Letter XCI

Letter XCI

A GRACEFUL letter of affection.

AMBROSE TO HIS BROTHER CANDIDIANUS.

1. GREAT is the beauty of your language, but that of your love is still more apparent, for your letters manifest to me the bright colours of your mind, blessed and most dear brother. The Lord give you His Grace and Blessing, for in your letters I recognize your good wishes rather than my good deserts. For what merits of mine can equal such commendations as yours?

Love me, my brother, for I love you.

EPISTOLA V. A.D. 380.

(See page 19.)

SENTENTIAM abs se in causa Indiciæ latam defendens, Syagrii judicium arguit, quod legitima in eo forma non servata sit. Maximum tragœdiæ auctorem apud se non comparuisse: Syagrium inspectionem virgini contumeliosissimam decrevisse, cum alia, unde judicari virgo debeat, suppetant: inspectionem incertam atque inutilem; aliud enim obstetricum officium esse; non ergo hac ratione causam decidendam; præsertim cum peperisse diceretur Indicia. In quibus inspectio sit toleranda. Syagrium vanam afferre excusationem: Maximum vere accusatorem esse. Postremo accusatione ac testibus rursus vituperatis, refertur Marcellinæ aliarumque pro Indicia testimonium, post quod judicium Ambrosianum subjicitur.

AMBROSIUS SYAGRIO.

♦1. PROSPICIENDUM esse ne de nostro obloquantur judicio carissimi nostri Veronenses, propriis texuisti litteris. Non arbitror fore, certe non solent. Aut si obloquantur, de quo obloqui soleant haud dubie liquet: cum exasperati huc veniant, pacifici ad te revertantur; præsertim cum hoc judicium nostrum cum fratribus et consacerdotibus nostris participatum processerit: tu autem sine alicujus fratris consilio hoc judicium tibi solus vindicandum putaris; in quo tamen ante judicium præjudicium feceris, ut puellam Zenonis sanctæ memoriæ judicio probatam, ejusque sanctificatam benedictione, post tot annos, sine auctore criminationis, sine accusatore, sine professore delationis, in periculum reatus deducendam arbitrare: cui invidia esset a vanis, ab hæreticis, ut ipsi volunt, a turpibus personis conflata per scelus, per avaritiam, per intemperantiam, quærentibus proprii libertatem flagitii; ab iis postremo qui domo ejus ejecti atque eliminati forent, quod discolora opera subtexerent, quam prima fronte suæ professionis prætenderant.

Sidenote: S. Matt. xviii. 16.

2. Hujusmodi accusatores, hujusmodi testes in tuo constituebas judicio, qui neque accusare audebant, neque delationis se nexu obligare; atque ita inspectioni adjudicandam constituebas virginem, quam nullus argueret, nullus deferret. Ubi hæc cognitionis solemnitas? Ubi talis judicandi formula? Si leges publicas interrogamus, accusatorem exigunt: si Ecclesiæ; Duobus, inquit, et tribus testibus stat omne verbum: sed illis testibus qui ante hesternum et nudiustertius non fuerint inimici; ne irati nocere cupiant, ne læsi ulcisci sese velint.

Sidenote: Hist. of Sus. 34 sqq.

3. Inoffensus igitur affectus testium quæritur; ita tamen ut accusator prius in medium procedat. Ipsi illi presbyteri Judæorum manus suas prius supra caput imposuerunt Susannæ, et accusationem professi sunt, et pariter addiderunt testimonii auctoritatem, quam imprudenter populus sub errore positus acceperat: sed divino judicio per prophetam retexit et redarguit omnipotens Deus; ut liqueret omnibus eos velle invidiam præseminare adversum innocentis periculum, qui deficerent accusationis argumento, et firmamento probationis, conjicientes videlicet quod si præoccupatis vulgi auribus invidia mentem incesseret, præjudicium examinandæ veritatis inferret. Etenim cum audita præveniunt, aurem obstruunt, animum occupant; ne probatio desideretur, ut rumor pro convicto teneatur crimine.

4. Nos igitur accusatorem exegimus, et auctorem totius scenæ Maximum perurgendum arbitrati sumus. Verum ille accusationem, quam studio informaverat, verbo detulerat, deseruit professione; et tamen affectu urgebat, arte exsequebatur, sed fugiebat nomine, quod diffideret probationi. Denique sparsis rumoribus, sed etiam epistolis compositis et destinatis, quæsivit acerbare invidiam delationis: sed nequaquam opprimi potuit integritas et circumveniri. Nam si habuisset probationes, numquam inspectionem tua sententia flagitavisset.

5. Quid igitur sibi velit, et quo spectet quod obstetricem adhibendam credideris, non possum advertere. Itane ergo liberum erit accusare omnibus, et, cum probatione destiterint, patebit ut genitalium secretorum petant inspectionem, et addicentur semper sacræ virgines ad hujusmodi ludibria, quæ et visu et auditu horrori et pudori sunt? Denique non minima etiam in tuis litteris tentatæ expressionis verecundia est. Quæ ergo sine damno pudoris in alienis auribus resonare non queunt, ea possunt in virgine sine ejus tentari verecundia?

6. Invenisti tibi vile mancipium, procacem vernulam, cur non abutaris pudibundo ministerio, et exponas ejus modestiam; cum præsertim nihil sanctius in virgine sit, quam verecundia? Non enim sacra virgo ut corpore tantummodo integra sit quæritur, et non ut in omnibus ejus inoffensus maneat pudor. Virgo Domini suis est nixa fulcris ad sui probationem, nec alienis dotibus eget; ut se virginem probet: et nec abditorum occultorumque inspectio, sed obvia omnibus modestia adstipulatur integritati. Non placet Deo, quam non suorum gravitas morum probat: non probatur Domino, quæ unius obstetricis indiget testimonio, quod plerumque quæritur pretio. Ea ergo tibi locuples videtur ad fidem, quæ et redimi et falli potest; ut excuset ream, et crimen tegat, aut nesciat, et non possit flagitium deprehendere?

7. Neque vero illud justum arbitror, quod tuis comprehendisti litteris, quia nisi inspecta fuerit, integritas periclitetur, et incerto sui fluctuet. Ergo omnes quæ inspectæ non sunt, periculum subierunt pudoris? Ergo et quæ nupturæ sunt, prius inspiciantur, ut nubant probatiores? Ergo et quæ velandæ sunt, prius subjiciendæ sunt hujusmodi adtrectationi; non enim visitantur, sed adtrectantur: et rectius secundum tuam sententiam inspicitur non probata, quam consecrata.

8. Quid, quod etiam ipsi archiatri dicunt non satis liquido comprehendi inspectionis fidem, et ipsis medicinæ vetustis doctoribus id sententiæ fuisse? Nos quoque usu hoc cognovimus, sæpe inter obstetrices obortam varietatem, et quæstionem excitatam; ut plus dubitatum sit de ea, quæ inspiciendam se præbuerit, quam de ea quæ non fuerit inspecta. Siquidem et proximo id comperimus exemplo: nam quædam conditionis servilis Altini inspecta et refutata, postea Mediolani non meo quidem jussu, sed Nicenti ex tribuno et notario domini vel patroni sui voluntate visitata est a peritissima et locupleti femina hujusmodi artis; et cum simul ista suppeterent, ut neque paupertas obstetricis suspectam faceret fidem, neque indocilitas imperitiam, tamen adhuc manet quæstio.

9. Quid profuit igitur eam inspici, cum damnatio maneat? Nam ut quisque voluerit, aut imperitam medicam, aut redemptam asseret; ita sine effectu ullo injuria inspectionis est. Quid deinde fiet? Quotiescumque emerserit, qui non credat, toties virgo adtrectabitur? Nam si umquam se visitandam abnuerit, secundum adsertionem tuam de crimine confitebitur. Et facilius est ut refutet, quod numquam fecerit, quam quod fecerit. Variabuntur igitur obstetrices, ne suspectæ aliqua repetatur gratiæ. Erit itaque inter plures, quamquam paucarum etiam in magnis urbibus hic usus medendi sit, erit, inquam, vel malevola, vel imperita, quam pudoris claustra prætereant, et per imperitiam integro notam affigat pudori. Vides in quod periculum inducas virginalem professionem, dum obstetricem adhibendam putas; ut jam non solum verecundiæ suæ dispendio, sed etiam obstetricis incerto periclitetur.

Sidenote: Gen. xxxv. 17.

Sidenote: Ib. xxxviii. 27.

Sidenote: Ex. i. 15 sqq.

10. Nunc consideremus quod obstetricis officium sit. Legimus etiam in veteri Testamento obstetrices, sed non inspectrices; denique ad parturientes ingrediebantur, non ad virgines; ut partus susciperent, non ut pudorem examinarent. Unde et obstetrices dictæ, eo quod obsistant dolori, vel certe pignori, ne laxatis uteri genitalibus claustris, in terram defluat. Secundo et tertio loco in Scripturis invenimus obstetrices adhibitas: sed ubique partui, nusquam inspectioni. Primo ubi Rachel parturit, deinde ubi Thamar parit, tertio ubi necandos mares Pharao mandat Hebræorum obstetricibus; quando responderunt illæ, non eo more Hebræas feminas parere, quo pariunt Ægyptiæ: sed Hebræas prius parere, quam introeant obstetrices ad eas. Qui locus ut superiori utilis ad Hebræorum salutem; ita reliquo confragosus ad obstetricum fidem, quæ didicerunt mentiri pro salute, et fallere pro excusatione.

11. Quid igitur suspecta et dubia captamus; cum majora sint alia examinandæ veritatis documenta et testimonia, in quibus expressiora insignia vel temerati pudoris sint? Quid enim est quod magis publicum sit, quam offensa pudoris, et defloratio virginitatis? Nihil profecto quod magis se prodat, quam castitatis dispendium. Tumescit alvus, et incedentem fœtus sui onera gravant; ut prætermittamus alia, quibus se vel tacita prodit conscientia.

Sidenote: Gen. iii. 16.

Sidenote: Isa. xiii. 8, 9.

12. At forte sterilitatis obtentu abscondi in aliquibus possit flagitium. Hic vero cum editus partus et expositus, vel necatus, (dum invidiæ magis, quam probationi consulitur,) dissipatus sit per aures universorum, strangulata est libertas calumniarum, si peperit. Nempe Veronæ fuit, visebatur frequenter a virginibus et mulieribus; in honore enim semper erat. Visebatur et a sacerdotibus propter pudicitiæ reverentiam, et gravitatis speculum. Quomodo ergo potuit occulere crimen, quod se vel specie sui proderet? Quomodo texit uterum? Quomodo non refugit adspectum mulierum, oculos salutantium? Quomodo parturiens vocem repressit? Sed hoc non patitur dolor: denique Scriptura hos maximos dicit dolores, qui sunt parturientis. Sic enim inquit, Dies Domini subito venit, et improvisus adest, ut dolor partus, qui intercludit omnia effugia delitescendi.

Sidenote: S. Luke i. 24.

Sidenote: S. Matt. i. 18.

13. Hæc est verior documentorum fides, quam erubescunt et mulieres. Denique Elizabeth occultabat se mensibus quinque; eo quod sterilis conceperat in senectute. His signis et ipsa Mariæ virginitas apud ignaros mysterii probri suspectabatur. Unde et Joseph, cui desponsata erat Virgo, suspectum habebat vitium, dum adhuc nesciret Dominicæ incarnationis sacramentum.

14. Quid ergo, negamus inspiciendas virgines? Interim quod nusquam legerim, non adstruo, nec verum arbitror. Sed quia pleraque ad speciem facimus, non ad veritatem; et erroris gratia complura frequenter prætendimus, (sunt enim qui nesciant recte facere, nisi metu pœnæ,) relinquamus hoc illis, quas non verecundia revocat a lapsu, sed solus injuriæ deterret metus: apud quas nulla cura pudoris et castitatis gratia, sed pœnæ timor est. Relinquamus vernaculis, quibus formido est deprehendi magis, quam peccasse. Absit a virgine sacra, ut obstetricem noverit: partus putatur, et remedium doloris ducitur, non examen pudoris. Relinquamus etiam illis, si quæ gravibus appetitæ calumniis, oppressæ testimoniis, strangulatæ argumentis, ad id confugiant, ut se offerant inspectioni, quo vel corporis probetur custodia; si tamen deprehendi potest, in quibus nutat pudoris gratia, et disciplina integritatis. Male tamen se habet causa, ubi potior est carnis quam mentis prærogativa. Malo morum signaculo, quam corporis claustro virginitatem exprimi.

15. Jam illud præclarum, quod scripsisti insinuatum tibi a quibusdam quod nequaquam tibi communicarent, si eam sine visitatione suscipiendam crederes. Ergo judicandi accepisti formulam. Quales illi, qui volunt præscribere sacerdotibus quid sequi debeamus? Liberavimus itaque te a cognitionis gravissimæ necessitate, ne necesse haberes formulam mandatam exsequi. Quid nobis futurum est, qui eorum studiis non obtemperavimus?

Sidenote: S. Luke i. 28.

Sidenote: Hist. of Sus. 15 sqq.

16. Sed tamen scio illic plerosque esse, qui timeant Dominum. Nam et hic vidimus dudum, et illic esse comperimus, qui compositam hanc querantur calumniam: quos aiunt eo offensos favisse Maximo, quod ista virgo non circumeat domos, nec eorum matronas salutet atque ambiat. Quid igitur fiet, quomodo tanto eam exuemus crimine? quomodo persuadebimus ut cultus adsumat novos, suos exuat? Grave flagitium virginem intra secreta domus degere, claudi penetralibus suis! Sic certe lectio docet Mariam domi repertam, cum ad eam Gabriel Archangelus venisset. Susanna fugiens turbarum inducitur. Denique cum se lavaret, paradisum claudi jubebat. Quid autem præstantius, (præsertim in virgine, cujus ♦præcipuum opus verecundia,) quam secretum? quid tutius secreto, et ad omnes actus expeditius? Munia enim pudoris induit, non concursationis. Sed de aliis videro, tuæ nunc mihi respondendum epistolæ est.

17. Te miror, frater, qui tantopere defendas Maximum non fuisse accusatorem, sed parentis dolore doluisse invidiam sparsi rumoris; cum ille se inimicum et adversarium litigatorem, proposito jam jurgio, negare non potuerit adversus sacram virginem judicia adtentavisse: muroque interjecto, discretas ædes uxoris suæ ac virginis, divisam germanitatis inter sorores societatem; aliaque, quibus doleret quod virgo in agro affinitatis suæ refugisset consortium. Quomodo ergo non accusator, qui affectum accusatoris jamdudum exercuit, qui sermone suo accusationem detulit, aures tuas implevit clamore, et testes auditionis deduxit, cognitionem poposcit?

18. Quamlibet argumentatus, negare non potuisti quod ad Indiciam scripseris, quoniam Maximus seu impulsu aliorum, seu dolore proprio crimen grave detulerit. Sola hæc epistola satis est ad accusationis testimonium; neque enim te ego tuis ad me datis litteris urgendum putavi, sed iis lectis quas ad virginem dederas, adverti diversum esse, quod ad me scripseras: et tamen cum epistola tuæ sibi non convenirent, consulendum te, non arguendum putavi. Quid igitur sibi vult illa argumentatio, quia illud detulerit, quod ad me scripseras, delatam videlicet eam in turpi crimine; ita ut editum et obrutum partum dici adserat? Quasi vero istud ad Indiciam, non ad me scripseris. Illa ubi audivit litteris tuis Maximum subduci accusationi, litteras tuas protulit, quibus eum criminis delatorem probavit: ad me datas non legerat, nec quid haberent, sciebat.

Sidenote: 1 Kings xxi. 10. Hist. of Sus. 15 sqq. S. Matt. xxvi. 59, 60.

19. Ego autem exhorrui a primo calumniam, quia advertebam non crimen intendi, sed injuriam virginis desiderari, cujus inspectio et visitatio postulabatur, non aliquod flagitium deferebatur. Quis enim istud a principio fraude compositum nequaquam sibi congruere et convenire non arbitraretur? Cucurrisse mulieres viles ad monasterium, jactasse partum virginis, et necem pignoris, de monasterio rumorem per populos sparsum, eumque affluxisse in aures novi affinis Maximi, ab ipso interpellatum episcopum, dimissas eas quæ dixisse ferebantur, atque in fugam coactas, ut apud nos patuit: eos qui audisse se dicerent, ad Ecclesiam vocatos prodisse Renatum et Leontium, duos illos iniquitatis viros, quos apposuit Jezabel, redarguit Daniel, subornavit Judæorum populus; ut auctorem vitæ suæ falso appeterent testimonio. Qui tamen cum simul composuissent flagitium, simul ingressi essent viam, et ne quid præteream a juncti Maximo, comitantibus, ut dixit Leontius, iis qui illum rumorem sparserant; tamen ubi in meo adstiterunt judicio, cum primo de origine causæ quærerem, diversa et distantia prompsere, non locorum separati, sed mendaciorum divortio.

20. Cum igitur sibi ipsi non convenirent, Mercurium et Leam vilissimæ conditionis et detestabilioris nequitiæ personas amandavissent, aufugisset Theudule, non ignara objiciendi sibi facinoris, quod ante lectum Renati sola cubitavisset, ancilla præesto esset alia, quæ stupro ejusdem Renati se diceret coinquinatam; die ipso, qui dictus erat cognitioni, subtraxerunt se episcoporum conventui; licet etiam pridie subito se profecturos idem Renatus clamaverit.

21. Unde ego judicio præscripsi diem, et tamen nullo accusante, nullis testimoniis perurgentibus, insinuavi sanctæ sorori quod peteres coram ipsa inspici et visitari memoratam virginem. At illa sancte inspectionem quidem recusavit, sed testimonium non declinavit, dicens nihil se in Indicia comprehendisse, nisi quod esset virginalis pudoris et sanctitatis: habitasse eam Romæ in domo nostra, nobis absentibus, nulli eam se vitiorum familiaritati dedisse, optare cum ea sibi a Domino Jesu partem reservari in regno Dei.

22. Paternam quoque filiam nostram interrogavi, quod ab ea numquam soleat discedere, cujus caritas vitæ hujus testimonium est. Itaque etsi quod injurata diceret, fidei sacramento conferendum foret; sub obstestatione tamen professa est alienam criminis quo appetebatur, nec quidquam in ea scire se bonæ vacuum conversationis.

23. Nutricem quoque liberæ conditionis interrogavimus, cui et status haudquaquam degeneri servitio obnoxius libertatem vera fatendi daret, et fides atque ætas ad veritatem adstipularetur, et officium nutricis ad cognitionem secreti. Ea quoque nihil se indecorum vidisse, nihil sibi quasi parenti commissum a virgine aliqua dignum reprehensione.

24. His moti, Indiciam inoffensi virginem muneris pronuntiavimus: Maximum autem et Renatum et Leontium ita involvit sententia, ut Maximo, si errorem emendaret, spes reditus reservaretur; Renatus autem et Leontius excommunicati manerent, nisi forte probata sui pœnitentia, et hujus facti diuturna deploratione, dignos se præberent misericordia. Vale, frater, et nos dilige; ♦quia nos te diligimus.

EPISTOLA VI. A.D. 380.

CUM Syagrio quod Indiciam contumeliosæ inspectioni sententia sua addixisset, Ambrosius amice expostulat; eique atrocissimam ultionem, quam Israelitæ ob violatam in levitæ uxore castitatem repetiverunt, ante oculos ponens, totam rei seriem eleganter describit.

AMBROSIUS SYAGRIO.

1. QUÆ sint in nostro judicio decursa, comperta retines; et ideo nunc quasi animæ portionem convenio meæ, habens apud te pro castitatis contumelia familiarem et dolentem querelam. Itane oportuit inoratam atque inauditam virginitatis causam adjudicari, ut non possit absolvi? Hoc est, nisi sua injuria, nisi ab honesto pudore traducatur ad indecoram sui corporis oblationem, grande videlicet relatura sui testimonium, ut exponatur ludibrio, et procacitatis notetur. Hanc igitur prærogativam detulisti integritati, hujusmodi honorificentiam, qua se lacessiri aut invitari gaudeant, quæ hoc munus recipiendum putant; ut amittant libertatem communis adsertionis, nec se jure tueantur vel sanctæ legis, vel publico, ut non accusatorem exigat, non arcersitorem urgeat: sed impudentiam solam induat, ac sese projiciat ad injuriam?

Sidenote: Judg. xx. 1 sqq.

Sidenote: Ib. 47.

2. Non ita majores nostri despicabilem habebant castimoniam, cui tantum deferebant reverentiæ, ut bellum adversum temeratores pudicitiæ suscipiendum putarent. Denique tantum fuit ultionis studium; ut omnes tribules de Benjamin tribu extinguerentur, nisi sexcentos qui bello reliqui forent natura editioris loci defendisset; sic enim lectionis divinæ serie expressum tenetur, cujus tenorem recensere congruit.

Sidenote: Ib. xix. 1 sqq.

3. Levites vir animo major quam opibus, habitabat in partibus montis Ephræm; ei quippe tribui sortito obtigerat locus in possessionem terræ datus pro funiculo hereditatis. Is sibi accepit jugalem de Juda Bethleem. Et ut se habent prima copularum exordia, ardebat juvenculam immodica animi cupiditate: simul quia similibus ejus non fungebatur, exardescebat magis magisque possessione, atque immane quantum exæstuabat. Unde quia nihil referebatur ex parte adolescentulæ, vel levitate amoris, vel vi doloris, quod haud quaquam mercede pari secum decerneret, cum eadem expostulabat. Hinc frequens jurgium: quo mulier offensa, claves remisit, domum revertit.

Sidenote: Judg. xix. 3 sqq.

4. At ille amore victus, qui quod speraret non habebat aliud; cum quartum jam mensem fluere cerneret, eo contendit, fretus quod consilio parentum emolliretur animus adolescentulæ. Occurrit pro foribus socer, generum introduxit, filiam reconciliavit; et ut lætiores dimitteret, triduo tenuit, quasi repararet nuptias: ac volenti abire, quartum quoque diem comperendinavit, prætenta humanitatis specie, moras innectendo. Pari modo cum etiam quintum diem vellet adjungere superioribus, et jam novæ deessent causæ morandi, paterno tamen affectu retinendæ filiæ desiderium non deforet, promissam profectionis copiam distulit in meridiem ut viam cibo curati adorirentur. Post epulas quoque volens dilationem adtexere, eo quod jam vesper appropinquaret, generi precibus, ægre licet, tamen adquievit.

Sidenote: Ib. 10 sqq.

5. Ille iter suum perrexit lætus animi, quod dilectam sibi recuperavisset. Qui uno comitati servulo, cum jam declinaret dies, festino viam celerabant gradu. Mulier vehebatur jumento, viro nullus sensus laboris, qui fructu desiderii, simul et vario mulieris ac vernaculi sermone viam levaret. Denique ubi Hierosolymam appropinquarunt, quæ triginta stadiis aberat, quam tunc temporis Jebusæi tenebant; suggessit puer deflectendum in civitatem, quia sub noctem suspecta essent etiam illa, quæ tutiora sunt, cavendaque tenebrarum ambigua; maxime quia locorum incolæ non essent de filiis Israel. Et ideo prævertendum ne quid adversa studia gerentes insidiarum inferrent, obscuro noctis dolum quærentibus ad perpetrandum facinus satis opportuno. Sed domino ejus haudquaquam placuit sententia, ut inter alienigenas hospitio succederent; cum Gaba et Rama non longe abessent civitates Benjamin. Itaque prævalens sententia, posthabuit servuli suggestionem; quasi ex conditione consilium æstimaretur, et non consilio quamvis infima conditio allevaretur. Et jam sol in occasu erat: denique vix occurrit, cum jam urgeretur vespere in civitatem succedere.

