PHILOSOPHY

ARISTOBULUS (Second Century B.C.)

A N E W T R A N S L A T I O N A N D I N T R O D U C T I O N

B Y A. Y A R B R O C O L L I N S

The five fragments of Aristobulus' work seem to be part of an extended attempt to relate Jewish tradition to hellenistic culture. Fragment 1 deals with astronomical characteristics of the date of Passover. Aristobulus remarks that, at the feast of the Passover, both the sun and the moon are passing through an equinoctial sign. Thus, they are in diametrically opposed positions on that day.

Fragment 2 is concerned primarily with the nature of God. Aristobulus explains certain anthropomorphic descriptions of God in the Law, which were offensive to educated people of his time.

In fragment 3, Aristobulus claims that Plato and Pythagoras knew the Jewish Law and borrowed from it. In support of this claim, he states that portions of the Law were translated from Hebrew into Greek long before the well-known Septuagint version.

Fragment 4, like fragment 2, discusses the nature of God. The problem of anthropo­morphisms is taken up again. Aristobulus argues that Moses and some Greek philosophers and poets had similar ideas about God. But he is not content merely to point out similarities between the Jewish Law and certain Greek authors. As in fragment 3, he claims that some Greek writers knew the Jewish Law and were dependent on it. Here he claims that Socrates, as well as Plato and Pythagoras, made use of the Law. In this fragment, Aristobulus cites verses from Orpheus and Aratus to show how similar their ideas are to those of Moses. Some of the verses cited are attested elsewhere and are thus genuine non-Jewish works. Others are dubious; some are very likely Jewish compositions (see the notes to the translation below).

In fragment 5, the Jewish observance of the Sabbath is explained in terms of cosmic order. Verses from Homer, Hesiod, and the mythical Linus are cited to show that the Greeks also considered the seventh day holy.

Texts Fragment 1 has been preserved by Eusebius, Ecclesiastica Historia, book 7, chapter 32,

sections 16-18. In that passage, Eusebius is not quoting directly from Aristobulus' work but is citing Anatolius, On the Passover. The edition used for the translation of fragment 1 is by E. Schwartz.1 Fragments 2-5 are found in Eusebius, Praeparatio Evangelica, book 8, chapter 10, and book 13, chapter 12. Part of fragment 5 is also cited, in book 7, chapter 14. The translation below is based on the edition by K. Mras.2

Clement of Alexandria also apparently had access to Aristobulus' work. Since his citations are less reliable than those of Eusebius, they were not used in making the translation presented below. Parallels to parts of fragments 2-5 are found in Stromata, books 1,5, and 6 (for exact references, see the n. to the translation). The text of the fragments of Aristobulus,

' E. Schwartz, Eusebius Werlce. 2. Kirchengeschichte, Zweiter Teil (GCS 9,2; Leipzig, 1908) pp. 722, 724. 2 The text of F. 2 is given in Mras, GCS 43.1; pp. 451-54; F. 3-5 are given in GCS 43,2; pp. 190-97.

including the parallels in Clement 's Stromata, is g iven by A . - M . Deni s , Fragmenta pseudepigraphorum quae super sunt graeca*

Anatolius says that Aristobulus dedicated exegetical books on the Law of Moses to Ptolemy Philadelphus ( 2 8 3 - 2 4 6 B.C.) and his father. In introducing fragment 2, Eusebius says that he quotes from Aristobulus' work (suggramma) which was dedicated to "Pto lemy the K i n g . " The title in the text o f Eusebius preceding fragment 3 indicates that the fragment is "from the books o f Aristobulus dedicated to King P t o l e m y . " Eusebius indicates that fragments 4 and 5 are from the same context as 3 . N . Walter argued that fragment 5 is a speculative explanation o f Genes i s 2 : 1 - 4 . 4 N o n e o f the other fragments is a c lose exeges i s of any one , specific passage. Not enough o f Aristobulus' work survives to al low firm conclusions about its genre and extent.

Since the seventeenth century a number o f scholars have argued that the fragments of Aristobulus were composed only in the early Christian period and not, as they appear to be, in pre-Christian t imes by a hellenistic Jew. Walter has made a persuasive case for their authenticity. 5

Original language There are no indications that the fragments were written originally in a language other

than Greek. It is likely mat Aristobulus was aware o f the allegorical interpretation of Homer and Hesiod practiced by the Stoics and the philological school at Pergamum. Although his approach to the Law is somewhat similar, he does not use the technical terms of allegorical interpretation and he proceeds more caut ious ly . 6 There is little ev idence that Aristobulus knew Hebrew or Aramaic . 7

Date Eusebius and Clement say that Aristobulus' work was dedicated to Ptolemy the King. It

is evident from other passages that they both bel ieved Ptolemy VI Philometor ( 1 8 1 - 1 4 5 B.C.) to be the king in ques t ion . 8 Anatol ius' dating of Aristobulus to the reign of Ptolemy II Philadelphus must be an error, since Aristobulus refers to Philadelphus as the forefather (progonos) of the Ptolemy for w h o m he wrote (F. 3 ) .

