Therefore, through very many cities, and villages, and in caves and holes in the earth, and in the tabernacles which the
monks had in the desert for a distance as far as a man could walk have I (Palladus) gone round about for the sake of the
labour of the fear of God, and I have set down in writing with exactness the things which I have seen. And I have also made
known unto thee the things which I have heard from the holy fathers concerning the triumphs of great men, and concerning
the women who for the sake of the hope which is in Christ performed mighty works which were above nature, and I have sent
it to thy hearing which loveth divine words.
The History of Abba Ammon, the Father of Egyptian Monasticism
Concerning the blessed man Ammon, he used
to say: He became a monk in this way: When he
was a young man, and was about twenty-two
years old, his parents left him an orphan. His
fathers brother wanted to give him a wife, and
because he was unable to resist the counsel of his
uncle he was compelled by force to marry one,
and to fasten the crown of bridegrooms upon
his head, and to take his seat in the marriage
chamber, and to fulfill everything according
to the law of the marriage feast. Now,
Ammon submitted to everything outwardly,
but after every one had gone forth having
put Ammon and his wife to bed in the
marriage chamber, the blessed man rose up
and shut the door and seated himself. And
he called to the true and blessed woman his
spouse and said to her, Henceforth thou
shalt be my lady and my sister; come
therefore, and I will relate unto thee
concerning a matter which is more excellent
than marriage. The marriage which men
contract is a perishable thing, but let us choose
for ourselves the marriage, which perishes not
and the marriage feast which never endeth. Let
us each sleep alone, for in this wise we shall
please Christ; and let us guard the glory of our
virginity unspotted, so that we may take our rest
at the marriage feast which is incorruptible.
Then he took out a book from his bosom and read to the
maiden passages which were uttered by the Apostles and
by our Redeemer, and since she had no knowledge of the
Scriptures he added unto their words from his own divine
mind. And he read many passages unto her and talked
much to her concerning virginity and purity, and at length, by the grace of Christ, she was persuaded. Then
she answered and said unto him, Master, I know
well that a rule of life of purity is very much more
excellent than marriage; therefore whatsoever
pleaseth thee that do. And I also from this time
forth will be persuaded to do whatsoever thou
wishest to do.
Then Ammon said unto her, I beg and entreat
thee to let each of us from this time forth dwell
alone.î But she would not agree to this and
said, Let us live in the same house, and let
each of us have a separate bed.î So they dwelt
together holily in the same house for eighteen
years. In the morning Ammon used to go forth
and pass the whole day in cultivating balsam
trees which he had in his garden; now the
balsam tree is like unto the vine and must be
planted and pruned and cultivated and it
demandeth great attention and in the
evening he entered into his house, and recited
his prayers, and then ate with her. And he
also rose up to say the praises of the night
and as soon as the dawn had come he would
depart to the garden. Now as they were
doing these things they both removed
themselves from passions, and attained
unto impassibility, and the prayers of
Abba Ammon helped his wife. And at
length the blessed woman said to him,
Master, I have something to say unto thee, if
thou wilt harken unto me, and I am convinced
that for Gods sake thou lovest me.î The blessed man said
unto her, Tell me what thou wishest to say.î And she said
unto him, It is not right seeing that thou art a God fearing
man and one who liveth a life of righteousness, and that
thou hast also made me, outwardly, to yearn for this path of
life and by the help of divine grace I have gotten purity to live with me. It is not good that, for my sake, thou who
dwellest with me in purity for our Lords sake, shouldst
hide the spiritual excellence of thy philosophy; for it is not
seemly that thy fair deeds should be hidden, and should
not be known. Let thy dwelling be apart from me and thus
thou shalt benefit many.
Then Ammon praised God and said unto her, O lady,
this mind is beautiful and if it be acceptable unto thee do
thou remain and abide in this house in peace and I will go
and make another for myself.î And having gone forth from
her Ammon departed and entered into Mount Nitria, where
as yet the monasteries were not numerous, indeed up to
that time there were no monasteries at all there; and he
built himself a habitation there, and dwelt therein for two
and twenty years. And having attained unto the highest
practice of the labors of the ascetic life he ended his days
that is to say, the holy man Ammon went to his rest and
slept when he was sixty-two years of age. Twice in the
year he used to go and see his spouse; and he died in his
virginity, and his wife likewise brought the years of her life
to an end in purity.
Now the blessed Athanasius, Bishop of Alexandria, tells
the following wonderful thing concerning him in the book,
which he composed about the life and deeds of the blessed
Anthony. Once when he was about to cross the river, which
is called the wolfî with Theodore his disciple, he was
ashamed to take off his clothes lest he might see the
nakedness of his person. And being doubtful in his mind
and thoughts how he should cross over wonder fell upon
him, and through an angel he crossed the river without any
boat whatsoever on his part. It was the same Ammon who
saw the blessed man Anthony, who lived and died in such
wise that his souls was taken to Heaven by angels, and it
was he who passed over the waters by the might of the
Holy Spirit. Now as concerning this river, which is called
the Wolfî, I myself was once in great fear when I was
crossing in a boat, because it is filled with overflow of the
waters of the Nile.
(Budge, E.A., 1994, The Paradise of the Holy Fathers,
p. 100-102)
|
