|
They have made Virtue also a goddess, which, indeed, if it could be
a goddess, had been preferable to many. And now, because it is not a
goddess, but a gift of God, let it be obtained by prayer from Him,
by whom alone it can be given, and the whole crowd of false gods
vanishes. But why is Faith believed to be a goddess, and why does
she herself receive temple and altar? For whoever prudently
acknowledges her makes his own self an abode for her. But how do they
know what faith is, of which it is the prime and greatest function that
the true God may be believed in? But why had not virtue sufficed?
Does it not include faith also? Forasmuch as they have thought proper
to distribute virtue into four divisions, prudence, justice,
fortitude, and temperance, and as each of these divisions has its own
virtues, faith is among the parts of justice, and has the chief place
with as many of us as know what that saying means, "The just shall
live by faith." But if Faith is a goddess, I wonder why these keen
lovers of a multitude of gods have wronged so many other goddesses, by
passing them by, when they could have dedicated temples and altars to
them likewise. Why has temperance not deserved to be a goddess, when
some Roman princes have obtained no small glory on account of her?
Why, in fine, is fortitude not a goddess, who aided Mucius when he
thrust his right hand into the flames; who aided Curtius, when for
the sake of his country he threw himself headlong into the yawning
earth; who aided Decius the sire, and Decius the son, when they
devoted themselves for the army?, though we might question whether
these men had true fortitude, if this concerned our present
discussion. Why have prudence and wisdom merited no place among the
gods? Is it because they are all worshipped under the general name of
Virtue itself? Then they could thus worship the true God also, of
whom all the other gods are thought to be parts. But in that one name
of virtue is comprehended both faith and chastity, which yet have
obtained separate altars in temples of their own.
|
|