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diff --git a/old/warje10.txt b/old/warje10.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..e33602b --- /dev/null +++ b/old/warje10.txt @@ -0,0 +1,22872 @@ +The Wars of the Jews or History of the Destruction of Jerusalem +#5 in our series by Flavius Josephus translated by William Whiston + +Copyright laws are changing all over the world, be sure to check +the copyright laws for your country before posting these files!! + +Please take a look at the important information in this header. +We encourage you to keep this file on your own disk, keeping an +electronic path open for the next readers. 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FOR PUBLIC DOMAIN ETEXTS*Ver.04.29.93*END* + + + + + +Prepared by David Reed haradda@aol.com or davidr@inconnect.com + + + + + +The Wars of the Jews or History of the Destruction of Jerusalem + +By Flavius Josephus + + + + +Translated by William Whiston + + + + +PREFACE + +1. (1) Whereas the war which the Jews made with the Romans hath +been the greatest of all those, not only that have been in our +times, but, in a manner, of those that ever were heard of; both +of those wherein cities have fought against cities, or nations +against nations; while some men who were not concerned in the +affairs themselves have gotten together vain and contradictory +stories by hearsay, and have written them down after a +sophistical manner; and while those that were there present have +given false accounts of things, and this either out of a humor of +flattery to the Romans, or of hatred towards the Jews; and while +their writings contain sometimes accusations, and sometimes +encomiums, but no where the accurate truth of the facts; I have +proposed to myself, for the sake of such as live under the +government of the Romans, to translate those books into the Greek +tongue, which I formerly composed in the language of our country, +and sent to the Upper Barbarians; (2) Joseph, the son of +Matthias, by birth a Hebrew, a priest also, and one who at first +fought against the Romans myself, and was forced to be present at +what was done afterwards, [am the author of this work]. + +2. Now at the time when this great concussion of affairs +happened, the affairs of the Romans were themselves in great +disorder. Those Jews also who were for innovations, then arose +when the times were disturbed; they were also in a flourishing +condition for strength and riches, insomuch that the affairs of +the East were then exceeding tumultuous, while some hoped for +gain, and others were afraid of loss in such troubles; for the +Jews hoped that all of their nation which were beyond Euphrates +would have raised an insurrection together with them. The Gauls +also, in the neighborhood of the Romans, were in motion, and the +Geltin were not quiet; but all was in disorder after the death of +Nero. And the opportunity now offered induced many to aim at the +royal power; and the soldiery affected change, out of the hopes +of getting money. I thought it therefore an absurd thing to see +the truth falsified in affairs of such great consequence, and to +take no notice of it; but to suffer those Greeks and Romans that +were not in the wars to be ignorant of these things, and to read +either flatteries or fictions, while the Parthians, and the +Babylonians, and the remotest Arabians, and those of our nation +beyond Euphrates, with the Adiabeni, by my means, knew accurately +both whence the war begun, what miseries it brought upon us, and +after what manner it ended. + +3. It is true, these writers have the confidence to call their +accounts histories; wherein yet they seem to me to fail of their +own purpose, as well as to relate nothing that is sound. For they +have a mind to demonstrate the greatness of the Romans, while +they still diminish and lessen the actions of the Jews, as not +discerning how it cannot be that those must appear to be great +who have only conquered those that were little. Nor are they +ashamed to overlook the length of the war, the multitude of the +Roman forces who so greatly suffered in it, or the might of the +commanders, whose great labors about Jerusalem will be deemed +inglorious, if what they achieved be reckoned but a small matter. +4. However, I will not go to the other extreme, out of opposition +to those men who extol the Romans nor will I determine to raise +the actions of my countrymen too high; but I will prosecute the +actions of both parties with accuracy. Yet shall I suit my +language to the passions I am under, as to the affairs I +describe, and must be allowed to indulge some lamentations upon +the miseries undergone by my own country. For that it was a +seditious temper of our own that destroyed it, and that they were +the tyrants among the Jews who brought the Roman power upon us, +who unwillingly attacked us, and occasioned the burning of our +holy temple, Titus Caesar, who destroyed it, is himself a +witness, who, daring the entire war, pitied the people who were +kept under by the seditious, and did often voluntarily delay the +taking of the city, and allowed time to the siege, in order to +let the authors have opportunity for repentance. But if any one +makes an unjust accusation against us, when we speak so +passionately about the tyrants, or the robbers, or sorely bewail +the misfortunes of our country, let him indulge my affections +herein, though it be contrary to the rules for writing history; +because it had so come to pass, that our city Jerusalem had +arrived at a higher degree of felicity than any other city under +the Roman government, and yet at last fell into the sorest of +calamities again. Accordingly, it appears to me that the +misfortunes of all men, from the beginning of the world, if they +be compared to these of the Jews (3) are not so considerable as +they were; while the authors of them were not foreigners neither. +This makes it impossible for me to contain my lamentations. But +if any one be inflexible in his censures of me, let him attribute +the facts themselves to the historical part, and the lamentations +to the writer himself only. + +5. However, I may justly blame the learned men among the Greeks, +who, when such great actions have been done in their own times, +which, upon the comparison, quite eclipse the old wars, do yet +sit as judges of those affairs, and pass bitter censures upon the +labors of the best writers of antiquity; which moderns, although +they may be superior to the old writers in eloquence, yet are +they inferior to them in the execution of what they intended to +do. While these also write new histories about the Assyrians and +Medes, as if the ancient writers had not described their affairs +as they ought to have done; although these be as far inferior to +them in abilities as they are different in their notions from +them. For of old every one took upon them to write what happened +in his own time; where their immediate concern in the actions +made their promises of value; and where it must be reproachful to +write lies, when they must be known by the readers to be such. +But then, an undertaking to preserve the memory Of what hath not +been before recorded, and to represent the affairs of one's own +time to those that come afterwards, is really worthy of praise +and commendation. Now he is to be esteemed to have taken good +pains in earnest, not who does no more than change the +disposition and order of other men's works, but he who not only +relates what had not been related before, but composes an entire +body of history of his own: accordingly, I have been at great +charges, and have taken very great pains [about this history], +though I be a foreigner; and do dedicate this work, as a memorial +of great actions, both to the Greeks and to the Barbarians. But +for some of our own principal men, their mouths are wide open, +and their tongues loosed presently, for gain and law-suits, but +quite muzzled up when they are to write history, where they must +speak truth and gather facts together with a great deal of pains; +and so they leave the writing such histories to weaker people, +and to such as are not acquainted with the actions of princes. +Yet shall the real truth of historical facts be preferred by us, +how much soever it be neglected among the Greek historians. +6. To write concerning the Antiquities of the Jews, who they were +[originally], and how they revolted from the Egyptians, and what +country they traveled over, and what countries they seized upon +afterward, and how they were removed out of them, I think this +not to be a fit opportunity, and, on other accounts, also +superfluous; and this because many Jews before me have composed +the histories of our ancestors very exactly; as have some of the +Greeks done it also, and have translated our histories into their +own tongue, and have not much mistaken the truth in their +histories. But then, where the writers of these affairs and our +prophets leave off, thence shall I take my rise, and begin my +history. Now as to what concerns that war which happened in my +own time, I will go over it very largely, and with all the +diligence I am able; but for what preceded mine own age, that I +shall run over briefly. + +7. [For example, I shall relate] how Antiochus, who was named +Epiphanes, took Jerusalem by force, and held it three years and +three months, and was then ejected out of the country by the sons +of Asamoneus: after that, how their posterity quarreled about the +government, and brought upon their settlement the Romans and +Pompey; how Herod also, the son of Antipater, dissolved their +government, and brought Sosins upon them; as also how our people +made a sedition upon Herod's death, while Augustus was the Roman +emperor, and Quintilius Varus was in that country; and how the +war broke out in the twelfth year of Nero, with what happened to +Cestius; and what places the Jews assaulted in a hostile manner +in the first sallies of the war. + +8. As also [I shall relate] how they built walls about the +neighboring cities; and how Nero, upon Cestius's defeat, was in +fear of the entire event of the war, and thereupon made Vespasian +general in this war; and how this Vespasian, with the elder of +his sons (4) made an expedition into the country of Judea; what +was the number of the Roman army that he made use of; and how +many of his auxiliaries were cut off in all Galilee; and how he +took some of its cities entirely, and by force, and others of +them by treaty, and on terms. Now, when I am come so far, I shall +describe the good order of the Romans in war, and the discipline +of their legions; the amplitude of both the Galilees, with its +nature, and the limits of Judea. And, besides this, I shall +particularly go over what is peculiar to the country, the lakes +and fountains that are in them, and what miseries happened to +every city as they were taken; and all this with accuracy, as I +saw the things done, or suffered in them. For I shall not conceal +any of the calamities I myself endured, since I shall relate them +to such as know the truth of them. + +9. After this, [I shall relate] how, When the Jews' affairs were +become very bad, Nero died, and Vespasian, when he was going to +attack Jerusalem, was called back to take the government upon +him; what signs happened to him relating to his gaining that +government, and what mutations of government then happened at +Rome, and how he was unwillingly made emperor by his soldiers; +and how, upon his departure to Egypt, to take upon him the +government of the empire, the affairs of the Jews became very +tumultuous; as also how the tyrants rose up against them, and +fell into dissensions among themselves. + +10. Moreover, [I shall relate] how Titus marched out of Egypt +into Judea the second time; as also how, and where, and how many +forces he got together; and in what state the city was, by the +means of the seditious, at his coming; what attacks he made, and +how many ramparts he cast up; of the three walls that encompassed +the city, and of their measures; of the strength of the city, and +the structure of the temple and holy house; and besides, the +measures of those edifices, and of the altar, and all accurately +determined. A description also of certain of their festivals, and +seven purifications of purity, (5) and the sacred ministrations +of the priests, with the garments of the priests, and of the high +priests; and of the nature of the most holy place of the temple; +without concealing any thing, or adding any thing to the known +truth of things. + +11. After this, I shall relate the barbarity of the tyrants +towards the people of their own nation, as well as the indulgence +of the Romans in sparing foreigners; and how often Titus, out of +his desire to preserve the city and the temple, invited the +seditious to come to terms of accommodation. I shall also +distinguish the sufferings of the people, and their calamities; +how far they were afflicted by the sedition, and how far by the +famine, and at length were taken. Nor shall I omit to mention the +misfortunes of the deserters, nor the punishments inflicted on +the captives; as also how the temple was burnt, against the +consent of Caesar; and how many sacred things that had been laid +up in the temple were snatched out of the fire; the destruction +also of the entire city, with the signs and wonders that went +before it; and the taking the tyrants captives, and the multitude +of those that were made slaves, and into what different +misfortunes they were every one distributed. Moreover, what the +Romans did to the remains of the wall; and how they demolished +the strong holds that were in the country; and how Titus went +over the whole country, and settled its affairs; together with +his return into Italy, and his triumph.] + +12. I have comprehended all these things in seven books, and have +left no occasion for complaint or accusation to such as have been +acquainted with this war; and I have written it down for the sake +of those that love truth, but not for those that please +themselves [with fictitious relations]. And I will begin my +account of these things with what I call my First Chapter. + +WAR PREFACE FOOTNOTES + +(1) I have already observed more than once, that this History of +the Jewish War was Josephus's first work, and published about +A.D. 75, when he was but thirty-eight years of age; and that when +he wrote it, he was not thoroughly acquainted with several +circumstances of history from the days of Antiochus Epiphanes, +with which it begins, till near his own times, contained in the +first and former part of the second book, and so committed many +involuntary errors therein. That he published his Antiquities +eighteen years afterward, in the thirteenth year of Domitian, +A.D. 93, when he was much more completely acquainted with those +ancient times, and after he had perused those most authentic +histories, the First Book of Maccabees, and the Chronicles of the +Priesthood of John Hyrcanus, etc. That accordingly he then +reviewed those parts of this work, and gave the public a more +faithful, complete, and accurate account of the facts therein +related; and honestly corrected the errors he bad before run +into. + +(2) Who these Upper Barbarians, remote from the sea, were, +Josephus himself will inform us, sect. 2, viz. the Parthians and +Babylonians, and remotest Arabians [of the Jews among them]; +besides the Jews beyond Euphrates, and the Adiabeni, or +Assyrians. Whence we also learn that these Parthians, +Babylonians, the remotest Arabians, [or at least the Jews among +them,] as also the Jews beyond Euphrates, and the Adiabeni, or +Assyrians, understood Josephus's Hebrew, or rather Chaldaic, +books of The Jewish War, before they were put into the Greek +language. + +(3) That these calamities of the Jews, who were our Savior's +murderers, were to be the greatest that had ever been s nee the +beginning of the world, our Savior had directly foretold, Matthew +24:21; Mark 13:19; Luke 21:23, 24; and that they proved to be +such accordingly, Josephus is here a most authentic witness. + +(4) Titus. + +(5) These seven, or rather five, degrees of purity, or +purification, are enumerated hereafter, B. V. ch. 5. sect. 6. The +Rabbins make ten degrees of them, as Reland there informs us. + +BOOK I. + +Containing The Interval Of One Hundred And Sixty-Seven Years. +From The Taking Of Jerusalem By Antiochus Epiphanes, To The Death +Of Herod The Great. + +CHAPTER 1. + +How The City Jerusalem Was Taken, And The Temple Pillaged [By +Antiochus Epiphanes]. As Also Concerning The Actions Of The +Maccabees, Matthias And Judas; And Concerning The Death Of Judas. +1. At the same time that Antiochus, who was called Epiphanes, had +a quarrel with the sixth Ptolemy about his right to the whole +country of Syria, a great sedition fell among the men of power in +Judea, and they had a contention about obtaining the government; +while each of those that were of dignity could not endure to be +subject to their equals. However, Onias, one of the high priests, +got the better, and cast the sons of Tobias out of the city; who +fled to Antiochus, and besought him to make use of them for his +leaders, and to make an expedition into Judea. The king being +thereto disposed beforehand, complied with them, and came upon +the Jews with a great army, and took their city by force, and +slew a great multitude of those that favored Ptolemy, and sent +out his soldiers to plunder them without mercy. He also spoiled +the temple, and put a stop to the constant practice of offering a +daily sacrifice of expiation for three years and six months. But +Onias, the high priest, fled to Ptolemy, and received a place +from him in the Nomus of Heliopolis, where he built a city +resembling Jerusalem, and a temple that was like its temple (1) +concerning which we shall speak more in its proper place +hereafter. + +2. Now Antiochus was not satisfied either with his unexpected +taking the city, or with its pillage, or with the great slaughter +he had made there; but being overcome with his violent passions, +and remembering what he had suffered during the siege, he +compelled the Jews to dissolve the laws of their country, and to +keep their infants uncircumcised, and to sacrifice swine's flesh +upon the altar; against which they all opposed themselves, and +the most approved among them were put to death. Bacchides also, +who was sent to keep the fortresses, having these wicked +commands, joined to his own natural barbarity, indulged all sorts +of the extremest wickedness, and tormented the worthiest of the +inhabitants, man by man, and threatened their city every day with +open destruction, till at length he provoked the poor sufferers +by the extremity of his wicked doings to avenge themselves. +3. Accordingly Matthias, the son of Asamoneus, one of the priests +who lived in a village called Modin, armed himself, together with +his own family, which had five sons of his in it, and slew +Bacchides with daggers; and thereupon, out of the fear of the +many garrisons [of the enemy], he fled to the mountains; and so +many of the people followed him, that he was encouraged to come +down from the mountains, and to give battle to Antiochus's +generals, when he beat them, and drove them out of Judea. So he +came to the government by this his success, and became the prince +of his own people by their own free consent, and then died, +leaving the government to Judas, his eldest son. + +4. Now Judas, supposing that Antiochus would not lie still, +gathered an army out of his own countrymen, and was the first +that made a league of friendship with the Romans, and drove +Epiphanes out of the country when he had made a second expedition +into it, and this by giving him a great defeat there; and when he +was warmed by this great success, he made an assault upon the +garrison that was in the city, for it had not been cut off +hitherto; so he ejected them out of the upper city, and drove the +soldiers into the lower, which part of the city was called the +Citadel. He then got the temple under his power, and cleansed the +whole place, and walled it round about, and made new vessels for +sacred ministrations, and brought them into the temple, because +the former vessels had been profaned. He also built another +altar, and began to offer the sacrifices; and when the city had +already received its sacred constitution again, Antiochus died; +whose son Antiochus succeeded him in the kingdom, and in his +hatred to the Jews also. + +5. So this Antiochus got together fifty thousand footmen, and +five thousand horsemen, and fourscore elephants, and marched +through Judea into the mountainous parts. He then took Bethsura, +which was a small city; but at a place called Bethzacharis, where +the passage was narrow, Judas met him with his army. However, +before the forces joined battle, Judas's brother Eleazar, seeing +the very highest of the elephants adorned with a large tower, and +with military trappings of gold to guard him, and supposing that +Antiochus himself was upon him, he ran a great way before his own +army, and cutting his way through the enemy's troops, he got up +to the elephant; yet could he not reach him who seemed to be the +king, by reason of his being so high; but still he ran his weapon +into the belly of the beast, and brought him down upon himself, +and was crushed to death, having done no more than attempted +great things, and showed that he preferred glory before life. Now +he that governed the elephant was but a private man; and had he +proved to be Antiochus, Eleazar had performed nothing more by +this bold stroke than that it might appear he chose to die, when +he had the bare hope of thereby doing a glorious action; nay, +this disappointment proved an omen to his brother [Judas] how the +entire battle would end. It is true that the Jews fought it out +bravely for a long time, but the king's forces, being superior in +number, and having fortune on their side, obtained the victory. +And when a great many of his men were slain, Judas took the rest +with him, and fled to the toparchy of Gophna. So Antiochus went +to Jerusalem, and staid there but a few days, for he wanted +provisions, and so he went his way. He left indeed a garrison +behind him, such as he thought sufficient to keep the place, but +drew the rest of his army off, to take their winter-quarters in +Syria. + +6. Now, after the king was departed, Judas was not idle; for as +many of his own nation came to him, so did he gather those that +had escaped out of the battle together, and gave battle again to +Antiochus's generals at a village called Adasa; and being too +hard for his enemies in the battle, and killing a great number of +them, he was at last himself slain also. Nor was it many days +afterward that his brother John had a plot laid against him by +Antiochus's party, and was slain by them. + +CHAPTER 2. + +Concerning The Successors Of Judas, Who Were Jonathan And Simon, +And John Hyrcanus. + +1. When Jonathan, who was Judas's brother, succeeded him, he +behaved himself with great circumspection in other respects, with +relation to his own people; and he corroborated his authority by +preserving his friendship with the Romans. He also made a league +with Antiochus the son. Yet was not all this sufficient for his +security; for the tyrant Trypho, who was guardian to Antiochus's +son, laid a plot against him; and besides that, endeavored to +take off his friends, and caught Jonathan by a wile, as he was +going to Ptolemais to Antiochus, with a few persons in his +company, and put him in bonds, and then made an expedition +against the Jews; but when he was afterward driven away by Simon, +who was Jonathan's brother, and was enraged at his defeat, he put +Jonathan to death. + +2. However, Simon managed the public affairs after a courageous +manner, and took Gazara, and Joppa, and Jamnia, which were cities +in his neighborhood. He also got the garrison under, and +demolished the citadel. He was afterward an auxiliary to +Antiochus, against Trypho, whom he besieged in Dora, before he +went on his expedition against the Medes; yet could not he make +the king ashamed of his ambition, though he had assisted him in +killing Trypho; for it was not long ere Antiochus sent Cendebeus +his general with an army to lay waste Judea, and to subdue Simon; +yet he, though he was now in years, conducted the war as if he +were a much younger man. He also sent his sons with a band of +strong men against Antiochus, while he took part of the army +himself with him, and fell upon him from another quarter. He also +laid a great many men in ambush in many places of the mountains, +and was superior in all his attacks upon them; and when he had +been conqueror after so glorious a manner, he was made high +priest, and also freed the Jews from the dominion of the +Macedonians, after one hundred and seventy years of the empire +[of Seleucus]. + +3. This Simon also had a plot laid against him, and was slain at +a feast by his son-in-law Ptolemy, who put his wife and two sons +into prison, and sent some persons to kill John, who was also +called Hyrcanus. (2) But when the young man was informed of their +coming beforehand, he made haste to get to the city, as having a +very great confidence in the people there, both on account of the +memory of the glorious actions of his father, and of the hatred +they could not but bear to the injustice of Ptolemy. Ptolemy also +made an attempt to get into the city by another gate; but was +repelled by the people, who had just then admitted of Hyrcanus; +so he retired presently to one of the fortresses that were about +Jericho, which was called Dagon. Now when Hyrcanus had received +the high priesthood, which his father had held before, and had +offered sacrifice to God, he made great haste to attack Ptolemy, +that he might afford relief to his mother and brethren. + +4. So he laid siege to the fortress, and was superior to Ptolemy +in other respects, but was overcome by him as to the just +affection [he had for his relations]; for when Ptolemy was +distressed, he brought forth his mother, and his brethren, and +set them upon the wall, and beat them with rods in every body's +sight, and threatened, that unless he would go away immediately, +he would throw them down headlong; at which sight Hyrcanus's +commiseration and concern were too hard for his anger. But his +mother was not dismayed, neither at the stripes she received, nor +at the death with which she was threatened; but stretched out her +hands, and prayed her son not to be moved with the injuries that +she suffered to spare the wretch; since it was to her better to +die by the means of Ptolemy, than to live ever so long, provided +he might be punished for the injuries he done to their family. +Now John's case was this: When he considered the courage of his +mother, and heard her entreaty, he set about his attacks; but +when he saw her beaten, and torn to pieces with the stripes, he +grew feeble, and was entirely overcome by his affections. And as +the siege was delayed by this means, the year of rest came on, +upon which the Jews rest every seventh year as they do on every +seventh day. On this year, therefore, Ptolemy was freed from +being besieged, and slew the brethren of John, with their mother, +and fled to Zeno, who was also called Cotylas, who was tyrant of +Philadelphia. + +5. And now Antiochus was so angry at what he had suffered from +Simon, that he made an expedition into Judea, and sat down before +Jerusalem and besieged Hyrcanus; but Hyrcanus opened the +sepulcher of David, who was the richest of all kings, and took +thence about three thousand talents in money, and