Philonis Judaei Paralipomena Armena

Phison, named according to frugality. And Gehon, (sign of) temperance, because it labors in foods and drinks, and produces the pleasures that are of the stomach and those that are under the stomach, and this is earthly. And Tigris, (sign) of fortitude, because it rules the passion that has become wild in us, (which is) anger. And Euphrates, (sign) of justice, because the thought of man does not rejoice and become happy in anything more than in justice.

Why does he not describe the location of only the Euphrates, but of the Phison (he says) that it circles all the land of Evilat; and of the Gehon, that it circles all the land of Ethiopia; and of the Tigris, that it goes directly opposite to Assyria?

XIII. A decorative initial letter T.Tigris is the most bitter and most pernicious among rivers, as the Babylonians and the Magi testify, who have verified it as something else, (like) the nature of water. But it is possible that it has another reason for being repellent. But Euphrates is more gentle, more life-giving, and growth-promoting; wherefore the wise of the Hebrews and the Assyrians call it the growth-promoter and the enlarger. For this reason, it is not known from another, as the three, but from itself. To me, it seems that it is symbolic and allegorical: because prudence is a virtue of the rational part...

according to parsimony: and (the sign) of Sobriety is Gehon, since it labors in foods and drinks, and works the pleasures of the belly, and those which are under the belly, as being earthly 1. And (the sign) of Fortitude is the Tigris; for this rules the movement of anger, which is raging in us. And (the sign) of Justice is the Euphrates, because the cogitation of man rejoices and becomes happy in nothing more than in justice 2.

Why does he not describe the Euphrates alone as to location 3, but says of the Phison that it circles all the land of Evilat, and of the Gehon that it circles all the land of Ethiopia, and of the Tigris that it goes directly opposite to Assyria?

XIII. A decorative initial letter T.Tigris is the most immitigable and pernicious among rivers, as the Babylonians testify, and the Magi, finding it as if alien to the nature of water: but it could have had another reason for being avoided. Euphrates, however, is milder, and more salutary, and more nourishing; wherefore the wise men of the Hebrews and Assyrians call it the enlarger and the one bringing forth. For this reason, this one is not known from another, like the other three, but is known from itself. To me, it seems that the matter is symbolic: for prudence is the virtue of the rational part, in which malice consists 4; and fortitude, the irascible; and so...

1. Similar things are held by St. Gregory Nazianzen. 2. See St. Ambrose, Paradis. III. 18. 3. St. Ambrose discusses these at length in Book de Paradiso, c. III, n. 18, where these things approach more to the following sentiment of Philo: "Causam autem cur ceteri qua commeant fluvii, describuntur regiones locorum... non describantur, illam accepimus, quia aqua ejus vitalis adseritur..." (We have received the cause why the regions of the places where the other rivers flow are described, while those where the Euphrates flows are not: because its water is asserted to be vital...). 4. Gloss: "Quod nimirum siquis prudens non sit, ille calamitas est, quod est malum" (That if anyone is not prudent, he is a calamity, which is evil).