do not be astonished if an emperor writes to us, for he is aman; but rather wonder that God wrote the Law for men and has spoken to us*3 through His own Son.' And so he was unwilling to receive the letters, saying that he did not know how to write an answer to such things.

But being urged by the monks because the emperors were Christians, and lest they should take offence on the ground that they had been spurned, he consented that they should be read, and wrote an answer approving them because they worshipped Christ, and giving them counsel on things pertaining to salvation:

'not to think much of the present, but rather to remember the judgment that is coming, and toknow that Christ

80. 'And these signs are sufficient to prove that the faith of Christ alone is the true religion.

But see! you still do not believe and are seeking for arguments.

We however make our proof "not in the persuasive words of Greek wisdom *'," as our teacher has it, but we persuade by the faith which manifestly precedes argumentative proof.

Behold there are here some vexed with demons ;'—now there were certain who had come to him very disquieted by demons, and _ bringing them into the midst he said,—'Do you cleanse them either by arguments and by whatever art or magic you choose, calling upon your idols, or if you are unable, put away your strife with us and you shall see the power of the Cross of Christ.'

And having said this he called upon Christ, and signed the sufferers two or three times with the sign of the Cross.

And immediately the men stood up whole, and in their right mind, and forthwith gave thanks unto the Lord.

And the philosophers, as they are called, wondered, and were astonished exceedingly at the understanding of the man and at the sign which had been wrought.

But Antony said, 'Why marvel yeat this?

We are not the doers of these things, but it is Christ who worketh them by means of those who believe on Him.

Believe, therefore, also yourselves, and you shall see that with us there is no trick of words, but faith through love which is wrought in us towards Christ; which if you yourselves should obtain you will no longer seek demonstrative arguments, but will consider faith in Christ sufficient.'

These are the words of Antony.

And they marvelling at this also, saluted him and departed, confessing the benefit they had received from him *. alone was the true and Eternal King.' He begged them to be merciful and to give heed to justice and the poor.

And they having re ceived the answer rejoiced.

Thus he was dear to all, and all desired to consider him as a father.

82. Being known to be so great a man, therefore, and having thus given answers to those who visited him, he returned again to the inner mountain, and maintained his wonted discipline.

And often when people came to him, as he was sitting or walking, as it is written in Daniel*4, he became dumb, and after a season he resumed the thread of what he had been saying before to the brethren who were with him.

And his companions peiceived that he was seeing a vision.

For often when he was on the mountains he saw what was happening in Egypt, and told it to Serapion the bishop*s, who was indoors with him, and who saw that Antony was wrapped in a vision.

Once as he was sitting and working, he fell, as it were, into a trance, and groaned much at what he saw.

Then after a time, having turned to the bystanders with groans and trembling, he prayed, and falling on his knees remained so a long time.

And having arisen the old man wept.

His companions, therefore, trembling and_ terrified, desired to learn from him what it was.

And they troubled him much, until he was forced to speak.

And with many groans he spake as follows: 'O, my children, it were better to die before what has appeared in the vision come to 81. And the fame of Antony came even unto kings.

For Constantine Augustus, and t0 Compare de Incar. 48. 2. tr x Cor. ii. 4.

12 The above argument with the philosophers runs upon the general lines of that of Athanasius ¢. Gent.

The point which we miss here is the Euhemerism upon which Athanasius so strongly insists, This latter view would be naturally less congenial to Antony's mind than the view that the gods were merely demons.

13 Heb. i. 2.

14 Dan. iv. 19 (v. 16 LXX).

15 Of Thmuis, the friend and correspondent of Athanasius ; see below, § gr.

VITA S. ANTONI.

I a a a dd eg A Sno Se ee en their teaching is not that of the Apostles, but that of demons and their father the devil ; -yea, rather, it is barren and senseless, and without light understanding, like the senselessness of these mules.' pass.'

And when again they asked him, having burst into tears, he said, 'Wrath is about to seize the Church, and it is on the point of being given up to men who are like senseless beasts.

For I saw the table of the Lord's House, and mules standing around it on all sides in a ring, and kicking the things therein, just like a herd kicks when it leaps in confusion.

And you saw,' said he, 'how I groaned, for I heard a voice saying, " My altar shall be defiled."'

These things the old man saw, and after two years the present *® inroad of the Arians and the plunder of the churches took place, when they violently carried off the vessels,and made the heathen carry them ; and when they forced the heathen from the prisons to join in their services, and in their presence did upon the Table as they would.

Then we all understood that these kicks of the mules signified to Antony what the Arians, senselessly like beasts, are now doing.

But when he saw this vision, he comforted those with him, saying, ' Be not downcast, my children ; for as the Lord has been angry, so again will He heal us, and the Church shall soon again receive her own order, and shall shine forth as she is wont.

And you shall behold the persecuted restored, and wickedness again withdrawn to its own hiding-place, and pious faith speaking boldly in every place with all freedom.

Only defile?" not yourselves with the Arians, for 83. Such are the words of Antony, and we ought not to doubt whether such marvels were wrought by the hand of a man.

For it is the promise of the Saviour, when He saith, 'If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say to this mountain, remove hence and it shall remove ; and nothing shall be impossible unto you"'.'

And again, ' Verily, verily, I say unto you, if ye shall ask the father in My name

He will give it you. Ask and ye shall receive'9.'

And He himself it is who saith to His disciples and to all who believe on Him, ' Heal the sick, cast out demons; freely ye have received, freely give ?°.'

84. Antony, at any rate, healed not by-commanding, but by prayer and speaking the name of Christ.

So that it was clear to all that it was not he himself who worked, but the Lord who showed mercy by his means and healed the sufferers.

But Antony's part was only prayer and discipline, for the sake of which he stayed in the mountain, rejoicing in the contemplation of divine things, but grieving when troubled by much people, and dragged to the outer mountain.

For all judges used to ask him to come down, because it was impossible for them to enter on account of their following of litigants.

But nevertheless they asked him to come that they might but see him. When therefore he avoided it and refused to go to them, they remained firm, and sent to him all the more the prisoners under charge of soldiers, that on account of these he might come down.

Being forced by necessity, and seeing them lamenting, he came into the outer mountain, and again his labour was not unprofitable.

For his coming was advantageous and serviceable to many ; and he was of profit to the judges, counselling them to prefer justice to all things ; to fear God, and to know,

86 Cf. below, 'what the Arians are zow doing.' This incidental notice of time fixes the date of the present passage.

Weingarten in vain attempts to extract some other sense from the Greek, which is plainness itself.

It also fixes the date of Antony's death to within two years of the troubles in question.

The Benedictines refer the troubles to the intrusion of Gregory 'in 341' (really 339), and the apparently unprecedented character ascribed to the outrages by Antony is in favour of this, as well as the fact (Zzcyc. 3) that in 339 the heathen are said to have offered sacrifice in the churches.

But the latter is only in superficial agreement with the Greek text of the present passage, which speaks of Avzan ovvdters at which heathen were impressed to be present, apparently to make some show of a congregation. The Evagrian version, indeed, adds that the Gentiles on this occasion also carried on idolatrous rites in the Church and polluted the baptisteries; but Evagrius is in the habit of interpolating 'little details from his own knowledge or opinion (e.g. 16, 'Ita exorsus,' &c., 26, 'qui vinctas hominum linguas solvebat,' 58, 'qui effosso pro Christo oculo sub Maximiano,' &c.), and in this case appears to borrow from Eucyc/. 35

Again, the writer of the Vita was not present ('the bystanders' supra; 'they troubled him;' 'they asked him;', .. and inj/r.

"those with him') when the Vision took place: but when, two years later, it was interpreted by events, he was in the company of those who had been with Antony at the time (cu/r. 'then we all understood'), This (on the assumption of Athanasian authorship) excludes the year 339, when Athanasius fled to Italy, and compels us to refer the Vision to the troubles of 356 (AJod, Fug. 6, 7.

Hist. Ar. 55, 56, Ep. ad Lucif.), after which Athanasius fled to the desert and was in the company of the monks.

This conclusion is in independent agreement with (1) the fact, decisive by itself, that Antony is still alive in 345, when Nestorius became Prefect of Egypt (§ 86, note 3), i.e. six years after the troubles of 339 $

(2) the evidemce that Antony was still living about 353 a.v. (Zpis¢.

Ammon. de Pachom. et Theod. 20, 21, in Act. sé Mai. tom. iii.

Appendix 7o C E, Tillemont vii. 123), and (3) the statement of Jerome (Chron.) that Antony died in 356.

Against it Weingarten urges the prophecy of restored peace to the Church (infr.), as Jointing to a time after the overthrow of Arianism.

This is of ittle weight, for tiie prophecy expresses only what must have been the hope and belief of all.

The prologue, which Tillemont (viii. 227) thinks must have been written in a time of peace at Alexandria, is not sufficiently explicit on the point to weigh against the plain sense of the present passage, 37 Cf. the Second Litter to monks (Letter 53).

'that with what judgment they judged, they should be judged *.' But he loved more than all things his sojourn in the mountain.

85. At another time, suffering the same compulsion at the hands of them who had need, and after many entreaties from the commander of the soldiers, he came down, and when he was come he spoke to them shortly of the things which make for salvation, and concerning those who wanted him, and was hastening away. But when the duke, as he is called, entreated him to stay, he replied that he could not linger among them, and persuaded him by a pretty simile, say18 Matt. xvii. 20.

John xvi. 23.

2 Matt. x. 8.

Matt. vii. 2.

LIFE | OF

ANTONY.

21g ing, ' Fishes, if they remain long on dry land, die.

And so,monks lose their strength if they loiter among you and spend their time with you. to Egypt.

For who in grief met Antony and did not return rejoicing ? Who came mourning for his dead and did not forthwith put off his sorrow ? Who came in anger and was not converted to friendship?

What poor and lowspirited man met him who, hearing him and looking upon him, did not despise wealth and console himself in his poverty? What monk, having being neglectful, came to him and became not all the stronger? What young man having come to the mountain and seen

Antony, did not forthwith deny himself pleasure and love temperance? Who when tempted by a demon, came to him and did not find rest ?

And who came troubled with doubts and did not get quietness of mind ?

Wherefore as fish must hurry to the sea, so must we hasten to the mountain.

Lest haply if we delay we forget the things within us.'

And the general having heard this and many other things from him, was amazed and said,

'Of a truth this man is the servant of God.

For, unless he were beloved of God, whence could an ignorant man have such great understanding

86. And a certain general, Balacius by name, persecuted us Christians bitterly on account of his regard for the Arians—that name of ill-omen.

And as his ruthlessness was so great that he beat virgins, and stripped and scourged monks, Antony at this time wrote a letter as follows, and sent it to him.

'I see wrath coming upon thee, wherefore cease to persecute the Christians, lest haply wrath catch hold of thee, for even now it is on the point of coming upon thee?.' But Balacius laughed and threw the letter on the ground, and spit on it,

88. For this was the wonderful thing in Antony's discipline, that, as I said before, having the gift of discerning spirits, he recognised their movements, and was not ignorant whither any one of them turned his energy and made his attack.

