Attributed to Nestor the Chronicler · Complete work
1074, Part 2: The Monks of the Caves
1074, Part 2: The Monks of the Caves of 46. Read it here for reference, or continue through the entire work without leaving the reader.
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Яко се бысть другый черноризець, именемь Исакий, яко еще сущю в мирьскомъ житьи и богату сущю ему, бѣ бо купець, родомъ торопчанинъ, и помысли быти мнихомъ, и раздая имѣние свое трѣбующимъ и по манастыремь, иде кь великому Антонию в пещеру, моляшеся ему, дабы створилъ черьноризьцемь. И приятъ ̀и Антоний, и возложи на нь порты чернѣцькиѣ и нарече имя ему Исакий, бѣ бо имя ему мирьское Чернь. Сий же Исакий вьсприя житье крепко: облѣчеся въ власяницю, и повелѣ купити собѣ козелъ и одерти мѣшькомь козелъ, и возьвлече ̀и на власяницю, и осъше около его кожа сыра. И затворися в пещерѣ, въ единой улици, въ кѣльицѣ малѣ, яко 4 лакотъ, и ту моляше Бога беспрестани день и нощь со слезами. Бѣ же ядение его проскура одина, и та же чресъ день, и воды в мѣру пьяше. Приношаше же ему великий Антоний и подаваше оконьцемь ему, яко ся вмѣстяше рука, и тако приимаше пищю. И того створи лѣт 7, на свѣтъ не вылазя, ни на ребрехъ лежа, но, сѣдя, мало приимаше сна.
И единою, по обычаю, наставшю вечерю, и поча кланятися, поя псалмы оли до полунощи, и яко трудяшеться, сѣдяше же на сѣдалѣ своемь. И единою же ему сѣдящю по обычаю и свѣщю угасившю, и внезапу свѣтъ восия, яко солнце, въ пещерѣ, яко зрак вынимаа человѣку. И поидоста двѣ уноши к нему прекрасьна, и блистася лице има, яко и солнце, и глаголаста к нему: «Исакье! Вѣ есвѣ ангела, а се идеть к тобѣ Христосъ, сь ангелы». И, вьставъ, Исакий видѣ толпу, и лица ихъ паче солнца, и единъ посредѣ ихъ и сьяху от лица его паче всихъ. И глаголаста ему: «Исакье, то ти Христосъ, падъ, поклонися ему». Онь же не разумѣ бѣсовьскаго дѣйства, ни памяти прекреститися, выступя поклонися, акы Христу, бѣсовьскому дѣйству. Бѣси же кликнуша и рѣкоша: «Нашь еси уже, Исакье», и вьведоша ̀и в кѣльицю, и посадиша ̀и, и начаша садитися около его — полна келья и улица печерьская. И рече единъ от бѣсовъ, глаголемый Христосъ: «Возмите сопѣли и бубны и гусли, и ударяйте, ать ны Исакье сьпляшеть».
И удариша в сопѣли и въ гусли и въ бубни и начаша имъ играти. И утомивше ̀и, оставиша ̀и еле жива сущи, и отъидоша, поругавшеся ему.
Заутра же бывши свѣту и приспѣвшю вкушению хлѣба, и приде Антоний кь оконцю по обычаю и глагола: «Благослови, отче Исакье!» И не бысть гласа, ни послушания. И многажды глагола Аньтоний, и не бысть отвѣта. И глагола Антоний: «Се уже яко преставилъся есть». И посла в манастырь по Федосья и по братью. И откопавше, гдѣ бѣ загражено устье, и пришедше и взяша ̀и, мняще ̀и мертваго, и вынесьше, положиша ̀и предъ пещерою. И узрѣша, яко живъ есть. И рече игуменъ Федосий, яко «Се имать от бѣсовьскаго дѣйства». И положиша ̀и на одрѣ, и служаше около его Антоний. В то же время приключися Изяславу прити из Ляховъ, и нача гнѣватися Изяславъ на Антония изо Всеслава. И приславъ Святьславъ нощью, поя Антония к Чернигову. Антоний же, пришедъ кь Чернигову, и вьзлюби Болъдину гору, и ископавъ пещеру, и ту вселися. И есть манастырь святоі Богородицѣ на Болдинахъ горахъ и до сихъ дний.
