agreeable to thy magnanimity, and to thy good nature: free
them from the miserable condition they are in, because that God, who
supporteth thy kingdom, was the author of their laws as I have learned
by particular inquiry; for both these people, and we also, worship the
same God the framer of all things. We call him, and that truly, by the
name of GREEK, [or life, or Jupiter,] because he breathes life into all
men. Wherefore do thou restore these men to their own country, and this
do to the honor of God, because these men pay a peculiarly excellent
worship to him. And know this further, that though I be not of kin to
them by birth, nor one of the same country with them, yet do I desire
these favors to be done them, since all men are the workmanship of God;
and I am sensible that he is well-pleased with those that do good. I do
therefore put up this petition to thee, to do good to them."

3. When Aristeus was saying thus, the king looked upon him with a
cheerful and joyful countenance, and said, "How many ten thousands
dost thou suppose there are of such as want to be made free?" To which
Andreas replied, as he stood by, and said, "A few more than ten times
ten thousand." The king made answer, "And is this a small gift that thou
askest, Aristeus?" But Sosibius, and the rest that stood by, said that
he ought to offer such a thank-offering as was worthy of his greatness
of soul, to that God who had given him his kingdom. With this answer he
was much pleased; and gave order, that when they paid the soldiers their
wages, they should lay down [a hundred and] twenty drachmas [4] for
every one of the slaves? And he promised to publish a magnificent
decree, about what they requested, which should confirm what Aristeus
had proposed, and especially what God willed should be done; whereby he
said he would not only set those free who had been led away captive by
his father and his army, but those who were in this kingdom before, and
those also, if any such there were, who had been brought away since. And
when they said that their redemption money would amount to above four
hundred talents, he granted it. A copy of which decree I have determined
to preserve, that the magnanimity of this king may be made known. Its
contents were as follows: "Let all those who were soldiers under our
father, and who, when they overran Syria and Phoenicia, and laid waste
Judea, took the Jews captives, and made them slaves, and brought them
into our cities