And not only was he not deceived by them himself, but cheering those who were troubled with doubts, he taught them how to defeat their plans, telling them of the weakness and craft of those who possessed them.

Thus each one, as though prepared by him and insulted the bearers, bidding them tell this to Antony: 'Since thou takest thought for the monks, soon I will come after thee also.' And five days had not passed before wrath came upon him.

For Balacius and Nestorius, the Prefect of Egypt3, went forth to the first haltingplace from Alexandria, which is called Chzreu, and both were on horseback, and the horses belonged to Balacius, and were the quietest of all his stable.

But they had not gone far towards the place when the horses began to frisk with one another as they are wont to do; and suddenly the quieter, on which Nestorius sat4, with a bite dismounted Balacius, and attacked him, and tore his thigh so badly with its teeth that he was borne straight back to the city, and in three days died.

And all wondered because what Antony had foretold had been so speedily fulfilled. for battle, came down from the mountain, braving the designs of the devil and his demons.

How many maidens who had suitors, having but seen Antony from afar, remained maidens for Christ's sake.

And people came also from foreign parts to him, and like all others, having got some benefit, returned, as though set forward by a father.

And certainly when he died, all as having been bereft of a father, consoled themselves solely by their remembrances of him, preserving at the same time his counsel and advice.

89. It is worth while that I should relate, and that you, as you wish it, should hear what his death was like.

For this end of his is worthy of imitation.

According to his custom he visited the monks in the outer mountain, and having learned from Providence that his own end was at hand, he said to the brethren, ' This is my last visit to you which I shall make.

And I shall be surprised if we see each other again in this life.

At length the time of my departure is at hand, for I am near a hundred and five years old.'

And when they heard it they wept, and embraced, and kissed the old man.

But he, as though sailing from a foreign city to his own, spoke joyously, and exhorted them ' Not to grow idle in their labours, nor to become faint in their training, but to live as though dying daily.

And as he had said before, zealously to guard the soul from foul thoughts, eagerly to imitate the Saints, and to have nought to do with the Meletian

87. Thus, therefore, he warned the cruel. But the rest who came to him he so instructed that they straightway forgot their lawsuits, and felicitated those who were in retirement from the world.

And he championed those who were wronged in such a way that you would imagine that he, and not the others, was the sufferer.

Further, he was able to be of such use to all, that many soldiers and men who had great possessions laid aside the burdens of life, and became monks for the rest of their days.

And it was as if a physician had been given by God 2In Be gtr Spee je Monta! to rae but to Gregory, who died on June 26, 345 (Gwatkin, p. 105).

3 Noiahu was prefect *345—352' (Index to Fest. Letters, where the year '345' is from Angin! 344 to August 345).

4 In the Hist. Ar. it is simply stated that Balacius was bitten by Ais own horse.

The present passage looks like a more careful restatement.

VITA

5S. ANTONI.

nena tae bois sbi o hs Beers ee hE daily.

Give heed to yourselves, and remember the admonition you have heard from me.

Have no fellowship with the schismatics, nor any dealings at all with the heretical Arians.

For you know how I shunned them on account cf their hostility to Christ, and the strange doctrines of their heresy.

Therefore be the more earnest always to be followers first of God and then of the Saints; that after death they also may receive you as well-known friends into the eternal habitations.

Ponder over these things and think of them, and if you have any care for me and are mindful of me as of a father, suffer no one to take my body into Egypt, lest haply they place me in the houses ®, for to avoid this

I entered into the mountain and came here.

Moreover you know how I always put to rebuke those who had this custom, and exhorted them to cease from it. Bury my body, therefore, and hide it underground yourselves, and let. my words be observed by you that no one may know the place but you alone.

For at the resurrection of the dead I shall receive it incorruptible from the Saviour.

And divide my garments.

To Athanasius the bishop give one sheepskin and the garment whereon I am laid, which he himself gave me new, but which with me has grown old.

To Serapion the bishop give the other sheepskin, and keep the hair garment yourselves7.

For the rest fare ye well, my children, for Antony is departing, and is with you no more.' schismatics, for you know their wicked and profane character.

Nor have any fellowship with the Arians, for their impiety is clear to all.

Nor be disturbed if you see the judges protect them, for it shall cease, and their pomp is mortal and of short duration.

Wherefore keep yourselves all the more untainted by them, and observe the traditions of the fathers, and chiefly the holy faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, which you have learned from the Scripture, and of which you have often been put in mind by me.'

90. But when the brethren were urging him to abide with them and there to die, he suffered it not for many other reasons, as he showed by keeping silence, and especially for this :—The Egyptians are wont to honour with funeral rites, and to wrap in linen cloths at death the bodies of good men, and especially of the holy martyrs; and not to bury them underground, but to place them on couches, and to keep them in their houses, thinking in this to honour the departed.

And Antony often urged the bishops to give commandment to the people on this matter.

In like manner he taught the laity and reproved the women, saying, 'that this thing was neither lawful nor holy at all.

For the bodies of the patriarchs and prophets are until now preserved in tombs, and the very body of the Lord was laid in a tomb, and a stone was laid upon it, and hid it until He rose on the third day#*.' And thus saying, he showed that he who did not bury the bodies of the dead after death transgressed the law, even though they were sacred.

For what is greater or more sacred than the body of the Lord ? Many therefore having heard, henceforth buried the dead underground, and gave thanks to the Lord that they had been taught rightly.

92. Having said this, when they had kissed him, he lifted up his feet, and as though he saw friends coming to him and was glad because 0 them—for as he lay his countenance appeared joyful—he died and was gathered to the fathers.

And they afterward, according to his commandment, wrapped him up and buried him, hiding his body underground.

And no one knows to this day where it was buried, save those two only.

But each of those who received the sheepskin of the blessed Antony and the garment worn by him guards it as a precious treasure.

For even to look on them is as it were to behold Antony; and he who is clothed in them seems with joy to bear his admonitions.

91. But he, knowing the custom, and fearing that his body would be treated this way, hastened, and having bidden farewell to the monks in the outer mountain entered the inner mountain, where he was accustomed to abide.

And after a few months he fell sick.

Having summoned those who were there— they were two in number who had remained in the mountain fifteen years, practising the discipline and attending on Antony on account of his age—he said to them, 'I, as it is written 5, go the way of the fathers, for I perceive that I am called by the Lord. And do you be watchful and destroy not your long discipline, but as though now making a beginning, zealously preserve your determination.

For ye know the treachery of the demons, how fierce they are, but how little power they have.

Wherefore fear them not, but rather ever breathe Christ, and trust Him.

Live as though dying —. $$ SS 93. This is the end of Antony's life in the body 6 Cf. St. Aug. Serv. 361. 12, D.C.A. p. 251.

6 The body of Antony was hicoveredt 'by a revelation' in 56r, and translated to Alexandria.

When the Saracens conquered Egypt it was transferred to Constantinople, and lastly in the tenth century was carried to Vienne by a French Seigneur.

The first and last links of this history are naturally precarious.

The translation to Alexandria is vouched for by Victor of Tunis (Ch7ox.) who was in the neighbourhood at the time.

7 Jerome, in his life of Paul of Thebes, relates that Antony received from Paul, and ever afterwards wore on festivals, his tunic of palm-leaves.

If this 'legacy more glorious than the purple of a king' (Vit. Paud. c. 13) had any existence, it would certainly not have been forgotten by Antony in disposing of his worldly goods. The silence of the Life of Antony throws dicredit

# Cf. John xix. 41; Matt. xxvii. 60, 5 Josh. xxiii, rg, | on Jerome's whole account of Paul.

LIFE OF ANTONY.

and the above was the beginning of the discipline.

Even if this account is small compared with his merit, still from this reflect how great

Antony, the man of God, was.

Who from his youth to so great an age preserved a uniform zeal for the discipline, and neither through old age was subdued by the desire of costly food, nor through the infirmity of his body changed the fashion of his clothing, nor washed even his feet with water, and yet remained entirely free from harm.

For his eyes were undimmed and quite sound and he saw clearly; of his teeth he had not lost one, but they had become worn to the gums through the great age of the old man.

He remained strong both in hands and feet; and while all men were using various foods, and washings and divers garments, he appeared more cheerful and of greater strength.

And the fact that his fame has been blazoned everywhere ; that all regard him with wonder, and that those who have never seen him long for him, is clear proof of his virtue and God's love of his soul.

For not from writings, nor from worldly wisdom, nor through any art, was Antony renowned, but solely from his piety towards God.

That this was the gift of God no one will deny.

For from whence into Spain and into Gaul, how into Rome and Africa, was the man heard of was God who maketh His own known everywhere, who also promised this to Antony at the beginning?

For even if they work secretly, even if they wish to remain in obscurity, yet the Lord shows them as lamps to lighten all, that those who hear may thus know that the precepts of God are able to make men prosper and thus be zealous in the path of virtue.

94. Read these words, therefore, to the rest of the brethren that they may learn what the life of monks ought to be; and may believe that our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ glorifies those who glorify Him: and leads those who serve Him unto the end, not only to the kingdom of heaven, but here also—even though they hide themselves and are desirous of withdrawing from the world—makes them illustrious and well known everywhere on account of their virtue and the help they render others.

And if need be, read this among the heathen, that even in this way they may learn that our Lord

Jesus Christ is not only God and the Son of God, but also that the Christians who truly serve Him and religiously believe on Him, prove, not only that the demons, whom the Greeks themselves think to be gods, are no gods, but also tread them under foot and put them to flight, as deceivers and corrupters of mankind, through Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom be glory for ever and ever.

Amen. who abode hidden in @ mountain, unless it

AD EPISCOPOS £GYPTI

ET LIBYZ

EPISTOLA ENCYCLICA.

WRITTEN A.D. 356.

Tuts letter was addressed by St. Athanasius to the bishops of his Province after his expulsion by Syrianus (Feb. 8, 356), and when the nomination of George the contractor to the Alexandrian See was already known (§ 7). But no details of the persecution of the orthodox in Egypt had reached Athanasius when he wrote, in fact he mentions it as only beginning (§ 5).

This points to about the Easter of 356; see Prolegg. ch. i. § 8 (1). ~The tract thus opens the series of anti-Arian works composed during the 'third exile.'

It has indeed been inferred (by Baronius and others) from § 22 that the letter was written thirty-six years after the Nicene Synod, i.e. in 361.

But it was certainly written before the arrival of George, and in the passage referred to it is the first condemnation of Arius by Alexander, and not the Council of Nicza, that is placed thirty-six years ago.

The primary purpose of the letter is to warn the bishops against a formulary which was on the point of being circulated for their acceptance on pain of banishment (§ 5). The creed in question cannot now be identified,—but it was very possibly the Sirmian Creed of 351 (de Synod. 27), not formally Arian, but evading the Nicene test (§ 10).

