CHAPTER XII.

APOTHEOSIS OF MOSES.

During the period when the Shepherd Kings ruled the land of Egypt

famine was not allowed to depopulate the world. After these Kings came

their descendant Moses, the mortal to whom the Almighty spoke from the

top of Mount Sinai, in the presence of a multitude of witnesses, and

gave laws by which man must defend himself from an enemy more cruel

than famine; for those who die from famine may still rise to enjoy life

eternal, whereas death brought into the world by sin, through the

instigation of Satan, is death eternal, from which there is no

resurrection.

This inspired Moses taught the Israelites how to serve God, the only

way by which they can secure themselves from eternal death. And when he

considered them capable of continuing in the way he set them, he went

to other nations, and everywhere instructed the people, that they might

live for ever.

One of the moral precepts he taught in the Far East, in Hindustan, is

still revered by the Hindoos to this day. In that country he assumed

the name of Manu, so that the children of Israel who were in Palestine

might not recognise him and claim him as their sovereign. The precept

is this:—

Daily[87] perform thine own appointed work

Unweariedly; and to obtain a friend—

A sure companion to the future world—

Collect a store of virtue like the ants

Who garner up their treasures into heaps;

For neither father, mother, wife, nor son,

Nor kinsman, will remain beside thee then,

When thou art passing to that other home—

Thy virtue will thy only comrade be.

Single is every living creature born,

Single he passes to another world,

Single he eats the fruits of evil deeds,

Single, the fruit of good; and when he leaves

His body like a log or heap of clay

Upon the ground, his kinsmen walk away;

Virtue alone stays by him at the tomb,

And bears him through dreary trackless gloom.

Depend not on another, rather lean

Upon thyself; trust to thine own exertions.

Subjection to another’s will gives pain;

True happiness consists in self-reliance.

Strive to complete the task thou hast commenced;

Wearied, renew thy efforts once again;

Again fatigued, once more the work begin;

So shalt thou earn success and fortune win.

This Law-giver’s moral teaching extended all over the Eastern world,

including Corea and Japan, and thence to the western shores of the

American continent; so that when his earthly course was finished, the

dwellers in all these countries founded religions based on his

precepts, making his memory the object of their worship.

The Mexicans and Peruvians held him and his followers in such

reverence, and were so confident that some day he would revisit them,

that, when the Spaniards appeared among them, they mistook them for the

expected visitors, and were ready to worship them.

It is related that “Viracocho, the eighth Inca, beheld in a vision a

man of majestic form, with a long beard, and garments reaching to the

ground, who declared that he was a child of the sun. That monarch built

a temple in honour of this person, and erected an image of him,

resembling as nearly as possible the singular form in which he had

appeared to him. In this temple divine honours were paid to him under

the name of Viracocho.”

“When the Spaniards first appeared in Peru, the length of their beards,

and the dress they wore, struck everybody as so like to the image of

Viracocho, that they supposed them to be children of the sun, who had

descended from heaven to earth. All concluded that the last days of the

Peruvian Empire were at hand, and that the throne would be occupied by

new rulers. Atahualpa himself, considering the Spaniards as messengers

from heaven, was so far from entertaining any thoughts of resisting

them, that he determined to yield implicit obedience to their commands.

From these sentiments flowed his professions of love and respect; to

these were owing the cordial reception of Soto and Ferdinand Pizarro in

his camp, and the submissive reverence with which he himself advanced

to visit the Spanish general in his quarters.”[88]

The same idolatrous worship is paid in Japan and China to the memory of

the Law-giver Moses, who was the founder and sovereign of these

Empires. In Japan this mode of worship is called Shintoism, and in

China Confucianism. The institutor of the latter was Confucius. After

him came his disciple Laou-tsze, who wrote a book containing five

thousand characters; on this he constructed the modern Chinese

religion. The book is called Taou-tih-King; the religion, Taouism.

“The first chapter of the Taou-tih-King tells us that, ‘that which is

nameless is the beginning of heaven and earth,’ and elsewhere we are

let into the secret of the processes which led up to this creation.

Taou produced one, the first great cause; one produced two, the male

and female principles of nature; two produced three; and three produced

all things, beginning with heaven and earth.

“Heaven is treated by Laou-tsze much in the same way as by Confucius,

but with far more reserve. In the utterances of both teachers we find

the word used to designate the material heaven as well as a personified

heaven. Just as Confucius speaks of the Sage as being the equal of

heaven, Laou-tsze says that he is the associate of heaven, and that he

is heaven itself.

“Heaven, also according to him, gives laws to the earth, just as it

takes its laws from Taou. It has no special love, but regards all

existing beings as grass-dogs made for sacrificial rites, _i.e._ for

temporary purposes. It is as unselfish as it is impartial, and because

it does not aim at life it lasts long. It is great and compassionate,

and is ever ready to become the saviour of men. But it is also the

material heaven, and maintains its existence by the ‘clearness’ which

is imparted to it by its unity with Taou.”[89]

These religious systems are at the present time to a great extent

superseded by Buddhism. This religion has many followers, and its

tenets are known throughout the East, in Thibet, Central Asia, Siberia,

and even as far west as Swedish Lapland.

The founder of Buddhism was born on the borders of Nepaul about B.C.

620, and was heir to the throne of Kapilavastu. Renouncing his claim,

he made himself known to the world as the Buddha Gautama, whose advent

was foretold by the Brahmans. It had been predicted that either he

would live among men and become a Chacawati, or mighty ruler, whose

sway all the human race would acknowledge; or, withdrawing from the

world, he would become a recluse, and in that condition, after

disentangling himself from the miseries of existence, would become a

Buddha, and remove the veils of ignorance and sin from the world.

The tribe to which belonged the father of Gautama, whose name was

Suddhódana, was called Sākya. His mother’s name was Mâya, “daughter of

Supra-buddha, chief of the neighbouring and kindred tribe of Kolyans.

Both tribes were of pure Aryan race, and branches of the Suryavansi, or

line of the Sun.”[90]

All statues of Guatama represent him with short points of hair on the

top of the head; in some the hair has a curled or woolly appearance.

This, together with other circumstances, proves that the Sage descended

from the Ethiopian Colonisers who entered India with Moses. Some of the

precepts of the Buddha resemble those of Our Lord and Saviour Jesus

Christ, who preached six hundred years later, though there are some

differences of doctrine. Gautama abolished sacrifices, and taught the

law of Love and Charity, and the reward of obedience; also the

liberation of the soul from self, with its absorption into the

Infinite, or the Finite lost in the Infinite and the Mortal in the

Immortal.

The invocation which he taught his disciples was addressed to the

Spirit in the Lotus, a mystical reference to the preservation of the

Founder of his tribe—the Hebrew infant cast on the bosom of the sacred

Nile in a cradle of bulrushes. The Trinity of the Buddhists, also, is

analogous to the Trinity of the Egyptians—the Osiris, Isis, and their

son Horus, signifying Moses (rescued from the water) and his Ethiopian

consort Tharbis, and their son (represented in paintings in Thebes).

About six hundred years after Gautama’s death Our Lord Jesus Christ

entered the world. His coming was expected by the followers of the last

Buddha, insomuch that the Brahmans came to Judea in search of the

Infant, whose birth was made known to them by a bright, extraordinary

star.

The mission of the Saviour was to fulfil the predictions of the Hebrew

Scriptures, that, by His death, the world might be restored to the

favour of God. And the reward of His Sacrifice of Himself on man’s

behalf will be the restoration of God’s favour to His erring creatures,

so that, in the fulness of time, the Lord God will again walk with man

on earth, in the cool of the day, as He did in the days of Adam’s

innocency in the Garden of Eden.

APPENDICES.

APPENDIX I.

_A Narrative of the Great Famine in the Land of Egypt,

as recorded in the Talmud._[91]

Pharaoh the King issued a proclamation throughout the whole land of

Egypt to the wise men thereof. And he called upon all the wise men to

seek his presence and listen to the dreams which troubled him.

“He who can properly interpret to me the meaning of these visions shall

have his dearest wishes granted as they issue from his lips; but he who

is able to read dreams and neglects my bidding shall surely be put to

death.”

Then the wise men, and the soothsayers, and the magicians of the land

of Egypt, came and stood before the King.

And the King related to them his dream, and though many interpreted, no

two agreed as to its meaning. They contradicted one another, and they

served but to confuse the King. Many were the interpretations.

“The seven fat cows,” said one, “are seven kings who will arise over

Egypt from royal families, and the seven lean cows are seven princes

who will arise from them, and in the end of days destroy the seven

kings. The seven rank ears are seven great princes of this land who

shall in a coming time of war fall into the power of seven princes, now

weak and in no wise to be feared.”

“The seven fat cows,” said another, “are seven queens whom thou shalt

marry in the coming days, and the seven lean cows declare that these

queens shall die during thy life, O King! The seven rank ears and the

seven lean ears are fourteen children whom thou shalt beget, and they

will fight among themselves, and the seven weaker ones shall conquer

their stronger brethren.”

But the King was not satisfied with these interpretations. His mind was

still unquiet, for the Lord had ordained that Joseph was to be released

from his prison and elevated to a princely position; therefore did

Pharaoh remain unsatisfied with the words of his wise men.

And the King was wroth, and he dismissed the wise men from his

presence; and all the wise men and the soothsayers and magicians of

Egypt went out from the presence of their King in shame and confusion.

And the King commanded in his wrath that all these men should be put to

death.

When the chief butler heard this he sought the presence of the King,

and in deep obeisance before him spoke as follows:

“O King, live for ever! May thy greatness, O King, increase for ever

through the land. Lo, thou wast wroth with thy servant, and thou didst

place him in confinement. For a year was I imprisoned, I and the chief

baker. And with us in our dungeon was a Hebrew servant who belonged to

the captain of the guard. His name was Joseph, and his master growing

wroth with him, had placed him in prison, where he served the captain

of the guard, and he served us also.

“And it came to pass when we had been in the prison for a year we

dreamed, each, a dream, and the Hebrew slave interpreted for each of us

his dream. And lo, as he interpreted our dreams so was the reality. As

he spoke so did it come to pass.

“Therefore, my lord King, I pray thee, do not kill the wise men of

Egypt for naught. Behold, this slave is still in the prison. If it be

pleasing in the eyes of the King let him be sent for. Let him listen to

the dreams which trouble the mind of the King, and he will be able to

solve them correctly.”

The King listened to the words of the chief butler, and he ordered that

Joseph should be brought before him. But he commanded his officers to

be careful not to frighten the lad, lest through fear he should be

unable to interpret correctly.

And the servants of the King brought Joseph forth from his dungeon, and

shaved him and clothed him in new garments, and carried him before the

King. The King was seated upon his throne, and the glare and glitter of

the jewels which ornamented the throne dazzled and astonished the eyes

of Joseph.

Now the throne of the King was reached by seven steps, and it was the

custom of Egypt for a prince or noble who held audience with the King,

to ascend to the sixth step; but when an inferior or a private citizen

of the land was called into his presence, the King descended to the

third step and from there spoke with him. So when Joseph came into the

presence of the King he bowed to the ground at the foot of the throne,

and the King descended to the third step and spoke to him.

And he said:

“Behold, I have dreamed a dream, and among all the wise men and

magicians of the land there is not one able to read for me its meaning.

I have heard that thou art far-sighted and blest with the gift of

divination, and I have sent for thee to solve my dream.”

And Joseph answered:

“O King, the power is not with me; but God will answer and give Pharaoh

peace.”

