PROLOGUE

PROOIMION

YOU have entered upon a noble rivalry with the monks of Egypt by your determination either to equal or surpass them in your ascetical practice of virtue.  For now there are monasteries among you, and the name of” monks” receives public recognition.  Your determination is justly to be praised; and may God bring it to perfection through your prayers.

¹Agaqh\n aÀmillan e)nesth/sasqe pro\j tou\j e)n Ai¹gu/pt% monaxou\j, hÃtoi pariswqh=nai, hÄ kaiì u(perba/llesqai tou/touj proelo/menoi tv= kat' a)reth\n u(mw½n a)skh/sei.  Kaiì ga\r kaiì par' u(miÍn loipo\n monasth/ria, kaiì to\ tw½n monaxw½n oÃnoma politeu/etai. Tau/thn me\n ouÅn th\n pro/qesin dikai¿wj aÃn tij e)paine/seie, kaiì eu)xome/nwn u(mw½n, o( Qeo\j teleiw¯seien:

         Now since you asked me to give you an account of the blessed Antony’s way of life, and you wish to learn how he began to practice asceticism, what [kind of man] he was previous to this, how he closed his life, and whether the things told of him are true, that you also may bring yourselves to imitate him, I very readily accepted your request. 

e)peidh\ de\ a)pvth/sate kaiì par' e)mou= periì th=j politei¿aj tou= makari¿ou  ¹Antwni¿ou, maqeiÍn qe/lontej oÀpwj te hÃrcato th=j a)skh/sewj, kaiì ti¿j hÅn pro\ tau/thj, kaiì o(poiÍon eÃsxe tou= bi¿ou to\ te/loj, kaiì ei¹ a)lhqh= ta\ periì au)tou= lego/mena/ e)stin, iàna kaiì pro\j to\n e)kei¿nou zh=lon e(autou\j a)ga/ghte: meta\ pollh=j proqumi¿aj e)deca/mhn to\ par' u(mw½n e)pi¿tagma. 

        1. Antony was of the Egyptian race: his parents were of good family and wealthy; and since they were Christians he was also brought up as a Christian.  As a child he was raised by his parents, knowing nothing but them and his home. But as he grew, attaining boyhood and advancing in years, he could not abide learning letters, nor did he wish to associate with other boys; rather, his whole desire was (as it is written of Jacob) to live a simple life at home (Gen 25:27) 

1. ¹Antw¯nioj ge/noj me\n hÅn Ai¹gu/ptioj, eu)genw½n de\ gone/wn kaiì periousi¿an au)ta/rkh kekthme/nwn, kaiì  Xristianw½n au)tw½n oÃntwn, Xristianikw½j a)nh/geto kaiì au)to/j. Kaiì paidi¿on me\n wÔn, e)tre/feto para\ toiÍj goneu=si, ple/on au)tw½n kaiì tou= oiãkou mhde\n eÀteron ginw¯skwn: e)peidh\ de\ kaiì au)ch/saj e)ge/neto paiÍj, kaiì proe/kopte tv= h(liki¿#, gra/mmata me\n maqeiÍn ou)k h)ne/sxeto, boulo/menoj e)kto\j eiånai kaiì th=j pro\j tou\j paiÍdaj sunhqei¿aj: th\n de\ e)piqumi¿an pa=san eiåxe, kata\ to\ gegramme/non periì tou= ¹IakwÜb, w¨j aÃplastoj oi¹keiÍn e)n tv= oi¹ki¿# au)tou=.

        With his parents he used to attend church, and he neither showed a child’s lack of interest; nor when older did he despise such things. Rather, he was obedient to his father and mother and attentive to what was read, [carefully] keeping in his heart what was profitable in what he heard.  And though as a child brought up in moderate affluence, he did not trouble his parents for varied or luxurious food, nor was this a source of pleasure to him. Instead, he was content simply with what he found [before him] and sought nothing further.

Sunh/geto me/ntoi meta\ tw½n gone/wn e)n t%½ Kuriak%½: kaiì ouÃte w¨j paiÍj e)r)r(#qu/mei, ouÃte w¨j tv= h(liki¿# proko/ptwn katefro/nei: a)lla\ kaiì toiÍj goneu=sin u(peta/sseto, kaiì toiÍj a)nagnw¯smasi prose/xwn, th\n e)c au)tw½n w©fe/leian e)n e(aut%½ dieth/rei.  OuÃte de\ pa/lin w¨j paiÍj e)n metri¿# periousi¿# tugxa/nwn h)nw¯xlei toiÍj goneu=si poiki¿lhj kaiì polutelou=j eÀneka trofh=j, ouÃte ta\j e)k tau/thj h(dona\j e)zh/tei: mo/noij de\ oiâj huÀrisken h)rkeiÍto, kaiì ple/on ou)de\n e)zh/tei.

