Had it fallen, it could not have been unperceived, from
its great size; and besides, he who lost it would have turned back
and found it, because the place is desert. This is a trick of the
devil. Thou shalt not hinder, devil, my determination by this: let
it go with thee into perdition." And as Antony said that, it
vanished, as smoke from before the face of the fire. Then again he
saw, not this time a phantom, but real gold lying in the way as he
came up. But whether the enemy showed it him, or whether some
better power, which was trying the athlete, and showing the devil
that he did not care for real wealth; neither did he tell, nor do we
know, save that it was real gold. Antony, wondering at the
abundance of it, so stepped over it as over fire, and so passed it
by, that he never turned, but ran on in haste, until he had lost
sight of the place. And growing even more and more intense in his
determination, he rushed up the mountain, and finding an empty
inclosure full of creeping things on account of its age, he betook
himself across the river, and dwelt in it. The creeping things, as
if pursued by some one, straightway left the place: but he blocked
up the entry, having taken with him loaves for six months (for the
Thebans do this, and they often remain a whole year fresh), and
having water with him, entering, as into a sanctuary, into that
monastery, {44} he remained alone, never going forth, and never
looking at any one who came.
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