The famous and memorable works of Josephus ... / Faithfully translated out of the Latin, and French, by Thomas Lodge, Doctor in Physick.

  • Josephus
Date:
[1640]
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Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The famous and memorable works of Josephus ... / Faithfully translated out of the Latin, and French, by Thomas Lodge, Doctor in Physick. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    ee ete a rr er tirs e cy ANE | JOSEPHUS, OF THE ANTIQVITIES we | 'ning, and who in efpéciall,took it for a pleafure, to take knowledge. of the divers oc: G ee bts ales : as he that hed been agent, in divers: affairs of importance, and fundry accidents, in all which he hath fhewed a marvellous magnanimitie of courage, with an unmoveable refolution to follow vertue. Being thus perfwaded byhim,who is accu- | ftomed to incourage thofe unto good actions, whom he perceiveth to be apt and prepared | | to perform things profitable and honeft: and (that which is more )being afhamed in my felf, | that I fhould rather take delight to follow idlenefle, than addiét my felf to any laudable ex- ercife : Linforced my felf more CARRE then before-time; and (befides all that which hath been fpoken) I have effectually confidered with my felf, that our anceftors have | thought good to communicate and publifh the knowled ge ofour hiftories tothe Grecians, | : if fo be that any of them were curious to underftand the fame. Ihave found therefore that H Prolomey king of Egypt the fecond of the name (highly affectioned to good letters,and de- firous to ftore and gather books) was earneltly defirous, that our law andthe rules thereof, and the prefeript formof our living fhould bé.tranflated into the Greek tongué._ And as touching the high Prieft £/eazar (who hath not been fecond in vertue toany other what- | foever) he refufed not to make the faid king partakerof the effect of his defiré : to which he had wholly contradicted, had itnot been the ordinarie courfe of our anceftors, not to conceal from other men, what thing foeverwas honeft. For which caufe I havé held it a matter no wayes undecent for me, to follow the vertuous courage of that fame great fa- crificer, and the rather for that at this day (onely in as much as concerned learning) I fup- pofed many alfo to be noleffe affected to good letters then the king: for he undertook not I to have all the writings which we had, but thofe trariflators who were fent unto him to Alexandria, did onely communicate that unto hir which was in our law. But thofe thin gs that are found written in the facted books of holy Scriptureare infinite, being fuch as con- tainin them; the hiftory of five thoufand yeers: in which divers unexpected chances, fundrie fortunes of warre, and many changes of politike eftates are difcovered. In fumme, if any one have a defire to read this hiftory, he fhall principally learn and apprehend , that all things fall ont happily, and beyond their expectation to thofe men, who obferve the will of God; andare afraid to tranfpreffe the laws of his commandments; and that God hath prepared for fuch the crowh and reward of felicitie, Conttariwife,ifthey fhall depart fromthe diligent obfervance thereof,that which is eafie (hall bé made impoffible , and’ K their endeavours in their opinion good, fhallend in incurable calamities. For which caufe Lexhort all thofe that fhall read thefe books, to fix their minde upon God, and that they approve our Law-maker, if (as it worthily deferved)he hath confidered the divine nature; and attributed to the fame fuch actions as are alwayes agreeable to liis power, and hath kept and continued his narration, free from the vanitie of fables, wherewith others are poyfoned : although in refpe& of the length of time, and the antiquity of things, he might without controll fain aud imagine whatfoéver vanities: for hé was born more then two thoufand yeersago, whichis a continuance of ages, td whichthe Poets neither durft referre the originall of their gods ; neither the deeds or laws of men ; whereof the make mention. But in purfuit of our hiftory, the fequel of our difcourfe , fhall declare all L \ things exactly, and inconvenient order. For in compiling this work, I have promifed to | Nadde nothing, neither to pretermit any thin g : and for that all whatfoever we fhall declare, | ee almoft wholly depend on the wifedomeof our law-maker Mofës it is neceflarie be- * eallotherthings, thatI fpeak fomewhat of himfel£, left perhapsany man fhould won- erSow this labour having been enterprifed, to difcover the words and. works of certain perfoys, is alfo imployed for the greateft part in defcribing and difcovering things that are natura^, We ought therefore to know, that Mofzs thought it moft efpecially neceffarie, im that will rightly difpofe his life, or impofe laws to other men, that firft and ehavethe knowledge of the nature of God ;to the end that conceiving in reatneffe of his works ; he might as much as in him lyeth, imitate his moft 4 unequallexangle ; ‘and follow him with all diligence. For it is impoflible , that a law. i rnaker being voy of this contemplation, fhould have good fenfe; or that his writings | |] fhould be of any koment to induce them unto vertue, who fhould receive thofe laws, exceptbefore all ch other «e PR TS us DS «2.
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