From Monachos.net

Chapter XLIX - The wonderful vision of a Palestinian GENERAL and how he also was compelled to renounce the aforesaid heresy and communicate in the Church of Christ

This same presbyter Anastasius told us how Gevemer, a Palestinian general, once came to venerate the holy resurrection of Christ our Lord. As he began to go into the holy shrine he saw a goat charging towards him, threatening him with his horns. He took fright and hastily turned back. The guardian of the holy cross, Azarias, was startled, as were the lictors with him.

"What's the matter, sir?" they said. "What's wrong? Why are you not going in?"

"Why have you allowed that goat in there?" he replied.

Astonished, they inspected the holy shrine but found nothing.

"Go on in," they said. "There's nothing like that in there."

Again he began to go in, and again he saw the goat rushing towards him preventing his entry. He did this several times, he being the only one to see the goat while the others saw nothing.

"Believe me, sir," said the guardian of the holy cross, "there must be something in your soul which prevents you worshipping at this holy, venerable and life-giving shrine of our Saviour. I urge you, confess your sin to the Lord. He has been showing you this miraculous sight because he is clement and merciful and desires your forgiveness."

"Indeed, I am guilty of many great sins," he said in tears. And he prostrated himself face downwards, remaining there for a long time weeping and confessing to the Lord. But when at last he got up and tried to go in, again the goat prevented him.

"There must be something else preventing you," said the guardian.

" Could it be, perhaps," asked the general, "that I am prevented from going in because I am not a member of the holy Catholic Church, but belong to the communion of Severianus?" Then he asked the guardian to bring him the holy and life-giving mysteries of Christ our God. The holy chalice was brought, he made his communion, he went in and adored unhindered, seeing nothing of what had previously prevented him.

Chapter L - The vision of abba GEORGE the anchorite, and what he said

Scythopolis is the second city of Palestine, and there we met abba Anastasius who told us about abba George the anchorite as follows:

I am the one who has been put in charge of the clappers used to call the brothers together, and one night when I arose to sound the signal I heard the old man weeping, and went out to him to ask him what the matter was and why he was weeping like that. He answered me not at all. Once more I asked him to tell me why he was weeping.

"Why shouldn't I weep," he said, groaning and sighing from the bottom of his heart, "when our Lord Jesus Christ refuses to change his mind towards us. For I seemed to be standing before someone sitting on a lofty throne, with thousands of people praying in front of him and begging him for something. But he remained unmoved by their prayers. Then a woman clothed in purple came near and fell down before him, begging him as her son to relent for her sake. But he remained inexorable nevertheless. This is why I am weeping and moaning, for I am afraid of what is to come."

Abba George was telling me this at dawn on a Thursday (Quinta illuscencente feria coenae Domini). Next day, that is on the Friday (parasceve), at the ninth hour, a big earthquake caused severe damage to a city on the coast of Phoenicia.

This same abba Anastasius told us how abba George a little while later was standing at the window when he began to weep copiously.

"Woe betide us, brother," he said, "for we have no sorrow for sin but live in negligence, and I am afraid for the time when the Lord takes us and we stand before the gates to be judged."

And the next day fire appeared in the heavens.

Chapter LI - The life of JULIAN, an old man of the monastery of the Egyptians

Anazarbus is the second city of the province of the Cilicians. About twelve miles distant from it is a monastery known as "of the Egyptians". The fathers of that place told us that five years previously an old man called Julian had died, who had lived for seventy years in a very narrow cavern, with no possessions in this world except a cloak, a blanket, a wooden bowl and a book.

They also told us this about him, that for the whole of his life he lit no lamp, for the light of heaven so shone upon him during the night that he was able to read quite clearly.

Chapter LII - The saying of abba ELIAS, a solitary

A certain brother went to abba Elias, a solitary in the coenobium of our ancient father Saba, and asked him for a word.

"In the days of our fathers," the old man said to the brother, "there were three virtues which the monks loved and strove after, detachment from material things, gentleness and continence. Nowadays there is greed, bitterness and impudence. Apply to yourself whichever of these pleases you."

Chapter LIII - The life of the old man CYRIACUS, of the monastery of St Saba

Abba Stephen told us about an old man called Cyriacus who lived in the monastery of our holy father Saba. He came down one day from Mount Tuthela and having stayed for a while beside the Dead Sea began to go back to his cell. It was so hot that the old man was nearly fainting, but he stretched out his hands to the heavens and said, "O Lord you know that I am so thirsty that I can hardly walk", and at once a cloud surrounded him and stayed with him until he had reached his cell, about twelve miles away.

