m "in word took our coming thither kindly, but in "their behaviour insincerelyk: for, when we in"tended to go into their holy place, and to ho"nour it with excellent and most noble gifts: 18" they, carried away with their ancient pride, pro"hibited our entrance, not having experienced "our power by reason of that kindness which we 19" shew to all mankind. And making manifest "their ill-will towards us, and being the only na"tion in the world which is insolent towards kings and towards its own benefactors, they are "not willing to bear anything kindly". 20 66 "Now we, being moved by the madness of these "men, though we had returned home with vic"tory, and had come back into Egypt with the testimony of having met all nations with kind 66 66 ness, have done that which was fit for us to do. 21" And in the midst of these things we have de "clared to all men our forgiveness of their na"tion; and on account of their assistance in war "and the innumerable affairs with which from "the beginning we innocently intrusted them °, "we earnestly endeavoured to change them, and "were willing to bestow on them the privileges "of citizens of Alexandria, and to make them 66 companions of our priests P for the time being. "But they, taking this offer in a contrary light, 22 "and by that wicked habit which is natural to "them, rejecting the good and inclining per 66 66 petually to that which is evil; did not only 23 "turn away from that inestimable privilege, but "abhorred both publicly and privately' those few amongst themselves who were favourably dis"posed towards us: ever expecting that by their "infamous course of procedure we should speedily change our just measures. 66 "Wherefore, we both being well assured by 24 "certain signs that these men do in every way "bear us ill-will; and providing lest, upon any "sudden trouble which may come upon us here"after, we should have these wicked wretches be"hind our backs as traitors and barbarous ene"mies have given order, that as soon as this 25 epistle is brought to you, the same hour you "seize on these people who are dwelling among 66 66 you, together with their wives and children, "with insult and vexation; and send them to us "every way secured in iron bonds, that they may "suffer an inevitable and ignominious death, such P Gr. τῶν ἀεὶ ἱερέων. Grotius proposes a preferable reading, lepov, "the ancient" (or perpetual) "rites of our religion." 66 : q It is too notorious that the Jews universally bore a bad name among surrounding nations and the strange notions which even the learned and polished Romans could allow themselves to entertain respecting their origin and customs, may be seen in Taci- r Gr. λόγῳ τε καὶ σιγῇ. s There is a remarkable similarity between this epistle of Ptolemy and that of Artaxerxes, written at the gestion of Haman, which is sugmentioned at Esther, iii. 13; and is given at length in the apocryphal part of that book, xiii. 4-7. 66 26" as is suitable to the disaffected. For when once "all these have been brought to punishment together, we suppose that during the rest of our "time our affairs will be perfectly established, in 27" security and the best condition. And whoso"ever shall conceal any individual of the Jews, "from an old man to an infant and the very suck 66 66 lings, he and all his family shall be racked to 28" death with the severest tortures. But whoso"ever is willing to discover any of them, he shall thereby obtain the substancet of him who fell "under punishment, and two thousand drachmæ "of silver" besides out of the royal treasury. He "shall also be made free, and shall be crowned. 29" And every place where a concealed Jew shall "be by any means caught, let it be made impas"sable and be burned with fire: and it shall be "rendered wholly useless to every mortal being "for all time to come." 30 The form, then, of that epistle was to this effect. t This custom, which has more or less obtained among both ancient and modern nations, appears to be recognised in the Old Testament, 2 Sam. xvi. 3, 4: where David confscates the property of Me phibosheth, and gives it to his accuser Ziba. u Assuming the Hebrew drachma to be equal to the Roman, namely, one eighth of an ounce, this weight of silver will amount to about fifty-seven pounds sterling. * Gr. ἄβατος καὶ πυριφλεγὴς yivéo@w. So in the letter of Artaxerxes recorded in the apocryphal part of the book of Esther, it is commanded that every place which disobeys the king's command be made οὐ μόνον ἀνθρώποις ἄβατος, ἀλλὰ καὶ θηρίοις καὶ πετεινοῖς εἰς τὸν ἅπαντα χρόνον ἔχθιστος. The expression äßaros (in the sense of unentered, unprofaned) is applied to the temple of Jerusalem by Josephus, Antiq. XIV. 8. Compare the note on ch. v. 43, of this book. с CHAPTER IV. The king's edict is executed with great severity. Now wheresoever this decree came to hand, 1 there was made a general festival among the heathen, with shouting and joy: that hatred, which had been hardened over a in their mind of old, now shewing itself outwardly in open discourse. But among the Jews there was intolerable lament- 2 ation, and a most doleful cry with tears; as if their hearts were set on fire on every side with their groans: while they bewailed that unexpected destruction which was suddenly decreed against them. What district or city, or indeed what habitable 3 place or what streets were there, which were not filled with lamentations and mourning over them? For they were sent away unanimously with such 4 bitter and merciless feeling by the commanders in every city, that at their extraordinary punishment some of their very enemies, having common pity before their eyes, and considering the uncertain catastrophe of human life, wept at their most miserable expulsion. For there was led along a multitude of aged 5 men decked with hoary heads, stooping by reason of the slowness of their feet, through old age and the hurry of a forcible removal, obliged, without any regard to shame, to walk at a quick pace. 6 Nay, the young women, who had lately entered into the marriage-chamber in order to enjoy matrimonial society, were made to partake of groans instead of pleasure; and being defiled with dust sprinkled on their hair, which was moist with ointment, and led along unveiled, with one accord they sang lamentations instead of wedding-songs, as being torn to pieces with vexations unknowne 7 in the country. And, like public captives, they were dragged by force to an embarkation on board ship. 8 Their husbands also, wearing halters, instead of garlands, about their necks, in their flourishing and youthful vigour, instead of feasting and juvenile relaxation, passed the rest of their nuptial days in lamentations, as seeing the grave lying 9 open immediately beneath their feet. And they were conveyed like beasts, led in the confinement of iron bonds: some of them fastened by the neck to the benches of the ships; others having their 10 feet made fast in indissoluble fetters. And besides all this, they were shut out from the light by the thick planks which lay above them; that their |