¹ The text of Clement used throughout is the edition of Stählin, O., GCS (4 vols. Leipzig 1905–36). The three instances of ἀδιάφοϱος used in a non-moral sense are : Paed. 2.12.123 (GCS 1.231.9); Strom. 5.12.79 (GCS 2.378.25) and Strom. 6.2.5 (GCS 2.424.20). In these passages Clement uses ‘indifferent’ in the sense of ‘making no difference’ or of having no logical consequence in a discussion.Google Scholar

² Because of the complexity of Clement's work many proximate sources have been adduced for his Stoic notions. Wendland, P., Quaestiones Musonianae (Berlin 1886), whom Parker, C. P. ‘Musonius in Clement,’ Harvard Studies in Classical Philology 12 (1901) 191–200, followed, finds a lost treatise of Musonius in the Paedagogos of Clement. Scheck, A. O.S.B., De fontibus Clementis Alexandrini (Augsburg 1888) 49, holds that in philosophical matters Clement (along with Diogenes Laertius) depends on Favorinus. Despite the difficulty of discovering the actual sources used by Clement, a strong influence of the Stoa on the school of Alexandria is certain. Cf. Pohlenz, M. Die Stoa (Göttingen 1959) I 416–418, and Stelzenberger, J., Die Beziehungen der frühchristlichen Sittenlehre zur Ethik der Stoa (Munich 1933) 166–170; 226–231.Google Scholar

³ Zeller, E., The Stoics, Epicureans and Sceptics (London 1880) 223-242. Pohlenz, M. op. cit. I 110–143. ⁴ Seneca, , De beneficiis 7.2.2.Google Scholar

⁵ Empiricus, Sextus, Outlines of Pyrrhonism 3.177: … ἀδιάφοϱον εἶναι τò μήτε πϱòς εὐδαιμονίαν μήτε πϱòς ϰαϰοδαιμονίαν συμβαλλόμενον … Sextus distinguishes the indifferents in three senses : the first, that which is an object of neither inclination nor disinclination; the second, that which is an object of inclination or disinclination, but not toward any definite object; and a third sense as that which contributes to neither happiness nor unhappiness. Zeller, op.cit. 232 n. 3, dismisses the first two senses as irrelevant. It is the third sense that will be considered in Clement.Google Scholar

⁶ Laertius, Diogenes, Vitae 7.104–105. Diogenes testifies to two senses of indifferent, but holds that the proper sense is ‘that which contributes to neither happiness nor unhappiness.’Google Scholar

⁷ Cicero, , De finibus 3.50: ‘… confunderetur omnis vita … cum inter ea quae ad vitam degendam pertinerent nihil omnino interesset neque ullum dilectum adhiberi oporteret.’Google Scholar

⁸ Stoicorum Veterani Fragmenta 1.192 (ed. J. von Arnim, Leipzig 1921); Pohlenz, Die Stoa, II 69.Google Scholar

⁹ Laertius, Diogenes, Vitae 7.105.Google Scholar

¹⁰ For a detailed and complete treatment of the indifferents in Stoic thought, cf. Reesor, M., ‘The “Indifferents” in the Old and Middle Stoa,’ Transactions and Proceedings of the American Philological Association 82 (1951) 102–110. The author here very clearly discusses the doctrine as propounded by the Old Stoa and the changes it underwent under the influence of later writers, especially Panaetius. For an example of the substantial identity of doctrine between the older and later Stoic writers, cf. Epictetus, Discourses 2.16.19; 4.1.Google Scholar

¹¹ On this adaptation of Clement, cf. Mondésert, C., S.J., Clément d'Alexandrie: Introduction à l'étude de sa pensée religieuse à partir de l'écriture (Paris 1944) 221–227.Google Scholar

¹² Paed. 2.16.3 (GCS 1.165.21–24): Πέτϱος δὲ εἶπεν · μηδαμῶς, ϰύϱιε, ὅτι οὐδέποτε ἒφαγον πᾶν ϰοινòν ϰᾶὶ ἀϰάθαϱτον. ϰαὶ ἡ φωνὴ πάλιν πϱòς αὐτòν ἐϰ δευτέϱου · ‘ἃ ὁ θεòς ἐϰαθάϱισεν, σὺ μὴ ϰοίνου.’ ϰαὶ ἡμῖν δὲ ἂϱα ἀδιάφοϱος ἡ χϱῆσις. ‘οὐ γὰϱ τὰ εἰσεϱχόμενα εἰς τò στόμα ϰοινοῖ τòν ἂνθϱωπον,’ ἀλλα ἡ πεϱὶ τῆς ἀϰϱασίας διάληψις ϰενή. Google Scholar

