The seven books of history against the pagans

Book Six

BOOK SIX 11LL MEN, OF WHATEVER principles or mode of life or ~ country, are always so roused by a natural blessing to a regard for good sense that they prefer the reasoning power of the mind to the enjoyment of the body, although they prefer it not by action, but realize by their judgment that it ought to be preferred. This mind, enlightened by reason as its guide, in the midst of virtues to which it is inclined by nature although it is turned back by vices, beholds the knowledge of God like a citadel. For any man can look down upon God temporarily, but cannot be ignorant of Him entirely. Therefore, some people, since they believe in God in many forms, fashioned many gods with undivided apprehension. But now especially, not only through the operation of authoritative truth, but also by the strong arguments of reason, there has been a departure from this position. For since their philosophers, not to mention our saints, as they investigate with deep solicitude of the mind and examine everything, have discovered that God is the one author of all things, to whom alone all things should be referred, so also now the pagans, whom now revealed truth convicts of stubbornness rather than ignorance when they dispute with us, confess that they do not follow many gods, but under one great god worship many ministers of religion. There remains, therefore, regarding the understanding of the true God, a confused disagreement because of the many notions of understanding Him, because regarding the one God, there is almost one opinion. Thus far, human investigation has been possible, although with difficulty. But where reason fails, faith comes to our aid. For unless we believe, we will not understand; hear from God himself and believe in God 228 BOOK SIX 229 himself what truth you wish to know about God. And this same one and true God, on whom, as we have said, all sects agree, although according to different notions, changing kingdoms and ordering the times, also punishing sins, has chosen the weak elements of the world to confound the strong and has laid the foundation of the Roman Empire by selecting a shepherd of the most lowly station. After this empire had long prospered under kings and consuls, and after it had gained possession of Asia, Africa, and Europe, He conferred by His arrangement all things upon one and the same emperor, who was most powerful and merciful. Under this emperor, whom all peoples with mingled love and fear justly honored, the true God, who was worshiped with scrupulous observances by those who did not know Him, opened the great fountainhead of His knowledge and, to teach men more quickly through a man, He sent His Son, performing miracles that surpassed the powers of man, re£utingdemons whom some thought to be gods, that those who did not believe in Him as a man might believe in His works as of a God; also that the glory of the new name and the swift report of the announced salvation might spread in the midst of the great silence and widespread peace quickly and without hindrance, and also that His disciples, as they went through different nations and voluntarily offered to all the gifts of salvation, might have safety and liberty among Roman citizens in speaking and conversing as Roman citizens. So I have thought it necessary to recall this, because this sixth book extends to the period of Caesar Augustus, regarding whom these remarks are made. But if some think that this very clear reasoning is not valid, and rather give credit to their own gods whom they first chose out of prudence and then won over by their special devotion so that this very extensive and magnificent Empire was founded for them through these gods-for they boast in this fashion, that they themselves merited the special favor of the gods by the best kind of sacrifices, and, when these were abandoned or overlooked, all the gods departed 'from sanctu- 230 PAULUS OROSIUS aries and abandoned altars, gods, by whose help this Empire had stood firm'1-therefore, although your holy reverence2 has discussed many subjects most forthrighly and very truthfully, nevertheless, the situation demands that I add a few observations . If the Romans by worshiping the gods merited the favor of the gods, and by not worshiping them lost it, who by...