Федосий же, увѣда, яко Антоний шелъ кь Чернигову, и, шедъ с братьею, вьзя Исакья и принесе кь собѣ в кѣлью, и служаше около его. Бѣ бо раслабленъ тѣломъ и умомъ, яко не мощи ему обратитися на другую страну, ни вьстати и ни сѣдити, но лежа на единой странѣ и подъ ся поливаше многажды, и червье кыняхуся подъ бедру ему с мочения. Федосий же самъ своима рукама омываше и спряташе ̀и, за 2 лѣтѣ створи се около его. Се же бысть чюдно и дивно, яко, за двѣ лѣтѣ лежа, сий ни хлѣба вькуси, ни воды, ни от какаго брашна, ни от овоща, ни языкомъ проглагола, но нѣмъ и глухъ лежа за 2 лѣтѣ. Федосий моляшеть Бога за нь и молитву творяшеть над нимь нощь и день, дондеже на 3-ее лѣто проглаголавъ и слыша, и на ногы нача вьставати акы младенѣць, и нача ходити. И не брежаше кь церкви ити, но нужею привлечахуть его кь церкви, и тако по малу научиша ̀и. И по семь научися и на тряпезницю ходити, и посажаше ̀и кромѣ братья и положаху пред нимь хлѣбъ, и не взимаше его, олны вложити будяше в руцѣ ему. Федосий же рече: «Положите хлѣбъ пред нимь и не вькладайте в руцѣ ему, ать самъ ясть», и не бреже за недѣлю ясти и, помалу оглядавься, кушавше хлѣба, и тако научися ѣсти, и тако избави ̀и Федосий от козни дьяволя и от прелѣсти.
Исакий же вьсприя дерьзновение и вьздержание жестоко. Федосью же преставившюся и Стефану в него мѣсто бывшю, Исакий же рече: «Се уже прельстилъ мя еси, дьяволе, сѣдяща на единомъ мѣстѣ, а уже не имамъ затворитися в пещерѣ, но имамъ тя побѣдити, ходя в манастырѣ». И облечеся въ власяницю, и на власяницю свиту вотоляну, и нача уродьство творити, и помагати нача поваромъ и варити на братью. И на заутренюю ходя преже всихъ, и стояше крѣпко и неподвижно. Егда же приспѣяше зима и мрази лютии, и сьтояше въ прабошняхъ, въ черевьихъ и въ протоптаныхъ, яко примѣрьзняше нози его кь камени, и не двигняше ногами, дондеже отпояху заутренюю. И по заутрени идяше в поварницю и приготоваше огнь, и воду, и дрова, и приходяху прочии повари от братья. Единъ же поваръ, такоже бѣ именемь Исакий, и рече, посмихаяся: «Исакьи! Оно сѣдить вранъ черьный, иди, ими его».
Онъ же, поклонився ему до земли и, шедъ, я врана и принесе ему предо всими повары. И ужасошася и повѣдаша игумену и братьи. И начаша ̀и братья чтити. Онъ же, не хотя славы человѣчскыя, и нача уродьствовати и пакостити нача ово игумену, ово братьи, ово мирьскымь человѣкомъ, друзии же раны ему даяху. И поча по миру ходити, тако же уродомъ ся творя. И вселися в пещеру, в нейже преже былъ, уже бо бѣ Аньтоний преставилъся, и совокупи собѣ уныхъ и вьскладаше на нь порты чернѣцькыя, да ово от игумена Никона раны приимаше, ово ли от родитель дѣтьскыхъ. Се сь же то все терпяше и подъимаше раны и наготу, и студень день и нощь. Въ едину бо нощь вьжегъ пещь во истопцѣ у пещеры, и яко разгорѣся пещь, бѣ бо утла, и нача палати пламень утлизнами. Оному же нѣчимь заложити, и вьступле на пламень ногама босыма, ста на пламени, дондеже изгорѣ пещь, и слезе.
