Pseudo-Philo
Pseudo-Philo is the name commonly used for a Jewish pseudepigraphical work in Latin, so called because it was transmitted along with Latin translations of the works of Philo of Alexandria but is very obviously not written by Philo. Its more proper Latin title is Liber Antinquitatum Biblicarum, a title generally rendered in English as Biblical Antiquities.
It is chronicle of biblical history from Adam to the death of Saul (breaking off in the middle of that story) with omissions, modifications, and additions to the biblical texts. Many of its additions have parallels in other Jewish traditions. The temple is said to be still standing which indicates a date of composition before 70 CE.
It is believed have been written in Hebrew and then translated to Greek and the Greek translated again into Latin, with the unfortunate result that a large number of proper names not found in Biblical texts are garbled beyond restoration.
It is probably the earliest reference for many later legendary accretions to the Biblical texts, such as the casting of Abraham into the fire, Dinah's marriage to Job, Moses born circumcised.
Parts of this work were taken back into Hebrew in the medieval Chronicles of Jerahmeel
Bibliography
- J. Cazeaus, C. Perrot, and P.-M Bogaert, Pseudo-Philon, Les Antiquités Bibliques. (SC 229–30;) Paris, 1976. (Critical text and French translation.) ISBN 2204010502
- M. R. James, The Biblical Antiquities of Philo (Translations of Early Documents 1: Palestinian Jewish Texts) London, 1917. (English translation.) ISBN 0870680692
- "Pseudo-Philo (First Century A.D.)", translated by D. J. Harrington in The Old Testament Pseudepigrapha, edited by James H. Charlesworth, New York, 1985. ISBN 0385194919
