Italian Studies On Philo Of Alexandria

The essays collected in Italian Studies on Philo of Alexandria give an overview of current Italian research on Philo of Alexandria. The articles approach the subject from various perspectives: historical, linguistic, philological, and philosophical.

This volume, prepared with the collaboration of the International Philo Bibliography Project, is the third in a series of annotated bibliographies on the Jewish exegete and philosopher Philo of Alexandria. It contains a listing of all scholarly writings on Philo for the period 1997 to 2006.

Die in der Arbeit vorgenomme Auslegung der Schriften De Josepho und De Somniis II von Philo von Alexandria liest die beiden gegensätzlichen Darstellungen der Josephfigur als Beitrag zum Herrschaftsdiskurs. Die ambivalenten Tendenzen der biblischen Josephfigur bilden für ihn den Ausgangspunkt am Beispiel Josephs, Strukturen sowohl tyrannischer als auch idealer Herrschaft zu untersuchen. Philos Kenntnis griechisch-hellenistischer Philosophie sowie sein Verständnis der Tora als göttlich inspiriertem Text ermöglicht ihm, den politischen Charakter auf unterschiedlichen Ebenen zu reflektieren. Die Spannung zwischen beiden Traktaten bleibt dabei bestehen und kann als bewusste Darstellung gelungener und tyrannischer Herrschaft gedeutet werden. Zugleich entwickelt Philo aus den Ambivalenzen der Josephfigur heraus ein Herrschaftskonzept, welches aufgrund des Toraverständnisses politisches Handeln aus Abhängigkeiten befreit und universale Handlungsvorgaben und Kontrollinstanzen aufzeigt. -------- The exegesis of De Josepho and De Somniis II intended in this work read the two portrayals of Joseph as Philo’s contribution to the discourse on government. The ambivalent tendencies in the Joseph figure form the point of departure for Philo in using it for examining structures of tyrannical and ideal rule. Philo’s knowledge of Greek-Hellenistic philosophy and his understanding of the Torah enables him to reflect upon the political character on different levels. Thus the tension between both treatises can be interpreted as a conscious portrayal of effective and of tyrannical rule. At the same time Philo develops a concept of government out of the ambivalences of the Joseph figure, which, on the basis of the understanding of the Torah, liberates political action from dependencies and points out universal guidelines for action and the authorities responsible for control of them.

This book aims to introduce the Armenian version of Philo's writings also to those scholars not acquainted with Armenian Studies. The subject is approached from different perspectives - historical, hermeneutical, philological, linguistic - with special attention given to the reception of Philo in Armenian Christianity.

The best current research on Philo's allegorical exegesis of Scripture The strong element of Greek philosophy in Philo's thought has been recognized since antiquity, but his relation to the Pythagorean-Platonic tenet of reincarnation has been a neglected, even avoided, topic in research. This book confirms the view common in the seventeenth to nineteenth centuries that Philo accepted the doctrine of reincarnation even though he preferred not to speak openly about it. The book shows how allegorization enabled Philo to give a reincarnational interpretation to very different scriptural passages. Features: Highlights the importance of reading Philonic parallel passages together for fuller understanding of Philo s message Discusses the difference between protological and universal allegory in Philo's exegesis of the first chapters of Genesis Introduces new concepts to Philonic research such as the corporealization of the mind (the result of transgression and a driving force for reincarnation) and monadization (the human soul's transformation into pure mind upon salvation)

4.5 Initiation Language in Philo's Secondary Mode of Exegesis -- 4.5.1 Excursus: Philo and Enoch Traditions -- 4.5.2 De gigantibus 50-55 -- 4.5.3 A Mixed Economy: Active and Passive Attitudes of Mind -- 4.5.4 Proximate Jewish Perspectives -- 4.6 Conclusion -- Chapter 5: Scriptural Exegesis and the Language of Divine Inspiration in the Allegorical Commentary -- 5.1 Introduction -- 5.1.1 Chapter Preview -- 5.2 Approaches to Divine Inspiration in Antiquity -- 5.2.1 Perspectives on Divine Inspiration in Plato -- 5.2.2 Perspectives on Divine Inspiration in Aristotle -- 5.2.3 Other First-Century, Non-Jewish Perspectives on Divine Inspiration -- 5.2.4 Ancient Jewish and Early Christian Perspectives on Divine Inspiration -- 5.3 Divine Inspiration in Philo's Writings -- 5.3.1 Divine Inspiration in Philo's Non-Allegorical Writings -- 5.3.2 Divine Inspiration in Philo's Allegorical Writings -- 5.4 Exegetical Foci in Philo's Approach to Divine Inspiration -- 5.4.1 The 'Lesser' and 'Greater' Mysteries of Moses: Sacr. 59-62 -- 5.4.2 Philo, Exodus and Divine Inspiration -- 5.5 Genesis in Philo's Language of Divine Inspiration -- 5.5.1 Platonic Perspectives on Non-Rational Divine Inspiration -- 5.5.2 Ecstasy and Prophecy as Allied Phenomena -- 5.5.3 Divine Inspiration and the 'Greater Mysteries' of Moses -- 5.5.4 The Self-Taught Nature and Ecstatic Inspiration -- 5.5.5 Homeric Portrayals of Self-Taught Inspiration -- 5.6 Conclusion -- Chapter 6: Conclusion -- 6.1 A Central Clue to Philo's Theological Epistemologies -- 6.1.1 General Summary -- 6.1.2 Areas of Overlap Between the Two Epistemologies -- 6.1.3 The Epistemological Significance of Initiation Language -- 6.1.4 The Epistemological Significance Divine Inspiration Language -- 6.2 Evaluation -- 6.3 Avenues for Further Research

Courtney J. P. Friesen explores shifting boundaries of ancient religions by way of the reception of a popular tragedy, Euripides' Bacchae. As a play staging political crises provoked by the arrival of the foreign god Dionysus and his ecstatic cult, audiences and readers found resonances with their own cultural moments. This dramatic deity became emblematic of exuberant and liberating spirituality and, at the same time, a symbol of imperial conquest. Thus, readings of the Bacchae frequently foreground conflicts between religious autonomy and political authority, and between ethnic diversity and social cohesion. This cross-disciplinary study traces appropriations and evocations of this drama ranging from the fifth century BCE through Byzantium not only among pagans but also Jews and Christians. Writers variously articulated their religious visions over against Dionysus, often while paradoxically adopting the god's language and symbols. Consequently, imitation and emulati on are at times indistinguishable from polemics and subversion.