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De la mort des persécuteurs de l'église

XXXVII.

Des lettres de Constantin réprimèrent ces violences. Maximin se retint donc. Mais lorsqu'un chrétien tombait entre les mains des ministres de sa cruauté, on le faisait noyer secrètement. Au reste, tous les jours on immolait des victimes dans son palais. Ainsi toutes ses viandes étaient préparées, non point par ses cuisiniers, mais par des prêtres; mais comme elles servaient à des cérémonies profanes, on ne pouvait en goûter sans se souiller d'une impureté sacrilège. En tout le reste, il s'efforçait de ressembler à son maître Galérius. Car si peu que Dioclès et Maximien avaient laissé, Maximin le ravit sans pudeur aucune. Les particuliers fermèrent leurs greniers, et leurs boutiques. On poursuivait le paiement des dettes avant que le terme fût échu. Les campagnes étant rendues infertiles, il survint une famine et une cherté inouïe. On enlevait des troupeaux pour fournir aux sacrifices quotidiens[^14].... Il gagnait les soldats par de l'argent; il honorait même les barbares de ses largesses ; car, pour ce qui est de ravir les biens et de les donner à ceux qui les lui demandaient je ne sais s'il ne mérite pas quelque louange d'en avoir usé à la manière des brigands, qui ont encore quelque reste d'humanité et ne cherchent pas de proies sanglantes.

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Of the Manner in Which the Persecutors Died

Chap. XXXVII.

While occupied in this plan, he received letters from Constantine which deterred him from proceeding in its execution, so for a time he dissembled his purpose; nevertheless any Christian that fell within his power was privily thrown into the sea. Neither did he cease from his custom of sacrificing every day in the palace. It was also an invention of his to cause all animals used for food to be slaughtered, not by cooks, but by priests at the altars; so that nothing was ever served up, unless foretasted, consecrated, and sprinkled with wine, according to the rites of paganism; and whoever was invited to an entertainment must needs have returned from it impure and defiled. In all things else he resembled his preceptor Galerius. For if aught chanced to have been left untouched by Diocles and Maximian, that did Daia greedily and shamelessly carry off. And now the granaries of each individual were shut, and all warehouses sealed up, and taxes, not yet due, were levied by anticipation. Hence famine, from neglect of cultivation, and the prices of all things enhanced beyond measure. Herds and flocks were driven from their pasture for the daily sacrifice. By gorging his soldiers with the flesh of sacrifices, he so corrupted them, that they disdained their wonted pittance in corn, and wantonly threw it away. Meanwhile Daia recompensed his bodyguards, who were very numerous, with costly raiment and gold medals, made donatives in silver to the common soldiers and recruits, and bestowed every sort of largess on the barbarians who served in his army. As to grants of the property of living persons, which he made to his favourites whenever they chose to ask what belonged to another, I know not whether the same thanks might not be due to him that are given to merciful robbers, who spoil without murdering.