^6whilstthemeanestoftheposterityofAbraham，whoshouldhavepaidthesamehomagetotheJupiteroftheCapitol，wouldhavebeenanobjectofabhorrencetohimselfandtohisbrethren。
　　Butthemoderationoftheconquerorswasinsufficienttoappeasethejealousprejudicesoftheirsubjects，whowerealarmedandscandalizedattheensignsofpaganism，whichnecessarilyintroducedthemselvesintoaRomanprovince。^7ThemadattemptofCaligulatoplacehisownstatueinthetempleofJerusalemwasdefeatedbytheunanimousresolutionofapeoplewhodreadeddeathmuchlessthansuchanidolatrousprofanation。^8TheirattachmenttothelawofMoseswasequaltotheirdetestationofforeignreligions。Thecurrentofzealanddevotion，asitwascontractedintoanarrowchannel，ranwiththestrength，andsometimeswiththefury，ofatorrent。
　　[Footnote*:Thisfacilityhasnotalwayspreventedintolerance，whichseemsinherentinthereligiousspirit，whenarmedwithauthority。Theseparationoftheecclesiasticalandcivilpower，appearstobetheonlymeansofatoncemaintainingreligionandtolerance:butthisisaverymodernnotion。Thepassions，whichminglethemselveswithopinions，madethePagansveryoftenintolerantandpersecutors；witnessthePersians，theEgyptianseventheGreeksandRomans。
　　1st。ThePersians。—Cambyses，conqueroroftheEgyptians，condemnedtodeaththemagistratesofMemphis，becausetheyhadoffereddivinehonorstotheirgod。Apis:hecausedthegodtobebroughtbeforehim，struckhimwithhisdagger，commandedtheprieststobescourged，andorderedageneralmassacreofalltheEgyptianswhoshouldbefoundcelebratingthefestivalofthestatuesofthegodstobeburnt。Notcontentwiththisintolerance，hesentanarmytoreducetheAmmonianstoslavery，andtosetonfirethetempleinwhichJupiterdeliveredhisoracles。SeeHerod。iii。25—29，37。
　　Xerxes，duringhisinvasionofGreece，actedonthesameprinciples:lcdestroyedallthetemplesofGreeceandIonia，exceptthatofEphesus。SeePaus。l。vii。p。533，andx。p。887。
　　Strabo，l。xiv。b。941。
　　2d。TheEgyptians。—Theythoughtthemselvesdefiledwhentheyhaddrunkfromthesamecuporeatenatthesametablewithamanofadifferentbelieffromtheirown。"Hewhohasvoluntarilykilledanysacredanimalispunishedwithdeath；butifanyone，eveninvoluntarily，haskilledacatoranibis，hecannotescapetheextremepenalty:thepeopledraghimaway，treathiminthemostcruelmanner，sometimeswithoutwaitingforajudicialsentence。***EvenatthetimewhenKingPtolemywasnotyettheacknowledgedfriendoftheRomanpeople，whilethemultitudewerepayingcourtwithallpossibleattentiontothestrangerswhocamefromItaly**aRomanhavingkilledacat，thepeoplerushedtohishouse，andneithertheentreatiesofthenobles，whomthekingsenttothem，northeterroroftheRomanname，weresufficientlypowerfultorescuethemanfrompunishment，thoughhehadcommittedthecrimeinvoluntarily。"
　　Diod。Sic。i83。Juvenal，inhis13thSatire，describesthesanguinaryconflictbetweentheinhabitantsofOmbosandofTentyra，fromreligiousanimosity。Thefurywascarriedsofar，thattheconquerorstoreanddevouredthequiveringlimbsoftheconquered。
　　ArdetadhucOmbosetTentyra，summusutrinqueIndefurorvulgo，quodnuminavicinorumOdituterquelocus；quumsoloscredathabendosEsseDeosquosipsecolit。Sat。xv。v。85。
