Scaffolds which one mounts by Stairs like open Galleries where the most eminent Persons walk higher than others that have means to walk by places which are lower and these banked wayes as it were are in the most principal Streets to the end that those who bear the holy things should not be polluted with Filth and Dirt By which one may judge their Ancestors have wisely and with good reason chosen such a Place for the seat of the Town making so fit a choice in all things whatsoever Of the Country round Hierusalem and of the Policy of the Pâ—sants or Country People THis Country is spacious and fair stretching from one side towards Samaria and the Neighbouring Idumea which is a plain Country On the other side the Coasts are fair and fertile And it is no marveil if this Region be so abounding and fertile of it self and plentiful in all good Fruits being also that it is manured by the industry and great care of the Countrey People And it is not here as it is commonly seen about good and fertile Lands where the Pesants are idle careless and for the abounding Pleasures and Voluptuousness of Cities despise their Labours And according as we see Youth is taken with Delights and Ideleness become effeminate and Tender Which truly hapned to Alexandria a City rich Wealthy and Abounding in all good things Where the Youth of the Countrey that used to follow Country works diverting and amusing their Rough Condition with the pleasures and ease of a Delicious Life forgat their Countrey Business and Labour and became idle and sloathful And for such reasons doubtless their Iewish Kings ordained that these Peasants should make no stay in the City and that no one of them should dwell any where but in his Country-farm longer than 20 days and that unless for urgent and important reasons because they should not lose their time For which reasons it was ordained that all Processes and Controversies of Law suits should be determined in five days and never depend longer And for this was Published a Law and the reason thereof delegated to the Judges and Ministers of every Country that the Pesants should not sojourn or make abode in the Towns as is said because of the Demurs of their Suits neglecting their Country Business which might cause damage and loss to the Revenues of their Prince diminishing his Tributes and Dues arising from these Labourers I am the larger upon this because we had Advice hereof in Discoursing with Eleazar The Peasants thereâ—ore are very careful and diligent in their Labours and Menagery by reason whereof in such a multitude of people the Region is planted all with Fruit Trees abounding every where in Corn and all sorts of Grain The Vineyards cloathed with Vines nor is it possible to tell the number oâ— Palm Trees Olive-Trees Fig-Trees besides Pastuâ—es â—or the raising of Cattle which they breed up in great Numbers So as they have not only all place as it were of choice for this purpose but also a provident caâ—e still to dispose it for the Reception and Entertainment of so great a Number of People nor have they appointed this course for the Villages but that thereby they might fully furnish and beautifie their Towns Besides there comes abundance of Aromatick Drugs of Gold and Precious Stones to them from Arabia For this Province opens as it were a Fair or general Market to all round about for Traffick and Commerce The City is â—ull of Tradesmen having no want of any thing that may be brought by Sea for it is accommodated by the neighbourhood of the Ports of Ascalon of Iaffet of Gaza and of Acra Cities founded by their Kings for this purpose of Accommodation and those Cities we have named are a great Convenience to this Town as not beâ—ng too near nor too remote so as it is very â—asie to have all things necâ—ssary in a short time with assurance of the ways to the Comers and Goers The Country is washed throughout by the River Iordan whose Water never fails This River having its source from the East runs no less than sixty thousand Paces In the best and most fertile Countries on the Banks of this River heretofore inhabited and Conquered those Valiant Troops of Iews who in their times Conquered the Countrey and passed this River being in number more than six hundred Thousand This Iordan swells and increaseth in the Summer and overflows the Neighbouring Fields like the Nyle covering a great part of the ground and then falls into another River by Acra both which empty at once into the Sea There are many other Streams that bend their course towards Gaza and Azota that have their turnings and windings through all the whole Province The force strength and assurance of this Region consists in places inaccessible and difficult to come at and so are naturally strong for all the Country is invironed with Mountains Rocks and Precipices cut straight down as it were with a plummet In other parts it is inclosed with Rivers and Currents so as the Valleys and the Plains are fortified with great Ditches and Trenches On the other side the Ways are so narrow and troublesome with Turnings and Windings to and fro that with great difficulty those