By St. Athanasius of Alexandria
Chapter 1
Antony was an Egyptian by beginning, of noble and fairly rich mother and father. They usually themselves have been Christians and he was introduced up in a Christian manner. And whereas he was a toddler, he was introduced up by his mother and father, understanding nothing however them and their residence.
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When he grew up and have become a youth, he couldn’t bear to check worldly science, however wished to be out of the corporate of boys, having each need to stay in accordance to what’s written of Jacob, easy in his own residence.
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Thus he appeared within the Lord’s temple collectively along with his mother and father among the many believers. And he was neither frivolous as a boy, nor turned haughty as a person. However he additionally obeyed his mother and father, and indulged in studying books, retaining the advantage of them.
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Nor did he pester his mother and father, like a boy in average materials circumstances, for costly and assorted meals, nor did he search the pleasures of it, however was content material solely with what he received, and wished nothing extra.
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After the loss of life of his mother and father, he was left alone along with his little sister. And he was then about eighteen or twenty years previous. And he took care of his sister and the home alone.
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However six months had not but handed for the reason that loss of life of his mother and father, and, going as was his customized to the temple of the Lord, he mirrored, strolling concentrated in his thought, how the apostles had left all the things and adopted the Saviour; and the way these believers, in accordance to what’s written within the Acts, promoting their possessions, introduced their worth and laid it on the ft of the apostles to distribute to the needy; what and the way nice a hope there may be for such in heaven.
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Considering this to himself, he entered the temple. And it occurred then that the Gospel was being learn, and he heard how the Lord stated to the wealthy man: “If you wish to be excellent, go and promote all that you’ve and provides to the poor: and are available, observe Me, and you should have a treasure of heaven’.
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And as if he had obtained from God the reminiscence and considered the holy apostles and the primary believers, and as if the Gospel had been learn particularly for him – he instantly left the temple and gave to his fellow villagers the properties that he owned from his ancestors (he had 300 acres arable land, very superb) in order that they’d not disturb him or his sister in something. Then he offered all of the remaining movable property that he had, and having collected a adequate sum of cash, he distributed it to the poor.
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He saved slightly of the property for his sister, however after they re-entered the temple and heard the Lord talking within the Gospel: “Don’t worry about tomorrow”, he couldn’t bear it any longer – he went out and distributed this to the individuals of common state of affairs. And entrusting his sister to acquainted and trustworthy virgins,—giving her to be introduced up in a home of virgins,—he himself henceforth gave himself as much as an ascetic life outdoors his home, concentrating on himself and main an austere life. Nevertheless, at the moment there have been nonetheless no everlasting monasteries in Egypt, and no hermit knew the distant desert. Anybody who wished to deepen himself practiced alone not removed from his village.
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There was, then, in a close-by village an previous man who had led a monastic life since his youth. When Antony noticed him, he started to rival him in goodness. And from the start he too started to stay within the locations close to the village. And when he heard there of 1 who lived a virtuous life, he went and sought him like a smart bee, and didn’t return to his place till he had seen him; after which, as if taking some provide from it on his strategy to advantage, returned thither once more.
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Thus he confirmed the best need and the best zeal to train himself within the rigors of this life. He additionally labored along with his fingers, as a result of he heard: “He who doesn’t work mustn’t eat.” And no matter he earned, he spent partly on himself, partly on the needy. And he prayed with out ceasing, as a result of he had realized that we should pray with out ceasing inside ourselves. He was so cautious in studying that he didn’t miss something that was written, however retained all the things in his reminiscence, and in the long run it turned his personal thought.
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Having this conduct, Antony was beloved by everybody. And to the virtuous individuals to whom he went, he sincerely obeyed. He studied in himself the benefits and advantages of the efforts and lives of every of them. And he noticed the attraction of 1, the fidelity in prayers of one other, the tranquility of a 3rd, the philanthropy of a fourth; attended to a different within the vigil, and to a different in studying; marveled at one at his endurance, at one other at his fasting and prostrations; he imitated one other in meekness, one other in kindness. And he took be aware equally of the piety to Christ and of the love of all to at least one one other. And thus fulfilled, he returned to his place, the place he set out alone. In brief, gathering in himself the great issues from everybody, he tried to manifest them in himself.
