Yet it is not
improbable
that
01, xx.
01, xx.
William Smith - 1844 - Dictionary of Greek and Roman Antiquities - c
P.
E.
p.
40.
) from the only specimen it we have, we need
11. 'EOWWV Únourhuara. (Euscb. P. E. p. 41. ) bardly regret its loss. It consists of a tale re-
Vossius (De Hist. Gracc. p. 292, ed. Westermann) garding a monk, that being excommunicated by his
inadvertently attributes the last three to Porphyry, bishop, and having afterwards suffered martyrdom,
and has been partially followed by Fourmont (Re- he was brought in his coffin to the church, but
flexions sur l'Histoire des Anciens Peuples, vol. i. could not rest till the bishop, warned in a dream,
p. 21). These three must be assigned, on the au- bad formally absolved him. (Cave, Hist. Litt. p.
thority of Eusebius, to Herennius Philon, if he is 176, ed. Genevae, 1720 ; Fabric. Bibl. Graec. vol.
the same as Philon Byblius, who alone is men- vii. p. 420. )
tioned by Eusebius, just as the former name alone, 12. SENIOR. Josephus (A pion. i. 23), when
or standing without Herennius, is found elsewhere. enumerating the heathen writers who had treated
(See Salmasius, Plin. Exercit. p. 866. ) Lastly it of Jewish history, mentions together Demetrius
may be mentioned that Vossius (ibid. p. 254) attri- Phalereus, Philon, and Eupolemon. Philon he
butes to him the Allotiká, which with more proba- calls the elder (ó mpeoBútepos), probably to distin-
bility he elsewhere assigns (p. 486) to Philon the guish him from Philon Judaeus, and he cannot mean
geographer. But the work which has made his name Herennius Philon, who lived after his time. Cle-
most celebrated in modern times, and of which mens Alexandrinus (Stromat. i. p. 146) also couples
alone we have any fragments of consequence, is the together the names of Philon the elder and De-
translation of the Phoenician work already referred metrius, stating that their lists of Jewish kings
to. For the controversy regarding the genuineness differed. Hence Vossius thinks that both authors
and authenticity of this work, see SANCHONIATHON. refer to the same person. (De Hist. Graec. p. 486,
8. METAPONTINUS, a musician and poet. ed. Westermann. ) And in this Jonsius agrees
(Steph. Byz. 8. ο. Μεταπόντιον).
with him, while he notices the error of Josephus,
9. MONK. An ascetic treatise, bearing the in giring Demetrius the surname of Phalerens.
name of Philon Monachus, whom Cave (H. L. (De Script. Hist. Phil. ij. 4. p. 17. ) As Huetius
p. 176, Diss. ) deems to be much later than the (Demonstrat. Evangel. p. 62) was of opinion that
other ecclesiastical writers of the same name, is the apocryphal Book of Wisdom was written by
preserved in the library of Vienna (Cod. Theol. 325, this Philon, he was necessitated to consider him
No. 15). It is entitled, Contra Pulchritudinem as an Hellenistic Jew, who, unskilled in the ori-
Feminarum.
ginal Hebrew, had it translated, and then ex-
10. The PYTHAGOREAN. Clemens Alexandrinus panded it, in language peculiar to his class. (Ibid.
(Strom. i. p. 305), and Sozomenes (i. 12), mention pp. 62, 246, &c. ) Fabricius thinks that the Philon
Philon o Tiubayópelos. It is probable from their mentioned by Josephus, may have been a Gentile,
language that they both mean by the person so and that a Philon different from either Philon
designated Philon JUDAEUS. Jonsias (ibid. iii. Judaeus, or senior, was the author of the Book of
c. 4, p. 17) is strongly of opinion that Philon the Wisdom. Eusebius (Praep. Evangel. ix, 20, 24)
elder, and this Philon mentioned by Clemens, are quotes fifteen obscure hexameters from Philon,
the same. Fabricius, who once held this opinion, without giving hint of who
he is, and merely citing
was led to change his views (Fabric. Bibl. vol. i. them as from Alexander Polyhistor. These evi-
p. 862), and tacitly assumes (vol. iv. p. 738) that dently form part of a history of the Jews in verse,
Sozomenes indicated Philon Judaeus by this epi- and were written either by a Jew, in the character
thet.
