Abstract

In his only treatise explicitly devoted to the life of the statesman, De Iosepho, Philo of Alexandria expresses ambivalent views about politics. A careful examination of the line of argument of this work shows, however, that Philo’s views can be essentially read as a development in negative terms of his statement that politics is only an “addition” to virtue and wisdom. Especially, he argues that the statesman is «by all means an interpreter of dreams», since his activity has its limits within the human condition, which - because of its uncertainty and confusion - resembles daydreaming.