The Instructor 2.8.65
Summary: Some cities banished perfumers; Christians should smell of goodness and of Christ, anointed with the Spirit as Christ himself was anointed.
Greek text · Stählin 1:196–197
εὖ μοι δοκοῦσι σχετλιάσαντες τῇ περὶ τοῦτο σπουδῇ τοσοῦτο τοῖς μύροις ἀποδιακεῖσθαί τινες τὴν ἀνδρωνῖτιν ἐκθηλύνουσιν, ὡς καὶ τοὺς τεχνίτας αὐτῶν, τοὺς μυρεψούς, τῶν εὐνομουμένων ἀπελαύνειν πόλεων καὶ τῶν ἀνθεινῶν ἐρίων τοὺς βαφεῖς ἀπελαύνειν καὶ αὐτούς· οὐ γὰρ θέμις δολερὰ εἵματα καὶ χρίσματα εἰς τὴν ἀληθείας παρεισιέναι πόλιν. χρὴ δὲ καὶ μάλα τοὺς μὲν ἄνδρας τοὺς παρʼ ἡμῖν μὴ μύρων, ἀλλὰ καλοκαγαθίας ὄζειν, γυνὴ δὲ ἀποπνείτω Χριστοῦ, τοῦ ἀλείμματος τοῦ βασιλικοῦ, μὴ διαπασμάτων καὶ μύρων, ἀεὶ δὲ τῷ σωφροσύνης ἀμβροσίῳ χρίσματι συναλειφέσθω, ἁγίῳ τερπομένη μύρῳ τῷ πνεύματι. τοῦτο σκευάζει Χριστὸς ἀνθρώποις γνωρίμοις, εὐωδίας ἄλειμμα, ἐκ τῶν οὐρανίων συντιθεὶς ἀρωμάτων τὸ μύρον. τούτῳ καὶ αὐτὸς ὁ κύριος συναλείφεται τῷ μύρῳ, ὡς διὰ Δαβὶδ μεμήνυται· »διὰ τοῦτο ἔχρισέν σε ὁ θεός, ὁ θεός σου, ἔλαιον ἀγαλλιάσεως παρὰ τοὺς μετόχους σου· σμύρνα καὶ στακτὴ καὶ κασία ἀπὸ τῶν ἱματίων σου.«
English · Claude translation
Some, it seems to me, rightly indignant at the zeal for this, are so averse to perfumes, which make the men's quarters effeminate, that they drive their makers, the perfumers, out of well-governed cities, and drive out the dyers of flowered wool too; for it is not right for deceptive garments and ointments to enter the city of truth. Our men should smell not of perfumes but of goodness; and let a woman breathe of Christ, the royal ointment, not of powders and perfumes, and let her always be anointed with the ambrosial ointment of self-control, delighting in the holy perfume, the Spirit. This is what Christ prepares for those who know him, an ointment of fragrance, composing the perfume from heavenly spices. With this perfume the Lord himself is anointed, as was declared through David: “Therefore God, your God, has anointed you with the oil of gladness above your companions; myrrh and stacte and cassia from your garments.”
About this passage
Notes
Translation notes
- The banishing of perfumers and dyers from cities is reported of the Spartans. The quotation is Ps 45:7–8 (44:8–9 LXX; compare Heb 1:9).
Cite this passage
Clement of Alexandria, Paed. 2.8.65 (trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/clement-paedagogus/2/8/65/).
Plain text
Clement of Alexandria, Paed. 2.8.65 (trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/clement-paedagogus/2/8/65/).
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