255 The new gifts of the font:hyperlink this is the Church,
True mother of a living people; flesh
New from Christ's flesh, and from His bones a bone.
A spot there is called Golgotha,-of old
The fathers' earlier tongue thus called its name,-
260 "The skull-pan of a head: "here is earth's midst;
Here victory's sign; here, have our elders. taught,
There was a great headhyperlink found; here the first man,
We have been taught, was buried; here the Christ
Suffers; with sacred blood the earthhyperlink grows moist.
265 That the old Adam's dust may able be,
Commingled with Christ's blood, to be upraised
By dripping water's virtue. The "one ewe"
That is, which, during Sabbath-hours, alive
The Shepherd did resolve that He would draw
270 Out of th' infernal pit. This was the cause
Why, on the Sabbaths, He was wont to cure
The prematurely dead limbs of all flesh;
Or perfected for sight the eyes of him
Blind from his birth-eyes which He had not erst
275 Given; or, in presence of the multitude,
Called, during Sabbath-hours, one wholly dead
To life, e'en from the sepulchre.hyperlink Himself
The new man's Maker, the Repairer good
Of th' old, supplying what did lack, or else
280 Restoring what was lost. About to do-
Footnotes
1 Saecula.
2 The "tectis" of the edd. I have ventured to alter to "textis," which gives (as in my text) a far better sense.
3 i.e., the Evil One.
4 i.e., the Son of God.
5 i.e., the Magi.
6 i.e., arms which seemed unequal; for the cross, in which Christ seemed to be vanquished, was the very means of His triumph. See Col. ii. 14, 15.
7 i.e., the Enemy.
8 i.e., with the Holy Spirit, the "Pledge" or "Promise" of the Father (see Acts i. 4, 5), "outpoured" upon "the peoples" - both Jewish and Gentile - on the day of Pentecost and many subsequent occasions; see, for instances, Acts x. and xix.
9 The "mirandae virtuitis opus, invisaque facts," I take to be the miracles wrought by the apostles through the might (virtus) of the Spirit, as we read in the Acts. These were objects of "envy" to the Enemy, and to such as - like Simon Magus, of whom we find record - were his servants.
10 i.e., excommunicated, as Marcion was. The "last impiety" (extremum nefas), or "last atrocity" (extremum facinus), - see 218, lower down - seems to mean the introduction of heretical teaching.
11 This use of the ablative, though quite against classical usage, is apparently admissible in late Latinity. It seems to me that the "his" is an ablative here, the men being regarded for the moment as merely instruments, not agents; but it may be a dative = "to these he preaches," etc., i.e., he dictates to them what they afterwards are to teach in public.
12 It must be borne in mind that "Dominus" (the Lord), and "Deus" (God), are kept as distinct terms throughout this piece.
13 i.e., for which reason.
14 i.e., as Marcion is stated by some to have taught, in the fifteenth year of Tiberius; founding his statement upon a perverted reading of Luke iii. 1. It will be remembered that Marcion only used St. Luke's Gospel, and that in a mutilated and corrupted form.
15 Orbi.
16 i.e., of the Jews.
17 "In fossa," i.e., as Fabricius (quoted in Migne's ed.) explains it, "in defossa." It is the past part. of fodio.
18 If this line be correct, - "Speratis pro pace truces homicidia blanda," - though I cannot see the propriety of the "truces" in it, it seems to mean, "Do ye hope or expect that the master you are serving will, instead of the gently peace he promises you, prove a murderer and lead you to death? No, you do not expect it; but so it is."
19 Mundi.
20 Animalia.
21 The sentence breaks off abruptly, and the verb which should apparently have gone with "e'en one" is joined to the "ye" in the next line.
22 The Latin is: -
"Nec venit in mentem quod vos, a nomine Christi
Seductos, ad Marcionis tulit infima nomen."The rendering in my text, I admit, involves an exceedingly harsh construction of the Latin, but I see not how it is to be avoided; unless either (1) we take nomen absolutely, and "ad Marcionis infima" together, and translate, "A name has carried you to Marcion's lowest depthes;" in which case the question arises, What name is meant? can it be the name "Electi"? Or else (2) we take "tulit" as referring to the "terrible renegade," i.e., the arch-fiend, and "infima" as in apposition with "ad Marcionis nomen," and translate, "He has carried you to the name of Marcion - deepest degradation."
23 i.e., the Gospels and other parts of Holy Scripture.
24 i.e., I take it, the resurrection. Cf. 2 Tim. ii. 17, 18.
