Life of Antony 82–94
Greek text: PG 26.English: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), public domain (CC0). Compare: Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 2, vol. 4 (1892).
Chapter 82
82PG 26:957a–960b
Τοιοῦτος δὴ οὖν γινωσκόμενος, καὶ οὕτω πρὸς τοὺς ἀπαντῶντας ἀποκρινόμενος, ὑπέστρεφε πάλιν εἷς τὸ ἔνδον ὄρος. Καὶ τῆς μὲν συνήθους ἀσκήσεως εἴχετο· πολλάκις δὲ μετὰ τῶν εἶʼσερχομὲνων πρὸς αύτὸν καθεζόμενος, καὶ περιπατῶν, ἀπηνεοῦτο, ὡς ἐν τῷ Δανιὴλ γέγραπται. Καὶ αὐτὸς μὶν μεθʼ ὥρας ὡμίλει τὰ ἀκόλουθα τοῖς συνοῦσιν ἀδελφοῖς αύτῷ· οἱ δὲ συνόντες ᾐσθάνοντό τινα θεωρίαν αὐτὸν βλέπειν. Καὶ γὰρ καὶ τὰ ἓν Αἰγύπτῳ γινόμενα πολλάκις, ἐν τῷ ὀρει τυγχάνων ἔβλεπε καὶ διηγήσατο Σαραπίωνι τῷ ἐπισκόπῳ, ἔνδον ὄντι καὶ βλέποντι τὸν Ἀντώνιον ἀσχοληθέντα τῇ ὀπτασίᾳ. Ποτὲ γοῦν καθεζόμενος καὶ ἐργαζόμενος, ὥσπερ ἐν ἐκστάσει γὲγονε, καὶ πολὺς ἦν ἐν τῇ θεωρίᾳ στενάζων. Εἶτα μεθʼ ὥραν στραφεὶς πρὸς τοὺς συνόντας, ἐστέναζε, καί ἔντρομος γενόμενος, ηὔχετο, καὶ κάμπτων τὰ γόνατα, διέμενεν ἐπὶ πολύ. Καὶ ἀναστὰς ἔκλαιεν ὁ γέρων. Ἕντρομοι τοίνυν γενόμενοι οἱ συνόντες, καὶ πάνυ φοβηθέντες, ἠξίουν μαθεῖν παρʼ αὐτοῦʼ καὶ πολὺ διώχλησαν ἕως βιασθεὶς εἷίπῃ. Ὁ δὲ καὶ οὕτω μέγα στενάξας. Ὠ τὲκνα, βέλτιον, ἔλεγεν, αποθανεῖν, πρὸ τοῦ γενέσθαι τὰ τῆς θεωρίας. Τῶν δὲ πάλιν ἀξιούντων, δακρύσας ἔλεγε, Μέλλει τὴν Ἐκκλησίαν ὀργὴ καταλαμβάνειν, καὶ μέλλει παραδίδοσθαι ἀνθρώποις ὁμοίοις ἀλόγοις κτήνεσιν. Εἶδον γὰρ τὴν τράπεζαν τοῦ Κυριακοῦ, καὶ περὶ αὐτὴν ἑστῶτας ἡμιόνους κύκλῳ πανταχόθεν, καὶ λακτίζοντας τὰ ἔνδον οὕτως, ὡς ἂν ἀτάκτως σκιρτώντων κτηνῶν γένοιτο λακτίσματα. Πάντως δὲ ᾔσθεσθε, φησὶ, πῶς ἐστέναζον· ηκουσα γὰρ φωνῆς λεγούσης· Βδελυχθήσεται τὸ θυσιαστήριόν μου. Ταῦτα εἶδεν ὁ γέρων· καὶ μετά δύο ἔτη γέγονεν ἡ νῦν ἔφοδος των Ἀρειανῶν, καῖ ἡ ἁρπαγὴ τῶν ἐκκλησιῶν, ὅτε καὶ τὰ σκεύη μετὰ βίας ἁρπάσαντες, διʼ ἐθνικῶν ἐποίουν βαστάζεσθαι· ὅτε καὶ τοὺς ἐθνικοὺς ἀπὸ τῶν ἐργαστηρίων ἠνάγκαζον συνάγεσθαι μεθʼ αὐτῶν· καὶ παρόντων αὐτῶν ἔπραττον ἐπὶ τῆς τραπέζης ὡς ἤθελον. Τότε πάντες ἡμεῖς ἐπέγνωμεν, ὅτι τὰ λακτίσματα τῶν ἡμιόνων ταῦτα προεμήνυε τῷ ’Δντωνίῳ, ἃ νῦν οἱ ’Δρειανοὶ ἀλόγως πράττουσιν ὡς τὰ κτήνη. Ὠς δὲ ταύτην εἶδε τὴν Θεωρίαν, τοὺς συνόντας παρεκάλεσε, λέγων. Μὴ ἀθυμεῖτε, τέκνα· ὥσπερ γὰρ ὠργίσθη ὁ Κύριος, οὕτω πάλιν ἰάσεται. Καὶ πάλιν ταχέως ἀπολήψεται τὸν ἑαυτῆς κόσμον ἡ Ἐκκλησία, καὶ συνήθως ἀναλάμψει· καὶ ὄψεσθε τοὺς διωχθέντας ἀποκαθισταμένους, καὶ την μὶν ἀσέβειαν πάλιν εἰς τοὺς ἰδίους φωλεοὺς ἀναχωροῦσαν, τήν δὲ εὐσεβῆ πίστιν παρρησιαζομένην μετᾶ πάσης ἐλευθερίας πανταχοῦ· μόνον μὴ μιάνητε
Toioutos dē oun ginōskomenos, kai houtō pros tous apantōntas apokrinomenos, hypestrephe palin heis to endon oros. Kai tēs men synēthous askēseōs eicheto; pollakis de meta tōn eiʼserchomenōn pros auton kathezomenos, kai peripatōn, apēneouto, hōs en tǭ Daniēl gegraptai. Kai autos min methʼ hōras hōmilei ta akoloutha tois synousin adelphois autǭ; hoi de synontes ę̄sthanonto tina theōrian auton blepein. Kai gar kai ta hen Aigyptǭ ginomena pollakis, en tǭ orei tynchanōn eblepe kai diēgēsato Sarapiōni tǭ episkopǭ, endon onti kai bleponti ton Antōnion ascholēthenta tę̄ optasią. Pote goun kathezomenos kai ergazomenos, hōsper en ekstasei gegone, kai polys ēn en tę̄ theōrią stenazōn. Eita methʼ hōran strapheis pros tous synontas, estenaze, kai entromos genomenos, ēucheto, kai kamptōn ta gonata, diemenen epi poly. Kai anastas eklaien ho gerōn. Hentromoi toinyn genomenoi hoi synontes, kai pany phobēthentes, ēxioun mathein parʼ autouʼ kai poly diōchlēsan heōs biastheis heiipę̄. Ho de kai houtō mega stenaxas. Ō tekna, beltion, elegen, apothanein, pro tou genesthai ta tēs theōrias. Tōn de palin axiountōn, dakrysas elege, Mellei tēn Ekklēsian orgē katalambanein, kai mellei paradidosthai anthrōpois homoiois alogois ktēnesin. Eidon gar tēn trapezan tou Kyriakou, kai peri autēn hestōtas hēmionous kyklǭ pantachothen, kai laktizontas ta endon houtōs, hōs an ataktōs skirtōntōn ktēnōn genoito laktismata. Pantōs de ę̄sthesthe, phēsi, pōs estenazon; ēkousa gar phōnēs legousēs; Bdelychthēsetai to thysiastērion mou. Tauta eiden ho gerōn; kai meta dyo etē gegonen hē nyn ephodos tōn Areianōn, kai hē harpagē tōn ekklēsiōn, hote kai ta skeuē meta bias harpasantes, diʼ ethnikōn epoioun bastazesthai; hote kai tous ethnikous apo tōn ergastēriōn ēnankazon synagesthai methʼ autōn; kai parontōn autōn epratton epi tēs trapezēs hōs ēthelon. Tote pantes hēmeis epegnōmen, hoti ta laktismata tōn hēmionōn tauta proemēnye tǭ ’Dntōniǭ, ha nyn hoi ’Dreianoi alogōs prattousin hōs ta ktēnē. Ōs de tautēn eide tēn Theōrian, tous synontas parekalese, legōn. Mē athymeite, tekna; hōsper gar ōrgisthē ho Kyrios, houtō palin iasetai. Kai palin tacheōs apolēpsetai ton heautēs kosmon hē Ekklēsia, kai synēthōs analampsei; kai opsesthe tous diōchthentas apokathistamenous, kai tēn min asebeian palin eis tous idious phōleous anachōrousan, tēn de eusebē pistin parrēsiazomenēn meta pasēs eleutherias pantachou; monon mē mianēte
Being known as such a man, and answering those who came to him in this way, he returned again to the inner mountain and kept to his usual discipline. Often, when he was sitting or walking with those who came to him, he fell silent, as it is written in Daniel; and after an hour he would go on with what he had been saying to the brothers who were with him; and those with him perceived that he was seeing some vision. For often, while he was on the mountain, he saw things happening in Egypt, and he told them to Bishop Serapion, who was inside with him and saw Antony absorbed in the vision. Once, while sitting and working, he became as though in ecstasy, and groaned much during the vision. Then after an hour he turned to those with him, groaned, and, trembling, prayed, and remained a long time on his knees. When he rose, the old man wept. Those with him, trembling and very afraid, asked to learn from him, and pressed him hard until he was compelled to speak. Then, groaning deeply, he said: ‘Children, it would be better to die before what is in the vision comes to pass.’ When they asked again, he said, weeping: ‘Wrath is about to overtake the church, and it is about to be handed over to men like irrational beasts. For I saw the table of the Lord’s house, and mules standing around it in a circle on every side, kicking at the things inside, as beasts would kick when leaping about in disorder. You surely noticed how I groaned; for I heard a voice saying, “My altar shall be defiled.”’ This is what the old man saw; and two years later came the present assault of the Arians and the seizure of the churches, when they took the vessels by force and had them carried off by pagans; when they compelled pagans from the workshops to assemble with them, and in their presence did what they pleased upon the table. Then we all recognized that the kicking of the mules had foretold to Antony what the Arians are now doing, senselessly, like beasts. When he had seen this vision, he comforted those with him, saying: ‘Do not lose heart, children; for as the Lord has been angry, so he will heal again. The church will soon recover its own order and shine as before; and you will see those who were persecuted restored, impiety withdrawing again to its own lairs, and the pious faith speaking out boldly everywhere with all freedom. Only do not defile …’
Dan 4:19 (allusion, medium confidence) · Mal 1:7 (echo, low confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Antony saw distant events in visions, including mules kicking at the Lord’s table, which foretold the Arian seizure of the churches; he promised that the church would be restored.
- “As it is written in Daniel”: Daniel was speechless for a time (Dan 4:19). The Arian seizure of the churches of Alexandria took place under Gregory of Cappadocia (339) or George (356); which is meant is uncertain. The source of “My altar shall be defiled” is uncertain.
