CELSO. – Philosopher of the 2nd century and author of writings against Christianity. The person, work, and thought of C. are known to us solely Origene (v.) in the Contra Celsum. A Platonic philosopher, he was identified by some, apparently wrongly, with the homonymous follower of the Epicurean school, author of Κατά μέγων (“Against the Magicians”), and friend of Lucian. He wrote a work against the Christians, probably in two books (Origene, op. cit., IV, 36), the Ἀληθής λόγος (“The True Doctrine”). This work was preserved for us in the aforementioned refutation by Origene, according to Neumann, at least to the extent of 9/10, of which approximately 3/4 is in the literal text; Glöckner thinks that only at the beginning of the refutation did Origene fail to reproduce the text in its entirety, whereas throughout the rest he omitted nothing but repetitions and insignificant details. It was probably composed in Egypt between 178 and 180.
It is the first wide-ranging work of anti-Christian polemic, in which the various motives already known are arranged, developed, and augmented with new material. C. attacks Christianity armed with a good knowledge of the philosophical currents of the time, drawing readily, in addition to Platonism, upon Epicurean doctrine. He is also acquainted with the Bible, various apocrypha, and the early apologetic literature. He is well informed about the condition of the Christians and about orthodox and heretical doctrines, especially Gnostic ones. He accuses the Christians of ignorance, obscurantism, and fanaticism; he regards the Old Testament as a fabric of anthropomorphic fables. Jesus is a charlatan incapable of saving himself, abandoned by his disciples; he considers the Incarnation absurd; he denies the value of miracles and prophecies; he reproaches the Christians for their divisions; he rejects the Resurrection; he asserts that Christ read Plato, from whom the Christians derived much; and he concludes by inviting the Christians to resume their place in social life in order to form a united front with the pagans against the barbarian danger.
Not without interest in itself for its acumen and polemical liveliness, the work is important above all historically, as a document of the pagan mentality in the face of Christianity. It had a particular influence on the anti-Christian polemic of Neoplatonism; Ierocle drew inspiration from it, even in the title, for the Λόγοι φιλαλήθεις. Certain attitudes of C. also persisted in modern rationalism.
Michele Pellegrino
CELSO. – Christian writer who faithfully translated from the Greek the dialogue of Aristone of Pella and dedicated it to a bishop Vigilio with a lengthy accompanying letter. It does not seem that this Vigilio was the bishop of Tapso (v.) at the end of the 5th century, given C.’s interest in anti-Jewish polemic and his archaic Christological terminology. In that case, the mention of a severe persecution should refer to that of Valerian or Maximian, and the writing would have to be attributed to the 3rd century.
The translation of the dialogue has been lost, but the lengthy dedication is preserved among the apocrypha of St. Cyprian (ed. Hartel, in CSEL, III, III, pp. 119–32).