30

to them a theory, 8.3.4 as Hecataeus of Abdera says. If therefore it seems good, O king, let it be written to the high priest in Jerusalem to send men who have lived the best lives and are elders, experienced in the things concerning their own law, six from each tribe, so that by examining the agreement from the majority and taking the accurate interpretation, we may place it conspicuously, in a manner worthy of the matters and of your purpose. Fare well always.” 8.3.5 When this proposal was made, the king ordered a letter to be written to Eleazar about these things, indicating also the ransom of the captives that had taken place. And he gave for the making of mixing bowls and vials and a table and libation cups, fifty talents' weight of gold and seventy talents of silver 8.3.6 and a sufficient quantity of precious stones. And he ordered the treasurers to give the craftsmen the choice of whatever they might prefer, and coinage for sacrifices and other things up to one hundred talents. We shall describe to you the construction when we have gone through the copies of the letters. And the letter of the king was of this form: 8.4.1 4. LETTER OF KING PTOLEMY TO ELEAZAR THE HIGH PRIEST

“King Ptolemy to Eleazar the high priest, greetings and good health. Since it happens that many of the Jews have been settled in our country, having been deported from Jerusalem by the Persians during the time they held power, and moreover that captives had also come with our father into Egypt, from whom he also enrolled many into the military on greater pay, and likewise judging those who were already there to be trustworthy, he built fortresses and gave them to them, so that the nation of the Egyptians might be kept in fear through them; and we, upon taking over the kingdom, deal more humanely with all, but much more so with your citizens. We have freed over one hundred thousand captives, paying their masters the appropriate monetary price, and correcting anything that was done wrongly due to the impulses of the mobs, believing we are doing this piously and making a thank-offering to the greatest God, who has preserved our kingdom in peace and in the greatest glory throughout the whole world. And we have appointed those in the prime of their age to the army, and those who are capable of being about our person and worthy of the trust 8.4.2 of the court, I have established after judging them. And since we wish to grant a favor both to you and to all the Jews throughout the world and to their descendants, we have decided to have your law translated into Greek letters from what are called among you the Hebrew letters, so that these too may be available in our li-8.4.3-brary along with the other royal books. You will do well therefore, and in a manner worthy of our zeal, to select men who have lived well, elders, having experience of the law and able to interpret it, six from each tribe, so that from the majority agreement may be found, since the inquiry is about greater matters. For we think that when this is accomplished we shall win great renown. 8.4.4 We have sent on this business Andreas, one of the chief bodyguards, and Aristeas, who are held in honor by us, to confer with you and to bring first-fruits as offerings for the temple and for sacrifices and other things, one hundred talents of silver. Write to us yourself concerning whatever you may wish; for you will be gratified and will do something worthy of friendship, since what you choose will be accomplished with all speed. Farewell.” To this letter Eleazar wrote back the following in reply:

30

αὐτοῖς θεωρίαν, 8.3.4 ὥς φησιν Ἑκαταῖος ὁ Ἀβδηρίτης. ἐὰν οὖν φαίνηται, βασιλεῦ, γραφήσεται πρὸς τὸν ἀρχιερέα τὸν ἐν Ἱεροσολύμοις ἀποστεῖλαι τοὺς μάλιστα καλῶς βεβιωκότας καὶ πρεσβυτέρους ἄνδρας, ἐμπείρους τῶν κατὰ τὸν νόμον τὸν ἑαυτῶν, ἀφ' ἑκάστης φυλῆς ἕξ, ὅπως τὸ σύμφωνον ἐκ τῶν πλειόνων ἐξετάσαντες καὶ λαβόντες τὸ κατὰ τὴν ἑρμηνείαν ἀκριβές, ἀξίως καὶ τῶν πραγμάτων καὶ τῆς σῆς προαιρέσεως θῶμεν εὐσήμως. εὐτύχει διὰ παντός.» 8.3.5 Τῆς δὲ εἰσδόσεως ταύτης γενομένης ἐκέλευσεν ὁ βασιλεὺς γραφῆναι πρὸς τὸν Ἐλεάζαρον περὶ τούτων, σημάναντας καὶ τὴν γενομένην ἀπολύτρωσιν τῶν αἰχμαλώτων. ἔδωκε δὲ καὶ εἰς κατασκευὴν κρατήρων τε καὶ φιαλῶν καὶ τραπέζης καὶ σπονδείων χρυσίου μὲν ὁλκῆς τάλαντα πεντήκοντα καὶ ἀργυρίου τάλαντα 8.3.6 ἑβδομήκοντα καὶ λίθων ἱκανόν τι πλῆθος. ἐκέλευσε δὲ τοὺς χρηματοφύλακας τοῖς τεχνίταις ὧν ἂν προαιρῶνται τὴν ἐκλογὴν διδόναι καὶ νομίσματος εἰς θυσίας καὶ τὰ ἄλλα πρὸς τάλαντα ἑκατόν. δηλώσομεν δέ σοι περὶ τῆς κατασκευῆς, ὡς ἂν τὰ τῶν ἐπιστολῶν ἀντίγραφα διέλθωμεν. ἦν δὲ ἡ τοῦ βασιλέως ἐπιστολὴ τὸν τύπον ἔχουσα τοῦτον· 8.4.1 δʹ. ΕΠΙΣΤΟΛΗ ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ ΠΤΟΛΕΜΑΙΟΥ ΠΡΟΣ ΕΛΕΑΖΑΡΟΝ ΑΡΧΙΕΡΕΑ

