The City of God · Chapter
Book XVIII explained
Augustine traces the parallel courses of the earthly and heavenly cities from Abraham to the end of the world, discussing the synchronous kings and times of both cities, the oracles regarding Christ from the sibyls and prophets, the captivi
What happens
Augustine traces the parallel courses of the earthly and heavenly cities from Abraham to the end of the world, discussing the synchronous kings and times of both cities, the oracles regarding Christ from the sibyls and prophets, the captivity of Israel, the deification of Romulus, and the ongoing pilgrimage of the Church amid persecutions and consolations.
Themes in this chapter
The Two Cities
Augustine traces the parallel courses of the earthly and heavenly cities from Abraham to the end of the world.
Divine Providence and History
The rise and fall of kingdoms, including Assyria and Rome, are under God's providence.
Sin, Grace, and Redemption
The Church's pilgrimage amid persecutions and consolations from Abel to the end of the world reflects the ongoing struggle of sin and grace.
Characters to notice
- Augustine
Author and narrator, tracing the parallel histories of the two cities.
- Abraham
Patriarch from whose time the parallel courses of the cities are traced.
- Romulus
Founder of Rome, deified after death; his reign is synchronous with the captivity of the ten tribes.
- Marcus Varro
Learned Roman writer whose historical work is referenced for the early kingdoms.
- Lactantius
Christian writer who included sibylline prophecies about Christ in his work.
- Jeremiah
Prophet who predicted the Babylonian captivity and stated the number of years.
Key passages
“I promised to write of the rise, progress, and appointed end of the two cities, one of which is God’s, the other this world’s, in which, so far as mankind is concerned, the former is now a stranger.”
Augustine restates his promise to describe the origin, development, and destined conclusion of the two cities: the City of God and the earthly city, where the former is currently a pilgrim.
Augustine summarizes the overarching plan of his work.
“For the vanquished succumb to the victorious, preferring any sort of peace and safety to freedom itself; so that they who chose to die rather than be slaves have been greatly wondered at.”
The conquered submit to the conquerors, valuing peace and safety over liberty, which is why those who prefer death to slavery are admired.
Augustine reflects on human nature and the desire for peace.
“Thus in this world, in these evil days, not only from the time of the bodily presence of Christ and His apostles, but even from that of Abel, whom first his wicked brother slew because he was righteous, and thenceforth even to the end of this world, the Church has gone forward on pilgrimage amid the persecutions of the world and the consolations of God.”
From Abel to the end of time, the Church journeys as a pilgrim, facing worldly persecutions but sustained by divine consolations.
Augustine describes the continuous pilgrimage of the Church.