Reference address : https://www.ellopos.net/elpenor/greek-texts/fathers/clement-child.asp?pg=11

ELPENOR - Home of the Greek Word

Three Millennia of Greek Literature

 

Clement of Alexandria : O THE PERFECT CHILD!

from Clement's Instructor (Paedagogus), * 1.5, translated by A. Roberts and J. Donaldson.
Text in <angle brackets> added by Elpenor.
Greek Fonts, Clement of Alexandria Home Page, OnLine Resources, In Print


ELPENOR EDITIONS IN PRINT

The Original Greek New Testament
Page 11

Then it is right to notice, with respect to the appellation of infant, that to νήπιον is not predicated of the silly: for the silly man is called νηπύτιος: and νήπιος is the νεήπιος (since he that is tender - hearted is called ἤπιος), as being one that has newly become gentle and meek in Conduct. This the blessed Paul most clearly pointed out when he said, "When we might have been burdensome as the apostles of Christ, we were gentle among you, as a nurse cherisheth her children." The child is therefore gentle, and therefore more tender, delicate, and simple, guileless, and destitute of hypocrisy, straightforward and upright in mind, which is the basis of simplicity and truth. For He says, "Upon whom shall I look, but upon him who is gentle and quiet? " For such is the virgin speech, tender, and free of fraud; whence also a virgin is wont to be called "a tender bride," and a child "tender - hearted." And we are tender who are pliant to the power of persuasion, and are easily drawn to goodness, and are mild, and free of the stain of malice and perverseness, for the ancient race was perverse and hard - hearted; but the band of infants, the new people which we are, is delicate as a child. Ἐνταῦθα ἐπιστῆσαι δίκαιον τῇ προσηγορίᾳ τοῦ νηπίου͵ ὅτι οὐκ ἐπὶ ἀφρόνων τάττεται τὸ νήπιον· νηπύτιος μὲν γὰρ οὗτος͵ νήπιος δὲ ὁ νεήπιος͵ ὡς ἤπιος ὁ ἁπαλόφρων͵ οἷον ἤπιος νεωστὶ καὶ πρᾶος τῷ τρόπῳ γενόμενος. Τοῦτό τοι σαφέστατα ὁ μακάριος Παῦλος ὑπεσημήνατο εἰπὼν δυνάμενοι ἐν βάρει εἶναι ὡς Χριστοῦ ἀπόστολοι ἐγενήθημεν ἤπιοι ἐν μέσῳ ὑμῶν͵ ὡς ἂν τροφὸς θάλπῃ τὰ ἑαυτῆς τέκνα. ῎Ηπιος οὖν ὁ νήπιος καὶ ταύτῃ μᾶλλον ἀταλός͵ ἁπαλὸς καὶ ἁπλοῦς καὶ ἄδολος καὶ ἀνυπόκριτος͵ ἰθὺς τὴν γνώμην καὶ ὀρθός· τὸ δέ ἐστιν ἁπλότητος καὶ ἀληθείας ὑπόστασις. Ἐπὶ τίνα γάρ͵ φησίν͵ ἐπιβλέψω ἢ ἐπὶ τὸν πρᾶον καὶ ἡσύχιον; Τοιοῦτος γὰρ ὁ παρθένιος λόγος͵ ἁπαλὸς καὶ ἄπλαστος· διὸ καὶ τὴν παρθένον ἀταλὴν νύμφην καὶ τὸν παῖδα ἀταλάφρονα κεκλῆσθαι ἔθος͵ ἀταλοὶ δὲ ἡμεῖς οἱ ἁπαλοὶ πρὸς πειθὼ καὶ εὐέργαστοι πρὸς ἀγαθωσύνην ἄχολοί τε καὶ ἀνεπίμικτοι κακοφροσύνῃ καὶ σκολιότητι· ἡ μὲν γὰρ γενεὰ ἡ παλαιὰ σκολιὰ καὶ σκληροκάρδιος͵ χορὸς δὲ νηπίων͵ ὁ καινὸς ἡμεῖς λαός͵ τρυφερὸς ὡς παῖς.
Previous Page ||| Next Page

Three Millennia of Greek Literature

Learned Freeware

Reference address : https://www.ellopos.net/elpenor/greek-texts/fathers/clement-child.asp?pg=11