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.