The Clementine Homilies
Anonymous Pseudo-Clementine compiler
Chapter 1
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- Anonymous Pseudo-Clementine compiler
Chapter I.—Boyish Questionings.
I Clement, being a Roman citizen, even from my earliest
Opening the library…
Opening the library…
The Clementine Homilies
Anonymous Pseudo-Clementine compiler
I Clement, being a Roman citizen, even from my earliest
Therefore the next day, I Clement, awaking from sleep before dawn, and learning that Peter was astir, and was conversing with his attendants concerning the worship of God (there were sixteen of them, and I have thought good to set forth their names, as I subsequently learned them, that you may also know who they were. The first of them was Zacchæus, who was once a publican, and Sophonias his brother; Joseph and his foster-brother Michaias; also Thomas and Eliezer the twins; also Æneas and Lazarus the priests; besides also Elisæus, and Benjamin the son of Saphrus; as also Rubilus and Zacharias the builders; and Ananias and Haggæus the Jamminians; and Nicetas and Aquila the friends),—accordingly I went in and saluted him, and at his request sat down.
Two days, therefore, having elapsed, and while the third was dawning, I Clement, and the rest of our companions, being roused about the second cock-crowing, in order to the discussion with Simon, found the lamp still alight, and Peter kneeling in prayer. Therefore, having finished his supplication, and turning round, and seeing us in readiness to hear, he said:—
Thus I Clement, departing from Cæsarea Stratonis, together with Nicetas and Aquila, entered into Tyre of Phœnicia; and according to the injunction of Peter, who sent us, we lodged with Bernice, the daughter of Justa the Canaanitess. She received us most joyfully; and striving with much honour towards me, and with affection towards Aquila and Nicetas, and speaking freely as a friend, through joy she treated us courteously, and hospitably urged us to take bodily refreshment. Perceiving, therefore, that she was endeavouring to impose a short delay upon us, I said: “You do well, indeed, to busy yourself in fulfilling the part of love; but the fear of our God must take the precedence of this. For, having a combat on hand on behalf of many souls, we are afraid of preferring our own ease before their salvation.
The next day, therefore, in Tyre, as we had agreed, I came to the quiet place, and there I found the rest, with some others also. Then I saluted them. But as I did not see Appion, I asked the reason of his not being present; and some one said that he had been unwell ever since last evening. Then, when I said that it was reasonable that we should immediately set out to visit him, almost all begged me first to discourse to them, and that then we could go to see him. Therefore, as all were of one opinion, I proceeded to say:—
And on the third day, when I came with my friends to the appointed place in Tyre, I found Appion sitting between Anubion and Athenodorus, and waiting for us, along with many other learned men. But in no wise dismayed, I greeted them, and sat down opposite Appion. And in a little he began to speak:—
“I wish to start from the following point, and to come with all speed at once to the question. Before you, my son Clement, joined us, my friend Anubion here, and Athenodorus, who yesterday were among those who heard you discourse, were reporting to me what you said of the numerous false accusations I brought against the gods when I was visiting you in Rome, at the time you were shamming love, how I charged them with pæderasty, lasciviousness, and numerous incests of all kinds. But, my son, you ought to have known that I was not in earnest when I wrote such things about the gods, but was concealing the truth, from my love to you. That truth, however, if it so please you, you may hear from me now.
And on the fourth day of our stay in Tyre, Peter went out about daybreak, and there met him not a few of the dwellers round about, with very many of the inhabitants of Tyre itself, who cried out, and said, “God through you have mercy upon us, God through you heal us!” And Peter stood on a high stone, that all might see him; and having greeted them in a godly manner, thus began:—
Now, as Peter was entering Tripolis, the people from Tyre and Sidon, Berytus and Byblus, who were eager to get instruction, and many from the neighbourhood, entered along with him; and not least were there gatherings of the multitudes from the city itself wishing to see him. Therefore there met with us in the suburbs the brethren who had been sent forth by him to ascertain as well other particulars respecting the city, as the proceedings of Simon, and to come and explain them. They received him, and conducted him to the house of Maroones.
