Lactantius
Lactantius
Lucius Caecilius Firmianus Lactantius was an early Christian authorwho became an advisor to the first Christian Roman emperor, Constantine I, guiding his religious policy as it developed, and a tutor to his son...
wisdom fear fear-not
Where fear is present, wisdom cannot be.
animal divine endure figure invested itself nurse whose
The wolf, the nurse of Romulus, was invested with divine honours. And I could endure this, if it had been the animal itself whose figure she bears.
ignorant prophets truth voices
But those who are ignorant of the truth do not think that these prophets are to be believed; for they say that those voices are not divine, but human.
authority believed greater judgment matters paid whose
Let us come to the philosophers, whose authority is of greater weight, and their judgment more to be relied on, because they are believed to have paid attention, not to matters of fiction, but to the investigation of the truth.
among deem discuss divided functions god great matters power proper therefore
Therefore God is one, if that which admits of so great power can be nothing else: and yet those who deem that there are many gods, say that they have divided their functions among themselves; but we will discuss all these matters at their proper places.
divine homer human information rather relating wrote
Homer was able to give us no information relating to the truth, for he wrote of human rather than divine things.
bald city dedicated engines hair military occupied temple
When their city was occupied by the Gauls, and the Romans, who were besieged in the Capitol, had made military engines from the hair of the women, they dedicated a temple to the Bald Venus.
controls delights memory
Memory tempers prosperity, mitigates adversity, controls youth, and delights old age.
divine far follows incapable power
But if destruction is far removed from God, because He is incorruptible and eternal, it follows that the divine power is incapable of division.
perfect mind excellence
But God, who is the Eternal Mind, is undoubtedly of excellence, complete and perfect in every part.
father greatness men
Therefore let men withdraw themselves from errors; and laying aside corrupt superstitions, let them acknowledge their Father and Lord, whose excellence cannot be estimated, nor His greatness perceived, nor His beginning comprehended.
justice needs poor
Nobody is poor unless he stand in need of justice.
may hunger filled
Let those who are famished come that they may lay aside perpetual hunger and be filled with heavenly food.
inspiration voice prophet
The prophets, who were very many, proclaim and declare the one God; for, being filled with the inspiration of the one God, they predicted things to come, with agreeing and harmonious voice.