induced +Antiochus, by the promise of three thousand talents, to raise the +siege. Moreover, he was the first of the Jews that had money +enough, and began to hire foreign auxiliaries also. + +6. However, at another time, when Antiochus was gone upon an +expedition against the Medes, and so gave Hyrcanus an opportunity +of being revenged upon him, he immediately made an attack upon +the cities of Syria, as thinking, what proved to be the case with +them, that he should find them empty of god troops. So he took +Medaba and Samea, with the towns in their neighborhood, as also +Shechem, and Gerizzim; and besides these, [he subdued] the nation +of the Cutheans, who dwelt round about that temple which was +built in imitation of the temple at Jerusalem; he also took a +great many other cities of Idumea, with Adoreon and Marissa. +7. He also proceeded as far as Samaria, where is now the city +Sebaste, which was built by Herod the king, and encompassed it +all round with a wall, and set his sons, Aristobulus and +Antigonus, over the siege; who pushed it on so hard, that a +famine so far prevailed within the city, that they were forced to +eat what never was esteemed food. They also invited Antiochus, +who was called Cyzicenus, to come to their assistance; whereupon +he got ready, and complied with their invitation, but was beaten +by Aristobulus and Antigonus; and indeed he was pursued as far as +Scythopolis by these brethren, and fled away from them. So they +returned back to Samaria, and shut the multitude again within the +wall; and when they had taken the city, they demolished it, and +made slaves of its inhabitants. And as they had still great +success in their undertakings, they did not suffer their zeal to +cool, but marched with an army as far as Scythopolis, and made an +incursion upon it, and laid waste all the country that lay within +Mount Carmel. + +8. But then these successes of John and of his sons made them be +envied, and occasioned a sedition in the country; and many there +were who got together, and would not be at rest till they brake +out into open war, in which war they were beaten. So John lived +the rest of his life very happily, and administered the +government after a most extraordinary manner, and this for +thirty-three entire years together. He died, leaving five sons +behind him. He was certainly a very happy man, and afforded no +occasion to have any complaint made of fortune on his account. He +it was who alone had three of the most desirable things in the +world, - the government of his nation, and the high priesthood, +and the gift of prophecy. For the Deity conversed with him, and +he was not ignorant of any thing that was to come afterward; +insomuch that he foresaw and foretold that his two eldest sons +would not continue masters of the government; and it will highly +deserve our narration to describe their catastrophe, and how far +inferior these men were to their father in felicity. + +CHAPTER 3. + +How Aristobulus Was The First That Put A Diadem About His Head; +And After He Had Put His Mother And Brother To Death, Died +Himself, When He Had Reigned No More Than A Year. + +1. For after the death of their father, the elder of them, +Aristobulus, changed the government into a kingdom, and was the +first that put a diadem upon his head, four hundred seventy and +one years and three months after our people came down into this +country, when they were set free from the Babylonian slavery. +Now, of his brethren, he appeared to have an affection for +Antigonus, who was next to him, and made him his equal; but for +the rest, he bound them, and put them in prison. He also put his +mother in bonds, for her contesting the government with him; for +John had left her to be the governess of public affairs. He also +proceeded to that degree of barbarity as to cause her to be pined +to death in prison. + +2. But vengeance circumvented him in the affair of his brother +Antigonus, whom he loved, and whom he made his partner in the +kingdom; for he slew him by the means of the calumnies which ill +men about the palace contrived against him. At first, indeed, +Aristobulus would not believe their reports, partly out of the +affection he had for his brother, and partly because he thought +that a great part of these tales were owing to the envy of their +relaters: however, as Antigonus came once in a splendid manner +from the army to that festival, wherein our ancient custom is to +make tabernacles for God, it happened, in those days, that +Aristobulus was sick, and that, at the conclusion of the feast, +Antigonus came up to it, with his armed men about him; and this +when he was adorned in the finest manner possible; and that, in a +great measure, to pray to God on the behalf of his brother. Now +at this very time it was that these ill men came to the king, and +told him in what a pompous manner the armed men came, and with +what insolence Antigonus marched, and that such his insolence was +too great for a private person, and that accordingly he was come +with a great band of men to kill him; for that he could not +endure this bare enjoyment of royal honor, when it was in his +power to take the kingdom himself. + +3. Now Aristobulus, by degrees, and unwillingly, gave credit to +these accusations; and accordingly he took care not to discover +his suspicion openly, though he provided to be secure against any +accidents; so he placed the guards of his body in a certain dark +subterranean passage; for he lay sick in a place called formerly +the Citadel, though afterwards its name was changed to Antonia; +and he gave orders that if Antigonus came unarmed, they should +let him alone; but if he came to him in his armor, they should +kill him. He also sent some to let him know beforehand that he +should come unarmed. But, upon this occasion, the queen very +cunningly contrived the matter with those that plotted his ruin, +for she persuaded those that were sent to conceal the king's +message; but to tell Antigonus how his brother had heard he had +got a very the suit of armor made with fine martial ornaments, in +Galilee; and because his present sickness hindered him from +coming and seeing all that finery, he very much desired to see +him now in his armor; because, said he, in a little time thou art +going away from me. + +4. As soon as Antigonus heard this, the good temper of his +brother not allowing him to suspect any harm from him, he came +along with his armor on, to show it to his brother; but when he +was going along that dark passage which w{s called Strato's +Tower, he was slain by the body guards, and became an eminent +instance how calumny destroys all good-will and natural +affection, and how none of our good affections are strong enough +to resist envy perpetually. + +5. And truly any one would be surprised at Judas upon this +occasion. He was of the sect of the Essens, and had never failed +or deceived men in his predictions before. Now this man saw +Antigonus as he was passing along by the temple, and cried out to +his acquaintance, (they were not a few who attended upon him as +his scholars,) "O strange!" said he, "it is good for me to die +now, since truth is dead before me, and somewhat that I have +foretold hath proved false; for this Antigonus is this day alive, +who ought to hare died this day; and the place where he ought to +be slain, according to that fatal decree, was Strato's Tower, +which is at the distance of six hundred furlongs from this place; +and yet four hours of this day are over already; which point of +time renders the prediction impossible to be fill filled." And +when the old man had said this, he was dejected in his mind, and +so continued. But in a little time news came that Antigonus was +slain in a subterraneous place, which was itself also called +Strato's Tower, by the same name with that Cesarea which lay by +the sea-side; and this ambiguity it was which caused the +prophet's disorder. + +6. Hereupon Aristobulus repented of the great crime he had been +guilty of, and this gave occasion to the increase of his +distemper. He also grew worse and worse, and his soul was +constantly disturbed at the thoughts of what he had done, till +his very bowels being torn to pieces by the intolerable grief he +was under, he threw up a great quantity of blood. And as one of +those servants that attended him carried out that blood, he, by +some supernatural providence, slipped and fell down in the very +place where Antigonus had been slain; and so he spilt some of the +murderer's blood upon the spots of the blood of him that had been +murdered, which still appeared. Hereupon a lamentable cry arose +among the spectators, as if the servant had spilled the blood on +purpose in that place; and as the king heard that cry, he +inquired what was the cause of it; and while nobody durst tell +him, he pressed them so much the more to let him know what was +the matter; so at length, when he had threatened them, and forced +them to speak out, they told; whereupon he burst into tears, and +groaned, and said, "So I perceive I am not like to escape the +all-seeing eye of God, as to the great crimes I have committed; +but the vengeance of the blood of my kinsman pursues me hastily. +O thou most impudent body! how long wilt thou retain a soul that +ought to die on account of that punishment it ought to suffer for +a mother and a brother slain! How long shall I myself spend my +blood drop by drop? let them take it all at once; and let their +ghosts no longer be disappointed by a few parcels of my bowels +offered to them." As soon as he had said these words, he +presently died, when he had reigned no longer than a year. +CHAPTER 4. + +What Actions Were Done By Alexander Janneus, Who Reigned +Twenty-Seven Years. + +1. And now the king's wife loosed the king's brethren, and made +Alexander king, who appeared both elder in age, and more moderate +in his temper than the rest; who, when he came to the government, +slew one of his brethren, as affecting to govern himself; but had +the other of them in great esteem, as loving a quiet life, +without meddling with public affairs. + +2. Now it happened that there was a battle between him and +Ptolemy, who was called Lathyrus, who had taken the city Asochis. +He indeed slew a great many of his enemies, but the victory +rather inclined to Ptolemy. But when this Ptolemy was pursued by +his mother Cleopatra, and retired into Egypt, Alexander besieged +Gadara, and took it; as also he did Amathus, which was the +strongest of all the fortresses that were about Jordan, and +therein were the most precious of all the possessions of +Theodorus, the son of Zeno. Whereupon Theodopus marched against +him, and took what belonged to himself as well as the king's +baggage, and slew ten thousand of the Jews. However, Alexander +recovered this blow, and turned his force towards the maritime +parts, and took Raphia and Gaza, with Anthedon also, which was +afterwards called Agrippias by king Herod. + +3. But when he had made slaves of the citizens of all these +cities, the nation of the Jews made an insurrection against him +at a festival; for at those feasts seditions are generally begun; +and it looked as if he should not be able to escape the plot they +had laid for him, had not his foreign auxiliaries, the Pisidians +and Cilicians, assisted him; for as to the Syrians, he never +admitted them among his mercenary troops, on account of their +innate enmity against the Jewish nation. And when he had slain +more than six thousand of the rebels, he made an incursion into +Arabia; and when he had taken that country, together with the +Gileadires and Moabites, he enjoined them to pay him tribute, and +returned to Areathus; and as Theodorus was surprised at his great +success, he took the fortress, and demolished it. + +4. However, when he fought with Obodas, king of the Arabians, who +had laid an ambush for him near Golan, and a plot against him, he +lost his entire army, which was crowded together in a deep +valley, and broken to pieces by the multitude of camels. And when +he had made his escape to Jerusalem, he provoked the multitude, +which hated him before, to make an insurrection against him, and +this on account of the greatness of the calamity that he was +under. However, he was then too hard for them; and, in the +several battles that were fought on both sides, he slew not fewer +than fifty thousand of the Jews in the interval of six years. Yet +had he no reason to rejoice in these victories, since he did but +consume his own kingdom; till at length he left off fighting, and +endeavored to come to a composition with them, by talking with +his subjects. But this mutability and irregularity of his conduct +made them hate him still more. And when he asked them why they so +hated him, and what he should do in order to appease them, they +said, by killing himself; for that it would be then all they +could do to be reconciled to him, who had done such tragical +things to them, even when he was dead. At the same time they +invited Demetrius, who was called Eucerus, to assist them; and as +he readily complied with their requests, in hopes of great +advantages, and came with his army, the Jews joined with those +their auxiliaries about Shechem. + +5. Yet did Alexander meet both these forces with one thousand +horsemen, and eight thousand mercenaries that were on foot. He +had also with him that part of the Jews which favored him, to the +number of ten thousand; while the adverse party had three +thousand horsemen, and fourteen thousand footmen. Now, before +they joined battle, the kings made proclamation, and endeavored +to draw off each other's soldiers, and make them revolt; while +Demetrius hoped to induce Alexander's mercenaries to leave him, +and Alexander hoped to induce the Jews that were with Demetrius +to leave him. But since neither the Jews would leave off their +rage, nor the Greeks prove unfaithful, they came to an +engagement, and to a close fight with their weapons. In which +battle Demetrius was the conqueror, although Alexander's +mercenaries showed the greatest exploits, both in soul and body. +Yet did the upshot of this battle prove different from what was +expected, as to both of them; for neither did those that invited +Demetrius to come to them continue firm to him, though he was +conqueror; and six thousand Jews, out of pity to the change of +Alexander's condition, when he was fled to the mountains, came +over to him. Yet could not Demetrius bear this turn of affairs; +but supposing that Alexander was already become a match for him +again, and that all the nation would [at length] run to him, he +left the country, and went his way. + +6. However, the rest of the [Jewish] multitude did not lay aside +their quarrels with him, when the [foreign] auxiliaries were +gone; but they had a perpetual war with Alexander, until he had +slain the greatest part of them, and driven the rest into the +city Berneselis; and when he had demolished that city, he carried +the captives to Jerusalem. Nay, his rage was grown so +extravagant, that his barbarity proceeded to the degree of +impiety; for when he had ordered eight hundred to be hung upon +crosses in the midst of the city, he had the throats of their +wives and children cut before their eyes; and these executions he +saw as he was drinking and lying down with his concubines. Upon +which so deep a surprise seized on the people, that eight +thousand of his opposers fled away the very next night, out of +all Judea, whose flight was only terminated by Alexander's death; +so at last, though not till late, and with great difficulty, he, +by such actions, procured quiet to his kingdom, and left off +fighting any more. + +7. Yet did that Antiochus, who was also called Dionysius, become +an origin of troubles again. This man was the brother of +Demetrius, and the last of the race of the Seleucidse. (3) +Alexander was afraid of him, when he was marching against the +Arabians; so he cut a deep trench between Antipatris, which was +near the mountains, and the shores of Joppa; he also erected a +high wall before the trench, and built wooden towers, in order to +hinder any sudden approaches. But still he was not able to +exclude Antiochus, for he burnt the towers, and filled up the +trenches, and marched on with his army. And as he looked upon +taking his revenge on Alexander, for endeavoring to stop him, as +a thing of less consequence, he marched directly against the +Arabians, whose king retired into such parts of the country as +were fittest for engaging the enemy, and then on the sudden made +his horse turn back, which were in number ten thousand, and fell +upon Antiochus's army while they were in disorder, and a terrible +battle ensued. Antiochus's troops, so long as he was alive, +fought it out, although a mighty slaughter was made among them by +the Arabians; but when he fell, for he was in the forefront, in +the utmost danger, in rallying his troops, they all gave ground, +and the greatest part of his army were destroyed, either in the +action or the flight; and for the rest, who fled to the village +of Cana, it happened that they were all consumed by want of +necessaries, a few only excepted. + +8. About this time it was that the people of Damascus, out of +their hatred to Ptolemy, the son of Menhens, invited Aretas [to +take the government], and made him king of Celesyria. This man +also made an expedition against Judea, and beat Alexander in +battle; but afterwards retired by mutual agreement. But +Alexander, when he had taken Pella, marched to Gerasa again, out +of the covetous desire he had of Theodorus's possessions; and +when he had built a triple wall about the garrison, he took the +place by force. He also demolished Golan, and Seleucia, and what +was called the Valley of Antiochus; besides which, he took the +strong fortress of Gamala, and stripped Demetrius, who was +governor therein, of what he had, on account of the many crimes +laid to his charge, and then returned into Judea, after he had +been three whole years in this expedition. And now he was kindly +received of the nation, because of the good success he had. So +when he was at rest from war, he fell into a distemper; for he +was afflicted with a quartan ague, and supposed that, by +exercising himself again in martial affairs, he should get rid of +this distemper; but by making such expeditions at unseasonable +times, and forcing his body to undergo greater hardships than it +was able to bear, he brought himself to his end. He died, +therefore, in the midst of his troubles, after he had reigned +seven and twenty years. + +CHAPTER 5. + +Alexandra Reigns Nine Years, During Which Time The Pharisees Were +The Real Rulers Of The Nation. + +1. Now Alexander left the kingdom to Alexandra his wife, and +depended upon it that the Jews would now very readily submit to +her, because she had been very averse to such cruelty as he had +treated them with, and had opposed his violation of their laws, +and had thereby got the good-will of the people. Nor was he +mistaken as to his expectations; for this woman kept the +dominion, by the opinion that the people had of her piety; for +she chiefly studied the ancient customs of her country, and cast +those men out of the government that offended against their holy +laws. And as she had two sons by Alexander, she made Hyrcanus the +elder high priest, on account of his age, as also, besides that, +on account of his inactive temper, no way disposing him to +disturb the public. But she retained the younger, Aristobulus, +with her as a private person, by reason of the warmth of his +temper. + +2. And now the Pharisees joined themselves to her, to assist her +in the government. These are a certain sect of the Jews that +appear more religious than others, and seem to interpret the laws +more accurately. low Alexandra hearkened to them to an +extraordinary degree, as being herself a woman of great piety +towards God. But these Pharisees artfully insinuated themselves +into her favor by little and little, and became themselves the +real administrators of the public affairs: they banished and +reduced whom they pleased; they bound and loosed [men] at their +pleasure; (4) and, to say all at once, they had the enjoyment of +the royal authority, whilst the expenses and the difficulties of +it belonged to Alexandra. She was a sagacious woman in the +management of great affairs, and intent always upon gathering +soldiers together; so that she increased the army the one half, +and procured a great body of foreign troops, till her own nation +became not only very powerful at home, but terrible also to +foreign potentates, while she governed other people, and the +Pharisees governed her. + +3. Accordingly, they themselves slew Diogenes, a person of +figure, and one that had been a friend to Alexander; and accused +him as having assisted the king with his advice, for crucifying +the eight hundred men [before mentioned.] They also prevailed +with Alexandra to put to death the rest of those who had +irritated him against them. Now she was so superstitious as to +comply with their desires, and accordingly they slew whom they +pleased themselves. But the principal of those that were in +danger fled to Aristobulus, who persuaded his mother to spare the +men on account of their dignity, but to expel them out of the +city, unless she took them to be innocent; so they were suffered +to go unpunished, and were dispersed all over the country. But +when Alexandra sent out her army to Damascus, under pretense that +Ptolemy was always oppressing that city, she got possession of +it; nor did it make any considerable resistance. She also +prevailed with Tigranes, king of Armenia, who lay with his troops +about Ptolemais, and besieged Cleopatra, (5) by agreements and +presents, to go away. Accordingly, Tigranes soon arose from the +siege, by reason of those domestic tumults which happened upon +Lucullus's expedition into Armenia. + +4. In the mean time, Alexandra fell sick, and Aristobulus, her +younger son, took hold of this opportunity, with his domestics, +of which he had a great many, who were all of them his friends, +on account of the warmth of their youth, and got possession of +all the fortresses. He also used the sums of money he found in +them to get together a number of mercenary soldiers, and made +himself king; and besides this, upon Hyrcanus's complaint to his +mother, she compassionated his case, and put Aristobulus's wife +and sons under restraint in Antonia, which was a fortress that +joined to the north part of the temple. It was, as I have already +said, of old called the Citadel; but afterwards got the name of +Antonia, when Antony was [lord of the East], just as the other +cities, Sebaste and Agrippias, had their names changed, and these +given them from Sebastus and Agrippa. But Alexandra died before +she could punish Aristobulus for his disinheriting his brother, +after she had reigned nine years. + +CHAPTER 6. + +When Hyrcanus Who Was Alexander's Heir, Receded From His Claim To +The Crown Aristobulus Is Made King; And Afterward The Same +Hyrcanus By The Means Of Antipater, Is Brought Back By Abetas. At +Last Pompey Is Made The Arbitrator Of The Dispute Between The +Brothers. + +1. Now Hyrcanus was heir to the kingdom, and to him did his +mother commit it before she died; but Aristobulus was superior to +him in power and magnanimity; and when there was a battle between +them, to decide the dispute about the kingdom, near Jericho, the +greatest part deserted Hyrcanus, and went over to Aristobulus; +but Hyrcanus, with those of his party who staid with him, fled to +Antonia, and got into his power the hostages that might he for +his preservation (which were Aristobulus's wife, with her +children); but they came to an agreement before things should +come to extremities, that Aristobulus should be king, and +Hyrcanus should resign that up, but retain all the rest of his +dignities, as being the king's brother. Hereupon they were +reconciled to each other in the temple, and embraced one another +in a very kind manner, while the people stood round about them; +they also changed their houses, while Aristobulus went to the +royal palace, and Hyrcanus retired to the house of Aristobulus. +2. Now those other people which were at variance with Aristobulus +were afraid upon his unexpected obtaining the government; and +especially this concerned Antipater (6) whom Aristobulus hated of +old. He was by birth an Idumean, and one of the principal of that +nation, on account of his ancestors and riches, and other +authority to him belonging: he also persuaded Hyrcanus to fly to +Aretas, the king of Arabia, and to lay claim to the kingdom; as +also he persuaded Aretas to receive Hyrcanus, and to bring him +back to his kingdom: he also cast great reproaches upon +Aristobulus, as to his morals, and gave great commendations to +Hyrcanus, and exhorted Aretas to receive him, and told him how +becoming a filing it would be for him, who ruled so great a +kingdom, to afford his assistance to such as are injured; +alleging that Hyrcanus was treated unjustly, by being deprived of +that dominion which belonged to him by the prerogative of his +birth. And when he had predisposed them both to do what he would +have them, he took Hyrcanus by night, and ran away from the city, +and, continuing his flight with great swiftness, he escaped to +the place called Petra, which is the royal seat of the king of +Arabia, where he put Hyrcanus into Aretas's hand; and by +discoursing much with him, and gaining upon him with many +presents, he prevailed with him to give him an army that might +restore him to his kingdom. This army consisted of fifty thousand +footmen and horsemen, against which Aristobulus was not able to +make resistance, but was deserted in his first onset, and was +driven to Jerusalem; he also had been taken at first by force, if +Scaurus, the Roman general, had not come and seasonably +interposed himself, and raised the siege. This Scaurus was sent +into Syria from Armenia by Pompey the Great, when he fought +against Tigranes; so Scaurus came to Damascus, which had been +lately taken by Metellus and Lollius, and caused them to leave +the place; and, upon his hearing how the affairs of Judea stood, +he made haste thither as to a certain booty. + +3. As soon, therefore, as he was come into the country, there +came ambassadors from both the brothers, each of them desiring +his assistance; but Aristobulus's three hundred talents had more +weight with him than the justice of the cause; which sum, when +Scaurus had received, he sent a herald to Hyrcanus and the +Arabians, and threatened them with the resentment of the Romans +and of Pompey, unless they would raise the siege. So Aretas was +terrified, and retired out of Judea to Philadelphia, as did +Scaurus return to Damascus again; nor was Aristobulus satisfied +with escaping [out of his brother's hands,] but gathered all his +forces together, and pursued his enemies, and fought them at a +place called Papyron, and slew about six thousand of them, and, +together with them Antipater's brother Phalion. + +4. When Hyrcanus and Antipater were thus deprived of their hopes +from the Arabians, they transferred the same to their +adversaries; and because Pompey had passed through Syria, and was +come to Damascus, they fled to him for assistance; and, without +any bribes, they made the same equitable pleas that they had +used to Aretas, and besought him to hate the violent behavior of +Aristobulus, and to bestow the kingdom on him to whom it justly +belonged, both on account of his good character and on account of +his superiority in age. However, neither was Aristobulus wanting +to himself in this case, as