---
title: "Fathers of the Third Century: Tertullian, Minucius Felix, Commodian and Origen"
author: "Various Church Fathers"
translator: "S. Thelwall and others; A. Cleveland Coxe (ed.)"
languages: [en]
shelf: "Church Fathers"
section: 39 of 199
url: https://scriptura.si/works/church-fathers-tertullian-minucius-felix-commodian-origen/39/
cite: "Various Church Fathers, tr. S. Thelwall and others; A. Cleveland Coxe (ed.), Fathers of the Third Century: Tertullian, Minucius Felix, Commodian and Origen, section 39. Scriptura (scriptura.si), https://scriptura.si/works/church-fathers-tertullian-minucius-felix-commodian-origen/39/"
---

# Fathers of the Third Century: Tertullian, Minucius Felix, Commodian and Origen

*Various Church Fathers, tr. S. Thelwall and others; A. Cleveland Coxe (ed.)*

Tertullian, Minucius Felix, Commodian, and Origen's On First Principles and Against Celsus.

## 39. A Strain of Sodom · 6 of 6

Source: https://scriptura.si/works/church-fathers-tertullian-minucius-felix-commodian-origen/39/ · cite a paragraph as https://scriptura.si/works/church-fathers-tertullian-minucius-felix-commodian-origen/39/#p-N

[¶0] 220 Therein do swim: gone is its native power

[¶1] For sinking bodies: if, in fine, you launch

[¶2] A torch’s lightsome hull (where spirit serves

[¶3] For fire) therein, the apex of the flame

[¶4] Will act as sail; put out the flame, and ’neath

[¶5] 225 The waters will the light’s wrecks ruin go!

[¶6] Such Sodom’s and Gomorrah’s penalties,

[¶7] For ages sealed as signs before the eyes

[¶8] Of unjust nations, whose obdurate hearts

[¶9] God’s fear have quite forsaken, will them teach

[¶10] 230 To reverence heaven-sanctioned rights, and lift

[¶11] Their gaze unto one only Lord of all.