--- title: "Letters · Epistulae" author: "Augustine" translator: "James Houston Baxter" languages: [la, en] shelf: "Church Fathers" section: 55 of 62 url: https://scriptura.si/works/augustine-letters/55/ cite: "Augustine, tr. James Houston Baxter, Letters · Epistulae, section 55. Scriptura (scriptura.si), https://scriptura.si/works/augustine-letters/55/" --- # Letters · Epistulae *Augustine, tr. James Houston Baxter* Augustine’s letters in Latin beside English. > Latin: ed. James Houston Baxter, from the Perseus Digital Library (canonical-latinLit, stoa0040.stoa011, CC BY-SA 4.0). > English: James Houston Baxter, from the Perseus Digital Library (stoa0040.stoa011.perseus-eng1). Notes are not included. > Rows follow the references the two texts share (books, chapters and sections), cut where both reach the end of a sentence. ## 55. Letter 55 Source: https://scriptura.si/works/augustine-letters/55/ · cite a paragraph as https://scriptura.si/works/augustine-letters/55/#p-N [¶0] 1. If perchance those who are Catholic Christians among you have sent me a letter of this kind, my only surprise is that it was in the name of the municipal senate a instead of their own. But if, in very truth, you all or almost all of the municipal senate have deigned to write to me, I am surprised that you have written the words “To Father Augustine” and “Salutation in the Lord”; for to my great grief I am well aware of your superstitious devotion to idols, against which idols it is easier to close your temples b than your hearts, or rather those idols are more enclosed in your hearts than they are in your temples. But perhaps you have at last given wise consideration and thought to that salutary life which is in the Lord and in which you wanted to give me salutation. For if it be not so, I ask you, praiseworthy lords and well-beloved brethren, what harm have I done to your Benevolences, what offence have I given, that you should think fit to mock at me by the superscription of your letter instead of honouring me? > Latin: 1. Si forte illi qui inter vos catholici Christiani sunt, talia mihi scripta miserunt, hoc tantum miror, quod non suo potius quam ordinis nomine. Si autem re vera omnes aut prope omnes ordinis viri ad me dignati estis litteras dare, miror quod “patri” et “in domino salutem” scripsistis, quorum mihi superstitiosus cultus idolorum, contra quae idola facilius templa vestra quam corda clauduntur, vel potius quae idola non magis in templis quam in vestris cordibus includuntur, cum magno est dolore notissimus, nisi forte iam de salute ipsa quae in domino est, per quam me salutare voluistis, tandem prudenti consideratione cogitatis. Nam si non ita est, quaeso vos, quid laesi, quid offendi benivolentiam vestram, ut me titulo epistulae vestrae inridendum potius quam honorandum esse putaretis, domini praedicabiles et dilectissimi fratres? [¶1] 2. For when I read the words you wrote, “To Father Augustine, eternal salutation in the Lord,” I was suddenly uplifted with such hope as to believe that you had already turned to this Lord and this eternal salvation, or were through my ministry desirous of turning. But when I read the rest, my spirit was chilled; I inquired, however, from the bearer of the letter whether you were already Christians or were anxious to become so. After learning from his answer that you were in no way changed, I was the more deeply grieved that you thought fit not only to spurn from you the name of Christ to which you see the whole world already in subjection, but even to make mock of it in my person. For I was unable to think of any other Lord in whom a bishop could be addressed by you as “Father,” except the Lord Christ; and if there were any doubt on this point about the meaning of the words you used, it would be removed by the closing sentence of your letter, in which you plainly put the words, “We pray, my lord, that always in company with your clergy you may rejoice in God and His Christ for many years.” After reading it all and pondering it, what else could I, what else can any man, think than that it was written either as a genuine expression of the writers' mind or with an intention to deceive? But if what you wrote is a genuine expression of your mind, who has barred your