And Joseph found favour in the eyes of the King, and he told to him his

dream. And the spirit of God was upon Joseph, and the King inclined his

ears and heart to the words of Joseph.

And Joseph said to Pharaoh:

“Let not the King think that his dreams are two and distinct; they have

but a single portent, and what the Lord intends doing upon the earth He

has shown to Pharaoh in a vision. Let me advise thee, O King, how thou

mayest preserve thy life and the lives of all the inhabitants of thy

land from the grievous evils of the famine which is soon to drain and

dry up its fruitfulness and its plenty. Let the King appoint a man wise

and discreet, a man well versed in the laws of the country, and let him

appoint other officers under him to go out through all the length and

breadth of the land to gather food during the years of plenty and store

it carefully away for future use, that the land may not die in the

years of famine which will follow. And let the King command the people

of the land, that they shall each and every one gather and store up in

the years of plenty of the produce of the fields, to provide for their

wants when the ground shall be barren and the fields unproductive.”

And the King answered, “How knowest thou that thou hast read the dream

aright?”

And Joseph said, “Lo, this shall be a sign that my words are true. A

son shall be born to the King, and upon the day of his birth, thy

first-born son, who is now two years old, shall die.”

And when Joseph finished speaking these words, he bowed low before the

King and departed from his presence.

The occurrence which Joseph predicted came to pass. The queen bore a

son, and upon the day when it was told to the King he rejoiced greatly.

But as the messenger of glad tidings retired, the servants of the King

found his first-born son dead, and there was a great crying and wailing

in the palace of the King.

And when Pharaoh inquired as to the cause of this great cry he was

informed of his loss, and remembering the words of Joseph he

acknowledged them as true.

After these things the King sent and gathered together all his princes,

officers, and men of rank, and when they came before him, he said: “You

have seen and heard all the words of this Hebrew, and you know that as

he spoke so has the thing occurred; therefore must we believe that his

solution of my dream was the correct one, and that his words of advice

were of good weight and consideration. We must take measures of

protection against the famine which is surely to come upon us.

Therefore search, I pray you, over all Egypt for a man with wisdom and

knowledge in his heart, that we may appoint him over the land.”

And they answered the King: “The advice of this Hebrew was very good;

behold, the country is in the hands of the King to do with it what is

pleasing in his eyes; but the Hebrew has proved himself wise and

skilful, why should our lord the King not select and appoint him as

governor over the land?”

“Yea, surely,” said the King, “if God has made these things known to

the Hebrew, then there is none among us as wise and discreet as he is.

What you have suggested is in accordance with my own thoughts; we will

appoint the Hebrew our governor, and through his wisdom shall our

country be saved the pangs of want.”

And Pharaoh sent for Joseph and said to him: “Thou didst advise me to

appoint a wise and discreet man to deliver the land from the anguish of

famine. Surely, there can be none more discreet than thyself to whom

God has made known all these things. Thy name shall no more be Joseph,

but ‘Zaphenath-Päaneah’ (Revealer of hidden things) shalt thou

hereafter be called among men.

“Thou shalt be second to me only, and according to thy words shall the

land of Egypt be ruled; only upon the throne shall I be greater than

thyself.”

Then the King removed his ring from his finger and placed it upon the

hand of Joseph. And he dressed Joseph in royal apparel, and placed a

crown upon his head and a chain of gold about his neck. And Pharaoh

commanded that Joseph should ride in his second chariot throughout the

land of Egypt. And the people followed him with music, and a large

concourse accompanied him upon his journey.

Five thousand soldiers with drawn swords in their hands, swords

glittering in the sunlight, preceded him, and twenty thousand soldiers

followed. And the people of the land, men, women, and children, gazed

upon the pageant from windows and from house-tops, and the beauty of

Joseph pleased all eyes.

And flowers were strewn in his path when he walked, and the air was

made sweet with perfume, and the savoury odour of balms and spices. And

proclamations were placed in prominent places declaring the authority

of Joseph, and threatening death to those who failed to pay him homage;

for he was considered as dishonouring his King who failed to honour the

man made second in the kingdom. The people bowed down and shouted,

“Long live the King and his Viceroy!” And Joseph, seated in his

chariot, lifted his eyes to heaven, and exclaimed in the fulness of his

heart, “He raiseth the poor from the dust; from the dunghill He lifteth

up the needy. O Lord of Hosts, happy is the man who trusteth in thee!”

And it came to pass after this, that Joseph saw Osnath, the daughter of

Potipharah, a pearl among the beauties of the land, and he loved her

and she became his wife. And Joseph was but thirty years old when he

was elevated to his honourable and trustworthy position. He built for

himself a palace, elegant and complete in its details and surroundings,

so elaborate that three years’ time was required for its completion.

And the Lord was with Joseph, and increased his wisdom and

understanding, and blessed him with manners so affable and deserving

that he quickly won the love and favour of all the inhabitants of the

country.

And during seven years, as Joseph had foretold, the Lord increased the

produce of Egypt sevenfold. And Joseph appointed officers to gather up

the plenty. They built huge storehouses[92] and heaped up corn during

the seven years of plenty, till the amount stored grew so great that no

man could number it. And Joseph and his officers were watchful and

diligent that their stores of grain should not suffer from moth or

mould. The people of the land, too, stored up their surplus crop, but

they were not as careful and watchful as was Joseph and his assistants.

And the wife of Joseph bore him two sons, Manassah and Ephraim, and

their father taught them diligently the way of truth; they listened to

his words and departed not from the paths of pleasantness either to the

right hand or to the left.

They grew up bright and intelligent lads, and were honoured among the

people as were the children of the King.

But the seven years of plenty drew to an end, and the fields became

barren and the trees gave forth no fruit, and the famine which Joseph

had predicted threw its gloomy shadow and threatening presence over the

once fruitful land.

And when the people opened their storehouses, they found to their

sorrow that moth and mould had taken advantage of their neglect. And

they cried aloud to Pharaoh, “Give us food; let us not die of hunger

before thee, we and our children; give to us, we pray thee, from the

plenty of thy storehouses.”[93]

And Pharaoh answered, “Why cry ye unto me, O careless people? did

Joseph not tell ye of the famine which has come upon us? Why did ye not

hearken to his voice, and obey his commands to be frugal and

painstaking?”

“By thy life, our lord,” replied the people, “as Joseph spoke, so did

we, and gathered in our corn during the years of plenty, but lo, when

the pangs of hunger and the barrenness of the land bid us open our

granaries, the moth had destroyed the provisions which we had garnered.”

The King became alarmed lest all their precaution should prove

unavailing against the famine’s blight, and he bade the people to go to

Joseph. “Obey his commands and rebel not against his words.”

And the people repeated to Joseph the cry for food they had addressed

to Pharaoh.

When Joseph heard the words of the people and learned the result of

their want of care, he opened the storehouses of the King and sold food

unto the hungry people.

And the famine grew sore in the land of Egypt and spread through Canaan

and the land of the Philistines, and to the other side of the Jordan.

And when the inhabitants of these countries heard that corn could be

obtained in Egypt, they came all of them into that country to buy, so

that Joseph was obliged to appoint many officers to sell corn to the

large multitude of people.

And Joseph’s thoughts reverted to his father’s home, and he knew that

his brothers would be obliged to come to Egypt to purchase food, for

the famine was very grievous in their neighbourhood. Therefore he gave

orders that no man desiring corn should send his servant to purchase

it, but the head of each family should personally appear as a

purchaser; either the father of a family or his sons. He proclaimed

also, as the order of the King and his viceroy, that no man should be

allowed to purchase corn in Egypt to sell it again in other countries,

but only such as he required for the support of his immediate family;

neither should any purchaser be allowed to buy more corn than one

animal could carry.

And he put guards at all the gates of Egypt, and every man who passed

through the gates was obliged to record his name and the name of his

father in a book, which was brought by the guards every night for

Joseph’s inspection.

Thus did Joseph design to ascertain when his brothers came to buy food;

and all the commands which he had given were faithfully executed.

Now, when the patriarch Jacob learned that food could be purchased in

Egypt, he bade his sons proceed thither and obtain a stock of

provisions, for the famine was growing very severe, and he feared that

his family would suffer from its pangs. Jacob instructed his sons to

enter the city by different gates, so that no objection should be made

to the amount of their purchases; and as he commanded, so they did.

Thus did the sons of Jacob go down to Egypt, and while upon the way

they thought of their brother Joseph, and their hearts chid them for

their cruelty towards him, and they said one to the other:

“Behold, we know that Joseph was carried down to Egypt; now, when we

come to the city let us seek for him, perchance we may discover his

whereabouts, and then we will redeem him from his master.”

And so did Jacob’s ten sons travel to Egypt. Benjamin was not with

them, for his father feared that mischief might befall him as it did

the other son of Rachel, and he kept him at home by his side.

By ten different gates did the ten sons of the patriarch enter into the

land of Egypt, and the guards at the gates took down their names, which

were sent with the other names to Joseph at the close of the day. When

Joseph read the names he commanded that all the storehouses[94] save

one should be closed, and he ordered further, that every purchaser at

this storehouse should be required to give his name; and mentioning the

names of his brethren, he said, “If these men come before ye, see that

ye seize them, every one.”

When the sons of Jacob had entered the city they met together, and

before buying their corn they resolved to make a thorough search for

their brother. They visited all places of public resort, and the houses

of divination, but though they continued their search for three days,

it proved unavailing.

Now when three days had passed, and his brothers had not put in an

appearance at the storehouse, Joseph wondered at their delay, and he

sent sixteen of his servants to search for them quietly through the

city. They were found among the Egyptian players, and brought

straightway before the viceroy.

Joseph was seated upon his throne dressed in his royal apparel, with

his officers around him, when his brothers bowed to the ground before

him. They wondered exceedingly at the magnificence, the handsome

appearance and the majestic presence of the powerful man before them,

but they did not recognise in him their brother.

And Joseph spoke to them, saying, “Whence came ye?” “From the land of

Canaan,” they answered, “and to buy food, for lo! the famine is sore in

the land; and thy servants learning that corn might be purchased in

Egypt, have journeyed hither to provide for their support and the

support of their families.”

But Joseph said, “Nay, ye are spies, else why did ye enter the city by

ten different gates?”

They answered, “We are true men; thy servants have never been spies.

Thy servants are brothers, the sons of one father, and by his command

did we enter the city separately, for coming together he feared our

appearance might attract unfavourable attention.”

But Joseph repeated, “Ye are spies; to spy out the nakedness of our

land have ye come. Behold, every man who comes to buy corn, makes his

purchase and departs; but ye, lo, three days have ye been in the city,

in public places and among the players; it is as I have spoken, ye are

spies.”

“God forbid!” they exclaimed; “our lord misjudges us. We are altogether

twelve brothers, the sons of Jacob, in the land of Canaan; Jacob, the

son of Isaac, and grandson of Abraham the Hebrew. Behold, our youngest

brother is with his father, we ten are here, and the other brother,

alas, he is not with us, we know not where he is. We thought perchance

he might be in your land, therefore have we searched all public places

these three days.”

“And what should the son of Jacob be doing in the public places?” asked

Joseph.

“We heard,” they answered, “that the Ishmaelites had sold him in Egypt,

and being of very handsome appearance, we thought he might have been

sold in one of the play-houses, therefore we went there hoping to find

and to redeem him.”

“Suppose you had found him,” said Joseph, “and his master had asked for

him an enormous amount of money; were you prepared to comply with

extraordinary demands?”

