Minucius Felix (Caecilius)

MINUCIUS FELIX - OCTAVIUS - PAGE 2 OF 5

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Octavius - excerpts from chapters 5 - 12 (speech of Caecilius)

Latin and Greek text from Migne, PL, vol. 3, Cols. 242 ff.

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VI. Cum igitur aut fortuna certa, aut incerta natura sit, quanto venerabilius ac melius, antistites veritatis majorum excipere disciplinam, religiones traditas colere; deos quos a parentibus ante imbutus es timere, quam nosse familiarius, adorare; nec de numinibus ferre sententiam, sed prioribus credere qui, adhuc rudi saeculo, ipsius mundi natalibus; meruerunt deos vel faciles habere, vel reges! Inde adeo per universa imperia, provincias, oppida, videmus singulos sacrorum ritus gentiles habere, et deos colere municipes, ut Eleusinios Cererem, Phrygas Matrem, Epidaurios Aesculapium, Chaldaeos Belum, Astarten Syros, Dianam Tauros, Gallos Mercurium, universa Romanos. Sic eorum potestas et auctoritas totius orbis ambitus occupavit: sic imperium suum ultra solis vias et ipsius Oceani limites propagavit, dum exercent in armis virtutem religiosam, dum urbem muniunt sacrorum religionibus, castis virginibus, multis honoribus, ac nominibus sacerdotum: dum obsessi, et citra solum Capitolium capti, colunt deos, quos alius jam sprevisset, iratos; et per Gallorum acies, mirantium superstitionis audaciam, pergunt telis inermes, sed cultu religionis armati: dum capti, in hostilibus moenibus adhuc ferociente victoria, numina victa venerantur: dum undique hospites deos quaerunt, et suos faciunt: dum aras exstruunt, dum etiam ignotis numinibus et manibus. Sic, dum universarum gentium sacra suscipiunt, etiam regna [meruerunt]. Hinc perpetuus merent venerationis tenor mansit, qui longa aetate non infringitur, sed augetur: quippe antiquitas caeremoniis atque fanis tantum sanctitatis tribuere consuevit, quantum adstruxerit vetustatis.....

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