g　of　their　own　countries　value　themselves　upon　the　　　denomination　they　acquire　thereby；　and　reprove　such　as　　　unjustly　lay　claim　thereto。　As　for　the　Egyptians'　claim　to　be　　　of　our　kindred；　they　do　it　on　one　of　the　following　accounts；　I　　　mean；　either　as　they　value　themselves　upon　it；　and　pretend　to　　　bear　that　relation　to　us；　or　else　as　they　would　draw　us　in　to　　　be　partakers　of　their　own　infamy。　But　this　fine　fellow　Apion　　　seems　to　broach　this　reproachful　appellation　against　us；　＇that　　　we　were　originally　Egyptians；＇　in　order　to　bestow　it　on　the　　　Alexandrians；　as　a　reward　for　the　privilege　they　had　given　　　him　of　being　a　fellow　citizen　with　them：　he　also　is　apprized　of　　　the　ill…will　the　Alexandrians　bear　to　those　Jews　who　are　their　　　fellow　citizens；　and　so　proposes　to　himself　to　reproach　them；　　　although　he　must　thereby　include　all　the　other　Egyptians　　　also；　while　in　both　cases　he　is　no　better　than　an　impudent　　　liar。　　　　　　4。　But　let　us　now　see　what　those　heavy　and　wicked　crimes　are　　　which　Apion　charges　upon　the　Alexandrian　Jews。　〃They　came　　　（says　he）　out　of　Syria；　and　inhabited　near　the　tempestuous　　　sea；　and　were　in　the　neighborhood　of　the　dashing　of　the　　　waves。〃　Now　if　the　place　of　habitation　includes　any　thing　that　　　is　reproached；　this　man　reproaches　not　his　own　real　country；　　　＇Egypt；＇　but　what　he　pretends　to　be　his　own　country；　　　Alexandria；　for　all　are　agreed　in　this；　that　the　part　of　that　city　　　which　is　near　the　sea　is　the　best　part　of　all　for　habitation。　　　Now　if　the　Jews　gained　that　part　of　the　city　by　force；　and　　　have　kept　it　hitherto　without　impeachment；　this　is　a　mark　of　　　their　valor；　but　in　reality　it　was　Alexander　himself　that　gave　　　them　that　place　for　their　habitation；　when　they　obtained　　　equal　privileges　there　with　the　Macedonians。　Nor　call　I　devise　　　what　Apion　would　have　said；　had　their　habitation　been　at　　　Necropolis？　and　not　been　fixed　hard　by　the　royal　palace　＇as　it　　　is＇；　nor　had　their　nation　had　the　denomination　of　　　Macedonians　given　them　till　this　very　day　＇as　they　have＇。　Had　　　this　man　now　read　the　epistles　of　king　Alexander；　or　those　of　　　Ptolemy　the　son　of　Lagus；　or　met　with　the　writings　of　the　　　succeeding　kings；　or　that　pillar　which　is　still　standing　at　　　Alexandria；　and　contains　the　privileges　which　the　great　　　＇Julius＇　Caesar　bestowed　upon　the　Jews；　had　this　man；　I　say；　　　known　these　records；　and　yet　hath　the　impudence　to　write　in　　　contradiction　to　them；　he　hath　shown　himself　to　be　a　wicked　　　man；　but　if　he　knew　nothing　of　these　records；　he　hath　shown　　　himself　to　be　a　man　very　ignorant：　nay；　when　lie　appears　to　　　wonder　how　Jews　could　be　called　Alexandrians；　this　is　　　another　like　instance　of　his　ignorance；　for　all　such　as　are　　　called　out　to　be　colonies；　although　they　be　ever　so　far　remote　　　from　one　another　in　their　original；　receive　their　names　from　　　those　that　bring　them　to　their　new　habitations。　And　what　　　occasion　is　there　to　speak　of　others；　when　those　of　us　Jews　　　that　dwell　at　Antioch　are　named　Antiochians；　because　　　Seleucns　the　founder　of　that　city　gave　them　the　privileges　　　belonging　thereto？　