Part 1
INTRODUCTORY NOTE
FIRST APOLOGY OF JUSTIN MARTYR.
[a.d. 1 10-165.] Justin was a Gentile, but born in Samaria, near Jacob's well. He must have
been well educated : he had travelled extensively, and he seems to have been a person enjoying at
least a competence. After trying all other systems, his elevated tastes and refined perceptions made him a disciple of Socrates and Plato. So he climbed towards Christ. As he himself narrates the
story of his conversion, it need not be anticipated here. What Plato was feeling after, he found in
Jesus of Nazareth. The conversion of such a man marks a new era in the gospel history. The sub-
apostolic age begins with the first Christian author, — the founder of theological literature. It
introduced to mankind, as the mother of true philosophy, the despised teaching of those Galileans
to whom their Master had said, "Ye are the light of the world."
And this is the epoch which forced this great truth upon the attention of contemplative minds.
It was more than a hundred years since the angels had sung " Good-will to men ; " and that song had now been heard for successive generations, breaking forth from the lips of sufferers on the
cross, among lions, and amid blazing faggots. Here was a nobler Stoicism that needed interpreta-
tion. Not only choice spirits, despising the herd and boasting of a loftier intellectual sphere,
were its professors ; but thousands of men, women, and children, withdrawing themselves not
at all from the ordinary and humble lot of the people, were inspired by it to live and die heroi-
cally and subhmely, — exhibiting a superiority to revenge and hate entirely unaccountable, praying
for their enemies, and seeking to glorify their God by love to their fellow-men.
And in spite of Gallios and Neros alike, the gospel was dispelling the gross darkness. Of
this, Pliny's letter to Trajan is decisive evidence. Even in Seneca we detect reflections of the day-
break. Plutarch writes as never a Gentile could have written until now. Plato is practically sur-
passed by him in his thoughts upon the " delays of the Divine Justice." Hadrian's address to
his soul, in his dying moments, is a tribute to the new ideas which had been sown in the popular mind. And now the Antonines, impelled by something in the age, came forward to reign as
" philosophers." At this moment, Jusdn Martyr confronts them like a Daniel. The " htde stone "
smites the imperial image in the face, not yet " in the toes." He tells the professional philoso-
phers on a throne how false and hollow is all wisdom that is not meant for all humanity, and that
is not capable of leavening the masses. He exposes the impotency of even Socratic philosophy
he shows, in contrast, the force that works in the words of Jesus ; he points out their regenerating
power. It is the mission of Justin to be a star in the West, leading its Wise Men to the cradle
of Bethlehem.
' See Amyot's Irnnslalion, and a more modern one by De Maistre ((Eii7'res , vol. ii. Paris, 1833). An edition of TAe Delays (the
original, with notes by Professor Hacketi) has appeared in America (Andover, circ, 1842), and is praised by Tayler Lewis.
»59
i6o INTRODUCTORY NOTE.
The writings of Justin are deficient in charms of style ; and, for us, there is something the reverse
of attractive in the forms of thought which he had learned from the philosophers.' If Plato had
left us nothing but the Timteus, a Renan would doubtless have reproached him as of feeble in-
tellectual power. So a dancing-master might criticise the movements of an athlete, or the writhings
of St. Sebastian shot with arrows. The practical wisdom of Justin using the rhetoric of his times, and discomfiting false philosophy with its own weapons, is not appreciated by the fastidious
Parisian. But the manly and heroic pleadings of the man, for a despised people with whom he had boldly identified himself; the intrepidity with which he defends them before despots, whose mere
caprice might punish him with death ; above all, the undaunted spirit with which he exposes the shame and absurdity of their inveterate superstition and reproaches the memory of Hadrian whom
Antoninus had deified, as he had deified Antinous of loathsome history, — these are characteristics which every instinct of the unvitiated soul delights to honour. Justin cannot be refuted by a
sneer.
He wore his philosopher's gown after his conversion, as a token that he had attained the only
true philosophy. And seeing, that, after the conflicts and tests of ages, it is the only philosophy
that lasts and lives and triumphs, its discoverer deserves the homage of mankind. Of the philo-
sophic gown we shall hear again when we come to TertuUian.^
The residue of Justin's history may be found in " The Martyrdom " and other pages soon to
follow, as well as in the following Introductory Note of the able translators, Messrs. Dods and
Reith : —
Justin Martyr was born in Flavia Neapolis, a city of Samaria, the modern Nablous. The
date of his birth is uncertain, but may be fixed about a.d. 114. His father and grandfather were
probably of Roman origin. Before his conversion to Christianity he studied in the schools of
the philosophers, searching 'after some knowledge which should satisfy the cravings of his soul.
At last he became acquainted with Christianity, being at once impressed with the extraordinary
fearlessness which the Christians displayed in the presence of death, and with the grandeur,
stability, and truth of the teachings of the Old Testament. From this time he acted as an
evangelist, taking every opportunity to proclaim the gospel as the only safe and certain philo-
sophy, the only way to salvation. It is probable that he travelled much. We know that he was some time in Ephesus, and he must have lived for a considerable period in Rome. Probably he
settled in Rome as a Christian teacher. While he was there, the philosophers, especially the
Cynics, plotted against him, and he sealed his testimony to the truth by martyrdom.
The principal facts of Justin's life are gathered from his own writings. There is little clue to
dates. It is agreed on all hands that he lived in the reign of Antoninus Pius, and the testimony
of Eusebius and most credible historians renders it nearly certain that he suffered martyrdom in
the reign of Marcus Aurelius. The Chronicon Paschale gives as the date 165 a.d. The writings of Justin Martyr are among the most important that have come down to us from
the second century. He was not the first that wrote an Apology in behalf of the Christians, but
his Apologies are the earliest extant. They are characterized by intense Christian fervour, and
they give us an insight into the relations existing between heathens and Christians in those days.
His other principal writing, the Dialogue with Trypho, is the first elaborate exposition of the
reasons for regarding Christ as the Messiah of the Old Testament, and the first systematic attempt
to exhibit the false position of the Jews in regard to Christianity.
Many of Justin's writings have perished. Those works which have come to us bearing his name have been divided into three classes.
1 He quotes Plato's reference, e.g., to the X.; but the Orientals delighted in such conceits. Compare the Hebrew critics on the H (in
Gen. i. 4), on which see Nordheimer, Gram., vol. i. p. 7, New York, 1838.
2 It survives in the pulpits of Christendom — Greek, Latin, Anglican, Lutheran, etc. — to this day, in slightly different forms.
INTRODUCTORY NOTE. i6i
The first class embraces those which are unquestionably genuine, viz. the two Apologies, and
the Dialogue with Trypho. Some critics have urged objections against Justin's authorship of the
Dialogue ; but the objections are regarded now as possessing no weight. The second class consists of those works which are regarded by some critics as Justin's, and by others as not his. They are : i. An Address to the Greeks; 2. A Hortatory Address to the
Greeks; 3. On the Sole Government of God; 4. An EpisUe to Diognetus ; 5. Fragments from
a work on the Resurrection ; 6. And other Fragments. Whatever difficulty there may be in
settling the authorship of these treatises, there is but one opinion as to their earliness. The latest
of them, in all probability, was not written later than the third century.