This same abba Stephen also told us that some of the old man's family came to see him one day and when they got near to the place asked where his cell was. After some people directed them they went to the cell and knocked on the door. When he recognised them the old man prayed to God that they need not see him, and opening the door he ran out so quickly that they hardly even caught a glimpse of him. He ran out into the desert and refused to return until he was satisfied that they had gone away.

Chapter LIV - The life of the monks of SCYTHIA, and of the old man AMMONIUS

After this we travelled to Terenuthis and met abba Theodore of Alexandria.

"My sons," he said to us, "just as the old men foretold, the monks of Scythia have lost a great deal of the great charity, abstinence and discretion which, believe me, they used to have. I saw how the old men there would not take any food unless visitors came to see them. One of these old men called Ammonius lived near me. I knew what his customs were, so I used to visit him every Saturday so that he would take some food during my visit. It was their general rule, that whenever anyone visited any of them, they would ask the visitors to pray, and during the prayers they would prepare the food and afterwards all dine together."

Chapter LV - The life of a certain OLD MAN dwelling in Scythia and abba IRENAEUS

Abba Irenaeus told us about an old man living in Scythia who one night saw the devil providing hoes and mattocks and baskets for the brothers.

"Why these?" the old man asked the devil.

"I'm preparing a distraction for the brothers, " the devil replied, "so that they will busy themselves with these and neglect to pray and glorify God."

Abba Irenaeus also told us that when the barbarians invaded Scythia he left there and went to the Gaza region, where he accepted a cell in the monastery.

"The abbot there gave me a book to read," he said, "containing the deeds of the old men. As soon as I opened the book my eyes fell upon a passage in which a brother came to an old man and asked him to pray for him.

"'As long as you were one of us' the old man said, "We prayed for you. But now that you have gone off on your own we pray for you no longer.'

"When I had read this passage, I closed the book and said to myself. 'Woe betide you, Irenaeus, for you have gone off on your own and the fathers are no longer praying for you.' I took the book back to the abbot straight away and came back here. So, my sons, that's how I came to be here."

Chapter LVI - The life of JOHN, the disciple of a great old man who lived in the town of Caparasima

There is a region of Phoenicia called Ptolemais, in which there is a village called Caparasima. In this village there was a great old man who had a disciple called John, who had a great reputation as well, especially for his obedience. One day the old man sent him off on an errand, giving him a bit of bread to sustain him on the way. John went off and carried out the errand, then came back to the monastery and gave back the bread to the old man.

"My son," said the old man as he gazed at the bread, "why have you not eaten the bread I gave you?"

"Forgive me, father," he said, as he prostrated himself before the old man, "but you gave me no blessing when you sent me off, and you did not tell me the bread was to be eaten, so I didn't touch it."

The old man was amazed at the brother's discretion, and gave him a blessing.

After the old man's death this brother fasted forty days and a voice from heaven came to him saying, "If you lay hands on anyone sick they will be cured." The next morning, by divine providence, there came a man and to him bringing his wife with him who was suffering from cancer of the breast. the man asked him to cure his wife.

"I am a sinner," said the brother," and unworthy to do such things."

But the man persisted in begging him to agree to have pity on his wife. At last he did lay hands on her, and made the sign of the cross on her breast, whereupon she was immediately cured. From that time on God did many other signs through him, not only during his own lifetime, but even after his death.

Chapter LVII - The death of SIMEON the Stylite, and abba JULIANUS, also a Stylite

Simeon the Stylite was about forty miles from the city of Aegis in Cilicia; he was struck by lightning and died. Now abba Julianus also was a Stylite, and quite contrary to his usual practice and at an unusual time he told his disciples to put some incense in the thurible.

"What for?" they asked him. They begged him to explain.

"Because my brother Simeon has just now been knocked over by lightning and is dead," he said, "and look, his soul is going, leaping up with exultation."

Chapter LVIII - Another story about JULIANUS

Abba Stephen Trichinas, superior of the monastery of our holy father Saba, told us this also about abba Julianus the Stylite -

Not far from the place where he lived a lion had appeared which had become accustomed to killing numbers of the local population as well as foreigners. So one day he called his disciple Pancras to him.

