The First Apology

I have received the letter addressed to me by your predecessor Serenius Granianus, a very distinguished man, and I am unwilling to ignore this communication, so that innocent people are not disturbed and informers are not given the chance to commit wrongdoing. Therefore, if the people of your province want to support this petition of theirs by accusing the Christians in a court of law, I do not prohibit them from doing so. However, I will not allow them to use mere pleas and outcries. For it is far more just, if anyone wants to make an accusation, that you give judgment on it. Therefore, if anyone makes an accusation and provides proof that the accused have done anything against the laws, you should assign punishments in proportion to the offenses. And this, by Hercules, you must pay special attention to: if anyone, through mere slander, brings an accusation against these individuals, you should assign them more severe punishments in accordance with their wickedness.