　　3d。TheGreeks。—"Letusnothere，"saystheAbbeGuenee，"refertothecitiesofPeloponnesusandtheirseverityagainstatheism；theEphesiansprosecutingHeraclitusforimpiety；theGreeksarmedoneagainsttheotherbyreligiouszeal，intheAmphictyonicwar。LetussaynothingeitherofthefrightfulcrueltiesinflictedbythreesuccessorsofAlexanderupontheJews，toforcethemtoabandontheirreligion，norofAntiochusexpellingthephilosophersfromhisstates。Letusnotseekourproofsofintolerancesofaroff。Athens，thepoliteandlearnedAthens，willsupplyuswithsufficientexamples。Everycitizenmadeapublicandsolemnvowtoconformtothereligionofhiscountry，todefendit，andtocauseittoberespected。Anexpresslawseverelypunishedalldiscoursesagainstthegods，andarigiddecreeorderedthedenunciationofallwhoshoulddenytheirexistence。***Thepracticewasinunisonwiththeseverityofthelaw。TheproceedingscommencedagainstProtagoras；apricesetupontheheadofDiagoras；thedangerofAlcibiades；Aristotleobligedtofly；Stilpobanished；Anaxagorashardlyescapingdeath；Pericleshimself，afterallhisservicestohiscountry，andallthegloryhehadacquired，compelledtoappearbeforethetribunalsandmakehisdefence；**apriestessexecutedforhavingintroducedstrangegods；Socratescondemnedanddrinkingthehemlock，becausehewasaccusedofnotrecognizingthoseofhiscountry，&c。；thesefactsattesttooloudly，tobecalledinquestion，thereligiousintoleranceofthemosthumaneandenlightenedpeopleinGreece。"LettresdequelquesJuifsaMons。Voltaire，i。p。221。CompareBentleyonFreethinking，fromwhichmuchofthisisderived。—M。
　　4th。TheRomans。—ThelawsofRomewerenotlessexpressandsevere。Theintoleranceofforeignreligionsreaches，withtheRomans，ashighasthelawsofthetwelvetables；theprohibitionswereafterwardsrenewedatdifferenttimes。
　　Intolerancedidnotdiscontinueundertheemperors；witnessthecounselofMaecenastoAugustus。Thiscounselissoremarkable，thatIthinkitrighttoinsertitentire。"Honorthegodsyourself，"saysMaecenastoAugustus，"ineverywayaccordingtotheusageofyourancestors，andcompelotherstoworshipthem。
　　Hateandpunishthosewhointroducestrangegods，notonlyforthesakeofthegods，hewhodespisesthemwillrespectnoone，
　　butbecausethosewhointroducenewgodsengageamultitudeofpersonsinforeignlawsandcustoms。Fromhenceariseunionsboundbyoathsandconfederacies，andassociations，thingsdangeroustoamonarchy。"DionCass。l。ii。c。36。But，thoughsomemaydifferfromit，seeGibbon'sjustobservationonthispassageinDionCassius，ch。xvi。note117；impugned，indeed，byM。Guizot，noteinloc。—M。
　　EventhelawswhichthephilosophersofAthensandofRomewrotefortheirimaginaryrepublicsareintolerant。Platodoesnotleavetohiscitizensfreedomofreligiousworship；andCiceroexpresslyprohibitsthemfromhavingothergodsthanthoseofthestate。LettresdequelquesJuifsaMons。Voltaire，i。p。
　　226。—G。
　　AccordingtoM。Guizot'sjustremarks，religiousintolerancewillalwaysallyitselfwiththepassionsofman，howeverdifferentthosepassionsmaybe。Intheinstancesquotedabove，withthePersiansitwastheprideofdespotism；toconquerthegodsofacountrywasthelastmarkofsubjugation。WiththeEgyptians，itwasthegrossFetichismofthesuperstitiouspopulace，andthelocaljealousyofneighboringtowns。InGreece，persecutionwasingeneralconnectedwithpoliticalparty；inRome，withthesternsupremacyofthelawandtheinterestsofthestate。GibbonhasbeenmistakeninattributingtothetolerantspiritofPaganismthatwhicharoseoutofthepeculiarcircumstancesofthetimes。1st。ThedecayoftheoldPolytheism，throughtheprogressofreasonandintelligence，andtheprevalenceofphilosophicalopinionsamongthehigherorders。
