C. PLINI SECVNDI EPISTVLA TRAIANO IMPERATORI
EPISTVLAQVE TRAIANI INVICEM PLINIO
DE IIS QVI CHRISTIANI NOMINANTVR
Annotationibus Instructa in Usum Discipulorum
Fresco of early Christian agape feast from Roman catacombs, 2nd-3rd centuries AD
Annotations by Peter Cohee
latintutoring.biz
©2006
Learning expectations for and sample exam on letters between Pliny and Trajan on treatment of Christians
Learning Expectations. These passages, together with Tacitus’ account of Nero’s mistreatment of early Roman Christians(Ann. 15. 44) are invaluable as our first original sources for early Christianity and its conflicts with Roman power. They give us a means for thinking about present-day conflicts between religions and governments; we therefore want you to learn them well. Here are the standards we’ll use to evaluate your knowledge of this material.
You will be expected to demonstrate your knowledge of:
the structure of sentences (i. e. the clauses and phrases of which they are made);
what part of speech any given word is;
the specific form of words (e. g. case and number, tense and mood, etc.);
the function of words in their clause or phrase (e. g. adjective modifying a noun, a pronoun’s case-function, etc.);
the meaning of words in their context (vocabulary);
You will also be expected to:
correctly translate or accurately paraphrase selected phrases, sentences, or passages;
comment critically on a given passage, correctly citing and translating the Latin to support your view;
demonstrate understanding of select passages or sentences;
make meaningful comparisons or applications from the reading to other similar historical events.
Sample Exam. You should expect to find questions like these on your Pliny/Trajan exam/s:
∙ Analyze this sentence (#6, 10. 96.10) into its separate clauses and identify the type of each: Ex quō facile est opīnārī, quae turba hominum ēmendārī possit, sī sit paenitentiae locus.
Ex quō facile est opīnārī[main clause, apodosis of condition]
quae turba hominum ēmendārī possit[indirect question]
sī sit paenitentiae locus[protasis of potential condition]
∙ Identify the part of speech, specific form, and function of the following (#5, 10. 96. 8): Vīsa est enim mihi rēs digna cōnsultātiōne, maximē propterperīclitantium numerum.
mihi[1st personal singular pronoun, dative of reference with Visa est]
consultatione[noun, 3rd declension, feminine, singular, ablative of respect with digna]
propter[preposition with accusative numerum as object]
periclitantium[verb, 1st conjugation; pres. act. participle, masc. pl. genitive defining numerum]
∙ Translatefrom Quibus perāctīs to esse vetueram(#4, 10. 96. 7) as precisely as possible.
∙ Accurately paraphrase or summarize Pliny’s uncertainties about procedure (#1, 10. 96. 2).
∙ How does Trajan respond to Pliny’s questions? Cite and translate the Latin which supports your answers.
∙ Research other examples of official persecution of new and foreign religious cults and compare them to this information from Pliny.
∙ Research the growth of early Christianity and be able to say how and why it eventually became the only acceptable religion in the Roman empire.
1. Pliny to Trajan: Please advise me on how to deal with these Christians Plin. epist. 10. 96. 1-2
12
3
4
5
6 / C·PLINIVS·TRAIANO·IMPERATORI. Sollemne est mihi, domine, omnia, dē quibus dubitō, ad tē referre. Quis enim potest melius vel cunctātiōnem meam regere vel ignōrantiam instruere? Cognitiōnibus dē Chrīstiānīs interfuī numquam; ideō nesciō, quid et quātenus aut pūnīrī soleat aut quaerī. Nec mediocriter haesitāvī, sitne aliquod discrīmen aetātum, an quamlibet tenerī nihil ā rōbustiōribus differant, dētur paenitentiae venia, an eī, quī omnīnō Chrīstiānus fuit, dēsīsse nōn prōsit, nōmen ipsum, sī flāgitiīs careat, an flāgitia cohaerentia nōminī pūniantur.
