
Hilarion was born of heathens at Tabatha in Palestine. He was sent to study at Alexandria, where he bore a fair name for life and wit. There he embraced the religion of Jesus Christ, and made wonderful headway in faith and love. He went oftentimes to Church, was careful in fasting and prayer, and set no price upon the pleasures and lusts of the world. When the name of Anthony became famous in Egypt, Hilarion made a journey into the desert on purpose to see him. There he dwelt with him two months, to the end that he might learn all his way of life, and then returned home. After the death of his father and mother, he gave all that he had to the poor. Before he had completed the fifteenth year of his age, he went into the desert, and built there a little house, scarcely big enough to hold him, and wherein he was used to sleep on the ground. The piece of sackcloth wherewith alone he clad himself he never washed and never changed saying that haircloth was a thing not worth the trouble of cleanliness. He took great interest in reading and meditating on the Holy Scriptures. His food was a few figs and some porridge of vegetables, and this he ate not before set of sun. His self-control and lowliness were beyond belief. By these and other arms he overcame divers and fearful attacks of the devil, and drave out countless evil spirits from the bodies of men in many parts of the world. He had built many monasteries, and was famous for miracles, when, in the eightieth year of his age, he fell sick. When he was gasping for his last breath, he said: Go out, what art thou afraid of? Go out, my soul, wherefore shrinkest thou? Thou hast served Christ hard on seventy years, and art thou afraid of death? And so with these words he gave up the Ghost.