ante lucem: the proper time for worship, just as it was for the beginning of the work day.
carmen: here, hymn, chant.
261. invicem: adv., alternately, responsively.
sacramento: sacramentum,oath, which is explained both by the prep. phrase non in…aliquod and by the JUSSIVE NOUN CLS. following; the term is taken by some as a reference to baptism or the Eucharist.
262. non in scelus aliquod: not (directed) toward some crime, an important point since the Christians were commonly misunderstood as some sort of criminal conspirators because of the secretive, exclusive nature of their organization and their seemingly bizarre rituals.
obstringere:to tie, bind (by an oath).
furta: furtum,theft; some see in these prohibitions a reference to the Ten Commandments.
latrocinia: latrocinium,robbery, fraud.
263. fallerent: fallere, to deceive, cheat, betray.
depositum: some trustees then, as now, misused funds entrusted to their care.
264. appellati: nom., when called upon (to return it).
morem…fuisse (265): still IND. STATE. dependent on adfirmabant.
265. cibum: cibus, food; the early Christian “agape,” or daily love-feast, involved food, hymns, scripture readings, and prayers.
promiscuum…et innoxium:ordinary and harmless.
266. quod: = et hoc.
Those who denied the charges, cursed Christ, and worshiped the gods and the emperor were released.
Qui negabant esse se Christianos aut fuisse, cum praeeunte 250 me deos appellarent et imagini tuae, quam propter hoc iusseram cum simulacris numinum adferri, ture ac vino supplicarent, praeterea maledicerent Christo—quorum nihil posse cogi di-cuntur qui sunt re vera Christiani—dimittendos esse putavi. Alii ab indice nominati esse se Christianos dixerunt et mox ne-gaverunt; 255 fuisse quidem, sed desisse, quidam ante triennium, quidam ante plures annos, non nemo etiam ante viginti. Hi quoqueomnes et imaginem tuam deorumque simulacra venerati sunt et Christo maledixerunt.
Pliny describes the Christians’ rituals as they reported them to him.
Trajan Anonymous 17th century Galleria Borghese Rome, Italy
Adfirmabant autem hanc fuisse summam vel culpae suae vel 260 erroris, quod essent soliti stato die ante lucem convenire carmenque Christo quasi deo dicere secum invicem seque sacramento non in scelus aliquod obstringere, sed ne furta, ne latrocinia, ne adulteria committerent, ne fidem fallerent, ne depositumappellati abnegarent; quibus peractis, morem sibi discedendi 265 fuisse rursusque coeundi ad capiendum cibum, promiscuum tamen et innoxium; quod ipsum facere desisse post edictum meum, quo secundum mandata tua hetaerias esse vetueram. Quo magis necessarium credidi ex duabus ancillis, quae ministrae dicebantur, quid esset veri, et per tormenta quaerere. Nihil 270 aliud inveni quam superstitionem pravam, immodicam.
267. secundum: prep. + acc., according to.
hetaerias: hetaeria,fraternity, secret society.
268. ancillis: ancilla, maid-servant, slave; these are loyal Christians, quite distinct from the recanters above.
ministrae: the Lat. translation of Greek diakonissa, deaconess.
269. et per tormenta: even by torture; Pliny apparently thought that these servants of the church were in fact slaves, and the testimony of slaves was acceptable in court only when obtained by torture.
270. pravam: distorted, perverse, wicked.
272. periclitantium: periclitari, to be in danger.
274. in periculum: i.e., to trial.
275. civitates: here, cities, which came to be a standard meaning of the word. vicos: vicus, village.
276. sisti: sistere, to set up, stop, check; with posse.
277. constat: impers., it is agreed.
templa: i.e., of the traditional Roman deities.
278. celebrari: celebrare, to visit in large numbers, to throng; i.e., as a result of the repression of the Christians.
sollemnia: solleimne,religious ceremony, rite.
passim: adv., here and there, far and wide, everywhere.
venire: veneo, venire,to go for sale, be sold.
279. victimarum: i.e., animals sacrificed to the gods.
carnem: carnis,flesh.
