Homiliae

I, Clement, being a citizen of Rome, and having been able to live my early years chastely, my mind from childhood occupying my desire with despondencies and pains. For a reasoning accompanied me (I know not whence it took its beginning) concerning death, making frequent reminders that when dead I would not exist and no one would ever remember me, since infinite time brings all things into oblivion—I would be non-existent, knowing nothing, not knowing, not known, not having come to be, not coming to be—and whether the world ever came to be and what existed before it came to be (for if it always existed, it will always exist; but if it came to be, it will also be dissolved) and after dissolution what will exist again, unless perhaps silence and oblivion? Or perhaps there will be something which it is not possible to conceive now. Pondering these and similar things incessantly, I know not whence, I had a painful grief so great that I grew pale and wasted away; and the worst of it was that if I ever resolved to cast off the care as useless, the affliction became more intense in me. And I was vexed at this, not knowing that I had a good companion thought, which became for me a good cause of immortality, as I later learned by experience and gave thanks to God, the master of all. For by the thought that distressed me from the beginning, I was compelled to come to the investigation and discovery of things; and then I deemed wretched those whom at first I was in danger of calling blessed through ignorance. So from childhood, being in such reasonings, for the sake of learning something certain, I attended the schools of the philosophers.

and I saw nothing else but the overturning and establishing of doctrines, and strifes and contentions, and the arts of syllogisms and the inventions of premises. And at one time the view prevailed (so to speak) that the soul is immortal, at another that it is mortal. If ever the argument that it is immortal prevailed, I rejoiced; but when that it is mortal prevailed, I grieved. I was more despondent because I could not confirm either position in my own mind. Yet I perceived that the opinions about the hypotheses are taken as false or true according to those who advocate them, and not as they appear in truth. Having then at last observed that comprehension does not arise from the hypotheses that are advocated, but that opinions are declared according to those who advocate them, I became even more dizzy in these matters. Therefore I groaned from the depth of my soul; for I was able neither to confirm anything nor to shake off the care of such things, although I wished to, as I said before: because I more frequently commanded myself to be quiet, yet somehow unnoticed, with pleasure, such reasoning entered into me. And again, being at a loss, I said to myself: Why do I toil in vain? Since the matter is clear, that if after death I do not exist, it is not fitting for me, who now exist, to grieve. Therefore I will reserve grief for that time, when, not existing, I will not grieve. But if indeed I am something, then grief is superfluously present to me now. And immediately after this another reasoning entered me; I said

For: "Is it not the case that I might suffer something worse there than what now distresses me, if I have not lived piously, and I will be handed over, according to the teachings of certain philosophers, to Pyriphlegethon and Tartarus like Sisyphus or Tityus or Ixion or Tantalus, and I will be punished in Hades for eternity?" Then I countered, saying: "But these things do not exist." And again I said: "But what if they do exist?" Since the matter was unclear, I said: "It is less risky for me to live piously." And again: "How will I be able, for the sake of justice, looking to an uncertain hope, to master the pleasures of the body? But I am not even fully convinced what is just and pleasing to God, nor do I know whether the soul is immortal or mortal, nor what reliable account is found, nor can I keep quiet from such reasonings. What then must I do but this? I will go to Egypt and become friends with the hierophants and prophets of the adyta, and having sought out a magician and found him, I will persuade him with much money to perform a soul-raising, the so-called necromancy, with me inquiring as if about some matter; but the inquiry will be about learning whether the soul is immortal. And the soul's answer, that it is immortal, will not be for me to know from its speaking or even hearing, but from its being seen alone, so that having seen it with my own eyes I may have a sufficient and adequate declaration from its mere appearance that it exists; and no longer will the properties of the eyes be able to overturn the unclear words of hearing. Nevertheless, I also discussed this very plan with a certain philosopher friend, who advised me not to dare this for many reasons.

For either the soul will not obey the magician, they say, and you, having acted contrary to the laws that forbid these things, will live with a guilty conscience; or if it does obey, besides your living with a guilty conscience, I think the matters of piety will no longer advance for you, for the sake of which you even dared this; for they say the divine is hostile to those who disturb the souls of those who have died by dissolution of their bodies. And I, having heard these things, became more hesitant to attempt such a thing, but I did not cease from my original purpose, but, as though hindered in my impulse, I was disheartened. And so that I may not relate such things to you at length, while I was in the midst of such thoughts and affairs, a certain report, beginning quietly in the reign of Tiberius Caesar from the spring equinox, grew continually and, like a true good messenger of God, ran through the world, unable to keep silent the will of God. So from time to time it became greater and greater, saying that someone in Judea, having begun from the spring equinox, proclaims to the Jews the kingdom of the eternal God, which he says they will enjoy if any of them first corrects their way of life; and that, to be believed, because he is full of divinity and breathes these things, he performs many wonderful signs and wonders by command alone, as having received authority from God; for he makes the deaf hear, the blind see, the crippled and lame stand upright, drives away every disease, and banishes every demon. But also lepers [scabrous], merely by looking at him from a distance, are healed and depart. And the dead, when brought to him, are raised, and there is nothing he is unable to do.

and the more time advanced, the greater and more certain it became through the increasing number of those who came, no longer a rumor, I say, but the truth of the matter. For already at that time gatherings were taking place in various places for deliberation and inquiry as to who the one who had appeared might be and what he intended to say. And then at one time, at the very year, at the autumnal equinox, a man standing in public cried out, saying: "Men of Rome, listen: the son of God is present in Judaea, promising eternal life to all who wish it, if they live according to the will of the father who sent him. Therefore change your ways from the worse to the better, from the temporal to the eternal; know that there is one God, the heavenly one, before whose righteous eyes you unjustly inhabit the world. But if you change and live according to his will, when you are carried into another age and become eternal, you will enjoy his ineffable goods; but if you disobey, your souls after the dissolution of the body will be cast into the place of fire, where, punished eternally, they will repent in vain; for the time for repentance is each one's present life." Now I, hearing these things, was vexed that no one from such great crowds, having heard such an announcement, had said: "I will go to Judaea, to see if this man who says these things speaks the truth, that the son of God has come to Judaea, revealing the will of the father who sent him for the sake of good and eternal hope." And what they say he proclaims is not a small matter.

For he affirms that the souls of some, being eternal, will enjoy eternal goods, while those of others will be punished in unquenchable fire for eternity. Saying these things about others, I also spoke to myself, saying: Why do I blame others, when I am under the same charge of negligence? But I will set out for Judaea, having first arranged my own life. And indeed, after I had thus resolved, much time for delay arose, since the affairs of life are hard to disentangle. At last, however, understanding the nature of life, that it ensnares those who hasten with the hope of disentanglements, and also that I had been stolen away for some time, tossed about by hopes, and that thus occupied we humans die, I abandoned everything as it chanced and set out for Portus, and having come to the harbor and put to sea, I was carried by hostile winds to Alexandria instead of Judaea. And being detained there by lack of winds, I associated with the philosophers and told them the words of the rumor along with what had appeared in Rome. They answered that they did not know the one who had appeared in Rome, but concerning the one who had arisen in Judaea and was called by rumor the son of God, they had heard from many who had come from there, and they had learned about all the wonders he did while speaking. When I said, "I would like to meet someone who has seen him," they immediately led me, saying: "There is someone here who has not only seen him but is also from that land, a Hebrew man named Barnabas, who says he is one of his disciples and who, sitting somewhere here, readily tells the words of his promise to those who wish." And so I went with them.

And I came, and stood with the crowd that was present, listening to the words, and I perceived that he spoke the truth not by means of dialectical art, but simply and without preparation, setting forth what he had heard and seen that the Son of God, who had appeared, had done and said; and he provided many witnesses of the wonders and words spoken by him, even from the crowd that was present. And since the crowds were favorably disposed toward the guilelessly spoken words, the philosophers who came from worldly education began to laugh at him and mock him, jeering and disparaging him with boundless insolence, as if using syllogisms as great weapons. But he, rejecting their nonsense, did not join in their crafty questioning, but unflinchingly did not depart from what he was saying. And once someone asked him why the mosquito, being very small, has six feet and wings, while the elephant, the largest of animals, being wingless, has only four feet. But he, after the question, resuming the discourse that had been interrupted, as if answering the question, took up again the discourse that had been set before him from the beginning, using only this preface for each interruption: "We have only the commandment to tell you the words and the wonderful deeds of the one who sent us, and instead of logical proof we provide you with many witnesses from among you who are present, whose forms I remember as living images, sufficient testimonies. It remains for your authority to yield or to disobey. But I will not cease to tell you what is beneficial, for silence is a loss to me, and disobedience is a harm to you.

But I could have given you the proofs of your trivial problems, if you had inquired with a love of truth. But it is not timely now to tell you, who are ignorant of the God of all things, the cause of the different creation of the gnat and the elephant. As he said this, they let out a disorderly laugh, as if by agreement, trying to silence him and reduce him to perplexity as if he were some barbarian possessed by a demon. But I, seeing this, seized somehow with a zeal of pious anger, could no longer keep silent, but cried out with boldness, saying: God has set his own will as incomprehensible to you with reason, having foreseen you as unworthy, as he now appears to be convincing those who have a critical mind. For since heralds of his will have now been sent out, not professing the art of grammar, but revealing his will in simple and guileless words, so that anyone who hears may understand what is said, and not with some grudging disposition that does not wish to give itself to all; you are present, not only failing to understand what is to your benefit, but laughing to your own harm at the truth that has been established among barbarians for your condemnation, a truth which, having come to dwell among you, you do not wish to welcome because of your licentiousness and the simplicity of its words, lest you be exposed as lovers of words in vain and not lovers of truth as philosophers. How long, then, will you learn to speak, you who do not have speech? For many words from you are not worth a single word. What, then, will your Greek multitude say, become one soul, if there is to be a judgment, as this man says?

Why, O God, did you not proclaim your will to us? Not all of you will hear (if you are deemed worthy of a reply) the following: I, knowing all future choices before the foundation of the world, have secretly anticipated each according to his worth; and wishing to inform those who have taken refuge with me that this is indeed the case, I did not allow my will to be publicly proclaimed from the beginning, from earlier generations, but now, near the end of life, I have sent heralds of my will, who are both laughed at and insulted, mocked by those who wish to receive no benefit and who have deliberately rejected my friendship. O great injustice: the heralds are in danger even of death, and this at the hands of men who are called to salvation. This unjust treatment of my heralds would have happened to all from the beginning, if the unworthy had been called to salvation from the start. For what now happens unjustly at their hands serves as an apology for my just providence, that I rightly did not wish to expose the word worthy of honor to public insult from the beginning to no purpose, but I resolved that it should be kept silent as something precious, not from those who were worthy from the beginning (to whom I also imparted it), but from these and such as these (as you see), the unworthy, who hate me and do not wish to love themselves. And now, ceasing to laugh at this man, ask me concerning his proclamation, or let whoever wishes answer me when I ask, and do not bark like wanton dogs, blocking the ears of those who wish to be saved with disorderly noise.

unjust and god-hated men, who divert the saving reason into disbelief, how will you be able to obtain pardon, insulting the one who proclaims to you the divinity of God, and that a man whom you ought, even if he spoke nothing true, to have accepted because of his good intention toward you? While I was saying these things and what follows from them, a great uproar arose from the crowds. And some, pitying Barnabas as it were, sided with me, while others, being foolish, gnashed their teeth terribly against me. Since evening had now overtaken us, I took Barnabas by the hand and, though he was unwilling, led him by force to my house, where I made him stay, so that no one might lay hands on him. And after he had spent a few days and instructed me briefly in the true word (a little, as in a few days), he said he was hastening to Judea for the sake of the festival according to their religion and wishing henceforth to be with his own countrymen. But it was clear to me that he had grown weary. For when I said, "You, set forth for me only the words of the man who appeared, which you heard, and I, adorning them with my own speech, will proclaim the will of God, and then within a few days I will sail with you (for I greatly desire to go to the place of Judea, and perhaps I will even dwell with you for my entire life)," hearing this, he answered, "If you wish to investigate our affairs and learn what is beneficial, sail with me immediately; otherwise, I will tell you today the signs of my dwelling and what you desire, so that whenever you wish, you may come and join us; for I will depart tomorrow for my own.

And seeing that he was implacable, I went with him as far as the harbor, and having learned from him the signs of the dwellings that he spoke of, I said to him: If I were not demanding some money owed to me, I would sail with you at once; but I will overtake you quickly. And having said this and commended him to the masters of the ship, I returned grieving, remembering my good and familiar friend. Having spent some days and being unable to recover the whole debt, for the sake of speed I neglected the remainder as an impediment, and myself sailed to Judea, and after fifteen days arrived at Caesarea Stratonis. When I set foot on land and was seeking lodging, I learned that a certain Peter, the most esteemed disciple of the man who had appeared in Judea and performed signs and wonders, was to hold a debate of words tomorrow with Simon of Gitton, a Samaritan. Hearing this, I asked that his lodging be pointed out to me; and when I learned it and stood at the gate, they inquired who I was and whence I came. And behold, Barnabas came out, and as soon as he saw me he embraced me, rejoicing greatly and weeping; and taking me by the hand, he led me in where Peter was, saying to me: This is Peter, whom I promised you as greatest in the wisdom of God, and whom I constantly inquired of you, as if by chance, that all things concerning you being good, I truly inquired, and at the same time I revealed your intention, that he himself yearned to see you. So I offer you to him as a great gift through my hands. And having said this, he presented me and said: This is Clement, Peter.

The good man, as soon as he heard the name, rushed up, kissed me, and making me sit down, said at once: You did well to entertain Barnabas, the herald of truth, with great generosity in honor of the true God, not ashamed, not fearing the rage of the uneducated crowds. You will be blessed. For just as you entertained the ambassador of truth with every honor, so truth itself will make you, a stranger, a citizen of its own city; and then you will greatly rejoice that having now lent a small favor—I mean the inclination for good words—you will be heir of eternal and inalienable goods. And do not tire of comparing your character with mine; for the truthful Barnabas has reported to us all about you, making favorable mention of you almost daily. And to speak to you briefly, as to a genuine friend, about the matter at hand: if nothing hinders you, accompany us, partaking of the words of truth, which I intend to deliver in each city as far as Rome itself. And you, if you wish, speak. And I set forth my original intention, how I was emptied into difficult inquiries, and all that I previously disclosed to you, so that I may not write the same things again. And I said:

I am ready to accompany you (for this I do not know how gladly I wish), but first I wish to be fully informed about the truth, so that I may know whether the soul is mortal or immortal, and whether, being eternal, it is to be judged for what it did here, and what is just or pleasing to God, and whether the world was created and why it was created, and whether it will not be dissolved or will be dissolved, and whether it will be better or will not exist at all, and not to speak in detail, I said I wish to learn these things and those that follow from them. To this he replied: I will provide you, O Clement, with a concise knowledge of reality, and now hear from it. The will of God has come to be in an obscure manner in many ways. The first things are due to bad instruction, evil companionship, terrible habit, unseemly association, incorrect preconception. Through these come error, then fearlessness, unbelief, fornication, avarice, vainglory, and countless other such evils, like a mass of smoke, filling the world as one house, and clouding the vision of the men dwelling within, not allowing them, looking up from the design, to perceive the creating God and to recognize what is pleasing to him. Therefore, those who love the truth must from within cry out from their breasts and summon aid with a truth-loving reason, so that someone outside the house filled with smoke, approaching, may open a door, so that the light of the sun outside may be admitted into the house, and the smoke from the fire within may be expelled.

