Some brothers from the Skete went to visit Saint Anthony. So, they got on a
boat to go there and in it they found another Elder, who also wanted to go
there. But the brothers didn’t know him. So, they sat in the boat and quοted
among themselves quotations from the Fathers or sayings from the Bible and
spoke about their work. The Elder remained completely silent. When they got
to the harbor, they noticed that the Elder was also going towards Saint
Anthony. And when they got there, the Saint said to them. “You had good
company with you”. And to the Elder he said: “You had good brothers with
you, Abba.” And the Elder answered him: “They are good, of course, but their
courtyard has no door, and whoever wants, can enter their stable and untie
their donkey.” And of course, he said this because whatever came into their
mouths, they said it.
From the Great Gerontikon
Translated by Dr. Nick Stergiou
