Apologetics -- History -- Early church, ca. 30-600; Celsus (Platonic philosopher), active 180; Theology -- History -- Early Church, ca. 30-600
But as he next introduces the case of the favourite of Adrian (I refer
to the accounts regarding the youth Antinous, and the honours paid him
by the inhabitants of the city of Antinous in Egypt), and imagines that
the honour paid to him falls little short of that which we render to
Jesus, let us show in what a spirit of hostility this statement is made.
For what is there in common between a life lived among the favourites of
Adrian, by one who did not abstain even from unnatural lusts, and that
of the venerable Jesus, against whom even they who brought countless
other charges, and who told so many falsehoods, were not able to allege
that He manifested, even in the slightest degree, any tendency to what
was licentious?[358] Nay, further, if one were to investigate, in a
spirit of truth and impartiality, the stories relating to Antinous, he
would find that it was due to the magical arts and rites of the
Egyptians that there was even the _appearance_ of his performing
anything [marvellous] in the city which bears his name, and that too
only after his decease,—an effect which is said to have been produced in
other temples by the Egyptians, and those who are skilled in the arts
which they practise. For they set up in certain places demons claiming
prophetic or healing power, and which frequently torture those who seem
to have committed any mistake about ordinary kinds of food, or about
touching the dead body of a man, that they may have the appearance of
alarming the uneducated multitude. Of this nature is the being that is
considered to be a god in Antinoopolis in Egypt, whose [reputed] virtues
are the lying inventions of some who live by the gain derived
therefrom;[359] while others, deceived by the demon placed there, and
others again convicted by a weak conscience, actually think that they
are paying a divine penalty inflicted by Antinous. Of such a nature also
are the mysteries which they perform, and the seeming predictions which
they utter. Far different from such are those of Jesus. For it was no
company of sorcerers, paying court to a king or ruler at his bidding,
who seemed to have made him a god; but the Architect of the universe
Himself, in keeping with the marvellously persuasive power of His
words,[360] commended Him as worthy of honour, not only to those men who
were well disposed, but to demons also, and other unseen powers, which
even at the present time show that they either fear the name of Jesus as
that of a being of superior power, or reverentially accept Him as their
legal ruler.[361] For if the commendation had not been given Him by God,
the demons would not have withdrawn from those whom they had assailed,
in obedience to the mere mention of His name.
Footnote 358:
ὡς κἂν τὸ τυχὸν ἀκολασίας κἂν ἐπ’ ὀλιγὸν γευσαμένου;
Footnote 359:
οὗ ἀρετὰς οἱ μέν τινες κυβευτικώτερον ζῶντες καταψεύδονται.
Footnote 360:
ἀκολούθως τῇ ἐν τῷ λέγειν τεραστίως πιστικῇ δυνάμει.
Footnote 361:
ὡς κατὰ νόμους αὐτῶν ἄρχοντος.
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