N. Walter is skeptical about the date g iven by Clement and Euseb ius . 9 His skepticism results from a c lose study of the passages in which Eusebius mentions Aristobulus. Only when he is clearly dependent on Clement ( e .g . PrEv 9 . 6 . 6 ) does he mention the eponym Philometor. Elsewhere he simply refers to Ptolemy the King. Since Eusebius is generally faithful to his sources, Walter concludes that the manuscript o f Aristobulus used by Eusebius had a superscript which dedicated the work simply to Ptolemy the King. In one o f the two places in which Clement dates Aristobulus to the reign of Philometor, he refers to 2 Maccabees 1:10, the prescript o f a letter purporting to be from Judas Maccabaeus and the Jews o f Judaea to Aristobulus and the Jews of Alexandria. The letter c laims to have been written shortly after the death o f Antiochus IV Epiphanes ( N o v e m b e r - D e c e m b e r 164 B .C.) . 1 0

Walter fo l lows E. Bickermann in his judgment that the letter is a fabrication dating to about 6 0 B.C." Since the letter describes Aristobulus as the teacher of Ptolemy the King (with no eponym) , Walter concludes that the fabricator o f the letter had a text of Aristobulus with the same dedication Eusebius read. Clement 's text, according to Walter, had the same dedication. When he read 2 Maccabees , however , which placed Aristobulus in the time o f Judas Maccabaeus , he inferred, on the basis o f other chronological information available to

3 A.-M. Denis, PVTG 3, pp. 217-28. 4 N . Walter. Der Thoraausleger Aristobulos (Berlin, 1964) p. 28. 5 Thoraausleger, pp. 35-123. 6 Thoraausleger, pp. 124-41. 7 N . Walter, "Fragmente judisch-hellenistischer Exegeten: Aristobulos, Demetrios, Aristeas," JSHRZ 3.2 (1975)

264. 'Walter, Thoraausleger, pp. 13-16. 9 Thoraausleger, pp. 13—26. 1 0 A. J. Sachs and D. J. Wiseman, "A Babylonian King List of the Hellenistic Period," Iraq 16 (1954) 209. 1 1 Walter, Thoraausleger, p. 17.

him, that the Ptolemy in question must have been Philometor. Thus , according to Walter, Eusebius* dating is dependent on Clement , and Clement 's on 2 Maccabees .

Walter is skeptical about the reliability of this dating, because of his hypothesis that the fabricator of the letter in 2 Maccabees needed a leader of the Jews in Alexandria to serve as an authoritative addressee for his letter. Hence , he arbitrarily chose Aristobulus and placed him in the historical context which suited his purposes.

Against this skeptical posit ion, one can argue that 2 Maccabees 1:10 may reflect a tradition that Aristobulus l ived and wrote during the time of Ptolemy VI. It is not unreasonable to assume that the author of 2 Maccabees would have been familiar with such a tradit ion. 1 2

Even if the letter is a fabrication dating to about 6 0 B.C., such a tradition could easily have survived for a century or so .

In any case , the fragments should not be dated much before the middle of the second century B.C., because Aristobulus calls Ptolemy I the forefather of the Ptolemy he is addressing; thus, he must be addressing the grandson of Ptolemy I (who was Ptolemy IV Philopator, 2 2 1 - 2 0 4 B.C.) or a later king. But he uses the eponym "Phi ladelphus" for Ptolemy II, and it first came into use in the second century to distinguish him from the other P t o l e m i e s . 1 3 Thus Ptolemy V Epiphanes ( 2 0 5 - 1 8 0 B.C.) would be the earliest king to c o m e under consideration. S ince Aristobulus is already familiar with the legend about the origin of the Septuagint, he should not be dated too c lose to the third century. Thus , the latter part of the reign of Philometor seems to be the earliest reasonable date for the fragments. If Walter is correct that the ev idence of 2 Maccabees is unreliable, a later date is possible .

M. Hengel thinks more weight should be g iven to the notice o f 2 Maccabees 1:10. He argues that the fabricator of the letter addressed it to Aristobulus because it was known that he had written a didactic letter to the young Philometor. He takes seriously the description of Aristobulus as the teacher o f Ptolemy and thus dates the work to the early part o f the reign o f Ptolemy VI. He argues further that, s ince the work was dedicated to Ptolemy alone, it must have been written while he was sole ruler; this was the case only from 176 to 170 B.C. 1 4

Against Henge l ' s point o f v i e w , it might be said that, while it is conceivable that Jews were participating in the intellectual life of the court at Alexandria in the mid-second century B.C , it is somewhat unlikely that a Jew would have been a teacher of a Ptolemy at that t ime, especial ly since no other notice o f such a relationship has survived. Walter's suggestion is more plausible: that the author of the letter read Aristobulus and, taking note of the direct address to Ptolemy and the explanatory nature of the writing, surmised that the author had been indeed an instructor of the king. There is no good reason to doubt that Aristobulus wrote during the reign o f Ptolemy VI Philometor. But the fact that the work was addressed solely to Ptolemy does not necessarily mean that he was sole ruler at the time. T o make this point, Hengel would have to show that it was customary to include the names of the guardian of the king, his wife , or co-ruler in literary dedications as well as in contracts. The latter part o f the reign of Philometor ( 1 5 5 - 1 4 5 B.C.) thus seems to be the most likely date for the work of Aristobulus.