The brothers answered in the affirmative, and Joseph continued:

“Suppose again that you should find him and his master should refuse to

sell or deliver him to you under any circumstances, what would you do

in such a case?”

“In such a case,” they answered, “if neither prayers nor money should

prove of avail, we would rescue our brother by violence: aye, even the

death of his master, and flee with him to our father’s house.”

“It is as I have said,” retorted Joseph; “ye are spies; lo, with evil

designs upon the inhabitants of our city ye have come. We have heard

and know indeed how ye killed all the males of Shechem in the land of

Canaan on your sister’s account, and now ye would treat the men of

Egypt in the same way for the sake of a brother. But yet we will give

ye an opportunity to prove yourselves true men. Send one of your number

to your father’s house to bring hither the youngest brother of whom you

have spoken. If ye will do this, I shall know that you have spoken

truly. Take three days to consider.”

And in obedience to Joseph’s commands his brothers were held in ward

for three days.

After this time the brothers concluded to leave one of their number as

a hostage, while the others returned to Canaan to bring Benjamin down

to Egypt. So Menasseh, the son of Joseph, chose Simeon as the hostage,

and he was kept in ward.

Ere his brothers departed, Joseph spoke to them once more. “Take heed,”

said he, “that ye forget not my commands. If ye bring this brother to

me, I shall consider ye true men, and ye shall be free to traffic in

the land; neither will I do harm to your brother; he shall be at

liberty to return with ye to your father’s house in peace.”

They bowed down to the ground and departed from Egypt. As they

proceeded upon their homeward journey, they stopped at an inn to feed

their asses, and Levi opened his sack to provide the corn for the meal.

And lo, when he opened the sack, his money which he had paid for the

corn was lying on the top. And he was exceedingly afraid, and he told

the thing to his brethren, and they, too, were filled with alarm. And

when every man found his money returned they cried aloud:

“What is this that God has done to us? Has the Lord withdrawn from us

the mercy which He showed to our ancestors, to Abraham, to Isaac, and

to Jacob, that He has given us into the hands of Egypt’s prince to mock

us and make merry with us?”

But Judah said, “It is just! Are we not guilty and sinful before the

Lord? We sold our brother, our flesh. Why should we now complain that

the favour God has lavished on our ancestors is denied to us?”

“Did I not warn ye, ‘sin not against the child?’” said Reuben, “and ye

would not hearken to my words. His blood is upon us. Why do ye say,

therefore, ‘Where is the kindness which the Lord promised unto our

fathers?’ Verily we have forfeited His protection.”

When Jacob’s sons approached their home, and the patriarch came forth

to meet them, he quickly missed the face of Simeon, and he asked,

“Where is Simeon, your brother?”

Then the brothers told their father all that had happened to them in

Egypt, and Jacob said to them: “What is this that ye have done to me?

Your brother Joseph I sent to ye to inquire of your welfare, and his

face I looked upon no more,—his bloody garments ye brought me, saying,

‘Lo, the wild beasts of the forest have destroyed thy son.’ Simeon I

sent with ye to purchase food, and ye tell me that he is imprisoned in

a cruel land; and now Benjamin ye wish to take also,—for Joseph and

for Benjamin ye would bring my grey hairs in sorrow to the grave. No,

my son shall not go with ye.”

And Reuben said, “The lives of my two sons I place in your hands; if we

do not bring back Benjamin safely to thee, their lives shall prove the

forfeit.”

But Jacob said, “Neither shall ye return again to Egypt; stay here, for

my son shall not go with ye, to die as did his brother.”

And Judah said to his brothers, “Urge him no more at present. Let us

wait until these provisions have been consumed, and when cruel want and

hunger press us he will consent to what we ask.”

And it came to pass when the provisions were gone, that the sons of his

children gathered around Jacob and cried to him, “Oh, give us bread.”

And the heart of Jacob was torn with anguish at the cry, and summoning

his sons, he said to them, “Hear ye not the voices of your children

crying for food? ‘Give us bread,’ they cried to me, and I—I have none

to give them. Get ye down to Egypt, I pray ye, and buy us a little

food.”

Then Judah answered, and said to his father, “If thou wilt send

Benjamin with us, we will go,—otherwise we cannot. The King of Egypt

is a mighty potentate; we dare not trifle with him. Should we return to

Egypt, and our youngest brother be not with us, lo, he would destroy us

all. Our father, we cannot disobey this King; greater even is he than

Abimelech, the Philistine. Thou hast not seen, as we have, his throne,

his palace, his myriads of officers; thou hast not witnessed, as have

we, his wisdom, knowledge, and understanding. God has blessed him with

unequalled gifts; greater is he than all on earth beside. Our names he

told us; what had happened to us in our youth; he inquired of thee,

saying, ‘Is your father yet alive? Are all things well with him?’ Thou

hast not heard, as we have, of his power; over his people he is

supreme; upon his word they go out, and upon his word they come in; his

word governs, and the voice of his master, Pharaoh, is not required.

Oh, my father, send the lad,—we cannot go without him; if thou

refusest, we must see our children die with hunger.”

And Jacob said, in his sorrow: “Why did ye tell the man ye had a

brother? Oh, evil, evil is this thing which ye have done!” “Give the

boy into my hands,” said Judah, “and let us go down to Egypt and buy

the corn. If I do not return him safely to thee, a sinner against my

father shall I be considered all my days. Our children weep before

thee, and we have naught to stay their cries; have mercy on them, send

our brother with us. Hast thou not often told us of the mercy which our

God has promised to thee? Lo, He will protect thy son and return him to

thee safely. Pray unto the Lord for our sakes, entreat Him to give us

grace and favour in the eyes of Egypt’s prince. Lo, had we not tarried

thus long, we should have now been back with food; yea, back twice to

thee, and with thy son in safety.”

And Jacob answered: “The Lord God give you grace in the eyes of the

King and officers of Egypt. In Him will I put my trust. Arise, go unto

the man, take with ye gifts, the best the land affords; the Lord will

be with ye, and ye shall bring back to me your brothers, Benjamin and

Simeon.”

Then the sons of Jacob went down again to Egypt. And they took Benjamin

with them, and they took, also, presents and twofold money.

“Take heed of the lad,” were Jacob’s parting words; “separate not from

him either in Egypt or upon the road”; and when they had gone, he

sought the presence of the Almighty in prayer.

And the wives of Jacob’s sons, and his grandchildren, they, too, lifted

their eyes and hearts to Heaven.

Jacob also addressed the following letter, to be delivered by his sons

into the hands of Joseph:

“From thy servant, Jacob, the son of Isaac, the son of Abraham the

Hebrew.

“The prince of God unto the mighty and wise King Zaphenath-Päaneah, the

King of Egypt, peace.

“My lord, the King, knows well that the famine is sore in the land of

Canaan; therefore I sent my sons to thee to buy food for our

sustenance. I charged them not to enter the city by the same gate, lest

coming together they might attract the attention of the inhabitants.

And, lo, their obedience to my orders has caused them to be accused by

thee as spies. Oh, my lord, could not an intelligent man, such as thou

art, read truth upon the faces of my sons? Much have I heard of thy

wisdom and the understanding which thou didst display in the

interpretation of Pharaoh’s dreams, in foretelling this grievous

famine,—how, then, was it possible that thou shouldst suspect my sons?

“Behold, I am surrounded with children; I am very old, and my eyes wax

dim; tearful have they been for twenty years in lamenting the loss of

my son Joseph, and now I have sent to thee his brother Benjamin as thou

didst command; I pray thee, O my lord, to be good to him, and return

him to me with his brothers. The strength of God has ever been with us;

He has listened to our prayers, and He has never forsaken us; protect

thou my son who is coming unto thee, and God will look favourably upon

thee and upon thy kingdom. Send him home again with his brothers, and

Simeon also send with them in peace.”

This letter was entrusted into Judah’s hands.

Thus the sons of Jacob went down again to Egypt with Benjamin and with

the presents, and they stood before Joseph. And Joseph released Simeon

from prison, and restored him to his brethren. And Simeon told them of

the kind treatment which he had received since their departure.

Then Judah took Benjamin and brought him before Joseph, and they

prostrated themselves to the ground. And the brothers gave Joseph the

presents which their father had sent to him. And Joseph asked them

whether all went well with their children and with their old father,

and they answered, “It is well with all of us.”

Then Judah delivered his father’s letter to Joseph, and the latter

recognised his father’s hand, and his feelings grew too strong for him;

the recollections of his youth overpowered him, and retiring into a

side apartment he wept bitterly.

Returning to the presence of his brothers, Joseph’s eyes rested upon

Benjamin, his mother’s son, and he asked, “Is this your youngest

brother of whom ye told me?” And when Benjamin drew near, Joseph laid

his hand upon his brother’s head, and said, “God be gracious unto thee,

my son.”

Then restraining his feelings, he ordered his officers to prepare the

dining-tables.

Then when the meal was ready Joseph took into his hand a cup,—a cup of

solid silver, set with precious stones, and holding it in his hand in

the presence of his brothers, Joseph said, “I know by this cup that

Reuben is the first-born of your father, therefore shall he sit first,

and Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun shall follow him in this

order, according to their ages; the rest shall follow these according

to their ages.”

And he said further, “I know that your youngest brother has no mother,

neither have I a mother, therefore will we two sit together.”

And the men marvelled much at the words of Joseph, as they ate and

drank with Joseph upon that day.

In the morning Joseph dismissed his brethren, and bade them return to

their father in peace. But when they had departed he called his

servants, and ordered them to pursue after, overtake them, and bring

them back.

And when the servants of Joseph overtook them, and said to them, “Why

have ye done this thing to steal our master’s cup?” the brothers of

Joseph were indignant, and they answered, “If ye find the cup in the

possession of any one of us, lo, he shall die, and we, his brethren,

shall be your master’s slaves”; but when the cup was found where Joseph

had ordered it to be put, in Benjamin’s sack, they returned, grieving

and crestfallen, to the presence of Joseph.

The viceroy was seated upon his throne, and his officers of state were

gathered about him when his brethren entered, and speaking roughly to

them, he said: “What evil deed is this which you have wrought? Why did

ye take my silver cup? Is it because you could not find that brother

you spoke of in the country that you stole the cup instead? Answer and

tell me why have ye done this thing?”

And Judah spoke, saying, “What shall we say unto my lord? What shall we

speak, for how shall we justify ourselves? God hath found out the

iniquity of thy servants, and sent this calamity upon us.”

Then Joseph arose, and grasping hold of Benjamin he led him to another

room, and pushing him therein closed the door upon him. He then told

the others to return to their homes in peace, saying, “I will keep the

one in whose possession the cup was found; return ye in peace.”

Then Judah answered: “Know that I became a surety with our father for

the lad’s safe return. ‘If he comes not back with us,’ I said, ‘lo, I

shall be considered as sinning before thee all my days.’ Oh, my lord,

let me find grace in thy eyes; let me but take the lad home to his

father, and I will return to take his place as thy servant. See, I am

stronger and older than he is, let me be thy servant instead of

Benjamin.”

“Upon one condition,” replied Joseph, “the lad may go with you. Bring

before me his brother, his mother’s son of whom you have spoken, and I

will take him in place of Benjamin. You did become a surety for him to

your father, therefore let me have him, and the brother for whom you

did become a surety shall return home with you.”

Then Simeon drew near and answered: “Did we not tell my lord, when

first we came before him, that this lost brother we could not find?

Wherefore will my lord speak such idle words? We know not, alas!

whether this brother be alive or dead.”

