Segunda Apologia de Justino 2

1Certa mulher vivia com um marido intemperante; ela própria também fora intemperante. Mas, ao conhecer os ensinamentos de Cristo, tornou-se sensata e procurou persuadir também o marido a ser moderado, citando a doutrina de Cristo e assegurando-lhe que os que não vivem com temperança e segundo a reta razão serão punidos no fogo eterno. Ele, porém, persistindo nos mesmos excessos, afastou-a de si por sua conduta. Ela considerou ímpio continuar vivendo como esposa de um homem que buscava de todo modo satisfazer os prazeres contra a lei da natureza e violando o que é justo, e quis divorciar-se.

1A certain woman lived with an intemperate husband; she herself, too, having formerly been intemperate. But when she came to the knowledge of the teachings of Christ she became sober-minded, and endeavoured to persuade her husband likewise to be temperate, citing the teaching of Christ, and assuring him that there shall be punishment in eternal fire inflicted upon those who do not live temperately and conformably to right reason. But he, continuing in the same excesses, alienated his wife from him by his actions. For she, considering it wicked to live any longer as a wife with a husband who sought in every way means of indulging in pleasure contrary to the law of nature, and in violation of what is right, wished to be divorced from him.

2Como os amigos a persuadiram a continuar com ele, esperando que algum dia o marido desse sinais de mudança, ela contrariou os próprios sentimentos e permaneceu. Mas, quando o marido foi a Alexandria e soube-se que se comportava pior do que antes, ela — para não se tornar participante de suas maldades e impiedades ao continuar unida a ele no matrimônio, compartilhando sua mesa e seu leito — deu-lhe o que chamais carta de divórcio e separou-se dele.

2And when she was overpersuaded by her friends, who advised her still to continue with him, in the idea that some time or other her husband might give hope of amendment, she did violence to her own feeling and remained with him. But when her husband had gone into Alexandria, and was reported to be conducting himself worse than ever, she--that she might not, by continuing in matrimonial connection with him, and by sharing his table and his bed, become a partaker also in his wickednesses and impieties--gave him what you call a bill of divorce, and was separated from him.

3Esse nobre marido, que deveria alegrar-se porque ela abandonara as ações que antes cometia sem hesitar com os criados e empregados, quando se deleitava na embriaguez e em todo vício, e agora desejava que ele também as abandonasse, acusou-a, embora ela o tivesse deixado sem que ele o quisesse, afirmando que era cristã. Ela apresentou um requerimento a ti, Imperador, pedindo que primeiro lhe fosse permitido pôr seus assuntos em ordem e depois defender-se da acusação. Tu o concedeste. Como o antigo marido já não podia processá-la, dirigiu seus ataques contra um homem chamado Ptolomeu, a quem Urbico puniu e que fora seu mestre na doutrina cristã. Fez isso da seguinte maneira.

3But this noble husband of hers,--while he ought to have been rejoicing that those actions which formerly she unhesitatingly committed with the servants and hirelings, when she delighted in drunkenness and every vice, she had now given up, and desired that he too should give up the same,--when she had gone from him without his desire, brought an accusation against her, affirming that she was a Christian. And she presented a paper to thee, the Emperor, requesting that first she be permitted to arrange her affairs, and afterwards to make her defence against the accusation, when her affairs were set in order. And this you granted. And her quondam husband, since he was now no longer able to prosecute her, directed his assaults against a man, Ptolemaeus, whom Urbicus punished, and who had been her teacher in the Christian doctrines. And this he did in the following way.

4Persuadiu um centurião, amigo seu, que lançara Ptolomeu na prisão, a interrogá-lo somente sobre uma coisa: se era cristão. Ptolomeu, amante da verdade e sem disposição para o engano ou a falsidade, confessou ser cristão; o centurião então o algemou e o puniu longamente na prisão. Por fim, quando o levaram a Urbico, fizeram-lhe uma única pergunta: se era cristão. Consciente de seu dever e da nobreza dele, segundo o ensinamento de Cristo, confessou ser discípulo da virtude divina. Pois quem nega algo ou condena a própria coisa, ou evita confessá-la por conhecer sua indignidade ou afastamento dela; nenhum desses casos se aplica ao verdadeiro cristão.

4He persuaded a centurion--who had cast Ptolemaeus into prison, and who was friendly to himself--to take Ptolemaeus and interrogate him on this sole point: whether he were a Christian? And Ptolemaeus, being a lover of truth, and not of a deceitful or false disposition, when he confessed himself to be a Christian, was bound by the centurion, and for a long time punished in the prison. And, at last, when the man came to Urbicus, he was asked this one question only: whether he was a Christian? And again, being conscious of his duty, and the nobility of it through the teaching of Christ, he confessed his discipleship in the divine virtue. For he who denies anything, either denies it because he condemns the thing itself, or he shrinks from confession because he is conscious of his own unworthiness or alienation from it; neither of which cases is that of the true Christian.

5Quando Urbico ordenou que o levassem à execução, um certo Lúcio, também cristão, ao ver a sentença irracional, disse a Urbico: “Qual é o motivo desta sentença? Por que puniste este homem, não como adúltero, fornicador, assassino, ladrão, salteador ou culpado de qualquer crime, mas apenas por confessar que é chamado cristão? Esta sentença, ó Urbico, não convém ao imperador Pio, nem ao filósofo, filho de César, nem ao sagrado Senado.” Urbico nada respondeu a Lúcio além disto: “Também me pareces ser um desses.” Lúcio respondeu: “Certamente sou.” E Urbico ordenou que também o levassem. Lúcio deu graças, sabendo que fora libertado de governantes tão perversos e que iria ao Pai e Rei dos céus.

5And when Urbicus ordered him to be led away to punishment, one Lucius, who was also himself a Christian, seeing the unreasonable judgment that had thus been given, said to Urbicus: "What is the ground of this judgment? Why have you punished this man, not as an adulterer, nor fornicator, nor murderer, nor thief, nor robber, nor convicted of any crime at all, but who has only confessed that he is called by the name of Christian? This judgment of yours, O Urbicus, does not become the Emperor Pius, nor the philosopher, the son of Caesar, nor the sacred senate." And he said nothing else in answer to Lucius than this: "You also seem to me to be such an one." And when Lucius answered, "Most certainly I am," he again ordered him also to be led away. And he professed his thanks, knowing that he was delivered from such wicked rulers, and was going to the Father and King of the heavens.

6E ainda um terceiro, tendo se apresentado, foi condenado à execução.

6And still a third having come forward, was condemned to be punished.