I call the true prophet the helper man, who alone is able to illuminate the souls of men, so that they may be able with their own eyes to see the path of eternal salvation. Otherwise it is impossible, as you also know, having said a little earlier that every proposition is both refuted and established, and that the same proposition is considered true or false according to the ability of the one defending it, so that propositions no longer appear as what they are, but receive from their defenders the appearance of being or not being true or false. For this reason the whole matter of piety has need of a true prophet, that he may tell us what exists as it is and how we ought to believe concerning all things. So first one must test the prophet with every prophetic examination and, having recognized him as true, thereafter trust him in everything and no longer examine each individual thing said by him, but accept them as being certain, accepted by seeming faith but taken with secure judgment; for one proof, the initial and accurate examination that has grasped the whole correctly from all sides by right reasoning, suffices. Therefore one must seek the true prophet before all else, because without him it is impossible for anything certain to belong to men. And he gave me rest, setting forth for me who he is and how he is found, and truly providing him to me as found, showing the truth of the discourse concerning the prophet to my ears more clearly than things seen before my eyes, so that I was astonished, marveling how, when what is sought by all lies before them, no one sees it.

Nevertheless, after writing the discourse concerning the prophet, at his command he caused the volume to be sent to you from Caesarea of Strato, saying that he had an injunction from you to send you the homilies and acts as he wrote them each year. However, on the first day alone, having only just begun concerning the prophet of the truth, he gave me full assurance about everything. And then he said, "Thus, from now on, observe the debates that take place between me and my opponents; and if I should get the worst of it, I am not afraid that you might be unsettled concerning the truth that has been delivered to you, knowing that I seemed to be defeated, not the subject that was delivered to us through the prophet. Nevertheless, I hope that in the investigative discourse I shall not get the worst of it before those who have understanding (I mean the lovers of truth), who are able to recognize which arguments are persuasive, artful, and pleasing, and which are simple and plain, trusting only in the truth that is in them." When he said this, I answered, "I already thank God; for as I wished to be fully assured, so he has provided it to me. But be so unconcerned about me that I will never doubt, so much so that even if you yourself should ever wish to remove me from the prophetic subject, you would be unable, so well do I know what I have received. And do not think that I am making a great boast to you in this very thing, that I will never doubt; but neither I myself nor any person who has heard the discourse concerning the prophet will ever be able to doubt, having first heard and understood what the truth of the prophetic promise is. Therefore, take courage in the God-willed doctrine.

Every art of wickedness has been conquered. For against prophecy, neither the arts of words nor the contrivances of sophisms, nor syllogisms, nor any other device can avail, if the hearer of a true prophet truly yearns for truth and does not, under the pretext of truth, look around for something else. Therefore, my lord Peter, do not be disheartened as though you had bestowed the greatest good upon an insensible person; for you bestowed it upon one who is aware of the grace and who cannot be deceived from the truth that was given. For I know that it is possible for one to desire something and to obtain it quickly, or to fail to obtain it slowly; I know, therefore, not to despise what has been given to me because of the incomparable speed and the sole security of it. When I said this, Peter said: I acknowledge gratitude to God both for your salvation and for my enjoyment. For truly I rejoice, knowing that you have recognized what the magnitude of prophecy is. Since, therefore (as you said), even if I myself should ever wish (which may not happen) to change you to another doctrine, I will not be able to persuade you, begin from tomorrow to be present with me in the debates against the opponents. For tomorrow I have a debate with Simon Magus. And having said this and having partaken of food himself, he bade me also to partake privately. And having blessed over the food and given thanks after being satisfied, and having given me an account of this very matter, he added, saying: May God grant that you become completely like me and, after being baptized, partake of the same table with me. Having said this, he ordered me to be quiet. For already, in some way, the nature of the body demanded sleep.

On the following day, I, Clement, having awakened while it was still night and learning that Peter was awake and conversing with those present about piety (who were sixteen in number, whose names I decided to set forth, as I learned each in due time, so that you might know who they were: first Zacchaeus, once a tax collector, and Sophonias his brother, Joseph and his foster-brother Micah, also Thomas and Eliezer the twins, and moreover Jeneas and Lazarus the priests, further Elisha and Benjamin son of Saphra, likewise Rubel and Zacharias the builders, Ananias and Haggai the Jaminites, and also Nicetas and Aquila the companions)—but entering and greeting, I sat down at his bidding. He, interrupting the discourse in progress, as if in explanation, assured me why he had not awakened me to hear the words, giving as reason the fatigue from the voyage; wishing that to be digested by me, he allowed me to rest. For when the soul is occupied with what the body lacks, it does not receive the teachings offered in a manner worthy of them. For this reason I do not wish to converse either with those excessively grieved by some misfortune, or immoderately angry, or turned to the frenzy of love, or worn down in body, or pressed by worldly cares, or troubled by any other passions, to which the soul (as I said) succumbing and sympathizing with the suffering body, occupies its own understanding. And let no one say: "Should one not then offer consolation and admonition to those doing something base?" I say: if one accomplishes something, let him offer it.

If not, let it yield to the occasion. For I know that "every season has its own proper time." Therefore it is necessary to give to men the words that strengthen the soul before the onset of evil, so that, if ever something base should befall, the mind, being pre-armed with right reasoning, may be able to withstand what is brought against it. For then the mind knows how to run together with the one who has given aid through good intention at the height of the war. However, I learned, O Clement, that in Alexandria Barnabas fully expounded to you the discourse concerning prophecy. Was it not so? And I answered: Yes, and very well. And Peter said: Therefore it is not necessary to spend the present time, which can serve us for other discourses that you do not know, on those which you do know. And I said: You have spoken rightly, Peter. But grant me this: that you, having judged that I should always be with you, continually expound the discourse concerning the prophet, which I gladly hear; for without it, as I learned from Barnabas, it is impossible to learn the truth. And Peter, greatly pleased at this, answered: Already the correction of you has reached its end, since you have recognized the magnitude of the infallible prophecy, without which it is impossible for anyone to obtain the benefit that is in preeminence; for although there are many and various goods among things that exist or that can come to be, the most blessed of all—whether it be eternal life, or lasting health, or perfect mind, or light, or joy, or incorruption, or some other thing which is preeminent in the nature of beings—

If there is something good or can come into existence, it is not possible to acquire it otherwise than by first knowing things as they are; and it is not possible to attain knowledge otherwise unless one first recognizes the prophet of truth. The prophet of truth is he who always knows all things—what has happened as it happened, what is happening as it happens, and what will be as it will be—inerrant, merciful, and alone entrusted to expound the truth. Read and you will find that those who thought to discover the truth by themselves—for this is the property of a prophet, to reveal the truth, just as it is the property of the sun to bring the day. For this reason, all who ever desired to know the truth but did not have the fortune to learn it from him died seeking without finding. For how could one who seeks the truth from his own ignorance obtain it? Even if he finds it, not knowing it, he passes it by as if it were not. Nor again can he grasp the truth from another who similarly professes to have knowledge from ignorance, except in the case of conduct alone, and that only of the kind which can be recognized through reasonableness, which presents to each the knowledge that one ought not to wrong another from the fact that one does not wish to be wronged. Therefore, all who ever sought the truth, trusting in their own ability to find it, were ensnared. This is what has happened to the philosophers of the Greeks and the more earnest among the barbarians; for, making conjectures from visible things, they pronounced on the invisible, thinking whatever occurred to them to be true.

For as if they already know the truth, those who are still seeking the truth reject some of the opinions that present themselves to them and confirm others, as if they know, not knowing which are true and which false. And those who are in search of the truth dogmatize about the truth, not knowing that one who seeks the truth cannot learn it from his own error. For neither, as I said, can he recognize it when it is present, since he is ignorant of it. But each one, seeking to learn from himself, is persuaded not by what is entirely true, but by what pleases. Since different things please different people, different things prevail for each as true. But the true is what seems so to the prophet, not what is pleasant to each individual. For the one would be many, if what is pleasant were true—which is impossible. For this reason also the philologists of the Greeks (not the philosophers), approaching matters through conjectures, dogmatized many and various things, thinking that the internal consistency of their own hypotheses was truth, not knowing that, having defined false principles for themselves, their conclusion has received agreement with their principle. Hence one must set aside everything and entrust oneself only to the prophet of truth, whom we can all judge as to whether he is a prophet, even if we are utterly unlearned and unskilled in sophisms, inexperienced in geometry, and uninitiated in music. For God, as the caretaker of all, has made the discovery concerning him easier for everyone, so that neither barbarians may be too weak to find him nor Greeks unable to do so. The discovery concerning him is indeed easy. And it is as follows:

If there is a prophet and he is able to know how the world came to be, and the things that happen in it, and the things that will be in the end, if he has foretold to us something which we have known to have come to pass in the end, we rightly believe, from the things that have already happened, that the things that will be will be, not only as one who knows, but also as one who foreknows. To whom, then, even one with little understanding does it not appear that it is necessary to trust this one above all others in matters that seem good to God, who alone among all men, without learning, understands? Therefore, if someone were unwilling to grant that such a one—I mean the one who has foreknowledge through the divinity of the spirit in him—knows the truth, and were to grant that someone else knows it, would he not be lacking in sense, having given to one who is not a prophet what he was unwilling to give to a prophet to know? Hence, before all judgment, it is necessary to seek the prophet through the prophetic promise, and, having found him, to follow the rest of his teaching without hesitation, and, being confident about the things hoped for, to conduct oneself according to that first judgment, knowing that the one who said these things has no nature to lie. Therefore, if anything of what he has said should seem to us not to have been said well, it is necessary to know that it was not said badly by him, but that we ourselves have not understood it correctly. For ignorance does not judge knowledge correctly (just as knowledge is not naturally able to judge foreknowledge truly), but foreknowledge provides knowledge to those who are ignorant. Hence, O friend Clement, if you wish to know the things that pertain to God, you must learn from this one alone, because he alone knows the truth. For if anyone else knows anything, he has received it from this one or from his disciples.

And his will and true proclamation is that there is one God, whose work is the world, who, being just, will surely render to each according to his deeds at some time. For it is absolutely necessary, if one calls God just by nature, also to believe that the souls of human beings are immortal. For where is his justice, when some who have lived piously have sometimes been maltreated and violently put to death, while others who have been utterly impious, having luxuriated in a life of extravagance, have died the common death of human beings? Since, therefore, without any contradiction, God is good and just, he will not be known to be just in any other way unless the soul is immortal after its separation from the body, so that the wicked man, having gone to Hades, having received the good things here, may there be punished for his sins, while the good man, having been punished here for his sins, may there be established as an heir of good things in the bosom of the righteous. That God is just, then, is evident to us, and therefore judgment occurs and souls are immortal. But if someone (as it seems to Simon the Samaritan) should not wish to attribute justice to God, to whom then can one attribute this, or can it come to be? For if the root of all things does not have this, it is absolutely necessary to think that it is impossible to find it in human nature, as in fruits. But if it is possible to find it in human beings, how much more so in God? And if it is nowhere, neither in God nor in human beings, it is impossible to find justice, and certainly also injustice. But justice exists; for injustice is spoken of only because justice exists.

Therefore, God, teaching people the truth of reality, being himself one, divided all things of the extremes in a twofold and opposite manner, from the beginning being himself one and the only God, having made heaven and earth, day and night, light and fire, sun and moon, life and death. Only in these did he make man self-determined, having the capacity to become just or unjust. To him he also interchanged the images of the pairs, placing the small things first and the great things second, such as world and eternity. But the present world is temporary, while the future one is everlasting. First is ignorance, second is knowledge. Thus he also arranged the leaders of prophecy. For since the present world is female, as a mother bearing children, giving birth to souls, and the future age is male, as a father receiving his own children, therefore the prophets in this world, following, as sons of the future age, having knowledge of eternal things, come forth. If the people in piety had known this mystery, they would never have been led astray, but even now they would have known that Simon, who now confounds everyone, is an assistant of the weak left hand. The rule of the prophetic canon is as follows: just as in the beginning God, being one, like right and left, first made heaven, then earth, and thus in sequence established all the pairs. In the case of humans, however, it is no longer so, but he interchanges all the pairs.

For just as from him the first things are better, the second things worse, among human beings we find the opposite: the first things worse, the second things better. For instance, from Adam, who was made in the image of God, there came first the unjust Cain, second the just Abel. Again, from the one called by you Deucalion, two images of spirits were sent, I mean of the unclean and the clean: the black raven and the white dove, the second. And from the founder of our nation, Abraham, two [first ones] came: first Ishmael, then Isaac, who was blessed by God. And from Isaac himself, again two: Esau the impious and Jacob the pious. Thus in order, first, as firstborn to the world, the high priest, then the lawgiver. Similarly—for the pairing with Elijah, which ought to have come willingly, was left aside for another time, having resolved to take it up again at a more opportune moment—[therefore] also the one "among those born of women" came first, then the one among sons of men came second. Following this order, it was possible to understand whose Simon is, who came first before me into the nations, and whose I happen to be, who came after him and have come upon him as light upon darkness, as knowledge upon ignorance, as healing upon disease. Thus indeed, as the true prophet has said to us, first a false gospel must come by some deceiver, and then after the destruction of the holy place, a true gospel is secretly sent forth for the correction of the heresies that will arise.

And after this, near the end, the Antichrist must first come, and then our true Christ Jesus will appear, and after this, when the eternal light has risen, all the things of darkness will vanish. Since, as I said, some are ignorant of the rule of the syzygy, they do not understand from this who Simon is who preceded me. For if he were known, he would not be believed. But now, being unknown, he is not correctly believed, and he who does the things of those who hate is loved, and the enemy is received as a friend, and being death he is desired as a savior, and being fire he is considered light, and being a deceiver he is listened to as one speaking truth. Hearing this, I, Clement, said: I wish to learn who this man is who is such a great deceiver. And Peter said: If you wish to learn, it is possible for you to know from those from whom I have also ascertained everything about him. There is among us a certain Justa, a Syrophoenician woman, a Canaanite by race, whose little daughter was afflicted by a severe disease, and she approached our Lord crying and beseeching that he heal her daughter. And he, being entreated also by us, said: It is not permitted to heal the Gentiles, who are like dogs because they use indifferent foods and practices, the table of the kingdom being reserved for the sons of Israel. And she, hearing this, and begging to partake of the same table like a dog of crumbs falling off, having changed what she was, by living similarly to the sons of the kingdom, obtained healing for her daughter, as she had requested.

