897); J. Kampers, _Die deutsche
Kaiseridee in Prophetie und Sage_ (Munich, 1896), and "Alexander der
Grosse und die Idee des Weltimperiums," in H. Grauert's _Studien und
Darstellungen aus dem Gebiet der Geschichte_, vol. i. 2-3 (Freiburg,
1901); E. Wadstein, _Die eschatologische Ideengruppe, Antichrist,
Weltsabbat, Weltende und Welgericht_ (Leipzig, 1896), which contains
excellent material for the history of the idea in the West during the
middle ages; W. Meyer, "Ludus de Antichristo," in _Sitzberichl der
Munchener Akad._ (Phil. hist. Klasse 1882, H. i.); Kropatschek, _Das
Schriftprincip der lutherischen Kirche_, i. 247 &c. (Leipzig, 1904);
H. Preuss, _Die Vorstellungen vom Antichrist im spateren Mittelalter,
bei Luther u. i. d. Konfessionellen Polemik_ (Leipzig, 1906).
(W. Bo.)

FOOTNOTES:

[1] See further, Bousset, _Religion des Judentums_, ed. ii. pp. 289
&c., 381 &c., 585 &c.

[2] See Gunkel, _Schopfung und Chaos_ (1893).

[3] It is, of course, uncertain whether this phenomenon already
occurs in 2 Cor. vi. 15, since here Belial might still be Satan; cf.
however, _Ascensio Jesaiae_ iv. 2 &c.; _Sibyll_. iii. 63 &c., ii. 167
&c.

[4] It is not necessary to decide whether the epistle is by St Paul
or by a pupil of Paul, although the former seems to the present
writer to be by far the more probable, in spite of the brilliant
attack on the genuineness of the epistle by Wrede in _Texte und
Ubersetzungen_, N.F. ix. 2.

[5] Cf. 2 Thess. ii. 8; the Targum also, in its comment on the
passage of Isaiah, applies "the wicked" to Antichrist.

[6] See Bousset, _Kommentar zur Offenbarung Johannis_, on these
passages.

[7] _Ibid._ ch. xvii.: and Charles, _Ascension of Isaiah_, lvii. sq.

[8] Harnack, _Chronologie der altchristlichen Literatur_, i. 573

[9] See Bousset, in Herzog-Hauck, _Realencyklop. fur Theologie und
Kirsche_ (ed. 3), xviii. 273 &c.

[10] Latin text by Sackur, cf. _op. cit._ 1 &c.; Greek text by V.
Istrin.

[11] See Bousset, _Zeitschrift fur Kirchengeschichte_, xx. p. 289 &c.

[12] Published in Merx, _Archiv zur Erforschung des Alten Testament_.

[13] See especially the _Ludus de Antichristo_, ed. W. Meyer.

ANTICLIMAX (i.e. the opposite to "climax"), in rhetoric, an abrupt
declension (either deliberate or unintended) on the part of a speaker or
writer from the dignity of idea which he app