Clement of Alexandria · a new plain-English translation from the original language
Now the followers of Valentinus, deriving their pairings from on high, from the divine emanations, are well pleased with marriage; but those from Basilides say that when the apostles inquired whether it were not better not to marry, the Lord is said to have answered: not all can make room for this saying; for there are eunuchs, some from birth, some by necessity. And they interpret the saying somewhat as follows: some have a natural aversion toward woman from birth, and these, making good use of this natural constitution, do well not to marry. These, they say, are the eunuchs from birth; and those by necessity are the ascetics of the stage, who through the counterpull of reputation master themselves; while those who have been castrated by misfortune have become eunuchs by necessity. Those, then, who are eunuchs by necessity do not become so by reasoned choice. But those who have made themselves eunuchs for the sake of the eternal kingdom, on account of the things that follow from marriage, they say, take up this reasoning, fearing the preoccupation involved in the provision of necessities.
And that it is better to marry than to burn, lest you cast your soul into the fire — this the apostle says, holding out night and day and fearing lest he forfeit the reward of self-control; for a soul that comes to be in the position of holding out is divided from its hope. "Hold out, then," says Isidore, word for word, in his Ethics, "against a combative woman, lest you be torn away from the grace of God, and having discharged the fire, pray with a good conscience. But when your thanksgiving," he says, "falls into petition, and you ask no longer to succeed but merely not to fail, marry." But if someone is young, or poor, or given to excess, and does not wish to marry according to this reasoning, let him not be separated from his brother; let him say, "I have entered into the holy things, I can suffer nothing"; but if he has any suspicion of himself, let him say, "Brother, lay your hand upon me, that I may not sin"; and he will receive help, both intelligible and perceptible. Let him only be willing to accomplish the good, and he will attain it.
But sometimes we say with our mouth, "we do not wish to sin," while our mind is set upon sinning. Such a one does not do what he wishes, out of fear, so that the punishment may not be reckoned against him; but humanity has certain things that are both necessary and natural, and other things that are natural only. To be clothed is both necessary and natural. But the matter of sexual intercourse is natural, yet not necessary.
I have set down these sayings to refute those Basilidians who do not live rightly, as though they either possessed license even to sin, on account of their supposed perfection, or would in any case be saved by nature, even should they sin now, on account of their innate election — since the very forefathers of their doctrines do not permit them to practice these same things. Let them not, then, while sheltering under the name of Christ, and living more licentiously than the most intemperate among the nations, bring blasphemy upon that name; for such men are false apostles, deceitful workers, whose end shall be according to their deeds.
Self-control, then, is a disdain of the body in accordance with our confession toward God. For it is not only concerning sexual matters, but also concerning other things which the soul wrongly desires, not being content with what is necessary, that self-control operates. There is also self-control concerning the tongue, and concerning possession, and concerning use, and concerning desire. Nor does this virtue teach only to be temperate — rather it supplies us with temperance, being itself a power and a divine grace. What, then, is our own view on the matter proposed, must be stated: we count blessed both eunuchhood and those to whom this has been granted by God, and we admire monogamy and the dignity that belongs to a single marriage, saying that we ought to suffer together and bear one another's burdens, lest one who seems to stand well should himself also fall. But concerning a second marriage, if a man burns, the apostle says, let him marry.
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