The City of God, Volume I

90

Fugalia. Vives is uncertain to what feast Augustine refers. Censorinus understands him to refer to a feast celebrating the expulsion of the kings from Rome. This feast, however (celebrated on the 24th February), was commonly called "Regifugium."

91

Persius, Sat. iii. 66-72.

92

See below, books viii. – xii.

93

"Galli," the castrated priests of Cybele, who were named after the river Gallus, in Phrygia, the water of which was supposed to intoxicate or madden those who drank it. According to Vitruvius (viii. 3), there was a similar fountain in Paphlagonia. Apuleius (Golden Ass, viii.) gives a graphic and humorous description of the dress, dancing, and imposture of these priests; mentioning, among other things, that they lashed themselves with whips and cut themselves with knives till the ground was wet with blood.

94

Persius, Sat. iii. 37.

95

Ter. Eun. iii. 5. 36; and cf. the similar allusion in Aristoph. Clouds, 1033-4. It may be added that the argument of this chapter was largely used by the wiser of the heathen themselves. Dionysius Hal. (ii. 20) and Seneca (De Brev. Vit. c. xvi.) make the very same complaint; and it will be remembered that his adoption of this reasoning was one of the grounds on which Euripides was suspected of atheism.

96

This sentence recalls Augustine's own experience as a boy, which he bewails in his Confessions.

97

Labeo, a jurist of the time of Augustus, learned in law and antiquities, and the author of several works much prized by his own and some succeeding ages. The two articles in Smith's Dictionary on Antistius and Cornelius Labeo should be read.

98

"Lectisternia," feasts in which the images of the gods were laid on pillows in the streets, and all kinds of food set before them.

99

According to Livy (vii. 2), theatrical exhibitions were introduced in the year 392 a. u. c. Before that time, he says, there had only been the games of the circus. The Romans sent to Etruria for players, who were called "histriones," "hister" being the Tuscan word for a player. Other particulars are added by Livy.

100

See the Republic, book iii.

101

Comp. Tertullian, De Spectac. c. 22.

102

The Egyptian gods represented with dogs' heads, called by Lucan (viii. 832) semicanes deos.

103

The Fever had, according to Vives, three altars in Rome. See Cicero, De Nat. Deor. iii. 25, and Ælian, Var. Hist. xii. 11.

104

Cicero, De Republica, v. Compare the third Tusculan Quæst. c. ii.

105

In the year a. u. 299, three ambassadors were sent from Rome to Athens to copy Solon's laws, and acquire information about the institutions of Greece. On their return the Decemviri were appointed to draw up a code; and finally, after some tragic interruptions, the celebrated Twelve Tables were accepted as the fundamental statutes of Roman law (fons universi publici privatique juris). These were graven on brass, and hung up for public information. Livy, iii. 31-34.

106

Possibly he refers to Plautus' Persa, iv. 4. 11-14.

107

Sallust, Cat. Con. ix. Compare the similar saying of Tacitus regarding the chastity of the Germans: "Plusque ibi boni mores valent, quam alibi bonæ leges" (Germ. xix.).

108

The same collocation of words is used by Cicero with reference to the well-known mode of renewing the appetite in use among the Romans.

109

Æneid, ii. 351-2.

110

2 Cor. xi. 14.

111

Cicero, C. Verrem, vi. 8.

112

Cicero, C. Catilinam, iii. 8.

113

Alluding to the sanctuary given to all who fled to Rome in its early days.

114

Virgil, Æneid, i. 278.

115

Compare Aug. Epist. ad Deogratias, 102, 13; and De Præd. Sanct. 19.

116

Ch. iv.

117

Virg. Georg. i. 502, 'Laomedonteæ luimus perjuria Trojæ.'

118

Iliad, xx. 293 et seqq.

119

Æneid, v. 810, 811.

120

Gratis et ingratis.

121

De Conj. Cat. vi.

122

Helen's husband.

123

Venus' husband.

124

Suetonius, in his Life of Julius Cæsar (c. 6), relates that, in pronouncing a funeral oration in praise of his aunt Julia, Cæsar claimed for the Julian gens to which his family belonged a descent from Venus, through Iulus, son of Eneas.

125

Livy, 83, one of the lost books; and Appian, in Mithridat.

126

The gates of Janus were not the gates of a temple, but the gates of a passage called Janus, which was used only for military purposes; shut therefore in peace, open in war.

