1. Hebrew Bible, Deuteronomy, 33.8 (9th cent. BCE - 3rd cent. BCE)
| 33.8. וּלְלֵוִי אָמַר תֻּמֶּיךָ וְאוּרֶיךָ לְאִישׁ חֲסִידֶךָ אֲשֶׁר נִסִּיתוֹ בְּמַסָּה תְּרִיבֵהוּ עַל־מֵי מְרִיבָה׃ | 33.8. And of Levi he said: Thy Thummim and Thy Urim be with Thy holy one, Whom Thou didst prove at Massah, With whom Thou didst strive at the waters of Meribah;" |
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2. Hebrew Bible, Leviticus, 8.7-8.8 (9th cent. BCE - 3rd cent. BCE)
| 8.7. וַיִּתֵּן עָלָיו אֶת־הַכֻּתֹּנֶת וַיַּחְגֹּר אֹתוֹ בָּאַבְנֵט וַיַּלְבֵּשׁ אֹתוֹ אֶת־הַמְּעִיל וַיִּתֵּן עָלָיו אֶת־הָאֵפֹד וַיַּחְגֹּר אֹתוֹ בְּחֵשֶׁב הָאֵפֹד וַיֶּאְפֹּד לוֹ בּוֹ׃ 8.8. וַיָּשֶׂם עָלָיו אֶת־הַחֹשֶׁן וַיִּתֵּן אֶל־הַחֹשֶׁן אֶת־הָאוּרִים וְאֶת־הַתֻּמִּים׃ | 8.7. And he put upon him the tunic, and girded him with the girdle, and clothed him with the robe, and put the ephod upon him, and he girded him with the skilfully woven band of the ephod, and bound it unto him therewith." 8.8. And he placed the breastplate upon him; and in the breastplate he put the Urim and the Thummim." |
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3. Hebrew Bible, Numbers, 27.21 (9th cent. BCE - 3rd cent. BCE)
| 27.21. וְלִפְנֵי אֶלְעָזָר הַכֹּהֵן יַעֲמֹד וְשָׁאַל לוֹ בְּמִשְׁפַּט הָאוּרִים לִפְנֵי יְהוָה עַל־פִּיו יֵצְאוּ וְעַל־פִּיו יָבֹאוּ הוּא וְכָל־בְּנֵי־יִשְׂרָאֵל אִתּוֹ וְכָל־הָעֵדָה׃ | 27.21. And he shall stand before Eleazar the priest, who shall inquire for him by the judgment of the Urim before the LORD; at his word shall they go out, and at his word they shall come in, both he, and all the children of Israel with him, even all the congregation.’" |
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4. Hebrew Bible, Psalms, 115.3-115.8 (9th cent. BCE - 3rd cent. BCE)
| 115.3. וֵאלֹהֵינוּ בַשָּׁמָיִם כֹּל אֲשֶׁר־חָפֵץ עָשָׂה׃ 115.4. עֲצַבֵּיהֶם כֶּסֶף וְזָהָב מַעֲשֵׂה יְדֵי אָדָם׃ 115.5. פֶּה־לָהֶם וְלֹא יְדַבֵּרוּ עֵינַיִם לָהֶם וְלֹא יִרְאוּ׃ 115.6. אָזְנַיִם לָהֶם וְלֹא יִשְׁמָעוּ אַף לָהֶם וְלֹא יְרִיחוּן׃ 115.7. יְדֵיהֶם וְלֹא יְמִישׁוּן רַגְלֵיהֶם וְלֹא יְהַלֵּכוּ לֹא־יֶהְגּוּ בִּגְרוֹנָם׃ 115.8. כְּמוֹהֶם יִהְיוּ עֹשֵׂיהֶם כֹּל אֲשֶׁר־בֹּטֵחַ בָּהֶם׃ | 115.3. But our God is in the heavens; Whatsoever pleased Him He hath done." 115.4. Their idols are silver and gold, The work of men's hands." 115.5. They have mouths, but they speak not; Eyes have they, but they see not;" 115.6. They have ears, but they hear not; Noses have they, but they smell not;" 115.7. They have hands, but they handle not; Feet have they, but they walk not; Neither speak they with their throat. ." 115.8. They that make them shall be like unto them; Yea, every one that trusteth in them." |
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5. Hebrew Bible, 1 Samuel, 2.1, 10.22, 14.3, 14.18, 14.41, 23.2, 23.4, 23.9-23.12, 28.3-28.6, 30.7-30.8 (8th cent. BCE - 5th cent. BCE)
| 2.1. יְהוָה יֵחַתּוּ מריבו [מְרִיבָיו] עלו [עָלָיו] בַּשָּׁמַיִם יַרְעֵם יְהוָה יָדִין אַפְסֵי־אָרֶץ וְיִתֶּן־עֹז לְמַלְכּוֹ וְיָרֵם קֶרֶן מְשִׁיחוֹ׃ 2.1. וַתִּתְפַּלֵּל חַנָּה וַתֹּאמַר עָלַץ לִבִּי בַּיהוָה רָמָה קַרְנִי בַּיהוָה רָחַב פִּי עַל־אוֹיְבַי כִּי שָׂמַחְתִּי בִּישׁוּעָתֶךָ׃ 10.22. וַיִּשְׁאֲלוּ־עוֹד בַּיהוָה הֲבָא עוֹד הֲלֹם אִישׁ וַיֹּאמֶר יְהוָה הִנֵּה־הוּא נֶחְבָּא אֶל־הַכֵּלִים׃ 14.3. וַאֲחִיָּה בֶן־אֲחִטוּב אֲחִי אִיכָבוֹד בֶּן־פִּינְחָס בֶּן־עֵלִי כֹּהֵן יְהוָה בְּשִׁלוֹ נֹשֵׂא אֵפוֹד וְהָעָם לֹא יָדַע כִּי הָלַךְ יוֹנָתָן׃ 14.3. אַף כִּי לוּא אָכֹל אָכַל הַיּוֹם הָעָם מִשְּׁלַל אֹיְבָיו אֲשֶׁר מָצָא כִּי עַתָּה לֹא־רָבְתָה מַכָּה בַּפְּלִשְׁתִּים׃ 14.18. וַיֹּאמֶר שָׁאוּל לַאֲחִיָּה הַגִּישָׁה אֲרוֹן הָאֱלֹהִים כִּי־הָיָה אֲרוֹן הָאֱלֹהִים בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא וּבְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל׃ 14.41. וַיֹּאמֶר שָׁאוּל אֶל־יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל הָבָה תָמִים וַיִּלָּכֵד יוֹנָתָן וְשָׁאוּל וְהָעָם יָצָאוּ׃ 23.2. וְעַתָּה לְכָל־אַוַּת נַפְשְׁךָ הַמֶּלֶךְ לָרֶדֶת רֵד וְלָנוּ הַסְגִּירוֹ בְּיַד הַמֶּלֶךְ׃ 23.2. וַיִּשְׁאַל דָּוִד בַּיהוָה לֵאמֹר הַאֵלֵךְ וְהִכֵּיתִי בַּפְּלִשְׁתִּים הָאֵלֶּה וַיֹּאמֶר יְהוָה אֶל־דָּוִד לֵךְ וְהִכִּיתָ בַפְּלִשְׁתִּים וְהוֹשַׁעְתָּ אֶת־קְעִילָה׃ 23.4. וַיּוֹסֶף עוֹד דָּוִד לִשְׁאֹל בַּיהוָה וַיַּעֲנֵהוּ יְהוָה וַיֹּאמֶר קוּם רֵד קְעִילָה כִּי־אֲנִי נֹתֵן אֶת־פְּלִשְׁתִּים בְּיָדֶךָ׃ 23.9. וַיֵּדַע דָּוִד כִּי עָלָיו שָׁאוּל מַחֲרִישׁ הָרָעָה וַיֹּאמֶר אֶל־אֶבְיָתָר הַכֹּהֵן הַגִּישָׁה הָאֵפוֹד׃ 23.11. הֲיַסְגִּרֻנִי בַעֲלֵי קְעִילָה בְיָדוֹ הֲיֵרֵד שָׁאוּל כַּאֲשֶׁר שָׁמַע עַבְדֶּךָ יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל הַגֶּד־נָא לְעַבְדֶּךָ וַיֹּאמֶר יְהוָה יֵרֵד׃ 23.12. וַיֹּאמֶר דָּוִד הֲיַסְגִּרוּ בַּעֲלֵי קְעִילָה אֹתִי וְאֶת־אֲנָשַׁי בְּיַד־שָׁאוּל וַיֹּאמֶר יְהוָה יַסְגִּירוּ׃ 28.3. וּשְׁמוּאֵל מֵת וַיִּסְפְּדוּ־לוֹ כָּל־יִשְׂרָאֵל וַיִּקְבְּרֻהוּ בָרָמָה וּבְעִירוֹ וְשָׁאוּל הֵסִיר הָאֹבוֹת וְאֶת־הַיִּדְּעֹנִים מֵהָאָרֶץ׃ 28.4. וַיִּקָּבְצוּ פְלִשְׁתִּים וַיָּבֹאוּ וַיַּחֲנוּ בְשׁוּנֵם וַיִּקְבֹּץ שָׁאוּל אֶת־כָּל־יִשְׂרָאֵל וַיַּחֲנוּ בַּגִּלְבֹּעַ׃ 28.5. וַיַּרְא שָׁאוּל אֶת־מַחֲנֵה פְלִשְׁתִּים וַיִּרָא וַיֶּחֱרַד לִבּוֹ מְאֹד׃ 28.6. וַיִּשְׁאַל שָׁאוּל בַּיהוָה וְלֹא עָנָהוּ יְהוָה גַּם בַּחֲלֹמוֹת גַּם בָּאוּרִים גַּם בַּנְּבִיאִם׃ 30.7. וַיֹּאמֶר דָּוִד אֶל־אֶבְיָתָר הַכֹּהֵן בֶּן־אֲחִימֶלֶךְ הַגִּישָׁה־נָּא לִי הָאֵפֹד וַיַּגֵּשׁ אֶבְיָתָר אֶת־הָאֵפֹד אֶל־דָּוִד׃ 30.8. וַיִּשְׁאַל דָּוִד בַּיהוָה לֵאמֹר אֶרְדֹּף אַחֲרֵי הַגְּדוּד־הַזֶּה הַאַשִּׂגֶנּוּ וַיֹּאמֶר לוֹ רְדֹף כִּי־הַשֵּׂג תַּשִּׂיג וְהַצֵּל תַּצִּיל׃ | 2.1. And Ĥanna prayed, and said, My heart rejoices in the Lord, my horn is exalted in the Lord: my mouth is enlarged over my enemies; because I rejoice in Thy salvation." 10.22. Therefore they inquired again of the Lord, Did the man come here? And the Lord answered, Behold, he is hidden among the baggage." 14.3. and Aĥiyya, the son of Aĥituv, I-khavod’s brother, the son of Pineĥas, the son of ῾Eli, was the Lord’s priest in Shilo, wearing an efod. And the people knew not that Yonatan was gone." 14.18. And Sha᾽ul said to Aĥiyya, Bring the ark of God here. For the ark of God was at that time with the children of Yisra᾽el." 14.41. Therefore Sha᾽ul said to the Lord God of Yisra᾽el, Give a perfect lot. And Sha᾽ul and Yonatan were picked: but the people escaped." 23.2. Therefore David inquired of the Lord, saying, Shall I go and smite these Pelishtim? And the Lord said to David, Go, and smite the Pelishtim, and save Qe῾ila." 23.4. Then David inquired of the Lord yet again. And the Lord answered him and said, Arise, go down to Qe῾ila; for I will deliver the Pelishtim into thy hand." 23.9. And David knew that Sha᾽ul devised that mischief against him; and he said to Evyatar the priest, Bring the efod here." 23.10. Then said David, O Lord God of Yisra᾽el, Thy servant has certainly heard that Sha᾽ul seeks to come to Qe῾ila, to destroy the city for my sake." 23.11. Will the men of Qe῾ila deliver me up into his hand? will Sha᾽ul come down, as Thy servant has heard? O Lord God of Yisra᾽el, I beseech Thee, tell Thy servant. And the Lord said, He will come down." 23.12. Then said David, Will the men of Qe῾ila deliver me and my men into the hand of Sha᾽ul? And the Lord said, They will deliver thee up." 28.3. Now Shemu᾽el was dead, and all Yisra᾽el had mourned him, and buried him in Rama in his own city. And Sha᾽ul had put away the mediums and the wizards, out of the land." 28.4. And the Pelishtim gathered themselves together, and came and pitched in Shunem: and Sha᾽ul gathered all Yisra᾽el together, and they pitched on the Gilboa." 28.5. And when Sha᾽ul saw the camp of the Pelishtim, he was afraid, and his heart greatly trembled." 28.6. And when Sha᾽ul inquired of the Lord, the Lord answered him not, neither by dreams, nor by the Urim, nor by prophets." 30.7. And David said to Evyatar, the priest, Aĥimelekh’s son, I pray thee, bring me here the efod. And Evyatar brought the efod of David." 30.8. And David inquired of the Lord, saying, Shall I pursue after this troop? shall I overtake them? And he answered him, Pursue: for thou shalt surely overtake them, and without fail recover all." |
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6. Hebrew Bible, Isaiah, 44.9-44.20 (8th cent. BCE - 5th cent. BCE)