1 C. Plinius Traiano imperatori: a standard greeting in a letter: the sender’s name, with praenomen abbreviated, then the recipient’s name in the dative case; the understood object is s(alutem), the understood verb is dat. Thus: “Gaius Plinius (sends greeting) to Trajan, Emperor.”
sollemnis, -e: usual, customary, habitual; nom. predicate adj. to referre.
sum esse fui: be.
mihi: (pers. pron.) for me, in my case; dat. of possessor. Translate Sollemne est mihi as “It is my habit” etc.
dominus, -i, m.: lord; vocative case. During the Republic this term was only used by a slave addressing his owner, but by Pliny’s time it was the customary way to address the emperor. The word dominus also becomes the word used by early Christians of God. Do you see a problem in this?
omnis, -e: every; in pl. = all (things), everything; acc. obj. of referre.
de quibus dubito: rel. clause defining omnia.
de: (prep. + abl. of specification) about, concerning.
dubito, -are: have doubts, be unsure.
ad: (prep. + acc.of destination) (un)to.
te: (pers. pron.) you; to catch the right tone, use “thee.”
2 refero, -ferre, rettuli, relatum:refer, defer; nom. subj. of est.
Quis: (interrog. pron.) Who? introducing rhetorical question.
enim: (coord. conj.) For indeed ...
possum posse potui: be able, can (+ complem. inf.)
melius: (adv.) better, in a better way.
vel ... vel: (coord. conj.) either ... or.
cunctatio, -onis, f.: hesitation, wavering; acc. obj. of regere.
meus-a-um: my, of mine.
rego, -ere, rexi, rectum: correct.
ignorantia, -ae, f.: ignorance, uncertainty; acc. obj. of instruere.
instruo, -ere, -struxi, -structum: inform, educate.
3 cognitio, -onis, f.: hearing, trial, legal action; dat. obj. of interfui. Obviously, such trials had earlier taken place.
Christianus, -i, m.: (a) Christian (person).
intersum, -esse, -fui: be present at, be involved in (+ dat.); the tense is present-perfect: “I haven’t (until now) been involved in” (but now I am) etc.
numquam: (adv.) never.
ideo: (adv.) for that reason, therefore.
nescio, -scire, -scivi, -scitum: not know.
quid ... quaeri: ind. questions, objects of nescio.
quid: (interrog. pron.) what?; nom. subj. of soleat.
quatenus: (interrog. adv.) to what degree?
aut ... aut: (coord. conj.) either ... or
punio, -ire, -ivi, -itum: punish.
soleo, -ere, solitus sum: be customary, be usual.
4 quaero, -ere, quaesivi, quaesitum: investigate.
Nec: (coord. conj. + adv.) Nor, And ... not
mediocriter: (adv.) in small degree; Nec mediocriter is a figure of speech called ‘litotes’, a double negative implying a strong positive: “And I’ve been in much uncertainty” etc.
haesito, -are: hesitate, be uncertain.
sit-ne... puniantur: a series of three ‘disjunctive’ (i. e. each having two alternatives) ind. questions, the grammatical objects
of haesitavi. They break down thus:
1a) sitnealiquod discrimen aetatum,
1b) anquamlibet teneri nihil a robustioribus differant,
2a) detur paenitentiae venia,
2b) anei, qui omnino Christianus fuit, desisse non prosit,
3a) nomen ipsum, si flagitiis careat,
3b) anflagitia cohaerentia nomini puniantur.
-ne... an... an... an: whether (A) ... or (B) ... or (C), etc.
sit... differant... detur... prosit... puniantur: these subjunctives are all deliberative, representing Pliny’s doubts (haesitavi) about what actions to take: “should ...?” etc.
aliqui aliqua(e) aliquod: (indef. adj.) some (kind of).
discrimen, -inis, n.: distinction; nom. subj. of sit.
aetas, -tatis, f.: age; obj. gen. defining discrimen.
quamlibet: (adv.) however (much), no matter how (much).
tener, teneri, m.: (a) young, inexperienced person, kid; nom. subj. of differant.
nihil: (acc. as adv.) not at all, in no way.
a: (prep. + abl. sep.) from.
5 robustus, -i, m.: (an) old, experienced person; note comparative degree.
differo, -ferre, distuli, dilatum: differ (in legal treatment).
do dare dedi datum: give, grant.
paenitentia, -ae, f.: repentance; dat. ind. obj. of detur.
venia, -ae, f.: pardon, forgiveness; nom. subj. of detur.
ei: (demonstr. pron. as pers. pron.) “to a person,” “to (some)one;” dat. obj. of prosit and antecedent of qui.
qui ... fuit: rel. clause defining ei.
omnino: (adv.) constantly.
desino, -ere, -sii: cease, desist.
non: (adv.) not.
