ip% o!ti£iN of mo^a6hism. 



riot and fcreaming within. It was- their firm belief that 

 Antonius was at fifty -cuffs with the devil; but they 

 properly heard how foolifh he could make himfelf wheri 

 he pleafed, or how foolifii he actually was in his cattle* 

 The concourfe however became gradually fo great un- 

 der the holy walls of this haunted tower^ that Antonius 

 at laft refolved, after twenty. years, at the repeated fol- 

 licitations of feveral perfons, as the facred authors in- 

 form us, but from irkfomenefs", as I fho'uld fuppofe* 

 and manifeftly for the benefit of his health, to abandon" 

 his caftle. 



His melancholy fage now left him. He became fo-^ 

 •-ctable, undertook matters of high concern, affembled 

 about him from all parts hermits like himfelf, and 

 accuftomed them to a mode of livirtg in common. 

 They made their habitations nearer together, ahd joined 

 one another in their exercifes of prayer, and in procu- 

 ring the neceflaries of life. Antonius now performed 

 miracle after miracle upon the fick both in body and 

 foul ; and perfuaded a great multitude of perfons to 

 betake themfelves to folitude, though he had hitherto 

 in reality fo little reafon to extol that mode of life ; for, 

 what with his abode in the grave, and in the haunted 

 caftle, he was evidently not right in the head. 



Many followed his advice, and built themfelves huts', 

 which were then called dwellings of folitary monks 

 [monafteria] , amongft the mountains in thofe parts. 

 Antonius had the infpeclion of them all, as their com- 

 mon father. This paffion for folitude increafed from 

 day to day, till he had peopled by degrees the defarts 

 around. It is not unlikely that the perfectitions which 

 Hill continued might contribute confiderably to' the 



fame 



