Lactantius

Footnotes

^[862] Præsentibus pœnis, “on the spot.”

^[863] i.e., the sign of the cross, with which the early Christians frequently marked themselves. [So long as Christians were mocked and despised as followers of a crucified one, there was a silent testimony and bold confession in this act which must be wholly separated from the mere superstition of degenerate Christians. It used to mean just what the Apostle says, Gal. vi. 14. In this sense it is retained among Anglicans.]

^[864] [See vol. iii. pp. 37, 176, 180, and iv. 189–190.]

^[865] [The cessation of oracles is attested by Plutarch. See also Tertullian, vol. iii. p. 38, this series, and Minucius, vol. iv. p. 190. Demonology needs further exposition, for Scripture is express in its confirmation of patristic views of the subject.]

^[866] There is probably a reference to Iliad, i. 221, where Athene is represented as going to Olympus:—

ἡ δ' Οὔλυπόνδε βεβήκει

δώματ' ἐς αιγιόχοιο Διὸς μετὰ δαίμονας ἄλλους

^[867] Ut errores hominibus immittant.

^[868] Per diversa regionum. There is another reading, “perversâ religione”—by perverted religion.

^[869] The reference is to necromancy, or calling up the spirits of the dead by magic rites.

^[870] There is another reading: “qui de Deo patre omnia, et de filio locutus est multa;” but this is manifestly erroneous.

Chap. XXVIII.—Of Hope and True Religion, and of Superstition.

^[871] So our Lord, John xvii. 3: “This is life eternal, that they might know Thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom Thou hast sent.”

^[872] [“ Hoc vinculo pietatis obstricti Deo et religati sumus.” He returns to this in the same chapter, infra.]

^[873] A religendo. There is little doubt that the true derivation of “religio” is from religere, not from religare According to this, the primary meaning is, “the dwelling upon a subject, and continually recurring to it.”

^[874] Superstites, et superstitiosi.

^[875] [Here the famous passage should be given with accurate reference to its place, as much of its force vanishes in translation. Cicero’s etymology is thus given: “Qui autem omnia quæ ad cultum deorum pertinerent, diligentes retractarent et tamquam relegerent sunt dicti religiosi, ex relegendo, ut elegantes ex eligendo, tamquam a diligendo diligentes, ex intelligendo intelligentes.”—De Nat. Deor., lib. ii. cap. 28.]

^[876] Demerentur, “they lay under an obligation.”

^[877] Criminis est.

^[878] Vitiosum.

^[879] [This seems very loose language when compared with Matt. vi. 9 and 1 Cor. xi. 1, 2. The whole epistle shows the how and the what to be important in worship, and that the Apostle had prescribed certain laws about these.]

^[880] [See note 4, supra.]

^[881] [Lactantius has generally been sustained by Christian criticism in the censures thus passed upon Cicero, and in making the word religio out of religare His own words are desirable here, to be compared with those which he endeavors to refute (note 4, supra): “Diximus nomen religionis a vinculo pietatis esse deductum, quod hominem sibi Deus religarit,” etc.; i.e., it binds again what was loosed.]

^[882] Lucret., i. 931.

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