--- title: "Select Works and Letters" author: "Athanasius" translator: "Archibald Robertson" languages: [en] shelf: "Church Fathers" section: 61 of 146 url: https://scriptura.si/works/athanasius-select-works-and-letters/61/ cite: "Athanasius, tr. Archibald Robertson, Select Works and Letters, section 61. Scriptura (scriptura.si), https://scriptura.si/works/athanasius-select-works-and-letters/61/" --- # Select Works and Letters *Athanasius, tr. Archibald Robertson* Athanasius defends the Nicene faith: the Orations against the Arians, his letters and more. ## 61. Prologue Source: https://scriptura.si/works/athanasius-select-works-and-letters/61/ · cite a paragraph as https://scriptura.si/works/athanasius-select-works-and-letters/61/#p-N [¶0] Life of Antony. [¶1] Table of Contents. [¶2] §§1, 2. Birth and beginnings of Antony. [¶3] §§3, 4. His early ascetic life. [¶4] §§5, 6. Early conflicts with the devil. [¶5] §7. Details of his life at this time (271–285?) [¶6] §§8–10. His life in the tombs, and combats with demons there. [¶7] §11. He goes to the desert and overcomes temptations on the way. [¶8] §§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. [¶9] §§14, 15. How he left the fort, and how monasticism began to flourish in Egypt. Antony its leader. [¶10] §§16–43. His address to monks, rendered from Coptic, exhorting them to perseverance, and encouraging them against the wiles of Satan. [¶11] §44. The growth of the monastic life at this time (about A.D. 305). [¶12] §45. How Antony renewed his ascetic endeavours at this time. [¶13] §46. How he sought martyrdom at Alexandria during the Persecution (311). [¶14] §47. How he lived at this time. [¶15] §48. How he delivered a woman from an evil spirit. [¶16] §§49, 50. How at this time he betook himself to his ‘inner mountain.’ [¶17] §§51–53. How he there combated the demons. [¶18] §54. Of the miraculous spring, and how he edified the monks of the ‘outer’ mountain, and of Antony’s sister. [¶19] §§55, 56. How humanely he counselled those who resorted to him. [¶20] §57. Of the case of Fronto, healed by faith and prayer. [¶21] §58. Of a certain virgin, and of Paphnutius the confessor. [¶22] §59. Of the two brethren, and how one perished of thirst. [¶23] §60. Of the death of Amun, and Antony’s vision thereof. [¶24] §61, 62. Of Count Archelaus and the virgin Polycration. [¶25] §§63, 64. Strange tales of the casting out of demons. [¶26] §65. Of Antony’s vision concerning the forgiveness of his sins. [¶27] §66. Of the passage of souls, and how some were hindered of Satan. [¶28] §67. How Antony reverenced all ordained persons. [¶29] §68. How he rejected the schism of Meletius and the heresies of Manes and Arius. [¶30] §69. How he confuted the Arians. [¶31] §§70, 71. How he visited Alexandria, and healed and converted many, and how Athanasius escorted him from the city. [¶32] §§72–79. How he reasoned with divers Greeks and philosophers at the ‘outer’ mountain. [¶33] §80. How he confuted the philosophers by healing certain vexed with demons. [¶34] §81. How the Emperors wrote to Antony, and of his answer. [¶35] §82. How he saw in a vision the present doings of the Arians. [¶36] §§83, 84. That his healings were done by Christ alone, through prayer. [¶37] §85. How wisely he answered a certain duke. [¶38] §86. Of the Duke Balacius, and how, warned by Antony, he met with a miserable end. [¶39] §87. How he bore the infirmities of the weak, and of his great benefits to all Egypt. [¶40] §88. Of his discernment, and how he was a counsellor to all. [¶41] §§89, 90. How, when now 105 years old, he counselled the monks, and gave advice concerning burial. [¶42] §91. Of his sickness and his last will. [¶43] §92. Of Antony’s death. [¶44] §93. How Antony remained hale until his death, and how the fame of him filled all the world. [¶45] §94. The end. [¶46] [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.’] [¶47] For the translation of the text I am indebted to my friend and colleague the Rev. H. Ellershaw, jun.