51 The practice of praying on bended knees is frequently referred to
     in early Christian writers.  Cf.  Clem., 1 Ad.  Cor. cc. xlviii.:  “Let
     us fall down before the Lord,” and Shepherd of Hermas, vis. 1. i.: 
     “After I had crossed that river I came unto the banks and there
     knelt down and began to pray.”  Dressel quotes from Juvencus (iv.
     648), a Spanish poet and Christian contemporary of Prudentius,
     genibus nixi regem dominumque salutant, “on bended knees they
     make obeisance unto their King and Lord.”

63 The Jordan is a poetical figure for baptism, suggested doubtless by the baptism of our Lord in that river.  Cf. vii. 73-75.

67 Cf.  Milton, Paradise Regained, i. 293:  “So spake our Morning
     Star, then in his rise.”  The figure is suggested by Rev. xxii. 16: 
     “I am ... the bright, the morning star.”

105 The conception of God as speculator may be paralleled by a
     passage in the epistle of Polycarp ad Philipp. iv., where God is
     described as the Arch-critic (panta momoschopeitai) and subsequently
     (vii.) as ton pantepopten theon, “the All-witnessing God.”  The
     last verse contains a distinct echo of the closing words of the
     fourth chapter of Polycarp:  “None of the reasonings or thoughts,
     nor any of the hidden things of the heart escape His notice.”

III

2 Word-begot. The original verbigena, on the analogy of such
     words (cf. terrigena, Martigena, etc.), can only mean “begotten
     of the Word.”  It is evident, therefore, the “Word” in this connection
     is not the Johannine Logos or Second Person in the Trinity. 
     Prudentius cannot be guilty of the error which he expressly
     condemns (Apoth. 249) as perquam ridiculum and regard the
     Logos as begetting Himself.  Consequently, both in this passage and
     in xi. 18 (verbo editus) the “Word” must be taken as approximating
     rather to the Alexandrian conception of the Logos as the Divine
     Reason.  In this way Christ is expressly described as the offspring
     of the Intellectus Dei, the immanent Intelligence of the Deity. 
     If this conception is considered to be beyond Prudentius, we can only
     suppose that both here and in xi. 18, his language is theologically
     loose.  Some excuse may be offered for this on the ground that the
     Latin language is ill-adapted for expressing metaphysical truths. 
     The late Bishop Westcott remarked on the inadequacy of the Latin
     original of “the Word was made flesh” (verbum caro factum est),
     both substantive and verb falling short of the richness of their
     Greek equivalents. (Vid. also note on iv. 15.)

11 Cf.  Ambrose, Hymn vii.:—­