The Instructor 3.11.68
Summary: Women should correct theatrical postures, walks, and voices; Proverbs warns of the harlot's honeyed lips; Samson was defeated by a harlot, but Joseph by his chastity defeated Potiphar's wife.
Greek text · Stählin 1:273–274
Ἐπανορθωτέον δὲ ὅτι μάλιστα καὶ τὰ σχήματα καὶ τὰ βλέμματα καὶ τὰ βαδίσματα καὶ τὰς φωνάς. οὐ γὰρ ὥς τινες τὴν ὑπόκρισιν ζηλοῦσαι τῆς κωμῳδίας καὶ τὰς κατεαγυίας τῶν ὀρχηστῶν κινήσεις παραφυλάττουσαι παρὰ τὰς ὁμιλίας σκηνοβατοῦσιν, αὐτοῖς τοῖς κινήμασιν τοῖς ἁβροῖς καὶ τοῖς ὑγροῖς βαδίσμασιν καὶ φωναῖς ταῖς πεπλασμέναις κλαδαρὸν περιβλέπουσαι, δέλεαρ ἡδονῆς ἐξησκημέναι. »μέλι γὰρ ἀποστάζει ἀπὸ χειλέων γυναικὸς πόρνης, ἣ πρὸς χάριν λαλοῦσα λιπαίνει σὸν φάρυγγα, ὕστερον μέντοι πικρότερον χολῆς εὑρήσεις καὶ ἠκονημένον μᾶλλον ἢ μάχαιραν δίστομον· τῆς γὰρ ἀφροσύνης οἱ πόδες κατάγουσι τοὺς χρωμένους αὐτῇ μετὰ θανάτου εἰς Ἅιδην.« Σαμψὼν γοῦν τὸν γεννάδαν ἡ πόρνη νενίκηκεν, καὶ τὸν ἄνδρα ἔκειρεν αὐτοῦ ἑτέρα γυνή. ἀλλʼ οὐχ οὕτως ἠπάτησεν τὸν Ἰωσὴφ ἄλλη γυνή, νενίκηται δὲ ἡ πόρνη ἡ Αἰγυπτία, καὶ δεσμὰ σωφροσύνη λαμβάνουσα κρείττων ἀναφαίνεται λελυμένης.
English · Claude translation
Postures, looks, walks, and voices must be corrected as much as possible. For some women, emulating the acting of comedy and imitating the broken movements of dancers, behave as on the stage in their conversation, with soft movements, languid walks, and affected voices, casting wanton glances around, trained as bait for pleasure. “For honey drips from the lips of a harlot, who, speaking to please, anoints your throat; but afterward you will find her more bitter than gall and sharper than a two-edged sword; for the feet of folly lead down with death to Hades those who have dealings with her.” The harlot defeated the noble Samson, and another woman shaved the man; but another woman did not so deceive Joseph: the Egyptian harlot was defeated, and self-control, accepting chains, proves stronger than licentiousness set free.
About this passage
Notes
Translation notes
- The quotation is Prov 5:3–5 (LXX); the allusions are Judg 16:1, 19 (Samson and Delilah) and Gen 39:7–20 (Joseph).
Cite this passage
Clement of Alexandria, Paed. 3.11.68 (trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/clement-paedagogus/3/11/68/).
Plain text
Clement of Alexandria, Paed. 3.11.68 (trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/clement-paedagogus/3/11/68/).
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