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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 bid 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 any thing 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 w a priest, and desired
him to say grace;
1
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
2
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.