Conference The Idea of Christendom ITI Trumau, June 2012 Edmund Waldstein, O.Cist.

EMPIRE AND PROVIDENCE IN AUGUSTINE, VIRGIL AND DANTE

1. VIRGIL:
vade age, nate, voca Zephyros et labere pennis Go, mount the western winds, and cleave the sky;
Dardaniumque ducem, Tyria Karthagine qui nunc Then, with a swift descent, to Carthage fly:
exspectat fatisque datas non respicit urbes, There find the Trojan chief, who wastes his days
adloquere et celeris defer mea dicta per auras. In slothful not and inglorious ease,
non illum nobis genetrix pulcherrima talem Nor minds the future city, giv'n by fate.
promisit Graiumque ideo bis vindicat armis; To him this message from my mouth relate:
sed fore qui gravidam imperiis belloque Not so fair Venus hop'd, when twice she won
frementem Thy life with pray'rs, nor promis'd such a son.
Italiam regeret, genus alto a sanguine Teucri Hers was a hero, destin'd to command
proderet, ac totum sub leges mitteret orbem. A martial race, and rule the Latian land,
Who should his ancient line from Teucer draw,
-Aen. IV,223-231 And on the conquer'd world impose the law.
-Trans. Dryden

2. HERODOTUS: ...the Lacedemonians are not inferior to any men when fighting one by one, and they
are the best of all men when fighting in a body: for though free, yet they are not free in all things, for
over them is set Law as a master, whom they fear much more even than thy people fear thee. It is
certain at least that they do whatsoever that master commands; and he commands ever the same thing,
that is to say, he bids them not flee out of battle from any multitude of men, but stay in their post and
win the victory or lose their life.. Histories VII,104

3. ARISTOTLE: A state when composed of too few is not, as a state ought to be, self-sufficing; when of
too many, though self-sufficing in all mere necessaries, as a nation may be, it is not a state, being
almost incapable of constitutional government. For who can be the general of such a vast multitude, or
who the herald, unless he have the voice of a Stentor? (Politics VII, 1326b)
Experience shows that a very populous city can rarely, if ever, be well governed; since all cities which
have a reputation for good government have a limit of population. We may argue on grounds of
reason, and the same result will follow. For law is order, and good law is good order; but a very great
multitude cannot be orderly: to introduce order into the unlimited is the work of a divine power- of
such a power as holds together the universe. (Politics VII, 1326a)

4. VIRGIL:
ac veluti magno in populo cum saepe coorta est As, when in tumults rise th' ignoble crowd,
seditio saevitque animis ignobile vulgus Mad are their motions, and their tongues are loud;
iamque faces et saxa volant, furor arma ministrat; And stones and brands in rattling volleys fly,
tum, pietate gravem ac meritis si forte virum And all the rustic arms that fury can supply:
quem If then some grave and pious man appear,
conspexere, silent arrectisque auribus astant; They hush their noise, and lend a list'ning ear;
ille regit dictis animos et pectora mulcet: He soothes with sober words their angry mood,
sic cunctus pelagi cecidit fragor, aequora And quenches their innate desire of blood:
postquam So, when the Father of the Flood appears,
prospiciens genitor caeloque invectus aperto And o'er the seas his sov'reign trident rears,
flectit equos curruque volans dat lora secundo. Their fury falls: he skims the liquid plains,
- Aen. I,148-156 High on his chariot, and, with loosen'd reins,
Majestic moves along, and awful peace
maintains.