For it would not be the case that, being a Gentile woman and remaining under the same civil status, the one who held authority, because it was not permitted to treat her as a Gentile, would have treated her. This very woman, then, having accepted a lawful civil status, was cast out of her own home by her own husband, who held opinions contrary to ours, together with her healed daughter. But she, being well-disposed toward the agreements and possessing an abundance of means, remained a widow herself, and joined her little daughter in marriage to a certain man who was well-disposed toward the true faith and was poor. And she, having been deprived of marriage on the pretext of her daughter, purchased two children and, after educating them, had them in the place of sons. These children, having been educated from childhood together with Simon the Magician, learned thoroughly everything concerning him; for such was their friendship that they even hastened to unite with him in all things he wished. These, having encountered Zacchaeus who had sojourned here and having partaken through him of the discourse of truth, repented of their earlier innovations, quickly condemned Simon, and, knowing everything about him, when I sojourned here, they came to me together with the woman who had raised them, were commended to me by her, and from then on have always been with me, enjoying the teachings of truth. Having said this, Peter summoned them and ordered them to set forth to me accurately everything concerning Simon. And they, calling God to witness that they would speak no falsehood, set it forth. Among them, Aquila first began to speak thus: "Listen, dearest brother to us, so that you may know accurately everything concerning the man—who he is and what he is and whence he comes, and what are the things he does, and how and why.

Simon is the son of Antonius and Rachel, a Samaritan by race, from the village of Gittai, which is six schoeni distant from the city. He was born in Alexandria near Egypt, thoroughly trained himself in Greek education, became powerful in magic, and being deluded, wishes to be considered a supreme power, even above the God who created the world; at times he also hints that he is the Christ, and calls himself the Standing One. He uses this title as though he will stand forever and, by reason of corruption, his body will not fall. He neither says that the God who created the world is supreme, nor does he believe that the dead will be raised. He denies Jerusalem and introduces Mount Gerizim in its place. Instead of our true Christ, he proclaims himself. He allegorizes the laws according to his own preconception. He says that judgment will come, but he does not expect it; for if he were convinced that he would be judged by God, he would not have dared to be impious even toward God himself. Hence some, not knowing that he uses piety as a cover to undermine the truth, and believing him as a faithful man regarding the hope and judgment he says will come at some time, are destroyed. His entry into the discourse of piety came about in this way: There was a certain John, a daily baptist, who was a forerunner of our Lord Jesus according to the principle of pairing; and just as the Lord had twelve apostles, bearing the number of the twelve months of the sun, so also he had thirty chief men, fulfilling the monthly account of the moon. In this number there was one woman named Helen, so that this too might not be unarranged.

half of a man, being woman, has set the incomplete number of the thirty, just as the moon, whose monthly course does not complete its journey. Of these thirty, Simon was the first and most esteemed, who also had this reason for not taking leadership after John's death: while he was away in Egypt for the practice of magic, John was killed, and a certain Dositheus, desiring the leadership, falsely announced his death and succeeded to the heresy. Simon, returning shortly after and greatly claiming the place as his own, upon meeting Dositheus did not demand the place, knowing that one who has attained leadership is not removed against his will. Therefore, with feigned friendship, he for a while placed himself in the second position after Dositheus. Having been enrolled among the thirty fellow disciples after not many days, he began to subtly slander Dositheus, as not genuinely transmitting the teachings. And he said that Dositheus did this not out of envy, but out of ignorance. And once Dositheus, perceiving Simon's artful slander undermining his reputation with the many, so that they might not think him to be the standing one, came in anger to the customary gathering; finding Simon, he struck him with a rod; but it seemed to pass through Simon's body like smoke. At this, Dositheus, astounded, said to him: "You are the standing one, and I worship you." Simon said:

I am he. Dositheus, having known himself not to be the standing one, fell and prostrated himself, and having cast himself down among the twenty-nine leaders into his own place of suspicion, he set Simon there, and thus after not many days Dositheus, when that one stood, himself fell and died. Simon, taking Helen, goes about, and up to the present, as you see, he disturbs the crowds. He says that he has brought down this Helen herself from the highest heavens to the world, she being the mistress, as the all-mother substance and wisdom, on account of whom, he says, Greeks and barbarians fought, having imagined an image of truth; for the truly existing one then was with the first God. Nevertheless, allegorizing such things plausibly, which are fabricated together with Greek myths, he deceives many, especially by performing many monstrous wonders, so that, if we did not know that he does these things by magic, we ourselves would have been deceived. But since we were his associates in the beginning, when he did such things without harming the part of piety, now when he has become very mad and has begun to attempt to deceive those in piety, we have separated from him. For he also began to commit murder, as he himself, still as a friend to friends, revealed that having separated the soul of a child from its own body by secret oaths, as a helper for the fantasy of things seeming to him, having drawn the child on an image, he keeps it dedicated in an inner room where he himself sleeps, claiming that he once formed this one from air by divine means and, having inscribed the form, gave it back again to the air. And he interprets the deed as having done it thus.

First, he said, the spirit of a man, having turned into the nature of heat, draws in the surrounding air like a cupping-glass, and then, having come within the form of the spirit, changes it into water. And because it cannot be dispersed by the continuity of the spirit, he claimed that it transforms the air within it into the nature of blood, and that the blood, having congealed, produces flesh; then, the flesh having thus been solidified, it produces a man not from earth but from air. And having thus persuaded himself that he could make a new man, he said that by resolving the transformations again he gave it back to the air. And while he said these things to others, he was believed; but by us who were present at the initiation, he was piously disbelieved. Therefore, having condemned his impiety, we left him. When Aquila said this, his brother Nicetes said: It is necessary, our brother Clement, for me to recall what was omitted by Aquila. First, God is witness that we cooperated with him in nothing impious, but that we observed him doing these things; and as long as he performed them harmlessly, we even took pleasure in them. But when he said that things done by magic were done by divinity, for the deception of the pious, we no longer tolerated him, although he promised us many things: first, that we would be deemed worthy of statues in temples and be considered gods, and be worshipped by crowds, and be glorified by kings, and be deemed worthy of public honors, and become wealthy with unlimited riches.

He promised us these things and others like them, on condition that, while we were with him, we would keep silent about the evil of his undertaking, so that his deception might advance. Yet we did not agree, but instead advised him to cease from such madness, saying to him: "We, Simon, remembering our friendship with you from childhood and loving you, advise what is beneficial for you: cease from such audacity. You cannot be a god. Fear the true God; know that you are a man and that your time of life is short. Even if you acquire great wealth or become king, the short time of your life allows little for enjoyment, and what is impiously obtained, quickly fleeing, procures eternal punishment for the one who has dared it. Therefore we advise you to fear God, by whom each soul is to be judged concerning what it has done here." When he heard this, he laughed. And when we said, "Why do you laugh at us who advise what is beneficial for you?" he said: "I laugh at your foolish assumption, that you believe the human soul is immortal." And I said: "We are not surprised, Simon, if you attempt to deceive us, but we are astonished by what reasoning you also deceive yourself. Tell me, Simon, if no one else is fully convinced that the soul is immortal, yet at least you and we are: you, as one who has separated it from a human body and conversed with it and given it orders, and we, as ones who were present and heard the command and clearly witnessed what was ordered." And Simon said: "I know what you are saying, but you do not know what you are talking about." And Nicetes said: "Since you know, speak.

But if you do not know, do not think that by saying that you know and we do not, you can deceive us. For we are not so childish that you can sow in us a cunning suspicion that you know some secret, and thus, taking us captive by our restrained desire, have us in your power. And Simon said: That I separated a soul from a human body, I know you know; but that it is not the soul of the deceased that serves (since it does not exist), but rather some demon pretending to be the soul that acts, I know you are ignorant of. And Nicetas said: We have heard many incredible things in life, but we did not expect to hear anything more senseless than this statement. For if a demon pretends to be the soul of the deceased, what need is there for the soul to be separated from the body? Did we not ourselves hear you, when you were adjuring the soul from the corpse? And how, when another is adjured, does a different one, not adjured, obey as if frightened? And when you were once questioned by us why the visitations sometimes cease, you said: The soul, having completed the time above ground which it was to spend in the body, goes to Hades; and you added, saying that the souls of those who die a natural death, since they go there to Hades and are guarded, are not easily allowed to come.

When Nicetas said this, Aquila himself spoke again: "I would like to learn this one thing from you, Simon: whether it is a soul or a demon that is adjured, and what it fears that it does not disregard the oaths?" And Simon said: "Because it knows that it will suffer punishment if it disobeys." And Aquila said: "Therefore, if a soul comes when adjured, judgment occurs. So if souls become immortal and judgment certainly occurs, so that those adjured for an evil deed are condemned for disobeying, how are you not afraid to compel, when those compelled are punished for disobedience? That you have not yet suffered for what you have done is no wonder, since judgment is not yet at hand, so that you may pay the penalty for what you have compelled, while the one compelled may be pardoned as having preferred the oath to the evil deed." When he heard this, he became angry and threatened us with death if we did not keep silent about what he does. When Aquila said this, I, Clement, asked what the marvelous things are that he does. And they told me that he makes statues walk, rolls on fire without being burned, sometimes even flies, and from stones

He makes loaves, becomes a serpent, transforms into a goat, becomes two-faced, changes into gold, opens closed doors, loosens iron, at banquets presents phantoms of all kinds of forms, causes the vessels in a house to be seen as if carried automatically for service, while those carrying them are not seen. Hearing them say these things, I marveled. And they testified that they themselves, being present, had witnessed many such things. When these matters had been thus discussed, the excellent Peter himself began to speak: "You must perceive, brothers, the truth of the rule of the pair, from which if one does not depart, he cannot be led astray. For since, as we said, we see everything existing in a twofold and opposite manner, and as first night, then day, and first ignorance, then knowledge, and first disease, then healing, so first the things of error come into the world, and then in this way the truth comes, as the physician comes to the disease. At once, then, when our God-beloved nation was about to be delivered from the oppression of the Egyptians, first through the rod that became a serpent, which was given to Aaron, the plagues occurred, and then in this way the healings were brought about by the prayers of Moses. And now, when the nations are about to be delivered from the worship of idols, evil again, as if ruling, having taken the lead, first sent its own ally, like a serpent, whom you see as Simon, working wonders for astonishment and deception, not healing signs for conversion and salvation. Therefore you must also understand, from the marvels that occur, who is the agent of whom. If he works useless marvels, he is a servant of evil; if he does beneficial things, he is a leader of the good.

Now some signs are useless, such as those you yourselves have said Simon performed. I mean his making statues walk, rolling on burning coals, becoming a serpent, transforming into a goat, flying into the air, and all such things, which, not being for the healing of men, have the nature of deceiving many. But the signs of merciful truth are humane, such as you have heard the Lord performed and I after him accomplish by prayers; at which most of you have been present, some delivered from all kinds of diseases, some from demons, some with hands straightened, some with feet, some recovering their eyes, some their hearing, and all such things as a man can do when he becomes partaker of a humane spirit. When Peter said this, Zacchaeus, coming in to us at dawn, greeted and said to Peter: Simon postpones the discussion until tomorrow; for today is his sabbath, which occurs every eleven days. And to this Peter answered: Tell Simon, Do as you wish, knowing that we are ready to meet you whenever you wish, by God's gracious providence. And Zacchaeus, hearing this, went out to deliver the answer. But seeing me despondent and asking the cause and learning from me that it was from nothing else than the postponement of the discussion, he said: He who by God's good providence has been taught that the world is administered, my dear Clement, is not vexed at things that happen in any way whatever, having acknowledged that by the economy of the better things events take a beneficial issue; wherefore it is right that he

knowing this and living with a good conscience, he knows how to shake off the grief that befalls him with right reasoning, because it is destined to come for the sake of some unknown good. And now, do not let the postponement of the inquiry by the magician Simon grieve you; for perhaps it has happened for your benefit through the providence of God. Therefore, since you are as my own self, I will not hesitate to speak. Some of our companions are feigning association with Simon, as if persuaded by his most godless error, in order to learn his plans and reveal them to us, so that we may be able to contend appropriately with a formidable man. And now I have learned from them the subject of the inquiry he is about to address, and knowing this, I have given thanks to God and counted you blessed for the postponement of the inquiry; for you, having been equipped by me before the inquiry, will be able to become an unerring hearer of the arguments he is about to make for the confusion of the ignorant. For many falsehoods against God have been added to the scriptures in this respect: when the prophet Moses, by the will of God, had delivered the law together with its interpretations to seventy chosen ones, so that they might also equip those of the people who wished, not long afterward the written law acquired some falsehoods against the one God who created the heaven and the earth and everything in them, the evil one having dared to effect this by some just reasoning.

And this has happened by reason and judgment, so that it might be shown who are those who dare to listen with pleasure to the things written against God, and who, out of affection for him, not only disbelieve the things said against him, but cannot even bear to hear them at all, even if they happen to be true, having judged it far safer to risk their pious faith than to live with a bad conscience over blasphemous words. Therefore Simon, as I understand, wishes to come forward and recite the very passages that have been inserted in the scriptures for the sake of testing, concerning things against God, so that he may be able to alienate as many wretched souls as possible from their affection for God. For we do not wish to recite them publicly as being attached to the books, since by disturbing ignorant crowds we would be doing the will of that wicked Simon himself. For not yet possessing the power of discernment, they will flee from us as impious, or, because the blasphemous passages are false, they will not only abandon the argument. Hence we are compelled, by conceding to the false passages and inquiring about them, to bring him into perplexity, while to those of good judgment we privately provide the solution of the passages inserted against God, after a test of faith, which has one single and concise path. And it is this: everything said or written against God is false. And that we say this truly not only for the sake of reverence but also of truth, I will fully confirm shortly as the discourse proceeds. Therefore, my dearest Clement, you ought not to be grieved that Simon has postponed the present inquiry for one day.

Today, before the inquiry, being prepared beforehand concerning the passages added in the scriptures, you ought not to be divided on the inquiry concerning the only and good God, who also made the world, but you will also marvel at the inquiry how the impious, leaving aside the many things said on behalf of God in the scriptures, bring forward with delight the things said against him, and thus the hearers, through ignorance, believing the things against God, become cast out from his kingdom. Therefore you, having learned the mystery of the scriptures by way of postponement, having gained not to sin against God, will rejoice incomparably. And I, Clement, having heard, said: Truly I rejoice and give thanks to the beneficent God in all things; but he himself knows that I will not be able to think anything other than to think all things on behalf of God. Hence do not suppose me to be doubting what has been said or will be said by you in asking, but so that, having learned, I myself may be able to teach another who wishes to learn gratefully. Therefore tell me what are the false additions to the scriptures and how they are truly false. And Peter answered: Even if you had not asked me, I, proceeding through the order of the discourses, would have provided the proof which I promised. But hear how the scriptures falsely accuse him in many things, as you will know when you encounter them; for the sake of example, what will be said will suffice. I do not think, dear Clement, that anyone, even preserving some small affection and gratitude toward God, will be able to accept or even to hear the things said against him.

