I$4 ORIGIN OF MONACIilSM. 



making themfelves merry with him, and to laugh at 

 him for an idiot and a blockhead. This difpleafed 

 him, as may very eaiily be imagined. Caffianus re- 

 lates, that fome philofophers, who were then known to 

 be much addicted to magic, let loofe a whole pack of 

 devils of the firfr. rate upon him, merely by way of in- 

 fult. But Antonius as all the world knows, was fhot- 

 proof againfi: devils of every rank and degree. 



A couple of other philofophers were making their 

 fport of him ; but he ftruck them dumb upon the fpot, 

 by calling out a pair of devils before their nofes. 

 Oilier philofophers afked him how he could live without 

 books ? Antonius gave them this fublime reply : My 

 book is God and nature. At one time likewife he faid 

 very excellently : A time is coming when all mankind 

 will be fools ; and when they fhall fee a man who is not 

 a fool, they will all rife up againfi: him, as if, becaufe 

 I he is not like them, he was therefore the only fool in 

 the world. 



An anecdote is recorded in the Coptic martyrology, 

 trom whence we may conclude, that Antonius had 

 mere than once call a truly prophetical look into the 

 tablets of futurity. His difciples were one day fitting 

 round him, expreffing their admiration at the multi- 

 tude of perfons who devoted themfelves to folitude 5 

 and the ardour with which they proceeded on the path 

 of piety. Will this laft long ? faid they to Antonius, 

 He anfwered them with tears, The time, alas, will 

 come, when monks, infeead of dwelling in caves and 

 holes of the earth, will remove into great cities ; there 

 they will build themfelves palaces, will indulge in 

 good eating and drinking, and be diflinguiihed from 

 0 other 