Ина много повѣдаху о немь, а другому и самовидци быхомъ. И тако взя побѣду на бѣсовьскыя силы, яко и мухъ ни во что же имяше устрашения ихъ и мечтания ихъ, глаголашеть бо к нимъ: «Аще бо мя бѣсте первое прельстилѣ, понеже не вѣдахъ козний вашихъ и лукавьства. Нынѣ же имамъ Господа Иисуса Христа, Бога нашего, и молитву отца нашего Федосья, надѣюся на Христа, имамъ побѣдити васъ». И многажды бѣси пакости дѣаху и глаголаху ему […]: «Нашь еси, поклонилъся еси нашему старѣйшины и намъ». Онъ же глагола имъ: «Вашь старѣйшина есть антихрьсть, а вы бѣси есте». И перекрѣстися, и тако ищезняху. Овогда же ли пакы в нощи прихожаху к нему, и страхъ ему творяще ово въ мечтѣ, яко се многъ народъ с мотыками и с лыскари, глаголюще: «Раскопаемы пещеру сию и се здѣ загребемь». Инии же глаголаху: «Бѣжи, Исакье, хотять тя загрести».
Онъ же глаголаше к нимъ: «Аще бысте человѣцѣ былѣ, то въ день бысте ходили, а вы есте тма, во тмѣ ходите». И знаменася крестнымь знамениемь, они же ищезняху. А другоичи страшахуть ̀и во образѣ медвѣжьи, овогда же лютомь звѣремь, овогда же воломь, ово ли змия ползаху к нему, ово ли жабы, и мыши и всякъ гадъ. И не возмогоша ему ничьтоже створити. И рекоша ему: «Исакий! Побѣдилъ ны еси». Онъ же рече: «Якоже и вы первѣе мене побѣдили есте въ образѣ Исусъ Христовѣ и въ ангелскомъ, недостойнѣ суще того видѣния, топервое являстеся въ образѣ звѣриномъ и скотьемь, змиями и гадомь, аци же и сами бысте сквѣрни, зли въ видѣньи. И абье погыбоша бѣси от него, и оттолѣ не бысть ему пакости от бѣсовъ, якоже самъ повѣдаше, яко «Се бысть ми за три лѣта брань си». И потомь нача крѣплѣе жити и вьздержание имѣти, пощенье и бдѣние. И тако живущу ему, сконча житье свое. И разболѣся в пещерѣ, и несоша ̀и болна в манастырь, и до осмога дни скончася о Господѣ. Игумен же Иванъ и братья спрятавше тѣло его и погребоша ̀и.
Таци же бѣша чернорисци Федосьева манастыря, иже сияють и по смерти, яко свѣтила, и молять Бога за здѣ сущюю братью, и за приносящия в манастырь, и за мирьскую братью. Въ нем же и нынѣ добродѣтельно житье живуть и обыце вкупѣ, въ пѣньихъ, и въ молитвахъ и в послушаньихъ на славу Богу всемогущому, и Федосьевами молитвами сблюдаеми, ему же слава въ вѣкы, аминь.
Musean translation
Mouseia’s complete machine-assisted Musean translation, made directly from the Old East Slavic text of the Hypatian Codex (O. V. Tvorogov’s 1997 edition, pinned Russian Wikisource revision), covering the undated introduction and every annal from 6360 to 6625 (852–1117 CE). Worker drafts were checked against the source paragraph by paragraph before publication. Years keep the chronicle’s own reckoning from the creation of the world; subtract 5508 for the approximate year CE, as the chapter titles do.
