Another Letter of Clement of Alexandria from the Monasteries

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Secret Alias
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Re: Another Letter of Clement of Alexandria from the Monasteries

Post by Secret Alias »

Can anyone make out what the title says? I can see the start of the letter outside of the "snake box" -

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Secret Alias
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Re: Another Letter of Clement of Alexandria from the Monasteries

Post by Secret Alias »

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Outside of the box there is "Καλῶς ποιεῖς ὅρους ἡμῖν εὐθεῖς ὁρίζων, ἵνα μὴ μόνον ἐγκράτειαν ἴδωμεν ἀλλὰ ..." But what is in the box?

I see μονάζον and ἐγκράτεια
Last edited by Secret Alias on Mon Feb 27, 2023 5:59 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Secret Alias
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Re: Another Letter of Clement of Alexandria from the Monasteries

Post by Secret Alias »

I see "continence" so that seems to be the title. Does anyone see "Basil"?
Secret Alias
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Re: Another Letter of Clement of Alexandria from the Monasteries

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I am learning to decipher this gibberish. This is page 255v of the Vatican:
Καλῶς ποιεῖς ὅρους ἡμῖν εὐθεῖς ὁρίζων, ἵνα μὴ μόνον ἐγκράτειαν ἴδωμεν ἀλλὰ καὶ τὸν καρπὸν αὐτῆς. ἔστιν οὖν ὁ καρπὸς αὐτῆς Θεοῦ μετουσία. τὸ γὰρ μὴ φθείρεσθαι Θεοῦ μετέχειν ἐστίν, ὥσπερ τὸ φθείρεσθαι βίου μετουσία. ἐγκράτεια γάρ ἐστιν σώματος ἄρνησις καὶ ὁμολογία πρὸς Θεόν. ἀποβαίνει τοῦ θνητοῦ παντός, ὥσπερ σῶμα ἔχουσα τοῦ Θεοῦ τὸ Πνεῦμα: καὶ Θεῷ μίσγεσθαι ποιεῖ, οὔτε ζῆλον ἔχουσα οὔτε φθόνον. ὁ γὰρ ἐρῶν σώματος ἑτέρῳ διαφθονεῖται, ὁ δὲ μὴ κομισάμενος εἰς καρδίαν τῆς φθορᾶς τὴν νόσον ἔρρωται λοιπὸν πόνῳ παντί, καίπερ ἀποθανὼν μὲν τῷ σώματι, ζῶν δὲ τῇ ἀφθαρσίᾳ. [p. 352] καί μοι τελείως καταμανθάνοντι, ἐγκράτεια δοκεῖ ὁ Θεὸς εἶναι, ὅτι μηδενὸς ἐπιθυμεῖ, ἀλλὰ πάντα ἔχει ἐν ἑαυτῷ: καὶ οὐδενὸς ὀρέγεται, οὐδὲ ἔχει πάθος περὶ τοὺς ὀφθαλμούς, οὐδὲ περὶ τὰ ὦτα, ἀλλὰ ἀνενδεὴς ὤν, πλήρης δἰ ὅλου ἐστίν. ἐπιθυμία νόσος ἐστὶ ψυχῆς, ὑγεία δὲ ἐγκράτεια. Οὐ μόνον δὲ περὶ ἓν εἶδος τὴν ἐγκράτειαν δεῖ ὁρᾷν
