To The Newly Baptized
EXHORTATION TO
ENDURANCE
TO THE NEWLY BAPTIZED
PRECEPTS OF CLEMENT
CULTIVATE
quietness in word, quietness in deed, likewise in speech and gait ; and avoid impetuous eagerness.
For then the mind will remain steady, and will not be agitated by your eagerness and so become weak and of narrow discernment and see darkly ; nor will it be worsted by gluttony, worsted by boiling rage, worsted by the other passions, lying a ready prey to them.
For the mind, seated on high on a quiet throne looking intently towards God, must control the passions.
By no means be swept away by temper in bursts of anger, nor be sluggish in speaking, nor all nervousness in movement ; so that your quietness may be adorned by good proportion and your bearing may appear something divine
CLEMENT OF ALEXANDRIA
Kal lepov TO crj^/za (^atV^rat.
(f>vXdrrov 8e KOI rrjs V7Tpr](f>avLas ra avfJifioXa, cr^/m v^av)(vovv KO.I K<fiaXr]v e^rjpfJLevrjv Kal firj/jia 77o8av dfipov "Hma crot 77/96? TOU? aTTOVT&VTas eara) ra
Krat Trpoarjyopiai yAu/^etaf at'Scu? Se vrpo? feat j8Ae/j,/xa Terpa/x/xeVov ets* y^^AaAet Se (JKfJL^^a}? aTTavra, Kal rfj <f>o)vfj TO p. 222 a77oStSou, r et/a T^ I/ ! a/<ouovT6uv TO d/co^v TCOV TTapovrcov vrro
^ei^ovi rf} Kpavyfj Trjros, fjir)T VTrepfiaXXov (f)vXdrrov oe oVco?
^t^SeV TTOTC AaA^CT^s
o Kal TTpoevorjaas' jUT^Se vrpo^etpaj?
/<:at rov Sec yap oVa, 8 fjiepos aKoveiv Kal SiaXeyeadai, ^povay fjicpi^ovra Aoyoy :at atajTr^'
(jidvOave Se acr^teVco?, K'at dcfrdovo)?
StSacr/ce, fjLrjoe VTTO <f>66vov TTore ao(j>iav aTTOKpVTTrov Trpos rovs irepovs, /xrySe fJLadjjaecos d^iaraao St' ai'Sto.
V Trpeafivrepois icra Trarpdaiv TLjjia depdrrovras oo<f)ias Kal dperrjs. fJL^Se epiariKos eao TOWS'
<f)iXovs, /xi^Se x\evaarri? Kar* avrcov Kal ifjevSos Se /cat SoAov Acat vfipw Trapairov crvi> ev^/jiLa 8e '/e'p 6 /<:a ^ TO1'
Kal v^piarr^v < co? > 9 Trpao?
TC /<at 8e aot Trdvra ei? ^eov Acat epya Acai Aoyot,
/nerpuiv J. A. Robinson, fjierpov MS.
2 S^ Wilamowitz.
STJ MS.
^ Wilamowitz. ei'^ MS.
5ta0eD70J/ Wilamowitz.
8ia<j>evyuv MS.
virepjSdXXov Wilamowitz. i/Tro/Sd.XXwj' MS.
TO THE NEWLY BAPTIZED
and sacred.
Guard also against the signs of arrogance, a haughty bearing, a lofty head, a dainty and hightreading footstep.
Let your speech be gentle towards those you meet, and your greetings kind ; be modest towards women, and let your glance be turned to the ground.
Be thoughtful in all your talk, and give back a useful answer, adapting the utterance to the hearers' need, just so loud that it may be distinctly audible, neither escaping the ears of the company by reason of feebleness nor going to excess with too much noise.
Take care never to speak what you have not weighed and pondered beforehand ; nor interject your own words on the spur of the moment and in the midst of another's ; for you must listen and converse in turn, with set times for speech and for silence.
Learn gladly, and teach ungrudgingly ; a never hide wisdom from others by reason of a grudging spirit, nor through false modesty stand aloof from instruction.
Submit to elders just as to fathers. 6
Honour God's servants.
Be first to practise wisdom and virtue.
Do not wrangle with your friends, nor mock at them and play the buffoon.
Firmly renounce falsehood, guile and insolence.
Endure in silence, as a gentle and high-minded man, the arrogant and insolent.
Let everything you do be done for God, both deeds a This generous precept finds an echo in Chaucer's
And gladly wolde he lerne, and gladly teche.
(Canterbury Tales, Prologue 1. 308. ) 6 Cp.
1 Timothy v.
In several places this fragment reminds us of the Pastoral Epistles.
<jQ)i>y inserted by Barnard.
ffavrou Stahlin. avrov 3is.
8 dm Barnard, eva. MS.
9 <wj> inserted by Schwartz.
CLEMENT OF ALEXANDRIA
/cat Trdvra oW</>epe Xptcrro) TO, aavrov, /cat TTVKVOJS TTI 6eov TpeVe r^v j/fir^v, /cat TO vorj/jia eWpetSe rfj Xptorou Sum/xet tocrTrep eV At/zeVt rtvt ra #et'a> <coTt TOW crtOTTypo? dVaTraud/zevov aVd Trdarjs AaAta? re /cat Trpa^ecu?.
