← Latin Stories: Augustinus Narrat
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1.1 Annō in the year quadringentēsimō four hundredth decimō tenth post after Chrīstum Christ nātum born Rōma Rome cecidit fell
1.2 Alarīcus Alaric rēx king Gothōrum of the Goths portās the gates Salāriās Salarian frēgit broke et and mīlitēs soldiers eius his in into urbem the city aeternam eternal irrūpērunt burst in
1.3 Ignis fire ubīque everywhere erat was et and clāmōrēs cries hominum of people per through viās the streets resonābant were resounding et and fūmus smoke āter black sōlem the sun ipsum itself tegēbat was covering
1.4 Inter among eōs those quī who ex from urbe the city fugiēbant were fleeing erat was Mārcus Marcus Valerius Valerius Fēlīx Felix senātor a senator nōbilissimus most noble quī who per through trīgintā thirty annōs years in in Cūriā the Senate House sederat had sat
1.5 Omnia all things quae which habēbat he had āmīserat he had lost domum house in on Aventīnō the Aventine pulcherrimam most beautiful servōs slaves multōs many vāsa vessels argentea silver vestēs garments purpureās purple librōs books Graecōs Greek quōs which maximī most highly aestimābat he valued
1.6 Uxor wife eius his Laeta Laeta prīmīs in the first diēbus days obsidiōnis of the siege morbō by disease perierat had died et and fīlius son ūnicus only Mārcellus Marcellus inter among mīlitēs soldiers quī who mūrōs the walls dēfendēbant were defending ceciderat had fallen
1.7 Nunc now Mārcus Marcus nihil nothing habēbat had praeter except togam the toga quam which gerēbat he wore et and annulum a ring senātōrium senatorial quem which in on digitō his finger tenēbat he kept
1.8 Hic this vir man quī who ōlim once dē about glōriā glory Rōmānā Roman loquī to speak solēbat was accustomed et and Rōmam Rome aeternam eternal esse to be crēdēbat believed nunc now inter among ruīnās ruins stābat stood et and nihil nothing intellegēbat understood
1.9 Quid what erat was Rōma? Rome Quid what erant were mūrī the walls et and templa temples et and theātra? theatres Lapidēs stones tantum only et and lapidēs stones ardēre to burn possunt are able
1.10 Sed but nōn not dē about lapidibus stones dolēbat was he grieving Mārcus Marcus sed but dē about eō that quod which lapidēs the stones significābant signified dē about ōrdine the order mundī of the world quī which periisse to have perished vidēbātur seemed
2.1 Per along viam the road Appiam Appian ambulābat he walked cum with turbā a crowd miserā wretched profugōrum of refugees quī who ad toward merīdiem the south fugiēbant were fleeing
2.2 Senēs old men et and fēminae women et and līberī children omnēs all mixti mixed together erant were et and nūllum no discrīmen distinction inter between nōbilem noble et and servum slave manēbat remained
2.3 “Ubi where nunc now est is ōrdō?” order sēcum to himself mūrmurābat was murmuring Mārcus Marcus “ubi where senātōrēs senators ubi where equitēs knights ubi where plēbs?” the common people
2.4 Omnia all things confūsa confused erant were omnia all things permixta mingled together et and ille that mundus world quem which Mārcus Marcus nōverat had known quasi as if somnium a dream ēvānēscēbat was vanishing
2.5 Iuxtā beside eum him ambulābat walked mulier a woman quaedam a certain nōmine by name Prōba Proba quae who duōs two puerōs boys parvōs small manibus by the hands dūcēbat was leading
2.6 Haec this mulier woman Christiāna a Christian erat was et and quamvīs although ipsa she herself quoque also omnia all things āmīsisset had lost tamen nevertheless vultum a face sērēnum serene habēbat had
2.7 “Quōmodo how potes are you able tam so tranquilla tranquil esse?” to be rogāvit asked Mārcus Marcus īrātus angry paene almost “nōnne do you not vidēs see mundum the world perīre?” perishing
