§26Cur ego non eiusmodi etiam daemoniis penetrabiles fiant? nam et exemplum accidit domino teste eius mulieris, quae theatrum adiit et illde cum daemonio rediit.
Why indeed should they not also become open to such demons? For an example also occurred, with the Lord as witness, of that woman who went to the theater and returned from there with a demon.
itaque in exorcismo cum oneraretur immundus spiritus, quod ausus esset fidelem aggredi, constanter: et iustissime quidem, inquit, feci: in meo eam inueni. constat et alii linteum in somnis ostensum eius diei nocte, qua tragoedum audierat, cum exprobratione nominato tragoedo nec ultra quintum diem eam mulierem in saeculo fuisse.
And so in the exorcism, when the unclean spirit was being hard pressed because he had dared to attack a believer, he answered boldly: "And indeed I did so most justly: I found her on my own property." It is also well known that to another woman a shroud was shown in her sleep on the night of that very day on which she had heard a tragic actor, with a reproach, the tragic actor being named; and that this woman did not remain in the world beyond the fifth day.
quo utique et alia documenta cesserunt de his qui cum diabolo apud spectacula communicando a domino exciderunt.
To which category certainly other proofs have also gone, concerning those who, by communicating with the devil at the spectacles, fell away from the Lord.
nemo enim potest duobus dominis seruire.
For no one can serve two masters.
quid luci, cum tenebris? quid uitae et morti?
What has light to do with darkness? What has life to do with death?
§27Odisse debemus istos conuentus et coetus ethnicorum, uel quod illic nomen dei blasphematur, illic in nos quotidiani leones expostulantur, inde persecutiones decernuntur, inde temptationes emittuntur.
We ought to hate these assemblies and gatherings of the pagans, if only because there the name of God is blasphemed, there the daily lions are demanded against us, from there persecutions are decreed, from there temptations are sent forth.
quid facies in illo suffragiorum impiorum aestuario reprehensus? non quasi aliquid illic pati possis ab hominibus (nemo te cognoscit Christianum), sed recogita, quid de te fiat in caelo.
What will you do, caught in that boiling sea of impious voices? Not as if you could suffer anything there from men (for no one knows you are a Christian), but reflect on what is happening to you in heaven.
dubitas illo enim momento, quo diabolus in ecclesiam furit, omnes angelos prospicere de caelo et singulos denotare, quis blasphemiam dixerit, quis audierit, quis linguam, quis aures diabolo aduersus deum ministrauerit? non ergo fugies sedilia hostium Christi, illam cathedram pestilentiarum ipsumque aerem qui desuper incubat scelestis uocibus conspurcatum? sint dulcia licebit et grata et simplicia, etiam honesta quaedam.
For do you doubt that at that very moment when the devil rages in his assembly, all the angels look down from heaven and mark each one down—who spoke blasphemy, who listened to it, who lent his tongue, who lent his ears to the devil against God? Will you not therefore flee the seats of Christ's enemies, that seat of pestilence, and the very air that hangs over them, defiled with wicked voices? Granted that they are sweet and pleasing and simple, and even some of them honorable.
nemo uenenum temperat felle et elleboro, sed conditis pulmentis et bene saporatis, et plurimum dulcibus id mali inicit.
No one mixes poison with gall and hellebore, but injects that evil into seasoned and well-flavored dishes, and for the most part sweet ones.
ita et diabolus letale quod conficit rebus dei gratissimis et acceptissimis imbuit.
So also the devil seasons the lethal thing he prepares with the things of God that are most pleasing and acceptable.
omnia illic seu fortia seu honesta seu sonora seu canora seu subtilia perinde habe ac stillicidia mellis de lucunculo uenenato nec tanti gulam facias uoluptatis quanti periculum per suauitatem.
Regard everything there, whether strong, or honorable, or sonorous, or melodious, or subtle, just like drops of honey from a poisoned pastry, and do not value the appetite for pleasure as much as the danger through its sweetness.
§28Saginentur eiusmodi dulcibus conuiuae sui: et loca et tempora et inuitator ipsorum est.
Let his guests be fattened with sweet things of this kind: both the places, the times, and the host are theirs.
nostrae coenae, nostrae nuptiae nondum sunt.
Our feasts, our weddings are not yet.
non possumus cum illis discumbere, quia nec illi nobiscum: uicibus disposita res est.
We cannot recline at table with them, because neither can they with us: the matter is arranged by turns.
nunc illi laetantur, nos conflictamur.
Now they rejoice, we are afflicted.
saeculum, inquit, gaudebit, uos tristes eritis. lugeamus ergo, dum ethnici gaudent, ut, quum lugere coeperint, gaudeamus, ne pariter nunc gaudentes tunc quoque pariter lugeamus.
"The world," He says, "shall rejoice, and you shall be sorrowful." Let us, therefore, mourn while the pagans rejoice, so that when they begin to mourn, we may rejoice, lest by rejoicing with them now, we should also mourn with them then.
delicatus es, Christiane, si et in saeculo uoluptatem concupiscis, immo nimium stultus, si hoc existimas uoluptatem.
You are delicate, Christian, if you desire pleasure even in the world; nay, too foolish, if you think this is pleasure.
philosophi quidam hoc nomen quieti et tranquillitati dederunt, in ea gaudent, in ea auocantur, in ea etiam gloriantur.
Certain philosophers have given this name to quiet and tranquility; in this they rejoice, in this they find recreation, in this they even glory.
tu mihi metas et scaenam et puluerem et harenam suspiras.
You sigh to me for the turning-posts, the stage, the dust, and the arena!
dicas uelim: non possumus uiuere sine uoluptate, qui mori cum uoluptate debemus. tnam quod, est aliud uotum nostrum quam quod et apostoli, exire de saeculo et recipi apud dominum? hic uoluptas, ubi et uotum.
I would have you tell me: can we not live without pleasure, we who ought to die with pleasure? †For what other desire of ours is there than that which was also the apostle's: to depart from the world and to be received with the Lord? Here is pleasure, where also is our desire.