V 



%$o Progress op monachism. 



ftood, by infpiration, or fome other means, both 

 Greek and Latin. The anachorete Palemon conferred 

 on him the monaftic habit. They dwelt together alone 

 in a cave on the top of a mountain. 



Pachomius and Palemon lived on bread and fait. 

 Occaiionally fome herbs were added to their repaft ; 

 ^ccafionally too, inftead of herbs, they ate dull: and 

 allies fprinkled on their bread. Praying, fewing and 

 fpinning were their ufual employment. They made 

 hair-fhirts, partly for their own wear, to fcratch and 

 mortify their flefli ; partly for fale, that on the profits 

 they might live, and have fomewhat to beftow upon 

 the poor. If, in the middle of the night, they found 

 themfelves unable to relifc the attacks of fleep, they 

 carried fand from one place to another, to inure them-* 

 f elves to vigilance and prayer. To prerent their being 

 furprifed by fleep, they likewife both of them prayed, 

 the whole night through, holding their arms extended 

 crofs-wife over each other. From this caufe it was at 

 that time the ordinary mode of praying : at the cele- 

 bration of mafs this method is ftill obferved. For 

 rendering himfelf fuperior to pain, Pachomius went 

 always barefoot among thorns and briars. 



An uninhabited village on an ifland of the Kile, 

 called Tabenna, lay not far from the cave where thefe 

 two holy perfons dwelt. Pachomius who went at times 

 to fetch wood from thence, conceived a ftrong defire 

 to take up his abode among thefe ruins, They accord- 

 ingly parted, with the promife of vifiting each other 

 once a year. But the poor folitary Palemon fell lick. 

 Antonius the boor was juft at that time in full practice 

 with the devils, and exorcifed the fick ; however, Pa- 

 chomius 



