h philosopher, whose
rationalistic views would be evidence to Hugo of his need of faith.

_Hobbe_. Thomas Hobbes (1588-1679), the famous English philosopher, is
best known by his defence of absolute monarchy. In ethics he held that
man is swayed only by the desire for pleasure and the fear of pain.
Either of these views would be to Hugo a system of despair.

_Erebe_ (Erebus) was originally one of the Titans who was cast by Zeus
into Tartarus. The word is thus used as a synonym for the lower world,
especially those regions where evil deeds are expiated.

_fatalite_. See note on l. 245.

_gehenne_. Gehenna was the valley near Jerusalem where crimmals were
executed. In the New Testament it is used as a synonym for hell.

Nimrod is again the embodiment of the spirit of war. Aaron typifies
ecclesiastical resistance to progress.

_Beccaria_ was an Italian publicist (1738-94) who worked for the reform
of the penal law. His principal work was a small volume called _Treatise
on Crime and Punishment_, which was translated into nearly every
language in Europe. His opposition to the use of torture, to the
infliction of the death penalty, and to arbitrary arrest no doubt
appealed specially to Hugo.

_Dracon_, i.e. Draco, the Athenian legislator, the memory of the
excessive severity of whose laws lingers in our adjective _draconian_.

_Empedocle_. Empedocles was a Greek philosopher who was born in Sicily
about 450 B.C. He is best remembered from the tradition that he threw
himself down Etna in despair at his incapacity to solve the problem of
its action.

_Promethee_. Prometheus was the Titan who stole fire from heaven and
gave it to men, for which Zeus chained him to a rock in the Caucasus. In
legend and poetry he figures as the benefactor and civilizer of mankind.

_pesanteur_. See note on l. 305.

_l'antique ideal_, the ancient visions,
as for instance those of Isaiah and Virgil, of a golden age.

_farouche_, i. e. that has never been realized.

L. 473. i. e. leaving the old humanity farther and farther behind.

LA TROMPETTE DU JUGEMENT. (PAGE 138.)

_buccin_. See note on LA CONFIANCE.

_blanchissant l'absolu_, i.e. lighting up infinite space.

_urne_, used as the symbol of Destiny. See notes on PLEIN CIEL.

L. 117. i.e. entered the immeasurable and infinite.

_gehennam_, another form of _gehenne_, closer to the Hebrew _geia
Hinnom_, the valley of Hinnom. See note on PLEIN CIEL.

_avernes_. Avernus was