E04081: Augustine of Hippo delivers a Latin sermon on the feast of a group of martyrs, probably the *Twenty Martyrs (of Hippo, S00703), stigmatising the custom of dancing and drinking, probably during saints' festivals. Sermon 326, preached probably in Hippo, at an unknown date between 391 and 430.

Augustine of Hippo, Sermon 326

[In natali martyrum

'On the birthday of the twenty Martyrs']


1. Solemnitas beatissimorum martyrum laetiorem nobis reddidit diem. Laetamur, quia de terra laboris ad regionem quietis martyres transierunt: sed hoc non saltando, sed orando; non potando, sed ieiunando; non rixando, sed tolerando meruerunt.

'The solemn feast of these most blessed martyrs has brought us a happier day than usual. What makes us happy is that the martyrs have passed over from this land of labour and toil to the territory of peace and quiet; but they earned this not by dancing but by praying; not by drinking, but by fasting; not by being quarrelsome, but by their endurance.'

In what follows Augustine tells about the martyrs' desire to be in heaven and quotes parts of a dialogue between the martyrs and the judge.

Text: Patrologia Latina 38,1449. Translation: Hill 1994, 165-166. Summary: Robert Wiśniewski.