Philo of Alexandria: Every Good Man is Free : Introduction, Translation, and Commentary /
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Philo's treatise on freedom is the first extant exposition of the topic, which became neuralgic in the first century CE. Philosophical, historical, literary and exegetical aspects are explored. The Essenes are presented as an exemplary group of free individuals, who reject slavery and study Torah on the Sabbath. In this first commentary on the treatise, Philo's thought is explained in the context of the circumstances in which it was written, namely in the aftermath of the Alexandrian pogrom in 38 CE, when he served as the head of the Jewish embassy in Rome. The main contemporary figures are introduced and Philo's role in the debates of first century Rome is highlighted. Special attention is paid to Cynic philosophy, which prized individual freedom and saw a revival in Rome that is otherwise attested only fragmentarily. Philo's treatise emerges as a precious source, which illuminates subsequent advocates of freedom, such as Paul and Epictetus.
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1 online resource (677 pages) : illustrations. :
Includes bibliographical references and index. :
9789004689305
Philo of Alexandria, On planting : introduction, translation, and commentary /
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"The Jewish exegete and philosopher Philo of Alexandria has long been famous for his complex and spiritually rich allegorical treatises on the Greek Bible. The present volume presents first translation and commentary in English on his treatise De plantatione (On planting), following on the volume devoted to On cultivation published previously by the same two authors. Philo gives a virtuoso performance as allegorist, interpreting Noah's planting of a vineyard in Genesis 9.20 first in theological and cosmological terms, then moving to the spiritual quest of both of advanced souls and those beginning their journey. The translation renders Philo's baroque Greek into readable modern English. The commentary pays particular attention to the treatise's structure, its biblical basis and its exegetical and philosophical contents".
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1 online resource. :
Includes bibliographical references and index. :
9789004417519
Philo of Alexandria: On the Contemplative Life : Introduction, Translation and Commentary /
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"On the Contemplative Life is known for its depiction of a philosophical group of Jewish men and women known as the 'Therapeutae'. Yet the reasons for their depiction have been little understood. In the first commentary on the treatise in English for over 100 years, the social, cultural and political background of the times in which Philo lived are shown to be crucial in understanding Philo's purposes. As Alexandrian Jews were vilified and attacked, Philo went to Rome to present the case for his community, faced with intense opposition. Side-stepping direct confrontation, Philo here cleverly presents the Therapeutae as the pinnacle of excellence, most especially in their communal meal, while ridiculing his accusers in a stinging parody of a festive banquet"--
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1 online resource. :
Includes bibliographical references and index. :
9789004439238
9789004438149
Philo of Alexandria, On cultivation /
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The Jewish exegete and philosopher Philo of Alexandria has long been famous for his allegorical treatises on the Greek Bible. The present volume contains the first translation and commentary in English on his treatise De agricultura ( On cultivation ), which gives an elaborate allegorical interpretation of Genesis 9:20. Noah's role as a cultivator is analysed in terms of the ethical and spiritual quest of the soul making progress towards its goal. The translation renders Philo's baroque Greek into readable modern English. The commentary pays particular attention to the treatise's structure, its biblical basis and its exegetical and philosophical contents. The volume will be valuable for the insights it gives into an unusual but highly influential method of biblical interpretation.
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1 online resource (xxii, 312 pages) : illustrations, music. :
Includes bibliographical references and index. :
9789004243040 :
Available to subscribing member institutions only.
On virtue s
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In the treatise On Virtues (part of his so-called Exposition of the Law), Philo of Alexandria demonstrates how Moses, his laws, and the nation constituted by these laws each embody certain widely-discussed moral values, specifically, courage (andreia), humanity (philanthropia), repentance (metanoia), and nobility (eugeneia). Although it makes extensive use of material drawn from the Pentateuch, what the treatise provides is far more than a commentary on scripture. Rather, it contributes to a sophisticated apologetic reconstruction of Jewish origins, idealized according to the principles of both Greek philosophy and Roman political culture. Guided by such principles, Philo endeavors to establish the moral, legal, and social status of Judaism within the Greco-Roman world.
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1 online resource. :
Includes bibliographical references (p. [419]-448) and indexes. :
9789004190375 :
Available to subscribing member institutions only.
Philo of Alexandria: On the Life of Abraham : Introduction, Translation, and Commentary /
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On the Life of Abraham displays Philo's philosophical, exegetical, and literary genius at its best. Philo begins by introducing the biblical figures Enos, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob as unwritten laws. Then, interweaving literal, ethical, and allegorical interpretations, Philo presents the life and achievements of Abraham, founder of the Jewish nation, in the form of a Greco-Roman bios, or biography. Ellen Birnbaum and John Dillon explain why and how this work is important within the context of Philo's own oeuvre, early Jewish and Christian exegesis, and ancient philosophy. They also offer a new English translation and detailed analyses, in which they elucidate the meaning of Philo's thought, including his perplexing notion that Israel's ancestors were laws in themselves.
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1 online resource. :
9789004423640
9789004423633