The Instructor 3.11.61

Summary: Hair should be cut only as needed, the moustache trimmed with scissors, and the beard left alone for its dignity; a distinctive appearance helps keep people from sinning.

Textual problem in this passage: the printed text is uncertain or disputed here. See the notes.

Greek text · Stählin 1:270–271

ἐπεὶ δὲ οὐχ ὡραϊσμοῦ χάριν ἡ κουρὰ παραληπτέα, διὰ περίστασιν δέ, τὰς μὲν τῆς κεφαλῆς τρίχας ὡς μὴ αὐξόμεναι ταῖς ὄψεσιν ἐμποδίζοιεν καταβαίνουσαι, καὶ ἴσως τὰς ἐπὶ τῷ μύστακι μολυνομένας κατὰ τὴν τροφὴν περικαρτέον, οὐ ξυρῷ (ἀγεννὲς γάρ), ἀλλὰ ταῖς δυοῖν μαχαίραις ταῖς κουρικαῖς, τὰς δὲ τοῦ γενείου μηδέν τι παραλυπούσας οὐκ ἐνοχλητέον, σεμνότητα μὲν τοῦ προσώπου καὶ κατάπληξιν γεννητικὴν * * ἐμποιούσας· πολλοὺς δὲ καὶ τὸ σχῆμα παραπαιδαγωγεῖ μὴ ἁμαρτάνειν διὰ τὸ εὐεξέλεγκτον, τοῖς δὲ ἀναφανδὸν ἁμαρτάνειν ἐθέλουσιν τὸ λανθάνον τοῦ σχήματος καὶ μὴ παράσημον ἐπιτερπέστατον, ὑφʼ ᾧ δεδυκότες οἷς ἔξεστι διʼ ἄγνοιαν πλημμελεῖν

English · Claude translation

Since cutting the hair is to be done not for beauty but out of necessity, the hair of the head should be cut so that, as it grows, it does not come down and get in the eyes; and perhaps the hair on the upper lip, which is soiled in eating, should be trimmed, not with a razor (that is ignoble) but with a pair of scissors; but the hair of the beard, which causes no trouble, should not be disturbed, since it gives the face dignity and inspires … respect. The appearance itself teaches many not to sin, because it makes them easily recognized; while for those who wish to sin boldly, an appearance that escapes notice and is not distinctive is most pleasing: slipping behind it, they can offend unrecognized,

About this passage

Source

Stählin 1:270–271 · Otto Stählin, ed., Clemens Alexandrinus, vol. 1, Protrepticus und Paedagogus, GCS 12 (Leipzig: Hinrichs, 1905) · Greek text: Otto Stählin, Clemens Alexandrinus 1: Protrepticus und Paedagogus (GCS 12, 1905), digitized by the First Thousand Years of Greek project (Open Greek and Latin), CC BY-SA 4.0

Text

As printed in Stählin, GCS 12. Manuscript variants and the editor's apparatus are not reproduced; the problem in this passage is discussed in the notes.

Translation

Claude translation (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-26 · Translated by Claude from the Greek text of Stählin (1905); made independently of existing English translations.

Compare

Ante-Nicene Fathers, vol. 2 (1885) (an older public-domain English translation, whole volume at CCEL; checked against ours only after ours was made)

Topics

Ethics

Cite this passage

Clement of Alexandria, Paed. 3.11.61 (trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/clement-paedagogus/3/11/61/).

Plain text

Clement of Alexandria, Paed. 3.11.61 (trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/clement-paedagogus/3/11/61/).

Greek text · Stählin 1:270–271

English · Claude translation

About this passage

Notes

Translation notes

Cite this passage