The Divine Institutes

Works (Divine Institutes, On the Death of the Persecutors, etc.) · Lactantius

1. Preface.—Of what great value the knowledge of the truth is and always has been
2. Chap. I.—Of religion and wisdom
3. Chap. II.—That there is a providence in the affairs of men
4. Chap. III.—Whether the universe is governed by the power of one God or of many
5. Chap. IV.—That the one God was foretold even by the prophets
6. Chap. V.—Of the testimonies of poets and philosophers
7. Chap. VI.—Of divine testimonies, and of the Sibyls and their predictions
8. Chap. VII.—Concerning the testimonies of Apollo and the gods
9. Chap. VIII.—That God is without a body, nor does he need difference of sex for procreation
10. Chap. IX.—Of Hercules and his life and death
11. Chap. X.—Of the life and actions of Æsculapius, Apollo, Neptune, Mars, Castor and Pollux, Mercury and Bacchus
12. Chap. XI.—Of the origin, life, reign, name and death of Jupiter, and of Saturn and Uranus
13. Chap. XII.—That the stoics transfer the figments of the poets to a philosophical system
14. Chap. XIII.—How vain and trifling are the interpretations of the stoics respecting the gods, and in them concerning the origin of Jupiter, concerning Saturn and Ops
15. Chap. XIV.—What the sacred history of Euhemerus and Ennius teaches concerning the gods
16. Chap. XV.—How they who were men obtained the name of gods
17. Chap. XVI.—By what argument it is proved that those who are distinguished by a difference of sex cannot be gods
18. Chap. XVII.—Concerning the same opinion of the stoics, and concerning the hardships and disgraceful conduct of the gods
19. Chap. XVIII.—On the consecration of gods, on account of the benefits which they conferred upon men
20. Chap. XIX.—That it is impossible for any one to worship the true God together with false deities
21. Chap. XX.—Of the gods peculiar to the Romans, and their sacred rites
22. Chap. XXI.—Of certain deities peculiar to barbarians, and their sacred rites; and in like manner concerning the Romans
23. Chap. XXII.—Who was the author of the vanities before described in Italy among the Romans, and who among other nations
24. Chap. XXIII.—Of the ages of vain superstitions, and the times at which they commenced
25. Chap. I.—That forgetfulness of reason makes men ignorant of the true God, whom they worship in adversity and despise in prosperity
26. Chap. II.—What was the first cause of making images; of the true likeness of God, and the true worship of him
27. Chap. III.—That Cicero and other men of learning erred in not turning away the people from error
28. Chap. IV.—Of images, and the ornaments of temples, and the contempt in which they are held even by the heathens themselves
29. Chap. V.—That God only, the creator of all things, is to be worshipped, and not the elements or heavenly bodies; and the opinion of the stoics is refuted, who think that the stars and planets are gods
30. Chap. VI.—That neither the whole universe nor the elements are God, nor are they possessed of life
31. Chap. VII.—Of God, and the religious rites of the foolish; of avarice, and the authority of ancestors
32. Chap. VIII.—Of the use of reason in religion; and of dreams, auguries, oracles, and similar portents
33. Chap. IX.—Of the devil, the world, God, providence, man, and his wisdom
34. Chap. X.—Of the world, and its parts, the elements and seasons
35. Chap. XI.—Of living creatures, of man; Prometheus, Deucalion, the Parcæ
36. Chap. XII.—That animals were not produced spontaneously, but by a divine arrangement, of which God would have given us the knowledge, if it were advantageous for us to know It
37. Chap. XIII.—Why man is of two sexes; what is his first death, and what the second and of the fault and punishment of our first parents
38. Chap. XIV.—Of Noah the inventor of wine, who first had knowledge of the stars, and of the origin of false religions
39. Chap. XV.—Of the corruption of angels, and the two kinds of demons
40. Chap. XVI.—That demons have no power over those who are established in the faith
41. Chap. XVII.—That astrology, soothsaying, and similar arts are the invention of demons
42. Chap. XVIII.—Of the patience and vengeance of God, the worship of demons, and false religions
43. Chap. XIX.—Of the worship of images and earthly objects
