Disputed Virginity

This passage is found within a larger discussion of the commandment against adultery, in which Philo addresses a variety of topics relating to adultery and divorce. The passage is an exposition of Deuteronomy 22:13–19, which deals with a case of a man who falsely claims that his wife was not a virgin when he married her. Philo explains that this slanderous accusation affects not only the wife but also her legal guardians and must therefore be judged according to the assembly of the elders. Following Deuteronomy 22:19, Philo states that a man convicted of such slander is prohibited from divorcing his wife, but he adds that she is permitted to leave him, implying that women have the right to initiate divorce.