Sidenote: Judg. xix. 15 sqq.

6. Gabaonitæ incolebant locum, inhospitales, immites, intolerabiles; omnia tamen tolerabiliores, quam si aliquem hospitio recepissent. Denique commodius huic viro levitæ cesserat, si in Gabaa hospitium non reperisset. Verum ne quid deesset offensionis, primo ingressu diversorium non reperit: et cum in publico situs, alienam misericordiam imploraret, offendit advenientem ex agro senem, quem vesper ex opere agresti compulit nocte decedere. Et cum esset ei conspicuus, rogatus quo iret, et unde adventaret, respondit: De Bethleem Juda revertor, contendo ad montem Ephræm, et mulier est mecum: sed ecce huc diverti, et nemo est qui hospitio recipiat, et requiescendi usum ministret. Non quo cibi aut potus sibi, aut pecori pabulorum esset indigentia, sed tecti hospitio prohiberentur: præsto esse illa, nudum tecti hospitium desiderari. Ad ea senior benigne satis et placide: Pax, inquit, tibi: et succede hospes pariter et civis; nam et mihi origo de montis Ephræm partibus, et hic hospitalis habitatio: sed tempore diuturno incolatus sedes fundavit. Itaque receptos domicilio ministerio sui et subsidiis hospitalibus juxta fovit.

Sidenote: Ib. 22.

7. Hortabatur ad lætitiam senior, et frequentioribus provocabat poculis, ut vino aboleret curarum oblivia; cum subito circumsistunt eos Gabaonitæ, juvenes ad omnem projecti libidinem, nihil pensum ac moderatum habentes: quos forma mulieris illexerat, et in omnem amentiam præcipitabat; capti enim ejus decore, et per senectutem hospitis, atque infirmitatem subsidii, accepta spe potiundi, poscunt mulierem, et pulsant januam.

Sidenote: Ib. 23, 24.

8. Itaque egressus senior rogabat eos, ne hospitales mensas turpi flagitio fœdarent, et reverendum jus etiam indomitis barbararum gentium nationibus violandum arbitrarentur: contribulem illum sibi, Israelitem virum legitimi thori subnixum copula non sine indignatione cælestis arbitri tanta affici contumelia. Quod ubi parum procedere advertit, esse sibi filiam virginem adjecit, illam se offerre majore parentis dolore, sed minore gratiæ hospitalis dispendio: publicum flagitium privato dedecore tolerabilius habere. At illi exagitati æstu furoris, et inflammati incentivo libidinis, eo amplius ardebant formam juvenculæ, quo magis negabatur. Et justitiæ exsortes ridebant verba æquitatis, filiam senis, quia minore invidia sceleris offerebatur, despectui habentes.

Sidenote: Judg. xix. 25 sqq.

9. Itaque cum piæ nihil proficerent preces, et seniles frustra hospes manus tenderet, desperato præsidio, rapitur mulier, et per totam noctem injuriæ impletur. At ubi lux finem intemperantiæ dedit, januam hospitalem repetit, non quo viri conspectum exposceret, quem magis declinandum putaret, contumeliæ pudore miserabilis: sed ut affectum viro referret, quæ castitatem amiserat, et contumeliæ suæ funus lamentabili specie ante januam hospitalem exponeret. Egressus itaque levita, cum jacentem invenisset, arbitratus quod verecundia vultum nequaquam adtollere auderet, consolari cœpit: quia non voluntate, sed invita tantæ injuriæ succubuisset: hortari adsurgere, et secum repetere domum. Sed ubi nullum responsum referebatur, quasi quiescentem majore voce e somno excitare.

Sidenote: Ib. 28.

Sidenote: Ib. 20 sqq.

10. Verum ubi mortis supremæ patuit fides, impositas jumento reliquias domum pertulit, et divisos artus mulieris in partes duodecim misit per singulas tribus Israel. Quo commotus universus populus convenit in Massephat, atque ibi querela per levitam cognita, omnes in bellum exarsere, statuentes neminem virorum fas esse in tabernaculum succedere, priusquam de tanti sceleris auctoribus ultio capesseretur. Animis itaque ruebant in prælium; sed consilium prudentiorum prævertit sententiam, non temere confligendum bello cum civibus, sed prius verbis experiendum de flagitio, et decernendum conditionibus pro delictis: neque justum videri, ut paucorum sceleris pretium ad omnes perveniret, et privata adolescentium peccata statum salutis publicæ labefactarent. Itaque miserunt viros, qui denuntiarent Gabaonitis, ut tanti reos flagitii offerrent: sin autem, cognoscerent non minoris esse criminis tantum facinus defendisse, quam exercuisse.

Sidenote: Judg. xix. 15 sqq.

11. Verum illis superba referentibus, consilia pacis bello mutata. Neque primo aut secundo conflictu cum plurimi a paucis afflictarentur, cedendum Israelitæ adversis præliis æstimarunt; quadringenta enim millia virorum bellantium adversum vigintiquinque millia Benjamin tribus, et septingentos Gabaonitas expertos belli juvenes decertabant. Et cum sinistra sorte duo sibi jam cecidissent prælia; animi tamen promtus haudquaquam deposuit Israel vincendi fiduciam, et ulciscendi præsumtam spem.

Sidenote: Ib. 26 sqq.

12. Sed quia causa numeroque præstantiores, inferiores pugnæ eventu pedem retulerant, divinam offensam rati, jejunio et fletu maximo reconciliationem gratiæ cœlestis affectavere. Itaque orata Domini pace, acriores in bellum revertuntur; ut pote quibus oraculum animos dederat, spem accumulaverat. Et simulato a fronte quod cederetur, ac dispositis per noctem insidiis a tergo urbis, in qua locata erat manus hostium; dum hi cedunt, et illi sectantur, invadendi urbem vacuam facta copia, et mox admoto statimque adulto incendio, flammarum fragor atque æstus furens captæ urbis speciem manifestarunt. Quo et suis fracti animi, et erecti hostium. Nam et Benjamin viri clausos se et circumventos rati, priusquam a tergo invaderentur, dispergere sese, atque in desertum fugere cœperunt; et contra Israel gemino agmine urgere eos, ac palantes persequi.

Sidenote: Ib. 35 sqq.

13. Cæsa itaque ♦vigintiquinque millia, id est, omnes fere de viris Benjamin, præter sexcentos, qui arrepto scrupeæ rupis munimento, partim loci ingenio et subsidio naturæ, partim desperatione victoribus terrori fuere. Nam secundæ res cautionis admonent: in adversis ultio pro victoria habetur. Nec feminarum numerus tanti discriminis exsors fuit: sed omnis tribus Benjamin muliebris sexus cum pueris et puellis, omnique ætate gladio aut igne extinctus; sacramentumque additum, ne quis tribus illius viro filiam suam in uxorem daret, quo reparandi nominis omnis aboleretur successio.

Sidenote: Ib. xxi. 2, 3.

14. Belli finis simul atque iræ factus, et furor in pœnitentiam vertit: armisque positis, in unum convenientes viri Israel fleverunt fletum magnum, et celebrarunt jejunium, dolentes unam tribum perisse ex fratribus, atque extinctam populi sui validam manum: jure quidem pro delicti pretio bellatum adversum propugnatores flagitiorum, sed misere in sua populum conversum viscera, et bello civili utrumque afflictum. Lacrymarum effusio movit passionem animi, et affectum perpulit, sævitiæ ratio successit: missique legati ad sexcentos illos Benjamin viros, qui per quatuor menses edito se præruptarum tuebantur rupium, aut deserti indigentia, quæ multitudini obsidentium periculo foret, deploraverunt communem illam ærumnam, quod illi contribules, isti cognatos et socios amisissent; sed tamen non penitus interceptam reparandæ tribus successionem, consulere se in medium quomodo et sacramenti fides sibi constet, et tribus una nequaquam a corpore avulsa intercidat.

Sidenote: Judg. xxi. 4 sqq.

15. Altari itaque posito, reconciliationis et pacis oblatum sacrificium. Et quia Jabis Galaad populus erat pœnæ et maledicto obnoxius, (obstrinxerat enim se omnis Israel magno sacramento, ut si quis non ascendisset cum eo ad puniendum flagitium, morte moreretur,) duodecim millia bellatorum directa: ut et viri omnes et mulieres ferro extinguerentur, solas virilis thori exsortes reservarent adolescentulas. Interfectis itaque omnibus Jabis Galaad, solæ virgines quadringentæ exitio ceterorum superfuerunt. Quas accipiens Israel, statuit viros Benjamin belli metum deponere, et in conjugium sibi sumere integras ævi juxta ac pudoris puellas: quibus et causa esset apud viros integra, quod nemo suorum adversum eos bellum susceperat: et caritatis gratia, quia propter eos supremo supplicio ereptæ forent. Hoc igitur modo quadringentis juvenibus quæsita copularum consortia sunt.

Sidenote: Ib. 16 sqq.

16. Sed quia ducenti numero supererant, quibus jugales deerant, iis quoque sine fraude sacramentorum consultum accepimus. Die festus in Silo quotannis celebrabatur. Ibi exsultare solitæ virgines, et choreas ducere in honorem religionis: aliæ præire matribus, et totum iter agmine viantum repleri. Dixit unus ex senioribus: Si ducenti illi tribus Benjamin viri intra vineas siti excubias tenderent, donec se omnis feminea turba effunderet, et surgentes ex vineis unusquisque quam occursus dederit, uxorem sibi vindicaret, fraudi id nequaquam futurum; populum etenim favere reparandæ tribus successioni, propter sacramentum impertire non posse filiarum suarum societatem: neque tamen contra sacramentum videri, si prohibendum non putaret; quia sacramento neque cogendi, neque prohibendi necessitas imposita videretur: illos sibi sine metu consulere oportere. Sane si puellarum parentes vindictam efflagitarent, partim prece, partim etiam retorquendo in ipsos invitæ culpam custodiæ, sese revocaturos; quia cum scirent Benjamin viros exsortes esse jugalium, cum filiabus processerint: dignam sane tribum jam non pœna, sed misericordia: satis dure sævitum in eos, et debellatam corporis sui partem: immoderatius exarsisse plebem, ut successionem domesticam extingueret, atque ex suis necaret: placere Deo non perire populo tribum, neque pro una muliere tam acerbe consuli.

Sidenote: Judg. xxi. 23.

17. Probaverunt consilium Israelitæ: exsequuti sunt viri Benjamin, et dispositi in vineis loco opportuno et tempore, plenas feminei agminis vias occupaverunt. Præbuit illis festum nuptiarum religionis solemnitas. Avulsæ de complexu patrum filiæ, tanquam in manum ab ipsis parentibus tradebantur, et velut pactam e gremio matris non abduci, sed prodire arbitrareris. Ita tribus Benjamin pene intercepta atque extincta brevi floruit, documentum exhibens, quod magno exitio sit insolentibus vindicta pudicitiæ, et læsæ castitatis ultio.

Sidenote: Gen. xii. 17.

18. Nec hoc solo loco, sed plerisque Scriptura hoc docet. Nam et in Genesi legimus exercitum quæstionibus regem Ægypti Pharao, quod Saram adtentavisset; et tamen alienam esse uxorem nesciebat.

Sidenote: S. Luke xx. 36.

19. Est igitur Domino castitatis tuendæ voluntas, quanto magis est defensandæ integritatis? Unde nulla debet virginibus sacris irrogari injuria; quæ enim non nubunt, et qui uxores non ducunt, habentur sicut Angeli Dei in cælo. Et ideo cœlesti gratiæ non inferamus corporalem contumeliam; quoniam potens est Deus, quem nec prævaricatio prætereat, et moveat accepti sibi muneris et consecratæ virginitatis acerba et gravis contumelia. Vale, frater, et nos dilige: quia nos te diligimus.

INDEX.

A

AARON Called by God to the Priesthood, 373. A pattern for Bishops and Priests, ib. Took ♦precedence of Moses as Priest, 404. Why he took the rings and ear-rings of the people, 373. The meaning of his rod budding, 18, 270, 376.

Abel Why his offering was accepted, 230.

Abraham Ministered to his guests with his own hand, 3. His belief silenced the superstition of his countrymen, 320. The greatness of his faith, 456. And trust in God, 349. His ready obedience, 472. How he saw Christ’s day, 423. All Christians his children, 455.

Absolution Follows on confession, 250.

Abstinence The excellence of it, 366. [See Temperance.]

Abundantius Bp. of Trent, 33. Condemns Palladius, 54. (In p. 60. is called Bishop of Brescia.)

Acholius Brought up in monastic life, 84. Elected Bishop of Thessalonica by the clergy, at the wish of the people, ib. Ambrose writes a letter on his death, 80 &c. Baptised Theodosius, 80. Was present at the Council of Constantinople, ib. Visited Ambrose when sick, 83. Designated Anysius as his successor, ib. Summoned to Constantinople on the question of Maximus’ claim to the see, 77.

Adam His fall, 304. His greatness before his fall, 305. Upheld himself till united to Eve, 317. Before his fall was clothed with virtue, after it, was naked, 348. Fasting would have saved him from this nakedness, 286. The serpent that tempted him was sensual pleasure, 363. Might have retained his original innocence, 434. Fell through pride, ib. His folly in hiding himself, 133. Said to be buried on Golgotha, 423.

Adoption, the Means Redemption, 231. Begun now, perfected hereafter, ib.

Æthiopians Practiced circumcision, 425.

Africanus His victory over Hannibal appealed to by Ambrose, 102.

Agnes Went gladly to her martyrdom, 247.

Ahab poor Naboth rich, 252.

Alani, the Conquered by Valentinian, 179.

Alexander A presbyter of Milan, 286.

Alexander the great Calanus’ letter to, 246.

Alexandria A church there burnt by the Gentiles and Jews, 263. The Church of, in full communion with Milan, 73.

Almachius Bp. takes part in the Council of Aquileia, 33, 61.

Almon, the river Worship of Cybele connected with, 111.

Alypius Ambrose replies to a letter of recommendation from, 476.

Amantius, Bp. of Nice Takes part in the Council of Aquileia, 33, 60. His condemnation of Palladius, 56.

Ambrosia and Ambrosius Daughter and son of Eusebius, 333, 334.

Ambrose, Bp. of Milan Alludes to his election as Bishop, 139. To his endeavours to escape from undertaking the office, 379. Praised in the Emperor’s letter about the Council of Aquileia, 34. Celebrated the Holy Communion daily, 132. Praises the Clergy who do not desert their duties, 74. Devotes all his goods to the poor, 130. Pays deference to the Emperors, but will not yield to them in the cause of the Church, 143. Pleads illness to Theodosius, 326. Visited by Acholius in his sickness, 83. Had purposed to be buried under the altar, where the relics of Gervasius and Protasius were placed, 162. Answers a letter from Gratian, and promises him a treatise on the Holy Spirit, 2 &c. Induced him not to listen to claims for the restoration of heathen worship, 91. Writes to Valentinian against the same claims, 87 &c. Prevents a reply to ♦Symmachus’ memorial, 101. Alludes to this in addressing Eugenius, 341. Relates to his sister the persecutions of Justina, 128 &c. His sermon on the giving up of the Basilica, 131. Another sermon against Auxentius, 142 &c. Introduces the Eastern chanting and singing of hymns, 156. Refuses to have his dispute with Auxentius settled in the Consistory before the Emperor, 137 &c. Finds the relics of Gervasius and Protasius, 158. His sermon on the subject, 159. A second sermon on the same subject, 162. Mentions the healing of a blind man, and other miracles, 158, 163. Writes to the Bishops of Æmilia to settle disputes about the time of keeping the Easter festival, 166. Alludes to his first embassy to Maximus in behalf of Justina and her son, 178. Writes an account of his second embassy to Valentinian, 176 &c. Warns Valentinian not to trust Maximus, 181. Writes to Theodosius about the burning of the Synagogue at Callinicum, 237 &c. Preaches on the subject, 269 &c. Prevails with Theodosius to withdraw his sentence, 279. Replies to Siricius’ letter against Jovinian in the name of the Council of Milan, 282. Writes to Theodosius after the Massacre at Thessalonica, 324 &c. Boldly bids him repent, 327. Refuses to admit him to communion till he does, 328. Writes to Theodosius on the death of Valentinian the 2nd, 331. His letter on the dispute between Evagrius and Flavian as to the succession to the see of Antioch, 336. Writes to Eugenius, 341 &c. Recounts his efforts against the restoration of heathen rights, 342. Writes to the Church at Vercellae when troubled by disputes, and unable to elect a Bishop, 357 &c. Ambrose usually writes with his own hand, 312. Mentions his Hexäemeron, 287. His work on Paradise, 302. Gives Vigilius an outline of the teaching he should give as Bishop, 114. Gives an account of his discussion with an Apollinarian, 306 &c.

Ammianus One of the Bishops of Macedonia, 80.

Anatolius One of the Bishops of Macedonia, 80.

Angels Guard Christ’s servants, 146. Are grieved to be ministers of vengeance, 227.

Anna An example of the blessedness of widowhood, 285.

Antioch Schism in the Church of, 71. Synod of Capua deals with it, 336.

Anysius Succeeds Acholius as Bishop of Thessalonica, 83. Ambrose writes to him on his appointment, 85.

Apame Concubine of Darius, 238.

Aper A presbyter, subscribes the letter of the Synod of Milan to Siricius, 287.

Apollinarian heresy Alluded to, 78. An account of Ambrose’s dealing with one who maintained it, 306 &c. That Christ was perfect God and perfect Man to be maintained against them, 316.

Apostles First-fruits of the Lord, 230, 231. Enlightened to interpret Holy Scripture, 188.

Apostles’ Creed Mentioned, 284.

Aquila His version mentioned, 431.

Aquileia, Council of Its Acts, 32–61. The occasion of it, 31. Its letter to the Bishops of Gaul, 61. Letters to the Emperors, 62, 67, 70.

Arabians Used circumcision, 425.

Ariminum, council of At first condemned Arius, afterwards was misled, 141. Called Christ a creature, 152.

Arian heresy Refuted at the Council of Aquileia, 32–63. A Church claimed for the Arians at Milan, 128. The troubles arising thence, 129 &c. S. Ambrose preaches against them, 143 &c. Refuses to believe the ♦evidence of miracles, 165. Called Christ a creature, 141.

Arius Denied to the Son the titles given to the Father, 64. His letter read at the Council of Aquileia, 51 &c.

Ark of the Covenant Interpretation of, 18.

Artemius A bishop at the Council of Aquileia, 33, 61.

Athanasius His authority appealed to, 76, 79.

Attalus, a presbyter Condemned by the Council of Aquileia, 65. Signed the Nicene formula, 50.

Auxentius, Arian bishop at Milan Challenges Ambrose to ♦arbitration, 137. Ambrose will meet him in a Synod, 141. Preaches against him, 143 &c. Auxentius came from Scythia, 157. Formerly called Mercurianus, ib. Contemns Christian Baptism, 157.

Avarice Perverts men’s judgments, 10. [See Covetous.]

B

BALAAM His history commented on, 319 &c. His words prophetic of Baptism, 321.

Balance, the Of God’s Judgment, 10.

Baptism Is a death to sin, 321. The complete redemption of the whole man, 429. John baptised to repentance, Christ to grace, 157. Typified by the Red sea, 115, 420. Faith not sufficient without Baptism, 26. The baptised should be dead to sin, 362. Have died with Christ, and live again with Him.

Baptistery S. Ambrose teaches in, 129.

Barbatianus and Sarmatio Heretics who troubled the church of Vercellae, 360. Disparaged strictness of life, 361. Worse than Epicurus, 362.

Basilica Those at Milan mentioned, 128, 136, 158. Many burnt by Jews in the reign of Julian, 262.

Bassianus, Bp. of Lodi Takes part in the Council of Aquileia, 33, 60. His condemnation of ♦Palladius, 55. Subscribes the letter of the Council of Milan, to Pope Siricius, 287.

Bassus, Bp. 340.

Bauto An officer of rank under Valentinian, 177, 179, 342.

Beershebah Meaning of, 383.

Bethany Meaning of, 422.

Bethlehem Meaning of, 414. Mystical interpretation of, 416.

Bishop The word Sacerdos often used of, 1. Instructions for a newly elected, 5, 114. Is the pilot of the Church, ib. Should be filled with Scripture, 6. What he should preach, 7, &c. Is a physician of souls, 15. The guardian of his flock, 115. Should extirpate prevailing sins, 116. Must be husband of one wife only, 375. A pattern of Christian virtues, 377. Able to govern himself, ib. His unanimous election a proof of the judgment of God, 359. Must speak his mind boldly, 257. Bishops the proper judges of questions concerning the Faith, 141. And of Bishops, 138. Are judges of emperors not emperors of them, 139. Should not readily appeal to the civil sword, 185. Must forbid mixed marriages, 115 &c. Lovers of peace except in the defence of the Church, 259. Their poverty an excuse for non-attendance at distant Councils, 34, 337. Their consecration day their birthday, 17. Should be chosen for holiness of life, 374.

Blindness, spiritual How healed by Christ, 461.

Body, the To be chastened, 249. Bodily sickness sent for the healing of the soul, 458.

Bononia 254.

Bonosus, letter concerning Probably written by Siricius, certainly not by Ambrose, 339.

Brixillum 254.

C

CABILLONUM (Châlons-♦sur-Saône,) 181.

Caesar (see Emperor.)

Cain A warning to Christians, 8.

Calanus His letter to Alexander the Great, 246.

Calligonus His threats to Ambrose, 137.

Callinicum A synagogue there burnt by the Christians, 257 &c.

Camillus His victory not due to heathen gods, 102.

Campania A pleasant retreat from the troubles of the world, 350.

Candidianus A letter of Ambrose to him.

Capua, synod of Seeks to settle the disputed succession at Antioch, 336 &c. Deals with the case of Bonosus, 339.

Cassianus, a Bishop Takes part in the Council of Aquileia, 33, 61.

♦Castulus, an Arian presbyter Seized by the Christians, and rescued by Ambrose’ order, 129.

Catechumens Dismissed after the Lessons and Sermon, 129.

Chaldæan astrologers Have no hope in the stars which they watch, 232.

Charity Makes men loved by God, 242.

Chastity Its excellence, 105, 368. (see Virginity.)

Children, the three Their freedom, 25.

Christians Truly free and wise, 242. In Ambrose’s time formed a majority in the Senate, 90. Deprived of their common rights by Julian, 89. Prospered under persecution, 104. Should desire peace, but not fear persecution, 132.

Christ The true David, 311. Almighty, 145. How subject, 229. Both Son and Servant, 307. Became a servant for us, ib. To make us free, 243, 311. Perfect God and perfect Man, 309. Was made a curse that we might be blessed, 152, 308, 312. Came to restore us by Grace, 305. Was the true Melchisedeck, 373. His birth of a Virgin maintained against Jovinian, 284. Is the Virgin Word, 214. Both Priest and Victim, 302. The highest Example, 14. Was circumcised to fulfil the law, 78, 3. Fasted as a pattern to us, 363. Obeyed the law to the full, 23. His healings true miracles, 80, 2. Wins men by His goodness, 271. Having forgiven, demands of us forgiveness, 272. Why He wrote on the ground, 184, 188. Desires the pardon of all men, 189. His healing of the blind man interpreted mystically, 80. The praises of Christ the scourge of heretics, 150. His words to His Mother from the cross, 393. His drinking the vinegar, 402. Was alone when He redeemed the world, 318. Needed no redemption Himself, 23. Nor any to help Him to redeem it, 393. Suffered in the flesh, not in the Godhead, 42, 103. Died for all men, 272, 373. Nailed our sins to His Cross, 394. Paid the debt which we owed, 373. Was the Rock, 390. The Lamb, 400. The Bridegroom, 214. His Blood the Cup of Redemption, 22. Died and rose again by His own power, 463. How the first-fruits from the dead, 230. As Son of Man sits at the right hand of God, and we in Him, 446. Sits as Judge, 360. In what sense He does not judge, 454. All Christians are Members of His Body, 273. United to Him as Eve to Adam, 445. The feebler members His feet, 277. Is the true chief good of man, 201. His followers in what sense bound, 464. Where peace and righteousness are, there is Christ, 359. Where Christ is there are all good things, 18. Christ is our Rest, 299. Carnal men not in Christ, 256. Raises up those that fall, if with Him, 462. To kiss Christ means to confess Him, 274. To be Christ’s prisoner better than to be freed by others, 389. How He is the Giant of salvation, 211. The Source of happiness, 202. The Light of the soul, 204. The Fountain of life, 205. The wisdom of God, 399. How He restores the soul, 216.