The third class consists of those that are unquestionably not the works of Justin. These are :
I. An Exposition of the True Faith; 2. Replies to the Orthodox; 3. Christian Questions to
Gentiles; 4. Gentile Questions to Christians; 5. Epistle to Zenas and Serenus ; and 6. A Refu-
tation of certain Doctrines of Aristotle. There is no clue to the date of the two last. There can be no doubt that the others were written after the Council of Nicsea, though, immediately after
the Reformation, Calvin and others appealed to the first as a genuine writing of Justin's. There is a curious question connected with the Apologies of Justin which have come down to
us. Eusebius mentions two Apologies, — one written in the reign of Antoninus Pius, the other
in the reign of Marcus Aurelius. Critics have disputed much whether we have these two Apolo-
gies in those now extant. Some have maintained, that what is now called the Second Apology was the preface of the first, and that the second is lost. Others have tried to show, that the so-
called Second Apology is the continuation of the first, and that the second is lost. Others have supposed that the two Apologies which we have are Justin's two Apologies, but that Eusebius was wrong in affirming that the second was addressed to Marcus Aurelius ; and others maintain, that we have in our two Apologies the two Apologies mentioned by Eusebius, and that our first is his
first, and our second his second.
THE FIRST APOLOGY OF JUSTIN.
gated, and that, if these be substantiated, they be punished as they deserve ; [or rather, indeed, we ourselves will punish them.] ^ But if no one can convict us of anything, true reason forbids you, for the sake of a wicked rumour, to wrong blameless men, and indeed rather yourselves, who think fit to direct affairs, not by judgment, but by passion. And every sober-minded person will declare this to be the only fair and equitable adjustment, namely, that the subjects render an unexceptional account of their own
CHAP. I. ADDRESS. To the Emperor Titus ^lius Adrianus Antoninus Pius Augustus Caesar, and to his son Verissimus the Philosopher, and to Lucius the Philosopher, the natural son of Caesar, and the adopted son of Pius, a lover of learning, and to the sacred Senate, with the whole People of the Romans, I, Justin, the son of Priscus and grandson of Bacchius, natives of Flavia Neapolis in
Palestine, present this address and petition in behalf of those of all nations who are unjustly hated and wantonly abused, myself being one of them.
life and doctrine ; and that, on the other hand, the rulers should give their decision in obedience, not to violence and tyranny, but to piety and philosophy. For thus would both rulers and ruled reap benefit. For even one of the ancients somewhere said, " Unless both rulers and ruled philosophize, it is impossible to make
CHAP. n. JUSTICE DEMANDED.
Reason directs those who are truly pious and philosophical to honour and love only what is
true, declining to follow tradidonal opinions,' if these be worthless. For not only does sound reason direct us to refuse the guidance of those who did or taught anything wrong, but it is incumbent on the lover of truth, by all means, and
states blessed." ^ It is our task, therefore, to
afford to all an opportunity of inspecting our hfe and teachings, lest, on account of those who are accustomed to be ignorant of our affairs, we should incur the penalty due to them for mental blindness ; '* and it is your business, when you hear us, to be found, as reason demands, good judges. For if, when ye have learned the truth, you do not what is just, you will be before God without excuse.
if death be threatened, even before his own life,
to choose to do and say what is right. Do you, then, since ye are called pious and philosophers, guardians of justice and lovers of learning, give good heed, and hearken to my address ; and if ye are indeed such, it will be manifested. For we have come, not to flatter you by this writing, nor please you by our address, but to beg that you pass judgment, after an accurate and searching investigation, not flattered by prejudice or by a desire of pleasing superstitious men, nor induced by irrational impulse or evil rumours which have long been prevalent, to give a decision which will prove to be against yourselves. For as for us, we reckon that no evil can be done us, unless we be convicted as evil-doers, or be proved to be wicked men ; and you, you can kill, but not hurt us.
CONDEMNED
UNJUSTLY MERE NAME.
CHAP. IV. CHRISTIANS
FOR THEIR
By the mere application of a name, nothing is decided, either good or evil, apart from the ac-
tions implied in the name ; and indeed, so far
at least as one may judge from the name we are accused of, we are most excellent people. 5 But
2 Thirlby regarded the clause in brackets as an interpolation. There is considerable variety of opinion as to the exact meaning of the words amongst those who regard them as genuine.
J Plat. /?<'/.! V. 1 8. * Thit is to say, if the Christians refused or neglected to make their real opinions and practices known, they would share the guilt of those whom they thus kept in darkness.
CHAP. in. CLAIM OF JUDICIAL INVESTIGATION.
But lest any one think that this is an unreasonable and reckless utterance, we demand that the charges against the Christians be investi-
5 Justin avails himself here of the similarity in sound of the words XptCTTo; (Christ) and xPIO'to! (good, worthy, excellent). The pl.iy upon these words is kept up throughout this paragraph, and cannot be always represented to the English reader, [liut Justin was merely quoting and using, ad hotnitiein, the popular blunder of which Suetonius {Life of Claudius, cap. 25) gives us an example, " impulsoro Chresto." It will be observed again in others of these Fathers. J
Liter.-illy, " the opinions of the ancients."
1 64 THE FIRST APOLOGY OF JUSTIN.
as we do not think it just to beg to be acquitted on account of the name, if we be convicted as evil-
were struck with terror; and being carried away by fear, and not knowing that these were demons, they called them gods, and gave to each the name which each of the demons chose for
doers, so, on the other hand, if we be found to have committed no offence, either in tlie matter of thus naming ourselves, or of our conduct as
himself.' And when Socrates endeavoured, by true reason and examination, to bring these things to light, and deliver men from the demons, then the demons themselves, by means of men who rejoiced in iniquity, comi)assed his death, as an atheist and a profane person, on the charge that " he was introducing new divinities ; "
citizens, it is your part very earnestly to guard
against incurring just punishment, by unjustly
])unishing those who are not convicted. For from a name neither praise nor punishment could reasonably spring, unless something excel-
lent or base in action be proved. And those among yourselves who are accused you do not punish before they are convicted ; but in our case you receive the name as proof against us, and this although, so far as the name goes, you ought rather to punish our accusers. For we are accused of being Christians, and to hate what
and in our case they display a similar activity. For not only among the (Jreeks did reason (Logos) prevail to condemn these things through
Socrates, but also among the Barbarians were they condemned by Reason (or the Word, the Logos) Himself, who took shape, and became man, and was called Jesus Christ ; and in obedience to Him, we not only deny that they who did such things as these are gods,^ but assert
is excellent (Chrestian) is unjust. Again, if any of the accused deny the name, and say that he
i^ not a Christian, you acquit him, as having no evidence against him as a wrong-doer ; but if any one acknowledge that he is a Christian, you punish him on account of this acknowledgment.
that they are wicked and impious demons,^ whose actions will not bear comparison with those even of men desirous of virtue.
