Philo Judaeus, Quod Deterius Potiori Insidiari Soleat, ed. Leopold Cohn, 95

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[95] πρὸς μὲν οὖν τὸ ῥητὸν ἡ λέξις τὸ εὔλογον οὐ περιέχει, πρὸς δὲ τὰς ἐν ψυχῇ δυνάμεις τὸ κατ’ αὐτὴν ἀκόλουθον εὑρίσκεται. ὁ γὰρ ἀνασκιδνὰς καὶ ἀπορρίπτων τὰς περὶ τῶν καλῶν δόξας ὅταν ἐν
ἡμῖν ζωπυρῆται Φαραὼ καὶ ὑγιαίνειν δοκῇ, εἰ δή τινα τῶν φαύλων ὑγιαίνειν λεκτέον, τὴν ἡδονὴν ἀποδεχόμεθα ἐγκράτειαν πέραν ὅρων ἐλαύνοντες· ὅταν δὲ ἀπόκρατος γένηται καὶ τρόπον τινὰ τελευτήσῃ ὁ τοῦ βδελυρῶς καὶ ἀσελγῶς ζῆν αἴτιος, τὸν σώφρονα ἐναυγασθέντες βίον μετακλαίομεν καὶ μεταστένομεν τῆς παλαιᾶς διαίτης ἑαυτούς, ὅτι ἡδονὴν ¹ ἀρετῆς προτιμήσαντες θνητὸν βίον ἀθανάτῳ ἐπεζεύξαμεν· λαβὼν δ’ οἶκτον τῆς συνεχοῦς ἡμῶν ὀλοφύρσεως ὁ μόνος p. 210 M εὐμενὴς προσίεται ψυχὰς ἱκέτιδας, τὸν δὲ ἐπισεισθέντα τῶν παθῶν Αἰγύπτιον σκηπτὸν ῥᾳδίως ἀπωθεῖται.

Quod Deterius Potiori Insidiari Soleat. Philo Judaeus. ed. Leopold Cohn. Germany. 2014.

Funding provided by European Social Fund Saxony.

Current edition First1KGreek

Quod Deterius Potiori Insidiari Soleat (Greek) (Philo Judaeus. Opera quae supersunt, Volume 1. Cohn, Leonard, editor. Berlin: Reimer, 1896.)

Translations (1)

On the Principle that the Worse is accustomed to be always plotting against the Better First1KGreek (The works of Philo Judaeus, the contemporary of Josephus, volume 1. Yonge, C. D., translator. London: Henry G. Bohn, 1854.) — 95 focus

[95] Now here, if we look merely at the words, the expression does not appear to be reasonable; but if we have regard to the faculties in the soul, then its consistency is discovered. For as long as he who scatters abroad and dissipates the opinions about good things, namely, Pharaoh, is vigorous in us, and appears in a sound and healthy state, if indeed we can say ¹² that any wicked man is in such a condition, we receive pleasure, driving temperance away from our borders. But when he loses his strength, and in a manner dies, he who has been the cause of men’s living in a filthy and lascivious manner, then we, fixing our eyes on modesty of life, bewail and groan over ourselves on account of our former way of living; because then, honouring pleasure before virtue, we joined a mortal life to an immortal one; and the law taking pity on our continued lamentation, gently receives our suppliant souls, and easily drives away the Egyptian calamities which are brought upon them by the passions.

Notes on the current edition

Quod deterius potiori insidiari soleat

1.
2 ὁλκὰς Turn.
4 τὸ δὲ — ψυχῆς (5) om. F οὕτως] ὄντως Η
5 ἀποδώσωμεν Η
7 τι om. U
11 πληροῦσαι H
12 τῇ μὲν] ἡ μὲν H
14 μάλιστ’ H
15 στενάξαντες UF
17 ἐπακούσαντα UF: ὑπακούσαντα HL ῥύεσθαι UFH: ῥύσασθαι L
18 παραδοξώτατον H
22 μὲν οὖν UF: οὖν om. HL
23 ψυχὴ F: ψυχαῖς ceteri δυνάμεις] δυναμέναις H
24 ἀνασκιδνὰς codd.: ἀνασκιδνῶν v
25 ζωπυρῆται Η: ζωοπυρῆται UL, ζωοπυρῆσαι F
26 ἀπεδεχόμεθα Η
27 ἀπόκρατος] ἀπὸ κρατὸς H; ἀποκόρεστος coni. Koch (Siegfried, Philo p.
46 3) 28 ἐναυγασθέντος F

Philo Judaeus Quod Deterius Potiori Insidiari Soleat 95

ed. Leopold Cohn

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Current edition First1KGreek

Notes on the current edition

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