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Arnobius
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Introductory Notice to Arnobius.
[4779] Lit., “in vain errors of inanity.”
[4780] The ms. and edd. have here forte—“perchance.’”
[4781] Lit., “gift of food.”
[4782] [It must have taken much time to overcome this distaste for the use of incense in Christian minds. Let us wait for the testimony of Lactantius.]
[4783] Or perhaps, simply, “the sacrifice is a living one,” animalis est hostia. Macrobius, however (Sat., iii. 5), quotes Trebatius as saying that there were two kinds of sacrifices, in one of which the entrails were examined that they might disclose the divine will, while in the other the life only was consecrated to the deity. This is more precisely stated by Servius (Æn., iii. 231), who says that the hostia animalis was only slain, that in other cases the blood was poured on the altars, that in others part of the victim, and in others the whole animal, was burned. It is probable, therefore that Arnobius uses the words here in their technical meaning, as the next clause shows that none of the flesh was offered, while the blood was allowed to fall to the ground. [I am convinced that classical antiquities must be more largely studied in the Fathers of the first five centuries.]
[4784] i.e., the juices which formerly flowed through the living body.
[4785] The heathen opponent is supposed to give up his first reason, that the sacrifices provided food for the gods, and to advance this new suggestion, that they were intended for their gratification merely.
[4786] Lit., “for the sake of.”
[4787] Lit., “with the fleeting tickling of.”
[4788] Lit., “with the levities of gladnesses.”
[4789] i.e., pleasure.
[4790] Naturalis initii consortia.
[4791] So the ms. and first ed., according to Oehler, reading cred-e-t, the others -i-—“does.”
[4792] Lit., “these.”
[4793] Arnobius says that the sacrifices give no pleasure to any being, or at least, if that is not strictly true, that they give none to the gods. [See Elucidation VI., infra.]
[4794] So the ms., LB., Oberthür, Orelli, Hild., and Oehler, reading consec-, for which the rest read consen-taneum est credere—“it is fitting to believe.”
[4795] Lit., “motion of anything.”
[4796] Cf. i. 18.
[4797] Lit., “set in indignations.”
[4798] Lit., “if this satisfaction of sacrifices is offered to.”
[4799] So the ms. and most edd., reading laeta, for which Ursinus suggested lauta—“splendid,” and Heraldus elata—“exalted.”
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