Justin-martyr-second-apology
THE SECOND APOLOGY OF JUSTIN
FOR THE CHRISTIANS.
ADDRESSED TO THE ROMAN SENATE.
husband likewise to be temperate, citing the teaching of Christ, and assuring him that there
CHAP. I. INTRODUCTION.
Romans, the things which have recently happened in your city under Urbicus,^ and the
shall be punishment in eternal fire inflicted upon those who do not live temperately and conformably to right reason. But he, continu-
things which are hkewise being everywhere unreasonably done by the governors, have compelled me to frame this composition for your sakes, who are men of like passions, and brethren, though ye know it not, and though ye be unwilling to acknowledge it on account of your glorying in what you esteem dignities.^ For everywhere, whoever is corrected by father, or neighbour, or child, or friend, or brother, or husband, or wife, for a fault, for being hard
ing in the same excesses, alienated his wife from him by his actions. For she, considering it wicked to live any longer as a wife with a husband who sought in every way means of indulging in pleasure contrary to the law of nature, and in violation of what is right, wished to be divorced from him. And when she was overpersuaded by her friends, who advised her still
to continue with him, in the idea that some
to move, for loving pleasure and being hard to urge to what is right (except those who have been persuaded that the unjust and intemperate
time or other her husband might give hope of amendment, she did violence to her own feeling and remained with him. But when her husband had gone into Alexandria, and was reported
shall be punished in eternal fire, but that the
virtuous and those who lived like Christ shall dwell with God in a state that is free from suf-
to be conducting himself worse than ever, she — that she might not, by continuing in matrimonial connection with him, and by sharing his
fering, — we mean, those who have become
Christians), and the evil demons, who hate us, and who keep such men as these subject to themselves, and serving them in the capacity of
table and his bed, become a partaker also in his wickednesses and impieties— gave him what you
call a bill of divorce, 5 and was separated from
him. But this noble husband of hers, — while he ought to have been rejoicing that those actions which formerly she unhesitatingly committed
judges, incite them, as rulers actuated by evil
spirits, to put us to death. But that the cause of all that has taken place under Urbicus may become quite plain to you, I will relate what has been done.
with the servants and hirelings, when she dehghted in drunkenness and every vice, she had now given up, and desired that he too should
CHAP. II. — URBICUS CONDEMNS THE CHRISTIANS TO DEATH. A certain woman lived with an intemperate
give up the same,— when she had gone from him without his desire, brought an accusation
against her, affirming that she was a Christian. And she presented a paper to thee, the Em-
husband ; she herself, too, having formerly been intemperate. But when she came to the knowledge of the teachings of Christ she became sober-minded, and endeavoured to persuade her
peror,''' requesting that first she be permitted to
arrange her affairs, and afterwards to make her
defence against the accusation, when her affairs were set in order. And this you granted. And
' Literally, " both yesterday and the day before." 2 [See Grabe's note on the conjecture of Valesius that this pre-
fect was Lollius Urbicus, the historian (vol. i. p. i, and notes, p. i).]
3 [He has addressed them as " Romans," because in this they gloried together, — emperor, senate, soldiers, and citizens.]
5 pe7rou5ioi', i.e., " repudium," a bill of repudiation.
6 [Rather, " to thee, autocrat:" a very bold apostrophe, like that
of Huss to the Emperor Sigisraund, which crimsoned his forehead with
< aKoAao-Taii'oi'Ti, which word includes unchastity, as well as the other forms of intemperance. [As we say, dissolute.]
a blush of shame.]
