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 »

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.
Epistle 166 καὶ γὰρ ἀγγέλους ἠκούσαμεν ἀκρατεῖς γεγονέναι κατασπασθέντας οὐρανοῦ δἰ ἐπιθυμίαν

Stromata 3.7.59.2 ἤδη δὲ καὶ ἄγγελοί τινες ἀκρατεῖς γενόμενοι ἐπιθυμίᾳ ἁλόντες οὐρανόθεν δεῦρο καταπεπτώκασιν
Secret Alias
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Re: Another Letter of Clement of Alexandria from the Monasteries

Post by Secret Alias »

My only discovery so far is that Clement himself uses the saying of Epicharmus in Stromata 2:
Consequently wisdom is intelligence, but all intelligence is not wisdom. And it has been shown, that the knowledge of the first cause of the universe is of faith, but is not demonstration. For it were strange that the followers of the Samian Pythagoras, rejecting demonstrations of subjects of question, should regard the bare ipse dixit as ground of belief; and that this expression alone sufficed for the confirmation of what they heard, while those devoted to the contemplation of the truth, presuming to disbelieve the trustworthy Teacher, God the only Saviour, should demand of Him tests of His utterances. But He says, "He that hath ears to hear, let him hear." And who is he? Let Epicharmus say: "Mind sees, mind hears; all besides is deaf and blind." (Ἐπίχαρμος εἰπάτω· νοῦς ὁρῇ <καὶ> νοῦς ἀκούει, τἄλλα κωφὰ καὶ τυφλά).

Rating some as unbelievers, Heraclitus says, "Not knowing how to hear or to speak;" aided doubtless by Solomon, who says, "If thou lovest to hear, thou shalt comprehend; and if thou incline thine ear, thou shalt be wise.

In Epistle 366: Wherefore I said, If we have a little patience, and do not love the world, but the life above, we shall be found there where we direct our mind. For it is the mind, apparently, which is the eye that sees unseen things. For we say "the mind sees;" "the mind hears." I have written at length, though it may seem little to you. But there is meaning in all that I have said, and, when you have read it, you will see it.
andrewcriddle
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Re: Another Letter of Clement of Alexandria from the Monasteries

Post by andrewcriddle »

This interesting discussion has spread over several threads and I'm not sure which I should reply in.

Just to clarify. This letter may well have been constructed on the basis of Clement's writings, you present a strong case. Do we agree that even if it was composed using Clementine material, it was never intended to be regarded as a letter written by Clement ? Our existing manuscript attributes it to Basil (falsely), and if it was composed based on Clement, and the known (genuine) letter of Basil to Urbicius, then that would have presumably been its original (false) attribution.

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

Post by Secret Alias »

I don't know. I see it as developing from something said to Urbicus. Yes. But did it exist before the discussion or was it made to embarrass Basil (like the Gospel of Barnabas). I don't know yet. I am trying to get my head around the manuscript tradition. I am waiting for Tselikas to send me what is at Mar Saba. There seems to be one "cut" version of the letter were something is missing from the beginning. There is a lot to digest. I am surprised no one did this before given that so much has been written on the letter and so much of it assumes it to be a pseudo-Clementine. In a way, I am sad to report I am not saying anything new. But, as with all Patristic research, things go off the rails when a heretic like "Valentinus" is mention. Then it becomes all about Valentinus and not about Clement or Basil. Very strange the way this works. It's like we have this disease to only go after shiny "sexy" objects.
Secret Alias
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Re: Another Letter of Clement of Alexandria from the Monasteries

Post by Secret Alias »

The lack of clarity with respect to the manuscripts is illustrated here:

Since the publication of Garnier and Maran’s edition of Basil’s letters, three other letters have been found and attributed to Basil—the present letter and the two following : Letters CCCLXVI, CCCLXVII and CCCLXVIII. Letter CCCLXVI was included by Mai and also by Migne in their editions of the letters. Letters CCCLXVII and CCCLXVIII, lately discovered by Mercati, have never before been included in a collection of Basil’s letters. The present letter seems to be spurious chiefly because of its poor MS. tradition. It appears in only three MSS. of late date. None of the ancient MSS. contain it. According to Bessiéres this letter is not in Marcianus 61, as Mai asserts.

I should read better. I see for instance it present in one of the earliest MSS. Hellas Hagion Oros Monê Batopediou fonds principal 0072. Pinakes provides the following note:

Praemittuntur (ff. 1-6v) tabulae duae initiorum epistularum ; tabula altera mutila ; de serie epistularum uide P. J. Fedwick, BBV I, p. 35-39. Desiderantur epp. 8, 39-44, 70, 108, 166-167, 169-171, 215, 248, 283, 308, 357-364, 366 ; iterantur epp. 302, 29, 268, 87, 307, 330, 332, 64 https://pinakes.irht.cnrs.fr/notices/cote/18219/

So its lacking here. Another error that I made earlier. So it's here:
(1) Hellas Patmos Monê tou Hagiou Iôannou tou Theologou fonds principal 0018 (10th century)

