按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
so great an inclination to it； could so accurately deliver these
accounts to the Greeks as is done in these books。 For those of my
own nation freely acknowledge that I far exceed them in the
learning belonging to Jews； I have also taken a great deal of
pains to obtain the learning of the Greeks； and understand the
elements of the Greek language； although I have so long
accustomed myself to speak our own tongue； that I cannot
pronounce Greek with sufficient exactness； for our nation does
not encourage those that learn the languages of many nations； and
so adorn their discourses with the smoothness of their periods；
because they look upon this sort of accomplishment as common； not
only to all sorts of free…men； but to as many of the servants as
please to learn them。 But they give him the testimony of being a
wise man who is fully acquainted with our laws； and is able to
interpret their meaning； on which account； as there have been
many who have done their endeavors with great patience to obtain
this learning； there have yet hardly been so many as two or three
that have succeeded therein； who were immediately well rewarded
for their pains。
3。 And now it will not be perhaps an invidious thing； if I treat
briefly of my own family； and of the actions of my own life （28）
while there are still living such as can either prove what I say
to be false； or can attest that it is true； with which accounts I
shall put an end to these Antiquities； which are contained in
twenty books； and sixty thousand verses。 And if God permit me； I
will briefly run over this war （29）； and to add what befell them
further to that very day； the 13th of Domitian； or A。D。 03； is
not； that I have observed； taken distinct notice of by any one；
nor do we ever again； with what befell us therein to this very
day； which is the thirteenth year of the reign of Caesar
Domitian； and the fifty…sixth year of my own life。 I have also an
intention to write three books concerning our Jewish opinions
about God and his essence； and about our laws； why； according to
them； some things are permitted us to do； and others are
prohibited。
ANT PREFACE FOOTNOTES
（1） This preface of Josephus is excellent in its kind； and highly
worthy the repeated perusal of the reader； before he set about
the perusal of the work itself。
（2）That is； all the Gentiles； both Greeks and Romans。
（3） We may seasonably note here； that Josephus wrote his Seven
Books of the Jewish War long before he wrote these his
Antiquities。 Those books of the War were published about A。D。 75；
and these Antiquities； A。 D。 93； about eighteen years later。
（4） This Epaphroditus was certainly alive in the third year of
Trajan； A。D。 100。 See the note on the First Book Against Apion；
sect。 1。 Who he was we do not know； for as to Epaphroditus； the
freedman of Nero； and afterwards Domitian's secretary； who was
put to death by Domitian in the 14th or 15th year of his reign；
he could not be alive in the third of Trajan。
（5） Josephus here plainly alludes to the famous Greek proverb； If
God be with us； every thing that is impossible becomes possible。
（6） As to this intended work of Josephus concerning the reasons
of many of the Jewish laws； and what philosophical or allegorical
sense they would bear； the loss of which work is by some of the
learned not much regretted； I am inclinable； in part； to
Fabricius's opinion； ap。 Havercamp； p。 63； 61； That 〃we need not
doubt but that； among some vain and frigid conjectures derived
from Jewish imaginations； Josephus would have taught us a greater
number of excellent and useful things； which perhaps nobody；
neither among the Jews； nor among the Christians； can now inform
us of； so that I would give a great deal to find it still
extant。〃
Ant。 Book 1
（1） Since Josephus； in his Preface； sect。 4； says that Moses
wrote some things enigmatically； some allegorically； and the rest
in plain words； since in his account of the first chapter of
Genesis； and the first three verses of the second； he gives us no
hints of any mystery at all； but when he here comes to ver。 4；
etc。 he says that Moses； after the seventh day was over； began to
talk philosophically； it is not very improbable that he
understood the rest of the second and the third chapters in some
enigmatical； or allegorical； or philosophical sense。 The change
of the name of God just at this place； from Elohim to Jehovah
Elohim； from God to Lord God； in the Hebrew； Samaritan； and
Septuagint； does also not a little favor some such change in the
narration or construction。