relying on the bribes that Scaurus +had received: he was also there himself, and adorned himself +after a manner the most agreeable to royalty that he was able. +But he soon thought it beneath him to come in such a servile +manner, and could not endure to serve his own ends in a way so +much more abject than he was used to; so he departed from +Diospolis. + +5. At this his behavior Pompey had great indignation; Hyrcanus +also and his friends made great intercessions to Pompey; so he +took not only his Roman forces, but many of his Syrian +auxiliaries, and marched against Aristobulus. But when he had +passed by Pella and Scythopolis, and was come to Corea, where you +enter into the country of Judea, when you go up to it through the +Mediterranean parts, he heard that Aristobulus was fled to +Alexandrium, which is a strong hold fortified with the utmost +magnificence, and situated upon a high mountain; and he sent to +him, and commanded him to come down. Now his inclination was to +try his fortune in a battle, since he was called in such an +imperious manner, rather than to comply with that call. However, +he saw the multitude were in great fear, and his friends exhorted +him to consider what the power of the Romans was, and how it was +irresistible; so he complied with their advice, and came down to +Pompey; and when he had made a long apology for himself, and for +the justness of his cause in taking the government, he returned +to the fortress. And when his brother invited him again [to plead +his cause], he came down and spake about the justice of it, and +then went away without any hinderance from Pompey; so he was +between hope and fear. And when he came down, it was to prevail +with Pompey to allow him the government entirely; and when he +went up to the citadel, it was that he might not appear to debase +himself too low. However, Pompey commanded him to give up his +fortified places, and forced him to write to every one of their +governors to yield them up; they having had this charge given +them, to obey no letters but what were of his own hand-writing. +Accordingly he did what he was ordered to do; but had still an +indignation at what was done, and retired to Jerusalem, and +prepared to fight with Pompey. + +6. But Pompey did not give him time to make any preparations [for +a siege], but followed him at his heels; he was also obliged to +make haste in his attempt, by the death of Mithridates, of which +he was informed about Jericho. Now here is the most fruitful +country of Judea, which bears a vast number of palm trees (7) +besides the balsam tree, whose sprouts they cut with sharp +stones, and at the incisions they gather the juice, which drops +down like tears. So Pompey pitched his camp in that place one +night, and then hasted away the next morning to Jerusalem; but +Aristobulus was so aftrighted at his approach, that he came and +met him by way of supplication. He also promised him money, and +that he would deliver up both himself and the city into his +disposal, and thereby mitigated the anger of Pompey. Yet did not +he perform any of the conditions he had agreed to; for +Aristobulus's party would not so much as admit Gabinius into the +city, who was sent to receive the money that he had promised. +CHAPTER 7. + +How Pompey Had The City Of Jerusalem Delivered Up To Him But Took +The Temple By Force. How He Went Into The Holy Of Holies; As Also +What Were His Other Exploits In Judea. + +1. At this treatment Pompey was very angry, and took Aristobulus +into custody. And when he was come to the city, he looked about +where he might make his attack; for he saw the walls were so +firm, that it would be hard to overcome them; and that the valley +before the walls was terrible; and that the temple, which was +within that valley, was itself encompassed with a very strong +wall, insomuch that if the city were taken, that temple would be +a second place of refuge for the enemy to retire to. + +2. Now as be was long in deliberating about this matter, a +sedition arose among the people within the city; Aristobulus's +party being willing to fight, and to set their king at liberty, +while the party of Hyrcanus were for opening the gates to Pompey; +and the dread people were in occasioned these last to be a very +numerous party, when they looked upon the excellent order the +Roman soldiers were in. So Aristobulus's party was worsted, and +retired into the temple, and cut off the communication between +the temple and the city, by breaking down the bridge that joined +them together, and prepared to make an opposition to the utmost; +but as the others had received the Romans into the city, and had +delivered up the palace to him, Pompey sent Piso, one of his +great officers, into that palace with an army, who distributed a +garrison about the city, because he could not persuade any one of +those that had fled to the temple to come to terms of +accommodation; he then disposed all things that were round about +them so as might favor their attacks, as having Hyrcanus's party +very ready to afford them both counsel and assistance. + +3. But Pompey himself filled up the ditch that was oil the north +side of the temple, and the entire valley also, the army itself +being obliged to carry the materials for that purpose. And indeed +it was a hard thing to fill up that valley, by reason of its +immense depth, especially as the Jews used all the means possible +to repel them from their superior situation; nor had the Romans +succeeded in their endeavors, had not Pompey taken notice of the +seventh days, on which the Jews abstain from all sorts of work on +a religious account, and raised his bank, but restrained his +soldiers from fighting on those days; for the Jews only acted +defensively on sabbath days. But as soon as Pompey had filled up +the valley, he erected high towers upon the bank, and brought +those engines which they had fetched from Tyre near to the wall, +and tried to batter it down; and the slingers of stones beat off +those that stood above them, and drove them away; but the towers +on this side of the city made very great resistance, and were +indeed extraordinary both for largeness and magnificence. + +4. Now here it was that, upon the many hardships which the Romans +underwent, Pompey could not but admire not only at the other +instances of the Jews' fortitude, but especially that they did +not at all intermit their religious services, even when they were +encompassed with darts on all sides; for, as if the city were in +full peace, their daily sacrifices and purifications, and every +branch of their religious worship, was still performed to God +with the utmost exactness. Nor indeed when the temple was +actually taken, and they were every day slain about the altar, +did they leave off the instances of their Divine worship that +were appointed by their law; for it was in the third month of the +siege before the Romans could even with great difficulty +overthrow one of the towers, and get into the temple. Now he that +first of all ventured to get over the wall, was Faustus Cornelius +the son of Sylla; and next after him were two centurions, Furius +and Fabius; and every one of these was followed by a cohort of +his own, who encompassed the Jews on all sides, and slew them, +some of them as they were running for shelter to the temple, and +others as they, for a while, fought in their own defense. + +5. And now did many of the priests, even when they saw their +enemies assailing them with swords in their hands, without any +disturbance, go on with their Divine worship, and were slain +while they were offering their drink-offerings, and burning their +incense, as preferring the duties about their worship to God +before their own preservation. The greatest part of them were +slain by their own countrymen, of the adverse faction, and an +innumerable multitude threw themselves down precipices; nay, some +there were who were so distracted among the insuperable +difficulties they were under, that they set fire to the buildings +that were near to the wall, and were burnt together with them. +Now of the Jews were slain twelve thousand; but of the Romans +very few were slain, but a greater number was wounded. + +6. But there was nothing that affected the nation so much, in the +calamities they were then under, as that their holy place, which +had been hitherto seen by none, should be laid open to strangers; +for Pompey, and those that were about him, went into the temple +itself (8) whither it was not lawful for any to enter but the +high priest, and saw what was reposited therein, the candlestick +with its lamps, and the table, and the pouring vessels, and the +censers, all made entirely of gold, as also a great quantity of +spices heaped together, with two thousand talents of sacred +money. Yet did not he touch that money, nor any thing else that +was there reposited; but he commanded the ministers about the +temple, the very next day after he had taken it, to cleanse it, +and to perform their accustomed sacrifices. Moreover, he made +Hyrcanus high priest, as one that not only in other respects had +showed great alacrity, on his side, during the siege, but as he +had been the means of hindering the multitude that was in the +country from fighting for Aristobulus, which they were otherwise +very ready to have done; by which means he acted the part of a +good general, and reconciled the people to him more by +benevolence than by terror. Now, among the Captives, +Aristobulus's father-in-law was taken, who was also his uncle: so +those that were the most guilty he punished with decollatlon; but +rewarded Faustus, and those with him that had fought so bravely, +with glorious presents, and laid a tribute upon the country, and +upon Jerusalem itself. + +7. He also took away from the nation all those cities that they +had formerly taken, and that belonged to Celesyria, and made them +subject to him that was at that time appointed to be the Roman +president there; and reduced Judea within its proper bounds. He +also rebuilt Gadara, (9) that had been demolished by the Jews, in +order to gratify one Demetrius, who was of Gadara, and was one of +his own freed-men. He also made other cities free from their +dominion, that lay in the midst of the country, such, I mean, as +they had not demolished before that time; Hippos, and +Scythopolis, as also Pella, and Samaria, and Marissa; and besides +these Ashdod, and Jamnia, and Arethusa; and in like manner dealt +he with the maritime cities, Gaza, and Joppa, and Dora, and that +which was anciently called Strato's Tower, but was afterward +rebuilt with the most magnificent edifices, and had its name +changed to Cesarea, by king Herod. All which he restored to their +own citizens, and put them under the province of Syria; which +province, together with Judea, and the countries as far as Egypt +and Euphrates, he committed to Scaurus as their governor, and +gave him two legions to support him; while he made all the haste +he could himself to go through Cilicia, in his way to Rome, +having Aristobulus and his children along with him as his +captives. They were two daughters and two sons; the one of which +sons, Alexander, ran away as he was going; but the younger, +Antigonus, with his sisters, were carried to Rome. + +CHAPTER 8. + +Alexander, The Son Of Aristobulus, Who Ran Away From Pompey, +Makes An Expedition Against Hyrcanus; But Being Overcome By +Gabinius He Delivers Up The Fortresses To Him. After This +Aristobulus Escapes From Rome And Gathers An Army Together; But +Being Beaten By The Romans, He Is Brought Back To Rome; With +Other Things Relating To Gabinius, Crassus And Cassius. + +1. In the mean time, Scaurus made an expedition into Arabia, but +was stopped by the difficulty of the places about Petra. However, +he laid waste the country about Pella, though even there he was +under great hardship; for his army was afflicted with famine. In +order to supply which want, Hyrcanus afforded him some +assistance, and sent him provisions by the means of Antipater; +whom also Scaurus sent to Aretas, as one well acquainted with +him, to induce him to pay him money to buy his peace. The king of +Arabia complied with the proposal, and gave him three hundred +talents; upon which Scaurus drew his army out of Arabia (10) +2. But as for Alexander, that son of Aristobulus who ran away +from Pompey, in some time he got a considerable band of men +together, and lay heavy upon Hyrcanus, and overran Judea, and was +likely to overturn him quickly; and indeed he had come to +Jerusalem, and had ventured to rebuild its wall that was thrown +down by Pompey, had not Gabinius, who was sent as successor to +Scaurus into Syria, showed his bravery, as in many other points, +so in making an expedition against Alexander; who, as he was +afraid that he would attack him, so he got together a large army, +composed of ten thousand armed footmen, and fifteen hundred +horsemen. He also built walls about proper places; Alexandrium, +and Hyrcanium, and Machorus, that lay upon the mountains of +Arabia. + +3. However, Gabinius sent before him Marcus Antonius, and +followed himself with his whole army; but for the select body of +soldiers that were about Antipater, and another body of Jews +under the command of Malichus and Pitholaus, these joined +themselves to those captains that were about Marcus Antonius, and +met Alexander; to which body came Oabinius with his main army +soon afterward; and as Alexander was not able to sustain the +charge of the enemies' forces, now they were joined, he retired. +But when he was come near to Jerusalem, he was forced to fight, +and lost six thousand men in the battle; three thousand of which +fell down dead, and three thousand were taken alive; so he fled +with the remainder to Alexandrium. + +4. Now when Gabinius was come to Alexandrium, because he found a +great many there en-camped, he tried, by promising them pardon +for their former offenses, to induce them to come over to him +before it came to a fight; but when they would hearken to no +terms of accommodation, he slew a great number of them, and shut +up a great number of them in the citadel. Now Marcus Antonius, +their leader, signalized himself in this battle, who, as he +always showed great courage, so did he never show it so much as +now; but Gabinius, leaving forces to take the citadel, went away +himself, and settled the cities that had not been demolished, and +rebuilt those that had been destroyed. Accordingly, upon his +injunctions, the following cities were restored: Scythopolis, and +Samaria, and Anthedon, and Apollonia, and Jamnia, and Raphia, and +Mariassa, and Adoreus, and Gamala, and Ashdod, and many others; +while a great number of men readily ran to each of them, and +became their inhabitants. + +5. When Gabinius had taken care of these cities, he returned to +Alexandrium, and pressed on the siege. So when Alexander +despaired of ever obtaining the government, he sent ambassadors +to him, and prayed him to forgive what he had offended him in, +and gave up to him the remaining fortresses, Hyrcanium and +Macherus, as he put Alexandrium into his hands afterwards; all +which Gabinius demolished, at the persuasion of Alexander's +mother, that they might not be receptacles of men in a second +war. She was now there in order to mollify Gabinius, out of her +concern for her relations that were captives at Rome, which were +her husband and her other children. After this Gabinius brought +Hyrcanus to Jerusalem, and committed the care of the temple to +him; but ordained the other political government to be by an +aristocracy. He also parted the whole nation into five +conventions, assigning one portion to Jerusalem, another to +Gadara, that another should belong to Amathus, a fourth to +Jericho, and to the fifth division was allotted Sepphoris, a city +of Galilee. So the people were glad to be thus freed from +monarchical government, and were governed for the future by all +aristocracy. + +6. Yet did Aristobulus afford another foundation for new +disturbances. He fled away from Rome, and got together again many +of the Jews that were desirous of a change, such as had borne an +affection to him of old; and when he had taken Alexandrium in the +first place, he attempted to build a wall about it; but as soon +as Gabinius had sent an army against him under Siscuria, and +Antonius, and Servilius, he was aware of it, and retreated to +Macherus. And as for the unprofitable multitude, he dismissed +them, and only marched on with those that were armed, being to +the number of eight thousand, among whom was Pitholaus, who had +been the lieutenant at Jerusalem, but deserted to Aristobulus +with a thousand of his men; so the Romans followed him, and when +it came to a battle, Aristobulus's party for a long time fought +courageously; but at length they were overborne by the Romans, +and of them five thousand fell down dead, and about two thousand +fled to a certain little hill, but the thousand that remained +with Aristobulus brake through the Roman army, and marched +together to Macherus; and when the king had lodged the first +night upon its ruins, he was in hopes of raising another army, if +the war would but cease a while; accordingly, he fortified that +strong hold, though it was done after a poor manner. But the +Romans falling upon him, he resisted, even beyond his abilities, +for two days, and then was taken, and brought a prisoner to +Gabinius, with Antigonus his son, who had fled away together with +him from Rome; and from Gabinius he was carried to Rome again. +Wherefore the senate put him under confinement, but returned his +children back to Judea, because Gabinius informed them by letters +that he had promised Aristobulus's mother to do so, for her +delivering the fortresses up to him. + +7. But now as Gabinius was marching to the war against the +Parthians, he was hindered by Ptolemy, whom, upon his return from +Euphrates, he brought back into Egypt, making use of Hyrcanus and +Antipater to provide every thing that was necessary for this +expedition; for Antipater furnished him with money, and weapons, +and corn, and auxiliaries; he also prevailed with the Jews that +were there, and guarded the avenues at Pelusium, to let them +pass. But now, upon Gabinius's absence, the other part of Syria +was in motion, and Alexander, the son of Aristobulus, brought the +Jews to revolt again. Accordingly, he got together a very great +army, and set about killing all the Romans that were in the +country; hereupon Gabinius was afraid, (for he was come back +already out of Egypt, and obliged to come back quickly by these +tumults,) and sent Antipater, who prevailed with some of the +revolters to be quiet. However, thirty thousand still continued +with Alexander, who was himself eager to fight also; accordingly, +Gabinius went out to fight, when the Jews met him; and as the +battle was fought near Mount Tabor, ten thousand of them were +slain, and the rest of the multitude dispersed themselves, and +fled away. So Gabinius came to Jerusalem, and settled the +government as Antipater would have it; thence he marched, and +fought and beat the Nabateans: as for Mithridates and Orsanes, +who fled out of Parthin, he sent them away privately, but gave it +out among the soldiers that they had run away. + +8. In the mean time, Crassus came as successor to Gabinius in +Syria. He took away all the rest of the gold belonging to the +temple of Jerusalem, in order to furnish himself for his +expedition against the Parthians. He also took away the two +thousand talents which Pompey had not touched; but when he had +passed over Euphrates, he perished himself, and his army with +him; concerning which affairs this is not a proper time to speak +[more largely]. + +9. But now Cassius, after Crassus, put a stop to the Parthians, +who were marching in order to enter Syria. Cassius had fled into +that province, and when he had taken possession of the same, he +made a hasty march into Judea; and, upon his taking Taricheae, he +carried thirty thousand Jews into slavery. He also slew +Pitholaus, who had supported the seditious followers of +Aristobulus; and it was Antipater who advised him so to do. Now +this Antipater married a wife of an eminent family among the +Arabisus, whose name was Cypros, and had four sons born to him by +her, Phasaelus and Herod, who was afterwards king, and, besides +these, Joseph and Pheroras; and he had a daughter whose name was +Salome. Now as he made himself friends among the men of power +every where, by the kind offices he did them, and the hospitable +manner that he treated them; so did he contract the greatest +friendship with the king of Arabia, by marrying his relation; +insomuch that when he made war with Aristobulus, he sent and +intrusted his children with him. So when Cassius had forced +Alexander to come to terms and to be quiet, he returned to +Euphrates, in order to prevent the Parthians from repassing it; +concerning which matter we shall speak elsewhere. (11) + +CHAPTER 9. + +Aristobulus Is Taken Off By Pompey's Friends, As Is His Son +Alexander By Scipio. Antipater Cultivates A Friendship With +Caesar, After Pompey's Death; He Also Performs Great Actions In +That War, Wherein He Assisted Mithridates. + +1. Now, upon the flight of Pompey and of the senate beyond the +Ionian Sea, Caesar got Rome and the empire under his power, and +released Aristobulus from his bonds. He also committed two +legions to him, and sent him in haste into Syria, as hoping that +by his means he should easily conquer that country, and the parts +adjoining to Judea. But envy prevented any effect of +Aristobulus's alacrity, and the hopes of Caesar; for he was taken +off by poison given him by those of Pompey's party; and, for a +long while, he had not so much as a burial vouchsafed him in his +own country; but his dead body lay [above ground], preserved in +honey, until it was sent to the Jews by Antony, in order to be +buried in the royal sepulchers. + +2. His son Alexander also was beheaded by Sci-pio at Antioch, and +that by the command of Pompey, and upon an accusation laid +against him before his tribunal, for the mischiefs he had done to +the Romans. But Ptolemy, the son of Menneus, who was then ruler +of Chalcis, under Libanus, took his brethren to him by sending +his son Philippio for them to Ascalon, who took Antigonus, as +well as his sisters, away from Aristobulus's wife, and brought +them to his father; and falling in love with the younger +daughter, he married her, and was afterwards slain by his father +on her account; for Ptolemy himself, after he had slain his son, +married her, whose name was Alexandra; on the account of which +marriage he took the greater care of her brother and sister. +3. Now, after Pompey was dead, Antipater changed sides, and +cultivated a friendship with Caesar. And since Mithridates of +Pergamus, with the forces he led against Egypt, was excluded from +the avenues about Pelusium, and was forced to stay at Asealon, he +persuaded the Arabians, among whom he had lived, to assist him, +and came himself to him, at the head of three thousand armed men. +He also encouraged the men of power in Syria to come to his +assistance, as also of the inhabitants of Libanus, Ptolemy, and +Jamblicus, and another Ptolemy; by which means the cities of that +country came readily into this war; insomuch that Mithridates +ventured now, in dependence upon the additional strength that he +had gotten by Antipater, to march forward to Pelusium; and when +they refused him a passage through it, he besieged the city; in +the attack of which place Antipater principally signalized +himself, for he brought down that part of the wall which was over +against him, and leaped first of all into the city, with the men +that were about him. + +4. Thus was Pelusium taken. But still, as they were marching on, +those Egyptian Jews that inhabited the country called the country +of Onias stopped them. Then did Antipater not only persuade them +not to stop them, but to afford provisions for their army; on +which account even the people about Memphis would not fight +against them, but of their own accord joined Mithridates. +Whereupon he went round about Delta, and fought the rest of the +Egyptians at a place called the Jews' Camp; nay, when he was in +danger in the battle with all his right wing, Antipater wheeled +about, and came along the bank of the river to him; for he had +beaten those that opposed him as he led the left wing. After +which success he fell upon those that pursued Mithridates, and +slew a great many of them, and pursued the remainder so far that +he took their camp, while he lost no more than fourscore of his +own men; as Mithridates lost, during the pursuit that was made +after him, about eight hundred. He was also himself saved +unexpectedly, and became an unreproachable witness to Caesar of +the great actions of Antipater. + +5. Whereupon Caesar encouraged Antipater to undertake other +hazardous enterprises for him, and that by giving him great +commendations and hopes of reward. In all which enterprises he +readily exposed himself to many dangers, and became a most +courageous warrior; and had many wounds almost all over his body, +as demonstrations of his valor. And when Caesar had settled the +affairs of Egypt, and was returning into Syria again, he gave him +the privilege of a Roman citizen, and freedom from taxes, and +rendered him an object of admiration by the honors and marks of +friendship he bestowed upon him. On this account it was that he +also confirmed Hyrcanus in the high priesthood. + +CHAPTER 10. + +Caesar Makes Antipater Procurator Of Judea; As Does Antipater +Appoint Phasaelus To Be Governor Of Jerusalem, And Herod Governor +Of Galilee; Who, In Some Time, Was Called To Answer For Himself +[Before The Sanhedrim], Where He Is Acquitted. Sextus Caesar Is +Treacherously Killed By Bassus And Is Succeeded By Marcus. +1. About this time it was that Antigonus, the son of Aristobulus, +came to Caesar, and became, in a surprising manner, the occasion +of Antipater's further advancement; for whereas he ought to have +lamented that his father appeared to have been poisoned on +account of his quarrels with Pompey, and to have complained of +Scipio's barbarity towards his brother, and not to mix any +invidious passion when he was suing for mercy; besides those +things, he came before Caesar, and accused Hyrcanus and +Antipater, how they had driven him and his brethren entirely out +of their native country, and had acted in a great many instances +unjustly and extravagantly with relation to their nation; and +that as to the assistance they had sent him into Egypt, it was +not done out of good-will to him, but out of the fear they were +in from former quarrels, and in order to gain pardon for their +friendship to [his enemy] Pompey. + +2. Hereupon Antipater threw away his garments, and showed the +multitude of the wounds he had, and said, that as to his +good-will to Caesar, he had no occasion to say a word, because +his body cried aloud, though he said nothing himself; that he +wondered at Antigonus's boldness, while he was himself no other +than the son of an enemy to the Romans, and of a fugitive, and +had it by inheritance from his father to be fond of innovations +and seditions, that he should undertake to accuse other men +before the Roman governor, and endeavor to gain some advantages +to himself, when he ought to be contented that he was suffered to +live; for that the reason of his desire of governing public +affairs was not so much because he was in want of it, but +because, if he could once obtain the same, he might stir up a +sedition among the Jews, and use what he should gain