Recognitions 9.35–10.19

When he had said this, he turned to the crowds and began thus: “This man whom you see, men, in this very poor garment, is a citizen of the city of Rome, descended from the family of Caesar himself; his name is Faustinianus, and he married a most noble wife named Mattidia, by whom he had three sons, of whom two were twins, and the one who was younger, named Clement, is this man.” And when he had said this, he pointed to me with his finger. “And his twin sons are these, Niceta and Aquila, of whom one was formerly called Faustinus and the other Faustus.” As soon as Peter pronounced our names, the old man, all his limbs failing, collapsed as if struck down. We his sons rushed upon him, embraced and kissed him, fearing at the same time that he might not be able to recover his breath. While this was happening, the people were stunned with amazement.

Peter told us to rise from our father's embraces, lest we kill him; and he himself, taking his hand, raised him as if from a deep sleep, revived him a little, and began to set out truthfully everything that had happened: how his brother had fallen in love with Mattidia, and she, being most chaste, would not reveal his brother's unlawful love to her husband, lest she bring war upon the brothers or disgrace upon the family, but wisely invented a dream by which she was ordered to leave the city with her twin sons, the younger being left with his father; how, sailing, they suffered shipwreck by the violence of a storm and were cast upon the island called Antaradus; how Mattidia was thrown by the tossing waves onto a rock, while the twin children were seized by pirates, taken to Caesarea, and sold to a religious woman, who held them in place of sons, brought them up liberally, and had them educated; how the pirates changed their names and called one Niceta and the other Aquila; how after this, for the sake of their studies and companionship, they attached themselves to Simon, and when they saw he was a magician and deceiver, turned from him and came to Zacchaeus; and how after this they joined Peter. Also how Clement set out from the city to know the truth, came to Caesarea through acquaintance with Barnabas, became known to Peter and attached himself to him, and was taught by him the faith of religion; and how at Antaradus he found and recognized his mother begging, and how the whole island rejoiced at her recognition; of her life with her most chaste hostess and of the healing granted her through Peter himself; and of Clement's generosity to those who had been kind to his mother; and how after this Niceta and Aquila, asking who the strange woman was, when they had heard the whole matter from Clement, cried out that they were her twin sons Faustinus and Faustus and disclosed the whole story of what had happened to them; and how after this, at Peter's own suggestion, they were presented to their mother cautiously, lest she be overcome by sudden joy.

While Peter was setting these things out to the crowds in a narrative most welcome to the old man's ears, so that the hearers wept at the wonder of the events and in compassion, my mother, hearing from somewhere of the recognition of my father, rushed with hurried steps into our midst, crying out: “Where is my husband, my lord Faustinianus, who has been afflicted so many years, going about through each city looking for me?” As she was crying this out, as if beside herself, and looking around, the old man ran to her with many tears and began to embrace and hold her tight. While this was happening, Peter asked the crowds to leave, saying it was unseemly to stay any longer, but that room should be given them to see one another more intimately; “but tomorrow,” he said, “let any of you who wish come together here to hear the word.”

When Peter had said this, the crowds withdrew. And when we too wished to go to the lodging, the master of the house said to us: “It is shameful and impious for such and so great men to stay at an inn, when I have almost the whole house empty, and very many beds spread, and everything necessary prepared.” But when Peter declined, the wife of the master of the house with her children prostrated herself before him and begged him, saying: “I beg you, stay with us.” But even so Peter did not agree, until the daughter of those who were asking, who had been tormented for a long time by an unclean spirit and bound with chains, and had been shut within a chamber, the demon having been driven from her and the doors thrown open, came with her chains, fell at Peter's feet, and said: “It is right, my lord, that you should keep here today the feast of my deliverance, and not grieve either me or my parents.” When Peter asked the reason for her chains and her words, the parents, made joyful beyond hope at their daughter's healing, were themselves unable to speak, as if stunned; but the servants standing by said: “She was seized by a demon in the seventh year of her age, and she never ceased to tear, to rend with her teeth, even to break apart all who tried to approach her; and she did this for twenty years until now, and could not be cured by anyone; nor could anyone even approach her. For she made many useless and killed others; for she was stronger than all men, relying without doubt on the strength of the demon. But now, as you see, at your presence the demon has fled, the doors that had been shut with the strongest fastening are opened, and she herself stands healed before you, asking you to make the day of her deliverance joyful for her and for her parents and to stay with them.” When one of the servants had told this, and the chains themselves had fallen of their own accord from her hands and feet, Peter, sure that this healing had been given to the girl through him, agreed to stay with them. He also ordered those who had remained at the lodging, together with his wife, to come over; and each of us received separate rooms and stayed there; and having taken food as usual and given praise to God, we each rested in our places.

