Early Christian Views on Menander and Pagan Literature

Clement of Alexandria, The Stromata (Miscellanies) Supporting witness

And Menander, the comic poet, in exhibiting God, says:—

Clement of Alexandria, The Stromata (Miscellanies) Supporting witness

The like also says Menander the comic poet:—

Clement of Alexandria, Exhortation to the Heathen Supporting witness

Menander, for instance, the comic poet, in his drama of the Charioteer, says:—

Tertullian, Ad Nationes Direct teaching

...rts. Indeed, by it you carry on the education of your upper classes, as the very foundation of your literature. Plato thought that poets ought to be banished as slanderers of the gods. He would even have driven Homer himself out of his republic, although, as you know, Homer was the chief of them all. But since you accept and keep such poets, why should you not believe them when they reveal these things about your gods? And if you do believe your poets, how is it that you worship such gods as they describe? If you worship them simply because you do not believe the poets, why do you praise such lying authors, with no fear of offending those whose slanderers you honor? Of course, no concern for truth is to be expected from poets. But when you say that they only make men into gods after death, do you not admit that before death those gods were merely human? Now what is strange in the fact that those who were once men are subject to the disgrace of human misfortunes, or crimes, or fables? In fact, do you not trust your poets, when in some cases you have arranged even your rituals in agreement with their stories? How is it that the priestess of Ceres is ravished, if not because Ceres

Apostolic Constitutions, Apostolic Constitutions Direct teaching

...ables? If you want to read history, you have the books of the Kings. If you want books of wisdom or poetry, you have the books of the Prophets, Job, and Proverbs. In them you will find greater depth of understanding than in all the pagan poets and sophists, because these are the words of the Lord, the only wise God. If you want something to sing, you have the Psalms. If you want the origin of things, you have Genesis. If you want laws and statutes, you have the glorious law of the Lord God. Therefore, completely stay away from all strange and diabolical books. No, when you read the law, do not think that you are required to keep the added precepts, if not all of them, then even some of them. Read those only for the sake of history, so that you may know them and glorify God that He has delivered you from so great and so many bonds. Aim to distinguish which rules came from the law of nature, and which were added afterward, or were additional rules introduced and given in the wilderness to the Israelites after the making of the calf. For the law contains those commandments that were spoken by the Lord God before the people fell into idolatry and made a calf like the Egyptian Apis,

Tertullian, On Idolatry Direct teaching

...birthday. Every pomp of the devil is frequented. Who will think that these things are fitting for a Christian teacher, unless he is one who thinks them suitable also for one who is not a teacher? We know it may be said, "If teaching literature is not lawful for God's servants, then learning it will not be lawful either." And, "How could anyone be trained for ordinary human understanding, or for any perception or action at all, since literature is the means of training for all life? How do we reject secular studies, without which divine studies cannot be pursued?" Let us see, then, the necessity of literary learning. Let us consider that in part it cannot be admitted, and in part it cannot be avoided. Learning literature is more allowable for believers than teaching it, because the principle of learning and of teaching is different. If a believer teaches literature, then while he teaches he certainly commends, while he presents it he affirms, while he recalls it he bears witness to, the praises of idols mixed in it. He seals the gods themselves with this name, while the Law, as we have said, forbids the names of gods to be spoken, and forbids this name to be given to vanity. From

Gregory Thaumaturgus, Oration to Origen Direct teaching

...h a way that we would read with the greatest care everything written by the philosophers and by the poets of old. We were to reject nothing and refuse nothing, because at that time we did not yet have the power to judge critically. There was only one exception: the writings of the atheists. In their proud ideas, they fall away from the common understanding of mankind and deny that there is either a God or a providence. He wanted us to keep away from these writings, because they are not worthy to be read, and because it might happen that the soul within us, which is meant for piety, would be defiled by hearing words that are opposed to the worship of God. For even those who visit temples of piety, as they think them to be, are careful not to touch anything profane. Therefore, he held that the books of such people were not worthy even to be considered by those who have taken up the practice of piety. However, he thought that we should obtain and become familiar with all other writings. We were not to favor one kind or reject another, whether it was philosophical teaching or not, whether Greek or foreign, but to listen to what all of them had to say. And he acted on this principle

Theophilus of Antioch, To Autolycus Direct teaching

For thus they most heartily celebrate Homer and Hesiod, and the rest of the poets, but the glory of the incorruptible and only God they not only omit to mention, but blaspheme;

Arnobius, Against the Heathen Supporting witness

35. But is it only poets whom you have thought proper to allow to invent unseemly tales about the gods, and to turn them shamefully into sport?