of a heathen, as Fabricius hints is possible, or by
11. RHETORICIAN and PhiloSOPAER. Cave, a heathen acquainted with the Jewish Scriptures.
Giacomellus, and Ernesti, are of opinion that this This is, in all probability, the author, and the
is no other than Philon Carpasius. His era agrees work referred to by Josephus and Clemens Alexan-
with this, for the philosopher is quoted by Atha-drinus. Of course the author must have lived be-
nasius Sinaita, who flourished about A. D. 561. fore the time of Alexander Polyhistor, who came to
We need not be startled at the term philosopher as Rome, B. C. 83. It is doubtful whether he is the
applied to an ecclesiastic. This was not uncommon. same writer with the geographer of the same name,
Michael Psellus was termed the prince of philo- mentioned above.
sophers, and Nicetas was surnamed, in the same 13. Of Tarsus, a deacon. He was a companion
way as Philon, pýtwp kal diaocópos. Besides, of Ignatius of Antioch, and accompanied the martyr
Polybius, in the life of Epiphanius alluded to above, from the East to Rome, A. D. 107. He is twice
expressly calls Philon of Carpasia kampiróv áno mentioned in the epistles of Ignatius ad Philadelph.
öntópwv, which Tillemont and others erroneously c. 11, ad Smyrnaeos, c. 13). He is supposed to
understand to mean a man who has changed frora have written, along with Rheus Agathopus, the
the profession of the law to that of the church. Martyrium Igatii, for which see IGNATIUS, in this
Cave shows that the patwp held an office in the work, Vol. II. p. 566, b. (Comp. Cave, Hist
church itself, somewhat analogous to our professor- Litt. p. 28, ed. Genevae, 1720. )
a
x 3
+
## p. 310 (#326) ############################################
310
PHILON.
PHILON.
14. Of Thebes, is quoted by Plutarch as an au- probably the earliest in point of time, includes the
thority in his Life of Alexander (c. 46). He is books de Mundi Incorruptibilitate, Quod omnis
probably the same Philon, who is mentioned as Probus Liber, and de Vita Contemplatira. The
An authority for the Indian Antissa by Stephanus beginning of the third (ii. p. 471, Mangey) refers
Byzantinus (s. v. "AvTioga).
to the second, which treats of the Essenes. A
*15. THYANENSIS, a geometrician of profound abi- second division, composed probably not before
lities, if we may judge from the subject of his writ- Philon was an old man, treats of the oppressions
ings, which regarded the most transcendental parts which the Jews had to endure at that time (adrer
of ancient geometry, the consideration of curve lines. sus Flaccur, Legatio ad Caium, and probably also
In particular, he investigated the lines formed by de Nobilitate, which appears to be a fragment from
the intersection of a plane with certain curved the lost Apology for the Jews. See Dähne, ülkt
Burfaces. These lines are called by Pappus TAEK- die Schriften des Juden Philon, in Ullmann's and
Toides (Coll. Math. iv. post prop. 40). The na- C'mbreit's Theologische Studien und Kritiken, 1833,
ture of the surfaces or the lines is unknown ; but 'p. 990). All the other writings of Philon have re-
Pappus informs us that their investigation excited ference to the books of Moses. At the commence-
the admiration of many geometricians; among ment stands an exposition of the account of the
others, of Menelaus of Alexandria. As Menelaus creation (de lundi Opificio). Then follows, accord-
was in Rome A. D. 98, Philon must have preceded ing to the ordinary arrangement, a series of aliego-
him. (Montucla, vol. i. p. 316. ) (W. M. G. ) rical interpretations of the following sections of
PIILON (Dinwv), philosophers. 1. JUDAEUS, Genesis up to ch. xli. , partly under the general
the Jew, sprang from a priestly family of distinction, title Legis Alleyoriurum Libri I. -111. , partly under
and was born at Alexandria (Joseph. Ant. xviii. 8. particular titles.
