(8) There was an old man in the Laura of the Towers, called Myrogenes, who practised such harsh asceticism that he got dropsy. He would often say to the old men who came to cure him: “Pray for me, fathers, that the inner man inside me will not become dropsical; for myself, I pray God to remain in the grip of this diaease for a long time”. The archbishop of Jerusalem, Eustochius <552-563 AD>, having heard of Abba Myrogenes’ (illness), wanted to send him whatever he needed, but (the old man) did not accept anything: (his only request was) this: “Pray for me, Father, that I may be delivered from the eternal torments”.
In the same monastery of the Towers there was an old man. He had no possessions at all; moreover, he had the gift of almsgiving. One day a beggar came to his tower, asking alms. The old man had nothing, except one loaf of bread, so he took it out and offered it to the beggar. But the beggar said to him: “I do not want a bread, I want a garment”. The old man, wishing to show him consideration, seized him by his hand and brought him into his tower. Here the beggar found nothing, save the old man’s own clothes. Stricken by such virtue, the beggar unfastened his bag and emptied all its contents in the middle of the cell, saying: “Take all this, good elder, and I shall go elsewhere to get what I need”.
(transl. Leah Di Segni)