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

world, but he also placed boundaries in the intermediate spaces, by which he restricted each of the extremes. For they were about to border on one another and produce confusion through a struggle for dominance, and would have embarked on an extensive and unceasing rivalry, had not boundaries fixed in the middle dissolved the confrontation. These are evening and morning. Of these, the former heralds the coming sun by rising, gently restricting the darkness; the evening, however, follows the setting sun, calmly receiving the sudden onrush of darkness. And yet, these—I mean morning and evening—must be placed in the order of incorporeal and intelligible things. For there is nothing sensory in them at all, but they are all ideas, measures, types, and seals, incorporeal things for the generation of other corporeal things. And since light was made, and darkness withdrew and retreated, and boundaries were fixed in the intermediate spaces—evening and morning—the necessary measure of time was immediately completed, which the Creator called day. And he called it not the first day, but one day, named so because of the solitude of the intelligible world, which possesses a monadic nature. Thus, the incorporeal world already had its end, being founded in the divine Word; and the sensible world was being brought to completion according to the model of this one. And of its parts, the Creator first made that which is the best of all: the heaven, which he aptly called the firmament, as it is a corporeal thing. For a body is naturally solid, because it is also extended in three dimensions. And what other concept is there of a solid and a body, except that which is extended in every direction? With good reason, therefore, contrasting the sensible and corporeal to the intelligible and incorporeal, he called this the firmament. Then he immediately called it heaven, hitting the mark and very properly, either because it is the boundary of all things, or because it was the first of visible things. After its generation, he names it the second day, attributing the entire interval and measure of a day to the heaven, on account of its worthiness and honor among sensible things. And after this, since the entire water had spread over the whole earth, and had permeated all its parts, just as a sponge has absorbed moisture, so that the two elements were submerged and mingled like a mash into a single undifferentiated and formless nature, God commands that all the water which was salty and destined to be a cause of barrenness for crops and trees be gathered together, flowing from the perforations of the whole earth...

but he placed boundaries in the middle spaces, by which each one might be held back from the extremities of the other. Otherwise, because of their proximity, they would have induced confusion through mutual contentions for supremacy, seeking a struggle with stubborn ambition, if boundaries fixed in the middle had not separated those eager for battle. These are evening and morning, of which the one announces the happy arrival of the sun about to rise, gradually removing the darkness. B The evening, however, follows the setting sun, gently receiving the approaching darkness. And these very things, I mean morning and evening, must be placed in the order of incorporeal and intelligible things. For there is nothing at all sensible in these, but they are all ideas and measures and places and incorporeal seals, for the generation of other corporeal things. Now that light had been made and the darkness had succeeded it, and the evening and morning had been fixed as boundaries in the middle, the necessary C measure of time was soon effected, which the Creator named day, and he called it not the first, but one day: which is so called because of the singularity of the intelligible world, which possesses the nature of unity. And the incorporeal world was already perfect, situated in the divine Word, when this sensible world was being finished according to the model of the other: and before its other parts, the Creator made the most excellent of all, namely the heaven, which he aptly called the firmament as a corporeal thing. For a body is naturally firm D and solid, having three dimensions. But what other thought of a body can there be, other than that which is extended in every direction? Rightly, therefore, having substituted this sensible and corporeal thing for the incorporeal, he called it the firmament: which he soon called ouranon heaven, very aptly and properly; either because it is the horos boundary of all things, or because it was the first of the horaton visible things made. After its generation, he names the second day, referring the E entire space and measure of the day to the heaven, on account of its dignity and honor among sensible things. After these things, since the whole water had been spread over the whole earth, and had penetrated all its parts, just as a sponge drinks in moisture, so that like a certain muddy mire it was mingled, both elements being macerated and fermented into one undifferentiated and formless nature: God commands that whatever waters were salty and therefore would be harmful to the fertility of crops and trees be collected into one, flowing together from all the pores of the earth...