A Dictionary of Greek and Roman biography and mythology. By various writers. Ed. by William Smith. Illustrated by numerous engravings on wood.

PHILON. PHILON. 311
and conditions of men, of the good as of the bad, printed earlier, the book de 1/undo 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 (Bibl. Graec.
according to their more special ends, in the treatises vol. iv. p. 727, &c.). Turnebus's edition of the
lde Circuincisione, de Monarchia, de Praemiis Sacer- writings of Philon (Paris, 1552, fol.) appeared,
dotum, de Victimis, &c. (comp. A. F. Gfriirer, Kri- emended by Hoeschel, first Colon. Allobrog. 1613,
tische Geschichte des Urchristenthums, pt. i. Philon, then, reprinted, Paris, 1640, Francof. 1691, &c.
p. 1 1, &c.). On the assumption that the allegorical These were followed by Mangey's splendid edition
writings were composed chiefly forJews, and those (Lond. 1742, 2 vols. fol.). Still, without detractrelating 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), Gfriirer (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 pelatter (the historicising), not the former (the alle- riod, and more recently by Fr. Creuzer (Zur Krigorical), 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 theologiscilen Studien und Kritiken,
(de Praemiis ac Poenis i.c.):-" The declarations 1832, pp. 1-43). The edition of Pfeiffer (Erof 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 discotise on the creation of the world and the two series vered in the mean time. Dr. Grossmann ( Quaesof writings relating to the law (ib. p. 23, &c.). On tionuan Philonearum part. prim. Lips. 1829) holds
the other hand Diihne (I. 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 occunishments and rewards which are appointed to each pied by them, and they had 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. Ddhne further directs attention partly to p. 523, &c.) Having become more closely aca 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 revehibitions; 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 tcoso'loroia; so that here again it is clearly they regard as contradictory or new what they reenough 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 assumption that this
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 enportions of Genesis, to which the KonJuowroa 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
Gfr6rer'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 Dihne'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 ficbooks should rather (with Mangey, Daihne, &c.) titious references and supposititious books; and
come immediately after the account of the creation. with regard to the second point, in order to distinTo 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. Aristofound 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 combelonging to the dissertations on the laws (Philo et mentary to Ptolemaeus Philometer (ap. Euseb.
Virgilii Interpretes, Mediolan. 1818), but also the Praep, Evang. viii. 10; comp. Alex. Strom. i. p.
treatises, discovered by Bapt. Aucher in an Arme- 343). In the allegorical interpretation referred to
nian version and translated into Latin, De Provi- definite maxims (canones), they proceeded on the
dentia and De Animnalibus (Venet. 1822, fol. min.), assumption that every thing contained in the law
Quaestion. et Solztt. in Genesim Serm. IV. in Exod. must have an immediate influence upon the in,
1., 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 conother treatises (comp. Dihne, 1. c. p. 10, 37, &c.), nection, which must be disclosed by a more proSermones de Sanmpsono, de Jona, et de tribus An- found understanding of them.
gelis Abrahanzo apparen2tibus. (Philonis Judaei Pa- This new philosophy of religion, which was obralipomena Armena, ib. 1826, fol. min.) Of the tained through the appropriation of Greek philolatter, however, the Seran. de Sampsone et de Jona sophy by means of an allegorical interpretation of
must be looked upon as decidedly spurious (conmp. the Mosaic records, is taught us most clearly in the
iiihmne, 1. c. p. 907, &c.), as also, among those writings of Philon; for although his creative powers
x4