After　the　like　manner　do　those　Jews　that　　　inhabit　Ephesus；　and　the　other　cities　of　Ionia；　enjoy　the　same　　　name　with　those　that　were　originally　born　there；　by　the　grant　　　of　the　succeeding　princes；　nay；　the　kindness　and　humanity　of　　　the　Romans　hath　been　so　great；　that　it　hath　granted　leave　to　　　almost　all　others　to　take　the　same　name　of　Romans　upon　　　them；　I　mean　not　particular　men　only；　but　entire　and　large　　　nations　themselves　also；　for　those　anciently　named　Iberi；　and　　　Tyrrheni；　and　Sabini；　are　now　called　Romani。　And　if　Apion　　　reject　this　way　of　obtaining　the　privilege　of　a　citizen　of　　　Alexandria；　let　him　abstain　from　calling　himself　an　　　Alexandrian　hereafter；　for　otherwise；　how　can　he　who　was　　　born　in　the　very　heart　of　Egypt　be　an　Alexandrian；　if　this　way　　　of　accepting　such　a　privilege；　of　which　he　would　have　us　　　deprived；　be　once　abrogated？　although　indeed　these　Romans；　　　who　are　now　the　lords　of　the　habitable　earth；　have　forbidden　　　the　Egyptians　to　have　the　privileges　of　any　city　whatsoever；　　　while　this　fine　fellow；　who　is　willing　to　partake　of　such　a　　　privilege　himself　as　he　is　forbidden　to　make　use　of；　endeavors　　　by　calumnies　to　deprive　those　of　it　that　have　justly　received　　　it；　for　Alexander　did　not　therefore　get　some　of　our　nation　to　　　Alexandria；　because　he　wanted　inhabitants　for　this　his　city；　on　　　whose　building　he　had　bestowed　so　much　pains；　but　this　was　　　given　to　our　people　as　a　reward；　because　he　had；　upon　a　　　careful　trial；　found　them　all　to　have　been　men　of　virtue　and　　　fidelity　to　him；　for；　as　Hecateus　says　concerning　us；　　　〃Alexander　honored　our　nation　to　such　a　degree；　that；　for　the　　　equity　and　the　fidelity　which　the　Jews　exhibited　to　him；　he　　　permitted　them　to　hold　the　country　of　Samaria　free　from　　　tribute。　Of　the　same　mind　also　was　Ptolemy　the　son　of　Lagus；　　　as　to　those　Jews　who　dwelt　at　Alexandria。〃　For　he　intrusted　　　the　fortresses　of　Egypt　into　their　hands；　as　believing　they　　　would　keep　them　faithfully　and　valiantly　for　him；　and　when　　　he　was　desirous　to　secure　the　government　of　Cyrene；　and　the　　　other　cities　of　Libya；　to　himself；　he　sent　a　party　of　Jews　to　　　inhabit　in　them。　And　for　his　successor　Ptolemy；　who　was　　　called　Philadelphus；　he　did　not　only　set　all　those　of　our　　　nation　free　who　were　captives　under　him；　but　did　frequently　　　give　money　＇for　their　ransom＇；　and；　what　was　his　greatest　　　work　of　all；　he　had　a　great　desire　of　knowing　our　laws；　and　of　　　obtaining　the　books　of　our　sacred　Scriptures；　accordingly；　he　　　desired　that　such　men　might　be　sent　him　as　might　interpret　　　our　law　to　him；　and；　in　order　to　have　them　well　compiled；　he　　　committed　that　care　to　no　ordinary　persons；　but　ordained　　　that　Demetrius　Phalereus；　and　Andreas；　and　Aristeas；　the　　　first；　Demetrius；　the　most　learned　person　of　his　age；　and　the　　　others；　such　as　were　intrusted　with　the　guard　of　his　body；　　　should　take　care　of　this　matter：　nor　would　he　certainly　have　　　been　so　desirous　of　learning　our　law；　and　the　philosophy　of　　　our　nation；　had　he　despised　the　men　that　made　use　of　it；　or　　　had　he　not　indeed　had　them　in　great　admiration。　　　　　　