On the Shows 29
Summary: Christians have their own better shows: forgiveness, freedom, victory over demons, the race toward the end, and the contests of virtue, in which they are crowned.
Latin text · CSEL 20:27–28
Iam nunc putas delectamentis exigere spatium hoc? cur tam ingratus es, ut tot et tales uoluptates a deo contributas tibi satis non habeas neque recognoscas? quid enim iucundius quam dei patris et domini reconciliatio, quam ueritatis reuelatio, quam errorum recognitio, quam tantorum retro criminum uenia? quae maior uoluptas quam fastidium ipsius uoluptatis, quam saeculi totius contemptus, quam uera libertas, quam conscientia integra, quam uita sufficiens, quam mortis timor nullus? quod calcas deos nationum, quod daemonia expellis, quod medicinas facis, quod reuelationes petis, quod deo uiuis? haec uoluptates, haec spectacula Christianorum sancta perpetua gratuita; in his tibi circenses ludos interpretare, cursus saeculi intuere, tempora labentia, spatia peracta dinumera, metas consummationis exspecta, societates ecclesiarum defende, ad signum dei suscitare, ad tubam angeli erigere, ad martyrum palmas gloriare. si scaenicae doctrinae delectant, satis nobis litterarum est, satis uersuum est, satis sententiarum, satis etiam canticorum, satis uocum, nec fabulae, sed ueritates, nec strophae, sed simplicitates. uis et pugilatus et luctatus? praesto sunt, non parua et multa. aspice impudicitiam deiectam a castitate, perfidiam Caesam a fide, saeuitiam a misericordia contusam, petulantiam a modestia adumbratam, et tales sunt apud nos agones, in quibus ipsi coronamur. uis autem et sanguinis aliquid? habes Christi.
English · Claude translation
Do you think, then, that this span of life is to be spent in delights? Why are you so ungrateful as not to find enough, nor to recognize, the many great pleasures God has given you? For what is more delightful than reconciliation with God, our Father and Lord, than the revelation of truth, than the recognition of errors, than pardon for so many past crimes? What greater pleasure is there than disdain for pleasure itself, than contempt for the whole world, than true freedom, than a clean conscience, than a life content with enough, than freedom from all fear of death? Than that you trample on the gods of the nations, drive out demons, perform cures, seek revelations, and live to God? These are the pleasures, these are the shows of Christians: holy, everlasting, free of charge. In these interpret for yourself the games of the circus: watch the course of the world, count the seasons gliding by and the laps completed, await the goal of the consummation, defend the fellowships of the churches, rouse yourself at God's signal, rise up at the angel's trumpet, glory in the palms of the martyrs. If the teachings of the stage delight you, we have literature enough, verses enough, maxims enough, songs enough, and voices enough; not fables, but truths; not tricks, but simplicity. Do you want boxing and wrestling? They are at hand, not small matches but many. See unchastity thrown down by chastity, faithlessness slain by faith, cruelty crushed by mercy, wantonness overshadowed by modesty: such are the contests among us, in which we ourselves are crowned. Do you want some blood too? You have Christ's.
About this passage
Notes
Translation notes
- The angel's trumpet recalls 1 Thess 4:16 and 1 Cor 15:52; the crown of the contest, 1 Cor 9:25.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (misread letter in the digital text; misread letters in the digital text; stray letter and split word in the digital text): L exige re → exigere; incundius → iucundius; tubain → tubam.
Cite this passage
Tertullian, Spect. 29 (trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/tertullian-spectaculis/29/).
Plain text
Tertullian, Spect. 29 (trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/tertullian-spectaculis/29/).
Download citation:BibTeX ·RIS (Zotero, EndNote)
Whole work:BibTeX ·RIS ·Markdown text