adopting his statements implicitly, without any suspicion of their being to be thought fabulous, though some later writers have so discredited them. Whether fabulous or not, our argument will still remain unaffected; but I think it is but due to this author to attempt the vindication of his veracity, impugned upon what may be justly considered assumed and unsatisfactory grounds.
Aristeas states, that Ptolemy Philadelphus, king of Egypt, being intent on forming a great library at Alexandria, and being desirous of getting all manner of books into it, committed the care of this matter to Demetrius Phalereus, a noble Athenian then living in his court, directing him to procure from all nations whatever books were of note among them. Demetrius, pursuant to these orders, having been informed of the book of the Law of Moses among the Jews, acquainted the king of it, who thereupon signified his pleasure that it should be sent for from Jerusalem, with interpreters to render it into Greek, and ordered what was proper to be done to send to the high priest about it. Accordingly, a letter was written in the king's name to Eleazar, the high priest, and messengers were sent with a large sum of money for sacrifices, and costly presents. On the messengers coming to Jerusalem, they were received with great respect by the high priest, and all the people of the Jews, and had all readily granted them that they came to ask. Having then received from the high priest a true copy of the Law of Moses, all written in gold letters, and six elders out of every tribe, that is, seventy- two in all, to make a version of it into Greek, they returned with them to Alexandria. On their arrival, the king, having called those elders to his court, made trial of them by seventy-two questions proposed to them, each one in order; and, from the answers they made, approving of their wisdom, he gave them valuable presents, and lodged them in a house in the island of Pharos, adjoining Alexandria. Here, having agreed in the version of each period by common conference together, in the space of seventy-two days they performed the whole work, when, with further rewards, they were all sent home to their own country.
This, in brief, is the history of Aristeas, which may be all or partly fabulous; though, if so, it would be difficult to imagine what could be the object of the author in inventing it. There is every probability of truth in respect of the statement of Ptolemy's anxiety to procure a translation of the Law of Moses for his renowned library, the formation of which has immortalized his memory, and handed down his name in such honourable contrast to every other monarch of
