TRIUS.
He must not be identified with the Cnidian instruc- tor of .the sons of Demetrius I Soter (Justin, xxxv, 2 ; comp. Livy, Epit. 52). There is a later Lasthenes, also a Cretan, who took a prominent part against the Ro- mans in B.C. 70-68 (Smith, Did. of Biogr. s. v. Las- thenes, No. 3).— Smith ; Kitto.
Last Time. See Eschatology.
Latchet (TilT*!?, serok', so called from lacing and binding together; Gr. i/tac , a thong, as it is rendered in Acts xxii, 25), the cord or strap which fastens an Ori- ental shoe upon the foot (Isa. v, 27; Mark i, 7; Luke iii, 10; John i, 27); provejbial fur anything of little val- ue (Gen. xiv, 23). See Sandal. " Gemnins (^Thesaur. s. V. i:W) compares the Lat. /nlum=Jilum, and quotes two Arabic proverbs from the Hamasa and the Kamus, ia which a corresponding word is similarly employed. In the poetical figure in Isa. v, 27, the ' latchet' occupies the same position with regard to the shoes as the girdle to the long flowing Oriental dress, and was as essential to the comfort and expedition of the traveller. Anoth- er semi-proverbial expression in Luke iii, 10 points to the same easily-removed article of clothing" (Smith). '•In Matt, iii, 11 the same sentiment is expressed rather differently, 'Whose shoes I am not worthy to bear;' in both cases the allusion is to slaves, who were employed to loosen and carry their master's shoes, the habits of Orientals requiring this article of dress to be taken off before entering an apartment (Thomson, The Land and the Book, pt. i, chap. ix). This saying of the Baptist, as reported by ^Matthew, is repeated by Paul in his address to the Jews at Antioch, in Pisidia (Acts xiii, 25). Chry- sostom, on John i, 27, remarks, To yap v-oSiii^ia Xvaca '■'/C 'CX"'''?t' SiaKoviaQ tori" (Kitto). See Shoe.
Lateran, Caivrcu of St. John, the first in dignity of tlic Itoman churches, and situated in the southern ex- tremity of the city, derives its name from its occupying a portion of the site of the splendid palace of Plantiiis La- teranus, which having been escheated (A.D.66) in conse- quence of Lateranus being implicated in the conspiracy of the I'isos (Tacitus), became im|)erial property, anil was assigned for Christian uses by the emperor Constan- tine. The jialacc, once destroyed by fire, and rebuilt by Sixtus V, was the habitual residence of the popes until after the return from Avignon, when they removed to the Vatican. It was once made a hospital for orphans, and is now oecujiled partly by otHcials of the chapter, partly for public purposes. Tlic present pope, Pius IX, has converted a portion of it inti) a'musetun of Chris- tian archeology. Its ancient magnificence is celebrated by Juvenal. In the time of Constantine the palace was the abode of his second wife, the empress Fausta,
It has been the conjecture of some that Fausta was a Christian, and that the Basilica, or HaO of Justice, con- nected with her palace, was granted by Constantine as a ])lace of Christian assembly. The fact seems, however, well established that Constantino subsequently bestow- ed the palace upon pope Sylvester, and it has ever since (several times rebuilt, and modified in its fhial comple- tion, dating from the pontificate of Clement XII) con- tinued a papal patrimony. The emperor is said to have fomided at the same time the adjacent church, which was originally dedicated to the Saviour, but after it was re- built by Lucius II in the midtUe (jf the 12th century, was dedicated to St. John, because of the baptistery which Constantine built near by it. It bears the additional name Basilica Constantiniana. The church has thus been naturaUj' regarded as the parish or cathedral church of the popes, and is distinguished as such above any other in Korae. St. Peter's and Sta. Maria Maggiore are not to be compared with it in importance. Each of the three has a porta santo. In reference to the Lateran, however, Gregory XI, in his bull June 23, 1372, uses the following language, which has been substantially re- peated by many popes: " Sacrosanctam Lateranensem ec- clesiam, proecipuam sedem nostram, inter omnes alias Ur- bis et orbis ecclesias ac basilicas, etiam super ecclesiam sen basilicam principis Apostolorum de Urbe, siipremum locum tenere." The ceremony of taking possession of the Lateran Basilica is one of the first observed on the election of a new pope, whose coronation takes place in it. The chapter of the Lateran has precedence of that of St. Peter's. On the throne of the Lateran is written the inscription, " Ilajc est Papalis Sedes et Pontificalis." An inscription on each side of the entrance styles it mother and mistress of churches. Omnium urhis et orbis A'cclesiarum Mater et Caput. In accordance ■with its dignity, therefore, all the oecumenical councils assem- bled in the city of Pome have been held in this church, the late council (1870), held at St, Peter's, being the only exception. See Lateran Councils. In the piazza of St. John Lateran stands the celebrated relic called the " Scala Santa," or " Holy Staircase," reputed to be the stairs of Pilate's house at Jerusalem, made holy by the feet of Christ as he passed to judgment. See Iler- zog, Real-Encijldop. viii, 212 ; Stanley, Hist. East. Ch. p. 304; Wetzer und Welte, Kirchen-Lexikon, vol. vi, s. v.