w no
longer a Christian, but a Cynic), c. 41, [Greek: phasi de pasais schedon
tais endoxois polesin epistolas diapempsai auton, diathekas tinas kai
paraineseis kai nomous; kai tinas epi touto presbeutas ton hetairon
echeirotonese nekrangelous kai _nerterodromous_ prosagoreusas.] This
description exactly corresponds to the letters and delegates of
Ignatius. See especially _Polyc._ 7, [Greek: _cheirotonesai_ tina ...
hos dunesetai _theodromous_ kaleisthai.] The Christian bystanders
reported that a dove had been seen to issue from the body of Polycarp
when he was martyred at the stake (_Martyr. Polyc._ c. 16). Similarly
Lucian represents himself as spreading a report, which was taken up and
believed by the Cynic's disciples, that a vulture was seen to rise from
the pyre of Peregrinus when he consigned himself to a voluntary death by
burning. It would seem that the satirist here is laughing at the
credulity of these simple Christians, with whose history he appears to
have had at least a superficial acquaintance.

[77:2] As a corollary to this argument, our author says that the
Epistles themselves bear none of the marks of composition under such
circumstances. It is sufficient to reply that even the Vossian Epistles
are more abrupt than the letters written by St Paul, when chained to a
soldier. The abruptness of the Curetonian Epistles is still
greater--indeed so great as to render them almost unintelligible in
parts. I write this notwithstanding that our author, following Cureton,
has expressed a different opinion respecting the style of the Curetonian
Letters.

Our author speaks also of the length of the letters. The Curetonian
Letters occupy five large octavo pages in Cureton's translation, p. 227.
Even the seven Vossian Letters might have been dictated in almost as
many hours; and it would be strange indeed if, by bribe or entreaty,
Ignatius could not have secured this indulgence from one or other of his
guards during a journey which must have occupied months rather than
weeks. He also describes the Epistles as purporting to be written 'at
every stage of his journey.' 'Every stage' must be interpreted 'two
stages,' for all the Seven Vossian Epistles profess to have been written
either at Smyrna or at Troas.

[78:1] This, as more than one writer has pointed out, seems to be the
meaning of [Greek: oi kai euergetoumenoi cheirous ginontai] Ign. _Rom._
5.

[78:2] _S.R._ I. p. 268.

[79:1] _A Few Words on Supernatural R