44. Chap. XX.—Of philosophy and the truth
45. Chap. I.—A comparison of the truth with eloquence: why the philosophers did not attain to it. Of the simple style of the scriptures
46. Chap. II.—Of philosophy, and how vain was its occupation in setting forth the truth
47. Chap. III.—Of what subjects philosophy consists, and who was the chief founder of the academic sect
48. Chap. IV.—That knowledge is taken away by Socrates, and conjecture by Zeno
49. Chap. V.—That the knowledge of many things is necessary
50. Chap. VI.—Of wisdom, and the academics, and natural philosophy
51. Chap. VII.—Of moral philosophy, and the chief good
52. Chap. VIII.—Of the chief good, and the pleasures of the soul and body, and of virtue
53. Chap. IX.—Of the chief good, and the worship of the true God, and a refutation of Anaxagoras
54. Chap. X.—It is the peculiar property of man to know and worship God
55. Chap. XI.—Of religion, wisdom, and the chief good
56. Chap. XII.—Of the twofold conflict of body and soul; and of desiring virtue on account of eternal life
57. Chap. XIII.—Of the immortality of the soul, and of wisdom, philosophy, and eloquence
58. Chap. XIV.—That Lucretius and others have erred, and Cicero himself, in fixing the origin of wisdom
59. Chap. XV.—The error of Seneca in philosophy, and how the speech of philosophers is at variance with their life
60. Chap. XVI.—That the philosophers who give good instructions live badly, by the testimony of Cicero; therefore we should not so much devote ourselves to the study of philosophy as to wisdom
61. Chap. XVII.—He passes from philosophy to the philosophers, beginning with Epicurus; and how he regarded Leucippus and Democritus as authors of error
62. Chap. XVIII.—The Pythagoreans and Stoics, while they hold the immortality of the soul, foolishly persuade a voluntary death
63. Chap. XIX.—Cicero and others of the wisest men teach the immortality of the soul, but in an unbelieving manner; and that a good or an evil death must be weighed from the previous life
64. Chap. XX.—Socrates had more knowledge in philosophy than other men, although in many things he acted foolishly
65. Chap. XXI.—Of the system of Plato, which would lead to the overthrow of states
66. Chap. XXII.—Of the precepts of Plato, and censures of the same
67. Chap. XXIII.—Of the errors of certain philosophers, and of the sun and moon
68. Chap. XXIV.—Of the antipodes, the heaven, and the stars
69. Chap. XXV.—Of learning philosophy, and what great qualifications are necessary for its pursuit
70. Chap. XXVI.—It is divine instruction only which bestows wisdom; and of what efficacy the law of God is
71. Chap. XXVII.—How little the precepts of philosophers contribute to true wisdom, which you will find in religion only
72. Chap. XXVIII.—Of true religion and of nature. whether fortune is a goddess, and of philosophy
73. Chap. XXIX.—Of fortune again, and virtue
74. Chap. XXX.—The conclusion of the things before spoken; and by what means we must pass from the vanity of the philosophers to true wisdom, and the knowledge of the true god, in which alone are virtue and happiness
75. Chap. I.—Of the former religion of men, and how error was spread over every age, and of the seven wise men of Greece
76. Chap. II.—Where wisdom is to be found; why Pythagoras and Plato did not approach the Jews
77. Chap. III.—Wisdom and religion cannot be separated: the Lord of nature must necessarily be the Father of every one
78. Chapter IV.—Of wisdom likewise, and religion, and of the right of father and lord
79. Chap. V.—The oracles of the prophets must be looked into; and of their times, and the times of the judges and kings
80. Chap. VI.—Almighty God begat his Son; and the testimonies of the Sibyls and of Trismegistus concerning Him
81. Chap. VII.—Of the name of Son, and whence he is called Jesus and Christ
82. Chap. VIII.—Of the birth of Jesus in the spirit and in the flesh: of spirits and the testimonies of prophets
83. Chap. IX.—Of the Word of God
84. Chap. X.—Of the advent of Jesus; Of the fortunes of the Jews, and their government, until the passion of the Lord
85. Chap. XI.—Of the cause of the incarnation of Christ
86. Chap. XII.—Of the birth of Jesus from the Virgin; of his life, death, and resurrection, and the testimonies of the prophets respecting these things
