ButtheJewspossessedverypowerfuladvocatesinthepalace，andevenintheheartofthetyrant；hiswifeandmistress，thebeautifulPoppaea，andafavoriteplayeroftheraceofAbraham，whohadalreadyemployedtheirintercessioninbehalfoftheobnoxiouspeople。^40Intheirroomitwasnecessarytooffersomeothervictims，anditmighteasilybesuggestedthat，althoughthegenuinefollowersofMoseswereinnocentofthefireofRome，therehadarisenamongthemanewandpernicioussectofGalilaeans，whichwascapableofthemosthorridcrimes。UndertheappellationofGalilaeans，twodistinctionsofmenwereconfounded，themostoppositetoeachotherintheirmannersandprinciples；thediscipleswhohadembracedthefaithofJesusofNazareth，^41andthezealotswhohadfollowedthestandardofJudastheGaulonite。^42Theformerwerethefriends，thelatterweretheenemies，ofhumankind；andtheonlyresemblancebetweenthemconsistedinthesameinflexibleconstancy，which，inthedefenceoftheircause，renderedtheminsensibleofdeathandtortures。ThefollowersofJudas，whoimpelledtheircountrymenintorebellion，weresoonburiedundertheruinsofJerusalem；whilstthoseofJesus，knownbythemorecelebratednameofChristians，diffusedthemselvesovertheRomanempire。HownaturalwasitforTacitus，inthetimeofHadrian，toappropriatetotheChristianstheguiltandthesufferings，whichhemight，withfargreatertruthandjustice，haveattributedtoasectwhoseodiousmemorywasalmostextinguished!4。Whateveropinionmaybeentertainedofthisconjecture，foritisnomorethanaconjecture，itisevidentthattheeffect，aswellasthecause，ofNero\'spersecution，wasconfinedtothewallsofRome，^43^!thatthereligioustenetsoftheGalilaeansorChristians，werenevermadeasubjectofpunishment，orevenofinquiry；andthat，astheideaoftheirsufferingswasforalongtimeconnectedwiththeideaofcrueltyandinjustice，themoderationofsucceedingprincesinclinedthemtospareasect，oppressedbyatyrant，whoseragehadbeenusuallydirectedagainstvirtueandinnocence。
[Footnote35:Sueton。inNerone，c。16。Theepithetofmalefica，whichsomesagaciouscommentatorshavetranslatedmagical，isconsideredbythemorerationalMosheimasonlysynonymoustotheexitiabilisofTacitus。]
[Footnote36:ThepassageconcerningJesusChrist，whichwasinsertedintothetextofJosephus，betweenthetimeofOrigenandthatofEusebius，mayfurnishanexampleofnovulgarforgery。Theaccomplishmentoftheprophecies，thevirtues，miracles，andresurrectionofJesus，aredistinctlyrelated。
JosephusacknowledgesthathewastheMessiah，andhesitateswhetherheshouldcallhimaman。Ifanydoubtcanstillremainconcerningthiscelebratedpassage，thereadermayexaminethepointedobjectionsofLeFevre，Havercamp。Joseph。tom。ii。p。
267—273，thelaboredanswersofDaubuz，p。187—232，andthemasterlyreplyBibliothequeAncienneetModerne，tom。vii。p。
237—288ofananonymouscritic，whomIbelievetohavebeenthelearnedAbbedeLonguerue。
Note:ThemoderneditorofEusebius，Heinichen，hasadopted，andablysupported，anotion，whichhadbeforesuggesteditselftotheeditor，thatthispassageisnotaltogetheraforgery，butinterpolatedwithmanyadditionalclauses。Heinichenhasendeavoredtodisengagetheoriginaltextfromtheforeignandmorerecentmatter。—M。]
