2. perdendo.
3. contrarius.
4. judicio.
5. judicio.
6. judicium
7. 'Cornici oculum effodere' was a familiar Latin proverb for overcoming craft with craft. See Cic. pro Mur. 11, pro Flacco, 20.
8. primitivus.
9. primogenitus.
10. Horontianus appears to have been, like Irenaeus, a pupil of S. Ambrose, and to have been ordained by him, and to have been, as the Benedictine Editors say, 'In clericorum contubernio educatus ab infantia. Nothingmore is known of him. See Letter lxx. 25.
11. e0ntele/xeia .
12. propria corporis.
13. Sun, E. V. Sol, Vulg.
14. primitias.
15. primogenita.
16. The difference in the original is only the punctuation; in the first case, 'Natu quod videt quis quid, et sperat:' in the second, 'Nam quod videt quis, quid et sperat? '
17. S. Ambrose is evidently referring to his mission to Maximus, and the persecution of Justina.
18. There is another reading of several MSS., 'et ille profecto gemitus,' which seems to offer a better sense, 'and that groaning is indeed truly unutterable, etc'
19. Canaan E.V.
20. The Vulgate has, 'Trahitur antem sapientia de occultis.' The B. V. is, 'The price of wisdom is above rubies.'
21. This is referred by the Benedictine Editors to Prov. xxii. 7. but it does not agree with either the Sept. or Vulgate.
22. tou~ pneu&matoj is inserted in a few MSS, and Spirit us is in the Vulgate.
23. The story of Calanus and Alexander is related in Arian vii.2. It is also more briefly alluded to by Putarch. Alex. 65. Neither writer mentions this letter.
24. vibulamina. Gr. mosxeu&mata .
25. i. e. the three children in the furnace.
26. S. Ambrose is here imitating the consolation ottered by Ser. Sulpicius to Cicero on the death of his daughter. See Up. ad Div. iv, 5, 4.