W600

Sys 5.48 N450 BHG 1438p/1322zk

W600

de Hebraeo divite / de lapide pretiosa in veste Aaron

A man at Jerusalem who had acquired great riches by unjust means, prompted by Prov.19, 17, sold all and gave to the poor, thereby lending to God. But nobody helped him in his poverty. Until one day he had the good fortune to buy, very cheaply, a stone which a jeweller recognised as the much sought-after gem which had fallen from Aaron's ephod. In return for it, the high priest generously rewarded the man -- and made him rich again. [Geo. Mon. ed. DeBoor p. 216, 24 - 218, 8; PG 110:268-269.]

W601

Sys 15.86 N328

W601

A demonstration of humility by fire

A brother accused himself of every sin, even of πoρvεία. The brothers took up the cry and called him useless, but the higoumen was not deceived. He had all the brothers bring their sleeping-mats and all were destroyed in the flames except the one of the humble monk.

W602

Sys 16.14 N338

W602

Noisy children a preparation for hell

When asked why he did not chase away some noisy children watching their flocks nearby his cell, an elder replied that it was good practice for all that he would have to endure hereafter.

W603

Sys 16.19 N339

W603

An elder who was often robbed

There was an elder who was frequently robbed by another; he knew and kept silent, even though it was with great difficulty that he provided for himself. When he lay dying, he called the brother who had so often stolen from him, kissed his hands and said: "It is on account of these [hands] that I am going to the kingdom of heaven."

W604

Sys 16.18 N340

W604

An elder who drank

There was an elder who made one mat a day, sold it, and drank the proceeds at night. Then he acquired a disciple. Together they made two mats a day and for three years the elder drank what he got for them, bringing back a little bread for the brother, who said nothing. The brother was about to leave to join a community when an angel bade him stay until next day, "When I will come." Next day the brother begged the elder to stay home and meet the visitors and, whilst he was still begging, he died. Filled with compunction, the elder reformed.

W605

Sys 16.15 N341

W605

The elder and his boy-companion

An elder had a boy-companion who, when he was reproved for anything, would lock the pantry and make the elder fast for three days, but the elder neither complained nor criticised. When a neighbour offered him a little food through the window and asked him what the youth was up to, the elder replied: "He will return when he feels like it."

W606

Sys 16.16 N342 Nissen 3

W606

The philosophers and the monk

Some philosophers were scoffing at some monks; but there was one monk,of peasant origins, who turned the other cheek when they smote him. They immediately sat him in their midst and questioned him, as though he were a master, about what was different in his way of life from theirs. "We [monks] put our confidence in the grace of God and keep a rein on our hearts," he replied.

W607

Sys 17.14 N346

W607

Repentance shared

An elder and a younger monk lived together at The Cells. The younger hesitated at the other's suggestion to make the situation permanent, knowing his own weakness. A week later, he had to confess to having fallen with a woman whilst he was in the village on business. When the elder learned of the younger man's repentance, he said: "I will carry half of your sin," and thus they lived together, sharing in repentance.

W608

Sys 17.20 N350 BHG 1450zd

W608

de tribus fratribus

There were three brothers who had sixty _ρoύραι of land to harvest but one of them fell ill almost at once. The other two completed the work and wanted to give him his share of the wages, but he was unwilling to accept. So they had recourse to a great elder, and he summoned all the elders to hear. The two brothers claimed that without the prayers of the brother in bed, they could not have completed the task. It was decided (to his dismay) that the sick brother should receive his share.

W609

Sys 18.33 N368 BHG 1440mc

W609

de morte duorum monachorum*

A rich but godless man died in Nilopolis and received a splendid funeral. A layman going out to serve an elder in the desert found that he had been eaten by a hyena. He prostrated himself and refused to rise until God explained by means of an angel: the rich man did very little good here, and he had already received whatever reward was due to him. The elder committed a little sin in this world and had already received the punishment for it here, in order to be free of punishment in the next world.

* n.b. these are not two monks.

