As the iron doors of the dens were opened, a large number of ferocious wild beasts, gaunt with famine, with loud roarings, and lashing their sides with rage, rushed into the enclosure. Sharp and short was the agony which this benevolent disciple of Jesus was called to endure. The famished beasts, lions and tigers, leaped upon him; and scarcely a moment elapsed ere he was torn limb from limb, and devoured. Nothing remained but one or two of the larger bones. A hundred thousand pagans raised a shout of applause; but louder was the acclaim as clustering angels gathered around the Christian who had been faithful unto death, welcoming him to his heavenly home. While these tragic scenes were transpiring in Rome, Trajan was pushing his conquests on the distant shores of the Persian Gulf. He was seized with sickness and pain; and it was soon evident that the hour of his death was near at hand. In a state of extreme dejection and languor, he bade adieu to the army, and by short stages endeavored to reach Rome. But inexorable Death could not be appeased. He had advanced only as far as Cilicia when he sank into the grave. His guilty spirit ascended to that tribunal to which he had so cruelly sent Ignatius before him. Trajan, on leaving the Persian Gulf, had intrusted the command of his army to his nephew Adrian, a man of much military renown. The army proclaimed him emperor. The senate at Rome ratified the appointment. Adrian was kind to his friends, demoniacal to his enemies. He had many virtues, and many terrible vices. Christianity was by this time very widely extended throughout the Roman world. Many new sects sprang up, and fanatical and immoral heresies arose. Hence the reputation of Christianity suffered severely. All these religious adventurers, endeavoring to establish new sects, many of them influenced by the worst of motives, assumed the name of Christians. The extravagances which they taught, and the abominations in which they indulged, in many places, caused the very name of Christian to be regarded with contempt and odium. The pagans were by no means disposed to discriminate between the true disciples of Jesus and those miserable fanatics who were called by the Christian name. As the new religion gained in strength, the antagonism of its opponents grew more virulent. Several men of letters arose, who wrote against Christianity with great force of argument, and power of sarcasm. Probably no infidel writer in any age has surpassed the Epicurean philosopher Celsus in the shrewd adaptation of his writings to influence the popular mind: indeed, from that day to this, infidel writers have done little more than repeat his arguments. He overwhelmed the Christians with calumnies and contempt.