How can anyone have a monarchical soul and become pious, having been pre-convinced that there are many gods and not one? And if there is one, but one finds him in many absurdities, who will be zealous to become pious, having hoped that the ruler of all, because of his own natural absurdities, will not punish the wrongs of others? Therefore, far be it from us to believe that the master of all, "who made heaven and earth" and everything in them, shares rule with others, or that he lies (for if he lies, who tells the truth?), or that he "tempts" as if ignorant (and who foreknows?). And if he "ponders" and "repents," who is perfect in mind and steadfast in purpose? And if he "is jealous," who is incomparable? And if he "hardens hearts," who makes wise? And if he blinds and deafens, who gave sight and hearing? And if he advises to steal, who administers justice? And if he "mocks," who is sincere? And if he is powerless, who is all-powerful? And if he is unjust, who is just? And if he "creates evils," who will do good? [And if he does evil, who does good?] And if he desires "the fat mountain," whose is everything? If he lies, who tells the truth? If he dwells in a tent, who is uncontained? And if he craves savor, sacrifices, offerings, and libations, who is without need, who is holy, who is pure, who is perfect? If he delights in lamps and lampstands, who placed the lights in heaven? If he dwells in gloom, darkness, storm, and smoke, who, being light, illuminates the greatest age? If he approaches with trumpets, shouts, arrows, and darts, what is the expected calm of all things?

If he himself loves wars, who then desires peace? If he himself "creates evils," who then produces goods? If he himself is without affection, who then is philanthropic? If he himself is not faithful concerning what he promises, who then will be trusted? If he himself loves wicked men, adulterers, and murderers, who then will be a just judge? If he himself "repents," who then is steadfast? If he himself chooses the wicked, who then welcomes the good? Therefore, O child Clement, take care that you think nothing else about God except that he alone is God and Lord and Father, good and just, creator, long-suffering, merciful, nourisher, benefactor, dispensing philanthropy, counseling purity, eternal, making eternal things, incomparable, dwelling in the souls of the good, uncontained and containing, who fixed the great age as a center in the infinite, who spread out the sky and compacted the earth, stored up water, arranged the stars in the sky, caused springs to gush forth, brought forth fruits, raised up mountains, bounded the sea, ordered the winds and breezes, who secured the encompassing body in the infinite sea by the "spirit of counsel." He is our judge, toward whom we must look while correcting our own souls, thinking all things for his sake, praising him, convinced that by his long-suffering he brings the rashness of all to light, and he alone is good. And at the end of all things he will sit as a just judge over each of those who have dared what they ought not. Having heard these things, I, Clement, said: This is truly reverence for God, this is truly piety. And again I said: I would like to learn, then, why the books were written in this way.

I remember that you said that it is for the refutation of those who will dare to believe anything said against God. But since you grant us to ask you as we wish, we dare to ask, since you have commanded it. If someone should wish, dearest Peter, to say to us: "The things written are true, even if what is said against God seems false to you," how should we answer him? And Peter answered: You have spoken well in asking, for it will be for your security; but listen. Since many things are said by the scriptures against God for the urgency of the hour [because of the evening], ask about one passage you wish, and I will resolve it, showing it to be false not only because it is said against God, but because it is truly false. And I answered: I wish to learn how, when the scriptures say that God is ignorant, you can demonstrate that he knows. And Peter answered: You have proposed to us something that can be refuted easily; but listen to how God is ignorant of nothing, but even foreknows. But first answer me what I ask you. The one who wrote the books and said how the world was created and that God does not foreknow—was he a man or not? And I said: A man. And Peter answered: Then being a man, how was it possible for him to know without falsehood how the world was created and that God does not foreknow? And I, perceiving the solution already, said with a smile: Because he was a prophet. And Peter said: If then the prophet, being a man, was ignorant of nothing because he received foreknowledge from God, how could the one who gave foreknowledge to man, being God, be ignorant? And I said: You have spoken rightly. And Peter said: Then still, he said, join me in perplexity about this very point.

It is agreed among us that God foreknows all things, so necessarily all scriptures that say He is ignorant are false, while those that say He knows are true. And I said, "It must be so." And Peter said, "Therefore, since some scriptures are true and some false, our teacher reasonably said, 'Become skilled money-changers,' because some words in the scriptures are genuine and some counterfeit. And to those led astray by false scriptures, he fittingly revealed the cause of their error, saying, 'For this reason you err, not knowing the true parts of the scriptures; hence you are also ignorant of the power of God.'" And I said, "Very well." And Peter answered, "Therefore I reasonably neither believe anything against God nor, anticipating impiously, think ill of the righteous recorded in the law; for I am persuaded that neither was Adam a transgressor, who was formed by the hands of God, nor was Noah a drunkard, who was found righteous beyond the whole world, nor did Abraham consort with three women at once, who was deemed worthy of many children for his temperance, nor did Jacob have intercourse with four, two of whom were sisters, who became the father of twelve tribes and signified the coming of our teacher; nor was Moses a murderer who learned to judge from a priest of an idol, he who prophesied the law of God to the whole age and was testified to be a 'faithful steward' for his right thinking. But I will provide you the explanation of these and similar matters in due time. For the rest, as you see, since evening has come, let what has been said today suffice.

At another time, if you wish, ask us confidently about whatever you desire, and we will gladly and unhesitatingly resolve it. Having said this, he rose. And after partaking of food, we turned to sleep, for night had overtaken us. [Book 3, Chapter 1.] Two days having passed, and as the third was dawning, I, Clement, and my companions who were with me, having been awakened for the purpose of debating with Simon at the second crowing of the roosters, found the lamp still burning and Peter kneeling in prayer. Having completed his prayer, he turned and, seeing us ready to listen, said: I want you to know that those who, by our forethought, are associating with Simon in order to learn his plans and report them to us, so that we may adapt ourselves to the variety of his wickedness, have themselves sent word to us, saying: Simon, as he arranged, is ready today to come before everyone and demonstrate from the scriptures that this is not the highest god, "who created heaven and earth" and all things in them, but some other unknown and highest god, who exists in secret as a god of gods; who sent two gods, of whom one is the creator of the world and the other the giver of the law. And he contrives to say these things in order to undermine beforehand the correct faith of those who are about to worship the one and only god, "who created heaven and earth." Hearing this, how could I not be disheartened? Therefore I also wished you, the brothers who are with me, to know that I am not moderately pained in soul, seeing that the evil one is vigilant for the testing of men, while men are utterly careless of their own salvation.

He contrived, for those from the nations who were about to be persuaded concerning earthly statues that they are not gods, to introduce the opinions of many other gods, so that if they cease from the lower polytheistic madness, they will be deceived into speaking otherwise, and even worse, against the monarchy of God, so that, having never preferred the things of the monarchy, they may never be able to obtain mercy. For the sake of this audacity, Simon, armed with false pericopes of the scriptures, comes to wage war against us. And what is more terrible, that from the prophets in whom he has believed, he is not afraid to dogmatize such things against the true God. And to us, who have received from our ancestors the worship of the God who created all things, and also the mystery of the books capable of deceiving, he will be able to do nothing; but to those from the nations, who have the polytheistic assumption as a companion from childhood and do not know the falsehoods of the scriptures, he will be able to do much—not only he himself, but even if someone else should narrate to those from the nations some empty tale against God, like a dream, richly adorned, it will be believed, because from childhood their mind has been habituated to receive what is said against God. And there will be some rare ones among them, as few from the multitude, who, through right-mindedness, will not wish even to hear an evil word against the God who created all things; only for these, being from the nations, will it be possible to be saved. Therefore, let none of you blame Simon entirely, or anyone else; for nothing happens unjustly, where even the falsehoods of the scriptures happen to be reasonably for testing. And I, Clement, having heard, said: How do you mean, Lord, that even the things of the scriptures

falsehoods reasonably for the testing of men? And he answered: The falsehoods of the scriptures were permitted to be written by a just rationale of wickedness; and I say this reasonably: In theologies, the wicked one, loving God no less than the good one, falls short of the good one only in this, that he does not forgive those who sin through ignorance, but out of affection for the one against whom the sin is committed, he desires the destruction of the sinners, nor does he offer them healing. For the good one wishes to heal all through repentance, but saves only those who have known God. He does not heal the ignorant, not because he does not wish to, but because it is not possible to provide the goods prepared for the sons of the kingdom to those who, through indiscrimination, are likened to irrational animals. Such is the nature of the one and only God, who made the world and created us and provided everything, that he draws the soul of anyone who is ever outside the bounds of piety and does not blaspheme his holy spirit, by affection for him, into himself, by the idea of love from him for it. And even if one is a sinner, after being punished according to the worth of what he did, he has a nature to be saved. But if one denies him or in some other way blasphemes him in word, and then repents, he will be punished for his sins against him, but will be saved, because having turned back he loved. And perhaps by the excess of piety and supplication, he will also be released from punishment, having given ignorance of the sin along with repentance. But those who do not repent will have their end through the punishment of fire, even if in all other respects they are most holy.

But as I said, those of the measured age who are punished in the fifth with eternal fire will be extinguished. For those who have impiously sinned against the eternal and only God can no longer exist forever. And impiety toward him consists in this: while being in the word of piety, to end by saying that there is another god, whether as superior or as inferior or in any way speaking contrary to the one who truly is. For the one who truly is is this: whose form the body of man bears, for whose sake the heaven and all the stars submitted to serve, being superior in essence, to that which is inferior in essence, because of the form of the superior. So greatly has God benefited man above all, so that, having loved the benefactor amid the multitude of benefits, he might be able, by that love itself, to be preserved even into a second age. Therefore, affection toward God is sufficient for salvation. But the wicked one, knowing that we, hastening to those from the nations who are about to believe, sow in souls the deathless-making affection of men toward the one and only God—the wicked one himself, having a sufficient weapon for destruction against the ignorant, hastens to sow the notion of many gods or even of one as superior, so that, having conceived and been persuaded of what is not lawful, they may, upon dying, be cast out of his kingdom as on a charge of adultery. Therefore, anyone who has even merely wished to hear something of this sort against the monarchy of God is worthy of rejection.

If someone, trusting in the scriptures, dares even to listen to something against God, let this first be considered by me: that if someone fashions for himself a plausible doctrine as he wishes, and then examines the scriptures themselves, he will be able to produce many testimonies from them for the doctrine he has fashioned. How then is it possible to be confident in these against God, when the intention of all is found in them? For instance, Simon, intending to dispute with us tomorrow and wishing to publicly dare to speak against the monarchy of God, is able to bring many voices from the scriptures themselves, that there are many gods, and that one who is not the creator of this world is higher than him; and he can provide the proofs in writing. And we too are able to show clearly from them many passages, that this God who created the world is one, and "there is no other besides him." But if someone wishes to speak otherwise, he too will be able to provide proofs from them as he wishes concerning whatever he wishes. For the scriptures say everything, so that none of those who seek without discernment may find the truth, but only what he wishes, while the truth is preserved for the discerning. Discernment is preserving affection toward the one who is the cause of our existence. Hence, before all else, one must know that he finds it nowhere unless from a prophet of truth. A true prophet is one who knows everything always, and also the thoughts of all, who is without error, as one fully assured concerning the judgment of God. Therefore we must not simply assume concerning his foreknowledge, but consider whether his foreknowledge can stand without another pretext.

For what physicians foretell, having as underlying material the pulse of the sick person (and some use birds, others entrails, and still others many different underlying materials), they foretell, and they are not prophets. But if someone should wish to claim that foretelling through such means is similar to true innate foreknowledge, he is greatly deceived. For such things indicate only the present, and even that only if they are true (otherwise, for my part, they are also useful in that they establish that foreknowledge exists); but the foreknowledge of the one and true God not only knows the present, but extends its prophecy without limit even to the future age itself, and it needs nothing for recognition, prophesying not obscure and ambiguous things that require another prophet for the understanding of what is said, but clear and simple things, just as our teacher and prophet, being endowed with innate and eternal spirit, always knew everything. Therefore he confidently set forth what was to come, I mean sufferings, places, boundaries; for being an infallible prophet, he knows everything, hidden, by the infinite eye of the soul. But if we also accept (as the many do) that even the true prophet does not always, but only sometimes (when he has the spirit and because of this) foreknows, and when he does not have it, he is ignorant—if we suppose this, we deceive both ourselves and will ensnare others. For such a thing is characteristic of those who are manically inspired by a spirit of disorder, of those who get drunk and are filled with the savor of burnt offerings beside altars.

For if someone who wishes to claim prophecy is permitted to be believed in matters where he is caught lying, then he will not be easily refuted as a false prophet, since in those cases where he speaks many things and hits upon a few, he is believed to have the spirit. Moreover, he speaks of first things as last, last things as first, past things as future, future things as already past, and also things that are inconsistent, taken from other sources, transformed, diminished, formless, senseless, ambiguous, oblique, obscure, and full of every kind of bad conscience. But our teacher practiced no such sorcery; rather (as I said before), being a prophet with an innate and perpetual spirit, knowing all things at all times, he confidently set them forth, clearly foretelling sufferings, places, appointed times, manners, and boundaries. For instance, foretelling about the sanctuary, he said: “Do you see these buildings? Truly I tell you, not a stone will be left upon a stone here that will not be torn down,” and “This generation will not pass before the destruction begins. For they will come and sit here, and they will encircle it with a rampart, and they will slaughter your children here.” Likewise, he spoke the following with a clear voice, which we have seen with our own eyes: so that where the word was spoken, the deed also came to pass. For the prophet of truth makes the word of proof for the faith of the hearers. Yet there are many heralds of error, having one leader of evil; to whom the word of truth, being one and itself the leader of piety, will in its own times have all who are found pure as prophets.

But the great cause of the error has been this: that they did not first understand the principle of the pairing, which I will not cease to set forth to you summarily on each occasion; for it is a great matter to speak in detail. Therefore, be for me truthful judges of what is said. I will now begin to speak. If the great and holy spirit of the foreknowledge of God, who made all things, did not possess as much in the man conceived by his own hands, how then does one who assigns it to another born from a foul drop not commit the greatest sin? And I do not think he obtains pardon, even if he were deceived by a spurious writing into thinking terrible things against the father of all; for one who insults an image (and that of an eternal king) has the sin referred to that one, in whose likeness the image happened to be. But, he says, the divine spirit abandoned him after he sinned. Then it sinned along with him. And how does the one saying this not risk danger? But he received the spirit after sinning. Then it is given to the unjust. And where is the justice? But it is supplied to both the just and the unjust. This is the most unjust of all. Thus every falsehood, even if aided by countless contrivances, is bound to receive refutation, even after a long time. Do not be deceived. Our father was ignorant of nothing. Since even the law publicly laid down, covering him with the charge of ignorance on account of the unworthy, sends those who yearn for truth back to him, saying: "Question your father, and he will tell you; your elders, and they will announce to you." This father one ought to have sought, these elders one ought to have sought out.

