编辑推荐

  

  在中国现代化的进程中,西方哲学社会科学始终是最重要的思想资源。然而,一个令人遗憾的事实是,自19世纪末20世纪初“西学东渐”起,国人对于西学的了解,基本上是凭借零星的翻译和介绍,认真地去读原著的人少之又少。这些中译本,囿于译者的眼光和水平,往往与原著出入颇大。因此,国人谈论西学的情景,很像是瞎子摸象,虽然各执一词,却皆不得要领。
  当然,100年间,还是出现了一批学贯中西的学者,但其中肯花工夫于译业的太少。许多年积累下来,我们在这个领域拥有的优质中译本依然十分有限。而且,再好的译本,毕竟与原著隔了一层。倘若我们的学术界始终主要依靠中译本去了解和研究西学,我们的西学水平就永远不能摆脱可怜的境况。
  好在现在有了改变这种境况的条件。在当今全球化时代,随着国门进一步开放,中外交流日渐增多,人们普遍重视英语学习,国人中尤其年轻人中具备阅读英文原著能力的人越来越多了。在这种形势下,本丛书应运而生。编辑者的计划是,选择西方哲学、人文学科、社会科学领域的最基本的英文经典原著,分批陆续出版,为有志者提供价廉的版本和阅读的便利。我赞赏这样的善举,并且相信,这也是为学术界做的一件益事。
  周国平
  2010年2月24日

内容简介

  奥古斯丁生活在罗马帝国走向衰落的年代,是当时最伟大的神学家。他的著作在整个中世纪对基督教学说和观点产生了深刻的影响,事实上他的影响至今仍然存在。《上帝之城》是他最著名、最有影响的两部著作之一,在书中,他通过对罗马史的评论告诉世人罗马的毁灭是咎由自取,与基督教无关,并对上帝的创造和人类的起源、发展、结局进行了阐述,歌颂上帝的伟大创造与救赎计划。

目录

BookI.
BookII.
BookIII.
BookIV.
BookV.
BookVI.
BookVII.
BookVIII.
BookIX.
BookX.
BookXI.
BookXII.
BookXIII.
BookXIV.
BookXV.
BookXVI.
BookXVII.
BookXVIII.
BookXIX.
BookXX.
BookXXI.
BookXXII.

