against apion-第17部分

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yled　by　all　men　the　most　courageous；　　　and　the　former　the　most　religious　of　the　Grecians。　I　say　　　nothing　of　such　kings　as　have　been　famous　for　piety；　　　particularly　of　one　of　them；　whose　name　was　Cresus；　nor　　　what　calamities　he　met　with　in　his　life；　I　say　nothing　of　the　　　citadel　of　Athens；　of　the　temple　at　Ephesus；　of　that　at　　　Delphi；　nor　of　ten　thousand　others　which　have　been　burnt　　　down；　while　nobody　cast　reproaches　on　those　that　were　the　　　sufferers；　but　on　those　that　were　the　actors　therein。　But　now　　　we　have　met　with　Apion；　an　accuser　of　our　nation；　though　　　one　that　still　forgets　the　miseries　of　his　own　people；　the　　　Egptians；　but　it　is　that　Sesostris　who　was　once　so　celebrated　a　　　king　of　Egypt　that　hath　blinded　him。　Now　we　will　not　brag　of　　　our　kings；　David　and　Solomon；　though　they　conquered　many　　　nations；　accordingly　we　will　let　them　alone。　However；　Apion　　　is　ignorant　of　what　every　body　knows；　that　the　Egyptians　　　were　servants　to　the　Persians；　and　afterwards　to　the　　　Macedonians；　when　they　were　lords　of　Asia；　and　were　no　　　better　than　slaves；　while　we　have　enjoyed　liberty　formerly；　　　nay；　more　than　that；　have　had　the　dominion　of　the　cities　that　　　lie　round　about　us；　and　this　nearly　for　a　hundred　and　twenty　　　years　together；　until　Pompeius　Magnus。　And　when　all　the　　　kings　every　where　were　conquered　by　the　Romans；　our　　　ancestors　were　the　only　people　who　continued　to　be　　　esteemed　their　confederates　and　friends；　on　account　of　their　　　fidelity　to　them。（16）　　　　　　13。　〃But；〃　says　Apion；　〃we　Jews　have　not　had　any　wonderful　　　men　amongst　us；　not　any　inventors　of　arts；　nor　any　eminent　　　for　wisdom。〃　He　then　enumerates　Socrates；　and　Zeno；　and　　　Cleanthes；　and　some　others　of　the　same　sort；　and；　after　all；　　　he　adds　himself　to　them；　which　is　the　most　wonderful　thing　　　of　all　that　he　says；　and　pronounces　Alexandria　to　be　happy；　　　because　it　hath　such　a　citizen　as　he　is　in　it；　for　he　was　the　　　fittest　man　to　be　a　witness　to　his　own　deserts；　although　he　　　hath　appeared　to　all　others　no　better　than　a　wicked　　　mountebank；　of　a　corrupt　life　and　ill　discourses；　on　which　　　account　one　may　justly　pity　Alexandria；　if　it　should　value　　　itself　upon　such　a　citizen　as　he　is。　But　as　to　our　own　men；　we　　　have　had　those　who　have　been　as　deserving　of　commendation　　　as　any　other　whosoever；　and　such　as　have　perused　our　　　Antiquities　cannot　be　ignorant　of　them。　　　　　　14。　As　to　the　other　things　which　he　sets　down　as　　　blameworthy；　it　may　perhaps　be　the　best　way　to　let　them　pass　　　without　apology；　that　he　may　be　allowed　to　be　his　own　　　accuser；　and　the　accuser　of　the　rest　of　the　Egyptians。　　　However；　he　accuses　us　for　sacrificing　animals；　and　for　　　abstaining　from　swine's　flesh；　and　laughs　at　us　for　the　　　circumcision　of　our　privy　members。　Now　as　for　our　slaughter　　　of　tame　animals　for　sacrifices；　it　is　common　to　us　and　to　all　　　other　men；　but　this　Apion；　by　making　it　a　crime　to　sacrifice　　　them；　demonstrates　himself　to　be　an　Egyptian；　for　had　he　　　been　either　a　Grecian　or　a　Macedonian；　＇as　he　pretends　to　　　be；＇　he　had　not　shown　any　uneasiness　at　it；　for　those　people　　　glory　in　sacrificing　whole　hecatombs　to　the　gods；　and　make　　　use　of　those　sacrifices　for　feasting；　and　yet　is　not　the　world　　　thereby　rendered　destitute　of　cattle；　as　Apion　was　afraid　　　would　come　to　pass。　