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| Chapter XXIII. The obedience of Abbot John by which he was exalted even to the grace of prophecy.
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Chapter XXIII.
The obedience of Abbot John by which he was exalted even
to the grace of prophecy.
And since this book is
about the training of one who renounces this world, whereby, making a
beginning of true humility and perfect obedience, he may be enabled to
ascend the heights of the other virtues as well, I think it well to set
down just by way of specimen, as we promised, some of the deeds of the
elders whereby they excelled in this virtue, selecting a few only out
of many instances, that, if any are anxious to aim at still greater
heights, they may not only receive from these an incitement towards the
perfect life, but may also be furnished with a model of what they
purpose. Wherefore, to make this book as short as possible we will
produce and set down two or three out of the whole number of the
Fathers; and first of all Abbot John who lived near Lycon783
| 783 Lycon or
Lycopolis in the Thebaid is the modern El Syout on the west banks of
the Nile, S. E. of Hermopolis ( = Minieh). | which is a town in the Thebaid; and
who was exalted even to the grace of prophecy for his admirable
obedience, and was so celebrated all the world over that he was by his
merits rendered famous even among kings of this world. For though, as
we said, he lived in the most remote parts of the Thebaid, still the
Emperor Theodosius did not venture to declare war against the most
powerful tyrants before he was encouraged by his utterances and
replies: trusting in which as if they had been brought to him from
heaven he gained victories over his foes in battles which seemed
hopeless.784
| 784 This John of
Lycopolis was one of the most celebrated hermits of the fourth century.
Originally a carpenter, he retired at the age of twenty-five into the
wilderness, and after the death of his instructor settled near
Lycopolis. Here, as Cassian tells us, he received as reward for his
obedience the gift of prophecy, and was consulted by crowds who came to
him for this purpose and among others by the Emperor Theodosius, to
whom he foretold (1) his victory over the usurper Maximus (a.d. 388), and (2) his success against Eugenius in
a.d. 395. He is mentioned again by Cassian in
the Conferences I. xxi., XXIV. xxvi., etc. A full account of him is
given by Rufinus in his history of the monks c. i. and by Palladius in
the Lausiac History 43–60; he is also mentioned by Augustine De
Civitate Dei, Book V. c. xxvi, De Cura pro mortius gerenda, c. xvii.,
and Jerome Ep. cxxxiii. ad Ctesiphontem, as well as by Theodoret H. E.
V. xxiv, and Sozomen H. E. VI. xxviii. | E.C.F. INDEX & SEARCH
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