239. in: here, in the case of.
tamquam: here, simply as.
deferebantur: a technical term for accusations lodged by individuals; Pliny himself was not actively seeking prosecutions but dealt with those that were brought before him.
241. iterum ac tertio: adv. modifying interrogavi; though it did offer the defendant further opportunity to recant, the repeated questioning was standard procedure and not an extraordinary attempt on Pliny’s part to show mercy.
242. duci: sc. ad supplicium, i.e., execution (generally decapitation by sword).
qualecumque esset (243):whatever it was.
244. amentiae: amentia, madness, folly.
245. adnotavi: a technical term for an entry in the official government records.
urbem: ordinarily a Roman citizen could not be executed without a trial in Rome (see the case of Gavius in “Cicero’s Verrine Orations,” above).
246. tractatu: tractatus, handling, treatment, i.e., of this matter.
diffundente: diffundere,to pour forth, spread.
crimine:charge, accusation; not crime.
species: i.e., of cases.
247. inciderunt: here, occurred.
libellus sine auctore: i.e., an anonymous pamphlet.
10.96
As governor of the eastern province of Bithynia (A.D. 109 or 110 until his death in ca. 112), Pliny writes to the emperor Trajan, asking his advice on handling the spread of Christianity among the provincials; our earliest non-Christian account of the religion’s practices, this very famous letter (known to Jerome and other early church fathers) was written from either Amisus or Amastris between September 18 and January 3 of the second year of his governorship. The selection following this reading is Trajan’s letter of reply.
C. Plinius Traiano Imperatori
Pliny’s perplexity about what to do concerning the Christians.
230 Sollemne est mihi, domine, omnia de quibus dubito ad te referre. Quis enim potest melius vel cunctationem meam regere vel ignorantiam instruere? Cognitionibus de Christianis interfui numquam; ideo nescio quid et quatenus aut puniri soleat aut quaeri. Nec mediocriter haesitavi sitne aliquod discrimen aetatum, 235 an quamlibet teneri nihil a robustioribus differant; detur paenitentiae venia, an ei, qui omnino Christianus fuit, desisse non prosit; nomen ipsum, si flagitiis careat, an flagitia cohaerentia nomini puniantur.
While not actively seeking indictments, Pliny has tried those duly charged with being Christians and has executed the unrepentant.
Interim in iis qui ad me tamquam Christiani deferebantur, 240 hunc sum secutus modum. Interrogavi ipsos an essent Christiani. Confitentes iterum ac tertio interrogavi, supplicium minatus; perseverantes duci iussi. Neque enim dubitabam, qualecumque esset quod faterentur, pertinaciam certe et inflexibilem obstinationem debere puniri. Fuerunt alii similis amentiae, quos, 245 quia cives Romani erant, adnotavi in urbem remittendos. Mox ipso tractatu, ut fieri solet, diffundente se crimine, plures species inciderunt. Propositus est libellus sine auctore multorum nomina continens.
249. praeeunte me (250): as today an official commonly leads a person or a group in the administration of an oath, dictating the words.
250. appellarent: with deos (i.e., the official state gods), invoked.
imagini: dat. with supplicarent, worshiped; though this form of emperor-worship was to most Romans hardly more than an oath of allegiance, it was offensive to Christians because of their intense monotheism.
propter hoc: i.e., for the purpose of the interrogation.
251. simulacris: simulacrum, image, statue.
numinum: numen,deity, god.
ture: tus,incense.
252. maledicerent: maledicere, + dat., to curse.
quorum nihil:none of which things.
253. re vera: in true fact = truly.
254. indice: index, witness, informer.
255. fuisse…desisse: with quidam (dixerunt se).
triennium: ACC. OF DURATION OF TIME with ante, three years earlier.
256. non nemo: (at least) one person.
hi…maledixerunt (258): since Pliny does not report here his decision regarding this group of apostates, he had perhaps detained them while awaiting Trajan’s reply.
260. quod: that, introducing a noun cl. in appos. with summam; what follows is very important evidence for the ritual of the early Christian church.
essent soliti: subjunct. in a SUBORDINATE CL. IN IND. STATE.
stato die:on a fixed day, i.e., Sunday.
