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Chapter 13RectC.1.13

De zelo boni rectoris rationabili ac pietate permixto.

The Enemy's Many Snares

The devil's temptations follow one another in a chain of vices, and even rulers like Theodosius can fall into irrational fury when anger is not restrained, as shown in the massacre at Thessalonica.

It is not easy for people to avoid all the enemy's traps. Indeed, even if someone escapes one sin of lust, they run into greed; and when they have turned aside from that, a pit of envy is prepared; and if they get past that, they rush into the vice of rage. The enemy sets many other snares too, by which they can catch the unsuspecting. And the body's passions do have their servants, ready to kill the soul, but a mind that stays watchful with divine comfort destroys the enemy's schemes. For the aforementioned Emperor Theodosius, sharing in human nature, also had his share of the passions, and by mixing cruelty with just rage, he worked out an unjust passion. It is necessary to recount this matter for the benefit of the readers. Thessalonica is a large and populous city, where, when a riot had broken out, some of the judges were stoned and dragged off. Because of this, an indignant Theodosius did not restrain his angry weakness, but ordered unjust swords drawn against everyone, and the innocent to be killed along with the guilty. For it is said that seven thousand people were killed, as the story goes, with no trial beforehand, but cut down all at once as if in a harvest.

Holy Zeal Against Irrational Fury

Blessed Ambrose rebuked Theodosius for his irrational fury, teaching that a good ruler must temper anger with piety, blending mercy with severity so that justice is not blinded by wrath.

For this reason, as we said before, blessed Ambrose, inflamed by holy zeal, sternly rebuked the aforementioned emperor and, with a severe rebuke, denounced the emperor's irrational fury as an abominable crime. So it is fitting for the good and prudent governor of the public good always to take precaution that, while avenging his own or his people's injury beyond measure, he does not fall into the guilt of irrational fury, but neglects not to restrain his own anger and removes the goads of righteous fury by the affection of piety, lest perhaps, if he rages too fiercely against those subject to him, he incur the savagery of a lion's ferocity. Hence it is written: 'Do not be like a lion in your house, overthrowing your household and oppressing those subject to you.' For just as it is right for the just and merciful ruler to subdue the proud, so also to spare those subject to him. And the emperor Antoninus used to say that he would rather save one citizen than kill a thousand enemies. Therefore, in correcting offenses, mildness must be mixed with severity, drawing a measure from each, so that those subject are not exasperated by great harshness and are not loosened by excessive kindness. No fault of correction or vengeance should have limit unless right judgment goes before, nor does it befit a serene ruler to be disturbed by the fury of anger, which is like the gall of bitterness, if he wishes to render just judgment, since the judgments of those who are too angry are blind. For one who is clouded by the gloom of anger cannot perceive the serene light of justice and truth.

The Shield of Patience Against Fury

Patience and self-mastery are stronger than conquest, yet sudden fury leads even the wise and zealous—Saul, Solomon, and the Jews—to monstrous violence.

So let the shield of strong patience be set against the irrational attack of fury. For as it is written: 'One patient is better than a strong man, and one who rules his own spirit than a conqueror of cities.'✦1 For the one who overcomes violence and the wild beast caged within himself — that is, anger — is stronger than the one who kills a lion.2 But how great are the evils that come about through sudden fury and the fault of impatience — who can spell them out? King Saul, not restraining the attack of his fury, slaughtered the priests of the Lord with monstrous savagery.✦ Solomon too, though he had been enlightened by the splendor of wisdom, was nevertheless so filled with the passion of fury that he ordered his own brother to be killed, putting piety second to tyranny.✦ What should I say about the reprobate Jews?✦ While they had zeal, but not according to knowledge, they became murderers against the Son of God and his holy disciples.✦3

Zeal Ordered by Piety

David models a ruler who combines patient gentleness with godly zeal, and even Nebuchadnezzar showed fierce zeal for God's honor—how much more should orthodox rulers zealously defend the Christian faith.

But holy David, endowed with the patient strength of gentleness, often spared even his enemies with an affection of piety; yet at other times, stirred by the zeal of God, he pursued the enemies of the Lord even to the point of death's destruction. For it befits a prince beloved by God to have a thunderous zeal against the enemies and blasphemers of the Christian name, frequently.4 If even Nebuchadnezzar, a foreign king, raged to such an extent—lest the God of Israel be blasphemed—that he established a decree saying, 'Whoever speaks blasphemy against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego will themselves come to destruction, and their houses to ruin,' how much more ought orthodox rulers to be zealous against the enemies of the Christian faith and of doctrine and of religion, so that they may please the Almighty—whose ministers they are ordained by grace—the more, the more eagerly they strive after the things that are Christ's with a praiseworthy zeal?56

Cooling the Ruler's Burning Mind

Even amid royal splendor, a ruler's mind can be seized by blind fury, but peace must temper the burning heart so that judgment waits for the light of truth.

