Dialogue Against the Marcionites, Exhortation to Martyrdom (Wettstein 1674)

Furthermore, Hoeschel published the Letter of Julius Africanus and a fragment of Origen’s Reply to it, along with a few other minor works, in Greek at Augsburg in 1602. Patrick Young also prefixed to his Job σὐγγνωμη indulgence/forgiveness a part of Origen’s letter from the Alexandrian Codex added to the Chain of the Fathers on Job: namely, where he speaks about the history of Job, so that he might show the harmony of that Royal or Alexandrian Codex with the most ancient Books in those matters which exceed the Hebrew truth. Sixtus of Siena, in book 5 of his Bibliotheca, and also Halloix, in his Notes on the Defended Origen, pp. 24 and 25, present a Latin epitome of both letters; but it is said that Gentianus Hervetus interpreted both in their entirety into Latin, which Genebrard also inserted into his own edition of Origen’s works. Very recently, we were informed by a friend through the most learned Emeric Bigot that the Spaniard Leo Castrius had prefixed to his commentaries on the Prophet Isaiah the mutual letters of both Africanus and Origen concerning the history of Susanna, translated from Greek into Latin by the same, published at Salamanca in 1570. These were kindly communicated to us shortly after by the learned Jean Daillé, son of Jean, and we will indicate in their proper place how they have benefited us.

Finally, Origen’s Protrepticus, or exhortatory sermon to martyrdom, or Oration on Martyrdom, hitherto seen by the learned world in neither language, is now exhibited here for the first time from the Basel Academic manuscript codex, in which the Philocalia and the books Against Celsus are also contained.

But lest we snatch up coals for treasures, or spurious things for legitimate ones, we must first inquire: are these three minor works Origen's? The argument itself, the style, and the paradoxical opinions would present us with diverse reasons, which, however, I prefer to reserve for the Annotations; here we will present the judgments of others.

I. Regarding the DIALOGUE AGAINST THE MARCIONITES, since it became known in the previous century, it has already borne various opinions of learned men; and therefore it is not without difficulty in deciding what should be judged of it. Therefore, I will briefly indicate what others have felt, and what stumbling blocks of doubt remain, so that the fair and learned reader, empty of prejudice and full of ancient truth, may choose for himself which he deems to be the stronger arguments on either side.

Lawrence Humphrey the Englishman did not doubt in recognizing it as an Origenian offspring; nor did Johannes Picus, who dedicated it to the King, or other learned men. The learned William Spencer seems to favor them in his Notes to Book 1 Against Celsus, p. 1, in these words: "Whether the dialogue is Origen’s or not, since Rivetus says it is not easy to judge, we will discuss it in another place." The clearer Tarinus expressed his opinion on it in his Notes to the Philocalia, where, to the words appended to Chapter XXIII, to be mentioned shortly, he annotates: