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The Emperor Caesar Marcus Aurelius Antoninus Augustus [Armenius ] Pontifex Maximus, in the fifteenth year of his Tribunate, Consul for the third time, to the Common Assembly of Asia greeting.

I am confident that the Gods also look to it that such persons should not escape detection. For it is much more their concern than yours to punish those who refuse to worship them. But you harass these men, and harden them in their conviction, to which they hold fast, by accusing them of being atheists. For indeed they would rather be thought to be accused and die for their own God than live. Consequently they even come off victorious, giving up their lives rather than comply with your demands. And with respect to the past and present earthquakes it is not amiss to remind you of them, despondent as you are whenever they occur and yet for ever contrasting your belief and conduct with theirs. 387