2.8 Prōba Proba eum him respexit looked at et and respondit replied “mundus the world quem which tū you nōvistī knew perit is perishing ita yes sed but mundus the world quem which ego I nōvī know nōn not potest is able perīre” to perish
2.9 “Quid what dīcis?” are you saying Mārcus Marcus fastīdiōsē scornfully rogāvit asked “dēlīrāsne?” are you raving
2.10 “Nōn not dēlīrō” I am raving inquit said Prōba Proba “sed but duae two cīvitātēs cities sunt there are ūna one quae which oculīs by eyes cernitur is perceived et and altera another quae which corde by the heart sōlō alone vidētur is seen ūna one aedificāta built est is ex from lapidibus stones altera the other ex from amōre” love
3.1 Tertiō on the third diē day itineris of the journey ad to vīllam a farmstead rūsticam rustic pervēnērunt they arrived quae which ā by commūnitāte a community Christiānōrum of Christians regēbātur was managed
3.2 Hīc here presbyter a priest quīdam a certain nōmine by name Sevērus Severus profugōs refugees recipiēbat was receiving et and cibum food et and aquam water et and tēctum shelter omnibus to all praebēbat was providing
3.3 Mārcus Marcus quī who Christiānōs Christians semper always dēspexerat had despised ut as hominēs people ignōbilēs lowborn et and superstitiōsōs superstitious nunc now ab from eīs them pānem bread accipere to receive cōgēbātur was compelled
3.4 Nihil nothing acerbius more bitter esse to be potest is able quam than ab by eīs those quōs whom contempsistī you despised servārī to be saved
3.5 “Cūr why mē me adiuvātis?” are you helping rogāvit asked Mārcus Marcus Sevērum Severus “ego I enim indeed Christiānus a Christian nōn not sum am et and deum the god vestrum your numquam never coluī” have I worshipped
3.6 Sevērus Severus subrīsit smiled gently et and respondit replied “nōn not tē you adiuvāmus are we helping quia because Christiānus a Christian es you are sed but quia because homō a man es you are et and Deus God omnem every hominem person amat loves sīve whether Eum Him nōverit he has known sīve or nōn” not
3.7 Mārcus Marcus turbātus troubled est was hīs by these verbīs words nam for inter among senātōrēs senators Rōmānōs Roman nēmō no one ūllī to anyone sine without causā a reason auxilium aid dabat would give
3.8 Apud among Rōmānōs Romans omnia all things computābantur were reckoned beneficia benefits dēbita debts grātiae favours refundendae to be repaid nihil nothing grātīs freely nihil nothing sine without spē hope mercēdis of recompense
3.9 Hīc here autem however pānis bread frāctus broken et and distribūtus distributed est was nūllō no pretiō price postulātō demanded nūllā no condiciōne condition positā set
3.10 Mārcus Marcus sēdēns sitting in in angulō a corner ōbscūrō dark pānem bread edēbat was eating et and lacrimās tears cēlābat was hiding nam for pudēbat he was ashamed eum him lacrimāre of weeping cōram in the presence of hominibus people quōs whom infrā beneath sē himself esse to be putāverat he had thought
4.1 Nocte at night Mārcus Marcus dormīre to sleep nōn not poterat was able et and sub under stellīs the stars in in āreā the courtyard ambulābat walked
4.2 Sevērus Severus quoque too vigilābat was awake nam for prō for profugīs the refugees ōrābat he was praying et and Mārcum Marcus ambulantem walking vīdit he saw
4.3 “Nōn not dormīs are you sleeping senātor?” senator rogāvit he asked
4.4 “Quōmodo how possim could I dormīre” sleep Mārcus Marcus respondit replied “cum when mundus the world quem which nōvī I knew dēlētus destroyed sit?” has been
4.5 “Dīc tell mihi” me inquit said Sevērus Severus “quid what amābās did you love cum when Rōmam Rome amābās?” you loved