        2.  After the death of his parents he was left alone with his only little sister: his age was about eighteen or twenty, and he was now responsible for the care of both his home and his sister.  less than six months after the death of his parents he  went to church, as he was accustomed to do.  He gathered his thoughts and reflected as he walked: (1)  how the Apostles left all and followed the Saviour (Mt. 4:20); and (2)  how in the Acts they sold their possessions and brought and laid them at the Apostles’ feet for distribution to the needy (Acts 4:35); and (3) what a great hope was laid up for them in heaven. 

2.  Meta\ de\ to\n qa/naton tw½n gone/wn, au)to\j mo/noj katelei¿fqh meta\ mia=j braxuta/thj a)delfh=j: kaiì hÅn e)tw½n e)ggu\j de/ka kaiì o)ktwÜ, hÄ kaiì eiãkosi gegonwÜj, au)to/j te th=j oi¹ki¿aj kaiì th=j a)delfh=j e)fro/ntizen. OuÃpw de\ mh=nej eÁc parh=lqon tou= qana/tou tw½n gone/wn au)tou=, kaiì kata\ to\ ei¹wqo\j proerxo/menoj ei¹j to\  Kuriako\n, kaiì suna/gwn e(autou= th\n dia/noian, e)logi¿zeto peripatw½n, pw½j oi¸ me\n a)po/stoloi pa/nta katalipo/ntej h)kolou/qhsan t%½ Swth=ri: oi¸ de\ e)n taiÍj Pra/cesi pwlou=ntej ta\ e(autw½n eÃferon kaiì e)ti¿qoun para\ tou\j po/daj tw½n a)posto/lwn, ei¹j dia/dosin tw½n xrei¿an e)xo/ntwn, ti¿j te kaiì po/sh tou/toij e)lpiìj e)n ou)ranoiÍj a)po/keitai.

IF YOU would be perfect, go and sell all you have and give it to the poor; and come follow me, and you shall have treasure in heaven. (Mt. 19:21)

     And all the rest of their movable holdings he sold, and having received a large amount of money for them, he gave it to the poor, reserving only a little for his sister.

  Ta\ de\ aÃlla oÀsa hÅn au)toiÍj kinhta\, pa/nta pwlh/saj, kaiì sunagagwÜn a)rgu/rion i¸kano\n, de/dwke toiÍj ptwxoiÍj, thrh/saj o)li¿ga dia\ th\n a)delfh/n.

     Then he devoted himself to the ascetic life near his home, taking heed to himself and training himself with patience.  For there were not yet many monasteries in Egypt, and no monk knew anything of the distant desert; but all who wished to give heed to themselves practised asceticism in solitude near their own village. 

 au)to\j pro\ th=j oi¹ki¿aj e)sxo/laze loipo\n tv= a)skh/sei, prose/xwn e(aut%½ kaiì karterikw½j e(auto\n aÃgwn.  OuÃpw ga\r hÅn ouÀtwj e)n Ai¹gu/pt% sunexh= monasth/ria, ou)d' oÀlwj vÃdei monaxo\j th\n makra\n eÃrhmon, eÀkastoj de\ tw½n boulome/nwn e(aut%½ prose/xein ou) makra\n th=j i¹di¿aj kw¯mhj katamo/naj h)skeiÍto.

        Now there was at that time in the next village an old man who had lived the life of a hermit from his youth onwards.  Antony, after he had seen this man, imitated him in piety.  And at first he began to abide in places outside the village. Then if he heard of a zealous person anywhere, like a wise bee, he went out to seek them, not returning to his own place until he had seen them.  And he returned, having received from them, as it were, supplies for his journey in the path of virtue.