Provenance Aristobulus' direct address to a Ptolemy, a descendant of Philadelphus, in fragment 3

makes an Alexandrian provenance for his work likely. This conclusion is supported by Eusebius' and Clement 's statements that Aristobulus' work was dedicated to Ptolemy the King and that he lived during the time of Ptolemy Philometor (see the section on Date, above) . Those scholars w h o accept the authenticity of the fragments consider Aristobulus an Alexandrian J e w . 1 5

1 2 J. Moffatt ("2 Maccabees," APOT, vol. 1, pp. 130f.) argued that the author of 2 Maccabees was an Alexandrian Jew.

1 3 H. Volkmann, "Ptolemaios," Pauly-Wissowa vol. 23, col. 1645. 1 4 M. Hengel, Judaism and Hellenism (Philadelphia. 1974) vol. 1, pp. 163f.; vol. 2, pp. 105-7 (nn. 373 and 378). 1 5 Walter, Thoraausleger, pp. 38-41; Walter, JSHRZ 3.2 (1975) 262; Hengel, Judaism and Hellenism, vol. 1, pp.

69f., 90, 163f.; P. M. Fraser, Ptolemaic Alexandria (Oxford, 1972) vol. 1, p. 695.

Historical importance The fragments of Aristobulus provide important information about how a Jew in the

second century B.C. attempted to reconcile Jewish tradition and hellenistic philosophy. Although there is little ev idence that Aristobulus was a member o f or founded a school of Jewish phi losophy, it is clear that he stands in a particular line of tradition, beginning with the translation o f the Hebrew Bible into Greek and flowering in the work of P h i l o . 1 6

Aristobulus' work thus helps the historian trace the genes is o f Philo's point o f v iew and methods.

Aristobulus contributes to our knowledge o f hellenistic Judaism in that he is the first known Jewish philosopher. The dedication of his work to Ptolemy, the direct address to the king in fragments 2 and 3 , and the general tone of an address to outs iders 1 7 indicate that the work has an apologetic intent. It is likely that the reconciliation o f the two cultures was of importance to the self-understanding o f Aristobulus and his fe l low Jews also.

In fragments 1 and 5 Aristobulus seems to point out that the Jewish feasts (Passover and Sabbath) have cosmic significance. They are observed not only because of particular experiences peculiar to the Jewish people but also because they express aspects of cosmic reality which have universal s igni f icance . 1 8 The Passover is associated with the spring equinox and marked by the positions o f both sun and moon (F. 1), and the Sabbath with the sevenfold pattern in the overall structure o f the c o s m o s (F. 5 ) .

Fragment 5 provides important evidence for Jewish use of Pythagorean ideas in the second century B.C. Both Aristobulus and Philo (SpecLeg 2 .59 ) seem to presuppose a traditional, allegorical interpretation o f the biblical account of creation. This interpretation made use of Pythagorean reflections on the number seven as a prime number . 1 9

Theological importance Aristobulus is o f great interest as the earliest known theologian in the Judeo-Christian

tradition engaged in the hermeneutical task. He presupposes that reality is a unified whole and that there cannot be contradictions between the truth of Scripture and the truth o f philosophy. Apparent contradictions can be resolved by interpreting Scripture in accordance with the laws of nature (physikos) instead o f in a mythological or human way (F. 2:2). Or, to put it another w a y , one must not read according to the letter but must discern the "e levated" meaning (F. 2:5 , 9 ) . In any case , descriptions of God must be interpreted in accordance with "the fitting conception o f G o d " (F. 2:2).

In discussing the "s tanding" of God (F. 2 : 9 - 1 2 ) , Aristobulus used the allegorical method of interpretation which the Stoics had applied to Homer and which later Philo also applied to the B i b l e . 2 0 According to Aristobulus, one can assume that the writer at t imes used words relating to outward appearances in order to express something about the arrangements o f nature and the constitutions o f great matters (F. 2:3). Another method he uses is to point out that the biblical writer has made use o f a metaphor; he does this in interpreting references to God' s " h a n d s " (F. 2 : 7 - 9 ) . Elsewhere , in speaking of wi sdom as the source of light (F. 5:10) , Aristobulus himself deliberately and consciously makes use of a metaphor in his interpretation (F. 5:10) . Even in a case in which Aristobulus wants to affirm the text as a description of an actual event , he m o v e s on from a discussion of what happened to why. The descent of God upon Sinai is thus interpreted symbolical ly as an expression of divine activity in its omnipresent majesty (F. 2:17).

Aristobulus is notable, as has been shown, because of his concern to deve lop a hermeneutical method. His work is also o f interest as an early and simple example of a theology which unites Jewish reflections on wi sdom with hellenistic ideas about the Logos . A . Schlatter and P. Dalbert c la imed too much by construing Aristobulus' use o f logos as an expression of a divine hypostas i s . 2 1 In fragment 4 , Aristobulus discusses G o d ' s creation by the spoken

,6Fraser, Ptolemaic Alexandria, vol. 1, pp. 695f.; H. Wolfson, Philo (Cambridge, England, 1948) vol. 1, p. 94. 1 7 Note, e.g., the references to "our philosophical school," near the end of F. 4 (emphasis added). The "school"

refers to Judaism. 1 8 Walter, Thoraausleger, p. 138; Hengel, Judaism and Hellenism, vol. 1, p. 166. 19 Thoraausleger, pp. 156f.; Hengel, Judaism and Hellenism, vol. 1, pp. 166f. 20 Thoraausleger. pp. 124-49. 2 1 See Walter's criticism of their views, Thoraausleger, p. 81, n. 3.

word, alluding to Genes i s 1. The method of interpretation used in this passage s eems to be the same used with regard to G o d ' s "s tanding" (F. 2 : 9 - 1 2 ) . There he says that the e levated meaning is the establishment of the c o s m o s . Here he says that the " v o i c e " of God means the establishment of things (F. 4:3) . The passage shows that it is the attribution of speech generally to G o d (expressed in various ways) which is to be interpreted allegorically, not his word (logos) as such. The variation in vocabulary and the tentative, nontechnical character o f the method show that Aristobulus represents an early stage in the development both o f the allegorical method and of theological reflection on the Logos .

