Arguments of Celsus, Porphyry and the emperor Julian against the Christians; also extracts from Diodorus Siculus, Josephus, and Tacitus, relating to the Jews. Together with an appendix containing the oration of Libanius in defence of the temples of the heathens, tr. by dr. Lardner |
Common terms and phrases
absurd afterwards altars Amenophis Anaxarchus ancient animals Antiochus Apollinarians appear ARGUMENTS OF CELSUS Arians Arnob assert believe bishop Bocchoris body called cause celebrated Cels Christ Christian religion Christians confute Cyril dæmons death depraved despise destroyed Diodorus Siculus disciples divine doctrine earth earthworms Egypt Egyptians Emperor Julian enemies eternal Euseb evil extract Father Petau forbid sacrifices Galilæans gods heathen in Minucius Hence Hesiod Hieron honour images impiety impious impostors injury intelligent Jerome Jerusalem Jesus Jew in Celsus Josephus Jupiter Justin Martyr king labour Libanius likewise living Manetho mankind martyrs means mention miserable Montanists Moses mother of Jesus narration nation nature Nazarens opinion Origen origin Parabolani persuade Plato Porphyry possess pretend priests prophets Prudentius Psychicos punished receive reign rites robbers Romans sacred sacrificed sect Serapis soul Sozomen stupid suffer teach temples things truth venerate whoever wise wish worship worthy
Popular passages
Page 26 - Ask for what end the heavenly bodies shine, Earth for whose use? Pride answers, " 'Tis for mine: " For me kind Nature wakes her genial power, " Suckles each herb, and spreads out every flower: " Annual for me, the grape, the rose renew " The juice nectareous, and the balmy dew; "For me, the mine a thousand treasures brings; " For me, health gushes from a thousand springs; " Seas roll to waft me, suns to light me rise; " My footstool earth, my canopy the skies.
Page 51 - For, they not only set fire to the cities and villages, but committed every kind of sacrilege, and destroyed the images of the gods, and roasted and fed upon those sacred animals that were worshipped; and having compelled the priests and prophets to kill and sacrifice them, they cast them naked out of the country.
Page 66 - Prayers imitate that which is intellectual; but characters, superior ineffable powers. Herbs and stones resemble matter; and animals which are sacrificed, the irrational life of our souls.
Page 56 - Connected amongst themselves by the most obstinate and inflexible faith, the Jews extend their charity to all of their own persuasion, while towards the rest of mankind they nourish a sullen and inveterate hatred. Strangers are excluded from their tables. Unsociable to all others, they eat and lodge with one another only ; and though addicted to sensuality, they admit no intercourse with women from other nations. Among themselves their passions are without restraint. Vice itself is lawful.
Page iii - I have often wished for a hand capable of collecting all the fragments remaining of Porphyry, Celsus, Hierocles, and Julian, and giving them to us with a just, critical, and theological comment, as a ' Defy to Infidelity.' It is certain we want something more than what their ancient answerers have given us.
Page 2 - This then being the spirit o'f the law, it is obvious that the nocturnal meetings of the primitive Christians must have rendered them objects of peculiar suspicion, and exposed them to the animadversion of the magistrate. It was during the night that they usually held their most solemn and religious assemblies...
Page i - Arguments of Celsus, Porphyry, and the Emperor Julian against the Christians, also Extracts from Diodorus Siculus, Josephus, and Tacitus, relating to the Jews, together with an Appendix containing the Oration of Libanius in defence of the Temples of the Heathens, and Extracts from Bingham's Antiquities.
Page 53 - In this clash of opinions, one point seems to be universally admitted. A pestilential disease, disfiguring the race of man, and making the body an object of loathsome deformity, spread all over Egypt. Bocchoris, at that time the reigning monarch, consulted the oracle of Jupiter...
Page 54 - Moses gave a new form of worship, and a system of religious ceremonies, the reverse of every thing known to any other age or country. Whatever is held sacred by the Romans, with the Jews is profane: and what in other nations is unlawful and impure, with them is fully established. The figure of the animal...
Page 53 - A pestilential disease, disfiguring the race of man, and making the body an object of loathsome deformity, 1 spread all over Egypt. Bocchoris, at that time the reigning monarch, consulted the oracle of Jupiter Hammon, and received for answer that the kingdom must be purified, by exterminating the infected multitude as a race of men detested by the gods. After diligent search the wretched sufferers were collected together, and in a wild and barren desert abandoned to their misery. In that distress,...