Tiresias: The Ancient Mediterranean Religions Source Database

9238

Philo Of Alexandria, On Dreams, 1.133-1.141
nan Such then may be said, by way of preface, to the discussion of that description of visions which are sent from God. But it is time now to turn to the subject itself, and to investigate, with accuracy, every portion of it. The scripture therefore says, "And he dreamed a dream. And behold a ladder was planted firmly on the ground, the head of which reached to heaven, and the angels of God were ascending and descending along It.
nan By the ladder in this thing, which is called the world, is figuratively understood the air, the foundation of which is the earth, and the head is the heaven; for the large interior space, which being extended in every direction, reaches from the orb of the moon, which is described as the most remote of the order in heaven, but the nearest to us by those who contemplate sublime objects, down to the earth, which is the lowest of such bodies, is the air.
nan This air is the abode of incorporeal souls, since it seemed good to the Creator of the universe to fill all the parts of the world with living creatures. On this account he prepared the terrestrial animals for the earth, the aquatic animals for the sea and for the rivers, and the stars for the heaven; for every one of these bodies is not merely a living animal, but is also properly described as the very purest and most universal mind extending through the universe; so that there are living creatures in that other section of the universe, the air. And if these things are not comprehensible by the outward senses, what of that? For the soul is also invisible.
nan And yet it is probable that the air should nourish living animals even more than the land or the water. Why so? Because it is the air which has given vitality to those animals which live on the earth and in the water. For the Creator of the universe formed the air so that it should be the habit of those bodies which are immovable, and the nature of those which are moved in an invisible manner, and the soul of such as are able to exert an impetus and visible sense of their own.
nan Is it not then absurd that that element, by means of which the other elements have been filled with vitality, should itself be destitute of living things? Therefore let no one deprive the most excellent nature of living creatures of the most excellent of those elements which surrounds the earth; that is to say, of the air. For not only is it not alone deserted by all things besides, but rather, like a populous city, it is full of imperishable and immortal citizens, souls equal in number to the stars.
nan Now of these souls some descend upon the earth with a view to be bound up in mortal bodies, those namely which are most nearly connected with the earth, and which are lovers of the body. But some soar upwards, being again distinguished according to the definitions and times which have been appointed by nature.
nan Of these, those which are influenced by a desire for mortal life, and which have been familiarised to it, again return to it. But others, condemning the body of great folly and trifling, have pronounced it a prison and a grave, and, flying from it as from a house of correction or a tomb, have raised themselves aloft on light wings towards the aether, and have devoted their whole lives to sublime speculations.
nan There are others, again, the purest and most excellent of all, which have received greater and more divine intellects, never by any chance desiring any earthly thing whatever, but being as it were lieutenants of the Ruler of the universe, as though they were the eyes and ears of the great king, beholding and listening to everything.
nan Now philosophers in general are wont to call these demons, but the sacred scripture calls them angels, using a name more in accordance with nature. For indeed they do report (diangellousi) the injunctions of the father to his children, and the necessities of the children to the father.

Intertexts (texts cited often on the same page as the searched text):