156v-157 Basilius Caesariensis Ad monachum lapsum CPG 2900.044-45 10 R(III)1950
157-158, 160-163v, 166-167v, 234v Basilius Caesariensis Epistulae CPG 2900 10 Epp. 123, 366, 242, 90, 92, 261, 85, 52, 23 R(III)1950
158-160 Basilius Caesariensis Ad Chilonem de uita solitaria (Ep. 42) CPG 2900.042 10 R(III)1950
163v-165 Basilius Caesariensis Ad Gregorium Nazianzenum (Ep. 2) CPG 2900.002 10 R(III)1950
165-166 Basilius Caesariensis Ad Amphilochium (Ep. 150) CPG 2900.150 10 R(III)1950
166v Basilius Caesariensis Aduersus Eunomium 1-5 CPG 2837 Hom. in illud: Horam autem et diem illam nemo nouit 10 Liber IV (PG 29, 696-697) Incipit Εἰ δημιουργὸς τῶν ὃλων ὁ υἱός
Desinit καὶ τῆς γνώσεως ἀπόκρυφοι Fedwick, 1996 R(III)1950

(2) Hellas Patmos Monê tou Hagiou Iôannou tou Theologou fonds principal 0020 (11th century)

343-345v Basilius Caesariensis Ad Amphilochium (Ep. 150) CPG 2900.150 11 1081 R(III)1950
345v-347 Basilius Caesariensis Ad monachum lapsum CPG 2900.044-45 11 1081 Ep. 45 tantum R(III)1950
347v-353v Basilius Caesariensis Ad uirginem lapsam (Ep. 46) CPG 2900.046 11 1081 R(III)1950
353v-356v Basilius Caesariensis Epistulae CPG 2900 11 1081Epistulae 262 (ff.353v-354), 366 (ff. 354v-355), 53 (ff. 355-356), 55 (f. 356r-v) R(III)1950
357-360v Gregorius Nazianzenus In Heronem (or. 25) CPG 3010.25 11 1081 Excerpta R(III)1950

(3) Vaticano Vaticano Biblioteca Apostolica Vaticana (BAV) Vat. gr. 2056 (10 - 11th century)

245v-253v Basilius Caesariensis De uirginitate (Ascetica) CPG 2827 10-11 PG 30, 669A-809A ; des. mut. πλέον ἐνατενίσαντες (PG 30, 697, l.33)
254r-v Basilius Caesariensis Aduersus eos qui per calumniam dicunt dici a nobis deos tres (Homilia) CPG 2914 10-11 PG 31, 1488C-1496C ; inc. mut. ὀ Πατὴρ (PG 31, 1492 l. 25)
255r-v Basilius Caesariensis Epistulae CPG 2900 10-11 Ep. 262 (PG 32, 973-975)
255v-256 Basilius Caesariensis Epistulae CPG 2900 10-11 Ep. 366 (PG 31, 1110-1112) ; petite lacune à f. 256r à cause de l'initiale découpée.
256v-261v Basilius Caesariensis De legendis gentilium libris (De Graecis litteris) CPG 2867 10-11 PG 31, 564C-589A ; des. mut. ὧν ὁ μὲν Ἠλείοις τὸν ; petite lacune à f. 256v à cause de l'initiale découpée.

(4) Italia Venezia Biblioteca Nazionale Marciana gr. Z. 054 (coll. 0424) 15th century

248r-v Basilius Caesariensis De conuersatione in Christo (Homilia) CPG 2945 10 ex. Incipit Ἀδελφοί, μακαρίας κλήσεως μέτοχοι πρὸς υἱοθεσίαν R(III)2390
248v-251 Basilius Caesariensis De misericordia et iudicio (Homilia) CPG 2929 10 ex. R(III)2390
251-253v Basilius Caesariensis Epistulae CPG 2900 10 ex. Epistulae 366, 92 (inc. mut.) R(III)2390
253v-255v Basilius Caesariensis Ad Episcopos Italos et Gallos (Εp. 243) CPG 2900.243 10 ex. R(III)2390
255v-257 Basilius Caesariensis Epistulae CPG 2900 10 ex. Epistula 52 R(III)2390
257-258 Iulianus Flauius Claudius Epistulae ad Basilium BHG 0260bI 0260bl 10 ex. Ep. 40 Bollandistes R(III)2390

(5) Italia Venezia Biblioteca Nazionale Marciana gr. Z. 054 (coll. 0424) (10th century)

248r-v Basilius Caesariensis De conuersatione in Christo (Homilia)CPG 2945 10 ex. Incipit Ἀδελφοί, μακαρίας κλήσεως μέτοχοι πρὸς υἱοθεσίαν R(III)2390
248v-251 Basilius Caesariensis De misericordia et iudicio (Homilia) CPG 2929 10 ex. R(III)2390
251-253v Basilius Caesariensis Epistulae CPG 2900 10 ex. Epistulae 366, 92 (inc. mut.) R(III)2390
253v-255v Basilius Caesariensis Ad Episcopos Italos et Gallos (Εp. 243) CPG 2900.243 10 ex. R(III)2390
255v-257 Basilius Caesariensis Epistulae CPG 2900 10 ex. Epistula 52 R(III)2390 257-258

