hath　the　　　presumption　to　accuse　the　Jews　for　making　this　war　against　　　Physco；　when　he　ought　to　have　commended　them　for　the　　　same。　This　man　also　makes　mention　of　Cleopatra；　the　last　　　queen　of　Alexandria；　and　abuses　us；　because　she　was　　　ungrateful　to　us；　whereas　he　ought　to　have　reproved　her；　who　　　indulged　herself　in　all　kinds　of　injustice　and　wicked　practices；　　　both　with　regard　to　her　nearest　relations　and　husbands　who　　　had　loved　her；　and；　indeed；　in　general　with　regard　to　all　the　　　Romans；　and　those　emperors　that　were　her　benefactors；　who　　　also　had　her　sister　Arsinoe　slain　in　a　temple；　when　she　had　　　done　her　no　harm：　moreover；　she　had　her　brother　slain　by　　　private　treachery；　and　she　destroyed　the　gods　of　her　country　　　and　the　sepulchers　of　her　progenitors；　and　while　she　had　　　received　her　kingdom　from　the　first　Caesar；　she　had　the　　　impudence　to　rebel　against　his　son：　（7）　and　successor；　nay；　　　she　corrupted　Antony　with　her　love…tricks；　and　rendered　him　　　an　enemy　to　his　country；　and　made　him　treacherous　to　his　　　friends；　and　＇by　his　means＇　despoiled　some　of　their　royal　　　authority；　and　forced　others　in　her　madness　to　act　wickedly。　　　But　what　need　I　enlarge　upon　this　head　any　further；　when　　　she　left　Antony　in　his　fight　at　sea；　though　he　were　her　　　husband；　and　the　father　of　their　common　children；　and　　　compelled　him　to　resign　up　his　government；　with　the　army；　　　and　to　follow　her　＇into　Egypt＇？　nay；　when　last　of　all　Caesar　　　had　taken　Alexandria；　she　came　to　that　pitch　of　cruelty；　that　　　she　declared　she　had　some　hope　of　preserving　her　affairs　still；　　　in　case　she　could　kill　the　Jews；　though　it　were　with　her　own　　　hand；　to　such　a　degree　of　barbarity　and　perfidiousness　had　　　she　arrived。　And　doth　any　one　think　that　we　cannot　boast　　　ourselves　of　any　thing；　if；　as　Apion　says；　this　queen　did　not　at　　　a　time　of　famine　distribute　wheat　among　us？　However；　she　at　　　length　met　with　the　punishment　she　deserved。　As　for　us　Jews；　　　we　appeal　to　the　great　Caesar　what　assistance　we　brought　　　him；　and　what　fidelity　we　showed　to　him　against　the　　　Egyptians；　as　also　to　the　senate　and　its　decrees；　and　the　　　epistles　of　Augustus　Caesar；　whereby　our　merits　＇to　the　　　Romans＇　are　justified。　Apion　ought　to　have　looked　upon　　　those　epistles；　and　in　particular　to　have　examined　the　　　testimonies　given　on　our　behalf；　under　Alexander　and　all　the　　　Ptolemies；　and　the　decrees　of　the　senate　and　of　the　greatest　　　Roman　emperors。　And　if　Germanicus　was　not　able　to　make　a　　　distribution　of　corn　to　all　the　inhabitants　of　Alexandria；　that　　　only　shows　what　a　barren　time　it　was；　and　how　great　a　want　　　there　was　then　of　corn；　but　tends　nothing　to　the　accusation　of　　　the　Jews；　for　what　all　the　emperors　have　thought　of　the　　　Alexandrian　Jews　is　well　known；　for　this　distribution　of　wheat　　　was　no　otherwise　omitted　with　regard　to　the　Jews；　than　it　was　　　with　regard　to　the　other　inhabitants　of　Alexandria。　But　they　　　still　were　desirous　to　preserve　what　the　kings　had　formerly　　　intrusted　to　their　care；　I　mean　the　custody　of　the　river；　nor　　　did　those　kings　think　them　unworthy　of　having　the　entire　　　custody　thereof；　upon　all　occasions。　　　　　　