Chapter VII.

Strangers must never be expelled the city in a time of famine. In this matter the noble advice of a Christian sage is adduced, in contrast to which the shameful deed committed at Rome is given. By comparing the two it is shown that the former is combined with what is virtuous and useful, but the latter with neither.

45. But they, too, who would forbid the city to strangers618    Cic. de Off. III. 11, § 67. cannot have our approval. They would expel them at the very time when they ought to help, and separate them from the trade of their common parent. They would refuse them a share in the produce meant for all, and avert the intercourse that has already begun; and they are unwilling, in a time of necessity, to give those with whom they have enjoyed their rights in common, a share in what they themselves have. Beasts do not drive out beasts, yet man shuts out man. Wild beasts and animals consider food which the earth supplies to be common to all. They all give assistance to those like themselves; and man, who ought to think nothing human foreign to himself, fights against his own.

46. How much better did he act who, having already reached an advanced age, when the city was suffering from famine, and, as is common in such cases, the people demanded that strangers should be forbidden the city, having the office of the prefectship619    It is not certain to what date the famine mentioned by St. Ambrose is to be referred, nor is the name of the prefect of the city certainly known. The Præfectus Urbis was at this time the highest officer of the city, directly representing the emperor, and except to the latter there was no appeal from his decisions. Amongst other duties he exercised a supervision over the importation, exportation, and prices of provisions. As St. Ambrose, § 48, calls him “sanctissimus senex,” he was probably a Christian. of the city, which is higher than the rest, called together the officials and richer men, and demanded that they should take counsel for the public welfare. He said that it was as cruel a thing for the strangers to be expelled as for one man to be cast off by another, and to be refused food when dying. We do not allow our dogs to come to our table and leave them unfed, yet we shut out a man. How unprofitable, again, it is for the world that so many people perish, whom some deadly plague carries off. How unprofitable for their city that so large a number should perish, who were wont to be helpful either in paying contributions or in carrying on business. Another’s hunger is profitable to no man, nor to put off the day of help as long as possible and to do nothing to check the want. Nay more, when so many of the cultivators of the soil are gone, when so many labourers are dying, the corn supplies will fail for the future. Shall we then expel those who are wont to supply us with food, are we unwilling to feed in a time of need those who have fed us all along? How great is the assistance which they supply even at this time. “Not by bread alone does man live.”620    Deut. viii. 3. They are even our own family; many of them even are our own kindred. Let us make some return for what we have received.

47. But perhaps we fear that want may increase. First of all, I answer, mercy never fails, but always finds means of help. Next, let us make up for the corn supplies which are to be granted to them, by a subscription. Let us put that right with our gold. And, again, must we not buy other cultivators of the soil if we lose these? How much cheaper is it to feed than to buy a working-man. Where, too, can one obtain, where find a man to take the place of the former? And suppose one finds him, do not forget that, with an ignorant man used to different ways, one may fill up the place in point of numbers, but not as regards the work to be done.

48. Why need I say more? When the money was supplied corn was brought in. So the city’s abundance was not diminished, and yet assistance was given to the strangers. What praise this act won that holy man from God! What glory among men! He, indeed, had won an honoured name, who, pointing to the people of a whole province, could truly say to the emperor: All these I have preserved for thee; these live owing to the kindness of the senate; these thy council621    tua curia. Ed. Med. has “tua cura.” has snatched from death!

49. How much more expedient was this than that which was done lately at Rome. There from that widely extended city were those expelled who had already passed most of their life in it. In tears they went forth with their children, for whom as being citizens they bewailed the exile, which, as they said, ought to be averted; no less did they grieve over the broken bonds of union, the severed ties of relationship. And yet a fruitful year had smiled upon us. The city alone needed corn to be brought into it. It could have got help, if it had sought corn from the Italians whose children they were driving out. Nothing is more shameful than to expel a man as a foreigner, and yet to claim his services as though he belonged to us. How canst thou expel a man who lives on his own produce? How canst thou expel him who supplies thee with food? Thou retainest thy servant, and thrustest out thy kindred! Thou takest the corn, but showest no good feeling! Thou takest food by force, but dost not show gratitude!

50. How wretched this is, how useless! For how can that be expedient which is not seemly. Of what great supplies from her corporations has Rome at times been deprived, yet she could not dismiss them and yet escape a famine, while waiting for a favourable breeze, and the provisions in the hoped-for ships.

51. How far more virtuous and expedient was that first-mentioned management! For what is so seemly or virtuous as when the needy are assisted by the gifts of the rich, when food is supplied to the hungry, when daily bread fails none? What so advantageous as when the cultivators are kept for the land, and the country people do not perish?

52. What is virtuous, then, is also expedient, and what is expedient is virtuous. On the other hand, what is not expedient is unseemly, and what is unseemly is also not expedient.

