second of that Name Surnamed Philadelphus King of Aegypt of Phaenicia and of Cypres Son of the first Ptolomeus Son of Lagus began his Reign in the 271 year before the Incarnation of our Lord Jesus Christ. This Ptolomeus Philadelphus was endoctrined in the Science of good Letters by Strabo the Peripatetick in which he became so excellent that he was esteemed one of the most accomplish'd Princes of his Time but that which was in him the most admirable was the Bounty Debonarity Sweetness and Gentleness of his Spirit accommodated with the Manners and Complexions of all worthy and deserving Persons By this means he entred so far and before in the Grace of all the World that every one in his thought wish'd he were King And his Father knowing his right of Succession was to be so and rejoycing in his hopes of him made him to be crowned King and devested himself of all Authority without reserving any Power Right or Preheminence to himself only a Superintendency over the Guard of the King his Son glorifying to be Father of such a King For the admiration he had of his high Vertues kindled and gave occasion between them both of a most kind contention in mutual Offices the Son yielding to the Father and the Father to the Son in all and by all through instinct of Devotion and Piety so they gave lively touches one to the other in all reduceable fitting Offices which was cause that the People conceived a great Fidelity and Amity towards them so as it seemed even the Divine Providence prepared this Noble Spirit to introduce that great good amongst Humanes as to make them participants of the Laws and Divine Illuminations wherewith God had favoured the People of the Iews above all the Nations of the World And it seemeth that even then his Almightiness made a preparative for the Vocation of the Ethnicks and Gentiles by Communication so of his holy Law whereof Ptolomy was the ordained Minister to call the Seventy Interpreters into Aegypt to translate into the Greek Language which then was the most used and vulgar through the whole Universe So as I am amazed at some fanatical Spirits that hinder us from the Knowledge of God in not giving his Word in the Language of the People wheresoever as is appertaining to every one in Regard of Salvation I would ask those men what Language spake those Dames of Rome Paula Eustochina Melania Susanna Fabiola Demetria Furia Flavia Blesilla and others For the institution of whom Saint Hierom translated many Books of Holy Scriptures out of strange Tongues into Latin which was the natural Language of the said Ladies I would also know who was more Wise or better inspired then St. Hierom Further it seems they either are or would seem to be ignorant of the Institution of the Emperour Iustinian who ordained that those who sung in the Temples that they should sing high and so intelligible that all the People might understand them But to return to Ptolomy He undertook to erect a Library in the Capital City of his Realm Alexandria the Charge whereof he gave to Demetrius Phalerius a Prince and an Athenian Philosopher who erected it so sumptuously that there was not the like in all the World and it lasted until the first War of the Romans against the Alexandrians This King had to Wife Arsinoe to whom he caused a Statue to be raised in height four Cubits of one entire Stone call'd a Topaz the which had been given to Bernice the Mother of Ptolomy by a Prince named Philemon 2. Of Aristeus the Author of this History ARISTEVS the near Kinsman and Friend of King Ptolomeus Philadelphus is named by St. Hierom Ptolomei Hyperaspistes the Shield of the King or he that defends the King with his Shield or Bearer of the Shield Royal which seems to me that he held some such place about the King his Master as we call at this Day the Great Esquire of the Kings Body he was the Principal Sollicitor for the Liberty of the Iews that then were held Slaves throughout all the Dominions of Ptolomy for he made the first request for them and obtained it And for this cause he was sent Ambassadour with Andrea Prince of the Guards belonging to the King unto Hierusalem to deal with the High-Priest Eleazar who sent to the King Ptolomeus six Doctors of every Tribe to go on with the Translation and Version of the Holy Books of Moses He writ diligently his Voyage where he shews openly how and by what course those seventy two Interpreters behaved themselves in the said Books Some have been of Opinion that they Translated all the Bible but it is more likely to many that they Translated but the five Books that is Genesis Exodus Leviticus Numbers and Deuteronomy which they call the Pentateuck which is the Law of Moses for Aristeus speaks but of the Law of Moses and it is not likely that they touched the Books Historical nor the Prophets for if it had been so Aristeus would not have been silent thereof Moreover that which they Translated was finished in the space of seventy two dayes which is about two Months and a half and that 's a Time too small and therefore impossible to Translate all the Old Testament Nevertheless I am not ignorant that there was a turning of other Books of the Bible that go by the name of the seventy two Interpreters But I am perswaded that they were not then done in Egypt unless that after they were returned to Hierusalem they Translated the rest of the Holy Books although both in that and other Opinions I submit me to the deliberation of the Church from which I will not stray But however this Translation was manifestly Miraculous which is sufficiently shewed by that our Lord Jesus Christ and his Apostles in Allegations of the Law use the Version of these seventy two Interpreters I have spoken these few Words of Aristeus to the end the Reader shall not think that this is that Aristeus Proconensis that could be invisible when he listed making folks believe that he could dye and rise again when he would of whom speaks Suidas Herodotus Pliny and Plutarch in the Life of Romulus 3. Of Eleazer the High-Priest of the Jews ELeazar of whom Aristeus makes mention was brother of Simon surnamed the Just He after the decease of his Brother Simon in the year of the reign of Ptolomy first of that Name 35. was made chief of the Synagogue of the Iews by reason that Onias Son of Simon his Brother was uncapable of succeeding in his Father's Place as being under age This Eleazar therefore received the Honour that in his Time the Holy Translation of the Law was made by the seventy two Doctors that he seâ—t to Ptolomeus second of that Name King of Egypt as Aristeus hath left by Writing 4. Of Demetrius Phalerius DEmetrius Phalerius was an Athenian Orator and Philosopher as Cicero notes in the
