Collection

Life of Antony. (Vita Antoni.)

Saint Athanasius of Alexandria

46 reading units in this historical edition. Units are chapters, letters or homilies, not separate complete books.

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