Thus there was another monk, named Isaac. While he still lived the worldly life he was rich, for he was a merchant, a native of Toropets; and he resolved to become a monk, and distributed his goods to the needy and among the monasteries, and went to the great Anthony in the cave, beseeching him to make him a monk. And Anthony received him, laid monastic garments upon him, and gave him the name Isaac; for his worldly name had been Chern. This Isaac took up a strict life: he clothed himself in a hair shirt, and ordered a goat bought and flayed whole, and drew the skin over his hair shirt, and it dried about him raw. And he shut himself in the cave, in one of its galleries, in a small cell about 4 cubits, and there he prayed to God without ceasing, day and night, with tears. His food was one loaf, and that only every other day, and he drank water in measure. The great Anthony brought it to him and handed it through the little window, which was just wide enough for a hand, and so he received his food. And he did this 7 years, not coming out into the light, nor lying on his sides, but sitting, and taking little sleep.
And once, as was his custom, when evening had come, he began to make bows, singing psalms until midnight, and as he wearied he sat down on his seat. And once as he sat as usual and his candle had gone out, suddenly a light shone in the cave, bright as the sun, so bright it could take away a man's sight. And two youths, beautiful, came toward him, and their faces shone like the sun, and they said to him: “Isaac! We are angels, and behold, Christ is coming to you, with the angels.” And Isaac rose and saw a multitude, and their faces were brighter than the sun, and one in the midst of them, and from his face the radiance was brighter than all. And the two said to him: “Isaac, this is Christ; fall down and worship him.” And he did not understand the demons' working, nor remember to cross himself; stepping forward, he bowed to it as to Christ—to the demons' working. The demons cried out and said: “You are ours now, Isaac,” and led him into the cell and set him down, and began to sit around him, until the cell and the gallery of the cave were full. And one of the demons, the one called Christ, said: “Take pipes and drums and gusli, and play, so that Isaac may dance for us.”
And they struck up the pipes and the gusli and the drums, and began to play. And when they had wearied him, they left him barely alive and went away, having mocked him.
When morning came and the time for tasting bread drew near, Anthony came to the little window as usual and said: “Give me a blessing, Father Isaac!” And there was no voice, and no answer. Anthony spoke many times, and there was no reply. And Anthony said: “Behold, he has surely died.” And he sent to the monastery for Theodosius and the brothers. They dug open the place where the entrance had been blocked, and coming, they took him, thinking him dead, and carried him out and laid him before the cave. And they saw that he was alive. And Abbot Theodosius said: “Behold, he suffers from the demons' working.” And they laid him on a bed, and Anthony served beside him. At that same time it happened that Iziaslav came back from the Poles, and Iziaslav began to be angry with Anthony because of Vseslav. And Sviatoslav sent by night and took Anthony to Chernihiv. Anthony, coming to Chernihiv, loved the Boldino hill, and dug a cave and settled there. And the monastery of the Holy Mother of God on the Boldino Hills stands to this day.
Theodosius learned that Anthony had gone to Chernihiv, and going with the brotherhood, took Isaac and carried him to his own cell, and served beside him. He was broken in body and in mind, so that he could not turn to the other side, nor stand, nor sit, but lay on one side, and moisture often gathered beneath him, and worms bred under his thighs from the damp. Theodosius himself washed him with his own hands and tended him; for 2 years he did this about him. And it was strange and marvelous that, lying these 2 years, he tasted neither bread, nor water, nor any food, nor any fruit, nor spoke a word with his tongue, but lay mute and deaf for 2 years. Theodosius prayed to God for him and said prayers over him night and day, until in the 3rd year he spoke and heard, and began to rise to his feet like an infant, and began to walk. And he had no care to go to church, but they had to draw him to the church, and so little by little they taught him. And after that he learned to go to the refectory too, and they seated him apart from the brothers and set bread before him; he would not take it—they had to put the loaf into his hands. Theodosius said: “Set the bread before him and do not put it into his hands; let him eat himself.” And he would not care to eat for a week, then, looking about slowly, he tasted the bread, and so he learned to eat; and so Theodosius delivered him from the devil's snare and from delusion.
