From: Subject: =?iso-8859-1?Q?Ante-Nicene_Fa?= =?iso-8859-1?Q?thers=2C_Vol._VI?= Date: Sun, 15 Feb 2004 20:24:50 -0500 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: multipart/related; boundary="----=_NextPart_000_028D_01C3F401.C36337F0"; type="text/html" X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V5.00.3314.1001 This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_028D_01C3F401.C36337F0 Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Content-Location: =?iso-8859-1?B?aHR0cDovL3d3dy5jY2U=?= =?iso-8859-1?B?bC5vcmcvZmF0aGVyczI=?= =?iso-8859-1?B?L0FORi0wNi9hbmYwNi0=?= =?iso-8859-1?B?NTAuaHRt?= Ante-Nicene Fathers, Vol. VI

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III.-The Extant Fragments of the Five Books of = the=20 Chronography of Julius Africanus.

I.1

II.3

III.5

IV.6

V.9

VI.10

VII.11

VIII.12

IX.13

X.16

XI.20

XII.21

XIII.27

XIV.33

XV.34

XVI.36

XVII.38

XVIII.47

XIX.56

III.-The = Extant Fragments=20 of the Five Books of the Chronography of Julius Africanus.

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I.1=20

The Egyptians, indeed, with their boastful notions of their own = antiquity,=20 have put forth a sort of account of it by the hand of their astrologers = in=20 cycles and myriads of years; which some of those who have had the repute = of=20 studying such subjects profoundly have in a summary way called lunar = years; and=20 inclining no less than others to the mythical, they think they = fall in=20 with the eight or nine thousands of years which the Egyptian priests in = Plato=20 falsely reckon up to Solon.2=20

For why should I speak of the three myriad years of the Phoenicians, = or of=20 the follies of the Chaldeans, their forty-eight myriads? For the Jews, = deriving=20 their origin from them as descendants of Abraham, having been taught a = modest=20 mind, and one such as becomes men, together with the truth by the spirit = of=20 Moses, have handed down to us, by their extant Hebrew histories, the = number of=20 5500 years as the period up to the advent of the Word of salvation, that = was=20 announced to the world in the time of the sway of the Caesars.

II.3=20

When men multiplied on the earth, the angels of heaven came together = with the=20 daughters of men. In some copies I found "the sons of God." What is = meant by the=20 Spirit, in my opinion, is that the descendants of Seth are called the = sons of=20 God on account of the righteous men and patriarchs who have sprung from = him,=20 even down to the Saviour Himself; but that the descendants of Cain are = named the=20 seed of men, as having nothing divine in them, on account of the = wickedness of=20 their race and the inequality of their nature, being a mixed people, and = having=20 stirred the indignation of God.4=20 But if it is thought that these refer to angels, we must take them to be = those=20 who deal with magic and jugglery, who taught the women the motions of = the stars=20 and the knowledge of things celestial, by whose power they conceived the = giants=20 as their children, by whom wickedness came to its height on the earth, = until God=20 decreed that the whole race of the living should perish in their impiety = by the=20 deluge.

III.5=20

Adam, when 230 years old, begets Seth; and after living other 700 = years he=20 died, that is, a second death.

Seth, when 205 years old, begot Enos; from Adam therefore to the = birth of=20 Enos there are 435 years in all.

Enos, when 190 years old, begets Cainan.

Cainan again, when 170 years old, begets Malaleel;

And Malaleel, when 165 years old; begets, Jared;

And Jared, when 162 years old, begets Enoch;

And Enoch, when 165 years old, begets Mathusala; and having pleased = God,=20 after a life of other 200 years, he was not found.

Mathusala, when 187 years old, begot Lamech.

Lamech, when 188 years old, begets Noe.