way to this truth? Who has strewn it with sharp thorns? Who has out of enmity set up steep rocks against you? Who, finally, has shut the church door in your face when you sought to enter, that you refuse to be partakers with us of that same salvation in that same Lord by whom you gave us salutation? But if it was with the intention to deceive and to mock that you wrote what you did, is that indeed the way in which to lay upon me the conduct of your affairs, not exalting with due honour the name of Him through Whom it is possible for me to do anything, but having the effrontery to bandy it about with insulting flattery? > Latin: 2. Quod enim scripsistis: “Patri Augustino in domino aeternam salutem,” cum legerem, tanta spe subito erectus sum, ut crederem vos ad ipsum dominum et ad ipsam aeternam salutem aut iam esse conversos aut per nostrum ministerium desiderare converti. Sed ubi legi cetera, refriguit animus meus; quaesivi tamen ab epistulae perlatore utrum iam vel essetis Christiani vel esse cuperetis. Cuius responsione posteaquam comperi nequaquam vos esse mutatos, gravius dolui, quod Christi nomen, cui iam totum orbem subiectum esse conspicitis, non solum a vobis repellendum. sed etiam in nobis inridendum esse credidistis. Non enim potui cogitare alterum dominum, secundum quem posset episcopus “pater ” a vobis vocari, praeter dominum Christum, et si esset hinc aliqua de interpretatione vestrae sententiae dubitatio, subscriptione epistulae tolleretur, ubi aperte posuistis: “Optamus te, domine, in deo et Christo eius per multos annos semper in clero tuo gaudere.” Quibus omnibus perlectis atque discussis, quid aliud mihi occurrere potuit aut cuilibet homini potest, nisi aut veridico aut fallaci scribentium animo haec esse conscripta? Sed si veridico animo ista scribitis, quis vobis ad hanc veritatem interclusi viam? Quis aspera dumeta substravit? Quis rupium praerupta inimicus opposuit? Postremo quis basilicae ianuam ingredi cupientibus clausit, ut in eodem domino per quem nos salutatis, eandem salutem nobiscum habere nolitis? Si autem fallaciter atque inridenter haec scribitis, itane tandem mihi negotia vestra curanda inponitis, ut nomen eius per quem aliquid possum, audeatis non veneratione debita adtollere, sed insultatione adulatoria ventilare? [¶2] 3. You must understand, my dear friends, that it is with unspeakable quaking of the heart on your account that I say this to you, for I realize how much greater will be the seriousness and the doom of your case before God, if what I say to you has no effect. There is nothing that has happened to the human race in past times and has been recorded and handed down to us by our ancestors, nothing either that we experience and hand down to our posterity, that Holy Scripture has not spoken of, as far as it pertains to the seeking and the holding of true religion; everything comes to pass exactly as it was foretold it would come to pass. You plainly see the Jewish people torn from their abode and dispersed and scattered throughout almost the whole world; the origin of that people and its development and the loss of its realm and its dispersion everywhere—everything has happened just as it was foretold. You plainly see that the word of God and the law that came forth from that same people through Christ (Who was miraculously born of them) has laid fast hold upon the faith of all the nations; all these things, as we may read, were predicted just as we see them. You plainly see many cut off from the root of the Christian society, which through the sees of the apostles and the succession of bishops is spread abroad in unmistakable diffusion throughout the world, who yet boast, under cover of the Christian name, of the mere outward likeness they bear to their origin, like withered branches, which we term heresies and schisms; it was all foreseen, foretold and put down in writing. You plainly see some of the temples of idols fallen into ruin and not restored, some cast down, some closed, some converted to other uses, a and the idols themselves either smashed to pieces or burned or destroyed; and you see how the powers of this world, who at one time for the sake of their idols persecuted the Christian people, are vanquished and subdued by Christians