CHAPTER XVIII

THE BOOKS OF PHILO THAT HAVE COME DOWN TO US

THIS author, who was copious in language, comprehensive in thought, sublime and elevated in his views of the sacred Scriptures, has made his exposition of the sacred books equally distinguished for variety of matter and manner. On the one hand he expounds the history of Genesis, in the books that he calls “Allegories of the Divine Laws,” following the order of the book; and on the other, he forms particular divisions of the chapters, according to the subject of the Scriptures, with the objections and solutions; in which same books also he prefixes the tables of the questions and solutions both in Genesis and Exodus respectively. There are also, besides these, treatises on certain problems particularly discussed, such as two “On Agriculture,” and two “On Drunkenness,” and some others distinguished by a different and peculiar title; such as “On the things that a Sober Mind earnestly desires, and those which it execrates;” also, “On the Confusion of Tongues,” and the treatise “On Flight and Discovery,” and that “On Literary Convention,” and “On the question, ‘Who is Heir to things Divine?’ ”or, “On the Division of Things into equal and unequal.” Moreover, the treatise on the three virtues, which Moses records with others. Beside these, there is one “On those whose Names are changed, and wherefore their Names have been changed;” in which he says, that he wrote also on the first and second covenant. There is also a work of the same author, “On Emigration, and on the Life of the Wise Man perfect in Righteousness;” or, “On the Unwritten Laws.” Also, “On Giants,” or, “On the Immutability of God.” And also, “On the Proposition, that Dreams, according to Moses, are sent by God”—five books. These are the books that have come down to us on Genesis, but on Exodus we are acquainted with the first five books of Questions and Solutions; also, that “On the Tabernacle,” that also “On the Ten Commandments;” also, the first four treatises on the laws referring particularly to the summary heads of the ten commandments. Also, the treatise “On the Sacrifice of Animals, and the Forms of Sacrifices;” that also, “On the Rewards proposed in the Law to Good Men, and the Punishments and Curses to the Wicked.” Besides all these, there are single books extant of the same author, as the treatises “On Providence,” and the book composed by him “On the Jews,” and “The Statesman.” To this may be added “Alexander,” or “On Irrational Animals evincing Reason.” Beside these, “On the Proposition that a Wicked Man is a Slave;” to this is subjoined the book, “That every Good Man is free.” After which he added the book “On a Contemplative Life, or the Devout,” from which we have related the circumstances respecting the life of the apostolical men. Also, the interpretations of the Hebrew names in the law and prophets, is said to be the result of his industry. The same author, in the reign of Caius, coming to Rome, is said to have recited before the whole senate, in the reign of Claudius, what he wrote on the impiety of Caius, to which he humourously prefixed the title “On the Virtues;” and the discourses were so much admired as to be deemed worthy of a place in the libraries. During this time also, Paul finishing his journey from Jerusalem, and thence round to Illyricum, Claudius expelled the Jews from Rome, at which time Aquila and Priscilla, with the other Jews that left Rome, went over into Asia. There they abode with the apostle, who was confirming those among whom churches had been already established by him. Of these facts we are also informed in the sacred book of the Acts.