Clement of Alexandria, The Instructor

Chapter VIII.—Similitudes and Examples a Most Important Part of Right Instruction.

And if any one of you shall entirely avoid luxury, he will, by a frugal upbringing, train himself to the endurance of involuntary labours, by employing constantly voluntary afflictions as training exercises for persecutions; so that when he comes to compulsory labours, and fears, and griefs, he will not be unpracticed in endurance.

Wherefore we have no country on earth, that we may despise earthly possessions. And frugality612 The word used by Clement here for frugality is εύτέλεια, and he supposes the word to mean originally “spending well.” A proper way of spending money is as good as unfailing riches, since it always has enough for all that is necessary. is in the highest degree rich, being equal to unfailing expenditure, bestowed on what is requisite, and to the degree requisite. For τέλε has the meaning of expenses.

How a husband is to live with his wife, and respecting self-help, and housekeeping, and the employment of domestics; and further, with respect to the time of marriage, and what is suitable for wives, we have treated in the discourse concerning marriage. What pertains to discipline alone is reserved now for description, as we delineate the life of Christians. The most indeed has been already said, and laid down in the form of disciplinary rules. What still remains we shall subjoin; for examples are of no small moment in determining to salvation.613 [This plea for similitudes illustrates the principle of Hermas, and the ground of the currency of his Pastor.]

See, says the tragedy,

“The consort of Ulysses was not killed

By Telemachus; for she did not take a husband in addition to a husband,

But in the house the marriage-bed remains unpolluted.”614 Euripides, Orestes, 588–590.

Reproaching foul adultery, he showed the fair image of chastity in affection to her husband.

The Lacedæmonians compelling the Helots, their servants (Helots is the name of their servants), to get drunk, exhibited their drunken pranks before themselves, who were temperate, for cure and correction.

Observing, accordingly, their unseemly behaviour, in order that they themselves might not fall into like censurable conduct, they trained themselves, turning the reproach of the drunkards to the advantage of keeping themselves free from fault.

For some men being instructed are saved; and others, self-taught, either aspire after or seek virtue.

“He truly is the best of all who himself perceives all things.”615 Hesiod, Works and Days, i. 291.

Such is Abraham, who sought God.

“And good, again, is he who obeys him who advises well.”616 Ibid.

Such are those disciples who obeyed the Word. Wherefore the former was called “friend,” the latter “apostles;” the one diligently seeking, and the other preaching one and the same God. And both are peoples, and both these have hearers, the one who is profited through seeking, the other who is saved through finding.

“But whoever neither himself perceives, nor, hearing another,

Lays to heart—he is a worthless man.”617 Ibid.

The other people is the Gentile—useless; this is the people that followeth not Christ. Nevertheless the Instructor, lover of man, helping in many ways, partly exhorts, partly upbraids. Others having sinned, He shows us their baseness, and exhibits the punishment consequent upon it, alluring while admonishing, planning to dissuade us in love from evil, by the exhibition of those who have suffered from it before. By which examples He very manifestly checked those who had been evil-disposed, and hindered those who were daring like deeds; and others He brought to a foundation of patience; others He stopped from wickedness; and others He cured by the contemplation of what is like, bringing them over to what is better.

For who, when following one in the way, and then on the former falling into a pit, would not guard against incurring equal danger, by taking care not to follow him in his slip? What athlete, again, who has learned the way to glory, and has seen the combatant who had preceded him receiving the prize, does not exert himself for the crown, imitating the elder one?

Such images of divine wisdom are many; but I shall mention one instance, and expound it in a few words. The fate of the Sodomites was judgment to those who had done wrong, instruction to those who hear. The Sodomites having, through much luxury, fallen into uncleanness, practising adultery shamelessly, and burning with insane love for boys; the All-seeing Word, whose notice those who commit impieties cannot escape, cast His eye on them. Nor did the sleepless guard of humanity observe their licentiousness in silence; but dissuading us from the imitation of them, and training us up to His own temperance, and falling on some sinners, lest lust being unavenged, should break loose from all the restraints of fear, ordered Sodom to be burned, pouring forth a little of the sagacious fire on licentiousness; lest lust, through want of punishment, should throw wide the gates to those that were rushing into voluptuousness. Accordingly, the just punishment of the Sodomites became to men an image of the salvation which is well calculated for men. For those who have not committed like sins with those who are punished, will never receive a like punishment. By guarding against sinning, we guard against suffering. “For I would have you know,” says Jude, “that God, having once saved His people from the land of Egypt, afterwards destroyed them that believed not; and the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, He hath reserved to the judgment of the great day, in everlasting chains under darkness of the savage angels.”618 Jude 5, 6. And a little after he sets forth, in a most instructive manner, representations of those that are judged: “Woe unto them, for they have gone in the way of Cain, and run greedily after the error of Balaam, and perished in the gainsaying of Core.” For those, who cannot attain the privilege of adoption, fear keeps from growing insolent. For punishments and threats are for this end, that fearing the penalty we may abstain from sinning. I might relate to you punishments for ostentation, and punishments for vainglory, not only for licentiousness; and adduce the censures pronounced on those whose hearts are bad through wealth,619 Following Lowth’s conjecture of κακοφρόνων insteasd of that of the text, κακόφρονας. in which censures the Word through fear restrains from evil acts. But sparing prolixity in my treatise, I shall bring forward the following precepts of the Instructor, that you may guard against His threatenings.

