Commodian — Instructiones 33
An untamed hind refuses to bear the yoke for labor; then it likes to fill itself in fat fields with little cabbages. And yet unwilling it is tamed, equally useful, and being tamed it lessens being fierce. Nation, human, you brother — do not be a wild beast; tear yourself free at last and think it over with yourself: you were born not at all a beast nor for beasts, but a human; tame yourself wisely and enter under the caves. You who follow idols — nothing but the vanity of the age. Light hearts lead you into the penal abyss. There you carry gold, clothes, silver in your arms; there is dancing, then love-song is sung for psalms. You think life is where the games are, or you look to those things: you draw lots, ignorant one; you seek extinguished golden things. From there you will not escape the plague, though you yourself divine.
The grace which the Lord has sent to be gathered on earth — you do not seek it, but so wandering as a beast. Golden ages will come to you after fate if you believe rightly, that you may begin again to live immortal forever. This too is given to know what you were before: offer yourself subject to God, who steers all things.
Latin
33 ITEM GENTILIBUS IGNARIS. Indomita ceruia respuit iugum ferre labori, Tunc iuuat in campis crassis satiare cauliclis. Et tamen inuita domatur utilis aeque Minuiturque ferox esse perinde domata; Gens, homo, tu frater, noli pecus esse ferinum, Erue te tandem et tecum ipse retracta: Non utique pecus nec besteis, sed homo natus, Tu te ipse doma sapiens et intra sub antra. Idola qui sequeris, nihil nisi uanitas aeui. Leuia uos corda perducunt poenali barathro. Ibi aurum, uestes, argentum ulnis refertis, Ballatur ibi, dein cantatur pro psalmis amori. Uitam esse putas, ubi ludi, aut prospicis ista: Sortiris, ignare, extincta, aurea quaeris. Inde non effugies pestem, licet ipse diuines.
Gratiam, quam misit Dominus in terra legenda<m>, Non requiris eam, sed sic quasi besteus errans. Aurea post fata ueniet tibi saecla, si credis recte, Rursus ut incipias inmortale uiuere semper. Illud quoque datur scire, quod ante fuisti: Subiectum te praebe Deo, qui cuncta gubernat.