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:

And now Dion proceeds again: When the rain began to fall,' says he,' all looking up, at first received it in their mouths. Afterwards they caught it, some in their shields, ' others in their helmets: out of which they drank greedily, and also gave to their horses to drink. And when the barbarians fell upon them, they drank and fought at the same time and some who were wounded drank water and blood together, which fell from their wounds into their helmets. And indeed they would have suffered greatly from the 'enemies who attacked them, when the greatest part of the army were employed in satiating their thirst, if a violent 'storm of hail, with lightning, had not fallen upon them; 'so that at the same time, and in the same place, might be seen water and fire coming down from heaven; whereby some were refreshed with drink, and others were burnt and consumed. Nor did the fire reach the Romans: or if it did it was presently extinguished. Nor did the rain help 'the barbarians, but rather increased the flame, like oil: so that, though they were rained upon, they called for water: and some wounded themselves, that they might put out the 'fire with blood: and others went over to the Romans, as being the only people who had wholesome water: where'fore Marcus had pity upon them. And he was, for the 'seventh time, proclaimed emperor by the soldiers. And, though he had not been wont to admit such a thing to be 'done before it had been decreed by the senate, he did not refuse it now, it seeming to come from heaven. About this he wrote to the senate, and Faustina was declared mother of the camps.'

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So writes Dion Cassius. We may therefore rely upon it that Marcus Antoninus was in a great strait, and was delivered, and obtained a victory over the Quadians. And from the pompous style of Dion upon this occasion it may be inferred, that the heathen people were very willing to magnify this event, and the circumstances of it, as very extraordinary.

Dion, in his account of this matter, above quoted, writes: For it is said that Arnuphis, an Egyptian magician, who 'was present with Marcus, invoked the aerial Mercury, and other dæmons, with magical rites.' I therefore shall observe that in Suidas, the article of Arnuphis is in these words: 'He was an Egyptian philosopher, who, being present with Marcus the philosopher, emperor of the Romans, when the Romans laboured under a great drought, is said to have caused a gathering of black clouds, which on a sudden 'poured down great rain with thunder and lightning. This

k Arnuphis is said to have effected by a certain art. Others say it was Julian, a Chaldæan, who performed this won'derful work.' For whom likewise Suidas has another article, which may be consulted by such as are curious.

There is no need to make many remarks upon Xiphilinus, after what has been already said upon the passage of Eusebius. Notwithstanding what is said by him, learned men are persuaded that before this time there was a legion called the thunderbolt legion, from a thunderbolt engraved upon the soldiers' shields. Xiphilinus also supposeth that there was in Marcus's army a whole legion of christians: which, as before shown, is very unlikely. He also says that after this, Marcus published an edict favourable to the christians:' which we are not assured of. He likewise adds: 'It is said there is an 'epistle of Marcus concerning these things.' Nevertheless, Xiphilinus had not seen that letter, or did not think it authentic, or to his purpose; as is evident from his manner of speaking.

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(2.) Julius Capitolinus, one of the writers of the Augustan History, who flourished near the end of the third or the beginning of the fourth century, in his Life of Marcus Antoninus the philosopher, says: When his army was in a great strait, and in danger of perishing by thirst, he by his prayers obtained from heaven lightning against his enemies, and rain for his own people.'

(3.) Elius Lampridius, another of those writers, who also flourished about the same time, in his Life of Antoninus Heliogabalus, is supposed to refer to the same thing in a passagem which I place below without translating it.

(4.) Themistius, in an oration spoken in the year 381, and the third of Theodosius, ascribes the victory now under consideration to the piety and prayers of Antoninus. • When " 'that emperor's army was much incommoded by a drought, lifting up his hands to heaven he said: "By this hand, which has taken no life away, I desire to appease thee, and 'I pray to the giver of life." With which the Deity was so

k

Και τ8το σοφια τινι εργασασθαι Αρνεφιν Οἱ δε φασιν ὑελιανον τον Χαλδαιον τετο πεποιηκεναι το θαυμασιον. Suid. V. Αρνεφις.

1 Fulmen de cœlo precibus suis contra hostium machinamentum extorsit, suis pluviâ impetratâ, quum siti laborarent. Capit. Marc. A. Phil. cap. 24.

m Quum Marcomannis bellum inferre vellet, quos Antoninus pulcherrime profligaverat, dictum est a quibusdam, per Chaldæos et magos Antoninum Marcum id egisse, ut Marcomanni P. R. semper devoti essent atque amici, idque factis carminibus et consecratione. Lampr. Anton. Heliog. cap. 9.