He begins, accordingly, after a general warning (1—4) against being imposed upon by mere words, and a statement (5) of the tactics of his opponents, by urging the bishops to hold to the faith of Nicza, in contrast to the shifting professions of its opponents (6—8), and to be satisfied with nothing short of an explicit repudiation of Arianism (9—11).

In the Second Part of the Letter he turns to doctrine.

He states (12) the original Arian position, and confronts it (13) with passages from Scripture.

He challenges the Arians (14) to state any clear belief as to the nature of the Word, which shall reconcile their premises with the language of Holy Writ (15, 16).

He explains Prov. viii. 22 of the Incarnation, and taxes the Arians with denying this truth, like the heathen (17).

He next taxes them with dissimulation, especially Arius in his profession to Constantine (18); he describes the death of Arius, and presses the charge of complicity with a man already judged by God (19).

He urges the bishops (20, 21) to steadfastness and confessorship, reprobates the coalition of Meletians (22) and Arians, and finally expresses the conviction (23) that the Emperor Constantius will put an end to these outrages when informed of the true facts of the case.

The last section is an anticipation of the Aol. ad Constantium, which Athanasius was probably preparing at the same time.

Not till two years later does he cast aside all hope of the Emperor and launch out in the bitter invective of the 'Arian History' (see

Apol. pro Fuga 26, note 7).

_ The place where this Encyclical was written is quite uncertain, but it was most probably in the Libyan desert, or in Cyrenaica (Prolegg. wbi supr. note 10).

His language (ifr. § 5) note 7) would naturally be such as not to give, through so public a document, a clue to his pursuers.

It may be added that in many MSS., and in the editions previous to 1698, this tract was counted as the first of the 'five' (or in some cases 'six') Orationes contra Arianos,

For a discussion of this error, see Montfaucon's Monita to this tract and to the four Orationes.

LOBE eb SHOP S20 be RGy Pl: not be deceived by appearances, but that, howsoever these things are concealed, we should all the more distinguish them by the grace of the Spirit.

For whereas the inventor of wickedness and great spirit of evil, the devil, is utterly hateful, and as soon as he shews himself is rejected5 of all men,—as a serpent, as a dragon, as a lion seeking whom he may seize upon and devour,—therefore he conceals and covers what he really is, and craftily personates that Name which all men desire, so that deceiving by a false appearance, he may thenceforth fix fast in his own chains those whom he has led astray.

And as if one that desired to kidnap the children of others during the absence of their parents, should personate their appearance, and so putting a cheat on the affections of the offspring, should carry them far away and destroy them ; in like manner this evil and wily spirit the devil, having no confidence in himself, and knowing the love which men bear to the truth, personates its appearance, and so spreads his own poison among those that follow after him.

CHAPTER I.

1. Christ warned His followers against Jalse prophets.

ALL things whatsoever our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, as Luke wrote, 'both hath done and taught',' He effected after having appeared for our salvation; for He came, as John saith, 'not to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved?.?

And among the rest we have especially to admire this instance of His goodness, that He was not silent concerning those who should fight against us, but plainly told us beforehand, that, when those things should come to pass, we might straightway be found with minds established by His teaching.

For He said, ' There shall arise false prophets and false Christs, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, the very elect shall be deceived.

Behold, I have told you before3.'

Manifold indeed and beyond human conception are the instructions and gifts of grace which He has laid up in us; as the pattern of heavenly conversation, power against demons, the adoption of sons, and that exceeding great and singular grace, the knowledge of the Father and of the Word Himself, and the gift of the Holy Ghost.

But the mind of man is prone to evil exceedingly ; moreover, our adversary the devil, envying 2. Satan pretending to be holy, is detected by the Christian.

Thus he deceived Eve, not speaking his own, but artfully adopting the words of God, and perverting their meaning.

Thus he suggested evil to the wife of Job, persuading her us the possession of such great blessings, goeth about seeking to snatch away the seed to feign affection for her husband, while he taught her to blaspheme God.

Thus does the crafty spirit mock men by false displays, deluding and drawing each into his own pit of wickedness.

When of old he deceived the of the word which is sown within us.

Wherefore as if by His prophetic warnings He would seal up His instructions in our hearts as His own peculiar treasure, the Lord said,

'Take heed that no man deceive you: for many shall come in My name, saying, I am he; and the time draweth near; and they shall deceive many: go ye not therefore first man Adam, thinking that through him he should have all men subject unto him, he exulted with great boldness and said, 'My hand hath found as a nest the riches of the people; and as one gathereth eggs that are after them.'

This is a great gift which the Word has bestowed upon us, that we should left, have I gathered all the earth ; and there is none that shall escape me or speak against 8 John iii. 17.

3 Matt. xxiv. 24, 95.

Acts i. 1.

5 BdadAeTa, vid. p, 170, note 6.

4 Luke xxi. 8.

AD EPISCOPOS 4:GYPTI.

OA oe SS SS eS eee men slept.

Therefore He suffered them not to speak such words, neither would He have us to suffer such, but hath charged us by me®, But when the Lord came upon earth, and the enemy made trial of His human Economy, being unable to deceive the flesh which He had taken upon Him, from that time forth he, who promised himself the occupation of the whole world, is for His sake mocked even by children: that proud one is mocked as a sparrow?.

For now the infant child lays his hand upon the hole of the asp, and laughs at him that deceived Eve®; and all that rightly believe in the Lord tread under foot him that said, 'I will ascend above the heights of the clouds: I will be like the Most High®.'

Thus he suffers and is dishonoured ; and although he still ventures with shameless confidence to disguise himself, yet now, wretched spirit, he is detected the rather by them that bear the Sign on their foreheads? ; yea, more, he is rejected of them, and is humbled, and put to shame.

For even if, now that he is a creeping' serpent, he shall transform himself into an angel of light, yet his deception will not profit him ; for we have been taught that 'though an angel from heaven preach unto us any other gospel than that we have received, he is anathema 2.'

His own mouth, saying, ' Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheeps' clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves? ; and by the mouth of His Holy Apostles, 'Believe not every spirit'.'

Such is the method of our adversary's operations ; and of the like nature are all these inventions of heresies, each of which has for the father of its own device the devil, who changed and became a murderer and a liar from the beginning.

But being ashamed to profess his hateful name, they usurp the glorious Name of our Saviour ' which is above every name',' and deck themselves out in the language of Scripture, speaking indeed the words, but stealing away the true meaning thereof; and so disguising by some artifice their false inventions, they also become the murderers of those whom they have led astray.

4. Lt profits not to receive part of Scripture, and reject part.

For whence do Marcion and Manicheus receive the Gospel while they reject the Law? -For the New Testament arose out of the Old, and bears witness to the Old; if then they reject this, how can they receive what proceeds from it?

Thus Paul was an Apostle of the Gospel, 'which God promised afore by His prophets in the holy Scriptures3:' and our Lord Himself' said, 'ye search the Scriptures, for they are they which testify of 3. And although, again, he conceal his natural falsehood, and pretend to speak truth with his lips; yet are we 'not ignorant of his devices3,' but are able to answer him in the words spoken by the Spirit against him; 'But unto the ungodly, said God, why dost thou preach My laws?' and, ' Praise is not seemly in the mouth of a sinner4.'

For even though he speak the truth, the deceiver is not worthy of credit.

And whereas Scripture shewed this, when relating his wicked artifices against Eve in Paradise, so the Lord also reproved him,— first in the mount, when He laid open 'the folds of his breast-plates,' and shewed who the crafty spirit was, and proved that it was not one of the saints®, but Satan that was tempting

Him.

For He said, 'Get thee behind Me Satan ; for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and Him only shalt thou serve?"

And again, when He put a curb in the mouths of the demons that cried after Him from the tombs.

For although what they said was true, and they lied not then, saying, "Thou art the Son of God,' and 'the Holy One of God®;' yet He would not that the truth should proceed from an unclean mouth, and especially from such as them, lest under pretence thereof they should mingle with it their own malicious devices, and sow these also while a Be os ihe" Ket gee Me'.'

How then shall they confess the Lord unless they first search the Scriptures which are written concerning Him?

And the disciples say that they have found Him, 'of whom Moses and the Prophets did writeS.'

And what is the Law to the Sadducees if they receive not the Prophets®?

For God who gave the Law, Himself promised in the Law that He would raise up Prophets also, so that the same is Lord both of the Law and of the Prophets, and he that denies the one must of necessity deny the other also.

And again, what is the Old Testament to the Jews, unless they acknowledge the Lord whose coming was expected according to it?

For had they believed the writings of Moses, they would have believed the words of the Lord ; for He said, 'He wrote of Me?.'

Moreover, what are the Scriptures to him® of Samosata, who denies the Word of God and His incarnate

6 Is. x. 14, LXX., cf. p. 202, note 8.

7 Vid.

Job xli. 5 ; xl. 24. LXX.

® Isa, xi. 8; 2 Cor. xi.

i :

2 Ezek. ix. 4, LXX.

2 Gal. i. 8,9.

3 a CoE: ii, rz. ¥ ri, '

16; Ecclus. xv. 9. and Vit. Ant.

9 Matt. vii. x5.

80 x John iv. z.

® Phil. ii, 9.

3 Rom. i. 2. ohn v.

S$ John i. 45, 6 Vid. Prideaux, Conn. ii. 5. (vol. 3, p. 474. ed. 1725)e 7 John v. 46.

8 See Prolegg. ch. ii. § 3 (a) a.

5 Job xli. 13, v. 4. LXX. and cf. Orat. i. x supr. P 197, note 15.

6 Or sacred writers, dytov, att. vill. 29; Mark i, 24, 7 Matt. iv. ro.

TO THE BISHOPS OF EGYPT.

Presence 9, which is signified and declared both in the Old and New Testament? And of what use are the Scriptures to the Arians also, and why do they bring them forward, men who say that the Word of God is a creature, and like the Gentiles 'scrve the creature more than' God

Scripture is of all things most sufficient® for us, therefore recommending to those who desire to know more of these matters, to read the Divine word, I now hasten to set before you that which most claims attention, and for the sake of which principally I have written these things.

'the Creator? ?' 'hus each of these heresies, in respect of the peculiar impiety of its invention, has nothing in common with the Scriptures.

And their advocates are aware of this, that the Scriptures are very much, or rather altogether, opposed to the doctrines of every one of them ; but for the sake of deceiving the more simple sort (such as are those of whom it is written in the Proverbs, 'The simple believeth every word ?),' they pretend like their 'father the devil3' to study and to quote the language of Scripture, in order that they may appear by their words to have a right belief, and so may persuade their wretched followers to believe what is contrary to the Scriptures.

Assutedly in every one of these heresies the devil has thus disguised himself, and has suggested to them words full of craftiness.

'The Lord spake.concerning them, that 'there shall arise false Christs and false prophets, so that they shall deceive many'.'

Accordingly the devil has come, speaking by each and saying, 'Iam Christ, and 'the truth is with me;' and he has made them, one and all, to be liars like himself.

And strange it is, that while all heresies are at variance with one another concerning the mischievous inventions which each has framed, they are united together only by the common purpose of lying', For they have one and the same father that has sown in them all the seeds of falsehood.