Go about two miles south from here and you will find the lion lying down. Say to him, 'Julianus humbly asks you in the name of Jesus Christ, the son of the living God, to go away from this province.'"

The brother went, found the lion lying down, spoke the words of the old man to him, and the lion immediately went away.

Chapter LIX - The life of THALALEUS of Cilicia

Abba Peter, a presbyter of the same monastery, told us about abba Thalaleus of Cilicia who spent sixty years in the monastic life weeping continuously. He was always saying that our time here is given to us for penitence, and we will be held to account if we neglect it.

Chapter LX - The extraordinary deed of the HOLY VIRGIN by means of which her adolescent admirer was conscience-stricken and became a monk

When we were in Alexandria one of the faithful told us the following story -

There was a holy virgin living a solitary life in her own home who worked very hard at her own salvation. She regularly gave herself to fasts and vigils, and gave alms freely. But the devil who hates everything good found the virtues of this woman so insufferable that he prepared a campaign against her by stirring up in a certain young man a devilish lust for her. He haunted the space outside her house. When the woman tried to leave the house in order to go to church and pray, this young man harassed her with lustful and impure looks. He would not let her pass with subjecting her to seductive propositions and shameless suggestions, so that in the end the aggressive behaviour of this young man prevented her from leaving her house at all.
One day the woman sent her servant out to the young man.

"My mistress wants you," she said. "Come inside."

He went in, delighted, eager for the shameful deed, to where she was sitting on the bed.

"Sit down," she said. "Tell me please brother, why do you harass me so grievously that I can't go out of my own house?"

"Truly, I love you very much," he said, "and whenever I look at you I am totally inflamed with desire."

"What can you see so beautiful in me that you should love me so?"

"It's your eyes. That's what has led me on."

When the woman realised that it was her eyes which had led him on she took a distaff and gouged her eyes out.

When it sank in to the young man that she had actually gouged her own eyes out he was conscience stricken and went off to Scythia to become a monk.

[I can't forbear commenting that this is the sort of thing which have given the hermits a bad name! BB]

Chapter LXI - The life of abba LEONTIUS of Cilicia

Some of the fathers used to say of abba Leontius of Cilicia that he had a great devotion to our Lady, the holy birthgiver of God, and for forty years he was to be seen in a church dedicated to her. He had a wonderfully grave presence which he preserved at all times.

They described how he dealt with any beggars who came to him. If they were blind he would put some money into their hands, but if they were not he would put the money at the base of a column, or on a bench, or on the steps of the sanctuary, for the beggars to pick up. If any one asked him why he did not simply put the money into their hands, he would reply, "Forgive me father, but it is not me giving the alms, but my lady the holy birthgiver of God, who provides food for both them and me."

Chapter LXII - The life of abba STEPHEN, a presbyter of the monastery of the Aeliotes

One of the old men said of abba Stephen a presbyter of the monastery of the Aeliotes that the devil would trouble his thoughts as he sat in his cell saying "Leave this place. You are not doing any good here." He would reply, "I am not listening to you. I know who you are. It is not possible for anyone to be deceived by you for Christ the son of the living God himself is your adversary."

Chapter LXIII - The same

It was also said of him that when he was sitting in his cell reading the devil appeared to him visibly and said, "Leave this place. You are not doing any good here."

"If you want me to go," he said to the demon, "make this chair I am sitting in move about."

Now the chair he was sitting in was of wicker-work, and the devil made it move about all over the cell.

"In spite of your speed and cleverness," he replied as he observed the devil's tricks, "I have no intention of going away." He prayed, and the devil disappeared.

Chapter LXIV - The same

Three old men visited abba Stephen the presbyter, and while they kept on talking about what might be of benefit to the soul Stephen said nothing.

"You are not saying anything, father," they said to him. "We are visiting you because we hoped to hear something helpful."

"Forgive me," he said, "but up to now I had not taken much notice of what you were talking about. However I will share with you this thought that I have: day and night I gaze upon nothing other than Jesus Christ hanging on the cross."

They were greatly edified on hearing this and so went on their way.

Chapter LXV - The same

Abba Johannes Molybas told us another story about that blessed and venerable old man, the presbyter Stephen.

