Against Apion

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22. But now it is proper to satisfy the inquiry of those that
disbelieve the records of barbarians, and think none but Greeks
to be worthy of credit, and to produce many of these very Greeks
who were acquainted with our nation, and to set before them such
as upon occasion have made mention of us in their own writings.
Pythagoras, therefore, of Samos, lived in very ancient times, and
was esteemed a person superior to all philosophers in wisdom and
piety towards God. Now it is plain that he did not only know our
doctrines, but was in very great measure a follower and admirer
of them. There is not indeed extant any writing that is owned for
his (15) but many there are who have written his history, of whom
Hermippus is the most celebrated, who was a person very
inquisitive into all sorts of history. Now this Hermippus, in his
first book concerning Pythagoras, speaks thus: "That Pythagoras,
upon the death of one of his associates, whose name was
Calliphon, a Crotonlate by birth, affirmed that this man's soul
conversed with him both night and day, and enjoined him not to
pass over a place where an ass had fallen down; as also not to
drink of such waters as caused thirst again; and to abstain from
all sorts of reproaches." After which he adds thus: "This he did
and said in imitation of the doctrines of the Jews and Thracians,
which he transferred into his own philosophy." For it is very
truly affirmed of this Pythagoras, that he took a great many of
the laws of the Jews into his own philosophy. Nor was our nation
unknown of old to several of the Grecian cities, and indeed was
thought worthy of imitation by some of them. This is declared by
Theophrastus, in his writings concerning laws; for he says that
"the laws of the Tyrians forbid men to swear foreign oaths."
Among which he enumerates some others, and particularly that
called Corban: which oath can only be found among the Jews, and
declares what a man may call "A thing devoted to God." Nor indeed
was Herodotus of Halicarnassus unacquainted with our nation, but
mentions it after a way of his own, when he saith thus, in the
second book concerning the Colchians. His words are these: "The
only people who were circumcised in their privy members
originally, were the Colchians, the Egyptians, and the
Ethiopians; but the Phoenicians and those Syrians that are in
Palestine confess that they learned it from the Egyptians. And
for those Syrians who live about the rivers Thermodon and
Parthenius, and their neighbors the Macrones, they say they have
lately learned it from the Colchians; for these are the only
people that are circumcised among mankind, and appear to have
done the very same thing with the Egyptians. But as for the
Egyptians and Ethiopians themselves, I am not able to say which
of them received it from the other." This therefore is what
Herodotus says, that "the Syrians that are in Palestine are
circumcised." But there are no inhabitants of Palestine that are
circumcised excepting the Jews; and therefore it must be his
knowledge of them that enabled him to speak so much concerning
them. Cherilus also, a still ancienter writer, and a poet, (16)
makes mention of our nation, and informs us that it came to the
assistance of king Xerxes, in his expedition against Greece. For
in his enumeration of all those nations, he last of all inserts
ours among the rest, when he says," At the last there passed over
a people, wonderful to be beheld; for they spake the Phoenician
tongue with their mouths; they dwelt in the Solymean mountains,
near a broad lake: their heads were sooty; they had round rasures
on them; their heads and faces were like nasty horse-heads also,
that had been hardened in the smoke." I think, therefore, that it
is evident to every body that Cherilus means us, because the
Solymean mountains are in our country, wherein we inhabit, as is
also the lake called Asphaltitis; for this is a broader and
larger lake than any other that is in Syria: and thus does
Cherilus make mention of us. But now that not only the lowest
sort of the Grecians, but those that are had in the greatest
admiration for their philosophic improvements among them, did not
only know the Jews, but when they lighted upon any of them,
admired them also, it is easy for any one to know. For Clearchus,
who was the scholar of Aristotle, and inferior to no one of the
Peripatetics whomsoever, in his first book concerning sleep, says
