Life of Antony.
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§§1, 2. Birth and beginnings of
Antony.
§§3, 4. His early ascetic life.
§§5, 6. Early conflicts with the devil.
§7. Details of his life at this time
(271–285?)
§§8–10. His life in the tombs, and
combats with demons there.
§11. He goes to the desert and overcomes
temptations on the way.
§§12, 13. How Antony took up his abode in a
ruined fort across the Nile, and how he defeated the demons. His twenty
years’ sojourn there.
§§14, 15. How he left the fort, and how
monasticism began to flourish in Egypt. Antony its leader.
§§16–43. His address to monks, rendered from Coptic, exhorting them to perseverance, and encouraging them against the wiles of Satan.
§44. The growth of the monastic life at this
time (about A.D. 305).
§45. How Antony renewed his ascetic endeavours
at this time.
§46. How he sought martyrdom at Alexandria
during the Persecution (311).
§47. How he lived at this time.
§48. How he delivered a woman from an evil
spirit.
§§49, 50. How at this time he betook
himself to his ‘inner mountain.’
§§51–53. How he there combated the
demons.
§54. Of the miraculous spring, and how he
edified the monks of the ‘outer’ mountain, and of
Antony’s sister.
§§55, 56. How humanely he counselled those
who resorted to him.
§57. Of the case of Fronto, healed by faith and
prayer.
§58. Of a certain virgin, and of Paphnutius the
confessor.
§59. Of the two brethren, and how one perished
of thirst.
§60. Of the death of Amun, and Antony’s
vision thereof.
§61, 62. Of Count Archelaus and the virgin
Polycration.
§§63, 64. Strange tales of the casting out
of demons.
§65. Of Antony’s vision concerning the
forgiveness of his sins.
§66. Of the passage of souls, and how some were
hindered of Satan.
§67. How Antony reverenced all ordained
persons.
§68. How he rejected the schism of Meletius and
the heresies of Manes and Arius.
§69. How he confuted the Arians.
§§70, 71. How he visited Alexandria, and
healed and converted many, and how Athanasius escorted him from the
city.
§§72–79. How he reasoned with divers
Greeks and philosophers at the ‘outer’ mountain.
§80. How he confuted the philosophers by healing
certain vexed with demons.
§81. How the Emperors wrote to Antony, and of
his answer.
§82. How he saw in a vision the present doings
of the Arians.
§§83, 84. That his healings were done by
Christ alone, through prayer.
§85. How wisely he answered a certain duke.
§86. Of the Duke Balacius, and how, warned by
Antony, he met with a miserable end.
§87. How he bore the infirmities of the weak, and of his great benefits to all Egypt.
§88. Of his discernment, and how he was a
counsellor to all.
§§89, 90. How, when now 105 years old, he
counselled the monks, and gave advice concerning burial.
§91. Of his sickness and his last will.
§92. Of Antony’s death.
§93. How Antony remained hale until his death, and how the fame of him filled all the world.
§94. The end.
[Antony’s answers to a philosopher, and to
Didymus, are given by Socrates IV. 23, 25: the following is from
Hanmer’s translation of Socr. I. 21: “The same time lived
Antony the monk in the deserts of Ægypt. But inasmuch as
Athanasius, Bishop of Alexandria, hath lately set forth in a several
volume, intituled of his life, his manners and converasiton, how openly
he buckled with divils, how he over-reached their slights and subtle
combats, and wrought many marvellous and strange miracles, I think it
superfluous on my part to intreat thereof.’]
For the translation of the text I am indebted to
my friend and colleague the Rev. H. Ellershaw, jun.