Traduction Masquer
An Address to Demetrianus

19.

Do you think that we suffer adversity equally with yourselves, when you see that the same adverse things are not borne equally by us and by you? Among you there is always a clamorous and complaining impatience; with us there is a strong and religious patience, always quiet and always grateful to God. Nor does it claim for itself anything joyous or prosperous in this world, but, meek and gentle and stable against all the gusts of this tossing world, it waits for the time of the divine promise; for as long as this body endures, it must needs have a common lot with others, and its bodily condition must be common. Nor is it given to any of the human race to be separated one from another, except by withdrawal from this present life. In the meantime, we are all, good and evil, contained in one household. Whatever happens within the house, we suffer with equal fate, until, when the end of the temporal life shall be attained, we shall be distributed among the homes either of eternal death or immortality. Thus, therefore, we are not on the same level, and equal with you, because, placed in this present world and in this flesh, we incur equally with you the annoyances of the world and of the flesh; for since in the sense of pain is all punishment, it is manifest that he is not a sharer of your punishment who, you see, does not suffer pain equally with yourselves. ¹

Edition Masquer
Ad Demetrianum [CSEL]

§ 19

Putatis nos aduersa uobiscum aequaliter perpeti, quando eadem aduersa uideatis a nobis et uobis non aequaliter sustineri? aput uos inpatientia clamosa semper et querula est, aput nos fortis et religiosa patientia quieta semper et semper in Deum grata est, nec quicquam istic laetum aut prosperum sibi uindicat, sed mitis et lenis et contra omnes fluctuantis mundi turbines stabilis diuinae pollicitationis tempus expectat. quamdiu enim corpus hoc permanet commune cum ceteris, sit necesse est et corporalis condicio communis nec separari generi humano ab inuicem datur, nisi istinc de saeculo recedatur. intra unam domum boni et mali interim continemur. quicquid intra domum uenerit pari sorte perpetimur, donec aeui temporalis fine completo ad aeternae uel mortis uel inmortalitatis hospitia diuidamur. non ergo idcirco compares uobis et aequales sumus, quia in isto adhuc mundo et carne hac constituti mundi et carnis incommoda uobiscum pariter incurrimus. nam cum in sensu doloris ¹[P. 365] sit omne quod punit, manifestum est eum non esse participem poenae tuae quem uideas tecum non dolere.