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| Chapter XIII.—History of the Septuagint. PREVIOUS SECTION - NEXT SECTION - HELP
Chapter XIII.—History of the
Septuagint.
But
if any one says that the writings of Moses and of the rest of the
prophets were also written in the Greek character, let him read profane
histories, and know that Ptolemy, king of Egypt, when he had built the
library in Alexandria, and by gathering books from every quarter had
filled it, then learnt that very ancient histories written in Hebrew
happened to be carefully preserved; and wishing to know their contents,
he sent for seventy wise men from Jerusalem, who were acquainted with
both the Greek and Hebrew language, and appointed them to translate the
books; and that in freedom from all disturbance
they might
the more speedily complete the translation, he ordered that there should
be constructed, not in the city itself, but seven stadia off (where the
Pharos was built), as many little cots as there were translators, so that
each by himself might complete his own translation; and enjoined upon
those officers who were appointed to this duty, to afford them all
attendance, but to prevent communication with one another, in order that
the accuracy of the translation might be discernible even by their
agreement. And when he ascertained that the seventy men had not only
given the same meaning, but had employed the same words, and had failed
in agreement with one another not even to the extent of one word; but had
written the same things, and concerning the same things, he was struck
with amazement, and believed that the translation had been written by
divine power, and perceived that the men were worthy of all honour, as
beloved of God; and with many gifts ordered them to return to their own
country. And having, as was natural, marvelled at the books, and
concluded them to be divine, he consecrated them in that library. These
things, ye men of Greece, are no fable, nor do we narrate fictions; but
we ourselves having been in Alexandria, saw the remains of the little
cots at the Pharos still preserved, and having heard these things from
the inhabitants, who had received them as part of their country’s
tradition,2542
2542 [Doubtless
Justin relates the tradition as he received it. Consult Dr.
Selwyn’s full account of the fables concerning the LXX., in
Smith’s Dict. of the Bible, iii. p. 1203 ff.] |
we now tell to you what you can also learn from others, and specially
from those wise and esteemed men who have written of these things, Philo
and Josephus, and many others. But if any of those who are wont to be
forward in contradiction should say that these books do not belong to us,
but to the Jews, and should assert that we in vain profess to have learnt
our religion froth them, let him know, as he may from those very things
which are written in these books, that not to them, but to us, does the
doctrine of them refer. That the books relating to our religion are to
this day preserved among the Jews, has been a work of Divine Providence
on our behalf; for lest, by producing them out of the Church, we should
give occasion to those who wish to slander us to charge us with fraud, we
demand that they be produced from the synagogue of the Jews, that from
the very books still preserved among them it might clearly and evidently
appear, that the laws which were written by holy men for instruction
pertain to us.E.C.F. INDEX & SEARCH
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