Clement of Alexandria, The Stromata, or Miscellanies

For he who hopes, as he who believes, sees intellectual objects and future things with the mind. If, then, we affirm that aught is just, and affirm it to be good, and we also say that truth is something, yet we have never seen any of such objects with our eyes, but with our mind alone. Now the Word of God says, “I am the truth.”1159 John xiv. 6. Odyss., xi. 427. Ps. cxix. 2. The Word is then to be contemplated by the mind. “Do you aver,” it was said,1160 By Plato. Homer, Iliad, xxiii. 315: μέγ᾽ ἀμείνων is found in the Iliad as in Musæus. In the text occurs instead περιγίνεται, which is taken from line 318. “By art rather than strength is the woodcutter greatly superior; By art the helmsman on the dark sea Guides the swift ship when driven by winds; By art one charioteer excels (περιγίνεται) another. Iliad, xxiii. 315–318. Heb. v. 14. “that there are any true philosophers?” “Yes,” said I, “those who love to contemplate the truth.” In the Phœdrus also, Plato, speaking of the truth, shows it as an idea. Now an idea is a conception of God; and this the barbarians have termed the Word of God. The words are as follow: “For one must then dare to speak the truth, especially in speaking of the truth. For the essence of the soul, being colourless, formless, and intangible, is visible only to God,1161 In Plato we have νῷ instead of Θεῷ. φύλλον, for which Sylburg, suggests φῦλον. Or, as rendered by the Latin translator, “continual care for his soul and occupation, bestowed on the Deity,” etc. its guide.” Now the Word issuing forth was the cause of creation; then also he generated himself, “when the Word had become flesh,”1162 John i. 14. Iliad, vi. 147–149. [Book vi. cap. 13, supra.] that He might be seen. The righteous man will seek the discovery that flows from love, to which if he hastes he prospers. For it is said, “To him that knocketh, it shall be opened: ask, and it shall be given to you.”1163 Matt. vii. 7. Odyss., xxii. 412. Potter’s text has καταδεδουλωμένον—which Lowth changes into καταδεδουλωμένος, nominative; and this has been adopted in the translation. The thought is the same as in Exhortation to the Heathen [cap. ii. p. 177, supra.] “For the violent that storm the kingdom”1164 Matt. xi. 12. Iliad, ix. 116. are not so in disputatious speeches; but by continuance in a right life and unceasing prayers, are said “to take it by force,” wiping away the blots left by their previous sins.

“You may obtain wickedness, even in great abundance.1165 Hesiod, first line, Works and Days, 285. The other three are variously ascribed to different authors. Ξυνός. So Livy, “communis Mars;” and Cicero, “cum omnis belli Mars comunis.”

And him who toils God helps;

For the gifts of the Muses, hard to win,

Lie not before you, for any one to bear away.”

The knowledge of ignorance is, then, the first lesson in walking according to the Word. An ignorant man has sought, and having sought, he finds the teacher; and finding has believed, and believing has hoped; and henceforward having loved, is assimilated to what was loved—endeavouring to be what he first loved. Such is the method Socrates shows Alcibiades, who thus questions: “Do you not think that I shall know about what is right otherwise?” “Yes, if you have found out.” “But you don’t think I have found out?” “Certainly, if you have sought.”

“Then you don’t think that I have sought?” “Yes, if you think you do not know.”1166 Plato, Alcibiades, book i. Iliad, xviii. 309. So with the lamps of the wise virgins, lighted at night in the great darkness of ignorance, which the Scripture signified by “night.” Wise souls, pure as virgins, understanding themselves to be situated amidst the ignorance of the world, kindle the light, and rouse the mind, and illumine the darkness, and dispel ignorance, and seek truth, and await the appearance of the Teacher.

“The mob, then,” said I, “cannot become philosopher.”1167 Plato, Republic, vi. p. 678. Ξυνός. So Livy, “communis Mars;” and Cicero, “cum omnis belli Mars comunis.”

