Chapter Xxxv. ;
Tertullian's Apology for the Christians.
to have been styled god ; a flattery not only most fulsome, but of a most destructive influence to both parties.
It is just as if you -should pass by the rightful emperor, and give his title to another; would not this be an unpardonable offence in you who give the title, and fatal to him who takes it?
Let me advise you therefore, as you tender Czesar's safety, not to rob God of His attributes, to bestow them upon Cesar ; forbear to believe that there is any other
~. god, and to style him god who stands in need of God every moment of his being.
But if you are proof against all shame, and can daub the emperor with such a lie of a title as you do by calling such a mortal, god ; at least, methinks, you should be afraid of having such an ill-boding name in your mouths, for it is a kind
_of imprecation against Czesar's life, to call him a god before the time of his apotheosis.
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CHAPTER XXXV.
CONCERNING THE DIFFERENT OBSERVATION
OF PUBLIC FESTIVALS
BETWEEN THE CHRISTIANS AND THE HEATHENS.
CurIsTIANs therefore lie under the odium of public enemies, because they join not in the public flatteries, in the false fantastic honours which are dedicated to emperors upon public festivals ; because the professors of the true religion celebrated such solemnities with sobriety of conscience, and not with the liberties of a. dissolute joy.!
A mighty instance of loyalty, no doubt! to make bonfires, to bring out tables and feasts in the streets, and metamorphose the whole city into a tavern ;? to make the conduits run
-wine, and see the mob suck up dirt and liquor together, and run 1 Vere Religionis Homines etiam solemnia eorum, consctentid potius quan lascivid celebrant, Here you have another instance of the primitive Christians complying with heathen solemnities, so far as was consistent with innocence.
The festival here mentioned seems to be a day of rejoicing for the suppressing the faction of Niger and his adherents.
The Christians made no scruple to observe the day with a conscientious mirth, though they would not join in the public debauchery.
; 2 Civitatem taberne habitu abolefacere.
''To metamorphose the city into a tavern."
Agreeable to this description is that of Martial, lib. vii.— Tonsor, Caupo, Coguus, Lanius, sua limina servant,
Nune Roma est, nuper magna Taberna futt.
©. Tertullian's Apology for the Christians, about in troops like mad into all the confusions of injury, impudence and lust, their heated imagination prompts them to. Is such a scene of public shame a proper expression of public joy?
And are these becoming practices upon an holy day, which upon any day are abominable?
Shall they who seem so mighty devout for Cesar's safety be so mighty drunk for Casar's safety too?
Shall licentiousness pass for loyalty, and luxury for religion?
Oh the just condemnation of Christians!
For why should we dare to be so singularly sober, chaste, and honest upon Czesar's birthday, and be so unfashionably religious in discharging our vows and rejoicings for him?
When all the world has given such a loose to joy, why do we not do so too, and-darken our gates with laurels,' and put out the day with illuminations?
For certainly it is a very fine figure to see your houses upon holy days dressed up in the fashion of the stews.
But touching the religion upon these sacred festivals to Cesar, who is the second majesty next to God, and upon whose account we are convened as guilty of a second sacrilege, for not celebrating these days according to your modes of worship, which temperance, modesty, and chastity will not permit us to do.
I would set this ~ matter, I say, in a better light, and lay before you your own allegiance and sincerity, that we may judge whether they are not more to blame in this point than Christians, who will not have us treated ~ as Romans, but as enemies of the State. bat ee :
For the truth of this I convene the populace of Rome, the natives of the Seven Hills, and let them answer. whether their tongues, as much Roman as it is, have spared any of their own Czesars?
Let the pasquils fixed upon the statue of Tiberius speak, and the Circus too, that academy where beasts are sent to learn the art of killing men with a better grace.
Had nature covered our breasts with transparent matter, so that we might look into the people's heart, what heart should we see
' Cur-diu leto non Laureis Postes obumbramus?
Juvenal, speaking in the person of the people applauding the emperor's happiness upon the overthrow of his enemy, says, Zone domd Lauros. Sat. 10.
And so again, Sat. 6— Ornentur Postes, et grandt Janua Lauro.
But this also (says our author in the words following) was the habit of the stews ; and lib, ii. ad Uxor.—Procedit de Janud. Laureat a et lucernaté, ut de novo
Consistorio libidinum Publicarum.
a Se eS ae:
~ ~ \ As Te ertullian's Apology for the Christians:
IOL that was not inscribed with a scene of Cexsar's fresh and fresh distributing the doles to the people, which are usual at their first coming to the throne?
