KINGSHIP 107Philo goes on to give Gaius' reasoning on the subject according to what
he says was the popular rumor (
miliar comparison of kings to herdsmen that the shepherd is never him
self a sheep, and so he, as herdsman of the human herd, is not a human
being (Kerr' avGpcjrrov), but has received a greater and more divine allot
ment (ixdtuv Kai Geiorepa jjoipa).^93 Gaius seems to have been himself
not clear as to just what this meant, Philo thinks. It was nothing but
applying to himself the hellenistic and oriental theory. But it is inter
esting that this theory itself was open to some variety of interpretation.
Gaius began, says Philo, by identifying himself with the demigods
Dionysus, Heracles, and the Dioscuri,^94 and holding himself quite su
perior to such figures as the heroes Trophonius, Amphiaraus, and
Amphilochus.^95 He distinguished himself even beyond any of the demi
gods, for he took the honors due each, and said all belonged together
to him. He appropriated to himself not only their honors but their per
sonalities,^96 which appropriation he proclaimed by wearing their in
signia. Then, not satisfied with the demigods, he went on to identify
himself with the Olympians, Hermes, Apollo, and Ares.^97
Such identifications reflect popular religions rather than philosophy.
But Philo represents Gaius as going on to the philosophical position of
claiming that he was the animate law (VOJJOC i\xtyvxoc). The form in
which Philo says this is his assertion that Gaius abrogated the laws of
the Jews and other people arbitrarily, for he regarded himself as the law
(VOJJOV yjyouijsvoc; eauTov).^98 Philo is apparently condemning Gaius for
claiming the most proper function of a ruler, as Philo himself usually
stated it. But a closer examination shows that Philo is criticizing Gaius
not for adopting the theory, but for perverting it. For as Gaius under
stood and applied the theory, it meant the enslavement of the subjects
by the abolition of their legal rights altogether. The monarchs who
preceded Gaius, Philo has been careful to indicate, had properly ful
filled the ideal, for instead of making their rule mean the general abro-
- Legat., 76.
- Ibid. Dio Cassius, LIX, xxvi, 5 (cf. 8), says of Gaius that he ifeiov \ikv ya.Q xal JCQ6-
TEQOV VJieQ avfrocojtov voui^ecrfrai. Suetonius, Caligula, 22: "nec multum afuit quin statim
diadema sumeret speciemque principatus in regni formam converteret. Verum admonitus, et
principum et regum se excessisse fastigium, divinam ex eo maiestatem asserere sibi coepit." - Cf. Suetonius, Caligula, 22, Dio Cassius, LIX, xxvi, 6.
- Legat., 78. 96. Ibid., 80. 97. Ibid., 93.
- Ibid., 119: "Thinking himself to be Law he abrogated the enactments of the lawmakers of
every state as empty talk."