PL 6 · cols. 109–112

Analysis libri primi Divinarum Institutionum Lactantii

Editors' preface

ANALYSIS LIBRI PRIMI LACTANTII.

ANALYSIS OF THE FIRST BOOK OF LACTANTIUS.

ARGUMENTUM.

ARGUMENT.

Propositio generalis primi et secundi libri est religiones deorum esse falsas. Speciales libri primi partes sunt quatuor :

The general proposition of the first and second books is that the religions of the gods are false. The particular parts of the first book are four:

Prooemium, cap. 1.

The preface, chap. 1.

Providentiae assertio, cap. 2.

The assertion of providence, chap. 2.

Assertio unius veri Dei, cap. 3, 4, 5, 6, 7.

The assertion of the one true God, chaps. 3, 4, 5, 6, 7.

Refutatio deorum gentilium, inde ad finem.

The refutation of the gods of the gentiles, from there to the end.

Prooemium tria continet :

The preface contains three things:

Causas hujus scriptionis.

The reasons for this writing.

Προσφώνησιν ad Constantinum Magnum.

An address to Constantine the Great.

Repetitionem primariae causae hujus scriptionis : ubi ratio exponitur cur tam pauci religioni assentiantur.

A restatement of the principal reason for this writing, where the reason is set out why so few assent to religion.

Causae quibus motus Lactantius orator hanc de religione disputationem instituerit, quinque recensentur.

The reasons by which Lactantius the orator was moved to undertake this disputation on religion are reckoned as five.

Prima : Succurrere vult iis, quibus prorsus ignota vera religio, quorum multi veritatem quaesiverunt, sed frustra, quia arcanum summi Dei ingenio ac propriis sensibus non potest comprehendi.

First: he wishes to come to the aid of those to whom the true religion is wholly unknown, many of whom have sought the truth, but in vain, because the secret of the supreme God cannot be grasped by native wit and one's own senses.

Secunda : Succurrere vult iis, quibus aliquo modo innotuit vera religio : sed eam vel contemnunt, ut docti, quod idoneis assertoribus egeat; vel oderunt, ut indocti, ob insitam sibi austeritatem.

Second: he wishes to come to the aid of those to whom the true religion has in some way become known, but who either despise it, as the learned do, because it lacks fit defenders, or hate it, as the unlearned do, on account of the severity inherent in it.

Tertia : Quia non tam de rebus humanis bene meretur, qui scientiam bene dicendi affert, quam qui pie atque innocenter docet vivere.

Third: because he who imparts the knowledge of speaking well does not deserve so well of human affairs as he who teaches how to live piously and innocently.

Quarta : Quia maximi oratores extremum vitae actum philosophiae tribuerunt; ergo justius ego theologiae tribuam.

Fourth: because the greatest orators gave the last act of their life to philosophy; therefore with more justice shall I give mine to theology.

Quinta : Viri prudentes Institutiones juris civilis ediderunt; melius igitur ego divinas Institutiones persequar.

Fifth: men skilled in law have published Institutes of civil law; with better reason, therefore, shall I set forth divine Institutes.

Προσφώνησις ad imperatorem Constantinum, qua illi gratulatur de veritatis agnitione.

The address to the emperor Constantine, in which he congratulates him on his acknowledgement of the truth.

Repetit causam principem institutae disputationis, ut homines avocet ab erroribus, additque rationem cur tam pauci religioni verae assentiantur : quod multi obdurent se contra manifestam veritatem, nec cogitent, quare sint nati; haec enim pravitatis est causa, ignoratio sui.

He restates the chief reason for the disputation undertaken, namely to call men away from their errors, and adds the reason why so few assent to the true religion: that many harden themselves against the manifest truth and do not consider why they were born; for this is the cause of depravity, ignorance of oneself.

Altera pars libri primi quaestionem de providentia pertractat : An sit providentia? Lactantius non copiosa hanc thesim demonstratione indigere scribit; tum quod Stoici et Cicero satis argute negativam refutarint; tum quod omnes populi in hac una re consentiant esse providentiam, cap. 2.

The second part of the first book treats thoroughly the question of providence: whether there is a providence. Lactantius writes that this thesis does not need lengthy demonstration, both because the Stoics and Cicero refuted the negative with sufficient acuteness, and because all peoples agree on this one point, that there is a providence, chap. 2.

