~ 
517 
all the consular lists, from Onuphrius Panvinius* down, including those 
just mentioned, as well as Pagi,t Quintus Arrius Peetinus and Lucius 
Venuleius Apronianus are represented as the consuls for the year of the 
city 876, or A. D. 123; and Manius Acilius Glabrio and Caius Bellicius 
Torquatus for the succeeding year. Thus, it would seem that our author 
borrowed from some chronicle which made Petinus Paternus, and brought 
up Torquatus from the succeeding year to be associated with him. The 
difficulty, however, is removed by Cassiodorus, the contemporary of Theo- 
doric the (ireat, whose chronicle was written a century before our author’s 
time. The Emperor Adrian came to the throne the 9th of August, 117. 
Under his reign Cassiodorus places as the first consuls Verus and Augur; 
that is, for the year 118. The next in order are Aviola and Pansa ; that 
is, for 119; and the next, Paternus and Torquatus.{ Thus we are able, 
on the score of authority, to justify our author’s statement. 
With reference to the title Mirabilia Sacre Scripture, the writer 
thus explains his use of it:—‘‘ Cuncti vero laboris hoc magnopere in- 
tentio procurat in omnibus rebus in quibus extra quotidianam admini- 
strationem aliquid factum videtur, non novam ibi Deum facere naturam 
sed ipsam quam in principio condidit gubernare ostendet.” ‘‘ Illa igi- 
tur inusitata gubernatione, cum res per voluntatem potentiam guberna- 
toris ostendunt, quod per efficacium quotidiane: administrationis non 
faciunt, in Scripturis mirabilia memorantur.”’ 
He lays it down as the principle of his treatise that God rested on 
the seventh day from all his work, that is, of creation. But that while 
creatio was once and for ever terminated on this day, the gubernatio of 
the Deity never ceases; and that all the mirabilia or miracles are not 
new creations, or even interferences with nature, but only certain un- 
usual developments of the secrets of nature :—‘‘ Non creare ibi novam 
naturam, sed gubernare olim creatam Deus putandus est. Sed ita potens 
est in gubernatione creaturee qui condidit, ut veluti naturam novam creare 
videatur, cum abditis nature sinibus, quod in illa latebat, depromit.”’ 
With this profession, he proceeds then to deal with the principal 
mirabilia of the Bible, which he divides into three books:—1, The 
Law, to the death of Moses; 2, the Prophets, the rest of the Old Testa- 
ment; 3, the New Testament. 
His style is for the most part clear and flowing, and he evinces, by 
the variety of his references and the ingenuity of his applications, not 
only an intimate acquaintance with sacred literature, but consider- 
able originality of thought. Sometimes he enters into the discussion of 
speculative questions, such as the fall of angels ; sometimes into physico- 
religious inquiries. Thus, when treating of the Deluge, he starts the 
question, Why terrestrial animals suffered more than the aquatic? 
* Fasti Consulares, p. 59. 
+ Critica in Baronium, tom. i., p.607@. Funccius, at A. D. 125, has ‘“‘ Petinus, sive 
Paternus, ut Cassiodorus habet, et Cassius.” —Chronologia, p. 97. 
t Opera, tom. i., p. 388 a (Ed, Garet). 
