topAristeas #5
(139-171)

Chapter 5
Verses 139-171

139 συνθεωρήσας οὖν ἕκαστα σοφὸς ὢν‎ ὁ νομοθέτης, ὑπὸ θεοῦ κατεσκευασμένος εἰς ἐπίγνωσιν τῶν ἁπάντων, περιέφραξεν ἡμᾶς ἀδιακόποις χάραξι καὶ σιδηροῖς τείχεσιν, ὅπως‎ μηθενὶ τῶν ἄλλων ἐθνῶν ἐπιμισγώμεθα κατὰ μηδέν, ἁγνοὶ καθεστῶτες κατὰ σῶμα καὶ κατὰ ψυχήν, ἀπολελυμένοι ματαίων δοξῶν, τὸν μόνον θεὸν καὶ δυνατὸν σεβόμενοι παρ’ ὅλην τὴν πᾶσαν κτίσιν. 139 “Now our Lawgiver being a wise man and specially endowed by God to understand all things, took a comprehensive view of each particular detail, and fenced us round with impregnable ramparts and walls of iron, that we might not mingle at all with any of the other nations, but remain pure in body and soul, free from all vain imaginations, worshiping the one Almighty God above the whole creation.
140 ὅθεν οἱ‎ Αἰγυπτίων καθηγεμόνες ἱερεῖς, ἐγκεκυφότες εἰς πολλὰ καὶ μετεσχηκότες πραγμάτων, ἀνθρώπους θεοῦ προσονομάζουσιν ἡμᾶς·

ὃ τοῖς λοιποῖς οὐ‎ πρόσεστιν, εἰ μή τις σέβεται τὸν κατὰ ἀλήθειαν θεόν, ἀλλ’ εἰσὶν ἄνθρωποι βρωτῶν καὶ ποτῶν καὶ σκέπης·

140 Hence the leading Egyptian priests having looked carefully into many matters, and being cognizant with (our) affairs, call us ‘men of God.’

This is a title which does not belong to the rest of mankind but only to those who worship the true God.

The rest are men not of God but of meats and drinks and clothing.
141 ἡ‎ γὰρ πᾶσα διάθεσις αὐτῶν ἐπὶ ταῦτα‎ καταφεύγει.

τοῖς δὲ παρ’ ἡμῶν ἐν οὐδενὶ ταῦτα‎ λελόγισται, περὶ δὲ τῆς τοῦ θεοῦ δυναστείας δι’ ὅλου τοῦ ζῇν ἡ‎ σκέψις αὐτοῖς 		141 For their whole disposition leads them to find solace in these things.

Among our people such things are reckoned of no account.

but throughout their whole life their main consideration is the sovereignty of God.
142 ὅπως‎ οὖν μηθενὶ συναλισγούμενοι μηδ’ ὁμιλοῦντες φαύλοις διαστροφὰς λαμβάνωμεν, πάντοθεν ἡμᾶς περιέφραξεν ἁγνείαις καὶ διὰ βρωτῶν καὶ ποτῶν καὶ ἁφῶν καὶ ἀκοῆς καὶ ὁράσεως νομικῶς. 142 Therefore lest we should be corrupted by any abomination, or our lives be perverted by evil communications, he hedged us round on all sides by rules of purity, affecting alike what we eat, or drink, or touch, or hear, or see.
143 τὸ γὰρ καθόλου πάντα‎ πρὸς τὸν φυσικὸν λόγον ὅμοια καθέστηκεν, ὑπὸ μιᾶς δυνάμεως οἰκονομούμενα, καὶ καθ’ ἓν ἕκαστον ἔχει λόγον βαθύν, ἀφ’ ὧν ἀπεχόμεθα κατὰ τὴν χρῆσιν‎, καὶ οἷς συγχρώμεθα.

χάριν δὲ ὑποδείγματος ἕν ἢ δεύτερον ἐπιδραμών σοι σημανῶ. 		143 For though, speaking generally, all things are alike in their natural constitution, since they are all governed by one and the same power, yet there is a deep reason in each individual case why we abstain from the use of certain things and enjoy the common use of others.

For the sake of illustration I will run over one or two points and explain them to you.
144 Μὴ γὰρ εἰς τὸν καταπεπτωκότα λόγον ἔλθῃς, ὅτι μυῶν καὶ γαλῆς ἢ τῶν τοιούτων χάριν περιεργίαν ποιούμενος ἐνομοθέτει ταῦτα‎ Μωϋσῆς·

ἀλλὰ πρὸς ἁγνὴν ἐπίσκεψιν καὶ τρόπων ἐξαρτισμὸν δικαιοσύνης ἕνεκεν σεμνῶς πάντα‎ ἀνατέτακται. 		144 For you must not fall into the degrading idea that it was out of regard to mice and weasels and other such things that Moses drew up his laws with such exceeding care.

All these ordinances were made for the sake of righteousness to aid the quest for virtue and the perfecting of character.
145 τῶν γὰρ πτηνῶν, οἷς χρώμεθα, πάντα‎ ἥμερα καθέστηκε καὶ διαφέρει καθαριότητι, πυροῖς καὶ ὀσπρίοις χρώμενα πρὸς τὴν τροφήν, οἷον περιστεραὶ τρυγόνες ἀττακοὶ πέρδικες ἔτι‎ δὲ χῆνες καὶ τὰ ἄλλα ὅσα τοιαῦτα. 145 For all the birds that we use are tame and distinguished by their cleanliness, feeding on various kinds of grain and pulse, such as for instance pigeons, turtle-doves, locusts, partridges, geese also, and all other birds of this class.
146 περὶ ὧν δὲ ἀπηγόρευται πτηνῶν, εὑρήσεις ἄγριά τε καὶ σαρκοφάγα καὶ καταδυναστεύοντα τῇ περὶ ἑαυτὰ δυνάμει τὰ λοιπά, καὶ τὴν τροφὴν ἔχοντα‎ δαπάνησεν τῶν προειρημένων ἡμέρων μετὰ‎ ἀδικίας·

οὐ‎ μόνον δὲ ταῦτα‎, ἀλλὰ καὶ τοὺς ἄρνας καὶ ἐρίφους ἀναρπάζουσι, καὶ τοὺς ἀνθρώπους δὲ ἀδικοῦσι νεκρούς τε καὶ ζῶντας. 		146 But the birds which are forbidden you will find to be wild and carnivorous, tyrannizing over the others by the strength which they possess, and cruelly obtaining food by preying on the tame birds enumerated above and not only so, but they seize lambs and kids, and injure human beings too, whether dead or alive,
147 παράσημον οὖν ἔθετο διὰ τούτων, ἀκάθαρτα προσονομάσας, ὅτι δέον ἐστι κατὰ ψυχήν, οἷς ἡ‎ νομοθεσία διατέτακται, δικαιοσύνῃ συγχρῆσθαι καὶ μηδένα καταδυναστεύειν, πεποιθότας ἰσχύι τῇ καθ’ ἑαυτούς, μηδὲ ἀφαιρεῖσθαι μηδέν, ἀλλ’ ἐκ δικαίου τὰ τοῦ βίου κυβερνᾷν, ὡς‎ τὰ τῶν προειρημένων πτηνῶν ἥμερα ζῷα τὰ φυόμενα τῶν ὀσπρίων ἐπὶ γῆς δαπανᾷ, καὶ οὐ‎ καταδυναστεύει πρὸς τὴν ἐπαναίρεσιν τῶν συγγενικῶν. 147 and so by naming them unclean, he gave a sign by means of them that those, for whom the legislation was ordained, must practice righteousness in their hearts and not tyrannize over any one in reliance upon their own strength nor rob them of anything, but steer their course of life in accordance with justice, just as the tame birds, already mentioned, consume the different kinds of pulse that grow upon the earth and do not tyrannize to the destruction of their own kindred.
148 διὰ τῶν τοιούτων οὖν παραδέδωκεν ὁ νομοθέτης σημειοῦσθαι τοῖς συνετοῖς, εἶναι δικαίους τε καὶ μηδὲν ἐπιτελεῖν βίᾳ, μηδὲ τῇ περὶ ἑαυτοὺς ἰσχύι πεποιθότας ἑτέρους καταδυναστεύειν. 148 Our legislator taught us therefore that it is by such methods as these that indications are given to the wise, that they must be just and effect nothing by violence, and refrain from tyrannizing over others in reliance upon their own strength.
149 ὅπου γὰρ οὐδ’ ἅψασθαι καθῆκε τῶν προειρημένων διὰ τὴν περὶ ἕκαστα διάθεσιν, πῶς οὐ‎ φυλακτέον παντάπασι τοὺς τρόπους εἰς τοῦτο κατακλασθῆναι; 149 For since it is considered unseemly even to touch such unclean animals, as have been mentioned, on account of their particular habits, ought we not to take every precaution lest our own characters should be destroyed to the same extent?
150 πάντα‎ οὖν τὰ τῆς συγχωρήσεως ἡμῖν ἐπὶ τούτων καὶ τῶν κτηνῶν τροπολογῶν ἐκτέθειται.

