City of God - Augustine - V - Book 3 commenced

Required reading
City of God by Augustine (available from Amazon or free on the internet, here for example) - Begin reading Book 3 (Chapters 1-16).

My summary
In Book 3 Augustine firstly looks at the hypocrisy of the Roman gods for punishing their worshippers for doing the things that they do themselves, such as adultery.

Augustine also condemns the Roman desire to see the empire grow for the sake of victory and glory, rather than for the health of the empire: 'Why must an empire be deprived of peace in order that it may be great?  In regard to men's bodies it is surely better to be of moderate size, and to be healthy, than to reach the immense stature of a giant at the cost of unending disorders - not to rest when that stature is reached, but to be troubled with greater disorders with the increasing size of the limbs.'

What grabbed me
Augustine made a excellent point about Rome increasing the number of their gods as the empire grew: 'Rome had collected for her protection far too many gods, summoning them, as it were, at a given signal by the immense volume of smoke of the sacrifices.  By establishing for them a supply of temples, altars, sacrifices and priests she was bound to offend the true supreme God, to whom alone those honours are rightly due.  She had greater happiness when she lived with a smaller number.  But it seemed that she needed a larger supply when she grew greater, as a larger ship needs a larger crew.  I suppose she felt no confidence that those few gods, under whom she had enjoyed a better life (though storing up for herself a worse future), would suffice to support her increasing grandeur.'

It makes sense.  The more gods you acquire, the more you offend the true God.

Next week's reading
Finish  Book 3 (Chapters 17-31)

Now it's your turn
Please post your own notes and thoughts in the comments section below.