8 results
1. Hebrew Bible, Genesis, 1.1 (9th cent. BCE - 3rd cent. BCE) 1.1. וַיִּקְרָא אֱלֹהִים לַיַּבָּשָׁה אֶרֶץ וּלְמִקְוֵה הַמַּיִם קָרָא יַמִּים וַיַּרְא אֱלֹהִים כִּי־טוֹב׃ 1.1. בְּרֵאשִׁית בָּרָא אֱלֹהִים אֵת הַשָּׁמַיִם וְאֵת הָאָרֶץ׃ 1.1. In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth."
2. Plato, Timaeus, None (5th cent. BCE - 4th cent. BCE) 40b. and the other is a forward motion due to its being dominated by the revolution of the Same and Similar; but in respect of the other five motions they are at rest and move not, so that each of them may attain the greatest possible perfection. From this cause, then, came into existence all those unwandering stars which are living creatures divine and eternal and abide for ever revolving uniformly in the same spot; and those which keep swerving and wandering have been generated in the fashion previously described. And Earth, our nurse, which is globed around the pole that stretches through all
3. Philo of Alexandria, On The Confusion of Tongues, 177, 176 (1st cent. BCE - 1st cent. CE) 176. These things, then, it was necessary to give an idea of beforehand; but for what reason this was necessary we must now say. The nature of animals was originally divided into the portion endowed with and into that devoid of reason, the two being at variance with one another. Again the rational division was subdivided into the perishable and imperishable species, the perishable species being the race of mankind, and the imperishable species being the company of incorporeal souls which revolve about the air and heaven.
4. Philo of Alexandria, On Giants, 11-18, 6-10 (1st cent. BCE - 1st cent. CE) 10. Since what shall we say? Must we not say that these animals which are terrestrial or aquatic live in air and spirit? What? Are not pestilential afflictions accustomed to exist when the air is tainted or corrupted, as if that were the cause of all such assuming vitality? Again, when the air is free from all taint and innocent, such as it is especially wont to be when the north wind prevails, does not the imbibing of a purer air tend to a more vigorous and more lasting duration of life?
5. Philo of Alexandria, On The Creation of The World, 134-141, 133 (1st cent. BCE - 1st cent. CE) 133. Nor is what we are about to say inconsistent with what has been said; for nature has bestowed upon every mother, as a most indispensable part of her conformation, breasts gushing forth like fountains, having in this manner provided abundant food for the child that is to be born. And the earth also, as it seems, is a mother, from which consideration it occurred to the early ages to call her Demetra, combining the names of mother (m÷et÷er), and earth (g÷e or d÷e). For it is not the earth which imitates the woman, as Plato has said, but the woman who has imitated the earth which the race of poets has been accustomed with truth to call the mother of all things, and the fruit-bearer, and the giver of all things, since she is at the same time the cause of the generation and durability of all things, to the animals and plants. Rightly, therefore, did nature bestow on the earth as the eldest and most fertile of mothers, streams of rivers, and fountains like breasts, in order that the plants might be watered, and that all living things might have abundant supplies of drink. XLVI.
6. Philo of Alexandria, On Dreams, 1.134-1.141, 1.141.1, 1.143 (1st cent. BCE - 1st cent. CE) 1.134. By the ladder in this thing, which is called the world, is figuratively understood the air, the foundation of which is the earth, and the head is the heaven; for the large interior space, which being extended in every direction, reaches from the orb of the moon, which is described as the most remote of the order in heaven, but the nearest to us by those who contemplate sublime objects, down to the earth, which is the lowest of such bodies, is the air. 1.135. This air is the abode of incorporeal souls, since it seemed good to the Creator of the universe to fill all the parts of the world with living creatures. On this account he prepared the terrestrial animals for the earth, the aquatic animals for the sea and for the rivers, and the stars for the heaven; for every one of these bodies is not merely a living animal, but is also properly described as the very purest and most universal mind extending through the universe; so that there are living creatures in that other section of the universe, the air. And if these things are not comprehensible by the outward senses, what of that? For the soul is also invisible. 1.136. And yet it is probable that the air should nourish living animals even more than the land or the water. Why so? Because it is the air which has given vitality to those animals which live on the earth and in the water. For the Creator of the universe formed the air so that it should be the habit of those bodies which are immovable, and the nature of those which are moved in an invisible manner, and the soul of such as are able to exert an impetus and visible sense of their own. 1.137. Is it not then absurd that that element, by means of which the other elements have been filled with vitality, should itself be destitute of living things? Therefore let no one deprive the most excellent nature of living creatures of the most excellent of those elements which surrounds the earth; that is to say, of the air. For not only is it not alone deserted by all things besides, but rather, like a populous city, it is full of imperishable and immortal citizens, souls equal in number to the stars. 1.138. Now of these souls some descend upon the earth with a view to be bound up in mortal bodies, those namely which are most nearly connected with the earth, and which are lovers of the body. But some soar upwards, being again distinguished according to the definitions and times which have been appointed by nature. 1.139. of these, those which are influenced by a desire for mortal life, and which have been familiarised to it, again return to it. But others, condemning the body of great folly and trifling, have pronounced it a prison and a grave, and, flying from it as from a house of correction or a tomb, have raised themselves aloft on light wings towards the aether, and have devoted their whole lives to sublime speculations. 1.140. There are others, again, the purest and most excellent of all, which have received greater and more divine intellects, never by any chance desiring any earthly thing whatever, but being as it were lieutets of the Ruler of the universe, as though they were the eyes and ears of the great king, beholding and listening to everything. 1.141. Now philosophers in general are wont to call these demons, but the sacred scripture calls them angels, using a name more in accordance with nature. For indeed they do report (diangellousi) the injunctions of the father to his children, and the necessities of the children to the father. 1.143. having received a notion of which he once entreated one of those mediators, saying: "Do thou speak for us, and let not God speak to us, lest we Die." For not only are we unable to endure his chastisements, but we cannot bear even his excessive and unmodified benefits, which he himself proffers us of his own accord, without employing the ministrations of any other beings.
7. Philo of Alexandria, That The Worse Attacks The Better, 224 (1st cent. BCE - 1st cent. CE)
8. Apuleius, On The God of Socrates, 11, 9-10 (2nd cent. CE - 2nd cent. CE)

Subjects of this text:

subject	book bibliographic info
aeschylus	Geljon and Runia, Philo of Alexandria: On Planting: Introduction, Translation and Commentary (2019) 117
angels	Geljon and Runia, Philo of Alexandria: On Planting: Introduction, Translation and Commentary (2019) 107, 117
apuleius	Fowler, Plato in the Third Sophistic (2014) 47
aristotle	Geljon and Runia, Philo of Alexandria: On Planting: Introduction, Translation and Commentary (2019) 113
baccchus	Geljon and Runia, Philo of Alexandria: On Planting: Introduction, Translation and Commentary (2019) 113
barthélemy, d.	Geljon and Runia, Philo of Alexandria: On Planting: Introduction, Translation and Commentary (2019) 107
blessed life/blessedness	Geljon and Runia, Philo of Alexandria: On Planting: Introduction, Translation and Commentary (2019) 113
cicero	Geljon and Runia, Philo of Alexandria: On Planting: Introduction, Translation and Commentary (2019) 113
cosmos, as plant	Geljon and Runia, Philo of Alexandria: On Planting: Introduction, Translation and Commentary (2019) 107
cosmos	Fowler, Plato in the Third Sophistic (2014) 47; Geljon and Runia, Philo of Alexandria: On Planting: Introduction, Translation and Commentary (2019) 107
daemones	Fowler, Plato in the Third Sophistic (2014) 47
demiurge	Fowler, Plato in the Third Sophistic (2014) 47
demonology	Fowler, Plato in the Third Sophistic (2014) 47
earth, as mother/nurse	Geljon and Runia, Philo of Alexandria: On Planting: Introduction, Translation and Commentary (2019) 117
earth	Geljon and Runia, Philo of Alexandria: On Planting: Introduction, Translation and Commentary (2019) 107, 117
elements, four	Geljon and Runia, Philo of Alexandria: On Planting: Introduction, Translation and Commentary (2019) 107
eudoxus of cnidus	Geljon and Runia, Philo of Alexandria: On Planting: Introduction, Translation and Commentary (2019) 113
euripides	Geljon and Runia, Philo of Alexandria: On Planting: Introduction, Translation and Commentary (2019) 113
eusebius	Geljon and Runia, Philo of Alexandria: On Planting: Introduction, Translation and Commentary (2019) 107
evil	Fowler, Plato in the Third Sophistic (2014) 47
god, (great) king	Geljon and Runia, Philo of Alexandria: On Planting: Introduction, Translation and Commentary (2019) 117
god, father	Geljon and Runia, Philo of Alexandria: On Planting: Introduction, Translation and Commentary (2019) 117
god, maker	Geljon and Runia, Philo of Alexandria: On Planting: Introduction, Translation and Commentary (2019) 113
god	Fowler, Plato in the Third Sophistic (2014) 47
good	Fowler, Plato in the Third Sophistic (2014) 47
herodotus	Geljon and Runia, Philo of Alexandria: On Planting: Introduction, Translation and Commentary (2019) 113
imagery, fountain	Geljon and Runia, Philo of Alexandria: On Planting: Introduction, Translation and Commentary (2019) 117
intellect	Fowler, Plato in the Third Sophistic (2014) 47
intelligible	Fowler, Plato in the Third Sophistic (2014) 47
jacob	Geljon and Runia, Philo of Alexandria: On Planting: Introduction, Translation and Commentary (2019) 117
jacobs dream	Geljon and Runia, Philo of Alexandria: On Planting: Introduction, Translation and Commentary (2019) 117
living creature	Fowler, Plato in the Third Sophistic (2014) 47
logos of god	Geljon and Runia, Philo of Alexandria: On Planting: Introduction, Translation and Commentary (2019) 107
lxx genesis	Fowler, Plato in the Third Sophistic (2014) 47
menander	Geljon and Runia, Philo of Alexandria: On Planting: Introduction, Translation and Commentary (2019) 117
moses	Fowler, Plato in the Third Sophistic (2014) 47
origen	Geljon and Runia, Philo of Alexandria: On Planting: Introduction, Translation and Commentary (2019) 107
paideia	Geljon and Runia, Philo of Alexandria: On Planting: Introduction, Translation and Commentary (2019) 117
passions	Fowler, Plato in the Third Sophistic (2014) 47
philo of alexandria	Fowler, Plato in the Third Sophistic (2014) 47
planets	Geljon and Runia, Philo of Alexandria: On Planting: Introduction, Translation and Commentary (2019) 107, 113
plato, ps-plato epinomis	Fowler, Plato in the Third Sophistic (2014) 47
plato, symposium	Fowler, Plato in the Third Sophistic (2014) 47
plato, timaeus	Fowler, Plato in the Third Sophistic (2014) 47
plato/platonic	Geljon and Runia, Philo of Alexandria: On Planting: Introduction, Translation and Commentary (2019) 117
plato	Fowler, Plato in the Third Sophistic (2014) 47
plutarch of chaeronea	Fowler, Plato in the Third Sophistic (2014) 47
sense-perception	Geljon and Runia, Philo of Alexandria: On Planting: Introduction, Translation and Commentary (2019) 113
senses, five	Geljon and Runia, Philo of Alexandria: On Planting: Introduction, Translation and Commentary (2019) 113
simplicius	Geljon and Runia, Philo of Alexandria: On Planting: Introduction, Translation and Commentary (2019) 113
soul, incorporeal	Geljon and Runia, Philo of Alexandria: On Planting: Introduction, Translation and Commentary (2019) 107, 113
stars	Geljon and Runia, Philo of Alexandria: On Planting: Introduction, Translation and Commentary (2019) 113
symbolic interpretation'	Geljon and Runia, Philo of Alexandria: On Planting: Introduction, Translation and Commentary (2019) 113
xenocrates	Fowler, Plato in the Third Sophistic (2014) 47