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

AThe creation of the whole heaven and the cosmos had a beginning; for the four elements, from which this whole was fashioned, flowed from the quaternary in numbers as from a fountain. Moreover, the four annual seasons are the causes of the generation of animals and plants, with the year divided in four parts, into winter, spring, summer, and autumn. Since the aforementioned number was deemed worthy of such a privilege in nature, the Creator necessarily arranged the heaven in a quaternary, a most beautiful and godlike ornament, along with the B light-bearing stars. Knowing that light is the best of all things that exist, he revealed it as an instrument of sight, the best of the senses. For what the mind is in the soul, that the eye is in the body; for each sees: the one the intelligible, the other the sensible. The mind needs knowledge to know incorporeal things; the eyes need light for the perception of bodies. C This is the cause of many other goods for humans, and especially of the greatest, which is philosophy. For sight, sent upward by light, beholding the nature of the stars and their harmonious motion, and the orderly rotations of both the fixed stars and the planets—with the former circling in the same way and manner, and the latter using double periods in a dissimilar and contrary way—and the rhythmic dances of all, arranged according to the laws of perfect music, provides the soul with unspeakable delight and pleasure. D The soul, feasting on these successive spectacles (for one came from another), had a great insatiability for contemplation. Then, as is its wont, it began to investigate: what is the essence of these visible things, whether they are ungenerated by nature, or whether they took a beginning of generation, and what is the mode of their motion, and what are the causes by which each is ordered. From the discussion of these, the genus of philosophy was formed, a greater good than which has not entered into human life. E Looking toward that idea of intelligible light which was spoken of in relation to the incorporeal world, he fashioned the sensible stars, divine and most beautiful images, which he placed in the heaven as in the purest temple of bodily substance, for many reasons: one, to provide light; another, to serve as signs; then for the seasons of the annual hours; and above all, for days, months, and years, which have become measures of time and have brought forth the nature of number. What use and benefit each of the aforementioned provides is clear from their

action.

AHe gave a beginning to the generation of the whole heaven and world. For the four elements from which this universe is founded flowed, as from a fountain, from the quaternary number; and likewise these four seasons, by which the year is distinguished and from which living creatures and plants arise, namely winter, spring, summer, and autumn. Since, therefore, the aforementioned number is honored by nature with so many privileges, the Creator of things necessarily adorned the heaven on the B fourth day, employing the most beautiful and divine ornaments, that is, the light-bearing stars. And, aware that light is the most excellent of all things, he made it the instrument of sight, the most excellent of senses. For what the mind is in the spirit, that the eye is in the body. For each sees: one, intelligible things; the other, sensible things. The use of the mind is in the knowledge of incorporeal things, but the use of the eyes is in the light for the contemplation of bodies. C This thing is useful to men for many other goods, and primarily for that which is the greatest, namely philosophy. For sight, led by light to the heights, and having considered the nature of the stars and their motion, both harmonious and in the orderly circuits of the fixed and wandering stars—while the former are always carried around in the same way, but the latter use a double course, differently and in contrary directions; and in addition to this, the choreographed dance of all, beautifully consistent with the laws of music—excites in the mind an ineffable delight and pleasure. And thus, enticed D by other and yet other spectacles (for one is born from another), it finds no satiety in contemplating. After these, as is customary, its curiosity proceeding further, it inquires what the essence of these visible things is, and whether they were generated or had no beginning, and what is the mode of their motion, and what causes govern each. From such inquiries, philosophy was born, than which no more perfect good has entered the life E of men. But the Creator, looking to the idea of intelligible light, about which it was spoken in the mention of the incorporeal world, founded these sensible stars, divine and most beautiful images, which, as in a most beautiful temple among corporeal essences, he placed in the heaven for many reasons. First, for the providing of light; then for signs; then for the seasons by which the year is distinguished; and finally for days, months, and years, which are measures of time, from which the nature of number was born. What use or utility each of these provides is evident from their effects.