In the morning, at sunrise, I, Clement, and Niceta and Aquila came with Peter to the place where my father was resting together with my mother; and finding them still asleep, we sat down before the doors, where Peter used such words with us: “Listen to me, dearest fellow servants. I know that you have great affection for your father; so I fear that you may press him before the time to take up the yoke of religion when he is not yet ready for it, though perhaps for your sake he may seem to agree. But this is not firm; for what is done because of men is not approved and quickly falls away. And so it seems to me that you should allow him to live one year as he chooses, during which, travelling with us while we teach others, he can also simply listen; and listening, if he has an upright purpose of knowing the truth, he himself will ask to take up the yoke of religion; or if he does not wish to accept it, let him remain a friend. For those who do not take it up from the heart, when they begin to be unable to bear it, not only cast off what they had taken up, but, as if to excuse their own weakness, begin to blaspheme the way of religion and speak ill of those whom they could by no means follow or imitate.”

To this Niceta answered: “I do not contradict your right and good counsels, my lord Peter, but I want to say something, so as to learn by it what I do not know. What if within this year for which you tell us to put him off our father should die? He will go down to the underworld empty, to be tormented forever.” Then Peter said: “I embrace your kind purpose toward your father, and I pardon you for what you do not know. For do you think that if someone is thought to have lived justly, he will at once be saved? Do you not think that he must be examined by him who knows the hidden things of men as to how he lived justly—whether perhaps after the manner of the Gentiles, obeying their institutions and laws, or for the sake of friendships with men, or from mere habit or for any other cause or necessity, and not for the sake of justice itself nor for God? For those who have lived justly for the sake of God alone and his justice will come to eternal rest and receive the perpetuity of the heavenly kingdom. For salvation is acquired not by force but by freedom, not through the favor of men but through faith in God. Besides, you ought to consider that God foreknows and knows whether this man is his; and if he knows he is not, what shall we do against what was established by him from the beginning? But as far as I can, I give counsel: when he has woken and we have sat down, propose, as if wishing to learn something, only those things that it is profitable for him to learn; and while we talk among ourselves, he will be instructed. But first keep quiet, in case he seems to ask something; if he does, the occasion for discourse will be more suitable. But if he asks nothing, let us, as I said, ask one another in turn, as if wishing to learn something. This is how it seems to me; you too say what you think.”

When we had praised his right counsel, I, Clement, said: “In all things the end looks for the most part to the beginning, and the outcome of things is given like their beginnings. So I hope that for our father too, since God has given good beginnings through you, he will grant an end fitting and worthy of them. But I also suggest this: if, as you said, in our father's presence we begin to talk among ourselves as if to discuss or learn something, you, my lord Peter, ought not to play the part of one who needs to learn something. For if he sees this, he will perhaps be more offended, for he is sure that you know everything thoroughly, as is truly the case. What will it be like, then, if he sees you feigning ignorance? This, as I said, could hurt him more, not knowing your plan. But let us brothers converse among ourselves, and if we are in doubt about anything, let a fitting conclusion to our question be given by you. For if he sees you hesitating or doubting, then he will truly think that the knowledge of truth will be with no one.”

Peter answered this: “Let us leave this. If it is fitting that he should enter the door of life, God will give a suitable occasion, and the beginning will be from God and not from man. And so, as I said before, let him travel with us and hear us discussing something. But since I saw you in a hurry, I said that an opportunity must be sought; and when God gives it, you too must obey me in what I say.” While we were talking thus, a servant came saying that our father was now awake; and when we wished to go in to him, he himself came to us, greeted us with a kiss, and when we had sat down said: “Is it permitted to ask, if one wishes, or must one always keep silent, like the Pythagoreans?” Peter said: “We neither compel those who come to us always to be silent nor to ask, but leave it to their freedom to do as they wish, knowing that one who cares for his salvation, if he feels pain in any part of his soul, does not endure to keep silent; but one who neglects his salvation, if he is compelled to ask, gains no benefit from it except this only, that he seems studious and diligent. So if you wish to learn anything, ask.”

The old man said: “There is a very forceful saying among the philosophers of the Greeks, which says that in the life of men there is in reality nothing either good or evil, but that men, preoccupied by the use and custom of life, call things evil or good as they appear to them. For not even murder is really an evil, since it frees the soul from the bonds of the flesh; indeed, they say, even just judges put sinners to death—and if they knew murder to be an evil, the just would not do it. Nor do they say that adultery is an evil; for if the husband does not know or does not care, there is, they say, no evil in it. Nor is theft an evil: for one who lacks something takes it from another who has it—which indeed ought to be taken freely and publicly; but because it is done secretly, in this rather the inhumanity of the one from whom it is secretly taken is exposed. For the common use of all things in this world ought to have belonged to all men; but through iniquity one calls this his own and another that, and so division was made among mortals. Indeed one of the wisest of the Greeks, knowing this to be so, said that all things of friends ought to be common—and among ‘all things’ wives are no doubt included. And as the air, he says, cannot be divided, nor the brightness of the sun, so neither should the other things given in common in this world to all to possess be divided, but they should be held in common. This I wished to say; and I cannot act well unless I first learn what the good is; and if I can understand that, I will notice from it what evil is, that is, its contrary.

“But to what I have said I want one of you to answer, not Peter. For it is not fitting to take words and teaching from him by way of questions; rather, whatever he pronounces should be held without any reconsideration. So let him be kept for us as arbiter, so that wherever our discussion finds no outcome, he may pronounce what he thinks and put an undoubted end to doubtful matters. And even now I could believe, content with his opinion alone, whatever he thought—which I shall do in the end; but I want first to see whether it is possible to find by disputation what is sought. So let Clement begin first, and show whether anything is good or evil in substance and in acts.”

To this I answered: “Since you wish to learn from me whether anything is good or evil by nature or by act, or rather whether some things seem good and others evil to men preoccupied by custom, because they made a division among themselves of things that ought, as you say, to be common like the air and the brightness of the sun, I think I should not bring you proofs from elsewhere but from those disciplines which you yourself use and which you yourself confirm, so that what is said may be undoubted for you. You set fixed limits for all the elements and stars, and you say that some stars come together in certain cases without harm, as in marriages, but in others mix harmfully, as in adulteries. And you say that some things are general to all, and others neither belong to all nor are general. But so that the discussion may not be long, I will speak briefly and to the point. The earth, which is dry, needs union and mixture with water in order to produce the fruits without which there is no life for men; this, then, is a lawful union. On the contrary, if the cold of frost is mixed with the earth, or heat with the waters, such a union causes corruption; and in such things this is adultery.

My father answered: “But as the harm of a discordant union of elements or stars is at once betrayed, so it ought also to be shown at once how evil adultery is.” I said: “First confirm this for me: whether, as you yourself admitted, evils are produced from an unsuitable and discordant mixture; and that other point will be inquired into in what follows.” My father said: “As the nature of the thing is, so you say, my son.” Then I answered: “Since you wish to learn about these things, see how many things there are that no one doubts to be evils: do not fever, fire, sedition, collapse, slaughter, chains, punishments, pains, mourning, and things like these seem to you to be evil?” My father said: “It is true, my son, that these are evils, and very great evils; or at any rate let him who denies these are evils suffer them.”

I answered: “Since I am speaking with one who is learned in the astrological discipline, I will deal with you according to it, so that receiving the account from things familiar to you, you may agree the more quickly. Hear now, then. You have admitted that the things we mentioned above are evils, that is, fevers, fires, and the like. These, according to you, are said to be caused by malicious stars, that is, by moist Saturn and hot Mars; and their opposites by benign stars, that is, by temperate Jupiter and moist Venus. Or is it not so?” My father answered: “It is so, my son, and it cannot be otherwise.” Then I said: “Since, then, you say that good things are caused by the good stars, I mean Jupiter and Venus, let us see what each of the evil stars produces when it is mixed with the good; and let us understand that to be evil. For you hold that Venus makes marriages; and if she has Jupiter in her figure, she makes chaste women; but if Jupiter does not regard her and Mars is present, you declare that marriages are corrupted by adultery.” My father said: “So it is.” I answered: “Then adultery is evil, since it is committed by the mixture of evil stars. And to explain more briefly: all the things you say the good stars suffer from the mixture of evil stars must without doubt be declared evil. Those stars, then, by whose mixture we said evils are produced—fevers, fires, and the rest like them—are the very ones that, according to you, also work murders, adulteries, thefts, and make men insolent and stupid.”

