and he came along with the intention of passing him; and he was arrayed in a garment, which was full of holes, and various fruits were hanging about him. And the old man Macarius said unto him, “Whither goest thou?” And he said, “I am going to visit the brethren, and to make them mindful [of their work].” And the old man said to him, “For what purpose are the various fruits which are on thee required?” And Satan answered and said, “I am carrying them to the brethren for food.” And the old man said, “All these?” And Satan said, “Yea. For it one pleaseth not a brother, I hand him over another; and if that pleaseth him not, I give him another, and one or other of these must certainly please him.” And having said these things Satan went on his way.
Then the old man continued to watch the road until Satan came along to return, and when he saw him, he said unto him, “Hast thou been successful?” And Satan said, “Whence am I to obtain help?” And the old man said, “For what purpose?” Then Satan said, “They have all forsaken me, and have rebelled against me, and not one of them will allow himself to be overpersuaded by me.” And the old man said, “Hast thou not then one friend left there?” And Satan said to him, “Yea, I have one brother, but one only who will be persuaded by me, although whensoever he seeth me he turneth away his face as from that of an adversary.” The old man saith to him, “What is the name of this brother?” And Satan saith, “Theopemptus”; and having said these things he departed and went on his way.
Then Abbâ Macarius rose up and went down to the lower desert, and the brethren heard [of his coming], and they brought palm leaves, and went out to meet him, and every monk prepared and made ready his abode, thinking that he would come and dwell there; but the old man [only] asked for the brother whose name was Theopemptus, and he received him joyfully. Now when the brethren began to speak among themselves, the old man said unto him, “What hast thou to say, O my brother, and how are thine own affairs?” And Theopemptus said to him, “At the present moment matters are well with me,” for he was ashamed to speak. The old man said unto him, “Behold, I have now lived a life of stern asceticism for many years, and I am held in honour by every man, nevertheless, even though I am an old man, the spirit of fornication disturbeth me.” And Theopemptus answered and said, “Believe me, father, [it disturbeth] me also”; and the old man, like one who was vexed by many thoughts, made a reason for talking, and at length he led the brother to confess the matter. And afterwards he said unto him, “How long dost thou fast?” And
