Tfhio - JScholarship - Johns Hopkins University

APOLOGETICVS 34, 35 103
is not merely base but baneful. It is just as if having an
emperor, you were to caU another [by the same title]; wUl you
not bring upon you the great and implacable hatred of the
existing emperor, a hatred to be dreaded even by him to whom
you have given the title? Be loyal towards God, you who
wish Him to be propitious to the emperor. Cease to believe
in another god, and so to describe him as a god, who has
need of God. If such a flattery, calling a man a god, is not
ashamed of the falsehood, let it at least be afraid of the ill-luck
of so doing. It is the opposite of a blessing to call the Caesar
god before his deification.
CHAP. XXXV. On these grounds then the Christians are
regarded as pubhc enemies, because they do not offer to the
emperors either useless or lying or ill-ad-vised honours, because
men of true religion celebrate even their regular festivals
conscientiously rather than wantonly. It is forsooth an important
duty, to bring out hearths and couches into the pubhc
street, to feast parish by parish, to efface the city under the
guise of a tavern, to produce mud by wine'^, to run about in
crowds for the committal of outrages, insults and incitements
to lust. Is it thus that pubhc joy is expressed by pubhc
disgrace? Does such behaviour become the festal days of
emperors, which befits not other days ? Shall those who observe
order out of regard to Caesar, abandon it on account of Caesar,
and shall loyalty grant a hcence for immorahty, and rehgion
give occasion to indulgence? Verily we deserve to be condemned!
For why do we, chaste, sober and honest people,
fulfil the vows and joys of the Caesars? Why on the festal
day do we not cover over our door-posts with bay garlands
or violate the day with lamps? Is it an honourable practice,
when a pubhc festival demands, to clothe your house -with
the garb of some new brothel? I should hke however to show
your faithfulness and truth in the matter of this cult also
of a second majesty, with reference to which we Christians
are arraigned on a second charge of sacrilege, because we do
not celebrate in your company the annual festivals of the
Caesars in a manner in which neither sense of fitness nor
modesty nor chastity allows them to be celebrated, but which
the opportunity of pleasure rather than any worthy reason has
prompted, lest perchance here too those who are unwilhng that
we should be considered Romans, but only as enemies of the
Roman emperors, should be found worse than the Christians.
I appeal to the citizens of Rome themselves, to the native
1 J. B. M. reading uinum luto,' thicken your mud with wine.'