The Octavius of Minucius Felix

Amid the bustle of early Christian Rome an elegant conversation weighs the claims of the new faith against the old gods. Faith meets reason in Rome. Composed in refined Latin The Octavius of Minucius Felix is a vivid early Christian classic edition a patristic Latin dialogue in which a cultivated pagan and a thoughtful Christian measure paganism versus Christianity with clarity wit and gravity. In this masterly translation by J. H. Freese the dialogue offers a measured yet incisive defence of Christian faith while engaging the philosophical currents moral questions and social tensions of Roman religious debates under the empire.As one of the earliest monuments of Latin apologetic Christian literature Minucius Felix Octavius bridges the world of Cicero and the emerging voice of the Church. Its graceful reasoning and humane tone make it ideal for theology students Christian apologetics study and readers drawn to the intellectual birth of Roman empire Christianity. Equally it rewards the casual classicist seeking a brief polished window into how the Church Fathers first articulated their claims in the language and thought-forms of Rome; a natural centrepiece in any church fathers classics collection.Out of print for decades and now republished by Alpha Editions. Restored for today's and future generations. More than a reprint a collector's item and a cultural treasure.