But if we look to the inner meaning of the expression, it intimates happiness, which is the perfect fulness of three good things, namely, of spiritual, and corporeal, and ex- ternal blessings, as some of those men describe it in their panegyrics, who were afterwards called philosophers, such as Aristotle and the Peripatetics; nevertheless, such a giving of the law as this is called Pythagorean.
Therefore the Egypt is a symbol of corporeal and external blessings, and the Euphrates of spiritual advantages, in which alone, it is plain, their real joy consists, which has wisdom and all the other virtues for its foundation; and the boundaries of this happiness are very rightly described as beginning with the Egyptus and ending with the Euphrates; for the things affecting the soul come at the end, which we usually approach with difficulty after we have passed through corporeal and external things, in such a manner that, by this progress, we have felt our unity, the integrity of our outward senses, and the beauty and strength which existed in our youth, advance, increase, and come to maturity. And * Genesis, xv. 19.
+ The line is in Odyssey xiv. 258. / 424 PHILO JUD^US.
in a similar manner, those things which relate to acquiring gain and to trafficking, as the management of ships, and agriculture, and commerce; for it is well said, that all things, especially those above-mentioned, become a young man.
Who are the Kenites, the Kenezites, and the Kadmon- ites, and the Hittites, and the Perizzites, and the Rephaims, and the Amorites, the Canaanites, the GKrgashites, and the Jebusites?* 17. Ten nations of wickedness are here enumerated, which he here destroys because of their neighbourhood, since the number ten, when false and improperly stamped, is very near to that which is good and an object of affection; but the complete perfection of the number ten is exceedingly fit, as being the measure of infinite numbers, since the world is arranged in accordance with it, and so likewise is the mind of the wise man, the substance of which, nevertheless, wickedness perverts and overthrows, despising all very necessary powers, so that that alone remains which the sacred writer has said, namely, that the pursuit of virtue is a blessing, for the wicked man is such that he embraces vague opinions rather than truth, and of such is Ishmael, though the seed of the prophets.
Why it was that Sarah, the wife of Abraham, bore him no children?f 18. The mother of opinion is here spoken of as barren. In the first place in order that the son of generation might appear more wonderful, as being born by a miracle. In the second place in order that his conception and nativity might appear to be owing not more to the marriage of the man than to divine providence. For it is not owing to the faculty of conception that a barren woman should bear a son, but rather to the operation of divine power. This is the literal meaning of the statement.
But if we look to its inward sense, then we shall say, in the first place, that to bring forth is peculiar to the female sex, as to beget is the office of the male: therefore Grod wills in the first place to render the mind, which is filled * Genesis xv. 20. f Genesis xvi. 1.
QUESTIONS AND SOLUTIONS. 425 with virtue, lite to the male sex rather than to the female, thinking it suited to its character to be active, not passive. In the second place both do generate, both the virtuous mind and the wicked oue: but they generate in a different manner, and they produce contrary offspring, the virtuous mind producing good and useful things, but the depraved or wicked mind producing base and useless things.
In the third place he who is still advancing and making progress is to be incited to the summit itself, and is near to the light which by some persons is said to be delivered to oblivion, and to be made unknown. He therefore, as he is making progress, does not generate bad things, nor yet good things, because he is not yet perfect; but he resembles that man who is neither sick nor yet thoroughly well, but who, after a long sickness, is at 'last proceeding to con- valescence.
What is the meaning of the statement, she had an Egyptian handmaid whose name was Hagar?* 19. Hagar is interpreted travelling, and she is the servant of a more perfect nature, being by nature an Egyptian less naturally; for the study of encyclical learning loves an abundance of knowledge, and abundant knowledge is, as it were, the handmaid of virtue, since the whole course and connection of sciences and arts is subservient to his use who is able to profit by their acquisition so as to attain to virtue, for virtue has the soul for its abode; but the course of arts and sciences stands in need of bodily instruments.
But the body is symbolically Egypt; therefore the sacred writer here properly asserts the likeness of encyclical knowledge to Egypt. Nevertheless he has also given it a name by reason of its travelling abroad, since sophistry is a foreign thing, unconnected with the acquisition of that wisdom which alone is native, and which alone is necessary, which is the mistress of intermediate wisdom, and which conducts itself in a beautiful course through the guidance of encyclical studies.
