text, “let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man, and his number is six hundred threescore and six.” They both give a name, (the letters of which together in Greek make up this number) characteristic of the position of Antichrist as the head of the Roman Empire in its restored state, viz. the word Latinus, or the Latin king.
The earlier of these Fathers speaks as follows: “Expect that the empire will first be divided into ten kings ; then while they are reigning and beginning to settle and aggrandize themselves, suddenly one will come and claim the kingdom, and frighten them, having for his name the very number 666 ; him recognize as the Abomination of Desolation. This is implied in the Apostle’s saying,‘ When they shall say peace and safety, then sudden destruction shall come on them[1]’” Then he goes on to mention, together with two other words, the name of Latinos as answering to the number, and says of it, “This is very probable since it is the name of the last empire ; for the Latins (that is, the Romans) are now in power[2].”
The other Father thus speaks: “Since.....the wound of the first monster was healed .....and it is plain that the Latins are that empire, therefore he is called the Latin King (Latinus), the name passing from the empire to an individual.[3]” Whether this anticipation will be fulfilled or not, we cannot say. I only men-
- ↑ “Scientes firmum numerum qui a Scriptura annunciatus est, id est, sexcentorum sexiginta sex, sustineant primum quidem divisionem regni in decem ; post deinde, illis regnantibus et incipientibus corrigere sua negotia, et augere suum regnum, qui de improviso advenerit regnum sibi vindicans et terrebit prædictos, habens nomen continens prædictum numerum, hunc vere cognoscere esse Abominationem desolationis. Hoc et Apostolus ait, ‘Quum dixerint,’” &c. Iren. Hær. v. 30.
- ↑ Sed et Αατεῖνος nomen habet sexcentorum sexaginta sex numerum ; et valde verisimile est, quoniam novissimum regnum hoc habet vocabulum. Latini enim sunt qui nunc regnant.” Iren. Hær. ibid. He goes on, however, to say he prefers one of the other words.
- ↑ ...ἀλλʼ ἐπειδὴ προέφθημεν λἑγοντες, ὄτι ἐθεραπεύθη ή πλή τοῦ θηρἰου τοῦ πρώτοθ, ὄτι οί κρατοῦντες ἕτι ν~θν εἰσὶ Αατεῖνοι, εἰσ ἑνὸς ἀνθρώπου ὅνομα μεταηόμενον γίνεται Αατεῖνος. Hipp. de Antichristo, §.50.
