Clement of Alexandria, Miscellanies 20
Just as the many men pulling a ship do not attribute the motion to many causes but to one cause arising from many — since no single person is the cause of the ship being pulled, but each works together with the others — so also philosophy, because it is a search for truth, is taken up for the attainment of truth, not as a cause of that attainment in itself, but as a cause and co-worker together with the others; perhaps it may even be called a joint cause. In the same way, because there is one happiness, the virtues are many; and because there is one truth, many things are taken up for the search for it, and the discovery comes through the Son. If we consider the matter, virtue is one in power, yet it happens to be called prudence in some contexts, temperance in others, courage or justice in still others. By the same reasoning, since truth is one, in geometry it is geometric truth, in music it is musical truth, and in correct Greek philosophy it would be Greek truth. But the only sovereign truth is the one imparted by the Son of God. We illustrate this by saying that a single drachma, given to the shipowner, is called a fare; to the tax collector, a tax; to the customs officer, a toll; to the teacher, a fee; to the seller, a pledge. Each virtue or truth, then, is a cause of its own proper effect. Through the combined use of these, however, happy living comes about; for we do not become happy because of names, but when we call the right life happiness and call the person whose soul is adorned with virtue happy.
Even if philosophy is taken up from afar for the discovery of truth, extending through different conceptions to the knowledge of truth that lies near to us, it is nevertheless taken up by the one who logically endeavors to attain a grasp of knowledge. But Greek truth is separated from our truth, even if it shares the same name. Ours surpasses it in greatness of knowledge, in more authoritative demonstration, in divine power, and in the like; for we are taught by God, truly holy writings from the Son of God, and from these the souls of men are not moved in the same way, but through a different teaching. If we must distinguish ourselves from those who love to dispute, we will say that philosophy is a joint cause and co-worker of the true attainment, since it is a search for truth, and we will confess it to be a preparatory education for the knowledgeable — not treating the joint cause as a cause in itself, nor the co-worker as a self-sufficient co-worker. For almost all have received the word about God through faith without Greek education and philosophy, having been stirred by the divine and barbarian philosophy, trained by self-working wisdom. That which acts together with another, being incomplete in itself to act, we call a co-worker and joint cause — whether because it possesses a cause or becomes a cause when it has come together with another — yet in itself it is not able to supply the true effect.
And yet philosophy once justified the Greeks in themselves, though not to general righteousness, to which it is found to be a co-worker, just as the first and second step are to the one ascending to the upper room, and the grammarian to the one who will philosophize. Nor is it the case that, if philosophy were absent, the general word would be lacking or the truth would be destroyed; for sight and hearing and voice contribute to truth, and the mind that knows it does so innately. But among the co-workers, some contribute more power, some less. For clarity co-operates in the transmission of truth, and dialectic co-operates in not falling into the heresies that pursue. The teaching according to the Savior, then, is self-sufficient and without need, being the power and wisdom of God; but Greek philosophy, when it comes alongside, does not make the truth more powerful. Instead, by providing a defense against sophistical endeavors directed at it and by warding off the deceitful plots against the truth, it is rightly said to be a fence and a hedge of the vineyard. And the truth that comes through faith is like bread, necessary for life, while philosophy is like a side dish and a snack, a sweet dessert at the end of dinner, according to the Theban Pindar.
But the Scripture has spoken plainly: 'The cunning one will become innocent, understanding; and the wise one will accept knowledge' (Prov 10:9). And 'the one who speaks from himself seeks his own glory, but the one who seeks the glory of the one who sent him is true, and there is no unrighteousness in him' (John 7:18). On the contrary, the one who has seized the things of the barbarians and boasts of them as his own, increasing his own glory and lying about the truth — this one is called a thief by the Scripture. For it says: 'Son, do not become a liar; for lying leads to theft.' And the thief, then, has truly stolen, whether it is gold or silver or word or doctrine. Therefore, from the part they have stolen, they know the truth, but only in a conjectural way and according to the necessities of words. Having become disciples, then, they will know in a comprehensive way.
