Gibbon\'smisrepresentationliesintheambiguousexpression\"toooften。\"WeretheepistlesarrangedinadifferentmannerintheeditionconsultedbyM。Guizot?—M。]

　　Thesoberdiscretionofthepresentagewillmorereadilycensurethanadmire，butcanmoreeasilyadmirethanimitate，thefervorofthefirstChristians，who，accordingtothelivelyexpressionsofSulpiciusSeverus，desiredmartyrdomwithmoreeagernessthanhisowncontemporariessolicitedabishopric。^92

　　TheepistleswhichIgnatiuscomposedashewascarriedinchainsthroughthecitiesofAsia，breathesentimentsthemostrepugnanttotheordinaryfeelingsofhumannature。HeearnestlybeseechestheRomans，thatwhenheshouldbeexposedintheamphitheatre，theywouldnot，bytheirkindbutunseasonableintercession，deprivehimofthecrownofglory；andhedeclareshisresolutiontoprovokeandirritatethewildbeastswhichmightbeemployedastheinstrumentsofhisdeath。^93Somestoriesarerelatedofthecourageofmartyrs，whoactuallyperformedwhatIgnatiushadintended；whoexasperatedthefuryofthelions，pressedtheexecutionertohastenhisoffice，cheerfullyleapedintothefireswhichwerekindledtoconsumethem，anddiscoveredasensationofjoyandpleasureinthemidstofthemostexquisitetortures。Severalexampleshavebeenpreservedofazealimpatientofthoserestraintswhichtheemperorshadprovidedforthesecurityofthechurch。TheChristianssometimessuppliedbytheirvoluntarydeclarationthewantofanaccuser，rudelydisturbedthepublicserviceofpaganism，^94andrushingincrowdsroundthetribunalofthemagistrates，calleduponthemtopronounceandtoinflictthesentenceofthelaw。ThebehavioroftheChristianswastooremarkabletoescapethenoticeoftheancientphilosophers；buttheyseemtohaveconsidereditwithmuchlessadmirationthanastonishment。Incapableofconceivingthemotiveswhichsometimestransportedthefortitudeofbelieversbeyondtheboundsofprudenceorreason，theytreatedsuchaneagernesstodieasthestrangeresultofobstinatedespair，ofstupidinsensibility，orofsuperstitiousfrenzy。^95

　　\"Unhappymen!\"exclaimedtheproconsulAntoninustotheChristiansofAsia；\"unhappymen!ifyouarethuswearyofyourlives，isitsodifficultforyoutofindropesandprecipices?\"

　　^96Hewasextremelycautiousasitisobservedbyalearnedandpicushistorianofpunishingmenwhohadfoundnoaccusersbutthemselves，theImperiallawsnothavingmadeanyprovisionforsounexpectedacase:condemningthereforeafewasawarningtotheirbrethren，hedismissedthemultitudewithindignationandcontempt。^97Notwithstandingthisrealoraffecteddisdain，theintrepidconstancyofthefaithfulwasproductiveofmoresalutaryeffectsonthosemindswhichnatureorgracehaddisposedfortheeasyreceptionofreligioustruth。Onthesemelancholyoccasions，thereweremanyamongtheGentileswhopitied，whoadmired，andwhowereconverted。Thegenerousenthusiasmwascommunicatedfromthesufferertothespectators；

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