Christians Dismissed from the Army, and Prisoners Left to Starve

But when he failed to get obedience in this too, at last he threw off the mask. He gave orders that the military officers in the various cities of the empire be stripped of their commands if they refused to offer sacrifices to the demons. So the forces of the authorities in every province lost those who worshiped God. And the one who had made this decree suffered loss as well, for in this way he deprived himself of the prayers of devout men. And why should I go on to tell how he ordered that no one should obey the call of common humanity by giving food to those wasting away in prison, or even show pity to the prisoners who were dying of hunger? In short, no one was to do a good deed, and those whose natural feelings moved them to sympathize with their fellow human beings were forbidden to do them a single kindness. Truly this was the most utterly shameless and scandalous of all laws, one that went beyond the worst depravity of human nature. It laid on those who showed mercy the same penalties as on those they pitied, and it punished simple acts of humanity with the severest penalties. [a]