i88
THE SECOND APOLOGY OF JUSTIN. 189
her qtiondam husband, since he was now no
does not understand, saying that the Christians
are atheists and impious, and doing so to win favour with the dehided mob, and to please them. For if he assails us without having read
longer able to prosecute her, directed his as-
saults against a man, Ptolemseus, whom Urbicus
punished, and who had been her teacher in the
Christian doctrines. And this he did in the
following way. He persuaded a centurion— who had cast Ptolemseus into prison, and who was friendly to himself— to take Ptolemseus and interrogate him on this sole point : whether he were a Christian? And PtolemcXus, being a
the teachings of Christ, he is thoroughly depraved, and far worse than the illiterate, who
often refrain from discussing or bearing false
witness about matters they do not understand. Or, if he has read them and does not understand
the majesty that is in them, or, understanding it,
acts thus that he may not be suspected of being such [a Christian], he is far more base and thoroughly depraved, being conquered by illib-
lover of truth, and not of a deceitful or false
disposition, when he confessed himself to be a
Christian, was bound by the centurion, and for a long time punished in the prison. And, at
eral and unreasonable opinion and fear. For I would have you to know that I proposed to him
last, when the man ' came to Urbicus, he was asked this one question only : whether he was a Christian? And again, being conscious of his
certain questions on this subject, and interrogated him, and found most convincingly that
he, in truth, knows nothing. And to prove that
duty, and the nobility of it through the teaching of Christ, he confessed his discipleship in the divine virtue. For he who denies anything,
I speak the truth, I am ready, if these disputa-
tions have not been reported to you, to conduct them again in your presence. And this would be an act worthy of a prince. But if my ques-
either denies it because he condemns the thing
itself, or he shrinks from confession because he
tions and his answers have been made known to
is conscious of his own unworthiness or aliena-
tion from it ; neither of which cases is that of the true Christian. And when Urbicus ordered him to be led away to punishment, one Lucius, who was also himself a Christian, seeing the unreasonable judgment that had thus been given,
you, you are already aware that he is acquainted with none of our matters ; or, if he is acquainted with them, but, through fear of those who might hear him, does not dare to speak out, like Soc-
rates, he proves himself, as I said before, no philosopher, but an opionative man ; * at least he does not regard that Socratic and most admi-
said to Urbicus : " What is the ground of this judgment? Why have you punished this man, not as an adulterer, nor fornicator, nor murderer, nor thief, nor robber, nor convicted of any crime
rable saying : " But a man must in no wise be honoured before the truth." 5 But it is impos-
at all, but who has only confessed that he is called by the name of Christian? This judgment of yours, O Urbicus, does not become the Emperor Pius, nor the philosopher, the son of
sible for a Cynic, who makes indifference his end, to know any good but indifference.
CH.AP. IV. — WHY THE CHRISTLANS DO NOT KILL THEMSELVES,
Caesar, nor the sacred senate." ^ And he said nothing else in answer to Lucius than this : " You
But lest some one say to us, " Go then all of you and kill yourselves, and pass even now to God, and do not trouble us," I will tell you why we do not so, but why, when examined, we fear-
also seem to me to be such an one." And when Lucius answered, " Most certainly I am," he again ordered him also to be led away. And he professed his thanks, knowing that he was delivered from such wicked rulers, and was going to the Father and King of the heavens. And still a third having come forward, was condemned to be punished.
lessly confess. "\\'e have been taught that God did not make the world aimlessly, but for the sake of the human race ; and we have before
stated that He takes pleasure in those who imi-
tate His properties, and is displeased with those
that embrace what is worthless either in word or deed. If, then, we all kill ourselves, we shall become the cause, as far as in us lies, why no one should be born, or instructed in the divine
CHAP. III. JUSTIN ACCUSES CRESCENS OF IGNORANT PREJUDICE AGAINST THE CHRISTUNS.
I too, therefore, expect to be plotted against and fixed to the stake, by some of those I have named, or perhaps by Crescens, that lover of bravado and boasting ; 3 for the man is not worthy of the name of philosopher who ]niblicly bears witness against us in matters wliich he
doctrines, or even why the human race should not exist ; and we shall, if we so act, be ourselves
acting in opposition to the will of (}od. But when we are examined, we make no denial, because we are not conscious of any evil, but count
it impious not to speak the truth in all things, which also we know is pleasing to God, and be-
' i e , Ptolemseus.
^ 0\\ tliis passage, see Donaldson's Critical History, etc., vol.
ii. p. 79.
' Words resembling " philosopher" in sound, viz. ^i\o'\i6^ov ical
4 <j)iAo6o|o<, which m.iy mean a lover of vainglory.