- The chapter breaks off in the scan (marked “…”). The account of the Arians is Athanasius’s polemic, translated as written.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR: misread letter; OCR: misread letters; OCR: stray letter; OCR: stray mark; OCR: word split; OCR: words joined): εἷʼχετοο → εἴχετο·; ὡμίλειτᾶ ἀκόλουθα → ὡμίλει τὰ ἀκόλουθα; Αῗʼγύπτῳ → Αἰγύπτῳ; γλὲποντι → βλέποντι; ΙΙοτὶ γοῦν → Ποτὲ γοῦν; ἐργαζόμεννς → ἐργαζόμενος; ὶστὲναζε → ἐστέναζε; γύνατα → γόνατα; ΙΙάτως δὲ ᾔσθεσθε → Πάντως δὲ ᾔσθεσθε; εἴ ἐν ὁ γὲρωνʼ → εἶδεν ὁ γέρων·; ἐκκληο σιῶν → ἐκκλησιῶν; βαστάζεσθαιο → βαστάζεσθαι·; ἰπὶ τῆς τραπὲζης → ἐπὶ τῆς τραπέζης; -ὅτι τὰ λακτίσματα → ὅτι τὰ λακτίσματα; προ· εμήνυε → προεμήνυε; ἀνα· χωροῦσαν → ἀναχωροῦσαν.
Topics: Heresy, Persecution
Cite (SBL): Athanasius, V. Ant. 82 (PG 26:957a–960b; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-vita-antonii/82/#p-82).
BibTeX · RIS (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-athanasius-vita-antonii-82) · Report an error
Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek of Migne's Patrologia Graeca (scan OCR, corrections logged; lines lost in the scan marked …), then compared section by section with the public-domain English of NPNF² 4 (Robertson, 1892); differences checked against the Greek.
Chapter 83
83PG 26:960b
Τοιαῦτα μὶν τὰ τοῦ Ἀντωνίου. Οὐ δεῖ δὲ ἡμᾶς ἀπιστεῖν, εἱ διʼ ἀνθρώπου τοσαῦτα γέγονε θαύματα. Τοῦ γὰρ Σωτῆρός ἐστιν ἐπαγγελία, λεγοντος· Ἐὰν ἔχητε πίστιν ὡς κόκκον σινάπεως, ἐρεῖτε τῷ ὄρει τούτῳ· Μετάβηθι ἐντεῦθεν, καὶ μεταβήσεται· καὶ οὐδὶν ἀδυνατήσει ὑμῖν. Καὶ πάλιν· ’Λμήν, ἀμὴν λέγω ὑμῖν· ἐάν τι αἰτήσητε τὸν Πατέρα ἐν τῷ ὀνόματί μου, δώσει ὑμῖν. Αἰτεῖτε, καὶ λήψεσθε. Καί αὐτός ἐστιν ὁ τοῖς μαθηταῖς λέγων, καὶ πᾶσι τοῖς πιστεύουσιν εἷς αὐτον· Ἀσθενοῦντας θε-
Toiauta min ta tou Antōniou. Ou dei de hēmas apistein, hei diʼ anthrōpou tosauta gegone thaumata. Tou gar Sōtēros estin epangelia, legontos; Ean echēte pistin hōs kokkon sinapeōs, ereite tǭ orei toutǭ; Metabēthi enteuthen, kai metabēsetai; kai oudin adynatēsei hymin. Kai palin; ’Lmēn, amēn legō hymin; ean ti aitēsēte ton Patera en tǭ onomati mou, dōsei hymin. Aiteite, kai lēpsesthe. Kai autos estin ho tois mathētais legōn, kai pasi tois pisteuousin heis auton; Asthenountas the-
Such were the deeds of Antony. We must not disbelieve that so many wonders came about through a man. For it is the Savior’s promise, who said: ‘If you have faith like a grain of mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, “Move from here,” and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you.’ And again: ‘Truly, truly I say to you, whatever you ask the Father in my name, he will give you. Ask, and you will receive.’ And it is he who says to his disciples and to all who believe in him: ‘Heal the sick …’
Matt 17:20 (quotation, high confidence) · John 16:23–24 (quotation, high confidence) · Matt 10:8 (quotation, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Antony’s miracles should not be doubted, for Christ promised such power to those who believe and ask in his name.
- The chapter breaks off in the scan (marked “…”).
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR: misread accent; OCR: misread breathing, stray mark; OCR: misread letter; OCR: stray letter): άπιστεῖν. → ἀπιστεῖν,; λέγω ὑμῖνι → λέγω ὑμῖν·; Πατᾶρα → Πατέρα; Αἷτεῖτε → Αἰτεῖτε.
Cite (SBL): Athanasius, V. Ant. 83 (PG 26:960b; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-vita-antonii/82/#p-83).
BibTeX · RIS (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-athanasius-vita-antonii-83) · Report an error
Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek of Migne's Patrologia Graeca (scan OCR, corrections logged; lines lost in the scan marked …), then compared section by section with the public-domain English of NPNF² 4 (Robertson, 1892); differences checked against the Greek.
Chapter 84
84PG 26:961a–961c
Οὐ προστάττων γοῦν ἐθεράπευεν 6 Ἀντώνιος, ἀλλʼ εὐχόμενος καὶ τὸν Χριστὸν ὀνομάζων ὡς πᾶσι φανερὸν γενέσθαι, ὅτι οὐκ ἦν αὐτὸς ὁ ποιῶν, ἀλλʼ ὁ Κύριος, διʼ Ἀντωνίου φιλανθρωπευόμενος, καὶ θεραπεύων τοὺς πάσχοντας. Ἀντωνίου δὲ μόνον ἡ εὑχή καὶ ἡ ἄσκησις, ἧς ἕνεκεν ἐν τῷ ὄρει καθήμενος, ἔχαιρε μὲν τῇ τῶν θείων θεωρίᾳ, ἐλυπεῖτο δὲ διοχλούμενος ὑπὸ πολλῶν καὶ ἑλκόμενος εις τὸ ὅρος τὸ ἔξω. Καὶ γὰρ καὶ δικασταὶ πάντες ἠξίουν ἀπὸ τοῦ ὅρους αύτὸν κατέρχεσθαι, ἐπεὶ μὴ δυνατὸν ἧν αὑτοὺς εἰσελθεῖν ἐκεῖ, διὰ τοὺς ἀκολουθοῦντας τῶν δικαζομένων. Ἠξίουν δὲ ὅμως, ’ίνα ἔλθῃ καὶ μὸνον αὐτὸν ἴδωσιν · αὐτὸς μὲν οὗν ἐξετρέπετο καὶ παρῃτεῖτο τὰς πρὸς τούτους ὁδούς· οἱ δὲ ἐπέμενον, καὶ μᾶλλον τοὺς ὑπευθύνους ὄντας ὑπὸ στρατιώτας προσέπεμπον · ’ίνα κᾶν διὰ τὴν ἐκείνων πρόφασιν κατέλθῃ. Πάσχων οὖν ἀνάγκην, καὶ ὁρῶν αὐτοὺς ἀδυρομένους, ἤρχετο μὲν εἷς τὸ ὅρος τὸ ἔξω · οὐκ ἀνωφελὴς δὲ πάλιν ἦν ὁ σκυλμὸς αὐτοῦ· πολλοῖς μὲν γὰρ είς ὄνησιν ἐγίνετο, καὶ εἷς εὐεργεσίαν ἡ ἄφιξις αὐτοῦ. Τοὺς δὲ δικαστὰς ὠφέλει, συμβουλεύων πάντων μᾶλλον προκρίνειν τὸ δίκαιον · καὶ φοβεῖσθαι τὸν Θεὸν, καὶ εἰδέναι, ὅτι ᾧ κρίματι κρίνουσι, κριθήσονται. Πλὴν τήν ἐν τῷ ὄρει διατριβήν πάντων μᾶλλον ἠγάπα.
Ou prostattōn goun etherapeuen 6 Antōnios, allʼ euchomenos kai ton Christon onomazōn hōs pasi phaneron genesthai, hoti ouk ēn autos ho poiōn, allʼ ho Kyrios, diʼ Antōniou philanthrōpeuomenos, kai therapeuōn tous paschontas. Antōniou de monon hē heuchē kai hē askēsis, hēs heneken en tǭ orei kathēmenos, echaire men tę̄ tōn theiōn theōrią, elypeito de diochloumenos hypo pollōn kai helkomenos eis to horos to exō. Kai gar kai dikastai pantes ēxioun apo tou horous auton katerchesthai, epei mē dynaton hēn hautous eiselthein ekei, dia tous akolouthountas tōn dikazomenōn. Ēxioun de homōs, ’ina elthę̄ kai monon auton idōsin ; autos men houn exetrepeto kai parę̄teito tas pros toutous hodous; hoi de epemenon, kai mallon tous hypeuthynous ontas hypo stratiōtas prosepempon ; ’ina kan dia tēn ekeinōn prophasin katelthę̄. Paschōn oun anankēn, kai horōn autous adyromenous, ērcheto men heis to horos to exō ; ouk anōphelēs de palin ēn ho skylmos autou; pollois men gar eis onēsin egineto, kai heis euergesian hē aphixis autou. Tous de dikastas ōphelei, symbouleuōn pantōn mallon prokrinein to dikaion ; kai phobeisthai ton Theon, kai eidenai, hoti hǭ krimati krinousi, krithēsontai. Plēn tēn en tǭ orei diatribēn pantōn mallon ēgapa.
Antony healed, then, not by commanding, but by praying and naming Christ, so that it was clear to all that it was not he who did it, but the Lord, showing his love for humanity through Antony and healing the sufferers. Only the prayer and the discipline were Antony’s own. For their sake he stayed on the mountain, rejoicing in the contemplation of divine things, but grieved at being troubled by many and drawn away to the outer mountain. For all the judges too asked him to come down from the mountain, since it was impossible for them to go there because of the litigants who followed them. They asked him to come so that they might at least see him. He avoided them and declined the journeys to them; but they persisted, and even sent to him under military escort those who were on trial, so that he might come down at least for their sake. Under this compulsion, and seeing them lamenting, he would come to the outer mountain; and again his trouble was not without benefit, for his coming was of help and benefit to many. He helped the judges, counseling them to put justice before everything, to fear God, and to know that with the judgment with which they judge they will be judged. But more than anything he loved his life on the mountain.
Matt 7:2 (quotation, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Antony healed by prayer in Christ’s name, not by command, and though he loved solitude he came down when needed to counsel judges to do justice.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR: 6 for ὁ; OCR: Latin letters; OCR: misread accent; OCR: misread breathing; OCR: misread letter; OCR: misread letters; OCR: stray letter): ’Av'ruS-_ νιος → Ἀντώνιος; δτι οὐκ ἧν → ὅτι οὐκ ἦν; ἔχάιρε → ἔχαιρε; δισκασταὶ → δικασταὶ; ὁδούς ° οἷ δὲ → ὁδούς· οἱ δὲ; οἱΞν ἀνάγκην → οὖν ἀνάγκην; αὐτοῦ ο πολλοῖς → αὐτοῦ· πολλοῖς; ἠ ἄφιξις → ἡ ἄφιξις; προκρίνεῐν → προκρίνειν; εῗδέναι → εἰδέναι; οτίῳ κρίματι → ᾧ κρίματι; διατριοήν → διατριβήν; τὸς 6 ποι → τὸς ὁ ποι; λλʼ 6 Κύρ → λλʼ ὁ Κύρ.
Topics: Prayer
Cite (SBL): Athanasius, V. Ant. 84 (PG 26:961a–961c; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-vita-antonii/82/#p-84).
