The Two Cities

'The Two Cities' is a monumental chronicle and a profound philosophy of history, written by the influential medieval historian and bishop, Otto of Freising. Drawing inspiration from St. Augustine’s 'The City of God', this work explores the dualistic struggle between the earthly and heavenly realms throughout human history. Spanning from the dawn of creation to the mid-twelfth century, the narrative traces the rise and fall of great empires, the progression of the Christian Church, and the intricate politics of the Holy Roman Empire.This translation by Charles Christopher Mierow brings Otto’s meticulous prose and deep theological insights to a modern audience. As one of the most significant historical texts of the Middle Ages, the book provides an invaluable perspective on the medieval worldview, blending empirical historical events with a teleological understanding of time and divine providence. It serves as both a detailed historical record of the author’s own era and a timeless meditation on the transient nature of earthly power in contrast to the eternal kingdom. Scholars of medieval studies, theology, and the history of ideas will find this work essential for understanding the intellectual landscape of the twelfth-century Renaissance.This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work was reproduced from the original artifact, and remains as true to the original work as possible. Therefore, you may see the original copyright references, library stamps (as most of these works have been housed in our most important libraries around the world), and other notations in the work.This work is in the public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work.As a reproduction of a historical artifact, this work may contain missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.