The same reason which contributes to alleviate the guilt, must have tended to abate the vigor, of their persecutions.
As they were actuated, not by the furious zeal of bigots, but by the temperate policy of legislators, contempt must often have relaxed, and humanity must frequently have suspended, the execution of those laws which they enacted against the humble and obscure followers of Christ.
From the general view of their character and motives we might naturally conclude: I.That a considerable time elapsed before they considered the new sectaries as an object deserving of the attention of government.

II.
That in the conviction of any of their subjects who were accused of so very singular a crime, they proceeded with caution and reluctance.

III.
That they were moderate in the use of punishments; and, IV.

That the afflicted church enjoyed many intervals of peace and tranquility.
Notwithstanding the careless indifference which the most copious and the most minute of the Pagan writers have shown to the affairs of the Christians, [24] it may still be in our power to confirm each of these probable suppositions, by the evidence of authentic facts.
[Footnote 24: In the various compilation of the Augustan History, (a part of which was composed under the reign of Constantine,) there are not six lines which relate to the Christians; nor has the diligence of Xiphilin discovered their name in the large history of Dion Cassius.
* Note: The greater part of the Augustan History is dedicated to Diocletian.

This may account for the silence of its authors concerning Christianity.