me who were both Epicureans and are supposed
to have lived in the times of Nero (54-68 A.D.) and Hadrian (118-138
A.D.). It has been argued that the latter could not have been the author
of the _Sermo Verus_, because it apparently mentions the sect of the
Marcellians, and this was not founded till the year 155 under Bishop
Anicetus. But Origen's remark, that Celsus may have outlived the reign of
Hadrian, has been overlooked. At any rate Origen speaks of the _Sermo
Verus_ as a work long known, and as he did not die until the year 253
A.D., in his time the work of Celsus would have been recognised as of
considerable age, even if written after the year 155. Much learning has
been expended on the identification of Celsus, which seems to me to have
been wasted. It is remarkable that Origen made no effort to become
personally acquainted with his adversary. He leaves the question open
whether he is the same Celsus who composed two other books against the
Christians (_Contra Celsum_, IV, 36). At the end of his book he speaks of
him as if he had been a contemporary, and asserts that a second book by
him against the Christians, which has either not yet been completed or has
not yet reached him, shall be as completely refuted as the _Sermo Verus_.
Such language is only used of a contemporary. Could it be proved that
Celsus was a friend of Lucian, then we should know that in the judgment of
the latter he was a noble, truth-loving, and cultivated man. It was not
Origen's interest to emphasise these aspects of his opponent's character;
but it must be said to his credit, that though he was much incensed at
some of the charges of Celsus, he never attacked his personal character.
Perhaps it was not fair in Origen to accuse Celsus of being ashamed of his
Epicureanism, and of concealing his own philosophical and atheistic
convictions, in order to obtain an easier hearing among Jews and
Christians.(6) This does not appear quite fair, for it was a very
pardonable device for Celsus first to attack a part of Christian teaching
under the mask of a Jew, who represents his faith as the older and more
respectable, and seeks to convince the Christians that they would have
done better had they remained true to the religion of their fathers. On
the contrary, as Celsus, whatever he may have been except a Jew, could not
with a good conscience have undertaken an actual defence of Judaism, it
was quite natural that he should choose a Jew as an advocate of