Yet　if　all　men　had　followed　the　manners　　　of　the　Egyptians；　the　world　had　certainly　been　made　desolate　　　as　to　mankind；　but　had　been　filled　full　of　the　wildest　sort　of　　　brute　beasts；　which；　because　they　suppose　them　to　be　gods；　　　they　carefully　nourish。　However；　if　any　one　should　ask　Apion　　　which　of　the　Egyptians　he　thinks　to　he　the　most　wise　and　　　most　pious　of　them　all；　he　would　certainly　acknowledge　the　　　priests　to　be　so；　for　the　histories　say　that　two　things　were　　　originally　committed　to　their　care　by　their　kings'　injunctions；　　　the　worship　of　the　gods；　and　the　support　of　wisdom　and　　　philosophy。　Accordingly；　these　priests　are　all　circumcised；　and　　　abstain　from　swine's　flesh；　nor　does　any　one　of　the　other　　　Egyptians　assist　them　in　slaying　those　sacrifices　they　offer　to　　　the　gods。　Apion　was　therefore　quite　blinded　in　his　mind；　　　when；　for　the　sake　of　the　Egyptians；　he　contrived　to　reproach　　　us；　and　to　accuse　such　others　as　not　only　make　use　of　that　　　conduct　of　life　which　he　so　much　abuses；　but　have　also　taught　　　other　men　to　be　circumcised；　as　says　Herodotus；　which　makes　　　me　think　that　Apion　is　hereby　justly　punished　for　his　casting　　　such　reproaches　on　the　laws　of　his　own　country；　for　he　was　　　circumcised　himself　of　necessity；　on　account　of　an　ulcer　in　his　　　privy　member；　and　when　he　received　no　benefit　by　such　　　circumcision；　but　his　member　became　putrid；　he　died　in　great　　　torment。　Now　men　of　good　tempers　ought　to　observe　their　　　own　laws　concerning　religion　accurately；　and　to　persevere　　　therein；　but　not　presently　to　abuse　the　laws　of　other　nations；　　　while　this　Apion　deserted　his　own　laws；　and　told　lies　about　　　ours。　And　this　was　the　end　of　Apion's　life；　and　this　shall　be　　　the　conclusion　of　our　discourse　about　him。　　　　　　15。　But　now；　since　Apollonius　Molo；　and　Lysimachus；　and　　　some　others；　write　treatises　about　our　lawgiver　Moses；　and　　　about　our　laws；　which　are　neither　just　nor　true；　and　this　　　partly　out　of　ignorance；　but　chiefly　out　of　ill…will　to　us；　while　　　they　calumniate　Moses　as　an　impostor　and　deceiver；　and　　　pretend　that　our　laws　teach　us　wickedness；　but　nothing　that　is　　　virtuous；　I　have　a　mind　to　discourse　briefly；　according　to　my　　　ability；　about　our　whole　constitution　of　government；　and　　　about　the　particular　branches　of　it。　For　I　suppose　it　will　　　thence　become　evident；　that　the　laws　we　have　given　us　are　　　disposed　after　the　best　manner　for　the　advancement　of　piety；　　　for　mutual　communion　with　one　another；　for　a　general　love　　　of　mankind；　as　also　for　justice；　and　for　sustaining　labors　with　　　fortitude；　and　for　a　contempt　of　death。　And　I　beg　of　those　　　that　shall　peruse　this　writing　of　mine；　to　read　it　without　　　partiality；　for　it　is　not　my　purpose　to　write　an　encomium　　　upon　ourselves；　but　I　shall　esteem　this　as　a　most　just　apology　　　for　us；　and　taken　from　those　our　laws；　according　to　which　we　　　lead　our　lives；　against　the　many　and　the　lying　objections　that　　　have　been　made　against　us。　Moreover；　since　this　Apollonius　　　does　not　do　like　Apion；　and　lay　a　continued　accusation　　　against　us；　but　does　it　only　by　starts；　and　up　and　clown　his　　　discourse；　while　he　sometimes　reproaches　us　as　atheists；　and　　　man…haters；　and　sometimes　hits　us　in　the　teeth　with　our　want　　　of　courage；　and　yet　sometimes；　on　the　contrary；　accuses　us　of　　　too　great　boldness　and　madness　in　our　conduct；　nay；　he　says　　　that　we　are　the　weakest　of　all　the　barbarians；　and　that　this　is　　　the　reason　why　we　are　the　only　people　who　have　made　no　　　improvements　in　human　life；　now　I　think　I　shall　have　then　　　sufficiently　disproved　all　these　his　allegations；　when　it　shall　　　appear　that　our　laws　enjoin　the　very　reverse　of　what　he　says；　　　and　that　we　very　carefully　observe　those　laws　ourselves。　