τὸ γὰρ διχηλεύειν καὶ διαστέλλειν ὁπλῆς ὄνυχας σημεῖόν ἐστι τοῦ διαστέλλειν ἕκαστα τῶν πράξεων ἐπὶ τὸ καλῶς ἔχον·

150 Wherefore all the rules which he has laid down with regard to what is permitted in the case of these birds and other animals, he has enacted with the object of teaching us a moral lesson.

For the division of the hoof and the separation of the claws are intended to teach us that we must discriminate between our individual actions with a view to the practice of virtue.
151 ἡ‎ γὰρ ἰσχὺς τῶν ὅλων σωμάτων μετ’ ἐνεργείας ἀπέρεισιν ἐπὶ τοὺς ὤμους ἔχει καὶ τὰ σκέλη.

μετὰ‎ διαστολῆς οὖν ἅπαντα ἐπιτελεῖν πρὸς δικαιοσύνην ἀναγκάζει τὸ σημειοῦσθαι διὰ τούτων·

ἔτι‎ δὲ‎ καὶ διότι παρὰ πάντας ἀνθρώπους διεστάλμεθα. 		151 For the strength of our whole body and its activity depend upon our shoulders and limbs.

Therefore he compels us to recognize that we must perform all our actions with discrimination according to the standard of righteousness – more especially because we have been distinctly separated from the rest of mankind.
152 οἱ‎ γὰρ πλείονες τῶν λοιπῶν ἀνθρώπων ἑαυτοὺς μολύνουσιν ἐπιμισγόμενοι, συντελοῦντες μεγάλην ἀδικίαν, καὶ χῶραι καὶ πόλεις ὅλαι σεμνύνονται ἐπὶ τούτοις‎.

οὐ‎ μόνον γὰρ {προάγουσι} τοὺς ἄρσενας, ἀλλὰ καὶ τεκούσας ἔτι‎ δὲ θυγατέρας μολύνουσιν.

ἡμεῖς δὲ ἀπὸ τούτων διεστάλμεθα. 		152 For most other men defile themselves by promiscuous intercourse, thereby working great iniquity, and whole countries and cities pride themselves upon such vices.

For they not only have intercourse with men but they defile their own mothers and even their daughters.

But we have been kept separate from such sins.
153 περὶ ὃν δὲ ἐστὶν ὁ προειρημένος τῆς διαστολῆς τρόπος, περὶ τοῦτον εἶναι καὶ τὸν τῆς μνήμης κεχαρακτήρικεν.

πάντα‎ γὰρ ὅσα διχηλεῖ καὶ μηρυκισμὸν ἀνάγει σαφῶς τοῖς νοοῦσιν ἐκτίθεται τὸ τῆς μνήμης. 		153 And the people who have been separated in the aforementioned way are also characterized by the Lawgiver as possessing the gift of memory.

For all animals ‘which are cloven-footed and chew the cud’ represent to the initiated the symbol of memory.
154 ἡ‎ γὰρ ἀναμηρύκησις οὐθὲν ἕτερον, ἀλλὰ τῆς ζωῆς‎ καὶ συστάσεως ἐπιμνησις.

τὸ γὰρ ζῇν διὰ τῆς τροφῆς συνεστάναι νομίζει. 		154 For the act of chewing the cud is nothing else than the reminiscence of life and existence.

