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TESTIMONIES OF ILLUSTRIOUS AND PREEMINENT WRITERS CONCERNING PHILO.

Josephus, Antiquities of the Jews, book 18, chapter 10.

A sedition having arisen in Alexandria between the Jews who dwell there and the Greeks, three ambassadors were chosen from each faction and appeared before Gaius. One of the Alexandrian ambassadors was Apion, who spoke many blasphemies against the Jews, saying among other things that they disregarded the honors of Caesar. For when all those who were subject to the Roman empire had set up altars and temples to Gaius, and welcomed him in all things just as they received the gods, these men alone thought it ignoble to honor him with statues, and to take his name as an oath. After Apion had said many harsh things, by which he hoped to stir up Gaius, or as was likely, Philo, who stood at the head of the Jewish embassy, a man famous in all respects, brother of Alexander the Alabarch the chief tax collector for the Jews in Alexandria, and not inexperienced in philosophy, was able to proceed to the defense of those things being accused. But Gaius dismissed him, ordering him to go away, and being visibly enraged, he was clearly planning to do something terrible to them. Philo went out having been treated with contempt, and said to the Jews who were around him that it was necessary to be of good cheer, for although Gaius was angry at them in word, in deed he was already bringing God into opposition against him.

And when a sedition had arisen between the Jews and Greeks inhabiting Alexandria, three legates were chosen from each side and sent to Gaius. But Apion, the leader of the Alexandrian embassy, hurled many crimes at the Jews, and among other things, that they did not follow Caesar with the proper honors. For as widely as the Roman world extends, temples and altars are being built to Gaius, and he is worshipped with equal honor along with other deities, yet these men alone think it shameful to dedicate statues to him, or to swear by the name of Caesar. After Apion had inveighed bitterly and said many other things that would serve to exasperate Gaius, Philo, the more important of the Jewish legates, a man most famous in all respects, brother of Alexander the Alabarch, and not unskilled in philosophy, was preparing to plead the cause of his people. But he was pushed back by Caesar, who ordered him to leave and, barely restraining his anger from injury, he ejected him with abuse. Turning to the Jewish followers, he said, "Now it is necessary to be of good spirit, since Gaius is angry; for now God will be present for us against him."

EUSEBIUS, ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY

Book Two.

He was a man rich in speech, broad in his understandings, and having become lofty and elevated in his contemplations of the divine scriptures, he made the interpretation of the sacred words varied and manifold. He composed one work on Genesis, which covers the matters contained therein in a certain sequence and order, which he entitled, Allegories of the Sacred Laws. He then constructed individual distinctions of the chapters of those things sought in the Scriptures, and made both objections and resolutions. Among these, he also applied the title to the questions and solutions of those things which are usually sought in Genesis and in Exodus, in a manner appropriate to them. Beyond these, there are other studies of certain problems worked out by him separately, such as... original: "teriarum lucubrationes ab eo separatim" - the Latin text is fragmented here due to the column break.

This Philo was abundant in words, rich in sentiments, and in explaining the divine Scriptures he was deep, and raising himself on high, he wove together a varied and manifold interpretation of the sacred eloquence. First he composed a work on Genesis, which embraces the things contained therein in a certain series and order; which indeed he entitled, Allegories of the Sacred Laws. Then he constructed distinctions item by item, of those things especially which seem to have some controversy in the Scriptures: in which he both objects, and dissolves the objections, which books he titled, Questions and solutions of those things which are accustomed to be asked in Genesis as well as in Exodus, which answer one another in turn. There are also besides these books, other certain... original: "confectæ : utpote de Agricultura libri" prepared separately by him: such as the books on Agriculture