"In this analysis I will be looking at Book 5, Chapter 24 of ‘The City of God', summarising and looking
at it from an analytical perspective, taking into account both social and political contexts. St.
Augustine wrote ‘The City of God' in response to the sacking of Rome in August 410AD directing ‘at
the paganism of an empire now in dissolution' (Palmer, 2001: 26), due to the accusations that
Christianity was the cause of the fall of the Roman Empire.
This chapter of the ‘City of God', a ‘Mirror of Princes', was written by St Augustine to depict the
image of how Christian Roman Emperors ought to act. It criticises the Romans for not restraining
themselves in its strive for power and control, and forgetting that they were only temporal rulers of
the earthly city and that the power of the true God comes from God. Furthermore this was power
willing given by god to the Emperors and should be used as an extension of his worship to ‘promote
true religion' (Deane, 1963:134), and the teachings of Christianity.
In addition Augustine continues on that Christian emperors should act both morally and religiously.
Be humble and not be surrounded by the sense of grandeur and power of those who honour them
with meaningless praise. This strive for praise makes virtues, not a true virtue, and pride is the root
of all sin. Augustine continues on that Christian emperors must be compassionate and be willing to
pardon those who have committed injustice, with mercy whatever severity of the crime, so that the
committee of the crime can amend their ways and be penitent before god, as all men are depraved with sin and are fallen…."
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