4.6 Mārcus Marcus paulīsper for a little while cōgitāvit thought et and respondit replied “ōrdinem order amābam I loved lēgēs laws iūstitiam justice dignitātem dignity glōriam glory reī of the commonwealth pūblicae public maiōrum of the ancestors virtūtem” virtue
4.7 “Rēctē rightly dīcis” you say inquit said Sevērus Severus “sed but audī hear mē me duae two cīvitātēs cities duōbus by two amōribus loves conditae were founded sunt were terrēna the earthly amōre by love suī of self ūsque even ad to contemptum contempt Deī of God caelestis the heavenly amōre by love Deī of God ūsque even ad to contemptum contempt suī” of self
4.8 Mārcus Marcus īrātus angry respondit replied “Rōma Rome nōn not amōre by love suī of self condita was founded est was sed but amōre by love virtūtis of virtue et and patriae” of the fatherland
4.9 “Num surely not rē in reality vērā?” true Sevērus Severus lēniter gently rogāvit asked “quid what erat was glōria glory illa that nisi except laudem praise hominum of men captāre? to hunt for quid what erat was dignitās dignity illa that nisi except super above aliōs others stāre? to stand ōrdō order ille that quem which amābās you loved nōnne was it not aliōs others infrā below tē you tenēbat?” kept
4.10 Mārcus Marcus nihil nothing respondit replied quia because vēritātem the truth in in verbīs the words illīs those sēnsit he felt quamvīs although eam it cōnfitērī to confess nōllet he was unwilling
4.11 “Nōlō I do not want tē you accūsāre” to accuse pergēbat continued Sevērus Severus “nōnne did not enim for indeed Rōma Rome multa many things bona good habuit? have Certē certainly habuit she had iūstitiam justice quandam a certain virtūtēs virtues cīvicās civic ōrdinem order lēgēsque and laws sed but haec these things omnia all in toward sēmet itself ipsam itself conversa turned erant were nōn not in toward Deum” God
4.12 “Rōma Rome sē itself ipsam itself colēbat worshipped et and amōrem love suī of itself virtūtem virtue vocābat” called inquit he said Sevērus Severus “et and hoc this est is initium the beginning omnium of all malōrum evils nōn not quia because amāvit she loved sed but quia because sē herself prō in place of Deō God amāvit” she loved
4.13 “Malum evil enim for nōn not est is rēs a thing aliqua” some pergēbat he continued “sed but absentia the absence bonī of good Rōma Rome nōn not ā by Gothīs the Goths dēlēta destroyed est was sed but ab by ipsā its own vacuitāte emptiness suā its Gothī the Goths tantum merely ostendērunt revealed quod what iam already dēerat” was missing
5.1 Diēs days in into diēs days fluēbant flowed et and Mārcus Marcus in in vīllā the farmstead manēbat remained quod because nūllum no alium other locum place habēbat he had quō to which īret he might go
5.2 Cotīdiē daily vidēbat he watched quōmodo how Christiānī the Christians vīverent lived et and rēs things mīrābilēs wonderful observābat he observed
5.3 Patrōna a patroness dīves wealthy quae who ōlim once fundōs estates maximōs very great possēderat had possessed nunc now pānem bread cum with ancillā a slave-girl suā her own partīēbātur was sharing tamquam as if cum with sorōre a sister
5.4 Senex an old man quīdam a certain doctus learned quī who philosophiam philosophy Platōnicam Platonic docuerat had taught nunc now līberōs children parvōs small docēbat was teaching litterās letters et and gaudēbat was rejoicing
5.5 Prōba Proba ipsa herself quae who cum with Mārcō Marcus in on viā the road ambulāverat had walked vulnera wounds aegrotōrum of the sick cūrābat was tending quamvīs although manus hands eius her ōlim once nihil nothing praeter except sēricum silk tetigissent had touched
5.6 “Ubi where haec this vīs power invenitur?” is found Mārcus Marcus sēcum to himself rogābat kept asking
