Opening the library…
Home Bible Corpus Discover You
The Stromata, or Miscellanies
Clement of Alexandria
Book 4 · Chapter 5 About this work A wide-ranging collection on faith, knowledge, philosophy, Scripture, ethics, and Christian maturity that intentionally mixes subjects while portraying the ideal Christian knower formed through disciplined inquiry.
Author Clement of Alexandria
Date c. AD 195–215
Origin Alexandria
Genre Theological Treatise Chapter V.—On Contempt for Pain, Poverty, and Other External Things. Fit objects for admiration are the Stoics ,
‹ Book 4 · Chapter 4 Book 4 · Chapter 6 ›
who
say
that
the
soul
is
not
affected
by
the
body
,
either
to
vice
by
disease
,
or
to
virtue
by
health
;
but
both
these
things
,
they
say
,
are
indifferent
.
And
indeed
Job
,
through
exceeding
continence
,
and
excellence
of
faith
,
when
from
rich
he
became
poor
,
from
being
held
in
honour
dishonoured
,
from
being
comely
unsightly
,
and
sick
from
being
healthy
,
is
depicted
as
a
good
example
,
putting
the
Tempter
to
shame
,
blessing
his
Creator
;
bearing
what
came
second
,
as
the
first
,
and
most
clearly
teaching
that
it
is
possible
for
the
gnostic
to
make
an
excellent
use
of
all
circumstances
.
And
that
ancient
achievements
are
proposed
as
images
for
our
correction
,
the
apostle
shows
,
when
he
says
,
“
So
that
my
bonds
in
Christ
are
become
manifest
in
all
the
palace
,
and
to
all
the
rest
;
and
several
of
the
brethren
in
the
Lord
,
waxing
confident
by
my
bonds
,
are
much
more
bold
to
speak
the
word
of
God
without
fear
,
”
—
since
martyrs
’
testimonies
are
examples
of
conversion
gloriously
sanctified
.
“
For
what
things
the
Scripture
speaks
were
written
for
our
instruction
,
that
we
,
through
patience
and
the
consolation
of
the
Scriptures
,
might
have
the
hope
of
consolation
.
”
When
pain
is
present
,
the
soul
appears
to
decline
from
it
,
and
to
deem
release
from
present
pain
a
precious
thing
.
At
that
moment
it
slackens
from
studies
,
when
the
other
virtues
also
are
neglected . And yet we do not say that it is virtue itself which suffers , for virtue is not affected by disease . But he who is partaker of both , of virtue and the disease , is afflicted by the pressure of the latter ; and if he who has not yet attained the habit of self - command be not a high - souled man , he is distraught ; and the inability to endure it is found equivalent to fleeing from it .
The same holds good also in the case of poverty . For it compels the soul to desist from necessary things , I mean contemplation and from pure sinlessness , forcing him , who has not wholly dedicated himself to God in love , to occupy himself about provisions ; as , again , health and abundance of necessaries keep the soul free and unimpeded , and capable of making a good use of what is at hand . “ For , ” says the apostle , “ such shall have trouble in the flesh . But I spare you . For I would have you without anxiety , in order to decorum and assiduity for the Lord , without distraction . ”
These things , then , are to be abstained from , not for their own sakes , but for the sake of the body ; and care for the body is exercised for the sake of the soul , to which it has reference . For on this account it is necessary for the man who lives as a gnostic to know what is suitable . Since the fact that pleasure is not a good thing is admitted from the fact that certain pleasures are evil , by this reason good appears evil , and evil good . And then , if we choose some pleasures and shun others , it is not every pleasure that is a good thing .
Similarly , also , the same rule holds with pains , some of which we endure , and others we shun . But choice and avoidance are exercised according to knowledge ; so that it is not pleasure that is the good thing , but knowledge by which we shall choose a pleasure at a certain time , and of a certain kind . Now the martyr chooses the pleasure that exists in prospect through the present pain . If pain is conceived as existing in thirst , and pleasure in drinking , the pain that has preceded becomes the efficient cause of pleasure . But evil cannot be the efficient cause of good . Neither , then , is the one thing nor the other evil . Simonides accordingly ( as also Aristotle ) writes , “ that to be in good health is the best thing , and the second best thing is to be handsome , and the third best thing is to be rich without cheating . ”
And Theognis of Megara says : —
“ You must , to escape poverty , throw Yourself , O Cyrnus down from The steep rocks into the deep sea . ”
On the other hand , Antiphanes , the comic poet , says , “ Plutus ( Wealth ) , when it has taken hold of those who see better than others , makes them blind . ” Now by the poets he is proclaimed as blind from his birth : —
“ And brought him forth blind who saw not the sun . ”
Says the Chalcidian Euphorion : —
“ Riches , then , and extravagant luxuries , Were for men the worst training for manliness . ”
Wrote Euripides in Alexander : —
“ And it is said , Penury has attained wisdom through misfortune ; But much wealth will capture not Sparta alone , but every city . ”
“ It is not then the only coin that mortals have , that which is white silver or golden , but virtue too , ” as Sophocles says .
