Against Celsus 8.35

Let us consider also another statement of Celsus, which runs thus: “Or could the satrap, governor, general, or procurator of the king of the Persians or of the Romans, and even those who hold lesser offices, charges, or services, do great harm if neglected, while the satraps and ministers of air and earth would do little harm if insulted?” See how he presents human satraps, governors, generals, and procurators of the God over all, and those holding lesser offices, charges, and services, as doing great harm to those who insult them, not seeing that not even a wise man would wish to harm anyone, but would rather try, as far as he can, to convert and improve even those who insult him; unless, indeed, Celsus's satraps, governors, and generals of the God over all are worse than Lycurgus the lawgiver of the Spartans and Zeno of Citium. For Lycurgus, when he was given power over the man who had knocked out his eye, not only did not take revenge but did not cease charming him with words until he persuaded him to practise philosophy; and Zeno, to one who said, “May I perish if I do not take vengeance on you,” replied, “And I, if I do not make you my friend.” And I do not yet speak of those formed by the teaching of Jesus, who have heard, “Love your enemies and pray for those who mistreat you, so that you may be sons of your Father in heaven, who makes his sun rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the just and the unjust.” And in the prophetic words the righteous man says such things as this: “O Lord my God, if I have done this, if there is injustice in my hands, if I have repaid those who repaid me with evil, then may I fall empty before my enemies; may the enemy pursue my soul and overtake it, and trample my life into the ground,”