Yet it is not improbable that
01, xx. 5. 2, xix. 5 $1; Euseb. H. E. ii. 4 ; these titles were not added till a later time, and
Phil. de Legat. ad Caium, ii. p. 567, Mangey). that the corresponding sections originally formed
After his life, from early youth upwards, had been consecutive books of the above-named work, of
wholly devoted to learning, he was compelled, when which some traces are still found in the excerpta of
he had probably already reached an advanced age, in the monk Joannes, and elsewhere. This series of
consequence of the persecutions which the Jews bad allegorical expositions appears even originally not to
to suffer, especially under the emperor Caius, to devote hare been a continuous commentary, and at a later
himself to public business. With four others of his period to have lost parts here and there. (Dähne,
race he undertook an embassy to Rome, in order to ibid. p. 1014, &c. ) Philon, at the beginning of
procure the revocation of the decree which exacted the first-mentioned treatise (de Mundi Opificio), in-
even from the Jews divine homage for the statue of dicates that the object of his expositions is to show
the emperor, and to ward off further persecutions. how the law and the world accord one with the
The embassy arrived at Rome in the winter of other, and how the man who lives according to the
A. D. 39-40, after the termination of the war law is, as such, a citizen of the world. For Moses,
against the Germans, and was still there when the as Philon remarks in his life of him (ii. p. 141),
prefect of Syria, Petronius, received orders, which treats the older bistories in such a manner, as to
were given probably in the spring of A. D. 40, to set demonstrate how the same Being is the father and
up the colossal statue of Caligula in the temple at creator of the universe, and the true law-giver ;
Jerusalem. Philon speaks of himself as the oldest and that, accordingly, whoever follows these laws
of the ambassadors (Phil. de Congressu, p. 530, de adapts himself to the course of nature, and lives
Leg. Spec. lib. ii. p. 299, de Legat. pp. 572, in accordance with the arrangements of the uni-
598; comp. Joseph. Ant. xviii. 8. $ 1). How verse ; while the man who transgresses them is
little the embassy accomplished its object, is proved punished by means of natural occurrences, such as
not only by the command above referred to, but ihe flood, the raining of fire, and so forth, in virtue
also by the anger of the emperor at the request of of the accordance and harmony of the words with
the mildly-disposed Petronius, that the execution the works, and of the latter with the former. Ac-
of the command might be deferred till the harvest cordingly, out of the accounts contained in Genesis
was over (see the letter of Petronius in Phil. p. of good and bad men, information respecting the
583). Nothing but the death of the emperor, destinies of man and the conditions of the soul
which ensued in January A. D. 41, saved Petronius, should be drawn by means of allegorical interpre-
for whose death orders had been given (Joseph. tation, and the personages whose histories bore
Ant. xviii. 8. $ 8). If Philon, at the time of the upon the subject be exhibited partly as powers,
embassy, was, as is not improbable, about 60 years partly as states of the soul, in order, as by analysis,
old, the date of his birth will be about B. C. 20. to attain a view of the soul (comp. de Congressu
In the treatise on the subject, which without doubt Quaer. Erud. Grat. p. 527). The treatises which
was written not earlier than the reign of the emperor have reference to the giving of the law are dis-
Claudius, he speaks of himself as an old man. As to tinct from those hitherto considered, and the laws
other events in his personal history, we only know again are divided into unwritten laws, that is,
with certainty of a journey undertaken by him to living patterns (kavoves) of a blameless life, as
Jerusalem (Phil. de Prorid. ap. Euseb. Pruep. Enos, Enoch, and Noah, Abrahain, Isaac, Jacob,
Evang. viii. 14, in Mangey, ii. p. 646). On the state- Joseph, Moses ; and particular or written laws, in
ment of Eusebius (H. E. ii. 17; comp. Hieronym. the narrower sense of the word (de Abrah. p. 2,
Catalog. Script. Ecclesiast. ), that Philon had already comp. de Praem. et Poenis, p. 408). Of those pattern-
been in Rome in the time of the emperor Claudius, lives there are to be found in his extant works only
and had become acquainted with the Apostle Peter, those of Abraham, Joseph, and Moses, treated of
as on that of Photius (Cod. 105), that he was a in separate writings. Even these are not without
Christian, no dependence whatever can be placed. individual allegorical interpretations, which how-
The writings of Philon may be arranged in ever only occur by the way, and are not designed,
several classes of these the first division, and I like the proper allegories, to refer the destinies
## p. 311 (#327) ############################################
PHILON.
311
PHILON.
and conditions of men, of the good as of the bad, printed earlier, the book de Mundo cannot pass as
to universal natural relations. The written laws philosophical. The really or apparently lost books
are explained first generally in the Decalogus. then, of Philon are enumerated in Fabricius ( Bild. Gruec.
according to their more special ends, in the treatises vol. iv. p. 7:27, &c. ). Turnebus's edition of the
de Circumcisione, de Monurchia, de Praemiis Sacer. writings of Philon (Paris, 1552, fol. ) appeared,
dotum, de Victimis, &c. (comp. A. F. Gfrörer, K'ri- emended by Hoeschel, first Colon. Allobmg. 1613,
tische Geschichte des Urchristenthums, pt. i. Philon, then, reprinted, Paris, 1640, Francof. 1691, &c.
