A commentary on selected sections of the octavius of minucius felix the purpose of this study is to consider, in lemmatic commentary form, some of the objections to christian belief raised by the pagan, caecilius and the corresponding responses and counterarguments adduced by octavius, the christian, in the octavius of minucius felix. Minucius f lix by minucius felix marcus most popular searching. Octavius of minucius felix by felix read online download listen summary formats about summary. Publication date 1919 topics apologetics publisher. Either tertullian dependend on this apology, making it perhaps the earliest piece of extant christian latin literature, or the author of this apology depended on tertullian.
Antenicene fathersvolume ivminucius felix the octavius of minucius felixchapter 27. Read this work originally printed in 1885, the tenvolume set, antenicene fathers, brings together the work of early christian thinkers. The octavius of marcus minucius felix by minucius felix, marcus. Minucius felix internet encyclopedia of philosophy. Open library is an initiative of the internet archive, a 501c3 nonprofit. Click download or read online button to the sacred writings of minucius felix annotated edition book pdf for free now. The sacred writings of minucius felix ebook by minucius. Of his personal history nothing is known, and even the date at which he wrote can be only approximately ascertained. Download pdf the sacred writings of minucius felix. A roman lawyer, he wrote the octavius, a dialogue on providence and christianity in general, between the skeptic pagan caecilius natalis and the christian octavius januarius, minucius friend. This site is like a library, use search box in the widget to get ebook that you want.
His octavius has numerous points of agreement with the apologeticum of tertullian, similarities that have been explained by the theory of a common source an apology written in latin, and which is supposed to have disappeared without leaving any trace, not even in the name of its author. Initsattempted amalgamationofdeities,syncretism,sofarfromre conciling. It has long been known that some of the passages in the octavius of minucius felix seem to be related to some in tertullians apologeticum. The octavius by the roman lawyer, marcus minucius felix, is an apology for christianity in the form of a dialogue between the christian octavius and the pagan caecilius on a trip from rome to ostia. Click download or read online button to get the sacred writings of minucius felix annotated edition book now. The author hardly anything is known of marcus minucius felix, author of the octavius, and competitor with lactantius for the title of the christian cicero. Christian apologist, flourished between 160 and 300. Either way, minucius felix, an otherwise unknown christian from the 2nd or early 3rd century, ably defends christianity against roman arguments, superstition, and rumors. If, on the other hand, tertullian borrowed from minucius, the octavius was written probably about the year 166, and minucius flourished in the reign of marcus aurelius. The sacred writings of minucius felix annotated edition. Iv, minucius felix, the octavius of minucius felix by minucius felix, translated by robert ernest wallis chapter 11.
Though tertullian is the founder of latin christianity, his contemporary minucius felix gives to christian thought its earliest clothing in latinity. Nov 12, 2015 caecilius natalis was a native of cirta. He wrote octavius, a dialogue between a christian octavius januarius and. Antenicene fathersvolume ivminucius felixthe octavius. Perhaps no late work, either pagan or christian, reminds us of the golden days of latin prose so much as the octavius of minucius felix. Minucius felix, marcus, octavius, chapter 1, section 1. Read the sacred writings of minucius felix by minucius felix available from rakuten kobo.
In rome, minucius felix used the genre of dialogue to confront pagan opposition to christianity, and in carthage, tertullian produced an apologetical treatise as well as an open letter to a roman governor. A commentary on selected sections of the octavius of minucius. His only known work, the dialogue octavius, is one of the earliest examples of latin apologetics. Either tertullian dependend on this apology, making it perhaps the earliest piece of.
Octavius by marcus minucius felix sol i c i t o r a philosophical dialogue qve bec by samizdat year of our lord, mmxvii. Jul 19, 2011 open library is an initiative of the internet archive, a 501c3 nonprofit, building a digital library of internet sites and other cultural artifacts in digital form. The sacred writings of minucius felix annotated edition download the sacred writings of minucius felix annotated edition ebook pdf or read online books in pdf, epub, and mobi format. In it a pagan and a christian discuss the merits of christian life. Full text of the octavius of minucius felix internet archive. Adolf ebert in his paper, tertullians verhaltniss zu minucius felix, leipzig, 1868. This site is like a library, use search box in the. The two authors featured in this volume composed defenses of the christian faith in latin around the turn of the third century.
You can read his own confession at the end, chapters fortyone and fortytwo. Polytheism,initscosmopolitandevelop ments,passedsentenceonitself. Minucius felixs octavius and early christian apologetics lactantius, writing during the reign of diocletian, extolled the octavius for championing the truth and. This volume continues with the works of tertullian, compiling a series of his shorter treatises. His octavius has numerous points of agreement with the apologeticum of tertullian, similarities that have been explained by the theory of a common source an apology written in latin, and which is supposed to have disappeared without leaving any trace, not. Minucius, felix marcus, one of the earliest if not the earliest, of the latin apologists for christianity. Minucius felix wikisource, the free online library. The later date was the one adopted by earlier critics, and the reasons for it are well given by mr. Cogitanti mihi et cum animo meo octavi boni et fidelissimi contubernalis memoriam recensenti tanta dulcedo et adfectio hominis inhaesit, ut ipse quodammodo mihi viderer in praeterita redire, non ea quae iam transacta et decursa sunt, recordatione revocare. Apr 17, 2012 if, on the other hand, tertullian borrowed from minucius, the octavius was written probably about the year 166, and minucius flourished in the reign of marcus aurelius. It also contains the work of other church fathers from latin christianity minucius felix and commododianus. Click download or read online button to get what is not sacred book now. The octavius of minucius felix early christian writings. Marcus minucius felix, one of the earliest christian apologists to write in latin.
