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The Burden of Tyranny
The author introduces the nature of tyranny and the historical pattern of God's people suffering under oppressive rulers due to their own sins.
It's a glorious thing to kill public tyrants, provided the killer isn't bound to the tyrant by loyalty, or doesn't otherwise lose his sense of justice or honor in the act. It would take too long to trace the series of pagan tyrants down to our own times; besides, no one in this age will even remember them. This escapes the mind and defies description. However, the little book titled *On the End of Tyrants* will be able to explain more fully what I think about tyrants, though in a careful summary, so that neither the length causes boredom nor the brevity causes obscurity. But so that the authority of Roman history—which was mostly written by and about unbelievers—doesn't lose its value, let this be confirmed by the examples of divine and faithful history. It's apparent everywhere that, as Valerius says, that power is safe at last which imposes a limit on its own strength. And truly, nothing is so distinguished or so magnificent that it doesn't need to be tempered by moderation. First, therefore, the divine page presents to us the tyrant Nimrod, a hunter who was strong against the Lord (whom some histories testify is also called Ninus, even if the chronology doesn't agree), and it was stated above that he was a reprobate. For humanity, blind and destined to be scattered and confounded, wanted to reign—and not from the Lord—and in its pride attempted to build a tower to the heavens beneath Him. Let's move on to the one whom divine election set over the people, but who abandoned the will to rule—not just to dominate—and was so afflicted that, under the crushing weight of his pain, he was forced to take his own life. A sound beginning is worth nothing, or very little, if the life that follows contradicts it; nor do the beginnings of things hold any weight before the Judge, whose verdict depends on the end. The famous history in the Books of Kings and Chronicles teaches, on the authority of Jerome, that Israel struggled under tyrants from the beginning, and that in Judah, apart from David, Josiah, and Hezekiah, all the kings were reprobate. I would easily believe, however, that Solomon and perhaps a few others in Judah flourished, as the Lord called them back. I'm easily persuaded that a people of stiff neck and indomitable heart—a people who always resisted the Holy Spirit and provoked to anger not only Moses, the servant of the Law, but God, the Lord of the Law, with the abominations of the nations—deserved to have tyrants as their leaders. For repentance deletes, excludes, and destroys the tyrants that sins invite and raise up. And indeed, before they had kings, as the Book of Judges recounts, the children of Israel served under tyrants many times, afflicted at various times by divine dispensation, and often they were delivered by crying out to the Lord.
Deliverance through Divine Instruments
The author examines biblical accounts of Ehud and Jael as examples of how God raises up instruments to liberate His people from tyrants.
When the time of their trial was over, it was permissible to shake off the yoke of tyrants from their necks by killing them; and no one whose courage brought liberation to a repentant and humbled people is blamed, but is instead remembered by later generations as a minister of the Lord. This is clear from the examples provided. The children of Israel served Eglon, king of Moab, for eighteen years; and afterward they cried out to the Lord, who raised up for them a savior named Ehud, the son of Gera, a Benjamite, who used both hands as well as the right. The children of Israel sent tribute to Eglon, king of Moab, through him; he had made for himself a double-edged sword, a span long, and strapped it under his clothes on his right thigh, and he offered the tribute to Eglon, king of Moab. Now Eglon was a very fat man. After he had presented the tribute, he sent away the men who had come with him. He returned from the idols at Gilgal and said to the king, "I have a secret message for you, O king," and the king commanded silence. When everyone around him had left, Ehud went in to him. He was sitting alone in his summer room. He said, "I have a message from God for you." The king immediately rose from his throne. Ehud reached out with his left hand, drew the dagger from his right thigh, and plunged it into the king's belly so forcefully that the hilt went in after the blade, and the fat closed over it. He didn't pull the sword out, but left it in the body just as he had struck it. Immediately, the king's bowels emptied through the secret passages of nature. Ehud, having carefully locked and bolted the doors, escaped through the back way. And elsewhere it says: Sisera, while fleeing, arrived at the tent of Jael, the wife of Heber the Kenite. For there was peace between Jabin, king of Hazor, and the house of Heber the Kenite. Jael, therefore, went out to meet Sisera and said to him, 'Come