Minucius Felix (Caecilius)

MINUCIUS FELIX - OCTAVIUS - PAGE 3 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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VIII. Itaque, cum omnium gentium de diis immortalibus, quamvis incerta sit vel ratio vel origo, maneat tamen firma consensio; neminem fero tanta audacia, tamque irreligiosa nescio qua prudentia tumescentem, qui hanc religionem tam vetustam, tam utilem, tam salubrem dissolvere aut infirmare nitatur. Sit licet ille Theodorus Cyrenaeus, vel, qui prior, Diagoras Melius, cui Atheon cognomen apposuit antiquitas, qui uterque, nullos deos asseverando, timorem omnem, quo humanitas regitur, venerationemque penitus sustulerunt: numquam tamen in hac impietatis disciplina simulatae philosophiae nomine atque auctoritate pollebunt, quum Abderiten Pithagoram [Protagoram] Athenienses viri, consulte potius quam profane de divinitate disputantem, et expulerint suis finibus, et in concione ejus scripta deusserint; quid homines (sustinebitis enim me impetum susceptae actionis liberius exserentem) homines, inquam, deploratae, illicitae ac desperatae factionis grassari in eos, non ingemiscendum est? qui de ultima faece collectis imperitioribus, et mulieribus credulis, sexus sui facilitate labentibus, plebemprofanae conjurationis instituunt; quae nocturnis congregationibus, et jejuniis solemnibus et inhumanis cibis, non sacro quodam sed piaculo foederantur. Latebrosa et lucifugax natio, in publicum muta, in angulis garrula: templa, ut busta, despiciunt; deos despuunt, rident sacra, miserentur miseri, si fas est, sacerdotum honores et purpuras despiciunt ipsi seminudi. Pro mira stultitia et incredibili audacia, spernunt tormenta praesentia, dum incerta metuunt et futura; et dum mori post mortem timent, interim mori non timent. Ita illis pavorem fallax spes solatio redivivo blanditur.

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