Greek
Ὡς δὲ οἱ πολλοὶ ἄνθρωποι οἱ καθέλκοντες τὴν ναῦν οὐ πολλὰ αἴτια λέγοιντ’ ἄν, ἀλλ’ ἐκ πολλῶν αἴτιον ἕν (οὐκ ἔστι γὰρ αἴτιος ἕκαστος τοῦ καθέλκεσθαι τὴν ναῦν, ἀλλὰ σὺν τοῖς ἄλλοις), οὕτω καὶ ἡ φιλοσοφία πρὸς κατάληψιν τῆς ἀληθείας, ζήτησις οὖσα ἀληθείας, συλλαμβάνεται, οὐκ αἰτία οὖσα καταλήψεως, σὺν δὲ τοῖς ἄλλοις αἰτία καὶ συνεργός. τάχα δὲ καὶ τὸ συναίτιον αἴτιον. ὡς δὲ, ἑνὸς ὄντος τοῦ εὐδαιμονεῖν, αἴτιαι τυγχάνουσιν αἱ ἀρεταὶ πλείονες ὑπάρχουσαι. καὶ ὡς τοῦ θερμαίνεσθαι ὅ τε ἥλιος τό τε πῦρ βαλανεῖόν τε καὶ ἐσθής, οὕτω μιᾶς οὔσης τῆς ἀληθείας πολλὰ τὰ συλλαμβανόμενα πρὸς ζήτησιν αὐτῆς, ἡ δὲ εὕρεσις δἰ υἱοῦ. εἰ γοῦν σκοποῖμεν, μία κατὰ δύναμίν ἐστιν ἡ ἀρετή, ταύτην δὲ συμβέβηκεν τούτοις μὲν τοῖς πράγμασιν ἐγγενομένην λέγεσθαι φρόνησιν, ἐν τούτοις δὲ σωφροσύνην, ἐν τούτοις δὲ ἀνδρείαν ἢ δικαιοσύνην. ἀνὰ τὸν αὐτὸν οὖν λόγον, καὶ μιᾶς οὔσης ἀληθείας, ἐν γεωμετρίᾳ μὲν γεωμετρίας ἀλήθεια, ἐν μουσικῇ δὲ μουσικῆς, κἀν φιλοσοφίᾳ τῇ ὀρθῇ Ἑλληνικὴ εἴη ἂν ἀλήθεια. μόνη δὲ ἡ κυρία αὕτη ἀλήθεια ἀπαρεγχείρητος, ἢν παρὰ τῷ υἱῷ τοῦ θεοῦ παιδευόμεθα. τοῦτόν φαμεν τὸν τρόπον μιᾶς καὶ τῆς αὐτῆς δραχμῆς τῷ μὲν ναυκλήρῳ δοθείσης λέγεσθαι ναῦλον, τῷ δὲ τελώνῃ τέλος καὶ ἐνοίκιον μὲν τῶ σταθμούχῳ, μισθὸν δὲ τῷ διδασκάλῳ καὶ τῶ πιπράσκοντι ἀρραβῶνα. ἑκάστη δὲ εἴτε ἀρετὴ εἴτε καὶ ἀλήθεια συνωνύμως καλουμένη μόνου τοῦ καθ’ ἑαυτὴν ἀποτελέσματός ἐστιν αἰτία. κατὰ σύγχρησιν δὲ τούτων γίνεται τὸ εὐδαιμόνως ζῆν (μὴ γὰρ δὴ εὐδαιμονῶμεν πρὸς τὰ ὀνόματα), ὅταν τὸν ὀρθὸν βίον εὐδαιμονίαν λέγωμεν καὶ εὐδαίμονα τὸν κεκοσμημένον τὴν ψυχὴν ἐναρέτως. εἰ δὲ καὶ πόρρωθεν συλλαμβάνεται φιλοσοφία πρὸς τὴν ἀληθείας εὕρεσιν, κατὰ διαφόρους ἐπιβολὰς διατείνουσα ἐπὶ τὴν προσεχῶς ἁπτομένην τῆς ἀληθείας τὴν καθ’ ἡμᾶς εἴδησιν, ἀλλὰ συλλαμβάνεταί γε τῶ λογικῶς ἐπιχειρεῖν ἐσπουδακότι ἀνθάπτεσθαι γνώσεως. χωρίζεται δὲ ἡ Ἑλληνικὴ ἀλήθεια τῆς καθ’ ἡμᾶς, εἰ καὶ τοῦ αὐτοῦ μετείληφεν ὀνόματος. καὶ μεγέθει γνώσεως καὶ ἀποδείξει κυριωτέρᾳ καὶ θεία δυνάμει καὶ τοῖς ὁμοίοις· θεοδίδακτοι γὰρ ἡμεῖς, ἱερὰ ὄντως, γράμματα παρὰ τῷ υἱῷ τοῦ θεοῦ παιδευόμενοι· ἔνθεν οὐδ’ ὡσαύτως κινοῦσι τὰς ψυχάς, ἀλλὰ διαφόρῳ διδασκαλίᾳ. εἰ δὲ καὶ διαστέλλεσθαι ἡμᾶς διὰ τοὺς φιλεγκλήμονας δεήσει, συναίτιον τὴν φιλοσοφίαν καὶ συνεργὸν λέγοντες τῆς ἀληθοῦς καταλήψεως, ζήτησιν οὖσαν ἀληθείας, προπαιδείαν αὐτὴν ὁμολογήσομεν τοῦ γνωστικοῦ οὐκ αἴτιον τιθέμενοι τὸ συναίτιον οὐδὲ μὴν τὸ συνεργὸν συνεκτικὸν