For life is wont to be sustained by means of food
155 διὸ παρακελεύεται καὶ διὰ τῆς γραφῆς ὁ λέγων‎ οὕτως‎·

μνείᾳ μνησθήσῃ κυρίου τοῦ ποιήσαντος ἔν σοι τὰ μεγάλα καὶ θαυμαστά.

κατανοούμενα γὰρ καὶ μεγάλα καὶ ἔνδοξα φαίνεται·

πρῶτον μὲν ἡ‎ σύμπηξις τοῦ σώματος καὶ ἡ‎ τῆς τροφῆς διοίκησις καὶ ἡ‎ περὶ ἕκαστον μέλος διαστολή·

155 wherefore he exhorts us in the Scripture also in these words: ‘Thou shalt surely remember the Lord that wrought in thee those great and wonderful things.’

For when they are properly conceived, they are manifestly great and glorious; first the construction of the body and the disposition of the food and the separation of each individual limb.
156 πολλῷ δὲ μᾶλλον ἡ‎ τῶν αἰσθήσεων διακόσμησις, διανοίας ἐνέργημα καὶ κίνησις ἀόρατος, ἥ τε ὀξύτης τοῦ πρὸς ἕκαστόν τι πράσσειν καὶ τεχνῶν εὕρεσις ἀπέραστον περιέχει τρόπον. 156 and, far more, the organization of the senses, the operation and invisible movement of the mind, the rapidity of its particular actions and its discovery of the arts, display an infinite resourcefulness.
157 διὸ παρακελεύεται μνείαν ἔχειν, ὡς‎ συντηρεῖται τὰ προειρημένα θείᾳ δυνάμει σὺν κατασκευῇ.

πάντα‎ γὰρ χρόνον καὶ τόπον ὥρικε πρὸς τὸ διὰ παντὸς‎ μνημονεύειν τοῦ κρατοῦντος θεοῦ καὶ συντηροῦντος. 		157 Wherefore he exhorts us to remember that the aforesaid parts are kept together by the divine power with consummate skill.

For he has marked out every time and place that we may continually remember the God who rules and preserves (us).
158 καὶ γὰρ ἐπὶ τῶν βρωτῶν καὶ ποτῶν ἀπαρξαμένους εὐθέως τότε συγχρῆσθαι κελεύει.

καὶ μὴν καὶ ἐκ τῶν περιβολαίων παράσημον ἡμῖν μνείας δέδωκεν, ὡσαύτως δὲ‎ καὶ ἐπὶ τῶν πυλῶν καὶ θυρῶν προστέταχε μὲν ἡμῖν τιθέναι τὰ λόγια, πρὸς τὸ μνείαν εἶναι θεοῦ·

158 For in the matter of meats and drinks he bids us first of all offer part as a sacrifice and then forthwith enjoy our meal.

Moreover, upon our garments he has given us a symbol of remembrance, and in like manner he has ordered us to put the divine oracles upon our gates and doors as a remembrance of God.
159 καὶ ἐπὶ τῶν χειρῶν δὲ διαρρήδην τὸ σημεῖον κελεύει περιῆφθαι, σαφῶς ἀποδεικνὺς ὅτι πᾶσαν ἐνέργειαν μετὰ‎ δικαιοσύνης ἐπιτελεῖν δεῖ, μνήμην ἔχοντας τῆς ἑαυτῶν κατασκευῆς, ἐπὶ πᾶσι δὲ τὸν περὶ θεοῦ φόβον. 159 And upon our hands, too, he expressly orders the symbol to be fastened, clearly showing that we ought to perform every act in righteousness, remembering (our own creation), and above all the fear of God.
160 κελεύει δὲ‎ καὶ κοιταζομένους καὶ διανισταμένους μελετᾷν τὰς τοῦ θεοῦ κατασκευάς, οὐ‎ μόνον λόγῳ, ἀλλὰ διαλήψει θεωροῦντας τὴν κίνησιν καὶ ὑπόληψιν ἑαυτῶν, ὅταν εἰς ὕπνον ἔρχωνται, καὶ τὴν ἔγερσιν, ὡς‎ θεία τίς‎ ἐστι καὶ ἀκατάληπτος τούτων ἡ‎ μετάθεσις. 160 He bids men also, when lying down to sleep and rising up again, to meditate upon the works of God, not only in word, but by observing distinctly the change and impression produced upon them, when they are going to sleep, and also their waking, how divine and incomprehensible the change from one of these states to the other is.
161 Δέδεικται δέ σοι καὶ τὸ περισσὸν τῆς λογίας τῆς κατὰ τὴν διαστολὴν καὶ μνείαν, ὡς‎ ἐξεθέμεθα τὴν διχηλίαν καὶ τὸν μηρυκισμόν.

