Section 81

Antony’s fame reached even to emperors. Constantine Augustus and his sons, the Augusti Constantius and Constans, wrote letters to him as to a father and asked him to reply.

Antony did not make much of the letters or become excited by the messages. He remained the same person he had been before the emperors wrote to him.

When the letters were brought, he called the monks and said: “Do not be astonished that an emperor writes to us, for he is a human being. Be astonished instead that God wrote the Law for humanity and has spoken to us through his own Son.”

At first he did not want even to receive the letters, saying that he did not know how to answer such things. But the monks urged him to do so, since the emperors were Christians and might be offended if they thought they had been rejected. Antony therefore allowed the letters to be read and sent a reply.

He commended them because they worshiped Christ and gave them counsel concerning salvation: they should not think highly of the things of the present age but should remember the judgment to come and know that Christ alone is the true and eternal King. He urged them to be merciful, to care for justice, and to attend to the poor.

When they received his answer, they rejoiced. In this way Antony was loved by everyone, and all wished to regard him as a father.