Philo Judaeus, De Aeternitate Mundi, ed. Siegfried Reiter, ed. Leopold Cohn, 68

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[68] ἐπειδὴ δ’ ἅπαξ ἤρξαντο ἀλογεῖν ἀληθείας οἱ μυθοπλάσται, τοὺς Σπαρτοὺς ἐκείνους καὶ ἐνόπλους ἐτερατεύσαντο ¹² ἐκφῦναι. τίς γὰρ ἦν κατὰ γῆς χαλκουργὸς ἢ τοσοῦτος Ἥφαιστος, ὡς αὐτίκα παντευχίας εὐτρεπίζεσθαι; τίς δὲ τοῖς πρώτοις γενομένοις εἰς ὅπλισιν οἰκειότης; ἡμερώτατον γὰρ ζῷον ὁ ἄνθρωπος, λόγον δωρησαμένης φύσεως αὐτῷ γέρας, ᾧ καὶ τὰ ἐξηγριωμένα πάθη κατεπᾴδεται καὶ τιθασεύεται. πολὺ βέλτιον ἦν ἀνθ’ ὅπλων κηρύκεια ἀναδῦναι, συμβατηρίων σπονδῶν σύμβολα, λογικῇ φύσει, ὅπως εἰρήνην πρὸ πολέμου πᾶσι τοῖς

De Aeternitate Mundi. Philo Judaeus. ed. Siegfried Reiter, ed. Leopold Cohn. Germany. 2014.

Funding provided by European Social Fund Saxony.

Current edition First1KGreek

De Aeternitate Mundi (Greek) (Philo Judaeus. Opera quae supersunt, Volume 6. Cohn, Leonard; Reiter, Siegfried, editors. Berlin: Reimer, 1915.)

Translations (1)

On the Incorruptibility of the World First1KGreek (The works of Philo Judaeus, the contemporary of Josephus, volume 4. Yonge, C. D., translator. London: Henry G. Bohn, 1855.) — 68 focus

[68] But after the inventors of fables once began to neglect the truth they then ventured to add to their monstrous stories the fiction that those men who sprung from seed were born also in complete armour; for what smith, or what new Vulcan, was there under the earth so skilful as in a moment to prepare so many suits of armour? and what experience had creatures just born to enable them to use their weapons? for man is a very peaceful animal, nature having given to him reason as his especial honour, by means of which he charms and tames the savage passions. It would have been much better instead of arms to give him a herald’s wand, a symbol of agreement and peace suitable to a reasonable nature, in order that he might so proclaim peace instead of war to all men everywhere.

Notes on the current edition

De aeternitate mundi

1.
1 ὑπορείου U (coni. Mang.), ὑπορίου M: ὑπερορείου P, ὑπερορεία ut vid. Η: ὑπερορίας ν (Turn.) συσκιάζουσι MU: σκιάζουσι HP (Turn.)
2 ἀκμῆς M
3 εἴ γε MU: ἧ γε HP, ἦγε L (Turn.) ἔτικ(τεν) in ras. M
4 λειποτακτεῖν UHP (v), λιποτάκτην M
6 δευτέρου MU: δεύτερον HP γυναικῶν Mang.: γυναικός codd.
7 πιέζονται Mang.: βιάζονται codd. δέ M
8 ἐναποθνήσκουσιν codd.: ἀποθνήσκουσιν v ὅλως] ὅσω U τοῦτ᾿ οὐκ εὐήθεια δεινὴ om. in lac. M τοῦτ’ U: τ’ HP (om. v)
11 ζῷα codd.: ζῶον Turn.
12 γῇ om. HP (Turn.)
13 ἀνθρωπογονεῖ (sic) H; ἀνθρωπογονεῖ Turn. ἵν’] ἣν M πρῶτον codd.: πρῶτοι v (Turn.)
15 δέ om. U
16 χρὴ] δεῖ U ἀρτίγονον] ἀρχίγονον M οὕτως MU: οὕτω HP τῇ] τό U
18 σώμασι MU: θάλπουσι HP; τρεφομένοις v (Turn.)
19 εἰσέρχεται Cumont (coll. de sacrif. Ab. et Caini § 39): ἔρχεται codd. γεννωμένων M: γενομένων U, γινομένων HP (Turn.)
21 ἀφ’ om. κρυμοὶ UHP: κρυμνοὶ M
22 ἐπειδὴ codd.: ἐπεὶ v δέ M
23 καὶ ἐνόπλους om. U

2.
10 φύσεως ἐργαστήριον: cf. de spec. leg. III § 33. 109. Leg. ad Gai. II 554 M. dictum auctoris ignoti.

Philo Judaeus De Aeternitate Mundi 68

ed. Siegfried Reiter, ed. Leopold Cohn

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Current edition First1KGreek

Notes on the current edition

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