t he was made
flesh. A God who thinks, acts, speaks, who wanders through nature, like
Ulysses of old on the glaucous sea, is altogether a man. How do you
expect that we should believe in this new Jupiter, when the urchins of
Athens, in the time of Pericles, no longer believed in the old one?

"But let us leave all that. You did not come here; I suppose, to
argue about the three hypostases. What can I do for you, my dear
fellow-scholar?"

"A good deed," replied the Abbot of Antinoe. "Lend me a perfumed tunic,
like the one you have just put on. Be kind enough to add to the tunic,
gilt sandals, and a vial of oil to anoint my beard and hair. It is
needful also, that you should give me a purse with a thousand drachmae
in it. That, O Nicias, is what I came to ask of you, for the love of
God, and in remembrance of our old friendship."

Nicias made Crobyle and Myrtale bring his richest tunic; it was
embroidered, after the Asiatic fashion, with flowers and animals. The
two girls held it open, and skilfully showed its bright colours, waiting
till Paphnutius should have taken off the cassock which covered him down
to his feet. But the monk having declared that they should rather tear
off his flesh than this garment, they put on the tunic over it. As the
two girls were pretty, they were not afraid of men, although they were
slaves. They laughed at the strange appearance of the monk thus clad.
Crobyle called him her dear satrap, as she presented him with the
mirror, and Myrtale pulled his beard. But Paphnutius prayed to the Lord,
and did not look at them. Having tied on the gilt sandals, and fastened
the purse to his belt, he said to Nicias, who was looking at him with an
amused expression--

"O Nicias, let not these things be an offence in your eyes. For know
that I shall make pious use of this tunic, this purse, and these
sandals."

"My dear friend," replied Nicias, "I suspect no evil, for I believe that
men are equally incapable of doing evil or doing good. Good and evil
exist only in the opinion. The wise man has only custom and usage to
guide him in his acts. I conform with all the prejudices which prevail
at Alexandria. That is why I pass for an honest man. Go, friend, and
enjoy yourself."

But Paphnutius thought that it was needful to inform his host of his
intention.

"Do you know Thais," he said, "who acts in the games at the theatre?"

"She is beautiful," replied Nicias, "and there was a time when she was
dear t