127

The year of the Consuls T. Manlius and C. Atilius, a. u. c. 519.

128

Sall. Conj. Cat. ii.

129

Æneid, viii. 326-7.

130

Sall. Cat. Conj. vi.

131

Æneid, xi. 532.

132

Ibid. x. 464.

133

Livy, x. 47.

134

Being son of Apollo.

135

Virgil, Æn. i. 286.

136

Pharsal. v. 1.

137

Æneid, x. 821, of Lausus:

"But when Anchises' son surveyed

The fair, fair face so ghastly made,

He groaned, by tenderness unmanned,

And stretched the sympathizing hand," etc.

138

Virgil, Æneid, vi. 813.

139

Sallust, Cat. Conj. ii.

140

Ps. x. 3.

141

Æneid, ii. 351-2.

142

Cicero, De Rep. ii. 10.

143

Contra Cat. iii. 2.

144

Æneid, vi. 820, etc.

145

His nephew.

146

Hist. i.

147

Lectisternia, from lectus, a couch, and sterno, I spread.

148

Proletarius, from proles, offspring.

149

The oracle ran: "Dico te, Pyrrhe, vincere posse Romanos."

150

Troy, Lavinia, Alba.

151

Under the inscription on the temple some person wrote the line, "Vecordiæ opus ædem facit Concordiæ" – The work of discord makes the temple of Concord.

152

Cicero, in Catilin. iii. sub. fin.

153

Lucan, Pharsal. ii. 142-146.

154

Virgil, Æneid, i. 417.

155

In Augustine's letter to Evodius (169), which was written towards the end of the year 415, he mentions that this fourth book and the following one were begun and finished during that same year.

156

Comp. Bacon's Essay on the Vicissitudes of Things.

157

Matt. v. 45.

158

2 Pet. ii. 19.

159

Nonius Marcell. borrows this anecdote from Cicero, De Repub. iii.

160

It was extinguished by Crassus in its third year.

161

Cloacina, supposed by Lactantius (De falsa relig. i. 20), Cyprian (De Idol. vanit.), and Augustine (infra., c. 23) to be the goddess of the "cloaca," or sewage of Rome. Others, however, suppose it to be equivalent to Cluacina, a title given to Venus, because the Romans after the end of the Sabine war purified themselves (cluere) in the vicinity of her statue.

162

Forculum foribus, Cardeam cardini, Limentinum limini.

163

Virgil, Eclog. iii. 60.

164

Virgil, Æneid, i. 47.

165

Cicero, De Nat. Deor. ii. 25.

166

Virgil, Georg. ii. 325, 326.

167

Eusebius, De Præp. Evang. i. 10.

168

Virgil, Georg. iv. 221, 222.

169

The feminine Fortune.

170

Hab. ii. 4.

171

So called from the consent or harmony of the celestial movements of these gods.

172

Tusc. Quæst. i. 26.

173

Livy, ii. 36; Cicero, De Divin. 26.

174

Called by Cicero (De Oratore, i. 39) the most eloquent of lawyers, and the best skilled lawyer among eloquent men.

175

Superflua non nocent.

176

Rom. i. 25.

177

De Divin. ii. 37.

178

Cic. De Nat. Deorum, lib. ii. c. 28.

179

Superstition, from superstes. Against this etymology of Cicero, see Lact. Inst. Div. iv. 28.

180

Balbus, from balbutiens, stammering, babbling.

181

See Cicero, De Nat. Deor. i. 2.

182

Plutarch's Numa, c. 8.

183

Written in the year 415.

184

On the application of astrology to national prosperity, and the success of certain religions, see Lecky's Rationalism, i. 303.

185

This fact is not recorded in any of the extant works of Hippocrates or Cicero. Vives supposes it may have found place in Cicero's book, De Fato.

186

i. e. the potter.

187

Epist. 107.

188

Odyssey, xviii. 136, 137.

189

De Divinat. ii.

190

Ps. xiv. 1

191

Book iii.

192

Ps. lxii. 11, 12.

193

Sallust, Cat. vii.

194

Augustine notes that the name consul is derived from consulere, and thus signifies a more benign rule than that of a rex (from regere), or dominus (from dominari).

195

Æneid, viii. 646.

196

Æneid, i. 279.

197

Ibid. vi. 847.

198

Sallust, in Cat. c. xi.

199

Sallust, in Cat. c. 54.

200

2 Cor. i. 12.

201

Gal. vi. 4.

202

Sallust, in Cat. c. 52.

