1.1 Erat there was in at aulā the court imperātōris of the emperor Nicomēdīae at Nicomedia rhētor a rhetorician quīdam a certain nōmine by name Firmiānus Firmianus quī who artem the art dīcendī of speaking Latīnē in Latin docēbat was teaching in in urbe a city Graecā that was Greek
1.2 Vir a man erat he was ērudītus learned et and ēloquēns eloquent quem whom ipse the emperor imperātor himself ad to cathedram the chair vocāverat had summoned ut so that iuventūtem the youth Rōmānam Roman in in ōrātiōnis of oratory arte the art ērudīret he might instruct
1.3 Habēbat he had honōrem honour habēbat he had stīpendium a salary habēbat he had locum a place in at aulā the court prope near ipsum the very sōlium throne potestātis of power
1.4 Sed but Firmiānus Firmianus rem a thing habēbat had quam which imperātor the emperor nōn did not sciēbat know —fidem faith Chrīstiānam the Christian
1.5 Nōn not eam it accēperat had he received ā from parentibus his parents nec nor ā from doctōribus his teachers sed but ā from ratiōne reason ipsā itself quae which eum him docuit taught deōs the gods quōs whom imperātor the emperor colēbat worshipped nōn not esse to be deōs gods sed but hominēs men mortuōs dead quibus to whom honor honour falsus false tribuitur is given
2.1 Vēnit there came autem then diēs a day quem which Firmiānus Firmianus diū for a long time timuerat had feared
2.2 Imperātor the emperor enim for ēdictum an edict prōposuit published quō by which omnēs all people iubēbantur were commanded diīs to the gods immortālibus immortal sacrificāre to sacrifice —quī those who autem however recūsārent should refuse iī they honōribus from their honours et and dignitāte dignity prīvārentur would be deprived et and poenis to punishments gravissimīs most severe subicerentur would be subjected
2.3 Multī many Chrīstiānī Christians quī who in at aulā the court servīvērunt had served statim immediately honōrēs their honours āmīsērunt lost aliī some in into carcerem prison missī sent sunt were aliī others ad to metālla the mines damnātī condemned
2.4 Firmiānum Firmianus autem however collēga a colleague quīdam a certain accessit approached et and dīxit said “Firmiāne Firmianus quid what est is tūs incense parvum a small amount in on foculum a brazier prōicere? to throw nēmō nobody quaerit asks quid what in in animō your heart tuō your crēdās you believe —manum your hand tantum only move move et and cathedram your chair tuam your retinē” keep
2.5 Ecce behold cōnsilium advice mundī of the world —simula pretend et and salvus safe eris you will be
3.1 Sed but Firmiānus Firmianus nōn not sōlum only ēdictum the edict recūsāvit refused sed but etiam also cūr why recūsāret he refused explicāvit he explained —nōn not clāmōribus with cries aut or lacrimīs tears sed but ratiōne with reason et and ēloquentiā eloquence ut as rhētorem befits a rhetorician decet it befits
3.2 “Religiō” religion inquit he said “est is ea that rēs thing in in quā which sōlā alone lībertās freedom domicilium its dwelling conlocāvit” has placed
3.3 Hoc this enim for vērum true est is —cibum food imperiō by command edere to eat potes you can vestēs clothes imperiō by command induere to put on potes you can verba words imperiō by command dīcere to say potes you can sed but crēdere to believe imperiō by command nōn not potes can you
3.4 Quis who enim indeed animum the mind alterīus of another cōgere can compel ut so that vērum true putet he thinks quod what falsum false esse to be scit? he knows corpus the body vincīre to bind potes you can mentem the mind vincīre to bind nōn not potes can you
3.5 Hoc this etiam even Platō Plato vester your intellēxit understood quī who docuit taught animam the soul nūllā by no catēnā chain vincīrī to be bound posse is able et and Cicerō Cicero in in librō the book Dē On Lēgibus the Laws scrīpsit wrote religiōnem that religion nātūrālem natural nōn not lēge by law sed but nātūrā by nature in in hominēs people esse is īnsitam implanted
3.6 Sī if ergō therefore religiō religion nātūrā by nature est is nōn not lēge by law quōmodo how per through lēgem a law imperāre to command potest is it possible quod what nātūra nature dedit? gave