Justice requires that you inquire into the life both of him who confesses and of him who de-
CHAP. VI. CHARGE OF AniEISM REFLTTED.
nies, that by his deeds it may be apparent what kind of man each is. For as some who have been taught by the Master, Christ, not to deny Him, give encouragement to others when they
Hence are we called atheists. Anci we con-
fess that we are atheists, so far as gods of this
sort are concerned, but not with respect to the most true God, the Father of righteousness and temperance and the other virtues, who is free from all impurity. But both Him, and the Son (who came forth from Him and taught us these
are put to the question, so in all probability do those who lead wicked lives give occasion to
those who, without consideration, take upon them to accuse all the Christians of impiety and wickedness. And this also is not right. For of philosophy, too, some assume the name and the garb who do nothing worthy of their profession ; and you are well aware, that those of the an-
things, and the host of the other good angels who follow and are made like to Him),^ and the prophetic Spirit, we worship and adore, knowing them in reason and truth, and declaring without grudging to every one who wishes to learn, as we have been taught.
cients whose opinions and teachings were quite
CHAP. VII. — EACH CHRISTIAN MU.ST BE TRIED BY
diverse, are yet all called by the one name of
philosophers. And of these some taught atheism ; and the poets who have flourished among you raise a laugh out of the uncleanness of Jupi-
HIS OWN UFE.
But some one will say. Some have ere now been arrested and convicted as evil-doers. For
ter with his own children. And those who now adopt such instruction are not restrained by you ; but, on the contrary, you bestow prizes and hon-
' [t. Cor. X. 20. Milton's admirable economy in working this
truth into his great poem (i. 378) affords a sublime exposition of the mind of the Fathers on the origin of mythologies.]
ours upon those who euphoniously insult the gods.
2 The word Sainoiv means in Greek a god, but the Christians
CHAP. V. CHRISTIANS CHARGED WITH ATHEISM.
u.sed the word to .signify an evil spirit. Justin uses the same word here for god and demon. The connection which Justin and other Christian writers supposed to exist between evil spirits and the gods of the heathens will be apparent from Justin's own .statements. The word Sta^oAo?, devil, is not applied to these demons. There is but one devil, but many demons.
Why, then, should this be ? In our case, who pledge ourselves to do no wickedness, nor to hold these atheistic opinions, you do not examine the charges made against us ; but, yielding
3 This is the literal and obvious translation of Justin's words. But from c. 13, i6, and 61, it is evident that he did not desire to incul-
cate the worship of angels. We are therefore driven to adopt another
to unreasoning passion, and to the instigation of evil demons, you punish us without con-
translation of this passage, even though it be somewhat harsh. Two such translations have been proposed: the first connecting " us" and " the host of the other good angels" as the common object of the verb " taught; " the second connecting " these things" with " the host of,"
sideration or judgment. For the truth shall be spoken ; since of old these evil demons, effecting
etc., and making these two together the subject taught. In the first
case the translation would stand, " taught these things to us and to
apparitions of themselves, both defiled women and corrupted boys, and showed such fearful
the host," etc.; in the second ca.sc the translation would be, " taught
us about these things, and abfnit the host of the others who follow Him, viz. the good angels." (I have ventured to in.scrt parenthetic
sights to men, that those who did not use their reason in judging of the actions that were done,
marics in the text, an obvious and simple resource to suggest the
manifest intent of the author. Grabe's note in loc. giv;;s another and very ingenious exegesis, but the simplest is best.]
THE FIRST APOLOGY OF JUSTIN. 165
you condemn many, many a time, after inquiring
have formed and set in shrines and called gods
since we see that these are soulless and dead, and have not the form of God (for we do not consider that God has such a form as some say
into the life of each of the accused severally, but not on account of those of whom we have been speaking.' And this we acknowledge, that
as among the Greeks those who teach such theo-
that they imitate to His honour), but have the names and forms of those wicked demons which have appeared. For why need we tell you who already know, into what forms the craftsmen,5 carving and cutting, casting and hammering, fashion the materials? And often out of vessels of dislionour, by merely changing the form, and making an image of the requisite shape, they make what they call a god ; which we consider not only senseless, but to be even insulting to God, who, having ineffable glory and form, thus
ries as please themselves are all called by the one name " Philosopher," though their doctrines be diverse, so also among the Barbarians this name on which accusations are accumulated is
the common property of those who are and
those who seem wise. P'or all are called Chris-
tians. Wherefore we demand that the deeds of
all those who are accused to you be judged, in order that each one who is convicted may be punished as an evil-doer, and not as a Christian ; and if it is clear that any one is blameless, that he may be acquitted, since by the mere fact of
gets His name attached to things that are cor-
ruptible, and require constant service. And that the artificers of these are both intemperate, and, not to enter into particulars, are practised in every vice, you very well know ; even their own
his being a Christian he does no wrong.^ For we
will not require that you punish our accusers ; ^
they being sufficiently punished by their present wickedness and ignorance of what is right.
girls who work along with them they corrupt. What infatuation ! that dissolute men should be
CHAP. VIII. CHRISTIANS CONFESS THEIR FAITH IN
said to fashion and make gods for your worship, and that you should appoint such men the guard-
GOD. And reckon ye that it is for your sakes we have been saying these things ; for it is in our power, when we are examined, to deny that we
ians of the temples where they are enshrined
not recognising that it is unlawful even to think or say that men are the guardians of gods.
are Christians ; but we would not live by telling a lie. For, impelled by the desire of the eternal and pure life, we seek the abode that is with God, the Father and Creator of all, and hasten
CHAP. X. HOW GOD IS TO BE SERVED.
But we have received by tradition that God does not need the material offerings which men can give, seeing, indeed, that He Himself is the provider of all things. And we have been
to confess our faith, persuaded and convinced
as we are that they who have proved to God by their works that they followed Him, and loved to abide with Him where there is no sin
taught, and are convinced, and do believe, that He accepts those only who imitate the excellences which reside in Him, temperance, and
to cause disturbance, can obtain these things. This, then, to speak shortly, is what we expect and have learned from Christ, and teach. And
justice, and philanthropy, and as many virtues
as are peculiar to a God who is called by no proper name. And we have been taught that He in the beginning did of His goodness, for man's sake, create all things out of unformed matter ; and if men by their works show them-
Plato, in like manner, used to say that Rhadamanthus and Minos would punish the wicked who came before them ; and we say that the same thing will be done, but at the hand of
selves worthy of this His design, they are deemed worthy, and so we have received — of reigning
Christ, and upon the wicked in the same bodies united again to their spirits which are now to undergo everlasting punishment ; and not only,
in com])any with Him, being delivered from corruption and suffering. For as in the beginning He created us when we were not, so do we consider that, in like manner, those who choose what is pleasing to Him are, on account of their choice, deemed worthy of incorruption and of fellowship with Him. For the coming into being at first was not in our own power ; and in order that we may follow those things which please Him, choosing them by means of the
as Plato said, for a period of a thousand years. And if any one say that this is incredible or impossible, this error of ours is one which concerns ourselves only, and no other person, so long as you cannot convict us of doing any harm.