203

Horace, Epist. i. 1. 36, 37.

204

Hor. Carm. ii. 2.

205

Tusc. Quæst. i. 2.

206

John v. 44.

207

John xii. 43.

208

Matt. x. 33.

209

Matt. vi. 1.

210

Matt. v. 16.

211

Matt. vi. 2.

212

Jactantia.

213

Æneid, vi. 820.

214

Matt. x. 28.

215

Matt. viii. 22.

216

Acts ii. 45.

217

Rom. viii. 18.

218

Prov. viii. 15.

219

Æneid, vii. 266.

220

Job xxxiv. 30.

221

Of the Thrasymene Lake and Cannæ.

222

Constantinople.

223

Constantius, Constantine, and Constans.

224

Panegyr. de tertio Honorii consulatu.

225

Tusc. Quaest. v. 19.

226

Ps. xl. 4.

227

Plato, in the Timæus.

228

Ch. xi. and xxi.

229

See Virgil, Ec. iii. 9.

230

Of the four books De Acad., dedicated to Varro, only a part of the first is extant.

231

Cicero, De Quæst. Acad. i. 3.

232

In his book De Metris, chapter on phalæcian verses.

233

Tarquin the Proud, having bought the books of the sibyl, appointed two men to preserve and interpret them (Dionys. Halic. Antiq. iv. 62). These were afterwards increased to ten, while the plebeians were contending for larger privileges; and subsequently five more were added.

234

Ch. 31.

235

Fabulare.

236

Fabulosum.

237

Civile.

238

Timeri.

239

Vereri.

240

Intercido, I cut or cleave.

241

Paranymphi.

242

Comp. Tertullian, Adv. Nat. ii. 11; Arnobius, Contra Gent. iv.; Lactantius, Inst. i. 20.

243

Mentioned also by Tertullian, Apol. 12, but not extant.

244

Numina. Another reading is nomina; and with either reading another translation is admissible: "One is announcing to a god the names (or gods) who salute him."

245

Tert. Apol. 13, "Nec electio sine reprobatione;" and Ad Nationes, ii. 9, "Si dei ut bulbi seliguntur, qui non seliguntur, reprobi pronuntiantur."

246

Cicero, De Nat. Deor. ii., distinguishes this Liber from Liber Bacchus, son of Jupiter and Semele.

247

Januam.

248

Vivificator.

249

Sensificator.

250

As we say, "right-minded."

251

Ch. 21, 23.

252

The father Saturn, and the mother Ops, e. g., being more obscure than their son Jupiter and daughter Juno.

253

Sallust, Cat. Conj. ch. 8.

254

Vicus argentarius.

255

Virgil, Æneid, viii. 357, 358.

256

Quadrifrons.

257

Frons.

258

"Quanto iste innocentior esset, tanto frontosior appareret;" being used for the shamelessness of innocence, as we use "face" for the shamelessness of impudence.

259

Cicero, Tusc. Quæst. v. 13.

260

An interesting account of the changes made in the Roman year by Numa is given in Plutarch's life of that king. Ovid also (Fasti, ii.) explains the derivation of February, telling us that it was the last month of the old year, and took its name from the lustrations performed then: "Februa Romani dixere piamina patres."

261

Ennius, in Cicero, De Nat. Deor. ii. 18.

262

John x. 9.

263

Georgic, ii. 470.

264

Summa, which also includes the meaning "last."

265

Virgil, Eclog. iii. 60, who borrows the expression from the Phænomena of Aratus.

266

Soranus lived about b. c. 100. See Smith's Dict.

267

Tigillus.

268

Ruma.

269

"Pecunia," that is, property; the original meaning of "pecunia" being property in cattle, then property or wealth of any kind. Comp. Augustine, De discipl. Christ. 6.

270

Sallust, Catil. c. 11.

271

Quasi medius currens.

272

Nuncius.

273

Enunciantur.

274

Cœlo.

275

Cœlum.

276

Sc. Χρόνος.

277

See c. 16.

278

Varro, De Ling. Lat. v. 68.

279

Nourisher.

280

Returner.

281

In the book De Ratione Naturali Deorum.

282

Mundum.

283

Immundum.

284

Mundus.

285

Mundum.

286

Virgil, Æneid, viii. 319-20.

287

In the Timæus.

288

Plutarch's Numa; Livy, xl. 29.

289

Comp. Lactantius, Instit. i. 6.

290

Egesserit.

