Section CCLXXXVII

To this paraphrase those things which are recorded in profane, Jewish, and Christian monuments add splendor and procure credibility. “The ancient Persians,” Elsner says¹, “in sacred rites prayed well for all Persians, and principally for the king, according to the testimony of Herodotus²; but when at one time a pestilence was spreading destruction throughout the whole world, the Athenians were commanded by an oracle of Apollo to make vows for all, ὑπὲρ πάντων εὐχὰς ποιήσασθαι³.” Grotius⁴, Lightfoot⁵, Ottius⁶, Elsner⁷, and Heinrichs⁸ have many remarkable things concerning the custom of the Jews, among whom Elsner writes: “The Jews formerly prayed⁹ for the kings of Persia; afterward also for the Roman emperors, for example, for Augustus, for whom a daily holocaust was offered in the temple at Jerusalem, according to the testimony of Philo¹⁰; for Gaius likewise they made solemn vows¹¹, sacrificing hecatombs. Julian commends his kingdom¹² to the prayers of the Jews. The high priest is said by Philo¹³ to have made vows in the Holy of Holies for the whole human race, εὐξάμενος εἰρήνην ἅπασιν—

—ἀνθρώποις, having prayed for peace for all men.” Hence the precept of Rabbi Chaninan¹⁴: “Pray for the peace of the kingdom, for unless there were fear, one would devour another.”

Finally, as regards Christians, there are remarkable testimonies of Athenagoras¹⁵, Theophilus of Antioch¹⁶, Tertullian¹⁷, Cyprian¹⁸, Lactantius¹⁹, Pseudo-Ignatius²⁰, Chrysostom²¹, Prosper²², and, lest I commemorate more, the author of the books On the Calling of All Nations²³. Athenagoras speaks excellently; in order to signify the hope conceived in his mind that Christians would be heard by the emperors, he concludes the embassy with these words: “For who are more worthy to obtain the things which they petition, ἢ οἵτινες περὶ μὲν τῆς ἀρχῆς τῆς ὑμετέρας εὐχόμεθα, than we who pray for your empire, that, as a son from a father, as is most equitable, you may receive the kingdom, and that your empire may be enlarged by additions and increases, all being subjected to your dominion! And this indeed is also in our interest, that we may lead a tranquil life and cheerfully administer all things commanded.” But Theophilus, discoursing on the love of enemies and the kindred virtues, writes among other things: “Holy Scripture also commands that we be subject to magistrates and powers and pray for them, that we may lead a tranquil and peaceful life. And it teaches that all things be rendered to all²⁴: honor to whom honor; fear to whom fear; tribute to whom tribute; and to owe nothing to anyone, ἢ μόνον τὸ ἀγαπᾶν πάντας, except to love all—”

—.” Tertullian concurs, saying: “Looking thither, to heaven, Christians, with hands extended because innocent, with head uncovered because we are not ashamed, and finally without a prompter because from the heart, pray for all emperors: for a long life for them, a secure empire, a safe household, brave armies, a faithful senate, an upright people, a quiet world, and whatever are the wishes of a man and of Caesar.” Prudentius, embracing these things more briefly, sang²⁵:

The shrines must be appeased by us for the prince’s triumphs, That a favorable campaign may attend his glory, And that, when the enemies have been subjected, The leader may bridle a quiet world with laws.

Hence Prosper says: “It must most sincerely be believed and professed that God wills all men to be saved, since the Apostle, whose sentence this is, solicitously commanded what is most piously observed in all churches: that supplication be made to God for all.” To these things the solemn ecclesiastical prayer beautifully responds²⁶: “Almighty and eternal God, who savest all and willest that no one perish, look upon the souls deceived by diabolical fraud.”