The City of God

The City of God by Saint Augustine of Hippo (as translated by Marcus Dods)The City of God, written by Saint Augustine of Hippo in the 5th century, is a book that expounds upon Christian philosophy after the sack of Rome in 410 BC. After a stunning defeat by the Visigoths, Rome was left in a state of utter shock; the Roman empire had not taken a fall in over 800 years. Augustine wrote The City of God as a consolation piece and as inspiration for his countrymen. He asserted that though Rome had fallen, Christianity would ultimately be triumphant and the heavenly New Jerusalem would never tumble.The City of God's original Latin title is translated into The City of God Against the Pagans. It is a defense of Christian faith during a time of Roman and Greek upheaval. The work contains 22 books, which cover a variety of subjects, including an examination of the folly of worshipping false gods, the definition of theology and Platonic philosophy, the origins of evil, a historical account of events in the bible, and the promises of an eternal heaven. Saint Augustine is a preeminent historical figure within the Christian religion. After his conversion to Christianity, he was baptized a priest in Hippo and become a well-known preacher and Christian teacher. After his conversion, he gave up his earthly possession and lived a simply, holy and celibate lifestyle. The City of God is considered to be his masterpiece. Marcus Dods was a Scottish biblical scholar who edited a number of inspiration texts, including Augustine's works.