The Instructor 2.10.113
Summary: Isaiah went naked and barefoot and Jeremiah wore only a loincloth; trailing robes are pretentious; the Lord's long robe signifies the Scriptures, and he is clothed with light.
Greek text · Stählin 1:224–225
Ἡσαΐας δέ, ἄλλος οὗτος προφήτης, »γυμνός τε καὶ ἀνυπόδετος« ἦν, πολλάκις δὲ καὶ σάκκον ἠμπίσχετο ταπεινοφροσύνης ἔνδυμα. εἰ δὲ καὶ Ἱερεμίαν καλεῖς, λινοῦν οὗτος περίζωμα εἶχε μόνον. ὡς δὲ τὰ εὐτραφῆ τῶν σωμάτων γυμνούμενα φανερωτέραν δείκνυσι τὴν ἀκμήν, οὕτως καὶ τῶν ἠθῶν τὸ κάλλος, μὴ ἐνειλούμενον ἀπειροκάλοις φλυαρίαις, τὸ μεγαλοπρεπὲς ἐνδείκνυται. Τὸ δὲ καὶ σύρειν τὰς ἐσθῆτας ἐπʼ ἄκρους καθιέντας τοὺς πόδας κομιδῇ ἀλαζονικόν, ἐμποδὼν τῇ ἐνεργείᾳ τοῦ περιπατεῖν γινόμενον. καλλύντρου δίκην ἐπισυρομένης τῆς ἐσθῆτος τὰς ἐπιπολαίους τῆς γῆς ἀχυρμιάς, οὐδὲ τῶν κατεαγότων τούτων δὴ τῶν τὴν κιναιδίαν τὴν ἄφωνον ἐπὶ ταῖς σκηναῖς μετιόντων ὀρχηστῶν ἀπορρέουσαν εἰς τοσοῦτον ὕβρεως τὴν ἐσθῆτα περιορώντων, οἷς οἱ ἐπιμελεῖς στολισμοὶ καὶ τῶν κρασπέδων αἱ ἀπαιωρήσεις καὶ τῶν σχημάτων οἱ περίεργοι ῥυθμοὶ βλακείας μικρολόγου ἐπισυρμὸν ἐμφαίνουσιν. κἂν τὸν ποδήρη τις παραφέρῃ τὸν κυρίου, ὁ ποικιλανθὴς ἐκεῖνος χιτὼν τὰ τῆς σοφίας ἄνθη δεικνύει, τὰς ποικίλας καὶ μὴ μαραινομένας γραφάς, τὰ λόγια τὰ κυρίου ταῖς τῆς ἀληθείας ἀπαστράπτοντα αὐγαῖς, τοιαύτην ἄλλην τὸν κύριον ἐσθῆτα διὰ τοῦ Δαβὶδ ἠμφίεσεν τὸ πνεῦμα ὧδέ πως ψάλλον· »ἐξομολόγησιν καὶ εὐπρέπειαν ἐνεδύσω, ἀναβαλλόμενος φῶς ὡς ἱμάτιον.«
English · Claude translation
Isaiah, another prophet, was “naked and barefoot,” and often wore sackcloth, the garment of humility. And if you call Jeremiah, he had only a linen loincloth. As well-nourished bodies show their bloom more plainly when stripped, so beauty of character, not wrapped in tasteless trifles, shows its magnificence. Trailing one's clothes down to the tips of the feet is most pretentious, hindering the activity of walking, the garment sweeping up the surface refuse of the ground like a broom; not even those broken dancers who pursue silent effeminacy on the stage let their clothing trail down into such insolence, though their careful dressing, the dangling of their hems, and the elaborate rhythms of their postures show the trailing of petty effeminacy. And if anyone brings up the Lord's long robe, that many-flowered tunic shows the flowers of wisdom, the varied and unfading Scriptures, the oracles of the Lord flashing with the rays of truth. The Spirit clothed the Lord with another such garment through David, singing thus: “You have put on confession and majesty, covering yourself with light as with a garment.”
About this passage
Notes
Translation notes
- The allusions and quotations are Isa 20:2–3, Jer 13:1, Rev 1:13 (the long robe, ποδήρης), and Ps 104:1–2 (103:1–2 LXX).
Cite this passage
Clement of Alexandria, Paed. 2.10.113 (trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/clement-paedagogus/2/10/113/).
Plain text
Clement of Alexandria, Paed. 2.10.113 (trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/clement-paedagogus/2/10/113/).
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