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| The Christians Defamed. A Sarcastic Description of Fame; Its Deception and Atrocious Slanders of the Christians Lengthily Described. PREVIOUS SECTION - NEXT SECTION - HELP
Chapter VII.545
545 Comp. The
Apology, cc. vii, viii. | —The Christians
Defamed. A Sarcastic Description of Fame; Its Deception and Atrocious
Slanders of the Christians Lengthily Described.
Whence comes it to pass, you will say to us, that such a
character could have been attributed to you, as to have justified the
lawmakers perhaps by its imputation? Let me ask on my side, what
voucher they had then, or you now, for the truth of the imputation?
(You answer,) Fame. Well, now, is not this—
“Fama malum, quo non aliud velocius
ullum?”546
546 Æneid. iv.
174.
“Fame, than which never plague that
runs
Its way more swiftly
wins.”—Conington. |
Now, why a plague,547
if it be always
true? It never ceases from lying; nor even at the moment when it
reports the truth is it so free from the wish to lie, as not to
interweave the false with the true, by processes of addition,
diminution, or confusion of various facts. Indeed,548
548 Quid? quod “Yea
more.” |
such is its condition, that it can only continue to exist while it
lies. For it lives only just so long as it fails to prove anything. As
soon as it proves itself true, it falls; and, as if its office of
reporting news were at an end, it quits its post: thenceforward the
thing is held to be a fact, and it passes under that name. No one,
then, says, to take an instance, “The report is that this
happened at Rome,” or, “The rumour goes that he has got a
province;” but, “He has got a province,” and,
“This happened at Rome.” Nobody mentions a rumour except at
an uncertainty, because nobody can be sure of a rumour, but only of
certain knowledge; and none but a fool believes a rumour, because no
wise man puts faith in an uncertainty. In however wide a
circuit549 a report has been circulated, it must needs
have originated some time or other from one mouth; afterwards it creeps
on somehow to ears and tongues which pass it on550 and
so obscures the humble error in which it began, that no one considers
whether the mouth which first set it a-going disseminated a
falsehood,—a circumstance which often happens either from a
temper of rivalry, or a suspicious turn, or even the pleasure of
feigning news. It is, however, well that time reveals all things, as
your own sayings and proverbs testify; yea, as nature herself attests,
which has so ordered it that nothing lies hid, not even that which fame
has not reported. See, now, what a witness551
551 Prodigiam. The word is
“indicem” in The Apology. | you
have suborned against us: it has not been able up to this time to prove
the report it set in motion, although it has had so long a time to
recommend it to our acceptance. This name of ours took its rise in the
reign of Augustus; under Tiberius it was taught with all clearness and
publicity;552
552 Disciplina ejus
illuxit. | under Nero it was
ruthlessly condemned,553 and you may weigh its
worth and character even from the person of its persecutor. If that
prince was a pious man, then the Christians are impious; if he was
just, if he was pure, then the Christians are unjust and impure; if he
was not a public enemy, we are enemies of our country: what sort of men
we are, our persecutor himself shows, since he of course punished what
produced hostility to himself.554 Now, although every
other institution which existed under Nero has been destroyed, yet this
of ours has firmly remained—righteous, it would seem, as being
unlike the author (of its persecution). Two hundred and fifty years,
then, have not yet passed since our life began. During the interval
there have been so many criminals; so many crosses have obtained
immortality;555
555 Divinitatem
consecutæ. | so many infants have
been slain; so many loaves steeped in blood; so many extinctions of
candles;556
556 See above, c. ii.
note. | so many dissolute
marriages. And up to the present time it is mere report which fights
against the Christians. No doubt it has a strong support in the
wickedness of the human mind, and utters its falsehoods with more
success among cruel and savage men. For the more inclined you are to
maliciousness, the more ready are you to believe evil; in short, men
more easily believe the evil that is false, than the good which is
true. Now, if injustice has left any place within you for the exercise
of prudence in investigating the truth of reports, justice of course
demanded that you
should examine by whom the report could have been spread among the
multitude, and thus circulated through the world. For it could not have