that Travel by Land come to the great City They say also they were wont in former times to draw up Metals from the Mountains of the bordering Arabia But since the time that the Persians had Rule this search of Metals was left off the Expence being more than the Advantage and the labour fruitless yet they say this excuse was invented by the Inhabitants of those places to the end that their Lands should not be swallowed up in the hollowness of the Mines so that the Earth being open no Passage could be afforded to Strangers in those narrow Ways And so much for these things Brother Philocrates I have discovered unto thee Now I will declare what concerns the Law and its Interpretation and first Translation What the Translators of the Holy Law were THose that were chosen were very Honest and Vertuous men excelling in all Knowledge descenced of Noble Race and not only well vers'd in their own Iudaick Learning but also well acquainted and exercised in the Greek Letters for they were reserved men and always ready to be employed as Embassadours upon occasion For which they were as it were purposely bred and as Proper and Able to Judge of those Things and Courses as the case required And were those that expounded the Publick Rules and resolved with great sufficience all difficulties in their own Law and had marvellous readiness both for Haranguing and giving Sentence They were men clearly void of all barbarous Incivility of good and sweet Condition and born as it were to follow their proper manner of Living and Estate in a Mediocrity and most commendable Modesty still striving above all things to exceed all others in Wisdome and good Knowledges and in these endeavours consisted all their
is not easily to be discerned and in the same it is needful to have Observation a long time for those who are near to a King aspire to make themselves rich and spare no means to get by his Favour great Profit and are naturally Traytors But God conduct Great King your Councel that they may sufficiently shew you who are those that perfectly love you To the other Three and fiftieth Question What is that which conserveth a Kingdom The Resolution THat is that the King take diligent care and give order that those who are in Office and have charge commit no undue things to the prejudice of the People The which you know very well how to perform for as it seemeth God hath given you a Spirit very excellent To the other Four and fiftieth Question By what means he might keep Grace and Honour The Resolution BY Vertue For she is the accomplishment of all great Works and trips up the Feet of Vice as you have long experimented by your excellent Bounty towards all Persons Which in you is a sign of the Gift of God To the other Five and fiftieth Question How in Time of War he might keep himself still in Tranquillity of Spirit The Resolution IF you propose in your Mind to give order that your Lieutenants and Captains commit nothing that is Evil but that they contend by Vertue one with another for the proof of their Vertue and further that they have in you a perfect Confidence that you will have their Domestick Affairs in a singular Respect if it happen that they lose their Lives for and in your Service By this means you shall have no Occasion to be troubled disposing all prudently by Divine Clemency which will inspire you to understand all that is good King Ptolomy receiving this Answer with great expressions of Joy with a chearful Countenance entreated them all to drink shewing extream Content and Satisfaction The seventh Day the Feast was prepared more great and more sumptuous than it had hitherto been because that many Ambassadours from Cities were arrived there Then all being set in their Order the King finding occasion to devise asked the first of those that had not yet spoken their Advise in this same manner Six and fiftieth Question How he might be resolved throughly by Reason and by Arguments The Resolution IF you weigh well the Propositions which you shall hold and the Persons which speak and the Subject whereof they treat and â—hat you often inform your self and that in divers manners and by long intervals of time of the estate of the above said Affairs For the Bounty of the Spirit is an extraordinary Gift of God by which one may easily know and discern all thingsâ— To the other Seven and fiftieth Question Wherefore is it that many cannot approach unto Vertue The Resolution BEcause Nature hath Created alâ— Humane Creatures subject to incontinence and prompt to Voluptuousness from whence Injusticâ— and Iniquity is ingendred and Avaâ—riciousness does greatly abound Buâ— the estate of Vertue whose Nature is fixed on things sublime casts away all those whom Voluptuousness doth cause to be alienated from her Foâ— she commends before all things thaâ— Justice and Magnanimity shall be observed the which God gives and is therefore the principal Author To the other Eight and fiftieth Question What is that which Kings ought to follow above all things The Resolution THat is the Laws To the end that they ruling the lives of â—ubjects by just and equitable Acts as we