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Article CLASSICAL THEOLOGY.—XXIV. Page 1 of 2 →
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Classical Theology.—Xxiv.
CLASSICAL THEOLOGY . —XXIV .
LONDON , SATURDAY , JCJIi 3 P , 18 ( 10 .
VIII . —MARS AND OCTOBER . ALEXANDER AB ALEXANDRO ( lib . viii . c . 12 ) , informs us that in front of tho temple of Bellona there was erected a pillar culled Bellica , over Avhich the herald throw a spear AA'hen ho proclaimed Avar . This Bellona AA'as sty led the charioteer of Marsand was either his companionsisterwifeor united
, , , , to him in all three capacities . Her name is evidently derived from bettum , that is , the state and circumstance of all things belonging to actual Avarfaro . She was otherAvise called Duellona , from duellum , war , a fight , a duel ; Avliereas the Greek Avord BfXrhn , signifies a needle , of AA'hich she was said to have boon the iiiA'cntress .
"Wo read of a gateway called the " Eye of Bclone , " and of another called the " Needle ' s Eye , " Avhich has given rise to the idea that our Saviour alluded to sonic passage of this kind AA'hen ho observed , "It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom , of God . " This course of reading would bo , in . our
humble opinion , to nullify the promises of the Scriptures and to make A'oid the established religion of the church , AA'hich declares Christ to be the resurrection and that all AVIIO believe iu him . shall live again , and , though they Avere dead , shall never die . The figure of speech regarding the rich man is obviously intended to coBA'ey that it is of no use
for any to trust in their , riches to take them to heaven , or to serve Mammon before God instead of making Mammon serve Him ,, and by so doing , of course , to servo themselves likcAvise . "I will say to my soul , Soul , thou hast much goods laid up for many years ; take thine ease , eat , drink , and be merry . But God said unto himThou foolthis
, , night thy soul shall be required of thee ; then Avhose shall those things be which thou hast provided 1 So is he that layetli up treasure for himself ) and is not rich towards God . " "We are to bear in mind that the certain rich man appears to have been Zaccharas , of whom Jesus
said , " This day is salvation come to this , house , forsomuch as he also is a sou of Abraham ; " and we arc told that when . 1 esns saAV him he loved him . Faith , hope , and charity , are the three main pillars of the church which is the erection of tho Trinity , and the greatest of these is charity . NOAV if the rich , like . Zacchajus , make a good use of their wealth , AVC do
not sec but that salvation has come to their house , and that thc kingdom of heaven is within them . We Avould therefore recommend , for the Avelfare of all , no alterations of the text . The priests , called Bellonarii , in sacrificing , made offerings of their own blood to their militant goddess . They will be found thus described upon reference to the first book of
. Lactantius , as " holding in each of their hands drawn swords with Avhich they gashed their naked shoulders , Avildly running to and fro like men possessed Avith the demons of madness . " "Whereupon , as recounted by the poets Juvenal and Lucan , " People sought them after the sacrifice Avas ended , in the belief of their being able to foretell future events . " Claudian
describes Bellona as arranging her head of snakes instead of hair , and another poet represents her Avith blazing hair hanging loose and besmeared Avith blood , running through the midst of the ranks of the engaged armies , uttering horrid shrieks and dreadful yells : —
" Sprinkling witlr clotted gore her ilaming hair , And fiery torch , that stifles all the air ; Bellona , up and iloivn the strife doth tlee , "Whilst from her hateful breast , Tisiphonc , licr deadly mutterings sends . " The name of Mars , like that of Bellona , expresses th power aud influence to bo obtained in AvaroA-er Avhieh he
, presided , so to speak , and Avas styled the god of armies . His other name "Mayors" sets forth , that all great exploits are determined , exi-enied , and consummated , or so it Avas thought , through his means , And , perhaps , doubtless , herein lies the
real truth of thc case after all ; Avar , like death , Avill one day be brought Lo an end by being SAA'alloAved up iu victory . It is to be seen iu fact that the ancients thought they could not exalt this god high enough , at any rate they elevated him above the sun ; and the question , is difficult to deduce to a solution , IIOAV that planet obtained its title of the god of
Avar under the name of Mars 1 But as Ave have endeavoured to point this more clearly out before , Ave must suppose that the stars were known by various denominations and si gns anterior to the deluge , and that it Avas not till after the confusion of tongues , different nations began to call them b y different names . How else could the same general influence
have been attributed to the same planets 1 Even to this day the aspect of Mars is consulted by astrologers in their prodictions of peace or war , as are the other sidereal aspects for other similar particular purposes . "Unmistakably , Homer aud Hesiod derive the descent of Mars from the parentage of Jupiter and Juno ; yet the
recoived opinion is in accordance Avith Ovid ' s story of his beinc tho child of Juno only . . Juno , he says , as most schoolboys have conned without much heeding , was greatly perplexed and amazed to know in what possible way her husband , Jupiter , could have conceived Minerva Avithout tho
concurrence of a mother . Iherefore , as soon as her astonishment ; had somewhat subsided , she set about its discovery ( by which AVO learn that goddesses are curious and emulous ) , for she was bent upon accomplishing and desirous of performing the like thing . She undertook a journey to Oceanus , to consult him as to whether she could beget a child without her husband
or any other in conjunction . On her Avay she began to feel tired , and sat down among the flowers , or rather at the door of the goddess Flora , AVIIO , upon understanding the object of her journey , besought her to make herself comfortable , and take courage on that account , for she had , amongst her extraordinary productionsa flower in her garden whichif only
, , touched Avith the tips of the fingers , the smell of it Avould bo all sufficient to cause a conception of a son immediatel y . So the heaA'ehly queen , Juno , arose from her earthly seat , and accompanied the beauteous Flora to her fragrant warden where she lost no time in touching the miraculous flower represented to herand consequentl y forthwith
eonceivino-, Mars . The Avar god afterwards , Ave are told , took Neria or Nerio to Avife , by some called Nerione , a word signify ing in the Sabine language valour , might , and strength ; and from her , such is the vainity of ambition , the Claudian famil y ostentatiously rejoiced in formall y deriving the name of Nero .