5. VIRGIL:
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haec nemora indigenae Fauni Nymphaeque These woods were first the seat of sylvan powrs,
tenebant Of Nymphs and Fauns, and salvage men, who took
gensque virum truncis et duro robore nata, Their birth from trunks of trees and stubborn oak.
quis neque mos neque cultus erat, nec iungere Nor laws they knew, nor manners, nor the care
tauros Of labring oxen, or the shining share,
aut componere opes norant aut parcere parto, Nor arts of gain, nor what they gaind to spare.
sed rami atque asper victu venatus alebat. Their exercise the chase; the running flood
primus ab aetherio venit Saturnus Olympo Supplied their thirst, the trees supplied their food.
arma Iovis fugiens et regnis exsul ademptis. Then Saturn came, who fled the powr of Jove,
Robbd of his realms, and banishd from above.
is genus indocile ac dispersum montibus altis
The men, dispersd on hills, to towns he brought,
composuit legesque dedit, Latiumque vocari
And laws ordaind, and civil customs taught,
maluit, his quoniam latuisset tutus in oris.
And Latium calld the land where safe he lay
aurea quae perhibent illo sub rege fuere From his unduteous son, and his usurping sway.
saecula: sic placida populos in pace regebat, With his mild empire, peace and plenty came;
deterior donec paulatim ac decolor aetas And hence the golden times derivd their name.
et belli rabies et amor successit habendi. A more degenerate and discolord age
- Aen. VIII, 314-327 Succeeded this, with avarice and rage.

6. VIRGIL:
Di patrii, Indigetes, et Romule Vestaque mater, Gods of my country, heroes of the soil,
quae Tuscum Tiberim et Romana Palatia servas, And Romulus, and Mother Vesta, thou
hunc saltem everso iuvenem succurrere saeclo Who Tuscan Tiber and Rome's Palatine
ne prohibete! [...] Preservest, this new champion at the least
quippe ubi fas versum atque nefas: tot bella per Our fallen generation to repair
orbem, Forbid not. [...]
tam multae scelerum facies; non ullus aratro Here where the wrong is right, the right is wrong,
dignus honos, squalent abductis arva colonis Where wars abound so many, and myriad-faced
et curvae rigidum falces conflantur in ensem. Is crime; where no meet honour hath the plough;
Hinc movet Euphrates, illinc Germania bellum; The fields, their husbandmen led far away,
vicinae ruptis inter se legibus urbes Rot in neglect, and curved pruning-hooks
arma ferunt; saevit toto Mars inpius orbe; Into the sword's stiff blade are fused and forged.
ut cum carceribus sese effudere quadrigae, Euphrates here, here Germany new strife
addunt in spatia et frustra retinacula tendens Is stirring; neighbouring cities are in arms,
fertur equis auriga neque audit currus habenas. The laws that bound them snapped; and godless
war
Geor. 1. 498511 Rages through all the universe; as when
The four-horse chariots from the barriers poured
Still quicken o'er the course, and, idly now
Grasping the reins, the driver by his team
Is onward borne, nor heeds the car his curb.
-Trans. Greenough

7. VIRGIL:
heu furiis incensa feror!: nunc augur Apollo, I rave, I rave! A god's command he pleads,
nunc Lyciae sortes, nunc et Iove missus ab ipso And makes Heav'n accessary to his deeds.
interpres divum fert horrida iussa per auras. Now Lycian lots, and now the Delian god,
scilicet is superis labor est, ea cura quietos Now Hermes is employ'd from Jove's abode,
sollicitat... To warn him hence; as if the peaceful state
-Aen. IV 376-380 Of heav'nly pow'rs were touch'd with human fate!

8. VIRGIL:
sin nostrum adnuerit nobis victoria Martem, But, if my juster arms prevail in fight,
(ut potius reor et potius di numine firment), (As sure they shall, if I divine aright,)
non ego nec Teucris Italos parere iubebo My Trojans shall not o'er th' Italians reign:

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nec mihi regna peto: paribus se legibus ambae Both equal, both unconquer'd shall remain,
invictae gentes aeterna in foedera mittant. Join'd in their laws, their lands, and their abodes;
sacra deosque dabo; socer arma Latinus habeto, I ask but altars for my weary gods.
imperium sollemne socer; mihi moenia Teucri The care of those religious rites be mine;
constituent urbique dabit Lavinia nomen. The crown to King Latinus I resign:
- Aen. XII,187-194 His be the sov'reign sway. Nor will I share
His pow'r in peace, or his command in war.
For me, my friends another town shall frame,
And bless the rising tow'rs with fair Lavinia's
name.

