Since he had rendered them a service, he considered that they would pay him with gratitude.

He needed two or three strong and courageous men, to ward off danger threatening not only him, but all Christians.

He was poor, it was true, since he had given to Euricius almost all that he owned; still he would pay such men for their services if they would trust him and perform faithfully what he commanded.
Euricius and his son Quartus listened to him as their benefactor almost on their knees.

Both declared that they were ready themselves to do all that he asked of them, believing that a man so holy could not ask for deeds inconsistent with the teaching of Christ.
Chilo assured them that that was true, and, raising his eyes to heaven, he seemed to be praying; in fact, he was thinking whether it would not be well to accept their proposal, which might save him a thousand sestertia.

But after a moment of thought he rejected it.