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
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
THE ANCIENT HISTORY OF THE Septuagint Written in Greek by ARISTEVS near two thousand years ago BEING His Voyage to Ierusalem as Ambassadour from Ptolomaeus Philadelphus unto Eleazar then High Priest of the Iews concerning the First Translation of the HOLY BIBLE by the Seventy two Interpreters With many other remarkable Circumstances no where else to be found First English'd from the Greek by the Learned and Reverend Dr. Iohn Done late Dean of St. Pauls Now Revised and very much Corrected from the Original London Printed for W. Hensman and Tho. Fox Booksellers in Westminster-Hall 1685. To the Reader ALthough Time and Death from our Cradles to our Graves pursue us swiftly and according to the Almighties Ordinance overtake and seize upon our frail and earthly parts upon some sooner upon others later yet Excellent Acts like strong Eagles break from their seizure and soar above them in so sublime a pitch as neither Time with all his Power and rusty Powder with which he blots and rubs out Brass and Marble can quite obscure or extinguish them neither Death close in his dark-gaping Mouth the Grave their Nobleness Witness this small yet ancient History which this last Summer I made part of my Exercise to put into an English Habit. That the Story is ancient I may well say for it is 1900 years since Aristeus Writ it to his Brother Philocrates which Aristeus St. Hierom in his Epistle to the Pentateuk of the Bible says was Hyperaspistes to Ptolomeus Philadelphus King of Egypt Syria Phenicia and Cilicia and son of Ptolomeus Lagus one of the great Captains of Alexander Magnus that divided his Conquests the World amongst them This Ptolomeus Philadelphus was a most accomplish'd young Gentleman vertuously disposed and so great a lover of Learning as he had accumulated into his Library according to some Authors 1800000 Volumes Printing being not then risen in our Hemisphere was by the said Aristeus a most Noble Person and a great friend of the then captive Iews as an Instrument of God for the Liberty and Freedom of them then his People practised with Demetrius Phalerius to tell the King that his so abundant Library was but poor because it wanted the Book of Books the sacred Volume of God which we call the Holy Bible The King vertuously covetous thereof demanded how he should best acquire it Aristeus waiting this desired Occasion proportioned his advice that he should first set all the Captived Iews not only in Egypt but also in Syria c. at free Liberty and send Ambassadors and Presents to Eleazar their High Priest and Pontiff The King willingly consents thereto as to the Musick of his desires and prepares most rich Presents as a Table of Massie Gold embellish'd with precious Stones Cups of Gold and Silver likewise adorned sets at freedom the Captived by publick Edict and sends as Ambassadours Aristeus and Andrea Prince and great Captain of the Guard of his Person with these Gifts and divers Talents of Gold and Silver They go deliver his Letters of Request and Commends have gracious entertainment return with the 72 Interpreters Iews Letters and also Eleazars Presents to the King and in especial with the Sacred Volume and Word of God The good King adores the Books feasts the Bringers who after fall to the Business and Translated it out of the Hebrew into the Greek the common learned Language of those Times made famous by the Sword of Alexander And this in brief is the effect of this Venerable History which is by me thus made yours And though I seem to Anticipate thus to you yet it is as nothing for in it self as you may further see it is Elaborately and Eloquently Written by the said Aristeus and let no man wonder too much thereat as thinking our Times excell theirs in Eloquence No For who ever exceeded Demostenes the Greek or Cicero the Latin therein Lastly to speak the Praise of History Libri sunt vasa memoriae and worthy Historical Books have in them a kind of Divine Permanency and as Eminent Persons should affect Noble Actions so ought they to cherish the Registers as their Honourers For hath not Plutarch made those Gyant Heroes as Theseus Romulus Alexander Iulius Caesar and the rest yet live and himself more praisfully longer then them all So as an ignorant swaggering Fellow threatned his Adversary to kill him if he had as many lives as Plutarch â— Did not Alexander sigh for another Homer Lastly If I have in honour of the History like one holding a lighted Taper to the clear Noâ—â—â—shining Sun made an Appendix shewing the Antiquity and Dignity of the Books by the said Sâ—â—tuagint Translated and the Excelleâ—â—y of their inspired Writer Moses and have therein been too prolixious pardon me because of the Profundity and Worthiness of the matter So I referr you to that and the rest and so rest Yours Iohn Done The Elenchus or Contents of the following Book CHaracters of the Persons that were herein Aiders imploying and imployed p. 1 Aristeus to his Brother Philocrates p. 1. The Discourse that Aristeus held with King Ptolomy for the deliverance of the Jews p. 10. The Request of Demetrius Phalerius to King Ptolomy p. 20â— Tenour of the Letter of King Ptolomy to Eleazar High-Priest of Jerusalem p. 23. Eleazar High-Priest to King Ptolomy our most Illustrious Friend p. 27. The Names of those which were chosen of all the Lines and Tribes of the Jews to go into Aegypt for the Translation of the Law of Moses p. 30. Of the Presents sent to Eleazar High-Priest of the Jews by King Ptolomeus Philadelphus p. 33. Of the Vessels Cups and Viols of Gold p. 43. Of the City of Hierusalem and Region thereabouts as it was 260. years before the Birth of our Saviour p. 49. Of the Priests p. 53. Of the High-Priest Eleazar p. 54. Of the Fortress or Castle of Hierusalem p. 56. Yet more of the Town p. 58. Of the Region about Hierusalem and of the Policy of the Countrey-people or Pesants p. 60. What manner of men the Translators of the Law were p. 66. Of the Answers made by Eleazar upon certain points of the Law of Moses p. 70. Return of the Ambassadors into Alexandria with the Jewish Doctors and how the King adored the Holy Law seven times with Tears in his Eyes p. 88. Answers of the Jewish Doctors to Questions propounded by King Ptolomeus Philadelphus from p. 96. to 154. The means used by the 72 Doctors in their interpreting the Law p. 159. A Discourse in way of Apology concerning the truth of this Story Also divers Opinions of both Ancient and Modern Authorities and Fathers concerning the manner of the Translation p. 170. Lasty an Appendix in Honour of this Ancient and Famous History discoursing the Antiquity and Dignity of the Books and the excellency of their inspired Writer Moses p. 175. Certain Praecognita or Characters of the chief Persons mentioned in the ensuing History 1. Of Ptolomeus Philadelphus PTolomeus
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