5。　Now　this　Apion　was　unacquainted　with　almost　all　the　kings　　　of　those　Macedonians　whom　he　pretends　to　have　been　his　　　progenitors；　who　were　yet　very　well　affected　towards　us；　for　　　the　third　of　those　Ptolemies；　who　was　called　Euergetes；　when　　　he　had　gotten　possession　of　all　Syria　by　force；　did　not　offer　　　his　thank…offerings　to　the　Egyptian　gods　for　his　victory；　but　　　came　to　Jerusalem；　and　according　to　our　own　laws　offered　　　many　sacrifices　to　God；　and　dedicated　to　him　such　gifts　as　　　were　suitable　to　such　a　victory：　and　as　for　Ptolemy　　　Philometer　and　his　wife　Cleopatra；　they　committed　their　　　whole　kingdom　to　the　Jews；　when　Onias　and　Dositheus；　both　　　Jews；　whose　names　are　laughed　at　by　Apion；　were　the　　　generals　of　their　whole　army。　But　certainly；　instead　of　　　reproaching　them；　he　ought　to　admire　their　actions；　and　　　return　them　thanks　for　saving　Alexandria；　whose　citizen　he　　　pretends　to　be；　for　when　these　Alexandrians　were　making　war　　　with　Cleopatra　the　queen；　and　were　in　danger　of　being　　　utterly　ruined；　these　Jews　brought　them　to　terms　of　　　agreement；　and　freed　them　from　the　miseries　of　a　civil　war。　　　〃But　then　（says　Apion）　Onias　brought　a　small　army　afterward　　　upon　the　city　at　the　time　when　Thorruns　the　Roman　　　ambassador　was　there　present。〃　Yes；　do　I　venture　to　say；　and　　　that　he　did　rightly　and　very　justly　in　so　doing；　for　that　　　Ptolemy　who　was　called　Physco；　upon　the　death　of　his　　　brother　Philometer；　came　from　Cyrene；　and　would　have　　　ejected　Cleopatra　as　well　as　her　sons　out　of　their　kingdom；　　　that　he　might　obtain　it　for　himself　unjustly。　（5）　For　this　cause　　　then　it　was　that　Onias　undertook　a　war　against　him　on　　　Cleopatra's　account；　nor　would　he　desert　that　trust　the　royal　　　family　had　reposed　in　him　in　their　distress。　Accordingly；　God　　　gave　a　remarkable　attestation　to　his　righteous　procedure；　for　　　when　Ptolemy　Physco　（6）　had　the　presumption　to　fight　　　against　Onias's　army；　and　had　caught　all　the　Jews　that　were　　　in　the　city　＇Alexandria＇；　with　their　children　and　wives；　and　　　exposed　them　naked　and　in　bonds　to　his　elephants；　that　they　　　might　be　trodden　upon　and　destroyed；　and　when　he　had　　　made　those　elephants　drunk　for　that　purpose；　the　event　　　proved　contrary　to　his　preparations；　for　these　elephants　left　　　the　Jews　who　were　exposed　to　them；　and　fell　violently　upon　　　Physco's　friends；　and　slew　a　great　number　of　them；　nay；　after　　　this　Ptolemy　saw　a　terrible　ghost；　which　prohibited　his　hurting　　　those　men；　his　very　concubine；　whom　he　loved　so　well；　（some　　　call　her　Ithaca；　and　others　Irene；）　making　supplication　to　　　him；　that　he　would　not　perpetrate　so　great　a　wickedness。　So　　　he　complied　with　her　request；　and　repented　of　what　he　either　　　had　already　done；　or　was　about　to　do；　whence　it　is　well　　　known　that　the　Alexandrian　Jews　do　with　good　reason　　　celebrate　this　day；　on　the　account　that　they　had　thereon　been　　　vouchsafed　such　an　evident　deliverance　from　God。　However；　　　Apion；　the　common　calumniator　of　men；　hath　the　　　presumption　to　accuse　the　Jews　for　making　this　war　against　　　Physco；　when　he　ought　to　hav