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Clement of Alexandria

O PROTREPTIKOS EIS UPOMONHN
H
PROS TOUS NEWETI BEBAPTISMENOUS

KLHMENTOS PARAGGELMATA
EXHORTATION TO ENDURANCE
OR
TO THE NEWLY BAPTIZED

PRECEPTS OF CLEMENT
H(SUXI/AN ME\N LO/GOIS E)PITH/DEUE, H(SUXI/AN DE\ E)/RGOIS,
W(SAU/TWS DE\ E)N GLW/TTH| KAI\ BADI/SMATI: SFODRO/THTA
DE\ A)PO/FEUGE PROPETH=: OU(/TWS GA\R O( NOU=S DIAMENEI=
BE/BAIOS, KAI\ OU)X U(PO\ TH=S SFODRO/THTOS TARAXW=DHS
GENO/MENOS A)SQENH/S E)/STAI KAI\ BRAXU\S PERI\ FRO/NHSIN
KAI\ SKOTEINO\N O(RW=N: OU)DE\ H(TTHQH/SETAI ME\N GASTRIMARGI/AS,
H(TTHQH/SETAI DE\ E)PIZE/ONTOS QUMOU=, H(TTHQH/SETAI
DE\ TW=N A)/LLWN PAQW=N, E(/TOIMON AU)TOI=S
A(/RPAGMA PROKEI/MENOS. TO\N GA\R NOU=N DEI= TW=N
PAQW=N E)PIKRATEI=N U(YHLO\N E)PI\ H(SU/XOU QRO/NOU
KAQH/MENON A)FORW=NTA PRO\S QEO/N. MHDE\N O)CUXOLIAS
A)NA/PLEOS E)/SO PERI\ O)RGA/S, MHDE\ NWQRO\S E)N LO/GOIS,
MHDE\ E)N BADI/SMASIN O)/KNOU PEPLHRWME/NOS, I(/NA SOI\
R(UQMO\S A)GAQO\S TH\N H(SUXI/AN KOSMH=| KAI\ QEI/W|=DE/S TI
KAI\ I(ERO\N TO\ SXH=MA FAI/NHTAI. FULA/TTOU DE\ KAI\ TH=S
U(PERHFANI/AS TA\ SU/MBOLA, SXH=MA U(YAUXENOUN KAI\
KEFALH\N E)CHRME/NHN KAI\ BH=MA PODW=N A(BRO\N KAI\
METE/WRON.
Cultivate quietness in word, quietness in deed, likewise in speech and gait; and avoid impetuous eagerness. For then the mind will remain steady, and will not be agitated by your eagerness and so become weak and of narrow discernment and see darkly; nor will it be worsted by gluttony, worsted by boiling rage, worsted by the other passions, lying a ready prey to them. For the mind, seated on high on a quiet thrown looking intently towards God, must control the passions. By no means be swept away by temper in bursts of anger, nor be sluggish in speaking, nor all nervousness in movement; so that your quitness may be adorned by good proportion and your bearing may appear something divine and sacred. Guard also against the signs of arrogance, a haughty bearing, a lofty head, a dainty and high-treading footstep.
H)/PIA/ SOI PRO\S TOU\S A)PANTW=NTAS E)/STW TA\ R(H/MATA,
KAI\ PROSHGORI/AI GLUKEI=AI: AI)DW\S DE\ PRO\S GUNAI=KAS
KAI\ BLE/MMA TETRAMME/NON EI)S GH=N. LALEI= DE\ PERIESKEMME/NWS
A(/PANTA, KAI\ TH=| FWNH=| TO\ XRH/SIMON
A)PODI/DOU, TH=| XREI/A TW=N A)KOUO/NTWN TO\ FQE/GMA
METRW=N, A)/XRI A)\N KAI\ E)CA/KOUSTON H)=|, KAI\ MH/TE
DIAFEU=GON TH\N A)KOH\N TW=N PARO/NTWN U(PO\ SMIKRO/THTOS,
MH/TE U(PERBA/LLON MEI/ZONI TH=| KRAUGH\=|.
