the antiquities of the jews-1-第131章

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afford　the　same　indications　in　great　joy　that　they　do　under
sorrows。　And　when　he　had　bid　them　deliver　the　books　to　those　that
were　appointed　to　receive　them；　he　saluted　the　men；　and　said　that
it　was　but　just　to　discourse；　in　the　first　place；　of　the　errand
they　were　sent　about；　and　then　to　address　himself　to　themselves。
He　promised；　however；　that　he　would　make　this　day　on　which　they
came　to　him　remarkable　and　eminent　every　year　through　the　whole
course　of　his　life；　for　their　coming　to　him；　and　the　victory
which　he　gained　over　Antigonus　by　sea；　proved　to　be　on　the　very
same　day。　He　also　gave　orders　that　they　should　sup　with　him；　and
gave　it　in　charge　that　they　should　have　excellent　lodgings
provided　for　them　in　the　upper　part　of　the　city。

12。　Now　he　that　was　appointed　to　take　care　of　the　reception　of
strangers；　Nicanor　by　name；　called　for　Dorotheus；　whose　duty　it
was　to　make　provision　for　them；　and　bid　him　prepare　for　every　one
of　them　what　should　be　requisite　for　their　diet　and　way　of
living；　which　thing　was　ordered　by　the　king　after　this　manner：　he
took　care　that　those　that　belonged　to　every　city；　which　did　not
use　the　same　way　of　living；　that　all　things　should　be　prepared
for　them　according　to　the　custom　of　those　that　came　to　him；　that；
being　feasted　according　to　the　usual　method　of　their　own　way　of
living；　they　might　be　the　better　pleased；　and　might　not　be　uneasy
at　any　thing　done　to　them　from　which　they　were　naturally　averse。
And　this　was　now　done　in　the　case　of　these　men　by　Dorotheus；　who
was　put　into　this　office　because　of　his　great　skill　in　such
matters　belonging　to　common　life；　for　he　took　care　of　all　such
matters　as　concerned　the　reception　of　strangers；　and　appointed
them　double　seats　for　them　to　sit　on；　according　as　the　king　had
commanded　him　to　do；　for　he　had　commanded　that　half　of　their
seats　should　be　set　at　his　right　hand；　and　the　other　half　behind
his　table；　and　took　care　that　no　respect　should　be　omitted　that
could　be　shown　them。　And　when　they　were　thus　set　down；　he　bid
Dorotheus　to　minister　to　all　those　that　were　come　to　him　from
Judea；　after　the　manner　they　used　to　be　ministered　to；　for　which
cause　he　sent　away　their　sacred　heralds；　and　those　that　slew　the
sacrifices；　and　the　rest　that　used　to　say　grace；　but　called　to
one　of　those　that　were　come　to　him；　whose　name　was　Eleazar；　who　w
a　priest；　and　desired　him　to　say　grace；　（8）　who　then　stood　in　the
midst　of　them；　and　prayed；　that　all　prosperity　might　attend　the
king；　and　those　that　were　his　subjects。　Upon　which　an　acclamation
was　made　by　the　whole　company；　with　joy　and　a　great　noise；　and
when　that。　was　over；　they　fell　to　eating　their　supper；　and　to　the
enjoyment　of　what　was　set　before　them。　And　at　a　little　interval
afterward；　when　the　king　thought　a　sufficient　time　had　been
interposed；　he　began　to　talk　philosophically　to　them；　and　he
asked　every　one　of　them　a　philosophical　question　（9）　and　such　a
one　as　might　give　light　in　those　inquiries；　and　when　they　had
explained　all　the　problems　that　had　been　proposed　by　the　king
about　every　point；　he　was　well…pleased　with　their　answers。　This
took　up　the　twelve　days　in　which　they　were　treated；　and　he　that
pleases　may　learn　the　particular　questions　in　that　book　of
Aristeus；　which　he　wrote　on　this　very　occasion。