consider what appertains to your Degree and what is in your Power to the end there fall not from you any thing unbecoming your Royal Dignity either in Word or Deed you must also bear in mind that all your Subjects are discoursing still of you judging all your Steps and censuring your Courses Further consider how you are exposed to Flatterers who dive into your very Thoughts upon every Change of your Countenance and Carriage from which they will make use for their own ends but in this Great King you may well understand how to demean your self not submitting your Ear to any Person that may charm you with his Syren Flattery or disguise the Truth by Dissimulation since God hath endowed you with great Affability of Behaviour accompanied with Gravity and Dispatch The King then received this Answer with great Joy and Applause and gave all the Company leave to seek their Repose to prepare themselves for meeting at the Feast the day following which was ordered as the former They being met and the time presenting it self for Discourse as before the King made this Question to the first of those that had not yet spoken Fifteenth Question What thing is most difficult for a King The Resolution THat is to Command Himself and not to permit himself to be prevailed upon by any exorbitant Appetites or Passions for all Men have a certain Bent of Inclination by which they many times permit themselves to be led according as their Genius leads them some to Banquets and Riot others to Pastimes and Pleasures wherein the greatest part of the Multitude are immerc'd But Kings should have their Thoughts more elevated as being excited by great Honour and Glory to frame their Actions to Conquests and design the taking of Cities and reducing of Nations Nevertheless it is very commendable to keep a meaâ— and to conserve carefully what God hath and shall give you and not so much to affect what is out of reason or unworthy the high Glory of your Place To the other Sixteenth Question What means he hath to avoid the Envy of Any The Resolution IF before all things you bear in mind that Riches Honour and Greatness are the Gifts of God to Kings of which no Person hath true right to dispose Wherefore if any aim to partake of this glorious Prerogative to be un-envied he will never obtain his end for it is the gift of God alone To the other Seventeenth Question What he ought to do to oblige his Enemies The Resolution IF you become gracious and favourable towards all bountiful Persons without particular Respect of any likewise in what you receive from others not to shew your self ingrateful to the Services and good Offices you have received from them for that is a sign of the Grace of God To the other Eighteenth Question How he may continue in Glory and Honour The Resolution IF towards others and above all others you excell in Bounty and Magnificence accompanying the same with a good Grace never will Glory and Honour abandon you and it behoveth you still to pray to God that such Vertues may perpetually assist you To the other Nineteenth Question To what Persons he should dispence Honour The Resolution THey commonly judge Great King that we ought to dispense Honour where we especially love but for my part I am of Opinion that we ought to dispence all we can to the Envious and to be gracious and bountiful to them according to the utmost of our Power to the end that by such means they may be induced and won to do what is good and profitable in which Choice of our Favours we must implore the Aid of God who inspireth the Understanding to the end he may accomplish in us this Perfection To the other Twentieth Question What Persons he ought to gratifie The Resolution FAther and Mother Great King before all Persons for God hath annexed a great Commandment to the Duty we owe to our Father and Mother allowing after but a second place to Friends whom he hath stiled proportionable in Nature Further I esteem it Great King no small Happiness that you engage all the World to love you To the other One and twentieth Question What is more worthy than Beauty The Resolution THat is Piety for that is a Beauty excelling all other and its Force consisteth in Charity which is a Gift of God which you have and with it you will inherit all Vertue and all that is good To the other Two and twentieth Question By what means oâ—e may recover Greatdess and Glory once lost The Resolution THat is Great King if you are full of Benignity Affability and gracious to all the World which are things charming and attracting the Love of the People it is hard if you lose your Greatness On the other side great Preparations for War give great Assurance but those who fall into such Accidents it is necessary that they abstain from what occasioned them to fall into such Inconveniences and thenceforward they acquire Friends by giving themselves to the Exercise of Justice and Equity for good Works are the Gifts of God To the other Three and twentieth Question How he may live without Anxiety The Resolution IF you wrong no Man and relieve every one doing Justice to all the World for from