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"We have not, therefore, a multitude of books disagreeing and
conflicting with one another; but we have only twenty-two, which
contain the record of all time and are justly held to be divine. Of
these, five are by Moses, and contain the laws and the tradition
respecting the origin of man, and continue the history down to his own
death. This period embraces nearly three thousand years. From the
death of Moses to the death of Artaxerxes, who succeeded Xerxes as
king of Persia, the prophets that followed Moses wrote the history of
their own times in thirteen books. The other four books contain hymns
to God, and precepts for the regulation of the life of men. From the
time of Artaxerxes to our own day all the events have been recorded,
but the accounts are not worthy of the same confidence that we repose in
those which preceded them, because there has not been during this time
an exact succession of prophets. How much we are attached to our own
writings is shown plainly by our treatment of them. For although so
great a period has already passed by, no one has ventured either to add
to or to take from them, but it is inbred in all Jews from their very
birth to regard them as the teachings of God, and to abide by them,
and, if necessary, cheerfully to die for them."
These remarks of the historian I have thought might advantageously be
introduced in this connection. Another work of no little merit has
been produced by the same writer, On the Supremacy of Reason, which
some have called Maccabaicum, because it contains an account of the
struggles of those Hebrews who contended manfully for the true
religion, as is related in the books called Maccabees. And at the
end of the twentieth book of his Antiquities Josephus himself
intimates that he had purposed to write a work in four books concerning
God and his existence, according to the traditional opinions of the
Jews, and also concerning the laws, why it is that they permit some
things while prohibiting others. And the same writer also mentions in
his own works other books written by himself. In addition to these
things it is proper to quote also the words that are found at the close
of his Antiquities, in confirmation of the testimony which we have
drawn from his accounts. In that place he attacks Justus of
Tiberias, who, like himself, had attempted to write a history of
contemporary events, on the ground that he had not written truthfully.
Having brought many other accusations against the man, he continues in
these words: "I indeed was not afraid in respect to my writings as
you were, but, on the contrary, I presented my books to the emperors
themselves when the events were almost under men's eyes. For I was
conscious that I had preserved the truth in my account, and hence was
not disappointed in my expectation of obtaining their attestation. And
I presented my history also to many others, some of whom were present
at the war, as, for instance, King Agrippa and some of his
relatives. For the Emperor Titus desired so much that the knowledge
of the events should be communicated to men by my history alone, that
he indorsed the books with his own hand and commanded that they should
be published. And King Agrippa wrote sixty-two epistles testifying
to the truthfulness of my account." Of these epistles Josephus
subjoins two. But this will suffice in regard to him. Let us now
proceed with our history.
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