116 PHILO'S POLITICSgible in the manuscripts. The TOUTO with which §97 begins must be
changed into TOUTOUC or TOUTOV, and there is nothing to show which is
right. §97 is a description of the coming to "these people" (the Jews,
the pious ones) of the royal prerogatives of splendor (OCMVOT/JC), im-
pressiveness (SCIVOTIQC), and benefaction (euepyeoia) in the age after
this "war." That is, the royal power comes to "these people" if we read
TOUTOUC; it will come to the Man himself if we read TOUTOV. Cohn pre
fers to read the plural, Brehier"^6 the singular. My feeling is that Cohn
is right, for throughout the treatise Philo's "Messianic Age," to which
he is constantly reverting, is seen from the point of view of the race. The
ideal man is described as being superior to the city only to show that
the ideal race is superior to every other race, and so, by traditional logic
of Philo's day, ought to have the rulership over all other peoples.^117 The
scattered race is to be gathered together again."^8 It is the race as a whole
which will "at that time" be so well regulated in the cities, so successful
in the country, that the Jews will be the world's bankers, lending money
to all people everywhere."^9 The virtue of this race will even influence
the animal kingdom, to the extent of bringing in that peaceful era
which the prophet described when the lion should lie down with the
lamb. Philo is not content with so simple a statement of the hope. With
him it will be a time when bears, lions and leopards, and those beasts
found in India, elephants and tigers, will at the approach of men wag
their tails like Maltese lap-dogs with a cheerful motion.^120 The passage
would then seem to be a picture of the coming of the race as a whole
into royal power.
With this passage should be compared the very similar one in thecompanion piece, De Exsecrationibus. But at once the question arises
whether these statements are sincerely meant, represent any essential
part of Philo's thinking, or are mere statements made ad hoc, tradi
tional flourishes for his conservative audience. Such was the opinion of
Drummond,^121 Brehier,^122 and Bousset,^123 to name but a few. Only
Gfrorer^124 a century ago took Philo seriously on this matter. None of
these had in mind as a Messianic passage the poignant reference to the
- Les Idees, 5 f. 117. Praem., 114.
- Ibid., 117; cf. Exs., 164. 119. Praem., 106 f.
- Ibid., 89. It is notable that Philo seems to have known nothing of African elephants.
- Philo Judaeus, II, 322. 122. Les Idees, 4.
- Religion des Judentums (1926), 439.
- Philo und die judisch-alexandrinische Theosophie (1835), I, 494-534.