When Anthony was twenty years old and heard read in church: 'If you wish to be perfect, go and sell all that you have and give to the poor,' he sold all his goods and gave them out to the poor and led a hermit's life. The man endured innumerable temptations of demons. On one occasion, when by the power of faith he had overcome the spirit of fornication, the devil appeared before him in the form of a black boy, prostrating himself, and confessed himself conquered by him. For he obtained even this by his prayers, that he might see the demon of fornication lying in wait for the young. And when he had seen him in the aforesaid form, he said: 'You have appeared to me in a most vile shape; I will fear you no longer.'
Another time, while he was hiding in a certain tomb, a multitude of demons so mangled him that his attendant carried him off on his own shoulders as though dead. And when all who had gathered had bewailed him as dead, while all were grieving, Anthony suddenly revived and had himself carried again by the attendant to the aforesaid tomb. And when he lay there prostrate from the pain of his wounds, by strength of soul he stirred up the demons to combat. Then they appeared in various forms of wild beasts and again most cruelly mangled him with teeth, horns and claws. Then suddenly a wonderful splendour appeared there and put all the demons to flight. And Anthony was immediately healed.
And perceiving that Christ was present there, he said: 'Where were you, good Jesus? Where were you? Why were you not here from the beginning, to help me and heal my wounds?' The Lord said to him: 'Anthony, I was here, but I was waiting to see your struggle: but now, because you have fought manfully, I will make your name renowned throughout the whole world.' He was of such great fervour that, when the emperor Maximian was killing the Christians, he himself followed the martyrs, that he might deserve to become a martyr with them, and he grieved vehemently because martyrdom was not granted him. And when he was journeying to another desert, he found a silver dish and began to say within himself: 'Whence this silver dish, where no footprints of men are seen?
For if it had fallen from a traveller, surely because of its size it could not have lain hidden. This, devil, is your contrivance, yet never able to change my will.' And as he said this, the dish vanished like smoke. Afterwards he found a huge mass of real gold, but the gold fled like a fire; and so, fleeing to the mountain, he remained there for twenty years, shining with countless miracles. On one occasion, while he was caught up in the spirit, he saw the whole world full of snares interlinked with one another. Crying out, he said: 'O who will escape these!' And he heard: 'Humility.' At one time, while he was being lifted up by angels into the air, demons were present and hindered his passage, casting up against him his sins from the beginning of his birth. To whom the angels said:
'You ought not to relate those things which have already been blotted out by the mercy of Christ. But if you know any from the time he became a monk, bring those forward.' And when they failed in their proof, Anthony was raised up free into the heights and set down free. Anthony relates concerning himself, saying: 'I once saw the devil tall of body, who dared to call himself the power and providence of God and said: "What do you wish to be given you by me, Anthony?" But I, gathering spittle in his face, armed with the name of Christ, hurled myself wholly upon him, and at once he vanished.' To him the devil once appeared in such great height that he seemed to touch heaven with his head. And when Anthony asked who he was, and he said he was Satan, Satan added:
'Why do the monks thus attack me, and the Christians curse me?' Anthony said to him: 'They do this justly, because they are often troubled by your snares.' And he said: 'I in no way trouble them, but they themselves disturb one another. For I have been reduced to nothing, because now Christ reigns in all parts.' A certain archer once caught sight of blessed Anthony rejoicing with the brethren, and it displeased him. Anthony said to him: 'Put an arrow in your bow and draw it.' And he did so; and when he had bidden this be done a second and a third time, the archer said: 'I shall be able to draw only so far that I shall regret its breaking.' Anthony said to him: 'So it is in the work of God; for if we wished to stretch beyond measure, we should the sooner be broken.