åHn toi¿nun e)n tv= plhsi¿on kw¯mv to/te ge/rwn, e)k neo/thtoj to\n monh/rh bi¿on a)skh/saj: tou=ton i¹dwÜn ¹Antw¯nioj, e)zh/lwsen e)n kal%½: kaiì prw½ton me\n hÃrcato kaiì au)to\j me/nein e)n toiÍj pro\ th=j kw¯mhj to/poij. Ka)keiÍqen eiã pou tina\ spoudaiÍon hÃkouen, proerxo/menoj e)zh/tei tou=ton w¨j h( sofh\ me/lissa: kaiì ou) pro/teron ei¹j to\n iãdion to/pon a)ne/kampten, ei¹ mh\ tou=ton e(wra/kei, kaiì wÐsper e)fo/dio/n ti th=j ei¹j a)reth\n o(dou= par' au)tou= labwÜn, e)panv/ei.

        So dwelling there at first, he confirmed his purpose not to return to his ancestral home, nor to the recollection of his relatives; but to keep all his desire and energy for perfecting his asceticism.  But he worked with his hands, having heard, that he who is idle should not eat. (2Th 3:10)   Part of his earnings he spent on bread and part he gave to the needy. And he was constant in prayer, knowing that a man ought to pray in secret (Mt 6:7) unceasingly (1Th 5:17) . 

¹EkeiÍ toi¿nun ta\j a)rxa\j diatri¿bwn, th\n dia/noian e)sta/qmizen, oÀpwj pro\j me\n ta\ tw½n gone/wn mh\ e)pistre/fhtai, mhde\ tw½n suggenw½n mnhmoneu/v: oÀlon de\ to\n po/qon kaiì pa=san th\n spoudh\n eÃxv periì to\n to/non th=j a)skh/sewj. Ei¹rga/zeto gou=n taiÍj xersiìn, a)kou/saj: ¸O de\ a)rgo\j mhde\ e)sqie/tw: kaiì to\ me\n [26.845] ei¹j to\n aÃrton, to\ de\ ei¹j tou\j deome/nouj a)nh/liske.  Proshu/xeto de\ sunexw½j, maqwÜn, oÀti deiÍ kat' i¹di¿an proseu/xesqai a)dialei¿ptwj. .

        4.  And comporting himself in this way, Antony was loved by all.  He subjected himself in sincerity to the pious men he visited, and learned thoroughly where each surpassed him in zeal and discipline.  He observed: 

4.  OuÀtw me\n ouÅn e(auto\n aÃgwn, h)gapa=to para\ pa/ntwn o( ¹Antw¯nioj: au)to\j de\ toiÍj spoudai¿oij, pro\j ouÁj a)ph/rxeto, gnhsi¿wj u(peta/sseto, kaiì kaq' e(auto\n e(ka/stou to\ pleone/kthma th=j spoudh=j kaiì th=j a)skh/sewj katema/nqane:

(1) the graciousness of one;

(2)  the intense prayer of another;

(3) he studied one person’s freedom from anger

(4) and another’s love of humankind;

(5) he gave heed to one as he kept vigil,

(6) to another’s love of study;

(7) one he admired for his endurance,

(8) another for his fasting and sleeping on the ground;

(9) he carefully watched the gentleness of one

(10) and the patient endurance of another;

(11) while in all he took note of their piety towards Christ

(12) and their love for one another. (Rom 13:8) 

kaiì tou= me\n to\ xari¿en,

tou= de\ to\ pro\j ta\j eu)xa\j su/ntonon e)qew¯rei:

kaiì aÃllou me\n to\ a)o/rghton,

aÃllou de\ to\ fila/nqrwpon kateno/ei:

kaiì t%½ me\n a)grupnou=nti,

t%½ de\ filologou=nti proseiÍxe:

kaiì to\n me\n e)n karteri¿#,

to\n de\ e)n nhstei¿aij kaiì xameuni¿aij e)qau/maze:

kaiì tou= me\n th\n prao/thta,

tou= de\ th\n makroqumi¿an parethreiÍto:

pa/ntwn de\ o(mou= th\n ei¹j to\n Xristo\n eu)se/beian,

kaiì th\n pro\j a)llh/louj a)ga/phn e)shmeiou=to: 

        5.  But the devil, who hates and envies what is good, could not endure to see such a resolution in a youth, but endeavoured to carry out against him what he was accostomed effect against others.  First of all he tried to lead him away from the asceticism, whispering to him the remembrance of  his wealth, care for his sister, claims of kindred, love of money, love of glory, the different pleasures of the table and the other relaxations of life, and at last the difficulty of virtue and the labour of it. He suggested also the infirmity of the body and the length of the time.  In a word he raised in his mind a great dust of debate, wishing to keep him from his set purpose.

