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Lactantius
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Introductory Notice To Lactantius.
[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.
[411] Ars denotes study, method, or system. The word is applied both to theoretical knowledge and practical skill.
Chap. XIV.—That Lucretius and Others Have Erred, and Cicero Himself, in Fixing the Origin of Wisdom.
[412] A proverbial expression, denoting an accidental occurrence.
[413] Book v. 6.
[414] Book v. 51.
[415] Ch. ii.
[416] The allusion is to the punishment of parricides, who were sewed into a bag with an ape, a serpent, and a cock, and thus thrown into the sea.
[417] If any one has approached her as a learner.
[418] Marcus Antonius, who was consul with C. Cæsar in the year when Cæsar was assassinated. It was against Antonius that Cicero wrote those speeches full of invectives, which, in imitation of Demosthenes, he named Philippics.
[419] This point is discussed by Cicero in his Academic questions.
[420] [Advice which he took to heart as a swinish debauchee.]
[421] Than—that no one knows anything.
[422] Sallust as a writer abounds in denunciations of vice. But see book ii. cap. 13, note 4, p. 62, supra.]
[423] Indicium sui professos putes; others read judicium, “you would think that they were passing sentence on themselves.”
[424] Tituli, “titles.”
[425] Augustine in many places expresses his opinion that the Cynics were so called from their immodesty. Others suppose that the name was given to them on account of their snarling propensity.
[426] [See p. 83, note 2, and p. 84, note 1.]
[427] Lactantius must be understood as speaking of that kind of philosophy which teaches errors and deceits, as St. Paul speaks, Col. ii. 8: “Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit.”
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