St. Augustine, Of the citie of God vvith the learned comments of Io. Lod. Viues. Englished by I.H.

Of Numa his bookes, which the Senate for keeping their mysteries in secret, did command should be burned. CHAP. 34.

BVt contrarywise, we do finde (as Varro himselfe said of Numa his bookes) that these naturall reasons giuen for these ceremonies could no way be allowed of: nor worthy of their priests reading, no not so much as their secret reseruing. For now I will tell yee what I promised in my third booke to relate in conueni∣ent place: One (a) Terentius (as Varro hath it in his booke de Cultu deorum.) had some ground neare to mount Ianiculus, and his seruants plowing neare to N•…•… his tombe, the plough turned vp some bookes, conteining the ceremonies insti∣tutions: (b) Terentius brought them into the citty to the Praetor, who hauing loo∣ked in them, brought this so weighty an affaire before the Senate: where hauing read some of the first causes why hee had instituted this and that in their religion; The Senate agreed with dead Numa, and like (c) religious fathers, gaue order to the Praetor for the burning of them.

Euery one here may beleeue as he list: nay let any contentious mad patron of absurd vanity say here what he list. Sufficeth it, I shew that the causes that N•…•… their King gaue for his owne institutions, ought neither to bee shewed to

people senate, no nor to the Priests them-selues: and that Numa by his vnlawfull 〈◊〉〈◊〉 came to the knowledge of such deuillish secrets as he was worthy to be * 1.1 〈◊〉〈◊〉 •…•…ded for writing of. Yet though hee were a King that feared no man, hee du•…•… for all that either publish them, or abolish them: publish them he would no•…•… •…•…are of teaching wickednesse: burne them he durst not for feare of offen∣di•…•… deuils: so he buried them where he thought they would be safe, (d) not 〈◊〉〈◊〉 •…•…he turning vp of his graue by a plough. But the Senate fearing to re∣•…•… their ancestors religion, and so agreeing with Numa's doctrine, yet held 〈◊〉〈◊〉 •…•…kes too pernicious either to bee buried againe (least mens madder cu∣•…•… should seeke them out) or to bee put to any vse but burning: to the end 〈◊〉〈◊〉 seei•…•…g they must needs stick to their old superstition, they might doe it with •…•…ame by concealing the causes of it, whose knowledge would haue distur∣•…•… whole cittie.

L. VIVES.

〈◊〉〈◊〉 Terentius] The storie is written by Liuy, Ualerius, Plutarch and Lactantius. Liuy 〈◊〉〈◊〉 •…•…erius his ordinary follower, say that Q. Petilius found the bookes. Pliny, (out of 〈◊〉〈◊〉) that Gn. Terentius found them in one chest, not two. Liuy calles that yeares 〈◊〉〈◊〉 C. Bebius Pamphilus, and M. Amilius. Lepidus: for whom Hemina putteth P. Cor∣•…•… •…•…gus: after Numa his reigne DXXXV of the bookes, the seuerall opinions are 〈◊〉〈◊〉. 13. cap. 13. (b) Terentius] Petilius they sayd: some say he desired the Pretor they 〈◊〉〈◊〉 •…•…ead: others that he brought a Scriuener to read them. The historie in Liuy lib. 40. 〈◊〉〈◊〉 and Plinie lib. 1. 'Tis sufficient to shew the places: He saith he brought them in∣•…•…, for though Numa's tombe were in the cittie (namely in the foureteenth region, 〈◊〉〈◊〉) yet being beyond Tyber, such as came to the Senate house seemed to come out 〈◊〉〈◊〉 •…•…bes, or countrie. (c) Religious fathers] as touched with feare that religion should 〈◊〉〈◊〉 by the publication of those bookes. Some read religious in reference vnto bookes: 〈◊〉〈◊〉 •…•…ng scruples of religion in mens mindes, for that is the signification of the Latine 〈◊〉〈◊〉 any man will read it irreligious. (d) Not fearing] It was a great and religious 〈◊〉〈◊〉 •…•…as had ouer Sepulchers of old: none might violate or pull them downe, it was a * 1.2 〈◊〉〈◊〉 twelue tables, and also one of Solons and Numa's, & of most old law-giuers, Greekes •…•…es: belonging rather to their religion then their ciuill law, for they held Sepulchers 〈◊〉〈◊〉 •…•…les of th'Infernall gods, and therefore they wrote vpon them these letters: D. M. S. 〈◊〉〈◊〉 •…•…anibus sacrum: A place sacred to the gods of Hell: and their sollemnities were 〈◊〉〈◊〉 •…•…cia. Cicero de legib. lib. 2.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Numa, founder of the Ro∣maine reli∣gion.
• * 1.2

  The re•…•…∣rence of Sepulchers.