Chapter XXXVIII.

Ought not Christians, therefore, to receive not merely a somewhat milder treatment, but to have a place among the law-tolerated societies, seeing they are not chargeable with any such crimes as are commonly dreaded from societies of the illicit class? For, unless I mistake the matter, the prevention of such associations is based on a prudential regard to public order, that the state may not be divided into parties, which would naturally lead to disturbance in the electoral assemblies, the councils, the curiæ, the special conventions, even in the public shows by the hostile collisions of rival parties; especially when now, in pursuit of gain, men have begun to consider their violence an article to be bought and sold. But as those in whom all ardour in the pursuit of glory and honour is dead, we have no pressing inducement to take part in your public meetings; nor is there aught more entirely foreign to us than affairs of state. We acknowledge one all-embracing commonwealth—the world. We renounce all your spectacles, as strongly as we renounce the matters originating them, which we know were conceived of superstition, when we give up the very things which are the basis of their representations.  Among us nothing is ever said, or seen, or heard, which has anything in common with the madness of the circus, the immodesty of the theatre, the atrocities of the arena, the useless exercises of the wrestling-ground. Why do you take offence at us because we differ from you in regard to your pleasures?  If we will not partake of your enjoyments, the loss is ours, if there be loss in the case, not yours. We reject what pleases you. You, on the other hand, have no taste for what is our delight.  The Epicureans were allowed by you to decide for themselves one true source of pleasure—I mean equanimity; the Christian, on his part, has many such enjoyments—what harm in that?

CAPUT XXXVIII.

Quae quum ita sint, tolerari, ut Sectam aliquam, quae nihil mali operetur debere, non enim metuendum, ne tales ad illicitas factiones coeant, qui loca factionum vitent, qui dudum renuntiare didicerint spectaculis, circo, theatro, arenae, xysto, unde crudeles, insani, lascivi, vani, turbulenti, et ob id ad conspirandum apti redire soleant homines. Si igitur christiani 0464Balias eligant voluptates, easque innoxii, turbas non debere, cum gentibus etiam suas quieti relinquant.

Proinde, nec paulo lenius, inter licitas fonctiones sectam istam deputari oportebat, a qua nihil tale committitur, quale de illicitis factionibus timeri solet. Nisi fallor enim, prohibendarum factionum caussa de providentia constat modestiae publicae , ne civitas in partes scinderetur, quae res facile comitia, concilia, curias, conciones, spectacula etiam aemulis studiorum compulsationibus inquietaret, cum jam et in 0465A quaestu habere coepissent venalem et mercenariam homines violentiae suae operam . At enim nobis ab omni gloriae et dignitatis ardore frigentibus nulla est necessitas coetus, nec ulla magis res aliena, quam publica. Unam omnium rempublicam agnoscimus , 0466A mundum. Aeque spectaculis vestris in tantum renuntiamus, in quantum originibus eorum, quas scimus de superstitione conceptas, cum et ipsis rebus, de quibus transiguntur, praetersumus . Nihil est nobis dictu, visu, auditu cum insania circi 0467A cum impudicitia theatri , cum atrocitate arenae cum vanitate xysti . Licuit Epicureis aliquam decernere voluptatis veritatem . Quo vos offendimus, si alias praesumimus voluptates? Si oblectari novisse nolumus, nostra iniuria est, si forte, non vestra. Sed reprobamus quae placent vobis, nec vos nostra delectant.