Quid utilitatis de cultu iustitiae principea
The Promise of Righteous Rule
The author reflects on the scriptural promise that justice in leadership secures a lasting legacy and divine protection.
It follows. But what is the benefit of this legitimate observance? The prophetic word provides it immediately. For it says: 'That he himself and his son may reign for a long time over Israel.' See what the reward for such great difficulty will be, as kingdoms are extended for a long time to the sons of the fathers. For the succession of sons is extended from the virtue of the parents, and the happiness of those who succeed is cut off by the iniquity of those who depart. For it is certain by the testimony of the Holy Spirit that the unjust will perish together, and the remnants of the impious will be destroyed. But the salvation of the just is from the Lord, who protects them in the time of tribulation.
Time, Eternity, and True Reward
The author argues that temporal power is fleeting compared to eternity, and that true kingship is measured by the soul's virtue and the restraint of power.
Since the eternity of all time, no matter how long, falls short when measured against the smallest moments, and that entire span is nothing more than a brief instant, how could anything within it be considered long? When all those things are gathered together, they don't even amount to a single point compared to true eternity, given that there is absolutely no comparison between the finite and the infinite. There is certainly some proportion—however small, as many believe—between a center and its circumference, but between eternity and time, there is none. What, then, could be long in something that is entirely brief? Or what temporal happiness will seem long to the soul, if the faithful and eternal soul is to be without it for any length of time? In this context, though I want my words to be understood without prejudice to a sounder opinion, I think a 'long-lasting kingdom' refers to the unending life of the soul itself, which the glory of eternal happiness will crown for a kingdom well-governed. Since it is certain that God will reward the works of everyone with abundant mercy or fuller justice, whom will He look upon with clearer light than those who have led everyone they could to justice, rather than those who have dragged them toward death? Just as the powerful will suffer torments, they will also enjoy the rewards of justice more fully if they have exercised their power rightly; they will have in the future a glory before their subjects as great as the virtue with which they preceded them in their great freedom to do wrong. He could have transgressed, it says, and did not; he could have done evil, and did not; therefore his good deeds are established in the Lord.
The Virtue of Restraint
Princes are encouraged to find merit in the restraint of power, transforming worldly influence into eternal glory.
For it is counted as justice for princes even when they refrain from doing harm, though they have the power to do wrong. It is a matter of merit. It is a great thing for them to turn away from evil, even if they don't do great good, provided they don't destroy their subjects by indulging in vices. Isn't it a great thing that the continuation of the happiness they seem to possess is promised to them, if they act rightly? Some say it's impossible to flourish here in the world and yet enjoy eternity with Christ; that opinion is indeed true if you consider the enticements of vices to be among the flowers of the world. And yet, kings can flourish and reap the sweetest and most useful fruits of worldly flowers for eternity. But what is more blessed than for princes to be transferred from riches to riches, from delights to delights, from glory to glory, and from temporal things to eternal ones?
Read the original Latin
consequaTitur. Sed legitimae huius obseruantiae quaenam erit utilitas? Eam utique propheticus sermo protinus subdit. Ait enim: Vt longo t mpore regnet ipse, et filius eius super Israel. Ecce quaenam tantae difficultatis futura sit merces, dum regna patema filiis longo tempore protelantur. De uirtute namque parentum protenditur successio filiorum et succedentium felicitas ex decedentium iniquitate praeciditur. Nam Spiritus sancti certum est testimonio quia iniusti disperibunt simul et reliquiae impioram interibunt. Salus autem iustorum a Domino est, qui protegit eos in tempore tribulationis.
Sed cum etemitas totius temporis, quantacumque sit, per minutissima momenta deficiat, et in eo toto non nisi admodum breue momentum subsistat, quid in eo poterit esse longum, cum ea omnia, si colligantur in unum, uerae etemitati coUata nec puncti quidem locum obtineant, eo quod finitomm ad infinita omnino nulla est comparatio? Certe centri ad periferiam uel circumferentiam, etsi exigua, aliqua tamen, ut pluribus placet, proportio est; etemitatis et temporis nulla. Quid ergo longum erit in eo quod totum breue est? aut quae beatitudo temporis animae uidebitur diutuma, si' fidelis et perpetua anima est quantolibet tempore enso caritura? Sed ego in loco isto, ut tamen sine aeiudicio sententiae sanioris dictum intelligatur, longi '' mporis regnum dici arbitror ipsius animae indeficier ' etatem quam pro bene amministrato regno etemae atitudinis gloria coronabit. Cum enim certum sit quf Deus remunerabit opera singulorum et omnium in r sericordia uberi uel iustitia pleniori, quos lumine clarir respieiet quam illos qui omnes ad iustitiam exercent v secum traxerunt ad mortem? Sicut ergo potentes ptenter tormenta patientur, sic et iustitiae praemiis fruJitur plenius, si recte exercuerint potentatum; et tantf Jti in futuro prae subditis habebunt gloriam, quanta uirtut eos in magna delinquendi licentia praecesserunt. Potu inquit, transgredi, et non est transgressus; facere mal", et non fecit; ideo stabilita sunt bona illius in Domino.
Ac' iustitiam namque principibus reputatur etiam cum trtnperant ab iniuriis; et facultas delinquendi est eis. nateria meritomm. Declinare a malo in eis magnum est, etiamsi magna bona non faciunt, dum tamen subditos indulgentia maloram non perimant. Nonne magnum est quod beatitudinis quam habere uidentur, eis, si recte egerint, promittitur continuatio? Impossibile dicunt quidam et hic florere cum mundo et in etemum gaudere cum Christo; et sententia quidem uera est, si inter mundi flores reputes lenocinia uitiomm. Atqui et reges florere a possunt et mundialium florum dulcissimos et utilissimos in eternum carpere fructus. Quid autem beatius est quam si de diuitiis ad diuitias, de deliciis ad delicias, de gloria ad gloriam principes transferantur, de temporalibus ad eterna?
Policraticus companion
Study the argument weekly; pray the tradition daily
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