512 THE OCTAVIUS OF L doesbattlewith pain; when he isdrawn up againstthreats, and punishments,and tortures; when, mocking 1 the noiseof death,he treadsunder foot the horror of the executioner; when he raisesup his libertyagainstkingsand princes,and yieldsto God alone,whose he is; when, triumphant and victorious,he tramples upon the very man who has pro nounced sentenceagainsthim ! For he has conquered who has obtainedthat for which he contends. What soldier would not provoke perilwith greaterboldnessunder the eyes of his general? For no one receivesa reward before his trial,and yet the generaldoes not give what he has not : he cannot preservelife,but he can make the warfareglorious. But God's soldieris neitherforsakenin suffering,nor is brought to an end by death. Thus the Christianmay seem to be miserable; he cannot be reallyfound to be so. You yourselvesextol unfortunate men to the skies; Mucius Scajvola,forinstance,who, when he had failedinhisattempt againstthe king, would have perishedamong the enemies unlesshe had sacrificedhisrighthand. And how many of our people have borne that not theirrighthand only,but theirwhole body, shouldbe burned— burned up without any criesof pain,especiallywhen they had itintheirpower to be sentaway ! Do I compare men with Mucius or Aquilius,or with Regulus ? Yet boys and young women among us treat with contempt crossesand tortures,wild beasts,and allthe bugbears of punishments,with the inspired2 patienceof suf fering. And do you not perceive,O wretched men, that there is nobody who either is willing without reason to undergo punishment, or is able without God to bear tor tures? Unless,perhaps,the facthas deceivedyou,thatthose who know not God abound in riches,flourishin honours,and excel in power. Miserable men ! in this respectthey are liftedup the higher,that they may falldown lower. For these are fattenedas victimsfor punishment, as sacrifices 1 " Arridens,"but otherwise" arripiens,"scil."snatchingat,"sug gestingpossiblytheideaof themartyrschidingthedelaysof theexe cutioners,orprovokingtherushofthewildbeasts. s Otherwise," unhoped-for."