so doing we reap such pleasant Fruits as we shall always live pleasantly Nevertheless we ought to crave of God that what Accidents happen contrary to Expectation bring us no Damage as Death Sicknesses and such like Inconveniences which can do you no harm if you are full of Piety To the other Four and Twentieth Question What thing in this World is worthy the greatest Honour The Resolution THat is to serve God not so much with Sacrifices or Oblations as with a pure Heart and a sincere Conscience and to conform your self to the Obedience of a simple and active Faith Which if you do Great King it will firmly imprint this Truth in your Heart That all you have done and shall do hereafter will be evident and appear to all the World After this past the King with a loud Voice saluted them all ascribing to them great Praise as did also the Assistants especially the Philosophers who were there present and not without Cause For these Persons were of great Authority in all their Speeches laying the Foundations of their Answers and Opinions alwayes in God This done the King returned to Feasting and Meriment The day following the Tables were covered in the same manner as before and all the Lords as before being set at Table the King taking his Opportunity of Devising began to interrogate those who followed the others in the foregoing day of answering and made this Question The twenty fifth Question I would know if Prudence may be taught The Resolution PRudence is a certain Dress and Ornament of the Soul flowing â—rom the Divine Power having this â—roperty to embrace what is good â—nd to refuse its contrary Six and twentieth Question
in charge was therein so careful that there was nothing made ready for the Kings Person but every day they had as much of the same to every single Person and he would once the day come to visit them with courtship in his own proper Person and they sometimes went to salute the King with great Reverence and so return'd to privacy Every Morning it was their Custom to make their Prayers to God after they had wash'd their Hands in the Sea as the Iews customarily use Lavations and then retir'd to their Readings and Interpretations I was so bold to ask them why they so washed their Hands before they made their Prayers to which demand they made this Answer that this washing of the hands did admonish them to do nothing wickedly but to devote all their Actions to Piety and Sanctity because that all the Works they did with their Hands might be effected according to Justice Truth and Cleanness as we have before said To conclude these Personages being in such Serenity of Air Beauty of dwelling Tranquility of Silence Pleasantness of Repose and Royal Entertainment finished the Work undertaken and which is a note of Admiration they had so expresly ordered it among themselves and followed it with such care and diligence that the Interpretation of the Law was fully finished in the space of 72 Dayes Demetrius then seeing the Translation and Interpretation of the Law was so well and happily brought to an end used means that the multitude of the Iews then being in Egypt might be convocated to the place where the Work was then perfected to whom he shewed how all things had been done beginning with all Circumstances of the Enterprize and all in the presence of the Interpreters To the King all the Multitude attributed great Praise and gave infinite thanks for being the mediate cause of so important a good and a benefit of such excellency Likewise they shared a part of the Honour to Demetrius intreating him to shew them that Favour as to have a Copy for their Princes for to haue their Advice and to deliberate upon the Profit or Damage that might arise upon the same In this sort was the Law reviewed re-known and received in the assembly of the Princes of the Iews and of the Multitude and of the Ambassadors of Towns And upon Proclamation made the seventy two Doctors being present that all was well and holily Translated and done after a most exquisite manner it was provided that nothing thereof should be changed and that all things should remain in the same estate without alteration of the least thing or tittle As the Translation was thus approved of all and the Decree made for the ratification of the same Demetrius commanded that according to their custom they should make Imprecations and Maledictions against those which should undertake or should presume to add any thing thereto or to transferr it otherwayes by changing effacing or ordering any thing whatsoever it were unto that which was so perfectly now written And when all was perfected and accomplished in this manner he adâ—ured the Iews to hold keep and preserve it inviolably for ever the which they promised to do with great Joy and Acclamation So Demetrius finding himself greatly satisfied especially because he had been a great Conductor of the Work and that he had given to the King such Content in the happy execution and accomplishment of his charge and of this his Felicity made great Complements to the King Who having after with great Diligence perus'd this Interpretation and considered the profundity of the Sence of the Law-maker which he admired with an astonished regard he said to Demetrius How comes it to pass that none of the Poets or Historians have put their Hands to this Law being it is a thing of so high and perfect Excellency To which Demetrius answered that no body never durst touch it as well for the reverence of the same as also that God had forbidden it so as some having presumed to attempt it have been chastised with Divine Punishment whereupon they have been constrained to desist from their enterprize For as testifieth Theopompus which by a recital of himself saith that presuming to transferr into his History some Secrets of the Holy Law he was afflicted more then 30 dayes following with a perturbation of his