PHILO JUDAEUS

CREATION OF THE WORLD ACCORDING TO MOSES. BOOK I.

Argument.

(1) Philo praises what Moses handed down to men to be believed and observed. For he taught (2) that the world was created by God, the supreme mind, (3) in a certain order, which is evident from the fact that it was completed in six days; for the number six is most perfect. (4) The real world was fashioned after the pattern of the ideal; and since (5) it had its origin in the Logos the Word or Divine Reason of God, this Logos is rightly said to have created the world. The world was made by Him who alone did not wish to enjoy the pleasure of beauty by Himself. (6) As many good things as the world could contain were instilled within it. (7) The world was not created in time, but time began either with the world or after the world. The heaven was created in the first place, because it was to be the most holy dwelling place of the stars; (8) the highest place was attributed to spirit and light, because the former is the most abundant source of life, and the latter is the most beautiful of things. (9) Light and darkness were separated to avoid their perpetual war. (10) The visible heaven is called the firmament because it is opposed to the intelligible the realm of pure thought. (11) God separated the water from the earth, (12) and instilled in the earth the power of producing (13) and propagating its own species. (14) Afterwards, He adorned the heaven (15) on the fourth day, because (16) the number four is the root of the number ten. (17) He commanded there to be light, the purest fountain of philosophy, (18) and the stars, images of the intelligible light, (19) from whose motions the events of things are estimated, times are established, and numbers are born. On the fifth (20 and 21) day, animals endowed with five senses were created, observing this order (22), that God, while creating them, proceeded from the meaner to the more excellent. In the last place (23-25) man, on the sixth day, was created. The reasons (26 and 27) why he was made last are enumerated. He (28 and 29) is the lord of all things, except the celestial ones. (30) After the world was adorned in six days, He willed the seventh day to be most holy, on account of the exceptional (31-37) virtues of the number seven, which are most conspicuous in the seven planets (38-39), the nature of man (40-41), and the arts of music and grammar (42); for this reason (43) the Greeks and Barbarians held it in high regard. After the author again (44) warned that created things are images of divine ideas, he teaches (45) that fresh water has the same use on earth as the menstrual flow and milk in women; hence the earth is also called Demeter the Greek goddess of the harvest. God created the first-formed man (46-49) more excellent than the race that proceeded from him. (50) He shared in the company of the rational divine natures that were present before him. The human race (51) is still akin to the supreme divinity, though less so than the first-formed man. He (52), at God's command, gave names to all animals, and was most wise; but after (53) God created the woman, the first man and she, enjoying this mutual pleasure of bodies, lost immortal life, which is indicated by the symbols (54) of the tree of life and death, and the serpent (55-56). Thence (57 and 58) pleasure was born, which (59) captures the mind through the senses, and renders man a slave and mortal; for it is (60) the fountain of pains and all evils. (61) Moses handed down five principal precepts of religion, and he who embraces them in his mind lives blessed.