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After him, Ibzan for 7 years. During these times Ilium was founded and Troy, and Asclepius was pursuing the science of medicine. Eglon the Babylonian for 10 years. Abdon son of Hillel the Pirathonite, who was the father of 40 sons and 30 descendants, judged Israel for 8 years. During these times Orpheus the Thracian, the lyricist and most famous of all poets among the Greeks, was known, who, philosophizing in poetic verses about the creation of the elements and the genesis of man, and the shining forth of light from the aether, 1.148 both incorporeal principles and powers, the sun and moon and all the stars, the earth and sea and all things in them, both visible and invisible, to have been made by the creator of all, and the race of men to have been formed by God himself from the earth and to have received from him a rational soul, he theologizes that all things are referred to one power and one might of divinity, who is the existing God, whom no one sees. And three, he says, names, counsel, light, life, are in him, the most wise Orpheus speaking almost in agreement with our truth concerning both God and men. He is celebrated as a lyre-player and a cithara-player, charming and bewitching every soul. And the rest has been written before. During these times they also say that Marsyas the philosopher lived, who discovered through music pipes from reeds, and he was out of his mind, distinguishing himself from the gods and saying to men that he had found nourishment through the melody of the reeds. It is said that he, having gone mad, threw himself into the river, whence the river was also named Marsyas; and he was from Colchis. Again the people, having stumbled, were given over to foreigners for 40 years. And when they returned to God, he raises up Samson, the son of Manoah, from the tribe of Dan, who, after warring against the foreigners, ruled for 20 years. During these times Heracles was known, who accomplished the twelve labors. 1.149 Shamgar led the people for 1 year. There having been anarchy for 40 years according to the Hebrew traditions, when each did what he wanted, as is likely in anarchy, the people had peace with the foreigners for 30 years with Shamgar leading. And Eli the priest ruled the people for 20 years. During these times the Trojan War happened for ten years, and Ilium was captured. Samuel, succeeding to the priesthood and leadership of Eli, rules the people. And they say that he was twelve years old, when God first appeared speaking to him; during which time the ark stayed in the house of Aminadab. and when a king was anointed, Eli was in charge for 70 