“Suppose, then,” said Joseph, “that I should call him before me, will

ye then give him to me in place of Benjamin?” And, raising his voice,

he called aloud, “Joseph! Joseph! appear Joseph, and sit before thy

brethren.”

The sons of Jacob wondered much at these words, and their blood grew

chill as they looked around in fear and amazement to see from whence

their brother was to appear.

And Joseph said to them: “Why do ye look around? Your brother is before

you. I am Joseph whom ye sold to Egypt. But nay, be not alarmed, ye

were but instruments, and to save life did God send me hither.”

And the men were much frightened, and Judah especially was terrified at

the startling words. Benjamin, who was in the inner court, heard them,

and hurrying before Joseph, he threw himself upon the latter’s breast,

and kissing him, they wept together. The other brothers too were much

affected, and the people about wondered, and the report of the

occurrence reached Pharaoh’s palace.

Pharaoh was pleased with the news, and sent a deputation of his

officers to welcome Joseph’s brethren, and to bid them, in his name, to

bring their families and their household goods and make their homes in

Egypt.

And Joseph clad his brethren in new and elegant garments, and made them

many generous presents, and gave to each of them three hundred pieces

of silver; and then he took them before Pharaoh and introduced them to

the King.

And when Pharaoh saw what goodly men the sons of Jacob were he was much

pleased and very gracious towards them.

And when it became time for them to return to Canaan, Joseph procured

eleven of Pharaoh’s chariots and added to them his own, for their

accommodation. And he sent rich presents to his father, and garments

and presents to the children of his brothers and sister, and to his

brothers’ wives. And he accompanied his brethren upon their journey to

the boundaries of Egypt, and parting with them, he said: “Do not, my

brethren, quarrel on the way. This thing was wrought through God’s

wisdom; ye were but the instruments to save from famine and hunger a

vast multitude.” He also commanded them to be careful in imparting the

great news they carried to their father, lest speaking suddenly, it

might have a bad effect upon so old a man. And the sons of Jacob

returned unto the land of Canaan in gladness with happy hearts.

And it came to pass when they drew near to Canaan that they said one to

the other, “How shall we break this news unto our father? We cannot

tell him suddenly that Joseph is still alive.”

But it chanced when they reached Beer-Shebah that Serach, the daughter

of Asher, came to meet her father and her uncles. And Serach was a

sweet singer, and she played upon the harp. So they said unto her,

“Take thy harp, and go and sit before our father and play to him, and

as thou playest, sing; sing of his son Joseph, and let him know in this

manner that Joseph lives.”

And the maiden did as she was bid, and sitting before her grandfather,

she sang to him a song, wherein she repeated seven times these words:

“Lo, Joseph is not dead; he lives,

My uncle rules o’er Egypt’s land.”

And Jacob was pleased with her singing and playing; happiness seemed to

find birth in his heart at her sweet voice, and he smiled upon the

maiden and blessed her. And while he was talking to her his sons

arrived with their horses and chariots, and Jacob arose and met them at

the door, and they said to him, “We have joyful tidings for our father.

Joseph, our brother, is still alive, and he is ruler over all the land

of Egypt.”

But Jacob remained cool and unaffected, for he did not believe their

words, until he saw the presents which Joseph had sent, and all the

signs of his greatness; then his eyes brightened and gladness sparkled

in their depths, and he said: “Enough, my son lives; I will go and see

him before I die.”

And the inhabitants of Beer-Shebah and the surrounding countries heard

the news, and came and congratulated Jacob, and he made a great feast

for them. And he said, “I will go down to Egypt and see my son, and

then will I return to Canaan, as the Lord has spoken to Abraham, giving

this land unto his seed.”

And the word of the Lord came to Jacob, saying, “Go down to Egypt; be

not afraid, for I am with thee, and will make of thee a great nation.”

And Jacob commanded his sons and their families to prepare to go down

with him to Egypt, as the Lord had spoken, and they arose and started

upon the way. And Jacob sent Judah in advance, to announce his coming

and to select a place for his residence.

And when Joseph learned that his father was upon the way he gathered

together his friends and officers, and soldiers of the realm, and they

attired themselves in rich garments and gold and silver ornaments, and

the troops were armed with all the implements of war, and they gathered

together and formed a great company to meet Jacob upon the way and

escort him to Egypt. Music and gladness filled the land, and all the

people, the women and the children, assembled upon the house-tops to

view the magnificent display.

Joseph was dressed in royal robes, with the crown of state upon his

head; and when he came within fifty cubits of his father’s company, he

descended from his chariot and walked to meet his father. And when the

nobles and princes saw this, they too descended from their steeds and

chariots and walked with him.

And when Jacob saw all this great procession he wondered exceedingly,

and he was much pleased thereat, and turning to Judah he asked, “Who is

the man who marcheth at the head of this great array in royal robes?”

and Judah answered, “That is thy son.” And when Joseph drew nigh to his

father he bowed down before him, and his officers also bowed low to

Jacob.

And Jacob ran towards his son and fell upon his neck and kissed him,

and they wept. And Joseph greeted his brethren with affection.

And Jacob said to Joseph, “Now let me die. I have seen thy face; my

eyes have beheld thee living and in great honour.”

And the great company escorted Jacob and his family to Egypt, and there

Joseph gave to his relatives the best of the land, even Goshen.

And Joseph lived in the land and governed it wisely. And the two sons

of Joseph were great favourites with their grandfather, and were ever

in his house.[95] And Jacob taught them the ways of the Lord, and

pointed out to them the path of happiness and peace in His service.

And Jacob and his family lived in Goshen, and had possession of the

land and multiplied therein exceedingly.[96]

APPENDIX II.

_An Account of the Translation of the Jewish Laws

from the Hebrew into Greek, as contained in the

Works of Flavius Josephus._[97]

When Alexander had reigned twelve years, and after him Ptolemy Soter

forty years, Philadelphus then took the kingdom of Egypt, and held it

forty years within one. He procured the law to be interpreted, and set

free those that were come from Jerusalem into Egypt, and were in

slavery there, who were a hundred and twenty thousand. The occasion was

this:—Demetrius Phalerius, who was library-keeper to the King, was now

endeavouring, if it were possible, to gather together all the books

that were in the habitable earth, and buying whatsoever was anywhere

valuable, or agreeable to the King’s inclination (who was very

earnestly set upon collecting of books); to which inclination of his,

Demetrius was zealously subservient.

And when once Ptolemy asked how many ten thousands of books he had

collected, he replied that he had already about twenty times ten

thousand; but that, in a little time, he should have fifty times ten

thousand.

But he said he had been informed that there were many books of laws

among the Jews worthy of inquiring after, and worthy of the King’s

library, but which, being written in characters and in a dialect of

their own, will cause no small pains in getting them translated into

the Greek tongue: that the character in which they are written seems to

be like to that which is the proper character of the Syrians, and that

its sound, when pronounced, is like to theirs also; and that this sound

appears to be peculiar to themselves. Wherefore, he said, that nothing

hindered why they might not get those books to be translated also; for

while nothing is wanting that is necessary for that purpose, we may

have their books also in this library.

So the King thought that Demetrius was very zealous to procure him

abundance of books, and that he suggested what was exceeding proper for

him to do; and therefore he wrote to the Jewish high priest that he

should act accordingly.

Now there was one Aristeus, who was amongst the King’s most intimate

friends, and, on account of his modesty, very acceptable to him. This

Aristeus resolved frequently, and that before now, to petition the King

that he would set all the captive Jews in his kingdom free; and he

though this to be a convenient opportunity for the making that

petition. So he discoursed, in the first place, with the captains of

the King’s guards, Sosibius of Tarentum and Andreas, and persuaded them

to assist him in what he was going to intercede with the King for.

Accordingly, Aristeus embraced the same opinion with those that have

been before mentioned, and went to the King and made the following

speech to him: “It is not fit for us, O King, to overlook things

hastily, or to deceive ourselves, but to lay the truth open: for since

we have determined not only to get the laws of the Jews transcribed,

but interpreted also, for thy satisfaction, by what means can we do

this, while so many of the Jews are now slaves in thy kingdom?

“Do thou, then, what will be agreeable to thy magnanimity, and to thy

good-nature: free them from the miserable condition they are in,

because that God, who supporteth thy kingdom, was the author of their

laws, as I have learned by particular inquiry; for both these people

and we also worship the same God, the framer of all things. We call

him, and that truly, by the name of Ζηνα (or life, or Jupiter), because

He breathes life into all men. Wherefore, do thou restore these men to

their own country; and this do to the honour of God, because these men

pay a peculiarly excellent worship to Him.

“And know this further, that though I be not of kin to them by birth,

nor one of the same country with them, yet do I desire these favours to

be done them, since all men are the workmanship of God; and I am

sensible that He is well pleased with those that do good. I do

therefore put up this petition to thee, to do good to them.”

When Aristeus was saying thus, the King looked upon him with a cheerful

and joyful countenance, and said, “How many ten thousands dost thou

suppose there are of such as want to be made free?” To which Andreas

replied, as he stood by, and said, “A few more than ten times ten

thousand.” The King made answer, “And is this a small gift that thou

askest, Aristeus?” But Sosibius, and the rest that stood by, said that

he ought to offer such a thank-offering as was worthy of his greatness

of soul, to that God who had given him his kingdom.

With this answer he was much pleased; and gave order that when they

paid the soldiers their wages, they should lay down twenty drachmæ for

every one of the slaves. And he promised to publish a magnificent

decree about what they requested, which should confirm what Aristeus

had proposed, and especially what God willed should be done; whereby,

he said, he would not only set those free who had been led away captive

by his father and his army, but those who were in his kingdom before,

and those also, if any such there were, who had been brought away

since. And when they said that their redemption-money would amount to

above four hundred talents, he granted it. A copy of which decree I

have determined to preserve, that the magnanimity of this king may be

made known. Its contents were as follows:—

“Let all those who were soldiers under our father, and who, when they

overran Syria and Phœnicia, and laid waste Judea, took the Jews

captives, and made them slaves, and brought them into our cities, and

into this country, and then sold them; as also all those that were in

my kingdom before them, and if there be any that have lately been

brought thither, be made free by those that possess them; and let them

accept of twenty drachmæ for every slave.”

“And let the soldiers receive this redemption-money with their pay, but

the rest out of the King’s treasury: for I suppose that they were made

captives without our father’s consent, and against equity; and that

their country was harassed by the insolence of the soldiers, and that,

by removing them into Egypt, the soldiers have made a great profit by

them.

“Out of regard, therefore, to justice, and out of pity to those that

have been tyrannized over contrary to equity, I enjoin those that have

such Jews in their service to set them at liberty, upon the receipt of

the before-mentioned sum: and that no one use any deceit about them,

but obey what is here commanded.

“And I will that they give in their names within three days after the

publication of this edict, to such as are appointed to execute the

same, and to produce the slaves before them also, for I think it will

be for the advantage of my affairs: and let everyone that will, inform

against those that do not obey this decree; and I will that their

estates be confiscated into the King’s treasury.”

When this decree was read to the King, it at first omitted those Jews

that had formerly been brought, and those brought afterwards, which had

not been distinctly mentioned; so he added these clauses out of his

humanity, and with great generosity. He also gave order that the

payment, which was likely to be done in a hurry, should be divided

among the King’s ministers, and among the officers of his treasury.

