Miscellanies 2.20.106
Summary: The mysteries' food taboos also derive from the law, which teaches us to master the belly and cut out desire by condemning pleasure; Menelaus, overcome by Helen's beauty, could not kill her.
Greek text · Stählin 2:171
ἐντεῦθεν οἶμαι καὶ τὸν εὑρόντα τὰς τελετὰς οὐ μόνον τινῶν ζῴων ἀπαγορεύειν ἅπτεσθαι, ἀλλʼ ἔστιν ἃ καὶ τῶν καταθυομένων ὑπεξείλετο τῆς χρήσεως μέρη διʼ αἰτίας ἃς ἴσασιν οἱ μύσται. Εἰ δὴ γαστρὸς καὶ τῶν ὑπὸ γαστέρα κρατητέον, δῆλον ὡς ἄνωθεν παρειλήφαμεν παρὰ τοῦ κυρίου διὰ τοῦ νόμου τὴν ἐπιθυμίαν ἐκκόπτειν. γένοιτο δʼ ἂν τελείως τοῦτο, εἰ τοῦ ὑπεκκαύματος τῆς ἐπιθυμίας, τῆς ἡδονῆς λέγω, ἀνυποκρίτως καταγνοίημεν. φασὶ δὲ αὐτῆς εἶναι τὴν ἔννοιαν κίνησιν λείαν καὶ προσηνῆ μετά τινος αἰσθήσεως. ταύτῃ δουλεύοντα τὸν Μενέλεων μετὰ τὴν Ἰλίου ἅλωσιν φασὶν ὁρμήσαντα τὴν Ἑλένην ἀνελεῖν ὡς κακῶν τοσούτων αἰτίαν γενομένην, ὅμως οὐ κατισχῦσαι πρᾶξαι ἡττηθέντα τῷ κάλλει, διʼ οὗ ἐπὶ τὴν ἀνάμνησιν τῆς ἡδονῆς ἀφίκετο.
English · Claude translation
From this, I think, the one who founded the mysteries also not only forbade touching certain animals, but there are also parts of the sacrificed animals that he excluded from use for reasons the initiates know. If, then, the belly and what is below the belly must be mastered, it is clear that we have received from above, from the Lord through the law, the command to cut out desire. And this would be done perfectly if we should sincerely condemn the kindling of desire, I mean pleasure. They say that its concept is a smooth and gentle motion with some sensation. Serving this, they say, Menelaus, after the capture of Troy, rushed to kill Helen as the cause of so many evils, yet was not able to do it, overcome by her beauty, through which he came to remember pleasure.
About this passage
Notes
Translation notes
- The definition of pleasure is Epicurean-Cyrenaic. The story of Menelaus and Helen is told by the tragedians (see 2.20.107).
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (wrong accent on the relative ἃ; wrong accent on the relative ἃς): ἀλλʼ ἔστιν ἅ καὶ τῶν καταθυομένων → ἀλλʼ ἔστιν ἃ καὶ τῶν καταθυομένων; διʼ αἰτίας ἅς ἴσασιν → διʼ αἰτίας ἃς ἴσασιν.
Cite this passage
Clement of Alexandria, Strom. 2.20.106 (trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/clement-stromata/2/20/106/).
Plain text
Clement of Alexandria, Strom. 2.20.106 (trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/clement-stromata/2/20/106/).
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