25S KANSAS UNIVERSIIV QUARTERLY. 



fire except on a holiday, as a hint that Lucifer's idea was to establish 

 a kingdom in a country where the climate would compel his followers 

 to be active and agressive, and hence would insure stability of govern- 

 ment. But Professor Skeat states that the conventional explanation 

 (Piers Plowman, E. E. T. S. ed., Vol. IV., Section I., j). 35) is that 

 Lucifer's malice in causing other angels to fall from heaven was like the 

 coldness of the north winds that chill the flowers, and hence that 

 the north was the only suitable place for him. 



The devil, the same who deceived our first parents, and hence for 

 consistency, Lucifer, though by tradition he should be called Satan, lies 

 in wait for the fruit of the tree of charity, that is for the souls of men 

 at death, and is continually endeavoring to batter them down from 

 the tree. To him all robbers are especially near of kin (C, \'ll., 330, 

 and parallel passages"). 



Holl. ^Ve have a more complete picture of the infernal regions 

 than of heaven ( C, XXI) but still lacking in definiteness. Its location 

 is.more confused than that of heaven; it is towaril the north in the 

 ])assage just mentioned, toward the west (C, I., 16; C, II., 55), and 

 toward the east (C, XXI., 19). The first comes from tradition, the 

 second is the position opposed to that of heaven upon the Mystery 

 stage, and the third is probably due (Skeat, Notes, 253) to the posi- 

 tion of the mouth of hell upon a separate stage of the same platform. 

 There are degrees in hell as in heaven. Trajan, because his life 

 was moral, was punished not deep in hell, but so high up that he was 

 delivered thence, and is now in the lowest heaven (C, XV., 150; cf. 

 C, XIII., 75). With respect to the matter of deliverance from hell 

 there is a difference of opinion between Truth and Mercy (C, XXI. 

 1 15-157 ff.). Those condemned under the Mosaic law may be 

 delivered through the atonement of Christ, and the example of Trajan 

 proves, in at least one instance, the power of prayer to deliver; but it 

 is not certain that this establishes a rule, since the fate of Solomon, 

 Socrates, and .Aristotle is still in doubt (C, XII., 220; C, XV., 192). 



/'. .MAX. DUTIES AND TRANSGRESSIONS. 



Plaoe ill 



The earth is for the habitation oi man, and the ele- 

 Creatioii. ments and all creatures are for his service and delight 

 ( C, II., 17; B, XL, 389). Man is responsible for a double portion of 

 wit and freewill (B, \TII., 55-56), yet often rules himself less accord- 

 ing to Reason's teaching than do the other animals (C, XIV., 192). 

 Men may be classified into three degrees of holiness, the married, the 

 widowed, and the virgin (C, XIX.. 71 ff. ). He must not seek after 

 knowledge beyond his natural portion (C, XIV., 222 ff.). 



