PHerc. 139 is identified by its virtually recovered end-title as Philodemus, On Gods, Book VIII (Φ̣ι[λοδ]ή̣μου / περὶ θεῶν Η̅). The discovery proves that Philodemus' work On Gods extended to at least eight books; previously only Book I, preserved in PHerc. 26, was known. The recovered fragments include language concerning providence, invisible entities, what is according to nature, freedom from troubles, and the intellectual. This title is distinct from On the Way of Life of the Gods, Book III (msu-af). Source: G. Angelotti et al., Complete virtual unwrapping and reading of a rolled Herculaneum papyrus, arXiv:2606.29085v1 (2026), pp. 6-8.
Philodemus of Gadara On Gods, Book VIII (PHerc. 139) in Greek in PDF
Philodemus of Gadara On Gods, Book VIII (PHerc. 139) in Greek in MD
| subscriptio | Φ̣ι[λοδ]ή̣μου περὶ θεῶν Η̅PHerc. 139 end-title; source p. 6 |
| fr. 1 | χωρὶς προνο[ί]α̣ςSource p. 8 |
| fr. 2 | ἀόραταSource p. 8 |
| fr. 3 | καὶ τὸ κατ̣ὰ̣ φύσινSource p. 8 |
| fr. 4 | καὶ πάν̣τ̣α̣ χωρὶς πόνωνSource p. 8 |
| fr. 5 | νοερόνSource p. 8 |