Hymn Kleantesa

Abstract

Cleanthes’ hymn is unique among extant fragments of the Early Stoa in respect to its form and its content. Cleanthes says that poetry is closest to theological truth and the truth that Cleanthes brings to the fore more than other Stoics is the personal character of God. God is a person and men can, and ought to, treat him accordingly by directing their prayers and worship to him. The hymn indicates that the Stoics were not fully satisfied with the discussion of theological matters in philosophical treatises in the context of physics, cosmology, and logic. The knowledge of logical laws allows man to know Logos, the knowledge of physics leads to the recognition of God as an active principle and designing fire. To see what is a proper relation of man to God, a literary form should be used in which the personal character of this relation is best seen. Cleanthes’ hymn is saturated with the Stoic philosophy, but it also goes beyond this philosophy by indicating its inadequacy in respect to fulfilling spiritual needs of man. With this hymn, Cleanthes becomes a forerunner of the Roman Stoicism with its emphasis placed on religion and ethics.