12. He has the Manichees in mind.
Book XI 437 lust for his own independent power and authority brought forth what it had conceived, and he was put to confusion by that progeny?9 ln this way his descen dants, for whom the writing and publishing of this story was being prepared, would have the deterrent of the distress so justly inflicted on him, to keep them from pride and the evil of disobedience.
Why a serpent, particularly?
1 2. 1 6. lfhowever you ask why it was a serpent, particularly, that the devil was permitted to employ for the temptation, the answer is that this was done for the sake of some deeper meaning. Who could fail to see that this is a lesson which has all the authority of scripture behind it, conveying by prophecy as many and as great proofs of divinity as already fill the world with its effects? Not that the devil wished to signify something for our instruction; but seeing that he could not proceed to the business of temptation unless permitted, he surely could not use any other instrument, could he, than the one permitted? So whatever meaning it is that was signified by that serpent, it is to be credited to the same providence as that under which the devil himself has indeed his own longing to do harm, but only the actual ability to do so which is given him, either for the perdition of the vessels ofwrath, or for the humbling or testing of the vessels of mercy (Rom 9:22.23).
As for the serpent's nature, then, we know where it came from; the earth, you see, produced at God's word all cattle and serpents and wild beasts;10 and the whole section of creation that has in it a living, non-rational soul is subject by the law of God's plan to the rational creation, whether that is of a good or a bad disposition. So why be surprised ifthe devil should be permitted to do something by means of a serpent, when Christ himself allowed demons to enter pigs?"
Of the nature of the devil himself, and of his sin
13. 17. lt is the general practice to inquire more minutely into the devil's own nature, which some heretics,12 put off by the vexing problem of his evil will, strive to remove entirely from the creation of the supreme and true God, and to provide with another source, which is God's opposite. They are incapable, you
9. That is, by the uncontrolled turbulence of his genitals; we are back here now with the first man, and why God allowed him to be tempted, after our long digression through the temptations that befall the rest of us and so on. But there is clearly an allusion here to Jas 1 : 1 41 5, quoted above in verse 7, where concupiscence gives birth to sin, who in turn begets death. The sign, the first inkling of death, however, is for Augustine the uncontrolled, involuntary erections of the genital organs. 10. See Gn 1:24-25. 11. See Mk 5:12-13. 12. He has the Manichees in mind.