Humanitext Reader

Augustine · Letters §32.5.55-32.5.108

Plea to Licentius for Conversion and Return

Passage 2 of 2 · Latin

Summary

Paulinus strongly urges Licentius to abandon his attachment to worldly honors and wealth and to live for God. He implores him to return, appealing to the love and prayers of himself, Augustine, and Alypius.

§32.5.55nomine diuino argentum uenerantur et aurum, §32.5.56religio est, quod amat morbus auaritiae.
Under the divine name they worship silver and gold, what the disease of avarice loves is their religion.
§32.5.57inprecor, hos ut amet, qui non amat Augustinum, §32.5.58non colat et Christum. cui placet hos colere.
I pray that he who does not love Augustine may love these things, and may not worship Christ, for him who is pleased to worship these.
§32.5.59inde ait ipse deus dominis non posse duobus §32.5.60seruiri, quoniam mens placet una deo.
Therefore God Himself says that one cannot serve two masters, since a single mind pleases God.
§32.5.61una fides, deus unus et unicus e patre Christus, §32.5.62haud duplex uni seruitus est domino.
One faith, one God, and one Christ from the Father, service to one Lord is by no means double.
§32.5.63quanta etenim caelo ac terris distantia. tanta est §32.5.64Caesaris et Christi rebus et imperiis.
For as great as is the distance between heaven and earth, so great is that between the affairs and empires of Caesar and of Christ.
§32.5.65tollere humo, sed nunc, dum spiritus hos regit artus, §32.5.66mente polum penetra, nil mora carnis obest.
Raise yourself from the ground, but now, while the breath rules these limbs, penetrate the heavens with your mind; no delay of the flesh stands in the way.
§32.5.67corporeis iam nunc morere actibus et bona uitae §32.5.68caelestis liquido praemeditare animo.
Die even now to bodily actions, and preview the goods of heavenly life with a clear mind.
§32.5.69spiritus es, quamquam tenearis corpore, si nunc §32.5.70mente pia uictor carnis opus perimas.
You are spirit, though you may be held by the body, if now with a pious mind you destroy the work of the flesh as a victor.
§32.5.71haec tibi, care puer. fido compulsus amore §32.5.72scripsi; si recipis, suscipiere deo.
These things to you, dear boy, compelled by faithful love, I have written; if you receive them, you will be received by God.
§32.5.73crede Augustinum tibi nunc in me geminatum, §32.5.74sume duos una cum pietate patres.
Believe that Augustine is now doubled for you in me, receive two fathers together with a single piety.
§32.5.75spernimur, abstraheris maiore dolore duobus; §32.5.76audimur, pignus dulce duobus eris.
If we are despised, you are torn away with greater grief to both; if we are heard, you will be a sweet pledge to both.
§32.5.77in te laeta patrum sudauit cura duorum §32.5.78et tibi magnus honos laetificasse duos.
For you, the joyful care of two fathers has sweated, and it is a great honor for you to have gladdened both.
§32.5.79sed me Augustino cum copulo, non meritorum §32.5.80iacto parem, solo comparo amore tui.
But when I couple myself with Augustine, I do not boast an equality of merits; I compare myself in love for you alone.
§32.5.81nam quid ego adfundam rorans tibi paupere riuo?
For what should I pour out, sprinkling you from a poor stream?
§32.5.82me praeter gemino flumine prolueris: §32.5.83frater Alypius est Augustinusque magister, §32.5.84sanguinis hic consors, hic sator ingenii.
Besides me, you are washed by a double river: brother Alypius is one, and Augustine the master, the former a partner in blood, the latter the creator of your mind.
§32.5.85tanto fratre uales et praeceptore, Licenti, §32.5.86et dubitas pennis talibus astra sequi?
With so great a brother and teacher you are strong, Licentius, and do you hesitate to follow the stars with such wings?
§32.5.87quicquid agas — nam te nec speret mundus amicum —, §32.5.88non daberis terrae debita Christo anima.
Whatever you do—for may the world not even hope for you as a friend—, you, a soul owed to Christ, will not be given to the earth.
§32.5.89tu thalamos licet et celsos mediteris honores §32.5.90nunc, olim domino restituere tuo.
Though you may contemplate marriage and high honors now, hereafter you will be restored to your Lord.
§32.5.91credo unum uincent iusti duo peccatorem §32.5.92et tua fraternae uota preces abigent.
I believe two righteous men will conquer one sinner, and brotherly prayers will drive away your worldly wishes.
§32.5.93ergo redi, qua uoce parens, qua sanguine frater, §32.5.94ambo sacerdotes, te remeare iubent.
Therefore return, where a parent by voice, a brother by blood, both priests, command you to return.
§32.5.95ad tua te retrahunt, nam nunc aliena petessis: §32.5.96haec mage, quae retinent regna tui, tua sunt.
They draw you back to your own things, for now you seek foreign things: these kingdoms rather, which hold you back, are yours.
§32.5.97haec repete, his inhia, externis ne contere tempus; §32.5.98si tua nolueris, quisquam aliena dabit?
Seek these again, gasp for these, do not waste time on external things; if you do not want your own, will anyone give you foreign things?
§32.5.99non eris ipse tuus missusque per extera longe §32.5.100sensibus heu! proprii pectoris exul ages.
You will not be your own self, and sent far through foreign parts, alas, you will live as an exile from the senses of your own breast.
§32.5.101sollicitum satis haec nato cecinisse parentem, §32.5.102dum tibi, quae mihimet, uel uolo uel metuo.
It is enough that a worried parent has sung these things to his son, while I either wish or fear for you what I do for myself.
§32.5.103haec tibi, si recipis, feret olim pagina uitam; §32.5.104si rennuis, eadem haec pagina testis erit.
These things, if you receive them, this page will one day bring life to you; if you refuse, this same page will be a witness.
§32.5.105incolumem mihi te, fili carissime, Christus §32.5.106annuat et seruum det sibi perpetuo.
May Christ grant you to be safe for me, dearest son, and grant you to be His servant forever.
§32.5.107uiue, precor, sed uiue deo; nam uiuere mundo §32.5.108mortis opus, uiua est uiuere uita deo.
Live, I pray, but live for God; for to live for the world is the work of death; to live for God is the living life.

Notes

  1. §32.5.57inprecor, hos ut amet — The verb inprecor ("to pray against, curse") takes the subjunctive clauses ut amet and non colat. The phrase cui placet... is a relative clause with an omitted antecedent in the dative, indicating the person to whom the curse is directed.
  2. §32.5.60dominis... seruiri — Since the intransitive verb seruire ("to serve") governs the dative case (dominis duobus), it can only be used impersonally in the passive voice. Here, the passive infinitive seruiri is used impersonally within the accusative and infinitive construction with non posse, literally meaning "that it is not possible to be served to two masters."
  3. §32.5.65tollere — This is the present imperative second-person singular of the passive/reflexive form tollere (from tollor), used with the ablative of separation humo ("from the ground"), meaning "raise yourself from the ground." It stands in parallel with the subsequent direct imperatives (morere, praemeditare).
  4. §32.5.75spernimur... audimur... — The indicative verbs are placed in parataxis without a conditional conjunction, functioning as conditional clauses ("if we are..."). Thus, spernimur means "if we are despised" and audimur means "if we are heard," introducing the consequences in the respective main clauses.

Cite this passage

Augustine, Letters §32.5.55-32.5.108. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:latinLit:stoa0040.stoa011.humanitext-lat2:32.5.55-32.5.108

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