The Works of Philo Judaeus

XXVIII. But there are some persons whom, even before their creation. God creates and disposes excellently ; respecting whom he determines beforehand that they shall have a most excellent inheritance. Do you not see what he says about Isaac to Abraham, when he had no hope of any such thing, namely, that he should become the father of such an offspring, but did rather laugh at the promise, and asked, " Shall a son Genesis xiv. 18 f Deuteronomy iv. 39. $ Genesis xii.l. § Or, " Father of a great multitude," according to the marginal translation in the bible. K be born to me, who am a hundred years old ; and shall Sarah, who is ninety years old, bring forth a child?" But God asserts it positively, and ratifies his promise saying, " Yea, behold Sarah, thy wife, shall bear thee a son, and thou shalt call his name Isaac, and I will establish my covenant towards him for an everlasting covenant." What then is the reason which caused this man, also, to be praised before his birth ? There are some good things which are an advantage to a man both when they are past, and when they are present, such as good health, a sound condition of the outward senses, riches, if he be endowed with them, a good reputation ; for all these things may, by a slight perversion of words, be called good things. But some are so not merely when they have been given to us, but even when it is predicted that they shall be so given, as joy is a good affection of the soul ; for this does not cheer a man only when it is present and energises actively in him, but it delights him also by anticipations when it is hoped for — for it has this especial quality ; all other good qualities have their own separate operation and effect, but joy is both a separate good and a common good, for it comes as a crowning one after all the rest — for we feel joy at good health, and we feel joy at liberty and at honour, and at all other such things, so that one may say with propriety that there is not one single good thing which has not the additional good of joy. But not only do we rejoice at other good things which are already previously past and also at those which are present, but we rejoice also at good things when about to happen to us and expected ; as for instance, when we hope that we shall become rich, or that we shall obtain power, or that we shall receive praise, or that we shall find a means to get rid of an illness, or that we shall acquire vigour and strength, or that we shall become learned instead of ignorant, in all these cases we are rejoiced in no slight degree. Since, then, joy diffuses itself over and cheers the soul, not only while it is present but also even when it is expected, it was very consistent and natural for God to think Isaac worthy of a good name and of a great gift before he was born, for the name of Isaac, being interpreted, means laughter of soul, and delight, and joy.

LXXVII. On the other hand, you will find virtue not only conceiving with extraordinary joy, but also bringing forth her good offspring with laughter and cheerfulness ; and you will also find the offspring of the two parents to be actually cheerfulness itself. Xow that the wise man becomes a parent with joy, and not with sorrow, the word of God itself will testify to us when it speaks thus : " And God said unto Abraham, Sarai, thy wife, shall no longer be called Sarai, but her name shall be Sarah ; I will bless her, and give thee a son from her.'t And, afterwards, Moses proceeds to say, "And Abraham fell upon his face and laughed, and said, " Shall a son be born to him who is a hundred years old ; and shall Sarah, who is ninety years old, have a son?" Abraham, therefore, appears here to be in a state of joy, and to be laughing because he is about to Exodus iii. 9. t Genesis xvii. 15. Sarah is interpreted Princess in the margin of the bible. become the father of happiness, that is to say, of Isaac ; and virtue, that is to say, Sarah, laughs also. And the same prophet will further bear witness, speaking thus, "And it had ceased to he with Sarah after the manner of women, and she laughed in her mind and said, such happiness has never yet happened to me to this time, and my lord," that is to say, the divine Lord, "is older than I;" in whose power, however, this tiling must inevitably he, and in whose power it is becoming to place confidence. For the offspring is laughter and joy. For this is the meaning and interpretation of the name of Isaac. Therefore, let the outward sense he grieved, but let virtue be always rejoicing. For, also, when happiness, that is Isaac, was born, she says, in the pious exaltation, " The Lord has caused me laughter, and whoever shall hear of it shall rejoice with me." Open your ears, therefore, 0 ye initiated, and receive the most sacred mysteries. Laughter is joy ; and the expression, " has caused," is equivalent to " has begotten." So that what is here said has some such meaning as this, " The Lord has begotten Isaac." For he is the father of perfect nature, sowing and begetting happiness in the soul. LXXVIII. " And thy desire," says God, " shall be to thy husband. "t There are two husbands of the outward senses. The one a legal one, the other a destroyer. For the object of sight, acting upon it like a husband, puts the sense of sight in motion ; and so does sound affect the sense of hearing, flavour the sense of taste, and so on with each of the outward senses respectively. And these things attract the attention of and call the irrational outward sense to itself, and become the masters of it and govern it. For beauty enslaves the sight, and sweet flowers enslave the sense of taste, and each of the other objects of outward sense enslaves that sense which corresponds to them. See the glutton, what a slave he is to all the preparations which cooks and confectioners devise. Behold the man who is devoted to the study of music, how he is governed by the harp, or the flute, or by any one who is able to sing. But the sense which turns itself to its legitimate husband, that is to say, to the mind, derives the greatest possible advantage from that object.