Marcus Minucius Felix was one of the earliest of the Latin apologists for Christianity.
Of his personal history nothing is known, and even the date at which he wrote can be only approximately ascertained as between 150 and 270 AD. Jerome's De Viris Illustribus #58 speaks of him as "Romae insignis causidicus," but in that he is probably only improving on the expression of Lactantius who speaks of him as "non ignobilis inter causidicos loci."
He is now exclusively known by his Octavius, a dialogue on Christianity between the pagan Caecilius Natalis and the Christian Octavius Januarius.
The Octavius is admittedly earlier than Cyprian's Quod idola dei non sint, which borrows from it; how much earlier can be determined only by settling the relation in which it stands to Tertullian's Apologeticum.
Famous quotes containing the words marcus minucius felix, minucius felix, marcus minucius, minucius and/or felix:
“We do not preach great things but we live them.”
—Marcus Minucius Felix (late 2nd or early 3rd ce, Roman Christian apologist. Octavius, 38. 6, trans. by G.H. Rendell.
“The body in the grave is like the tree in winter; they conceal their greenness under a show of dryness.... We too must wait for the springtime of the body.”
—Marcus Minucius Felix (2nd or 3rd cent. A.D.)
“You punish crimes committed, with us the thought of crime is a sin; you fear the voice of witness, we the sole voice of conscience.”
—Marcus Minucius Felix (2nd or 3rd cen. A.D.)
“Lust gratifies its flames in the chambers of the sacristans more often than in the houses of ill-fame.”
—Marcus Minucius Felix (2nd or 3rd cen. A.D.)
“Careless credulity makes them the prey of those they trusted; and then they repeat their
mistake by suspecting all alike.”
—Marcus Minucius Felix (2nd or 3rd cen. A.D.)