wrathful, and that he made no complaint, his mercy made itself manifest; and behold when Paul had lived [there another] day, he said unto him, “Dost thou wish to eat a piece of bread?” The old man Paul said unto him, “As it pleaseth thee, father.” And this also especially shamed Mâr Anthony, that he did not hasten in his desire to the promise of food, but that he cast all his desire upon him. Thereupon Anthony said unto him, “Set the table and bring bread.” And Anthony placed on the table four loaves, each of which was of the weight of about six ounces, and he dipped them in water because they were dry, and he placed one before himself and three before Paul. And having placed them [there] he sang a psalm which he knew twelve times, and he recited twelve prayers that he might try Paul, but Paul prayed with him in gladness; and after the twelve prayers they sat down to eat in the late evening. Having eaten one loaf Anthony did not touch another, but the old man Paul ate slowly, and [when Anthony had finished] he had still some of his loaf [to eat], and Anthony was waiting for him to finish it. And having finished it, he answered and said unto him, “Little father, wilt thou eat another loaf?” And Paul said unto him, “It thou will eat another I will also; but if thou wilt not, I will not.” Anthony saith unto him, “I have had enough, for I am a monk.” And Paul said unto him, “I also have had enough, for I also seek to become a monk.” And after these things Anthony again stood up, and made twelve prayers, and when they had said together the psalms twelve times they slept for a little during the night, and then they sang and prayed until the morning.
And when Anthony saw that the old man was carrying out with gladness a rule of life similar unto his own in every respect, he said unto him, “If thou art able to bear every day passed in this wise, then stay with me.” Paul said unto him, “Although I know nothing else, yet the things which I do know I can perform easily”; and on another day Anthony said unto him, “Behold, thou hast become a monk.” And a few months afterward when Anthony saw that his soul was perfect before God, and that he was simple beyond measure, and that Divine Grace was helping him, he built him a cell at a distance of about three or four miles away, and said unto him, “Behold, thou art a monk, and henceforth thou must live by thyself so that thou mayest receive the temptation of devils.” Now when Paul had lived by himself for a year, the gift of healing and of casting out devils was given unto him.
And in those times they brought unto Anthony a certain man who was vexed by a fierce devil, and that devil was one
