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s；　or　give　me　to　the　fire　and　sword；　as　thou　hast　the　power。　For　I　neither　fear　death；　nor　desire　the　present　world；　having　passed　judgement　on　the　frailty　and　vanity　thereof。　　For　what　is　there　profitable；　abiding　or　stable　therein？　　Nay；　in　very　existence；　great　is　the　misery；　great　the　pain；　great　and　ceaseless　the　attendant　care。　　Of　its　gladness　and　enjoyment　the　yoke…fellows　are　dejection　and　pain。　　Its　riches　is　poverty；　its　loftiness　die　lowest　humiliation；　and　who　shall　tell　the　full　tale　of　its　miseries；　which　Saint　John　the　Divine　hath　shown　me　in　few　words？　　For　he　saith；　‘The　whole　world　lieth　in　wickedness'；　and；　‘Love　not　the　world；　neither　the　things　that　are　in　the　world。　　For　all　that　is　in　the　world　is　the　lust　of　the　flesh；　and　the　lust　of　the　eyes；　and　the　pride　of　life。　　And　the　world　passeth　away；　and　the　lust　thereof；　but　he　that　doeth　the　will　of　God　abideth　for　ever。'　　Seeking；　then；　this　good　will　of　God；　I　have　forsaken　everything；　and　joined　myself　to　those　who　possess　the　same　desire；　and　seek　after　the　same　God。　　Amongst　these　there　is　no　strife　or　envy；　sorrow　or　care；　but　all　run　the　like　race　that　they　may　obtain　those　everlasting　habitations　which　the　Father　of　lights　hath　prepared　for　them　that　love　him。　　Them　have　I　gained　for　my　fathers；　my　brothers；　my　friends　and　mine　acquaintances。　　But　from　my　former　friends　and　brethren　‘I　have　got　me　away　far　off；　and　lodged　in　the　wilderness'　waiting　for　the　God；　who　saveth　me　from　faintness　of　spirit；　and　from　the　stormy　tempest。〃

When　the　man　of　God　had　made　answer　thus　gently　and　in　good　reason；　the　king　was　stirred　by　anger；　and　was　minded　cruelly　to　torment　the　saint；　but　again　he　hesitated　and　delayed；　regarding　his　venerable　and　noble　mien。　　So　he　answered　and　said：

〃Unhappy　man；　that　hast　contrived　thine　own　utter　ruin；　driven　thereto；　I　ween；　by　fate；　surely　thou　hast　made　thy　tongue　as　sharp　as　thy　wits。　　Hence　thou　hast　uttered　these　vain　and　ambiguous　babblings。　　Had　I　not　promised；　at　the　beginning　of　our　converse；　to　banish　Anger　from　mid　court；　I　had　now　given　thy　body　to　be　burned。　　But　since　thou　hast　prevented　and　tied　me　down　fast　by　my　words；　I　bear　with　thine　effrontery；　by　reason　of　my　former　friendship　with　thee。　　Now；　arise；　and　flee　for　ever　from　my　sight；　lest　I　see　thee　again　and　miserably　destroy　thee。〃

So　the　man　of　God　went　out　and　withdrew　to　the　desert；　grieved　to　have　lost　the　crown　of　martyrdom；　but　daily　a　martyr　in　his　conscience；　and　‘wrestling　against　principalities　and　powers；　against　the　rulers　of　the　darkness　of　this　world；　against　spiritual　wickedness'；　as　saith　Blessed　Paul。　　But　after　his　departure；　the　king　waxed　yet　more　wroth；　and　devised　a　yet　fiercer　persecution　of　the　monastic　order；　while　treating　with　greater　honour　the　ministers　and　temple…keepers　of　his　idols。

