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After Philo has prefaced with truth the things which he writes about these men, wonderful indeed, he deals with them.
First, concerning their name, as above.
Second, concerning the abandonment of possessions. Those who devote themselves to the institution of this life do so not from custom or because they have been asked, but because they have been seized by love of heavenly things, as though struck by divine frenzy and inspired, until they come to that contemplation which they most desire. Then, especially from desire for immortality and the blessed life, as though already dead to this mortal life, they leave their possessions to children or relatives, voluntarily yielding ownership to them, and also to companions and friends if relatives are lacking.
Third, concerning the abandonment of relatives and native soil. “Leaving behind,” he says, “possessions and all enticements, they flee without any backward look: brothers, children, parents, wives; and they abandon numerous kinships, societies, friendships, and finally the very fatherlands in which they were born and raised, since custom has great force for enticing souls.”
Fourth, concerning the places in general where they dwell. “They migrate
[margin: Chapter XVI begins Philo on the theoretic or contemplative Essenes: possessions, relatives, and places. Source page 306 ends mid-sentence.]
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not into another city, like slaves who obtain sale to other masters, wretches who change servitude, not escape it. For every city, even one adorned with the best laws, is full of great tumult, which no follower of wisdom can endure. But they live outside the walls, in gardens and solitary country houses, loving solitude not from hatred of human beings, but to avoid meetings with the dissimilar, which they know harm good morals.”
Fifth, do they live elsewhere outside Egypt? This kind is found in many regions of the world, deservedly, since both Greeks and barbarians have received a share of absolute probity; or, as the Eusebian interpreter renders Philo’s words more openly in chapter 17, book 2: “It was fitting that both Greece and the barbarian people should participate in the perfect good.”
Sixth, where in Egypt? It is especially frequent in Egypt, through its several districts, and particularly around Alexandria. From all places the best of the Therapeutae, as colonists to the homeland of this kind, are sent to a certain most suitable place, situated by Lake Mareotis, on a gently sloping hill. It is at once secure and praised for the tempering of the air. Neighboring country houses and villages provide security. The air is temperate because of the exhalations of the lake discharging into the sea and because breezes never cease to blow from the deep. The thicker exhalations are borne from the lake,
[margin: Their solitude outside cities; their presence in many regions; the Egyptian community near Lake Mareotis.]
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and when these are mixed, the most healthful temperament arises.
Seventh, concerning their dwellings. The dwellings of these immigrants are very frugal, prepared only against heat and cold. They are not contiguous, as in cities, for that does not please lovers of solitude; yet they are not far apart, because they love fellowship and can help one another against chance attacks of robbers.
Eighth, concerning their sacred little buildings. “In each of their dwellings,” he says, “there is a sacred building called a semneion and a monasterion.”
Ninth, what do they do in such a monastery? In it, separated and solitary from others, they devote themselves to the holy life. They bring in neither food nor drink, nor anything else for bodily use, but only the Law, the divine oracles of the Prophets, hymns, and certain other things useful for advancing piety and knowledge. Therefore they have continual remembrance of God, so that even in dreams nothing presents itself to them except images of divine beauties; and among them are those who, while dreaming, produce splendid sentences of sacred philosophy.
Tenth, how the daily day is passed. Twice each day they are accustomed to pray, in the morning and toward evening: when the sun rises, asking for a truly happy day and that their minds may be filled with heavenly light; when it sets, asking that the soul, wholly unloaded from the senses and from the weight of sensible things, may trace truth in its domestic council chamber. The middle
[margin: Dwellings, sacred buildings, reading, hymns, dreams, and daily prayer. Source page 308 ends mid-sentence.]
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interval between morning and evening is entirely assigned to meditation. For, handling the sacred volumes, they apply themselves to the philosophy handed down from their ancestors, searching its allegories, since they believe that secret natures lie hidden under the open words and must be explained by plausible conjectures. They also have commentaries of the ancients, who, as founders of this sect, left many monuments about allegories of this sort, and they adapt themselves to imitation of these.
