Editing Anthony the Great (section)

=== The satyr and the centaur ===
[[File:The Meeting of Saint Anthony and Saint Paul, Master of the Osservanza.jpg|thumb|261px|''The Meeting of Saint Anthony and Saint Paul of Thebes'', [[Master of the Osservanza]], 15th century, with the centaur at the background]] 
Anthony was on a journey in the desert to find [[Paul of Thebes]], who according to his dream was a better Hermit than he.<ref name=Jero>''Vitae Patrum'', Book 1a- Collected from Jerome. Ch. VI</ref> Anthony had been under the impression that he was the first person to ever dwell in the desert; however, due to the dream, Anthony was called into the desert to find his "better", Paul. On his way there, he ran into two creatures in the forms of a [[centaur]] and a [[satyr]]. Although chroniclers sometimes postulated that they might have been living beings, Western theology considers them to have been [[demon]]s.<ref name=Jero/>

While traveling through the desert, Anthony first found the centaur, a "creature of mingled shape, half horse half-man", whom he asked about directions. The creature tried to speak in an unintelligible language, but ultimately pointed with his hand the way desired, and then ran away and vanished from sight.<ref name=Jero/> It was interpreted as a demon trying to terrify him, or alternately a creature engendered by the desert.<ref>{{cite web|last=Bacchus|first=Francis|title=Catholic Encyclopedia: Saint Paul the Hermit|url=http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/11590b.htm|publisher=Robert Appleton Company|access-date=4 January 2013}}</ref>

Anthony found next the satyr, "a manikin with hooked snout, horned forehead, and extremities like goats's feet." This creature was peaceful and offered him fruits, and when Anthony asked who he was, the satyr replied, "I'm a mortal being and one of those inhabitants of the desert whom the Gentiles, deluded by various forms of error, worship under the names of [[Fauns]], [[Satyrs]], and [[Incubi]]. I am sent to represent my tribe. We pray you in our behalf to entreat the favor of your Lord and ours, who, we have learnt, came once to save the world, and 'whose sound has gone forth into all the earth.'" Upon hearing this, Anthony was overjoyed and rejoiced over the glory of Christ. He condemned the city of [[Alexandria]] for worshipping monsters instead of God while beasts like the satyr spoke about Christ.<ref name=Jero/>