literaryhistoryo02crut - Carmel Apologetics

CHAriEK vr.
TATIAN (a.d. 110-180?).
The name of Tatian is linked witli tliat of Justin. They
were conteniponiiies und felluw-sojouiners in the world's
capital, and are said to have borne the
master and pupil.
intimate relation of
It cannot indeed he proved that Tatian's
conversion was due to Justin, but the inference has been
made from the remark of Irenaeus that " Tatian, after Justin's
death, left the orthodox faith, and, puffed up by the conceit
of
a teacher, fell into divers strange errors." ^
If it be true that Justin's moderating influence held Tatian
within bounds, we shall recognise an instance of what is
often seen in daily life—the power of a gentle spirit over a
fierce one. No two natures could be more unlike than that
of the sympathetic, reasonable philosopher, and that of the
ardent but sour ascetic. Tatian, like Tertulhan, changed
his convictions without changing his temper. As in the
one, so in the other, nature asserted itself by the side of
grace. In both cases nationality counted for something.
Tatian inherited with his Assyrian blood that harsh, joyless
view of religion which delights to crush the deei)est instincts
of our nature, and confounds the regeneration with the annihilation
of manhood Born in the burnmg region beyond
tlie Tigris, he found the language and culture of Hellas
universally adopted by his educated countrymen; l»ut
their
Hellenism was tinged with oriental elements, and not free
from a certain charlatanism.
The youthful zealot, with his restless temper and inquiring
mind, was not likely to find this satisfactory. He acted lus
*
Ircnanis only calls bim a bearer of Justin ;
and Tatian, tlioupb he
mentions Justin with very .M-...it relief, docs not ascribe his conversion
to him.