In fragment 5 , w i sdom is associated with the seventh day (F. 5:9f . ) . The seventh day, in turn, is associated with the sevenfold principle (logos), the sevenfold structure of all things (F. 5:12) . Thus w i s d o m and Logos have similar functions. Wisdom is the source of light in which all things are contemplated. Through the sevenfold principle, w e have knowledge of human and divine matters. Aristobulus is a pioneer in this kind of reflection; this is shown by the explicit remark that he is speaking metaphorically (F. 5:10) . These reflections of Aristobulus are important for anyone seeking to understand the role of the Logos in Phi lo's thought or in the Gospel o f John.

Relation to canonical books Exodus 12 probably influenced Aristobulus' discussion of the date of Passover. Various

passages in Exodus , Deuteronomy, Genes i s , and Numbers are quoted or alluded to in the treatment of anthropomorphisms in fragments 2 and 4 (see the margins of the translation for references). The Acts of the Apost les refers to the same passage of Aratus quoted in fragment 4 . Titus 2:12 also lists two of the three virtues mentioned in fragment 4:8 (piety and just ice) . The author o f the letter to Titus may have drawn directly upon hellenistic ethical t each ing , 2 2 or may be dependent upon hellenistic Judaism at this point. Genes is 1 -2 stands behind the discussion of the Sabbath in fragment 5. Other biblical passages seem to be behind other parts o f fragment 5 (see the margins of the translation).

Aristobulus seems to be interested primarily in interpreting the Torah (Pentateuch). On one occas ion at least (F. 5 :11) , he alludes to the Writings, probably to Proverbs 8. The quotations in fragments 2 and 4 s eem to derive from the Septuagint, which is what one would expect , g iven the explicit mention of it in fragment 3 . 2 3

Relation to apocryphal books and to later literature The relationship between the fragments of Aristobulus and 2 Maccabees has already been

discussed in the section on Date. E. Schiirer argued that Aristobulus cited the poem attributed to Orpheus and the verses

on the seventh day from Pseudo-Hecataeus' book on Abraham. Others argued that Aristobulus is indirectly dependent upon another work attributed to Hecataeus, Concerning Jews. Neither conclusion is warranted. 2 4

The fragments o f Aristobulus and the Letter of Aristeas share a number of features. Both refer to the legend about the translation of the Jewish Law made under Ptolemy Philadelphus and Demetrius Phalereus. S ince the Letter of Aristeas g ives the legend in detail and Aristobulus mentions it only in passing, many scholars, including E. Schiirer and W. Bousset , concluded that Aristobulus was literarily dependent upon the Letter. It has been argued, however , that the author of the Letter did not invent the legend, but only used it for his o w n p u r p o s e s . 2 5 If this theory is correct, the two authors could have known the legend independently. There are also a number of verbal similarities, but not enough to indicate literary dependence in either d irec t ion . 2 6

2 2 This possibility is implied by M. Dibelius and H. Conzelmann in The Pastoral Epistles (Philadelphia. 1972) p. 142.

2 3 Walter, Thoraausleger. pp. 32f.; Walter, JSHRZ 3.2 (1975) 264. * Thoraausleger, pp. 87f. 25 Thoraausleger, p. 91, n. 3. 26 Thoraausleger, pp. 88-103. Walter argues cautiously that at some points Aristobulus seems to be prior. There

does not seem to be enough evidence to establish such a conclusion.

A. Elter and P. Wendland argued that the fragments o f Aristobulus are dependent upon Philo and thus a forgery from Christian t imes . Walter has shown persuasively that such dependence is very un l ike ly . 2 7 Aristobulus is more primitive in vocabulary and method; this primitiveness would be hard to explain after Philo. The technical vocabulary of allegorical interpretation is absent in Aristobulus (allegoria, tropikos, hyponoia) and his interpretations are more sel f -conscious and cautious.

The extant fragments o f Aristobulus' work survive only because early Christian writers were interested in them. His cosmic reflections on the date of the Passover were cited by Anatolius in support o f his v i e w that Easter ought to be celebrated on the same day as the Passover. Clement and Eusebius cited from his work because its allegorical method was useful to them in interpreting the "Scripture" (graphas). His c la im that many great Greek thinkers and poets were dependent upon M o s e s supported their o w n apologetic concerns.

Cultural importance The issues discussed above with regard to historical and theological importance are

significant also for those concerned with the history of culture. Further, Aristobulus is of note for the history of phi losophy. H. Wolfson suggested that Western philosophy may be divided into three epochs: ancient phi losophy, which did not know Scripture; medieval phi losophy, which began with Scripture as revelation; and modern philosophy, which had its inception in an attempt to free itself from Scripture. According to Wol f son , the fundamental departure from ancient philosophy involved a new theory of knowledge by introducing a new source of knowledge . This fundamental change appears first in hellenistic Judaism, where it attains its systematic formulation in P h i l o . 2 8 Aristobulus is Philo's most important known forerunner in this regard.