25 Whether this be the sense (i.e., "either tell us what it is which displeases you in our God, whether it be His too great patience in bearing with you, or what; or else tell us what is to hinder us from believing your God to be an incredible being") of this passage, I will not venture to determine. The last line in the edd. previous to Oehler's ran: "Aut incredibile quid differt craedere vestrum?" Oehler reads "incredibilem" (sc. Deum), which I have followed; but he suggests, "Aut incredibilem qui differt caedere vestrum?" Which may mean "or else" - i.e., if it were not for his "too great patience" - "why" - "qui" - "does He delay to smite your incredible god?" and thus challenge a contest and prove His own superiority.
26 i.e., the "terrible renegade."
27 The reference here is to Simon Magus; for a brief account of whom, and of the other heretics in this list, down to Hebion inclusive, the reader is referred to the Adv. omn. Haer., above. The words "to roam, to fly," refer to the alleged wanderings of Simon with his paramour Helen, and his reported attempt (at Rome, in the presence of St. Peter) to fly. The tale is doubtful.
28 The Latin runs thus: -
"Et aevo
Triginta tribuit caelos, patremque Profundum."But there seems a confusion between Valentine and his aeons and Basilides and his heavens. See the Adv. omn. Haer., above.
29 i.e., the Evil One's, as before.
30 i.e., probably Jerusalem and the temple there.
31 Mundi.
32 Oehler's "versus" (= "changed the man rises") is set aside for Migne's "verus." Indeed it is probably a misprint.
33 i.e., her own dwelling or "quarters," - the body, to wit, if the reading "sua parte" be correct.
34 Egestas.
35 Eget.
36 I have ventured to alter the "et viventi" of Oehler and Migne into "ut vivendi," which seems to improve the sense.
37 It seems to me that these ideas should all be expressed interrogatively, and I have therefore so expressed them in my text.
38 See line 2.
39
"Cernere quid fuerit conversa in pulvere quondam."
Whether the meaning be that, as the soul will be able (as it should seem) to retrace all that she has experienced since she left the body, so the body, when revived, will be able as it were to look back upon all that has happened to her since the soul left her, - something after the manner in which Hamlet traces the imaginary vicissitudes of Caesar's dust, - or whether there be some great error in the Latin, I leave the reader to judge.
40 i.e., apparently remembering that she was so before.
41 Vivida virtus.
42 I rather incline to read for "haec captiva fuit mortis," "haec cartiva fuat mortis" =
"Is this
To be death's thrall?'""This" is, of course, the flesh.
43 For "Quod cupit his fieri, deest hoc virtute reduci," I venture to read, "Quod capit," etc., taking "capit" as = "capax est." "By these," of course, is by wisdom and art; and "virtue" = "power."
44 i.e., the Evil One.
45 i.e., may learn to know.
46 Oehler's "visus" seems to be a mistake for "vivus," which is Migne's reading; as in the fragment "De exsecrandis gentium diis," we saw (sub. fin.) "videntem" to be a probable misprint for "viventem." If, however, it is to be retained, it must mean "appearing" (i.e., in presence of God) "wholly," in body as well as soul.
47 i.e., the double gift of a saved soul and a saved body.
48 In aeternum.
49 I have so frequently had to construct my own text (by altering the reading or the punctuation of the Latin) in this book, that, for brevity's sake, I must ask the reader to be content with this statement once for all, and not expect each case to be separately noted.
50 The "foe," as before, is Satan; his "breathing instruments" are the men whom he uses (cf. Shakespeare's "no breather" = no man, in the dialogue between Orland and Jacques, As you Like it, act iii. sc. 2); and they are called "renegades," like the Evil One himself, because they have deserted from their allegiance to God in Christ.
51 Heresy.
52 Cf. John xv. 2, 4, 5, 6; Rom. xi. 17-20. The writer simply calls them "abruptos homines;" and he seems to mean excommunicated, like Marcion.
53 i.e., those recorded in the Old Testament.
54 I have followed Migne's suggestion here, and transposed one line of the original. The reference seems to be to Isa. lxiv. 4, quoted in 1 Cor. ii.9, where the Greek differs somewhat remarkably from the LXX.
55 Unless some line has dropped out here, the construction, harsh enough in my English, is yet harsher in the Latin. "Accipitur" has no subject of any kind, and one can only guess from what has gone before, and what follows, that it must mean "one Testament."
56 Harsh still. It must refer to the four Gospels - the "coat without seam" - in their quadrate unity; Marcion receiving but one - St. Luke's - and that without St. Luke's name, and also in a mutilated and interpolated form.
57 This seems to be the sense. The allusion is to the fact that Marcion and his sect accepted but ten of St. Paul's Epistles: leaving out entirely those to Timothy and Titus, and all the other books, except his one Gospel.