“Many rod-bearers there are, but few Bacchi,” according to Plato. “For many are called, but few chosen.”1168 Matt. xx. 16. The text has: Νίκης ἀνθρώποισι θεῶν ἐκ πείρατα κεῖται. In Iliad, vii. 101, 102, we read: αὐτὰρ ϋὕερθεν Νίκης πείρατ᾽ ἔχονται ἐν ἀθανάτοισι θεοῖσιν. “Knowledge is not in all,”1169 1 Cor. viii. 7. Iliad, xvi. 235. says the apostle. “And pray that we may be delivered from unreasonable and wicked men: for all men have not faith.”1170 2 Thess. iii. 1, 2. Odyss., xiv. 228. And the Poetics of Cleanthes, the Stoic, writes to the following effect:—

“Look not to glory, wishing to be suddenly wise,

And fear not the undiscerning and rash opinion of the many;

For the multitude has not an intelligent, or wise, or right judgment,

And it is in few men that you will find this.”1171 Quoted by Socrates in the Phædo, p. 52. The text is corrupt and unintelligible. It has been restored as above.

And more sententiously the comic poet briefly says:—

“It is a shame to judge of what is right by much noise.”

For they heard, I think, that excellent wisdom, which says to us, “Watch your opportunity in the midst of the foolish, and in the midst of the intelligent continue.”1172 Ecclus. xxvii. 12. In some lost tragedy. And again, “The wise will conceal sense.”1173 Prov. x. 14. Said by Ajax of the sword received from Hector, with which he killed himself. For the many demand demonstration as a pledge of truth, not satisfied with the bare salvation by faith.

“But it is strongly incumbent to disbelieve the dominant wicked,

And as is enjoined by the assurance of our muse,

Know by dissecting the utterance within your breast.”

“For this is habitual to the wicked,” says Empedocles, “to wish to overbear what is true by disbelieving it.” And that our tenets are probable and worthy of belief, the Greeks shall know, the point being more thoroughly investigated in what follows. For we are taught what is like by what is like. For says Solomon, “Answer a fool according to his folly.”1174 Prov. xxvi. 5. The imitator of Thucydides, said to be weaker but clearer than his model. He is not specially clear here. Wherefore also, to those that ask the wisdom that is with us, we are to hold out things suitable, that with the greatest possible ease they may, through their own ideas, be likely to arrive at faith in the truth. For “I became all things to all men, that I might gain all men.”1175 1 Cor. ix. 22. The text has, ἀσφαλέστερα παρὰ δόξαν καὶ κακοπραγίαν: for which Lowth reads, ἐπισφαλέστερα πρὸς κακοπραγίαν, as translated above. Since also “the rain” of the divine grace is sent down “on the just and the unjust.”1176 Matt. v. 45. Iliad, xxiv. 44, 45. Clement’s quotation differs somewhat from the passage as it stands in Homer. “Is He the God of the Jews only, and not also of the Gentiles? Yes, also of the Gentiles: if indeed He is one God,”1177 Rom. iii. 29, 30. The text has δοίη, which Stobæus has changed into δ᾽ ἰ´ση, as above. Stobæus gives this quotation as follows:— “The bastard has equal strength with the legitimate; Each good thing has its nature legitimate.” exclaims the noble apostle.