We should see these wishes, I say, in their hearts for Czesar's death, even in the moment that their mouths are full of cry for Czesar's life, according to that of the poet :1
= en S Shorten my thread of life, good Jove! from mine .
Take many years to lengthen Ceesar's line.
But a Christian dares no more take their words in his mouth than their wishes in his heart; but this you will say is mob, and to be considered as mob only.
But let me tell you, this mob:are Romans, and the worst too of enemies we have; the Romans then of better rank are certainly better subjects, and their fidelity greater in proportion to their quality; not a man of the senatorian or Equestrian order but is all subjection; and not a breath of rebellion ever comes from camp or court.
If so, whence came the Cassiuses, the Nigers and Albinuses?2
Whence those who set upon ~ the Emperor Commodus between the two laurel groves at Lauretum ? and those who got him strangled at his exercise with his wrestlingmaster Narcissus?
Whence those who broke into the palace, sword in hand, and murdered Pertinax, in a more audacious manner than
Domitian was by the Sigeriuses and Partheniuses?
Now these parricides (if I mistake not) were men of rank, and Romans 3 and not a Christian among them.
And these traitors just before the perpetration of this horrid impiety offered sacrifice for Czesar's life, and swore by Cesar's genius, with religion in their faces, and _ murder in their hearts, and branded the Christians with the | character of public enemies.
But the principals and abettors of this wicked conspiracy against Severus which are daily detected,
~and picked up as the gleanings after a vintage of rebellion.?
Bless me! with what loads of laurel did they signalize their gates on 1 De nostris annis Jupiter augeat annos.
2 Unde Casstt, et Nigri, et Albini?
Whoever has a mind to see a particular account of these Tyranni, and those that adhered to them, may read the life of Avidius Cassius in Vulcatius, the life of Niger in Spartianus, and that of Albinus in Capitolinus.
See also the preface of Baldwinus before Minutius "3 Bost Vindemiam FParricidarum Racematio Superstes.
How this passage determines the time of this Apology, I have already mentioned; and that relates not to the death of Plautianus, according to Baronius, tom. ii., Axnal. p. 264, and according to Mr. Dodwell, Cyp. diss. xi. cap. 51, p. 282, but to the death of Pertinax, isto me most probable from the history of Zosimus, lib. i., where he gives this account—za} xpiye dvévrwy, etc., Ante omnia (Severus) de Militibus gui Pertinacem necaverant, et Juliano tradiderant Imperium, acerba Supplicia sumpszt,
Tertullian's Apology for the Christians.
Cesar's birthday!
With what extraordinary illuminations did their porches overcast the sun!!
With what exquisite and stately tables did they take up the forum!
Not in truth to celebrate the public joy, but to take omens from hence of their own future empire, and to inaugurate this image of their hopes, even upon Cesar's festival, by calling themselves in their hearts by the name of Cesar.
They likewise pay the same observances who are so officious in consulting astrologers, and soothsayers, and augurs, and magicians about the life of the emperors;? for these fortune-telling arts delivered by fallen angels, and interdicted by God, the Christians never apply to in any cause of theirs.
For what business has a man_to be so curious about Ceesar's life, who has no design against it, or expectations from it?
For we seldom ask questions about our dearest friends, with the same intent as we do about our masters ; and the solicitude of relations, and the curiosity of slaves, are generally upon very different principles.
CHAPTER XXXVI.
CONCERNING THE CHRISTIAN DUTY OF LOVING ENEMIES.
IF the case be'thus, that such as are found traitors in the very fact shall' be indulged the title of Romans, why are we denied the benefit of that title who are only thought 'traitors?
Can we not be Romans without being rebels, because so many Romans have been found guilty of rebellion?
That piety, veneration, and loyalty 1 Lucernis vestibula enulilabant.
It was the manner of the Grecians to express the celebration of festival days by Qwci zai crepuvauecs, by illuminations and coronets of flowers.
And Persius, speaking of Herod's birthday, has these words— : rh :
Onctdg. ; fenestra Disposite pinguem nebulam vomuere Lucerne.
But the Christians would not express their joy by lights and laurels; and for candles, we find an express prohibition against them in the Apostolical Canons, can. 70—S¢ guts Christianus oleum tulerit ad sacra Gentilium, vel Synagogam
Judeorum, Festis tpsorum diebus, aut lucernas accenderit, de Societate pellatur.
2 Qui Astrologos et Aruspices, et Augures, et Magos de Caesarum capite consudtant, Our author mentions these several sorts of conjurors, because many of them had been put to death upon this account by Severus.
For thus Spartianus in his life of Severus, AZz/tos etiam, quasi Chald@os, aut vates, de sua salute consulissent, tnterenitt.