p. 11, &c. ). On the assumption that the allegorical These were followed by Mangey's splendid edition
writings were composed chiefly for Jews, and those (Lond. 1742, 2 vols. fol. ). Still, without detract-
relating to the laws, whether set forth in the con- ing from its merits, it is far from complete ; and
duct of living models, or written, for Hellenes (de how much remains to be done in order to make a
Vita Mosis, ii. 80), Gfrörer (l. c. ) would entirely really good edition, was shown by Valckenaer,
separate the one class from the other, and make the Ruhnken, Markland, and others, at an earlier pe-
latter (the historicising), not the former (the alle riod, and more recently by Fr. Creuzer (Zur kóri-
gorical), follow immediately the treatise de Mundi tik der Schriften des Juden Philo, in Ullmann's
Opificio. He refers the statement of Philon himself and Umbreit's theologischen Studien und t'ritiken,
(de Praemiis ac Poenis I. c. ):--" The declarations 1832, pp. 1-43). The edition of Pfeiffer (Er-
of the prophet Moses divide themselves into two lang. 1785–92, 5 vols. 8vo) contributed but little
classes; the one relates to the creation of the world, to the correction of the text, and that of E. Richter
the contents of the second are of an historical kind, (Lips. 1828——30, 8 vols. 12mo) is little more than
the third embraces the laws "—merely to the trea- a reprint of Mangey's, including the pieces disca
tise on the creation of the world and the two series vered in the mean time. Dr. Grossmann (Quaes-
of writings relating to the law (ib. p. 23, &c. ). On tionum Philoneurum part. prim. Lips. 1829) holds
the other hand Dähne (l. c. p. 994, &c. ) remarks out the hope of a new critical edition.
with reason, that the historical part, according to Even as early as the times of Alexander and
the express remark appended in the passage of Ptolemaeus Lagi, many Jews had been settled in
Philon referred to, is said to contain the description Alexandria. In the times of Philon two of the
of wicked and virtuous modes of life, and the pu- five divisions of the town were exclusively occu-
nishments and rewards which are appointed to each pied by them, and they bad settled themselves in
in the different races, i. e. what is treated of in the a scattered manner even in the rest. (Adv. Flacc.
allegories. Dähne further directs attention partly to p. 523, &c. ) Having become more closely ac-
a passage in the life of Moses (ii. p. 141), according quainted with Greek philosophy by means of the
to which Philon separates the books of Moses into museum established by the first Ptolemies, Soter
two parts — the historical, which at the same time and Philadelphus, and of the libraries, the learned
contains accounts of the origin of the world and Jews of Alexandria began very soon to attempt
genealogies, and one relating to commands and pro- the reconciliation of this philosophy with the reve.
hibitions ; partly to the circumstance that elsewhere lations contained in their own sacred writings.
(de Abrah. pr. ) we find what in the other passage The more firmly however they were convinced of
is called the historical part spoken of as belonging the divine origin of their doctrines, the less could
to the KOOMOROS ; so that here again it is clearly they regard as contradictory or new what they re-
enough indicated that the allegorical books hang cognised as truth in the Greek philosophy. Thence
together with the work on the creation ; and both arose on the one hand their assuniption that this
1;
these passages differ from that before adduced (de truth must be an efflux, though a remote one, of
Praem. et Poen. ) in this, that in the latter the two the divine revelation, on the other hand, their en-
portions of Genesis, to which the Koduotoia is to deavour, by means of a profounder penetration into
be considered as equivalent, are again separated. the hidden sense of their holy books, to prove that
Gfrörer's attempt (in the preface to the second it was contained in them. In reference to the first
edition of his Philon, p. xii. &c. ) to establish his point, in order to establish the derivation of the
assumption against Dähne's objections cannot be fundamental truths of Greek philosophy from the
regarded as satisfactory, and the series of allegorical Mosaic revelation, they betook themselves to fic-
books should rather (with Mangey, Dähne, &c. ) titious references and supposititious books; and
come immediately after the account of the creation with regard to the second point, in order to distin-
To the treatises of Philon contained in the earlier guish between a verbal and a hidden sense, they
editions have recently been added not only those had recourse to allegorical interpretations. Aristo-
found by Angelo Mai in a Florentine manuscript, bulus had previously declared his views on both of
de Festo Cophini, and de Parentibus colendis, both these points in the dedication of his mystical com-
belonging to the dissertations on the laws (Philo et mentary to Ptolemaeus Philometer (ap. Euseb.
Virgilii Interpretes, Mediolan. 1818), but also the Praep. Erang. viii. 10; comp. Alex. Strom. i. p.
treatises, discovered by Bapt. Aucher in an Arine- 313). In the allegorical interpretation referred to
nian version and translated into Latin, De Provi- definite maxims (canones), they proceeded on the
dentia and De Animalibus (Venet. 18:22, fol. min. ), assumption that every thing contained in the law
Quaestion. et Solutt. in Genesim Serm. I'. in Exod. must have an immediate influence upon the in.
