[51]
When this epistle of the king was brought to Eleazar, he wrote an
answer to it with all the respect possible: "Eleazar the high priest
to king Ptolemy, sendeth greeting. If thou and thy queen Arsinoe, 1
and thy children, be well, we are entirely satisfied. When we received
thy epistle, we greatly rejoiced at thy intentions; and when the multitude
were gathered together, we read it to them, and thereby made them sensible
of the piety thou hast towards God. We also showed them the twenty vials
of gold, and thirty of silver, and the five large basons, and the table
for the shew-bread; as also the hundred talents for the sacrifices, and
for the making what shall be needful at the temple; which things Andreas
and Aristeus, those most honored friends of thine, have brought us; and
truly they are persons of an excellent character, and of great learning,
and worthy of thy virtue. Know then that we will gratify thee in what is
for thy advantage, though we do what we used not to do before; for we ought
to make a return for the numerous acts of kindness which thou hast done
to our countrymen. We immediately, therefore, offered sacrifices for thee
and thy sister, with thy children and friends; and the multitude made prayers,
that thy affairs may be to thy mind, and that thy kingdom may be preserved
in peace, and that the translation of our law may come to the conclusion
thou desirest, and be for thy advantage. We have also chosen six elders
out of every tribe, whom we have sent, and the law with them. It will be
thy part, out of thy piety and justice, to send back the law, when it hath
been translated, and to return those to us that bring it in safety. Farewell."
1 When we have here and presently mention made of Philadelphus's queen and sister Arsinoe, we are to remember, with Spanheim, that Arsinoe was both his sister and his wife, according to the old custom of Persia, and of Egypt at this very time; nay, of the Assyrians long afterwards. See Antiq. B. XX. ch. 2. sect. 1. Whence we have, upon the coins of Philadelphus, this known inscription, "The divine brother and sister."
Flavius Josephus. The Works of Flavius Josephus. Translated by. William Whiston, A.M. Auburn and Buffalo. John E. Beardsley. 1895.
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