terly　　　incredible？　For　we　Jews　are　always　governed　by　the　same　　　laws；　in　which　we　constantly　persevere；　and　although　many　　　misfortunes　have　befallen　our　city；　as　the　like　have　befallen　　　others；　and　although　Theos　＇Epiphanes＇；　and　Pompey　the　　　Great；　and　Licinius　Crassus；　and　last　of　all　Titus　Caesar；　have　　　conquered　us　in　war；　and　gotten　possession　of　our　temple；　　　yet　have　they　none　of　them　found　any　such　thing　there；　nor　　　indeed　any　thing　but　what　was　agreeable　to　the　strictest　piety；　　　although　what　they　found　we　are　not　at　liberty　to　reveal　to　　　other　nations。　But　for　Antiochus　＇Epiphanes＇；　he　had　no　just　　　cause　for　that　ravage　in　our　temple　that　he　made；　he　only　　　came　to　it　when　he　wanted　money；　without　declaring　himself　　　our　enemy；　and　attacked　us　while　we　were　his　associates　and　　　his　friends；　nor　did　he　find　any　thing　there　that　was　　　ridiculous。　This　is　attested　by　many　worthy　writers；　Polybius　　　of　Megalopolis；　Strabo　of　Cappadocia；　Nicolaus　of　Damascus；　　　Timagenes；　Castor　the　chronotoger；　and　Apollodorus；　（10）　　　who　all　say　that　it　was　out　of　Antiochus's　want　of　money　that　　　he　broke　his　league　with　the　Jews；　and　despoiled　their　temple　　　when　it　was　full　of　gold　and　silver。　Apion　ought　to　have　had　　　a　regard　to　these　facts；　unless　he　had　himself　had　either　an　　　ass's　heart　or　a　dog's　impudence；　of　such　a　dog　I　mean　as　　　they　worship；　for　he　had　no　other　external　reason　for　the　lies　　　he　tells　of　us。　As　for　us　Jews；　we　ascribe　no　honor　or　power　　　to　asses；　as　do　the　Egyptians　to　crocodiles　and　asps；　when　　　they　esteem　such　as　are　seized　upon　by　the　former；　or　bitten　　　by　the　latter；　to　be　happy　persons；　and　persons　worthy　of　　　God。　Asses　are　the　same　with　us　which　they　are　with　other　　　wise　men；　viz。　creatures　that　bear　the　burdens　that　we　lay　　　upon　them；　but　if　they　come　to　our　thrashing…floors　and　eat　　　our　corn；　or　do　not　perform　what　we　impose　upon　them；　we　　　beat　them　with　a　great　many　stripes；　because　it　is　their　　　business　to　minister　to　us　in　our　husbandry　affairs。　But　this　　　Apion　of　ours　was　either　perfectly　unskillful　in　the　　　composition　of　such　fallacious　discourses；　or　however；　when　　　he　begun　＇somewhat　better＇；　he　was　not　able　to　persevere　in　　　what　he　had　undertaken；　since　he　hath　no　manner　of　success　　　in　those　reproaches　he　casts　upon　us。　　　　　　8。　He　adds　another　Grecian　fable；　in　order　to　reproach　us。　In　　　reply　to　which；　it　would　be　enough　to　say；　that　they　who　　　presume　to　speak　about　Divine　worship　ought　not　to　be　　　ignorant　of　this　plain　truth；　that　it　is　a　degree　of　less　impurity　　　to　pass　through　temples；　than　to　forge　wicked　calumnies　of　　　its　priests。　Now　such　men　as　he　are　more　zealous　to　justify　a　　　sacrilegious　king；　than　to　write　what　is　just　and　what　is　true　　　about　us；　and　about　our　temple；　for　when　they　are　desirous　　　of　gratifying　Antiochus；　and　of　concealing　that　perfidiousness　　　and　sacrilege　which　he　was　guilty　of；　with　regard　to　our　　　nation；　when　he　wanted　money；　they　endeavor　to　disgrace　us；　　　and　tell　lies　even　relating　to　futurities。　