Why did Sarah say to Abraham, Behold the Lord has * Genesis xvi. I.
426 PHILO JUDJEUS.
shut me up so that I shall not bring forth: go in now unto my handmaid so as to beget a son by her?* 20. In the actual letter of this statement it is the same thing to feel no envy, and also to provide for the welfare of the wise man who is her husband and her genuine brother; so that she, wishing to find a remedy for her own barrenness by means of her handmaid of whom she was mistress, gives her as a concubine to her husband. But there is a still greater abundance of her affection towards her husband indicated by this; for as she herself was accounted barren, she did not think it reasonable that the family of her husband should be left entirely without offspring, but preferred his advantage to her own dignity. This is what is indicated by this statement taken literally.
But if we look to the inner sense of the passage it bears such an interpretation as this: it becomes those persons who are unable in respect of their virtue to bring forth beautiful works deserving of praise, to apply themselves to the intermediate kind of study, and, if I may so express myself, to procure themselves children from the encyclical branches of knowledge; for an abundance of knowledge is as it were the whetstone of the mind and of the in- tellect.
And it is with great propriety that she says, The Lord has shut me up; for that which is shut up is generally opened again at a seasonable time. Therefore she was not destitute of hope, nor was her wisdom fixed in the belief that she should be for ever without offspring, but she knew that some day or other she should bring forth. Neverthe- less she will not bring forth at present, but when the soul displays the purity of its perfection. But inasmuch as it is at present imperfect it is satisfied with using a milder kind of learning, such as is attainable by encyclical studies. On which account it is not without a purpose that in the sacred contests at Olympia also, those who are unable to attain to the first prize of victory are contented to be thought worthy of the second; for there is offered to the com- petitors a first, and a second, and a third prize by the presidents of the games, who are representatives of nature.
* Genesis xvi. 2.
QUESTIONS AND SOLUTIONS. 427 So now to her the sacred writer attributes the first prize of virtues, and the second prize of encyclical study.
Why has he called Abraham's wife Sarah, for he says, Sarah the wife of Abraham, taking her handmaid Hagar the Egyptian, gave her into his hand?* 21. The sacred writer here sums up with his approbation the marriage of the good on account of those who are incontinent and lascivious; for those persons despise their wise wives for the sake of concubines, whom they love with a frantic passion: on which account he here introduces the man endued with virtue, the constant husband of one wife, at that time in which it was lawful for him to make use of her handmaid; and his wife in fact indicates that he is wise, that is to say temperate, when he enters into the bed of another woman, since his connection with his concubine was only a connection of the body for the sake of propagat- ing children; but his union with his wife was that of two souls joined together in harmony by heavenly affection. This is the literal effect of the statement.
But if we look to the inner meaning of it, then he who has truly entrusted all his secret wishes to wisdom,.and justice, and the other virtues, when once he has received the counsel of wisdom, and has tasted the joys of a matri- monial connection with it, remains constant to it as the partner and companion of his life; although encyclical education would lead him in a beautiful course, since when the man eminent in virtue has become master of the sciences of geometry, and arithmetic, and grammar, and rhetoric, and the other exercises of the mind, he is not the less on that account mindful of the pursuit of honesty, but is borne on towards the one as to a necessary aim, to the other as an accessory.
But it is altogether fair that that fact also should meet with our approbation, — the fact I mean of his calling his handmaid also by the name of wife, because he went up to her bed out of complacency to and at the exhortation of his real wife, and not of his own genuine inclination; on which account he no longer calls her his handmaid, that even if it * Genesis xvi. 2.
428 PHILO JUD^EUS.
were not wholly deserved still his handmaid having been given to him to wife might at least obtain the same title.
But those who study allegory may be allowed to say that the exercise of the middle discipline also stands in the place of a concubine, having nevertheless the shape and orna- ments of a wife, for all encyclical learning re-produces in itsclt and imitates genuine virtue.