(6) Italia Napoli Biblioteca nazionale Vittorio Emanuele III fonds principal II A 26 https://pinakes.irht.cnrs.fr/notices/cote/46004/

282v-285v Symeon Stylita Iunior Sermones Ascetici CPG 7367 15 1469-1473 Sermo 30 R(III)1778
285v-286v Basilius Caesariensis Epistulae CPG 2900 15 1469-1473 Ep. 366 ad Urbicium monachum R(III)1778
286r-v Basilius Caesariensis Sermo 12 (De ascetica disciplina) CPG 2890 15 1469-1473 R(III)1778
286v Basilius Caesariensis Ad Simpliciam haereticam (Εp. 115) CPG 2900.115 15 1469-1473

(7) Italia Venezia Biblioteca Nazionale Marciana gr. II. 176 a (coll. 1050) (18th century)

001-6 Proclus Constantinopolitanus Hom 35 : Homilia Consolatoria CPG 5834 18 BASILIUS CAESARIENSIS cod. R(III)2394
006v-7v Basilius Caesariensis De conuersatione in Christo (Homilia) CPG 2945 18 Incipit Ἀδελφοί, μακαρίας κλήσεως μέτοχοι πρὸς υἱοθεσίαν R(III)2394
008-11v Basilius Caesariensis De misericordia et iudicio (Homilia) CPG 2929 18 R(III)2394
012-13 Basilius Caesariensis Epistulae CPG 2900 18 Ep. 366 ad Urbicium monachum R(III)2394
013v-18v Basilius Caesariensis Enarratio in prophetam Isaiam CPG 2911 18 Prooemium tantum, quibusdam initio et in fine additis R(III)2394
019-23 Basilius Caesariensis In lacum Genizareth, et in Petrum apostolum (Homilia) CPG 2940 BHG 1488h 1488h 18 Bollandistes R(III)2394
Secret Alias
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Re: Another Letter of Clement of Alexandria from the Monasteries

Post by Secret Alias »

I suspect that "l'initiale découpée" means the Vatican letter lacks the incipit.

The same for "inc. mut." = incipit mutile, (5) Italia Venezia Biblioteca Nazionale Marciana gr. Z. 054 (coll. 0424) (10th century), (4) Italia Venezia Biblioteca Nazionale Marciana gr. Z. 054 (coll. 0424) 15th century

So at least 3 of 7 versions survive without incipit
Secret Alias
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Re: Another Letter of Clement of Alexandria from the Monasteries

Post by Secret Alias »

Somehow I missed this. The manuscript(s) in Venice lack the incipit and call the letter De Continentia unless I am mistaking something (or building a castle made of sand):
En magni Basilii epistolam, ex prisco codice lxi. f. 324, a me exscriptam quae olim clarissimis quoque viris Marcianae bibliothecae descriptoribus Zannetro atque Morellio inedita visa est; atque utrum sit alicubi postremis his annis edita, mihi non consat, sed certe in plenissima Garnerii editione desideratur. Ea scribitur ad Urbicum monachum, ad quem aliae duae Basilii epistolae exstant, nempe 123 and 262, in Garneriana editione. Argumentum titulusque est De Continentia, neque ver scriptum hoc Basilianum diutius ego celandum arbitror praesertim quia Suidas ac Photius nihil praestantius aut epistolari characteri accommodatius Basilii epistolis esse judicarunt. Mai, biblioth. nov. patr. iii. 450

An epistle of the great Basil, from the ancient codex xi. f. 324, copied by me, which was once seen unpublished by Zannetro and Morellio, also the most famous men describing the library of Marciana; and whether it was published anywhere in these last years, I do not know, but it is certainly missing in the most complete edition of Garnerius. It is written to the Urbic monk, to whom two other letters of Basil exist, namely 123 and 262, in the Garnerian edition. The subject and title is De Continentia, nor do I intend to conceal this Basilianus written in spring, especially because Suidas and Photius judged that there was nothing more excellent or more suitable to the epistolary character of the Epistles of Basilius. May, biblioth. nov. father iii. 450
Secret Alias
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Re: Another Letter of Clement of Alexandria from the Monasteries

Post by Secret Alias »

I just realized (4) and (5) are the same document. Wow.
Secret Alias
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Re: Another Letter of Clement of Alexandria from the Monasteries

Post by Secret Alias »

I notice this from the beginning of the 10th century volume at the Marciana that has 366 letter as a stand alone.

Homiliae in Psalmos 1, 7, 14 (1-2), 28, 29, 32, 33; 37 (uide : EUSEBIUS CAESARIENSIS, CPG 3467.1); 44, 45, 48, 59, 61, 114; 115 (CPG 2910)

Does this mean that Basil's Homily on Psalms was really a renamed edition of Eusebius? Might be significant.
Secret Alias
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Re: Another Letter of Clement of Alexandria from the Monasteries

Post by Secret Alias »

It would seem that Basil's Homily on Psalms and Commentary on Isaiah were developed from Origen. It might be another example of the phenomena we see with respect to Letter 366
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