<l>i.\oKoiiiTov. [This passage is found elsewhere. Sec note, cap. viii.,
ill ihc text preferred by Grabe.l
5 See Plato, /^e/., p. 595.
IQO THE SECOND APOLOGY OF JUSTIN.
as man and Saviour, has also significance. For He was made man also, as we before said, having been conceived according to the will of God the Father, for the sake of believing men, and
cause we are also now very desirous to deliver you from an unjust prejudice.
CHAP. V. — HOW THE ANGELS TRANSGRESSED.
for the destruction of the demons. And now you can learn this from what is under your own observation. For numberless demoniacs throughout the whole world, and in your city, many of our Christian men exorcising them in the name of Jesus Christ, who was crucified under Pontius Pilate, have healed and do heal, rendering helpless and driving the possessing
But if this idea take possession of some one,
that if we acknowledge God as our helper, we should not, as we say, be oppressed and persecuted by the wicked ; this, too, I will solve. God, when He had made the whole world, and subjected things earthly to man, and arranged the heavenly elements for the increase of fruits and rotation of the seasons, and appointed this divine law— for these things also He evidently made for man — committed the care of men and of all things under heaven to angels whom He appointed over them. But the angels transgressed this appointment, and were captivated by love of women, and begat children who are those that are called demons ; and besides, they afterwards subdued the human race to them-
devils out of the men, though they could not be cured by all the other exorcists, and those who used incantations and drugs.
CHAP. VII. THE WORLD PRESERVED FOR THE SAKE OF CHRISTIANS. MAN'S RESPONSIBILITY.
Wherefore God delays causing the confusion and destruction of the whole world, by which the wicked angels and demons and men shall cease to exist, because of the seed of the Chris-
selves, partly by magical writings, and partly by
fears and the punishments they occasioned, and
tians, who know that they are the cause of preservation in nature.' Since, if it were not so,
partly by teaching them to offer sacrifices, and incense, and libations, of which things they stood in need after they were enslaved by lust-
it would not have been possible for you to do these things, and to be impelled by evil spirits
ful passions ; and among men they sowed mur-
but the fire of judgment would descend and
ders, wars, adulteries, intemperate deeds, and
all wickedness. Whence also the poets and mythologists, not knowing that it was the angels and those demons who ha-d been begotten by them that did these things to men, and women, and cities, and nations, which they related, ascribed them to god himself, and to those who were accounted to be his very offspring, and
utterly dissolve all things, even as formerly the flood left no one but him only with his family who is by us called Noah, and by you Deucalion, from whom again such vast numbers have sprung, some of them evil and others good. For so we
say that there will be the conflagration, but not
as the Stoics, according to their doctrine of all
to the offspring of those who were called his brothers, Neptune and Pluto, and to the children again of these their offspring. For whatever name each of the angels had given to himself and his children, by that name they called them.
things being changed into one another, which seems most degrading. But neither do we affirm
that it is by fate that men do what they do, or
suffer what they suffer, but that each man by
free choice acts rightly or sins ; and that it is by the influence of the wicked demons that earnest men, such as Socrates and the like, suffer perse-
CHAP. VI. NA.MES OF GOD AND OF CHRIST, THEIR
cution and are in bonds, while Sardanapalus, Epicurus, and the like, seem to be blessed in abundance and glory. The Stoics, not observ-
MEANING AND POWER.
But to the Father of all, who is unbegotten, there is no name given. For by whatever name He be called, He has as His elder the person who gives Him the name. But these words. Father, and God, and Creator, and Lord, and Master, are not names, but appellations derived from His good deeds and functions. And His Son, who alone is properly called Son, the Word, who also was with Him and was begotten before the works, when at first He created and arranged
ing this, maintained that all things take place according to the necessity of fate. But since God in the beginning made the race of angels and men with free-will, they will justly sifffer in
eternal fire the punishment of whatever sins they have committed. And this is the nature of all
that is made, to be capable of vice and virtue. For neither would any of them be praiseworthy
unless there were power to turn to both [virtue and vice]. And this also is shown by those men everywhere who have made laws and philosophized according to right reason, by their
all things by Him, is called Christ, in reference to His being anointed and God's ordering all things through Him ; this name itself also containing an unknown significance ; as also the appella-
prescribing to do some things and refrain from
tion " God " is not a name, but an opinion implanted in the nature of men of a thing that can hardly be explained. But "Jesus," His name
others. Even the Stoic philosophers, in their
' This is Dr. Donaldson's rendering of a clause on which the
editors differ both as to reading and rendering.
