Lactantius

Footnotes

^[1101] Posita sunt omnia. There is another reading, “posuit Deus omnia.”

^[1102] Pignoribus.

^[1103] It was customary in many of the ancient states to connect the year with the name of the chief magistrate who was then in office. Thus at Athens the title of the chief magistrate was Archon Eponymus, giving name to the year; and at Rome, the year was reckoned by the names of the consuls then in office.

^[1104] [Ut infinita et perpetua potestate dominos se dici velint universi generis humani. A bold hint to Constantine.]

^[1105] Variis. Another reading is “vanis.”

^[1106] Philosophiam in oculos impingit. [A warning to the emperor, a reflection on such as the Antonines, and a prolepsis of Julian.]

Chap. V.—Of False and True Virtue; And of Knowledge.

^[1107] [Inutilia.]

^[1108] Hostem atque inimicum: the former word signifies a “public,” the latter a “private enemy.”

^[1109] [De Officiis, passim. Notably, to begin with, book i. cap. 3: “Triplex igitur,” etc.]

^[1110] [De Nat. Deor., iii. See also De Off., cap. 5, sec. 18.]

^[1111] Epist., i. 1. 41.

^[1112] [To be taken with a grain of salt, but apparently comprehended in our author’s personal theodicy.]

Chap. VI.—Of the Chief Good and Virtue, and or Knowledge and Righteousness.

^[1113] Pœne: others read “plenè,” and “planè.” [c. 30, p. 100, supra.]

^[1114] [The first of the three inutilia of Lucilius, ut supra, thus: (1) “Virtus quærendæ rei finem scire, modumque;” (2) “Virtus divitiis pretium persolvere posse;” (3) “Virtus id dare quod re ipsa debetur honori.” See p. 167, supra.]

^[1115] See chap. v. [p. 167, supra.]

^[1116] Ratio virtutis.

^[1117] [How I love our author for his winning reproof of mere philosophical virtue in contrast with evangelical righteousness!]

^[1118] [See the Quis Dives Salvetur of Clement, vol. ii. p. 591, this series.]

^[1119] [Haggai. ii. 7. “La journée de Pharsale fut la dernière heure de la liberté. Le sénat, les lois, le peuple, les mœurs, le mond romain étaient anéantis avec Pompée.”—Lamartine.]

^[1120] [See, on Pharsalia, etc., Lamartine’s eloquent remarks, Vie des Grands Hommes (César), vol. v. pp. 276–277, ed. Paris, 1856.]

^[1121] De Offic., iii. 6.

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