ays? And as for
this grammatical translation of the word Sabbath, it either contains an
instance of his great impudence or gross ignorance; for the words Sabbo
and Sabbath are widely different from one another; for the word Sabbath
in the Jewish language denotes rest from all sorts of work; but the word
Sabbo, as he affirms, denotes among the Egyptians the malady of a bubo
in the groin.

3. This is that novel account which the Egyptian Apion gives us
concerning the Jews' departure out of Egypt, and is no better than a
contrivance of his own. But why should we wonder at the lies he tells
about our forefathers, when he affirms them to be of Egyptian original,
when he lies also about himself? for although he was born at Oasis
in Egypt, he pretends to be, as a man may say, the top man of all the
Egyptians; yet does he forswear his real country and progenitors, and by
falsely pretending to be born at Alexandria, cannot deny the [4] pravity
of his family; for you see how justly he calls those Egyptians whom he
hates, and endeavors to reproach; for had he not deemed Egyptians to
be a name of great reproach, he would not have avoided the name of an
Egyptian himself; as we know that those who brag of their own countries
value themselves upon the denomination they acquire thereby, and reprove
such as unjustly lay claim thereto. As for the Egyptians' claim to be of
our kindred, they do it on one of the following accounts; I mean, either
as they value themselves upon it, and pretend to bear that relation
to us; or else as they would draw us in to be partakers of their own
infamy. But this fine fellow Apion seems to broach this reproachful
appellation against us, [that we were originally Egyptians,] in order
to bestow it on the Alexandrians, as a reward for the privilege they had
given him of being a fellow citizen with them: he also is apprized of
the ill-will the Alexandrians bear to those Jews who are their fellow
citizens, and so proposes to himself to reproach them, although he must
thereby include all the other Egyptians also; while in both cases he is
no better than an impudent liar.

4. But let us now see what those heavy and wicked crimes are which Apion
charges upon the Alexandrian Jews. "They came [says he] out of Syria,
and inhabited near the tempestuous sea, and were in the neighborhood of
the dashing of the waves." Now if the place of habitation includes any
thing that is reproached, this man reproaches not his own re