Ὅτι αἱ εἰκόνες καὶ τὰ ὑποδείγματα μέγιστον μέρος τῆς ὀρθῆς εἰσι διδασκαλίας. Εἰ δέ τις ὑμῶν φεύξεται διὰ τέλους τρυφὴν εὐτελείᾳ τιθηνούμενος, μελετήσει ῥᾷον τοὺς ἀκουσίους ὑπομένειν πόνους, τὰς ἑκουσίους θλίψεις γυμνάσματα συνεχῶς ποιούμενος διωγμῶν, ὁπότ' εἰς ἀναγκαίους ἔλθῃ πόνους καὶ φόβους καὶ λύπας, οὐκ ἀμελέτητος ὢν καρτερεῖν. ∆ιὰ τοῦτό τοι πατρίδα ἐπὶ γῆς οὐκ ἔχομεν, ὡς ἂν κατα φρονοῖμεν τῶν ἐπιγείων κτημάτων. Πλουσιωτάτη δὲ ἡ εὐτέλεια ἕξις οὖσα ἀνελλιπὴς ἐν δαπάναις ταῖς εἰς ἃ χρὴ καὶ ἐφ' ὅσον χρὴ τελεῖσθαι προσηκούσαις· τέλη γὰρ τὰ δαπανήματα. Ὅπως μὲν οὖν συμβιωτέον ἀνδρὶ τὴν γυναῖκα καὶ περὶ αὐτουργίας καὶ οἰκουρίας καὶ οἰκετῶν χρήσεως, πρὸς δὲ καὶ τῆς ὥρας τοῦ γάμου καὶ τῶν ὅσα γυναιξὶν ἁρμόζει, ἐν τῷ γαμικῷ διέξιμεν λόγῳ· ἃ δὲ ἁρμόδια πρὸς παιδαγωγίαν, ταῦτα ἡμῖν νῦν παραθετέα μόνα ἐν ὑπογραφῆς μέρει παρασημειουμένοις Χριστιανῶν τὸν βίον. Καὶ δὴ τὰ μὲν πλεῖστα ἤδη λέλεκται καὶ πεπαιδαγώγηται, ὃ δὲ ἔτι λοιπόν, ὑποθησόμεθα· οὐ γὰρ μικρὰ ῥοπὴ εἰς σωτηρίαν τὰ ὑποδείγματα. Ὅρα· φησὶν ἡ τραγῳδία, Ὀδυσσέως ἄλοχον οὐ κατέκτανε Τηλέμαχος· οὐ γὰρ ἐπεγάμει πόσει πόσιν, μένει δὲ ἐν οἴκοις ὑγιὲς εὐναστήριον. Ὀνειδίζων τις μοιχείαν ἀσελγῆ καλὴν εἰκόνα σωφροσύνης ἐδείκνυεν φιλανδρίαν· τοὺς δὲ Εἵλωτας οἰκέτας–οἰκετῶν ὄνομά εἰσιν οἱ Εἵλωτες–οἱ Λακεδαιμόνιοι μεθύειν ἀναγκάζοντες ἐδείκνυον σφίσιν αὐτοῖς τῆς μέθης τὰ ἔργα σωφρονοῦσιν ἐν θεραπείας καὶ διορθώσεως μέρει. Παραφυλάττοντες δ' οὖν τὴν ἐκείνων ἀσχημοσύνην, ὡς μὴ περιπέσοιεν αὐτοὶ ταῖς ὁμοίαις καταγνώσεσιν, ἐπαιδεύοντο τῷ ἐπονειδίστῳ τῶν μεθυόντων εἰς τὸ ἑαυτῶν ἀναμάρτητον ὠφελούμενοι. Τῶν γὰρ ἀνθρώπων οἳ μὲν διδαχθέντες ἐσώθησαν, οἳ δὲ αὐτοδιδάκτως ἢ ἐζήλωσαν ἢ ἐζήτησαν ἀρετήν. Κεῖνος μὲν πανάριστος, ὃς αὑτῷ πάντα νοήσῃ· οὗτός