SELECT BIBLIOGRAPHY

Charlesworth, PMR, pp. 81f. Del l ing, Bibliographie, pp. 5 3 - 5 5 . Denis , Introduction, pp. 2 7 7 - 8 3 .

Col l ins , J. J. Between Athens and Jerusalem. N e w York, 1983; pp. 1 7 5 - 7 8 and passim. (Discusses Aristobulus in the context o f Jewish identity in the Diaspora.)

Fraser, P. M. Ptolemaic Alexandria. Oxford, 1972; vol . 1, pp. 6 9 5 - 9 6 ; vol . 2 , pp. 9 6 3 -7 0 . (Discusses historical matters and the place o f Aristobulus in Alexandrian literature.)

Hengel , M . Judaism and Hellenism, trans. J. B o w d e n . Philadelphia, 1974; vol . 1, pp. 1 6 3 -69; vol . 2 , pp. 1 0 5 - 1 0 . (Situates Aristobulus in the intellectual history of Judaism.)

Sandelin, K . -G. " Z w e i Kurze Studien zum alexandrinischen Judentum," ST, 31 (1977) 1 4 7 - 5 2 . (A discussion of Aristobulus' remarks on the descent of God on Sinai . )

Walter, N . Der Thoraausleger Aristobulos. T U 86; Berlin, 1964. (The basic study; includes bibliography of older studies.)

. "Fragmente judisch-hellenistischer Exegeten: Aristobulos, Demetrios , Ar i s teas ," JSHRZ 3 . 2 (1975) 2 6 1 - 7 9 . (Introduction, bibliography, and translation with nn.)

27 Thoraausleger, pp. 58-86. 2 8 Wolfson, Philo. vol. 2, pp. 444f., 456f.

TRANSLATION

Fragment 1 Eusebius, "Ecclesiastica Historia" 7.32 J6-18

On the date of the Passover 1 6 And this is not our o w n reckoning , 3 but it was known to the Jews long ago even

before Christ and it was carefully observed by them. One can learn it from what is said by Philo , Josephus, (and) M u s a e u s , b and not only by these, but also by both of the Agathobuli , w h o are still more ancient and are surnamed the teachers. One can learn it a lso from what is said by the excel lent Aristobulus, c who was enrolled among the seventy 1 w h o translated the sacred and divine Scriptures of F 3.if. the Hebrews for Ptolemy Philadelphus and his father and w h o dedicated exegetical F . 3:2 books on the law of M o s e s to the same kings.

n When these (writers) explain questions concerning the Exodus , they say that it is necessary that all alike sacrifice the Passover after the vernal equinox, in the Ex 12:6 middle of the first month 6 ; and this occurs when the sun passes through the first sector of the solar, or as some of them called (it), the zodiacal circle.

And Aristobulus adds that on the feast o f the Passover of necessity not only the sun will be passing through an equinoctial sector, but the moon also.

1 8 For, s ince there are two equinoctial sect ions , the vernal and the autumnal, and since they are diametrically opposite one another, and since the day of the Passover was assigned to the fourteenth of the month after evening , the moon will stand in Ex 12:6 the position opposite and over against the sun, just as one can see (it) at the seasons of full m o o n . (So) the one , the sun, will be in the sector of the vernal equinox, and the other, the m o o n , of necessity will be in (the sector o f ) the autumnal (equinox) .

Fragment 2 Eusebius, "Praeparatio Evangelica" 8.9.38-8.10.17.

On anthropomorphisms 9 . 3 8 It is t ime to listen to what sorts o f things Aristobulus recounted concerning

e lements in the sacred books which are currently understood to refer to God's l imbs. Aristobulus was familiar with Aristotelian philosophy in addition to that o f F. 3 mtio his ancestors. (He is the one w h o m the second book of the Maccabees mentions 2Mac u o in the beginning of the book. ) And in his work (dedicated) to Ptolemy the King this man also explains this method:

lo.i W h e n , however , enough had been said in response to the questions set forth, you

Fragment 1 a. Anatolius was an Alexandrian teacher of

Aristotelian philosophy who became bishop of Caesarea in Palestine and later of Laodicea in Syria. He died in Laodicea around A.D. 282. In his work On the Passover, he apparently defended the po­sition of the Quartodecimans, that Easter ought to be celebrated on the same day as the Jewish Passover, the fourteenth of the Jewish lunar month Nisan.

b. Musaeus was a mythical singer, closely re­lated to Orpheus. There were oracles in circulation supposed to have been written by him. Anatolius may refer here to a Jewish poem attributed to

Musaeus, like the Pseudo-Orphic hymn quoted by Aristobulus and discussed by M. Lafargue in this volume.

c. The translation reflects the Greek MSS. The Latin and Syriac read "Aristobulus from Paneas" (that is, Caesarea Philippi).

d. Anatolius here refers to the legend that the Hebrew Bible was translated into Greek in Alex­andria during the reign of Ptolemy II Philadelphus (283-246 B.C.). The most extensive account of the legend is in the pseudepigraphical LetAris, accord­ing to which there were seventy-two translators.

e. Philo, SpecLeg 2.145-61, Quaes Ex 1.4; Josephus, Ant 2.311-13. 3.248.

also, O King, exclaimed (questioning) why indications are given of hands and arms and face and feet and walking about throughout our Law with respect to the divine power. These things will receive a proper discussion and they will not contradict in any way what was said by us beforehand.

