Eusebius: Ecclesiastical History, Books I–X

Chapter XVIII.—The Works of Philo ^{Edition note 1} that have come down to us.

1. Copious in language, comprehensive in thought, sublime and elevated in his views of divine Scripture, Philo has produced manifold and various expositions of the sacred books. On the one hand, he expounds in order the events recorded in Genesis in the books to which he gives the title Allegories of the Sacred Laws; ^{Edition note 2} on the other hand, he makes successive divisions of the chapters in the Scriptures which are the subject of investigation, and gives objections and solutions, in the books which he quite suitably calls Questions and Answers on Genesis and Exodus. ^{Edition note 3}

2. There are, besides these, treatises expressly worked out by him on certain subjects, such as the two books On Agriculture, ^{Edition note 4} and the same number On Drunkenness; ^{Edition note 5} and some others distinguished by different titles corresponding to the contents of each; for instance, Concerning the things which the Sober Mind desires and execrates, ^{Edition note 6} On the Confusion of Tongues, ^{Edition note 7} On Flight and Discovery, ^{Edition note 8} On Assembly for the sake of Instruction, ^{Edition note 9} On the question, ‘Who is heir to things divine?’ or On the division of things into equal and unequal, ^{Edition note 10} and still further the work On the three Virtues which with others have been described by Moses. ^{Edition note 11}

3. In addition to these is the work On those whose Names have been changed and why they have been changed, ^{Edition note 12} in which he says that he had written also two books On Covenants. ^{Edition note 13}

4. And there is also a work of his On Emigration, ^{Edition note 14} and one On the life of a Wise Man made perfect in Righteousness, or On unwritten Laws; ^{Edition note 15} and still further the work On Giants or On the Immutability of God, ^{Edition note 16} and a first, second, third, fourth and fifth book On the proposition, that Dreams according to Moses are sent by God. ^{Edition note 17} These are the books on Genesis that have come down to us.

5. But on Exodus we are acquainted with the first, second, third, fourth and fifth books of Questions and Answers; ^{Edition note 18} also with that On the Tabernacle, ^{Edition note 19} and that On the Ten Commandments, ^{Edition note 20} and the four books On the laws which refer especially to the principal divisions of the ten Commandments, ^{Edition note 21} and another On animals intended for sacrifice and On the kinds of sacrifice, ^{Edition note 22} and another On the rewards fixed in the law for the good, and on the punishments and curses fixed for the wicked. ^{Edition note 23}

6. In addition to all these there are extant also some single-volumed works of his; as for instance, the work On Providence, ^{Edition note 24} and the book composed by him On the Jews, ^{Edition note 25} and The Statesman; ^{Edition note 26} and still further, Alexander, or On the possession of reason by the irrational animals. ^{Edition note 27} Besides these there is a work On the proposition that every wicked man is a slave, to which is subjoined the work On the proposition that every goad man is free. ^{Edition note 28}

7. After these was composed by him the work On the contemplative life, or On suppliants, ^{Edition note 29} from which we have drawn the facts concerning the life of the apostolic men; and still further, the Interpretation of the Hebrew names in the law and in the prophets are said to be the result of his industry. ^{Edition note 30}

8. And he is said to have read in the presence of the whole Roman Senate during the reign of Claudius ^{Edition note 31} the work which he had written, when he came to Rome under Caius, concerning Caius’ hatred of the gods, and to which, with ironical reference to its character, he had given the title On the Virtues. ^{Edition note 32} And his discourses were so much admired as to be deemed worthy of a place in the libraries.

9. At this time, while Paul was completing his journey “from Jerusalem and round about unto Illyricum,” ^{Edition note 33} Claudius drove the Jews out of Rome; and Aquila and Priscilla, leaving Rome with the other Jews, came to Asia, and there abode with the apostle Paul, who was confirming the churches of that region whose foundations he had newly laid. The sacred book of the Acts informs us also of these things. ^{Edition note 34}