Miscellanies 4.5.20 · Sophia Scriptura

Summary: Pain distracts the soul from study and virtue; virtue itself does not suffer, but one not yet established in self-control may be overcome, which is as bad as flight.

Greek text · Stählin 2:257

Ἔοικε δέ πως παρούσης ἀλγηδόνος ἡ ψυχὴ νεύειν ἀπʼ αὐτῆς καὶ τίμιον ἡγεῖσθαι τὴν ἀπαλλαγὴν τῆς παρούσης ὀδύνης. ἀμέλει κατʼ ἐκεῖνο καιροῦ καὶ μαθημάτων ῥᾳθυμεῖ, ὁπηνίκα καὶ αἱ ἄλλαι ἀπημέληνται ἀρεταί. καὶ οὐ δήπου τὴν ἀρετὴν αὐτὴν πάσχειν φαμέν (οὐδὲ γὰρ νοσεῖ ἡ ἀρετή), ὁ δὲ ἀμφοῖν μετεσχηκώς, ἀρετῆς καὶ νόσου, ὑπὸ τοῦ κατεπείγοντος θλίβεται· κἂν μὴ καταμεγαλοφρονῶν τύχῃ, ὁ μηδέπω τὴν ἕξιν τῆς ἐγκρατείας περιποιησάμενος ἐξίσταται, ἴσον τε εὑρίσκεται τῷ φεύγειν τὸ μὴ ὑπομεῖναι.

English · Claude translation

When pain is present, the soul seems somehow to turn away from it and to count release from the present suffering precious. At that time, indeed, it neglects studies too, when the other virtues are also neglected. We do not, of course, say that virtue itself suffers (for virtue is not sick); but the one who shares in both, virtue and sickness, is distressed by what presses on him; and unless he is magnanimous, the one who has not yet acquired the state of self-control is beside himself, and not enduring is found to be equal to fleeing.

About this passage

Source

Stählin 2:257 · Otto Stählin, ed., Clemens Alexandrinus, vol. 2, Stromata Buch I–VI, GCS 15 (Leipzig: Hinrichs, 1906); vol. 3, Stromata Buch VII und VIII, GCS 17 (Leipzig: Hinrichs, 1909) · Greek text: Otto Stählin, Clemens Alexandrinus 2–3 (GCS 15, 17, 1906–1909), digitized by the Perseus Digital Library, CC BY-SA 4.0

Translation

Claude translation (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 · Translated by Claude from the Greek text of Stählin (1906–1909); made independently of existing English translations.

Topics

Ethics

Cite this passage

Clement of Alexandria, Strom. 4.5.20 (trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/clement-stromata/4/5/20/).

Plain text

Clement of Alexandria, Strom. 4.5.20 (trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/clement-stromata/4/5/20/).