against apion-第16章

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nd　Lysimachus；　and　　　some　others；　write　treatises　about　our　lawgiver　Moses；　and　　　about　our　laws；　which　are　neither　just　nor　true；　and　this　　　partly　out　of　ignorance；　but　chiefly　out　of　ill…will　to　us；　while　　　they　calumniate　Moses　as　an　impostor　and　deceiver；　and　　　pretend　that　our　laws　teach　us　wickedness；　but　nothing　that　is　　　virtuous；　I　have　a　mind　to　discourse　briefly；　according　to　my　　　ability；　about　our　whole　constitution　of　government；　and　　　about　the　particular　branches　of　it。　For　I　suppose　it　will　　　thence　become　evident；　that　the　laws　we　have　given　us　are　　　disposed　after　the　best　manner　for　the　advancement　of　piety；　　　for　mutual　communion　with　one　another；　for　a　general　love　　　of　mankind；　as　also　for　justice；　and　for　sustaining　labors　with　　　fortitude；　and　for　a　contempt　of　death。　And　I　beg　of　those　　　that　shall　peruse　this　writing　of　mine；　to　read　it　without　　　partiality；　for　it　is　not　my　purpose　to　write　an　encomium　　　upon　ourselves；　but　I　shall　esteem　this　as　a　most　just　apology　　　for　us；　and　taken　from　those　our　laws；　according　to　which　we　　　lead　our　lives；　against　the　many　and　the　lying　objections　that　　　have　been　made　against　us。　Moreover；　since　this　Apollonius　　　does　not　do　like　Apion；　and　lay　a　continued　accusation　　　against　us；　but　does　it　only　by　starts；　and　up　and　clown　his　　　discourse；　while　he　sometimes　reproaches　us　as　atheists；　and　　　man…haters；　and　sometimes　hits　us　in　the　teeth　with　our　want　　　of　courage；　and　yet　sometimes；　on　the　contrary；　accuses　us　of　　　too　great　boldness　and　madness　in　our　conduct；　nay；　he　says　　　that　we　are　the　weakest　of　all　the　barbarians；　and　that　this　is　　　the　reason　why　we　are　the　only　people　who　have　made　no　　　improvements　in　human　life；　now　I　think　I　shall　have　then　　　sufficiently　disproved　all　these　his　allegations；　when　it　shall　　　appear　that　our　laws　enjoin　the　very　reverse　of　what　he　says；　　　and　that　we　very　carefully　observe　those　laws　ourselves。　And　　　if　I　he　compelled　to　make　mention　of　the　laws　of　other　　　nations；　that　are　contrary　to　ours；　those　ought　deservedly　to　　　thank　themselves　for　it；　who　have　pretended　to　depreciate　　　our　laws　in　comparison　of　their　own；　nor　will　there；　I　think；　　　be　any　room　after　that　for　them　to　pretend　either　that　we　　　have　no　such　laws　ourselves；　an　epitome　of　which　I　will　　　present　to　the　reader；　or　that　we　do　not；　above　all　men；　　　continue　in　the　observation　of　them。　　　　　　16。　To　begin　then　a　good　way　backward；　I　would　advance　　　this；　in　the　first　place；　that　those　who　have　been　admirers　of　　　good　order；　and　of　living　under　common　laws；　and　who　began　　　to　introduce　them；　may　well　have　this　testimony　that　they　are　　　better　than　other　men；　both　for　moderation　and　such　virtue　　　as　is　agreeable　to　nature。　Indeed　their　endeavor　was　to　have　　　every　thing　they　ordained　believed　to　be　very　ancient；　that　　　they　might　not　be　thought　to　imitate　others；　but　might　appear　　　to　have　delivered　a　regular　way　of　living　to　others　after　them。　　　Since　then　this　is　the　case；　the　excellency　of　a　legislator　is　　　seen　in　providing　for　the　people's　living　after　the　best　　　manner；　and　in　prevailing　with　those　that　are　to　use　the　laws　　　he　ordains　for　them；　to　have　a　good　opinion　of　them；　and　in　　　obliging　the　multitude　to　persevere　in　them；　and　to　make　no　　　changes　in　them；　neither　in　prosperity　nor　adversity。　Now　I　　　venture　to　say；　that　our　legislator　is　the　most　ancient　of　all　　　the　legislators　whom　we　have　ally　where　heard　of；　for　as　for　　　the　Lycurguses；　and　Solons；　and　Zaleucus　Locrensis；　and　all　　　those　legislators　who　are　so　admired　by　the　Greeks；　they　　　seem　to　be　of　yesterday；　if　compared　with　our　legislator；　　　insomuch　as　the　very　name　of　a　law　was　not　so　much　as　　　known　in　old　times　among　the　Grecians。　