| 44.9. יֹצְרֵי־פֶסֶל כֻּלָּם תֹּהוּ וַחֲמוּדֵיהֶם בַּל־יוֹעִילוּ וְעֵדֵיהֶם הֵמָּה בַּל־יִרְאוּ וּבַל־יֵדְעוּ לְמַעַן יֵבֹשׁוּ׃ 44.11. הֵן כָּל־חֲבֵרָיו יֵבֹשׁוּ וְחָרָשִׁים הֵמָּה מֵאָדָם יִתְקַבְּצוּ כֻלָּם יַעֲמֹדוּ יִפְחֲדוּ יֵבֹשׁוּ יָחַד׃ 44.12. חָרַשׁ בַּרְזֶל מַעֲצָד וּפָעַל בַּפֶּחָם וּבַמַּקָּבוֹת יִצְּרֵהוּ וַיִּפְעָלֵהוּ בִּזְרוֹעַ כֹּחוֹ גַּם־רָעֵב וְאֵין כֹּחַ לֹא־שָׁתָה מַיִם וַיִּיעָף׃ 44.13. חָרַשׁ עֵצִים נָטָה קָו יְתָאֲרֵהוּ בַשֶּׂרֶד יַעֲשֵׂהוּ בַּמַּקְצֻעוֹת וּבַמְּחוּגָה יְתָאֳרֵהוּ וַיַּעֲשֵׂהוּ כְּתַבְנִית אִישׁ כְּתִפְאֶרֶת אָדָם לָשֶׁבֶת בָּיִת׃ 44.14. לִכְרָת־לוֹ אֲרָזִים וַיִּקַּח תִּרְזָה וְאַלּוֹן וַיְאַמֶּץ־לוֹ בַּעֲצֵי־יָעַר נָטַע אֹרֶן וְגֶשֶׁם יְגַדֵּל׃ 44.15. וְהָיָה לְאָדָם לְבָעֵר וַיִּקַּח מֵהֶם וַיָּחָם אַף־יַשִּׂיק וְאָפָה לָחֶם אַף־יִפְעַל־אֵל וַיִּשְׁתָּחוּ עָשָׂהוּ פֶסֶל וַיִּסְגָּד־לָמוֹ׃ 44.16. חֶצְיוֹ שָׂרַף בְּמוֹ־אֵשׁ עַל־חֶצְיוֹ בָּשָׂר יֹאכֵל יִצְלֶה צָלִי וְיִשְׂבָּע אַף־יָחֹם וְיֹאמַר הֶאָח חַמּוֹתִי רָאִיתִי אוּר׃ 44.17. וּשְׁאֵרִיתוֹ לְאֵל עָשָׂה לְפִסְלוֹ יסגוד־[יִסְגָּד־] לוֹ וְיִשְׁתַּחוּ וְיִתְפַּלֵּל אֵלָיו וְיֹאמַר הַצִּילֵנִי כִּי אֵלִי אָתָּה׃ 44.18. לֹא יָדְעוּ וְלֹא יָבִינוּ כִּי טַח מֵרְאוֹת עֵינֵיהֶם מֵהַשְׂכִּיל לִבֹּתָם׃ 44.19. וְלֹא־יָשִׁיב אֶל־לִבּוֹ וְלֹא דַעַת וְלֹא־תְבוּנָה לֵאמֹר חֶצְיוֹ שָׂרַפְתִּי בְמוֹ־אֵשׁ וְאַף אָפִיתִי עַל־גֶּחָלָיו לֶחֶם אֶצְלֶה בָשָׂר וְאֹכֵל וְיִתְרוֹ לְתוֹעֵבָה אֶעֱשֶׂה לְבוּל עֵץ אֶסְגּוֹד׃ | 44.9. They that fashion a graven image are all of them vanity, And their delectable things shall not profit; And their own witnesses see not, nor know; That they may be ashamed." 44.10. Who hath fashioned a god, or molten an image That is profitable for nothing?" 44.11. Behold, all the fellows thereof shall be ashamed; And the craftsmen skilled above men; Let them all be gathered together, let them stand up; They shall fear, they shall be ashamed together." 44.12. The smith maketh an axe, And worketh in the coals, and fashioneth it with hammers, And worketh it with his strong arm; Yea, he is hungry, and his strength faileth; He drinketh no water, and is faint." 44.13. The carpenter stretcheth out a line; He marketh it out with a pencil; He fitteth it with planes, And he marketh it out with the compasses, And maketh it after the figure of a man, According to the beauty of a man, to dwell in the house." 44.14. He heweth him down cedars, And taketh the ilex and the oak, And strengtheneth for himself one among the trees of the forest; He planteth a bay-tree, and the rain doth nourish it." 44.15. Then a man useth it for fuel; And he taketh thereof, and warmeth himself; Yea, he kindleth it, and baketh bread; Yea, he maketh a god, and worshippeth it; He maketh it a graven image, and falleth down thereto." 44.16. He burneth the half thereof in the fire; With the half thereof he eateth flesh; He roasteth roast, and is satisfied; Yea, he warmeth himself, and saith: ‘Aha, I am warm, I have seen the fire’;" 44.17. And the residue thereof he maketh a god, even his graven image; He falleth down unto it and worshippeth, and prayeth unto it, And saith: ‘Deliver me, for thou art my god.’" 44.18. They know not, neither do they understand; For their eyes are bedaubed, that they cannot see, And their hearts, that they cannot understand." 44.19. And none considereth in his heart, Neither is there knowledge nor understanding to say: ‘I have burned the half of it in the fire; Yea, also I have baked bread upon the coals thereof; I have roasted flesh and eaten it; And shall I make the residue thereof an abomination? Shall I fall down to the stock of a tree?’" 44.20. He striveth after ashes, A deceived heart hath turned him aside, That he cannot deliver his soul, nor say: ‘Is there not a lie in my right hand?’" |
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7. Hebrew Bible, Jeremiah, 10.1-10.16 (8th cent. BCE - 5th cent. BCE)
| 10.1. וַיהוָה אֱלֹהִים אֱמֶת הוּא־אֱלֹהִים חַיִּים וּמֶלֶךְ עוֹלָם מִקִּצְפּוֹ תִּרְעַשׁ הָאָרֶץ וְלֹא־יָכִלוּ גוֹיִם זַעְמוֹ׃ 10.1. שִׁמְעוּ אֶת־הַדָּבָר אֲשֶׁר דִּבֶּר יְהוָה עֲלֵיכֶם בֵּית יִשְׂרָאֵל׃ 10.2. כֹּה אָמַר יְהוָה אֶל־דֶּרֶךְ הַגּוֹיִם אַל־תִּלְמָדוּ וּמֵאֹתוֹת הַשָּׁמַיִם אַל־תֵּחָתּוּ כִּי־יֵחַתּוּ הַגּוֹיִם מֵהֵמָּה׃ 10.2. אָהֳלִי שֻׁדָּד וְכָל־מֵיתָרַי נִתָּקוּ בָּנַי יְצָאֻנִי וְאֵינָם אֵין־נֹטֶה עוֹד אָהֳלִי וּמֵקִים יְרִיעוֹתָי׃ 10.3. כִּי־חֻקּוֹת הָעַמִּים הֶבֶל הוּא כִּי־עֵץ מִיַּעַר כְּרָתוֹ מַעֲשֵׂה יְדֵי־חָרָשׁ בַּמַּעֲצָד׃ 10.4. בְּכֶסֶף וּבְזָהָב יְיַפֵּהוּ בְּמַסְמְרוֹת וּבְמַקָּבוֹת יְחַזְּקוּם וְלוֹא יָפִיק׃ 10.5. כְּתֹמֶר מִקְשָׁה הֵמָּה וְלֹא יְדַבֵּרוּ נָשׂוֹא יִנָּשׂוּא כִּי לֹא יִצְעָדוּ אַל־תִּירְאוּ מֵהֶם כִּי־לֹא יָרֵעוּ וְגַם־הֵיטֵיב אֵין אוֹתָם׃ 10.6. מֵאֵין כָּמוֹךָ יְהוָה גָּדוֹל אַתָּה וְגָדוֹל שִׁמְךָ בִּגְבוּרָה׃ 10.7. מִי לֹא יִרָאֲךָ מֶלֶךְ הַגּוֹיִם כִּי לְךָ יָאָתָה כִּי בְכָל־חַכְמֵי הַגּוֹיִם וּבְכָל־מַלְכוּתָם מֵאֵין כָּמוֹךָ׃ 10.8. וּבְאַחַת יִבְעֲרוּ וְיִכְסָלוּ מוּסַר הֲבָלִים עֵץ הוּא׃ 10.9. כֶּסֶף מְרֻקָּע מִתַּרְשִׁישׁ יוּבָא וְזָהָב מֵאוּפָז מַעֲשֵׂה חָרָשׁ וִידֵי צוֹרֵף תְּכֵלֶת וְאַרְגָּמָן לְבוּשָׁם מַעֲשֵׂה חֲכָמִים כֻּלָּם׃ 10.11. כִּדְנָה תֵּאמְרוּן לְהוֹם אֱלָהַיָּא דִּי־שְׁמַיָּא וְאַרְקָא לָא עֲבַדוּ יֵאבַדוּ מֵאַרְעָא וּמִן־תְּחוֹת שְׁמַיָּא אֵלֶּה׃ 10.12. עֹשֵׂה אֶרֶץ בְּכֹחוֹ מֵכִין תֵּבֵל בְּחָכְמָתוֹ וּבִתְבוּנָתוֹ נָטָה שָׁמָיִם׃ 10.13. לְקוֹל תִּתּוֹ הֲמוֹן מַיִם בַּשָּׁמַיִם וַיַּעֲלֶה נְשִׂאִים מִקְצֵה ארץ [הָאָרֶץ] בְּרָקִים לַמָּטָר עָשָׂה וַיּוֹצֵא רוּחַ מֵאֹצְרֹתָיו׃ 10.14. נִבְעַר כָּל־אָדָם מִדַּעַת הֹבִישׁ כָּל־צוֹרֵף מִפָּסֶל כִּי שֶׁקֶר נִסְכּוֹ וְלֹא־רוּחַ בָּם׃ 10.15. הֶבֶל הֵמָּה מַעֲשֵׂה תַּעְתֻּעִים בְּעֵת פְּקֻדָּתָם יֹאבֵדוּ׃ 10.16. לֹא־כְאֵלֶּה חֵלֶק יַעֲקֹב כִּי־יוֹצֵר הַכֹּל הוּא וְיִשְׂרָאֵל שֵׁבֶט נַחֲלָתוֹ יְהוָה צְבָאוֹת שְׁמוֹ׃ | 10.1. Hear ye the word which the LORD speaketh unto you, O house of Israel;" 10.2. thus saith the LORD: Learn not the way of the nations, And be not dismayed at the signs of heaven; For the nations are dismayed at them." 10.3. For the customs of the peoples are vanity; For it is but a tree which one cutteth out of the forest, The work of the hands of the workman with the axe." 10.4. They deck it with silver and with gold, They fasten it with nails and with hammers, that it move not." 10.5. They are like a pillar in a garden of cucumbers, and speak not; They must needs be borne, because they cannot go. Be not afraid of them, for they cannot do evil, Neither is it in them to do good." 10.6. There is none like unto Thee, O LORD; Thou art great, and Thy name is great in might." 10.7. Who would not fear Thee, O king of the nations? For it befitteth Thee; Forasmuch as among all the wise men of the nations, and in all their royalty, There is none like unto Thee." 10.8. But they are altogether brutish and foolish: The vanities by which they are instructed are but a stock;" 10.9. Silver beaten into plates which is brought from Tarshish, And gold from Uphaz, The work of the craftsman and of the hands of the goldsmith; Blue and purple is their clothing; They are all the work of skilful men." 10.10. But the LORD God is the true God, He is the living God, and the everlasting King; At His wrath the earth trembleth, And the nations are not able to abide His indignation." 10.11. Thus shall ye say unto them: ‘The gods that have not made the heavens and the earth, these shall perish from the earth, and from under the heavens.’" 10.12. He that hath made the earth by His power, That hath established the world by His wisdom, And hath stretched out the heavens by His understanding;" 10.13. At the sound of His giving a multitude of waters in the heavens, When He causeth the vapours to ascend from the ends of the earth; When He maketh lightnings with the rain, And bringeth forth the wind out of His treasuries;" 10.14. Every man is proved to be brutish, without knowledge, Every goldsmith is put to shame by the graven image, His molten image is falsehood, and there is no breath in them." 10.15. They are vanity, a work of delusion; In the time of their visitation they shall perish." 10.16. Not like these is the portion of Jacob; For He is the former of all things, And Israel is the tribe of His inheritance; The LORD of hosts is His name." |
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8. Hebrew Bible, Judges, 1.1-1.2, 20.18 (8th cent. BCE - 5th cent. BCE)
| 1.1. וַיֵּלֶךְ יְהוּדָה אֶל־הַכְּנַעֲנִי הַיּוֹשֵׁב בְּחֶבְרוֹן וְשֵׁם־חֶבְרוֹן לְפָנִים קִרְיַת אַרְבַּע וַיַּכּוּ אֶת־שֵׁשַׁי וְאֶת־אֲחִימַן וְאֶת־תַּלְמָי׃ 1.1. וַיְהִי אַחֲרֵי מוֹת יְהוֹשֻׁעַ וַיִּשְׁאֲלוּ בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל בַּיהוָה לֵאמֹר מִי יַעֲלֶה־לָּנוּ אֶל־הַכְּנַעֲנִי בַּתְּחִלָּה לְהִלָּחֶם בּוֹ׃ 1.2. וַיֹּאמֶר יְהוָה יְהוּדָה יַעֲלֶה הִנֵּה נָתַתִּי אֶת־הָאָרֶץ בְּיָדוֹ׃ 1.2. וַיִּתְּנוּ לְכָלֵב אֶת־חֶבְרוֹן כַּאֲשֶׁר דִּבֶּר מֹשֶׁה וַיּוֹרֶשׁ מִשָּׁם אֶת־שְׁלֹשָׁה בְּנֵי הָעֲנָק׃ 20.18. וַיָּקֻמוּ וַיַּעֲלוּ בֵית־אֵל וַיִּשְׁאֲלוּ בֵאלֹהִים וַיֹּאמְרוּ בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל מִי יַעֲלֶה־לָּנוּ בַתְּחִלָּה לַמִּלְחָמָה עִם־בְּנֵי בִנְיָמִן וַיֹּאמֶר יְהוָה יְהוּדָה בַתְּחִלָּה׃ | 1.1. Now after the death of Yehoshua it came to pass, that the children of Yisra᾽el asked the Lord, saying, Who shall go up for us against the Kena῾ani first, to fight against them?" 1.2. And the Lord said, Yehuda shall go up: behold, I have delivered the land into his hand." 20.18. And the children of Yisra᾽el arose, and went up to the house of God, and asked counsel of God, and said, which of us shall go up first to the battle against the children of Binyamin? And the Lord said, Yehuda shall go up first." |
