Letters, Volume 6 (1*–29*)

Letter 1*A

LETTER l*A Introduction The Latin text of this letter was first published by Lambot in RBen 51 (1939), 109-121. Di,-:jak found a slightly different text in the Marseille and Paris mss. of the new letters. He collated five mss. (as against Lambot's two) and the text was published in his collection. It has already appeared twice in this series: a translation by Bernard Peebles at the end of the first volume of the City ofGod (FOTC 8, pp. 399ff.), and by Sr. Wilfrid Parsons in vol. 5 of the Letters (FOTC 32, pp. 165ff., listed as letter 231A). There are also translations into other languages: BA 33, pp. 168-73 and Nuova Bibli.cteca Agostiniana vol. 23, p. 532 (listed as letter 212A). The translation here is my own. This letter is useful because it gives Augustine's view ofthe division ofthe 22 books ofthe City ofGod. A similar analysis is found in Retract. 2.69. When the letter was first published, there was speculation about the identity of Firmus. Lambot, fonowed by Parsons, incorrectly identified him as a priest who served as messenger for Augustine and Jerome [PCBE: "Firmus 4" v. "Firmus 6"]. We now know that not only was Firmus not a priest, but that he was not even baptized (at the time of letter 2*). Dat~ The letter must be dated after the completion of the City of God (426). Thus, Divjak suggests late 426 or early 427. UGUSTINE SENDS GREETINGS in the Lord to the distinguished and deservedly honorable son, Firmus,I worthy of respect and esteem. (1) As I had promised, I have sent the books On the City of God for which you so earnestly entreated me. Indeed Ire-read them myself. With God's help, to be sure, your brother and my son, Cyprian,2 insisted that this be done (just as I wanted 1. d. "Firmus 4," PCBE, p. 460. 2. d. "Cyprianus 7," PCBE, p. 259. This Cyprianus is not otherwise known in the other writings of Augustine. 14 LETTERS 15 him to insist). There are twenty-two books which are rather too bulky to be bound together into one volume. If you wish for two volumes, they must be divided up so that one volume has ten books and the other, twelve. In the first ten, the vanities of the impious have been refuted and in the other twelve, our religion has been described and defended although, where it was more opportune, I have undertaken the defense in the first ten, as well as the refutation in the last twelve. If, however, you would prefer to have more than two volumes , then you must have five, of which the first will contain the first five books in which I dispute those who claim that the worship, not indeed of the gods, but of demons, helps to achieve happiness in this world; the second group of five is aimed [against those] who think that the many gods such as we have mentioned above or of whatever kind of gods, must be worshipped with ceremonies and sacrifices on account of the life to come after death. Then the next three volumes which follow must have four books each. This section has been so arranged by us that four demonstrate the origins of that city and, an equivalent number, its progress, or as we prefer to say, its development. the last four, its appointed ends. (2) If you are as eager to read these books as you were to get hold of them, you will know of how much assistance tbey are from your own experience rather than from my assurance. Concerning the work On the City ofGod which our brothers in Carthage do not yet have, I ask you kindly to give it to those who want to copy it-not to many at the same time, but only to one or two and they will pass it on to others; you will also arrange how to give it to your friends whether they are Christians who want to learn or people still held by some superstition, whence they will seem to be able to be freed by the grace of God through this effort of mine. (3) Accordingly in my letters, if the Lord is willing, I shaH frequently take the trouble to ask you how far you have gotten in your reading; as a learned man, you are not unaware how helpful re-reading a section...