FULA/TTOU DE\ O(/PWS MHDE\N PO/TE LALH/SH|S O(\ MH\
PROESKE/YW KAI\ PROENO/HSAS: MHDE\ PROXEI/RWS KAI\
METACU\ TW=N TOU= E(TE/ROU LO/GWN U(PO/BALLE TOU\S
SAUTOU=: DEI= GA\R A)NA\ ME/ROS A)KOU/EIN KAI\ DIALE/GESQAI,
XRO/NW| MERI/ZONTA LO/GON KAI\ SIWPH/N:
MA/NQANE DE\ A)SME/NWS, KAI\ A)FQO/NWS DI/DASKE, MHDE\
U(PO\ FQO/NOU PO/TE SOFI/AN A)POKRU/PTOU PRO\S TOU\S
E(TE/ROUS, MHDE\ MAQH/SEWS A)FI/STASO DI' AI)DW=. U(/PEIKE
PRESBUTE/ROIS I)/SA PATRA/SIN: TI/MA QERA/PONTAS QEOU=:
KA/TARXE SOFI/AS KAI\ A)RETH=S. MHDE\ E)RISTIKO\S E)/SO
PRO\S TOU\S FI/LOUS, MHDE\ XLEUASTH\S KAT' AU)TW=N KAI\
GELWTOPOIO/S: YEU=DOS DE\ KAI\ DO/LON KAI\ U(/BRIN
I)SXURW=S PARAI/TOU: SU\N EU)FHMI/A DE\ FE/RE KAI\ TO\N
U(PERH/FANON KAI\ U(BRISTH\N W(S PRA=OS TE/ KAI\
MEGALO/YUXOS A)NH/R.
Let your speech be gentle towards those wyou meet, and your greetings kind; be modest towards women, and let your glance be turned to the ground. Be thoughtfull in all your talk, and give back a useful answer, adapting the utterance to the hearer's need, just so loud that it may be distinctly audible, neither escaping the ears of the company by reason of feebleness nor going to excess with too much noise. Take care never to speak what you have not weighed and pondered beforehand; nor interject your own words on the spur of the moment and in the midst of another's; for you must listen and converse in turn, with set times for speech and for silence. Learn gladly, and teach ungrudgingly; never hide wisdom for others by reason of a grudging spirit, nor through false modesty stand aloof from instruction. Submit to elders just as to fathers. Honour God's servants. Be first to practice wisdom and virtue. Do not wrangle with your friends, nor mock at them and play the buffoon. Firmly renounce falsehood, guile and insolence. Endure in silence, as a gentle and high-minded man, the arrogant and insolent.
KEI/SQW DE/ SOI PA/NTA EI)S QEO\N KAI\ E)/RGA KAI\ LO/GOI,
KAI\ PA/NTA E)NA/FERE XRISTW=| TA\ SAUTOU= KAI\ PUKNW=S
E)PI\ QEO\N TRE/PE TH\N YUXH/N, KAI\ TO\ NO/HMA E)PE/REIDE
TH=| XRISTOU= DUNA/MEI W(/SPER E)N LIME/NI TI/NI TW=| QEI/W|
FWTI\ TOU= SWTH=ROS A)NAPAUO/MENON A)PO\ PA/SHS
LALIA=S TE/ KAI\ PRA/CEWS. KAI\ MEQ' H(ME/RAN POLLA/KIS
ME\N A)NQRW/POIS KOINOU= TH\N SEAUTOU= FRO/NHSIN,
QEW=| DE\ E)PI\ PLEI=STON E)N NUKTI\ O(MOI/WS KAI\ E)N H(ME/RA|:
MH\ GA\R U(/PNOS SE\ E)PIKRATEI/TW POLU\S TW=N PRO\S QEO\N
EU)XW=N TE KAI\ U(/MNWN QANA/TW| GA\R O( MAKRO\S U(/PNOS
E)FA/MILLOS. ME/TOXOS XRISTOU= A)EI\ KAQI/STASO TOU=
TH\N QEI/AN AU)GH\N KATALA/MPONTOS E)C OU)RANOU=: EU)FROSU/NH
GA\R E)/STW SOI DIHNEKH\S KAI\ A)/PAUSTOS O(
XRISTO/S.