Apion　becomes　other　　　men's　prophet　upon　this　occasion；　and　says　that　〃Antiochus　　　found　in　our　temple　a　bed；　and　a　man　lying　upon　it；　with　a　　　small　table　before　him；　full　of　dainties；　from　the　＇fishes　of　　　the＇　sea；　and　the　fowls　of　the　dry　land；　that　this　man　was　　　amazed　at　these　dainties　thus　set　before　him；　that　he　　　immediately　adored　the　king；　upon　his　coming　in；　as　hoping　　　that　he　would　afford　him　all　possible　assistance；　that　he　fell　　　down　upon　his　knees；　and　stretched　out　to　him　his　right　　　hand；　and　begged　to　be　released；　and　that　when　the　king　bid　　　him　sit　down；　and　tell　him　who　he　was；　and　why　he　dwelt　　　there；　and　what　was　the　meaning　of　those　various　sorts　of　　　food　that　were　set　before　him　the　man　made　a　lamentable　　　complaint；　and　with　sighs；　and　tears　in　his　eyes；　gave　him　this　　　account　of　the　distress　he　was　in；　and　said　that　he　was　a　　　Greek　and　that　as　he　went　over　this　province；　in　order　to　get　　　his　living；　he　was　seized　upon　by　foreigners；　on　a　sudden；　and　　　brought　to　this　temple；　and　shut　up　therein；　and　was　seen　by　　　nobody；　but　was　fattened　by　these　curious　provisions　thus　set　　　before　him；　and　that　truly　at　the　first　such　unexpected　　　advantages　seemed　to　him　matter　of　great　joy；　that　after　a　　　while；　they　brought　a　suspicion　him；　and　at　length　　　astonishment；　what　their　meaning　should　be；　that　at　last　he　　　inquired　of　the　servants　that　came　to　him　and　was　by　them　　　informed　that　it　was　in　order　to　the　fulfilling　a　law　of　the　　　Jews；　which　they　must　not　tell　him；　that　he　was　thus　fed；　and　　　that　they　did　the　same　at　a　set　time　every　year：　that　they　used　　　to　catch　a　Greek　foreigner；　and　fat　him　thus　up　every　year；　　　and　then　lead　him　to　a　certain　wood；　and　kill　him；　and　　　sacrifice　with　their　accustomed　solemnities；　and　taste　of　his　　　entrails；　and　take　an　oath　upon　this　sacrificing　a　Greek；　that　　　they　would　ever　be　at　enmity　with　the　Greeks；　and　that　then　　　they　threw　the　remaining　parts　of　the　miserable　wretch　into　a　　　certain　pit。〃　Apion　adds　further；　that〃　the　man　said　there　　　were　but　a　few　days　to　come　ere　he　was　to　be　slain；　and　　　implored　of　Antiochus　that；　out　of　the　reverence　he　bore　to　　　the　Grecian　gods；　he　would　disappoint　the　snares　the　Jews　　　laid　for　his　blood；　and　would　deliver　him　from　the　miseries　　　with　which　he　was　encompassed。〃　Now　this　is　such　a　most　　　tragical　fable　as　is　full　of　nothing　but　cruelty　and　impudence；　　　yet　does　it　not　excuse　Antiochus　of　his　sacrilegious　attempt；　　　as　those　who　write　it　in　his　vindication　are　willing　to　suppose；　　　for　he　could　not　presume　beforehand　that　he　should　meet　　　with　any　such　thing　in　coming　to　the　temple；　but　must　have　　　found　it　unexpectedly。　He　was　therefore　still　an　impious　　　person；　that　was　given　to　unlawful　pleasures；　and　had　no　　　regard　to　God　in　his　actions。　But　＇as　for　Apion＇；　he　hath　　　done　whatever　his　extravagant　love　of　lying　hath　dictated　to　　　him；　as　it　is　most　easy　to　discover　by　a　consideration　of　his　　　writings；　for　the　difference　of　our　laws　is　known　not　to　regard　　　the　Grecians　only；　but　they　are　principally　opposite　to　the　　　Egyptians；　and　to　some　other　nations　also　for　while　it　so　falls　　　out　that　men　of　all　countries　come　sometimes　and　sojourn　　　among　us；　how　comes　it　about　that　we　take　an　oath；　and　　　conspire　only　against　the　Grecians；　and　that　by　the　effusion　　　of　their　blood　also？　