from the +Romans to the disservice of those that gave it him. + +3. When Caesar heard this, he declared Hyrcanus to be the most +worthy of the high priesthood, and gave leave to Antipater to +choose what authority he pleased; but he left the determination +of such dignity to him that bestowed the dignity upon him; so he +was constituted procurator of all Judea, and obtained leave, +moreover, to rebuild (12) those walls of his country that had +been thrown down. These honorary grants Caesar sent orders to +have engraved in the Capitol, that they might stand there as +indications of his own justice, and of the virtue of Antipater. +4. But as soon as Antipater had conducted Caesar out of Syria he +returned to Judea, and the first thing he did was to rebuild that +wall of his own country [Jerusalem] which Pompey had overthrown, +and then to go over the country, and to quiet the tumults that +were therein; where he partly threatened, and partly advised, +every one, and told them that in case they would submit to +Hyrcanus, they would live happily and peaceably, and enjoy what +they possessed, and that with universal peace and quietness; but +that in case they hearkened to such as had some frigid hopes by +raising new troubles to get themselves some gain, they should +then find him to be their lord instead of their procurator; and +find Hyrcanus to be a tyrant instead of a king; and both the +Romans and Caesar to be their enemies, instead of rulers; for +that they would not suffer him to be removed from the government, +whom they had made their governor. And, at the same time that he +said this, he settled the affairs of the country by himself, +because he saw that Hyrcanus was inactive, and not fit to manage +the affairs of the kingdom. So he constituted his eldest son, +Phasaelus, governor of Jerusalem, and of the parts about it; he +also sent his next son, Herod, who was very young, (13) with +equal authority into Galilee. + +5. Now Herod was an active man, and soon found proper materials +for his active spirit to work upon. As therefore he found that +Hezekias, the head of the robbers, ran over the neighboring parts +of Syria with a great band of men, he caught him and slew him, +and many more of the robbers with him; which exploit was chiefly +grateful to the Syrians, insomuch that hymns were sung in Herod's +commendation, both in the villages and in the cities, as having +procured their quietness, and having preserved what they +possessed to them; on which occasion he became acquainted with +Sextus Caesar, a kinsman of the great Caesar, and president of +Syria. A just emulation of his glorious actions excited Phasaelus +also to imitate him. Accordingly, he procured the good-will of +the inhabitants of Jerusalem, by his own management of the city +affairs, and did not abuse his power in any disagreeable manner; +whence it came to pass that the nation paid Antipater the +respects that were due only to a king, and the honors they all +yielded him were equal to the honors due to an absolute lord; yet +did he not abate any part of that good-will or fidelity which he +owed to Hyrcanus. + +6. However, he found it impossible to escape envy in such his +prosperity; for the glory of these young men affected even +Hyrcanus himself already privately, though he said nothing of it +to any body; but what he principally was grieved at was the great +actions of Herod, and that so many messengers came one before +another, and informed him of the great reputation he got in all +his undertakings. There were also many people in the royal palace +itself who inflamed his envy at him; those, I mean, who were +obstructed in their designs by the prudence either of the young +men, or of Antipater. These men said, that by committing the +public affairs to the management of Antipater and of his sons, he +sat down with nothing but the bare name of a king, without any of +its authority; and they asked him how long he would so far +mistake himself, as to breed up kings against his own interest; +for that they did not now conceal their government of affairs any +longer, but were plainly lords of the nation, and had thrust him +out of his authority; that this was the case when Herod slew so +many men without his giving him any command to do it, either by +word of mouth, or by his letter, and this in contradiction to the +law of the Jews; who therefore, in case he be not a king, but a +private man, still ought to come to his trial, and answer it to +him, and to the laws of his country, which do not permit any one +to be killed till he hath been condemned in judgment. + +7. Now Hyrcanus was, by degrees, inflamed with these discourses, +and at length could bear no longer, but he summoned Herod to take +his trial. Accordingly, by his father's advice, and as soon as +the affairs of Galilee would give him leave, he came up to +[Jerusalem], when he had first placed garrisons in Galilee; +however, he came with a sufficient body of soldiers, so many +indeed that he might not appear to have with him an army able to +overthrow Hyrcanus's government, nor yet so few as to expose him +to the insults of those that envied him. However, Sextus Caesar +was in fear for the young man, lest he should be taken by his +enemies, and brought to punishment; so he sent some to denounce +expressly to Hyrcanus that he should acquit Herod of the capital +charge against him; who acquitted him accordingly, as being +otherwise inclined also so to do, for he loved Herod. + +8. But Herod, supposing that he had escaped punishment without +the consent of the king, retired to Sextus, to Damascus, and got +every thing ready, in order not to obey him if he should summon +him again; whereupon those that were evil-disposed irritated +Hyrcanus, and told him that Herod was gone away in anger, and was +prepared to make war upon him; and as the king believed what they +said, he knew not what to do, since he saw his antagonist was +stronger than he was himself. And now, since Herod was made +general of Coelesyria and Samaria by Sextus Caesar, he was +formidable, not only from the good-will which the nation bore +him, but by the power he himself had; insomuch that Hyrcanus fell +into the utmost degree of terror, and expected he would presently +march against him with his army. + +9. Nor was he mistaken in the conjecture he made; for Herod got +his army together, out of the anger he bare him for his +threatening him with the accusation in a public court, and led it +to Jerusalem, in order to throw Hyrcanus down from his kingdom; +and this he had soon done, unless his father and brother had gone +out together and broken the force of his fury, and this by +exhorting him to carry his revenge no further than to threatening +and affrighting, but to spare the king, under whom he had been +advanced to such a degree of power; and that he ought not to be +so much provoked at his being tried, as to forget to be thankful +that he was acquitted; nor so long to think upon what was of a +melancholy nature, as to be ungrateful for his deliverance; and +if we ought to reckon that God is the arbitrator of success in +war, an unjust cause is of more disadvantage than an army can be +of advantage; and that therefore he ought not to be entirely +confident of success in a case where he is to fight against his +king, his supporter, and one that had often been his benefactor, +and that had never been severe to him, any otherwise than as he +had hearkened to evil counselors, and this no further than by +bringing a shadow of injustice upon him. So Herod was prevailed +upon by these arguments, and supposed that what he had already +done was sufficient for his future hopes, and that he had enough +shown his power to the nation. + +10. In the mean time, there was a disturbance among the Romans +about Apamia, and a civil war occasioned by the treacherous +slaughter of Sextus Caesar, by Cecilius Bassus, which he +perpetrated out of his good-will to Pompey; he also took the +authority over his forces; but as the rest of Caesar's commanders +attacked Bassus with their whole army, in order to punish him for +the murder of Caesar, Antipater also sent them assistance by his +sons, both on account of him that was murdered, and on account of +that Caesar who was still alive, both of which were their +friends; and as this war grew to be of a considerable length, +Marcus came out of Italy as successor to Sextus. + +CHAPTER 11. + +Herod Is Made Procurator Of All Syria; Malichus Is Afraid Of Him, +And Takes Antipater Off By Poison; Whereupon The Tribunes Of The +Soldiers Are Prevailed With To Kill Him. + +1. There, was at this time a mighty war raised among the Romans +upon the sudden and treacherous slaughter of Caesar by Cassius +and Brutus, after he had held the government for three years and +seven months. (14) Upon this murder there were very great +agitations, and the great men were mightily at difference one +with another, and every one betook himself to that party where +they had the greatest hopes of their own, of advancing +themselves. Accordingly, Cassius came into Syria, in order to +receive the forces that were at Apamia, where he procured a +reconciliation between Bassus and Marcus, and the legions which +were at difference with him; so he raised the siege of Apamia, +and took upon him the command of the army, and went about +exacting tribute of the cities, and demanding their money to such +a degree as they were not able to bear. + +2. So he gave command that the Jews should bring in seven hundred +talents; whereupon Antipater, out of his dread of Cassius's +threats, parted the raising of this sum among his sons, and among +others of his acquaintance, and to be done immediately; and among +them he required one Malichus, who was at enmity with him, to do +his part also, which necessity forced him to do. Now Herod, in +the first place, mitigated the passion of Cassius, by bringing +his share out of Galilee, which was a hundred talents, on which +account he was in the highest favor with him; and when he +reproached the rest for being tardy, he was angry at the cities +themselves; so he made slaves of Gophna and Emmaus, and two +others of less note; nay, he proceeded as if he would kill +Malichus, because he had not made greater haste in exacting his +tribute; but Antipater prevented the ruin of this man, and of the +other cities, and got into Cassius's favor by bringing in a +hundred talents immediately. (15) + +3. However, when Cassius was gone Malichus forgot the kindness +that Antipater had done him, and laid frequent plots against him +that had saved him, as making haste to get him out of the way, +who was an obstacle to his wicked practices; but Antipater was so +much afraid of the power and cunning of the man, that he went +beyond Jordan, in order to get an army to guard himself against +his treacherous designs; but when Malichus was caught in his +plot, he put upon Antipater's sons by his impudence, for he +thoroughly deluded Phasaelus, who was the guardian of Jerusalem, +and Herod who was intrusted with the weapons of war, and this by +a great many excuses and oaths, and persuaded them to procure his +reconciliation to his father. Thus was he preserved again by +Antipater, who dissuaded Marcus, the then president of Syria, +from his resolution of killing Malichus, on account of his +attempts for innovation. + +4. Upon the war between Cassius and Brutus on one side, against +the younger Caesar [Augustus] and Antony on the other, Cassius +and Marcus got together an army out of Syria; and because Herod +was likely to have a great share in providing necessaries, they +then made him procurator of all Syria, and gave him an army of +foot and horse. Cassius premised him also, that after the war was +over, he would make him king of Judea. But it so happened that +the power and hopes of his son became the cause of his perdition; +for as Malichus was afraid of this, he corrupted one of the +king's cup-bearers with money to give a poisoned potion to +Antipater; so he became a sacrifice to Malichus's wickedness, and +died at a feast. He was a man in other respects active in the +management of affairs, and one that recovered the government to +Hyrcanus, and preserved it in his hands. + +5. However, Malichus, when lie was suspected ef poisoning +Antipater, and when the multitude was angry with him for it, +denied it, and made the people believe he was not guilty. He also +prepared to make a greater figure, and raised soldiers; for he +did not suppose that Herod would be quiet, who indeed came upon +him with an army presently, in order to revenge his father's +death; but, upon hearing the advice of his brother Phasaelus, not +to punish him in an open manner, lest the multitude should fall +into a sedition, he admitted of Malichus's apology, and professed +that he cleared him of that suspicion; he also made a pompous +funeral for his father. + +6. So Herod went to Samaria, which was then in a tumult, and +settled the city in peace; after which at the [Pentecost] +festival, he returned to Jerusalem, having his armed men with +him: hereupon Hyrcanus, at the request of Malichus, who feared +his reproach, forbade them to introduce foreigners to mix +themselves with the people of the country while they were +purifying themselves; but Herod despised the pretense, and him +that gave that command, and came in by night. Upon which Malithus +came to him, and bewailed Antipater; Herod also made him believe +[he admitted of his lamentations as real], although he had much +ado to restrain his passion at him; however, he did himself +bewail the murder of his father in his letters to Cassius, who, +on other accounts, also hated Malichus. Cassius sent him word +back that he should avenge his father's death upon him, and +privately gave order to the tribunes that were under him, that +they should assist Herod in a righteous action he was about. +7. And because, upon the taking of Laodicea by Cassius, the men +of power were gotten together from all quarters, with presents +and crowns in their hands, Herod allotted this time for the +punishment of Malichus. When Malichus suspected that, and was at +Tyre, he resolved to withdraw his son privately from among the +Tyrians, who was a hostage there, while he got ready to fly away +into Judea; the despair he was in of escaping excited him to +think of greater things; for he hoped that he should raise the +nation to a revolt from the Romans, while Cassius was busy about +the war against Antony, and that he should easily depose +Hyrcanus, and get the crown for himself. + +8. But fate laughed at the hopes he had; for Herod foresaw what +he was so zealous about, and invited both Hyrcanus and him to +supper; but calling one of the principal servants that stood by +him to him, he sent him out, as though it were to get things +ready for supper, but in reality to give notice beforehand about +the plot that was laid against him; accordingly they called to +mind what orders Cassius had given them, and went out of the city +with their swords in their hands upon the sea-shore, where they +encompassed Malichus round about, and killed him with many +wounds. Upon which Hyrcanus was immediately aftrighted, till he +swooned away and fell down at the surprise he was in; and it was +with difficulty that he was recovered, when he asked who it was +that had killed Malichus. And when one of the tribunes replied +that it was done by the command of Cassius," Then," said he, +"Cassius hath saved both me and my country, by cutting off one +that was laying plots against them both." Whether he spake +according to his own sentiments, or whether his fear was such +that he was obliged to commend the action by saying so, is +uncertain; however, by this method Herod inflicted punishment +upon Malichus. + +CHAPTER 12. + +Phasaelus Is Too Hard For Felix; Herod Also Overcomes Antigonus +In Rattle; And The Jews Accuse Both Herod And Phasaelus But +Antonius Acquits Them, And Makes Them Tetrarchs. + +1. When Cassius was gone out of Syria, another sedition arose at +Jerusalem, wherein Felix assaulted Phasaelus with an army, that +he might revenge the death of Malichus upon Herod, by falling +upon his brother. Now Herod happened then to be with Fabius, the +governor of Damascus, and as he was going to his brother's +assistance, he was detained by sickness; in the mean time, +Phasaelus was by himself too hard for Felix, and reproached +Hyrcanus on account of his ingratitude, both for what assistance +he had afforded Maliehus, and for overlooking Malichus's brother, +when he possessed himself of the fortresses; for he had gotten a +great many of them already, and among them the strongest of them +all, Masada. + +2. However, nothing could be sufficient for him against the force +of Herod, who, as soon as he was recovered, took the other +fortresses again, and drove him out of Masada in the posture of a +supplicant; he also drove away Marion, the tyrant of the Tyrians, +out of Galilee, when he had already possessed himself of three +fortified places; but as to those Tyrians whom he had caught, he +preserved them all alive; nay, some of them he gave presents to, +and so sent them away, and thereby procured good-will to himself +from the city, and hatred to the tyrant. Marion had indeed +obtained that tyrannical power of Cassius, who set tyrants over +all Syria (16) and out of hatred to Herod it was that he assisted +Antigonus, the son of Aristobulus, and principally on Fabius's +account, whom Antigonus had made his assistant by money, and had +him accordingly on his side when he made his descent; but it was +Ptolemy, the kinsman of Antigonus, that supplied all that he +wanted. + +3. When Herod had fought against these in the avenues of Judea, +he was conqueror in the battle, and drove away Antigonus, and +returned to Jerusalem, beloved by every body for the glorious +action he had done; for those who did not before favor him did +join themselves to him now, because of his marriage into the +family of Hyrcanus; for as he had formerly married a wife out of +his own country of no ignoble blood, who was called Doris, of +whom he begat Antipater; so did he now marry Mariamne, the +daughter of Alexander, the son of Aristobulus, and the +granddaughter of Hyrcanus, and was become thereby a relation of +the king. + +4. But when Caesar and Antony had slain Cassius near Philippi, +and Caesar was gone to Italy, and Antony to Asia, amongst the +rest of the cities which sent ambassadors to Antony unto +Bithynia, the great men of the Jews came also, and accused +Phasaelus and Herod, that they kept the government by force, and +that Hyrcanus had no more than an honorable name. Herod appeared +ready to answer this accusation; and having made Antony his +friend by the large sums of money which he gave him, he brought +him to such a temper as not to hear the others speak against him; +and thus did they part at this time. + +5. However, after this, there came a hundred of the principal men +among the Jews to Daphne by Antioch to Antony, who was already in +love with Cleopatra to the degree of slavery; these Jews put +those men that were the most potent, both in dignity and +eloquence, foremost, and accused the brethren. (17) But Messala +opposed them, and defended the brethren, and that while Hyrcanus +stood by him, on account of his relation to them. When Antony had +heard both sides, he asked Hyrcanus which party was the fittest +to govern, who replied that Herod and his party were the fittest. +Antony was glad of that answer, for he had been formerly treated +in an hospitable and obliging manner by his father Antipater, +when he marched into Judea with Gabinius; so he constituted the +brethren tetrarchs, and committed to them the government of +Judea. + +6. But when the ambassadors had indignation at this procedure, +Antony took fifteen of them, and put them into custody, whom he +was also going to kill presently, and the rest he drove away with +disgrace; on which occasion a still greater tumult arose at +Jerusalem; so they sent again a thousand ambassadors to Tyre, +where Antony now abode, as he was marching to Jerusalem; upon +these men who made a clamor he sent out the governor of Tyre, and +ordered him to punish all that he could catch of them, and to +settle those in the administration whom he had made tetrarchs. +7. But before this Herod, and Hyrcanus went out upon the +sea-shore, and earnestly desired of these ambassadors that they +would neither bring ruin upon themselves, nor war upon their +native country, by their rash contentions; and when they grew +still more outrageous, Antony sent out armed men, and slew a +great many, and wounded more of them; of whom those that were +slain were buried by Hyrcanus, as were the wounded put under the +care of physicians by him; yet would not those that had escaped +be quiet still, but put the affairs of the city into such +disorder, and so provoked Antony, that he slew those whom he had +in bonds also. + +CHAPTER 13. + +The Parthians Bring Antigonus Back Into Judea, And Cast Hyrcanus +And Phasaelus Into Prison. The Flight Of Herod, And The Taking Of +Jerusalem And What Hyrcanus And Phasaelus Suffered. + +1. Now two years afterward, when Barzapharnes, a governor among +the Parthians, and Paeorus, the king's son, had possessed +themselves of Syria, and when Lysanias had already succeeded upon +the death of his father Ptolemy, the son of Menneus, in the +government [of Chalcis], he prevailed with the governor, by a +promise of a thousand talents, and five hundred women, to bring +back Antigonus to his kingdom, and to turn Hyrcanus out of it. +Pacorus was by these means induced so to do, and marched along +the sea-coast, while he ordered Barzapharnes to fall upon the +Jews as he went along the Mediterranean part of the country; but +of the maritime people, the Tyrians would not receive Pacorus, +although those of Ptolemais and Sidon had received him; so he +committed a troop of his horse to a certain cup-bearer belonging +to the royal family, of his own name [Pacorus], and gave him +orders to march into Judea, in order to learn the state of +affairs among their enemies, and to help Antigonus when he should +want his assistance. + +2. Now as these men were ravaging Carmel, many of the Jews ran +together to Antigonus, and showed themselves ready to make an +incursion into the country; so he sent them before into that +place called Drymus, [the woodland (18) ] to seize upon the +place; whereupon a battle was fought between them, and they drove +the enemy away, and pursued them, and ran after them as far as +Jerusalem, and as their numbers increased, they proceeded as far +as the king's palace; but as Hyrcanus and Phasaelus received them +with a strong body of men, there happened a battle in the +market-place, in which Herod's party beat the enemy, and shut +them up in the temple, and set sixty men in the houses adjoining +as a guard to them. But the people that were tumultuous against +the brethren came in, and burnt those men; while Herod, in his +rage for killing them, attacked and slew many of the people, till +one party made incursions on the other by turns, day by day, in +the way of ambushes, and slaughters were made continually among +them. + +3. Now when that festival which we call Pentecost was at hand, +all the places about the temple, and the whole city, was full of +a multitude of people that were come out of the country, and +which were the greatest part of them armed also, at which time +Phasaelus guarded the wall, and Herod, with a few, guarded the +royal palace; and when he made an assault upon his enemies, as +they were out of their ranks, on the north quarter of the city, +he slew a very great number of them, and put them all to flight; +and some of them he shut up within the city, and others within +the outward rampart. In the mean time, Antigonus desired that +Pacorus might be admitted to be a reconciler between them; and +Phasaelus was prevailed upon to admit the Parthian into the city +with five hundred horse, and to treat him in an hospitable +manner, who pretended that he came to quell the tumult, but in +reality he came to assist Antigonus; however, he laid a plot for +Phasaelus, and persuaded him to go as an ambassador to +Barzapharnes, in order to put an end to the war, although Herod +was very earnest with him to the contrary, and exhorted him to +kill the plotter, but not expose himself to the snares he had +laid for him, because the barbarians are naturally perfidious. +However, Pacorus went out and took Hyrcanus with him, that he +might be the less suspected; he also (19) left some of the +horsemen, called the Freemen, with Herod, and conducted Phasaelus +with the rest. + +4. But now, when they were come to Galilee, they found that the +people of that country had revolted, and were in arms, who came +very cunningly to their leader, and besought him to conceal his +treacherous intentions by an obliging behavior to them; +accordingly, he at first made them presents; and afterward, as +they went away, laid ambushes for them; and when they were come +to one of the maritime cities called Ecdippon, they perceived +that a plot was laid for them; for they were there informed of +the promise of a thousand talents, and how Antigonus had devoted +the greatest number of the women that were there with them, among +the five hundred, to the Parthians; they also perceived that an +ambush was always laid for them by the barbarians in the night +time; they had also been seized on before this, unless they had +waited for the seizure of Herod first at Jerusalem, because if he +were once informed of this treachery of theirs, he would take +care of himself; nor was this a mere report, but they saw the +guards already not far off them. + +5. Nor would Phasaelus think of forsaking Hyrcanus and flying +away, although Ophellius earnestly persuaded him to it; for this +man had learned the whole scheme of the plot from Saramalla, the +richest of all the Syrians. But Phasaelus went up to the +Parfilian governor, and reproached him to his face for laying +this treacherous plot against them, and chiefly because he had +done it for money; and he promised him that he would give him +more money for their preservation, than Antigonus had promised to +give for the kingdom. But the sly Parthian endeavored to remove +all this suspicion by apologies and by oaths, and then went [to +the other] Pacorus; immediately after which those Parthians who +were left, and had it in charge, seized upon Phasaelus and +Hyrcanus, who could do no more than curse their perfidiousness +and their perjury. + +6. In the mean time, the cup-bearer was sent [back], and laid a +plot how to seize upon Herod, by deluding him, and getting him +out of the city, as he was commanded to do. But Herod suspected +the barbarians from the beginning; and having then received +intelligence that a messenger, who was to bring him the letters +that informed him of the treachery intended, had fallen among the +enemy, he would not go out of the city; though Pacorus said very +positively that he ought to go out, and meet the messengers that +brought the letters, for that the enemy had not taken them, and +that the contents of them were not accounts of any plots upon +them, but of what Phasaelus had done; yet had he heard from +others that his brother was seized; and Alexandra (20) the +shrewdest woman in the world, Hyrcanus's daughter, begged of him +that he would not go out, nor trust himself to those barbarians, +who now were come to make an attempt upon him openly. + +7. Now as Pacorus and his friends were considering how they might +bring their plot to bear privately, because it was not possible +to circumvent a man of so great prudence by