HELLENISM AND HEBRÆISM IN EGYPT UNDER THE PTOLEMIES


I.

When Alexander the Great bridged the gulf dividing Occident and Orient,
the Greeks had attained to a state of maturity in the development of
their national art and literature. Greek culture and civilisation,
passing beyond the boundaries of their national domain, crossed this
bridge and spread over the Asiatic world. To perpetuate his name, the
great Macedonian king founded a city, and selected for this purpose,
with extraordinary prescience, a spot on the banks of the Nile, which,
on account of its geographical position, was destined to become a
centre, not only of international commerce and an entrepôt between Asia
and Europe, but also a centre of intellectual culture. The policy of
Alexander to remove the barriers between the Greeks and the Asiatics,
and to pave the way for the union of the races of his vast empire, was
continued by the Lagidæ dynasty in Egypt. With her independence and
native dynasties, Egypt had also lost her political strength and unity;
she retained, however, her ancient institutions, her customs, and
religious system. The sway of Persian dominion had passed over her
without overthrowing this huge rock of sacerdotal power which, deeply
rooted with many ramifications, seemed to mock the wave of time. Out
of the ruins of political independence still towered the monuments
of civilisation of a mighty past which gave to this country moral
independence, and prevented the obliteration of nationality. It would
have mattered very little in the vast empire of Alexander if one
province had a special physiognomy. It was different, however, with the
Lagidæ: their power was concentrated in Egypt, and they were therefore