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 saying, “What is this, O father?” and the old man said unto him, “It is a word. I was vexed with a certain brother, and I was engaged in a strife of which I knew nothing, and I made supplication to God that it might be taken from me; and straightway that word became blood in my mouth, but when I spat it up I was relieved, and I forgot my vexation.”

258. One of the old men used to say: “We were going [on one occasion] to the mountain of the blessed Anthony to visit Abbâ Sisoes, and when he sat down to eat there came up to us a young man who begged for alms; and when we were beginning to eat, the old man said, ‘Ask that young man if he wisheth to come in and eat with us.’ Now when one had said this to him, the young man refused [to do so], and the old man said, ‘Let whatsoever is left over by us be given to him to eat outside.’ Then the old man brought out a jar of wine which he kept for the Offering, and he mixed for each one of us a cup, but he gave to the young man two cups, whereat I smiled, and said unto him, ‘I also will go outside, and thou shalt give me two cups of wine also.’ Abbâ Sisoes said, ‘If he had eaten with us he would have drunk the same quantity as ourselves, and he would have have been convinced that we did not drink more than he did; but now he will say in his mind, These monks enjoy themselves more than I do. It is good therefore that our conscience should not hold us in contempt.’ ”

259. One of the old men came to another old man who was his companion, and as they were talking together one of them said, “I have died to the world”; and his companion said, “Have no confidence in thyself that this is so until thou goest forth from the world, for although thou sayest, ‘I have died,’ Satan is not dead.”

260. A brother asked Abbâ Sisoes, saying, “Tell me a word [whereby I may live].” The old man saith unto him, “Why dost thou urge me, O brother, to speak a useless word? Whatsoever thou seest me do, that do thyself.”

261. A brother asked Abbâ Poemen, saying, “Is it possible for a man to keep hold upon all thoughts, and not to give any of them to the Enemy?” The old man said unto him, There are some of them who give ten and keep one, and “there are some who give one and keep ten.” And the brother told this saying to Abbâ Sisoes, who said, “There are some who do not give even one [thought] to the Enemy.”

262. Abbâ Joseph asked Abbâ Sisoes, saying, “How many times is it right for a man to cut off his passions?” The old said unto him, “Dost thou wish to learn when thou must cut them off?” and Joseph said unto him, “Yes.” Abbâ Sisoes said unto him, “