BibTeX · RIS (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-athanasius-vita-antonii-84) · Report an error
Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek of Migne's Patrologia Graeca (scan OCR, corrections logged; lines lost in the scan marked …), then compared section by section with the public-domain English of NPNF² 4 (Robertson, 1892); differences checked against the Greek.
Chapter 85
85PG 26:961c–964a
Ποτὲ οὖν βίαν τοιαύτην παθὼν παρὰ τῶν χρείαν ἐχόντων, καὶ τοῦ στρατηλάτου διὰ πολλῶν ἀξιώσαντος αὐτὸν κατελθεῖν ἐλθὼν, καὶ ὁμιλήσας ὀλίγα, τὰ εἷς σωτηρίαν φθάνοντα, καὶ περὶ τῶν δεομένων, ἠπείγετο. Τοῦ δὲ λεγομένου δουκὸς ἀξιοῦντος αὐτὸν ἐμβραδύνειν, ἔλεγε μὴ δύνασθαι χρονίζειν μετʼ αὐτῶν, καὶ παραδείγματι χαρίεντι τοῦτον ἔπειθε λέγων· Ὥσπερ οἱ ἰχθύες ἐγχρονίζοντες τῇ ξηρᾷ γῇ τελευτῶσιν, οὕτως οἱ μοναχοί βραδύνοντες μεθʼ ὑμῶν, καὶ παρʼ ὑμῖν ἐκδιατρίβοντες ἐκλύονται. Δεῖ οὖν, ὥσπερ τὸν ἰχθὺν εἷς τήν θάλασσαν, οὕτως ἡμᾶς εἰς τὸ ὅρος ἐπείγεσθαι · μήποτε ἐμβραδύνοντες, ἐπιλαθώμεθα τῶν ἔνδον· Ἀκούσας δὶ ὁ στρατηλάτης ταῦτα παρʼ αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἕτερα πολλὰ, θαυμάσας, ἔλεγεν, ἀληθῶς εἶναι τοῦτον δοῦλον τοῦ Θεοῦ· πόθεν γὰρ ἰδιώτῃ τοιοῦτος καὶ τοσοῦτος νοῦς, εἶ μή ἦν ἀγαπώμενος ὑπὸ τοῦ Θεοῦ ;
Pote oun bian toiautēn pathōn para tōn chreian echontōn, kai tou stratēlatou dia pollōn axiōsantos auton katelthein elthōn, kai homilēsas oliga, ta heis sōtērian phthanonta, kai peri tōn deomenōn, ēpeigeto. Tou de legomenou doukos axiountos auton embradynein, elege mē dynasthai chronizein metʼ autōn, kai paradeigmati charienti touton epeithe legōn; Hōsper hoi ichthyes enchronizontes tę̄ xērą gę̄ teleutōsin, houtōs hoi monachoi bradynontes methʼ hymōn, kai parʼ hymin ekdiatribontes eklyontai. Dei oun, hōsper ton ichthyn heis tēn thalassan, houtōs hēmas eis to horos epeigesthai ; mēpote embradynontes, epilathōmetha tōn endon; Akousas di ho stratēlatēs tauta parʼ autou, kai hetera polla, thaumasas, elegen, alēthōs einai touton doulon tou Theou; pothen gar idiōtę̄ toioutos kai tosoutos nous, ei mē ēn agapōmenos hypo tou Theou ?
Once, then, when he suffered such pressure from those in need, and the military commander had asked him many times to come down, he came, said a few words bearing on salvation and on those who needed him, and hurried to leave. When the duke, as he is called, asked him to stay longer, he said that he could not stay long with them, and persuaded him with a charming comparison, saying: ‘As fish die if they stay a long time on dry land, so monks who linger with you and spend their time among you lose their strength. So, as the fish must hurry back to the sea, we must hurry back to the mountain, lest by lingering we forget the things within.’ Hearing this and much else from him, the commander marveled and said that this man was truly a servant of God; for how could an unlettered man have such great understanding, unless he were loved by God?
Notes and citation
Summary: Pressed to stay by a military commander, Antony replied that monks out of the desert are like fish out of water.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR: 6 for ὁ; OCR: Latin letters; OCR: lost letter; OCR: misread accent; OCR: misread ending; OCR: misread letter; OCR: misread letters; OCR: stray letter; OCR: words displaced between lines, misread letters): ΙΙοτὲ οὖν → Ποτὲ οὖν; δεομὲσων → δεομένων; ἀξιοὗντος → ἀξιοῦντος; τοῦτον ίΩσπερ oi. ῗγθύες ἐγχρονίζοντες τῇ ἔπειθε λέγων ξηρᾷ γῇ → τοῦτον ἔπειθε λέγων· Ὥσπερ οἱ ἰχθύες ἐγχρονίζοντες τῇ ξηρᾷ γῇ; πορʼ ὑμῖν → παρʼ ὑμῖν; ιιλαθώμεθα → ἐπιλαθώμεθα; ιῦτα παρʼ αὐτοῦ → ταῦτα παρʼ αὐτοῦ; ἔλεiV, → ἔλεγεν,; Θεοῦ ο πόθεν → Θεοῦ· πόθεν; ῑιώτῃ → ἰδιώτῃ; ἀγαπώμενοι → ἀγαπώμενος; δὶ 6 στρ → δὶ ὁ στρ.
Cite (SBL): Athanasius, V. Ant. 85 (PG 26:961c–964a; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-vita-antonii/82/#p-85).
BibTeX · RIS (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-athanasius-vita-antonii-85) · Report an error
Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek of Migne's Patrologia Graeca (scan OCR, corrections logged; lines lost in the scan marked …), then compared section by section with the public-domain English of NPNF² 4 (Robertson, 1892); differences checked against the Greek.
Chapter 86
86PG 26:964a–964d
Εἷς δὲ τις στρατηλάτης, Βαλάκιος δὲ ἧν ὄνομα αὐτῷ, πικρῶς ἐδίωκεν ἡμᾶς τοὺς Χριστιανοὺς διὰ τὴν ὑπὲρ τὼν δυσωνύμων Ἀρειανῶν σπουδήν. Καὶ τοιδὴ τοσοῦτον ἦν ὠμὸς, ὡς καὶ παρθένους τύπτειν, καὶ μονάζοντας γυμνοῦν καὶ μαστίζειν · ἀποστέλλει πρὸς αὐτὸν ὁ Ἀντώνιος, καὶ γράφει τοιοῦτον ἔχουσαν νοῦν ἐπιστολήν ‘ Ὀρῶ ὀργὴν ἐπερχομένην ἐπὶ παῦσαι οῦν διώκων Χριστιανοὺς, μή ποτέ σε ἡ ὀργή καταλάβῃ · μέλλει γὰρ ἤδη ἐπὶ σὲ ἔρχεσθαι. Ὁ δὲ Βαλάκιος, γελάσας, τήν μὲν ἐπιστολὴν ἔρριψε χαμαὶ, πτύσας εἷς αὐτὴν, τοὺς δὲ κομίσαντας ὕλρισε, __--_-..-(\ __- ).______-l\\ Α... ’Δμ-...1-ν -..ε-ε--- - vm___5_s αραγγείλας ἀπαγγέλλειν Ἀντωνίῳ ταῦτα· Ἐπειδὴ φροντίζεις περὶ τῶν μοναχῶν, ἤδη καί σε μετελεύσομαι. Καὶ οὗ παρῆλθον ἡμέραι πέντε, καὶ κατέλαβεν αὐτὸν ἡ ὀργή. Εἰς γὰρ τὴν πρώτην μονὴν ’Δλεξανδρείας τὴν λεγομένην Χαιρέου ἐξῆλθεν αὐτός τε 6 Βαλάκιος καὶ Νεστόριος 6 ἔπαρχος τῆς Αἰγύπτου, καὶ ἀμφότεροι μὲν ἐπεκαθέζοντο ἵπποις ° ἦσαν δὲ οὗτοι ἴδιοι τοῦ Βαλακίου, καὶ πραότατοι πάντων τῶν τρεφομένων παρʼ αὐτῷ. Ἀλλὰ οὔπω φθασάντων αὐτῶν είς τὸν τόπον, ἤρξαντο παίειν, ὡς εἰώθασι, πρὸς ἀλλήλους καὶ ἐξαίφνης ὁ πραότερος, ᾧ ἐπεκαθέζετο Νεστόριος, δήγματι τὸν Βαλάκιον καταβαλὼν ἐπέπεσεν αὐτῷ · καὶ οὕτω τοῖς
Heis de tis stratēlatēs, Balakios de hēn onoma autǭ, pikrōs ediōken hēmas tous Christianous dia tēn hyper tōn dysōnymōn Areianōn spoudēn. Kai toidē tosouton ēn ōmos, hōs kai parthenous typtein, kai monazontas gymnoun kai mastizein ; apostellei pros auton ho Antōnios, kai graphei toiouton echousan noun epistolēn ‘ Orō orgēn eperchomenēn epi pausai oun diōkōn Christianous, mē pote se hē orgē katalabę̄ ; mellei gar ēdē epi se erchesthai. Ho de Balakios, gelasas, tēn men epistolēn erripse chamai, ptysas heis autēn, tous de komisantas hylrise, __--_-..-(\ __- ).______-l\\ A... ’Dm-...1-n -..e-e--- - vm___5_s arangeilas apangellein Antōniǭ tauta; Epeidē phrontizeis peri tōn monachōn, ēdē kai se meteleusomai. Kai hou parēlthon hēmerai pente, kai katelaben auton hē orgē. Eis gar tēn prōtēn monēn ’Dlexandreias tēn legomenēn Chaireou exēlthen autos te 6 Balakios kai Nestorios 6 eparchos tēs Aigyptou, kai amphoteroi men epekathezonto hippois ° ēsan de houtoi idioi tou Balakiou, kai praotatoi pantōn tōn trephomenōn parʼ autǭ. Alla oupō phthasantōn autōn eis ton topon, ērxanto paiein, hōs eiōthasi, pros allēlous kai exaiphnēs ho praoteros, hǭ epekathezeto Nestorios, dēgmati ton Balakion katabalōn epepesen autǭ ; kai houtō tois
A certain military commander named Balacius bitterly persecuted us Christians because of his zeal for the ill-named Arians. He was so savage that he even beat virgins and stripped and scourged monks. Antony sent to him and wrote a letter to this effect: ‘I see wrath coming upon you; so stop persecuting Christians, lest the wrath overtake you; for it is already about to come upon you.’ Balacius laughed, threw the letter on the ground and spat on it, insulted those who brought it, and … ordered them to report this to Antony: ‘Since you are concerned about the monks, I will soon come after you too.’ Five days had not passed before the wrath overtook him. For Balacius and Nestorius, the prefect of Egypt, went out to the first stage from Alexandria, called Chaereu, and both were riding horses; these belonged to Balacius and were the gentlest of all the horses he kept. But before they reached the place, the horses began to play with each other, as horses do; and suddenly the gentler one, on which Nestorius was riding, threw Balacius down with a bite and fell upon him; and so …
Notes and citation
Summary: Antony warned Balacius, a commander persecuting Christians on behalf of the Arians, of coming wrath; Balacius mocked him and within five days was mauled by a horse.
- Balacius was military commander (dux) in Egypt about 340. The account is Athanasius’s, translated as written.
