§16Circa officia uero priuatarum et communium sollemnitatum, ut togae purae, ut sponsalium, ut nuptialium, ut nominalium, nullum putem periculum obseruari de flatu idololatriae, quae interuenit.
But concerning the offices of private and public solemnities, such as the toga pura, betrothals, nuptials, or naming ceremonies, I would think that no danger is observed from the breath of idolatry which intervenes.
causae enim sunt considerandae, quibus praestatur officium.
For the causes are to be considered for which the service is performed.
eas mundas esse opinor per semetipsas, quia neque uestitus uirilis neque anulus aut coniunctio maritalis de alicuius idoli honore descendit.
These I judge to be clean in themselves, because neither masculine dress, nor the ring, nor the marital union descends from the honor of any idol.
nullum denique cultum a deo maledictum inuenio, nisi muliebrem in uiro.
In short, I find no habit cursed by God, except that of a woman on a man.
maledictus enim, inquit, omnis qui muliebribus induitur. toga uero etiam appellatione uirilis est.
For "cursed," he says, "is everyone who is clothed in women's garments." But the toga, indeed, even by name is masculine.
nuptias quoque celebrari non magis deus prohibet quam nomen imponi.
God no more prohibits nuptials to be celebrated than a name to be given.
sed his accommodantur sacrificia.
But sacrifices are accommodated to these.
sim uocatus nec adsacrificii sit titulus officii, et operae meae expunctio quantum sibi libet.
Suppose I am invited, and the title of the office is not associated with a sacrifice, and the performance of my service is as free as it pleases.
utinam quidem nec uidere possimus quae facere nobis nefas est.
Would that indeed we were not even able to see what is unlawful for us to do!
sed quoniam ita malus circumdedit saeculum idololatria, licebit adesse in quibusdam, quae nos homini, non idolo, officiosos habent.
But since evil idolatry has so surrounded the world, it will be permitted to be present in certain affairs which keep us dutiful to man, not to an idol.
plane ad sacerdotium et sacrificium uocatus non ibo (proprium enim idoli officium est), sed neque consilio neque sumptu aliaue opera in eiusmodi fungar.
Clearly, if invited to a priesthood and sacrifice, I will not go (for this is the proper office of an idol), nor indeed will I perform any part in such things by counsel, expense, or any other service.
si propter sacrificium uocatus adsistam, ero particeps idololatriae: si me alia causa coniungit sacrificanti, ero tantum spectator sacrificii.
If I assist, being invited on account of a sacrifice, I will be a partaker in idolatry; if some other cause connects me with the one sacrificing, I will be only a spectator of the sacrifice.
§17Ceterum quid facient serui uel liberti fideles, item officiales sacrificantibus dominis uel patronis uel praesidibus suis adhaerentes? sed si merum quis sacrificanti tradiderit, immo si uerbo quoque aliquo sacrificio necessario adiuuerit, minister habebitur idololatriae.
But what will faithful slaves or freedmen do, likewise officers, clinging to their sacrificing masters, patrons, or governors? But if anyone has handed the unmixed wine to the one sacrificing, or indeed even by some word has assisted in any necessary part of the sacrifice, he will be held as a minister of idolatry.
huius regulae memores etiam magistratibus et potestatibus officium possumus reddere secundum patriarchas et ceteros maiores, qui regibus idololatris usque ad finem idololatriae apparuerunt.
Mindful of this rule, we can render service even to magistrates and authorities, according to the patriarchs and other ancestors, who attended upon idolatrous kings up to the limit of idolatry.
hinc proxime disputatio oborta est, an seruus dei alicuius dignitatis aut potestatis administrationem capiat, si ab omni specie idololatriae intactum se aut gratia aliqua aut astutia etiam praestare possit, secundum quod et Ioseph r et Daniel mundi ab idololatria et dignitatem et potestatem administrauerunt in ornamento et purpura praefecturae totius Aegypti siue Babyloniae.
From this recently a dispute has arisen, whether a servant of God may accept the administration of any dignity or power, if he can preserve himself untouched from every appearance of idolatry, either by some favor or even by cleverness, according as Joseph and Daniel, clean from idolatry, administered both dignity and power in the ornament and purple of the prefecture of all Egypt or Babylonia.
cedamus itaque succedere alicui posse, ut in quoquo honore in solo honoris nomine incedat neque sacrificet neque sacrificiis auctoritatem suam accommodet, non hostias locet, non curas templorum deleget, non uectigalia eorum procuret, non spectacula edat de suo aut de publico aut edendis praesit, nihil sollemne pronuntiet uel edicat, ne iuret quidem; iam uero quae sunt potestatis, neque iudicet de capite alicuius uel pudore — feras enim de pecunia — neque damnet neque praedamnet, neminem uinciat, neminem recludat aut torqueat, si haec credibile est fieri posse.
Let us concede then that it is possible for someone to succeed, so that in whatever office he may walk in the mere name of the office, and neither sacrifice nor accommodate his authority to sacrifices, nor contract for victims, nor delegate the care of temples, nor manage their revenues, nor exhibit spectacles from his own or from public funds, nor preside over their exhibition, nor pronounce or proclaim anything solemn, nor indeed swear; and now concerning those things which belong to power, neither judge concerning anyone's life or honor — for you may bear with it concerning money — nor condemn, nor pre-condemn, bind no one, shut up or torture no one, if it is believable that these things can be done.