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| Argument: With Something of the Pride of Self-Satisfaction, Cæcilius Urges Octavius to Reply to His Arguments; And Minucius with Modesty Answers Him, that He Must Not Exult at His Own by No Means Ordinary Eloquence, and at the Harmonious Variety of His Address.
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Chapter XIV.—Argument: With Something of the Pride of
Self-Satisfaction, Cæcilius Urges Octavius to Reply to His
Arguments; And Minucius with Modesty Answers Him, that He Must Not
Exult at His Own by No Means Ordinary Eloquence, and at the Harmonious
Variety of His Address.
Thus far Cæcilius; and smiling cheerfully
(for the vehemence of his prolonged discourse had relaxed the ardour of
his indignation), he added: “And what does Octavius venture
to reply to this, a man of the race of Plautus,1754
| 1754 “Plautinæ
prosapiæ.” The expression is intended as a reproach
against the humble occupations of many of the Christian
professors. Plautus is said, when in need, to have laboured at a
baker’s hand-mill. Cæcilius tells Octavius that he may
be the first among the millers, but he is the last among the
philosophers. Stieber proposes “Christianorum”
instead of “pistorum”—“Christians”
instead of “millers.” |
who, while he was chief among the millers, was still the lowest of
philosophers?” “Restrain,” said I, “your
self-approval against him; for it is not worthy of you to exult at the
harmony of your discourse, before the subject shall have been more
fully argued on both sides; especially since your reasoning is striving
after truth, not praise. And in however great a degree your
discourse has delighted me by its subtile variety, yet I am very deeply
moved, not concerning the present discussion, but concerning the entire
kind of disputation—that for the most part the condition of truth
should be changed according to the powers of discussion, and even the
faculty of perspicuous eloquence. This is very well known to
occur by reason of the facility of the hearers, who, being distracted
by the allurement of words from attention to things, assent without
distinction to everything that is said, and do not separate falsehood
from truth; unaware that even in that which is incredible there is
often truth, and in verisimilitude falsehood. Therefore the
oftener they believe bold assertions, the more frequently they are
convinced by those who are more clever, and thus are continually
deceived by their temerity. They transfer the blame of the judge
to the complaint of uncertainty; so that, everything being condemned,
they would rather that all things should be left in suspense, than that
they should decide about matters of doubt. Therefore we must take
care that we do not in such sort suffer from the hatred at once of all
discourses, even as very many of the more simple kind are led to
execration and hatred of men in general. For those who are
carelessly credulous are deceived by those whom they thought worthy;
and by and by, by a kindred error, they begin to suspect every one as
wicked, and dread even those whom they might have regarded as
excellent. Now therefore we are anxious—because in
everything there may be argument on both sides; and on the one hand,
the truth is for the most part obscure; and on the other side there is
a marvellous subtlety, which sometimes by its abundance of words
imitates the confidence of acknowledged proof—as carefully as
possible to weigh each particular, that we may, while ready to applaud
acuteness, yet elect, approve, and adopt those things which are
right.”E.C.F. INDEX & SEARCH
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