The life and work of St. Paul

PROCONSULATE OF 8ERQIUS PATJLUS.
PLINY THE YOUNGER (died circ. A.D. 117).
His famous letter to Trajan is too long for insertion. He asks whether he is to punish
persons for simply being Christians, or for crimes involved in the charge of being so (nomen
ipsum, siflagitiis cweat, anflagitia, cohaerentia nomini). He says that he has punished thosa
who, after threat of punishment, still declared themselves Christians, because he considers
that in any case their " inflexible obstinacy " should be punished. Others equally
infatuated (similis amentiae) he determined to send to Rome, being Roman citizens.
Having received an anonymous accusation which inculpated many, he tested them, if
they denied the charge of being Christians, by making them call on the gods, and offer
incense and wine to the Emperor's image, and curse Christ. If they did this he dismissed
them, because he was told that no true Christian would ever do it. Some said that they
had long abjured Christianity, but declared that the head and front of their " fault " or
"error " had simply been the custom of meeting before dawn, and singing antiphons to
Christ as a God, and binding themselves with an oath l not to steal, rob, commit
adultery, break their word, or deny the trust committed to them; after which they
separated, meeting again for a harmless meal a custom which they had dropped after
Pliny's edict forbidding guilds. Scarcely crediting this strange account of their innocent
life, he had put two deaconesses (ex duabus ancillis quae ministrae dicebantur) to the
torture, but discovered nothing beyond perverted and immoderate superstition (pravam,
immodicam). He therefore consults Trajan, because of the multitude of the accused,
who were of every age, rank, and sex, both in the city and in the country. So widely
had
' '
"
the contagion of that wretched superstition spread that the temples were almost
deserted, and there was scarcely any one to buy the victims (Ep. x. 97).
To this letter Trajan briefly replies that the Christians are to be punished if convicted,
but not to be sought out ; to be pardoned if they sacrifice, and not to be tried on
anonymous accusations.
EPIOTETUS (died A.D. 117).
" Then through madness it is possible for a man to be so disposed towards these
things" (i.e., to be indifferent to the world), "and the Galilseans through habit*
(Dissert, iv. 7).
M. AURELIUS ANTONINUS (died A.D. 180).
Speaking of readiness to die, he says that it is noble, " so that it comes from a man's
own judgment, not from mere obstinacy (&ia ij/iMiv Traparafiv), as with the Christians, but
considerately, and with dignity " (Eucheir. xi. 3).
LUCIAN (died circ. A.D. 200).
His sneers and parodies of what he calls the eav/iaorrj