/cat ju,e$' rj/jiepav 7roAAa/ct?
^^ dv0pa)7TOis KOLVOV r^v aeavrov <f>povr](jiv, ) 8e e?7t TrAetcrrov ev vu/crt o/xota?
/cat eV rjfjLepa- ) yap vrrvos ere eVt/cparetra) TTO\VS ra>v rrpos Qeov xajv re /cat vfjivcuv Oavdra) yap 6 /Lta/cpo? VTTVOS
. jLtero^o? Xptcrrou aet Ka.9iara.ao <rov> 2 ajLttAAos ]v deiav avyrjv KaraXdfjLTrovros e ovpavov' ev-
/cat drravaros 6 <f)poovvr] yap CCTTCD crot Str^^e/c^s XptCTTO?.
M-^Se Ae rov r^S"
$vxf]S rovov ev euco^ta /cat TTOTOJV dvecret, t/cavov 8e T^you rai crcoaart TO ^petaiSes".
^ctt /XT) Trpoadev eireiyov rrpos Trpiv r) /cat SetVvou Trapfj /catpd?dpros Se e crot TO SetTTVOi^, /cat Troat yiy? rrpoaearwaav /cat Ta e/c SeVSpcov copata* t^t 3 8e eVt TT^V rpo^v evaradajs 4 /cat /XT) AucrcrcuSry yacrrpt/xapyt'av em^aivajv /Lti]8e crap/cojSdpo? /xi^Se ^t'Aotvo? ecro, oTTOTe
/XT) vdcro? 5 Tt? tacrtv eTTt ravrrjv ayot. dAA* dv'Tt TOJV
e^ TOUTOI?
^Soya^ TO,? ev Adyot? Oeiois /cat V(JLVOL$ eixfrpoavvas
cro<f>la, alpov rfj Trapd 9eov crot ^op-^you/xeVas1 ovpavov.
Kat Ta?
TroAAa?
?rept crto/xaTO? dvtet ovpdvLos re aet ere (frpovris aVayeVco Trpos Te0apcn7/ca>? eA77tcrt Tat? 77po?
^edv, 6Vt crot ye 1 TToXAclm [/A^] after -rj^paf Stahlin : after ^e^J 5^ MS.
2 <roO> inserted by Barnard.
t^t Mayor.
4 eiVraflws Wilamowitz. dara^cuj MS.
p6o-o$ Barnard, ^oo-ow MS.
oyov^vas Stahlin.
TO THE NEWLY BAPTIZED
and words ; and refer all that is yours to Christ ; and constantly turn your soul to God ; and lean your thought on the power of Christ, as if in some harbour by the divine light of the Saviour it were resting from all talk and action.
And often by day communicate your thoughts to men, but most of all to God at night as well as by day ; a for let not much sleep prevail to keep you from your prayers and hymns to God, since long sleep is a rival of death.
Show yourself always a partner of Christ who makes the divine ray shine from heaven ; 6 let Christ be to you continual and unceasing joyRelax not the tension of your soul with feasting and indulgence in drink, but consider what is needful to be enough for the body.
And do not hasten early to meals before the time for dinner comes ; but let your dinner be bread, and let earth's grasses and the ripe fruits of trees be set before you ; and go to your meal with composure, showing no sign of raging gluttony.
Be not a flesh-eater nor a lover of wine, when no sickness leads you to this as a cure.
But in place of the pleasures that are in these, choose the joys that are in divine words and hymns/ joys supplied to you by wisdom from God ; and let heavenly meditation ever lead you upward to heaven.
And give up the many anxious cares about the body by taking comfort in hopes towards God ; because for you He will provide all necessary things Cp.
1 Timothy v.
& This and the previous sentence may allude to Ephesians v.
14. c Is there an allusion to 1 Timothy v. 23 ?
* Cp. Ephesians v. 18, 19.
S75
CLEMENT OF ALEXANDRIA
p. 223 dvayKala nape^ei oiapKrj rpofirjv re ryv et?
Kal KaXvjJL/JLa acofiaros /cat ^ei/JLepLvov dXer}rr)pia. rov yap or) crou fiaaiXeais yrj re drraaa Kal oaa K<f>VTai' co? jjieXrj oe aurou 1 ra)V avrov depaTTOvraiv VTrepfiaXXovrcus 77epte77et lepd Kal vaovs avrov.
8ta $r) rovro '
Travazrai yap Ka vocro?, orav 6Xoifjv)(a) rrpoOeaei TroiaJiJLev rds avrov evroAa?.
Taura et'Sco?
/cat Trpo? vocrou? tcr^upav Kara0Kva, rrjv j/fu^^v, evOdpa^aov axjrrep rtj dv7]p eV araoioL? apioros arperrraj rfj 8uvd/xet TOW?
