PL 7 · cols. 77–80

Analysis libri de Ira Dei

Editors' preface

ANALYSIS LIBRI DE IRA DEI.

ANALYSIS OF THE BOOK ON THE ANGER OF GOD.

Quaestio hujus libri: An Deus vere irascatur?

The question of this book: whether God is truly angry.

Philosophi nonnulli negarunt, eo quod Deum vel beneficam esse tantum naturam, vel nihil omnino curare statuerent. Lactantius contra, Deum vere irasci hoc libro demonstrat his argumentis:

Some philosophers denied it, because they held either that God is solely a beneficent nature, or that He cares for nothing at all. Lactantius, on the contrary, demonstrates in this book that God is truly angry, by these arguments:

I. Aut ira tribuenda est Deo, et gratia detrahenda; aut utrumque detrahendum: aut ira demenda est, et gratia tribuenda; aut utrumque tribuendum. Primum falsum est, quia nemo de Deo unquam dixit, irasci eum tantummodo, et gratia non moveri. Alterum est Epicureum. Statuit enim Epicurus, nec iram in Deo esse, nec gratiam, ut qui nihil omnino curet: sed falso; Deus enim non esset, nisi moveretur: nec dignior Deo administratio assignari potest, quam mundi gubernatio. Nulla etiam beatitudo est rei immobilis. Tertium est stoicum, gratiam in Deo esse, iram non esse: falsum id quoque. Nam si Deus non irascitur impiis, nec pios diligit. Relinquitur igitur quartum, quod est verum, nempe iram et gratiam Deo tribuendam (Cap. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6).

I. Either anger is to be attributed to God and favour taken away; or both are to be taken away; or anger is to be removed and favour attributed; or both are to be attributed. The first is false, because no one has ever said of God that He is only angry and is not moved by favour. The second is Epicurean. For Epicurus held that there is neither anger in God nor favour, as being one who cares for nothing at all: but falsely; for He would not be God unless He were moved; nor can any administration worthier of God be assigned than the government of the world. Nor is there any blessedness in a motionless thing. The third is Stoic, that there is favour in God but not anger: this too is false. For if God is not angry with the impious, neither does He love the pious. There remains therefore the fourth, which is true, namely that anger and favour are to be attributed to God (Chapters 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6).

II. Quaecumque opinio tollit religionem, vana est et falsa.

II. Whatever opinion takes away religion is empty and false.

Opinio quae Deo sive gratiam, sive iram, sive utrumque detrahit, tollit religionem; igitur opinio illa vana est et falsa.

The opinion which takes away from God either favour, or anger, or both, takes away religion; therefore that opinion is empty and false.

Majorem probat cap. 7: religionem nempe non posse dissolvi, quia sit propria hominis. Minorem confirmat cap. 8. Si enim Deus nihil cuiquam boni tribuit, stultum est eum colere.

He proves the major premise in chapter 7: namely that religion cannot be dissolved, because it is proper to man. He confirms the minor in chapter 8. For if God bestows nothing good on anyone, it is foolish to worship Him.

Excipiunt quidam: Prodesse quidem hoc credere, sed utilitatis, non veritatis gratia, ut conscientiae terreantur, quas leges punire possunt.

Some object: that it is indeed profitable to believe this, but for the sake of utility, not of truth, so that consciences may be frightened, which the laws are able to punish.

Lactantius negat hoc; et religionem, non utilitatis tantum, sed veritatis gratia fuisse institutam, asserit cap, 9, 10, 11.

Lactantius denies this; and he asserts in chapters 9, 10, 11 that religion was instituted not for the sake of utility only, but for the sake of truth.

III. Si in rebus humanis sunt bona et mala, necesse est ad utramque partem moveri Deum, et ad gratiam, cum justa fieri videt, et ad iram, cum cernit injusta.

III. If in human affairs there are goods and evils, it is necessary that God be moved towards both sides, both to favour, when He sees just things being done, and to anger, when He perceives unjust ones.

