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De civitate Dei (CCSL)

Praefatio

Quoniam constat omnium rerum optandarum plenitudinem esse felicitatem, quae non est dea, sed donum dei, et ideo nullum deum colendum esse ab hominibus, nisi qui potest eos facere felices - unde si illa dea esset, sola colenda merito diceretur - : iam consequenter uideamus, qua causa deus, qui potest et illa bona dare, quae habere possunt etiam non boni ac per hoc etiam non felices, Romanum imperium tam magnum tamque diuturnum esse uoluerit. quia enim hoc deorum falsorum illa quam colebant multitudo non fecit, et multa iam diximus, et ubi uisum fuerit opportunum esse dicemus.

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The City of God

Preface.

Since, then, it is established that the complete attainment of all we desire is that which constitutes felicity, which is no goddess, but a gift of God, and that therefore men can worship no god save Him who is able to make them happy,--and were Felicity herself a goddess, she would with reason be the only object of worship,--since, I say, this is established, let us now go on to consider why God, who is able to give with all other things those good gifts which can be possessed by men who are not good, and consequently not happy, has seen fit to grant such extended and long-continued dominion to the Roman empire; for that this was not effected by that multitude of false gods which they worshipped, we have both already adduced, and shall, as occasion offers, yet adduce considerable proof.