But you did not ask whose is the time of the kingdom, whose is the seat of prophecy, although he reveals himself by saying: "Upon the seat of Moses the scribes and the Pharisees sat; everything they say to you, listen to them." And he said "them" as those entrusted with the key of the kingdom, which is knowledge, which alone can open the gate of life, through which alone it is possible to enter into eternal life. But yes, he says, they hold the key, but they do not provide it to those who wish to enter. For this reason, I say, he himself rose from the seat, as a father for his children, proclaiming what from eternity had been handed down in secret to the worthy, extending mercy even to the Gentiles themselves and pitying the souls of all, he was heedless of his own blood. For he who had been deemed worthy to be king of the coming age, to the one who had received the kingdom by the law appointed for the present time... and the greatest thing that greatly grieved him was this: that those for whom he fought as for children were warring against him because of ignorance. And yet he loved even those who hated him, and wept for the disobedient, and blessed those who reviled him, and prayed for those who were hostile. And not only did he do these things as a father, but he also taught his disciples to do the same as brothers. This is a father, this is a prophet, this is reasonable: that he should reign over his own children, so that through the father's affection for his children and the children's heartfelt honor toward the father, eternal peace might be able to come about. For when the reasonable one reigns, true joy concerning the ruler arises among the ruled.

But I return to the first discourse of truth. If one does not grant that the man formed by the hands of God possesses the holy spirit of Christ, how is it not the greatest impiety to grant that any other born from a vile drop possesses it? And it is the greatest piety if one grants that no other possesses it, but says that only he possesses it who, from the beginning of time, changing forms along with names, runs through the age until, obtaining his own times, anointed by the mercy of God through the labors of God, he will have rest forever. This one has been honored to rule and have dominion over all things in the air, on earth, and in the waters; in addition, he received the breath of the one who made man, an unbreakable covering of soul, so that he might be able to be immortal. This one alone, having been a true prophet, has fittingly set names for each living thing according to the worth of its nature, just as the one who made him did. For whatever he named, that was the name from the maker for the thing that came to be. Therefore, how did he still have need to take on a plant, in order to see what is good or evil? "He commanded." But those who are without judgment believe these things, those who have thought that an irrational beast has become more beneficent than God who created them and all things. Nevertheless, a female nature was created together with him as a partner, much inferior to him, as the moon is to the sun in participation of substance, as fire is to light. This one, as a female ruling the present world of a similar kind, is believed to be the first prophetess, together with all those "among the begotten of women" who profess prophecy. The other, as a "son of man," being male, prophesies concerning the things that pertain to the future age as to a male. Let there be, then, two generic prophecies for us.

The masculine one (and let it be determined that the first, being male, is placed second in the order of procession, while the second, being female, is defined as first to come in the progression of conjunctions)—the one, then, that is "among the offspring of women," as a female of the present world, claiming to be masculine, wishes to be believed to be male. Therefore, stealing the seeds of the male and covering them with her own seeds of the flesh, she brings forth the offspring as if entirely her own, that is, the "matters." And she promises to give the present earthly wealth as a dowry, wishing to exchange the slow for the swift, the small for the greater. She not only dares to speak of and hear many gods, but also believes herself to become one, and in the hope of becoming what she has no nature to be, she loses even what she has; and as a female, becoming in menstrual periods, she is bloodied under the pretext of sacrifices and thus defiles those who touch her. And when, having conceived, she gives birth to temporary kings, she stirs up wars that shed much blood. As for those who desire to learn truth from her, by saying everything opposite and providing many and varied services, she keeps them seeking always and finding nothing, until their death; for from the beginning, a pretext of death lies for blind men; for prophesying deceitful, ambiguous, and crooked things, she deceives those who believe. Therefore, she gave her firstborn an ambiguous name, calling him Cain, which has a twofold interpretation: it is interpreted both as "possession" and as "jealousy," as he is destined to be jealous in the future either of a wife or of possessions or of his parents' affection for him.

But if none of these things should happen, then the appellation "possession" is also well achieved; for she acquired him first. This also served her; for he was "a murderer and a liar" and unwilling to keep quiet even about his sins, nor to rule. Moreover, those who came forth from his succession were the first adulterers; and they tuned psalteries and citharas and became forgers of weapons of war. Hence also the prophecy of the descendants, full of adulteries and psalteries, covertly through pleasures stirs up wars. But he who among the sons of men has the innate prophecy of his own soul, clearly as a male indicating the hopes of the future age, named his son Abel, which without any ambiguity is interpreted as "mourning." For he provides mourning to his own sons for their deceived brothers, promising them without falsehood consolation in the future age. He says to ask only one God; he neither speaks of gods himself nor believes another who speaks of them. He preserves the good he has and increases it further. He hates sacrifices, blood, libations. He loves the chaste, the pure, the holy. He extinguishes the fire of altars. He abolishes wars, teaches peace. He commands temperance. He removes sins. He legitimizes marriage, permits continence, leads all to chastity. He makes men merciful. He legitimizes justice, seals their perfect ones, and reveals the word of rest. He prophesies clearly, speaks plainly. He frequently reminds of the eternal fire of punishment, continually proclaims the kingdom of God. He announces heavenly wealth, promises glory that cannot be taken away, and shows by deed the forgiveness of sin.

And what need is there to say it? The male is entirely truth. The female is entirely deception, and the one born from male and female sometimes lies and sometimes speaks truth. For the female, surrounding the white seed of the male with her own blood as with red fire, establishes her own weakness with alien supports of bones and, delighting in the transient bloom of flesh and undermining the strength of reason with brief pleasures, leads the majority into adultery and thus deprives them of the future good bridegroom. For the whole human is a bride, whenever, sown by the white word of truth of the true prophet, the mind is illuminated. Therefore one must listen only to the one prophet of truth, knowing that one sown by another word, having taken on the charge of adultery, is cast out from his kingdom as by a bridegroom. And for those who know the mystery, death also occurs from psychic adultery. Whenever the soul is sown by others, then, as one who has committed fornication or adultery, it is abandoned by the spirit, and thus the ensouled body, separated from the life-giving spirit, dissolves into earth, and the punishment befitting the sin is rendered to the soul at the time of judgment after the dissolution of the body, just as among humans the woman caught in adultery is first cast out of the house and then later judged under condemnation.

Peter, who was about to reveal this mystical word to us completely, Zacchaeus came saying, "Now then, Peter, it is time for you to go out and speak. For a great crowd has gathered in the courtyard and is waiting for you, in the midst of which Simon stands, attended by them as a general." And Peter, having heard this, having ordered me to withdraw for the sake of prayer, as one not yet having received the saving baptism, said to those already perfected, "Let us rise and pray, that God, with his inexhaustible mercies, may assist me as I set out for the salvation of the men created by him." And having said this and prayed, he went out into the open space of the courtyard, which was large, where many had assembled for the sake of observation, the distinction having made them more eager to hasten to hear. So, having stood and seen the whole people gazing at him with great stillness, and Simon the Magician standing in the midst, he began to speak thus:

Peace be to all of you who are ready to give the right hand to the truth of God, which great and incomparable gift, existing in the present world, the one who sent us, the truthful prophet of the supreme benefit, commanded us to utter to you under the guise of a greeting before the words of teaching, so that, if there is among you any child of peace, peace may overtake him through our teaching; but if any of you does not wish to receive it, then we, having shaken off for the testimony of our feet the dust from the roads, which we bore through our labors and brought to you for your salvation, may depart to other houses and cities. And truly we say to you, it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah on the day of judgment than to remain in the place of disobedience: first, because you did not of yourselves perceive what is reasonable; second, because having heard about us, you did not come to us; third, because even when we came, you disobeyed us. Therefore, sparing you, we pray gratuitously that our peace may come upon you. If then you wish to have this peace, you must readily undertake not to do injustice and to bear being unjustly treated nobly, which human nature would not endure unless it first

of the supreme benefit may receive the knowledge, which is to know the just nature of the one who surpasses all, that he punishes the wronged avenging them and always benefits the pious. You therefore, as grateful servants of God, understanding the reasonable from yourselves, adopt the polity pleasing to him, so that thus loving him and being loved by him you may always have the benefit; for it is possible only for him to provide it, who established non-existent things into being, who created the heaven, who formed the earth, who bounded the sea, who stored the things in Hades, and who filled all things with air. This one alone turned the one and first uniform substance into four and opposite forms, then mixing them made countless blends from them, so that turned into opposite natures and mixed, they might produce the pleasure of life from the pairing of opposites. Likewise, he alone, by a nod of his will, created hosts of angels and spirits and filled the heavens; as he also adorned the visible firmament with stars, for which he defined paths and ordered a course. He formed the earth for the growth of fruits, and bounded the sea, assigning a dwelling for aquatic creatures. He stores the things in Hades, naming it the place of souls; and he filled all things with air, so that all living creatures might breathe fearlessly for life. O the great and wise hand of God, which does all things in all. For a countless multitude of birds has been produced by him, and this is varied, in every way different from one another, I mean in colors, forms, claws, glances, dispositions, sounds, and all the rest.

How many are the diverse forms of plants, distinguished by infinite colors, qualities, and scents. How many are the land animals and those in the waters, whose shapes, forms, positions, colors, ways of life, dispositions, natures, and multitude it is impossible to describe. And further, the masses and heights of mountains, the varieties of stones, the fearful caverns, springs, rivers, lakes, seas, harbors, islands, forests, the entire inhabited world and uninhabited places. How many other things are unknown, having escaped human conjecture. And among things that are grasped, what human knows even one limit? I mean, how the heaven revolves, how the stars are borne and what forms they have and the constitution of their life, and what are their aerial paths—whence also the winds' blasts are driven around and have diverse energies—whence springs flow unceasingly and rivers become perennial; they reach the sea, and neither is the source emptied nor do they fill where they go—how far the infinite depth of the boundless Tartarus extends—on what, then, the all-encompassing heaven is suspended, how clouds pour from the air and are condensed into air, what is the nature of thunder and lightning, snow, hail, mist, ice, squalls, rainstorms, clouds suspended, and how it fashions plants and animals and continuously produces them with countless differences in all precision. Yet if one should accurately survey the whole with reason, he will find that God has made it for the sake of man; for the rains occur for the sake of crops, so that man may partake and animals be nourished in order to be useful to man—and the sun shines and divides the air into four turnings

and each season is turned so as to provide man with his own needs—and springs gush forth to give drink to men. But still, to the extent possible, who rules over creation? Is it not man, who has received wisdom to till the earth, to sail the sea, to hunt swimming and flying beasts, to calculate the course of the stars, to mine the earth, to sift the sea, to raise cities, to appoint kings, to ordain laws, to judge, to conceive of the invisible God, to know the names of angels, to drive out demons, to attempt to stop diseases with drugs, and to find incantations against venomous reptiles, and to devise antidotes? If you are grateful, O man, having perceived the God who has benefited you in all things, you would also be immortal, since the things created for you would endure through your gratitude. And even now you can become imperishable, if you recognize whom you have forgotten, if you love whom you have abandoned, if you pray only to him who is able to punish and to save your body and soul. Therefore, before all else, consider that no one rules with him, no one shares in his name, which is called God. For he alone is both called and is God, and it is not permitted to think or to say another; but if anyone should dare, he will be punished eternally in his soul.

When Peter said this, Simon, standing apart from the crowd, cried out in a loud voice: "Why do you wish to deceive the ignorant crowd standing before you with lies, persuading them that it is not permissible to think or speak of gods, when the public books of the Jews say there are many gods? And now I wish to debate with you from those very books about the necessity of believing in gods, having first shown concerning the god you speak of that he is not the highest and all-powerful power, because he is without foreknowledge, imperfect, needy, not good, and subject to many and countless grievous passions. Hence, when this is shown from the scriptures, as I say, another remains, without written testimony, to be foreknowing, perfect, without need, good, and free from all grievous passions. But the creator you speak of is subject to the opposites. For instance, Adam, who was made in his likeness, is created blind and is handed over without knowledge of good or evil, is found to be a transgressor, is cast out of paradise, and is punished with death. Likewise, the one who formed him, since he does not see from all sides, says concerning the destruction of Sodom: 'Come, let us go down and see if they are being destroyed according to the cry coming up to me; and if not, that I may know,' and he shows himself to be ignorant. And to say concerning Adam: 'Let us cast him out, lest he stretch out his hand and touch the tree of life and eat and live forever'—to say 'lest' shows ignorance, and to add 'lest he eat and live forever' shows envy.

and the fact that it is written, "The Lord reflected that he had made man," and that he repents and is ignorant; for "he reflected" is a consideration, by which someone, due to ignorance of what he intends, wishes to ascertain the outcome, or as one who regrets because things did not turn out according to his intention. And the fact that it is written, "And the Lord smelled the scent of good fragrance," is characteristic of one who is deficient, and to take pleasure in the savor of burnt flesh is not characteristic of a good being. And to test (as it is written, "And the Lord tested Abraham") is characteristic of an evil being and of one who is ignorant of the outcome of endurance. Likewise, Simon seemed to demonstrate from the scriptures that God is subject to every passion. And Peter said to this: "If the evil and utterly wicked man loves nothing and does not reproach himself for the sins he commits, answer me." And Simon said, "He does not love." And Peter said, "How then can God be evil and wicked, if the evil things written against him were added by his own will?" And Simon said, "It is possible that, contrary to his intention, the reproach against him was written by another power." And Peter said, "First, then, let us investigate this. If he reproached himself by his own will, as you have already agreed, he is not wicked; but if by another power, it must be investigated and examined with all strength, lest someone, he being only good, has subjected him to all the evil things." And Simon said, "It is clear that you are fleeing from the scriptures to avoid hearing the reproach against your God." And Peter said, "You seem to me to be doing this; for he who flees from the order of inquiry does not wish a true examination to take place. Hence, I, using order and wishing first to understand the author, am clearly desiring to walk the straight path." And Simon said,

First confess whether the things written against the creator are true and that he is not superior to all, but according to the scriptures subject to every depravity, and later we will inquire about the one who wrote them. And Peter said: Lest I seem to contradict your disorderliness or be unwilling to inquire, I answer: I declare that, even if the things written against God were true, they do not yet show God to be depraved. And Simon said: How can you establish this? And Peter said: Because the opposite of the voices that speak ill of him have been written, on account of which neither can be confirmed. And Simon said: How then, when some of the scriptures speak of him as evil and others as good, is it possible to know the truth? And Peter said: Those voices of the scriptures that agree with the creation made by him are true, but those that are contrary are false. And Simon said: How can you show the scriptures to be in contradiction with themselves? And Peter said: You say that Adam was born blind, which he was not; for he would not, when giving a command to a blind man, have pointed and said, "Do not taste from the tree of knowing good and evil." And Simon said: He meant that his mind was blind. And Peter said: How could his mind be blind, when before tasting of the plant he, in harmony with his creator, gave fitting names to all the animals? And Simon said: If Adam had foreknowledge, why did he not foresee that the serpent would deceive his wife? And Peter said: If Adam did not have foreknowledge, how did he give names to his sons, at their birth, with regard to their future actions?