Athenagoras, A Plea for the Christians Supporting witness

For poets and philosophers, as to other subjects so also to this, have applied themselves in the way of conjecture, moved, by reason of their affinity with the afflatus from God, each one by his own soul, to try whether he could find out and apprehend the truth;

Justin Martyr, The First Apology Supporting witness

And of these some taught atheism; and the poets who have flourished among you raise a laugh out of the uncleanness of Jupiter with his own children.

Arnobius, Against the Heathen Supporting witness

By your insults and affronts, I say, partly in the vile stories, partly in the shameful beliefs which your theologians, your poets, you yourselves too, celebrate in disgraceful ceremonies, you will find that the affairs of men have been ruined, and that the gods have thrown away the helm, if indeed it is by their care that the fortunes of men are guided and arranged.

Arnobius, Against the Heathen Supporting witness

1. Admitting that all these things which do the immortal gods dishonour, have been put forth by poets merely in sport, what of those found in grave, serious, and careful histories, and handed down by you in hidden mysteries?

Origen, Against Celsus Supporting witness

...remarks in which he tries to show that our teachings are like those given by the priests during the pagan mysteries. He says, "Just as you, good sir, believe in eternal punishments, so do the priests who explain and initiate people into the sacred mysteries. The same punishments with which you threaten others, they threaten you." Now, it is worth examining which of the two is established more firmly as true, since both sides insist with equal confidence that the truth is on their side. But if we ask for proofs, the priests of the pagan gods produce many that seem clear and convincing, partly from wonders done by demons, and partly from answers given by oracles, and from various other kinds of divination. He wants us, then, to believe that both we and the interpreters of the mysteries teach the doctrine of eternal punishment equally, and that it should be examined on which side the truth lies. Now I would say that the truth is with those who are able to lead their hearers to live like people who are convinced that what they have heard is true. But Jews and Christians have been affected in this way by the teachings they hold about what we call the world to come, and the rewards of

Tertullian, Apology Supporting witness

so that people might think Christians unworthy of credit because the poets or philosophers are so, or might regard the poets and philosophers as worthier of confidence from their not being followers of Christ.

Justin Martyr, The First Apology Direct teaching

and while we maintain that men ought not to worship the works of their hands, we say the very things which have been said by the comic poet Menander, and other similar writers, for they have declared that the workman is greater than the work.

Justin Martyr, On the Sole Government of God Direct teaching

... things. I will do this not by mere display of words but by using evidence drawn from ancient Greek poetry and writings common to all. From these, the renowned men who made idol worship a law for the masses will be taught and proven by their own poets and literature to be greatly ignorant.

Athenagoras, A Plea for the Christians Direct teaching

...need is there, when speaking to you who have searched into every field of knowledge, to mention the poets or to examine other kinds of opinions? Let it be enough to say this much. If the poets and philosophers had not acknowledged that there is one God, and had not held these opinions about the gods—some saying they are demons, others that they are matter, and others that they once were men—there might be some appearance of reason for our being harassed as we are, since we use language that makes a distinction between God and matter, and between the natures of the two. For we acknowledge a God, and a Son, his Word, and a Holy Spirit, united in essence—the Father, the Son, the Spirit. The Son is the Intelligence, Reason, and Wisdom of the Father, and the Spirit is an effluence, like light from fire. So also we understand that there are other powers, which exercise dominion over matter and by means of it, and one in particular that is hostile to God. Not that anything is really opposed to God, as strife is to friendship according to Empedocles, or as night is to day according to the appearing and disappearing of the stars. For even if anything had set itself against God, it would

Athenagoras, A Plea for the Christians Direct teaching

And on what principle must we believe some things and disbelieve others, when the poets have written their stories in order to gain greater veneration for them?

