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The Epitome of the Divine Institutes

Lactantius

Chapter 59

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. LIX.—Of the Ways of Life, and the First Times of the World.

That there are two ways of human life

‹ Chapter 58 Chapter 60 ›

was

unknown

neither

to

philosophers

nor

to

poets

,

but

both

introduced

them

in

a

different

manner

.

The

philosophers

wished

the

one

to

be

the

way

of

industry

,

the

other

of

idleness

;

but

in

this

respect

they

were

less

correct

in

their

statements

,

that

they

referred

them

to

the

advantages

of

this

life

only

.

The

poets

spoke

better

who

said

that

one

of

them

was

the

way

of

the

just

,

the

other

of

the

unjust

;

but

they

err

in

this

,

that

they

say

that

they

are

not

in

this

life

,

but

in

the

shades

below

.

We

manifestly

speak

more

correctly

,

who

say

that

the

one

is

the

way

of

life

,

the

other

that

of

death

.

And

here

,

however

,

we

say

that

there

are

two

ways

;

but

the

one

on

the

right

hand

,

in

which

the

just

walk

,

does

not

lead

to

Elysium

,

but

to

heaven

,

for

they

become

immortal

;

the

other

on

the

left

leads

to

Tartarus

,

for

the

unjust

are

sentenced

to

eternal

tortures

.

Therefore

the

way

of

justice

,

which

leads

to

life

,

is

to

be

held

by

us

.

Now

the

first

duty

of

justice

is

to

acknowledge

God

as

a

parent

,

and

to

fear

Him

as

a

master

,

to

love

Him

as

a

father

.

For

the

same

Being

who

begat

us

,

who

animated

us

with

vital

breath

,

who

nourishes

and

preserves

us

,

has

over

us

,

not

only

as

a

father

but

also

as

a

master

,

authority

to

correct

us

,

and

the

power

of

life

and

death

;

wherefore

twofold

honour

is

due

to

Him

from

man

,

that

is

,

love

combined

with

fear

.

The

second

duty

of

justice

is

to

acknowledge

man

as

a

brother

.

For

if

the

same

God

made

us

,

and

produced

all

men

on

equal

terms

to

justice

and

eternal

life

,

it

is

manifest

that

we

are

united

by

the

relationship

of

brotherhood

;

and

he

who

does

not

acknowledge

this

is

unjust

.

But

the

origin

of

this

evil

,

by

which

the

mutual

society

of

men

,

by

which

the

bond

of

relationship

has

been

torn

asunder

,

arises

from

ignorance

of

the

true

God

.

For

he

who

is

ignorant

of

that

fountain

of

bounty

can

by

no

means

be

good

.

Hence

it

is

that

,

from

the

time

when

a

multitude

of

gods

began

to

be

consecrated

and

worshipped

by

men

,

justice

,

as

the

poets

relate

,

being

put

to

flight

,

every

compact

was

destroyed

,

the

fellowship

of

human

justice

was

destroyed

.

Then

every

one

,

consulting

his

own

interest

,

reckoned

might

to

be

right

,

injured

another

,

attacked

by

frauds

,

deceived

by

treachery

,

increased

his

own

advantages

by

the

inconvenience

of

others

,

did

not

spare

relatives

,

or

children

,

or

parents

,

prepared

poisoned

cups

for

the

destruction

of

men

,

beset

the

ways

with

the

sword

,

infested

the

seas

,

gave

the

rein

to

his

lust

,

wherever

passion

led

him

,

—

in

short

,

esteemed

nothing

sacred

which

his

dreadful

desire

did

not

violate

.

When

these

things

were

done

,

then

men

instituted

laws

for

themselves

to

promote

the

public

advantage

,

that

they

might

meanwhile

protect

themselves

from

injuries

.

But

the

fear

of

laws

did

not

suppress

crimes

,

but

it

checked

licentiousness

.

For

laws

were

able

to

punish

offences

,

they

were

unable

to

punish

the

conscience

.

Therefore

the

things

which

before

were

done

openly

began

to

be

done

secretly

.

Justice

also

was

evaded

by

stealth

,

since

they

who

themselves

presided

over

the

administration

of

the

laws

,

corrupted

by

,

gifts

and

rewards

,

made

a

traffic

of

their

sentences

,

either

to

the

escape

of

the

evil

or

to

the

destruction

of

the

good

.

To

these

things

were

added

dissensions

,

and

wars

,

and

mutual

depredations

;

and

the

laws

being

crushed

,

the

power

of

acting

with

violence

was

assumed

without

restraint

.

Notes

1
[The Duæ Viæ A feature in the primitive catechizing. See Epistle of Barnabas, vol. i. p. 148; also this volume, infra.]
2
[See vol. v. p. 153, note 1, and pp. 161, 174, this series.]
3
Circumscribere.
4
In remissionem.