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The Epitome of the Divine Institutes

Lactantius

Chapter 52

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. LII.—The Hope of the Salvation of Men Consists in the Knowledge of the True God, and of the Hatred of the Heathens Against the Christians.

There is therefore but one hope of life

‹ Chapter 51 Chapter 53 ›

for

men

,

one

harbour

of

safety

,

one

refuge

of

liberty

,

if

,

laying

aside

the

errors

by

which

they

were

held

,

they

open

the

eyes

of

their

mind

and

recognise

God

,

in

whom

alone

is

the

abode

of

truth

;

despise

earthly

things

,

and

those

made

from

the

ground

esteem

as

nothing

philosophy

,

which

is

foolishness

with

God

;

and

having

undertaken

true

wisdom

,

that

is

,

religion

,

become

heirs

of

immortality

.

But

indeed

they

are

not

so

much

opposed

to

the

truth

as

to

their

own

safety

;

and

when

they

hear

these

things

,

they

abominate

them

as

some

inexpiable

wickedness

.

But

they

do

not

even

endure

to

hear

:

they

think

that

their

ears

are

polluted

with

impiety

if

they

hear

;

nor

do

they

now

refrain

from

reproaches

,

but

assail

them

with

the

most

insulting

words

;

and

also

,

if

they

have

obtained

the

power

,

persecute

them

as

public

enemies

,

yea

,

even

as

worse

than

enemies

;

for

enemies

,

when

they

have

been

vanquished

,

are

punished

with

death

or

slavery

;

nor

is

there

any

torturing

after

the

laying

down

of

arms

,

although

those

deserved

to

suffer

all

things

who

wished

so

to

act

,

that

piety

might

have

place

among

swords

.

Cruelty, combined with innocence, is unheard of, nor is it worthy of the condition of victorious enemies. What is the so powerful cause of this fury? Doubtless, because they cannot contend on the ground of reason, they urge forward their cause by means of violence; and, with the subject not understood, they condemn those as most pernicious persons who have declined to make a stand respecting the fact of their innocence. Nor do they deem it sufficient that those whom they unreasonably hate should die by a speedy and simple death; but they lacerate them with refined tortures, that they may satisfy their hatred, which is not produced by any fault, but by the truth, which is hateful to those who live wickedly, because they take it ill that there are some whom their deeds cannot please. They desire in every way to destroy these, that they may be able to sin without restraint in the absence of any witness.

Notes

1
Ne audire quidem patiuntur; others read “patienter.”
2
Sacrilegio.