9. VIRGIL:
do quod vis, et me victusque volensque remitto. I give thee this desire, and yield to thee
sermonem Ausonii patrium moresque tenebunt, free submission. The Ausonian tribes
utque est nomen erit; commixti corpore tantum shall keep the speech and customs of their sires;
subsident Teucri. morem ritusque sacrorum the name remains as now; the Teucrian race,
adiciam faciamque omnis uno ore Latinos. abiding in the land, shall but infuse
hinc genus Ausonio mixtum quod sanguine the mixture of its blood. I will bestow
surget, a league of worship, and to Latins give
supra homines, supra ire deos pietate videbis, one language only. From the mingled breed
nec gens ulla tuos aeque celebrabit honores. a people shall come forth whom thou shalt see
- Aen. XII,833-840 surpass all mortal men and even outvie
the [piety] of gods; for none that live
shall render to thy name an equal praise.
Trans. Williams

10. VIRGIL:
tu regere imperio populos, Romane, memento But thou, O Roman, learn with sovereign sway
- hae tibi erunt artes -, pacique imponere morem, To rule the nations. Thy great art shall be
parcere subiectis et debellare superbos. To keep the world in lasting peace, to spare
- Aen. VI,850-853 humbled foe, and crush to earth the proud.

11. VIRGIL:
quae postquam Anchises natum per singula duxit After Anchises had led his son over every scene,
incenditque animum famae venientis amore, kindling his soul, [animus=thymos] with longing
exim bella viro memorat quae deinde gerenda, for the glory that was to be, he then tells of the
Laurentisque docet populos urbemque Latini, wars that the hero next must wage
et quo quemque modo fugiatque feratque
laborem. Aen. VI,888-892

12. AUGUSTINE: It is when the soul serves God that it exercises a right control over the body; and in
the soul itself the reason must be subject to God if it is to govern as it ought the passions and other
vices. Hence, when a man does not serve God, what justice can we ascribe to him, since in this case
his soul cannot exercise a just control over the body, nor his reason over his vices? And if there is no
justice in such an individual, certainly there can be none in a community composed of such persons.
Civ. Dei XIX,21

13. AUGUSTINE: If the republic is the good of the people, and there is no people if it be not associated
by a common acknowledgment of right, and if there is no right where there is no justice, then most
certainly it follows that there is no republic where there is no justice. Further, justice is that virtue
which gives every one his due. Where, then, is the justice of man, when he deserts the true God and
yields himself to impure demons? Is this to give every one his due? Civ. Dei XIX,21

14. AUGUSTINE: Accordingly, two cities have been formed by two loves: the earthly by the love of
self, even to the contempt of God; the heavenly by the love of God, even to the contempt of self. The

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former, in a word, glories in itself, the latter in the Lord. For the one seeks glory from men; but the
greatest glory of the other is God, the witness of conscience. The one lifts up its head in its own glory;
the other says to its God, You are my glory, and the lifter up of mine head. In the one, the princes and
the nations it subdues are ruled by the love of ruling; in the other, the princes and the subjects serve
one another in love, the latter obeying, while the former take thought for all. The one delights in its
own strength, represented in the persons of its rulers; the other says to its God, I will love You, O
Lord, my strength. Civ. Dei XIV, 28

15. AUGUSTINE: Remus was slain by his brother Romulus [] Both desired to have the glory of
founding the Roman republic, but both could not have as much glory as if one only claimed it; for he
who wished to have the glory of ruling would certainly rule less if his power were shared by a living
consort. [ But] the possession of goodness is by no means diminished by being shared with a
partner either permanent or temporarily assumed; on the contrary, the possession of goodness is
increased in proportion to the concord and charity of each of those who share it. In short, he who is
unwilling to share this possession cannot have it; and he who is most willing to admit others to a share
of it will have the greatest abundance to himself. - Civ. Dei XV,5

16. AUGUSTINE: When the kingdoms of the East had been illustrious for a long time, it pleased God
that there should also arise a Western empire, which, though later in time, should be more illustrious in
extent and greatness. And, in order that it might overcome the grievous evils which existed among
other nations, He purposely granted it to such men as, for the sake of honor, and praise, and glory,
consulted well for their country, in whose glory they sought their own, and whose safety they did not
hesitate to prefer to their own, suppressing the desire of wealth and many other vices for this one vice,
namely, the love of praise. - Civ. Dei V,13

