Miscellanies 4.8.68
Summary: Old and young, slaves, children, and wives often become excellent despite opposition; opposition should increase their zeal, since serving God and serving demons admit no comparison; we act for our own salvation whether others approve or not.
Greek text · Stählin 2:278–279
πιστῶς οὖν καὶ ὁ πρεσβύτης καὶ ὁ νέος καὶ ὁ οἰκέτης ὑπακούων ταῖς ἐντολαῖς βιώσεταί τε καί, ἐὰν δέῃ, τεθνήξεται, ὅπερ ἂν εἴη διὰ θανάτου ζωοποιηθῆναι. ἴσμεν γοῦν καὶ παῖδας καὶ οἰκέτας καὶ γυναῖκας πολλάκις ἀκόντων πατέρων καὶ δεσποτῶν καὶ ἀνδρῶν βελτίστους γεγονέναι. οὔκουν ἔλαττον προθυμεῖσθαι χρὴ τοὺς μέλλοντας θεοσεβῶς ζήσειν, ἐπειδὰν εἴργειν αὐτούς τινες δοκῶσιν, ἀλλὰ πολὺ πλέον οἶμαι προσήκειν σπεύδειν τε καὶ ἀγωνίζεσθαι διαφερόντως, ὅπως ἂν μὴ ἡττηθέντες ἀποπέσωσι τῶν ἀρίστων καὶ ἀναγκαιοτάτων βουλευμάτων. οὐ γὰρ οἶμαι σύγκρισιν ἐπιδέχεσθαι πότερον ἄμεινον θιασώτην γενέσθαι τοῦ παντοκράτορος ἢ τὸ τῶν δαιμόνων ἑλέσθαι σκότος. τὰ μὲν γὰρ ἄλλων ἕνεκα πραττόμενα ἡμῖν ἑκάστοτε πράξαιμεν ἂν εἰς ἐκείνους ἀποβλέπειν πειρώμενοι, ὧν ἕνεκα γίνεσθαι δοκεῖ, μέτρον ἡγούμενοι τοῦτο τὸ ἐν ἐκείνοις κεχαρισμένον· ἃ δὲ αὑτῶν μᾶλλον ἤ τινων ἑτέρων, ταῦτα ἂν ἡμῖν γίγνοιτο μετὰ τῆς ἴσης σπουδῆς, ἐάν τε ἀρέσκειν τισὶ δοκῇ ἐάν τε καὶ μή.
English · Claude translation
Faithfully, then, both the old man, the young man, and the slave, obeying the commandments, will live and, if need be, die, which would be to be made alive through death. We know, at any rate, that children, slaves, and wives have often become excellent against the will of fathers, masters, and husbands. So those who are going to live godly lives must not be less eager when some seem to hinder them; rather, I think, it is much more fitting to hasten and contend especially, so as not to be overcome and fall away from the best and most necessary resolutions. For I do not think it admits comparison, whether it is better to become a devotee of the Almighty or to choose the darkness of demons. For what we do for the sake of others we would do each time trying to look to those for whose sake it seems to be done, considering what pleases them the measure; but what is done for our own sake more than for others', we would do with equal eagerness, whether it seems to please some or not.
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Clement of Alexandria, Strom. 4.8.68 (trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/clement-stromata/4/8/68/).
Plain text
Clement of Alexandria, Strom. 4.8.68 (trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/clement-stromata/4/8/68/).
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