the ardour of this youth, who was barely twenty. He
received him with open arms, as a father receives a son.
Side by side they spent long hours in conversation and in
silence. And while Antoni meditated, Athanasius sat
beside him and wrote. Both breathed the same hallowed
air, both prayed together and both enjoyed the
occupational relaxation of plaiting baskets. By sunset of
each day Athanasius would go out and fill a jar of water
from the nearby waters spring, that he may wash the
hands of the old sage, then wash his own before partaking
of the frugal meal, so imperative for the upkeep of the
body that it may perform the demands of the spirit.
During those years Athanasius wrote two books-
two veritable masterpieces. One entitled "On the Vanity
of Idols", and the other "On the Existence of the One
Cod". Both books are clear, profound, virile and vibrant
with emotion. He utilised all the powers with which he
was endowed: reason argued, faith expounded its
dogmas, love changed and glowed up by turn-all fed the
soaring inspiration.
Athanasius wrote throughout the day, towards its
close and when the last rays of the setting sun receded
from the earth, he would sit at the feet of St. Antoni and
read to him what he had written. The venerable saint
would listen, enraptured: counselling and suggesting-
inspiring the young writer by his own serenity and his
penetrating intelligence. Thus did Athanasius spend his
time in the desert in fruitful labour.^7
It was during this period also that Athanasius
annotated the information on St. Antoni which he
capitalised in later years by writing the biography of the
saint. In this manner he armed himself for the combat
which awaited him. It could most assuredly be said of
elle
(Elle)
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