Isaac took up boldness and harsh abstinence. When Theodosius had died and Stephen had taken his place, Isaac said: “Behold, devil, you have beguiled me once already, sitting in one place; now I shall shut myself in the cave no longer, but I shall conquer you walking in the monastery.” And he clothed himself in a hair shirt, and over the hair shirt a coat of coarse wool, and began to play the fool, and to help the cooks and cook for the brotherhood. And he went to matins before them all and stood firm and unmoving. When winter came with its bitter frosts, he stood in crude rawhide overshoes, in hide shoes trodden flat, so that his feet froze to the stone, and he did not move his feet until they finished matins. And after matins he went to the kitchen and made ready the fire, and the water, and the wood, and the other cooks of the brotherhood came. And one of the cooks, who also was named Isaac, said, smiling: “Isaac! There sits a black raven; go and catch it.”
And he bowed to the ground to him, and went and caught the raven and brought it to him before all the cooks. And they were terrified and told the abbot and the brothers. And the brothers began to honor him. But he, not wanting human glory, began to play the fool the more, and to make mischief now on the abbot, now on the brothers, now on worldly people, and some gave him wounds. And he began to go about the world, playing the fool as before. And he settled in the cave in which he had lived before—Anthony had already died—and gathered youths about himself and put monastic garments on them; and now he took wounds from Abbot Nikon, now from the parents of the children. All this he endured, taking the blows and nakedness and the cold, day and night. For one night he lit a stove in the stoke-room by the cave, and when the stove had blazed up—it was cracked—the flame began to burst out through the cracks. And he had nothing to stop it with, and he stepped with bare feet onto the flame and stood on the flame until the stove had burned out, and came down.
Many things were told of him, and of others we were eyewitnesses ourselves. And so he won the victory over the powers of the demons, that he counted their terrors and their apparitions as no more than flies; for he said to them: “If you beguiled me at the first, it was because I did not know your snares and your cunning. Now I have the Lord Jesus Christ, our God, and the prayer of our father Theodosius; I hope in Christ, and I shall defeat you.” And often the demons worked him mischief and said to him […]: “You are ours; you bowed down to our elder, and to us.” And he said to them: “Your elder is Antichrist, and you are demons.” And he crossed himself, and so they vanished. And at times they came to him again in the night and terrified him, in a vision, as it were: a great crowd with mattocks and spades, saying: “Let us dig open this cave and bury him here.” And others said: “Run, Isaac, they mean to bury you.”
And he said to them: “If you were men, you would walk by day; but you are darkness, and you walk in darkness.” And he signed himself with the cross, and they vanished. And at other times they terrified him in the form of a bear, now of a fierce beast, now of an ox; now snakes crawled toward him, now frogs, and mice, and every creeping thing. And they could do him no harm at all. And they said to him: “Isaac! You have conquered us.” He said: “As you conquered me before, in the image of Jesus Christ and in the image of angels, being unworthy of that vision—now you appear in the form of beasts and cattle, as snakes and creeping things, just as you yourselves are filth, evil in appearance.” And the demons perished from him at once, and from then on the demons did him no harm, as he himself related: “This warfare lasted with me three years.” And after that he began to live more strictly and to keep abstinence, fasting and vigil. And as he so lived, he ended his life. He fell ill in the cave, and they carried him sick to the monastery, and on the eighth day he fell asleep in the Lord. Abbot John and the brothers prepared his body and buried it.
Such were the monks of Theodosius's monastery, who shine even after death, like lights, and pray to God for the brothers who are here, and for those who bring offerings to the monastery, and for the brothers of the world. In it even now they live a virtuous life and keep their way of life together, in chantings and in prayers and in obediences, to the glory of God almighty, kept safe by the prayers of Theodosius, to whom be glory forever. Amen.
