The History of the Virgin Potamiaena

Abba Isidore tells Palladius a story that he had heard from St. Anthony of a young virgin named Potamiaena who was the servant of a wealthy Alexandrian who wanted to sleep with her. Because she refused, he handed her over to the prefect Basilides revealing that she was a Christian. She survived many tortures and, when threatened with death, continued to refuse submitting to her master's desires and instead confessed Christ. She was dipped in boiling pitch which immediately grew cold and so she died a martyr's death along with many other Alexandrian Christians in the reign of Septimius Severus.

The History of Dorotheos of Thebes

Abba Isidore sends Palladius to live for three years with an anchorite named Dorotheos. Palladius leaves early because of an illness, but then returs to Dorotheos. Although an old man, the anchorite spends his days building cells for monks who do not yet have their own cells-- this involves collecting and carrying stones in the desert heat. Palladius asks him about this:

"Father, why workest thou thus in thine old age? for thou wilt kill thy body in all this heat." And he said unto me, "I kill it lest it should kill me." (91-92)

Palladius observed Dorotheos eat extremely little, and never saw him sleep at all. When questioned about this, the monk replied,

"If thou art able to persuade the angels to sleep, then thou wilt be able to persuade me." (92)

The account concludes with a story of the brotherhood observing a venemous snake slip into the well, and thus fear to drink from the well. Dorotheos makes the sign of the cross over the water and drinks it without fear:

"Where the seal (or sign) of the Cross is, the wickedness of Satan hath no power to do harm." (93)

The History of Abba Isidore

Palladius' first history is of the monk Isidore, whom he met in Alexandria. Abba Isidore managed an Alexandrian hospital and, now aged seventy, had spent his early spiritual formation in the desert. Palladius marvels at the monk's temperance:

On several occasions he burst into tears at the table; and when I asked him, "What is the cause of these tears?" he said unto me, "I am ashamed of myself because, being a rational being, I eat the food of an irrational creature; I desire to live in Paradise, where I should enjoy the food which is imperishable. For [although] we have received that power which is from Christ, yet am I drawn to partake of the food which perisheth. I would partake of the food which is spiritual, and I would that I were in the Paradise of delights in the dominion which God hath given unto me; and behold I am eating the food of the beasts." (90)

Palladius further notes Abba Isidore's great generosity and that, although he was acquainted with many Roman nobility, he continued to live in poverty and generosity. In fact, when he finally died he left no estate at all, having given everything away. To his heirs [his sisters, and seventy nuns with them] he said,

"He who created you will provide for your living and also whatsoever things of which ye have need, even as He hath [provided] for me." (91)