II. , a short summary, in the form of question and struction and amendment of men, and that the
answer, of the doctrines unfolded at length in the whole body of its precepts stands in a hidden con-
other treatises (comp. Dähne, l. c.
11. 'EOWWV Únourhuara. (Euscb. P. E. p. 41. ) bardly regret its loss. It consists of a tale re-
Vossius (De Hist. Gracc. p. 292, ed. Westermann) garding a monk, that being excommunicated by his
inadvertently attributes the last three to Porphyry, bishop, and having afterwards suffered martyrdom,
and has been partially followed by Fourmont (Re- he was brought in his coffin to the church, but
flexions sur l'Histoire des Anciens Peuples, vol. i. could not rest till the bishop, warned in a dream,
p. 21). These three must be assigned, on the au- bad formally absolved him. (Cave, Hist. Litt. p.
thority of Eusebius, to Herennius Philon, if he is 176, ed. Genevae, 1720 ; Fabric. Bibl. Graec. vol.
the same as Philon Byblius, who alone is men- vii. p. 420. )
tioned by Eusebius, just as the former name alone, 12. SENIOR. Josephus (A pion. i. 23), when
or standing without Herennius, is found elsewhere. enumerating the heathen writers who had treated
(See Salmasius, Plin. Exercit. p. 866. ) Lastly it of Jewish history, mentions together Demetrius
may be mentioned that Vossius (ibid. p. 254) attri- Phalereus, Philon, and Eupolemon. Philon he
butes to him the Allotiká, which with more proba- calls the elder (ó mpeoBútepos), probably to distin-
bility he elsewhere assigns (p. 486) to Philon the guish him from Philon Judaeus, and he cannot mean
geographer. But the work which has made his name Herennius Philon, who lived after his time. Cle-
most celebrated in modern times, and of which mens Alexandrinus (Stromat. i. p. 146) also couples
alone we have any fragments of consequence, is the together the names of Philon the elder and De-
translation of the Phoenician work already referred metrius, stating that their lists of Jewish kings
to. For the controversy regarding the genuineness differed. Hence Vossius thinks that both authors
and authenticity of this work, see SANCHONIATHON. refer to the same person. (De Hist. Graec. p. 486,
8. METAPONTINUS, a musician and poet. ed. Westermann. ) And in this Jonsius agrees
(Steph. Byz. 8. ο. Μεταπόντιον).
with him, while he notices the error of Josephus,
9. MONK. An ascetic treatise, bearing the in giring Demetrius the surname of Phalerens.
name of Philon Monachus, whom Cave (H. L. (De Script. Hist. Phil. ij. 4. p. 17. ) As Huetius
p. 176, Diss. ) deems to be much later than the (Demonstrat. Evangel. p. 62) was of opinion that
other ecclesiastical writers of the same name, is the apocryphal Book of Wisdom was written by
preserved in the library of Vienna (Cod. Theol. 325, this Philon, he was necessitated to consider him
No. 15). It is entitled, Contra Pulchritudinem as an Hellenistic Jew, who, unskilled in the ori-
Feminarum.
ginal Hebrew, had it translated, and then ex-
10. The PYTHAGOREAN. Clemens Alexandrinus panded it, in language peculiar to his class. (Ibid.
(Strom. i. p. 305), and Sozomenes (i. 12), mention pp. 62, 246, &c. ) Fabricius thinks that the Philon
Philon o Tiubayópelos. It is probable from their mentioned by Josephus, may have been a Gentile,
language that they both mean by the person so and that a Philon different from either Philon
designated Philon JUDAEUS. Jonsias (ibid. iii. Judaeus, or senior, was the author of the Book of
c. 4, p. 17) is strongly of opinion that Philon the Wisdom. Eusebius (Praep. Evangel. ix, 20, 24)
elder, and this Philon mentioned by Clemens, are quotes fifteen obscure hexameters from Philon,
the same. Fabricius, who once held this opinion, without giving hint of who
he is, and merely citing
was led to change his views (Fabric. Bibl. vol. i. them as from Alexander Polyhistor. These evi-
p. 862), and tacitly assumes (vol. iv. p. 738) that dently form part of a history of the Jews in verse,
Sozomenes indicated Philon Judaeus by this epi- and were written either by a Jew, in the character
thet.
of a heathen, as Fabricius hints is possible, or by
11. RHETORICIAN and PhiloSOPAER. Cave, a heathen acquainted with the Jewish Scriptures.
Giacomellus, and Ernesti, are of opinion that this This is, in all probability, the author, and the
is no other than Philon Carpasius. His era agrees work referred to by Josephus and Clemens Alexan-
with this, for the philosopher is quoted by Atha-drinus. Of course the author must have lived be-
nasius Sinaita, who flourished about A. D. 561. fore the time of Alexander Polyhistor, who came to
We need not be startled at the term philosopher as Rome, B. C. 83. It is doubtful whether he is the
applied to an ecclesiastic. This was not uncommon. same writer with the geographer of the same name,
Michael Psellus was termed the prince of philo- mentioned above.
