SUMMARY OF THE EXCURSUS

Thin horizontal divider with a small diamond-shaped ornament in the center.

1. Drift of Philo’s Religious Ethic. Missionary spirit of the Alexandrian Jews.
2. Reaction against life in cities.
3. Jewish Thiasi religious associations/brotherhoods, an imitation of Greek philosophic recluses.
4. Traces of the Therapeutae healers/servants of God in Philo’s other works, e.g. in the De Decem Oraculis On the Ten Oracles.
5. Date of this treatise. Passage from the De Septenario On the Number Seven.
6. More direct hints in the Vita Abrahami Life of Abraham.
7. The Quod omnis Probus liber est That every good man is free, probably refers to the Therapeutae.
8. The De Mutatione Nominum On the Change of Names and the Quod Deterius Potiori Insidiatur That the Worse is wont to attack the Better picture such ascetics as the D. U. C. De Vita Contemplativa / On the Contemplative Life describes, and assure us of their real existence.
9. Affinity of the Levites to Philo’s ascetics.
10. The Proselytes often became ascetics.
11. Philo’s personal experience of the ascetic and solitary life.
12. In the De Profugis On Flight and Finding, Philo discourages young men from attempting to lead such a life.
13. They should remain in the world until the age of fifty.
14. And set an example of probity and noble aims to others.
15. The true life of solitude and contemplation the sequel and reward of an active life of service to one’s fellow-men.
16. Condemnation of sham ascetics.
17. The young are bidden equally to avoid the society of the wicked, and yet not attempt to live with the perfect, i.e. with the ascetics.
18. Conclusive testimony of the De Profugis to such societies of recluses as the D. U. C. pictures. The ‘System,’ the ‘Novices,’ the ‘Elders.’
19. Further evidence of the De Profugis as to the ideal of life of the Therapeutae.
20. Summary of what we learn from the rest of Philo’s works in regard to the Therapeutae.
21. Date of the De Profugis, probably about A.D. 30, when Philo was fifty-seven years of age.