Chapter XXXI.

Now, in the next place, if any one has the capacity, let him understand that in what assumes the form of history, and which contains some things that are literally true, while yet it conveys a deeper meaning, those who preserved their original language continued, by reason of their not having migrated from the east, in possession of the east, and of their eastern language.  And let him notice, that these alone became the portion of the Lord, and His people who were called Jacob, and Israel the cord of His inheritance; and these alone were governed by a ruler who did not receive those who were placed under him for the purpose of punishment, as was the case with the others.  Let him also, who has the capacity to perceive as far as mortals may, observe that in the body politic1111    πολιτείᾳ. of those who were assigned to the Lord as His pre-eminent portion, sins were committed, first of all, such as might be forgiven, and of such a nature as not to make the sinner worthy of entire desertion while subsequently they became more numerous though still of a nature to be pardoned.  And while remarking that this state of matters continued for a considerable time, and that a remedy was always applied, and that after certain intervals these persons returned to their duty, let him notice that they were given over, in proportion to their transgressions, to those to whom had been assigned the other quarters of the earth; and that, after being at first slightly punished, and having made atonement,1112    καὶ τίσαντας δίκην. they returned, as if they had undergone discipline,1113    ὡσπερεὶ παιδευθέντας. to their proper habitations.  Let him notice also that afterwards they were delivered over to rulers of a severer character—to Assyrians and Babylonians, as the Scriptures would call them.  In the next place, notwithstanding that means of healing were being applied, let him observe that they were still multiplying their transgressions, and that they were on that account dispersed into other regions by the rulers of the nations that oppressed them.  And their own ruler intentionally overlooked their oppression at the hands of the rulers of the other nations, in order that he also with good reason, as avenging himself, having obtained power to tear away from the other nations as many as he can, may do so, and enact for them laws, and point out a manner of life agreeably to which they ought to live, that so he may conduct them to the end to which those of the former people were conducted who did not commit sin.

Εἶτα εἴ τις δύναται ὡς ἐν ἱστορίας σχήματι, ἐχούσης μέν τι καὶ καθ' αὑτὴν ἀληθὲς ἐμφαινούσης δέ τι καὶ ἀπόρρη τον, ἰδέτω καὶ τοὺς τὴν ἐξ ἀρχῆς διάλεκτον τετηρηκότας, τῷ μὴ κεκινηκέναι "ἀπ' ἀνατολῶν" μένοντας ἐν τῇ ἀνατολῇ καὶ τῇ ἀνατολικῇ διαλέκτῳ· καὶ νοείτω τούτους μόνους γεγονέναι μερίδα κυρίου καὶ λαὸν αὐτοῦ τὸν καλούμενον "Ἰακώβ", γεγονέναι δὲ καὶ "σχοίνισμα κληρονομίας αὐτοῦ Ἰσραήλ"· καὶ οὗτοι μόνοι ἐπιστατείσθωσαν ὑπὸ ἄρχοντος, οὐκ ἐπὶ κολάσει παρειληφότος τοὺς ὑπ' αὐτῷ ὥσπερ οἱ ἄλλοι. Βλεπέτω δ' ὁ δυνάμενος ὡς ἐν ἀνθρώποις ἐν τῇ τούτων πολιτείᾳ τῶν τεταγμένων κατὰ τὴν διαφέρουσαν μερίδα τῷ κυρίῳ γινομένας ἁμαρτίας, πρότερον μὲν ἀνεκτὰς καὶ τοιαύτας, ὡς μὴ πάντῃ ἀξίους εἶναι αὐτοὺς τοῦ ἐγκατα λείπεσθαι, ὕστερον δὲ πλείονας μὲν ἀλλ' ἔτι ἀνεκτάς· καὶ τοῦτ' ἐπὶ πλείονα χρόνον νοῶν γινόμενον καὶ ἀεὶ θεραπείαν προσαγομένην καὶ ἐκ διαλειμμάτων τούτους ἐπιστρέφοντας, ὁράτω αὐτοὺς καταλειπομένους κατὰ τὴν ἀναλογίαν τῶν ἁμαρτανομένων τοῖς λαχοῦσι τὰς ἄλλας χώρας, πρότερον μὲν ἐπὶ τὸ ἔλαττον αὐτοὺς κολασθέντας καὶ τίσαντας δίκην, ὡσπερεὶ παιδευθέντας, ἐπανελθεῖν εἰς τὰ οἰκεῖα· ὕστερον δὲ βλεπέτω αὐτοὺς παραδιδομένους χαλεπωτέροις ἄρχουσιν, ὡς ἂν ὀνομάσαιεν αἱ γραφαί, Ἀσσυρίοις εἶτα Βαβυλωνίοις. Εἶτα προσαγομένων θεραπειῶν ὁράτω τούτους οὐδὲν ἧττον αὔξοντας τὰ ἁμαρτανόμενα καὶ διὰ τοῦτ' ἐπισπειρομένους ὑπὸ τῶν διαρπαζόντων αὐτοὺς ἀρχόντων τῶν λοιπῶν ἐθνῶν ταῖς ἄλλαις μερίσιν. Ὁ δ' ἄρχων αὐτῶν ἐπίτηδες παροράτω διαρπαζομένους αὐτοὺς ὑπὸ τῶν ἐν τοῖς λοιποῖς ἔθνεσιν ἀρχόντων· ἵνα καὶ αὐτὸς εὐλόγως, ὡσπερεὶ ἑαυτὸν ἐκδικῶν, λαβὼν ἐξουσίαν ἀποσπάσαι τῶν λοιπῶν ἐθνῶν οὓς ἂν δύνηται, τὸ τοιοῦτο ποιήσῃ καὶ νόμους τε αὐτοῖς θῆται καὶ βίον ὑποδείξῃ καθ' ὃν βιωτέον· ἵνα αὐτοὺς ἀναγάγῃ ἐπὶ τέλος, ἐφ' ὅπερ ἀνῆγε τοὺς μὴ ἁμαρτάνοντας ἀπὸ τοῦ προτέρου ἔθνους.