1 Earliest Rome

13- P E R S P E C T I V E S
Let us now in any case investigate civil' theology too. 'The third type', he says, 'is that
which citizens and especially priests in cities must know and put into practice. It tells us
which gods are to be worshipped officially, and the rites and sacrifices appropriate to
each.' We should pay particular attention to the following statement: 'The first type of
theology most pertains to the theatre, the second to the world, the third to the city.' It is
easy to see to which he gives first prize. Surely it is the second, which he said earlier was
the preserve of philosophers. This he argues relates to the world, which is, in the opinion
of philosophers, the most important of all things. As for the other two theologies, the
first (of the theatre) and the third (of the city), has he distinguished between them or has
he conflated them? We can recognize that what pertains to the city does not necessarily
pertain to the world, although we recognize that cities are in the world, because
potentially in a city false opinions can lead to the worship of, and belief in, beings which
do not correspond to reality anywhere, in the world or outside it. But where is a theatre
except in a city? Who established a theatre except a state? Why did it establish a theatre
except for stage shows? Where do stage shows belong except classified in 'divine affairs',
which are treated with such skill in this treatise