Wherefore the faithful Christian and true disciple of the Gospel, having grace to discern spiritual things, and having built the house of his faith upon a rock, stands continually firm and secure from their deceits.

But the simple person, as I said before, that is not thoroughly grounded in knowledge, such an one, considering only the words that are spoken and not perceiving their meaning, is immediately drawn away by their wiles. Wherefore it is good and needful for us to pray that we may receive the gift of discerning spirits, so that every one may know, according to the precept of John, whom he ought to reject, and whom to receive as friends and of the same faith.

Now one might write at great length concerning these things, if one desired to go into details respecting them; for the impiety and perverseness of heresies will appear to be manifold and various, and the craft of the deceivers to be very terrible.

But since holy 5. Attempt of Arians to substitute a Creed for the Nicene.

I heard during my sojourn in these parts7 (and they were true and orthodox brethren that informed me), that certain professors of Arian opinions had met together, and drawn a confession of faith to their own liking, and that they intend to send word to you, that you must either subscribe to what pleases them, or rather to what the devil has inspired them with, or in case of refusal must suffer banishment.

They are indeed already beginning to molest the Bishops of these parts; and thereby are plainly manifesting their disposition.

For inasmuch as they frame this document only for the purpose of inflicting banishment or other punishments, what does such conduct prove them to be, but enemies of the Christians, and friends of the devil and his angels? and especially since they spread abroad what they like contrary to the mind of that gracious

Prince, our most religious Emperor Constantius 8. And this they do with great craftiness, and, as appears to me, chiefly with two ends in view; first, that by obtaining your subscriptions, they may seem to remove the evil repute that rests upon the name of Arius, and may escape notice themselves as if not professing his opinions ; and again, that by putting forth these statements they may cast a shade over the Council of Niczea9, and the confession of faith which was then put forth against the Arian heresy.

But this proceeding does but prove the more plainly their own maliciousness and heterodoxy.

For had they believed aright, they would have been satisfied with the confession put forth at Niczea by the whole Ecumenic Council ; and had they considered themselves calumniated and falsely called Arians, they ought not to have been so eager to innovate upon what was written against Arius, lest what was directed against him might seem to be aimed at them also.

This, however, is not the course they pursue, but they conduct the struggle in their own behalf, just as if they were Arius.

Observe how entirely they disregard the truth, and how everything they say and do is for the sake of the Arian heresy.

For in that they dare to question those sound 7 [Probably Cyrenaica, see above, Introd.

6 Cf. p. 4, note 2. one 9 Cf. de Sy. >. sub. jin.) 8 Cf. § 23, and AZol. Const. 32. t Rom. i. 25, 4 Matt. xxiv. 24...

2 Prov. xiv. 15

5 vid. Orat. ii. § 18.

Q 9 See Orat i. 49.

3 John viii. 44.

VOL. IV.

AD EPISCOPOS GYPTI.

Jo have not refrained their feet? ;' therefore, like Jerusalem of old, they labour and toil in their changes, sometimes writing one thing, and sometimes another, but only for the sake of gaining time, and that they may continue enemies of Christ, and deceivers of mankind. definitions of the faith, and take upon themselves to produce others contrary to them, what else do they but accuse the Fathers, and stand up in defence of that heresy which they opposed and protested against? And what they now write proceeds not from any regard for the truth, as I said before, but rather they do it as in mockery and by an artifice, for the purpose of deceiving men ; that by sending about their

4. The party of Acacius really Arians.

Who, then, that has any real regard for truth, will be willing to suffer these men any longer? who will not justly reject their writing? who will not denounce their audacity, that being but few3 in number, they would have their decisions to prevail over everything, and as desiring the supremacy of their own meetings, held in corners and suspicious in their circumstances, would forcibly cancel the decrees of an uncorrupt, pure, and Ecumenic Council? Men who have been promoted by Eusebius and his fellows for advocating this Antichristian heresy, venture to define articles of faith, and while they ought to be brought to judgment as criminals, like Caiaphas, they take upon themselves to judge» They compose a Thalia, and would have it received as a standard of faith, while they are not yet themselves determined what they believe.

Who does not know that Secundus + of Pentapolis, who was several times degraded long ago, was received by them for the sake of the Arian madness ; and that George 5, now of Laodicea, and Leontius the Eunuch, and before him Stephanus, and Theodorus of Heraclea ®, were promoted by them?

Ursacius and Valens also, who from the first were instructed by Arius as young men 7, though they had been formerly degraded from the Priesthood, afterwards got the title of Bishops on account of their impiety; as did also Acacius, Patrophilus§, and Narcissus, who have been most forward in all manner of impiety.

'These were degraded in the great Synod of Sardica ; Eustathius also now of Sebastea, Demophilus and Germinius 9, Eudoxius, and Basil, who are supporters of that impiety, were advanced in the same manner.

Of Cecropius*°, and him they called Auxentius, and of Epictetus™ the impostor, it were superfluous for me to speak, since it is manifest to all men, in what manner, on what pretexts, and by what enemies of ours these were promoted, that they might bring their false charges against the orthodox Bishops who were the objects of their designs.

For although they resided at the distance of eighty posts, and were unknown to the people, yet on the ground of their impiety they purchased for themselves the title of Bishop.

For letters they may engage the ears of the people to listen to these notions, and so put off the time when they will be brought to trial; and that by concealing their impiety from observation, they may have room to extend their heresy, which, 'like a gangrene®®,' eats its way everywhere.

6. Accordingly they disturb and disorder everything, and yet not even thus are they satisfied with their own proceedings. For every year, as if they were going to draw up a contract, they meet together and pretend to write about the faith, whereby they expose themselves the more to ridicule and disgrace, because their expositions are rejected, not by others, but by themselves.

For had they had any confidence in their previous statements, they would not have desired to draw up others; nor again, leaving these last, would they now have set down the one in question, which no doubt true to their custom they will again alter, after a very short interval, and as soon as they shall find a pretence for their customary plotting against certain persons.

For when they have a design against any, then it is that they make a great show of writing about the faith ; that, as Pilate washed his hands, so they by writing may destroy those who rightly believe in Christ, hoping that, as making definitions about the faith, they may appear, as I have repeatedly said, to be free from the charge of false doctrine.

But they will not be able to hide themselves, nor to escape ; for they continually become their own accusers even while they defend themselves.

Justly so, since instead of answering those who bring proof against them, they do but persuade themselves to believe whatever they wish.

And when is an acquittal obtained, upon the criminal becoming his own judge? Hence it is that they are always writing, and always altering their own previous statements, and thus they shew an uncertain faith *,' or rather a manifest unbelief and perverseness.

And this, it appears to me, must needs be the case with them ; for since, having fallen away from the truth, and desiring to overthrow that sound confession of faith which was drawn up at Nicza, they have, in the language of Scripture, 'loved to wander, and ee 7" ee eee 2 Jer. xiv. ro.

3 Cf. de Syn. 5, note.

4 Cf. de Syn. 123

Prolegg. ch. ii. § 3(1), &c.

5p. 104, note 3.

6 Sour. 119.

7 Supr. p. 107, note g.

8 Omitted supr. p. 123.

9 De Syn. § 9% to Of Nicomedia, see D.C. B. s.z.

1t Vid. Hist. Ar. § 74 fin, to 2 Tim. ii. 17. t Cf. de Syn. §§ 3, 6.

TO THE BISHOPS OF EGYPT.

the same reason also they have now' hired one George of Cappadocia, whom they wish to impose upon you.

But no respect is due to him any more than to the rest; for there is a report in these parts that he is not even a Christian, but is devoted to the worship of Macarius of Jerusalem, or Alexander of Constantinople, or Pzderos of Heraclea, or those great Bishops Meletius, Basil, and Longianus, and the rest from Armenia and Pontus, or Lupus and Amphion from Cilicia, or James and the rest from Mesopotamia, or our own blessed Alexander, with others of the same opinions as these ;—-there would then have been nothing to suspect in their statements, for the character of apostolical men is sincere and incapable of fraud. idols ; and he has a hangman's temper?.

And this person, such as he is described to be, they have taken into their ranks, that they may be able to injure, to plunder, and to slay; for in these things he is a great proficient, but is bag of the very principles of the Christian

9. For such words do but serve as their cloak.

But when they proceed from those who are hired to advocate the cause of heresy, and since, according to the divine proverb, ' The words of the wicked are to lie in wait,' and aith.

8. Words are bad, though Scriptural, which proceed from bad men.

Such are the machinations of these men against the truth: but their designs are mani- 'The mouth of the wicked poureth out evil things,' and 'The counsels of the wicked are deceit7:' it becomes us to watch and be sober, brethren, as the Lord has said, lest any deception arise from subtlety of speech and craftiness ; lest any one come and pretend to say, 'I preach Christ,' and after a little while he be found to be Antichrist.

These indeed are Antichrists, whosoever come to you in the cause of the Arian madness.

For what defect is there among you, that any one need to come to you from without?

Or, of what do the Churches of Egypt and Libya and Alexandria stand so much in need, that these men should make a purchase? of the Episcopate instead of wood and goods, and intrude into Churches which do not belong to them ?

Who is not aware, who does not perceive clearly, that they do all this in order to support their impiety?

Wherefore although they should make themselves dumb, or although they should bind on their garments larger borders than the Pharisees, and pour themselves forth in long speeches, and practise the tones of their voice%, they ought not to be believed ; for it is not the mode of speaking, but the intentions of the heart and a godly conversation that recommend the faithful Christian.

And thus the Sadducees and Herodians, although they have the law in their mouths, were put to rebuke by our Saviour, who said unto them, 'Ye do err, not knowing the Scriptures, nor the power of God':' and all men witnessed the exposure of those who pretended to quote the words of the Law, as being in their minds heretics and enemies of God**, Others indeed they deceived by these professions, but when our Lord became man they were not able to deceive Him; ' for fest to all the world, though they attempt in ten thousand ways, like eels, to elude the grasp, and to escape detection as enemies of Christ.

Wherefore I beseech you, let no one among you be deceived, no one seduced by them ; rather, considering that a sort of judaical impiety is invading the Christian faith, be ye all zealous for the Lord ; hold fast, every one, the faith we have received from the Fathers, which they who assembled at Nicaea recorded in writing, and endure not those who endeavour to innovate thereon.

And however they may write phrases out of the Scripture, endure not their writings; however they may speak the language of the orthodox, yet attend not to what they say; for they speak not with an upright mind, but putting on such language like sheeps' clothing, in their hearts they think with Arius, after the manner of the devil, who is the author of all heresies.

For he too made use of the words of Scripture, but was put to silence by our Saviour.

For if he had indeed meant them as he used them, he would not have fallen from heaven; but now having fallen through his pride, he artfully dissembles in his speech, and oftentimes maliciously endeavours to lead men astray by the subtleties and sophistries of the Gentiles.