that "Aristotle his master related what follows of a Jew," and
sets down Aristotle's own discourse with him. The account is
this, as written down by him: "Now, for a great part of what this
Jew said, it would be too long to recite it; but what includes in
it both wonder and philosophy it may not be amiss to discourse
of. Now, that I may be plain with thee, Hyperochides, I shall
herein seem to thee to relate wonders, and what will resemble
dreams themselves. Hereupon Hyperochides answered modestly, and
said, For that very reason it is that all of us are very desirous
of hearing what thou art going to say. Then replied Aristotle,
For this cause it will be the best way to imitate that rule of
the Rhetoricians, which requires us first to give an account of
the man, and of what nation he was, that so we may not contradict
our master's directions. Then said Hyperochides, Go on, if it so
pleases thee. This man then, [answered Aristotle,] was by birth a
Jew, and came from Celesyria; these Jews are derived from the
Indian philosophers; they are named by the Indians Calami, and by
the Syrians Judaei, and took their name from the country they
inhabit, which is called Judea; but for the name of their city,
it is a very awkward one, for they call it Jerusalem. Now this
man, when he was hospitably treated by a great many, came down
from the upper country to the places near the sea, and became a
Grecian, not only in his language, but in his soul also; insomuch
that when we ourselves happened to be in Asia about the same
places whither he came, he conversed with us, and with other
philosophical persons, and made a trial of our skill in
philosophy; and as he had lived with many learned men, he
communicated to us more information than he received from us."
This is Aristotle's account of the matter, as given us by
Clearchus; which Aristotle discoursed also particularly of the
great and wonderful fortitude of this Jew in his diet, and
continent way of living, as those that please may learn more
about him from Clearchus's book itself; for I avoid setting down
any more than is sufficient for my purpose. Now Clearchus said
this by way of digression, for his main design was of another
nature. But for Hecateus of Abdera, who was both a philosopher,
and one very useful ill an active life, he was contemporary with
king Alexander in his youth, and afterward was with Ptolemy, the
son of Lagus; he did not write about the Jewish affairs by the by
only, but composed an entire book concerning the Jews themselves;
out of which book I am willing to run over a few things, of which
I have been treating by way of epitome. And, in the first place,
I will demonstrate the time when this Hecateus lived; for he
mentions the fight that was between Ptolemy and Demetrius about
Gaza, which was fought in the eleventh year after the death of
Alexander, and in the hundred and seventeenth olympiad, as Castor
says in his history. For when he had set down this olympiad, he
says further, that "in this olympiad Ptolemy, the son of Lagus,
beat in battle Demetrius, the son of Antigonus, who was named
Poliorcetes, at Gaza." Now, it is agreed by all, that Alexander
died in the hundred and fourteenth olympiad; it is therefore
evident that our nation flourished in his time, and in the time
of Alexander. Again, Hecateus says to the same purpose, as
follows: "Ptolemy got possession of the places in Syria after
that battle at Gaza; and many, when they heard of Ptolemy's
moderation and humanity, went along with him to Egypt, and were
willing to assist him in his affairs; one of whom (Hecateus says)
was Hezekiah (17) the high priest of the Jews; a man of about
sixty-six years of age, and in great dignity among his own
people. He was a very sensible man, and could speak very
movingly, and was very skillful in the management of affairs, if
any other man ever were so; although, as he says, all the priests
of the Jews took tithes of the products of the earth, and managed
public affairs, and were in number not above fifteen hundred at
the most." Hecateus mentions this Hezekiah a second time, and
says, that "as he was possessed of so great a dignity, and was
become familiar with us, so did he take certain of those that
were with him, and explained to them all the circumstances of
their people; for he had all their habitations and polity down in
writing." Moreover, Hecateus declares again, "what regard we have
for our laws, and that we resolve to endure any thing rather than
transgress them, because we think it right for us to do so."
