The Instructor 2.10.98
Summary: Licentious speech must not even be named among Christians; intercourse is risky except for procreation, and adultery leads to death.
Greek text · Stählin 1:215–216
Ῥημάτων δὲ ἀκολάστων καὶ σχημάτων ἀσχημόνων ἑταιρικῶν τε φιλημάτων [ὀνόματα πορνικὰ] καὶ τοιουτωνί τινων λαγνευμάτων οὐδὲ ἐπιμνηστέον, τῷ μακαρίῳ πειθομένοις ἀποστόλῳ, διαρρήδην λέγοντι· »πορνεία δὲ καὶ ἀκαθαρσία πᾶσα ἢ πλεονεξία μηδὲ ὀνομαζέσθω ἐν ὑμῖν, καθὼς πρέπει ἁγίοις.« εὖ γοῦν τις εἰρηκέναι φαίνεται· »συνουσία ὤνησεν μὲν οὐδένα, ἀγαπητὸν δὲ εἰ μὴ ἔβλαψεν.« ἡ μὲν γὰρ κατὰ νόμον σφαλερά, εἰ μὴ ὅσον αὐτῆς ἐπὶ παιδοποιίᾳ, περὶ δὲ τῆς παρανόμου ἡ γραφὴ λέγει· »γυνὴ μισθία ἴση σιάλῳ λογισθήσεται, ὕπανδρος δὲ πύργος θανάτου τοῖς χρωμένοις.« κάπρῳ ἢ συῒ τὸ ἑταιρικὸν ἀπείκασε πάθος, θάνατον δὲ ζητούμενον εἴρηκεν τὴν μοιχείαν ἐπὶ πόρνῃ τηρουμένῃ.
English · Claude translation
Licentious words, indecent postures, courtesans' kisses [whorish names], and such lustful acts must not even be mentioned, if we obey the blessed apostle, who says plainly: “But sexual immorality and all impurity or covetousness must not even be named among you, as is fitting among saints.” Someone seems to have said well: “Intercourse has never benefited anyone; one must be content if it has done no harm.” For lawful intercourse is risky, except so far as it is for the begetting of children; and of unlawful intercourse Scripture says: “A hired woman will be counted as a hog, and a married woman a tower of death to those who use her.” It likened the courtesan's passion to a boar or a sow, and called adultery with a woman under guard a seeking of death.
About this passage
Notes
Translation notes
- The quotations are Eph 5:3, a saying of Epicurus (fragment 62, Usener), and Sir 26:22. The bracketed words are marked by the editor as a gloss.
Cite this passage
Clement of Alexandria, Paed. 2.10.98 (trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/clement-paedagogus/2/10/98/).
Plain text
Clement of Alexandria, Paed. 2.10.98 (trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/clement-paedagogus/2/10/98/).
Download citation:BibTeX ·RIS (Zotero, EndNote)
Whole work:BibTeX ·RIS ·Markdown text