　　2d。TheRomancharacter，inwhichthepoliticalalwayspredominatedoverthereligiousparty。TheRomanswerecontentedwithhavingbowedtheworldtoauniformityofsubjectiontotheirpower，andcarednotforestablishingthetothemlessimportantuniformityofreligion。—M。]
　　[Footnote1:DumAssyriospenes，Medosque，etPersasOriensfuit，despectissimaparsservientium。Tacit。Hist。v。8。Herodotus，whovisitedAsiawhilstitobeyedthelastofthoseempires，slightlymentionstheSyriansofPalestine，who，accordingtotheirownconfession，hadreceivedfromEgypttheriteofcircumcision。Seel。ii。c。104。]
　　[Footnote2:DiodorusSiculus，l。xl。DionCassius，l。xxxvii。
　　p。121。TacitHist。v。1—9。Justinxxxvi。2，3。]
　　TradiditarcanoquaecunquevolumineMoses，Nonmonstrareviascademnisisacracolenti，Quaesitumadfontemsolosdeducereverpas。
　　TheletterofthislawisnottobefoundinthepresentvolumeofMoses。Butthewise，thehumaneMaimonidesopenlyteachesthatifanidolaterfallintothewater，aJewoughtnottosavehimfrominstantdeath。SeeBasnage，HistoiredesJuifs，l。vi。c。
　　28。
　　Note:Itisdiametricallyopposedtoitsspiritandtoitsletter，see，amongotherpassages，Deut。v。18。19，God"loveththestrangeringivinghimfoodandraiment。Loveye，therefore，thestranger:foryewerestrangersinthelandofEgypt。"Comp。
　　Lev。xxiii。25。Juvenalisasatirist，whosestrongexpressionscanhardlybereceivedashistoricevidence；andhewroteafterthehorriblecrueltiesoftheRomans，which，duringandafterthewar，mightgivesomecauseforthecompleteisolationoftheJewfromtherestoftheworld。TheJewwasabigot，buthisreligionwasnottheonlysourceofhisbigotry。Afterhowmanycenturiesofmutualwrongandhatred，whichhadstillfurtherestrangedtheJewfrommankind，didMaimonideswrite?—M。]
　　[Footnote4:AJewishsect，whichindulgedthemselvesinasortofoccasionalconformity，derivedfromHerod，bywhoseexampleandauthoritytheyhadbeenseduced，thenameofHerodians。Buttheirnumbersweresoinconsiderable，andtheirdurationsoshort，thatJosephushasnotthoughtthemworthyofhisnotice。
　　SeePrideaux'sConnection，vol。ii。p。285。
　　Note:TheHerodianswereprobablymoreofapoliticalpartythanareligioussect，thoughGibbonismostlikelyrightastotheiroccasionalconformity。SeeHist。oftheJews，ii。108。—
　　M。]
　　[Footnote5:CiceroproFlacco，c。28。
　　Note:TheedictsofJuliusCaesar，andofsomeofthecitiesinAsiaMinorKrebs。Decret。proJudaeis，infavorofthenationingeneral，oroftheAsiaticJews，speakadifferentlanguage。—M。]
　　[Footnote6:PhilodeLegatione。Augustusleftafoundationforaperpetualsacrifice。YetheapprovedoftheneglectwhichhisgrandsonCaiusexpressedtowardsthetempleofJerusalem。SeeSueton。inAugust。c。93，andCasaubon'snotesonthatpassage。]
　　[Footnote7:See，inparticular，Joseph。Antiquitat。xvii。6，xviii。3；anddeBell。Judiac。i。33，andii。9，edit。
　　Havercamp。
　　Note:ThiswasduringthegovernmentofPontiusPilate。
　　Hist。ofJews，ii。156。Probablyinparttoavoidthiscollision，theRomangovernor，ingeneral，residedatCaesarea。—
　　M。]
