A new history of ecclesiastical writers containing an account of the authors of the several books of the Old and New Testament, of the lives and writings of the primitive fathers, an abridgement and catalogue of their works ... also a compendious history of the councils, with chronological tables of the whole / written in French by Lewis Ellies du Pin.

(s) The time and Author of the History of Hester are still uncertain.] Scaliger assures us that it happened under Xerxes. First he says, that the Name of Assueras, in Greek 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, resembles that of Xerxes: That Xerxes's Queen, whose Name is Amestris according to Herodotus, is the same with Hester: That the Feast whereof

mention is made in this Book, is that which is related by the same Historian, which Xerxes made before his Expedition against Greece. This Opinion is easily confuted, because from hence it would follow, that Hester was very old when she was married to Xerxes, and that her Uncle Mor∣decai was an Hundred and sixty Years old; for being one of those who were carried away Cap∣tives into Babylon in the time of King Jeconiah, when he was Ten Years old, if we thereto add the Seventy Years of Captivity, and the Years of the Kings of Persia after Cyrus, it will by the least Computation make up an Hundred and fifty Years. Secondly, Amestris was married to Xerxes a long time before his Expedition into Greece, as it appears by the joynt Testimonies of Herodotus and Ctesias. The Father of Amestris was Onophes a Persian, and no Jew. In short, that Queen was ill-natured and cruel. The Opi∣nion of those, who place this History under Ar∣taxerxes, is confuted by the same reason that is urged against the former; for 'tis precisely said in the second Chapter, Vers. 6. that Mordecai was of the Number of those, who were carried away by the King of Babylon along with Jeconiah. The third Opinion of those, who believe it was Cyaxares, is no less improbable. For first of all, the King who is mentioned in that Book, is called King of the Persians, and not of the Medes. Se∣condly, It is said that he Ruled from India to Ae∣thiopia; now the Medes were never so powerful. Thirdly, Ahasuerus commonly resided in the Ci∣ty of Susa, which, as Solinus, Diodorus, and Plu∣tarch testifie, was the place of residence of the Kings of Persia, and not of the Median Kings. Lastly, It could not happen under Cyaxares the Father of Astyages, as the Authors of this Opini∣on are agreed. As for Cyaxares, who is supposed to be the Son of Astyages, he is altogether un∣known to Herodotus, and other ancient Histori∣ans. None mention him but Xenophon, and all the World knows he is no exact Historian in his Cyropaedia. So that after all, the Opinion of those who believe that Ahasuerus was the same with Darius the Son of Histaspes, as it is by far the most probable, so it carries no difficulty with it. The first Reason alledged against the other Opinions, makes it evident that it could not be any of the Persian Kings after Darius; and as for what is said of him in this Book, that he Ruled from India to Aethiopia, it excludes all the Kings before Cambyses, and at the same time ex∣cludes Cambyses himself, who never conquered Egypt, and consequently belongs to none but Darius. It is said there, that Ahasuerus resided in the City of Susa, which agrees very well with Darius the Son of Histaspes, because, as Aelian has observed, that King built himself a Palace in that City; and besides Herodotus▪ adds, that he kept his Treasure there. The same Historian tells us, that he passionately loved one of his Wives, whom he calls Artissone▪ and that he put a Dia∣dem upon her Head. This passage suits mightily with the History of Hester, and the Name too bears some Conformity, for Hester is likewise cal∣led Hadassa. King Ahasuerus made all the Isles of the Sea Tributary to him. Now according to Thucydides, Darius the Son of Histaspes conquer∣ed them, as it is also observed by Plato in his M••nexenus, and after him none of the Persian Kings brought them under their Command. They Object, That Ahasuerus was descended of the Persian Kings, as it appears in the 16th Chap∣ter, whereas Darius was the Son of Histaspes, who was no King. But Herodotus assures us, that he was of the Royal Family. They likewise tell us, that it is written in the same Chapter that Haman would have translated the Empire to the Macedonians. Now, say they, the Macedo∣nians were not known till a long while after the time of Darius. Some People say, that Haman was no Macedonian, and that in stead of 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, we ought to read 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, because he was of the Race of Agag, but this Conjecture is not solid. Answer, The History of Hester could not happen after this King, as we have already shewn, and the contrary Opinion is very weak. It was Natural for Haman, who was a Macedo∣nian, to endeavour to Translate the Empire to his own Nation, which was very Famous and Powerful at this time, as Justin has informed us. Lastly, they say, That Ahasuerus is also called Artaxerxes in the 16th Chapter; Now there were but three Kings of that Name, viz. one Sirnamed Longimanus, another Mnemon, and the last Ochus. Ahasuerus therefore was one of these three. Answer, Artaxerxes is a Name that might perhaps be given to all the Kings of Per∣sia, as Caesar to all the Roman Emperors.