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9. Septuagint, Wisdom of Solomon, 13.10, 14.12-14.20 (2nd cent. BCE - 1st cent. BCE)
| 13.10. But miserable, with their hopes set on dead things, are the men who give the name "gods" to the works of mens hands,gold and silver fashioned with skill,and likenesses of animals,or a useless stone, the work of an ancient hand. 14.12. For the idea of making idols was the beginning of fornication,and the invention of them was the corruption of life 14.13. for neither have they existed from the beginning nor will they exist for ever. 14.14. For through the vanity of men they entered the world,and therefore their speedy end has been planned. 14.15. For a father, consumed with grief at an untimely bereavement,made an image of his child, who had been suddenly taken from him;and he now honored as a god what was once a dead human being,and handed on to his dependents secret rites and initiations. 14.16. Then the ungodly custom, grown strong with time, was kept as a law,and at the command of monarchs graven images were worshiped. 14.17. When men could not honor monarchs in their presence, since they lived at a distance,they imagined their appearance far away,and made a visible image of the king whom they honored,so that by their zeal they might flatter the absent one as though present. 14.18. Then the ambition of the craftsman impelled even those who did not know the king to intensify their worship. 14.19. For he, perhaps wishing to please his ruler,skilfully forced the likeness to take more beautiful form 14.20. and the multitude, attracted by the charm of his work,now regarded as an object of worship the one whom shortly before they had honored as a man. |
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10. Anon., Sibylline Oracles, 3.1-3.625, 3.627-3.829, 5.494-5.497 (1st cent. BCE - 5th cent. CE)
| 3.1. O THOU high-thundering blessed heavenly One 3.2. Who hast set in their place the cherubim 3.3. I, who have uttered what is all too true 3.4. Entreat thee, let me have a little rest; 3.5. 5 For my heart has grown weary from within. 3.6. But why again leaps my heart, and my soul 3.7. With a whip smitten from within constrained 3.8. To utter forth its message unto all? 3.9. But yet again will I proclaim all thing 3.10. 10 Which God commands me to proclaim to men. 3.11. O men, that in your image have a form 3.12. Fashioned of God, why do ye vainly stray 3.13. And walk not in the straight way, always mindful 3.14. of the immortal Maker? God is one 3.15. 15 Sovereign, ineffable, dwelling in heaven 3.16. The self-existent and invisible 3.17. Himself alone beholding everything; 3.18. Him sculptor's hand made not, nor is his form 3.19. Shown by man's art from gold or ivory; 3.20. 20 But he, eternal Lord, proclaims himself 3.21. As one who is and was erst and shall be 3.22. Again hereafter. For who being mortal 3.23. Can see God with his eyes? Or who shall bear 3.24. To hear the only name of heaven's great God 3.25. 25 The ruler of the world? He by his word 3.26. Created all things, even heaven and sea 3.27. And tireless sun, and full moon and bright stars 3.28. And mighty mother Tethys, springs and rivers 3.28. 28 of the Chaldeans, nor astronomize; 3.29. Imperishable fire, and days and nights. 3.29. O For these are all deceptive, in so far 3.30. 30 This is the God who formed four-lettered Adam 3.30. As foolish men go seeking day by day 3.31. The first one formed, and filling with his name 3.31. Training their souls unto no useful work; 3.32. East, west, and south, and north. The same is he 3.32. And then did they teach miserable men 3.33. Who fixed the pattern of the human form 3.33. Deceptions, whence to mortals on the earth 3.34. And made wild beasts, and creeping things, and fowls. 3.35. 35 Ye do not worship neither fear ye God 3.36. But vainly go astray and bow the knee 3.37. To serpents, and make offering to cats 3.38. And idols, and stone images of men 3.39. And sit before the doors of godless temples; 3.40. 40 Ye guard him who is God, who keeps all things 3.41. And merry with the wickedness of stone 3.42. Forget the judgment of the immortal Saviour 3.43. Who made the heaven and earth. Alas! a race 3.44. That has delight in blood, deceitful, vile 3.45. 45 Ungodly, of false, double-tongued, immoral men 3.46. Adulterous, idolous, designing fraud 3.47. An evil madness raving in their hearts 3.48. For themselves plundering, having shameless soul; 3.49. For no one who has riches will impart 3.50. 50 To another, but dire wickedness shall be 3.51. Among all mortals, and for sake of gain 3.52. Will many widows not at all keep faith 3.53. But secretly love others, and the bond 3.54. of life those who have husbands do not keep. 3.55. 55 But when Rome shall o'er Egypt also rule 3.56. Governing always, then shall there appear 3.57. The greatest kingdom of the immortal King 3.58. Over men. And a holy Lord shall come 3.59. To hold the scepter over every land 3.60. 60 Unto all ages of fast-hastening time. 3.61. And then shall come inexorable wrath 3.62. On Latin men; three shall by piteous fate 3.63. Endamage Rome. And perish shall all men 3.64. With their own houses, when from heaven shall flow 3.65. 65 A fiery cataract. Ah, wretched me! 3.66. When shall that day and when shall judgment come 3.67. of the immortal God, the mighty King? 3.68. But just now, O ye cities, ye are built 3.69. And all adorned with temples and race-grounds 3.70. 70 Markets, and images of wood, of gold 3.71. of silver and of stone, that ye may come 3.72. Unto the bitter day. For it shall come 3.73. When there shall pass among all men a stench 3.74. of brimstone. Yet each thing will I declare 3.75. 75 In all the cities where men suffer ills. 3.76. From the Sebastenes Beliar shall come 3.77. Hereafter, and the height of hills shall he 3.78. Establish, and shall make the sea stand still 3.79. And the great fiery sun and the bright moon 3.80. 80 And he shall raise the dead, and many sign 3.81. Work before men: but nothing shall be brought 3.82. By him unto completion but deceit 3.83. And many mortals shall be lead astray 3.84. Hebrews both true and choice, and lawless men 3.85. 85 Besides who never gave ear to God's word. 3.86. But when the threatenings of the mighty God 3.87. Shall draw near, and a flaming power shall come 3.88. By billow to the earth, it shall consume 3.89. Both Beliar and all the haughty men 3.90. 90 Who put their trust in him. And thereupon 3.91. Shall the whole world be governed by the hand 3.92. of a woman and obedient everywhere. 3.93. Then when a widow shall o'er all the world 3.94. Gain the rule, and cast in the mighty sea 3.95. 95 Both gold and silver, also brass and iron 3.96. of short lived men into the deep shall cast 3.97. Then all the elements shall be bereft 3.98. of order, when the God who dwells on high 3.99. Shall roll the heaven, even as a scroll is rolled; 3.100. 100 And to the mighty earth and sea shall fall 3.101. The entire multiform sky; and there shall flow 3.102. A tireless cataract of raging fire 3.103. And it shall burn the land, and burn the sea 3.104. And heavenly sky, and night, and day, and melt 3.105. 105 Creation itself together and pick out 3.106. What is pure. No more laughing spheres of light 3.107. Nor night, nor dawn, nor many days of care 3.108. Nor spring, nor winter, nor the summer-time 3.109. Nor autumn. And then of the mighty God 3.110. 110 The judgment midway in a mighty age 3.111. Shall come, when all these things shall come to pass. 3.112. O navigable waters and each land 3.113. of the Orient and of the Occident 3.114. Subject shall all things be to him who come 3.115. 115 Into the world again, and therefore he 3.116. Himself became first conscious of his power. 3.117. But when the threatenings of the mighty God 3.118. Are fulfilled, which he threatened mortals once 3.119. When in Assyrian land they built a tower;– 3.120. 120 (And they all spoke one language, and resolved 3.121. To mount aloft into the starry heaven; 3.122. But on the air the Immortal straightway put 3.123. A mighty force; and then winds from above 3.124. Cast down the great tower and stirred mortals up 3.125. 125 To wrangling with each other; therefore men 3.126. Gave to that city the name of Babylon);– 3.127. Now when the tower fell and the tongues of men 3.128. Turned to all sorts of sounds, straightway all earth 3.129. Was filled with men and kingdoms were divided; 3.130. 130 And then the generation tenth appeared 3.131. of mortal men, from the time when the flood 3.132. Came upon earlier men. And Cronos reigned 3.133. And Titan and Iapetus; and men called them 3.134. Best offspring of Gaia and of Uranus 3.135. 