openly attacking him, +Herod prevented them, and went off with the persons that were the +most nearly related to him by night, and this without their +enemies being apprized of it. But as soon as the Parthians +perceived it, they pursued after them; and as he gave orders for +his mother, and sister, and the young woman who was betrothed to +him, with her mother, and his youngest brother, to make the best +of their way, he himself, with his servants, took all the care +they could to keep off the barbarians; and when at every assault +he had slain a great many of them, he came to the strong hold of +Masada. + +8. Nay, he found by experience that the Jews fell more heavily +upon him than did the Parthians, and created him troubles +perpetually, and this ever since he was gotten sixty furlongs +from the city; these sometimes brought it to a sort of a regular +battle. Now in the place where Herod beat them, and killed a +great number of them, there he afterward built a citadel, in +memory of the great actions he did there, and adorned it with the +most costly palaces, and erected very strong fortifications, and +called it, from his own name, Herodium. Now as they were in their +flight, many joined themselves to him every day; and at a place +called Thressa of Idumea his brother Joseph met him, and advised +him to ease himself of a great number of his followers, because +Masada would not contain so great a multitude, which were above +nine thousand. Herod complied with this advice, and sent away the +most cumbersome part of his retinue, that they might go into +Idumea, and gave them provisions for their journey; but he got +safe to the fortress with his nearest relations, and retained +with him only the stoutest of his followers; and there it was +that he left eight hundred of his men as a guard for the women, +and provisions sufficient for a siege; but he made haste himself +to Petra of Arabia. + +9. As for the Parthians in Jerusalem, they betook themselves to +plundering, and fell upon the houses of those that were fled, and +upon the king's palace, and spared nothing but Hyrcanus's money, +which was not above three hundred talents. They lighted on other +men's money also, but not so much as they hoped for; for Herod +having a long while had a suspicion of the perfidiousness of the +barbarians, had taken care to have what was most splendid among +his treasures conveyed into Idumea, as every one belonging to him +had in like manner done also. But the Parthians proceeded to that +degree of injustice, as to fill all the country with war without +denouncing it, and to demolish the city Marissa, and not only to +set up Antigonus for king, but to deliver Phasaelus and Hyrcanus +bound into his. hands, in order to their being tormented by him. +Antigonus himself also bit off Hyrcanus's ears with his own +teeth, as he fell down upon his knees to him, that so he might +never be able upon any mutation of affairs to take the high +priesthood again, for the high priests that officiated were to be +complete, and without blemish. + +10. However, he failed in his purpose of abusing Phasaelus, by +reason of his courage; for though he neither had the command of +his sword nor of his hands, he prevented all abuses by dashing +his head against a stone; so he demonstrated himself to be +Herod's own brother, and Hyrcanus a most degenerate relation, and +died with great bravery, and made the end of his life agreeable +to the actions of it. There is also another report about his end, +viz. that he recovered of that stroke, and that a surgeon, who +was sent by Antigonus to heal him, filled the wound with +poisonous ingredients, and so killed him; whichsoever of these +deaths he came to, the beginning of it was glorious. It is also +reported that before he expired he was informed by a certain poor +woman how Herod had escaped out of their hands, and that he said +thereupon, "I now die with comfort, since I leave behind me one +alive that will avenge me of mine enemies." + +11. This was the death of Phasaelus; but the Parthians, although +they had failed of the women they chiefly desired, yet did they +put the government of Jerusalem into the hands of Antigonus, and +took away Hyrcanus, and bound him, and carried him to Parthia. +CHAPTER 14. + +When Herod Is Rejected In Arabia, He Makes Haste To Rome Where +Antony And Caesar Join Their Interest To Make Him King . + +1. Now Herod did the more zealously pursue his journey into +Arabia, as making haste to get money of the king, while his +brother was yet alive; by which money alone it was that he hoped +to prevail upon the covetous temper of the barbarians to spare +Phasaelus; for he reasoned thus with himself,: - that if the +Arabian king was too forgetful of his father's friendship with +him, and was too covetous to make him a free gift, he would +however borrow of him as much as might redeem his brother, and +put into his hands, as a pledge, the son of him that was to be +redeemed. Accordingly he led his brother's son along with him, +who was of the age of seven years. Now he was ready to give three +hundred talents for his brother, and intended to desire the +intercession of the Tyrians, to get them accepted; however, fate +had been too quick for his diligence; and since Phasaelus was +dead, Herod's brotherly love was now in vain. Moreover, he was +not able to find any lasting friendship among the Arabians; for +their king, Malichus, sent to him immediately, and commanded him +to return back out of his country, and used the name of the +Parthians as a pretense for so doing, as though these had +denounced to him by their ambassadors to cast Herod out of +Arabia; while in reality they had a mind to keep back what they +owed to Antipater, and not be obliged to make requitals to his +sons for the free gifts the father had made them. He also took +the impudent advice of those who, equally with himself, were +willing to deprive Herod of what Antipater had deposited among +them; and these men were the most potent of all whom he had in +his kingdom. + +2. So when Herod had found that the Arabians were his enemies, +and this for those very reasons whence he hoped they would have +been the most friendly, and had given them such an answer as his +passion suggested, he returned back, and went for Egypt. Now he +lodged the first evening at one of the temples of that country, +in order to meet with those whom he left behind; but on the next +day word was brought him, as he was going to Rhinocurura, that +his brother was dead, and how he came by his death; and when he +had lamented him as much as his present circumstances could bear, +he soon laid aside such cares, and proceeded on his journey. But +now, after some time, the king of Arabia repented of what he had +done, and sent presently away messengers to call him back: Herod +had prevented them, and was come to Pelusium, where he could not +obtain a passage from those that lay with the fleet, so he +besought their captains to let him go by them; accordingly, out +of the reverence they bore to the fame and dignity of the man, +they conducted him to Alexandria; and when he came into the city, +he was received by Cleopatra with great splendor, who hoped he +might be persuaded to be commander of her forces in the +expedition she was now about; but he rejected the queen's +solicitations, and being neither aftrighted at the height of that +storm which. then happened, nor at the tumults that were now in +Italy, he sailed for Rome. + +3. But as he was in peril about Pamphylia, and obliged to cast +out the greatest part of the ship's lading, he with difficulty +got safe to Rhodes, a place which had been grievously harassed in +the war with Cassius. He was there received by his friends, +Ptolemy and Sappinius; and although he was then in want of money, +he fitted up a three-decked ship of very great magnitude, wherein +he and his friends sailed to Brundusium, (21) and went thence to +Rome with all speed; where he first of all went to Antony, on +account of the friendship his father had with him, and laid +before him the calamities of himself and his family; and that he +had left his nearest relations besieged in a fortress, and had +sailed to him through a storm, to make supplication to him for +assistance. + +4. Hereupon Antony was moved to compassion at the change that had +been made in Herod's affairs, and this both upon his calling to +mind how hospitably he had been treated by Antipater, but more +especially on account of Herod's own virtue; so he then resolved +to get him made king of the Jews, whom he had himself formerly +made tetrarch. The contest also that he had with Antigonus was +another inducement, and that of no less weight than the great +regard he had for Herod; for he looked upon Antigonus as a +seditious person, and an enemy of the Romans; and as for Caesar, +Herod found him better prepared than Antony, as remembering very +fresh the wars he had gone through together with his father, the +hospitable treatment he had met with from him, and the entire +good-will he had showed to him; besides the activity which he saw +in Herod himself. So he called the senate together, wherein +Messalas, and after him Atratinus, produced Herod before them, +and gave a full account of the merits of his father, and his own +good-will to the Romans. At the same time they demonstrated that +Antigonus was their enemy, not only because he soon quarreled +with them, but because he now overlooked the Romans, and took the +government by the means of the Parthians. These reasons greatly +moved the senate; at which juncture Antony came in, and told them +that it was for their advantage in the Parthian war that Herod +should be king; so they all gave their votes for it. And when the +senate was separated, Antony and Caesar went out, with Herod +between them; while the consul and the rest of the magistrates +went before them, in order to offer sacrifices, and to lay the +decree in the Capitol. Antony also made a feast for Herod on the +first day of his reign. + +CHAPTER 15. + +Antigonus Besieges Those That Were In Masada, Whom Herod Frees +From Confinement When He Came Back From Rome, And Presently +Marches To Jerusalem Where He Finds Silo Corrupted By Bribes. +1. Now during this time Antigonus besieged those that were in +Masada, who had all other necessaries in sufficient quantity, but +were in want of water; on which account Joseph, Herod's brother, +was disposed to run away to the Arabians, with two hundred of his +own friends, because he had heard that Malichus repented of his +offenses with regard to Herod; and he had been so quick as to +have been gone out of the fortress already, unless, on that very +night when he was going away, there had fallen a great deal of +rain, insomuch that his reservoirs were full of water, and so he +was under no necessity of running away. After which, therefore, +they made an irruption upon Antigonus's party, and slew a great +many of them, some in open battles, and some in private ambush; +nor had they always success in their attempts, for sometimes they +were beaten, and ran away. + +2. In the mean time Ventidius, the Roman general, was sent out of +Syria, to restrain the incursions of the Parthians; and after he +had done that, he came into Judea, in pretense indeed to assist +Joseph and his party, but in reality to get money of Antigonus;, +and when he had pitched his camp very near to Jerusalem, as soon +as he had got money enough, he went away with the greatest part +of his forces; yet still did he leave Silo with some part of +them, lest if he had taken them all away, his taking of bribes +might have been too openly discovered. Now Antigonus hoped that +the Parthians would come again to his assistance, and therefore +cultivated a good understanding with Silo in the mean time, lest +any interruption should be given to his hopes. + +3. Now by this time Herod had sailed out of Italy, and was come +to Ptolemais; and as soon as he had gotten together no small army +of foreigners, and of his own countrymen, he marched through +Galilee against Antigonus, wherein he was assisted by Ventidius +and Silo, both whom Dellius, (22) a person sent by Antony, +persuaded to bring Herod [into his kingdom]. Now Ventidius was at +this time among the cities, and composing the disturbances which +had happened by means of the Parthians, as was Silo in Judea +corrupted by the bribes that Antigonus had given him; yet was not +Herod himself destitute of power, but the number of his forces +increased every day as he went along, and all Galilee, with few +exceptions, joined themselves to him. So he proposed to himself +to set about his most necessary enterprise, and that was Masada, +in order to deliver his relations from the siege they endured. +But still Joppa stood in his way, and hindered his going thither; +for it was necessary to take that city first, which was in the +enemies' hands, that when he should go to Jerusalem, no fortress +might be left in the enemies' power behind him. Silo also +willingly joined him, as having now a plausible occasion of +drawing off his forces [from Jerusalem]; and when the Jews +pursued him, and pressed upon him, [in his retreat,] Herod made +all excursion upon them with a small body of his men, and soon +put them to flight, and saved Silo when he was in distress. +4. After this Herod took Joppa, and then made haste to Masada to +free his relations. Now, as he was marching, many came in to him, +induced by their friendship to his father, some by the reputation +he had already gained himself, and some in order to repay the +benefits they had received from them both; but still what engaged +the greatest number on his side, was the hopes from him when he +should be established in his kingdom; so that he had gotten +together already an army hard to be conquered. But Antigonus laid +an ambush for him as he marched out, in which he did little or no +harm to his enemies. However, he easily recovered his relations +again that were in Masada, as well as the fortress Ressa, and +then marched to Jerusalem, where the soldiers that were with Silo +joined themselves to his own, as did many out of the city, from a +dread of his power. + +5. Now when he had pitched his camp on the west side of the city, +the guards that were there shot their arrows and threw their +darts at them, while others ran out in companies, and attacked +those in the forefront; but Herod commanded proclamation to be +made at the wall, that he was come for the good of the people and +the preservation of the city, without any design to be revenged +on his open enemies, but to grant oblivion to them, though they +had been the most obstinate against him. Now the soldiers that +were for Antigonus made a contrary clamor, and did neither permit +any body to hear that proclamation, nor to change their party; so +Antigonus gave order to his forces to beat the enemy from the +walls; accordingly, they soon threw their darts at them from the +towers, and put them to flight. + +6. And here it was that Silo discovered he had taken bribes; for +he set many of the soldiers to clamor about their want of +necessaries, and to require their pay, in order to buy themselves +food, and to demand that he would lead them into places +convenient for their winter quarters; because all the parts about +the city were laid waste by the means of Antigonus's army, which +had taken all things away. By this he moved the army, and +attempted to get them off the siege; but Herod went to the +captains that were under Silo, and to a great many of the +soldiers, and begged of them not to leave him, who was sent +thither by Caesar, and Antony, and the senate; for that he would +take care to have their wants supplied that very day. After the +making of which entreaty, he went hastily into the country, and +brought thither so great an abundance of necessaries, that he cut +off all Silo's pretenses; and in order to provide that for the +following days they should not want supplies, he sent to the +people that were about Samaria (which city had joined itself to +him) to bring corn, and wine, and oil, and cattle to Jericho. +When Antigonus heard of this, be sent some of his party with +orders to hinder, and lay ambushes for these collectors of corn. +This command was obeyed, and a great multitude of armed men were +gathered together about Jericho, and lay upon the mountains, to +watch those that brought the provisions. Yet was Herod not idle, +but took with him ten cohorts, five of them were Romans, and five +were Jewish cohorts, together with some mercenary troops +intermixed among them, and besides those a few horsemen, and came +to Jericho; and when he came, he found the city deserted, but +that there were five hundred men, with their wives and children, +who had taken possession of the tops of the mountains; these he +took, and dismissed them, while the Romans fell upon the rest of +the city, and plundered it, having found the houses full of all +sorts of good things. So the king left a garrison at Jericho, and +came back, and sent the Roman army into those cities which were +come over to him, to take their winter quarters there, viz. into +Judea, [or Idumea,] and Galilee, and Samaria. Antigonus also by +bribes obtained of Silo to let a part of his army be received at +Lydda, as a compliment to Antonius. + +CHAPTER 16. + +Herod Takes Sepphoris And Subdues The Robbers That Were In The +Caves ; He After That Avenges Himself Upon Macheras, As Upon An +Enemy Of His And Goes To Antony As He Was Besieging Samosata. +1. So the Romans lived in plenty of all things, and rested from +war. However, Herod did not lie at rest, but seized upon Idumea, +and kept it, with two thousand footmen, and four hundred +horsemen; and this he did by sending his brother Joseph thither, +that no innovation might be made by Antigonus. He also removed +his mother, and all his relations, who had been in Masada, to +Samaria; and when he had settled them securely, he marched to +take the remaining parts of Galilee, and to drive away the +garrisons placed there by Antigonus. + +2. But when Herod had reached Sepphoris, (23) in a very great +snow, he took the city without any difficulty; the guards that +should have kept it flying away before it was assaulted; where he +gave an opportunity to his followers that had been in distress to +refresh themselves, there being in that city a great abundance of +necessaries. After which he hasted away to the robbers that were +in the caves, who overran a great part of the country, and did as +great mischief to its inhabitants as a war itself could have +done. Accordingly, he sent beforehand three cohorts of footmen, +and one troop of horsemen, to the village Arbela, and came +himself forty days afterwards (24) with the rest of his forces +Yet were not the enemy aftrighted at his assault but met him in +arms; for their skill was that of warriors, but their boldness +was the boldness of robbers: when therefore it came to a pitched +battle, they put to flight Herod's left wing with their right +one; but Herod, wheeling about on the sudden from his own right +wing, came to their assistance, and both made his own left wing +return back from its flight, and fell upon the pursuers, and +cooled their courage, till they could not bear the attempts that +were made directly upon them, and so turned back and ran away. +3. But Herod followed them, and slew them as he followed them, +and destroyed a great part of them, till those that remained were +scattered beyond the river [Jordan;] and Galilee was freed from +the terrors they had been under, excepting from those that +remained, and lay concealed in caves, which required longer time +ere they could be conquered. In order to which Herod, in the +first place, distributed the fruits of their former labors to the +soldiers, and gave every one of them a hundred and fifty drachmae +of silver, and a great deal more to their commanders, and sent +them into their winter quarters. He also sent to his youngest +brother Pheroas, to take care of a good market for them, where +they might buy themselves provisions, and to build a wall about +Alexandrium; who took care of both those injunctions accordingly. +4. In the mean time Antony abode at Athens, while Ventidius +called for Silo and Herod to come to the war against the +Parthians, but ordered them first to settle the affairs of Judea; +so Herod willingly dismissed Silo to go to Ventidius, but he made +an expedition himself against those that lay in the caves. Now +these caves were in the precipices of craggy mountains, and could +not be come at from any side, since they had only some winding +pathways, very narrow, by which they got up to them; but the rock +that lay on their front had beneath it valleys of a vast depth, +and of an almost perpendicular declivity; insomuch that the king +was doubtful for a long time what to do, by reason of a kind of +impossibility there was of attacking the place. Yet did he at +length make use of a contrivance that was subject to the utmost +hazard; for he let down the most hardy of his men in chests, and +set them at the mouths of the dens. Now these men slew the +robbers and their families, and when they made resistance, they +sent in fire upon them [and burnt them]; and as Herod was +desirous of saving some of them, he had proclamation made, that +they should come and deliver themselves up to him; but not one of +them came willingly to him; and of those that were compelled to +come, many preferred death to captivity. And here a certain old +man, the father of seven children, whose children, together with +their mother, desired him to give them leave to go out, upon the +assurance and right hand that was offered them, slew them after +the following manner: He ordered every one of them to go out, +while he stood himself at the cave's mouth, and slew that son of +his perpetually who went out. Herod was near enough to see this +sight, and his bowels of compassion were moved at it, and he +stretched out his right hand to the old man, and besought him to +spare his children; yet did not he relent at all upon what he +said, but over and above reproached Herod on the lowness of his +descent, and slew his wife as well as his children; and when he +had thrown their dead bodies down the precipice, he at last threw +himself down after them. + +5. By this means Herod subdued these caves, and the robbers that +were in them. He then left there a part of his army, as many as +he thought sufficient to prevent any sedition, and made Ptolemy +their general, and returned to Samaria; he led also with him +three thousand armed footmen, and six hundred horsemen, against +Antigonus. Now here those that used to raise tumults in Galilee, +having liberty so to do upon his departure, fell unexpectedly +upon Ptolemy, the general of his forces, and slew him; they also +laid the country waste, and then retired to the bogs, and to +places not easily to be found. But when Herod was informed of +this insurrection, he came to the assistance of the country +immediately, and destroyed a great number of the seditions, and +raised the sieges of all those fortresses they had besieged; he +also exacted the tribute of a hundred talents of his enemies, as +a penalty for the mutations they had made in the country. + +6. By this time (the Parthians being already driven out of the +country, and Pacorus slain) Ventidius, by Antony's command, sent +a thousand horsemen, and two legions, as auxiliaries to Herod, +against Antigonus. Now Antigonus besought Macheras, who was their +general, by letter, to come to his assistance, and made a great +many mournful complaints about Herod's violence, and about the +injuries he did to the kingdom; and promised to give him money +for such his assistance; but he complied not with his invitation +to betray his trust, for he did not contemn him that sent him, +especially while Herod gave him more money [than the other +offered]. So he pretended friendship to Antigonus, but came as a +spy to discover his affairs; although he did not herein comply +with Herod, who dissuaded him from so doing. But Antigonus +perceived what his intentions were beforehand, and excluded him +out of the city, and defended himself against him as against an +enemy, from the walls; till Macheras was ashamed of what he had +done, and retired to Emmaus to Herod; and as he was in a rage at +his disappointment, he slew all the Jews whom he met with, +without sparing those that were for Herod, but using them all as +if they were for Antigonus. + +7. Hereupon Herod was very angry at him, and was going to fight +against Macheras as his enemy; but he restrained his indignation, +and marched to Antony to accuse Macheras of maladministration. +But Macheras was made sensible of his offenses, and followed +after the king immediately, and earnestly begged and obtained +that he would be reconciled to him. However, Herod did not desist +from his resolution of going to Antony; but when he heard that he +was besieging Samosata (25) with a great army, which is a strong +city near to Euphrates, he made the greater haste; as observing +that this was a proper opportunity for showing at once his +courage, and for doing what would greatly oblige Antony. Indeed, +when he came, he soon made an end of that siege, and slew a great +number of the barbarians, and took from them a large prey; +insomuch that Antony, who admired his courage formerly, did now +admire it still more. Accordingly, he heaped many more honors +upon him, and gave him more assured hopes that he should gain his +kingdom; and now king Antiochus was forced to deliver up +Samosata. + +CHAPTER 17. + +The Death Of Joseph [Herod's Brother] Which Had Been Signified To +Herod In Dreams. How Herod Was Preserved Twice After A Wonderful +Manner. He Cuts Off The Head Of Pappus, Who Was The Murderer Of +His Brother And Sends That Head To [His Other Brother] Pheroras, +And In No Long Time He Besieges Jerusalem And Marries Mariamne. +1. In the mean time, Herod's affairs in Judea were in an ill +state. He had left his brother Joseph with full power, but had +charged him to make no attempts against Antigonus till his +return; for that Macheras would not be such an assistant as he +could depend on, as it appeared by what he had done already; but +as soon as Joseph heard that his brother was at a very great +distance, he neglected the charge he had received, and marched +towards Jericho with five cohorts, which Macheras sent with him. +This movement was intended for seizing on the corn, as it was now +in the midst of summer; but when his enemies attacked him in the +mountains, and in places which were difficult to pass, he was +both killed himself, as he was very bravely fighting in the +battle, and the entire Roman cohorts were destroyed; for these +cohorts were new-raised men, gathered out of Syria, and here was +no mixture of those called veteran soldiers among them, who might +have supported those that were unskillful in war. + +2. This victory was not sufficient for Antigonus; but he +proceeded to that degree of rage, as to treat the dead body of +Joseph barbarously; for when he had got possession of the bodies +of those that were slain, he cut off his head, although his +brother Pheroras would have given fifty talents as a price of +redemption for it. And now the affairs of Galilee were put in +such disorder after this victory of Antigonus's, that those of +Antigonus's party brought the principal men that were on Herod's +side to the lake, and there drowned them. There was a great +change made also in Idumea, where Macheras was building a wall +about one of the fortresses, which was called Gittha. But Herod +had not yet been informed of these things; for after the