Justin Martyr, Hortatory Address to the Greeks Direct teaching

To show that the poet transferred to his own poem much of what is contained in the divine writings of the prophets.

Origen, Against Celsus Direct teaching

...eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God" — Celsus claims that this saying clearly came from Plato. He says Jesus twisted the philosopher’s words, which were that it was impossible to be outstanding in goodness and at the same time in riches. Now who, among people able to give even moderate attention to such matters — not only among those who believe in Jesus, but among the rest of mankind as well — would not laugh at Celsus when hearing this? He says that Jesus, who was born and raised among the Jews, and was thought to be the son of Joseph the carpenter, and who had not studied literature — not Greek literature, and not even Hebrew literature, as the truth-loving Scriptures testify about Him — had read Plato, and, being pleased with what he said about rich men, namely that it was impossible to be outstanding in goodness and riches at the same time, had twisted that saying and changed it into, "It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God." Now if Celsus had not read the Gospels with hatred and hostility, but had been filled with a love of truth, he would have paid attention to why a camel — an

Theophilus of Antioch, To Autolycus Direct teaching

...ns and Egyptians, and from the account of our chronology given by the writers Manetho the Egyptian, Menander the Ephesian, and also Josephus, who wrote about the Jewish war that they fought with the Romans. For from these very ancient records, it is proved that the writings of all the others are more recent than the writings given to us through Moses, and yes, also more recent than the later prophets. For the last of the prophets, who was called Zechariah, lived at the same time as the reign of Darius. But even the lawgivers themselves are all found to have made laws after that time. For if someone mentions Solon the Athenian, he lived in the days of Kings Cyrus and Darius, in the time of the prophet Zechariah just mentioned, who was the last of the prophets by many years. Or if you mention the lawgivers Lycurgus, Draco, or Minos, Josephus tells us in his writings that the sacred books are older than they are. This is because the writings of the divine law given to us through Moses already existed even before the reign of Jupiter over the Cretans, and before the Trojan War. And so that we may give a more exact presentation of eras and dates, we will now, with God's help, give an

Theophilus of Antioch, To Autolycus Direct teaching

... which are still kept among the Tyrians to this day, and in the writings exchanged between them. As Menander the Ephesian records while telling the history of the Tyrian kingdom, he speaks in this way: "When Abimalus, king of the Tyrians, died, his son Hiram became king. He lived 53 years. After him came Bazorus, who lived 43 years and reigned 17 years. After him came Methuastartus, who lived 54 years and reigned 12 years. After him his brother Atharymus became king, who lived 58 years and reigned 9 years. He was killed by his brother named Helles, who lived 50 years and reigned 8 months. He was killed by Juthobalus, priest of Astarte, who lived 40 years and reigned 12 years. He was succeeded by his son Bazorus, who lived 45 years and reigned 7 years. His son Metten succeeded him, who lived 32 years and reigned 29 years. Pygmalion, son of Pygmalius, succeeded him, who lived 56 years and reigned 7 years. And in the seventh year of his reign, his sister fled to Libya and built the city which to this day is called Carthage. Therefore, the whole period from the reign of Hiram to the founding of Carthage comes to 155 years and 8 months. And in the twelfth year of Hiram's reign, the t

Lactantius, The Divine Institutes Supporting witness

...ther god as their ruler, if Saturn had not been deceived by his wife. But someone will say that the poets invented these things. Whoever thinks this is mistaken. For they spoke about men. But in order to adorn with praise those whose memory they celebrated, they said that they were gods. Therefore, the things they said about them as gods were invented, not the things they said about them as men. And this will be made clear by an example that I will give. When he was about to violate Danae, he poured a large amount of gold coins into her lap. This was the price he paid for her dishonor. But the poets, speaking of him as a god, did not want to weaken the authority of his supposed majesty. So they invented the story that he himself came down in a shower of gold. They used the same kind of figure of speech that they use when they speak of showers of iron, meaning a great number of darts and arrows. He is said to have carried off Ganymede by an eagle. This is a picture made by the poets. But either he carried him off by a legion, which has an eagle as its standard, or the ship on which he was taken had a guardian deity in the form of an eagle, just as it had the image of a bull when

