The Oriental Religions in Roman Paganism [1911] - Get a Free Blog

NOTES THE TRANSFORM.\TIOX OF PAGANISM. 287
:r.. ib., c. 12: cf. Favon. Eulog.. Disput. de so inn. Scipiomis,
p. i. 20 [Holder :
e<L]
"Bene meritis lactei circuli lucida
ac candens habitatio deberetur"; St. Jerome, /., 23, 3
[Migne, P. L.. XXII, coL 426), in conformity with an old
Pythagorean doctrine (Gundel, DC stellarum appellations et
rclig. Rcmana, 1907, p. 153 [245], as well as an Egyptian doc
trine (Maspero, Hist, des peuples de fOrient. I, p. 181). Ac
cording to others, finally, the soul was freed from all connec
tion with the body and lived in the highest region of heaven,
descending first through the gates of Cancer and Capricorn,
at the intersection of the zodiac and the Milky Way. then
through the spheres of the planets. This theory, which was
that of the mysteries (supra, pp. 126. 152) obtained the ap
probation of Macrobius ("quorum sectae amicior est ratio")
who explains it in detail (I, 12, i3ff.). Arnobius. who got
his inspiration from Cornelius Labeo (supra, ch. V, n. 64),
opposed it. as a widespread error (II, 16) : "Dum ad corpora
labimur et properamus humana ex mundanis circulis, sequun-
rur causae quibus mali simus et pessimi." Cf. also, II, 33 :
soluti membrorum abieretis e nodis, alas
vobis adfuturas putatis quibus ad caelum pergere atque ad
"Vos, cum primum
sidera volare possitis," etc.). It had become so popular that
the comedy by Querolus, written in Gaul during the
years of the nfth century, alluded to it in a mocking w:
connection with the planets (V, : 38) "Mortales vero addere
animas
taught,
sive inferis nullus labor sive superis."
at least in part, by the Priscillianists
It was still
i Aug., De
lucres., 70: Priscillianus, ed. Schepss.. p. : Herzog-
Hauck, Realcntycl, 3d ed.. Priscillian," p. 63. \Ve
have mentioned (supra, ch. V, n. 54) the origin of the belief
and of its diffusion under the empire.
26. Cf. supra, p. 152. and pp. 189 ff . : ^fon. myst. Xfithrj. I.
P. 296.
-- This idea \vas spread by the Stoics ( *KT\ p<**it } and by
astrologj (supra, p. 262) : also by the Oriental religions, see
Lactantius, Inst., VII, 18, and Mon. myst. Mithra, I, p. 310.
28. G *4ppe (Griech. Mythol., pp. 1488 flF.) has tried to indi
cate the different elements that entered into this doctrine,
29. Cf. supra, pp. 1341"., p. 160 and passim. The similarity