such as have read histories with sufficient care;for some of them
have endeavored to disgrace the nobility of certain nations, and
of some of the most glorious cities, and have cast reproaches
upon certain forms of government. Thus hath Theopompus abused the
city of Athens, Polycrates that of Lacedemon, as hath he hat
wrote the Tripoliticus (for he is not Theopompus, as is supposed
bys ome) done by the city of Thebes. Timeils also hath greatly
abused the foregoing people and others also; and this
ill-treatment they use chiefly when they have a contest with men
of the greatest reputation; some out of envy and malice, and
others as supposing that by this foolish talking of theirs they
may be thought worthy of being remembered themselves; and indeed
they do by no means fail of their hopes, with regard to the
foolish part of mankind, but men of sober judgment still condemn
them of great malignity.

25. Now the Egyptians were the first that cast reproaches upon
us; in order to please which nation, some others undertook to
pervert the truth, while they would neither own that our
forefathers came into Egypt from another country, as the fact
was, nor give a true account of our departure thence. And indeed
the Egyptians took many occasions to hate us and envy us: in the
first place, because our ancestors had had the dominion over
their country? and when they were delivered from them, and gone
to their own country again, they lived there in prosperity. In
the next place, the difference of our religion from theirs hath
occasioned great enmity between us, while our way of Divine
worship did as much exceed that which their laws appointed, as
does the nature of God exceed that of brute beasts; for so far
they all agree through the whole country, to esteem such animals