Exploring the Overlooked Connection: "τἀληθῆ ἀλήθεια" in Clement's Letter to Theodore and Plato's Phaedrus

In the world of early Christian scholarship, the works of Clement of Alexandria stand out for their profound integration of Hellenistic philosophy and Christian theology. One intriguing aspect of Clement's writing, particularly in the Letter to Theodore, is his use of the phrase "τἀληθῆ ἀλήθεια" (the true truth). This phrase resonates with Platonic thought, yet this connection has not been explicitly recognized by prominent scholars like Morton Smith. In this blog post, we will delve into this overlooked link, exploring its significance and implications.

The Passage from the Letter to Theodore

The specific line from the Letter to Theodore reads:

Οὐδὲ γὰρ πάντα τἀληθῆ ἀλήθεια, οὐδὲ τὴν κατὰ τὰς ἀνθρωπίνας δόξας φαινομένην ἀλήθειαν προκριτέον τῆς ἀληθοῦς ἀληθείας τῆς κατὰ τὴν πίστιν.

Translated, it means:

"Not all truths are truth, nor should the apparent truth according to human opinions be preferred to the true truth according to faith."

Platonic Echoes in Phaedrus

In Plato's Phaedrus 247c-d, the nature of true knowledge is explored through the imagery of the soul's journey and its contemplation of true reality. Plato writes:

τὸν δὲ ὑπερουράνιον τόπον οὔτε τις ὕμνησέ πω τῶν τῇδε ποιητὴς οὔτε ποτὲ ὑμνήσει κατ᾽ ἀξίαν. ἔχει δὲ ὧδε—τολμητέον γὰρ οὖν τό γε ἀληθὲς εἰπεῖν, ἄλλως τε καὶ περὶ ἀληθείας λέγοντα—ἡ γὰρ ἀχρώματός τε καὶ ἀσχημάτιστος καὶ ἀναφὴς οὐσία ὄντως οὖσα, ψυχῆς κυβερνήτῃ μόνῳ θεατὴ νῷ, περὶ ἣν τὸ τῆς ἀληθοῦς ἐπιστήμης γένος, τοῦτον ἔχει [247δ] τὸν τόπον. ἅτ᾽ οὖν θεοῦ διάνοια νῷ τε καὶ ἐπιστήμῃ ἀκηράτῳ τρεφομένη, καὶ ἁπάσης ψυχῆς ὅσῃ ἂν μέλῃ τὸ προσῆκον δέξασθαι, ἰδοῦσα διὰ χρόνου τὸ ὂν ἀγαπᾷ τε καὶ θεωροῦσα τἀληθῆ τρέφεται καὶ εὐπαθεῖ, ἕως ἂν κύκλῳ ἡ περιφορὰ εἰς ταὐτὸν περιενέγκῃ. ἐν δὲ τῇ περιόδῳ καθορᾷ μὲν αὐτὴν δικαιοσύνην, καθορᾷ δὲ σωφροσύνην, καθορᾷ δὲ ἐπιστήμην, οὐχ ᾗ γένεσις πρόσεστιν, οὐδ᾽ ἥ ἐστίν που ἑτέρα [247ε] ἐν ἑτέρῳ οὖσα ὧν ἡμεῖς νῦν ὄντων καλοῦμεν, ἀλλὰ τὴν ἐν τῷ ὅ ἐστιν ὂν ὄντως ἐπιστήμην οὖσαν: καὶ τἆλλα ὡσαύτως τὰ ὄντα ὄντως θεασαμένη καὶ ἑστιαθεῖσα, δῦσα πάλιν εἰς τὸ εἴσω τοῦ οὐρανοῦ, οἴκαδε ἦλθεν. ἐλθούσης δὲ αὐτῆς ὁ ἡνίοχος πρὸς τὴν φάτνην τοὺς ἵππους στήσας παρέβαλεν ἀμβροσίαν τε καὶ ἐπ᾽ αὐτῇ νέκταρ ἐπότισεν.

