Damnatio ad bestias. Those who were condemned to wild beasts, are properly termed Bestiarii. Whether S. Paul did, according to the letter, fight with beasts at Ephesus, 1 Cor. 15. 32. is much controversed. Some[605] understand by Beasts, Demetrius, and others that opposed him at Ephesus, others[606] more probably understand the word literally. And this kind of punishment was commonly exercised against Christians in the Primitive Church, insomuch that the Heathens imputing the cause of all publick calamities unto the Christians, would call out,[607] Christianos ad Leones! Let the Christians be haled to Lyons: yea, the litteral interpretation of the words, is a stronger argument that Saint Paul believed the Resurrection (which is the scope of the text) than to understand the words of a metaphorical fight, against the enemies of his doctrine.
[605] Theophylact. Anselm.
[606] Chrysostom. Ambros. & alii.
[607] Tertullian. Apol. cap. 40.
Τροχὸς, The Wheel: A wise King bringeth the wheel over the wicked, Prov. 20. 26. I take the words to imply no more but this, that as the wheel turneth round, so by the wisdom of a King the mischief intended by wicked men, is brought upon their own head. That hereby should be understood, the grinding of wicked men under a cart-wheel, as the husband brake some sort of grain under the wheel, is the meer conceipt of Expositors on this place; for no Records make mention of any such punishment in use among the Jews. Among the Greeks there was a punishment went under this name:[608] it was called τροχὸς, A Wheel, not because a wheel was brought over the wicked, but because they bound fast the offender to the spokes of a wheel, and there scourged him, to inforce a confession.
[608] Ἐπὶ τοῦ τροχοῦ γ’ ἕλκοιτο μαστιγούμενος, Aristoph. in Iren. De eadem pœna loquuntur Demosth. 3. in Aphob. & Suidas.
Καταποντισμὸς, Drowning in the Sea. This was in use among many Nations, but the manner differed. The Romans[609] they sewed up a Parricide into a leather budget, sewing up together with him into the same budget, a Serpent, a Cock, and an Ape, and so cast them all into the Sea. The Grecians[610] when they judged any to this kind of punishment, they wrapt him up in lead. The Hebrews tyed a milstone about his neck. Thus, in respect of the manner those are to be understood, who say,[611] this kind of punishment was peculiar to the Jews.
[609] Senec. lib. 5. controv. 4. Juvenal Satyr 8. Modestus, Digest. l. 48. ad legem Pomp. de parric. vid. Cæl. Rhod. l. 11. c. 21.
[610] Athenæus l. 14.
[611] Hier. Mat. 18. 6.