[340] “La physionomie presque payenne qui offre le décoration des Catacombes de Rome.”--_Discours Sur l’origine des types imitatifs de l’Art du Christianisme._ Paris, 1834, p. 96. [341] _Sculture e pitture sagre_, etc., t. iii, pp. 193, 218. [342] _Le Mystère de Syncrétisme Phrygien dans les Catacombes Roman de Prétextat._ (_Nouvelle Interprétation._) Paris, 1854. [343] Another reading is: HIC ORO NE INQVETES QVOT VIDES. [344] Fig. 31, from Perret, tom. i, planche lx. The description in the text is translated from his account, founded on Garrucci. See also _Tre sepolcri con pitture ed iscrizioni appartenenti alle superstizioni pagane del Bacco Sabazio e del Persidico Mitra_. Napoli, 1852. [345] _Voyage dans les terres bibliques_, pl. 5. [346] _Perret_, i, p. 44. [347] Novi multos esse sepulchrorum et picturarum adoratores ... quos et ipsa ecclesia condemnat, et tanquam malos filios corrigere studet.--Aug., _de Morib. Eccl. Cathol._, lib. i, c. 34. [348] Contra auetoritatem Scripturarum.--Epiphan., _ad Johan. Hierosol._ [349] Forte requiratur, quanam ratione gerendi Sederit hæc nobis sententia, pingere sanctas _Raro more_ domos animantibus adsimulatis. Turba frequentia his est Rusticitas non casta fide, neque docta legendi. Hæc adsueta diu sacris servire profanis, Ventre Deo, tandem convertitur advena Christo. Propterea visum nobis opus utile, totis Felicis domibus picturâ illudere sanctâ: Si forte attonitas hæc per spectacula mentes Agrestes caperet fucata coloribus umbra, Quæ super exprimitur titulis, ut litera monstret Quod manus explicuit. --Paulin., _De Felice Natal. Carm._, ix, vv, 541, _et seq._ [350] Segnius irritant animos demissa per aurem Quam quæ sunt oculis subjecta fidelibus. --Hor., _de Arte Poeticâ_. Mens hebes ad verum per materialia surgit Et, demersa prius, hac visa luce resurgit. --_On doorway of St. Denis, Paris._ During the Middle Ages much religious truth was doubtless conveyed by these storied basilicas or “gospels in stone.” Of St. Mark’s, Venice, Dr. Guthrie says, “It is not more remarkable for its oriental splendour than for the flood of gospel truth set forth to all eyes in the mosaics that cover and adorn its domes and walls.... Here the grand central, saving doctrine, the glory of Paul and hope of sinners, ‘Jesus Christ, and him crucified,’ is exhibited with wonderful fulness and fidelity.” In A. D. 483, Pope Sixtus dedicated to the people of God--_plebi Dei_--the mosaics of S. Maria Maggiore at Rome, executed for their instruction.