Editors' notes and page, col. 77

Page

running head: 77 ANALYSIS LIBRI DE I[...] (cut off at the image edge)
marginal letters: A ‹phos, quoniam sunt›; B ‹Incredibilis enim vis eloquentiae› (in the Variorum notae); C ‹Quaestio hujus libri›; D ‹II. Quaecumque opinio›
old-edition numerals: (none)
misprints kept as printed: "cap, 9" (comma for full stop, asserit cap, 9, 10, 11)
other: column begins with the fragment "phos" (philoso-phos) from the previous column; column ends with "qui-" (qui-dem, continued in the next column as "dem se...") broken across the column break; full-width title "ANALYSIS LIBRI DE I[RA DEI]" with ornament, cut off at the right edge, stands between the Variorum notae and the analysis, not set; Variorum notae at the page foot not set; editors' matter set: ‹Quaestio hujus libri: An Deus vere irascatur?› (Analysis of De ira Dei); UNSURE: "Aut ira" (looks like "Ant" in heavy type), "Epicureum" (looks like "Epicurenm"), both set as words read; marginal D stands between the lines "tribuendam (Cap. ...)" and "II. Quaecumque", unsure which
other: a full-width band stands across cols 77/78 in mid-page: the 1 paragraph(s) above it in col 78 are set here, after the 2 above it in col 77 (reading order, moved on receipt); the band itself (its title lines) is not set by the volunteer page: set it here, at the move, with full_width
other: the column opens with the end of the previous work (another unit); not set here: the unit begins at Quaestio hujus libri
other: title band printed across the full width of cols 77-78 mid-page, below the end of the preceding text and its Variorum notae; editors' matter, set here as the unit's title

PL 7:78

Verum prius, quod ostenditur cap. 13, 14, 15 : igitur et posterius.

But the former is true, as is shown in chapters 13, 14, 15: therefore the latter also.

Objectio Epicuri : Si est in Deo laetitiae affectus ad gratiam, et odii ad iram, habebit igitur et timorem, et libidinem, et cupiditatem.

Objection of Epicurus: If there is in God an affection of joy, leading to favour, and of hatred, leading to anger, then He will also have fear, and lust, and desire.

Respon. Non sequitur : quia gratia, et ira, et miseratio habent in Deo materiam, id est, causam, reliqui affectus non habent : quibus vacat Deus, quia vitiorum affectus sunt, alios sicut hos habet, quia sunt virtutis (Cap. 16).

Reply. It does not follow: because favour, and anger, and pity have in God a matter, that is, a cause; the remaining affections do not: God is free of these, because they are affections of vices; the others, such as these, He has, because they belong to virtue (Chapter 16).

Objectio alia : Deus ideo beatus est, quia semper quietus; igitur nec irascitur, nec gratia commovetur.

Another objection: God is blessed for this reason, that He is always at rest; therefore He is neither angered nor moved by favour.

Respondet Lactantius, Deum non esse quietum, quia nec dormiat, nec moriatur. Curare igitur enm hominum vitam, et vi consequentis irasci malis, favere bonis. Deinde, sicut crudelitatis est potius, quam pietatis, si quis homo contumelias non vindicet : ita, inquit, non virtutis est in Deo, ad ea, quae injuste fiunt, non commoveri (Cap. 17).

Lactantius replies that God is not at rest, since He neither sleeps nor dies. He therefore cares for the life of men, and by force of consequence is angry with the wicked and favours the good. Next, just as it belongs to cruelty rather than to piety if a man does not avenge insults, so, he says, it is not a mark of virtue in God not to be moved at the things which are done unjustly (Chapter 17).

Objectio : Atqui Deus sine hoc affectu peccata potest corrigere.

Objection: But God can correct sins without this affection.

Respon. Ipse peccati adspectus indignus est. Nam qui non movetur, omnino aut probat delicta, aut molestiam castigandi fugit, quorum utrumque est vitiosum. Hoc loco reprehendit dictum Architae Tarentini, qui cum in agro corrupta esse omnia comperisset, villici sui culpam redarguens, miserum dixit, quem jam verberibus necassem, nisi iratus essem. Nam propter irae magnitudinem poenam non donandam, sed differendam fuisse docet (Cap. 18).

