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1 86 EPISTLES OF S. IGNATIUS.
^cb Jsa.T /reLi-^is^ i-^Jr^ p^.icq A!^=n
. jsoafloia^ r^LiJci*
On the holy Basil and Gregory ; but a few additional words are spoken
towards the end of it also respecting the God-clad Ignatius.
In the same manner also the God-clad Ignatius, who now has set
before us this spiritual banquet in his house, which is the house of
prayer, and who rejoices in the praiseworthy virtues of his disciples, was
appropriately named Ignatius from facts, because he foreknew things
future ;
for any one who is only moderately acquainted with the language
of the Romans knows that Nurono, that is, Fiery,
say, was derived from hence;
lighted up and blazing, Ignem'^
.
as we also
for the Romans call the fire which is
then is he that has in himself the
flame, that is to say, the lamp of divine love, and is inflamed by the
desire to suffer for Christ The same who also in writing to the
Romans said : Fire and beasts and ten thousand sorts of torments, let them
come upon me, only may I be accounted worthy of Jestis Christ {Rom. 5).
And since he had this within him for Him who was beloved, which is
also wonderful, on this account also he cried, From within he saith to
me, Come thou to my Father {Rom. 7).
Not only then in the similarity'
of the name, which, commencing with God, was appropriated to Basil
and Gregory, did they resemble Ignatius, but also in the strenuous stand
for the truth, in boldness of speech, in contests, in sufferings,
in the
For they knew God, and taught the Word of
harmony of preaching.
God who without conversion was made flesh and was crucified for us
and suff'ered in the flesh; while they litde heeded the Simonian and Nestorian
advocacy, which is blinded and offended unholily at the suffering
of the Godhead; for they were persuaded that the suffering did not touch
that impassible one, although by way of the economy as one made
flesh and made man He would be in sufferings when He was astonied at
the sting of death which is against us, and of sin. And Ignatius indeed
said. Permit ye me to be an imitator of the suffering of my God {Rom. 6).
* '
It is right to know also here that the Romans do not call fire simply Igiicin ;
but those fires which are kindled on elevated places, and show the signal of
something which is not yet near ; for example, such as those which are kindled
upon hills and upon heights, and blaze and show the approach of enemies, ac-
1
This is Cureton's rendering; and if priated to Basil as to Gregory. This
it be correct, the reference is apparently rendering however requires a slight emento
the words dto(p6pos, deo^oyos, though dation in the Syriac text as printed by
the latter was not so specially appro- Cureton from the MS, K'^OXa 11=020=3