It is fitting therefore that strictness be sometimes relaxed.' Hearing this, the man departed edified. A certain man questioned Anthony, saying: 'By keeping what shall I please God?' And answering he said: 'Wherever you go, always have God before your eyes; in the things you do, bring forward the testimony of holy Scripture; in whatever place you sit, do not quickly depart from it. Keep these three things and you will be saved.' A certain abbot questioned Anthony, saying: 'What shall I do?' Anthony said to him: 'Do not trust in your own righteousness; let there be continence of belly and tongue for you, and do not repent of a thing once past.' Again Anthony said:
'Just as fish, if they linger on dry land, die, so monks who linger outside their cell or dwell with worldly men are loosed from their purpose of quiet.' Again Anthony said: 'He who sits in solitude and is at rest is delivered from three wars, namely of hearing, of speech and of sight, and will have a fight against one only, namely of the heart.' Certain brethren went with a certain old man to visit the abbot Anthony. And Anthony said to the brethren: 'You have had a good companion in this old man.' Then he said to the old man: 'You have found good brethren with you, father!' The old man said to him: 'Good indeed I have found them, but their dwelling has no door.
For whoever wishes enters the stable and looses the ass.' He said this because everything that was in their heart was at once on their lips. The abbot Anthony said: 'It is fitting to know that there are three bodily motions: one indeed of nature, another from fullness of food, the third from a demon.' A certain brother had renounced the world, but not fully, because he kept certain things for himself. Anthony said to him: 'Go and buy meat.' He, going, bought meat, and as he was carrying it and coming back, the dogs tore at him. Anthony said to him: 'Those who renounce the world and wish to have money are thus attacked and torn by demons.' Anthony, while he was afflicted with weariness in the desert, said:
'Lord, I wish to be saved, and my thoughts do not allow me.' And rising he went outside and saw someone sitting and working, and then rising and praying. Now it was an angel of the Lord, and he said to him: 'Do thus, and you will be saved.' On one occasion, when the brethren had asked Anthony about the state of souls, on the following night a voice called him, saying: 'Rise and go out and see.' And behold, he saw a certain one, tall and terrible, lifting his head up to the clouds, who hindered with outstretched hands certain winged ones desiring to fly to heaven, and could not hold back others freely flying past.
And he heard a very great joy mingled with exceeding sorrow, and he understood that this was the ascent of souls and the devil hindering it, who held back certain guilty ones and grieved thus over the flight of the saints, whom he could not hold back. At one time, while Anthony was working with the brethren, looking up to heaven, when he had seen a sad vision, he fell prostrate before God and prayed that he would avert the future crime. And when the brethren questioned him about this, with tears and sobs he said that an unheard-of crime was threatening the ages. 'I saw,' he said, 'the altar of God surrounded by a multitude of horses, which trampled all things to pieces with their hooves. For by a great whirlwind the catholic faith shall be overthrown, and men like beasts shall tear apart the sacraments of Christ.'
And the voice of the Lord came, saying: 'They shall abominate my altar.' Two years later, when the Arians had broken out, they rent the unity of the Church, defiled the baptisteries and churches, and slaughtered Christians upon the altars like sheep. A certain Egyptian duke, an Arian named Ballachius, was harassing the Church of God in this way and publicly stripping and scourging virgins and monks, when Anthony wrote to him thus: 'I see the wrath of God coming upon you. Cease now from persecuting the Christians, lest the wrath of God seize you, for it threatens you with imminent destruction.' The wretched man read the letter, mocked it, cursed it and cast it to the ground, and inflicting many blows upon the bearers, he sent back to Anthony this reply:
'Since you have such great care for the monks, the discipline of our severity shall reach you also.' But five days later, while riding his most gentle horse, he was thrown to the ground by that very horse's bite, and with his legs gnawed and torn he expired within three days. When certain brothers had sought a word of salvation from Anthony, he said: 'You have heard the Lord saying, if anyone strikes you on the cheek, offer him the other also.' They said to him: 'This we cannot fulfill.' And he: 'At least endure patiently a blow on one cheek.' And they: 'Not even this could we do.' Then Anthony said to them: 'At least be unwilling to strike rather than to be struck.' And they: 'Neither could we do this.' Then Anthony said to his disciple:
'Prepare some broths for these brothers, for they are exceedingly delicate: prayer alone is necessary for you.' These things are read in the Lives of the Fathers. At last blessed Anthony, in the one hundred and fifth year of his life, kissing the brothers, rested in peace under Constantine, who began to reign about the year of the Lord 340.