the antiquities of the jews-1-第179章

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the　vast　expeses　bestowed　upon　it：　but　upon　the　table　itself　they
engraved　a　meander；　inserting　into　it　very　valuable　stones　in　the
middle　like　stars；　of　various　colors；　the　carbuncle　and　the
emerald；　each　of　which　sent　out　agreeable　rays　of　light　to　the
spectators；　with　such　stones　of　other　sorts　also　as　were　most
curious　and　best　esteemed；　as　being　most　precious　in　their　kind。
Hard　by　this　meander　a　texture　of　net…work　ran　round　it；　the
middle　of　which　appeared　like　a　rhombus；　into　which　were　inserted
rock…crystal　and　amber；　which；　by　the　great　resemblance　of　the
appearance　they　made；　gave　wonderful　delight　to　those　that　saw
them。　The　chapiters　of　the　feet　imitated　the　first　buddings　of
lilies；　while　their　leaves　were　bent　and　laid　under　the　table；
but　so　that　the　chives　were　seen　standing　upright　within　them。
Their　bases　were　made　of　a　carbuncle；　and　the　place　at　the
bottom；　which　rested　on　that　carbuncle；　was　one　palm　deep；　and
eight　fingers　in　breadth。　Now　they　had　engraven　upon　it　with　a
very　fine　tool；　and　with　a　great　deal　of　pains；　a　branch　of　ivy
and　tendrils　of　the　vine；　sending　forth　clusters　of　grapes；　that
you　would　guess　they　were　nowise　different　from　real　tendrils；
for　they　were　so　very　thin；　and　so　very　far　extended　at　their
extremities；　that　they　were　moved　with　the　wind；　and　made　one
believe　that　they　were　the　product　of　nature；　and　not　the
representation　of　art。　They　also　made　the　entire　workmanship　of
the　table　appear　to　be　threefold；　while　the　joints　of　the　several
parts　were　so　united　together　as　to　be　invisible；　and　the　places
where　they　joined　could　not　be　distinguished。　Now　the　thickness
of　the　table　was　not　less　than　half　a　cubit。　So　that　this　gift；
by　the　king's　great　generosity；　by　the　great　value　of　the
materials；　and　the　variety　of　its　exquisite　structure；　and　the
artificer's　skill　in　imitating　nature　with　graying　tools；　was　at
length　brought　to　perfection；　while　the　king　was　very　desirous；
that　though　in　largeness　it　were　not　to　be　different　from　that
which　was　already　dedicated　to　God；　yet　that　in　exquisite
workmanship；　and　the　novelty　of　the　contrivances；　and　in　the
splendor　of　its　construction；　it　should　far　exceed　it；　and　be
more　illustrious　than　that　was。

10。　Now　of　the　cisterns　of　gold　there　were　two；　whose　sculpture
was　of　scale…work；　from　its　basis　to　its　belt…like　circle；　with
various　sorts　of　stones　enchased　in　the　spiral　circles。　Next　to
which　there　was　upon　it　a　meander　of　a　cubit　in　height；　it　was
composed　of　stones　of　all　sorts　of　colors。　And　next　to　this　was
the　rod…work　engraven；　and　next　to　that　was　a　rhombus　in　a
texture　of　net…work；　drawn　out　to　the　brim　of　the　basin；　while
small　shields；　made　of　stones；　beautiful　in　their　kind；　and　of
four　fingers'　depth；　filled　up　the　middle　parts。　About　the　top　of
the　basin　were　wreathed　the　leaves　of　lilies；　and　of　the
convolvulus；　and　the　tendrils　of　vines　in　a　circular　manner。　And
this　was　the　construction　of　the　two　cisterns　of　gold；　each
containing　two　firkins。　But　those　which　were　of　silver　were　much
more　bright　and　splendid　than　looking…glasses；　and　you　might　in
them　see　the　images　that　fell　upon　them　more　plainly　than　in　the
other。　The　king　also　ordered　thirty　vials；　those　of　which　the
parts　that　were　of　gold；　and　filled　up　with　precious　stones；　were
shadowed　over　with　the　leaves　of　ivy　and　of　vines；　artificially
engraven。　And　these　were　the　vessels　that　were　after　an
extraordinary　manner　brought　to　this　perfection；　partly　by　the
skill　of　the　workmen；　who　were　admirable　in　such　fine　work；　but
much　more　by　the　diligence　and　generosity　of　the　king；　who　not
only　supplied　the　artificers　abundantly；　and　with　great
generosity；　with　what　they　wanted；　but　he　forbade　public
audiences　for　the　time；　and　came　and　stood　by　the　workmen；　and
saw　the　whole　operation。　And　this　was　the　cause　why　the　workmen
were　so　accurate　in　their　performance；　because　they　had　regard　to
the　king；　and　to　his　great　concern　about　the　vessels；　and　so　the
more　indefatigably　kept　close　to　the　work。

