Thrice-Greatest Hermes, Vol. I — G. R. S. Mead (1906)

We are, of course, not concerned with the legitimacy or consistency of Philo's allegorising system, whereby he sought to invoke the authority of his national scriptures in support of his chosen doctrines ; but we are deeply concerned with these doctrines themselves, as being the favourite dogmas of his circle and of similar circles of allied mystics of the time.

His views on the subject are clearly indicated, for he tells us in the same passage that he is speaking of a secret of initiation, not of the conception and parturition of women, but of Virtues — that is, of the virtuous soul. Accordingly he continues in § 13 :

" But it is not lawful for Virtues, in giving birth to their many perfections, to have part or lot in a mortal husband. And yet they will never bring forth of themselves, without conceiving their offspring of another.

" Who, then, is He who soweth in them their glorious [progeny], if not the Father of all universal things —

1 De Sacrif., § 15 ; M. i. 173, 174 ; P. 139 (Ri. i. 244, 245).

2 De Cherub., § 12 ; M.'i. 146, P. 115 (Ri. i. 208).

the God beyond all genesis, who yet is Sire of everything that is ? For, for Himself, God doth create no single thing, in that He stands in need of naught ; but for the man who prays to have them [He creates] all things."

And then, bringing forward Sarah, Leah, Eebecca, and Sepphora, as examples of the Virtues who lived with the great prophets of his race, Philo declares that " Sarah " conceived, when God looked upon her while she was in solitary contemplation, and so she brought forth for him who eagerly longed to attain to wisdom — namely, for him who is called " Abraham."

And so also in the case of " Leah," it is said " God opened her womb," which is the part played by a husband ; and so she brought forth for him who underwent the pains of labour for the sake of the Beautiful — namely, for him who is called "Jacob"; "so that Virtue received the divine seed from the Cause [of all], while she brought forth for that one of her lovers who was preferred above all other suitors."

So also when the " all- wise," he who is called " Isaac," went as a suppliant to God, his Virtue, " Rebecca," that is Steadfastness, became pregnant in consequence of his supplication.

Whereas " Moses," without any supplication or prayer, attained to the winged and sublime Virtue " Sepphora," and found her with child by no mortal husband.1

Moreover, in § 14, in referring to Jeremiah, Philo writes :

"For T, having been initiated into the Great Mysteries by Moses, the friend of God, nevertheless when I set eyes upon Jeremiah, the prophet, and learned that he is not only a mystes, but also an adept hierophant, I did not hesitate to go to him as his disciple. 1 Ibid., § 13 ; M. i. 147, P. 116, 117 (Ri. i. 209).

" And he, in that in much [he says] he is inspired by God, uttered a certain oracle [as] from the Face of God, who said unto the Virtue of Perfect Peace : ' Hast thou not called Me as 'twere House and Father and Husband of thy virginity ? ' x — suggesting in the clearest [possible] fashion that God is both Home, the incorporeal land of incorporeal ideas, and Father of all things, in that He did create them, and Husband of Wisdom, sowing for the race of mankind the seed of blessedness into good virgin soil.

"For it is fitting God should converse with an undefiled, an untouched and pure nature, with her who is in very truth the Virgin, in fashion very different from ours.

" For the congress of men for the procreation of children makes virgins women. But when God begins to associate with the soul, He brings it to pass that she who was formerly woman becomes virgin again. For banishing the foreign and degenerate and non-virile desires, by which it was made womanish, He substitutes for them native and noble and pure virtues. . . .

" But it is perhaps possible that even a virgin soul may be polluted by intemperate passions, and so dishonoured.

" Wherefore the oracle hath been careful to say that God is husband not of 'a virgin' — for a virgin is subject to change and death — but of ' virginity ' [that is of] the idea which is ever according to the same [principles], and in the same mode.