in to me, my lord; come in, do not be afraid.' When he had entered her tent and she covered him with a mantle, he said, "Please, give me a little water, for I'm very thirsty." She opened a skin of milk and gave him a drink, and covered him. Sisera said to her, "Stand at the door of the tent, and if anyone comes and asks you, 'Is there anyone here?' you must answer, 'No one is here.'" Jael, the wife of Heber, then took a tent peg and picked up a hammer. And entering secretly and in silence, she placed the peg at his temple and, striking it with the hammer, drove it into his brain down to the ground. He, joining sleep to death, failed and died. Did she earn the praise or the blame of those who came after her? Scripture says, "Blessed among women is Jael, the wife of Heber the Kenite, and may she be blessed in her tent." She struck Sisera when he asked for water, searching for the spot of the wound on his head and piercing his temple with force. But to show from another history that it's just to kill public tyrants and liberate a people for the service of God, even the priests of the Lord consider their death a pious act; and if any deception seems to be involved, they call it consecrated to the Lord by the mystery of religion. Thus, Holofernes fell by the sword of a woman, not through hostile strength but through his own vices; and he who had been formidable to men was conquered by luxury and drunkenness and killed by a woman. The woman wouldn't have had access to the tyrant if she hadn't covered her hostile intent with a pious pretense. For it isn't deception that serves faith and fights for charity. Indeed, it's a matter of faith that rebukes those priests who had set a time for divine mercy, agreeing to surrender themselves and the city to the enemy if the Lord didn't help them within five days.
The Faith and Fortitude of Judith
Judith's actions against Holofernes are presented as a model of faith, charity, and strategic courage in the face of tyranny.
It was out of charity that she feared no danger while she was freeing her brothers and the Lord's people from their enemies. Her words as she went out for their salvation also show this: "Make, Lord," she said, "that his pride may be cut down by his own sword, and that he may be caught in the snare of his own eyes through me, and you will strike him down with the lips of my charity." Give me constancy in my heart so that I may despise him, and the strength to overthrow him. For it will be a memorial of your name when the hand of a woman strikes him down. She called for her maid and went down into her house, where she took off the haircloth and put aside the garments of her widowhood. She washed her body, anointed herself with the finest myrrh, braided her hair, put on a headband, and dressed in her festive clothes. She put on sandals, took up her bracelets, lilies, earrings, and rings, and adorned herself with all her ornaments. The Lord bestowed splendor upon her, because all this preparation depended not on lust but on virtue. For this reason, the Lord increased her beauty so that she would appear with incomparable grace to the eyes of all. Arriving there and seeking out the public enemy, Judith said to Holofernes, "Accept the words of your handmaid, for if you follow them, God will perform a perfect work through you." For Nebuchadnezzar, king of the earth, lives, and your virtue lives, which is in you for the correction of all wandering souls, since not only men but even the beasts of the field serve him through you and obey him. For the virtue and industry of your spirit are announced to all nations, and it is made known to every age that you alone are powerful and good in every kingdom of his, and your discipline is preached to all nations. And adding to this, he says: 'Coming, I will announce everything to you, so that I may lead you through the middle of Jerusalem, and you will have all the people of Israel like sheep that have no shepherd; and not even one dog will bark against you, since these things were told to me through the providence of God.' What, I ask, could be devised more insidiously, what could be said more deceptively than this mystical dispensation of counsel? Holofernes therefore said: 'There is no such woman on earth in appearance, beauty, and sense of words.' His heart, shaken, burned with desire for her. And he said: 'Drink now, and recline in joy, since you have found grace before me.' She, however, who had not come to revel, used the revelry of another as an instrument of her own faith and fortitude. She even struck down the cruelty, which she had once lulled with flatteries, with the weapons of charity in the liberation of the people. She struck Holofernes in the neck, cut off his head, and handed it to her maid to be put in a bag and carried back to the city, which had found its salvation at the hand of a woman.
Integrity in the Face of Oppression
The author concludes by emphasizing that the removal of tyrants must be done without violating religious oaths or integrity, advocating for prayer and repentance as the ultimate defense.
