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47 So the ms., both Rom. edd., Hild., and Oehler, reading quamvis poenam; Gelenius, Canterus, Elm, and Oberthür omit vis, and the other edd. v, i.e., "as to what punishment the Egyptian," etc. This must refer to the cases in which the sacred bull, having outlived the term of twenty-five years, was secretly killed by the priests, while the people were taught that it had thrown itself into the water.
48 i.e., "burial-places." By this Oehler has attempted to show is meant the Hebdomades vel de Imaginibus of Varro, a series of biographical sketches illustrated with portraits, executed in some way which cannot be clearly ascertained.
50 So the ms., first four edd., and Oberthür, reading Toli, corrected Oli in the others, from Servius (ad. Aen., viii. 345). Arnobius himself gives the form Aulus, i.e. Olus, immediately below, so that it is probably correct.
52 Ursinus suggested Valerius Antias, mentioned in the first chapter of the fifth book, a conjecture adopted by Hild.
53 The ms., LB., Hild., and Oehler read Aulus, and, acc. to Oehler, all other edd. Tolus. Orelli, however, reads Olus, as above.
54 The ms. and both Roman edd. read germani servuli vita without meaning, corrected as above by Gelenius, Canterus, Elm., and Oberthür, ut a g. servulo, and ut a g. servulis-"by the slaves," in the others, except Oehler who reads as above, g. servulo ut.
55 The ms. and both Roman edd. read unintelligibly patientiae, corrected paternae in Hild. and Oehler, patriae in the rest.
56 Lit., "the perpetuity of the omen sealed might stand."
57 Lit., "through the times given to itself."
58 The ms. reads s-oli,-changed into Toli by the first four edd., Elm., and Oberthür. The others omit s.
59 ["Belittle." This word here is noteworthy. President Jefferson is said to have coined it, and I have never before seen it in a transatlantic book.]
60 i.e., "which you pretend to worship."
61 So the edd., reading formar-e, except Hild. and Oehler, who retain the ms. reading i-"that images be formed."
62 The ms. and both Roman edd. read corruptly insolidi, corrected ita or sic coli, as above, in all except the last two edd.
63 [It is manifest that nothing of the kind was said by Christians. See p. 506, note 3, supra.]
64 i.e., you do not seek access to the gods directly, and seek to do them honour by giving that honour to the idols instead.
65 i.e., the transmission of the sacrifice to the gods is made dependent on idols.
66 This corresponds exactly to the English, "to shoot at the pigeon and hit the crow."
67 Lit., "with vicarious substitution for." [A very pertinent question as to the images worshipped in Rome to this day. There is one Madonna of African hue and features. See also Murray's Handbook, Italy, p. 72.]
68 The ms. reads effigitur, corrected as above, effin., in all edd. except Hild., who reads efficitur-"is made," and Stewechius, effigiatur-"is formed."
70 Flavus, so invariably associated with blue eyes, that though these are the feature brought into contrast, they are only suggested in this way, and not directly mentioned-a mode of speech very characteristic of Arnobius.
71 i.e., a fact which can be seen to be true by appealing to analogy.
72 So the ms., LB., Hild., and Oehler, reading donastis, the others donatis-"you give."
73 As the appearance of the moon is the same in some of its phases as in others, it is clear that Arnobius cannot mean that it has thirty distinct forms. We must therefore suppose that he is either speaking very loosely of change upon change day after day, or that he is referring to some of the lunar theories of the ancients, such as that a new moon is created each day, and that its form is thus ever new (Lucr., v. 729-748).
74 Lit., "is changed through a thousand states with daily instability."
76 Lit., "intestine and domestic."
77 The ms. reads leon-e-s torvissimam faciem, emended, as above, leonis t. f., in LB., Orelli, Hild., and Oehler, and l. torvissima facie-"lions of very stern face," in the others. Nourry supposes that the reference is to the use of lions, or lion-headed figures, as architectural ornaments on temples (cf. the two lions rampant surmounting the gate of Mycenae), but partially coincides in the view of Elm., that mixed figures are meant, such as are described by Tertullian and Minucius Felix (ch. 28: "You deify gods made up of a goat and a lion, and with the faces of lions and of dogs"). The epithet frugifer, however, which was applied to the Egyptian Osiris, the Persian Mithras, and Bacchus, who were also represented as lions, makes it probable that the reference is to symbolic statues of the sun.
78 Lit., "such a god to whose form and appearance the likeness of this image has been directed."
80 The ms. and both Roman edd. read unintelligibly sanquineo decotoro, for which s. de colore, as above, has been suggested by Canterus, with the approval of Heraldus.
81 The ms. here inserts puetuitate, for which no satisfactory emendation has been proposed. The early edd. read pituitate, a word for which there is no authority, while LB. gives potus aviditate-"drunk with avidity"-both being equally hopeless.