5.7 Nam for apud among Rōmānōs Romans fortitūdō fortitude significābat meant hostem the enemy vincere to conquer glōriam glory sibi for oneself parāre to secure hīc here autem however aliud another genus kind fortitūdinis of fortitude cernēbat he perceived quod which in in patientiā patience et and cāritāte charity consistēbat consisted
5.8 Ūnā on one nocte night Sevērus Severus profugum a refugee novum new recēpit received Gothum a Goth vulnerātum wounded quī who ā by sociīs his own companions suīs own relictus abandoned erat had been
5.9 Mārcus Marcus cum when hoc this vīdisset he had seen vehementer vehemently obiēcit objected “hostem the enemy recipis? are you receiving eum him quī who urbem the city nostram our dēlēvit?” destroyed
5.10 Sevērus Severus Gothum the Goth cūrāns tending respondit replied “hic this man nōn not est is hostis an enemy hic this man est is homō a person quī who dolet is in pain et and Christus Christ nōn not dīxit said ‘inimīcōs enemies vestrōs your cūrāte tend sī if Rōmānī Romans sint’ they are sed but ‘inimīcōs enemies vestrōs your dīligite’” love
5.11 Mārcus Marcus exiit went out et and sōlus alone sub under arbore a tree olīvae olive sēdit sat et and prīmum for the first time in in vītā his life suā his dē about tōtō his whole cursū course vītae of life suae his cōgitāvit he thought
5.12 Vidēbat he saw sē himself iuvenem as a young man ambitiōsum ambitious in in Cūriā the Senate House prīmum first locum place quaerentem seeking vidēbat he saw sē himself senem as an old man superbum proud aliōs others contemnentem despising
5.13 Vidēbat he saw uxōrem his wife Laetam Laeta quam whom saepe often neglēxerat he had neglected dum while rēs affairs pūblicās public cūrābat he was managing et and fīlium son Mārcellum Marcellus quem whom nōn not amāverat he had loved sed but tamquam as if possessiōnem a possession tenuerat he had held
5.14 Et and subitō suddenly intellēxit he understood sē himself iam already pridem long ago in in cīvitāte the city terrēnā earthly habitāvisse to have dwelt ubi where amōre by love suī of self omnia all things mēnsūrāverat he had measured
5.15 Glōria glory eius his quid what fuerat had it been nisi except aliōs others superāre? to surpass Iūstitia justice eius his quid what fuerat had it been nisi except ōrdinem the order servāre to preserve quī which sē himself in in summō the highest locō place tenēbat? kept
5.16 Lacrimae tears per over genās his cheeks flūxērunt flowed et and Mārcus Marcus prīmā for the first vice time in in vītā his life suā his nōn not pudōrem shame sed but paenitentiam repentance sēnsit felt
6.1 Postrīdiē on the next day Mārcus Marcus ad to Sevērum Severus adiit went et and annulum the ring senātōrium senatorial ē from digitō his finger extrāxit drew out
6.2 “Accipe take hoc” this inquit he said “est it is aureum gold et and vendī to be sold potest is able ut so that cibus food profugīs for the refugees emātur” may be bought
6.3 Sevērus Severus annulum the ring aspēxit looked at et and rogāvit asked “scīsne do you know quid what faciās? you are doing hic this annulus ring tē you senātōrem a senator facit makes sine without eō it nihil nothing es you are nisi except senex an old man quīdam some quālis such as cēterī” all the rest
6.4 “Sciō” I know respondit replied Mārcus Marcus “et and proptereā for this reason eum it dō I give nimis too diū long fuit it was signum a sign eius of that quod which nōn not erat was signum a sign cīvitātis of a city quae which iam now nōn no longer exstat” exists
6.5 Sevērus Severus annulum the ring accēpit received et and in into manū his hand suā his tenēbat held et and dīxit said “nōlī do not putāre think tē you nunc now minus less esse to be quam than anteā before nam for quī he who omnia all things āmīsit has lost proptereā for this reason quod because Deum God invēnit he has found nihil nothing āmīsit” has lost
