PACE - Against Apion

161However, it is necessary to satisfy also the inquiry of those who disbelieve the records among the barbarians⁵²⁶ and see fit to believe only Greeks,⁵²⁷ and to supply many examples also of these who knew about our nation, and to present them⁵²⁸ where they made reference to it, as they had occasion to do, in their own compositions.⁵²⁹

162Pythagoras the Samian,⁵³⁰ then – an ancient figure⁵³¹ and one reckoned to surpass all those who philosophized in wisdom and in piety with regard to the deity⁵³² – clearly not only knew about our customs⁵³³ but was also especially keen in his emulation of them.⁵³⁴

163There is no composition acknowledged as authentically his,⁵³⁵ but many people have written historical accounts of him, and the most distinguished of these is Hermippus,⁵³⁶ a man scrupulous in all his historical work.⁵³⁷

164In the first book On Pythagoras ⁵³⁸ he states that Pythagoras often said, when one of his companions had died (a man called Kalliphon, a Krotonian by descent),⁵³⁹ that this man’s soul accompanied him night and day;⁵⁴⁰ and that Pythagoras used to give instructions⁵⁴¹ not to walk over a spot where a donkey sank to its knees,⁵⁴² to refrain from waters that make one thirsty⁵⁴³ and from all slander.⁵⁴⁴

165Then, after this, he adds the following:⁵⁴⁵ “He used to practice and say these things, imitating the beliefs of Judeans and Thracians, and adopting them for himself.”⁵⁴⁶ For that man is correctly said to have adopted many of the Judeans’ rules for his philosophy.⁵⁴⁷

166⁵⁴⁸ Also among the city-states our nation was not unknown long ago,⁵⁴⁹ and many of our customs have by now permeated some and been deemed worthy of emulation by some people.⁵⁵⁰ Theophrastus makes this clear in the work On Laws:⁵⁵¹

167he says that the laws of the Tyrians forbid the swearing of foreign oaths, among which he numbers, alongside some others, the oath called “Korban.”⁵⁵² This is to be found nowhere except among Judeans alone and signifies, as one might translate from the Hebrews’ language, “gift for God.”⁵⁵³

168Besides, not even Herodotus the Halicarnassian was ignorant about our nation,⁵⁵⁴ but evidently refers to it in a certain way.⁵⁵⁵ For, while recounting the history of the Colchians in the second book, he says as follows:⁵⁵⁶

169The Colchians, Egyptians and Ethiopians – he says – are the only people who, from the beginning, circumcise the genitals.⁵⁵⁷ The Phoenicians and the Syrians in Palestine themselves acknowledge that they learned it from the Egyptians.⁵⁵⁸

170The Syrians who live beside Thermodon and the river Parthenios, and the Macronians, their neighbors, say that they learned it recently from the Colchians.⁵⁵⁹ These are the only people who are circumcised and they evidently take their lead from the Egyptians.⁵⁶⁰ As for the Egyptians and Ethiopians, I am unable to say which learned it from the other.⁵⁶¹

171He said, then, that the Syrians in Palestine were circumcised.⁵⁶² But among those who inhabit Palestine only the Judeans do this;⁵⁶³ knowing this, then, it was about them that he spoke.⁵⁶⁴

172Also Choerilus, an older poet,⁵⁶⁵ refers to our nation, as joining the expedition of Xerxes, king of the Persians, against Greece.⁵⁶⁶ After listing all the nations, at the end he included ours as well, in these words:⁵⁶⁷

174It is clear to everyone, I think, that he is referring to us,⁵⁷³ since the Solyman hills are in our country, and we inhabit them,⁵⁷⁴ and there is the so-called Bituminous Lake; for this is broader and bigger than all the lakes in Syria.⁵⁷⁵

175So Choerilus makes reference to us in this way.⁵⁷⁶ That they not only knew about the Judeans but also admired any they encountered⁵⁷⁷ – I am not talking about the most worthless Greeks but those who are especially admired for their wisdom⁵⁷⁸ – is easy to determine.⁵⁷⁹

176For Clearchus, a pupil of Aristotle and second to none among peripatetic philosophers,⁵⁸⁰ says in the first book On Sleep ⁵⁸¹ that his teacher Aristotle recounted the following about a certain Judean man⁵⁸² (he attributes the words to Aristotle himself).⁵⁸³ The text goes like this:

177“Yet, it would take a long time to recount the full details,⁵⁸⁴ but it would not be amiss to describe those aspects of the man which indicate something extraordinary, and likewise philosophical.⁵⁸⁵ Be fully aware, Hyperochides,” he said, “that I will give you the impression of saying something equivalent to dreams.”⁵⁸⁶ Hyperochides⁵⁸⁷ replied modestly, “It is for this very reason that we all want to hear it.”