οὐ‎ γὰρ εἰκῆ καὶ κατὰ τὸ ἐμπεσὸν εἰς ψυχὴν‎ νενομοθέτηται, πρὸς δ’ ἀλήθειαν καὶ σημείωσιν ὀρθοῦ λόγου. 		161 The excellence of the analogy in regard to discrimination and memory has now been pointed out to you, according to our interpretation of ‘the cloven hoof and the chewing of the cud.’

For our laws have not been drawn up at random or in accordance with the first casual thought that occurred to the mind, but with a view to truth and the indication of right reason.
162 διατάξας γὰρ ἐπὶ βρωτῶν καὶ ποτῶν καὶ τῶν κατὰ τὰς ἁφὰς ἕκαστα, κελεύει μηθὲν εἰκῆ μήτε πράσσειν μήτε ἀκούειν, μήτε τῇ τοῦ λόγου δυναστείᾳ συγχρωμένους ἐπὶ τὴν ἀδικίαν τρέπεσθαι. 162 For by means of the directions which he gives with regard to meats and drinks and particular cases of touching, he bids us neither to do nor listen to anything, thoughtlessly nor to resort to injustice by the abuse of the power of reason.
163 καὶ ἐπὶ τῶν κνωδάλων δὲ ταὐτὸν ἔστιν‎ εὑρεῖν.

κακοποιητικὸς γὰρ ὁ τρόπος ἐστὶ καὶ γαλῆς καὶ τῶν τούτοις‎ ὁμοίων, ὅσα διηγόρευται. 		163 In the case of the wild animals, too, the same principle may be discovered.

For the character of the weasel and of mice and such animals as these, which are expressly mentioned, is destructive.
164 πάντα‎ γὰρ λυμαίνονται καὶ κακοποιοῦσι μύες, οὐ‎ μόνον πρὸς τὴν ἑαυτῶν τροφήν, ἀλλὰ καὶ εἰς τὸ παντελῶς ἄχρηστον γίνεσθαι ἀνθρώπῳ, ὅ τι ἂν‎ δή ποτ’ οὖν ἐπιβάληται κακοποιεῖν. 164 Mice defile and damage everything, not only for their own food but even to the extent of rendering absolutely useless to man whatever it falls in their way to damage.
165 τό τε τῆς γαλῆς γένος ἰδιάζον ἐστί‎·

χωρὶς γὰρ τοῦ προειρημένου ἔχει λυμαντικὸν κατάστημα·

διὰ γὰρ τῶν ὤτων συλλαμβάνει, τεκνοποιεῖ δὲ τῷ στόματι. 		165 The weasel class, too, is peculiar: for besides what has been said, it has a characteristic which is defiling: It conceives through the ears and brings forth through the mouth.
166 καὶ διὰ τοῦτο ὁ τοιοῦτος τρόπος τῶν ἀνθρώπων ἀκάθαρτός ἐστιν·

ὅσα γὰρ δι’ ἀκοῆς λαβόντες, ταῦτα‎ τῷ λόγῳ σωματοποιήσαντες, κακοῖς ἑτέρους ἐνεκύλισαν οὐ‎ τὴν τυχοῦσαν ἐπετέλεσαν, μιανθέντες αὐτοὶ παντάπασι τῷ τῆς ἀσεβείας μολυσμῷ.

καλῶς δὲ ποιῶν ὁ βασιλεὺς‎ ὑμῶν τοὺς τοιούτους ἀναιρεῖ, καθὼς μεταλαμβάνομεν. – 		166 And it is for this reason that a like practice is declared unclean in men.

For by embodying in speech all that they receive through the ears, they involve others in evils and work no ordinary impurity, being themselves altogether defiled by the pollution of impiety.