CHAP. IX. — FOLLY OF IDOL WORSHIP. And neither do we honour with many sacri-
fices and garlands of flowers such deities as men
rational faculties He has Himself endowed us
with, He both persuades us and leads us to faith. And we think it for the advantage of all men
' i.e., according to Otto, "not on account of the sincere Christians of whom wc have been speaking." According to Trollopc, " not on account of (or at the instigation oO the demons before mentioned."
that they are not restrained from learning these
^ Or, " as a Christian who has done no wrong." 3 Compare the Rescript of Adrian appended to this Apology. * Literally, " persuaded God."
S [Isa. xliv« 9-20; Jer. x. 3.]
1 66 THE FIRST APOLOGY OF JUSTIN.
things, but are even urged thereto. For the
able. But if you also, like the foolish, prefer custom to truth, do what you have power to do. But just so much power have rulers who esteem opinion more than truth, as robbers have in a
restraint which human laws could not effect, the Word, inasmuch as He is divine, would have
effected, had not the wicked demons, taking as
desert. And that you will not succeed is declared by the Word, than whom, after God who begat Him, we know there is no ruler more kingly and just. For as all shrink from succeeding to the poverty or sufferings or obscurity of
their ally the lust of wickedness which is in every man, and which draws variously to all manner of vice, scattered many false and profane accusations, none of which attach to us.
CHAP. XI. — WHAT KINGDOM CHRISTIANS LOOK FOR.
their fathers, so whatever the Word forbids us to choose, the sensible man will not choose. That
And when you hear that we look for a kingdom, you suppose, without making any inquiry,
all these things should come to pass, I say, our Teacher foretold. He who is both Son and Apos-
that we speak of a human kingdom ; whereas we speak of that which is with God, as appears
tle of God the Father of all and the Ruler, Jesus Christ ; from whom also we have the name of
also from the confession of their faith made by those who are charged with being Christians, though they know that death is the punishment awarded to him who so confesses. For if we looked for a human kingdom, we should also deny our Christ, that we might not be slain ; and we should strive to escape detection, that we might obtain what we expect. But since our thoughts are not fixed on the present, we are not concerned when men cut us off; since also death is a debt which must at all events be paid.
Christians. Whence we become more assured of all the things He taught us, since whatever He beforehand foretold should come to pass, is seen in fact coming to pass ; and this is the work of (jod, to tell of a thing before it hap-
pens, and as it was foretold so to show it happen-
ing. It were possible to pause here and add no more, reckoning that we demand what is just and true ; but because we are well aware that it
is not easy suddenly to change a mind possessed by ignorance, we intend to add a few things, for
CHAP. XII.— CHRISTIANS LIVE AS UNDER GOD'S EYE.
the sake of persuading those who love the truth, knowing that it is not impossible to put ignorance
And more than all other men are we your helpers and allies in promoting peace, seeing
to flight by presenting the truth.
CHAP. XIII. — CHRISTIANS SERVE GOD RATIONALLY.
that we hold this view, that if is alike impossible
for the wicked, the covetous, the conspirator, and for the virtuous, to escape the notice of God, and that each man goes to everlasting punishment or salvation according to the value of his
What sober-minded man, then, will, not acknowledge that we are not atheists, worshipping
as we do the Maker of this universe, and declar-
ing, as we have been taught, that He has no need
actions. For if all men knew this, no one would choose wickedness even for a little, knowing that he goes to the everlasting punishment of fire ; but would by all means restrain himself, and adorn himself with virtue, that he might ob-
of streams of blood and libations and incense
whom we praise to the utmost of our power by
the exercise of prayer and thanksgiving for all
things wherewith we are supplied, as we have been taught that the only honour that is worthy
tain the good gifts of God, and escape the punishments. For those who, on account of the laws and punishments you impose, endeavour to escape detection when they offend (and they
of Him is not to consume by fire what He has brought into being for our sustenance, but to use
it for ourselves and those who need, and with
gratitude to Him to offer thanks by invocations and hymns
offend, too, under the impression that it is quite
' for our creation, and for all the means
possible to escape your detection, since you are but men), those persons, if they learned and were convinced that nothing, whether actually done or only intended, can escape the knowledge of God, would by all means live decently on account of the penalties threatened, as even you yourselves will admit. But you seem to fear lest
of health, and for the various qualities of the
different kinds of things, and for the changes of
the seasons ; and to present before Him peti-
tions for our existing again in incorruption through faith in Him. Our teacher of these
things is Jesus Christ, who also was born for this
all men become righteous, and you no longer have any to punish. Such would be the concern of public executioners, but not of good princes.
purpose, and was crucified under Pontius Pilate,
procurator of Judoea, in the times of Tiberius
CcTesar ; and that we reasonably worship Him, having learned that He is the Son of the true
But, as we before said, we are persuaded that these things are prompted by evil spirits, who demand sacrifices and service even from those who live unreasonably ; but as for you, we presume that you who aim at [a reputation for]
I TTOMTa! Kol vfjivov;. "Grabe, and it should seem correctly, un-
derstands TTOiotTra? to be solemn firayers. . . . He also remarlcs,
that the ufiTOi were either psalms of David, or some of those psalms and songs made by the primitive Christians, wliich are mentioned in
piety and philosophy will do nothing unreason-
Eusebius, H. £., v. 28."—Trollope.
THE FIRST APOLOGY OF JUSTIN. 167
to be cast into everlasting fire." And, "Whosoever shall marry her that is divorced from another husband, committeth adultery." '* And, " There are some who have been made eunuchs of men, and some who were born eunuchs, and some who have made themselves eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven's sake ; but all cannot receive this saying." s So that all who, by human
God Himself, and holding Him in the second
place, and the prophetic Spirit in the third, we
will prove. For they proclaim our madness to
consist in this, that we give to a crucified man a
place second to the unchangeable and eternal God, the Creator of all ; for they do not discern
the mystery that is herein, to which, as we make
it plain to you, we pray you to give heed.
