Chapter III.—Idolatry: Origin and Meaning of the Name.

Idol in ancient times there was none. Before the artificers of this monstrosity had bubbled into being,11    “Boiled out,” “bubbled out.” temples stood solitary and shrines empty, just as to the present day in some places traces of the ancient practice remain permanently. Yet idolatry used to be practised, not under that name, but in that function; for even at this day it can be practised outside a temple, and without an idol.  But when the devil introduced into the world artificers of statues and of images, and of every kind of likenesses, that former rude business of human disaster attained from idols both a name and a development. Thenceforward every art which in any way produces an idol instantly became a fount of idolatry. For it makes no difference whether a moulder cast, or a carver grave, or an embroiderer weave the idol; because neither is it a question of material, whether an idol be formed of gypsum, or of colors, or of stone, or of bronze,12    Or, brass. or of silver, or of thread. For since even without an idol idolatry is committed, when the idol is there it makes no difference of what kind it be, of what material, or what shape; lest any should think that only to be held an idol which is consecrated in human shape. To establish this point, the interpretation of the word is requisite. Eidos, in Greek, signifies form; eidolon, derived diminutively from that, by an equivalent process in our language, makes formling.13    i.e., a little form. Every form or formling, therefore, claims to be called an idol. Hence idolatry is “all attendance and service about every idol.” Hence also, every artificer of an idol is guilty of one and the same crime,14    Idolatry, namely. unless, the People15    [Capitalized to mark its emphatic sense, i.e., the People of God = the Jews.] which consecrated for itself the likeness of a calf, and not of a man, fell short of incurring the guilt of idolatry.16    See Ex. xxxii.; and compare 1 Cor. x. 7, where the latter part of Ex. xxxii. 6 is quoted.

CAPUT III.

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Idolum aliquandiu retro non erat. Priusquam hujus monstri artifices ebullissent, sola templa et vacuae aedes erant, sicut in hodiernum quibusdam locis vetustatis vestigia permanent. Tamen idololatria agebatur, non in isto nomine, sed in isto opere. Nam et hodie extra templum et sine idolo agi potest. At ubi artifices statuarum et imaginum, et omnis generis simulacrorum diabolus saeculo intulit, 0665A rude illud negotium humanae calamitatis, et nomen de idolis consecutum est, et profectum. Exinde jam caput facta est idololatriae ars omnis quae idolum quomodo edit. Neque enim interest, an plastes effingat, an caelator exsculpat, an phrygio detexat: quia nec de materia refert, an gypso, an coloribus, an lapide, an aere, an argento, an filo formetur idolum. Quando enim et sine idolo idololatria fiat, utique cum adest idolum nihil interest quale sit, qua de materia, qua de effigie , ne qui putet id solum idolum habendum, quod humana effigie sit consecratum. Ad hoc necessaria est vocabuli interpretatio: εἶδος graece formam sonat; ab eo per diminutionem εἴδωλον deductum, aeque apud nos formulam fecit. Igitur omnis forma vel formula idolum se dici exposcit. Inde 0665B idololatria omnis circa omne idolum famulatus et servitus. Inde et omnis idoli artifex, ejusdem et unius est criminis: nisi parum idololatriam populus admisit, quia simulacrum vituli, et non hominis sibi consecravit.