Source edition
Cyprian. Saint. S. Thasci Caecili Cypriani Opera omnia, Pars I (Corpus Scriptorum Ecclesiasticorum Latinorum, Volume 3.1). Hartel, Wilhelm von, editor. Vienna: Gerold, 1868.
Source data
Open Greek and Latin · CC BY-SA 4.0
Cloned and adapted by Humanitext, with ongoing edits.
Summary
This theological treatise expounds on the vital importance of patience as the very foundation of the Christian life. The author rejects the false patience boasted of by secular philosophers, asserting that true patience originates from God and is an indispensable virtue for believers. The argument begins by presenting the supreme examples of divine patience, such as God's mercy in granting humanity time for repentance and Christ's boundless patience demonstrated throughout His incarnation, passion, and death on the cross. The discussion then turns to the trials of earthly life following Adam's fall, explaining how patience serves as a crucial shield against persecution, physical frailty, and temptation, while preserving Christian love (caritas) and church unity. Finally, warning against the destructive nature of impatience through biblical examples, the work concludes with a powerful exhortation for believers to refrain from seeking personal vengeance and to patiently await God's ultimate justice at the last judgment.