66) Anthony also had this gift. During his stay on the mountain in solitude, if sometimes, having asked himself a question, he was perplexed; then, according to God's providence, during prayer there was a revelation to him about this, and the blessed one, according to what was written, was taught by God (Isaiah 54:13; John 6:45). Thus, once he was talking to those who came to him about the state of the soul after death and about where its abode would be. The next night someone from above called him, saying: "Get up, Anthony, come out and see." Anthony went out (for he knew whom he should obey), and looking up, he saw that someone tall, ugly, and terrible was standing, and touching the clouds with his head, and that some others were ascending as if winged, and the first stretched out his hands to the latter, and blocked the way to some, while others flew over it, and having passed it, they were already comfortably ascending upwards; At the latter this giant gnashes his teeth, but at those who fall down, he rejoices. Suddenly, a voice said to Anthony: "Understand the things that are seen." Then his mind was opened and he understood that this is the passage of souls, that the standing giant is an enemy, envious of the faithful, and he restrains those who have fallen under his power and forbids them to go further; but he cannot detain those who do not obey him, because they pass above him. Seeing this, and taking such a vision as a reminder to himself, Anthony began to exert even greater effort in order to succeed daily in his former asceticism. He was reluctant to announce such visions. But since those who were with him, when they saw that he prayed longer than usual and seemed surprised, they questioned him and pestered him with their questions; then he was forced to tell them, like a father who can hide nothing from his children; moreover, he reasoned that his conscience would remain clear, and his story would be of use to them, when they learned that asceticism had good fruits, and visions were often a consolation in labor.

67) Anthony was of a patient disposition and had a humble heart. For all his spiritual loftiness, he had great respect for the church rule, and he was ready to give preference to any clergyman. He was not ashamed to bow his head before bishops and presbyters. If a deacon came to him for his own benefit, he offered him a word for his benefit, but he left the performance of prayers to the deacon, not being ashamed to learn himself. He often asked questions, and wished to listen to those who were with him; he confessed that he himself received benefit if someone said something useful. And his face had a great and extraordinary pleasantness. And Anthony also received this gift from the Saviour: if he was surrounded by a multitude of monks, and it was desirable for someone who had not known him before to see him; then the one who wished to do so, having passed the others, went straight up to Anthony, as if attracted by his gaze. Anthony differed from the others not by his height and appearance, but by his good manners and purity of soul. and therefore, from the joy of the soul the face was joyful, and by the movements of the body it was possible to feel and understand the tranquility of the soul, in accordance with what is written: "The heart rejoices, the face blossoms, but I am in sorrows, lamenting" (Proverbs 15:13). Thus Jacob knew that Laban was plotting evil, and said to his wives, "There is no face of your father as yesterday and today" (Gen. 31:5). Thus Samuel recognized David; for his eyes were joyful, and his teeth were white as milk. Thus they recognized Anthony; because, in peace of mind, he was never indignant, and in a joyful state of mind he was never gloomy.

68) He was very wonderful in faith and pious. He never had communion with the renegades, the Meletians, knowing their long-standing cunning and apostasy; he did not converse in a friendly manner with the Manichaeans, or with other heretics, except for the purpose of admonishing them to turn to piety. And he himself thought so, and he inspired others that friendship and conversation with heretics were harm and destruction to the soul. He also abhorred the Arian epec, and gave everyone a commandment not to draw near to the Arians and not to have their evil beliefs. When some of the Arians came to him, having experienced and known that they were dishonored, he drove them out of the mountain, saying that their speech was worse than snake venom.

