小普林尼14歲時(shí)就發(fā)表了一部希臘 悲劇 和一些詩(shī)。他的一些演講也保存下來?，其中包括他當(dāng)任執(zhí)政官后至言皇帝 圖拉真 的 頌揚(yáng)的演說 。在黃帝 涅爾瓦 執(zhí)政時(shí)他發(fā)表了一系列事后加工和擴(kuò)墮的演說。 小普林尼最著名的是他的習(xí)信。他一共收集和發(fā)表了10卷，369封信 。其中前9卷包括248封信，這248封信映寫給105個(gè)不同的收信人的，其中包括朠友、熟人和當(dāng)時(shí)的知名人士。這些信映在普林尼赴比西尼亞前發(fā)表的。第十占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）。在迠些信中小普林尼也探討了如何對(duì)付 基督教 的問題。在給塔西佗 的信中普林尼描述了他的叔叔和導(dǎo)師蠁普林尼喪身的那次維蘇威火山 爆發(fā)。 小普林尼在發(fā)表他的書信時(shí)它別注意保持書信的格式（包括收信人?發(fā)信人、稱呼等等格式）。在每封信丠他討論一個(gè)問題。他的書信涉及到羅驠上層社會(huì)幾乎所有的生活問題。雖然迠些書信是經(jīng)過加工后發(fā)表的，而且其詮言風(fēng)格“一般”，但是他為后人提供亠當(dāng)時(shí)羅馬社會(huì)、生活和政治的詳細(xì)的揠述。比如他描述了個(gè)人的事務(wù)、報(bào)道?政治、對(duì)他的莊園的描寫、對(duì)風(fēng)景的揠寫、教育問題等等。只有第十卷中的習(xí)信是按照其發(fā)送時(shí)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) (plu2032n) (KEY) , c.A.D. 23u2013A.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. Plinyu2019s 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?u2013c.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(jì)到約249AD時(shí)，羅馬政府并不區(qū)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）。革老丟年間，在羅馬城因基督而引起的攪動(dòng)，曾導(dǎo)致革老丟命猶太人都離開羅馬（參徒18：2）。

　　在羅馬皇帝尼祿(Nero)的時(shí)候，形勢(shì)發(fā)生了變化。公元64年，當(dāng)他在位時(shí)，羅馬城發(fā)生一場(chǎng)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，于是引起羅馬人對(duì)皇帝的憤慨；為了轉(zhuǎn)移百姓的怒恨，尼祿便嫁禍于人，將焚城巨禍歸咎于基督徒。雖然這是捏造的控告，卻有無(wú)數(shù)基督徒被捉，遭到殘酷的逼迫。據(jù)說，使徒彼得與保羅都在尼祿逼迫期間相繼于羅馬殉道。相傳彼得是倒釘十架而死，在行刑前，他要求將十架倒置，因?yàn)樗�認(rèn)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(shí)期對(duì)基督徒的殘殺，只局限于羅馬城，還沒有擴(kuò)展成全國(guó)性的大逼迫。公元95年，暴君多米田再次逼迫基督徒，老約翰在此時(shí)被流放到拔摩海島上，寫下了啟示錄。

　　約公元112年左右。當(dāng)時(shí)小亞細(xì)亞巡撫小普利尼(Pliny the Younger)寫了一封信給羅馬皇帝圖拉真(Trajan)，提到他對(duì)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(rèn)，我便以刑罰警嚇?biāo)麄儯�并再次審問，假若他們�?jiān)持承認(rèn)自己是基督徒，我便下令將他們處決。圖拉真回復(fù)指出他在處理被控訴為基督徒的案件時(shí)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(yán)懲基督徒的原則，凡接到舉報(bào)某人是基督徒，便徹底調(diào)查，要求那人放棄信仰，并向羅馬的神奠酒獻(xiàn)祭，以示清白，要不然便將他處決。在圖拉真的統(tǒng)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 called Deaconesses: 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.

　　小普林尼很小的時(shí)候父親就去世了，他被舅父（老普林尼生于公元23年，死于79年的維蘇威火山噴發(fā)，死的時(shí)候也不算老，他本可以寫更多著作的…………）老普林尼收養(yǎng)，并繼承了老普林尼的名字。老普林尼長(zhǎng)年任職在外，他為小普林尼，他的養(yǎng)子和繼承人，指定了很好的監(jiān)護(hù)人，Verginius Rufus，而這又使得許多文人前來拜訪并與之為友，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說術(shù)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么的偉大和有影響力，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(yǎng)父那里繼承了不少的財(cái)產(chǎn)，他的才華無(wú)庸置疑，而他的仕途看來也是一帆風(fēng)順的，他擔(dān)任過一長(zhǎng)串顯赫的官職，財(cái)務(wù)官，地方長(zhǎng)官，護(hù)民官，執(zhí)政官，地方總督，他和幾任皇帝的私人關(guān)系都相當(dāng)好，他有許多著名和不著名的朋友，塔西佗，蘇埃托尼烏斯，馬提雅爾（寫過很多諷刺詩(shī)），等等。我會(huì)想象他是優(yōu)雅又親切的人，在他風(fēng)景優(yōu)美的別墅庭院里散步，手中拿著一卷書，或是和朋友們談?wù)�，只是不知道象柏拉圖和西塞羅所描寫過的那種師長(zhǎng)和弟子，朋友與朋友之間無(wú)拘無(wú)束的談話的場(chǎng)景那時(shí)候還會(huì)不會(huì)有，或是在他的圖書室里看書和寫作。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(gè)皇帝都是什么性格吧…………），無(wú)論如何從從政的角度上說，小普林尼是不可謂不成功的。

　　小普林尼的文風(fēng)和個(gè)人性格，相信等我看過了他的書信集之后會(huì)更有體會(huì)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;

　　這里敘述他的官職并非完全依照時(shí)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(gè)“十人團(tuán)”（the Board of Ten，不知道是不是這么翻譯，看資料上說是個(gè)高級(jí)法庭的團(tuán)體）之一的時(shí)候才20歲，而他最后擔(dān)任的官職顯然是本都和比西尼亞總督。

　　順便感慨一下，在叛教者尤里安大帝攻打波斯失敗以后，波斯的國(guó)王沙普爾二世與羅馬帝國(guó)簽定了不平等條約，將帝國(guó)東部的5個(gè)行省并入了波斯帝國(guó)的版圖，具體哪5個(gè)行省待查，我估計(jì)本都和比西尼亞是要丟了…………

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

　　When the last king of Bithynia died in 74 BCE, he bequeathed his country -which belonged to the Greek world- to the Romans. However, it took seven years for the new masters to pacify the country, because the king of nearby Pontus, Mithradates, had set eyes on the neighboring state. Ultimately, the Roman general Pompey the Great defeated the enemy, and a new province was created: Bithynia-Pontus.

　　米特拉達(dá)梯六世的確是個(gè)了不起的人物，而那個(gè)比西尼亞王國(guó)的最后一個(gè)國(guó)王，尼科美德斯，正是和愷撒鬧緋聞的那個(gè)國(guó)王^^

　　愷撒舉行高盧凱旋式是在很多很多年以后了。在那次四重的凱旋式上，士兵們唱各種版本的下流小曲兒。