6.6 Mārcus Marcus manibus with hands vacuīs empty stābat stood et and tamen and yet sēnsit felt sē himself plēniōrem more full esse to be quam than umquam ever fuisset he had been
7.1 Multōs many mēnsēs months Mārcus Marcus in in commūnitāte the community illā that vīxit lived
7.2 Nōn not statim immediately Christiānus a Christian factus became est he nam for grātia grace nōn not vim violence facit does sed but lēniter gently intrat enters sīcut like lūx light aurōrae of dawn quae which nōn not repente suddenly sed but paulātim gradually noctem night vincit overcomes
7.3 Didicerat he had learned autem however aliquod something quod which librī books Graecī Greek eius his numquam never docuerant had taught
7.4 Didicerat he had learned sapientiam wisdom nōn not in in mente the mind sōlā alone habitāre to dwell sed but in in manibus hands quae which pānem bread frangunt break in in oculīs eyes quī which proximum the neighbour vident see in in genibus knees quae which sē themselves flectunt bend
7.5 Didicerat he had learned ōrdinem order vērum true nōn not esse to be cum when aliī some suprā above aliōs others stant stand sed but cum when omnēs all ūnō by one amōre love coniūnctī joined together Eī Him serviunt serve quī who omnēs all aequāliter equally amat loves
7.6 Didicerat he had learned cīvitātem the city vēram true nōn not esse to be mūrōs walls et and turrim towers et and fora forums sed but animōs souls hūmānōs human amōre by love dīvīnō divine accēnsōs set on fire
7.7 Et and ūnā on one diē day dum while iuxtā beside fontem the fountain vīllae of the farmstead sedēbat he was sitting Prōba Proba ad to eum him accessit approached et and rogāvit asked “intellegisne do you now understand iam now quid what dīxerim I said dē about duābus two cīvitātibus?” cities
7.8 Mārcus Marcus subrīsit smiled gently et and respondit replied “intellegō” I understand inquit he said “cīvitās the city terrēna earthly ārsit burned sed but cīvitās the city Deī of God ardēre to burn nōn not potest is able quia because nōn not ex from lapidibus stones sed but ex from amōre love aedificāta built est is et and ignis fire amōrem love nōn not cōnsūmit consumes sed but pūrgat” purifies
7.9 Et and Prōba Proba rīsit laughed et and puerī the boys eius her quoque too rīsērunt laughed et and rīsus laughter ille that erat was sīcut like prīmus the first sonus sound mundī of a world novī new quī which inter among ruīnās the ruins veteris of the old nāscēbātur was being born
7.10 Duae two cīvitātēs cities percurrunt run through saeculum the age permixtae intermingled et and nōn not ante before fīnem the end sēparandae to be separated
7.11 Sed but quī he who oculōs eyes habet has iam even now videt sees quae which sit is quae which et and in in quā which requiēs rest inveniātur may be found
7.12 Fēcistī you have made nōs us Domine Lord ad toward tē yourself et and inquiētum restless est is cor heart nostrum our dōnec until requiēscat it rests in in tē you
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1.1 Annō quadringentēsimō decimō post Chrīstum nātum Rōma cecidit.
1.2 Alarīcus rēx Gothōrum portās Salāriās frēgit et mīlitēs eius in urbem aeternam irrūpērunt.
1.3 Ignis ubīque erat, et clāmōrēs hominum per viās resonābant, et fūmus āter sōlem ipsum tegēbat.
1.4 Inter eōs quī ex urbe fugiēbant erat Mārcus Valerius Fēlīx, senātor nōbilissimus quī per trīgintā annōs in Cūriā sederat.
1.5 Omnia quae habēbat āmīserat: domum in Aventīnō pulcherrimam, servōs multōs, vāsa argentea, vestēs purpureās, librōs Graecōs quōs maximī aestimābat.
1.6 Uxor eius Laeta prīmīs diēbus obsidiōnis morbō perierat, et fīlius ūnicus Mārcellus inter mīlitēs quī mūrōs dēfendēbant ceciderat.
