THE OCTAVIUS OF MINUCIUS FELIX
- CHAP. I.—ARGUMENT: MINUCIUS RELATES HOW
DELIGHTFUL TO HIM IS THE RECOLLECTION OF THE THINGS THAT HAD HAPPENED
TO HIM WITH OCTAVIUS WHILE HE WAS ASSOCIATED WITH HIM AT ROME, AND
ESPECIALLY OF THIS DISPUTATION.
- CHAP. II—ARGUMENT: THE ARRIVAL OF OCTAVIUS AT
ROME DURING THE TIME OF THE PUBLIC HOLIDAYS WAS VERY AGREEABLE TO
MINUCIUS. BOTH OF THEM WERE DESIROUS OF GOING TO THE MARINE BATHS OF
OSTIA, WITH CAeCILIUS ASSOCIATED WITH THEM AS A COMPANION OF MINUCIUS.
ON THEIR WAY TOGETHER TO THE SEA, CAECILlUS, SEEING AN IMAGE OF
SERAPIS, RAISES HIS HAND TO HIS MOUTH, AND WORSHIPS IT.
- CHAP. III.—ARGUMENT: OCTAVIUS, DISPLEASED AT THE
ACT OF THIS SUPERSTITIOUS MAN, SHARPLY REPROACHES MINUCIUS, ON THE
GROUND THAT THE DISGRACE OF THIS WICKED DEED IS REFLECTED NOT LESS ON
HIMSELF, AS CAECILIUS' HOST, THAN ON CAECILIUS.
- CHAP. IV.—ARGUMENT: CAeCILIUS, SOMEWHAT GRIEVED
AT THIS KIND OF REBUKE WHICH FOR HIS SAKE MINUCIUS HAD HAD TO BEAR FROM
OCTAVIUS, BEGS TO ARGUE WITH OCTAVIUS ON THE TRUTH OF HIS RELIGION.
OCTAVIUS WITH HIS COMPANION CONSENTS, AND MINUCIUS SITS IN THE MIDDLE
BETWEEN CAeCILIUS AND OCTAVIUS.
- CHAP. V.—ARGUMENT: CAECILIUS BEGINS HIS ARGUMENT
FIRST OF ALL BY REMINDING THEM THAT IN HUMAN AFFAIRS ALL THINGS ARE
DOUBTFUL AND UNCERTAIN, AND THAT THEREFORE IT IS TO BE LAMENTED THAT
CHRISTIANS, WHO FOR THE MOST PART ARE UNTRAINED AND ILLITERATE PERSONS,
SHOULD DARE TO DETERMINE ON ANYTHING WITH CERTAINTY CONCERNING THE
CHIEF OF THINGS AND THE DIVINE MAJESTY: HENCE HE ARGUES THAT THE WORLD
IS GOVERNED BY NO PROVIDENCE, AND CONCLUDES THAT IT IS BETTER TO ABIDE
BY THE RECEIVED FORMS OF RELIGION.
- CHAP. VI.—ARGUMENT: THE OBJECT OF ALL NATIONS,
AND ESPECIALLY OF THE ROMANS, IN WORSHIPPING THEIR DIVINITIES, HAS BEEN
TO ATTAIN FOR THEIR WORSHIP THE SUPREME DOMINION OVER THE WHOLE EARTH.
- CHAP. VII.—ARGUMENT: THAT THE ROMAN AUSPICES AND
AUGURIES HAVE BEEN NEGLECTED WITH ILL CONSEQUENCES, BUT HAVE BEEN
OBSERVED WITH GOOD FORTUNE.
- CHAP. VIII.—ARGUMENT: THE IMPIOUS TEMERITY OF
THEODORUS, DIAGORAS, AND PROTAGORAS IS NOT AT ALL TO BE ACQUIESCED IN,
WHO WISHED EITHER ALTOGETHER TO GET RID OF THE RELIGION OF THE GODS, OR
AT LEAST TO WEAKEN IT. BUT INFINITELY LESS TO BE ENDURED IS THAT
SKULKING AND LIGHT-SHUNNING PEOPLE OF THE CHRISTIANS, WHO REJECT THE
GODS, AND WHO, FEARING TO DIE AFTER DEATH, DO NOT IN THE MEANTIME FEAR
TO DIE.