Editors' notes and page, col. 109

Page

running head: 109 ANALYSIS LIBRI PRIMI LAC (cut off at the image edge)
marginal letters: A ‹çais dans la Nef des Dames›; B ‹ARGUMENTUM.›; C ‹priis sensibus non potest›; D ‹cogitent, quare sint nati›
old-edition numerals: (none)
other: column begins with a word fragment (çais) broken from the previous column; ends mid-title (sur le sujet de), continued in col. 110. Full-width heading "ANALYSIS LIBRI PRIMI LA..." stands between the two halves of the page, cut off at the edge, not set. Editors' matter set: bibliography (Haec parum ad illustrandum; DISSERTATIONES AD LACTANTIUM) and the Argumentum (Propositio generalis primi). UNSURE: "Antonini" possibly for Antonii; accents on indè, modò, dè read as grave; "dicendi" in Tertia is faint in the scan; positions of B and D approximate.
other: a full-width band stands across cols 109/110 in mid-page: the 6 paragraph(s) above it in col 110 are set here, after the 6 above it in col 109 (reading order, moved on receipt); the band itself (its title lines) is not set by the volunteer page: set it here, at the move, with full_width
other: the column opens with the end of the previous work (another unit); not set here: the unit begins at ARGUMENTUM.
running head: 109 ANALYSIS LIBRI PRIMI LACTANTII. 110
marginal letters: A (beside previous unit's text, upper half, not set here); B ‹ARGUMENTUM. / Propositio generalis›; C ‹priis sensibus non potest comprehendi›; D ‹multi obdurent se contra manifestam›
old-edition numerals: (none)

PL 6:110

Tertia parte asserit unum esse Deum, mundi hujus conditorem et gubernatorem; idque rationibus et auctoritatibus confirmat.

In the third part he asserts that there is one God, the founder and governor of this world; and he confirms this by reasons and by authorities.

RATIONIBUS.

BY REASONS.

Quia Deus est perfectus. Ergo non potest esse nisi unus.

Because God is perfect. Therefore He cannot be other than one.

Quia Deus non capit interitum. Ergo nec divisionem.

Because God does not admit of destruction. Therefore neither does He admit of division.

Quia unus Deus facere mundum potuit. Ergo et regere.

Because one God was able to make the world. Therefore He is able to rule it too.

Quia ut res militaris non constat, nisi sub uno duce : sic hic summa ipsa rerum non constabit, nisi singularum partium potestas ad unam providentiam referatur.

Because, just as a military affair does not hold together except under one commander, so here the very sum of things will not hold together unless the power over the several parts is referred to one providence.

Quia dicere multorum arbitrio cuncta regi, tale est, quale si quis affirmet in uno corpore multas esse mentes : quoniam multa et varia sunt ministeria membrorum, quae omnia mens sola gubernat.

Because to say that all things are ruled by the will of many is the same as if someone were to affirm that there are many minds in one body, since the functions of the members are many and various, all of which the mind alone governs.

Objectio : Sunt equidem multi dii, sed unus est summus Rector.

Objection: There are indeed many gods, but one is the supreme Ruler.

Responsio : Si universi pares non sunt; non igitur dii sunt omnes.

Reply: If they are not all equal, then they are not all gods.

AUCTORITATIBUS.

BY AUTHORITIES.

Prophetarum. Prophetae, qui fuerunt admodum multi, unum Deum praedicant, unum loquuntur.

Of the prophets. The prophets, who were very many, proclaim one God and speak of one.

Objectio. Non admittimus illorum testimonia; sunt voces humanae.

Objection. We do not admit their testimony; they are human voices.

Respons. Impleta sunt illorum vaticinia; igitur non fuerunt furiosi nec mendaces, quia caeteros ab omni fraude cohibuerunt; et voluntas fingendi ac mentiendi eorum est, qui appetunt opes, qui lucra desiderant, quae res procul a sanctis illis viris fuit. Aliqui eorum principes aut etiam reges fuerunt, in quos cadere non potest suspicio fraudis.

Reply. Their prophecies have been fulfilled; therefore they were neither mad nor liars, since they restrained others from all deceit; and the will to invent and to lie belongs to those who covet wealth, who desire gain, a thing which was far from those holy men. Some of them were princes or even kings, on whom suspicion of fraud cannot fall.

Poetarum : nam Orpheus Deum verum πρωτόγονον vocat : Sic Virgilius et Ovidius Deum mundi fabricatorem agnoscunt.

Of the poets: for Orpheus calls the true God "first-born"; so Virgil and Ovid acknowledge God as the maker of the world.

