as “athletes of virtue.” The descriptions stand in the same tradition as the
depictions of Egyptian priests in Chaeremon (in Porphyry,De abstinentia
4.6-8), the Indian sages in Arrian (Indica11.1-8) and Philostratus (Vita
Apollonii3.10-51), the naked Egyptian sages in Philostratus (Vita Apollonii
6.6), the Neopythagoreans in Iamblichus (Vita Pythagorae96–100), and
the Essenes in Pliny (Naturalis historia5.73) and Josephus (J.W.2.120-61
andAnt.18.18-22). While Philo may have known the Therapeutae person-
ally, his account is shaped by the concern to present a Jewish counter to
these other groups. He discussed the meaning of their name (2–12) and
their lifestyle (13–39), and contrasted their symposium with those of the
Greeks (40–90).
The most likely time for the composition of this work is in the after-
math of the pogrom. Philo may have written the treatise for the benefit of
a Roman audience and could have thought of it as a counter to Chaere-
mon’s presentation of the Egyptian priests.On the Virtues (De virtutibus)
The setting for Philo’s treatiseOn Virtuesis suggested by the subtitle given
in most of the manuscripts that refer to it as the fourth book ofConcerning
the Virtues.Some of the same manuscripts refer to theEmbassy to Gaiusas
the first book ofConcerning the Virtues.The relationship between the two
is confused in the ancient sources. Eusebius mentioned that Philo had “re-
lated what happened to the Jews in the time of Gaius in five books” (Hist.
Eccl.2.5.1). He went on to mention theEmbassy(2.5.6) and without indi-
cating any shift in the work under consideration, the second book,Con-
cerning the Virtues(2.6.3). When the bishop gave his catalogue of Philo’s
works, he said that “he came to Rome in the time of Gaius and in the time
of Claudius is said to have read before the full Roman Senate the account
that he wrote about Gaius’s impiety that he — with tactful irony — enti-
tledConcerning the Virtues” (2.18.8).
There are a number of ways to reconstruct the data from Eusebius and
the manuscripts. If we follow the lead of the texts themselves, the following
is reasonable. Philo opened his workAgainst Flaccuswith “the next after
Sejanus to continue his plot against the Jews was Flaccus Avillius” (Flacc.
1). This suggests that Philo wrote an earlier treatise about Sejanus.
Eusebius tells us that this was the second book ofConcerning the Virtues
(Chronicle;cf.Hist. Eccl.2.5.6-7). If the bishop is correct, ourFlaccuswould281PhiloEERDMANS -- Early Judaism (Collins and Harlow) final text
Tuesday, October 09, 2012 12:04:08 PM