135 Giving to them names both of earth and heaven 3.136. Since they were very first of mortal men. 3.137. So there were three divisions of the earth 3.138. According to the allotment of each man 3.139. And each one having his own portion reigned 3.140. 140 And fought not; for a father's oaths were there 3.141. And equal were their portions. But the time 3.142. Complete of old age on the father came 3.143. And he died; and the sons infringing oath 3.144. Stirred up against each other bitter strife 3.145. 145 Which one should have the royal rank and rule 3.146. Over all mortals; and against each other 3.147. Cronos and Titan fought. But Rhea and Gaia 3.148. And Aphrodite fond of crowns, Demeter 3.149. And Hestia and Dione of fair lock 3.150. 150 Brought them to friendship, and together called 3.151. All who were kings, both brothers and near kin 3.152. And others of the same ancestral blood 3.153. And they judged Cronos should reign king of all 3.154. For he was oldest and of noblest form. 3.155. 155 But Titan laid on Cronos mighty oath 3.156. To rear no male posterity, that he 3.157. Himself might reign when age and fate should come 3.158. To Cronos. And whenever Rhea bore 3.159. Beside her sat the Titans, and all male 3.160. 160 In pieces tore, but let the females live 3.161. To be reared by the mother. But When now 3.162. At the third birth the august Rhea bore 3.163. She brought forth Hera first; and when they saw 3.164. A female offspring, the fierce Titan men 3.165. 165 Betook them to their homes. And thereupon 3.166. Rhea a male child bore, and having bound 3.167. Three men of Crete by oath she quickly sent 3.168. Him into Phrygia to be reared apart 3.169. In secret; therefore did they name him Zeus 3.170. 170 For he was sent away. And thus she sent 3.171. Poseidon also secretly away. 3.172. And Pluto, third, did Rhea yet again 3.173. Noblest of women, at Dodona bear 3.174. Whence flows Europus' river's liquid course 3.175. 175 And with Peneus mixed pours in the sea 3.176. Its water, and men call it Stygian. 3.177. But when the Titans heard that there were son 3.178. Kept secretly, whom Cronos and his wife 3.179. Rhea begat, then Titan sixty youth 3.180. 180 Together gathered, and held fast in chain 3.181. Cronos and his wife Rhea, and concealed 3.182. Them in the earth and guarded them in bonds. 3.183. And then the sons of powerful Cronos heard 3.184. And a great war and uproar they aroused. 3.185. 185 And this is the beginning of dire war 3.186. Among all mortals. [For it is indeed 3.187. With mortals the prime origin of war.] 3.188. And then did God award the Titans evil. 3.189. And all of Titans and of Cronos born 3.190. 190 Died. But then as time rolled around there rose 3.191. The Egyptian kingdom, then that of the Persian 3.192. And of the Medes, and Ethiopians 3.193. And of Assyria and Babylon 3.194. And then that of the Macedonians 3.195. 195 Egyptian yet again, then that of Rome. 3.196. And then a message of the mighty God 3.197. Was set within my breast, and it bade me 3.198. Proclaim through all earth and in royal heart 3.199. Plant things which are to be. And to my mind 3.200. 200 This God imparted first, bow many kingdom 3.201. Have been together gathered of mankind. 3.202. For first of all the house of Solomon 3.203. Shall include horsemen of Phœnicia 3.204. And Syria, and of the islands too 3.205. 205 And the race of Pamphylians and Persian 3.206. And Phrygians, Carians, and Mysian 3.207. And the race of the Lydians rich in gold. 3.208. And then shall Hellenes, proud and impure 3.209. Then shall a Macedonian nation rule 3.210. 210 Great, shrewd, who as a fearful cloud of war 3.211. Shall come to mortals. But the God of heaven 3.212. Shall utterly destroy them from the depth. 3.213. And then shall be another kingdom, white 3.214. And many-headed, from the western sea 3.215. 215 Which shall rule much land, and shake many men 3.216. And to all kings bring terror afterwards 3.217. And out of many cities shall destroy 3.218. Much gold and silver; but in the vast earth 3.219. There will again be gold, and silver too 3.220. 220 And ornament. And they will oppress mortals; 3.221. And to those men shall great disaster be 3.222. When they begin unrighteous arrogance. 3.223. And forthwith in them there shall be a force 3.224. of wickedness, male will consort with male 3.225. 225 And children they will place in dens of shame; 3.226. And in those days there shall be among men 3.227. A great affliction, and it shall disturb 3.228. All things, and break all things, and fill all thing 3.229. With evils by a shameful covetousness 3.230. 230 And by ill-gotten wealth in many lands 3.231. But most of all in Macedonia. 3.232. And it shall stir up hatred, and all guile 3.233. Shalt be with them even to the seventh kingdom 3.234. of which a king of Egypt shall be king 3.235. 235 Who shall be a descendant from the Greeks. 3.236. And then the nation of the mighty God 3.237. Shall be again strong and they shall be guide 3.238. of life to all men. But why did God place 3.239. This also in my mind to tell: what first 3.240. 240 And what next, and what evil last shall be 3.241. On all men? Which of these shall take the lead? 3.242. First on the Titans will God visit evil. 3.243. For they shall pay to mighty Cronos's son 3.244. The penal satisfaction, since they bound 3.245. 245 Both Cronos and the mother dearly loved. 3.246. Again shall there be tyrants for the Greek 3.247. And fierce kings overweening and impure 3.248. Adulterous and altogether bad; 3.249. And for men shall be no more rest from war. 3.250. 250 And the dread Phrygians shall perish all 3.251. And unto Troy shall evil come that day. 3.252. And to the Persians and Assyrian 3.253. Evil shall straightaway come, and to all Egypt 3.254. And Libya and the Ethiopians 3.255. 255 And to the Carians and Pamphylians– 3.256. Evil to pass from one place to another 3.257. And to all mortals. Why now one by one 3.258. Do I speak forth? But when the first receive 3.259. Fulfillment, then straightway shall come on men 3.260. 260 The second. So the very first I'll tell. 3.261. There shall an evil come to pious men 3.262. Who dwell by the great temple of Solomon 3.263. And who are progeny of righteous men. 3.264. Alike of all these also I will tell 3.265. 265 The tribe and line of fathers and homeland– 3.266. All things with care, O mortal shrewd in mind. 3.267. There is a city . . . on the earth 3.268. Ur of the Chaldees, whence there is a race 3.269. of men most righteous, to whom both good will 3.270. 270 And noble deeds have ever been a care. 3.271. For they have no concern about the course 3.272. of the sun's revolution, nor the moon's 3.273. Nor wondrous things beneath the earth, nor depth 3.274. of joy-imparting sea Oceanus 3.275. 275 Nor signs of sneezing, nor the wings of birds 3.276. Nor soothsayers, nor wizards, nor enchanters 3.277. Nor tricks of dull words of ventriloquists 3.278. Neither do they astrologize with skill 3.285. 285 Come many evils leading them astray 3.286. From good ways and just deeds. But they have care 3.287. For righteousness and virtue, and not greed 3.288. Which breeds unnumbered ills to mortal men 3.289. War and unending famine. But with them 3.290. 290 Just measure, both in fields and cities, holds 3.291. Nor steal they from each other in the night 3.292. Nor drive off herds of cattle, sheep, and goats 3.293. Nor neighbor remove landmarks of a neighbor 3.294. Nor any man of great wealth grieve the one 3.295. 295 Less favored, nor to widows cause distress 3.296. But rather aids them, ever helping them 3.297. With wheat and wine and oil; and always doe 3.298. The rich man in the country send a share 3.299. At the time of the harvests unto them 3.300. 300 That have not, but are needy, thus fulfilling 3.301. The saying of the mighty God, a hymn 3.302. In legal setting; for the Heavenly One 3.303. Finished the earth a common good for all. 3.304. Now when the people of twelve tribes depart 3.305. 305 From Egypt, and with leaders sent of God 3.306. Nightly pursue their way by a pillar of fire 3.307. And during all the day by one of cloud 3.308. For them then God a leader will appoint– 3.309. A great man, Moses, whom a princess found 3.310. 310 Beside a marsh, and carried off and reared 3.311. And called her son. And at the time he came 3.312. As leader for the people whom God led 3.313. From Egypt unto the. steel) Sinai mount 3.314. His own law God delivered them from heaven 3.315. 315 Writing on two flat stones all righteous thing 3.316. Which he enjoined to do; and if, perchance 3.317. One give no heed, he must unto the law 3.318. Make satisfaction, either at men's hand 3.319. Or, if men's notice he escape, he shall 3.320. 320 By ample satisfaction he destroyed. 3.321. [For the Heavenly finished earth a common good 3.322. For all, and in all hearts as best gift thought.] 