For of what shall I be able to boast, who was made a vessel of election by the devil himself? For I know that, if I begin to narrate] all the things concerning me, thou wilt soon flee from me in the manner in which a man may flee from an adder, Nevertheless, I will relate all to thee, concealing nothing, and will first of ail pray thee, that thou wilt not grow weary of praying for me, that I may merit and meet with at least some share of mercy in the day of judgment.'
The old man, suffused with tears, began to weep bitterly. Then began the woman to tell and relate all the things that had happened to her, thus saying: — ' I had a brother and a home in Egypt, and there dwelt with my relatives. Then, in the twelfth year of my age, I began to despise their love and betook myself to the city of Alexandria. But I am ashamed to recount now how at the outset I first polluted my virginity, and how ceaselessly and insatiably I [gave myself up] to sins, and continued in subjection to sinful lusts. It must now indeed be told briefly; yet I now the rather tell of them, that thou mayest perceive the unlawful burning of my misdeeds that I felt in my love of fornication. But pity me, abbot; even for seventeen years I openly surpassed a number of people, continuing in the desire of fornication. Neither did I lose my virginity for any man's presents, nor would I indeed receive anything from any one who desired to give me somewhat; but I was greatly excited with the heat of sinful lust, so that I desired that they would come to me in greater numbers without any price, to the end that I might the more easily satisfy my culpable desires for wicked living. Nor do thou suppose that I would receive anything for any world's wealth, but ever lived in poverty, because I had, as I said before, insatiable desires, so that I ceaselessly polluted myself in the puddle of wicked adultery, and this was my misery; and this I accounted as life, that I might thus ceaselessly fulfil the vexations of the flesh.. Whilst