Homer　is　a　witness　　　to　the　truth　of　this　observation；　who　never　uses　that　term　in　　　all　his　poems；　for　indeed　there　was　then　no　such　thing　among　　　them；　but　the　multitude　was　governed　by　wise　maxims；　and　　　by　the　injunctions　of　their　king。　It　was　also　a　long　time　that　　　they　continued　in　the　use　of　these　unwritten　customs；　　　although　they　were　always　changing　them　upon　several　　　occasions。　But　for　our　legislator；　who　was　of　so　much　greater　　　antiquity　than　the　rest；　（as　even　those　that　speak　against　us　　　upon　all　occasions　do　always　confess；）　he　exhibited　himself　to　　　the　people　as　their　best　governor　and　counselor；　and　included　　　in　his　legislation　the　entire　conduct　of　their　lives；　and　　　prevailed　with　them　to　receive　it；　and　brought　it　so　to　pass；　　　that　those　that　were　made　acquainted　with　his　laws　did　most　　　carefully　observe　them。　　　　　　17。　But　let　us　consider　his　first　and　greatest　work；　for　when　it　　　was　resolved　on　by　our　forefathers　to　leave　Egypt；　and　return　　　to　their　own　country；　this　Moses　took　the　many　tell　　　thousands　that　were　of　the　people；　and　saved　them　out　of　　　many　desperate　distresses；　and　brought　them　home　in　safety。　　　And　certainly　it　was　here　necessary　to　travel　over　a　country　　　without　water；　and　full　of　sand；　to　overcome　their　enemies；　　　and；　during　these　battles；　to　preserve　their　children；　and　their　　　wives；　and　their　prey；　on　all　which　occasions　he　became　an　　　excellent　general　of　an　army；　and　a　most　prudent　counselor；　　　and　one　that　took　the　truest　care　of　them　all；　he　also　so　　　brought　it　about；　that　the　whole　multitude　depended　upon　　　him。　And　while　he　had　them　always　obedient　to　what　he　　　enjoined；　he　made　no　manner　of　use　of　his　authority　for　his　　　own　private　advantage；　which　is　the　usual　time　when　　　governors　gain　great　powers　to　themselves；　and　pave　the　way　　　for　tyranny；　and　accustom　the　multitude　to　live　very　　　dissolutely；　whereas；　when　our　legislator　was　in　so　great　　　authority；　he；　on　the　contrary；　thought　he　ought　to　have　　　regard　to　piety；　and　to　show　his　great　good…will　to　the　people；　　　and　by　this　means　he　thought　he　might　show　the　great　degree　　　of　virtue　that　was　in　him；　and　might　procure　the　most　lasting　　　security　to　those　who　had　made　him　their　governor。　When　he　　　had　therefore　come　to　such　a　good　resolution；　and　had　　　performed　such　wonderful　exploits；　we　had　just　reason　to　　　look　upon　ourselves　as　having　him　for　a　divine　governor　and　　　counselor。　And　when　he　had　first　persuaded　himself　（17）　that　　　his　actions　and　designs　were　agreeable　to　God's　will；　he　　　thought　it　his　duty　to　impress；　above　all　things；　that　notion　　　upon　the　multitude；　for　those　who　have　once　believed　that　　　God　is　the　inspector　of　their　lives；　will　not　permit　themselves　　　in　any　sin。　And　this　is　the　character　of　our　legislator：　he　was　　　no　impostor；　no　deceiver；　as　his　revilers　say；　though　unjustly；　　　but　such　a　one　as　they　brag　Minos　（18）　to　have　been　among　　　the　Greeks；　and　other　legislators　after　him；　for　some　of　them　　　suppose　that　they　had　their　laws　from　Jupiter；　while　Minos　　　said　that　the　revelation　of　his　laws　was　to　be　referred　to　　　Apollo；　and　his　oracle　at　Delphi；　whether　they　really　thought　　　they　were　so　derived；　or　supposed；　however；　that　they　could　　　persuade　the　people　easily　that　so　it　was。　But　which　of　these　　　it　was　who　made　the　best　laws；　and　which　had　the　greatest　　　reason　to　believe　that　God　was　their　author；　it　will　be　easy；　　　upon　comparing　those　laws　themselves　together；　to　　　determine；　for　it　is　time　that　we　come　to　that　point。　