Had these expositions of theirs proceeded from the orthodox, from such as the great Confessor

Hosius, and Maximinus 3 of Gaul, or his successor 38, or from such as Philogonius and Eustathius 4, Bishops of the East5, or Julius and Liberius of Rome, or Cyriacus of Meesia®, or Pistus and Aristzeus of Greece, or Silvester and Protogenes of Dacia, or Leontius and Eupsychius of Cappadocia, or Cecilianus of Africa, or Eustorgius of Italy, or Capito of Sicily, or 69 (Of Nisibis. See D.C.B. iii. p. 325 and foll-]

7 Prov. xii. 6; xv. 283 xii. 5.

Ap. ad Const. § 28.

9 Vid. Basil. £7. 223. 3Hist. Arian. § 73, supr.

10 Matt. xxii. 29.

IT eoudxor.

Q2 2 Cf. de Syn. 37. t Hist. Ar. 75.

3 Supr. AZol. Ar. 50.

3® Paulinus of Treveri, cf. supr. p. 130, note ro.

4 At Nicza, as most of the others.

5 i.e, of Antioch.

6 [Unknown.]

AD-EPISCOPOS AIGYPTI.

the Word was made Flesh,' who ' knoweth the thoughts of men that they are vain.'

Thus He exposed the carping of the Jews, saying, 'If God were your Father, ye would love Me, for I proceeded forth from the Father, and am come to you'

In like manner these men seem now to act; for they disguise their real sentiments, and then make use of the language of Scripture for their writings, which they hold forth as a bait for the ignorant, that they may inveigle them into their own wickedness.

11. No profit to do right in one way, if we do wrong in another.

If they do this from ignorance they must be charged with rashness, because they affirm positively concerning things that they know not; but if they dissemble knowingly, their condemnation is the greater, because while they overlook nothing in consulting for their own interests, in writing about faith in our

Lord they make a mockery, and do anything rather than speak the truth; they keep back those particulars respecting which their heresy is accused, and merely bring forward the language of the Scriptures. Now this is a manifest theft of the truth, and a practice full of all iniquity; and so I am sure your piety will readily perceive it to be from the following illustrations.

No person being accused of adultery defends himself as innocent of theft ; nor would any one in prosecuting a charge of murder suffer the accused parties to defend themselves by saying, 'We have not committed perjury, but have preserved the deposit which was entrusted to us.'

This would be mere child's play, instead of a refutation of the charge and a demonstration of the truth.

For what has murder to do with a deposit, or adultery with theft? The vices are indeed related to each other as proceeding from the same heart; yet in respect to the refutation of an alleged offence, they have no connection with each other.

Accordingly as it is written in the Book of Joshua? the son of Nun, when Achan was charged with theft, he did not excuse himself with the plea of his zeal in the wars; but being convicted of the offence was stoned by all the people. And when Saul was charged with negligence and a breach of the law, he did not benefit his cause by alleging his conduct on other matters3.

For a defence on one count will not operate to obtain an acquittal on another count; but if all things should be done according to law and justice, a man must defend himself in those particulars wherein he is accused, and must either disprove the past, or else confess it with the promise that he will desist, and do so no more.

But if he is guilty of the crime, and will not confess, but in order to conceal the truth speaks on other points instead of the one in question, he shews plainly that he has acted amiss, nay, and is conscious of his delinquency.

But what need of many words, seeing that these persons are themselves accusers of the Arian heresy?

For since they have not the boldness to speak out, but conceal their blasphemous expressions, it is plain that they know i ES Re 10. They ought first to condemn Arius, if they are to be heard, Consider, whether this be not so.

If, when there is no reason for their doing so, they write confessions of faith, it is a superfluous, and perhaps also a mischievous proceeding, because, when there is no enquiry, they offer occasion for controversy of words, and unsettle the simple hearts of the brethren, disseminating among them such notions as have never entered into their minds.

And if they are attempting to write a defence of themselves in regard to the Arian heresy, they ought first to have removed the seeds of those evils which have sprung up, and to have proscribed those who produced them, and then in the room of former statements to set forth others which are sound; ot else let them openly vindicate the opinions of Arius, that they may no longer covertly but openly shew themselves enemies of Christ, and that all men may fly from them as from the face of a serpent.

But now they keep back those opinions, and for apretence write on other matters; just as if a surgeon, when summoned to attend a person wounded and suffering, should upon coming in to him say not a word concerning his wounds, but proceed to discourse about his sound limbs,

Such an one would be chargeable with utter stupidity, for saying nothing on the matter for which he came, but discoursing on those other points in which he was not needed.

Yet just in the same manner these men omit those matters which concern their heresy, and take upon themselves to write on other subjects ; whereas if they had any regard for the Faith, or any love for Christ, they ought first to have removed out of the way those blasphemous expressions uttered against Him, and then in the room of them to speak and to write the sound words.

But this they neither do themselves, nor permit those that desire to do so, whether it be from ignorance, or through craft and artifice, OE Sanne ? John i. 145 Ps. xciy.

2x; John viii, id.

Hipp.

Noet) 16, and de Syn. 16.

J 42, iixeo, vid. Hipp. contr.

8 Josh. vii. 20, &c.

3 z Sam, xv,

TO THE BISHOPS OF EGYPT.

that this heresy is separate and alien from the truth.

But since they themselves conceal it and are afraid to speak, it is necessary for me to strip off the veil from their impiety, and to expose the heresy to public view, knowing as I do the statements which Arius and his fellows formerly made, and how they were cast out of the Church, and degraded from the Clergy.

But here first I ask for pardon of the foul words which I am about to produce, since I use them, not because I thus think, but in order to convict the heretics, of the Father, and properly belongs to things made and created, and is one of them; for He is a creature, and a thing made, and a work. Again, they say ® that God did not create us for His sake, but Him for our sakes. For they say, 'God was alone, and the Word was not with Him, but afterwards when He would produce us, then He made Him; and from the time He was made, He called Him the Word, and the Son, and the Wisdom, in order that He might create us by Him. And as all things subsisted by the will of God, and did not exist before; so He also was made by the will of

CHAPTER II.

God, and did not exist before.

For the Word is not the proper and natural Offspring of the Father, but has Himself originated by grace: for God who existed made by His will the Son who did not exist, by which will also He made all things, and produced, and created, and willed them to come into being.'

Moreover they say also, that Christ is not the natural and true power of God; but as the locust and the cankerworm are called a power', so also He is called the power of the Father.

Furthermore he said, that the Father is secret from the Son, and that the Son can neither see nor know the Father perfectly and exactly.

For having a beginning of existence, He cannot know Him that is without beginning ; but what He knows and sees, He knows and sees in a measure proportionate to His own measure, as we also know and see in proportion to our powers.

And he added also, that the Son not only does not know His own Father exactly, but that He does not even know His own essence, 12. Arian statements.

Now the Bishop Alexander of blessed memory cast Arius out of the Church for holding and maintaining the following opinions:

'God was not always a Father:

The Son was not always: But whereas all things were made out of nothing, the Son of God also was made out of nothing: And since all things are creatures, He also is a creature and a thing made:

And since all things once were not, but were afterwards made, there was a time when the Word of God Himself was not; and He was not before He was begotten, but He had a beginning of existence:

For He has then originated when God has chosen to produce Him: For He also is one among the rest of His works.

And since He is by nature changeable, and only continues good because He chooses by His own free will, He is capable of being changed, as are all other things, whenever He wishes.

And therefore God, as foreknowing that He would be good, gave Him by anticipation that glory which He would have obtained afterwards by His virtue; and He is now become good by His works which God foreknew.'

Accordingly they say, that Christ 13. Arguments from Scripture against Arian statements.

For maintaining these and the like opinions Arius was declared a heretic ; for myself, while

I have merely been writing them down, I have been cleansing myself by thinking of the contrary doctrines, and by holding fast the sense of the true faith.

For the Bi shops who all assembled from all parts at the Council of Nicza, began to hold their ears at these statements, and all with one voice condemned this heresy on account of them, and anathematized it, declaring it to be alien and estranged from the faith of the Church.

It was no compulsion which led the judges to this decision, but they all deliberately vindicated the truth®; and they did so justly and EE is not truly God, but that He is called God on account of His participation in God's nature, as are all other creatures.

And they add, that He is not that Word which is by nature in the Father, and is proper to His Essence, nor is

He His proper wisdom by which He made this world; but that there is another Word 5 which is properly in the Father, and another Wisdom which is properly in the Father, by which Wisdom also He made this Word; and that the Lord Himself is called the Word (Reason) conceptually in regard of things endued with reason, and is called Wisdom conceptually in regard of things endued with wisdom.

Nay, they say that as all things are in essence separate and alien from the Father, so He also is in all

6 De Syn. 15—19- . p :

7 Joel ii. 25. fWith this entire section, compare Socv. i. 5» de Decr. 6, de ben ag Ora i. 5.6, ad Afvos 5, Vit. Ant. 69, and the Defositio Ariz.'

8 Cf. 7, ad Jov. (Letter 56, below), § 2.

Theod. H. Z. v. ge respects separate and alien from the essence Sp ee ee se ee ee . 205, 1. 17. vid. Keble on Primitive Trad. p, 122. 10.

'Let each Potdly set down his faith in writing, having the fear of God before 4 Cf. Orat. i. § 25 note.

8 Cf. De Syn. §§ 15, 18.

AD EPISCOPOS 4:GYPTI.

a ey a a er ee really is they cannot tell7.

For if the Scriptures affirm that the Lord is both these, and yet these men will not allow Him to be so, it is plain that in their godless opposition to the Scriptures they would deny His existence altogether.

The faithful are able to conclude this truth both from the voice of the Father Himself, and from the Angels that worshipped Him, and from the Saints that have written concerning rightly.

For infidelity is coming in through these men, or rather a Judaism counter to the Scriptures, which has close upon it Gentile superstition, so that he who holds these opinions can no longer be even called a Christian, for they are all contrary to the Scriptures.

John, for instance, saith, 'In the beginning was the Word9;' but these men say, ' He was not, before He was begotten.'

And again he wrote, 'And we are in Him that is true, even in His Son Jesus Christ; this is the-true God, and eternal life'°;' but these men, as if in contradiction to this, allege that Christ is not the true God, but that He is only called

God, as are other creatures, in regard of His participation in the divine nature.

And the Apostle blames the Gentiles, because they worship the creatures, saying, 'They served the creature more than' God 'the Creator '%.'

But if these men say that the Lord is a creature, and worship Him as a creature, how do they differ from the Gentiles ? If they hold this opinion, is not this passage also against them ; and does not the blessed Paul write as blaming them? The Lord also says, 'I and My Father are One:' and 'He that hath seen Me, hath seen the Father?;' and the Apostle who was sent by Him to preach, writes, 'Who being the Brightness of His glory, and the express

Image of His Person3,'

But these men dare to separate them, and to say that He is alien from the essence and eternity of the Father; and impiously to represent Him as changeable, not perceiving, that by speaking thus, they make

Him to be, not one with the Father, but one with created things.