CHAP. XIV. — THE DEMONS MISREPRESENT CHRISTIAN DOCl'RINE.
law, are twice married,*^ are in the eye of our Master sinners, and those who look upon a woman to lust after her. For not only he who
in act commits adultery is rejected by Him, but
For we forewarn you to be on your guard, lest
those demons whom we have been accusing
also he who desires to commit adultery : since not only our works, but also our thoughts, are open before God. And many, both men and women, who have been Christ's disciples from childhood, remain pure at the age of sixty or seventy years ; and I boast that I could produce such from every race of men. For what shall I
should deceive you, and quite divert you from reading and understanding what we say. For
they strive to hold you their slaves and servants ; and sometimes by appearances in dreams, and sometimes by magical impositions, they subdue
all who make no strong opposing effort for their own salvation. And thus do we also, since our
say, too, of the countless multitude of those who have reformed intemperate habits, and learned these things ? For Christ called not the just nor the chaste to repentance, but the ungodly, and the licentious, and the unjust ; His words being, " I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance." 7 For the heavenly Father desires
persuasion by the Word, stand aloof from them
(i.e., the demons), and follow the only unbegot-
ten God through His Son — we who formerly de-
lighted in fornication, but now embrace chastity alone ; we who formerly used magical arts, dedi-
cate ourselves to the good and unbegotten God ; we who valued above all things the acquisition of wealth and possessions, now bring what we have
rather the repentance than the punishment of the sinner. And of our love to all. He taught thus : " If ye love them that love you, what new thing do ye ? for even fornicators do this. But
into a common stock, and communicate to every one in need ; we who hated and destroyed one another, and on account of their different man-
I say unto you. Pray for your enemies, and love them that hate you, and bless them that curse you, and pray for them that despitefully use you."
ners would not live ' with men of a different
tribe, now, since the coming of Christ, live famil-
** And that we should communicate to the needy, and do nothing for glory, He said, " Give
iarly with them, and pray for our enemies, and endeavour to persuade those who hate us unjustly
to him that asketh, and from him that would borrow turn not away ; for if ye lend to them ot whom ye hope to receive, what new thing do ye ? even the publicans do this. Lay not up for yourselves treasure upon earth, where moth and
to live comformably to the good precepts of
Christ, to the end that they may become par-
takers with us of the same joyful hope of a reward from God the ruler of all. But lest we should seem to be reasoning sophistically, we consider it right, before giving you the prom-
rust doth corrupt, and where robbers break through ; but lay up for yourselves treasure in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth cor-
ised ^ explanation, to cite a few precepts given by Christ Himself. And be it yours, as powerful
rupt. For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul ? or what shall a man give in exchange for it ? Lay up treasure, therefore, in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt." ^ And, " Be ye kind and merciful, as your Father also is kind and merciful, and maketh His sun to rise on sinners, and the righteous, and the wicked.
rulers, to inquire whether we have been taught and do teach these things truly. Brief and con-
cise utterances fell from Him, for He was no
sophist, but His word was the power of God.
CHAP. XV. — WHAT CHRIST HIMSELF TAUGHT.
Concerning chastity. He uttered such sentiments as these : ^ " Whosoever looketh upon a woman to lust after her, hath committed adul-
tery with her already in his heart before God." And, " If thy right eye offend thee, cut it out
* Matt. V. 28, 29, 32. s Matt. XIX. 12.
b Siya/iiia? 77oioii|iiei'oi, lit. contracting a double marriage. Of double marriages there are three kinds: the first, marriage with a second wife while the first is still alive and recognised as a lawful wife, or bigamy, the second, marn.iye with a second wife after divorce from the first, and third, marriage with a second wife after the death of the first. It is thought tli.it Justin here refers to the second
for it is better for thee to enter into the kingdom of heaven with one eye, than, having two eyes,
' Literally, " would not use the same hearth or fire." ' Sec the cntl of c:h;n). xii. 3 The reader will notice that Justin quotes from memory, so that there are some sliyht discrepancies between the words of Jesus as here cited, and the same sayings as recorded in our Gospels,
ca.se
7 Matt ix. 13. 8 Matt V. 46,44; Luke vi. 28, 9 Luke vi. 30, 34, Matt, vi 19, xvi. 26, vi. 20.
1 68 THE FIRST APOLOGY OF JUSTIN.
Christ ; for not those who make profession, but those who do the works, shall be saved, according to His word : " Not every one who saith to Me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven, but he that doeth the will of My Father which is in heaven. For whosoever heareth Me, and doeth My sayings, heareth Him that sent Me. And many will say unto Me, Lord, Lord, have we not eaten and drunk in Thy name, and done wonders? And then will I say unto them, Depart from Me, ye workers of iniquity. Then
Take no thought what ye shall eat, or what ye
shall i)ut on : are ye not better than the birds and
the beasts? And (iod feedeth them. Take no
thought, therefore, what ye shall eat, or what ye
shall put on ; for your heavenly Father knoweth
that ye have need of these things. But seek ye
the kingdom of heaven, and all these things
shall be added unto you. For where his treasure
is, there also is the mind of a man." ' And, " Do not these things to be seen of men ; otherwise ye have no reward from your Father which
shall there be wailing and gnashing of teeth, when the righteous shall shine as the sun, and the wicked are sent into everlasting fire. For many shall come in My name, clothed outwardly
is in heaven." ^
CHAP. XVI. — CONCERNING PATIENCE AND SWEAR-
ING. And concerning our being patient of injuries, and ready to serve all, and free from anger, this
in sheep's clothing, but inwardly being ravening wolves. By their works ye shall know them. And every tree that bringeth not forth good
is what He said : "To him that smiteth thee on
fruit, is hewn down and cast into the fire." ^ And as to those who are not living pursuant to these His teachings, and are Christians only in name, we demand that all such be punished by you.
the one cheek, offer also the other ; and him that
taketh away thy cloak or coat, forbid not. And whosoever shall be angry, is in danger of the
fire. And every one that compelleth thee to go with him a mile, follow him two. And let your good works shine before men, that they, seeing them, may glorify your Father which is in heaven." ^ For we ought not to strive ; neither has He desired us to be imitators of wicked men, but He has exhorted us to lead all men, by patience and gentleness, from shame and the
CHAP. XVII. CHRIST TAUGHT CIVIL OBEDIENCE. And everywhere we, more readily than all men, endeavour to pay to those appointed by you the taxes both ordinary and extraordinary,^
as we have been taught by Him ; for at that time some came to Him and asked Him, if one ought to pay tribute to Caesar ; and He answered, "Tell Me, whose image does the coin bear?" And they said, " Caesar's." And again He answered them, " Render therefore to Caesar
love of evil. And this indeed is proved in the case of many who once were of your way of
thinking, but have changed their violent and
tyrannical disposition, being overcome either by
the constancy which they have witnessed in their neighbours' lives,-* or by the extraordinary forbearance they have observed in their fellow-travellers when defrauded, or by the honesty of those with whom they have transacted business.
the things that are Caesar's, and to God the
things that are God's." '° Whence to God alone we render worship, but in other things we gladly
serve you, acknowledging you as kings and
And with regard to our not swearing at all, and always speaking the truth, He enjoined as follows : " Swear not at all ; but let your yea be
rulers of men, and praying that with your kingly power you be found to possess also sound judgment. But if you pay no regard to our prayers and frank explanations, we shall suffer no loss,
yea, and your nay, nay ; for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil." ^ And that we ought
since we believe (or rather, indeed, are persuaded) that every man will suffer punishment in
to worship God alone. He thus persuaded us : " The greatest commandment is. Thou shalt wor-
eternal fire according to the merit of his deed, and will render account according to the power he has received from God, as Christ intimated when He said, " To whom God has given more,
ship the Lord thy God, and Him only shalt thou
serve, with all thy heart, and with all thy strength,
the Lord God that made thee." ^ And when a
of him shall more be required." "
certain man came to Him and said, " Good Master," He answered and said, " There is none good but God only, who made all things." ^ And let those who are not found living as He
CHAP. XVIII. — PROOF OF IMMORTALITY AND THE RESURRECTION.