N449 BHG 1450d see W715

W610

Sys 5.52 N454

W610

A brother who was five times tempted

A brother was assailed by temptation to πoρvεία: but a father with the gift of perception to whom he confessed said there was no sin, as the enemy had attacked but been repulsed. This had happened five times, for he had seen five crowns over the brother's head. He recalled the affair of Joseph, saying that is was as though they were in a theatre where God and the angels were cheering for Joseph whilst the demons urged on the woman (Potiphar's wife.) So it is good not to do bad things even in one's mind.

W611

Sys 3.49 N460

W611

The virgin violated by a soldier

A pious virgin living in a city was violated by a soldier, a neighbour of theirs, in her mother's absence. She took off her habit and spent the rest of her life in tears, in spite of assurances by all that it was not her sin. She thought it meant that God had rejected her. The moral of the story is that one must so lament in order to attain salvation.

W612

N344

W612

The camel which carried baskets to Egypt

An elder sent a brother to Egypt for a camel to take their baskets from Scêtê to Egypt. On his return he met another elder who said he would have liked a camel too. When the brother told his elder this, he caused him to offer the camel to the second elder; thus it was his baskets that the beast in fact bore into Egypt. When the disciple then turned the camel around and started back, they asked him why. "I am going back to Scêtê to get our baskets now," he replied, to the consternation of the second elder.

Another version: One of the elders de Scythi (obviously Scete) sent his disciple to Egypt to bring a camel to transport their sportellas. The abbas, now named Pambo, tells him to give the camel to the brother so he might bring them one to carry their sportellas. Verba Seniorum

ed Rosweyde 3.146 (no ref to Pelagius given,) PL 73:789D-790A

W613

BHG 1450db N479

W613

de coenobiarcha qui neglecto paupere divitem colebat

Christ came as a poor old man to a community of two hundred brothers. The popular higoumen was too busy to receive him. But when a rich man came about the fifth hour, the higoumen rushed out to receive him, pressed him to dine, and then conducted him to the gate again. The poor old man was left unattended until evening. Then he left, sending this message to the higoumen: "I will send you visitors from the four corners of the earth since you like to flatter and to be flattered; but you will not have a taste of my kingdom."

W614

Sys 4.37 N480

W614

The brother who slew his own father

A brother living in the desert was terribly deceived by demons (who, he thought, were angels.) One day his physical father came to visit him, bringing an axe to cut a little wood on the way. The demons persuaded the brother that his father was coming to kill him. The son seized the axe and slew the father. He was immediately set upon and strangled by an unclean spirit.

W615

N493

W615

A gangrenous foot healed by an angel

There was an ascetic who was afflicted with greed for money. He gained one, two, even five pieces of gold; then he fell ill. His foot was gangrenous and the surgeons (on whom he spent all his savings) said it would have to come off. An angel came by night, however, and healed the foot. Next morning the [pagan] doctor was so surprised he became a christian.

cf W025 (esp.,) W528 [W803]

W616

N513-514

W616

A monk's dealings with his abandonned family

A monk at Scêtê left a family living in the world. The mother [i.e. his wife] asked him to intercede with the governor for her son, gaoled for some offence. He refused -- because they would only arrest someone else instead; so he would gladden one mother in order to sadden another. Then there was a famine and the mother sent the son to beg food (for the monk was a hard worker.) "Go away," he said with tears; "He who cares for the other hungry people will care for you." Then he explained to his fellow monks that one must sternly discipline [βιάσασθαι] oneself in order to be sure of the reward.

W617

Sys 15.129 N519-520 BHG 1445wd

W617

de calligrapho et hortulano

Elias asked a calligapher to look after his garden in his absence one Sunday. He tended the spiritual garden by praying all day; the physical garden was wrecked by animals. The same calligrapher prayed his brother to cast his corpse to the wild beasts in the desert. A vision later revealed that he had been accorded an extra reward for this. [But N519 records a different death, whilst he was meditating on a curious tablet.]

W618

Sys 15.130 N527

W618

A brother who imprisoned himself

A brother of the Mount of Olives came into Jerusalem, confessed his sins to the governor and asked to be punished. When the governor hesitated, he shut himself up in his cell, in irons. When asked, he used to say the governor had put him there. The day before his death, his fetters opened of their own accord. The attendant asked, in amazement, who had loosed them, to which the brother replied: "He who has loosed my sins," (for he had seen a vision,) and then he died.

cf W707&c

W619

N529

W619

A brother who taunted a demon

A brother who tended to despair of his salvation was taunted by the devil: "You will not be saved." He answered: "Maybe not, but I will be above your head for you will be beneath everybody in hell."

