Page:Theparadiseoftheholyfathers.djvu/210

 of the princes of the devils, and he was so fierce that he would even revile and blaspheme the heavens. And when Anthony saw the man he said, “I cannot heal this man, for [over this race of princes] neither the gift nor the power [of healing] hath been given unto me; unto Paul it belongeth to heal this man.” And Anthony therefore took them with him and went unto him, and said unto him, “O Abbâ Paul, cast out this devil from this man, so that, being made whole, he may depart to his house.” Then Paul said unto him, “And what wilt thou do?” And Anthony said unto him, “I am not able to do it, for I have other work [to do]”; and he left the man with Paul and went [back] to his cell. Then the old man Paul rose up and prayed a prayer with great feeling, and he began to speak unto that devil, saying, “Father Anthony saith, ‘Go forth from this man.’ ” And the devil answered with blasphemies, saying, “I will not go forth, O thou who eatest white bread”; then the old man took his shoulder garment (or skull cap), and began to smite the devil on his back and sides, saying, “I tell thee that Abbâ Anthony saith, ‘Get thee forth from him’ ”; whereupon the devil began to curse and revile Abbâ Anthony and the old man Paul. Finally Paul said [unto him], “Wilt thou go forth, or must I go and tell Christ, yea Jesus? For if thou wilt not go forth I will go and tell Christ, and great woe shall come upon thee”; and again he blasphemed and said, “I will not go forth.” Then was the blessed man Paul wroth with him, and he went out from his cell; now it was the season of noon, and the heat with the Egyptians [at this time] is so fierce that it is akin to the heat of the fiery furnace of the Babylonians. And he stood upon a stone and prayed, and spake thus, “Behold, O Jesus Christ, Who wast crucified in the days of Pontius Pilate, I will not come down from this stone, and I will neither eat nor drink until I die unless Thou dost cast out that devil from this man, and dost set him free from him.” And whilst these words were yet in his mouth the devil cried out by reason of his tribulation, and said, “By Hercules, by whom am I ruled, by Hercules, I am being persecuted with violence, for the simplicity of Paul pursueth me; whither shall I go?” Paul saith unto him, “To the uttermost depths of the abyss”; and straightway the devil went forth from the man, and he transformed himself and became like unto a mighty dragon seventy cubits long, and he wriggled along the ground and in this wise went down to the Red Sea, that might be fulfilled that which is written, “Perfect faith removeth mountains” (St. Matthew 17:20). This is the triumph of Paul, who was called the “Simple” by the whole brotherhood.