IV.6=20

God decreed to destroy the whole race of the living by a flood, = having=20 threatened that men should not survive beyond 120 years. Nor let it be = deemed a=20 matter of difficulty, because some lived afterwards a longer period than = that.=20 For the space of time meant was 100 years up to the flood in the case of = the=20 sinners of that time; for they were 20 years old. God instructed Noe, = who=20 pleased him on account of his righteousness, to prepare an ark; and when = it was=20 finished, there entered it Noe himself and his sons, his wife and his=20 daughters-in-law, and firstlings of every living creature, with a view = to the=20 duration of the race. And Noe was 600 years old when the flood came on. = And when=20 the water abated, the ark settled on the mountains of Ararat, which we = know to=20 be in Parthia;7=20 but some say that they are at Celaenae8=20 of Phrygia, and I have seen both places. And the flood prevailed for a = year, and=20 then the earth became dry. And they came out of the ark in pairs, as may = be=20 found, and not in the manner in which they had entered, viz., = distinguished=20 according to their species, and were blessed by God. And each of these = things=20 indicates something useful to us.

V.9=20

Noe was 600 years old when the flood came on. From Adam, therefore, = to Noe=20 and the flood, are 2262 years.

VI.10=20

And after the flood, Sem begot Arphaxad.

Arphaxad, when 135 years old, begets Sala in the year 2397.

Sala, when 130 years old, begets Heber in the year 2527.

Heber, when 134 years old, begets Phalec in the year 2661, so called = because=20 the earth was divided in his days.

Phalec, when 130 years old, begot Ragan, and after living other 209 = years=20 died.

VII.11=20

In the year of the world 3277, Abraham entered the promised land of=20 Canaan.

VIII.12=20

From this rises the appellation of the Hebrews.For the word=20 Hebrews is interpreted to mean those who migrate across, = viz., who=20 crossed the Euphrates with Abraham; and it is not derived, as some = think, from=20 the fore-mentioned Heber. From the flood and Noe, therefore, to = Abraham's=20 entrance into the promised land, there are in all 1015 years; and from = Adam, in=20 20 generations 3277 years.

IX.13=20

When a famine pressed the land of Canaan Abraham came down to Egypt; = and=20 fearing lest he should be put out of the way on account of the beauty of = his=20 wife, he pretended that he was her brother. But Pharaoh took her to = himself when=20 she was commended to him; for this is the name the Egyptians give their = kings.=20 And he was punished by God; and Abraham, along with all pertaining to = him, was=20 dismissed enriched. In Canaan, Abraham's shepherds and Lot's contended = with each=20 other; and with mutual consent they separated, Lot choosing to dwell in = Sodom on=20 account of the fertility and beauty of the land, which had five cities, = Sodom,=20 Gomorrah, Adama, Seboim, Segor, and as many kings. On these their = neighbours the=20 four Syrian kings made war, whose leader was Chodollogomo king of Aelam. = And=20 they met by the Salt Sea, which is now called the Dead Sea. In it I have = seen=20 very many wonderful things. For that water sustains no living thing, and = dead=20 bodies are carried beneath its depths, while the living do not readily = even dip=20 under it. Lighted torches are borne upon it, but when extinguished they = sink.=20 And there are the springs of bitumen; and it yields alum and salt a = little=20 different from the common kinds, for they are pungent and transparent. = And=20 wherever fruit is found about it, it is found full of a thick, foul = smoke. And=20 the water acts as a cure to those who use it, and it is drained in a = manner=20 contrary to any other water.14=20 And if it had not the river Jordan feeding it like a shell,15=20 and to a great extent withstanding its tendency, it would have failed = more=20 rapidly than appears. There is also by it a great quantity of the balsam = plant;=20 but it is supposed to have been destroyed by God on account of the = impiety of=20 the neighbouring people.

X.16=20

1. The shepherd's tent belonging to Jacob, which was preserved at = Edessa to=20 the time of Antonine Emperor of the Romans, was destroyed by a=20 thunderbolt.17=20

2. Jacob, being displeased at what had been done by Symeon and Levi = at Shecem=20 against the people of the country, on account of the violation of their = sister,=20 buried at Shecem the gods which he had with him near a rock under the = wonderful=20 terebinth,18=20 which up to this day is reverenced by the neighbouring people in honour = of the=20 patriarchs, and removed thence to Bethel. By the trunk of this terebinth = there=20 was an altar on which the inhabitants of the country offered=20 ectenoe19=20 in their general assemblies; and though it seemed to be burned, it was = not=20 consumed. Near it is the tomb of Abraham and Isaac. And some say that = the staff=20 of one of the angels who were entertained by Abraham was planted = there.

