nty-eight days through a desert,
and on the night of our arrival we had no provisions left.

And again, after a few years, I was with my relations in Britain, who
received me as a son, and earnestly besought me that then, at least,
after I had gone through so many tribulations, I would go nowhere from
them. And there I saw, in the midst of the night, a man who appeared
to come from Ireland, whose name was Victorious, and he had innumerable
letters with him, one of which he gave to me; and I read the
commencement of the epistle containing "The Voice of the Irish"; and as
I read aloud the beginning of the letter, I thought I heard in my mind
the voice of those who were near the wood of Focluti, which is near the
western sea; and they cried out: "We entreat thee, holy youth, to come
and walk still amongst us." And my heart was greatly touched, so that
I could not read any more, and so I awoke. Thanks be to God that,
after very many years, the Lord hath granted them their desire!

And on another night, whether in me or near me God knows, I heard
eloquent words which I could not understand until the end of the
speech, when it was said: "He who gave His life for thee is He who
speaks in thee"; and so I awoke full of joy. And again, I saw one
praying within me, and I was, as it were, within my body, and I heard,
that is, above the inner man, and there he prayed earnestly with
groans. And I was amazed at this, and marvelled, and considered who
this could be who prayed in me. But at the end of the prayer it came
to pass that it was a bishop, and I awoke and remembered that the
apostle said: "Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmity, for we
know not what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself
asketh for us with unspeakable groanings." And again: "The Lord is our
advocate, who also maketh intercession for us." [And when I was tried
by some of my elders, who came and spoke of my sins as an objection to
my laborious episcopate, I was on that day sometimes strongly driven to
fall away here and for ever. But the Lord spared a proselyte and a
stranger for His name's sake, and mercifully assisted me greatly in
that affliction, because I was not entirely deserving of reproach. I
pray God that they may not be found guilty of giving an occasion of
sin; they found me after thirty years, and brought against me words
that I had confessed before I was a deacon; from anxiety, with sorrow
of mind, I told my deare