2 As priests, or, more generally, "as those who approach our temples." In the E. there were lavers at the entrance to the churches for the ablutions of intending worshippers.
3 Of the task, i.e., of restoring the orthodox faith in Constantinople.
5 History and poesy, e.g., Xenophon, Polybius, and Apollonius.
6 Renowned, etc. Cf. Homer, Od. ix. 27.
7 Trainers, lit. "anointers" - those who physically and by their advice prepared athletes for their exercises.
13 Huntresses, esp. Artemis, a passion for whom was fatal to Orion and Actaeon.
14 The maiden, Iphigenia, daughter of Agamemnon.
18 Centaur. Alluding to Chiron, the tutor of Achilles.
19 Caesarrea. the Cappadocian city, as seems plain from the context. Yet Tillemont and Billius incline to think Caesarea in Palestine is meant.
20 Chair, etc., Before he had studied rhetoric and philosophy.
22 They leap, etc. This passage refers to the spectators who unite in sympathy with, and imitate as far as possible, in their excitement, the actions of, those who drive the chariots in the races.
25 Philosophy, here, a truly Christian life.
27 All things, etc., i.e. Empedocles and Anaxagoras.
28 Midas, said to have had the power granted of turning everything he touched to gold. Accordingly, as this power took effect on his food, he died of hunger.
29 Abaris, a Hyperborean priest of Apollo, who was said to have given him an arrow, on which he rode through the air.
30 Pegasus, called Argive, because caught near to Argos, the winged horse, by the aid of which Bellerophon was said to have destroyed the Chimaera.
31 A river, etc. The Alpheus, a river of Arcadia.
32 Animal. The salamander, a lizard said to be impervious to the action of fire. Plin. N. H. x. 67.
33 Lyidan car, proverbial expression for anything whose speed distances all competitors.
34 Orestes and Pylades, types of close comradship in Greek tragedies.
35 Sons of Molione, Eurytus and Cteatus. Hom. Il. ii. 621. Their father was Actor.
37 Which breathes, a phrase used Hom. Il. vi. 182 of the Chimaera.
38 Labyrinths, the mythical mazes of Crete, the home of the Minotaur.
39 Minos and Rhadamauthus, Kings of Crete and Lycia, fabled to have been made judges in the lower world because of their justice when on earth.
40 Beyond Cadiz. The Atlantic Ocean beyond Cadiz was reputed impassable by the ancients.
42 The legend, i.e., of Cadmus who sowed at Thebes the dragon's teeth from which sprung giants.
43 This rank, i.e., the office of Lector, or Reader.
45 His predecessor, Eusebius, Archbishop of Caesarea.
48 His opponent, lit. "the man who was vexing him," i.e., Eusebius.
49 Bishops. It is uncertain who these bishops were. Clémencet thinks they were Lucifer and Eusebius of Vercellae. But a separation had ere this taken place between them in consequence of Lucifer's rash action at Anitoch. Nor is it certain that Eusebius had not already returned to Italy.
50 One, a monastery. The rule of S. Basil is widely observed to this day in Eastern monasteries. Cf. § 34.
54 Glory. The word do/ca means both "doctrine" and "glory."
55 Properties. idio/thtej. Petav. de Trin. iv. Proem. § 2 gives other Greek equivalent terms. The Latin terms are "notiones" (S. Thom. Aq. Summa. I. xxxii. qu. 2) "proprietates" or relationes,. They denote those relative "attributes ad intra "which distinguish the Persons, if they do not actually constitute the Personality of each of the Three Divine Persons. They are five in number, Unbegottenness, Paternigy, Filiation, active and passive Spiration. Perhaps the nearest English equivalent is "characteristic (or distinctive) relations." - Cf. Orat. xlii. 15.
60 Prayers. The liturgy of S. Basil together with that of S. Chrysostom are still the authorized liturgies of the Eastern Church.