concerns of the world, and came to the
wrestling-school of the monastic life. He himself spent his time in
prayers and fastings, and would often offer up this prayer, "O Lord, my
Lord and King, in whom I have trusted, to whom I have fled and been
delivered from my error, render thou due recompense to Barlaam thy
servant, because when I was in error he pointed thee to me, who art the
way of truth and life. Forbid me not to behold once more that angel in
bodily shape, of whom the world is not worthy, but grant me in his
company to finish the residue of my life, that, treading in the
footsteps of his conversation, I may be well-pleasing to thee my God
and Lord."

XXIX.

Now about the same time there was in that city a public assembly in
honour of the false gods, and the king must needs be present at the
feast, and grace it with lavish sacrifices. But the temple-keepers,
seeing that he was careless and lukewarm with regard to their worship,
feared that he might neglect to be present in their temple, and that
they might lose the royal largess, and the rest of their revenues. So
they arose, and withdrew to a cavern situate in the depth of the
desert, where dwelt a man who busied himself with magical arts, and was
a fervent champion of the error of idolatry. Theudas was his name. Him
the king honoured exceedingly, and counted him his friend and teacher,
because, he said, it was by the guidance of his prophecies that his
kingdom ever prospered. So these idol-priests, that were no priests,
came to him, and appealed to him for help, and made known to him the
evil opinion of their gods which was growing on their king, and all
that the king's son had done, and all the eloquent discourse that
Nachor had held against them. And they said, "Except thou come thyself
to our succour, gone is all hope! and lost is all the reverence of the
gods. Thou only art left to be our comfort in this misfortune, and upon
thee we fix our hopes."

So forth marched Theudas, in company with his Satanic host; and he
armed himself against the truth, invoking many of his evil spirits, who
knew how to lend ready aid for evil ends, and whom he alway used for
his ministers; and with these allies he came to the king. When his
arrival had been announced to the king, and he had entered in, with a
palm-staff in his hand and a sheep-skin girt about his loins, the king
arose from his throne, and met and welcomed him; and, fetching a seat,
he made him