A.D. 303. MARTYRDOM OF AMPHIBALUS. 185 down their shields in a desert place, and planted their spears in the ground. But while all the others rested, Amphibalus alone took no rest, but taught his persecutors the word of salvation because the word of God could not be bound. In the meantime the news was brought to the city that the citizens had returned home, and had brought back with them the master of Alban. It was also said that all those for whom they had undertaken that laborious journey had perished in a distant country. But when the judge was informed of this, he said, in the presence of all the people, " Let us all go forth and meet our enemy, that he who is known to have offended, may feel that vengeance is taken upon him by all." Then each one exhorts his fellow to go more swiftly, and they excite one another against their enemy. And as they proceeded on the road which leads from the city towards the north, they left the city nearly empty. And coming to the man of God, they found him bound with chains. And presently they seized him, and stripped him cruelly, and laid open his bowels with the sword, and bound him to a stake which was fixed m the ground, and caused the holy man of God to walk round the stake. When Amphibalus, the man of God, placed among all these terrible straits, still showed no sign of pain, the enemies of the cross, becoming more exasperated, placed him as a sign among them, and stab and break to pieces with knives and spears all that there was left of his body. Then many men beholding the constancy of the blessed martyr, and admiring it more and more, submitted themselves to the faith of Christ, praying to God with a loud voice, that by the merits and intercession of the blessed martyr, they might deserve to become partakers in eternal life. And when this was known, the iavelin-men put a thousand men to death, the blessed Amphibalus looking on, and commending their souls to God. After these events, the wicked raged to effect the death of this innocent man, and in order to destroy his blessed life, they pelt him cruelly with a shower of stones. But he, persisting in his prayers, and minding nothing else, did not cease for a moment. And when at length he was on the point of restoring his invincible spirit to heaven, two angels, radiant with heavenly brightness, came down from above to him, and took np with them the soul of the blessed man, shining with extraordinary brilliancy, and bore it off to heaven with hymns