Therefore on the next day, Peter going out with his companions, and coming to the former place, and taking his stand, proceeded to say: “God having cut off by water all the impious men of old, having found one alone amongst them all that was pious, caused him to be saved in an ark, with his three sons and their wives. Whence may be perceived that it is His nature not to care for a multitude of wicked, nor to be indifferent to the salvation of one pious. Therefore the greatest impiety of all is forsaking the sole Lord of all, and worshipping many, who are no gods, as if they were gods.
Therefore on the third day in Tripolis, Peter rose early and went into the garden, where there was a great water-reservoir, into which a full stream of water constantly flowed. There having bathed, and then having prayed, he sat down; and perceiving us sitting around and eagerly observing him, as wishing to hear something from him, he said:—
Therefore on the fourth day at Tripolis, Peter rising and finding us awake, saluted us and went out to the reservoir, that he might bathe and pray; and we also did so after him. To us, therefore, when we had prayed together, and were set down before him, he gave a discourse touching the necessity of purity. And when thereafter it was day, he permitted the multitudes to enter. Then, when a great crowd had entered, he saluted them according to custom, and began to speak.
Therefore starting from Tripolis of Phœnicia to go to Antioch of Syria, on the same day we came to Orthasia, and there stayed. And on account of its being near the city which we had left, almost all having heard the preaching before, we stopped there only one day, and set out to Antaradus. And as there were many who journeyed with us, Peter, addressing Nicetus and Aquila, said, “Inasmuch as the great crowd of those who journey with us draws upon us no little envy as we enter city after city, I have thought that we must of necessity arrange, so that neither, on the one hand, these may be grieved at being prevented from accompanying us, nor, on the other hand, we, by being so conspicuous, may fall under the envy of the wicked. Wherefore I wish you, Nicetus and Aquila, to go before me in two separate bodies, and enter secretly into the Gentile cities.
Now at break of day Peter entered, and said: “Clement, and his mother Mattidia, and my wife, must take their seats immediately on the waggon.” And so they did straightway. And as we were hastening along the road to Balanæae, my mother asked me how my father was; and I said: “My father went in search of you, and of my twin brothers Faustinus and Faustinianus, and is now nowhere to be found. But I fancy he must have died long ago, either perishing by shipwreck, or losing his way, or wasted away by grief.” When she heard this, she burst into tears, and groaned through grief; but the joy which she felt at finding me, mitigated in some degree the painfulness of her recollections. And so we all went down together to Balanæae. And on the following day we went to Paltus, and from that to Gabala; and on the next day we reached Laodicea. And, lo! before the gates of the city Nicetas and Aquila met us, and embracing us, brought us to our lodging. Now Peter, seeing that the city was beautiful and great, said: “It is worth our while to stay here for some days; for, generally speaking, a populous place is most capable of yielding us those whom we seek.” Nicetas and Aquila asked me who that strange woman was; and I said: “My mother, whom God, through my lord Peter, has granted me to recognise.”
Much earlier than usual Peter awoke, and came to us, and awaking us, said: “Let Faustinus and Faustinianus, along with Clement and the household, accompany me, that we may go to some sheltered spot by the sea, and there be able to baptize her without attracting observation.” Accordingly, when we had come to the sea-shore, he baptized her between some rocks, which supplied a place at once free from wind and dust. But we brothers, along with our brother and some others, retired because of the women and bathed, and coming again to the women, we took them along with us, and thus we went to a secret place and prayed. Then Peter, on account of the multitude, sent the women on before, ordering them to go to their lodging by another way, and he permitted us alone of the men to accompany our mother and the rest of the women. We went then to our lodging, and while waiting for Peter’s arrival, we conversed with each other. Peter came several hours after, and breaking the bread for the Eucharist, and putting salt upon it, he gave it first to our mother, and, after her, to us her sons. And thus we took food along with her and blessed God.
