Flavius Josephus, Against Apion (English) (XML Header) [genre: prose] [word count] [lemma count] [Joseph. Ap.]. | ||
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As for the occasions of so great disagreement of theirs, there may
be assigned many that are very probable, if any have a mind to make an
inquiry about them; but I ascribe these contradictions chiefly to two causes,
which I will now mention, and still think what I shall mention in the first
place to be the principal of all. For if we remember that in the beginning
the Greeks had taken no care to have public records of their several transactions
preserved, this must for certain have afforded those that would afterward
write about those ancient transactions the opportunity of making mistakes,
and the power of making lies also; for this original recording of such
ancient transactions hath not only been neglected by the other states of
There must therefore naturally arise great differences among writers, when they had no original records to lay for their foundation, which might at once inform those who had an inclination to learn, and contradict those that would tell lies. However, we are to suppose a second occasion besides the former of these contradictions; it is this: That those who were the most zealous to write history were not solicitous for the discovery of truth, although it was very easy for them always to make such a profession; but their business was to demonstrate that they could write well, and make an impression upon mankind thereby; and in what manner of writing they thought they were able to exceed others, to that did they apply themselves, Some of them betook themselves to the writing of fabulous narrations; some of them endeavored to please the cities or the kings, by writing in their commendation; others of them fell to finding faults with transactions, or with the writers of such transactions, and thought to make a great figure by so doing. And indeed these do what is of all things the most contrary to true history; for it is the great character of true history that all concerned therein both speak and write the same things; while these men, by writing differently about the same things, think they shall be believed to write with the greatest regard to truth. We therefore [who are Jews] must yield to the Grecian writers as to language and eloquence of composition; but then we shall give them no such preference as to the verity of ancient history, and least of all as to that part which concerns the affairs of our own several countries.
1.28As to the care of writing down the records from the earliest antiquity among the Egyptians and Babylonians; that the priests were intrusted therewith, and employed a philosophical concern about it; that they were the Chaldean priests that did so among the Babylonians; and that the Phoenicians, who were mingled among the Greeks, did especially make use of their letters, both for the common affairs of life, and for the delivering down the history of common transactions, I think I may omit any proof, because all men allow it so to be. But now as to our forefathers, that they took no less care about writing such records, (for I will not say they took greater care than the others I spoke of,) and that they committed that matter to their high priests and to their prophets, and that these records have been written all along down to our own times with the utmost accuracy; nay, if it be not too bold for me to say it, our history will be so written hereafter; - I shall endeavor briefly to inform you.
1.30For our forefathers did not only appoint the best of these priests,
and those that attended upon the Divine worship, for that design from the
beginning, but made provision that the stock of the priests should continue
unmixed and pure; for he who is partaker of the priesthood must propagate
of a wife of the same nation, without having any regard to money, or any
other dignities; but he is to make a scrutiny, and take his wife's genealogy
from the ancient tables, and procure many witnesses to it. note
And this is our practice not only in
Flavius Josephus, Against Apion (English) (XML Header) [genre: prose] [word count] [lemma count] [Joseph. Ap.]. | ||
<<Joseph. Ap. 1.15 | Joseph. Ap. 1.28 (Greek) | >>Joseph. Ap. 1.47 |