291

Wisdom vii. 24-27.

292

"Sapiens," that is, a wise man, one who had attained to wisdom.

293

Finem boni.

294

Dii majorum gentium.

295

Book i. 13.

296

Rom. i. 19, 20.

297

Col. ii. 8.

298

Rom. i. 19, 20.

299

Acts xvii. 28.

300

Rom. i. 21-23.

301

De Doctrina Christiana, ii. 43. Comp. Retract. ii. 4, 2.

302

Liberating Jewish slaves, and sending gifts to the temple. See Josephus, Ant. xii. 2.

303

Gen. i. 1, 2.

304

Spiritus.

305

Ex. iii. 14.

306

Rom. i. 20.

307

Ch. 14.

308

De Deo Socratis.

309

Virgil, Æn. 7. 338.

310

Virgil, Æn. 4. 492, 493.

311

Virgil, Ec. 8. 99.

312

Pliny (Hist. Nat. xxviii. 2) and others quote the law as running: "Qui fruges incantasit, qui malum carmen incantasit… neu alienam segetem pelexeris."

313

Before Claudius, the prefect of Africa, a heathen.

314

Another reading, "whom they could not know, though near to themselves."

315

These quotations are from a dialogue between Hermes and Æsculapius, which is said to have been translated into Latin by Apuleius.

316

Rom. i. 21.

317

Jer. xvi. 20.

318

Zech. xiii. 2.

319

Isa. xix. 1.

320

Matt. xvi. 16.

321

Matt. viii. 29.

322

Ps. xcvi. 1.

323

Ps. cxv. 5, etc.

324

1 Cor. x. 19, 20.

325

Ps. xcvi. 1-5.

326

Jer. xvi. 20.

327

Ornamenta memoriarum.

328

Comp. The Confessions, vi. 2.

329

See Plutarch, on the Cessation of Oracles.

330

The De Deo Socratis.

331

De Fin. iii. 20; Tusc. Disp. iii. 4.

332

The distinction between bona and commoda is thus given by Seneca (Ep. 87, ad fin.): "Commodum est quod plus usus est quam molestiæ; bonum sincerum debet esse et ab omni parte innoxium."

333

Book xix. ch. 1.

334

See Diog. Laert. ii. 71.

335

Virgil, Æneid, iv. 449.

336

Seneca, De Clem. ii. 4 and 5.

337

Pro. Lig. c. 12.

338

De Oratore, i. 11, 47.

339

De Deo Soc.

340

De Deo Soc.

341

De Deo Soc.

342

Cat. Conj. i.

343

Plotinus died in 270 a. d. For his relation to Plato, see Augustine's Contra Acad. iii. 41.

344

Ennead. iv. 3. 12.

345

Apuleius, not Plotinus.

346

De Deo Socratis.

347

Apuleius, ibid.

348

Virgil, Georg. i. 5.

349

Augustine apparently quotes from memory from two passages of the Enneades, I. vi. 8, and ii. 3.

350

Or, humanity.

351

Comp. De Trin. 13. 22.

352

1 Tim. ii. 5.

353

δαίμων = δαήμων, knowing; so Plato, Cratylus, 398. b.

354

1 Cor. viii. 1.

355

Mark i. 24.

356

Matt. iv. 3-11.

357

Timæus.

358

Ps. l. 1.

359

Ps. cxxxvi. 2.

360

Ps. xcv. 3.

361

Ps. xcvi. 5, 6.

362

Ps. lxxxii. 6.

363

1 Cor. viii. 5, 6.

364

Rom. i. 21.

365

Eph. vi. 5.

366

Namely, δουλεία: comp. Quæst. in Exod. 94; Quæst. in Gen. 21; Contra Faustum, 15, 9, etc.

367

Agricolæ, coloni, incolæ.

368

Virgil, Eneid, i. 12.

369

2 Chron. xxx. 9; Eccl. xi. 13; Judith vii. 20.

370

Ps. lxxxii. 6.

371

John i. 6-9.

372

Ibid. 16.

373

Augustine here remarks, in a clause that cannot be given in English, that the word religio is derived from religere. – So Cicero, De Nat. Deor. ii. 28.

374

Matt. xxii. 37-40.

375

Ps. lxxiii. 28.

376

Ex. xxii. 20.

377

Ps. xvi. 2.

378

Ps. li. 16, 17.

379

Ps. l. 12, 13.

380

Ps. l. 14, 15.

381