Philosophorum : Thaletis, Pythagorae, Anaxagorae, Antisthenis, Cleanthis et Anaximenis, Chrysippi, Zenonis, Aristotelis, Platonis, Ciceronis, Senecae.

Of the philosophers: of Thales, Pythagoras, Anaxagoras, Antisthenes, Cleanthes and Anaximenes, Chrysippus, Zeno, Aristotle, Plato, Cicero, Seneca.

Mercurii Trismegisti : Ὁ δὲ Θεὸς εἷς, ὁ δὲ εἷς ὀνόματος οὐ προσδέεται; ἔστι γὰρ ὁ ὢν ἀνώνυμος.

Of Mercurius Trismegistus: "But God is one, and the one has no need of a name; for He Who is, is nameless."

Sibyllarum, quae omnes unum Deum praedicant.

Of the Sibyls, who all proclaim one God.

Apollinis, qui quaerenti quid esset Deus, respondit : αὐτοφυής.

Of Apollo, who, to one asking what God was, answered: "self-begotten".

Editors' notes and page, col. 110

Page

running head: ...BRI PRIMI LACTANTII 110 (left part cut off at image edge)
marginal letters: A ‹l'usure; par M. Louis›; B ‹Tertia parte asserit›; C ‹Objectio: Sunt equidem›; D ‹torem agnoscunt›
old-edition numerals: (none)
other: column begins mid-entry of a bibliography (editors' matter: ‹l'usure; par M. Louis Bulteau›), its French title begun in the previous column; the "A" before "l'usure" taken as the marginal letter, though it could be French "à" — unsure. Full-width title "[ANALYSIS LIBRI PRI]MI LACTANTII." stands between the bibliography and the analysis, cut off at the left edge, not set. Editors' matter set: analysis ‹Tertia parte asserit unum esse Deum›. Worn type read as Toinardi, unus, unum (printed "imuni"), Danielis Michelii. D sits between "torem agnoscunt" and "Philosophorum", nearer the former — unsure.
other: the 6 paragraph(s) of this column above the full-width band are set under col 109 (reading order, moved on receipt)
running head: 109 ANALYSIS LIBRI PRIMI LACTANTII. 110
marginal letters: A (beside previous unit's text "l'usure", not set here); B ‹Tertia parte asserit›; C ‹Objectio : Sunt equidem multi dii›; D ‹torem agnoscunt›
old-edition numerals: (none)
other: "Respons." printed abbreviated, set as printed. Column ends at the foot with "αὐτοφυής." The upper half above the title band (previous unit's bibliography) is not set.

PL 6:111

Quarta libri parte refutat primum communes gentilium religiones a cap. 8 usque ad 20, deinde proprias Romanorum, a cap. 20 ad finem; probatque religiones

In the fourth part of the book he refutes first the common religions of the gentiles, from chap. 8 up to 20, then those proper to the Romans, from chap. 20 to the end; and he proves that the religions

deorum falsas esse, quod certo tempore nati, pessime vixerint, tandemque mortalium omnium legem subierint, quos pro diis gentiles coluerunt.

of the gods are false, because those whom the gentiles worshipped as gods were born at a certain time, lived most wickedly, and at last submitted to the law of all mortals.

Editors' notes and page, col. 111

Footnotes

(printed under page 59)

(1) ‹anchor: doctrinae penitus dedissent› · lemma, col 111

Dedissent. Ex mss. Lipsiensibus et Gothano; rectius est et concinnius quam dedidissent, ut habent alii multi. Ms. elegans eminentissimi cardinalis Rohannei habet dedissent. Dedidissent.—Cellario dedissent, quod et Reimmanni ms. habet visum rotundius. At aliorum plerorumque codicum editionumque, primae Sublacen., Rom., Venet. 1471, 1472, utriusque 1478, Rost. 1476, et longe plurium, dedidissent, ad Ciceronem, quem plerumque exprimit, propius accedit. Lib. I Offic., 21: Qui excellenti ingenio doctrinae se dediderunt. Lib. III de Orat., cap. 15: Ei studio se excellentissimi ingenii homines dediderunt. Lib. I de Orat., cap. 3: Studio litterarum penitus se dedere. Neque penitus dedidissent minus rotunda videntur, quam Lact. lib. IV, cap. 13, penitus nescientem; et lib. VII, cap. 5, se voluptatibus dediderunt. Torn. 158, 1613, penitius dedidissent. BUNEMAN.