Chromatius, a presbyter Takes part in the Council of Aquileia, 50, 53, 63.

Church Prefigured by the woman who anointed the feet of Jesus, 266, 270. By the poor widow who cast two mites into the treasury, 186. Foretold by the prophets, 412. Founded not on the Law but on Faith, 152. Is a ship in the sea of the world, 5. A rock unshaken by its waves, ib. Its members Christ’s soldiers, 195. Kisses the feet of Christ, 275. Is a Virgin espoused to Christ, 370. The only safe resting-place, 371. The true second Tabernacle, 18. Looks for immortality, 439. Faith its only possession, 107. Its wealth the support of the poor, ib. Its lands pay tribute to the Emperors, 155. Nothing lost to the Church which is gained to piety, 469. What are its true riches, 212. Belongs to Christ, not to the Emperor, 156.

Cimbri Their spoils used to build heathen temples, 261.

Circumcision Why enjoined in the old Test. though abrogated in the new, 423 &c., 437. Other questions concerning, 424. Practised by the heathen, 425. Superseded by Christ’s Death, 426. The true Circumcision spiritual, 428. Of the heart not of the flesh, 430. Not binding on the Gentiles, 431.

Clarus One of the Bishops of Macedonia, 80.

Claterna 254.

Clergy Are the Lord’s portion, 465. The sole ministers of public worship, 106. Their reward future and heavenly, 462. Christ their support, 463. Forbidden to contract second marriages by the Council of Nicaea, (but see note,) 379. Forbidden to inherit property by wills, 106.

Comacine Rocks, 335.

Comum, the people of Mostly Christians, 19.

Competentes, (candidates for baptism) S. Ambrose taught them the Creed, 129.

Confession Justifies sinners, 329. The duty of sinners, 327. Urged on Theodosius, ib. David a pattern of, 326. Necessary for forgiveness, 419.

Counsels Different from commandments, 370.

Councils Held separately in the East and West, 35. Council of Aquileia, 33–61. Letters written by S. Ambrose in its name, 61, 62, 67, 70. Held a second session, 74. Not fully informed of the decrees of that of Constantinople, 73. The second council of Constantinople, 79.

Constantine, the Emperor Gave to the Bishops the decision in question of faith, 141.

Constantinople, the Bishop’s house at Burnt, 262.

Constantius, Emperor Ordered the removal of the altar of Victory, 112. Gave to the Bishops the decision in question of faith, 141.

Constantius, a newly elected Bishop Receives advice from S. Ambrose, 5 etc. Who commends to his care the see of Imola, (Forum Cornelii,) then vacant, 14.

Constantius, Bishop of Sciscia Takes part in the Council of Aquileia, 33, 61. Condemns Palladius, 56. Signs the Letter to Siricius from the Council of Milan, 287.

Constantius, (or Constantinus,) Bishop of Orange Takes part in the Council of Aquileia, 33, 35, 38. Condemns Palladius, 54. Was present as representing the Bishops of Gaul, 61.

Conversion Its blessedness urged on Theodosius, 327. No cause of shame, 103. Pleasing to God, 268. Even at the last, wins paradise, 423. Its stages, 423 &c.

Correction A proof of love, 414.

Cross, sign of the Used continually by Christians, and why, 427.

Count, of the East 259, note.

Creature, the How made subject to vanity, 225 &c.

Curse, of man To be desired, if it bring a blessing from God, 392.

Cybele Heathen rites in honour of, 111.

Cycle Of nineteen years for Easter, 166.

Cyrus An instance of reverse of fortune, 113.

D

DALMATIUS Conveys Valentinian’s commands to Ambrose, 137.

Damasus, Bishop of Rome Writes to S. Ambrose, 91.

Daniel A type of those who refuse allegiance to the Prince of this world, 25.

David His two wives Ahinoam and Abigail, mystically explained, 215. Nathan’s expostulation with, applied to Theodosius by Ambrose, 278. His life an example of the change of fortune, 13. Guilty before God alone, 243. His humble confession a good example, 327. Why he danced before the ark, 347.

Death The fear of, slavish, 245. Not a cause of sorrow since Christ’s Atonement, 256.

Dead Prayers and offerings to be made for the, 255. Not to be mourned for, if in Christ, 256.

Debtors Usually set free in Holy Week, 129. Mankind debtors, set free by Christ, 271.

Decani Who they were, 129, note.

Delphinus, Bp. A letter to, 475.

Demarchus An Epicurean, (see note.), 365.

Demophilus Elected by the Arians Bishop of Constantinople, 70, note.

Detraction Evil and danger of, 372.

Devil, the Held mankind in slavery through sin, 426. The price of our freedom paid to him, ib. His envy against man, the cause of discord among Christians, 71. Allowed to tempt men, that they may be proved, 132. The devil testifies to the miraculous power of the relics of Gervasius and Protasius, 164.

Diocese Original meaning of the term, 33, note.

Diocletian Era of, 171, note.

Diogenes, Bishop of Genoa Takes part in the Council of Aquileia, 33, 61. Condemns Palladius, 56.

Dionysius, Bishop of Milan Driven into exile by Valens, 380. S. Ambrose calls himself the successor to his heritage, 149.

Discipline The contrary of insolence, 193.

Dodona, oaks of Worshipped by heathens, 107.

Domninus, Bishop of Grenoble Takes part in the Council of Aquileia, 33, 60.

Drachma, the In the parable represents Redemption, 20.

E

EAST Civil Diocese of, 259.

Easter A letter of S. Ambrose as to the time of observance of, 166 &c. Table of, during S. Ambrose’s time, ib. Importance of uniformity in regard of, shewn from Scripture, 168. How to be kept truly, 175.

Eclipses Their causes, 226.

Egyptians Disapproved of the sacrifice of animals, 191. And shepherds, ib. Devoted to geometry and astronomy, 425. Egyptian dogs, meaning of, 168. Going down unto Egypt means following the vices of the Egyptians, 193. Their harvest in the first month of the year, 172. Their priests were circumcised, 425.

Eight Mystical meaning of, 297, 301.

Eleazar His history teaches the doctrine of ordination, 377.

Elias How rich, 252. Conquered on earth, triumphed in heaven, 295. Strengthened by abstinence, 382. His history mystically interpreted, 383. Acholius compared to, 83.

Elisha How a type of Christ, 363. Acholius compared to, 82. His praying that his servant’s eyes may be opened applied, 161.

Enoch His riches, 252.

Emperor, the Should be the first to obey his own laws, 140. Should submit himself to God, 343. Good emperors love freedom, the bad, slavery, 257. Should not forbid obedience to God, 345. Is in the Church, not over the Church, 157. The Church benefited by Christian Emperors, 328. Who are God’s soldiers, 88. And pay honour to God’s Altar only, 104. Have no power over the things of God, 130, 133, 155. Emperors have oftener coveted the Priesthood than Priests sovereignty, 135. What should be rendered to Cæsar, 25.

Ephratah Meaning of, 415.

Epicurus Allowed evil consequences from pleasure, 362. Better than false teachers among Christians, 364. His followers believed in no future state, ib.

Esdras, Book of Its study recommended, 224.

Esther A pattern of the power of fasting, 368.

Eucherius Consul at the time of the Council of Aquileia, 32.

Eugenius Set up as Emperor by Arbogastes, 341. S. Ambrose writes to him against the restoration of heathen worship, ib.

Eusebius, Bishop of Bologna Takes part in the Council of Aquileia, 33, 35 &c., 60. His condemnation of Palladius, 54. Disputes with Secundianus, 57 &c.

Eusebius One of the Bishops of Macedonia, 80.

Eusebius, Bishop of Vercellæ His unanimous election, 359. First combined the duties of monk and bishop, 379. Was a true confessor, 380. Driven into exile by Valens, for refusing to condemn Athanasius, ib.

Eusebius, a layman Friend of S. Ambrose, 333.

Eustathius One of the Bishops at the Synod of Aquileia, 33, 61.

Eustorgius A confessor, 149.

♦Eutropius One of the Bishops of Macedonia, 80.

Evagrius His rivalry with Flavian for the see of Antioch, 336. S. Ambrose’s opinion thereon, 338.

Evagrius, a presbyter Appears at Aquileia as a deputy, 36, 61.

Eventius, Bishop of Ticinum Takes part in the Council of Aquileia, 60. Condemns Palladius, 54. Signs the letter from the Council of Milan to Pope Siricius, 287.

Exsuperantius, Bishop of Dertona Takes part in the Council of Aquileia, 33, 61. Condemns Palladius, 55.

F

FAITH Not to be too readily given, 15. The characteristic of the Gospel, 453. To be willing to face suffering a proof of true faith, 428. Prepares the way for love, 457. Is strict with itself, 382. Justifies, 152. Makes free, 443. Makes us heirs of the promises, ib. Contained in the two Testaments, 298. Delivers by the Blood of Christ, 436. Profession of, directed against heresies, 315. A summary of, ib. Its greatness, 92. Questions of, to be decided by the Church, not the Emperor, or his council, 144. And discussed in the Church, 142.

Famine One of God’s temporal punishments, 409.

Fasting Its efficacy maintained, 286, 363. Makes us spiritually fat, 368. Instances of victories through it, 363, 367. Washes away sin, 363. Evil not easily conquered without it, ib. Jovinian’s disparagement of fasting condemned, 285. Forbidden on the Lord’s Day, 170.

Faustinus Consoled by S. Ambrose on the death of his sister, 254.

Faustinus Son, and grandson of Eusebius, 333.

Fear Caused by sin, 241. Makes men slaves, ib., 245, 452. Yet leads them on to liberty, 442. A means of recovering God’s favour, ib. God would be loved rather than feared, 441. Christ’s true servants have no fear, 157. Inferior to love, 441. The mark of the Law, 452.

Felix and Nabor, a Church dedicated to At Milan, where the relics were found of SS. Gervasius and Protasius, 158.

Felix, Bishop of Comum S. Ambrose writes a friendly letter to, 16. Was ordained by S. Ambrose, 19. Invited to the dedication of a Church, 17.

Felix, Bishop of Jadera Takes part in the Council of Aquileia, 33, 60. Condemns Palladius, 56. Signs the letter of the Council of Milan to Pope Siricius, 287.

Felix, an African Bishop A deputy at the Council of Aquileia, 33, 61. Condemns Palladius, 55.

Felix, a deacon Bearer of a letter to Theodosius, 357.

First-born, the Represent holy men, 222.

Flavian S. Ambrose writes about the dispute between him and Meletius for the see of Antioch, 336. Refuses the decision of the Bishops, 337. The claims of both sides weak, 378.

Flesh, the United to the soul as a brother, 403. Is mortal, soul immortal, 255.

Fool, the Always poor, 193.

Forgiveness A Christian duty, 385. Because we have been forgiven, 272. Jacob, a pattern of, 391.

Freedom That of the soul, the true, 240. Comes from free-will, 241. Exists even in bondage, 243. Not good for fools, 237, 248. Belongs to the promise, not the law, 450. God’s service the highest freedom, 242.

G

GAUL, the Bishops of Thanked for sending deputies to the Council of Aquileia, 61.

Geminianus, a Bishop Present at the Council of Milan, 287.

Genialis A follower of Jovinian, condemned by the Council of Milan, 286.

Gentiles (see Heathen.)

Germinator A follower of Jovinian, condemned by the Council of Milan, 286.

Gervasius and Protasius The finding of their relics, 158 &c.

God His Name, I am, marks His Eternity, 29. Is one and uncompounded, 464. Nothing hidden from Him, 318. Knows the secrets of the heart, 88. Cannot lie, 319. Nor do what is contrary to His Nature, ib. To put God before all things, no wrong to any, 90, 267, 341. His worship the substance of our life, 303. To worship and obey Him, true wisdom, 197. Will not be worshipped under the form of stones, 103. More to be feared because invisible, 292. His dwelling place our hearts, 390. He is our Portion, 388, 446. Our Rest, 408. Alone without sin, 405.

Gospel, the Is the fulfilment of the Law, 187, 298. Indulgence the characteristic of the Gospel, severity of the Law, 438. The Law bondage, the Gospel liberty, 242, 450. The law partial, the Gospel perfect, 439. The inheritance of Christians, 449.

Goths Driven from Macedonia by the prayers of Acholius, 82. Their admission within the empire by Valens, ib. note. Supported the Arian cause at Milan, 130. Came as heathen into God’s inheritance, 134.

Grace Forgives sin, 436. Gives freedom, 450. God invites by grace, furthers by increase of grace, 271. Corrects the redeemed, 190.

Gratian, the Emperor Writes to S. Ambrose, 1. Cavils not at the manhood of Christ, 1. His humility and faith, 2. S. Ambrose promises him a treatise on the Holy Spirit, 4. S. Ambrose announces to him in the name of the Council of Aquileia the results of their deliberation, 62 &c. Urges him to support Damasus as Bishop of Rome, 67 &c. Gave peace to the Church, 3. Put down heathen worship, 89, 114. His example held up to Valentinian, 93. Maximus refuses to restore his remains to his family, 180.

Gregory Nazianzen His position in the see of Constantinople, 75.

Gymnosophists Indian philosophers, 246.

H

HABBACUC His miraculous flight, 295.

Hamilcar An instance of reverse of fortune, 113.

Heart Meaning of the expression, ‘the hidden man of the heart,’ 250.

Heathen Their worship contrasted with Christian, 101 &c. Their endurance, 104. Their vestal virgins with Christian virgins, 105. Not to be supported by Christian Emperors, 88 &c., 342.

Heirs (see Inheritance.)

Heliodorus, Bishop of Altinum Takes part in the Council of Aquileia, 33, 60. Condemns Palladius, 56.

Hippocrates His seven ages of man, 300.

Hope Is looking for the unseen, 232.

Horontianus A pupil of S. Ambrose, 223. Ordained by him, 420.

Hosea His wife of whoredoms mystically interpreted, 187.

Hospitality Commended, 392.

Humility Its excellence, 11. Joseph a pattern of, ib.

Huns Employed against the Juthungi by Valentinian, 179.

Hyginus, Bishop Cruel treatment of, 181.

Hymns Their powerful effect, 159. Introduced by S. Ambrose at Milan during the contest with Justina, ib.

I

IDOLS (see Heathen.)

Ignorance Diminishes the guilt of sin, 434.

Illyricum Disturbances in, 79.

Incarnation (see Christ.)

Indicia, a Virgin The case of, 478 &c.

Indiction 172.

Infants Weak Christians, 452.

Inheritance The Gospel is the true, 443, 449, &c. What the heritage of God is, 192.

Irenæus Several letters addressed to, 191, &c.

Isaac The true first-born of Abraham, 222. Foresaw the mysteries of the Church, 324.

Isaiah Mystical meaning of his walking naked, 348.

Isis Rites of, 346.

Italy In S. Ambrose’s time free from Arianism, 78.

J

JACOB A kingly shepherd, 191. His marriage to Leah and Rachel mystically interpreted, 193, &c. A pattern of forgiveness, 391. Of industry and perseverance, 390. An example in this respect to us, 195. Did obeisance not to Esau, but to Christ, Whom he foresaw, ib. His dream a blessing, 86.

James, a presbyter of Persia Seeks retirement in Campania, 350.

Januarius, a Bishop Takes in the Council of Aquileia, 33, 61. Condemns Palladius, 56.

Januarius A follower of Jovinian, condemned, 286.

Jason His history urged as a precedent, 343.

Japhet His reverence for his father mystically applied, 335.

Jerusalem, the heavenly A good mother of souls, 217 (vid. errata.)

Jews Sinned in the wilderness when God’s voice ceased, 401. Being stiff-necked required the law as a schoolmaster, 438, 442. A Christian may be in work a Jew, 440. Are the sons of the bond-woman, 450. Full of slander against Christ and His Church, 264. Are under a curse, 451. Are in the shade, Christians in the light of the Sun, 455. Prefer Moses, who accuses them, to Christ who would pardon, 454. Who are spiritually Jews, 430.

Jezebel Represents the Synagogue, 383.

Job His history applied to the persecution about the Basilica, 131, &c., 144. Resisted Satan by the help of the Spirit of God, 159.

John, the Baptist A teacher of abstinence, 368.

John, the Evangelist Imbibed Divine mysteries while lying on Jesu’s Bosom, 399. Signed the Lord’s Testament, 393.

Jonah A lesson from, read in course during the persecution, on which S. Ambrose preaches, 136.

Joseph Though a slave truly free, 238. Though naked not disgraced, 349. A pattern of humility, 11. Of purity, 12. Of the vanity of earthly things, 13. Was a type of Christ, 12. Neither depressed by adversity nor elated by prosperity, 13.

Josephus His notion of an earthly paradise, 302.

Jovinian A monk who had abandoned monastic life, and rushed into extremes of self-indulgence, 280. Siricius writes about him to the Church of Milan, ib. The reply of the Church of Milan, 282.

Jovinus, a Bishop Takes part in the Council of Aquileia, 33, 61.

Judas Claimed by Satan as his possession, 389. Might have been pardoned had he waited for mercy, 407.

Judge Not to be excluded from communion for inflicting the punishment of death, 182. But should prefer mercy, if possible, 183. The Church leaves them free, 184. Even heathen judges were proud of freedom from bloodshed, 183. Bishops proper judges of questions of faith, 141. And of bishops, 138, (see Bishop). Condemns himself, when he condemns in another his own crimes, 188.

Julian Cut off his own retreat, 113. His attempt to rebuild the Temple frustrated by fire from heaven, 261. One who threw down an altar martyred in his reign, 263.

Julianus Valens Intruded Bishop of Pettau, 65. Committed sacrilege by appearing in pagan dress, ib. Refused to appear at the Council of Aquileia, 16.

Just man, the Is a law to himself, 240. Possesses spiritual riches, 192. And ever lendeth them, 251.

Justus, Bishop of Lyons Takes part as deputy of the Bishops of Gaul in the Council of Aquileia, 33, 38, 60. Condemns Palladius, 54.

Juthungi A Gothic tribe, ravage Rhaetia, 179.

K

KISS Mystical meaning of, 274.

Kings Unhappy condition of, 205.

Korah His sin to be avoided, 375.

L

LABARUM The sacred standard, 261.

Laetus His family dispute, 466 &c.

Laurence, S. His constancy under torture, 247.

Law, the Jewish Took the place of the Law of Nature, 433. Did not increase, but make known sin, 434. Convicts of sin but does not forgive, 436. How a schoolmaster, 437. Only partial, while the Gospel is perfect, 439. The law trains for the Gospel, 453.

Law, of Nature Is innate, 433. Forbids many things which the Law of Moses did not, 353. Has moral not arbitrary sanctions, 240.

Laymen Not fit judges of the faith, 139.

Leah Mystically explained, 192.

Letter-writing Its pleasure and profit, 313, 316, 401. It brings absent friends together, ib.

Laying on of hands To exorcise evil spirits, 158, 165.

Leontius and Renatus Accusers of Indicia, 484.

Leopardus One of S. Ambrose’s Clergy, 286.

Levites The true first-born, because hallowed, 222.

Life Its uncertainty common to all, 113.

Liguria Mention of, 108.

Limenius, Bishop of Vercellæ Takes part in the Council of Aquileia, 33, 60. Condemns Palladius, 55.

Love The characteristic of the Gospel, 452. Brings freedom with it, ib. Makes us beloved by God, 242. Required by God, 441. Excludes offences, 448. Increased by intercourse, 316. God’s, whether it varies, 213.

Lucius, Arian Bishop of Alexandria His crimes, 70.

Luke, S. Author of the Acts of the Apostles, 368.

Lust Compared to a mote, 188. Often the cause of wars, 116.

M

MACCABEES Festival of, 263.

Macedonius, Bishop Takes part in the Council of Aquileia, 33, 61.

Macedonius One of the Bishops of Macedonia, 80.

Magnet, the Its lesson, 305.

Man A combatant whose prize is heaven, 289. Made to rule creation, 291, 294. His intelligence kingly, 293. Fell from bad to worse till redeemed by Christ, 305.

Manichees Deny that Christ came in the flesh, 286. Condemned for fasting on the Lord’s Day, 170.

Manna Why given to the Israelites and not to Christians, 394. Christ the true Manna, ib., 28. It represents the Divine Wisdom, 21, 397.

Marcellina, sister of S. Ambrose His letter to her about the contest with Justina, 128, &c. About the discovery of the relics of SS. Gervasius and Protasius, 157 &c. About the affair of Callinicum, 269 &c.

Marcellus, Bishop Takes part in the Council of Aquileia, 33, 61.

Marcellus His dispute with his brother and sister settled by S. Ambrose, 465 &c.

Marcus Bishop of Petavio, 66.

Marriage A good estate, 371. But virginity better, 253. With unbelievers, to be avoided, 116. And within the forbidden degrees, 357 &c. Should have the Church’s blessing, 116. (See Wife.)

Mary, S. Remained a Virgin after the birth of her Son, 284, 369. An example to mothers, 393. Was the Palace of the King, ib. note.

Martianus A follower of Jovinian, 286.

Martyrs Buried under the altar, 162. Their deaths the perfecting of the Church, 427. Love casts out the fear of death, 457. Their nobility, 247.

Mass, (missa) The earliest instance of word S. Ambrose’s, 129, note.

Maximian His burial, 332.

Maximus, Bishop of Emona Takes part in the Council of Aquileia, 33, 60. Condemns Palladius, 55. Signs the letter of the Council of Milan to Pope Siricius, 287.

Maximus Irregularly consecrated Bishop of Constantinople, 75. Ambrose and the Western Bishops deceived about him, ib. note.

Maximus, the usurper Revolted against Gratian, 176. S. Ambrose twice goes on an embassy to him from Justina and Valentinian the 2nd, ib. His address to him on the second embassy, 178. Warns Valentinian against him, 181. S. Ambrose alludes to his first embassy, 135. To Maximus’ defeat by Theodosius, 265.

Maximus The accuser of Indicia, 479 &c.

Mayence, (Moguntiacum) S. Ambrose meets Count Victor there, 178.

Meletius His connection with the great Schism at Antioch, 71, note. The opinion of the Council of Aquileia upon it, 74.

Members, our How they may be made either instruments of sin or of righteousness, 249.

Memoriales Recorders, 129.

Merchants, at Milan Fined on account of the disturbances, 129. The fines remitted, 136.

Mesopotamia Mystically interpreted, 115.

Micah Meaning of the name, 412. Of his seven shepherds, 288.

Michal Wrongly reproves David, 346.

Miracles Wrought through the relics of the saints, 158, 163. Acknowledged by the devil himself, 164.

Monastic life Compared with clerical, 382. Its happiness, 384.

Money See Riches.

Monks, at Callinicum Set fire to a temple, 263.

♦Morasthite, son of the Meaning of, 412.