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—ανασχων τω χειρε ὁ Βασιλευς προς τον ερανον, ταυτη εφη τη χειρι πρετρεψάμην σε, και ίκετευσα τον ζωης Δοτηρα, η ζωην εκ αφειλομην. Και ετω - πατήδεσε τον Θεον τη ευχῇ, ώτε εξαίθριας ηλθον νεφέλαι ὑδροφορεσαι τοις τρατιωταις. κ. λ. Them. Or. 15. p. 191.

well pleased, that the clouds presently poured down rain upon the soldiers. I have seen a representation of this event, in which was the emperor praying at the head of his 'army, and the soldiers receiving the rain in their helmets, and refreshing themselves with drink that was the gift of heaven. Of so great advantage is the virtue of a prince to 'his subjects.'

So speaks Themistius in an oration to a christian emperor. He ascribes all to the virtues and prayers of Antoninus, without any the least notice of the christians. He seems to refer to the Columna Antoniana: though we do not observe in that sculpture the emperor standing at the head of his army, as here intimated.

(5.) The poet Claudian, in his panegyric of the sixth consulate of Honorius, in the year 404, speaking of the victory of Marcus Antoninus over the Quadians, says: • It was not ' owing to the valour or conduct of the generals: the glory of this victory must be given by the Romans to heaven. There was a flaming shower which fell upon the enemies, and put to flight them and their horses: whether it was owing to Chaldæan magicians, who by their incantations brought the gods to the assistance of the Romans: or 'whether the piety of the emperor Marcus, as I rather think, 'engaged the favour of Jupiter the thunderer on their side.'

So he also, without taking any notice of the christians. Eusebius, as we may remember, said: By other writers, 'who were averse to our religion, the wonderful event is ' recorded; but they do not acknowledge that it was owing 'to the prayers of our people.' Which indeed is true of all those heathen writers which we now have. One of whom, Dion Cassius, is older than Eusebius; but we cannot certainly say that Eusebius ever saw him.

Obs. 10. Antoninus never ascribed this miracle to the prayers of the christians,'

That is Mr. Moyle's third observation, upon which he
• Clemens, Marce, redis, cum gentibus undique cincta
Exuit Hesperiam paribus Fortuna periclis.

Laus ibi nulla ducum. Nam flammeus imber in hostem
Decidit. Hunc dorso trepidum flammante ferebat

Ambustus sonipes: hic tabescente solutus

Subsidit galeâ, liquefactâque fulgure cuspis
Canduit, et subitis fluxere vaporibus enses.

Tunc, contenta polo mortalis nescia teli

Pugna fuit. Chaldæa mago seu carmina ritu
Armavere Deos; seu, quod reor, omne Tonantis
Obsequium Marci mores potuere mereri.

P Vol. ii. p. 91.

Claudian. de Sexto Cons. Honor. ver. 340, &c.

enlargeth in this manner: 'Had this miracle been publicly 'owned by the emperor, and ascribed by him to the prayers ' of the christians, it is incredible that all the pagan histo'rians should with one consent conspire to disown it in their writings, as Eusebius confesses they did. See Dio Cass. 1. 71. p. 805. Capitolin. in Aatonin. cap. 24, the name'less authors cited by Suidas in Apvepis. Nor would The'mistius [de Regiâ Virtute, ad Theod.] and Claudian [in vi. Cons. Honor.] have dared to ascribe the honour of it to heathen gods, in panegyrics to christian emperors.'

That Antoninus thought himself obliged to his own gods. for this miracle, we have a testimony beyond exception in his own pillar, which is still extant at Rome; of which I 'have seen a cut in Baronius's Annals, to whom I refer you ' for farther satisfaction. The same is confirmed by a medal in the French king's cabinet, published by Morelli, which was struck the very year in which this miracle is said to be wrought, viz. 174. On one side is the head of Antoninus crowned with laurel on the reverse is a Mercury with this inscription: Religio Augusti. Which exactly agrees ' with Dion's account of the miracle.'

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A like cut or print of the sculpture, or bas relief, in Antoninus's pillar, may be seen in Havercamp's edition of Tertullian's Apology, and in Colonia. Where is Jupiter Pluvius, the giver of rain, sending down rain and thunder and lightning; by which the soldiers on one side are refreshed, and the others annoyed and terrified.

