27

But all these things the Holy Spirit teaches us, the one through Moses and the rest of the prophets, so that our writings, we the God-fearing, happen to be more ancient, and indeed are also shown to be truer than all the writers and poets. But indeed, concerning music some have idly talked that Apollo was the inventor, while others say that Orpheus invented music from the sweet song of the birds. But their account is shown to be empty and vain; for these men came into being many years after the flood. But the things concerning Noah, who is called Deucalion by some, our narrative has been made in the book we have previously mentioned, which, if you wish, you also can read. After the flood there was again a beginning of cities and kings in this manner. The first city was Babylon, and Orech and Archath and Chalane in the land of Sennaar. And their king came to be named Nebroth. From these came forth one named Assour; whence also the Assyrians are named. And Nebroth built the cities Nineveh and Rhoboom and Kalak and Dasen between Nineveh and between Kalak. And Nineveh became at first a great city. And another son of Sem, the son of Noah, named Mestraein, begot the Ludueim and those called Enimigeim and the Labieim and the Nephthalim and the Patrosonieim and the Chaslonieim, from whence came forth the Philistieim. Now concerning the three sons of Noah and their completion and genealogy, our catalogue was made in epitome in the book we have previously mentioned. And now we shall call to mind the things that have been left out concerning both cities and kings, and of the things that happened when there was one lip and one tongue. Before the languages were divided these aforementioned cities came into being. But when they were about to be scattered, they took counsel by their own judgment, and not through God, to build a city and a tower, whose top would reach to heaven, so that they might make for themselves a name of glory. Since, therefore, contrary to the will of God, they dared to do a grievous work, God cast down their city and overthrew the tower. From that time he changed the tongues of men, giving to each a different language. The Sibyl indeed has thus signified, announcing that wrath was about to come upon the world. And she spoke thus: But whenever the threats of the great God are fulfilled, which he once threatened to mortals, when they built a tower in the land of Assyria. And all were of one voice, and wished to ascend to the starry heaven. Straightway the immortal laid a great necessity upon the winds; Then the winds cast down the great tower from on high, and stirred up strife among mortals against one another. But when the tower fell, the tongues of men were divided into many languages of mortals.

