Chap XI.—Of the Cruelty of the Heathens Against the Christians.

Therefore, because justice is burthensome and unpleasant to those men who agree with the character of their gods, they exercise with violence against the righteous the same impiety which they show in other things. And not without reason are they spoken of by the prophets as beasts. Therefore it is excellently said by Marcus Tullius:986    [De Republica, iv. i. 3.]   “For if there is no one who would not prefer to die than to be changed into the figure of a beast, although he is about to have the mind of a man, how much more wretched is it to be of a brutalized mind in the figure of a man! To me, indeed, it seems as much worse as the mind is more excellent than the body.” Therefore they view with disdain the bodies of beasts, though they are themselves more cruel than these; and they pride themselves on this account, that they were born men, though they have nothing belonging to man except the features and the eminent figure. For what Caucasus, what India, what Hyrcania ever nourished beasts so savage and so bloodthirsty? For the fury of all wild beasts rages until their appetite is satisfied; and when their hunger is appeased, immediately is pacified. That is truly a beast by whose command alone  

No one can befittingly describe the cruelty of this beast, which reclines in one place, and yet rages with iron teeth throughout the world, and not only tears in pieces the limbs of men, but also breaks their very bones, and rages over their ashes, that there may be no place for their burial, as though they who confess God aimed at this, that their tombs should be visited, and not rather that they themselves may reach the presence of God.  

What brutality is it, what fury, what madness, to deny light to the living, earth to the dead? I say, therefore, that nothing is more wretched than those men whom necessity has either found or made the ministers of another’s fury, the satellites of an impious command. For that was no honour, or exaltation of dignity, but the condemnation of a man to torture, and also to the everlasting punishment of God. But it is impossible to relate what things they performed individually throughout the world. For what number of volumes will contain so infinite, so varied kinds of cruelty? For, having gained power, every one raged according to his own disposition. Some, through excessive timidity, proceeded to greater lengths than they were commanded; others thus acted through their own particular hatred against the righteous; some by a natural ferocity of mind; some through a desire to please, and that by this service they might prepare the way to higher offices: some were swift to slaughter, as an individual in Phrygia, who burnt a whole assembly of people, together with their place of meeting. But the more cruel he was, so much the more merciful988    The more severe torture, as causing immediate death, may be regarded as merciful, in comparison with a slow and lingering punishment. [This by an eye-witness of Diocletian’s day.]   is he found to be. But that is the worst kind of persecutors whom a false appearance of clemency flatters; he is the more severe, he the more cruel torturer, who determines to put no one to death. Therefore it cannot be told what great and what grievous modes of tortures judges of this kind devised, that they might arrive at the accomplishment of their purpose. But they do these things not only on this account, that they may be able to boast that they have slain none of the innocent,—for I myself have heard some boasting that their administration has been in this respect without bloodshed,—but also for the sake of envy, lest either they themselves should be overcome, or the others should obtain the glory due to their virtue. And thus, in devising modes of punishment, they think of nothing else besides victory. For they know that this is a contest and a battle. I saw in Bithynia the præfect wonderfully elated with joy, as though he had subdued some nation of barbarians, because one who had resisted for two years with great spirit appeared at length to yield. They contend, therefore, that they may conquer and inflict exquisite989    Exquisitis, “carefully studied.”   pains on their bodies, and avoid nothing else but that the victims may not die under the torture: as though, in truth, death alone could make them happy, and as though tortures also in proportion to their severity would not produce greater glory of virtue. But they with obstinate folly give orders that diligent care shall be given to the tortured, that their limbs may be renovated for other tortures, and fresh blood be supplied for punishment. What can be so pious, so beneficent, so humane? They would not have bestowed such anxious care on any whom they loved. This is the discipline of the gods: to these deeds they train their worshippers; these are the sacred rites which they require. Moreover, most wicked murderers have invented impious laws against the pious. For both sacrilegious ordinances and unjust disputations of jurists are read. Domitius, in his seventh book, concerning the office of the proconsul, has collected wicked rescripts of princes, that he might show by what punishments they ought to be visited who confessed themselves to be worshippers of God.  

CAPUT XI. De crudelitate gentilium in christianos.

