米蘭敕令:文本與翻譯
全文大意:公元 313 年羅馬帝國皇帝君士坦丁一世與李錫尼共同頒布的《米蘭敕令》宣告了羅馬帝國內部的宗教寬容,正式結束了對基督徒的迫害。本頁面提供「英文-中文」以及「拉丁文-中文」雙語版本對照。
原始文件來源:Wikisource: Edict of Milan
EDICT OF MILAN Freedom of worship granted to all Christians ( AD 313 ) ( Munro & Bramhall in Translations and Reprints..., IV, Philadelphia, 1898, pp. 29-30 ).
《米蘭敕令》 賦予所有基督徒信仰自由 (公元 313 年) (摘自門羅與布拉姆霍爾,《翻譯與重印……》,第四卷,費城,1898 年,第 29-30 頁)。
- EDICT OF MILAN(米蘭敕令):公元 313 年由羅馬帝國西部的皇帝君士坦丁一世和東部的皇帝李錫尼在米蘭共同頒布的一項法令。它宣告了羅馬帝國內部的宗教寬容,正式結束了對基督徒的迫害。
When I, Constantine Augustus, as well as I, Licinius Augustus, had fortunately met near Mediolanum (Milan), and were considering everything that pertained to the public welfare and security, we thought that, 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 to all 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.
當我,君士坦丁奧古斯都,以及我,李錫尼奧古斯都,在美地奧蘭(米蘭)附近有幸會面,並共同商討所有關乎公共福利與安全的事宜時,我們認為在眾多看來對大眾有益的事項中,那些涉及敬奉神明的規定顯然應當優先制定。如此一來,我們便能賦予基督徒及所有其他人充分的權力,去信奉各自偏好的宗教;從而使天上寶座的任何神明,都能對我們以及所有受我們統治的臣民展現護佑與善意。
- Constantine Augustus / Licinius Augustus(君士坦丁奧古斯都 / 李錫尼奧古斯都):「奧古斯都」(Augustus)在羅馬帝國後期是「正皇帝」的官方頭銜。這裡指羅馬歷史上著名的君士坦丁大帝以及與他共同執政的東部皇帝李錫尼。
- Mediolanum(美地奧蘭):義大利城市「米蘭」的古羅馬拉丁語地名。
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, or 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.
因此,透過這項有益的商議與最公正的條款,我們期望做出以下安排:任何人都不得被剝奪傾心信仰基督教、或是信仰其認為最適合自身宗教的機會。如此,我們衷心敬奉的至高神明,便能在所有事物上展現祂一如既往的恩寵與慈悲。
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 the Christian religion may do so freely and openly, without any disturbance or 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.
所以,閣下應當知悉,我們已決定廢除先前官方發給你的詔令中所有關於基督徒的限制條件。現在,任何渴望信奉基督教的人都可以自由、公開地信奉,不受任何干擾或刁難。我們認為應將這些事務完全交由你來妥善處理,以便你明白我們已賦予這些基督徒自由且不受限制的宗教崇拜機會。
- Your Worship(閣下):在此文獻中是羅馬皇帝對高級地方官員(如行省總督)的官方尊稱。
- Rescripts(詔書/詔令):羅馬皇帝針對臣民、官員的請求或詢問所做出的正式法律答覆或命令,具有法律效力。
When you see that this has been granted to them by us, your Worship will know that we have also conceded to other religions the right of open and free observance of their worship for the sake of the peace of our times, that each one may have the free opportunity to worship as he pleases; this regulation is made that we may not seem to detract aught from any dignity or any religion.
當你看到我們已向他們授予此項權利時,閣下亦將明白,為了我們時代的和平,我們同樣容許其他宗教享有公開、自由舉行崇拜的權利,使每個人都能擁有依其意願自由崇拜的機會。制定此項法規,是為了確保我們不至於損害任何尊嚴或任何宗教。
Moreover, in the case of the Christians especially, we esteemed it best to order that if it happens that anyone heretofore has bought from our treasury or from anyone whatsoever, those places where they were previously accustomed to assemble, concerning which a certain decree had been made and a letter sent to you officially, the same shall be restored to the Christians without payment or any claim of recompense and without any kind of fraud or deception. Those, moreover, who have obtained the same by gift, are likewise to return them at once to the Christians.
此外,針對基督徒的特殊情況,我們認為最妥當的處置是下令:若在此之前,有人從我們的國庫或任何渠道購買了基督徒以往習慣聚集的場所(即先前已有相關法令並正式致函通知你的地方),這些場所應立即歸還給基督徒,不得要求付費或索取任何補償,且不得有任何欺詐或隱瞞。另外,那些透過贈與獲得這些場所的人,同樣必須立刻將其歸還給基督徒。
Besides, both those who have purchased and those who have secured them by gift, are to appeal to the vicar if they seek any recompense from our bounty, that they may be cared for through our clemency. All this property ought to be delivered at once to the community of the Christians through your intercession, and without delay.
