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The Shows, or De Spectaculis

Tertullian

Chapter 27

About this work

Author: Tertullian

We ought to detest these heathen meetings and assemblies, if

‹ Chapter 26 Chapter 28 ›

on

no

other

account

than

that

there

God’s

name

is

blasphemed

—

that

there

the

cry

“

To

the

lions

!

”

is

daily

raised

against

us

—

that

from

thence

persecuting

decrees

are

wont

to

emanate

,

and

temptations

are

sent

forth

.

What

will

you

do

if

you

are

caught

in

that

heaving

tide

of

impious

judgments

?

Not

that

there

any

harm

is

likely

to

come

to

you

from

men

:

nobody

knows

that

you

are

a

Christian

;

but

think

how

it

fares

with

you

in

heaven

.

For

at

the

very

time

the

devil

is

working

havoc

in

the

church

,

do

you

doubt

that

the

angels

are

looking

down

from

above

,

and

marking

every

man

,

who

speaks

and

who

listens

to

the

blaspheming

word

,

who

lends

his

tongue

and

who

lends

his

ears

to

the

service

of

Satan

against

God

?

Shall

you

not

then

shun

those

tiers

where

the

enemies

of

Christ

assemble

,

that

seat

of

all

that

is

pestilential

,

and

the

very

super

incumbent

atmosphere

all

impure

with

wicked

cries

?

Grant

that

you

have

there

things

that

are

pleasant

,

things

both

agreeable

and

innocent

in

themselves

;

even

some

things

that

are

excellent

.

Nobody

dilutes

poison

with

gall

and

hellebore

:

the

accursed

thing

is

put

into

condiments

well

seasoned

and

of

sweetest

taste

.

So

,

too

,

the

devil

puts

into

the

deadly

draught

which

he

prepares

,

things

of

God

most

pleasant

and

most

acceptable

.

Everything

there

,

then

,

that

is

either

brave

,

noble

,

loud

-

sounding

,

melodious

,

or

exquisite

in

taste

,

hold

it

but

as

the

honey

drop

of

a

poisoned

cake

;

nor

make

so

much

of

your

taste

for

its

pleasures

,

as

of

the

danger

you

run

from

its

attractions

.

Notes

1
[Observe—“daily raised.” On this precarious condition of the Christians, in their daily life, see the calm statement of Kaye, pp. 110, 111.