other cities, which the
inhabitants call Jerusalem, and are accustomed to rest on every seventh
day [20] on which times they make no use of their arms, nor meddle with
husbandry, nor take care of any affairs of life, but spread out their
hands in their holy places, and pray till the evening. Now it came to
pass, that when Ptolemy, the son of Lagus, came into this city with his
army, that these men, in observing this mad custom of theirs, instead of
guarding the city, suffered their country to submit itself to a bitter
lord; and their law was openly proved to have commanded a foolish
practice. [21] This accident taught all other men but the Jews to
disregard such dreams as these were, and not to follow the like idle
suggestions delivered as a law, when, in such uncertainty of human
reasonings, they are at a loss what they should do." Now this our
procedure seems a ridiculous thing to Agatharehides, but will appear to
such as consider it without prejudice a great thing, and what deserved
a great many encomiums; I mean, when certain men constantly prefer the
observation of their laws, and their religion towards God, before the
preservation of themselves and their country.

23. Now that some writers have omitted to mention our nation, not
because they knew nothing of us, but because they envied us, or for some
other unjustifiable reasons, I think I can demonstrate by particular
instances; for Hieronymus, who wrote the History of Alexander's
Successors, lived at the same time with Hecateus, and was a friend of
king Antigonus, and president of Syria. Now it is plain that Hecateus
wrote an entire book concerning us, while Hieronymus never mentions us
in his history, although he was bred up very near to the places where we
live. Thus different from one another are the inclinations of men;
while the one thought we deserved to be carefully remembered, as some
ill-disposed passion blinded the other's mind so entirely, that he could
not discern the truth. And now certainly the foregoing records of the
Egyptians, and Chaldeans, and Phoenicians, together with so many of
the Greek writers, will be sufficient for the demonstration of our
antiquity. Moreover, besides those forementioned, Theophilus, and
Theodotus, and Mnaseas, and Aristophanes, and Hermogenes, Euhemerus
also, and Conon, and Zopyrion, and perhaps many others, [for I have not
lighted upon all the Greek books,] have made distinct mention of us. It
is true, many of the men