My father said: “Truly you have shown briefly and incomparably that there are evils in acts. But I should still like to learn this: how does God judge justly those who sin, as you say, if birth-fate compels them to sin?” Then I answered: “I am afraid to say something to you, father, because it is fitting that you be held in all honor by me; otherwise there is something I could say, if it were fitting.” My father said: “Say what occurs to you, my son, even if it seems insulting; for it is not you but the logic of the question that does the injury—as a chaste woman to an intemperate husband, if she is indignant for her salvation and honor.” I answered: “If we do not keep well what has been first confirmed and admitted between us, but what has been defined is always undone through forgetfulness, we shall seem to be weaving the web of Penelope, undoing what we have woven. And so we ought either not to agree easily before the proposed statement is carefully examined, or, if we have already agreed and the opinion is confirmed, always to keep what has once been defined, so that we may also inquire about other things.” My father said: “You speak well, my son, and I know why you say it: because yesterday, discussing natural causes, you showed that a certain malignant power, transforming itself into the order of the stars, stirs up human desires, provoking to sin in various ways, yet not compelling or effecting sin.” I answered him: “Good—you have both remembered, and, while remembering, gone astray.” My father said: “Forgive me, my son; I do not yet have much practice in these things. For your words yesterday shut me in by their very truth so that I agreed with you; yet in my conscience there remain, as it were, some remnants of fevers, which draw me back a little from faith as from health. For I am tormented because I know that many things, indeed almost all things, have happened to me according to birth-fate.”

I answered: “Hear, then, father, what the nature of astrology is, and do as I tell you. Go to an astrologer and say to him first: ‘Such and such evils happened to me at that time; I want to learn, then, from where or how or through which stars they happened to me.’ He will without doubt answer you that malicious Mars or Saturn took over your times, or one of them was in apocatastasis, or one regarded your year from the diameter, or in conjunction, or at a cardinal point; or he will answer other such things, adding that in all these one was either unconnected with the malefic, or invisible, or in figure, or outside its sect, or waning, or not in contact, or among obscure stars; and he will answer many other such things according to his own reasons and assign them in each case. After him go to another astrologer and say the opposite: ‘Such and such good happened to me at that time’—but name the same time—and ask from what parts of the birth-fate this good came to you; and keep, as I said, the same times you asked about for the evils. And when you have deceived him about the times, see how many figures he will find for you, by which he will show that good things must have come to you at those very times. For it is impossible for those who handle men's birth-fate not always to find, in every region of the stars they speak of, some stars well placed and some badly. For the circle, according to astrology, is gathered equally on every side, admitting diverse and varied causes, from which they take occasion to say what they wish.

“For as usually happens when men have seen ambiguous dreams and understand nothing certain: when some outcome of events occurs, they then fit the vision of the dream to what has happened. So it is with astrology: before anything happens, nothing certain is declared; but after something has happened, they gather the causes of the thing already done. Indeed, when they have often erred and the thing has turned out otherwise, they reproach themselves, saying that it was such and such a star that hindered, that intervened, and we did not see it—not knowing that their error comes not from lack of skill in the art but from the unsuitability of the whole system. For they do not know what the things are which we desire to do, yet do not indulge our desires. But we who have learned the reason of this mystery also know the cause: that, having freedom of choice, we sometimes resist desires and sometimes yield; and therefore the outcome of human actions is uncertain, because it hangs on freedom of choice. For the astrologer can indicate the desire which the malignant power works; but whether the act or outcome of this desire can be fulfilled or not, since it lies in freedom of choice, can be known by no one before the event. And this is why the astrologers, in their ignorance, invented for themselves the talk of climacterics—refuges, of course, for an uncertain matter—as we showed most fully yesterday.

“If you think anything should be said to this, say it.” My father said: “Nothing is truer, my son, than what you have set out.” While we were talking thus among ourselves, someone announced that a very great crowd was standing outside, who had gathered to listen; and Peter ordered that they be allowed to come in, for the place was suitable and spacious. When they had come in, Peter said to us: “If any of you wishes, let him address the people and speak about idolatry.” I, Clement, answered him: “Your great kindness, and your gentleness and patience toward all, allow us to dare to speak in your presence and to ask what we wish. And therefore, as I said, the mildness of your character invites all and encourages them to receive the precepts of saving teaching. Until now I have seen this in no one else but you alone, in whom there is no envy or indignation. Or what do you think?”

