Such a monument was therefore placed in the Church of St.Peter ad Vincula, and the plague ceased.
So much for the endeavour to avert the wrath of the heavenly powers.
On the other hand, theological reasoning no less subtle was used in thwarting the malice of Satan.

This idea, too, came from far.

In the sacred books of India and Persia, as well as in our own, we find the same theory of disease, leading to similar means of cure.

Perhaps the most astounding among Christian survivals of this theory and its resultant practices was seen during the plague at Rome in 1522.

In that year, at that centre of divine illumination, certain people, having reasoned upon the matter, came to the conclusion that this great scourge was the result of Satanic malice; and, in view of St.Paul's declaration that the ancient gods were devils, and of the theory that the ancient gods of Rome were the devils who had the most reason to punish that city for their dethronement, and that the great amphitheatre was the chosen haunt of these demon gods, an ox decorated with garlands, after the ancient heathen manner, was taken in procession to the Colosseum and solemnly sacrificed.