Laudator Temporis Acti

Augustine, Expositions of the Psalms 103(2).7 (Corpus Scriptorum Ecclesiasticorum Latinorum, vol. 95/1, p. 133; tr. Maria Boulding):

All this is recounted as though it had happened already, though in fact that psalm refers to future events, foreseen long before. But why need we labor this point? What does all our diligent research achieve? What does our careful inquiry reveal? When are we so confident in the result of our study that we can say with certainty, "This is how it is"? We observe that the prophets often use verbs in the past tense to predict the future; but it is not easy to find an example of the future tense being used to indicate past happenings. I do not presume to say that there is no such example; I would merely suggest to students of those writings a suitable object for their research. If they find an instance of it and report it to us, we busy older people will applaud the studies of younger scholars who have more time, and we too will learn something from their industry. We shall not think this beneath our dignity, for Christ uses all means to teach us.

Omnia quasi iam facta commemorantur, quae utique adhuc ventura cernebantur. Sed quantum potest nostra diligentia? Quantum autem potest tanta occupatio? Aut quando sic vacat, ut possimus pro certo dicere: 'Ita est'? Animadvertimus saepe prophetas praeterito tempore verborum dicere quae futura sunt; figura autem futuri dicere praeterita non facile occurrit legenti. Non audeo dicere: 'Non est', sed certe studiosis earum litterarum indixerim quid quaerant. Si invenerint et ad nos attulerint, gratulabimur adolescentium studiis otiosorum occupati senes, et ex eorum ministerio et nos aliquid discimus. Non enim dedignamur, quando Christus de omnibus docet.