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The Epitome of the Divine Institutes

Lactantius

Chapter 63

About this work

A condensed presentation of Lactantius’s apologetic project, summarizing his case against pagan worship and his account of divine providence, true religion, justice, and Christian hope.

Author: Lactantius
Date: Early 4th century
Origin: Nicomedia or Gaul
Genre: Apology

Chap. LXIII.—That Shows are Most Powerful to Corrupt the Minds.

It remains to speak of public shows,

‹ Chapter 62 Chapter 64 ›

which

,

since

they

have

a

more

powerful

influence

on

the

corruption

of

the

mind

,

ought

to

be

avoided

by

the

wise

,

and

to

be

altogether

guarded

against

,

because

it

is

said

that

they

were

instituted

in

celebration

of

the

honours

of

the

gods

.

For

the

exhibitions

of

shows

are

festivals

of

Saturnus

.

The

stage

belongs

to

Father

Liber

;

but

the

Circensian

games

are

supposed

to

be

dedicated

to

Neptunus

:

so

that

now

he

who

takes

part

in

these

shows

appears

to

have

left

the

worship

of

God

,

and

to

have

passed

over

to

profane

rites

.

But

I

prefer

to

speak

of

the

matter

itself

rather

than

of

its

origin

.

What

is

so

dreadful

,

what

so

foul

,

as

the

slaughter

of

man

?

Therefore

our

life

is

protected

by

the

most

severe

laws

;

therefore

wars

are

detestable

.

Yet

custom

finds

how

a

man

may

commit

homicide

without

war

,

and

without

laws

;

and

this

is

a

pleasure

to

him

,

that

he

has

avenged

guilt

.

But

if

to

be

present

at

homicide

implies

a

consciousness

of

guilt

,

and

the

spectator

is

involved

in

the

same

guilt

as

the

perpetrator

,

then

in

these

slaughters

of

gladiators

,

he

who

is

a

spectator

is

no

less

sprinkled

with

blood

than

he

who

sheds

it

;

nor

can

he

be

free

from

the

guilt

of

bloodshed

who

wished

it

to

be

poured

out

,

or

appear

not

to

have

slain

,

who

both

favoured

the

slayer

and

asked

a

reward

for

him

.

What

of

the

stage

?

Is

it

more

holy

,

—

on

which

comedy

converses

on

the

subject

of

debaucheries

and

amours

,

tragedy

of

incest

and

parricide

?

The

immodest

gestures

also

of

players

,

with

which

they

imitate

disreputable

women

,

teach

the

lusts

,

which

they

express

by

dancing

.

For

the

pantomime

is

a

school

of

corruption

,

in

which

things

which

are

shameful

are

acted

by

a

figurative

representation

,

that

the

things

which

are

true

may

be

done

without

shame

.

These

spectacles

are

viewed

by

youths

,

whose

dangerous

age

,

which

ought

to

be

curbed

and

governed

,

is

trained

by

these

representations

to

vices

and

sins

.

The

circus

,

in

truth

,

is

considered

more

innocent

,

but

there

is

greater

madness

in

this

,

since

the

minds

of

the

spectators

are

transported

with

such

great

madness

,

that

they

not

only

break

out

into

revilings

,

but

often

rise

to

strifes

,

and

battles

,

and

contentions

.

Therefore

all

shows

are

to

be

avoided

,

that

we

may

be

able

to

maintain

a

tranquil

state

of

mind

.

We

must

renounce

hurtful

pleasures

,

lest

,

charmed

by

pestilential

sweetness

,

we

fall

into

the

snares

of

death

.

Notes

1
Mimus corruptelarum disciplina est.
2
Per imaginem.