Therefore they not only contemplate, but also compose songs and hymns in praise of God, in various kinds of meters and songs, arranged with rhythms into a more august and religious form. For six days each philosophizes separately in those monasteries just described, not going outdoors, indeed not even looking out.
Eleventh, what are they accustomed to do on Sabbaths? On the seventh day they come together into a common assembly and sit according to the order of age in a fitting posture, keeping their hands under the cloak, the right between breast and beard, the left applied to the side. Then the oldest and most skilled in the doctrines of the sect proceeds into the middle and discourses with a face composed to gravity and a moderate voice, not without great prudence, unlike the orators or sophists of our age, displayers of eloquence, for whom refined phrases
[margin: Allegorical study, hymns, solitary six-day discipline, and Sabbath assembly. Source page 309 ends mid-sentence.]
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and the diligent and accurate narration of these things are more dear. This narration does not settle only in the tips of the ears, but through hearing penetrates into the soul and adheres firmly there. All the rest listen in deepest silence, nodding only with eyes or head.
Twelfth, what is the form of the common semneion, and how are sacred women also present in it? The common semneion into which they gather every seventh day is enclosed by a double partition, with the gatherings of men and women separated. For women too listen at the same time, according to custom, provided that they follow the same institution. A middle wall rises from the ground three or four cubits, like a breastwork, while the upper parts are open up to the roof. From this comes a double advantage: both that provision is made for the modesty of the female sex, and that the words of the teacher are heard easily, without any obstacles intercepting his voice.
Thirteenth, how great is their temperance and the severity of their fasts? After temperance has been laid down in the soul as a foundation, they build the other virtues upon it. No one takes food or drink before sunset, because they judge that the pursuit of wisdom belongs to light, but care for the body to darkness. Therefore they assign whole days to the one, but only a small part of night to the other. Some of them scarcely feel hunger every third day, being more intent on the discipline of knowledge.
[margin: Sabbath instruction, women’s separated attendance, temperance, and fasting.]
(printed p. 286)
Nor are there lacking those who, having been richly received at the banquet of wisdom, which abundantly supplies its delights, last twice that time and scarcely taste necessary food on the sixth day, so accustomed by now that, like cicadas, they are said to live on air, as I suppose by songs making hunger light and easy.
Fourteenth, concerning the celebration of Sabbaths. They honor the seventh day as festive and sacred with outstanding reverence; on it, after care of the soul, they also refresh the body, as though relaxing a beast from continual labor.
Fifteenth, concerning the manner of food. In food they use simple bread. Salt takes the place of relish; those who are more delicate add hyssop as seasoning. They draw drink from streams, content to appease hunger and thirst, the mistresses added to mortals by nature, by enjoying things without any enticements, without which it is not possible to live. Therefore they eat so as not to hunger, and drink so as not to thirst, avoiding satiety as hostile alike to soul and body.
Sixteenth, concerning their clothing. Since there are also two kinds of covering, clothing and roof, I have already spoken about their houses: they are rough and temporary, made only for present use. In clothing the same simplicity appears, to ward off heat and cold: instead of skins, a thick tunic in winter, and in summer a sleeveless garment or linen undergarment. For in general
[margin: Fasting, Sabbath celebration, simple food, and clothing. Source page 311 ends mid-sentence.]
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they practice moderation as the fountain of truth, just as they judge falsehood to have sprung from pride. From falsehood, indeed, flow the various kinds of evils; from truth, on the contrary, comes an abundance of all human and divine blessings.
Seventeenth, concerning their sacred banquets on certain feast days. Paying special regard to numbers, after seven weeks have passed they renew their assemblies. They honor not only the simple number seven, but also its multiplied power. For they know the week to be chaste and always virgin. That day is the eve of the greatest feast, falling into the most sacred number fifty and most pleasing to nature, since it consists from the power of the right-angled triangle, which is the beginning of the generation of all things.
Eighteenth, when they have assembled, dressed in white and joyful with the greatest gravity, at a signal given by one of the ephemerutae - for so they call ministers of this sort - before they recline, they stand decorously in one row, and, lifting hands and eyes to heaven, they pray that the banquet may be pleasing to God. They lift their eyes because they have learned to look upon heavenly things, and their hands because they are uncorrupted by gifts and unlawful gain.