When this was over, what the King had decreed was quickly brought to a

conclusion: and this in no more than seven days’ time; the number of

the talents paid for the captives being above four hundred and sixty,

and this, because their masters required the twenty drachmæ for the

children also, the King having, in effect, commanded that these should

be paid for, when he said, in his decree, that they should receive the

fore-mentioned sum for every slave.

Now when this had been done after so magnificent a manner, according to

the King’s inclinations, he gave order to Demetrius to give him in

writing his sentiments concerning the transcribing of the Jewish books;

for no part of the administration is done rashly by these kings, but

all things are managed with great circumspection. On which account I

have subjoined a copy of these epistles, and set down the multitude of

the vessels sent as gifts (to Jerusalem), and the construction of every

one, that the exactness of the artificers’ workmanship, as it appeared

to those that saw them, and which workmen made every vessel, may be

made manifest, and this on account of the excellency of the vessels

themselves. Now the copy of the epistle was to this purpose:—

“Demetrius to the great King. When thou, O King, gavest me a charge

concerning the collection of books that were wanting to fill your

library, and concerning the care that ought to be taken about such as

are imperfect, I have used the utmost diligence about those matters.

And I let you know, that we want the books of the Jewish legislation,

with some others; for they are written in the Hebrew characters, and,

being in the language of that nation, are to us unknown.

“It hath also happened to them, that they have been transcribed more

carelessly than they should have been, because they have not had

hitherto royal care taken about them. Now it is necessary that thou

shouldst have accurate copies of them. And indeed this legislation is

full of hidden wisdom, and entirely blameless, as being the legislation

of God: for which cause it is, as Hecateus of Abdera says, that the

poets and historians make no mention of it, nor of those men who lead

their lives according to it,[98] since it is a holy law, and ought not

to be published by profane mouths.

“If then it please thee, O King, thou mayst write to the high priest of

the Jews, to send six of the elders out of every tribe, and those such

as are most skilful of the laws, that by their means we may learn the

clear and agreeing sense of those books, and may obtain an accurate

interpretation of their contents, and so may have such a collection of

these as may be suitable to thy desire.”

When this epistle was sent to the King, he commanded that an epistle

should be drawn up for Eleazar, the Jewish high priest, concerning

these matters; and that they should inform him of the release of the

Jews that had been in slavery among them. He also sent fifty talents of

gold, for the making of large basins, and vials, and cups, and an

immense quantity of precious stones. He also gave order to those who

had the custody of the chests that contained those stones, to give the

artificers leave to choose out what sorts of them they pleased. He

withal appointed that a hundred talents in money should be sent to the

temple for sacrifices, and for other uses.

Now I will give a description of these vessels, and the manner of their

construction, but not till after I have set down a copy of the epistle

which was written to Eleazar the high priest, who had obtained that

dignity on the occasion following:—

When Onias the high priest was dead, his son Simon became his

successor. He was called Simon the Just, because of both his piety

towards God, and his kind disposition to those of his own nation. When

he was dead, and had left a young son, who was called Onias, Simon’s

brother Eleazar, of whom we are speaking, took the high priesthood; and

he it was to whom Ptolemy wrote, and that in the manner following:—

“King Ptolemy to Eleazar the high priest, sendeth greeting. There are

many Jews who now dwell in my kingdom, whom the Persians, when they

were in power, carried captives. These were honoured by my father; some

of whom he placed in the army, and gave them greater pay than ordinary;

to others of them, when they came with him into Egypt, he committed his

garrisons, and the guarding of them, that they might be a terror to the

Egyptians; and when I had taken the government, I treated all men with

humanity, and especially those that are thy fellow-citizens, of whom I

have set free above a hundred thousand that were slaves, and paid the

price of their redemption to their masters out of my own revenues; and

those that are of a fit age, I have admitted into the number of my

soldiers; and for such as are capable of being faithful to me, and

proper for my court, I have put them in such a post, as thinking this

(kindness done to them) to be a very great and acceptable gift, which I

devote to God for His providence over me; and as I am desirous to do

what will be grateful to these, and to all the other Jews in the

habitable earth, I have determined to procure an interpretation of your

law, and to have it translated out of Hebrew into Greek, and to be

deposited in my library.[99]

“Thou wilt therefore do well to choose out and send to me men of a good

character, who are now elders in age, and six in number out of every

tribe. These, by their age, must be skilful in the laws, and of

abilities to make an accurate interpretation of them; and when this

shall be finished, I shall think that I have done a work glorious to

myself.

“And I have sent to thee Andreas, the captain of my guard, and

Aristeus, men whom I have in very great esteem; by whom I have sent

those first-fruits which I have dedicated to the temple, and to the

sacrifices, and to other uses, to the value of a hundred talents; and

if thou wilt send to us, to let us know what thou wouldst have further,

thou wilt do a thing acceptable to me.”

When this epistle of the King was brought to Eleazar, he wrote an

answer to it with all the respect possible:—

“Eleazar the high priest to King Ptolemy, sendeth greeting. If thou and

thy queen Arsinoe, and thy children, be well, we are entirely

satisfied. When we received thy epistle, we greatly rejoiced at thy

intentions; and when the multitude were gathered together, we read it

to them, and thereby made them sensible of the piety thou hast towards

God. We also showed them the twenty vials of gold, and thirty of

silver, and the five large basins, and the table for the shew-bread; as

also the hundred talents for the sacrifices, and for the making what

shall be needful at the temple: which things Andreas and Aristeus,

those most honoured friends of thine, have brought us; and truly they

are persons of an excellent character, and of great learning, and

worthy of thy virtue.

“Know then that we will gratify thee in what is for thy advantage,

though we do what we used not to do before; for we ought to make a

return for the numerous acts of kindness which thou hast done to our

countrymen. We immediately, therefore, offered sacrifices for thee and

thy sister, with thy children and friends; and the multitude made

prayers, that thy affairs may be to thy mind; and that thy kingdom may

be preserved in peace, and that the translation of our law may come to

the conclusion thou desirest, and be for thy advantage.

“We have also chosen six elders out of every tribe, whom we have sent,

and the law with them. It will be thy part, out of thy piety and

justice, to send back the law when it hath been translated; and to

return those to us that bring it in safety. Farewell!”

This was the reply which the high priest made; but it does not seem to

me to be necessary to set down the names of the seventy elders who were

sent by Eleazar, and carried the law, which yet were subjoined at the

end of the Epistle.

However, I thought it not improper to give an account of those very

valuable and artificially contrived vessels which the King sent to God,

that all may see how great a regard the King had for God, for the King

allowed a vast deal of expenses for these vessels, and came often to

the workmen, and viewed their work, and suffered nothing of

carelessness or negligence to be any damage to their operations; and I

will relate how rich they were as well as I am able, although, perhaps,

the nature of this history may not require such a description; but I

imagine I shall thereby recommend the elegant taste and magnanimity of

this King to those that read this history.

And, first, I will describe what belongs to the table. It was, indeed,

in the King’s mind to make this table vastly large in its dimensions;

but then he gave orders that they should learn what was the magnitude

of the table which was already at Jerusalem, and how large it was, and

whether there were a possibility of making one larger than it; and when

he was informed how large that was which was already there, and that

nothing hindered but a larger might be made, he said that he was

willing to have one made that should be five times as large as the

present table; but his fear was, that it might be then useless in their

sacred ministrations by its too great largeness; for he desired that

the gifts he presented them should not only be there for show, but

should be useful also in their sacred ministrations.

According to which reasoning, that the former table was made of so

moderate a size for use, and not for want of gold, he resolved that he

would not exceed the former table in largeness, but would make it

exceed it in the variety and elegancy of its materials; and as he was

sagacious in observing the nature of all things, and in having a just

notion of what was new and surprising, and where there were no

sculptures, he would invent such as were proper by his own skill, and

would show them to the workmen, he commanded that such sculptures

should now be made; and that those which were delineated should be most

accurately formed, by a constant regard to their delineation.

When therefore the workmen had undertaken to make the table, they

framed it in length two cubits, in breadth one cubit, and in height one

cubit and a half; and the entire structure of the work was of gold.

They withal made a crown of a hand-breadth round it, with wave-work

wreathed about it, and with an engraving which imitated a cord, and was

admirably turned on its three parts; for as they were of a triangular

figure, every angle had the same disposition of its sculptures, that

when you turned them about, the very same form of them was turned about

without any variation.

Now that part of the crown-work that was enclosed under the table had

its sculptures very beautiful; but that part which went round on the

outside was more elaborately adorned with most beautiful ornaments,

because it was exposed to sight, and to the view of the spectators; for

which reason it was that both those sides which were extant above the

rest were acute, and none of the angles, which we before told you were

three, appeared less than another when the table was turned about.

Now into the cord-work thus turned were precious stones inserted, in

rows parallel one to the other, enclosed in golden buttons, which had

ouches in them; but the parts which were on the side of the crown, and

were exposed to the sight, were adorned with a row of oval figures

obliquely placed, of the most excellent sort of precious stones, which

imitated rods laid close, and encompassed the table round about; but

under these oval figures thus engraven, the workmen had put a crown all

round it, where the nature of all sorts of fruit was represented,

insomuch that the bunches of grapes hung up; and when they had made the

stones to represent all the kinds of fruit before mentioned, and that

each in its proper colour, they made them fast with gold round the

whole table.

The like disposition of the oval figures, and of the engraved rods, was

framed under the crown, that the table might on each side show the same

appearance of variety and elegancy of its ornaments, so that neither

the position of the wave-work nor of the crown might be different,

although the table were turned on the other side, but that the prospect

of the same artificial contrivances might be extended as far as the

feet; for there was made a plate of gold four fingers broad, through

the entire breadth of the table, into which they inserted the feet, and

then fastened them to the table by buttons and button-holes, at the

place where the crown was situate, that so on what side soever of the

table one should stand, it might exhibit the very same view of the

exquisite workmanship, and of the vast expenses bestowed upon it.

But upon the table itself they engraved a meander, inserting into it

very valuable stones in the middle like stars, of various colours; the

carbuncle and the emerald, each of which sent out agreeable rays of

light to the spectators; with such stones of other sorts also as were

most curious and best esteemed, as being most precious in their kind.

Hard by this meander a texture of network ran round it, the middle of

which appeared like a rhombus, into which were inserted rock-crystal

and amber, which, by the great resemblance of the appearance they made,

gave wonderful delight to those that saw them.

The chapiters of the feet imitated the first budding of lilies, while

their leaves were bent and laid under the table, but so that the chives

were seen standing upright within them. Their bases were made of a

carbuncle; and the place at the bottom, which rested on that carbuncle,

was one palm deep, and eight fingers in breadth.

Now they had engraven upon it, with a very fine tool, and with a great

deal of pains, a branch of ivy, and tendrils of the vine, sending forth

clusters of grapes, that you would guess they were nowise different

from real tendrils; for they were so very thin, and so very far

extended at their extremities, that they were moved with the wind, and

made one believe that they were the product of nature, and not the

representation of art.

They also made the entire workmanship of the table appear to be

three-fold, while the joints of the several parts were so united

together as to be invisible, and the places where they joined could not

be distinguished. Now the thickness of the table was not less than half

a cubit.

So that this gift by the King’s great generosity, by the great value of

the materials, and the variety of its exquisite structure, and the

artificer’s skill in imitating nature with graving tools, was at length

brought to perfection, while the King was very desirous, that though in

largeness it were not to be different from that which was already

dedicated to God, yet that in exquisite workmanship, and the novelty of

the contrivances, and in the splendour of its construction, it should

far exceed it, and be more illustrious than that was.

