topAristeas #10
(301-322)

Chapter 10
Verses 301 to 322

301 Μετὰ δὲ τρεῖς ἡμέρας ὁ Δημήτριος παραλαβὼν αὐτούς, καὶ διελθὼν τὸ τῶν ἑπτὰ σταδίων ἀνάχωμα τῆς θαλάσσης πρὸς τὴν νῆσον, καὶ διαβὰς τὴν γέφυραν, καὶ προσελθὼν ὡς ἐπὶ τὰ βόρεια μέρη, συνέδριον ποιησάμενος εἰς κατεσκευασμένον οἶκον παρὰ τὴν ἠϊόνα, διαπρεπῶς ἔχοντα καὶ πολλῆς ἡσυχίας ἔφεδρον, παρεκάλει τοὺς ἄνδρας τὰ τῆς ἑρμηνείας ἐπιτελεῖν, παρόντων ὅσα πρὸς τὴν χρείαν ἔδει καλῶς. 301 Three days later Demetrius took the men and passing along the sea-wall, seven stadia long, to the island, crossed the bridge and made for the northern districts of Pharos.

There he assembled them in a house, which had been built upon the sea-shore, of great beauty and in a secluded situation, and invited them to carry out the work of translation, since everything that they needed for the purpose was placed at their disposal.
302 οἱ‎ δὲ ἐπετέλουν ἕκαστα σύμφωνα ποιοῦντες‎ πρὸς ἑαυτοὺς ταῖς ἀντιβολαῖς·

τὸ‎ δὲ ἐκ τῆς συμφωνίας γινόμενον πρεπόντως ἀναγραφῆς οὕτως‎ ἐτύγχανε παρὰ τοῦ Δημητρίου. 		302 So they set to work comparing their several results and making them agree, and whatever they agreed upon was suitably copied out under the direction of Demetrius.
303 καὶ μέχρι μὲν ὥρας ἐνάτης τὰ τῆς συνεδρείας ἐγίνετο·

μετὰ‎ δὲ ταῦτα‎ περὶ τὴν τοῦ σώματος θεραπείαν ἀπελύοντο γίνεσθαι, χορηγουμένων αὐτοῖς‎ δαψιλῶς ὧν προῃροῦντο πάντων. 		303 And the session lasted until the ninth hour; after this they were set free to minister to their physical needs.
304 ἐκτὸς δὲ‎ καὶ καθ’ ἡμέραν, ὅσα βασιλεῖ παρεσκευάζετο, καὶ τούτοις‎ ὁ Δωρόθεος ἐπετέλει·

προστεταγμένον γὰρ ἦν αὐτῷ διὰ τοῦ βασιλέως.

ἅμα δὲ τῇ πρωΐᾳ παρεγίνοντο εἰς τὴν αὐλὴν καθ’ ἡμέραν, καὶ ποιησάμενοι τὸν ἀσπασμὸν τοῦ βασιλέως, ἀπελύοντο πρὸς τὸν ἑαυτῶν τόπον. 		304 Everything they wanted was furnished for them on a lavish scale.

In addition to this Dorotheus made the same preparations for them daily as were made for the king himself – for thus he had been commanded by the king.

In the early morning they appeared daily at the Court, and after saluting the king went back to their own place.
305 ὡς‎ δὲ ἔθος ἐστὶ πᾶσι τοῖς Ἰουδαῖον, {ἀπονιψάμενοι} τῇ θαλάσσῃ τὰς χεῖρας, ὡς‎ ἂν‎ εὔξωνται πρὸς τὸν θεόν, ἐτρέποντο πρὸς τὴν ἀνάγνωσιν καὶ τὴν ἑκάστου διασάφησιν. 305 And as is the custom of all the Jews, they washed their hands in the sea and prayed to God and then devoted themselves to reading and translating the particular passage upon which they were engaged,
306 Ἐπηρώτησα δὲ‎ καὶ τοῦτο Τίνος χάριν ἀπονιζόμενος τὰς χεῖρας τὸ τηνικαῦτα εὔχονται; διεσάφουν δέ, ὅτι μαρτύριόν ἐστι τοῦ μηδὲν εἰργάσθαι κακόν·