再者,無論是購買者還是透過贈與獲得者,若想從我們的慷慨恩賜中尋求任何補償,應向代理官提出申請,以便透過我們的仁慈法令獲得關照。所有這些財產都應在你的調停與協助下,立即且毫無拖延地移交給基督徒社群。
- Vicar(代理官/管區長):古羅馬戴克里先與君士坦丁改革後的官職(拉丁語:Vicarius),負責管轄由多個行省組成之管區的長官,直接對轄區總長負責。
And since these Christians are known to have possessed not only those places in which they were accustomed to assemble, but also other property, namely the churches, belonging to them as a corporation and not as individuals, all these things which we have included under the above law, you will order to be restored, without any hesitation or controversy at all, to these Christians, that is to say to the corporations and their conventicles:— providing, of course, that the above arrangements be followed so that those who return the same without payment, as we have said, may hope for an indemnity from our bounty.
鑑於眾所皆知,這些基督徒不僅擁有他們習慣聚集的場所,還擁有屬於其法人組織(而非個人)的其他財產(即教堂),你應下令將我們納入上述法律的所有這些財產,毫無遲疑或爭議地歸還給這些基督徒,也就是歸還給他們的法人組織和聚會所。當然,前提是必須遵循上述安排,以便如前所述,那些無償歸還財產的人可以期待從我們的慷慨恩賜中獲得補償。
- Corporation(法人組織):法律上將基督徒社群視為一個具有持有財產權利的法律實體,這在當時是一大進步,意味著教會財產受到羅馬法律的承認與保護。
- Conventicles(聚會所):指秘密或非正式的宗教集會場所。在基督教合法化前,基督徒常在私宅或地下墓穴等隱密地方聚會。
In all these circumstances you ought to tender your most efficacious intervention to the community of the Christians, that our command may be carried into effect as quickly as possible, whereby, moreover, through our clemency, public order may be secured. Let this be done so that, as we have said above, Divine favor towards us, which, under the most important circumstances we have already experienced, may, for all time, preserve and prosper our successes together with the good of the state.
在所有這些情況下,你應當向基督徒社群提供最有效的干預與協助,使我們的命令能盡快付諸實行,從而藉由我們的仁慈施政,確保公共秩序的穩定。務必落實此舉,正如我們前文所述,使我們在重大關頭已領受到的天神恩寵,能永保我們的成就,並使國家繁榮昌盛。
Moreover, in order that the statement of this decree of our good will may come to the notice of all, this rescript, published by your decree, shall be announced everywhere and brought to the knowledge of all, so that the decree of this, our benevolence, cannot be concealed.
此外,為了讓這項彰顯我們善意的法令聲明家喻戶曉,此份由你發布的詔書應隨處宣讀,並讓所有人知悉,使我們這項仁慈的法令不至被隱匿。
拉丁文版本(拉克坦提烏斯《關於迫害者之死》記載)
以下為基督教早期作家拉克坦提烏斯(Lactantius)在其著作《關於迫害者之死》(De Mortibus Persecutorum)第 48 章中保存的拉丁文官方通諭文本,與中文對照翻譯。其原文為拉丁文。
拉丁文文獻來源:The Latin Library: Lactantius De Mortibus Persecutorum
[48] Licinius vero accepta exercitus parte ac distributa traiecit exercitum in Bithyniam paucis post pugnam diebus et Nicomediam ingressus gratiam deo, cuius auxilio vicerat, retulit ac die Iduum Iuniarum Constantino atque ipso ter consulibus de restituenda ecclesia huius modi litteras ad praesidem datas proponi iussit:
[48] 戰後幾天,李錫尼接收並整編了部分軍隊,隨後率軍渡海進入比提尼亞。進入尼科米底亞後,他向賜予他勝利之助的神明感恩表達謝意。在六月望日(6月13日),正值君士坦丁與他本人第三次共同擔任執政官之際,他下令公布一封發給行省總督、關於恢復教會權益的詔令,其內容如下:
- Licinius(李錫尼):羅馬帝國後期的統治者之一(308年-324年在位)。他與君士坦丁大帝曾共同頒布著名的《米蘭敕令》,但後期兩人決裂,最終被君士坦丁擊敗並處死。
- Bithyniam(比提尼亞):位於小亞細亞西北部(今土耳其境內)的一個羅馬行省。
- Nicomediam(尼科米底亞):比提尼亞行省的首府,是當時羅馬帝國東部的重鎮與重要行政中心。
- Iduum Iuniarum(六月望日):羅馬曆法中的「Ides」,通常指月份的月中(13日或15日),六月的 Ides 即為 6 月 13 日。
- Constantino(君士坦丁):即君士坦丁大帝(Constantine the Great),第一位皈依基督宗教的羅馬皇帝。
2 »Cum feliciter tam ego [quam] Constantinus Augustus quam etiam ego Licinius Augustus apud Mediolanum convenissemus atque universa quae ad commoda et securitatem publicam pertinerent, in tractatu haberemus, haec inter cetera quae videbamus pluribus hominibus profutura, vel in primis ordinanda esse credidimus, quibus divinitatis reverentia continebatur, ut daremus et Christianis et omnibus liberam potestatem sequendi religionem quam quisque voluisset, quod quicquid divinitatis in sede caelesti nobis atque omnibus qui sub potestate nostra sunt constituti, placatum ac propitium possit existere.
