the Apostle of the Gentiles; for Paul makes no reference, in any of his
writings, to the presence of such a fellow-labourer in the capital of
the Empire. In the Epistle to the Romans, containing so many salutations
to the brethren in the great city, the name of Peter is not found; and
in none of the letters written _from_ Rome is he ever mentioned. In the
last of his Epistles--the Second to Timothy--the writer says--"_only
Luke_ is with me" [156:4]--and had Peter then been in the place, Paul
would not have thus ignored the existence of the apostle of the
circumcision.

But still there is a very ancient and apparently a well authenticated
tradition that Peter suffered martyrdom at Rome; [156:5] and if, as is
not improbable, Paul met him in Jerusalem, during his visit to that city
after his release from his first imprisonment, it may be that he was
then encouraged to undertake a journey to the West. [156:6] It is not
improbable that he was recommended, at the same time, to visit the
Churches of Asia Minor for the purpose of using his influence to defeat
the efforts of the Judaizing zealots; and if, after passing through
Galatia, Bithynia, and other districts, he continued his course to Home,
we can well understand why, on reaching the seat of Empire, he addressed
his first epistle to the Christians with whom he had so recently held
intercourse. The tradition that the "Babylon" from which this letter was
written, [157:1] is no other than Rome, or the mystical Babylon of the
Apocalypse, [157:2] is unquestionably of great antiquity; [157:3] and
some of the announcements it contains are certainly quite in unison with
such an interpretation. Thus, Peter tells his brethren of "the fiery
trial" which was "to try" them, [157:4] alluding, in all likelihood, to
the extension of the Neronian persecution to the provinces; and it may
be presumed that, in the capital, and in communication with some of
"Caesar's household," he had means of information in reference to such
matters, to which elsewhere he could have had no access, Mark, who
probably arrived in Rome about the time of the death of Paul, [157:5]
was with Peter when this letter was written; [157:6] and we have thus
additional evidence that the apostle of the circumcision was now in the
Western capital. It is also worthy of remark that this epistle was
transmitted to its destination by Silas, or Silvanus, [157:7] apparently
the same individual who had so frequently accompanied