been by the Christians themselves, I suppose, since by the very
constitution and law of all mysteries the obligation of silence is
imposed. How much more would this be the case in such (mysteries as are
ascribed to us), which, if divulged, could not fail to bring down
instant punishment from the prompt resentment of men! Since, therefore,
the Christians are not their own betrayers, it follows that it must be
strangers. Now I ask, how could strangers obtain knowledge of us, when
even true and lawful mysteries exclude every stranger from witnessing
them, unless illicit ones are less exclusive? Well, then, it is more in
keeping with the character of strangers both to be ignorant (of the
true state of a case), and to invent (a false account). Our domestic
servants (perhaps) listened, and peeped through crevices and holes, and
stealthily got information of our ways. What, then, shall we say
when our servants betray them to you?557
557 i.e., What is the
value of such evidence? | It is better,
(to be sure,)558
558 We have inserted this
phrase as the sentence is strongly ironical. | for us all not to be
betrayed by any; but still, if our practices be so atrocious, how much
more proper is it when a righteous indignation bursts asunder even all
ties of domestic fidelity? How was it possible for it to endure
what horrified the mind and affrighted the eye? This is also a
wonderful thing, both that he who was so overcome with impatient
excitement as to turn informer,559
559 Deferre, an
infinitive of purpose, of which construction of our author
Oehler gives examples. | did not likewise
desire to prove (what he reported), and that he who heard the
informer’s story did not care to see for himself, since no doubt
the reward560 is equal both for the
informer who proves what he reports, and for the hearer who convinces
himself of the credibility561
561 Si etiam sibi
credat. | of what he hears. But
then you say that (this is precisely what has taken place): first
came the rumour, then the exhibition of the proof; first the hearsay,
then the inspection; and after this, fame received its commission. Now
this, I must say,562 surpasses all
admiration, that that was once for all detected and divulged which is
being for ever repeated, unless, forsooth, we have by this time ceased
from the reiteration of such things563 (as are alleged
of us). But we are called still by the same (offensive) name, and we
are supposed to be still engaged in the same practices, and we multiply
from day to day; the more564
564 We read
“quo,” and not “quod,” because. | we are, to the more
become we objects of hatred. Hatred increases as the material for it
increases. Now, seeing that the multitude of offenders is ever
advancing, how is it that the crowd of informers does not keep equal
pace therewith? To the best of my belief, even our manner of
life565 has become better known; you know the very
days of our assemblies; therefore we are both besieged, and attacked,
and kept prisoners actually in our secret congregations. Yet who ever
came upon a half-consumed corpse (amongst us)? Who has detected the
traces of a bite in our blood-steeped loaf? Who has discovered, by a
sudden light invading our darkness, any marks of impurity, I will not
say of incest, (in our feasts)? If we save ourselves by a
bribe566
566 This refers to a calumny
which the heathen frequently spread about the Christians. | from being dragged out before the public gaze
with such a character, how is it that we are still oppressed? We have
it indeed in our own power not to be thus apprehended at all; for who
either sells or buys information about a crime, if the crime itself has
no existence? But why need I disparagingly refer to567
567 Detrectem or simply
“treat of,” “refer to,” like the simple verb
“tractare.” |
strange spies and informers, when you allege against us such charges as
we certainly do not ourselves divulge with very much noise—either
as soon as you hear of them, if we previously show them to you, or
after you have yourselves discovered them, if they are for the time
concealed from you? For no doubt,568
568 The irony of all this
passage is evident. | when any desire
initiation in the mysteries, their custom is first to go to the master
or father of the sacred rites. Then he will say (to the
applicant), You must bring an infant, as a guarantee for our rites, to
be sacrificed, as well as some bread to be broken and dipped in his
blood; you also want candles, and dogs tied together to upset them, and
bits of meat to rouse the dogs. Moreover, a mother too, or a
sister, is necessary for you. What, however, is to be said if you have
neither? I suppose in that case you could not be a genuine Christian.