For reflect upon the end of each of the preceding kings, how they died the death common
taught, be understood to be no Christians, even though they profess with the lip the precepts of
to all, which, if it issued in insensibility, would
* Luke vi. 36; Matt. v. 45, vi. 25, 26, 33, 21. 2 Matt. vi. I. 3 Luke vi. 29; Matt. vi. 22, 41, 16.
8 Matt. vii. 21, etc.; Luke xiii. 26; Matt. xiii. 42, vii. 15, 16, 19.
9 <(>opou? Ka\ eicr(/)opas. The former i.'; the annual tribute; the
latter, any occasional assessment. See Otto's Note, and Thucyd. iii.
i e., Christian neighbours.
5 Matt. V. 34, 27. 6 Mark xii. 30. 1 Matt. xix. 6, 17.
'° Matt. xxu. 17, 19, 20, 21. " Luke xii. 48.
THE FIRST APOLOGY OF JUSTIN. 169
will dare to deny [that such a statement would surpass belief]. In the same way, then, you are now incredulous because you have never seen a dead man rise again. But as at first you would not have believed it possible that such persons could be produced from the small drop, and yet now you see them thus produced, so also judge ye that it is not impossible that the bodies of men, after they have been dissolved, and like seeds resolved into earth, should in God's appointed time rise again and put on incorruption. For what power worthy of God those imagine who say, that each thing returns to that from which it was produced, and that beyond this not even God Himself can do anything, we are unable to conceive ; but this we see clearly, that they would not have believed it possible that they could have become such and produced from such materials, as they now see both themselves and the whole world to be. And that it is better
be a godsend ' to all the wicked. But since
sensation remains to all who have ever lived, and eternal punishment is laid up (i.e., for the wicked), see that ye neglect not to be convinced, and to hold as your belief, that these things are
true. P"or let even necromancy, and the divina-
tions you practise by immaculate children,^ and
the evoking of departed human souls,^ and those who are called among the magi. Dream-senders and Assistant-spirits (Familiars), '^ and all that
is done by those who are skilled in such matters — let these persuade you that even after death
souls are in a state of sensation ; and those who
are seized and cast about by the spirits of the dead, whom all call doemoniacs or madmen ; 5
and what you repute as oracles, both of Amphilochus, Dodana, Pytho, and as many other such
as exist ; and the opinions of your authors, Empedocles and Pythagoras, Plato and Socrates, and the pit of Horner,'^ and the descent of Ulysses to inspect these things, and all that has been uttered of a like kind. Such favour as you grant to these, grant also to us, who not less but more firmly than they believe in God ; since we expect to receive again our own bodies, though they be dead and cast into the earth, for we maintain that with God nothing is impossible.
to believe even what is impossible to our own nature and to men, than to be unbelieving like the rest of the world, we have learned ; for we know that our Master Jesus Christ said, that " what is impossible with men is possible with God," ^ and, *' Fear not them that kill you, and
after that can do no more ; but fear Him who
after dcatli is able to cast both soul and body
CHAP. XIX. THE RESURRECTION POSSIBLE. And to any thoughtful person would anything appear more incredible, than, if we were not in the body, and some one were to say that it was
into hell."^ And hell is a place where those
are to be punished who have lived wickedly, and who do not believe that those things which God has taught us by Christ will come to pass.
possible that from a small drop of human seed bones and sinews and flesh be formed into a shape such as we see ? For let this now be said hypothetically : if you yourselves were not such
CHAP. XX. HEATHEN ANALOGIES TO CHRISTLAN DOCTRINE. And the Sibyl "^ and Hystaspes said that there should be a dissolution by God of things corrupt-
as you now are, and born of such parents [and causes], and one were to show you human seed and a picture of a man, and were to say with confidence that from such a substance such a being could be produced, would you believe be-
ible. And the philosophers called Stoics teach
that even God Himself shall be resolved into
fire, and they say that the world is to be formed anew by this revolution ; but we understand that God, the Creator of all things, is superior to the things that are to be changed. If, therefore, on some points we teach the same things as the poets and philosophers whom you honour, and on other points are fuller and more divine in our teaching, and if we alone afford proof of what we
fore you saw the actual production? No one
1 epixaiov, a piece of unlooked-for luck, Hermes being the reputed giver of such gifts: tiU. Liddell and Scott's Lex.; see also the Scholiast, quoted by Stallbaum in Plato's Phaed., p. 107, on a passage singularly analogous to this.
2 Hoys and girls, or even children prematurely taken from the womb, were slaughtered, and their entrails inspected, in the belief that the souls of the victims (being still conscious, as Justin is arguing) would reveal things hidden and future. Instances are abundantly cited by Otto and Trollope.
assert, why are we unjustly hated more than all others? For while we say that all things have been produced and arranged into a world by God, we shall seem to utter the doctrine of
3 This form of spirit-rapping was familiar to the ancients, and Justin again {Dial. c. Trypk., c. los) uses the invocation of Samuel by the witch of Endor as a proof of the immortality of the soul.
< Valesius (on Euseb. H. E., iv. 7) states that the magi had two kinds of familiars: the first, who were sent to inspire men with dreams which might give them intimations of things future; and the second, who were sent to watch over men, and protect them from diseases and misfortunes. The first, he says, they called (as here)
7 Matt. xix. 26.
8 Matt. X. 28. 9 The Sibylline Oracles are now generally regarded as heathen fragments largely interpolated by unscrupulous men during the early ages of the Chtirch. For an interesting .account of these somewhat perplexing documents, see Burton's Lectures on the Ecclesiastical History of the First Three Centuries, Lect. xvii. The prophecies of Hystaspes were also commonly appealed to as genuine by the early Christians [See (on the Sibyls and Justin M.) Casaubon, Exercitntiones. pp. 65 and 80. This work is a most learned and diversified thesaurus, in the form of strictures on Card. Barooius. Geneva, 1663.]
oi^etpoTTOuTTOu?, antl the second 7rape6pou9,
5 Justin is not the only author in ancient or recent times who has classed dxmoniacs and maniacs together; neither does he standalone among the ancients in the opinion that dxmoniacs were possessed by the spirits of departed men. References will be found in Trollope's note. [See this matter more fully illustrated in Kaye's Justin Mar-
O"") IJP105-111.]
^ See the Odyssey, book xi. line 25, where Ulysses is described as digging a pit or trench with his sword, and pouung libations, in order to collect around him the souls of the dead.
I/O THE FIRST APOLOGY OF JUSTIN.
and those many women whom he had violated, and that his sons did like actions. But, as we said above, wicked devils i)crpetratcd these things. And we have learned that those only are deified who have lived near to God in holiness and virtue ; and we believe that those who
Plato ; and while we say that there will be a burning up of all, we shall seem to utter the
doctrine of the Stoics : and while we affirm that
the souls of the wicked, being endowed with
sensation even after death, are punished, and
that those of the good being delivered from
l^unishtuent spend a blessed existence, we shall seem to say the same things as the poets and philosophers ; and while we maintain that men ought not to worship the works of their hands, we say the very things which have been said by
live wickedly and do not repent are punished in everlasting fire.