Whereupon he adds, that "although they are in a bad reputation
among their neighbors, and among all those that come to them, and
have been often treated injuriously by the kings and governors of
Persia, yet can they not be dissuaded from acting what they think
best; but that when they are stripped on this account, and have
torments inflicted upon them, and they are brought to the most
terrible kinds of death, they meet them after an extraordinary
manner, beyond all other people, and will not renounce the
religion of their forefathers." Hecateus also produces
demonstrations not a few of this their resolute tenaciousness of
their laws, when he speaks thus: "Alexander was once at Babylon,
and had an intention to rebuild the temple of Belus that was
fallen to decay, and in order thereto, he commanded all his
soldiers in general to bring earth thither. But the Jews, and
they only, would not comply with that command; nay, they
underwent stripes and great losses of what they had on this
account, till the king forgave them, and permitted them to live
in quiet." He adds further, that "when the Macedonians came to
them into that country, and demolished the [old] temples and the
altars, they assisted them in demolishing them all (18) but [for
not assisting them in rebuilding them] they either underwent
losses, or sometimes obtained forgiveness." He adds further, that
"these men deserve to be admired on that account." He also speaks
of the mighty populousness of our nation, and says that "the
Persians formerly carried away many ten thousands of our people
to Babylon, as also that not a few ten thousands were removed
after Alexander's death into Egypt and Phoenicia, by reason of
the sedition that was arisen in Syria." The same person takes
notice in his history, how large the country is which we inhabit,
as well as of its excellent character, and says, that "the land
in which the Jews inhabit contains three millions of arourae,
(19) and is generally of a most excellent and most fruitful soil;
nor is Judea of lesser dimensions." The same man describe our
city Jerusalem also itself as of a most excellent structure, and
very large, and inhabited from the most ancient times. He also
discourses of the multitude of men in it, and of the construction
of our temple, after the following manner: "There are many strong
places and villages (says he) in the country of Judea; but one
strong city there is, about fifty furlongs in circumference,
which is inhabited by a hundred and twenty thousand men, or
thereabouts; they call it Jerusalem. There is about the middle of
the city a wall of stone, whose length is five hundred feet, and
the breadth a hundred cubits, with double cloisters; wherein
there is a square altar, not made of hewn stone, but composed of
white stones gathered together, having each side twenty cubits
long, and its altitude ten cubits. Hard by it is a large edifice,
wherein there is an altar and a candlestick, both of gold, and in
weight two talents: upon these there is a light that is never
extinguished, either by night or by day. There is no image, nor
any thing, nor any donations therein; nothing at all is there
planted, neither grove, nor any thing of that sort. The priests
abide therein both nights and days, performing certain
purifications, and drinking not the least drop of wine while they
are in the temple." Moreover, he attests that we Jews went as
auxiliaries along with king Alexander, and after him with his
successors. I will add further what he says he learned when he
was himself with the same army, concerning the actions of a man
that was a Jew. His words are these: "As I was myself going to
the Red Sea, there followed us a man, whose name was Mosollam; he
was one of the Jewish horsemen who conducted us; he was a person
of great courage, of a strong body, and by all allowed to be the
most skillful archer that was either among the Greeks or
barbarians. Now this man, as people were in great numbers passing
along the road, and a certain augur was observing an augury by a
bird, and requiring them all to stand still, inquired what they
staid for. Hereupon the augur showed him the bird from whence he
took his augury, and told him that if the bird staid where he
was, they ought all to stand still; but that if he got up, and
flew onward, they must go forward; but that if he flew backward,
they must retire again. Mosollam made no reply, but drew his bow,
and shot at the bird, and hit him, and killed him; and as the
augur and some others were very angry, and wished imprecations
upon him, he answered them thus: Why are you so mad as to take
this most unhappy bird into your hands? for how can this bird
give us any true information concerning our march, who could not
foresee how to save himself? for had he been able to foreknow
what was future, he would not have come to this place, but would
have been afraid lest Mosollam the Jew should shoot at him, and
kill him." But of Hecateus's testimonies we have said enough; for
as to such as desire to know more of them, they may easily obtain
them from his book itself. However, I shall not think it too much
for me to name Agatharchides, as having made mention of us Jews,
