安東尼傳 第 1 章 第 4/5 段

But this only was Antony's wonder, that, sitting in the mountain, he had his heart watchful, and the Lord showing him the things afar off.

For once again, sitting in the mountain and looking up, he saw someone being borne up in the air, and great joy arising among those who met him.

Then, marvelling and counting such a company blessed, he prayed to learn what this might be.

And at once there came to him a voice, that this was the soul of Amoun, the monk in Nitria.

Now this man had continued an ascetic until old age.

And the distance from Nitria to the mountain where Antony was is a journey of thirteen days.

Those, then, who were with Antony, seeing the old man marvelling, asked to learn the reason;

and they heard that Amoun had just died.

For he was well known, because of his coming there rather frequently, and because many signs had been wrought through him also.

Once, when there was need for him to cross the river called the Lycus (and at that time there was a flooding of the waters), he asked Theodore who was with him to keep far from him, that they might not see one another naked while they swam through the water.

Then, when Theodore had departed, he was again ashamed even to see himself naked.

While, then, he was ashamed and pondering, suddenly he was carried over to the other side.

Theodore, then, himself also a devout man, drawing near and seeing him having gone ahead, and not at all wetted by the water, sought to learn the manner of the crossing.

And when he saw that he was unwilling to tell, he insisted, holding his feet, not to let go until he should learn from him.

Amoun, therefore, seeing Theodore's persistence, especially also because of the word which he had spoken, in turn required of him to tell no one until his death;

and so he reported that he had been borne up and set on the other side;

but that he had not walked upon the water, nor was this at all possible for men, except for the Lord only, and for those whom He should so permit, as He did for the great Apostle Peter.

Theodore, then, after the death of Amoun, recounted this;

and the monks to whom Antony had spoken concerning the death of Amoun noted the day;

and Amoun had fallen asleep at the very hour in which the old man saw his soul being borne up.

And both these and those greatly marvelled at the purity of Antony's soul, how he learned at the very moment of a thing that happened at a distance of thirteen days, and saw the soul being borne up.

And indeed, once Archelaus the count too, finding him in the outer mountain, asked him only to pray concerning Polycratia, the admirable and Christ-bearing virgin in Laodicea.

For she suffered grievously in the stomach and the side from excessive asceticism, and was wholly weak in body.

Antony, then, prayed;

and the count noted the day on which the prayer was made;

and departing to Laodicea, he found the virgin in health.

And inquiring when and on what day she had ceased from her sickness, he brought forth the paper on which he had written the time of the prayer;

and learning, he himself at once showed the writing on the paper;

and all marvelled, recognizing that the Lord had then ceased her from her pains, at the time when Antony was praying and beseeching the goodness of the Saviour concerning her.

And concerning those coming to him also he often foretold days before—and sometimes even a month before—and the reason for which they came;

for some came merely to see him, and others on account of sickness, and others suffering from demons.

And all reckoned the toil of the road neither a vexation nor a loss;

for each one returned having perceived the benefit.

But saying and seeing such things, he asked that no one should marvel at him in this;

but rather marvel at the Lord, that He had granted to us who are men to know Him according to our capacity.

Once again, having gone down to the outer monasteries, and being asked to embark on a boat and to pray with the monks, he alone perceived a grievous and exceedingly bitter stench.

And when those in the boat said that there was fish and salt-fish in the boat, and that the smell was of these, he said the stench was another kind;

and while he was still speaking, a certain young man having a demon, who had entered beforehand and hidden himself in the boat, suddenly cried out.

And the demon, being rebuked in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, came out;

and the man became whole;

and all knew that the stench was of the demon.

And another also, one of the notables, came to him having a demon.

Now that demon was so terrible that the one possessed did not know whether he was going to Antony;

but he even devoured the excrements of his own body.

Those, then, who brought him besought Antony to pray on his behalf;

and Antony, having compassion on the young man, prayed;

and he kept vigil together with him the whole night.

And the young man, suddenly coming upon Antony toward dawn, pushed him;

and when those who had come with him were indignant, Antony said:

'Do not be harsh with the young man;

for it is not he, but the demon in him;

and being rebuked, and commanded to be driven into waterless places, it raged, and did this.

For his thus rushing against me has become to you a sign of the demon's departure.'

