Today is the Feast of Saint Monica of Hippo.
She was a Catholic Berber, married to a Roman Pagan, in North Africa. Devout throughout her life, she struggled with a dissolute difficult husband who none the less held her in respect. Mother to three sons and a daughter, one of the sons was Augustine, who himself lived a life that caused her endless distress.
She followed him to Rome when he left for their, pursing a career in the law. He converted to Christianity there, prior to her death at age 55. After her death, he would take holy orders, and rise to become St. Augustine of Hippo, one of the greatest Fathers of the Church.
That's the second item I've posted here on an event that occurred in the 380s. This will be the third. St. Monica died in 387.
The first item was this one:
Vae victis
Woe to the Vanquished
Brennus
Brennus statement, made as a Gallic conqueror, is true in more sense than one, not as a brazen command upon the defeated, but as an existential fact.
Of course, in keeping with the nature of fate, which we've had some quotes on recently, while Brennus sacked Roman and generally acted like a bady, his troops came down with the trots in the city and the Romans ended up tossing him and followers out rather effectively somewhat later. That may say about as much on this topic as the quote itself.
Brennus
Brennus statement, made as a Gallic conqueror, is true in more sense than one, not as a brazen command upon the defeated, but as an existential fact.
Of course, in keeping with the nature of fate, which we've had some quotes on recently, while Brennus sacked Roman and generally acted like a bady, his troops came down with the trots in the city and the Romans ended up tossing him and followers out rather effectively somewhat later. That may say about as much on this topic as the quote itself.
Students of history may recall both, but recalling St. Monica is much more likely. And what they may also recall is that her famous son wrote The City of God to make, in part, the point that earthly cities, and order, would rise and fall, but the City of God would not and was the Christians only true home.
A student of history would also know, of course, that Rome and the world overcame those horrible days when people like Brennus sacked a civilized city with rapine delight. But in the 380s it probably didn't look like that was likely to most people.
Which, by extension, would suggest that the depths society falls into at any age likewise need not cause long term despair. The City of God is as relevant as ever.