- CHAP. IX.—ARGUMENT: THE RELIGION OF THE
CHRISTIANS IS FOOLISH, INASMUCH AS THEY WORSHIP A CRUCIFIED MAN, AND
EVEN THE INSTRUMENT ITSELF OF HIS PUNISHMENT. THEY ARE SAID TO WORSHIP
THE HEAD OF AN ASS, AND EVEN THE NATURE OF THEIR FATHER. THEY ARE
INITIATED BY THE SLAUGHTER AND THE BLOOD OF AN INFANT, AND IN SHAMELESS
DARKNESS THEY ARE ALL MIXED UP IN AN UNCERTAIN MEDLEY.
- CHAP. X.—ARGUMENT: WHATEVER THE CHRISTIANS
WORSHIP, THEY STRIVE IN EVERY WAY TO CONCEAL: THEY HAVE NO ALTARS, NO
TEMPLES, NO ACKNOWLEDGED IMAGES. THEIR GOD, LIKE THAT OF THE JEWS, IS
SAID TO BE ONE, WHOM, ALTHOUGH THEY ARE NEITHER ABLE TO SEE NOR TO
SHOW, THEY THINK NEVERTHELESS TO BE MISCHIEVOUS, RESTLESS, AND
UNSEASONABLY INQUISITIVE.
- CHAP. XI.—ARGUMENT: BESIDES ASSERTING THE
FUTURE CONFLAGRATION OF THE WHOLE WORLD, THEY PROMISE AFTERWARDS THE
RESURRECTION OF OUR BODIES: AND TO THE RIGHTEOUS AN ETERNITY OF MOST
BLESSED LIFE; TO THE UNRIGHTEOUS, OF EXTREME PUNISHMENT.
- CHAP. XII.—ARGUMENT: MOREOVER, WHAT WILL HAPPEN
TO THE CHRISTIANS THEMSELVES AFTER DEATH, MAY BE ANTICIPATED FROM THE
FACT THAT EVEN NOW THEY ARE DESTITUTE OF ALL MEANS, AND ARE AFFLICTED
WITH THE HEAVIEST CALAMITIES AND MISERIES.
- CHAP. XIII.—ARGUMENT: CAECILIUS AT LENGTH
CONCLUDES THAT THE NEW RELIGION IS TO BE REPUDIATED; AND THAT WE MUST
NOT RASHLY PRONOUNCE UPON DOUBTFUL MATTERS.
- CHAP. XIV.—ARGUMENT: WITH SOMETHING OF THE
PRIDE OF SELF-SATISFACTION, CAeCILIUS URGES OCTAVIUS TO REPLY TO HIS
ARGUMENTS; AND MINUCIUS WITH MODESTY ANSWERS HIM, THAT HE MUST NOT
EXULT AT HIS OWN BY NO MEANS ORDINARY ELOQUENCE, AND AT THE HARMONIOUS
VARIETY OF HIS ADDRESS.
- CHAP. XV.—ARGUMENT: CAeCILIUS RETORTS UPON
MINUCIUS, WITH SOME LITTLE APPEARANCE OF BEING HURT, THAT HE IS
FOREGOING THE OFFICE OF A RELIGIOUS UMPIRE, WHEN HE IS WEAKENING THE
FORCE OF HIS ARGUMENT. HE SAYS THAT IT SHOULD BE LEFT TO OCTAVIUS TO
CONFUTE ALL THAT HE HAD ADVANCED.
- CHAP. XVI.—ARGUMENT: OCTAVIUS ARRANGES HIS
REPLY, AND TRUSTS THAT HE SHALL BE ABLE TO DILUTE THE BITTERNESS OF
REPROACH WITH THE RIVER OF TRUTHFUL WORDS. HE PROCEEDS TO WEAKEN THE
INDIVIDUAL ARGUMENTS OF CAeCILIUS. NOBODY NEED COMPLAIN THAT THE
CHRISTIANS, UNLEARNED THOUGH THEY MAY BE, DISPUTE ABOUT HEAVENLY THINGS
BECAUSE IT IS NOT THE AUTHORITY OF HIM WHO ARGUES, BUT THE TRUTH OF THE
ARGUMENT ITSELF, THAT SHOULD BE CONSIDERED.
