Book X (continued)

Chapter CXXXII
More of the same.

We visited abba Cyprian, nicknamed Cuculas, whose monastery was outside the gate of Caesarea, and this is what he told us:
When that savage and horrible epidemic laid waste this city I shut myself up in my cell and prayed to God to have mercy on us and turn away the threat of his wrath, and there came a voice to me saying, "Abba Zacchaeus is the mediator of this grace."

Chapter CXXXIII
A holy MONK who rendered a Saracen hunter immobile for two days.

One of the heathen Saracens living in Clysmus told us the following story:
I once went to abba Antony's mountain with the intention of hunting him down and I saw from afar this monk sitting on the side of the mountain, holding a book and reading from it. I went up towards him, intending to strike him down, perhaps even to kill him. When I got near to him he held out his right hand towards me and said, "Stop!" And for two days and two nights I stayed there unable to move from the place where I was.
"For the sake of the God whom you worship," I said at last, "let me go."
"Go in peace," he said, and at last I was able to move from the place where I was.

Chapter CXXXIV
The life of THEODORE the anchorite.

There was an anchorite near the holy Jordan called Theodore. One day he came to my cell.
"Can you do me a kindness, abba John?" he asked. "I wonder if you could find a book for me containing the whole of the New Testament."
After a search I found out that abba Petrus had one, he who was afterwards bishop of Chalcedon. I went to see him and he showed it to me. It was on parchment, (in membranis), very beautiful.
"How much is it worth?" I asked.
"Three numismata," he replied. "Are you wanting to buy it? Or is it for someone else?"
"In actual fact, (crede mihi), father, It is an anchorite who wants it."
"If it is an anchorite who wants it, let him have it for nothing. And take these three numismata as well. If he is pleased with the book let him keep it, but if not, well, you have three numismata, Buy something else for him, whatever you like."
So I took the book to the anchorite who accepted it and went off back to the desert. After about two months he came back to my cell.
"Look, abba, John," he said, "I am very troubled in my mind about having this book without paying for it."
"Don't worry about it," I said. "Abba Petrus has plenty of money and he is a very kind man. Just be glad for it."
"No, I can't rest until I have paid for it."
"Have you got the money to pay for it?"
"No, but lend me something to wear." For he was naked.
So I gave him a tunic and cloak, and he went off to get work on the reservoir that Johannes the patriarch of Jerusalem was constructing in Sigma, where he earned a wage of nine minuta a day. He used to come to me in the monastery of the Aeliotes, where after having worked all day he ate only nine lupini.
Eventually out of his wage of nine minuta he saved up three numismata.
"Take the money, and the book, back to its owner," he said. "Give him the money if he is willing to take it, but if not, give him back the book."
I carried this message back to abba Petrus, who did not want to accept either the money or the book. But I persuaded him to take the money, lest he be seen to despise the anchorite's hard work.
In the end he did accept it, and I hastened to return the book to the anchorite who went back to the desert with great joy.

Chapter CXXXV
Five VIRGINS who decided to leave the monastery and were attacked by a demon.

My brother Sophronius and I visited the monastery of the Eunuchs near the holy Jordan. where Abba Nicholaus, a presbyter of that monastery, told us the following:
In my region (he was from Lycia), there is a monastery of about forty virgins. Five of the virgins in this monastery agreed among themselves to get out of the monastery one night and get themselves a man. So they agreed on a night, and when all the nuns were asleep they got dressed and went out. Immediately all five were attacked by a demon. They went no further out of the monastery but confessed their sin and gave thanks to God, saying,
"Thanks be to God, the giver of all good gifts, who allowed this attack on us lest our souls perish."

Chapter CXXXVI
The kindness of abba SISINIUS, towards a Saracen woman.

Abbot Johannes, a presbyter, of that same monastery related to us what abba Sisinius had told us about himself.
One day I was singing Terce in my cave near the  holy Jordan, when a Saracen woman came into the cave, placed herself near me and began taking her clothes off. I did not allow that to disturb me, but went on to finish my psalmody in all peacefulness and the fear of God.
"Sit down so that I can talk to you," I then said to her, "and then I shall do what you decide."
Once she had sat down I continued speaking to her.
"Are you a Christian or a gentile? "I asked.
"Christian," she said.
"And don't you know that those who fornicate will be punished?"
"Yes, I know full well."
"Well, why do it then?"
"Because I'm hungry."
"Don't commit fornication," I said, "Come to me every day, and as God provides I will give you food."
From then on she came to me daily and for as long as I stayed at that place I shared with her whatever food God sent me

Chapter CXXXVII
Abbot Johannes' story about abba CALLINICUS.

