Talking Back: A Monastic Handbook for Combating Demons (Cistercian Studies Series 229)

by Evagrius Ponticus

demons that burned the body’s sinews:

madness and mental illness, to the shame of me and of those who seek the Lord through the monastic life:

the serpents that appear flying in the air and also make themselves come out of the walls—

demons that gradually begin to imitate obscene images and to appear out of the air—

demon that burst into flame like a fire and then dissolved again into smoke:

at night demons will come like stars and appear in the cell and burn your eyes and face”—

the demon that at the time of prayer suddenly comes, lands on the shoulders17 and neck, scratches the ears, and punches the nose:

the demons that suddenly emitted fire and disturbed with alarming sounds—

fear and trembling,

frightened

flashes of lightning that happen on the walls:

attacks of demons that happen through touching:

trepidation and fear

stupefying, indescribable temptation, which I do not want to reveal in words

warfare of those demons that, through a request made of God, have received the authority to test us:

wants to find within itself the frontier of the knowledge of truth:

sadness:

the priesthood:

talk a lot

secrets of the monastic life

a priest,

the priesthood

the priesthood:

the words by which the demon spoke in us unspeakable blasphemies against the Lord,

in anger this demon stands without fear and speaks great blasphemy against God and the holy angels—

who have been tempted by it understand wh...