W620

Sys 15.133 N532

W620

One sin can hide another

An Egpytian brother tried by πoρvεία sollicited the help of an elder, but he was no better. Satan appeared to the elder, saying: "I left him at your first prayers, but he has his own demon and his own war against gluttony to wage; he eats, drink and sleeps a great deal."

W621

N551 BHG 1445vb

W621

iracundus

There was a brother who served an excessively irascible elder for ten years and then left him. In a dream, he learned that half his debt had been paid, so he went back and served a further ten years, lamenting the days when he was not beaten, nor spat upon, insulted or thrown out. Then the brother died, and a father with the gift of discernment (a dioratic) saw him amongst the martyrs, praying for his bad-tempered old elder.

W622

N557

W622

A lesson in forgiveness

A Libyan brother came to Abba Silvanus at Mount Panepho, complaining of a man in the world who had stolen his field, caused him trouble and tried to have him poisoned. Now the brother wanted to bring him before a magistrate. "As you will," said Silvanus. But when they prayed before he left, Silvanus prayed: "And do not forgive us our trepasses as we do not forgive them &c." The point was made and taken.

W623

Sys 15.116-117 N565-566 BHG 1618a

W623

Serapion

Serapion was like a bird; he had neither possesions nor a cell; only a sheet and a little gospel. He went around as a disembodied spirit. He was often found outside the village weeping bitterly in the road; because (he said) his Lord had entrusted treasure to him and he had lost it. Once he met a poor starving person in Alexandria and gave him his sheet. When asked who had denuded him, he pointed to the gospel. Then he sold this to pay another's debts. Back at his cell [sic] he told his disciple [sic] that he had obeyed the dominical commandment [Mtt. 19.21;] he had sold everything, &c.

cf W447

W624

Sys 15.119 N583

W624

A vision of Christ

A brother prayed that his punishment might begin here on earth and he gave himself to much fasting and humility. He asked himself the meaning of "Blessed are they that mourn &c." Christ came to him in his sleep, all joyous, and helped him to rise. In response to the brother's questions, he laid his hand on his head, assuring him that all was well. Afterwards, the brother found that his heart was filled with joy. He remained always in great joy, giving thanks to God.

W625

N591

W625

A flagellant brother

When his tears for his sins stopped, a brother living at the mountain of Nitria would whip himself with a scourge until he wept again. A surprised neighbour (who had heard all) asked God for a revelation concerning this matter. In a dream, he saw the choir of martyrs standing, crowned; and he heard a voice confirming that this was the reward of the brother's self-afflicted torture.

W626

N599

W626

The sinful disciple of Paul the Simple

Paul the Simple had a sinful disciple who died. Paul prayed God and the Mother of God to show him the disciple. He saw him, carried by two, completely petrified and inactive. Then he had a second vision of him, released and claiming that it was due to Paul's prayers that he was released from the chain of his sins; this was confirmed by the Mother of God.

W627

N608A

W627

Sin confessed to save another

There were two brothers, one of whom was responsible for the marketing. One day he brought home less money than the other expected and it transpired that he had been to "an unseemly place." The other went to that place with him too, and confessed his sin when they came out. Indeed, he continued often to confess his sin, but on his deathbed he confessed his purity, accusing himself of a strategem to bring his brother to repentance. In which he had been entirely successful, for the first brother continued to live an exemplary life.

N608B is identical, except that there the brother sinned _π_ τ_ς παιδίσκης τ_ς κoμιζoύσης α_τo_ς τ_ς χρείας.