taking +of Samosata, and when Antony had set Sosius over the affairs of +Syria, and had given him orders to assist Herod against +Antigonus, he departed into Egypt; but Sosius sent two legions +before him into Judea to assist Herod, and followed himself soon +after with the rest of his army. + +3. Now when Herod was at Daphne, by Antioch, he had some dreams +which clearly foreboded his brother's death; and as he leaped out +of his bed in a disturbed manner, there came messengers that +acquainted him with that calamity. So when he had lamented this +misfortune for a while, he put off the main part of his mourning, +and made haste to march against his enemies; and when he had +performed a march that was above his strength, and was gone as +far as Libanus, he got him eight hundred men of those that lived +near to that mountain as his assistants, and joined with them one +Roman legion, with which, before it was day, he made an irruption +into Galilee, and met his enemies, and drove them back to the +place which they had left. He also made an immediate and +continual attack upon the fortress. Yet was he forced by a most +terrible storm to pitch his camp in the neighboring villages +before he could take it. But when, after a few days' time, the +second legion, that came from Antony, joined themselves to him, +the enemy were aftrighted at his power, and left their +fortifications ill the night time. + +4. After this he marched through Jericho, as making what haste he +could to be avenged on his brother's murderers; where happened to +him a providential sign, out of which, when he had unexpectedly +escaped, he had the reputation of being very dear to God; for +that evening there feasted with him many of the principal men; +and after that feast was over, and all the guests were gone out, +the house fell down immediately. And as he judged this to be a +common signal of what dangers he should undergo, and how he +should escape them in the war that he was going about, he, in the +morning, set forward with his army, when about six thousand of +his enemies came running down from the mountains, and began to +fight with those in his forefront; yet durst they not be so very +bold as to engage the Romans hand to hand, but threw stones and +darts at them at a distance; by which means they wounded a +considerable number; in which action Herod's own side was wounded +with a dart. + +5. Now as Antigonus had a mind to appear to exceed Herod, not +only in the courage, but in the number of his men, he sent +Pappus, one of his companions, with an army against Samaria, +whose fortune it was to oppose Macheras; but Herod overran the +enemy's country, and demolished five little cities, and destroyed +two thousand men that were in them, and burned their houses, and +then returned to his camp; but his head-quarters were at the +village called Cana. + +6. Now a great multitude of Jews resorted to him every day, both +out of Jericho and the other parts of the country. Some were +moved so to do out of their hatred to Antigonus, and some out of +regard to the glorious actions Herod had done; but others were +led on by an unreasonable desire of change; so he fell upon them +immediately. As for Pappus and his party, they were not terrified +either at their number or at their zeal, but marched out with +great alacrity to fight them; and it came to a close fight. Now +other parts of their army made resistance for a while; but Herod, +running the utmost hazard, out of the rage he was in at the +murder of his brother, that he might be avenged on those that had +been the authors of it, soon beat those that opposed him; and +after he had beaten them, he always turned his force against +those that stood to it still, and pursued them all; so that a +great slaughter was made, while some were forced back into that +village whence they came out; he also pressed hard upon the +hindermost, and slew a vast number of them; he also fell into the +village with the enemy, where every house was filled with armed +men, and the upper rooms were crowded above with soldiers for +their defense; and when he had beaten those that were on the +outside, he pulled the houses to pieces, and plucked out those +that were within; upon many he had the roofs shaken down, whereby +they perished by heaps; and as for those that fled out of the +ruins, the soldiers received them with their swords in their +hands; and the multitude of those slain and lying on heaps was so +great, that the conquerors could not pass along the roads. Now +the enemy could not bear this blow, so that when the multitude of +them which was gathered together saw that those in the village +were slain, they dispersed themselves, and fled away; upon the +confidence of which victory, Herod had marched immediately to +Jerusalem, unless he tad been hindered by the depth of winter's +[coming on]. This was the impediment that lay in the way of this +his entire glorious progress, and was what hindered Antigonus +from being now conquered, who was already disposed to forsake the +city. + +7. Now when at the evening Herod had already dismissed his +friends to refresh themselves after their fatigue, and when he +was gone himself, while he was still hot in his armor, like a +common soldier, to bathe himself, and had but one servant that +attended him, and before he was gotten into the bath, one of the +enemies met him in the face with a sword in his hand, and then a +second, and then a third, and after that more of them; these were +men who had run away out of the battle into the bath in their +armor, and they had lain there for some time in, great terror, +and in privacy; and when they saw the king, they trembled for +fear, and ran by him in a flight, although he was naked, and +endeavored to get off into the public road. Now there was by +chance nobody else at hand that might seize upon these men; and +for Herod, he was contented to have come to no harm himself, so +that they all got away in safety. + +8. But on the next day Herod had Pappus's head cut off, who was +the general for Antigonus, and was slain in the battle, and sent +it to his brother Pheroras, by way of punishment for their slain +brother; for he was the man that slew Joseph. Now as winter was +going off, Herod marched to Jerusalem, and brought his army to +the wall of it; this was the third year since he had been made +king at Rome; so he pitched his camp before the temple, for on +that side it might be besieged, and there it was that Pompey took +the city. So he parted the work among the army, and demolished +the suburbs, end raised three banks, and gave orders to have +towers built upon those banks, and left the most laborious of his +acquaintance at the works. But he went himself to Samaria, to +take the daughter of Alexander, the son of Aristobulus, to wife, +who had been betrothed to him before, as we have already said; +and thus he accomplished this by the by, during the siege of the +city, for he had his enemies in great contempt already. + +9. When he had thus married Mariamne, he came back to Jerusalem +with a greater army. Sosius also joined him with a large army, +both of horsemen and footmen, which he sent before him through +the midland parts, while he marched himself along Phoenicia; and +when the whole army was gotten together, which were eleven +regiments of footmen, and six thousand horsemen, besides the +Syrian auxiliaries, which were no small part of the army, they +pitched their camp near to the north wall. Herod's dependence was +upon the decree of the senate, by which he was made king; and +Sosius relied upon Antony, who sent the army that was under him +to Herod's assistance. + +CHAPTER 18. + +How Herod And Sosius Took Jerusalem By Force; And What Death +Antigonus Came To. Also Concerning Cleopatra's Avaricious Temper. +1. Now the multitude of the Jews that were in the city were +divided into several factions; for the people that crowded about +the temple, being the weaker part of them, gave it out that, as +the times were, he was the happiest and most religious man who +should die first. But as to the more bold and hardy men, they got +together in bodies, and fell a robbing others after various +manners, and these particularly plundered the places that were +about the city, and this because there was no food left either +for the horses or the men; yet some of the warlike men, who were +used to fight regularly, were appointed to defend the city during +the siege, and these drove those that raised the banks away from +the wall; and these were always inventing some engine or another +to be a hinderance to the engines of the enemy; nor had they so +much success any way as in the mines under ground. + +2. Now as for the robberies which were committed, the king +contrived that ambushes should be so laid, that they might +restrain their excursions; and as for the want of provisions, he +provided that they should be brought to them from great +distances. He was also too hard for the Jews, by the Romans' +skill in the art of war; although they were bold to the utmost +degree, now they durst not come to a plain battle with the +Romans, which was certain death; but through their mines under +ground they would appear in the midst of them on the sudden, and +before they could batter down one wall, they built them another +in its stead; and to sum up all at once, they did not show any +want either of painstaking or of contrivances, as having resolved +to hold out to the very last. Indeed, though they had so great an +army lying round about them, they bore a siege of five months, +till some of Herod's chosen men ventured to get upon the wall, +and fell into the city, as did Sosius's centurions after them; +and now they first of all seized upon what was about the temple; +and upon the pouring in of the army, there was slaughter of vast +multitudes every where, by reason of the rage the Romans were in +at the length of this siege, and by reason that the Jews who were +about Herod earnestly endeavored that none of their adversaries +might remain; so they were cut to pieces by great multitudes, as +they were crowded together in narrow streets, and in houses, or +were running away to the temple; nor was there any mercy showed +either to infants, or to the aged, or to the weaker sex; insomuch +that although the king sent about and desired them to spare the +people, nobody could be persuaded to withhold their right hand +from slaughter, but they slew people of all ages, like madmen. +Then it was that Antigonus, without any regard to his former or +to his present fortune, came down from the citadel, and fell at +Sosius's feet, who without pitying him at all, upon the change of +his condition, laughed at him beyond measure, and called him +Antigona. (26) Yet did he not treat him like a woman, or let him +go free, but put him into bonds, and kept him in custody. + +3. But Herod's concern at present, now he had gotten his enemies +under his power, was to restrain the zeal of his foreign +auxiliaries; for the multitude of the strange people were very +eager to see the temple, and what was sacred in the holy house +itself; but the king endeavored to restrain them, partly by his +exhortations, partly by his threatenings, nay, partly by force, +as thinking the victory worse than a defeat to him, if any thing +that ought not to be seen were seen by them. He also forbade, at +the same time, the spoiling of the city, asking Sosius in the +most earnest manner, whether the Romans, by thus emptying the +city of money and men, had a mind to leave him king of a desert, +- and told him that he judged the dominion of the habitable earth +too small a compensation for the slaughter of so many citizens. +And when Sosius said that it was but just to allow the soldiers +this plunder as a reward for what they suffered during the siege, +Herod made answer, that he would give every one of the soldiers a +reward out of his own money. So he purchased the deliverance of +his country, and performed his promises to them, and made +presents after a magnificent manner to each soldier, and +proportionably to their commanders, and with a most royal bounty +to Sosius himself, whereby nobody went away but in a wealthy +condition. Hereupon Sosius dedicated a crown of gold to God, and +then went away from Jerusalem, leading Antigonus away in bonds to +Antony; then did the axe bring him to his end, (27) who still had +a fond desire of life, and some frigid hopes of it to the last, +but by his cowardly behavior well deserved to die by it. + +4. Hereupon king Herod distinguished the multitude that was in +the city; and for those that were of his side, he made them still +more his friends by the honors he conferred on them; but for +those of Antigonus's party, he slew them; and as his money ran +low, he turned all the ornaments he had into money, and sent it +to Antony, and to those about him. Yet could he not hereby +purchase an exemption from all sufferings; for Antony was now +bewitched by his love to Cleopatra, and was entirely conquered by +her charms. Now Cleopatra had put to death all her kindred, till +no one near her in blood remained alive, and after that she fell +a slaying those no way related to her. So she calumniated the +principal men among the Syrians to Antony, and persuaded him to +have them slain, that so she might easily gain to be mistress of +what they had; nay, she extended her avaricious humor to the Jews +and Arabians, and secretly labored to have Herod and Malichus, +the kings of both those nations, slain by his order. + +5. Now is to these her injunctions to Antony, he complied in +part; for though he esteemed it too abominable a thing to kill +such good and great kings, yet was he thereby alienated from the +friendship he had for them. He also took away a great deal of +their country; nay, even the plantation of palm trees at Jericho, +where also grows the balsam tree, and bestowed them upon her; as +also all the cities on this side the river Eleutherus, Tyre and +Sidon (28) excepted. And when she was become mistress of these, +and had conducted Antony in his expedition against the Parthians +as far as Euphrates, she came by Apamia and Damascus into Judea +and there did Herod pacify her indignation at him by large +presents. He also hired of her those places that had been torn +away from his kingdom, at the yearly rent of two hundred talents. +He conducted her also as far as Pelusium, and paid her all the +respects possible. Now it was not long after this that Antony was +come back from Parthia, and led with him Artabazes, Tigranes's +son, captive, as a present for Cleopatra; for this Parthian was +presently given her, with his money, and all the prey that was +taken with him. + +CHAPTER 19. + +How Antony At The Persuasion Of Cleopatra Sent Herod To Fight +Against The Arabians; And Now After Several Battles, He At Length +Got The Victory. As Also Concerning A Great Earthquake. + +1. Now when the war about Actium was begun, Herod prepared to +come to the assistance of Antony, as being already freed from his +troubles in Judea, and having gained Hyrcania, which was a place +that was held by Antigonus's sister. However, he was cunningly +hindered from partaking of the hazards that Antony went through +by Cleopatra; for since, as we have already noted, she had laid a +plot against the kings [of Judea and Arabia], she prevailed with +Antony to commit the war against the Arabians to Herod; that so, +if he got the better, she might become mistress of Arabia, or, if +he were worsted, of Judea; and that she might destroy one of +those kings by the other. + +2. However, this contrivance tended to the advantage of Herod; +for at the very first he took hostages from the enemy, and got +together a great body of horse, and ordered them to march against +them about Diespous; and he conquered that army, although it +fought resolutely against him. After which defeat, the Arabians +were in great motion, and assembled themselves together at +Kanatha, a city of Celesyria, in vast multitudes, and waited for +the Jews. And when Herod was come thither, he tried to manage +this war with particular prudence, and gave orders that they +should build a wall about their camp; yet did not the multitude +comply with those orders, but were so emboldened by their +foregoing victory, that they presently attacked the Arabians, and +beat them at the first onset, and then pursued them; yet were +there snares laid for Herod in that pursuit; while Athenio, who +was one of Cleopatra's generals, and always an antagonist to +Herod, sent out of Kanatha the men of that country against him; +for, upon this fresh onset, the Arabians took courage, and +returned back, and both joined their numerous forces about stony +places, that were hard to be gone over, and there put Herod's men +to the rout, and made a great slaughter of them; but those that +escaped out of the battle fled to Ormiza, where the Arabians +surrounded their camp, and took it, with all the men in it. +3. In a little time after this calamity, Herod came to bring them +succors; but he came too late. Now the occasion of that blow was +this, that the officers would not obey orders; for had not the +fight begun so suddenly, Athenio had not found a proper season +for the snares he laid for Herod: however, he was even with the +Arabians afterward, and overran their country, and did them more +harm than their single victory could compensate. But as he was +avenging himself on his enemies, there fell upon him another +providential calamity; for in the seventh (29) year of his reign, +when the war about Actium was at the height, at the beginning of +the spring, the earth was shaken, and destroyed an immense number +of cattle, with thirty thousand men; but the army received no +harm, because it lay in the open air. In the mean time, the fame +of this earthquake elevated the Arabians to greater courage, and +this by augmenting it to a fabulous height, as is constantly the +case in melancholy accidents, and pretending that all Judea was +overthrown. Upon this supposal, therefore, that they should +easily get a land that was destitute of inhabitants into their +power, they first sacrificed those ambassadors who were come to +them from the Jews, and then marched into Judea immediately. Now +the Jewish nation were affrighted at this invasion, and quite +dispirited at the greatness of their calamities one after +another; whom yet Herod got together, and endeavored to encourage +to defend themselves by the following speech which he made to +them: + +4. "The present dread you are under seems to me to have seized +upon you very unreasonably. It is true, you might justly be +dismayed at that providential chastisement which hath befallen +you; but to suffer yourselves to be equally terrified at the +invasion of men is unmanly. As for myself, I am so far from being +aftrighted at our enemies after this earthquake, that I imagine +that God hath thereby laid a bait for the Arabians, that we may +be avenged on them; for their present invasion proceeds more from +our accidental misfortunes, than that they have any great +dependence on their weapons, or their own fitness for action. Now +that hope which depends not on men's own power, but on others' +ill success, is a very ticklish thing; for there is no certainty +among men, either in their bad or good fortunes; but we may +easily observe that fortune is mutable, and goes from one side to +another; and this you may readily learn from examples among +yourselves; for when you were once victors in the former fight, +your enemies overcame you at last; and very likely it will now +happen so, that these who think themselves sure of beating you +will themselves be beaten. For when men are very confident, they +are not upon their guard, while fear teaches men to act with +caution; insomuch that I venture to prove from your very +timorousness that you ought to take courage; for when you were +more bold than you ought to have been, and than I would have had +you, and marched on, Athenio's treachery took place; but your +present slowness and seeming dejection of mind is to me a pledge +and assurance of victory. And indeed it is proper beforehand to +be thus provident; but when we come to action, we ought to erect +our minds, and to make our enemies, be they ever so wicked, +believe that neither any human, no, nor any providential +misfortune, can ever depress the courage of Jews while they are +alive; nor will any of them ever overlook an Arabian, or suffer +such a one to become lord of his good things, whom he has in a +manner taken captive, and that many times also. And do not you +disturb yourselves at the quaking of inanimate creatures, nor do +you imagine that this earthquake is a sign of another calamity; +for such affections of the elements are according to the course +of nature, nor does it import any thing further to men, than what +mischief it does immediately of itself. Perhaps there may come +some short sign beforehand in the case of pestilences, and +famines, and earthquakes; but these calamities themselves have +their force limited by themselves [without foreboding any other +calamity]. And indeed what greater mischief can the war, though +it should be a violent one, do to us than the earthquake hath +done? Nay, there is a signal of our enemies' destruction visible, +and that a very great one also; and this is not a natural one, +nor derived from the hand of foreigners neither, but it is this, +that they have barbarously murdered our ambassadors, contrary to +the common law of mankind; and they have destroyed so many, as if +they esteemed them sacrifices for God, in relation to this war. +But they will not avoid his great eye, nor his invincible right +hand; and we shall be revenged of them presently, in case we +still retain any of the courage of our forefathers, and rise up +boldly to punish these covenant-breakers. Let every one therefore +go on and fight, not so much for his wife or his children, or for +the danger his country is in, as for these ambassadors of ours; +those dead ambassadors will conduct this war of ours better than +we ourselves who are alive. And if you will be ruled by me, I +will myself go before you into danger; for you know this well +enough, that your courage is irresistible, unless you hurt +yourselves by acting rashly. (30) + +5. When Herod had encouraged them by this speech, and he saw with +what alacrity they went, he offered sacrifice to God; and after +that sacrifice, he passed over the river Jordan with his army, +and pitched his camp about Philadelphia, near the enemy, and +about a fortification that lay between them. He then shot at them +at a distance, and was desirous to come to an engagement +presently; for some of them had been sent beforehand to seize +upon that fortification: but the king sent some who immediately +beat them out of the fortification, while he himself went in the +forefront of the army, which he put in battle-array every day, +and invited the Arabians to fight. But as none of them came out +of their camp, for they were in a terrible fright, and their +general, Elthemus, was not able to say a word for fear, - so +Herod came upon them, and pulled their fortification to pieces, +by which means they were compelled to come out to fight, which +they did in disorder, and so that the horsemen and foot-men were +mixed together. They were indeed superior to the Jews in number, +but inferior in their alacrity, although they were obliged to +expose themselves to danger by their very despair of victory. +6. Now while they made opposition, they had not a great number +slain; but as soon as they turned their backs, a great many were +trodden to pieces by the Jews, and a great many by themselves, +and so perished, till five thousand were fallen down dead in +their flight, while the rest of the multitude prevented their +immediate death, by crowding into the fortification. Herod +encompassed these around, and besieged them; and while they were +ready to be taken by their enemies in arms, they had another +additional distress upon them, which was thirst and want of +water; for the king was above hearkening to their ambassadors; +and when they offered five hundred talents, as the price of their +redemption, he pressed still harder upon them. And as they were +burnt up by their thirst, they came out and voluntarily delivered +themselves up by multitudes to the Jews, till in five days' time +four thousand of them were put into bonds; and on the sixth day +the multitude that were left despaired of saving themselves, and +came out to fight: with these Herod fought, and slew again about +seven thousand, insomuch that he punished Arabia so severely, and +so far extinguished the spirits of the men, that he was chosen by +the nation for their ruler. + +CHAPTER 20. + +Herod Is Confirmed In His Kingdom By Caesar, And Cultivates A +Friendship With The Emperor By Magnificent Presents; While Caesar +Returns His Kindness By Bestowing On Him That Part Of His Kingdom +Which Had Been Taken Away From It By Cleopatra With The Addition +Of Zenodoruss Country Also. + +1. But now Herod was under immediate concern about a most +important affair, on account of his friendship with Antony, who +was already overcome at Actium by Caesar; yet he was more afraid +than hurt; for Caesar did not think he had quite undone Antony, +while Herod continued his assistance to him. However, the king +resolved to expose himself to dangers: accordingly he sailed to +Rhodes, where Caesar then abode, and came to him without his +diadem, and in the habit and appearance of a private person, but +in his behavior as a king. So he concealed nothing of the truth, +but spike thus before his face: "O Caesar, as I was made king of +the Jews by Antony, so do I profess that I have used my royal +authority in the best manner, and entirely for his advantage; nor +will I conceal this further, that thou hadst certainly found me +in arms, and an inseparable companion of his, had not the +Arabians hindered me. However, I sent him as many auxiliaries as +I was able, and many ten thousand [cori] of corn. Nay, indeed, I +did not desert my benefactor after the bow that was given him at +Actium; but I gave him the best advice I was able, when I was no +longer able to assist him in the war; and I told him that there +was but one way of recovering his affairs, and that was to kill +Cleopatra; and I promised him that, if she were once dead, I +would afford him money and walls for his security, with an army +and myself to assist him in his war against thee: but his +affections for Cleopatra stopped his ears, as did God himself +also who hath bestowed the government on thee. I own myself also +to be overcome together with him; and with his last fortune I +have laid aside my diadem, and am come hither to thee, having my +hopes of safety in thy virtue; and I desire that thou wilt first +consider how faithful a friend, and not whose friend, I have +been." + +2. Caesar replied to him thus: "Nay, thou shalt not only be in +safety, but thou shalt be a king; and that more firmly than thou +wast before; for thou art worthy to reign over a great many +subjects, by reason of the fastness of thy friendship; and do +thou endeavor to be equally constant in thy friendship to me, +upon my good success, which is what I depend upon from the +generosity of thy disposition. However, Antony hath done well in +preferring Cleopatra to thee; for by this means we have gained +thee by her madness, and thus thou hast begun to be my friend +before I began to be thine; on which account Quintus Didius hath +written to me that thou sentest him assistance against the +gladiators. I do therefore assure thee that I will confirm the +kingdom to thee by