XVIII. And there is evidence in support of what has here been said to be derived from the change and alteration of his • name: for he was anciently called Abram, but afterwards he was named Abraham: the alteration of sound being only that ^ which proceeds from one single letter, alpha, being doubled, but the alteration revealing in effect an important fact and i doctrine; for the name Abram being interpreted means " sub- j lime father;" but Abraham signifies, "the elect father of i sound." The first name being expressive of the man who is ; called an astronomer, and one addicted to the contemplation j of the sublime bodies in the sky, and who was versed in the ' doctrines of the Chaldseans, and who took care of them as a ' father might take care of his children. But the last name i intimating the really wise man; for the latter name, by the j word sound, intimates the uttered speech; and by the word j father, the dominant mind. For the speech which is con- 1 ceived within is naturally the father of that which is uttered, inasmuch as it is older than the latter, and as it also suggests what is to be said. And by the addition of the word elect his goodness is intimated.
For the evil disposition is a random and confused one, but Ithat which is elect is good, having been selected from all others by reason of its excellence. Therefore, to him who is ' addicted to the contemplation of the sublime bodies of the sky there appears to be nothing whatever greater than the world; and therefore he refers the causes of all things that exist to the world. But the wise man, beholding with more accurate eyes that more-.$arXect Being that rules and governs all things, and is appreciable only by the intellect, to whom all things are subservient as,to, *&*«Daster, and by whom every thing is 414 PIIILO JUDiEUS.
directed, very often reproaches himself for his former way of life, and if he had lived the existence of a blind man, leaning upon objects perceptible by the outward senses, on things by their very nature worthless and unstable.
The second migration is again undertaken by the virtuous man under the influence of a sacred oracle, but this is no longer one from one city to another, but it is to a desolate country, in which, he wandered about for a long time without being discontented at his wandering and at his unsettled condi- tion, which necessarily arose from it. And yet, what other man wrould not have been grieved, not only at departing from his own country but also at being driven away from every city into an inaccessible and impassable district? And what other man would not have turned back and returned to his former home, paying but little attention to his former hopes, but desiring to escape from his present perplexity, thinking it folly for the sake of uncertain advantages to undergo admitted evils? But this man alone appears to have behaved in the contrary manner, thinking that life which, was remote from the fellowship of many companions the most pleasant of all.
And this is naturally the case; for those who seek and desire to find God, love that solitude which is dear to him, labouring for this as their dearest and primary object, to become like his blessed and happy nature. Therefore, having now given both explanations, the literal one as concerning the man, and the allegorical one relating to the soul, we have shown that both the man and the mind are deserving of love; inasmuch as the one is obedient to the sacred oracles, and because of their influence submits to be torn away from things with which it is hard to part; and the mind deserves to be loved because it has not submitted to be for ever deceived and to abide permanently w7ith the essences perceptible by the out- ward senses, thinking the visible world the greatest and first of gods, but soariug upwards with its reason it has beheld another nature better than that which is visible, that, namely, which is appreciable only by the intellect; and also that being who is at the same time the Creator and ruler of both.
XIX. These, then, are the first principles of the man wh( loves God, and they are followed by actions which do r.o' deserve to be lightly esteemed. But the greatness of them i- not evident to every one, but only to those who have tasted o ON ABRAHAM. 4! 5 virtue, and who are wont to look with ridicule upon the objects which are admired by the multitude, by reason of the great- ness of the good things of the soul. Therefore, God, having ipproved of his conduct which I have mentioned, presently rewarded the virtuous man with a great gift, inasmuch as he preserved sound and free from all pollution his marriage, which was in danger of being plotted against by a powerful and incontinent man.
