III. The Papal Court, or the 90-caUed " Papd Fam- ily*' {Famiglia Pontifica),-— It comprises the officers on service who live in the papal palace (/xiiioftm'), besides a large number of honorary members. Among them are: 1. The cardinales palatini ; namely, the cardinal secretary of state, the cardinal secretary of briefs, and the cardinal prodatarius. 2. The pralatini palatini, embracing a court marshal, a master of ceremonies, a master of the sacred palace (always a Dominican monk, who is also censor of the books published in Rome), the sacristan of the palace (always an Augus- tinian monk, who assists the pope in his private chap- els), an auditor tancti$$imi (a lawyer who is consulted
CURIO
610
CURTAIN
by the pope), a large number of privy chamberlains and of honorary domestic prelates {prtiaU domuUei), and bisliops assistant of the throne {ve$oom astUteiUi al togHo), These latter titles are conferred on a large number of iMshope and priests in all parts of the world. Among the earlier writings on the papal curia, the best is that by the chevalier Lnnadoro, Bdatiume deUa CorU di Roma (Padua, 1641 ; many edit since ; latest edition, with all the necessary additions, Rome, 1890, 2 vols.). See also Dr. O. Mejer, Die haOige rSmtche Curiej in Jacobson's ZtiUchr^fi fur da$ Recht der Kirche (Leips. 1847) ; Wetxer und Welte, JOrchm-Lex. ii,944.
Curio (or Gubion), Coilius Sbcukdub, one of the Italian Reformers of the 16th century, was bom at Chirico, near Turin, in 1508. He took an active part in the reformatory efforts made in Italy, and, in conse- quence of his teaching, was persecuted by the Roman Catholic priesthood at lOlan, Pavia, and Lucca. He finally fled to Lausanne, where he became rector. Subsequently he was appointed professor of elocution at the University of Basel, in which city he died in 1569. He wrote, among others, the following works : — PatqmlU ecstatici (first edit, without year; again Geneva, 1544) ; PasquiUorum Umi duo (Basel, 1544) ; CkrisikauB reliffionis mstUutio (Basel, 1544) ; De per- fecio grammaHco (Basel, 1556) ; Fontm Bomemum (Basel, 1561, 8 vols, fol.); Logicit Elementa (Basel, 1569) ; De bello MetUmn (Basel, 1567). He abo pub- lished editions of several Roman classics. — ^Pierer, Unw,'Lex. iv, 590.
Cnriotui Arts (r<l mpUpya, literally ike sedulous things, hence the term is applied to an over-officious person, e. g. a "busy-body," 1 Tim. v, 18), prop, orer- wrought, hence magic (see Iron. adv. Eteres, i, 20; Isi- dor. iii, 139 ; comp. curiosus, Horace, Epod, xvii, 77) ; spoken of the black art as practised by the Ephesian conjurors (Acts xix, 19 ; see Kuindl, in loc.). The ap- propriateness of the term is shown by Deyling (Ckh- servatt. Soar, iil, 277 sq.). The allusion is doubtless to the famous Ephesian spells ('E^icrm ypa^^ara'), i e. charms or scraps of parchment (originating or most used at Ephesus) whereon were written certain marks and formulsB, which, like amulets, were worn upon the person as a safeguard against diseases, daemons, and other evils (see Wagenseil, Tela Tgnea, preface, p. 38 ; Ursinns, AnalecL ii, 46; Dietric, ArUt, Bibiic. in loc. ; Gellarius, DisputL Academ. p. 441; Wolburg, Obser- vaU. Soar, p. 470; Laur. Rannires, in Penteconcarch, p. 214). See Divination. They are frequently re- ferred to in ancient writings (see Wetstein, Kype, etc. in loc.), e. g. Enstathius (ad Hom. Odgss. i, p. 994, 35), " Ephesian letters : some say these were incantations which were of very great assistance to Grossus when used by him at the stake; in the Olympic games, however, it is said that a certain Milesian fkUed to outstrip an Ephesian till the charm worn by the latter was discovered and removed" (comp. Erasmus, Adagg, Center, ii, 578). The phrase appears to have been ap- plied to any talismanic inscription (KOster, ad Sni- dam, i, 919 ; Gale, ad Jamblichum, p. 290). Ortlob, however, in his Diss, de Ephesiorum UJbris combustis (Lips. 1708), § 9, contends that the arts in question were rather methods of promoting the worship of the patron goddess of the city (see Wol^ Curw, in loc.). The other and usual view is maintained by Siber {Dis- putatio de irtpupyiqL Ephesiorum, Vitemb. 1685 ; also in Thesaur. Dissertatiomm super N. T. i, 484 sq.), and Schnrzfleisch (DisserkUio de Ubris EphesOs, Yitemh. See Ephesus.
Curoa (the rendering of various Heb. and Greek words). God denounced his curse against the serpent which had seduced Eve (Gen. iii, 14), and against Gain, who had imbued his hands in his brother Abel's blood (iv, 11). He also promised to bless those who should bless Abraham, and to curse those who should curse
him. The divine maledictions are not merelT bjb- cations, nor are they impotent wishes ; but th«T oej their effects with them, and are attended with a£ Ai miseries they denounce or foretelL (See Zackar, ThreaU ofSeripture, Oxford, 1658.) Holy men m» times prophetically cursed particular persons (Gtn.iL 25; xUx, 7; Deut. zxvii, 15; Joeh. vi, 26), and 1» toiy informs us that these imprecatkms had thdr U- filment, as had those of our Saviour againat the bsna fig-tree (Mark xi, 21). But sudi cnnes are notoH* quences of passion, impatience, or revenge ; ibej a predictions, and therefore not such as God ^ir^" See Imfbbcation. No one shall pgaaume to na his father or his mother (see Corbasc), oq pab ^ death (Ezod. xxi, 17) ; nor the prince c^ his pei^ (xxil, 28) ; nor one that is deaf (Lev. xix, 14) ; vkdt- er a man really deaf be meant here, or one who '» a^ sent, and therefore cannot hear what is aaid tpBX him. Blasphemy, or cursing of God, is panicked vn death (Lev. xxiv, 10, 11). Our Lord pronounctf H^ ed those disciples who are (£dsely) loaded with cur-"'. and requires his followers to bless thoee who ci^ them; to render blessing for cursing, etc. (MsILt. 11). The Rabbins say that Barak cursed and escaa- mnnicated Meroz, who dwelt near the brook KslKe. but who came not to assist Israel against Jaltx Wherefore Barak excommunicated him by the dsfai of four hundred trumpets, according to Judg. v, S But Meroz is more probably the name of a fdaoe.— Ol- met. The Jews were cursed by the Almi^ty &r r- jecting the Messiah (Mai. iv, 6 ; see on this the Sste- tation of Iken, De Anathemate, etc, Brem. 1748). Set Anathema; Oath.