[Footnote37:SeethelivesofTacitusbyLipsiusandtheAbbedelaBleterie，DictionnairedeBayleal\'articleParticleTacite，andFabricius，Biblioth。Latintem。Latin。tom。ii。p。386，edit。
Ernest。Ernst。]
[Footnote38:PrincipatumDiviNervae，etimperiumTrajani，uberiorem，securioremquemateriamsenectutiseposui。Tacit。
Hist。i。]
[Footnote39:SeeTacit。Annal。ii。61，iv。4。
Note:TheperusalofthispassageofTacitusaloneissufficient，asIhavealreadysaid，toshowthattheChristiansectwasnotsoobscureasnotalreadytohavebeenrepressed，repressa，andthatitdidnotpassforinnocentintheeyesoftheRomans。—G。]
[Footnote40:Theplayer\'snamewasAliturus。Throughthesamechannel，Josephus，devitasua，c。2，abouttwoyearsbefore，hadobtainedthepardonandreleaseofsomeJewishpriests，whowereprisonersatRome。]
[Footnote41:ThelearnedDr。LardnerJewishandHeathenTestimonies，volii。p。102，103hasprovedthatthenameofGalilaeanswasaveryancient，andperhapstheprimitiveappellationoftheChristians。]
[Footnote42:Joseph。Antiquitat。xviii。1，2。Tillemont，RuinedesJuifs，p。742ThesonsofJudaswerecrucifiedinthetimeofClaudius。HisgrandsonEleazar，afterJerusalemwastaken，defendedastrongfortresswith960ofhismostdesperatefollowers。Whenthebatteringramhadmadeabreach，theyturnedtheirswordsagainsttheirwivestheirchildren，andatlengthagainsttheirownbreasts。Theydiestothelastman。
[Footnote*:Thisconjectureisentirelydevoid，notmerelyofverisimilitude，butevenofpossibility。TacituscouldnotbedeceivedinappropriatingtotheChristiansofRometheguiltandthesufferingswhichhemighthaveattributedwithfargreatertruthtothefollowersofJudastheGaulonite，forthelatterneverwenttoRome。Theirrevolt，theirattempts，theiropinions，theirwars，theirpunishment，hadnoothertheatrebutJudaeaBasn。Hist。des。Juifs，t。i。p。491。MoreoverthenameofChristianshadlongbeengiveninRometothedisciplesofJesus；andTacitusaffirmstoopositively，referstoodistinctlytoitsetymology，toallowustosuspectanymistakeonhispart。
—G。
M。Guizot\'sexpressionsarenotintheleasttoostrongagainstthisstrangeimaginationofGibbon；itmaybedoubtedwhetherthefollowersofJudaswereknownasasectunderthenameofGalilaeans。—M。]
[Footnote43:SeeDodwell。Paucitat。Mart。l。xiii。TheSpanishInscriptioninGruter。p。238，No。9，isamanifestandacknowledgedforgerycontrivedbythatnotedimposter。CyriacusofAncona，toflattertheprideandprejudicesoftheSpaniards。
SeeFerreras，HistoireD\'Espagne，tom。i。p。192。]
[Footnote!:M。Guizot，ontheauthorityofSulpiciusSeverus，ii。37，andofOrosius，viii。5，inclinestotheopinionofthosewhoextendthepersecutiontotheprovinces。Mosheimratherleanstothatsideonthismuchdisputedquestion，c。xxxv。
NeandertakestheviewofGibbon，whichisingeneralthatofthemostlearnedwriters。Thereisindeednoevidence，whichIcandiscover，ofitsreachingtheprovinces；andtheapparentsecurity，atleastasregardshislife，withwhichSt。Paulpursuedhistravelsduringthisperiod，affordsatleastastronginferenceagainstarigidandgeneralinquisitionagainsttheChristiansinotherpartsoftheempire。—M。]