87. Chap. XIII.—Of Jesus, God and man; and the testimonies of the prophets concerning him
88. Chap. XIV.—Of the priesthood of Jesus foretold by the prophets
89. Chap. XV.—Of the life and miracles of Jesus, and testimonies concerning them
90. Chap. XVI.—Of the passion of Jesus Christ; that it was foretold
91. Chap. XVII.—Of the superstitions of the Jews, and their hatred against Jesus
92. Chap. XVIII.—Of the Lord’s passion, and that it was foretold
93. Chap. XIX.—Of the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus; and the predictions of these events
94. Chap. XX.—Of the departure of Jesus into Galilee after his resurrection; and of the two testaments, the old and the new
95. Chap. XXI.—Of the ascension of Jesus, and the foretelling of it; and of the preaching and actions of the disciples
96. Chap. XXII.—Arguments of unbelievers against the incarnation of Jesus
97. Chap. XXIII.—Of giving precepts, and acting
98. Chap. XXIV.—The overthrowing of the arguments above urged by way of objection
99. Chap. XXV.—Of the advent of Jesus in the flesh and spirit, that He might be mediator between God and man
100. Chap. XXVI.—Of the cross, and other tortures of Jesus, and of the figure of the lamb under the law
101. Chap. XXVII.—Of the wonders effected by the power of the cross, and of demons
102. Chap. XXVIII.—Of hope and true religion, and of superstition
103. Chap. XXIX.—Of the Christian religion, and of the union of Jesus with the Father
104. Chap. XXX.—Of avoiding heresies and superstitions, and what is the only true Catholic Church
105. Chap. I.—Of the non-condemnation of accused persons without a hearing of their cause; from what cause philosophers despised the sacred writings; of the first advocates of the Christian religion
106. Chap. II.—To what an extent the Christian truth has been assailed by rash men
107. Chap. III.—Of the truth of the Christian doctrine, and the vanity of its adversaries; and that Christ was not a magician
108. Chap. IV.—Why this work was published, and again of Tertullian and Cyprian
109. Chap. V.—there was true justice under Saturnus, but it was banished by Jupiter
110. Chap. VI.—After the banishment of justice, lust, unjust laws, daring, avarice, ambition, pride, impiety, and other vices reigned
111. Chap. VII.—Of the coming of Jesus, and its fruit; and of the virtues and vices of that age
112. Chap. VIII.—Of justice known to all, but not embraced; of the true temple of God, and of His worship, that all vices may be subdued
113. Chap. IX.—Of the crimes of the wicked, and the torture inflicted on the Christians
114. Chap. X.—Of false piety, and of false and true religion
115. Chap XI.—Of the cruelty of the heathens against the Christians
116. Chap. XII.—Of true virtue; and of the estimation of a good or bad citizen
117. Chapter XIII.—Of the increase and the punishment of the Christians.
118. Chap. XIV.—Of the fortitude of the Christians
119. Chap. XV.—Of folly, wisdom, piety, equity, and justice
120. Chap. XVI.—Of the duties of the just man, and the equity of Christians
121. Chap. XVII.—Of the equity, wisdom, and foolishness of Christians
122. Chap. XVIII.—Of justice, wisdom, and folly
123. Chap. XIX.—Of virtue and the tortures of Christians, and of the right of a father and master
124. Chap. XX.—Of the vanity and crimes, impious superstitions, and of the tortures of the Christians
125. Chap. XXI.—Of the worship of other gods and the true God, and of the animals which the Egyptians worshipped
126. Chap. XXII.—Of the rage of the demons against Christians, and the error of unbelievers
127. Chap. XXIII.—Of the justice and patience of the Christians
128. Chap. XXIV.—Of the divine vengeance inflicted on the torturers of the Christians
129. Chap. I.—Of the worship of the true God, and of innocency, and of the worship of false Gods
130. Chap. II.—Of the worship of false gods and the true God
131. Chap. III.—Of the ways, and of vices and virtues; and of the rewards of heaven and the punishments of hell
132. Chap. IV.—Of the ways of life, of pleasures, also of the hardships of Christians
133. Chap. V.—Of false and true virtue; and of knowledge
134. Chap. VI.—Of the chief good and virtue, and or knowledge and righteousness
135. Chap. VII.—Of the Way of Error and of Truth: that It is Single, Narrow, and Steep, and Has God for Its Guide
