cock crows, and you see it not as you may see it1249 in a house, the servants snoring, the doors shut, all sleeping like the dead, whilst the muleteer without is ringing his bells. There is nothing of all this. All, immediately shaking off sleep, reverently rise when their President calls them, and forming themselves into a holy choir, they stand, and lifting up their hands all at once sing the sacred hymns. For they are not like us, who require many hours to shake off sleep from our heavy heads. We indeed, as soon as we are waked, sit some time stretching our limbs, go as nature calls, then proceed to wash our face and our hands; afterwards we take our shoes and clothes, and a deal of time is spent. It is not so there. No one calls for his servant, for each waits upon himself: neither does he require many clothes, nor need to shake off sleep. For as soon as he opens his eyes, he is like one who has been long awake in collectedness.1250 For when the heart is not stifled within by excess of food, it soon recovers itself, and is immediately wakeful. The hands are always pure; for his sleep is composed and regular. No one among them is found snoring or breathing hard, or tossing about in sleep, or with his body exposed; but they lie in sleep as decently as those who are awake, and all this is the effect of the orderly state of their souls. These are truly saints and angels among men. And marvel not when you hear these things. For their great fear of God suffers them not to go down into the depths of sleep, and to drown their minds, but it falls lightly upon them, merely affording them rest. And as their sleep is, such are their dreams, not full of wild fancies and monstrous visions. But, as I said, at the crowing of the cock their President comes, and gently touching the1251 sleeper with his foot, rouses them all. For there are none sleeping naked. Then as soon as they have arisen they stand up, and sing the prophetic hymns with much harmony, and well composed tunes. And neither harp nor pipe nor other musical instrument utters such sweet melodies, as you hear from the singing of these saints in their deep and quiet solitudes. And the songs themselves too are suitable, and full of the love of God. “In the night,” they say, “lift up your hands unto God. With my soul have I desired Thee in the night, yea with my spirit within me will I seek Thee early,” (Isa. xxvi. 9.) And the Psalms of David, that cause fountains of tears to flow. For when he sings, “I am weary with my groaning, all the night make I my bed to swim; I water my couch with my tears” (Ps. vi. 6.): and, again, “I have eaten ashes like bread.” (Ps. cii. 9.) “What is man that thou art mindful of him?” (Ps. viii. 4.) “Man is like to vanity, his days are as a shadow that passeth away.” (Ps. cxliv. 4.) “Be not afraid when one is made rich, when the glory of his house is increased” (Ps. xlix. 16.); and, “Who maketh men to be of one mind in a house” (Ps. lxviii. 6.): and, “Seven times a day do I praise Thee, because of Thy righteous judgments” (Ps. cxix. 164.): 1249 Some words added from Colb. 1250 τῆς νήψεως ἕνεκεν. 1251 al. each. 790 1 Timothy 5.8