精彩书摘

  2.2RecapitulationoftheContentsoftheFirstBook.
  Intheforegoingbook,havingbeguntospeakofthecityofGod,towhichIhaveresolved,Heavenhelpingme,toconsecratethewholeofthiswork,itwasmyfirstendeavortoreplytothosewhoattributethewarsbywhichtheworldisbeingdevastated,andespeciallytherecentsackofRomebythebarbarians,tothereligionofChrist,whichprohibitstheofferingofabominablesacrificestodevils.IhaveshownthattheyoughtrathertoattributeittoChrist,thatforHisname'ssakethebarbarians,incontraventionofallcustomandlawofwar,threwopenassanctuariesthelargestchurches,andinmanyinstancesshowedsuchreverencetoChrist,thatnotonlyHisgenuineservants,buteventhosewhointheirterrorfeignedthemselvestobeso,wereexemptedfromallthosehardshipswhichbythecustomofwarmaylawfullybeinflicted.Thenoutofthistherearosethequestion,whywickedandungratefulmenwerepermittedtoshareinthesebenefits;andwhy,too,thehardshipsandcalamitiesofwarwereinflictedonthegodlyaswellasontheungodly.Andingivingasuitablyfullanswertothislargequestion,Ioccupiedsomeconsiderablespace,partlythatImightrelievetheanxietieswhichdisturbmanywhentheyobservethattheblessingsofGod,andthecommonanddailyhumancasualties,falltothelotofbadmenandgoodwithoutdistinction;butmainlythatImightnunistersomeconsolationtothoseholyandchastewomenwhowereoutragedbytheenemy,insuchawayastoshocktheirmodesty,thoughnottosullytheirpurity,andthatImightpreservethemfrombeingashamedoflife,thoughtheyhavenoguilttobeashamedof.AndthenIbrieflyspokeagainstthosewhowithamostshamelesswantonnessinsultoverthosepoorChristianswhoweresubjectedtothosecalamities,andespeciallyoverthosebroken-heartedandhumiliated,thoughchasteandholywomen;thesefellowsthemselvesbeingmostdepravedandunmanlyprofiigates,quitedegeneratefromthegenuineRomans,whosefamousdeedsareabundantlyrecordedinhistory,andeverywherecelebrated,butwhohavefoundintheirdescendantsthegreatestenemiesoftheirglory.Intruth,Rome,whichwasfoundedandincreasedbythelaborsoftheseancientheroes,wasmoreshamefullyruinedbytheirdescendants,whileitswallswerestillstanding,thanitisnowbytherazingofthem.Forinthisruintherefellstonesandtimbers;butintheruinthoseprofligateseffected,therefell,notthemural,butthemoralbulwarksandornamentsofthecity,andtheirheartsburnedwithpassionsmoredestructivethantheflameswhichconsumedtheirhouses.ThusIbroughtmyfirstbooktoaclose.AndnowIgoontospeakofthosecalamitieswhichthatcityitself,oritssubjectprovinces,havesufferedsinceitsfoundation;allofwhichtheywouldequallyhaveattributedtotheChristianreligion,ifatthatearlyperiodthedoctrineofthegospelagainsttheirfalseanddeceivinggodshadbeenaslargelyandfreelyproclaimedasnow.
  2.3ThatWeNeedOnlytoReadHistoryinOrdertoSeeWhatCalamitiestheRomansSufIFeredBeforetheReligionofChristBegantoCompetewiththeWorshipoftheGods.
  Butrememberthat,inrecountingthesethings,Ihavestilltoaddressmyselftoignorantmen;soignorant,indeed,astogivebirthtothecommonsaying,"DroughtandChristianitygohandinhand."Thereareindeedsomeamongthemwhoarethoroughlywell-educatedmen,andhaveatasteforhistory,inwhichthethingsIspeakofareopentotheirobservation;butinordertoirritatetheuneducatedmassesagainstus,theyfeignignoranceoftheseevents,anddowhattheycantomakethevulgarbelievethatthosedisasters,whichincertainplacesandatcertaintimesuniformlybefallmankind,aretheresultofChristianity,whichisbeingeverywherediffused,andispossessedofarenownandbrilliancywhichquiteeclipsetheirowngods.Letthemthen,alongwithus,calltomindwithwhatvariousandrepeateddisasterstheprosperityofRomewasblighted,beforeeverChristhadcomeintheflesh,andbeforeHisnamehadbeenblazonedamongthenationswiththatglorywhichtheyvainlygrudge.Letthem,iftheycan,defendtheirgodsinthisarticle,sincetheymaintainthattheyworshiptheminordertobepreservedfromthesedisasters,whichtheynowimputetousiftheysufferintheleastdegree.ForwhydidthesegodspermitthedisastersIamtospeakoftofallontheirworshippersbeforethepreachingofChrist'snameoffendedthem,andputanendtotheirsacrifices?
  2.4ThattheWorshippersoftheGodsNeverReceivedfromThemAnyHealthyMoralPrecepts,andthatinCelebratingTheirWorshipAllSortsoflmpuritiesWerePracticed.
  Firstofall,wewouldaskwhytheirgodstooknostepstoimprovethemoralsoftheirworshippers.ThatthetrueGodshouldneglectthosewhodidnotseekHishelp,thatwasbutjustice;butwhydidthosegods,fromwhoseworshipungratefulmenarenowcomplainingthattheyareprohibited,issuenolawswhichmighthaveguidedtheirdevoteestoavirtuouslife?Surelyitwasbutjust,thatsuchcareasmenshowedtotheworshipofthegods,thegodsontheirpartshouldhavetotheconductofmen.But,itisreplied,itisbyhisownwillamangoesastray.Whodeniesit?Butnonethelesswasitincumbentonthesegods,whoweremen'sguardians,topublishinplaintermsthelawsofagoodlife,andnottoconcealthemfromtheirworshippers.Itwastheirparttosendprophetstoreachandconvictsuchasbroketheselaws,andpubliclyto
  proclaimthepunishmentswhichawaitevil-doers,andtherewardswhichmaybelookedforbythosethatdowell.Dideverthewallsofanyoftheirtemplesechotoanysuchwarningvoice?Imyself,whenIwasayoungman,usedsometimestogotothesacrilegiousentertainmentsandspectacles;Isawthepriestsravinginreligiousexcitement,andheardthechoristers;Itookpleasureintheshamefulgameswhichwerecelebratedinhonorofgodsandgoddesses,ofthevirginCoelestis,andBerecynthia,themotherofallthegods.Andontheholydayconsecratedtoherpurification,thereweresungbeforehercouchproductionssoobsceneandfilthyfortheearlydonotsayofthemotherofthegods,butofthemotherofanysenatororhonestman-nay,soimpure,thatnoteventhemotherofthefoul-mouthedplayersthemselvescouldhaveformedoneoftheaudience.Fornaturalreverenceforparentsisabondwhichthemostabandonedcannotignore.And,accordingly,thelewdactionsandfilthywordswithwhichtheseplayershonoredthemotherofthegods,inpresenceofavastassemblageandaudienceofbothsexes,theycouldnotforveryshamehaverehearsedathomeinpresenceoftheirownmothers.Andthecrowdsthatweregatheredfromallquartersbycuriosity,offendedmodestymust,Ishouldsuppose,havescatteredintheconfusionofshame.Ifthesearesacredrites,whatissacrilege?Ifthisispurification,whatispollution?ThisfestivitywascalledtheTables,asifabanquetwerebeinggivenatwhichuncleandevilsmightfindsuitablerefreshment.Foritisnotdifficulttoseewhatkindofspiritstheymustbewhoaredelightedwithsuchobscenities,unless,indeed,amanbeblindedbytheseevilspiritspassingthemselvesoffunderthenameofgods,andeitherdisbelievesintheirexistence,orleadssuchalifeaspromptshimrathertopropitiateandfearthemthanthetrueGod.
  ……


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