Moses Why he ground the golden calf to powder, 396. Why he ordered half of the blood of the sacrifices to be poured on the altar, 398. Why he broke the tables of the law, 462. Saw God face to face, 404. Yet deferred to Aaron in regard of priesthood, ib. How a god before Pharaoh, 199. Wrote by inspiration, 295.

N

NABAL Mystically explained, 215.

Nabor (See Felix.)

Naboth The lesson of, applied, 149. Naboth truly rich, Ahab poor, 252.

Naphtali Meaning of, 253.

Nature Can only be changed by its Maker, 446. The Creator can remedy the defects of, 460. God the Author of, 31. The law of, superior to national custom, 411.

Nectarius His claim to the see of Constantinople, 75.

Neice (See Uncle.)

Nicæa, Council of Whether it established a cycle for Easter, 166. Its doctrine upheld by Theodosius, 141. Approved by the Council of Ariminum, ib.

Nineveh A proof of the power of fasting, 286.

Noah His drunkenness mystically interpreted, 348.

Numerius One of the Bishops of Macedonia, 80.

Numidius A delegate of the African Bishops at the Council of Aquileia, 33, 61. Condemns Palladius, 55.

O

OATH Meaning of, 90.

Obedience Brings remission of sin, 435.

Offering All to be offered to God, 24, 26. Not acceptable unless sincere, 408.

Old-age Venerable for good works rather than gray hairs, 86, 103. An unspotted life the true old age, 57.

Origen His Commentaries on the New Testament inferior to those on the Old, 441.

Original sin Inherited from Adam, 435, 446. A debt incurred by Adam cancelled by Christ, 271.

P

PALLADIUS AND SECUNDIANUS Condemned by the Council of Aquileia, 31, &c.

Pannonia 108.

Paradise Man’s soul the true, 303. The road into Christ’s kingdom, 422.

Partridge Mystical meaning of, 217 &c.

Passover A type fulfilled in the gospel, 169. The Christian Easter how connected with it, 170 &c. The ceremonies of, mystically explained, 22.

Paterna Gives evidence in favour of Indicia, 485.

Paternus Consults S. Ambrose as to marriage of uncle and neice, 351 &c.

Paulinus Supported by the Italian Bishops against Meletius and Flavian for the see of Antioch, 71, 74.

Paulinus Of Aquitania adopts a life of voluntary poverty, 345.

Paul, S. The depth of his writings, 235. Difficulty of explaining them, 441. A summary of his Epistle to the Ephesians, 444 &c. His letters an image of his presence, 314. Why he wrote with his own hand, 313. Condemned and absolved by letter, 314. Was severe at first, that he might be gentle afterwards, 270. No teacher of excess, 285.

Paulus, a presbyter of Constantinople Asks for a General Council of East and West, 79.

Pelagia Her martyrdom, 247.

Penitence Difficulty of, 406. No forgiveness without, 407. David a pattern of, 326. Urged on Theodosius, 327.

Persecution Applied by Justina in regard to the Basilica at Milan, 128 &c. S. Ambrose preaches about, 132 &c. Persecution continued, 142. S. Ambrose refuses to yield, 148. Christ persecuted in his servants, 147.

Peter, S. Was in darkness when he denied Christ, 461. His vision a proof of the blessedness of retirement, 317. The story of Christ’s appearing to him on his way to martyrdom, 147.

Peter Bishop of Alexandria, 72, 74.

Philaster Bishop of Brescia, 33, 55. (In p. 63 Abundantius is called Bishop of Brescia, and Philaster is omitted.)

Philip One of the Bishops of Macedonia, 80.

Philomarus The name of a heathen writer quoted by S. Ambrose, 362. Possibly a mistake for Philodemus, ib. note.

Phineas His defeat of Balaam’s counsel explained, 323.

Phœnicians Practised circumcision, 425.

Photinians Their assemblies forbidden, 66.

Piety Prefers things divine to human, 403.

Plato His notion of the soul, 224.

♦Plotinus A follower of Jovinian, condemned, 286.

Polybius Proconsul in Africa, 475.

Pompeius An instance of reverse of fortune, 113.

Portian Basilica Claimed for the Arians, 128.

Prayer To be used for the dead In Christ, 255. Taught and aided by the Holy Spirit, 233. Due seasons for, 169. Frequent prayer a life of Angels, 384. Is a sacrifice, 329. A shield, 391. The prayers of the poor a good defence, 156.

Priest The title ‘Sacerdos’ often used of Bishops, 1. Should be clothed with priestly virtues, 377. Be different from ordinary men, 196. Forsake the ways of the world, 197. Be fit for Christ’s possession, 470. Regard ♦worldly loss as gain, 467. Forgiving sins their food, 407. Their teaching bitter, but fruit-bearing, 270. Are the proper judges in questions of doctrine, 53, 138, 267, 343. Bound to reprove sinners, 325. And to be feared by them, 374.

Priscus An old friend of S. Ambrose, 476.

PROCULUS, Bishop of Marseilles Deputy of the Bishops of Gaul at Aquileia, 33, 60. Condemns Palladius, 56.

Prophets Regard heavenly things, 349. Their food to have their message understood, 383.

Protasius See Gervasius.

Pythagoras Derived his wisdom from the Jewish Scriptures, 196.

R

RACHEL A type of the Church, 416. Mystically explained, 192.

Rebecca Her preference of Jacob to Esau mystically explained, 391.

Redemption Equal to all, 22. Called adoption, 231. To be of the whole Body of Christ, ib.

Relics, of saints Placed in Churches, 158. Work miracles, 160 &c.

Religion To be preferred to human ties, 403. Not to be neglected for fear of ridicule, 432. Makes things unseemly in themselves venerable, 346. Takes precedence of all things, 92. Turns loss to gain, 104.

Renatus See Leontius.

Repentance (See Penitence.)

Rest, the true In heaven, not here, 299.

Rhaetia secunda Its fertility tempted enemies, 108.

Rich The meek rich in God’s sight, 251. He who is rich in faith truly rich, 386. The poor in spirit rich, 387. He is not rich who has not more than he needs, 253. The wise man truly rich, 250, 253.

Riches Only spiritual lasting, 440. To possess Christ the true riches, 386. Should be made to subserve the good of the soul, 8. Not in themselves injurious, 387. No defence against death, 10. Their best use, to aid the poor, 14. The grasping man poor in the midst of riches, 252. Are a burden unless sanctified by charity, 274. Are the redemption of a man’s soul by almsgiving, 8, 20. Are a provision for man’s journey, 8. Not to be applied to usury, 115. Give no claim to deference, 386.

Rome, Church of Called the Head of the whole Roman world, 69. The source of all rights of communion, ib. Its decision sought along with that of other Churches, 76.

Rome, heathen Its plea for its gods, 97. Refuted by S. Ambrose, 102. Often adopted foreign rites, 110.

Rufinus Prætorian Prefect under Theodosius, 330.

Rumoridus A military Count, attached to Valentinian’s Court, 342.

S

SABINIANUS, A DEACON Acts as reader at the Council of Aquileia, 33.

Sabinus, Bishop of Placentia Takes part in the Council of Aquileia, 33, 47 &c., 60. Condemns Palladius, 55.

Sacraments The greatness of, 459.

Sacrifice Not acceptable unless sincere, 408. Prayer a, 329. Explanation of rules concerning, 398, &c. The blood on the altar a type of the sacrifice of the Cross, 400.

Saints God all in all to, 403. Ascend upwards to God, 208. Work for God even in their rest, 86. Fight God’s enemies without effort, 82. Are the first-fruits of the Gospel, 230.

Samson The lesson of his history set forth, 117, &c.

Sarmatio See Barbatianus.

Satan Means Adversary, 218. How our Lord overcomes his craft, 219.

Scripture Those who add to, or take from, condemned, 47. Whether written according to the rules of art, 27, &c. A deep well, difficult to draw from, 383. Those who drink of it pour forth living water, ib. Contains mysteries hid under the letter, 189. Valuable to us according to our faith, 186. Moistens the soul like rain, 200. Compared to Paradise, 317.

Secundianus Condemned in the Council of Aquileia, 57 &c.

Serpent, the Represents lust, 304.

Seven Mystical meaning of, 297, 300.

Severus A blind man, healed by the relics of Gervasius and Protasius, 158, 163.

Severus One of the Bishops of Macedonia, 80.

Shekel and half-shekel Meaning of, 20.

Sickness, bodily Sent for the healing of the soul, 458.

Simplician Some account of him, 235.

Sin A heavy debt, 271. A heavy burden, 413. Its piercing power typified by iron, 238. Injures the natural powers, 305. Christians should condemn their own sin, 329. He who punishes sin should be free from sin, 188. Must be burnt away by the fire of Jesus, 407. To be confessed in order to be pardoned, 419. Its forgiveness signified by the widow’s two mites, 196.

Sinner, the Is a slave, 245. His name written not in heaven but in the earth, 188.

Siricius, Pope Writes to the Church of Milan against Jovinian, 280. The reply, 282.

Sisinnius Forgives his son at S. Ambrose’s Intercession, 470.

Slavery All creation seeks deliverance from, 226. He who fears death a slave, 245.

Solon His ten ages of man, 300.

Sophocles Quoted, 244.

Son of God Co-eternal with the Father, 39. Very God, 40. Could not die as God, 42. The mighty God, 44. The Judge of all, 45. Equal to the Father as touching His Godhead, 47. Inferior only in His Incarnation, 48. The contrary opinions condemned in Palladius, 53 &c. No man can say ‘Our Father’ who denies the Son of God, 443. Christians made sons of God by the Holy Spirit, 228. Through the death of Christ, 443.

Spirit, the Holy Teaches how to pray, 233. Makes intercession for us, 234. S. Ambrose promises to write a treatise on, 41. True life His work, 228.

Stater In the fish’s mouth, meaning of, 23.

Stephen Supported in his death by the sight of Jesus, 349. Saw Jesus standing as his Advocate, 360.

Soul Its nature, 224. Opinions of philosophers upon, ib. How subject to vanity, 225. Does not die, 42. Should govern the body, 225. Will be rewarded according to its government thereof, ib. How Christ is formed in the soul, 417. How it is converted, 412 &c. The stages of its conversion, 421. Gazing on Christ, renounces the world, 203. Having found Christ, loves Him above all things, 202. And rejoices exceedingly, 214. And becomes His bride, 214. Must rise to Him, 203. Its food and clothing, 200. How it is restored by Christ, 216. Its happiness when restored, 217. Is proved by temptations, 417. Faithful souls represented by Bethlehem, 416.

Susanna Her case compared with that of Indicia, 479, 483.

Syagrius, Bishop of Verona His decision about Indicia condemned and reversed by S. Ambrose, 478, &c.

Syagrius Consul in the year of the synod of Aquileia, 32.

Symmachus, Prefect of the City Urges on Valentinian the restoration of Altar of Victory, 87. His Memorial, 94, &c. S. Ambrose’s reply, 101, &c. Alludes to it in writing to Eugenius, 341.

Synagogue, the Superseded by the Church, 266. Represented by Jezebel, 383. (See Jews.) A, at Callinicum, burnt by the Christians, 257, &c. Theodosius orders it to be restored by the Bishop, ib. S. Ambrose writes to remonstrate with Theodosius, ib.

Syricius See Siricius.

Syrus A presbyter, praised by S. Ambrose, 474.

T

TALENTS Need God’s Blessing, 31.

Temple To be built to Christ in our hearts, 201. How it is to be built, 208, 448.

Temptation Comes in different ways, 132. Instances of Job, ib. Elijah, 133. John the Baptist, ib. Is sent that we may conquer it, 327. The weak conquered by it, the strong proved, 417. Most to be feared in times of trouble, 419.

Testament The Old passed away, the New established, 301. The Old represented by the number seven, the New by eight, 297.

Thecla Reverenced even by the wild beasts, 369.

Therasia Gives up her property to the poor, 345.

Thessalonica The massacre at, 324.

Theodorus, Bishop of Octodurus Takes part in the Council of Aquileia, 33, 60. Condemns Palladius, 56. Signs the letter of the Council of Milan, 287.

Theodosius One of the Bishops of Macedonia, 80.

Theodosius, the Emperor A blessing sent by God to the Empire, 356. Held the Nicene Faith, 141. His piety, 328. Hasty, but merciful, 325. Restored the orthodox to their churches, 74. Restored unity to the Church, 77. His strictness, in regard of the law of marriage, 354. Is appealed to by S. Ambrose to end the dissensions at Antioch and Constantinople, 74. And to call a council, 77. Is remonstrated with by S. Ambrose for banishing those who burnt the Synagogue at Callinicum, 257. Is reminded of his forgiveness of the people of Antioch, 268. Reproved for ordering the massacre at Thessalonica, 324. Urged to repentance, 326 &c. Is refused the Communion till he has received absolution, 328 &c. Addressed by S. Ambrose on the death of Valentinian the 2nd, 331. Congratulated on his victory over Eugenius, 354. Urged to a merciful use of his victory, 356.

Theophilus, Bishop of Alexandria The disputed succession at Antioch to be referred to him, 336, &c.

Tigris One of the rivers of Mesopotamia, mystically interpreted, 115.

Timasius A general in chief, his fierceness against the monks, 279.

Timnath A city of the Philistines, 118.

Timotheus His claim to the see of Alexandria, supported by the West, 71.

Timotheus A Bishop of Macedonia, 80.

Titianus Prætorian Prefect, his quarrel with Rufinus, 330.

Trinity, the Indissolubly united, 464. Knows neither time nor order, 296. Hymns sung in praise of, 156.

U

UNCLE Forbidden to marry his neice, 351.

Usury Unbefitting Christians, 115. Spiritual usury, 19.

Ursinus or Ursicinus His history, 68, note. The Bishops at Aquileia request the Emperor to degrade him, 69.

V

VALENS, Julianus, Bp. of Petavio His history, 65. Responsible for the heresy of Attalus, ib. Joins with Ursinus in intrigues at Aquileia, 68.

Valence, in Gaul Reached by Ambrose in his embassy to Maximus, 179.

Valentinian the 1st Would not have allowed the restoration of the altar of Victory, had he known of it, 93. Ordered that the Bishops should be tried by their own order, 138. Refused to be judge of them himself, 139. Anecdote of him, ib. note.

Valentinian the 2nd Ambrose writes to him, urging him not to restore pagan rites, 87 &c. Addresses to him a reply to Symmachus’ Memorial, 101 &c. Under Justina’s influence claims a Church at Milan for the Arians, 128 &c. Ambrose writes to him, declining to have the matter settled by the civil courts, 137 &c. Ambrose sends him a report of his mission to Maximus, 176 &c. Alludes to his victory over the Huns and Alans, 179. Ambrose writes to Theodosius on his death, 331 &c. His love for Ambrose at the last, 331. Died before he could be baptised, 332. Regarded Theodosius as a father, 92. Refused a second application for the restoration of pagan rites, 342.

Valentinians, heretics A temple of theirs burnt by the Christians, 263.

Valerian, Bp. of Aquileia Takes part in the Council held there, 33, 60. His condemnation of Palladius, 54.

Vallio, a general of Valentinian Put to death by Maximus, 181.

Venetia 108, 358.

Venus Worshipped under various names, 111.

Vercellæ, the Church of Troubled by disputes, 358. S. Ambrose addresses a letter of counsel to it, ib.

Vestal Virgins Contrasted with Christians, 105.

Victor, Count Sent by Maximus to Valentinian the 2nd, 178. His demands refused, ib.

Victory Not a real goddess, 111. The altar of in the senate house, 87. Its restoration demanded by Symmachus, 95 &c. Resisted by S. Ambrose, 111.

Vigils Kept all night long, 158.

Vigilius Asks S. Ambrose how to fulfil his duties, when newly elected Bishop, 114 &c.

Virgil Quoted, 97, 99, 110, 198, 205.

Virginity Counselled not commanded, 369. A lofty path, 371. Its sanctity, 369. The numbers of those who dedicate themselves to it, 104.

Virtue Admits of degrees, 371. Considers well before acting, 406. Its path upward, 206. Admits of no turning, 198.

W

WIDOWHOOD A good but rough path, 371.

Wife Should obey her husband, 392. Is his fellow-heir of grace, ib. Marriage good, virginity better, 283. (See Marriage.)

Wisdom, the divine Waters the souls of the righteous, 395. Is the food of the soul, 21. Christ the true Wisdom of God, 399. The path of wisdom to be followed, 197. Is alone free, 239. Is a good sacrifice, 28. Scripture the source of, 236.

Wise man, the All the world his possession, 9. Is steadfast, 236, 243. Free, ib. Acts from free-will, 241. Is guided by God into the truth, 244. Becomes His heir, ib. Has the true riches, 251.

Word, the Espoused to the Church, His Bride, 214. The dew of the Father, 215. Lives or dies in us according to our deserts, 214.

World, the Created by one God, 305. Why created in six days, 296. The Gospel the eighth age of the world, 300. An arena of continual strife, 288. Its affairs like a dream, 13. Gains of this world the loss of souls, 14. The world to be overcome to attain to the Word, 205. The ways of the world to be forsaken by priests, 197. We must go forth from it, 392. We must not give our service to it, 24.

Works God to be acknowledged in His, 27.

Wounds Received for Christ bring life, not death, 145.

Y

YOUNG MEN Blamed for their haste to be free, 390. Should become old by gravity of conduct, ib.

Z

ZELOPHEHAD, daughters of Meaning of their inheritance, 446.

Zerubbabel Meaning of, 201.

INDEX OF TEXTS.

GENESIS

i. 16 287 26 155, 290, 292 27 219, 318 28 291 ii. 2 296 7 460 24 445 25 348 iii. 1–4 362 2, 3 304 4, 5 218 6 434 7 286, 348 8 317, 318 16 411, 482 18 7 iv. 4 230 7 273 10 8, 165, 219 14 245 v. 24 252 vi. 3 255 viii. 11 276 11, 20 334 ix. 1, 9, 12, 20, 23 334 20 367 21 289 24 335 25 236 26, 27 335 x. 1, 9 335 xii. 17 492 xv. 6 349 xvii. 9 431 10 423 12 425 xviii. 3 392 12 349 xix. 17, 30 206 24 393 xx. 3 349 xxi. 10 450 10, 12 223 12 431 xxii. 6 472 7, 8 28 xxiv. 63 324 xxvii. 4, 20 30 29 237 37 251 39, 40 451 40 452 43 390 xxviii. 1, 2 115 13 86 xxix. 34 222 xxx. 32 195 xxxi. 14 193 15, 16 192 27 194 33 30 xxxii. 24 195 xxxiii. 6 391 xxxiv. 25 116, 195 xxxv. 2 402 17 481 19 415, 416 xxxviii. 27 481 xxxix. 12 348 xli. 48 238 xliv. 15 472 xlvi. 34 191 xlvii. 20, 22 238 xlix. 8, 9 430 12 273

EXODUS

i. 15 481 iii. 5 196, 371 11–14 29 14 204 12 30 iv. 1, 10, 12 29 12 399, 404 v. 2 218 vi. 3 256 vii. 1 199 viii. 26 191 xii. 2 169 3 186 4 22 5–8 173 8 170 11–14 174 18 173 29, 31, 33 174 xiii. 2 221 4 169 21 211 xiv. 15 219 22 211, 284 29 277, 295 xv. 20 285, 369 xvi. 4 277, 410 4, 15 29 15, 16 395 15, 16 28, 459 17, 18 21 18 308 xvii. 6 284, ♦367 xxi. 12 245 5 24 xxii. 29 230 xxiv. 6 398 xxv. 13, 14 196 22 18 xxix. 12, 13 392 xxx. 8 396 12, 15 21 xxxi. 13 439 xxxii. 1 218 2 401 6 350, 362 26, 27 403 xxxiii. 7 392 xxxiv. 9 275, 438 26 230 28 203, 363, 404

LEVITICUS

x. 16–18 405 xii. 2 186 xvi. 8, 27 408 xvii. 1, 8 432 xx. 8 188 xxiii. 5 169, 173 xxv. 6 408

NUMBERS

iii. 12, 13 221 xii. 1 404 1, 10 376 8 404 xiii. 24 277 xv. 33 439 35 437 xvi. 2 218 3, 32, 48 374 8–11 375 48 18 xvii. 8 270, 373 xviii. 6 403 xx. 11 285 26 376 xxi. 24 277 xxii. 12, 19, 25 320 35 321 xxiii. 2 277 8, 10, 11 321 21 322, 474 xxiv. 5–9, 19 322 xxv. 8 116 11 323 xxvii. 1 445 12 459 xxviii. 16 173

DEUTERONOMY

v. 31 371 vi. 4 27 5 456 ix. 4 278 xv. 6 239 8 19 xvi. 1 171 xviii. 10 319 15 404 xix. 14 15 xxi. 11 239 12 216 13, 14 217 14 240 15, 16 221 17 223 xxii. 5 410 xxiv. 14 115 xxv. 4 440 xxviii. 11, 12 200 23 409 xxx. 14 26, 451 xxxii. 2 200 xxiii. 8, 9 84 16 85 13 290 35 385 39 458 xxxiii. 8 465 23 253 24 276 xxxiv. 10, 11 399 10 404

JOSHUA

i. 1 219 ii. 14 392 v. 15 196 viii. 23, 29 277 x. 26 278

JUDGES

xi. 36 246 xiii. 8 118 xiv. 14 119 16, 18 120 xv. 16, 18 123 xvi. 20 125 28 126 xix. 1 486 2 416 3, 10 487 15, 22, 23, 24 488 20, 25, 28 489 26, 35 490 xx. 1 486 44 116 47 486 xxi. 2, 3 490 4, 16 491 23 492

1 SAMUEL

viii. 5 218 xxv. 32, 35, 39 215

2 SAMUEL

iii. 28 327 vi. 20 346 21, 22 347 vii. 8 264 xii. 7, 13 326 7 278 xiv. 22 472 xviii. 17, 18 208 xxiv. 10 326 12, 14, 17 327

1 KINGS

iv. 33 218 x. 22 421 24 84 xii. 16 465 30 402 xvii. 1 40 3 382 3–6 383 9 252 19 208 xix. 3 383 4 203 6 367 8 382, 383 xx. 23 208 xxi. 3 149 10 484

2 KINGS

i. 14 252 ii. 4 83 11 252, 294 iv. 8, 10, 16 208 34 463 39 368 vi. 6 285 16 146, 161 18 82 vii. 6 82

1 CHRONICLES

xxi. 17 234

2 CHRONICLES

ix. 21 86, 87

EZRA

viii. 21 368

NEHEMIAH

viii. 2 368

ESTHER

iv. 16 368 v. 2 368

JOB

ii. 9, 10 132 v. 17–24, 26 251 vi. 19, 21 197 ix. 25 197 xiii. 19–21 243 xx. 15 253 xxv. 5 244 xxvii. 2 244 xxviii. 14 197 18, 19 240 xxix. 15 249 xxxi. 33 249, 327 xxxiii. 4 159

