Nanopublication — Philosophical Source — Augustine's Two Cities

Context

Saint Augustine's *De Civitate Dei* (The City of God), written between 413-426 CE, develops one of the most influential frameworks in Western theological and political philosophy: the distinction between the *civitas terrena* (earthly city) and the *civitas Dei* (city of God). In Book XIV, Chapter 28, Augustine articulates how these two cities are "intermingled" in the present age yet oriented toward fundamentally different ends - one toward self-love (*amor sui*), the other toward love of God (*amor Dei*).

This artwork engages directly with Augustine's text as source material, functioning as a visual transliteration of philosophical concepts rather than mere illustration. The transliteration preserves the structural relationships Augustine establishes: the simultaneity of the two cities, their mutual aspiration toward peace, and the tension that arises from their different orientations. The work belongs to a broader practice of ideamorphism - the systematic translation of conceptual structures into visual form while maintaining the integrity of the source idea's internal logic.

The specific passage referenced (XIV, 28,1) addresses how the celestial city, though appearing "in exile on our land," relates to divine providence and shelters "wisdom and peace." This theological formulation provides the conceptual architecture that the visual composition translates into geometric and tonal relationships.