Arnobius, Against the Pagans (Adversus Nationes)

Arnobius Against the Nations

they are considered guilty of that crime who profess to be worshipers of the gods and devoted to ancient religions. And first, we inquire of them this, in a familiar and calm manner: after the f. 1ᵇ name of the Christian religion began to exist on earth, what has nature herself, as she is called and named, felt or suffered that is unusual, unknown, or contrary to the laws originally established? Have those first elements been changed into contrary qualities, from which it is agreed that all things are composed? Has the construction of this machine and mass, by which we are covered and contained, been relaxed or dissolved in any part? Has this rotation of the world, exceeding the governance of its primeval motion, begun to crawl more slowly or to be snatched away by precipitous speed? Have the stars begun to lift themselves from the western parts and the inclination of the signs to be directed toward the east? Has the sun himself, the prince of the stars, by whose light all things are clothed and by whose heat they are animated, burned up or grown lukewarm and corrupted the temperaments of his accustomed governance into contrary habits? Has the moon ceased to restore herself and to translate herself into her old forms through the constant restitution of the new? Have the cold, the heat, and the moderate warmth perished through the confusions of unequal times? Has winter begun to have long days and night to recall the very slow lights of summer? Have the winds expired their souls, and with the breezes dead, does the sky not draw together into clouds, nor do the fields become moistened from the rains? Does the earth refuse to receive the committed seeds, or do the trees refuse to leaf out? Has the taste changed for edible fruits and the liquids of the vine? Is foul blood being squeezed out from the olive sticks, and is it not being supplied to the lamp now extinguished?

Critical apparatus: 1 numinum of the divine Sab, r: nominum of names P; 8 elements P; 9 mass P corr; 14 into the east] motions Sab corr in err; 16 are animated by heat, it burned up Meursius; heat Sab, r: heat P; or add Heumann; 17 accustomed Sab: accustomed P; 20 times P corr; 24 is drawn together Gel: is constrained P; moistened by rains Gel; 25 follow/succumb Gel; refuses P corr; 27 and of the vine] of the dried up Sab; 28 to the light Sab, r: of the light P.