And your king, as we are informed, does quite right in destroying such men.”
167 Ἐγὼ δ’ εἶπα Τοὺς ἐμφανιστὰς οἴομαί σε λέγειν·

καὶ γὰρ αἰκίαις καὶ θανάτοις ἐπαλγέσιν αὐτοὺς περιβάλλει συνεχῶς. – Ὁ δέ Τούτους γὰρ καὶ λέγω·

ἡ‎ γὰρ ἐπαγρύπνησις ἀνθρώπων ἀπωλείᾳ ἀνόσιος. 		167 Then I said “I suppose you mean the informers, for he constantly exposes them to tortures and to painful forms of death.”

“Yes,” he replied, “these are the men I mean, for to watch for men's destruction is an unholy thing.
168 ὁ‎ δὲ νόμος ἡμῖν κελεύει μήτε λόγῳ μήτε ἔργῳ μηδένα κακοποιεῖν.

καὶ περὶ τούτων οὖν, ὅσον ἐπὶ βραχὺ {διεξῆλθον, προσυποδείξας} σοι διότι πάντα‎ κεκανόνισται πρὸς δικαιοσύνην, καὶ οὐδὲν εἰκῆ κατατέτακται διὰ τῆς γραφῆς οὐδὲ μυθωδῶς, ἀλλ’ ἵνα‎ δι’ ὅλου τοῦ ζῇν καὶ ἐν ταῖς πράξεσιν ἀσκῶμεν δικαιοσύνην πρὸς πάντας ἀνθρώπους, μεμνημένοι τοῦ δυναστεύοντος θεοῦ. 		168 And our law forbids us to injure any one either by word or deed.

My brief account of these matters ought to have convinced you, that all our regulations have been drawn up with a view to righteousness, and that nothing has been enacted in the Scripture thoughtlessly or without due reason, but its purpose is to enable us throughout our whole life and in all our actions to practice righteousness before all men, being mindful of Almighty God.
169 περὶ βρωτῶν οὖν καὶ τῶν ἀκαθάρτων ἑρπετῶν καὶ κνωδάλων καὶ πᾶς λόγος ἀνατείνει πρὸς δικαιοσύνην καὶ τὴν τῶν ἀνθρώπων συναναστροφὴν δικαίαν. 169 And so concerning meats and things unclean, creeping things, and wild beasts, the whole system aims at righteousness and righteous relationships between man and man.”
170 Ἐμοὶ μὲν οὖν καλῶς ἐνόμιζε περὶ ἑκάστων ἀπολογεῖσθαι·

καὶ γὰρ ἐπὶ τῶν προσφερομένων ἔλεγε μόσχων τε καὶ κριῶν καὶ χιμάρων, ὅτι δεῖ ταῦτα‎ ἐκ βουκολίων καὶ ποιμνίων λαμβάνοντας ἥμερα θυσιάζειν, καὶ μηθὲν ἄγριον, ὅπως‎ οἱ‎ προσφέροντες τὰς θυσίας μηθὲν ὑπερήφανον ἑαυτοῖς συνιστορῶσι, σημειώσει κεχρημένοι τοῦ διατάξαντος.

τῆς γὰρ ἑαυτοῦ ψυχῆς τοῦ παντὸς‎ τρόπου τὴν προσφορὰν ποιεῖται ὁ τὴν θυσίαν προσάγων. 		170 He seemed to me to have made a good defense on all the points; for in reference also to the calves and rams and goats which are offered, he said that it was necessary to take them from the herds and flocks, and sacrifice tame animals and offer nothing wild, that the offerers of the sacrifices might understand the symbolic meaning of the lawgiver and not be under the influence of an arrogant self-consciousness.

For he, who offers a sacrifice makes an offering also of his own soul in all its moods.
171 καὶ περὶ τούτων οὖν νομίζω τὰ τῆς ὁμιλίας ἄξια λόγου καθεστάναι·

διὸ τὴν σεμνότητα καὶ φυσικὴν διάνοιαν τοῦ νόμου προῆγμαι διασαφῆσαί σοι, Φιλόκρατες, δι’ ἣν ἔχεις φιλομάθειαν. 		171 I think that these particulars with regard to our discussion are worth narrating and on account of the sanctity and natural meaning of the law, I have been induced to explain them to you clearly, Philocrates, because of your own devotion to learning.