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La vie de sainte Antoine

Préface

C’est un combat très avantageux que celui où vous vous êtes engagés, d'égaler par votre vertu celle des Solitaires d’Egypte, et d’esssayer, même, de les surpasser par une généreuse émulation. Il y a déjà parmi vous plusieurs maisons de Solitaires où la discipline religieuse est très bien observée. Chacun louera avec raison votre dessein, et Dieu accordera sans doute à vos prières l'heureux accomplissement de vos désirs. Aussi, voyant que vous me demandez avec instance de vous faire une relation de la manière de vivre du bienheureux Antoine, et que vous désirez apprendre comment il commença à suivre une profession si sainte, ce qu’il était auparavant , quelle a été la fin de sa vie et si les choses que l'on publie à son sujet sont véritables, afin de pouvoir entrer encore dans une plus grande perfection par son imitation et par son exemple, j'ai entrepris avec beaucoup de joie ce que votre charité m'ordonne, parce que de mon côté, je ne saurais me remettre devant les yeux les saintes actions d'Antoine sans en tirer un grand avantage ; et je fuis assuré que du vôtre vous entendrez avec tant d'admiration ce que je vous en dirai, que cela fera naître en vous un ardent désir de marcher sur les pas de ce grand serviteur de Dieu, puisque pour des Solitaires, c'est connaître le vrai chemin de la perfection que de savoir quelle a été la vie d'Antoine.

Ne craignez donc point d’ajouter foi à ce que l'on vous a rapporté de lui, et croyez plutôt que ce ne sont que les moindres de ses excellentes vertus. Car comment aurait-on pu vous en informer entièrement, vu que tout ce que je vous en écrirai par cette lettre, après avoir rappelé ma mémoire pour satisfaire à votre désir, n'égale nullement ses actions. Mais vous-mêmes informez-vous-en soigneusement auprès de ceux qui passeront d’ici vers vous, mais même si chacun rapporte tout ce qu'il sait, il fera très difficile d'en faire une relation qui réponde à la dignité du sujet.

J’avais eu dessein après avoir reçu vos lettres, d’envoyer quérir quelques Solitaires, et principalement ceux qui allaient souvent le visiter, afin qu'en étant mieux informé, je puisse vous en donner une plus particulière connaissance : mais parce que le temps de la navigation était passé et que celui qui m'a rendu vos lettres, était pressé de s'en retourner, je me suis hâté de satisfaire à votre piété, en vous écrivant ce que j'en sais par moi-même, comme l'ayant souvent vu, et ce que j'en ai pu apprendre d'un Solitaire, qui a demeuré longtemps avec lui, et qui lui donnait souvent à laver les mains. J'ai eu soin partout de demeurer dans les termes de la vérité, ce dont j'estime devoir vous avertir, afin que si quelqu'un entend rapporter de lui des actions encore plus grandes que celles que je vous dirai, cette multitude de merveilles ne lui en diminue pas la créance ; et que si au contraire, il n'en apprend que des choses qui soient au dessus de son mérite, cela ne le porte pas à mépriser un si grand Saint.

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The Life of Antony

Prologue.

P. 194 Table of Contents.

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

§§3, 4. His early ascetic life.

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

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

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

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

§§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.

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

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

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

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

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

§47. How he lived at this time.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

§67. How Antony reverenced all ordained persons.

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

§69. How he confuted the Arians.

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

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

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

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

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

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

§85. How wisely he answered a certain duke.

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

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

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

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

§91. Of his sickness and his last will.

§92. Of Antony’s death.

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

§94. The end.

[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.’]

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

Life of Antony.

P. 195 The life and conversation of our holy Father, Antony: written and sent to the monks in foreign parts by our Father among the Saints, Athanasius, Bishop of Alexandria.

Athanasius ¹ the bishop to the brethren in foreign parts.

You have entered upon a noble rivalry with the monks of Egypt by your determination either to equal or surpass them in your training in the way of virtue. For by this time there are monasteries among you, and the name of monk receives public recognition. With reason, therefore, all men will approve this determination, and in answer to your prayers God will give its fulfilment. Now since you asked me to give you an account of the blessed Antony’s way of life, and are wishful to learn how he began the discipline, who and what manner of man he was previous to this, how he closed his life, and whether the things told of him are true, that you also may bring yourselves to imitate him, I very readily accepted your behest, for to me also the bare recollection of Antony is a great accession of help. And I know that you, when you have heard, apart from your admiration of the man, will be wishful to emulate his determination; seeing that for monks the life of Antony is a sufficient pattern of discipline. Wherefore do not refuse credence to what you have heard from those who brought tidings of him; but think rather that they have told you only a few things, for at all events they scarcely can have given circumstances of so great import in any detail. And because I at your request have called to mind a few circumstances about him, and shall send as much as I can tell in a letter, do not neglect to question those who sail from here: for possibly when all have told their tale, the account will hardly be in proportion to his merits. On account of this I was desirous, when I received your letter, to send for certain of the monks, those especially who were wont to be more frequently with him, that if I could learn any fresh details I might send them to you. But since the season for sailing was coming to an end and the letter-carrier urgent, I hastened to write to your piety what I myself know, having seen him many times, and what I was able to learn from him, for I was his attendant for a long time, and poured water on his hands ²; in all points being mindful of the truth, that no one should disbelieve through hearing too much, nor on the other hand by hearing too little should despise the man.