When Antony had said these things, at once the young man became whole;

and thereafter, having come to his senses, he knew where he was, and greeted the old man, giving thanks to God.

And very many of the monks have related many other such things concerning him, harmoniously and consistently, as having been done through him.

But these things are not so marvellous as the other things appear yet more wonderful.

For once, being about to eat, and having risen to pray about the ninth hour, he perceived himself caught up in mind;

and, the marvel, standing there he saw himself as it were becoming outside himself, and being led into the air by certain ones;

and as those leading him were opposed, those others demanded an account, whether he were not liable to them.

When, then, they wished to take account from his birth, those leading Antony hindered them, saying to those others:

'The things from his birth the Lord has blotted out;

but from the time he became a monk and made profession to God, you are permitted to take account.'

Then, as they accused but did not convict, the way became free and unhindered for him;

and at once he saw himself as it were coming and standing by himself, and again he was wholly Antony.

Then, forgetting to eat, he remained the rest of the day and through the whole night groaning and praying.

For he marvelled, seeing against how many is our wrestling, and through how many toils one has to pass through the air;

and he remembered that this is what the Apostle said:

'According to the prince of the power of the air.'

For in this the enemy has his power, in fighting and tempting to hinder those who pass through.

'Take up the whole armour of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day';

that, the enemy having nothing base to say concerning us, he may be put to shame.

And we, having learned this, let us remember the Apostle who says:

'Whether in the body, I know not;

or out of the body, I know not.'

But Paul indeed was caught up to the third heaven, and having heard unspeakable words, came down;

but Antony saw himself reaching as far as the air, and contending until he appeared free.

And he had this gift also again.

For sitting alone in the mountain, if ever, seeking something within himself, he was at a loss, this was revealed to him by Providence as he prayed.

And he was, according to that which is written, become taught of God, the blessed man.

After this, then, when once a discussion arose for him with certain ones who had come in to him, concerning the condition of the soul, and what place it will have after this, on the following night someone called him from above, saying:

'Antony, rise up, go out, and behold.'

Going out, then (for he knew to whom he ought to hearken), and looking up, he beheld someone tall, hideous and terrible, standing and reaching up to the clouds, and certain ones ascending as though winged;

and that one stretching out his hands;

and some being hindered by him, but others flying over above him, and having passed through, were thereafter borne up without care.

At such ones, then, that tall one gnashed his teeth;

but over those who fell away, he rejoiced.

And immediately a voice came to Antony,

and when his understanding was opened, he perceived that this was the passage of souls, and that the one standing tall was the enemy who envies the faithful;

and that he held back those who were under his power and hindered them from passing through, but those who had not yielded to him he was unable to hold, since they passed over him.

Having seen this again, and as if reminded of it, he strove all the more each day to advance in the things that lay ahead.

But these things he did not willingly report of himself;

rather, when he lingered long in prayer and marvelled within himself, and his companions questioned and pressed him, he was compelled to speak, like a father unable to hide things from his children.

He reasoned that, while his own conscience was clear, the account would be of profit to them, since they would learn that asceticism bears good fruit, and that visions often become a consolation for their labors.

Moreover, in his character he was patient under wrongs, and humble in spirit;

for being such a man, he honored exceedingly the rule of the Church, and was willing to place every cleric above himself in honor.

For he was not ashamed to bow his head before bishops and presbyters;

and the matters of prayer he yielded to them, not ashamed himself also to learn.

For often he would inquire, and ask to hear from those present;

and he confessed that he was benefited if anyone said something useful.

And indeed his face too had great and marvelous grace.

He had this gift also from the Savior;

for if he were present amid a multitude of monks, and someone who did not previously know him wished to see him, that person, coming forward, would at once pass by all the others and run to him, as though drawn by his very appearance.

He differed from the others not in height nor in breadth, but in the disposition of his character and in the purity of his soul.

For since his soul was undisturbed, he had his outward senses also untroubled;

so that from the joy of his soul his face too was cheerful, and from the movements of his body one could perceive and discern the state of his soul, according to what is written:

When the heart is glad, the countenance flourishes;

but when it is in sorrow, it grows downcast.

Thus Jacob recognized that Laban was plotting evil, and he said to his wives:

Your father's countenance is not toward me as yesterday and the day before;

for he had joyful eyes, and teeth white as milk.

