The Meaning of φιλοσοφεω: Cultivating the Philosophical Life

In the next paragraph Clement turns from the Bible to Greek sources, first quoting traditional lore about the warrior women of the Sarmatians and the women of Iberia who toil alongside men, even in the last stages of preg­nancy (62.1-2).^[1229] Next he notes that female dogs share with male dogs the work of guarding and chasing (62.3), an argument used already by Plato in book five of the Republic (451d) to support his contention that women of the guardian class should be educated along with the guardian men.

Women should cultivate the philosophical life (φιλοσοφητεον) the same as men, even if the males are better and in fact win the first prizes in everything, unless they become ef­feminate (or “soft”, καταμαλακισθεΐεν). Thus education (παιδεία) and virtue are neces­sary to all human beings, if they seek happiness. (4.8.62.4-63.1)

Now that we have examined the preparation for this paragraph in the first half of chapter 8, it is clear that the verb φιλοσοφεω should be translated in a more specific sense than the “philosophize” of the Ante-Nicene Fa­thers, and also that its primary meaning is not “to study philosophy” in the sense of intellectual training. At least in this context, Clement uses the verb φιλοσοφεω to mean “to cultivate the philosophical life,” that is, the life of virtue.^[1230] Presumably this would involve some training of the mind, some knowledge of what constitutes virtuous conduct, but the emphasis is on the practice of virtue. Throughout this chapter Clement argues that women, like men, must exhibit the virtues of self-control, courage, and jus­tice.^[1231]

E.