Clement of Alexandria: STROMATA (MISCELLANIES), Part III, Complete

Translated by Alexander Roberts and James Donaldson.

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Page 96

Chapter V.--On the Symbols of Pythagoras.

Now the Pythagorean symbols were connected with the Barbarian philosophy in the most recondite way. For instance, the Samian counsels "not to have a swallow in the house;" that is, not to receive a loquacious, whispering, garrulous man, who cannot contain what has been communicated to him. "For the swallow, and the turtle, and the sparrows of the field, know the times of their entrance," [3008] says the Scripture; and one ought never to dwell with trifles. And the turtle-dove murmuring shows the thankless slander of fault-finding, and is rightly expelled the house.

"Don't mutter against me, sitting by one in one place, another in another." [3009]

The swallow too, which suggests the fable of Pandion, seeing it is right to detest the incidents reported of it, some of which we hear Tereus suffered, and some of which he inflicted. It pursues also the musical grasshoppers, whence he who is a persecutor of the word ought to be driven away.

"By sceptre-bearing Here, whose eye surveys Olympus,

I have a rusty closet for tongues,"

says Poetry. Aeschylus also says:--

"But, I, too, have a key as a guard on my tongue."

[3008] Jer. viii. 6.

[3009] Iliad, ix. 311.

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