13。　And　while　not　the　king　only；　but　the　philosopher　Menedemus
also；　admired　them；　and　said　that　all　things　were　governed　by
Providence；　and　that　it　was　probable　that　thence　it　was　that　such
force　or　beauty　was　discovered　in　these　men's　words；　they　then
left　off　asking　any　more　such　questions。　But　the　king　said　that
he　had　gained　very　great　advantages　by　their　coming；　for　that　he
had　received　this　profit　from　them；　that　he　had　learned　how　he
ought　to　rule　his　subjects。　And　he　gave　order　that　they　should
have　every　one　three　talents　given　them；　and　that　those　that　were
to　conduct　them　to　their　lodging　should　do　it。　Accordingly；　when
three　days　were　over；　Demetrius　took　them；　and　went　over　the
causeway　seven　furlongs　long：　it　was　a　bank　in　the　sea　to　an
island。　And　when　they　had　gone　over　the　bridge；　he　proceeded　to
the　northern　parts；　and　showed　them　where　they　should　meet；　which
was　in　a　house　that　was　built　near　the　shore；　and　was　a　quiet
place；　and　fit　for　their　discoursing　together　about　their　work。
When　he　had　brought　them　thither；　he　entreated　them　（now　they　had
all　things　about　them　which　they　wanted　for　the　interpretation　of
their　law）　that　they　would　suffer　nothing　to　interrupt　them　in
their　work。　Accordingly；　they　made　an　accurate　interpretation；
with　great　zeal　and　great　pains；　and　this　they　continued　to　do
till　the　ninth　hour　of　the　day；　after　which　time　they　relaxed；
and　took　care　of　their　body；　while　their　food　was　provided　for
them　in　great　plenty：　besides；　Dorotheus；　at　the　king's　command；
brought　them　a　great　deal　of　what　was　provided　for　the　king
himself。　But　in　the　morning　they　came　to　the　court　and　saluted
Ptolemy；　and　then　went　away　to　their　former　place；　where；　when
they　had　washed　their　hands；　（10）　and　purified　themselves；　they
betook　themselves　to　the　interpretation　of　the　laws。　Now　when　the
law　was　transcribed；　and　the　labor　of　interpretation　was　over；
which　came　to　its　conclusion　in　seventy…two　days；　Demetrius
gathered　all　the　Jews　together　to　the　place　where　the　laws　were
translated；　and　where　the　interpreters　were；　and　read　them　over。
The　multitude　did　also　approve　of　those　elders　that　were　the
interpreters　of　the　law。　They　withal　commended　Demetrius　for　his
proposal；　as　the　inventor　of　what　was　greatly　for　their
happiness；　and　they　desired　that　he　would　give　leave　to　their
rulers　also　to　read　the　law。　Moreover；　they　all；　both　the　priest
and　the　ancientest　of　the　elders；　and　the　principal　men　of　their
commonwealth；　made　it　their　request；　that　since　the
interpretation　was　happily　finished；　it　might　continue　in　the
state　it　now　was；　and　might　not　be　altered。　And　when　they　all
commended　that　determination　of　theirs；　they　enjoined；　that　if
any　one　observed　either　any　thing　superfluous；　or　any　thing
omitted；　that　he　would　take　a　view　of　it　again；　and　have　it　laid
before　them；　and　corrected；　which　was　a　wise　action　of　theirs；
that　when　the　thing　was　judged　to　have　been　well　done；　it　might
continue　for　ever。

14。　So　the　king　rejoiced　when　he　saw　that　his　design　of　this
nature　was　brought　to　perfection；　to　so　great　advantage；　and　he
was　chiefly　delighted　with　hearing　the　Laws　read　to　him；　and　was
astonished　at　the　deep　meaning　and　wisdom　of　the　legislator。　And
he　began　to　discourse　with　Demetrius；　〃How　it　came　to　pass；　that
when　this　legislation　was　so　wonderful；　no　one；　either　of　the
poets　or　of　the　historians；　had　made　mention　of　it。〃　Demetrius
made　answer；　〃that　no　one　durst　be　so　bold　as　to　touch　upon　the
description　of　these　laws；　because　they　were　Divine　and
venerable；　and　because　some　that　had　attempted　it　were　afflicted
by　God。〃　He　also　told　him；　that　〃Theopompus　was　desirous　of
writing　somewhat　about　them；　but　was　thereupon　disturbed　in　his
mind　for　above　thirty　days'　time；　and　upon　some　intermission　of
his　distemper；　he　appeased　God　＇by　prayer＇；　as　suspecting　that
his　madness　proceeded　from　that　cause。〃　Nay；　indeed；　he　further
saw　in　a　dream；　that　his　distemper　befell　him　while　he　indulged
too　great　a　curiosity　about　Divine　matters；　and　was　desirous　of
publishing　them　among　common　men；　but　when　he　left　off　that
attempt；　he　recovered　his　understanding　again。　Moreover；　he
informed　him　of　Theodectes；　the　tragic　poet；　concerning　whom　it
was　reported；　that　when　in　a　certain　dramatic　representation　he
was　desirous　to　make　mention　of　things　that　were　contained　in　the
sacred　books；　he　was　afflicted　with　a　darkness　in　his　eyes；　and
that　upon　his　being　conscious　of　the　occasion　of　his　distemper；
and　appeasing　God　＇by　prayer＇；　he　was　freed　from　that　affliction。

