69 For the incident referred to in these lines, see the Apocryphal
     book of Tobias, cc. ii. and xi.  Tobit, a pious Israelite captive
     in Nineveh, was reduced to beggary as the result of his zeal in
     burying those of his countrymen who had been killed and exposed by
     royal command.  He also lost his sight, which was eventually restored
     by the application of the gall of a fish which attacked his son
     Tobias, and was killed by him.  The “fish” of the legend is probably
     the crocodile, whose gall was credited with medicinal properties by
     various Greek and Latin writers.  Cf.  Pliny, N.  H. xxviii. 8:  “They
     say that nothing avails more against cataract than to anoint the eyes
     with its gall mixed with honey.”

113 Cf.  Cyprian (De Mortal. 20):  “We must not lament our brethren
     whom the Lord’s summons has freed from the world, for we know that
     they are not lost, but gone before.  We may not wear the black robes
     of mourning while they have put on the white raiment of joy.  Nor
     may we grieve for those as lost whom we know to be living with God.”

171 Cf. Perist. vii.:—­

          “Nos pio fletu, date, perluamus
          Marmorum sulcos.”

The early Christian epitaphs, of which many thousands exist, are instinct with a faith which is in striking contrast to the unrelieved gloom or sullen resignation of paganism.  We may compare with the common

          AVE ATQVE VALE

          “Hail and farewell”

or inscriptions like

INFANTI DVLCISSIMO QVEM DI IRATI AETERNO SOMNO DEDERUNT

“To a very sweet babe, whom the angry gods gave to unending
sleep.”

the Christian

DVLCIS ET INNOCENS HIC DORMIT SEVERIANVS SOMNO PACIS CVIVS
SPIRITVS IN LVCE DOMINI SVSCEPTVS EST (A.D. 393)

“Here slumbers in the sleep of peace the sweet and innocent
Severianus, whose spirit is received in the light of the Lord”

or

NATVS EST LAVRENTIVS IN ETERNVM ANN.  XX.  DORMIT IN PACE (A.D. 329)

“Laurentius was born into eternity in his twentieth year.  He
sleeps in peace.”

See also note on iii. 205.

XI

1 Virgil’s Fourth Eclogue known as the “Pollio” has undoubtedly
     influenced the thought and style of this poem:  the more noticeable
     parallels will be pointed out as they occur.  In Milton’s ode On
     the Morning of Christ’s Nativity there are several passages which
     recall Prudentius’ treatment of the theme in this and the succeeding
     hymn; but curiously enough, the Puritan poet in alluding to the
     season of the Nativity takes an opposite line of thought, and
     regards the diminished sunshine of winter as a veiling of an inferior