6。　But　besides　this；　Apion　objects　to　us　thus：　〃If　the　Jews　　　（says　he）　be　citizens　of　Alexandria；　why　do　they　not　worship　　　the　same　gods　with　the　Alexandrians？〃　To　which　I　give　this　　　answer：　Since　you　are　yourselves　Egyptians；　why　do　you　fight　　　it　out　one　against　another；　and　have　implacable　wars　about　　　your　religion？　At　this　rate　we　must　not　call　you　all　Egyptians；　　　nor　indeed　in　general　men；　because　you　breed　up　with　great　　　care　beasts　of　a　nature　quite　contrary　to　that　of　men；　　　although　the　nature　of　all　men　seems　to　be　one　and　the　　　same。　Now　if　there　be　such　differences　in　opinion　among　you　　　Egyptians；　why　are　you　surprised　that　those　who　came　to　　　Alexandria　from　another　country；　and　had　original　laws　of　　　their　own　before；　should　persevere　in　the　observance　of　those　　　laws？　But　still　he　charges　us　with　being　the　authors　of　　　sedition；　which　accusation；　if　it　be　a　just　one；　why　is　it　not　　　laid　against　us　all；　since　we　are　known　to　be　all　of　one　mind。　　　Moreover；　those　that　search　into　such　matters　will　soon　　　discover　that　the　authors　of　sedition　have　been　such　citizens　　　of　Alexandria　as　Apion　is；　for　while　they　were　the　Grecians　　　and　Macedonians　who　were　ill　possession　of　this　city；　there　　　was　no　sedition　raised　against　us；　and　we　were　permitted　to　　　observe　our　ancient　solemnities；　but　when　the　number　of　the　　　Egyptians　therein　came　to　be　considerable；　the　times　grew　　　confused；　and　then　these　seditions　brake　out　still　more　and　　　more；　while　our　people　continued　uncorrupted。　These　　　Egyptians；　therefore；　were　the　authors　of　these　troubles；　who　　　having　not　the　constancy　of　Macedonians；　nor　the　prudence　　　of　Grecians；　indulged　all　of　them　the　evil　manners　of　the　　　Egyptians；　and　continued　their　ancient　hatred　against　us；　for　　　what　is　here　so　presumptuously　charged　upon　us；　is　owing　to　　　the　differences　that　are　amongst　themselves；　while　many　of　　　them　have　not　obtained　the　privileges　of　citizens　in　proper　　　times；　but　style　those　who　are　well　known　to　have　had　that　　　privilege　extended　to　them　all　no　other　than　foreigners：　for　it　　　does　not　appear　that　any　of　the　kings　have　ever　formerly　　　bestowed　those　privileges　of　citizens　upon　Egyptians；　no　more　　　than　have　the　emperors　done　it　more　lately；　while　it　was　　　Alexander　who　introduced　us　into　this　city　at　first；　the　kings　　　augmented　our　privileges　therein；　and　the　Romans　have　been　　　pleased　to　preserve　them　always　inviolable。　Moreover；　Apion　　　would　lay　a　blot　upon　us；　because　we　do　not　erect　images　for　　　our　emperors；　as　if　those　emperors　did　not　know　this　before；　　　or　stood　in　need　of　Apion　as　their　defender；　whereas　he　　　ought　rather　to　have　admired　the　magnanimity　and　modesty　　　of　the　Romans；　whereby　they　do　not　compel　those　that　are　　　subject　to　them　to　transgress　the　laws　of　their　countries；　but　　　are　willing　to　receive　the　honors　due　to　them　after　such　a　　　manner　as　those　who　are　to　pay　them　esteem　consistent　with　　　piety　and　with　their　own　laws；　for　they　do　not　thank　people　　　for　conferring　honors　upon　them；　When　they　are　compelled　　　by　violence　so　to　do。　