who did not take up arms but laid down their lives, and have now turned their attacks and their laws against the very idols for whose sake they were in the habit of slaying Christians; and you see the most eminent dignitary of this noble Empire lay aside his crown and bow in supplication before the tomb of the fisherman Peter. a All these things were long, long ago foretold to be coming to pass by the testimony of Holy Scripture, which has now come into the hands of everyone: all of them have happened, to our joy and to the greater strengthening of our faith as we find the Holy Scripture foretold them with a more imposing authority. > Latin: 3. Sciatis me, carissimi, cum ineffabili pro vobis tremore cordis haec dicere; novi enim quanto graviorem et perniciosiorem causam sitis habituri apud deum, si frustra vobis haec dixero. Omnia quae praeteritis temporibus erga humanum genus maiores nostri gesta esse meminerunt nobisque tradiderunt, omnia etiam quae nos videmus et posteris tradimus, quae tamen pertinent ad veram religionem quaerendam et tenendam, divina scriptura non tacuit, sed ita omnino cuncta transeunt, ut transitum esse praedicta sunt. Videtis certe populum Iudaeorum avulsum a sedibus suis per omnes fere terras disseminatum atque diffusum; et origo eiusdem populi et incrementa et regni amissio et per cuncta dispersio sicut praedicta, ita facta sunt. Videtis certe ex ipso populo verbum dei legemque prodeuntem per Christum, qui ex illis mirabiliter natus est, omnium gentium fidem occupasse atque tenuisse; ita haec omnia praenuntiata legimus, ut videmus. Videtis certe multos praecisos a radice Christianae societatis, quae per sedes apostolorum et successiones episcoporum certa per orbem propagatione diffunditur, de sola figura originis sub Christiano nomine quasi arescentia sarmenta gloriari, quas haereses et schismata nominamus; praevisa, praedicta, scripta sunt omnia. Videtis certe simulacrorum templa partim sine reparatione conlapsa, partim diruta, partim clausa, partim in usus alios commutata, ipsaque simulacra vel confringi vel incendi vel includi vel destrui, atque ipsas huius saeculi potestates, quae aliquando pro simulacris populum Christianum persequbeantur, victas et domitas non a repugnantibus sed a morientibus Christianis et contra eadem simulacra, pro quibus Christianos occidebant, impetus suos legesque vertisse et imperii nobilissimi eminentissimum culmen ad sepulcrum piscatoris Petri submisso diademate supplicare. [¶3] 4. Are we then, I ask you, to imagine that it is God's judgement alone, which those same Books foretell to their readers as deciding between the believing and the unbelieving—are we then to imagine that this judgement of God's alone will not come about, when all those other things came about just as they were foretold? Yea, verily, just as they all came about, so it too will come. Nor will there be any man of our times who at that judgement will be able to put forward any defence for being an unbeliever, when the name of Christ is on every man's lips: the righteous invokes it for justice, and the perjurer for deceit and the king for rule and the soldier for battle and the husband for establishing his authority and the wife as a sign of her submission and the father for his commands and the son for his obedience, the master for his lordship and the servant for his service, the humble man for piety and the proud man for ambition, the rich man when he gives away and the poor man when he receives, the drunkard in his cups and the beggar at the gate, and the good man that he may do good and the bad man that he may deceive, both the Christian worshipper and the pagan time-server—all repeat the name of Christ, and with what purpose and what lips they repeat it, to that same Christ, whose name they repeat, they shall most assuredly render an account. a There is an invisible something from which, as a creator and first cause, all that we see derives its being, supreme, eternal, unchangeable and inexpressible save only to itself. > Latin: 4. Haec omnia divinae scripturae, quae in manus omnium iam venerunt, ante longissima tempora futura esse testatae sunt; haec omnia tanto robustiore fide laetamur fieri, quanto maiore auctoritate praedicta esse in sanctis