seems to broach this reproachful appellation against us, [that
we were originally Egyptians,] in order to bestow it on the
Alexandrians, as a reward for the privilege they had given
him of being a fellow citizen with them: he also is apprized of
the ill-will the Alexandrians bear to those Jews who are their
fellow citizens, and so proposes to himself to reproach them,
although he must thereby include all the other Egyptians
also; while in both cases he is no better than an impudent
liar.

4. But let us now see what those heavy and wicked crimes are
which Apion charges upon the Alexandrian Jews. "They came
(says he) out of Syria, and inhabited near the tempestuous
sea, and were in the neighborhood of the dashing of the
waves." Now if the place of habitation includes any thing that
is reproached, this man reproaches not his own real country,
[Egypt,] but what he pretends to be his own country,
Alexandria; for all are agreed in this, that the part of that
city
which is near the sea is the best part of all for habitation.
Now if the Jews gained that part of the city by force, and
have kept it hitherto without impeachment, this is a mark of
their valor; but in reality it was Alexander himself that gave
them that place for their habitation, when they obtained
equal privileges there with the Macedonians. Nor call I devise
what Apion would have said, had their habitation been at
Necropolis? and not been fixed hard by the royal palace [as it
is]; nor had their nation had the denomination of
Macedonians given them till this very day [as they have]. Had
this man now read the epistles of king Alexander, or those of