{"author":null,"backreferences":[{"context_html":"<p class=\"c006\">We acknowledge, however, although Celsus will not have it\r\nso, that we <i>do</i> desire to instruct all men in the word of God,\r\nso as to give to young men the exhortations which are appropriate\r\nto them, and to show to slaves how they may recover\r\nfreedom of thought,<a id=\"r402\"></a><a class=\"c008 pginternal\" href=\"#f402\"><sup>[402]</sup></a> and be ennobled by the word. And those\r\namongst us who are the ambassadors of Christianity sufficiently\r\ndeclare that they are debtors<a id=\"r403\"></a><a class=\"c008 pginternal\" href=\"#f403\"><sup>[403]</sup></a> to Greeks and barbarians, to\r\nwise men and fools, (for they do not deny their obligation to\r\ncure the souls even of foolish persons,) in order that as far as\r\npossible they may lay aside their ignorance, and endeavour to\r\nobtain greater prudence, by listening also to the words of Solomon:\r\n“Oh, ye fools, be of an understanding heart,”<a id=\"r404\"></a><a class=\"c008 pginternal\" href=\"#f404\"><sup>[404]</sup></a> and “Who\r\nis the most simple among you, let him turn unto me;”<a id=\"r405\"></a><a class=\"c008 pginternal\" href=\"#f405\"><sup>[405]</sup></a> and\r\nwisdom exhorts those who are devoid of understanding in the\r\nwords, “Come, eat of my bread, and drink of the wine which I\r\nhave mixed for you. Forsake folly that ye may live, and\r\ncorrect understanding in knowledge.”<a id=\"r406\"></a><a class=\"c008 pginternal\" href=\"#f406\"><sup>[406]</sup></a> This too would I say\r\n(seeing it bears on the point),<a id=\"r407\"></a><a class=\"c008 pginternal\" href=\"#f407\"><sup>[407]</sup></a> in answer to the statement of\r\nCelsus: Do not philosophers invite young men to their lectures?\r\nand do they not encourage young men to exchange a wicked\r\n<span class=\"pageno\" id=\"Page_135\">135</span>life for a better? and do they not desire slaves to learn philosophy?\r\nMust we find fault, then, with philosophers who have\r\nexhorted slaves to the practice of virtue? with Pythagoras for\r\nhaving so done with Zamolxis, Zeno with Perseus, and with those\r\nwho recently encouraged Epictetus to the study of philosophy?\r\nIs it indeed permissible for you, O Greeks, to call youths and\r\nslaves and foolish persons to the study of philosophy, but if <i>we</i>\r\ndo so, we do not act from philanthropic motives in wishing to\r\nheal every rational nature with the medicine of reason, and to\r\nbring them into fellowship with God, the Creator of all things?\r\nThese remarks, then, may suffice in answer to what are slanders\r\nrather than accusations<a id=\"r408\"></a><a class=\"c008 pginternal\" href=\"#f408\"><sup>[408]</sup></a> on the part of Celsus.</p>","headings":["The writings of Origen, Vol. 2 of 2","BOOK III.","Chapter LIV."],"marker_anchor":null,"paragraph_id":"pg70693-paragraph-190"}],"canonical_references":[],"date_end":null,"date_start":null,"deduplication_fingerprint":"ba89704b9d321a2d6622751baf0385cc6311e7af79d910b6295de64cf445f1f5","edition_title":"The writings of Origen, Vol. 2 (of 2)","edition_translators":["Frederick Crombie","W. H. Cairns"],"edition_year":1872,"explicit_reference_candidates":[{"book":"PRO","chapter":9,"kind":"unreviewed","source_notation":"Prov. ix. 4","verse":4,"verse_end":4}],"headings":[],"id":"pg70693-f405","license_url":"https://www.gutenberg.org/policy/license.html","public_import_allowed":false,"record_kind":"original-editor-translator-note","review_required":["work and recension attribution","original-work chronology","Bible reference numbering and citation kind","English edition rights and attribution"],"review_status":"needs_review","rights_evidence":"Project Gutenberg metadata: Public domain in the USA. Existing 1872 English edition; listed translators died 1889 and 1872. Electronic transcription subject to Project Gutenberg reuse terms.","source_anchor":"f405","source_ebook":70693,"source_html":"<div class=\"footnote\" id=\"f405\">\n<p class=\"c007\"><span class=\"label\"><a class=\"pginternal\" href=\"#r405\">405</a>. </span><abbr class=\"spell\">Cf.</abbr> <abbr title=\"Proverbs\">Prov.</abbr> <abbr title=\"nine\">ix.</abbr> 4.</p>\n</div>","source_sha256":"76ed9a9fd752c1d5095189e38fe3dcbbea0fd23d6be719db17360e4da14552fa","source_url":"https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/70693/pg70693-images.html#f405","text_sha256":"d8645d49cda84b28d2d924987e047337a3b13554f5798e5274e411072ac528c3","verified":false,"work_id":null}