WHEN Trajan, not long since,(1) succeeded to the empire of the Romans,
Ignatius, the disciple of John the apostle, a man in all respects of an
apostolic character, governed the Church of the Antiochians with great care,
having with difficulty escaped the former storms of the many persecutions
under Domitian, inasmuch as, like a good pilot, by the helm of prayer and
fasting, by the earnestness of his teaching, and by his [constant(2)
spiritual labour, he resisted the flood that rolled against him, fearing
[only] lest he should lose: any of those who were deficient in courage, or
apt to suffer from their simplicity.(3) Wherefore he rejoiced over the
tranquil state of the Church, when the persecution ceased for a little time,
but was grieved as to himself, that he had not yet attained to a true love
to Christ, nor reached the perfect rank of a disciple. For he inwardly
reflected, that the confession which is made by martyrdom, would bring him
into a yet more intimate relation to the Lord. Wherefore, continuing a few
years longer with the Church, and, like a divine lamp, enlightening every
one's understanding by his expositions of the [Holy(4)] Scriptures, he [at
length] attained the object of his desire.
For Trajan, in the ninth(5) year of his reign, being lifted up [with pride],
after the victory he had gained over the Scythians and Dacians, and many
other nations, and thinking that the religious body of the Christians were
yet wanting to complete the subjugation of all things to himself, and
[thereupon] threatening them with persecution unless they should agree to(6)
worship daemons, as did all other nations, thus compelled(7) all who were
living godly lives either to sacrifice [to idols] or die. Wherefore the
noble soldier of Christ [Ignatius], being in fear for the Church of the
Antiochians, was, in accordance with his own desire, brought before Trajan,
who was at that time staying at Antioch, but was in haste [to set forth]
against Armenia and the Parthians. And when he was set before the emperor
Trajan, [that prince] said unto him, "Who art thou, eked wretch,(8) who
settest(9) thyself to transgress our commands, and persuadest others to do
the same, so that they should miserably perish?" Ignatius replied, "No one
ought to call Theophorus(10) wicked; for all evil spirits(11) have departed
from the servants of God. But if, because I am an enemy to these [spirits],
you call me wicked in respect to them, I quite agree with you; for inasmuch
as I have Christ the King of heaven [within me], I destroy all the devices
of these [evil spirits]." Trajan answered, "And who is Theophorus?" Ignatius
replied, "He who has Christ within his breast." Trajan said, "Do we not then
seem to you to have the gods in our mind, whose assistance we enjoy in
fighting against our enemies?" Ignatius answered, "Thou art in error when
thou callest the daemons of the nations gods. For there is but one God, who
made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all that are in them; and one Jesus
Christ, the only-begotten Son of God, whose kingdom may I enjoy." Trajan
said, "Do you mean Him who was crucified under Pontius Pilate?" Ignatius
replied, "I mean Him who crucified my sin, with him who was the inventor of
it,(12) and who has condemned [and cast down] all the deceit and malice of
the devil under the feet of those who carry Him in their heart." Trajan
said, "Dost thou then carry within thee Him that was crucified?" Ignatius
replied, "Truly so; for it is written, 'I will dwell in them, and walk in
them.'"(1) Then Trajan pronounced sentence as follows: "We command that
Ignatius, who affirms that he carries about within him Him that was
crucified, be bound by soldiers, and carried to the great [city] Rome, there
to be devoured by the beasts, for the gratification of the people." When the
holy martyr heard this sentence, he cried out with joy, "I thank thee, O
Lord, that Thou hast vouchsafed to honour me with a perfect love towards
Thee, and hast made me to be bound with iron chains, like(2) Thy Apostle
Paul." Having spoken thus, he then, with delight, clasped the chains about
him; and when he had first prayed for the Church, and commended it with
tears to the Lord, he was hurried away by the savage(3) cruelty of the
soldiers, like a distinguished ram(4) the leader of a goodly flock, that he
might be carried to Rome, there to furnish food to the bloodthirsty beasts.
Wherefore, with great alacrity and joy, through his desire to suffer, he
came down from Antioch to Seleucia, from which place he set sail. And after
a great deal of suffering he came to Smyrna, where he disembarked with great
joy, and hastened to see the holy Polycarp, [formerly] his fellow-disciple,
and [now] bishop of Smyrna. For they had both, in old times, been disciples
of St. John the Apostle. Being then brought to him, and having communicated
to him some spiritual gifts, and glorying in his bonds, he entreated of him
to labour(5) along with him for the fulfilment of his desire; earnestly
indeed asking this of the whole Church (for the cities and Churches of Asia
had welcomed(6) the holy man through their bishops, and presbyters, and
deacons, all hastening to meet him, if by any means they might receive from
him some(7) spiritual gift), but above all, the holy Polycarp, that, by
means of the wild beasts, he soon disappearing from this world, might be
manifested before the face of Christ.
And these things he thus spake, and thus testified, extending his love to
Christ so far as one who was about to(8) secure heaven through his good
confession, and the earnestness of those who joined their prayers to his in
regard to his [approaching] conflict; and to give a recompense to the
Churches, who came to meet him through their rulers, sending(9) letters of
thanksgiving to them, which dropped spiritual grace, along with prayer and
exhortation. Wherefore, seeing all men so kindly affected towards him, and
fearing lest the love of the brotherhood should hinder his zeal towards the
Lord,(10) while a fair door of suffering martyrdom was opened to him, he
wrote to the Church of the Romans the Epistle which is here subjoined.
(See the Epistle as formerly given.)
Having therefore, by means of this Epistle, settled,(11) as he wished, those
of the brethren at Rome who were unwilling [for his martyrdom]; and setting
sail from Smyrna (for Christophorus was pressed by the soldiers to hasten to
the public spectacles in the mighty [city] Rome, that, being given up to the
wild beasts in the sight of the Roman people, he might attain to the crown
for which he strove), he [next] landed at Troas. Then, going on from that
place to Neapolis, he went [on foot] by Philippi through Macedonia, and on
to that part of Epirus which is near Epidamnus; and finding a ship in one of
the seaports, he sailed over the Adriatic Sea, and entering from it on the
Tyrrhene, he passed by the various islands and cities, until, when Puteoli
came in sight, he was eager there to disembark, having a desire to tread in
the footsteps of the Apostle Paul.(12) But a violent wind arising did not
suffer him to do so, the ship being driven rapidly forwards;(13) and, simply
expressing his delight(14) over the love of the brethren in that place, he
sailed by. Wherefore, continuing to enjoy fair winds, we were reluctantly
hurried on in one day and a night, mourning [as we did] over the coming
departure from us of this righteous man. But to him this happened just as he
wished, since he was in haste as soon as possible to leave this world, that
he might attain to the Lord whom he loved. Sailing then into the Roman
harbour, and the unhallowed sports being just about to close, the soldiers
began to be annoyed at our slowness, but the bishop rejoicingly yielded to
their urgency.
CHAP. VI.--IGNATIUS IS DEVOURED BY THE BEASTS AT ROME.
They pushed forth therefore from the place which is called Portus;(15) and
(the(16) fame of all relating to the holy martyr being already spread
abroad) we met the brethren full of fear and joy; rejoicing indeed because
they were thought worthy to meet with Theophorus, but struck with fear
because so eminent a man was being led to death. Now he enjoined some to
keep silence who, in their fervent zeal, were saying(1) that they would
appease the people, so that they should not demand the destruction of this
just one. He being immediately aware of this through the Spirit,(2) and
having saluted them all, and begged of them to show a true affection towards
him, and having dwelt [on this point] at greater length than in his
Epistle,(3) and having persuaded them not to envy him hastening to the Lord,
he then, after he had, with all the brethren kneeling [beside him],
entreated the Son of God in behalf of the Churches, that a stop might be put
to the persecution, and that mutual love might continue among the brethren,
was led with all haste into the amphitheatre. Then, being immediately thrown
in, according to the command of Caesar given some time ago, the public
spectacles being just about to close (for it was then a solemn day, as they
deemed it, being that which is called the thirteenth(4) in the Roman tongue,
on which the people were wont to assemble in more than ordinary numbers(5)),
he was thus cast to the wild beasts close, beside the temple,(6) that so by
them the desire of the holy martyr Ignatius should be fulfilled, according
to that which is written, "The desire of the righteous is acceptable(7) [to
God]," to the effect that he might not be troublesome to any of the brethren
by the gathering of his remains, even as he had in his Epistle expressed a
wish beforehand that so his end might be. For only the harder portions of
his holy remains were left, which were conveyed to Antioch and wrapped(8) in
linen, as an inestimable treasure left to the holy Church by the grace which
was in the martyr.
CHAP. VII.--IGNATIUS APPEARS IN A VISION AFTER HIS DEATH.
Now these things took place on the thirteenth day before the Kalends of
January, that is, on the twentieth of December,(9) Sun and Senecio being
then the consuls of the Romans for the second time. Having ourselves been
eye-witnesses of these things, and having spent the whole night in tears
within the house, and having entreated the Lord, with bended knees and much
prayer, that He would give us weak men full assurance respecting the things
which were done,(10) it came to pass, on our filling into a brief slumber,
that some of us saw the blessed Ignatius suddenly standing by us and
embracing us, while others beheld him again praying for us, and others still
saw him dropping with sweat, as if he had just come from his great labour,
and standing by the Lord. When, therefore, we had with great joy witnessed
these things, and had compared our several visions(11) together, we sang
praise to God, the giver of all good things, and expressed our sense of the
happiness of the holy [martyr]; and now we have made known to you both the
day and the time [when these things happened], that, assembling ourselves
together according to the time of his martyrdom, we may have fellowship with
the champion and noble martyr of Christ, who trode under foot the devil, and
perfected the course which, out of love to Christ, he had desired, in Christ
Jesus our Lord; by whom, and with whom, be glory and power to the Father,
with the Holy Spirit, for evermore! Amen.
