The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1874-03-22
Cunpan sybil, is construed now never to have

had any other theme"
"You are right" returned Hso 81 meant
to say that the prevailing notion has always
been that it is in the east thAs parsonage Will
appear, and then his sway is to extend grad
ually into every part of the world. Old say
fngs, various warning oracles, traditions among
| common peasants, who cannot speak each 9th
ers languages and don't even know OF each
others existence, the obscure songs of the
sibyls, the dream of all mankind, the mystical
prese ntiments of the world concur, and have
long concurred, upon that singular subject.
Moreover, the increasing corruption of morals,
| to which Horace adverts," added Piso, twill
and must end IN dissolving society altogether,
unless arrested by the advent of some such
being. That is manifest. Haterius and others
who are learned in the Hebrew literature, tell
me that prodiges and portents, so well au-
thenticated that it is no moro possible to doubt
them than it is to doubt that Julius Cesar was
| murdered in Rome, were performed by men
who, ages ago, much more distinctly and mi.
| nutely foretold the coming of tits person at or
! near the very time in which we are living
and, accord ngly, that the whole nation of the
| Jews convinced that those who could perform
| such things must have enjoyed more than
mortal knowledge and power) fully expect and
| firmly believe that the being predicted by
| these workers of portents is now Immediately
to appear Thus, Haterius-"
"No," said Pomponius Flaccus, shaking his
head, looking on the ground, and pressing the
tip of his fore-inger against his forehead,
I" thot is not Wateriuss argument, or rather it is
only the half Of IT."
| ~ now remember" resumed Lucius Piso !;
| 60 chacl ip0 Of IL
These ancient seers and wonder workers had
also foretold several things that were to come
to pass earlier than the advent of the great be-
ing, and these things having in their respective
times all duly occurred, serve to convince the
Jews, and indeed have also convinced many
philosophic rinquirers of whom Dionysius is
one, studying the prophetical books in qucs-
tion and then exploring the history of the
Hebrews. to see whether subsequent events
really correspond with what had been foretold
the secrs who could perform the portents
which tboy performed in their day, and who
besides possessed q knowledge of future events
verified by the issue, were and must be genu-
inely and truly prophets, and that their pre-.
dictions deserved belief concerning this great,
mysterious and much needed parsonage, who
is to appear in the present generation. And
then there is the universal tradition, there is
the universal expectation, to confirm such
reasonings," added Piso.
The astounding character, as we'll as the in
| trinsic Importance and interest of this conv er-
sation, its reference to his half-countryma an
Dionysius, of whom he had beard SO much,
and the glimpses of society, the hiuts about
men and things which it afforded him, had
prevented Paulus from asking these exalted
gentlefolk to make room for him and Benigna
to pass, and had held him, and indeed her also,
spcll-bound.
But how all this accounts, most noble Piso,
for the visit of the Athenian to the court of
Augustus, you have forgotten to say )" remarked
Polio.
He obtained" replied Piso, "the emperor's
{ permission to study the Sybyllno books"
"What pity" said Flaccus, "that the first
old books were burnt in the great fire at Rome
"Well," resumed Lucius Piso, he brou ght
this permission to me- governor of Rome
and l went with him myself to the quinde
cemvir aud the other proper authorities. Oh
as to the books, it is the opiuion of those
learned in such matters that there is little O.
nothing in the old books which has not beer
recovered in the collection obtained by tn
senate afterward from CumS, Greece, Egypt
Babylon, and all places where either the sibyl
still lived, or their oracles were preserved"
" But after ALL" said Polio, are not thes
oracles the rawlings Of enthusiasm, if not in
sanityf"
=, "Cicero, although in general so sarcasti
o and disdainful, so incrcdulous and so hard t
t please" answered Piso, has settled tina
question"
"lIo has, l allow it," added Pomponr
Flaccus, land settled it most completed,
7 What a charming passage that is wherein til
incompatible thinker, natchless writer, an
=. fastidious critic expresses his roverential opir
4 ion Of the Sibyllno books, and demoustat,
:, with triumphant logic their claims upon IL
y, attention of all rational, all clear headed. an
:. philosophio inquirers"
a. am not rational, or clear headed,
, philosophic inquirer" broke in Apicus {" Con
IT, do come to the camp; and do pray at least q
=. low this foreign looking young gentleman OF
~ rustic damsel to enter the doorway"
u And so they all departed together.
at The ahIsHsis had meanwhile summoned IL
IL master Of admissions, who beckoned to PAUL