Now, do let me ask you, Will such things, when reported by strangers,
bear to be spread about (as charges against us)? It is impossible for
such persons to understand proceedings in which they take no
part.569 The first step of the process is perpetrated
with artifice; our feasts and our marriages are invented and
detailed570
570 Subjiciuntur “are
stealthily narrated.” | by ignorant
persons, who had never
before heard about Christian mysteries. And though they afterwards
cannot help acquiring some knowledge of them, it is even then as having
to be administered by others whom they bring on the scene.571 Besides, how absurd is it that the profane
know mysteries which the priest knows not! They keep them all to
themselves, then,572
572 It is difficult to see
what this “tacent igitur” means without referring to
the similar passage in The Apology (end of c. viii.), which
supplies a link wanted in the context. “At all
events,” says he, “they know this afterward, and yet submit
to it, and allow it. They fear to be punished, while, if they
proclaimed the truth, they would deserve universal
approbation.” Tertullian here states what the enemies of
the Christians used to allege against them. After discovering the
alleged atrocities of their secret assemblies, they kept their
knowledge forsooth to themselves, being afraid of the consequences of a
disclosure, etc. | and take them for
granted; and so these tragedies, (worse than those) of Thyestes or
Œdipus, do not at all come forth to light, nor find their
way573
573 We have for convenience
treated “protrahunt” (q.d. “nor do they
report them”) as a neuter verb. | to the public. Even more voracious bites take
nothing away from the credit574
574 Even worse than
Thyestean atrocities would be believed of them. | of such as are
initiated, whether servants or masters. If, however, none of these
allegations can be proved to be true, how incalculable must be esteemed
the grandeur (of that religion) which is manifestly not overbalanced
even by the burden of these vast atrocities! O ye heathen; who have and
deserve our pity,575
575 Miseræ atque
miserandæ. | behold, we set before
you the promise which our sacred system offers. It guarantees eternal
life to such as follow and observe it; on the other hand, it threatens
with the eternal punishment of an unending fire those who are profane
and hostile; while to both classes alike is preached a resurrection
from the dead. We are not now concerned576 about
the doctrine of these (verities), which are discussed in their proper
place.577
577 See below, in c.
xix. | Meanwhile, however, believe them, even as we
do ourselves, for I want to know whether you are ready to reach them,
as we do, through such crimes. Come, whosoever you are, plunge your
sword into an infant; or if that is another’s office, then simply
gaze at the breathing creature578 dying before it has
lived; at any rate, catch its fresh579
579 Rudem, “hardly
formed.” | blood in which
to steep your bread; then feed yourself without stint; and whilst this
is going on, recline. Carefully distinguish the places where your
mother or your sister may have made their bed; mark them well, in order
that, when the shades of night have fallen upon them, putting of course
to the test the care of every one of you, you may not make the awkward
mistake of alighting on somebody else:580 you
would have to make an atonement, if you failed of the incest. When you
have effected all this, eternal life will be in store for you. I want
you to tell me whether you think eternal life worth such a price. No,
indeed,581 you do not believe it: even if you did
believe it, I maintain that you would be unwilling to give (the fee);
or if willing, would be unable. But why should others be able if you
are unable? Why should you be able if others are unable? What
would you wish impunity (and) eternity to stand you in?582 Do you suppose that these (blessings) can be
bought by us at any price? Have Christians teeth of a different sort
from others? Have they more ample jaws?583
583 “An alii ordines
dentium Christianorum, et alii specus faucium?” (literally,
“Have Christians other sets of teeth, and other caverns of
jaws?”) This seems to refer to voracious animals like the shark,
whose terrible teeth, lying in several rows, and greediness to swallow
anything, however incongruous, that comes in its way, are well-known
facts in natural history. | Are
they of different nerve for incestuous lust? I trow not. It is enough
for us to differ from you in condition584 by
truth alone.E.C.F. INDEX & SEARCH
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