A source-book of ancient history - The Search For Mecca

504 Period of the Five Good Emperors
(Private
assemblies
were forbidden
by a law
of the
Twelve
Tables,
P- 352-)
provinces in general, and particularly of those cities in
which they exist. Whatever name we give them, and for
whatever purpose they may be instituted, they will not
fail to form themselves into factious assemblies, however
short their meetings may be. It will therefore be safer to
provide such machines as are of service in extinguishing
fires, to enjoin the owners of houses to assist in preventing
the mischief from spreading, and if it should be necessary,
to call in the aid of the populace.
" Shall we
compel the
councillors
to borrow
from the
public? "
Pliny, Letters,
X. 62.
To THE Emperor Trajan:
The debts which were owing to the public are by the
prudence. Sir, of your counsels, and by the care of my administration,
either actually paid, or are now recovering;
but I fear the money must be unemployed.
For on the one
hand, there are few or no opportunities of purchasing land,
and on the other, one cannot meet with any person who
is willing to borrow of the public,—especially at the rate
of twelve percent,—when it is possible to raise money on
the same terms from private lenders.
You will therefore
consider. Sir, whether it may not be advisable, in order to
invite responsible persons to take this money, to lower the
interest; or if that scheme should not succeed, to place it
ir
the hands of the members of the city councils, upon their
And though they
giving sufficient security to the public.
should not be willing to receive it, yet as the rate of interest
will be abated, the hardship will be so much the less.
*'
Oppress no
one in this
way."
Letters, x. 63.
Trajan to Pliny:
I agree with you, my dear Pliny, that there seems to be
no other method of facilitating the placing out of the public
money, than by lowering the interest; the rate you will
determine according to the number of borrowers. But to