2 And I wish to exhort you to receive the interpretations according to the laws of nature3 and to grasp the fitting conception of God and not to fall into the mythical and human way of thinking about God.

3 For our lawgiver Moses proclaims arrangements of nature and preparations for great events by expressing that which he wishes to say in many ways, by using words that refer to other matters (I mean matters relating to outward appearances).

4 Therefore, those who are able to think well marvel at his wisdom and at the divine spirit in accordance with which he has been proclaimed as a prophet also. Among these are the philosophers already mentioned and many others, including poets, who took significant material from him and are admired accordingly.

5 But to those who have no share 6f power and understanding, but who are devoted to the letter alone, he does not seem to explain anything elevated.

61 shall begin then to take up each thing signified in turn, to the extent that I am able. But if I miss the point or fail to be persuasive, attribute the lack of reason not to the lawgiver but to my inability to interpret his thoughts.

7 Now "hands" are clearly thought of even in our own time in a more general way. For when you, being king, send out forces, wishing to accomplish something, we say, "The king has a mighty hand," and the hearers are referred to the power which you have.

8 Now Moses indicates this also in our Law when he speaks thus: ' 'God brought you out of Egypt with a mighty hand," and again he says that God said to him, "I will send forth my hand and / will strike the Egyptians.*' And with respect to the death which came upon the cattle and the others he speaks to the king of the Egyptians, saying, "Behold, the hand of the Lord shall be upon your cattle and a great death shall be upon all that are in the fields,'' so that it is necessary that the hands be explained as the power of God. For it is possible for people speaking metaphorically to consider that the entire strength of human beings and their active powers are in their hands.b

9 Therefore, the lawgiver has employed a metaphor well for the purpose of saying something elevated, when he says that the accomplishments of God are his hands.

And the establishment of the cosmos might well be called divine "standing" 0

in accordance with the elevated (level of meaning). 10 For indeed God is over all things and all things have been subordinated (to him)

and have received their "standing" (from him), with the result that human beings comprehend that these things are unalterable. I mean something like this, that heaven has never become earth and earth heaven, nor has sun become shining moon, nor moon again sun, nor rivers sea, nor sea rivers.

n And again with regard to living beings, there is the same rule. For a human being will not become beast nor a beast a human being. And the same thing applies also to the rest, to plants and the others. They are not interchangeable, but the members of each group change and are destroyed in the same way.

12 In these respects, therefore, divine "standing" might be spoken of, because all things are subjected to God.

It is said too in the book of the Law that there was a descent of God upon the mountain, at the time when he was giving the Law, in order that all might see the action of God. For this descent was manifest; therefore, anyone wishing to guard the account about God should interpret these things in the following way.

13 For it is set forth that "the mountain was burning with fire," so says the Law,

F. 4:3

Deut 18:18; 34:10 F. 3:1 F. 4:4 F. 4:4-6 F. 5:13-16

Ex 13:9 (LXX)

Ex 3:20 (LXX)

Ex 9:3 (LXX)

Gen 28:13 Ex 17:6

Ex 19:11

Ex 19:16-18; 24:17 Deut 4:11; 5:23; 9:15

Fragment 2 a. Or "in a way corresponding to reality," a b. Philo, LegAll 2.89, SpecLeg 4.138.

technical term of the Stoics. c. Philo, Somn 1.157-58, 241; 2.219-22.

on account of God's coming down. It also says that there were trumpet blasts and ^. , I

8

9 : , 6 J 9 ;

the fire blazing without substance. Ex 3:2 14 For even though the whole multitude of not less than a hundred myriads (one Ex i2:37f

million),d not counting minors,e was assembled round about the mountain and 1 : 4 5 - 4 1

even though the making of a circuit around it would take not less than five days, E x , 9 : 2 « 1 7

the fire was seen blazing from every point of view around them all where they were camped.f

15 Therefore, the descent was not local; for God is everywhere. Rather he (the lawgiver) showed that the power of fire, which is marvelous beyond all things because it consumes all things, blazes without substance and consumes nothing, Ex 3:2 unless the power from God (to consume) is added to it.

16 For, although the regions were blazing mightily, (the fire) consumed nothing of the growing things throughout the mountain, but the foliage of all of them remained untouched by fire. The trumpet blasts were quite strongly audible at the same time as the exhibition of the lightning-like fire, although no such instruments were present nor any to sound them, but all things happened by divine arrangement.

17 Therefore, it is clear that the divine descent occurred for these reasons: in order that the viewers might comprehend each of these things in a revelatory way—not that the fire consumed nothing, as has been said, nor that the trumpet blasts came into being without human activity or the use of instruments, but that God, without any aid, manifested his own majesty, which is throughout all things.

Fragment 3 Eusebius, 13.12.If.