Reply. The very sight of sin is unworthy. For he who is not moved either altogether approves of offences or shuns the trouble of chastising, each of which is faulty. In this place he censures the saying of Archytas of Tarentum, who, when he had found that everything on his estate had been ruined, rebuking the fault of his steward, called him a wretch, "whom I would already have killed with blows, had I not been angry". For he shows that because of the greatness of the anger the punishment ought not to have been remitted, but deferred (Chapter 18).

IV. Si Deus sanctissimam vivendi legem posuit, voluitque universos innocentes ac beneficos esse, utique non potest non irasci, cnm videt legem suam contemni. Verum prius; ergo et posterius.

IV. If God has laid down a most holy law of living, and has willed all men to be innocent and beneficent, He certainly cannot fail to be angry when He sees His law despised. But the former is true; therefore the latter also.

V. Si est mundi administrator, non utique contemnit id quod est in mundo vel maximum.

V. If He is the governor of the world, He certainly does not despise that which is the very greatest thing in the world.

VI. Si est pater ac Deus universorum, certe et virtutibus hominum delectatur, et vitiis commovetur;

VI. If He is the Father and God of all things, He certainly both delights in the virtues of men and is moved by their vices;

Editors' notes and page, col. 78

Page

running head: …SIS LIBRI DE IRA DEI. 78 (left end cut off at the image edge; the head runs across the page from col 77: ANALYSIS LIBRI DE IRA DEI.)
marginal letters: A ‹dem sese patronos›; B ‹mss. Regio-Put.› (in the Variorum notes, not set); C ‹Verum prius, quod ostenditur›; D ‹injuste fiunt, non commoveri›
old-edition numerals: (none)
misprints kept as printed: "enm" (for eum, Curare igitur enm); "cnm" (for cum, cnm videt legem)
other: first word "dem" is the rest of "qui-dem" broken from col. 77; last word "commove-" is broken at the column foot. Damaged type in M⟨a⟩gnum and per⟨s⟩equenda; "utilitatem" carries a stray mark over the e. Full-width heading "…ARIORUM NOTÆ" (VARIORUM NOTAE) and the notes beneath it (mss. Regio-Put. …; Ad vivendum …; Homines …) are not set, being for the later apparatus pass. Full-width title "…LIBRI DE IRA DEI." with its ornament, above the synopsis, is not set. Editors' matter set: the synopsis of De ira Dei (Verum prius, quod ostenditur cap. 13, 14, 15). UNSURE: "Ipse peccati adspectus indignus est" is rendered literally.
other: the 1 paragraph(s) of this column above the full-width band are set under col 77 (reading order, moved on receipt)
other: the full-width title band ANALYSIS LIBRI DE IRA DEI, printed across cols 77-78, is set in c77 above Quaestio hujus libri

PL 7:79

ergo et justos diligit, et impios odit (Cap. 19).

therefore He both loves the just and hates the impious (Chap. 19).

VII. Si potest ignoscere, potest et irasci: sed potest ignoscere, quia est legis suae ipse disceptator et judex; potest igitur et irasci (Cap. 20).

VII. If He can pardon, He can also be angry: but He can pardon, because He is Himself the arbiter and judge of His own law; therefore He can also be angry (Chap. 20).

Objiciebant: Cur ergo qui peccant, saepe felices sunt, et qui pie vivunt, saepe miseri?

They objected: Why then are those who sin often happy, and those who live piously often wretched?

Resp. Quia fugitivi et abdicati libere vivunt, strictius autem et frugalius, qui sub disciplina patris sunt. Deinde quia virtus per mala probatur, vitia per voluptatem. Praeterea non est perpetua felicitas malorum.

Answer. Because runaways and disowned sons live freely, but those who are under a father's discipline live more strictly and frugally. Next, because virtue is proved through evils, vices through pleasure. Moreover, the happiness of the wicked is not perpetual.

Instantia: Si irascitur Deus, statim debuit vindicare.

