Some men, having heard of Abba Agaton’s reputation, came to him with the intention of testing his discretion and patience, to see if he could be made angry.
They said to him, “Are you Agaton? We have heard what a great fornicator you are!”
He gave thanks and said to them, “That is quite correct, that ‘s just what I am!”
Again they said, “Are you the Agaton who is such a slanderer and calumniator of men?”
“Yes,” he said, “that’s who I am!”
Then they said to him, “Are you not Agaton the heretic?”
At this he answered and said, “No, I am not! A heretic I have never been!”
So they inquired further and said to him, “Tell us why you willingly bore what we said at first, but our last remark you will not tolerate at all?”
He replied, “I took what you said first, [that I am an all-around sinner] because it was good for me to do so; but were I to declare myself a heretic, I would be separating myself from the Lord!”
Hearing this statement, they marveled at him and went away edifed.