About the same time that his brother knights ended their martial career,
Saint Anthony, with his faithful follower, Niccolo, likewise, for the
same reason, resolved to turn his face homewards. Rome was the city of
his birth, and to Rome he went.
Rome was a Christian city, but there were still many Pagans in the
neighbourhood, and many of the shrines had as yet scarcely been
accommodated to the new faith, so that the pious Saint Anthony had
considerable difficulty in distinguishing one from the other. This very
much grieved his heart. Even when he went among the priests he could
not always make out to which faith they belonged. They made him long
harangues, and assured him that their great wish was to develop their
ancient and time-honoured institutions into whatever form was likely to
prove most popular.
Saint Anthony, who was a simple-minded man, was sorely puzzled by all
this; so, after vainly endeavouring to comprehend the state of things in
the ancient capital of the world, he retired to a hermitage, where he
lived for the remainder of his days; nor would he ever again enter Rome.
Thus, in the fragrant odour of sanctity, he died at a green old age.