While　the　king　was　under　this　terrible　delusion　and　error；　there　was　born　unto　him　a　son；　a　right　goodly　child；　whose　beauty　from　his　very　birth　was　prophetic　of　his　future　fortunes。　　Nowhere　in　that　land；　they　said；　had　there　ever　been　seen　so　charming　and　lovely　a　babe。　　Full　of　the　keenest　joy　at　the　birth　of　the　child；　the　king　called　him　Ioasaph；　and　in　his　folly　went　in　person　to　the　temples　of　his　idols；　for　to　do　sacrifice　and　offer　hymns　of　praise　to　his　still　more　foolish　gods；　unaware　of　the　real　giver　of　all　good　things；　to　whom　he　should　have　offered　the　spiritual　sacrifice。　　He　then；　ascribing　the　cause　Of　his　son's　birth　to　things　lifeless　and　dumb；　sent　out　into　all　quarters　to　gather　the　people　together　to　celebrate　his　son's　birth…day：　and　thou　mightest　have　seen　all　the　folk　running　together　for　fear　of　the　king；　and　bringing　their　offerings　ready　for　the　sacrifice；　according　to　the　store　at　each　man's　hand；　and　his　favour　toward　his　lord。　　But　chiefly　the　king　stirred　them　up　to　emulation。　　He　brought　full　many　oxen；　of　goodly　size；　for　sacrifice；　and　thus；　making　a　feast　for　all　his　people；　he　bestowed　largesses　on　all　his　counsellors　and　officers；　and　on　all　his　soldiers；　and　all　the　poor；　and　men　of　low　degree。


III。

Now　on　his　son's　birth…day　feast　there　came　unto　the　king　some　five　and　fifty　chosen　men；　schooled　in　the　star…lore　of　the　Chaldaeans。　　These　the　king　called　into　his　presence；　and　asked　them；　severally；　to　tell　him　the　future　of　the　new…born　babe。　After　long　counsel　held；　they　said　that　he　should　be　mighty　in　riches　and　power；　and　should　surpass　all　that　had　reigned　before　him。　　But　one　of　the　astrologers；　the　most　learned　of　all　his　fellows；　spake　thus：　〃From　that　which　I　learn　from　the　courses　of　the　stars；　O　king；　the　advancement　of　the　child；　now　born　unto　thee；　will　not　be　in　thy　kingdom；　but　in　another；　a　better　and　a　greater　one　beyond　compare。　　Methinketh　also　that　he　will　embrace　the　Christian　religion；　which　thou　persecutest；　and　I　trow　that　he　will　not　be　disappointed　of　his　aim　and　hope。〃　　Thus　spake　the　astrologer；　like　Balaam　of　old；　not　that　his　star…lore　told　him　true；　but　because　God　signifieth　the　truth　by　the　mouth　of　his　enemies；　that　all　excuse　may　be　taken　from　the　ungodly。

But　when　the　king　heard　thereof；　he　received　the　tidings　with　a　heavy　heart；　and　sorrow　cut　short　his　joy。　　Howsoever　he　built；　in　a　city　set　apart；　an　exceeding　beautiful　palace；　with　cunningly　devised　gorgeous　chambers；　and　there　set　his　son　to　dwell；　after　he　had　ended　his　first　infancy；　and　he　forbade　any　to　approach　him；　appointing；　for　instructors　and　servants；　youths　right　seemly　to　behold。　　These　he　charged　to　reveal　to　him　none　of　the　annoys　of　life；　neither　death；　nor　old　age；　nor　disease；　nor　poverty；　nor　anything　else　grievous　that　might　break　his　happiness：　but　to　place　before　him　everything　pleasant　and　enjoyable；　that　his　heart；　revelling　in　these　delights；　might　not　gain　strength　to　consider　the　future；　nor　ever　hear　the　bare　mention　of　the　tale　of　Christ　and　his　doctrines。　　For　he　was　heedful　of　the　astrologer's　warning；　and　it　was　this　most　that　he　was　minded　to　conceal　from　his　son。　　And　if　any　of　the　attendants　chanced　to　fall　sick；　he　commanded　to　have　him　speedily　removed；　and　put　another　plump　and　well…favoured　servant　in　his　place；　that　the　boy's　eyes　might　never　once　behold　anything　to　disquiet　them。　　Such　then　was　the　intent　and　doing　of　the　king；　for；　'seeing；　he　did　not　see；　and　hearing；　he　did　not　understand。'

