[Footnote*:TheemperorsHadrian，Antoninus&c。，readwithastonishmenttheapologiesofJustinMartyr，ofAristides，ofMelito，&c。SeeSt。Hieron。admag。orat。Orosius，lviii。c。
13。Eusebiussaysexpressly，thatthecauseofChristianitywasdefendedbeforethesenate，inaveryelegantdiscourse，byApolloniustheMartyr。—G。
Gibbon，inhissevererspiritofcriticism，mayhavequestionedtheauthorityofJeromeandEusebius。TherearesomedifficultiesaboutApollonius，whichHeinichennoteinloc。
Eusebiiwouldsolve，bysupposelaghimtohavebeen，asJeromestates，asenator。—M。]
[Footnote192:IfthefamousprophecyoftheSeventyWeekshadbeenallegedtoaRomanphilosopher，wouldhenothaverepliedinthewordsofCicero，\"Quaetandemistaauguratioest，annorumpotiusquamautraensiumautdierum?\"DeDivinatione，ii。30。
ObservewithwhatirreverenceLucian，inAlexandro，c。13。andhisfriendCelsusap。Origen，l。vii。p。327，expressthemselvesconcerningtheHebrewprophets。]
[Footnote193:ThephilosopherswhoderidedthemoreancientpredictionsoftheSibyls，wouldeasilyhavedetectedtheJewishandChristianforgeries，whichhavebeensotriumphantlyquotedbythefathers，fromJustinMartyrtoLactantius。WhentheSibyllineverseshadperformedtheirappointedtask，they，likethesystemofthemillennium，werequietlylaidaside。TheChristianSybilhadunluckilyfixedtheruinofRomefortheyear195，A。U。C。948。]
ButhowshallweexcusethesupineinattentionofthePaganandphilosophicworld，tothoseevidenceswhichwererepresentedbythehandofOmnipotence，nottotheirreason，buttotheirsenses?DuringtheageofChrist，ofhisapostles，andoftheirfirstdisciples，thedoctrinewhichtheypreachedwasconfirmedbyinnumerableprodigies。Thelamewalked，theblindsaw，thesickwerehealed，thedeadwereraised，daemonswereexpelled，andthelawsofNaturewerefrequentlysuspendedforthebenefitofthechurch。ButthesagesofGreeceandRometurnedasidefromtheawfulspectacle，and，pursuingtheordinaryoccupationsoflifeandstudy，appearedunconsciousofanyalterationsinthemoralorphysicalgovernmentoftheworld。UnderthereignofTiberius，thewholeearth，^194oratleastacelebratedprovinceoftheRomanempire，^195wasinvolvedinapreternaturaldarknessofthreehours。Eventhismiraculousevent，whichoughttohaveexcitedthewonder，thecuriosity，andthedevotionofmankind，passedwithoutnoticeinanageofscienceandhistory。
^196IthappenedduringthelifetimeofSenecaandtheelderPliny，whomusthaveexperiencedtheimmediateeffects，orreceivedtheearliestintelligence，oftheprodigy。Eachofthesephilosophers，inalaboriouswork，hasrecordedallthegreatphenomenaofNature，earthquakes，meteorscomets，andeclipses，whichhisindefatigablecuriositycouldcollect。^197Boththeoneandtheotherhaveomittedtomentionthegreatestphenomenontowhichthemortaleyehasbeenwitnesssincethecreationoftheglobe。AdistinctchapterofPliny^198isdesignedforeclipsesofanextraordinarynatureandunusualduration；buthecontentshimselfwithdescribingthesingulardefectoflightwhichfollowedthemurderofCaesar，when，duringthegreatestpartofayear，theorbofthesunappearedpaleandwithoutsplendor。Theseasonofobscurity，whichcannotsurelybecomparedwiththepreternaturaldarknessofthePassion，hadbeenalreadycelebratedbymostofthepoets^199andhistoriansofthatmemorableage。^200
[Footnote194:Thefathers，astheyaredrawnoutinbattlearraybyDomCalmet，DissertationssurlaBible，tom。iii。p。295—
308，seemtocoverthewholeearthwithdarkness，inwhichtheyarefollowedbymostofthemoderns。]
