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Book V: Concerning Justice
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BOOK FIVE CONCERNING JUSTICE Chapter 1 IIHERE IS NO DOUBT in my mind that if anyone of those foolishly religious persons, as they are exceedingly intolerant of superstition, should come upon this work of ours in which claim is made for that singular Creator of all things and the Ruler of this immense universe, he would rail against it even with maledictions, and after scarcely reading the beginning perhaps, he would attack it, reject it, and curse it, and think himself contaminated and bound up with crime if he should read these chapters patiently or listen to them being read.1 However, of this one we ask, by right of humanity if it is possible, that he should not condemn the work before he has come to know it entirely. For if to sacrilegious persons and traitors and sorcerers the chance of defending themselves is given, and if it is not permitted to precondemn anyone for an unknown reason, we do not seem to make the request unjustly, that if anyone happen upon this work, if he reads it, let him read it through; if he hears it read, let him put off his opinion until it is completed. But I know the obstinacy of men; we will never obtain what we request. For they fear that vanquished by us they might be forced sometime to yield when truth itself clamors. They become troublesome, therefore, and they protest, so they will 1 Cf. Tertullian, Apology c. 1; Minucius Felix, c. 27.8, and Salvian, The Governance of God, 5.20. 326 BOOK FIVE 327 not hear, and they cover their eyes, lest they behold the light which we present to them. Certainly, they show by this the want of confidence in their own depraved reason when they do not dare to learn or join issue, because they are easily overcome. And for this reason, when discussion is done away with, 'Wisdom is driven from the midst, the matter is conducted by force,' as Ennius says.2 And because they are eager to condemn as harmful those whom they know to be surely innocent, they do not wish to be consistent about innocence itself, as if it were, in fact, a greater iniquity to have condemned a proved innocence than an unheard one. But, as I said, they are afraid that if they heard it they might not be able to condemn, and therefore, they torture, kill, and get rid of the worshipers of the supreme God, that is, the just. Nor can those who hate so vehemently render the causes of their hatred. Because they themselves are in error, they are angry with those who follow the true way. And although they are able to correct themselves, they add to the pile of their errors with cruel deeds; they are defiled with the blood of the innocent, and they torture the minds of those dedicated to God by the mangling of their bodies. Now we strive to contend and dispute with such; we are trying to lead away from their foolish persuasion to the truth those who have seized upon blood more easily than upon the words of the just. What, then? Shall we give up the work? Not at all. For if we shall not have been able to gain these from death toward which they are tending most eagerly, or to recall them from that devious path to life and light, since they themselves are repugnant to their salvation, we shall, however, strengthen our own whose purpose is not steadfast and fixed and established upon firm roots. For very many are wavering, especially those who have had some acquaintance with literature. In this also the philosophers and orators and poets are pernicious, because they can easily ensnare minds that are not careful by suave speech and 2 Ennius, Annals 272. [18.191.157.186] Project MUSE (2024-04-18 01:17 GMT) 328 LACTANTIUS by the pleasant modulation of their verses as they run along. And for this reason I have wanted to join wisdom with religion , lest that teaching might be able to hinder anything for those studying vain things, and that the study of letters might now, not only not harm religion and justice, but even be of as much value to it as possible, if he who studies letters be the more instructed in virtues and wiser in truth. Besides, even if it were of value to no other person, this will certainly benefit me...