PSALMS

iv. 4 377 5 28 6 201 viii. 2 150 xi. 2 281 7 186 xii. 6 24, 440 7 194, 212 xiv. 6 249, 406 3 305 xv. 1, 6 115 xvi. 2 205 2 293 7 132 xvii. 13 115 xviii. 26 193 xix. 1 159, 290, 360 2 160, 162 4 212 5 416 xx. 7 161 xxii. 29 200 6, 7 308 xxiii. 5 368 xxiv. 2 5, 350 xxvi. 4, 5 372 5 385 xxvii. 4, 13 200 9 233 xxix. 5, 6 402 xxx. 9 134 11, 12 135 xxxi. 5, 8, 11, 16 310 xxxii. 1 419 6 250 10 248 xxxiii. 16 388 5 460 6 386 xxxiv. 10 253 xxxvii. 1 372, 385 26 251 xxxviii. 4, 5 248 9 234 xxxix. 6 225 xl. 1 232 xli. 1 63 xlii. 5 210 15 215 xlv. 1 393 2 309, 313 3 335 3 199 8 244, 463 xlvi. 4 5, 383 xlvii. 1 346 xlviii. 7 81 l. 16 149 20 372 li. 6 243 lii. 1 45 17 274 lv. 7 81 lviii. 3 222 lxiii. 6 250 lxiv. 7 157 lxv. 4 200 8, 9 384 lxviii. 5 178 13 445, 465 14 86 18 464 lxix. 10 286 lxxi. 8 274 lxxiii. 21 292 lxxvi. 2, 3 134 lxxviii. 2 18 lxxix. 1 134 lxxxi. 6 243 lxxxii. 1 360 lxxxv. 8 348 13 7 lxxxvi. 2 310 lxxxviii. 4, 5 393 lxxxix. 9 292 26, 27 310 32 414 36, 37 168 ♦xcii. 11 253 xciii. 4 5 6 326 xcv. 8 299 xcvi. 5 88 xcix. 6 374 cii. 25 290 ciii. 5 256 civ. 2 206 15 22, 214, 383 19 226 24 296 cv. 18 11 18, 19 238 cix. 4 391 25, 26 307 28 392 cx. 1 347, 399, 446 4 301 7 402 cxiii. 5, 6 160 7, 8 160 9 160 cxiv. 3 284 cxvi. 10 274 cxviii. 19 198 22 150 24 168, 170, 297 cxix. 14 253 46 257, 342 57, 111 192 68, 103 202 71 14, 435 73 290 91 310 94 388 109 204 126 168, 329 131 274 146 219 cxx. 5 351 cxxii. 3 8 cxxvi. 7 416 cxxvii. 1 210 cxxviii. 5 201 cxxix. 8 416 cxxxii. 6 388, 415 cxxxiv. 1 450 4, 2 372 cxxxix. 13 465, 470 cxli. 2 396 3 175 cxliii. 10 201, 233 cxliv. 4 225 cxlvii. 9 383 cxlviii. 5 6, 296

PROVERBS

ii. 13 198 v. 15 240 vi. 2 8 26 8 27 8 ix. 2 22, 400 5 219 x. 15 388 xi. 1 10 xii. 12 253 xiii. 8 20, 387 24 248, 414 xiv. 7 249 30 373 xv. 16 8 7 7 17 116 18 377 xvi. 24 6, 396 xvii. 2 239 xviii. 7 249 17 329 xix. 12 380 17 156 xxi. 1 104 xxii. 1 8, 335 xxiv. 30 249 xxvi. 8, 9 248 xxvii. 2 454 25 200 xxviii. 10 251 xxix. 22 247

ECCLESIASTES

ii. 14 217 iii. 1 168, 329 iv. 5 246, 347 9 462 10, 11 463 12, 13 464 vii. 2 392 11 304 16 21 x. 4 464, 465 8 307 xi. 2 187, 297 3 6 xii. 11 6

CANTICLES

i. 1 275 2 274 3 202 ii. 14 215 iii. 4 217 6 396 iv. 3 209 9 205 12 303, 369 v. 2 86 vi. 13 212 vii. 2 397 8 205 13 256 viii. 6 213

ISAIAH

i. 3 388 6 276 3 168 17 178 v. 2 413 ix. 6 157, 271, 464 xi. 2 296 6, 7 430 xiii. 8, 9 482 xix. 20, 21 285 xx. 2 349 3 348 4 346, 347 xxv. 8 299, 402 xxx. 15 407 xxxi. 1 198 xxxii. 20 440 xxxv. 1 212 3 387 xxxviii. 8 187 xl. 5 308 6 219 31 204 xli. 8 310 xlii. 6 311 xliii. 2 8 19 283 xlix. 1–3 310 4 312 6 311, 464 8 169 9 272 li. 7 153 lii. 7 199 liii. 2 308 7 388, 443 liv. 1 212, 416 17 192, 450 lv. 1 239 lviii. 11 368 lx. 8 87 lxiii. 1 219 lxv. 16 57 lxvi. 1 290 12 5

JEREMIAH

i. 11 269 iv. 19 234 vii. 14–17 262 viii. 7 168 xii. 8 442 xvii. 1 151 9 309 11, 12 217–219, 312 13 188 15, 16 474 xx. 9 293 19 209 xxii. 13, 14 209 29, 30 183 xxiii. 5 311 24 292 xxxi. 31, 32 301 xxxiii. 15 311

LAMENTATIONS

iii. 25 232

EZEKIEL

iii. 17 257 18 325 20, 21 258 vi. 11 346 xviii. 23 454 xx. 25 438 xxxiv. 23, 24 311 xliv. 1, 2 284

DANIEL

i. 8 25, 367 16 380 iii. 18 25 40 367 vi. 22 363 vii. 9, 10 360 ix. 2 363 xii. 3 289 xiv. 30 367

HOSEA

i. 2 187 ii. 19 213 iii. 2 187, 293 iv. 6 216

JOEL i. 8 213, 215 iii. 9 207 13 206 18 207

AMOS

v. 14 202

JONAH iii. 5 286 iv. 7, 9 136

MICAH

i. 1 412, 413 iv. 4 215 8, 9 413 10, 13 414 v. 2 412–416 5 298 7, 8, 10 417 vi. 3, 4 277 8 278, 418 vii. 1, 2, 8, 9 418 9, 18 419

HABAKKUK

ii. 4 454 9–12 8 11 219 iii. 7 351

HAGGAI

i. 2, 4 208 4 209 8, 10, 14 210 ii. 6 211 7, 8, 23 212

ZECHARIAH

iii. 3, 8, 12 311 v. 1 149 7 11 ix. 10 212

MALACHI

iv. 2 187, 214, 298

3 ESDRAS

iv. 29, 30, 31 238

TOBIT

iv. 21 116 xii. 8, 9 363

JUDITH

xiii. 16 367

WISDOM

ii. 15 465 iv. 9 87, 103, 453 11 252 15 224, 252 vii. 22 397 viii. 19 217 ix. 15 204

ECCLESIASTICUS

i. 14 452 xv. 2 214 xviii. 30, 31 368 xix. 2 368 23, 24 11 xxiii. 18 208 xxvii. 11 236 xxx. 1 414

BARUCH

iii. 24, 25 81

SUSANNA 15 483, 484 34 479 43 246

BEL AND THE DRAGON

36 295

2 MACCABEES

iv. 18 343

S. MATTHEW

i. 18 340, 482 23 284 ii. 6, 18 415 iii. 4 368 9 230 11 187, 407 15, 23 284 iv. 2, 34 363 4 395 17 202 v. 3 253 17 169, 187, 298, 383, 431, 438 27 183 28 430 30 439 37 59 44 318, 385 44, 45, 48 204 vi. 22 20 33 233 vii. 3 188 7 30, 210 14 198 15, 16 280 17 201 viii. 2, 3 309 7 458 24 294 29 163 ix. 12 329 13 329 15 214 20 407 x. 19, 20 30, 258 28 42 30 22 33 346, 432 39 146 xi. 12 389 17 347 25 307 27 412 28 145, 474 xii. 48 86 xiii. 43 236, 417 52 256 xiv. 4 134 26 285 31 457 xv. 8 275 xvi. 18 290 19 423 24 382, 426 26 10 xvii. 2 461 4 203 21 286, 363 27 23, 25 xviii. 15, 17 259 16 479 19, 20 359 21, 22 381 23, 35 272 xix. 5 283 12 428 21 24, 318 26 205 xx. 10 23 15 201 23 189 xxii. 12 281, 288 17, 18 154 18, 19 24 21 133 xxiii. 10 442 xxiv. 15 275 35 212, 226 40 408 41 396 xxv. 21 83 40 3, 277 43 463 xxvi. 41 234 59, 60 484 64 446 70 461 xxvii. 4 407 23, 25 218 25 226 45 393 46 219 52 309 xxviii. 19 315 20 328

S. MARK

i. 24 165 ii. 11 460 iii. 17 158 iv. 38 294 viii. 38 346

S. LUKE

i. 24 482 28 483 34, 37, 38 284 35 317 42 415 ii. 4 415 23 221 28 230 35 403 36, 37 284 37 368 51 275 52 464 iii. 2, 19 382 6 430 iv. 25 409 29 318 vi. 45 44 vii. 36–38 270 43, 47 266 44 273 45 274 viii. 17 325 ix. 23 14 26 432 x. 2 19 20 189 35 186 xi. 1 233 xii. 49 463 xiii. 11 414 19, 21 396 32 168 xiv. 16 288 xv. 8, 9 20 10 278 17, 19 8 22 472 xvi. 9 469 13 92 31 404 xvii. 5 457 6 396 7 465 31 206 xviii. 42 231 xix. 8 407 17 44 33 440 35 145 40 150 xx. 4 157 36 492 xxi. 2 186 xxii. 7–12 167 42 422 43 219, 299, 407, 422 48 275 xxiii. 34 308 44 211 53 230 xxiv. 7 187 32 206

S. JOHN

i. 1 159, 203 14 310 16 202 17 169 18 57, 159, 293, 310 26 222, 232, 359 29 23, 189, 202, 256, 391, 400, 436, 443 32 277 36 429 47 230 ii. 19 170 19 463 iv. 6 463 14 207 26 201 34 407 v. 10, 30 454 18 46 30, 31, 45 453 vi. 44 48 50 415 58 395 vii. 4, 5, 7, 15 188 12 44 16 185, 461 37 210 38 5, 383 56 47 viii. 8, 9 183 10 189 10, 11 184 11 439 12 206 20 185 34 247 40 48 56 423 ix. 1 459 2, 3, 5–7 460 10, 11 461 25 164, 461 28 461 29 165 x. 11 43 xi. 33, 34 309 35 202 43 460 50 320 54 422 xii. 1 422 5 278 xiii. 2 389 27 449, 461 xiv. 9 155 12 164, 231 21 4 23 290 27, 28 46 27 274 30 25 xv. 3 461 15 243 22 434 xvi. 15, 16 155 32 189, 318 xvii. 1 168 3 40 11, 14, 18 25 xviii. 8 422 xix. 6 226 10 454 25, 27 393 26, 27, 30 340 30 402 34 400 xx. 22 399 xxi. 7 295 22 147

ACTS

i. 18 38 26 445 ii. 4 27 iii. 6 387 6, 13 308 vii. 55 203, 398 56 349, 360 ix. 1 255 5 7 x. 9 208 10 317, 363 xv. 10 423 xvi. 22 289 xvii. 18 365 27, 28 291 28 204, 224, 458 xx. 24 382 35 467

ROMANS

i. 17 453, 454 20 37 ii. 14 433 iii. 4 319 19 434, 436 iv. 7 436 11 430 15 433, 434 v. 3, 4, 5 195, 414 19 11, 156, 435 20 305, 435, 436 vi. 3 362 5 426 8 220, 463 10 147 13 249 vii. 7 435 8 434 22 429 viii. 13, 16, 17 228 17 295, 362, 386 20 288 20–24 224–232 26 233 27 234 37 244, 417 x. 2 259 4 24, 292 8 451 10 26, 274, 299 15 199 xi. 5 212 25 376, 420 25, 26 226 33 253 36 205 xii. 19 390 xiii. 4 182 7 345 8 452 10 204 12 461 xiv. 2 370

1 CORINTHIANS

i. 1 201 8 37, 48 23, 24 432 25 319 27 220 30 359 ii. 9 232, 459 15 351, 431 iii. 2 7, 207, 384 6, 7 31 12, 13 439 14, 15 440 18 220 iv. 3, 4 243 9 381 20 315 21 270 v. 3 313 5 418 7 173 8 175 9 361 10, 11, 12 362 12 466 vi. 1, 2, 5 153 4–6 466 7 467, 468 12, 13 247 vii. 4 368 22 450 25 369 26, 32, 34, 35, 37–40 370 34, 38 283 viii. 5, 6 305 ix. 1, 17, 19 242 17 452 26 289 24, 27 243 27 285, 360, 403 x. 2 175 4 290 7 362 12 372 17 416 23 353 29 248 xi. 1 14 3 304 13–15 411 14 216 xii. 7–9 22 7, 11 233 21 279 23 428 28 230 xiii. 1 322 2, 7, 10, 13 456 4 195 7 457 10 395 xiv. 15 233 34, 35 411 xv. 22 423 23 230 28 14, 227, 229, 308 32 280 32–34 364 41 160 45, 46, 47 295 48, 49 213 49 290 54, 55 299, 402 55 308

2 CORINTHIANS

i. 19 29, 204 ii. 10 270 iii. 3 153 17 443 18 161 iv. 6 438 16 429 18 296 v. 4 224 8 203 4, 7, 8, 10 225 15 301 16 255, 307 16, 17 23 17 353 17, 19, 20, 21 256 17, 21 308 21 152, 456 vi. 2 169 5 285 10 381 15 149 vii. 5 244, 417 viii. 9 386, 464 x. 10, 11 314 xi. 2 303, 370 14 149 26 289 27 368 29 231 xii. 2 86, 203 4 234, 398 10 45, 135

GALATIANS

i. 8 281 15 222 18 188 ii. 4 242 6 13, 456 18 338 19 152 20 255, 301, 302 iii. 6 455 10 451 10, 13, 16, 19 441 11, 13 152 13 308, 382 22, 25, 29 442 23 453 24 437, 452 iv. 1, 3 442 4 35, 152, 310, 443 6 228, 231 8 309 10, 11 167 22 455 24 450 v. 1 451 2 455 6 256 13 242 13, 14 452 vi. 11 313 14 382, 457

EPHESIANS

ii. 4, 6 446 14 359, 417 14, 15, 18 447 iii. 1 464 iv. 5 157 8 464 10, 11, 13 447 13 216, 300, 443 14 236 15 444 16 448 22, 26 449 32 384 v. 3 7 3, 5 362 1, 3, 5, 9, 10 445 14 13 24, 25 449 27 369 31, 32 445 vi. 12 144, 289, 381, 445, 449 13 449 16 238

PHILIPPIANS

i. 23 145 24 81, 231 ii. 6 243 6, 7 14, 309 7 23, 307, 310 7, 8 316 7, 11 308 6–8 46 8 421 9 387 16 312 iii. 7 156 8 14 20 159, 392 iv. 7 212, 251 13 207

COLOSSIANS

i. 15 18, 230 16, 17 210 18 230 ii. 9 316, 368 13, 14 272 14 436 20–22 203 20 285 iii. 11 386 13 391 iv. 3 175

1 THESSALONIANS

iv. 4 7

1 TIMOTHY

i. 9 240 ii. 5 309 iii. 2 378 6 379 3–7 69 16 201 v. 6 210 23 367 24 10 vi. 10 10 16 41

2 TIMOTHY

ii. 5 288 11, 12 411 19 375 iv. 2 258, 270 7 288 8 23

TITUS

i. 6, 7, 9 378 iii. 10 66

PHILEMON

1 389, 475

HEBREWS

i. 3 155, 201, 202, 231 5 59 ii. 7 47 iv. 4 299 12 212, 322, 400, 403 13 318 14 301 v. 1 377 2, 4, 5, 7 373 vi. 13 47 18 316, 319 vii. 2, 3 373 16, 17 301 viii. 8, 9 301 ix. 4 18 17 442 x. 7 302 xi. 9 374 26 346 33, 34, 37, 38 380 34 381 xii. 22 222 29 407 xiii. 8 299 12 329

1 S. PETER

i. 12 203, 459 15, 17–19 386 18, 19 426, 443 ii. 18 394 iii. 3 253 3, 4 250 iv. 8 457 v. 8 144

2 S. PETER i. 4 200, 291

1 S. JOHN

ii. 18 174, 301 iii. 9 457 iv. 18 457 v. 1 456 20 40

2 S. JOHN

10 69

REVELATION

i. 8 26, 223, 374, 413 ii. 10 288 14, 15 323 iii. 1 227 v. 12 308 viii. 3, 4 396 xviii. 22 397 xxi. 23 206 xxii. 16 299

INDEX OF LATIN AND GREEK WORDS

A

Abdicati, 183. absconditam pretio humum, 110, note. acta 33, note. aerarii, 155, note. agnatio, 354. αἴτιον, 28. Almo, 111, note. amentata sententia, 16. ampliavit, 308. apex, 355. ἀποτέλεσμα, 28. arca, 89, note. Astarte, 111, note. aula regalis, 393, note. Ἀφροδίτη Οὐρανία, 111, note.

B

Basilica, 142, note.

C

Castellum, 421. cernere hereditatem, 443, note. clarissimus, a title of courtesy, 101, note. claudebat, from claudeo, to be lame, 84, note. cleros, 465. cognatio, 354. compares, 352. confundar, ♦confusus fuerit, 346, 432. contrarius, 218. cornici oculum effodere, 219. creaturam, 1. cubitum, intexti in, 125, note. curiales, 105, note.

D

Dacia Ripensis, 67, note. decani, 129, note. decurions, 105, note. denarius, 26. dies saeculi, 416. diminuit, 308. dii patrii and indigetes, 97, note. diœcesis, 33, note. distinxisti, 258.

E

Enneacaidecateris, 166, note. ἐνεργούμενοι, 158, note. ἐντελέχεια, 224. ἐπαρχία, 33, note.

F

Fiscus, 89, note.

G

Gigas salutaris, 211, note. gignentia, 110, note.

I

Illustris, a title of courtesy, 101, note; 137, note. impressio, 379. incipit = μέλλει, 167, note. institutis, 421.

J

Judicium, 219; judicio, 219.

L

Laborat, 463. lætus, 470. longaevi super terram, 392. luna, for day of the month, 168, note.

M

Magister equitum et peditum, 279, note. magister officiorum, 331, note. mensis novorum, 169, note. missam facere, 129, note. Mithras, 111, note. morsus hominum, 298. μοσχεύματα, 247.

N

Nevel, 187. nivei, 6. nomen and numen, play on, 95. νοῦς, 306.

P

Pannonia, 108, note. peculium, 98, note. perdendo, 218. præfectus prætorio, 33, note; Italiæ, 128, note. præfectus urbi, 94, note. præpositus cubiculi, 137. præscriptio, 379. primitias, 230. primogenitus, 221; primogenita, 230. primitivus, 221. principes virtutum, 128, note. propria corporis, 225. puer, 464; puerum, 311. puleium, 17.

R

Refrigerat, 277. reprobus, 360; reprobum, 361. Rhoetia Secunda, 108, note.

S

Sacramentum, 275. sæculum, 416. sobrietatis inebrietas, 368. sobrii estote, 364. sola, 368. sospitatis indicio, 280. specie, 309. spectabilis, a title of courtesy, 101, note. spiritum, 274. statera, 24. subditus fiat, 434. superpositus, 65, note.

T

Tractatus concilii Nicæni, 50, note. tubera, 16.

V

Valeria Ripensis, 108, note. vela, 129, note. Venus Cælestis, 111, note. vibulamina, 247. vicarius, 33, note. vivi, 6.

THE END.

Footnotes.

1 – The word in the original is Sacerdos. It is constantly used by S. Ambrose and other writers of his time for Bishops, though they sometimes add a qualifying epithet, ‘Summus Sacerdos.’ But even alone it is used where the writer is clearly speaking of Bishops, and of Bishops quâ Bishops. Thus it occurs frequently in the Proceedings of the Council of Aquileia, which is itself styled ‘Sacerdotale Concilium.’ See the Article ‘Bishop’ by Mr. Haddan in Dict. of Chr. Ant. Vol. 1 p. 210 b., who refers also to Bp. Taylor, Episc. Assert. § 27. It has therefore been rendered ‘Bishop’ throughout this volume, wherever it is plain that the reference is to Bishops, and ‘Priest’ wherever it is used in a more general way.

2 – This forms the two first books of the ‘De Fide’ still extant among the works of S. Ambrose. The other three books were added afterwards, as S. Ambrose explains at the beginning of Bk. iii, to maintain his statements against the attacks of heretical teachers. The Treatise, ‘De Spiritu Sancto,’ in 3 books, was sent afterwards in 381 A.D.

3 – Nivei. This is the reading all MSS. Ed. Rom. has ‘vivi,’ which would agree better with the text of S. John.

4 – The Benedictine reference for the first of these texts is Prov. xiv. 3. _The lips of the wise shall preserve them_, with which the Sept. and Vulg. agree. In the second the English Vers. has _The lips of the wise disperse knowledge_. Here S. Ambr. agrees with the Sept.

5 – Forum Cornelii was on the Via Æmilia, about 23 miles S.E. of Bononia. It was at this time in the Province Æmilia. The modern name is Imola.

6 – The Benedictine Editors refer this to the ravages of the Goths after Valens’ defeat at Hadrianople A.D. 375. It is on this that they found the date of the letter, but the reference is somewhat vague.

7 – tubera

8 – Amentata illa non manipularis sententia. Ed. Ben. refers to Junius, Adagiorum Centuriae 3, 10, who says ‘Amentatam sententiam dixit D. Ambrosius pro validâ et haud vulgari firmisque argumentis roboratâ. Est autem amentum lori genus quo hasta praeligata validius certiusque libratur evibraturque: hinc amentata sententia ea est quæ neutiquam trivialis est et pedanea, cujusmodi manipularis vocatur, velut a gregario milite profecta, sed eximia et artificio vallata.’ He quotes two passages from Cicero, De Orat. 1 57, 242. Brut. 78. 271, in both which places he uses ‘amentatæ hastæ’ of arguments, and also Tertull. adv. Marc. iv. 33 where he says that our Lord amentavit [Phariseis] hanc sententiam, non potestis Deo servire et mammonæ, where it plainly means, ‘gave them this home-thrust.’

9 – puleium, lit. the herb penny royal.

10 – Bassianus is mentioned among the Bishops who took in the Council of Aquileia, as Bishop of Laus Pompeia, now Lodi Vecchio, S.E. of Milan. The modern town of Lodi is about 5 miles from the site of the ancient one.

11 – He means the day of his consecration as Bishop. So S. Ambr. speaks of his own consecration day as his birthday, Comm. in Luc. vii. 78.

12 – Comum is the modern Como, at the southern extremity of the Lake which takes its name from it.

13 – These words are added by S. Ambrose.

14 – statera.

15 – denarius.

16 – ὅροι.

17 – There is no text in Holy Scripture exactly corresponding to this. Lev. xxv. 11 which is referred to by Ed. Ben. is hardly to the point.

18 – There can be little doubt that the true date is iii. Non. Sept. i. e. the 3rd of Sept., and not Nonis, the 5th. For in 381 A.D. the 5th of Sept. was on a Sunday, and it is hardly likely that a Council would have sat from daybreak till one o’clock (Ep. 10. 5) in the Church on such a day, and moreover it would not have been natural for Palladius to say, as he does in § 47. Non respondebo nisi auditores veniant post Dominicam diem, if he were speaking on a Sunday.

19 – The reading of Ed. Rom. has been adopted, which omits the preposition ‘cum. ’ If this were correct, it would imply that the consuls were themselves taking a leading part in the Council; whereas it is clear that they are mentioned solely as the ordinary way of fixing the year; nor had the consuls at this time any other than such ornamental functions. See Gibbon’s description, ch. xvii. vol. ii. ed. Smith p. 206–208.

20 – By ‘acta’ here are meant formal and official records taken down and published by authority. Thus Jul. Cæsar ordered the ‘Acta’ of the Senate to be regularly published. Suet. Cæs. 20.