- A line of the scan is noise (marked “…”), and the chapter breaks off at the end; the rest of the story is lost.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR: Latin letters, misread letter; OCR: lost letter; OCR: lost letter, 6 for ὁ; OCR: lost letters; OCR: misread and lost letters; OCR: misread article; OCR: misread letter; OCR: misread letters): ὄνοα αὐτῷ → ὄνομα αὐτῷ; διὰ ἦν ὑπὲρ → διὰ τὴν ὑπὲρ; ιὶ μονάζοντας → καὶ μονάζοντας; ρὸς αὐτὸν 6 Ἀντώνιος → πρὸς αὐτὸν ὁ Ἀντώνιος; ἔχουιν → ἔχουσαν; >γή καταλάβᾗ → ὀργή καταλάβῃ; μέλΑει γὰρ ἤδη ἐπὶ δέ ἔρχεσθαι. ι δὲ Βαλάκιος → μέλλει γὰρ ἤδη ἐπὶ σὲ ἔρχεσθαι. Ὁ δὲ Βαλάκιος; ἕῤῥϊψε αμαὶ → ἔρριψε χαμαὶ; σοντίζεις → φροντίζεις; μετκεύσεμαι → μετελεύσομαι; ἡμίραι → ἡμέραι; ιτὲλαβεν → κατέλαβεν; Εἰς γὶρ τὴν πρώτην μοὴν → Εἰς γὰρ τὴν πρώτην μονὴν; Βτός τε → αὐτός τε; Νεπόριος → Νεστόριος; ἧς Αἰγύπτου → τῆς Αἰγύπτου; τίποις → ἵπποις; πραό- LPOL πάντων τῶν τρεφομίνων → πραότατοι πάντων τῶν τρεφομένων; ήπω φθασάντων → οὔπω φθασάντων; ὁ ραότερος, ᾧ ὖπεκαθὲζετε → ὁ πραότερος, ᾧ ἐπεκαθέζετο; ιλάκιον → Βαλάκιον.
Topics: Persecution
Cite (SBL): Athanasius, V. Ant. 86 (PG 26:964a–964d; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-vita-antonii/82/#p-86).
BibTeX · RIS (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-athanasius-vita-antonii-86) · Report an error
Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek of Migne's Patrologia Graeca (scan OCR, corrections logged; lines lost in the scan marked …), then compared section by section with the public-domain English of NPNF² 4 (Robertson, 1892); differences checked against the Greek.
Chapter 87
87PG 26:964d–965b
Οὕτω μὲν οὗν τοῖς πικροτὲροις παρῄνει· τοὺς δὲ ἄλλους τοὺς πρὸς αὐτὸν ἄπαντῶντας οὕτως ἐνουθέτει, ὡς ἐπιλανθάνεσθαι παρʼ αὐτὰ τοῦ δικάζειν, καὶ μακαρίζειν τοὺς ἀναχωροῦντας ἀπὸ τοῦ βίου τούτου. Οὕτω δὲ τῶν ἀδικουμένων προῗστατο, ὡς νομίζειν μή ἄλλους, ἀλλʼ αὐτὸν εἶναι τὸν πάσχοντα. Οὕτω δὲ πάλιν πρὸς ὠφέλειαν πᾶσιν ἧν ἱκανὸς, ὡς πολλοὺς στρατευομένους, καὶ τῶν τὰ πολλά κεκτημένων, ἀποτίθεσθαι τὰ τοῦ βίου βάρη, καὶ λοιπὸν γίνεσθαι μοναχούς. Καὶ ὅλως ὥσπερ ἰατρὸς ἦν δοθεὶς παρά τοῦ Θεοῦ τῇ Αἰγύπτῳ. Τίς γὰρ λυπούμενος, ἀπήντα, καὶ οὐχ ὑπέστρεφε χαίρων ; τίς ἤρχετο Θρηνῶν διὰ τοὺς αὐτοῦ τεθνηκότας, καὶ οὐκ εὐθέως ἀπετίθετο τὸ πένθος; τίς ὀργιζόμενος ἤρχετο, καὶ οὐκ εἰς φιλίαν μετεβάλλετο; τίς πένης ἀκηδιῶν ἀπήντα, καὶ ἀκούων αὐτοῦ καὶ βλέπων αὐτὸν, οὗ κατεφρόνει τοῦ πλούτου, καὶ παρεμυθεῖτο τὴν πενίαν; τίς μοναχὸς, ὀλιγωρήσας, καὶ ἐλθὼν πρὸς αὖτὸν, οὐ μᾶλλον ἰσχυρότερος ἑγένετο; τίς νεώτερος ἐλθὼν εἰς τὸ ὅρος, καὶ θεωρήσας Ἀντώνιον, οὐκ εὐθέως ἐξηρνεῖτο τὰς ἡδονὰς, καὶ ἠγάπα σωφροσύνην; τίς ἤρχετο πρὸς αὑτὸν ὑπὸ δαίμονος πειραζόμενος, καὶ οὐκ ἀνεπαύετο; τίς δὲ ἒν λογισμοῖς ἐνοχλούμενος ἤρχετο, καὶ οὐκ ἐγαληνία τῇ διανοίᾳ;
Houtō men houn tois pikroterois parę̄nei; tous de allous tous pros auton apantōntas houtōs enouthetei, hōs epilanthanesthai parʼ auta tou dikazein, kai makarizein tous anachōrountas apo tou biou toutou. Houtō de tōn adikoumenōn proïstato, hōs nomizein mē allous, allʼ auton einai ton paschonta. Houtō de palin pros ōpheleian pasin hēn hikanos, hōs pollous strateuomenous, kai tōn ta polla kektēmenōn, apotithesthai ta tou biou barē, kai loipon ginesthai monachous. Kai holōs hōsper iatros ēn dotheis para tou Theou tę̄ Aigyptǭ. Tis gar lypoumenos, apēnta, kai ouch hypestrephe chairōn ? tis ērcheto Thrēnōn dia tous autou tethnēkotas, kai ouk eutheōs apetitheto to penthos? tis orgizomenos ērcheto, kai ouk eis philian meteballeto? tis penēs akēdiōn apēnta, kai akouōn autou kai blepōn auton, hou katephronei tou ploutou, kai paremytheito tēn penian? tis monachos, oligōrēsas, kai elthōn pros auton, ou mallon ischyroteros hegeneto? tis neōteros elthōn eis to horos, kai theōrēsas Antōnion, ouk eutheōs exērneito tas hēdonas, kai ēgapa sōphrosynēn? tis ērcheto pros hauton hypo daimonos peirazomenos, kai ouk anepaueto? tis de en logismois enochloumenos ērcheto, kai ouk egalēnia tę̄ dianoią?
So he admonished the harsher ones; and the others who came to him he counseled in such a way that they forgot their lawsuits on the spot and called blessed those who withdraw from this life. He championed those who were wronged in such a way that it seemed that not they but he himself was the one suffering. Again, he was so able to benefit everyone that many soldiers and many people of great wealth laid aside the burdens of life and became monks. In short, he was like a physician given by God to Egypt. For who came to him grieving and did not go away rejoicing? Who came mourning his dead and did not at once lay aside his grief? Who came angry and was not changed to friendship? What poor man came to him dejected, and on hearing and seeing him did not despise wealth and find comfort in his poverty? What monk who had grown negligent came to him and did not become stronger? What young man came to the mountain, saw Antony, and did not at once renounce pleasures and love self-control? Who came to him tempted by a demon and did not find rest? And who came troubled in his thoughts and did not find his mind calmed?
Notes and citation
Summary: Antony was like a physician given by God to Egypt, consoling the grieving, reconciling the angry, strengthening monks, and turning soldiers and the rich to the monastic life.
- “Counseled” translates a word garbled in the scan, by sense.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR: Latin letter; OCR: Latin letters; OCR: lost letters; OCR: misread ending; OCR: misread letter; OCR: misread letters; OCR: word split): παρῄνει ο τοὺς ιᾶλλους → παρῄνει· τοὺς δὲ ἄλλους; ἐνουttat, → ἐνουθέτει,; ιὶ μακαρίζειν → καὶ μακαρίζειν; βίου ύτου → βίου τούτου; Soθεὶς → δοθεὶς; πεο νίαν → πενίαν; σωφροσ·5νην → σωφροσύνην; τῇ διανοίας → τῇ διανοίᾳ;.
Cite (SBL): Athanasius, V. Ant. 87 (PG 26:964d–965b; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-vita-antonii/82/#p-87).
BibTeX · RIS (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-athanasius-vita-antonii-87) · Report an error
Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek of Migne's Patrologia Graeca (scan OCR, corrections logged; lines lost in the scan marked …), then compared section by section with the public-domain English of NPNF² 4 (Robertson, 1892); differences checked against the Greek.
Chapter 88
88PG 26:965b–968a
Καὶ γὰρ και τοῦτο ἦν μέγα τῆς ἀσκήσεως τοῦ Ἀντωνίου, ὅτι, καθά προεῖπον, χάρισμα διακρίσεως πνευμάτων ἔχων, έπεγίνωσκεν αὐτῶν τά κινήματα· καὶ πρὸς ὅ τις αὐτῶν εἶχε τήν σπουδὴν καὶ τήν ὁρμὴν, τοῦτο οὐκ ἠγνόει. Καὶ οὐ μόνον αὐτὸς οὐκ ἐπαίζετο παρʼ αὐτῶν, ἀλλά καὶ τοὺς ἐνοχλουμένους έν λογισμοῖς παρακαλῶν ἐδίδασκε, πῶς ἂν δύναιντο τὰς ἐκείνων ἐπιβουλὰς ἀνατρέπειν· διηγούμενος τῶν ἐνεργούντων τὰς ἀσθενείας καὶ τὰς πανουργίας. ’Έκαστος γοῦν, ὥσπερ ἐπαλειφθεὶς παρʼ αὐτοῦ, κατήρχετο καταθαρῥῶν τῶν νοημάτων τοῦ διαβόλου καὶ τῶν δαιμόνων αὐτοῦ. Πόσαι δὲ καὶ μνηστῆρας ἔχουσαι παρθένοι, καὶ μόνον ἀπὸ τοῦ πέραν ἰδοῦσαι τὸν Ἀντώνιον, ἔμειναν τῷ Χριστῷ παρθένοι. Ἤρχοντο δὲ καὶ ἀπὸ τῶν μερῶν πρὸς αὐτόν. Καὶ αὐτοὶ μετά πάντων τήν ὠφέλειαν ἐσχηκότες ὑπέστρεφον, ὡς παρά πατρὸς προπεμπόμενοι Ἀμέλει κοιμηθέντος αὐτοῦ, πάντες, ὡς ὀρφανοὶ γενόμενοι αὐτοῦ
Kai gar kai touto ēn mega tēs askēseōs tou Antōniou, hoti, katha proeipon, charisma diakriseōs pneumatōn echōn, epeginōsken autōn ta kinēmata; kai pros ho tis autōn eiche tēn spoudēn kai tēn hormēn, touto ouk ēgnoei. Kai ou monon autos ouk epaizeto parʼ autōn, alla kai tous enochloumenous en logismois parakalōn edidaske, pōs an dynainto tas ekeinōn epiboulas anatrepein; diēgoumenos tōn energountōn tas astheneias kai tas panourgias. ’Ekastos goun, hōsper epaleiphtheis parʼ autou, katērcheto katatharrhōn tōn noēmatōn tou diabolou kai tōn daimonōn autou. Posai de kai mnēstēras echousai parthenoi, kai monon apo tou peran idousai ton Antōnion, emeinan tǭ Christǭ parthenoi. Ērchonto de kai apo tōn merōn pros auton. Kai autoi meta pantōn tēn ōpheleian eschēkotes hypestrephon, hōs para patros propempomenoi Amelei koimēthentos autou, pantes, hōs orphanoi genomenoi autou
This too was a great feature of Antony’s discipline: having, as I said before, the gift of discernment of spirits, he recognized their movements, and he was not ignorant of what each of them was bent on and eager for. Not only was he himself not made sport of by them, but by encouraging those troubled in their thoughts he taught them how they could overturn the demons’ plots, describing the weaknesses and tricks of those who work them. So each one went down from him as if anointed, taking courage against the designs of the devil and his demons. How many virgins who had suitors, merely by seeing Antony from afar, remained virgins for Christ! People came to him also from foreign parts; and they too, having received benefit along with everyone else, went home as though sent off by a father. Indeed, when he fell asleep, all, as though orphaned of him, …
1 Cor 12:10 (allusion, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: With his gift of discerning spirits Antony taught others to overcome demonic temptations; many virgins chose virginity on seeing him, and all mourned him like orphans.