XI.20=20

From Adam, therefore, to the death of Joseph, according to this book, = are 23=20 generations, and 3563 years.

XII.21=20

From this record,22=20 therefore, we affirm that Ogygus,23=20 from whom the first flood (in Attica) derived its name,24=20 and who was saved when many perished, lived at the time of the exodus of = the=20 people from Egypt along with Moses.25=20 (After a break): And after Ogygus, on account of the vast = destruction=20 caused by the flood, the present land of Attica remained without a king = tilt the=20 time of Cecrops, 189 years.26=20 Philochorus, however, affirms that Ogygus, Actaeus, or whatever other = fictitious=20 name is adduced, never existed. (After another break): From = Ogygus to=20 Cyrus, as from Moses to his time, are 1235 years.

XIII.27=20

1. Up to the time of the Olympiads there is no certain history among = the=20 Greeks, all things before that date being confused, and in no way = consistent=20 with each other. But these Olympiads were thoroughly = investigated28=20 by many, as the Greeks made up the records of their history not = according to=20 long spaces, but in periods of four years. For which reason I shall = select the=20 most remarkable of the mythical narratives before the time of the first=20 Olympiad, and rapidly run over them. But those after that period, at = least those=20 that are notable, I shall take together, Hebrew events in connection = with Greek,=20 according to their dates, examining carefully the affairs of the = Hebrews, and=20 touching more cursorily on those of the Greeks; and my plan will be as = follows:=20 Taking up some single event in Hebrew history synchronous with another = in Greek=20 history, and keeping by it as the main subject, subtracting or adding as = may=20 seem needful in the narrative, I shall note what Greek or Persian of = note, or=20 remarkable personage of any other nationality, flourished at the date of = that=20 event in Hebrew history; and thus I may perhaps attain the object which = I=20 propose to myself.

2. The most famous exile that befell the Hebrews, then-to wit, when = they were=20 led captive by Nabuchodonosor king of Babylon-lasted 70 years, as = Jeremias had=20 prophesied. Berosus the Babylonian, moreover, makes mention of = Nabuchodonosor.=20 And after the 70 years of captivity, Cyrus became king of the Persians = at the=20 time of the 55th Olympiad, as may be ascertained from the = Bibliothecae of=20 Diodorus and the histories of Thallus and Castor, and also from Polybius = and=20 Phlegon, and others besides these, who have made the Olympiads a subject = of=20 study. For the date is a matter of agreement among them all. And Cyrus = then, in=20 the first year of his reign, which was the first year of the 55th = Olympiad,=20 effected the first partial restoration of the people by the hand of = Zorobabel,=20 with whom also was Jesus the son of Josedec, since the period of 70 = years was=20 now fulfilled, as is narrated in Esdra the Hebrew historian. The = narratives of=20 the beginning of the sovereignty of Cyrus and the end of the captivity=20 accordingly coincide. And thus, according to the reckoning of the = Olympiads,=20 there will be found a like harmony of events even to our time. And by = following=20 this, we shall also make the other narratives fit in with each other in = the same=20 manner.

3. But if the Attic time-reckoning is taken as the standard for = affairs prior=20 to these, then from Ogygus, who was believed by them to be an = autochthon, in=20 whose time also the first great flood took place in Attica, while = Phoroneus=20 reigned over the Argives, as Acusilaus relates, tip to the date of the = first=20 Olympiad, from which period the Greeks thought they could fix dates = accurately,=20 there are altogether 1020 years; which number both coincides with the=20 above-mentioned, and will be established by what follows. For these = things are=20 also recorded by the Athenian29=20 historians Hellanicus and Phitochorus, who record Attic affairs; and by = Castor=20 and Thallus, who record Syrian affairs; and by Diodorus, who writes a = universal=20 history in his Bibliothecae; and by Alexander Polyhistor, and by some of = our own=20 time, yet more carefully, and30=20 by all the Attic writers. Whatever narrative of note, therefore, meets = us in=20 these 1020 years, shall be given in its proper place.