Objection: If God is angry, He ought to have punished at once.

Respon. Si id faceret, nemo superesset, nec ex peccatoribus aliqui converterentur (Cap. 20).

Answer. If He did so, no one would survive, nor would any from among the sinners be converted (Chap. 20).

Objectio : Deus hominem irasci vetat in lege sua ; igitur nec ipse irascitur.

Objection: God forbids man to be angry in His law; therefore neither is He Himself angry.

Resp. Lex refroenat iram hominis injustam ; nec in totum prohibet irasci, quia is affectus necessario datus est : sed prohibet in ira permanere. Quin Deus praecepit irasci; itaque et ipse irascitur (Cap. 21).

Reply. The law curbs the unjust anger of man; nor does it forbid being angry altogether, because that emotion has been given of necessity; but it forbids remaining in anger. Indeed God has commanded [men] to be angry; and therefore He Himself is also angry (Ch. 21).

VIII. Prophetae universi divino Spiritu repleti nihil aliud, quam de gratia Dei erga justos, et de ira ejus adversus impios loquuntur.

VIII. All the prophets, filled with the divine Spirit, speak of nothing else than of the grace of God towards the just, and of His anger against the impious.

IX. Sibyllae et ipsae iram Deo attribuunt, Apollo item Milesius (Cap. 22, 23).

IX. The Sibyls too themselves attribute anger to God, and likewise the Milesian Apollo (Ch. 22, 23).

Conclusio sequitur paraenetica, qua hortatur universos, ut Deum ament, quod pater, eumdemque vereantur, quod Dominus sit. SCULTETUS.

There follows a hortatory conclusion, in which he exhorts all men to love God, because He is Father, and to fear Him likewise, because He is Lord. SCULTETUS.

Editors' notes and page, col. 79

Footnotes

(printed under page 39)

(1) ‹anchor: Liber de ira Dei, ad Donatum (title)› · lemma note, col 79

Liber de ira Dei, ad Donatum. Ita ferunt plerique mss. et editi. In ms Bonon. antiquiore est L. Caelii Firmiani Lactantii incipit de Ira Dei liber VIII. In Regio-Puteano, Caelii Firmiani institutionum Divinarum de Vita beata explicit septimus liber, incipit de Ira Divina liber VIII. Legitur quoque de Ira Divina, in 1, Oxoniensi. In 16 mss. deest ad Donatum. Extat de hoc libro honorificum B. Hieronymi testimonium ad cap. IV Epist. ad Ephesios, his verbis: Firmianus noster librum de Ira Dei docto pariter et eloquenti sermone conscripsit, quem qui legerit, puto ei ad irae intellectum satis abundeque sufficere, etc. Eumdem librum appellat pulcherrimum in libro de Scriptor. Ecclesiast. in Firmiano. Cavendum tamen a themate illius, quod est de Ira Dei; nam toto libro docet, irae affectum et alios quosdam vere et proprie in Deo reperiri, et praesertim cap. 15, 16 et 17 quod etiam asseruit lib. II Div. Institut. cap. 18. Quem locum adi. ISAEUS.

"Book on the Anger of God, to Donatus." So most manuscripts and editions have it. In the older Bologna manuscript it reads "Here begins the eighth book of L. Caelius Firmianus Lactantius, on the Anger of God." In the Regio-Puteanus: "Here ends the seventh book of the Divine Institutes of Caelius Firmianus, on the Happy Life; here begins the eighth book, on the Divine Anger." "On the Divine Anger" is also read in one, the Oxford manuscript. In 16 manuscripts "to Donatus" is missing. There is an honourable testimony to this book by blessed Jerome, at chapter 4 of the Epistle to the Ephesians, in these words: "Our Firmianus wrote a book On the Anger of God in a style as learned as it is eloquent; whoever reads it will, I think, find it amply sufficient for understanding anger," etc. He calls the same book "most beautiful" in the book On Ecclesiastical Writers, under Firmianus. One must nevertheless beware of its thesis, which is the Anger of God; for throughout the book he teaches that the affection of anger, and certain others, are truly and properly found in God, especially in chapters 15, 16 and 17, which he also asserted in Divine Institutes book 2, chapter 18. Consult that passage. ISAEUS.