- The chapter breaks off in the scan (marked “…”).
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR: misread accent; OCR: misread letters; OCR: stray chapter number; OCR: words joined; OCR: words joined, misread letter): ἐπαλιφεὶς → ἐπαλειφθεὶς; καὶτῶν δαιμόνων → καὶ τῶν δαιμόνων; Πὸσαι ὃὶ → Πόσαι δὲ; παρθένοις Ἥρχοντο δὲκαὶ → παρθένοι. Ἤρχοντο δὲ καὶ; πάντῶν → πάντων; αυτοῦ. 87. → αὐτοῦ.
Cite (SBL): Athanasius, V. Ant. 88 (PG 26:965b–968a; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-vita-antonii/82/#p-88).
BibTeX · RIS (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-athanasius-vita-antonii-88) · Report an error
Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek of Migne's Patrologia Graeca (scan OCR, corrections logged; lines lost in the scan marked …), then compared section by section with the public-domain English of NPNF² 4 (Robertson, 1892); differences checked against the Greek.
Chapter 89
89PG 26:968a–968d
Οῗον δὲ καὶ τὸ τέλος αὐτῷ τοῦ βίου γέγονεν, ἄξιον κἀμὲ μνημονεῦσαι, καὶ ὑμᾶς ἀκοῦσαι ποθοῦνταςʼ καὶ τοῦτο γὰρ αὐτοῦ ζηλωτὸν γέγονε. Κατὰ τὸ εἰωθὸς ἐπεσκέπτετο τοὺς μοναχοὺς τοὺς ἐν τῷ ὄρει τῷ ἔξω, καὶ προσμαθὼν παρᾶ τῆς Προνοίας περὶ τῆς ἑαυτοῦ τελευτῆς, ἐλάλει τοῖς ἀδελφοῖς λέγων· Ταύτην ὑμῶν τὴν ἐπίσκεψιν ὑστέραν ποιοῦμαι, καὶ θαυμάζω, εί πάλιν ἑαυτοὺς έν τῷ βίῳ τούτῳ θεωρήσομεν. Καιρός ἐστι κάμὲ λοιπὸν ἀναλῦσαι· εἰμὶ γάρ ἐγγὺς ἐτῶν πέντε καὶ ἑκατόν. Οἱ μὶν οὖν ἀκούσαντες, ἔκλαιον, καὶ περιεπτύσσοντο καί κατεφίλουν τὸν γέροντα· ὁ δὲ, ὡς ἀπὸ ἀλλοτρίας εἷς ἰδίαν ἀπαίρων πόλιν, χαίρων διελέγετο καὶ παρήγγελλεν αὐτοῖς μή ὀλιγωρεῖν ἐν τοῖς πόνοις, μηδὲ έκκακεῖν έν τῇ ἀσκήσει· ἀλλʼ ὡς καθʼ ἡμέραν ἀποθνήσκοντας ζῇν· καὶ καθὰ προεῖπον σπουδάζειν τὴν ψυχὴν φυλάττειν ἀπὸ ῥυπαρῶν λογισμῶν καὶ τὸν ζῆλον ἔχειν πρὸς τοὺς ἁγίους, μὴ ἐγγίζειν δὲ Μελετιανοῖς τοῖς σχισματικοῖς· οἴδατε γὰρ αὐτῶν τήν πονηρὰν καὶ βέβηλον προαίρεσιν μηδὲ κοινωνίαν ἔχειν τινὰ πρὸς τοὺς Ἀρειανούς· καὶ γὰρ καὶ ἡ τούτων ἀσέβεια πᾶσιν ἔκδηλός ἐστι. Μηδ ἂν θεωρήσητε προϊσταμένους αὐτῶν τοὺς δικαστὰς, ταράττεσθε· παύσεται γὰρ, καὶ θνητὴ καὶ πρὸς ὀλίγον ἔστὶν αὐτῶν ἡ φαντασία. Καθαροὺς οὖν ἑαυτοὺς μᾶλλον ἀπὸ τούτων φυλάττετε, καὶ τηρεῖτε τήν τε τῶν Πατέρων, παράδοσιν, καὶ προηγουμένως τὴν εἷς τὸν Κύριον ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦν Χριστὸν εὐσεβῆ πίστιν, ἣν ἐκ τῶν Γραφῶν μὲν μεμαθήκατε, παρʼ ἐμοῦ δὶ πολλάκις ὑπεμνήσθητε.
Oïon de kai to telos autǭ tou biou gegonen, axion kame mnēmoneusai, kai hymas akousai pothountasʼ kai touto gar autou zēlōton gegone. Kata to eiōthos epeskepteto tous monachous tous en tǭ orei tǭ exō, kai prosmathōn para tēs Pronoias peri tēs heautou teleutēs, elalei tois adelphois legōn; Tautēn hymōn tēn episkepsin hysteran poioumai, kai thaumazō, ei palin heautous en tǭ biǭ toutǭ theōrēsomen. Kairos esti kame loipon analysai; eimi gar engys etōn pente kai hekaton. Hoi min oun akousantes, eklaion, kai perieptyssonto kai katephiloun ton geronta; ho de, hōs apo allotrias heis idian apairōn polin, chairōn dielegeto kai parēngellen autois mē oligōrein en tois ponois, mēde ekkakein en tę̄ askēsei; allʼ hōs kathʼ hēmeran apothnēskontas zę̄n; kai katha proeipon spoudazein tēn psychēn phylattein apo rhyparōn logismōn kai ton zēlon echein pros tous hagious, mē engizein de Meletianois tois schismatikois; oidate gar autōn tēn ponēran kai bebēlon proairesin mēde koinōnian echein tina pros tous Areianous; kai gar kai hē toutōn asebeia pasin ekdēlos esti. Mēd an theōrēsēte proïstamenous autōn tous dikastas, tarattesthe; pausetai gar, kai thnētē kai pros oligon estin autōn hē phantasia. Katharous oun heautous mallon apo toutōn phylattete, kai tēreite tēn te tōn Paterōn, paradosin, kai proēgoumenōs tēn heis ton Kyrion hēmōn Iēsoun Christon eusebē pistin, hēn ek tōn Graphōn men memathēkate, parʼ emou di pollakis hypemnēsthēte.
What the end of his life was like is worthy for me to recall and for you to hear, since you long for it; for this too has become worthy of emulation. As usual he was visiting the monks on the outer mountain, and, having learned beforehand from Providence about his own death, he spoke to the brothers, saying: ‘This is the last visit I am making to you, and I shall be surprised if we see each other again in this life. It is time for me now to depart; for I am nearly a hundred and five years old.’ When they heard this, they wept, and embraced and kissed the old man; but he, like one setting out from a foreign city for his own, spoke joyfully and charged them not to grow negligent in their labors nor lose heart in their discipline, but to live as dying every day; and, as I said before, to strive to guard the soul from filthy thoughts, to emulate the saints, and not to go near the Melitian schismatics, ‘for you know their wicked and profane purpose’; nor to have any communion with the Arians, ‘for their impiety too is evident to all. And if you see the judges supporting them, do not be troubled; for it will cease, and their show is mortal and short-lived. Rather keep yourselves pure from them, and keep the tradition of the fathers, and above all the pious faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, which you have learned from the Scriptures and of which I have often reminded you.’
Phil 1:23 (allusion, medium confidence) · 2 Thess 2:15 (allusion, medium confidence) · 1 Cor 15:31 (allusion, medium confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Foreseeing his death, Antony made a last visit to the outer mountain, urging the monks to persevere, avoid the Melitians and Arians, and keep the faith and tradition of the fathers.
- The warnings against the Melitians and Arians are reported as written.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR: misread accents; OCR: misread letter; OCR: misread letters; OCR: stray letter; OCR: stray mark): οὐτῷ τοῦ βίου → αὐτῷ τοῦ βίου; κᾶμὶ → κἀμὲ; ἀδελθοῖς → ἀδελφοῖς; ἀναλῦσαιο είμὶ → ἀναλῦσαι· εἰμὶ; ζῇνο καὶ → ζῇν· καὶ; ἕχείν → ἔχειν; σχισματικοῖςο οἷʼδατε → σχισματικοῖς· οἴδατε; αὐ·τῶν → αὐτῶν; Ἀρειανοῦςο → Ἀρειανούς·; πὶσιν → πᾶσιν.
Topics: Heresy
Cite (SBL): Athanasius, V. Ant. 89 (PG 26:968a–968d; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-vita-antonii/82/#p-89).
BibTeX · RIS (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-athanasius-vita-antonii-89) · Report an error
Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek of Migne's Patrologia Graeca (scan OCR, corrections logged; lines lost in the scan marked …), then compared section by section with the public-domain English of NPNF² 4 (Robertson, 1892); differences checked against the Greek.
Chapter 90
90PG 26:968d–969b
Τῶν δὲ ἀδελφῶν βιαζομένων μεῖναι αὐτὸν παρʼ αὐτοῖς, κἀκεῖ τελευτῆσαι, οὐκ ἠνέσχετο διὰ πολλὰ μὶν, ὡς αὐτὸς καὶ σιωπῶν ἐνέφαινε, καὶ διὰ τοῦτο δὲ μάλιστα οἱ Αἲγύπτιοι τὰ τῶν τελευτώντων σπουδαίων σώματα, καὶ μάλιστα τῶν ἁγίων μαρτύρων, φιλοῦσι μὶν θάπτειν καὶ περιελίσσειν ὀθονίοις μὴ κρύπτειν δὲ ὑπὸ γῆν, ἀλλʼ ἐπὶ σκιμποδίων τιθέναι, καὶ φυλάττειν ἔνδον παρʼ ἑαυτοῖς· νομίζοντες ἐν τούτῳ τιμᾷν τοὺς ἀπελθόντας. Ὀ δὲ Ἀντώνιος πολλάκις περὶ τούτου καὶ ἐπισκόπου ἠξίου παραγγέλλειν τοῖς λαοῖς· ὁμοίως δὲ καὶ λαϊκοὺς ένέτρεπε, καὶ γυναιξὶν ἐπέπληττε, λέγων, μήτε νόμιμον, μήτε ὅλως ὅσιον εἶναι τοῦτο. Καὶ γὰρ τὰ τῶν πατριαρχῶν καὶ τά τῶν προφητῶν σώματα μέχρι νῦν σώζεται εἰς μνήματα· καὶ αὐτὸ δέ τὸ τοῦ Κυρίου σῶμα εἷς μνημεῖον ἐτέθη, λίθος τε ἐπιτεθείς ἔκρυψεν αὐτὸ, ἕως ἀνέστη τριήμερον. Καὶ ταῦτα λέγων, ἐδείκνυε παρανομεῖν τὸν μετὰ θάνατον μή κρύπτοντα τα σώματα τῶν τελευτώντων, κᾶν ἅγια τυγχάνῃ. Τί γὰρ μεῖζον ἢ ἁγιώτερον τοῦ Κυριακοῦ σώματος ; Πολλοὶ οὗν, ἀκούσαντες, ἔκρυψαν ὑπὸ γῆν λοιπὸν, καὶ ηὐχαρίστουν τῷ Κυρίῳ, καλῶς διδαχθέντες.