have heard you do Great â—ing you shall gain by this means â—â—mortal Memory if you follow the â—recepts and Commands of the most â—igh To the other Nine and Fiftieth Question Who are those that one ought to elect for Offices and Magistracies The Resolution THEY are those that are averse to all things unjust and â—â—at are imitators of your Actions and that being drawn with the sweetness of Vertue pursue incessantly after good Works that they may attain to Glory and Honour to which certainly O Worthy King still following Vertue you will aâ—â—tain For God is he that crowneâ— with Honour and Glory glorioâ—â— Justice To the other The Sixtieth Question What Persons ought one to choose for Captains The Resolution THose that do most exceed Justice and Magnanimity aâ—â— yet have more respect to the Livesâ— Men than to a bloody Victory Fâ—â— God is he from whom all Mortâ—â— receive infinite Goodness the whiâ—â— you shall excellently imitate if yâ—â— persist in doing good to your Suâ—â—jects To the other The One and Sixtieth Question Who is the Man worthy of Admiration The Resolution THat is he who doth highly abound in Glory and Greatness is opulent in Riches and sublime in Puissance yet nevertheless yields himself affable and kind just and equitable to every one as we have heard Great King you do and the same shall make you admired by every one For it is God that hath engraven this Sollicitude in your Heart To the other The Two and Sixtieth Question What behoveth him to exercise himself in when he is at leisure that he may not thereby be drowned in Sloth The Resolution IT is necessary with all imaginable care and diligence to consider the Discourse which offer concerning the form and manner of living which every one ought constantly to have before his Eyes Likewise to bear always in mind to whaâ— end Property and Vertue were alâ— things ordained Because in the saiâ— Discourse there is much good anâ— honest pastime conjoined to the inâ—crease of Knowledge For amongst little and vile things one finds maâ—ny times something that may pleasâ— him to choose and take for the reâ—â— Great King it seems well to uâ—â— God hath in a great measure so faâ—voured you that you will still bâ— electing all vertuous behaviour anâ— kindness by the great honour yoâ— bear to the study of Wisdom Tâ— the other The Three and Sixtieth Question In what things ought Kings most to employ their time The Resolution IN the knowledge of Histories and in reading Books which treat of Affairs that most often present themselves to him in which it is needful thatâ— he imploy much time It behoâ—eth moreover that he enquire for those Writings that teach to conserve Kingdoms and to correct the manners of men which to accomplish with such diligence as you do God will give prosperity to your Designs in which he will grant you â—n excellent Glory far above other Kings To the other The Four and Sixtieth Question What Persons ought one to invite to Banquets The Resolution ONe ought to call those which are desirous to learn and those who often think how the Affairs of a Kingdom ought to pass and that know how to recount the Lives of Princes for there is nothing more pleasant nor more delectable then such Company For they are those that are well instituted and instructed in the Beauty of Knowledge and have God in high Reverence The which thing it seems you do accomplish well
this Assurance that this very Day shall be to us the Day that all the Days of our Life we will hold Great and Memorable and shall be solemnized every Year with Feasting in perpetual Memory of your Visit as also of our Victory which we obtained this day against Antigonus at Sea wherefore it is our Will that this very Day you solace your selves in Feasting with us Forthwith he required the Princes should be invited Amongst whom he did me the Honour to make me to be seated Moreover he caused to be exposed to view all the rich Furniture wherewith the Pallace Royal was upon great Festivals used to be decked Likewise he commanded they should fit up Lodgings near to the Castle in the most splendid Manner they could And in like manner the King ordered that the Feasts should be set out in the most Sumptuous and Magnificent Fashion that was possible And then the King enjoyned Nicanor his chief Physitian to bid Dorothea Controuler of the House as from the Will and Pleasure of his Majesty that he should and that with all Diligence deliver out all things necessary for every one of the Doctors as well for their Accommodation as for the Furniture of their Lodgings and that without fail as from the Ordinance and Command of the King which was forthwith accomplished with great dispatch by many Hands Conformable to the usage of great Cities when they prepare to make great Feasts and publick Banquetting whenas there are selected Officers that are appointed to furnish every one according to his Post and Station Such were the Appointments of the King who was not wanting to assist in Person and his People to speak Truth were such as spared for no Labour or Pains to execute his Orders for with all Alacrity and Cheerfulness