Accordingly；　since　the　Grecians　and　　　some　other　nations　think　it　a　right　thing　to　make　images；　nay；　　　when　they　have　painted　the　pictures　of　their　parents；　and　　　wives；　and　children；　they　exult　for　joy；　and　some　there　are　　　who　take　pictures　for　themselves　of　such　persons　as　were　no　　　way　related　to　them；　nay；　some　take　the　pictures　of　such　　　servants　as　they　were　fond　of；　what　wonder　is　it　then　if　such　　　as　these　appear　willing　to　pay　the　same　respect　to　their　　　princes　and　lords？　But　then　our　legislator　hath　forbidden　us　　　to　make　images；　not　by　way　of　denunciation　beforehand；　that　　　the　Roman　authority　was　not　to　be　honored；　but　as　despising　　　a　thing　that　was　neither　necessary　nor　useful　for　either　God　　　or　man；　and　he　forbade　them；　as　we　shall　prove　hereafter；　to　　　make　these　images　for　any　part　of　the　animal　creation；　and　　　much　less　for　God　himself；　who　is　no　part　of　such　animal　　　creation。　Yet　hath　our　legislator　no　where　forbidden　us　to　　　pay　honors　to　worthy　men；　provided　they　be　of　another　kind；　　　and　inferior　to　those　we　pay　to　God；　with　which　honors　we　　　willingly　testify　our　respect　to　our　emperors；　and　to　the　　　people　of　Rome；　we　also　offer　perpetual　sacrifices　for　them；　　　nor　do　we　only　offer　them　every　day　at　the　common　expenses　　　of　all　the　Jews；　but　although　we　offer　no　other　such　sacrifices　　　out　of　our　common　expenses；　no；　not　for　our　own　children；　　　yet　do　we　this　as　a　peculiar　honor　to　the　emperors；　and　to　　　them　alone；　while　we　do　the　same　to　no　other　person　　　whomsoever。　And　let　this　suffice　for　an　answer　in　general　to　　　Apion；　as　to　what　he　says　with　relation　to　the　Alexandrian　　　Jews。　　　　　　7。　However；　I　cannot　but　admire　those　other　authors　who　　　furnished　this　man　with　such　his　materials；　I　mean　　　Possidonius　and　Apollonius　＇the　son　of＇　Molo；　（8）　who；　while　　　they　accuse　us　for　not　worshipping　the　same　gods　whom　　　others　worship；　they　think　themselves　not　guilty　of　impiety　　　when　they　tell　lies　of　us；　and　frame　absurd　and　reproachful　　　stories　about　our　temple；　whereas　it　is　a　most　shameful　thing　　　for　freemen　to　forge　lies　on　any　occasion；　and　much　more　so　　　to　forge　them　about　our　temple；　which　was　so　famous　over　　　all　the　world；　and　was　preserved　so　sacred　by　us；　for　Apion　　　hath　the　impudence　to　pretend　that〃　the　Jews　placed　an　ass's　　　head　in　their　holy　place；〃　and　he　affirms　that　this　was　　　discovered　when　Antiochus　Epiphanes　spoiled　our　temple；　　　and　found　that　ass's　head　there　made　of　gold；　and　worth　a　　　great　deal　of　money。　To　this　my　first　answer　shall　be　this；　　　that　had　there　been　any　such　thing　among　us；　an　Egyptian　　　ought　by　no　means　to　have　thrown　it　in　our　teeth；　since　an　　　ass　is　not　a　more　contemptible　animal　than　　　（9）　and　goats；　　　and　other　such　creatures；　which　among　them　are　gods。　But　　　besides　this　answer；　I　say　further；　how　comes　it　about　that　　　Apion　does　not　understand　this　to　be　no　other　than　a　　　palpable　lie；　and　to　be　confuted　by　the　thing　itself　as　utterly　　　incredible？　For　we　Jews　are　always　governed　by　the　same　　　laws；　in　which　we　constantly　perse