CAPUT VII.

Peregrinos tempore famis ex urbe neutiquam expellendos. Egregium hac in re christiani senis consilium refertur: cui opponitur indignum facinus Romae admissum; nec non utroque inter se comparato, primum cum honestate atque utilitate conjunctum fuisse ostenditur, secus vero secundum.

45. Sed et illi qui peregrinos urbe prohibent, nequaquam probandi: expellere eo tempore quo debent juvare, separare a commerciis communis parentis, fusos omnibus partus negare, inita jam 0158D consortia vivendi averruncare: cum quibus fuerint communia jura, cum his nolle in tempore necessitatis subsidia partiri. Ferae non expellunt feras, et homo excludit hominem. Fere ac bestiae communem putant omnibus victum, quem terra ministrat. Illae 0159A etiam conformem sui generis adjuvant, homo impugnat, qui nihil a se alienum debet credere quidquid humani est.

46. Quanto ille rectius, qui cum jam provecta processisset aetate, et famen toleraret civitas, atque (ut in talibus solet) peterent vulgo ut peregrini urbe prohiberentur, praefecturae urbanae curam caeteris majorem sustinens, convocavit honoratos et locupletiores viros, poposcit ut in medium consulerent, dicens quam immane esse peregrinos ejici, quam hominem ab homine exui, qui cibum morienti negaret. Canes ante mensam impastos esse non patimur, et homines excludimus: quam inutile quoque tot populos mundo perire, quos dira conficiebat tabes: quantos urbi suae perire, qui solerent 0159B adjumento esse, 120 vel in conferendis subsidiis, vel in celebrandis commerciis: neminem famem alienam juvare: protrahere ut plurimum diem posse, non inopiam repellere; immo tot cultoribus exstinctis, tot agricolis occidentibus, occasura in perpetuum subsidia frumentaria. Hos igitur excludimus, qui victum nobis inferre consuerunt: hos nolumus in tempore necessitatis pascere, qui nos omni aetate paverunt? Quanta sunt quae ab ipsis nobis hoc ipso tempore ministrantur! Non in solo pane vivit homo (Deut. VIII, 3). Nostra illic familia, plerique etiam nostri parentes sunt. Reddamus quod accepimus.

47. Sed veremur ne cumulemus inopiam. Primum omnium misericordia numquam destituitur, sed adjuvatur. 0159C Deinde subsidia annonae, quae his impartienda sunt, collatione redimamus, reparemus auro. Numquid his deficientibus, non alii nobis redimendi cultores videntur? Quanto vilius est pascere, quam emere cultorem! Ubi etiam repares, ubi invenias quem reformes? Adde si invenias, quod ignarum, et alieni usus, numero possis substituere, non cultui.

0160A 48. Quid plura? Collato auro, coacta frumenta sunt. Ita nec abundantiam urbis minuit, et peregrinis alimoniam subministravit. Quantae hoc commendationis apud Deum fuit sanctissimo seni, quantae apud homines gloriae! Hic magnus vere probatus, qui vere potuit imperatori dicere, demonstrans provinciae totius populos: Hos tibi omnes reservavi, hi vivunt beneficio tui senatus, hos tua curia morti abstulit.

49. Quanto hoc utilius quam illud quod proxime Romae factum est, ejectos esse urbe amplissima, qui jam plurimam illic aetatem transegerant, flentes cum filiis abiisse, quibus velut civibus amoliendum exsilium deplorarent, interruptas complurium necessitudines, diremptas affinitates! Et certe 0160B arriserat anni fecunditas, invectitio urbs sola egebat frumento: potuisset juvari, si peteretur ab Italis frumentum, quorum filii expellebantur. Nihil hoc turpius, excludere quasi alienum, et exigere quasi suum. Quid illum ejicis, qui de suo pascitur? Quid illum ejicis, qui te pascit? Servum retines, trudis parentem? Frumentum suscipis, nec affectum impertis? Victum extorques, nec rependis gratiam?

50. Quam deforme hoc, quam inutile! Quomodo? enim potest utile esse quod non decet? 121 Quantis corporatorum subsidiis dudum Roma fraudata est? Potuit et illos non amittere, et evadere famem, exspectatis ventorum opportunis flatibus, et speratarum commeatu navium.

51. Quam vero illud superius honestum atque utile! 0160C Quid enim tam decorum atque honestum, quam collatione locupletum juvari egentes, ministrari victum es urientibus; nulli cibum defore? Quid tam utile, quam cultores agro reservari, non interire plebem rusticanorum?

52. Quod honestum igitur, et utile est: et quod utile, honestum. Et contra quod inutile, indecorum; quod autem indecorum, id etiam inutile.