 But pleasure, taught Philo, removed this landmark of virtue, placing in its stead the landmark of vice, the tree of death.Philo taught that pleasure was therefore worthy to be cursed, being a passion, which altered the boundaries of the soul, rendering the soul a lover of the passions instead of a lover of virtue.And thus Philo interpreted "And the Lord God said to the serpent, '... You are cursed over every creature and over all the beasts of the field,'" to apply to the passion of pleasure.