apostolicfathers0201clem - Carmel Apologetics

.
POLYCARP
THE ELDER. 459
directly responsible for these sufiferings. 'Almost alone of all emperors,'
says Capitolinus, ' he lived without any bloodshed either of citizen or
of foe,' notwithstanding his protracted reign of twenty-two years but
;
he adds significantly
— and the qualification covers these persecutions of
the Christians— 'quantum ad se ipsum pertinet,'
'so far as it rested
with himself {Pius 13).
He was clement even to indulgence both by
temper and on principle'. The Christian apologists praise his tolerant
spirit. Melito more especially, addressing his successor M. Aurelius,
states that he wrote to the Greek towns generally (Trpo TraVras "EXXTyvas),
among which he especially mentions Larissa, Thessalonica, and Athens,
prohibidng any irregularities
and excesses (/xTjSev vewrept^eti/)
in the
treatment of the Christians". We are reminded by the mention of this
last city, that Dionysius of Corinth names PubUus bishop of Athens as
having suffered martyrdom, apparently during this reign ^ The letter of
Antoninus to the Athenians may have been written on the occasion of
a popular outbreak which led to the death of PubHus. A rescript
to the Confederation of Asia is extant bearing the name of this emperor
in which he goes to greater lengths in the direction of tolerance; but
the authenticity of this document is justly disputed*. Yet, though
certainly spurious, it represents the conception of him entertained by
Christians in the generations next succeeding his own. At the same
time, though his natural humanity would lead him to treat the Christians
with some tenderness, he would have no religious sympathy with them.
When he is
compared with Numa, the comparison does not stop short
at his clemency and justice, but extends also to his patronage of
religious ceremonies ^ In accordance with this representation, the inscriptions
commemorate his benefactions for these purposes". The
^
M. Antonin. i. i6 Trapd tov -rrarpos sq, Et's ^aaiKea, is drawn from Pius, and
t6 TJixepof K.T.X.; Capitol. A'mj 2 ' moribus great stress is laid on his (pLXwdfjuwia
Clemens '...'vera natura clementissimus', (p. 105 sq).
10 'ad indulgentias pronissimus fuit', 13 For the story of Arrius Antoninus,
'cum omnes ejus pietatem, clementiam... related by Tertullian ScaJ). 5, see below
laudarent'; Aurelius Victor £piL 15 p. 539. The identification of the pro-
•Tantae bonitatis is principatus fuit ut consul so called with Antoninus Pius,
haud dubie sine exemplo vixerit', 'adeo who before his exaltation bore this name,
mansuetus ut instantibus patribus etc.', is hardly consistent with the well-known
'usque eo autem mitis fuit ut etc.'; humanity of this emperor.
Eutrop. Brev. 2 viii. 4 'nulli acerbus, ggg bgiow, p. 536.
cunctis benignus'; Dion Cass. Ixix. 20 ^
Euseh. II. £. iv. 23.
wpq.ov, eueLKTOP (words put into the mouth *
This document is discussed below,
of Hadrian); Trebell. Poll. Tyr. Trig. 6 p. 481.
^
'non Antoninum in dementia '; Ammian. See Capitol. Pius 13, quoted above
Marc. XXX. 8. 12 'serenus et clemens'. p. 456, note i.
The description in Aristides, (9/. i. ®
p. 98 Corp. Inscr. Lai. vi. looi, s.p.q.r.