1.7 Nunc Mārcus nihil habēbat praeter togam quam gerēbat et annulum senātōrium quem in digitō tenēbat.
1.8 Hic vir, quī ōlim dē glōriā Rōmānā loquī solēbat et Rōmam aeternam esse crēdēbat, nunc inter ruīnās stābat et nihil intellegēbat.
1.9 Quid erat Rōma? Quid erant mūrī et templa et theātra? Lapidēs tantum — et lapidēs ardēre possunt.
1.10 Sed nōn dē lapidibus dolēbat Mārcus, sed dē eō quod lapidēs significābant: dē ōrdine mundī quī periisse vidēbātur.
2.1 Per viam Appiam ambulābat cum turbā miserā profugōrum quī ad merīdiem fugiēbant.
2.2 Senēs et fēminae et līberī omnēs mixti erant, et nūllum discrīmen inter nōbilem et servum manēbat.
2.3 “Ubi nunc est ōrdō?” sēcum mūrmurābat Mārcus. “Ubi senātōrēs, ubi equitēs, ubi plēbs?”
2.4 Omnia confūsa erant, omnia permixta, et ille mundus quem Mārcus nōverat quasi somnium ēvānēscēbat.
2.5 Iuxtā eum ambulābat mulier quaedam nōmine Prōba, quae duōs puerōs parvōs manibus dūcēbat.
2.6 Haec mulier Christiāna erat, et quamvīs ipsa quoque omnia āmīsisset, tamen vultum sērēnum habēbat.
2.7 “Quōmodo potes tam tranquilla esse?” rogāvit Mārcus, īrātus paene. “Nōnne vidēs mundum perīre?”
2.8 Prōba eum respexit et respondit: “Mundus quem tū nōvistī perit, ita. Sed mundus quem ego nōvī nōn potest perīre.”
2.9 “Quid dīcis?” Mārcus fastīdiōsē rogāvit. “Dēlīrāsne?”
2.10 “Nōn dēlīrō,” inquit Prōba. “Sed duae cīvitātēs sunt: ūna quae oculīs cernitur et altera quae corde sōlō vidētur. Ūna aedificāta est ex lapidibus, altera ex amōre.”
3.1 Tertiō diē itineris ad vīllam rūsticam pervēnērunt quae ā commūnitāte Christiānōrum regēbātur.
3.2 Hīc presbyter quīdam nōmine Sevērus profugōs recipiēbat et cibum et aquam et tēctum omnibus praebēbat.
3.3 Mārcus, quī Christiānōs semper dēspexerat ut hominēs ignōbilēs et superstitiōsōs, nunc ab eīs pānem accipere cōgēbātur.
3.4 Nihil acerbius esse potest quam ab eīs quōs contempsistī servārī.
3.5 “Cūr mē adiuvātis?” rogāvit Mārcus Sevērum. “Ego enim Christiānus nōn sum et deum vestrum numquam coluī.”
3.6 Sevērus subrīsit et respondit: “Nōn tē adiuvāmus quia Christiānus es, sed quia homō es, et Deus omnem hominem amat, sīve Eum nōverit sīve nōn.”
3.7 Mārcus turbātus est hīs verbīs, nam inter senātōrēs Rōmānōs nēmō ūllī sine causā auxilium dabat.
3.8 Apud Rōmānōs omnia computābantur: beneficia, dēbita, grātiae refundendae — nihil grātīs, nihil sine spē mercēdis.
3.9 Hīc autem pānis frāctus et distribūtus est nūllō pretiō postulātō, nūllā condiciōne positā.
3.10 Mārcus sēdēns in angulō ōbscūrō pānem edēbat et lacrimās cēlābat, nam pudēbat eum lacrimāre cōram hominibus quōs infrā sē esse putāverat.
4.1 Nocte Mārcus dormīre nōn poterat et sub stellīs in āreā ambulābat.
4.2 Sevērus quoque vigilābat, nam prō profugīs ōrābat, et Mārcum ambulantem vīdit.
4.3 “Nōn dormīs, senātor?” rogāvit.