Now of the cisterns of gold there were two, whose sculpture was of

scale-work, from its basis to its belt-like circle, with various sorts

of stones enchased in the spiral circles. Next to which there was upon

it a meander of a cubit in height: it was composed of stones of all

sorts of colours; and next to this was the rod-work engraven; and next

to that was a rhombus in a texture of net-work, drawn out to the brim

of the basin, while small shields, made of stones, beautiful in their

kind, and of four fingers’ depth, filled up the middle parts.

About the top of the basin were wreathed the leaves of lilies, and of

the convolvulus, and the tendrils of vines in a circular manner; and

this was the construction of the two cisterns of gold, each containing

two firkins;—but those which were of silver were much more bright and

splendid than looking-glasses; and you might in them see images that

fell upon them more plainly than in the other.

The King also ordered thirty vials; those of which the parts that were

of gold, and filled up with precious stones, were shadowed over with

the leaves of ivy and vines, artificially engraven; and these were the

vessels that were, after an extraordinary manner, brought to this

perfection, partly by the skill of the workmen, who were admirable in

such fine work, but much more by the diligence and generosity of the

King, who not only supplied the artificers abundantly, and with great

generosity, with what they wanted, but he forbade public audiences for

the time, and came and stood by the workmen, and saw the whole

operation; and this was the cause why the workmen were so accurate in

their performance, because they had regard to the King, and to his

great concern about the vessels, and so the more indefatigably kept

close to the work.

And these were what gifts were sent by Ptolemy to Jerusalem, and

dedicated to God there. But when Eleazar the high priest had devoted

them to God, and had paid due respect to those that brought them, and

had given them presents to be carried to the King, he dismissed them.

And when they were come to Alexandria, and Ptolemy heard that they were

come, and that the seventy elders were come also, he presently sent for

Andreas and Aristeus, his ambassadors, who came to him, and delivered

him the epistle which they brought him from the high priest, and made

answer to all the questions he put to them by word of mouth. He then

made haste to meet the elders that came from Jerusalem for the

interpretation of the laws; and he gave command, that everybody who

came on other occasions should be sent away, which was a thing

surprising, and what he did not use to do; for those that were drawn

thither upon such occasions used to come to him on the fifth day, but

ambassadors at the month’s end.

But when he had sent those away, he waited for these that were sent by

Eleazar; but as the old men came in with the presents, which the high

priest had given them to bring to the King, and with the membranes,

upon which they had their laws written in golden letters, he put

questions to them concerning those books; and when they had taken off

the covers wherein they were wrapt up, they showed him the membranes.

So the King stood admiring the thinness of those membranes, and the

exactness of the junctures, which could not be perceived (so exactly

were they connected one with another); and this he did for a

considerable time. He then said that he returned them thanks for coming

to him, and still greater thanks to him that sent them; and, above all,

to that God whose laws they appeared to be.

Then did the elders, and those that were present with them, cry out

with one voice, and wished all happiness to the King. Upon which he

fell into tears by the violence of the pleasure he had, it being

natural to men to afford the same indications in great joy that they do

under sorrow.

And when he had bidden them deliver the books to those that were

appointed to receive them, he saluted the men, and said that it was but

just to discourse, in the first place, of the errand they were sent

about, and then to address himself to themselves. He promised, however,

that he would make this day on which they came to him remarkable and

eminent every year through the whole course of his life; for their

coming to him, and the victory which he gained over Antigonus by sea,

proved to be on the very same day. He also gave orders that they should

sup with him; and gave it in charge that they should have excellent

lodgings provided for them in the upper part of the city.

Now he that was appointed to take care of the reception of strangers,

Nicanor by name, called for Dorotheus, whose duty it was to make

provision for them, and bade him prepare for every one of them what

should be requisite for their diet and way of living; which thing was

ordered by the King after this manner: he took care that those that

belonged to every city, which did not use the same way of living, that

all things should be prepared for them according to the custom of those

that came to him, that being feasted according to the usual method of

their own way of living, they might be the better pleased, and might

not be uneasy at anything done to them from which they were naturally

averse.

And this was now done in the case of these men by Dorotheus, who was

put into this office because of his great skill in such matters

belonging to common life: for he took care of all such matters as

concerned the reception of strangers, and appointed them double seats

for them to sit on, according as the King had commanded him to do; for

he had commanded that half of their seats should be set at his right

hand, and the other half behind his table, and took care that no

respect should be omitted that could be shown them.

And when they were thus set down, he bid Dorotheus to minister to all

those that were come to him from Judea, after the manner they used to

be ministered to; for which cause he sent away their sacred heralds,

and those that slew the sacrifices, and the rest that used to say

grace: but called to one of those that were come to him, whose name was

Eleazar, who was a priest, and desired him to say grace: who then stood

in the midst of them, and prayed that all prosperity might attend the

King and those that were his subjects. Upon which an acclamation was

made by the whole company, with joy and a great noise; and when that

was over, they fell to eating their supper, and to the enjoyment of

what was set before them.

And at a little interval afterward, when the King thought a sufficient

time had been interposed, he began to talk philosophically to them, and

he asked every one of them a philosophical question, and such a one as

might give light in those inquiries; and when they had explained all

the problems that had been proposed by the King about every point, he

was well pleased with their answers. This took up the twelve days in

which they were treated; and he that pleases may learn the particular

questions in that book of Aristeus, which he wrote on this very

occasion.

And while not the King only, but the philosopher Menedus also, admired

them, and said, that all things were governed by Providence, and that

it was probable that thence it was that such force or beauty was

discovered in these men’s words,—they then left off asking any more

questions. But the King said that he had gained very great advantages

by their coming, for that he had received this profit from them, that

he had learned how he ought to rule his subjects. And he gave order

that they should have every one three talents given them; and that

those that were to conduct them to their lodgings should do it.

Accordingly, when three days were over, Demetrius took them, and went

over the causeway seven furlongs long: it was a bank in the sea to an

island. And when they had gone over the bridge, he proceeded to the

northern parts, and showed them where they should meet, which was in a

house which was built near the shore, and was a quiet place, and fit

for their discoursing together about their work.

When he had brought them thither, he entreated them (now they had all

things about them which they wanted for the interpretation of their

law), that they would suffer nothing to interrupt them in their work.

Accordingly, they made an accurate interpretation, with great zeal and

great pains; and this they continued to do till the ninth hour of the

day; after which time they relaxed and took care of their body, while

their food was provided for them in great plenty: besides, Dorotheus,

at the King’s command, brought them a great deal of what was provided

for the King himself. But in the morning they came to the court, and

saluted Ptolemy, and then went away to their former place, where, when

they had washed their hands and purified themselves, they betook

themselves to the interpretation of the laws.

Now when the law was transcribed, and the labour of interpretation was

over, which came to its conclusion in seventy-two days, Demetrius

gathered all the Jews together to the place where the laws were

translated, and where the interpreters were, and read them over. The

multitude did also approve of those elders that were the interpreters

of the law. They withal commended Demetrius for his proposal, as the

inventor of what was greatly for their happiness; and they desired that

he would give leave to their rulers also to read the law.

Moreover they all, both the priests and the ancientest of the elders,

and the principal men of their commonwealth, made it their request,

that since the interpretation was happily finished, it might continue

in the state it now was, and might not be altered. And when they all

commended that determination of theirs, they enjoined, that if any one

observed either anything superfluous, or anything omitted, that he

would take a view of it again, and have it laid before them, and

corrected; which was a wise action of theirs, that when the thing was

judged to have been well done, it might continue for ever.

So the King rejoiced when he saw that his design of this nature was

brought to perfection, to so great advantage: and he was chiefly

delighted with hearing the laws read to him; and was astonished at the

deep meaning and wisdom of the legislator. And he began to discourse

with Demetrius, “How it came to pass that, when this legislation was so

wonderful, no one, either of the poets or of the historians, had made

mention of it.” Demetrius made answer, “that no one durst be so bold as

to touch upon the description of these laws, because they were Divine

and venerable, and because some that had attempted it were afflicted by

God.”

He also told him that “Theopompus was desirous of writing somewhat

about them, but was thereupon disturbed in his mind for above thirty

days’ time; and upon some intermission of his distemper he appeased God

(by prayer), as suspecting that his madness proceeded from that cause.”

Nay, indeed, he further saw in a dream that his distemper befell him

while he indulged too great a curiosity about Divine matters, and was

desirous of publishing them among common men; but when he left off that

attempt, he recovered his understanding again.

Moreover he informed him of Theodectes, the tragic poet, concerning

whom it was reported that, when in a certain dramatic representation,

he was desirous to make mention of things that were contained in the

sacred books, he was afflicted with a darkness in his eyes; and that

upon his being conscious of the occasion of his distemper, and

appeasing God (by prayer), he was freed from that affliction.

And when the King had received these books from Demetrius, as we have

said already, he adored them; and gave order, that great care should be

taken of them, that they might remain uncorrupted. He also desired that

the interpreters would come often to him out of Judea, and that both on

account of the respect which he would pay them, and on account of the

presents he would make them; for he said, it was now but just to send

them away, although if, of their own accord, they would come to him

hereafter, they should obtain all that their own wisdom might justly

require, and what his generosity was able to give them.

So he sent them away, and gave to every one of them three garments of

the best sort, and two talents of gold, and a cup of the value of one

talent, and the furniture of the room wherein they were feasted. And

these were the things he presented to them. But by them he sent to

Eleazar the high priest ten beds, with feet of silver, and the

furniture to them belonging, and a cup of the value of thirty talents,

and besides these, ten garments, and purple, and a very beautiful

crown, and a hundred pieces of the finest woven linen; as also vials

and dishes, and vessels for pouring, and two golden cisterns, to be

dedicated to God.

He also desired him, by an epistle, that he would give these

interpreters leave, if any of them were desirous of coming to him;

because he highly valued a conversation with men of such learning, and

should be very willing to lay out his wealth upon such men. And this

was what came to the Jews, and was much to their glory and honour, from

Ptolemy Philadelphus.[100]

APPENDIX III.

_An Extract from the Works of Herodotus[101] concerning

the Pyramids of Egypt._

The Egyptians say that this Cheops[102] reigned fifty years; and when

he died, his brother Chephren succeeded to the kingdom; and he followed

the same practices as the other, both in other respects, and in

building a pyramid; which does not come up to the dimensions of his

brother’s, for I myself measured them; nor has it subterraneous

chambers; nor does a channel from the Nile flow to it, as to the other;

but this flows through an artificial aqueduct round an island within,

in which they say the body of Cheops is laid.

Having laid the first course of variegated Ethiopian stones, less in

height than the other by forty feet, he built it near the large

Pyramid. They both stand on the same hill,[103] which is about a

hundred feet high. Chephren, they said, reigned fifty-six years.

Thus one hundred and six years are reckoned, during which the Egyptians

suffered all kinds of calamities,[104] and for this length of time the

temples were closed and never opened. From the hatred they bear them,

the Egyptians are not very willing to mention their names; but call the

Pyramids after Philition,[105] a shepherd, who at that time kept his

cattle in those parts.

APPENDIX IV.

_On the Hebrew and Grecian Feast of First-Fruits._

These extracts are given as showing the real nationality of the first

colonists of ancient Greece; their mysterious intercourse with the

Hyperboreans, who were the followers of Moses in the Far East; their

observance of the law given by Moses to the Hebrews, and commemorative

representation of the marvellous escape from Egypt into Arabia; and

include a description of the Islands of Delos and Rhenea.