What is the meaning of, " When she saw that she had conceived her mistress was despised before her?"* 22. The sacred writer now carefully calls Sarah the mistress when it might else have been thought that her dignity was diminished, and that she was surpassed by her handmaid, that she, that is, who had no children, was sur- passed by her who was gifted with offspring.
But this kind of language is extended to nearly all the necessary affairs of human life: for a poor man who is wise is more approved of and is superior in authority to a rich man who is destitute of wisdom and reputation, or than a boasting man; and even a sick man who is wise is better than a foolish man who is well; for whatever is united with wisdom is genuine, and is endued with an authority of its own, but whatever is combined with folly is found to be slavish and inconstant.
But it has been excellently said not that she despised her mistress, but that her mistress was despised; for the one statement would imply an accusation of the person, but the other contains only a declaration of an event. The scrip- ture forsooth does not intend here to impute blame to any one while praising another, but only to hand down in an intelligible manner the pure truth of the facts.
This is what is indicated by the literal statement. But if we seek the inner meaning of the words, whoever honours and embraces rank before genius and wisdom, and whoever esteems and considers the external senses of more im- portance than prudence and counsel, is departing from the real character of things, thinking that they have brought forth much offspring, and that having produced a great generation of visible things they are great and perfect goods, and in a singular degree noble, but that barrenness * Genesis xvi. 4.
QUESTIONS AND SOLUTIONS. 429 in this respect is evil, and deserving of disapprobation, because they do not see that invisible seed and that offspring which is appreciable only by the intellect, which the mind is accustomed to generate in itself and by itself.
"Why does Sarah as it were repent of what she has done, saying to Abraham, I am receiving injury from you: I gave my handmaid into your bosom, and now, because she sees that she has conceived, I am despised before her?* 23. This language indicates her anxiety and hesitation; displaying them first in the expression, " since," that is to say from the time that I gave my handmaiden, and in the second place it betokens a regard to the person of whom complaint is made, for she says, " I am receiving injury from you," a statement which in fact is a reproof, since she thinks that her husband ought always to be preserved without any stain, or any liability to blame, always virtuous and true, and in no respect forgetful of her, for she always introduces him, honouring him with all possible veneration, and calling him lord.
Nevertheless, the first fact stated by her is true; for from the time that she gave her handmaiden to him to be his concubine, she herself was looked upon as despised. This is the literal meaning of her words.
But if we look to their inner sense, when any one bestows on another the handmaid of wisdom, she being influenced by the counsels of sophistry, will, because she is ignorant of propriety, despise her mistress; for as she herself pos- sesses encyclical knowledge, and is delighted with its bril- liancy, where every one of the separate branches of education is by itself very attractive to the soul, as if it poesesses the power of drawing it by force to itself, then she, the handmaiden, can no longer agree with her mistress, that is to say, with the image of wisdom and its glorious and admi- rable beauty, until that acute judge of all things, the word of God, coming in, separates and distinguishes what is probable from what is true, and the middle from the ex- tremities, and what is second from what is placed in the first rank. On which account Sarah says, at the end of her remonstrance, " Let God judge between me and thee." * Genesis xvi. 5.
430 PHILO JUD.EUS.
430 PHILO JUD.EUS.
Why does Abraham say, "Behold thy handmaid is in thy hand, do unto her what seems good to thee t 24 The literal expression used by the wise man con- tains'a panegyric; for he does not call the woman wo had conceived by himself, his wife, or his concubine, but the handmaiden of his wife. But since he saw that she also was a mother, he did not indulge in anger and embitter the feelings of her mind, but rather tranquilhsed her, and made her prudent.,,, But the passage contains an allegory in the expression, « In thy hand:" as if, if I may so say, sophistry lives under the dominion of wisdom, which indeed does spring forth from the same fountain, but only in one part, and not di- rectly; nor does it preserve the whole of its emanations pure! but draws up with its waters many fetid things, and many others of a similar character. Since, therefore, it is in thy hand and in thy power (for to whomsoever wisdom belong he is possessed also of all the branches of encyclical learning), do with it whatsoever pleases thee, for 1 am quite persuaded that you will judge with not more severity than justice; because that very thing is especially agreeable to you: I mean the distributing to every one according to his deserts, and giving to no one more than is just, either in the way of honouring or despising him.