they provided whatever was necessary and requisite putting in execution what the King required with glad and chearful Hearts Thus was the Kings Will exactly and freely comply'd with in this and all other Regards whatever For Dorothea was very Franck and Bountiful and very Industrious in his Charge and Employment which was principally to have a due regard to the accommodating these great and venerable Men not employing what had been formerly Allotted to such Uses but fresh and valuable Stuffs sparing nothing that was in his Power He assigned every one of them his Couch of Ease besides his Bed with fair Carpets as the King had commanded Moreover the King required the half of them should be placed and seated at the Table so as that they might front his Person and the other half distributed on each side his Chair of Stateâ— Omitting nothing which any way might do them Honour or contribute to their utmost Content and Satisfaction After the Seats of the Table were duly fixed and proportioned for each the Kings command to Dorothea was that all those who came from Iudea should have Victuals distributed and such as they Affect after the Usage of their Country and Appointment of their Law Nevertheless that they should want for no Plenty or Variety as also for performing their Oblations Vows and Sacrifices according to the Custom of their Nation After all these Ceremonies the King besought one of them named Eleazar the most Aged of all those that came with us to make his Orisons Who as he was very Venerable being then risen from his Seatâ— began in this manner The Prayer of Eleazar God Almighty fill thee O King with all Goodness and give Grace to thy Wife and to thy Children and that thy plenty may be Permanent without Alteration or Change all the course of thy Life and theirs Hardly had he ended this Prayer but there followed a Noise and Acclamation of Joy with a pleasant Murmur and Applause that lasted a pretty while All things being thus disposed and prepared for Jollity all the Company betook themselves to make good Chear and those who waited on the Table repaired readily to their several Posts which the Controuler had given them in Charge Amongst those who served at the Table were the Children of the King and all the most considerable Peers and Lords The Answers of the Jewish Elders to the Questions propounded by King Ptolomeus Philadelphus WHen the time came and a fit Opportunity offered for Discourse the King by certain Pauses began to ask them one by one in order several Questions as they were marshall'd at his Table according to Seniority To him therefore that was set uppermost he made this Question First Question How he should conserve his Kingdom entire and safe to the end The Resolution AFter the Doctor had a little studied he answered You shall great King dispose the Estate of your Kingdom well and wisely if in all and by all you propose to your self the Example of the Benignity and Indulgence of God for your Imitation using Patience and Gentleness raising to Honour those that are Worthy and bringing down the haughty and ambitious proud Spirits to Repentance and a true Sense of themselves by giving them due Example of Humanity Affability and fairness of Access To the other Second Question How he might bring all things justly to a fair Issue The Resolution IF in all things answered he great King you have your Eyes open and Thoughts fixt upon your Actions watching over your self in all things you will do nothing that will not be well done and if you consider that a true Sense of our selves and right Reason is no other than the Gift of God of whom we always ought to have the Fear before our Eyes and present to all our Operations for that is the means never to go astray To the other Third Question How he should have Friends agreeable to him The Resolution IF they know Great King that you have no Thoughts but what are employed upon that which is just and profitable and conducing to the publick Good and that you are excited to it by considering how God supplies the Wants of Mankind providing Sustenance for the Necessities of the Body and for the Necessities of Life bodily Health and other Gifts and Abilities Fourth Question How he should acquire and conserve a solid Reputation in expediting of Affairs in doing Publick Iustice and punishing Offenders The Resolution IF you carry your self as Reason and Equity requires indifferent to every ones Right and if you proceed not against Malefactors according to your uncontroulable Power or with Partiality You may get Knowledge in this Point if you bear in Mind the Providence and wise Disposal of God who granteth the Requests and Petitions of those are worthy and to the Malefactors and Vicious he shews them that he denies nothing but what is hurtful and which appears such by their own Experience or by the Admonitions and Terrors of Dreams also he punisheth not the Sins of Men neither in proportion to their great Demerits nor to his Almighty Power but rather courts their Amendment sweetly winning them by mild and gentle Methods To 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