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Arnobius
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Introductory Notice to Arnobius.
[4561] Singular. [But costly churches were built about this time.]
[4562] Non altaria, non aras, i.e., neither to the superior nor inferior deities. Cf. Virgil, Ecl., v. 66.
[4563] [It is not with any aversion to incense that I note its absence, so frequently attested, from primitive rites of the Church.]
[4564] The earlier edd. prefix d to the ms. eos—“that the gods,” etc.
[4565] Lit., “endowed with the eminence of this name.”
[4566] Lit., “and to satiety.”
[4567] The ms. wants se, which was supplied by Stewechius.
[4568] i.e., not act impartially and benevolently, which may possibly be the meaning of contrariis agere, or, as Oehler suggests, “to assail men with contrary, i.e., injurious things.” All edd. read egere, except Oehler, who can see no meaning in it; but if translated, “to wish for contrary things,” it suits the next clause very well.
[4569] Lit., “whom passion touches, suffer.”
[4570] So the ms., Stewechius, Hild., and Oehler, while the first four edd. and Oberthür merely add m to dolore, and join with the preceding pati—“suffer pain, are weakened.”
[4571] [See note 5, book. vi. p. 506.]
[4572] The ms. and most edd. read di-vina nobiscum—“the divine things along with us;” Heraldus rejects div. as a gloss, while Meursius, followed by Orelli, corrects dii una, and Oehler divi una, as above.
[4573] Lit., “are contained in vital substance.”
[4574] Arnobius here expressly denies that the Christians had any temples. There has been some controversy on the subject (Mosheim, book i. cent. 1, ch. 4, sec. 5, Soames’ ed.), surely as needless as controversy could be; for as the Christians must at all times have had stated places of meeting (although in time of persecution these might be changed frequently), it is clear that, in speaking thus, the meaning must be only, that their buildings had no architectural pretensions, and their service no splendour of ritual. [Diocletian’s mild beginning suffered Christians to build costly temples in many places. These he subsequently destroyed with great severity.]
[4575] Lit., “drawn out.”
[4576] So the edd., reading constructafor the corrupt ms. conscripta—“written.”
[4577] i.e., to suppose that temples are necessary to the gods, is to make them subject to human weakness.
[4578] Lit. “with fortifications of roofs.”
[4579] i.e., if you have regard merely to the weakness of men, a temple may be something wonderful.
[4580] Lit., “some.”
[4581] Lit., “formed by contrivance of a poor heart.”
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