nst him, if he did not comply. "Write
what you please," said the saint, "I am a Christian: I repeat it again,
I am a Christian." Marzabanes commanded him to be forthwith beaten with
knotty clubs. The executioners were preparing themselves to bind him
fast on the ground; but the saint told him it was unnecessary, for he
had courage enough to lie down under the punishment without moving, and
he regarded it as his greatest happiness and pleasure to suffer for
Christ. He only begged leave to put off his monk's habit, lest it should
be treated with contempt, which only his body deserved. He therefore
laid it aside in a respectful manner, and then stretched himself on the
ground, and without {198} being bound did not stir all the time of the
cruel torment, bearing it without changing his posture. The governor
again threatened him to acquaint the king of his obstinacy: "Whom ought
we rather to fear," said Anastasius, "a mortal man, or God, who made all
things out of nothing?" The judge pressed him to sacrifice to fire, and
to the sun and moon. The saint answered, he could never acknowledge as
gods, creatures which God had made only for our use; upon which he was
remanded to prison.

His old abbot hearing of his sufferings, sent two monks to assist him,
and ordered prayers for him. The confessor, after carrying stones all
the day, spent the greatest part of the night in prayer, to the surprise
of his companions: one of whom, a Jew, saw and showed him to others at
prayer in the night, shining in brightness and glory like a blessed
spirit, and angels praying with him. As the confessor was chained to a
man condemned for a public crime, he prayed always with his neck bowed
downwards, keeping his chained foot near his companion not to disturb
him. Marzabanes in the mean time having informed Chosroes, and received
his orders, acquainted the martyr by a messenger, without seeing him,
that the king would be satisfied on condition he would only by word of
mouth abjure the Christian faith: after which he might choose whether he
would be an officer in the king's service, or still remain a Christian
and a monk; adding, he might in his heart always adhere to Christ,
provided he would but for once renounce him in words privately, in his
presence, "in which there could be no harm, nor any great injury to his
Christ," as he said. Anastasius answered firmly, that he would never
even seem to dissemble, or to deny his God. Then the governor told h