Lactance

L. Cæcilius Firmianus , known as Lactantius is a Rhéteur born towards 250 in Roman Africa and died towards 325.

Biography

It is in the beginning pagan and raises Arnobe, a Christian rhetor, and leaves to settle with Nicomédie in Bithynie. This choice is unhappy because the city is of Greek language and Lactance finds few pupils. It loses its work at the time of the great persecution of Dioclétien. Thus it occupies its leisures to write. The end of its life is animated because it enters in grace near Constantin I {{er}} which charges it with the teaching of the Latin literature to his/her oldest son Crispus.

Works

Its letters, its worms of before its conversion are lost. After its conversion, its works are dominated by a major topic that of the Providence. Its principal book, the Diuinae institutiones , is composed of 7 works in which he seeks to explain to the pagan , at least with those which have instruction, that the Polythéisme is indefensible and that the Raison obliges to admit the Dogme S and the Morale of the Christianisme. He is also the author of De Mortibus Persecutorum ( On the death of the persecutors ), a polemical work written between 318 and 321 in which he affirms that the persecuting emperors are bad emperors and knew a dreadful death, which is a divine punishment. It particularly attacks there the emperor Galère, whom it introduces like inspirer of the persecution of Dioclétien.

One allots a to him Carmen of aue phoenice ( Chant on the bird phoenix ), one of the richest texts on the Phoenix.

Translations

divine Institutions . Deliver I; introduction, critical text, translation by Pierre Monat. Paris: Editions of the Stag, 1986. (Christian Sources; 326). 270p. ISBN 2-204-02536-4. divine Institutions . Deliver II, error. ; introduction, critical text, translation by Pierre Monat. Paris: Editions of the Stag, 1987. (Christian Sources; 337). 230p. ISBN 2-204-02814-2.

divine Institutions . Deliver IV, true wisdom and the true religion; introd., critical text, transl., notes and index by Pierre Monat. Paris: the ED. stag, 1992. (Christian Sources; 377). 277p. ISBN 2-204-04572-1.

divine Institutions. Book V.; introduction, critical text, translation by Pierre Monat. Paris: Editions of the Stag, 1973. (Christian Sources; 204). 259p.

Épitomé of the divine Institutions ; introd., critical text, transl. notes and index by Michel Perrin. Paris: ED. stag, 1987. (Christian Sources; 335). 297p. ISBN 2-204-02813-4. the Anger of God ; intr., critical text, translation, comment and index by Christiane Ingremeau. Paris: the ED. stag, 1982. (Christian Sources; 289). 418p. ISBN 2-204-01867-8.

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