Works of Philo of Alexandria

Philo — Works Vol. I, Yonge — Section 89

ble only by intellect existed, God created the general some- thing perceptible only by intellect, which also he correctly denominated the universe. For since the particular something perceptible only by intellect is incomplete, that is not the universe ; but that which is generic is the universe, as being complete. X. " And all the grass of the field," he proceeds, " before it sprang up." That is to say, before the particular things per- ceptible by the external senses sprang up, there existed the generic something perceptible by the external senses through the fore-knowledge of the Creator, which he again called " the universe." And very naturally he likened the things per- ceptible by the external senses to grass. For as grass is the food of irrational animals, so also that which is perceptible by the external senses is assigned to the irrational portion of the soul. For why, when he has previously mentioned " the green herb of the field," does he add also " and all the grass," as if grass were not green at all ? But the truth is, that by the green herb of the field, he means that which is perceptible by the intellect only, the budding forth of the mind. But grass means that which is perceptible by the external senses, that being likewise the produce of the irrational part of the soul.