Opening the library…
The Epitome of the Divine Institutes
Lactantius
A condensed presentation of Lactantius’s apologetic project, summarizing his case against pagan worship and his account of divine providence, true religion, justice, and Christian hope.
Faunas was the first in Latium who introduced
“Those bugbears the Lamiæ, which Faunus and Numa Pompilius and others instituted, at these he trembles; he places everything in this. As infant boys believe that every statue of bronze is a living man, so these imagine that all things reigned are true: they believe that statues of bronze contain a heart. It is a painter’s gallery; nothing is real, everything fictitious.”
Tullius also, writing of the nature of the gods, complains that false and fictitious gods have been introduced, and that from thus source have arisen false opinions, and turbulent errors, and almost old womanly superstitions, which opinion ought in comparison with others to be esteemed more weighty, because these things were spoken by one who was both a philosopher and a priest.
Terriculas. There is another reading, “terricolas.” See note at Institutes, book i. ch. 22 p. 38, supra.
See preceding note and reference.
Comparari. Others read “compatari.”