21 – It is to be remembered that ‘diocese’ was then a civil and not an Ecclesiastical term. A ‘diœcesis’ was an aggregate of provinces, under the charge of a Vicarius, who was subordinate to one of the four Præfecti Prætorio, each Præfectus having under him a number of dioceses. Thus the Vicarius Italiæ, who was subordinate to the Præfectus Prætorio Italiæ, had in his diocese fourteen provinces, including both Liguria of which Milan was the capital, and Venetia in which Aquileia was situated. It is to be remembered also that Italia at this time meant only the north of Italy, the rest of Italy being now included in the Diocese of Rome, and under the Vicarius Urbis Romae. See the table given in Smith’s Gibbon, vol. ii. p. 315. taken from Marquardt. When the word diocese came into Ecclesiastical use, it was applied, first to “an aggregate not merely of several districts, governed each by its own bishop, but of several provinces (ἐπαρχίαι) each presided over by a metropolitan. The diocese itself was under an Exarch or Patriarch.” Dict. of Chr. Ant. sub voc. ‘Creditâ’ is here read for ‘creditam,’ as required by the order of the words.

22 – It is not certain to whom the Emperor’s letter was addressed. Some have thought that it was addressed to the Pretorian Prefect of Italy. Tillemont maintained that it was addressed to Valerian, Bishop of Aquileia, in whose see the Council was held. The language, though not decisive, seems in favour of the former supposition. In § 7. the Prefect of Italy is spoken of as issuing letters in pursuance of it.

23 – i. e. a copy of S. Paul’s Epistles.

24 – i. e. the Emperor’s letter.

25 – The text here seems defective, nor is there any thing to guide us to supply the lacuna. What is given in the translation is no more than a guess at the meaning of the sentence. The general connection is however clear enough even if it be omitted.

26 – The reading of Ed. Rom. is here adopted, as alone furnishing a reasonable sense. The Benedictine text is unintelligible.

27 – By Illyricum is here meant Illyricum Occidentale, which at this time was under the jurisdiction of the Vicarius Italiæ. (See the Table in Smith’s Gibbon, referred to in note[21] p. 33.) Sirmium, which in the following Century was entirely destroyed by the Goths under Attila, was at this time a place of great importance both civil and ecclesiastical. It is spoken of by Justinian as capital of Illyricum both in civil and episcopal matters (Tillemont, note xv on the Life of S. Ambrose vol. x. p. 739). Its ecclesiastical importance is shewn by the contest in which S. Ambrose engaged with Justina, two years before the Council, 379 A. D. to bring about the election of Anemius as Bishop, when the Empress was using all her influence to cause an Arian Bishop to be appointed. Arianism had been rife there for some time, and Germinus a previous Bishop had been one of the leaders of that party. (Tillemont, S. Ambr. ch. xx.) Illyricum had been finally separated into two divisions, Orientale and Occidentale, by Gratian, in 379 A.D. who transferred the Eastern Division to Theodosius when he made him Emperor of the East, from which time it formed part of the Eastern Empire. (Tillemont, Hist. des Emp. vol. v. p. 716.)

28 – The context requires the reading ‘bonus’ for ‘omnibus,’ which is that of one MS. The same MS. also inserts ‘Deum’ in Eusebius’ next speech, which is required by the argument.

29 – made Himself of no reputation E.T.

30 – But now ye seek to kill me, a man &c. E.V.

31 – By ‘tractatus concilii Nicæni’ is meant simply the Nicene Creed. This is established by S. Ambr. De Fide iii. 15. 125 (518 Ed. Ben.) where, speaking of the letter of Eusebius of Nicomedia read at the Council, in reference to the word ὁμοούσιος, he says, Hæc cum lecta esset epistola in Concilio Nicæno, hoc verbum in tractatu fidei posuerunt Patres, etc.

32 – The reading in Ed. Ben. is ‘carendum.’ If it is genuine, the word must have acquired a sort of transitive sense and have come to mean ‘to be deprived.’ No traces of such an use is to be found in Facciolati or in Ducange. Ed. Ben. quotes a parallel use of ‘abstinendus’ but without any instances. Rom. reads ‘privandum,’ Chifflet ‘curandum,’ either of which give the required sense, but seem corrections without MS. authority.

33 – The text in this passage is defective and confused: but the general sense, as given here, may fairly be made out of it as it stands.

34 – It is to be noticed that the sentence of only twenty-five Bishops are here given out of thirty two or thirty three. It is probable therefore that the Record is defective, and that the sentences of the rest have been lost.

35 – Ed. Ben. here reads, Et cum Secundianus subripuisset. As subripuisset by itself could have no sense, the reading of Ed. Rom. has been adopted, Et cum Secundianus se paullulum subripuisset et postea convenisset. This is adopted in Tillemont’s narrative, Il sortit mesme de l’assemblée, mais il revint quelque temps après.

36 – This is according to the text of Ed. Rom.

37 – The abrupt termination of the discussion with Secundianus, without any account of a decision in his case, seems to point to the same conclusion as the incomplete list of Bishops who give sentence on Palladius, that the Record is defective. Moreover the unusual number of various readings is generally a sign of a defective text. The force and cleverness of the evasions of Secundianus seem sometimes to be lost thereby.

38 – With regard to the names of the sees, those of which the modern name is as familiar or more familiar than the ancient have been rendered by the modern name, those of which the modern name would be unfamiliar to general readers have been left in their ancient form. It would be affectation to call S. Ambrose Bishop of Mediolanum: on the other hand nothing would be gained by calling Felix Bishop of Jadera, Bishop of Zara.

39 – This name is omitted in the list at the beginning, so that there are thirty three in this list, only thirty two in the other. The two presbyters were probably representatives of Bishops, but it is not stated of whom.

40 – It is probable that similar letters were addressed to the Bishops of the other Provinces of Gaul, who had sent Justus as their deputy, and to Africa and Illyricum, though no record of them remains. Possibly they were identical, except the address. Gaul had at this time been so subdivided, that the Vicariate or civil Diocese consisted of no less than seventeen provinces. See Marquardt’s Table, as quoted above.

41 – There is no mention of the condemnation of Attalus in the Records, another proof that they are not complete.

42 – Julianus Valens was Bishop of Petavio or Pettau on the Drave, into which See he had apparently been introduced in the place of the orthodox Bishop Marcus: for this is, according to Tillemont, the meaning of the word ‘superpositus.’ When Pannonia and Illyricum were overrun by the Goths after Valens’ defeat at Hadrianople, (378 A.D.) he deserted his charge. The ravages of the Barbarians are described by S. Jerome ad cap i. Zephan. vol. iii. p. 1645. See Gibbon ch. 26. (from a note in Newman’s Fleury, vol. 1 p. 38.)

43 – The reading here is uncertain. Ed. Rom. has ‘prout jam et sacerdotum concilio sententia in eos lata est.’ Nor is it certain to what laws allusion is made. A long note in Ed. Ben. does not seem to clear up the matter.

44 – Dacia Ripensis. The original Province of Dacia was beyond the Danube. It was conquered and included in the Empire by Trajan. In the time of Aurelian it was abandoned again, and the Danube re-established as the frontier. Then the Roman colonists were removed to the South of the Danube, into the central district of Mœsia, which was then called Dacia Aureliani. This was afterwards divided into two Provinces, called Dacia Ripensis and Dacia Mediterranea, Ripensis being the northern part, extending along the bank of the Danube, whence the name.

45 – “Damasus was made Pope on the death of Liberius A.D. 366. Ursinus, called by some Ursicinus, was, as Damasus had been, Deacon at Rome, and could not endure the exaltation of his former colleague who is suspected of having taken part with Felix, the successor to the power of Liberius, when exiled by the Arians. Ursinus was factiously consecrated by one Bishop, and a contest ensued in which even much blood was shed. Ursinus was banished, and being recalled the next year, was banished again after two months. In 371 he was allowed to leave his place of exile, and only excluded from Rome and the suburbicarian provinces. In 378 he held the factious meetings mentioned in the letter, and was exiled to Cologne. He continued to petition Gratian to restore him, and hence the request of the Bishops at Aquileia.” Note in Newman’s Fleury vol. 1, p. 38.

46 – i. e. Julianus Valens, Bp. of Petavio, mentioned in the preceding letter.

47 – after the first and second admonition E.V.

48 – This Lucius the person who, after the death of S. Athanasius, was forced upon the Church of Alexandria as Bishop, in the place of Peter who had been duly elected, by the Governor of the Province. His crimes and cruelties are recorded at length by Eccl. Hist. iv. 21, 22. He was eventually expelled from the see he had usurped, and is mentioned by Socrates, Hist. Eccl. v. 7, as afterwards dwelling at Constantinople and sharing the fate of Demophilus.

49 – Demophilus was originally Bishop of Beroea, (probably Beroea in Thrace,) and was deposed from his office for Arianism. In A.D. 370, on the death of Eudoxius, he was elected by the Arian party Bishop of Constantinople, in opposition to Evagrius. He was supported by Valens who was then Emperor, and Evagrius banished. In 380 A.D. after the accession of Theodosius, matters were changed. Theodosius offered to maintain him in his see, if he subscribed the Nicene Confession, but he refused, and withdrew, and maintained, in conjunction with Lucius and others, Arian worship outside the walls of Constantinople. He died A.D. 386. He is mentioned by S. Ambrose (De Fide 1. 6. 45.) as a leader of one of the various forms of Arianism.

50 – This refers to the long schism which had existed in the Church at Antioch, ever since 331 A.D. when Eustathius was deposed by the Arian party: in 361 A.D. Meletius was elected as successor to Eudoxius, having previously subscribed the Creed of Acacius (Socr. ii. 44.); but on his accepting the Nicene Creed, and acknowledging the Homoousion, he was deposed, and banished by the Emperor Constantius, and Euzoius, an Arian, appointed in his stead, who was afterwards succeeded by Dorotheus, (who was afterwards transferred to Constantinople, 385 A.D.) Meanwhile Meletius had returned from exile, but the extreme orthodox party refused to recognise him, because he had at first been appointed as a Semi-Arian, and elected Paulinus, though the Council of Alexandria had urged them to submit to Meletius, so that, as Socrates says, when recounting the Bishops of the chief sees in the year 379, ♦the Church at Antioch τριχῆ διῄρητο. Paulinus was supported by the Church of Alexandria and by the Bishops of the West, and, as appears from the statements of this letter, a compromise had been proposed, that when either Meletius or Paulinus died, both parties would acknowledge the survivor. The Bishops at Aquileia urge the Emperor to enforce this, not aware that Flavian had already been elected as Meletius’ successor at the Council of Constantinople. The schism was thus perpetuated, and continued till 415 A.D.

What the difficulty about Timotheus was, is not certain. He had been consecrated Bishop of Alexandria that same year, after the death of Peter, the successor of S. Athanasius. Tillemont (vol. x. p. 139) suggests that it was probably connected with the question of the succession at Antioch.

51 – The enemy are the Goths under Fritigern. See Gibbon ch. 26.

52 – The reading ‘pactum’ which is suggested by Valerius is here adopted instead of ‘factum’, which seems to give no satisfactory sense.

53 – Fleury remarks on this ♦‘This letter plainly shews that the Bishops who were there present (i. e. at the Council of Aquileia) either did not acknowledge the Council which had been lately held at Constantinople to be an Œcumenical Council, or that they were not yet informed of what had been transacted in it.

54 – In the regard of the question between Nectarius and Maximus, the Western Bishops had been deceived by the latter. Maximus, called the Cynic because he retained the outward garb of a Cynic philosopher after he professed to have become a Christian, was irregularly ♦consecrated at Constantinople, but was never recognised, and was formally pronounced by the Council not to be a true Bishop. He then went about trying to stir up other Churches in his favour. See Prof. Bright’s Hist. of the Church, pp. 160–166.

Nectarius was elected after the resignation of Gregory Nazianzen, during the Council of Constantinople. He, like S. Ambrose, was unbaptized and held a high civil office at the time of his election.

55 – This is translated from an ingenious and probable conjecture of Valesius.

56 – The text through this long sentence is confused and ungrammatical, but it conveys the general sense expressed in the translation with tolerable clearness.

57 – i. e. Gratian.

58 – The sense is here to be elicited probably by repeating the word ‘quod,’ so that the sentence should run, ‘dogma nescio quod, quod Apollinaris asseritur.’

59 – There seems to be something corrupt in the text. Perhaps we should read ‘moventur,’ ‘the dangerous parts of Illyricum are in commotion;’ or ‘suspecta’ has taken the place of some word, such as ‘superiora,’ which would stand in antithesis to ‘maritima.’

60 – It may complete the subject of this series of letters to remind the reader that about the same time that the Council of the Italian Bishops was held, Theodosius convened a second Council at Constantinople to deal with the questions raised by the Westerns, where most of the Bishops who had formed the previous General Council re-assembled. They replied to the invitation to another General Council at Rome by a Synodical letter, which is given at full length by Theodoret (Eccles. Hist. v. 9.). In it they excuse themselves from attending, on the ground of their presence being required in their own Dioceses, especially after the long exile of many of them, and the prevalence of Arian usurpation, wishing that they ‘had the wings of a dove,’ to fly to their Western brethren. They then give a summary of the doctrinal decisions of the two Councils, and announce that they have sent three Bishops as deputies to explain all things more fully to them, and, with reference to the disputed successions at Constantinople and Antioch, give their assurance to their brethren that both Nectarius and Flavian were canonically elected, and the elections ratified both by the clergy and the faithful of each diocese, and by the Council, reminding them of the ancient Canon re-affirmed at Nicæa that each province should settle all such questions for themselves.

61 – Acholius, or Ascholius, as he is called by Socrates, was the Bishop who baptised Theodosius, during an illness which seized him on a campaign against the Goths. He was present at the Council of Constantinople, and afterwards at that of Rome, not as one of the deputies from the East, but probably because his see had been so recently transferred to the Eastern Empire, that he might seem to belong to both East and West. (Tillemont Ambr. ch. xxxi.) It was there that he met S. Ambrose, who had gone to Rome to attend the Council, and had fallen ill. His death must have occurred in A.D. 383, for his successor Anysius was Bishop before the death of Damasus, Bishop of Rome, who died in A.D. 384. Theodoret therefore (B. v. ch. 18.) must be wrong in making him the Bishop who wrote to S. Ambrose an account of the massacre at Thessalonica, which occurred in A.D. 390. But the passage of Theodoret occurs in only one MS., and is perhaps not genuine.

62 – The Goths had been settled within the boundaries of the Empire by Valens in A.D. 376, when they implored his protection against the Huns. He established them in Moesia, where they soon revolted, and ravaged Thrace, uniting with their former enemies, the Huns, and other barbarians. Valens was defeated and slain by them in A.D. 378, and then they overran all the neighbouring provinces. There is a graphic account in Gibbon, ch. xxvi.

63 – The Benedictine text here reads ‘claudebatur.’ Several MSS., as the editors mention in a note, have ‘claudebat.’ They themselves suggest ‘claudicabat.’ But ‘claudebat’ really gives the same meaning, and there seems little doubt that it is the true reading. It comes from claudeo or claudo, (for both forms are to be found,) meaning ‘to be lame,’ ‘to halt.’ It occurs three times in Cicero.

64 – ‘fisco vel arcæ.’ The ‘fiscus,’ or imperial treasury, received whatever was assigned to the Emperor individually, as distinguished from the ‘aerarium,’ which received what belonged to the senate, as representing the old republica: ‘arca’ is sometimes used in late writers as equivalent to ‘fiscus,’ sometimes, when distinguished from it, as here, it signifies the city funds, which were distinct from both.

65 – Julian’s edict, forbidding the Christians to teach in the schools of grammar and rhetoric, is mentioned with disapproval by Gibbon ch. xxiii.

66 – i. e. his half brother Gratian.

67 – i. e. Maximus.

68 – Valentinian the 1st.

69 – This is sometimes represented as an exaggerated piece of rhetoric on S. Ambrose’s part, not to be regarded as representing a real truth: but it may very well do so, for Valentinian was almost constantly occupied with wars on the frontiers of the empire, and it does not appear from his life that he was ever at Rome during his reign. Milan, not Rome, was the chief seat of the Western Emperors at this time, when they were not with their armies.

70 – The Præfectus Urbi at this time ‘was regarded as the direct representative of the Emperor,’ and, among other duties, ‘he had every month to make a report to the Emperor of the transactions of the Senate,’ and also was ‘the medium through which the Emperors received the petitions and presents from their capital.’ Dict. of Ant. sub voc.

71 – By the ‘late emperor’ is meant Julian; ‘his successor’ is Valentinian the 1st, and ‘last Emperors’ are Valentinian the 1st and Valens.

72 – There is a play here on the words ‘nomen’ and ‘numen.’

73 – Symmachus is thinking of Virgil’s invocation,

Di patrii, Indigetes, et Romule, Vestaque Mater, &c. Georg. i. 498.

The Di patrii are explained as being those brought by Æneas into Italy, Indigetes those native to the soil of Italy.

74 – In strict law a slave’s peculium was the property of his owner, but custom had allowed it to be regarded his own property.

75 – Another trace of Virgil:

Cum jam glandes atque arbuta sacræ Deficerent silvæ et victum Dodona negaret. Georg. i. 158.

76 – Valentinian the 1st, as Symmachus mentions above, had tolerated the heathen rites, and this he here represents as having availed to win the special favour of the gods.

77 – This an official title of honour. There were three ranks among those who held office under the Emperors, 1 Illustres, 2 Spectabiles, 3 Clarissimi, which is the one here applied to Symmachus. The latter was applied to all senators: the other two were reserved for the higher offices of state. See Gibbon, ch. xvii.

78 – He is referring apparently to Galba, Otho, and Vitellius, but somewhat exaggerates the brevity of their reigns. Galba reigned nearly seven months, Otho three months, Vitellius nearly eight months.

79 – The captive Emperor is Valerian, who, A.D. 260, was taken prisoner by Sapor king of Persia, and treated with the utmost indignity. The other is his son Gallienus, and S. Ambrose’s expression with regard to him may be explained by a sentence of Gibbon, (ch. xi. init.) ‘Under the deplorable reigns of Valerian and Gallienus, the empire was oppressed and almost destroyed by the soldiers, the tyrants, and the barbarians.’

80 – S. Ambrose refers here to a law of Valentinian’s, forbidding the Clergy from receiving bequests from widows and unmarried females. It was addressed to Damasus, Bishop of Rome. S. Ambrose’s caution in de Off. Min. 1, 20, 87, shews that control was needed. S. Jerome, speaking of this law says, ‘I do not complain of the law, but grieve that we have deserved it.’

81 – In the provincial towns the political power in the times of the Emperors had passed into the hands of the curia or provincial Senate; and, with the power, many burdensome and extensive duties, were laid upon the curiales or decurions, as they were called. (See § 15.) Exemption from these had been granted first by Constantine; afterwards, as it was found that persons sought Holy Orders in order to evade civil duties, the privilege was restrained: and various changes were introduced by different Emperors. A full outline of the various laws is given in a learned note in Newman’s Fleury, vol. i. p. 162. where the text is speaking of S. Ambrose’s Letter to Theodosius, (infr. Lett. xl.) where he again complains of the same hardship. The subject is also more fully dealt with by Bingham Antiq. B. V. ch. iii. § 14–16.

82 – ‘Conferte’ is here adopted as a manifest emendation of ‘conferet.’ The transfer of two letters is a common mistake of copyists.

83 – This was the case in Julian’s reign, as may be seen in Theod. iii. 12.

84 – The reading of all the other Edd. ‘sacri nemoris’ for ‘agri nemorum’ is here adopted, as yielding a clearer sense.

85 – Pannonia was at this time divided into three provinces, viz. Pannonia Prima and Secunda, and Valeria Ripensis.

86 – Rhaetia Secunda was the name given to Vindelicia when separated again from Rhaetia proper, shortly before the time of Constantine: it had been united to it about the end of the first century.

87 – The Reading ‘nuda gignentium’ is adopted from Ed. Rom. The phrase occurs in Sallust Jug. 79, 6. ‘Gignentia’ is used for plants, trees &c. The clause ‘quae nos’ &c. is strange, but probably refers to the torpidity of winter, which is felt by man as well as by the lower creation.

88 – This passage seems suggested by reminiscences of Virgil, the phrase ‘absconditam pretio humum’ possibly from Aen. iv, 211. urbem Exiguam pretio posuit, while in the latter part S. Ambrose perhaps had in his mind the description of Evander’s town in Aen. viii. See especially ll. 347–366.

89 – The story of Cybele being brought to Rome, and landing outside the city, where the little stream of the Almo joins the Tiber, is told at length by Ovid, Fast. iv. 250–348. In commemoration of the washing of the Statue and sacred implements at the landing, an annual ceremony was maintained, which seems to have been popular, from the numerous allusions to it in later writers. See Lucan 1. 600, Martial iii. 47. 2, Stat. Silv. v. 1. 222, Sil. Ital. viii. 365, all quoted in Dict. of Geogr. When the rites were performed away from Rome, the nearest river was conventionally made the Almo for the time. It is remarkable that Ammianus Marcellinus xxiii, 3, 7. mentions as one of the Emperor Julian’s lasts acts, his keeping the day of this rite, when on his last campaign against the Persians, and performing all the ceremonies at Callinicum or Nicephorium on the Euphrates.

90 – Venus Cælestis is a Latin equivalent of Ἀφροδίτη οὐρανία, and this name was transferred, according to Herodotus (Bk. i. ch. 105.) to the Phœnician goddess Astarte, or Ashtaroth. The same author also (B. i. ch. 131.) identifies Aphrodite with the Persian goddess Mitra, which however is shewn by Prof. Rawlinson, ad loc., to be an error, as Mithras is the sun-god of the Persians. The Temple of Venus Cælestis, or Astarte, at Carthage was very shortly after this time converted into a Christian Church, as recorded by Gibbon on the authority of Prosper Aquitan. (ch. xxviii).

91 – S. Ambrose’s repeated assertions, that the Christians formed a majority in the Senate, are characterised by writers unfavourable to Christianity as unfounded, but they produce no proof. Gibbon (ch. xxviii. note 12.) simply says that it is an assertion ‘in contradiction to common sense.’ But as a large majority of the Senate voted for the abolition of the worship of Jupiter about the same time, as Gibbon himself records, common sense would seem rather to agree with S. Ambrose.

92 – Referring to the unhappy end of Gratian who in the previous year (A.D. 383.) had been overpowered by Maximus, who revolted in Britain, and attacked him in Gaul. His troops deserted him and he was put to death by Maximus’ orders.

93 – Pompeius was murdered, as he landed in Egypt, after escaping from Pharsalia, by Achillas an Eunuch and one of the guardians of king Ptolemy.

94 – Tomyris queen of the Massagetæ. See the story in Herod. i. 214.

95 – This is the first of the famous Hamilcars, the one who led the great invasion of Sicily in B.C. 480, and was totally defeated by Gelon. Herodotus, B. vii. ch. 167, tells the story to which S. Ambrose alludes as the account given by the Carthaginians of his end.

96 – S. Ambrose is alluding to the famous story of Julian burning his fleet, after crossing the Tigris to attack Sapor, king of Persia, in his dominions. This was regarded afterwards by the Christians as an act of judicial blindness. See Augustine de Civ. Dei iv. 29, v. 21. Ammianus, xxiv. 7. asserts that he repented of the order as soon as it was issued, but was too late to stop the flames. Gibbon endeavours to justify the act, and says, ‘had he been victorious we should now admire his conduct.’ See his narrative in ch. xxiv. The author of his life in the Dict. of Ant. styles it ‘the best thing he could have done, if his march into the interior of Persia, had been dictated by absolute necessity.’ Setting these hypotheses aside, and looking only at the actual result, we may fairly think that the Christian interpretation of the facts, even if over-strongly expressed, is the truer.