sophers, and Nicetas was surnamed, in the same 13. Of Tarsus, a deacon. He was a companion
way as Philon, pýtwp kal diaocópos. Besides, of Ignatius of Antioch, and accompanied the martyr
Polybius, in the life of Epiphanius alluded to above, from the East to Rome, A. D. 107. He is twice
expressly calls Philon of Carpasia kampiróv áno mentioned in the epistles of Ignatius ad Philadelph.
öntópwv, which Tillemont and others erroneously c. 11, ad Smyrnaeos, c. 13). He is supposed to
understand to mean a man who has changed frora have written, along with Rheus Agathopus, the
the profession of the law to that of the church. Martyrium Igatii, for which see IGNATIUS, in this
Cave shows that the patwp held an office in the work, Vol. II. p. 566, b. (Comp. Cave, Hist
church itself, somewhat analogous to our professor- Litt. p. 28, ed. Genevae, 1720. )
a
x 3
+
## p. 310 (#326) ############################################
310
PHILON.
PHILON.
14. Of Thebes, is quoted by Plutarch as an au- probably the earliest in point of time, includes the
thority in his Life of Alexander (c. 46). He is books de Mundi Incorruptibilitate, Quod omnis
probably the same Philon, who is mentioned as Probus Liber, and de Vita Contemplatira. The
An authority for the Indian Antissa by Stephanus beginning of the third (ii. p. 471, Mangey) refers
Byzantinus (s. v. "AvTioga).
to the second, which treats of the Essenes. A
*15. THYANENSIS, a geometrician of profound abi- second division, composed probably not before
lities, if we may judge from the subject of his writ- Philon was an old man, treats of the oppressions
ings, which regarded the most transcendental parts which the Jews had to endure at that time (adrer
of ancient geometry, the consideration of curve lines. sus Flaccur, Legatio ad Caium, and probably also
In particular, he investigated the lines formed by de Nobilitate, which appears to be a fragment from
the intersection of a plane with certain curved the lost Apology for the Jews. See Dähne, ülkt
Burfaces. These lines are called by Pappus TAEK- die Schriften des Juden Philon, in Ullmann's and
Toides (Coll. Math. iv. post prop. 40). The na- C'mbreit's Theologische Studien und Kritiken, 1833,
ture of the surfaces or the lines is unknown ; but 'p. 990). All the other writings of Philon have re-
Pappus informs us that their investigation excited ference to the books of Moses. At the commence-
the admiration of many geometricians; among ment stands an exposition of the account of the
others, of Menelaus of Alexandria. As Menelaus creation (de lundi Opificio). Then follows, accord-
was in Rome A. D. 98, Philon must have preceded ing to the ordinary arrangement, a series of aliego-
him. (Montucla, vol. i. p. 316. ) (W. M. G. ) rical interpretations of the following sections of
PIILON (Dinwv), philosophers. 1. JUDAEUS, Genesis up to ch. xli. , partly under the general
the Jew, sprang from a priestly family of distinction, title Legis Alleyoriurum Libri I. -111. , partly under
and was born at Alexandria (Joseph. Ant. xviii. 8. particular titles.
