St. Anthony of Egypt’s spiritual combats in the desert involved withstanding a series of temptations from the Devil, which took the form of visions experienced by the saint. For example, at times the Devil appeared in the guise of a monk bringing bread during St. Anthony’s fasts or in the form of wild beasts, women, or soldiers, sometimes beating the saint and leaving him in a deathly state. Every vision conjured up by Satan was repelled by Anthony’s fervid prayer and penitential acts. These temptations became a popular theme in art and literature, depicted by such artists and writers as Hiëronymus Bosch, Salvador Dalí, and Gustave Flaubert.
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