Nineteenth, after the prayers have been completed, the elders recline, and then the others according to each one’s dignity. For they do not reckon elders by years, but regard as children even those advanced in age if they have embraced this institution only late. Rather, they give the honor of old age
[margin: Sacred feasts, Pentecost eve, prayers before food, and order of reclining.]
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to those who from youth have exercised themselves in this most beautiful and divine part of contemplative philosophy.
Twentieth, women also are admitted to the table, most of them aged, yet virgins. Their chastity is not coerced, as among certain Greek priestesses; rather, they remain continent of their own will, through love of wisdom. In pursuit of that wisdom they have despised bodily pleasures throughout their whole life, desiring divine offspring rather than mortal. Souls dear to God alone give birth to such offspring from themselves, receiving as seed the intelligible rays of the Father, so that by contemplation they may be able to grasp the decrees of wisdom.
Twenty-first, the reclining at table is arranged so that the men hold the right side separately and the women the left separately. If anyone suspects that couches, though not costly, are at least somewhat soft for freeborn people devoted to philosophy, let him know that they are rough mats woven from cheap material, namely from native papyrus, placed slightly above the ground so that their height may support the elbows. For they now relax that Spartan harshness of discipline a little, approving always and everywhere a freeborn frugality and rejecting with all their strength the enticements of pleasure.
Twenty-second, in service they do not use slaves, since they judge slavery to be altogether at odds with nature. For nature made all people free; but greed, that despiser of her laws,
[margin: Women at the meal, seating order, frugal mats, and service without slaves.]
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introduced inequality, the fountain of evils, and imposed necessity on the weaker, so that they would do the commands of the more powerful. But at this sacred banquet no slave, as I have said, is present. Freeborn men serve, and they do whatever is needed of their own accord, not waiting for orders, but anticipating them with voluntary eagerness. Nor is that office delegated to just any freeborn people, but a selection is made from all the youth of this fellowship, according as each has displayed some excellent proof of character and virtue. Like true sons, they willingly and eagerly serve fathers and mothers, considering them common parents, and indeed nearer and more closely joined than the parents whom blood and nature have given; for to those who judge rightly nothing is more closely joined than virtue.
Twenty-third, they come forward to serve ungirded and with their tunics let down, so that every appearance of servitude may be absent from this banquet. I know that some will laugh when they hear these things, but only those who themselves do things worthy of lamentation and tears.
Twenty-fourth, wine is not provided on those days, but the clearest water: cold for the rest, but warm for those among the elders who require a softer and more convenient diet. The table is clean from bloody dishes. Bread is set before them as food; salt as relish; and sometimes hyssop is prepared as seasoning for those who are more delicate. For just as right reason prescribes to priests that they sacrifice sober
[margin: Freeborn attendants, serving dress, water instead of wine, and a bloodless table.]
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and abstinent, so it prescribes to these men that they live their whole life in the same way. For they regard wine as a poison that brings madness. They say that rich foods stir up desire, a beast that cannot be satisfied. These are the preliminaries of the banquet.
Twenty-fifth, someone may ask: what then happens after the guests have reclined in their proper order and the attendants, duly prepared, have stood ready for service? Does no drinking party follow? On the contrary, there follows a silence greater than before, so that no one is allowed even to mutter to anyone else or to breathe too loudly. Someone proposes a question from the sacred writings, or else solves one proposed by another, without concern for display in the solution. For he does not hunt for praise of cleverness or eloquence. He aims at this alone: to perceive the matter more carefully, and then, when it has been perceived, not to begrudge it to those who are less perceptive, yet burn with nearly equal desire to learn. And so he dwells upon the teaching, repeatedly pressing and impressing noble judgments upon their minds, using various repetitions. Otherwise, when someone proceeds skillfully and continues many things in one breath, the slower mind of his hearers cannot follow the interpretation; it is left behind and does not sufficiently grasp what it has heard. But all the hearers, intent upon the one speaker and remaining in one and the same posture, listen, and indicate by nod and expression that they understand;
[margin: Spiritual banquet: silence, Scripture questions, teaching, repetition, and attentive listening.]
