Clement of Alexandria: STROMATA (MISCELLANIES) Complete

Translated by Alexander Roberts and James Donaldson.

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Page 28

"Often a man, impeded through want of words, carries less weight

In expressing what is right, than the man of eloquence.

But now in fluent mouths the weightiest truths

They disguise, so that they do not seem what they ought to seem,"

says the tragedy. Such are these wranglers, whether they follow the sects, or practice miserable dialectic arts. These are they that "stretch the warp and weave nothing," says the Scripture; [1888] prosecuting a bootless task, which the apostle has called "cunning craftiness of men whereby they lie in wait to deceive." [1889] "For there are," he says, "many unruly and vain talkers and deceivers." [1890] Wherefore it was not said to all, "Ye are the salt of the earth." [1891] For there are some even of the hearers of the word who are like the fishes of the sea, which, reared from their birth in brine, yet need salt to dress them for food. Accordingly I wholly approve of the tragedy, when it says:--

"O son, false words can be well spoken,

And truth may be vanquished by beauty of words.

But this is not what is most correct, but nature and what is right;

He who practices eloquence is indeed wise,

But I consider deeds always better than words."

[1888] Where, nobody knows.

[1889] Eph. iv. 14.

[1890] Tit. i. 10.

[1891] Matt. v. 13.

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