apostolicfathers0201clem - Carmel Apologetics

THE GENUINENESS. 345
taining; nor has the question any material bearing on our subject.
Neither again need we trouble ourselves to consider whether Lucian's
primary aim was not ridicule of the Cynics rather than of the Christians \
We are concerned solely with his ideas respecting the Christians and
their doings. His knowledge of the two chief languages of Christendom
at this time would materially assist him in acquiring information ;
and, as a great traveller, he would not lack the opportunities.
At an early part of his narrative Peregrinus
is described in an
expression which closely resembles the language used by Ignatius of
himself. He is 'made a prisoner in Syria' (§ 4 t6v iv Svpta SeOevra,
comp. Ephes. i SeSe/xeVov aVo Svpias). After some vicissitudes and
wanderings he 'thoroughly mastered the marvellous wisdom of the Christians
in Palestine, associating with their priests and scribes (rots lepewt
KoX ypafxixaTevcTLv avTwv).'
So apt a scholar was he, that he rose to preeminence
as their 'prophet and band-leader and synagogue-convener'
{n-po^rjTy]^ koX OLaa-dpxr]'^
koX ^vaytuyer's). In fact they were mere
children compared with him. He interpreted and explained their
books, and indeed composed many of them himself. Nay, they
regarded him as a god and looked up to him as a lawgiver and patron
For
{-rrpocTTaTiqv). his Christianity Peregrinus was put in prison ;
and
his imprisonment was as fuel to his passion for notoriety. The narrative
then continues as follows :
When he was imprisoned, the Christians, taking the matter to heart, left
'
no stone unturned in the endeavour to rescue him. Then, when this was
found to be impossible, they looked after his wants in every other respect
with unremitting care and zeal. And from the first break of day old women
— widows they are called-— and orphan children might be seen waiting
about the doors of the prison ;
while their officers (ot iv riXei avruiv), by
bribing the keepers, succeeded in passing the night inside with him. Then
various meals were brought in, and sacred formularies of theirs were repeated
(^oyoL Upo\ avTuiv fXeyovro) and this fine fellow Peregrinus for he
:
still bore this name— was entitled a new Socrates by them. Moreover there
came from certain of the cities in Asia deputies sent by the Christian com-
^
Bernays seems to have shown that
Lucian's satire was aimed directly at the
Cynics and only glanced incidentally at
the Christians.
^
This is the force of ypadia xnp°-^
Tivas. So again lower down (§ 41) we
have diadrjKas Tivas.
In both cases Lucian
uses technical terms of the Christians,
which he only imperfectly understands.
In the former he alludes to the
i^ra'tv- of widows (i Tim. v. 9); and it is
worthy of notice that Ignatius himself
salutes the widows at Smyrna [Smyrtt. 13
see the note 11.
p. 323 sq), from whom
probably when a prisoner there he had
received attentions similar to those which
the widows are represented by Lucian as
paying to Peregrinus.