THE SECOND APOLOGY OF JUSTIN. 191
self, they who agree with them are not unjust. And if one object that the laws of men are di-
doctrine of morals, steadily honour the same
things, so that it is evident that they are not
verse, and say that with some, one thing is considered good, another evil, while with others what seemed bad to the former is esteemed good, and what seemed good is esteemed bad, let him
very fehcitous in what they say about principles and incorporeal things. For if they say that human actions come to pass by fate, they will maintain either that God is nothing else than
listen to what we say to this. We know that the wicked angels appointed laws conformable to
the things which are ever turning, and altering, and dissolving into the same things, and will appear to have had a comprehension only of
their own wickedness, in which the men who are
like them delight ; and the right Reason,^ when He came, proved that not all opinions nor all doctrines are good, but diat some are evil, while others are good. \Vherefore, I will declare the « same and similar things to such men as these, and, if need be, they shall be spoken of more
things that are destructible, and to have looked on God Himself as emerging both in part and
in whole in every wickedness ; ' or that neither
vice nor virtue is anything ; which is contrary to
every sound idea, reason, and sense.
CHAP. VIII. ALL HAVE BEEN HATED IN WHOM THE WORD HAS DWELT.
at large. But at present I return to the subject.
And those of the Stoic school — since, so far
CHAP. X. CHRIST COMPARED WITH SOCRATES.
Our doctrines, then, appear to be greater than
as their moral teaching went, they were admira-
all human teaching ; because Christ, who appeared for our sakes, became the whole rational being, both body, and reason, and soul. For whatever either lawgivers or philosophers uttered
ble, as were also the poets in some particulars, on account of the seed of reason [the Logos] implanted in every race of men— were, we know, hated and put to death, — Heraclitus for
instance, and, among those of our own time, Musonius and others. For, as we intimated,
well, they elaborated by finding and contemplating some part of the Word. But since they did not know the whole of the Word, which is
the devils have always effected, that all those who anyhow live a reasonable and earnest life, and shun vice, be hated. And it is nothing won-
Christ, they often contradicted themselves. And those who by human birth were more ancient than Christ, when they attempted to consider and prove things by reason, were brought before the tribunals as impious persons and busj'bodies. And Socrates, who was more zealous in this direc-
derful ; if the devils are proved to cause those
to be much worse hated who live not according
to a part only of the word diffused [among men], but by the knowledge and contemplation of the whole Word, which is Christ. And they, having been shut up in eternal fire, shall suffer their
tion than all of them, was accused of the very same crimes as ourselves. For they said that he was introducing new divinities, and did not consider those to be gods whom the state recognised. But he cast out from the state both Homer • and
just punishment and penalty. For if they are even now overthrown by men through the name of Jesus Christ, this is an intimation of the punishment in eternal fire which is to be inflicted on themselves and those who serve them. For thus did both all the prophets foretell, and our own teacher Jesus teach.^
the rest of the poets, and taught men to reject the wicked demons and those who did the things which the poets related ; and he exhorted them
to become ac(]uainted with the God who was to them unknown, by means of the investigation of reason, saying, " That it is neither easy to find the Father and Maker of all, nor, having found Him,
CHAP. IX. — ETERNAL PUNISHMENT NOT A MERE
THREAT. And that no one may say what is said by those who are deemed philosophers, that our assertions that the wicked are pimished in eternal fire are big words and bugbears, and that we wish men to live virtuously through fear, and not because such a life is good and pleasant ; I will briefly reply to this, that if this be not so, God does not exist ; or, if He exists, He cares not for men, and neither virtue nor vice is anything, and, as we said before, lawgivers unjustly punish those who transgress good commandments. But since these are not unjust, and their Father teaches them by the word to do the same things as Him-
is it safe to declare Him to all." s But these things our Christ did through His own power. For no one trusted in Socrates so as to die for
this doctrine, but in Christ, who was partially known even by Socrates (for He was and is the Word who is in every man, and who foretold the things that were to come to pass both through the prophets and in His own person when He was made of like passions, and taught these
things), not only philosophers and scholars be-
lieved, but also artisans and people entirely uneducated, despising both glory, and fear, and