136. Chap. VIII.—Of the errors of philosophers, and the variableness of law
137. Chap. IX.—Of the law and precept of god; of mercy, and the error of the philosophers
138. Chap. X.—Of religion towards God, and mercy towards men; and of the beginning of the world
139. Chap. XI.—Of the persons upon whom a benefit is to be conferred
140. Chap. XII.—Of the kinds of beneficence, and works of mercy
141. Chap. XIII.—Of repentance, of mercy, and the forgiveness of sins
142. Chap. XIV.—Of the affections, and the opinion of the Stoics respecting them; and of virtue, the vices, and mercy
143. Chap. XV.—Of the affections, and the opinion of the Peripatetics respecting them
144. Chap. XVI.—Of the affections, and the refutation of the opinion of the Peripatetics concerning them; what is the proper use of the affections, and what is a bad use of them
145. Chap. XVII.—Of the affections and their use; of patience, and the chief good of Christians
146. Chap. XVIII.—Of some commands of God, and of patience
147. Chap. XIX.—Of the affections and their use; and of the three furies
148. Chap. XX.—Of the senses, and their pleasures in the brutes and in man; and of pleasures of the eyes, and spectacles
149. Chap. XXI.—Of the pleasures of the ears, and of sacred literature
150. Chap. XXII.—Of the pleasures of taste and smell
151. Chap. XXIII.—De tactus voluptate et libidine, atque de matrimonio et continentiâ
152. Chap. XXIV.—Of repentance, of pardon, and the commands of God
153. Chap. XXV.—Of sacrifice, and of an offering worthy of God, and of the form of praising God
154. Chap. I.—Of the world, and those who are about to believe, and those who are not; and in this the censure of the faithless
155. Chap. II.—Of the error of the philosophers, and of the divine wisdom, and of the golden age
156. Chap. III.—Of nature, and of the world; and a censure of the Stoics and Epicureans
157. Chap. IV.—That all things were created for some use, even those things which appear evil; on what account man enjoys reason in so frail a body
158. Chap. V.—Of the creation of man, and of the arrangement of the world, and of the chief good
159. Chap. VI.—Why the world and man were created. How unprofitable is the worship of false gods
160. Chap. VII.—Of the variety of philosophers, and their truth
161. Chap. VIII.—Of the immortality of the soul
162. Chap. IX.—Of the immortality of the soul, and of virtue
163. Chap. X.—Of vices and virtues, and of life and death
164. Chap. XI.—Of the last times, and of the soul and body
165. Chap. XII.—Of the soul and the body, and of their union and separation and return
166. Chap. XIII.—Of the soul, and the testimonies concerning its eternity
167. Chap. XIV.—Of the first and last times of the world
168. Chap. XV.—Of the devastation of the world and change of the empires
169. Chap. XVI.—Of the devastation of the world, and its prophetic omens
170. Chap. XVII.—Of the false prophet, and the hardships of the righteous, and his destruction
171. Chap. XVIII.—Of the fortunes of the world at the last time, and of the things foretold by the soothsayers
172. Chap. XIX.—Of the advent of Christ to judgment, and of the overcoming of the false prophet
173. Chap. XX.—Of the judgment of Christ, of Christians, and of the soul
174. Chap. XXI.—Of the torments and punishments of souls
175. Chap. XXII.—Of the error of the poets, and the return of the soul from the lower regions
176. Chap. XXIII.—Of the resurrection of the soul, and the proofs of this fact
177. Chap. XXIV.—Of the renewed world
178. Chap. XXV.—Of the last times, and of the city of Rome
179. Chap. XXVI.—Of the loosing of the devil, and of the second and greatest judgment
180. Chap. XXVII.—An encouragement and confirmation of the pious
181. The Preface.—The plan and purport of the whole Epitome, and of the Institutions
182. Chap. I.—Of the divine providence
183. Chap. II.—That there is but one God, and that there cannot be more
184. Chap. III.—The testimonies of the poets concerning the one God
185. Chap. IV.—The testimonies of the philosophers to the unity of God
186. Chap. V.—That the prophetic women—that is, the Sibyls—declare that there is but one God
187. Chap. VI.—Since God is eternal and immortal, he does not stand in need of sex and succession