In this way too Antony was recognized;

for he was never troubled, since his soul was calm;

he never became downcast, since his mind was joyful.

And in faith too he was exceedingly wonderful and devout.

For he never held communion with the Meletian schismatics, knowing their wickedness and apostasy from the beginning;

nor did he associate in friendship with the Manichaeans or any other heretics, except only to the extent of admonishing them to turn to true religion;

considering and proclaiming that friendship and fellowship with these was harm and ruin to the soul.

In the same way, then, he also abhorred the heresy of the Arians, and charged everyone neither to approach them nor to share in their evil belief.

Indeed, when once some of the Arian-maniacs came to him, he examined them, and learning that they were impious, he drove them from the mountain, saying that their words were worse than the poison of serpents.

And when the Arians once falsely claimed that he held the same opinions as they, he was indignant and angry against them.

Then, being entreated by the bishops and by all the brethren, he came down from the mountain;

and entering Alexandria, he denounced the Arians;

saying that this was the last heresy, and the forerunner of the Antichrist.

And he taught the people that the Son of God is not a creature, nor was he made out of nothing;

but that he is eternal, the Word and Wisdom of the Father's substance.

For the Word was always co-existent with the Father;

wherefore have no fellowship at all with the most impious Arians;

for there is no communion of light with darkness.

For you are devout Christians;

but those who call the Son of God and Word, who is from the Father, a creature, differ in no way from the heathen, worshiping the creation rather than God the Creator.

And believe that all creation itself is indignant against them;

because they number among created things the Creator and Lord of all, in whom all things came to be.

Now all the people rejoiced to hear the Christ-fighting heresy anathematized by such a man;

and all those of the city ran together to see Antony.

The Greeks too, and even those called their priests, came to the Lord's house, saying:

We ask to see the man of God;

for so they all called him.

For there too the Lord cleansed many through him from demons, and healed those whose minds were afflicted.

Indeed, so many became Christians in those few days as one might have seen become so in a whole year.

Then, when some thought that he was troubled by the crowds and on this account were turning everyone away from him, he himself, untroubled, said that these were not more numerous than those demons with whom we wrestle on the mountain.

When he was departing, and we were escorting him, as we reached the gate, a woman cried out behind us:

Stay, man of God; my daughter is terribly tormented by a demon;

stay, I beg you, lest I too perish in running.

Hearing this, the old man, and being entreated by us, willingly stayed.

And as the woman drew near, the child had been thrown to the ground;

but when Antony prayed and named Christ, the child was raised up whole, the unclean demon having gone out.

And the mother blessed God, and all gave thanks.

And he himself rejoiced as he departed, as though to his own home, to the mountain.

And the marvel was this: that though he had not learned letters, he was a shrewd and intelligent man.

Once, then, two philosophers, Greeks, came to him, thinking they could put Antony to the test;

but he, perceiving the men from their countenance, went out to them and said through an interpreter:

Why have you troubled yourselves so much, O philosophers, to come to a foolish man? And when they said that he was not foolish, but indeed very prudent, he said to them:

If you came to a foolish man, your labor is superfluous;

but if you think me prudent, become as I am;

for one ought to imitate good things.

And if I had come to you, I would have imitated you;

but since you have come to me, become as I am;

And they departed marveling; for they saw that even demons feared Antony.

When again others of the same sort met him on the outer mountain, and thought to mock him because he had not learned letters, Antony said to them:

What then do you say? Which is first, mind or letters? And which is the cause of which—the mind of letters, or letters of the mind? And when they said that mind is first and the inventor of letters,

Therefore, he in whom the mind is sound has no need of letters.

This astounded both those present and the men themselves.

So they went away marveling that they had beheld such understanding in an unlettered man;

for although he had been raised in the mountain and grown old there, he did not have a savage character;

but he was both gracious and refined.

And his speech was seasoned with the divine salt;

so that no one envied him, but rather all who came to him rejoiced over him.

