E04553: According Augustine of Hippo, an emperor, who can be identified with Honorius, visited Rome in AD 404, knelt and prayed at the tomb of *Peter the Apostle (S00036), putting off his diadem. Sermon Dolbeau 25, preached in Latin in Africa, in 404 or shortly after.
online resource
posted on 2018-01-03, 00:00 authored by robertAugustine of Hippo, Sermon Dolbeau 25 (= 360B)
In this long sermon Augustine touches upon several topics, including the triumph of Christianity, which is best illustrated by the conversion emperors. In this context he describes a recent ceremonial entrance (adventus) of an emperor, which must be identified with Honorius, to Rome.
26. Veniunt, ut dicere coeperam, reges Romam. Ibi sunt templa imperatorum qui superbia sua diuinos sibi honores exegerunt ab hominibus et, quia poterant – reges enim erant et dominatores –, extorserunt potius quam meruerunt. Cui potuit tale aliquid extorquere piscator? Ibi est sepulcrum piscatoris, ibi templum est imperatoris. Petrus ibi est in sepulcro, Hadrianus ibi est in templo. Templum Hadriani, memoria Petri. Venit imperator. Videamus quo currerit, ubi genua figere uoluit: in templo imperatoris, an in memoria piscatoris? Posito diademate, pectus tundit ubi est piscatoris corpus, cuius merita cogitat, cuius coronam credit, per quem cupit peruenire ad deum, cuius orationibus se adiuuari sentit et inuenit.
'As I had begun to say, kings are coming to Rome. That's where the temples of emperors are to be found, who in their pride required divine honours to be paid them by men, and because they had the power – they were kings, after all, and rulers – they extorted rather than earned such honours. From whom could a fisherman extort any such thing? There in Rome is to be found the tomb of a fisherman, there the temple of an emperor. Peter is there in a tomb, Hadrian is there in a temple. A temple for Hadrian, a memorial shrine (memoria) for Peter. The emperor comes. Let us see where he hurried off to, where he wished to kneel: in the emperors' temple or in the fisherman's memorial shrine? Laying aside his diadem, he beat his breast where the fisherman's body lies; it's on his [Peter's] merits that he reflects, in the crown he received that he believes, through him that he is eager to reach God, by his prayers that he feels and discovers he is assisted.'
Text: Dolbeau 1996, 266. Translation: Hill 1997, 382 (slightly adapted). Summary: Robert Wiśniewski.
In this long sermon Augustine touches upon several topics, including the triumph of Christianity, which is best illustrated by the conversion emperors. In this context he describes a recent ceremonial entrance (adventus) of an emperor, which must be identified with Honorius, to Rome.
26. Veniunt, ut dicere coeperam, reges Romam. Ibi sunt templa imperatorum qui superbia sua diuinos sibi honores exegerunt ab hominibus et, quia poterant – reges enim erant et dominatores –, extorserunt potius quam meruerunt. Cui potuit tale aliquid extorquere piscator? Ibi est sepulcrum piscatoris, ibi templum est imperatoris. Petrus ibi est in sepulcro, Hadrianus ibi est in templo. Templum Hadriani, memoria Petri. Venit imperator. Videamus quo currerit, ubi genua figere uoluit: in templo imperatoris, an in memoria piscatoris? Posito diademate, pectus tundit ubi est piscatoris corpus, cuius merita cogitat, cuius coronam credit, per quem cupit peruenire ad deum, cuius orationibus se adiuuari sentit et inuenit.
'As I had begun to say, kings are coming to Rome. That's where the temples of emperors are to be found, who in their pride required divine honours to be paid them by men, and because they had the power – they were kings, after all, and rulers – they extorted rather than earned such honours. From whom could a fisherman extort any such thing? There in Rome is to be found the tomb of a fisherman, there the temple of an emperor. Peter is there in a tomb, Hadrian is there in a temple. A temple for Hadrian, a memorial shrine (memoria) for Peter. The emperor comes. Let us see where he hurried off to, where he wished to kneel: in the emperors' temple or in the fisherman's memorial shrine? Laying aside his diadem, he beat his breast where the fisherman's body lies; it's on his [Peter's] merits that he reflects, in the crown he received that he believes, through him that he is eager to reach God, by his prayers that he feels and discovers he is assisted.'
Text: Dolbeau 1996, 266. Translation: Hill 1997, 382 (slightly adapted). Summary: Robert Wiśniewski.
History
Evidence ID
E04553Saint Name
Peter the Apostle : S00036Saint Name in Source
PetrusRelated Saint Records
Type of Evidence
Literary - Sermons/HomiliesLanguage
- Latin