ἐστιν Ἀβραὰμ ὁ ζητήσας τὸν θεόν· ἐσθλὸς δ' αὖ κἀκεῖνος, ὃς εὖ εἰπόντι πίθηται· οὗτοί εἰσιν οἱ μαθηταὶ οἱ πεισθέντες τῷ λόγῳ· διὰ τοῦτο ὃ μὲν ἤκουσεν φίλος, οἱ δὲ ἀπόστολοι, ἕνα καὶ τὸν αὐτὸν θεὸν ὃ μὲν πολυπραγμονῶν, οἳ δὲ κηρύσσοντες. Λαοὶ δὲ ἄμφω, ἀμφοῖν δὲ τούτοιν οἱ ἀκροαταί, ὃ μὲν ὠφελούμενος διὰ τὴν ζήτησιν, ὃ δὲ σῳζόμενος διὰ τὴν εὕρεσιν. Ὃς δέ κε μήτ' αὐτὸς νοέῃ μήτ' ἄλλου ἀκούων ἐν θυμῷ βάλληται, ὃ δ' αὖτ' ἀχρήιος ἀνήρ. Λαὸς ἄλλος ἐστίν, ἐθνικὸς ἀχρεῖος οὗτος ὁ λαὸς ὁ μὴ Χριστῷ ἑπόμενος· πολυτρόπως δὲ ὅμως ὠφελῶν ὁ παιδαγωγὸς ὁ φιλάνθρωπος τὰ μὲν παρῄνεσεν, τὰ δὲ καὶ ὠνείδισεν, τὸ δὲ καὶ ἄλλων ἁμαρτανόντων τὸ αἶσχος αὐτῶν ὑπέδειξεν ἡμῖν καὶ τὴν ἐπὶ τούτῳ τιμωρίαν ψυχαγωγῶν τε ἅμα καὶ νουθετῶν ἐφανέρωσε, φιλάνθρωπον ἀποτροπὴν τῆς κακίας μηχανώμενος διὰ τῆς τῶν προ πεπονθότων ἐνδείξεως· δι' ὧν εἰκόνων σαφέστατα τοὺς μὲν ἔπαυσεν κακῶς διατεθέντας, τοὺς δὲ τὰ ἴσα τολμῶντας ἐκώλυσεν, ἄλλους εἰς ὑπομονὴν ἐθεμελίωσεν, ἑτέρους ἔπαυσε κακίας, τοὺς δὲ καὶ ἰάσατο τῇ τοῦ ὁμοίου θεωρίᾳ μεταθεμένους ἐπὶ τὸ βέλτιον. Τίς γὰρ οὐκ ἄν τι παραφυλάξαιτο, ἑπόμενός τῳ καθ' ὁδόν, εἶτα μέντοι τοῦ προτέρου εἰς βόθρον ἐμπεσόντος, μὴ οὐχὶ ἀποκλῖναι τὸν ἴσον κίνδυνον, τὴν ἀκολουθίαν τῆς ἁμαρτίας φυλαξάμενος; Τίς δὲ αὖθις ἀσκητὴς ὤν, καταμαθὼν τῆς φιλοδοξίας τὴν ὁδὸν καὶ τὸ ἔπαθλον ἰδὼν τὸν πρὸ αὑτοῦ ἀγωνιστὴν εἰληφότα, οὐκ ἐπὶ τὸν στέφανον ἵεται καὶ αὐτός, μιμούμενος τὸν πρεσβύτερον; Πολλαὶ τοιαῦται τῆς θεϊκῆς σοφίας αἱ εἰκόνες· ἑνὸς δὲ ὑποδείγματος μνησθήσομαι καὶ διὰ βραχέων παραθήσομαι· τὸ Σοδομιτῶν πάθος κρίσις μὲν ἀδικήσασι, παιδαγωγία δὲ ἀκούσασιν. Οἱ Σοδομῖται ὑπὸ πολλῆς τρυφῆς ἐξοκείλαντες εἰς ἀσέλγειαν, μοιχεύοντες μὲν ἀδεῶς, περὶ δὲ τὰ παιδικὰ ἐκμανῶς ἐπτοημένοι, ἐπεῖδεν αὐτοὺς ὁ παντεπόπτης λόγος, ὃν οὐκ ἔστι λαθεῖν ἀνόσια δρῶντας, οὐδὲ ἐπηρέμησεν τῇ ἀσελγείᾳ αὐτῶν ὁ ἄγρυπνος τῆς ἀνθρωπότητος φύλαξ· ἀποτρέπων δὲ ἡμᾶς τῆς μιμήσεως τῆς ἐκείνων, πρὸς σωφροσύνην τὴν αὑτοῦ παιδαγωγῶν, τίσιν τοῖς ἁμαρτωλοῖς ἐπιβαλών, ὡς μὴ τὸ ἀτιμώρητον τῆς ἀκολασίας ἀδείας ἐπιρροὴν προσλάβῃ, καταφλεχθῆναι προσέταξε τὰ Σόδομα, ὀλίγον τι τοῦ φρονίμου πυρὸς ἐκείνου ἐπὶ τὴν ἀκολασίαν ἐκχέων, ὡς μὴ ἀκόλαστον αὐτῶν τὸ λάγνον γενόμενον πλατείας ἀναπετάσῃ κλισιάδας τοῖς εἰς ἡδυπάθειαν φερομένοις. Γέγονεν τοίνυν ἡ Σοδομιτῶν δικαία τιμωρία τῆς εὐλογίστου τοῖς ἀνθρώποις σωτηρίας εἰκών· οἱ γὰρ μὴ τὰ ὅμοια τοῖς κεκολασμένοις ἁμαρτήσαντες οὐ τὴν ὁμοίαν ποτὲ τοῖς ἁμαρτωλοῖς ὑπόσχοιεν δίκην τῷ μὴ ἁμαρτεῖν τὸ μὴ παθεῖν πεφυλαγμένοι. Εἰδέναι γὰρ ὑμᾶς, φησὶν ὁ Ἰούδας, βούλομαι, ὅτι ὁ θεὸς ἅπαξ ἐκ γῆς Αἰγύπτου λαὸν σώσας τὸ δεύτερον τοὺς μὴ πιστεύσαντας ἀπώλεσεν, ἀγγέλους τε τοὺς μὴ τηρήσαντας τὴν ἑαυτῶν ἀρχήν, ἀλλὰ ἀπολιπόντας τὸ ἴδιον οἰκητήριον εἰς κρίσιν μεγάλης ἡμέρας δεσμοῖς ἀιδίοις ὑπὸ ζόφον ἀγρίων ἀγγέλων τετήρηκεν. Καὶ κατὰ μικρὸν διδασκαλικώτατα ἐκτίθεται τὰς εἰκόνας τῶν κρινομένων· Οὐαὶ αὐτοῖς, ὅτι τῇ ὁδῷ τοῦ Κάιν ἐπορεύθησαν καὶ τῇ πλάνῃ τοῦ Βαλαὰμ ἐξεχύθησαν καὶ τῇ ἀντιλογίᾳ τοῦ Κορὲ ἀπώλοντο. Τοὺς γὰρ μὴ δυναμένους ἐξουσίαν υἱοθεσίας φέρειν ὁ φόβος μὴ ἐξυβρίζειν διατηρεῖ. ∆ιὰ τοῦτο γὰρ αἱ κολάσεις καὶ αἱ ἀπειλαί, ἵνα δείσαντες τὰς δίκας τοῦ ἁμαρτάνειν ἀποσχώμεθα. Ἔχω σοι φιλοκοσμίας κολάσεις διηγήσασθαι καὶ φιλοδοξίας τιμωρίας, οὐκ ἀκρασίας μόνον, πρὸς δὲ καὶ τὰς ἐπὶ πλούτῳ κακόφρονας παραθέσθαι βλασφημίας, ἐν αἷς διὰ τοῦ φοβεῖν ὁ λόγος ἀνείργει τῶν ἀδικημάτων. Ἀλλὰ γὰρ φειδόμενος τοῦ μήκους τοῦ συντάγματος τὰς ἑξῆς τοῦ παιδαγωγοῦ προσάγω σοι ἐντολάς, ἵνα δὴ φυλάξῃ τὰς ἀπειλάς.