St. Augustine, Of the citie of God vvith the learned comments of Io. Lod. Viues. Englished by I.H.

L. VIVES.

PLato (a) did•…•… It i•…•… •…•…is in many places: all things with-out vertue, and the knowledge of the true 〈◊〉〈◊〉 is vile and abiect. (b) Per-•…•…gikes] Of 〈◊〉〈◊〉, to burne, most like•…•…

(c) All which] By sacrifice (saith Ualerius) are the presages of visions and thunders procu∣red. The Hetrurians vsed the arte, and Numa brought it to Rome. It is much mentioned in 〈◊〉〈◊〉, Seneca, Liuie, and other Latine authors. Procurare is in this place to sacrifice to such a * 1.1 〈◊〉〈◊〉 (as fitteth the time) to make the euent prosperous. (d) Remoouall) Ual. lib. 1. They were brought to Lauinium, and placed there by Aeneas, and being borne to Alba by Ascanius, the•…•… •…•…ned to their other seate againe: and because they might bee perhaps se•…•…retly re∣m•…•…▪ they were brought to Alba againe, and they departed the second time. (e) Tarquins] Hee •…•…ing to increase the number of his trained souldiors, Actius Naeuius the Augur for∣b•…•… * 1.2 •…•…till hee had beheld the Auguries. Tarquin, to scoffe his arte: Presage by th•…•… arte (〈◊〉〈◊〉 hee) whether my thoughts shall come to passe: It shall (quo•…•…h Actius, out of his 〈◊〉〈◊〉:) 〈◊〉〈◊〉 this Whetstone (quoth Tarquin) with this razour. Hee did •…•…t in that full presence, and whilest he liued euer after was honourably respected, and had a statue erected h•…•… in that 〈◊〉〈◊〉 where it was done (namely the Consistorie) with a Whe•…•…tone and a r•…•…zor, as te∣•…•… of the fact. Liu. lib. 1. G•…•…ero de diuinat lib. 1. but they say Actius cut it, not Tarquin. (f) 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Epidaurian] This is that Aesculapius that was brought from his Temple (fiue miles 〈◊〉〈◊〉 •…•…aurus) to Rome, in forme of a Serpent. The great deuill it was surely (saith Lactan∣•…•… •…•…out * 1.3 dissembling: for the Scriptures call him a Serpent, and •…•…herecides the Syrian 〈◊〉〈◊〉 •…•…y all haue serpentine feete. (g) Accompanying] Nay the serpent it selfe was Aes∣•…•…, vnlesse they held him inuisible, and this serpent his companion visible. Aesculapius 〈◊〉〈◊〉 •…•…ted with a Serpent wound about a rodde, and called Ophinchus, that is, the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 〈◊〉〈◊〉 was a statute also that Phisitians should vse Snakes. Higin. Histor. Caelest. Plini•…•… t•…•…kes the Snake was sacred to him, because it is so medicinable: but Macrobius saith, be∣•…•… is so quick-sighted. Horace.

Cur in amicorum vitium tam cernis acutum, Quam aut aquila, aut serpens Epidaurius?

Why doost into thy friends ill carriage prye, With a quick Eagles, or a Serpents eye?

〈◊〉〈◊〉 •…•…ing] The ship that came from Pessinuns with the Mother of the gods, sticking im∣•…•… in Tyber, on ground, Q. Claudia a Vestall, (slandered for incontinencie because * 1.4 〈◊〉〈◊〉 to goe handsome) tooke hir girdle, and knitting it to the shippe, praide Berecyn∣•…•… •…•…ee knew her chaste to follow her, and so shee did, where-vpon Claudia had a statue 〈◊〉〈◊〉 the goddesses temple, that stood safe when the Temple was twise burned, Liu. l. 2. 〈◊〉〈◊〉. Ualer. Maximus. (i) Carrying of water] A diuerse reading: but of no mo∣•…•… (〈◊〉〈◊〉) A Uestall] Turria. Ualer. lib. 8. (l) Many] Mens thoughts often make them 〈◊〉〈◊〉 see that which they see not indeede, and this is often done by a Phant•…•…sme, or ap∣•…•…▪ And hence is most of our reportes of spirites walking, arisen. Yea the spirits them∣•…•… deceiue our sences: which is no wonder, seeing that our iuglers can doe the like 〈◊〉〈◊〉 〈◊〉〈◊〉 mayn, which if another should doe, you should haue some make a miracle of: * 1.5 〈◊〉〈◊〉 dooings truely are admirable, and their manner very harde to conceiue. Some 〈◊〉〈◊〉 are not done but by the deuils meanes: not so: they are but the quick conuey∣•…•… and exercise, their swift motion preuenting our eye-sights: So doth hee that 〈◊〉〈◊〉 bread and blowes forth meale: and hee that drinkes, and letts it out at his throate. 〈◊〉〈◊〉 •…•…ople will maruell to see them eate daggers, spue heapes of needles, laces, and 〈◊〉〈◊〉

