No More Learning

How do they not fight against
your law by what they do?

"But they say, 'We have only punished those who sacrifice, and thereby
transgress the law, which forbids sacrifices. ' O Emperor, when they
say this they lie. For no one is so audacious, and so ignorant of the
proceedings of the courts, as to think himself more powerful than the
law. When 1 say the law, I mean the law against sacrifice». Can it be
thought, that they who are not able to bear the sight of a collector s
cloak, should despise the power of your government? This is what
they say for themselves. And they have been often alleged to Flavian*
himself, and never have been confuted, no not yet. For I appeal to the
guardians of this law: Who has known any of those whom you have

* Bishop of Antioch

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plundered to have sacrificed upon the altars, so as the law does not
permit? What young or old person, what man, what woman? Who of those
inhabiting the same country, and not agreeing with the sacrificers in
the worship of the gods? Who of their neighbours? For envy and jealousy
are common in neighbourhoods. Whence some would gladly come as an
evidence if any such thing had been done: and yet no one has appeared,
neither from the one nor from the other: [that is, neither from the
country, nor from the neighbourhood. ] Nor will there ever appear, for
fear of perjury, not to say the punishment of it.
Where then is the
truth of this charge, when they accuse those men of sacrificing contrary
to law?

"But this shall not suffice for an excuse to the Emperor. Some one
therefore may say: 'They have not sacrificed. ' Let it be granted. But
oxen have been killed at feasts and entertainments and merry meetings.
Still there is no altar to receive the blood, nor a part burned, nor do
salt-cakes precede, nor any libation follow. But if some persons meeting
together in some pleasant field kill a calf, or a sheep, or both, and
roasting part and broiling the rest, have eat it under a shade upon the
ground, I do not know that they have acted contrary to any laws. For
neither have you, O Emperor, forbid

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these things by your law; but mentioning one thing, which ought not to
be done, you have permitted every thing else. So that though they
should have feasted together with all sorts of incense, they have not
transgressed the law, even though in that feast they should all have
sung and invoked the gods. Unless you think fit to accuse even their
private method of eating, by which it has been customary for the
inhabitants of several places in the country to assemble together in
those [places] which are the more considerable, on holidays, and having
sacrificed, to feast together. This they did whilst the law permitted
them to do it. Since that, the liberty has continued for all the rest
except sacrificing. When, therefore, a festival day invited them, they
accepted the invitation, and with those things which might be done
without offence or danger, they have honoured both the day and the
place. But that they ventured to sacrifice, no one has said, nor heard,
nor proved, nor been credited: nor have any of their enemies pretended
to affirm it upon the ground of his own sight, nor any credible account
he has received of it.

"They will further say: 'By this means some have been converted, and
brought to embrace the same religious sentiments with themselves. '
Be not deceived by what they say; they only pretend it, but are not
convinced: for they are averse to

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nothing more than this, though they say the contrary.