He had been stripped;hyperlink conjoined with Spirit; bound
With flesh, on our part. Him, Lord, Christ, King, God,
Judgment and kingdom given to His hand,
The father is to send unto the orb.
(N.B.-It has been impossible to note the changes which I have had to make in the text of the Latin. In some cases they will suggest themselves to any scholar who may compare the translation with the original; and in others I must be content to await a more fitting opportunity, if such ever arise, for discussing them.)
Elucidations.
I'
Appendix, p. 127.
About these versifications, which are "poems" only as mules are horses, it is enough to say of them, with Dupin, "They are no more Tertullian's than they are Virgil's or Homer's. The poem called Genesis seems to be that which Gennadius attributes to Salvian, Bishop of Marseilles. That concerning the Judgment of God was, perhaps, composed by Verecundus, an African bishop. In the books Against Marcion there are some opinions different from those of Tertullian. There is likewise a poem To a Senator in Pamelius' edition, one of Sodom, and in the Bibliotheca Patrum one of Jonas and Nineve; the first of which is ancient, and the other two seem to be by the same author."
It is worth while to observe that this rhymester makes two bishops out of one.hyperlink Cletus and Anacletus he supposes different persons, which brings Clement into the fourth place in the see of Rome. Our author elsewhere makes St. Clement the immediate successor of the apostles.hyperlink
II
Or is there ought, etc., l. 136, p. 137.
In taking leave of Tertullian, it may be well to say a word of his famous saying, Cerlum est quia impossibile est. It occurs in the tract De Carne Chrisli,hyperlink and is one of those startling epigrammatic dicta of our author which is no more to be pressed in argument than any other bon-mot of a wit or a poet. It is evidently designed as a rhetorical climax, to enforce the same idea which we find in the hymn of Aquinas: -
"Et si sensus deficit, Ad
firmandum cor sincerum
Sola fides sufficit."
As Jeremy Taylorhyperlink argues, the condition is, that holy Scripture affirms it. If that be the case, then "all things are possible with God: "I believe; but I do not argue, for it is impossible with men. This is the plain sense of the great Carthaginian doctor's pithy rhetoric. But Dr. Bunsen sets it on all-fours, and treats it as if it were soberly designed to defy reason, -that reason to which Tertullian constantly makes his appeal against Marcion, and in many of his sayingshyperlink hardly less witty. Speaking of Hippolytus, that writer remarks,hyperlink "He might have said on some points, Credibile licet ineptum: he would never have exclaimed with Tertullian, `Credibile quia ineptum.'"Why attempt to prove the absurdity of such a reflection? As well attempt to defend St. John's hyperbolehyperlink against a mind incapable of comprehending a figure of speech.
Footnotes
236 i.e., in that the blood of the one was brought within the veil; the other was not.
237 Aedem.
238 The meaning seems to be, that the ark, when it had to be removed from place to place, has (as we learn from Num. iv. 5) to be covered with "the second veil" (as it is called in Heb. ix. 3), which was "of blue," etc. But that this veil was made "of lambs' skins" does not appear; on the contrary, it was made of "linen." The outer veil, indeed (not the outmost, which was of "badgers' skins," according to the Eng. ver.; but of "uakinqina dermata" - of what material is not said - according to the LXX.), was made "of rams' skins;" but then they were "dyed red" (hruqrodanwmena, LXX.), not "blue." So there is some confusion in our author.
239 The ark was overlaid with gold without as well as within. (See Ex. xxv. 10, 11, xxxvii. 1, 2; and this is referred to in Heb. ix. 3, 4 - kibwton ... perikekalummenhn - where our Eng. ver. rendering is defective, and in the context as well.) This, however, may be said to be implied in the following words: "and all between," i.e., between the layers above and beneath, "of wood."
240 Migne supposes some error in these words. Certainly the sense is dark enough; but see lower down.
241 It yielded "almonds," according to the Eng. ver. (Num. xvii. 8). But see the LXX.
242 Sagmina. But the word is a very strange one to use indeed. See the Latin Lexicons, s.v.
243 It might be questionable whether "jussa" refers to "cherubim" or to "sagmina."
244 i.e., twice three + the central one = 7.
245 Our author persists in calling the tabernacle temple.
246 i.e., the Law's.
247 "Tegebat," i.e., with the "fiery-cloudy pillar," unless it be an error for "regebat," which still might apply to the pillar.
248 Terrae.
249 "Operae," i.e., sacrifices. The Latin is a hopeless jumble of words without grammatical sequence, and any rendering is mere guesswork.
250 Heb. ix. 7.
251 i.e., of animals which, as irrational, were "without the Law."
252 Terram.
253 Rev. vi. 9, 10.
254 i.e., beneath the altar. See the 11th verse ib.