οὐδ’ ὡς οὗ οὐκ ἄνευ τὴν φιλοσοφίαν, ἐπεὶ σχεδὸν οἱ πάντες ἄνευ τῆς ἐγκυκλίου παιδείας καὶ φιλοσοφίας τῆς Ἑλληνικῆς, οἳ δὲ καὶ ἄνευ γραμμάτων, τῇ θείᾳ καὶ βαρβάρῳ κινηθέντες φιλοσοφίᾳ, δυνάμει τὸν περὶ θεοῦ διὰ πίστεως παρειλήφαμεν λόγον, αὐτουργῷ σοφίᾳ πεπαιδευμένοι. ὃ δὲ μεθ’ ἑτέρου ποιεῖ, ἀτελὲς ὂν καθ’ αὑτὸ ἐνεργεῖν, συνεργόν φαμεν καὶ συναίτιον ἀπὸ τοῦ δὺν αἰτίῳ αἴτιον ὑπάρχειν ἢ ἀπὸ τοῦ ἑτέρῳ συνελθὸν αἴτιον γίγνεσθαι ὠνομασμένον, καθ’ ἑαυτὸ δὲ μὴ δύνασθαι τὸ ἀποτέλεσμα τὸ κατ’ ἀλήθειαν παρέχειν. καίτοι καὶ καθ’ ἑαυτὴν ἐδικαίου ποτὲ καὶ ἡ φιλοσοφία τοὺς Ἕλληνας, οὐκ εἰς τὴν καθόλου δὲ δικαιοσύνην, εἰς ἣν εὑρίσκεται συνεργός(καθάπερ καὶ ὁ πρῶτος καὶ ὁ δεύτερος βαθμὸς τῷ εἰς τὸ ὑπερῷον ἀνιόντι καὶ γραμματιστὴς τῷ φιλοσοφήσοντι), οὐδ’ ὡς κατὰ τὴν ἀφαίρεσιν αὐτῆς ἤτοι ἐλλείπειν τῷ καθόλου λόγῳ ἢ ἀναιρεῖσθαι τὴν ἀλήθειαν, ἐπεὶ ἡ ὄψις συμβάλλεται καὶ ἡ ἀκοὴ καὶ ἡ φωνὴ πρὸς ἀλήθειαν, νοῦς δὲ ὁ γνωρίζων αὐτὴν προσφυῶς. ἀλλὰ τῶν συνεργῶν τὰ μὲν πλείονα, τὰ δ’ ἐλάσσονα προσφέρεται δύναμιν. ἡ γοῦν σαφήνεια συνεργεῖ πρὸς τὴν παράδοσιν τῆς ἀληθείας καὶ ἡ διαλεκτικὴ πρὸς τὸ μὴ ὑποπίπτειν ταῖς κατατρεχούσαις αἱρέσεσιν. αὐτοτελὴς μὲν οὖν καὶ ἀπροσδεὴς ἡ κατὰ τὸν σωτῆρα διδασκαλία, δύναμις οὖσα καὶ σοφία τοῦ θεοῦ, προσιοῦσα δὲ φιλοσοφία ἡ Ἑλληνικὴ οὐ δυνατωτέραν ποιεῖ τὴν ἀλήθειαν, ἀλλ’ ἀδύνατον παρέχουσα τὴν κατ’ αὐτῆς σοφιστικὴν ἐπιχείρησιν καὶ διακρουομένη τὰς δολερὸς κατὰ τῆς ἀληθείας ἐπιβουλὰς φραγμὸς οἰκείως εἴρηται καὶ θριγκὸς εἶναι τοῦ ἀμπελῶνος. καὶ ἣ μὲν ὡς ἄρτος ἀναγκαία πρὸς τὸ ζῆν, ἡ κατὰ τὴν πίστιν ἀλήθεια· ἡ προπαιδεία δὲ προσοψήματι ἔοικεν καὶ τραγήματι, δείπνου δὲ λήγοντος γλυκὺ τρωγάλιον κατὰ τὸν Θηβαῖον Πίνδαρον. ἄντικρυς δὲ ἐξεῖπεν ἡ γραφή· πανουργότερος ἔσται ἄκακος συνίων, ὁ δὲ σοφὸς δέξεται γνῶσιν. καὶ ὁ μὲν ἀφ’ ἑαυτοῦ λαλῶν τὴν δόξαν τὴν ἰδίαν ζητεῖ, φησὶν ὁ κύριος, ὁ δὲ ζητῶν τὴν δόξαν τοῦ πέμψαντος αὐτὸν ἀληθής ἐστι καὶ ἀδικία οὐκ ἔστιν ἐν αὐτῷ. ἔμπαλιν οὖν ἀδικεῖ ὁ σφετερισάμενος τὰ βαρβάρων καὶ ὡς ἴδια αὐχῶν, τὴν ἑαυτοῦ δόξαν αὔξων καὶ ψευδόμενος τὴν ἀλήθειαν. οὗτος κλέπτης ὑπὸ τῆς γραφῆς εἴρηται. φησὶ γοῦν· υἱέ, μὴ γίνου ψεύστης· ὁδηγεῖ γὰρ τὸ ψεῦσμα πρὸς τὴν κλοπήν. ἤδη δὲ ὁ κλέπτης ὅπερ ὑφελόμενος ἔχει ἀληθῶς κἂν χρυσίον ᾖ κἂν ἄργυρος κἂν λόγος κἂν δόγμα. ἐκ μέρους τοίνυν, ἃ κεκλόφασιν, ἀληθῆ μέν, στοχαστικῶς δὲ καὶ ταῖς τῶν λόγων ἀνάγκαις ἴσασι. μαθητευθέντες οὖν καταληπτικῶς ἐπιγνώσονται.