97 – He here refers to Josephus Antiq. v. ch. iv.

98 – The name given in the Hebrew is Ramath Lehi, which means, ‘the hill or lifting up of the jaw-bone.’ S. Ambrose interprets it below ‘maxillae interfectionem.’ He would seem to be here suggesting a Greek etymology. The Benedictine note suggests that the name Agon is a confusion on his part from the word σιαγὼν in Josephus.

99 – The words ‘quasi in cubitum intexti’ are probably from the Old Latin Version of the Bible. Field, on Origen’s Hexapla in loc. (Judg. xvi. 13.) mentions that some MSS of LXX read ἐὰν ὑφάνης ὡςει πῆχυν or ὡς ἐπὶ πῆχυν, which may very well have been translated by some such words as the above, in the Old Latin Version which S. Ambrose used.

100 – The expression ‘principes virtutum’ seems to be a phrase from the Old Testament. In the Vulgate we find ‘rex virtutum’ Ps. lxvii, (lxviii. E.V.) 13, where the E.V. has ‘kings of armies,’ and in Judith xiv. 17 (19 E.V.) ‘Quod quum audissent principes virtutis Assyriorum,’ and in 1 Macc. v. 56. ‘Azarias princeps virtutis.’ The ‘comites consistoriani’ formed a sort of cabinet (consistorium) or privy council to the Emperor. The Benedictine Editors take ‘principes virtutum’ as meaning the Magistri militum, but the absence of any conjunction is against this.

101 – This must mean the Præfectus prætorio Italiæ, one of the four great Viceroys, under whom the Dioceses of the Empire were placed. He was supreme over all Italy, and the countries north of it to the Danube, and the western part of the north of Africa. He had under him three Dioceses, containing thirty Provinces.

102 – The title given them is ‘Decani.’ They seem to have been something like the lictors of the great officers of state under the republic.

103 – These ‘vela’ or hangings were a token that the building was claimed for the ‘fiscus,’ or private property of the Emperor. Gibbon in his grand way says, ‘the splendid canopy and hangings of the royal seat were arranged in the customary manner,’ but, as is noticed by the writer of the Life of S. Ambrose in Dict. of Christian Biog. it is clear from the sequel of the narrative (see § 20) that they were outside, not inside the Church.

104 – The words in the original are ‘missam facere.’ Prof. Bright in his History notes that this is ‘the earliest instance, apparently, of this term being used for the Eucharistic service.’

105 – ‘The introduction of barbarians into the Roman armies became every day more universal, more necessary, and more fatal. The most daring of the Scythians, of the Goths, and of the Germans, were enrolled not only in the auxiliaries of their respective nations, but in the legions themselves, and among the most distinguished of the Palatine troops.’ (Gibbon, ch. xvii.) The Goths were Arians. It was much about this time that Ulfilas, the apostle of the Goths, made his famous translation of the Bible into Gothic. See Bright’s Hist. of the Church p. 157.

106 – This is the Vulgate rendering of ‘At Salem is His Tabernacle.’

107 – On the high rank and great influence of the Præpositus cubiculi, or Grand Chamberlain, see Gibbon ch. xvii. They ranked with the Præfecti prætorio and other highest officers of state as Illustres. See note on Lett. xvii. § 1.

108 – A reply of Valentinian the 1st to some Bishops of the Hellespont and Bithynia, who demanded permission to meet ‘to amend the doctrine of the faith,’ is given by Sozomen. (vi. 7.) His words are, ‘It is not lawful for me, as a layman, to busy myself about such matters as these: let the Bishops, whose business it is, meet by themselves wherever they will.’ To the same effect are the words of his which Theodoret reports, (iv. 6.) when bidding the Bishops of the province elect a successor to Auxentius. He bids them choose a fit person, ‘that we also, who rule the empire, may sincerely bow our heads to him, and welcome his reproofs, (for, being men, we cannot but stumble,) as a remedial discipline.’ What law is referred to is uncertain. The Benedictine Editors, after mentioning some which had been suggested ‘think it more probable that the law referred to is not extant.’

109 – Gibbon (ch. xxv.) in his character of Valentinian says, ‘In the time of Julian he provoked the danger of disgrace by the contempt which he publicly expressed for the reigning religion.’ The story is told by Theod. Eccles. Hist. iii. 16. ♦Valentinian was in official attendance on the Emperor Julian on one occasion when he went to the temple of Fortune to perform rites. ‘On either side of the door were stationed attendants, who sprinkled all who came in with lustral water to purify them, as they believed. When some of the drops fell on his cloak, Valentinian struck the attendants with his fist, saying that he was defiled not purified by them.’ For this he was dismissed from the court, and sent to a solitary garrison. The same story is told with slight variations by Sozomen. Hist. vi. 6.

110 – He is alluding to his own election.

111 – This is true of the first decision of the Council, but as S. Ambrose says, ‘it ended badly,’ for the Bishops were inveigled into accepting a less orthodox formula. See Prof. Bright’s Hist. p. 94, 98.

112 – S. Ambrose here delicately alludes to the service he had rendered to Valentinian in going on his behalf to the court of the usurper Maximus after the death of Gratian, which is referred to in Letter xxiv.

113 – ‘This was not so great an inconvenience to them as might appear at first sight, for the early Basilicas were not unlike the heathen temples, or our own collegiate chapels, that is, part of a range of buildings, which contained the lodgings of the ecclesiastics, and formed a fortress in themselves, which could easily be blockaded either from within or without.’ Newman. Ch. of the Fathers. p. 22.

114 – The words ‘custodiam’ and ‘amisit,’ are repeated by S. Ambrose from the former part of the sentence. ‘Amisit’ as applied here recalls the Psalmist’s expression, ‘Hath God forgotten to be gracious?’ Ps. lxxvii. 9.

115 – This refers to a story thus recounted in Paulinus’ Life of S. Ambrose ch. 12, ‘Among many who tried to force S. Ambrose into exile, but through God’s protection failed of their ♦purpose, one Euthymius more hapless than the rest, was stirred to such a pitch of frenzy that he hired a house close to the Church, and there kept a carriage, that he might the more readily carry off Ambrose into exile, by seizing him and putting him in the carriage. But his wickedness fell upon his own pate, (Ps. vii. 7.) for that very day year, he was himself put into the carriage and from the same house was carried into exile, confessing that it was by the just judgment of God that his wickedness had recoiled on himself, and he was carried into exile in the very chariot which he had prepared for the Bishop. And the Bishop did much to comfort him, by giving him money, and other necessaries.’

116 – The word is ‘curiales.’ See Footnote 81 on Lett. xviii. To the authorities there referred to add Bingh. Antiq. iv, 4, 4, where Gothofred’s enumeration of their duties is given in full in the notes.

117 – Zech. v. 1 [E.V. a flying roll. Vulg. volumen volans.]

118 – i. e. by causing them to commit sacrilege.

119 – There is a play here on the word ‘aerarios,’ as connected with ‘aerarium’ the treasury. The aerarii were the lowest class of people at Rome, and so S. Ambrose calls the ‘pauperes Christi’ his aerarii, while at the same time they are the treasures of the Church.

120 – S. Augustine mentions in his Confessions (ix. 7.) S. Ambrose’s introduction both of Hymns and chanting during this period of trial. ‘Then was it first instituted that, after the manner of the Eastern Churches, Hymns and Psalms should be sung, lest the people should wax faint through the tediousness of sorrow; and from that day to this the custom is retained, divers, yea, almost all Thy Congregations throughout other parts of the world following herein.’ Oxf. Transl. He speaks in the same passage of the behaviour of the people: ‘The devout people kept watch in the Church, ready to die with their Bishop Thy servant.’ He also dwells on the effect produced on himself, these events happening shortly before his conversion. ‘How did I weep in Thy Hymns and Canticles, touched to the quick by the voice of Thy sweet-attuned Church! The voices flowed into mine ears, and the Truth distilled into mine heart, whence the affections of my devotion overflowed, and tears ran down, and happy was I therein.’ Ib. ix. 6. It is quite possible that some of the twelve Hymns, acknowledged by the Benedictine Editors as genuine, were then first sung. Among them are the well-known ‘Aeterna Christi munera,’ ‘Aeterne rerum Conditor,’ ‘Deus Creator omnium,’ and others, whose strains are now familiar in English versions.

121 – This is said to be the Church now called ‘S. Ambrose the greater.’ The Roman Church is the one called in the previous letter the ‘New Basilica,’ and also the Church of the Apostles. It was probably called ‘Romana’ from being near the Porta Romana.

122 – S. Augustine says that it was revealed to him in a dream.

123 – These were ἐνεργούμενοι, or persons possessed by evil spirits. On them see Bingh. Antiq. iii. 4, 6. The laying on of hands was part of the rite of exorcism.

124 – The text stands ‘arriperetur urna,’ nor is there any variation of MSS. noted. But it seems absolutely necessary to read ‘una.’ An ‘urna’ could have nothing to do with the matter. It might hold ashes, but surely not the bones of two men of marvellous size. The histories founded on the letter all tacitly adopt the emendation, and speak of ‘a woman among the possessed.’ See Fleury. B. xviii. 46. Tillemont in Vit.

125 – now of S. Vitalis and S. Agricola Fleury p. 104. Eng. Tr.

126 – This is distinctly asserted by S. Augustine in all the three passages referred to in the Introduction.

127 – The word is ‘Enneacaidecateris.’ Mr. Hensley remarks in his article on Easter, ‘It has been often stated that the Council established a particular cycle, that of nineteen years, but this is a mistake.’

128 – ‘Nam incipit ♦esse contrarium.’ According to Ducange ‘incipio’ is used in late Latin in the sense of the Greek verb μέλλω, and here, as it would seem, with the force with which that verb is so often used as equivalent to ‘it is likely’ or ‘it is sure’ that such and such is the case: see Lidd. and Scott. μέλλω, ii. 3, 4.

129 – An allusion to Virg. Georg., 1, 276.

Ipsa dies alios alio dedit ordine luna Felices operum; quintam fuge, etc.

130 – Days immediately following the Kalends, Nones or Ides, considered unlucky by the Romans. See A. Gellius, v. 17. What the ‘Egyptian days’ were is not ascertained.

131 – This is the ordinary phrase for the day of the lunar month. See Bright Early Engl. Ch. Hist. p. 195.

132 – S. Ambrose’s Latin is ‘mensis novorum.’ The LXX has ἐν μηνὶ τῶν νέων. The Vulgate ‘in mense novarum frugum.’

133 – bitter herbs E.T. Ex. xii. 8.

134 – The Era of Diocletian was the prevalent one at this time, and till the general adoption of the Christian Era, which did not become established until the 8th Century. See Mr. Hensley’s article ‘Era’ in Dict. of Christ. Antiq. He gives there the rule for reducing the Era of Diocletian, the epoch of which is Aug. 29th A.D. 284, to the Christian Era, viz. to add 283 years and 240 days to the given date of Diocletian’s Era. According to this the Easter of the 89th year of Diocletian would be A.D. 373, and that of the 93rd would be A.D. 377. The ‘times lately past’ would probably refer to A.D. 383, when, as may be seen by the Table, the ‘fourteenth moon’ fell on a Sunday.

135 – There is a slight error here. The interval is 32 days, not 31.

136 – There is some uncertainty about the reading here. The original reading in the text was ‘biennium,’ and, as this clearly did not agree with the facts the Benedictine Editors adopted a suggestion that ‘biennium’ was a mistaken rendering of a MS. which had ‘vi-ennium.’ But the period of 6 years would not be precise, as the year referred to must be A.D. 379, (see table,) which would be seven years before.

137 – The precise words are not found in either of these passages.

138 – in haste E.T.

139 – against all the gods of Egypt E.T.

140 – This would seem to be not quite correct. Mr. Hensley remarks that in A.D. 360. Easter day was on April 23rd but that the ‘fourteenth moon’ of that year was a Monday and not on a Sunday. The question is discussed in Ideler Chronol. vol. II. p. 254–257.

141 – i. e. as Bishop.

142 – The Juthungi were a German tribe settled on the north bank of the Danube, in what is now Austria Proper and Moravia. It is uncertain whether they were, as Ammianus Marcellinus describes them, a sept of the Alemanni, or whether they were Goths. It has been suggested that the name is only another form of Gothi or Gothones, (Dict. of Antiq.) The want of a detailed and accurate history of these times, which are just beyond the range of Ammianus, makes it difficult to make out clearly the allusions which S. Ambrose here makes. Tillemont explains them thus, ‘Bauton seeing the Juthungan Alemanni ravaging Rhaetia, while the Roman soldiers were engaged in guarding the passes of the Alps against Maximus, summoned the Huns and Alans to make war on them. These tribes accordingly pillaged the territories of the Alemanni up to the frontiers of Gaul. But on Maximus complaining that they had been brought against him, Valentinian, to deprive him of any pretext for breaking off the peace, induced them to retire in the midst of their victories by presents of money.’ He also considers that the reason why the Juthungi came to pillage Rhaetia that year was the extraordinary fertility, and that it is this invasion to which allusion is made in Letter xxiv, 21, where S. Ambrose says that Rhaetia Secunda ‘drew down an enemy on herself by her abundance.’

143 – S. Ambrose means Maximus’ brother.

144 – He seems to mean that pity for the dead should move him to less harsh treatment. But perhaps the word ‘tuam’ may have dropped out, and we should read ‘tu tuam causam considera,’ ‘do you consider your own case.’

145 – It seems necessary here to read ‘allegabis’ for ‘allegabas,’ as the past tense would be unmeaning.

146 – Cabillonum is the ancient name of Châlons-sur-Saône.

147 – He refers to the Bishops Idacius and Ithacius, who had induced Maximus to put Priscillian and others of his party to death, in spite of the remonstrances of S. Martin, who urged Maximus to be content with their having been condemned by ecclesiastical sentence. Priscillian ‘had adopted a strange compound of various errors,’ (Prof. Bright Hist. p. 160.) chiefly Manichean. There is a full account of Maximus’ dealings with them in Fleury, xviii. 29, 30. Newman’s Transl. vol. 1, p. 66–69. S. Ambrose in Letter xxvi. condemns the conduct of these Bishops, and the appeal to the civil sword in Ecclesiastical cases, in still stronger terms.

148 – The Benedictine Editors consider him to be referring to the Novatians.

149 – S. Ambrose’s Latin is ‘scribe hoc viros abdicatos.’ The Vulg. has ‘scribe virum istum sterilem.’ The LXX. γράψον τὸν ἄνδρα τοῦτον ἐκκήρυκτον.

150 – abdicati.

151 – Fleury remarks on this, ‘We must remember that the canonical penances inflicted for great crimes were at that time so very severe, that they were equal to a rigorous punishment.’

152 – See Footnote 147 on Letter xxiv.

153 – S. Ambrose makes the same statement again, De Spirit. iii. 17. ‘It is important then to notice where the Lord maintained this argument, for oft-times His oracles derive their value from the quality of the place where He was.’

154 – nevel.

155 – These words are not in the Heb. In LXX they take the place of the half-homer of barley, γομὸρ κριθῶν καὶ νέβελ οἴνου. S. Ambrose combines both.

156 – It was said just afterwards, if the story of the woman taken in adultery be in its right place, which is doubtful.

157 – Leah means ‘wearied,’ and the name is supposed to refer to her ‘tenderness’ or weakness of eyes. (Gen. xxix. 16). S. Ambrose gives a mistaken meaning to the name Rachel, which really means ‘ewe.’

158 – S. Ambrose often gives this exposition of the name ‘Shechem.’

159 – Isaac means ‘laughter.’ Gen. xxi. 6.

160 – He is here referring to Virg. Ecl. 5, 77. Dumque thymo pascuntur apes, dum rore cicadae.

161 – Here again he is thinking of Virg. Georg. 3, 328. Et cantu querulae rumpent arbusta cicadae.

162 – Here again S. Ambrose is thinking of Virg. Georg. 2, 154. Squameus in spiram tractu se colligit anguis.

163 – Perhaps quoted from memory from S. John iv. 26.

164 – ‘Veri vana.’ This is simply one of the Virgilian expressions of which S. Ambrose is so full. It is taken from Aen. x. 630, Nunc manet insontem gravis exitus, aut ego veri Vana feror.

165 – The Engl. Vers. is ‘Prepare war, wake up the mighty men.’ The Vulg. ‘Sanctificate bellum, suscitate robustos.’

166 – This refers to Ps. xix. 5. where the sun, that _rejoiceth as a giant to run his course_, is usually interpreted by the Fathers of the Messiah. It was a very favourite thought with S. Ambrose. In his Hymn ‘De Adventu Domini’ he adapts the language of the Psalm to it in words of beautiful simplicity,

Procedit e thalamo suo, Pudoris aulâ regiâ Geminæ Gigas substantiæ Alacris ut currat viam. Egressus Ejus a Patre, Regressus Ejus ad Patrem, Excursus usque ad Inferos, Recursus ad sedem Dei.

In the De Incarn. ch. v. he gives a fuller explanation. ‘Him the Prophet Daniel describes as a Giant, because being of a twofold nature, He partaketh in one Person both of the Godhead and of a human Body, and exulted in going forth as a Bridegroom from His chamber, like a Giant, to run His course. He is Bridegroom of the soul as being the Word, He is a Giant of earth because He fulfilled all the duties of our daily life, and, though He was ever the eternal God, took upon Him the Mystery of the Incarnation.’

167 – The English Version has ‘_The partridge sitteth on eggs and hatcheth them not_.’ S. Ambrose is referring to § 11 of the preceding Letter, where he applies the text to Satan. He makes the same application of it in Letter xlvi. 14.

168 – perdendo.

169 – contrarius.

170 – judicio.

171 – judicio.

172 – judicium.

173 – ‘Cornici oculum effodere’ was a familiar Latin proverb for overcoming craft with craft. See Cic. pro Mur. 11, pro Flacco, 20.

174 – primitivus.

175 – primogenitus.

176 – Horontianus appears to have been, like Irenæus, a pupil of S. Ambrose, and to have been ordained by him, and to have been, as the Benedictine Editors say, ‘In clericorum contubernio educatus ab infantia.’ Nothing more is known of him. See Letter lxx. 25.

177 – ἐντελέχεια.

178 – propria corporis.

179 – Sun, E. V. Sol, Vulg.

180 – primitias.

181 – primogenita.

182 – The difference in the original is only the punctuation; in the first case, ‘Nam quod videt quis quid, et sperat:’ in the second, ‘Nam quod videt quis, quid et sperat?’

183 – S. Ambrose is evidently referring to his mission to Maximus, and the persecution of Justina.

184 – There is another reading of several MSS., ‘et ille profecto gemitus,’ which seems to offer a better sense, ‘and that groaning is indeed truly unutterable, etc.’

185 – Canaan. E.V.

186 – The Vulgate has, ‘Trahitur autem sapientia de occultis.’ The E.V. is, ‘The price of wisdom is above rubies.’

187 – This is referred by the Benedictine Editors to Prov. xxii. 7. but it does not agree with either the Sept. or Vulgate.

188 – τοῦ πνεύματος is inserted in a few MSS, and Spiritus is in the Vulgate.

189 – The story of Calanus and Alexander is related in Arian vii. 2. It is also more briefly alluded to by Plutarch. Alex. 65. Neither writer mentions this letter.

190 – vibulamina. Gr. μοσχεύματα.

191 – i. e. the three children in the furnace.

192 – S. Ambrose is here imitating the consolation offered by Ser. Sulpicius to Cicero on the death of his daughter. See Ep. ad Div. iv, 5, 4.

193 – distinxisti ei.

194 – ‘Oriens’ or ‘the East’ was the title of the great civil ‘diocese’ which included Syria, Palestine, Cilicia, Cyprus, Mesopotamia, and some adjacent districts, and corresponded to the Patriarchate of Antioch in the ecclesiastical division. It was originally under one chief called ‘Comes orientis,’ but it would appear from this passage, as is asserted by Gothofred, that the civil and military functions had been divided, and there were now two officers, ‘Comes orientis militarium partium,’ and ‘Comes orientis civilium partium.’ The subject is somewhat obscure.

195 – Callinicum was in Osrhoene, a name given to the north-western part of Mesopotamia.

196 – Socrates, B. v. ch. 13., mentions that Nectarius’ house was burnt by the Arian party in the same year in which this letter was written.

197 – See a note in Newman’s Fleury, p. 160.

198 – Andragathius, who commanded a fleet in Maximus’ interest expecting Theodosius to come to Italy by sea.

199 – The Benedictine editors say ‘tota hæc pericope in uno Cod. Reg. desideratur: forte non male.’ It is difficult to elicit any sense from it.

200 – Siscia, now Sissek, was a large town in upper Pannonia, on the south bank of the Save. Petavio, now Pettau, was on the Drave. It seems likely that ‘in Sicilia’ should be omitted, as being only a false meaning for ‘Sciscia.’ There is no mention of Sicily being in any way connected with the war. But see Tillemont, Theod. art. xlv.

201 – S. Ambrose is quoting from memory and slightly varies the facts from the narrative in book of Judges.

202 – See a learned note in Newman’s Fleury vol. 1 p. 162, on the exemption of the Clergy from municipal offices, compare also Letter xviii. 14, and the note there.

203 – i. e. the Count of the East.

204 – This refers to the famous sedition at Antioch, when the mob, enraged at the imposition of new taxes, overthrew the Emperor’s statues, and dragged them through the city. After a period of suspense, during which S. Chrysostom preached the Homilies on the Statues, Theodosius, who had at first been violently enraged, sent them a free pardon. This was in the previous year.

205 – i. e. of Maximus.

206 – spiritum.

207 – sacramentum.

208 – refrigerat.

209 – The Latin title is ‘Magister equitum et peditum.’ When the Præfecti Prætorio became civil rather than military officers, the chief command of the armies was transferred to two high officers, called, one ‘Magister equitum,’ and the other ‘Magister peditum.’ When the empire was divided these became four, and eventually the number was increased to eight, who were all called ‘Magistri equitum et peditum.’ See Gibbon ch. xvii. 3.

210 – i. e. the ‘Comes Orientis,’ under whose jurisdiction the matter was, and who had sent the report to the Emperor. See Lett. xl. 6.

211 – sospitatis indicio.

212 – This sentence as it stands in the text is incomplete, the ‘quia’ having no correlative. The ‘at vero quia’ seems like ‘at enim’ in Classical Latin, or perhaps the ‘quia’ should be omitted.

213 – See Letter xix, 7. S. Ambrose in De Abraham B. 1. c. 9, 93 alludes to the use of the veil in Christian marriages.

214 – This name appears in the reply of the Milan Synod as Plotinus, which is probably the true form.

215 – There are three laws in the code of Theodosius directed against the Manichees, one of the year 372 A.D. which forbade them to hold assemblies, one of 389 A.D. and one of 391 A.D. ordering their banishment. It is probably the second of these that is referred to, though Gothofred refers it to the third, in which case the date of the Letter must be altered.

216 – All these names except Geminianus occur in the list of Bishops present at the Council of Aquileia. See p. 60.

217 – νοῦς.

218 – This whole passage is full of expressions borrowed from Virgil.

219 – This title seems here to be applied especially to the constellations of the Pleiades and Hyades, each of which consisted of seven stars.

220 – See note on Letter xxvi. 9.

221 – morsus hominum. E. V. ‘principal men.’

222 – Devoravit mors praevalens. The E. V. is, ‘He will swallow up death in victory.’ The Vulg. has, ‘Praecipitabit mortem in sempiternum.’

223 – The word ‘vitae’ is here inserted as necessary to the sense, and to the accuracy of the quotation.

224 – νοῦς.

