St. AugustineCity of God

Book 1

• Preface Introduces the antithetical relationship between the earthly City and the City of God: “And therefore … we must speak also of the earthly city, which, though it be mistress of the nations, is itself ruled by its lust of rule.”- draws upon the human tendency to elucidate through comparison, reveals legal training; arguing by analogy

Chapter 1

• - talks of the sack of Rome and the refuge given to Christians and non- Christians alike- Augustine responds to those Romans who blame the fall of Rome on the abandonment of Roman Gods in favor of Christian Gods by suggesting that rather than abandonment of Roman Gods being responsible for the sack, instead it was the Christian God who made survival possible- he suggests that this was unique and attributes it to the strength of Christianity, then goes on to cite numerous examples of where this has not been the case in the past

- students should note that Augustine makes specific mention of the reliquaries of the martyrs and the churches of the Apostles being instrumental to this exceptional event (i.e. refuge for some of the citizens of Rome)- he also draws a parallel between earthly sanctuary and spiritual sanctuary

• - here Augustine introduces Virgil’s Aeneid as history, specifically to point out the uselessness of relying on Roman Gods (chapter 2)“Did not Aeneas see “dying Priam at the shrine, Staining the hearth he made divine?” (Ch. 4)- indeed Augustine reiterates some of the “facts” recounted by Virgil “Troy itself, Mother of the Roman people” (chap. 4)- but note that he also goes on to recognise that while the story is true in the sense that it reflects what usually occurs – it may not have happened in actuality as it is described; this reinforces what we have been discussing thus far; that is: while the modern mind requires something to have actually happened to be considered true, in the pre-modern times, truth was not necessarily dependent upon actuality“…and perhaps Virgil, in the manner of the poets, has depicted what never really happened? But there is no question that he depicted the usual custom of an enemy when sacking a city.”

Chapters 2, 3, 4

Chapter 5, 6

• reiterates that even Romans did not grant such sanctuary and thus again raises the debate of whether places are made Holy or sacred by events and actions, or whether the events and actions merely confirm their holiness – either way the Churches of the Apostles and the reliquaries of the martyrs have gained sacred status after these events

Chapter 10

• The saints lose nothing in losing goods, those who have lost everythgin will then resemble the apostles

Chapter 12

• Compares burial practices

Chapter 13

• The bodies of the dead are not to be left unburied – the body as part of man’s nature

Chapter 15

•lesson of Regulus – a roman soldier – a non-Christian exemplum

• Here he introduces the notion of a community as a collection of individuals

• Introduces the theme of the Christian as a pilgrim on his way to the heavenly country – Therefore the idea of a promised land pilgrimage.

Chapter 15 (cont’d)

• In dealing with the rapes – he cites the rape of Lucretia!

• Here St. Augustine introduces the notion that while the City of God , is not the same as the Earthly City , its potential exists within the geographical location that is the earthly city – thus making even those within the City, pilgrims within their own City

• Here Augustine tells us that the Sack of Rome and its bad events were intended as a spur to repentence – out of bad shall come good – out of the earthly City can come the City of God

Chapter 34

Chapter 34 (cont’d)

•Here Augustine tells us that the Sack of Rome and its bad events were intended as a spur to repentence – out of bad shall come good – out of the earthly City can come the City of God

Chapter 35

• the pilgrim city of King Christ• Reiterates the close connection between

the two cities “In truth these two cities are entangled together in this world, and intermixed until the last judgment affects their separation.”

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