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The Octavius of Minucius Felix

Minucius Felix

Chapter 36

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 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.

“Neither let any one either take

‹ Chapter 35 Chapter 37 ›

comfort

from

,

or

apologize

for

what

happens

from

fate

.

Let

what

happens

be

of

the

disposition

of

fortune

,

yet

the

mind

is

free

;

and

therefore

man’s

doing

,

not

his

dignity

,

is

judged

.

For

what

else

is

fate

than

what

God

has

spoken

of

each

one

of

us

?

who

,

since

He

can

foresee

our

constitution

,

determines

also

the

fates

for

us

,

according

to

the

deserts

and

the

qualities

of

individuals

.

Thus

in

our

case

it

is

not

the

star

under

which

we

are

born

that

is

punished

,

but

the

particular

nature

of

our

disposition

is

blamed

.

And

about

fate

enough

is

said

;

or

if

,

in

consideration

of

the

time

,

we

have

spoken

too

little

,

we

shall

argue

the

matter

at

another

time

more

abundantly

and

more

fully

.

But

that

many

of

us

are

called

poor

,

this

is

not

our

disgrace

,

but

our

glory

;

for

as

our

mind

is

relaxed

by

luxury

,

so

it

is

strengthened

by

frugality

.

And

yet

who

can

be

poor

if

he

does

not

want

,

if

he

does

not

crave

for

the

possessions

of

others

,

if

he

is

rich

towards

God

?

He

rather

is

poor

,

who

,

although

he

has

much

,

desires

more

.

Yet

I

will

speak

according

as

I

feel

.

No

one

can

be

so

poor

as

he

is

born

.

Birds

live

without

any

patrimony

,

and

day

by

day

the

cattle

are

fed

;

and

yet

these

creatures

are

born

for

us

—

all

of

which

things

,

if

we

do

not

lust

after

,

we

possess

.

Therefore

,

as

he

who

treads

a

road

is

the

happier

the

lighter

he

walks

,

so

happier

is

he

in

this

journey

of

life

who

lifts

himself

along

in

poverty

,

and

does

not

breathe

heavily

under

the

burden

of

riches

.

And

yet

even

if

we

thought

wealth

useful

to

us

,

we

should

ask

it

of

God

.

Assuredly

He

might

be

able

to

indulge

us

in

some

measure

,

whose

is

the

whole

;

but

we

would

rather

despise

riches

than

possess

them

:

we

desire

rather

innocency

,

we

rather

entreat

for

patience

,

we

prefer

being

good

to

being

prodigal

;

and

that

we

feel

and

suffer

the

human

mischiefs

of

the

body

is

not

punishment

—

it

is

warfare

.

For

fortitude

is

strengthened

by

infirmities

,

and

calamity

is

very

often

the

discipline

of

virtue

;

in

addition

,

strength

both

of

mind

and

of

body

grows

torpid

without

the

exercise

of

labour

.

Therefore

all

your

mighty

men

whom

you

announce

as

an

example

have

flourished

illustriously

by

their

afflictions

.

And

thus

God

is

neither

unable

to

aid

us

,

nor

does

He

despise

us

,

since

He

is

both

the

ruler

of

all

men

and

the

lover

of

His

own

people

.

But

in

adversity

He

looks

into

and

searches

out

each

one

;

He

weighs

the

disposition

of

every

individual

in

dangers

,

even

to

death

at

last

;

He

investigates

the

will

of

man

,

certain

that

to

Him

nothing

can

perish

.

Therefore

,

as

gold

by

the

fires

,

so

are

we

declared

by

critical

moments

.

Notes

1
Fatus.
2
Otherwise read, “both more truly.”
3
Some read, “I will speak at length.”
4
Probably a better reading is “strive for them.”