Jewish Texts and History • Revisiting Philo's 1st C. Moral Psychology

DVC isn't random. Philo states clearly the Therapeutae are soul-healers; Jung (from Freud, probably) understood they worked with paradigms and formulae, and tried to copy them (w/ his Analytischen Psychologie). It's surprising that no (?)scholars have even recognized the Seven Gate anagogy which Philo alludes to in (§2), his version of a Jewish Defects List which Roman Catholics would later call 'The Seven Mortal Sins.' What he also reveals, in sequential illustrations, is First Century Alexandrian Moral Psychology, Good and Bad, in a Virtue/Vice list of paired strengths and weaknesses (or Shortcomings). Not every characteristic would apply to a patient's behavior in real life; some attributes might be inferred symbolically from dreams. But this is a fairly comprehensive Value-System which he has provided: I think it's worthy to draw attention to Sections 1-9, as a probable system (however disordered, for his mundane rhetorical purpose). This List numbers 49 -- I may have removed one 'duplicate' by mistake. Coincidence?


(§1)
ἀτεχνία (atechnia) = Simple Speech), ........................... vs. βελτίωσις (beltiōsis) = Embellishing
ἀληθινός (alēthinos = Truthful), ................................ vs. ψευδής (pseudēs = False)
ἀρετήιος (aretiios = Virtuous), ................................. vs. κακός (kakos = Vicious)
ἔντιμος (entimos = Honored), .................................. vs. ἄτιμος (atimos = Dishonorable)
ἐχέμυθος (echemythos = Modest Speech), ...................... vs. ὑπέραυχος (hyperauchos = Boastful)
(§2)
εὐίατος (euiatos) = Remediable), ............................... vs. δυσίατος (dysiatos = Incurable)
ἐλευθερῶν (eleutherōn = Liberating), ........................... vs. κεκρατημένας (kekratēmenas = Overpowering)
Ἰάσιμον (iasimon = Healable), ................................... vs. χαλεπαῖς (chalepais) = Troublesome
ὑγιής (hygiēs = Healthy), ........................................ vs. νοσερός (noseros = Sickly)
(§3)
θεοσεβής (theosebēs = Reverent to God), ...................... vs. στοιχειολάτρης (stoicheiolatrēs = Elemental Paganism)
(§4)
σοφός (sophos = Wise), .......................................... vs. σοφιστής (sophistēs = Deceptive)
ἔμψυχος (empsychos = Living), .................................. vs. ἄψυχος (apsychos = Inanimate)
αὐτοκίνητος (autokinētos = Self-Moved), ....................... vs. ἀκίνητος (akinētos = Inert)
ὑποβεβλημένος (hypobeblemenos = Supported), ............... vs. αὐτάρκης (autarkēs = Self-Sufficient)
(§5)
τέλειος (teleios = Perfected), ................................... vs. ἀτελής (atelēs = Imperfect)
πιστὸς τῷ θεῷ (pistos tō theō = Faithful to God) ............. vs. δεισιδαίμων (deisidaimōn = Fearful of Archons)
ἔμφρων σύνεσις (emphrōn synesis) = Wise Knowing ...........vs. ἄφρων ἄγνοια (aphrōn agnoia) = Foolish Ignorance
(§6)
ἀθάνατος (athanatos = Deathless), ............................. vs. θνητός (thnētos = Mortal)
ἐγκρατής (enkratēs = Well-Behaved), .......................... vs. ἀκρατής (akratēs = Uncontrolled)
ἀνεπίληπτος (anepilēptos) = Irreproachable), .................. vs. ἐπίληπτος (epilēptos) = Objectionable
ἔμφρων (emphrōn = Prudent),................................... vs. μειρακιώδης (meirakiōdēs = Juvenile)
σώφρων (sōphrōn = Temperate), ............................... vs. ἀκρατής (akratēs = Intemperate)
εὐσεβής (eusebēs = Reverent), .................................. vs. ἀσεβής (asebēs = Irreverent)
σώφρων (sōphrōn = Chaste), .................................... vs. ἐπιμανής (epimanēs = Horny)
ἀπαθής (apathēs = Dispassionate), .............................. vs. ἐμπαθής (empathēs = Passionate)
εὐαγής (euagēs) = Pious), ........................................ vs. ἀνάγνος (anagnos = Impious)
(§7)
θεοσεβής (theosebēs = God-worshipping), ...................... vs. εἰδωλολάτρης (eidōlolatrēs = Idolatrous)
θεῖος (theios = Divine), ........................................... vs. ὕλη (hylē = Material)
μορφοειδής (morphoeidēs = Shaped), ........................... vs. ἄμορφος (amorphos = Unformed)
οὐσία (ousia = Essence), ......................................... vs. τεχνητός (technētos = Artificial)
ἐλεύθερος (= Self-mastered), .................................... vs. δουλικός (doulikos = Slavish)
τιμιώτερος (timiōteros = Most Esteemed) ....................... vs. ἀτιμοτέρων (atimhoterōn = Less Honorable)
φωτεινός (phōteinos = Luminous), ............................... vs. σκοτεινός (skoteinos = of Darkness)
(§8)
λογικός (logikos = Reasonable), .................................. vs. ἄλογος (alogos) = Beastly
ἄκτιστος (aktistos = Uncreated), ................................ vs. κτιστός (ktistos) = Created
ὑπερκόσμιος (hyperkosmios = Transcendent), ................... vs. ἐγκόσμιος (enkosmios) = Worldly
νοητός (noētos = Intelligible) ...................................... vs. αἰσθητός (aisthētos) = Sensible
(§9)
ἀγέννητος (agennētos = Eternal), ................................. vs. γεννώμενα (gennōmena = Life-Cyclical)
ἄσιτος (asitos = Without Eating), ................................. vs. πεινητικά (peinētika = Needing sustenance)
ἄσιτος (asitos = Fasting), ......................................... vs. βορός (boros = Voracious)
ἐγκρατής (enkratēs = Self-Regulated), ........................... vs. ἄπληστα (aplēsta = Uncontrolled)
κενός (kenos = Void), .............................................. vs. μεστός (mestos) = Full
καθαρός (katharos = Clean), ...................................... vs. κοπρώδης (koprōdēs) = Shit-filled)
ἀλεξίκακος (alexikakos = Beneficial), ............................. vs. ἰοβόλα (iobola = Poisonous)
ἥμερος (hēmeros = Gentle), ....................................... vs. ἄγριος (agrios = Savage)
ὑγιεινός (hygeinos = Healthy), ..................................... vs. νοσερός (noseros = Diseased)
σωτήριος (sōtērios = Saving), ...................................... vs. διαφθειρόμενα (Destroying)
ἀγαπητός (agapētos = Beloved), ................................... vs. στυγητός (stygētos) = Abhorred

Statistics: Posted by billd89 — Fri May 24, 2024 10:59 am

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