If he had, the young man would have submitted patiently; so would any man, however venerable, in that monastery.

Why not?
Duly, after long companionship, thought, and prayer, they had elected Pambo for their abbot--Abba--father--the wisest, eldest-hearted and headed of them--if he was that, it was time that he should be obeyed.

And obeyed he was, with a loyal, reasonable love, and yet with an implicit, soldier-like obedience, which many a king and conqueror might envy.

Were they cowards and slaves?
The Roman legionaries should be good judges on that point.

They used to say that no armed barbarian, Goth or Vandal, Moor or Spaniard, was so terrible as the unarmed monk of the Thebaid.
Twice the old man lifted his staff to strike; twice he laid it down again; and then, slowly rising, left Philammon kneeling there, and moved away deliberately, and with eyes fixed on the ground, to the house of the brother Aufugus.
Every one in the Laura honoured Aufugus.