Lactantius

Footnotes

^[147] Pupæ, dolls or images worn by girls, as bullæ were by boys. On arriving at maturity, they dedicated these images to Venus. See Jahn’s note on the passage from Persius.

^[148] The allusion is to the proverb that “old age is second childhood.”

^[149] An allusion to Ps. cxv. 5: “They have mouths, but they speak not.”

^[150] Quæ tam non habent qui accipiunt, quam qui illa donarunt. The senseless images can make no use of the treasures.

^[151] Justin relates that Græcia Magna, a part of Italy, was subdued by Dionysius. Cicero says that he sailed to Peloponnesus, and entered the temple of the Olympian Jupiter. [De Nat. Deor., iii. 34.]

^[152] Sigilla. The word is also used to denote seals, or signets.

^[153] Equuleus: an instrument of torture resembling a horse, on which slaves were stretched and tortured.

^[154] Nihil esse [= are nothing.]

^[155] The allusion is to the efforts made by the partisans of Verres to prevent Cicero from obtaining the necessary evidence for the condemnation of Verres. But all these efforts were unavailing: the evidence was overwhelming, and before the trial was over Verres went into exile.

Chap. V.—that god only, the creator of all things, is to be worshipped, and not the elements or heavenly bodies; and the opinion of the stoics is refuted, who think that the stars and planets are gods.

^[156] Ps. cxlviii. 6: “He hath established them for ever and ever.”

^[157] Ovid, Metam., lib. i. [79. Jussit et extendi campos, etc.].

^[158] Ovid, Metam., lib. i. [79. Jussit et extendi campos, etc.].

^[159] [De Nat. Deor., ii. cap. 21.]

^[160] Exorbitare, “to wander from their orbits.”

^[161] Deserviunt, “they are devoted to.”

^[162] Spatium; a word borrowed frown the chariot-course, and applied with great beauty to the motions of the stars.

^[163] Archimedes was the greatest of ancient mathematicians, and possessed in an eminent degree inventive genius. He constructed various engines of war, and greatly assisted in the defence of Syracuse when it was besieged by the Romans. His most celebrated work, however, was the construction of a sphere, or “orrery,” representing the movements of the heavenly bodies. To this Lactantius refers.

^[164] Dum vertitur.

^[165] Illa vera. [Newton showed his orrery to Halley the atheist, who was charmed with the contrivance, and asked the name of the maker. “Nobody,” was the ad hominem retort.]

^[166] Staret.

^[167] Spatia.

Chap. VI.—that neither the whole universe nor the elements are god, nor are they possessed of life.

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