Plain English translation
Mouseia’s complete Plain English edition, made independently and directly from the same Old East Slavic text of the Hypatian Codex, paragraph for paragraph, and checked against the source before publication.
There was also another monk, named Isaac. While he still lived in the world he was rich; he was a merchant, a native of Toropets. He resolved to become a monk, gave away his property to the needy and to monasteries, went to the great Anthony in the cave, and begged him to make him a monk. Anthony received him, put the monastic robes on him, and gave him the name Isaac; his name in the world had been Chern. This Isaac took up a harsh way of life. He clothed himself in a hair shirt. He had a goat bought, made the goatskin into a bag, and pulled it on over the hair shirt, and the raw skin dried on him. He shut himself in the cave, in one of its passages, in a small cell about 4 cubits in size, and there he prayed to God without ceasing, day and night, with tears. His food was a single communion loaf, and that only every other day, and he drank water in measured amounts. The great Anthony brought it and handed it to him through a little window, just big enough for a hand to fit; that is how he took his food. He did this for 7 years, never coming out into the light, never lying on his side, but sitting and taking only a little sleep.
Once, as usual, when evening came, he began to make bows, singing psalms until midnight, and as he grew tired he would sit on his seat. Once he was sitting as usual and the candle went out. Suddenly a light shone in the cave, bright as the sun, so bright that it seemed to draw the sight out of a man. Two beautiful youths came toward him; their faces shone like the sun, and they said to him: “Isaac! We are angels, and see, Christ is coming to you with the angels.” Isaac stood up and saw the crowd, their faces brighter than the sun, and one in their midst, and the brightness from his face was greater than from all the rest. The two said to him: “Isaac, that is Christ. Fall down and worship him.” He did not recognize the demons' trick; he did not remember to cross himself. He stepped forward and bowed as if to Christ — to the demons' work. The demons shouted and said: “You are ours now, Isaac.” They led him into his cell and sat him down, and began to sit around him — the cell and the cave passage were full. Then one of the demons, the one pretending to be Christ, said: “Take up pipes and drums and strings, and play, so that our Isaac will dance.”
They struck up the pipes and the strings and the drums and played before him. They wore him out and left him barely alive, and went away, having mocked him.
When morning came and the time arrived to give him his bread, Anthony came to the window as usual and said: “Give me your blessing, Father Isaac!” There was no voice, no answer. Anthony spoke many times, and there was no reply. Anthony said: “He must have died.” He sent to the monastery for Theodosius and the brothers. They dug open the entrance, which had been closed up, came in, and took him, thinking he was dead. They carried him out and laid him in front of the cave. Then they saw that he was alive. Abbot Theodosius said: “This is the demons' doing.” They laid him on a bed, and Anthony cared for him. At that same time it happened that Iziaslav came back from the Poles, and Iziaslav began to be angry with Anthony over Vseslav. Sviatoslav sent by night and had Anthony brought to Chernihiv. Anthony came to Chernihiv and came to love the Boldino hill; he dug a cave and settled there. The monastery of the Holy Mother of God on the Boldino hills stands to this day.
Theodosius learned that Anthony had gone to Chernihiv. He went with the brothers, took Isaac, and brought him to his own cell, and cared for him there. Isaac was weak in body and mind: he could not turn onto his other side, or stand, or sit. He lay on one side, was often soaked in his own urine, and worms bred under his thigh. Theodosius washed him with his own hands and cleaned him up, and did this for 2 years. It was astonishing and marvelous: lying there for two years, he tasted no bread, no water, no food of any kind, no fruit, and spoke no word with his tongue; he lay mute and deaf for 2 years. Theodosius prayed to God for him and said prayers over him night and day, until in the 3rd year he spoke and heard, and began to rise to his feet like a baby, and began to walk. He did not care to go to church; they had to pull him there, and little by little they taught him. After that he learned to go to the refectory too. They sat him apart from the brothers and put bread before him, and he would not take it unless they put it into his hands. Theodosius said: “Put the bread before him and do not put it into his hands; let him eat by himself.” For a week he did not care to eat; then, little by little, looking around, he began to eat bread. That is how he learned to eat, and that is how Theodosius saved him from the devil's snare and deceit.