Let everything you do be done for God, both deeds and words; and refer all that is yours to Christ; and constantly turn your soul to God; and lean your thought on the power of Christ, as if in some harbour by the divine light of the Saviour it were resting from all talk and action. And often by day communicate your thoughts to men, but most of all to God at night as well as by day; for let not much sleep prevail to keep you from your prayers and hymns to God, since long sleep is a rival of death. Show yourself always a partner of Christ who makes the divine ray shine from heaven; let Christ be to you continual and unceasing joy.
MHDE\ LU=E TO\N TH=S YUXH=S TO/NON E)N EU)WXI/A KAI\
POTW=N A)NE/SEI I(KANO\N DE\ H(GOU= TW=| SW/MATI TO\
XREIW=DES. KAI\ MH\ PRO/SQEN E)PEI/GOU PRO\S TROFA\S
PRI\N H)\ KAI\ DEI/PNOU PARH=| KAIRO\S: A)/RTOS DE\ E)/STW
SOI TO\ DEI=PNON, KAI\ PO/AI GH=S PROSE/STWSAN KAI\ TA\
E)K DE/NDRWN W(RAI/A: I)/QI DE\ E)PI\ TH\N TROFH\N EU)STAQW=S
KAI\ MH\ LUSSW/DH GASTRIMARGI/AN E)PIFAI/NWN: MHDE\
SARKOBO/ROS MHDE\ FI/LOINOS E)/SO, O(PO/TE MH\ NO/SOS TI/S
I)/ASIN E)PI\ TAU/THN A)/GOI. A)LL' A)NTI\ TW=N E)N TOU/TOIS
H(DONW=N TA\S E)N LO/GOIS QEI/OIS KAI\ U(/MNOIS EU)FROSU/NAS
AI(ROU= TH=| PARA\ QEOU= SOI XORHGOUME/NAS SOFI/A,
OU)RA/NIOS TE/ A)EI\ SE\ FRONTI\S A)NAGE/TW PRO\S OU)RANO/N.
Relax not the tension of your soul with feasting and indulgence in drink, but consider what is needful to be enough for the body. And do not hasten early to meals before the time for dinner comes; but let your dinner be bread, and let earth's grasses and the ripe fruits of trees be set before you; and go to your meal with composure, showing no sign of raging gluttony. Be not a flesh-eater nor a lover of wine, when no sickness leads you to this as a cure. But in place of the pleasures that are in these, choose the joys that are in divine words and hymns, joys supplied to you by wisdom from God; and let heavenly meditation ever lead you upward to heaven.
KAI\ TA\S POLLA\S PERI\ SW/MATOS A)NI/EI MERI/MNAS
TEQARSHKW\S E)LPI/SI TAI=S PRO\S QEO\N, O(/TI SOI\ GE/ TA\
A)NAGKAI=A PARE/CEI DIARKH= TROFH/N TE TH\N EI)S ZWH\N
KAI\ KA/LUMMA SW/MATOS KAI\ XEIMERINOU= YU/XOUS
A)LECHTH/RIA. TOU= GA\R DH\ SOU= BASILE/WS GH= TE
A(/PASA KAI\ O(/SA E)KFU/ETAI: W(S ME/LH DE\ AU(TOU= TW=N
AU(TOU= QERAPO/NTWN U(PERBALLO/NTWS PERIE/PEI KAQA/PER
I(ERA\ KAI\ NAOU\S AU(TOU=. DIA\ DH\ TOU=TO MHDE\ NO/SOUS
U(PERBALLOU/SAS DE/DIQI MHDE\ GH/RWS E)/FODON XRO/NW|
PROSDOKWME/NOU: PAU/SETAI GA\R KAI\ NO/SOS, O(/TAN
O(LOYU/XW| PROQE/SEI TOIWMEN TA\S AU)TOU= E)NTOLA/S.
