apostolicfathers0201clem - Carmel Apologetics

346 EPISTLES OF S. IGNATIUS.
munities to assist and advise and console the man. Indeed the alacrity
they display is incredible, when any matter of the kind is undertaken as a
public concern; for in short they spare for nothing. Accordingly large
sums of money came to Peregrinus at that time from them, on the plea of
his bonds, and he made no inconsiderable revenue out of For it. the poor
wretches have persuaded themselves that they will be altogether immortal
and will live for ever, and with this in view they actually despise death {Kat
KaTa(t)povovcn tov davdrov) and the greater part of them give themselves
up voluntarily (eKoi/re avroiis enLdiSoaaiv ol ttoXXoi).'
Peregrinus was ultimately released. After other vicissitudes he went
forth again on his wanderings, drawing ample supplies from the Christians
(tKttva €(j!>o8ta Tous ;(/3to-Tiavous ^X'^'')' ^Y whom he was attended
as by a body-guard {v
'
wv Sopu^opot'/xei/os),
and so enjoyed abundance
of everything.' At length he offended the Christians. He was detected,
so Lucian believes, eating something which was forbidden in
their eyes (n la-6iu>v tQv . . . aTroppTjTiov aOrots). Then he became a
Cynic. Of his subsequent life previous
to his self-immolation we are
told that 'he sailed to Italy and immediately on disembarking began to
revile every one, especially the king, knowing him to be most gentle
and mild, so that he ventured with impunity.' Then comes the suicide.
In the preparation of the funeral pyre and in the incidents of the
burning we are reminded of the martyrdom of Polycarp, but of this
I shall have occasion to speak hereafter. After the account of his
death Lucian adds :
—
'They say that he despatched letters to nearly all the famous cities
testaments forsooth (Sia^jj/cas tlvus) and admonitions and laws : and certain
of his companions he nominated {ix^LpoTovqcre) for this business, calling them
death-messengers and infernal-couriers.'
And lower down again he reminds Cronius, 'You have known
these facts
long since, having
heard me at the time when I came from
Syria relate how I had sailed with him from Troas.'
A tradition spoke of Lucian as an apostate from Christianity, like
Julian. This does not seem probable. The strange jumble of titles,
Jewish and heathen, which he heaps on Peregrinus (irpocfi-qTy]
koL diaa--
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