And the cause of this man's design upon it arose from this aeginning; there having been a barrenness and scarcity of Tops for a long time, owing to a long and immoderate period )f rain which prevailed at one time, and to a great drought md heat which ensued afterwards. The cities of Syria being )ppressed by a long continuance of famine, became destitute if inhabitants, all of them being dispersed in different direc- ions for the purpose of seeking food and providing themselves vitli necessaries. Therefore, Abraham, hearing that there vas unlimited abundance and plenty in Egypt, since the river here irrigated the fields with its inundations at the proper eason, and since the winds by their salutary temperature nought up and nourished rich and heavy crops of corn, rose ip with all his household to quit Syria and to go thither. And le had a wife of a most excellent disposition, who was also the aost beautiful of all the women of her time. The Egyptian Magistrates, seeing her and admiring her exquisite form, for tothhig ever escapes the notice of men in authority, gave aformation to the king. And the king, sending for the woman nd beholding her extraordinary beauty, gave but little heed 3 the dictates of modesty or to the laws which had been stablished with respect to the honour due to strangers, but ielding to his incontinent desires, conceived the intention in ame, indeed, to marry her in lawful wedlock, but, in fact to educe and defile her. But she, being destitute of all succour, s being in a foreign land, before an incontinent and cruel- linded ruler (for her husband had no power to protect her, 3aring the danger which impended over him from princes lightier than he), at last, with him, took refuge in the only liiance remaining to her, the protection of God.
And the merciful and gracious God, who takes compassion D the stranger, and who fights on behalf of those who are njustly oppressed, inflicted in a moment painful sufferings and 410 riULO JUD.EUS.
terrible chastisements on the king, filling his body and soul with all kinds of miseries difficult to be escaped or remedied, so that all his inclinations tending to pleasure were cut short, and, on the contrary, he was occupied with nothing but cares, seeking an alleviation from his endless and intolerable torments by which he was harassed and tortured day and night; and his whole household also received their share of his punishment, because none of them had felt any indigna- tion at his lawless conduct, but had all consented to it, and had all but co-operated actively in his iniquity.
In this manner the chastity of the woman was preserved, and God condescended to display the excellence and piety of her husband, giving him the noblest reward, namely, his marriage free from all injury, and even from all insult, so as no longer to be in danger of being violated; a marriage which however was not intended to produce any limited number of sons and daughters, but an entire nation — the most God-loving of all nations — and one which appears to me to have received the offices of priesthood and prophecy on behalf of the whole human race.
XX. I have heard men versed in natural philosophy in- terpreting this passage in an allegorical manner with nr inconsiderable ingenuity and propriety; and their idea is that the man here is a symbolical expression for the virtuous mind, conjecturing from the interpretation of his name thai what is intended to be indicated is the virtuous dispositioi existing in the soul; and that by his wife is meant virtue for the name of his wife is, in the Chaldean language Sarah, but in Greek " princess," because there is nothing more royal or more worthy of pre-eminence than virtue And the marriage in which pleasure unites people compre hends the connection of the bodies, but that which i brought about by wisdom is the union of reasonings whic desire purification, and of the perfect virtues; and the tw kinds of marriage here described are extremely opposite t one another; for in the marriage of the bodies it is th male partner which sows the seed and the female whic receives it, but in the union which takes place with regar to the soul it is quite the contrary, and it is virtue whic appears to be there in the place of the woman, which sov good counsels, and virtuous speeches, and expositions i ON ABRAHAM 417 ON ABRAHAM 417 doctrines profitable to life; but the reason which is con- sidered to be classed in the light of the man receives the sacred and divine seed, unless, indeed, there is any error in the names usually given; for certainly, in the grammatical view of the words, the word reason is masculine., and the word virtue has a feminine character.
But if any one, discarding the considerations of the names winch tend to throw darkness over the subject, chooses to look at the plain facts without any disguise, he will know that virtue is masculine by nature, inasmuch as \ it puts things in motion, and arranges them, and suggests good conceptions of noble actions and speeches; but reason is feminine, inasmuch as it is put in motion by another, and is instructed and benefited, and, in short, is altogether the patient, as its passive state is its only safety.
XXI. All men, therefore, even the most vile, in word honour and admire virtue as far as appearance goes; but it jis the virtuous alone who obey its injunctions; on which .account the king of Egypt, who is a figurative representa- tion of the mind devoted to the body, as if he were acting I in a theatre, assumes the character of a pretended partici- ' pation in temperance though being an intemperate man, and in continence though being an incontinent man, and injustice though an unjust man, and he invites justice to himself, being eager to obtain a good report from the multitude; and the governor of the universe seeing this, for God alone has power to look into the soul, hates him and rejects him, and by the most cruel tests and powers convicts him of an utterly false disposition.