This same abbot Johannes told us this story:
When I was a young man I had a great desire to visit the most well known and greatest of the fathers, so that they might bless me and instruct me. Once I had heard about that great abba Callinicus who was enclosed in the monastery of abba Saba, I asked one of the brothers who knew him to introduce me to him. Once we had got there somebody was standing at the old man's window talking with him for what seemed like hours, so that I was beginning to think he would never see me and that he would not want to see me anyway. But at last he moved away and allowed me to go up and greet the old man and be blessed by him.
"Pray for this your servant also, father," said my companion, "for he is among the finest of those who come here."
"I know him already, my son," said the old man, for twenty days ago as I was going down to the holy Jordan he met me on the way asking me to pray for him.
"'And what is your name?' I asked him.
"'Johannes.' he said.
"That's how I know him."
So by this I knew that at the very moment when I had been making up my mind to go and see him, God had revealed my name to him and who I was.

Chapter CXXXVIII
Abba SERGIUS, the anchorite, and the foreign monk who was baptised.

This same old man told us the following story:
When abba Sergius was in Roban, after he had left Sinai, he sent a young monk to us at this monastery for us to baptise him. I asked how it was that only now he was to be baptised, and Abba Sergius' servant said: "At the time when abba Sergius came to us wanting to stay with us in the desert, he sent this young man to us to be prepared for becoming a monk. I questioned him closely lest he commit himself to this way of life in too much of a hurry and without due testing. But when I was satisfied of  his commitment  I took him to the old man. When he saw him, before anything could be said, he took me aside:
"What does this brother want?" he asked
"He wants to stay with us."
"Take it from me, brother, he is not baptised. Take him to the monastery of the Eunuchs and get him baptised in the holy Jordan."
Astonished at what he had said, I questioned the brother about who he was and where he came from. He said he came from the West, his parents were pagans, and he did not know whether he had been baptised or not. So then we instructed him in the catechism, got him baptised in the Jordan, and he remained in the monastery, giving thanks to God.

Chapter CXXXIX
The prediction abba Sergius made about GRE- GORIUS, the prior of the monastery of Pharan

Abba Sergius the anchorite had a disciple called Sergius Armenius who told us that abba Gregorius had asked him again and again to introduce him to the old man. So there came a day when he did take Gregorius to meet the old man, who lived near the Dead Sea. As soon as abba Sergius saw him he greeted him warmly, brought water and washed his feet, spent the whole day talking to him about the spiritual development of the soul, and did not let him go until the next day.
"Do you know, father," I said after Gregorius had gone, "I am scandalised that I have brought great numbers of bishops, presbyters and other people to you, but you have never washed the feet of any of them except abba Gregorius."
"My son," he said, "What abba Gregorius had done I know not, but what I do know is that today I saw a patriarch coming into my cave, for I saw him wearing the pallium and carrying the book of the Gospels."
This came true, for six years later we witnessed abba Gregorius, by the providence of God, being made patriarch of Theopolis as the old man had predicted

Chapter CXL
The life of that same GREGORIUS, patriarch of Theopolis.

One of the old men said of this patriarch Gregorius of Theopolis that of all his virtues the greatest were almsgiving, forgetfulness of injuries, and the gift of tears. He had the greatest compassion for sinners. And we often had proof of these things.

Chapter CXLI
The wise reply of abba OLYMPIUS.

A brother once came to abba Olympius in the monastery of abba Gerasimus near the Jordan.
"Abba," he said, "How do you manage to put up with excessive heat and all these insects as you sit in your cave?"
"My son," he replied, "I suffer these now, so that I may be delivered from future torment. I suffer from the insects now, that I may avoid the worm that does not die. I endure this heat now in fear of the punishment of eternal fire. For these things are temporal, those are eternal."

Chapter CXLII
Another wise reply, from abba ALEXANDER

There was another brother who came to abba Alexander, the superior of the monastery of abba Gerasimus.
"Abba," he said, "I want to leave this place where I live, for I am weighed down with depression (accedia) and weariness of mind."
"That, my brother," said abba Alexander, "is a sign that you do not keep either the kingdom of heaven or the torments of eternity in the forefront of your mind. If you were thinking earnestly of these things in your cell you would not be experiencing any depression."