2 「當我,奧古斯都君士坦丁,以及我,奧古斯都李錫尼,順利地在米蘭會師,並共同商討所有關乎帝國利益與公共安全的事務時,在諸多我們認為對大眾大有裨益的事項中,我們深信首要安排的,乃是涉及敬奉神明的事宜。也就是說,我們應當賦予基督徒及所有人完全自由的權力,去奉行各自選擇的宗教,如此一來,天上居所的任何神聖之物,都能對我們以及所有在我們治下的臣民,保持和善與眷顧。
- Augustus(奧古斯都):羅馬帝國時期皇帝或共同統治者的最高頭銜。
- Mediolanum(米蘭):義大利北部的古城,當時是羅馬帝國西部的行政中心之一。
3 Itaque hoc consilium salubri ac recticissima ratione ineundum esse credidimus, ut nulli omnino facultatem abnegendam putaremus, qui vel observationi Christianorum vel ei religioni mentem suam dederet quam ipse sibi aptissimam esse sentiret, ut possit nobis summa divinitas, cuius religioni liberis mentibus obsequimur, in omnibus solitum favorem suum benivolentiamque praestare.
3 因此,基於健全且極其正當的理由,我們認為應當採取這項方針:絕不剝奪任何人的機會,無論他是想將心思投入於基督徒的信仰儀式,還是投入於他認為最適合自己的其他宗教。這樣一來,我們以自由的心靈所敬奉的至高神明,便能在一切事物上繼續賜予我們祂一如既往的恩寵與善意。
4 Quare scire dicationem tuam convenit placuisse nobis, ut amotis omnibus omnino condicionibus quae prius scriptis ad officium tuum datis super Christianorum nomine
4 準此,閣下應當知悉,我們已經決定:先前發給貴府公文中所包含的、所有關於『基督徒』群體的名字且看似完全不合時宜、與我們的寬仁相違背的各項限制條件,現在一律予以撤銷。從今以後,凡是立志奉行基督宗教的人,皆可自由、坦然地實踐其信仰,不受任何干擾與刁難。
5 Quae sollicitudini tuae plenissime significanda esse credidimus, quo scires nos liberam atque absolutam colendae religionis suae facultatem isdem Christianis dedisse.
5 我們認為有必要將此事極其詳盡地通報給恪盡職守的閣下,以便你明白,我們已經賦予上述基督徒自由且絕對的權力去實踐他們的宗教信仰。
6 Quod cum isdem a nobis indultum esse pervideas, intellegit dicatio tua etiam aliis religionis suae vel observantiae potestatem similiter apertam et liberam pro quiete temporis nostri concessam, ut in colendo quod quisque delegerit, habeat liberam facultatem. Quod a nobis factum est, ut neque cuiquam honori neque cuiquam religioni detractum aliquid a nobis videatur.