litteris invenimus. Numquidnam, obsecro vos, numquidnam solum iudicium dei, quod inter fideles atque infideles futurum esse in eisdem litteris legimus, cum illa omnia, sicut praedicta sunt, venerint, numquidnam solum iudicium dei venturum non esse putabimus? Immo vero veniet, sicut omnia illa venerunt. Nec quisquam erit homo nostrorum temporum, qui se in illo iudicio de sua possit infidelitate defendere, cum Christum cantet et iustus ad aequitatem et periurus ad fraudem et rex ad imperium et miles ad pugnam et maritus propter regimen et uxor propter obsequium et pater propter praeceptum et filius propter oboedientiam et dominus propter dominationem et servus propter famulatum et humilis ad pietatem et superbus ad aemulationem et dives, ut porrigat, et pauper, ut sumat, et ebriosus ad phialam et mendicus ad ianuam et bonus, ut praestet, et malus, ut fallat, et Christianus venerator et paganus adulator; omnes Christum cantant et, qua voluntate atque ore cantent, eidem ipsi, quem cantant, rationem sine dubio reddituri sunt. [¶4] 5. There is a something by which that supreme majesty utters and declares itself, the Word, not inferior to its begetter and utterer, by which He Who begets the Word reveals Himself. There is a certain holy thing, the sanctifier of everything that is begotten in sanctity, which inseparably and undividedly unites that unchangeable Word, through which the First Principle utters itself, with the First Principle, which utters itself in the Word which is its equal. Who could contemplate with perfectly tranquil and pure mind this whole, which I have attempted to express without expressing it and by expressing it not to express, and from that contemplation draw blessedness, and lose and forget self in that object of contemplation, and press forward to that which, once seen, makes man hold himself as nothing—which means to be clothed with immortality and to lay hold upon that eternal salvation, in which you think fit to give me salutation—who could do this, save he who, confessing his sins, has laid low all the empty swellings of his pride and prostrated himself in meekness and humility to receive God as his teacher? > Latin: 5. Est quiddam invisibile, ex quo creatore principio sunt omnia quae videmus, summum, aeternum, incommutabile et nulli effabile nisi tantum sibi. Est quiddam, quo se ipsa summitas maiestatis narrat et praedicat, non inpar gignenti atque narranti, verbum quo ille qui verbum gignit, ostenditur. Est quaedam sanctitas, omnium quae sancte fiunt, sanctificatrix, ipsius incommutabilis verbi, per quod narratur illud principium, et ipsius principii, quod pari se verbo narrat, inseparabilis et indivisa communio. Quis autem hoc totum, quod non dicendo dicere conatus sum et dicendo non dicere, quis hoc possit serenissima et sincerissima mente contueri eoque contuitu beatitudinem ducere, atque in id quod intuetur, deficiens quodam modo se oblivisci et pergere in illud, cuius visione sibi vilis est, quod est inmortalitate indui et obtinere aeternam salutem, per quam me salutare dignamini—quis hoc possit, nisi qui omnes superbiae suae toros inanes peccata sua confitens complanaverit seque substraverit mitem atque humilem ad excipiendum doctorem deum? [¶5] 6. Since then we have first to be reduced from the vanity of pride to humility, so that rising thence we may acquire real exaltation, it was impossible for us to have communicated to us this spirit (the more glorious for its very gentleness) whereby our ungovernableness is subdued by persuasion instead of by force, had not this Word—through Whom God the Father reveals Himself to the angels, a Who is His strength and wisdom, Whom the human heart, blinded by the desire for things visible, was unable to perceive—condescended to act out His part in human form and exhibit His being in such a way as to make mankind more afraid of being uplifted by the pride of man than of being brought low by the example of God. So the Christ Who is preached throughout the world is not a Christ Who is adorned with an earthly kingdom, nor a Christ rich in earthly possessions, nor a Christ shining with any earthly splendour, but Christ crucified. b This was a matter for ridicule at first by proud nations and still is to a remnant, but