rated from him, and each of them dwelt in a place by himself. One day he asked one of them, and said, “How dost thou live in thy cell?” And the disciple answered and said, “I fast until evening, and then I eat two bread-cakes”; and Abbâ Agathon said unto him, “It is a beautiful way of living, but it is very laborious.” Then Abbâ Agathon said unto the other disciple, “And how dost thou live?” And the disciple answered and said unto him, “I fast two days at a time, and after each fast I eat two bread-cakes.” Then the old man said unto him, “Thou toilest greatly, and maintainest a twofold strife. For one man eateth every day and filleth not his belly, and another fasteth two days at a time and taketh whatsoever he needeth; but thou, though thou dost fast two days at a time, dost not fill thy belly.”
89. Abbâ Abraham went to Abbâ Areus, and as they were sitting down, another brother came to Abbâ, and asked him, saying, “Tell me what I shall do to live?” And he said unto him, “Go and pass the whole week in plaiting palm leaves and twisting ropes thereof, and eat bread and salt once each day in the evening, and then come again to me, and I will tell thee [what else to do].” And the brother went away and did as he had told him to do, and when Abbâ Abraham heard this he wondered. Now when the week was ended that brother came again to the old man Areus, with whom there happened to be also Abbâ Abraham. And the old man said unto the brother, “Get thee gone, and pass thou the whole week in fasting two days at a time.” And when that brother had gone, Abbâ Abraham said unto Abbâ Areus, “Why dost thou command all the other brethren to bear a light burden, but layest aheavy load upon the brother who was here?” Then the old man said unto him, “The other brethren as they come, ask, and according as they ask they receive and depart; but this brother cometh for God’s sake, that he may hear the word of profit, for he is a worker, and whatsoever I say unto him he performeth with care and diligence.”
90. Abbâ Theodotus used to say, “Abstinence from bread quieteth the body of the monk.”
91. A certain old man used to say, “I knew Abbâ Patermuthis in the cells, and he did not drink wine, but when they took some wine and mixed it with water, and urged him to drink [it], he said, ‘Believe me, O my brethren, I hold it to be a most beautiful thing.’ And he blamed himself and condemned himself because of the mixing, and at the same time he gave thanks unto God and accepted His gracious gift.”
92. They used to say about Abbâ Paphnutius that he did not drink wine readily, even though he was sick.
