Section 25

“They are treacherous and ready to transform themselves into every shape and take on every appearance. Very often they remain unseen but imitate the sound of harps or voices and recite words from Scripture. Sometimes while we are reading, they immediately repeat what has been read, over and over like an echo.

“They wake us from sleep for prayer, and sometimes do this continually, scarcely allowing us to sleep at all. At other times they take the appearance of monks and imitate the speech of holy men, hoping to deceive by the resemblance and then drag their victims wherever they wish.

“But we must not pay attention to them, even if they wake us for prayer, even if they advise us not to eat at all, or even if they seem to accuse and shame us for things they once encouraged us to do. They do none of this for the sake of piety or truth. Their purpose is to drive the simple into despair, to tell them that ascetic discipline is useless, to make people hate the solitary life as troublesome and burdensome, and to obstruct those who walk in it despite them.