“That I perceive,” retorted Gamaliel, “for even the language—­that clothing of our thoughts—­the language of our fathers and of the scriptures, you have abandoned for another, sacrificed to another.”

“You and your nephew also speak Greek.”

“We do it here, because the heathen, because you and yours, no longer understand the tongue of Moses and the prophets.”

“But wherever the Great Alexander bore his arms Greek is spoken; and does not the Greek version of the scriptures, translated by the seventy interpreters under the direct guidance of our God, exactly reproduce the Hebrew text?”

“And would you exchange the stone engraved by Bryasis that you wear on your finger, and showed me yesterday with so much pride, for a wax impression of the gem?”

“The language of Plato is not an inferior thing; it is as noble as the costliest sapphire.”

“But ours came to us from the lips of the Most High.  What would you think of a child that, disdaining the tongue Of its father listened only to that of its neighbors and made use of an interpreter to be able to understand its parents’ commands?”

“You are speaking of parents who have long since left their native land.  The ancestor need not be indignant with his descendants when they use the language of their new home, so long as they continue to act in accordance with his spirit.”

“We must live not merely in accordance with the spirit, but by the words of the Most High, for not a syllable proceeds from His lips in vain.  The more exalted the spirit of a discourse is, the more important is every word and syllable.  One single letter often changes the meaning of whole sentences.—­What a noise the people outside are making!  The wild tumult penetrates even into this room which is so far from the street, and your sons take delight in the disorders of the heathen!  You do not even withhold them by force from adding to the number of those mad devotees of pleasure!”

“I was young once myself, and I think it no sin to share in the universal rejoicing.”

“Say rather the disgraceful idolatry of the worshippers of Dionysus.  It is in name alone that you and your children belong to the elect people of God, in your hearts you are heathens!”

“No, Father,” exclaimed Apollodorus eagerly.  “The reverse is the case.  In our hearts we are Jews but we wear the garments of Greeks.”

“Why your name is Apollodorus—­the gift of Apollo.”

“A name chosen only to distinguish me from others.  Who would ever enquire into the meaning of a name if it sounds well.”

“You, everybody who is not devoid of sense,” cried the Rabbi.  “You think to yourself ’need Zenodotus or Hermogenes, some Greek you meet at the bath or else where, know at once that the wealthy personage, with whom he discussed the latest interpretation of the Hellenic myths, is a Jew?’ And how charming is the man who asks you whether you are not an Athenian, for your Greek has such a pure Attic accent!  And what we ourselves like, we favor in our children, so we choose names for them too which flatter our own vanity.”