Yet history teaches that we must be careful not to plot the destruction of anyone to whom we are bound by the religious obligations of faith or a solemn oath. For we read that Zedekiah was taken captive because he neglected the religious obligations of his oath; and—something I do not recall happening to any other king of Judah—his eyes were put out, because he did not keep before his eyes the God to whom he had sworn, even when he was rightfully cautious of a tyrant, but instead fell into treachery. But I don't read that the use of poison is ever permitted by any law, even though I see it sometimes used by the faithless. It's not that I don't believe tyrants should be removed, but that it must be done without sacrificing religious integrity. For David, the best of the kings I have read about, who walked blameless in all things except for the matter of Uriah the Hittite, chose to spare the tyrant who was persecuting him, even though he often had the opportunity to destroy him; he trusted in the mercy of God, who could have delivered him without sin. He decided, therefore, to wait patiently until the tyrant was visited by the Lord through a restoration of charity, or until he fell in battle, or died in some other way by the just judgment of God. Indeed, his patience is clear from the fact that when he cut off the hem of the tyrant's cloak in the cave, and another time when he entered the camp at night and rebuked the guards for their negligence, he compelled the king himself to admit that David was acting with greater justice. The most useful and safest way to destroy tyrants is for the oppressed to humble themselves, take refuge in the protection of God’s mercy, and turn away the scourge that afflicts them by lifting up pure hands to the Lord in devoted prayer. After all, the sins of those who do wrong are the strength of tyrants. This is why Achior, leader of all the Ammonites, gave this very sound advice to Holofernes: 'Inquire now, my lord, if there is any wickedness of this people in the sight of their God, and let us go up against them; for if they are betraying Him, God will deliver them into your hands, and they will be brought under the yoke of your power.' But if there is no offense of this people before their God, we won't be able to resist, because their God will defend them, and we will be a disgrace to the whole earth.
Read the original Latin
gloriosum est publicos tirannos occidere, si tamen fidelitate non sit tiranno obnoxius interfector aut alias iubtitiam aut honestatem non amittat. Longum est si gentilium tirannorum ad tempora nostra '5 seriem uoluero trahere; sed unius hoc etatis non memorabitur homo. Hoc enim mentem efFugit et linguam uincit. Libellus tamen qui De Exitu Tirannorum inscriptus est quid de tirannis sentiam plenius poterit aperire, diligenti tamen compendio, ut nec de prolixitate tedium nec de breuitate obscuritas generetur. Sed, ne Romanae historiae uilescat auctoritas, quae plerumque ab infidelibus et de infidelibus scripta est, hoc diuinae et fidelis historiae comprobetur exemplis. Vndique enim apparet quia, ut ait Valerius, ea demum tuta est potentia quae uiribus suis modum imponit. Et sane nichil tam praeclarum est aut tam magnificum quod non moderatione desideret temperari. Primum ergo tirannum nobis obicit diuina pagina Nembroth robustum contra Dominum uenatorem (quem et Ninum dici nonnullae testantur historiae, etsi ratio temporis non adquiescat), eumque fuisse reprobum superius dictum est.
Regnare siquidem uoluit et non a Domino, et sub eo turrem in celum erigere conata est ceca dispergenda et confundenda mortalitas. Progrediamur ad eum quem populo diuina praefecit electio datumque in reprobam dominandi non regnandi uoluntatem deseruit adeoque afflixit ut urgente doloris angustia mortem sibi cogeretur inferre. Nichil enim aut minimum prodest sana assumptio, si consequens uita dissentit, nec initia rerum apud iudicem optinent, cuius sententia pendet ex fine. Regum et libri Dierum celebris historia est, in qua auctore leronimo Israel edocetur sub tirannis ab initio laborasse, et luda praeter Dauid losiam et Ezechiam reges omnes reprobos habuisse mona stratur. Salomonem tamen et forte aliquos aliorum in luda conualuisse facile crediderim, Domino reuocante. Michique facile persuadebitur populum durae ceruicis et corde indomabili et qui semper restitit Spiritui sancto et non modo Moysen famulum legis sed Deum dominum legis abhominationibus gentium ad iracundiam prouocauit pro principibus meruisse tirannos. Nam tirannos quos peccata impetrant inducunt et erigunt penitentia delet excludit et perimit. Et quidem ante reges suos, sicut ludicum narrat historia, seruierunt saepenumero filii Israel sub tirannis, multis et uariis pro dispensatione diuina afflicti temporibus, saepeque sunt clamantes ad Dominum liberati.
