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The African Q. Septimus Florens Tertullianus (ca. 150-222 CE), the great Christian writer, was born a soldier's son at Carthage, educated in Greek and Roman literature, philosophy, and medicine, studied law and became a pleader, remaining a clever and often tortuous arguer. At Rome he became a learned and militant Christian. After a visit to churches in Greece (and Asia Minor?) he returned to Carthage and in his writings there founded a Christian Latin language and literature, toiling to fuse enthusiasm with reason; to unite the demands of the Bible with the practice of the Church; and to continue to vindicate the Church's possession of the true doctrine in the face of unbelievers, Jews, Gnostics, and others. In some of his many works he defended Christianity, in others he attacked heretical people and beliefs; in others he dealt with morals. In this volume we present "Apologeticus" and "De Spectaculis."Of Minucius, an early Christian writer of unknown date, we have only "Octavius," a vigorous and readable debate between an unbeliever and a Christian friend of Minucius, Octavius Ianuarius, a lawyer sitting on the seashore at Ostia. Minucius himself acts as presiding judge. Octavius wins the argument. The whole work presents a picture of social and religious conditions in Rome, apparently about the end of the second century.
Excerpt from From Pericles to Philip The period from Pericles to Philip is in many ways the most interesting of Greek history. Indeed, when we use the word "Greek" - whether we think of art or literature, of philosophy or politics, of the Greek spirit or of the Greek attitude to life - nine times out of ten we are turning, consciously or unconsciously, to the century and a quarter between the birth of Pericles and the accession of Philip. It is because in all the regions of thought and life, which I have named, the formative impulses come from this time, or reach maturity in it, recognize themselves or are recognized in it. But, if we are to understand history, we have to ask, more carefully than we sometimes do, what are the things that matter. In the perspective of time, for instance, how many events of the decade 1850-60 are yet of such consequence as the publication of The Origin of Species, or have meant so much to mankind? Lecky spoke of John Wesley's conversion as an epoch in English history. Can we imagine the comment of Horace Walpole, or of Dr. Johnson himself, on such a criticism, if it had been made by a contemporary? Yet it is hard to say that Lecky was not right. But do the histories as a rule give us such events in a perspective, that will bring out their significance? About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com