ges. The petty tyrants
of all ages have persecuted Jews on the plea of securing uniformity
among their subjects; but the great conqueror-statesmen who have made
history, realizing that progress is brought about by unity in
difference, have recognized in Jewish individuality a force making for
progress. Whereas the pure Hellenes had put all the other peoples of
the world in the single category of barbarians, their Macedonian
conqueror forced upon them a broader view, and, regarding his empire
as a world-state, made Greeks and Orientals live together, and
prepared the way for a mingling of races and culture. Alexander the
Great became a notable figure in the Talmud and Midrashim, and many a
marvellous legend was told about his passing visit to Jerusalem during
his march to Egypt.[1] The high priest--whether it was Jaddua, Simon,
or Onias the records do not make clear--is said to have gone out to
meet him, and to have compelled the reverence and homage of the
monarch by the majesty of his presence and the lustre of his robes. Be
this as it may, it is certain that Alexander settled a considerable
number of Jews in the Greek colonies which he founded as centres of
cosmopolitan culture in his empire, and especially in the town by the
mouth of the Nile that received his own name, and was destined to
become within two centuries the second town in the world; second only
to Rome in population and power, equal to it in culture. By its
geographical position, the nature of its foundation, and the sources
of its population, and by the wonderful organization of its Museum, in
which the records of all nations were stored and studied, Alexandria
was fitted to become the meeting-place of civilizations.

There was already a considerable settlement of Jews in Egypt before
Alexander's transplantation in 332 B.C.E. Throughout Bible times the
connection between Israel and Egypt had been close. Isaiah speaks of
the day when five cities in the land of Egypt should speak the
language of Canaan and swear to the Lord of hosts (xix. 18); and when
Nebuchadnezzar led away the first captivity, many of the people had
fled from Palestine to the old "cradle of the nation." Jeremiah (xliv)
went down with them to prophesy against their idolatrous practices and
their backslidings; and Jewish and Christian writers in later times,
daring boldly against chronology, told how Plato, visiting Egypt, had
heard Jeremiah and learnt from him his lofty monotheism. Dou