ἐπεὶ καὶ ὁ ἐλπίζων, καθάπερ ὁ πιστεύων, τῷ νῷ ὁρᾷ τὰ νοητὰ καὶ τὰ μέλλοντα. εἰ τοίνυν φαμέν τι εἶναι δίκαιον, φαμὲν δὲ καὶ καλόν, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἀλήθειάν τι λέγομεν, οὐδὲν δὲ πώποτε τῶν τοιούτων τοῖς ὀφθαλμοῖς εἴδομεν ἀλλ' ἢ μόνῳ τῷ νῷ, ὁ δὲ λόγος τοῦ θεοῦ ἐγώ φησιν εἰμὶ ἡ ἀλήθεια νῷ ἄρα θεωρητὸς ὁ λόγος. τοὺς δὲ ἀληθινούς, ἔφη, φιλοσόφους τίνας λέγεις; τοὺς τῆς ἀληθείας, ἦν δ' ἐγώ, φιλοθεάμονας. ἐν δὲ τῷ Φαίδρῳ περὶ ἀληθείας ὡς ἰδέας λέγων ὁ Πλάτων δηλώσει **. ἡ δὲ ἰδέα ἐννόημα τοῦ θεοῦ, ὅπερ οἱ βάρβαροι λόγον εἰρήκασι τοῦ θεοῦ· ἔχει δὲ τὰ τῆς λέξεως ὧδε· τολμητέον γὰρ οὖν τό γε ἀληθὲς εἰπεῖν ἄλλως τε καὶ περὶ ἀληθείας λέγοντα· ἡ γὰρ ἀχρώματός τε καὶ ἀσχημάτιστος καὶ ἀναφὴς οὐσία ὄντως οὖσα ψυχῆς κυβερνήτῃ μόνῳ νῷ θεατή. προελθὼν δὲ ὁ λόγος δημιουργίας αἴτιος, ἔπειτα καὶ ἑαυτὸν γεννᾷ, ὅταν ὁ λόγος σὰρξ γένηται, ἵνα καὶ θεαθῇ. ὁ τοίνυν δίκαιος ζητήσει εὕρεσιν ἀγαπητικήν, εἰς ἣν σπεύδων εὐτυχεῖ· τῷ κρούοντι, γάρ φησιν, ἀνοιγήσεται· αἰτεῖτε καὶ δοθήσεται ὑμῖν· οἱ γὰρ ἁρπάζοντες τὴν βασιλείαν βιασταὶ οὐ τοῖς ἐριστικοῖς λόγοις, ἐνδελεχείᾳ δὲ ὀρθοῦ βίου ἀδιαλείπτοις τε εὐχαῖς ἐκβιάζεσθαι εἴρηνται, τὰς ἐπὶ τοῖς προτέροις ἁμαρτήμασιν ἀπαλείφοντες κηλῖδας. τὴν μέντοι κακότητα καὶ ἰλαδὸν ἔστιν ἑλέσθαι. τῷ δ' αὖ πονοῦντι καὶ θεὸς συλλαμβάνει. οὐ γὰρ ἐν μέσοισι κεῖται δῶρα δυσμάχητα Μοισᾶν τὠπιτυχόντι φέρειν. ἡ γοῦν τῆς ἀγνοίας ἐπίστασις τὸ πρῶτόν ἐστι μάθημα τῷ κατὰ λόγον βαδίζοντι. ἀγνοήσας τις ἐζήτησεν, καὶ ζητήσας εὑρίσκει τὸν διδάσκαλον εὑρών τε ἐπίστευσεν καὶ πιστεύσας ἤλπισεν ἀγαπήσας τε ἐντεῦθεν ἐξομοιοῦται τῷ ἠγαπημένῳ, τοῦτ' εἶναι σπεύδων ὃ φθάσας ἠγάπησεν, τοιαύτην τινὰ μέθοδον Σωκράτης ὑποδείκνυσιν Ἀλκιβιάδῃ ὧδε πυνθανομένῳ· Οὐκ ἂν οἴει ἄλλως εἰδέναι με περὶ τῶν δικαίων; –Ναί, εἴ γε εὕροις. –Ἀλλ' οὐκ ἂν εὑρεῖν με ἡγῇ; –Καὶ μάλα γε, εἰ ζητήσαις. –Εἶτα ζητῆσαι οὐκ ἂν οἴει με; –Ἔγωγε, εἰ οἰηθείης γε μὴ εἰδέναι. ταύτῃ τοι καὶ αἱ τῶν φρονίμων παρθένων λαμπάδες αἱ νύκτωρ ἀνημμέναι ἐν πολλῷ τῷ τῆς ἀγνοίας σκότει, ἣν νύκτα ᾐνίξατο ἡ γραφή· φρόνιμοι ψυχαί, καθαραὶ ὡς παρθένοι, συνεῖσαι σφᾶς αὐτὰς ἐν ἀγνοίᾳ καθεστώσας κοσμικῇ, τὸ φῶς ἀνάπτουσι καὶ τὸν νοῦν ἐγείρουσι καὶ φωτίζουσι τὸ σκότος καὶ τὴν ἄγνοιαν ἐξελαύνουσι καὶ ζητοῦσι τὴν ἀλήθειαν καὶ τοῦ διδασκάλου τὴν ἐπιφάνειαν ἀναμένουσι. φιλόσοφον μὲν οὖν, ἦν δ' ἐγώ, πλῆθος ἀδύνατον γενέσθαι. ναρθηκοφόροι μὲν πολλοί, βάκχοι δέ τε παῦροι κατὰ τὸν Πλάτωνα. πολλοὶ γὰρ κλητοί, ὀλίγοι δὲ ἐκλεκτοί· καὶ οὐκ ἐν πᾶσι φησὶν ὁ ἀπόστολος ἡ γνῶσις. προσεύχεσθε δὲ ἵνα ῥυσθῶμεν ἀπὸ τῶν ἀτόπων καὶ πονηρῶν ἀνθρώπων· οὐ γὰρ πάντων ἡ πίστις. καὶ ἡ Κλεάνθους δὲ τοῦ Στωϊκοῦ φιλόσοφος ποιητικὴ ὧδέ πως τὰ ὅμοια γράφει· μὴ πρὸς δόξαν ὅρα, ἐθέλων σοφὸς αἶψα γενέσθαι, μηδὲ φοβοῦ πολλῶν ἄκριτον καὶ ἀναιδέα δόξαν. οὐ γὰρ πλῆθος ἔχει συνετὴν κρίσιν οὔτε δικαίαν οὔτε καλήν, ὀλίγοις δὲ παρ' ἀνδράσι τοῦτό κεν εὕροις. γνωμικώτερον δὲ ὁ κωμικὸς ἐν βραχεῖ· αἰσχρὸν δὲ κρίνειν τὰ καλὰ τῷ πολλῷ ψόφῳ. ἀκηκόασι γάρ, οἶμαι, τῆς καλῆς ἐκείνης λεγούσης ἡμῖν σοφίας· εἰς μέσον ἀσυνέτων συντήρησον καιρόν, εἰς μέσον δὲ διανοουμένων ἐνδελέχιζε. καὶ πάλιν· σοφοὶ κρύψουσιν αἴσθησιν· ἐνέχυρον γὰρ τῆς ἀληθείας τὴν ἀπόδειξιν ἀπαιτοῦσιν οἱ πολλοὶ οὐκ ἀρκούμενοι ψιλῇ τῇ ἐκ πίστεως σωτηρίᾳ. ἀλλὰ κακοῖς μὲν κάρτα πέλει κρατέουσιν ἀπιστεῖν· ὡς δὲ παρ' ἡμετέρης κέλεται πιστώματα Μούσης, γνῶθι διατμηθέντος ἐνὶ σπλάγχνοισι λόγοιο. τοῖς μὲν γὰρ κακοῖς τοῦτο σύνηθες, φησὶν ὁ Ἐμπεδοκλῆς, τὸ ἐθέλειν κρατεῖν τῶν ἀληθῶν διὰ τοῦ ἀπιστεῖν. ὅτι δέ ἐστι τὰ ἡμέτερα ἔνδοξα καὶ πιστεύεσθαι ἄξια, γνώσονται Ἕλληνες τοῦ λόγου μᾶλλον ἐξεταζομένου διὰ τῶν ἑπομένων· τῷ γὰρ ὁμοίῳ τὸ ὅμοιον ἐκδιδασκόμεθα. ὅτι [ἀποκρίνου] φησὶν ὁ Σολομὼν τῷ μωρῷ ἐκ τῆς μωρίας αὐτοῦ. διὸ καὶ τοῖς τὴν σοφίαν αἰτοῦσι τὴν παρ' αὐτοῖς ὀρεκτέον τὰ οἰκεῖα, ὡς ἂν ῥᾷστα διὰ τῶν ἰδίων εἰς πίστιν ἀληθείας εἰκότως ἀφίκοιντο· τοῖς γὰρ πᾶσι πάντα ἐγενόμην, λέγει, ἵνα τοὺς πάντας κερδήσω, ἐπεὶ καὶ τῆς θείας χάριτος ὁ ὑετὸς ἐπὶ δικαίους καὶ ἀδίκους καταπέμπεται· ἢ Ἰουδαίων μόνων ἐστὶν ὁ θεός; οὐχὶ καὶ ἐθνῶν; ναὶ καὶ ἐθνῶν, εἴπερ εἷς ὁ θεός, ὁ γενναῖος κέκραγεν ἀπόστολος.