Itissomewhatremarkablethattheflamesofwarconsumed，almostatthesametime，thetempleofJerusalemandtheCapitolofRome；^44anditappearsnolesssingular，thatthetributewhichdevotionhaddestinedtotheformer，shouldhavebeenconvertedbythepowerofanassaultingvictortorestoreandadornthesplendorofthelatter。^45TheemperorsleviedageneralcapitationtaxontheJewishpeople；andalthoughthesumassessedontheheadofeachindividualwasinconsiderable，theuseforwhichitwasdesigned，andtheseveritywithwhichitwasexacted，wereconsideredasanintolerablegrievance。^46SincetheofficersoftherevenueextendedtheirunjustclaimtomanypersonswhowerestrangerstothebloodorreligionoftheJews，itwasimpossiblethattheChristians，whohadsooftenshelteredthemselvesundertheshadeofthesynagogue，shouldnowescapethisrapaciouspersecution。Anxiousastheyweretoavoidtheslightestinfectionofidolatry，theirconscienceforbadethemtocontributetothehonorofthatdaemonwhohadassumedthecharacteroftheCapitolineJupiter。AsaverynumerousthoughdecliningpartyamongtheChristiansstilladheredtothelawofMoses，theireffortstodissembletheirJewishoriginweredetectedbythedecisivetestofcircumcision；^47norweretheRomanmagistratesatleisuretoinquireintothedifferenceoftheirreligioustenets。AmongtheChristianswhowerebroughtbeforethetribunaloftheemperor，or，asitseemsmoreprobable，beforethatoftheprocuratorofJudaea，twopersonsaresaidtohaveappeared，distinguishedbytheirextraction，whichwasmoretrulynoblethanthatofthegreatestmonarchs。
ThesewerethegrandsonsofSt。Judetheapostle，whohimselfwasthebrotherofJesusChrist。^48TheirnaturalpretensionstothethroneofDavidmightperhapsattracttherespectofthepeople，andexcitethejealousyofthegovernor；butthemeannessoftheirgarb，andthesimplicityoftheiranswers，soonconvincedhimthattheywereneitherdesirousnorcapableofdisturbingthepeaceoftheRomanempire。Theyfranklyconfessedtheirroyalorigin，andtheirnearrelationtotheMessiah；buttheydisclaimedanytemporalviews，andprofessedthathiskingdom，whichtheydevoutlyexpected，waspurelyofaspiritualandangelicnature。Whentheywereexaminedconcerningtheirfortuneandoccupation，theyshowedtheirhands，hardenedwithdailylabor，anddeclaredthattheyderivedtheirwholesubsistencefromthecultivationofafarmnearthevillageofCocaba，oftheextentofabouttwenty—fourEnglishacres，^49andofthevalueofninethousanddrachms，orthreehundredpoundssterling。ThegrandsonsofSt。Judeweredismissedwithcompassionandcontempt。^50
[Footnote44:TheCapitolwasburntduringthecivilwarbetweenVitelliusandVespasian，the19thofDecember，A。D。69。Onthe10thofAugust，A。D。70，thetempleofJerusalemwasdestroyedbythehandsoftheJewsthemselves，ratherthanbythoseoftheRomans。]
[Footnote45:ThenewCapitolwasdedicatedbyDomitian。Sueton。
inDomitian。c。5。PlutarchinPoplicola，tom。i。p。230，edit。
Bryant。Thegildingalonecost12，000talentsabovetwomillionsandahalf。ItwastheopinionofMartial，l。ix。
Epigram3，thatiftheemperorhadcalledinhisdebts，Jupiterhimself，eventhoughhehadmadeageneralauctionofOlympus，wouldhavebeenunabletopaytwoshillingsinthepound。]
[Footnote46:Withregardtothetribute，seeDionCassius，l。
lxvi。p。1082，withReimarus\'snotes。Spanheim，deUsuNumismatum，tom。ii。p。571；andBasnage，HistoiredesJuifs，l。
vii。c。2。]
[Footnote47:SuetoniusinDomitian。c。12hadseenanoldmanofninetypubliclyexaminedbeforetheprocurator\'stribunal。
ThisiswhatMartialcalls，Mentulatributisdamnata。]