Chapter CXLIII
The life of  DAVID, the robber chief, after he became a monk.

When we were in the city of Antinoe in the Thebaid we visited the sage Phibanon, who, much to our benefit, told us about a certain robber called David. He had robbed a great number of people in the region of Hermopolis, many of whom he killed; his crimes were without number. There was no one who could be compared to him for the cruelty of his deed; he was the most famous of all.
One day as he returned with about thirty of his companions from committing his robberies he suddenly became conscience stricken for the wickednesses he had committed, and leaving his companions he went to a monastery and knocked at the door.
"What do you want?" asked the doorkeeper.
"I want to be a monk," said the robber chief.
The doorkeeper went in and told the abbot, who came out and noticed that the robber chief was already fairly well advanced in age.
"You could not live here," said the abbot, "for the brothers have to put up with very hard work and severe abstinence. You have been used to a very different way of life and would hardly be able to endure the privations of a monastery."
" Just take me in, so that I can do all those things."
"You would not be able to put up with it," said the abbot, persisting in his refusal.
"You should know that I am David, the robber chief, and I have come hither to do penance for my sins. But if you don't accept me I swear by him who dwells in heaven that I will go back to my former way of life, gather together my companions and come and kill the lot of you, and destroy this monastery."
This threat was enough to make the abbot take him in, tonsure him and give him the habit. This novice then began to fight the spiritual battle like a veteran, and outshone everyone else in the monastery by his abstinence and obedience and the practice of humility. All the monks, of whom there were about seventy,  admired him and looked to him as an example of holiness and every kind of virtue.
Then one day as he sat in his cell, an angel of the Lord was sent to him.
"David, David," said the angel, "God has wiped out your sins, and from now on you will be a miracle worker."
"I can hardly believe," he replied, "that God in such a short time can have forgiven all my sins which are greater and more in number than the sands of the sea."
"The priest Zechariah did not believe me either," said the angel, "when I promised he would have a son (Luke 1.18), and I did not spare him but bound his tongue to teach him not to be sceptical about what I was saying to him. Nor shall I spare you. From now on you will be dumb." David prostrated himself on the ground.
"I spoke when I was in the world," he said, "doing my wicked deeds and spilling human blood, but now I only want to serve God and offer him praise, so will you then bind my tongue so that I cannot speak?"
"You will speak in fulfilling the prescribed psalmody," said the angel, "but other than that you will be dumb."
And so it came to pass. God did many signs through him. He could speak to sing the psalms, but not a word could he say at any other time.
The man who told us this affirmed that he had seen this man, and he glorified God.

Chapter CXLIV
The teachings of one of the OLD MEN who were in the Cells.

This is what one of the old brothers in the Cells said:
Let us not hanker after the fleshpots of Egypt subjecting us to the pernicious tyranny of Pharaoh.
Again he said: Would that people put as much effort into seeking what is best as they do into following the ways of evil. They eagerly frequent public stage-shows and frivolous pornographic displays; they become avaricious, boastful and dishonourable. Would that they would channel that effort into seeking after righteousness. We should never be forgetful of the high regard God has for us and what power we have over the demons.
Again the old man said: There is nothing greater than God, nothing equal to him, and nothing which is not infinitely smaller. So what can be more powerful or blessed than having God as our helper?
Again he said: God is everywhere, and hastens to the help of those who are striving in devotion and spiritual warfare. He does not honour those who merely profess to be holy, but those who prove it by what they do. If God is there how can anyone be betrayed or come to any harm?
Again he said: The strength of a person does not come naturally, but lies in the pursuit of perfection and the help of God. Let us take good care of our souls, my sons, as much as we do our bodies.
Once more the old man spoke: Let us bind to ourselves the remedies for the soul - devotion. justice, humility, submission. Christ our God, the great healer of souls, is at hand and wills our cure. So let us not neglect or despise him.
Once more he spoke: God wishes us to be sober and frugal. But we wretches have allowed ourselves to be led astray into amusements and pleasures.
Again the old man said: Let us commend ourselves to God, as St Paul said, as those who are alive from the dead (Romans 6.13), not looking to the past, but forgetting what has gone before and pressing towards the mark for the prize of our high calling (Phil.3.13-14)
"Why is it that I am always passing judgment on my brothers?" one of the brothers asked the old man.
"It is because you do not know your own self," he replied. "If you knew yourself you would be blind to the vices of your brothers."

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