By St. Athanasius of Alexandria
Chapter 1
Antony was an Egyptian by beginning, of noble and fairly rich mother and father. And so they themselves have been Christians and he was introduced up in a Christian means. And whereas he was a toddler, he was introduced up by his mother and father, figuring out nothing however them and their dwelling.
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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 dwell 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 grew to become haughty as a person. However he additionally obeyed his mother and father, and indulged in studying books, retaining the good thing about 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 obtained, and wished nothing extra.
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After the demise 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 demise 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 every little thing 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 toes of the apostles to distribute to the needy; what and the way nice a hope there’s 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 got 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 advantageous) in order that they might not disturb him or his sister in something. Then he bought all of the remaining movable property that he had, and having collected a ample sum of cash, he distributed it to the poor.
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He saved a bit 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 devoted virgins,—giving her to be introduced up in a home of virgins,—he himself henceforth gave himself as much as an ascetic life exterior 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 dwell 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 clever bee, and didn’t return to his place till he had seen him; after which, as if taking some provide from it on his approach 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 arms, as a result of he heard: “He who doesn’t work shouldn’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 discovered 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 every little thing in his reminiscence, and in the long run it grew to become his personal thought.
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Having this conduct, Antony was cherished 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 persistence, 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 direction of his equals in age he didn’t present himself envious, besides solely that he won’t be inferior to them in advantage; and this he did in such a means 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 fine – 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 towards 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. Normally, he woke up in his thoughts a complete whirlwind of knowledge, desirous to dissuade him from his proper alternative.
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However when the depraved one noticed himself powerless towards Antony’s determination, 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 towards the younger man, as evening time he scared him with every kind of noise, and in the course of the day he aggravated him a lot that those that watched from the facet understood {that a} combat was occurring 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 in search of some event towards 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 typically spent the entire evening with out sleeping. Ate as soon as a day after sundown. Generally even each two days, and infrequently 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 a 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 positioned not removed from the village, and having ordered one in all 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 evening 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 lots of the kinfolk 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 every 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 when 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 towards 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 fine, 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 might put on him down, however he nonetheless dares to talk towards us. Let’s proceed in one other means towards him!”.
Then at evening 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 by means of them, remodeled 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 means: 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 crushed and stung by them, groaned on account 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 will be sufficient for one in all you to return. However as a result of God has disadvantaged you of energy, due to this fact, despite the fact that you’re so many, you solely attempt to frighten me. It’s a proof of your weak point that you’ve got adopted the photographs of speechless beings.’ Being stuffed with braveness once more, he stated: “In case you can, and in case you have actually obtained energy over me, don’t delay, however assault! In case you can’t, why trouble in useless? Our religion in Christ is for us a seal and a fortress of safety”. And so they, having made many extra makes an attempt, gnashed their tooth towards him.
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However even on this case, the Lord didn’t stand apart from Antony’s wrestle, however got here to his support. For when Antony seemed 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 grew to become 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 wrestle. And after you might have stood bravely and haven’t been defeated, I’ll all the time be your protector and make you well-known all through the entire earth.’
When he heard this, he obtained 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 desirous to hinder him, threw in his means 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, talking to 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 vitally giant. However even the one who misplaced it will 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 intervene 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 determination increasingly firmly, Antony set out for the mountain. He discovered a fort down the river, abandoned and full of assorted 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 infrequently 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, by means of the roof.
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And since he didn’t enable the acquaintances who got here to him to enter inside, they, typically spending days and nights exterior, heard one thing like crowds making a noise, putting, uttering pitiful voices and crying: “Depart from us locations! What do you need to do with the desert? You’ll be able to’t stand our tips.”
At first, these exterior 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 by means of a gap and noticed nobody, they realized that they have been devils, obtained 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 means by the demons.
(to be continued)
Observe: This life was written by St. Athanasius the Nice, Archbishop of Alexandria, one yr after the demise 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 major supply for the life, exploits, virtues and creations of St. Anthony the Nice and performed an especially necessary 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.