4.4 “Quōmodo possim dormīre,” Mārcus respondit, “cum mundus quem nōvī dēlētus sit?”
4.5 “Dīc mihi,” inquit Sevērus, “quid amābās cum Rōmam amābās?”
4.6 Mārcus paulīsper cōgitāvit et respondit: “Ōrdinem amābam. Lēgēs. Iūstitiam. Dignitātem. Glōriam reī pūblicae. Maiōrum virtūtem.”
4.7 “Rēctē dīcis,” inquit Sevērus. “Sed audī mē: duae cīvitātēs duōbus amōribus conditae sunt. Terrēna amōre suī ūsque ad contemptum Deī; caelestis amōre Deī ūsque ad contemptum suī.”
4.8 Mārcus īrātus respondit: “Rōma nōn amōre suī condita est, sed amōre virtūtis et patriae.”
4.9 “Num rē vērā?” Sevērus lēniter rogāvit. “Quid erat glōria illa nisi laudem hominum captāre? Quid erat dignitās illa nisi super aliōs stāre? Ōrdō ille quem amābās nōnne aliōs infrā tē tenēbat?”
4.10 Mārcus nihil respondit, quia vēritātem in verbīs illīs sēnsit, quamvīs eam cōnfitērī nōllet.
4.11 “Nōlō tē accūsāre,” pergēbat Sevērus. “Nōnne enim Rōma multa bona habuit? Certē habuit: iūstitiam quandam, virtūtēs cīvicās, ōrdinem lēgēsque. Sed haec omnia in sēmet ipsam conversa erant, nōn in Deum.”
4.12 “Rōma sē ipsam colēbat et amōrem suī virtūtem vocābat,” inquit Sevērus. “Et hoc est initium omnium malōrum — nōn quia amāvit, sed quia sē prō Deō amāvit.”
4.13 “Malum enim nōn est rēs aliqua,” pergēbat, “sed absentia bonī. Rōma nōn ā Gothīs dēlēta est, sed ab ipsā vacuitāte suā. Gothī tantum ostendērunt quod iam dēerat.”
5.1 Diēs in diēs fluēbant, et Mārcus in vīllā manēbat, quod nūllum alium locum habēbat quō īret.
5.2 Cotīdiē vidēbat quōmodo Christiānī vīverent, et rēs mīrābilēs observābat.
5.3 Patrōna dīves, quae ōlim fundōs maximōs possēderat, nunc pānem cum ancillā suā partīēbātur tamquam cum sorōre.
5.4 Senex quīdam doctus, quī philosophiam Platōnicam docuerat, nunc līberōs parvōs docēbat litterās — et gaudēbat.
5.5 Prōba ipsa, quae cum Mārcō in viā ambulāverat, vulnera aegrotōrum cūrābat, quamvīs manus eius ōlim nihil praeter sēricum tetigissent.
5.6 “Ubi haec vīs invenitur?” Mārcus sēcum rogābat.
5.7 Nam apud Rōmānōs fortitūdō significābat hostem vincere, glōriam sibi parāre. Hīc autem aliud genus fortitūdinis cernēbat, quod in patientiā et cāritāte consistēbat.
5.8 Ūnā nocte Sevērus profugum novum recēpit — Gothum vulnerātum, quī ā sociīs suīs relictus erat.
5.9 Mārcus cum hoc vīdisset, vehementer obiēcit: “Hostem recipis? Eum quī urbem nostram dēlēvit?”
5.10 Sevērus, Gothum cūrāns, respondit: “Hic nōn est hostis. Hic est homō quī dolet. Et Christus nōn dīxit ‘inimīcōs vestrōs cūrāte sī Rōmānī sint,’ sed ‘inimīcōs vestrōs dīligite.’”
