Philo, Band 1

Philo, the famous Jewish philosopher, (born C.20 B.C.) apparently lived all his life in Alexandria except when he occasionally left it as in A.D. 39-40 when he went to Rome with others to plead with the emperor Gaius not to claim divine honours from the Jews. He is the most important example of the Hellenised Jews outside Palestine, as much Greek as Jewish, especially in literary attitude and philosophy, though he believed wholly in the Mosaic scriptures and in one God whose chief mediator with the world is the Logos or Reason of God. Most of his many works are apparently parts large works of which we may distinguish three on the Pentateuch -- an exposition of Genesis and Exodus; a very long allegorical commentary on legislation including the creation, and lives of (biblical) sages as types of morality. There are also separate wirtings such as a life of Moses, two works on Gaius arrogance and Philos appeal to him; one providence (known in an Armenian translation only); and others. There are also some works perhaps wrongly ascribed to Philo.