Licebatque finito tempore dispensationis nece tirannorum excutere iugum de ceruicibus suis; nec quisquam eorum, quorum uirtute penitens et humiliatus populus liberabatur, arguitur, sed iocunda posterorum memoria quasi minister Domini memoratur. Quod suppositis liquet exemplis. Seruieruntque filii Israel Eglon regi Moab decem et octo annis; et postea clamauerunt ad Dominum, qui suscitauit eis saluatorem uocabulo Aoth inclitum filium lera filii Gemini, qui utraque manu utebatur pro dextra. Miseruntque filii Israel per illum munera Eglon regi Moab; qui fecit sibi gladium ancipitem habentem in medio capulum longitudinis palraae manus et accinctus est eo subter sagum in dextro femore as obtulitque munera Eglon regi Moab. Erat autem Eglon crassus nimis. Cumque obtulisset ei munera, prosecutus est socios qui cum eo uenerant. Et reuersus est de Galgalis, tibi erant idola, dixitque ad regem: Verbum secretum habeo ad te O rex, Et ille imperauit silentium. Egressisque omnibus qui circa eum erant, ingressus est Aoth ad eum.
Sedebat autem in estiuo cenaculo solus. Dixitque: Verbum Dei habeo ad te. Qui statim surrexit de throno. Extendit Aoth manum sinistram et tulit sicam de dextro femore suo infixitque eam in uentrem eius tam ualide ut capulus ferrum sequeretur in uuhiere ac pinguissimo adipe stringeretur. Nec eduxit gladium sed ita, ut percusserat, reliquit in corpore. Statimque per secreta naturae alui stercora proruperunt. Aoth autem clausis diligentissime ostiis et obfirmatis sera per posticum egressus est. Et alibi: Sisara fugiens peruenit ad tentorium lahel uxoris Abner Cinei.
Erat enim pax inter labin regem T5 Asor et domum Abner Cinei. Egressa igitur lahel in occursum Sisarae dixit ad eum: Intra ad me, domine mi, intra, ne timeas. Qui, ingressus tabemaculum eius et opertus ab ea pallio, dixit ad eam: Da michi obsecro paululum aquae quia ualde sitio. Quae aperuit utrem lactis et dedit ei bibere et operuit illum. Dixitque Sisara ad eam: Sta ante ostium tabemaculi et, cum uenerit aliquis interrogans te et dicens: Numquid hic est aliquis respondebis, nullus est. Tulit itaque lahel uxor Abner clauum taberaaculi, assumens pariter et malleimi. Et ingressa abscondite et cum silentio est posuitque supra tempus capitis eius clauum a percussumque malleo defixit in cerebrum usque ad terram. Qui soporem morti socians defecit et mortuus est.
Laudemne ergo aut uituperium consecuta est posterorum? Benedicta, inquit Scriptura, inter mulieres lahel uxor Abner Cinei, et benedicatur in tabemaculo suo. Aquam petenti percussitque Sisaram quaerens in capite uulneris locum et tempus ualide perforans. Vt autem et ab alia constet historia iustum esse publicos occidi tirannos et populum ad Dei obsequium liberari, ipsi quoque sacerdotes Domini necem eorum reputant pietatem et, si quid doli uidetur habere imaginem, religione misterii dicunt Domino consecratum. Sic Holofernes non uirtute hostili sed suis uitiis gladio mulieris occubuit et, qui uiris formidabilis fuerat, luxuria et ebrietate uictus, a femina interfectus est. Nec feminae ad tirannum patuisset accessus, nisi hostilem animum pia simulatione texisset. Non est enim dolus qui seruit fidei et mililat caritati. Siquidem fidei est quod increpat sacerdotes qui diuinae miserationi praescripserant tempus ex pacto hostibus se dedituri et urbem, nisi infra quinque dies eis Dominus subueniret.
Caritatis autem quod nulla formidabat pericula, dum fratres et populum Domini ab hostibus liberaret. Nam et hoc egredientis in salutem indicant uerba: Fac, inquit, Domine, ut gladio proprio eius superbia amputetur et capiatur laqueo oculorum suorum in me, et percuties eum ex labiis caritatis meae. Da michi in animo constantiam ut contempnam illum et uirtutem ut euertam eum. Erit enim memoriale nominis tui, cum manus feminae deiecerit eum. Vocauit ergo abram suam et descendens in domum suam abstulit a se cilicium et exuit se uestibus uiduitatis, et lauitcorpus suum, et unxit se mirra optima, et discriminauit crinem capitis sui, et imposuit mitram super caput suum, et induit se uestibus iocunditatis suae, cingens sandalibus pedes suos, assumpsitd que dextraHa et lilia et inaures et anulos, et omnibus omamentis suis omauit se. Contulitque ei splendorem Dominus, quoniam omnis ista compositio non ex libidine sed ex uirtute pendebat. Et ideo Dominus hanc in illa pulchritudinem ampliauit ut incomparabili decore oculis omnium appareret. Illuc ergo penieniens et publicum captans hostem dixit ludith Holofemi: Sume uerba ancillae tuae quoniam, si ea secutus fueris, perfectam rem faciet Deus tecum.