Who does not see, that the brightness cannot be separated from the light, but that it is by nature proper to it, and co-existent with it, and is not produced after it? Again, when the Father says, ' This is My beloved Son 4,' and when the Scriptures say that Him; but these men, as they have not a pure mind, and cannot bear to hear the words of, divine men who teach of God, may be able to learn something even from the devils who resemble them, for they spoke of Him, not as if there were many besides, but, as knowing

Him alone, they said, 'Thou art the Holy One of God,' and 'the Son of God®,' He also who suggested to them this heresy, while tempting

Him, in the mount, said not, 'If Thou also be a Son of God,' as though there were others besides Him, but, ' If Thou he the® Son of God,' as being the only one.

But as the Gentiles, having fallen from the notion of one God, have sunk into polytheism, so these wonderful men, not believing that the Word of the Father is one, have come to adopt the idea of many words, and they deny Him that is really God and the true Word, and have dared to conceive of Him as a creature, not perceiving how full of impiety is the thought.

For if He be a creature, how is He at the same time the Creator of creatures? or how the Son and the Wisdom and the Word?

For the Word is not created, but begotten; and a creature is not a Son, but a production.

And if all creatures were made by Him, and He is also a creature, then by whom was He made?

Things made must of necessity originate through some one ; as in fact they have originated through the Word ; because He was not Himself a thing made, but the Word of the Father.

And again, if there be another wisdom in the Father beside the Lord, then Wisdom has originated in wisdom: and if the Word of God be the Wisdom of God, then the Word has originated in a word: and if the Son be the Word of God, then the Son must have been made in the Son.

'He is the Word' of the Father, by whom 'the heavens were established 5,' and in short,

'All things were made by Him ®;' these inventors of new doctrines and fictions represent that there is another Word, and another Wisdom of the Father, and that He is only called the Word and the Wisdom conceptually on account of things endued with reason, while they perceive not the absurdity of this,

15. Arguments from Scripture against Arian statements.

How is it that the Lord has said, 'I am in the Father, and the Father in Me9,' if there be another in the Father, by whom the Lord Himself also was made? And how is it that John, passing over that other, relates of this

14. Arguments from Scripture against Arian statements, But if He be styled the Word and the Wisdom by a fiction on our account, what He his eyes.' Conc. Cialced. Sess. 1. Hard. t. 2. 273. gence without fear, favour, or dislike, to set out the purity.' ibid. p. 285.

9 Johni, x.

10 x John v. 20, t Rom. i. 25. supr. § 4, and note on O». i. 8, also Vit. Ant. 69.

John x. 30; xiv. 9, and Or. i. 34, note, 3 Heb. i. 3.

Matt. xvii. 5.

5 Ps, xxxiii. 6, 6 John . 3.

'Give dilifaith in its 7 Cf. de. Decr. 6, note 5.

8 Mark i. 24; Matt. viii. 29.

8 [Matt. iv. 3; Luke iv. 3. No existing text appears to hear out Athanasius in his insertion of the definite article.]

9 John xiv. 10

TO THE BISHOPS OF EGYPT.

One, saying, ' All things were made by Him; and without Him was not any thing made?'

If all things that were made by the will of God were made by Him, how can He be Himself one of the things that were made?

And when the Apostle says, 'For whom are all things, and by whom are all things *,' how can these men say, that we were not made for Him, but He for us? If it be so, He ought to have said,

'For whom the Word was made;' but He saith not so, but, '

For whom are all things, and by whom are all things,' thus proving these men to be heretical and false.

But further, as they have had the boldness to say that there is another Word in God, and since they cannot bring any clear proof of this from. the Scriptures, let them but shew one work of His, or one work of the Father that was done without this Word; so that they may seem to have some ground at least for their own idea.

The works of the true Word are manifest to all, so as for Him to be contemplated by analogy from them.

For as, when we see the creation, we conceive of God as the Creator of it; so when we see that nothing is without order therein, but that all things move and continue with order and providence, we infer a Word of God who is over all and governs all.

This too the holy Scriptures testify, declaring that He is the Word of God, and that 'all things were made by Him, and without Him was not any thing made.'

But of that other Word, of whom they speak, there is neither word nor work that they have to shew.

Nay, even the Father Himself, when He says, 'This is My beloved Son3,' signifies that besides Him there is none other a fabulous notion of God, that He is a composite being like man, speaking and then changing His words, and as a man exercising understanding and wisdom ; not perceiving to what absurdities they are reduced by such an opinion, For if God has a succession of words 5, they certainly must consider Him as a man.

And if those words proceed from Him and then vanish away, they are guilty of a greater impiety, because they resolve into nothing what proceeds from the self-existent

God.

If they conceive that God doth at all beget, it were surely better and more religious to say that He is the begetter of One Word, who is the fulness of His Godhead, in whom are hidden the treasures of all knowledge®, and that He is co-existent with His Father, and that all things were made by Him ; rather than to suppose God to be the Father of many words which are nowhere to be found, or to represent Him who is simple in His nature as compounded of many ", and as being subject to human passions and variable.

Next whereas the Apostle says, ' Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God 8,' these men reckon Him but as one among many powers; nay, worse than this, they compare Him, transgressors as they are, with the cankerworm and other irrational creatures which are sent by Him for the punishment of men.

Next, whereas the Lord says, 'No one knoweth the Father, save the Son9;' and again, 'Not that any man hath seen the Father save He which is of the Father?°;' are not these indeed enemies of God which say that the Father is neither seen nor known of the Son perfectly ? If the Lord says,

'As the Father knoweth Me, even so know I the Father*?,' and if the Father knows not the Son partially, are they not mad to say idly that the Son knows the Father only partially, and not fully? Next, if the Son has a beginning of existence, and all things likewise have a beginning, let them say, which is prior to the other.

But indeed they have nothing to say, neither can they with all their craft prove such a beginning of the Word.

For He is the true and proper Offspring of the Father, and 'in the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God*.' For with regard

16. Arians parallel to the Manichees.

It appears then that so far as these doctrines are concerned, these wonderful men have now joined themselves to the Manichees.

For these also confess the existence of a good God, so far as the mere name goes, but they are unable to point out any of His works either visible or invisible.

But inasmuch as they deny Him who is truly and indeed God, the Maker of heaven and earth, and of all things invisible, they are mere inventors of fables.

And this appears to me to be the case with these evil-minded men.

They see the works of the true Word who alone is in the Father, and yet they deny Him, and make to themselves another Word 4, whose existence they are unable to prove either by His Works or by the testimony of others.

Unless it be that they have adopted to their assertion, that the Son knows not His own essence, it is superfluous to reply to it, except only so far as to condemn their madness ; for how does not the Word know Himself, when He imparts to all men the knowledge of His Father and of Himself, and blames those who know not themselves ?

5 de Decr. 16, note 4, 6 Cf. Col. ii. 3, 9 7 de Decr. 22 note 9.

8 x Cor. i. 24.

9 Matt. xi. 27.

10 John vi. 4€.

® Heb, ii. ro.

2 Joh. i. 3

© John i.

J :

4 Vid. passage in Orvat. ii 39 fin.

3 Matt. xvii. 5.

11 John x. 15.

I Jobni. 1.

AD EPISCOPOS A:GYPTI.

very Godhead, and to assert that the Word is not at all, and that the Father was not always a father; so that one might reasonably say that that Psalm was written against them ;

'The fool hath said in his heart, there is no God2.

Corrupt are they, and become abominable in their doings.'

17. Arguments from Scripture against Arian statements, But it is written 2, say they, 'The Lord created me in the beginning of His ways for His works.'

O untaught and insensate that ye are!

He is called also in the Scriptures, 'servant 3,' and 'son of a handmaid,' and 'lamb,' and ' sheep,' and it is said that He suffered toil, and thirst, and was beaten, and has suffered pain.

But there is plainly a reasonable ground and cause 4, why such representations as these are given of Him in the Scriptures; and it is because He became man and the Son of man, and took upon Him the form of a servant, which is the human flesh: for 'the Word,' says John, 'was made flesh 5,' And since He became man, no one ought to be offended at such expressions ; for it is proper to man to be created, and born, and formed, to suffer toil and pain, to die and to rise again from the dead.

And as, being Word and Wisdom of the Father, He has all the attributes of the Father, His eternity, and His unchangeableness, and the being like Him in all respects and in all things ®, and is neither before nor after, but co-existent with the Father, and is the very form? of the Godhead, and is the Creator, and is not created:

(for since He is in essence like® the Father, He cannot be a creature, but must be the Creator, as Himself hath said, 'My Father worketh hitherto, and I work 9:') so being made man, and bearing our flesh, He is necessarily said to be created and made, and that is proper to all flesh ; however, these men, like Jewish vintners, who mix their wine with water', debase the Word, and subject His Godhead to their notions of created things.

Wherefore the Fathers were with reason and justice indignant, and anathematized this most impious heresy ; which these persons are now cautious of and keep back, as being easy to be disproved and unsound in every part of it.

These that I have set down are but a few of the arguments which go to condemn their doctrines; but if any one desires to enter more at large into the proof against them, he will find that this heresy is not far removed from heathenism, and that it is the lowest and the very dregs of all the other heresies.

These last are in error either concerning the body or the incarnation of the Lord, falsifying the truth, some in one way and some in another, or else they deny that the Lord has sojourned here at all, as the Jews erroneously suppose.

But this one alone more madly than the rest has dared to assail the 18. Lf the Arians felt they were right, they would speak openly.

' But,' say they, ' we are strong, and are able to defend our heresy by our many devices.'

They would have a better answer to give, if they were able to defend it, not by artifice nor by Gentile sophisms, but by the simplicity of their faith.

If however they have confidence in it, and know it to be in accordance with the doctrines of the Church, let them openly express their sentiments; for no man when he hath lighted a candle putteth it under the bushel3, but on the candlestick, and so it gives light to all that come in.

If therefore they are able to defend it, let them record in writing the opinions above imputed to them, and expose their heresy bare to the view of all men, as they would a candle, and let them openly accuse the Bishop Alexander, of blessed memory, as having unjustly ejected ¢ Arius for professing these opinions; and let them blame the Council of Nicea for putting forth a written corfession of the true faith in place of their impiety.

But they will not do this, I am sure, for they are not so ignorant of the evil nature of those notions which they have invented and are ambitious of sowing abroad; but they know well enough, that although they may at first lead astray the simple by vain deceit, yet their imaginations will soon be extinguished, 'as the light of the ungodly 4" and themselves branded everywhere as enemies of the Truth.

Therefore although they do all things foolishly, and speak as fools, yet in this at least they have acted wisely, as 'children of this world 5,' hiding their candle under the bushel, that it may be supposed to give light, and lest, if it appear, it be condemned and extinguished.

Thus when Arius himself, the author of the heresy, and the associate of Eusebius, was summoned through the interest of Eusebius and his fellows to appear before Constantine Augustus of blessed memory ®, and was required to present a written declaration of his faith, the wily man wrote one, but kept out of sight the peculiar expressions of his impiety, and pretended, as the Devil did, to quote the simple words of Scripture, just as they are written.

