against apion-第15章
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s reproachful language； here given these people； is to me a strong indication that they were the poor despicable Jews； and not the Pisidian Solymi celebrated in Homer； whom Cherilus here describes； nor are we to expect that either Cherilus or Hecateus； or any other pagan writers cited by Josephus and Eusebius； made no mistakes in the Jewish history。 If by comparing their testimonies with the more authentic records of that nation we find them for the main to confirm the same； as we almost always do； we ought to be satisfied； and not expect that they ever had an exact knowledge of all the circumstances of the Jewish affairs； which indeed it was almost always impossible for them to have。 See sect。 23。
（17） This Hezekiah； who is here called a high priest； is not named in Josephus's catalogue； the real high priest at that time being rather Onias； as Archbishop Usher supposes。 However； Josephus often uses the word high priests in the plural number； as living many at the same time。 See the note on Antiq。 B。 XX。 ch。 8。 sect。 8。
（18） So I read the text with Havercamp； though the place be difficult。
（19） This number of arourae or Egyptian acres； 3；000；000； each aroura containing a square of 100 Egyptian cubits； （being about three quarters of an English acre； and just twice the area of the court of the Jewish tabernacle；） as contained in the country of Judea； will be about one third of the entire number of arourae in the whole land of Judea； supposing it 160 measured miles long and 70 such miles broad； which estimation； for the fruitful parts of it； as perhaps here in Hecateus； is not therefore very wide from the truth。 The fifty furlongs in compass for the city Jerusalem presently are not very wide from the truth also； as Josephus himself describes it； who； Of the War； B。 V。 ch。 4。 sect。 3。 makes its wall thirty…three furlongs； besides the suburbs and gardens； nay； he says； B。 V。 ch。 12。 sect。 2； that Titus's wall about it at some small distance； after the gardens and suburbs were destroyed； was not less than thirty…nine furlongs。 Nor perhaps were its constant inhabitants； in the days of Hecateus； many more than these 120；000； because room was always to be left for vastly greater numbers which came up at the three great festivals； to say nothing of the probable increase in their number between the days of Hecateus and Josephus； which was at least three hundred years。 But see a more authentic account of some of these measures in my Description of the Jewish Temples。 However； we are not to expect that such heathens as Cherilus or Hecateus； or the rest that are cited by Josephus and Eusebius； could avoid making many mistakes in the Jewish history； while yet they strongly confirm the same history in the general； and are most valuable attestations to those more authentic accounts we have in the Scriptures and Josephus concerning them。
（20） A glorious testimony this of the observation of the sabbath by the Jews。 See Antiq。 B。 XVI。 ch。 2。 sect。 4； and ch。 6。 sect。 2； the Life； sect。 54； and War； B。 IV。 ch。 9。 sect。 12。
（21） Not their law； but the superstitious interpretation of their leaders which neither the Maccabees nor our blessed Savior did ever approve of。
（22） In reading this and the remaining sections of this book； and some parts of the next； one may easily perceive that our usually cool and candid author； Josephus； was too highly offended with the impudent calumnies of Manethe； and the other bitter enemies of the Jews； with whom he had now to deal； and was thereby betrayed into a greater heat and passion than ordinary； and that by consequence he does not hear reason with his usual fairness and impartiality； he seems to depart sometimes from the brevity and sincerity of a faithful historian； which is his grand character； and indulges the prolixity and colors of a pleader and a disputant： accordingly； I confess； I always read these sections with less pleasure than I do the rest of his writings； though I fully believe the reproaches cast on the Jews； which he here endeavors to confute and expose； were wholly groundless and unreasonable。
（23） This is a very valuable testimony of Manetho； that the laws of Osarsiph； or Moses； were not made in compliance with； but in opposition to； the customs of the Egyptians。 See the note on Antiq。 B。 III。 ch。 8。 sect。 9。
（24） By way of irony； I suppose。
（25） Here we see that Josephus esteemed a generation between Joseph and Moses to be about forty…two or forty…three years； which； if taken between the earlier children； well agrees with the duration of human life in those ages。 See Antheat。 Rec。 Part II。 pages 966； 1019； 1020。
（26） That is the meaning of Hierosyla in Greek； not in Hebrew。
BOOK II。 1。 In the former book； most honored Epaphroditus； I have demonstrated our antiquity； and confirmed the truth of what I have said； from the writings of the Phoenicians； and Chaldeans； and Egyptians。 I have； moreover； produced many of the Grecian writers as witnesses thereto。 I have also made a refutation of Manetho and Cheremon； and of certain others of our enemies。 I shall now （1） therefore begin a confutation of the remaining authors who have written any thing against us； although I confess I have had a doubt upon me about Apion （2） the grammarian； whether I ought to take the trouble of confuting him or not； for some of his writings contain much the same accusations which the others have laid against us； some things that he hath added are very frigid and contemptible； and for the greatest part of what he says； it is very scurrilous； and； to speak no more than the plain truth； it shows him to be a very unlearned person； and what he lays together looks like the work of a man of very bad morals； and of one no better in his whole life than a mountebank。 Yet； because there are a great many men so very foolish； that they are rather caught by such orations than by what is written with care； and take pleasure in reproaching other men； and cannot abide to hear them commended； I thought it to be necessary not to let this man go off without examination； who had written such an accusation against us； as if he would bring us to make an answer in open court。 For I also have observed； that many men are very much delighted when they see a man who first began to reproach another； to be himself exposed to contempt on account of the vices he hath himself been guilty of。 However； it is not a very easy thing to go over this man's discourse； nor to know plainly what he means； yet does he seem； amidst a great confusion and disorder in his falsehoods； to produce； in the first place； such things as resemble what we have examined already； and relate to the departure of our forefathers out of Egypt； and； in the second place； he accuses those Jews that are inhabitants of Alexandria； as； in the third place； he mixes with those things such accusations as concern the sacred purifications； with the other legal rites used in the temple。 2。 Now although I cannot but think that I have already demonstrated； and that abundantly more than was necessary； that our fathers were not originally Egyptians； nor were thence expelled； either on account of bodily diseases； or any other calamities of that sort； yet will I briefly take notice of what Apion adds upon that subject； for in his third book； which relates to the affairs of Egypt； he speaks thus： 〃I have heard of the ancient men of Egypt； that Moses was of Heliopolis； and that he thought himself obliged to follow the customs of his forefathers； and offered his prayers in the open air； towards the city walls； but that he reduced them all to be directed towards sun…rising； which was agreeable to the situation of Heliopolis； that he also set up pillars instead of gnomons； （3） under which was represented a cavity like that of a boat； and the shadow that fell from their tops fell down upon that cavity； that it might go round about the like course as the sun itself goes round in the other。〃 This is that wonderful relation which we have given us by this grammarian。 But that it is a false one is so plain； that it stands in need of few words to p
