[589] In the austere drama of Dante Christ receives the title of Sovereign Jove: O summo Giove, Che fosti ’n terra per noi crocifisso.--_Purgat._, canto vi. In Mediæval art Christ is frequently modeled after the pagan _Jupiter Tonans_. [590] In some quaint French verses accompanying one of these pictures Our Lord, in giving an account of his journey, in characteristic accord with the erroneous theology of the times, is made to intimate that he would fain have avoided the unwelcome task: “Père,” dist Jhésus, “retourné Suis á toy, et ai consummé Ce que faire me commandas Quant jus ou monde m’envoyas, _Dont bien je m’en feusse passé_.” --_Romant des Trois Pélerinages_, A. D. 1358. [591] Tale simulacrum nefas est Christiano in templo collocare, multo magis is corde nefarium est.--_De Fide et Symbolo_, c. 7. [592] Nefas habent docti ejus (ecclesiæ Catholicæ) credere Deum figurâ humani corporis terminatum.--_Confess._, vi, 11. See also Orig. _Cont. Cels._, 6, and Ambr. in Psa. cxviii. [593] Pleno coruscat Trinitas mysterio; Stat Christus in agno; vox Patris coelo tonat; Et per columbam Spiritus Sanctus fluit. See a valuable note on the doctrine of a Trinity in Classic and Hindoo mythology in Whedon’s Commentary, vol. ii, p. 77. [594] Greg. II., Ep. i, _ad Leon._ [595] Act 4. Concil. Nicen., 2. [596] Παραφροσύνης ἄκρας καὶ ἀσεβείας τὸ σχηματίζειν τὸ θεῖον. κ. τ. λ.--_De Fide Orthodox._, l. iv, c. 17. Dei qui est incorporeus, invisibilis, a materia remotissimus, figuræ expers, incircumscriptus, et incomprehensibilis, imago nulla fieri potest.... In errore quidem versaremur ... impie rursum ageremus ... si vel invisibilis Dei conficeremus imaginem.--_Orat. 1 et 2 de Imaginibus._ [597] Les défenseurs les plus zelés des images ayant condamné celles-ci _i. e._, de la Trinité ou de la Divinité.--Dupin: _Bibli. Eccles._, t. vi, p. 154. [598] _Orig. Eccles._, bk. vi, chap. viii, § 10. [599] Northcote’s _Catacombs_, p. 116. [600] _Rom. Sott._, p. 300. [601] _Ibid._, 301. [602] _Dissertazioni Archeologiche di Raffaelle Garrucci_, (Roma, 4to., 1865,) vol. ii, p. 1. [603] Dr. Northcote describes a bearded figure standing behind the chair of Mary as a representation of the Holy Ghost. Surely the more natural interpretation is that it is intended for Joseph.