〈◊〉〈◊〉 to speake of the trickes of naturall Magicke, making men looke headlesse, and 〈◊〉〈◊〉 like Asses•…•… •…•…nd spreading a Vine all ouer the roome. Many know the reasons hereof: 〈◊〉〈◊〉 •…•…e written of and easily done by men, much more by the deuils, that are such cunning 〈◊〉〈◊〉. That the Pagans suspected their gods myracles to bee but illusions, or saigned •…•…tions, Ualerius sheweth plainely, lib. 1. I know (saith hee) the doubtfull opinion of 〈◊〉〈◊〉, concerning the gods speach and apparitions, obiected to mens •…•…ares and eyes, but 〈◊〉〈◊〉 they are old traditions, let vs beleeue their authors, and not detract from the autho∣•…•… reuerend and antique doctrine. And Liuie saith in diuerse places that the dangerous * 1.6 〈◊〉〈◊〉 mens thoughts so scrupulous, that they beleeued and reported farre more myra∣•…•… were true. (m) Fetching downe] Of the Magicians power Lucan writeth thus.

—Illis et Sydera Primum, Praecipiti deducta polo Phaebeque serena, Non aliter diris verborum obsessa venenis, Palluit et nigris, terrenisque ignibus arsit. Quam si fraterna prohiberet imagine tellus, I•…•…sereretque s•…•…as flammis c•…•…lestib{us} vmbras. Et patitur tant•…•…s cātu depress•…•… labores, Do•…•…ec suppositas propior despumet in herbas.

—They first disroab'd the spheres, Of their cleare greatnes, and Phaebe in her station, With blacke enchantments and damn'd Inuocation, They strike as red, or pale, and make her fade, As if the Sunne casting earths sable shade Vpon her front, this alteration made, So plague they her with harmes, till she come nyer, And spume vpon such herbes as they desire.

So in Uirgil, a witch saith shee can turne the course of the starres. Aeenid. 4. And Apuleius his witch could weaken the gods, and put out the starres. And Ouid saith of Medea.

Illa reluctātē cursu deducere lunā Nititur, & tenebras addere solis •…•…quis.

She workes to fetch swift Phaebe from her chaire, And wrap the Sunnes bright steeds in darkned ayre.

For they beleeued that charmes would fetch the Moone downe from heauen. Uirg. Pharma•…•….

Carmin•…•… •…•…el •…•…lo possunt deducere lunā: Charmes force the siluer Moone downe from her spheare:

And Phaedras nurse in Seneca's Hippolitus, worshipeth the Moone in these termes.

Sic te Lucidi vultus ferant, Et nube ruptâ, cornib{us} puris eas: Sic te gerentē frena nocturni •…•…theris, Detrab•…•…re nunquam Thessali cantus queant.

So be thy face vnshrouded, And thy pure hornes vnclouded! So be thy siluer chaire farre from the reach Of all the charmes that the Thessalians teach.

And in these troubles they held that making of noyse helped the moone, and kept her from hearing the inchaunters words: whervpon they sounded cymballs, and bet vpon drummes and b•…•…sens: for this, they thought a singular helpe. Propert.

Cantus et é curru lun•…•…m deducere tētant, Et facerent, si nō aer•…•… repulsa sonent.

Charmes seeke to draw downe Phaebe from her seating, And would, but for the noyse of basens beating.

And I•…•…all speaking of a woman that was an euerlasting prater, saith:

Vn•…•… laboranti, p•…•…terit succurrerre lunae. Her onely voyce would keepe the moone from charmes.

They vsed it also in Eclipses, not knowing their cause. Pliny speaking of the first declarers here∣of saith: 〈◊〉〈◊〉 •…•…n, and learned that discouered much in the law of nature, more then others, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 〈◊〉〈◊〉 〈◊〉〈◊〉 〈◊〉〈◊〉 of s•…•… starres or some mischiefe to beefall them in their eclipses, Pindarus 〈◊〉〈◊〉 〈◊〉〈◊〉 (both great schollers) were subiect to this feare, the fayling of the Sunne and Moones light▪ 〈◊〉〈◊〉 (said they) the power of witchcraft vpon them, and therefore men b•…•… it from them 〈◊〉〈◊〉 〈◊〉〈◊〉 •…•…d confused sounds. Nor is it any wonder those learned men shoul•…•… * 1.7 beleeue that the Moone was set from heauen, when as there was a sort of men (since wee co•…•… remember) that beleeued that an asse had drunke vp the moone, because drinking in the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 where it shonne, a cloud came on the sudden, and couered it: so the asse was impriso•…•…▪

〈◊〉〈◊〉 •…•…ing had a very lawfull, and orderly tryall, was ripped vppe, to haue the Moone 〈◊〉〈◊〉 of his belly, to shine in the world againe. (n) She spum'd] This they held was the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 of Cerberus dogge vnto the Moone, Hecate, or Proserpina, and the Enchantresses, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 it much in their witch-crafts.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Procurare.
• * 1.2

  Actius Nae∣uius, Augur
• * 1.3

  The 〈◊〉〈◊〉 •…•…∣pent.
• * 1.4

  Claudia a Vestall.
• * 1.5

  Iugler•…•….
• * 1.6

  Illusion•…•….
• * 1.7

  A•…•… 〈◊〉〈◊〉 〈◊〉〈◊〉 t•…•…e 〈◊〉〈◊〉.