He called the first one Cain, which is interpreted as "jealousy," who, being jealous, killed his brother Abel, which is interpreted as "mourning"; for upon him, being the first murdered, the parents mourned. But if Adam, being a work of God, had foreknowledge, much more did the God who created him have it. And it is false that it is written: "God deliberated," as if he used reasoning because of ignorance. Moreover, if "the Lord tested Abraham to know if he would endure," and the passage: "Let us go down and see if the cries coming to me are being fulfilled according to them; and if not, that I may know"—and not to prolong my speech too much, all the utterances that ascribe ignorance or some other harsh thing to him are refuted as false by other utterances that say the opposite. But that he truly has foreknowledge, he says to Abraham: "Knowing, you will know that your seed will be a sojourner in a land not their own, and they will enslave them and oppress them and humble them for four hundred years. And the nation to which they are enslaved I will judge. After this they will come out here with much baggage. And you will go to your fathers in peace, having been nourished in a good old age. In the fourth generation they will turn away here; for the sins of the Amorites have not yet been filled up until now." What then? Does not Moses also foretell the sins of the people and make clear the dispersion among the nations? If God himself gave Moses the ability to have foreknowledge, how could he himself not have it? He does have it. And if he has it, as we have shown, what is written is superfluous.

He reflected" and "he repented" and "I will go down and see" and all such things; which, having been foreknown before they happened as to how they were going to turn out, receive an irrevocable outcome through wise economy. That he was not desirous of sacrifices is evident from the fact that those who desired meat were killed as soon as they tasted it and, being buried, the mound over the tomb was called "hill of desires." And he who from the beginning was angry at the slaughter of animals, not wanting them to be sacrificed, did not command sacrifices as if desiring them, nor did he require first-fruits; for without the slaughter of animals, neither are sacrifices performed nor can first-fruits be given. How could darkness and gloom and storm be present (for this too is written) with the one who established a pure heaven and created the sun to shine light and ordained for all the countless stars an irrevocable order of their courses? Thus, O Simon, the handwriting of God (I mean the heaven) shows the pure and firm intention of the maker. Thus the slanderous words of the God who created the heaven are invalidated both by the contrary words that accompany them and are refuted by creation; for they were not written by a prophetic hand, and therefore they appear contrary to the hand of the God who created all things. And Simon said: How can you prove this? And Peter said: The law of God was given through Moses to be transmitted unwritten to seventy wise men, so that it might be administered through succession; but after the assumption of Moses, it was written by someone, not by Moses; for in the law itself it is written:

And Moses died and they buried him near the house of Phogor, and no one knows his burial to this day." Was it possible for Moses, after dying, to write, "Moses died"? Since in the time after Moses (some five hundred years or so) he is found lying in the temple that was built, and after another five hundred years or so he is carried away and thus, burned, perishes under Nebuchadnezzar. And yet, written after Moses and having perished many times, it thus acknowledged the foreknowledge of Moses, that he, foreseeing its disappearance, did not write it; but those who wrote it, being convicted of ignorance because they did not foresee its disappearance, were not prophets. And Simon said: Since matters concerning God (as you said) can be understood from comparison with creation, how is it possible to discern the rest in the law, which, being from the tradition of Moses and true, are mixed with falsehoods? And Peter said: A certain passage in the written law, according to the providence of God, was infallibly recorded, so as to clearly show which of the writings are true and which false. And Simon said: What is this passage? Tell us. And Peter said: I will tell you at once. It is written in the first book of the law, near the end: "A ruler from Judah will not fail, nor a leader from his loins, until he comes whose it is; and he himself is the expectation of the nations." If, then, someone is able to understand the ruler and leader who has come after the one from Judah failed, and who is to be expected by the nations, this one, from the things that have been accomplished, will recognize the passage... the one who has come as true.

One who is persuaded by his teaching will know which of the scriptures are true and which are false. And Simon said: "I understand that you mean your Jesus, as one prophesied by scripture; let it be granted, then, that this is so. Tell me, then, how he taught you to distinguish the scriptures?" And Peter said: "Because the true is mixed with the false, I recall that somewhere he accused the Sadducees, saying: 'For this reason you err, not knowing the true things of the scriptures, on account of which you are ignorant of the power of God.' If he suggested that they were ignorant of the true things of the scriptures, it is clear that there are false things. But also in his saying: 'Become trustworthy money-changers,' as though there are both genuine and counterfeit words. And by his saying: 'Why do you not understand the reasonable meaning of the scriptures?' he sets the mind more firmly than one who judges arbitrarily. And the fact that, with the scriptures lying before them, he sends them to scribes and teachers, as those who know the true things of the actual law, is clear. And his saying: 'I did not come to destroy the law,' while appearing to destroy it, signified that what he destroyed was not of the law. And his saying: 'Heaven and earth will pass away, but not one iota or one serif will pass away from the law' signified that the things which pass away before heaven and earth are not of the true law. Since, then, while heaven and earth still stand, sacrifices, kingdoms, the prophecies 'among the begotten of women,' and all such things have passed away, as not being commandments of God (hence he says: 'Every planting which the heavenly father did not plant will be uprooted'), for this reason, being himself a true prophet, he said: 'I am the gate of life.

The one who enters through me enters into life, as if there were no other teaching capable of saving. Therefore he also cried out, saying: "Come to me, all you who labor," that is, those who seek the truth and do not find it, and again: "My sheep hear my voice," and at another time: "Seek and find," as if the truth were not plainly laid out. But also a voice was heard from heaven as a witness, saying: "This is my beloved son, in whom I am well pleased; listen to him." And in addition, wishing to convict them as being even more deceived, the prophets, from whom they claimed to have learned, he declared that those who desired the truth and had not learned it died, saying: "Many prophets and kings desired to see what you see and to hear what you hear, and truly I say to you, they neither saw nor heard." Furthermore, he said: "I am the one about whom Moses prophesied, saying: 'The Lord our God will raise up a prophet for you from among your brothers, like myself; listen to him in all things. Whoever does not listen to that prophet will die.'" Hence it is impossible without his teaching to stand in the saving truth, even if one seeks for an age where what is sought is not. It was and is in the word of our Jesus. But knowing the truth of the law, when the Sadducees asked him on what ground Moses permitted seven marriages, he said: "Moses permitted it according to your hardness of heart; for from the beginning it was not so. For the one who created man from the beginning made him male and female.

To those who think (as the scriptures teach) that God swears, he said: "Let your yes be yes, your no be no; for anything beyond these is from the evil one." And to those who say that Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob died, he said: "He is not a god of the dead, but of the living." To those who suppose that God 'tempts' (as the scriptures say), he said: "The evil one is the one who tempts," the one who also tempted him. To those who assume that God does not foreknow, he said: "For your heavenly Father saw that you need all these things, before you asked him." To those who believe (as the scriptures say) that he does not see everything, he said: "Pray in secret," adding: "And your Father, who sees the hidden things, will give to you." To those who suppose him not to be good (as the scriptures say), he said: "Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If then you, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give good things to those who ask him and to those who do his will?" To those who insist that he is in a temple, he said: "Do not swear by heaven, that it is the throne of God, nor by the earth, that it is the footstool of his feet." To those who have assumed that God desires sacrifices, he said: "God wants mercy, not sacrifices; recognition of him, not burnt offerings." To those who are persuaded that he is evil (as the scriptures say), he said: "Do not call me good; for the good one is one." And again:

Be good and compassionate as the Father in the heavens, who makes the sun rise upon good and evil and brings rain upon the just and the unjust. To those deceived into supposing many gods (as the scriptures say), he said: "Hear, O Israel, the Lord your God, the Lord is one." But Simon, seeing that Peter was gathering him to use the scriptures as Jesus taught, did not wish the examination concerning the word about God to take place, although Peter had changed, as Simon himself had requested, to have the examination by question and answer. Nevertheless, the inquiry lasted three days. At the approach of the fourth night, he set out by night for Tyre of Phoenicia. And not many days later, some of Peter's advance men came saying: Simon, performing great wonders in Tyre, has amazed many there and has caused you to be hated by many slanders. Hearing this, Peter on the following night caused the crowd of hearers to assemble. When they had assembled, he said: Since I am setting out to the nations that speak of many gods, to proclaim and teach that God is one, "who created heaven and earth" and all things in them, so that loving him they might be able to be saved, evil, anticipating by the law of pairing, sent Simon ahead, so that men, if they cease speaking of many gods, condemning those spoken of on earth, might think there are many gods in heaven, so that they may never honor the good of monarchy completely and perish with punishment.

And the most terrible thing is that, since the true word has incomparable power, by anticipating with slanders it persuades them not even to receive me in the first place, lest the slanderer himself be proven to be truly the devil and the true word, once revealed, be able to be believed. Therefore I must quickly overtake him, so that the slander, having lingered, does not completely prevail over all. Since then someone must be appointed in my place to fill my position, let us all with one purpose pray to God, that he himself make manifest the better one among us, so that, seated upon the throne of Christ, he may piously administer his church. Who then will be appointed? For by the will of God that man is declared blessed whom the Lord appoints over the service of his fellow servants, to give them their rations at their proper time, not thinking and saying in his heart: "My master is slow to come." [And he begins to strike his fellow servants, eating and drinking with prostitutes and drunkards. And the master of that servant will come at an hour he does not expect, and on a day he does not know, and will cut him in two, and will place his unbelieving part with the hypocrites.] But if one of those present, who is able to manage the ingratitude of men, holds back, caring only for his own rest, let him also expect to hear: "Wicked and lazy servant, you ought to have put my money out with the bankers, and I, coming, would have taken my due; cast out the worthless servant into the outer darkness." And rightly so.

For you," he says, "O man, you must place my words like silver on a money-changer's table and test them like currency. Therefore the multitude of the faithful must obey one person, so that it may thus be able to continue in concord. For that which ends in a single authority, in the image of monarchy, causes those who submit to enjoy peace by reason of good order; but when all are eager to rule and unwilling to yield to one alone, they inevitably fall by reason of division. But let what happens before our eyes still persuade you: how now, when there are many kings throughout the whole earth, wars continually occur; for each has the other's rule as a pretext for war. But if there is one ruler of the whole, having no reason to wage war, he enjoys perpetual peace. Finally, God, for those deemed worthy of eternal life, establishes one king of the whole in that age, so that by reason of monarchy, unshakable peace may come. Therefore all must follow one person as a guide, honoring him as an image of God, and the guide must be knowledgeable of the entrance that leads into the holy city.

Whom else among those present shall I choose but Zacchaeus, at whose house our Lord also rested when he entered, deeming him worthy to be saved? And having said this, laying his hand on Zacchaeus who stood by, he pressed him to sit down in his own seat. But Zacchaeus, falling at his feet, begged him to release him from ruling, while also promising and saying: "Whatever it is necessary for the ruler to do, I will do; only grant me not to have this name; for I am afraid to put on the name of rule; for it is full of bitter envy and danger." And Peter said: "If you are afraid of this, do not call it rule, but rather the office of one who is set over others, which the Lord has given to be spoken of when he said: 'Blessed is that man whom his Lord sets over the service of his fellow servants.' But if you absolutely do not wish it to be known that you have authority of administration, you seem to me to be ignorant that the acknowledged authority of the one who presides has great power to awe the multitude. For each one obeys him as having received authority, having conscience as a great necessity. What then? Do you not also know for certain that you are not to rule as the rulers of the nations rule, but to serve them as a slave, as a father to the wronged, as a physician visiting, as a shepherd watching, in short, having all care for their salvation? Do you think I am ignorant of what labors I am forcing you to undertake, deeming you worthy to be judged by crowds, whom it is impossible to please? But to persuade God when doing well is most possible.

Therefore I earnestly entreat you to undertake it willingly, for the sake of God, for the sake of Christ, for the salvation of the brethren, for their governance and your own benefit. And consider this further: just as there is labor and danger in administering Christ's church, so much greater is the reward. But also the punishment is greater for one who is able yet disobeys. I wish, therefore, knowing you to be more learned than those present, to lend you the good precepts which you have been entrusted with by the Lord, so that you may hear "Well done, good and faithful servant," and not, like the one who hid the single talent, be found liable to punishment after receiving accusation. But if you do not wish to become a good guardian of the church, designate another in your place, more learned and faithful than you. But you will not do so; for you were with the Lord, you witnessed his marvelous deeds, and you have learned the administration of the church. And it is your task to command what is necessary, and the brethren's to obey and not to disobey. If they obey, they will be saved; if they disobey, they will be punished by Christ, because the one who presides has been entrusted with the place of Christ. Therefore, either honor or insult to the one who presides is borne to Christ, and from Christ it is carried up to God. I have said this so that the brethren themselves may not be ignorant of the danger of their disobedience toward you.

that whoever disobeys your command disobeys Christ, and having disobeyed Christ provokes God. Therefore the church must, like a city built on a height, have a godly order and good administration. Above all, let the bishop be heard as a ruler concerning what he says. Let the presbyters be zealous to carry out what is commanded. Let the deacons go about, visit the bodies and souls of the brethren, and report back to the bishop. Let all the remaining brethren accept being wronged; but if they wish to have judgment concerning the wrongs they suffer, let them be reconciled before the presbyters; and let the presbyters refer the reconciliation to the bishop. And let them not only hasten the marriages of the young, but also of those advanced in age, lest a burning desire, under pretext of fornication or adultery, bring a plague upon the church. For beyond every sin, the impiety of adultery is abhorred by God, because it not only destroys the sinner himself, but also those who share his table and his company; for it resembles a madness, since it has the nature of transmitting its own frenzy. Therefore for the sake of temperance, let not only the presbyters, but all, hasten to perform marriages. For the sin of the adulterer forces itself upon all. Thus hastening to make the brethren temperate is the first almsgiving; for it is a healing of the soul; for the nourishment of the body is a rest. Nevertheless, if you love your brethren, you will take nothing from them, but will share what you have.

For you will feed the hungry, provide drink for the thirsty, clothe the naked, visit the sick, help those in prison as you are able, gladly receive strangers into your own dwellings, and hate no one. As for how you must be pious, your own mind will teach you, being well-disposed. But above all (if I must tell you), assemble more frequently, if possible hourly, at least on the appointed days of assembly. For if you do this, you are within walls of sanctuary; for the beginning of ruin is disorder. Therefore let no one, on the pretext of ill feeling toward a brother, absent himself from gathering together. For if any of you is absent from the assembly, he will be counted among those who scatter Christ's church and will be punished as one who has acted against Christ's disciples. He will be cast out with adulterers. For just as an adulterer, by the spirit within him, on some pretext separated himself and gave the evil one room against him to snatch a sheep found outside the fold, so also will he be. Moreover, listen to your bishop and do not grow weary of showing him every honor, knowing that what is offered to him is borne to Christ, and from Christ is carried up to God, and is repaid manifold to the one who offered it. Therefore honor the throne of Christ; for you were commanded to honor even the seat of Moses, even if those who sit before you are thought to be sinners. And these things have been said to you sufficiently; but to him, how to live blamelessly, I consider it superfluous to say, since he is a proven disciple of the one who also taught me. However, brothers, some things you ought not to wait to hear, but to understand what is reasonable even by yourselves.