Understanding But calling upon God in the Intervals and Cessations of the most vehement fits of this his Malady it was told him in his sleep this Punishment was sent him from God for having presumed to prophane and falsifie things Sacred So by this Vision he was corrected repented and perfectly received his Sences again And said Demetrius upon mine own knowledge I affirm that Theodorus a Tragick Poet willing to usurp something from this Law therewith to enrich his Poesie lost his sight Nevertheless advising with himself and concluding that this his Audaciousness was the cause of his Blindness prayed to God for many dayes whereby he came again to Health The King saying that this was wisely spoken adored the Law Commanding that the Books of the same should be preserved the most curiously and carefully that might be possible and advising with the Interpreters benignely and graciously prayed them that when they were in Iudea they would often come and see him Finally he gave order that they should be honourably returned back and conducted into their Country promising them that how oft soever and when they pleased to return he would entertain them as his principal Friends so honouring them with fair Presents according to their Merits and commanding that all things should be made ready for the dispatch of their return using towards them all Royal Magnificence He gave to every one of them three rich Habilliments and two Talents of Gold and an excellent Cup of the weight of a Talent Moreover Furniture to furnish a Chamber over and above he sent to Eleazer ten Table-beds or Couches of ease which had the Feet of Silver and adorned with all that was necessary to the beautifying of them Further he sent him a Present of thirty Talents of Cilicia that is to say ten Robes whereof the one was of Purple and a fair Crown of an hundred Tunicks of Crespe of Viols of Basins and two Cups of Gold for the Sacrifices After he intreated Eleazar that when any of the said Doctors should desire rather to return to him then to remain in Hierusalem that he would not hinder them by any means for he protested he made great esteem of wise Mens Company and that he would spare for nothing to draw them to him In which he should best employ his Riches to all imaginable Content and Profit and not as some Prodigal Princes do in vain Trifles that profit nothing Behold here my Philocrates the Present which I promised you in which I hope you will take more Pleasure than in reading vain fabulous Narrations being that you use to whet and sharpen your Understanding in the Contemplation
first Book of his Offices calling him a subtil and sharp Disputant and in the rest an Orator little vehement He had been Disciple of Theophrastus he was a man of such Knowledge and excellent Carriage that foreign Kings had him in Admiration and drew him to their Service even Cassander King of Macedon And for this Reputation the Athenians gave him the Principality of the City and Common-weal in which he was Ten years in great Prosperity But some of the Citizens having conceived Malice against him chased and threw him out of his Estate and then he was honourably received of King Ptolomy of whom we speak where he was Master of the Library Royal the Athenians having formerly raised to him 360 Statues of Marble in despight cast them to the Earth and judged him to death as a Traytor of which Demetrius being advertised said The Athenians have thrown down my Statues but they cannot over-turn my Vertue for which they first erected those Statues He was wont to say that Eloquence was as necessary in a Common-weal as a Sword in the Wars He dyed by the biting of an Aspick and was buried in the Region of Busina near to Diospolis The History of Aristeus Ambassadour of King Ptolomaeus Philadelphus treating of his Voyage unto Jerusalem and the first Translation of the Holy Bible by the Seventy two Elders Written in Greek 1900 years since Aristeus to his Brother Philocrates WEll knowing your Natural and good inclination Philocrates to have always had in great esteem the knowledge of all things and that you have been desirous and even greedy to understand the occurrences and passages of good Exploits I have deliberated to frame to you in Writing a matter not only excellent in it self but well deserving to be known which unto us is hapned being sent of late to Eleazar H. Priest of the Iews But because these things shall be more easie to you I shall first declare the Causes for which we were sent and then I shall come to the Progress of the Matter so as I shall shape my Discourse to Your understanding and that the most truly I possibly can as well â—or the dignity of the Subject as to delight your Mind desirous of all good Knowledges assuring my self that man hath in him nothing more excellent and laudable than incessantly to desire Learning either by means of Histories or by the Objects of things themselves or by the course and Experience of Affairs For the Spirâ—t of Man though Rude and unâ—urnished is greatly adorned and embellished when from the beginning it delighteth to Taste and Relish those most nourishing fair worthy and excellent things that may conduct him by an infallible course to follow Piety and right Reason We therefore searching with great curiosity into the Knowledge of Divine things could not arrive at them as not understanding the Divine Law without being interpreted and rendred into our familiar tongue for which cause we undertook to go Ambassadour to one only Person who amongst his fellow Citizens and others for frankness and great worth was in the most esteem and who only did great Honour and Profit to the Citizens he conversed with but also to all other Iews of what other place or whence soever Being then well inâ—ormed that they had the Divine Law written in Hebrew Characters in skins of Parchment we were joyful to accept this charge