[Footnote195:OrigenadMatth。c。27，andafewmoderncritics，Beza，LeClerc，Lardner，&c。，aredesirousofconfiningittothelandofJudea。]
[Footnote196:ThecelebratedpassageofPhlegonisnowwiselyabandoned。WhenTertullianassuresthePagansthatthementionoftheprodigyisfoundinArcanisnotArchivisvestris，seehisApology，c。21，heprobablyappealstotheSibyllineverses，whichrelateitexactlyinthewordsoftheGospel。
Note:AccordingtosomelearnedtheologiansamisunderstandingofthetextintheGospelhasgivenrisetothismistake，whichhasemployedandweariedsomanylaboriouscommentators，thoughOrigenhadalreadytakenthepainstopreinformthem。Theexpressiondoesnotmean，theyassert，aneclipse，butanykindofobscurityoccasionedintheatmosphere，whetherbycloudsoranyothercause。AsthisobscurationofthesunrarelytookplaceinPalestine，whereinthemiddleofApriltheskywasusuallyclear，itassumed，intheeyesoftheJewsandChristians，animportanceconformabletothereceivednotion，thatthesunconcealedatmiddaywasasinisterpresage。SeeAmosviii。9，10。Thewordisoftentakeninthissensebycontemporarywriters；theApocalypsesaysthesunwasconcealed，whenspeakingofanobscurationcausedbysmokeanddust。
Revel。ix。2。Moreover，theHebrewwordophal，whichintheLXX。answerstotheGreek，signifiesanydarkness；andtheEvangelists，whohavemodelledthesenseoftheirexpressionsbythoseoftheLXX。，musthavetakenitinthesamelatitude。Thisdarkeningoftheskyusuallyprecedesearthquakes。Matt。xxvii。
51。TheHeathenauthorsfurnishusanumberofexamples，ofwhichamiraculousexplanationwasgivenatthetime。SeeOvid。
ii。v。33，l。xv。v。785。Pliny，Hist。Nat。l。ii。c30。
WetsteinhascollectedalltheseexamplesinhiseditionoftheNewTestament。
Weneednot，then，beastonishedatthesilenceofthePaganauthorsconcerningaphenomenonwhichdidnotextendbeyondJerusalem，andwhichmighthavenothingcontrarytothelawsofnature；althoughtheChristiansandtheJewsmayhaveregardeditasasinisterpresage。SeeMichaeliaNotesonNewTestament，v。
i。p。290。Paulus，CommentaryonNewTestament，iii。p。760。—
G。]
[Footnote197:Seneca，Quaest。Natur。l。i。15，vi。l。vii。17。
Plin。Hist。Natur。l。ii。]
[Footnote198:Plin。Hist。Natur。ii。30。]
[Footnote199:Virgil。Georgic。i。466。Tibullus，l。i。Eleg。v。
ver。75。OvidMetamorph。xv。782。Lucan。Pharsal。i。540。Thelastofthesepoetsplacesthisprodigybeforethecivilwar。]
[Footnote200:SeeapublicepistleofM。AntonyinJoseph。
Antiquit。xiv。12。PlutarchinCaesar。p。471。Appian。Bell。
Civil。l。iv。DionCassius，l。xlv。p。431。JuliusObsequens，c。128。HislittletreatiseisanabstractofLivy\'sprodigies。]
EndHistoryOfTheDeclineAndFallOfTheRomanEmpireEdwardGibbon，Esq。
WithnotesbytheRev。H。H。MilmanVol。2
ChapterXVI:ConductTowardsTheChristians，FromNeroToConstantine。
PartI。
Note:ThesixteenthchapterIcannothelpconsideringasaveryingeniousandspecious，butverydisgracefulextenuationofthecrueltiesperpetratedbytheRomanmagistratesagainsttheChristians。Itiswritteninthemostcontemptiblyfactiousspiritofprejudiceagainstthesufferers；itisunworthyofaphilosopherandofhumanity。LetthenarrativeofCyprian\'sdeathbeexamined。Hehadtorelatethemurderofaninnocentmanofadvancedage，andinastationdeemedvenerablebyaconsiderablebodyoftheprovincialsofAfrica，puttodeathbecauseherefusedtosacrificetoJupiter。Insteadofpointingtheindignationofposterityagainstsuchanatrociousactoftyranny，hedwells，withvisibleart，onthesmallcircumstancesofdecorumandpolitenesswhichattendedthismurder，andwhichherelateswithasmuchparadeasiftheywerethemostimportantparticularsoftheevent。
