小普林尼

小普林尼可能於62年出生於當代意大利的考摩（當時的名稱為Novum Comum），他的母親是著名的學者和作家老普林尼的妹妹。他本來姓西羅，他父親死後，他的舅舅老普林尼按照他父親的遺願將他領為養子，因此他獲得了普林尼這個姓。此後他在羅馬市讀書。小普林尼18歲時就已經在法庭演講、辯論，此時他與他的第一位夫人結婚，但是他的前兩位夫人的姓名都沒流傳下來。他在公元100年娶的第三位夫人的名字（卡爾普尼亞）在一封信中流傳下來了。19歲時小普林尼被提拔為羅馬皇帝提圖斯的祭祀。他按照羅馬貴族官僚生涯先後成為敍利亞的軍團校官（82年）、財務官、副執政（ 93年 / 94年 ）和執政官（100年）。他也經常處理財政問題，在這方面有一些經驗，比如98年他負責管理國庫。最後他被任命為羅馬比提尼亞-潘圖斯省（省會尼克美迪亞，當代土耳其伊茲米特）的省長。公元113年小普林尼可能死於當地，或者在他回到家鄉後不久去世。

小普林尼14歲時就發表了一部希臘悲劇和一些詩。他的一些演講也保存下來，其中包括他當任執政官後對皇帝圖拉真的頌揚演説。在皇帝涅爾瓦執政時他發表了一系列事後加工和擴充的演説。小普林尼最著名的是他的書信。他一共收集和發表了10卷，369封信。其中前9捲包括248封信，這248封信是寫給105個不同的收信人的，其中包括朋友、熟人和當時的知名人士。這些信都在普林尼赴比提尼亞前發表的。第十卷包括他與圖拉真之間的書信往來（共12封信，其中包括圖拉真的回信）。在這些信中小普林尼也探討了如何對待基督教的問題。在給塔西佗的信中普林尼描述了使他的叔叔和導師老普林尼喪生的那場維蘇威火山的爆發。小普林尼在發表他的書信時特別注意保持書信的格式（包括收信人、發信人、稱呼等等格式）。在每封信中他都會討論一個問題。他的書信涉及到羅馬上層社會幾乎所有的生活問題。雖然這些書信是經過加工後發表的，而且其詮言風格“一般”，但是他為後人提供了當時羅馬社會、生活和政治的詳細的描述。比如他描述了個人的事務、報道、政治、對他的莊園的描寫、對風景的描寫、教育問題等等。只有第十卷中的書信是按照其發送時間排列的。

Pliny the Younger or Caius Plinius Caecilius Secundus (62-c.115): Roman senator, nephew of Pliny the Elder, governor of Bithynia-Pontus (109-111), author of a famous collection of letters.

The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition. 2001.

Pliny the Elder

(Caius Plinius Secundus) (pl′n) (KEY) , c.A.D. 23–A.D. 79, Roman naturalist, b. Cisalpine Gaul. He was a friend and fellow soldier of Vespasian, and he dedicated his great work to Titus. He died of asphyxiation in the neighborhood of Vesuvius, having gone to investigate the eruption. His one surviving work is an encyclopedia of natural science (Historia naturalis). It is divided into 37 books and, after a preface, deals with the nature of the physical universe; geography; anthropology; zoology; botany, including the medicinal uses of plants; curatives derived from the animal world; and mineralogy, including an account of the uses of pigments and a history of the fine arts. Pliny’s industry was immense and his knowledge of sources extensive, but his information is mostly secondhand and quite useless as science. 1

See Selections from the History of the World, ed. by P. Turner (1962). 2

His nephew and ward, Pliny the Younger (Caius Plinius Caecilius Secundus), A.D. 62?–c.A.D. 113, was an orator and a statesman. He was quaestor (A.D. 89), tribune (A.D. 91), and praetor (A.D. 93) and subsequently held treasury posts. He was consul (A.D. 100) and died in his proconsular province of Pontus-Bithynia. His fame rests on his letters, written probably for publication, which are an excellent mirror of Roman life. 3

See his Letters and Panegyricus, tr. by B. Radice (2 vol., 1969); studies by S. E. Stout (1954) and A. N. Sherwin-White (1966). 4

一世紀到約249AD時，羅馬政府並不區分基督徒和猶太人（例如徒18：14-15）。但因基督教的傳播，不少地方常引起來自猶太人或外邦人的擾亂（例如徒19：23-41）。克勞狄烏斯年間，在羅馬城因基督而引起的攪動，曾導致克勞狄烏斯命猶太人都離開羅馬（參徒18：2）。

