על החלומות, ספר ב ב׳On Dreams, Book II 2
א׳
1[8] So much by way of a foundation. As we go on to build the superstructure let us follow the directions of Allegory, that wise Master-builder, while we investigate the details of either dream. There are, however, in both dreams some prefatory remarks to be listened to first. Some have given the nature of that which is good a wide application, making it extend to many objects; while others have assigned it only to that which is most excellent: the former have regarded it as mixed, while the latter have left it free from admixture.
ב׳
2[9] Now, those who have maintained that only the morally beautiful is good, preserving it unmixed, have attributed the good to the reasoning faculty, the noblest part in us; while those who have regarded it as mixed have associated it with three things, soul, body, and things external to us. The latter class belong to the softer and luxurious way of life, having been reared up for the greater part of the time from their very cradle in the women’s quarter and in the effeminate habits of the women’s quarter. Those others are austere of life, reared by men, themselves too men in spirit, eager for what will do them good rather than for what is pleasant, and taking food suited to an athlete with an eye to strength and vigour, not to pleasure.
ג׳
3[10] There are two companies as leaders of which Moses introduces Isaac and Joseph. The noble company is led by Isaac who learns from no teacher but himself, for Moses represents him as weaned (Gen. 21:8), absolutely disdaining to make any use of soft and milky food suited to infants and little children, and using only strong nourishment fit for grown men, seeing that from a babe he was naturally stalwart, and was ever attaining fresh vigour and renewing his youth. The company which yields and is ready to give in is led by Joseph,
ד׳
4[11] for he is one who does not indeed take no account of the excellences of the soul, but is thoughtful for the well-being of the body also, and has a keen desire to be well off in outward things; and he is naturally drawn in different directions since he has set before him many ends in life, and as he experiences one counter-attraction after another, he is shaken this way and that and can never attain to fixity.
ה׳
5[12] For indeed our aims do not rest in peace like cities under a treaty, 〈but engage in war and deliver attacks〉 and counter-attacks, in turn winning victory and suffering defeat. For at times the appetite flows strongly to wealth and reputation and completely masters the interests of body and soul, and then again is met and driven back by an opposing force, and vanquished by both or one of them.
ו׳
6[13] In the same way the pleasures of the body descend upon us in gathered force like a cataract deluging and obliterating one after another all the things of the mind; and then, after no long interval, Wisdom with strong and vehement counterblast both slackens the impetus of pleasures and mitigates in general all the appetites and ambitions which the bodily senses kindle in us.
ז׳
7[14] Such is the cycle of unceasing warfare ever revolving round the many-sided soul; for, when one foe has been laid low, another yet mightier is sure to spring up, after the fashion of the many-headed Hydra; for we are told that on it another head grew to take the place of that which had been cut off; and this is a figurative way of teaching how hard it is to vanquish undying vice so varied in its form, so varied in its offspring.
ח׳
8[15] Do not, then, select any single thing 〈and regard it〉 as Joseph’s sole portion, but be well assured that he represents Opinion with its vast medley of ingredients. For there is manifest in him, on the one hand, the rational strain of self-control, which is of the masculine family,
ט׳
9[16] fashioned after his father Jacob: manifest, again, is the irrational strain of sense-perception, assimilated to what he derives from his mother, the part of him that is of the Rachel type: manifest also is the breed of bodily pleasure, impressed on him by association with chief butlers and chief bakers and chief cooks: manifest too is the element of vainglory, on to which as on to a chariot his empty-headedness makes him mount up, when (Gen. 41:43) puffed with pride he lifts himself aloft to overthrow equality from its seat.
