apostolicfathers0201clem - Carmel Apologetics

IGNATIUS THE MARTYR. 19
danger that it might be perverted to poHtical ends ;
and therefore it
must be suppressed at all hazards. In the correspondence between
Pliny and Trajan, which precedes the letters relating to the Christians,
two occasions arise on which the propraetor solicits the emperor's
instructions with regard to such gatherings ;
and the light thrown by
these on his dealings with the Christians is striking.
(i)
A destructive fire had broken out in Nicomedia. It had found
the people wholly unprepared. There was no hose nor engine, nor
apparatus of any kind. Pliny is anxious to guard against the recurrence
of such a calamity. Accordingly he puts this question to the
emperor' :
'
It is for you, Sire, to consider whether you think a guild of workmen
should be organized, consisting of not more than a hundred and
fifty strong. I will take care that none but workmen are admitted,
and that they do not use the privilege for any other purpose. Nor
will it be difficult to exercise surveillance, the numbers being so
small.'
We should regard this as an excess of caution, but it is far from
satisfying the emperor. Here is his reply.
'
Trajan to Pliny greeting.
It has occurred to you, following the precedents of many other
cases, that a guild of workmen could be organized among the Nicomedians.
But we must remember that this province and especially
those cities are harassed by party associations of that kind. Whatever
name we may give to them, and whatever may be the purpose, those
who have been brought together will before long form themselves into
clubs all the same'. It will therefore be better that apparatus should
be procured which may be useful to put out fires, and that the owners
of estates should be admonished to keep them in check themselves ;
and, if the occasion should require, that recourse should be had to a
general muster of the people for the purpose.'
Amisa was a free
(ii) city under a special treaty. The people presented
a petition to Pliny respecting certain convivial gatherings where
1
See Traj. et Plin. Ep. 42 (33), 43 inserts 'sodalitates' before 'que'; others
(34). insert other words; Keil supposes a la-
-
'Quodcumque nomen ex quacumque cuna after 'fuerint'; others alter 'que
causa dederimus iis, qui in idem contracti brevi' into 'quamvis breves'; but plainly
fuerint, hetaeriae que (or quae) brevifient.' it should be read 'hetaeriae aeque brevi
So the passage stood in the ms. Doring Rent,' the ae being repeated.
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