The Greeks called the god of Avar Ares , either from the slaughter and destruction Avhich is caused by him , or from the silence Avhich is kept respecting the plans of Avar and in action ; where service is esteemed more preferable to wordy clamour . The Areopagus or Mount of Mars derived its name from - Apnc , or from a temple in a street in Athens
named Areopagus after the name of the temple Avhich was dedicated to Arcs . In this street , the council of the Areopagites used anciently to sit . The court itself of the Areopagus took its rise , as some report , from the trial of Mars for the murder of Halirotius or Haliorthius , and the debauch of Alchippe or Alcippa ( iu Avhich was included incest ) before the
, Consentes or tAvelvc deities admitted b y Jupiter into his most secret and highest council , Avhose images , it is stated , were fixed in the Forum of Home , six of whom were females . . Mars Avas acquitted by six voices , and if so , it shows that for mercy ' s sake the summing up and sentence AA-as given in his favour . From that time thc place became a court both for
criminal and religious causes . No person could become an Areopagita or one of the judges of this court ( which in course of time appears to have been removed to the hill not far distant from the citadel , and to have resembled a house of senators by election of the people more than a court of laAv ) until he had delivered in public an account of all his past life , and Avas found on examination jn every particular
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Classical Theology.—Xxiv.
CLASSICAL THEOLOGY . —XXIV .
LONDON , SATURDAY , JCJIi 3 P , 18 ( 10 .
VIII . —MARS AND OCTOBER . ALEXANDER AB ALEXANDRO ( lib . viii . c . 12 ) , informs us that in front of tho temple of Bellona there was erected a pillar culled Bellica , over Avhich the herald throw a spear AA'hen ho proclaimed Avar . This Bellona AA'as sty led the charioteer of Marsand was either his companionsisterwifeor united
, , , , to him in all three capacities . Her name is evidently derived from bettum , that is , the state and circumstance of all things belonging to actual Avarfaro . She was otherAvise called Duellona , from duellum , war , a fight , a duel ; Avliereas the Greek Avord BfXrhn , signifies a needle , of AA'hich she was said to have boon the iiiA'cntress .
"Wo read of a gateway called the " Eye of Bclone , " and of another called the " Needle ' s Eye , " Avhich has given rise to the idea that our Saviour alluded to sonic passage of this kind AA'hen ho observed , "It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom , of God . " This course of reading would bo , in . our
humble opinion , to nullify the promises of the Scriptures and to make A'oid the established religion of the church , AA'hich declares Christ to be the resurrection and that all AVIIO believe iu him . shall live again , and , though they Avere dead , shall never die . The figure of speech regarding the rich man is obviously intended to coBA'ey that it is of no use
for any to trust in their , riches to take them to heaven , or to serve Mammon before God instead of making Mammon serve Him ,, and by so doing , of course , to servo themselves likcAvise . "I will say to my soul , Soul , thou hast much goods laid up for many years ; take thine ease , eat , drink , and be merry . But God said unto himThou foolthis
, , night thy soul shall be required of thee ; then Avhose shall those things be which thou hast provided 1 So is he that layetli up treasure for himself ) and is not rich towards God . " "We are to bear in mind that the certain rich man appears to have been Zaccharas , of whom Jesus
said , " This day is salvation come to this , house , forsomuch as he also is a sou of Abraham ; " and we arc told that when . 1 esns saAV him he loved him . Faith , hope , and charity , are the three main pillars of the church which is the erection of tho Trinity , and the greatest of these is charity . NOAV if the rich , like . Zacchajus , make a good use of their wealth , AVC do
not sec but that salvation has come to their house , and that thc kingdom of heaven is within them . We Avould therefore recommend , for the Avelfare of all , no alterations of the text . The priests , called Bellonarii , in sacrificing , made offerings of their own blood to their militant goddess . They will be found thus described upon reference to the first book of
. Lactantius , as " holding in each of their hands drawn swords with Avhich they gashed their naked shoulders , Avildly running to and fro like men possessed Avith the demons of madness . " "Whereupon , as recounted by the poets Juvenal and Lucan , " People sought them after the sacrifice Avas ended , in the belief of their being able to foretell future events . " Claudian
describes Bellona as arranging her head of snakes instead of hair , and another poet represents her Avith blazing hair hanging loose and besmeared Avith blood , running through the midst of the ranks of the engaged armies , uttering horrid shrieks and dreadful yells : —
