Edition Masquer
De civitate Dei (CCSL)

Caput XII: De ternis contrariis, quibus secundum Platonicos daemonum hominumque natura distinguitur.

Sed nunc de his agimus, quos in natura propria descripsit inter deos et homines genere animalia, mente rationalia, animo passiua, corpore aeria, tempore aeterna. nempe cum prius deos in sublimi caelo, homines autem in terra infima disiunctos locis et naturae dignitate secerneret, ita conclusit: habetis, inquit, interim bina animalia: deos ab hominibus plurimum differentes loci sublimitate, uitae perpetuitate, naturae perfectione, nullo inter se propinquo communicatu, cum et habitacula summa ab infimis tanta intercapedo fastigii dispescat, et uiuacitas illic aeterna et indefecta sit, hic caduca et subsiciua, et ingenia illa ad beatitudinem sublimata, haec ad miserias infimata. hic terna uideo commemorata contraria de duabus naturae partibus ultimis, id est summis atque infimis. nam tria quae proposuit de dis laudabilia, eadem repetiuit, aliis quidem uerbis, ut eis aduersa alia tria ex hominibus redderet. tria deorum haec sunt: loci sublimitas, uitae perpetuitas, perfectio naturae. haec aliis uerbis ita repetiuit, ut eis tria contraria humanae condicionis obponeret. cum et habitacula, inquit, summa ab infimis tanta intercapedo fastigii dispescat, quia dixerat loci sublimitatem; et uiuacitas, inquit, illic aeterna et indefecta sit, hic caduca et subsiciua, quia dixerat uitae perpetuitatem; et ingenia illa, inquit, ad beatitudinem sublimata, haec ad miserias infimata, quia dixerat naturae perfectionem. tria igitur ab eo posita sunt deorum, id est locus sublimis, aeternitas, beatitudo; et his contraria tria hominum, id est locus infimus, mortalitas, miseria.

Traduction Masquer
The City of God

Chapter 12.--Of the Three Opposite Qualities by Which the Platonists Distinguish Between the Nature of Men and that of Demons.

But at present we are speaking of those beings whom he described as being properly intermediate between gods and men, in nature animals, in mind rational, in soul subject to passion, in body aerial, in duration eternal. When he had distinguished the gods, whom he placed in the highest heaven, from men, whom he placed on earth, not only by position but also by the unequal dignity of their natures, he concluded in these words: "You have here two kinds of animals: the gods, widely distinguished from men by sublimity of abode, perpetuity of life, perfection of nature; for their habitations are separated by so wide an interval that there can be no intimate communication between them, and while the vitality of the one is eternal and indefeasible, that of the others is fading and precarious, and while the spirits of the gods are exalted in bliss, those of men are sunk in miseries." ¹ Here I find three opposite qualities ascribed to the extremes of being, the highest and lowest. For, after mentioning the three qualities for which we are to admire the gods, he repeated, though in other words, the same three as a foil to the defects of man. The three qualities are, "sublimity of abode, perpetuity of life, perfection of nature." These he again mentioned so as to bring out their contrasts in man's condition. As he had mentioned "sublimity of abode," he says, "Their habitations are separated by so wide an interval;" as he had mentioned "perpetuity of life," he says, that "while divine life is eternal and indefeasible, human life is fading and precarious;" and as he had mentioned "perfection of nature," he says, that "while the spirits of the gods are exalted in bliss, those of men are sunk in miseries." These three things, then, he predicates of the gods, exaltation, eternity, blessedness; and of man he predicates the opposite, lowliness of habitation, mortality, misery.