Page:The early Christians in Rome (1911).djvu/22

II

POSITION OF CHRISTIANS AFTER A.D. 64

The great fire of Rome in the days of Nero brought the unnoticed
sect of Christians into prominence—The games of Nero—Never
again after A.D. 64 did Christians enjoy "stillness"—The
policy of the State towards them from this time
was practically unaltered 25


III

THE VEILED SHADOW OF PERSECUTION—POLICY OF THE
FLAVIAN EMPERORS

Silence respecting details of persecutions in pagan and in Christian
writings—Reason for this—These writings contain little
history; but the Christian writings are coloured with the daily
expectation of death and suffering—In spite of persecution
the numbers of Christians increased rapidly—What was the
strange attraction of Christianity?—Persecution of the sect
under the Flavian Emperors Vespasian, Titus, Domitian 35


PART III

INTRODUCTORY

The correspondence between Trajan and Pliny, and the Imperial
Rescript—Genuineness of this piece in Pliny's
Letters 45


I

THE LETTERS OF PLINY

Nerva—Character of Trajan—Story of correspondence here
referred to—Pliny's Letters—Reply of Trajan, which contained
the famous Rescript—Tertullian's criticism of Rescript—Pliny's
Letters—They were no ordinary letters, but
were intended for public reading—Pliny's character—The
vogue of writing letters as literary pieces for public reading—Pliny's
Letters briefly examined—The letter here under
special consideration—Its great importance in early
Christian history 48


II

VOGUE OF EPISTOLARY FORM OF LITERATURE

Letters of public men considered as pieces of literature—After
Trajan there were very few Latin writings until the close
of the fourth century—In that period some celebrated
letters again appear (written by Symmachus and by Sidonius
Apollinaris a few years later)—These letters were evidently
written as pieces of literature intended for public circulation 63