He became ill with a disease of the liver which resulted in that holy soul of his departing from the body. During his illness the doctors had ordered him to eat meat. He had a brother living in the world who was very religious and lived a godly life, but when he visited Stephen and saw him eating meat he was scandalised, and very sorrowful to think that from a life of great abstinence and continence he had lowered himself in his last hours to eating meat.

Later he fell into an ecstasy and someone appeared to him who said, "Why are you so scandalised by this presbyter simply because you saw him eating meat? Don't you realise that he was compelled to this by necessity, and did it purely through obedience? You had no business being scandalised, and if you want to know your brother's merits and glory, turn round and look behind you."

He turned round and saw Stephen crucified with the Lord.

"See the glory your brother has been given," said the voice in the apparition. "Therefore glorify him who glorifies them who truly love him."

Chapter LXVI - The life of abba THEODOSIUS, solitary

Abba Antonius, the superior of the monastery of the Aeliotes which he had built himself, told us that abba Theodosius had told him this story about himself -

Before I entered the solitary life I once fell into an ecstasy and saw a man whose brilliance outshone the brightness of the sun.

"Come," he said, taking my hand. "Your lot is to strive and fight."

And he led me into an infinitely large theatre which I saw was full of men in white robes on one side and in black on the other. He thrust me into the theatre, and I saw an enormous Ethiopian whose terrifying head reached up to the clouds.

"This is he whom you must fight with," said the man who had appeared to me.

Terrified by the appearance of this enormous person, I began to tremble with fear, and pleaded with the splendid youth who had brought me in.

"What mortal man in all his weakness would be able to strive with him?" I said. "The whole human race rolled into one would not be able to prevail against him!"

"Nevertheless you must fight against him," said the dazzling youth. "Go for him with all speed and confidence, and once you have started I shall be with you in support, and will give you the crown of victory."

I began the contest, we fought together, and the dazzling judge gave me the crown. And the large, shadowy crowd of Ethiopians fled howling, while those clothed in white who remained gave praise to him who had been my helper and given me a famous victory.

Chapter LXVII - The same

Abba Cyriacus, Theodosius' disciple, told us that this solitary had lived for thirty years in solitude, eating every two days, keeping perpetual silence, speaking to no one. He used signs rather than words if he needed to communicate. I witnessed this myself, for I stayed in the monastery of the Aeliotes for ten years.

Chapter LXVIII - The same

When Abramius, the superior of New St Mary heard that Theodosius had no cloak to wear in winter he bought one for him. While he was asleep, some time after receiving it (for the old man slept in his cell), some robbers came and pulled it off him and carried it away with them. But even after this deed he still said nothing.

Chapter LXIX - The life of abba PALLADIUS, and the old Thessalonican anchorite called DAVID

Before Sophronius Sophista renounced the world, he and I once visited abba Palladius in Alexandria, a holy man and true servant of God whose monastery was in Thelazomenos. Both of us asked him to give us some teaching (verbum aedificationis), and he began immediately:

"My little children," he said, "the time is short, so let us strive for a little while and labour to enjoy the deathless benefits of eternity. Look to the martyrs, those heavenly fighters, and see how they overcame in all things with strength and bravery. It was a previous age which recognised them but they live forever in our memories, and we can hardly admire their endurance enough. Everyone who hears of them is astonished at how great was the patience of the blessed martyrs, more than human nature would have thought possible. Some of them had their eyes torn out, some their legs broken, some their hands cut off, others their feet. Some were suddenly thrown into the fire and suffered crucifying agony as they slowly burned. It is certain that the ocean depths were the resting place of some, the rivers others. Others were thrown alive into the teeth of wild beasts like malefactors and criminals, suffering various terrible agonies before death as they became the animals' food. There were many other kinds of torments, defying description, thought up for the warriors of God at the suggestion of the demon enemy of the human race, livid with spite towards those very martyrs. O how bravely they endured! How great the faith with which they fought, overcoming the weakness of the body by their spiritual strength! They counted their present labours as nothing compared to the more excellent and splendid rewards which were their hope. All these things truly showed how wonderfully firm their faith was, through and through. Labouring a little while here they now enjoy the greatest bliss in eternity. This indeed was why they bravely bore the horrible punishments inflicted on their bodies at the instigation of our enemy the devil.

"So then, if we endure tribulation, and overcome by the grace of God, we shall be found lovers of God. For God is with us, fighting and conquering in us, soothing our toil and sweat for the sake of his own honour. Therefore, my little children, knowing what works and expectations the times demand of us let us become worthy through quietness and silence. In this time granted to us we must make use of the eminently good work of penitence, that we may be found worthy of the temple of God, and we shall be rewarded with no mean or short-lived honour in the world to come."