---------------------

“Then sang Moses and the children of Israel this song unto the Lord,

and spake, saying, I will sing unto the Lord, for he hath triumphed

gloriously: the horse and his rider hath he thrown into the sea.

“The Lord is a man of war: the Lord is his name. Pharaoh’s chariots and

his host hath he cast into the sea: his chosen captains also are

drowned in the Red Sea. The depths have covered them: they sank into

the bottom as a stone.

“The enemy said, I will pursue, I will overtake, I will divide the

spoil; my lust shall be satisfied upon them; I will draw my sword, my

hand shall destroy them.

“Thou didst blow with thy wind, the sea covered them: they sank as lead

in the mighty waters.”[106]

---------------------

“Thou shalt keep the feast of unleavened bread: (thou shalt eat

unleavened bread seven days, as I commanded thee, in the time appointed

of the month Abib; for in it thou camest out of Egypt: and none shall

appear before me empty:)

“And the feast of harvest, the first-fruits of thy labours, which thou

hast sown in the field: and the feast of ingathering, which is in the

end of the year, when thou hast gathered in thy labours out of the

field.”[107]

The following narrative describes the manner in which the Greeks

practised the above law, and represented the crossing of the Red Sea.

“This[108] charming season (spring) brought with it festivals still

more charming: I mean those which are celebrated every four years in

Delos, in honour of Diana and Apollo. The worship of these two

divinities has subsisted in that island for a long succession of ages.

But as it latterly began to decline, the Athenians instituted, during

the Peloponnesian war, games which drew thither a great concourse of

people from various nations.

“The youth of Athens were eager to distinguish themselves in these, and

the whole city was in motion. Preparations were likewise made for the

solemn deputation which is annually sent to the temple of Delos, to

present a tribute of gratitude for the victory which Theseus gained

over the Minotaur. The voyage is made in the same ship which carried

that hero to Crete; and already the priest of Apollo had crowned its

stern with his sacred hands. The sea was covered with small vessels

which were getting under sail for Delos.

“On the next day we coasted Scyros, and, leaving Tenos on the left,

entered into the channel which separates Delos from the island of

Rhenea. We immediately came in sight of the temple of Apollo, which we

saluted with new transports of joy; and the city of Delos was almost

entirely displayed to our view.

“With an eager eye we ran over the superb edifices, elegant porticoes,

and forests of columns by which it is embellished; and this prospect,

momentarily varying, suspended in us the desire to arrive at the land.

“When we had reached the shore, we ran to the temple, which is distant

from it only about a hundred paces. It is more than a thousand years

since Erisichthon, son of Cecrops,[109] laid the first foundation of

this edifice, to which the different states of Greece continually add

new embellishments. It was covered with festoons and garlands, which,

by the contrast of their colours, gave a new lustre to the Parian

marble of which it is built.

“Within we saw the statue of Apollo, less celebrated for the delicacy

of the workmanship than its antiquity. The god is represented holding

his bow in one hand; and to signify that music owes to him its origin

and charms, with his left he supports the three Graces, who are

represented, the first with a lyre, the second with flutes, and the

third with a pipe.

“Near the statue is that altar which is esteemed one of the wonders of

the world. It is not gold or marble which is admired in it; horns of

animals, forcibly bent, and artfully interwoven, form a whole equally

solid and regular. Some priests, whose employment it is to adorn it

with flowers and boughs, made us observe the ingenious contexture of

its parts.

“‘It was the god himself,’ exclaimed a young priest, ‘who in his

childhood interwove them as you see. Those menacing horns, which you

behold suspended on the wall, and those of which the altar is composed,

are the spoils of the wild goats which fed on Mount Cynthus, and which

fell beneath the shafts of Diana. Here the eye meets nothing but

prodigies. This palm tree, which displays its branches over our heads,

is the sacred tree that supported Latona when she brought forth the

divinities we adore.

“‘The form of this altar has become celebrated by a problem in

geometry, of which an exact solution will perhaps never be given. The

plague laid waste our island, and Greece was ravaged by war. The

oracle, being consulted by our ancestors, declared that these

calamities would cease if they could make this altar double the size it

is of at present. They imagined it would be sufficient to make it twice

as large every way; but they found, with surprise, that they were

constructing an enormous mass that would contain the altar in question

eight times. After other attempts, equally fruitless, they sent to

consult Plato, then just returned from Egypt; who told their

messengers, that the god, by this oracle, sported with the ignorance of

the Greeks, and exhorted them to cultivate the accurate sciences,

rather than to be continually occupied in dissensions and wars. At the

same time he proposed a simple and mechanical method of resolving the

problem; but the plague had ceased when his answer arrived.’

“These words, though pronounced in a low voice, engaged the attention

of a citizen of Delos, who approached us, and showing us an altar less

embellished than the former: ‘This,’ said he, ‘is never drenched with

the blood of victims; on this the devouring flame is never kindled.

Hither Pythagoras came, to offer, after the example of the people,

cakes, barley, and wheat; and beyond all doubt the god was better

pleased with the enlightened worship of that great man than with all

those streams of blood with which our altars are perpetually inundated.’

“The Island of Delos is only seven or eight miles in circuit, and its

breadth is but about one third of its length. Mount Cynthus, which

extends from north to south, terminates in a plain that on the west

side reaches to the sea. The city stands in this plain. The rest of the

island presents only an uneven and sterile soil, if we except some

pleasant valleys, which are formed by several hills, on the south side.

The source of the Inopus is the only spring with which it is favoured

by nature; but we find, in different places, cisterns and lakes, which

preserve the rain-water during several months.

“Delos was originally governed by kings, who united the priesthood to

the regal authority. It afterwards fell under the power of the

Athenians, who purified it, during the Peloponnesian war. The tombs of

its ancient inhabitants were removed to the Isle of Rhenea; and there

their successors have seen for the first time the light of day, and

there are they to behold it for the last. But if they are deprived of

the advantage of being born and dying in their own country, they enjoy

there a profound tranquillity during their lives.

“The fury of barbarians, the enmity of nations, and the animosities of

individuals, all subside at the view of this sacred land; nor ever have

the coursers of Mars trodden it with their ensanguined feet. Everything

that can present the image of war is rigorously banished; and even the

animal most faithful to man is not suffered to remain in it, because he

would destroy the weaker and more timid creatures.

“At length the day arrived which had been expected with so much

impatience. The morning faintly indicated in the horizon the course of

the sun, when we arrived at the foot of Cynthus.

“This mountain is but of a moderate height. It is a block of granite,

of different colours, and containing pieces of a blackish and shining

talc. From its top a surprising number of islands of various sizes are

discoverable. They are dispersed in the midst of the ocean, in the same

beautiful disorder as the stars are scattered in the heavens. Here the

bosom of the waves is become the habitation of mortals. We behold a

city scattered over the surface of the sea; and view the picture of

Egypt when the Nile has inundated the plains, and appears to bear on

its waters the hills which afford a retreat to the inhabitants. The

greater part of these islands are named Cyclades, because they form a

kind of circle round Delos. Sesostris, King of Egypt, subjected a part

of them by his arms; and Minos, King of Crete, governed some of them by

his laws. The Phœnicians, the Carians, the Persians, the Greeks, and

all the nations which have possessed the empire of the sea, have

successively conquered or colonized them: but the colonies of the

latter have effaced all traces of those of other nations; and powerful

interests have for ever attached the destiny of the Cyclades to that of

Greece.

“Their inhabitants are separated by the sea, but united by pleasure.

They have festivals which are common to them, and which assemble them

together sometimes in one place and sometimes in another; but these

cease the moment our solemnities commence. Thus, according to Homer,

the gods suspend their profound deliberations, and arise from their

thrones, when Apollo appears in the midst of them. The neighbouring

temples are about to be deserted; the divinities there adored permit

the incense destined to them to be conveyed to Delos. Solemn

deputations, known by the name of Theoriæ, are charged with this

illustrious commission. They bring with them choruses of boys and

maidens, who are the triumph of beauty, and the principal ornament of

our festivals. They repair hither from the coasts of Asia, the islands

of the Ægean sea, the continent of Greece, and the most distant

countries. They arrive to the sound of musical instruments, to the

voice of pleasure, and with all the pomp that taste and magnificence

can furnish. The vessels which bring them are covered with flowers;

chaplets of flowers are worn by the mariners and pilots; and their joy

is the more expressive as they consider it as a religious duty to

forget every care by which it may be destroyed or abated. The small

fleets which bring the offerings to Delos had already left the ports of

Mycone and Rhenea, and other fleets appeared at a distance. An infinite

number of vessels of every kind flew over the surface of the sea,

resplendent with a thousand different colours. They were seen to issue

from the channels which separate the islands, cross, pursue, and join

each other. A fresh gale played in their purple sails; and the waves

beneath their oars were covered with a foam, which reflected the rays

of the rising sun.

“At the foot of the mountain an immense multitude overspread the plain.

The crowds of people advanced, and fell back, with a motion resembling

that of a field of corn when agitated by the wind; and the transports

of joy by which they were animated produced a vague and confused sound

that seemed to float over that vast body.

“In the meantime, the Theoria of the Athenians was perceived at a

distance. A number of light vessels seemed to sport round the sacred

galley. At sight of them, some old men, who had with difficulty come

down to the beach, regretted their youthful days, when Nicias, the

general of the Athenians, was appointed to conduct the Theoria. He did

not proceed with it, said they to us, immediately to Delos; but brought

it secretly to the Isle of Rhenea, which you see before you. _The whole

night was employed in erecting over the channel between the two islands

a bridge, the materials of which, prepared long before, and richly gilt

and painted, only required to be joined together._ It was nearly four

_stadia_ (about 3 furlongs and 145 yards) in length, covered with

superb carpets, and ornamented with garlands; _and on the day

following_, at early dawn, the Theoria crossed the sea, not, like the

army of Xerxes, to ravage and lay waste nations, but bringing to them

pleasures in its train; and, that they might taste the first-fruits of

these, it remained long suspended over the waves, chanting sacred

songs, and delighting all eyes with a glorious spectacle which the sun

will never again behold.

“The number of those foreign merchants whom the situation of the

island, the privileges it enjoys, the vigilant attention of the

Athenians, and the celebrity of the festivals, bring in crowds to

Delos; whither they come to exchange their respective riches for the

corn, wine, and commodities of the neighbouring islands; for the

scarlet linen tunics, which are made in the isle of Amorgos, the rich

purple stuffs of _Cos_, the highly-esteemed alum of Melos, and the

valuable copper that from time immemorial has been extracted from the

mines of Delos, and of which are made elegant vases. The island was

become as it were the storehouse of the treasures of nations; and near

the place where they were collected, the inhabitants of Delos, obliged

by an express law to furnish water to the whole multitude of strangers,

set out, on long tables, cakes, and eatables prepared in haste.[110]

“A sudden shout announced the arrival of the Theoria of the Tenians,

who, besides their own offerings, brought also those of the

Hyperboreans.

“The latter people dwell towards the north of Greece: they especially

pay adoration to Apollo; and there is still to be seen at Delos the

tomb of two of his priestesses, who came thither to add new rites to

the worship of that god. They also preserve there, in an edifice

dedicated to Diana, the ashes of the last Theori, whom the Hyperboreans

sent to their island. They unfortunately perished; and, since that

event, that nation has sent the first-fruits of their harvests through

a foreign channel.

“A neighbouring tribe of the Scythians receive them from their hands,

and transmit them to other nations, who convey them to the shores of

the Adriatic sea, from whence they are carried to Epirus, cross Greece,

arrive at Eubœa, and are brought to Tenos.

