The ancient history of the Septuagint written in Greek by Aristeus near two thousand years ago ; being his voyage to Jerusalem, as ambassadour from Ptolomæus Philadelphus, unto Eleazar, then High Priest of the Jews, concerning the first translation of the Holy Bible by the seventy two interpreters with many other remarkable circumstances, no where else to be found ; first English'd from Greek, by the learned and reverend Dr. John Done ... now revised, and very much corrected from the original.

Of the City of Hierusalem, and the Country round it.

WHen we arrived near to Hie∣rusalem, we discovered the Town, scituate on the Mountain, in the midst of the Province of Iudea, opening thereby a farr extended Pro∣spect to the View. On the top of the Hill is scituate the Temple, of a most graceful Figure, and Aspect, and very fair to the Eye:

About the same is a Girdle of three tire of Walls raised to the height of seventy Cubits, and of convenient thickness in Proportion to the height, which encompass all the Temple with an excellent Beauty and magnificent Work: The sight of the Gates, the knitting and evenness of the Stones, the Frontispieces and Buttresses, the faces of the Portals represent a beau∣ty with great lustre and excellency of Workman ship, and one might ••lainly see, that in all this structure

there was a rich abundance of all things, and that no expence had been wanting.

Without the the Temple, there was a Veil by which the Temple was closed; round this Veil was hanged Travers from the magnifi∣cence of the Portals, yielding a ve∣ry pleasing Spectacle; and princi∣pally then, when a little Wind rose from the Pa••ement, and entring within the Veil, ran from low to high, making undulations and bil∣lows like Waves, and moving de∣lightfully with Gales following one another, reciprocally and succes∣sive blowing.

Within the Temple there was an Altar accompanied with a Chimney very properly and conveniently built, accomodate to the place for the Vi∣ctimes there to be offered. The Stairs to ascend thither were fair and even∣l•• disposed, agreeable to the Mag∣••••cence of the Pla••e, both for come∣l••••ss, as ••••for the ease of the Priests,

who were invested with Garments of Linnen very delicate and soft. The fore-part of the Temple looking to the East, turns the back of it to the West, and the spaces thereof are ad∣justed with exact proportion, in all dimension and shew a Beauty very excellent, and Work of good Grace••

The Floor is paved with Stones, the Receptacles of the Waters which issue in great Quantity for the use of washing the Victimes after they have slain them, are hid in convenient Places; for in their Festival Daies, many thousands of Victims are of∣fered, by means whereof is furnish∣ed out so great a Quantity of Water, that one would judge there issued commonly a considerable Spring. But this is a thing yet more admira∣ble, and almost incredible: the great∣ness of the Conveyances of these Waters which are under Ground in the Temple, and stretch five Fur∣longs in Circuit. And to conduct these Waters into their Receptacles,

there are Pipes of Lead closed with∣in the Walls, drawing in all parts under the pavement of the Temple, by which the Waters void themselves after the Beasts are washt: likewise many Spouts and openings near to the foot of the Altar, which are unkown to all, but only those who serve the Sacrifices: and by these too the Blood of the Offerings in like man∣ner is cleansed and carried off.

We guessed the great quantity of Waters there shed by this means. The Iews having led us to walk out of the Town more than a League long, they shewed us a place, where we might hear the report of the Wa∣ters that ran under the Earth, which seemed to me to be such, as when one voids water by whole Tuns.