Miscellanies 4.7.52
Summary: Plato says the just man is happy even under torture; the one who knows has happiness in himself, not in fortune, and no dishonor, exile, or death can tear him from his love of God.
Greek text · Stählin 2:272
τοιαῦτα καὶ τὰ τοῦ Πλάτωνος ἐν Πολιτείᾳ, κἂν στρεβλῶται ὁ δίκαιος κἂν ἐξορύττηται τὼ ὀφθαλμώ, ὅτι εὐδαίμων ἔσται. οὔκουν ἐπὶ τῇ τύχῃ τὸ τέλος ἕξει ποτὲ ὁ γνωστικὸς κείμενον, ἀλλʼ ἐπʼ αὐτῷ τὸ εὐδαιμονεῖν ἂν εἴη καὶ τὸ μακαρίῳ εἶναι βασιλικῷ τε φίλῳ τοῦ θεοῦ· κἂν ἀτιμίᾳ τις περιβάλλῃ τοῦτον φυγῇ τε καὶ δημεύσει καὶ ἐπὶ πᾶσι θανάτῳ, οὐκ ἀποσπασθήσεταί ποτε τῆς ἐλευθερίας καὶ κυριωτάτης πρὸς τὸν θεὸν ἀγάπης, ἣ πάντα στέγει καὶ πάντα ὑπομένει· καλῶς πάντα τὴν θείαν διοικεῖν πρόνοιαν πέπεισται ἡ ἀγάπη.
English · Claude translation
Such too are Plato's words in the Republic: that even if the just man is racked and has his eyes dug out, he will be happy. So the one who knows will never have his end lying in fortune; but being happy and blessed and a royal friend of God will rest with him. And even if someone surrounds him with dishonor, exile, confiscation, and above all death, he will never be torn away from his freedom and his most sovereign love for God, which “bears all things and endures all things.” Love is persuaded that divine providence governs all things well.
About this passage
Notes
Translation notes
- The allusions and quotations are Plato, Republic 2.361e–362a, and 1 Cor 13:7.
Cite this passage
Clement of Alexandria, Strom. 4.7.52 (trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/clement-stromata/4/7/52/).
Plain text
Clement of Alexandria, Strom. 4.7.52 (trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/clement-stromata/4/7/52/).
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