πᾶσα γὰρ ἐνέργεια διὰ τῶν χειρῶν γίνεται·

καλῶς καὶ ὁσίως μεταφέροντες ἐπὶ τὴν δικαιοσύνην καὶ τὴν ἀλήθειαν πάντα‎. 		306 and I put the question to them, Why it was that they washed their hands before they prayed? And they explained that it was a token that they had done no evil (for every form of activity is wrought by means of the hands) since in their noble and holy way they regard everything as a symbol of righteousness and truth.
307 καθὼς δὲ προειρήκαμεν, οὕτως‎ καθ’ ἑκάστην εἰς τὸν τόπον, ἔχοντα‎ τερπνότητα διὰ τὴν ἡσυχίαν καὶ καταύγειαν, συναγόμενοι τὸ προκείμενον ἐπετέλουν.

συνέτυχε δὲ οὕτως‎ ἐν ἡμέραις ἑβδομήκοντα δυσὶ τελειωθῆναι τὰ τῆς μεταγραφῆς, οἱονεὶ κατὰ πρόθεσίν τινα τοῦ τοιούτου γεγενημένου. 		307 As I have already said, they met together daily in the place which was delightful for its quiet and its brightness and applied themselves to their task.

And it so chanced that the work of translation was completed in seventy-two days, just as if this had been arranged of set purpose.
308 τελείωσιν δὲ ὅτε ἔλαβε, συναγαγὼν ὁ Δημήτριος τὸ πλῆθος τῶν Ἰουδαίων εἰς τὸν τόπον, οὗ καὶ τὰ τῆς ἑρμηνείας ἐτελέσθη, παρανέγνω πᾶσι, παρόντων καὶ τῶν διερμηνευσάντων, οἵτινες μεγάλης ἀποδοχῆς καὶ παρὰ τοῦ πλήθους ἔτυχον, ὡς‎ ἂν μεγάλων ἀγαθῶν παραίτιοι γεγονότες. 308 When the work was completed, Demetrius collected together the Jewish population in the place where the translation had been made, and read it over to all, in the presence of the translators, who met with a great reception also from the people, because of the great benefits which they had conferred upon them.
309 ὡσαύτως δὲ‎ καὶ τὸν Δημήτριον ἀποδεξάμενοι παρεκάλεσαν μεταδοῦναι τοῖς ἡγουμένοις αὐτῶν, μεταγράψαντα τὸν πάντα‎ νόμον. 309 They bestowed warm praise upon Demetrius, too, and urged him to have the whole law transcribed and present a copy to their leaders.
310 καθὼς δὲ ἀνεγνώσθη τὰ τεύχη, στάντες οἱ‎ ἱερεῖς καὶ τῶν ἑρμηνέων οἱ‎ πρεσβύτεροι καὶ τῶν ἀπὸ τοῦ πολιτεύματος οἵ τε ἡγούμενοι τοῦ πλήθους εἶπον Ἐπεὶ καλῶς καὶ ὁσίως διηρμήνευται καὶ κατὰ πᾶν ἠκριβωμένως, καλῶς ἔχον ἐστίν, ἵνα‎ διαμείνῃ ταῦθ’ οὕτως‎ ἔχοντα‎, καὶ μὴ‎ γένηται μηδεμία διασκευή. 310 After the books had been read, the priests and the elders of the translators and the Jewish community and the leaders of the people stood up and said, that since so excellent and sacred and accurate a translation had been made, it was only right that it should remain as it was and no alteration should be made in it.
311 πάντων δ’ ἐπιφωνησάντων τοῖς εἰρημένοις, ἐκέλευσαν διαράσασθαι, καθὼς ἔθος αὐτοῖς‎ ἐστιν, εἴ τις διασκευάσει προστιθεὶς ἢ μεταφέρων τι τὸ σύνολον τῶν γεγραμμένων ἢ ποιούμενος ἀφαίρεσιν, καλῶς τοῦτο πράσσοντες, ἵνα‎ διὰ παντὸς‎ ἀένναα καὶ μένοντα φυλάσσηται. 311And when the whole company expressed their approval, they bade them pronounce a curse in accordance with their custom upon any one who should make any alteration either by adding anything or changing in any way whatever any of the words which had been written or making any omission.

This was a very wise precaution to ensure that the book might be preserved for all the future time unchanged.
312 Προσφωνηθέντων δὲ‎ καὶ τούτων τῷ βασιλεῖ μεγάλως ἐχάρη·

τὴν γὰρ πρόθεσιν, ἣν εἶχεν, ἀσφαλῶς ἔδοξε τετελειῶσθαι.