3.323. A hundredfold from one, and thus complete 3.325. 325 God's measure. But to them shall also come 3.326. Misfortune, nor do they escape from plague. 3.327. And even thou, forsaking thy fair shrine 3.328. Shalt flee away when it becomes thy lot 3.329. To leave the holy land. And thou shalt be 3.330. 330 Carried to the Assyrians, and shalt see 3.331. Young children and wives serving hostile men; 3.332. And every means of life and wealth shall perish; 3.333. And every land shall be filled up with thee 3.334. And every sea; and everyone shall be 3.335. 335 offended with thy customs; and thy land 3.336. Shall all be desert; and the altar fenced 3.337. And temple of the great God and long wall 3.338. Shall all fall to the ground, since in thy heart 3.339. The holy law of the immortal God 3.340. 340 Thou didst not keep, but, erring, thou didst serve 3.341. Unseemly images, and didst not fear 3.342. The immortal Father, God of all mankind 3.343. Nor will to honor him; but image 3.344. of mortals thou didst honor Therefore now 3.345. 345 of time seven decades shall thy fruitful land 3.346. And the wonders of thy temple all be waste. 3.347. But there remains for thee a goodly end 3.348. And greatest glory, as the immortal God 3.349. Granted thee. But do thou wait and confide 3.350. 350 In the great God's pure laws, when he shall lift 3.351. Thy wearied knee upright unto the light. 3.352. And then will God from heaven send a king 3.353. To judge each man in blood and light of fire. 3.354. There is a royal tribe, the race of which 3.355. 355 Shall be unfailing; and as times revolve 3.356. This race shall bear rule and begin to build 3.357. God's temple new. And all the Persian king 3.358. Shall aid with bronze and gold and well-wrought iron. 3.359. For God himself will give the holy dream 3.360. 360 By night. And then the temple shall again 3.361. Be, as it was before. . . . 3.362. Now when my soul had rest from inspired song 3.363. And I prayed the great Father for a rest 3.364. From constraint; even in my heart again 3.365. 365 Was set a message of the mighty God 3.366. And he bade me proclaim through all the earth 3.367. And plant in royal minds things yet to be. 3.368. And in my mind God put this first to say 3.369. How many lamentable suffering 3.370. 370 The Immortal purposed upon Babylon 3.371. Because she his great temple had destroyed. 3.372. Alas, alas for thee! O Babylon 3.373. And for the offspring of the Assyrian men! 3.374. Through all the earth the rush of sinful men 3.375. 375 Shall some time come, and shout of mortal men 3.376. And stroke of the great God, who inspires songs 3.377. Shall ruin every land. For high in air to thee 3.378. O Babylon, shall it come from above 3.379. And out of heaven from holy ones to thee 3.380. 380 Shall it come down, and the soul in thy children 3.381. Shall the Eternal utterly destroy. 3.382. And then shalt thou be, as thou wast before 3.383. As one not born; and then shalt thou be filled 3.384. Again with blood, as thou thyself before 3.385. 385 Didst shed that of good, just, and holy men 3.386. Whose blood yet cries out to the lofty heaven. 3.387. To thee, O Egypt, shall a great blow come 3.388. And dreadful, to thy homes, which thou didst hope 3.389. Might never fall on thee. For through thy midst 3.390. 390 A sword shall pass, and scattering and death 3.391. And famine shall prevail until of king 3.392. The seventh generation, and then cease. 3.393. Alas for thee, O land of Gog and Magog 3.394. In the midst of the rivers of Ethiopia! 3.395. 395 What pouring out of blood shalt thou receive 3.396. And house of judgment among men be called 3.397. And thy land of much dew shall drink black blood! 3.398. Alas for thee, O Libya, and alas 3.399. Both sea and land! O daughters of the west 3.400. 400 So shall ye come unto a bitter day. 3.401. And ye shall come pursued by grievous strife 3.402. Dreadful and grievous; there shall be again 3.403. A dreadful judgment, and ye all shall come 3.404. By force unto destruction, for ye tore 3.405. 405 In pieces the great house of the Immortal 3.406. And with iron teeth ye chewed it dreadfully. 3.407. Therefore shalt thou then look upon thy land 3.408. Full of the dead, some of them fallen by war 3.409. And by the demon of all violence 3.410. 410 Famine and plague, and some by barbarous foes. 3.411. And all thy land shall be a wilderness 3.412. And desolations shall thy cities be. 3.413. And in the west there shall a star shine forth 3.414. Which they will call a comet, sign to men 3.415. 415 of the sword and of famine and of death 3.416. And murder of great leaders and chief men. 3.417. And yet again there shall be among men 3.418. Greatest signs; for deep-eddying Tanai 3.419. Shall leave Mæotis's lake, and there shall be 3.420. 420 Down the deep stream a fruitful, furrow's track 3.421. And the vast flow shall hold a neck of land. 3.422. And there are hollow chasms and yawning pits; 3.423. And many cities, men and all, shall fall:– 3.424. In Asia–Iassus, Cebren, Pandonia 3.425. 425 Colophon, Ephesus, Nicæa, Antioch 3.426. Syagra, Sinope, Smyrna, Myrina 3.427. Most happy Gaza, Hierapolis, . 3.428. Astypalaia; and in Europe–Tanagra 3.429. Clitor, Basilis, Meropeia, Antigone 3.430. 430 Magnessa, Mykene, Oiantheia. 3.431. Know then that the destructive race of Egypt 3.432. Is near destruction, and the past year then 3.433. Is better for the Alexandrians. 3.434. As much of tribute as Rome did receive 3.435. 435 of Asia, even thrice as many good 3.436. Shall Asia back again from Rome receive 3.437. And her destructive outrage pay her back. 3.438. As many as from Asia ever served 3.439. A house of the Italians, twenty time 3.440. 440 As many Italians shall in Asia serve 3.441. In poverty, and numerous debts incur. 3.442. O virgin, soft rich child of Latin Rome 3.443. oft at thy much-remembered marriage feast 3.444. Drunken with wine, now shalt thou be a slave 3.445. 445 And wedded in no honorable way. 3.446. And oft shall mistress shear thy pretty hair 3.447. And wreaking satisfaction cast thee down 3.448. From heaven to earth, and from the earth again 3.449. Raise thee to heaven, for mortals of low rank 3.450. 450 And of unrighteous life are held fast bound. 3.451. And of avenging Smyrna overthrown 3.452. There shall be no thought, but by evil plan 3.453. And wickedness of them that have command 3.454. Shall Samos be sand, Delos shall be dull 3.455. 455 And Rome a room; but the decrees of God 3.456. Shall all of them be perfectly fulfilled. 3.457. And a calm peace to Asian land shall go. 3.458. And Europe shall be happy then, well fed 3.459. Pure air, full of years, strong, and undisturbed 3.460. 460 By wintry storms and hail, bearing, all things 3.461. Even birds and creeping things and beasts of earth. 3.462. O happy upon earth shall that man be 3.463. Or woman; what a home unspeakable 3.464. of happy ones! For from the starry heaven 3.465. 465 Shall all good order come upon mankind 3.466. And justice, and the prudent unity 3.467. Which of all things is excellent for men 3.468. And kindness, confidence, and love of guests; 3.469. But far from them shall lawlessness depart 3.470. 470 Blame, envy, wrath, and folly; poverty 3.471. Shall flee away from men, and force shall flee 3.472. And murder, baneful strifes and bitter feuds 3.473. And theft, and every evil in those days. 3.474. But Macedonia shall to Asia bear 3.475. 475 A grievous suffering, and the greatest sore 3.476. To Europe shall spring up from Cronian stock 3.477. A family of bastards and of slaves. 3.478. And she shall tame fenced city Babylon 3.479. And of each land the sun looks down upon 3.480. 480 Call herself mistress, and then come to naught 3.481. By ruinous misfortunes, having fame 3.482. In later generations distant far. 3.483. And sometime into Asia's prosperous land 3.484. Shall come a man unheard of, shoulder-clad 3.485. 485 With purple robe, fierce, unjust, fiery; 3.485. 485 Do not delay and loiter, but do thou 3.486. And this man he who wields the thunderbolt 3.486. Tossed to and fro, turn and propitiate God. 3.487. Roused forwards; and all Asia shall sustain 3.487. offer to God Your hecatombs of bull 3.488. An evil yoke, and her soil wet with rain 3.488. And firstling lambs and goats, as times revolve. 3.489. Shall drink much murder. But even so shall Hade 3.489. But him propitiate, the immortal God 3.490. 490 Destroy the unknown king; and that man's offspring 3.490. 490 If haply he show mercy. For he i 3.491. Shall forthwith perish by the race of those 3.491. The only God, and other there is none. 3.492. Whose offspring he himself would fain destroy; 3.492. And honor justice and oppress no man. 3.493. Producing one root which the bane of men 3.493. For these things the Immortal doth enjoin 3.494. Shall cut from ten horns, and plant by their side 3.494. On miserable men. But do thou heed 3.495. 