The Chaldean Magi

Commodian

Commodian (Commodianus) was a Christian Latin poet, who flourished about AD 250. The only ancient writers who mention him are Gennadius, presbyter of Massilia (end of 5th century), in his De scriptoribus ecclesiasticis, and an author once thought to be Pope Gelasius in De libris recipiendis et non recipiendis, in which his works are classed as Apocryphi, probably on account of certain heterodox statements contained in them. Commodianus is supposed to have been from Roman Africa, partly on the ground of his similarity to Cyprian, partly because the African school was the chief center of Christian Latinity in the third century; a Syrian origin has also been suggested. According to his own account, he was originally a pagan, but was converted to Christianity when advanced in years, and felt called upon to instruct the ignorant in the truth. He was the author of two extant works of poetry, Instructiones and Carmen apologeticum.

Carmen apologeticum

Book XIII

Whether the invincible, born from a rock, is to be regarded as divine - I now pronounce no judgement; it is for you to decide which of these has priority. If the rock preceded the god, who then was the rock's creator? Moreover, you portray him as a thief. Yet surely were he divine he would not be guilty of theft. The truth is he was of earthly birth and shared the nature of the creature, and was always driving off another's bullocks in his caves, like Cacus of the story the fabled son of Vulcan.