παρανεγνώσθη δὲ αὐτῷ‎ καὶ πάντα‎, καὶ λίαν ἐξεθαύμασε τὴν τοῦ νομοθέτου διάνοιαν.

καὶ πρὸς τὸν Δημήτριον εἶπε Πῶς τηλικούτων συντετελεσμένων οὐδεὶς ἐπεβάλετο τῶν ἱστορικῶν ἢ ποιητῶν ἐπιμνησθῆναι; 		312 When the matter was reported to the king, he rejoiced greatly, for he felt that the design which he had formed had been safely carried out.

The whole book was read over to him and he was greatly astonished at the spirit of the lawgiver.

And he said to Demetrius, “How is it that none of the historians or the poets have ever thought it worth their while to allude to such a wonderful achievement?”
313 Ἐκεῖνος δὲ ἔφη Διὰ τὸ σεμνὴν εἶναι τὴν νομοθεσίαν καὶ διὰ θεοῦ γεγονέναι·

καὶ τῶν ἐπιβαλλομένων τινὲς ὑπὸ τοῦ θεοῦ πληγέντες τῆς ἐπιβολῆς ἀπέστησαν. 		313And he replied, “Because the law is sacred and of divine origin.

And some of those who formed the intention of dealing with it have been smitten by God and therefore desisted from their purpose.”
314 καὶ γὰρ ἔφησεν ἀκηκοέναι Θεοπόμπου, διότι μέλλων τινὰ τῶν προηρμηνευμένων ἐπισφαλέστερον ἐκ τοῦ νόμου προσιστορεῖν ταραχὴν λάβοι τῆς διανοίας πλεῖον ἡμερῶν τριάκοντα·



κατὰ δὲ τὴν ἄνεσιν ἐξιλάσκεσθαι τὸν θεόν, σαφὲς αὐτῷ γενέσθαι, τίνος χάριν τὸ συμβαῖνόν ἐστι. 		314 He said that he had heard from Theopompus that he had been driven out of his mind for more than thirty days because he intended to insert in his history some of the incidents from the earlier and somewhat unreliable translations of the law.

When he had recovered a little, he besought God to make it clear to him why the misfortune had befallen him.
315 δι’ ὀνείρου δὲ σημανθέντος, ὅτι τὰ θεῖα βούλεται περιεργασάμενος εἰς κοινοὺς ἀνθρώπους ἐκφέρειν, ἀποσχόμενον δὲ οὕτως‎ ἀποκαταστῆναι. 315 And it was revealed to him in a dream, that from idle curiosity he was wishing to communicate sacred truths to common men, and that if he desisted he would recover his health.
316 καὶ παρὰ Θεοδέκτου δὲ τοῦ τῶν τραγῳδιῶν ποιητοῦ μετέλαβον ἐγώ, διότι παραφέρειν μέλλοντός τι τῶν ἀναγεγραμμένων ἐν τῇ βίβλῳ πρός τι δρᾶμα τὰς ὄψες ἀπεγλαυκώθη·

καὶ λαβὼν ὑπόνοιαν, ὅτι διὰ τοῦτ’ αὐτῷ τὸ σύμπτωμα γέγονεν, ἐξιλασάμενος τὸν θεὸν ἐν πολλαῖς ἡμέραις ἀποκατέστη. 		316 I have heard, too, from the lips of Theodectes, one of the tragic poets, that when he was about to adapt some of the incidents recorded in the book for one of his plays, he was affected with cataract in both his eyes.

And when he perceived the reason why the misfortune had befallen him, he prayed to God for many days and was afterwards restored.
317 Μεταλαβὼν δὲ ὁ βασιλεύς, καθὼς προεῖπον, περὶ τούτων τὰ παρὰ τοῦ Δημητρίου, προσκυνήσας ἐκέλευσε μεγάλην ἐπιμέλειαν ποιεῖσθαι τῶν βιβλίων καὶ συντηρεῖν ἁγνῶς. 317 And after the king, as I have already said, had received the explanation of Demetrius on this point, he did homage and ordered that great care should be taken of the books, and that they should be sacredly guarded.
318 παρακαλέσας δὲ‎ καὶ τοὺς ἑρμηνεῖς, ἵνα‎ παραγίνωνται πυκνότερον πρὸς αὐτόν, ἐὰν‎ ἀποκατασταθῶσιν εἰς τὴν Ἰουδαίων, – δίκαιον γὰρ εἶπε τὴν ἐκπομπὴν αὐτῶν γενέσθαι·