it was a matter for faith first to a few, now to nations, for then according to the faith of the few and in spite of the ridicule of the nations, when Christ crucified was preached, the lame walked, the dumb spoke, the deaf heard, the blind saw, and the dead rose again. c Thus at last conviction was brought to the pride of the world that nothing in the world itself was more potent than divine humility, so that under the protection of that divine example the most wholesome human humility may find shelter against the scornful assaults of pride. > Latin: 6. Quoniam ergo a vanitate superbiae prius ad humilitatem deponendi sumus, ut inde surgentes solidam celsitudinem teneamus, non potuit nobis hoc tanto magnificentius quanto blandius inspirari, ut nostra ferocitas non vi sed persuasione sedaretur, nisi verbum illud, per quod se angelis indicat deus pater, quod virtus et sapientia eius est, quod corde humano visibilium rerum cupiditate caecato videri non poterat, personam suam in homine agere atque ostendere dignaretur, ut magis homo timeret extolli fastu hominis quam humiliari exemplo dei. Itaque non Christus regno terreno decoratus, nec Christus terrenis opibus dives, nec Christus ulla terrena felicitate praefulgens, sed Christus crucifixus per totum terrarum orbem praedicatur, quod riserunt prius populi superborum et adhuc rident reliquiae, crediderunt autem prius pauci, nunc populi, quia tunc ad fidem paucorum et contra inrisionem populorum, cum Christus crucifixus praedicaretur, claudi ambulabant, muti loquebantur, surdi audiebant, caeci videbant, mortui resurgebant. Sic tandem animadvertit terrena superbia nihil in ipsis terris esse potentius humilitate divina, ut etiam saluberrima humilitas humana contra insidiantem sibi superbiam divinae imitationis patrocinio tueretur. [¶6] 7. Awake at last from your slumbers, ye men of Madaura, my brethren and my fathers! a This opportunity of writing to you has been furnished me by God. As far as was possible, I stood by and gave my assistance, as God willed, in this affair of brother Florentius, who brought your letter to me; but the affair was such that even without my aid it could very easily have been carried through, for almost all the men of that family who are at Hippo know Florentius and deeply lament his bereavement. But your having sent a letter to me made it not presumptuous in me to write to you and, availing myself of the opportunity you provided, to say something to idol-worshippers about Christ. But I beseech you, if your naming of Him in your letter was not a vain gesture, that what I have written to you may not be in vain. If you wanted to make mock of me, fear Him Who on being at first condemned was made mock of by the proud world, which now awaits Him in subjection as Judge. For my heart's desire for you, expressed as well as I could in these pages, will be a witness against you at His judgement, when He will confirm those who believe in Him and confound those who do not. May the one true God free you from all the vanity of this world, my praiseworthy lords and well-beloved brethren, and turn you to Himself. > Latin: 7. Expergiscimini aliquando, fratres mei et parentes mei Madaurenses; hanc occasionem scribendi vobis deus mihi obtulit. Quantum potui quidem in negotio fratris Florenti, per quem litteras misistis, sicut deus voluit, adfui et adiuvi; sed tale negotium erat, quod etiam sine opera mea facile peragi posset; prope omnes enim domus ipsius homines qui apud Hipponem sunt, noverunt Florentium et multum eius orbitatem dolent. Sed epistula mihi a vobis missa est, ut non inpudens esset epistula mea, cum occasione a vobis accepta idolorum cultoribus de Christo aliquid loqueretur. Sed obsecro vos, si eum non inaniter in mea epistula nominastis, ut non inaniter vobis haec scripserim. Si autem me inridere voluistis, timete illum, quem prius iudicatum inrisit superbus orbis terrarum et nunc iudicem subiectus expectat; erit enim testis affectus in vos cordis mei per hanc, quantum potui, paginam expressus, erit testis vobis in iudicio eius, qui credentes sibi confirmaturus est et incredulos confusurus. Deus unus et verus vos ab omni huius saeculi vanitate liberatos convertat ad se, domini praedicabiles et dilectissimi fratres.