Book VIII.
Chapter I.—The Object of Philosophical and Theological Inquiry—The Discovery of Truth.1877    i.e., washed.    The sentence has been thus rendered by Sylburgius and by Bp. Kaye. Lowth, however, suggests the supplying of ἐνεργεῖ, or something similar, to govern πεποιθησιν, confidence.    [This book is a mere fragment, an imperfect exposition of logic, and not properly part of the Stromata. Kaye, 22.]

But the most ancient of the philosophers were not carried away to disputing and doubting, much less are we, who are attached to the really true philosophy, on whom the Scripture enjoins examination and investigation. For it is the more recent of the Hellenic philosophers who, by empty and futile love of fame, are led into useless babbling in refuting and wrangling. But, on the contrary, the Barbarian philosophy, expelling all contention, said, “Seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you; ask, and it shall be given you.”1878    Eusebius reads, “invoking the common Father, God,” viz., Πανελλήνιος Ζεύς, as Pausanias relates.    Αναδεδειγμένῳ. Instead of this, ἀναδεδεγμένῳ, “ having received,” has been suggested by Sylburgius.    Matt. vii. 7.; Luke xi. 9. [Elucidation I.]

Accordingly, by investigation, the point proposed for inquiry and answer knocks at the door of truth, according to what appears. And on an opening being made through the obstacle in the process of investigation, there results scientific contemplation. To those who thus knock, according to my view, the subject under investigation is opened.

And to those who thus ask questions, in the Scriptures, there is given from God (that at which they aim) the gift of the God-given knowledge, by way of comprehension, through the true illumination of logical investigation. For it is impossible to find, without having sought; or to have sought, without having examined; or to have examined, without having unfolded and opened up the question by interrogation, to produce distinctness; or again, to have gone through the whole investigation, without thereafter receiving as the prize the knowledge of the point in question.

But it belongs to him who has sought, to find; and to him to seek, who thinks previously that he does not know. Hence drawn by desire to the discovery of what is good, he seeks thoughtfully, without love of strife or glory, asking, answering, and besides considering the statements made. For it is incumbent, in applying ourselves not only to the divine Scriptures, but also to common notions, to institute investigations, the discovery ceasing at some useful end.

For another place and crowd await turbulent people, and forensic sophistries. But it is suitable for him, who is at once a lover and disciple of the truth, to be pacific even in investigations, advancing by scientific demonstration, without love of self, but with love of truth, to comprehensive knowledge.

