| << | Contents | >> |
ANF Pseudo-Clementine The Clementine Homilies
Then I said: “If our lord Peter did not know that he himself alone can prevail against this power, he would not have sent us before him with orders to get information secretly concerning Simon, and to write to him.” Then, as evening had come on, we took supper,[1032] and went to sleep. But in the morning, one of Bernice’s friends came and said that Simon had set sail for Sidon, and that he had left behind him Appion Pleistonices,[1033]—a man of Alexandria, a grammarian by profession, whom I knew as being a friend of my father; and a certain astrologer, Annubion the Diospolitan, and Athenodorus the Athenian, attached to the doctrine of Epicurus. And we, having learned these things concerning Simon, in the morning wrote and despatched a letter to Peter, and went to take a walk.
And Appion met us, not only with the two companions just named, but with about thirty other men. And as soon as he saw me, he saluted and kissed me, and said, “This is Clement, of whose noble birth and liberal education I have often told you; for he, being related to the family of Tiberius Cæsar, and equipped with all Grecian learning, has been seduced by a certain barbarian called Peter to speak and act after the manner of the Jews. Wherefore I beg of you to strive together with me for the setting of him right. And in your presence I now ask him. Let him tell me, since he thinks that he has devoted himself to piety, whether he is not acting most impiously, in forsaking the customs of his country, and falling away to those of the barbarians.”
I answered: “I accept, indeed, your kindly affection towards me, but I take exception to your ignorance. For your affection is kindly, because you wish to continue in those customs which you consider to be good. But your inaccurate knowledge strives to lay a snare for me, under the guise of friendship.” Then said Appion: “Does it seem to you to be ignorance, that one should observe the customs of his fathers, and judge after the manner of the Greeks?” Then I answered: “It behoves one who desires to be pious not altogether to observe the customs of his fathers; but to observe them if they be pious, and to shake them off if they be impious. For it is possible that one who is the son of an impious father, if he wishes to be pious, should not desire to follow the religion of his father.”[1034] Then answered Appion: “What then? Do you say that your father was a man of an evil life?” Then said I: “He was not of an evil life, but of an evil opinion.” Then Appion: “I should like to know what was his evil apprehension.” Then said I: “Because he believed the false and wicked myths of the Greeks.” Then Appion asked: “What are these false and evil myths of the Greeks?” Then I said: “The wrong opinion concerning the gods, which, if you will bear with me, you shall hear, with those who are desirous to learn.
“Wherefore, before beginning our conversation, let us now withdraw into some quieter place, and there I shall converse with you. And the reason why I wish to speak privately is this, because neither the multitude, nor even all the philosophers, approach honestly to the judgment of things as they are. For we know many, even of those who pride themselves on their philosophy, who are vainglorious, or who have put on the philosopher’s robe for the sake of gain, and not for the sake of virtue itself; and they, if they do not find that for which they take to philosophy, turn to mockery. Therefore, on account of such as these, let us choose some place fit for private conference.”
And a certain one amongst them—a rich man, and possessing a garden of evergreen plants[1035]—said: “Since it is very hot, let us retire for a little from the city to my gardens.” Accordingly they went forth, and sat down in a place where there were pure streams of cool water, and a green shade of all sorts of trees. There I sat pleasantly, and the others round about me; and they being silent, instead of a verbal request made to me, showed by their eager looks to me that they required the proof of my assertion. And therefore I proceeded to speak thus:—
Search Comments
This page has been visited 0001 times.
| << | Contents | >> |
10 per page