TheConductOfTheRomanGovernmentTowardsTheChristians，FromTheReignOfNeroToThatOfConstantine。
Dr。RobertsonhasbeenthesubjectofmuchblameforhisrealorsupposedlenitytowardstheSpanishmurderersandtyrantsinAmerica。ThatthesixteenthchapterofMr。G。didnotexcitethesameorgreaterdisapprobation，isaproofoftheunphilosophicalandindeedfanaticalanimosityagainstChristianity，whichwassoprevalentduringthelatterpartoftheeighteenthcentury。—Mackintosh:seeLife，i。p。244，245。]
IfweseriouslyconsiderthepurityoftheChristianreligion，thesanctityofitsmoralprecepts，andtheinnocentaswellasausterelivesofthegreaternumberofthosewhoduringthefirstagesembracedthefaithofthegospel，weshouldnaturallysuppose，thatsobenevolentadoctrinewouldhavebeenreceivedwithduereverence，evenbytheunbelievingworld；thatthelearnedandthepolite，howevertheymayderidethemiracles，wouldhaveesteemedthevirtues，ofthenewsect；andthatthemagistrates，insteadofpersecuting，wouldhaveprotectedanorderofmenwhoyieldedthemostpassiveobediencetothelaws，thoughtheydeclinedtheactivecaresofwarandgovernment。If，ontheotherhand，werecollecttheuniversaltolerationofPolytheism，asitwasinvariablymaintainedbythefaithofthepeople，theincredulityofphilosophers，andthepolicyoftheRomansenateandemperors，weareatalosstodiscoverwhatnewoffencetheChristianshadcommitted，whatnewprovocationcouldexasperatethemildindifferenceofantiquity，andwhatnewmotivescouldurgetheRomanprinces，whobeheldwithoutconcernathousandformsofreligionsubsistinginpeaceundertheirgentlesway，toinflictaseverepunishmentonanypartoftheirsubjects，whohadchosenforthemselvesasingularbutaninoffensivemodeoffaithandworship。
Thereligiouspolicyoftheancientworldseemstohaveassumedamoresternandintolerantcharacter，toopposetheprogressofChristianity。AboutfourscoreyearsafterthedeathofChrist，hisinnocentdiscipleswerepunishedwithdeathbythesentenceofaproconsulofthemostamiableandphilosophiccharacter，andaccordingtothelawsofanemperordistinguishedbythewisdomandjusticeofhisgeneraladministration。TheapologieswhichwererepeatedlyaddressedtothesuccessorsofTrajanarefilledwiththemostpatheticcomplaints，thattheChristians，whoobeyedthedictates，andsolicitedtheliberty，ofconscience，werealone，amongallthesubjectsoftheRomanempire，excludedfromthecommonbenefitsoftheirauspiciousgovernment。Thedeathsofafeweminentmartyrshavebeenrecordedwithcare；andfromthetimethatChristianitywasinvestedwiththesupremepower，thegovernorsofthechurchhavebeennolessdiligentlyemployedindisplayingthecruelty，thaninimitatingtheconduct，oftheirPaganadversaries。Toseparateifitbepossibleafewauthenticaswellasinterestingfactsfromanundigestedmassoffictionanderror，andtorelate，inaclearandrationalmanner，thecauses，theextent，theduration，andthemostimportantcircumstancesofthepersecutionstowhichthefirstChristianswereexposed，isthedesignofthepresentchapter。
[Footnote*:ThehistoryofthefirstageofChristianityisonlyfoundintheActsoftheApostles，andinordertospeakofthefirstpersecutionsexperiencedbytheChristians，thatbookshouldnaturallyhavebeenconsulted；thosepersecutions，thenlimitedtoindividualsandtoanarrowsphere，interestedonlythepersecuted，andhavebeenrelatedbythemalone。GibbonmakingthepersecutionsascendnohigherthanNero，hasentirelyomittedthosewhichprecededthisepoch，andofwhichSt。Lukehaspreservedthememory。Theonlywaytojustifythisomissionwas，toattacktheauthenticityoftheActsoftheApostles；for，ifauthentic，theymustnecessarilybeconsultedandquoted。
