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At this time Athanasius, that victorious athlete of the truth,
underwent another peril, for the devils could not brook the power of
his tongue and prayers, and so armed their ministers to revile him.
Many voices did they utter beseeching the champion of wickedness to
exile Athanasius, and adding yet this further, that if Athanasius
remained. not a heathen would remain, for that he would get them all
over to his side. Moved by these supplications Julian condemned
Athanasius not merely to exile, but to death. His people shuddered,
but it is related that he foretold the rapid dispersal of the storm,
for said he "It is a cloud which soon vanishes away." He however
withdrew as soon as he learnt the arrival of the bearers of the imperial
message, and finding a boat on the bank of the river, started for the
Thebaid. The officer who had been appointed for his execution became
acquainted with his flight, and strove to pursue him at hot haste; one
of his friends, however, got ahead, and told him that the officer was
coming on apace. Then some of his companions besought him to take
refuge in the desert, but he ordered the steersman to turn the boat's
head to Alexandria. So they rowed to meet the pursuer, and on came
the bearer of the sentence of execution, and, said he, "How far off
is Athanasius?" "Not far," said Athanasius, and so got rid of
his foe, while he himself returned to Alexandria and there remained
ill concealment for the remainder of Julian's reign.
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