Complete Works of Lactantius, Vol. I

CAP. VI. ON THE ERROR OF EPICURUS — CAP. VII. ON THE PARTS OF THE BODY.

A [one must ask] whether eyes were born for seeing, or ears for hearing, or feet for walking, since these limbs were born before the use of seeing, hearing, and walking existed: but [rather] that all their functions arose from [the limbs] having been born. I fear that refuting such monstrous and ridiculous ideas may seem no less foolish. But I am pleased to act the fool, since I am dealing with a fool, lest he think himself too clever. What do you say, Epicurus? Were eyes not born for seeing? Why, then, do they see? Afterwards, he says, their use appeared. They were born, therefore, for the sake of seeing; if indeed they can do nothing else but see. Likewise, the use itself shows for what purpose the other limbs were born: which certainly could in no way exist unless all limbs were formed so orderly, and so providently, that they could have a use.

B For what if you should say that birds were not born for flying, nor wild beasts for being fierce, nor fish for swimming, nor humans for being wise; when it is clear that living beings serve that nature and duty for which each was generated? But obviously, he who has lost the very summit of truth must necessarily wander. For if all things are born not by providence, but by the fortuitous collisions of atoms, why does it never happen by chance that those principles come together in such a way as to create

an animal of such a kind that it might hear with its nostrils, smell with its eyes, or see with its ears? For if the primary elements leave no kind of position unexperienced, such monsters should be generated daily, in which the order of limbs would be preposterous and their use vastly different. But since all species, and all limbs as well, maintain their own laws, orders, and assigned uses, it is manifest that nothing was made by chance, since the arrangement of divine reason is perpetually preserved. But we shall refute Epicurus elsewhere; now let us discuss providence (as we have begun).

CHAPTER VII.

On all the parts of the body.

C Therefore, God tied and bound together the solid parts of the body, which are called bones, by knots and connections with nerves, which the mind might use as reins if it wished to run forward or resist; and indeed, [it could do this] without labor or effort: but with the slightest nod, it could control and bend the bulk of the whole body. He covered these with viscera inner organs or flesh, as was fitting for each place, so that what was solid might be enclosed and covered. Likewise, He mixed veins into the viscera themselves, like streams

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VARIOUS NOTES.

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Neither ears for hearing. These, which are missing in the editions of Thysius and Gallaeus, I have restored from the other printed copies and all manuscripts. And indeed correctly. See a little later, the use of seeing, and hearing, and walking, to which these three limbs correspond. In 4 Sorbonne, 2 Colbert, and Baluze manuscripts, for neque [neither], it is nec [nor] in both places.

I fear that... may seem no less foolish. The third Lipsius and Reimmann editions wrongly read, I fear that... not too. Erasmus says, "The sentence seems incomplete, unless you add 'than to say' or something similar." But everything here is safe and intact. In the same way, in On the Anger of God, chapter 10: I fear that he may seem no less delirious who thinks these things must be refuted; yet let us answer, etc. Compare book VII, chapter 17. BUN.

Were [eyes] not born. Thus almost all manuscripts and the vulgate editions. We have expunged the si [if] which the 1 Bologna, Lipsius, and 5 recent editions prefix.

For what purpose they were born. Restored from all manuscripts and ancient editions. In more recent vulgate editions, it is sint [may be].

Orderly. Thus all manuscripts; but Bovius has ordered. — So orderly. I confirm this from book III of the Institutes, chapter 17: How the world was made so orderly, and so arranged. BUN.

Wild beasts for being fierce. He seems to refer to the Odes of Anacreon. — Birds... wild beasts for being fierce, etc. He seems to have referred to those [words] of Quintilian, book 1, Institutes, chapter 1: Just as birds are born for flight, horses for running, and wild beasts for fierceness: so the agitation and skill of the mind are peculiar to us. BUN.

For which each was generated. So I have amended it from all manuscripts and many editions. In 7 recent vulgate editions, it is read are each generated, but erroneously, for to what does it refer? To wild beasts? To living beings?

The very summit of truth. I have added very original: "ipsam" from the editions of Isaeus and Cellarius and all manuscripts, except for one Royal manuscript, in which, as in 10 vulgate editions, it is missing.

Might smell. Thus I restored from 6 Royal, 1 Bologna, Amicus, Cauc, 1 Oxford, 3 Colbert, Em, Clarom, and Brun manuscripts, and the Roman and six other editions. In 7 manuscripts it is or might be smelled; in 1 Royal, 5 Colbert, Cant, Marm, and in 8 vulgate editions it is smells.

Position. That is, situation, state. Book III of the Institutes, chapter 17: They fit together in various order and position. BUN.

Leave unexperienced. 8 recent manuscripts: experienced. — Leave no kind of position experienced. "Wrongly," says Cellarius, "is the common reading 'unexperienced'." I would have preferred that the most distinguished man had not declared that. I confirm this from the book On the Anger of God, chapter 10: Atoms... leave no position which they do not experience. But since it can hardly be said that they leave nothing experienced, the other [form] occurs very often. Virgil, book IV Aeneid 415:

She left nothing unexperienced in her vain attempt to die.
Ovid, Heroides ep. 20, v. 42.
My ardor allows nothing to be unexperienced.
Curtius often [uses this] so, book III, chapter 6: Nor did Philip leave anything unexperienced. BUN.

All limbs as well. Thus more correctly in most written copies and all editions, rather than the Bologna reading, All [and] limbs. BUN.

Solid foundations. It has not become known to me from earlier [writers]; dictionaries add Augustine. Our teacher Arnobius, book II, said solidified bones. BUN.

Tied together with nerves, etc. See Galen, who says there are two types of nerves, and Aristotle, book III of History of Animals, chapter 5.

D Resist. That is, to stand firm, the opposite of the preceding to run forward. See the note to the book On the Anger of God, chapter 4: It stood firm at the last step.

With the slightest nod. Thus in 5 Royal, 4 Colbert, Em, Brun, Clarom manuscripts, and all editions; in some it is missing, in 7 manuscripts it is with the slightest motion.

He covered with viscera. Viscera are not just intestines, but whatever flesh is covered by skin. Thus Ovid uses it in the epistle of Penelope:

Our viscera are torn apart by your aid.
Hence viscerationes public distributions of meat, about which interpreters speak in Cicero, De Officiis. BETUL.

As was fitting for each place. 4 recent manuscripts and three editions: as each and every, etc.

So that what was solid might be enclosed and covered. Thus the better and older ten manuscripts, along with four editions. Ten recent manuscripts along with 7 editions read, and that solid bones might be enclosed and covered; three editions: might cover. Lipsius manuscript: even solid.