Why does he say, Sarah afflicted her? t 25 The literal meaning of the words is plain: but if we look to the inner sense of them, they contain a principle of this kind. It is not every affliction that is injurious, but there are even some occasions when they are salutary; and this is experienced by sick men at the hands of physicians, and by boys under their tutors, and by foolish people from those who correct them so as to bring them to wisdom And this I can by no means consent to call affliction, but rather the salvation and benefit of both soul and body Now a part of such benefit wisdom affords to the circle of encyclical knowledge; rightly admonishing the soul which is devoted to an abundance of discipline, and which is pregnant with sophism, not to rebel as it it had acquired ♦ Genesis xvi. 6. + Ibld' QUESTIONS AND SOLUTIONS. 431 some great and excellent good, but to acquiesce and vene- rate that superior and more excellent nature as its genuine mistress, in whose power is constancy itself, and authority over all things.
Why did Hagar flee from her face?* 26. It is not every soul which is capable of proper respect and of submitting to salutary discipline, but the mind which is gentle, and good-tempered, and consistent loves reproof, and becomes more and more attached to those who correct it. But the stubborn soul becomes malignant and hates them, and turns from them, and flees away from them, preferring those discourses which are agreeable rather than those which tend to his advantage, and looking upon them as more excellent.
"What is the meaning of the statement, " The angel of the Lord found her sitting by a fountain of water in the desert in the way to Sur?"t 27. All these statements are as it were symbols by which the sacred writer indicates that the well-instructed soul, which is the possession of virtue, is nevertheless not yet able to discern the beauty of her mistress. They are, I say, symbols; I mean the statements that she was found, and that she was found by an angel in the desert, and in no other way than that leading to Sur. However we must begin with what is plain.
Now the too subtle sophist and the real lover of dispu- tations is commonly unable to be detected by reason of his artifices and sophistical persuasions, with which he is ac- customed to deceive and perplex men. But he who, being free from bad habits, has only an eager desire for obtaining instruction by the course of encyclical training, although he is difficult to be detected, is yet not altogether incapable of being so; for perdition is near at hand to him who cannot be detected, but safety to him who can be discovered, especially when he is sought for and found by a more holy and more excellent spirit. And who is more holy and more excellent than the angel of the Lord? Eor it is to him that it has been entrusted to seek out the erring soul, the • Genesis xvi. 6. t Genesis xvi. 7.
432 PHILO JUDJSUS.
soul which, on account of its presumed erudition, is con- tinually ignorant of her whom it ought to respect, but still she could be susceptible of correction and amendment; for which object she was sought out. Nor was she found imperfect, but ready to the hand, since the soul was found which had fled from perfect virtue, not being able to submit to discipline.
But the third symbol takes place after she is found and after the discovery has been made by an angel, namely, in the fact of her being found by a fountain, that is to say, by nature; for it is nature which bestows on clever people abilities in proportion to the industry of each individual, effacing unseasonable learning, which is no learning at all: and praise is implied in the very place in which the soul is found, which is thirsting after genius and after its placid law, wishing to draw water while in the society of those who drink wine; for thus it associates with those who feed upon and are delighted with the exercise of proper training, where nature itself affords sufficient nourishment, namely, education and instruction as if from a fountain.
The fourth symbol is contained in the fact that the discovery took place in the desert; since difficulty coming over each of the outward senses, together with an influx of each separate desire, represses the mind, and does not permit it to drink pure water: but when it cannot avoid these things as in the desert, it acquiesces, and, abandoning the thoughts which agitated and perplexed it, it becomes convalescent, so as to receive a hope not only of life, but even of eternal life.
The fifth symbol is contained in the fact that she was found in the way; for dispositions which arj incorrigible are led by devious paths; but that one which can be changed for the better, lo! it proceeds along the road wmch leads to virtue, and that road is like a fortified wall an 1 guardian to the souls which are capable of being saved, for Sur means a fortified wall.
Do you not see, then, that the whole is a symbolical, or indeed a legitimate, figure of an improving soul \ And, in fact, the soul which is improving docs not perish as one which is wholly foolish does; for if the divine word be found by it, then again it seeks it; and he who is not pure QUESTIONS AND SOLUTIONS. 433 and clean in his habits and disposition, flees from the divine word; but yet he has a fountain of water in which he washes away his vices and wickednesses, drawing from thence the fertility of the law.