But by what instruments are these tests carried out? Surely altogether by the parts of virtue which, whenever (they enter, inflict great pain and severe wounds; for a torture is a deficiency of supply to that which is insatiable, and the torture of greediness is temperance; moreover, the man who is fond of glory is tortured while simplicity and humility are in the ascendent, and so is the unjust man when justice is extolled; for it is impossible for two hostile natures to inhabit one soul, namely, for wickedness and rirtue, for which reason, when they do come together, end- ess and irreconcilable seditions and wars are kindled between them; and yet this is the case though virtue is of VOL. II. E E 418 PHILO JUD/EUS.
a most peaceful disposition, and, as they say, is anxioua whenever it is about to come to a contest of strength to make trial of its own powers first, so as only to contend if it has a prospect of being able to gain the victory; but if it finds its power unequal to the conflict, then it will never dare to descend into the arena at all, for it is not disgraceful to wickedness to be defeated, inasmuch as ingloriousne.'- is akin to it; but it would be a shameful thing for virtue, to which glory is the most appropriate and the most peculiarly belonging of all things, on which account it i3 natural for virtue either to secure the victory, or else to keep itself un- conquered.
XXII. It has been said then that the disposition of the Egyptians is inhospitable and intemperate; and the human- ity of him who has been exposed to their conduct deserves admiration, for he* in the middle of the day beholding as it were three men travelling (and he did not perceive that they were in reality of a more divine nature), ran up and entreated them with great perseverance not to pass by his tent, but as was becoming to go in and receive the rites of hospitality: and they knowing the truth of the man not so much by what he said, as by his mind which they could look into, assented to his request without hesitation; and being filled as to his soul with joy, he took every possible pains to make their extemporaneous reception worthy of them; and he said to his wife, " Hasten now, and make ready quickly three measures of fine meal," and he himself went forth among the herds of oxen, and brought forth a tender and well-fed heifer, and gave it to his servant; and he having slain it, dressed it with all speed.
For no one in the house of a wise man is ever slow tc perform the duties of hospitality, but both women and men and slaves and freemen, are most eager in the performaiic* of ail those duties towards strangers; therefore, after havin< feasted, and being delighted, not so much with what waa se before them, as with the good will of their entertainer, am with his excessive and unbounded zeal to please their they bestow on him a reward beyond his expectation, th birth of a legitimate son in a short time, making him promise which is to be confirmed to him by one the mot * Genesis xviii. 1, &c.
ON ABRAHAM. 419 excellent of the three; for it would have been inconsistent with philosophy for them all to speak together at the same moment, but it was desirous for all the rest to assent while one spoke.
Nevertheless he did not completely believe them even when they made him this promise, by reason of the incredi- ble nature of the thing promised; for both he and his wife, through extreme old age, were so old as utterly to have abandoned all hope of offspring; therefore the scriptures record that Abraham's wife, when she first heard what they were saying, laughed; and when they said after- wards, "Is anything impossible to God?" they were so ashamed that they denied that they had laughed; for Abraham knew that everything was possible to God, having almost learnt this doctrine as one may say from his cradle; then for the first time he appears to me to have begun to entertain a different opinion of his guests from that which he conceived at first, and to have imagined that they were either some of the prophets or of the angels who had changed their spiritual and soul-like essence, and assumed the appearance of men.
XXIII. We have now then described the hospitable temper of the man, which was as it were a sort of addition to set off his greater virtue; but his virtue was piety towards God, concerning which we. have spoken before, the most evident instance of which is to be found in his eonduct now recorded towards the strangers; but if any per- sons have fancied that house happy and blessed in which it bag happened that wise men have stopped and abode, they <hould consider that they would not have done so, and vould not even have looked into it at all, if they had seen my incurable disease in the souls of those who were therein, )ut I know not what excess of happiness and blessedness, I ihould say, existed in that house in which angels conde- scended to tarry and to receive the rites of hospitality from nen, angels, those sacred and divine natures, the ministers Ind lieutenants of the mighty God, by means of whom, as if ambassadors, he announces whatever predictions he con- i escends to intimate to our race. For how could they ever have endured to enter a human abitation at all, unless they had been certain that all the e e 2 inhabitants within, like the well-managed and orderly crew of a ship, obeyed one signal only, namely, that of their master, as the sailors obey the command of the captain? And how would they ever have condescended to assume the appearance of guests and men feasted hospitably, if they had not thought that their entertainer was akin to them, and a fellow servant with them, bound to the service of the same master as themselves? We must think indeed that at their entrance all the parts of the house became improved and advanced in goodness, being breathed upon with a certain breeze of most perfect virtue.