However even in the direction of his equals in age he didn’t present himself envious, besides solely that he may not be inferior to them in advantage; and this he did in such a manner that he didn’t make anybody unhappy, however that additionally they rejoiced in him. Thus all the great individuals of the settlement, with whom he had intercourse, seeing him thus, referred to as him God-loving, and greeted him, some as a son, and others as a brother.
Chapter 2
However the enemy of excellent – the envious satan, seeing such an initiative within the younger man, couldn’t tolerate it. However what he was within the behavior of doing with everybody, he additionally undertook to do in opposition to him. And he first tempted him to show him away from the trail he had taken, by instilling in him the reminiscence of his properties, the care of his sister, the ties of his household, the love of cash, the love of glory, the pleasure of quite a lot of meals and the opposite charms of life, and eventually – the harshness of the benefactor and the way a lot effort is required for it. To this he added his bodily weak point and the very long time to realize the objective. Typically, he woke up in his thoughts a complete whirlwind of knowledge, eager to dissuade him from his proper selection.
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However when the depraved one noticed himself powerless in opposition to Antony’s choice, and greater than that – defeated by his firmness, overthrown by his sturdy religion, and fallen by his unyielding prayers, then he proceeded to combat with different weapons in opposition to the younger man, as night time time he scared him with all types of noise, and through the day he irritated him a lot that those that watched from the aspect understood {that a} combat was happening between the 2. One instilled impure ideas and concepts, and the opposite, with the assistance of prayers, turned them into good ones and strengthened his physique with fasting. This was Antony’s first battle with the satan and his first feat, nevertheless it was extra of a feat of the Savior in Antony.
However neither did Antony let free the evil spirit subdued by him, nor did the enemy, being defeated, stop to put ambushes. As a result of the latter saved prowling round like a lion on the lookout for some event in opposition to him. That’s the reason Antony determined to accustom himself to a stricter way of life. And so he devoted himself a lot to the vigil that he usually spent the entire night time with out sleeping. Ate as soon as a day after sundown. Typically even each two days, and sometimes as soon as each 4 days he took meals. On the similar time, his meals was bread and salt, and his drink was solely water. There isn’t any want to speak about meat and wine. For sleeping, he was content material with a reed mat, most frequently mendacity on the naked floor.
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When he had thus restrained himself, Antony went to the cemetery, which was situated not removed from the village, and having ordered considered one of his acquaintances to carry him bread hardly ever – as soon as in lots of days, he entered one of many tombs. His acquaintance closed the door behind him and he remained alone inside.
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Then the depraved one, not having the ability to bear this, got here one night time with a complete crowd of evil spirits and beat and pushed him a lot that he left him mendacity on the bottom dumbfounded with grief. The following day the acquaintance got here to carry him bread. However as quickly as he opened the door and noticed him mendacity on the bottom like a useless man, he picked him up and carried him to the village church. There he laid him on the bottom, and most of the kin and villagers sat round Antony as round a useless man.
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When at midnight Antony got here to himself and awoke, he noticed that each one have been asleep, and solely the acquaintance was awake. Then he nodded to him to return to him and requested him to select him up and take him again to the cemetery with out waking anybody. So he was carried away by that man, and after the door was closed, as earlier than, he was once more left alone inside. He had no energy to face up due to the blows, however he lay down and prayed.
And after the prayer he stated in a loud voice: “Right here I’m – Anthony. I don’t run away out of your blows. Even in case you beat me some extra, nothing will separate me from my love for Christ.” After which he sang: “If even a complete regiment have been arrayed in opposition to me, my coronary heart wouldn’t be afraid.”
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And so, the ascetic thought and uttered these phrases. And the evil enemy of excellent, amazed that this man, even after the blows, dared to return to the identical place, referred to as his canine and, bursting with anger, stated: “See that with blows you don’t we may put on him down, however he nonetheless dares to talk in opposition to us. Let’s proceed in one other manner in opposition to him!”.
Then at night time they made such a loud noise that the entire place appeared to shake. And the demons appeared to break down the 4 partitions of the pitiful little room, giving the impression that they have been invading via them, reworked into the type of animals and reptiles. And instantly the place was stuffed with visions of lions, bears, leopards, bulls, snakes, asps and scorpions, wolves. And every of them moved in its personal manner: the lion roared and wished to assault him, the bull pretended to poke him with its horns, the snake crawled with out reaching him, and the wolf tried to pounce on him . And the voices of all these ghosts have been horrible, and their fury horrible.