Zacchaeus alone has given himself entirely to you, having a stomach and not having leisure for himself, how can he provide the necessary food? Is it not reasonable for all of you to take thought for his living, not waiting for him to ask you? For that would be the act of a beggar; rather, he would die of hunger than submit to doing this. How then will you not be held accountable, not considering that "the worker is worthy of his wages"? And let no one say: "So then, the word given freely is sold?" Far from it. For if someone who has the means to live should receive, that person sells the word; but if someone who does not have the means to live receives food for the sake of living, as also the Lord received at dinners and from friends, having nothing and then having everything, he does not sin. Accordingly, then, honor the presbyters, catechists, useful deacons, widows who have lived well, orphans as children of the church; but also, whenever there is need of some resource for something necessary, all of you together contribute. Be pious toward one another, not hesitating to endure anything whatsoever for the sake of your own salvation. And having said this, he laid his hand on Zacchaeus, saying: Master and Lord of all, the Father and God, do you preserve the shepherd with the flock. You are the occasion, you are the power. We are the ones helped, "you are the helper," "the physician," "the savior," "the wall," life, "the hope," "the refuge," joy, expectation, rest, (to sum up) you are everything to us. For eternal existence of salvation, cooperate, save, guard. You can do everything. For you are the ruler of rulers and lord of lords, master of kings.

You give authority to the one who presides to loose what must be loosed and to bind what must be bound, you give wisdom; you, as through an instrument, through him, preserve the church of your Christ as a beautiful bride. For yours is eternal glory, a hymn of Father and Son and Holy Spirit for all eternity. Amen. And having said this, after these things he said: "All who wish to be baptized, from tomorrow begin to fast and each day receive the laying on of hands and inquire about what you wish. For I wish to remain with you for ten more days." And after three days, having begun to baptize, he called me and Aquila and Nicetas and said: "Intending to set out for Tyre after seven days, I wish you to go from here, secretly lodging with the Canaanite woman Berenice, daughter of Justa, and from her, having learned accurately the matters concerning Simon, to write to me. For it greatly helps me, so that I may prepare myself against him. Therefore, go from here in peace." And indeed, having left him baptizing, as he commanded, we preceded him to Tyre of Phoenicia.

Leaving Caesarea Stratonis, I, Clement, together with Nicetas and Aquila, entered Tyre of Phoenicia, and by the command of Peter who sent us, we were entertained by Bernice, daughter of Justa the Canaanite woman, who received us most gladly, and, striving with great honor toward me and with affection toward Aquila and Nicetas, she showed kindness, freely speaking with joy as one familiar, and eagerly pressed us to attend to the care of the body. Seeing, then, that she allowed us only a brief delay, I said, "You do rightly in hastening to fulfill the duties of love. But the fear of our God must be preferred to this. For we are anxious, having a struggle for many souls, to prefer their salvation to our own rest. For we learn that Simon the Magician, having been defeated in the disputation at Caesarea against our lord Peter, immediately fled and is here committing many evils. For, slandering Peter contrary to the truth to all his opponents, he seizes the souls of the many. For being himself a magician, he calls that one a magician, and being himself a deceiver, he denounces that one as a deceiver, and having suffered defeat in the disputations before all and having fled, he himself claims to have conquered, and he more frequently commands that Peter not be listened to, as if caring lest they be bewitched by a terrible magician. Having learned these things, then, our lord Peter sent us ahead to be investigators of what was reported to him, so that, if it were so, when we wrote, he himself might learn and, coming, refute him in the very presence of those before whom he slandered him.

Since, then, the danger to many souls lies before us, for this reason, having neglected for a short time the rest of our body, we wish to learn from you, who dwell here, without falsehood, whether what we have heard is true; and you would now tell us each thing. And Bernice, being asked, said: These things are so as you have heard, but hear the other things concerning Simon himself, which perhaps you do not know: for he makes phantasms and apparitions appear in the middle of the marketplace by day, striking the whole city with awe, and as he proceeds, statues move and many shadows precede him, which he says are the very souls of the dead. And many who attempted to refute him as a sorcerer, having reconciled them to himself, then later, under the pretext of a feast, having sacrificed an ox and feasted them, he afflicted them with various diseases and subjected them to demons, and (to say not many things) having harmed many, he was supposed to be a god, in addition to being fearsome, and has been honored. Hence I do not think anyone will be able to extinguish such a fire that has been kindled. For no one doubts what he proclaims, but each one affirms that it is so. Therefore, for the sake of your not being in danger, I beg you to undertake nothing against him until Peter comes, who alone will be able to contend against such power (being the most approved disciple of our Lord Jesus Christ). For I so fear the man that, if not also at another time to my lord Peter, I have spoken.

the one who was worsted in the debate carried off the lesser share, I would have advised you to persuade Peter himself not to attempt to contend with Simon. And I said, "Our lord Peter, if he were ignorant that he alone prevails over that man's power, he would not, when sending us forth, have commanded us to learn secretly the matters concerning Simon and write to him." Nevertheless, since evening had overtaken us, we partook of salt and slept. At dawn, a certain person familiar with Bernice came and said that Simon had sailed to Sidon, but had left behind of his disciples Appion the Pleistonices, a man of Alexandria, a grammarian by profession, whom I recognized as a friend of my father, and Annubion the Diospolite, an astrologer, and Athenodorus the Athenian, who adhered to the doctrine of Epicurus. And we, having learned the matters concerning Simon, wrote everything at dawn and sent it to Peter, and then turned to a walk. And Appion met us, not only with the two aforementioned companions, but also with about thirty other men. And as soon as he saw me, he greeted and kissed me, and said, "This is Clement, about whom I have spoken much to you concerning his nobility and liberality, that being a man of the lineage of Tiberius Caesar and trained in all Greek learning, he has been deceived by some barbarian, by name Peter, into doing and saying the things of the Jews. Hence I ask you to join with me in correcting him. And I inquire of him in your presence. Let him tell me, since he thinks he has devoted himself to piety, how he does not commit the greatest impiety by abandoning his ancestral customs and turning to barbarian practices." And I answered,

I accept your good intention toward me, but I reject your ignorance. For the intention is good, because you wish me to be among those things which you consider good; but the knowledge, not being correct, strives to ambush under the pretext of friendship. And Appion said: "Does it seem to you ignorance to guard ancestral customs and to think the things of the Greeks?" And I answered: "One who chooses to be pious must not by all means guard ancestral customs, but must guard them if they are pious, and reject them if they happen to be impious. For it is possible that someone, being the son of an impious father and wishing to be pious, may not wish to follow the father's ways." And Appion answered: "What then? Did you say that your father was of an evil life?" And I said: "He was not of an evil life, but of an evil opinion." And Appion said: "What was his evil supposition? I wish to hear." And I said: "That he believed the false and evil myths of the Greeks." And Appion inquired: "What are these false and evil myths of the Greeks?" And I said: "The incorrect opinion concerning the gods, which, if you are patient, you will hear along with the lovers of learning. Therefore, before the discussions, let us now withdraw to some quieter place; there I will discourse with you. And the reason why I wish to speak privately is this, because not the many, nor even all who philosophize, approach the judgment of realities genuinely. For we know that many even of those who think highly of philosophy are vainglorious or have put on the philosopher's cloak for the sake of gain, and not for the sake of virtue itself; who, if they do not find...

because of which they philosophize, they turn to mockery. So on account of such men, let us select a suitable place for private conversation. And one among them, a wealthy man who owned a place around himself full of all kinds of leaves, said: Since the heat is very intense, let us withdraw a little from the city into my gardens. And proceeding, they sat down where there was pure, cool water and the green shade of all kinds of trees. There I gladly sat down, and the rest around me, and being silent, instead of the voice they were about to demand of me, they were manifest by gazing at me, demanding the proof of the promise. And so I began to speak thus: There is a great difference, O Greek men, between truth and custom. For truth, when genuinely sought, is found; but custom, whatever it may be received as, whether true or false, is confirmed by itself without judgment, and the one who receives it is neither pleased if it is true nor distressed if it is false. For such a one has believed not by judgment but by preconception, having entrusted his own hope to the opinion of those before him on an uncertain chance. And it is not easy to strip off the ancestral garment, even if it is shown to him to be foolish and ridiculous. At once, then, I say that the whole education of the Greeks is the most grievous foundation of an evil demon. For some of them have introduced many gods, and these evil and subject to all passions, so that he who wishes to do similar things may not be ashamed (which is proper to a human), having as an example the evil and unseemly lives of the mythologized gods.

Such a person shows that he is not even ashamed, nor does he have any hope of repentance. Others have introduced fate, the so-called genesis, according to which no one is able to suffer or do anything. This, then, is likewise the same as the first: for if someone thinks that no one can suffer or do anything contrary to genesis, he readily comes to sin—and having sinned, he does not repent of his impieties, offering the excuse that he was compelled to do these things by genesis—and since he cannot correct genesis, he does not even have shame for his transgressions. Others introduce an unprovidential motion, as if all things are carried around spontaneously, with no master presiding. To hold these opinions, as we have said, is the most grievous of all beliefs. For, as if there is no one presiding and providing and assigning to each according to merit, they easily do whatever they can because of their lack of fear. Hence those who hold such views are not easily (or perhaps not at all) brought to their senses; for they do not foresee the danger that awaits them. The teaching of the (as you call them) barbarian Jews is most pious, introducing one father and creator of this universe, good and just by nature: good in that he grants forgiveness of sins to those who repent, just in that he pursues each one who does not repent according to the merit of their deeds. This teaching, even if it happens to be a myth, being pious would not be unprofitable for life. For each person, in expectation of being judged by the all-seeing God, takes more impulse toward self-control.

If this account were true, it would have released the one who has lived temperately from eternal punishment, and would have benefited those who partake of the eternal and ineffable goods that come from God. But I return to the foremost opinion of the Greeks, which mythologizes that there are many and all-suffering gods. And so that I may not spend much time on safe matters, recounting the impious deeds of each of the so-called gods, I would not mention all their loves—those of Zeus and Poseidon, of Pluto and Apollo, of Dionysus and Heracles, and of each one individually, which you yourselves, being of Greek education, do not ignore from the lives you were taught, so that as emulators of the gods you might do similar things—but I will begin from the most kingly Zeus himself, whose father Cronus (as you say) swallowed his own children, and with the adamantine sickle reaped the genitals of his father Uranus, thus showing to those who emulate the mysteries of the gods a pattern of piety toward parents and affection toward children. And Zeus himself, having bound his own father, confined him in Tartarus and punishes the other gods. And for those who wish to commit unspeakable acts, he begot Metis and swallowed her; but Metis was a woman, for it is impossible to swallow an infant. And as a defense for pederasts, he abducts Ganymede. And as an aid to adulterers in adultery, he himself is often found to be an adulterer. And he incites brother-seduction by consorting with his sisters, Hera and Demeter and the heavenly Aphrodite, whom some call Dodone.

For those who wish to have intercourse with their daughters, Zeus having consorted with Persephone becomes a wicked example from the myths. He has committed countless other impieties, so that by the impious, on account of his excessive intemperance, the myth might be dogmatized as a god. For private individuals it is reasonable to be moderately indignant about such opinions, but for those who come from education, what need is there even to say? Some of them, grammarians and sophists, who claim to be worthy, affirm that such actions are worthy of the gods. For they themselves, being intemperate, having seized this mythical pretext, as if imitators of the better ones, commit shameless acts with boldness. For this reason, those who live in the country sin much less than they, not having been wickedly introduced through the means by which those who dare these things were introduced, having learned impiety from a bad education. For those who from childhood learn letters through such myths, while the soul is still tender, grow the impious deeds of the so-called gods into their own mind. Hence, when their age increases, as evil seeds sown in the soul, they bring them to fruition. And the most grievous thing of all is that it is not easy to cut out the rooted impieties, when to them, having become men, they seem to be difficult. For in whatever each is habituated from childhood, he delights to abide in them, and thus, with habit being not much less powerful than nature, they become difficult to change towards the goods not sown in their soul from the beginning. Therefore it is necessary that the young not be trained in corrupting studies, and that those in their prime carefully refrain from listening to Greek mythology.

For their teachings are far worse than ignorance, as we demonstrated from the fact that those dwelling in the countryside, because they have not been educated in Greek ways, sin less. One must flee such myths of theirs, and their theaters and their books—would that it were possible also to flee their cities. For they are full of evil teachings and breathe them out upon those who associate with them, like madness they transmit to those nearby what they themselves have suffered. And the most grievous thing is that whoever among them is more educated is far more perverted from thinking according to nature. Some among them who even claim to be philosophers set such sins as indifferent and call those who are distressed at such actions foolish. For such things are not, they say, sins by nature, but are forbidden by positive laws laid down by the wise men of old, because they knew that men, with their unstable soul, being greatly vexed at such things, take up war against each other; for which reason the wise, having established law, forbade such things as sins. But it is ridiculous to suppose this. For how are they not sins, when they are causes of uproars, murders, and every kind of turmoil? Or do not adulteries give rise to the ruin of lives, the overthrow of households, sorceries, deceptions, destitutions, and many other evils? But why, he says, if a man is ignorant that his own wife is being adulterated, does he not become jealous, not become angry, not raise an uproar, not go to war? Thus such things are not evil by nature, but the irrational opinion of men makes them terrible.

I say that, even if these terrible things do not happen, it is possible that through familiarity with the adulterer or the husband a woman may leave her husband, or even while living with him may plot against him, or provide the adulterer with goods procured by her husband's labor, and while her husband is away, having conceived from the adulterer, out of shame at being found out, may wish to destroy the child in her womb and become a child-killer, or in destroying it may herself be destroyed. And if, while her husband is present, she conceives from an adulterer and gives birth, the child, when grown, does not know his father, but considers as father one who is not, and thus the one who is not the father, upon dying, leaves his own property to another's child. And how many other evils naturally arise from adultery. And we do not know the hidden evils. For just as a rabid dog kills those it bites, transmitting the most invisible rabies, so also the hidden evil of adultery, even if unknown, works the destruction of the lineage. But let this be set aside for now; we all know this, that generally men are unrestrainedly angered by this, and wars have been stirred up over it, and households have been overturned, and cities captured, and countless other things. For this reason I fled to the holy God and law of the Jews, having rendered my faith with secure judgment, because from the just judgment of God both law is ordained and the soul everywhere receives what it deserves according to its deeds.