At break of day our father, with our mother and his three sons, entered the place where Peter was, and accosting him, sat down. Then we also did the same at his request; and Peter looking at our father, said: “I am anxious that you should become of the same mind as your wife and children, in order that here you may live along with them, and in the other world, after the separation of the soul from the body, you will continue to be with them free from sorrow. For does it not grieve you exceedingly that you should not associate with each other?” And my father said: “Most assuredly.” And Peter said: “If, then, separation from each other here gives you pain, and if without doubt the penalty awaits you that after death you should not be with each other, how much greater will your grief be that you, a wise man, should be separated from your own family on account of your opinions? They too, must feel the more distressed from the consciousness that eternal punishment awaits you because you entertain different opinions from theirs, and deny the established truth.”
At break of day Peter went out, and reaching the place where he was wont to discourse, he saw a great multitude assembled. At the very time when he was going to discourse, one of his deacons entered, and said: “Simon has come from Antioch, starting as soon as it was evening, having learned that you promised to speak on the unity of God; and he is ready, along with Athenodorus the Epicurean, to come to hear your speech, in order that he may publicly oppose all the arguments ever adduced by you for the unity of God.” Just as the deacon said this, lo! Simon himself entered, accompanied by Athenodorus and some other friends. And before Peter spoke at all, he took the first word, and said:—
The next day, therefore, as Peter was to hold a discussion with Simon, he rose earlier than usual and prayed. On ceasing to pray, Zacchæus came in, and said: “Simon is seated without, discoursing with about thirty of his own special followers.” And Peter said: “Let him talk until the multitude assemble, and then let us begin the discussion in the following way. We shall hear all that has been said by him, and having fitted our reply to this, we shall go out and discourse.” And assuredly so it happened. Zacchæus, therefore, went out, and not long after entered again, and communicated to Peter the discourse delivered by Simon against him.
At break of day, when Peter went forth to discourse, Simon anticipated him, and said: “When I went away yesterday, I promised to you to return to-day, and in a discussion show that he who framed the world is not the highest God, but that the highest God is another who alone is good, and who has remained unknown up to this time. At once, then, state to me whether you maintain that the framer of the world is the same as the lawgiver or not? If, then, he is the lawgiver, he is just; but if he is just, he is not good. But if he is not good, then it was another that Jesus proclaimed, when he said, ‘Do not call me good; for one is good, the Father who is in the heavens.’ Now a lawgiver cannot be both just and good, for these qualities do not harmonize.” And Peter said: “First tell us what are the actions which in your opinion constitute a person good, and what are those which constitute him just, in order that thus we may address our words to the same mark.” And Simon said: “Do you state first what in your opinion is goodness, and what justice.”
The next day Peter came forth earlier than usual; and seeing Simon with many others waiting for him, he saluted the multitude, and began to discourse. But no sooner did he begin than Simon interrupted him, and said: “Pass by these long introductions of yours, and answer directly the questions I put to you. Since I perceive that you (as I know from what I heard at the beginning, that you have no other purpose, than by every contrivance to show that the Creator himself is alone the blameless God),—since, as I said, I perceive that you have such a decided desire to maintain this, that you venture to declare to be false some portions of the Scriptures that clearly speak against him, for this reason I have determined to-day to prove that it is impossible that he, being the Creator of all, should be blameless. But thus proof I can now begin, if you reply to the questions which I put to you.
In the night-time Peter rose up and wakened us, and then sat down in his usual way, and said: “Ask me questions about anything you like.” And Sophonias was the first to begin to speak to him: “Will you explain to us who are eager to learn what is the real truth in regard to evil?” And Peter said: “I have already explained it in the course of my discussion with Simon; but because I stated the truth in regard to it in combination with other topics, it was not altogether clearly put; for many topics that seem to be of equal weight with the truth afford some kind of knowledge of the truth to the masses. So that, if now I state what I formerly stated to Simon along with many topics, do not imagine that you are not honoured with honour equal to his.” And Sophonias said: “You are right; for if you now separate it for us from many of the topics that were then discussed, you will make the truth more evident.”
[The first six chapters agree closely with the corresponding passage in the Recognitions.—R.]
[With but two exceptions, these names, or their equivalents, occur in Recognitions, iii. 68, where importance is attached to the number twelve. Comp. also Recognitions, ii. 1. A comparison of these lists favors the theory of a common documentary basis.—R.]