495 Another plant. A father purple-clad 3.496. Shall cut a warlike father off, and Ares 3.497. Baneful and hostile, by a grandson's hand 3.498. Shall himself perish; and then shall the horn 3.499. Planted beside them forthwith bear the rule. 3.500. 500 And unto life-sustaining Phrygia 3.501. Straightway shall there a certain token be 3.502. When Rhea's blood-stained race, in the great earth 3.503. Blooming perennial in impervious roots 3.504. Shall, root and branch, in one night disappear 3.505. 505 With a city, men and all, of the Earth-shaker 3.506. Poseidon; which place they shall sometime call 3.507. Dorylæum, of dark ancient Phrygia 3.508. Much-bewailed. Therefore shall that time be called 3.509. Earth-shaker; dens of earth shall he break up 3.510. 510 And walls demolish. And not signs of good 3.511. But a beginning of evil shall be made; 3.512. The baneful violence of general war 3.513. Ye'll have, sons of Æneas, Dative blood 3.514. of Ilus from the soil. But afterward 3.515. 515 A spoil shalt thou become for greedy men. 3.516. O Ilium, I pity thee; for there shall bloom 3.517. In Sparta an Erinys very fair 3.518. Ever-famed, noblest scion, and shall leave 3.519. On Asia and Europe a wide-spreading wave; 3.520. 520 But to thee most of all she'll bear and cause 3.521. Wailings and toils and groans; but there shall be 3.522. Undying fame with those who are to come. 3.523. And there shall be an aged mortal then 3.524. False writer and of doubtful native land; 3.525. 525 And in his eyes the light shall fade away; 3.526. Large mind and verses measured with great skill 3.527. Shall he have and be blended with two names 3.528. Shall call himself a Chian and shall write 3.529. of Ilium, not truthfully, indeed 3.530. 530 But skillfully; for of my verse and meter 3.531. He will be master; for he first my book 3.532. Will open with his hands; but he himself 3.533. Will much embellish helmed chiefs of war 3.534. Hector of Priam and Achilles, son 3.535. 535 of Peleus, and the others who have care 3.536. For warlike deeds. And also by their side 3.537. Will he make gods stand, empty-headed men 3.538. False-writing every way. And it shall be 3.539. Glory the rather, widely spread, for them 3.540. 540 To die at Ilium; but he himself 3.541. Shall also works of recompense receive. 3.542. Also to Lycia shall a Locrian race 3.543. Cause many evils. And thee, Chalcedon 3.544. Holding by lot a strait of narrow sea 3.545. 545 Shall an Ætolian youth sometime despoil. 3.546. Cyzicus, also thy vast wealth the sea 3.547. Shall break off. And, Byzantium of Ares 3.548. Thou some time shalt by Asia be laid waste 3.549. And also groans and blood immeasurable 3.550. 550 Shalt thou receive. And Cragus, lofty mount 3.551. of Lycia, from thy peaks by yawning chasm 3.552. of opened rock shall babbling water flow 3.553. Until even Patara's oracles shall cease. 3.554. O Cyzicus, that dwellest by Proponti 3.555. 555 The wine-producing, round thee Rhyndacu 3.556. Shall crash the crested billow. And thou, Rhodes 3.557. Daughter of day, shalt long be unenslaved 3.558. And great shall be thy happiness hereafter 3.559. And on the sea thy power shall be supreme. 3.560. 560 But afterwards a spoil shalt thou become 3.561. For greedy men, and put upon thy neck 3.562. By beauty and by wealth a fearful yoke. 3.563. A Lydian earthquake shall again despoil 3.564. The power of Persia, and most horribly 3.565. 565 Shall the people of Europe and Asia suffer pain. 3.566. And Sidon's hurtful king with battle-din 3.567. Dreadful shall work a mournful overthrow 3.568. To the seafaring Samians. On the soil 3.569. Shall slain men's dark blood babble to the sea; 3.570. 570 And wives together with the noble bride 3.571. Shall their outrageous insolence lament 3.572. Some for their bridegrooms, some for fallen sons. 3.573. O sign of Cyprus, may an earthquake waste 3.574. Thy phalanxes away, and many soul 3.575. 575 With one accord shall Hades bold in charge. 3.576. And Trallis near by Ephesus, and wall 3.577. Well made, and very precious wealth of men 3.578. Shall be dissolved by earthquake; and the land 3.579. Shall burst out with hot water; and the earth 3.580. 580 Shall swallow down those who are by the fire 3.581. And stench of brimstone heavily oppressed. 3.582. And Samos shall in time build royal houses. 3.583. But to thee, Italy, no foreign war 3.584. Shall come, but lamentable tribal blood 3.585. 585 Not easily exhausted, much renowned 3.586. Shall make thee, impudent one, desolate. 3.587. And thou thyself beside hot ashes stretched 3.588. As thou in thine own heart didst not foresee 3.589. Shalt slay thyself. And thou shalt not of men 3.590. 590 Be mother, but a nurse of beasts of prey. 3.591. But when from Italy shall come a man 3.592. A spoiler, then, Laodicea, thou 3.593. Beautiful city of the Carian 3.594. By Lycus's wondrous water, falling prone 3.595. 595 Shalt weep in silence for thy boastful sire. 3.596. Thracian Crobyzi shall rise up on Hæmus. 3.597. Chatter of teeth to the Campanians come 3.598. Because of wasting famine; Corsica 3.599. Weeps her old father, and Sardinia 3.600. 600 Shall by great storms of winter and the stroke 3.601. of a holy God sink down in ocean depths 3.602. Great wonder to the of the sea. 3.603. Alas, alas, how many virgin maid 3.604. Will Hades wed, and of as many youth 3.605. 605 Will the deep take without funeral rites! 3.606. Alas, alas, the helpless little one 3.607. And the vast riches swimming in the sea! 3.608. O happy land of Mysians, suddenly 3.609. A royal race shall be formed. Truly now 3.610. 610 Not for a long time shall Chalcedon be. 3.610. 610 Woe, woe to thee, O Thrace! So shalt thou come 3.611. And there shall be a very bitter grief 3.611. Beneath a servile yoke, when the Galatian 3.612. To the Galatians. And to Tenedo 3.612. United with the sons of Dardanu 3.613. Shall there a last but greatest evil come. 3.613. Rush on to ravage Hellas, thine shall be 3.614. And Sicyon, with strong yells, and Corinth, thou 3.614. The evil; and unto a foreign land 3.615. 615 Shalt boast o'er all, but flute shall sound like strain. 3.616. . . . . . . . Now, when my soul had. rest from inspired song. 3.617. Even again within my heart was set 3.618. A message of the mighty God, and he 3.619. Commanded me to prophesy on earth. 3.620. 620 Woe, woe to the race of Phœnician men 3.621. And women, and all cities by the sea; 3.622. Not one of you shall in the common light 3.623. Abide before the shining of the sun 3.624. Nor of life shall there any longer be 3.625. 625 Number and tribe, because of unjust speech 3.627. Opening a mouth impure, and fearful word 3.628. Deceitful and unrighteous forth 3.629. And stood against the God, the King 3.630. 630 And opened loathsome month deceitfully 3.631. Therefore may he subdue them terribly 3.632. By strokes o'er all the earth, and bitter fate 3.633. Shall God send on them burning from the ground. 3.634. Cities and of the cities the foundations. 3.635. 635 Woe, woe to thee, O Crete! To thee shall come 3.636. A very painful stroke, and terribly 3.637. Shall the Eternal sack thee; and again 3.638. Shall every land behold thee black with smoke 3.639. Fire ne'er shall leave thee, but thou shalt be burned. 3.645. 645 Much shalt thou give, not anything receive. 3.646. Woe to thee, Gog and Magog, and to all 3.647. One after another, Mardians and Daians; 3.648. How many evils fate, shall bring on thee! 3.649. Woe also to the soil of Lycia 3.650. 650 And those of Mysia and Phrygia. 3.651. And many nations of Pamphylians 3.652. And Lydians, Carians, Cappadocians 3.653. And Ethiopian and Arabian men 3.654. of a strange tongue shall fall. How now may I 3.655. 655 of each speak fitly? For on all the nation 3.656. Which dwell on earth the Highest shall send dire plague. 3.657. When now again a barbarous nation come 3.658. Against the Greeks it shall slay many head 3.659. of chosen men; and they shall tear in piece 3.660. 660 Many fat flocks of sheep of men, and herd 3.661. of horses and of mules and lowing kine; 3.662. And well-made houses shall they burn with fire 3.663. Lawlessly; and unto a foreign land 3.664. Shall they by force lead many slaves away 3.665. 665 And children, and deep-girded women soft 3.666. From bridal chambers creeping on before 3.667. With delicate feet; and they shall be bound fast 3.668. With fetters by their foes of foreign tongue 3.669. Suffering all fearful outrage; and to them 3.670. 670 There shall not be one to supply the toil 3.671. of battle and come to their help in life. 3.672. And they shall see their goods and all their wealth 3.673. Enrich the enemy; and there shall be 3.674. A trembling of the knees. And there shall fly 3.675. 