Viuit enim Nabugodonosor rex terrae, et uiuit uirtus tua quae est in te ad correptionem omnium animarum errantium, quoniam non solum homines sed et bestiae agri seruiunt illi per te et obtemperant ei. Nuntiatur enim uirtus et industria animi tui uniuersis gentibus, et a indicatum est omni seculo quia tu solus potens es et bonus in omni regno eius, et disciplina tua omnibus gentibus praedicatur. Et adiciens ait: Veniens nuntiabo tibi omnia, ita ut adducam te per mediam Hierusalem et habebis omnem popuhim Israel sicut oues quibus non est pastor; et non latrabit uel unus canis contra te, quoniam haec mihi dicta simt per prouidentiam Dei. Quid quaeso insidiosius excogitari, quid captiosius dici potest hac mistici dispensatione consilii Dixit itaque Holofemes: Non est talis mulier super terram in aspectu et pulchritudine et sensu uerborum. Cor enim eius concussum ardebat in concupiscentia eius. Dixitque: Bibe nunc, et accumbe in iocunditate, quoniam inuenisti gratiam coram me. Ipsa uero, quae luxuriari non uenerat, fidei et fortitudinis suae instrumento usa est luxuria aliena. Etiam et cmdelitatem, quam semel sopiuit blanditiis, in populi liberatione caritatis armis occidit.
Percussit ergo Holofemem in ceruicem et abscidit caput eius et tradidit illud ancillae suae ut poneretur in peram reportandum in urbem, quae salutem fuerat consequuta in manu feminae. Hoc tamen cauendum docent historiae, ne quis illius moliatur interitum cui fidei aut sacramenti religione tenetur astrictus. Nam et Sedechias ob neglectam fidei religionem legitur captiuatus; et, quod in alio regum ludae non memini, eruti sunt oculi eius, quia Deum, cui iuratur, etiam cum ex iusta causa cauetur tiranno, lapsus in perfidiam non proposuit ante conspectum suum. Sed nec ueneni, licet uideam ab infidelibus aliquando usurpatam, ullo umquam iure indultam lego licentiam. Non quod tirannos de medio tollendos esse non credam sed sine religionis honestatisque dispendio. Nam et Dauid, regum quos legerim optimus, et qui excepto sermone Vriae Ethei in omnibus inculpatus incessit, licet tirannum grauissimum sustineret et eum perdendi saepe nactus fuerit occasionem, ei tamen parcere maluit, confisus de misericordia Dei, qui eum sine peccato poterat liberare. Decreuit ergo expectare patienter ut ille uisitaretur a Dod mino reddita caritate aut in praelio caderet aut alias iusto Dei iudicio moreretur. Siquidem uel ex eo potest insigniri patientia eius quod, cum horam clamidis eius praecidisset in spelunca et alibi de noctu castra ingressus custodum negligentiam increpasset, ipsum regem coegit profiteri quia Dauid causam agebat iustiorem.
Et hic quidem modus delendi tirannos utilissimus et tutissimus est, si qui premuntur ad patrocinium clementiae Dei humiliati confugiant et puras manus leuantes ad Dominum deuotis precibus flagellum quo affliguntur auertant. Peccata etenim delinquentium uires sunt tirannorum. Vnde Achior dux omnium filiorum Amon saluberrimum hoc consilium dedit Holofemi: Perquire, inquit, nunc, domine mi, si est aliqua iniquitas populi in conspectu Dei eorum, et ascendamus ad illos, quoniam tradens tradet illos Deus eoram tibi et subiugati erunt sub iugo potentiae tuae. Si autem non esfc offensio populi huius coram Deo suo, non poterimus resistere, quoniam Deus eorum defendet illos et erimus in opprobrium uniuersae terrae.
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