attery Athanasius made it appear that what had been done
pleased him exceedingly. And after this Gontharis sent the priest of the
city and commanded Areobindus, after receiving pledges, to come to the
palace, threatening that he would besiege him if he disobeyed and would
not again give him pledges of safety, but would use every means to
capture and put him to death. So the priest, Reparatus, stoutly declared
to Areobindus that in accordance with the decision of Gontharis he would
swear that no harm would come to him from Gontharis, telling also what
he had threatened in case he did not obey. But Areobindus became afraid
and agreed that he would follow the priest immediately, if the priest,
after performing the rite of the sacred bath[69] in the usual manner,
should swear to him by that rite and then give him pledges for his
safety. So the priest did according to this. And Areobindus without
delay followed him, clad in a garment which was suitable neither for a
general nor for any one else in military service, but altogether
appropriate to a slave or one of private station; this garment the
Romans call "casula"[70] in the Latin tongue. And when they came near
the palace, he took in his hands the holy scriptures from the priest,
and so went before Gontharis. And falling prone he lay there a long
time, holding out to him the suppliant olive-branch and the holy
scriptures, and with him was the child which had been counted worthy of
the sacred bath by which the priest had given him the pledge, as has
been told. And when, with difficulty, Gontharis had raised him to his
feet, he enquired of Gontharis in the name of all things holy whether
his safety was secure. And Gontharis now bade him most positively to be
of good cheer, for he would suffer no harm at his hands, but on the
following day would be gone from Carthage with his wife and his
possessions. Then he dismissed the priest Reparatus, and bade Areobindus
and Athanasius dine with him in the palace. And during the dinner he
honoured Areobindus, inviting him to take his place first on the couch;
but after the dinner he did not let him go, but compelled him to sleep
in a chamber alone; and he sent there Ulitheus with certain others to
assail him. And while he was wailing and crying aloud again and again
and speaking many entreating words to them to move them to pity, they
slew him. Athanasius, however, they spared, passing him by, I suppose,
on account of his advanced age.