Page:Chapters on Jewish literature (IA chaptersonjewish00abra).pdf/227

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HISTORIANS AND CHRONICLERS
223

altogether unauthentic have been vindicated by later research. Azariah di Rossi, on the other hand, is immortalized by his spirit rather than his actual contributions to historical literature. Ile came of an ancient family said to have been carried to Rome by Titus, and lived in Ferrara, where, in 1574, he produced his “Light of the Eyes.” This is divided into three parts, the first devoted to general history, the second to the Letter of Aristeas, the third to the solution of several historical problems, all of which had been neglected by Jews and Christians alike. Azariah di Rossi was the first critic to open up true lines of research into the Hellenistic literature of the Jews of Alexandria. With him the true historical spirit once more descended on the Jewish genius.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Steinschneider.―Jewish Literature, p. 75, seq., 250 seq.

A. Neubauer.―Introductions to Medical Jewish Chronicles, Vols. I and II (Oxford, 1882, etc.).