V(f)io-rao-dai. jjirjoe VTTO XVTTTJS rrdvv me'ou etre vdcros" em/cet/zeV^ fiapvvei etre d'AAo rt epe?, ciAAd ye-j/vatco? dvdiora rots TroVot? TO voi^fta, xdpiras avdya>v 6ea) Kal eV /zecrots
Tot? eTTiTTovois TTpdy^aai are or] oo^torepd re dv- (frpovovvri Kal drrep ov ovvarov ovoe pdoiov
2 /cat TT)V evpelv. eXeet, oe /ca/cou/zeVou?, Trapd rov deov fioijOeiav eV dvQptorrois alrov' e'mveucrei yd/o alrovvri ra> (f)iXa) rrjv ydpiv, Kal rots 3 eiriKovpiav rrape^ei, rrjv avrov ovva/jLiv
/ca/cou/xeVot? yvcbpifjiov dvBpOjTrois KaBiordvai fiov\6n.evos y a>? dV el? erriyvaioiv eXOovres eVt deov dviojaiv Kal rrjs alajviov fjiaKapiorrjros diroXavaajoiv , eTrei.odv
rov deov vlo$ rrapayevrjrai, dyaOd Tot? tStot? drro1 Barnard and Stahlin insert ra crw/zara after avrou.
Ko.Kov/j.ti>ovs Stahlin.
Ka\oi>/j.i>ois MS.
8 Ka.Kov^vois Stahlin.
/caXov/z^/ois MS.
TO THE NEWLY BAPTIZED
in sufficiency, food to support life, covering for the body, and protection against winter cold.
For to your King belongs the whole earth and all that is produced from it ; a and God treats the bodily parts of Hrs servants with exceeding care, as if they were His, like His own shrines and temples. b On this account do not dread severe diseases, nor the approach of old age, which must be expected in time ; for even disease will come to an end, when with whole-hearted purpose we do His commandments.
Knowing this, make your soul strong even in face of diseases ; be of good courage, like a man in the arena, bravest to submit to his toils with strength unmoved.
Be not utterly crushed in soul by grief, whether disease lies heavily upon you, or any other hardship befalls, but nobly confront toils with your understanding, even in the midst of your struggles rendering thanks to God ; since His thoughts are wiser than men's, and such as it is not easy nor possible for men to find out.
Pity those who are in distress, and ask for men the help that comes from God ; for God will grant grace to His friend when he asks, and will provide succour for those in distress, wishing to make His power known to men, in the hope that, when they have come to full knowledge, they may return to God, and may enjoy eternal blessedness when the Son of God shall appear and restore good things to His own.
11 Cp. Psalm xxiv.
* Cp.
1 Corinthians vi. 15 and 19. e Cp. Romans ix. 22.
APPENDIX ON THE GREEK
MYSTERIES
Meaning of the Term " Mysteries" -The term is applied to certain religious rites, the details and meaning of which are kept secret from all except those who have been formally initiated.
Mvcm?/Hoi/ is derived from /-iueu', to close the lips (cp. mute, mutter), and thus the idea of secrecy is contained in the word itself.
Clement suggests three derivations different from this/ but they are plainly no more than random guesses.
Rites analogous to the Greek Mysteries are found among primitive peoples all over the world.
In Greece, however, the Mysteries reached a high degree of development, and proved themselves able for many centuries to provide some satisfaction to the cravings of men for communion with the divine.
Origin of the Mysteries.
The Mysteries are generally connected with the gods called chthonic, i.e. earth divinities, whose worship goes back to a time before the arrival of the anthropomorphic gods of Greece.
M. Foucart holds that the Eleusinian Mysteries were 1 See p. 31.
CLEMENT OF ALEXANDRIA
1 and that Demeter is the same imported from Egypt, as the Egyptian Isis.
But while it is possible, we may even say probable, that the intercourse which existed between Egypt and Greece from the earliest times helped to shape the ideas of the Mysteries, most authorities believe that at Eleusis, as elsewhere, an ancient nature-worship, with magical rites designed to secure the fertility of the soil, was the source from which later developments sprang.
When Greece was overrun by w rarlike tribes from the north, the inhabitants of the plain of Eleusis kept secret, we may suppose, these rites upon which so much depended, entrusting the performance of them to certain priestly families 2 who were careful to preserve the old ceremonies unaltered.
By degrees, as the prestige of these Mysteries grew, other ceremonies were added, and legends, symbolic explanations, and religious teaching about the future life gradually gathered round the primitive institution.
The Mysteries in Classical Times.
The Mysteries of Eleusis overshadowed all others in importance during the classical period, a fact partly due, no
P. Foucart, Les Mysteres d'Eleusis, chs. i.-v.
Clement mentions the tradition that Melampus brought the Mysteries of Demeter from Egypt (p. 33).
2 These families, the Eumolpidae and the Heralds, are mentioned on p.
41.
It is sometimes thought that the Heralds were an Athenian family who were given a share in the management of the Mysteries when Eleusis became part of the Athenian state.
On the other hand, they are often closely coupled with the Eumolpidae, and Clement (p. 40) seems to include both when he speaks of rb iepoQavTinbv .
7<kos.
This use of the singular noun also occurs in a phrase (r6 7^0? TO ~K.ripvKwi> /ecu Efy*oXiri3i3i>) quoted from an inscription by Farnell, Cults of the Greek States, vol. iii p. 163.