P. S. P. Haxdcock.
DOMINION.— This word is used, though not in- variably, in tlie translation of three Gr. expressions : (1) the verb Kvpieveiv, 'to be lord of,' 'to have do- minion over' (Ro G^-" 7^ AV and RV ; 2 Co l'^ AV, where RV has ' have lordship ') ; (2) rd Kparos ; (3) Kvpi&rrjs.
TO Kpdros is rendered thus in the doxologies in 1 P
4" 5", Jude2«, Rev 16 o^^ (KV). In the only other doxology where it occurs (1 Ti 6'*') RV strangely retains ' power ' of AV. Lightfoot (on Col pi) says that 'the word (cpdros in the NT is applied solely to God,' Thayer {s.v. 8\jva/jLLs], more cautiously, that the word is used 'in the NT chiefly of God' ; He 2^-' is an exception.
KvpidTTis is found in four passages, viz. Eph 1^', Col ps (plural), Jude 8, 2 P 2'o ; RV in all cases gives ' dominion,' AV in the first three, and in the margin of 2 P 2" (text, 'government'). In Eph. and Col. a class of angels is meant (Milton's ' Dom- inations ') with which compare 1 Co 8^, where angels are called Kvpioi (Grimm-Thaj'er, Lexicon, s.v. Kvpiorrjs). The meaning of the word in Peter and Jude presents some difficulty, (a) Many suppose that here also angels are referred to, which 2 P 2'^ and the reference to the sin of the Sodomites seem to support. Cremer (Lexicon, s.v. kvplottjs) says that in Peter evil angels are implied from the con- text, though not in Jude. But, as Bennett {Cen- turij Bible: /The General Epistles,' 1901, p. 334) points out, ' it does not seem likely that blasphemy against angels would be so conspicuous a sin of licentious men as to call forth this emphatic con- demnation.' (b) KvpioTTis may be understood of the power and majesty of God (Bigg, St. Peter and St. Jude[lCC, 1901], p. 279), or the Lordship of Christ, in support of which 2 P 2'-^ Jude*-^^ may be quoted, (c) It may refer to authorities in the Church whose legitimate power these men despised and spoke against. Bennett inclines to this interpretation in Jude and regards it as included also in 2 Peter, where he gives the general principle of the argu- ment thus : when good angels withstand dignities, i.e. evil angels, although the good are the more powerful, they do not abuse their opponents; how absurd and wicked for evil men to abuse good angels, or perhaps even the legitimate Church authorities. J. R. Lumby (in Speakers Comment- ary : ' Heb. to Rev.,' 1881, p. 395) combines (6) and (c) above : ' the railing at dignities, though its first exhibition might be made against the Apostles and those set in authority in the Church, yet went further and resulted in the denial of our only Master, God Himself, whose dominion these sinners were disregarding, and our Lord Jesus Christ, whose glory these men speak evil of or rail at.'
In the RV of 1 Ti 2^^ avQevTdv dvopbs is translated 'to have dominion over,' AV ' to usurp authority over.' See also art. Principality.
W. H. Dundas.
DOMITIAN Titus Flauius Domitianus, second
son of Titus Flauius Vespasianus (Emperor A.D. 69-79 ; see Vespasian) and his kinswoman Flauia Domitilla, and brother of Titus Flauius Vespasianus (Emperor A.D. 79-81 ; see TiTUS), was Roman Emperor from A.D. 81 to 96. He was bom on 24 October A.D. 51 in Rome, during the principate of Claudius, almost twelve j-ears after his brother Titus. He lost his mother and only sister in early life, and when his father and brother entered on the Jewish War in A.D. 66, Domitian was scarcely fifteen years old. When his father was called to the Imperial throne on 1 July 69, his sons received corresponding honours, each being named Casar and princeps iunentutis. Domitian had a narrow escape at the hands of the Vitellians, being com- pelled to leave the Capitol in the robes of a priest of Isis, which a freedman had procured for him. On his father's accession Domitian received the prsetorship, which he held from 1 January 70, but exercised for the most part by deputy. Follow- ing the fashion .set by Augustus, he robbed L. Lamia .^niilianus of his wife Domitia Longina, and, after living with her for some time unmarried, finally married her. It was unfortunate for his future career that his father and elder broth e:
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DO.MITIAX
DOMITIiJN"
were absent for a lengthy period from Rome and Italy, being detained by the Jewish AVar. The sudden accession to power and influence of a youth of barely eighteen years of age ended, as might have been expected, in a disastrous perversion of character. The comi)laints against him served to hasten his father's return. Before 21 June 70, Domitian and Mucianus, the most prominent sup- Ijorter of the Flavian house, left Rome for the Gallo-German war. A change in the situation caused Domitian to return. He lived for a period in his Alban villa in retirement from public life. On the return of his father he received much dis- tinction, but so far as direct government of the Empire was concerned he was kept in the back- ground. He was, however, six times consul before he became Emperor. On tiie death of Vespasian (79) Titus became Emperor ; Domitian, though openly spoken of as consors imperii, was wisely kept in an inferior position.