ON THE LIFE OF MOSES.

youth, he attempted things beyond his existing strength, looking upon justice as an irresistible power, by which he was encouraged to go spontaneously to the assistance of the weaker side.

X. I will also mention one action that was done by him at that time, which may appear trifling but proceeded from a lofty spirit. The Arabs are great breeders of cattle, and they all feed their flocks together—not merely men, but also women, youths, and maidens—and this, too, not merely among the lower classes but also among the most eminent persons of the nation.

Now there were seven damsels, the daughters of a priest, who all came to a certain fountain leading their flocks. They loosened their vessels, let them down by thongs, and succeeded one another in drawing up the water so that they all had an equal share in the work; in this way they cheerfully and rapidly filled the troughs that were at hand. When other shepherds came up, they disregarded the weakness of the damsels and endeavored to drive them away with their flocks, bringing their own herds to the water that was prepared, desiring to reap the fruits of the labor of others. But Moses, seeing what was done, for he was not at a great distance, hastened and ran up. When he had come near to them, he said:

"Will you not desist from behaving thus unjustly, thinking this solitary place a fitting field for the exercise of your greed? Are you not ashamed to have such cowardly arms and hands? You are long-haired people, female in flesh, and not men. The damsels behave like vigorous youths, hesitating about nothing that they ought to do; but you, young men, are behaving lazily, like girls. Will you not depart? Will you not be off and give place to those who arrived first, to whom the water belongs, and who are entitled to it? You ought rather to have drawn water for them, so that they might have had it in greater abundance; instead, are you endeavoring to take away from them what they themselves have prepared?

✓

"But I swear, by the celestial eye of justice, which sees what is done even in the most solitary places, that you shall not take it from them. At any rate, justice has sent me and appointed me to bring assistance to those who never