5.  ¸O de\ miso/kaloj kaiì fqonero\j dia/boloj ou)k hÃnegken o(rw½n e)n newte/r% toiau/thn pro/qesin. ¹All' oiâa memele/thke poieiÍn, e)pixeireiÍ kaiì kata\ tou/tou pra/ttein: [26.848] kaiì to\ me\n prw½ton e)pei¿razen au)to\n a)po\ th=j a)skh/sewj katagageiÍn, u(poba/llwn mnh/mhn tw½n kthma/twn, th=j a)delfh=j th\n khdemoni¿an, tou= ge/nouj th\n oi¹keio/thta, filarguri¿an, filodoci¿an, trofh=j th\n poiki¿lhn h(donh\n, kaiì ta\j aÃllaj a)ne/seij tou= bi¿ou, kaiì te/loj to\ traxu\ th=j a)reth=j, kaiì w¨j polu\j au)th=j e)stin o( po/noj: tou= te sw¯matoj th\n a)sqe/neian u(peti¿qeto, kaiì tou= xro/nou to\ mh=koj. Kaiì oÀlwj polu\n hÃgeiren au)t%½ koniorto\n logismw½n e)n tv= dianoi¿#, qe/lwn au)to\n a)posxoini¿sai th=j o)rqh=j proaire/sewj

        The one would suggest foul thoughts and the other would counter them with prayers. The one would fire him with lust, while the other, with a sense of shame, would  fortify his body with faith, prayers, and fasting.  And one night the wretched devil even took on the shape of a woman and imitated all her acts simply to lead Antony astray.  But he, his mind filled with Christ and the nobility that comes from, considered the spiritual state of the soul, and thus quenched the glowing coal of the other’s deceit.  And now the enemy suggested the ease of pleasure.  But [Antony] was quite reasonably angered and grieved; and he turned his thoughts to the threatened fire and the gnawing worm (cf. Mk 9:48)  .  And setting these in array against his adversary, passed through unscathed

. ¸O me\n ga\r u(pe/balle logismou\j r(uparou\j, o( de\ taiÍj eu)xaiÍj a)ne/trepe tou/touj: kaiì o( me\n e)garga/lizen, o( de\, w¨j e)ruqri#=n dokw½n, tv= pi¿stei kaiì taiÍj eu)xaiÍj kaiì nhstei¿aij e)tei¿xize to\ sw½ma: kaiì o( me\n dia/boloj u(pe/menen o( aÃqlioj kaiì w¨j gunh\ sxhmati¿zesqai nukto\j, kaiì pa/nta tro/pon mimeiÍsqai, mo/non iàna to\n ¹Antw¯nion a)path/sv: o( de\ to\n Xristo\n e)nqumou/menoj, kaiì th\n di' au)to\n eu)ge/neian, kaiì to\ noero\n th=j yuxh=j logizo/menoj, a)pesbe/nnue to\n aÃnqraka th=j e)kei¿nou pla/nhj. Pa/lin te o( me\n e)xqro\j u(pe/balle to\ leiÍon th=j h(donh=j: o( de\, o)rgizome/n% kaiì lupoume/n% e)oikwÜj, th\n a)peilh\n tou= puro\j kaiì tou= skw¯lhkoj to\n po/non e)nequmeiÍto: kaiì a)ntitiqeiìj tau=ta, die/baine tou/twn a)blabh/j.

         All this was a source of shame to his enemy.  For he who had regarded himself like God was now mocked by a young man; and he who arrogantly disdained flesh and blood was being put to flight by a man of flesh.  For the Lord was working with Antony-the Lord who for our sake took flesh and gave the body victory over the devil, so that all who truly fight can say, Not I but the grace of God with me. (I Cor 15:10) [...]

åHn de\ tau=ta pa/nta pro\j ai¹sxu/nhn gino/mena tou= ^[26.849] e)xqrou=. ¸O ga\r nomi¿saj oÀmoioj gene/sqai Qe%½ u(po\ neani¿skou nu=n e)pai¿zeto: kaiì o( sarko\j kaiì aiàmatoj katakauxw¯menoj u(po\ a)nqrw¯pou sa/rka forou=ntoj a)netre/peto. Sunh/rgei ga\r o( Ku/rioj au)t%½, o( sa/rka di' h(ma=j fore/saj, kaiì t%½ sw¯mati dou\j th\n kata\ tou= diabo/lou ni¿khn: wÐste tw½n oÃntwj a)gwnizome/nwn eÀkaston le/gein: < Ou)k e)gwÜ de\, a)ll' h( xa/rij tou= Qeou= h( su\n e)moi¿.>

     But Antony having learned from the Scriptures that the devices of the devil are many (Eph 6:11), zealously continued the asceticism, reckoning that though the devil had not been able to deceive his heart by bodily pleasure, he would endeavour to ensnare him by other means.  For the demon loves sin.  Thus more and more he repressed the body and kept it in subjection (I Cor 9:27), lest having once conquered he should then be dragged down.  He therefore planned to accustom himself to a severer way of life.