He also said, "Let us always be mindful of him who had not where to lay his head." (Matthew 8.20). And again, "Since Paul the Apostle says tribulation brings forth patience (Romans 5.3), let us ensure that our minds are open to the kingdom of heaven." And again, "'Little children, love not the world nor the things that are in the world.'" (1 John.2.15) And again, he said, "Let us keep watch over our thoughts, for that is the medicine of salvation."

We asked abba Palladius if he would increase our awareness by telling us in what sort of way would thoughts be expected to develop in the monastic state, and he told us about an old man from Thessalonica:

"In my home area there was an anchorite from Mesopotamia called David about three miles outside the city walls. He was a man adorned with many virtues, merciful and abstemious, and had been enclosed in his cell for eighty years. For fear of the barbarians there were soldiers keeping watch on the city walls every night, and those who were looking out in the direction of the anchorite's cell noticed one night that it seemed as if fire could be seen through the windows of his cell. The soldiers thought that barbarians must have set fire to the old man's cell, but in the morning the soldiers went down and were astonished to find the old man quite unharmed and no signs of fire in the cell. They were amazed to see the same appearance of fire on the night following, and not only the next night but frequently afterwards so that it became known to the whole city. Many people watched nightly on the city walls in the hope of seeing this fire, which continued right up to the day of the old man's death. Having seen this miracle myself not once, not twice, but many times, I said to myself, 'If God shows such glory to his servants in this life, how much more do you think he will show in the life to come, when "their faces shall shine forth as the sun"' (Matthew 14.43)? This was the spur which made me take the monastic habit, my little children, and choosing this way of life."

Chapter LXX - The life of the anchorite monk ADDAS of Mesopotamia

The old man also told us that after this abba David, there was another monk called Addas, also a Mesopotamian, who built himself an anchorage in a great plane tree (seipsum inclusit in quadam magna platano) in another part of the region. He made a window in it through which he was able to talk to visitors. When the barbarians came and laid waste the whole province they happened to come by his place. As soon as one of them spied the old man he drew his sword in order to kill him, but having lifted up his hand to strike he was unable to bring it down, remaining motionless with his hand hanging in the air. When the other barbarians saw this they were amazed and begged the old man to cure their companion. The old man did pray, the man was released, and so he dismissed them in peace.

Chapter LXXI - The beautiful words of a MURDERER to a monk who was following him on the way to his execution

This same abbot Palladius told us of someone arrested and found guilty of murder in Arsinoe, a city of the Thebaid. After being tortured for some time he was at last sentenced to be beheaded. He was taken out of the city for six miles to the place where he had committed the murder and a monk followed on behind him in order to witness the execution.

"Haven't you got a cell and manual work to attend to?" said the condemned man when he saw the monk.

"Forgive me, brother," said the monk, "but yes, I do have a cell and work to do."

"Well, why aren't you sitting in your cell and weeping for your own sins, then?"

"You are right, brother. I am very neglectful of my duties, and find myself unable to summon up any compunction in my heart. That is why I have come to watch you die, in the hope that thereby I might find compunction."

"Go with the Lord, brother", said the guilty man, "and sit in your cell and give thanks to our Saviour Jesus Christ. Since he was made human and died for us sinners, human beings no longer suffer eternal death."

Chapter LXXII - A story of abbot PALLADIUS about an elderly murderer who falsely accused a young man of the crime

Abbot Palladius also told us this story about an elderly layman who had committed murder and was held in custody by the magistrate in Alexandria. After being tortured he accused someone else of being his accomplice in the crime, a young man about twenty years old. They were both subjected to many tortures, the older man accusing the younger of being with him when the crime was done, and the younger denying it vigorously, swearing that his conscience was clear of the murder, and that he had not been with the older man at all. After the torture they were sentenced to be suspended [with hands outstretched] from a wooden yoke. They were taken five miles outside the city to the place where it was customary for those guilty of this kind of crime to be punished.

Now there was a ruined temple of Saturn about three hundred metres (uno stadio) from the place. When the soldiers and spectators arrived there they intended to string up the young man first, but he threw himself on the ground and pleaded with the soldiers:

"In the name of the Lord, please grant me the favour of being hung up facing the East, so that I may look towards Him when I am hanging there."