" Sprinkling witlr clotted gore her ilaming hair , And fiery torch , that stifles all the air ; Bellona , up and iloivn the strife doth tlee , "Whilst from her hateful breast , Tisiphonc , licr deadly mutterings sends . " The name of Mars , like that of Bellona , expresses th power aud influence to bo obtained in AvaroA-er Avhieh he
, presided , so to speak , and Avas styled the god of armies . His other name "Mayors" sets forth , that all great exploits are determined , exi-enied , and consummated , or so it Avas thought , through his means , And , perhaps , doubtless , herein lies the
real truth of thc case after all ; Avar , like death , Avill one day be brought Lo an end by being SAA'alloAved up iu victory . It is to be seen iu fact that the ancients thought they could not exalt this god high enough , at any rate they elevated him above the sun ; and the question , is difficult to deduce to a solution , IIOAV that planet obtained its title of the god of
Avar under the name of Mars 1 But as Ave have endeavoured to point this more clearly out before , Ave must suppose that the stars were known by various denominations and si gns anterior to the deluge , and that it Avas not till after the confusion of tongues , different nations began to call them b y different names . How else could the same general influence
have been attributed to the same planets 1 Even to this day the aspect of Mars is consulted by astrologers in their prodictions of peace or war , as are the other sidereal aspects for other similar particular purposes . "Unmistakably , Homer aud Hesiod derive the descent of Mars from the parentage of Jupiter and Juno ; yet the
recoived opinion is in accordance Avith Ovid ' s story of his beinc tho child of Juno only . . Juno , he says , as most schoolboys have conned without much heeding , was greatly perplexed and amazed to know in what possible way her husband , Jupiter , could have conceived Minerva Avithout tho
concurrence of a mother . Iherefore , as soon as her astonishment ; had somewhat subsided , she set about its discovery ( by which AVO learn that goddesses are curious and emulous ) , for she was bent upon accomplishing and desirous of performing the like thing . She undertook a journey to Oceanus , to consult him as to whether she could beget a child without her husband
or any other in conjunction . On her Avay she began to feel tired , and sat down among the flowers , or rather at the door of the goddess Flora , AVIIO , upon understanding the object of her journey , besought her to make herself comfortable , and take courage on that account , for she had , amongst her extraordinary productionsa flower in her garden whichif only
, , touched Avith the tips of the fingers , the smell of it Avould bo all sufficient to cause a conception of a son immediatel y . So the heaA'ehly queen , Juno , arose from her earthly seat , and accompanied the beauteous Flora to her fragrant warden where she lost no time in touching the miraculous flower represented to herand consequentl y forthwith
eonceivino-, Mars . The Avar god afterwards , Ave are told , took Neria or Nerio to Avife , by some called Nerione , a word signify ing in the Sabine language valour , might , and strength ; and from her , such is the vainity of ambition , the Claudian famil y ostentatiously rejoiced in formall y deriving the name of Nero .
The Greeks called the god of Avar Ares , either from the slaughter and destruction Avhich is caused by him , or from the silence Avhich is kept respecting the plans of Avar and in action ; where service is esteemed more preferable to wordy clamour . The Areopagus or Mount of Mars derived its name from - Apnc , or from a temple in a street in Athens
named Areopagus after the name of the temple Avhich was dedicated to Arcs . In this street , the council of the Areopagites used anciently to sit . The court itself of the Areopagus took its rise , as some report , from the trial of Mars for the murder of Halirotius or Haliorthius , and the debauch of Alchippe or Alcippa ( iu Avhich was included incest ) before the
, Consentes or tAvelvc deities admitted b y Jupiter into his most secret and highest council , Avhose images , it is stated , were fixed in the Forum of Home , six of whom were females . . Mars Avas acquitted by six voices , and if so , it shows that for mercy ' s sake the summing up and sentence AA-as given in his favour . From that time thc place became a court both for
criminal and religious causes . No person could become an Areopagita or one of the judges of this court ( which in course of time appears to have been removed to the hill not far distant from the citadel , and to have resembled a house of senators by election of the people more than a court of laAv ) until he had delivered in public an account of all his past life , and Avas found on examination jn every particular