Against Celsus 6.74

Next he repeats what he has already said many times about the opinion of Marcion; in part he sets out Marcion's views truly, and in part he has misunderstood them too. We need not answer or refute this. Then again he brings up for himself what may be said for Marcion and against him, saying which charges they escape and which they fall into; and when he wishes to support the argument that says Jesus was prophesied, so as to accuse Marcion and his followers, he says plainly: How will one who was punished in this way be shown to be the child of God, unless this had been foretold about him? Then again he jests and, as is his habit, mocks, bringing in two sons of gods, one of the Creator and the other of Marcion's god, and paints their single combats, saying they are like those of quails, and the battles of their fathers, who, being useless from old age and doting, do nothing to each other but let their sons fight. What he said above we shall say to him: What old woman lulling a child to sleep would not be ashamed to say such things as he says in the book entitled The True Word? For he ought to have stood up to the arguments in a businesslike way; but he leaves aside the matters themselves and jests and plays the buffoon, thinking he is writing mimes or lampoons, not seeing that such a way of arguing is contrary to his own purpose, since he wishes us to abandon Christianity and pay attention to his doctrines. If he had set these out seriously, they might perhaps have been more persuasive; but since he mocks, jests, and plays the buffoon, we shall say that it was for lack of serious arguments (for he did not have them and did not know them) that he fell into such nonsense.