decree: I shall also endeavor to do thee some +further kindness hereafter, that thou mayst find no loss in the +want of Antony." + +3. When Caesar had spoken such obliging things to the king, and +had put the diadem again about his head, he proclaimed what he +had bestowed on him by a decree, in which he enlarged in the +commendation of the man after a magnificent manner. Whereupon +Herod obliged him to be kind to him by the presents he gave him, +and he desired him to forgive Alexander, one of Antony's friends, +who was become a supplicant to him. But Caesar's anger against +him prevailed, and he complained of the many and very great +offenses the man whom he petitioned for had been guilty of; and +by that means he rejected his petition. After this Caesar went +for Egypt through Syria, when Herod received him with royal and +rich entertainments; and then did he first of all ride along with +Caesar, as he was reviewing his army about Ptolemais, and feasted +him with all his friends, and then distributed among the rest of +the army what was necessary to feast them withal. He also made a +plentiful provision of water for them, when they were to march as +far as Pelusium, through a dry country, which he did also in like +manner at their return thence; nor were there any necessaries +wanting to that army. It was therefore the opinion, both of +Caesar and of his soldiers, that Herod's kingdom was too small +for those generous presents he made them; for which reason, when +Caesar was come into Egypt, and Cleopatra and Antony were dead, +he did not only bestow other marks of honor upon him, but made an +addition to his kingdom, by giving him not only the country which +had been taken from him by Cleopatra, but besides that, Gadara, +and Hippos, and Samaria; and moreover, of the maritime cities, +Gaza (31) and Anthedon, and Joppa, and Strato's Tower. He also +made him a present of four hundred Galls [Galatians] as a guard +for his body, which they had been to Cleopatra before. Nor did +any thing so strongly induce Caesar to make these presents as the +generosity of him that received them. + +4. Moreover, after the first games at Actium, he added to his +kingdom both the region called Trachonitis, and what lay in its +neighborhood, Batanea, and the country of Auranitis; and that on +the following occasion: Zenodorus, who had hired the house of +Lysanias, had all along sent robbers out of Trachonitis among the +Damascenes; who thereupon had recourse to Varro, the president of +Syria, and desired of him that he would represent the calamity +they were in to Caesar. When Caesar was acquainted with it, he +sent back orders that this nest of robbers should be destroyed. +Varro therefore made an expedition against them, and cleared the +land of those men, and took it away from Zenodorus. Caesar did +also afterward bestow it on Herod, that it might not again become +a receptacle for those robbers that had come against Damascus. He +also made him a procurator of all Syria, and this on the tenth +year afterward, when he came again into that province; and this +was so established, that the other procurators could not do any +thing in the administration without his advice: but when +Zenodorus was dead, Caesar bestowed on him all that land which +lay between Trachonitis and Galilee. Yet, what was still of more +consequence to Herod, he was beloved by Caesar next after +Agrippa, and by Agrippa next after Caesar; whence he arrived at a +very great degree of felicity. Yet did the greatness of his soul +exceed it, and the main part of his magnanimity was extended to +the promotion of piety. + +CHAPTER 21. + +Of The [Temple And] Cities That Were Built By Herod And Erected +From The Very Foundations; As Also Of Those Other Edifices That +Were Erected By Him; And What Magnificence He Showed To +Foreigners; And How Fortune Was In All Things Favorable To Him. +1. Accordingly, in the fifteenth year of his reign, Herod rebuilt +the temple, and encompassed a piece of land about it with a wall, +which land was twice as large as that before enclosed. The +expenses he laid out upon it were vastly large also, and the +riches about it were unspeakable. A sign of which you have in the +great cloisters that were erected about the temple, and the +citadel which was on its north side. The cloisters he built from +the foundation, but the citadel (32) he repaired at a vast +expense; nor was it other than a royal palace, which he called +Antonia, in honor of Antony. He also built himself a palace in +the Upper city, containing two very large and most beautiful +apartments; to which the holy house itself could not be compared +[in largeness]. The one apartment he named Caesareum, and the +other Agrippium, from his [two great] friends. + +2. Yet did he not preserve their memory by particular buildings +only, with their names given them, but his generosity went as far +as entire cities; for when he had built a most beautiful wall +round a country in Samaria, twenty furlongs long, and had brought +six thousand inhabitants into it, and had allotted to it a most +fruitful piece of land, and in the midst of this city, thus +built, had erected a very large temple to Caesar, and had laid +round about it a portion of sacred land of three furlongs and a +half, he called the city Sebaste, from Sebastus, or Augustus, and +settled the affairs of the city after a most regular manner. +3. And when Caesar had further bestowed upon him another +additional country, he built there also a temple of white marble, +hard by the fountains of Jordan: the place is called Panium, +where is a top of a mountain that is raised to an immense height, +and at its side, beneath, or at its bottom, a dark cave opens +itself; within which there is a horrible precipice, that descends +abruptly to a vast depth; it contains a mighty quantity of water, +which is immovable; and when any body lets down any thing to +measure the depth of the earth beneath the water, no length of +cord is sufficient to reach it. Now the fountains of Jordan rise +at the roots of this cavity outwardly; and, as some think, this +is the utmost origin of Jordan: but we shall speak of that matter +more accurately in our following history. + +4. But the king erected other places at Jericho also, between the +citadel Cypros and the former palace, such as were better and +more useful than the former for travelers, and named them from +the same friends of his. To say all at once, there was not any +place of his kingdom fit for the purpose that was permitted to be +without somewhat that was for Caesar's honor; and when he had +filled his own country with temples, he poured out the like +plentiful marks of his esteem into his province, and built many +cities which he called Cesareas. + +5. And when he observed that there was a city by the sea-side +that was much decayed, (its name was Strato's Tower,) but that +the place, by the happiness of its situation, was capable of +great improvements from his liberality, he rebuilt it all with +white stone, and adorned it with several most splendid palaces, +wherein he especially demonstrated his magnanimity; for the case +was this, that all the sea-shore between Dora and Joppa, in the +middle, between which this city is situated, had no good haven, +insomuch that every one that sailed from Phoenicia for Egypt was +obliged to lie in the stormy sea, by reason of the south winds +that threatened them; which wind, if it blew but a little fresh, +such vast waves are raised, and dash upon the rocks, that upon +their retreat the sea is in a great ferment for a long way. But +the king, by the expenses he was at, and the liberal disposal of +them, overcame nature, and built a haven larger than was the +Pyrecum (33) [at Athens]; and in the inner retirements of the +water he built other deep stations [for the ships also]. + +6. Now although the place where he built was greatly opposite to +his purposes, yet did he so fully struggle with that difficulty, +that the firmness of his building could not easily be conquered +by the sea; and the beauty and ornament of the works were such, +as though he had not had any difficulty in the operation; for +when he had measured out as large a space as we have before +mentioned, he let down stones into twenty fathom water, the +greatest part of which were fifty feet in length, and nine in +depth, and ten in breadth, and some still larger. But when the +haven was filled up to that depth, he enlarged that wall which +was thus already extant above the sea, till it was two hundred +feet wide; one hundred of which had buildings before it, in order +to break the force of the waves, whence it was called Procumatia, +or the first breaker of the waves; but the rest of the space was +under a stone wall that ran round it. On this wall were very +large towers, the principal and most beautiful of which was +called Drusium, from Drusus, who was son-in-law to Caesar. +7. There were also a great number of arches, where the mariners +dwelt; and all the places before them round about was a large +valley, or walk, for a quay [or landing-place] to those that came +on shore; but the entrance was on the north, because the north +wind was there the most gentle of all the winds. At the mouth of +the haven were on each side three great Colossi, supported by +pillars, where those Colossi that are on your left hand as you +sail into the port are supported by a solid tower; but those on +the right hand are supported by two upright stones joined +together, which stones were larger than that tower which was on +the other side of the entrance. Now there were continual edifices +joined to the haven, which were also themselves of white stone; +and to this haven did the narrow streets of the city lead, and +were built at equal distances one from another. And over against +the mouth of the haven, upon an elevation, there was a temple for +Caesar, which was excellent both in beauty and largeness; and +therein was a Colossus of Caesar, not less than that of Jupiter +Olympius, which it was made to resemble. The other Colossus of +Rome was equal to that of Juno at Argos. So he dedicated the city +to the province, and the haven to the sailors there; but the +honor of the building he ascribed to Caesar, (34) and named it +Cesarea accordingly. + +8. He also built the other edifices, the amphitheater, and +theater, and market-place, in a manner agreeable to that +denomination; and appointed games every fifth year, and called +them, in like manner, Caesar's Games; and he first himself +proposed the largest prizes upon the hundred ninety-second +olympiad; in which not only the victors themselves, but those +that came next to them, and even those that came in the third +place, were partakers of his royal bounty. He also rebuilt +Anthedon, a city that lay on the coast, and had been demolished +in the wars, and named it Agrippeum. Moreover, he had so very +great a kindness for his friend Agrippa, that he had his name +engraved upon that gate which he had himself erected in the +temple. + +9. Herod was also a lover of his father, if any other person ever +was so; for he made a monument for his father, even that city +which he built in the finest plain that was in his kingdom, and +which had rivers and trees in abundance, and named it Antipatris. +He also built a wall about a citadel that lay above Jericho, and +was a very strong and very fine building, and dedicated it to his +mother, and called it Cypros. Moreover, he dedicated a tower that +was at Jerusalem, and called it by the name of his brother +Phasaelus, whose structure, largeness, and magnificence we shall +describe hereafter. He also built another city in the valley that +leads northward from Jericho, and named it Phasaelis. + +10. And as he transmitted to eternity his family and friends, so +did he not neglect a memorial for himself, but built a fortress +upon a mountain towards Arabia, and named it from himself, +Herodium (35) and he called that hill that was of the shape of a +woman's breast, and was sixty furlongs distant from Jerusalem, by +the same name. He also bestowed much curious art upon it, with +great ambition, and built round towers all about the top of it, +and filled up the remaining space with the most costly palaces +round about, insomuch that not only the sight of the inner +apartments was splendid, but great wealth was laid out on the +outward walls, and partitions, and roofs also. Besides this, he +brought a mighty quantity of water from a great distance, and at +vast charges, and raised an ascent to it of two hundred steps of +the whitest marble, for the hill was itself moderately high, and +entirely factitious. He also built other palaces about the roots +of the hill, sufficient to receive the furniture that was put +into them, with his friends also, insomuch that, on account of +its containing all necessaries, the fortress might seem to be a +city, but, by the bounds it had, a palace only. + +11. And when he had built so much, he showed the greatness of his +soul to no small number of foreign cities. He built palaces for +exercise at Tripoli, and Damascus, and Ptolemais; he built a wall +about Byblus, as also large rooms, and cloisters, and temples, +and market-places at Berytus and Tyre, with theatres at Sidon and +Damascus. He also built aqueducts for those Laodiceans who lived +by the sea-side; and for those of Ascalon he built baths and +costly fountains, as also cloisters round a court, that were +admirable both for their workmanship and largeness. Moreover, he +dedicated groves and meadows to some people; nay, not a few +cities there were who had lands of his donation, as if they were +parts of his own kingdom. He also bestowed annual revenues, and +those for ever also, on the settlements for exercises, and +appointed for them, as well as for the people of Cos, that such +rewards should never be wanting. He also gave corn to all such as +wanted it, and conferred upon Rhodes large sums of money for +building ships; and this he did in many places, and frequently +also. And when Apollo's temple had been burnt down, he rebuilt it +at his own charges, after a better manner than it was before. +What need I speak of the presents he made to the Lycians and +Samnians? or of his great liberality through all Ionia? and that +according to every body's wants of them. And are not the +Athenians, and Lacedemonians, and Nicopolitans, and that Pergamus +which is in Mysia, full of donations that Herod presented them +withal? And as for that large open place belonging to Antioch in +Syria, did not he pave it with polished marble, though it were +twenty furlongs long? and this when it was shunned by all men +before, because it was full of dirt and filthiness, when he +besides adorned the same place with a cloister of the same +length. + +12. It is true, a man may say, these were favors peculiar to +those particular places on which he bestowed his benefits; but +then what favors he bestowed on the Eleans was a donation not +only in common to all Greece, but to all the habitable earth, as +far as the glory of the Olympic games reached. For when he +perceived that they were come to nothing, for want of money, and +that the only remains of ancient Greece were in a manner gone, he +not only became one of the combatants in that return of the +fifth-year games, which in his sailing to Rome he happened to be +present at, but he settled upon them revenues of money for +perpetuity, insomuch that his memorial as a combatant there can +never fail. It would be an infinite task if I should go over his +payments of people's debts, or tributes, for them, as he eased +the people of Phasaelis, of Batanea, and of the small cities +about Cilicia, of those annual pensions they before paid. +However, the fear he was in much disturbed the greatness of his +soul, lest he should be exposed to envy, or seem to hunt after +greater filings than he ought, while he bestowed more liberal +gifts upon these cities than did their owners themselves. + +13. Now Herod had a body suited to his soul, and was ever a most +excellent hunter, where he generally had good success, by the +means of his great skill in riding horses; for in one day he +caught forty wild beasts: (36) that country breeds also bears, +and the greatest part of it is replenished with stags and wild +asses. He was also such a warrior as could not be withstood: many +men, therefore, there are who have stood amazed at his readiness +in his exercises, when they saw him throw the javelin directly +forward, and shoot the arrow upon the mark. And then, besides +these performances of his depending on his own strength of mind +and body, fortune was also very favorable to him; for he seldom +failed of success in his wars; and when he failed, he was not +himself the occasion of such failings, but he either vas betrayed +by some, or the rashness of his own soldiers procured his defeat. +CHAPTER 22. + +The Murder Of Aristobulus And Hyrcanus, The High Priests, As Also +Of Mariamne The Queen. + +1. However, fortune was avenged on Herod in his external great +successes, by raising him up domestical troubles; and he began to +have wild disorders in his family, on account of his wife, of +whom he was so very fond. For when he came to the government, he +sent away her whom he had before married when he was a private +person, and who was born at Jerusalem, whose name was Doris, and +married Mariamne, the daughter of Alexander, the son of +Aristobulus; on whose account disturbances arose in his family, +and that in part very soon, but chiefly after his return from +Rome. For, first of all, he expelled Antipater the son of Doris, +for the sake of his sons by Mariamne, out of the city, and +permitted him to come thither at no other times than at the +festivals. After this he slew his wife's grandfather, Hyrcanus, +when he was returned out of Parthin to him, under this pretense, +that he suspected him of plotting against him. Now this Hyrcanus +had been carried captive to Barzapharnes, when he overran Syria; +but those of his own country beyond Euphrates were desirous he +would stay with them, and this out of the commiseration they had +for his condition; and had he complied with their desires, when +they exhorted him not to go over the river to lierod, he had not +perished: but the marriage of his granddaughter [to Herod] was +his temptation; for as he relied upon him, and was over-fond of +his own country, he came back to it. Herod's provocation was +this, - not that Hyrcanus made any attempt to gain the kingdom, +but that it was fitter for him to be their king than for Herod. +2. Now of the five children which Herod had by Mariamne, two of +them were daughters, and three were sons; and the youngest of +these sons was educated at Rome, and there died; but the two +eldest he treated as those of royal blood, on account of the +nobility of their mother, and because they were not born till he +was king. But then what was stronger than all this was the love +that he bare to Mariamne, and which inflamed him every day to a +great degree, and so far conspired with the other motives, that +he felt no other troubles, on account of her he loved so +entirely. But Mariamne's hatred to him was not inferior to his +love to her. She had indeed but too just a cause of indignation +from what he had done, while her boldness proceeded from his +affection to her; so she openly reproached him with what he had +done to her grandfather Hyrcanus, and to her brother Aristobulus; +for he had not spared this Aristobulus, though he were but a +child; for when he had given him the high priesthood at the age +of seventeen, he slew him quickly after he had conferred that +dignity upon him; but when Aristobulus had put on the holy +vestments, and had approached to the altar at a festival, the +multitude, in great crowds, fell into tears; whereupon the child +was sent by night to Jericho, and was there dipped by the Galls, +at Herod's command, in a pool till he was drowned. + +3. For these reasons Mariamne reproached Herod, and his sister +and mother, after a most contumelious manner, while he was dumb +on account of his affection for her; yet had the women great +indignation at her, and raised a calumny against her, that she +was false to his bed; which thing they thought most likely to +move Herod to anger. They also contrived to have many other +circumstances believed, in order to make the thing more credible, +and accused her of having sent her picture into Egypt to Antony, +and that her lust was so extravagant, as to have thus showed +herself, though she was absent, to a man that ran mad after +women, and to a man that had it in his power to use violence to +her. This charge fell like a thunderbolt upon Herod, and put him +into disorder; and that especially, because his love to her +occasioned him to be jealous, and because he considered with +himself that Cleopatra was a shrewd woman, and that on her +account Lysanias the king was taken off, as well as Malichus the +Arabian; for his fear did not only extend to the dissolving of +his marriage, but to the danger of his life. + +4. When therefore he was about to take a journey abroad, he +committed his wife to Joseph, his sister Salome's husband, as to +one who would be faithful to him, and bare him good-will on +account of their kindred; he also gave him a secret injunction, +that if Antony slew him, he should slay her. But Joseph, without +any ill design, and only in order to demonstrate the king's love +to his wife, how he could not bear to think of being separated +from her, even by death itself, discovered this grand secret to +her; upon which, when Herod was come back, and as they talked +together, and he confirmed his love to her by many oaths, and +assured her that he had never such an affection for any other +woman as he had for her, - " Yes," says she, "thou didst, to be +sure, demonstrate thy love to me by the injunctions thou gavest +Joseph, when thou commandedst him to kill me." (37) + +5. When he heard that this grand secret was discovered, he was +like a distracted man, and said that Joseph would never have +disclosed that injunction of his, unless he had debauched her. +His passion also made him stark mad, and leaping out of his bed, +he ran about the palace after a wild manner; at which time his +sister Salome took the opportunity also to blast her reputation, +and confirmed his suspicion about Joseph; whereupon, out of his +ungovernable jealousy and rage, he commanded both of them to be +slain immediately; but as soon as ever his passion was over, he +repented of what he had done, and as soon as his anger was worn +off, his affections were kindled again. And indeed the flame of +his desires for her was so ardent, that he could not think she +was dead, but would appear, under his disorders, to speak to her +as if she were still alive, till he were better instructed by +time, when his grief and trouble, now she was dead, appeared as +great as his affection had been for her while she was living. +CHAPTER 23. + +Calumnies Against The Sons Of Mariamne. Antipateris Preferred +Before Them. They Are Accused Before Caesar, And Herod Is +Reconciled To Them. + +1. Now Mariamne's sons were heirs to that hatred which had been +borne their mother; and when they considered the greatness of +Herod's crime towards her, they were suspicious of him as of an +enemy of theirs; and this first while they were educated at Rome, +but still more when they were returned to Judea. This temper of +theirs increased upon them as they grew up to be men; and when +they were Come to an age fit for marriage, the one of them +married their aunt Salome's daughter, which Salome had been the +accuser of their mother; the other married the daughter of +Archclaus, king of Cappadocia. And now they used boldness in +speaking, as well as bore hatred in their minds. Now those that +calumniated them took a handle from such their boldness, and +certain of them spake now more plainly to the king that there +were treacherous designs laid against him by both his sons; and +he that was son-in-law to Archelaus, relying upon his +father-in-law, was preparing to fly away, in order to accuse +Herod before Caesar; and when Herod's head had been long enough +filled with these calumnies, he brought Antipater, whom he had by +Doris, into favor again, as a defense to him against his other +sons, and began all the ways he possibly could to prefer him +before them. + +2. But these sons were not able to bear this change in their +affairs; but when they saw him that was born of a mother of no +family, the nobility of their birth made them unable to contain +their indignation; but whensoever they were uneasy, they showed +the anger they had at it. And as these sons did day after day +improve in that their anger, Antipater already exercised all his +own abilities, which were very great, in flattering his father, +and in contriving many sorts of calumnies against his brethren, +while he told some stories of them himself, and put it upon other +proper persons to raise other stories against them, till at +length he entirely cut his brethren off from all hopes of +succeeding to the kingdom; for he was already publicly put into +his father's will as his successor. Accordingly, he was sent with +royal ornaments, and other marks of royalty, to Caesar, excepting +the diadem. He was also able in time to introduce his mother +again into Mariamne's bed. The two sorts of weapons he made use +of against his brethren were flattery and calumny, whereby he +brought matters privately to such a pass, that the king had +thoughts of putting his sons to death. + +3. So the father drew Alexander as far as Rome, and. charged him +with an attempt of poisoning him before Caesar. Alexander could +hardly speak for lamentation; but having a judge that was more +skillful than Antipater, and more wise than Herod, he modestly +avoided laying any imputation upon his father, but with great +strength of reason confuted the calumnies laid against him; and +when he had demonstrated the innocency of his brother, who was in +the like danger with himself, he at last bewailed the craftiness +of Antipater, and the disgrace they were under. He was enabled +also to justify himself, not only by a clear conscience, which he +carried within him, but by his eloquence; for he was a shrewd man +in making speeches. And upon his saying at last, that if his +father objected this crime to them, it was in his power to put +them to death, he made all the audience weep; and he brought +Caesar to that pass, as to reject the accusations, and to +reconcile their father to them immediately. But the conditions of +this reconciliation were these, that they should in all things be +obedient to their father, and that he should have power to leave +the kingdom to which of them he pleased. + +4. After this the king came back from Rome, and seemed to have +forgiven his sons upon these accusations; but still so that he +was not without his suspicions of them. They were followed by +Antipater, who was the fountain-head of those accusations; yet +did not he openly discover his hatred to them, as revering him +that had reconciled them. But as Herod sailed by Cilicia, he +touched at Eleusa, (38) where Archclaus treated them in the most +obliging manner, and gave him thanks for the deliverance of his +son-in-law, and was much pleased at their reconciliation; and +this the more, because he had formerly written to his friends at +Rome that they should be assisting to Alexander at his trial. So +he conducted Herod as far as Zephyrium, and made him presents to +the value of thirty talents. + +5. Now when Herod was come to Jerusalem, he gathered the people +together, and presented to them his three sons, and