¹³ Paed. 2.10.1 (GCS 1.160.20–24): οὐϰ ἀφεϰτέον οὖν παντελῶς τῶν ποιϰίλων βϱωμάτων … ἀδιάφοϱον δὲ ἡγουμένους τῶν εἰσϰομιζομένων τὴν πολυτέλειαν. Google Scholar

¹⁴ Paed. 2.9.1 (GCS 1.159.24): ἀδιάφοϱος ἄϱα ἡ φυσιϰὴ χϱῆσις τῆς τϱοφῆς. Wood, S., C.P., Clement of Alexandria: Christ the Educator (Fathers of the Church 23; New York 1954) 100, translates the above phrase ‘the physical act of eating,’ translating χϱῆσις as (physical) act. ‘Use’ is, however, a more exact translation of χϱῆσις, since it remains closer to the Greek usage and is broader in its application than (physical) act. Cf. Liddell, Scott, Jones, A Greek-English Lexicon (Oxford 1940) s. v. χϱῆσις. Google Scholar

¹⁵ Strom. 4.15.19 (GCS 2.256.33): θαυμάζειν δὲ ἂξιον ϰαὶ τῶν Στωιϰῶν οἳτινές φασι μηδὲν τὴν ψυχὴν ὑπò το σώματος διατίθεσθαι μήτε πϱòς ϰαϰίαν ὑπò τῆς νόσου μήτε πϱòς ἀϱετὴν ὑπò τῆς ὑγιείας · ἀλλ’ ἀμφοτέϱα τατα λέγουσιν ἀδιάφοϱα εἶναι. Google Scholar

¹⁶ Quis dives 15.3 (GCS 3.169.20): … οὐδὲν οὖν πϱοὒϱγου γέγονεν αὐτῷ πτωχεύειν χϱημάτων πλουτοντι τῶν παθῶν, οὐ γὰϱ τὰ ἀπόβλητα ἀπέβαλεν, ἀλλὰ τὰ ἀδιάφοϱα, ϰαὶ τῶν μεν υπηϱετιϰῶν ἑαυτòν πεϱιέϰοψεν, ἐξέϰαυσε δὲ τὴν ὓλην τῆς ϰαϰίας τὴν ἒμφυτον τῇ τῶν ἐϰτòς ἀποϱία. Google Scholar

¹⁷ Cf. nn. 12 and 14 supra. Google Scholar

¹⁸ Strom. 2.20.109 (GCS 2.173.4): ἀνδϱòς δὴ χϱεία ὅστις ἀθαυμάστως ϰαὶ ἀσυγχύτως τοῖς πϱάγμασι χϱήσεται ἀφ’ ὧν τὰ πάθη ὁϱμᾶται, οἷον πλούτῳ ϰαὶ πενίᾳ ϰαὶ δόξῃ ϰαὶ ἀδοξίᾳ, ὑγείᾳ ϰαὶ νόσῳ, ζωῇ ϰαὶ θανάτῳ, πόνῳ ϰαὶ ἡδονῇ. ἳva γὰϱ ἀδιαφόϱως τοῖς ἀδιαφόϱοις χϱησώμεθα, πολλῆς ἡμῖν δεῖ διαφοϱᾶς, ἃτε πϱοϰεϰαϰωμένοις ἀσθενείᾳ πολλῇ ϰαὶ πϱοδιαστϱοφῇ ϰαϰῆς ἀγωγῆς τε ϰαὶ τϱοφῆς μετὰ ἀμαθίας πϱοαπολελαυϰόσιν. Translation of the above passage is determined by the text as found in Stählin. Wilson, W., Clement of Alexandria (Ante-Nicene Christian Library; Edinburgh 1889) II 63, translates ἳva … διαφοϱᾶς ‘for in order that we may treat things that are different, indifferently, there is need of a great difference in us.’ For this translation Wilson follows the Potter text (reproduced in PG 8.1053) which reads ἳva γὰϱ ἀδιαφόϱως τοῖς διαφόϱοις χϱήσωμαι. Stählin's reading, which is the basis for the translation ‘use with indifference indifferent things’, is more acceptable, both textually and for a true understanding of the passage.Google Scholar

¹⁹ Laertius, Diogenes, Vitae 7.105.Google Scholar

²⁰ Loc. cit. Google Scholar

²¹ Quis dives 20.2 (GCS 3.172.26–30): … οὐϰ ἀδύνατον δὲ τò ϰαὶ ἐν τούτῳ λαβέσθαι σωτηϱίας, εἲ τις ἑαντòν ἀπò τοῦ αἰσθητοῦ πλούτου ἐπὶ τòν νοητòν ϰαὶ θεοδίδαϰτον μεταγάγοι ϰαὶ μάθοι τοῖς ἀδιαφόϱοις χϱῆσθαι ϰαλῶς ϰαὶ ἰδίως ϰαὶ ὡς ἄν εἰς ζωὴν αἰώνιον ὁϱμήσαι. Google Scholar

²² Cf. nn. 8 and 9 supra; Reesor, art. cit. (n. 10 supra) 103–104. Google Scholar

²³ Strom. 4.26.164 (GCS 2.321.17–20): … ἀλλ’ οὒτε ἀγαθòν ἡ ψνχὴ φύσει οὒτε αὖ ϰαϰòν φύσει τò σῶμα οὐδὲ μὴν ὅ μή ἐστιν ἀγαθόν, τοῦτο εὐθέως ϰαϰόν, εἰσὶ γὰϱ οὖν ϰαὶ μεσότητές Google Scholar

²⁴ Clementis Alexandrini Opera (ed. Potter, J., Oxford 1715). Cf. PG 8.1374.Google Scholar

²⁵ Capitaine, Wilhelm, Die Moral des Clemens von Alexandrien (Paderborn 1903) 192, describes the mediate things as those which are neither good nor bad and, for a definition of these Mitteldinge, refers to Strom. 4.26.164. Cf. n.23 supra and Strom. 2.7.34 (GCS 2.130.26), where τὰ μεταξὺ ἀϱετῆς are listed as poverty, illness, lack of honor, and a poor family background — things which are also classed as indifferent. Konrad Ernesti, Die Ethik des Titus Flavius Clemens von Alexandrien (Paderborn 1900) 20. Michel Spanneut, Le stoïcisme des Pères de l’Église (Paris 1957) 245.Google Scholar

²⁶ Strom. 6.14.111 (GCS 2.487.25): … ὣσπεϱ οὖν τò μὲν απλῶς σῴζειν τῶν μέσων ἐστίν, τò δ’ ὀϱθῶς ϰαὶ δεόντως ϰατόϱθωμα, οὓτως ϰαὶ πᾶσα πϱᾶξις γνωστιϰοῦ μὲν ϰατόϱθωμα, τοῦ δὲ ἁπλῶς πιστοῦ μέση πϱᾶξις λέγοιτ’ ἂν, μηδέπω ϰατὰ λόγον ἐπιτελουμένη μηδὲ μὴν ϰατ’ ἐπίστασιν ϰατοϱθουμένη, πᾶσα δὲ ἒμπαλιν τοῦ ἐθνιϰοῦ, ἁμαϱτητιϰή … Google Scholar

²⁷ Strom. 7.3.17 (GCS 3.13.6) … τίνες τε ἀϱεταὶ τούτου ϰαὶ ϰαϰίαι τίνες, πεϱί τε ἀγαθῶν ϰαὶ ϰαϰῶν, ϰαὶ τῶν μέσων … Google Scholar

²⁸ Wilson, W., op. cit. (n. 18 supra) II 418.Google Scholar

²⁹ Strom. 4.8.69 (GCS 2.279.15): εἰ δὴ τῶν ἀδιαφόϱων ἒνια τοιαύτην εἴληχε τιμὴν ὣστε ϰαὶ ἀϰόντων τινῶν αἱϱετὰ εἶναι δοϰεῖν, πολὺ δὲ πλέον τὴν ἁϱετὴν πεϱιμάχητον νομιστέον … Google Scholar

