27. We however, to avoid bringing oppression on any one', Apol.
Vices falsely charged on Christians opf-.nhj practised.
27. We however, to avoid bringing oppression on any one', Apol. or sinning ourselves, are tauglit that it is unlawful to expose',—r^* even new-born children; in the first place, because we seetiarn almost all those that are so, not only the females, but also p^|.'j^[j_ the males, trained to purposes of prostitution, and as tlietutiou. ancients are said to have kept herds of oxen, or goats, or sheep, or grazing horses, so you now use boys only for this shameful purpose ; and there are in ever}^ nation herds of females, hermaphrodites, and unnatural persons, waiting for hire to this pollution ; from whom you accept wages, offering, and tribute, when you ought to root them out of our land ; any one of those too who hire them, in addition to his godless, unhallowed, and impure intercourse, may chance to be connected with his own child, relative, or " brother; and on the other hand there are those who prostitute even their own children and wives : some too are mutilated openly for purposes of sodomy, and these mysteries they refer to the mother of the gods.
Moreover, by the side of each of those whom you consider gods, the serpent is painted, a great symbol and mystery.
\\\ fact, the things that you yourselves do openly, and hold in honour, as if the Divine light were overthrown and removed", you ascribe to us.
This, to us who are wholly innocent of committing any such crimes, does no manner of harm, but rather to those who commit them, and falsely accuse us of them.
28. For with us the prince of the evil spirits is called a End of serpent, and Satan, and the devil, as you may learn eveUj^^jhis from an examination of our writings. (^He will be sent into abettors. fire with his host, and the men who are his followers, there to be tormented to an endless eternity, as Christ has foretold.
The delay of God in not yet having brought this to pass, is for the sake of the human race ; for He foreknows that some will be saved by repentance, some even that are not yet perhaps born ; for in the beginr.ing he made man with * Bringing oppression on any one, being done by their not being found* 5tcoKw/iei/" Grabe and otliers would subor, if found, of their being brought up stitute d5i«:a>^e;/ ; but the Benedictine, to flagitious courses, which he shews whom we follow in the test, thinks that to be a probable result.
Note c. p. GO.
SiuKc!}fj.ev should be retained, as better " The Ben. Editor takes these words expressing St. Justin's meaning, which as connected with the following, reis, that Christians hold it unlawful to ferring to the alleged extinction of expose their chil dren, lest they should lights.
There is aliusion to this, but be the cause of wrong or oppression probably of a more distant kind.