188. Chap. VII.—Of the wicked life and death of Hercules
189. Chap. VIII.—Of Æsculapius, Apollo, Mars, Castor and Pollux, and of Mercurius and Bacchus
190. Chap. IX.—Of the disgraceful deeds of the gods
191. Chap. X.—Of Jupiter, and his licentious life
192. Chap. XI.—The various emblems under which the poets veiled the turpitude of Jupiter
193. Chap. XII.—The poets do not invent all those things which relate to the gods
194. Chap. XIII.—The actions of Jupiter are related from the historian Euhemerus
195. Chap. XIV.—The actions of Saturnus and Uranus taken from the historians
196. Chap. XX.—Of the gods peculiar to the Romans
197. Chap. XXI.—Of the sacred rites of the Roman gods
198. Chap. XXII.—Of the sacred rites Introduced by Faunus and Numa
199. Chap. XXIII.—Of the Gods and sacred rites of the barbarians
200. Chap. XXIV.—Of the origin of sacred rites and superstitions
201. Chap. XXV.—Of the golden age, of images, and Prometheus, who first fashioned man
202. Chap. XXVI.—Of the worship of the elements and stars
203. Chap. XXVII.—Of the creation, sin, and punishment of man; and of angels, both good and bad
204. Chap. XXVIII.—Of the demons, and their evil practices
205. Chap. XXIX.—Of the patience and providence of God
206. Chap. XXX.—Of false wisdom
207. Chap. XXXI.—Of knowledge and supposition
208. Chap. XXXII.—Of the sects of philosophers, and their disagreement
209. Chap. XXXIII.—What is the chief good to be sought in life
210. Chap. XXXIV.—That men are born to justice
211. Chap. XXXV.—That immortality is the chief good
212. Chap. XXXVI.—Of the philosophers,—namely, Epicurus and Pythagoras
213. Chap. XXXVII.—Of Socrates and his contradiction
214. Chap. XXXVIII.—Of Plato, whose doctrine approaches more nearly to the truth
215. Chap. XXXIX.—Of various philosophers, and of the antipodes
216. Chap. XL.—Of the foolishness of the philosophers
217. Chap. XLI.—Of true religion and wisdom
218. Chap. XLII.—Of religious wisdom: the name of Christ known to none, except himself and his father
219. Chap. XLIII.—Of the name of Jesus Christ, and his twofold nativity
220. Chap. XLIV.—The twofold nativity of Christ is proved from the prophets
221. Chap. XLV.—The power and works of Christ are proved from the scriptures
222. Chap. XLVI.—It is proved from the prophets that the passion and death of Christ had been foretold
223. Chap. XLVII.—Of the resurrection of Jesus Christ, the sending of the apostles, and the ascension of the saviour into heaven
224. Chap. XLVIII.—Of the disinheriting of the Jews, and the adoption of the Gentiles
225. Chap. XLIX.—That God is one only
226. Chap. L.—Why God assumed a mortal body, and suffered death
227. Chap. LI.—Of the death of Christ on the cross
228. Chap. LII.—The hope of the salvation of men consists in the knowledge of the true God, and of the hatred of the heathens against the Christians
229. Chap. LIII.—The reasons of the hatred against the Christians are examined and refuted
230. Chap. LIV.—Of the freedom of religion in the worship of God
231. Chap. LV.—The heathens charge justice with impiety in following God
232. Chap. LVI.—Of justice, which is the worship of the true God
233. Chap. LVII.—Of wisdom and foolishness
234. Chap. LVIII.—Of the true worship of God, and sacrifice
235. Chap. LIX.—Of the ways of life, and the first times of the world
236. Chap. LX.—Of the duties of justice
237. Chap. LXI.—Of the passions
238. Chap. LXII.—Of restraining the pleasures of the senses
239. Chap. LXIII.—That shows are most powerful to corrupt the minds
240. Chap. LXIV.—The passions are to be subdued, and we must abstain from forbidden things
241. Chap. LXV.—Precepts about those things which are commanded, and of pity
242. Chap. LXVI.—Of faith in religion, and of fortitude
243. Chap. LXVII.—Of repentance, the immortality of the soul, and of providence
244. Chap. LXVIII.—Of the world, man, and the providence of God
245. Chap. LXIX.—That the world was made on account of man, and man on account of God
246. Chap. LXX.—The immortality of the soul is confirmed
247. Chap. LXXI.—Of the last times
248. Chap. LXXII.—Of Christ descending from heaven to the general judgment, and of the millenarian reign
249. Chap. LXXIII.—The hope of safety is in the religion and worship of God
250. Elucidations
251. The Epitome of the Divine Institutes