Note 551 — Chapter IX · (continued 3)

Malignity so blindeth the understanding that it maketh men ascribe all the evil that befalleth them, to that which is the only way to happiness: every bad success that the heathen Romans had, they imputed to the christians: saith Paul. Diaconus, lib. 3. when Radagusus the Goth invaded the Romans: Pavor infinitus Romam invadit; declamatur a cunctis, se hæc ideo perpeti, quod neglecta fuerunt magnorum sacra Deorum: magnis querelis ubique agere: et continuo de repetendis sacris celebrandisque tractatur: fere in tota urbe blasphemiæ ad nomen Christi, tanquam lues aliqua probris ingravantur, conducuntur a Romanis adversus Radagusum duo Pagani duces, &c.