The same who with the seven heads was born, And power and strength from the ten horns received,
So long as virtue to her spouse was pleasing.” “‘ Inferno,” xix., 106-110.
9. Have committed fornication. The figure of a harlot committing fornication with kings and peoples occurs frequently in the prophets, representing the defection of God’s Church and its attachment to others. See Isa.i.21; Jer. ii. 20; iii. 1, 6, 8; Ezek. xvi. 15, 16, 28, 31, 35,41; xxiii. 5, 19, 44; Hos. ii. 53 iii. 3; iv. 14. The word is applied to heathen cities in three places only: to Tyre, Isa. xxiii. 15, 16, 17; to Nineveh, Nahum iii. 4; and here.
3. Sitting. To manage and guide the beast.
A scarlet.colored beast. The same as in ch. xiii. 1. This beast is ever after mentioned as 7d Snplov the beast. For scarlet, see on Matt. xxvii. 6.
4. Purple (zropdupouv). See on Luke xvi. 19.
Decked (xeypuowpérn). Lit., gilded.
Precious stones (Ai9@ resto). Lit., preceous stone. Golden cup. Compare Jer. li. 7.
Abominations (@d5ekvyudtov). See on Matt. xxiv. 15.
5. Upon her forehead a name. As was customary with harlots, who had their names inscribed on a ticket. Seneca, ad- dressing a wanton priestess, “Nomen tuum pependit a fronte,” thy name hung from thy forehead. See Juvenal, Satire vi., 123 sqq., of the profligate Messalina, “having falsely assumed the ticket of Lycisca.”
Mystery. Some understand this as a part of the name, others as implying that the name is to be interpreted symboli- cally.