Indeed, after these things, when yet others came again—

and these were among those reputed wise among the Greeks—

and demanded of him an account concerning our faith in Christ;

and they attempted to argue concerning the preaching of the divine cross, and wished to mock it;

Antony, pausing a little, and first pitying them for their ignorance, said through an interpreter who well translated his words:

Which is more noble, to confess a cross, or to attribute adulteries and pederasty to those you call gods? For what we proclaim is a proof of courage and a token of contempt for death;

but your tales are the passions of licentiousness.

Then, which is better—to say that the Word of God was not changed;

but that, remaining the same, for the salvation and benefit of humankind he took on a human body, so that, sharing in human birth, he might make human beings share in the divine and intelligible nature;

or to liken the Deity to irrational beasts, and for this reason to worship four-footed animals, and reptiles, and images of men? For these are the objects of worship of you wise men.

[We say] that Christ has been revealed as man;

whereas you, separating the soul from heaven, assert that it has gone astray and fallen from the vault of the heavens into a body;

and would that it passed and fell only into a human body, and not into four-footed beasts and reptiles!

For our faith speaks of the coming of Christ for the salvation of humankind;

but you go astray, because you expound concerning an unbegotten soul.

And we hold the power and the love for humankind of [God's] Providence, that even this was not impossible for God;

but you, calling the soul the image of the mind, attach falls to it, and tell tales that it is mutable;

and then, on account of the soul, you introduce the mind itself also as mutable.

For of whatever sort the image was, of necessity that one too must be the same, whose image it is.

And whenever you hold such things concerning the mind, consider that you blaspheme against the very Father of the mind.

And concerning the cross, what could you say is better—to endure a cross when a plot is brought against one by the wicked, and not to cower before whatever death is brought upon one;

or to tell tales of the wanderings of Osiris and Isis, and the plots of Typhon, and the flight of Cronos, and the devouring of children, and parricides? For these are your wise things.

And how is it that, mocking the cross, you do not marvel at the resurrection? For those who recorded the one also wrote of the other.

Or why, while mentioning the cross, are you silent about the dead who were raised, and the blind who recovered sight, and the paralytics who were healed, and the lepers who were cleansed, and the walking upon the sea, and the other signs and wonders, which show Christ to be no longer a man, but God? You seem to me to do yourselves great wrong, and not to have read our Scriptures sincerely.

But do you read and see, that the things which Christ has done declare him to be God, who came to dwell among us for the salvation of humankind.

And do you also tell us your own things.

What could you say concerning the irrational tales but irrationality and savagery? And if, as I hear, you wish to say that these things are spoken among you allegorically;

and you allegorize the rape of Kore as the earth, and the lameness of Hephaestus as fire, and Hera as the air, and Apollo as the sun, and Artemis as the moon, and Poseidon as the sea;

none the less you do not worship God himself, but serve the creation rather than God who created all things.

For if, because the creation is beautiful, you composed such things;

yet you ought to have gone no further than to marvel, and not to deify the things made;

since otherwise it would be time for you to transfer the honor of the architect to the house made by him, or that of the general to the soldier.

What, then, do you say to these things, that we may know whether the cross has anything worthy of mockery? And while they were at a loss and turning this way and that, Antony, smiling, said again through the interpreter:

These things indeed carry their refutation from the very sight of them;

but since you rather rely on demonstrative arguments, and possessing this art, you wish that we too should worship God not without proof by means of arguments;

tell us first yourselves: how are realities, and especially the knowledge of God, accurately discerned—by demonstration of arguments, or by the working of faith? And which is prior—faith that works, or demonstration by arguments? And when they answered that faith that works is prior, and that this is accurate knowledge;

for faith comes from the disposition of the soul;

but dialectic is from the art of those who compose [arguments].

Therefore, for those to whom the working through faith is present, demonstration by arguments is not necessary, or perhaps even superfluous.

For what we apprehend by faith, this you attempt to establish by arguments;

and often you cannot even express what we apprehend;

so that the working through faith is better and more secure than your sophistical syllogisms.

We Christians, therefore, hold the mystery not in the wisdom of Greek words;

but in the power of faith supplied to us through Jesus Christ from God.

And that this word is true—behold now, we, having not learned letters, believe in God, recognizing through his works his providence over all.

And that our faith is effective—behold now, we rely upon faith in Christ, but you upon sophistical battles of words.

And the apparitions of the idols among you are being abolished, but the faith among us is being extended everywhere.

