Apology 34
34 Chapter XXXIV PL 1, 450
Augustus, the founder of the empire, would not even have the title Lord; for that, too, is a name of Deity. For my part, I am willing to give the emperor this designation, but in the common acceptation of the word, and when I am not forced to call him Lord as in God’s place. But my relation to him is one of freedom; for I have but one true Lord, the God omnipotent and eternal, who is Lord of the emperor as well. How can he, who is truly father of his country, be its lord? The name of piety is more grateful than the name of power; so the heads of families are called fathers rather than lords. Far less should the emperor have the name of God. We can only profess our belief that he is that by the most unworthy, nay, a fatal flattery; it is just as if, having an emperor, you call another by the name, in which case will you not give great and unappeasable offence to him who actually reigns?—an offence he, too, needs to fear on whom you have bestowed the title. Give all reverence to God, if you wish Him to be propitious to the emperor. Give up all worship of, and belief in, any other being as divine. Cease also to give the sacred name to him who has need of God himself. If such adulation is not ashamed of its lie, in addressing a man as divine, let it have some dread at least of the evil omen which it bears. It is the invocation of a curse, to give Cæsar the name of god before his apotheosis.
ARGUMENTUM.-- Quin et Augustum ipsum Domini tyranni cum nomen abhorruisse, quod et, vice Dei dictum, Divinae Dominationis suggillatio sit, communi more et a Christianis, dici possit. Pater Patria vero qui vocetur, Dominum appellari non debere, multo minus Deum, quod rebellio est in Deum, maledictum in Caesarem, qui apud Romanos post mortem, demum Deus soleat fieri.
Augustus imperii formator, ne dominum quidem dici se volebat; et hoc enim dei est cognomen. Dicam plane imperatorem dominum, sed more communi, sed quando non cogor, ut dominum dei vice dicam. Caeterum liber sum illi; dominus enim meus unus est, Deus omnipotens et aeternus, idem qui et ipsius. Qui pater patriae est, quomodo dominus est. Sed est gratius nomen pietatis, quam potestatis; etiam familiae magis patres, quam domini vocantur. Tanto abest, ut imperator deus debeat dici, quod non potest credi non modo turpissima, sed et perniciosa adulatione; tanquam si habens imperatorem, alterum appelles, nonne maximam et inexorabilem offensam contrahes ejus, quem habuisti, etiam ipsi timendam, quem appellasti? Esto religiosus in deum, qui vis illum propitium imperatori. Desine alium Deum colere vel credere, atque ita et hunc deum dicere, cui deo opus est. Si non de mendacio erubescit adulatio ejusmodi, hominem deum appellans, timeat saltem de infausto. Maledictum est ante apotheosin deum Caesarem nuncupare.