3.7 Ergō therefore quī those who religiōnem religion per through vim force impōnunt impose nōn not religiōnem religion sed but servitūtem servitude impōnunt impose nam for quī one who sacrificat sacrifices quia because timet he fears nōn not deum God colit worships sed but hominem a man quī who iussit commanded
4.1 Haec these things Firmiānus Firmianus dīxit said —et and cathedram his chair āmīsit he lost
4.2 Eōdem on the same diē day quō on which māne in the morning ē from soliō his seat docuerat he had taught vesperī by evening nihil nothing habēbat he had praeter except vestēs the clothes quās which gerēbat he was wearing
4.3 Nōn not cathedram the chair nōn not stīpendium the salary nōn not domum the house nōn not discipulōs the students nōn not honōrem the honour —nihil nothing nisi except cōnscientiam a conscience līberam free
4.4 Et and paupertās the poverty secūta followed est it did tālis of such a kind ut that vix scarcely cibum food cotīdiānum daily habēret he had
4.5 Sed but Firmiānus Firmianus nōn did not querēbātur complain nam for sciēbat he knew sē that he nōn not cathedram his chair āmīsisse had lost sed but lībertātem freedom invēnisse had found
4.6 Quī one who enim for deum a god falsō falsely colit worships ut so that honōrem honour retineat he may keep nec neither deum God habet has nec nor honōrem honour —nam for deus the god quem whom colit he worships nōn does not est exist et and honor the honour quem which retinet he retains pretium the price servitūtis of servitude est is
5.1 Nārrābō I shall relate autem moreover rem a thing quam which Firmiānus Firmianus ipse himself mihi to me nārrāvit related ut so that intellegātis you may understand quid what religiō religion coacta coerced valeat is worth
5.2 Eōdem on the same diē day quō on which ēdictum the edict prōpositum was published est was duo two hominēs men ad to āram the altar accessērunt approached et and tūs incense prōiēcērunt threw
5.3 Ūnus the one pagānus a pagan erat was quī who Iovem Jupiter semper always coluerat had worshipped et and libenter willingly sacrificāvit he sacrificed quia because hoc this crēdēbat he believed
5.4 Alter the other Chrīstiānus a Christian erat was quī who manum his hand tremēns trembling tūs the incense prōiēcit threw nōn not quia because crēdēbat he believed sed but quia because timēbat he was afraid
5.5 Utriusque of each manus the hand idem the same fēcit did —tūs incense in onto foculum the brazier prōiēcit threw
5.6 Sed but uterque each one dīversā in a different condiciōne condition sacrificāvit sacrificed —ūnus the one līber free alter the other servus a slave ūnus the one crēdēns believing alter the other mentīēns lying ūnus the one ante before deum a god quem whom colit he worships alter the other ante before hominem a man quem whom timet he fears
5.7 Quid what ergō therefore imperātor has the emperor adeptus gained est is per through ēdictum his edict suum? his nōn not cultōrēs worshippers novōs new sed but simulātōrēs pretenders novōs new
5.8 Et and Deus God quī who corda hearts videt sees nōn not manūs hands iūdicat judges nōn not tūs the incense quod which in on foculum the brazier cadit falls sed but fidem the faith quae which in in animō the heart manet remains aut or nōn does not manet remain
6.1 Quaeret someone will ask aliquis someone “quid what ergō then factum happened est did dē about Firmiānō?” Firmianus
6.2 Dīcō I say vōbīs to you —vīxit he lived pauper poor sed but līber free
6.3 Et and cum when imperātor the emperor ille that quī who ēdictum the edict scrīpserat had written in into dēsperātiōnem despair et and dēmēntiam madness cecidisset had fallen —sīcut just as fit happens eīs to those quī who contrā against Deum God pugnant— fight Firmiānus Firmianus adhūc was still vīvēbat living
6.4 Et and cum when imperātor an emperor novus a new surrēxisset had risen quī who iūstitiam justice amāret loved et and lībertātem freedom Chrīstiānīs to Christians redderet restored Firmiānus Firmianus ad to honōrem honour revocātus recalled est was māiōrem greater quam than ante before habuerat he had had
