Octavius 37.7 · Sophia Scriptura

Summary: The prosperity of the ungodly only prepares their fall.

Latin text · CSEL 2:52–53

nisi forte uos decipit, quod Deum nescientes diuitiis afluant, honoribus floreant, polleant potestatibus. miseri in hoc altius tolluntur, ut decidant altius. hi enim ut uictimae ad supplicium saginantur, ut hostiae ad poenam coronantur: in hoc adeo quidam imperiis ac dominationibus eriguntur, ut ingenium eorum perditae mentes licentia potestatis libere nundinentur.

English · Claude translation

unless perhaps you are deceived because those who do not know God abound in riches, flourish in honours, are strong in power. The wretches are lifted higher for this, that they may fall lower. For these are fattened like victims for slaughter, crowned like sacrifices for punishment: some are raised to empires and dominions for this very reason, that their ruined minds may freely put their character up for sale through the licence of power.

About this passage

Source

CSEL 2:52–53 · Karl Halm, ed., M. Minucii Felicis Octavius; Iulii Firmici Materni Liber de errore profanarum religionum, CSEL 2 (Vienna: Gerold, 1867), 1–56 · Latin text: K. Halm (CSEL 2, 1867), digitized by Open Greek and Latin, University of Leipzig (csel-dev), CC BY-SA 4.0

Text

As printed in CSEL 2. Manuscript variants and the editor's apparatus are not reproduced; no textual problem is noted in this passage.

Translation

Claude translation (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 · Translated by Claude from the Latin text of CSEL 2; made independently of existing English translations.

Compare

Ante-Nicene Fathers, vol. 4 (1885) (an older public-domain English translation, whole volume at CCEL; checked against ours only after ours was made) · Divided there by chapter only.

Scripture

Ps 73:18 (72:18 Vulg.) · echo, low confidence

Cite this passage

Minucius Felix, Oct. 37.7 (trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/minucius-octavius/37/7/).

Plain text

Minucius Felix, Oct. 37.7 (trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/minucius-octavius/37/7/).