The History of the Blessed Nathaniel

Palladius tells of a monk Nathaniel, who had died fifteen years prior to Palladius' own arrival in Nitria. Nathaniel left his first cell because a devil was tempting him, and when the devil came to his second cell he repented and returned to the first cell where he remained for thirty-seven years without leaving once.

Towards the end of Nathaniel's life, this devil tempted him to leave the cell by appearing as a young man who needed help delivering bread to the monastery for the Eucharist. Nathaniel doubted and prayed and finally refused to leave his cell, calling out that if there was true need then God would help the young man, but if it was a temptation then it was fruitless. Infuriated, this devil "took the form of a whirlwind and the forms of wild asses which dance abotu and skip and break wind." (113)

The History of Macarius, the Child of his Cross

Palladius speaks of a young shepherd named Macarius who had fled to the desert after accidentally committing a murder. After having lived near Macarius for a while, Palladius asked him whether he thought often of the murder. The monk replied, "I am entirely untroubled by it, for I am bound to confess that the sin of this involuntary murder was the good cause of the redemption of my life." (110) Macarius reminds Palladius that Moses had a similar episode in his own youth.

Macarius always prayed with his hands outstretched in the form of the Cross, and he eventually died standing in prayer in this fashion. Those who found him were unable to bring his hands back to his body, so they "dug his grave in the form of a cross and laid him in it." (110)

Palladius, grieved at Macarius' death, hears in a dream a voice consoling him:

"Inasmuch as during his lifetime he loved the cross, which he bore through his good works, in it also he shall have his rest; in the form of that which he desired longingly hath he been buried, and in the same form shall he stand up at the right hand on the day of Christ." (111)

The History of the Blessed Ammonius

Palladius speaks of Ammonius and his siblings, who had all been disciples of Rabba Pambo and founded both a men's and a women's monastery.

A certain city wanted Ammonius to be their bishop, and Timothy the bishop of Alexandria agreed to consecrate him to the episcopacy. To prevent them, Ammonius cut off his left ear and quoted the Levitical law that a man without an ear could not approach the altar. Timothy reminded him that Christians were not under Jewish law, and said he would consecrate Ammonius even "if his nose was split." (105) Ammonius warned that he'd slit his tongue if they tried again, and so the people gave up trying to make him their bishop.

Ammonius' ascetical practice included wounding himself whenever a carnal thought entered his mind, and refraining from any cooked foods. He had both the Old and New Testaments memorized and would also read contemporary theology.

Near the end of his life Ammonius was persuaded to travel to Constantinople to commemmorate the restoration of a martyrium built by the city's prefect Rufinus. Ammonius was received and honored, and upon dying while still in the great city was buried in the martyrium.

The History of the Blessed Man Pambo

Melha tells Palladius a story of her meeting with Pambo, of a time when she brought a great deal of silver as a gift for the monasteries. Pambo distributed the wealth without treating Melha with any special regard, and she inquired as to whether he knew how much silver she had just given-- three hundred pounds. Pambo replied,

"He unto whom thou hast offered thy money hath no need [to know] the weight. For He who weighed the mountains in a balance knoweth how much is the weight of thy silver. If thou hadst given the money unto me thou wouldst have done well to have informed me concerning the weight thereof; but since thou hast given it to God, Who did not despise the two mites of the widow, [what need hast thou to tell Him?] Hold thy peace." (103)

Shortly after Palladius arrives in Nitria Pambo dies, leaving him a woven palm mat that he had just finished making. Palladius treasures this mat as a sacred relic. The final story he tells is of "the blessed man Pior" coming to Pambo's cell with some bread,

and Pambo made a complaint, saying unto him, "Why hast thou done this?" Then Abba Pior made answer, saying, "Let [this thing] be not grievous unto thee"; but Pambo was silent and sent him away. And after some time Rabba Pambo went to the cell of Abba Pior, and he took with him bread which had been dipped in water; and being asked, "Why hast thou done this?" the blessed man Pambo said unto him, "Let it not be grievous unto thee that I have also dipped the bread in water." (104)

The History of the Blessed Man Hor

Palladius speaks of a Nitrian monk who died shortly before his arrival named Hor, who never told a lie or spoke an oath, and never spoke at all beyond what was absolutely necessary.

The History of Abba Ammon

Arsisius tells Palladius of the monk Ammon, who was orphaned at age twenty-two and compelled to marry. He and his wife lived for eighteen years as brother and sister, and then parted ways to both become monastics. Ammon at this time departed to Nitria, where there were yet no monasteries, and became a founder of monasticism in that region.

Palladius reports a story from St. Athanasius' history of Abba Anthony, of a time when Abba Ammon needed to cross a river called "the Wolf" and was carried over by an angel.

Concerning the Monks who lived in Nitria

Palladius departs from Alexandria and crosses the lake Mareotis to dwell for a year at Mount Nitria. He meets many monks there, and hears of the desert hermits. Near the church were several bakers who provided for the community, and anyone who came and wished to work was invited to join for a year or two. Three whips hung from a palm tree: the first to punish "monks who transgress in folly," the second for thieves, and the third for strangers who "transgress in any manner whatsoever" (99). Every evening the entire community gathered to sing the Psalms. In Nitria Palladius meets the monk Arsenius, who tells him of the saints of that place.