（2） We may observe here； that Josephus supposed man to be
compounded of spirit； soul； and body； with St。 Paul； 1
Thessalonians 5：23； and the rest of the ancients： he elsewhere
says also； that the blood of animals was forbidden to be eaten；
as having in it soul and spirit； Antiq。 B。 III。 ch。 11。 sect。 2。
（3） Whence this strange notion came； which yet is not peculiar to
Joseph；； but； as Dr。 Hudson says here； is derived from older
authors； as if four of the greatest rivers in the world； running
two of them at vast distances from the other two； by some means
or other watered paradise； is hard to say。 Only since Josephus
has already appeared to allegorize this history； and take notice
that these four names had a particular signification； Phison for
Ganges； a multitude； Phrath for Euphrates； either a dispersion or
a flower； Diglath for Tigris； what is swift； with narrowness； and
Geon for Nile； what arises from the east；we perhaps mistake him
when we suppose he literally means those four rivers； especially
as to Geon or Nile； which arises from the east； while he very
well knew the literal Nile arises from the south； though what
further allegorical sense he had in view； is now； I fear；
impossible to be determined。
（4） By the Red Sea is not here meant the Arabian Gulf； which
alone we now call by that name； but all that South Sea； which
included the Red Sea； and the Persian Gulf； as far as the East
Indies； as Reland and Hudson here truly note； from the old
geographers。
（5） Hence it appears； that Josephus thought several； at least； of
the brute animals； particularly the serpent； could speak before
the fall。 And I think few of the more perfect kinds of those
animals want the organs of speech at this day。 Many inducements
there are also to a notion； that the present state they are in；
is not their original state； and that their capacities have been
once much greater than we now see them； and are capable of being
restored to their former condition。 But as to this most ancient；
and authentic； and probably allegorical account of that grand
affair of the fall of our first parents； I have somewhat more to
say in way of conjecture； but being only a conjecture； I omit it：
only thus far； that the imputation of the sin of our first
parents to their posterity； any further than as some way the
cause or occasion of man's mortality； seems almost entirely
groundless； and that both man； and the other subordinate
creatures； are hereafter to be delivered from the curse then
brought upon them； and at last to be delivered from that bondage
of corruption； Romans 8：19…22。
（6） St。 John's account of the reason why God accepted the
sacrifice of Abel； and rejected that of Cain； as also why Cain
slew Abel； on account of that his acceptance with God； is much
better than this of Josephus： I mean； because 〃Cain was of the
evil one； and slew his brother。 And wherefore slew he him？
Because his own works were evil； and his brother's righteous；〃 1
John 3：12。 Josephus's reason seems to be no better than a
pharisaical notion or tradition。
（7） From this Jubal； not improbably； came Jobel； the trumpet of
jobel or jubilee； that large and loud musical instrument； used in
proclaiming the liberty at the year of jubilee。
（8） The number of Adam's children； as says the old tradition was
thirty…three sons； and twenty…three daughters。
（9） What is here said of Seth and his posterity； that they were
very good and virtuous； and at the same time very happy； without
any considerable misfortunes； for seven generations； ＇see ch。 2。
sect。 1； before； and ch。 3。 sect。 1； hereafter；＇ is exactly
agreeable to the state of the world and the conduct of Providence
in all the first ages。
（10） Of Josephus's mistake here； when he took Seth the son of
Adam； for Seth or Sesostris； king of Egypt； the erector of this
pillar in the land of Siriad； see Essay on the Old Testament；
Appendix； p。 159； 160。 Although the main of this relation might
be true； and Adam might foretell a conflagration and a deluge；
which all antiquity witnesses to be an ancient tradition； nay；
Seth's posterity might engrave their inventions in astronomy on
two such pillars； yet it is no way credible that they could
survive the deluge； which has buried all such pillars and
edifices far under ground in the sediment of its waters；
especially since the like pillars of the Egyptian Seth or
Sesostris were extant after the flood； in the land of Siriad； and
perhaps in the days of Josephus also； as is shown in the place
here referred to。
（11） This notion； that the fallen angels were； in some sense； the
fathers of the old giants； w