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 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