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AT this period, Athanasius, who had long remained in concealment,
having heard of the death of Constantius, appeared by night in the
church at Alexandria. His unexpected appearance excited the greatest
astonishment. He had escaped falling into the hands of the governor of
Egypt, who, at the command of the emperor, and at the request of the
friends of George, had formed plans to arrest him, as before stated,
and had concealed himself in the house of a holy virgin in Alexandria.
It is said that she was endowed with such extraordinary beauty, that
those who beheld her regarded her as a phenomenon of nature; and that
men who possessed continence and prudence, kept aloof from her in order
that no blame might be attached to them by the suspicious. She was in
the very flower of youth and was exceedingly modest and prudent,
qualities which are wont alone to adorn the body even to a refinement of
beauty when nature may not be helpful with the gift. For it is not
true, as some assert, that "as is the body, so is the soul." On
the contrary, the habit of the body is imaged forth by the operation of
the soul, and any one who is active in any way whatever will appear to
be of that nature as long as he may be thus actively engaged.
This is a truth I think admitted by all who have accurately
investigated the subject. It is related that Athanasius sought refuge
in the house of this holy virgin by the revelation of God, who
designed to save him in this manner.
When I reflect on the result which ensued, I cannot doubt but that
all the events were directed by God; so that the relatives of
Athanasius might not have distress if any one had attempted to trouble
them about him, and had they been compelled to swear. There was
nothing to excite suspicion of a priest being concealed in the house of
so lovely a virgin. However, she had the courage to receive him, and
through her prudence preserved his life. She was his most faithful
keeper and assiduous servant; for she washed his feet and brought him
food, and she alone served in every other necessity, which nature
demands in her exacting uses; the books he stood in need of she cared
for through the help of others; during the long time in which these
services were rendered, none of the inhabitants of Alexandria knew
anything about it.
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