παραγενηθέντες δέ, ὡς‎ θέμις, ἕξειν αὐτοὺς φίλου·, καὶ {πολυωρία} τῆς μεγίστης τεύξεσθαι παρ’ αὐτοῦ‎. 		318 And he urged the translators to visit him frequently after their return to Judaea, for it was only right, he said, that he should now send them home.

But when they came back, he would treat them as friends, as was right, and they would receive rich presents from him.
319 τὰ‎ δὲ πρὸς τὴν ἐκπομπὴν αὐτῶν ἐκέλευσεν ἑτοιμάζειν, μεγαλομερῶς τοῖς ἀνδράσι χρησάμενος.

ἑκάστῳ γὰρ στολὰς ἔδωκε τῶν κρατίστων τρεῖς καὶ χρυσίου τάλαντα δύο καὶ κυλίκιον ταλάντου καὶ τρικλίνου πᾶσαν κατάστρωσιν. 		319 He ordered preparations to be made for them to return home, and treated them most munificently.

He presented each one of them with three robes of the finest sort, two talents of gold, a sideboard weighing one talent, all the furniture for three couches.
320 ἔπεμψε δὲ‎ καὶ τῷ Ἐλεαζάρῳ μετὰ‎ τῆς ἐκπομπῆς αὐτῶν ἀργυρόποδας κλίνας δέκα καὶ τὰ ἀκόλουθα πάντα‎ καὶ κυλίκιον ταλάντων τριάκοντα καὶ στολὰς δέκα καὶ πορφύραν καὶ στέφανον διαπρεπῆ καὶ βυσσίνων ὀθονίων ἱστοὺς ἑκατὸν καὶ φιάλας καὶ τρυβλία καὶ κρατῆρας χρυσοῦς δύο πρὸς ἀνάθεσιν. 320 And with the escort he sent Eleazar ten couches with silver legs and all the necessary equipment, a sideboard worth thirty talents, ten robes, purple, and a magnificent crown, and a hundred pieces of the finest woven linen, also bowls and dishes, and two golden beakers to be dedicated to God.
321 ἔγραψε δὲ‎ καὶ παρακαλῶν, ἵνα‎, ἐάν τινες τῶν ἀνδρῶν προαιρῶνται πρὸς αὐτὸν‎ ἀνακομισθῆναι, μὴ‎ κωλύσῃ, περὶ πολλοῦ‎ ποιούμενος τοῖς πεπαιδευμένοις συνεῖναι, καὶ εἰς τοιούτους τὸν πλοῦτον κατατίθεσθαι δαψιλῶς, καὶ οὐκ‎ εἰς μάταια. 321 He urged him also in a letter that if any of the men preferred to come back to him, not to hinder them.

For he counted it a great privilege to enjoy the society of such learned men, and he would rather lavish his wealth upon them than upon vanities.
322 Σὺ δέ, καθὼς ἐπηγγειλάμην, Ἀπέχεις τὴν διήγησιν, ὦ Φιλόκρατες.

τέρπειν γὰρ οἴομαί σε ταῦτα‎ ἢ τὰ τῶν μυθολόγων βιβλία.

νένευκας γὰρ πρὸς περιεργίαν τῶν δυναμένων ὠφελεῖν διάνοιαν, καὶ ἐν τούτοις‎ τὸν πλείονα χρόνον διατελεῖς.

πειράσομαι δὲ‎ καὶ τὰ λοιπὰ τῶν ἀξιολόγων ἀναγράφειν, ἵνα‎ διαπορευόμενος αὐτὰ‎ κομίζῃ τοῦ βουλήματος τὸ κάλλιστον ἔπαθλον. 		322 And now Philocrates, you have the complete story in accordance with my promise.

I think that you find greater pleasure in these matters than in the writings of the mythologists.

For you are devoted to the study of those things which can benefit the soul, and spend much time upon it.

I shall attempt to narrate whatever other events are worth recording, that by perusing them you may secure the highest reward for your zeal.