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Ad Demetrianum [CSEL]

§ 11

Tantus cladium terror dare non potest innocentiae disciplinam et inter populum frequenti strage morientem nemo considerat et se esse mortalem. passim discurritur¹, rapitur, occupatur: praedandi dissimulatio nulla, nulla cunctatio: quasi liceat, quasi oporteat, quasi ille qui non rapit damnum et dispendium proprium sentiat, sic unusquisque rapere festinat. in latronibus est utcumque aliqua scelerum uerecundia², auias fauces et desertas solitudines diligunt, et sic illic delinquitur, ut tamen delinquentium facinus tenebris et nocte ueletur. auaritia palam saeuit et ipsa audacia sua tuta in fori luce abruptae³ cupiditatis arma ⁴[P. 359] prostitnit⁵. inde falsarii, uenefici inde, inde in media ciuitate sicarii⁶ tam ad peccandum praecipites quam inpune peccantes. a nocente crimen admittitur, nec innocens qui uindicet inuenitur. de accusatore uel iudice metus nullus: inpunitatem consecuntur mali, dum modesti tacent, timent conscii, ueneunt iudicaturi. et idcirco per prophetam diuino spiritu et instinctu rei ueritas promitur, certa et manifesta ratio monstratur Dominum posse aduersa prohibere sed ne ille subueniat merita peccantium facere. numquid, ait, non ualet manus Dei, ut saluos faciat, aut grauabit aurem ut non exaudiat? sed peccata uestra inter uos et Deum separant, et propter delicta uestra auertit faciem a uobis ne misereatur. peccata itaque et delicta reputentur, conscientiae uulnera cogitentur, et desinat unusquisque de Deo uel de nobis conqueri, si quod patitur intellegat se mereri.

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An Address to Demetrianus

11.

So great a terror of destruction cannot give the teaching of innocency; and in the midst of a people dying with constant havoc, nobody considers that he himself is mortal. Everywhere there is scattering, there is seizure, there is taking possession; no dissimulation about spoiling, and no delay. ¹ As if it were all lawful, as if it were all becoming, as if he who does not rob were suffering loss and wasting his own property, thus every one hastens to the rapine. Among thieves there is at any rate some modesty in their crimes. They love pathless ravines and deserted solitudes; and they do wrong in such a way, that still the crime of the wrong-doers is veiled by darkness and night. Avarice, however, rages openly, and, safe by its very boldness, exposes the weapons of its headlong craving in the light of the market-place. Thence cheats, thence poisoners, thence assassins in the midst of the city, are as eager for wickedness as they are wicked with impunity. The crime is committed by the guilty, and the guiltless who can avenge it is not found. There is no fear from accuser or judge: the wicked obtain impunity, while modest men are silent; accomplices are afraid, and those who are to judge are for sale. And therefore by the mouth of the prophet the truth of the matter is put forth with the divine spirit and instinct: it is shown in a certain and obvious way that God can prevent adverse things, but that the evil deserts of sinners prevent His bringing aid. "Is the Lord's hand," says he, "not strong to save you; or has He made heavy His ear, that He cannot hear you? But your sins separate between you and God; and because of your sins He hath hid His face from you, that He may not have mercy." ² Therefore let your sins and offences be reckoned up; let the wounds of your conscience be considered; and let each one cease complaining about God, or about us, if he should perceive that himself deserves what he suffers.