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The Divine Institutes
Lactantius
Book 5 · Chapter 1 About this work A large Latin presentation of Christian teaching that criticizes pagan religion and philosophy while treating justice, God, creation, Christ, worship, ethics, and the final destiny of humanity.
Author Lactantius
Date c. AD 303–311
Origin North Africa and Nicomedia
Genre Apology Chap. I.—Of the Non-Condemnation of Accused Persons Without a Hearing of Their Cause; From What Cause Philosophers Despised the Sacred Writings; Of the First Advocates of the Christian Religion. I Entertain no doubt , O mighty Emperor Constantine
‹ Book 4 · Chapter 30 Book 5 · Chapter 2 ›,
—
since
they
are
impatient
through
excessive
superstition
,
—
that
if
any
one
of
those
who
are
foolishly
religious
should
take
in
hand
this
work
of
ours
,
in
which
that
matchless
Creator
of
all
things
and
Ruler
of
this
boundless
world
is
asserted
,
he
would
even
assail
it
with
abusive
language
,
and
perhaps
,
having
scarcely
read
the
beginning
,
would
dash
it
to
the
ground
,
cast
it
from
him
,
curse
it
,
and
think
himself
contaminated
and
bound
by
inexpiable
guilt
if
he
should
patiently
read
or
hear
these
things
.
We
demand
,
however
,
from
this
man
,
if
it
is
possible
,
by
the
right
of
human
nature
,
that
he
should
not
condemn
before
that
he
knows
the
whole
matter
.
For
if
the
right
of
defending
themselves
is
given
to
sacrilegious
persons
,
and
to
traitors
and
sorcerers
,
and
if
it
is
lawful
for
no
one
to
be
condemned
beforehand
,
his
cause
being
as
yet
untried
,
we
do
not
appear
to
ask
unjustly
,
that
if
there
shall
be
any
one
who
shall
have
fallen
upon
this
subject
,
if
he
shall
read
it
,
he
read
it
throughout
;
if
he
shall
hear
it
,
that
he
put
off
the
forming
of
an
opinion
until
the
end
.
But
I
know
the
obstinacy
of
men
;
we
shall
never
succeed
in
obtaining
this
.
For
they
fear
lest
they
should
be
overcome
by
us
,
and
be
compelled
at
length
to
yield
,
truth
itself
crying
out
.
They
interrupt
,
therefore
,
and
make
hindrances
,
that
they
may
not
hear
;
and
close
their
eyes
,
that
they
may
not
see
the
light
which
we
present
to
them
.
Wherefore
they
themselves
plainly
show
their
distrust
in
their
own
abandoned
system
,
since
they
neither
venture
to
investigate
,
nor
to
engage
with
as
,
because
they
know
that
they
are
easily
overpowered
.
And
therefore
,
discussion
being
taken
away
,
“ Wisdom is driven from among them , they have recourse to violence , ”
as Ennius says ; and because they eagerly endeavour to condemn as guilty those whom they plainly know to be innocent , they are unwilling to be agreed respecting innocence itself ; as though , in truth , it were a greater injustice to have condemned innocence , when proved to be such , than unheard . But , as I said , they are afraid lest , if they should hear , they should be unable to condemn .
And therefore they torture , put to death , and banish the worshippers of the Most High God , that is , the righteous ; nor are they , who so vehemently hate , themselves able to assign the causes of their hatred . Because they are themselves in error , they are angry with those who follow the path of truth ; and when they are able to correct themselves , they greatly increase their errors by cruel deeds , they are stained with the blood of the innocent , and they tear away with violence souls dedicated to God from the lacerated bodies . Such are the men with whom we now endeavour to engage and to dispute : these are the men whom we would lead away from a foolish persuasion to the truth , men who would more readily drink blood than imbibe the words of the righteous . What then ? Will our labour be in vain ? By no means . For if we shall not be able to deliver these from death , to which they are hastening with the greatest speed ; if we cannot recall them from that devious path to life and light , since they themselves oppose their own safety ; yet we shall strengthen those who belong to us , whose opinion is not settled , and founded and fixed with solid roots . For many of them waver , and especially those who have any acquaintance with literature . For in this respect philosophers , and orators , and poets are pernicious , because they are easily able to ensnare unwary souls by the sweetness of their discourse , and of their poems flowing with delightful modulation . These are sweets which conceal poison . And on this account I wished to connect wisdom with religion , that that vain system may not at all injure the studious ; so that now the knowledge of literature may not only be of no injury to religion and righteousness , but may even be of the greatest profit , if he who has learned it should be more instructed in virtues and wiser in truth .