And give up the many anxious cares about the body by taking comfort in hopes towards God; because for you He will provide all necessary things in sufficiency, food to support life, covering for the body, and protection against winter cold. For to your King belongs the whole earth and all that is produced from it; and God treats the bodily parts of His servants with exceeding care, as if they were His, like His own shrines and temples. On this account do not dread severe diseases, nor the approach of old age, which must be expected in time; for even disease will come to an end, when the whole-hearted purpose we do His commandments.
TAU=TA EI)DW\S KAI\ PRO\S NO/SOUS I)SXURA\N KATASKEU/AZE
TH\N YUXH\N, EU)QA/RSHSON W(/SPER TI/S A)NH\R E)N
STADI/OIS A)/RISTOS A)TRE/PTW| TH=| DUNA/MEI TOU\S PO/NOUS
U(FI/STASQAI. MHDE\ U(PO\ LU/PHS PA/NU MIE/ZOU TH\N
YUXH\N, EI)/TE NO/SOS E)PIKEIME/NH BARU/NEI EI)/TE A)/LLO TI
SUMPI/PTEI DUSXERE/S, A)LLA\ GENNAI/WS A)NQI/STA TOI=S
PO/NOIS TO\ NO/HMA, XA/RITAS A)NA/GWN QEW=| KAI\ E)N ME/SOIS
TOI=S E)PIPO/NOIS PRA/GMASI A(/TE DH\ SOFW/TERA/ TE A)NQRW/PWN
FRONOU=NTI KAI\ A(/PER OU) DUNATO\N OU)DE\ R(A/|DION
A)NQRW/POIS EU(REI=N. E)LE/EI DE\ KAKOUME/NOUS, KAI\ TH\N
PARA\ TOU= QEOU= BOH/QEIAN E)P' A)NQRW/POIS AI)TOU=:
E)PINEU/SEI GA\R AI)TOU=NTI TW=| FI/LW| TH\N XA/RIN, KAI\ TOI=S
KAKOUME/NOIS E)PIKOURI/AN PARE/CEI, TH\N AU(TOU= DU/NAMIN
GNW/RIMON A)NQRW/POIS KAQISTA/NAI BOULO/MENOS, W(S A)\N
EI)S E)PI/GNWSIN E)LQO/NTES E)PI\ QEO\N ANIWSIN KAI\ TH=S
AI)WNI/OU MAKARIO/THTOS A)POLAU/SWSIN, E)PEIDA\N O(
TOU= QEOU= UI(O\S PARAGE/NHTAI A)GAQA\ TOI=S I)DI/OIS
A)POKAQISTW=N.
Knowing this, make your soul strong even in face of diseases; be of good courage, like a man in the arena, bravest to submit to his toils with strength unmoved. Be not utterly crushed in soul by grief, whether disease lies heavily upon you, or any other hardship befalls, but nobly confront toils with your understanding, even in the midst of your struggles rendering thanks to God; since His thoughts are wiser than men's, and such as it is not easy nor possible for men to find out. Pity those who are in distress, and ask for men the help that comes from God; for God will grant grace to His friend when he asks, and will provide succour for those in distress, wishing to make His power known to men, in the hope that, when they have come to full knowledge, they may return to God, and may enjoy eternal blessedness when the Son of God shall appear and restore good things to His own.


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Kirby, Peter. "Historical Jesus Theories." Early Christian Writings. <http://www.earlychristianwritings.com/text/1clement-hoole.html>.