Then the start of the other page:
οἷον ἕνεκεν ἀφροδισίων, ἀλλὰ καὶ περὶ τὰ ἄλλα ὅσα ἐπιθυμεῖ ἡ ψυχὴ κακῶς, οὐκ ἀρκουμένη τοῖς ἀναγκαίοις: γίνεται φθόνος διὰ χρυσίον, καὶ ἀδικήματα μυρία δἰ ἑτέρας ἐπιθυμίας. καὶ τὸ μὴ μεθύειν ἐγκράτειά ἐστιν, καὶ τὸ μὴ διαρρήγνυσθαι ὑπερεμπιπλάμενον. καὶ τὸ κρατεῖν τοῦ σώματος ἐγκράτειά ἐστιν, καὶ τὸ κυριεύειν λογισμῶν πονηρῶν, ποσάκις ἐτάραξεν ψυχὴν ἔννοια, οὐκ ἀγαθὴ οὖσα οὔτε ἀληθής, καὶ καρδίαν ἐμέρισεν εἰς πολλὰ φροντίζειν κενῶς. πάντως ἐλευθεροῖ ἡ ἐγκράτεια, ἅμα θεραπεύουσα καὶ δύναμις οὖσα: οὐ γὰρ διδάσκει σωφροσύνην, ἀλλὰ παρέχει. Χάρις ἐστὶν Θεοῦ ἐγκράτεια. Ἰησοῦς ἐγκράτεια ἐφάνη, καὶ γῇ καὶ θαλάσσῃ κοῦφος γενόμενος. οὔτε γὰρ γῆ ἐβάστασεν αὐτόν, οὔτε πελάγη, ἀλλ̓ ὥσπερ ἐπάτησεν θάλασσαν, οὕτως οὐκ ἐβάρησεν τὴν γῆν. εἰ γὰρ ἐκ τοῦ φθείρεσθαι τὸ ἀποθανεῖν, ἐκ δὲ τοῦ φθορὰν μὴ ἔχειν τὸ μὴ ἀποθανεῖν, θεότητα ὁ Ἰησοῦς εἰργάζετο, οὐ θνητότητα. ἤσθιεν καὶ ἔπινεν ἰδίως, οὐκ ἀποδιδοὺς τὰ βρώματα: τοσαύτη ἐν αὐτῷ ἡ ἐγκράτεια [p. 354] δύναμις ἦν, ὥστε μὴ φθαρῆναι τὴν τροφὴν ἐν αὐτῷ, ἐπεὶ τὸ φθείρεσθαι αὐτὸς οὐκ εἶχεν. Ὀλίγον τι ἐν ἡμῖν ἐὰν ᾖ ἐγκράτεια, ἀνώτεροι ἁπάντων ἐσμέν. καὶ γὰρ ἀγγέλους ἠκούσαμεν ἀκρατεῖς γεγονέναι κατασπασθέντας οὐρανοῦ δἰ ἐπιθυμίαν. ἑάλωσαν γάρ, οὐχὶ κατέβησαν: τί γὰρ ἔπραττεν ἐκεῖ αὕτη
And then the next column is cut off at the top but it must start:
ἡ νόσος, εἰ μή τις ἐκεῖ τοιοῦτος ὀφθαλμὸς ἦν; διὰ τοῦτο ἔφην: Ὀλίγον ἐγκράτειαν ἐὰν ἔχωμεν, καὶ τοῦ βίου μὴ ἐρασθῶμεν ἀλλ̓ αἰώνων τῶν ἀνωτέρων, ἐκεῖ εὑρεθησόμεθα ὅπου ἀναπέμπομεν τὸν νοῦν: δοκεῖ γὰρ ὀφθαλμὸν εἶναι τοῦτον, τὸν τὰ ἀφανῆ ἰδεῖν δυνάμενον. καὶ γὰρ λέγεται: Νοῦς ὁρᾷ, καὶ νοῦς ἀκούει. ταῦτά σοι ὀλίγα δοκοῦντα, πολλὰ γέγραφα, ὅτι ἑκάστη λέξις νοῦς ἐστιν: καὶ οἶδα ὅτι ἀναγνοὺς αἰσθήσῃ.
Secret Alias
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Re: Another Letter of Clement of Alexandria from the Monasteries