given us by the King as also for that the Colonies of the Captive Iews here desired the same above all things of the world who had been hither led by the Kings Father that had reduced into his Obedience the City of Ierusalem and all the Countrey adjacent But since we are faln to make mention of that matter it will not be impertinent to give you light into the whole Discourse that thereby you may take your measures better knowing well that it will be more advisable carefully to inform you how to address your self to the service of God Reverently than to travel in the search of Humane Laws or Actions be they never so just Which Inclination you have sufficiently manifested since from an Isle so far remote you are come to this Country to see those things that may serve to the cultivating of your Mind without Regard to any place whatsoever I have therefore here reduced to Writing First what hath seemed to me worthy of Memory touching the Nation of the Iews as I have in some measure understood from the Learned and Wise Priests of Egypt to the end that by this means I might aid and encrease by some means Your knowledge For we ought to have in Remembrance what good we have received from othes and particularly to shew all gratitude to those who relate to us And principally You who have knowledge of Vertue deriving from your Brother not only Resemblance Proximity of Blood and Lineage but those those Principles that excite you with the same impetuosity of Courage to attain the Honour Glory and Beauty of Vertue assuring my self that neither the admiration of Gold or Riches nor the appearance of any things more precious conduce to any thing but vain-glory neither will they yield you any such fruit as we may gather from Knowledge Education and consideration of good Discipline For the rest to the end it may not seem that we make shew of ostentation in being prolix in this Preface we will return to our purpose from whence we have wandered Demetrius Phalerius Master of the Kings Library after the best care he could giving order to purchase Books from all Parts of the World And employing for that purpose great numbers of Persons as Factors dispersed in many places who had in charge to buy and transcribe them they so doing and that with Diligence the design of the King was accomplished and executed at least in the best manner that was possible For the King asking him in our Presence how many thousand Volumes he had collected for his Library he answered for the present he had no more than two hundred thousand and he hoped e're long to have to the number of 500000. But Sir said he I have understood that the Laws of the Iews deserve to be Copied and Translated and to have place in your Library And what hinders it answered the King that they be not have you not all things to serve you convenient for that purpose Demetrius Answered that it was necessary that those Laws should be Translated and Interpreted because the Iews had in use a Character peculiar to their Language far different from the Aegyptians adjusting and accommodating their Letters to the Tone of the Voice and that they were much deceived who held they spake the Syrian Tongue for their manner of Speech was far distant To which the King replied that he would write to the High Priest of the Iews to the end that all might be obtained which was requisite to bring this matter to an issue as Demetrius required Then it came to
Further because it is our desire they and all others of their Nation spread and scattered throughout the Universe may be thankful for our favours we have resolved to cause your Law Written in Hebrew Letters to be Translated into the Greek Language and that our Royal Library be adorned therewith as it is with other Books you will do well then as a thing very agreeable to us and answering our Design and Intention if you elect out of every Tribe or Line of your Nation six of the most Aged Persons and such as shall be found of the best Breeding and Sufficience and of greatest Authority in the Service of the Law and that have the best Style in Writing to make this Translation for so will the Truth thereof be better and more easily gathered if the Set of Interpreters be men of mature Judgement and well exercised in the Law well weighing that to effect well and worthily such an Interpretation and Translation it is needful there should be Pains curious Study and Reflection which may be found in the endeavours of Many who are more sharp more subtile and more discerning than One alone Moreover we judge that by the accomplishing so great a work there will redound to us great Honour and Glory For this cause therefore we have sent unto you Andrea Captain of the Guard and Aristeus men of Honourable place in our Court who have Commission on our part to present you with Jewels for your sacrifices and an Hundred Talents of Silver for other uses Herein you will give us great content and pleasure and express a courtesie resenting Amity if you have need of any thing to require it for we will not fail to furnish and accommodate you therewith immediately To which Epistle Eleazar answered as follows Eleazar the High Priest to King Ptolomeus Philadelphus our most illustrious Friend IF you are well Sir and the Queen Arsinoe and my Lady your Sister and my Lords your Children God be praised for health is a thing to be desired and acknowledged as due unto him who is Giver thereof As for us we are in good prosperity praised be the Giver We have received your Letters which brought us great Content by reason of your Counsel Enterprise and Design as also for the love and good will you bear us Having received them we made a great Assembly of the People to whom in a long Discourse we have made known your Liberality towards our Nation and exposed to view your Presents and Oblations to the end they should understand your holy Affection and Piety towards