255 Or possibly, "deeper than the glooms:" "altior a tenebris."
256 Terra.
257 See 141, 142, above.
258 Caelataque sancta. We might conjecture "celataque sancta," = "and the sanctuaries formerly hidden."
259 This sense appears intelligible, as the writer's aim seems to be to distinguish between the "actual" commands of God, i.e., the spiritual, essential ones, which the spiritual people "follow," and which "bind" - not the ceremonial observance of a "shadow of the future blessings" (see Heb. x. 1), but "real persons," i.e., living souls. But, as Migne has said, the passage is probably faulty and mutilated.
260 Comp. Heb. vii. 19, x. 1, xi. 11, 12.
261 "Lignum:" here probably = "the flesh," which He took from Mary; the "rod" (according to our author) which Isaiah had foretold.
262 Aërial, i.e., as he said above, "dyed with heaven's hue."
263 "Ligno," i.e., "the cross," represented by the "wood" of which the tabernacle's boards, on which the coverings were stretched (but comp. 147-8, above), were made.
264 As the flame of the lamps appeared to grow out of and be fused with the "golden semblance" or "form" of the lampstand or candlestick.
265 Of which the olive - of which the pure oil for the lamps was to be made: Ex. xxvii. 20; Lev. xxiv. 2 - is a type. "Peace" is granted to "the flesh" through Christ's work and death in flesh.
266 Traditus.
267 In ligno. The passage is again in an almost desperate state.
268 Isa. xi. 1, 2.
269 Matt. v. 23, 24.
270 Primus.
271 See Rev. viii. 3, 4.
272 Here ensues a confused medley of all the cherubic figures of Moses, Ezekiel, and St. John.
273 i.e., by the four evangelists.
274 The cherubim, (or, "seraphim" rather,) of Isa. vi. have each six wings. Ezekiel mentions four cherubim, or "living creatures." St. John likewise mentions four "living creatures." Our author, combining the passages, and thrusting them into the subject of the Mosaic cherubim, multiplies the six (wings) by the four (cherubs), and so attains his end - the desired number "twenty-four" - to represent the books of the Old Testament, which (by combining certain books) may be reckoned to be twenty-four in number.
275 These wings.
276 There is again some great confusion in the text. The elders could not "stand enthroned:" nor do they stand "over," but "around" God's throne; so that the "insuper solio" could not apply to that.
277 Mundi.
278 Virtute.
279 Honestas.
280 Or, "records:" "monumenta," i.e., the written word, according to the canon.
281 I make no apology for the ruggedness of the versification and the obscurity of the sense in this book, further than to say that the state of the Latin text is such as to render it almost impossible to find any sense at all in many places, while the grammar and metre are not reducible to any known laws. It is about the hardest and most uninteresting book of the five.
282 Or, "consecrated by seers and patriarchs."
283 i.e., all the number of Thy disciples.
284 Tempora lustri, i.e., apparently the times during which these "elders" (i.e., the bishops, of whom a list is given at the end of book iii.) held office. "Lustrum" is used of other periods than it strictly implies, and this seems to give some sense to this difficult passage.
285 i.e., Marcion.
286 i.e., excommunicated.
287 Complexu vario.
288 Ancipiti quamquam cum crimine. The last word seems almost = "discrimine;" just as our author uses "cerno" = "discerno."
289 Mundo.
290 Cf. John i. 11, and see the Greek.
291 Whether this be the sense I know not. The passage is a mass of confusion.
292 i.e., according to Marcion's view.
293 i.e., as spirits, like himself.
294 Mundum.
295 i.e., Marcionite.
296 See book ii. 3.
297 i.e., apparently on the day of Christ's resurrection.
298 Replesset, i.e., replevisset. If this be the right reading, the meaning would seem to be, "would have taken away all further desire for" them, as satiety or repletion takes away all appetite for food. One is almost inclined to hazard the suggestion "represset," i.e., repressisset, "he would have repressed," but that such a contraction would be irregular. Yet, with an author who takes such liberties as the present one, perhaps that might not be a decisive objection.
299 "Junctus," for the edd.'s "junctis," which, if retained, will mean "in the case of beings still joined with (or to) blood."
300 "Docetur," for the edd.'s "docentur." The sense seems to be, if there be any, exceedingly obscure; but for the idea of a half-salvation - the salvation of the "inner man" without the outer - being no salvation at all, and unworthy of "the Good Shepherd" and His work, we may compare the very difficult passage in the de Pudic., c. xiii. ad fin.
301 This sense, which I deduce from a transposition of one line and the supplying of the words "he did exhort," which are not expressed, but seem necessary, in the original, agrees well with 1 Cor. vii., which is plainly the passage referred to.
302 "Causa;" or perhaps "means." It is, of course, the French "chose."
303 i.e., you and your like, through whom sin, and in consequence death, is disseminated.
304 Here, again, for the sake of the sense, I have transposed a line.
305 i.e., "the other," the "inner man," or spirit.