69) Once the Arians spread a false rumor that Antony was of the same mind as them. Then he was indignant and angry with them; and then, at the request of the bishops and all the brethren, he descended from the mountain and, arriving in Alexandria, condemned the Arians, saying that Arianism was the last heresy and forerunner of the Antichrist. He taught the people that "the Son of God is not a creature and not of non-beings, but is the eternal Word and Wisdom of the Father's essence. Wherefore it is impious to speak of the Son, "It was when He was not." For the Word is always co-existent with the Father. Therefore, have no fellowship with the most impious Apians. For there is no fellowship between light and darkness (2 Corinthians 6:14). As you, pious believers, are called Christs, so they, who call the Son of God and the Word of the Father a creature, do not differ in any way from the pagans, serving the creature more than God who created them. Believe that even all creation is indignant with them because the Creator and Lord of the universe, Who was all things, is numbered among the created beings."

70) All the people rejoiced when they heard that the Christ-fighting heresy was anathematized by such a man. All the inhabitants of the city ran to see Anthony. Even the pagans and their so-called priests came to the temple of the Lord, saying: "We desire to see the man of God." For everyone called him so. And here the Lord through him freed many from demons, and healed those who were damaged in their minds. Many even of the pagans wished to touch only the elder, in the conviction that they would benefit from it. And indeed, in these few days as many were converted to Christianity as in other times were converted in the course of a year. Others thought that the crowd of people disturbed him, and therefore drove away all those who came from him; but Anthony, not indignant at anything, said: "The number of those who come is no greater than the number of demons, with whom we wage war in grief."

71) When Anthony was departing and we were accompanying him, then, as soon as we reached the city gates, a woman exclaimed behind us: "Stop, man of God! My daughter is cruelly tormented by a demon. Stop, I beseech you, so that I, running after you, may not suffer misfortune." The elder, hearing this and being entreated by us, willingly stopped. And as soon as the woman drew near, her daughter was thrown to the ground; but Anthony prayed and called on the name of Christ; Then the maiden arose healthy, because an unclean demon came out of her. The Mother blessed God, and everyone gave thanks to Him. Anthony himself rejoiced, returning to the mountain as if it were his own home.

72) He was very intelligent, and, surprisingly, without learning to read and write, he was distinguished by subtlety and penetration of mind. One day two pagan philosophers came to him, thinking that they could tempt Anthony. And he was on the outer mountain, and guessing from the faces of those who were walking what kind of people they were, he came out to them and said through an interpreter: "Why are you philosophers so anxious for a man of no sense?" Then he continued: "If you have gone to a foolish man, then your labor is in vain. And if you consider me wise, then be as I am; for the good must be imitated. If I had come to you, I would have imitated you. But if you have come to me, then be like me; and I am a Christian." The philosophers departed in surprise. They saw that the demons were also afraid of Anthony.

73) When others like these philosophers met him on the outer mountain, and thought to ridicule him for not learning to read and write; then Anthony asks them: "How do you say: which is more primary, the mind, or the writing? And what is the cause of what: the mind of the writings, or the writing of the mind?" And since they answered, The mind is primordial, and it is the inventor of writing; then Anthony said: "Therefore, he who has a sound mind does not need writing." This answer amazed both the philosophers and all those who were present; and they departed, marveling that they had found such insight in an unlearned man. For Anthony did not have a coarse disposition, like one who grew up and grew old on the mountain, but on the contrary, he was pleasant and courteous. His word was dissolved by the Divine salt; therefore, no one hated him, yet all who came to him rejoiced over him.

74) And indeed, when after this several other pagans, revered as wise men, came to him and demanded of him a word about our faith in Christ, they had the intention to enter into a discussion about the preaching of the Divine Cross in order to laugh; then Anthony, after a short silence and at first regretting their ignorance, said to them through an interpreter who faithfully relayed his words: "What is better, to confess the cross, or to attribute fornication and childbearing to the so-called gods among you? What we preach is a proof of courage and a sign of contempt for death; and what you teach is infected with lewdness. Moreover, what is better: to say that the Word of God has not changed, and, remaining one and the same, for the benefit of men and for their salvation, has taken upon Himself a human body, in order that, having partaken of human existence, He may make men partakers of the Divine and spiritual nature, or that the Divinity may be likened to the dumb, and therefore to honor four-footed animals, reptiles, and human images? And such are the honors of your sages! How dare you laugh at us, who say that Christ was a man, when you yourselves, bringing the soul down from heaven, assert that it wanders and falls from the firmament into the body? And let it still descend only into the human body, and not pass and transmigrate into four-legged and reptiles! Our faith speaks of the coming of Christ for the salvation of man; but you are in error, because you talk about the unborn soul. We talk about the omnipotence and love of Providence, because this is not impossible for God; but you, calling the soul the image of the Mind, attribute to it falls, and superstitiously say that it is perverse, and finally, because of the vicissitudes of the soul, you admit that the Mind itself is perverted. For as the image is, so must be the one whose image it is. Since you think of the Mind in this way, consider whether you do not thereby blaspheme Him Who is the father of the Mind."

