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SERENUS: It is a true assertion that there is no lasting concord among
bad men, and that perfect harmony cannot exist even in regard to those
particular faults which have attractions for them all in common. For, as
you have said, it can never be that system and discipline are preserved
among undisciplined things. But in some matters, where community of
interests, and necessity enforces it, or participation in some gain
recommends it, they must arrange for some agreement for the time being. And
we see very clearly that this is so in the case of this war of spiritual
wickedness; so that not only do they observe times and changes among
themselves, but actually are known specially to occupy some particular
spots and to haunt them persistently: for since they must make their
attacks through certain fixed temptations and well defined sins, and at
particular times, we clearly infer from this that no one can at one and at
the same time be deluded by the emptiness of vainglory and inflamed by the
lust of fornication, nor at one and the same time be puffed up by the
outrageous haughtiness of spiritual pride, and subject to the humiliation
of carnal gluttony. Nor can anyone be overcome by silly giggling and
laughter and at the same time be excited by the stings of anger, or at any
rate filled with the pains of gnawing grief: but all the spirits must one
by one advance to attack the soul, in such a way that when one has been
vanquished and retreated, he must make way for another spirit to attack it
still more vehemently, or if he has come forth victorious, he will none the
less hand it over to be deceived by another.
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