675 A hundred, and one shall destroy them all; 3.676. And five shall rout a mighty company; 3.677. But they, among themselves mixed shamefully 3.678. Shall by war and dire tumult bring delight 3.679. To enemies, but sorrow to the Greeks. 3.680. 680 And then upon all Hellas there shall be 3.681. A servile yoke; and war and pestilence 3.682. Together shall upon all mortals come. 3.683. And God will make the mighty heaven on high 3.684. Like brass and over all the earth a drought 3.685. 685 And earth itself like iron. And thereupon 3.686. Shall mortals all lament the barrenne 3.687. And lack of cultivation; and on earth 3.688. Shall he set, who created heaven and earth 3.689. A much-distressing fire; and of all men 3.690. 690 The third part only shall thereafter be. 3.691. O Greece, why hast thou trusted mortal men 3.692. As leaders, who cannot escape from death? 3.693. And wherefore bringest thou thy foolish gift 3.694. Unto the dead and sacrifice to idols? 3.695. 695 Who put the error in thy heart to do 3.696. These things and leave the face of God the mighty? 3.697. Honor the All-Father's name, and let it not 3.698. Escape thee. It is now a thousand years 3.699. Yea, and five hundred more, since haughty king 3.700. 700 Ruled o'er the Greeks, who first to mortal men 3.701. Introduced evils, setting up for worship 3.702. Images many of gods that are dead 3.703. Because of which ye were taught foolish thoughts. 3.704. But when the anger of the mighty God 3.705. 705 Shall come upon you, then ye'll recognize 3.706. The face of God the mighty. And all soul 3.707. of men, with mighty groaning lifting up 3.708. Their hands to the broad heaven, shall begin 3.709. To call the great King helper, and to seek 3.710. 710 The rescuer from great wrath who is to be. 3.711. But come and learn this and store in your hearts 3.712. What troubles in the rolling years shall come. 3.713. And what as whole burnt-offering Hellas brought 3.714. of cows and bellowing bulls unto the temple 3.715. 715 of the great God, she from ill-sounding war 3.716. And fear and pestilence shall flee away 3.717. And from the servile yoke escape again. 3.718. But until that time there shall be a race 3.719. of godless men, even when that fated day 3.720. 720 Shall reach its end. For offering to God 3.721. Ye should not make till all things come to pass 3.722. Which God alone shall purpose not in vain 3.723. To be all fulfilled; and strong force shall urge. 3.724. And there shall be again a holy race 3.725. 725 of godly men who, keeping to the counsel 3.726. And mind of the Most High, shall honor much 3.727. The great God's temple with drink-offerings 3.728. Burnt-offerings, and holy hecatombs 3.729. With sacrifices of fat bulls, choice rams 3.730. 730 Firstlings of sheep and the fat thighs of lambs 3.731. Sacredly offering whole burnt-offering 3.732. On the great altar. And in righteousness 3.733. Having obtained the law of the Most High 3.734. Blest shall they dwell in cities and rich fields. 3.735. 735 And prophets shall be set on high for them 3.736. By the Immortal, bringing great delight 3.737. Unto all mortals. For to them alone 3.738. The mighty God his gracious counsel gave 3.739. And faith and noblest thought within their hearts; 3.740. 740 They have not by vain things been led astray 3.741. Nor pay they honor to the works of men 3.742. Made of gold, brass, silver, and ivory 3.743. Nor statues of dead gods of wood and stone 3.744. [Besmeared clay, figures of the painter's art] 3.745. 745 And all that empty-minded mortals will; 3.746. But they lift up their pure arms unto heaven 3.747. Rise from the couch at daybreak, always hand 3.748. With water cleanse, and honor only Him 3.749. Who is immortal and who ever rules 3.750. 750 And then their parents; and above all men 3.751. Do they respect the lawful marriage-bed; 3.752. And they have not base intercourse with boys 3.753. As do Phœnicians, Latins, and Egyptian 3.754. And spacious Greece, and nations many more 3.755. 755 of Persians and Galatians and all Asia 3.756. Transgressing the immortal God's pure law 3.757. Which they were under. Therefore on all men 3.758. Will the Immortal put bane, famine, pains 3.759. Groans, war, and pestilence and mournful woes; 3.760. 760 Because they would not honor piously 3.761. The immortal Sire of all men, but revered 3.762. And worshiped idols made with hands, which thing 3.763. Mortals themselves will cast down and for shame 3.764. Conceal in clefts of rocks, when a young king 3.765. 765 The seventh of Egypt, shall rule his own land 3.766. Reckoned from the dominion of the Greeks 3.767. Which countless Macedonian men shall rule; 3.768. And there shall come from Asia a great king 3.769. fiery eagle, who with foot and horse 3.770. 770 Shall cover all the land, cut up all things 3.771. And fill all things with evils; he will cast 3.772. The Egyptian kingdom down; and taking off 3.773. All its possessions carry them away 3.774. Over the spacious surface of the sea. 3.775. 775 And then shall they before, the mighty God 3.776. The King immortal, bend the fair white knee 3.777. On the much-nourishing earth; and all the work 3.778. Made with hands shall fall by a flame of fire. 3.779. And then will God bestow great joy on men; 3.780. 780 For land and trees and countless flocks of sheep 3.781. Their genuine fruit to men shall offer–wine 3.782. And the sweet honey, and white milk, and wheat 3.783. Which is for mortals of all things the best. 3.784. But thou, O mortal full of various wiles 3.795. 795 The cause of the wrath of the mighty God 3.796. When on all mortals there shall come the height 3.797. of pestilence and conquered they shall meet 3.798. A fearful judgment, and king shall seize king 3.799. And wrest his land away, and nations bring 3.800. 800 Ruin on nations and lords plunder tribes 3.801. And chiefs all flee into another land 3.802. And the land change its men, and foreign rule 3.803. Ravage all Hellas and drain the rich land. 3.804. of its wealth, and to strife among themselve 3.805. 805 Because of gold and silver they shall come– 3.806. The love of gain an evil shepherde 3.807. Will be for cities–in a foreign land. 3.808. And they shall all be without burial 3.809. And vultures and wild beasts of earth shall spoil 3.810. 810 Their flesh; and when these things are brought to pass 3.811. Vast earth shall waste the relics of the dead. 3.812. And all unsown shall it be and unplowed 3.813. Proclaiming sad the filth of men defiled 3.814. Many lengths of time in the revolving years 3.815. 815 And shields and javelins and all sorts of arms; 3.816. Nor shall the forest wood be cut for fire. 3.817. And then shall God send from the East a king 3.818. Who shall make all earth cease from evil war 3.819. Killing some, others binding with strong oaths. 3.820. 820 And he will not by his own counsels do 3.821. All these things, but obey the good decree 3.822. of God the mighty. And with goodly wealth 3.823. With gold and silver and purple ornament 3.824. The temple of the mighty God again 3.825. 825 Shall be weighed down; and the full-bearing earth 3.826. And the sea shall be filled full of good things. 3.827. And kings against each other shall begin 3.828. To hold ill will, in heart abetting evils. 3.829. Envy is not a good to wretched men. 5.494. Shall he seize forthwith. And he shall destroy 5.495. 495 Many men and great tyrants and shall burn 5.496. All of them, as none other ever did 5.497. And he shall raise up them that are afraid |
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11. Philo of Alexandria, On The Contemplative Life, 9, 8 (1st cent. BCE - 1st cent. CE)
| 8. for as for the customs of the Egyptians, it is not creditable even to mention them, for they have introduced irrational beasts, and those not merely such as are domestic and tame, but even the most ferocious of wild beasts to share the honours of the gods, taking some out of each of the elements beneath the moon, as the lion from among the animals which live on the earth, the crocodile from among those which live in the water, the kite from such as traverse the air, and the Egyptian iris. |
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12. Josephus Flavius, Jewish Antiquities, 3.163, 3.216-3.218 (1st cent. CE - 1st cent. CE)
| 3.163. But in the void place of this garment there was inserted a piece of the bigness of a span, embroidered with gold, and the other colors of the ephod, and was called Essen, [the breastplate,] which in the Greek language signifies the Oracle. 3.216. This has appeared a wonderful thing to such as have not so far indulged themselves in philosophy, as to despise Divine revelation. Yet will I mention what is still more wonderful than this: for God declared beforehand, by those twelve stones which the high priest bare on his breast, and which were inserted into his breastplate, when they should be victorious in battle; 3.217. for so great a splendor shone forth from them before the army began to march, that all the people were sensible of God’s being present for their assistance. Whence it came to pass that those Greeks, who had a veneration for our laws, because they could not possibly contradict this, called that breastplate the Oracle. 3.218. Now this breastplate, and this sardonyx, left off shining two hundred years before I composed this book, God having been displeased at the transgressions of his laws. of which things we shall further discourse on a fitter opportunity; but I will now go on with my proposed narration. |