6 prosum, prodesse, profui: be of advantage to (+ dat.)
nomen, -inis, n.: name, term, i. e. “Christian;” nom. subj. of careatand understood puniatur.
ipse ipsa ipsum: (intensive adj.) itself, the very.
si flagitiis careat: protasis of potential condition, “if ... should.”
flagitium, -ii, n.: criminal or shameful activity; flagitiis is the abl. obj. of careat while flagitia is the nom. subj. of puniantur.
careo, -ere, -ui: lack, be free of (+ abl. sep.)
cohaereo, -ere, -haesivi: attach to, associate with (+ dat.).
/ M(arcus). Ulpius Traianus, emperor from AD 98-117 (born ca. AD 53 in Italica, Spain). Extraordinarily capable both politically and militarily, he won great popularity by his genuine concern for people--even individuals--in the empire, his far-reaching administrative planning, his military success, and his personal accessibility.2. Gov. Pliny’s preliminary investigations reveal a spreading Christian cult. Plin. epist. 10. 96. 2-4
12
3
4
5
6 / Interim in iīs, quī ad mē tamquam Chrīstiānī dēferēbantur, hunc sum secūtus modum. Interrogāvī ipsōs, an essent Chrīstiānī. Cōnfitentēs iterum ac tertiō interrogāvī, supplicium minātus; persevērantēs dūcī iussī. Neque enim dubitābam, qualēcumque esset, quod fatērentur, pertināciam certē et īnflexibilem obstinātiōnem dēbēre pūnīrī. Fuērunt aliī similis āmentiae, quōs, quia cīvēs Rōmānī erant, adnotāvī in urbem remittendōs. Mox ipsō trāctātū, ut fierī solet, diffundente sē crīmine, plūrēs speciēs incidērunt.
1 Interim: (adv.) In the meantime, Meanwhile.
in: (prep. + abl. of specification) in the case of, regarding.
iis: (demonstr. pron.) those (people); antecedent of qui.
qui ... deferebantur: rel. clause defining iis.
ad me: (prep. + acc.) lit. “at me” = “in my presence.”
tamquam: (adv.) allegedly as, on the grounds of being.
Christianus, -i, m.: Christian.
defero, -ferre, detuli, delatum: charge, accuse.
hic haec hoc: (demonstr. adj.) this, the following.
sequor, sequi, secutus sum: follow, carry out.
modus, -i, m.: procedure; acc. dir. obj. of sum secutus
interrogo, -are: question, ask..
2 ipsos: (intensive pronoun) them (the Christians) personally; acc. dir. obj. of interrogavi.
an essent Christiani: ind. question, a second object of interrogavi.
an: (disjunctive subord. conj.) whether (or not).
sum esse fui: be; note imperfect tense.
confiteor, -eri, confessus sum: confess, admit; acc. dir. obj. of interrogavi. Translate the participle as a correlative pair: “Those who confessed (that they were Christians)” etc.”
iterum: (adv.) a second time, again.
ac: (coord. conj.) and even.
tertio: (abl. as adv.) a third time.
supplicium, -ii, n.: (capital) punishment; acc. obj. of minatus.
minor, -ari, minatus sum: warn of. Note: the perfect participle of deponent verbs can very often be translated as present:
“(I) warning them of” etc.
3 persevero, -are: continue (in some course of action); handle in the same way as confitentes above.
duco, -ere, duxi, ductum: take to execution.
iubeo, -ere, iussi, iussum: order, command.
Neque enim: (coord. conj. + adv.) And indeed ... not.
dubito, -are: have doubt, be in doubt. Neque ... dubitabam forms a ‘litotes’, a double negative with a stronge positive sense = “I was quite determined (that)” etc.
qualiscumque, qualecumque: (indef. rel. adj. or pron.) of whatever nature, whatever.
sum esse fui: deliberative subjunctive, representing Pliny’s original question about the Christians’ confession.
quod faterentur: rel. clause defining qualecumque.
fateor, -eri, fessus sum: confess; the subjunctive is due to the
clause’s dependence on an acc. + inf. construction.
4 pertinaciam ... et ... obstinationem debere puniri: acc. + inf. construction, object of dubitabam.
pertinacia, -ae, f.: obstinacy, refusal to change.
certe: (adv.) at any rate, at least.
et: (coord. conj.) and.
inflexibilis, -e: unbending, unyielding, fanatic.
obstinatio, -onis, f.: stubbornness.
debeo, -ere, debui: ought, should (+ inf.).
punio, -ire, -ivi, -itum: punish.
alii aliae alia: other (people), others.
similis, -e: similar, like.
amentia, -ae, f.: madness; gen. of description; “of a similar insanity” (i. e. fanatic Christianity).
quos ... adnotavi: rel. clause defining alii.