our God Shewing publickly the twenty Vessels and Viols of Gold the thirty of Silver which you have sent the five cups of Gold with the Table of proportion and the hundred Talents of Silver to be employed for the Victims and other uses requisite to the Priests Which Jewels were to us presented by Andrea one of your Princes and Aristeus Persons truly worthy of note both for external beauty and excellency of Behaviour and condition as also rare Knowledge briefly Lords worthy in all things of your Conversation and Justice by whom we have been fully informed of your will and intention agreeing with the Tenour of your Letters Wherefore we will wholly set our selves to endeavour to accomplish your desire For although it be a difficult thing to bring well to perfect effect yet for the Times to come it will be an Argument of our great Confederation and Amity For you have obliged our Citizens with a great and as it were an in inestimable Beneficence Whereupon we have offered to God the Sacrifice of Thanksgiving for you your Sister Children and Friends and the whole multitude of people hath prayed to God for your Prosperity and that it will please him to address your affection in all your Acts and that God the Ruler of all things will make your Realm to flourish and increase in Peace and Glory And that the Translation of the Sacred Law may redound unto your Profit and Advantage After these Sacrifices were accomplished all the People being together we chose Persons of better Rank and men of Honour and of good Life and Report being Six of every Tribe or Line which we have sent to you with the Holy Law which was left us by the Inspired Writer Moses Be it your pleasure Sir to return them us after the Translation of the Books shall be compleated These are the Names of those that were chosen from all the Lines and Tribes of the Jews to go to Aegypt to make the first Translation of the Holy Bible or Law of Moses Of the first Tribe JOsephus Ezechias Zacharias Ioannes Ezechias Heliseus Of the second Iudas Simon Somoelus Adeus Mathias Eschemias Of the third Nehemias Iosephus Theodosius Baseas Ornias Dacis Of the fourth Ionathas Auxeus Heliseus Annanias Chebrias Sacheus Of the fifth Iasacus Iacobus Iesus Cabateus Simon Leuis Of the sixth Iudas Iosephus Simon Zacharias Somelus Selemias Of the seventh Sabbatens Iason Iesus Theodotus Ioannes Ionathas The eighth Theodosius Iason Iesus Theodotus Ioannes Ionathas The ninth Theophilus Abrahamus Arsamus Iason Endemias Danielus The tenth Hieremias Eleazarus Zacharias Baneas Helisius Datheus The eleventh Samuel Iosephus Iudas Ioathes Chabel Desitheus The twelfth Isaelus Ioannes Theodosius Arsamenus Abiethas Ezecelus Number of all 72. Such was the Answer to the Letters of the King NOw I will declare to you the most succinctly I can possible the beauty and workmanship of the things we found in Ierusalem being with Eleazar and those also which were sent to him for all was wrought with singular Art and of most exquisite beauty the King being therein so careful and intent to perâ—orm abundantly all that was necessary for finishing so extraordinary Work that of his own proper motion he went and came visiting every one of the Master-workmen and Goldsmiths whom he kept so close to their business that he permitted them no idle time for Sport or Debauches Of the Presents sent unto Eleazer Chief Priest of the Jews by King Ptolomeus Philadelphus And first of the Table of Gold IT behoveth then that first we describe the Table for it was a work of admirable lustre The King desiring to shew therein a Master-piece of Work wherefore he demanded the measure and dimension of the Table which was in the Temple of Ierusalem and the ornaments of the same When he knew the measure he asked if they would receive a greater And being answered by some of the Priests and others if there where no let a greater might have place there The King then replyed that hâ— intended to give one five times bigger than that was there provided that might not be inconvenient for the Priests by its disproportionable quantity Further consideration ought not only to be had of the Receit and Capacity of the Place but also of its Accommodation to the Sacrifices thereon to be prepared and that he was not without consideration that the Iews had not made
Study esteeming no search more than how to excel one the other in accessible graciousness and sweetness of hearing and answering so that every one of them were esteemed of in their Tribe as men worthy to have Preheminence and Principality for the Vertue that was in them And it is worth the noting in what Honour they held Eleazar and in what Respect he held them For besides that he writ to the King to take care for their convenient return he recommended with a passionate desire and tender affection these reverent Persons to Andrea desiring with many Intreaties and Requests that we should with our Credits and Grace with the King open them a fair Access To which we made Answer that as these things were matters of our special Charge so we should be careful to Discharge our selves answerably with all due Care wherefore we desired he would be at ease in that point for they should therein be absolutely free I assure you said he I am upon this occasion in no little pain and not without just cause for I know the King a Prince so diligent a Lover of vertuous and worthy Persons and how industriously he seeks them that there is no place free from his desires when he hears where such are that excel or are remarkable for Wit or Learning And I have been informed that he useth to say what is most true that in such manner of men dwells and consists the strength and defence of his Kingdom and especially when he hath near about his person good store of Wise and Just men who have provident Counsel to give him lest all should miscarry Which I perceive well by those he hath