Greek dependence on the Jewish Law (Title) That also Aristobulus, who lived before us and was of the Hebrew people, the peripatetic (philosopher), agreed that the Greeks begin from the philosophy of the Hebrews;8 from the (books) of Aristobulus dedicated to King Ptolemy:

1 It is evident that Plato imitated our legislation and that he had investigated F 4:4.2:4

thoroughly each of the elements in it. For it had been translated by others beforeb

Demetrius Phalereus,c before the conquests of Alexander*1 and the Persians.e The parts concerning the exodus of the Hebrews, our fellow countrymen, out of Egypt, the fame of all the things that happened to them, the conquest of the land, and the detailed account of the entire legislation (were translated)/ So it is very clear that the philosopher mentioned above took many things (from it). For he was very learned, as was Pythagoras, who transferred many of our doctrines and integrated F 4 4 . 2 : 4

them into his own system of beliefs.* 2 But the entire translation of all the (books) of the Law (was made) in the time of F 1 1 6

the king called Philadelphus, your ancestor. He brought greater zeal (to the task than his predecessors), while Demetrius Phalereus managed the undertaking.

d. Philo., SpecLeg 2.146. e. Or "not counting the elderly." f. F. 2:14-16 is cited by Clement (Strom 6.32,3-

33,1).

Fragment 3 a. Artapanus (PrEv 9.27.4) says that Moses

invented and taught philosophy (see the section on Artapanus).

b. LetAris 30, 314. c. Peripatetic philosopher, statesman, and writer

who ruled Athens (318-307 B.C.) and was adviser to Ptolemy I Soter in Alexandria (c. 297 B.C.). On the translation connected with his name see LetAris 301-22.

d. 332 B.C. e. 343 B.C. or 525 B.C. f. Apparently a reference to the books of Ex,

Lev, Num, Oeut, and Josh. g. Clement cites F. 3:1 in Strom 1.150, 1-3

and uses F. 3:2 in Strom 1.148,1.

Fragment 4 Eusebius, 13.13.3-8

Anthropomorphisms and Greek dependence on the Law 3 Then, having said some things in between, he continues, saying:

For it is necessary to take the divine "voice" not as a spoken word, but as the F . 2:i establishment of things.- Just so has Moses called the whole genesis of the world ? 2 3 - 2 6 2 3 3

words of God in our Law. For he continually says in each case, "And God spoke Gen i:3,6,9.

t . , , 14,20,24 (D(

and it came to pass. 4 And it seems to me that Pythagoras, Socrates, and Plato with great care follow F 2:4

him in all respects. They copy him when they say that they hear the voice of F 3:i God, when they contemplate the arrangement of the universe, so carefully made and so unceasingly held together by God.b And further, Orpheus0 also imitates F . 2:4; Moses in verses from his (books) on the Hieros Logos. He expresses himself thus lil^o) concerning the maintaining of all things by divine power, their being generated and God's being over all things. And he speaks so:d

s I will sing for those for whom it is lawful, but you uninitiate, close your doors, Charged under the laws of the Righteous ones, for the Divine has legislated For all alike. But you, son of the light-bearing moon, Musaeus, listen, for I proclaim the Truth. Let not what you formerly felt lose for you a happy eternity, But look to the divine word, study it closely, [So] guiding your heart, that knowing vessel. Set out firmly On the path, and look only at the undying shaper of the universe. There is an ancient saying about him: "He is one"—self-completing, and all things completed by him, Deut 6:4

In them he himself circulates. But no one has seen him With the souls mortals have, he is seen [only] by Mind. He does not take good things and make them into evil For people, but he comes in company with love and hate, "And war and plague and weeping pain"— "And there is no other." You would understand everything isa45:5

If you were to see him. But before that, here on earth, sometimes, My son, I will point it out to you, whenever I notice his footsteps, And the strong hand of the mighty God. But I do not see him, because around [him] a cloud is set up, A thin one for me, but tenfold for all [other] people. For all mortals have mortal pupils in their eyes, [Too] small, since flesh and bones have produced them, [Too] weak to see Zeus, the ruler of all. And no one has seen the ruler of mortal men, Except a certain unique man, an offshoot from far back of the race Of the Chaldeans. For he was knowledgeable about the path of the Star, And how the movement of the Sphere goes around the earth, Both in circular fashion, but each on its own axis. He rides in spirit through the air and through the water Of the stream. A comet makes manifest these events—he had a mighty birth. Mt 2:2 Yes, he after this is established in the great heaven On a golden throne. He stands with his feet on the earth. isa 66:1 He stretches out his right hand to the ends of the ocean. The foundation of the mountains trembles within at [his] anger,

Fragment 4 a. Philo, Migr 48f. b. Plato, Tim 47 A-E, Apol 31 D, Theag 128

D. F. 4:3-4a is used by Clement (Strom 5.99,3). c. Artapanus claims that Moses taught Orpheus

(PrEv 9.27,4); see the contribution on Artapanus in this volume.

d. [The translation of the Orphic poem which is given here is from M. Lafargue's contribution above. —J.H.C.J

And the depths of the gray sparkling sea. They cannot endure the mighty power. He is entirely Heavenly, and he brings everything to completion on earth, Being "the beginning, the middle, and the end," RCV 1.8 As the saying of the ancients, as the one water-born has described it, The one who received [revelations] from God in aphorisms, in the form of a

double law. It is unlawful to say anything else. My body is trembling. In Mind, from above, he rules over everything according to an order. My son, approach him with your Mind, And do not betray, but guard the divine message in your heart.