- CHAP. XVII.—ARGUMENT: MAN OUGHT INDEED TO KNOW
HIMSELF, BUT THIS KNOWLEDGE CANNOT BE ATTAINED BY HIM UNLESS HE FIRST
OF ALL ACKNOWLEDGES THE ENTIRE SCOPE OF THINGS, AND GOD HIMSELF. AND
FROM THE CONSTITUTION AND FURNITURE OF THE WORLD ITSELF, EVERY ONE
ENDOWED WITH REASON HOLDS THAT IT WAS ESTABLISHED BY GOD, AND IS
GOVERNED AND ADMINISTERED BY HIM.
- CHAP. XVIII.—ARGUMENT: MOREOVER, GOD NOT ONLY
TAKES CARE OF THE UNIVERSAL WORLD, BUT OF ITS INDiVIDUAL PARTS. THAT BY
THE DECREE OF THE ONE GOD ALL THINGS ARE GOVERNED, IS PROVED BY THE
ILLUSTRATION OF EARTHLY EMPIRES. BUT ALTHOUGH HE, BEING INFINITE AND
IMMENSE—AND HOW GREAT HE IS, IS KNOWN TO HIMSELF ALONE—CANNOT EITHER
BE SEEN OR NAMED BY US, YET HIS GLORY IS BEHELD MOST CLEARLY WHEN THE
USE OF ALL TITLES IS LAID ASIDE.
- CHAP. XIX.—ARGUMENT: MOREOVER, THE POETS HAVE
CALLED HIM THE PARENT OF GODS AND MEN, THE CREATOR OF ALL THINGS, AND
THEIR MIND AND SPIRIT. AND, BESIDES, EVEN THE MORE EXCELLENT
PHILOSOPHERS HAVE COME ALMOST TO THE SAME CONCLUSION AS THE CHRISTIANS
ABOUT THE UNITY OF GOD.
- CHAP. XX.—ARGUMENT: BUT IF THE WORLD IS RULED
BY PROVIDENCE AND GOVERNED BY THE WILL OF ONE GOD, AN IGNORANT
ANTIPATHY OUGHT NOT TO CARRY US AWAY INTO THE ERROR OF AGREEMENT WITH
IT: ALTHOUGH DELIGHTED WITH ITS OWN FABLES, IT HAS BROUGHT IN
RIDICULOUS TRADITIONS. NOR IS IT SHOWN LESS PLAINLY THAT THE WORSHIP OF
THE GODS HAS ALWAYS BEEN SILLY AND IMPIOUS, IN THAT THE MOST ANCIENT OF
MEN HAVE VENERATED THEIR KINGS, THEIR ILLUSTRIOUS GENERALS, AND
INVENTORS OF ARTS, ON ACCOUNT OF THEIR REMARKABLE DEEDS, NO OTHERWISE
THAN AS GODS,
- CHAP. XXI.—ARGUMENT: OCTAVIUS ATTESTS THE FACT
THAT MEN WERE ADOPTED AS GODS, BY THE TESTIMONY OF EUHEMERUS,
PRODICUS, PERSAEUS, AND ALEXANDER THE GREAT, WHO ENUMERATE THE
COUNTRY, THE BIRTHDAYS, AND THE BURIAL-PLACES OF THE GODS. MOREOVER HE
SETS FORTH THE MOURNFUL ENDINGS, MISFORTUNES, AND DEATHS OF THE GODS.
AND, IN ADDITION, HE LAUGHS AT THE RIDICULOUS AND DISGUSTING
ABSURDITIES WHICH THE HEATHENS CONTINUALLY ALLEGE ABOUT THE FORM AND
APPEARANCE OF THEIR GODS.