4. In accordance with this writing, therefore, we affirm that Ogygus, = who=20 gave his name to the first flood, and was saved when many perished, = lived at the=20 time of the exodus of the people from Egypt along with Moses.31=20 And this we make out in the following manner. From Ogygus up to the = first=20 Olympiad already mentioned, it will be shown that there are 1020 years; = and from=20 the first Olympiad to the first year of the 55th, that is the first year = of King=20 Cyrus, which was also the end of the captivity, are 217 years. From = Ogygus,=20 therefore, to Cyrus are 1237. And if one carries the calculation = backwards from=20 the end of the captivity, there are 1237 years. Thus, by analysis, the = same=20 period is found to the first year of the exodus of Israel under Moses = from=20 Egypt, as from the 55th Olympiad to Ogygus, who founded Eleusis. And = from this=20 point we get a more notable beginning for Attic chronography.

5. So much, then, for the period prior to Ogygus. And at his time = Moses left=20 Egypt. And we demonstrate in the following manner how reliable is the = statement=20 that this happened at that date. From the exodus of Moses up to Cyrus, = who=20 reigned after the captivity, are 1237 years. For the remaining years of = Moses=20 are 40. The years of Jesus, who led the people after him, are 25; those = of the=20 elders, who were judges after Jesus, are 30; those of the judges, whose = history=20 is given in the book of Judges, are 490; those of the priests Eli and = Samuel are=20 90; those of the successive kings of the Hebrews are 490. Then come = the 70=20 years of the captivity,32=20 the last year of which was the first year of the reign of Cyrus, as we = have=20 already said.

6. And from Moses, then, to the first Olympiad there are 1020 years, = as to=20 the first year of the 55th Olympiad from the same are 1237, in which = enumeration=20 the reckoning of the Greeks coincides with us. And after Ogygus, by = reason of=20 the vast destruction caused by the flood, the present land of Attica = remained=20 without a king up to Cecrops, a period of 189 years. For Philochorus = asserts=20 that the Actaeus who is said to have succeeded Ogygus, or whatever other = fictitious names are adduced, never existed. And again: From = Ogygus,=20 therefore, to Cyrus, says he, the same period is reckoned as from = Moses=20 to the same date, viz. 1237 years; and some of the Greeks also record = that Moses=20 lived at that same time. Polemo, for instance, in the first book of his = Greek=20 History, says: In the time of Apis, son of Phoroneus, a division of = the army=20 of the Egyptians left Egypt, and settled in the Palestine called Syrian, = not far=20 from Arabia: these are evidently those who were with Moses. And Apion = the son of=20 Poseidonius, the most laborious of grammarians, in his book Against = the=20 Jews, and in the fourth book of his History, says that in the = time of=20 Inachus king of Argos, when Amosis reigned over Egypt, the Jews revolted = under=20 the leadership of Moses. And Herodotus also makes mention of this = revolt, and of=20 Amosis, in his second book, and in a certain way also of the Jews = themselves,=20 reckoning them among the circumcised, and calling them the Assyrians of=20 Palestine, perhaps through Abraham. And Ptolemy the Mendesian, who = narrates the=20 history of the Egyptians from the earliest times, gives the same account = of all=20 these things; so that among them in general there is no difference worth = notice=20 in the chronology.

7. It should be observed, further, that all the legendary accounts = which are=20 deemed specially remarkable by the Greeks by reason of their antiquity, = are=20 found to belong to a period posterior to Moses; such as their floods and = conflagrations, Prometheus, Io, Europa, the Sparti, the abduction of = Proserpine,=20 their mysteries, their legislations, the deeds of Dionysus, Perseus, the = Argonauts, the Centaurs, the Minotaur, the affairs of Troy, the labours = of=20 Hercules, the return of the Heraclidae, the Ionian migration and the = Olympiads.=20 And it seemed good to me to give an account especially of the = before-noted=20 period of the Attic sovereignty, as I intend to narrate the history of = the=20 Greeks side by side with that of the Hebrews. For any one will be able, = if he=20 only start from my position, to make out the reckoning equally well with = me.=20 Now, in the first year of that period of 1020 years, stretching from = Moses and=20 Ogygus to the first Olympiad, the passover and the exodus of the Hebrews = from=20 Egypt took place, and also in Attica the flood of Ogygus. And that is = according=20 to reason. For when the Egyptians were being smitten in the anger of God = with=20 hail and storms, it was only to be expected that certain parts of the = earth=20 should suffer with them; and, in especial, it was but to be expected = that the=20 Athenians should participate in such calamity with the Egyptians, since = they=20 were supposed to be a colony from them, as Theopompus alleges in his=20 Tricarenus, and others besides him. The intervening period has = been=20 passed by, as no remarkable event is recorded during it among the = Greeks. But=20 after 94 years Prometheus arose, according to some, who was fabulously = reported=20 to have formed men; for being a wise man, he transformed them from the = state of=20 extreme rudeness to culture.