W628

N618 BHG 1450zn

W628

de charismate prophetico

A monk living in the inner desert received the gift of visions [τ_ χάρισμα πρooρατικόv] and he would speak with angels. Some visitors saw one in white on a hill as they approached. This one bade them tell the abba: "Remember the consolation." The abba reluctantly explained when they asked him about this (enjoining them to silence) that it was an angel who had been suspended for too much severity to a village which had offended God. He wanted the abba's intercession to get himself restored to the presence of God. The abba then died and was buried by the brothers.

n.b. this is almost identical with W878, BHG 1448zb, de abbate Petro et angelo.

W629

N620 BHG 1450x

W629

de monacho superbo

Disguised as a refugee officer, Satan deposited some gold and two servants, a boy and a girl, with a monk who aspired to be as one of the patriarchs of the Old Testament. The monk ravished the girl and killed the boy; he fled, and built himself an oratory elsewhere. The "officer" returned and raised a protest, so the monk fled again. He came to a town where he married the orphaned daughter of the town executioner, whose responsibilities he had to assume. Once again the "officer" appeared, demanding his property. All was revealed and the monk was led to the scaffold, with Satan taunting him all the way for having set his sights too high

W630

N622

W630

The deaths of two brothers

Two brothers once agreed to become monks; they lived apart for several years. Then one of them fell ill; and, in an ecstasy, he saw angels taking him and his brother to heaven. But opposing demons stood in the way. They could not however prevail; "Great is the assurance which purity confers" one of them was heard to remark. Having related this vision, the brother died. They went and found the other brother had died too.

W631

N631 BHG 1440md

W631

de hortulano salo

A father wished to know what level he had attained [ε_ς πo_ov μέτρov _φθασεv] and it was revealed to him that a brother in a certain community was more advanced than him. He interveiwed all the monks, and finally they produced the gardener. "What is your function ?" the monk asked. Very reluctantly, he repled that he was a mad man. And that the higoumen stabled the ox that worked the irrigation machine in his cell. Every day it destroyed the ropes and mats he had plaited. He had suffered all this for thirty years without a cross word or an angry thought for either the higoumen or for the ox. The monk went away much edified.

W632

N639

W632

The country priest

A bishop was in a village one Sunday; he had his deacons search out a priest to celebrate the holy mysteries. The one they found was very rustic and unpolished, but when he stood before the altar he became as of fire, which led the bishop to request his blessing. The priest said: "How could any cleric stand before the altar without entering the divine fire ?"

W633

N644 BHG 1442kb

W633

de chartula iuramenti

A brother was always leaving one community after another for some reason or other, so he wrote down all the reasons, with the words: "In the name of Jesus Christ, I am persevering," then he entered a community again. He would frequently consult the paper tucked in his girdle, so that the monks began charging him with magic. The higoumen stipulated three days of prayer; he secretly examined the brother's document whilst he was asleep. Then he let the monks forcibly remove it and read it out publicly: which made everybody very ashamed indeed.

W634

Sys 18.32 N367 BHG 1440k

W634

de peregrino et indigena

There were two brothers, a foreigner and a native. At the foreigner's death, the native saw a host of angels come for his soul, even though he had been a negligent monk. When the native died, even though he had been a model monk, no angels came for his soul. This was explained in the heavenly court: the native had the consolation of his relatives at his death-bed, whereas the foreigner had nobody. Furthermore, he had a led a life of exile from his homeland, which in part excused his negligence.

W635

Sys 9.24 N020 BHG 1440p

W635

de non iudicando fratre

An elder accustomeed to surviving on three biscuits a day condemned a brother for eating more. He then found his own diet was insufficient and he thought God had abandonned him. An angel warned him against condemnation and that such good as we do or resistence we offer is not of our own doing, but of the divine grace which invigorates a man.

W636

N641 BHG 1450y

W636

de monacho ad superbiam propenso

An extremely ascetic monk of the Thebaid was tempted to ask for the grace of miracles, but instead he sought an elder as a spiritual guide. The elder had him buy bread, wine and meat and for ten days obliged him to remain in his cell, eating and drinking, contrary to habit. For the elder had seen two monkeys sitting on the man's shoulders with a chain round his neck. When the ascetic emerged from this exercise, suitably humbled, the elder accepted him as a disciple.

cf W485

W637

Sys 20.17 N489 BHG 999yb

W637

Macarios and the two women

A voice told Macarios that he had not attained the stature of two women of Alexandria; so he went to visit them. They had lived together with their husbands (who were brothers) for eighteen years in the same house without a cross word. They had thought of joining the order of virgins [τ_ τ¢ v παρθέvωv τάγμα] but, at the prayers of their husbands, they had decided to stay, not uttering any worldly statements. Macarios concluded that status is irrelevant; it is God who grants his spirit to all.