- CHAP. XXII.—ARGUMENT: MOREOVER, THESE FABLES,
WHICH AT FIRST WERE INVENTED BY IGNORANT MEN, WERE AFTERWARDS
CELEBRATED BY OTHERS, AND CHIEFLY BY POETS, WHO DID NO LITTLE MISCHIEF
TO THE TRUTH BY THEIR AUTHORITY. BY FICTIONS OF THIS KIND, AND BY
FALSEHOODS OF A YET MORE ATTRACTIVE NATURE, THE MINDS OF YOUNG PEOPLE
ARE CORRUPTED, AND THENCE THEY MISERABLY GROW OLD IN THESE BELIEFS,
ALTHOUGH, ON THE OTHER HAND, THE TRUTH IS OBVIOUS TO THEM IF THEY WILL
ONLY SEEK AFTER IT.
- CHAP. XXIII.—ARGUMENT: ALTHOUGH THE HEATHENS
ACKNOWLEDGE THEIR KINGS TO BE MORTAL, YET THEY FEIGN THAT THEY ARE
GODS EVEN AGAINST THEIR OWN WILL, NOT BECAUSE OF THEIR BELIEF IN THEIR
DIVINITY, BUT IN HONOUR OF THE POWER THAT THEY HAVE EXERTED. YET A
TRUE GOD HAS NEITHER RISING NOR SETTING. THENCE OCTAVIUS CRITICISES
THE IMAGES AND SHRINES OF THE GODS.
- CHAP. XXIV.—ARGUMENT: HE BRIEFLY SHOWS,
MOREOVER, WHAT RIDICULOUS, OBSCENE, AND CRUEL RITES WERE OBSERVED IN
CELEBRATING THE MYSTERIES OF CERTAIN GODS.
- CHAP. XXV.—ARGUMENT: THEN HE SHOWS THAT
CAECILIUS HAD BEEN WRONG IN ASSERTING THAT THE ROMANS HAD GAINED THEIR
POWER OVER THE WHOLE WORLD BY MEANS OF THE DUE OBSERVANCE OF
SUPERSTITIONS OF THIS KIND. RATHER THE ROMANS IN THEIR ORIGIN WERE
COLLECTED BY CRIME, AND GREW BY THE TERRORS OF THEIR FEROCITY. AND
THEREFORE THE ROMANS WERE NOT SO GREAT BECAUSE THEY WERE RELIGIOUS,
BUT BECAUSE THEY WERE SACRILEGIOUS WITH IMPUNITY.
- CHAP. XXVI.—ARGUMENT: THE WEAPON THAT CAECILIUS
HAD SLIGHTLY BRANDISHED AGAINST HIM, TAKEN FROM THE AUSPICES AND
AUGURIES OF BIRDS, OCTAVIUS RETORTS BY INSTANCING THE CASES OF
REGULUS, MANCINUS, PAULUS, AND CAESAR. AND HE SHOWS BY OTHER EXAMPLES,
THAT THE ARGUMENT FROM THE ORACLES IS OF NO GREATER FORCE THAN THE
OTHERS.
- CHAP. XXVII.—ARGUMENT: RECAPITULATION.
DOUBTLESS HERE IS A SOURCE OF ERROR: DEMONS LURK UNDER THE STATUES AND
IMAGES, THEY HAUNT THE FANES, THEY ANIMATE THE FIBRES OF THE ENTRAILS,
DIRECT THE FLIGHTS OF BIRDS, GOVERN THE LOTS, POUR FORTH ORACLES
INVOLVED IN FALSE RESPONSES. THESE THINGS NOT FROM GOD; BUT THEY ARE
CONSTRAINED TO CONFESS WHEN THEY ARE ADJURED IN THE NAME OF THE TRUE
GOD, AND ARE DRIVEN FROM THE POSSESSED BODIES. HENCE THEY FLEE HASTILY
FROM THE NEIGHBOURHOOD OF CHRISTIANS, AND STIR UP A HATRED AGAINST
THEM IN THE MINDS OF THE GENTILES WHO BEGIN TO HATE THEM BEFORE THEY
KNOW THEM.
