Miscellanies 3.4.30
Summary: The followers of Prodicus claim to be sons of the first God, above all law, and live for pleasure; but they commit adultery in secret like slaves, and whoever sins is a slave.
Greek text · Stählin 2:209–210
τοιαῦτα καὶ οἱ ἀπὸ Προδίκου ψευδωνύμως γνωστικοὺς σφᾶς αὐτοὺς ἀναγορεύοντες δογματίζουσιν, υἱοὺς μὲν φύσει τοῦ πρώτου θεοῦ λέγοντες αὑτούς· καταχρώμενοι δὲ τῇ εὐγενείᾳ καὶ τῇ ἐλευθερίᾳ ζῶσιν ὡς βούλονται· βούλονται δὲ φιληδόνως, κρατηθῆναι ὑπʼ οὐδενὸς νενομικότες ὡς ἂν κύριοι τοῦ σαββάτου καὶ ὑπεράνω παντὸς γένους πεφυκότες βασίλειοι παῖδες, βασιλεῖ δέ, φασί, νόμος ἄγραφος. πρῶτον μὲν οὖν οὐ ποιοῦσιν ἃ βούλονται πάντα, πολλὰ γὰρ αὐτοὺς κωλύσει καὶ ἐπιθυμοῦντας καὶ πειρωμένους, καὶ ἃ ποιοῦσι δέ, οὐχ ὡς βασιλεῖς, ἀλλʼ ὡς μαστιγίαι ποιοῦσι, λάθρᾳ γὰρ μοιχεύουσι τὸ ἁλῶναι δεδιότες καὶ τὸ καταγνωσθῆναι ἐκκλίνοντες καὶ φοβούμενοι τὸ κολασθῆναι. πῶς δὲ ἐλεύθερον ἡ ἀκρασία καὶ ἡ αἰσχρολογία; πᾶς γάρ, φησίν, ὁ ἁμαρτάνων δοῦλός ἐστιν, ὁ ἀπόστολος λέγει.
English · Claude translation
Such things too are taught by the followers of Prodicus, who call themselves, falsely, Gnostics, saying that they are by nature sons of the first God; and, abusing their noble birth and freedom, they live as they wish; and they wish to live for pleasure, thinking themselves ruled by no one, as lords of the Sabbath and royal children born above every race; and for a king, they say, there is no written law. In the first place, then, they do not do all they wish; for many things will hinder them, even when they desire and try. And what they do, they do not as kings but as slaves who deserve the whip; for they commit adultery in secret, afraid of being caught, avoiding condemnation, and fearing punishment. How can lack of self-control and shameful talk be free? “For everyone who sins,” it says, “is a slave,” says the apostle.
About this passage
Notes
Translation notes
- The allusions and quotations are Matt 12:8 and John 8:34 (Rom 6:16).
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (misspelling in the digital text): ὑπεράων παντὸς γένους → ὑπεράνω παντὸς γένους.
Cite this passage
Clement of Alexandria, Strom. 3.4.30 (trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/clement-stromata/3/4/30/).
Plain text
Clement of Alexandria, Strom. 3.4.30 (trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/clement-stromata/3/4/30/).
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