II 8 (7). (1) ‘And you will suspend nightfall.’ For on the day of his death there was no night, and for twelve days night did not fall in the province in which his exequies were celebrated, and it did not enfold the earth with its dark wings, and night was not so pale, and Hesperus did not send the shadows which bring along the stars; (2) and the people of the Ulaid say that to the end of the entire year in which he had de- ceased the nights were never as dark as they used to be, which beyond doubt happened in order to testify to the merits of so great a man. (3) If, however, any person should be inclined to deny that night was suspended and that in the whole province no night was witnessed during the short time while Patrick was being mourned, let him hear and note carefully how Ezechias in his illness, as a sign of recovery, was shown the sun going back over ten lines on the sundial of Achaz so that the day was nearly doubled, and how the sun stood still against Gabaon and the moon against the valley of Achilon.