Course 3, Chapter 5: Christianity established. — Manners of the Pagans. First Century

1. What was the state of the world at the death of the apostles?

At the death of the apostles two great societies existed, watching each other, and on the eve of a mortal struggle; one was the pagan, steeped in crime and profligacy; the other was the Christian, youthful and brilliant with virtues. Rome was at that time the capital of the world and the centre of idolatry.

2. . What do you say of Rome?

Rome was an immense city, containing nearly three millions of inhabitants; each house was a magnificent palace, surrounded with porticos and spacious gardens; there were in the city eight hundred baths and four hundred and twenty temples, in which thirty thousand gods were adored. One of the amphitheatres could contain eighty-seven thousand spectators. There were twenty-nine highways leading from the city to the provinces; all of them paved with slabs, and adorned on either side with tombs of marble, richly wrought with gold and bronze. Her riches could not be estimated.

3. What were the religion and morals of the Komans?

The Romans having adopted the religions of the various countries they conquered, all the gross superstitions and. hideous divinities of the whole earth were found congregated in the city. Their morals were too shameful for description. Suffice it to say, that crimes the most revolting were authorized by religion, th« 22*

258 CATECHISM OF PERSEVERANCE.

silence of the law, or by custom, and were openly committed in the presence of every body, young or old, rich or poor.

4. What were their laws?

They were laws of hatred and cruelty; the most grievous oppression was inflicted on all whom they could oppress. 1 st. On woman -. she was the slave of her father, who could either kill her or sell her; in marrying, she became the slave of her husband, who could sell or discard her at his pleasure. 2d. On children: the laws permitted their destruction before birth, and in certain cases, even ordered it; after their birth, it was lawful to expose them, kill them, or sell them; they were chosen as the most acceptable victims to be sacrificed to the false gods. 3d. On the slave: slaves were sold like animals; were marked with red hot irons on their forehead; during the day they were hurried on by the lash; and during the night they were chained under ground; for the slight est fault, or even carelessness, they were put to death. 4th. On prisoners of war; sometimes they were butchered on the tombs of the conquerors; sometimes they were forced to slaughter one another in the am phitheatres to amuse the people; in every instance they were reduced to slavery. 5th. On debtors: it was lawful for creditors to cut to pieces their insolvent debtors. 6th. On the poor: they were called impure animals, and their poverty insulted on every occasion. One of the emperors, to relieve the city of its poor, caused three vessels, crowded with them, to be sunk in the sea. Such was pagan Rome on St. Peter's arriraL