MINUCIUS FELIX, Marcus, probably the earliest Latin apologist of Christianity. Al though he is mentioned by Lactantius and Saint Jerome, practically nothing is known of his life except what may be gathered from his one known work,
Refuting these allegations point for point, Oc tavius, upon purely philosophical grounds and therefore without explicitly quoting the Holy Scriptures or mentioning the name of Christ or the mysteries of Christianity, treats of the creation, Providence, the unity of God, the ab surdity of paganism, the resurrection and the reward after death. Caecilius acknowledges himself vanquished, but wishes some further explanations to be made later. The dialogue, in spite of the inevitable traces of the general decadence of taste, attains a rare degree of ele gance, grace and limpidity. The introduction especially is a masterpiece because of the naiveté and naturalness with which the stage is set. Saint Jerome speaks of another work appear ing under the name of Minucius Felix, (De fato vel contra mathematicos,' but believes that it is not genuine because of the difference in style. Minucius in his dialogue had promised a special work on fate and it may be that this inspired the publication under his name of a work that was not his.
Waltzing, J. P.,