Translated, this means:

"The place above the heavens no poet here on earth has ever sung nor ever will sing worthily. It holds thus—for one must dare to speak the truth, especially when speaking of the truth—the colorless, formless, and intangible essence, truly existing, visible only to the mind of the soul's pilot, around which the kind of true knowledge is concerned. Nourished by pure intellect and knowledge, the mind of God and every soul that cares to receive what is proper, having seen through time the being, loves and contemplates the true things (τἀληθῆ), and is nourished and prospers until the circular motion brings it back to the same place. During this period, it beholds justice itself, it beholds temperance, it beholds knowledge—not the knowledge that is related to generation, nor that which exists somewhere else in another being that we now call existent, but the knowledge that truly exists in the being itself: and having seen and feasted upon these truly existent things, it enters again into the interior of the heavens, returning home. Upon its return, the charioteer, having placed the horses by the manger, offers them ambrosia and, on top of it, nectar."

Plato here emphasizes the distinction between true, eternal forms and the fleeting appearances perceived by the senses. The true knowledge, or "τἀληθῆ" (the true things), is accessible only through the intellect and contemplation, not through mere sensory perception.

Implications for Clement's Argument

By alluding to Plato's concept of "τἀληθῆ," Clement is drawing a parallel between the Platonic pursuit of true knowledge and the Christian understanding of divine truth. This connection emphasizes that genuine truth is pure, untainted by falsehoods, and must be perceived through faith and spiritual insight rather than mere human reasoning.

Clement's warning in the subsequent line about the true things being mixed with falsehoods (τἀληθῆ τοῖς πλάσμασι παραχαράσσεται) becomes more poignant with this Platonic backdrop. Plato's "τἀληθῆ" represents the highest form of knowledge and truth. When such pure truths are adulterated with falsehoods, their value and integrity are compromised. This aligns with the Christian concern that mixing divine truth with human falsehoods leads to spiritual corruption.

The phrase "τὸ ἅλας μωρανθῆναι" (even the salt loses its savor) further underscores this point. Salt, which is supposed to preserve and give flavor, becomes useless when it loses its purity. Similarly, divine truth, when corrupted by falsehoods, loses its power and efficacy.

Morton Smith's Oversight

While Morton Smith's scholarship on Clement of Alexandria is comprehensive and insightful, he did not explicitly recognize the connection between "τἀληθῆ ἀλήθεια" in the Letter to Theodore and the Platonic ideas expressed in Phaedrus. Smith notes:

"The style is antithetic throughout, but not in the naive, early rhetorical way of Attic prose. The antitheses are calculated to contrast words and reality, or different meanings of a word, apparent and real meaning, and so on. E.g., he contrasts ἀληθεα with ἀλήθεια in a deeper sense and summarizes the contrast by saying οὐ γάρ πάντα τάληθή ἀλήθεια. We might compare the truth of certain facts of science with that of which the Christian gospel says, 'I am the truth.' And going even beyond that, he can contrast the seeming truth of human δόξα and the true truth (ἀληθής ἀλήθεια) which is based on faith."

But did he know about this? Did he know that the Letter to Theodore was referencing Phaedrus? If so, why does he reference it? If not, why would he include a nuance he doesn't comment upon later? This oversight chips away at the argument that he wrote the text.

Conclusion

Understanding "τἀληθῆ" as an allusion to Plato's Phaedrus enriches our comprehension of Clement's argument in the Letter to Theodore. It highlights the profound connection between Platonic and Christian thought regarding the nature of truth and the dangers of adulterating pure knowledge with falsehoods. Clement's invocation of this philosophical concept serves to underscore the importance of maintaining the integrity of divine truth in the face of human distortions. Recognizing this connection, which Morton Smith did not explicitly acknowledge, adds another layer to the debate surrounding the authenticity of the Letter to Theodore and challenges the notion that Smith himself authored the text.