The Instructions of Commodianus.
The Instructions of Commodianus
VI.—Of the Same Jupiter’s Thunderbolt.
VII.—Of the Septizonium and the Stars.
XI.—Apollo the Soothsaying and False.
XVI.—Of the Gods and Goddesses.
XVIII.—Of Ammydates and the Great God.
XXIII.—Of Those Who are Everywhere Ready.
XXIV.—Of Those Who Live Between the Two.
XXV.—They Who Fear and Will Not Believe.
XXVI.—To Those Who Resist the Law of Christ the Living God.
XXVII.—O Fool, Thou Dost Not Die to God.
XXVIII.—The Righteous Rise Again.
XXIX.—To the Wicked and Unbelieving Rich Man.
XXXIV.—Moreover, to Ignorant Gentiles.
XXXV.—Of the Tree of Life and Death.
XXXVI.—Of the Foolishness of the Cross.
XXXVII.—The Fanatics Who Judaize.
XLII.—Of the Hidden and Holy People of the Almighty Christ, the Living God.
XLIII.—Of the End of This Age.
XLIV.—Of the First Resurrection.
XLVIII.—O Faithful, Beware of Evil.
L.—Who Have Apostatized from God.
LIII.—To the Soldiers of Christ.
LVII.—That Worldly Things are Absolutely to Be Avoided.
LVIII.—That the Christian Should Be Such.
LIX.—To the Matrons of the Church of the Living God.
LXI.—In the Church to All the People of God.
LXII.—To Him Who Wishes for Martyrdom.
LXIV.—Of the Zeal of Concupiscence.
LXX.—I Speak to the Elder-Born.
LXXIII.—That Sons are Not to Be Bewailed.
IX.—Mercury.
Let your Mercury be depicted with a Saraballum, and with wings on his helmet or his cap, and in other respects naked. I see a marvellous thing, a god flying with a little satchel. Run, poor creatures, with your lap spread open when he flies, that he may empty his satchel: do ye from thence be prepared. Look on the painted one, since he will thus cast you money from on high: then dance ye securely. Vain man, art thou not mad, to worship painted gods in heaven? If thou knowest not how to live, continue to dwell with the beasts.
IX.---MERCURIUS.
Mercurius vester fiat cum Saraballo depictus. Et galeam aut pileum pinnatus, et caetera nudus. 0208A Rem video miram, deum cum saccello volare. Currite pauperculi cum gremio quo volat ille, Ut sacculum effundat; vos extunc estote parati. Respicite pictum, quoniam vobis sic ab alto Jactabit nummos; vos tunc saltate securi. Vane, non insanis? colere deos pictos in axe? Si vivere nescis, cum bestiis perge morari.