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THE special providence of God drove Arsenius also to Tyre; for,
disregarding the injunctions he had received from the accusers who had
bribed him, he went thither disguised to see what would be done. It
by some means happened that the servants of Archelaus, the governor of
the province, heard some persons at an inn affirm that Arsenius, who
was reported to have been murdered, was concealed in the house of one
of the citizens. Having heard this and marked the individuals by whom
this statement was made, they communicated the information to their
master, who causing strict search to be made for the man immediately,
discovered and properly secured him; after which he gave notice to
Athanasius that he need not be under any alarm, inasmuch as Arsenius
was alive and there present. Arsenius on being apprehended, at first
denied that he was the person; but Paul, bishop of Tyre, who had
formerly known him, established his identity. Divine providence
having thus disposed matters Athanasius was shortly after summoned by
the Synod; and as soon as he presented himself, his traducers
exhibited the hand, and pressed their charge. He managed the affair
with great prudence, for he enquired of those present, as well as of
his accusers, who were the persons who knew Arsenius? and several
having answered that they knew him, he caused Arsenius to be
introduced, having his hands covered by his cloak. Then he again
asked them, 'Is this the person who has lost a hand?' All were
astonished at the unexpectedness of this procedure, except those who
knew whence the hand had been cut off; for the rest thought that
Arsenius was really deficient of a hand, and expected that the accused
would make his defense in some other way. But Athanasius turning back
the cloak of Arsenius on one side showed one of the man's hands;
again, while some were supposing that the other hand was wanting,
permitting them to remain a short time in doubt afterward he turned back
the cloak on the other side and exposed the other hand. Then
addressing himself to those present, he said, 'Arsenius, as you
see, is found to have two hands: let my accusers show the place whence
the third was cut off.'
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