The Instructor 3.5.33
Summary: Mixed bathing exposes lust; men should set an example of modesty; we should respect others and ourselves, and above all the Word, who is present everywhere.
Greek text · Stählin 1:255–256
καὶ οἱ μὲν παλαιοὶ τῶν ἀθλητῶν γυμνὸν δεικνύναι τὸν ἄνδρα αἰδούμενοι ἐν διαζώσμασι τὴν ἀγωνίαν ἐκτελοῦντες τὸ αἰδῆμον ἐφύλαττον· αἳ δὲ ἀποδυσάμεναι ἅμα τῷ χιτῶνι καὶ τὴν αἰδῶ φαίνεσθαι μὲν βούλονται καλαί, ἄκουσαι δʼ ὁμοίως ἐλέγχονται κακαί· καὶ γὰρ διʼ αὐτοῦ καταφαίνεται μάλιστα τοῦ σώματος τὸ μάχλον τῆς ἐπιθυμίας, καθάπερ τοῖς ὑδεριῶσιν τὸ περιστεγόμενον τῆς ἐπιφανείας ὑγρόν· τὸ νοσοῦν δὲ ἀμφοῖν ἐκ τῆς ὄψεως γνωρίζεται. χρὴ τοίνυν τοὺς ἄνδρας γενναῖον ἀληθείας ὑπόδειγμα ταῖς γυναιξὶ γινομένους αἰσχύνεσθαι τὰς μετʼ αὐτῶν ἀποδύσεις καὶ φυλάττεσθαι τὰς ὄψεις τὰς ὀλισθηράς »ὁ γὰρ ἐμβλέψας«, φησί, »περιεργότερον ἤδη ἥμαρτεν.« οἴκοι μὲν οὖν τοὺς γονεῖς καὶ τοὺς οἰκέτας αἰδεῖσθαι χρή, ἐν δὲ ταῖς ὁδοῖς τοὺς ἀπαντῶντας, ἐν δὲ τοῖς λουτροῖς τὰς γυναῖκας, ἐν δὲ ταῖς ἐρημίαις ἑαυτούς, πανταχοῦ δὲ τὸν λόγον, ὅς ἐστι πανταχοῦ, καὶ »ἐγένετο ἄνευ αὐτοῦ οὐδὲ ἕν«. οὕτως γὰρ μόνως ἀπτώς τις διαμενεῖ, εἰ πάντοτε αὐτῷ συμπαρεῖναι νομίζοι τὸν θεόν.
English · Claude translation
The ancient athletes, ashamed to show a man naked, kept their modesty by competing in loincloths; but these women, putting off modesty together with their tunic, want to appear beautiful, but are unwillingly proved bad. For through the body itself the lewdness of desire is most clearly seen, as in those with dropsy the fluid held under the skin; the disease of both is recognized from their appearance. Men, then, being a noble example of truth to women, should be ashamed to strip with them and should guard against slippery looks; “for the one who looks,” it says, “too curiously has already sinned.” At home one should respect parents and servants; in the streets, those one meets; in the baths, the women; in solitude, oneself; and everywhere the Word, who is everywhere, and “without whom not one thing came to be.” For only so will one remain without falling, if he considers that God is always present with him.
About this passage
Notes
Translation notes
- The quotations are a free form of Matt 5:28 and John 1:3.
Cite this passage
Clement of Alexandria, Paed. 3.5.33 (trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/clement-paedagogus/3/5/33/).
Plain text
Clement of Alexandria, Paed. 3.5.33 (trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/clement-paedagogus/3/5/33/).
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