“The fleets of the Theoriæ presented their prows to the shore, and

these prows art had decorated with the symbols peculiar to each nation.

Those of the Phthiotes were distinguished by the figures of Nereides.

On the Athenian galley, Pallas was represented guiding a resplendent

car; and the ships of the Bœotians were ornamented with an image of

Cadmus holding a serpent.”

APPENDIX V.

_Predictions regarding the land of Egypt, recorded in

the Holy Bible._

“In that day shall there be an altar to the Lord in the midst of the

land of Egypt, and a pillar at the border thereof to the Lord. And it

shall be for a sign and for a witness unto the Lord of hosts in the

land of Egypt: for they shall cry unto the Lord because of the

oppressors, and he shall send them a saviour, and a great one, and he

shall deliver them. And the Lord shall be known to Egypt, and the

Egyptians shall know the Lord in that day, and shall do sacrifice and

oblation; yea, they shall vow a vow unto the Lord, and perform it.

“And the Lord shall smite Egypt: he shall smite and heal it: and they

shall return even to the Lord, and he shall be intreated of them, and

shall heal them.

“In that day shall there be a highway out of Egypt to Assyria, and the

Assyrian shall come into Egypt, and the Egyptian into Assyria, and the

Egyptians shall serve with the Assyrians.

“In that day shall Israel be the third with Egypt and with Assyria,

even a blessing in the midst of the land: whom the Lord of hosts shall

bless, saying, Blessed be Egypt my people, and Assyria the work of my

hands, and Israel mine inheritance.”—Isa. xix. 19-25.

London: Printed by W. H. Allen & Co. 13, Waterloo Place, S. W.

Footnotes

Footnote 1:

It was revised, and two-thirds rewritten by the author in October and

November 1884.

Footnote 2:

Josephus.

Footnote 3:

Polano’s Talmud.

Footnote 4:

Josephus.

Footnote 5:

Josephus.

Footnote 6:

Josephus.

Footnote 7:

Josephus.

Footnote 8:

Josephus.

Footnote 9:

Josephus.

Footnote 10:

Josephus.

Footnote 11:

Deuteronomy xxxiv.

Footnote 12:

Josephus.

Footnote 13:

Polano’s Talmud.

Footnote 14:

2 Maccabees i.

Footnote 15:

Al Koran, chap. xii.

Footnote 16:

2 Maccabees ii.

Footnote 17:

Herodotus, _Euterpe_, ii.

Footnote 18:

Sonnini, _Travels in Upper and Lower Egypt_.

Footnote 19:

Gen. xi.

Footnote 20:

Polano’s Talmud.

Footnote 21:

W. T. W. Vaux, _Nineveh and Persepolis_.

Footnote 22:

Piazzi Smyth, _Our Inheritance in the Great Pyramid_.

Footnote 23:

Polano’s Talmud.

Footnote 24:

Piazzi Smyth, _Our Inheritance in the Great Pyramid_.

Footnote 25:

Piazzi Smyth, _Our Inheritance in the Great Pyramid_.

Footnote 26:

These are passages by which the grain was thrown down into the

building from the outside before the casing-stones were fixed.—J. V.

G.

Footnote 27:

One hundred and sixty cubits high.—J. V. G.

Footnote 28:

Herodotus, _Euterpe_, ii.

Footnote 29:

The Pharaoh of Joseph.—J. V. G.

Footnote 30:

A malicious, culpable suppression of the truth. These people were the

Hebrews who came from Canaan to Joseph during the famine.—J. V. G.

Footnote 31:

They sold themselves for food and became slaves to Pharaoh.—J. V. G.

Footnote 32:

Joseph, made governor by Pharaoh.—J. V. G.

Footnote 33:

To guard the Pyramids from being broken into, as the people at that

time knew that they were granaries.—J. V. G.

Footnote 34:

These men were the brethren that Joseph presented to Pharaoh

immediately on their arrival, and who were appointed by him to be

rulers over his cattle. Gen. xlvii. 6.—J. V. G.

Footnote 35:

This Alisphragmuthosis is meant for Moses, the son of the daughter of

Pharaoh, by adoption.—J. V. G.

Footnote 36:

Thummosis was not the son, but brother, of Moses—Aaron.—J. V. G.

Footnote 37:

The exodus of the Children of Israel for the Land of Promise.—J. V.

G.

Footnote 38:

Josephus, _Against Apion_.

Footnote 39:

Goshen.—J. V. G.

Footnote 40:

Building treasure-cities for Pharaoh—Pithom, and Raamses.

Footnote 41:

The new king, who knew not Joseph.

Footnote 42:

The true and authentic version is in the Bible, written by Moses.

They were overwhelmed in the Red Sea, instead of retiring into

Ethiopia!—J. V. G.

Footnote 43:

Josephus, _Against Apion_.

Footnote 44:

Josephus.

Footnote 45:

The Talmud.

Footnote 46:

Done by Greeks in modern times.—J. V. G.

Footnote 47:

The consort of Moses was from Meroë, and she must have had her hair

dressed in that fashion.—J. V. G.

Footnote 48:

A.D. 1837.

Footnote 49:

Piazzi Smyth, _Our Inheritance in the Great Pyramid_.

Footnote 50:

Tytler, _Historical View of the Progress of Discovery on the more

Northern Coasts of America_.

Footnote 51:

Laborde, _Journey through Arabia Petræa, to Mount Sinai, and the

excavated City of Petra, the Edom of the Prophecies_.

Footnote 52:

This being the camp of the Children of Israel, these chambers were

the dwellings of the living.—J. V. G.

Footnote 53:

Josephus, _Antiquities of the Jews_.

Footnote 54:

Vaux, _Nineveh and Persepolis_.

Footnote 55:

Vaux, _Nineveh and Persepolis_.

Footnote 56:

Mountstuart Elphinstone, _Account of the Kingdom of Cabul_.

Footnote 57:

See Lev. vi. 14-18.—J. V. G.

Footnote 58:

Lieut.-Colonel Torrens, _Travels in Ladâk, Tartary, and Kashmir_.

Footnote 59:

Frank Vincent, Jun., _The Land of the White Elephant._

Footnote 60:

A modern addition.—J. V. G.

Footnote 61:

Out-offices for the servants of the palace.—J. V. G.

Footnote 62:

Lieut.-General Fytche, _Burmah Past and Present_.

Footnote 63:

Ernest Oppert, _A Forbidden Land_.

Footnote 64:

W. Bullock, _Six Months’ Residence and Travels in Mexico_.

Footnote 65:

And the Zodiac in the Hindoo Temple at Benares in India.—J. V. G.

Footnote 66:

These must have been fallen casing-stones.—J. V. G.

Footnote 67:

Dr. Robertson.

Footnote 68:

Dr. Robertson.

Footnote 69:

2 Kings xx.

Footnote 70:

Dr. Robertson.

Footnote 71:

Dr. Robertson, _History of North and South America_.

Footnote 72:

Moses and his followers, from Japan.—J. V. G.

Footnote 73:

_Voyages and Travels_, vol. vi.

Footnote 74:

In the Pyramids these apertures are called by Egyptologists “air

channels”; they were for throwing the corn into the body of the

granary.—J. V. G.

Footnote 75:

In the Round Tower there is a door by which it can be entered.—J. V.

G.

Footnote 76:

Meares, _Voyages_, vol. ii. pp. 70-71.

Footnote 77:

Nootka Sound.—J. V. G.

Footnote 78:

Numbers, xii. 1.

Footnote 79:

See Wilkinson, _Manners and Customs of the Ancient Egyptians_,

illustration facing p. 222.

Footnote 80:

Exodus, xviii.

Footnote 81:

1 Chronicles, xxiii. 15-17.

Footnote 82:

Exodus, xii. 37, 38.

Footnote 83:

Deut. xxxii. v. 1 to 47.

Footnote 84:

Walford, _On the Famines of the World: Past and Present_.

Footnote 85:

Walford, _Famines of the World, Past and Present_.

Footnote 86:

Walford, _Famines of the World_.

Footnote 87:

Monier Williams, _Hinduism_.

Footnote 88:

Dr. Robertson, _History of America_.

Footnote 89:

Douglas, _Confucianism and Taouism_.

Footnote 90:

Fytche, _Burmah, Past and Present_.

Footnote 91:

From _The Talmud: Selections, &c._, by H. Polano, pp. 85-112.

Footnote 92:

The Pyramids.—J. V. G.

Footnote 93:

The Pyramids.—J. V. G.

Footnote 94:

The Pyramids.—J. V. G.

Footnote 95:

The Palace, known as the Labyrinth.—J. V. G.

Footnote 96:

These Hebrews are mentioned in Egyptian history as Shepherd Kings or

Hycsos.—J. V. G.

Footnote 97:

_The Antiquities of the Jews_, bk. xii. ch. 2.

Footnote 98:

That accounts for the ignorance of Tacitus as to who the Jews

were.—J. V. G.

Footnote 99:

At Alexandria.—J. V. G.

Footnote 100:

This took place about 284 B.C.—J. V. G.

Footnote 101:

_Enterpe_, 2.

Footnote 102:

Joseph the Hebrew, son of Jacob.—In the thirty-second year after the

children of Israel went down into Egypt, the Pharaoh the friend of

Joseph died. Joseph was then seventy-one years of age. Before his

death, Pharaoh commanded his son who succeeded him to obey Joseph in

all things, and the same instructions he left in writing. Thus, while

this Pharaoh reigned over Egypt the country was governed by Joseph’s

advice and counsel. Joseph lived in Egypt ninety-three years, as a

prince of the country eighty years of that time. Chephren the brother

was no other than Benjamin, who was Joseph’s brother. Joseph’s age

when he died was one hundred and ten years; and his body was embalmed

and afterwards laid in the ground near the banks of the river Nile,

in the subterranean island near the Great Pyramid. During Joseph’s

lifetime the temples were closed, and the God of Abraham, Isaac, and

Jacob was worshipped.

Footnote 103:

The Mokattam Hill.

Footnote 104:

The memorable famine recorded in the Holy Bible, and its dire

consequences.

Footnote 105:

Corrupted from Psothom Phaneeh (the revealer of secrets), the name

given to Joseph the son of Israel the Hebrew, by Pharaoh the King of

Egypt. He was a shepherd by profession, as all his ancestors were. It

was, therefore, Joseph who built all the Pyramids to store corn in,

against the famine that he declared would take place in Egypt.—J. V.

G.

Footnote 106:

Exodus, xv.

Footnote 107:

Exodus, xxiii. 15, 16.

Footnote 108:

Abbé Barthelemi, _Travels of Anacharsis the Younger in Greece_, ch.

76, pp. 309, &c.

Footnote 109:

Cecrops left Egypt the same year that Moses fled from the Court of

Pharaoh.—J. V. G.

Footnote 110:

See Deut. xvi. 1-3.

Transcriber's Note

Some presumed printer’s errors have been corrected, including

normalizing punctuation. Further corrections are listed below.

Printed Text Corrected Text

p. 19 ibes ibises

p. 38 throughly thoroughly

p. 156 Ida Idea

p. 168 cuuntrymen countrymen

p. 168 Mauritana Mauritania

p. 279 intepretation interpretation

p. 284 should he should be

p. 281 to do do to do

p. 302 pronouned pronounced

Footnote 32 Pharoah Pharaoh

Footnote 74 Egyptolologists Egyptologists

Footnote 76 Meare Meares

End of Project Gutenberg's The Storehouses of the King, by Jane van Gelder