Oratio ad Graecos[1] is a short Christian apologetic treatise in Greek from the first half of the third century.
[2] It consists of five chapters in which the author describes his abhorrence of the ancient Greek religion and its immorality and justifies his decision to convert to Christianity.
[3] The Greek text of the Oratio is preserved in a single manuscript tradition, of which the Vorlage was Codex Argentoratensis gr.
The terminus post quem (earliest possible date) is provided by the writings of Clement of Alexandria (died 215), which influenced the author.
Four vices are emphasised: ἐπιθυμία (epithymia, desire), ἀκρασία (akrasia, weakness), λύσσα (lyssa, rage) and ανανδρία (anandria, unmanliness).
The beginning of the Oratio reads:Do not imagine, my Greek friends, that I am rash and unreasonable in refusing to practice your customs, for I have discovered that they are in no way holy or pleasing to God.
Because, first of all, they affirm that Agamemnon, in assisting his brother's sensuality with great madness and unrestrained passion, did not hesitate to hand over his own daughter to be immolated.