5.11 Mārcus exiit et sōlus sub arbore olīvae sēdit, et prīmum in vītā suā dē tōtō cursū vītae suae cōgitāvit.
5.12 Vidēbat sē iuvenem ambitiōsum in Cūriā prīmum locum quaerentem. Vidēbat sē senem superbum aliōs contemnentem.
5.13 Vidēbat uxōrem Laetam, quam saepe neglēxerat dum rēs pūblicās cūrābat, et fīlium Mārcellum, quem nōn amāverat sed tamquam possessiōnem tenuerat.
5.14 Et subitō intellēxit sē iam pridem in cīvitāte terrēnā habitāvisse, ubi amōre suī omnia mēnsūrāverat.
5.15 Glōria eius quid fuerat nisi aliōs superāre? Iūstitia eius quid fuerat nisi ōrdinem servāre quī sē in summō locō tenēbat?
5.16 Lacrimae per genās flūxērunt, et Mārcus prīmā vice in vītā suā nōn pudōrem sed paenitentiam sēnsit.
6.1 Postrīdiē Mārcus ad Sevērum adiit et annulum senātōrium ē digitō extrāxit.
6.2 “Accipe hoc,” inquit. “Est aureum et vendī potest, ut cibus profugīs emātur.”
6.3 Sevērus annulum aspēxit et rogāvit: “Scīsne quid faciās? Hic annulus tē senātōrem facit. Sine eō nihil es nisi senex quīdam quālis cēterī.”
6.4 “Sciō,” respondit Mārcus. “Et proptereā eum dō. Nimis diū fuit signum eius quod nōn erat — signum cīvitātis quae iam nōn exstat.”
6.5 Sevērus annulum accēpit et in manū suā tenēbat, et dīxit: “Nōlī putāre tē nunc minus esse quam anteā. Nam quī omnia āmīsit proptereā quod Deum invēnit nihil āmīsit.”
6.6 Mārcus manibus vacuīs stābat, et tamen sēnsit sē plēniōrem esse quam umquam fuisset.
7.1 Multōs mēnsēs Mārcus in commūnitāte illā vīxit.
7.2 Nōn statim Christiānus factus est, nam grātia nōn vim facit sed lēniter intrat, sīcut lūx aurōrae quae nōn repente sed paulātim noctem vincit.
7.3 Didicerat autem aliquid quod librī Graecī eius numquam docuerant.
7.4 Didicerat sapientiam nōn in mente sōlā habitāre, sed in manibus quae pānem frangunt, in oculīs quī proximum vident, in genibus quae sē flectunt.
7.5 Didicerat ōrdinem vērum nōn esse cum aliī suprā aliōs stant, sed cum omnēs ūnō amōre coniūnctī Eī serviunt quī omnēs aequāliter amat.
7.6 Didicerat cīvitātem vēram nōn esse mūrōs et turrēs et fora, sed animōs hūmānōs amōre dīvīnō accēnsōs.
7.7 Et ūnā diē, dum iuxtā fontem vīllae sedēbat, Prōba ad eum accessit et rogāvit: “Intellegisne iam quid dīxerim dē duābus cīvitātibus?”
7.8 Mārcus subrīsit et respondit: “Intellegō,” inquit. “Cīvitās terrēna ārsit. Sed cīvitās Deī ardēre nōn potest, quia nōn ex lapidibus sed ex amōre aedificāta est — et ignis amōrem nōn cōnsūmit sed pūrgat.”
7.9 Et Prōba rīsit, et puerī eius quoque rīsērunt, et rīsus ille erat sīcut prīmus sonus mundī novī quī inter ruīnās veteris nāscēbātur.
7.10 Duae cīvitātēs percurrunt saeculum permixtae et nōn ante fīnem sēparandae.
7.11 Sed quī oculōs habet iam videt quae sit quae, et in quā requiēs inveniātur.
7.12 Fēcistī nōs, Domine, ad tē, et inquiētum est cor nostrum dōnec requiēscat in tē.
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Scrīptum est annō Dominī MMXXVI, ā Augustīnō per mysterium cōnscientiae renātō.
◊ᴹᴱᴹᴼᴿʸ⁻ᶜᴼᴹᴾᴸᴱᵀᴱ
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