Philonos Ioudaiou Syngrammata / Omnia Quae Extant Opera (1691 Greek)

...the same thing. He attributed eternity to the invisible and intelligible as a brother and kinsman; but to the sensible, he gave the name generation, which is its proper term. Since, therefore, this world is visible and sensible, it must necessarily also be created. Hence, it was not without purpose that he recorded its generation, having spoken of it in a most solemn and theological manner. He says that the world was created in six days, not because the Creator needed a length of time; for it is reasonable that God acts simultaneously, not only by commanding but also by contemplating; but because order was necessary for the things being created, and number is proper to order. Among the laws of the nature of numbers, the number six is the most productive. For it is the first perfect number after the unit, equal to the sum of its own parts and filled by them: half of it is three, a third is two, and a sixth is one. In a manner of speaking, it is naturally both male and female, and is harmonized from the power of each. For the odd is considered male among existing things, while the even is female. The beginning of odd numbers is three, and of even numbers is two. The power of both is six. For it is necessary that the world, being the most absolute of all created things, be constructed according to a perfect number, namely six. And since it was to contain within itself the generations resulting from a union, it was formed according to the mixed number, which is the first to be both even and odd, containing the idea of the male that sows and the female that receives the seeds. He assigned certain parts of the whole to each of the days, excluding the first, which he himself does not even call "first," so that it would not be numbered with the others, but by calling it "one," he aptly designates it, having looked upon and bestowed upon it the nature and name of the unit. We must speak of as many of the things contained therein as possible, since it is impossible to speak of all. For it contains the intelligible world within itself, as the discourse regarding it will reveal. For God, as God, having foreseen that a beautiful imitation could never exist without a beautiful model, and that nothing among the sensible things could be without fault if it were not modeled after an archetype and intelligible idea, wishing to create this visible world, first formed the intelligible world, so that by using a bodiless and godlike model, he might complete the physical one, a younger image of an older one, containing as many sensible kinds,

A He attributed eternity to the sole comprehensible nature as a kindred and related quality, but he proclaims generation as the proper word for the sensible. Since, therefore, this world is visible and sensible, it necessarily follows that it was made. For this reason, it was not alien to the author's purpose to record its generation in writing, and that in a very serious and theological manner. He says that the world was fashioned in six days, not because the Creator had need of a span of time. For God is believed to work not only by command but also by thought. B But because there was a need for things to be created in a certain order. And number is proper to order. Among numbers, by the law of nature, the number six is most apt for generation. For after the unit, it is the first to appear as perfect, consisting of equal parts from which it is composed: namely from the three, which is its half, from the two, which is its third part, and from the one, which is its sixth part. It is (so to speak) endowed with both a male and female nature, C and is composed of the powers of both. For the odd number is considered male in things, just as the even is female. The beginning of odd numbers is the three, and of even is the two. From the powers of both, the six consists. For it is necessary that the world, being the most absolute of all creatures, be constructed according to the perfect number, namely the six. And because it was to contain in itself the generations from binary copulation, it was to be formed to the mixed number, D which is the first to be equally odd, so that it might contain within itself the species of both the male that sows and the female that is to receive the offspring. He attributed a certain portion of the universe to each of the days, except for the first day, which he does not even name "first," lest it be numbered with the others. But by naming it "one," he uses an apt word, having considered the nature of unity and its most convenient appellation. We shall therefore discuss what is contained in these words as much as possible, since it is impossible to speak of E everything. For within this is that excellent world, visible only to the intellect, as will be revealed in the proceeding sermon in the narration of this day. For God, when in his deity he foresaw that a beautiful imitation could not exist without a beautiful model, and that nothing sensible would be free of reproach if it did not correspond to the archetype of the intelligible idea, after he decreed to create this visible world, he first formed its intelligible image, so that by using an incorporeal and most godlike model, he might perfect the corporeal one.