Prologue.

Life of Antony.

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Table of Contents.

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Prologue.

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§§1, 2. Birth and beginnings of Antony.

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§§3, 4. His early ascetic life.

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§§5, 6. Early conflicts with the devil.

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§7. Details of his life at this time (271–285?)

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§§8–10. His life in the tombs, and combats with demons there.

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§11. He goes to the desert and overcomes temptations on the way.

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§§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.

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§§14, 15. How he left the fort, and how monasticism began to flourish in Egypt. Antony its leader.

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§§16–43. His address to monks, rendered from Coptic, exhorting them to perseverance, and encouraging them against the wiles of Satan.

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§44. The growth of the monastic life at this time (about A.D. 305).

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§45. How Antony renewed his ascetic endeavours at this time.

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§46. How he sought martyrdom at Alexandria during the Persecution (311).

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§47. How he lived at this time.

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§48. How he delivered a woman from an evil spirit.

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§§49, 50. How at this time he betook himself to his ‘inner mountain.’

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§§51–53. How he there combated the demons.

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§54. Of the miraculous spring, and how he edified the monks of the ‘outer’ mountain, and of Antony’s sister.

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§§55, 56. How humanely he counselled those who resorted to him.

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§57. Of the case of Fronto, healed by faith and prayer.

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§58. Of a certain virgin, and of Paphnutius the confessor.

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§59. Of the two brethren, and how one perished of thirst.

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§60. Of the death of Amun, and Antony’s vision thereof.

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§61, 62. Of Count Archelaus and the virgin Polycration.

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§§63, 64. Strange tales of the casting out of demons.

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§65. Of Antony’s vision concerning the forgiveness of his sins.

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§66. Of the passage of souls, and how some were hindered of Satan.

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§67. How Antony reverenced all ordained persons.

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§68. How he rejected the schism of Meletius and the heresies of Manes and Arius.

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§69. How he confuted the Arians.

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§§70, 71. How he visited Alexandria, and healed and converted many, and how Athanasius escorted him from the city.

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§§72–79. How he reasoned with divers Greeks and philosophers at the ‘outer’ mountain.

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§80. How he confuted the philosophers by healing certain vexed with demons.

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§81. How the Emperors wrote to Antony, and of his answer.

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§82. How he saw in a vision the present doings of the Arians.

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§§83, 84. That his healings were done by Christ alone, through prayer.

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§85. How wisely he answered a certain duke.

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§86. Of the Duke Balacius, and how, warned by Antony, he met with a miserable end.

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§87. How he bore the infirmities of the weak, and of his great benefits to all Egypt.

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§88. Of his discernment, and how he was a counsellor to all.

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§§89, 90. How, when now 105 years old, he counselled the monks, and gave advice concerning burial.

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§91. Of his sickness and his last will.

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§92. Of Antony’s death.

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§93. How Antony remained hale until his death, and how the fame of him filled all the world.

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§94. The end.

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[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.’]

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For the translation of the text I am indebted to my friend and colleague the Rev. H. Ellershaw, jun.

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