Yet it is not improbable that
01, xx. 5. 2, xix. 5 $1; Euseb. H. E. ii. 4 ; these titles were not added till a later time, and
Phil. de Legat. ad Caium, ii. p. 567, Mangey). that the corresponding sections originally formed
After his life, from early youth upwards, had been consecutive books of the above-named work, of
wholly devoted to learning, he was compelled, when which some traces are still found in the excerpta of
he had probably already reached an advanced age, in the monk Joannes, and elsewhere. This series of
consequence of the persecutions which the Jews bad allegorical expositions appears even originally not to
to suffer, especially under the emperor Caius, to devote hare been a continuous commentary, and at a later
himself to public business. With four others of his period to have lost parts here and there. (Dähne,
race he undertook an embassy to Rome, in order to ibid. p. 1014, &c. ) Philon, at the beginning of
procure the revocation of the decree which exacted the first-mentioned treatise (de Mundi Opificio), in-
even from the Jews divine homage for the statue of dicates that the object of his expositions is to show
the emperor, and to ward off further persecutions. how the law and the world accord one with the
The embassy arrived at Rome in the winter of other, and how the man who lives according to the
A. D. 39-40, after the termination of the war law is, as such, a citizen of the world. For Moses,
against the Germans, and was still there when the as Philon remarks in his life of him (ii. p. 141),
prefect of Syria, Petronius, received orders, which treats the older bistories in such a manner, as to
were given probably in the spring of A. D. 40, to set demonstrate how the same Being is the father and
up the colossal statue of Caligula in the temple at creator of the universe, and the true law-giver ;
Jerusalem. Philon speaks of himself as the oldest and that, accordingly, whoever follows these laws
of the ambassadors (Phil. de Congressu, p. 530, de adapts himself to the course of nature, and lives
Leg. Spec. lib. ii. p. 299, de Legat. pp. 572, in accordance with the arrangements of the uni-
598; comp. Joseph. Ant. xviii. 8. $ 1). How verse ; while the man who transgresses them is
little the embassy accomplished its object, is proved punished by means of natural occurrences, such as
not only by the command above referred to, but ihe flood, the raining of fire, and so forth, in virtue
also by the anger of the emperor at the request of of the accordance and harmony of the words with
the mildly-disposed Petronius, that the execution the works, and of the latter with the former. Ac-
of the command might be deferred till the harvest cordingly, out of the accounts contained in Genesis
was over (see the letter of Petronius in Phil. p. of good and bad men, information respecting the
583). Nothing but the death of the emperor, destinies of man and the conditions of the soul
which ensued in January A. D. 41, saved Petronius, should be drawn by means of allegorical interpre-
for whose death orders had been given (Joseph. tation, and the personages whose histories bore
Ant. xviii. 8. $ 8). If Philon, at the time of the upon the subject be exhibited partly as powers,
embassy, was, as is not improbable, about 60 years partly as states of the soul, in order, as by analysis,
old, the date of his birth will be about B. C. 20. to attain a view of the soul (comp. de Congressu
In the treatise on the subject, which without doubt Quaer. Erud. Grat. p. 527). The treatises which
was written not earlier than the reign of the emperor have reference to the giving of the law are dis-
Claudius, he speaks of himself as an old man. As to tinct from those hitherto considered, and the laws
other events in his personal history, we only know again are divided into unwritten laws, that is,
with certainty of a journey undertaken by him to living patterns (kavoves) of a blameless life, as
Jerusalem (Phil. de Prorid. ap. Euseb. Pruep. Enos, Enoch, and Noah, Abrahain, Isaac, Jacob,
Evang. viii. 14, in Mangey, ii. p. 646). On the state- Joseph, Moses ; and particular or written laws, in
ment of Eusebius (H. E. ii. 17; comp. Hieronym. the narrower sense of the word (de Abrah. p. 2,
Catalog. Script. Ecclesiast. ), that Philon had already comp. de Praem. et Poenis, p. 408). Of those pattern-
been in Rome in the time of the emperor Claudius, lives there are to be found in his extant works only
and had become acquainted with the Apostle Peter, those of Abraham, Joseph, and Moses, treated of
as on that of Photius (Cod. 105), that he was a in separate writings. Even these are not without
Christian, no dependence whatever can be placed. individual allegorical interpretations, which how-
The writings of Philon may be arranged in ever only occur by the way, and are not designed,
several classes of these the first division, and I like the proper allegories, to refer the destinies
## p. 311 (#327) ############################################
PHILON.
311
PHILON.
and conditions of men, of the good as of the bad, printed earlier, the book de Mundo cannot pass as
to universal natural relations. The written laws philosophical. The really or apparently lost books
are explained first generally in the Decalogus. then, of Philon are enumerated in Fabricius ( Bild. Gruec.
according to their more special ends, in the treatises vol. iv. p. 7:27, &c. ). Turnebus's edition of the
de Circumcisione, de Monurchia, de Praemiis Sacer. writings of Philon (Paris, 1552, fol. ) appeared,
dotum, de Victimis, &c. (comp. A. F. Gfrörer, K'ri- emended by Hoeschel, first Colon. Allobmg. 1613,
tische Geschichte des Urchristenthums, pt. i. Philon, then, reprinted, Paris, 1640, Francof. 1691, &c.