The gens minucia was widely spread at rome, and an inscription gruter, p. Antenicene fathersvolume ivminucius felixthe octavius of. Minucius felix the catholic encyclopedia religionfacts. Antenicene fathersvolume ivminucius felixintroductory note. Mar 09, 20 open library is an initiative of the internet archive, a 501c3 nonprofit, building a digital library of internet sites and other cultural artifacts in digital form. This short apology, or defense of the christian faith, is the sole surviving work of marcus minucius felix. Publication date 1919 topics apologetics history early church, ca.
Nov 26, 2012 the octavius of minucius felix chapter 1 155888 antenicene fathers vol. The name minucius felix has been found on inscriptions at tebessa and carthage cor. The date of the former is quite uncertain, as will be seen. In particular, it brings together the writings of the early church fathers prior to the fourth century nicene. Roman lawyer, he wrote the octavius, a dialogue on providence and christianity in general, between the skeptic pagan caecilius natalis and the christian octavius januarius, minucius friend. Like lactantius, minucius was a convert to christianity. Marcus minucius felix christian apologist britannica. The octavius of minucius felix chapter 1 155888 antenicene fathers vol. Perseus provides credit for all accepted changes, storing new additions in a versioning system. Written roughly around the year 200, the essay is framed around two friendsofafriend arguing the relative merits of paganism and christianity while they sit by the sea. No one knows whether the octavius is fiction or nonfiction.
The translations are fairly literal, providing both readers and scholars with a good approximation of the originals. Octavius download octavius ebook pdf or read online books in pdf, epub, and mobi format. Octavius is an early writing in defense of christianity by marcus minucius felix. Of the literary character of the dialogue, it is sufficient to quote the testimony of the late dean milman. Nothing is known of his personal history, and even the date at which he wrote can be only approximately ascertained as between ad 150 and 270. Caecilius natalis, on the validity and merits of pagan and christian beliefs.
An xml version of this text is available for download, with the additional restriction that you offer perseus any modifications you make. The octavius by minucius felix is an apology for the christian religion. Minucius felix, christian apologist, flourished between 160 and 300. Of minucius, an early christian writer of unknown date, we have only octavius, a vigorous and readable debate between an unbeliever and a christian friend of minucius, octavius ianuarius, a lawyer sitting on the seashore at ostia. Minucius relates how delightful to him is the recollection of the things that had happened to him with octavius while he was associated with him at rome, and especially of this disputation. Like justin martyr, marcus minucius felix did not have a leadership role in the church. Click download or read online button to get the apologies of justin martyr tertullian and minutius felix book now. Liinuciusfelix,marcusofthedialogue,isfirstmentioned bylactantiusinstit. Nov 07, 2014 like justin martyr, marcus minucius felix did not have a leadership role in the church. Discourse on the extinction of primitive races, 18001930 which also explores related themes of how colonial hegemonycultural domination purposes to extinguish what it sees as lesser cultures. I had purchased felix s the octavius alongside a work by patrick brantlinger entitled dark vanishings. It is written in the form of a dialogue between the pagan caecilius natalis and the christian octavius januarius, a provincial lawyer, the friend and fellowstudent of the author.
Minucius felix serves as moderator and narrator of the dialogue. Minucius felix was a roman advocate, rhetorician, and christian apologist. Sic nos denique non notaculo corporis, ut putatis, sed innocentiae ac modestiae signo facile dinoscimus. Minucius felix encyclopedia volume catholic encyclopedia. The octavius of minucius felix by minucius felix, marcus. Octavius had just arrived from a foreign country where he had left his family. Enter your mobile number or email address below and well send you a link to download the free kindle app. He wrote octavius, a dialogue between a christian octavius januarius and a pagan caecilius natalis. Minucius felix, marcus, author of the dialogue octavius, which, in spite of its lack of originality, and profound theological intuition, occupies a prominent place among the ancient apologies of the latin church, both on account of its genuine enthusiasm and elegant form, and on account of the clear and pointed manner in which it presents and refutes all the various objections to. The octavius of minucius felix this file has been downloaded from. Download pdf octavius free online new books in politics. The harshness and provincialism, with the graecisms, if not the mere tertullianism, of tertullian, deprive him of high claims to be classed among latin writers, as such.
326 154 1318 662 943 80 1546 1602 685 469 424 428 1108 707 1091 223 512 20 790 837 909 1472 293 122 487 323 1329 716 757 1156 863 1358 625 1366 966 848 1303 331 279 949 152 250 442 1134 676 1279 1084 1476