But；　learning　that　some　monks　still　remained；　of　whom　he　fondly　imagined　that　not　a　trace　was　left；　he　became　angry　above　measure；　and　his　fury　was　hotly　kindled　against　them。　　And　he　commanded　heralds　to　scour　all　the　city　and　all　the　country；　proclaiming　that　after　three　days　no　monk　whatsoever　should　be　found　therein。　　But　and　if　any　were　discovered　after　the　set　time；　they　should　be　delivered　to　destruction　by　fire　and　sword。　〃For；〃　said　he；　〃these　be　they　that　persuade　the　people　to　worship　the　Crucified　as　God。〃　　Meanwhile　a　thing　befell；　that　made　the　king　still　more　angry　and　bitter　against　the　monks。


IV。

There　was　at　court　a　man　pre…eminent　among　the　rulers；　of　virtuous　life　and　devout　in　religion。　　But　while　working　out　his　own　salvation；　as　best　he　might；　he　kept　it　secret　for　fear　of　the　king。　　Wherefore　certain　men；　looking　enviously　on　his　free　converse　with　the　king；　studied　how　they　might　slander　him；　and　this　was　all　their　thought。　　On　a　day；　when　the　king　went　forth　a…hunting　with　his　bodyguard；　as　was　his　wont；　this　good　man　was　of　the　hunting　party。　　While　he　was　walking　alone；　by　divine　providence；　as　I　believe；　he　found　a　man　in　a　covert；　cast　to　the　ground；　his　foot　grievously　crushed　by　a　wild…beast。　　Seeing　him　passing　by；　the　wounded　man　importuned　him　not　to　go　his　way；　but　to　pity　his　misfortune；　and　take　him　to　his　own　home；　adding　thereto：　〃I　hope　that　I　shall　not　be　found　unprofitable；　nor　altogether　useless　unto　thee。〃　　Our　nobleman　said　unto　him；　〃For　very　charity　I　will　take　thee　up；　and　render　thee　such　service　as　I　may。　　But　what　is　this　profit　which　thou　saidest　that　I　should

receive　of　thee？〃　　The　poor　sick　man　answered；〃I　am　a　physician　of　words。　　If　ever　in　speech　or　converse　any　wound　or　damage　be　found；　I　will　heal　it　with　befitting　medicines；　that　so　the　evil　spread　no　further。〃　　The　devout　man　gave　no　heed　to　his　word；　but　on　account　of　the　commandment；　ordered　him　to　be　carried　home；　and　grudged　him　not　that　tending　which　he　required。　　But　the　aforesaid　envious　and　malignant　persons；　bringing　forth　to　light　that　ungodliness　with　which　they　had　long　been　in　travail；　slandered　this　good　man　to　the　king；　that　not　only　did　he　forget　his　friendship　with　the　king；　and　neglect　the　worship　of　the　gods；　and　incline　to　Christianity；　but　more；　that　he　was　grievously　intriguing　against　the　kingly　power；　and　was　turning　aside　the　common　people；　and　stealing　all　hearts　for　himself。　〃But；〃　said　they；　〃if　thou　wilt　prove　that　our　charge　is　not　ungrounded；　call　him　to　thee　privately；　and；　to　try　him；　say　that　thou　desirest　to　leave　thy　fathers'　religion；　and　the　glory　of　thy　kingship；　and　to　become　a　Christian；　and　to　put　on　the　monkish　habit　which　formerly　thou　didst　persecute；　having；　thou　shalt　tell　him；　found　thine　old　course　evil。〃　　The　authors　of　this　villainous　charge　against　the　Christian　knew　the　tenderness　of　his　hear