3. Thus, let us admit that a man may succeed in any post of honour in
16,3-17,3
.)1 celebrari non magis deus prohibet quam nomen imponi. 'Sed his accommothe celebration of weddings, too, is no more forbidden by God than namegivings.
10 dantur sacrificia.' Sim vocatus nec ad sacrificium sit titulus officii, et operae meae expunctio quantum sibi libet. 4. Utinam quantum sibi quidem, nec videre possemus quae facere nobis nefas est. Sed quoniam ita malus circumdedit saeculum idololatria, licebit adesse in quibusdam, quae nos homini, non idolo, officiosos habent. Plane ad sacerdotium et sacrificium vocatus non ibo
'But sacrifices are attached to these solemnities.' Let me be invited and let the reason for my social service be not connected with a sacrifice, then the fulfilment of my service can also take place at pleasure. 4. Alas, could it be at pleasure, indeed, and were it possible for us not to see the things which we are not allowed to do. But since the Evil One has so surrounded the world with idolatry, it will be allowed to be present on some occasions which have us render a service to a human being, not to an idol.
15 -proprium enim idoli est officium-, sed neque consilio neque sumptu aliave opera in eiusmodi fungar. 5. Si propter sacrificium vocatus adsistam, ero particeps idololatriae; si me alia causa coniungit sacrificanti, ero tantum spectator sacrificii.
17. 1. Ceterum quid facient servi velliberti fideles, item officiales sacrificantibus dominis vel patronis vel praesidibus suis adhaerentes? Sed si merum quis
Of course, if I am invited to a priestly service and a sacrifice, I shall not go, for this is a typical service to an idol; but neither shall I in such a case furnish advice or expenses or any other assistance of this sort. 5. If I am invited because of a sacrifice and I attend, I shall take part in idolatry; if a different reason brings me into the presence of a man who is performing a sacrifice, I shall be no more than a spectator of the sacrifice.
17. 1. Moreover, what shall believing slaves or freedmen do, and likewise civil servants, in the train of their masters, patrons or superiors when they are sacrificing? But if someone hands the wine to a man who sacrifices, if he even assists by saying a word that is necessary for the sacrifice, he will be regarded as a minister of idolatry, f. 117 V sacrificanti tradiderit, immo si verbo / quoque aliquo sacrificio necessario adiuverit, minister habebitur idololatriae. Huius regulae memores etiam
5 magistratibus officium possumus reddere secundum patriarchas et ceteros maiores, qui regibus idololatris usque ad finem idololatriae apparuerunt. 2.
Hinc proxime disputatio oborta est, an servus dei alicuius dignitatis aut potestatis administrationem capiat, si ab omni specie idololatriae intactum se aut gratia aliqua aut astutia etiam praestare possit, secundum quod et Ioseph
10 et Daniel mundi ab idololatria et dignitatem et potestatem administraverunt in ornamento et purpura praefecturae totius Aegypti sive Babyloniae. 3.
Cedamus itaque succedere ali cui posse, ut in quoquo honore in solo honoris nomine incedat neque sacrificet neque sacrificiis auctoritatem suam accommodet, non hostias locet, non curas templorum deleget, non vectigalia eorum
As long as we keep this rule in mind we can also serve under magistrates after the example of the patriarchs and the other forefathers who served idolatrous kings up to the boundary of idolatry.
2. Hence a dispute has lately arisen as to whether a servant of God may accept the exercise of a dignity or a power, if he can keep himself pure of every form of idolatry, either by some special favour or careful wisdom, just as both
Joseph and Daniel, untainted by idolatry, exercised dignity and power, wearing the insignia and the purple of the governorship of the whole of Egypt and Babylonia, respectively.
15 procuret, non spectacula edat de suo aut de publico aut edendis praesit, nihil sollemne pronuntiet vel edicat, ne iuret quidem; iam vero quae sunt potestatis, neque iudicet de capite alicuius vel pudore feras enim de pecunia neque
17,9-10. Gen. 41, 39 seqq. Dan. 2, 48 seqq.
3. Thus, let us admit that a man may succeed in any post of honour in bearing only its name without sacrificing or lending his authority to sacrifices, without contracting for public victims, without giving assignments for the care of temples, without having charge of their taxes, without giving games at his own cost or that of the state or presiding over the giving of them, without proclaiming or announcing any solemnity, without even taking an oath; further, with regard to what pertains to power, without passing judgement on a man's life or honour-for as to money you might be tolerant-,
10. post saerifieia virgulam exhibet B sim voeatus A ] si invoeatus B si in voeatu Gel si nee in voeatu Lat; approbant fun Seal si vim voeatus Urs; approbat LaC, tamen sin voeatus suspi. cans ad saerifieium vdNat] adsaerifieiis A in saerifieiis B Gel adsaerifieii Rig II. expunetio quantum sibi libet A] expunetio quae tum sibi libet B expunetio, quid tum? si libet Gel; inter hanc lecfionem el expunctio, quid tum, si libet? dubitat Seal post. quantum sibi am. B Gel
12. possimus B Gel malis Gel 15. officium est B Gel sed delet Leap aliavera A 16. huiusmodi LaC I. quid] id LaC punctum post adhaerentes ponens liberti fun ]liberi A B Gel 2. suis am. A 23. mirum quid sacrifieantis A 3. vero A quoque am. LaC aliquos ex alios quos A m. al.
S. magistratibus et potestatibus B Gel patri arehas A 7. inde a verbis hine proxime cap. XVII ineipere pulal fun; approbat LaC suborta Gel 8. spetiae A 9. possit; secundum A possit: secundum B Gel possit. Secundum Rig disfinguunf; virgulam post possit primus posuit Oehl 10. administraverint B 11. in ornamento et purpura praefecturae Oehl] in ornamento exturae A in ornamento et purpura extitere B Gel et in ornamento et purpura extitere fun LaC (extiterunt) in ornamento praefecturae Rig 12. eredamus B Gel et in quoquo honore mavult fun dubitanter
LaC in solo A; restifuit Seal A non inspecfo] ut in solo B Gel 13-14. aeeomodat A 14. hostias A temporum A IS. speetaeulae dat A 16-17. quidem: iam vero (quae sunt potestatis) neque iudicia de capite alicuius vel pudore ferat, etiam de pecunia, neque fun; approbat Leap famen neminem pro etiam legendum esse putans 17. pudore (feras ... pecunia?) neque LaC pudore: feras ... pecunia neque B