itatio deberetur"; St. Jerome, _Ep._, 23, Sec. 3 [Migne, _P.
L._, XXII, col. 426), in conformity with an old Pythagorean doctrine
(Gundel, _De stellarum appellatione et relig. Romana_, 1907, p. 153 [245]),
as well as an Egyptian doctrine (Maspero, _Hist. des peuples de l'Orient_,
I, p. 181).--According to others, finally, the soul was freed from all
connection with the body and lived in the highest region of heaven,
descending first through the gates of Cancer and Capricorn, at the
intersection of the zodiac and the Milky Way, then through the spheres of
the planets. This theory, which was that of the mysteries (_supra_, pp.
126, 152) obtained the approbation of Macrobius ("quorum sectae amicior est
ratio") who explains it in detail (I, 12, Sec. 13 ff.). Arnobius, who got his
inspiration from Cornelius Labeo (_supra_, ch. V, n. 64), opposed it, as a
widespread error (II, 16): "Dum ad corpora labimur et properamus humana ex
mundanis circulis, sequuntur causae quibus mali simus et pessimi." Cf.
also, II, 33: "Vos, cum primum soluti membrorum abieretis e nodis, alas
vobis adfuturas putatis quibus ad caelum pergere atque ad sidera volare
possitis," etc.). It had become so popular that the comedy by Querolus,
written in Gaul during the first years of the fifth century, alluded to it
in a mocking way, in connection with the planets (V, 38): "Mortales vero
addere animas sive inferis nullus labor sive superis." It was still taught,
at least in part, by the Priscillianists (Aug., _De haeres._, 70;
Priscillianus, ed. Schepss., p. 153, 15; cf. Herzog-Hauck, _Realencycl._,
3d ed., s. v. "Priscillian," p. 63.--We have mentioned (_supra_, ch. VI, n.
54) the origin of the belief and of its diffusion under the empire.

26. Cf. _supra_, p. 152, and pp. 189 ff.; _Mon. myst. Mithra_, I, p. 296.

27. This idea was spread by the Stoics ([Greek: ekpurosis]) and by
astrology (_supra_, p. 177); also by the Oriental religions, see
Lactantius, _Inst._, VII, 18, and _Mon. myst. Mithra_, I, p. 310.

28. Gruppe (_Griech. Mythol._, pp. 1488 ff.) has tried to indicate the
different elements that entered into this doctrine.

29. Cf. supra, pp. 134 f., p. 160 and _passim_. The similarity {288} of the
pagan theology to Christianity was strongly brought out by Arnobius, II,
13-14.--Likewise in regard to the Orient, de Wilamowitz has recently
pointed out the close affinity uniting the theology of Synesius with that
of Proclus (_Sitzungsb. Akad. Berlin_,