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Exposition of the Christian Faith — Historical footnotes

Chapter I.

Complete historical editorial footnotes. These notes retain the original edition’s wording; individual note authors are unspecified.

English translation and editorial credits: Augustus Henry Eugene de Romestin, Eugene de Romestin (assistant), Henry Thomas Forbes Duckworth (assistant).

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1896 (historical English edition; transcription printing date uncertain) | Historical editor/translator (individual note author unspecified)

Lat. “In procinctu,” which is primarily a military phrase, procinctus meaning “girding up” or “girdle,” the expression having reference to the girding on of armour for the battle. “Testamentum facere in procinctu” means “to make one’s will on the eve of battle.” The expression passed into a proverb for readiness in general. E.g. “clementiam in procinctu habere,” “to be ready to show mercy.” Here, however, St. Ambrose uses the phrase more in its original sense, with reference to the impending conflict of the Goths and Romans, in which Gratian was expecting to take part, though, as a matter of fact, the battle of Hadrianople had been fought, and Valens was dead, before he arrived on the scene of action.

Editorial footnote · Exposition of the Christian Faith, Chapter I., editorial note cite_note-1 · Original source

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1. Forasmuch as your most gracious Majesty had laid command upon me to write for your own instruction some treatise concerning the Faith, and had yourself called me to your presence and encouraged my timidity, I, being as one on the eve of battle, composed but two books only, for the pointing out of certain ways and paths by which our faith progresses.

1896 (historical English edition; transcription printing date uncertain) | Historical editor/translator (individual note author unspecified)

Meaning that Paul, gifted with a prophet’s insight into divine truth, recognized in these words of the heathen poet a testimony to God, and therefore had no scruples about citing them to this Athenian audience.

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4. Whence, for instance, came that verse, “His offspring truly are we,” whereof Paul, by prophetic experience, taught, makes use? The course of prophetic speech avoids neither the Giants nor the Valley of the Titans, and Isaiah spake of sirens and the

1896 (historical English edition; transcription printing date uncertain) | Historical editor/translator (individual note author unspecified)

The Anakim, or “sons of Anak.” Cf. Deut. ix. 2; Josh. xi. 21–22.

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4. Whence, for instance, came that verse, “His offspring truly are we,” whereof Paul, by prophetic experience, taught, makes use? The course of prophetic speech avoids neither the Giants nor the Valley of the Titans, and Isaiah spake of sirens and the

1896 (historical English edition; transcription printing date uncertain) | Historical editor/translator (individual note author unspecified)

The Valley of Rephaim. 2 Sam. v. 18.

Editorial footnote · Exposition of the Christian Faith, Chapter I., editorial note cite_note-5 · Original source

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4. Whence, for instance, came that verse, “His offspring truly are we,” whereof Paul, by prophetic experience, taught, makes use? The course of prophetic speech avoids neither the Giants nor the Valley of the Titans, and Isaiah spake of sirens and the

1896 (historical English edition; transcription printing date uncertain) | Historical editor/translator (individual note author unspecified)

Isa. xiii. 22—a passage referring to the desolation of Babylon. In this verse of Isaiah the LXX. has “ὀνοκένταυροι” and “ἐχῖνοι” (onocentaurs and hedgehogs), the “sirens” (σειρῆνες) coming in ver. 21b, in combination with “demons” (δαιμόνια). The Vulgate has in 22 “ululæ” (screech-owls) and “sirenes,” with “struthiones” (ostriches) and “pilosi” (hairy men) in 21b. A.V. has in 22 “wild beasts of the islands” and “dragons;” in 21b, “owls” (marg. “ostriches,” the Hebrew meaning “daughters of the owl”) and “satyrs.” R.V. in 22, “wolves” and “jackals;” in 21b, “ostriches” and “satyrs” (marg. “he-goats”). The “sirens” then appear to be jackals—though the ground of the comparison is hard to find—the “daughters of sparrows” are ostriches (the Greek name for which means, literally, “sparrow-camel”).

Editorial footnote · Exposition of the Christian Faith, Chapter I., editorial note cite_note-6 · Original source

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daughters of ostriches. Jeremiah also hath prophesied concerning Babylon, that the daughters of sirens shall dwell therein, in order to show that the snares of Babylon, that is, of the tumult of this world, are to be likened to stories of old-time lust, that seemed upon this life’s rocky shores to sing some tuneful song, but deadly withal, to catch the souls of youth,—which the Greek poet himself tells us that the wise man escaped through being bound, as it were, in the chains of his own prudence. So hard a thing, before Christ’s coming, was it esteemed, even for the stronger, to save themselves from the deceitful shows and allurements of pleasure.

1896 (historical English edition; transcription printing date uncertain) | Historical editor/translator (individual note author unspecified)

Jer. l. 39.—The LXX. (Jer. xxvii. 39) has “θυγατέρες σειρήνων;” the Vulg. “struthiones;” A.V. “owls.” For the sirens, see Odyssey, XII. 39–54, 165–200.

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daughters of ostriches. Jeremiah also hath prophesied concerning Babylon, that the daughters of sirens shall dwell therein, in order to show that the snares of Babylon, that is, of the tumult of this world, are to be likened to stories of old-time lust, that seemed upon this life’s rocky shores to sing some tuneful song, but deadly withal, to catch the souls of youth,—which the Greek poet himself tells us that the wise man escaped through being bound, as it were, in the chains of his own prudence. So hard a thing, before Christ’s coming, was it esteemed, even for the stronger, to save themselves from the deceitful shows and allurements of pleasure.

1896 (historical English edition; transcription printing date uncertain) | Historical editor/translator (individual note author unspecified)

Odyssey, XII. 178–180, 192–197.

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daughters of ostriches. Jeremiah also hath prophesied concerning Babylon, that the daughters of sirens shall dwell therein, in order to show that the snares of Babylon, that is, of the tumult of this world, are to be likened to stories of old-time lust, that seemed upon this life’s rocky shores to sing some tuneful song, but deadly withal, to catch the souls of youth,—which the Greek poet himself tells us that the wise man escaped through being bound, as it were, in the chains of his own prudence. So hard a thing, before Christ’s coming, was it esteemed, even for the stronger, to save themselves from the deceitful shows and allurements of pleasure.

1896 (historical English edition; transcription printing date uncertain) | Historical editor/translator (individual note author unspecified)

Rom. xiii. 14—“Make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.”—A.V.

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5. But if the poet judged the enticement of worldly pleasure and licence destructive of men’s minds and a sure cause of shipwreck, what ought we to think, for whom it hath been written: “Train not the flesh in concupiscence”? And again: “I chastise my body and bring it into servitude, lest whilst I preach to others, I myself become a castaway.”