XIV.33=20

Aeschylus, the son of Agamestor, ruled the Athenians twenty-three = years, in=20 whose time Joatham reigned in Jerusalem.

And our canon brings Joatham king of Juda within the first = Olympiad.

XV.34=20

And Africanus, in the third booze of his History, writes: Now = the=20 first Olympiad recorded-which, however, was really the fourteenth-was = the period=20 when Coroebus was victor;35=20 at that time Ahaz was in the first year of his reign in Jerusalem. = Then in=20 the fourth book he says: It is therefore with the first year of the = reign of=20 Ahaz that we have shown the first Olympiad to fall in.

XVI.36=20

1. This passage, therefore, as it stands thus, touches on many = marvellous=20 things. At present, however, I shall speak only of those things in it = which bear=20 upon chronology, and matters connected therewith. That the passage = speaks then=20 of the advent of Christ, who was to manifest Himself after seventy = weeks, is=20 evident. For in the Saviour's time, or from Him, are transgressions = abrogated,=20 and sins brought to an end. And through remission, moreover, are = iniquities,=20 along with offences, blotted out by expiation; and an everlasting = righteousness=20 is preached, different from that which is by the law, and visions and = prophecies=20 (are) until John, and the Most Holy is anointed. For before the advent = of the=20 Saviour these things were not yet, and were therefore only looked for. = And the=20 beginning of the numbers, that is, of the seventy weeks which make up = 490 years,=20 the angel instructs us to take from the going forth of the commandment = to answer=20 and to build Jerusalem. And this happened in the twentieth year of the = reign of=20 Artaxerxes king of Persia. For Nehemiah his cup-bearer besought him, and = received the answer that Jerusalem should be built. And the word went = forth=20 commanding these things; for up to that time the city was desolate. For = when=20 Cyrus, after the seventy years' captivity, gave free permission to all = to return=20 who desired it, some of them under the leadership of Jesus she high = priest and=20 Zorobabel, and others after these under the leadership of Esdra, = returned, but=20 were prevented at first from building the temple, and from surrounding = the city=20 with a wall, on the plea that that had not been commanded.

2. It remained in this position, accordingly, until Nehemiah and the = reign of=20 Artaxerxes, and the 115th year of the sovereignty of the Persians. And = from the=20 capture of Jerusalem that makes 185 years. And at that time King = Artaxerxes gave=20 order that the city should be built; and Nehemiah being despatched,=20 superintended the work, and the street and the surrounding wall were = built, as=20 had been prophesied. And reckoning from that point, we make up seventy = weeks to=20 the time of Christ. For if we begin to reckon from any other point, and = not from=20 this, the periods will not correspond, and very many odd results will = meet us.=20 For if we begin the calculation of the seventy weeks from Cyrus and the = first=20 restoration, there will be upwards of one hundred years too many, and = there will=20 be a larger number if we begin from the day on which the angel gave the = prophecy=20 to Daniel, and a much larger number still if we begin from the = commencement of=20 the captivity. For we find the sovereignty of the Persians comprising a = period=20 of 230 years, and that of the Macedonians extending over 370 years, and = froth=20 that to the 16th37=20 year of Tiberius Caesar is a period of about 60 years.

