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；