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aifiaTi. That is a similar instance which Wolf notices, a third part of the men were slain : ch. ix. 18.
10. 'O rpirocy the third) The connection of events, times, and places, proves that the Arian and Vandal calamities are here pointed out. That Arius is the star, is the true judgment of Ballinger , Nigrinus , Viegas (although, following the opinion of Lyranus and Aureolus, he enters into a disputation also respecting Pelagius), also of Forbes , Cocceius , Gulicliius, Sandhagen , JV. Muler , Bierman , Amelius , Idor- rJiius , Vitringa , Reinbeck , Stock, Loeseken : and before all these, Meyer thought that Arius, together with other heretics, is here pointed out. The interpretation of Brightman concerning the Arian Emperors, Constantius and Valens, is weightily refuted by Marck. If these emperors are considered as a star on account of their princely majesty , I do not see on what grounds their fall can be referred to their departure from the faith, and not rather to the loss of their imperial glory . By which very argument also James Abbadie is refuted, who, in his work published not only in French but also in Belgic, in- terprets the star as referring to Count Boniface, by whose invitation the Vandals seized upon Africa. Independently of this, there was a great influx of Arianism into the state also : so that we cannot be surprised that this heresy has a place among the trumpets.
11. Kai ro ovojxa rou affrspog Xs'yzrai 6 a^/tvdog, and the name of the star is called Wormwood) Arianism, full of bitterness. Theodoret, book ii. H. E. c. 14, respecting the Arians who drove out the bishops under Georgius of Cappadocia, says, ouru niKPns rjXaaav avrovg, x.r.X., with such bitterness they drove them out, etc. Victor, book i., respecting the V andal persecution, thus expresses pity for Augustine, in the siege of Hippo : The sweetness of delight is changed into the bitterness of avormwood. *a ^tvQog is formed from a privative, and -vj dv6og, which is r&p-^ig in Hesychius. And the Greek word, d-vj dvdiov, appears to have been changed into a word of three syllables from the Hebrew pronunciation JWD2K or
12. was smitten) That was done in the fifth century, when Italy and Rome, the seat of empire, were occupied and ob- scured by foreign nations.
13. ’Astoj) Others, dyyeXou.1 But see App. Crit. Ed. ii. on this passage. The Italian Version, and other most ancient authorities, widely apart from each other in age and clime, and in very great
1 AB Yulg. Memph. Syr. support dgroy. Rec. Text, without good authority, dr/yi'hov. — E.
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