Antony Goes to the Inner Mountain

But when he saw that many people were crowding around him, and that he was not allowed to withdraw as he intended and wished, he was afraid, because of the signs the Lord was working through him, that he might become puffed up, or that someone else might think of him more highly than he ought. So he thought it over and set out to go into the upper Thebaid, among people to whom he was unknown. He received loaves from the brothers and sat down on the bank of the river, watching to see whether a boat would go by, so that he could board it and go up the river with them. While he was thinking about these things, a voice came to him from above: “Antony, where are you going, and why?” He was not at all disturbed, but since he was used to being called like this often, he listened and answered, “Since the crowds will not let me be still, I want to go into the upper Thebaid, because of the many hindrances that come upon me here, and especially because they ask of me things beyond my power.” But the voice said to him, “Even if you go into the Thebaid, or even if, as you have in mind, you go down to the Bucolia, you will have to endure more toil, yes, twice as much. But if you really want to be at peace, go now into the inner desert.” Antony said, “Who will show me the way? I do not know it.” At once the voice pointed out to him some Saracens who were about to go that way. So Antony went up to them and asked if he could go with them into the desert. They received him willingly, as though Providence had commanded them. He traveled with them three days and three nights and came to a very high mountain. At the foot of the mountain ran a clear spring, whose water was sweet and very cold; beyond it lay a plain and a few untended palm trees. [a]

Then Antony, as though moved by God, loved the place, for this was the spot that the one who had spoken with him on the riverbank had pointed out. First he received loaves from his fellow travelers, and then he stayed on the mountain alone, with no one else with him. Recognizing it as his own home, he remained in that place from then on. The Saracens, having seen Antony’s earnestness, used to travel that way on purpose and gladly brought him loaves, and now and then the palm trees also gave him a poor and frugal relish. After this the brothers learned of the place and, like children who remember their father, took care to send things to him. But when Antony saw that the bread caused some of them trouble and hardship, he decided, to spare the monks this, to ask some of those who came to bring him a spade, an ax, and a little grain. When these were brought, he went over the land around the mountain, found a small plot of suitable ground, and tilled it; and since he had a plentiful supply of water for watering, he sowed it. Doing this year by year, he got his bread from it, glad that in this way he would be troublesome to no one, and that he was keeping himself from being a burden to anybody. After this, seeing that people were coming again, he grew a few vegetables, so that whoever came to him might have some small comfort after the labor of that hard journey. [d]

At first, however, the wild animals of the desert, coming for the water, often damaged his seed and his crops. But he gently took hold of one of them and said to them all, “Why do you harm me, when I harm none of you? Go away, and in the name of the Lord do not come near this place.” And from that time on, as though they feared his command, they never came near the place again.