Tōn de adelphōn biazomenōn meinai auton parʼ autois, kakei teleutēsai, ouk ēnescheto dia polla min, hōs autos kai siōpōn enephaine, kai dia touto de malista hoi Aigyptioi ta tōn teleutōntōn spoudaiōn sōmata, kai malista tōn hagiōn martyrōn, philousi min thaptein kai perielissein othoniois mē kryptein de hypo gēn, allʼ epi skimpodiōn tithenai, kai phylattein endon parʼ heautois; nomizontes en toutǭ timąn tous apelthontas. O de Antōnios pollakis peri toutou kai episkopou ēxiou parangellein tois laois; homoiōs de kai laïkous enetrepe, kai gynaixin epeplētte, legōn, mēte nomimon, mēte holōs hosion einai touto. Kai gar ta tōn patriarchōn kai ta tōn prophētōn sōmata mechri nyn sōzetai eis mnēmata; kai auto de to tou Kyriou sōma heis mnēmeion etethē, lithos te epitetheis ekrypsen auto, heōs anestē triēmeron. Kai tauta legōn, edeiknye paranomein ton meta thanaton mē kryptonta ta sōmata tōn teleutōntōn, kan hagia tynchanę̄. Ti gar meizon ē hagiōteron tou Kyriakou sōmatos ? Polloi houn, akousantes, ekrypsan hypo gēn loipon, kai ēucharistoun tǭ Kyriǭ, kalōs didachthentes.
When the brothers pressed him to stay with them and die there, he would not, for many reasons, as he made clear even by his silence, and above all for this one: the Egyptians love to honor with funeral rites and to wrap in linen cloths the bodies of devout people who have died, and especially of the holy martyrs, but not to hide them under the ground; instead they place them on couches and keep them inside their homes, thinking that in this way they honor the departed. Antony had often asked even bishops to instruct the people about this; likewise he rebuked lay people and reproached women, saying that this was neither lawful nor at all holy. For the bodies of the patriarchs and the prophets are kept in tombs to this day; and the Lord’s own body was laid in a tomb, and a stone was placed over it and hid it until he rose on the third day. By saying this he showed that anyone who does not hide the bodies of the dead after death, even if they are holy, breaks the law. For what is greater or holier than the Lord’s body? Many, then, hearing this, from then on buried the dead under the ground, and gave thanks to the Lord for having been well taught.
Matt 27:60 (allusion, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Antony refused to die among the monks, fearing his body would be kept unburied in a house, as was the Egyptian custom with holy bodies, which he condemned, appealing to Christ’s burial.
- “Die there” is supplied by sense for a garbled word in the scan.
- Antony’s criticism of keeping saints’ bodies unburied is reported as written.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR: Latin letters; OCR: misread letter; OCR: words joined): κάκεῖ niueam“, voi’m ἠνέσχετο → κἀκεῖ τελευτῆσαι, οὐκ ἠνέσχετο; τεδευτώντων → τελευτώντων; ἰπὶ σκιμποδίων → ἐπὶ σκιμποδίων; ὁμοίως δὲκαὶ → ὁμοίως δὲ καὶ; ἰπέπληττε → ἐπέπληττε; ἰπιτεθείς → ἐπιτεθείς; ιδείκνυε → ἐδείκνυε.
Cite (SBL): Athanasius, V. Ant. 90 (PG 26:968d–969b; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-vita-antonii/82/#p-90).
BibTeX · RIS (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-athanasius-vita-antonii-90) · Report an error
Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek of Migne's Patrologia Graeca (scan OCR, corrections logged; lines lost in the scan marked …), then compared section by section with the public-domain English of NPNF² 4 (Robertson, 1892); differences checked against the Greek.
Chapter 91
91PG 26:969b–972b
Αὐτὸς δὶ, τοῦτο γινώσκων, καὶ φοβούμενος μὴ καὶ τὸ αὐτοῦ ποιήσωσιν οὕτως σῶμα, ἤπειξεν ἑαυτὸν, συνταξάμενος τοῖς έν τῷ ἔξω ὄρει μοναχοῖςʼ καὶ εἰσελθὼν εἰς τὸ ἔνδον ὅρος, ἔνθα καὶ μένειν εἶώθει, μετᾶ μῆνας ὀλίγους ἐνόσησε · καὶ καλέσας τοὺς συνόντας αὐτῷ (δύο δὶ ἦσαν, οἵτινες καὶ ἔμειναν ἔνδον, δέκα καὶ πέντε ἔτη ἀσκούμενοι, καὶ ὐπηρετοῦντες αύτῷ διὰ τὸ γῆρας), ἔλεγε πρὸς αὐτούς Ἐγὼ μὲν, ὡς γέγραπται, τήν ὁδὸν τῶν πατέρων πορεύομαι· ὁρῶ γὰρ ἐμαυτὸν καλούμενον ὑπὸ τοῦ Κυρίου· ύμεῖς δὲ νήφετε, καὶ τὴν πολυχρόνιον ὑμῶν ἄσκησιν μὴ ἀπολέσητεʼ ἀλλʼ ὡς νῦν ἀρχὴν ἔχοντες, σπουδάσατε τηρεῖν τὴν προθυμίαν ἑαυτῶν. Οἴδατε τοὺς ἐπιβουλεύοντας δαίμονας, οἴδατε πῶς ἄγριοι μὶν εἰσὶν, ἀσθενεῖς δὲ τῇ δυνάμει. Μὴ οὖν φοβηθῆτε αὐτοὺς, ἀλλᾶ μᾶλλον τὸν Χριστὸν ἀεὶ ἀναπνεῖτε, καί τούτῳ πιστεύετε· καὶ ὡς καθʼ ἡμέραν ἀποθνήσκοντες ζήσατε, προσέχοντες έαυτοῖς, καὶ μνημονεύοντες ὧν ἠκούσατε παρʼ ἐμοῦ παραινέσεως. Καὶ μηδεμία ἔστω ύμῖν κοινωνία πρὸς τοὺς σχισματικοὺς, μήθʼ ὅλως πρὸς τοὺς αἱρετικοὺς ’Δρειανούς. Οἴδατε γὰρ πῶς κάγὼ τούτους ἐξετρεπόμην διὰ τήν χριστομάχον αὐτῶν καὶ ἑτερόδοξον αἵρεσιν. Σπουδάσατε δὲ μᾶλλον καὶ ὑμεῖς ἀεὶ συνάπτειν ἑαυτοὺς, προηγουμένως μὶν τῷ Κυρίῳ, ἔπειτα δὲ τοῖς ἁγίοις ἵνα μετά θάνατον ὑμᾶς εἷς τὰς αἰωνίους σκηνάς, ὡς φίλους καὶ γνωρίμους, δὲξῶνται καὶ αὐτοί. Ταῦτα λογίζεσθε, ταῦτα φρονεῖτε· καὶ εἰ μέλει ὑμῖν περὶ ἐμοῦ, καὶ μνημονεύετε ὡς περὶ πατρὸς, μή ἀφῆτέ τινας τὸ σῶμά μου λαβεῖν εἰς Αἴγυπτον, μήπως ἐν τοῖς οἴκοις ἀπόθωνταιʼ τούτου γὰρ χάριν εἰσῆλθον εἰς τὸ ὅρος, καὶ ἦλθον ὦδε. Οἴδατε δὲ καὶ πῶς ἀεὶ ἐνέτρεπον τοὺς τοῦτο ποιοῦντας, καὶ παρήγγελλον παύσασθαι τῆς τοιαύτης συνηθείας. Θάψατε οὖν τὸ ἡμέτερον ὑμεῖς, καὶ ὑπὸ γῆν κρύψατε· καὶ ἔστω τὸ παρʼ ἐμοῦ ῥῆμα φυλαττόμενον παρʼ ὑμῖν, ὥστε μηδὲνα γινώσκειν τὸν τόπον, πλὴν ὑμῶν μόνων. Ἐγὼ γὰρ ἐν τῇ ἀναστάσει τῶν νεκρῶν ἀπολήψομαι παρά τοῦ Σωτῆρος ἄφθαρτον αὐτό. Διέλετε δέ μου τὰ ἐνδύματα· καὶ Ἀθανασίῳ μὲν τῷ ἐπισκόπῳ δότε τὴν μίαν μηλωτήν, καὶ ὃ ὑπεστρωννυόμην ἱμάτιον, ὅπερ αὐτὸς μέν μοι καινὸν δέδωκε, παρʼ ἐμοὶ δὲ πεπαλαίωται· καὶ Σαραπίωνι δὲ τῷ ἔπισκόπῳ δότε τήν
Autos di, touto ginōskōn, kai phoboumenos mē kai to autou poiēsōsin houtōs sōma, ēpeixen heauton, syntaxamenos tois en tǭ exō orei monachoisʼ kai eiselthōn eis to endon horos, entha kai menein eiōthei, meta mēnas oligous enosēse ; kai kalesas tous synontas autǭ (dyo di ēsan, hoitines kai emeinan endon, deka kai pente etē askoumenoi, kai ypēretountes autǭ dia to gēras), elege pros autous Egō men, hōs gegraptai, tēn hodon tōn paterōn poreuomai; horō gar emauton kaloumenon hypo tou Kyriou; ymeis de nēphete, kai tēn polychronion hymōn askēsin mē apolesēteʼ allʼ hōs nyn archēn echontes, spoudasate tērein tēn prothymian heautōn. Oidate tous epibouleuontas daimonas, oidate pōs agrioi min eisin, astheneis de tę̄ dynamei. Mē oun phobēthēte autous, alla mallon ton Christon aei anapneite, kai toutǭ pisteuete; kai hōs kathʼ hēmeran apothnēskontes zēsate, prosechontes eautois, kai mnēmoneuontes hōn ēkousate parʼ emou paraineseōs. Kai mēdemia estō ymin koinōnia pros tous schismatikous, mēthʼ holōs pros tous hairetikous ’Dreianous. Oidate gar pōs kagō toutous exetrepomēn dia tēn christomachon autōn kai heterodoxon hairesin. Spoudasate de mallon kai hymeis aei synaptein heautous, proēgoumenōs min tǭ Kyriǭ, epeita de tois hagiois hina meta thanaton hymas heis tas aiōnious skēnas, hōs philous kai gnōrimous, dexōntai kai autoi. Tauta logizesthe, tauta phroneite; kai ei melei hymin peri emou, kai mnēmoneuete hōs peri patros, mē aphēte tinas to sōma mou labein eis Aigypton, mēpōs en tois oikois apothōntaiʼ toutou gar charin eisēlthon eis to horos, kai ēlthon ōde. Oidate de kai pōs aei enetrepon tous touto poiountas, kai parēngellon pausasthai tēs toiautēs synētheias. Thapsate oun to hēmeteron hymeis, kai hypo gēn krypsate; kai estō to parʼ emou rhēma phylattomenon parʼ hymin, hōste mēdena ginōskein ton topon, plēn hymōn monōn. Egō gar en tę̄ anastasei tōn nekrōn apolēpsomai para tou Sōtēros aphtharton auto. Dielete de mou ta endymata; kai Athanasiǭ men tǭ episkopǭ dote tēn mian mēlōtēn, kai ho hypestrōnnyomēn himation, hoper autos men moi kainon dedōke, parʼ emoi de pepalaiōtai; kai Sarapiōni de tǭ episkopǭ dote tēn
Knowing this, and fearing that they might do the same with his own body, he hurried away after saying farewell to the monks on the outer mountain; and going into the inner mountain, where he used to stay, he fell ill after a few months. He called those who were with him (there were two who lived inside with him, practicing the ascetic life for fifteen years and serving him because of his age) and said to them: ‘I, as it is written, am going the way of the fathers; for I see that I am being called by the Lord. But you, be watchful, and do not lose your long discipline; but strive to keep your eagerness as though you were only now beginning. You know the demons who plot against us; you know how savage they are, but weak in power. So do not fear them, but rather always breathe Christ and believe in him; and live as dying every day, attending to yourselves and remembering the exhortations you have heard from me. Let there be no communion between you and the schismatics, nor any at all with the heretical Arians. For you know how I too avoided them because of their heresy, which fights against Christ and teaches what is false. Strive rather always to join yourselves, first of all to the Lord, and then to the saints, so that after death they too may receive you as friends and familiar companions into the eternal tents. Think on these things, set your minds on these things; and if you care for me and remember me as a father, do not let anyone take my body to Egypt, lest they lay it up in their houses; for it was for this reason that I went into the mountain and came here. You know how I always rebuked those who do this and told them to stop such a custom. So bury what is mine yourselves and hide it under the ground; and let my word be kept by you, so that no one knows the place except you alone. For in the resurrection of the dead I shall receive it back incorruptible from the Savior. Divide my garments: to Athanasius the bishop give the one sheepskin and the cloak on which I lay, which he gave me new and which has grown old with me; and to Serapion the bishop give the …
Josh 23:14 (allusion, medium confidence) · Luke 16:9 (allusion, high confidence) · 1 Cor 15:42 (allusion, medium confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Dying on the inner mountain, Antony charged his two disciples to persevere, to avoid schismatics and Arians, to bury him in secret, and to divide his few garments between Athanasius and Serapion.