Peter said: “These things do not come only from envy or indignation; sometimes there is in some a shame lest they be unable to answer fully about the things proposed, and they flee the mark of ignorance. But no one ought to feel shame for this, because there is no man who ought to profess that he knows everything. For there is one who knows all things, he who also made all things. For if our Master professed that he did not know the day and the hour, whose signs he even foretold, so as to refer everything to the Father, how shall we think it shameful if we admit that we are ignorant of some things, when we have the example of the Master in this? This one thing, however, we profess: that we know what we have learned from the true Prophet, and that those things were handed down to us by the true Prophet which he judged sufficient for human knowledge.”

Then I, Clement, began to speak thus: “At Tripolis, when you were disputing against the Gentiles, my lord Peter, I greatly marveled how you, who were brought up by your fathers in the Hebrew rite and the observances of your own law, and in no way defiled by the studies of Greek learning, argued so magnificently and incomparably that you even touched on some of the stories of the gods which are usually sung in the theaters. But since I perceived that their very fables and blasphemies are less known to you, I will, if you please, discuss some of them in your hearing, repeating them from their very origin.” Peter said: “Speak; you do well to help our preaching.” Then I said: “Since you order it, I will speak, not as teaching, but bringing into the open what foolish opinions the Gentiles have about their gods.”

When I wished to speak, Niceta, biting his lip, signaled to me to be silent. When Peter saw him he said: “Why do you want to hurt a liberal mind and a noble nature, wishing him to keep silent in honor of me, who am nothing? Or do you not know that if all the nations, after they have heard the preaching of truth from me and believed, wish to devote themselves to teaching, they bring me greater glory—if indeed you think me desirous of glory? For what is so glorious as to have prepared disciples for Christ, not who keep silent and alone are saved, but who speak what they have learned and help many? I wish that you too, Niceta, and you also, sweetest Aquila, would help me to preach the word of God, all the more because the things in which the Gentiles err are well known to you. And not only you, but all who hear me, I wish so to hear and learn that they may also be able to teach; for the world needs many helpers by whom men may be called back from error.” When he had said this, he said to me: “You, then, Clement, carry out what you have begun.”

And I at once added: “Since,” I said, “when disputing at Tripolis you discussed many things usefully and necessarily about the gods of the nations, I wish to set out in your presence their ridiculous origin, so that neither the fabrication of this vain superstition may escape you, nor the hearers present fail to recognize the disgrace of their error. Those, then, who are wiser among the Gentiles say that first of all there was Chaos; that this, solidifying its outer parts over a long time, made for itself boundaries and a kind of bottom, gathered in the manner and shape of an immense egg; and that within it, likewise over a long time, as within the shell of an egg, a certain living creature was cherished and quickened; and that after this, that immense globe having burst, there came forth a certain form of a man of double shape, which they call male-female. Him they also named Phanes, from appearing, because, they say, when he appeared, then light also shone forth. And from him, they say, were begotten substance, prudence, motion, intercourse; from these were made heaven and earth. From heaven six males were begotten, whom they call Titans; likewise from earth six females, whom they called Titanesses. And the names of those born from heaven are these: Oceanus, Coeus, Crius, Hyperion, Iapetus, Cronus, who among us is called Saturn. Likewise the names of those born from earth are these: Theia, Rhea, Themis, Mnemosyne, Tethys, Hebe.

“Of all these, he who was born first from heaven took the first daughter of earth as wife, the second the second, and the rest likewise in order. The first, who had married the first, was led down below on her account; the second, on account of him whom she had married, went up above; and so, each doing likewise in order, they remained in the places that had fallen to them by the lot of marriage. From their unions they assert that countless others were also begotten. But of those six males, one, who is called Saturn, took Rhea in marriage; and having been warned by an oracle that one born of her would be stronger than he and drive him from his kingdom, he resolved to devour all the sons who were born to him. So his first son is born, whom they called Aides, who among us is named Orcus; and for the reasons we stated above, the father took him and devoured him. After him he begot a second, whom they call Neptune, and devoured him in the same way. Last he begot the one they call Jupiter; but his mother Rhea, pitying him, by a trick withdrew him from the father who was about to devour him; and first, so that the child's crying might not become known, she had certain Corybantes beat cymbals and drums, so that the infant's crying might not be heard over the noise.

“But when the father understood from the shrinking of her womb that the child had been born, he demanded it to devour it. Then Rhea, offering him a large stone, said: ‘This is what I bore.’ He took it and swallowed it; and the swallowed stone pushed out and forced to come forth the sons he had first swallowed. The first to come out, Orcus, went down and occupies the lower, that is the infernal, regions. The second, as being above him, is thrust down upon the waters—he whom they call Neptune. The third, who survived through the art of his mother Rhea, was set upon a goat by her and sent up into heaven.