And Montfauçon, in his Antiquities, has exhibited an exact representation of this Jupiter. I shall transcribe him in his own words: Jupiter, giver of rain, was honoured by

At the top of the sculpture, to which Mr. Moyle refers, appears Jupiter Pluvius, sending down rain and lightning upon the two armies. Says Baronius: Visitur adhuc in eâ [Antonini columnâ] imago expressa rei gesta; sed iis plane signis, ut Jovis, imbres dantis, et illis fulgura admiscentis, repræsentet effigiem; quam, ex eâ graphice incisam, hac tibi formâ exprimendam curavimus. Baron. Ann. 176. num. xxiii. Colon. Tom. i. ch. vii. p. 110.

s Jupiter le Pluvieux, Pluvius, appellée par les Grecs Zevs Oμßpios, et par Lucien 'Yεrios, étoit honoré par les Athéniens, qui lui avoient dressé un autel sur le mont Hymette. Nous le donnons d'une manière bien extraordinaire, tel qu'il est représentée dans la Colonne Antonine. C'est un veillard à longe barbe, qui à des ailes, et qui tient les deux bras étendus, et la maine droite un peu élevé. L'eau sort à grands flots des ses bras, et de sa barbe. Les soldats Romains de l'armée de M. Auréle, que la sécheresse et la soif avoient reduits à une extrême nécessité, reçoivent cette eau dans les creux de leurs boucliers. Les Romains, plongéz encore dans le Paganisme, attribuèront ce prodige à leur Jupiter Pluvieux. Mais ce furent, dit avec plus de raison Baronius dans ses Annales, les soldats Chrétiens, qui obtinront cette pluie, qui sauva l'armée. L'Antiquité Expliquèe, Tom. i. Liv. 2. ch. iii. Pl. xiii. á la p. 44. The concluding words of the Latin, in Montfauçon, are these: Romani, multiplicium

'the Athenians, who erected an altar to him on the hill Hymettus. We give an extraordinary figure of him as he is represented in the pillar of Antoninus. It is that of an old man with a long beard, who has wings: [the wings are upon the upper part of the arms :] with two arms stretched out, the right hand raised somewhat higher than the other. The water flows in large streams from his arms and from his beard. The Roman soldiers in Marcus's army, whom the drought and thirst had reduced to the utmost extremity, received the water in the hollow of their shields. The Romans, still plunged in paganism, ascribed this prodigy to their Jupiter Pluvius. But they were, as Baro'nius with more reason says, the christian soldiers who obtained this rain, which saved this army.'

So says Montfauçon, overpowered, as it seems, by the authority and credulity of his church.

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Obs. 11. I must be allowed to add, that other like things are recorded in the Roman history. One instance is mentioned as happening in the time of the emperor Claudius, in the year of Rome 795, of Christ 42. The Moors had rebelled, and were reduced by Suetonius Paullinus, a man of prætorian rank, [several times mentioned by Tacitus," upon account of his government and successes in Britain,] who wasted their country as far as Mount Atlas-There being fresh disturbances in that country afterwards, Cneius Hosidius, a man of the like • rank, made an expedition against them, and obtained several victories over their general Salabus. The Moors 'fled into a sandy country. And Hosidius pursued them 'with a part of his army; having beforehand furnished him'self with such supplies of water as he was able to get. But when that was spent he was reduced to great straits, 'the barbarians being better able to endure thirst than the Romans, and being also better acquainted with the places 'where water might be had. It was impossible for the Romans to proceed; nor was it easy for them to retreat, so that they knew not what course to take. At that time an

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numinum errore adhuc obruti, id prodigii Jovi Pluvio adscripserunt. At Baronius in Annalibus aquam a militibus christianis a Deo impetratam affirmat. 'Dion. 1. 60. p. 670, 671. al. p. 947, 948.

" Vid. Tacit. Ânn. 1. 14. cap. 29. et alibi.

Τοις δε δη Ρωμαιοις εκ των εναντιων, αδυνατον μεν προχωρησαι, χαλεπον δε και ύποςρεψαι ην απορεντα εν αυτον ό, τι χρη πράξαι, ανέπεισε τις των επιχωρίων των ασπονδων, επῳδαις τε τισι και μαγγανείαις χρησασθαι, λεγων, πολλακις σφισιν εκ τε τοιςτε πολυ ύδωρ δεδόσθαι. Και αυτή παραχρημα τοσετον εκ τ8 έρανε εῤῥνη, ώτε και αυτό διψος εξακεσασθαι, και τες πολεμίες προσκαταπλήξαι, νομισαντας το θειον οἱ επικερειν. p. 948.