178“Well then,” said Aristotle, “in accordance with the rules of rhetoric, let us first describe his ancestry,⁵⁸⁸ so we don’t disobey the teachers of narrative-technique.”⁵⁸⁹ “Tell us,” said Hyperochides, “if you wish.”⁵⁹⁰

179“This man, then,⁵⁹¹ was a Judean by descent from Coele-Syria.⁵⁹² These people are descendants of the philosophers in India.⁵⁹³ Among the Indians, they say, the philosophers are called Calanoi,⁵⁹⁴ and among the Syrians, Judeans, taking their name from the place; for the place they inhabit is called Judea.⁵⁹⁵ The name of their city is extremely contorted:⁵⁹⁶ they call it Hierousaleme.⁵⁹⁷

180Now this man, both because he was welcomed as a guest by many⁵⁹⁸ and because he was in the habit of coming down from the highlands to the coast,⁵⁹⁹ was Greek⁶⁰⁰ not only in his speech but also in his soul.⁶⁰¹

181At that time we were staying in Asia,⁶⁰² and this man visited the same places and encountered us and some other scholars, testing our wisdom;⁶⁰³ but as he had been in the company of many educated people,⁶⁰⁴ it was he, rather, who conveyed some of what he had.”⁶⁰⁵

182Such were Aristotle’s words, as found in Clearchus,⁶⁰⁶ and he further relates in detail the immense and extraordinary endurance⁶⁰⁷ of the Judean man in his mode of life,⁶⁰⁸ and his moderation.⁶⁰⁹ Those who wish may find out more from the book itself; I am guarding myself against citing more than is sufficient.⁶¹⁰

183Clearchus, saying these things in passing – he was dealing with a different subject – made reference to us in this way.⁶¹¹ By contrast, Hecataeus the Abderite,⁶¹² a man who was both a philosopher and extremely able in practical affairs,⁶¹³ who flourished at the same time as Alexander the King and was associated with Ptolemy, son of Lagus,⁶¹⁴ did not refer to us in passing but composed a book on the Judeans themselves,⁶¹⁵ from which I wish to touch on a few passages, in summary form.⁶¹⁶

184First I shall determine the date.⁶¹⁷ He makes reference to the battle of Ptolemy against Demetrius near Gaza, and this took place in the eleventh year after the death of Alexander, in the 117th Olympiad,⁶¹⁸ as Castor recounts.⁶¹⁹

185For, under the heading of⁶²⁰ this Olympiad, he says: “In this period Ptolemy son of Lagus defeated Demetrius son of Antigonus, called Poliorketes, in a battle at Gaza.”⁶²¹ All agree that Alexander died in the 114th Olympiad.⁶²² It is clear, then, that our nation was flourishing at the time of both Ptolemy and Alexander.⁶²³

186Now, Hecataeus further says this,⁶²⁴ that after the battle at Gaza, Ptolemy became master of the territories of Syria⁶²⁵ and many of the people, when they heard about Ptolemy’s kindness and benevolence, wanted to go with him to Egypt⁶²⁶ and to share in the political affairs.⁶²⁷

187One of these, he says, was Ezekias, “a high-priest of the Judeans,⁶²⁸ a man about sixty-six years old, of high standing among his fellow countrymen and no fool intellectually, and moreover an able speaker, and as experienced as anyone in political affairs.”⁶²⁹

188Indeed, he says,⁶³⁰ “the total number of the Judeans’ priests who receive a tenth of the produce⁶³¹ and who administer public affairs is about 1500.”⁶³²

189Referring again to the man mentioned above, he says:⁶³³ “This man, when he had acquired this honor and had become our acquaintance,⁶³⁴ gathered some of those in his company and read to them the complete difference;⁶³⁵ for he had their settlement and the constitution written.”⁶³⁶

190Then Hecataeus indicates in turn our attitude toward the laws,⁶³⁷ that we choose to suffer anything rather than transgress them,⁶³⁸ and consider this to be noble.⁶³⁹

191For this reason, he says,⁶⁴⁰ though they are verbally abused by their neighbors and by all those who arrive from abroad,⁶⁴¹ as well as being insolently treated on a regular basis by the Persian kings and satraps,⁶⁴² they cannot be shifted from their conviction;⁶⁴³ on the contrary, defenceless⁶⁴⁴ they face on behalf of these both tortures and the most terrible of all deaths⁶⁴⁵ rather than deny their ancestral ways.⁶⁴⁶

192He also provides several proofs of this strong-mindedness in relation to the laws.⁶⁴⁷ He says that when Alexander was on one occasion in Babylon and had decided to clear the temple of Bel which had collapsed,⁶⁴⁸ he ordered all his soldiers alike to transport the soil; only the Judeans did not comply,⁶⁴⁹ but endured severe beating and paid heavy fines, until the king pardoned them and granted them an amnesty.⁶⁵⁰

193Again, he says,⁶⁵¹ when others arrived in their country and built temples and altars, they knocked them all down;⁶⁵² in some cases they paid a fine to the satraps, in others they obtained pardon. He adds that it is right to admire them in such matters.⁶⁵³

194He also speaks about how extremely populous our nation has become.⁶⁵⁴ For of us he says, “the Persians earlier deported many tens of thousands of them to Babylon,⁶⁵⁵ and equally large numbers moved to Egypt and Phoenicia also after the death of Alexander because of the conflict in Syria.”⁶⁵⁶

195The same person has recounted both the size of the country we inhabit and its beauty:⁶⁵⁷ “they occupy nearly 3,000,000 arourae of the best and most comprehensively fertile land,” he says.⁶⁵⁸ “This is how extensive Judea is.”⁶⁵⁹

196Indeed, that we inhabit from the remote past the city itself – Hierosolyma, which is both very beautiful and very large⁶⁶⁰ – and concerning its abundance of men and the design of the temple, the same author⁶⁶¹ discourses as follows:

197For although there are many fortresses and villages of the Judeans around the country, there is one fortified city,⁶⁶² with a circumference of roughly 50 stadia;⁶⁶³ about 120,000 people inhabit this city,⁶⁶⁴ and they call it Hierosolyma.

