Letter of Aristeas

1917 printed page 53 / §§145–150

Printed page 53 Original marginal section labels beginning on this page: §145, §146, §147, §148, §149, §150. The opening continues §144 from the preceding page. that Moses drew up these laws with such exceeding care. No, all these ordinances have been solemnly made for righteousness' sake, to promote holy meditation and the perfecting of character. For all the winged creatures, of which we partake, are tame and distinguished by cleanly habits, feeding on wheat and pulse, such as pigeons, turtle-doves, locusts,{1} partridges, geese too and all the like. But as touching the forbidden winged creatures, thou wilt find that they are wild and carnivorous and use the strength which they possess to oppress the remainder of their kind and get their food by cruelly preying on the aforesaid tame creatures; and not on these only, but they also carry off lambs and kids, and do violence to dead men and living. By these creatures, then, which he called unclean,{2} the law-giver gave a sign that those for whom the laws were ordained must practise righteousness in their hearts and oppress no one, trusting in their own strength, nor rob one of anything, but must direct their lives by righteous motives, even as the tame birds above mentioned consume the pulse that grows on the earth and do not tyrannize to the destruction of their kin. " By such symbols, then, the lawgiver has taught the understanding to note that they must be just and do nothing by violence, nor oppress others in reliance on their own strength. For whereas it is not meet even to touch the aforesaid creatures by reason of their several natures, what strict precautions must we not take to prevent the character from degenerating to a like condition? He has, then, set forth all these rules as to what is permitted us in the case of these and the other creatures by way of allegory. For the parting of the hoof and the dividing TRANSLATOR’S NOTES (1917) — printed page 53 {1} Lev. xi. 22. Another reading names a species of moor-fowl. {2} Deut. xiv. 19.