- “Breathe Christ” renders ἀναπνεῖτε (corrected from the scan). The chapter breaks off in the scan (marked “…”).
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR: misread accents; OCR: misread ending; OCR: misread letter; OCR: misread letters; OCR: stray letters; OCR: stray mark; OCR: word split; OCR: words joined): καλέσατοὺς → καλέσας τοὺς; οἷίιτινες καὶ ἔμεις ναν → οἵτινες καὶ ἔμειναν; πο· ρεύομαι → πορεύομαι; πολυχρόνιοι. → πολυχρόνιον; ἆπιβουλεύοντας → ἐπιβουλεύοντας; οἷʼδακε → οἴδατε; φοβηφῆτε → φοβηθῆτε; ἀναποέετε → ἀναπνεῖτε; ὲτεροδοξον αʼίρεσιν → ἑτερόδοξον αἵρεσιν; ἀφεῖτὲ → ἀφῆτέ; ἰν τοῖς οἷʼκοιν → ἐν τοῖς οἴκοις; ’χάριν εῗσῆλθον → χάριν εἰσῆλθον; τόπον,πλὴν ὑμῶν μόνων.Ἐγὼ → τόπον, πλὴν ὑμῶν μόνων. Ἐγὼ; Διέλετε δι μου → Διέλετε δέ μου; αὖ· τὸς μέν → αὐτὸς μέν; καί“Σαραπίωνι → καὶ Σαραπίωνι.
Topics: Heresy, Eschatology
Cite (SBL): Athanasius, V. Ant. 91 (PG 26:969b–972b; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-vita-antonii/82/#p-91).
BibTeX · RIS (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-athanasius-vita-antonii-91) · Report an error
Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek of Migne's Patrologia Graeca (scan OCR, corrections logged; lines lost in the scan marked …), then compared section by section with the public-domain English of NPNF² 4 (Robertson, 1892); differences checked against the Greek.
Chapter 92
92PG 26:972b–973a
Ταῦτα εἷʼπὼν, καὶ ἀσπασαμένων ἐκείνων αῦτὸν, ἐξάρας τοὺς πόδας, καὶ ὣσπερ φίλους ὁρῶν τοὺς ἐλθόντας ἐπʼ αὐτὸν, καὶ διʼ αὐτοὺς περιχαρής γενόμενος, ἐφαίνετο γὰρ ἀνακείμενος ἱλαρῷ τῷ προσώπῳ, ἐξέλιπε, καὶ προσετέθη πρὸς τοὺς πατὲρας. Κάκεῖνοι λοιπὸν, καθα δέδωκεν αὐτοῖς ἐντολὰς, θάψαντες καὶ εἱλίξαντες, ἔκρυψαν ὑπὸ γῆν αὐτοῦ τὸ σῶμα, καὶ οὐδεὶς οἶδε τέως, ποῦ κέκρυπται, πλὴν μόνων αὐτῶν τῶν δύο. Καὶ τῶν λαβόντων δὲ ἕκαστος τὴν μηλωτήν τοῦ μακαρίου Ἀντωνίου, καὶ τὸ τετριμμένον παρʼ αὐτοῦ ἱμάτιον, ὥς τι μέγα ’χρῆμα φυλάττει. Καὶ γὰρ καὶ βλέπων αὐτὰ, ὡς Ἀντώνιόν ἐστι θεωρῶν· καὶ περιβαλλόμενος δὶ αὐτά,ὡς τὰς νουθεσίας αὐτοῦ βαστάζων ἐστὶ μετὰ χαρᾶς.
Tauta heiʼpōn, kai aspasamenōn ekeinōn auton, exaras tous podas, kai hōsper philous horōn tous elthontas epʼ auton, kai diʼ autous pericharēs genomenos, ephaineto gar anakeimenos hilarǭ tǭ prosōpǭ, exelipe, kai prosetethē pros tous pateras. Kakeinoi loipon, katha dedōken autois entolas, thapsantes kai heilixantes, ekrypsan hypo gēn autou to sōma, kai oudeis oide teōs, pou kekryptai, plēn monōn autōn tōn dyo. Kai tōn labontōn de hekastos tēn mēlōtēn tou makariou Antōniou, kai to tetrimmenon parʼ autou himation, hōs ti mega ’chrēma phylattei. Kai gar kai blepōn auta, hōs Antōnion esti theōrōn; kai periballomenos di auta,hōs tas nouthesias autou bastazōn esti meta charas.
Having said this, and after they had embraced him, he stretched out his feet; and, as though he saw friends who had come for him and was overjoyed because of them (for he appeared, as he lay there, with a cheerful face), he breathed his last and was gathered to his fathers. And they, as he had commanded them, prepared and wrapped his body and hid it under the ground; and no one knows to this day where it is hidden, except those two alone. Each of those who received the blessed Antony’s sheepskin and the cloak he had worn out keeps it as a great treasure. For seeing them is like seeing Antony; and wearing them is like joyfully bearing his admonitions.
Gen 49:33 (allusion, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Antony died joyfully and was secretly buried by his two disciples; Athanasius and Serapion treasured the garments he left them.
- A displaced line in the scan (“each one received”) is removed by correction.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR: displaced line inside a word; OCR: misread letter): τετριμλαβὼν δὲ ἕκαστος. μένον → τετριμμένον; βκέπων → βλέπων.
Cite (SBL): Athanasius, V. Ant. 92 (PG 26:972b–973a; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-vita-antonii/82/#p-92).
BibTeX · RIS (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-athanasius-vita-antonii-92) · Report an error
Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek of Migne's Patrologia Graeca (scan OCR, corrections logged; lines lost in the scan marked …), then compared section by section with the public-domain English of NPNF² 4 (Robertson, 1892); differences checked against the Greek.
Chapter 93
93PG 26:973a–973d
Τοῦτο τῆς,ἐν σώματι ζωῆς ’Λντωνίου τὸ τέλος, κάκείνη τῆς ἀσκήσεως ἀρχή. Καὶ εἰ καὶ μικρὰ ταῦτα πρὸς τὴν ἀρετὴν ἐκείνου, ἀλλʼ ἀπὸ τούτων λογίζεσθε καὶ ὑμεῖς, ὁποῖος ἦν ὁ τοῦ Θεοῦ ἅνθρωπος Ἀντώνιος, ὁ ἐκ νεωτέρου μέχρι τῆς τοσαύτης ἡλικίας ’ίσην τηρήσας τήν προθυμίαν τῆς ἀσκήσεως· καὶ μήτε διὰ τὸ γῆρας ἡττηθεὶς πολυτελείᾳ τροφῆς, μήτε διʼ ἀτονίαν τοῦ ἑαυτοῦ σώματος ἀλλάξας τὸ σχῆμα τοῦ ἐνδύματος, ἢ νιψάμενος κᾶν τοὺς πόδας ὕδατι· καὶ ὅμως έν πᾶσι διέμεινεν ἀβλαβής. Καὶ γὰρ καὶ τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς ἀσινεῖς καί ὁλοκλήρους εἶχε, βλέπων καλῶςʼ καὶ τῶν ὀδόντων οὐδὲ εἷς ἐξέπεσεν αὐτοῦ· μόνον δὲ ὑπὸ τὰ οὖλα τετριμμένοι ἐγεγόνεισαν, διὰ τὴν πολλὴν ἠλικίαν τοῦ γέροντος. Καὶ τοῖς ποσὶ δὲ καὶ ταῖς χερσὶν ὐγιής διέμεινε, καὶ ὅλως πάντων τῶν ποικίλῃ τροφῇ καὶ λουτροῖς καὶ διαφόροις ἐνδύμασι χρωμένων φαιδρότερος μᾶλλον αὐτός ἐφαίνετο, καὶ πρὸς ἴσχὺν προθυμότερος. Καὶ τὸ πανταχοῦ δὲ τοῦτον διαβεβοῆσθαι, καί θαυμάζεσθαι μὲν παρὰ πάντων, ποθεῖσθαι δὲ καὶ παρὰ τῶν μή ἑωρακότων αὐτὸν, τῆς ἀρετῆς καὶ τῆς θεοφιλοῦς αὐτοῦ ψυχῆς ἐστι γνώρισμα. Οὐ γὰρ ἐκ συγγραμάτων, οὐδὲ ἐκ τῆς ἔξωθεν σοφίας, οὐδὲ διά τινα τέχνην, διὰ δὲ μόνην θεοσέβειαν ὁ Ἀντώνιος ἐγνωρίσθη. Τοῦτο δὲ ὡς Θεοῦ δῶρον οὐκ ἂν τις ἀρνήσαιτο. Πόθεν γὰρ εἰς τὰ Σπανίας καὶ εἰς τάς Γαλλίας, πῶς εἷς τὴν Ῥώμην καὶ τήν Ἀφρικὴν, ἐν ὄρει κεκρυμμένος καὶ καθήμενος ἠκούσθη, εἰμὴ ὁ Θεὸς ἦν, ὁ πανταχοῦ τοὺς ἑαυτοῦ γνωρίζων ἀνθρώπους, ὁ καὶ Ἀντωνίῳ τοῦτο κατά τὴν ἀρχὴν ἐπαγγειλάμενος ; Κἂν γὰρ αὐτοὶ κεκρυμμένως πράττωσι, κᾶν λανθάνειν ἐθέλωσιν· ἀλλʼ ὁ Κύριος αὐτοὺς ὡς λύχνους δείκνυσι πᾶσιν,’ίνα καὶ οὕτως οἱ ἀκούοντες γινώσκῶσι δυνατὰς εἶναι τὰς ἐντολὰς εἷς τὸ κατορθοῦν, καὶ ζῆλον τῆς ἐπʼ ἀρετὴν ὁδοῦ λαμβάνωσι.