And Antonius, as if overwhelmed and stung by them, groaned because of the bodily pains he was experiencing. However he saved a cheerful spirit and, mocking them, stated: “If there was any energy in you, it could be sufficient for considered one of you to return. However as a result of God has disadvantaged you of energy, due to this fact, despite the fact that you might be so many, you solely attempt to frighten me. It’s a proof of your weak point that you’ve adopted the pictures of speechless beings.’ Being stuffed with braveness once more, he stated: “Should you can, and when you’ve got actually obtained energy over me, don’t delay, however assault! Should you can not, why trouble in useless? Our religion in Christ is for us a seal and a fortress of safety”. They usually, having made many extra makes an attempt, gnashed their tooth in opposition to him.
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However even on this case, the Lord didn’t stand except for Antony’s battle, however got here to his support. For when Antony regarded up, he noticed as if the roof have been opened, and a ray of sunshine got here all the way down to him. And at that hour the demons turned invisible. And Antonius sighed, relieved from his torment, and requested the imaginative and prescient that appeared, saying: “The place have been you? Why didn’t you come from the start to finish my torment?”. And a voice was heard to him: “Antony, I used to be right here, however I used to be ready to see your battle. And after you may have stood bravely and haven’t been defeated, I’ll at all times be your protector and make you well-known all through the entire earth.’
When he heard this, he received up and prayed. And he strengthened a lot that he felt that he had extra energy in his physique than he had earlier than. And he was then thirty-five years previous.
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The following day he emerged from his hiding place and was even higher located. He went to the forest. However once more the enemy, seeing his zeal and eager to hinder him, threw in his manner a false picture of a giant silver dish. However Antony, having understood the crafty of the depraved one, stopped. And seeing the satan contained in the dish, he rebuked him, chatting with the dish: “The place within the desert is the dish? This street is untrodden and there’s no hint of human footsteps. If it fell from somebody, it couldn’t have gone unnoticed, as a result of it is rather giant. However even the one who misplaced it could return, search for it and discover it, as a result of the place is abandoned. This trick is of the satan. However you’ll not intrude with my good will, satan! As a result of this silver should go to destruction with you!”. And no sooner had Antony stated these phrases than the dish disappeared like smoke.
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And following his choice increasingly more firmly, Antony set out for the mountain. He discovered a fort down the river, abandoned and full of varied reptiles. He moved there and stayed there. And the reptiles, as in the event that they have been chased by somebody, instantly ran away. However he fenced off the doorway and put bread there for six months (that is what the Tivians do and sometimes the bread stays undamaged for a complete yr). You additionally had water inside, so he established himself as in some impenetrable sanctuary and remained alone inside, with out him going out or seeing anybody coming there. Solely twice a yr did he obtain the bread from above, via the roof.
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And since he didn’t permit the acquaintances who got here to him to enter inside, they, usually spending days and nights outdoors, heard one thing like crowds making a noise, placing, uttering pitiful voices and crying: “Depart from us locations! What do you need to do with the desert? You possibly can’t stand our tips.”
At first, these outdoors thought that these have been some individuals who have been combating with him and that they entered him by some stairs. However after they peered via a gap and noticed nobody, they realized that they have been devils, received scared and referred to as Antony. He heard them instantly, however he was not afraid of the devils. And having approached the door, he invited the individuals to go and to not be afraid. For, stated he, the devils like to play such pranks on those that are afraid. “However you cross your self and go quietly, and allow them to play.” And they also went, fixed with the signal of the cross. And he stayed and was not harmed in any manner by the demons.
(to be continued)
Word: This life was written by St. Athanasius the Nice, Archbishop of Alexandria, one yr after the loss of life of Rev. Anthony the Nice († January 17, 356), i.e. in 357 on the request of Western monks from Gaul ( d. France) and Italy, the place the archbishop was in exile. It’s the most correct main supply for the life, exploits, virtues and creations of St. Anthony the Nice and performed an especially essential position within the institution and flourishing of monastic life each within the East and within the West. For instance, Augustine in his Confessions speaks of the sturdy affect of this life on his conversion and enchancment in religion and piety.
