Miscellanies 8.6.20
Summary: A genus is best divided into two or three species, classified by the ten categories; whoever truly knows a thing can define it, and ignorance of definitions causes most disputes.
Greek text · Stählin 2
Ἄριστον μὲν οὖν εἰς δύο διαιρεῖν εἴδη τὸ γένος, εἰ δὲ μή, εἰς τρία. τὰ τοίνυν εἴδη γενικώτερον μὲν διαιρούμενα χαρακτηρίζεται τῷ τε ταὐτῷ καὶ θατέρῳ, ἔπειτα δὲ διὰ τῶν γενικῶς σημαινομένων διαιρούμενα χαρακτηρίζεται. ἕκαστον γὰρ τῶν εἰδῶν ἤτοι οὐσία ἐστὶν (ὥσπερ ὅταν λέγωμεν· τῶν ὄντων τὰ μὲν σώματά ἐστι. τὰ δὲ ἀσώματα) ἢ ποσὸν ἢ ποιὸν ἢ πρός τι ἢ ποῦ ἢ πότε ἢ κεῖσθαι ἢ ἔχειν ἢ ποιεῖν ἢ πάσχειν. παντὸς οὑτινοσοῦν ἐπιστήμων τίς ἐστι. τούτου καὶ τὸν ὅρον ἀποδώσει, ὡς ὅ γε μὴ δυνάμενος λόγῳ περιλαβεῖν καὶ ὁρίσασθαι ὁτιοῦν. τούτου ἐπιστήμων οὐκ ἄν ποτε εἴη. ἐκ δὲ τῆς τοῦ ὅρου ἀγνοίας καὶ τὰς πολλὰς ἀμφισβητήσεις γίνεσθαι καὶ τὰς ἀπάτας συμβαίνει. εἰ γὰρ ὁ τὸ πρᾶγμα εἰδὼς ἔχει κατὰ διάνοιαν τὴν εἴδησιν αὐτοῦ, δύναται δὲ καὶ λόγῳ σαφηνίσαι ὃ διανοεῖται, ἡ δὲ τῆς διανοίας ἑρμηνεία ὅρος ἐστίν. ἀναγκαῖόν ἐστι τὸν εἰδότα τὸ πρᾶγμα δύνασθαι αὐτοῦ καὶ τὸν ὅρον ἀποδιδόναι.
English · Claude translation
It is best, then, to divide the genus into two species, or if not, into three. The species, when divided more generally, are characterized by the same and the other; and then, when divided through the things signified generically, they are characterized by these. For each of the species is either substance (as when we say, “of beings, some are bodies, others incorporeal”), or quantity, or quality, or relation, or place, or time, or position, or having, or acting, or being acted upon. Whoever has scientific knowledge of anything whatever will also give its definition; so that one who cannot comprehend in an account and define anything whatever could never have scientific knowledge of it. And it is from ignorance of definition that the many disputes and deceptions arise. For if the one who knows the thing has knowledge of it in his mind, and can also make clear in an account what he thinks, and the expression of the thought is a definition, then it is necessary that the one who knows the thing can also give its definition.
About this passage
Notes
Translation notes
- The list is Aristotle's ten categories (Categories 4, 1b25–27): substance, quantity, quality, relation, place, time, position, having, acting, being acted upon.
Cite this passage
Clement of Alexandria, Strom. 8.6.20 (trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/clement-stromata/8/6/20/).
Plain text
Clement of Alexandria, Strom. 8.6.20 (trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/clement-stromata/8/6/20/).
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