[The first twenty-eight chapters of this homily have no exact parallel in the Recognitions; much of the matter is peculiar to this work.—R.]
[In the Recognitions (iv. 1) mention is made of Clement and others accompanying Peter to Dora, Ptolemais, Tyre, Sidon, and Berytus (Beyrout), but no record is made of any discourses. In Homilies IV.–VII. the details of this journey are given, but with variation in some particulars. These Homilies are peculiar, in form, to this work; but much of the matter occurs in the Recognitions, in the final discussion with the father of Clement.—R.]
[The historical setting of Homily V. is peculiar to this narrative; most of the views appear in a different connection in the Recognitions (mainly book x.).—R.]
[The historical details of this Homily also have no parallel in the Recognitions.—R.]
[For the general parallelism of Homilies VIII.–XI. with Recognitions, iv.–vi., see the footnote on Recognitions, iv. 1. Homilies VIII., IX., contain matter included in the single discourse of Recognitions, book iv.—R.]
Lit.: More willing to learn than the others.
[“Maro” in Recognitions, iv. The resemblance between that book and this Homily is quite marked.—R.]
[Much of the matter in this Homily is to be found in Recognitions, iv.—R.]
[Book v. of the Recognitions, assigned to the second day at Tripolis, contains most of the matter in this Homily, but has many passages without a parallel here.—R.]
[On the correspondence of Homilies XII., XIII., with Recognitions, vii., see note on vii. 1. Chaps. 1–24 here agree quite closely, even in the divisions of chapters, with Recognitions, vii. 1–24.—R.]
Literally, “of wickedness.”
[Comp. Recognitions, vii. 25. Here the narrative is somewhat fuller in detail.—R.]
Cotelerius conjectured σφαγέντα for σφαλέντα—“being slain on our journey.”
The first Epitome explains “those whom we seek” as those who are worthy to share in Christ or in Christ’s Gospel.
Lit., “tranquil and clean.” [The baptism is narrated in Recognitions, vii. 38.—R.]
We have adopted an emendation of Schwegler’s. The mss. read either “these” or “the same” for “the rest of.”
The words “for the Eucharist” might be translated “after thanksgiving.” But it is much the same which, for the Eucharist is plainly meant. The Epitomes have it: “taking the bread, giving thanks, blessing, and consecrating it, he gave it; ” but no mention is made of salt. [The details here are more specific than in Recognitions, vii. 38. [The mention of “salt” is peculiar. Compare “the salt” named as one of the “seven witnesses” in the baptismal form of the Elkesaites, Hippolytus, Ante-Nicene Fathers, v. pp. 132, 133.—R.]
[In Recognitions, x. 1, after the father becomes known, the Apostle is represented as proposing delay in the attempt to convert him.—R.]
Lit., “there.”
We have inserted a δεῖ, probably omitted on account of the previous δέ.
The words are peculiar. Lit., “eternal punishment awaits you thinking other things, through denial of the fixed dogma” (ῥητοῦ δόγματος). The Latin translator gives: “ob veri dogmatis negationem.”
[Homilies XVI.–XIX., giving the details of a second discussion with Simon at Laodicea, are peculiar to this narrative. Much of the matter finds a parallel in the longer account of the previous discussion at Cæsarea in Recognitions, ii. iii. (comp. Homily III.), but all the circumstances are different. Uhlhorn formerly regarded this portion of the Homilies as the nucleus of the entire literature. He has modified his view. An analysis of the discussion cannot be attempted; but in the footnote to Recognitions, ii. 19, a general comparison is given of the three accounts of discussions with Simon Magus.—R.]
The word properly signifies the “sole government or monarchy of God.” It means that God alone is ruler.
The text has: “against Peter.”
Matt. xix. 17.
[Comp. xvii. 5, and Recognitions, iii. 37, 38.—R.]
This passage is corrupt. Wieseler has proposed to amend it by bold transposition of the clauses. We make one slight alteration in the text.
[Chaps. 1–10 are also peculiar to the Homilies, though there are incidental resemblances to passages in the Recognitions, particularly in the presentation of free-will.—R.]
“Not” is supplied by conjecture.