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De mortibus persecutorum

22.

[1] Quae igitur in Christianis excruciandis didicerat, consuetudine ipsa in omnes exercebat. [2] Nulla ‹poena› penes eum levis, non insulae, non carceres, non metalla, sed ignis, crux ferae in illo erant cotidiana et facilia. [3] Domestici et administratores lancea emendabantur. In causa [poena] capitis [et] animadversio gladii admodum paucis quasi beneficium deferebatur, qui ob merita vetera impetraverant bonam mortem. [4] Iam illa ‹prae› his levia fuerant: eloquentia extincta, causidici sublati, iure consulti aut relegati aut necati. Litterae autem inter malas artes habitae et qui eas noverant, pro inimicis hostibusque protriti et execrati. [5] Licentia rerum omnium solutis legibus adsumpta et iudicibus data. Iudices militares humanitatis litterarum rudes sine adsessoribus in provincias immissi.

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Of the Manner in Which the Persecutors Died

Chap. XXII.

And now that cruelty, which he had learned in torturing the Christians, became habitual, and he exercised it against all men indiscriminately. ¹ He was not wont to inflict the slighter sorts of punishment, as to banish, to imprison, or to send criminals to work in the mines; but to burn, to crucify, to expose to wild beasts, were things done daily, and without hesitation. For smaller offences, those of his own household and his stewards were chastised with lances, instead of rods; and, in great offences, to be beheaded was an indulgence shown to very few; and it seemed as a favour, on account of old services, when one was permitted to die in the easiest manner. But these were slight evils in the government of Galerius, when compared with what follows. For eloquence was extinguished, pleaders cut off, and the learned in the laws either exiled or slain. Useful letters came to be viewed in the same light as magical and forbidden arts; and all who possessed them were trampled upon and execrated, as if they had been hostile to government, and public enemies. Law was dissolved, and unbounded licence permitted to judges,--to judges chosen from amongst the soldiery, rude and illiterate men, and let loose upon the provinces, without assessors to guide or control them.