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that they approve, by cheerfulness and expanded brows; and at times that they doubt and hesitate, by gently moving the head and the tip of the right finger. Nor do the younger men who stand by those reclining listen with less attention.
Twenty-sixth, their expositions of the sacred writings consist in allegories. For these men think that the whole law has the likeness of a living creature: the speech itself and the sequence of words correspond to the body, while the more hidden meanings concealed under the veil of words correspond to the soul. In these meanings the rational soul splendidly contemplates the inward things, as though seeing in the mirror of words the wondrous beauty of the thoughts, and unfolds them from the coverings of figures. Thus it brings the deeper understanding into the light for those who, from a slight hint, can gather obscure things from evident ones.
Twenty-seventh, when the president seems, by treating the matter well, to have satisfied the desire of his hearers, applause is openly given by all, since they rejoice together over what had previously been obscure but is now seen to have been explained. Then he rises and is the first to sing a hymn in praise of God, either one newly composed by himself or one taken from some ancient poets. For the poets left them meters and songs of trimeters, processional songs, hymns, paraspondea, parabomia,
[margin: Allegorical interpretation, applause after teaching, and kinds of sacred song.]
(printed p. 292)
stasima, choral songs, strophes, and polystrophes, all carefully perfected. The rest then imitate the president in a fitting order, while all listen intently and quietly except at the end of the hymn and its final clause. Then all together raise their voice, without distinction of sex.
Twenty-eighth, when the hymns of the several persons have been completed, the younger men carry away the table just mentioned, on which that most sacred food, leavened bread with salt and hyssop, is duly placed out of reverence for the sacred table dedicated in the vestibule of the temple. For on that table too loaves with salt are customarily set forth, without any other seasoning; but there the loaves are unleavened, and the salt has no mixture. For it was fitting that the simplest and purest things be assigned to the best part of the holy place as the reward of liturgy or ministry, and that others imitate similar things, yet abstain from those loaves, so that the better persons might have a certain prerogative.
Twenty-ninth, the supper is followed by a sacred all-night vigil with these rites. When all have risen, two choirs are formed in the middle of the dining room, one of men and one of women. For each a leader and director is chosen, the most excellent in honor and skill in singing. Then they sing hymns composed in praise of God, in various kinds of meters and songs, now partly sounding together,
[margin: Final refrains, removal of the table, temple-table symbolism, and the all-night vigil.]
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now partly in antiphonal or alternate harmonies, accompanying the song with a fitting movement of the hands, dancing, and being seized by divine inspiration. Then they perform processional songs, stasima, strophes as occasion and use require, and antistrophes. Then, after each choir has separately filled itself with these delights, as though they had drunk unmixed wine of divine love in Bacchic celebrations, they are mingled, and from two choirs one is made. This imitates the ancient institution once held on the shore of the Red Sea because of the wondrous miracles done there. For at God’s command the sea brought salvation to some and utter destruction to others.
Thirtieth, after this most honorable festal gathering has been prolonged until morning, they are not weighed down by drunkenness, nor do they nod with sleep; rather, they are more alert than when they came to the banquet. Turning face and whole body toward dawn, as soon as they see the rising sun, they pray for a happy day, truth, and keen vision of the mind for themselves. When the prayers have been completed, each withdraws to his own semneion and to the business and cultivation of the customary philosophy.
Thirty-first, finally Philo concludes in this way: thus far concerning the Therapeutae, who have embraced contemplation of nature and live wholly in this and in the soul alone, citizens of heaven and the world, most truly commended to the Father and Creator of things because of their virtue. That virtue has won his friendship for them, the reward most proper to goodness; and when this is set before them, it is better than all prosperity of fortune and reaches to the very summit and highest peak of happiness.
[margin: Antiphonal vigil, Red Sea imitation, morning prayers, and Philo’s conclusion on the Therapeutae.]
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