Touto tēs,en sōmati zōēs ’Lntōniou to telos, kakeinē tēs askēseōs archē. Kai ei kai mikra tauta pros tēn aretēn ekeinou, allʼ apo toutōn logizesthe kai hymeis, hopoios ēn ho tou Theou hanthrōpos Antōnios, ho ek neōterou mechri tēs tosautēs hēlikias ’isēn tērēsas tēn prothymian tēs askēseōs; kai mēte dia to gēras hēttētheis polyteleią trophēs, mēte diʼ atonian tou heautou sōmatos allaxas to schēma tou endymatos, ē nipsamenos kan tous podas hydati; kai homōs en pasi diemeinen ablabēs. Kai gar kai tous ophthalmous asineis kai holoklērous eiche, blepōn kalōsʼ kai tōn odontōn oude heis exepesen autou; monon de hypo ta oula tetrimmenoi egegoneisan, dia tēn pollēn ēlikian tou gerontos. Kai tois posi de kai tais chersin ygiēs diemeine, kai holōs pantōn tōn poikilę̄ trophę̄ kai loutrois kai diaphorois endymasi chrōmenōn phaidroteros mallon autos ephaineto, kai pros ischyn prothymoteros. Kai to pantachou de touton diabeboēsthai, kai thaumazesthai men para pantōn, potheisthai de kai para tōn mē heōrakotōn auton, tēs aretēs kai tēs theophilous autou psychēs esti gnōrisma. Ou gar ek syngramatōn, oude ek tēs exōthen sophias, oude dia tina technēn, dia de monēn theosebeian ho Antōnios egnōristhē. Touto de hōs Theou dōron ouk an tis arnēsaito. Pothen gar eis ta Spanias kai eis tas Gallias, pōs heis tēn Rhōmēn kai tēn Aphrikēn, en orei kekrymmenos kai kathēmenos ēkousthē, eimē ho Theos ēn, ho pantachou tous heautou gnōrizōn anthrōpous, ho kai Antōniǭ touto kata tēn archēn epangeilamenos ? Kan gar autoi kekrymmenōs prattōsi, kan lanthanein ethelōsin; allʼ ho Kyrios autous hōs lychnous deiknysi pasin,’ina kai houtōs hoi akouontes ginōskōsi dynatas einai tas entolas heis to katorthoun, kai zēlon tēs epʼ aretēn hodou lambanōsi.
This was the end of Antony’s life in the body, as that was the beginning of his discipline. Even if these things are small compared with his virtue, still you can reckon from them what kind of man Antony, the man of God, was, who from his youth to such a great age kept the same eagerness for discipline; who neither yielded to costly food because of old age, nor changed the style of his clothing because of the weakness of his body, nor even washed his feet with water; and yet in all things he remained unharmed. For he had eyes undimmed and sound, and saw well; and not one of his teeth fell out, but they had only been worn down to the gums because of the old man’s great age. He also remained healthy in his feet and hands; and altogether he appeared brighter and more vigorous in strength than all those who use varied food, baths, and different kinds of clothing. That he was spoken of everywhere, admired by all, and longed for even by those who had never seen him, is a mark of his virtue and of his God-loving soul. For Antony became known not by writings, nor by worldly wisdom, nor through any art, but only by godliness; and no one would deny that this was a gift of God. For how was he heard of in Spain and Gaul, in Rome and Africa, while he sat hidden on a mountain, unless it was God who makes his own people known everywhere, and who promised this to Antony at the beginning? For even if they act in secret, even if they wish to escape notice, the Lord shows them to all like lamps, so that those who hear of them may thus know that the commandments can be fulfilled, and may take up zeal for the road to virtue.
Deut 34:7 (echo, medium confidence) · Matt 5:14–16 (allusion, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Antony kept his discipline and his health into extreme old age, and God made the hidden ascetic famous throughout the empire so that others might see the commandments can be kept.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR: 6 for ὁ; OCR: misread letter; OCR: misread letters; OCR: stray mark; OCR: word split): τοσαότής → τοσαύτης; μόνεν δὲ ὐπὸ → μόνον δὲ ὑπὸ; ἐνδύμασι· χρωμένων → ἐνδύμασι χρωμένων; έω ρακότων → ἑωρακότων; Ηόθεν γὰρ → Πόθεν γὰρ; πανταχρῦ → πανταχοῦ; Κᾶν γὰρ - αὐτοὶ → Κἂν γὰρ αὐτοὶ; ἦν 6 τοῦ → ἦν ὁ τοῦ; ος, 6 ἐκ → ος, ὁ ἐκ ; ἰμὴ 6 Θεὸ → ἰμὴ ὁ Θεὸ; λλʼ 6 Κύρ → λλʼ ὁ Κύρ.
Cite (SBL): Athanasius, V. Ant. 93 (PG 26:973a–973d; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-vita-antonii/82/#p-93).
BibTeX · RIS (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-athanasius-vita-antonii-93) · Report an error
Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek of Migne's Patrologia Graeca (scan OCR, corrections logged; lines lost in the scan marked …), then compared section by section with the public-domain English of NPNF² 4 (Robertson, 1892); differences checked against the Greek.
Chapter 94
94PG 26:973d–976b
Ταῦτα τοίνυν τοῖς μὲν ἄλλοις ἀδελφοῖς ἀνάγνωτε, ἵνα μάθωσιν ὁποῖος ὀφείλει τῶν μοναχῶν ὁ βίος εἶναι, καὶ πεισθῶσιν, ὅτι ὁ Κύριος καὶ Σωτὴρ ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦς Χριστὸς τοὺς δοξάζοντας αὑτὸν δοξάζει, καὶ τοὺς δουλεύοντας αὐτῷ μέχρι τέλους οὐ μόνον εἰς τὴν βασιλείαν ἄγει τῶν οὐρανῶν, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐνταῦθα κρυπτομένους, καὶ σπουδάζοντας ἀναχωρεῖν, φανεροὺς καὶ διαβοήτους διά τε τὴν ἀρετὴν αὐτῶν καὶ τὴν τῶν ἄλλων ὠφέλειαν πανταχοῦ ποιεῖ. Ἐὰν δὲ χρεία γένηται, καὶ τοῖς ἐθνικοῑς ἀνάγνωτε · ἵνα κᾶν οὕτως ἐπιγνῶσιν, ὅτι ό Κύριος ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦς Χριστὸς οὐ μόνον ἐστὶ Θεὸς καὶ τοῦ Θεοῦ Υἱός· ἀλλʼ ὅτι καὶ οἱ τούτῳ γνησίως λατρεύοντες, καὶ πιστεύοντες εἰς αὐτὸν εὐσεβῶς, τοὺς δαίμονας, οὓς αὐτοὶ οἱ Ἕλληνες νομίζουσιν εἶναι θεοὺς, τούτους οἱ Χριστιανοὶ ἐλέγχουσιν, οὑ μόνον μὴ εἶναι θεοὺς, ἀλλὰ καὶ πατοῦσι καὶ διώκουσιν, ὡς πλάνους καὶ φθορέας τῶν ἀνθρώπων τυγχάνοντας, ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ τῷ Κυρίῳ ἡμῶν, ᾧ ἡ δόξα εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων, Ἀμήν.
Tauta toinyn tois men allois adelphois anagnōte, hina mathōsin hopoios opheilei tōn monachōn ho bios einai, kai peisthōsin, hoti ho Kyrios kai Sōtēr hēmōn Iēsous Christos tous doxazontas hauton doxazei, kai tous douleuontas autǭ mechri telous ou monon eis tēn basileian agei tōn ouranōn, alla kai entautha kryptomenous, kai spoudazontas anachōrein, phanerous kai diaboētous dia te tēn aretēn autōn kai tēn tōn allōn ōpheleian pantachou poiei. Ean de chreia genētai, kai tois ethnikois anagnōte ; hina kan houtōs epignōsin, hoti o Kyrios hēmōn Iēsous Christos ou monon esti Theos kai tou Theou Huios; allʼ hoti kai hoi toutǭ gnēsiōs latreuontes, kai pisteuontes eis auton eusebōs, tous daimonas, hous autoi hoi Hellēnes nomizousin einai theous, toutous hoi Christianoi elenchousin, hou monon mē einai theous, alla kai patousi kai diōkousin, hōs planous kai phthoreas tōn anthrōpōn tynchanontas, en Christǭ Iēsou tǭ Kyriǭ hēmōn, hǭ hē doxa eis tous aiōnas tōn aiōnōn, Amēn.
Read these things, then, to the other brothers, so that they may learn what the life of monks ought to be, and may be persuaded that our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ glorifies those who glorify him; and that those who serve him to the end he not only leads into the kingdom of heaven, but even here, though they hide themselves and strive to withdraw, he makes known and celebrated everywhere, both for their virtue and for the benefit of others. And if need arises, read it also to the pagans, so that even in this way they may recognize that our Lord Jesus Christ is not only God and the Son of God, but also that those who truly serve him and piously believe in him, the Christians, not only prove that the demons, whom the Greeks themselves think are gods, are not gods, but also trample on them and drive them away as deceivers and corrupters of human beings, in Christ Jesus our Lord, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.
1 Sam 2:30 (allusion, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Athanasius asks that the Life be read to monks as a model, and to pagans as proof that Christ is God and that Christians overcome the demons they worship.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR: Latin letters; OCR: misread punctuation; OCR: word split): ἀνάγνωτε.ἵνα → ἀνάγνωτε, ἵνα; μό. νον → μόνον; oi Ἕλληνες → οἱ Ἕλληνες.
Cite (SBL): Athanasius, V. Ant. 94 (PG 26:973d–976b; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-vita-antonii/82/#p-94).
BibTeX · RIS (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-athanasius-vita-antonii-94) · Report an error
Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek of Migne's Patrologia Graeca (scan OCR, corrections logged; lines lost in the scan marked …), then compared section by section with the public-domain English of NPNF² 4 (Robertson, 1892); differences checked against the Greek.