[Footnote48:Thisappellationwasatfirstunderstoodinthemostobvioussense，anditwassupposed，thatthebrothersofJesuswerethelawfulissueofJosephandMary。AdevoutrespectforthevirginityofthemotherofGodsuggestedtotheGnostics，andafterwardstotheorthodoxGreeks，theexpedientofbestowingasecondwifeonJoseph。TheLatinsfromthetimeofJerome
improvedonthathint，assertedtheperpetualcelibacyofJoseph，andjustifiedbymanysimilarexamplesthenewinterpretationthatJude，aswellasSimonandJames，whowerestyledthebrothersofJesusChrist，wereonlyhisfirstcousins。SeeTillemont，Mem。Ecclesiat。tom。i。partiii。:andBeausobre，Hist。CritiqueduManicheisme，l。ii。c。2。]
[Footnote49:Thirty—nine，squaresofahundredfeeteach，which，ifstrictlycomputed，wouldscarcelyamounttonineacres。]
[Footnote50:Eusebius，iii。20。ThestoryistakenfromHegesippus。]
ButalthoughtheobscurityofthehouseofDavidmightprotectthemfromthesuspicionsofatyrant，thepresentgreatnessofhisownfamilyalarmedthepusillanimoustemperofDomitian，whichcouldonlybeappeasedbythebloodofthoseRomanswhomheeitherfeared，orhated，oresteemed。OfthetwosonsofhisuncleFlaviusSabinus，^51theelderwassoonconvictedoftreasonableintentions，andtheyounger，whoborethenameofFlaviusClemens，wasindebtedforhissafetytohiswantofcourageandability。^52Theemperorforalongtime，distinguishedsoharmlessakinsmanbyhisfavorandprotection，bestowedonhimhisownnieceDomitilla，adoptedthechildrenofthatmarriagetothehopeofthesuccession，andinvestedtheirfatherwiththehonorsoftheconsulship。
[Footnote51:SeethedeathandcharacterofSabinusinTacitus，Hist。iii。74Sabinuswastheelderbrother，and，tilltheaccessionofVespasian，hadbeenconsideredastheprincipalsupportoftheFlaviumfamily]
[Footnote52:FlaviumClementempatruelemsuumcontemptissimoeinertice……extenuissimasuspicioneinteremit。Sueton。inDomitian。c。15。]
Buthehadscarcelyfinishedthetermofhisannualmagistracy，when，onaslightpretence，hewascondemnedandexecuted；DomitillawasbanishedtoadesolateislandonthecoastofCampania；^53andsentenceseitherofdeathorofconfiscationwerepronouncedagainstagreatnumberofwhowereinvolvedinthesameaccusation。TheguiltimputedtotheirchargewasthatofAtheismandJewishmanners；^54asingularassociationofideas，whichcannotwithanyproprietybeappliedexcepttotheChristians，astheywereobscurelyandimperfectlyviewedbythemagistratesandbythewritersofthatperiod。Onthestrengthofsoprobableaninterpretation，andtooeagerlyadmittingthesuspicionsofatyrantasanevidenceoftheirhonorablecrime，thechurchhasplacedbothClemensandDomitillaamongitsfirstmartyrs，andhasbrandedthecrueltyofDomitianwiththenameofthesecondpersecution。Butthispersecutionifitdeservesthatepithetwasofnolongduration。AfewmonthsafterthedeathofClemens，andthebanishmentofDomitilla，Stephen，afreedmanbelongingtothelatter，whohadenjoyedthefavor，butwhohadnotsurelyembracedthefaith，ofhismistress，assassinatedtheemperorinhispalace。^55ThememoryofDomitianwascondemnedbythesenate；hisactswererescinded；hisexilesrecalled；andunderthegentleadministrationofNerva，whiletheinnocentwererestoredtotheirrankandfortunes，eventhemostguiltyeitherobtainedpardonorescapedpunishment。^56
[Footnote53:TheIsleofPandataria，accordingtoDion。
