for the speech of the vulgar makes use of them all, even of
CHAP. XXX.] THE T.ULES OF TICHONIUS. 105 called mda])}ior._ Who does not speak of a fish-pond^ in which there is no fish, which was not made for fish, and yet gets its name from fish ? And this is the figure called cato.- chresis.
41. It would be tedious to go over all the rest in this way for the speech of the vulgar makes use of them all, even of those more curious figures which mean the very opposite of w^hat they say, as for example, those called irony and anti^hrasis. \/ Now in irony we indicate by the tone of voice the meaning we desire to convey ; as when we say to a man who is behaving badly, " You are doing well." But it is not by the tone of voice that we make an antiphrasis to indicate the opposite of what the words convey ; but either the words in which it is expressed are used in the opposite of their etymological sense, as a grove is called hicus from its want of light ; ^ or it is customary to use a certain form of expression, although it puts yes for no by a law of contraries, as when we ask in a place for what is not there, and get the answer, "There is; " or we add words that make it plain we mean the plenty opposite of what we say, as in the expression, " Beware of him, for he is a good man." And what illiterate man is there that does not use such expressions, although he knows nothing at all about either the nature or the names of these figures of speech ? And yet the knowledge of these is necessary for clearing up the difficulties of Scripture; because when the words taken literally give an absurd meaning, we ought forthwith to inquire whether they may not be used in this or that figurative sense which we are unacquainted with ; and in this way many obscure passages have had light thrown upon them.
Chap. xxx.— The rules of TicJionius the Donatist examined.
42. One Tichonius, who, although a Donatist himself, has written most triumphantly against the Donatists (and herein showed himself of a most inconsistent disposition, that he was unwilling to give them up altogether), wrote a book which he
The word j5i-5CJna (literally a fish-pond) was used in post-Augnstnn times for any pool of water, a swimmiug-poud, for instance, or a pond for cattle to drink from.
' Quod minime luceat.