Lactantius, The Divine Institutes Supporting witness

Therefore, the stories of the poets are true, but they are covered over with an outward veil and appearance. It is possible that Mount Olympus gave the poets the idea for saying that Jupiter gained the kingdom of heaven, because Olympus is the common name for both the mountain and heaven. But the same history tells us that Jupiter lived on Mount Olympus when it says, "At that time Jupiter spent most of his life on Mount Olympus; and people used to go to him there for the administration of justice, if any matters were disputed. Moreover, if anyone had discovered some new invention that might be useful for human life, he would come there and show it to Jupiter." The poets transfer many things in this way, not because they want to speak falsely against the objects of their worship, but so that by using figures of many colors they may add beauty and grace to their poems. But those who do not understand the way, or the reason, or the nature of what is presented in figure attack the poets as false and sacrilegious. Even the philosophers were deceived by this error. Because these things said about Jupiter seemed unfitting for the character of a god, they introduced two Jupiters, one natur

Lactantius, The Divine Institutes Supporting witness

... the gods? Why then are they portrayed that way and worshiped that way? Unless perhaps not only the poets, but also painters and sculptors, speak falsehoods. For if this is the Jupiter whom you call a god, if he is not the one born from Saturn and Ops, then no image except his own should have been placed in all the temples. What do the images of women mean? What does the doubtful sex mean? If this Jupiter is represented in them, the very stones will confess that he is a man. They say that the poets spoke falsely, and yet they believe them. Yes, truly by the fact itself they prove that the poets did not speak falsely. For they make the images of the gods in such a way that, from the very difference of sex, it appears that the things the poets say are true. For what other conclusion can be drawn from the image of Ganymede and the figure of the eagle, when they are placed before Jupiter's feet in the temples and are worshiped equally with him, except that the memory of wicked guilt and debauchery remains forever? Therefore, the poets invent nothing completely. Perhaps something is changed and hidden by indirect shaping, under which the truth was wrapped and concealed. This is so in

Lactantius, The Divine Institutes Supporting witness

...in heaven is someone who should not even have ruled on earth? It was not without wit that a certain poet wrote about Cupid's triumph. In that book, he presented Cupid not only as the most powerful of the gods, but also as their conqueror. After listing the love affairs of each god, by which they had come under Cupid's power and control, he describes a procession. In it, Jupiter, along with the other gods, is led in chains before Cupid's chariot as Cupid celebrates a triumph. This is pictured skillfully by the poet, but it is not far from the truth. For the man who has no virtue, who is overcome by desire and evil lusts, is not, as the poet imagined, under Cupid's control, but under everlasting death. But let us stop speaking about morals. Let us examine the matter so that people may understand the errors in which they are miserably caught. Common people think that Jupiter rules in heaven, and both the learned and the unlearned are persuaded of this. For their religion itself, and their prayers, and hymns, and shrines, and images all show it. And yet they also admit that he was descended from Saturn and Rhea. How can he seem to be a god, or be believed, as the poet says, to be th

Justin Martyr, The First Apology Direct teaching

And a man, Menander, also a Samaritan, of the town Capparetæa, a disciple of Simon, and inspired by devils, we know to have deceived many while he was in Antioch by his magical art.

Irenaeus, Against Heresies: Book I Direct teaching

5. The successor of this man was Menander, also a Samaritan by birth, and he, too, was a perfect adept in the practice of magic.

Tertullian, Against All Heresies Supporting witness

After him Menander, his disciple (likewise a magician ), saying the same as Simon.

Hippolytus, Refutation of All Heresies Supporting witness

But one Saturnilus, who flourished about the same period with Basilides, but spent his time in Antioch, (a city) of Syria, propounded opinions akin to whatever (tenets) Menander (advanced).

Hippolytus, Refutation of All Heresies Supporting witness

And how Menander advanced the assertion that the world was made by angels.

Irenaeus, Against Heresies: Book III Supporting witness

But the rest, who are called Gnostics, take rise from Menander, Simon’s disciple, as I have shown;

Irenaeus, Against Heresies: Book I Supporting witness

Saturninus, like Menander, set forth one father unknown to all, who made angels, archangels, powers, and potentates.