Chapter XXIX.

In the preceding pages we have already spoken of this point, viz., the prediction that there were to be two advents of Christ to the human race, so that it is not necessary for us to reply to the objection, supposed to be urged by a Jew, that “the prophets declare the coming one to be a mighty potentate, Lord of all nations and armies.”  But it is in the spirit of a Jew, I think, and in keeping with their bitter animosity, and baseless and even improbable calumnies against Jesus, that he adds:  “Nor did the prophets predict such a pestilence.”218    ὄλεθρον.  For neither Jews, nor Celsus, nor any other, can bring any argument to prove that a pestilence converts men from the practice of evil to a life which is according to nature, and distinguished by temperance and other virtues.

Φθάσαντες δ' ἐν τοῖς ἀνωτέρω εἰρήκαμεν περὶ τοῦ τὸν Χριστὸν προφητεύεσθαι δύο ἐπιδημίαις χρησόμενον εἰς τὸ τῶν ἀνθρώπων γένος· διόπερ οὐκέτι χρεία ἡμᾶς ἀπολο γήσασθαι πρὸς τὸ λεγόμενον ὡς ὑπὸ τοῦ Ἰουδαίου, ὅτι μέγαν καὶ δυνάστην καὶ πάσης τῆς γῆς καὶ πάντων τῶν ἐθνῶν καὶ στρατοπέδων κύριόν φασιν οἱ προφῆται εἶναι τὸν ἐπιδημήσοντα. Ἰουδαϊκῶς δ' οἶμαι εἶπε καὶ κατὰ τὴν ἐκείνων χολὴν μετὰ τοῦ χωρὶς ἀποδείξεως κἂν πιθανῆς λοιδορεῖν τὸν Ἰησοῦν, ὅτι οὐχὶ [δὲ] τοιοῦτον ὄλεθρον κατήγγειλαν. Καίτοι οὔτε Ἰουδαῖοι οὔτε Κέλσος οὔτε ἄλλος τις μετὰ ἀποδείξεως ἔχει παραστῆσαι ὅτι ὄλεθρος τοσούτους ἀνθρώπους ἐπιστρέφει ἀπὸ τῆς χύσεως τῶν κακῶν ἐπὶ τὸν κατὰ φύσιν μετὰ σωφροσύνης καὶ τῶν λοιπῶν ἀρετῶν βίον.