CHAP. XXII. ANALOGIES TO THE SONSHIP OF CHRIST.
Moreover, the Son of God called Jesus, even
the comic poet Menander, and other similar
if only a man by ordinary generation, yet, on account of His wisdom, is worthy to be called the Son of God ; for all writers call God the Father of men and gods. And if we assert that the Word of God was born of God in a peculiar manner, different from ordinary generation, let
writers, for they have declared that the workman
is greater than the work.
CHAP. XXI. ANALOGIES TO THE HISTORY OF CHRIST. And when we say also that the Word, who is
the first-birth ' of God, was produced without sexual union, and that He, Jesus Christ, our Teacher, was crucified and died, and rose again, and ascended into heaven, we propound nothing
this, as said above, be no extraordinary thing to you, who say that Mercury is the angelic word of God. But if any one objects that He was
crucified, in this also He is on a par with those reputed sons of Jupiter of yours, who suffered as we have now enumerated. For their sufferings
different from what you believe regarding those whom you esteem sons of Jupiter. For you know how many sons your esteemed writers ascribed to Jupiter : Mercury, the interpreting word and teacher of all ; ^sculapius, who, though he was a great physician, was struck by a thunder-
at death are recorded to have been not all alike, but diverse ; so that not even by the peculiarity of His sufferings does He seem to be inferior to them ; but, on the contrary, as we promised in the preceding part of this discourse, we will now prove Him superior— or rather have already proved Him to be so— for the superior is revealed by His actions. And if we even affirm
bolt, and so ascended to heaven ; and Bacchus
too, after he had been torn limb from limb ; and Hercules, when he had committed himself to the flames to escape his toils ; and the sons of Leda, and Dioscuri ; and Perseus, son of Danae ; and Bellerophon, who, though sprung from mortals,
that He was born of a virgin, accept this in common with what you accept of Perseus. And in
that we say that He made whole the lame, the
rose to heaven on the horse Pegasus. For what
paralytic, and those born blind, we seem to say what is very similar to the deeds said to have been done by .'Esculapius.
shall I say of Ariadne, and those who, like her, have been declared to be set among the stars? And what of the emperors who die among your-
selves, whom you deem worthy of deification, and in whose behalf you produce some one who swears he has seen the burning Caesar rise to heaven from the funeral pyre? And what kind of deeds are recorded of each of these reputed sons of Jupiter, it is needless to tell to those who already know. This only shall be said, that they
CHAP. XXIII. THE ARGUMENT. And that this may now become evident to you — (firstly^) that whatever we assert in conformity with what has been taught us by Christ, and by the prophets who preceded Him, are alone true, and are older than all the writers who have existed ; that we claim to be acknowledged, not because we say the same things as
are written for the advantage and encouragement^ of youthful scholars ; for all reckon it an honour-
these writers said, but because we say true
able thing to imitate the gods. But far be such a thought concerning the gods from every wellconditioned soul, as to believe that Jupiter him-
things : and (secondly) that Jesus Christ is the
only proper Son who has been begotten by God, being His Word and first-begotten, and power ; and, becoming man according to His will. He
self, the governor and creator of all things, was both a parricide and the son of a parricide, and
that being overcome by the love of base and shameful pleasures, he came in to Ganymede
3 The Benedictine editor. Maranus, Otto, and Trollope, here note
that Justin in this chapter promises to make good three distinct posi-
tions: ist, That Christian doctrines alone are true, and are to be re-
ceived, not on account of their resemblance to the sentiments of poets or philosophers, but on their own account; 2d, that Jesus Christ is
i.e., first-born.
2 &ia<t>opai' <cai TrpoTpOTriji/. The irony here is so obvious as to make the proposed reading (Siaifrflopai' xal TraparpoTriji', corruption and depravation) unnecessary. Otto prefers the reading adopted above. 'I'rollope, on the other hand, inclines to the latter reading, mainly on the score of the former expressions being unusual. See his very sensible note in loc.
the incarnate Son of God, and our teacher; 3d, that before His incar-
nation, the demons, having some knowledge of what He would accomplish, enabled the heathen poets and priests in some points to
anticipate, though in a distorted form, the facts of the incarnation. The first he establishes in chap, xxiv-xxix.; the second in chap
xxx.-liii. ; and the third in chap. liv. et sq.
THE FIRST APOLOGY OF JUSTIN. 171
taught us these things for tlie conversion and
this account 3 that her son Achilles should destroy many of the Greeks because of his concubine Briseis. Those who believe these things we pity, and those who invented them we know
restoration of the human race : and (thirdly)
that before He became a man among men,
some, influenced by the demons before men-
to be devils.
tioned, related beforehand, through the instrumentahty of the poets, those circumstances as
CHAP. XXVI. MAGICIANS NOT TRUSTED BY CHRIS-
having really happened, which, having fictitiously
TIANS.
devised, they narrated, in the same manner as
And, thirdly, because after Christ's ascension
they have caused to be fabricated the scandal-
into heaven the devils put forward certain men who said that they themselves were gods ; and they were not only not persecuted Ijy you, but even deemed worthy of honours. There was a Samaritan, Simon, a native of the village called
ous reports against us of infamous and impious
actions,' of which there is neither witness nor
proof— we shall bring forward the following
proof.
CHAP. XXIV. VARIETIES OF HEATHEN WORSHIP.
Gitto, who in the reign of Claudius Caesar, and
in your royal city of Rome, did mighty acts of magic, by virtue of the art of the devils operating in him. He was considered a god, and as a god was honoured by you with a statue, which
In the first place [we furnish proof], because, though we say things similar to what the Greeks
say, we only are hated on account of the name
of Christ, and though we do no wrong, are put
to death as sinners ; other men in other places worshipping trees and rivers, and mice and cats and crocodiles, and many irrational animals. Nor are the same animals esteemed by all ; but
statue was erected on the river Tiber, between
the two bridges, and bore this inscription, in the language of Rome : —
" Simoni Deo Sancto," * "To Simon the holy God." And almost all the Samaritans, and a few even of other nations, worship him, and acknowledge him as the first god ; and a woman, Helena, who went about with him at that time, and had formerly been a prostitute, they say is the first idea generated by him. And a man. Meander, also a Samaritan, of the town Capparetaea, a disciple of Simon, and inspired by devils, we know to have deceived many while he was in Antioch by
in one place one is worshipped, and another in
another, so that all are profane in the judgment of one another, on account of their not worshipping the same objects. And this is the sole accusation you bring against us, that we do not reverence the same gods as you do, nor offer to
the dead libations and the savour of fat, and crowns for their statues,^ and sacrifices. For you very well know that the same animals are with some esteemed gods, with others wild
beasts, and with others sacrificial victims.
his magical art. He persuaded those who adhered to him that they should never die, and even now there are some living who hold this opinion of his. And there is Marcion, a man of Pontus, who is even at this day alive, and teaching his disciples to believe in some other god greater than the Oeator. And he, by the aid of the devils, has caused many of every nation
CHAP. XXV. — FALSE GODS ABANDONED BY CHRIS-
TIANS.