58 It seems to me that the reference here must evidently be to the Epistle to the Hebrews, which treats specially of the old covenant. If so, we have some indication as to the authorship, if not the date, of the book: for Tertullian himself, though he frequently cites the Epistle, appears to hesitate (to say the least) as to ascribing it to St. Paul.
59 Comp. Isa. vi. 9, 10, with Acts xxviii. 17-29.
60 The reference seems to be to Rom. i. 28; comp., too, Tit. i. 15, 16.
61 The reference is to Gen. ii. 9-14.
62 Fata mortua. This extraordinary expression appears to mean "dead men;" men who, through Adam, are fated, so to speak, to die, and are under the sad fate of being "dead in trespasses and sins." See Eph. ii. 1. As far as quantity is concerned, it might as well be "facta mortua," "dead works," such as we read of in Heb. vi. 1, xi. 14. It is true these works cannot strictly be said to be ever vivified; but a very similar inaccuracy seems to be committed by our author lower down in this same book.
63 I have followed Oehler's "face" for the common "phase;" but what the meaning is I will not venture to decide. It may probably mean one of two things: (a) that Paul wrote by torchlight; (b) that the light which Paul holds forth in his life and writings, is a torch to show the Corinthians and others Christ.
64 i.e., the legal passover, "image" or type of "the true Passover," Christ. See 1 Cor. v. 6-9.
65 Abraham. See Gen. xxii. 1-19.
66 Isaac, a pledge to Abraham of all God's other promises.
67 Forte. I suppose this means out of the ordinary course of nature; but it is a strange word to use.
68 Israel, wasted by the severities of their Egyptian captivity.
69 "Multa;" but "muta" = "mute" has been suggested, and is not inapt.
70 I have given what appears to be a possible sense for these almost unintelligible lines. They run as follows in Oehler: -
"Et reliqui magni reges sanctique prophetae,
Non ignorantes certae promissa salutis,
Ingentemque metu pleni transcendere legem,
Venturam summae virtutis imagine molem,
Inspectam e speculo celebrarunt ordine pascham."
I rather incline to alter them somehow thus : -
"Ingentemque metu plenis transcendere legem,
Venturum in summae virtutis imagine, - solem
Inspectum e speculo, - celebrarunt ordine pascham;"
connecting these three lines with "non ignorantes," and rendering: -
"Not ignorant of the good promises
Of sure salvation; and that One would come,
For such as filled are with godly fear
The law to overstep, a mighty One,
In Highest Virtue's image, - the Sun seen
In mirror: - did in order celebrate
The passover."
That is, in brief, they all, in celebrating the type, looked forward to the Antitype to come.
71 Immensus.
72 This, again, seems to be the meaning, unless the passage (which is not probable) be corrupt. The flesh, "foul" now with sin, is called the "stained image of the Lord," as having been originally in His image, but being now stained by guilt.
73 Faith is called so, as being the reflection of divine reason.
74 i.e., the praise of Christ Himself. See Matt. xi. 7-15, with the parallel passage, Luke vii. 24-30; comp. also John v. 33-35.
75 i.e., perhaps "render acceptable."
76 See above, 91-99.
77 i.e., teeth which He contemned, for His people's sake: not that they are to us contemptible.
78 i.e., perhaps permeating, by the influence of His death, the tombs of all the old saints.
79 i.e., undertaking our debts in our stead.
80 Adam. See Rom. v. passim.
81 It is an idea of the genuine Tertullian, apparently, that Eve was a "virgin" all the time she was with Adam in Paradise. A similar idea appears in the "Genesis" above.
82 Consilio. Comp. 1 Tim. ii. 14, "Adam was not deceived."
83 Called "life's own covering" (i.e., apparently his innocence) in 117, above.
84 Or, "ore."
85 Comp. Heb. xii. 2, "Who, for the joy that was set before Him" - "o anti th prokeimenh".
86 Mundi. See John xiv. 30.
87 Virum.
88 "The Lion of the tribe of Juda." Rev. v. 5.
89 Viro. This use of "man" may be justified, to say nothing of other arguments, from Jer. xliv. 19, where "our men" seem plainly = "our husbands." See marg.
90 Virgo: a play on the word in connection with the "viro" and what follows.
91 Vir.
92 i.e., Adam's. The constructions, as will be seen, are oddly confused throughout, and I rather suspect some transposition of lines.
93 Mulier.
94 Mariti.
95 See 1 Cor. xv. 22 sqq., especially 45, 47.
96 Acres gressus.
97 Femina.
98 Lavacri.
99 "Os;" lit., "face" or "mouth."
100 Terra.
101 This would seem to refer to Lazarus; but it seems to be an assumption that his raising took place on a Sabbath.