And　　　if　I　he　compelled　to　make　mention　of　the　laws　of　other　　　nations；　that　are　contrary　to　ours；　those　ought　deservedly　to　　　thank　themselves　for　it；　who　have　pretended　to　depreciate　　　our　laws　in　comparison　of　their　own；　nor　will　there；　I　think；　　　be　any　room　after　that　for　them　to　pretend　either　that　we　　　have　no　such　laws　ourselves；　an　epitome　of　which　I　will　　　present　to　the　reader；　or　that　we　do　not；　above　all　men；　　　continue　in　the　observation　of　them。　　　　　　16。　To　begin　then　a　good　way　backward；　I　would　advance　　　this；　in　the　first　place；　that　those　who　have　been　admirers　of　　　good　order；　and　of　living　under　common　laws；　and　who　began　　　to　introduce　them；　may　well　have　this　testimony　that　they　are　　　better　than　other　men；　both　for　moderation　and　such　virtue　　　as　is　agreeable　to　nature。　Indeed　their　endeavor　was　to　have　　　every　thing　they　ordained　believed　to　be　very　ancient；　that　　　they　might　not　be　thought　to　imitate　others；　but　might　appear　　　to　have　delivered　a　regular　way　of　living　to　others　after　them。　　　Since　then　this　is　the　case；　the　excellency　of　a　legislator　is　　　seen　in　providing　for　the　people's　living　after　the　best　　　manner；　and　in　prevailing　with　those　that　are　to　use　the　laws　　　he　ordains　for　them；　to　have　a　good　opinion　of　them；　and　in　　　obliging　the　multitude　to　persevere　in　them；　and　to　make　no　　　changes　in　them；　neither　in　prosperity　nor　adversity。　Now　I　　　venture　to　say；　that　our　legislator　is　the　most　ancient　of　all　　　the　legislators　whom　we　have　ally　where　heard　of；　for　as　for　　　the　Lycurguses；　and　Solons；　and　Zaleucus　Locrensis；　and　all　　　those　legislators　who　are　so　admired　by　the　Greeks；　they　　　seem　to　be　of　yesterday；　if　compared　with　our　legislator；　　　insomuch　as　the　very　name　of　a　law　was　not　so　much　as　　　known　in　old　times　among　the　Grecians。　Homer　is　a　witness　　　to　the　truth　of　this　observation；　who　never　uses　that　term　in　　　all　his　poems；　for　indeed　there　was　then　no　such　thing　among　　　them；　but　the　multitude　was　governed　by　wise　maxims；　and　　　by　the　injunctions　of　their　king。　It　was　also　a　long　time　that　　　they　continued　in　the　use　of　these　unwritten　customs；　　　although　they　were　always　changing　them　upon　several　　　occasions。　But　for　our　legislator；　who　was　of　so　much　greater　　　antiquity　than　the　rest；　（as　even　those　that　speak　against　us　　　upon　all　occasions　do　always　confess；）　he　exhibited　himself　to　　　the　people　as　their　best　governor　and　counselor；　and　included　　　in　his　legislation　the　entire　conduct　of　their　lives；　and　　　prevailed　with　them　to　receive　it；　and　brought　it　so　to　pass；　　　that　those　that　were　made　acquainted　with　his　laws　did　most　　　carefully　observe　them。　　　　　　17。　But　let　us　consider　his　first　and　greatest　work；　for　when　it　　　was　resolved　on　by　our　forefathers　to　leave　Egypt；　and　return　　　to　their　own　country；　this　Moses　took　the　many　tell　　　thousands　that　were　of　the　people；　and　saved　them　out　of　　　many　desperate　distresses；　and　brought　them　home　in　safety。　　　And　certainly　it　was　here　necessary　to　travel　over　a　country　　　without　water；　and　full　of　sand；　to　overcome　their　enemies；　　　and；　during　these　battles；　to　preserve　their　children；　and　their　　　wives；　and　their　prey；　on　all　which　occasions　he　became　an　　　excellent　general　of　an　army；　and　a　most　prudent　cou