For my master Pharetrius also signified to me that his presbyters were present there, who stated they were in communion with us, and that they had nothing in common with our adversaries, nor would they associate or communicate with them. That we might not disturb them, therefore, let no one know these things; for indeed the events that befell us were severe. And if I had suffered no other hardship, the things that happened there were enough to procure me countless rewards; so great did the danger become for us, and that at the very end. But I beg you, let these things be kept secret between us, and I will relate them to you in brief, not to cause you grief, but consolation. For these are the themes of my business, this is my wealth, this the expenditure for my sins, that I am constantly traveling through such temptations, and that they are brought upon me by those from whom I did not at all expect them. B For as we were about to enter the region of the Cappadocians, having parted from the Galatian—and even he had almost threatened us with death—many met us on the way, saying: "The master Pharetrius awaits you, and is going about everywhere, lest he miss your encounter, and he is doing and contriving everything so that he may see you, and embrace you, and show you every affection." And he stirred up the monasteries of men and women. I, hearing these things, expected nothing of the sort, but suspected the opposite in my mind; yet of those who brought these reports, I said nothing to any of them.
2. But when I arrived late at Caesarea, exhausted, embalmed, and lying in the very heat of the fever, in despair, suffering the extremity of pain, I obtained an inn situated on the outskirts of the city, and made haste to meet physicians and to quench that furnace; for it was the very height of the tertian fever. And there was also the hardship of the journey, the fatigue, the exhaustion, the lack of those who could provide care, the scarcity of necessities, the fact that no physician was present with us, the being worn down by toil and heat and sleeplessness, and having almost become a corpse myself, I entered the city. Then indeed the whole clergy, the people, monks, and nuns came, and physicians arrived; I enjoyed great care, with everyone providing everything for us, serving us. But even so, being held fast by the great intensity of the heat, I was in extreme peril. At length, little by little, the disease abated and subsided. But Pharetrius was nowhere; rather, he was awaiting our departure, I know not what he thought. Since, therefore, I saw the evil had quietly abated, I was deliberating then about my departure, so as to reach Cucusus and get a little rest from the calamities of the journey. And while we were in this state, suddenly there were reported to us a countess multitude of Isaurians overrunning the country of the Caesareans, C having burned some large village and inflicted the worst. Having heard this, the tribune, taking the soldiers he had, went out. They feared lest they should attack the city too, and all were in fear, all in anxiety, risking danger even for the very soil of the fatherland, so that even the elders themselves set about the guarding of the walls.
While affairs were in these circumstances, suddenly, around dawn, a regiment of monks (for so one must describe them, and by the word indicate their madness) stood over the house where we were, threatening to burn it, to set it on fire, and to inflict the worst upon us if we did not leave. And neither the fear of the Isaurians, nor the sickness lying so heavily upon us, nor anything else made them gentler, but they pressed on, breathing such rage that even the provincial soldiers themselves were afraid. For they even threatened the soldiers with blows, and boasted as those who had already shamefully beaten many provincial officers. When the provincial officers heard these things, they fled to us, and entreated and begged us, saying: "Even if we are going to fall into the hands of the Isaurians, deliver us from these beasts." The governor, having heard, ran down to the house, wishing to help us. Nor even when he entreated them did the monks refrain; rather, he himself also grew weak. Seeing, therefore, that affairs were in great straits, and neither daring to advise us to go out to an obvious slaughter, nor yet to stay inside, because of such madness of those men, he sent to Pharetrius, entreating him to grant a few days’ time, both because of the sickness and because of the impending danger. And not even so did anything more come of it; but on the following day they arrived even more fiercely, and no one of the presbyters dared to stand by and help, but shamefaced and blushing (for they said these things were done according to Pharetrius’s will) they hid themselves, went unnoticed, and when called by us they did not heed. What need is there to say many words? And with such fears pressing upon us, and death almost certain, and the fever wasting me (for we had not yet found any relief from the evils from that source), at midday I threw myself into the litter, and was carried out from there, as the whole people were wailing, screaming, cursing the one who had done these things, and all were lamenting and mourning. When I had gone out of the city, some of the clergy also went out and quietly escorted us, lamenting. And when they heard some saying, "Where are you taking him, to an obvious death?" another said to us, [one] of those who loved us deeply—