Against Celsus 3.55

But since, delighting in his discourse of abuse against us, he has added other things too, come, let us set these out also and see whether Christians behave disgracefully or Celsus in what he says. He says: “We see also in private houses wool-workers, cobblers, fullers, and the most uneducated and boorish people, who do not dare to utter a word in front of their elders and more sensible masters; but when they get hold of the children privately, and some foolish women with them, they tell marvelous things: that they must not pay attention to their father and their teachers but must obey them; that those others talk nonsense and are senseless, and neither know nor can do anything truly good, being preoccupied with empty chatter; but that they alone know how one ought to live, and if the children obey them they will be happy and will make the household prosperous. And while they are speaking, if they see one of the schoolteachers coming by, or one of the more sensible people, or even the father himself, the more cautious of them run off in fright, but the bolder urge the children to break loose, whispering such things as that while the father and the teachers are present they will not want, nor be able, to explain anything good to the children, since they turn away from their stupidity and coarseness, who are utterly corrupt and far gone in wickedness and would punish them; but if they wish, they must leave their father and their teachers and go with the women and their little playmates into the women's quarters, or the cobbler's shop, or the fuller's shop, so that they may receive perfection. And by saying these things they persuade them.”