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The Octavius of Minucius Felix

Minucius Felix

Chapter 2

About this work

A polished Latin dialogue in which pagan and Christian friends debate providence, Roman religion, accusations against Christians, resurrection, and the philosophical credibility of Christian monotheism.

Author: Minucius Felix
Date: Late 2nd or early 3rd century
Origin: Rome or North Africa
Genre: Dialogue

The work’s date relative to Tertullian and the author’s geographical setting remain debated.

Chapter 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 Cæcilius Associated with Them as a Companion of Minucius. On Their Way Together to the Sea, Cæcillus, Seeing an Image of Serapis, Raises His Hand to His Mouth, and Worships It.

For, for the sake of business

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and

of

visiting

me

,

Octavius

had

hastened

to

Rome

,

having

left

his

home

,

his

wife

,

his

children

,

and

that

which

is

most

attractive

in

children

,

while

yet

their

innocent

years

are

attempting

only

half

-

uttered

words

,

—

a

language

all

the

sweeter

for

the

very

imperfection

of

the

faltering

tongue

.

And

at

this

his

arrival

I

cannot

express

in

words

with

how

great

and

with

how

impatient

a

joy

I

exulted

,

since

the

unexpected

presence

of

a

man

so

very

dear

to

me

greatly

enhanced

my

gladness

.

Therefore

,

after

one

or

two

days

,

when

the

frequent

enjoyment

of

our

continual

association

had

satisfied

the

craving

of

affection

,

and

when

we

had

ascertained

by

mutual

narrative

all

that

we

were

ignorant

of

about

one

another

by

reason

of

our

separation

,

we

agreed

to

go

to

that

very

pleasant

city

Ostia

,

that

my

body

might

have

a

soothing

and

appropriate

remedy

for

drying

its

humours

from

the

marine

bathing

,

especially

as

the

holidays

of

the

courts

at

the

vintage

-

time

had

released

me

from

my

cares

.

For

at

that

time

,

after

the

summer

days

,

the

autumn

season

was

tending

to

a

milder

temperature

.

And

thus

,

when

in

the

early

morning

we

were

going

towards

the

sea

along

the

shore

(

of

the

Tiber

)

,

that

both

the

breathing

air

might

gently

refresh

our

limbs

,

and

that

the

yielding

sand

might

sink

down

under

our

easy

footsteps

with

excessive

pleasure

;

Cæcilius

,

observing

an

image

of

Serapis

,

raised

his

hand

to

his

mouth

,

as

is

the

custom

of

the

superstitious

common

people

,

and

pressed

a

kiss

on

it

with

his

lips

.