Moreover , even though it should be profitable to no other , it certainly will be so to us : the conscience will delight itself , and the mind will rejoice that it is engaged in the light of truth , which is the food of the soul , being overspread with an incredible kind of pleasantness . But we must not despair . Perchance
“ We sing not to the deaf . ”
For neither are affairs in so bad a condition that there are no sound minds to which the truth may be pleasing , and which may both see and follow the right course when it is pointed out to them . Only let the cup be anointed with the heavenly honey of wisdom , that the bitter remedies may be drunk by them unawares , without any annoyance , whilst the first sweetness of taste by its allurement conceals , under the cover of pleasantness , the bitterness of the harsh flavour . For this is especially the cause why , with the wise and the learned , and the princes of this world , the sacred Scriptures are without credit , because the prophets spoke in common and simple language , as though they spoke to the people . And therefore they are despised by those who are willing to hear or read nothing except that which is polished and eloquent ; nor is anything able to remain fixed in their minds , except that which charms their ears by a more soothing sound . But those things which appear humble are considered anile , foolish , and common . So entirely do they regard nothing as true , except that which is pleasant to the ear ; nothing as credible , except that which can excite pleasure : no one estimates a subject by its truth , but by its embellishment . Therefore they do not believe the sacred writings , because they are without any pretence ; but they do not even believe those who explain them , because they also are either altogether ignorant , or at any rate possessed of little learning . For it very rarely happens that they are wholly eloquent ; and the cause of this is evident . For eloquence is subservient to the world , it desires to display itself to the people , and to please in things which are evil ; since it often endeavours to overpower the truth , that it may show its power ; it seeks wealth , desires honours ; in short , it demands the highest degree of dignity . Therefore it despises these subjects as low ; it avoids secret things as contrary to itself , inasmuch as it rejoices in publicity , and longs for the multitude and celebrity . Hence it comes to pass that wisdom and truth need suitable heralds . And if by chance any of the learned have betaken themselves to it , they have not been sufficient for its defence .
Of those who are known to me , Minucius Felix was of no ignoble rank among pleaders . His book , which bears the title of Octavius , declares how suitable a maintainer of the truth he might have been , if he had given himself altogether to that pursuit . Septimius Tertullianus also was skilled in literature of every kind ; but in eloquence he had little readiness , and was not sufficiently polished , and very obscure . Not even therefore did he find sufficient renown . Cyprianus , therefore , was above all others distinguished and renowned , since he had sought great glory to himself from the profession of the art of oratory , and he wrote very many things worthy of admiration in their particular class . For he was of a turn of mind which was ready , copious , agreeable , and ( that which is the greatest excellence of style ) plain and open ; so that you cannot determine whether he was more embellished in speech , or more ready in explanation , or more powerful in persuasion . And yet he is unable to please those who are ignorant of the mystery except by his words ; inasmuch as the things which he spoke are mystical , and prepared with this object , that they may be heard by the faithful only : in short , he is accustomed to be derided by the learned men of this age , to whom his writings have happened to be known . I have heard of a certain man who was skilful indeed , who by the change of a single letter called him Coprianus , as though he were one who had applied to old women’s fables a mind which was elegant and fitted for better things . But if this happened to him whose eloquence is not unpleasant , what then must we suppose happens to those whose discourse is meagre and displeasing , who could have had neither the power of persuasion , nor subtlety in arguing , nor any severity at all for refuting ?
Notes 1 These words are omitted in some editions. The chapter is a kind of preface to the whole book, in which he complains that punishment has been inflicted on the Christians, without due inquiry into their cause. [Religious = superstitious. See p. 131, supra.]
2 Jure humanitatis.
3 Coacervant, “they heap up.”
4 Mella.
5 Virgil, Bucol., x. 8.
6 There is a reference here to a well-known passage of Lucretius, i. 935: “As physicians, when they purpose to give nauseous wormwood to children, first smear the rim round the bowl with the sweet yellow juice of honey, that the unthinking age of children may be fooled as far as the lips, but though beguiled, not be betrayed.”
7 Sub prætextu.
8 Sordida.
9 Incutere. So Lucretius, i. 19, “incutiens amorem.”
10 Ponderat.
11
12 [Vol iv. 173. Note our author’s reference to the founders of Latin Christianity, all North-Africans, like Arnobius and himself. See vol. iv. pp. 169, 170.]
14 The word κοπρίας is applied to sycophants and low buffoons and jesters, who, for the sake of exciting laughter, made boastful and extravagant promises.