Now，antiquityhasleftveryfewworksofwhichtheauthenticityissowellestablishedasthatoftheActsoftheApostles。SeeLardner\'sCred。ofGospelHist。partiii。Itistherefore，withoutsufficientreason，thatGibbonhasmaintainedsilenceconcerningthenarrativeofSt。Luke，andthisomissionisnotwithoutimportance。—G。]
Thesectariesofapersecutedreligion，depressedbyfearanimatedwithresentment，andperhapsheatedbyenthusiasm，areseldominapropertemperofmindcalmlytoinvestigate，orcandidlytoappreciate，themotivesoftheirenemies，whichoftenescapetheimpartialanddiscerningviewevenofthosewhoareplacedatasecuredistancefromtheflamesofpersecution。A
reasonhasbeenassignedfortheconductoftheemperorstowardstheprimitiveChristians，whichmayappearthemorespeciousandprobableasitisdrawnfromtheacknowledgedgeniusofPolytheism。Ithasalreadybeenobserved，thatthereligiousconcordoftheworldwasprincipallysupportedbytheimplicitassentandreverencewhichthenationsofantiquityexpressedfortheirrespectivetraditionsandceremonies。Itmightthereforebeexpected，thattheywouldunitewithindignationagainstanysectorpeoplewhichshouldseparateitselffromthecommunionofmankind，andclaimingtheexclusivepossessionofdivineknowledge，shoulddisdaineveryformofworship，exceptitsown，asimpiousandidolatrous。Therightsoftolerationwereheldbymutualindulgence:theywerejustlyforfeitedbyarefusaloftheaccustomedtribute。AsthepaymentofthistributewasinflexiblyrefusedbytheJews，andbythemalone，theconsiderationofthetreatmentwhichtheyexperiencedfromtheRomanmagistrates，willservetoexplainhowfarthesespeculationsarejustifiedbyfacts，andwillleadustodiscoverthetruecausesofthepersecutionofChristianity。
WithoutrepeatingwhathasalreadybeenmentionedofthereverenceoftheRomanprincesandgovernorsforthetempleofJerusalem，weshallonlyobserve，thatthedestructionofthetempleandcitywasaccompaniedandfollowedbyeverycircumstancethatcouldexasperatethemindsoftheconquerors，andauthorizereligiouspersecutionbythemostspeciousargumentsofpoliticaljusticeandthepublicsafety。FromthereignofNerotothatofAntoninusPius，theJewsdiscoveredafierceimpatienceofthedominionofRome，whichrepeatedlybrokeoutinthemostfuriousmassacresandinsurrections。HumanityisshockedattherecitalofthehorridcrueltieswhichtheycommittedinthecitiesofEgypt，ofCyprus，andofCyrene，wheretheydweltintreacherousfriendshipwiththeunsuspectingnatives；^1andwearetemptedtoapplaudthesevereretaliationwhichwasexercisedbythearmsofthelegionsagainstaraceoffanatics，whosedireandcreduloussuperstitionseemedtorenderthemtheimplacableenemiesnotonlyoftheRomangovernment，butofhumankind。^2TheenthusiasmoftheJewswassupportedbytheopinion，thatitwasunlawfulforthemtopaytaxestoanidolatrousmaster；andbytheflatteringpromisewhichtheyderivedfromtheirancientoracles，thataconqueringMessiahwouldsoonarise，destinedtobreaktheirfetters，andtoinvestthefavoritesofheavenwiththeempireoftheearth。Itwasbyannouncinghimselfastheirlong—expecteddeliverer，andbycallingonallthedescendantsofAbrahamtoassertthehopeofIsrael，thatthefamousBarchochebascollectedaformidablearmy，withwhichheresistedduringtwoyearsthepoweroftheemperorHadrian。^3
[Footnote1:InCyrene，theymassacred220，000Greeks；inCyprus，240，000；inEgypt，averygreatmultitude。Manyoftheseunhappyvictimsweresawnasunder，accordingtoaprecedenttowhichDavidhadgiventhesanctionofhisexample。ThevictoriousJewsdevouredtheflesh，lickeduptheblood，andtwistedtheentrailslikeagirdleroundtheirbodies。SeeDionCassius，l。lxviii。
