16. Though sexless, the angels, or sons of God, may be captivated by the beauty of woman, and engender giants with them in a very human fashion (Gen. vi).
17. They are very sensitive respecting the hair of women, and require it to be covered in worship—at other times they probably are not so particular. Although they minister upon those who are heirs of salvation (Heb. i. 14), they might be tempted from their business, if they were to see a pretty snood in golden tresses hid (1 Cor. xi. 10).
18. Every child has an angel, or rather angels, to look after it (Matt, xviii. 10), which leads to the belief that the number of angels has increased since the sixty-eighth Psalm was written, when there were only 20,000, and perhaps a few more.*
* The words of the christian father, Tertullian, upon this
subject are so very apposite to our subject of angels, that
I am tempted to quote them—Clark's edition, vol. i. p. 487-
8.
Speaking to the heathens, he says—"And you are not content
to assert the divinity of such as were once known to you,
whom you heard and handled, and whose portraits have been
painted, and actions recounted, and memory retained amongst
you; but men insist upon consecrating with a heavenly life,
i.e.t they insist on deifying, I know not what incorporeal
inanimate shadows and the names of things, dividing man's
entire existence amongst separate powers, even from his
conception in the womb, so that there is a god (read
angel) Consevius, to preside over concubital generation,
and Fluviona to preserve the infant in the womb; after these
come Vitumnus and Sentinus through whom the babe begins to
have life and its earliest sensation; then Diespiter, by
whose office the child accomplishes its birth. But when
women begin their parturition Candelifera also comes in aid,
since child-bearing requires the light of the candle; and
other goddesses there are (such as Lucina, Partula, Nona,
Décima, and Alemona) who get their names from the parts they
bear in the stages of travail There were two Carmentas
likewise, according to the general view. To one of them,
called Postverta, belonged the function of assisting the
birth of the malpresented child; whilst the other, Prosa or
Prorso, executed the like office for the rightly born. The
god Farinus was so called from his inspiring the first
utterance, whilst others believed in Locutius from his gift
of speech. Cunina is present as the protector of the child's
deep slumber, and supplies to it refreshing rest. To lift
them when fallen there is Levana, and along with her Rumina
(from the old word ruma, a teat). It is a wonderful
oversight that no gods were appointed for clearing up the
filth of children. Then to preside over their first pap and
earliest drink you have Potina and Edula; to teach the child
to stand erect is the work of Statina (or Statilinus),
whilst Adeona helps him to come to dear mamma-, and Abeona
to toddle back again. Then there is Domiduca, to bring home
the bride, and the goddess Mens, to influence the mind to
either good or evil. They have likewise Volumnus and Voleta,
to control the will; Paventina, the goddess of fear;
Venilia, of hope; Volnpia, of pleasure; Praastitia, of
beauty. Then, again, they give his name to Peragenor, from
his teaching men to go through their work; to Consus, from
his suggesting to them counsel. Juventa is their guide on
assuming the manly gown, and 'bearded Fortune,' when they
come to full manhood. If I must touch on their nuptial
duties, there is Afferenda, whose appointed function is to
see to the offering of the dower. But fie on you—you have
your Mutunus, and Tutunus, and Pertunda, and Subigus, and
the goddess Prema, and likewise Perfica. O spare yourselves,
ye impudent gods."
19. Some angels are evil, but are much the same as the good (Ps. lxxviii 49), in their power of doing mischief.
20. Every heir of salvation has an angel to minister to him in some way or other (Heb. i. 14); so have Roman babies—see note.
21. The angels are only a trifle superior to men (Ps. viii. 5), and in the invisible world will be inferior to them if the latter be saints (1 Cor. vi. 3; Heb. ii. 5).
22. They can speak all sorts of languages (1 Cor. xiii. 1); that which Michael and the devil used (Jude 9) has not been revealed to us.
23. They use a trumpet, probably as immaterial as themselves, and make a great noise thereby (Matt xxiv. 31); and horses (Zech. i. and Rev. vi).
24. They have wings and can fly (Rev. viii. 13; xiv. 6), although they are chariots.