against apion-第14章
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e opinions well known from the ancient commentators； though such supposal seems to myself； as well as to Fabricius Biblioth。 Grace。 I。 p。 269； and to others； highly improbable。 Nor does Josephus say there were no ancienter writings among the Greeks than Homer's Poems； but that they did not fully own any ancienter writings pretending to such antiquity； which is trite。
（4） It well deserves to be considered； that Josephus here says how all the following Greek historians looked on Herodotus as a fabulous author； and presently； sect。 14； how Manetho； the most authentic writer of the Egyptian history； greatly complains of his mistakes in the Egyptian affairs； as also that Strabo； B。 XI。 p。 507； the most accurate geographer and historian； esteemed him such； that Xenophon； the much more accurate historian in the affairs of Cyrus； implies that Herodotus's account of that great man is almost entirely romantic。 See the notes on Antiq。 B。 XI。 ch。 2。 sect。 1； and Hutchinson's Prolegomena to his edition of Xenophon's； that we have already seen in the note on Antiq。 B。 VIII。 ch。 10。 sect。 3； how very little Herodotus knew about the Jewish affairs and country； and that he greatly affected what we call the marvelous； as Monsieur Rollin has lately and justly determined； whence we are not always to depend on the authority of Herodotus； where it is unsupported by other evidence； but ought to compare the other evidence with his； and if it preponderate； to prefer it before his。 I do not mean by this that Herodotus willfully related what he believed to be false； （as Cteeias seems to have done；） but that he often wanted evidence； and sometimes preferred what was marvelous to what was best attested as really true。
（5）About the days of Cyrus and Daniel。
（6） It is here well worth our observation； what the reasons are that such ancient authors as Herodotus； Josephus； and others have been read to so little purpose by many learned critics； viz。 that their main aim has not been chronology or history； but philology； to know words； and not things； they not much entering oftentimes into the real contents of their authors； and judging which were the most accurate discoverers of truth； and most to be depended on in the several histories； but rather inquiring who wrote the finest style； and had the greatest elegance in their expressions； which are things of small consequence in comparison of the other。 Thus you will sometimes find great debates among the learned； whether Herodotus or Thucydides were the finest historian in the Ionic and Attic ways of writing； which signify little as to the real value of each of their histories； while it would be of much more moment to let the reader know； that as the consequence of Herodotus's history； which begins so much earlier； and reaches so much wider； than that of Thucydides； is therefore vastly greater； so is the most part of Thucydides； which belongs to his own times； and fell under his own observation； much the most certain。
（7） Of this accuracy of the Jews before and in our Savior's time； in carefully preserving their genealogies all along； particularly those of the priests； see Josephus's Life； sect。 1。 This accuracy。 seems to have ended at the destruction of Jerusalem by Titus； or； however； at that by Adrian。
（8） Which were these twenty…two sacred books of the。 Old Testament； see the Supplement to the Essay of the Old Testament； p。 25…29； viz。 those we call canonical； all excepting the Canticles； but still with this further exception； that the book of apocryphal Esdras be taken into that number instead of our canonical Ezra； which seems to be no more than a later epitome of the other； which two books of Canticles and Ezra it no way appears that our Josephus ever saw。
（9） Here we have an account of the first building of the city of Jerusalem； according to Manetho； when the Phoenician shepherds were expelled out of Egypt about thirty…seven years before Abraham came out of Harsh。
（10） Genesis 46；32； 34； 47：3； 4。
（11） In our copies of the book of Genesis and of Joseph； this Joseph never calls himself 〃a captive；〃 when he was with the king of Egypt； though he does call himself 〃a servant；〃 〃a slave；〃 or 〃captive；〃 many times in the Testament of the Twelve Patriarchs； under Joseph； sect。 1； 11； 13…16。
（12） Of this Egyptian chronology of Manetho； as mistaken by Josephus； and of these Phoenician shepherds； as falsely supposed by him； and others after him； to have been the Israelites in Egypt； see Essay on the Old Testament； Appendix； p。 182…188。 And note here； that when Josephus tells us that the Greeks or Argives looked on this Danaus as 〃a most ancient；〃 or 〃the most ancient；〃 king of Argos； he need not be supposed to mean； in the strictest sense； that they had no one king so ancient as he； for it is certain that they owned nine kings before him； and Inachus at the head of them。 See Authentic Records； Part II。 p。 983； as Josephus could not but know very well； but that he was esteemed as very ancient by them； and that they knew they had been first of all denominated 〃Danai〃 from this very ancient king Danaus。 Nor does this superlative degree always imply the 〃most ancient〃 of all without exception； but is sometimes to be rendered 〃very ancient〃 only； as is the case in the like superlative degrees of other words also。
（13） Authentic Records； Part II。 p。 983； as Josephus could not but know very well； but that he was esteemed as very ancient by them； and that they knew they had been first of all denominated 〃Danai〃 from this very ancient king Danaus。 Nor does this superlative degree always imply the 〃most ancient〃 of all without exception； but is sometimes to be rendered 〃very ancient〃 only； as is the case in the like superlative degrees of other words also。
（14） This number in Josephus； that Nebuchadnezzar destroyed the temple in the eighteenth year of his reign； is a mistake in the nicety of chronology； for it was in the nineteenth。 The true number here for the year of Darius； in which the second temple was finished； whether the second with our present copies； or the sixth with that of Syncellus； or the tenth with that of Eusebius； is very uncertain； so we had best follow Josephus's own account elsewhere； Antiq。 ；B。 XI。 ch。 3。 sect。 4； which shows us that according to his copy of the Old Testament； after the second of Cyrus； that work was interrupted till the second of Darius； when in seven years it was finished in the ninth of Darius。
（15） This is a thing well known by the learned； that we are not secure that we have any genuine writings of Pythagoras； those Golden Verses； which are his best remains； being generally supposed to have been written not by himself； but by some of his scholars only； in agreement with what Josephus here affirms of him。
（16） Whether these verses of Cherilus； the heathen poet； in the days of Xerxes； belong to the Solymi in Pisidia； that were near a small lake； or to the Jews that dwelt on the Solymean or Jerusalem mountains； near the great and broad lake Asphaltitis； that were a strange people； and spake the Phoenician tongue； is not agreed on by the learned。 If is yet certain that Josephus here； and Eusebius； Prep。 IX。 9。 p。 412； took them to be Jews； and I confess I cannot but very much incline to the same opinion。 The other Solymi were not a strange people； but heathen idolaters； like the other parts of Xerxes's army； and that these spake the Phoenician tongue is next to impossible； as the Jews certainly did； nor is there the least evidence for it elsewhere。 Nor was the lake adjoining to the mountains of the Solvmi at all large or broad； in comparison of the Jewish lake Asphaltitis； nor indeed were these so considerable a people as the Jews； nor so likely to be desired by Xerxes for his army as the Jews； to whom he was always very favorable。 As for the rest of Cherilus's description； that 〃their heads were sooty； that they had round rasures on their heads； that their heads and faces were like nasty horse…heads； which had been hardened in the smoke；〃 these awkward characters probably fitted the Solymi of Pisidi no better than they did the Jews in Judea。 And indeed this reproachful language； here given these people； is to me a strong indication that they were the poo