225 – diminuit.

226 – ampliavit.

227 – This agrees with the LXX, καὶ ἄνθρωπός ἐστι καὶ τίς γνώσεται αὐτόν;

228 – specie.

229 – puerum.

230 – ‘Ecce ego mittam servum meum, Oriens nomen Ejus.’ Vulg. has ‘Ecce ego adducam servum meum Orientem.’ ‘Oriens nomen Ejus’ comes in v. 12. ‘Behold I will bring forth my servant the Branch.’ The same word in the original is used also in Is. iv. 2. Jerem. xxiii. 5. xxiii. 15. and in all those passages the Vulg. renders it by ‘Germen.’ In the passages of Zech. and Jerem. the LXX. have the word ἀνατολή. The word in the original means ‘a sprout’ or ‘shoot.’

231 – See Letter xxxii. 1.

232 – He is quoting from a letter of Cicero’s. Ep. ix. 3. Longi subsellii, ut noster Pompeius appellat, judicatio et mora.

233 – He is here quoting from Cicero De off. iii. 1, where Cicero gives as a saying of Scipio Africanus, on the authority of Cato, ‘numquam se minus otiosum esse quam quum otiosus, nec minus solum quam quum solus esset.’ It is quoted again by S. Ambrose in De off. Min. iii. 1, 107.

234 – This is the reading of most MSS, according to the Benedictine Editors. And, though the connection of ideas is somewhat abrupt, they explain it to be, that, as the gift of faith was bestowed on Abraham the Chaldean, so the gift of prophecy was bestowed on Balaam. All the other Editions have ‘Balaam’ instead of ‘Abraham’. This makes the connection easier, but then ‘adscitur ad fidem’ is strangely applied to him, and it could only mean, ‘is employed to utter the truth.’ He might be called a Chaldean as the common name among the Romans for Eastern diviners generally.

235 – The Magister officiorum was a sort of Chief Secretary of state, both for home and foreign affairs. A summary of his duties may be seen in Gibbon ch. xvii, iv, 2. It was the influence which this post gave him over Theodosius which enabled Rufinus to stir the Emperor’s passionateness to the crime of Thessalonica.

236 – The adjective Portuensis generally refers to the town called Portus, which grew up in the times of the Emperors on the harbour of Ostia. It is probable therefore that the reference is to some work of which the person spoken of had the superintendence.

237 – As Lake Larius was sometimes called Lacus Comacinus in the times of the Emperors, (Dict. of Geogr. voc. Comum.) it is probable that the ‘Comacinæ rupes’ were some familiar rocks on its margin. The comparison to a bull is simply an adaptation of Virgil’s ‘Et faciem tauro propior,’ Georg. iii. 58.

238 – The word ‘bonis’ must certainly here be inserted in the text, ‘uterque alienae magis ordinationis vitiis quam suis bonis fretus,’ as suggested by the Benedictine Editors. It occurs just below in the corresponding sentence, ‘suis potius bonis quam alieno vitio defendi.’

239 – He is sometimes spoken of as Bishop of Nairsus in Dacia Mediterranea (see Note in p. 67.) but Tillemont (note 43 in Life of S. Ambrose) has made it probable that there were two Bishops of the name of Bonosus, one of Nairsus, and the other of Sardica, the latter of whom is the one dealt with by the Synod of Capua.

240 – He is referring to the ‘Memorial of Symmachus.’ p. 94. The ‘two petitions,’ libellos duos, are Letters 17 and 18.

241 – He means that the reason why he declines all communication with Eugenius, who wished to secure his great political influence on his side, was, that he felt sure that Eugenius, though at present temporising with both parties, would in the end yield to the pressure of the pagan party, and restore the revenues to the heathen temples. ‘Extorquendum’ is, in accordance with late Latin idiom, a mere future passive.

242 – confusus fuerit.

243 – confundar.

244 – See Letter xliv. 9, and note c there.

245 – compares.

246 – The argument here turns on the Latin words. ‘Avunculus,’ uncle, is a mere diminutive of ‘avus,’ grand-father; and the one word ‘neptis’ is used both for niece and grand-daughter without any distinction.

247 – The ‘not’ is inserted according to the suggestion of the Benedictine Editors. There seems a contradiction in terms without it.

248 – agnatio.

249 – agnatio.

250 – cognatio.

251 – ‘Apices’ here and in § 5 undoubtedly means ‘a letter.’ ‘Apex,’ in late Latin, is used for a single letter written, and ‘apices’ like ‘literae,’ for a continuous writing. Aulus Gellius (xiii. 30, 10. xvii. 9, 12.) quoted in White’s Dictionary, uses the phrase ‘literarum apices,’ and in Cod. Just. ii. 8, 6. we find ‘Augusti apices’ for ‘the Emperor’s rescripts.’

252 – Theodoret, v. 24. gives a detailed account of the ways in which the special intervention of heaven was displayed in Theodosius’ campaign against Eugenius. S. Aug. De Civ. Dei, v. 26. says that Theodosius ‘contra robustissimum Eugenii exercitum magis orando quam feriendo pugnavit,’ and, after mentioning stories told by eye-witnesses of the manifest intervention of God on his behalf, quotes the well-known lines of Claudian,

O nimium dilecte Deo cui fundit ab antris Æolus armatas hyemes, cui militat æther, Et conjurati veniunt ad classica venti.

253 – The word here used is plural, Venetiarum. From this it has been argued that this letter must be of later date than S. Ambrose’s time, as Venetiæ is the usual name for the city, which was not founded till the time of Attila. (Gibbon ch. xxxv. vol. iv. p. 242 ed. Smith.) But he certainly uses the plural form in Letter xviii. 21, which is undoubtedly his, and therefore, as Tillemont has pointed out, no argument can be founded on this against the present letter. It is possible that under the plural form he intends to include Venetia and Histria, which are reckoned together as one consular province in the civil division of the empire, (see Marquardt’s Table, in Smith’s Gibbon vol. ii. p. 315.) and also as one ecclesiastical province in the Exarchate of Milan, (see Bingham ix. 1, 6.) By ‘finitimis Italiæ partibus’ he probably means Flaminia and Picenum Annonarium, which were also included in the ‘Diocese’ of Italy and Exarchate of Milan.

254 – intentio.

255 – It is to be noted that Eusebius, who died in A.D. 371, was not the last Bishop of Vercellæ, but Limenius, whose name occurs among the Bishops who took part in the Council of Aquileia. This has also been made an argument against S. Ambrose’s authorship, but there does not seem much weight in it. Eusebius was much the more famous man of the two, and his teaching and example and the memory of his labours and martyrdom are naturally appealed to by S. Ambrose.

256 – These were, it appears, followers of Jovinian. See above, Introd. to Letter of Siricius, p. 280.

257 – reprobus.

258 – reprobum.

259 – Nothing is known of this man, nor is even the name certain, as there are many various readings. The Benedictines suggest that it may mean Philodemus, who is mentioned by Diog. Laert. x. 3. as a follower of Epicurus, and is also spoken of by Cicero, De fin. 11, 35. and by Horace, Sat. 1, 2, 21.

260 – sobrii estote. Vulg.

261 – Nothing is known of Demarchus, whom S. Ambrose here quotes. The Benedictines suggest that it may be a mistake for Hermarchus, who was Epicurus’ successor as head of his school, and who wrote books in defence of the Epicurean philosophy. He is mentioned several times by Cicero.

262 – Though the so-called Epicureans of later days perverted his theory to what is generally known as Epicureanism, Epicurus himself certainly did not mean by pleasure sensual pleasure. ‘Pleasure was not with him a momentary and transitory sensation, but he conceived it as something lasting and imperishable, consisting in pure and noble mental enjoyments.’ ‘He was a man of pure simple and temperate habits.’ Dict. of Biog. in voc. Vol.ii. p. 34, 35.

263 – This must be the sense if we retain the interrogation. If it is omitted the passage would mean, ‘Men then are recalled from that, in which’ &c., i. e., it is plainly unfitting for men to do that, in which &c.

264 – S. Ambrose is alluding apparently to Ezra proclaiming and keeping a fast to remove God’s anger against his people. Should we not read ‘memoriae’ for ‘memoriâ?’ Ezra did restore the Scriptures to the memory of the people, but it does not appear that he restored them from memory?

265 – Sobrietatis inebrietas.

266 – Sola.

267 – Mary and Miriam are really the same name, the former having come through the Greek form Μαρία.

268 – laqueus.

269 – A reminiscence of Virgil’s,

Ante expectatum positis stat in agmine castris. Georg. iii. 348.

270 – The reading here varies. Ben. has ‘in Concilio Nicaeni tractatus,’ which may mean ‘the Council which made the Nicene Creed,’ (for the phrase ‘Nicaenus tractatus’ as applied to the Creed see note 1 on Acts of Council of Aquileia.) Another reading is ‘in Concilii Nicaeni tractatu,’ and another ‘in Concilio Nicaeno tractatus.’

There is a difficulty about S. Ambrose’s statement, as there is nothing on the subject in the Canons of Nicaea. The Benedictine editors, after discussing other explanations, suggest that S. Ambrose may have had an inaccurate copy of the Canons, with the one he here quotes inserted from some other Council. Some unauthentic documents professing to give Nicene regulations on the subject are quoted in Dict. of Christian Antiq. Art. Digamy.

271 – impressio.

272 – praescriptio.

273 – The most conspicuous instance was Nectarius. See note 54, on Letter xiii.

274 – Eusebius and Dionysius Bishop of Milan were driven into exile by the Emperor Valens, because they refused at the third Council of Milan, A.D. 355, to subscribe the condemnation of Athanasius. There is a brief but graphic account of the circumstances in Bright’s History of the Church, pages 70–73.

275 – longaevi super terram.

276 – The expression ‘aula regalis,’ applied to the Mother of our Lord, may be illustrated from De Instit. Virg. ch. xii. § 79. Ipse ergo Rex Israel transivit hanc portam, ipse Dux sedit in ea, quando Verbum caro factum est et habitavit in nobis, quasi Rex sedens in aula regali uteri virginalis. Compare also the expression in S. Ambrose’s Hymn on the Nativity, Procedit e thalamo suo, Pudoris aula regia, &c.

277 – With this Letter begins what the Benedictines have called a second division of the Letters, containing those which furnish no internal evidence of their date sufficient to justify their being assigned a place in chronological order. They are arranged according to their matter, 1st, those which contain expositions of passages of Holy Scripture, (lxi–lxxv.), 2nd, those which discuss as important, and mostly doctrinal subjects, (lxxvi–lxxxiii.), 3rd, a few brief letters of ordinary friendly intercourse, (lxxxiv–xci.)

278 – See note 222 on Letter xliv. 10.

279 – Whether the true reading here be ‘traditio’ as Ben. has, or ‘editio’ as Rom., the reference must be to the ἐκδόσεις or versions which Origen brought together in his Hexapla, of which the fifth, the sixth, and the seventh, (for there was a seventh,) were only known by their numbers. See Art. by Tregelles on ‘Ancient Versions,’ in Smith’s Dict. of the Bible, vol. iii. p. 1623.

280 – a diebus saeculi.

281 – Saeculum.

282 – i. e. the priesthood. cf. 1 Tim. iii. 13.

283 – Bethlehem.

284 – institutis.

285 – castellum.

286 – עֳנִי signifying affliction; עֲנִי one humbled by affliction and so, it was inferred, brought to obedience.

287 – Baehr on Herod. ii. 37. quotes with apparent approval Wesseling’s opinion that in fact, though Herodotus does not expressly state it, among the Egyptians only the priests and those initiated in the mysteries received circumcision. It is to this perhaps that S. Ambrose is here alluding. See also the art. on ‘Circumcision’ in Smith’s Dict. of the Bible.

288 – confusus fuerit.

289 – subditus fiat. Vulg.

290 – in Christo. εἰς χριστόν.

291 – Why this letter, which plainly declares itself in the first section to be a sequel of the previous one, is addressed to a different name, it is difficult to say. There is a similar difficulty about Letter xxvi, and possibly the same solution may apply here as is suggested by the Ben. Edd. there. See Introd. to Lett. xxvi.

292 – The phrase ‘cernere hereditatem’ is a well-known law-term, meaning literally ‘to decide to accept an inheritance,’ and then ‘to enter upon it.’ But as this sense will not agree with the context, it seems necessary to take ‘cernere,’ as the Benedictine note does, in its common sense of ‘to see.’

293 – The words ἁρμονίᾳ τοῦ Λόγου δεδεμένον seem to be a gloss on S. Paul’s compound συναρμολογούμενον. They are not part of his text, though S. Ambrose seems here to be quoting them as if they were.

294 – laborat.

295 – cleros.

296 – It seems necessary to the sense here to insert ‘quae’ before ‘obtexerent.’

297 – v. c. here is an abbreviation for vir clarissimus, a title of official rank. See note in p. 101.

298 – lætus.

Transcriber’s Notes.

The following corrections have been made in the text:

Page TOC: Sentence starting: The Council which is assembled.... – ‘Marbonese’ replaced with ‘Narbonese’ (first and second Narbonese Provinces)

Page TOC: Sentence starting: To the most precious Prince.... – ‘Theodorius’ replaced with ‘Theodosius’ (his Majesty Theodosius,)

Page TOC: Sentence starting: AMBROSE to Atticus..... – ‘Allicas’ replaced with ‘Atticus’ (AMBROSE to Atticus.)

Page 20: Sentence starting: 1. YOUR question,... – Paragraph number added. (1. YOUR question,)

Page 74: Sentence starting: And I would that you could.... – duplicated word removed ‘what’ (to rescind what they ought)

Page 101: Sentence starting: 1. THE honourable[77] Symmachus,... – Paragraph number added. (1. THE honourable[77] Symmachus,)

Page 116: Sentence starting: Since their prayers ought.... – ‘it’ replaced with ‘is’ (whose religion is different.)

Page 125: Sentence starting: The Philistines having discovered.... – ‘discoverd’ replaced with ‘discovered’ (having discovered through her means)

Page 131: Sentence starting: 13. The groans of the people.... – Paragraph 13 not marked in this edition. (13. The groans of the people)

Page 137: Sentence starting: I replied, ‘May God grant.... – ‘enunch’ replaced with ‘eunuch’ (act as befits an eunuch.)

Page 150: Sentence starting: Christ then, invited by these.... – ‘scuorge’ replaced with ‘scourge’ (takes His scourge and drives)

Page 155: Sentence starting: Jesus saw the penny was Cæsar’s,... – duplicated word removed ‘the’ (unto Cæsar the things that are)

Page 156: Sentence starting: Blind they are and.... – duplicated word removed ‘and’ (Blind they are and lame,)

Page 158: Sentence starting: 1. AS I am wont to keep.... – Paragraph number added. (1. AS I am wont to keep) Sentence starting: I found the suitable tokens;... – Footnote 124 not marked in text. (seized[124])

Page 159: Sentence starting: 4. The heavens.... – Number ‘3’ skipped in paragraph numbering. (4. The heavens)

Page 164: Sentence starting: How much have they suffered,... – ‘Pharoah’ replaced with ‘Pharaoh’ (and like Pharaoh,)

Page 173: Sentence starting: Therefore even according to the.... – ‘mouth’ replaced with ‘month’ (this is the first month.)

Page 175: Sentence starting: Let us with fervent spirit keep.... – ‘docrtine’ replaced with ‘doctrine’ (in pious doctrine with one accord)

Page 187: Sentence starting: In the prophet Hosea also.... – ‘sojouners’ replaced with ‘sojourners’ (and licentious train of sojourners.)

Page 188: Sentence starting: When a man condemns.... – ‘condems’ replaced with ‘condemns’ (man condemns in another)

Page 190: Sentence starting: When the criminal is put to death,... – ‘trangression’ replaced with ‘transgression’ (the transgression which is punished,)

Page 191: Sentence starting: Thus as wisdom and continence.... – ‘incontient’ replaced with ‘incontinent’ (foolish and incontinent man)

Page 199: Sentence starting: Hence we read that he was addressed.... – ‘Pharoah’ replaced with ‘Pharaoh’ (god to Pharaoh.)

Page 201: Sentence starting: 8. Wherefore the Lord.... – Number ‘7’ skipped in paragraph numbering. (8. Wherefore the Lord)

Page 218: Sentence starting: He cried first in Eve,... – ‘Pharoah’ replaced with ‘Pharaoh’ (he cried in Pharaoh,) ‘Corah’ replaced with ‘Korah’ (Dathan, Abiram, Korah.)

Page 219: Sentence starting: He cried in Solomon,... – duplicated word removed ‘of’ (in the power of Wisdom,)

Page 227: Sentence starting: And shall we not believe.... – ‘ministeries’ replaced with ‘ministries’ (fulfil divers ministries,)

Page 234: Sentence starting: The good physician knows.... – ‘physican’ replaced with ‘physician’ (The good physician knows)

Page 239: Sentence starting: .... – ‘LX.’ replaced with ‘LXX.’ (Prov. xvii. 2. LXX.)

Page 240: Sentence starting: And Job says,... – ‘immost’ replaced with ‘inmost’ (Take wisdom into thine inmost parts.)

Page 275: Sentence starting: 18. Now the Church ceases.... – ‘19’ replaced with ‘18’ (18. Now the Church ceases)

Page 282: Sentence starting: 1. In your Holiness’ Letter.... – ‘2.’ replaced with ‘1.’ (1. In your Holiness’ Letter)

Page 291: Sentence starting: You will easily discover that.... – ‘harrassed’ replaced with ‘harassed’ (is not harassed by suspicion)

Page 296: Sentence starting: For when we read that God.... – ‘ariving’ replaced with ‘arriving’ (to aim at arriving thither)

Page 300: Sentence starting: Solon however made ten periods.... – ‘vigourous’ replaced with ‘vigorous’ (vigorous in faculties) – ‘it’ replaced with ‘in’ (and in speech and wisdom)

Page 327: Sentence starting: Again when David was possessed.... – ‘af’ replaced with ‘of’ (the blood of Abner)

Page 333: Sentence starting: S. Ambrose does not write.... – ‘Ecclesiatic’ replaced with ‘Ecclesiastic’ (he would address an eminent Ecclesiastic.)

Page 333: Sentence starting: He also considers me to be.... – ‘physican’ replaced with ‘physician’ (to be a physician )

Page 339: Sentence starting: The case of Bonosus had been.... – ‘Amysius’ replaced with ‘Anysius’ (Anysius Bishop of Thessalonica,)

Page 342: Sentence starting: I presented two petitions.... – ‘supersition’ replaced with ‘superstition’ (for the uses of superstition.)

Page 342: Sentence starting: 3. My petitions were read.... – Number ‘2’ skipped in paragraph numbering. (3. My petitions were read)

Page 344: Sentence starting: You, whom no man constrained,... – ‘certaintly’ replaced with ‘certainly’ (ought certainly to have referred)

Page 367: Sidenote starting: Dan. i. 8;... – The following 2 references are in error and do not exist as listed. (xiv. 30; iii. 40.)

Page 385: Sentence starting: Nor does the mode of your.... – ‘trangression’ replaced with ‘transgression’ (of your transgression signify,)

Page 409: Sentence starting: The earth also is iron,... – ‘witholds’ replaced with ‘withholds’ (for it withholds its produce,)

Page 416: Sidenote: S. Matt. xxv. 40. – ‘xxx’ replaced with ‘xxv’ (S. Matt. xxv. 40.)

Page 416: Sentence starting: Until the time that.... – duplicated word removed ‘that’ (Until the time that she)

Page 424: Sentence starting: For the ground of the truth.... – ‘intelligibe’ replaced with ‘intelligible’ (by an intelligible mystery,)

Page 435: Sentence starting: It was superfluous.... – ‘superflous’ replaced with ‘superfluous’ (It was superfluous herein)

Page 456: Sentence starting: Thus that which is in part has ceased,... – ‘circumscised’ replaced with ‘circumcised’ (the Cross has circumcised not one )

Page 460: Quote starting: Go, wash in.... – duplicated word removed ‘in’ (wash in the pool of Siloam,)

Page 472: Sentence starting: 7. Joseph also, in order to.... – Number ‘6’ skipped in paragraph numbering. (7. Joseph also, in order to)

Page 478: Sentence starting: 1. PROSPICIENDUM esse ne de nostro.... – Paragraph number added. (1. PROSPICIENDUM esse ne de nostro)

Page 483: Sentence starting: Quid autem præstantius,... – ‘præcipunm’ replaced with ‘præcipuum’ (cujus præcipuum opus verecundia,)

Page 486: Sentence starting: Vale, frater, et nos dilige;... – ‘qula’ replaced with ‘quia’ (quia nos te diligimus.)

Page 490: Sentence starting: Cæsa itaque vigintiquinque millia,... – ‘virgintiquinque’ replaced with ‘vigintiquinque’ (Cæsa itaque vigintiquinque millia,)

Index Aaron: Sentence starting: Took precedence of Moses.... – ‘predecence’ replaced with ‘precedence’ (Took precedence of Moses)

Index Ambrose: Sentence starting: Prevents a reply to .... – ‘Symmachius’ replaced with ‘Symmachus’ (reply to Symmachus’ memorial,)

Index Arian heresy: Sentence starting: Refuses to believe.... – ‘evidenec’ replaced with ‘evidence’ (believe the evidence of)

Index Auxentius: Sentence starting: Challenges Ambrose to.... – ‘arbirtation’ replaced with ‘arbitration’ (Challenges Ambrose to arbitration,)

Index Bassianus: – duplicated word removed ‘’ – ‘Paladius’ replaced with ‘Palladius’ (His condemnation of Palladius,)

Index Cabillonum: Sentence starting: Châlons-sur-Saône,... – ‘sub’ replaced with ‘sur’ (Châlons-sur-Saône,)

Index Castulus: Sentence starting: Castulus, an Arian presbyter.... – ‘Castalus’ replaced with ‘Castulus’ (Castulus, an Arian presbyter)

Index Eutropius: Sentence starting: Eutropius.... – ‘Entropius’ replaced with ‘Eutropius’ (Eutropius)

Index Morasthite: Sentence starting: Morasthite, son of the.... – ‘Morashthite’ replaced with ‘Morasthite’ (Morasthite, son of the)

Index Plotinus: Sentence starting: Plotinus.... – ‘Photinus’ replaced with ‘Plotinus’ (Plotinus)

Index Priest: Sentence starting: Regard worldly loss as gain,... – ‘wordly’ replaced with ‘worldly’ (Regard worldly loss as gain,)

Index Exodus: Sentence starting: xvii. 6.... – ‘673’ replaced with ‘367’ (xvii. 6 284, 367)

Index Psalm: Sentence starting: xcii. 11.... – ‘cii’ replaced with ‘xcii.’ (xcii. 11 253)

Index confundar: Sentence starting: confundar,... – ‘conusuas’ replaced with ‘confusus’ (confundar, confusus fuerit,)

Footnote 50: Sentence starting: Meanwhile Meletius had returned.... – duplicated word removed ‘the’ (the Church at Antioch)

Footnote 53: Sentence starting: Fleury remarks on this.... – closing quote mark not identified. (‘This letter plainly shews)

Footnote 54: Sentence starting: Maximus, called the Cynic.... – ‘conscrated’ replaced with ‘consecrated’ (was irregularly consecrated at Constantinople,)

Footnote 109: Sentence starting: Valentinian was in official attendance.... – ‘Valentian’ replaced with ‘Valentinian’ (Valentinian was in official attendance)

Footnote 115: Sentence starting: This refers to a story.... – ‘puprose’ replaced with ‘purpose’ (failed of their purpose,)

Footnote 128: Sentence starting: .... – ‘espe’ replaced with ‘esse’ (‘Nam incipit esse contrarium.’)

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