在羅馬皇帝尼祿(Nero)的時候，形勢發生了變化。公元64年，當他在位時，羅馬城發生一場大火，燒了六天六夜，全城絕大部份焚為灰燼。謠言傳出，放火者是尼祿王本人，於是引起羅馬人對皇帝的憤慨；為了轉移百姓的怒恨，尼祿便嫁禍於人，將焚城巨禍歸咎於基督徒。雖然這是捏造的控告，卻有無數基督徒被捉，遭到殘酷的逼迫。據説，使徒彼得與保羅都在尼祿逼迫期間相繼於羅馬殉道。相傳彼得是倒釘十架而死，在行刑前，他要求將十架倒置，因為他認為自己不配與他的主以同樣方式去世。身為羅馬公民的保羅，則被砍頭而死。這時期對基督徒的殘殺，只侷限於羅馬城，還沒有擴展成全國性的大逼迫。公元95年，暴君多米提安再次逼迫基督徒，老約翰在此時被流放到拔摩海島上，寫下了啓示錄。

約公元112年左右。當時小亞細亞巡撫小普林尼(Pliny the Younger)寫了一封信給羅馬皇帝圖拉真(Trajan)，提到他對基督徒的政策：任何被控為基督徒的，我便審問他們是否真是基督徒，若他們承認，我便以刑罰警嚇他們，並再次審問，假若他們堅持承認自己是基督徒，我便下令將他們處決。圖拉真回覆指出他在處理被控訴為基督徒的案件時做得非常正確。圖拉真也指出：政府不用積極地搜捕基督徒，但卻維持一貫嚴懲基督徒的原則，凡接到舉報某人是基督徒，便徹底調查，要求那人放棄信仰，並向羅馬的神奠酒獻祭，以示清白，要不然便將他處決。在圖拉真的統治下，安提阿主教伊格那丟(Ignatius, ca. 35-110 AD)被解赴羅馬喂獅子。

Pliny's Epistle To Trajan About 112 CE

Sir,

It is my constant method to apply myself to you for the resolution of all my doubts; for who can better govern my dilatory way of proceeding or instruct my ignorance? I have never been present at the examination of the Christians [by others], on which account I am unacquainted with what uses to be inquired into, and what, and how far they used to be punished; nor are my doubts small, whether there be not a distinction to be made between the ages [of the accused]? and whether tender youth ought to have the same punishment with strong men? Whether there be not room for pardon upon repentance? or whether it may not be an advantage to one that had been a Christian, that he has forsaken Christianity? Whether the bare name, without any crimes besides, or the crimes adhering to that name, be to be punished? In the meantime, I have taken this course about those who have been brought before me as Christians. I asked them whether they were Christians or not? If they confessed that they were Christians, I asked them again, and a third time, intermixing threatenings with the questions. If they persevered in their confession, I ordered them to be executed; for I did not doubt but, let their confession be of any sort whatsoever, this positiveness and inflexible obstinacy deserved to be punished. There have been some of this mad sect whom I took notice of in particular as Roman citizens, that they might be sent to that city. After some time, as is usual in such examinations, the crime spread itself and many more cases came before me. A libel was sent to me, though without an author, containing many names [of persons accused]. These denied that they were Christians now, or ever had been.They called upon the gods, and supplicated to your image, which I caused to be brought to me for that purpose, with frankincense and wine; they also cursed Christ; none of which things, it is said, can any of those that are ready Christians be compelled to do; so I thought fit to let them go. Others of them that were named in the libel, said they were Christians, but presently denied it again; that indeed they had been Christians, but had ceased to be so, some three years, some many more; and one there was that said he had not been so these twenty years. All these worshipped your image, and the images of our gods; these also cursed Christ. However, they assured me that the main of their fault, or of their mistake was this:-That they were wont, on a stated day, to meet together before it was light, and to sing a hymn to Christ, as to a god, alternately; and to oblige themselves by a sacrament [or oath], not to do anything that was ill: but that they would commit no theft, or pilfering, or adultery; that they would not break their promises, or deny what was deposited with them, when it was required back again; after which it was their custom to depart, and to meet again at a common but innocent meal, which they had left off upon that edict which I published at your command, and wherein I had forbidden any such conventicles. These examinations made me think it necessary to inquire by torments what the truth was; which I did of two servant maids, who were calledDeaconesses: but still I discovered no more than that they were addicted to a bad and to an extravagant superstition. Hereupon I have put off any further examinations, and have recourse to you, for the affair seems to be well worth consultation, especially on account of the number of those that are in danger; for there are many of every age, of every rank, and of both sexes, who are now and hereafter likely to be called to account, and to be in danger; for this superstition is spread like a contagion, not only into cities and towns, but into country villages also, which yet there is reason to hope may be stopped and corrected. To be sure, the temples, which were almost forsaken, begin already to be frequented; and the holy solemnities, which were long intermitted, begin to be revived. The sacrifices begin to sell well everywhere, of which very few purchasers had of late appeared; whereby it is easy to suppose how great a multitude of men may be amended, if place for repentance be admitted.