6 當你看到我們對他們做出這項寬容時,閣下亦當明白,為了我們時代的太平,其他宗教的信徒同樣獲得了公開且自由的崇拜權力,以便每個人在敬奉自己所選擇的信仰時,都能享有自由的空間。我們這樣做,是為了確保任何尊榮或任何宗教,都不會顯得因我們而受到絲毫貶損。
7 Atque hoc insuper in persona Christianorum statuendum esse censuimus, quod, si eadem loca, ad quae antea convenire consuerant, de quibus etiam datis ad officium tuum litteris certa antehac forma fuerat comprehensa, priore tempore aliqui vel a fisco nostro vel ab alio quocumque videntur esse mercati, eadem Christianis sine pecunia et sine ulla pretii petitione, postposita omni frustratione atque ambiguitate restituant;
7 此外,關於基督徒的群體,我們特別規定:倘若他們過去慣常聚集的場所(即先前發給貴府的公文中曾有明確規範的那些地方),在此之前已被我們的國庫或任何其他人所購買,此等場所必須立即歸還給基督徒,不得收取任何金錢或代價,亦不得有任何拖延或含糊其辭。
- Fisco(國庫 / 皇室財庫):羅馬帝國時期屬於皇帝掌控的財政金庫(區別於元老院管理的公庫 Aerarium)。
8 qui etiam dono fuerunt consecuti, eadem similiter isdem Christianis quantocius reddant; etiam vel hi qui emerunt vel qui dono fuerunt consecuti, si petiverint de nostra benivolentia aliquid, vicarium postulent, quo et ipsis per nostram clementiam consulatur. Quae omnia corpori Christianorum protinus per intercessionem tuam ac sine mora tradi oportebit.
8 至於那些透過贈與而獲得這些場所的人,也應同樣儘速將其歸還給基督徒。不論是購買者還是接受贈與者,如果他們想尋求我們的恩典補償,可以向代理官提出申請,以便透過我們的寬仁對他們予以照顧。所有這一切財產,都必須透過閣下的介入,立即且毫不延誤地移交給基督徒社群。
9 Et quoniam idem Christiani non [in] ea loca tantum ad quae convenire consuerunt, sed alia etiam habuisse noscuntur ad ius corporis eorum id est ecclesiarum, non hominum singulorum, pertinentia, ea omnia lege quam superius comprehendimus, citra ullam prorsus ambiguitatem vel controversiam isdem Christianis id est corpori et conventiculis eorum reddi iubebis, supra dicta scilicet ratione servata, ut ii qui eadem sine pretio sicut diximus restituant, indemnitatem de nostra benivolentia sperent.
9 再者,眾所周知,這些基督徒不僅擁有他們慣常聚集的場所,還擁有屬於其社團法權(即屬於其教會整體,而非個別私人)的其他財產。依據我們上述所列的法律,閣下必須下令將所有這些財產毫無爭議且毫無保留地歸還給上述基督徒,亦即歸還給他們的社團與聚會所。當然,仍須遵守前述的原則:那些如同我們所說、未收取任何代價便歸還財產的人,可以期待從我們的恩典中獲得補償。
- Corpori / Corpus(社團 / 法人體):在此指基督徒組成的集體組織,這項敕令賦予了教會法律上的法人地位,使其能夠合法擁有財產。
10 In quibus omnibus supra dicto corpori Christianorum intercessionem tuam efficacissimam exhibere debebis, ut praeceptum nostrum quantocius compleatur, quo etiam in hoc per clementiam nostram quieti publicae consulatur.
10 在所有這些事務中,閣下必須對上述基督徒社團展現出最有效的協助,以便我們的命令能儘速執行,從而使公共的太平也能透過我們的寬仁得到保障。
11 Hactenus fiet, ut, sicut superius comprehensum est, divinus iuxta nos favor, quem in tantis sumus rebus experti, per omne tempus prospere successibus nostris cum beatitudine publica perseveret.
11 唯有如此,正如上面所闡述的,我們在如此重大事務中所體驗到的神聖恩寵,才會在未來歲月裡持續眷顧我們的成就,並與大眾的福祉並存。
12 Ut autem huius sanctionis benivolentiae nostrae forma ad omnium possit pervenire notitiam, prolata programmate tuo haec scripta et ubique proponere et ad omnium scientiam te perferre conveniet, ut huius nostrae benivolentiae [nostrae] sanctio latere non possit."
12 為了使我們這項法令與恩典的具體內容能為大眾所知,閣下應當發布告示,將這份公文張貼於各處,使人盡皆知,以確保我們這項恩典的法令不至隱沒不彰。」
13 His litteris propositis etiam verbo hortatus est, ut conventicula statum pristinum redderentur. Sic ab eversa ecclesia usque ad restitutam fuerunt anni decem, menses plus minus quattuor.
13 這封詔令公布後,李錫尼亦口頭敦促眾人,務必將聚會所恢復到原本的狀態。就這樣,從教會遭受摧毀到得以恢復,歷時約十年又四個月。
- Lactantius《De Mortibus Persecutorum》(關於迫害者之死):這段拉丁文文獻出自基督教早期作家拉克坦提烏斯(Lactantius)的著作第 48 章。這並非嚴格意義上的《米蘭敕令》原始文本(原始公告已佚失),而是李錫尼回到東部行省後,根據米蘭會議的協議精神,向東部官員發出的官方詔書(通諭),是研究早期基督教歷史最核心的文獻。