ΚΛΗΜΕΝΤΟΣ ΣΤΡΩΜΑΤΕΩΝ ΟΓ∆ΟΟΣ ** ἀλλ' οὐδὲ οἱ παλαίτατοι τῶν φιλοσόφων ἐπὶ τὸ ἀμφισβητεῖν καὶ ἀπορεῖν ἐφέροντο. ἦ πού γ' ἂν ἡμεῖς οἱ τῆς ὄντως ἀληθοῦς ἀντεχόμενοι φιλοσοφίας, οἷς ἄντικρυς ἡ γραφὴ εὑρέσεως χάριν ἐπὶ τὸ διερευνᾶσθαι τὸ ζητεῖν παρεγγυᾷ· οἱ μὲν γὰρ νεώτεροι τῶν παρ' Ἕλλησι φιλοσόφων ὑπὸ φιλοτιμίας κενῆς τε καὶ ἀτελοῦς ἐλεγκτικῶς ἅμα καὶ ἐριστικῶς εἰς τὴν ἄχρηστον ἐξάγονται φλυαρίαν, ἔμπαλιν δὲ ἡ βάρβαρος φιλοσοφία τὴν πᾶσαν ἔριν ἐκβάλλουσα ζητεῖτε εἶπεν καὶ εὑρήσετε, κρούετε καὶ ἀνοιγήσεται, αἰτεῖσθε καὶ δοθήσεται ὑμῖν. κρούει μὲν οὖν κατὰ τὴν ζήτησιν ὁ πρὸς ἐρώτησιν καὶ ἀπόκρισιν λόγος τὴν θύραν τῆς ἀληθείας κατὰ τὸ φαινόμενον, διοιχθέντος δὲ τοῦ ἐμποδὼν κατὰ τὴν ἔρευναν ἐπιστημονικὴ ἐγγίνεται θεωρία. τοῖς οὕτως, οἶμαι, κρούουσιν ἀνοίγνυται τὸ ζητούμενον καὶ τοῖς οὕτως αἰτοῦσιν τὰς πεύσεις κατὰ τὰς γραφὰς ἐφ' ὃ βαίνουσιν ἐκ τοῦ θεοῦ γίνεται, ἡ δόσις τῆς θεοδωρήτου γνώσεως καταληπτικῶς διὰ τῆς λογικῆς ὄντως ἐκλαμπούσης ζητήσεως. οὐ γὰρ εὑρεῖν μὲν οἷόν τε, μὴ ζητῆσαι δέ· οὐδὲ ζητῆσαι μέν, οὐχὶ δὲ ἐρευνήσασθαι· οὐδὲ διερευνήσασθαι μέν, οὐχὶ δὲ διαπτύξαι καὶ ἀναπετάσαι δι' ἐρωτήσεως εἰς σαφήνειαν ἄγοντα τὸ ζητούμενον, οὐδ' αὖ διὰ πάσης ἐξετάσεως χωρήσαντα μὴ οὐχὶ λοιπὸν τὸ ἔπαθλον λαβεῖν, τὴν ἐπιστήμην τοῦ ζητουμένου. ἀλλ' ἔστι μὲν εὑρεῖν τὸν ζητήσαντα, ζητῆσαι δέ, εἰ οἰηθείη πρότερον μὴ εἰδέναι. πόθῳ δὴ ἐντεῦθεν ἀγόμενος πρὸς τὴν εὕρεσιν τοῦ καλοῦ εὐγνωμόνως ζητεῖ, ἀφιλονίκως. ἀφιλοδόξως ἐρωτώμενος καὶ ἀποκρινόμενος, πρὸς δὲ καὶ αὐτὰ ἐπισκεπτόμενος τὰ λεγόμενα. ἐχομένους γὰρ καθήκει οὐ μόνον τῶν γραφῶν τῶν θείων, ἀλλὰ καὶ τῶν ἐννοιῶν τῶν κοινῶν τὰς ζητήσεις ποιεῖσθαι εἴς τι πέρας ὠφέλιμον τῆς εὑρέσεως καταληγούσης. ἐκδέχεται γὰρ ἄλλος τόπος τε καὶ ὄχλος τοὺς ταραχώδεις τῶν ἀνθρώπων καὶ τὰς ἀγοραίους εὑρησιλογίας, τὸν δὲ τῆς ἀληθείας ἐραστήν τε ἅμα καὶ γνώριμον εἰρηνικὸν εἶναι κἀν ταῖς ζητήσεσι προσῆκεν, δι' ἀποδείξεως ἐπιστημονικῆς ἀφιλαύτως καὶ φιλαλήθως εἰς γνῶσιν προσιόντα καταληπτικήν. Τίς ἂν οὖν ἄλλη βελτίων ἢ ἐναργεστέρα μέθοδος εἰς ἀρχὴν τῆς τοιᾶσδε εἴη ἂν διδασκαλίας ἢ τὸ προταθὲν ὄνομα λόγῳ διελθεῖν οὕτω σαφῶς ὡς πάντας ἀκολουθῆσαι τοὺς ὁμοφώνους; ἆρ' οὖν τοιοῦτόν ἐστι [τὸ] ὄνομα τῆς ἀποδείξεως, οἷόν περ τὸ βλίτυρι, φωνὴ μόνον οὐδὲν σημαίνουσα; καὶ πῶς οὔθ' ὁ φιλόσοφος οὔθ' ὁ ῥήτωρ, ἀλλ' οὐδὲ ὁ δικαστὴς ὡς ἄσημον ὄνομα προφέρεται τὴν ἀπόδειξιν, οὔτε τις τῶν δικαζομένων ἀγνοεῖ τὸ σημαινόμενον, ὅτι οὐχ ὑπάρχει; αὐτίκα ὡς ὑποστατὸν πορίζονται τὴν ἀπόδειξιν οἱ φιλόσοφοι, ἄλλος ἄλλως. περὶ παντὸς τοίνυν τοῦ ζητουμένου εἴ τις ὀρθῶς διαλαμβάνοι, οὐκ ἂν ἐφ' ἑτέραν ἀρχὴν ὁμολογουμένην μᾶλλον ἀναγάγοι τὸν λόγον ἢ τὸ πᾶσι τοῖς ὁμοεθνέσι τε καὶ ὁμοφώνοις ἐκ τῆς προσηγορίας ὁμολογούμενον σημαίνεσθαι. εἶτα ἐντεῦθεν ὁρμηθέντα ζητεῖν ἀνάγκη, εἰ ὑπάρχει τὸ σημαινόμενον τοῦτο π[ερὶ] οὗ ὁ λόγος εἴτε καὶ μή· ἐφεξῆς δέ, εἴπερ ὑπάρχειν δειχθείη, ζητητέον τούτου τὴν φύσιν ἀκριβῶς, ὁποία τίς ἐστιν καὶ μή ποτε ὑπερβαίνει τὴν δοθεῖσαν τάξιν.