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De civitate Dei (CCSL)

Caput XIV: De captiuitate sanctorum, quibus numquam diuina solacia defuerunt.

Sed multi, inquiunt, Christiani etiam captiui ducti sunt, hoc sane miserrimum est, si aliquo duci potuerunt, ubi deum suum non inuenerunt. sunt in scripturis sanctis huius etiam cladis magna solacia. fuerunt in captiuitate tres pueri, fuit Daniel, fuerunt alii prophetae; nec deus defuit consolator. sic ergo non deseruit fideles suos sub dominatione gentis, licet barbarae, tamen humanae, qui prophetam non deseruit nec in uisceribus beluae. haec quoque illi, cum quibus agimus, malunt inridere quam credere, qui tamen in suis litteris credunt Arionem Methymnaeum, nobilissimum citharistam, cum esset deiectus e naui, exceptum delphini dorso et ad terras esse peruectum. uerum illud nostrum de Iona propheta incredibilius est. plane incredibilius quia mirabilius, et mirabilius quia potentius.

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The City of God

Chapter 14.--Of the Captivity of the Saints, and that Divine Consolation Never Failed Them Therein.

But, say they, many Christians were even led away captive. This indeed were a most pitiable fate, if they could be led away to any place where they could not find their God. But for this calamity also sacred Scripture affords great consolation. The three youths ¹ were captives; Daniel was a captive; so were other prophets: and God, the comforter, did not fail them. And in like manner He has not failed His own people in the power of a nation which, though barbarous, is yet human,--He who did not abandon the prophet ² in the belly of a monster. These things, indeed, are turned to ridicule rather than credited by those with whom we are debating; though they believe what they read in their own books, that Arion of Methymna, the famous lyrist, ³ when he was thrown overboard, was received on a dolphin's back and carried to land. But that story of ours about the prophet Jonah is far more incredible,--more incredible because more marvellous, and more marvellous because a greater exhibition of power.