Or　how　is　it　possible　that　all　the　Jews　　　should　get　together　to　these　sacrifices；　and　the　entrails　of　one　　　man　should　be　sufficient　for　so　many　thousands　to　taste　of　　　them；　as　Apion　pretends？　Or　why　did　not　the　king　carry　this　　　man；　whosoever　he　was；　and　whatsoever　was　his　name；　　　（which　is　not　set　down　in　Apion's　book；）　with　great　pomp　　　back　into　his　own　country？　when　he　might　thereby　have　been　　　esteemed　a　religious　person　himself；　and　a　mighty　lover　of　　　the　Greeks；　and　might　thereby　have　procured　himself　great　　　assistance　from　all　men　against　that　hatred　the　Jews　bore　to　　　him。　But　I　leave　this　matter；　for　the　proper　way　of　confuting　　　fools　is　not　to　use　bare　words；　but　to　appeal　to　the　things　　　themselves　that　make　against　them。　Now；　then；　all　such　as　　　ever　saw　the　construction　of　our　temple；　of　what　nature　it　　　was；　know　well　enough　how　the　purity　of　it　was　never　to　be　　　profaned；　for　it　had　four　several　courts　（12）　encompassed　　　with　cloisters　round　about；　every　one　of　which　had　by　our　law　　　a　peculiar　degree　of　separation　from　the　rest。　Into　the　first　　　court　every　body　was　allowed　to　go；　even　foreigners；　and　　　none　but　women；　during　their　courses；　were　prohibited　to　　　pass　through　it；　all　the　Jews　went　into　the　second　court；　as　　　well　as　their　wives；　when　they　were　free　from　all　uncleanness；　　　into　the　third　court　went　in　the　Jewish　men；　when　they　were　　　clean　and　purified；　into　the　fourth　went　the　priests；　having　on　　　their　sacerdotal　garments；　but　for　the　most　sacred　place；　　　none　went　in　but　the　high　priests；　clothed　in　their　peculiar　　　garments。　Now　there　is　so　great　caution　used　about　these　　　offices　of　religion；　that　the　priests　are　appointed　to　go　into　　　the　temple　but　at　certain　hours；　for　in　the　morning；　at　the　　　opening　of　the　inner　temple；　those　that　are　to　officiate　　　receive　the　sacrifices；　as　they　do　again　at　noon；　till　the　doors　　　are　shut。　Lastly；　it　is　not　so　much　as　lawful　to　carry　any　vessel　　　into　the　holy　house；　nor　is　there　any　thing　therein；　but　the　　　altar　＇of　incense＇；　the　table　＇of　shew…bread＇；　the　censer；　and　　　the　candlestick；　which　are　all　written　in　the　law；　for　there　is　　　nothing　further　there；　nor　are　there　any　mysteries　performed　　　that　may　not　be　spoken　of；　nor　is　there　any　feasting　within　　　the　place。　For　what　I　have　now　said　is　publicly　known；　and　　　supported　by　the　testimony　of　the　whole　people；　and　their　　　operations　are　very　manifest；　for　although　there　be　four　　　courses　of　the　priests；　and　every　one　of　them　have　above　five　　　thousand　men　in　them；　yet　do　they　officiate　on　certain　days　　　only；　and　when　those　days　are　over；　other　priests　succeed　in　　　the　performance　of　their　sacrifices；　and　assemble　together　at　　　mid…day；　and　receive　the　keys　of　the　temple；　and　the　vessels　　　by　tale；　without　any　thing　relating　to　food　or　drink　being　　　carried　into　the　temple；　nay；　we　are　not　allowed　to　offer　su