Our noble opponent, however, not observing how many philosophers there
are who admit the existence of Providence, and who hold that Providence
created all things for the sake of rational beings, overturns as far as
he can those doctrines which are of use in showing the harmony that
prevails in these matters between Christianity and philosophy; nor does
he see how great is the injury done to religion from accepting the
statement that before God there is no difference between a man and an
ant or a bee, but proceeds to add, that “if men appear to be superior to
irrational animals on this account, that they have built cities, and
make use of a political constitution, and forms of government, and
sovereignties,[788] this is to say nothing to the purpose, for ants and
bees do the same. Bees, indeed, have a sovereign, who has followers and
attendants; and there occur among them wars and victories, and
slaughterings of the vanquished,[789] and cities and suburbs, and a
succession of labours, and judgments passed upon the idle and the
wicked; for the drones are driven away and punished.” Now here he did
not observe the difference that exists between what is done after reason
and consideration, and what is the result of an irrational nature, and
is purely mechanical. For the origin of these things is not explained by
the existence of any rational principle in those who make them, because
they do not possess any such principle; but the most ancient Being, who
is also the Son of God, and the King of all things that exist, has
created an irrational nature, which, as being irrational, acts as a help
to those who are deemed worthy of reason. Cities, accordingly, were
established among men, with many arts and well-arranged laws; while
constitutions, and governments, and sovereignties among men are either
such as are properly so termed, and which exemplify certain virtuous
tendencies and workings, or they are those which are improperly so
called, and which were devised, so far as could be done, in imitation of
the former: for it was by contemplating these that the most successful
legislators established the best constitutions, and governments, and
sovereignties. None of these things, however, can be found among
irrational animals, although Celsus may transfer rational names, and
arrangements which belong to rational beings, as cities and
constitutions, and rulers and sovereignties, even to ants and bees; in
respect to which matters, however, ants and bees merit no approval,
because they do not act from reflection. But we ought to admire the
divine nature, which extended even to irrational animals the capacity,
as it were, of imitating rational beings, perhaps with a view of putting
rational beings to shame; so that by looking upon ants, for instance,
they might become more industrious and more thrifty in the management of
their goods; while, by considering the bees, they might place themselves
in subjection to their Ruler, and take their respective parts in those
constitutional duties which are of use in ensuring the safety of cities.
Footnote 788:
ἡγεμονίαις.
Footnote 789:
τῶν ἡττημένων αἱρέσεις. “Nota αἱρέσεις hoc loco sumi pro
internecionibus, cædibus. Haud scio an alibi reperiatur pari
significatu. Forte etiam scribendum καθαιρέσεις.”—RUÆUS.