this monastery, and if it were of any use. For two days since, the
whole world was robbed of such a father." She believed him, and
stopped. And Antony's death was confirmed a few days after. Others
may wonder at the signs and portents which he did, at his incredible
abstinence, his silence, his miracles: I am astonished at nothing
so much as that he was able to trample under foot that glory and
honour.

Bishops and clergy, monks and Christian matrons (a great
temptation), people of the common sort, great men, too, and judges
crowded to him, to receive from him blessed bread or oil. But he
was thinking of nothing but the desert, till one day he determined
to set out, and taking an ass (for he was so shrunk with fasting
that he could hardly walk), he tried to go his way. The news got
wind; the desolation and destruction of Palestine would ensue; ten
thousand souls, men and women, tried to stop his way; but he would
not hear them. Smiting on the ground with his staff, he said, "I
will not make my God a liar. I cannot bear to see churches ruined,
the altars of Christ trampled down, the blood of my sons spilt."
All who heard thought that some secret revelation had been made to
him: but yet they would not let him go. Whereon he would neither
eat nor drink, and for seven days he persevered fasting, till he had
his wish, and set out for Bethulia, with forty monks, who could
march without food till sundown. On the fifth day he came to
Pelusium, then to the camp Thebatrum, to see Dracontius; and then to
Babylon to see Philo. These two were bishops and confessors exiled
by Constantius, who favoured the Arian heresy. Then he came to
Aphroditon, where he met Barsanes the deacon, who used to carry
water to Antony on dromedaries, and heard from him that the
anniversary Antony's death was near, and would be celebrated by a