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apostolicfathers0201clem - Carmel Apologetics

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538 EPISTLE OF S. POLYCARP.<br />

/36Xr](rav, ovs Se e^avarwcrav, kol ecus tov Sevpo dfiols aiKKr/xois Trcpi-<br />

On this passage see Gorres in Jahrh.f. Protest. Theol. 1884, p. 265 sq. This part<br />

of the work was written after the death of M. Aurelius (see iii. 27, 28) March a.d.<br />

180, and apparently not later than A.D. 181. It therefore represents the state of things<br />

during the reign of M. Aurelius.<br />

(viii)<br />

Tertullian [c. a.d. 200, 211].<br />

(a) Apologeticum 5.<br />

Ceterum de tot exinde [a Domitiano] principibus ad hodiernum divinum<br />

humanumque sapientibus edite aliquem debellatorem Christianorum.<br />

At nos e contrario edimus protectorem,<br />

si litterae M. Aurelii gravissimi<br />

imperatoris requirantur, quibus illam Germanicam sitim Christianorum<br />

forte militum precationibus impetrato imbri discussam contestatur.<br />

Sicut non palam ab ejusmodi hominibus poenam dimovit, ita alio modo<br />

palam dispersit, adjecta etiam accusatoribus damnatione, et quidem<br />

tetriore.<br />

Quales ergo leges istae quae adversus nos soli exercent impii,<br />

injusti, turpes, truces, vani, dementes quas Trajanus ex parte frustratus<br />

est vetando inquiri Christianos, quas nuUus Hadrianus, quamquam<br />

omnium curiositatum explorator, nuUus Vespasianus, quamquam<br />

Judaeorum debellator, nullus Pius, nuUus Verus, impressit.<br />

On the attitude of Tertullian towards the good emperors see above pp. 2, 8.<br />

(b)<br />

Ad Scapulam 4.<br />

Pudens etiam missum ad se Christianum in elogio<br />

concussione ejus<br />

intellecta dimisit, scisso eodem elogio, sine accusatore negans se auditurum<br />

hominem secundum mandatum...M. quoque Aurelius in Germanica<br />

expeditione Christianorum militum orationibus ad Deum factis<br />

imbres in siti ilia impetravit. Quando non geniculationibus et jejunationibus<br />

nostris etiam siccitates sunt depulsae Tunc et populus<br />

adclamans Deo deorum, qui solus potens, in Jovis nomine Deo nostro<br />

testimonium reddidit.<br />

The ' mandatum ' would seem to refer to the rescript of Hadrian to Fundanus.<br />

The story of the Thundering Legion has been considered already, p. 485 sq.<br />

Ad<br />

(c) Scapulavi 3.<br />

Possumus aeque et exitus quorundam praesidum tibi proponere,<br />

qui in fine vitae suae recordati sunt deliquisse, quod vexassent Christianos.<br />

Vigellius Saturninus, qui primus hie gladium in nos egit,<br />

lumina amisit. Claudius Lucius Herminianus in Cappadocia, cum,

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