And, secondly, because we — who, out of every race of men, used to worship Bacchus the son of Semele, and Apollo the son of Latona (who in their loves with men did such things as
it is shameful even to mention), and Proserpine and Venus (who were maddened with love of Adonis, and whose mysteries also you cele
to speak blasphemies, and to deny that God is
the maker of this universe, and to assert that some other being, greater than He, has done greater works. All who take their opinions from these men, are, as we before said, 5 called Chris-
brate), or ^sculapius, or some one or other of those who are called gods— have now, through
Jesus Christ, learned to despise these, though we be threatened with death for it, and have dedicated ourselves to the unbegotten and im-
tians ; just as also those who do not agree with
3 i.e., on account of the assistance gained for him by Thetis, and
passible God ; of whom we are persuaded that never was he goaded by lust of Antiope, or such other women, or of Ganymede, nor was rescued by that hvmdred-handcd giant whose aid was obtained through Thetis, nor was anxious on
in return for it. • It is very generally supposed that Justin was mistaken in understanding this to have been a statue erected to Simon Magus. This supposition rests on the fact that in the year 1574 there was dug up
in the island of the Tiber a fragment of marble, with the inscription " Setnoni Sanco Deo," etc., being probably the base of a statue erected to the Sabine deity Semo Sancus. This inscription Justin is supposed to have mistaken for the one he gives above. This has always seemed to us very slight evidence on which to reject so pre-
cise a statement as Justm here makes; a statement which he would scarcely have hazarded in an apology addressed to Rome, where every person had the means of ascertaining its accuracy. If, as is supposed, he made a mistake, it must have been at once exposed, and other writers would not have so frequently repeated the storj' as they have done. See Burton's Baiiiptoii Lectures, p. 374. [See Note
' We h.ive here followed the rendin? and rendering of Trollope. [Kilt see reading of Langus, and Grabe's note, in the edition already cited, I. 46.]
^ ev yi)a(l>ai^ (TTe<j>avov<;. The only conjectnrc which seems at
all probable is that of the Benedictine editor followed here. [Grabe
in Grabe (i. 51), and also mine, at end.]
alter Salmasius reads «i' pa^ais and quotes Martial, SuOYii afiie/ur rosa criniius. Translate, " patch-work garlands."]
S See chap. vii.
172 THE FIRST APOLOGY OF JUSTIN.
is His regard for the human race. For He foreknows that some are to be saved by repentance, some even that are perhaps not yet born.-» \t\ the beginning He made the human race with the power of thought and of choosing the truth and doing right, so that all men are without excuse before God ; for they have been born rational and contemplative. And if any one disbelieves
the philosophers in their doctrines, have yet in common with them the name of philosophers given to them. And whether they perpetrate those fabulous and shameful deeds ' — the up-
setting of the lamp, and promiscuous intercourse, and eating human flesh — we know not ; but we do know that they are neither jjersecuted nor put to death by you, at least on account of their opinions. But I have a treatise against all the heresies that have existed already composed, which, if you wish to read it, I will give you.
that God cares for these things,5 he will thereby
either insinuate that (iod does not exist, or he
will assert that though He exists He delights in
CHAP. XXVII. — GUILT OF EXPOSING CHILDREN.
vice, or exists like a stone, and that neither
virtue nor vice are anything, but only in the opinion of men these things are reckoned good or evil. And this is the greatest profanity and wickedness.
But as for us, we have been taught that to expose newly-born children is the part of wicked men ; and this we have been taught lest we should do any one an injury, and lest we should
CHAP. XXIX. CONTINENCE OF CHRISTIANS. And again [we fear to expose children], lest some of them be not ])icked up, but die, and we become murderers. But whether we marry, it is only that we may bring up children ; or whether we decline marriage, we live continently. And
sin against God, first, because we see that almost
all so exposed (not only the girls, but also the males) are brought up to prostitution. And as the ancients are said to have reared herds of oxen, or goats, or sheep, or grazing horses, so now we see you rear children only for this shameful use ; and for this pollution a multitude of females and hermaphrodites, and those who commit unmentionable inicjuities, are found in every nation. And you receive the hire of these, and duty and
that you may understand that promiscuous intercourse is not one of our mysteries, one of our number a short time ago presented to Felix the governor in Alexandria a petition, craving that permission might be given to a surgeon to make him an eunuch. For the surgeons there said that they were forbidden to do this without the permis-
taxes from them, whom you ought to exterminate from )'our realm. And any one who uses such persons, besides the godless and infamous and impure intercourse, may possibly be having
sion of the governor. And when Felix absolutely refused to sign such a permission, the youth remained single, and was satisfied with his own approving conscience, and the approval of those who thought as he did. And it is not out of
intercourse with his own child, or relative, or
brother. And there are some who prostitute even their own children and wives, and some are openly mutilated for the pm-pose of sodomy
place, we think, to mention here Antinous, who was alive but lately, and whom all were prompt, through fear, to worship as a god, though they knew both who he wa.s and what was his origin.^
and they refer these mysteries to the mother of the gods, and along with each of those whom you esteem gods there is painted a serpent,' a
great symbol and mystery. Indeed, the things ^
which you do openly and with applause, as if the divine 'light were overturned and extinguished, these you lay to our charge ; which, in
CHAP. XXX. WAS CHRIST NOT A JNIAGICIAN ?
But lest any one should meet us with the ques-
tion. What should prevent that He whom we call
truth, does no harm to us who shrink from doing any such things, but only to those who do them and bear false witness against us.
Christ, being a man born of men, performed what we call His mighty works by magical art, and by this appeared to be the Son of God ? we
CHAP. XXVIII. god's care FOR MEN.
will now offer proof, not trusting mere assertions,
but being of necessity persuaded by those who prophesied [of Him] before these things came
For among us the prince of the wicked spirits
is called the serpent, and Satan, and the devil, as you can learn by looking into our writings. And
to pass, for with our own eyes we behold things
that have happened and are happening just as
that he would be sent into the fire with his host, and the men who follow him, and would be punished for an endless duration, Christ foretold. For the reason why God has delayed to do this,
Literally, " For He foreknows some about to be saved by repent-
ance, and some not yet perhaps born."
5 Those things which concern the salvation of man; so Trollope and the other interpreters, except Otto, who reads TovToir mascu-
line, and understands it of the men first spoken of. [See Plato (/-V
' Which were commonly charged against the Christians.
Legibits, opp. ix. p. 98, Bipont., 1786), and the valuable edition of Hook X. by Professor Tayler Lewis (p. 52. etc.). New Vork, 1845.]
^ Thirlby remarks that the serpent was the symbol specially of eternity, of power, and of wisdom, and that there was scarcely any divine attribute to which the heathen did not find some likeness in