pleased to send hither And we earnestly profess that we send not these persons to be assisting to him in the Affairs of his Government but for the Publick Profit and an Universal Good of all his people in which regard nothing ought to be refused nothing that we will not indure For though the form of Well Living consists in the observation and accomplishment of Moral Precepts and Constitutions Nevertheless it is better learn'd and taught by the Knowledge and Experience of the things themselves than in the abstracted nakedness of Words By this speech and such like we came to know what great affection Eleazar did bear to these Persons Of the Answers made by Eleazar upon certain points of the Law of Moses IT behoveth also we touch briefly the Answers Eleazar made us to our Questions For knowing the Iews with great nicety esteem the observances and differences of meats and drinks according to their Law and that of certain Beasts they esteem some unclean and infected We therefore enâ—uired saying since all things are of one and the same Creation and receive one and the same Substance whence is it that some are rejected as Infectious as well to Eat as to Touch so that as it should seem the Law treateth more Magisterially than Rationally Eleazar then Answered you know not said he what force and vertue Custome hath as to Well-Living and what Alterations and Changes she brings in Humane Affairs See we not that those who converse with the Evil let themselves looâ—e to a course of Corruption in Manners whereby they become Wretched all their lives after On the Contrary those that accustome and habituate themselves with the Wise and Intelligent although they are yet ignorant change from good to better and become happy and fortunate Which our Law-maker considering resolving all his Laws into Piety and Justice he hath not only taught us all we ought to do by Words but expressâ—d all by Instancâ—s and forbidding us to do Evil hath set before our Eyes the Causes why God hath created every thing First he hath taught that God is One and All by the Power of whom all things are Governed and Subsist and that He is present in all Places and without Whom nothing can remain in its Being be it never so Little and that Nothing can be hidden from Him whatsoever men do upon Earth never so Secretly even what men Do and Think within themselves or what they Plod and Contract one with another all is to Him notorious and Naked before his Eyes For He sees the things To Come as if they were Present Moreover he out of his gracious Goodness teacheth us that when any one sets himself to work Evil he may assure himself it cannot be Hidden and proposes thus by all the Law no other thing than to shew the Power and Strength of our good God Being then heedful of the begining of these things he sheweth that other People who have Opinion that there are many Gods are themselves more powerful than the Gods they by Folly adore For they affirm foolishly that the Images and Resemblances they frame of Stone or of Wood are the Representations and Shapes of those who have brought to light by their Inventions some Advantages to the Civil Affairs of Life and these they Worship prostrating themselves on their Knees before them But they are out of their right Wits and indeed out of themselves and if one demand of them what are their Inventions they alledge something produced from Nature as if it were indeed a thing produced created and composed by the fore-said Inventors although they never contributed thereto in which they sufficiently manifest their Perverseness and Stupidity For it is well known that if there be question of any good Invention that there may be found at this day Persons more learned more subtil and more quick to invent any Art then they have done who have been in times past yet they are not therefore adored as Gods although the Sage Greeks esteemed such Inventors worthy of Honour What should I speak of the Egyptians and their Neighbours who are herein madder than the others for these have some of them brought in Divine Worship to brute Beasts others unto Reptiles out of common Reason and all Understanding making Sacrifices to the Living and Dead immolating to them Victims Wherefore the Wise and Understanding Law-maker being instituted of God in the Knowledge of all things hath hedged us in and fortified us round as it were with a Trench and Palisado and distinguished us with a Wall of Iron to the end that being innocent in Soul and pure in Body we might not mingle our selves in any sort with other Nations and that rejecting all fond and vain Opinions we might adore one only GOD who hath power above all Creatures For this the Priests of the Egyptians Princes of the People although they fail in other things name us Men of GOD and agree with us in many things because other People have not this Religion to Adore one only God according to the Truth as we do For others give themselves over to Gormandisings and Drunkenness building upon Shadows amusing themselves with no other things but Pleasures and Belly-chear Of which there is no one of us hath so much as thought but all the course of
