25. But there was a certain prince, of the more powerful of the unrighteous race,[440] whom the king before he left the city, had compelled to swear that he would maintain peace with the bishop, taking from him, moreover, many hostages. Notwithstanding this, when the king left he entered the city, and took _counsel_ with his kinsmen and friends _how they might take_ the holy man _by subtlety and kill him; but they feared the people_;[441] and having conspired to slay Malachy[442] they fixed a place and day, and a traitor _gave them a sign_.[443] On that very day, when the prelate was now celebrating the solemnity of Vespers in the church with the whole of the clergy and a multitude of the people, that worthless man sent him a message in _words of peace with subtlety_,[444] asking him that he would deign to come down to him, so that he might make peace. The bystanders answered that he should rather come to the bishop, and that the church was a more suitable place for establishing peace; for they foresaw guile. The messengers replied that this was not safe for the prince; that he feared for his head, and that he did not trust himself to the crowds who, some days before, had nearly killed him for the bishop's sake. As they were contending in this way, these saying that he should go, those that he should not go, the bishop, desiring peace and not afraid to die, said, "Brethren, let me imitate my Master.[445] I am a Christian to no purpose if I do not _follow_ Christ.[446] Perhaps by humility I shall bend the tyrant; if not, yet I shall conquer by rendering, a shepherd to a sheep, a priest to a layman, that duty which he owed to me. You also, as far as in me lies, I shall edify not a little by such an example. For what if I should chance to be killed? _I refuse not to die_,[447] in order that from me you may have an example of life. It behoves a bishop, as the prince of bishops says, not _to be lord over the clergy, but to become an example to the flock_[448]--no other example[449] truly than that which we have received from Him _who humbled himself and became obedient unto death_.[450] Who will give me [the opportunity] to leave this [example] to [my] sons, sealed with my blood? Try, at any rate, whether your priest has worthily learnt from Christ not to fear death for Christ." And he arose and went his way, all weeping, and praying that he would not so greatly desire to die for Christ that he should leave desolate so great a flock of Christ.