Tfhio - JScholarship - Johns Hopkins University

174 TERTVLLIANI [p. 18 1, 26—
versely (Lightfoot Ignatius i^ 55), c£ Kaye 103. 110. The
character of Tiberius disproves the statement in the text (Suet.
Tib, 69 circa deos ac religiones neglegentior, quippe addictu
mathematicae plenusque persuasionis cuncta fato agi). Far from
5 encouraging foreign rites (ibid. 36), externas caeremonias, Aegyptios
ludaicosque ritus compescuit. Seneca's father seized the
pretence of this persecution to wean the young. Pythagorean
from a bloodless diet (Sen, ep. 108 § 22) in Tiberii Caesaris
principatum iuuentae tempus inciderat. alienigena tum sacra
lo mouebantur, sed inter argumenta superstitionis ponebatur quorumdam
animalium abstinentia. patre itaque meo rogante, qui
non calumniam timebat, sed philosophiam oderat, ad pristinam
consuetudinem redii. Suppose that Pilate would have endorsed
the biblical account of the trial and the Passion; is it not
15 certain that he would not have reported facts so injurious to
his character for justice ? Lardner says (p, 611) "when he -wrote
to Tiberius, he < Pilato would be very naturally led to say
something of our Lord's wonderful resurrection and ascension,
with which he could not possibly be unacquainted." We rather
20 infer from the Bible (Matt. 28 14) that the governor was kept
in ignorance of the resurrection. The Gospel of Peter supports
indeed Lardner's surmise. For writers of legends had no feeling
for the tragic irony of history. The greatest event of human
story passed unnoticed by the rulers of earth, 'not with obser-
25 vation' or pomp. If we would know how provincial governors
reported executions of Christians to head quarters, we need but
turn to Plin. ep. x 96 § 3 perseuerantes duci iussi.
p. 18 1, 30 CONSVLITE COMMENTARIOS VESTROS C, 44 pr, p.
124 1, 15 uestros enim iam contestamur actus, c, 19 p. 64 1, 8
30 reseranda antiquissimarum etiam gentium archiua. Scorpiace 15
p, 178 1,11 uitas Caesarum legimus: orieiitem fidem Romae
primus Nero cruentauit. See .the evidence in Clinton
Fasti Romani A,D, 64 and 65, Eus, h, e. ii 26 § 4 quotes our
text,
35 p. 18 1, 30 ILLIC REPERIETIS PRIMVM NEEONEM IN HANC
SECTAM CVM MAXIME EOMAE ORIENTEM CAESARIANO GLADIO
FEROCISSE on the Neronian persecution see ind, general to
Renan's seven volumes, 'persecutions' p, 213, Lightfoot 'St