3. It is by calculating from Artaxerxes, therefore, up to the time of = Christ=20 that the seventy weeks are made up, according to the numeration of the = Jews. For=20 from Nehemiah, who was despatched by Artaxerxes to build Jerusalem in = the 115th=20 year of the Persian empire, and the 4th year of the 83d Olympiad, and = the 20th=20 year of the reign of Artaxerxes himself, up to ibis date, which was the = second=20 year of the 202d Olympiad, and the 16th year of the reign of Tiberius = Caesar,=20 there are reckoned 475 years, which make 490 according to the Hebrew = numeration,=20 as they measure the years by the course of the moon; so that, as is easy = to=20 show, their year consists of 354 days, while the solar year has = 3651/4days. For=20 the latter exceeds the period of twelve months, according to the moon's = course,=20 by 111/4 days. Hence the Greeks and the Jews insert three intercalary = months=20 every 8 years. For 8 times 111/4 days makes up 3 months. Therefore 475 = years=20 make 59 periods of 8 years each, and 3 months besides. But since thus = there are=20 3 intercalary months every 8 years, we get thus 15 years minus a = few=20 days; and these being added to the 475 years, make up in all the 70 = weeks.

XVII.38=20

1. Octavius Sebastus, or, as the Romans call him, Augustus, the = adopted son=20 of Caius, on returning to Rome from Apollonias in Epirus, where he was = educated,=20 possessed himself of the first place in the government. And Antony = afterwards=20 obtained the rule of Asia and the districts beyond. In his time the Jews = accused=20 Herod; but he put the deputies to death, and restored Herod to his = government.=20 Afterwards, however, along with Hyrcanus and Phasaelus his brother, he = was=20 driven out, and betook himself in flight to Antony. And as the Jews = would not=20 receive him, an obstinate battle took place; and in a short time after, = as he=20 had conquered in battle, he also drove out Antigonus, who had returned. = And=20 Antigonus fled to Herod the Parthian king, and was restored by the help = of his=20 son Pacorus, which help was given on his promising to pay 1000 talents = of gold.=20 And Herod then in his turn had to flee, while Phasaelus was slain in = battle, and=20 Hyrcanus was surrendered alive to Antigonus. And after cutting off his = ears,=20 that he might be disqualified for the priesthood, he gave him to the = Parthians=20 to lead into captivity; for he scrupled to put him to death, as he was a = relation of his own. And Herod, on his expulsion, betook himself first = to=20 Malichus king of the Arabians; and when he did not receive him, through = fear of=20 the Parthians, he went away to Alexandria to Cleopatra. That was the = 185th=20 Olympiad. Cleopatra having put to death her brother, who was her consort = in the=20 government, and being then summoned by Antony to Cilicia to make her = defence,=20 committed the care of the sovereignty to Herod; and as he requested that = he=20 should not be entrusted with anything until he was restored to his own=20 government,39=20 she took him with her and went to Antony. And as he was smitten with = love for=20 the princess, they despatched Herod to Rome to Octavius Augustus, who, = on behalf=20 of Antipater, Herod's father, and on behalf of Herod himself, and also = because=20 Antigonus was established as king by the help of the Parthians, gave a=20 commission to the generals in Palestine and Syria to restore him to his=20 government. And in concert with Sosius he waged war against Antigonus = for a long=20 time, and in manifold engagements. At that time also, Josephus, Herod's = brother,=20 died in his command. And Herod coming to Antony40=20 ...

2. For three years they besieged Antigonus, and then brought him = alive to=20 Antony. And Antony himself also proclaimed Herod as king, and gave him, = in=20 addition, the cities Hippus, Gadara, Gaza, Joppa, Anthedon, and a part = of=20 Arabia, Trachonitis, and Auranitis, and Sacia, and Gaulanitis;41=20 and besides these, also the procuratorship of Syria. Herod was declared = king of=20 the Jews by the senate and Octavius Augustus, and reigned 34 years. = Antony, when=20 about to go on an expedition against the Parthians, slew Antigonus the = king of=20 the Jews, and gave Arabia to Cleopatra; and passing over into the = territory of=20 the Parthians, sustained a severe defeat, losing the greater part of his = army.=20 That was in the 186th Olympiad. Octavius Augustus led the forces of = Italy and=20 all the West against Antony, who refused to return to Rome through fear, = on=20 account of his failure in Parthia, and through his love for Cleopatra. = And=20 Antony met him with the forces of Asia. Herod, however, like a shrewd = fellow,=20 and one who waits upon the powerful, sent a double set of letters, and=20 despatched his army to sea, charging his generals to watch the issue of = events.=20 And when the victory was decided, and when Antony, after sustaining two = naval=20 defeats, had fled to Egypt along with Cleopatra, they who bore the = letters=20 delivered to Augustus those which they had been keeping secretly for = Antony. And=20 on Herod falls42=20 ...

