Letters of Pliny
the latter with the former. I am apprehensive, however, there may be
some danger that this method will occasion a general neglect of duty, as
it will afford them a mutual opportunity of throwing the blame upon each
other.
XXXI -- TRAJAN TO PLINY
THERE is no occasion, my dearest Secundus, to draw off any soldiers in
order to guard the prisons. Let us rather persevere in the ancient
customs observed in this province, of employing the public slaves for
that purpose; and the fidelity with which they shall execute their duty
will depend much upon your care and strict discipline. It is greatly to
be feared, as you observe, if the soldiers should be mixed with the
public slaves, they will mutually trust to each other, and by that means
grow so much the more negligent. But my principal objection is that as
few soldiers as possible should be withdrawn from their standard.
XXXII -- To THE EMPEROR TRAJAN
GABIUS BASSUS, who commands upon the frontiers of Pontica, in a manner
suitable to the respect and duty which he owes you, came to me, and has
been with me, Sir, for several days. As far as I could observe, he is a
person of great merit and worthy of your favour. I acquainted him it was
your order that he should retain only ten beneficiary[1029] soldiers,
two horse-guards, and one centurion out of the troops which you were
pleased to assign to my command. He assured me those would not be
sufficient, and that he would write to you accordingly; for which reason
I thought it proper not immediately to recall his supernumeraries.
XXXIII -- TRAJAN TO PLINY
I HAVE received from Gabius Bassus the letter you mention, acquainting
me that the number of soldiers I had ordered him was not sufficient; and
for your information I have directed my answer to be hereunto annexed.
It is very material to distinguish between what the exigency of affairs
requires and what an ambitious desire of extending power may think
necessary. As for ourselves, the public welfare must be our only guide:
accordingly it is incumbent upon us to take all possible care that the
soldiers shall not be absent from their standard.
XXXIV -- To THE EMPEROR TRAJAN
THE PRUSENSES, Sir, having an ancient bath which lies in a ruinous
state, desire your leave to repair it; but, upon examination, I am of
opinion it ought to be rebuilt. I think, therefore, you may indulge them
in this request, as there will be a sufficient fund for that purpose,
partly from those debts which are due from private persons to the public
which I am now collecting in; and partly from what they raise among
themselves towards furnishing the bath with oil, which they are willing
to apply to the carrying on of this building; a work which the dignity
of the city and the splendour of your times seem to demand.
XXXV -- TRAJAN TO PLINY
IF the erecting a public bath will not be too great a charge upon the
Prusenses, we may comply with their request; provided, however, that no
new tax be levied for this purpose, nor any of those taken off which are
appropriated to necessary services.
XXXVI -- To THE EMPEROR TRAJAN
I AM assured, Sir, by your freedman and receiver-general Maximus, that
it is necessary he should have a party of soldiers assigned to him, over
and besides the beneficiarii, which by your orders I allotted to the
very worthy Gemellinus. Those therefore which I found in his service, I
thought proper he should retain, especially as he was going into
Paphlagonia,[1030] in order to procure corn. For his better protection
likewise, and because it was his request, I added two of the cavalry.
But I beg you would inform me, in your next despatches, what method you
would have me observe for the future in points of this nature.
XXX VII -- TRAJAN TO PLINY
As my freedman Maximus was going upon an extraordinary commission to
procure corn, I approve of your having supplied him with a file of
soldiers. But when he shall return to the duties of his former post, I
think two from you and as many from his coadjutor, my receiver-general
Virdius Gemelhinus, will be sufficient.
XXXVIII To THE EMPEROR TRAJAN
THE very excellent young man Sempronius Caelianus, having discovered two
slaves[1031] among the recruits, has sent them to me. But I deferred
passing sentence till I had consulted you, the restorer and upholder of
military discipline, concerning the punishment proper to be inflicted
upon them. My principal doubt is that, whether, although they have taken
the military oath, they are yet entered into any particular legion. I
request you therefore, Sir, to inform me what course I should pursue in
this affair, especially as it concerns example.
XXXIX -- TRAJAN TO PLINY
SEMPRONIUS CAELINUS has acted agreeably to my orders, in sending such
persons to be tried before you as appear to deserve capital punishment.
It is material however, in the case in question, to inquire whether
these slaves in-listed themselves voluntarily, or were chosen by the
officers, or presented as substitutes for others. If they were chosen,
the officer is guilty; if they are substitutes, the blame rests with
those who deputed them; but if, conscious of the legal inabilities of
their station, they presented themselves voluntarily, the punishment
must fall upon their own heads. That they are not yet entered into any
legion, makes no great difference in their case; for they ought to have
given a true account of themselves immediately, upon their being
approved as fit for the service.
XL -- To THE EMPEROR TRAJAN
As I have your permission, Sir, to address myself to you in all my
doubts, you will not consider it beneath your dignity to descend to
those humbler affairs which concern my administration of this province.
