apostolicfathers0201clem - Carmel Apologetics

56 EPISTLES OF S. IGNATIUS.
of Pliny's letters, relating to the era of Trajan and to a part of the world where the
spread of Christianity had been exceptionally rapid, ought not to create any surprise.
Nor again is there sufficient reason for adopting the suspicion of De la Berge (Essai
sur le
Regne de Trajan p. 209) that Trajan's reply, as we possess it, is 'only an extract
from a longer letter or from several letters which issued from the imperial chancery'.
It is true that the emperor does not in so many words reply to Pliny's query, whether
tender age should be more leniently treated ;
but he says generally that no universal
law can be laid down, and in fact refers all such matters to Pliny's common sense.
And again, though he does not directly reply to the question whether the mere
profession of Christianity ('nomen ipsum') was a sufficient ground for punishment
or not, yet indirectly he gives the answer. Pliny had acted as if Christianity were
forbidden in itself— independently of any offences which individual Christians might
have committed— and Trajan tells him that he had acted rightly.
letter was written in the autumn or winter of A.D. 112, as Mommsen
Pliny's
seems to have shown; see the note on Mart. Ign. Rom. 11. His title was 'Legatus
pro praetore provinciae Ponti et Bithyniae consulari pot estate' (see Marquardt
Romische Staatsverzaaltimg
i. p. 194; Gsell Mela7tges d'Archeol. et d''Histoire Vll.
p. 376 sq, 1S87), and he was entrusted with this province because its condition was
such as to need special attention at that time {Plin. et Traj. Ep. 41 [32], 118 [117]).
On his government generally see De la Berge I.e. p. 119 sq.
Like his master Trajan (see above, p. 4sq), Pliny has been claimed as a Christian
convert on the strength of his comparative leniency and moderation of language.
The late and unauthentic Acts of Titus, ascribed to Zenas (Tit. iii. 13), so represented
him (see Fabricius Bibl. Latin. II. p. 418 sq, ed. Ernesti, Cod. Apocr. Nov.
Test. II. p. 831 sq); and in accordance with the story there told we read in the
spurious Chronicon of L. Flavius Dexter s. ann. 220 ' Is Titus converterat ad fidem
Plinium Juniorem, ex Bithynia Pontoque redeuntem, in insula Creta ubi jussu Trajani
Jovi templum extruxerat. Nee desunt qui putent septima Sextilis ad Novocomum
esse passum.' These representations cannot be unconnected with a notice on the
Martyrol. Roman, under the 7th of August, ' Novocomi passio sanctorum martyrum
Carpophori, Exanthi, Cassii, Secundi, et Licinii, qui in confessione Christi capita
truncati sunt.' This notice may have been the cause of the story about Pliny. The
Secundus here mentioned might then be supposed to have been a freedman of the
family of Pliny. But in older authorities the place of martyrdom is differently given.
Thus in the Liberian Catalogue we have among the depositions 'vii Id. Aug.
Secundi, Carpophori, Victorini, et Severiani, Albano et Ostiense,' and in the Hieronymian
Martyrology ' vi Idus Aug. Romae, natalis sanctorum Secundini (sic), Severiani,
Carpofori, Victorini, et Albini, etc.'; while in an addition to Usuard it runs
'
In Italia (Jumis passio sanctorum martyrum Carpophori, Exanti, Cassii, Severini, et
Secundini, qui passi sunt sub Maximiano tyranno sacrilego.' This last form suggests
that the identification of 'Secundus' with Pliny may have arisen from a confusion of
'Cumis' and 'Comi,' which has a parallel in the text of Hermas, Vis. i. i, ii. 1. The
whole matter might perhaps repay further investigation.
I"or the literature connected with these letters relating to the Christians see
Fabricius
Bibl. Lat. I.e., Mayor Bibliographical Clue to Latin Literature p. 148 sq.