The Histories of the Natural Brethren Paesius and Isaiah

Palladius tells of two brothers who, upon receiving a rich inheritance, decided to become Christians and dedicate their lives to monasticism. The one brother gave everything he had to the poor, found a handicraft to support himself, and lived a life of asceticism and prayer. The other brother kept his money, but used it to build a monastery and to provide hospitality to everyone in need.

After these two brothers died, a quarrel came up among the brethren over which of the two was greater-- the one who had followed the Biblical command to give all to the poor, or the one who had followed the Biblical command to care for strangers. They went to Rabba Pambo with this question, and he declared that "They are both perfect. One man made manifest the work of Abraham by his hospitality, and the other the self-denial of Elijah." (109)

Not content with this answer, the brethren pressed Pambo further and he insisted that each brother had lightened the load of the other, each in his unique manner. The brethren kept insisting that one or the other must be greater, and finally Pambo told them that he would ask God.

Several days later, Rabba Pambo came back to the brethren and told them, "I have seen them both standing in the Paradise of Eden, as it were in the presence of God." (109)

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)