«Βασιλεὺς Πτολεμαῖος Ἐλεαζάρῳ ἀρχιερεῖ χαίρειν καὶ ἐρρῶσθαι. Ἐπεὶ συμβαίνει πλείονας τῶν Ἰουδαίων εἰς τὴν ἡμετέραν χώραν κατῳκίσθαι, γενηθέντας ἀνασπάστους ἐκ τῶν Ἱεροσολύμων ὑπὸ Περσῶν καθ' ὃν ἐπεκράτουν χρόνον, ἔτι δὲ καὶ συνεισεληλυθέναι τῷ πατρὶ ἡμῶν εἰς τὴν Αἴγυπτον αἰχμαλώτους, ἀφ' ὧν καὶ πλείονας εἰς τὸ στρατιωτικὸν σύνταγμα κατεχώρισεν ἐπὶ μείζοσι μισθοφορίαις, ὁμοίως δὲ καὶ τοὺς προόντας κρίνας πιστοὺς φρούρια κτίσας ἀπέδωκεν αὐτοῖς, ὅπως τὸ τῶν Αἰγυπτίων ἔθνος φόβον ἔχῃ διὰ τούτων· καὶ ἡμεῖς δὲ παραλαβόντες τὴν βασιλείαν φιλανθρωπότερον ἀπαντῶμεν τοῖς πᾶσι, πολὺ δὲ μᾶλλον τοῖς σοῖς πολίταις· ὑπὲρ δέκα μυριάδας αἰχμαλώτων ἠλευθερώκαμεν, ἀποδόντες τοῖς κρατοῦσι τὴν κατ' ἀξίαν ἀργυρικὴν τιμήν, διορθούμενοι καὶ εἴ τι κακῶς ἐπράχθη διὰ τὰς τῶν ὄχλων ὁρμάς, διειληφότες εὐσεβῶς τοῦτο πράσσειν καὶ τῷ μεγίστῳ θεῷ χαριστικὸν ἀνατιθέντες, ὃς ἡμῖν τὴν βασιλείαν ἐν εἰρήνῃ καὶ δόξῃ τῇ κρατίστῃ παρ' ὅλην τὴν οἰκουμένην διατετήρηκεν· εἴς τε τὸ στράτευμα τοὺς ἀκμαιοτάτους ταῖς ἡλικίαις τετάχαμεν, τοὺς δὲ δυναμένους καὶ περὶ ἡμᾶς εἶναι καὶ τῆς περὶ τὴν αὐλὴν 8.4.2 πίστεως ἀξίους ἐπικρίνων κατέστησα. βουλομένων δὲ ἡμῶν καὶ σοὶ χαρίζεσθαι καὶ πᾶσι τοῖς κατὰ τὴν οἰκουμένην Ἰουδαίοις καὶ τοῖς μετέπειτα, προῃρήμεθα τὸν νόμον ὑμῶν μεθερμηνευθῆναι γράμμασιν Ἑλληνικοῖς ἐκ τῶν παρ' ὑμῖν Ἑβραϊκῶν λεγομένων γραμμάτων, ἵν' ὑπάρχῃ καὶ ταῦτα παρ' ἡμῖν ἐν βι8.4.3 βλιοθήκῃ σὺν τοῖς ἄλλοις βασιλικοῖς βιβλίοις. καλῶς οὖν ποιήσεις καὶ τῆς ἡμετέρας σπουδῆς ἀξίως, ἐπιλέξας ἄνδρας καλῶς βεβιωκότας, πρεσβυτέρους, ἐμπειρίαν ἔχοντας τοῦ νόμου καὶ δυνατοὺς ἑρμηνεῦσαι, ἀφ' ἑκάστης φυλῆς ἕξ, ὅπως ἐκ τῶν πλειόνων τὸ σύμφωνον εὑρεθῇ, διὰ τὸ περὶ μειζόνων εἶναι τὴν σκέψιν. οἰόμεθα γὰρ ἐπιτελεσθέντος τούτου μεγάλην ἀποίσεσθαι δόξαν. 8.4.4 ἀπεστάλκαμεν δὲ περὶ τούτων Ἀνδρέαν τῶν ἀρχισωματοφυλάκων καὶ Ἀριστέαν, τιμωμένους παρ' ἡμῖν, διαλεξομένους σοι καὶ κομίζοντας ἀπαρχὰς εἰς τὸ ἱερὸν ἀναθημάτων καὶ εἰς θυσίας καὶ τὰ ἄλλα ἀργυρίου τάλαντα ἑκατόν. γράφε δὲ καὶ σὺ πρὸς ἡμᾶς περὶ ὧν ἐὰν βούλῃ· κεχαρισμένος γὰρ ἔσῃ καὶ φιλίας ἄξιόν τι πράξεις, ὡς ἐπιτελεσθησομένων τὴν ταχίστην περὶ ὧν ἂν αἱρῇ. ἔρρωσο.» Πρὸς ταύτην τὴν ἐπιστολὴν ἀντέγραψεν ἐνδεχομένως ὁ Ἐλεάζαρος τάδε·