# XV explained — The City of God

> Chapter companion for The City of God by Augustine of Hippo.

## What happens

Augustine uses the example of Marcus Attilius Regulus, a Roman general who voluntarily endured captivity and torture to keep his oath to the gods, to argue that the pagan gods do not secure temporal happiness for their worshippers. He challenges critics who blame Christianity for Rome's misfortunes, pointing out that even a devout pagan like Regulus suffered calamity despite his piety. Augustine concludes that true virtue and blessedness, whether for an individual or a community, come from the same source, and that the gods should not be worshipped for bodily comforts or external advantages.

## Themes in this chapter

### Morality and Virtue vs. Pagan Corruption

Augustine contrasts Regulus's virtue in keeping his oath with the failure of pagan gods to reward such piety, questioning the moral foundation of pagan worship.

### Sin, Grace, and Redemption

The chapter implies that true blessedness comes from virtue and faith in the heavenly country, not from pagan rituals or temporal rewards.

## Character check-ins

### Augustine

Author of the chapter; uses the example of Regulus to argue against pagan criticisms of Christianity.

### Marcus Attilius Regulus

Roman general who endured captivity and torture to keep his oath to the gods, serving as an example of pagan piety that did not prevent suffering.

## Key lines

> But what can we make of men who glory in having such a citizen, but dread having a city like him?

Augustine criticizes those who praise Regulus as an individual but fear that their own city might suffer a similar fate, exposing their inconsistency.

_Highlights the logical flaw in pagan arguments that blame Christianity for collective misfortunes while admiring individual pagan virtue._

> For the blessedness of a community and of an individual flow from the same source; for a community is nothing else than a harmonious collection of individuals.

The happiness of a city and a person come from the same origin, since a city is just a group of individuals living in harmony.

_Augustine asserts that the same principles of virtue apply to both individuals and communities, undermining the pagan claim that gods protect cities but not individuals._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_city_of_god_se/chapters/part-i-xv
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_city_of_god_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_city_of_god_se/chapters