Then that brother, having come back to his senses, made strong his mind, and fortified his will, and went forth to a certain old man in the desert, and related the matter unto him. And the old man answered and said unto him, “Sit thou down here with me in [this] cave, and fast for three weeks, only eating once every two days, and I will make supplication on thy behalf unto God.” And the old man laboured with the brother, and he made entreaty and supplication unto God, saying, “I beseech Thee, O Lord God, to grant me the soul of this brother, and to accept his repentance.” And when the first week was fulfilled, the old man came to the brother, and asked him, saying, “Hast thou seen anything?” and the brother answered and said, “Yes, I have seen a dove flying about in the heights of heaven, and standing before my head,” and the old man said unto him, “Take heed to thyself, and pray unto God with groans and sighs”; and the following week he came again to the brother, and asked him the same question, saying, “Hast thou seen anything?” And the brother made answer, saying, “I saw a dove which came and drew near to my head,” and the old man admonished him, saying, “Rouse up and pray unto God with abundant supplication.” And when the third week was fulfilled the old man came to the brother and said unto him, “What hast thou seen?” And he answered and said unto him, “I saw a dove which came and stood upon my head, and I stretched out my hand and took hold of it, but it fled away and entered into my mouth.” Then the old man gave thanks unto God, and said unto the brother, “God hath accepted thy repentance; henceforward watch thyself and take heed to thyself.” And the brother answered and said, “Behold, from this day onwards I shall live with thee, O father, even to the day of my death.”
Chapter XXXV: Of A Certain Old Man In Scete
THERE was a certain old man in Scete who, having become very sick indeed, was ministered to by the brethren, and he thought in his mind that they were tired of him, and he said, “I will go to Egypt, so that the brethren may not have to labour on my account.” And Abbâ Moses said unto him, “Thou shalt not go, for if thou goest, thou wilt fall into fornication”; and the old man was grieved and said, “My body hath long been dead, and sayest thou these things unto me?” So he went up to Egypt, and men heard about him, and they brought many offerings unto him, and a certain believing virgin came in faith to minister unto him. And after a time, when the old man had been healed, the