- CHAP. XXVIII.—ARGUMENT: NOR IS IT ONLY HATRED
THAT THEY AROUSE AGAINST THE CHRISTIANS, BUT THEY CHARGE AGAINST THEM
HORRID CRIMES, WHICH UP TO THIS TIME HAVE BEEN PROVED BY NOBODY. THIS
IS THE WORK OF DEMONS. FOR BY THEM A FALSE REPORT IS BOTH SET ON FOOT
AND PROPAGATED. THE CHRISTIANS ARE FALSELY ACCUSED OF SACRILEGE, OF
INCEST, OF ADULTERY, OF PARRICIDE; AND, MOREOVER, IT IS CERTAIN AND
TRUE THAT THE VERY SAME CRIMES, OR CRIMES LIKE TO OR GREATER THAN
THESE, ARE IN FACT COMMITTED BY THE GENTILES THEMSELVES.
- CHAP. XXIX.—ARGUMENT: NOR IS IT MORE TRUE THAT
A MAN FASTENED TO A CROSS ON ACCOUNT OF HIS CRIMES IS WORSHIPPED BY
CHRISTIANS, FOR THEY BELIEVE NOT ONLY THAT HE WAS INNOCENT, BUT WITH
REASON THAT HE WAS GOD. BUT, ON THE OTHER HAND, THE HEATHENS INVOKE THE
DIVINE POWERS OF KINGS RAISED INTO GODS BY THEMSELVES; THEY PRAY TO
IMAGES, AND BESEECH THEIR GENII.
- CHAP. XXXI.—ARGUMENT: THE CHARGE OF OUR
ENTERTAINMENTS BEING POLLUTED WITH INCEST, IS ENTIRELY OPPOSED TO ALL
PROBABILITY, WHILE IT IS PLAIN THAT GENTILES ARE ACTUALLY GUILTY OF
INCEST. THE BANQUETS OF CHRISTIANS ARE NOT ONLY MODEST, BUT TEMPERATE.
IN FACT, INCESTUOUS LUST IS SO UNHEARD OF, THAT WITH MANY EVEN THE
MODEST ASSOCIATION OF THE SEXES GIVES RISE TO A BLUSH.
- CHAP. XXXII.—ARGUMENT: NOR CAN IT BE SAID THAT
THE CHRISTIANS CONCEAL WHAT THEY WORSHIP BECAUSE THEY HAVE NO TEMPLES
AND NO ALTARS, INASMUCH AS THEY ARE PERSUADED THAT GOD CAN BE
CIRCUMSCRIBED BY NO TEMPLE, AND THAT NO LIKENESS OF HIM CAN BE MADE.
BUT HE IS EVERYWHERE PRESENT, SEES ALL THINGS, EVEN THE MOST SECRET
THOUGHTS OF OUR HEARTS ; AND WE LIVE NEAR TO HIM, AND IN HIS
PROTECTION.
- CHAP. XXXIII.—ARGUMENT: THAT EVEN' IF GOD BE
SAID TO HAVE NOTHING AVAILED THE JEWS, CERTAINLY THE WRITERS OF THE
JEWISH ANNALS ARE THE MOST SUFFICIENT WITNESSES THAT THEY FORSOOK GOD
BEFORE THEY WERE FORSAKEN BY HIM.
- CHAP. XXXIV.—ARGUMENT: MOREOVER, IT IS NOT AT
ALL TO BE WONDERED AT IF THIS WORLD IS TO BE CONSUMED BY FIRE, SINCE
EVERYTHING WHICH HAS A BEGINNING HAS ALSO AN END. AND THE ANCIENT
PHILOSOPHERS ARE NOT AVERSE FROM THE OPINION OF THE PROBABLE BURNING UP
OF THE WORLD. YET IT IS EVIDENT THAT GOD, HAVING MADE MAN FROM NOTHING,
CAN RAISE HIM UP FROM DEATH INTO LIFE. AND ALL NATURE SUGGESTS A FUTURE
RESURRECTION.