though in way of derision at our simplicity, as he supposes it to
be; for when he was discoursing of the affairs of Stratonice,
"how she came out of Macedonia into Syria, and left her husband
Demetrius, while yet Seleueus would not marry her as she
expected, but during the time of his raising an army at Babylon,
stirred up a sedition about Antioch; and how, after that, the
king came back, and upon his taking of Antioch, she fled to
Seleucia, and had it in her power to sail away immediately yet
did she comply with a dream which forbade her so to do, and so
was caught and put to death." When Agatharehides had premised
this story, and had jested upon Stratonice for her superstition,
he gives a like example of what was reported concerning us, and
writes thus: "There are a people called Jews, and dwell in a city
the strongest of all other cities, which the inhabitants call
Jerusalem, and are accustomed to rest on every seventh day (20)
on which times they make no use of their arms, nor meddle with
husbandry, nor take care of any affairs of life, but spread out
their hands in their holy places, and pray till the evening. Now
it came to pass, that when Ptolemy, the son of Lagus, came into
this city with his army, that these men, in observing this mad
custom of theirs, instead of guarding the city, suffered their
country to submit itself to a bitter lord; and their law was
openly proved to have commanded a foolish practice. (21) This
accident taught all other men but the Jews to disregard such
dreams as these were, and not to follow the like idle suggestions
delivered as a law, when, in such uncertainty of human
reasonings, they are at a loss what they should do." Now this our
procedure seems a ridiculous thing to Agatharehides, but will
appear to such as consider it without prejudice a great thing,
and what deserved a great many encomiums; I mean, when certain
men constantly prefer the observation of their laws, and their
religion towards God, before the preservation of themselves and
their country.

23. Now that some writers have omitted to mention our nation, not
because they knew nothing of us, but because they envied us, or
for some other unjustifiable reasons, I think I can demonstrate
by particular instances; for Hieronymus, who wrote the History of
[Alexander's Successors, lived at the same time with Hecateus,
and was a friend of king Antigonus, and president of Syria. Now
it is plain that Hecateus wrote an entire book concerning us,
while Hieronymus never mentions us in his history, although he
was bred up very near to the places where we live. Thus different
from one another are the inclinations of men; while the one
thought we deserved to be carefully remembered, as some
ill-disposed passion blinded the other's mind so entirely, that
he could not discern the truth. And now certainly the foregoing
records of the Egyptians, and Chaldeans, and Phoenicians,
together with so many of the Greek writers, will be sufficient
for the demonstration of our antiquity. Moreover, besides those
forementioned, Theophilus, and Theodotus, and Mnaseas, and
Aristophanes, and Hermogenes, Euhemerus also, and Conon, and
Zopyrion, and perhaps many others, (for I have not lighted upon
all the Greek books,) have made distinct mention of us. It is
true, many of the men before mentioned have made great mistakes
about the true accounts of our nation in the earliest times,
because they had not perused our sacred books; yet have they all
of them afforded their testimony to our antiquity, concerning
which I am now treating. However, Demetrius Phalereus, and the
elder Philo, with Eupolemus, have not greatly missed the truth
about our affairs; whose lesser mistakes ought therefore to be
forgiven them; for it was not in their power to understand our
writings with the utmost accuracy.

24. One particular there is still remaining behind of what I at
first proposed to speak to, and that is, to demonstrate that
those calumnies and reproaches which some have thrown upon our
nation, are lies, and to make use of those writers' own
testimonies against themselves; and that in general this
self-contradiction hath happened to many other authors by reason
of their ill-will to some people, I conclude, is not unknown to
such as have read histories with sufficient care;for some of them
have endeavored to disgrace the nobility of certain nations, and
of some of the most glorious cities, and have cast reproaches
upon certain forms of government. Thus hath Theopompus abused the
city of Athens, Polycrates that of Lacedemon, as hath he hat
wrote the Tripoliticus (for he is not Theopompus, as is supposed
bys ome) done by the city of Thebes. Timeils also hath greatly
abused the foregoing people and others also; and this
ill-treatment they use chiefly when they have a contest with men
of the greatest reputation; some out of envy and malice, and
others as supposing that by this foolish talking of theirs they
may be thought worthy of being remembered themselves; and indeed
they do by no means fail of their hopes, with regard to the
foolish part of mankind, but men of sober judgment still condemn
them of great malignity.