And the entertainment was such as it was fitting that it should be, the persons who were being feasted displaying at the banquet their own simplicity towards their entertainer, and addressing him in a guileless manner, and all of them holding conversation suited to the occasion. And it is a thing that deserves to be looked on as a prodigy, that though they did not drink they seemed to drink, and that though they did not eat they presented the appearance ot persons eating. But this was all natural and consistent with what was going on. And the most miraculous circum- stance of all was, that these beings who were incorporeal presented the appearance of a body in human form bv reason of their favour to the virtuous man, for otherwise what need was there of all these miracles except for the purpose of giving the wise man the evidence of his externa senses by means of a more distinct sight, because his cha- racter had not escaped the knowledge of the Father of tht universe.
XXIV. This then is sufficient to say by way of a litera explanation of this account: we must now speak of tha which may be given if the story be looked at as figurative and symbolical.
The things which are expressed by the voice are the sign of those things which are conceived in the mind alone when, therefore, the soul is shone upon by Grod as if a noonday, and when it is wholly and entirely filled with tha light which is appreciable only by the intellect, and b being wholly surrounded with its brilliancy is free from a shade or darkness, it then perceives a threefold image ( one subject, one image of the living God, and others of tb ON ABE AH AM. 421 other two, as if they were shadows irradiated by it. And some such thing as this happens to those who dwell in that light which is perceptible by the outward senses, for whether people are standing still or in motion, there is often a double shadow failing from them.
Let not any one then fancy that the word shadow is applied to God with perfect propriety. It is merely a cata- chrestical abuse of the name, by way of bringing before our eyes a more vivid representation of the matter intended to be intimated. Since this is not the actual truth, but in order that one may when speaking keep as close to the truth as possible, the one in the middle is the Father of the universe, who in the sacred scriptures is called by his proper name, I am that I am; and the beings on each side are those most ancient powers which are always close to the living God, one of which is called his creative power, and the other his royal power.
And the creative power is God, for it is by this that he made and arranged the universe; and the royal power is the Lord, for it is fitting that the Creator should lord it over and govern the creature. Therefore the middle person of the three, being attended by each of his powers as by body-guards, presents to the mind, which is endowed with the faculty of sight, a vision at one time of one being, and at another time of three; of one when the soul being com- pletely purified, and having surmounted not only the multi- tudes of numbers, but also the number two, which is the neighbour of the unit, hastens onward to that idea which is devoid of all mixture, free from all combination, and by itself in need of nothing else whatever; and of three, when, not being as yet made perfect as to the important virtues, it is still seeking for initiation in those of less con- sequence, and is not able to attain to a comprehension of the living God by its own unassisted faculties without the aid of something else, but can only do so by judging of his deeds, whether as creator or as governor. This then, as they say, is the second best thing; and it no less partakes in the opinion which is dear to and devoted to God. But the first -mentioned disposition has no such share, but is itself the very God-loving and God-beloved opinion itself, or rather it is truth which is older than opinion, and inure valuable thau any seeming.
But we must now explain what is intimated by this statement in a more perspicuous manner.