When I said this, Appion countered my argument: "What then? Do not the laws of the Greeks also forbid evil and punish adulterers?" And I said: "Then the Greek gods, having done the opposite of the laws, owe punishment. How can I discipline myself when I suppose that the gods themselves first committed all terrible things along with adultery and have not paid the penalty, when they ought rather to pay it as not being slaves to desire? But if they were subject to it, how were they gods?" And Appion said: "Let them be for us not gods but watchmen, the judges at whom we look and be afraid to sin." And I said: "It is not the same, Appion. For one who has a human as his watchman will dare to sin in hope of escaping notice, but one who has defined an all-seeing god in his own soul, knowing that he cannot escape his notice, will forgo sinning in secret." Hearing this, Appion said: "I knew from the time I heard you conversing with the Jews that your mind had changed. For it is well said by someone: 'Good manners are corrupted by evil company.'" And I said: "Then useless manners are corrected by good company." And Appion said: "Today I have been fully convinced to recognize your obstinacy, therefore we allowed you to speak first. But tomorrow here, if it pleases you, with the same friends gathered, I will demonstrate that our gods are neither adulterers nor murderers nor corrupters of children, nor have they approached sisters or daughters, but that the ancients, wishing only the lovers of learning to know the mysteries, veiled them with the myths you have recounted.

They say that Zênas is the boiling substance in their physical philosophy, and Kronos is time, and Rhea is the ever-flowing nature of water. But as I promised, tomorrow at dawn, when you gather, I will allegorize each form and reveal the truth of reality. And I said to this: "Do as you promised tomorrow; but now, even before what you are about to say, listen. If the deeds of the gods are good but were concealed by evil myths, great is the wickedness of the one who covered them, because he hid the noble things in evil narratives so that no one would become an emulator of them; but if they truly committed impious acts, the opposite should have been done—they should have been covered with good stories, so that people, looking to their betters, would not attempt to commit similar sins." When I said this, those present were clearly beginning to feel affection for the words I had spoken. For they kept earnestly and insistently asking me to come the next day without fail, and then they departed. On the following day in Tyre, as we had agreed, I came to the quiet place. Seeing and greeting the others, along with some additional people, but not seeing Appion, I asked the reason for his absence. Someone said that his body had been unwell since that evening. When I said it was reasonable to go immediately to visit him, nearly all of them asked me to speak to them first, and then afterward we could visit him. So, with all of one mind, I began to speak.

Yesterday, when I departed from there, friends, I confess that I was so anxious about the coming debate with Appion that I could not get any sleep. While I lay awake, the things that had been contrived against him by me in Rome came into my mind. They were as follows. From childhood I, Clement, being a lover of truth and seeking what is beneficial for the soul, and spending my time in refutations and confirmations, and being unable to find anything perfect, was driven by distress into illness. And while I was lying sick, Appion arrived in Rome, being a friend of my father's, and he lodged with me, and learning that I was bedridden, he came to me, as one not uninitiated in medicine, and asked the cause of my confinement. I, knowing that the man was very hostile to the Jews, having even written many books against them, and that Simon himself now did not receive him into friendship out of love of learning, but because he knew him to be a Samaritan and a hater of Jews who had come forward against the Jews, and for this reason he had attached him to himself, so that he might be able to learn something from him against the Jews—I, knowing these things about Appion, as soon as he asked the cause of my illness, answered feignedly that I was suffering the passions of youth and was pained in my soul. He said to this: "Child, speak boldly as to a father; tell me what is the sickness of your soul?" And when I again sighed feignedly, as if ashamed to speak of love, I gave the impression by my silence and by looking down of what I wished to indicate. And he, truly persuaded that I was in love with a woman, said: "There is nothing in life that cannot obtain help.

For when I myself was young, having fallen in love with a most worthy woman, I considered it not only impossible to obtain her, but I never even hoped to address her. Yet, having chanced upon an Egyptian who was thoroughly versed in the arts of the magi, and having become his friend, I revealed my love to him. He not only offered himself for everything I desired, but, being more generously ambitious on my behalf, he did not begrudge teaching me the incantation through which I succeeded. And, persuaded by his secret instruction, trusting in the generosity of my teacher, and having once succeeded, I ceased from my love. Therefore, if you too have suffered something of this sort in a human way, take courage from us for freedom from anxiety; for within seven days I will certainly cause you to obtain her. Hearing this, I, looking to my own purpose, said: Pardon me for not entirely believing that magic exists; for I have already experienced many who promise many things and are deceived. Yet your promise both shames me and leads me to hopes. But I am afraid, reflecting lest the demons sometimes do not yield to the magi in the things commanded. And Appion said: Allow me to know these things better than you. Yet, so that you may not seem to have heard nothing from me regarding what you said, learn how the demons are compelled to yield to the magi concerning what they are commanded. For just as it is impossible for a soldier to contradict his commander, and for the commanders themselves to disobey the king (for if anyone contradicts those set over them, he is certainly deemed worthy of punishment), so it is impossible for the demons not to serve those who are set over them, the angels.

against whom, when adjured, they shudder and yield, knowing well that if they disobey they will certainly be punished. But even the angels themselves, when adjured by magicians against the stronger one, yield, lest being judged for disobedience they perish. For if all animate and rational beings did not foresee the punishment from the stronger one, confusion would have arisen, with all things revolting against each other. And I said: "Then are the things said by poets and philosophers correct, that in Hades the souls of the impious, after being judged for what they dared, are punished, such as Ixion and Tantalus, Tityus and Sisyphus, and the daughters of Danaüs, and all others who ever committed impiety here? And how, if these things are not so, can magic exist?" And when he said that things in Hades are thus, I asked: "Why then are we ourselves not afraid of magic, being convinced of punishment in Hades? For I do not agree that it is right to force an unwilling woman by magic. But if someone promises to persuade her, I am ready for this, even to acknowledge gratitude." And Appion said: "Does it seem to you the same thing, whether you obtain her by magic or persuade her with words?" And I said: "Not at all the same; for each is far removed from the other. For the one who, having forced a woman who heard him, compels her by the violence of magic, as one who plotted against a chaste woman, undergoes the most severe punishment; but the one who persuades with words and makes the choice depend on her own authority and will did not force her. I think the one who persuades will be punished less than the one who forces. Therefore, if you can persuade, I will be grateful for success; otherwise, I would rather die than forcibly compel an unwilling woman.

And Appion, truly perplexed, said: "What must I say to you? For at one time, as if troubled by love, you pray to succeed, and at another, as if not loving, you prefer fear to desire. And you think that if you persuade, you will be sinless and blameless, but if you succeed by force of magic, you will pay the penalty. But you are ignorant that the outcome of every matter is judged by what has happened, not how it happened is examined. And if you commit adultery, will you not be judged as impious if you succeed by magic, but be released from the sin of adultery if you persuade?" And I said: "Because I am in love, it is necessary for me to choose one of the two, to obtain the object of my desire; and I will choose, if possible, to flatter rather than to use magic. But it is not easy to persuade her even by flattery, for the woman is very philosophical." And Appion said: "I am more hopeful that I will be able to persuade her as you wish, if only we can converse with her." And I answered: "It is impossible." And Appion asked if it was possible to write to her. And I said: "That is possible." And Appion said: "This very night I will compose a book, an encomium of adultery, which you, taking from me, will send to her, and I hope that, persuaded, she will agree." And Appion, having composed that book, gave it to me, concerning which I reflected this very night and remembered that I had it conveniently with other books which I carry with me. And having related these things, I showed the book to those present, and to those wishing to hear, I read it, and having read it, I said: "This, men, is the education of the Greeks, having a noble subject for sinning without fear.

The book was written as follows: "The lover to the beloved (anonymously, because of the laws of foolish men) sends greetings by the commands of Eros, the most ancient child of all. I have learned that you devote yourself to philosophy and, for the sake of virtue, emulate the life of the better ones. And who would be better than the gods of all, and among men, the philosophers? For these alone know which deeds are by nature evil or good, and which are considered so by the imposition of laws, not being so in reality. For instance, what is called adultery some have supposed to be an evil act, although it is in every respect good; for it occurs for the sake of the multiplication of life, by the commands of Eros. And Eros is the most ancient of all gods; for without Eros, no mixing or generation of elements, of gods, of men, of irrational animals, or of all the rest can take place. For we are all instruments of Eros. And he himself, the craftsman working through us, dwelling in the souls of everything that is born, is mind. Hence it is not by our own will, but when we are commanded by him, that we desire to do his will. And if, by his will, we desire, and then for the sake of what is called temperance we attempt to restrain the desire, how shall we not commit the greatest impiety by opposing the most ancient of all gods and men? But let all doors be opened to him, and let all vexatious and conventional laws be dissolved, laws established for jealous men, who, being mastered by folly and unwilling to perceive what is reasonable, and moreover suspicious of so-called adulterers, are justly mocked by the laws established through Minos and Rhadamanthus by Zeus himself.

For Eros, when he has taken up residence in souls, cannot be restrained. For the passion of lovers is not voluntary. Indeed, Zeus himself, the very lawgiver of these matters, consorted with countless women; and by some wise men his union was conceived as a benefaction for the procreation of children, his gift of himself to mortals; but among those where he knew his favor was unrecognized, he transformed his form, so as neither to grieve them nor to appear to oppose the laws he himself had established. Therefore, for the sake of a good life, one must, by attending to philosophy, imitate those who are acknowledged as superior, whose unions have been countless. And in order not to waste time idly on further demonstrations, I shall begin from Zeus himself, the father of gods and men, to indicate some of his unions; for it is impossible to recall all of them on account of their multitude. Listen, then, to great Zeus himself, who, because of the jealousy of foolish men, concealed his unions through transformation. For first, wishing to resolve for the wise the supposed sin of adultery in indifferent intercourse, when he was about to marry and, as on a first bed, knowing he would not become an adulterer in the eyes of the many, he procured a sinless marriage through the apparent sin (as I said). For he married Hera, who was his sister, having taken the form of a cuckoo's wing; from her were born Hebe and Eileithyia. He gives birth to Metis without any union with another, just as Hera bore Hephaestus. Moreover, he unites with his sister, born to him from Uranus and Thalassa from the castration of Cronus, from whom come Eros and Cypris, whom they also call Dodone.

He also mingles with Antiope, daughter of Nycteus, having likened himself to a satyr, from whom Amphion and Zethus were born. And he consorts with Alcmene, wife of Amphitryon, having made himself like Amphitryon her husband, from whom Heracles was born. And he approaches Aegina, daughter of Asopus, having become an eagle, from whom Aeacus is born. And he lies with Amalthea, daughter of Phocus, having likened himself to a bear. And he flowed as gold upon Danae, daughter of Acrisius, from whom Perseus sprang forth. He was made a lion for Callisto, daughter of Lycaon, and she bears another, Arcas. He came together with Europa, daughter of Phoenix, through a bull, from whom Minos, Rhadamanthys, and Sarpedon sprang forth. He became an ant for Eurymedusa, daughter of Achelous, from whom Myrmidon. For a nymph of Herseus, having become a vulture, from whom the wise men of old in Sicily. He came together with Hema, the earthborn, in Rhodes through a shower, from whom Spartaeus, Cronius, and Cytus. He wedded Cassiepeia, having likened himself to her husband Phoenix, from whom Anchinoos sprang forth from her. For Nemesis, daughter of Thestius, also thought to be Leda, having become a swan or a goose, he fathered Helen, and again having become a star, he brought forth Castor and Polydeuces. He transformed himself into a hoopoe for Lamia. For Mnemosyne, having likened himself to a shepherd, he makes her mother of the Muses. He marries Semele, daughter of Cadmus, as a firebrand, from whom he produces Dionysus. He himself weds Persephone, his own daughter, having likened himself to a serpent, she who is also thought to be the wife of his brother Pluto.

and he mingles with many others even without transformation, the husbands not being jealous as if of adultery, but knowing well that he shares their wives ungrudgingly and begets, granting them Hermeses, Apollos, Dionysuses, Endymions, and all the others we have mentioned, who are most distinguished in beauty from his union. And so that I may not waste time on an endless account, you will find that all the gods with Zeus have ungrudging unions, but the foolish call them adulteries of the gods, who do not even refrain from unions with males as shameful, but practice even this as seemly. For instance, Zeus himself loves Ganymede, Poseidon loves Pelops, Apollo loves Cinyras, Zacynthus, Hyacinthus, Phorbas, Hylas, Admetus, Cyparissus, Amyclas, Troilus, Branchus, Tymnaius, Parus, Potnieus, Orpheus; Dionysus loves Adonis, Ampelus, Hymenaeus, Hermaphroditus, Achilles; Asclepius loves Hippolytus; Hephaestus loves Peleus; Pan loves Daphnis; Hermes loves Perseus, Chrysus, Therus, Odrysus; Heracles loves Abderus.

s, Dryops, Iocastus, Philoctetes, Hylas, Polyphemus, Hymon, Chonus, Eurystheus. I have therefore set before you, dearest, the loves of the more notable gods in part, so that you may know that jealousy concerning this matter arises only among foolish humans. Hence they are mortal and live their lives in distress, because what the gods have deemed good, they themselves, through their own jealousy, have declared to be evil. You will therefore be blessed in future by imitating gods and not humans. For humans, seeing you preserve what is considered chastity, praise you because of their own passion, but do not benefit you; but the gods, seeing you made like themselves, will both praise and benefit you. Consider, for example, how many lovers they have rewarded, some of whom they have placed among the stars, and others whose children and helpers they have benefited. At once, then, Zeus placed Callisto among the stars, the so-called Little Bear, which some also call the Dog's Tail. Poseidon placed Delphinus in the sky for Amphitrite, and deemed Orion, the son of Euryale of Minos, worthy of the stars for Euryale, the mother of the stars. Dionysus placed the crown of Ariadne. Zeus placed the eagle that assisted in the abduction of Ganymede, and Ganymede himself in the honor of Aquarius, and honored the bull for Europa. Moreover, he made Castor, Polydeuces, and Helen stars as a favor to Leda, and Perseus for Danaë, and Arcas for Callisto, the Virgin also called Justice for Themis, and Heracles for Alcmene. And I shall no longer prolong this.

It would be tedious to enumerate in detail how many other men the gods have benefited through their many love affairs in their unions with humans—unions which the foolish forbid as evil deeds, not knowing that pleasure is the great enjoyment among humans. What then? Do not even the renowned among the wise prefer pleasure and consort with those they desire? First among them is the teacher of Greece, concerning whom Phoebus himself said, "Of all men, Socrates is the wisest." Does he not, in the most well-governed city, Lacedaemon, propose that women be held in common, and conceal the beautiful Alcibiades under his cloak? And the Socratic Antisthenes writes that so-called adultery should not be rejected. But also his disciple Diogenes of Sinope—does he not, for no wage, but to carry her on his shoulders, consort publicly with a woman with full freedom? Does not Epicurus prefer pleasure? Does not Aristippus, anointed all over, offer himself to Aphrodite? Does not Zeno, hinting at indifference, say that the divine is present in all things, so that it may be known to the wise, that with whomever one consorts, one consorts as with oneself, and that it is superfluous to forbid so-called adulteries or unions with mother, daughter, sister, or children? And Chrysippus, in his erotic letters, mentions the image at Argos, placing the face of Hera beside the phallus of Zeus. I know that these things appear fearful and most shameful to those uninitiated in truth, but not to the gods and philosophers of the Greeks, nor to the mysteries of Dionysus and Demeter.