27

Ταῦτα δὲ πάντα ἡμᾶς διδάσκει τὸ πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον, τὸ διὰ Μωσέως καὶ τῶν λοιπῶν προφητῶν, ὥστε τὰ καθ' ἡμᾶς τοὺς θεοσεβεῖς ἀρχαιότερα γράμματα τυγχάνει, οὐ μὴν ἀλλὰ καὶ ἀληθέ- στερα πάντων συγγραφέων καὶ ποιητῶν δείκνυται ὄντα. ἀλλὰ μὴν καὶ τὰ περὶ τῆς μουσικῆς ἐφλυάρησάν τινες εὑρετὴν Ἀπόλλωνα γεγενῆσθαι, ἄλλοι δὲ Ὀρφέα ἀπὸ τῆς τῶν ὀρνέων ἡδυφωνίας φασὶν ἐξευρηκέναι τὴν μουσικήν. κενὸς δὲ καὶ μάταιος ὁ λόγος αὐτῶν δείκνυται· μετὰ γὰρ πολλὰ ἔτη τοῦ κατακλυσμοῦ οὗτοι ἐγένοντο. τὰ δὲ περὶ τοῦ Νῶε, ὃς κέκληται ὑπὸ ἐνίων ∆ευκαλίων, ἐν τῇ βίβλῳ ᾗ προειρήκαμεν ἡ διήγησις ἡμῖν γεγένηται ᾗ, εἰ βούλει, καὶ σὺ δύνασαι ἐντυχεῖν. Μετὰ τὸν κατακλυσμὸν ἀρχὴ πάλιν ἐγένετο πόλεων καὶ βασιλέων τὸν τρόπον τοῦτον. πρώτη πόλις Βαβυλών, καὶ Ὀρὲχ καὶ Ἀρχὰθ καὶ Χαλανὴ ἐν τῇ γῇ Σενναάρ. καὶ βασιλεὺς ἐγένετο αὐτῶν ὀνόματι Νεβρώθ. ἐκ τούτων ἐξῆλθεν ὀνόματι Ἀσσούρ· ὅθεν καὶ Ἀσσύριοι προσαγορεύονται. Νεβρὼθ δὲ ᾠκο- δόμησεν πόλεις τὴν Νινευὴ καὶ τὴν Ῥοβοὼμ καὶ τὴν Καλὰκ καὶ τὴν ∆ασὲν ἀνὰ μέσον Νινευὴ καὶ ἀνὰ μέσον Καλάκ. ἡ δὲ Νινευὴ ἐγενήθη ἐν πρώτοις πόλις μεγάλη. ἕτερος δὲ υἱὸς τοῦ Σὴμ υἱοῦ τοῦ Νῶε ὀνόματι Μεστραεὶν ἐγέννησεν τοὺς Λουδουεὶμ καὶ τοὺς καλουμένους Ἐνεμιγεὶμ καὶ τοὺς Λαβιεὶμ καὶ τοὺς Νεφθαλεὶμ καὶ τοὺς Πατροσωνιεὶμ καὶ τοὺς Χασλωνιείμ, ὅθεν ἐξῆλθεν Φυλιστιείμ. Τῶν μὲν οὖν τριῶν υἱῶν τοῦ Νῶε καὶ τῆς συντελείας αὐτῶν καὶ γενεαλογίας, ἐγένετο ἡμῖν ὁ κατάλογος ἐν ἐπιτομῇ ἐν ᾗ προειρήκαμεν βίβλῳ. καὶ νῦν δὲ τὰ παραλελειμμένα ἐπιμνησθησόμεθα περί τε πόλεων καὶ βασιλέων, τῶν τε γεγενημένων ὁπότε ἦν χεῖλος ἓν καὶ μία γλῶσσα. πρὸ τοῦ τὰς διαλέκτους μερισθῆναι αὗται αἱ προγεγραμμέναι ἐγενήθησαν πόλεις. ἐν δὲ τῷ μέλλειν αὐτοὺς διαμερίζεσθαι, συμβούλιον ἐποίησαν γνώμῃ ἰδίᾳ, καὶ οὐ διὰ θεοῦ, οἰκοδομῆσαι πόλιν καὶ πύργον, οὗ ἡ ἄκρα φθάσῃ εἰς τὸν οὐρανὸν ἀφικέσθαι, ὅπως ποιήσωσιν ἑαυτοῖς ὄνομα δόξης. ἐπειδὴ οὖν παρὰ προαίρεσιν θεοῦ βαρὺ ἔργον ἐτόλμησαν ποιῆσαι, κατέβαλεν αὐτῶν ὁ θεὸς τὴν πόλιν καὶ τὸν πύργον κατέστρωσεν. ἔκτοτε ἐνήλλαξεν τὰς γλώσσας τῶν ἀνθρώπων, δοὺς ἑκάστῳ διάφορον διάλεκτον. Σίβυλλα μὲν οὕτως σεσήμακεν, κατ- αγγέλλουσα ὀργὴν τῷ κόσμῳ μέλλειν ἔρχεσθαι. Ἔφη δὲ οὕτως· Ἀλλ' ὁπόταν μεγάλοιο θεοῦ τελέωνται ἀπειλαί, ἅς ποτ' ἐπηπείλησε βροτοῖς, ὅτε πύργον ἔτευξαν χώρῃ ἐν Ἀσσυρίῃ. ὁμόφωνοι δ' ἦσαν ἅπαντες, καὶ βούλοντ' ἀναβῆναι εἰς οὐρανὸν ἀστερόεντα. αὐτίκα δ' ἀθάνατος μεγάλην ἐπέθηκεν ἀνάγκην πνεύμασιν· αὐτὰρ ἔπειτ' ἄνεμοι μέγαν ὑψόθι πύργον ·ίψαν καὶ θνητοῖσιν ἐπ' ἀλλήλοις ἔριν ὦρσαν. αὐτὰρ ἐπεὶ πύργος τ' ἔπεσεν, γλῶσσαί τ' ἀνθρώπων εἰς πολλὰς θνητῶν ἐμερίσθησαν διαλέκτους.