against apion-第20章

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ns　were　making　war　　　with　Cleopatra　the　queen；　and　were　in　danger　of　being　　　utterly　ruined；　these　Jews　brought　them　to　terms　of　　　agreement；　and　freed　them　from　the　miseries　of　a　civil　war。　　　〃But　then　（says　Apion）　Onias　brought　a　small　army　afterward　　　upon　the　city　at　the　time　when　Thorruns　the　Roman　　　ambassador　was　there　present。〃　Yes；　do　I　venture　to　say；　and　　　that　he　did　rightly　and　very　justly　in　so　doing；　for　that　　　Ptolemy　who　was　called　Physco；　upon　the　death　of　his　　　brother　Philometer；　came　from　Cyrene；　and　would　have　　　ejected　Cleopatra　as　well　as　her　sons　out　of　their　kingdom；　　　that　he　might　obtain　it　for　himself　unjustly。　（5）　For　this　cause　　　then　it　was　that　Onias　undertook　a　war　against　him　on　　　Cleopatra's　account；　nor　would　he　desert　that　trust　the　royal　　　family　had　reposed　in　him　in　their　distress。　Accordingly；　God　　　gave　a　remarkable　attestation　to　his　righteous　procedure；　for　　　when　Ptolemy　Physco　（6）　had　the　presumption　to　fight　　　against　Onias's　army；　and　had　caught　all　the　Jews　that　were　　　in　the　city　＇Alexandria＇；　with　their　children　and　wives；　and　　　exposed　them　naked　and　in　bonds　to　his　elephants；　that　they　　　might　be　trodden　upon　and　destroyed；　and　when　he　had　　　made　those　elephants　drunk　for　that　purpose；　the　event　　　proved　contrary　to　his　preparations；　for　these　elephants　left　　　the　Jews　who　were　exposed　to　them；　and　fell　violently　upon　　　Physco's　friends；　and　slew　a　great　number　of　them；　nay；　after　　　this　Ptolemy　saw　a　terrible　ghost；　which　prohibited　his　hurting　　　those　men；　his　very　concubine；　whom　he　loved　so　well；　（some　　　call　her　Ithaca；　and　others　Irene；）　making　supplication　to　　　him；　that　he　would　not　perpetrate　so　great　a　wickedness。　So　　　he　complied　with　her　request；　and　repented　of　what　he　either　　　had　already　done；　or　was　about　to　do；　whence　it　is　well　　　known　that　the　Alexandrian　Jews　do　with　good　reason　　　celebrate　this　day；　on　the　account　that　they　had　thereon　been　　　vouchsafed　such　an　evident　deliverance　from　God。　However；　　　Apion；　the　common　calumniator　of　men；　hath　the　　　presumption　to　accuse　the　Jews　for　making　this　war　against　　　Physco；　when　he　ought　to　have　commended　them　for　the　　　same。　This　man　also　makes　mention　of　Cleopatra；　the　last　　　queen　of　Alexandria；　and　abuses　us；　because　she　was　　　ungrateful　to　us；　whereas　he　ought　to　have　reproved　her；　who　　　indulged　herself　in　all　kinds　of　injustice　and　wicked　practices；　　　both　with　regard　to　her　nearest　relations　and　husbands　who　　　had　loved　her；　and；　indeed；　in　general　with　regard　to　all　the　　　Romans；　and　those　emperors　that　were　her　benefactors；　who　　　also　had　her　sister　Arsinoe　slain　in　a　temple；　when　she　had　　　done　her　no　harm：　moreover；　she　had　her　brother　slain　by　　　private　treachery；　and　she　destroyed　the　gods　of　her　country　　　and　the　sepulchers　of　her　progenitors；　and　while　she　had　　　received　her　kingdom　from　the　first　Caesar；　she　had　the　　　impudence　to　rebel　against　his　son：　（7）　and　successor；　nay；　　　she　corrupted　Antony　with　her　love…tricks；　and　rendered　him　　　an　enemy　to　his　country；　and　made　him　treacherous　to　his　　　friends；　and　＇by　his　means＇　despoiled　some　of　their　royal　　　authority；　and　forced　others　in　her　madness　to　act　wickedly。　　　But　what　need　I　enlarge　upon　this　head　any　further；　when　　　she　left　Antony　in　his　fight　at　sea；　though　he　were　her　　　husband；　and　the　father　of　their　common　children；　and　　　compelled　him　to　resign　up　his　government；　with　the　army；　　　and　to　follow　her　＇into　Egypt＇？　