3 These words can be taken of the Logos as well as of the right reason diffused among men by Him.
' Literally, " becoming (-yifouf ror) both through the parts and through the whole in every wickedness.
•< Pl.ito, /\i/> , s c. i. p, 595. s I'lat., V'li/iicus, p. 28,0. (but "possible," and not "safe," is the word used by Plato).
- [Hore, in Grabe's text, comes in the passage about Crescens.^
192 THE SECOND APOLOGY OF JUSTIN.
death ; since He is a power of the ineffable
sensual or intemperate man, or who that counts
Father, and not the mere instrument of human
it good to feast on human flesh,'' could welcome death that he might be deprived of his enjoyments, and would not rather continue always the present life, and attempt to escape the observation of the rulers ; and much less would he denounce himself when the consequence would be death ? This also the wicked demons have now caused to be done by evil men. For having put some to death on account of the accusations falsely brought against us, they also dragged to the torture our domestics, either children or weak women, and by dreadful torments forced them to admit those fabulous actions which they themselves openly perpetrate ; about which we are the less concerned, because none of these actions are really ours, and we have the unbegotten and ineffable God as Avitness both of our thoughts and deeds. For why did we not even publicly profess that these were the things which we esteemed good, and prove that these are the divine philosophy, saying that the mysteries of Saturn are performed when we slay a man, and that when we drink our fill of blood, as it is said we do, we are doing what you do before that
reason.'
CH.A.P. XI.— HOW CHRISTIANS VIEW DEATH,
But neither should we be put to death, nor would wicked men and devils be more powerful than we, were not death a debt due by every man that is born. Wherefore we give thanks when we pay this debt. And we judge it right and opportune to tell here, for the sake of Crescens and those who rave as he does, what is re-
• lated by Xenophon. Hercules, says Xenophon, coming to a place where three ways met, found Virtue and Vice, who appeared to him in the form of women : Vice, in a luxurious dress, and with a seductive expression rendered blooming by such ornaments, and her eyes of a quickly melting tenderness,^ said to Hercules that if he would follow her, she would always enable him
to pass his life in pleasure and adorned with the most graceful ornaments, such as were then upon her own person ; and Virtue, who was of squalid look and dress, said, But if you obey me, you
shall adorn yourself not with ornament nor beauty that passes away and perishes, but with
idol you honour, and on which you sprinkle the blood not only of irrational animals, but also of men, making a libation of the blood of the slain by the hand of the most illustrious and noble man among you? And imitating Jupiter and the other gods in sodomy and shameless intercourse with woman, might we not bring as our apology the writings of Epicurus and the poets ? But because we persuade men to avoid such in-
everlasting and precious graces. And we are persuaded that every one who flees those things
that seem to be good, and follows hard after what are reckoned difficult. and strange, enters
into blessedness. For Vice, when by imitation of what is incorruptible (for what is really in-
corruptible she neither has nor can produce) she has thrown around her own actions, as a dis-
struction, and all who practise them and imitate such examples, as now in this discourse we have
guise, the properties of Virtue, and qualities which are really excellent, leads captive earthlyminded men, attaching to A^irtue her own evil
striven to persuade you, we are assailed in every kind of way. But we are not concerned, since we know that God is a just observer of all. But would that even now some one would mount a
properties. But those who understood the ex-
cellences which belong to that which is real, are
also uncorrupt in virtue. And this every sensible person ought to think both of Christians and of
lofty rostrum, and shout with a loud voice,5 " Be ashamed, be ashamed, ye who charge the guilt-
the athletes, and of those who did what the poets
relate of the so-called gods, concluding as much from our contempt of death, even when it could be escaped.^
less with those deeds which yourselves openly commit, and ascribe things which apply to your-
selves and to your gods to those who have not even the slightest sympathy with them. Be ye converted ; become wise."
