So it is plain that the colloquy did not turn upon the fundamental doctrines of Christianity, neither is it an apology in the proper sense. At- tempts at explanation are widely diver gent, although the difficulties are not to be waived. Some have sought to prove the dialogue a polemic against Crescentius the Cynic or the Epicurean Celsus, or, finally, against Cornelius Fronto, the rhetorician. The most natural explanation, however, lies in the author's purpose of disarming the prejudices then current against Christianity in cultured circles by proving that the views of the philosophers coincided essentially with the faith of the Christians; that the heathen mythology was shameless, whereas the new faith was pure and lofty. Hence, in the work of Minucius Felix, Christianity appears wholly as a moral and philosophic religion. Minucius, frequently finding himself obliged to meet attacks against his religion, had to examine them carefully and confute them. The structure of the dialogue is so excellent that even to-day certain critics regard it as having actually taken place. The introduotion especially has a poetic charm, and likewise worthy of praise is the drawing of the leading characters: Minucius was well read in the poetic works of the Greeks and Romans, and had a good knowledge of the works of Cicero, whom he adopted as his model. Traces of decadent Latinity appear nevertheless; still the language of Minucius is comparatively pure for that age.
The repeated attempts to discover whether the dialogue of Octavius was influenced by any other apologetic have led to no generally recognized result, for he does not mention his sources. There undoubtedly exists a dependent relation between Minucius, Tertullian, and Cyprian. The latter, in his treatise " On the Vanity of Idols " (c. 245), copied Minucius and Ter tullian. The priority of Tertullian's "Apology" (c. 200), which has various points of contact with "Octavius," was long held to be incontestable, but now, especially since Ebert's investigations, Minucius is rated the earlier. He wrote between 150 and 245, probably before 200. The "Octavius" is appended to the seven books of Arnobius "Against the Heathen" in a manuscript dating from the ninth century preserved in Paris. There is a transcript in Brussels. From the former there was VII. 25 printed the first edition of Arnobfus (Rome, 1543), wherein the "Octavius" appeared as the eighth book. It was first edited separately by Francis Baldwin (Heidelberg, 1560). Since then, the dialogue has been frequently published (e.g., ed. C. Halm, in CSEL, Vienna, 1867; in MPL, iii. 239-276; ed. J. J. Cornelissen, Leyden, 1882; ed. A. Bahrens, Leipsic, 1886). Eng. transls. are by D. Dalrymple (Edinburgh, 1781; new ed., Cambridge, 1854); in ANF, iv. 173-198; and in A. A. Brodribb, Pagan and Puritan; The Octavaus of Min2h cius, freely translated, London, 1903.
Bibliography: Lists of literature are to be found in Le Muahe Beige, xvi (1892), nos. 2-3, and in ANF, Bibliography, pp. 47-50. Consult: C. RSren, Minuciana, part i., Bedburg, 1859, part ii., Brilon, 1877; A. Soulet, Eaaai cur l'Oetavius de Minucius Felix, Strasburg, 1867; T. Keim~ Coitus, pp. 151-168, Zurich, 1873; idem, Ron und das Christenthum, pp. 383-384, 468-486, Berlin, 1881; P. de Fdlice, -Otude our l'Octavius do Minucius Felix, Blois, 1880; V. Schultze, in JPT, vii (1881), 485-506; R. Kahn, Der Octaviue des Minucius Felix, Leipsic, 1882; R. Schwenke, in JPT, ix (1883), 263-294; M. L. Massebieau, in Revue de Hist. des religions, xv (1887), 316-346; F. Wilhelm, De Minucii Pelicie Octavio, Breslau, 1887; E. Kurt, Ueber den OMavius des Minucius Fells, Burgdorf, 1888; B. Seiller, De sermons Minuciano, Augsburg, 1893; M. Schanz, in Rheinisches Museum, 1 (1895), 114-137; H. Boenig, Marcus Minucius Felix; sin Beihap cur (doachichte der aUohristlichen Litteratur, Königsberg, 1897; E. Norden, De Minucii Felicia otate et penere dicauti, Greifswald 1897; Ceillier, Auteurs sacrés, i. 550-557; Kr�ger, History, pp. 138-142; Schaff, Christian Church, ii. 833 sqq.; Harnack, Litteratur, i. 647, 743, ii. 2, pp. 324-330, 408; idem, Dogma, ii. 196sqq.; DCB, iii. 920-924; A. Elter, Prolegomena zu Minucius Felix, Bonn, 1909.
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