our Lives is imployed only to the Knowledge of Vertue and Divine Power to the end we fall not into Sin nor be polluted by the conversation of such People in any manner whatever He hath also defended and armed us on all sides with Purity and Honesty not only in our Meat and Drink but also in what we handle touch see and hear for he hath reduced and brought all things before our natural Reason for as all things have their Being from one Power so with a most profound Judgment hath he appointed which we are to use and from which we are to abstain I will alledge you one or two for Example to the end that if you take heed to the Words and plain Speech you cannot think that Moses hath taken such Pains to ordain his Laws because of Rats Weasels and such like things For it is necessary you understand that he hath very well and wisely ordered all things to the Honesty of Living having regard to Purity and Cleanliness and to the correction and amendment of Manners And as for Birds and flying Fowls he hath permitted us to eat ordinarily of such as are tame and are different from others in Neatness and Cleanliness and that live upon Grain and Seeds such as are Pidgeons Turtles Peacocks Partridge Geese and the like And such as he hath forbidden us to eat they are wild ravenous living upon Flesh and Carrion of proud Natures inclined to Rapine and Prey and such as by force set upon others and seek not their living but to the damage hurt and injury of the other Poultry who are gentle and tame but those fierce ones not only seize upon those of their own Kind but also upon Lambs Kidds and even upon Men yet living or half dead Our Law-maker therefore noting this by way of Similitude and by a borrowed way of Translation taken from the Nature of such Fowls hath pronounc'd them unclean and infectious as being willing to reduce and bring all things to the consideration of Purity and Cleanliness of the Soul to the end that every one being admonished by ordinary and domestick Examples may understand how it behoveth to use Equity and Justiceâ— and that it is not granted to Man bâ— he never so strong powerful proudâ— bold and audacious soever to ravisâ— by force that of another nor to dâ— injury to any Person but that it iâ— convenient he should order the coursâ— of his Life in imitation of the Fowâ— I have spoken of who live by Grainâ— leading a tame and tractable Lifeâ— And that it is not lawful to vex anâ— trouble any Person of our own Kindâ— nor ravage his Goods by force as dâ— those Beasts he hath prohibited us tâ— eat and not to use Violence in anâ— case which is figured by the Naturâ— of Beasts not wholly void of Senseâ— You understand then the Reason whâ— he hath forbidden us the Use of thâ— said things that is to say because oâ— the Inclination and Nature of everâ— Beast You may therefore now well conâ—ceive how our Law-giver Moses hatâ— been careful in all things to correâ—â— our Manners and establish them bâ— the things to which we are accustomed and therefore to regard the Nature of brute Beasts for where he hath Licensed us eating the Flesh of four-footed Beasts who have two and the Hoofs cloven the Import is that we ought to direct our Operations to Justice and Bounty By this cloven Hoof figuring to us the Distribution of Rewards and Punishments For which cause we are cleft and divided from other Nations to the end we be not polluted with Sin by their Conversation and Company For many People of the Gentiles are sullied with Impiety by mixture of one with another and not only suffer the Provinces and Cities to be spotted infected and dishonoured with Sins against Nature but are fouly stain'd with the unclean blood of Child-bearing Women having no shame or regret to commit Incest with their own Daughters from which things we are wholly Alienated Moreover where he hath noted to us the sign of this Forking he hath also advised us to be recollected by the same Figure in the same Animals for he hath added further that they should be such as chew the Cud By which he manifestly admonisheth us to have this Rumination in Memory and in the Course of our Life for what signifieth the chewing of the Cud but that we ought still to have in our Minds a continual revolving of our Lives and Actions and so by a frequent Meditation the Duties to which we are obliged and what we owe to all Even as the Life of the Body is ever in our Thoughts so as our Spirit is nourished in bringing to mind her Employments And for this cause he saith in the Scripture Have GOD still in thy Memory and Thought who hath done for thee such great and wonderful things If this thou truly considerest thou shalt find it great and admirable indeed For first thou shalt behold the Architecture of the Body the Distribution and Transfusion of the Elements the Connexion and Ligatures of the Members a thing truly worthy of Admiration But it will be more admirable If thou hast regard to the Sense which is given to every Member if thou weighest the Actions of the Understanding if thou considerest the invisible Movements and how in each of them there shines a Vigour and Vivacity of Spirit from whence have proceeded the Inventions of Arts almost innumerable Wherefore not without cause Moses commanded us to have in constant Consideration that all Things have been established and made Examples by the Divine Power and Providence for so hath he finished and counterpoised every Thing agreeing with its time and place recalling always to Mind the consideration of GOD the Lord Ruler and Creator of the whole Universe And if we will begin with what concerns Eating and Drinking hath he not well and prudently commanded that we should give Praises and Thanks to GOD when we sit at Table In which he hath not permitted us to Devise or Discourse of any thing in the World that should make us forget or efface in our Memories the Power and Providence of GOD. Wherefore he hath appointed that we engrave upon the Doors and Portals of our Houses such Inscriptions as should excite us to Thanksgiving still to refresh our Memories with the Thoughts of God and his Goodness to us by a most evident sign that all our Endeavours ought always to be to mind us of Sincerity and Equity and that each Thought ought always to represent GOD before our Eyes Also he hath appointed that not only when we Sit at Table but when we Rise we should praise the Works of God not only in Word but also with a grave and composed Countenance reducing to Mind the perpetual Motion of the Heavens and that this alternative and successive Nature is Divine and incomprehensible to Man Thus to you is expounded the Reason of the forking of the