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[65]
But besides this, Apion objects to us thus: "If the Jews (says
he) be citizens of Alexandria, why do they not worship the same gods with
the Alexandrians?" To which I give this answer: Since you are yourselves
Egyptians, why do you fight it out one against another, and have implacable
wars about your religion? At this rate we must not call you all Egyptians,
nor indeed in general men, because you breed up with great care beasts
of a nature quite contrary to that of men, although the nature of all men
seems to be one and the same. Now if there be such differences in opinion
among you Egyptians, why are you surprised that those who came to Alexandria
from another country, and had original laws of their own before, should
persevere in the observance of those laws? But still he charges us with
being the authors of sedition; which accusation, if it be a just one, why
is it not laid against us all, since we are known to be all of one mind.
Moreover, those that search into such matters will soon discover that the
authors of sedition have been such citizens of Alexandria as Apion is;
for while they were the Grecians and Macedonians who were ill possession
of this city, there was no sedition raised against us, and we were permitted
to observe our ancient solemnities; but when the number of the Egyptians
therein came to be considerable, the times grew confused, and then these
seditions brake out still more and more, while our people continued uncorrupted.
These Egyptians, therefore, were the authors of these troubles, who having
not the constancy of Macedonians, nor the prudence of Grecians, indulged
all of them the evil manners of the Egyptians, and continued their ancient
hatred against us; for what is here so presumptuously charged upon us,
is owing to the differences that are amongst themselves; while many of
them have not obtained the privileges of citizens in proper times, but
style those who are well known to have had that privilege extended to them
all no other than foreigners: for it does not appear that any of the kings
have ever formerly bestowed those privileges of citizens upon Egyptians,
no more than have the emperors done it more lately; while it was Alexander
who introduced us into this city at first, the kings augmented our privileges
therein, and the Romans have been pleased to preserve them always inviolable.
Moreover, Apion would lay a blot upon us, because we do not erect images
for our emperors; as if those emperors did not know this before, or stood
in need of Apion as their defender; whereas he ought rather to have admired
the magnanimity and modesty of the Romans, whereby they do not compel those
that are subject to them to transgress the laws of their countries, but
are willing to receive the honors due to them after such a manner as those
who are to pay them esteem consistent with piety and with their own laws;
for they do not thank people for conferring honors upon them, When they
are compelled by violence so to do. Accordingly, since the Grecians and
some other nations think it a right thing to make images, nay, when they
have painted the pictures of their parents, and wives, and children, they
exult for joy; and some there are who take pictures for themselves of such
persons as were no way related to them; nay, some take the pictures of
such servants as they were fond of; what wonder is it then if such as these
appear willing to pay the same respect to their princes and lords? But
then our legislator hath forbidden us to make images, not by way of denunciation
beforehand, that the Roman authority was not to be honored, but as despising
a thing that was neither necessary nor useful for either God or man; and
he forbade them, as we shall prove hereafter, to make these images for
any part of the animal creation, and much less for God himself, who is
no part of such animal creation. Yet hath our legislator no where forbidden
us to pay honors to worthy men, provided they be of another kind, and inferior
to those we pay to God; with which honors we willingly testify our respect
to our emperors, and to the people of Rome; we also offer perpetual sacrifices
for them; nor do we only offer them every day at the common expenses of
all the Jews, but although we offer no other such sacrifices out of our
common expenses, no, not for our own children, yet do we this as a peculiar
honor to the emperors, and to them alone, while we do the same to no other
person whomsoever. And let this suffice for an answer in general to Apion,
as to what he says with relation to the Alexandrian Jews.
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