Perih/rxeto ga\r pa/lin w¨j le/wn, zhtw½n tina pro/fasin kat' au)tou=. ¸O de\ ¹Antw¯nioj, maqwÜn e)k tw½n Grafw½n polla\j eiånai ta\j meqodei¿aj tou= e)xqrou=, sunto/nwj e)ke/xrhto tv= a)skh/sei, logizo/menoj, oÀti, ei¹ kaiì mh\ iãsxuse th\n kardi¿an e)n h(donv= sw¯matoj a)path=sai, peira/sei pa/ntwj di' e(te/raj e)nedreu=sai meqo/dou: eÃsti ga\r filamarth/mwn o( dai¿mwn. Ma=llon ouÅn kaiì ma=llon u(pepi¿aze to\ sw½ma kaiì e)doulagw¯gei, mh/pwj, e)n aÃlloij nikh/saj, e)n aÃlloij u(posurv=. Bouleu/etai toi¿nun sklhrote/raij a)gwgaiÍj e(auto\n e)qi¿zein.

      (1) His vigils were such that he often continued throughout the night without sleep; and this not once but often, to the amazement of others.  (2) He ate once a day after sunset, and sometimes [only] once in two days, and often he partook [of food only] once in four days. (3) His food was bread and salt, his drink, water only. (4) There is no need to even mention meat and wine, since no such thing could be found among the other devotees.

  h)gru/pnei ga\r tosou=ton, w¨j polla/kij kaiì oÀlhn th\n nu/kta diateleiÍn au)to\n aÃu+pnon: kaiì tou=to de\ ou)x aÀpac, a)lla\ kaiì pleista/kij poiw½n e)qauma/zeto. ãHsqie/ te aÀpac th=j h(me/raj meta\ du/sin h(li¿ou: hÅn d' oÀte kaiì dia\ du/o, polla/kij de\ kaiì dia\ tessa/rwn metela/mbane. Kaiì [26.853] hÅn au)t%½ h( trofh\ aÃrtoj kaiì aÀlaj: kaiì to\ poto\n uÀdwr mo/non. Periì ga\r krew½n kaiì oiãnou peritto/n e)sti kaiì le/gein: oÀpou ge ou)de\ para\ toiÍj aÃlloij spoudai¿oij hu(ri¿sketo/ ti toiou=ton. 

    He recalled, too, the voice of the prophet Elijah, the Lord lives in whose presence I stand to-day. (1Ki 18:15)  For he observed that in saying ‘to-day’ the prophet did not count the time that had passed: but daily, as though always starting over, he eagerly strove to make himself fit to appear before God, being pure in heart and ever ready to submit to His counsel, and to Him alone.  And he used to say to himself that in the great Elijah’s way of life the ascetic ought to see his own life, as in a mirror.

 mnhmoneu/wn te kaiì th=j fwnh=j tou= profh/tou  ¹Hli¿ou le/gontoj: Zv= Ku/rioj, %Ò pare/sthn e)nw¯pion au)tou= sh/meron. ParethreiÍto ga\r, oÀti, sh/meron le/gwn, ou)k e)me/trei to\n parelqo/nta xro/non: a)ll' w¨j a)rxh\n a)eiì kataballo/menoj, kaq' h(me/ran e)spou/dazen e(auto\n parista/nein toiou=ton, oiâon xrh\ fai¿nesqai t%½ Qe%½, kaqaro\n tv= kardi¿#, kaiì eÀtoimon u(pakou/ein t%½ boulh/mati au)tou=, kaiì mhdeniì aÃll%. ãElege de\ e)n e(aut%½, deiÍn to\n a)skhth\n e)k th=j politei¿aj tou= mega/lou ¹Hli¿ou katamanqa/nein, w¨j e)n e)so/ptr% to\n e(autou= bi¿on a)ei¿.