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

Of what kinde of happinesse, and of what conditions the accusers of Christianity de∣sire to pertake. CHAP. 20.

BVt such worshippers, and such louers of those vicious gods, whome they reioyce to followe and immitate in all villanies and mischieues, those doe neuer respect the goodnesse, or the integrity of the common-wealth. No, say they, let it but stand, let it but bee ritch and victorious; or (which is best of all) let it but enioy security and peace, and what care wee? Yes mar∣rie, it doth beelong to our care, that euerie one might haue meanes to in∣crease his wealth, to nourish the expense of his continuall riot, and where∣withall the greater might still keepe vnder the meaner. Let the poore o∣bey the ritch, for their bellies sakes; and that they may liue at ease vn∣der their protections: Let the ritch abuse the poore in their huge atten∣daunces, and mynistring to their sumptuousnesse. Let the people applaude such as afford them delightes, not such as proferre them good counsells. Let nought that is hard bee enioyned, nought that is impure bee prohi∣bited. Let not the Kings care bee howe good, but howe subiect his people bee. Let not subdued Prouinces serue their Kings as reformers of their manners, but as the Lords of their Estates, and the procurers of their pleasures: Not honouring them sincerely, but fearing them seruilely. Let the lawes looke to him that lookes after another mans possessions, rather then him that lookes not after his owne life. Let no man bee brought be∣fore the Iudges, but such as haue offered violence vnto others Estates, hou∣ses, or persons. But for a mans owne, let it bee free for him to vse it as hee list, and so of other mens, if they consent. Let their bee good store of Com∣mon Harlottes, either for all that please to vse them, or for those that cannot * 1.1 keepe priuate ones. Let stately and sumptuous houses bee erected, banquets and feasts sollemnized, let a man drinke, eate, game and reuell day and night, where hee may or will: (a) let dauncing bee ordinarie in all places: let luxu∣rious and bloudy delightes fill the Theater, with dishonest wordes, and shewes, freelie, and vncontroulled. And let him bee held an enemie to the publike good, that is an opposite vnto this felicitie. Let the people turne away their eares from all such as shall assaie to disswade or alter them, let them banish them, let them kill them. Let them bee eternized for gods, that shall procure the people this happinesse, and preserue what they haue procured. Let them haue what glorie or worshippe

they will, what plaies they will, or can exact of their worshippers: onely let them worke so that this felicity stand secure from enemy, pestilence, and all o∣ther inconueniences. Now tell mee, what reasonable creature would wish such a state, (not vnto Rome, but euen) to the house of (b) Sardanapalus? which whilom King, was so farre giuen ouer to his pleasures, that he caused it to bee written vpon his graue, that hee onely as then possessed that, which his luxury in his life time had wasted: Now if those fellowes had but a King like this, that would nousle them in these impurities, and neuer controull nor correct them in any such courses, they would bee readier to erect a Temple to him, and giue him a Flamine, then euer were the old Romaines to do so vnto Romulus.

L. VIVES.

LEt (a) Dancings] Saltationes; in the Bruges copy it is Salutationes, in Coleynes it was Salutiones, but the letter v. is razed out. Surely the loue of Saluting one another was * 1.2 great in Rome. Highly was hee honored that was saluted, and well was hee mannerd, that did salute, but great plausibility attended on both: both were very popular, and great steps to powrefulnesse. Salust, in Iugurth. Truely some are verie industrious in saluting the people. All the Latines writings are full of salutations. (b) Sardanapalus] The Grecians called * 1.3 Sardanapalus, Thonos Concoloros. Hee was the last King of the Assyrians: a man throwne head-long into all kinde of pleasures. Who knowing that Arbaces the Median prepa∣red to make warres against him, resolued to trie the fortune of warre in this affaire. But bee∣ing conquered (as he was an effeminate fellow, and vnfit for all martiall exercises) hee fled vn∣to his house, and set it on fire with himselfe and all his ritches in it. Long before this, when hee was in his fullest madnesse, after pleasures, hee causes this epitaph to bee engrauen vpon his tombe. * 1.4

〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 &c.

Tully translates it thus.

Haec habeò, quae edi, quae{que} exaturata voluptas Hausit: at illa iacent multa et preclara relicta

What I consum'd, and what my guts engross't, I haue: but all the wealth I left, I lost.

What else could any man haue written (saith Aristotle in Cicero) vpon the graue of an Oxe rather then of a King? hee saith he hath that being dead, which he neuer had whilest hee liued but onely while he was a wasting of it. Chrysippus applies the verses vnto his Stoicisme: here∣of reade Athenaeus lib. 5.

Notes

• * 1.1

  A descrip∣tion of the publike corruption.
• * 1.2

  The salu∣tations at Rome.
• * 1.3

  Sardanapa∣lus.
• * 1.4

  Sardanapa∣lus his epi∣taph.