"What do you mean?" the soldiers asked?

"Truly, sirs," replied the young man, "miserable though I am, it is only seven months since I received holy Baptism and became a Christian."

Hearing this the soldiers were moved to tears for the young man. But the older man, snorting with rage, said to the soldiers:

"In the name of Serapis let me be able to turn my face towards Saturn."

Hearing this blasphemy the soldiers left the young man and began to string up the old man first. When he had been well and truly suspended from the wooden yoke, behold, an Augustal official came rushing in.

"Don't kill the young man," he said to the soldiers. "Take him back [to the courtroom]."

The soldiers and everyone there were delighted. They took him back to the courtroom, where the Augustalis acquitted him. The young man contrary to all expectation was saved, and he went away and became a monk.

We have written this down not only for our own benefit but for the benefit of the readers, that we may be convinced that the Lord knows how to deliver the faithful in their tribulations.

Chapter LXXIII - The life of JOHN, an Alexandrian soldier

This same abbot Palladius also told us this story. There was a soldier in Alexandria called John who followed this rule of life: He would stay in the monastery every day from the morning up till the ninth hour, sitting alone in front of St Peter's steps, wearing a tunic (cilicium), weaving baskets, totally silent, speaking to no one. He was praying as he sat and worked with his hands, but the only words which he softly sang were Save me, O Lord, I pray, from my secret sins. Let me not be confounded. Having spoken he was then silent for about an hour, when he repeated this same verse again, so that he repeated it seven times altogether during the day, and did not say anything else. At the ninth hour, he took off his tunic and put on his military uniform (militarem habitum) and his weapons (indumen-ta), and so hastened back to his own barracks (signa, lit. 'standards' carried at the head of the legion). I stayed there myself for eight years and was greatly edified by his silence and way of life.

Chapter LXXIV - A reliable statement from PALLADIUS, on the subject of heresy

The old man caught us one day and said to us: "Believe me, my little children, the only reason for schisms and heresies coming in to the Church is that we do not love God and each other with our whole heart."

Chapter LXXV - A miracle done by OUR LADY to the wife and daughter of a man of the faith who was accustomed to giving hospitality to monks

When we visited Palladius on another day he told us the following story:

There was a man of the faith in Alexandria, very devout and generous, accustomed to giving monks hospitality. He had a wife, very humble, who fasted daily, and also a young daughter about six years old. He was a businessman, and one day he had to go on a journey to Constantinople, leaving his wife, daughter and one servant at home. As he was about to take ship his wife asked him who would be their protector in his absence.

"Our Lady the holy birthgiver of God," her husband replied.

One day when the wife was sitting working, her daughter being with her, the servant hatched a plot to kill both the lady and her daughter, seize whatever he could and flee. Taking a knife from the kitchen he went towards the triclinium where they both were. When he got to the door he was suddenly stricken with blindness, nor could he either go in to the triclinium or return to the kitchen. He stayed like that for about an hour, trying in vain to go in, and at last began to call out to the lady:

"Please, can you come here!" he cried.

"No, you come here, rather," she said, seeing him standing in the doorway shouting out rather than coming in, unaware that he was blind.

The servant again began to beg her to come to him, but she positively refused.

"Well, send your daughter to me," he begged.

"Certainly not," she said. "If there is something you want, you come here."

The servant realised that there was nothing that could be done, turned the knife upon himself and fell to the floor. The lady screamed when she realised what he had done, and neighbours immediately rushed in. Some praetorian officials also arrived and finding the servant still alive, learned everything, and glorified the Lord who had saved both mother and daughter.

Chapter LXXVI - The drowning of MARY, a woman who was a sinner

Palladius also told us this story: A certain sea captain once told me about a voyage of his when he had several male and female passengers aboard. Out on the high seas other ships seemed to be sailing well under a favourable wind, some to Constantinople, some to Alexandria, some to other places, but he could make no progress at all.

"We stayed put for about fifteen days," he said, "unable to move from where we were. We became very depressed and desperate, not knowing whatever could be causing this. As captain responsible for the care of the ship and everyone in her I began to pray about it to God. And indeed on a certain day a voice came to me saying: 'Get rid of Mary and you will sail well.' 'What did that mean', I thought, 'and who is Mary?' And as I turned this over in my mind the voice came again, saying: 'I tell you, get rid of Mary and you will be all right.'