XXV. There are three different classes of human dispo- sitions, each of which has received as its portion one of the aforesaid visions. The best of them has received that vision which is in the centre, the sight of the truly living God. The one which is next best has received that which is on the right hand, the sight of the beneficent power which has the name of God. And the third has the sight of that which is on the left hand, the governing power, which i.s called lord. Therefore, the best dispositions cultivate that being who exists of himself, without the aid of any one else, being themselves attracted by nothing else, by reason of all their entire attention being directed to the honour of that one being. But of the other dispositions, some derive their existence and owe their being recognized by the father to his beneficent power; and others, again, owe it to his governing power. My meaning in this statement is this: — Men when they perceive that, under the pretext of friend- ship, some persons come to them, being in reality onto desirous to get what they can from them, look npon them with suspicion, and turn away from them, fearing their insincere, and flattering, and caressing behaviour, as very pernicious. But God, inasmuch as he is not liable to any injury, gladly invites all men who choose, in any way what- ever to honour him, to come unto him, not choosing alto- gether to reject any person whatever; and, in truth, he almost says in express words to those who have ears in the soul, " The most valuable prizes shall be offered to those who worship me for my own sake: the second best to those who hope by their own efforts to be able to attain to good, or to find a means of escape from punishments. For even if the service of this latter class is mercenary and not wholly incorrupt, still it nevertheless revolves within the divine circumference, and does not stray beyond it. But the rewards which shall be laid up for those who honour me for my own sake are rewards of affection; while thost which are given to those who do so with a view to theii ON ABRAHAM. 4£f} ON ABRAHAM. 4£f} own advantage are not given through affection, but because I they are not looked upon as aliens. For I receive him who wishes to be a partaker of ray beneficent power to a partici- pation in my good things, and him who out of fear seeks to propitiate my governing and despotic power, I receive so far as to avert punishment from him. For I am not unaware; that, in addition to these men not becoming worse, they will become better, by gradually arriving at a sincere and pure piety by their constant perseverance in serving me. For even if the original dispositions, under the influence of which they originally endeavoured to please me, differ widely, still they must not be blamed, because they have in conse- quence only one aim and object, that of serving me."
But that what is seen is in reality a threefold appearance of one subject is plain, not only from the contemplation of the allegory, but also from that of the express words in which the allegory is couched. For when the wise man entreats those persons who are in the guise of three travel- lers to come and ]odge in his house, he speaks to them not as three persons, but as one, and says, " My lord, if I have found favour with thee, do not thou pass by thy servant."* For the expressions, " my lord," and " with thee," and " do not thou pass by," and others of the same kind, are all such as are naturally addressed to a single individual, but not to many. And when those persons, having been entertained in his house, address their entertainer in an affectionate manner, it is again one of them who promises that he by himself will be present, and will bestow on him the seed of a child of his own, speaking in the following words: " I will return again and visit thee again, according to the time of life, and Sarah thy wife shall have a son."f XXVI. And what is signified by this is indicated in a most evident and careful manner by the events which ensued. The country of the Sodomites was a district of the land of Canaan, which the Syrians afterwards called Pales- tine, a country full of innumerable iniquities, and espe- cially of gluttony and debauchery, and all the great and numerous pleasures of other kinds which have been built up by men as a fortress, on which account it had been already condemned by the Judge of the whole world. And * Genesis xviii. 3. t Genesis xviii. 10.
1-2!
PIIILO JUD.EUS.
the cause of its excessive and immoderate intemperance was the unlimited abundance of supplies of all kinds which its inhabitants enjoyed. For the land was one with a deep soil, and well watered, and as such produced abundant crops of every kind of fruit every year. And he wras a wise man and spoke truly who said — " The greatest cause of all iniquity Is found in overmuch prosperity."
As men, being unable to bear discreetly a satiety of these things, get restive like cattle, and become stiff-necked, and discard the laws of nature, pursuing a great and intem- perate indulgence of gluttony, and drinking, and unlawful connections; for not only did they go mad after women, and defile the marriage bed of others, but also those who were men lusted after one another, doing unseemly things, and not regarding or respecting their common nature, and though eager for children, they were convicted by having only an abortive offspring; but the conviction produced no advantage, since they were overcome by violent desire; and so, by degrees, the men became accustomed to be treated like women, and in this way engendered among themselves the disease of females, an intolerable evil; for they not only, as to effeminacy and delicacy, became like women in their persons, but they made also their souls most ignoble, cor- rupting in this way the whole race of man, as far as depended on them. At all events, if the Greeks and barba- rians were to have agreed together, and to have adopted the commerce of the citizens of this city, their cities one after another would have become desolate, as if they had been emptied by a pestilence.