5 quia ... erant: causal clause, “because,” “since,” explaining Pliny’s reasons for adnotavi in urbem remittendos.
civis, -is, c.: citizen; pred. nom. to alii ... quos.
Romanus-a-um: Roman, of Rome.
adnoto, -are: designate, decree.
quos ...in urbem remittendos: acc. + inf. phrase, object of adnotavi.
in: (prep. + acc. of destination) to.
urbs, urbis, f.: the City, i. e. Rome; see note below.
remitto, -ere, -misi, -missum: send back; the gerundive forms part of the acc. + inf. phrase dependent on adnotavi: “whom ... I decreed were to be sent back to Rome.”
mox: (adv.) soon, before long.
ipse ipsa ipsum: (intensive pron. adj.) the very, the ... itself.
tractatus, -ūs, m.: (legal) process, inquiry; abl. of cause, “because of,” “as a result of.”
ut fieri solet: comparative clause, “just as” etc.
fio, fieri, factus sum: happen.
soleo, -ere, solitus sum: be usual; translate as an adverb and fieri
as a finite verb: “as usually happens.”
6 diffundente ... crimine: abl. absolute.
diffundo, -ere, -fudi, -fusum: spread, extend.
se: (refl. pron.) itself; acc. obj. of diffundente.
crimen, -inis, f.: charge, allegation, inquiry.
plures, -ium: more, several.
species, -ei, f.: type, kind, variety (of allegations); nom. subj. of inciderunt.
incido, -ere, -cidi: come to one’s attention, be discovered.
Why were Christians who were Roman citizens sent to Rome?
In the New Testament book of Acts (22.25), the apostle Paul escaped immediate punishment by declaring before the Roman tribune that he was a citizen. This gave him—and some of the Christians with whom Pliny dealt nearly 75 years later—the right of provocatio, that is, to make a personal appearance before and appeal to the emperor. Paul arrived in Rome after a lengthy and dangerous journey and, so far as we know, died in prison awaiting his hearing. Christian legend has it that he and Peter, another prominent apostle, both perished in the public executions of Christians by Nero in AD 64, recorded in Tacitus’ account.
notae
3. Under interrogation, some Christians renounce their faith. Plin. epist. 10. 96. 5-6
12
3
4
5
6
7 / Prōpositus est libellus sine auctōre multōrum nōmina continēns. Quī negābant esse sē Chrīstiānōs aut fuisse, cum, praeeunte mē, deōs appellārent et imāginī tuae, quam propter hoc iusseram cum simulācrīs nūminum afferrī, tūre ac vīnō supplicārent, praetereā male dīcerent Chrīstō, quōrum nihil cōgī posse dīcuntur, quī sunt rē verā Chrīstiānī, dīmittendōs putāvī. Aliī, ab indice nōminātī, esse sē Chrīstiānōs dīxērunt et mox negāvērunt; fuisse quidem sed dēsīsse, quīdam ante triennium, quīdam ante plūrēs annōs, nōn nēmō etiam ante vīgintī. Hī quoque omnēs et imāginem tuam deōrumque simulācra venerātī sunt et Chrīstō male dīxērunt.
1 propono, -ere, -posui, -positum: submit, deliver.
libellus, -i, m.: lit. “little book” (diminutive of liber) = note, message, written information, esp. containing false accusations; hence our derived word ‘libel’.
sine: (prep. + abl. sep.) without.
auctor, -oris, m.: (name of the) writer; sine auctore = anonymous.
multi, -orum, m. pl.: many (people); gen. poss. defining nomina.
nomen, -inis, n.: name; acc. obj. of continens.
contineo, -ere, -tinui, -tentum: contain.
Qui negabant: rel. clause without an antecedent, serving as the dir. obj. of putavi. Translate the rel. pronoun as indefinite, “whoever” etc.
nego, -are: deny (that), say (that) ... not.
esse se Christianos aut fuisse: ind. statement, ‘object’ of negabant.
sum esse fui: be; note tense difference between esse (now, still, presently) and fuisse (formerly, in the past).
se: (refl. pron.) remember that in Latin when the subject of the ind. statement is the same as the leading verb, the refl. pronoun is used. Do not translate as “themselves” but simply as “(that) they.”
Christianus, -i, m.: (a) Christian; pred. acc. to se.