3. Cleopatra shut herself up in a mausoleum,43=20 and made away with herself, employing the wild asp as the instrument of = death.=20 At that time Augustus captured Cleopatra's sons, Helios and = Selene,44=20 on their flight to the Thebaid. Nicopolis was founded opposite Actium, = and the=20 games called Actia were instituted. On the capture of Alexandria, = Cornelius=20 Gallus was sent as first governor of Egypt, and he destroyed the cities = of the=20 Egyptians that refused obedience. Up to this time the Lagidae ruled; and = the=20 whole duration of the Macedonian empire after the subversion of the = Persian=20 power was 298 years. Thus is made up the whole period from the = foundation of the=20 Macedonian empire to its subversion in the time of the Ptolemies, and = under=20 Cleopatra, the last of these, the date of which event is the 11th year = of the=20 monarchy and empire of the Romans, and the 4th year of the 187th = Olympiad.=20 Altogether, from Adam 5472 years are reckoned.

4. After the taking of Alexandria the 188th Olympiad began. Herod = founded=20 anew the city of the Gabinii,45=20 the ancient Samaria, and called it Sebaste; and having erected its = seaport, the=20 tower of Strato, into a city, he named it Caesarea after the same, and = raised in=20 each a temple in honour of Octavius. And afterwards he founded = Antipatris in the=20 Lydian plain, so naming it after his father, and settled in it the = people about=20 Sebaste, whom he had dispossessed of their land. He founded also other = cities;=20 and to the Jews he was severe, but to other nations most urbane.

It was now the 189th Olympiad, which (Olympiad) in the year that had = the=20 bissextile day, the 6th day before the Calends of March,-i.e., the 24th = of=20 February,-corresponded with the 24th year of the era of Antioch, whereby = the=20 year was determined in its proper limits.46=20

XVIII.47=20

1. As to His works severally, and His cures effected upon body and = soul, and=20 the mysteries of His doctrine, and the resurrection from the dead, these = have=20 been most authoritatively set forth by His disciples and apostles before = us. On=20 the whole world there pressed a most fearful darkness; and the rocks = were rent=20 by an earthquake, and many places in Judea and other districts were = thrown down.=20 This darkness Thallus, in the third book of his History, calls, = as=20 appears to me without reason, an eclipse of the sun. For the Hebrews = celebrate=20 the passover on the 14th day according to the moon, and the passion of = our=20 Saviour fails on the day before the passover; but an eclipse of the sun = takes=20 place only when the moon comes under the sun. And it cannot happen at = any other=20 time but in the interval between the first day of the new moon and the = last of=20 the old, that is, at their junction: how then should an eclipse be = supposed to=20 happen when the moon is almost diametrically opposite the sun? Let that = opinion=20 pass however; let it carry the majority with it; and let this portent of = the=20 world be deemed an eclipse of the sun, like others a portent only to the = eye.48=20 Phlegon records that, in the time of Tiberius Caesar, at full moon, = there was a=20 full eclipse of the sun from the sixth hour to the ninth-manifestly that = one of=20 which we speak. But what has an eclipse in common with an earthquake, = the=20 rending rocks, and the resurrection of the dead, and so great a = perturbation=20 throughout the universe? Surely no such event as this is recorded for a = long=20 period. But it was a darkness induced by God, because the Lord happened = then to=20 suffer. And calculation makes out that the period of 70 weeks, as noted = in=20 Daniel, is completed at this time.