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13. Lactantius, Divine Institutes, 1.6 (3rd cent. CE - 4th cent. CE)
| 1.6. Now let us pass to divine testimonies; but I will previously bring forward one which resembles a divine testimony, both on account of its very great antiquity, and because he whom I shall name was taken from men and placed among the gods. According to Cicero, Caius Cotta the pontiff, while disputing against the Stoics concerning superstitions, and the variety of opinions which prevail respecting the gods, in order that he might, after the custom of the Academics, make everything uncertain, says that there were five Mercuries; and having enumerated four in order, says that the fifth was he by whom Argus was slain, and that on this account he fled into Egypt, and gave laws and letters to the Egyptians. The Egyptians call him Thoth; and from him the first month of their year, that is, September, received its name among them. He also built a town, which is even now called in Greek Hermopolis (the town of Mercury), and the inhabitants of Phen honour him with religious worship. And although he was a man, yet he was of great antiquity, and most fully imbued with every kind of learning, so that the knowledge of many subjects and arts acquired for him the name of Trismegistus. He wrote books, and those in great numbers, relating to the knowledge of divine things, in which be asserts the majesty of the supreme and only God, and makes mention of Him by the same names which we use - God and Father. And that no one might inquire His name, he said that He was without name, and that on account of His very unity He does not require the peculiarity of a name. These are his own words: God is one, but He who is one only does not need a name; for He who is self-existent is without a name. God, therefore, has no name, because He is alone; nor is there any need of a proper name, except in cases where a multitude of persons requires a distinguishing mark, so that you may designate each person by his own mark and appellation. But God, because He is always one, has no peculiar name. It remains for me to bring forward testimonies respecting the sacred responses and predictions, which are much more to be relied upon. For perhaps they against whom we are arguing may think that no credence is to be given to poets, as though they invented fictions, nor to philosophers, inasmuch as they were liable to err, being themselves but men. Marcus Varro, than whom no man of greater learning ever lived, even among the Greeks, much less among the Latins, in those books respecting divine subjects which he addressed to Caius C sar the chief pontiff, when he was speaking of the Quindecemviri, says that the Sibylline books were not the production of one Sibyl only, but that they were called by one name Sibylline, because all prophetesses were called by the ancients Sibyls, either from the name of one, the Delphian priestess, or from their proclaiming the counsels of the gods. For in the Æolic dialect they used to call the gods by the word Sioi, not Theoi; and for counsel they used the word bule, not boule;- and so the Sibyl received her name as though Siobule. But he says that the Sibyls were ten in number, and he enumerated them all under the writers, who wrote an account of each: that the first was from the Persians, and of her Nicanor made mention, who wrote the exploits of Alexander of Macedon;- the second of Libya, and of her Euripides makes mention in the prologue of the Lamia;- the third of Delphi, concerning whom Chrysippus speaks in that book which he composed concerning divination - the fourth a Cimmerian in Italy, whom N vius mentions in his books of the Punic war, and Piso in his annals - the fifth of Erythr a, whom Apollodorus of Erythr a affirms to have been his own countrywoman, and that she foretold to the Greeks when they were setting out for Ilium, both that Troy was doomed to destruction, and that Homer would write falsehoods;- the sixth of Samos, respecting whom Eratosthenes writes that he had found a written notice in the ancient annals of the Samians. The seventh was of Cum, by name Amalth a, who is termed by some Herophile, or Demophile, and they say that she brought nine books to the king Tarquinius Priscus, and asked for them three hundred philippics, and that the king refused so great a price, and derided the madness of the woman; that she, in the sight of the king, burnt three of the books, and demanded the same price for those which were left; that Tarquinias much more considered the woman to be mad; and that when she again, having burnt three other books, persisted in asking the same price, the king was moved, and bought the remaining books for the three hundred pieces of gold: and the number of these books was afterwards increased, after the rebuilding of the Capitol; because they were collected from all cities of Italy and Greece, and especially from those of Erythr a, and were brought to Rome, under the name of whatever Sibyl they were. Further, that the eighth was from the Hellespont, born in the Trojan territory, in the village of Marpessus, about the town of Gergithus; and Heraclides of Pontus writes that she lived in the times of Solon and Cyrus - the ninth of Phrygia, who gave oracles at Ancyra;- the tenth of Tibur, by name Albunea, who is worshipped at Tibur as a goddess, near the banks of the river Anio, in the depths of which her statue is said to have been found, holding in her hand a book. The senate transferred her oracles into the Capitol. The predictions of all these Sibyls are both brought forward and esteemed as such, except those of the Cum an Sibyl, whose books are concealed by the Romans; nor do they consider it lawful for them to be inspected by any one but the Quindecemviri. And there are separate books the production of each, but because these are inscribed with the name of the Sibyl they are believed to be the work of one; and they are confused, nor can the productions of each be distinguished and assigned to their own authors, except in the case of the Erythr an Sibyl, for she both inserted her own true name in her verse, and predicted that she would be called Erythr an, though she was born at Babylon. But we also shall speak of the Sibyl without any distinction, wherever we shall have occasion to use their testimonies. All these Sibyls, then, proclaim one God, and especially the Erythr an, who is regarded among the others as more celebrated and noble; since Fenestella, a most diligent writer, speaking of the Quindecemviri, says that, after the rebuilding of the Capitol, Caius Curio the consul proposed to the senate that ambassadors should be sent to Erythr to search out and bring to Rome the writings of the Sibyl; and that, accordingly, Publius Gabinius, Marcus Otacilius, and Lucius Valerius were sent, who conveyed to Rome about a thousand verses written out by private persons. We have shown before that Varro made the same statement. Now in these verses which the ambassadors brought to Rome, are these testimonies respecting the one God:- 1. One God, who is alone, most mighty, uncreated. This is the only supreme God, who made the heaven, and decked it with lights. 2. But there is one only God of pre-eminent power, who made the heaven, and sun, and stars, and moon, and fruitful earth, and waves of the water of the sea. And since He alone is the framer of the universe, and the artificer of all things of which it consists or which are contained in it, it testifies that He alone ought to be worshipped: - 3. Worship Him who is alone the ruler of the world, who alone was and is from age to age. Also another Sibyl, whoever she is, when she said that she conveyed the voice of God to men, thus spoke:- 4. I am the one only God, and there is no other God. I would now follow up the testimonies of the others, were it not that these are sufficient, and that I reserve others for more befitting opportunities. But since we are defending the cause of truth before those who err from the truth and serve false religions, what kind of proof ought we to bring forward against them, rather than to refute them by the testimonies of their own gods? |
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