198There, roughly in the middle of the city,⁶⁶⁵ is a stone enclosure, about 5 plethra in length and 100 cubits in breadth, with double gates,⁶⁶⁶ within which stands a square altar, constructed of uncut stones, heaped up and undressed, 20 cubits long on each side and 10 cubits high.⁶⁶⁷ Beside it there is a large building,⁶⁶⁸ where there is an altar and a lampstand, both made of gold, two talents in weight;⁶⁶⁹

199on these is a light that is never extinguished, night or day.⁶⁷⁰ There is no statue and no votive offering whatsoever,⁶⁷¹ nor any trace of a plant, whether some kind of grove, or anything else of that sort.⁶⁷² The priests spend their time in it night and day,⁶⁷³ performing certain purification rites; and they drink no wine whatsoever in the temple.⁶⁷⁴

200Further, he has testified⁶⁷⁵ that they campaigned with Alexander the King and later with his Successors.⁶⁷⁶ He says that he himself was present at an incident during the campaign involving a Judean man, which I shall cite.⁶⁷⁷

201He says as follows:⁶⁷⁸ Anyway, while I was marching towards the Red Sea,⁶⁷⁹ there accompanied us, among the cavalry who were our escort, a Judean man⁶⁸⁰ called Mosollamos,⁶⁸¹ a person of considerable intellectual strength⁶⁸² and, by common consent, the best archer of all, both Greeks and barbarians.⁶⁸³

202When many people were milling about on the road,⁶⁸⁴ and a certain diviner, who was observing a bird for omens,⁶⁸⁵ was telling everyone to halt, this fellow asked why they were waiting.⁶⁸⁶

203The diviner pointed out the bird to him and said that, if it stayed there, it was expedient for everyone to wait; if it flew off and went forwards, to march on; and if it went backwards, to retreat.⁶⁸⁷ Mosollamos said nothing but drew his bow, fired, hit the bird, and killed it.⁶⁸⁸

204When the diviner and some others got angry and cursed him, he replied, “Why are you losing your wits, you poor devils?”⁶⁸⁹ Then, taking the bird in his hands, he said, “How could this thing give us any sound information about our journey, when it couldn’t foresee its own safety?⁶⁹⁰ For if it had been able to know the future, it would not have come to this spot for fear that it be shot and killed by Mosollamos the Judean.”⁶⁹¹

205That is ample evidence from Hecataeus;⁶⁹² those who want to learn more can easily read his book.⁶⁹³ I shall not hesitate⁶⁹⁴ to name also – though he makes reference to us in ridiculing our naïvety, as he regards it⁶⁹⁵ – Agatharchides.⁶⁹⁶

206He is telling the story of Stratonice,⁶⁹⁷ how she came to Syria from Macedonia having deserted her husband Demetrius, and when Seleucus did not want to marry her, as she had expected, while he was launching the campaign⁶⁹⁸ from Babylon, she staged a revolution in Antioch.⁶⁹⁹

207Then, when the king returned, and while Antioch was being captured, she fled to Seleucia⁷⁰⁰ and, although she could have sailed swiftly away, she paid heed to a dream which stopped her from going, was captured and died.⁷⁰¹

208After telling this story and mocking Stratonice for her superstition,⁷⁰² Agatharchides uses as an example a story about us,⁷⁰³ and writes as follows:⁷⁰⁴

209Those called Judeans inhabit the best fortified city of all,⁷⁰⁵ which, it happens, the natives call Hierosolyma,⁷⁰⁶ and it is their custom to do no work every seventh day⁷⁰⁷ – neither to carry no weapons on the occasions mentioned, nor to put their hands to any agriculture, nor to attend to any public service⁷⁰⁸ – but to pray in the temples until evening, with hands outstretched.⁷⁰⁹

210When Ptolemy, son of Lagus, entered the city⁷¹⁰ with his army, the people, instead of defending the city, continued in their stupidity;⁷¹¹ so their homeland acquired a cruel master,⁷¹² and the law was convicted of containing a despicable custom.⁷¹³

211The event has taught everyone, except them,⁷¹⁴ against running away to dreams⁷¹⁵ and the traditional fancy about the law,⁷¹⁶ on occasions when they are impotent in human reasoning concerning matters in which they are at a loss.⁷¹⁷

212To Agatharchides this appears worthy of ridicule, but to those who investigate it without malice⁷¹⁸ it is evidently significant and worthy of much praise⁷¹⁹ if some people consistently place a higher value on law-observance and piety to God than on their safety and their homeland.⁷²⁰