BruttiusPraesensapudEuseb。iii。18banisheshertothatofPontia，whichwasnotfardistantfromtheother。Thatdifference，andamistake，eitherofEusebiusorofhistranscribers，havegivenoccasiontosupposetwoDomitillas，thewifeandthenieceofClemens。SeeTillemont，MemoiresEcclesiastiques，tom。ii。p。224。]
[Footnote54:Dion。l。lxvii。p。1112。IftheBruttiusPraesens，fromwhomitisprobablethathecollectedthisaccount，wasthecorrespondentofPliny，Epistol。vii。3，wemayconsiderhimasacontemporarywriter。]
[Footnote*:Thisisanuncandidsarcasm。ThereisnothingtoconnectStephenwiththereligionofDomitilla。Hewasaknavedetectedinthemalversationofmoney—interceptarumpecuniaramreus。—M。]
[Footnote55:Suet。inDomit。c。17。PhilostratusinVit。
Apollon。l。viii。]
[Footnote56:Dion。l。lxviii。p。1118。Plin。Epistol。iv。22。]
II。Abouttenyearsafterwards，underthereignofTrajan，theyoungerPlinywasintrustedbyhisfriendandmasterwiththegovernmentofBithyniaandPontus。Hesoonfoundhimselfatalosstodeterminebywhatruleofjusticeoroflawheshoulddirecthisconductintheexecutionofanofficethemostrepugnanttohishumanity。PlinyhadneverassistedatanyjudicialproceedingsagainsttheChristians，withwhoselamealoneheseemstobeacquainted；andhewastotallyuninformedwithregardtothenatureoftheirguilt，themethodoftheirconviction，andthedegreeoftheirpunishment。Inthisperplexityhehadrecoursetohisusualexpedient，ofsubmittingtothewisdomofTrajananimpartial，and，insomerespects，afavorableaccountofthenewsuperstition，requestingtheemperor，thathewouldcondescendtoresolvehisdoubts，andtoinstructhisignorance。^57ThelifeofPlinyhadbeenemployedintheacquisitionoflearning，andinthebusinessoftheworld。
SincetheageofnineteenhehadpleadedwithdistinctioninthetribunalsofRome，^58filledaplaceinthesenate，hadbeeninvestedwiththehonorsoftheconsulship，andhadformedverynumerousconnectionswitheveryorderofmen，bothinItalyandintheprovinces。Fromhisignorancethereforewemayderivesomeusefulinformation。Wemayassureourselves，thatwhenheacceptedthegovernmentofBithynia，therewerenogenerallawsordecreesofthesenateinforceagainsttheChristians；thatneitherTrajannoranyofhisvirtuouspredecessors，whoseedictswerereceivedintothecivilandcriminaljurisprudence，hadpubliclydeclaredtheirintentionsconcerningthenewsect；andthatwhateverproceedingshadbeencarriedonagainsttheChristians，therewerenoneofsufficientweightandauthoritytoestablishaprecedentfortheconductofaRomanmagistrate。
[Footnote57:Plin。Epistol。x。97。ThelearnedMosheimexpresseshimselfp。147，232withthehighestapprobationofPliny\'smoderateandcandidtemper。NotwithstandingDr。Lardner\'ssuspicionsseeJewishandHeathenTestimonies，vol。ii。p。46，
Iamunabletodiscoveranybigotryinhislanguageorproceedings。
Note:YetthehumanePlinyputtwofemaleattendants，probablydeaconessestothetorture，inordertoascertaintherealnatureofthesesuspiciousmeetings:necessariumcredidi，exduabusancillis，quaeministraedicebantorquidassetverietpertormentaquaerere。—M。]
[Footnote58:Plin。Epist。v。8。HepleadedhisfirstcauseA。
D。81；theyearafterthefamouseruptionsofMountVesuvius，inwhichhisunclelosthislife。]
ChapterXVI:ConductTowardsTheChristians，FromNeroToConstantine。