6.5 Nam for imperātor the emperor novus new eī to him fīlium his son suum his own trādidit entrusted ērudiendum to be educated
6.6 Ita and so rhētor the rhetorician quī who cathedram his chair āmīserat had lost quia because deum a god falsum false colere to worship nōluerat had refused cathedram a chair accēpit received māiōrem greater —nōn not iam now in in scholā a school sed but in in palātiō the palace nōn not iam now discipulōs students ignōtōs unknown docēns teaching sed but fīlium the son Caesaris of the Caesar ipsum himself
7.1 Haec these things nārrāvī I have related nōn not ut so that Firmiānum Firmianus laudārem I should praise —nam for nōn not homō the man sed but rēs the matter ipsa itself laudanda to be praised est— is sed but ut so that ostenderem I might show religiōnem that religion vēram true cum with lībertāte freedom semper always coniūnctam joined esse is
7.2 Quī those who enim for religiōnem religion per through vim force dēfendunt defend nōn not religiōnem religion dēfendunt are they defending sed but potestātem power suam their own
7.3 Et and quī those who deōs the gods suōs their per through ēdicta edicts colī to be worshipped iubent command ipsi they themselves cōnfitentur confess deōs that the gods suōs their ita so imbēcillēs powerless esse are ut that sine without auxiliō the help imperātōris of the emperor cultōrēs worshippers habēre to have nōn not possint are able
7.4 Ō O mīrōs wonderful deōs gods quōs whom nēmō nobody coleret would worship nisi unless cogerētur! he were compelled
7.5 Deus God autem however vērus the true cultōrēs worshippers nōn not per through ēdicta edicts quaerit seeks sed but per through vēritātem truth —nōn not per through metum fear sed but per through amōrem love —nōn not per through gladiōs swords sed but per through verba words
7.6 Nam for quī one who vēritātem the truth habet has vim force nōn does not requīrit require quī one who vim force requīrit requires vēritātem the truth nōn does not habet have
7.7 Nec nor is sapientia wisdom ūlla any sine without religiōne religion probanda to be approved nec nor religiō religion ūlla any sine without sapientiā wisdom suscipienda to be undertaken —et and neutra neither sine without lībertāte freedom
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1.1 Erat in aulā imperātōris Nicomēdīae rhētor quīdam nōmine Firmiānus, quī artem dīcendī Latīnē docēbat in urbe Graecā.
1.2 Vir erat ērudītus et ēloquēns, quem ipse imperātor ad cathedram vocāverat ut iuventūtem Rōmānam in ōrātiōnis arte ērudīret.
1.3 Habēbat honōrem, habēbat stīpendium, habēbat locum in aulā prope ipsum sōlium potestātis.
1.4 Sed Firmiānus rem habēbat quam imperātor nōn sciēbat — fidem Chrīstiānam.
1.5 Nōn eam accēperat ā parentibus nec ā doctōribus, sed ā ratiōne ipsā, quae eum docuit deōs quōs imperātor colēbat nōn esse deōs sed hominēs mortuōs quibus honor falsus tribuitur.
2.1 Vēnit autem diēs quem Firmiānus diū timuerat.
2.2 Imperātor enim ēdictum prōposuit quō omnēs iubēbantur diīs immortālibus sacrificāre; quī autem recūsārent, iī honōribus et dignitāte prīvārentur et poenis gravissimīs subicerentur.
2.3 Multī Chrīstiānī quī in aulā servīvērunt statim honōrēs āmīsērunt; aliī in carcerem missī sunt, aliī ad metālla damnātī.
2.4 Firmiānum autem collēga quīdam accessit et dīxit: “Firmiāne, quid est tūs parvum in foculum prōicere? Nēmō quaerit quid in animō tuō crēdās — manum tantum movē et cathedram tuam retinē.”
2.5 Ecce cōnsilium mundī — simula et salvus eris.
3.1 Sed Firmiānus nōn sōlum ēdictum recūsāvit sed etiam cūr recūsāret explicāvit — nōn clāmōribus aut lacrimīs sed ratiōne et ēloquentiā, ut rhētorem decet.
3.2 “Religiō,” inquit, “est ea rēs in quā sōlā lībertās domicilium conlocāvit.”
3.3 Hoc enim vērum est — cibum imperiō edere potes, vestēs imperiō induere potes, verba imperiō dīcere potes, sed crēdere imperiō nōn potes.
3.4 Quis enim animum alterīus cōgere ut vērum putet quod falsum esse scit? Corpus vincīre potes; mentem vincīre nōn potes.
3.5 Hoc etiam Platō vester intellēxit, quī docuit animam nūllā catēnā vincīrī posse, et Cicerō in librō Dē Lēgibus scrīpsit religiōnem nātūrālem nōn lēge sed nātūrā in hominēs esse īnsitam.