And when the blessed Constantine said to him, 'If thou 2 Orat. ii. 18—72; Prov. viii. 22.

3 Ps, cxvi. 16, &e.

4 de Decr. 14.

5 John i. 14.

6 De Syn. 26, and note.

7 eidos, ibid. § 52, note.

8 Orat. i. 20, note.

9 John v, 17.

T Isa, 1. 22, cf. Orat. ili, § 35, also de Decr. 10 end.

2 Ps, lili. x.

4 Infr. § 21, note.

4® Job xviii. 5.

6 Vid. Letter 54.

3 Matt. v. 15.

5 Luke xvi. 8.

TO THE BISHOPS OF EGYPT.

holdest no other opinions in thy mind besides these, take the Truth to witness for thee; the of their opinions, and like the serpent flatter with the words of their lips.

For, though they thus write, they have associated with them those who were formerly rejected with Arius, such as Secundus of Pentapolis, and the clergy who were convicted at Alexandria; and thay write to them in Alexandria.

But what is most astonishing, they have caused us and our friends to be persecuted, although the most religious Emperor Constantine sent us back in peace to our country and Church, and shewed his concern for the harmony of the people.

But now they have caused the Churches to be given up to these men, thus proving to all that for their sake the whole conspiracy against us and the rest has been carried on from the beginning.

Lord is thy avenger if thou swear falsely :' the unfortunate man swore that he held no other, and that he had never either spoken or thought otherwise than as he had now written.

But as soon as he went out he dropped down, as if paying the penalty of his crime, and ' falling headlong burst asunder in the midst 7.'

19. Significance of the death of Arius.

'Death, it is true, is the common end of all men, and we ought not to insult the dead, though he be an enemy, for it is uncertain whether the same event may not happen to ourselves before evening. But the end of Arius was not after an ordinary manner, and therefore it deserves to be related.

Eusebius and his fellows threatening to bring him into the Church, Alexander, the Bishop of Constantinople, resisted them ; but Arius trusted to the violence and menace of Eusebius.

It was the Sabbath, and he expected to join communion on the following day.

There was therefore a great struggle between them ; the others threatening, Alexander praying.

But the Lord being judge of the case, decided against the unjust 20.

While they are friends of Arius, in vain their moderate words.

Now while such is their conduct, how can they claim credit for what they write?

Had the opinions they have put in writing been orthodox, they would have expunged from their list of books the Thalia of Arius, and have rejected the scions of the heresy, viz. those disciples of Arius, and the partners of his impiety and his punishment.

But since they do not renounce these, it is manifest to all that their sentiments are not orthodox, though they write them over ten thousand times?.

Wherefore it becomés us to watch, party: for the sun had not set, when the necessities of nature compelled him to that place, where he fell down, and was forthwith deprived of communion with the Church and of his life together.

The blessed Constantine hearing of this at once, was struck with wonder to find him thus convicted of perjury.

And indeed it was then evident to all that the threats of Eusebius and his fellows had proved of no avail, and the hope of Arius had become vain.

It was shewn too that the Arian madness was rejected from communion by our Saviour both here and in the Church of the first-born in heaven. lest some deception be conveyed under the clothing of their phrases, and they lead away certain from the true faith.

And if they venture to advance the opinions of Arius, when they see themselves proceeding in a prosperous course, nothing remains for us but to use great boldness of speech, remembering the predictions of the Apostle, which he wrote to forewarn us of such like heresies, and which Now who will not wonder to see the unrighteous ambition of these men, whom the Lord has condemned ;—to see them vindicating the heresy which the Lord has pronounced excommunicate (since He did not suffer its author to enter into the Church), and not fearing that which is written, but attempting impossible things?

'For the Lord of hosts hath purposed, and who shall disannul it*?" and whom God hath condemned, who shall justify?

Let them however in defence of their own imaginait becomes us to repeat.

For we know that, as it is written, 'in the latter times some shall depart from the sound faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils, that turn from the truth?;' and, 'as many as will live godly in Christ shall suffer persecution.

But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived.'

But none of these things shall prevail over us, nor 'separate us from the love of Christ 3,' though the heretics threaten us with death.

For we are Christians, not Arians+; would tions write what they please; but do you, brethren, as ' bearing the vessels of the Lord9,' and vindicating the doctrines of the Church, examine this matter, I beseech you; and if they write in other terms than those above recorded as the language of Arius, then condemn them as hypocrites, who hide the poison eS Oe peers rick LO 10) 8 Pete hth pe that they too, who have written these things, had not embraced the doctrines of Arius!

Yea, brethren, there is need now of such boldness of speech; for we have not received 'the SD a aaa 2 Cf. De Syn.6,9.

22 Tim. iv. 1; Tit. i. 145 2 Tim, iii. 12.

3 Rom. viii. 35.

4 Orat. i. 2, To. v Acts i. 18, 8 Is. xiv. 27.

9 Is. lii. xx.

AD EPISCOPOS &GYPTI.

teachings against this impiety, and now enjoy in Christ the glorious reward of their confession! Wherefore, let us also, considering that this struggle is for our all, and that the choice is now before us, either to deny or to preserve the faith, let us also make it our earnest care and aim to guard what we have. received, taking as our instruction the Confession drawn up at Niczea, and let us turn away from novelties, and teach our people not to give heed to spirit of bondage again to fear 5,' but God hath called us 'to hberty®'

And it were indeed disgraceful to us, most disgraceful, were we, on account of Arius or of those who embrace and advocate his sentiments, to destroy the faith which we have received from our Saviour through His Apostles.

Already very many in these parts, perceiving the craftiness of these writers, are ready even unto blood to oppose their wiles, especially since they have heard of your firmness.

And seeing that the refutation of the heresy has gone forth from you', and it has been drawn forth from its concealment, like a serpent from his hole, the Child that Herod sought to destroy is preserved among you, and the Truth lives in you, and the Faith thrives among you.

'seducing spirits,' but altogether to withdraw from the impiety of the Arian madmen, and from the coalition which the Meletians have made with them.

22. Coalition of sordid Meletians with insane Arians.

For you perceive how, though they were formerly at variance with one another, they have now, like Herod and Pontius, agreed together in order to blaspheme our Lord Jesus

Christ.

And for this they truly deserve the hatred of every man, because they were at enmity with one another on private grounds, but have now become friends and join hands, in their hostility to the Truth and their impiety towards God.

Nay, they are content to do or suffer anything, however contrary to their principles, for the satisfaction of securing their several aims; the Meletians for the sake of pre-eminence and the mad love of money, and the Arian madmen for their own impiety.

And thus by this coalition they are able to assist one another in their malicious designs, while the Meletians put on the impiety of the Arians, and the Arians from their own wickedness concur in their baseness, so that by thus mingling together their respective crimes, like the cup of Babylon **, they may carry on their plots against the orthodox worshippers of our

Lord Jesus Christ.

The wickedness and falsehood of the Meletians were indeed even before this evident unto all men; so too the impiety and godless heresy of the Arians have long been known everywhere and to all; for the period of their existence has not been a short one.

The former became schismatics five and fifty years ago, and it is thirty-six years since the latter were pronounced heretics, and they were rejected from the Church by the judgment of the whole Ecumenic Council.

But by their present proceedings they have proved at length, even to those who seem openly to favour them, that they have carried on their

21. Zo make a stand for the Faith equivalent to martyrdom.

Wherefore I exhort you, keeping in your hands the confession which was framed by the Fathers at Niczea, and defending it with great zeal and confidence in the Lord, be ensamples to the brethren everywhere, and shew them that a struggle is now before us in support of the Truth against heresy, and that the wiles of the enemy are various. For the proof of a martyr lies® not only in refusing to burn incense to idols; but to refuse to deny the Faith is also an illustrious testimony of a good conscience.

And not only those who turned aside unto idols were condemned as aliens, but those also who betrayed the Truth.

Thus Judas was degraded from the Apostolical office, not because he sacrificed to idols, but because he proved a traitor ; and Hymeneus and Alexander fell away not by betaking themselves to the service of idols, but because they 'made shipwreck concerning the faith.'

On the other hand, the Patriarch Abraham received the crown, not because he suffered death, but because he was faithful unto God ; and the other

Saints, of whom Paul speaks ®, Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephtha, David and Samuel, and the rest, were not made perfect by the shedding of their blood, but by faith they were justified ; and to this day they are the objects of our admiration, as being ready even to suffer death for piety towards the Lord.

And if one may add an instance from our own country, ye know how the blessed Alexander contended even unto death against this heresy, and what great afflictions and labours, old man as he was, he sustained, until in extreme age he also was gathered to his fathers.

And how many beside have undergone . great toil, in their I x Tim. iv. x.

™ Rey. xviii. 6.

2 This amodeiéus or declaration is ascribed to S, Alexander (as Montfaucon would explain it, supr. introd. p. 222). Cf..42. A723, above, §§ 18, 19. It should be observed that an additional reason for assigning this Letter to the year 356, is its resemblance in parts to the Orations which were written not long after.

[This is not a strong reason, there being no proof that the Orations were written early in the exile.] j 5 Rom. viii. 15.

6 Gal. v. 13.

7 i.e. from E 8 Vid. Suicer Thes. in voc, papt. ili. [D.C.A, ree aad feet 91 Tim. i. 19.

10 Heb. xi. 32, &c.

TO THE BISHOPS OF EGYPT.

ourselves with them, but chose rather to be persecuted by them, than to imitate the conduct of Judas.

And assuredly they have done what they threatened ; for after the manner of Jezebel, they engaged the treacherous Meletians to assist them, knowing how the latter resisted the blessed martyr Peter, and after: him the great Achillas, and then Alexander, of blessed memory, in order that, as being practised in such matters, the Meletians might pretend against us also whatever might be suggested to them, while Eusebius and his fellows gave them an-opening for persecuting and for seeking to kill me.

For this is what they thirst after ; and they continue to this day to desire to shed my blood.

But of these things I have no care; for I know and am persuaded that they who endure shall receive a reward from our Saviour; and that ye also, if ye endure as the Fathers did, and shew yourselves examples to 'the people, and overthrow these strange and alien devices of impious men, shall be able to glory, and say, We have 'kept the Faith7;' and ye shall receive the 'crown of life,' which God 'hath promised to them that love Him?

And God grant that I also together with you may inherit the promises, which, were given, not to Paul only, but also to all them that 'have loved the appearing 9' of our Lord, and Saviour, and God, and universal King, Jesus Christ ; through whom to the Father ,be glory and dominion in the Holy Spirit, both now and for ever, world without end**, Amen. designs against me and the rest of the orthodox Bishops from the very first solely for the sake of advancing their own impious heresy.

For observe, that which was long ago the great object of Eusebius and his fellows is now brought about.

