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

A ...as many sensible kinds as there are intelligible ones in that [model]. It is not lawful to circumscribe the world which consists of ideas in any place, either by speech or thought. We shall know, however, how it exists if we consider some similarity from our own affairs. Whenever a city is to be built by the care of some king or ruler, magnificent in fortune, there is present some man skilled in architecture, who, having contemplated the opportunity of the place, first delineates within himself almost all the parts of the future B city: temples, gymnasia, town halls, marketplaces, ports, naval yards, alleys, the construction of walls, and the foundations of houses, both private and public. Then, having imprinted the images of each thing as if in wax into his own mind, he shapes an intelligible city; and having stirred up the images of this with his innate memory, and having imprinted the likenesses even more firmly upon himself, like a good craftsman, looking toward the proposed model, he undertakes his designated C structure of stone and timber, representing those incorporeal ideas in each part of the work. Almost in the same way, one must think of God, who, when he decreed to build this great city, first conceived its forms. From these, after he established the intelligible world, he built this sensible one after its model. Therefore, just as that city pre-delineated in the architect had no place outside, but was only imprinted on the mind of the artist; in the same D way, that world consisting of ideas could have no place other than the Word of God, which adorned all these things. For what other place could there be for the virtues of God, capable of conceiving, I do not say all the ideas, but even one of the simplest of them? Moreover, there is a virtue that is the creator of the world, arising from the true good as from a fountain. For if anyone wished to investigate the cause of this universal craftsmanship, I do not think he would stray from the mark if he said what a certain ancient wise man said: that the Father and Creator is good, and therefore, by the goodness of his own nature, he did not envy substance, which had nothing good of itself, yet could become anything. For it was of itself devoid of every quality, undigested, inanimate, full of roughness, confusion, and discord; but it was capable of alteration and change to the best state, namely order, quality, animation, likeness, identity, harmony, and consonance, and everything else belonging to the superior idea.

A ...as many intelligible things as are in that one. It is not lawful to speak of or imagine the world consisting of ideas in any place. We shall know how it subsists by following an image of our own. Whenever a city is to be founded according to the great ambition of a king, or some leader possessing sovereign power, and at the same time his spirit brightly ornaments his good fortune, a man skilled in architecture sometimes approaches, and having seen and viewed the opportunity of the place, B he first describes for himself almost all the parts of the city that is to be completed: temples, gymnasia, town halls, marketplaces, harbors, naval yards, alleys, the construction of walls, and the foundations of houses and other public buildings. Then, as if receiving the types of each in his own soul like wax, he carries a mental city, from which, having awakened the images by innate memory, and having impressed the characters even more, like a good craftsman, looking toward the C model, he begins to construct the harmony out of stones and woods, making the corporeal essences resemble each of the incorporeal ideas. Similar things must be thought regarding God, who, having intended to build the great city, first conceived its types, from which, having constituted an intelligible world, he completed the sensible one, using that one as a model. Just as the city pre-delineated in the architect had no place outside, but was imprinted in the soul of the craftsman; D in the same way, the world consisting of ideas could have no other place than the divine Logos which decorated these things. For who could say what other place of his powers could exist, which would be capable—I do not say of receiving all, but even one, however pure—of receiving and holding them? The world-making power, having as its source the good that is according to truth. If anyone should desire to investigate the cause for which this whole was created, it seems to me that he would not miss the mark by saying what one of the ancients said: that the Father and Maker is good, for the sake of which he did not begrudge substance, which had nothing good of itself, but was capable of becoming everything. For it was of itself disorderly, without quality, inanimate, full of otherness, lack of harmony, and discord. But it received a turn and change toward the opposites and the best things: order, quality, animation, likeness, identity, harmony, consonance, and all that belongs to the better idea. And by no mediator; for who else was there?