75) "And if we speak of the cross, what do you consider to be better: to endure the cross through the wickedness of evil people and not to be terrified of any kind of death, or to compose fables about the wanderings of Osiris and Isis, about the intrigues of Typhon, about the flight of Cronus, about the swallowing up of children, and about parricides? For these are your wisdoms. Why, then, when you laugh at the cross, are you not amazed at the resurrection? For those who have said one thing have also written another. Or why, when you mention the cross, do you keep silent about the resurrected dead, about the blind who have recovered their sight, about the paralytic healed, about the lepers who have been cleansed, about walking on the sea, and about other signs and wonders that show that Christ is not a man, but God? It seems to me that you are very unjust to yourselves, and have not read our Scriptures with sincere disposition. Read it, and you will see: the works done by Christ prove that He is God, Who has come for the salvation of men."

76) "Tell us your teaching. What can you say about the dumb, except that they are foolish and fierce? If, as I hear, you intend to assert that all this is said by you in a flowing way, and that the abduction of the virgin is an allegory about the earth, and the lame Hephaestus about fire, Hera about the air, Apollo about the sun, Artemis about the moon, Poseidon about the sea, then you do not honor God Himself, but instead of the God who created all things, serve the creature. For if you have composed such fables, for the reason that the creature is beautiful; then it was necessary to marvel only at creatures, and not to worship them, so as not to give the honor due to the Creator to creatures. Otherwise, you should give the honor that belongs to the architect to the house he has built, or the honor that belongs to the commander should be given to the soldier. What can you say to this, from which could we know whether the cross really has something worthy of ridicule in it?"

77) Since they were perplexed and turned here and there, Anthony, smiling, said through the interpreter: "Although at first glance it is self-evident; nevertheless, since you rely more on the proof of reason, and, possessing this art, demand that our piety also be not without proofs from reason; then tell me first of all: how is accurate knowledge of things, and above all knowledge of God, acquired, whether by means of proofs from reason, or by the efficacy of faith? And which is more primary, is it efficacious faith, or is it rational proof?" then said Antony: "Well do you speak. Faith comes from the disposition of the soul, and dialectics from the art of its compilers. Therefore, in whom there is the efficacy of faith, proofs from reason are not necessary, but rather superfluous. For what we understand by faith, you try to affirm from reason, and often you are not able to express in words what we understand clearly; and therefore, the efficacy of faith is better and firmer than your wise conclusions."

78) "Thus, among us Christians, the mystery of the knowledge of God is not in the wisdom of pagan speculations, but in the power of faith given to us by God by Jesus Christ. And my word is true; for now we, not having learned the letters, believe in God, knowing His providence from the creatures. And our faith is active; for now we are strengthened in faith in Christ, and you in wise disputations, and your idols no longer work miracles, but our faith spreads everywhere; and you, by your reasoning and your wisdom, do not convert anyone from Christianity to paganism, but we, teaching faith in Christ, turn people away from your superstition, because everyone recognizes Christ as God and the Son of God; by your eloquence you cannot put obstacles in the way of the teaching of Christ, but in the name of Christ crucified we drive out all the demons, whom you fear as gods; and where there is the sign of the cross, there sorcery is exhausted, magic is ineffective."

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