1 Compare The Apology, c. i.

2 Revincit. "Condemnat" is Tertullian's word in The Apology, i.

3 Defendit. "Excusat" in Apol.

4 Non licet rectius suspicari.

5 Non lubet propius experiri.

6 At quin.

7 Nisi si.

8 Emendari pudet.

9 Excusari piget.

10 Redundantiae nostrae.

11 Bona fide.

12 Pro extremitatibus temporum.

13 Or perhaps, "to maintain evil in preference to good."

14 Certe.

15 Pristinorum. In the corresponding passage (Apol. I.) the phrase is, "nisi plane retro non fuisse," i.e., "except that he was not a Christian long ago."

16 Cessat.

17 Comp. c. ii. of The Apology.

18 Ipsi.

19 Gratis reum.

20 Sane.

21 Neque spatium commodetis.

22 Quanquam confessis.

23 Receptoribus, "concealers" of the crime.

24 Porro.

25 Elogia.

26 Immo.

27 We have for once departed from Oehler's text, and preferred Rigault's: "Perducerentur infantarii et coci, ipsi canes pronubi, emendata esset res." The sense is evident from The Apology, c. vii.: "It is said that we are guilty of most horrible crimes; that in the celebration of our sacrament we put a child to death, which we afterward devour, and at the end of our banquet revel in incest; that we employ dogs as ministers of our impure delights, to overthrow the candles, and thus to provide darkness, and remove all shame which might interfere with these impious lusts" (Chevalier's translation). These calumnies were very common, and are noticed by Justin Martyr, Minucius Felix, Eusebius, Athenagoras, and Origen, who attributes their origin to the Jews. Oehler reads infantarioe, after the Agobardine codex and editio princeps, and quotes Martial (Epigr. iv. 88), where the word occurs in the sense of an inordinate love of children.

28 Nam et plerique fidem talium temperant.

29 Comp. The Apology, cc. i. And ii.

30 Adeo si.

31 Si accomodarent.

32 Porro.

33 Haec ratio est.

34 Reprobentur.

35 Impunitate.

36 i.e., the name "Christians."

37 By the "suo loco," Tertullian refers to The Apology.

38 Praescribitur vobis.

39 Praesidi.

40 Ego.

41 Xrhsto/j means both "pleasant" and "good:" and the heathen founded this word with the sacred name |xrusti/j.

42 Detinetis.

43 Et utique.

44 See The Apology, c. iii.

45 Plectitur.

46 Tradux.

47 Retinere.

48 At nunc.

49 Elatrent.

50 Libertatem suam, "their liberty of speech."

51 Denique.

52 Porro.

53 Gravem, "earnest."

54 Comp. The Apology, c. iii.

55 Pro.

56 i.e., the Christian.

57 De commercio.

58 Unum atque alium. The sense being plural, we have so given it all through.

59 Captivitatis (as if theirs was a self-inflicted captivity at home).

60 Omnem uxorem patientiam obtulisse (comp. Apology, middle of c. xxxix.).

61 In ergastulum.

62 Radiant.

63 He means the religion of Christ, which he in b. ii. c. ii. contrasts with "the mere wisdom" of the philosophers.

64 Compare The Apology, cc. ii. xliv. xlvi.

65 Colata, "filtered" [or "strained"-Shaks.]

66 Ut non alicujus nubiculae flocculo resignetur. This picturesque language defies translation.

67 Malitiae

68 Dum retorquetis.

69 Inter crimen et nomen.

70 Inter dici et esse.

71 Status nominis.

72 Denuo.

73 Compare The Apology, c. iv.

74 Ad arulam quandam.

75 Istam.

76 Cessat, "loiters."

77 Requiratur.

78 Lege.