Besides this, it loves the desert, to which it ha3 fled from its vices and wickednesses, and when it has once beheld the way of virtue it returns from the devious paths of wicked- ness. And all these things are fortified walls and bulwarks to it, so as to protect it from being ever injured by any words or circumstances which attack it, and from suffering any damage.
"Why did the angel say to her, " Hagar, the handmaid, of Sarah, whence comest thou, and whither goest thou?"* 28. The plain letter of the question requires no explana- tion, for it is exceedingly clear; but with reference to the inner meaning contained in it, there is some asperity ex- pressed; since the divine word is full of instruction, and is a physician of the infirmity of the soul. Therefore the angel says to her, "Whence comest thou?" knowest thou not what good thou hast abandoned? Art thou not altogether lame and blind? For thou dost not see at all; and though endowed with the outward senses, dost not feel, and dost not appear to me to have any portion whatever of intellect, as if thou wert quite senseless.
But " whither goest thou?" From what excellence to what misery? "Why have you so erred as to cast away the blessings which you had in your power, and to pursue good things which are more remote?
Do not, do not, I say, act thus; but, quitting your insane impetuosity, go back again, and return into the same way as before, looking upon wisdom as thy mistress, her whom you had before as your governess and directress in all the things which you did.
What is the meaning of the answer, " I am fleeing from the face of Sarah, my mistress? " f 29. It is reasonable to praise a sincere disposition, and to think it friendly to truth. And moreover it is reasonable now to admit the veracity of a mind which confesses what it * Genesis xvi. 8. f Ibid.
VOL. IT. F F 434 PHILO JUDiEUS.
has suffered; for she says, "I am fleeing from the face," that is to say, I have recoiled at the outward appearance of wisdom and virtue; since, beholding its royal and imperial presence, she trembled, not being able to endure to look upon its- majesty and sublimity, but rather thinking it an object of avoidance; for there are some people who do not turn from virtue from any hatred of it, but from a reve- rential modesty, looking upon themselves as unworthy to live with such a mistress.
"Why did the angel say to her, " Eeturn to thy mistress and be humbled beneath her hands? " * 30. As the letter is plain, we must rather investigate its inner meaning. The word of Grod corrects that soul wrhich is able to be lured, and instructs it, and converts it, leading it to wisdom as its mistress, that it may not, through being abandoned by its mistress, rush at once into absurd folly. But it warns it, not only to return to virtue, but also to be humbled beneath its hands, that is to say, beneath its several excellencies.
But there are two kinds of humiliation; one, in accord- ance with defect, which arises from spiritual infirmity, which it is easy to overcome, seize upon, and reprove. But there is another kind which the word of the Lord enjoins, pro- ceeding from reverence and modesty; such as that humility which children exhibit to their fathers, pupils to their masters, and young men to the aged; since it is very advantageous to be obedient, and to be subject to those who are better than one's self; for he who has learnt to be under authority is in a moment imbued with a power which he alone may exercise; for, although any one were to be clothed with the authority of all the earth and sea, yet he would not be able to possess the royal supremacy of virtue, unless he had first been instructed and taught to obey.
"Why did the angel say to her, " I will multiply thy seed, an 1 it shall not be numbered for multitude? " f It is the honour of the docile mind not to be pre- sumptuous or rebellious on account of its progress in knowledge, or because of the very useful seed which it has * Genesis xvi. 8. t Genesis xvi. 9.
QUESTIONS AND SOLUTIONS. 435 received from various kinds of erudition; for it does not any more, as word-catchers and cavillers do, employ all the arguments of encyclical learning to establish any whimsical object, but to prove the truth which is contained in them. And when it has begun to prosecute that by diligent in- vestigation, it is then rendered worthy to behold the sight of its mistress, free from all acceptance of persons, and from all reproof.
"What is the meaning of the statement, " The angel said to her, Behold, thou hast conceived, and thou shalt bring forth a son, and shalt call his name Ishmael, because the Lord has heard the voice of thy affliction? " *