(printed under page 39)

(2) ‹anchor: Animadverti saepe, Donate› · lemma note, col 79

Animadverti saepe, Donate. Imitatio est Ciceronis, qui Paradoxa sua sic inchoat: Animadverti saepe, Brute. — Donate. Hunc nonnulli fuisse censent Donatum confessorem, cui Lactantius suum de Mortibus Persecutorum dicavit librum. Alii volunt fuisse Donatum haeresiarcham Donatistarum, alteri vero Aelium Donatum Grammaticum S. Hieronymi praeceptorem: quod cum divinari magis, quam certo sciri possit, penes lectorem remitto examen et judicium.

"I have often noticed, Donatus." It is an imitation of Cicero, who begins his Paradoxes thus: "I have often noticed, Brutus." — "Donatus." Some think this was Donatus the confessor, to whom Lactantius dedicated his book On the Deaths of the Persecutors. Others will have it to be Donatus the heresiarch of the Donatists, others again Aelius Donatus the grammarian, St Jerome's teacher. Since this can be guessed at rather than known for certain, I leave the examination and judgement to the reader.

(printed under page 39)

(3) ‹anchor: plurimos id existimare› · lemma note, col 79 (continues into col 80)

Plurimos id existimare. Ita veteres 2 edit. Rom. et Betul. cum omnibus mss. praeter 2 Bonon. et Tax. in quibus est aestimare. Caeteri edit. id tanquam inutile abjecerunt.

"Many think this." So the two old Roman editions and Betuleius, with all the manuscripts except the two Bologna manuscripts and Tax., in which it is "aestimare". The other editions dropped "id" as superfluous.

(printed under page 39)

(4) ‹anchor: coarguendus est a nobis› · lemma note, col 80

Coarguendus est a nobis. Abest praepositio a ms. 1 Bonon. antiq.

"Must be refuted by us." The preposition ("a") is missing from one manuscript, the old Bologna one.

(printed under page 39)

(5) ‹anchor: ne et ipse fallaris› · lemma note, col 80

Ne et ipse fallaris. Additum et ex omnibus mss. et vet. ed. Rom. an. 1470.

"Lest you too be deceived." "Et" ("too") is added from all the manuscripts and the old Roman edition of the year 1470.

(printed under page 39)

(6) ‹anchor: Nec tamen nos tam arrogantes sumus› · lemma note, col 80

Nec tamen nos tam arrogantes sumus. Tam abest a 21 mss. et 3 vet. editis.

"Yet we are not so arrogant." "Tam" ("so") is missing from 21 manuscripts and 3 old editions.

(printed under page 39)

(7) ‹anchor: tenebroso corporis domicilio circumsepta› · lemma note, col 80

Tenebroso corporis domicilio circumsepta. Platonicum hoc est, qui alibi τὸ σῶμα τῆς ψυχῆς σκῆνος, alibi ὄχημα nominat, alibi φυλακήν: Cicero nunc vas, nunc receptaculum. De quo in Divinis Institut. plura dicta sunt. Pauli philosophia magnificentius de dignitate corporis humani sensit. Sic Corinthiis scribit I Cor. cap. 3, v. 6: Nescitis, quia templum Dei estis, et Spiritus Dei habitat in vobis. Rursus, Nescitis, quoniam corpora vestra membra sunt Christi, cap. 5 v. 15.

"Hedged in by the dark dwelling of the body." This is Platonic: Plato calls the body now the tent of the soul, now its vehicle, now its prison; Cicero now its vessel, now its receptacle. More has been said on this in the Divine Institutes. Paul's philosophy thought more grandly of the dignity of the human body. So he writes to the Corinthians, 1 Cor. chapter 3, verse 6 [as printed; i.e. 3:16]: "Do you not know that you are the temple of God, and the Spirit of God dwells in you?" And again: "Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ?", chapter 5, verse 15 [as printed; i.e. 6:15].

