§1IV. DE TESTIMONIO ANIMAE.
Magna curiositate et maiore longe memoria opus est ad studendum, si qui uelit ex litteris receptissimis quibusque philosophorum uel poetarum uel quorumlibet doctrinae ac sapientiae saecularis magistrorum testimonia excerperepere Christianae ueritatis, ut aemuli persecutoresque eius de suo proprioio instrumento et erroris in se et iniquitatis in nos rei reuincantur.
IV. ON THE TESTIMONY OF THE SOUL. Great curiosity and far greater memory are needed for study, if anyone wishes to extract from all the most accepted writings of philosophers, poets, or any teachers of secular learning and wisdom, testimonies of Christian truth, so that its rivals and persecutors may be convicted from their own instrument, both of their own error against themselves and of their injustice against us.
nonnulli quidem, quibus de pristina litteratura et curiositatis labor et memoriae tenor perseuerauit, ad eum modum opuscula penes nos condiderunt: commemorantes et contestificantes in singula rationem et originem et traditionem et argumenta
sententiarum, per quae recognosci possit nihil nos aut nouum aut portentosum suscepisse, de quo non etiam communes et publicae litterae ad suffragium nobis patrocinentur, si quid aut erroris eiecimus aut aequitatis admisimus.
Some indeed, in whom both the labor of curiosity regarding former literature and the tenor of memory persisted, have in this manner composed books in our support: commemorating and attesting to individual points the reason, origin, tradition, and arguments of opinions, through which it can be recognized that we have accepted nothing either new or monstrous, concerning which even common and public literature does not patronize us in support, if we have either cast out any error or admitted any justice.
sed ne suis quidem magistris alias probatissimis atque lectissimis fidem inclinauit humana de incredulitate duritia, sicubi in argumenta Christianae defensionis impingunt.
But human hardness of unbelief did not bend its faith even to its own teachers, otherwise highly approved and select, whenever they run against the arguments of Christian defense.
tunc uani poetae, cum deos humanis passionibus et fabuis designant, tunc philosophi duri, cum ueritatis fores pulsantsant.
Then the poets are vain, when they depict gods with human passions and myths; then the philosophers are hard, when they knock at the gates of truth.
hactenus sapiens et prudens habebitur, qui pprope Christianum pronuntiauerit, cum, si quid prudentiae aut sapientiae affectauerit seu caerimonias despuens seu saeculum reuincens pro Christianono denotetur.
So far will he be held wise and prudent who has pronounced almost as a Christian, whereas, if he has affected anything of prudence or wisdom, either despising ceremonies or convicting the world, he is marked down as a Christian.
iam igitur nihil nobis erit cum litteris et dodoctrina peruersae felicitatis, cui in falso potius creditur quam in uero.
Now therefore we shall have nothing to do with the literature and doctrine of perverse happiness, which is believed in falsehood rather than in truth.
uiderint, si qui de unico et solo deo pronuntiauerunt.
Let them see to it, if any have pronounced concerning the one and only God.
immo nihil omnino relatum sit, quod agnoscat Christianus, ne exprobrare possit.
Nay, let nothing at all be cited which a Christian may acknowledge, lest he be able to reproach us.
nam et quod relatum est neque omnes sciunt neque qui sciunt constare confidunt.
For even what has been cited, not all know, and those who know do not trust that it is established.
tanto abest, ut nostris litteris annuant homines, ad quas nemo uenit nisi iam Christianus.
So far are men from assenting to our writings, to which no one comes unless he is already a Christian.
nouum testimonium aduoco, immo omni litteratura. notius, omni doctrina agitatius, omni editione uulgatius, toto homine maius id est totum quod est hominis.
I call a new testimony, indeed one more known than all literature, more discussed than all doctrine, more public than all publication, greater than the whole man, that is, the whole of what belongs to man.
consiste in medio, anima; seu diuina et aeterna res es secundum plures philosophos, eo magis non mementieriss: seu minime diuina, quoniam quidem mortalis, ut Epicuro soli uidetur, eo magis mentiri non debebis, seu de caelo exciperis seu de terra conciperis seu numeris seu atomis concinnaris seu cum corpore incipis seu post corpus induceris, undeunde et quoquo modo hominem facis animal rationale, sensus et scientiae capcapacissimum.
Stand forth in the midst, O soul; whether you are a divine and eternal thing according to many philosophers, so much the more you will not lie; or not at all divine, since indeed you are mortal, as it seems to Epicurus alone, so much the more you ought not to lie; whether you are received from heaven or conceived from the earth, whether composed of numbers or of atoms, whether you begin with the body or are introduced after the body, from wherever and in whatever way you make man a rational animal, most capable of sense and knowledge.
sed non eam te aduoco, quae scholis formata, bybliothecisis exercitata, academiis et porticibus Atticis pasta sapientiam ructas.
But I do not call you who, formed in schools, trained in libraries, nourished in academies and Attic porticoes, belch forth wisdom.
te simplicem et rudem et impolitam et idioticamcam cocompello, qualem te habent qui te solam habent, illam ipsam de compito, de triuio, de textrino totam.
I address you, simple and rude and unpolished and unlearned, such as they have you who have nothing but you, the very soul entire from the crossroad, from the public way, from the weaving-shop.
imperitia tua mihi opus est, quoniam aliquantulae peritiae tuae nemo credit.
Your ignorance is what I need, since no one believes in your small learning.
ea expostulo quae tecum homini infers, quae aut ex temetipsa aut ex quocumque auctore tuo sentire didicisti.
I demand from you those things which you bring into man with yourself, which you have learned to feel either from yourself or from whoever is your author.
non es, quod sciam, ChristiChristiana.
You are not, so far as I know, a Christian.
fieri enim, non nasci solet Christiana.
For a Christian is accustomed to become, not to be born.
tamen nunc a te testimonium flagitant Christiani, ab extranea aduersus tuos, ut uel tibi erubescant, quod nos ob ea oderint et inrideant, quae te nunc consciam detineant.
Yet now Christians demand testimony from you, from a stranger against your own people, so that they may blush even before you, because they hate and mock us for those very things which now keep you conscious.