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 me a word of excellence”; and he said unto him, “Dost thou think me true, and dost thou believe my promise?” And Abbâ Sisoes said unto him, “Yes.” Abbâ ’Ôr said unto him, “Go, and whatsoever ye have seen me do, that also do thyself”; and Abbâ Sisoes said unto him, “What do I see in thee, O my father?” And Abbâ ’Or answered and said unto him, “My mind is more abased than that of the least of all the children of men.”

527. On one occasion seven brethren came to Abbâ Arsenius and they entreated him, saying, “What is the work of monks?” And the old man answered and said, “When I came to dwell in this place I went to two old men, and I asked them this same question. And they answered and said unto me, ‘Dost thou believe in us?’ and I said, ‘Yes.’ Then they said unto me, ‘Go, and whatsoever thou hast seen us do, that also do thyself.’ ” And the brethren asked him subsequently, saying, “Tell us, father, what was their work?” Then the old man said unto them, “The one acquired great humility, and the other obedience.” And they said unto him next, “Tell us what is thy work?” and the old man said unto them, “According to my will, and according to my mind; it is a great thing for a man not to bind himself with any matter”; and having profited they departed in gladness, giving praise unto God.

528. A brother asked Abbâ Poemen, saying, “What shall I do with the weight of weariness which holdeth me?” And the old man said unto him, “Both large and small boats are provided with thick ropes for towing, and if there be blowing a wind which is not favourable to the course of the ship, they throw them round their breasts and pull them along [from] dry land; and quietly and little by little they let the ship go on her way until God sendeth a wind which is suitable for bearing her along whithersoever they wish her to go. But if they learn that a storm hath begun to rise, they make haste and drive a stake in the ground, and tie up the ship lest she should drift away. Now the stake is that a man should condemn himself.”

529. A brother asked Abbâ Poemen, “How is it possible for a man to avoid speaking evilly to his neighbour?” The old man answered and said unto him, “We and our brethren possess two images. Whensoever then a man condemneth himself, his brother appeareth unto him beautiful and excellent; but whensoever a man appeareth beautiful to himself, his brother will be found to be, in his sight, hateful and abominable.”

530. Another old man said also, “Humility is not insipidity, but it is seasoned, as it were, with salt.”