Page:The Classical Heritage of the Middle Ages.djvu/232

 214 THE CLASSICAL HERITAGE [chap. the Sibyl and to Plato for foreshadowings of Chris- tian doctrine, and points out analogies to the history of Christ in pagan mythology ; and then sets forth the Hebrew prophecies of Christ^s birth, life, crucifixion, resurrection, and final glory. It gives an account of Christian worship and customs, to show their inno- cent character, and concludes with a warning to the Emperor that he shall not escape the final judgment of God. An dTToXoyta is an argumentative explanatory de- fence. Early Christian apologies might be addressed to the Greeks or Gentiles (Trpos "EAAiyms, adversus gentesj ad nationes) or to some distinguished person, or might be directed against a named opponent, as Origen's Contra Celsum (Kara KeAo-ov). They might be controversially directed against paganism or Juda- ism,^ or against both.^ Unlike previous pagan de- fences (e.g.f Plato's Apology of Socrates), the Christian apology was a defence of Christianity rather than a personal plea for the writer.^ The form and contents differed according to the situation and the nature of what was to be refuted. Thus Origen, Contra Celsum, quotes in separate excerpts the entire work * of his antagonist, and answers all in turn. Latin apologists wrote with originality and ready 1 Justin's Dialogue with Trypho. 2 Jewish arguments were advanced by the pagan Celsus and refuted by Origen. « After Christianity became the State religion, a personal defence or attack might be called an Apology. Jerome and Rufinus wrote ^ Celsus called his work y<n aAije.}?. Cf. Keim, Celsus' Wahres Wort.
 * Apologies " against each other.