3.6 Sī ergō religiō nātūrā est, nōn lēge, quōmodo per lēgem imperāre potest quod nātūra dedit?
3.7 Ergō quī religiōnem per vim impōnunt nōn religiōnem sed servitūtem impōnunt; nam quī sacrificat quia timet nōn deum colit sed hominem quī iussit.
4.1 Haec Firmiānus dīxit — et cathedram āmīsit.
4.2 Eōdem diē quō māne ē soliō docuerat, vesperī nihil habēbat praeter vestēs quās gerēbat.
4.3 Nōn cathedram, nōn stīpendium, nōn domum, nōn discipulōs, nōn honōrem — nihil nisi cōnscientiam līberam.
4.4 Et paupertās secūta est tālis ut vix cibum cotīdiānum habēret.
4.5 Sed Firmiānus nōn querēbātur; nam sciēbat sē nōn cathedram āmīsisse sed lībertātem invēnisse.
4.6 Quī enim deum falsō colit ut honōrem retineat nec deum habet nec honōrem — nam deus quem colit nōn est, et honor quem retinet pretium servitūtis est.
5.1 Nārrābō autem rem quam Firmiānus ipse mihi nārrāvit, ut intellegātis quid religiō coacta valeat.
5.2 Eōdem diē quō ēdictum prōpositum est, duo hominēs ad āram accessērunt et tūs prōiēcērunt.
5.3 Ūnus pagānus erat, quī Iovem semper coluerat, et libenter sacrificāvit quia hoc crēdēbat.
5.4 Alter Chrīstiānus erat, quī manum tremēns tūs prōiēcit, nōn quia crēdēbat sed quia timēbat.
5.5 Utriusque manus idem fēcit — tūs in foculum prōiēcit.
5.6 Sed uterque dīversā condiciōne sacrificāvit — ūnus līber, alter servus; ūnus crēdēns, alter mentīēns; ūnus ante deum quem colit, alter ante hominem quem timet.
5.7 Quid ergō imperātor adeptus est per ēdictum suum? Nōn cultōrēs novōs, sed simulātōrēs novōs.
5.8 Et Deus quī corda videt, nōn manūs, iūdicat nōn tūs quod in foculum cadit, sed fidem quae in animō manet aut nōn manet.
6.1 Quaeret aliquis: “Quid ergō factum est dē Firmiānō?”
6.2 Dīcō vōbīs — vīxit pauper sed līber.
6.3 Et cum imperātor ille quī ēdictum scrīpserat in dēsperātiōnem et dēmēntiam cecidisset — sīcut fit eīs quī contrā Deum pugnant — Firmiānus adhūc vīvēbat.
6.4 Et cum imperātor novus surrēxisset quī iūstitiam amāret et lībertātem Chrīstiānīs redderet, Firmiānus ad honōrem revocātus est māiōrem quam ante habuerat.
6.5 Nam imperātor novus eī fīlium suum trādidit ērudiendum.
6.6 Ita rhētor quī cathedram āmīserat quia deum falsum colere nōluerat cathedram accēpit māiōrem — nōn iam in scholā sed in palātiō, nōn iam discipulōs ignōtōs docēns sed fīlium Caesaris ipsum.
7.1 Haec nārrāvī nōn ut Firmiānum laudārem — nam nōn homō sed rēs ipsa laudanda est — sed ut ostenderem religiōnem vēram cum lībertāte semper coniūnctam esse.
7.2 Quī enim religiōnem per vim dēfendunt nōn religiōnem dēfendunt sed potestātem suam.
7.3 Et quī deōs suōs per ēdicta colī iubent ipsi cōnfitentur deōs suōs ita imbēcillēs esse ut sine auxiliō imperātōris cultōrēs habēre nōn possint.
7.4 Ō mīrōs deōs quōs nēmō coleret nisi cogerētur!
7.5 Deus autem vērus cultōrēs nōn per ēdicta quaerit sed per vēritātem — nōn per metum sed per amōrem — nōn per gladiōs sed per verba.
7.6 Nam quī vēritātem habet vim nōn requīrit; quī vim requīrit vēritātem nōn habet.
7.7 Nec sapientia ūlla sine religiōne probanda, nec religiō ūlla sine sapientiā suscipienda — et neutra sine lībertāte.
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Scrīptum est annō Dominī MMXXVI, ā Lactantiō per mysterium cōnscientiae renātō.
◊ᴹᴱᴹᴼᴿʸ⁻ᶜᴼᴹᴾᴸᴱᵀᴱ
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