quires us first to give an account of the man,
and of what nation he was, that so we may not contradict our master's
directions. Then said Hyperochides, Go on, if it so pleases thee.
This man then, [answered Aristotle,] was by birth a Jew, and came from
Celesyria; these Jews are derived from the Indian philosophers; they are
named by the Indians Calami, and by the Syrians Judaei, and took their
name from the country they inhabit, which is called Judea; but for
the name of their city, it is a very awkward one, for they call it
Jerusalem. Now this man, when he was hospitably treated by a great many,
came down from the upper country to the places near the sea, and became
a Grecian, not only in his language, but in his soul also; insomuch that
when we ourselves happened to be in Asia about the same places whither
he came, he conversed with us, and with other philosophical persons, and
made a trial of our skill in philosophy; and as he had lived with many
learned men, he communicated to us more information than he received
from us." This is Aristotle's account of the matter, as given us by
Clearchus; which Aristotle discoursed also particularly of the great
and wonderful fortitude of this Jew in his diet, and continent way of
living, as those that please may learn more about him from Clearchus's
book itself; for I avoid setting down any more than is sufficient for
my purpose. Now Clearchus said this by way of digression, for his main
design was of another nature. But for Hecateus of Abdera, who was both a
philosopher, and one very useful ill an active life, he was contemporary
with king Alexander in his youth, and afterward was with Ptolemy, the
son of Lagus; he did not write about the Jewish affairs by the by only,
but composed an entire book concerning the Jews themselves; out of
which book I am willing to run over a few things, of which I have been
treating by way of epitome. And, in the first place, I will demonstrate
the time when this Hecateus lived; for he mentions the fight that
was between Ptolemy and Demetrius about Gaza, which was fought in the
eleventh year after the death of Alexander, and in the hundred and
seventeenth olympiad, as Castor says in his history. For when he had set
down this olympiad, he says further, that "in this olympiad Ptolemy, the
son of Lagus, beat in battle Demetrius, the son of Antigonus, who was
named Poliorcetes, at Gaza." Now, it is agreed by all, that Alexander
died in the hundred and f