The writings of Clement of Alexandria, Vol. 2 (of 2)Clement, of Alexandria, Saint
Religion
The writings of Clement of Alexandria, Vol. 2 (of 2)
Clement, of Alexandria, Saint
Theology -- Early works to 1800; Theology -- History -- Early Church, ca. 30-600
Again, the Greeks relate, that in the case of a failure once of the
Etesian winds, Aristæus once sacrificed in Ceus to Isthmian Zeus.
For there was great devastation, everything being burnt up with the
heat in consequence of the winds, which had been wont to refresh the
productions of the earth, not blowing, and he easily called them back.
And at Delphi, on the expedition of Xerxes against Greece, the Pythian
priestess having made answer:
“O Delphians, pray the winds, and it will be better,”--
they having erected an altar and performed sacrifice to the winds, had
them as their helpers. For, blowing violently around Cape Sepias, they
shivered the whole preparations of the Persian expedition. Empedocles
of Agrigentum was called “Checker of Winds.” Accordingly it is said,
that when, on a time, a wind blew from the mountain of Agrigentum,
heavy and pestiferous for the inhabitants, and the cause also of
barrenness to their wives, he made the wind to cease. Wherefore he
himself writes in the lines:
“Thou shalt the might of the unwearied winds make still,
Which rushing to the earth spoil mortals’ crops,
And at thy will bring back the avenging blasts.”
And they say that he was followed by some that used divinations, and
some that had been long vexed by sore diseases.[953] They plainly,
then, believed in the performance of cures, and signs and wonders,
from our Scriptures. For if certain powers move the winds and dispense
showers, let them hear the psalmist: “How amiable are thy tabernacles,
O Lord of hosts!”[954] This is the Lord of powers, and principalities,
and authorities, of whom Moses speaks; so that we may be with Him. “And
ye shall circumcise your hard heart, and shall not harden your neck
any more. For He is Lord of lords and God of gods, the great God and
strong,”[955] and so forth. And Isaiah says, “Lift your eyes to the
height, and see who hath produced all these things.”[956]
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