　　[Footnote8:JussiaCaioCaesare，effigiemejusintemplolocare，armapotiussumpsere。Tacit。Hist。v。9。PhiloandJosephusgaveaverycircumstantial，butaveryrhetorical，accountofthistransaction，whichexceedinglyperplexedthegovernorofSyria。Atthefirstmentionofthisidolatrousproposal，KingAgrippafaintedaway；anddidnotrecoverhissensesuntilthethirdday。Hist。ofJews，ii。181，&c。]
　　Thisinflexibleperseverance，whichappearedsoodiousorsoridiculoustotheancientworld，assumesamoreawfulcharacter，sinceProvidencehasdeignedtorevealtousthemysterioushistoryofthechosenpeople。ButthedevoutandevenscrupulousattachmenttotheMosaicreligion，soconspicuousamongtheJewswholivedunderthesecondtemple，becomesstillmoresurprising，ifitiscomparedwiththestubbornincredulityoftheirforefathers。WhenthelawwasgiveninthunderfromMountSinai，whenthetidesoftheoceanandthecourseoftheplanetsweresuspendedfortheconvenienceoftheIsraelites，andwhentemporalrewardsandpunishmentsweretheimmediateconsequencesoftheirpietyordisobedience，theyperpetuallyrelapsedintorebellionagainstthevisiblemajestyoftheirDivineKing，placedtheidolsofthenationsinthesanctuaryofJehovah，andimitatedeveryfantasticceremonythatwaspractisedinthetentsoftheArabs，orinthecitiesofPhoenicia。^9AstheprotectionofHeavenwasdeservedlywithdrawnfromtheungratefulrace，theirfaithacquiredaproportionabledegreeofvigorandpurity。
　　ThecontemporariesofMosesandJoshuahadbeheldwithcarelessindifferencethemostamazingmiracles。Underthepressureofeverycalamity，thebeliefofthosemiracleshaspreservedtheJewsofalaterperiodfromtheuniversalcontagionofidolatry；
　　andincontradictiontoeveryknownprincipleofthehumanmind，thatsingularpeopleseemstohaveyieldedastrongerandmorereadyassenttothetraditionsoftheirremoteancestors，thantotheevidenceoftheirownsenses。^10
　　[Footnote9:FortheenumerationoftheSyrianandArabiandeities，itmaybeobserved，thatMiltonhascomprisedinonehundredandthirtyverybeautifullinesthetwolargeandlearnedsyntagmaswhichSeldenhadcomposedonthatabstrusesubject。]
　　[Footnote10:"Howlongwillthispeopleprovokeme?andhowlongwillitbeeretheybelieveme，forallthesignswhichI
　　haveshownamongthem?"Numbersxiv。11。Itwouldbeeasy，butitwouldbeunbecoming，tojustifythecomplaintoftheDeityfromthewholetenoroftheMosaichistory。
　　Note:Amongarudeandbarbarouspeople，religiousimpressionsareeasilymade，andareassooneffaced。Theignorancewhichmultipliesimaginarywonders，wouldweakenanddestroytheeffectofrealmiracle。AttheperiodoftheJewishhistory，referredtointhepassagefromNumbers，theirfearspredominatedovertheirfaith，—thefearsofanunwarlikepeople，justrescuedfromdebasingslavery，andcommandedtoattackafierce，awell—armed，agigantic，andafarmorenumerousrace，theinhabitantsofCanaan。AstothefrequentapostasyoftheJews，theirreligionwasbeyondtheirstateofcivilization。Norisituncommonforapeopletoclingwithpassionateattachmenttothatofwhich，atfirst，theycouldnotappreciatethevalue。Patriotismandnationalpridewillcontend，eventodeath，forpoliticalrightswhichhavebeenforceduponareluctantpeople。TheChristianmayatleastretort，withjustice，thatthegreatsignofhisreligion，theresurrectionofJesus，wasmostardentlybelieved，andmostresolutelyasserted，bytheeyewitnessesofthefact。—M。]