And you, with your syllogizing and sophistry, do not turn anyone away from Christianity to Hellenism;

but we, teaching faith in Christ, strip away your superstition, while all recognize that Christ is God, and the Son of God.

And you with your fine speech do not hinder the teaching of Christ;

but we, naming the crucified Christ, put to flight all the demons whom you fear as gods.

And where the sign of the cross is made, magic is weakened, and sorcery has no effect.

Tell us, then, where now are your oracles? Where the incantations of the Egyptians? Where the illusions of the magicians? When did all these cease and grow feeble, except when the cross of Christ came to be? Is this, then, worthy of mockery, or rather the things that are abolished and refuted by it shown to be feeble? For this too is wonderful:

that your things were never persecuted, but are even honored by people in every city;

but the things of Christ are persecuted, and yet ours flourish and multiply beyond yours.

And your things, praised and enclosed, perish;

but the faith and teaching of Christ, mocked by you and often persecuted by kings, has filled the inhabited world.

For when did the knowledge of God ever so shine forth? Or when did self-control and the virtue of virginity so appear? Or when was death so despised, except when the cross of Christ came to be? Of this no one doubts who sees the martyrs despising death for Christ's sake, and sees the virgins of the Church for Christ's sake keeping their bodies pure and undefiled.

And these are sufficient proofs to show that faith according to Christ alone is the true [faith] unto godliness.

Behold, even now you remain unbelieving, seeking the syllogisms that come from words.

But we do not prove by persuasive words of Greek wisdom, as our teacher said;

but we persuade clearly by faith, which forestalls the construction that comes from words.

Behold, there are present here some who are suffering from demons;

now there had come to him certain ones troubled by demons, and bringing them into the midst, he said:

Either you, by your syllogisms, and by whatever art or magic you wish, calling upon your idols, cleanse them;

or, if you cannot, lay down your contest against us, and you shall see the power of the cross of Christ.

And having said these things, he called upon Christ, and sealed the sufferers with the sign of the cross a second and a third time.

And immediately the people stood up whole, sound in mind, and from then on giving thanks to the Lord.

And those called philosophers marveled, and truly were amazed at the understanding of the man, and at the sign that had taken place;

but Antony said, Why do you marvel at this? It is not we who do these things, but it is Christ who does them through those who believe in him.

Believe, then, you also;

but it is faith working through love toward Christ;

if you too should obtain this, you will no longer seek proofs by means of words;

but you will consider faith in Christ sufficient.

These were the words of Antony;

and they, marveling at this also, departed, embracing him, and confessing that they were benefited by him.

The fame concerning Antony reached even as far as the emperors.

For having learned these things, Constantine the Augustus, and his sons Constantius and Constans the Augusti, wrote to him as to a father, and prayed to receive replies from him.

But he neither made much of the letters, nor was elated by the correspondence;

he was the same as he had been before the emperors wrote to him.

And when the letters were brought to him, he called the monks and said:

Do not marvel if an emperor writes to us, for he is a man;

but rather marvel that God wrote the Law for human beings, and has spoken to us through his own Son.

He wished, then, not to accept the letters, saying that he did not know how to reply to such things;

but being urged by the monks, because the emperors were Christians, and lest they should be scandalized as though rejected, he allowed them to be read.

And he wrote back, commending them indeed because they worshiped Christ, and counseled them in the things pertaining to salvation;

and not to regard present things as great, but rather to remember the coming judgment, and to know that Christ alone is the true and eternal King.

He charged them also to be lovers of humankind, and to care for justice and for the poor.

And they, receiving [the letters], rejoiced.

Thus was he beloved by all, and all deemed it worthy to have him as a father.

Being known, then, as such a man, and so answering those who met him, he returned again to the inner mountain.

And he held to his customary asceticism;

And he himself, after some hours, would converse with the brethren who were with him about appropriate things;

and those with him perceived that he was beholding some vision.

For indeed the things happening in Egypt he often beheld while in the mountain, and recounted them to Serapion the bishop, who was within and saw Antony absorbed in the vision.

Once, then, while sitting and working, he fell as it were into ecstasy, and was for a long time groaning much in the vision.

Then after a while, turning to those present, he groaned, and becoming trembling, he prayed, and bending his knees, he remained for a long time.

And rising, the old man wept.