---
title: "Concerning the Ten Commandments, which are the Heads of the Law"
author: "Philo of Alexandria"
translator: "C. D. Yonge"
languages: [en]
shelf: "Second Temple"
section: 5 of 16
url: https://scriptura.si/works/philo-tlg023-yonge-ogl/5/
cite: "Philo of Alexandria, tr. C. D. Yonge, Concerning the Ten Commandments, which are the Heads of the Law, section 5. Scriptura (scriptura.si), https://scriptura.si/works/philo-tlg023-yonge-ogl/5/"
---

# Concerning the Ten Commandments, which are the Heads of the Law

*Philo of Alexandria, tr. C. D. Yonge*

## 5. Section 47

Source: https://scriptura.si/works/philo-tlg023-yonge-ogl/5/ · cite a paragraph as https://scriptura.si/works/philo-tlg023-yonge-ogl/5/#p-N

[¶0] And the law testifies to the accuracy of my statement, where it is written, "And all the people beheld the voice most evidently." For the truth is that the voice of men is calculated to be heard; but that of God to be really and truly seen. Why is this? Because all that God says are not words, but actions which the eyes determine on before the ears.

### Section 48

[¶2] It is, therefore, with great beauty, and also with a proper sense of what is consistent with the dignity of God, that the voice is said to have come forth out of the fire; for the oracles of God are accurately understood and tested like gold by the fire.

### Section 49

[¶4] And God also intimates to us something of this kind by a figure. Since the property of fire is partly to give light, and partly to burn, those who think fit to show themselves obedient to the sacred commands shall live for ever and ever as in a light which is never darkened, having his laws themselves as stars giving light in their soul. But all those who are stubborn and disobedient are for ever inflamed, and burnt, and consumed by their internal appetites, which, like flame, will destroy all the life of those who possess them.

### Section 50

[¶6] These, then, were the things which it was necessary to explain beforehand.

[¶7] But now we must turn to the commands themselves, and investigate everything which is marked by especial importance or difference in them.

[¶8] Now God divided them, being ten, as they are, into two tables of five each, which he engraved on two pillars. And the first five have the precedence and pre-eminence in honour; but the second five have an inferior place assigned to them. But both the tables are beautiful and advantageous to life, opening to men wrought and level roads kept within limits by one end, so as to secure the unwavering and secure progress of that soul which is continually desiring what is most excellent.

### Section 51

[¶10] Now the most excellent five were of this character, they related to the monarchial principle on which the world is governed; to images and statues, and in short to all erections of any kind made by hand; to the duty of not taking the name of God in vain; to that of keeping the holy seventh day in a manner worthy of its holiness; to paying honour to parents both separately to each, and commonly to both. So that of the one table the beginning is the God and Father and Creator of the universe; and the end are one’s parents, who imitate his nature, and so generate the particular individuals.

[¶11] And the other table of five contains all the prohibitions against adulteries, and murder, and theft, and false witness, and covetousness.

### Section 52

[¶13] But we must consider, with all the accuracy possible, each of these oracles separately, not looking upon any one of them as superfluous. now the best beginning of all living beings is God, and of all virtues, piety. And we must, therefore, speak of these two principles in the first place.

[¶14] There is an error of no small importance which has taken possession of the greater portion of mankind concerning a subject which was likely by itself, or, at least, above all other subjects, to have been fixed with the greatest correctness and truth in the mind of every one;

### Section 53

[¶16] for some nations have made divinities of the four elements, earth and water, and air and fire. Others, of the sun and moon, and of the other planets and fixed stars. Others, again, of the whole world. And they have all invented different appellations, all of them false, for these false gods put out of sight that most supreme and most ancient of all, the Creator, the ruler of the great city, the general of the invincible army, the pilot who always guides everything to its preservation;

### Section 54

[¶18] for they call the earth Proserpine, and Ceres, and Pluto. And the sea they call Neptune, inventing besides a number of marine deities as subservient to him, and vast companies of attendants, both male and female. The air they call Juno; fire, Vulcan; and the sun, Apollo; the moon, Diana; and the evening star, Venus; Lucifer, they call Mercury;

### Section 55

[¶20] and to every one of the stars they have affixed names and given them to the inventors of fables, who have woven together cleverly-contrived imaginations to deceive the ear, and have appeared to have been themselves the ingenious inventors of these names thus given.

### Section 56

[¶22] Again, in their descriptions, they divided the heaven into two parts, each one hemisphere, the one being above the earth and the other under the earth, which they called the Dioscuri; Διὸς κοῦροι. Sons of Jupiter, i.e, Castor and Pollux. The Gemini or Twins of the Zodiac. The story of their living and dying on alternate days is alluded to by Virgil, Aen. vi. 121, where Aeneas says, Si fratrem Pollux alterna morte redemit Itque reditque viam toties. Or, as it is translated by Dryden, If Pollux, off’ring his alternate life, Could free his brother; and can daily go By turns aloft, by turns descend below. inventing, besides, a marvellous story concerning Διὸς κοῦροι. Sons of Jupiter, i.e, Castor and Pollux. The Gemini or Twins of the Zodiac. The story of their living and dying on alternate days is alluded to by Virgil, Aen. vi. 121, where Aeneas ways, Si fratrem Pollux alterna morte redemit Itque reditque viam toties. Or, as it is translated by Dryden, "If Pollux, off’ring his alternate life, Could free his brother; and can daily go By turns aloft, by turns descend below." their living on alternate days.

### Section 57

[¶24] For, as the heaven is everlasting revolving, in a circle without any cessation or interruption, it follows of necessity that each of the hemispheres must every day be in a different position from that which it was in the day before, everything being turned upside down as far as appearance goes, at least; for, in point of fact, there is no such thing as any uppermost or undermost in a spherical figure. And this expression is only used with reference to our own formation and position; that which is over our head being called uppermost, and that which is in the opposite direction being called undermost.