I find there are in several cities, particularly those of Nicomedia and
Nicea, certain persons who take upon themselves to act as public slaves,
and receive an annual stipend accordingly; notwithstanding they have
been condemned either to the mines, the public games,[1032] or other
punishments of the like nature. Having received information of this
abuse I have been long debating with myself what I ought to do. On the
one hand, to send them back again to their respective punishments (many
of them being now grown old, and behaving, as I am assured, with
sobriety and modesty) would, I thought, be proceeding against them too
severely; on the other, to retain convicted criminals in the public
service, seemed not altogether decent. I considered at the same time to
support these people in idleness would be an useless expense to the
public; and to leave them to starve would be dangerous. I was obliged
therefore to suspend the determination of this matter till I could
consult with you. You will be desirous, perhaps, to be informed how it
happened that these persons escaped the punishments to which they were
condemned. This enquiry I have also made, but cannot return you any
satisfactory answer. The decrees against them were indeed produced; but
no record appears of their having ever been reversed. It was asserted,
however, that these people were pardoned upon their petition to the
proconsuls, or their lieutenants; which seems likely to be the truth, as
it is improbable any person would have dared to set them at liberty
without authority.
XLI -- TRAJAN TO PLINY
You will remember you were sent into Bithynia for the particular purpose
of correcting those many abuses which appeared in need of reform. Now
none stands more so than that of criminals who have been sentenced to
punishment should not only be set at liberty (as your letter informs me)
without authority; but even appointed to employments which ought only to
be exercised by persons whose characters are irreproachable. Those
therefore among them who have been convicted within these ten years, and
whose sentence has not been reversed by proper authority, must be sent
back again to their respective punishments: but where more than ten
years have elapsed since their conviction, and they are grown old and
infirm, let them he disposed of in such employments as are but few
degrees removed from the punishments to which they were sentenced; that
is, either to attend upon the public baths, cleanse the common sewers,
or repair the streets and highways, the usual offices assigned to such
persons.
XLII -- To THE EMPEROR TRAJAN
WHILE I was making a progress in a different part of the province, a
most extensive fire broke out at Nicomedia, which not only consumed
several private houses, but also two public buildings; the town-house
and the temple of Isis, though they stood on contrary sides of the
street. The occasion of its spreading thus far was partly owing to the
violence of the wind, and partly to the indolence of the people, who,
manifestly, stood idle and motionless spectators of this terrible
calamity. The truth is the city was not furnished with either engines,
[1033]buckets, or any single instrument suitable for extinguishing
fires; which I have now however given directions to have prepared. You
will consider, Sir, whether it may not be advisable to institute a
company of fire-men, consisting only of one hundred and fifty members. I
will take care none but those of that business shall be admitted into
it, and that the privileges granted them shall not be applied to any
other purpose. As this corporate body will be restricted to so small a
number of members, it will be easy to keep them under proper regulation.
XLIII -- TRAJAN TO PLINY
You are of opinion it would be proper to establish a company of firemen
in Nicomedia, agreeably to what has been practised in several other
cities. But it is to be remembered that societies of this sort have
greatly disturbed the peace of the province in general, and of those
cities in particular. Whatever name we give them, and for whatever
purposes they may be founded, they will not fail to form themselves into
factious assemblies, however short their meetings may be. It will
therefore be safer to provide such machines as are of service in
extinguishing fires, enjoining the owners of houses to assist in
preventing the mischief from spreading, and, if it should be necessary,
to call in the aid of the populace.
XLIV -- To THE EMPEROR TRAJAN
WE have acquitted, Sir, and renewed our annual vows[1034] for your
prosperity, in which that of the empire is essentially involved,
imploring the gods to grant us ever thus to pay and thus to repeat them.
XLV -- TRAJAN TO PLINY
I RECEIVED the satisfaction, my dearest Secundus, of being informed by
your letter that you, together with the people under your government,
have both discharged and renewed your vows to the immortal gods for my
health and happiness.
XLVI -- To THE EMPEROR TRAJAN
THE citizens of Nicomedia, Sir, have expended three millions three
hundred and twenty-nine sesterces[1035] in building an aqueduct; but,
not being able to finish it, the works are entirely falling to ruin.
They made a second attempt in another place, where they laid out two
millions.[1036] But this likewise is discontinued; so that, after having
been at an immense charge to no purpose, they must still be at a further
expense, in order to be accommodated with water. I have examined a fine
spring from whence the water may be conveyed over arches (as was
attempted in their first design) in such a manner that the higher as
well as level and low parts of the city may be supplied. There are still
remaining a very few of the old arches; and the square stones, however,
employed in the former building, may be used in turning the new arches.
I am of opinion part should be raised with brick, as that will be the
easier and cheaper material. But that this work may not meet with the