EPISTLE OF ANTONINUS TO THE COMMON ASSEMBLY OF ASIA.(5)
The Emperor Caesar Titus AElius Adrianus Antoninus Augustus Pius, Supreme
Pontiff, in the fifteenth year of his tribuneship, Consul for the third
time, Father of the fatherland, to the Common Assembly of Asia, greeting:
I should have thought that the gods themselves would see to it that such
offenders should not escape. For if they had the power, they themselves
would much rather punish those who refuse to worship them; but it is you
who bring trouble on these persons, and accuse as the opinion of atheists
that which they hold, and lay to their charge certain other things which
we are unable to prove. But it would be advantageous to them that they
should be thought to die for that of which they are accused, and they conquer
you by being lavish of their lives rather than yield that obedience which
you require of them. And regarding the earthquakes which have already happened
and are now occurring, it is not seemly that you remind us of them, losing
heart whenever they occur, and thus set your conduct in contrast with that
of these men; for they have much greater confidence towards God than you
yourselves have. And you, indeed, seem at such times to ignore the gods,
and you neglect the temples, and make no recognition of the worship of
God. And hence you are jealous of those who do serve Him, and persecute
them to the death. Concerning such persons, some others also of the governors
of provinces wrote to my most divine father; to whom he replied that they
should not at all disturb such persons, unless they were found to be attempting
anything against the Roman government. And to myself many have sent intimations
regarding such persons, to whom I also replied in pursuance of my father's
judgment. But if any one has a matter to bring against any person of this
class, merely as such a person,(1) let the accused be acquitted of the
charge, even though he should be found to be such an one; but let the accuser
he amenable to justice.
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