"'O Mary!' I shouted over and over again, wondering what this was all about and not knowing who Mary was. But Mary herself heard me from where she was sitting and said: 'Did you want me, sir?'

"'Could you come here, please,' I said. She got up to come straight away, and when she had got to me I took her aside.

"'Mary, my sister,' I said, 'Are you able to see if it is my sins which are responsible for the plight you are all in? '

"'In fact, Captain,' she said, with a deep groan, 'it is I who am the sinner.'

"'Why, what have you done, woman?' I asked.

"'Woe is me', she said. 'There is no sin in the book which I have not been guilty of. And it is because of my sins that you have all been brought into this present danger.'
"And then the woman told me all about herself.

"'I'm a miserable wretch, Captain,' she said. 'I had a husband with whom I had two sons, but when one of them was nine and the other five my husband died and I was a widow. But there was a soldier living near me whom I would have quite liked to have as a husband, and I gave him some signals to that effect (misique ad ipsum quosdam). But he wouldn't because he said he did not want a wife who had two children by another man. But I was carried away with desire for him, and seeing that he would not have me because of my children, I killed them both and then went to him and said "See now, I no longer have any children". When he learned what I had done with the children he said: "As the Lord lives in heaven, I certainly will not have you!" So I fled, in fear that he would tell and I should be executed.'

"Even though I had heard this out of her own mouth I was unwilling to throw her overboard, and tried to put off coming to a decision.

"'Look,' I said, 'I will go down into a lifeboat, and if the ship then begins to move we will know that it was my sins which were impeding her.' I called for the coxswain and said, 'Lower the boat'. But once I was in the boat, neither the ship nor the boat still made any movement. Coming back aboard again I said to the woman, 'Now you get down into the boat'. The moment she got into it the boat turned round five times and went straight to the bottom, carrying her with it. And after this the ship made such good progress that in three and a half days' sailing we made up for the fifteen days we had lost."

Chapter LXXVII - The story of three poor BLIND MEN, and how they came by their blindness

My respected master Sophronius and I went once to the house of Stephanus the philosopher to benefit from his teaching. It was about the middle of the day and he lived near the church of the holy birthgiver of God known as the Dorothea, which our blessed father Eulogius had built near the great Tetrapylum [a portico of four columns standing in line]. When we knocked at the philosopher's door a maid opened up to us who said that he was asleep and we would have to wait a while.

"Let's go to the Tetrapylum and wait there," I said to Sophronius. It was a place held in great reverence in Alexandria, for it is said that Alexander, the founder of the city, brought the bones of the prophet Jeremiah out of Egypt and reburied them there. When we got there, about noon, we found no one inside except three blind men. Without making a noise we sat down near these three men to read our books. They were having a long conversation with each other.

"How did you come to be blind?" one of them asked the other.

"In my youth I was a sailor," he replied, "and while sailing from Africa on the high seas I suddenly became blind, and could not see where I was going for the whiteness in my eyes. And how did you become blind?" he asked the other.

"I worked in glass production of various kinds," he said, "the fire damaged both my eyes, and I became blind."

Having questioned each other they both then turned to the third.

"Tell us how you also became blind," they asked.

"When I was young," he replied, "I hated work, I rejected it, I was just a layabout (luxuriosus). But I had nothing to live on so I took to stealing. I had committed many crimes, when one day I was standing in a certain place where I noticed a very richly dressed corpse being carried by. I followed the funeral procession to see where it would be laid. They went behind St John ['s church], and laid the body in a tomb. They said the funeral prayers and departed. As soon as I was sure they had all gone I went in to the tomb and pulled off all the rich clothing, leaving nothing but a linen cloth. As I was on my way out of the tomb, loaded up with many bundles, a wicked thought said to me, 'Take the linen cloth as well, it is such a good one.' Alas, I went back and took the linen cloth also, leaving the body quite naked. The dead man suddenly sat up before my very eyes, thrust out his hands towards me and gouged out my eyes. Terrified, I dropped everything, and found my way out of the tomb with great danger and difficulty. So now, I have told you how I too became blind."

My respected master Sophronius nodded to me when we had heard this tale, and we stole away.

"Abba John," he said, "we really have no need for any further study today. We have already been educated quite enough."

I have told this tale that you also might be educated: there is no ill doer who may hide from God. And we heard this tale from the very person it happened to.