11。　And　these　were　what　gifts　were　sent　by　Ptolemy　to　Jerusalem；
and　dedicated　to　God　there。　But　when　Eleazar　the　high　priest　had
devoted　them　to　God；　and　had　paid　due　respect　to　those　that
brought　them；　and　had　given　them　presents　to　be　carried　to　the
king；　he　dismissed　them。　And　when　they　were　come　to　Alexandria；
and　Ptolemy　heard　that　they　were　come；and　that　the　seventy　elders
were　come　also；　he　presently　sent　for　Andreas　and　Aristens；　his
ambassadors；　who　came　to　him；　and　delivered　him　the　epistle　which
they　brought　him　from　the　high　priest；　and　made　answer　to　all　the
questions　he　put　to　them　by　word　of　mouth。　He　then　made　haste　to
meet　the　elders　that　came　from　Jerusalem　for　the　interpretation
of　the　laws；　and　he　gave　command；　that　every　body　who　came　on
other　occasions　should　be　sent　away；　which　was　a　thing
surprising；　and　what　he　did　not　use　to　do；　for　those　that　were
drawn　thither　upon　such　occasions　used　to　come　to　him　on　the
fifth　day；　but　ambassadors　at　the　month's　end。　But　when　he　had
sent　those　away；　he　waited　for　these　that　were　sent　by　Eleazar；
but　as　the　old　men　came　in　with　the　presents；　which　the　high
priest　had　given　them　to　bring　to　the　king；　and　with　the
membranes；　upon　which　they　had　their　laws　written　in　golden
letters　（7）　he　put　questions　to　them　concerning　those　books；　and
when　they　had　taken　off　the　covers　wherein　they　were　wrapt　up；
they　showed　him　the　membranes。　So　the　king　stood　admiring　the
thinness　of　those　membranes；　and　the　exactness　of　the　junctures；
which　could　not　be　perceived；　（so　exactly　were　they　connected　one
with　another；）　and　this　he　did　for　a　considerable　time。　He　then
said　that　he　returned　them　thanks　for　coming　to　him；　and　still
greater　thanks　to　him　that　sent　them；　and；　above　all；　to　that　God
whose　laws　they　appeared　to　be。　Then　did　the　elders；　and　those
that　were　present　with　them；　cry　out　with　one　voice；　and　wished
all　happiness　to　the　king。　Upon　which　he　fell　into　tears　by　the
violence　of　the　pleasure　he　had；　it　being　natural　to　men　to
afford　the　same　indications　in　great　joy　that　they　do　under
sorrows。　And　when　he　had　bid　them　deliver　the　books　to　those　that
were　appointed　to　receive　them；　he　saluted　the　men；　and　said　that
it　was　but　just　to　discourse；　in　the　first　place；　of　the　errand
they　were　sent　about；　and　then　to　address　himself　to　themselves。
He　promised；　however；　that　he　would　make　this　day　on　which　they
came　to　him　remarkable　and　eminent　every　year　through　the　whole
course　of　his　life；　for　their　coming　to　him；　and　the　victory
which　he　gained　over　Antigonus　by　sea；　proved　to　be　on　the　very
same　day。　He　also　gave　orders　that　they　should　sup　with　him；　and
gave　it　in　charge　that　they　should　have　excellent　lodgings
provided　for　them　in　the　upper　part　of　the　city。

12。　Now　he　that　was　appointed　to　take　care　of　the　reception　of
strangers；　Nicanor　by　name；　called　for　Dorotheus；　whose　duty　it
was　to　make　provision　for　them；　and　bid　him　prepare　for　every　one
of　them　what　should　be　requisite　for　their　diet　and　way　of
living；　which　thing　was　ordered　by　the　king　after　this　manner：　he
took　care　that　those　that　belonged　to　every　city；　which　did　not
use　the　same　way　of　living；　that　all　things　should　be　prepared
for　them　according　to　the　custom　of　those　that　came　to　him；　that；
being　feasted　according　to　the　usual　method　of　their　own　way　of
living；　they　might　be　the　better　pleased；　and　might　not　be　uneasy
at　any　thing　done　to　them　from　which　they　were　naturally　averse。
And　this　was　now　done　in　the　case　of　these　men　by　Dorotheus；　who
was　put　into　this　office　because　of　his　great　skill　in　such
matters　belonging　to　common　life；　for　he　took　care　of　all　such
matters　as　concerned　the　reception　of　strangers；　and　appointed
them　double　seats　for　them　to　sit　on；　according　as　the　king　had
commanded　him　to　do；　for　he　had　commanded　that　half　of　their
seats　should　be　set　at　his　right　hand；　and　the　other　half　behind
his　table；　and　took　care　that　no　respect　should　be　omitted　that
could　be　shown　them。　And　when　they　were　thus　set　down；　he　bid
Dorotheus　to　minister　to　all　those　that　were　come　to　him　from
Judea；　after　the　manner　t