After renowned labors and a laurel trophy won, after the shining toga of peace and the royal crown, after couches glittering with gems and adorned with gleaming gold, when purple gleams and the court's fitting order happily rules the one who reigns, when blessed fortune crowns him — how often does headlong anger disturb the hall of the mind! And zeal burns within, born of blind fury; the brazen pot seethes, and it does not rage toward the stars like this — rather, the leader's stern mind, poisoned, does. Unwilling to hold its measure, the heart rages like a lioness. Let the leader therefore mingle incense into the burning mind with the fragrance of peace, and become serene with a pleasing, shining countenance. The one who judges should not act before the truth lies open; for once the heart has gained understanding, it shines like a lamp.

Read the original Latin

Non est facile hominibus universas vitare hostis insidias. Nam dum quispiam libidinis effugerit passionem, incurrit in avaritiam; qua declinata invidiae fovea praeparatur; hanc si transscenderit, vitium furoris incurrit; et alios plurimos ponit laqueos inimicus, quo capere possit incautos. Et corporis quidem passiones habet facile ministrantes, ut animam possit occidere, sed mens divino solatio vigilans machinationum eius destruit argumenta. Humana namque natura participatus Theodosius praefatus imperator habuit passionum quoque communionem, iustoque furori permiscens crudelitatem iniustam operatus est passionem. Quam rem narrare necessarium est pro utilitate legentium. Thessalonica civitas est grandis et populosa; in qua dum fuisset orta seditio, quidam iudicum lapidati sunt atque tracti. Hinc indignatus Theodosius iracundiae non refrenavit infirmitatem, sed iussit iniustos gladios super omnes evaginari et una cum nocentibus innocentes interimi. Septem milia etenim hominum, sicut fertur, occisi sunt; non praecedente iudicio, sed tamquam in messibus omnes simul incisi sunt.

Quam ob rem, ut praediximus, beatus Ambrosius praefatum imperatorem sancto zelo succensus graviter redarguit ac furorem principis inrationabilem et scelus nefandum severa invectione detestatus fuit. Unde bonus et prudens rei publicae gubernator aptum est ut illud semper praecaveat, ne, dum suam suorumve iniuriam ulcisci supra modum disponit, irrationabilis reatum furoris incidat, sed propriam iram refrenare non negligat et iusti furoris stimulos affectu pietatis removeat, ne forte, si plus iusto desaeviat in subiectos, incurrat rabiem leoninae ferocitatis. Unde scriptum est: "noli esse sicut leo in domo tua, subvertens domesticos tuos et opprimens subiectos tibi". Nam sicut debellare superbos, ita et parcere subiectis iustum et misericordem dominatorem oportet. Unde et Antoninus imperator dicebat malle se unum civem servare, quam mille hostes occidere. In corrigendis itaque criminibus miscenda est lenitas cum severitate, faciendum ex utraque temperamentum, ut neque multa asperitate exulcerentur subditi neque nimia benignitate solvantur. Nec ulla culpa correctionis seu vindictae habeat modum, nisi rectum praecedat iudicium, nec decet serenum rectorem furore iracundiae, quae tamquam fel est amaritudinis, esse perturbatum, si iustum vult proferre iudicium, cum nimis irascentium caeca sunt iudicia. Non enim potest serenum lumen iustitiae ac veritatis cernere, qui caligine obnubilatur iracundiae.

Opponatur itaque fortis patientiae clipeus contra irrationabilis impetum furoris. Nam sicut scriptum est: "melior est patiens viro forti, et qui dominatur animo suo expugnatore urbium". Fortior est enim qui violentiam et in se ipso inclusam feram superat, iracundiam, quam qui leonem perimit. Quanta vero mala per subitaneum furorem et impatientiae vitium eveniunt, quis explicare potest? Rex Saul furoris impetum non refrenans immani saevitia sacerdotes Domini trucidavit. Salemon quoque, quamvis splendore sapientiae fuerat illuminatus, tamen furoris passione repletus suum fratrem interfici praecepit, pietatem tyrannidi postponens. Quid referam de reprobis Iudaeis? Qui dum zelum sed non secundum scientiam habuerunt, in filium Dei et sanctos eius discipulos homicidae extiterunt.

At patientis virtute mansuetudinis sanctus David praeditus etiam inimicis suis saepe pietatis affectu pepercit, nonnumquam vero Dei zelo stimulatus inimicos Domini usque ad mortis exitium protrivit. Decet enim dilectum Deo principem contra hostes et blasphemos Christiani nominis fulmineum frequenter habere zelum. Nam si Nabuchodonosor rex alienigena, ne blasphemaretur Deus Israhel, in tantum saevit, ut tale decretum firmaret dicens: "quicumque dixerint blasphemiam in Deum Sidrac, Misac et Abdenago, ipsi in interitum erunt, et domus eorum in perditionem," quanto magis orthodoxos rectores contra inimicos Christianae fidei et doctrinae atque religionis zelare oportet, quatinus Omnipotenti, cuius ministri gratia sunt ordinati, tanto magis placeant, quanto ferventius ea quae Christi sunt zelo laudabili satagere anhelant?

