HYMN TO ZEUS

Cleanthes of Assos (330-230 BC) was the successor to Zeno as the second scholarch of the Stoic school in Athens. Originally a boxer, he came to Athens, where he took up philosophy, listening to Zeno’s lectures. He supported himself by working as water-carrier at night. After the death of Zeno, he became the head of the school, which post he held for the next 32 years. Although not seen as a particularly original thinker, he successfully preserved and transmitted Zeno’s doctrines to his pupil Chrysippus, who would become one of the most important Stoic thinkers. Among the fragments of Cleanthes’ writings that have come down to us, the largest is a Hymn to Zeus.

I have cited Cleanthes on several occasions in the thematic body of this book, judging what I cited him for to be of some importance, and for this reason it is Cleanthes, and not his more distinguished Stoic successor Chrysippus, who appears as the subject of a separate entry in this section.

It is best to remind the reader what I have been citing Cleanthes for, even if this involves repetition.

Greek Stoics originally divided philosophy into three parts: Physics, Ethics, and Logic. Cleanthes saw fit to subdivide these three divisions, making six: Dialectic and Rhetoric, within Logic; Ethics and Politics, and finally, Physics and Theology. Mind you, such a division was made for practical use only, as all Philosophy was considered one single whole, yet the fact remains that it was made, and its implications are interesting: Grouping together Ethics and Politics, Cleanthes pointed to their distinction, whereas, say, Marcus Aurelius would not give Politics the honor of even being mentioned in his Thoughts, preferring to talk about ‘Ethics’ instead, even where he is clearly talking about things normally covered by Politics. (This is understandable, as, being a statesman himself, the distinction between moral and public duty seemed nonexistent to him.)

There is a peculiar significance to Cleanthes’ new distinction between Physics and Theology. In summary of what I have said about the Greeks, all polytheistic religions seem to have no connection to the philosophical concept of the Deity. When an occasional Greek poet/philosopher sings praise to Zeus as the Absolute God, it is an exception, a misnomer, a matter of sheer convenience. The Ode to Zeus, by Cleanthes in our case, is inherently monotheistic. None of such instances should ever be cited in defense of any kind of polytheistic Absolute, which would of course be a contradiction in terms. Praising Zeus, Cleanthes, therefore, uses this traditional proper name exactly in the same way that the Catholic missionaries among the American Indians used the name Gitche Manitou (Great Spirit) to refer to the Christian monotheistic: Deity God the Father.

Considering the special importance of Cleanthes’ Hymn to Zeus, we are quoting it here in full:

Most glorious of the immortals, invoked by many names, ever all-powerful,

Zeus, the First Cause of Nature, who rules all things with Law,

Hail! It is right for mortals to call upon you,

since from you we have our being, we whose lot it is to be God's image,

we alone of all mortal creatures that live and move upon the earth.

Accordingly, I will praise you with my hymn and ever sing of your might.

The whole universe, spinning around the earth,

goes wherever you lead it and is willingly guided by you.

So great is the servant which you hold in your invincible hands,

your eternal, two-edged, lightning-forked thunderbolt.

By its strokes all the works of nature came to be established,

and with it you guide the universal Word of Reason which moves through all creation,

mingling with the great sun and the small stars.

O God, without you nothing comes to be on earth,

neither in the region of the heavenly poles, nor in the sea,

except what evil men do in their folly.

But you know how to make extraordinary things suitable,

and how to bring order forth from chaos; and even that which is unlovely is lovely to you.

For thus you have joined all things, the good with the bad, into one,

so that the eternal Word of all came to be one.

This Word, however, evil mortals flee, poor wretches;

though they are desirous of good things for their possession,

they neither see nor listen to God's universal Law;

and yet, if they obey it intelligently, they would have the good life.

But they are senselessly driven to one evil after another:

some are eager for fame, no matter how godlessly it is acquired;

others are set on making money without any orderly principles in their lives;

and others are bent on ease and on the pleasures and delights of the body.

They do these foolish things, time and again,

and are swept along, eagerly defeating all they really wish for.

O Zeus, giver of all, shrouded in dark clouds and holding the vivid bright lightning,

rescue men from painful ignorance.

Scatter that ignorance far from their hearts.

and deign to rule all things in justice.

so that, honored in this way, we may render honor to you in return,

and sing your deeds unceasingly, as befits mortals;

for there is no greater glory for men

or for gods than to justly praise the universal Word of Reason.

Bertrand Russell comments on this hymn that much of it might have been written by (the poet) Pope, or by any educated Christian in the century after Newton. Even more Christian is the short prayer of Cleanthes:

Lead me, O Zeus, and thou, O Destiny,

Lead thou me on.

To whatsoever task thou sendest me,

Lead thou me on.

I follow fearless, or, if in mistrust

I lag and will not, follow still I must.

There is an additional point to be made here, aside from the general observation about Greek philosophical monotheism. Cleanthes the Stoic and Christian apologetics: once again the peculiar affinity of Stoicism and Christianity. This subject will be further explored later, in the entry The Baptism Of Seneca.