"NLsL^nanixaity, 'jreatness of soul, a disposition of
MAGNENTIUS
Goi
MAGNUS
mind exerted in contemning dangers and difficulties, in scorning temptations, and despising eartlily pomp and splendor. — Cicero, De OJfic. lect. i, eh. xx ; Grove, Moral FhUosophy, ii, 268 ; Steele, Christian Hero ; Watts, Self- murder; l'Mck,Theological Dictionary, s. v. See Couu- age; Fortitude.
Magnentius, Flavius Magnus, a Koman general, for a short period emperor of the West, was born in Gaul about A.D. 300. Partly by courage and partly by flat- tery, he gained the confidence of the emperor Constans, and was intrusted with the command of the imperial guards, the famous Jovian and Herculean battalions. He afterwards, together with Marcellinus, chancellor of the imperial exchequer, conspired against Constans and caused himself to be elected emperor by the soldiers in 350. He was recognised as such by Italy, Spain, Britta- ny, and Africa, but the Illyrian legions elected Vetranio, who v>'as soon joined by Constantius, brother of the late emperor. The war between Magnentius and Constan- tius ended in the defeat of the former at Mursa, Sept. 28, 352. As Magnentius saw that his soldiers would de- liver him up to his enemies, he committed suicide at Lyons about the middle of August, 353. Zosimus, ii, 5-i, represents him as overbearing in his prosperity, and weak and irresolute in adversity. He is shown to have been a Christian by the cross being stamped on his coins. The only part he took in ecclesiastical affairs was to prevent, for two years, Constantius from favoring Arianism. As for himself, he looked upon religion from a political stand-point; in order to conciliate the West, he gave more freedom to the heathen worship. He had relied on Athanasius to win over Egypt to his side, but in this he was mistaken, as Athanasius upheld tlic rights of the legitimate successor of Constans. — Herzog, Eeal-Encykl. viii, 680 ; Smith, Diet, of Greek and Roman Bio(j. and Mythol. ii, 900.
Magni, John, a Swedish prelate, was born at Wex- ioe in 1583; travelled extensively on the Continent, es- pecially in Germany, and on his return home became professor of history at his alma mater, the University of Upsala. Queen Christina, who succeeded her noble husband, Gustavus Adolphus, the great defender of the Protestant faith, in the government of Sweden (1632), frequently availed herself of the counsels of John Magni, and created him bishop of Skara. He died in 1651, three years previous to Christina's abdication of the throne. See Sweden. IVIagni took a great interest in the educational affairs of Sweden, and did much to af- ford his countrymen far superior advantages than they had enjoyed previous to his day. His writings are of a secular nature. See Hoefer, Nouv. Bioff. Generale, xxxii, 718; Biof/ropkie Universelle, s. v.
Magni, Valei'ian, a celebrated Italian ecclesiastic, was born in IMilan, Italy, in 1586; was appointed by pope Urban YIII apostolical missionary to the Northern kingdoms; influenced the pope to imprison the Jesuit- esses in 1(>31 ; was himself imprisoned in Vienna some time afterwards, through the influence of the Jesuits, for having said that the pope's primacy and infallibility were founded on tradilion and not on Scripture, but re- gained his liberty through the favor of the emperor Ferdinand III, after having written warmly against the Jesuits. He died at Salt/.liurg in 16()1. INIagni was celebrated as a controversial writer against the Protes- tants ; also for his philosophical works in favor of Des Cartes and against Aristotle. One of his apologetical letters may be found in the collection called Tuhu Mag- na, vol. ii. — Hook, Eccles. Biog. vii, 209.
Magnificat, a song m praise of the Virgin used in the eveniuL;- service of the Koman Catholic, tlie Luther- an, and Anglican churches. Its name ^lagnitirat it ol)- taiued fnim its tir.-t words iirthe Vulgate,," My soul dnili rnaguifi) the Lord,"etc. It was introduced into the public worship of the Church almut the year 506. In the 6th century it was chanted in the French cluirches. In the English Church it is to be said or sung after the lirsr
lesson, at every prayer, unless the 9Sth Psalm, called " Cantale Domino," is sung. — Farrar, Eccles, Diet. s. v. ; Ividie, Eccles. Cyclop, s. v.
Magnns. The Koman Catholic Church commem- orates several saints of this name.
1. St. Magnus, Magnoald, Maginald, Mangold, of whom we possess two biographical notices, one by Perth, ii, according to which he M'as an AUeman b.y birth, and became the pupil, companion, and successor of St. Gall in the convent of that name. The other, to be found in the Bollandists, Sept. iii, 700 sq., states that he was a native of Ireland, built the convent of Fiissen after the destruction of St. Gall, converted the inhabitants of Augsburg and surrounding parts, and finalh^ died about 65.5. He is commemorated Sept. 6. See Koch-Stem- feld, Z>('r h. Mangold in Oherschwahen (Passau, 1825) ; F. B. Tafrathshofer, Der k. Magnus (Kempten, 1842) ; F. W. Rettberg, Kii-cliengcscli. Deutsehlands, ii, 148 sq.; Fried- rich, Kirchengesch. Dentsehlands (Bamb. 1868), ii (see Index) ; J. H. Kurtz, Handbueh d. allg. K. Gesch. ii, 1, p. 115 sq.
2. St. Magnus, the apostle of the Orkneys. The in- habitants of these islands possessed a large goblet which he is said to have drained : it was offered at once to every new bishop as he arrived, and it was considered a happy omen if he emptied it.