- CHAP. XXXV.—ARGUMENT: RIGHTEOUS AND PIOUS MEN
SHALL BE REWARDED WITH NEVER-ENDING FELICITY, BUT UNRIGHTEOUS MEN SHALL
BE VISITED WITH ETERNAL PUNISHMENT. THE MORALS OF CHRISTIANS ARE FAR
MORE HOLY THAN THOSE OF THE GENTILES.
- CHAP. XXXVI.—ARGUMENT: FATE IS NOTHING, EXCEPT
SO FAR AS FATE IS GOD. MAN'S MIND IS FREE, AND THEREFORE SO IS HIS
ACTION: HIS BIRTH IS NOT BROUGHT INTO JUDGMENT. IT IS NOT A MATTER OF
INFAMY, BUT OF GLORY, THAT CHRISTIANS ARE REPROACHED FOR THEIR POVERTY;
AND THE FACT THAT THEY SUFFER BODILY EVILS IS NOT AS A PENALTY, BUT AS
A DISCIPLINE.
- CHAP. XXXVII.—ARGUMENT: TORTURES MOST UNJUSTLY
INFLICTED FOR THE CONFESSION OF CHRIST'S NAME ARE SPECTACLES WORTHY OF
GOD. A COMPARISON INSTITUTED BETWEEN SOME OF THE BRAVEST OF THE
HEATHENS AND THE HOLY MARTYRS. HE DECLARES THAT CHRISTIANS DO NOT
PRESENT THEMSELVES AT PUBLIC SHOWS AND PROCESSIONS, BECAUSE THEY KNOW
THEM, WITH THE GREATEST CERTAINTY, TO BE NO LESS IMPIOUS THAN CRUEL.
- CHAP. XXXVIII.—ARGUMENT: CHRISTIANS ABSTAIN
FROM THINGS CONNECTED WITH IDOL SACRIFICES, LEST ANY ONE SHOULD THINK
EITHER THAT THEY YIELD TO DEMONS, OR THAT THEY ARE ASHAMED OF THEIR
RELIGION. THEY DO NOT INDEED THE COLOUR AND SCENT OF FLOWERS, FOR THEY
ARE ACCUSTOMED TO USE THEM SCATTERED ABOUT LOOSELY AND NEGLIGENTLY, AS
WELL AS TO ENTWINE THEIR NECKS WITH GARLANDS; BUT TO CROWN THE HEAD OF
A CORPSE THEY THINK SUPERFLUOUS AND USELESS. MOREOVER, WITH THE SAME
TRANQUILLITY WITH WHICH THEY LWE THEY BURY THEIR DEAD, WAITING WITH A
VERY CERTAIN HOPE THE CROWN OF ETERNAL FELICITY. THEREFORE THEIR
RELIGION, REJECTING ALL THE SUPERSTITIONS OF THE GENTILES, SHOULD BE
ADOPTED AS TRUE BY ALL MEN.
- CHAP. XXXIX.—ARGUMENT: WHEN OCTAVIUS HAD
FINISHED THIS ADDRESS, MINUCIUS AND CAECILIUS SATE FOR SOME TIME IN
ATTENTIVE AND SILENT WONDER. AND MINUCIUS INDEED KEPT SILENCE IN
ADMIRATION OF OCTAVIUS, SILENTLY REVOLVING WHAT HE HAD HEARD.
- CHAP. XL.—ARGUMENT: THEN CAECILIUS EXCLAIMS
THAT HE IS VANQUISHED BY OCTAVIUS; AND THAT, BEING NOW CONQUEROR OVER
ERROR, HE PROFESSES THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. HE POST PONES, HOWEVER,
TILL THE MORROW HIS TRAINING IN THE FULLER BELIEF OF ITS MYSTERIES.
- CHAP. XLI.—ARGUMENT:FINALLY, ALL ARE PLEASED,
AND JOYFULLY DEPART: CAECILIUS, THAT HE HAD BELIEVED; OCTAVIUS, THAT HE
HAD CONQUERED; AND MINUCIUS, THAT THE FORMER HAD BELIEVED, AND THE
LATTER HAD CONQUERED.
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