The writings of Clement of Alexandria, Vol. 1 (of 2)Clement, of Alexandria, Saint
Religion
The writings of Clement of Alexandria, Vol. 1 (of 2)
Clement, of Alexandria, Saint
Theology -- Early works to 1800; Theology -- History -- Early Church, ca. 30-600
Some of these women eating mastich, going about, show their teeth to
those that come near. And others, as if they had not fingers, give
themselves airs, scratching their heads with pins; and these made
either of tortoise or ivory, or some other dead creature they procure
at much pains. And others, as if they had certain efflorescences, in
order to appear comely in the eyes of spectators, stain their faces
by adorning them with gay-coloured unguents. Such a one is called by
Solomon “a foolish and bold woman,” who “knows not shame. She sits at
the door of her house, conspicuously in a seat, calling to all that
pass by the way, who go right on their ways;” by her style and whole
life manifestly saying, “Who among you is very silly? let him turn to
me.” And those devoid of wisdom she exhorts, saying, “Touch sweetly
secret bread, and sweet stolen water;” meaning by this, clandestine
love (from this point the Bœotian Pindar, coming to our help, says,
“The clandestine pursuit of love is something sweet”). But the
miserable man “knoweth not that the sons of earth perish beside her,
and that she tends to the level of hell.” But says the Instructor:
“Hie away, and tarry not in the place; nor fix thine eye on her: for
thus shalt thou pass over a strange water, and cross to Acheron.”[727]
Wherefore thus saith the Lord by Isaiah, “Because the daughters of Sion
walk with lofty neck, and with winkings of the eyes, and sweeping their
garments as they walk, and playing with their feet; the Lord shall
humble the daughters of Sion, and will uncover their form”[728]--their
deformed form. I deem it wrong that servant girls, who follow women
of high rank, should either speak or act unbecomingly to them. But I
think it right that they should be corrected by their mistresses. With
very sharp censure, accordingly, the comic poet Philemon says: “You may
follow at the back of a pretty servant girl, seen behind a gentlewoman;
and any one from the Platæicum may follow close, and ogle her.” For
the wantonness of the servant recoils on the mistress; allowing those
who attempt to take lesser liberties not to be afraid to advance to
greater; since the mistress, by allowing improprieties, shows that
she does not disapprove of them. And not to be angry at those who act
wantonly, is a clear proof of a disposition inclining to the like. “For
like mistress like wench,”[729] as they say in the proverb.
_Walking._
Also we must abandon a furious mode of walking, and choose a grave and
leisurely, but not a lingering step.
Nor is one to swagger in the ways, nor throw back his head to look at
those he meets, if they look at him, as if he were strutting on the
stage, and pointed at with the finger. Nor, when pushing up hill, are
they to be shoved up by their domestics, as we see those that are more
luxurious, who appear strong, but are enfeebled by effeminacy of soul.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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