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Arnobius
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Introductory Notice to Arnobius.
[3233] Wirceburgi, 1783, 8vo, preceded by a rambling introductory epistle.
[3234] Lipsiæ, 1816–17, 8vo.
[3235] Halis Saxonum, 1844, 8vo.
[3236] Lipsiæ, 1846, 8vo.
[3237] Cf. § 1, notes 2 and 3.
[3238] [This section (8) appears as a “Preface” to the Edinburgh edition.]
[3239] The words insanire, bacchari, refer to the appearance of the ancient seers when under the influence of the deity. So Virgil says, Insanam vatem aspicies (Æn., iii. 443), and, Bacchatur vates(Æn., vi. 78). The meaning is, that they make their asseverations with all the confidence of a seer when filled, as he pretended, with the influence of the god.
[3240] Et velut quiddam promptum ex oraculo dicere, i.e., to declare a matter with boldness and majesty, as if most certain and undoubted.
[3241] Popularia verba, i.e., rumours arising from the ignorance of the common people.
[3242] The Christians were regarded as “public enemies,” and were so called.
[3243] Or, “all party zeal.”
[3244] So Meursius,—the ms. reading is inusitatum, “extraordinary.”
[3245] So Gelenius; ms., coartatur, “pressed together.”
[3246] Or, “race,” gens, i.e., the Christian people.
[3247] The verb mereri, used in this passage, has in Roman writers the idea of merit or excellence of some kind in a person, in virtue of which he is deemed worthy of some favour or advantage; but in ecclesiastical Latin it means, as here, to gain something by the mere favour of God, without any merit of one’s own.
[3248] See Livy, i. 31, etc.; and Pliny, Nat. Hist., ii. 38.
[3249] The ms. reads, flumina cognoverimus ingentia lim-in-is ingentia siccatis, “that mighty rivers shrunk up, leaving the mud,” etc.
[3250] So Tertullian, Apologet., 40, says,—“We have read that the islands Hiera, Anaphe, Delos, Rhodes, and Cos were destroyed, together with many human beings.”
[3251] Arnobius, no doubt, speaks of the story of Phæthon, as told by Ovid; on which, cf. Plato, Tim., st. p. 22.
[3252] Nourry thinks that reference is here made to the contests of gladiators and athletes with lions and other beasts in the circus. But it is more likely that the author is thinking of African tribes who were harassed by lions. Thus Ælian (de Nat Anim., xvii. 24) tells of a Libyan people, the Nomæi, who were entirely destroyed by lions.
[3253] The city of Amyclæ in Italy is referred to, which was destroyed by serpents.
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