p. 11, &c. ). On the assumption that the allegorical These were followed by Mangey's splendid edition
writings were composed chiefly for Jews, and those (Lond. 1742, 2 vols. fol. ). Still, without detract-
relating to the laws, whether set forth in the con- ing from its merits, it is far from complete ; and
duct of living models, or written, for Hellenes (de how much remains to be done in order to make a
Vita Mosis, ii. 80), Gfrörer (l. c. ) would entirely really good edition, was shown by Valckenaer,
separate the one class from the other, and make the Ruhnken, Markland, and others, at an earlier pe-
latter (the historicising), not the former (the alle riod, and more recently by Fr. Creuzer (Zur kóri-
gorical), follow immediately the treatise de Mundi tik der Schriften des Juden Philo, in Ullmann's
Opificio. He refers the statement of Philon himself and Umbreit's theologischen Studien und t'ritiken,
(de Praemiis ac Poenis I. c. ):--" The declarations 1832, pp. 1-43). The edition of Pfeiffer (Er-
of the prophet Moses divide themselves into two lang. 1785–92, 5 vols. 8vo) contributed but little
classes; the one relates to the creation of the world, to the correction of the text, and that of E. Richter
the contents of the second are of an historical kind, (Lips. 1828——30, 8 vols. 12mo) is little more than
the third embraces the laws "—merely to the trea- a reprint of Mangey's, including the pieces disca
tise on the creation of the world and the two series vered in the mean time. Dr. Grossmann (Quaes-
of writings relating to the law (ib. p. 23, &c. ). On tionum Philoneurum part. prim. Lips. 1829) holds
the other hand Dähne (l. c. p. 994, &c. ) remarks out the hope of a new critical edition.
with reason, that the historical part, according to Even as early as the times of Alexander and
the express remark appended in the passage of Ptolemaeus Lagi, many Jews had been settled in
Philon referred to, is said to contain the description Alexandria. In the times of Philon two of the
of wicked and virtuous modes of life, and the pu- five divisions of the town were exclusively occu-
nishments and rewards which are appointed to each pied by them, and they bad settled themselves in
in the different races, i. e. what is treated of in the a scattered manner even in the rest. (Adv. Flacc.
allegories. Dähne further directs attention partly to p. 523, &c. ) Having become more closely ac-
a passage in the life of Moses (ii. p. 141), according quainted with Greek philosophy by means of the
to which Philon separates the books of Moses into museum established by the first Ptolemies, Soter
two parts — the historical, which at the same time and Philadelphus, and of the libraries, the learned
contains accounts of the origin of the world and Jews of Alexandria began very soon to attempt
genealogies, and one relating to commands and pro- the reconciliation of this philosophy with the reve.
hibitions ; partly to the circumstance that elsewhere lations contained in their own sacred writings.
(de Abrah. pr. ) we find what in the other passage The more firmly however they were convinced of
is called the historical part spoken of as belonging the divine origin of their doctrines, the less could
to the KOOMOROS ; so that here again it is clearly they regard as contradictory or new what they re-
enough indicated that the allegorical books hang cognised as truth in the Greek philosophy. Thence
together with the work on the creation ; and both arose on the one hand their assuniption that this
1;
these passages differ from that before adduced (de truth must be an efflux, though a remote one, of
Praem. et Poen. ) in this, that in the latter the two the divine revelation, on the other hand, their en-
portions of Genesis, to which the Koduotoia is to deavour, by means of a profounder penetration into
be considered as equivalent, are again separated. the hidden sense of their holy books, to prove that
Gfrörer's attempt (in the preface to the second it was contained in them. In reference to the first
edition of his Philon, p. xii. &c. ) to establish his point, in order to establish the derivation of the
assumption against Dähne's objections cannot be fundamental truths of Greek philosophy from the
regarded as satisfactory, and the series of allegorical Mosaic revelation, they betook themselves to fic-
books should rather (with Mangey, Dähne, &c. ) titious references and supposititious books; and
come immediately after the account of the creation with regard to the second point, in order to distin-
To the treatises of Philon contained in the earlier guish between a verbal and a hidden sense, they
editions have recently been added not only those had recourse to allegorical interpretations. Aristo-
found by Angelo Mai in a Florentine manuscript, bulus had previously declared his views on both of
de Festo Cophini, and de Parentibus colendis, both these points in the dedication of his mystical com-
belonging to the dissertations on the laws (Philo et mentary to Ptolemaeus Philometer (ap. Euseb.
Virgilii Interpretes, Mediolan. 1818), but also the Praep. Erang. viii. 10; comp. Alex. Strom. i. p.
treatises, discovered by Bapt. Aucher in an Arine- 313). In the allegorical interpretation referred to
nian version and translated into Latin, De Provi- definite maxims (canones), they proceeded on the
dentia and De Animalibus (Venet. 18:22, fol. min. ), assumption that every thing contained in the law
Quaestion. et Solutt. in Genesim Serm. I'. in Exod. must have an immediate influence upon the in.
II. , a short summary, in the form of question and struction and amendment of men, and that the
answer, of the doctrines unfolded at length in the whole body of its precepts stands in a hidden con-
other treatises (comp. Dähne, l. c.