W638

N490

W638

Anthony and the leather-worker

A voice told Anthony that he had not attained the stature of the leather-worker in Alexandria, so he went to visit him. Under pressure, the man admitted to saying, morning and night: "All this city will be saved but for me." Anthony praised him as a fine goldsmith who would inherit the kingdom, whereas he, in the wilderness, had not made so much progress.

cf W538

W639

Sys 15.89 N077 BHG 1318ya

W639

de duobus fratribus inseperabilibus

There were two physical brothers who became monks. The devil tried to alienate them. The first brother lit a lamp and the devil overturned it, both lamp-holder and lamp. The other brother hit him in anger, but the first brother merely asked pardon and re-lit the lamp. This grieved the demon; he told his chief about it, but a pagan priest who heard this became a monk of perfect humility. Humility frustrates the machinations of the demons.

----- Historical legends -----

W640

Evagrios, HE 2.1

W640

Concerning the Emperor Marcian 450-457 (1)

Marcian of Thrace, coming to enrol as a soldier, stopped to give burial to a recently killed soldier near Philippopolis. Charged with murder, he narrowly escaped death when the real culprit was discovered; by divine assistance. He was given the rank and the name (Augustus) of the soldier he had buried.

W641

Procopios, Wars 3.4.7-10 Evagrios, HE 2.1

W641

Concerning the Emperor Marcian 450-457 (2)

After a great defeat of the imperial army under Aspar by the Vandals, Marcian and many other prisoners of war were marched to an assembly point where Genseric could view them from on high. The prisoners were unchained and diverting themselves in various ways. But Marcian was calmly sleeping on the ground in the sunshine. An eagle came and interposed its out-spread wings between the hot sun and the sleeper. Interpreting this as a sign of things to come, Genseric released Marcian against a promise not to attack the Vandals, which promise Marcian kept [Procopios, History 1.327, Wars 3.4.7-10.]

cf W643

W642

Theophanes, Chronographia ed. DeBoor 103.33-104.19

W642

Concerning the Emperor Marcian 450-457 (3)

When he went to fight the Persians, delayed in Lycia by illness, Marcian was received in the home of two brothers of Sidema, Julius and Tatian. On a hunting expedition, Tatian saw a great eagle sheltering the future emperor from the sun whilst he slept. When pressed, Marcian said that if he became emperor (as the brothers deduced,) he would proclaim them fathers. They gave him two hundred pieces of gold and told him to go to CP, remembering them.