82 ms. sic, corrected by Gelenius si.
83 So Meursius, ac dicere, for ms. -cidere.
84 It is worthy of notice that although in this passage, as often elsewhere, Arnobius adheres pretty closely to the argument proposed by Clemens Alexandrinus, he even in such passages sometimes differs from it, and not at random. Thus Clement speaks merely of a "stone," and Arnobius of an "unshaped stone." The former expression harmonizes with the words of Maximus Tyrius (Serm., xxxviii. p. 225, Steph.), "The Arabians worship I know not whom, but the image which I saw was a square stone;" while Suidas (Küster's ed., s. v. qeu\s !Arhj) agrees with Arnobius in calling it a "stone, black, square, unfashioned" (a0tu/pwtoj). This is the more noteworthy, as at times Arnobius would almost seem to be following Clement blindly. [See Clement, cap. iv. vol. ii. p. 184, this series.]
85 So Arnobius renders Clement's Cithaeronian Hera.
86 So corrected in the notes of Canterus from Clem. for the ms. reading Carios, retained by the first four edd. and Elmenh. In Icaria there was a temple of Diana called Tauropo/lion.
87 The ms. and first four edd. read p-uteum-"a well," corrected plut., as above, by Gifanius, and in the notes of Canterus.
88 The ms. reads ethedius, corrected in the notes of Canterus.
89 So all edd., except both Roman edd., which retain the ms. reading in the singular, suffraginem.
92 So Meursius suggested amentes for the ms. reading animantis for which Heraldus proposed argumentis-"by arguments."
93 Lit., "and most dissolved with the laxity of feminine liquidity."
95 Lit., "with a workman's preparing."
96 Lit., "is there any figure to find."
98 Ex foribus. Cf. Tertull., de Idol., ch. 15: "In Greek writers we also read that Apollo Qurai=oj and the daemones Antelii watch over doors."
99 So the edd, reading petas-un-culum for the ms. -io-.
101 Lit., "with strife of skills."
102 ms. Phyrna, but below Phryna, which is read in both instances by Hild. and Oehler.
103 So Meursius, followed by Orelli, reading istic for the ms. iste.
104 i.e., either the conceptions in their minds, or realized in their works. Orelli, followed by the German translator Besnard, adopting the former view, translates "the ideas of the artists (die Ideale der Künstler) were full of fire and life."
106 [True, alas! to this day; notorious courtesans furnishing the models for the pictures and statues worshipped as saints, angels, etc.]
107 So Gelenius and Canterus, reading et for ms. est.
108 Lit., "with exertion of immense strength."
109 ms. Pantarches. This was a very common mode of expressing love among the ancients, the name of the loved one being carved on the bark of trees (as if the Loves or the mountain nymphs had done it), on walls, doors, or, as in this case, on statues, with the addition "beautiful" (Suidas, s. v. Kaloi/ and 9Ramnousi/a Ne/mesij, with Küster's notes). [Vol. ii. p. 187, note 1, this series.]
111 Lit., "conditions," habitus.
115 [Isa. xl. 18-20, xliv. 9-20, xlvi. 5-8.]
116 i.e., the faculty of discernment, which is properly man's.
117 Lit., "are in the limits of."
118 The ms. reads his-"these", emended, as above, vobis in the margin of Ursinus, Elm., and LB.
120 i.e., a respectable woman.
121 i.e., the elephant's tusk.
122 So Salmasius, followed by Orelli, Hild., and Oehler, reading furfuraculis, and LB., reading perforaculis for the ms. furfure aculeis.
123 So the margin of Ursinus, Meursius (according to Orelli), Hild., and Oehler, reading part-u-m for the ms. -e--"is a part of your labour," etc.
124 Lit., "of thy work and fingers."
125 So the ms., both Roman edd., Elm., and Orelli, reading numinis favore, for which LB. reads favorem-"the favour of the propitious deity to succour." [Isaiah's argument reproduced.]
127 Rigaltius suggested confracta-"shattered," for ms. -flata.
128 So the edd. reading cog- for the ms. cogit-amini.
129 Lit., "be moved with agitation of breathing."
130 Lit., "outside," i.e., before being in bodily forms.
131 So Ursinus and LB., reading retin-e-nt for the ms. -ea-, which can hardly be correct. There may possibly be an ellipsis of si before this clause, so that the sentence would run: "If they had any natural properties, (if) they retain all these, what stupidity," etc.
132 Lit., "deprived of moveableness of feeling."
133 Lit., "a rational animal."
134 Lit., "with deceit of vain credulity." The edd. read this as an interrogation: "Do you, therefore, sink down, adore, and bring yourselves into disgrace?"
135 So Orelli, Hild., and Oehler, adopting a conjecture of Graevius, di-, for the ms. de-ducere-"to lead down."