Expert: Maria - 11/28/2005

Question
Hi Maria
I hope you can help. I'm reading a book online called "Octavius" written around 150
A.D. by "Minicious Felix" one of the 2nd century Christain writers.

The entire book is translated in english all except the last parargraph in chapter 28. Whats weird is, I've looked at about 20 sights online that have the book translated, and they all leave that parargraph untranslated. I believe the language is Latin, and I know nothing about the Latin language, nor do I know anyone who can translate that paragraph.  The next line after the untranslated line is in english again. Apparently its vulgar because the next sentence is "Abomination!".  

I'm hoping that you can help me with the translation.

I've copied the entire paragraph for you below , and just incase you'd like to read more of the context I'm also leaving the webpage for you.

www.earlychristianwritings.com/text/octavius.html

Chapter XXVIII

Also you offer up and worship the heads of oxen and of wethers, and you dedicate gods mingled also of a goat and a man, and gods with the faces of dogs and lions. Do you not adore and feed Apis the ox, with the Egyptians? And you do not condemn their sacred rites instituted in honour of serpents, and crocodiles, and other beasts, and birds, and fishes, of which if any one were to kill one of these gods, he is even punished with death. These same Egyptians, together with very many of you, are not more afraid of Isis than they are of the pungency of onions, nor of Serapis more than they tremble. at the basest noises produced by the foulness of their bodies. He also who fables against us about our adoration of the members of the priest, tries to confer upon us what belongs really to himself. (Ista enim impudicitae eorum forsitan sacra sint, apud quos sexus omnis membris omnibus prostat, apud quos iota impudicitia vocatur urbanitas; qui scortorum licentiae invident, qui medios viros lambunt, libidinoso ore inguinibus inhaerescunt, homines malae linguae etiam si tacerent, quos prius taedescit impudicitiae suae quam pudescit.) Abomination! they suffer on themselves such evil deeds, as no age is so effeminate as to be able to bear, and no slavery so cruel as to be compelled to endure.  

Answer
Hi Karl,

You are right. The Latin passage drawn from Minucius Felix  ‘Octavius', a dialogue between a Christian and a heathen, is quite vulgar.

That's the reason why this paragraph is  not translated.

Anyway, here's its translation:

“Let us grant  such indecorous behaviour  is considered to be worthy of religious veneration among those who show  their penises and accept payment for sex acts, among  those whose indecency is called courtesy, among  those who envy whores dissoluteness, among   those who lick males and suck  libidinously partner's sex organs, these men however who perform fellatio on , even if they are silent, perhaps will regret it, but they won't repent”.

Best regards,
Maria
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Please note that there are two  typos in the Latin text (‘impudicitiae', not impudicitae; ‘nota', not iota).