same as he was before the kings wrote to him. And he called his
monks and said, "Wonder not if a king writes to us, for he is but a
man: but wonder rather that God has written his law to man, and
spoken to us by his own Son." So he declined to receive their
letters, saying he did not know how to write an answer to such
things; but being admonished by the monks that the kings were
Christians, and that they must not be scandalized by being despised,
he permitted the letters to be read, and wrote an answer; accepting
them because they worshipped Christ, and counselling them, for their
salvation, not to think the present life great, but rather to
remember judgment to come; and to know that Christ was the only true
and eternal king; and he begged them to be merciful to men, and to
think of justice and the poor. And they, when they received the
answer, rejoiced. Thus was he kindly towards all, and all looked on
him as their father. He then betook himself again into the inner
mountain, and continued his accustomed training. But often, when he
was sitting and walking with those who came unto him, he was
astounded, as is written in Daniel. And after the space of an hour,
he told what had befallen to the brethren who were with him, and
they perceived that he had seen some vision. Often he saw in the
mountain what was happening in Egypt, and told it to Serapion the
bishop, who saw him occupied with a vision. Once, for instance, as
he sat, he fell as it were into an ecstasy, and groaned much at what
he saw. Then, after an hour, turning to those who were with him, he
groaned and fell into a trembling, and rose up and prayed, and
bending his knees, remained so a long while; and then the old man
rose up and wept. The bystanders, therefore, trembling and
altogether terrified, asked him to tell them what had happened, and
tormented him much, that he was forced to speak. And he groaning
greatly--"Ah! my children," he said, "it were better to be dead