CHAP. XII. — CHRISTIANS PROVED INNOCENT BY
THEIR CONTEMPT OF DEATH.
CHAP. XIII. — HOW THE WORD HAS BEEN IN ALL MEN.
For I myself, too, when I was delighting in the doctrines of Plato, and heard the Christians
For I myself, when I discovered the wicked
slandered, and saw them fearless of death, and of all other things which are counted fearful, perceived that it was impossible that they could be living in wickedness and pleasure. For what
disguise which the evil spirits had thrown around
the divine doctrines of the Christians, to turn
aside others from joining them, laughed both at
those who framed these falsehoods, and at the
disguise itself, and at popular opinion ; and I
' [Certainly the author of this chapter, and others like it, cannot be accused of a feeble rhetoric]
confess that I both boast and with all my strength
- Another reading is irpb? Ta<; o<fjfi<;, referring to the eyes of the beholder: and which may be rendered, "speedily fascinating to the sight "
* Alluding to the common accusation against the Christians.
S Literally, " with a tragic voice," — the loud voice in which the Greek tragedies were recited through the mask \J>ersona\.
3 Kai 4>tvKTov Safirov may also be rendered, "even of death nuhich men JJee from."
THE SECOND APOLOGY OF JUSTIN. 193
punishment ; that so these things may be pub-
strive to be found a Christian ; not because the
lished to men, because it is in the nature of man
teachings of Plato are different from those of
to know good and evil ; and by their condemning
Christ, but because they are not in all respects
us, whom they do not understand, for actions which they say are wicked, and by delighting in
similar, as neither are those of the others. Stoics, and poets, and historians. For each man spoke
the gods who did such things, and even now re-
well in proportion to the share he had of the
quire similar actions from men, and by inflicting on us death or bonds or some other such punishment, as if we were guilty of these things, they condemn themselves, so that there is no need of other judges.
spermatic word,' seeing what was related to it. But they who contradict themselves on the more
important points appear not to have possessed
the heavenly ^ wisdom, and the knowledge which cannot be spoken against. Whatever things were
rightly said among all men, are the property of us
CHAP. XV. • CONCLUSION.
Christians. For next to God, we worship and
And I despised the wicked and deceitful doc-
love the Word who is from the unbegotten and
trine of Simon ^ of my own nation. And if you
ineffable God, since also He became man for our sakes, that, becoming a partaker of our suf-
give this book your authority, we will expose him
ferings, He might also bring us healing. For
before all, that, if possible, they may be converted. For this end alone did we compose this treatise. And our doctrines are not shameful, according
all the writers were able to see realities darkly through the sowing of the implanted word that was in them. For the seed and imitation imparted according to capacity is one thing, and
to a sober judgment, but are indeed more lofty than all human philosophy ; and if not so, they
quite another is the thing itself, of which there
are at least unlike the doctrines of the Sotadists, and Philcenidians, and Dancers, and Epicureans, and such other teachings of the poets, which all
is the participation and imitation according to
the grace which is from Him.
CHAP. XIV. — JUSTIN PRAYS THAT THIS APPEAL BE
are allowed to acquaint themselves with, both as acted and as written. And henceforth we shall be silent, having done as much as we could, and having added the prayer that all men everywhere may be counted worthy of the truth. And would
PUBLISHED.
And we therefore pray you to publish this little book, appending what you think right, that our opinions may be known to others, and that these persons may have a fair chance of being freed from erroneous notions and ignorance of good, who by their own fault are become subject to
that you also, in a manner becoming piety and phi-
losophy,'* would for your own sakes judge justly !
3 [Simon Magus appears to be one with whom Justin is perfectly
familial-, and hence we are not to conclude rashly that he blundered as to the divine honours rendered to him as the Sabine God.]
' The word disseminated amonc; men. 2 Literally, dimly seen at a distance.
* [.Another apostrophe, and a home thrust for " Pius the philosopher" and emperor.]
[St. James i. 21.]