towards the rising tide of Hellenism.[97] Hellenistic influence, as reflected in certain of the Psalms, therefore, is only to be seen with certainty in that these witness to a state of affairs within the community of Israel brought about by the spread of the Greek spirit.[98] In the next place we look at the Proverbs. Here it is the first nine chapters with which we are concerned; there is a general consensus of opinion among modern scholars that these chapters form the latest portion of the book. The marks of Hellenistic influence are briefly as follows: Firstly, _individualism_; Wisdom cries, for example, in viii. 4: Unto you, O men, I call, And my voice is to the sons of men. Again in ix. 4-6 she cries: Whoso is simple let him turn in hither; As for him that is void of understanding, she saith to him, Come, eat ye of my bread, And drink of the wine which I have mingled. Leave off, ye simple ones, and live, And walk in the way of understanding. Here, and in other similar passages, it is the individual who is of importance, not the nation, as in earlier days. Secondly, _universalism_; Wisdom says (viii. 15, 16): By me kings reign, And princes decree justice. By me rulers rule, And nobles, even all the judges of the earth. There is here no restriction to the rulers of the Jewish nation; Wisdom is for all men, and her sway is worldwide for those who will have her: I love those that love me; And those that seek me diligently shall find me (viii. 17). A third mark of Hellenistic influence is the _allegorical form_ which appears in this book, and especially in the first nine chapters[99]; the most striking example of this is the “strange woman” spoken of in chapter ii. and elsewhere: Which forsaketh the friend of her youth, And forgetteth the covenant of God; For her house inclineth unto death, And her paths unto the dead ... (ii. 17-19). This “strange woman” is undoubtedly an allegorical person; she is a personification of the new Hellenistic spirit which, on its bad side, encouraged unbridled licence and led away from God[100]; we have seen above that there was a debased form of Hellenism which was especially present in Syria. This interpretation of what was meant by the “strange woman” was that of some of the early Church Fathers.[101] The writer of these chapters is thus, probably unconsciously, influenced by the more excellent _traits_ of the Hellenistic spirit, but is fully alive to its dangers and warns his readers against them. Lastly, a fourth mark of Hellenistic influence is the _hypostatization of Wisdom_; the classical passage is viii. 22-36, from which a few verses may be quoted: The Lord possessed me in the beginning of His way, Before His works of old. I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, Or ever the earth was....