2. From Artaxerxes, moreover, 70 weeks are reckoned up to the time of = Christ,=20 according to the numeration of the Jews. For from Nehemiah, who was sent = by=20 Artaxerxes to people Jerusalem, about the 120th year of the Persian = empire, and=20 in the 20th year of Artaxerxes himself, and the 4th year of the 83d = Olympiad, up=20 to this time, which was the 2d year of the 102d Olympiad, and the 16th = year of=20 the reign of Tiberius Caesar, there are given 475 years, which make 490 = Hebrew=20 years, since they measure the years by the lunar month of 291/2 days, as = may=20 easily be explained, the annual period according to the sun consisting = of 3651/4=20 days, while the lunar period of 12 months has 111/4 days less. For which = reason=20 the Greeks and the Jews insert three intercalary months every eight = years. For 8=20 times 111/4 days make 3 months. The 475 years, therefore, contain 59 = periods of=20 8 years and three months over: thus, the three intercalary months for = every 8=20 years being added, we get 15 years, and these together with the 475 = years make=20 70 weeks. Let no one now think us unskilled in the calculations of = astronomy,=20 when we fix without further ado the number of days at 3651/4. For it is = not in=20 ignorance of the truth, but rather by reason of exact study,49=20 that we have stated our opinion so shortly. But let what follows also be = presented as in outline50=20 to those who endeavour to inquire minutely into all things.

3. Each year in the general consists of 365 days; and the space of a = day and=20 night being divided into nineteen parts, we have also five of these. And = in=20 saying that the year consists of 3651/4 days, and there being the five=20 nineteenth parts ... to the 475 there are 61/4 days. Furthermore, we = find,=20 according to exact computation, that the lunar month has 291/2 = days....51=20 And these come to52=20 a little time. Now it happens that from the 20th year of the reign of = Artaxerxes=20 (as it is given in Ezra among the Hebrews), which, according to the = Greeks, was=20 the 4th year of the 80th Olympiad, to the 16th year of Tiberius Caesar, = which=20 was the second year of the 102d Olympiad, there are in all the 475 years = already=20 noted, which in the Hebrew system make 490 years, as has been previously = stated,=20 that is, 70 weeks, by which period the time of Christ's advent was = measured in=20 the announcement made to Daniel by Gabriel. And if any one thinks that = the 15=20 Hebrew years added to the others involve us in an error of 10, nothing = at least=20 which cannot be accounted for has been introduced. And the 11/2 week = which we=20 suppose must be added to make the whole number, meets the question about = the 15=20 years, and removes the difficulty about the time; and that the = prophecies are=20 usually put forth in a somewhat symbolic form, is quite evident.

4. As far, then, as is in our power, we have taken the Scripture, I = think,=20 correctly; especially seeing that the preceding section about the vision = seems=20 to state the whole matter shortly, its first words being, "In the third = year of=20 the reign of Belshazzar,"53=20 where he prophesies of the subversion of the Persian power by the = Greeks, which=20 empires are symbolized in the prophecy under the figures of the rain and = the=20 goat respectively.54=20 "The sacrifice," he says, "shall be abolished, and the holy places shall = he made=20 desolate, so as to be trodden under foot; which things shall be = determined=20 within 2300 days."55=20 For if we take the day as a month, just as elsewhere in prophecy days = are taken=20 as years, and in different places are used in different ways, reducing = the=20 period in the same way as has been done above to Hebrew months, we shall = find=20 the period fully made out to the 20th year of the reign of Artaxerxes, = from the=20 capture of Jerusalem. For there are given thus 185 years, and one year = falls to=20 be added to these-the year in which Nehemiah built the wall of the city. = In 186=20 years, therefore, we find 230 Hebrew months, as 8 years have in addition = 3=20 intercalary months. From Artaxerxes, again, in whose time the command = went forth=20 that Jerusalem should be built, there are 70 weeks. These matters, = however, we=20 have discussed by themselves, and with greater exactness, in our book = On the=20 Weeks and this Prophecy. But I am amazed that the Jews deny that the = Lord=20 has yet come, and that the followers of Marcion refuse to admit that His = coming=20 was predicted in the prophecies when the Scriptures display the matter = so openly=20 to our view. And after something else: The period, then, to the = advent of=20 the Lord from Adam and the creation is 5531 years, from which epoch to = the 250th=20 Olympiad there are 192 years, as has been shown above.

XIX.56=20

For we who both know the measure of those words,57=20 and are not ignorant of the grace of faith, give thanks to the = Father,58=20 who has bestowed on us His creatures Jesus Christ the Saviour of all, = and our=20 Lord;59=20 to whom be glory and majesty, with the Holy Spirit, for ever.

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