Is igitur hominibus, qui deorum suorum moribus congruunt, quia gravis est et acerba justitia, eamdem impietatem suam, qua in caeteris rebus utuntur, adversus justos violenter exercent. Nec immerito a prophetis bestiae nominantur. Praeclare itaque Marcus Tullius: «Etenim si nemo est, inquit, quin emori malit, quam converti in aliquam figuram bestiae, quamvis hominis mentem sit habiturus; quanto est miserius in hominis figura animo esse efferato? Mihi quidem tanto videtur, quanto praestabilior est animus corpore.» Aspernantur itaque corpora belluarum, 0584B quibus sunt ipsi saeviores; sibique adeo placent, quod homines nati sunt, quorum nihil, nisi lineamenta et summam figuram gerunt. Nam quis Caucasus, quae India, quae Hircania tam immanes, tam sanguinarias unquam bestias aluit? Quoniam ferarum omnium rabies usque ad ventris satietatem furit, fameque sedata, protinus conquiescit. Illa est vera bestia, cujus una jussione. Funditur ater ubique cruor . . . Crudelis ubique Luctus, ubique pavor, et plurima mortis imago.Nemo hujus tantae belluae immanitatem potest pro merito describere, quae uno loco recubans, tamen per totum orbem dentibus ferreis saevit; et non tantum artus hominum dissipat; sed et ossa ipsa comminuit, 0584C et in cineres furit, ne quis extet sepulturae locus; 0584C 0585A quasi vero id affectent, qui Deum confitentur, ut ad eorum sepulcra veniatur, ac non ut ipsi ad Deum perveniant.

Quaenam illa feritas, quae rabies, quae insania est, lucem vivis, terram mortuis denegasse? Dico igitur nihil esse miserius iis hominibus, quos ministros furoris alieni, quos satellites impiae jussionis necessitas aut invenit, aut fecit. Non enim honor ille, aut provectio dignitatis fuit, sed hominis damnatio ad carnificinam, Dei vero ad poenam sempiternam. Quae autem per totum orbem singuli gesserint, enarrare impossibile est. Quis enim voluminum numerus capiet tam infinita, tam varia genera crudelitatis? Accepta enim potestate, pro suis moribus quisque saeviit. Alii prae nimia timiditate plus ausi sunt, quam 0585B jubebatur: alii suo proprio adversus justos odio; quidam naturali mentis feritate; nonnulli ut placerent, et hoc officio viam sibi ad altiora munirent. Aliqui ad occidendum praecipites extiterunt, sicut unus in Phrygia, qui universum populum cum ipso pariter conventiculo concremavit. Sed hic quanto saevior, tanto clementior invenitur. Illud vero pessimum genus est, cui clementiae species falsa blanditur: ille gravior, ille saevior est carnifex, qui neminem statuit occidere. Itaque dici non potest, hujusmodi judices quanta et quam gravia tormentorum genera excogitaverint, 0586A ut ad effectum propositi sui pervenirent.

Haec autem non tantum ideo faciunt, ut gloriari possint, nullum se innocentium peremisse (nam et ipse audivi aliquos gloriantes, quod administratio sua in hac parte fuerit incruenta), sed et invidiae causa; ne aut ipsi vincantur, aut illi virtutis suae gloriam consequantur. Itaque in excogitandis poenarum generibus, nihil aliud quam victoriam cogitant. Sciunt enim certamen esse illud, et pugnam. Vidi ego in Bythynia praesidem gaudio mirabiliter elatum, tamquam barbarorum gentem aliquam subegisset; quod unus, qui per biennium magna virtute restiterat, postremo cedere visus esset. Contendunt igitur ut vincant, et exquisitos dolores corporibus immittunt, et nihil aliud devitant, quam ut ne torti moriantur. Quasi vero mors tantummodo beatos faciat, ac non etiam tormenta, 0586B quae quanto fuerint graviora, tanto majorem virtutis gloriam pariant. Illi autem pertinaci stultitia jubent, curam tortis diligenter adhiberi, ut ad alios cruciatus membra renoventur, et reparetur novus sanguis ad poenam. Quid tam pium, tam beneficum, tam humanum fieri potest? non curassent tam sollicite, quos amarent. Haec est deorum disciplina. Ad haec opera cultores suos erudiunt; haec sacra desiderant. Quin etiam sceleratissimi homicidae contra pios jura impia condiderunt. Nam et constitutiones sacrilegae, et disputationes 0587A jurisperitorum leguntur injustae. Domitius, 0587A de officio proconsulis libro septimo, rescripta principum nefaria collegit, ut doceret, quibus poenis affici oporteret eos qui se cultores Dei confiterentur.