　　TheJewishreligionwasadmirablyfittedfordefence，butitwasneverdesignedforconquest；anditseemsprobablethatthenumberofproselyteswasnevermuchsuperiortothatofapostates。Thedivinepromiseswereoriginallymade，andthedistinguishingriteofcircumcisionwasenjoined，toasinglefamily。WhentheposterityofAbrahamhadmultipliedlikethesandsofthesea，theDeity，fromwhosemouththeyreceivedasystemoflawsandceremonies，declaredhimselftheproperandasitwerethenationalGodofIsraelandwiththemostjealouscareseparatedhisfavoritepeoplefromtherestofmankind。TheconquestofthelandofCanaanwasaccompaniedwithsomanywonderfulandwithsomanybloodycircumstances，thatthevictoriousJewswereleftinastateofirreconcilablehostilitywithalltheirneighbors。Theyhadbeencommandedtoextirpatesomeofthemostidolatroustribes，andtheexecutionofthedivinewillhadseldombeenretardedbytheweaknessofhumanity。
　　Withtheothernationstheywereforbiddentocontractanymarriagesoralliances；andtheprohibitionofreceivingthemintothecongregation，whichinsomecaseswasperpetual，almostalwaysextendedtothethird，totheseventh，oreventothetenthgeneration。TheobligationofpreachingtotheGentilesthefaithofMoseshadneverbeeninculcatedasapreceptofthelaw，norweretheJewsinclinedtoimposeitonthemselvesasavoluntaryduty。
　　Intheadmissionofnewcitizens，thatunsocialpeoplewasactuatedbytheselfishvanityoftheGreeks，ratherthanbythegenerouspolicyofRome。ThedescendantsofAbrahamwereflatteredbytheopinionthattheyaloneweretheheirsofthecovenant，andtheywereapprehensiveofdiminishingthevalueoftheirinheritancebysharingittooeasilywiththestrangersoftheearth。Alargeracquaintancewithmankindextendedtheirknowledgewithoutcorrectingtheirprejudices；andwhenevertheGodofIsraelacquiredanynewvotaries，hewasmuchmoreindebtedtotheinconstanthumorofpolytheismthantotheactivezealofhisownmissionaries。^11ThereligionofMosesseemstobeinstitutedforaparticularcountryaswellasforasinglenation；andifastrictobediencehadbeenpaidtotheorder，thateverymale，threetimesintheyear，shouldpresenthimselfbeforetheLordJehovah，itwouldhavebeenimpossiblethattheJewscouldeverhavespreadthemselvesbeyondthenarrowlimitsofthepromisedland。^12ThatobstaclewasindeedremovedbythedestructionofthetempleofJerusalem；butthemostconsiderablepartoftheJewishreligionwasinvolvedinitsdestruction；andthePagans，whohadlongwonderedatthestrangereportofanemptysanctuary，^13wereatalosstodiscoverwhatcouldbetheobject，orwhatcouldbetheinstruments，ofaworshipwhichwasdestituteoftemplesandofaltars，ofpriestsandofsacrifices。
　　Yetevenintheirfallenstate，theJews，stillassertingtheirloftyandexclusiveprivileges，shunned，insteadofcourting，thesocietyofstrangers。Theystillinsistedwithinflexiblerigoronthosepartsofthelawwhichitwasintheirpowertopractise。Theirpeculiardistinctionsofdays，ofmeats，andavarietyoftrivialthoughburdensomeobservances，weresomanyobjectsofdisgustandaversionfortheothernations，towhosehabitsandprejudicestheywerediametricallyopposite。Thepainfulandevendangerousriteofcircumcisionwasalonecapableofrepellingawillingproselytefromthedoorofthesynagogue。