Coxe, A. Cleveland, Alexander Roberts, and James Donaldson. “The Stromata, or Miscellanies,” The Ante-Nicene Fathers. vol. 2 (1981): pp. 299-568.

Stromata by Clement of Alexandria

The Stromata (Στρώματα), sometimes called the Stromateis (Στρωματεῖς) was begun by Clement of Alexandria around 198AD. It is the third work of Clement, and the last of his major works to survive in full.

Chapter 1

It is a good thing, I reckon, to leave to posterity good children. This is the case with children of our bodies. But words are the progeny of the soul. p. 299


But he that speaks through books, consecrates himself before God, crying in writing thus: Not for gain not for vainglory, not to be vanquished by partiality, nor enslaved by fear nor elated by pleasure; but only to reap the salvation of those who read, which he does, not at present participate in, but awaiting in expectation the recompense which will certainly be rendered by Him, who has promised to bestow on the laborers the reward that is meet. p. 301


For it is right to supply want, but it is not well to support laziness. p. 301


Pythagoras [need to find original source]: “Although it be agreeable to reason to take a share of a burden, it is not a duty to take it away.” p. 301


Now the Scripture kindles the living spark of the soul, and directs the eye suitably for contemplation. p. 301


Well, they preserving the tradition of the blessed doctrine derived directly from the holy apostles, Peter, James, John, & Paul, the sons receiving it from he father (but few were like the fathers), came by God’s will to us also to deposit those ancestral and apostolic seeds. And well I know that they will exult; I do not mean delighted with this tribute, but sole on account of the preservation of the truth, according as they delivered it. For such a sketch as this, will, I think, be agreeable to a soul desirous of preserving from escape the blessed tradition. p. 301