De Civitate Dei, xv (1-5)
1) Go back and read v,11. Note especially the last line. According to A., whose hand is behind the rise and fall of human societies, i.e. history?
2) In the first two children ever born A. sees the two cities as already having taken root and growing. Explain what A. learns from the story of Cain and Abel.
3) Read ch 2 carefully - especially note footnote 4. We will try to sort this out in class.
4) For A., the earthly city (civitas terrena) has taken root in the history of Rome. That the Roman empire existed is not, of itself, bad. Why not?
5) What made Rome an "earthly city?" (cf xiv,6 line 1)
6) What further parallel does A. draw to identify Rome as an earthly city?
( ) I have not read the assignment.
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7) What two wars does A. identify in the stories of Cain and Abel, and Romulus and Remus?