The Edict of Milan

GTI

Lactantius, De mortibus persecutorum 48 (referred to as the Edict of Milan)

Lucius Caecilius Firmianus Lactantius: born around 250 in Africa, died after 314, summoned to his court at Nicomedia (Bithynia) as a professor of rhetorics by Emperor Dicocletian, escaped the persecutions of the Christians, but had to give up lecturing. As an old man he was summoned to Constantines court in Trier as the teacher of the Emperors son Crispus. Apart from many writings Lactantius published De mortibus persecutorum" (About the deaths of the emperors who persecuted Christians), which was meant as a counterpart to the heathen biographies written so far. In Spring 313 the Augusti Licinius and Constantine had met in Milan. As a result of their political negotiations Licinius had a note (mandatum) sent to the director of his imperial chancellery in Nicomedia, capital of the East, on June 13, 313. Thus the name Edict of Milan is misleading in two respects: Firstly, the note was certainly negotiated in Milan but publiched in Nicomedia. Secondly, according to the literary classification of juridical writings applied by Roman lawyers edicta are designed as general instructions for the public, whereas general instructions for civil servants are always referred to as mandata.

The Latin text youll find here: http://www.intratext.com/IXT/LAT0268/_P1C.HTM Annotations Text

2. Cum feliciter1 tam2 ego [quam] Constantinus3 Augustus quam2 etiam ego Licinius4 Augustus apud Mediolanum5 convenissemus atque universa quae ad commoda et securitatem publicam pertinerent in tractatu haberemus6, haec7 inter cetera, quae videbamus pluribus hominibus profutura, vel7 in primis ordinanda esse credidimus, quibus divinitatis reverentia continebatur8, ut daremus et Christianis et omnibus liberam potestatem sequendi religionem quam quisque voluisset, quod9 quicquid est divinitatis10 in sede caelesti nobis atque omnibus, qui sub potestate nostra sunt constituti, placatum11 ac propitium12 possit existere.
1 feliciter under good portents; 2 tam quam etet; 3 Constantinus Constantine defeated Maxentus, his rival in his quest of the sole power over the West, at the battle of the Milvian Bridge near Rome in 312 (In hoc signo vinces). Before the battle Constantine had placed himself in the hands of the Christian God. After Licinius death in 324 Constantine becomes the sole leader of the Roman Empire. Hed dies in 337. 4 Licinius - 308 324 Emperor together with Constantine, fighting back the Sarmatians crossed the border of the eastern half of the Roman Empire and thus launched a war against Constantine. Licinius is defeated and killed. 5 Mediolanum Milan was the capital of the West and therefore Constantines residence 6 in tractatu habere negotiate 7 vel also, as well, ORDER: credidimus inter cetera, quae videbamus pluribus hominibus profutura (esse), vel haec in primis (=imprimis) ordinanda esse 8 continere here: to settle; omnibus Licinius himself venerated Sol invictus. Christianity is put on an equal footing with other religions and cults 9 quod = ut, final 10 quidquid divinitatis which god ever 11 placatus 3 propitious 12 propitius 3 kindly disposed; 13 saluber wholesome; 14 reticissimus 3 most upright; 15 ratio provision; 16 abnegendam = abnegandam; 17 qui refer

Translation

3. Itaque hoc consilium salubri13 ac reticissima14 ratione15 ineundum esse credidimus, ut nulli omnino facultatem

The Edict of Milan

abnegendam16 putaremus, qui17 vel observationi18 Christianorum vel ei religioni mentem suam dederet19, quam ipse sibi aptissimam esse sentiret, ut possit nobis summa divinitas, cuius religioni liberis mentibus obsequimur, in omnibus solitum favorem20 suum benivolentiamque21 praestare.
to nulli omnino; 18 observatio

GTI

Christianorum here: observance of the Christian religion; 19 mentem dare + Dat. to give your heart to; divinitas deity: no specific god is mentioned; Thus the term used in a philosophical sense as an abstract term. 20 favor favor; 21 benivolentia = benevolentia = benevolence

4. Quare scire dicationem22 tuam convenit23 placuisse nobis, ut amotis24 omnibus omnino condicionibus25, quae prius scriptis ad officium tuum datis super Christianorum nomine continebantur26, et quae prorsus27 sinistra28 et a nostra clementia aliena29 esse videbantur, ea removeantur, ut nunc libere30 ac simpliciter31 unus quisque eorum, qui eandem observandae religionis Christianorum gerunt voluntatem32, citra33 ullam inquietudinem34 ac 35 molestiam sui id ipsum observare contendant36.

22 dicatio tua your Worship (address); 23 convenit it has pleased us; 24 amovere remove; 25 condicio condition; 26 super Christianorum nomine continebantur were given concerning the Christians; 27 prorsus totally; 28 sinister 3 wrong; 29 alienus 3 alien to; 30 libere freely; 31 simpliciter simply; 32 voluntatem gerere den Wunsch hegen ; 33 citra without; 34 inquietudo molestation; 35 molestia Belstigung; 36 observare contendere to be able to abserve;

5. Quae sollicitudini37 tuae plenissime38 significanda39 esse credidimus, quo scires nos liberam atque absolutam40 colendae religionis suae facultatem isdem Christianis dedisse.

37 sollicitudo care; 38 plenissime most fully; 39 significare to commend; 40 absolutus 3 unrestricted; This refers to the former regulations hostile against the Christians introduced by Maximinus Daia, former Augustus of the East. Maximinus was defeated by Licinius on April 30. 313 and died in the summer of the same year.

Interpretation: 1. Summarize the main points of the edict! 2. In how far is it right to say that this text shows tolerance? 3. ... nostri saeculi est" (Pliny X,97,2): In how far can you draw parallels to this text?

The Edict of Milan

GTI

English Translation
When I, Constantine Augustus, as well as I Licinius Augustus, fortunately met near Mediolanum ( Milan ), and were considering everything that pertained to the public welfare and security, we thought -, among other things which we saw would be for the good of many, those regulations pertaining to the reverence of the Divinity ought certainly to be made first, so that we might grant to the Christians and others full authority to observe that religion which each preferred; whence any Divinity whatsoever in the seat of the heavens may be propitious and kindly disposed to us and all who are placed under our rule And thus by this wholesome counsel and most upright provision we thought to arrange that no one whatsoever should be denied the opportunity to give his heart to the observance of the Christian religion, of that religion which he should think best for himself, so that the Supreme Deity, to whose worship we freely yield our hearts) may show in all things His usual favor and benevolence. Therefore, your Worship should know that it has pleased us to remove all conditions whatsoever, which were in the rescripts formerly given to you officially, concerning the Christians and now any one of these who wishes to observe Christian religion may do so freely and openly, without molestation. We thought it fit to commend these things most fully to your care that you may know that we have given to those Christians free and unrestricted opportunity of religious worship.