9 He was also the god of agricultural fertility. The festival of the Consualia, supposed to have been instituted by Romulus, was on August 21.
10 Or secretary-Candidatus, a qu`stor appointed by the Emperor to read his rescripts, etc.
12 Interpres. Probably one who spoke for him to the people, as Elijah had Elisha as his attendant.
14 Morbo regio. The dictionaries give "jaundice" as the meaning, but it is universally used in modern times for scrofula. Here it seems to mean leprosy.
16 Scutarius, one of a corps of guards, whose prominent weapons were shields.
18 More properly in Argolis. It was the native town of Aesculapius, who was worshipped under the form of a serpent.
19 Boas because they can swallow oxen (boves).
21 In Dalmatia, three miles from Diocletian's great palace (Spalatro).
22 The southerns promontory of Greece.
25 Probably the place which gave its name to one of the mouths of the Nile (Bucolicum).
1 This purpose was never carried into effect. These Lives of the Monks may, be regarded as a contribution towards it, and also the book De Viris Illustribus (translated in Vol. iii. of this series) which was written in the following year, 392.
2 Patronos. Properly defenders or advocates, but passing into the sense of proprietor, as in the Italian padrone.
5 A populous city in Mesopotamia.
6 The desert in which Jerome spent the years 375-80. See Letters ii., v., xiv., xvii.
7 A city of Mesopotamia, formerly the capital of Abgarus' kingdom: at this time a great centre of Syrian Christianity.
1 The Sardinian cloak of skins is contrasted by Cicero (pro Scauro) with the Royal purple:-Quem purpura regalis non commovit, eum Sardorum mastruca mutavit. Jerome's meaning is that Christ came not to win the lowest place on earth, but the highest. The fact that Lucifer was Bishop of Cagliari in Sardinia gives point to the saying.