(printed under page 39)

(8) ‹anchor: longe a veri perspectione› · lemma note, col 80

Longe a veri perspectione. Ita plures edd. et omnes fere mss., cum Thomasio. Et recte. In 5 mss. rec. et edit. Rom. 1470, a veri perfectione, male; in 6 editis, a Dei perspectione, vitiose; non enim ibi de Dei cognitione sermonem instituere vult Lactantius, sed ostendere Deum esse auctorem cognitionis veritatis. GALLAEUS. — De hac sententia vide libr. II Institut. cap. 9.

"Far from the perception of the truth." So most editions and almost all manuscripts, with Thomasius; and rightly. Five recent manuscripts and the Roman edition of 1470 have "from the perfection of the truth", wrongly; six editions have "from the perception of God", corruptly; for Lactantius does not mean to discuss the knowledge of God there, but to show that God is the author of the knowledge of truth. GALLAEUS. — On this view see Institutes book 2, chapter 9.

(printed under page 39)

(9) ‹anchor: humanitate› · lemma note, col 80

Humanitate. Humanitas hic non notat illam virtutem, quam proprie homo alteri homini praestat, sed naturam humanam, ipsum hominem. Minutius Felix in Octavio: Timorem omnem, quo humanitas regitur, penitus sustulerunt.

"Humanity." "Humanitas" here does not mean the virtue that one person properly shows another, but human nature, man himself. Minucius Felix in the Octavius: "They have utterly removed all the fear by which humanity is governed."

(printed under page 39)

Page

running head: 79 FIRM. LAC[TANTII] (cut off at the image edge)
marginal letters: A ‹tur; ergo et justos diligit›; B ‹CAPUT PRIMUM.›; C ‹coarguendus est a nobis›; D ‹noster librum de Ira Dei› (in the Variorum notes, not set)
old-edition numerals: (none)
other: column begins with the fragment "tur;" carried over from the previous column; the English begins at "therefore". Editors' matter set: the closing part of the editors' synopsis of De ira Dei (tur; ergo et justos diligit ... converterentur (Cap. 20)). Full-width lines not set: the double rule and the book title "LIB[ER] DE IRA DEI, AD [DONATUM]" with its ornament, which stand between the synopsis and CAPUT PRIMUM; also the heading "VARIORUM [NOTAE]" above the foot notes. The Variorum notes at the page foot (Liber de ira Dei, ad Donatum ... id tanquam inu-) were left for the later pass. UNSURE: "ne et ipse fallaris" looks like "nc" in the scan, probably a damaged e, so it is set as ne; scan smudges such as existimarc and celiam were read as existimare and etiam.
other: a full-width band stands across cols 79/80 in mid-page: the 5 paragraph(s) above it in col 80 are set here, after the 6 above it in col 79 (reading order, moved on receipt); the band itself (its title lines) is not set by the volunteer page: set it here, at the move, with full_width
other: the column continues with CAPUT PRIMUM. (another unit); not set here

PL 7:80

Editors' notes and page, col. 80

Page

running head: FIRM. LACTANTII 80
marginal letters: A Objectio : Deus hominem irasci vetat; B auctoritate hominum, qui se putant; C tenebras, quibus offusa est; D (in the notes area) alibi ὄχημα nominat
old-edition numerals: (none)
other: editors' matter set: the end of Scultetus's argument of De ira Dei (Objectio : Deus hominem irasci...), signed SCULTETUS. The full-width title "LIBER [DE IR]A DEI, AD DONATUM." with its ornament stands between the argument and the text, and is cut off at the left, so it is not set. The full-width heading VARIORUM NOTAE and the notes below it are not set (they belong to a later pass). "Deus" and "lege" in the first line are read through blurred type ("Dens", "Iege"). The last word "quo-" is split at the column break.
other: the 5 paragraph(s) of this column above the full-width band are set under col 79 (reading order, moved on receipt)
other: the text of this column below the full-width band belongs to the next unit; not set here (rail-only part)