# Cain — The City of God character guide

> Cain in The City of God by Augustine of Hippo.

**Role:** supporting

**Also known as:** Tubal-Cain

**First appearance:** 0002-part-i-book-i

## Snapshot

The first murderer, whose offering was rejected and who founded the earthly city on his brother's blood.

## Who they are

Cain is Augustine's founding citizen of the earthly city, the counterpart to Abel's pilgrim people, and his lineage runs through Tubal-Cain into every kingdom built on domination. His rejected sacrifice and fratricide dramatize the primal split between love of self and love of God that Augustine traces through all of history. He matters because Rome itself, in Augustine's reading, is Cain's city writ large.

## In the story

### [Book X: True Worship and the Way to Blessedness](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_city_of_god_se/chapters/part-i-book-x)

Mentioned as an example of ancient sacrifice, whose offering was rejected by God.

### [That Sacrifice Is Due to the True God Only](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_city_of_god_se/chapters/part-i-iv)

Elder brother whose sacrifice God rejected.

### [XIV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_city_of_god_se/chapters/part-ii-xiv)

Mentioned as a contrast: unlike Adam and Eve, Cain denied his deed outright.

### [Book XV: The Progress of the Two Cities](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_city_of_god_se/chapters/part-ii-book-xv)

Firstborn son of Adam, founder of the earthly city, and a fratricide who killed his brother Abel.

### [I](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_city_of_god_se/chapters/part-ii-i)

Firstborn of Adam and Eve, belonging to the city of men; built a city.

### [Of the fratricidal act of the founder of the earthly city, and the corresponding crime of the founder of Rome](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_city_of_god_se/chapters/part-ii-v)

Founder of the earthly city, slew his brother Abel out of envy.

### [Chapter VII: Of the Cause of Cain's Crime and His Obstinacy](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_city_of_god_se/chapters/part-ii-vii)

Founder of the earthly city; envied his brother Abel, ignored God's warning, and committed fratricide.

### [VIII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_city_of_god_se/chapters/part-ii-viii)

The fratricide who built a city named after his son Enoch, representing the earthly city.

### [Of the long life and greater stature of the antediluvians](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_city_of_god_se/chapters/part-ii-ix)

Mentioned as the builder of a city, whose possibility is supported by the long lives of the antediluvians.

### [XV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_city_of_god_se/chapters/part-ii-xv)

Firstborn son of Adam, founder of the earthly city, murderer of Abel.

### [Of the two fathers and leaders who sprang from one progenitor.](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_city_of_god_se/chapters/part-ii-xvii)

Founder of the earthly city; his name means 'possession,' and his line ends with carnal generations.

### [The Generations of Cain and Seth: The Two Cities Before the Flood](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_city_of_god_se/chapters/part-ii-xx)

Founder of the earthly city; his line terminates in the eighth generation with Lamech's children, symbolizing sin.

### [Chapter XXI: The Two Cities from Cain and Seth](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_city_of_god_se/chapters/part-ii-xxi)

Founder of the earthly city; his son Enoch names the city built on earthly possession.

### [Chapter XXIII: On the Nature of Angels and the Birth of Giants](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_city_of_god_se/chapters/part-ii-xxiii)

Referenced as the father of the ungodly line from which the 'daughters of men' came, leading to the corruption of the Sethites.

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_city_of_god_se/characters/cain
- Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_city_of_god_se
- All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_city_of_god_se/characters