25. Now the Egyptians were the first that cast reproaches upon
us; in order to please which nation, some others undertook to
pervert the truth, while they would neither own that our
forefathers came into Egypt from another country, as the fact
was, nor give a true account of our departure thence. And indeed
the Egyptians took many occasions to hate us and envy us: in the
first place, because our ancestors had had the dominion over
their country? and when they were delivered from them, and gone
to their own country again, they lived there in prosperity. In
the next place, the difference of our religion from theirs hath
occasioned great enmity between us, while our way of Divine
worship did as much exceed that which their laws appointed, as
does the nature of God exceed that of brute beasts; for so far
they all agree through the whole country, to esteem such animals
as gods, although they differ one from another in the peculiar
worship they severally pay to them. And certainly men they are
entirely of vain and foolish minds, who have thus accustomed
themselves from the beginning to have such bad notions concerning
their gods, and could not think of imitating that decent form of
Divine worship which we made use of, though, when they saw our
institutions approved of by many others, they could not but envy
us on that account; for some of them have proceeded to that
degree of folly and meanness in their conduct, as not to scruple
to contradict their own ancient records, nay, to contradict
themselves also in their writings, and yet were so blinded by
their passions as not to discern it.

26. And now I will turn my discourse to one of their principal
writers, whom I have a little before made use of as a witness to
our antiquity; I mean Manetho. (22) He promised to interpret the
Egyptian history out of their sacred writings, and premised this:
that "our people had come into Egypt, many ten thousands in
number, and subdued its inhabitants;" and when he had further
confessed that "we went out of that country afterward, and
settled in that country which is now called Judea, and there
built Jerusalem and its temple." Now thus far he followed his
ancient records; but after this he permits himself, in order to
appear to have written what rumors and reports passed abroad
about the Jews, and introduces incredible narrations, as if he
would have the Egyptian multitude, that had the leprosy and other
distempers, to have been mixed with us, as he says they were, and
that they were condemned to fly out of Egypt together; for he
mentions Amenophis, a fictitious king's name, though on that
account he durst not set down the number of years of his reign,
which yet he had accurately done as to the other kings he
mentions; he then ascribes certain fabulous stories to this king,
as having in a manner forgotten how he had already related that
the departure of the shepherds for Jerusalem had been five
hundred and eighteen years before; for Tethmosis was king when
they went away. Now, from his days, the reigns of the
intermediate kings, according to Manethe, amounted to three
hundred and ninety-three years, as he says himself, till the two
brothers Sethos and Hermeus; the one of whom, Sethos, was called
by that other name of Egyptus, and the other, Hermeus, by that of
Danaus. He also says that Sethos east the other out of Egypt, and
reigned fifty-nine years, as did his eldest son Rhampses reign
after him sixty-six years. When Manethe therefore had
acknowledged that our forefathers were gone out of Egypt so many
years ago, he introduces his fictitious king Amenophis, and says
thus: "This king was desirous to become a spectator of the gods,
as had Orus, one of his predecessors in that kingdom, desired the
same before him; he also communicated that his desire to his
namesake Amenophis, who was the son of Papis, and one that seemed
to partake of a divine nature, both as to wisdom and the
knowledge of futurities." Manethe adds, "how this namesake of his
told him that he might see the gods, if he would clear the whole
country of the lepers and of the other impure people; that the
king was pleased with this injunction, and got together all that
had any defect in their bodies out of Egypt; and that their
number was eighty thousand; whom he sent to those quarries which
are on the east side of the Nile, that they might work in them,
and might be separated from the rest of the Egyptians." He says
further, that "there were some of the learned priests that were
polluted with the leprosy; but that still this Amenophis, the
wise man and the prophet, was afraid that the gods would be angry
at him and at the king, if there should appear to have been
violence offered them; who also added this further, [out of his
sagacity about futurities,] that certain people would come to the
assistance of these polluted wretches, and would conquer Egypt,
and keep it in their possession thirteen years; that, however, he