17. AUGUSTINE: Even the heavenly city, therefore, while in its state of pilgrimage, avails itself of the
peace of earth, and, so far as it can without injuring faith and godliness, desires and maintains a
common agreement among men regarding the acquisition of the necessaries of life, and makes this
earthly peace bear upon the peace of heaven - Civ. Dei XIX,17

18. AUGUSTINE: God, who alone is true and just, helped forward the Romans, who were good
according to a certain standard of an earthly state, to the acquirement of the glory of so great an
empire, there may be, nevertheless, a more hidden cause, known better to God than to us, depending
on the diversity of the merits of the human race. Among all who are truly pious, it is at all events
agreed that no one without true pietythat is, true worship of the true God can have true virtue; and
that it is not true virtue which is the slave of human praise. Though, nevertheless, they who are not
citizens of the eternal city, which is called the city of God in the sacred Scriptures, are more useful to
the earthly city when they possess even that virtue than if they had not even that. But there could be
nothing more fortunate for human affairs than that, by the mercy of God, they who are endowed with
true piety of life, if they have the skill for ruling people, should also have the power. - Civ. Dei V,19

19. DANTE:

che fu de lalma Roma e di suo impero For he was of great Rome, and of her empire
ne lempireo ciel per padre eletto: In the empyreal heaven as father chosen;
la quale e l quale, a voler dir lo vero, The which and what, wishing to speak the truth,
fu stabilita per lo loco santo Were stablished as the holy place, wherein
u siede il successor del maggior Piero. Sits the successor of the greatest Peter.
Per questandata onde li dai tu vanto, Upon this journey, whence thou givest him vaunt,
intese cose che furon cagione Things did he hear, which the occasion were
di sua vittoria e del papale ammanto. Both of his victory and the papal mantle.
[] []
Ma io, perch venirvi? o chi l concede? But I, why thither come, or who concedes it?
Io non Ena I not Aeneas am
Inf. 2.20-28,30-31 --Trans. Longfellow

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20. DANTE:

e cominci: Le cose tutte quante And she began: "All things whate'er they be
hanno ordine tra loro, e questo forma Have order among themselves, and this is form,
che l'universo a Dio fa simigliante. That makes the universe resemble God.
Qui veggion l'alte creature l'orma Here do the higher creatures see the footprints
de l'etterno valore, il qual fine Of the Eternal Power, which is the end
al quale fatta la toccata norma. Whereto is made the law already mentioned.
Ne l'ordine ch'io dico sono accline In the order that I speak of are inclined
tutte nature, per diverse sorti, All natures, by their destinies diverse,
pi al principio loro e men vicine; More or less near unto their origin;
onde si muovono a diversi porti Hence they move onward unto ports diverse
per lo gran mar de l'essere, e ciascuna O'er the great sea of being; and each one
con istinto a lei dato che la porti. With instinct given it which bears it on.
Questi ne porta il foco inver' la luna; This bears away the fire towards the moon;
questi ne' cor mortali permotore; This is in mortal hearts the motive power
questi la terra in s stringe e aduna; This binds together and unites the earth.
n pur le creature che son fore Nor only the created things that are
d'intelligenza quest' arco saetta, Without intelligence this bow shoots forth,
ma quelle c'hanno intelletto e amore. But those that have both intellect and love.
La provedenza, che cotanto assetta, The Providence that regulates all this
del suo lume fa 'l ciel sempre queto Makes with its light the heaven forever quiet,
nel qual si volge quel c'ha maggior fretta; Wherein that turns which has the greatest haste.
e ora l, come a sito decreto, And thither now, as to a site decreed,
cen porta la virt di quella corda Bears us away the virtue of that cord
che ci che scocca drizza in segno lieto. Which aims its arrows at a joyous mark.
Vero che, come forma non s'accorda True is it, that as oftentimes the form
molte fate a l'intenzion de l'arte, Accords not with the intention of the art,
perch' a risponder la materia sorda, Because in answering is matter deaf,
cos da questo corso si diparte So likewise from this course doth deviate
talor la creatura, c'ha podere Sometimes the creature, who the power
di piegar, cos pinta, in altra parte; possesses,
e s come veder si pu cadere Though thus impelled, to swerve some other
foco di nube, s l'impeto primo way,
l'atterra torto da falso piacere. (In the same wise as one may see the fire
- Paradiso I Fall from a cloud,) if the first impetus
Earthward is wrested by some false delight.
--Trans. Longfellow