306 i.e., through flesh.
307 i.e., in His own person.
308 I hope I have succeeded in giving some intelligible sense; but the passage as it stands in the Latin is nearly hopeless.
309 I read "legem" for "leges."
310 I read "valle" for "calle."
311 Alios.
312 Altera.
313 i.e., "the gifts of baptism."
314 This seems to give sense to a very obscure passage, in which I have been guided more by Migne's pointing than by Oehler's.
315 I read here "quid" for "quod."
316 i.e., to make men live by recognising that. Comp. the Psalmist's prayer: "Give me understanding and I shall live" (Ps. cxix. 144; in LXX., Ps. cxviii. 144).
317 The "furentes" of Pam. and Rig. is preferred to Oehler's "ferentes."
318 "Complexis," lit. "embracing."
319 i.e., both Jews and Gentile heretics, the "senseless frantic men" just referred to probably: or possibly the "ambo" may mean "both sects," viz., the Marcionites and Manichees, against whom the writer whom Oehler supposes to be the probable author of these "Five Books," Victorinus, a rhetorician of Marseilles, directed his efforts. But it may again be the acc. neut. pl., and mean "let them" - i.e., the "senseless frantic men" - "learn to believe as to both facts," i.e., the incarnation and the resurrection; (see vers. 179, 180;) "the testimony at least of human reason."
320 I would suggest here, for
" ... quia summa voluntas
In cujus manu regnantis cor legibus esset,"something like this,
" ... quia summa voluntas,
In cujus manu regnantis cor regis, egisset,"which would only add one more to our author's false quantities. "Regum egisset" would avoid even that, while it would give some sense. Comp. Prov. xxi. 1.
321 Maria cum conjuge feta. What follows seems to decide the meaning of "feta," as a child could hardly be included in a census before birth.
322 Again I have had to attempt to amend the text of the Latin in order to extract any sense, and am far from sure that I have extracted the right one.
323 "Fatentur," unless our author use it passively = "are confessed."
324 "Possunt," i.e., probably "have the hardihood."
325 Because Christ plainly, as they understood Him, "made Himself the Son of God;" and hence, if they confessed that He had said the truth, and yet that they hanged Him on a tree, they would be pronouncing their own condemnation.
326 "Vinctam" for "victam" I read here.
327 i.e., you and the Jews. See above on 185.
328 Quod qui praesumpsit mergentes spargitis ambo. What the meaning is I know not, unless it be this: if any one hints to you that you are in an error which is sinking you into perdition, you both join in trying to sink him (if "mergentes" be active; or "while you are sinking," if neuter), and in sprinkling him with your doctrine (or besprinkling him with abuse).
329 Mundus.
330 "Sum carnis membra requirit," i.e., seeking to regain for God all the limbs of the flesh as His instruments. Comp. Rom. vi. 13, 19.
331 Ligno.
332 "Scriblita," a curious word.
333 Fel miscetur aceto. The reading may have arisen - and it is not confined to our author - from confounding ocoj with oinoj. Comp. Matt. xxvii. 33 with Mark xv. 23.
334 This is an error, if the "coat" be meant.
335 Perhaps for "in illa" we should read "in allam" - "on it," for "in it."
336 The Jews.
337 For "ante diem quam cum pateretur" I have read "qua tum."
338 Or, "deed" - "factum."
339 Or, "is being poured" - "funditur."
340 Mundi.
341 I read with Migne, "Patris sub imagine virtus," in preference to the conjecture which Oehler follows, "Christi sub imagine virtus." The reference seems clearly to be to Heb. i. 3.
342 Aevo. Perhaps here = "eternity."
343 i.e., "The All-Holder."
344 Capit.
345 Cf. Jacob's words in Gen. xxxii. 30; Manoah's in Judg. xiii. 22; etc.
346 Mundi.
347 For "dimisit in umbris" I read here "demisit in imbris." If we retain the former reading, it will then mean, "dispersed during the shades of night," during which it was that the manna seems always to have fallen.
348 "Sitientis" in Oehler must be a misprint for "sitientes."
349 There ought to be a "se" in the Latin if this be the meaning.
350 For "Mundator carnis serae" = "the Cleanser of late flesh" (which would seem, if it mean anything, to mean that the flesh had to wait long for its cleansing), I have read "carnis nostrae."
351 Lignum.
352 I have followed the disjointed style of the Latin as closely as I could here.
353 Here we seem to see the idea of the "limbus patrum."
354 "Subiens" = "going beneath," i.e., apparently coming beneath the walls of heaven.
355 i.e., a figure of the future harvest.
356 I have hazarded the conjecture "minutus" here for the edd.'s "munitus." It add's one more, it is true, to our author's false quantities, but that is a minor difficulty, while it improves (to my mind) the sense vastly.
357 See p. 156, supra.
358 See De Praescrip., cap. xxxii. vol. iii. p. 258.