durst not tell the king of these things, but that he left a
writing behind him about all those matters, and then slew
himself, which made the king disconsolate." After which he writes
thus verbatim: "After those that were sent to work in the
quarries had continued in that miserable state for a long while,
the king was desired that he would set apart the city Avaris,
which was then left desolate of the shepherds, for their
habitation and protection; which desire he granted them. Now this
city, according to the ancient theology, was Typho's city. But
when these men were gotten into it, and found the place fit for a
revolt, they appointed themselves a ruler out of the priests of
Hellopolis, whose name was Osarsiph, and they took their oaths
that they would be obedient to him in all things. He then, in the
first place, made this law for them, That they should neither
worship the Egyptian gods, nor should abstain from any one of
those sacred animals which they have in the highest esteem, but
kill and destroy them all; that they should join themselves to
nobody but to those that were of this confederacy. When he had
made such laws as these, and many more such as were mainly
opposite to the customs of the Egyptians, (23) he gave order that
they should use the multitude of the hands they had in building
walls about their City, and make themselves ready for a war with
king Amenophis, while he did himself take into his friendship the
other priests, and those that were polluted with them, and sent
ambassadors to those shepherds who had been driven out of the
land by Tefilmosis to the city called Jerusalem; whereby he
informed them of his own affairs, and of the state of those
others that had been treated after such an ignominious manner,
and desired that they would come with one consent to his
assistance in this war against Egypt. He also promised that he
would, in the first place, bring them back to their ancient city
and country Avaris, and provide a plentiful maintenance for their
multitude; that he would protect them and fight for them as
occasion should require, and would easily reduce the country
under their dominion. These shepherds were all very glad of this
message, and came away with alacrity all together, being in
number two hundred thousand men; and in a little time they came
to Avaris. And now Amenophis the king of Egypt, upon his being
informed of their invasion, was in great confusion, as calling to
mind what Amenophis, the son of Papis, had foretold him; and, in
the first place, he assembled the multitude of the Egyptians, and
took counsel with their leaders, and sent for their sacred
animals to him, especially for those that were principally
worshipped in their temples, and gave a particular charge to the
priests distinctly, that they should hide the images of their
gods with the utmost care he also sent his son Sethos, who was
also named Ramesses, from his father Rhampses, being but five
years old, to a friend of his. He then passed on with the rest of
the Egyptians, being three hundred thousand of the most warlike
of them, against the enemy, who met them. Yet did he not join
battle with them; but thinking that would be to fight against the
gods, he returned back and came to Memphis, where he took Apis
and the other sacred animals which he had sent for to him, and
presently marched into Ethiopia, together with his whole army and
multitude of Egyptians; for the king of Ethiopia was under an
obligation to him, on which account he received him, and took
care of all the multitude that was with him, while the country
supplied all that was necessary for the food of the men. He also
allotted cities and villages for this exile, that was to be from
its beginning during those fatally determined thirteen years.
Moreover, he pitched a camp for his Ethiopian army, as a guard to
king Amenophis, upon the borders of Egypt. And this was the state
of things in Ethiopia. But for the people of Jerusalem, when they
came down together with the polluted Egyptians, they treated the
men in such a barbarous manner, that those who saw how they
subdued the forementioned country, and the horrid wickedness they
were guilty of, thought it a most dreadful thing; for they did
not only set the cities and villages on fire but were not
satisfied till they had been guilty of sacrilege, and destroyed
the images of the gods, and used them in roasting those sacred
animals that used to be worshipped, and forced the priests and
prophets to be the executioners and murderers of those animals,
and then ejected them naked out of the country. It was also
reported that the priest, who ordained their polity and their
laws, was by birth of Hellopolls, and his name Osarsiph, from
Osyris, who was the god of Hellopolls; but that when he was gone
over to these people, his name was changed, and he was called
Moses."

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