Page:Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire (1827) Vol 2.djvu/190

 172 THE DECLINE AND FALL CHAP, to a law published by the emperor Hadrian, was in- ' flicted on those who falsely attributed to their fellow citizens the crime of Christianity. The violence of personal or superstitious animosity might sometimes prevail over the most natural apprehensions of disgrace and danger; but it cannot surely be imagined, that ac- cusations of so unpromising an appearance were either lightly or frequently undertaken by the pagan subjects of the Roman empire °. Popular The expedient which was employed to elude the c rtiiiouis. pi-yjgj^gg of t|n,g laws, affords a sufficient proof how effectually they disappointed the mischievous designs of private malice or superstitious zeal. In a large and tumultuous assembly the restraints of fear and shame, so forcible on the minds of individuals, are deprived of the greatest part of their influence. The pious chris- tian, as he was desirous to obtain or to escape the glory of martyrdom, expected, either with impatience or with terror, the stated returns of the public games and festivals. On those occasions, the inhabitants of the great cities of the empire were collected in the circus or the theatre, where every circumstance of the place, as well as of the ceremony, contributed to kindle their devotion, and to extinguish their humanity. Whilst the numerous spectators, crowned with garlands, per- fumed with incense, purified with the blood of victims, and surrounded with the altars and statues of their tutelar deities, resigned themselves to the enjoyment of pleasures which they considered as an essential part of their religious worship ; they recollected that the christians alone abhorred the gods of mankind, and by their absence and melancholy on these solemn festivals, seemed to insult or to lament the public felicity. If the empire had been afflicted by any recent calamity, by a plague, a famine, or an unsuccessful war ; if the Tiber " Eusebius (Hist. Ecclesiast. 1. iv. c. 9.) has preserved the edict of Ha- drian. He has likewise (c. 13.) given us one still more favourable under the name of Antoninus; the authenticity of which is not so universally allowed. The second apology of .Tustin contains isonie cuiious particulars relative to the accusations of christians.