by Tatian the Assyrian (Author), B. P. Pratten (Translator)
Tatian's "Oratio ad Graecos" is an attempt to prove the worthlessness of paganism, and the reasonableness and high antiquity of Christianity. It is not characterized by logical consecutiveness, but instead is discursive in the outlines thereof. The carelessness in style is intimately connected with his contempt of everything Greek. No educated Christian has more consistently separated from paganism; but by his overshooting of the mark, his scolding and blustering philippic may have lost in effectiveness because of the lack of justice. His tendency to attack Greek philosophers by mocking their misfortunes - such as an unfortunate death, or their being sold into slavery - could also be considered an ad hominem fallacy. However as early as Eusebius's time, Tatian was praised for his discussions of the antiquity of Moses and of Jewish legislation. It is because of this chronological section that his "Oratio" was not generally condemned.