TRAJAN'S EPISTLE TO PLINY

My Pliny,

You have taken the method which you ought inexamining the causes of those that had been accused as Christians, for indeed no certain and general form of judging can be ordained in this case. These people are not to be sought for; but if they be accused and convicted, they are to be punished; but with this caution, that he who denies himself to be a Christian, and makes it plain that he is not so by supplicating to our gods, although he had been so formerly, may be allowed pardon, upon his repentance. As for libels sent without an author, they ought to have no place in any accusation whatsoever, for that would be a thing of very ill example, and not agreeable to my reign.

生於尼祿放火前2年，死於圖拉真之前2年（115），如果按他是113年去世的話，那就是圖拉真之前4年。

關於小普林尼，在我未閲讀過任何他的作品之前，我總覺得他是個很可愛的人，但這種“可愛”的印象從何而來就不得而知了，或許是我覺得普林尼這個姓念起來很好聽，所以覺得小普林尼很可愛吧。

關於普林尼的最初印象，大約是來自關於維蘇威火山的科普讀物，知道老普林尼就是為了近距離觀察而死於這場災難。如今我知道，那時候小普林尼17歲，親眼目睹了火山爆發並寫信告訴他的朋友塔西佗。老普林尼的“超”自然史實在是太宏大…………總之兩個普林尼都太有名了。

小普林尼很小的時候父親就去世了，他被舅父（老普林尼生於公元23年，死於79年的維蘇威火山噴發，死的時候也不算老，他本可以寫更多著作的…………）老普林尼收養，並繼承了老普林尼的名字。老普林尼長年任職在外，他為小普林尼，他的養子和繼承人，指定了很好的監護人，Verginius Rufus，而這又使得許多文人前來拜訪並與之為友，其中許多人成了年幼的小普林尼的老師。最著名的，小普林尼的拉丁文和演説術的教師，昆提良，雖然我沒有讀過他的著作，但是至少我知道他是多麼的偉大和有影響力，由此可以想象小普林尼的拉丁文寫得有多好。（塔西佗也可能曾是昆提良的弟子，天哪…………）

小普林尼從他的父親和養父那裏繼承了不少的財產，他的才華毋庸置疑，而他的仕途看來也是一帆風順的，他擔任過一長串顯赫的官職：財務官，地方長官，護民官，執政官，地方總督，他和幾任皇帝的私人關係都相當好，他有許多著名和不著名的朋友，塔西佗，蘇埃託尼烏斯，馬提雅爾（寫過很多諷刺詩），等等。我會想象他是優雅又親切的人，在他風景優美的別墅庭院裏散步，手中拿着一卷書，或是和朋友們談論，只是不知道象柏拉圖和西塞羅所描寫過的那種師長和弟子，朋友與朋友之間無拘無束的談話的場景那時候還會不會有，或是在他的圖書室裏看書和寫作。他的一生太過順利，他總能得到皇帝的重視和人們的喜愛（想想涅爾瓦之前的那幾個皇帝都是什麼性格吧…………），無論如何從從政的角度上説，小普林尼是不可謂不成功的。

小普林尼的文風和個人性格，相信等我看過了他的書信集之後會更有體會的。

摘一段

看看他的政治生涯…………

Caius Plinius Caecilius Secundus, son of Lucius, of the Oufentine tribe; consul; augur; legatus Augusti pro praetore consulari potestate for the province of Pontus and Bithynia, sent to that province in accordance with the Senate's decree by the emperor Nerva Trajan Augustus Germanicus Dacicus, the father of his country; curator of the bed and banks of the Tiber and sewers of Rome; prefect of the treasury of Saturn; prefect of the military treasury; praetor; tribune of the people; quaestor of the emperor; commissioner of the Roman knights; tribune of the Third Gallic legion; magistrate on the Board of Ten;

這裏敍述他的官職並非完全依照時間順序，大約是為了寫出來好看或是念出來好聽吧，他成為那個“十人團”（the Board of Ten，不知道是不是這麼翻譯，看資料上説是個高級法庭的團體）之一的時候才20歲，而他最後擔任的官職顯然是本都和比提尼亞總督。

順便感慨一下，在背教者尤利安大帝攻打波斯失敗以後，波斯的國王沙普爾二世與羅馬帝國簽定了不平等條約，將帝國東部的5個行省併入了波斯帝國的版圖，具體哪5個行省待查，我估計本都和比提尼亞是要丟了…………

小普林尼並非生於元老家庭，他的父親和叔父都還不過是騎士階級，而他本人卻在很年輕的時候就成了元老（28歲），後來又做了執政官（38歲），他的事業，他的政治生涯，的確是可以讓他的父親和叔父感到滿意了。