# To the Romans 5.1

- Author: [Ignatius of Antioch](https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/authors/ignatius-of-antioch/)
- Work: [To the Romans](https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/ign-romans/) (*Ad Romanos*)
- Date: ca. 110 (range ca. 105–135) (disputed)
- Source: Lake, LCL 24:230–232; Kirsopp Lake, ed. and trans., The Apostolic Fathers, vol. 1, LCL 24 (London: Heinemann; New York: Macmillan, 1912), 172–277 (Greek text: K. Lake, The Apostolic Fathers (LCL, 1912-1913), digitized by the First Thousand Years of Greek project (Open Greek and Latin), CC BY-SA 4.0)
- Also in: PG 5:689b–692a (found by text match)
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-26
- Canonical URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/ign-romans/5/1/

Summary: On the journey Ignatius is already “fighting beasts”: his cruel guards.

## Greek text

Ἀπὸ Συρίας μέχρι Ῥώμης θηριομαχῶ, διὰ γῆς καὶ θαλάσσης, νυκτὸς καὶ ἡμέρας, δεδεμένος δέκα λεοπάρδοις, ὅ ἐστιν στρατιωτικὸν τάγμα· οἳ καὶ εὐεργετούμενοι χείρους γίνονται. ἐν δὲ τοῖς ἀδικήμασιν αὐτῶν μᾶλλον μαθητεύομαι, ἀλλʼ οὐ παρὰ τοῦτο δεδικαίωμαι.

## English translation (Claude)

From Syria to Rome I am fighting with wild beasts, by land and sea, by night and day, bound to ten leopards, that is, a detachment of soldiers, who become worse when they are treated kindly. Yet by their wrongs I am becoming more of a disciple; “but I am not justified by this.”

## Scripture references

- 1 Cor 4:4: quotation, high confidence
- 1 Cor 15:32: echo, medium confidence

## Translation notes

- “Leopards”: his military guard, described as wild animals.

## Citation (SBL)

Ign. Rom. 5.1 (PG 5:689b–692a; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/ign-romans/5/1/).