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Augustine: City of God, Volume I, Books 1-3 (Loeb Classical Library No. 411) (Bks.I-III v. 1)

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Here is the first of seven volumes of the City of God in the Loeb Classics Library, this one being comprised of the first three books out of the immense total of twenty-two. A short overview of these books goes as follows: (1.) The sack of Rome by Alaric (410 AD) was viewed by many conservative pagans as the wrath of the gods for the prohibition of their public worship--ceremonies which had always been Rome's backbone and the symbol of her eternal glory. Appeasing the gods ensured their role as guardians of the city. The rise of Christianity to a locus of prominence spelled out, very plainly to traditionalists, that the outrageous calamities descending upon their present-day Rome were the result of Christ and his Church, which was becoming much more aggressive to the old faith. Early into the second decade of the 5th century AD, St Augustine caught wind of this claim and was prompted to commence writing his masterwork the De Civitate Dei. His initial response to the traditional pagans claim is very basic and is founded on historic matter: where were your gods when the Gauls ravaged and nearly utterly destroyed Rome centuries before? The self-same guardians who you claim to guard Rome in recent times have let Rome down in the past. Thus blame is not to be hurled upon the Christian God when the same disasters occurred before the birth of Christ. Also in book one Augustine will cite authors of great influence such as Virgil and Sallust to strengthen his case against the pagans by using their own treasured literature. Other topics are concerned with the loss of worldly goods and suicide to avoid rape or slavery; the former, Augustine remarks, is not always a negative thing since true possessions are internal and cannot be taken by force; and the later, he says, is to be avoided because chastity is based upon the will and slavery is actually only a state of mind: no ones chastity can be spoiled unless they will it and no one is a slave who is free in Christ, the Great Doctor concludes. (2.) Book two postulates that the gods do not give any moral direction; and that the divinities tolerate and even demand obscene rites and violent acts to be performed in their honor. These so-called divinities, by setting standards such as those, he proclaims, are not benificent gods but malicious demons. Moreover, Augustine furnishes examples of Rome's misfortunes before Christ and also demonstrates that the gods encouraged the descent of Rome into a well of corruption and vice. (3.) And finally in book three Augustine explains that the gods did not even protect Troy when it fell and points out that these are the same gods who Virgil describes as "conquered" in the Aenied. "How efficacious are conquered gods in protecting cities anyway" Augustine affirms. And lastly, Augustine discusses the moral fortitude of Rome during Numa's reign and contrasts it with the ensuing moral depravation. Overall the Loeb edition is to be desired for the parallel texts--Latin and English--for the insightful and comprehensive introduction and for the elucidating footnotes. This edition is the product of the collaboration of a large team of scholars, whose individual contribution to the whole of the City of God should not be ignored. Whoever owns the complete Loeb edition of the City of God owns the finest edition. It is highly suggested that readers should purchase Gerard O' Daly's, City of God: A Readers Guide [see review], which will be of great assistance while encountering the text.