W643

Theophanes, Chronographia ed DeBoor 372.7-11 AM 6194

W643

A brief story of how an eagle overshadowed Philippicus Bardanês

cf W641

W644

The Vision of Romanos Lecapenos

W644

After being deposed and exiled to the island of Protê as a monk (in 945): the Emperor Romanos [I Lecapenos] saw two eunuchs clothed in white while he was asleep. Taking him by the hands they led him, naked, into the Tricymbalon [apparently a part of the Great Palace.] The ball-court was filled with fire and this was being spread around by many infernal beings. And he saw the Mother of God coming to him and telling the eunuchs about his [works of] mercy. The Mother of God clothed him and led him into the Tropicam. The Lord Constantine (who was slain) went by in bonds and so did Anastasios the Metropolitan [bishop] of Heracleia, both of them led by infernal beings. These handed then over and cast them into that fire. The day on which the emperor saw the dream, that same day both those men died. [lacuna ?] The Emperor Romanos sent to all the monasteries and lavras, likewise to the Holy City and to Rome, and he summoned holy monks to the number of three hundred. On Maundy Thursday he put on the tunic and vestment he used to wear [as emperor] and stood in front of everybody in the church when the priest was about to elevate the divine and holy bread. And he had written all his sins in a document which he bore; now he declared them publicly before them all. The monks cried out: "Lord, have mercy," and shed tears. Making an act of obeisance to each one of them, [Romanos] asked his forgiveness. All the monks granted him forgiveness; the communion was [distributed] and then they went into the refectory. A scourge was given to a youth who whipped his feet, saying: "Come into the refectory, wicked old man [kakogêros.] When all were seated, the emperor sat down, weeping and lamenting. The document in which his sins were inscribed he sealed and sent to the remaining [sc. at home ?] monks likewise to the saintly Dermocaïtês, sending also some money [two kentênaria]for the monks at Olympos so that they would pray for his spiritual salvation. When Dermocaïtês received the document and the money he ordered all the monks to fast for two weeks and to pray for [Romanos'] sins. While Dermocaïtês was standing at prayer one night, a voice came to him from an invisible source: "God's love of man has triumphed." Having heard this voice three times, he took the document, opened it and found it clean, without even a single [letter] on it. He summoned all the monks and showed it to them, whereupon they glorified God. All the monks granted remission [aphesimos] and sent [the document] to the Emperor Romanos. It was buried with him.

(Theophanes Continuatus 4.4, CSHB 33: 438,20 - 444,14; also in PG 109:456C-457C.)

cf W001, W005, W040, W706 etc

W645

Devils tell of the fall of Syracuse AD 878

W645

Theophanes Continuatus 5.70 (Vita Basilii) CSHB 310-311.

After the fall of Syracuse, 878 AD:

Adrian (the Patrician in charge of the fleet moored at Monembasia) got wind of what had happened in the following way: There is a place in the Pelponnese called Elos -- it acquired its name from the adjacent thick forest. That was where the Roman naval force was stationed. There were shepherds who, one night, heard the demons who inhabited that region telling to each other that Syracuse had been captured destroyed the day before. Word passed from mouth to mouth and then the tale came to Adrian's ears. He summoned the shepherds, interrogated them and found that what he had heard was confirmed by their words. Wanting to hear with his own ears, he went to the place with the shepherds and, putting a question to the demons by means of them, he heard that Syracuse was already taken. Overcome [at first] by anguish and distress, he pulled himself together again, judging that it was not necessary to believe the deceptive words of demons -- yet he carefully noted the day. Ten days later some refugees arrived, reporting the disaster of which they had been eye-witnesses.

W646

W646

who was sent [to the Russians by Basil I]

Scylitzes Basil I c. 43, CFHB 165¹⁶-166⁴⁴ (tr. below verbatim), Theophanes Continuatus 5.97, CSHB 343-344

While the ruler [of the Russians] was still clinging to superstition, as were his grandees and all the people, but comparing their former religion with the Christian faith, he summoned the bishop who had just arrived among them and asked him what he was going to proclaim and teach them. [The bishop] produced the sacred book of the divine gospel and explained to them some of the wonders worked by God during his human incarnation. "Unless we and the Russian people witness something similar (especially what you told us happened to the three children in the furnace) we will not believe you in the least." The bishop believed in the unerring word of Him who said: "Whatever you ask in my name, you will receive" [Mtt 21²²] and "He who believe in my works that I do will do even greater than these" [Jo 14¹²]. He said to them: "Even though it is not permitted to put the Lord God to the test [Mtt 4⁷, 1 Cor 10⁹ if you have decided with all your heart to come to God, ask whatever you like and God will certainly do it on account of your faith, even though we be the least and unworthiest of men. Without hesitation they asked that the codex of the divine gospel be thrown into the bonfire the had lit and, it were recovered undamaged, they would embrace the God who had been proclaimed to them by him. This was agreed upon; the priest raised his eyes and his hands to God saying: "Jesus Christ, our God, glorify your holy name" -- and then in the sight of this people, the book of the holy gospel was thrown into the inferno. The fire burnt on for many hours and when it finally died down, the sacred codex was found intact and undamaged, not harmed in any way by the fire. When the Barbarians saw this, dumbfounded by the magnitude of the wonder, they spontaneously and without hesitation presented themselves for baptism.

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TALES OF PAUL OF MONEMBASIA AND OTHER AUTHORS

(récits tardifs)