Clementine literature.

Apocryphal texts attributed to Clement of Rome.

Attributed author(s).
Clement.

Text(s) available.
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Skeptik (Greek only).
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Useful links.
Clement and the Apostolic Constitutions in the Catholic Encyclopedia.

Clement of Rome has attributed to him a number of ancient texts now univerally recognized as pseudonymous. These texts include the pseudo-Clementine Homilies and Recognitions, the Apostolic Constitutions, and several other works. The second epistle of Clement is considered neither an epistle nor of Clement, and the first epistle, while certainly an epistle, is sometimes denied him, but these I treat elsewhere.

Photius, Bibliotheca 112-113 (a single chapter concerning two volumes; English translation slightly modified from that of J. H. Freese, available at the Tertullian Project):

Ανεγνωσθη Κλημεντος του Ρωμης τευχη βιβλιων δυο, ων το μεν επιγραφεται διαταγαι των αποστολων δια Κλημεντος, εν ω και οι των συνοδικων κανονων τω αθροισματι των αποστολων κανονες επιγραφομενοι περιεχονται· το δε την προσφωνησιν ως εν επιστολης ειδει προς Ιακωβον τον αδελφοθεον ποιειται, εν ω αι τε λεγομεναι του αποτολου Πετρου πραξεις και αι προς Σιμωνα τον μαγον διαλεξεις, και ετι ο αναγνωρισμος Κλημεντος και του πατρος και των αλλων αδελφων, διο και εν τισι των βιβλιων η επιγραφη Κλημεντος του Ρωμαιου αναγνωρισμος επιγραφεται.

Read two volumes of the works of Clement, bishop of Rome. One is entitled the Apostolic Constitutions by Clement, containing the synodical canons ascribed to the assembled apostles. The other, in the form of a letter, is dedicated to James the brother of the Lord and contains what are called the Acts of the Apostle Peter, his Conversations with Simon Magus, the Recognition of Clement and His Father and His Two Brothers. Hence in some copies it is entitled the Recognition of Clement of Rome.

Εν τισι δε, ως εφημεν, επιστολη προταττεται ως προς τον αδελφοθεον Ιακωβον, και αυτη δε ουχ η αυτη, ουδε ως απο του αυτου προσωπου προενηνεγμενη, αλλ επι μεν τινων βιβλιων ως απο Πετρου του αποστολου προς Ιακωβον επεσταλμενη, εφ ετερων δε ως απο Κλημεντος προς Ιακωβον, αλλη και αλλη, καθως προειπομεν.

As we have said, a letter is prefixed as sent to James the brother of the Lord, but not always the same nor from the same person, according to some copies being sent by Peter the apostle, according to others by Clement to James.

Και η μεν δηλοι Πετρον τας οικειας συγγραψασθαι πραξεις και προς Ιακωβον αιτησαμενον ταυτας αποστειλαι· η δε διαλαμβανει ως Κλημης ταυτας κατα προσταγμα Πετρου συγγραψειε, κακεινου προς την αγηρω μετανασταντος αποστειλοι Κλημης προς Ιακωβον. εστιν ουν εικασμω διαλαβειν ως δυο μεν ειησαν των Πετρου πραξεων εκδοσεις γεγενημεναι, τω δε χρονω της ετερας διαρρυεισης επεκρατησεν η του Κλημεντος· εν πασι γαρ τοις βιβλιοις α ειδομεν, καιτοι ουκ ολιγων οντων, μετα τας διαφορους εκεινας επιστολας και επιγραφας την αυτην ευρομεν απαραλλακτως πραγματειαν, αρχομενην· Εγω Κλημης, και τα εξης ενταττομενα. μυριων δε ατοπηματων η πραγματεια γεμει αυτη, και της εις τον υιον βλασφημιας κατα την Αρειου δοξαν εστιν αναπλεως.

In the first case, Peter would seem to have compiled an account of his own acts and sent it to James at his request; in the second, Clement compiled it by command of Peter and sent it to James, after Peter had passed to immortal life. It may be conjectured then that there were two editions of the Acts of Peter, and that when one in course of time perished that of Clement alone survived. For in all the copies which I have seen, by no means a few, after those different epistles and titles I have unvaryingly found the same treatise beginning: I, Clement, and the rest. The work is full of countless absurdities and of blasphemy against the son in accordance with the Arian heresy.

Αι δε γε διαταγαι τρισι μονοις δοκουσιν ενεχεσθαι· κακοπλαστια ην ου χαλεπον αποσκευασασθαι, και οτι κατα του δευτερονομιου υβρεις τινας επαφιησιν, α και ραστον διαλυσασθαι, και ετι Αρειανισμω οπερ αν τις και βιαιως διακρουσαιτο.

The Constitutions appear to be liable to censure on three counts, namely clumsy fiction, which is easy to remove; the abusive charges against Deuteronomy, which can easily be met; and its Arianism, which can be refuted by a vigorous attack.

Η μεντοι γε των Πετρου πραξεων βιβλος τω τε λαμπρω και τη σεμνοτητι και ετι τω καθαρω και συντονω και τη αλλη αρετη του λογου και πολυμαθεια τοσουτον εχει πριος τας διαταγας το παραλλαττον ως μηδε συγκρισει τη κατα τους λογους προς αλληλας παραβαλλεσθαι τας βιβλους.

But the book of the Acts of Peter in its distinctness and earnestness, its purity, vehemence, its general linguistic excellences, and its great learning is so superior to the Constitutions that, so far as language is concerned, no comparison between the two works is possible.

Ουτος εστιν ο Κλημης περι ου φησιν ο θεσπεσιος Παυλος εν τη προς Φιλιππησιους επιστολη· Μετα και Κλημεντος και των λοιπων συνεργων μου, ων τα ονοματα εν βιβλω ζωης. ουτος και επιστολην αξιολογον προς Κορινθιους γραφει, ητις παρα πολλοις αποδοχης ηξιωθη ως και δημοσια αναγινωσκεσθαι. η δε λεγομενη δευτερα προς τους αυτους ως νοθος αποδοκιμαζεται, ωςπερ ο ειγραφομενος επ ονοματι αυτου Πετρου και Αππιωνος πολυστιχος διαλογος.

It is this Clement of whom Saint Paul speaks in the epistle to the Philippians: With Clement also and my other fellow workers, whose names are written in the book of life. He also wrote an important letter to the Corinthians which was so highly thought of that it was read in public. A second letter to the same is rejected as spurious, as also the lengthy discussion, a dialogue between Peter and Apion.

Τουτον φασιν οι μεν δευτερον μετα Πετρον Ρωμης επισκοπησαι, οι δε τεταρτον· Λινον γαρ και Ανακλητον μεταξυ αυτου και Πετρου Ρωμης επισκοπους διαγεγονεναι· τελευτησαι δε αυτον τριτω ετει Τραιανου.

Some say that Clement succeeded Peter as bishop of Rome, others that he was the fourth bishop, Linus and Anacletus intervening, and that he died in the third year of the reign of Trajan.