years. Therefore, from the death of Joshua to the death of Samuel there are 600 years, and from Noah and the flood 2120 years, from Adam 4382 years. Samuel, having already grown old and overseeing the people more sluggishly, and his sons always betraying justice for gifts, anoints a king, the people indeed compelling, but God permitting, Saul son of Kish, from the tribe of Benjamin. This one, with Samuel strengthening him, reigns for 20 years, and by himself for 20 years. And Samuel prophesied under him and at the same time served as priest. And Abner the son of Ner was leader of the army. And Saul having stumbled against God many times, and more greatly through the transgression of his command, having spared Agag king 1.150 of the Amalekites, he heard from the prophet, "It has been made void for you, because you did not keep the commandment which the Lord commanded you. For he would have prepared your kingdom over Israel forever. And now your kingdom will not stand, but the Lord will seek a man after his own heart to be a ruler over his people." And after these things, when Samuel had anointed David, and then had grown old and died, Saul proceeded further to provoke the Lord. Wherefore also the spirit of the Lord departed from him, and an evil spirit choked him. For which reason David is also brought to him, to give comfort by playing on the kinnor, and the evil spirit departs from him. But then David, having struck down the foreigner Goliath, who in stature was four cubits and a span in height, and
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μετὰ τοῦτον Ἐσσεβὼν ἔτη ζʹ. κατὰ τούτους τοὺς χρόνους τὸ Ἴλιον ἐκτίσθη καὶ ἡ Τροία, καὶ Ἀσκληπιὸς τὴν ἰατρικὴν ἐπιστήμην μετῄει. Ἐγλὼν ὁ Βαβυλωνίτης ἔτη ιʹ. Ἀβδὼν υἱὸς Σελεὶμ ὁ Μαραθωνίτης, ὃς ἦν πατὴρ παίδων μʹ καὶ ἐκγόνων λʹ, ἔκρινε τὸν Ἰσραὴλ ἔτη ηʹ. κατὰ τούτους τοὺς χρόνους Ὀρφεὺς ὁ Θρᾲξ ὁ λυρικὸς καὶ ποιητῶν ἁπάντων ἐπισημότατος παρ' Ἕλλησιν ἐγνω ρίζετο, ὃς ἐν ποιητικοῖς στίχοις περὶ στοιχείων ποιήσεως καὶ ἀν θρώπου γενέσεως, καὶ φωτὸς ἐξ αἰθέρος ἔλλαμψιν φιλοσοφῶν, 1.148 ἀρχάς τε ἀσωμάτους καὶ ἐξουσίας, ἥλιον καὶ σελήνην καὶ ἄστρα πάντα, γῆν καὶ θάλασσαν καὶ τὰ ἐν αὐτοῖς ὁρατά τε καὶ ἀόρατα πάντα ὑπὸ τοῦ δημιουργοῦ τῶν ὅλων γενέσθαι, καὶ τὸ τῶν ἀν θρώπων γένος ὑπ' αὐτοῦ τοῦ θεοῦ πλασθῆναι ἐκ γῆς καὶ ψυχὴν ὑπ' αὐτοῦ λογικὴν λαβεῖν, εἰς μίαν δὲ δύναμιν καὶ ἓν κράτος θεότητος ἀνάγεσθαι τὰ πάντα θεολογεῖ, ὅς ἐστιν ὁ ὢν θεός, ὃν οὐδεὶς ὁρᾷ. τρία δέ, φησίν, ὀνόματα, βουλὴ φῶς ζωή, ἐν αὐτῷ, ὀλίγου δεῖν συμφώνως τῇ ἀληθείᾳ τῇ καθ' ἡμᾶς περί τε θεοῦ καὶ ἀνθρώπων ὁ σοφώτατος ἀποφθεγγόμενος Ὀρφεύς. λυρῳδὸς δὲ καὶ κιθαρῳδὸς ὑμνεῖται, πᾶσαν κατακηλῶν καὶ θέλγων ψυχήν. καὶ τὰ λοιπὰ προεγράφησαν. Κατὰ τούτους τοὺς χρόνους καὶ Μαρσύαν φιλόσοφον λέ γουσι γενέσθαι, ὃς ἐξεῦρε διὰ μουσικῆς αὐλοὺς ἀπὸ καλάμων, καὶ ἀπενοεῖτο ἀπὸ θεῶν ἑαυτὸν καὶ λέγων ἀνθρώποις εὑρηκέναι διὰ τοῦ μέλους τῶν καλάμων τροφήν. τοῦτον παραφρονήσαντα ῥῖψαι λέγεται ἑαυτὸν εἰς τὸν ποταμόν, ὅθεν καὶ ὁ ποταμὸς Μαρ σύας ὠνομάσθη· ἀπὸ Κολχίδος δὲ οὗτος ὥρμητο. Πάλιν ὁ λαὸς προσπταίσας ἐκδέδοται ἀλλοφύλοις ἔτη μʹ. ἐπιστρέψαντος δὲ αὐτοῦ πρὸς θεὸν ἀνίστησι τὸν Σαμψὼν τὸν τοῦ Μανωὲ υἱόν, ἐκ φυλῆς ∆άν, ὅστις καταπολεμήσας τοὺς ἀλλο φύλους ἄρχει ἔτη κʹ. κατὰ τούτους τοὺς χρόνους Ἡρακλῆς ἐγνω 1.149 ρίζετο ὁ τοὺς δεκαδύο ἄθλους διανύσας. Σαμανῆ ἡγήσατο τοῦ λαοῦ ἔτος αʹ. ἀναρχίας γεγονυίας κατὰ τὰς Ἑβραϊκὰς παραδό σεις, καὶ ἔπραττεν ἕκαστος ὅπερ ἠβούλετο, οἷα εἰκὸς ἐν ἀναρχίᾳ γίνεσθαι, ἔτη μʹ, εἰρήνην ἔσχεν ὁ λαὸς πρὸς τοὺς ἀλλοφύλους ἔτη λʹ Σαμανῆ ἡγουμένου. καὶ Ἠλεὶ ὁ ἱερεὺς ἦρξε τοῦ λαοῦ ἔτη κʹ. κατὰ τούτους τοὺς χρόνους ὁ Ἰλιακὸς πόλεμος ἐγένετο ἔτη δέκα, καὶ τὸ Ἴλιον ἥλω. Σαμουὴλ διαδεξάμενος τοῦ Ἠλεὶ τὴν ἱερατείαν καὶ τὴν ἡγεμονίαν κρατεῖ τοῦ λαοῦ. φασὶ δὲ αὐτὸν δεκαδύο ἐτῶν εἶναι, ὅτε πρῶτον αὐτῷ ἐφάνη λαλήσας ὁ θεός· οἷς ἡ κιβωτὸς ἐν τῷ Ἀμιναδὰμ οἴκῳ διέτριψε. καὶ βασιλέως χρι σθέντος ἦν ἀντιλαμβανόμενος ὁ Ἠλεὶ ἔτη οʹ. γίνεται τοίνυν ἀπὸ τῆς τελευτῆς Ἰησοῦ ἐπὶ τὴν τελευτὴν Σαμουὴλ ἔτη χʹ, ἀπὸ δὲ Νῶε καὶ τοῦ κατακλυσμοῦ ἔτη βρκʹ, ἀπὸ Ἀδὰμ ἔτη δτπβʹ. ὁ μὲν Σαμουὴλ ἤδη γεγηρακὼς καὶ τοῦ λαοῦ ὀκνηροτέρως ποιούμενος τὴν ἐποψίαν, τῶν τε παίδων αὐτοῦ δώροις ἀεὶ τὸ δίκαιον προϊε μένων, χρίει βασιλέα, τοῦ λαοῦ μὲν καταναγκάζοντος, τοῦ θεοῦ δὲ συγχωρήσαντος, τὸν Σαοὺλ υἱὸν Κίς, ἐκ φυλῆς Βενιαμίν. οὗτος συνεπισχύοντος τοῦ Σαμουὴλ βασιλεύει ἔτη κʹ, ἐφ' ἑαυτοῦ δὲ ἔτη κʹ. προεφήτευσε δὲ ἐπ' αὐτοῦ ἅμα καὶ ἱεράτευσε Σαμουήλ. Ἀβεννὴρ δὲ ὁ τοῦ Νὴρ τῆς στρατιᾶς ἀφηγεῖτο. τοῦ δὲ Σαοὺλ προσπταίσαντος τῷ θεῷ πολλάκις, μειζόνως δὲ διὰ τὴν παράβασιν τῆς αὐτοῦ προστάξεως, περιποιησαμένου τὸν Ἄγαγ βασιλέα 1.150 Ἀμαληκιτῶν, ἤκουσε παρὰ τοῦ προφήτου "μεματαίωταί σοι, ὅτι οὐκ ἐφύλαξας τὴν ἐντολὴν ἣν ἐνετείλατό σοι κύριος. ἡτοίμασε γὰρ ἂν τὴν βασιλείαν σου ἕως αἰῶνος ἐπὶ Ἰσραήλ. καὶ νῦν οὐ στήσεται ἡ βασιλεία σου, ἀλλὰ ζητήσει κύριος ἄνθρωπον κατὰ τὴν καρδίαν αὐτοῦ εἰς ἄρχοντα ἐπὶ τὸν λαὸν αὐτοῦ." μετὰ δὲ ταῦτα χρίσαντος τὸν ∆αβὶδ τοῦ Σαμουήλ, εἶτα γηράσαντος καὶ τελευτήσαντος, προσέθετο μᾶλλον ὁ Σαοὺλ παροργίζειν τὸν κύ ριον. ὅθεν καὶ πνεῦμα κυρίου ἀπέστη ἀπ' αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἔπνιγεν αὐτὸν πνεῦμα πονηρόν. οὗ χάριν καὶ ὁ ∆αβὶδ ἄγεται πρὸς αὐ τόν, εἰς παρηγορίαν ψάλλων διὰ τῆς κιννύρας, καὶ ἀφίσταται ἀπ' αὐτοῦ τὸ πονηρὸν πνεῦμα. ἀλλ' οὖν γε πατάξας ὁ ∆αβὶδ τὸν ἀλλόφυλον Γολιάθ, ὃς ἦν ἡλικίᾳ πηχῶν τεσσάρων καὶ σπι θαμῆς τὸ ὕψος, καὶ