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JEROME IN THE CATALOGUE OF ECCLESIASTICAL WRITERS.

Philo the Jew, an Alexandrian by nation, of the race of priests: therefore he is placed by us among the Ecclesiastical writers, because in writing a book on the first church of the Evangelist Mark at Alexandria, he was engaged in the praise of our people. They say that he was in danger at Rome under Gaius Caligula, to whom he had been sent as an ambassador of his people. When he came a second time to Claudius, in the same city he spoke with the Apostle Peter, and had his friendship, and for this reason he also adorned the church of Mark, the disciple of Peter, at Alexandria with praises. There exist his famous and innumerable works, on the five books of Moses: On the confusion of languages one book: On nature and invention one book: On learning one book: On the heir of divine things one book: On the division of equal and contrary things one book: On the three virtues one book: Why the names of certain people in the scriptures were changed one book: On covenants two books: On the life of the wise man one book: On giants one book; That dreams are sent by God five books: On questions and solutions in Exodus five books: On the tabernacle and the decalogue four books: Also on victims and repercussions, or curses: On providence: On the Jews: On the conversation of life: On Alexander, saying that brute animals have their own reason, and that every foolish person is a slave. And the book on the life of our people, of which we spoke above, that is, on the Apostolic men, which he also entitled περὶ βίου θεωρητικοῦ ἱκετῶν on the contemplative life of suppliants, because they contemplate celestial things, and always pray to God. And under other indices: On agriculture two: On drunkenness two. There are also other monuments of his genius, which have not come into our hands. Of him it is commonly said among the Greeks, "Either Plato follows Philo, or Philo follows Plato," so great is the similarity of their meanings and eloquence.

PHOTIUS IN THE LIBRARY, CODEX 103, 104, 105.

Philo the Jew's Allegory of the sacred laws, and on the political life were read.

The account of those among the Jews who practiced the contemplative and active philosophy of life was read, some of whom were called Essenes, others Therapeuts healers. These built monasteries and semneia places of reverence/sanctuaries, as he says in these very words, and they prescribed the way of life for those who now live a solitary life.

His discourse was also read, with the title Gaius reviled, and Flaccus or Flacco reviled. In these discourses his strength in rhetoric and the beauty of his words appear more than in others. He errs in many things, however, by positing ideas Platonic forms, and writing other things alien to the Jewish philosophy. He flourished in the times of Gaius Caesar, to whom he writes that he went as an ambassador on behalf of his own nation, while Agrippa was reigning in Judea. Many and varied treatises of his are circulated, containing moral discourses and memorials of the ancients, most of them forced toward the allegory of the letter; from which I think all the allegorical speech of the scripture in the Church [is derived].

[Latin translation of the preceding Greek text]

Philo the Jew's Allegory of the sacred laws, and on the life of a civil man, were read.

Read also was the manner of living of those who practiced the philosophical kind of life among the Jews, either by contemplating or by acting. Some were called Essenes, others Therapeuts. And these indeed not only built monasteries and sanctuaries (he uses these very words), but also prescribed a norm of living for those who now lead a solitary life.

A book of the same man is read, the title of which is, CAIUS reviled, another FLACCUS reviled. In which books his power of speaking and grace appear more than in others. He sins, however, not rarely by transmuting ideas, and describing other things alien to the Jewish sect.

He flourished in the times of Gaius Caesar, to whom he writes that he undertook an embassy on behalf of his own (Hebrew) people, while Agrippa was reigning in Judea.

Other various small works of the same are also circulated, by which discussions are almost contained on morals, and explanations of the Old Testament, for the most part adapted to the allegory of the letter itself. And indeed from this I think that all the allegorical discourse of the sacred scripture was brought into the Church.