geous soldier, being concerned only for his flock,
willingly suffered himself to be taken, and carried before Trajan, who
thus accosted him: "Who art thou, wicked demon, that durst transgress my
commands, and persuade others to perish?" The saint answered: "No one
calls Theophorus a wicked demon." Trajan said: "Who is Theophorus?"
Ignatius answered: "He who carrieth Christ in his breast." Trajan
replied: "And do not we seem to thee to bear the gods in our breasts,
whom we have assisting us against our enemies?" Ignatius said: "You err
in calling those gods who are no better than devils: for there is only
one God, who made heaven and earth, and all things that are in them: and
one Jesus Christ his only Son, into whose kingdom I earnestly desire to
be admitted." Trajan said: "Do not you mean him that was crucified under
Pontius Pilate?" Ignatius answered: "The very same, who by his death
has crucified with sin its author, who overcame the malice of the
devils, and has enabled those, who bear him in their heart, to trample
on them." Trajan said: "Dost thou carry about Christ within thee?"
Ignatius replied, "Yes; for it is written: _I will dwell and walk in
them_."[4] Then Trajan dictated the following sentence: "It is our will
that Ignatius, who saith that he carrieth the crucified man within
himself, be bound and conducted to Rome, to be devoured there by wild
beasts, for the entertainment of the people." The holy martyr, hearing
this sentence, cried out with joy: "I thank thee, O Lord, for
vouchsafing to honor me with this token of perfect love for thee, and to
be bound with chains of iron, in imitation of thy apostle Paul, for thy
sake." Having said this, and prayed for the church, and recommended it
with tears to God, he joyfully put on the chains, and was hurried away
by a savage troop of soldiers to be conveyed to Rome. His inflamed
desire of laying down his life for Christ, made him embrace his
sufferings with great joy.

On his arrival at Seleucia, a sea-port, about sixteen miles from
Antioch, he was put on board a ship which was to coast the southern and
western parts of Asia Minor. Why this route was pitched upon, consisting
of so many windings, preferably to a more direct passage from Seleucia
to Rome, is not known; probably to render the terror of his punishment
the more extensive, and of the greater force, to deter men from
embracing and persevering in the faith: but providence seems to have
ordained it for th