Half-Truths and Dubious Heraclitean Quotations: Clement’s Rhetoric Against Orpheus, Apollo, and Dionysus

Abstract

This article examines specific passages from The Exhortation to the Greeks, focusing on rhetorical strategies for undermining the religious and cultural significance of Orpheus, Apollo, and Dionysus. It is argued that Clement employs half-truths, selective myth distortion and the appropriation of Heraclitean fragments to construct morally biased narratives aimed at persuading pagan audiences toward Christianity. Comparative analysis with authentic literary and historical sources reveals systematic misrepresentations, demonstrating Clement’s possible manipulation of authentic sources, reinterpretation of festivals and insertion of new mythical narratives. The study employs a methodological approach to evaluate primary sources, detect historical and cultural inconsistencies, and identify stable narrative patterns to distinguish authentic content from rhetorical constructions.