Dedissent ("had given themselves"). So the Leipzig and Gotha manuscripts; it is more correct and neater than dedidissent ("had surrendered themselves"), which many others have. The fine manuscript of his Eminence Cardinal de Rohan has dedissent. Dedidissent.—Cellarius thought dedissent, which Reimmann's manuscript also has, the more rounded reading. But dedidissent, the reading of most of the other manuscripts and editions (the first Subiaco, Rome, Venice 1471 and 1472, both of 1478, Rostock 1476, and by far the most), comes nearer to Cicero, whom he generally imitates. Book I of the De officiis, 21: "Who with outstanding talent have given themselves up to learning." Book III of the De oratore, ch. 15: "Men of the most outstanding talent gave themselves to that study." Book I of the De oratore, ch. 3: "To give oneself wholly to the study of letters." Nor does penitus dedidissent seem less rounded than Lactantius's penitus nescientem in Book IV, ch. 13, and se voluptatibus dediderunt in Book VII, ch. 5. Tornaesius 158[sic], 1613: penitius dedidissent. BÜNEMANN.

(printed under page 59)

(2) ‹anchor: aut struendis opibus› · lemma, col 111

Struendis opibus. Mss. et saec. XV edd., quam struendis; at Parrhas., Crat., Junt., Ald., Gymn., Griph., Paris. 1513, Isaeus, quam aut struendis. Reimm., Venet. 1472, et edd. Tornaes., quam in struendis. Prius receptum ab Heum., posterius est contra Lactantii indolem, qui semper inhaerere cum dativo construit. BUNEMAN.

Struendis opibus ("piling up wealth"). The manuscripts and the fifteenth-century editions have quam struendis; but Parrhasius, Cratander, the Juntine, the Aldine, Gymnicus, Gryphius, Paris 1513 and Isaeus have quam aut struendis. Reimmann, Venice 1472 and the Tornaesius editions have quam in struendis. The former was adopted by Heumann; the latter goes against Lactantius's usage, for he always construes inhaerere with the dative. BÜNEMANN.

(printed under page 59)

(3) ‹anchor: Quibus rebus, quoniam› · lemma, col 111

Quoniam. Mss. Rohan. legit quia.

Quoniam ("since"). The Rohan manuscript reads quia ("because").

(printed under page 59)

(4) ‹anchor: nemo justior effici› · lemma, col 112

Justior effici. Sic restituimus ex Rohanneo et omnibus mss. codicibus, veteribus Romanis editionibus, et duobus Lipsiensibus. In caeteris editis, legitur fieri. — Justior effici. Ita mss. Goth., Guelpherb., Lips., Ultr., Junt., Cauc., Cantabr., Gron., Reimm. et primae Subl., Rom., Ven. 1471, 1472, Rost., Paris. 1513, Torn.: et praestat lib. III, cap. 12: Effici quemquam beatum posse; lib. IV, cap. 3: Efficitque meliores. Cic. III, fin., 3, beatam vitam virtute effici. BUNEMAN.

Justior effici ("be made more just"). So we have restored it from the Rohan manuscript and all the manuscript codices, the old Roman editions, and the two Leipzig ones. In the other printed editions fieri ("become") is read. — Justior effici. So the manuscripts of Gotha, Wolfenbüttel, Leipzig, Utrecht, the Juntine, Caucius, Cambridge, Gronovius, Reimmann, and the first Subiaco, Rome, Venice 1471 and 1472, Rostock, Paris 1513 and Tornaesius; and it is preferable: Book III, ch. 12: "that anyone can be made happy"; Book IV, ch. 3: "and makes them better". Cicero, De finibus III, 3: "that the happy life is brought about by virtue". BÜNEMANN.

(printed under page 59)

(5) ‹anchor: scire tantopere cupiverunt› · lemma, col 112

Cupiverunt. Ita plerique libri plenius: at lenius et Ciceroni atque Lactantio propius Parrhas., Junt., Ald., Crat., Gymn., Is., cupierunt, in hoc et similibus. BUNEMAN.

Cupiverunt ("they desired"). So most books, in the fuller form; but Parrhasius, the Juntine, the Aldine, Cratander, Gymnicus and Isaeus have cupierunt, smoother and nearer to Cicero and Lactantius, in this and similar words. BÜNEMANN.

(printed under page 59)

(6) ‹anchor: atque ita, ut› · lemma, col 112

Atque ita. Deest in Rohan. mss. idque recte.

