Homer in the debate between Celsus and Origen

This study analyzes the presence of Homeric quotations in the Origenian apology Against Celsus in order to grasp the different functions they cover. They can be summarized as follows: first, the epic citations are sometimes used by the two opponents just as an ornamental tool which embellishes their prose; second, they serve as a support for an argument proposed; third, they reveal a pure polemic aim. The last paragraph, finally, deals with an example of another way of Homeric reception in a Christian environment, hidden behind the lines of the text: indeed, also the prosopological exegesis, created as a hermeneutical tool in order to better understand the meaning of difficult passages in Homer’s poems, can be taken as another form of the presence of Homer in Origen’s apology.