Philo Judaeus De Congressu Eruditionis Gratia 30

ed. Paul Wendland

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[30] ὀνόματα δὲ ἡμῖν τῶν δυεῖν θεραπαινίδων ἀνέγραψε, Ζέλφαν τε καὶ Βάλλαν (Gen. 30,3.9). ἡ μὲν οὖν Ζέλφα μεταληφθεῖσα πορευόμενον καλεῖται στόμα, τῆς ἑρμηνευτικῆς καὶ διεξοδικῆς σύμβολον δυνάμεως, ἡ
δὲ Βάλλα κατάποσις, τὸ πρῶτον καὶ ἀναγκαιότατον θνητῶν ζῴων ἔρεισμα· καταπόσει γὰρ τὰ σώματα ἡμῶν ἐνορμεῖ, καὶ τὰ τοῦ ζῆν πείσματα ἐκ ταύτης ὡς ἀπὸ κρηπῖδος ἐξῆπται.

De Congressu Eruditionis Gratia. Philo Judaeus. ed. Paul Wendland. Germany. 2014.

Funding provided by European Social Fund Saxony.

Current edition First1KGreek

De Congressu Eruditionis Gratia (Greek) (Philo Judaeus. Opera quae supersunt, Volume 3. Wendland, Paul, editor. Berlin: Reimer, 1898.)

Translations (1)

On the Meeting for the sake of seeking Instruction First1KGreek (The works of Philo Judaeus, the contemporary of Josephus, Volume 2. Yonge, C. D., translator. London: Henry G. Bohn, 1854.) — 30 focus

[30] The historian has recorded for us the names of the two handmaidens, calling them Zilpah and Billah. ¹ The name Zilpah, being interpreted, means "a mouth going forth," a symbol of that nature which interprets and speaks. But Billah means "a swallowing," which is the first and most necessary support of all mortal animals. For it is by swallowing that our bodies are established firmly, and the cables of life are attached to this action as to a sure foundation.

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