6 And Aratuse also speaks about the same things thus: Let us begin with God, whom men never leave unspoken; full of God are the streets, and all the marketplaces of humanity, and full the sea and the harbors; and we are all in need of God everywhere/ We are all his children; and he gendy Acts \1.2s

to humanity gives good omens, and rouses people to work, reminding (them) of sustenance; and he tells when the soil is best for cattle and for pickaxes, and he tells when seasons are favorable both for planting trees and for sowing all seeds.

71 believe that it has been clearly shown how the power of God is throughout all things. And we have given the true sense, as one must, by removing the (name) Zeus throughout the verses. For their (the verses') intention refers to God, therefore it was so expressed by us. We have presented these things therefore in a way not unsuited to the things being discussed.

8 For it is agreed by all the philosophers that it is necessary to hold holy opinions concerning God,g a point our philosophical school makes particularly well. And the whole constitution of our Law is arranged with reference to piety and justice TU 2:12 and temperance and the rest of the things that are truly good.h

Fragment 5 Eusebius, 13.12.9-16

On the sabbath 9 Following these things, after other (remarks), he adds:

And connected (with this) is (the fact) that God, who established the whole "̂JO-I-I 1 cosmos, also gave us the seventh day as a rest, because life is laborious for all.3

Deut 5:12-15 According to the laws of nature,6 the seventh day might be called first also, as Ex 23:12 the genesis of light in which all things are contemplated.0 Gen 1:3-5

10 And the same thing might be said metaphorically about wisdom also. For all light has its origin in it. And some of those belonging to the Peripatetic school have said that wisdom holds the place of a lantern; for as long as they follow it unremittingly, they will be calm through their whole life.d

11 And one of our ancestors, Solomon, said more clearly and better that wisdom Prov 8:22-31 existed before heaven and earth; which indeed agrees with what has been said.

And it is plainly said by our legislation that God rested on the seventh day. Gen 2:2 This does not mean, as some interpret, that God no longer does anything. It means

e. Aristobulus cites here the first nine lines of an astronomical poem, Phaenomena, by Aratus of Soli, in Cilicia (c. 315-240/239 B .C.) . For the complete text and translation of Phaenomena see A. W. Mair's publication in LCL. Note that Aristobulus changed Zeus in the poem to theos.

f. Or "and we consult God's oracles every­where." If the Gk. word for "God" be emended from the genitive to the dative case, the translation would be "and we have familiar intercourse with

God everywhere." g. LetAris 234f. h. Philo, Quod Omn 83.

Fragment 5 a. Jub 2:18-20. b. Or "in a way corresponding to reality" (see

F. 2:2, n. a). c. Philo, SpecLeg 2.59. d. Philo, Ebr 31.

that, after he had finished ordering all things, he so orders them for all time. 12 For the legislation signifies that in six days he made heaven and earth and all Ex 20:11 (LXX)

things which are in them in order that he might make manifest the times and Gen i: 14-18 foreordain what precedes what with respect to order. For, having set all things in order, he maintains and alters them so (in accordance with that order). And the F . 2:11 legislation has shown plainly that the seventh day is legally binding for us as a sign of the sevenfold principle6 which is established around us, by which we have knowledge of human and divine matters.

13 And indeed all the cosmos of all living beings and growing things revolves in series of sevens/ Its being called "sabbath" is translated as "rest." And both Homer and Hesiod, having taken information from our books, say clearly that the F 2 * seventh day is holy. Hesiod (speaks) so:

To begin with, (the) first, (the) fourth and (the) seventh, (each) a holy day;8

And again he says: And on the seventh day (is) again the bright light of the sun.h

14 And Homer speaks so: And then indeed the seventh day returned, a holy day;'

[and Then was the holy seventh dayp

and again: It was the seventh day and on it all things had been completed11 Gen 2:2f.

and: And on the seventh morning we left the stream of Acheron.1

15 He (Homer) thereby signifying that away from the forgetfulness and evil of the soul, by means of the sevenfold principle"1 in accordance with the truth, the things mentioned before are left behind and we receive knowledge of the truth, as has been said above."

16 And Linus0 speaks so: And on the seventh morning all things were made complete;?

and again: (The) seventh (day) is of good quality and (the) seventh (day) is births

and: (The) seventh (day) is among the prime (numbers) and (the) seventh (day) is perfect;

[and] And all seven (heavenly bodies) have been created in the starry heaven, Shining in their orbits in the revolving years.

Such then are the remarks of Aristobulus/

e. Or "as a sign of our seventh faculty, namely, reason."

f. There are various points of contact between F. 5:9-13 and Clement, Strom 6.137-44.

g. Hesiod, Opera et Dies, 770. h. The verse is not attested in the works of

Hesiod; cf. Homer, Iliad 1.605; Hesiod, Theog 760, 958.

i. This verse is not attested in Homer's works, j . The material in brackets does not occur in

PrEv 13.12. 14; it is cited in 13.13, 34 and by Clement, Strom 5.107, 2.

k. This verse seems to be based on Homer,

Odyssey 5.262, which reads "the fourth day." 1. This verse is not attested but is related to

Odyssey 10.513, 12.1. m. Or "reason." n. The Greek here is nearly unintelligible. 0. A mythical singer, like Musaeus and Orpheus. p. This verse is probably a Jewish composition. q. Or "The seventh day and the seventh birth

are good." According to Philo the seventh day was the birthday of the world (Op 89).

r. Clement cites the same verses as F. 5:13-16 in Strom 5.107, 1-108, 1 and attributes them to Callimachus.