Post by Secret Alias »

I think I've made out most of the title:

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"the same (man)" τον αντον πρὸς Οὐρβίκιον μονάζοντα περὶ ἐγκρατείας

Took me all night to figure that one out.
Secret Alias
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Re: Another Letter of Clement of Alexandria from the Monasteries

Post by Secret Alias »

It's amazing what you find through Google. Apparently Epistle 366 contains a reference to a fragment of Euripides "πάθος περὶ τοὺς ὀφθαλμούς"

https://www.google.com/books/edition/Le ... frontcover
Καλῶς ποιεῖς ὅρους ἡμῖν εὐθεῖς ὁρίζων, ἵνα μὴ μόνον ἐγκράτειαν ἴδωμεν ἀλλὰ καὶ τὸν καρπὸν αὐτῆς. ἔστιν οὖν ὁ καρπὸς αὐτῆς Θεοῦ μετουσία. τὸ γὰρ μὴ φθείρεσθαι Θεοῦ μετέχειν ἐστίν, ὥσπερ τὸ φθείρεσθαι βίου μετουσία. ἐγκράτεια γάρ ἐστιν σώματος ἄρνησις καὶ ὁμολογία πρὸς Θεόν. ἀποβαίνει τοῦ θνητοῦ παντός, ὥσπερ σῶμα ἔχουσα τοῦ Θεοῦ τὸ Πνεῦμα: καὶ Θεῷ μίσγεσθαι ποιεῖ, οὔτε ζῆλον ἔχουσα οὔτε φθόνον. ὁ γὰρ ἐρῶν σώματος ἑτέρῳ διαφθονεῖται, ὁ δὲ μὴ κομισάμενος εἰς καρδίαν τῆς φθορᾶς τὴν νόσον ἔρρωται λοιπὸν πόνῳ παντί, καίπερ ἀποθανὼν μὲν τῷ σώματι, ζῶν δὲ τῇ ἀφθαρσίᾳ. [p. 352] καί μοι τελείως καταμανθάνοντι, ἐγκράτεια δοκεῖ ὁ Θεὸς εἶναι, ὅτι μηδενὸς ἐπιθυμεῖ, ἀλλὰ πάντα ἔχει ἐν ἑαυτῷ: καὶ οὐδενὸς ὀρέγεται, οὐδὲ ἔχει πάθος περὶ τοὺς ὀφθαλμούς, οὐδὲ περὶ τὰ ὦτα, ἀλλὰ ἀνενδεὴς ὤν, πλήρης δἰ ὅλου ἐστίν. ἐπιθυμία νόσος ἐστὶ ψυχῆς, ὑγεία δὲ ἐγκράτεια. Οὐ μόνον δὲ περὶ ἓν εἶδος τὴν ἐγκράτειαν δεῖ ὁρᾷν οἷον ἕνεκεν ἀφροδισίων, ἀλλὰ καὶ περὶ τὰ ἄλλα ὅσα ἐπιθυμεῖ ἡ ψυχὴ κακῶς, οὐκ ἀρκουμένη τοῖς ἀναγκαίοις: γίνεται φθόνος διὰ χρυσίον, καὶ ἀδικήματα μυρία δἰ ἑτέρας ἐπιθυμίας. καὶ τὸ μὴ μεθύειν ἐγκράτειά ἐστιν, καὶ τὸ μὴ διαρρήγνυσθαι ὑπερεμπιπλάμενον. καὶ τὸ κρατεῖν τοῦ σώματος ἐγκράτειά ἐστιν, καὶ τὸ κυριεύειν λογισμῶν πονηρῶν, ποσάκις ἐτάραξεν ψυχὴν ἔννοια, οὐκ ἀγαθὴ οὖσα οὔτε ἀληθής, καὶ καρδίαν ἐμέρισεν εἰς πολλὰ φροντίζειν κενῶς. πάντως ἐλευθεροῖ ἡ ἐγκράτεια, ἅμα θεραπεύουσα καὶ δύναμις οὖσα: οὐ γὰρ διδάσκει σωφροσύνην, ἀλλὰ παρέχει. Χάρις ἐστὶν Θεοῦ ἐγκράτεια. Ἰησοῦς ἐγκράτεια ἐφάνη, καὶ γῇ καὶ θαλάσσῃ κοῦφος γενόμενος. οὔτε γὰρ γῆ ἐβάστασεν αὐτόν, οὔτε πελάγη, ἀλλ̓ ὥσπερ ἐπάτησεν θάλασσαν, οὕτως οὐκ ἐβάρησεν τὴν γῆν. εἰ γὰρ ἐκ τοῦ φθείρεσθαι τὸ ἀποθανεῖν, ἐκ δὲ τοῦ φθορὰν μὴ ἔχειν τὸ μὴ ἀποθανεῖν, θεότητα ὁ Ἰησοῦς εἰργάζετο, οὐ θνητότητα. ἤσθιεν καὶ ἔπινεν ἰδίως, οὐκ ἀποδιδοὺς τὰ βρώματα: τοσαύτη ἐν αὐτῷ ἡ ἐγκράτεια [p. 354] δύναμις ἦν, ὥστε μὴ φθαρῆναι τὴν τροφὴν ἐν αὐτῷ, ἐπεὶ τὸ φθείρεσθαι αὐτὸς οὐκ εἶχεν. Ὀλίγον τι ἐν ἡμῖν ἐὰν ᾖ ἐγκράτεια, ἀνώτεροι ἁπάντων ἐσμέν. καὶ γὰρ ἀγγέλους ἠκούσαμεν ἀκρατεῖς γεγονέναι κατασπασθέντας οὐρανοῦ δἰ ἐπιθυμίαν. ἑάλωσαν γάρ, οὐχὶ κατέβησαν: τί γὰρ ἔπραττεν ἐκεῖ αὕτη ἡ νόσος, εἰ μή τις ἐκεῖ τοιοῦτος ὀφθαλμὸς ἦν; διὰ τοῦτο ἔφην: Ὀλίγον ἐγκράτειαν ἐὰν ἔχωμεν, καὶ τοῦ βίου μὴ ἐρασθῶμεν ἀλλ̓ αἰώνων τῶν ἀνωτέρων, ἐκεῖ εὑρεθησόμεθα ὅπου ἀναπέμπομεν τὸν νοῦν: δοκεῖ γὰρ ὀφθαλμὸν εἶναι τοῦτον, τὸν τὰ ἀφανῆ ἰδεῖν δυνάμενον. καὶ γὰρ λέγεται: Νοῦς ὁρᾷ, καὶ νοῦς ἀκούει. ταῦτά σοι ὀλίγα δοκοῦντα, πολλὰ γέγραφα, ὅτι ἑκάστη λέξις νοῦς ἐστιν: καὶ οἶδα ὅτι ἀναγνοὺς αἰσθήσῃ.
Last edited by Secret Alias on Thu Mar 30, 2023 3:52 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Secret Alias
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Re: Another Letter of Clement of Alexandria from the Monasteries

