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Lactantius
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Introductory Notice To Lactantius.
[390] Virg., Georg., iii. 112, 102.
[391] [De Finibus, book v. cap. 28.]
[392] Literally, “since the nature of good things is placed on a steep ascent, that of evil things on a precipitous descent.”
[393] Honestas is used with some latitude of meaning, to express respectability of character, or honourable feeling, or the principle of honour, or virtue itself. [See Philipp. iv. 8.]
Chap. IX.—Of the Chief Good, and the Worship of the True God, and a Refutation of Anaxagoras.
[394] That he might be able to make some answer.
[395] The fall or overthrow.
[396] This sight or spectacle, that is, into this world. This expression is used for the place from which the sight is beheld.
[398] Would use a greater sound.
[399] Each, viz., the world and the eye.
[400] Expedita, “free from obstacles,” “unembarrassed.”
[401] Humanity, properly that which is characteristic of man, then kindness and humaneness.
[402] Pietas. The word denotes not only piety towards God, but also the affection due to a parent.
Chap. X.—It is the Peculiar Property of Man to Know and Worship God.
[403] The sounds uttered by the beasts, by which they are able to distinguish one another. [Rousseau’s theory goes further.]
Chap. XI.—Of Religion, Wisdom, and the Chief Good.
[404] Multo magis is the reading of the mss.; but multo minus—“much less”—seems preferable.
[405] Liable to fall, perishable.
[406] According to St. Paul, man consists of three parts—body, soul and spirit. Lactantius appears to use the word soul in the same sense in which the Scriptures speak of spirit. [Vol. i. p. 532.]
[407] Tenuis, as applied to the soul, opposed to solidus, applied to the body.
Chap. XIII.—Of the Immortality of the Soul, and of Wisdom, Philosophy, and Eloquence.
[408] There is a memorable story related by ecclesiastical historians, about a very clever disputant, whose sophistries could not be answered by his fellow-disputants, but who was completely silenced by the simple answers of a Christian otherwise unknown. When questioned about his sudden silence, the sophist replied that others exchanged words for words, but that this simple Christian fought with virtue.
[409] There seems to be a reference to a passage of Terence, in which the poet represents it as the property of man to err. [Or to Cicero, rather: Cujusvis hominis est errare, etc. Philipp. xii. 2.]
[410] Cicero, De Officiis, ii. 2.
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