2 aut: (coord. conj.) or.
cum ... appellarent ... supplicarent ... maledicerent: causal clauses, “since.”
praeeunte me: abl. absolute.
praeeo, -ire, -i(v)i: lit. “go before” = recite (prayers, to be repeated verbatim by the other person/s).
deus, -i, m.: god (esp. traditional god/s of the Roman people); acc. dir. obj. of appellarent.
appello, -are: call on, worship.
et: (coord. conj.) and.
imago, -inis, f.: statue; dat. obj. of supplicarent.
tuus-a-um: your, of you.
quam ... iusseram ... afferri: rel. clause defining imagini.
propter: (prep. + acc. of purpose) because of.
hoc: this (proceeding); propter hoc = “for this purpose.”
iubeo, -ere, iussi, iussum: order, command.
cum: (prep. + abl.accomp.) with.
3 simulacrum, -i, n.: image, cult statue.
numen, -inis, n.: divinity; a kind of gen. of possess., since the statuettes represent the (invisible) divinities.
affero, -ferre, attuli, allatum: bring forth, bring out.
tus, turis, n.: incense; abl. of means/instrument, “with.”
ac: (coord. conj.) and (also).
vinum, -i, n.: wine; abl. of means/instrument, “with.”
supplico, -are: pay homage to, make sacrifice to (+ dat. ind. obj.)
praeterea: (adv.) besides, in addition.
male dico, -ere, dixi, dictum: lit. “speak badly to (+ dat. ind. obj.) = “curse.”
Christus, -i, m.: (Jesus) Christ.
quorum ... dicuntur: rel. clause defining the three actions
appellarent, supplicarent, and male dicerent. The pronoun
is partitive gen., defining nihil.
4 nihil: (indecl.) nothing; acc. obj. of cogi.
cogo, -ere, coegi, coactum: (< co + agere) force, compel; complem. inf. to posse; supply facere.
possum posse potui: can, be able (+ complem. inf.).
dico, -ere, dixi, dictum: say; note that when a leading verb of speaking or thinking is passive voice, what follows is not an acc. + inf. construction, but a nom. + inf. Supply illi or ei as subject.
qui ... Christiani: again a rel. clause without an antecedent and thus becoming the subject of the leading verb, dicuntur. In English we require a pronoun antecedent. Translate the two rel. clauses together as “those who are really Christians are said to be able to be forced to do none of these things.”
rē verā: lit. “by-the-true-thing” = “really,” “in fact.”
dimitto, -ere, -misi, -missum: release, let go; acc. obj. of putavi and subject of understood esse: “I decided they should be released.”
puto, -are: think, suppose, decide.
Alii-ae-a: others, other people. The series Alii ... quidam ... quidam ... non nemo is ‘partitive apposition’, the whole group, Alii, being broken down into three smaller groups.
ab: (prep. + abl. agent) by.
index, indicis, m.: spy, informer.
nomino, -are: name, inform on, rat on.
5 esse se Christianos: ind. statement, ‘object’ of dixerunt.
mox: (adv.) soon.
quidem sed: (adv. + coord. conj.) indeed but.
desino, -ere, desii: quit, desist, stop (doing).
quidam quaedam quoddam: certain, (people) some (people); don’t confusequidem with quidam!
ante: (prep. + acc. of limit) before (in time).
6 triennium, -ii, n.: a three-year period.
plures, -a: more.
annus, -i, m.: year.
non nemo: lit. “not no one” a litotes = “quite a few (people),” “several.”
viginti: (indecl.) twenty (years).
7 Hi: (demonstr. pron.) These (people, i.e. the three groups quidam ... quidam ... non nemo).
quoque: (adv.) also, too, as well (as the first group).
veneror, -ari, -atus sum: worship, pay homage to.
To ancient Greeks and Romans, our “separation of ‘church’ and state” would have seemed insane. To be a citizen meant to honor the people’s gods, understood to be the “first citizens” of the community. To the Romans, that community was the whole empire, including many nationalities, races, languages, customs, and religions. The Romans didn’t mind if subject people continued to worship their own local and traditional gods. But to unify the empire certain basic ceremonies of allegiance and membership were necessary. Chief among these duties was to honor the divine powers who oversaw and took care of the Roman people, that is, those who worshiped them. For Jews and Christians, who were not only strictly monotheistic but ‘aniconic’ (i. e. refusing to worship statues, images, etc.), this was impossible. Under those terms, one could not be both a Jew or Christian and a Roman citizen. Hence Pliny’s dilemma.