Complete Works of Philo Judaeus, Vol. 1

VI

Although we cannot claim that our text is new from the standpoint of critical scholarship—for we sense well that our own strength is unequal to reviewing such a great work critically—we have nevertheless endeavored to purge it of the countless errors that plague the original editions, not excluding even those books that Pfeiffer published. Those in charge of the work, M. Lasch and Klotz, men most skilled in the Greek language, have undertaken no small part of this task. Readers owe to their tireless diligence the fact that the text of this edition shines more corrected than the others.

We wished to look out for the convenience of the readers by placing summaries before individual books, distinguishing the text into paragraphs, and punctuating it as appropriately as possible. We have inscribed in our margin the pages of the Mangey and Parisian editions, distinguished by the notes M. and P., and we have noted below the passages of the Old Testament treated and cited by Philo in his customary exegetical manner. We shall add an index of subjects and words to the sixth volume. It will be in Greek, at the request of Demetrio Postolacca, a businessman from Vienna originating from modern Greece, who, as a most kind supporter of our Sacred Library, encouraged us by letter to add a Greek index rather than a Latin one, because a Greek index would be more useful and appropriate for his countrymen, who are little acquainted with the Latin language. We have wished to satisfy this man's exhortation all the more willingly,