Isaac then took on a bold heart and a harsh discipline. After Theodosius died and Stephen took his place, Isaac said: “See, devil, you have deceived me once already, with me sitting in one place. Now I will not shut myself in the cave; I will defeat you by living in the monastery.” He clothed himself in a hair shirt, and over the hair shirt a coat of rough undyed wool, and began to play the fool. He began to help the cooks and to cook for the brothers. He went to matins before everyone and stood firm and unmoving. When winter came with bitter frosts, he stood in thin shoes, in soft leather shoes, in ones worn through, so that his feet froze to the stone; he did not move his feet until they finished matins. After matins he went to the kitchen and got the fire, the water, and the wood ready, and then the other cooks among the brothers came in. One of the cooks was also named Isaac. He said with a little smile: “Isaac! There sits a black raven. Go and catch it.”
He bowed to the ground to him, went, caught the raven, and brought it to him in front of all the cooks. They were astounded and told the abbot and the brothers. The brothers began to honor him. Not wanting human glory, he began to play the fool harder and to make trouble — now for the abbot, now for the brothers, now for worldly people — and some gave him wounds. He began to go about the world, still playing the fool. Then he settled in the cave where he had lived before — Anthony had already died by then. He gathered boys around himself and put monastic robes on them, and for this he took beatings, now from Abbot Nikon, now from the children's parents. He endured all of it: he took the wounds and the nakedness and the cold, day and night. Once at night he lit the furnace in the stoke room by the cave. When the furnace blazed up — it had a crack in it — the flame began to scorch his legs. He had nothing to stop it up with. He stepped onto the flame with his bare feet and stood on the fire until the furnace burned out, and then he stepped down.
They told many other things about him, and of other things we were eyewitnesses ourselves. So he won the victory over the demonic powers: he set no more store by their terrors and their apparitions than by a fly. He said to them: “You deceived me at first, because I did not know your tricks and your malice. But now I have the Lord Jesus Christ, our God, and the prayer of our father Theodosius. I set my hope on Christ, and I will defeat you.” Many times the demons did him mischief and said to him […]: “You are ours; you bowed down to our leader and to us.” He said to them: “Your leader is the antichrist, and you are demons.” He crossed himself, and they vanished. At times they came to him again at night and tried to frighten him, in visions: as if a great crowd stood there with hoes and with spades, saying: “Let us dig up this cave and bury him here.” Others said: “Run, Isaac, they want to bury you.”
He said to them: “If you were men, you would come by day. You are darkness, and you walk in darkness.” He signed himself with the cross, and they vanished. At other times they terrified him in the shape of a bear, or of a fierce beast, or of an ox; or snakes crawled toward him, or frogs and mice and every kind of creeping thing. They could do nothing to him. They said to him: “Isaac, you have defeated us.” He said: “Just as you defeated me at first, in the image of Jesus Christ and of angels — though you were unworthy of that vision — now you show yourselves first in the shape of beasts and cattle, as snakes and creeping things, just as you yourselves are filth, evil to look at.” And at once the demons perished before him, and from then on the demons did him no harm. He himself used to tell of it: “This battle of mine went on for three years.” After that he began to live more strictly, keeping restraint, fasting, and vigil. And while he lived like this he ended his life. He fell ill in the cave; they carried him, sick, to the monastery, and by the eighth day he died in the Lord. Abbot John and the brothers prepared his body and buried it.
Such were the monks of Theodosius's monastery. They shine even after death, like lights, and they pray to God for the brothers here, for those who bring offerings to the monastery, and for the brothers in the world. In that monastery they live a virtuous life today as well, all in one rule together, in singing, in prayers, and in obediences, to the glory of almighty God, kept safe by Theodosius's prayers. To him be glory forever. Amen.