³⁰ Strom. 3.5.41 (GCS 2.214.30): εἰ δὲ ἐπιθυμίᾳ χαϱιστέον ϰαὶ τòν ἐπονείδιστον βίονἀδιάφοϱον ἡγητέον, ὡς αὐτοὶ λέγουσιν, ἤτοι πάντα ταῖς ἐπιθυμίαις πειστέον, ϰαὶ, εἰ τοῦτο, τὰ ἀσελγέστατα ϰαὶ ἀνοσιώτατα πϱαϰτέον ἃπαντα ἑπομένους τοῖς ἀναπείθουσιν ἡμᾶς · ἢ τῶν ἐπιθυμιῶν τινὰς ἐϰϰλινοῦπμεν ϰαὶ οὐϰέτὶ ἀδιαφόϱως βιωτέον … Google Scholar

³¹ Strom. 3.4.40 (GCS 2.214.10): … ἢ γάϰ τοι ἀδιαφόϱως ζῆν διδάσϰουσιν, ἢ τò ὑπέϱτονον ᾄδουσαι ἐγϰϱάτειαν διὰ δυσσεβείας ϰαὶ φιλαπεχθημοσύνης ϰαταγγέλλουσι. Google Scholar

³² Strom. 3.5.42 (GCS 2.215.19): … ϰαταϰολουθήσασι δὲ τῇ θείᾳ γϱαφῇ, δι’ ἦς ὁδεύουσιν οἱ πεπιστευϰότες, ἐξομοιοῦσθαι ϰατὰ δύναμιν τῷ ϰυϱίῳ, οὐϰ ἀδιαφόϱως βιωτέον … Google Scholar

³³ Strom. 3.10.70 (GCS 2.228.5): οὐϰοῦν οἱ διὰ μῖσος μὴ γαμοῦντες ἢ δι’ ἐπιθυμίαν ἀδιαφόϱως τῇ σαϱϰὶ ϰαταχϱώμενοι οὐϰ ἐν ἀϱιθμῷ τῶν σῳζομένων ἐϰείνων μεθ’ ὧν ὁ ϰύϱιος. Cf. also Strom. 3.8.61 (GCS 2.224.10).Google Scholar

³⁴ Strom. 2.21.129 (GCS 2.183.14): τί δή σοι Ἀϱίστωνα <ἂv> ϰαταλέγοιμι; τέλος οὗτος εἶναι τὴν ἀδιαφοϱίαν ἒφη, τò δὲ ἀδιάφοϱον ἁπλῶς ἀδιάφοϱον ἀπολείπει. Cf. Wilson, W., op. cit. II 73.+ϰαταλέγοιμι;+τέλος+οὗτος+εἶναι+τὴν+ἀδιαφοϱίαν+ἒφη,+τò+δὲ+ἀδιάφοϱον+ἁπλῶς+ἀδιάφοϱον+ἀπολείπει.+Cf.+Wilson,+W.,+op.+cit.+II+73.>Google Scholar

³⁵ Cf. Liddell, Scott, Jones, s.v. ἀπολείπω. Google Scholar

³⁶ Cicero, , De finibus 3.50.Google Scholar

³⁷ Cicero, , De finibus 4.69: ‘Quod enim sapientia pedem ubi poneret non habebat sublatis officiis omnibus, officia autem tollebantur delectu omni et discrimine remoto, quae esse non poterant rebus omnibus sic exaequatis ut inter eas nihil interesset …’Google Scholar

³⁸ Laertius, Diogenes, Vitae 7.160.Google Scholar

³⁹ Spanneut, , Le stoïcisme des Pères 266. ‘Enfin, dans le domaine moral, son influence est primordiale et se laisse préciser. Le stoïcisme antique a fourni au christianisme une série de concepts et de théories; le stoïcisme contemporain lui a dicté — et jusque dans les mots — sa morale pratique. Ces données sont parfois adaptées ou transposées, mais le stoïcisme est partout reconnaissable et sa place, au total, est bien grande aux premiers siècles de l’Église dans toutes les questions qui concernent l'homme.’Google Scholar