devoted. The town itself too is said to be in great part semi-
barbarous, on account of its remote situation. Hearing, then, that
the holy Hilarion was passing by--for he had often cured Saracens
possessed with daemons--they came out to meet him in crowds, with
their wives and children, bowing their necks, and crying in the
Syrian tongue, 'Barech!' that is, 'Bless!' He received them
courteously and humbly, entreating them to worship God rather than
stones, and wept abundantly, looking up to heaven, and promising
them that, if they would believe in Christ, he would come oftener to
them. Wonderful was the grace of the Lord. They would not let him
depart till he had laid the foundations of a future church, and
their priest, crowned as he was, had been consecrated with the sign
of Christ.

*******

He was now sixty-three years old. He saw about him a great
monastery, a multitude of brethren, and crowds who came to be healed
of diseases and unclean spirits, filling the solitude around; but he
wept daily, and remembered with incredible regret his ancient life.
"I have returned to the world," he said, "and received my reward in
this life. All Palestine and the neighbouring provinces think me to
be worth somewhat; while I possess a farm and household goods, under
the pretext of the brethren's advantage." On which the brethren,
and especially Hesychius, who bore him a wondrous love, watched him
narrowly.

When he had lived thus sadly for two years, Aristaeneta, the
Prefect's wife, came to him, wishing him to go with her to Antony,
"I would go," he said, weeping, "if I were not held in the prison of