15。　And　when　the　king　had　received　these　books　from　Demetrius；　as
we　have　said　already；　he　adored　them；　and　gave　order　that　great
care　should　be　taken　of　them；　that　they　might　remain　uncorrupted。
He　also　desired　that　the　interpreters　would　come　often　to　him　out
of　Judea；　and　that　both　on　account　of　the　respects　that　he　would
pay　them；　and　on　account　of　the　presents　he　would　make　them；　for
he　said　it　was　now　but　just　to　send　them　away；　although　if；　of
their　own　accord；　they　would　come　to　him　hereafter；　they　should
obtain　all　that　their　own　wisdom　might　justly　require；　and　what
his　generosity　was　able　to　give　them。　So　he　then　sent　them　away；
and　gave　to　every　one　of　them　three　garments　of　the　best　sort；
and　two　talents　of　gold；　and　a　cup　of　the　value　of　one　talent；
and　the　furniture　of　the　room　wherein　they　were　feasted。　And
these　were　the　things　he　presented　to　them。　But　by　them　he　sent
to　Eleazar　the　high　priest　ten　beds；　with　feet　of　silver；　and　the
furniture　to　them　belonging；　and　a　cup　of　the　value　of　thirty
talents；　and　besides　these；　ten　garments；　and　purple；　and　a　very
beautiful　crown；　and　a　hundred　pieces　of　the　finest　woven　linen；
as　also　vials　and　dishes；　and　vessels　for　pouring；　and　two　golden
cisterns　to　be　dedicated　to　God。　He　also　desired　him；　by　an
epistle；　that　he　would　give　these　interpreters　leave；　if　any　of
them　were　desirous　of　coming　to　him；　because　he　highly　valued　a
conversation　with　men　of　such　learning；　and　should　be　very
willing　to　lay　out　his　wealth　upon　such　men。　And　this　was　what
came　to　the　Jews；　and　was　much　to　their　glory　and　honor；　from
Ptolemy　Philadelphus。

CHAPTER　3。

How　The　Kings　Of　Asia　Honored　The　Nation　Of　The　Jews　And　Made
Them　Citizens　Of　Those　Cities　Which　They　Built。

1。　The　Jews　also　obtained　honors　from　the　kings　of　Asia　when　they
became　their　auxiliaries；　for　Seleucus　Nicator　made　them　citizens
in　those　cities　which　he　built　in　Asia；　and　in　the　lower　Syria；
and　in　the　metropolis　itself；　Antioch；　and　gave　them　privileges
equal　to　those　of　the　Macedonians　and　Greeks；　who　were　the
inhabitants；　insomuch　that　these　privileges　continue　to　this　very
day：　an　argument　for　which　you　have　in　this；　that　whereas　the
Jews　do　not　make　use　of　oil　prepared　by　foreigners；　（11）　they
receive　a　certain　sum　of　money　from　the　proper　officers　belonging
to　their　exercises　as　the　value　of　that　oil；　which　money；　when
the　people　of　Antioch　would　have　deprived　them　of；　in　the　last
war；　Mucianus；　who　was　then　president　of　Syria；　preserved　it　to
them。　And　when　the　people　of　Alexandria　and　of　Antioch　did　after
that；　at　the　time　that　Vespasian　and　Titus　his　son　governed　the
habitable　earth；　pray　that　these　privileges　of　citizens　might　be
taken　away；　they　did　not　obtain　their　request。　in　which　behavior
any　one　may　discern　the　equity　and　generosity　of　the　Romans；　（12）
especially　of　Vespasian　and　Titus；　who；　although　they　had　been　at
a　great　deal　of　pains　in　the　war　against　the　Jews；　and　were
exasperated　against　them；　because　they　did　not　deliver　up　their
weapons　to　them；　but　continued　the　war　to　the　very　last；　yet　did
not　they　take　away　any　of　their　forementioned　privileges
belonging　to　them　as　citizens；　but　restrained　their　anger；　and
overcame　the　prayers　of　the　Alexandrians　and　Antiochians；　who
were　a　very　powerful　people；　insomuch　that　they　did　not　yield　to
them