| Keywords |
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| ID |
5883 |
| Text |
De gubernatione dei (439 - 451) Salvian of Marseilles |
| Quotation |
Religionem novimus, ignorantia non excusamur, pacem et divitias priorum temporum non habemus; omnia quae fuerunt, aut ablata aut immutata sunt; sola tantum vitia creverunt. Nihil nobis de pace et prosperitate pristina reliquum est, nisi sola omnino crimina quae prosperitatem non esse fecerunt. Ubi namque sunt antiquae Romanorum opes ac dignitates? Fortissimi quondam Romani erant, nunc sine viribus. Timebantur Romani veteres, nos timemus. Vectigalia illis solvebant populi Barbarorum, nos vectigales Barbaris sumus. Vendunt nobis hostes lucis usuram. Tota admodum salus nostra commercium est. O infelicitates nostras! ad quid devenimus! Et pro hoc gratias Barbaris agimus, a quibus nos ipsos pretio comparamus? Quid potest esse nobis vel abjectius vel miserius? Et vivere nos post ista credimus, quibus vita sic constat! Insuper etiam ridiculos ipsi nos facimus: aurum quod pendimus, munera vocamus. Dicimus donum esse quod pretium est, et quidem pretium conditionis durissimae ac miserrimae. Omnes quippe captivi, cum semel redempti fuerint, libertate potiuntur. Nos semper redimimur, et nunquam liberi sumus. Illorum more dominorum nobiscum Barbari agunt qui mancipia obsequiis suis non necessaria mercedibus dependendis locant. Similiter enim nos nunquam ab hac sumus liberi functione quam pendimus. Ad hoc quippe mercedes jugiter solvimus, ut sine cessatione solvamus. |
| Translation |
We know the true religion and are not excused by ignorance. We do not have the peace and wealth of former times.
All things which were are either gone or changed. Only our
vices alone have increased. Nothing is left of our peace and
former prosperity except our crimes alone and in full. Our
crimes which have ended our prosperity are left. Where are
the old resources and dignities of the Romans? Formerly, the
Romans were most strong; now they are without strength.
The old Romans were feared; we are afraid. The barbarian
people paid them tribute; we are tributary to the barbarians.
The enemy sells us the enjoyment of daylight. In a way, our
entire welfare is at a price.
o our misfortunes! To what have we come! And we are
thankful to the barbarians from whom we buy ourselves for
a price. What can be more abject or wretched for us? And
we think we are still living, despite the conditions under which
we actually live. We even make ourselves a laughing-stock; we call the gold which we pay, a benefit. We call what is
really a ransom, a gift. But it is a price paid on the hardest
and most miserable terms. All captives enjoy their freedom
once they are redeemed. We are constantly being redeemed,
but we are never free. The barbarians deal with us in the
manner of those masters who hire out for a daily wage their
slaves who are not necessary for their own service. Likewise,
we are never free from this tax which we pay. We continually
pay wages for the purpose of paying them forever. |
| Quotation source |
Lib. 6, Cap. 18 (pp. 83-4, trans. O'Sullivan, pp. 183-4) |
| Temporal Coverage |
439 - 451 |
| Associated use case(s) |
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| Comment |
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