（19）　　　Now　there　are　innumerable　differences　in　the　particular　　　customs　and　laws　that　are　among　all　mankind；　which　a　man　　　may　briefly　reduce　under　the　following　heads：　Some　　　legislators　have　permitted　their　governments　to　be　under　　　monarchies；　others　put　them　under　oligarchies；　and　others　　　under　a　republican　form；　but　our　legislator　had　no　regard　to　　　any　of　these　forms；　but　he　ordained　our　government　to　be　　　what；　by　a　strained　expression；　may　be　termed　a　Theocracy；　　　（20）　by　ascribing　the　authority　and　the　power　to　God；　and　by　　　persuading　all　the　people　to　have　a　regard　to　him；　as　the　　　author　of　all　the　good　things　that　were　enjoyed　either　in　　　common　by　all　mankind；　or　by　each　one　in　particular；　and　of　　　all　that　they　themselves　obtained　by　praying　to　him　in　their　　　greatest　difficulties。　He　informed　them　that　it　was　impossible　　　to　escape　God's　observation；　even　in　any　of　our　outward　　　actions；　or　in　any　of　our　inward　thoughts。　Moreover；　he　　　represented　God　as　unbegotten；　（21）　and　immutable；　through　　　all　eternity；　superior　to　all　mortal　conceptions　in　pulchritude；　　　and；　though　known　to　us　by　his　power；　yet　unknown　to　us　as　　　to　his　essence。　I　do　not　now　explain　how　these　notions　of　　　God　are　the　sentiments　of　the　wisest　among　the　Grecians；　　　and　how　they　were　taught　them　upon　the　principles　that　he　　　afforded　them。　However；　they　testify；　with　great　assurance；　　　that　these　notions　are　just；　and　agreeable　to　the　nature　of　　　God；　and　to　his　majesty；　for　Pythagoras；　and　Anaxagoras；　and　　　Plato；　and　the　Stoic　philosophers　that　succeeded　them；　and　　　almost　all　the　rest；　are　of　the　same　sentiments；　and　had　the　　　same　notions　of　the　nature　of　God；　yet　durst　not　these　men　　　disclose　those　true　notions　to　more　than　a　few；　because　the　　　body　of　the　people　were　prejudiced　with　other　opinions　　　beforehand。　But　our　legislator；　who　made　his　actions　agree　　　　to　his　laws；　did　not　only　prevail　with　those　that　were　his　　　contemporaries　to　agree　with　these　his　notions；　but　so　firmly　　　imprinted　this　faith　in　God　upon　all　their　posterity；　that　it　　　never　could　be　removed。　The　reason　why　the　constitution　of　　　this　legislation　was　ever　better　directed　to　the　utility　of　all　　　than　other　legislations　were；　is　this；　that　Moses　did　not　make　　　religion　a　part　of　virtue；　but　he　saw　and　he　ordained　other　　　virtues　to　be　parts　of　religion；　I　mean　justice；　and　fortitude；　　　and　temperance；　and　a　universal　agreement　of　the　members　　　of　the　community　with　one　another；　for　all　our　actions　and　　　studies；　and　all　our　words；　＇in　Moses's　settlement；＇　have　a　　　reference　to　piety　towards　God；　for　he　hath　left　none　of　　　these　in　suspense；　or　undetermined。　For　there　are　two　ways　　　of　coining　at　any　sort　of　learning　and　a　moral　conduct　of　life；　　　the　one　is　by　instruction　in　words；　the　other　by　practical　　　exercises。　Now　other　lawgivers　have　separated　these　two　ways　　　in　their　opinions；　and　choosing　one　of　those　ways　of　　　instruction；　or　that　which　best　pleased　every　one　of　them；　　　neglected　the　other。　Thus　did　the　Lacedemonians　and　the　　　Cretians　teach　by　practical　exercises；　but　not　by　words；　while　　　the　Athenians；　and　almost　all　the　other　Grecians；　made　laws　　　about　what　was　to　be　done；　or　left　undone；　but　had　no　regard　　　to　the　exercising　them　thereto　in　practice。　　　　　　18。　But　for　our　legislator；　he　very　carefully　joined　these　two　　　methods　of　instruction　together；　for　he　neither　left　these　　　practical　exercises　to　go　on　without　verbal　instruction；　nor　did　　　he　permit　the　hearing　of　the　law　to　proceed　without　the　　　exercises　for　practice；　but　beginning　immediately　from　the　　　earliest　infancy；　and　the　appointment　of　every　one's　diet；　he　　　left　nothing　of　the　very　smallest　consequence　to　be　done　at　　　the　pleasure　and　disposal　of　the　person　himself。　Accordingly；　　　he　made　a　fixed　rule　of　law　what　sorts　of　food　they　should　　　abstain　from；　and　what　sorts　they　should　make　use　of；　as　also；　　　what　communion　they　should　have　with　others　what　great　　　diligence　they　should　use　in　their　occupations；　and　what　times　　　of　rest　should