relationship between the Nephilim (Gen. 6:4) and the giants, probably
with reference to Hesiod’sTheogony(Ant.1.73). This is not unparalleled in
Hebrew or Aramaic literature; both1 Enoch(10:2) andJubilees(5:6) implic-
itly link the Watchers (the angels who mated with women) to the Titans
bound in Tartarus. Josephus also endeavors to compare biblical chronolo-
gies with those of other cultures.
Although Justus of Tiberias’s work has not been preserved, he seems to
have made use of the Hellenistic universal chronicles even more inten-
sively than Josephus did. Josephus himself was inspired by Greek precur-
sors to a considerable extent, and he mastered the conventions of Greek
historiography. He seems to have been particularly influenced by
Thucydides and Dionysius of Halicarnassus. Before Josephus, Jewish au-
thors who produced historiographical works or historical fiction, such as
Eupolemus and the author of 3 Maccabees, also displayed great ability in
imitating the language used in official Hellenistic and Roman documents.
Greek philosophy was also relatively well known by several Jewish au-
thors, even if they generally did not write philosophical treatises.
Aristobulus is introduced by Clement of Alexandria as a Peripatetic phi-
losopher (Stromateis1.15.72.4), whereas the fragments quoted show that he
was well acquainted with Stoic allegorical readings of Homer and with Py-
thagorean theories of numbers. Philo’s command of Greek philosophy and
of the debates among the different philosophical schools of his time is re-
markable and ranks far beyond that of any other Jewish author writing in
Greek. Yet the way in which the author of 4 Maccabees freely presents Stoic
notions such as the mastery of reason over the passions in Jewish garb also
shows a familiarity with Hellenistic philosophical teachings.
In short, Jewish texts written in Greek are especially interesting for
their complex intertextual relationship with biblical or Jewish literature on
the one hand and with Greek literature on the other. Jewish authors had a
rather good knowledge of Greek literature and philosophy, and even
quoted Greek texts along with biblical ones to illustrate a specific point.
Their efforts to adapt biblical narratives to Greek literary forms such as
poetry and drama also led tosignificant literary achievements. Thus, Hel-
lenistic culture was also the culture of these Jewish authors, especially in
the case of Aristobulus, Theodotus, Pseudo-Phocylides, and Philo. It was
theirs,even if not in the same way as biblical traditions were. Obviously,
Jewish culture had its own integrity, whereas Greek culture was originally
foreign to Judaism. But in Jewish authors writing in Greek, we may indeed
speak of Greek-Jewish culture because both cultures were closely inter-239Early Jewish Literature Written in GreekEERDMANS -- Early Judaism (Collins and Harlow) final text
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