p。1145。
Note:Somecommentators，amongthemReimar，inhisnotesonDionCassiusthinkthatthehatredoftheRomansagainsttheJewshasledthehistoriantoexaggeratethecrueltiescommittedbythelatter。Don。Cass。lxviii。p。1146。—G。]
[Footnote2:Withoutrepeatingthewell—knownnarrativesofJosephus，wemaylearnfromDion，l。lxix。p。1162，thatinHadrian\'swar580，000Jewswerecutoffbythesword，besidesaninfinitenumberwhichperishedbyfamine，bydisease，andbyfire。]
[Footnote3:ForthesectoftheZealots，seeBasnage，HistoiredesJuifs，l。i。c。17；forthecharactersoftheMessiah，accordingtotheRabbis，l。v。c。11，12，13；fortheactionsofBarchochebas，l。vii。c。12。Hist。ofJewsiii。115，&c。—M。]
Notwithstandingtheserepeatedprovocations，theresentmentoftheRomanprincesexpiredafterthevictory；norweretheirapprehensionscontinuedbeyondtheperiodofwaranddanger。Bythegeneralindulgenceofpolytheism，andbythemildtemperofAntoninusPius，theJewswererestoredtotheirancientprivileges，andoncemoreobtainedthepermissionofcircumcisingtheirchildren，withtheeasyrestraint，thattheyshouldneverconferonanyforeignproselytethatdistinguishingmarkoftheHebrewrace。^4Thenumerousremainsofthatpeople，thoughtheywerestillexcludedfromtheprecinctsofJerusalem，werepermittedtoformandtomaintainconsiderableestablishmentsbothinItalyandintheprovinces，toacquirethefreedomofRome，toenjoymunicipalhonors，andtoobtainatthesametimeanexemptionfromtheburdensomeandexpensiveofficesofsociety。ThemoderationorthecontemptoftheRomansgavealegalsanctiontotheformofecclesiasticalpolicewhichwasinstitutedbythevanquishedsect。Thepatriarch，whohadfixedhisresidenceatTiberias，wasempoweredtoappointhissubordinateministersandapostles，toexerciseadomesticjurisdiction，andtoreceivefromhisdispersedbrethrenanannualcontribution。^5Newsynagogueswerefrequentlyerectedintheprincipalcitiesoftheempire；andthesabbaths，thefasts，andthefestivals，whichwereeithercommandedbytheMosaiclaw，orenjoinedbythetraditionsoftheRabbis，werecelebratedinthemostsolemnandpublicmanner。^6SuchgentletreatmentinsensiblyassuagedthesterntemperoftheJews。Awakenedfromtheirdreamofprophecyandconquest，theyassumedthebehaviorofpeaceableandindustrioussubjects。Theirirreconcilablehatredofmankind，insteadofflamingoutinactsofbloodandviolence，evaporatedinlessdangerousgratifications。Theyembracedeveryopportunityofoverreachingtheidolatersintrade；andtheypronouncedsecretandambiguousimprecationsagainstthehaughtykingdomofEdom。^7
[Footnote4:ItistoModestinus，aRomanlawyerl。vi。
regular。thatweareindebtedforadistinctknowledgeoftheEdictofAntoninus。SeeCasaubonadHist。August。p。27。]
[Footnote5:SeeBasnage，HistoiredesJuifs，l。iii。c。2，3。
TheofficeofPatriarchwassuppressedbyTheodosiustheyounger。]
[Footnote6:WeneedonlymentionthePurim，ordeliveranceoftheJewsfromherageofHaman，which，tillthereignofTheodosius，wascelebratedwithinsolenttriumphandriotousintemperance。Basnage，Hist。desJuifs，l。vi。c。17，l。viii。
c。6。]
[Footnote7:AccordingtothefalseJosephus，Tsepho，thegrandsonofEsau，conductedintoItalythearmyofEneas，kingofCarthage。AnothercolonyofIdumaeans，flyingfromtheswordofDavid，tookrefugeinthedominionsofRomulus。Forthese，orforotherreasonsofequalweight，thenameofEdomwasappliedbytheJewstotheRomanempire。