Atque ita ("and so"). It is missing in the Rohan manuscript, and rightly.

(printed under page 59)

(7) ‹anchor: abjecisse quosdam res› · lemma, col 112

Abjecisse quosdam. Biam scilicet, Democritum, etc. V. Valer. Max., lib. VII, cap. 2; lib. VIII, cap. 7. De his singulis plenius loquetur libro III, qui est de Falsa sapientia.

Abjecisse quosdam ("that some threw away"). Namely Bias, Democritus, and others. See Valerius Maximus, Book VII, ch. 2; Book VIII, ch. 7. He will speak of each of them more fully in Book III, which is On False Wisdom.

(printed under page 59)

(8) ‹anchor: nudamque veritatem nudi› · lemma, col 112

Nudam veritatem nudi expeditique sequerentur. Ita Hieron. epist. 13, ad Paulinum: Nudam crucem nudus sequens, expeditior et levior scandis scalam Jacob. In multis editis ac in pluribus mss. virtutem et virtutis legitur, non vero veritatem et veritatis. At in mss. Oxoniensibus a Sparckio laudatis veritatem et veritatis scribitur, sicut et in mss. quibus usus est editor Coloniensis anni 1544. Porro in hoc capite non agitur de virtute, sed de veritate, ut paucis post lineis videre est; quia veritas, ait Lactantius, ingenio ac propriis sensibus non potest comprehendi.

"That naked and unencumbered they might follow the naked truth." So Jerome, Letter 13, to Paulinus: "Following the naked cross naked, you climb Jacob's ladder the more unencumbered and the lighter." In many printed editions and in most manuscripts virtutem and virtutis ("virtue") are read, not veritatem and veritatis ("truth"). But in the Oxford manuscripts cited by Sparke, veritatem and veritatis are written, as also in the manuscripts used by the Cologne editor of 1544. Moreover, this chapter treats not of virtue but of truth, as can be seen a few lines later: "because the truth," says Lactantius, "cannot be grasped by one's own talent and senses."

(printed under page 59)

Page

running head: 111 FIRM. LACTANTII D (cut off at the image edge)
marginal letters: A ‹Magno et excellenti ingenio viri›; B ‹ronem, quem plerumque exprimit› (in the Variorum notes)
old-edition numerals: (none)
other: editors' matter set: ‹Quarta libri parte refutat› (end of an argument/summary continued from the previous column); its last word is split at the column break, re- here, continued in the right-hand column (li...). Full-width lines not set: the title block LUCII CAECILII ... LACTA... DIVINARUM INS... LIBER P... DE FALSA RELIGI... after the summary; the heading Praefa... and QUANTI SIT ET FUERIT SEMP... above the text; VARIORUM N... above the notes; a cut-off line beginning Cit... at the foot of the first image. The Variorum notes (Dedissent ... Justior effici) are left for the later pass.
other: a full-width band stands across cols 111/112 in mid-page: the 1 paragraph(s) above it in col 112 are set here, after the 1 above it in col 111 (reading order, moved on receipt); the band itself (its title lines) is not set by the volunteer page: set it here, at the move, with full_width
other: the column continues with Magno et excellenti ingenio viri (another unit); not set here

PL 6:112

Editors' notes and page, col. 112

Page

running head: [cut off at left] I. LACTANTII DIVIN. INSTIT. 112
marginal letters: A et ad solius corporis; B beside the Variorum notae (Cupiverunt. Ita plerique), below the end of the text
old-edition numerals: (none)
other: the word re-ligiones split at the 111/112 break is set whole under rail 111 (settle round 1 join). Editors' matter set: the close of the book's argument/synopsis (ligiones deorum falsas esse). Full-width lines cut off at the image edge, not set: the book title after the argument (...ECILII FIRMIANI / ...ACTANTII / ...UM INSTITUTIONUM / ...BER PRIMUS. / ...A RELIGIONE DEORUM.); the heading Praefatio. and the chapter title (...FUERIT SEMPER COGNITIO VERITATIS.) above the text. The marginal A stands in the gutter before "et ad solius". In "a⟨n⟩teponerent" the n is damaged and prints like "r". The VARIORUM NOTAE heading and the notes below are left for the later pass.
other: the 1 paragraph(s) of this column above the full-width band are set under col 111 (reading order, moved on receipt)
other: the text of this column below the full-width band belongs to the next unit; not set here (rail-only part)