Abstract
Philo of Alexandria’s allegorical interpretation of the
biblical account of Hannah’s prayer for a son, in Ebr. 143-152, is surely one of the most remarkable texts in his
corpus. In this passage he draws upon a number of philosophical resources,
including Platonic sense perception, Stoic and Platonic psychologies and
theories of emotion, and the dualisms that are integral to these philosophic
topics: sense perception and reason, the physical and noetic realms, mind and
psyche, reason and non-rationality, and passion and apathetic virtue. Ebr. 143-152 also features three
significant Greco-Roman mystical themes: Bacchic ecstasy, sober inebriation,
and contemplative ascent. This essay focuses on the extraordinary manner in
which Philo adapts and even subverts these philosophic and mystical themes,
particularly the aforementioned dualisms, and the remarkable fact that this
boundary breaking allegorical interpretation comes to focused expression in a
woman. Philo has been accused of espousing a “virulent misogyny,” an accusation
amply justified by his pervasive negative characterizations of sense perception
and passion as essentially feminine in nature. However, in his portrayal of
Hannah in Ebr. 143-152, we encounter
the uncharacteristic approval and embrace of the sensuous and passionate
mystical praxis of an adept female mystic. This exceptional text therefore
affords us a rare opportunity to mitigate Philo’s misogyny, and along with it
his largely negative attitude towards the senses, emotions, and embodied
existence.