Post by Secret Alias »

Apparently the line is cited by Hesychius but the next line is Euripides.

https://www.google.com/books/edition/He ... frontcover
Secret Alias
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Re: Another Letter of Clement of Alexandria from the Monasteries

Post by Secret Alias »

dddd
Last edited by Secret Alias on Thu Mar 30, 2023 4:21 pm, edited 2 times in total.
Secret Alias
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Re: Another Letter of Clement of Alexandria from the Monasteries

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After citing the following words of Valentinus:
"As much as the image is inferior to the living face, so much is the world inferior to the living Æon. What is, then, the cause of the image? The majesty of the face, which exhibits the figure to the painter, to be honoured by his name; for the form is not found exactly to the life, but the name supplies what is wanting in the effigy. The invisibility of God co-operates also in order to the faith of that which has been fashioned."
Clement explains the passage as follows:
For the Creator, called God and Father, he designated as "Painter," and "Wisdom," whose image that which is formed is, to the glory of the invisible One; since the things which proceed from a pair are complements, and those which proceed from one are images. But since what is seen is no part of Him, the soul comes from what is intermediate (ἐπεὶ δὲ τὸ φαινόμενον αὐτοῦ οὐκ ἔστιν ἡ ἐκ μεσότητος ψυχή), which is different (ἔρχεται τὸ διαφέρον); and this is the inspiration of the different spirit (καὶ τοῦτ' ἔστι τὸ ἐμφύσημα τοῦ διαφέροντος πνεύματος), and generally what is breathed into the soul, which is the image of the spirit.
The idea of "inflation" is present here in the writings of Clement. The association of ἐμφύσημα with Genesis's creation of Adam is also present in Book 5:
And Democritus, though against his will, will make this avowal by the consequences of his dogmas; for he represents the same images as issuing, from the divine essence (τῆς θείας οὐσίας), on men and on the irrational (ἀλόγοις) animals. Far from destitute of a divine idea (θείας ἐννοίας) is man, who, it is written in Genesis, partook of inspiration (ἐμφυσήματος), being endowed with a purer essence than the other animate creatures.
First Book of the Instructor:
The Lord ministers all good and all help, both as man and as God: as God, forgiving our sins; and as man, training us not to sin. Man is therefore justly dear to God, since he is His workmanship. The other works of creation He made by the word of command alone, but man He framed by Himself, by His own hand, and breathed into him what was peculiar to Himself. What, then, was fashioned by Him, and after He likeness, either was created by God Himself as being desirable on its own account, or was formed as being desirable on account of something else. 'If, then, man is an object desirable for itself, then He who is good loved what is good, and the love-charm is within even in man, and is that very thing which is called the inspiration (ἐμφύσημα) or breath of God.
Theodotos 55:
On Adam, over the three immaterial elements, a fourth, “the earthly,” is put on as “the leathern garments.” Therefore Adam neither sows from the spirit nor, therefore, from that which was breathed into him (οὔτ' οὖν ἀπὸ τοῦ ἐμφυσήματος), for both are divine and both are put forth through him but not by him. But his material nature is active toward seed and generation, as though mixed with seed and unable to stand apart from the same harmony in life.
Secret Alias
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Re: Another Letter of Clement of Alexandria from the Monasteries

Post by Secret Alias »

Now the question is. What is the latest source that Hesychius uses?
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