They have caused the Churches to be snatched out of our hands, they have banished, as they pleased, the Bishops and Presbyters who refused to communicate with them ; and the people who withdrew from them they have excluded from the Churches, which they have given up into the hands of the Arians who were condemned so long ago, so that with the assistance of the hypocrisy of the Meletians they can without fear pour forth in them their impious language, and make ready, as they think, the way of deceit for Antichrist 3, who sowed among them the seeds of this heresy.

23. Conclusion.

Let them however thus dream and imagine vain things.

We know that when our gracious Emperor shall hear of it, he will put a stop to their wickedness, and they will not continue long, but according to the words of Scripture,

'the hearts of the impious shall quickly fail them4,'

But let us, as it is written, 'put on the words of holy Scripture 5,' and resist them as apostates who would set up fanaticism in the house of the Lord.

And let us not fear the death of the body, nor let us emulate their ways ; but let the word of Truth be preferred. before all things.

We also, as you all know, were formerly required® by Eusebius and his fellows either to put on their impiety, or to expect their hostility; but we would not engage

7 2 Tim. iv.

Tim. iv. 8 to (Cf. the abialcey * the end of AZol. oe Fuga, and Cwith a difference) that of Hzst. Ar. 80, contrasting that in de Decr. 32.

Dr. Bright observes that Athan. 'felt himself free to yse both forms, although at Antioch they became symbols respectively of the Arianisers and the Orthodox.'] ames i. 12.

4 Prov. x. 20, LKX.

3 De S: note ro. cua 6 Afol. Ar. § 59.

8 2 Kings xvii. 9, LXX.

APOLOGIA AD CONSTANTIUM.

Tuts address to the Emperor in defence against certain serious charges (see below) was completed about the time of the intrusion of George, who arrived at Alexandria on Feb. 24, 357.

The main, or apologetic, part of the letter was probably composed before George's actual arrival, in fact at about the same date as the encyclical letter which immediately precedes; §§ 27 and following (see 27, note 2) forming an added expostulation upon hearing of the general expulsion of Catholic Bishops, and of the outrages* at Alexandria.

It is quite uncertain whether it ever reached the emperor; whether it did so or not, his attitude toward Athanasius was in no way affected by it.

It had probably been begun with the idea of its being actually delivered in the presence of Constantius

(see §§ 3, 6, 8, 16 'I see you smile,' 22), but, although by a rhetorical fiction the form of an oral defence is kept up to the end, the concluding sections (27, 32 zzz.) shew that any such idea had been renounced before the Apology was completed.

'The first 26 sections are directed to the refutation of four personal charges, quite different from those of the earlier period, rebutted in the Apology against the Arians.

They were (1) that Athanasius had poisoned the mind of Constans against his brother (2—5).

To this Ath. replies that he had never spoken to the deceased Augustus except in the presence of witnesses, and that the history of his own movements when in the West entirely precluded any such possibility.

The third and fourth sections thus incidentally supply important details for the life of Athanasius.

(2) That he had written letters to the 'tyrant' Magnentius (6—13), a charge absurd in itself, and only to be borne out by forgery, but also amply disproved by his known affection toward Constans, the victim of the 'tyrant.'

(3) That he had (14—18) used the new church in the 'Casareum,' before it was completed or dedicated, for the Easter festival of 355 (Tillem. viii. 149).

This Athanasius admits, but pleads necessity and precedent, adding that no disrespect was intended toward the donor, nor any anticipation of its formal consecration.

(4) That he had disobeyed an imperial order to leave Alexandria and go to Italy (t9g—26, see esp. 19, n. 4, and fest. Ind. xxvi.

Constantius is at Milan July 21, 353—Gwatkin p. 292).

This charge involves the whole history of the attempts to dislodge Athanasius from Alexandria, which culminated in the events of 356.

He replies to the charge, that the summons in question had come in the form of an invitation in reply to an alleged letter of his own asking leave to go to Italy, a letter which, as his amanuenses would testify, he had never written. Of the later visit (355, Fest. Ind. xxvii.) of Diogenes, he merely says that Diogenes brought neither letter nor orders.

Syrianus, he seems to allow, had verbally ordered him to Italy (Constantius was again at Milan,—Gwatkin wc supra) but without written authority.

As against these supposed orders, Ath. had a letter from the emperor (§ 23) exhorting him to remain at Alexandria, whatever reports he might hear.

Syrianus had, at the urgent remonstrance of the clergy and people, consented to refer the matter back to Constantius (24), but without waiting to do this, he had suddenly made his famous night attack upon the bishop when holding a vigil service in the Church of Theonas.

Thereupon Athanasius had set out for Italy to lay the matter before the emperor in person

(27 ¢niz.).

But on reaching, as it would seem, the Libyan portion of his Province, he was turned back by the news of the Council of Milan, and the wholesale banishment which followed.

Here we pass to the second part of the Apology.

He explains his return to the desert by the three reports which had reached him: first, that just mentioned 3 secondly, that of further military outrages, about Easter 356 (or possibly those of George in 357, see Afol. Fug. 6; the clear statements of Fest. Ind. and Hist. Aceph. compel us? to place these in the latter year, a t See AZol. Fug. 6, note 5.

2 See also note 1, s~fz., and the discussion Prolegg. ch. ii, ¢ 8 (x).

APOLOGIA AD CONSTANTIUM.

although on @ friori grounds we might have followed Tillem., Bright, &c., in placing them in 356), and of the nomination of George; thirdly, of the letters of Constantius to the Alexandrians and to the Princes of Abyssinia.

He had accordingly gone into hiding, in fear, not of the Emperor, but of the violence of his officers, and as of bounden duty to all (32).

He concludes with an outspoken denunciation of the treatment of the virgins, and by an urgent entreaty to Constantius 'which supposes the imperial listener to be already more than half appeased' (Bright).

The Apology is the most carefully written work of Athanasius, and 'has been justly praised for its artistic finish and its rhetorical skill' as well as for the force and the sustained calmness and dignity of its diction.

(So Montfaucon, Newman, Gwatkin, &c.

Fialon, pp. 286, 292, gives some interesting examples of apparent imitation of Demosthenes in this and in the two following tracts.)

But the violent contrast between its almost affectionate respectfulness and the chilly reserve of the Afol. pro Fuga, or still more the furious invective of the Arian History, is startling, and gives a prima facte justification to Gibbon, who (vol. 3, p. 87, Smith's Ed.) charges the great bishop with simulating respect to the emperor's face while denouncing him behind his back.

But although the de Fuga (see introd. there) was written very soon after our present Apology, there is no ground for making them simultaneous, while its tone (see 4p. Pug. 26, note 7) is very different from that of the later Ast. Arian.

Doubtless much of the material for the invectives of the latter was already ancient history when the tract before us was composed.

But Constantius was the Emperor, the first personage in the Christian world, and Athanasius with the feeling of his age, with the memory of the solemn assurances he had received from the Emperor

(S$ 23, 25, 27, Apol. Ar. 51—56, Hist. Ar. 21—24), would 'hope all things,' even

' against hope,' so long as there was any apparent chance of influencing Constantius for good ; would hope in spite of all appearances that the outrages, banishments, and intrigues against the faith of Niczea were the work of the officers, the Arian bishops, the eunuchs of the Court, and not of ' Augustus' himself (see Bright, Introd. to this Apology, pp. 1xiii—lxv.),

DEFENCE BEFORE CONSTANTIUS.

respecting correspondence with the most pious Augustus, your brother Constans®, of blessed and everlasting memory (for my enemies report this of me, and have ventured to assert it in writing), the former events? are sufficient to prove this also to be untrue.

Had it been alleged by another set of persons, the matter would indeed have been a-fit subject of enquiry, but it would have required strong evidence, and open proof in presence of both parties: but when the same persons who invented the former charge, are the authors also of this, is it not reasonable to conclude from the issue of the one, the falsehood of the other?

For this cause they again conferred together in private, thinking to be able to deceive your Piety before I was aware.

But in this they failed: you would not listen to them as they desired, but patiently gave me an opportunity to make my defence.

And, in that you were not immediately moved to demand vengeance, you acted only as was righteous in a Prince, whose duty it is to wait for the defence of the injured party.

Which if you will vouchsafe to hear, I am confident that in this matter also you will condemn those reckless men, who have no fear of that God, who has

SOmnRAGes us not to speak falsely before the king 8, 1. Knowing that you have been a Christian for many years, most religious Augustus, and that you are godly by descent, I cheerfully undertake to answer for myself at this time ;— for I will use the language of the blessed Paul, and make him my advocate before you, considering that he was a preacher of the truth, and that you are an attentive hearer of his words.

With respect to those ecclesiastical matters, which have been made the ground of a conspiracy against me, it is sufficient to refer your

Piety to the testimony of the many Bishops who have written in my behalf?; enough too is the recantation of Ursacius and Valens 3, to prove to all men, that none of the charges which they set up against me had any truth in them.

For what evidence can others produce so strong, as what they declared in writing?

'We lied, we invented these things; all the accusations against Athanasius are full of falsehood.'

To this clear proof may be added, if you will vouchsafe to hear it, this circumstance, that the accusers brought no evidence against Macarius the presbyter while we were present ; but in our absence +, when they were by themselves, they managed the matter as they pleased.

Now, the Divine Law first of all, and next our own Laws 5, have expressly declared, that such proceedings are of no force whatsoever.

From these things your piety, as a lover of God and of the truth, will, I am sure, perceive that we are free from all suspicion, and will pronounce our opponents to be false accusers.

3. He never saw Constans alone.

But in truth I am ashamed even to have to defend myself against charges such as these, which I do not suppose that even the accuser himself would venture to make mention of in my presence.

For he knows full well that he speaks untruly, and that I was never so mad, so reft of my senses, as even to be open to the suspicion of having conceived any such thing.

So that had I been questioned by any other on this subject, I would not even have answered, lest, while I was making my defence, my hearers should for a time have suspended their judgment concerning me.

But to your Piety I answer with a loud and clear voice, and 2. Lhe first charge, of setting Constans against Constantius.

But as to the slanderous charge which has been preferred against me before your Grace,

T [cf. Acts xxvi. 2.] Constantius, though here called a Christian, was not baptized till his last illness, a.p. 361, and then by the Arian

Bishop of Antioch, Euzoius.

At this time he was 39 years of age.

Theodoret represents him making a speech to his whole army on one occasion, exhorting them to Baptism previous to going to war; and recommending all to go thence who could not make up their mind to the Sacranient. /7.

Z. iii. x.

Constantius, his grandfather, had rejected idolatry and acknowledged the One God, according to Eusebius, V. Cozst. i. 14, though it does not appear that he had embraced Christianity.

6 Prolegg. ch. ii.

§ 6 (3); cf. Lucifer. Of. p. gx. (ed. Ven. 1778.) Theod, 1. £. ii. 13; infr. Hist. Arian, ce at 778.) 7 Vid. Agol. contr. Arian. passim.

8 Vid. Ecclus, vii. 5, 2 Supr. Apol. Ar.

ol. Ar. 1, 58.

4 ib. 13, 27, &c.

Oe A 8 Cf. Agol, Ar. ii. 51.

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