nay；　when　last　of　all　Caesar　　　had　taken　Alexandria；　she　came　to　that　pitch　of　cruelty；　that　　　she　declared　she　had　some　hope　of　preserving　her　affairs　still；　　　in　case　she　could　kill　the　Jews；　though　it　were　with　her　own　　　hand；　to　such　a　degree　of　barbarity　and　perfidiousness　had　　　she　arrived。　And　doth　any　one　think　that　we　cannot　boast　　　ourselves　of　any　thing；　if；　as　Apion　says；　this　queen　did　not　at　　　a　time　of　famine　distribute　wheat　among　us？　However；　she　at　　　length　met　with　the　punishment　she　deserved。　As　for　us　Jews；　　　we　appeal　to　the　great　Caesar　what　assistance　we　brought　　　him；　and　what　fidelity　we　showed　to　him　against　the　　　Egyptians；　as　also　to　the　senate　and　its　decrees；　and　the　　　epistles　of　Augustus　Caesar；　whereby　our　merits　＇to　the　　　Romans＇　are　justified。　Apion　ought　to　have　looked　upon　　　those　epistles；　and　in　particular　to　have　examined　the　　　testimonies　given　on　our　behalf；　under　Alexander　and　all　the　　　Ptolemies；　and　the　decrees　of　the　senate　and　of　the　greatest　　　Roman　emperors。　And　if　Germanicus　was　not　able　to　make　a　　　distribution　of　corn　to　all　the　inhabitants　of　Alexandria；　that　　　only　shows　what　a　barren　time　it　was；　and　how　great　a　want　　　there　was　then　of　corn；　but　tends　nothing　to　the　accusation　of　　　the　Jews；　for　what　all　the　emperors　have　thought　of　the　　　Alexandrian　Jews　is　well　known；　for　this　distribution　of　wheat　　　was　no　otherwise　omitted　with　regard　to　the　Jews；　than　it　was　　　with　regard　to　the　other　inhabitants　of　Alexandria。　But　they　　　still　were　desirous　to　preserve　what　the　kings　had　formerly　　　intrusted　to　their　care；　I　mean　the　custody　of　the　river；　nor　　　did　those　kings　think　them　unworthy　of　having　the　entire　　　custody　thereof；　upon　all　occasions。　　　　　　6。　But　besides　this；　Apion　objects　to　us　thus：　〃If　the　Jews　　　（says　he）　be　citizens　of　Alexandria；　why　do　they　not　worship　　　the　same　gods　with　the　Alexandrians？〃　To　which　I　give　this　　　answer：　Since　you　are　yourselves　Egyptians；　why　do　you　fight　　　it　out　one　against　another；　and　have　implacable　wars　about　　　your　religion？　At　this　rate　we　must　not　call　you　all　Egyptians；　　　nor　indeed　in　general　men；　because　you　breed　up　with　great　　　care　beasts　of　a　nature　quite　contrary　to　that　of　men；　　　although　the　nature　of　all　men　seems　to　be　one　and　the　　　same。　Now　if　there　be　such　differences　in　opinion　among　you　　　Egyptians；　why　are　you　surprised　that　those　who　came　to　　　Alexandria　from　another　country；　and　had　original　laws　of　　　their　own　before；　should　persevere　in　the　observance　of　those　　　laws？　But　still　he　charges　us　with　being　the　authors　of　　　sedition；　which　accusation；　if　it　be　a　just　one；　why　is　it　not　　　laid　against　us　all；　since　we　are　known　to　be　all　of　one　mind。　　　Moreover；　those　that　search　into　such　matters　will　soon　　　discover　that　the　authors　of　sedition　have　been　such　citizens　　　of　Alexandria　as　Apion　is；　for　while　they　were　the　Grecians　　　and　Macedonians　who　were　ill　possession　of　this　city；　there　　　was　no　sedition　raised　against　us；　and　we　were　permitted　to　　　observe　our　ancient　solemnities；　but　when　the　number　of　the　　　Egyptians　therein　came　to　be　considerable；　the　times　grew　　　confused；　and　then　these　seditions　brake　out　still　more　and　　　more；　while　our　people　continued　uncorrupted。　These　　　Egyptians；　therefore；　were　the　authors　of　these　troubles；　who　　　having　not　the　constancy　of　Macedonians；　nor　the　prudence　　　of　Grecians；　indulged　all　of　them　the　evil　manners　of　the　　　Egyptians；　and　continued　their　ancient　hatred　against　us；　for　　　what　is　here　so　presumptuously　charged　upon　us；　is　owing　to　　　the　differences　that　are　amongst　themselves；　while　many　of　　　them　have　not　obtained　the　privileges　of　citizens　in　proper　　　times；　but　style　those　who　are　well　known　to　have　had　that　　　privilege　extended　to　them　all　no　o