Opening the library…

Search the Bible

The Octavius of Minucius Felix

Minucius Felix

Chapter 38

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 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 Despise All 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 Live 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.

“But that we despise

‹ Chapter 37 Chapter 39 ›

the

leavings

of

sacrifices

,

and

the

cups

out

of

which

libations

have

been

poured

,

is

not

a

confession

of

fear

,

but

an

assertion

of

our

true

liberty

.

For

although

nothing

which

comes

into

existence

as

an

inviolable

gift

of

God

is

corrupted

by

any

agency

,

yet

we

abstain

,

lest

any

should

think

either

that

we

are

submitting

to

demons

,

to

whom

libation

has

been

made

,

or

that

we

are

ashamed

of

our

religion

.

But

who

is

he

who

doubts

of

our

indulging

ourselves

in

spring

flowers

,

when

we

gather

both

the

rose

of

spring

and

the

lily

,

and

whatever

else

is

of

agreeable

colour

and

odour

among

the

flowers

?

For

these

we

both

use

scattered

loose

and

free

,

and

we

twine

our

necks

with

them

in

garlands

.

Pardon

us

,

forsooth

,

that

we

do

not

crown

our

heads

;

we

are

accustomed

to

receive

the

scent

of

a

sweet

flower

in

our

nostrils

,

not

to

inhale

it

with

the

back

of

our

head

or

with

our

hair

.

Nor

do

we

crown

the

dead

.

And

in

this

respect

I

the

more

wonder

at

you

,

in

the

way

in

which

you

apply

to

a

lifeless

person

,

or

to

one

who

does

not

feel

,

a

torch

;

or

a

garland

to

one

who

does

not

smell

it

,

when

either

as

blessed

he

does

not

want

,

or

,

being

miserable

,

he

has

no

pleasure

in

,

flowers

.

Still

we

adorn

our

obsequies

with

the

same

tranquillity

with

which

we

live

;

and

we

do

not

bind

to

us

a

withering

garland

,

but

we

wear

one

living

with

eternal

flowers

from

God

,

since

we

,

being

both

moderate

and

secure

in

the

liberality

of

our

God

,

are

animated

to

the

hope

of

future

felicity

by

the

confidence

of

His

present

majesty

.

Thus

we

both

rise

again

in

blessedness

,

and

are

already

living

in

contemplation

of

the

future

.

Then

let

Socrates

the

Athenian

buffoon

see

to

it

,

confessing

that

he

knew

nothing

,

although

boastful

in

the

testimony

of

a

most

deceitful

demon

;

let

Arcesilaus

also

,

and

Carneades

,

and

Pyrrho

,

and

all

the

multitude

of

the

Academic

philosophers

,

deliberate

;

let

Simonides

also

for

ever

put

off

the

decision

of

his

opinion

.

We

despise

the

bent

brows

of

the

philosophers

,

whom

we

know

to

be

corrupters

,

and

adulterers

,

and

tyrants

,

and

ever

eloquent

against

their

own

vices

.

We

who

bear

wisdom

not

in

our

dress

,

but

in

our

mind

,

we

do

not

speak

great

things

,

but

we

live

them

;

we

boast

that

we

have

attained

what

they

have

sought

for

with

the

utmost

eagerness

,

and

have

not

been

able

to

find

.

Why

are

we

ungrateful

?

why

do

we

grudge

if

the

truth

of

divinity

has

ripened

in

the

age

of

our

time

?

Let

us

enjoy

our

benefits

,

and

let

us

in

rectitude

moderate

our

judgments

;

let

superstition

be

restrained

;

let

impiety

be

expiated

;

let

true

religion

be

preserved

.

Notes

1
The probable reading here is, “You apply to a lifeless person, either if he has feeling, a torch; or, if he feels not, a garland.”
2
“We who do not,” etc., is a conjectural reading, omitting the subsequent “we.”