Post inclitos labores Ac laurea trophea Toga candente pacis Et regia corona Lectis micante gemmis Auroque compta flavo, Cum purpura coruscet Aulae decorus ordo, Feliciter regentem Cum sors beata comat, Quam saepe mentis aulam Perturbat ira praeceps! Ac zelus ardet intus Caeco furore cretus; Aenea fervet olla Nec sic furens in astra, Ceu principis severa Infecta mens veneno. Nolens modum tenere Cor saevit ut leaena. Miscat tus ergo menti Flagrans odore pacis, Dux fiat ac serenus Grato nitente vultu. Nec iudicans sit ante, Quam veritas patescat, Nam notione nacta Cor splendet ut lucerna.

Scripture echoes

  1. ↩Prov.16.32 — Better a patient person than a warrior, one who controls their spirit than one who captures a city.
  2. ↩1Sam.22.9-1Sam.22.17 — Then Doeg the Edomite, who was standing among Saul's servants, answered: 'I saw the son of Jesse coming to Ahimelech son of Ahitub at Nob.' 1Sam.22.10 — He inquired of the LORD for him, and provisions he gave him, and the sword of Goliath the Philistine he gave him. 1Sam.22.11 — Then the king sent to summon Ahimelech son of Ahitub the priest, and all his father's house—the priests who were at Nob—and they all came to the king. 1Sam.22.12 — And Saul said, 'Listen now, son of Ahitub.' And he said, 'Here I am, my lord.' 1Sam.22.13 — Then he said to Saul, "Why have you conspired against me—you and the son of Jesse—by giving him bread and a sword, and by inquiring of God for him, so that he rises against me as an ambush, as it is this day?" 1Sam.22.14 — Ahimelech answered the king, "And who among all your servants is as faithful as David, who is the king's son-in-law, who goes at your bidding, and who is honored in your house?" 1Sam.22.15 — Far be it from me to raise my hand against the king's anointed—for my lord began to inquire of God today. God forbid that the king should charge his servant with any matter in all my father's house, for your servant has known nothing of all this, whether small or great. 1Sam.22.16 — But the king said, "You shall surely die, Ahimelech—you and all your father's house." 1Sam.22.17 — And the king said to the guards who stood by him, "Turn and put the priests of the LORD to death, because their hand is also with David, and because they knew that he was fleeing and did not reveal it to me." But the servants of the king would not stretch out their hand to strike the priests of the LORD.
  3. ↩1Kgs.2.23-1Kgs.2.25 — Then King Solomon swore by the LORD, saying, "Thus may God do to me, and thus may he add, for at the cost of his life Adonijah has spoken this word." 1Kgs.2.24 — And now, as the LORD lives, who has established me and set me on the throne of David my father, and who has made a house for me just as he spoke, surely Adonijah shall be put to death today. 1Kgs.2.25 — And King Solomon sent by the hand of Benaiah son of Jehoiada, and he struck him, and he died.
  4. ↩Rom.10.2 — For I testify that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge.
  5. ↩Rom.10.2 — For I testify that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge.

Notes

  1. 1 ↩Proverbium 32:1 Vulgate (Proverbs 16:32 in most modern numbering). The quoted proverb is a candidate biblical source; final reference resolution belongs to a later stage.
  2. 2 ↩The Latin syntax is compressed and slightly awkward: 'qui violentiam et in se ipso inclusam feram superat, iracundiam, quam qui leonem perimit.' The rendering takes iracundiam in apposition to the wild beast of anger being tamed, and supplies 'that is' to make the sense clear in English. The comparative structure (fortior... quam) is preserved.
  3. 3 ↩The clause 'zelum sed non secundum scientiam' is a near-direct echo of Romans 10:2. The application to hostility toward Christ and his disciples is a patristic extension of Paul's language.
  4. 4 ↩The Latin is compressed: 'fulmineum ... zelum' (a thunderous zeal) is unusual; the sense is that the ruler's zeal should be striking and formidable against blasphemy.
  5. 5 ↩The embedded decree loosely echoes Daniel 3 (the fiery furnace episode); the wording is not a direct Vulgate quotation and is treated as a candidate allusion.
  6. 6 ↩The correlative quanto…tanto frames an argument from the lesser to the greater (a minore ad maiors): if a pagan king acted thus for the honor of God's name, Christian rulers should do far more.

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