Pliny to the Emperor Trajan

"I have used the following procedure: I asked them whether they were Christians. Those who admitted it I asked a second and a third time, menacingly. The persistent, I ordered to be led away (for execution)." I found it interesting that Pliny gave those on trial a second and even third chance to deny that they were Christian and to be let free with no more questions asked. It seems to be that they did not want the Christians to have martyrs because it actually strengthened instead of weakening their movement as intended. Jewish martyrs "adopted the ideal of martyrdom as a witness that imitated the suffering and death of Jesus." Being a martyr for Christianity was considered to be a great and noble act for followers of Christianity. It served to strengthen their movement as well. What speaks more highly of a movement than followers who are willing to die for their beliefs? It is because of this that those persecuting Christians did not want more martyrs. "They are not to be sought out," Trajan says to Pliny. They did not wanted to aid the Christian movement by creating more symbols for possible followers to look up to. I would like to hear other opinions on this subject. Do you agree or do you think there is another possible reason for why the persecutors seem hesitant to create more martyrs?