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| Argument: Octavius Arranges His Reply, and Trusts that He Shall Be Able to Dilute the Bitterness of Reproach with the River of Truthful Words. He Proceeds to Weaken the Individual Arguments of Cæcilius. Nobody Need Complain that the Christians, Unlearned Though They May Be, Dispute About Heavenly Things Because It is Not the Authority of Him Who Argues, But the Truth of the Argument Itself, that Should Be Considered. PREVIOUS SECTION - NEXT SECTION - HELP
Chapter
XVI.—Argument: Octavius Arranges His Reply, and Trusts that
He Shall Be Able to Dilute the Bitterness of Reproach with the River of
Truthful Words. He Proceeds to Weaken the Individual Arguments of
Cæcilius. Nobody Need Complain that the Christians,
Unlearned Though They May Be, Dispute About Heavenly Things Because It
is Not the Authority of Him Who Argues, But the Truth of the Argument
Itself, that Should Be Considered.
And thus Octavius began: “I will
indeed speak as I shall be able to the best of my powers, and you must
endeavour with me to dilute the very offensive strain of recriminations
in the river1756
1756 Some read, “in
the light.” | of veracious
words. Nor will I disguise in the outset, that the opinion of my
friend Natalis1757 has swayed to and
fro in such an erratic, vague, and slippery manner, that we are
compelled to doubt whether your1758 information
was confused, or whether it wavered backwards and forwards1759
1759 Some read
“cavillaverit” instead of “vacillaverit,” which
would give the sense, “make captious objections.” | by mere mistake. For he varied at one
time from believing the gods, at another time to being in a state of
hesitation on the subject; so that the direct purpose of my reply was
established with the greater uncertainty,1760
1760 This is otherwise
given “certainty,” which helps the meaning of the
passage. | by
reason of the uncertainty of his proposition. But in my friend
Natalis—I will not allow, I do not believe in, any
chicanery—far from his simplicity is crafty trickery.1761
1761 Otherwise, “Far
from his guileless subtlety is so crafty a trickery.” But
the readings are very unsettled. | What then? As he who knows not
the right way, when as it happens one road is separated into many,
because he knows not the way, remains in anxiety, and dares neither
make choice of particular roads, nor try them all; so, if a man has no
stedfast judgment of truth, even as his unbelieving suspicion is
scattered, so his doubting opinion is unsettled. It is therefore
no wonder if Cæcilius in the same way is cast about by the tide,
and tossed hither and thither among things contrary and repugnant to
one another; but that this may no longer be the case, I will convict
and refute all that has been said, however diverse, confirming and
approving the truth alone; and for the future he must neither doubt nor
waver. And since my brother broke out in such expressions as
these, that he was grieved, that he was vexed, that he was indignant,
that he regretted that illiterate, poor, unskilled people should
dispute about heavenly things; let him know that all men are begotten
alike, with a capacity and ability of reasoning and feeling, without
preference of age, sex, or dignity. Nor do they obtain wisdom by
fortune, but have it implanted by nature; moreover, the very
philosophers themselves, or any others who have gone forth unto
celebrity as discoverers of arts, before they attained an illustrious
name by their mental skill, were esteemed plebeian, untaught,
half-naked. Thus it is, that rich men, attached to their means,
have been accustomed to gaze more upon their gold than upon heaven,
while our sort of people, though poor, have both discovered wisdom, and
have delivered their teaching to others; whence it appears that
intelligence is not given to wealth, nor is gotten by study, but is
begotten with the very formation of the mind. Therefore it is
nothing to be angry or to be grieved about, though any one should
inquire, should think, should utter his thoughts about divine things;
since what is wanted is not the authority of the arguer, but the truth
of the argument itself: and even the more unskilled the
discourse, the more evident the reasoning, since it is not coloured by
the pomp of eloquence and grace; but as it is, it is sustained by the
rule of right.E.C.F. INDEX & SEARCH
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