The Octavius of Minucius Felix

A contemporary of Tertullian, Minucius Felix also wrote in Latin around A.D. 190. Prior to converting to Christianity he was probably a jurisconsult at Rome and remained a layman in the Church. This work, one of two ascribed to him by Jerome and the only one we still have, is structured as a discourse between Minucius’s Roman friend Cæcilius and Octavius, a Christian. 

Here we find a retelling of common Roman criticisms of Christianity, recounting many of the baseless rumors that have been addressed in other works. Cæcilius’ portion of the discussion makes clear, however, that Christianity is fundamentally opposed to the Roman approach to religion. In his estimation, Rome was a tolerant empire, gaining victory over its enemies through the worship of various local deities, provided their worshippers were willing to place their gods among the pantheon. Christianity, however, asserted a single God, divine, above all, and supreme over the course of the Empire. Additionally, the resurrection of the dead and judgment of everyone by God seemed preposterous to Cæcilius, who believed that much was decided by fate and espoused a fairly materialistic worldview.

Octavius's response follows in the spirit of Justin Martyr and Tatian. He argues from general principles for the existence and supremacy of one creator God, highlights the immorality and hypocrisy in the Roman pantheon, and demonstrates how philosophers are inconsistent and yet largely agree with many of the core Christian principles. Unlike Tertullian, Octavius very rarely references scripture. His writing is much more in line with Justin Martyr's appeals to the Greeks. Understanding the audience he uses language, stories, and cultural norms that his listener would be familiar with. The work ends on a high note: Caecilius is converted and everyone is grateful for the intelligence and grace God has given to Octavius.

And now, please enjoy this rendition of The Octavius of Minucius Felix.

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