P.G. Walsh (ed.)
- Published in print:
- 2010
- Published Online:
- February 2021
- ISBN:
- 9780856688782
- eISBN:
- 9781800343009
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Liverpool University Press
- DOI:
- 10.3828/liverpool/9780856688782.003.0003
- Subject:
- Classical Studies, Ancient Greek, Roman, and Early Christian Philosophy
This chapter provides the text and translation for Book VII of St. Augustine's The City of God, which resumes his analysis of Terentius Varro's Res Diuinae with a systematic scrutiny of his choice of ...
More
This chapter provides the text and translation for Book VII of St. Augustine's The City of God, which resumes his analysis of Terentius Varro's Res Diuinae with a systematic scrutiny of his choice of the select gods, since worship of them occupies the preponderant part of the Roman religion. It records the catalogue of the twenty most important deities and challenges the appropriateness of the selection, suggesting that Vitumnus (life-giver) and Sentinus (sensation-giver) play more important roles than many of the twenty. Statues of the gods in human form, Varro argues, indicate the close relationship between the human and the divine mind. Augustine argues strongly against this view, claiming that such portrayals in human shape convey an unworthy notion of the gods. It also offers further detail of Varro's theology, in which the world is composed of mind and body, and the mind is God.Less
This chapter provides the text and translation for Book VII of St. Augustine's The City of God, which resumes his analysis of Terentius Varro's Res Diuinae with a systematic scrutiny of his choice of the select gods, since worship of them occupies the preponderant part of the Roman religion. It records the catalogue of the twenty most important deities and challenges the appropriateness of the selection, suggesting that Vitumnus (life-giver) and Sentinus (sensation-giver) play more important roles than many of the twenty. Statues of the gods in human form, Varro argues, indicate the close relationship between the human and the divine mind. Augustine argues strongly against this view, claiming that such portrayals in human shape convey an unworthy notion of the gods. It also offers further detail of Varro's theology, in which the world is composed of mind and body, and the mind is God.
P.G. Walsh (ed.)
- Published in print:
- 2010
- Published Online:
- February 2021
- ISBN:
- 9780856688782
- eISBN:
- 9781800343009
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Liverpool University Press
- DOI:
- 10.3828/liverpool/9780856688782.003.0005
- Subject:
- Classical Studies, Ancient Greek, Roman, and Early Christian Philosophy
This chapter includes the commentary on Book VII of St. Augustine's The City of God. It mentions superiores libri...sufficient, in which Augustine argues that the Roman gods can afford no help in the ...
More
This chapter includes the commentary on Book VII of St. Augustine's The City of God. It mentions superiores libri...sufficient, in which Augustine argues that the Roman gods can afford no help in the attainment of happiness in the future life and reverts to their inadequacy in aiding the present existence. It also discusses the identification of the select gods and clarifies whether they are to be regarded as exempted from the duties of the lesser deities. Since the gods of lower rank incur no disgrace through any scandals, they have fared better than the select gods, whose monstrous indecencies are widely publicised. The chapter looks at Terentius Varro's belief, which made him regard the world-soul as God, though it contains within its different parts many souls whose nature is divine.Less
This chapter includes the commentary on Book VII of St. Augustine's The City of God. It mentions superiores libri...sufficient, in which Augustine argues that the Roman gods can afford no help in the attainment of happiness in the future life and reverts to their inadequacy in aiding the present existence. It also discusses the identification of the select gods and clarifies whether they are to be regarded as exempted from the duties of the lesser deities. Since the gods of lower rank incur no disgrace through any scandals, they have fared better than the select gods, whose monstrous indecencies are widely publicised. The chapter looks at Terentius Varro's belief, which made him regard the world-soul as God, though it contains within its different parts many souls whose nature is divine.
