Miscellanies 3.5.40
Summary: Clement divides the heresies into two classes, the libertine and the harshly ascetic; against the first, if all lives are permitted to the elect, the self-controlled life is all the more permitted.
Greek text · Stählin 2:214
Ἵνʼ οὖν μὴ ἐπὶ πλεῖον ὀνυχίζοντες τὸν τόπον πλειόνων ἀτόπων αἱρέσεων ἐπιμεμνώμεθα μηδʼ αὖ καθʼ ἑκάστην αὐτῶν λέγειν πρὸς ἑκάστην ἀναγκαζόμενοι αἰσχυνώμεθά τε ἐπʼ αὐτοῖς καὶ ἐπὶ μήκιστον τὰ ὑπομνήματα προάγωμεν, φέρε εἰς δύο διελόντες τάγματα ἁπάσας τὰς αἱρέσεις ἀποκρινώμεθα αὐτοῖς. ἢ γάρ τοι ἀδιαφόρως ζῆν διδάσκουσιν, ἢ τὸ ὑπέρτονον ᾄδουσαι ἐγκράτειαν διὰ δυσσεβείας καὶ φιλαπεχθημοσύνης καταγγέλλουσι. πρότερον δὲ περὶ τοῦ προτέρου διαληπτέον τμήματος. εἰ πάντα ἔξεστιν ἑλέσθαι βίον, δῆλον ὅτι καὶ τὸν μετʼ ἐγκρατείας, καὶ εἰ πᾶς βίος ἀκίνδυνος ἐκλεκτῷ, δῆλον ὅτι ὁ μετὰ ἀρετῆς καὶ σωφροσύνης πολὺ μᾶλλον ἀκίνδυνος· δοθείσης γὰρ ἐξουσίας τῷ κυρίῳ τοῦ σαββάτου, εἴπερ ἀκολάστως βιώσαι, ἀνεύθυνον εἶναι, πολλῷ μᾶλλον ὁ κοσμίως πολιτευσάμενος οὐχ ὑπεύθυνος ἔσται· πάντα μὲν γὰρ ἔξεστιν, ἀλλʼ οὐ πάντα συμφέρει, φησὶν ὁ ἀπόστολος. εἰ δὲ καὶ πάντα ἔξεστι, δῆλον ὅτι καὶ τὸ σωφρονεῖν.
English · Claude translation
So that we may not, by picking over the subject further, mention more absurd heresies, nor again be compelled to speak against each one of them, be ashamed on their account, and prolong these notes to great length, come, let us divide all the heresies into two classes and answer them. Either they teach living indifferently, or, singing too high a note, they proclaim self-control out of impiety and love of quarreling. First we must discuss the first division. If it is permitted to choose any life, clearly the life of self-control is permitted too; and if every life is without danger for the elect, clearly the life with virtue and self-restraint is much more without danger. For if the lord of the Sabbath has been given authority to be unaccountable if he lives licentiously, much more will the one who has lived decently not be accountable. “For all things are lawful, but not all things are profitable,” says the apostle. And if all things are lawful, clearly being self-restrained is lawful too.
About this passage
Notes
Translation notes
- The quotation is 1 Cor 6:12 (10:23). The allusion is Mark 2:28.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (misspelling in the digital text): δῆλον ὅτι καὶ τὸ σωφρονεῖς. → δῆλον ὅτι καὶ τὸ σωφρονεῖν..
Cite this passage
Clement of Alexandria, Strom. 3.5.40 (trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/clement-stromata/3/5/40/).
Plain text
Clement of Alexandria, Strom. 3.5.40 (trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/clement-stromata/3/5/40/).
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