21. DANTE: It is of the intention of God that all things should represent the divine likeness in so far as
their peculiar nature is able to receive it. For this reason it was said, Let us make man in our image,
after our likeness. Although in our image cannot be said of things inferior to man, nevertheless,
after our likeness can be said of all things, for the entire universe is nought else than a footprint of
divine goodness. The human race, therefore, is ordered well, nay, is ordered for the best, when
according to the utmost of its power it becomes like unto God. But the human race is most like unto
God when it is most one, for the principle of unity dwells in Him alone. Wherefore it is written, Hear,
O Israel, the Lord our God is one Lord. But the human race is most one when all are united together,
a state which is manifestly impossible unless humanity as a whole becomes subject to one Prince.
Monarchia I,8

22. DANTE: Likewise, every son acts well and for the best when, as far as his individual nature
permits, he follows in the footprints of a perfect father.1 As Man and the sun generate man,2
according to the second book of Natural Learning, the human race is the son of heaven, which is
absolutely perfect in all its works. Therefore mankind acts for the best when it follows in the footprints
of heaven, as far as its distinctive nature permits. Now, human reason apprehends most clearly through
philosophy3 that the entire heaven in all its parts, its movements, and its motors, is controlled by a

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single motion, the primum mobile, and by a single mover, God; then, if our syllogism is correct, the
human race is best ordered when in all its movements and motors it is controlled by one Prince as by
one mover, by one law as by one motion. On this account it is manifestly essential for the well-being
of the world that there should exist a Monarchy or unified Principality, which men call the Empire.
This truth Boethius sighed for in the words, O race of men how blessed, did the love which rules the
heavens rule likewise your minds! Monarchia I,9

23. DANTE: Whoever contemplates the good of the state contemplates the end of Right. (Quicunque
preterea bonum rei publice intendit, finem iuris intendit.) []That in subduing the world the Roman
people had in view the aforesaid good, their deeds declare. We behold them as a nation holy, pious,
and full of glory, putting aside all avarice,6 which is ever adverse to the general welfare, cherishing
universal peace and liberty, and disregarding private profit to guard the public weal of humanity.
Rightly was it written, then, that The Roman Empire takes its rise in the fountain of piety. [] Can
we say they were not intent on the common weal who in sweat, in poverty, in exile, in deprivation of
children, in loss of limbs, and even in the sacrifice of their lives, strove to augment the public good?
Did not the renowned Cincinnatus leave to us a sacred example, when he freely chose the time to lay
aside that dignity which, as Livy says, took him from the plough to make him dictator? After his
victory, after his triumph, he gave back to the consuls the imperial sceptre, and voluntarily returned to
toil at the plough handle behind his oxen. Monarchia II,5

24. DANTE: I have now approached close enough to the goal I had set myself, for I have taken the
kernels of truth from the husks of falsehood, in that question which asked whether the office of
Monarchy was essential to the welfare of the world, and in the next which made inquiry whether the
Roman people rightfully appropriated the Empire, and in the last which sought whether the authority
of the Monarch derived from God immediately, or from some other. But the truth of this final question
must not be restricted to mean that the Roman Prince shall not be subject in some degree to the Roman
Pontiff, for felicity that is mortal is ordered in a measure after felicity that is immortal. Wherefore let
Caesar honor Peter as a first-born son should honor his father, so that, refulgent with the light of
paternal grace, he may illumine with greater radiance the earthly sphere over which he has been set by
Him who alone is Ruler of all things spiritual and temporal. Monarchia III, 16