Ὁ αὐτὸς γέρων διηγήσατο ἡμῖν πάλιν περὶ τοῦ ἀββᾶ Δανιὴλ, τοῦ Αἰγυπτίου, λέγων, ὅτι ‘ἀνῆλθεν ὁ γέρων ἐν μιᾷ εἰς Τερενούθην, τὸ ἐργόχειρον αὐτοῦ πωλῆσαι. νεώτερος δὲ τις παρεκάλει τὸν γέροντα, λέγων· “διὰ τὸν Θεὸν, καλόγηρε, δεῦρο εἰς τὸν οἶκόν μου, καὶ ποίησον ἐπάνω τῆς γυναικός μου εὐχὴν, ὅτι στείρα ἐστίν.” ὁ δὲ γέρων βιασθεὶς ὑπὸ τοῦ νεωτέρου, ἀπῆλθεν μετ’ αὐτοῦ εἰς τὸν οἶκον αὑτοῦ, καὶ ἐποίησεν εὐχὴν τῇ γυναικὶ αὐτοῦ. καὶ τοῦ Θεοῦ θελήσαντος ἔσχεν ἡ γυνὴ κατὰ γαστρός. τινὲς οὖν ἄνδρες μὴ φοβούμενοι τὸν Θεὸν ἤρξαντο διαβάλλειν τὸν γέροντα, καὶ λέγειν, ὅτι “ἀληθῶς ὁ νεώτερος ἄγονός ἐστι· ἀλλ’ ἐκ τοῦ ἀββᾶ Δανιὴλ ἔσχεν ἡ γυνή.” ἦλθεν οὖν ἡ ἀκοὴ αὕτη πρὸς τὸν γέροντα. καὶ δηλοῖ ὁ γέρων τῷ ἀνδρὶ τῆς γυναικὸς, ὅτι “ὅταν γεννήσῃ ἡ γυνή σου, δήλωσόν μοι.” ὅταν οὖν ἐγέννησεν ἡ γυνή, δηλοῖ αὐτῷ ὁ νεώτερος, λέγων; “διὰ τοῦ Θεοῦ καὶ τῶν εὐχῶν σου, Πάτερ, ἐγέννησεν.” τότε ὁ ἀββᾶς Δανιὴλ ἀπελθὼν λέγει τῷ νεωτέρῳ· “ποίησον ἄριστον, καὶ κάλει σου τοὺς συγγενεῖς καὶ τοὺς φίλους σου.” ὡς οὖν ἠρίστων, λαβὼν ὁ γέρων τὸ παιδίον εἰς τὰς χεῖρας αὑτοῦ, ἔμπροσθεν πάντων λέγει τῷ παιδίῳ· “τίς ἐστιν ὁ πατήρ σου;” λέγει ὁ παῖς· “οὗτος!” δείξας τῆς χειρὸς τὸν νεώτερον. ἦν δὲ ὁ παῖς ἡμερῶν εἴκοσι δύο, καὶ ἐδόξασαν πάντες τὸν Θεὸν τὸν φυλάσσοντα ἀλήθειαν τοῖς ἐκζητοῦσιν αὐτὸν ἐν ὅλῃ καρδίᾳ.’
(Joannes Moschos, Leimōn Pneumatikos 114)
The same old man then told us about Daniel the Egyptian abbot. He said: ‘One day Daniel went to Terenuthis to sell his manual labour, when a young man begged him, saying: “Venerable man, in God’s name, please come to my house and say a prayer over my wife, because she is infertile.” Compelled by the young man, Daniel went with him to his house and prayed for his wife, and through God’s will the wife conceived in her belly. Now some people who did not fear the lord started to slander the old man, saying: “It’s really the young man who is infertile; his wife was made pregnant by Daniel the abbot.” This rumour reached the old man’s ears, and he wrote to the wife’s husband: “When your wife gives birth, let me know.” So when the wife gave birth, the young man sent him a message, saying: “Thanks to God and your prayers, father, my wife has given birth.” Then Daniel the abbot went to him and said: “Make breakfast and invite your relatives and friends.” So when they were having breakfast together, the old man took the child into his hands and in front of everyone he asked it: “Who is your father?” And the child said: “That guy!”, pointing out the young man with its hand. The child was only 22 days old! And they all praised God who guards the truth for those who seek him out with all their hearts.’ (tr. David Bauwens)
Crambe Repetita 