gave them an +apologetic account of his absence, and thanked God greatly, and +thanked Caesar greatly also, for settling his house when it was +under disturbances, and had procured concord among his sons, +which was of greater consequence than the kingdom itself, -" and +which I will render still more firm; for Caesar hath put into my +power to dispose of the government, and to appoint my successor. +Accordingly, in way of requital for his kindness, and in order to +provide for mine own advantage, I do declare that these three +sons of mine shall be kings. And, in the first place, I pray for +the approbation of God to what I am about; and, in the next +place, I desire your approbation also. The age of one of them, +and the nobility of the other two, shall procure them the +succession. Nay, indeed, my kingdom is so large that it may be +sufficient for more kings. Now do you keep those in their places +whom Caesar hath joined, and their father hath appointed; and do +not you pay undue or unequal respects to them, but to every one +according to the prerogative of their births; for he that pays +such respects unduly, will thereby not make him that is honored +beyond what his age requires so joyful, as he will make him that +is dishonored sorrowful. As for the kindred and friends that are +to converse with them, I will appoint them to each of them, and +will so constitute them, that they may be securities for their +concord; as well knowing that the ill tempers of those with whom +they converse will produce quarrels and contentions among them; +but that if these with whom they converse be of good tempers, +they will preserve their natural affections for one another. But +still I desire that not these only, but all the captains of my +army, have for the present their hopes placed on me alone; for I +do not give away my kingdom to these my sons, but give them royal +honors only; whereby it will come to pass that they will enjoy +the sweet parts of government as rulers themselves, but that the +burden of administration will rest upon myself whether I will or +not. And let every one consider what age I am of, how I have +conducted my life, and what piety I have exercised; for my age is +not so great that men may soon expect the end of my life; nor +have I indulged such a luxurious way of living as cuts men off +when they are young; and we have been so religious towards God, +that we [have reason to hope we] may arrive at a very great age. +But for such as cultivate a friendship with my sons, so as to aim +at my destruction, they shall be punished by me on their account. +I am not one who envy my own children, and therefore forbid men +to pay them great respect; but I know that such [extravagant] +respects are the way to make them insolent. And if every one that +comes near them does but revolve this in his mind, that if he +prove a good man, he shall receive a reward from me, but that if +he prove seditious, his ill-intended complaisance shall get him +nothing from him to whom it is shown, I suppose they will all be +of my side, that is, of my sons' side; for it will be for their +advantage that I reign, and that I be at concord with them. But +do you, O my good children, reflect upon the holiness of nature +itself, by whose means natural affection is preserved, even among +wild beasts; in the next place, reflect upon Caesar, who hath +made this reconciliation among us; and in the third place, +reflect upon me, who entreat you to do what I have power to +command you, - continue brethren. I give you royal garments, and +royal honors; and I pray to God to preserve what I have +determined, in case you be at concord one with another." When the +king had thus spoken, and had saluted every one of his sons after +an obliging manner, he dismissed the multitude; some of which +gave their assent to what he had said, and wished it might take +effect accordingly; but for those who wished for a change of +affairs, they pretended they did not so much as hear what he +said. + +CHAPTER 24. + +The Malice Of Antipater And Doris. Alexander Is Very Uneasy On +Glaphyras Account. Herod Pardons Pheroras, Whom He Suspected, And +Salome Whom He Knew To Make Mischief Among Them. Herod's Eunuchs +Are Tortured And Alexander Is Bound. + +1. But now the quarrel that was between them still accompanied +these brethren when they parted, and the suspicions they had one +of the other grew worse. Alexander and Aristobulus were much +grieved that the privilege of the first-born was confirmed to +Antipater; as was Antipater very angry at his brethren that they +were to succeed him. But then this last being of a disposition +that was mutable and politic, he knew how to hold his tongue, and +used a great deal of cunning, and thereby concealed the hatred he +bore to them; while the former, depending on the nobility of +their births, had every thing upon their tongues which was in +their minds. Many also there were who provoked them further, and +many of their [seeming] friends insinuated themselves into their +acquaintance, to spy out what they did. Now every thing that was +said by Alexander was presently brought to Antipater, and from +Antipater it was brought to Herod with additions. Nor could the +young man say any thing in the simplicity of his heart, without +giving offense, but what he said was still turned to calumny +against him. And if he had been at any time a little free in his +conversation, great imputations were forged from the smallest +occasions. Antipater also was perpetually setting some to provoke +him to speak, that the lies he raised of him might seem to have +some foundation of truth; and if, among the many stories that +were given out, but one of them could be proved true, that was +supposed to imply the rest to be true also. And as to Antipater's +friends, they were all either naturally so cautious in speaking, +or had been so far bribed to conceal their thoughts, that nothing +of these grand secrets got abroad by their means. Nor should one +be mistaken if he called the life of Antipater a mystery of +wickedness; for he either corrupted Alexander's acquaintance with +money, or got into their favor by flatteries; by which two means +he gained all his designs, and brought them to betray their +master, and to steal away, and reveal what he either did or said. +Thus did he act a part very cunningly in all points, and wrought +himself a passage by his calumnies with the greatest shrewdness; +while he put on a face as if he were a kind brother to Alexander +and Aristobulus, but suborned other men to inform of what they +did to Herod. And when any thing was told against Alexander, he +would come in, and pretend [to be of his side], and would begin +to contradict what was said; but would afterward contrive matters +so privately, that the king should have an indignation at him. +His general aim was this, - to lay a plot, and to make it +believed that Alexander lay in wait to kill his father; for +nothing afforded so great a confirmation to these calumnies as +did Antipater's apologies for him. + +2. By these methods Herod was inflamed, and as much as his +natural affection to the young men did every day diminish, so +much did it increase towards Antipater. The courtiers also +inclined to the same conduct, some of their own accord, and +others by the king's injunction, as particularly did Ptolemy, the +king's dearest friend, as also the king's brethren, and all his +children; for Antipater was all in all; and what was the +bitterest part of all to Alexander, Antipater's mother was also +all in all; she was one that gave counsel against them, and was +more harsh than a step-mother, and one that hated the queen's +sons more than is usual to hate sons-in-law. All men did +therefore already pay their respects to Antipater, in hopes of +advantage; and it was the king's command which alienated every +body [from the brethren], he having given this charge to his most +intimate friends, that they should not come near, nor pay any +regard, to Alexander, or to his friends. Herod was also become +terrible, not only to his domestics about the court, but to his +friends abroad; for Caesar had given such a privilege to no other +king as he had given to him, which was this, - that he might +fetch back any one that fled from him, even out of a city that +was not under his own jurisdiction. Now the young men were not +acquainted with the calumnies raised against them; for which +reason they could not guard themselves against them, but fell +under them; for their father did not make any public complaints +against either of them; though in a little time they perceived +how things were by his coldness to them, and by the great +uneasiness he showed upon any thing that troubled him. Antipater +had also made their uncle Pheroras to be their enemy, as well as +their aunt Salome, while he was always talking with her, as with +a wife, and irritating her against them. Moreover, Alexander's +wife, Glaphyra, augmented this hatred against them, by deriving +her nobility and genealogy [from great persons], and pretending +that she was a lady superior to all others in that kingdom, as +being derived by her father's side from Temenus, and by her +mother's side from Darius, the son of Hystaspes. She also +frequently reproached Herod's sister and wives with the +ignobility of their descent; and that they were every one chosen +by him for their beauty, but not for their family. Now those +wives of his were not a few; it being of old permitted to the +Jews to marry many wives, (39) and this king delighting in many; +all which hated Alexander, on account of Glaphyra's boasting and +reproaches. + +3. Nay, Aristobulus had raised a quarrel between himself and +Salome, who was his mother-in-law, besides the anger he had +conceived at Glaphyra's reproaches; for he perpetually upbraided +his wife with the meanness of her family, and complained, that as +he had married a woman of a low family, so had his brother +Alexander married one of royal blood. At this Salome's daughter +wept, and told it her with this addition, that Alexander +threatened the mothers of his other brethren, that when he should +come to the crown, he would make them weave with their maidens, +and would make those brothers of his country schoolmasters; and +brake this jest upon them, that they had been very carefully +instructed, to fit them for such an employment. Hereupon Salome +could not contain her anger, but told all to Herod; nor could her +testimony be suspected, since it was against her own son-in-law +There was also another calumny that ran abroad and inflamed the +king's mind; for he heard that these sons of his were perpetually +speaking of their mother, and, among their lamentations for her, +did not abstain from cursing him; and that when he made presents +of any of Mariamne's garments to his later wives, these +threatened that in a little time, instead of royal garments, they +would clothe theft in no better than hair-cloth. + +4. Now upon these accounts, though Herod was somewhat afraid of +the young men's high spirit, yet did he not despair of reducing +them to a better mind; but before he went to Rome, whither he was +now going by sea, he called them to him, and partly threatened +them a little, as a king; but for the main, he admonished them as +a father, and exhorted them to love their brethren, and told them +that he would pardon their former offenses, if they would amend +for the time to come. But they refuted the calumnies that had +been raised of them, and said they were false, and alleged that +their actions were sufficient for their vindication; and said +withal, that he himself ought to shut his ears against such +tales, and not be too easy in believing them, for that there +would never be wanting those that would tell lies to their +disadvantage, as long as any would give ear to them. + +5. When they had thus soon pacified him, as being their father, +they got clear of the present fear they were in. Yet did they see +occasion for sorrow in some time afterward; for they knew that +Salome, as well as their uncle Pheroras, were their enemies; who +were both of them heavy and severe persons, and especially +Pheroras, who was a partner with Herod in all the affairs of the +kingdom, excepting his diadem. He had also a hundred talents of +his own revenue, and enjoyed the advantage of all the land beyond +Jordan, which he had received as a gift from his brother, who had +asked of Caesar to make him a tetrarch, as he was made +accordingly. Herod had also given him a wife out of the royal +family, who was no other than his own wife's sister, and after +her death had solemnly espoused to him his own eldest daughter, +with a dowry of three hundred talents; but Pheroras refused to +consummate this royal marriage, out of his affection to a +maidservant of his. Upon which account Herod was very angry, and +gave that daughter in marriage to a brother's son of his, +[Joseph,] who was slain afterward by the Parthians; but in some +time he laid aside his anger against Pheroras, and pardoned him, +as one not able to overcome his foolish passion for the +maid-servant. + +6. Nay, Pheroras had been accused long before, while the queen +[Mariamne] was alive, as if he were in a plot to poison Herod; +and there came then so great a number of informers, that Herod +himself, though he was an exceeding lover of his brethren, was +brought to believe what was said, and to be afraid of it also. +And when he had brought many of those that were under suspicion +to the torture, he came at last to Pheroras's own friends; none +of which did openly confess the crime, but they owned that he had +made preparation to take her whom he loved, and run away to the +Parthians. Costobarus also, the husband of Salome, to whom the +king had given her in marriage, after her former husband had been +put to death for adultery, was instrumental in bringing about +this contrivance and flight of his. Nor did Salome escape all +calumny upon herself; for her brother Pheroras accused her that +she had made an agreement to marry Silleus, the procurator of +Obodas, king of Arabia, who was at bitter enmity with Herod; but +when she was convicted of this, and of all that Pheroras had +accused her of, she obtained her pardon. The king also pardoned +Pheroras himself the crimes he had been accused of. + +7. But the storm of the whole family was removed to Alexander, +and all of it rested upon his head. There were three eunuchs who +were in the highest esteem with the king, as was plain by the +offices they were in about him; for one of them was appointed to +be his butler, another of them got his supper ready for him, and +the third put him into bed, and lay down by him. Now Alexander +had prevailed with these men, by large gifts, to let him use them +after an obscene manner; which, when it was told to the king, +they were tortured, and found guilty, and presently confessed the +criminal conversation he had with them. They also discovered the +promises by which they were induced so to do, and how they were +deluded by Alexander, who had told them that they ought not to +fix their hopes upon Herod, an old man, and one so shameless as +to color his hair, unless they thought that would make him young +again; but that they ought to fix their attention to him who was +to be his successor in the kingdom, whether he would or not; and +who in no long time would avenge himself on his enemies, and make +his friends happy and blessed, and themselves in the first place; +that the men of power did already pay respects to Alexander +privately, and that the captains of the soldiery, and the +officers, did secretly come to him. + +8. These confessions did so terrify Herod, that he durst not +immediately publish them; but he sent spies abroad privately, by +night and by day, who should make a close inquiry after all that +was done and said; and when any were but suspected [of treason], +he put them to death, insomuch that the palace was full of +horribly unjust proceedings; for every body forged calumnies, as +they were themselves in a state of enmity or hatred against +others; and many there were who abused the king's bloody passion +to the disadvantage of those with whom they had quarrels, and +lies were easily believed, and punishments were inflicted sooner +than the calumnies were forged. He who had just then been +accusing another was accused himself, and was led away to +execution together with him whom he had convicted; for the danger +the king was in of his life made examinations be very short. He +also proceeded to such a degree of bitterness, that he could not +look on any of those that were not accused with a pleasant +countenance, but was in the most barbarous disposition towards +his own friends. Accordingly, he forbade a great many of them to +come to court, and to those whom he had not power to punish +actually he spake harshly. But for Antipater, he insulted +Alexander, now he was under his misfortunes, and got a stout +company of his kindred together, and raised all sorts of calumny +against him; and for the king, he was brought to such a degree of +terror by those prodigious slanders and contrivances, that he +fancied he saw Alexander coming to him with a drawn sword in his +hand. So he caused him to be seized upon immediately, and bound, +and fell to examining his friends by torture, many of whom died +[under the torture], but would discover nothing, nor say any +thing against their consciences; but some of them, being forced +to speak falsely by the pains they endured, said that Alexander, +and his brother Aristobulus, plotted against him, and waited for +an opportunity to kill him as he was hunting, and then fly away +to Rome. These accusations though they were of an incredible +nature, and only framed upon the great distress they were in, +were readily believed by the king, who thought it some comfort to +him, after he had bound his son, that it might appear he had not +done it unjustly. + +CHAPTER 25. + +Archelaus Procures A Reconciliation Between Alexander Pheroras, +And Herod. + +1. Now as to Alexander, since he perceived it impossible to +persuade his father [that he was innocent], he resolved to meet +his calamities, how severe soever they were; so he composed four +books against his enemies, and confessed that he had been in a +plot; but declared withal that the greatest part [of the +courtiers] were in a plot with him, and chiefly Pheroras and +Salome; nay, that Salome once came and forced him to lie with her +in the night time, whether he would or no. These books were put +into Herod's hands, and made a great clamor against the men in +power. And now it was that Archelaus came hastily into Judea, as +being affrighted for his son-in-law and his daughter; and he came +as a proper assistant, and in a very prudent manner, and by a +stratagem he obliged the king not to execute what he had +threatened; for when he was come to him, he cried out, "Where in +the world is this wretched son-in-law of mine? Where shall I see +the head of him which contrived to murder his father, which I +will tear to pieces with my own hands? I will do the same also to +my daughter, who hath such a fine husband; for although she be +not a partner in the plot, yet, by being the wife of such a +creature, she is polluted. And I cannot but admire at thy +patience, against whom this plot is laid, if Alexander be still +alive; for as I came with what haste I could from Cappadocia, I +expected to find him put to death for his crimes long ago; but +still, in order to make an examination with thee about my +daughter, whom, out of regard to thee and by dignity, I had +espoused to him in marriage; but now we must take counsel about +them both; and if thy paternal affection be so great, that thou +canst not punish thy son, who hath plotted against thee, let us +change our right hands, and let us succeed one to the other in +expressing our rage upon this occasion." + +2. When he had made this pompous declaration, he got Herod to +remit of his anger, though he were in disorder, who thereupon +gave him the books which Alexander had composed to be read by +him; and as he came to every head, he considered of it, together +with Herod. So Archclaus took hence the occasion for that +stratagem which he made use of, and by degrees he laid the blame +on those men whose names were in these books, and especially upon +Pheroras; and when he saw that the king believed him [to he in +earnest], he said, "We must consider whether the young man be not +himself plotted against by such a number of wicked wretches, and +not thou plotted against by the young man; for I cannot see any +occasion for his falling into so horrid a crime, since he enjoys +the advantages of royalty already, and has the expectation of +being one of thy successors; I mean this, unless there were some +persons that persuade him to it, and such persons as make an ill +use of the facility they know there is to persuade young men; for +by such persons, not only young men are sometimes imposed upon, +but old men also, and by them sometimes are the most illustrious +families and kingdoms overturned." + +3. Herod assented to what he had said, and, by degrees, abated of +his anger against Alexander, but was more angry at Pheroras; for +the principal subject of the four books was Pheroras; who +perceiving that the king's inclinations changed on a sudden, and +that Archelaus's friendship could do every thing with him, and +that he had no honorable method of preserving himself, he +procured his safety by his impudence. So he left Alexander, and +had recourse to Archelaus, who told him that he did not see how +he could get him excused, now he was directly caught in so many +crimes, whereby it was evidently demonstrated that he had plotted +against the king, and had been the cause of those misfortunes +which the young man was now under, unless he would moreover leave +off his cunning knavery, and his denials of what he was charged +withal, and confess the charge, and implore pardon of his +brother, who still had a kindness for him; but that if he would +do so, he would afford him all the assistance he was able. +4. With this advice Pheroras complied, and putting himself into +such a habit as might most move compassion, he came with black +cloth upon his body, and tears in his eyes, and threw himself +down at Herod's feet, and begged his pardon for what he had done, +and confessed that he had acted very wickedly, and was guilty of +every thing that he had been accused of, and lamented that +disorder of his mind, and distraction which his love to a woman, +he said, had brought him to. So when Archelaus had brought +Pheroras to accuse and bear witness against himself, he then made +an excuse for him, and mitigated Herod's anger towards him, and +this by using certain domestical examples; for that when he had +suffered much greater mischiefs from a brother of his own, he +prefered the obligations of nature before the passion of revenge; +because it is in kingdoms as it is in gross bodies, where some +member or other is ever swelled by the body's weight, in which +case it is not proper to cut off such member, but to heal it by a +gentle method of cure. + +5. Upon Arehelaus's saying this, and much more to the same +purpose, Herod's displeasure against Pheroras was mollified; yet +did he persevere in his own indignation against Alexander, and +said he would have his daughter divorced, and taken away from +him, and this till he had brought Herod to that pass, that, +contrary to his former behavior to him, he petitioned Archelaus +for the young man, and that he would let his daughter continue +espoused to him: but Archelaus made him strongly believe that he +would permit her to be married to any one else, but not to +Alexander, because he looked upon it as a very valuable +advantage, that the relation they had contracted by that +affinity, and the privileges that went along with it, might be +preserved. And when the king said that his son would take it for +a great favor to him, if he would not dissolve that marriage, +especially since they had already children between the young man +and her, and since that wife of his was so well beloved by him, +and that as while she remains his wife she would be a great +preservative to him, and keep him from offending, as he had +formerly done; so if she should be once torn away from him, she +would be the cause of his falling into despair, because such +young men's attempts are best mollified when they are diverted +from them by settling their affections at home. So Arehelaus +complied with what Herod desired, but not without difficulty, and +was both himself reconciled to the young man, and reconciled his +father to him also. However, he said he must, by all means, be +sent to Rome to discourse with Caesar, because he had already +written a full account to him of this whole matter. + +6. Thus a period was put to Archelaus's stratagem, whereby he +delivered his son-in-law out of the dangers he was in; but when +these reconciliations were over, they spent their time in +feastings and agreeable entertainments. And when Archelaus was +going away, Herod made him a present of seventy talents, with a +golden throne set with precious stones, and some eunuchs, and a +concubine who was called Pannychis. He also paid due honors to +every one of his friends according to their dignity. In like +manner did all the king's kindred, by his command, make glorious +presents to Archelaus; and so he was conducted on his way by +Herod and his nobility as far as Antioch. + +CHAPTER 26. + +How Eurycles (40) Calumniated The Sons Of Mariamne; And How +Euaratus Of Costs Apology For Them Had No Effect. + +1. Now a little afterward there came into Judea a man that was +much superior to Arehelaus's stratagems, who did not only +overturn that reconciliation that had been so wisely made with +Alexander, but proved the occasion of his ruin. He was a +Lacedemonian, and his name was Eurycles. He was so corrupt a man, +that out of the desire of getting money, he chose to live under a +king, for Greece could not suffice his luxury. He presented Herod +with splendid gifts, as a bait which he laid in order to compass +his ends, and quickly received them back again manifold; yet did +he esteem bare gifts as nothing, unless he imbrued the kingdom in +blood by his purchases. Accordingly, he imposed upon the king by +flattering him, and by talking subtlely to him, as also by the +lying encomiums which he made upon him; for as he soon perceived +Herod's blind side, so he said and did every thing that might +please him, and thereby became one of his most intimate friends; +for both the king and all that were about him had a great regard +for this Spartan, on account of his country. (41) + +2. Now as soon as this fellow perceived the rotten parts of the +family, and what quarrels the brothers had one with another, and +in what disposition the father was towards each of them, he chose +to take his lodging at the first in the house of Antipater, but +deluded Alexander with a pretense of friendship to him, and +falsely claimed to be an old acquaintance of Archelaus; for which +reason he was presently admitted into Alexander's familiarity as +a faithful friend. He also soon recommended himself to his +brother Aristobulus. And when he had thus made trial of these +several persons, he imposed upon one of them by one method, and +upon another by another. But he was principally hired by +Antipater, and so betrayed Alexander, and this by reproaching +Antipater, because, while he was the eldest son he overlooked the +intrigues of those who stood in the way of his expectations; and +by reproaching Alexander, because he who was born of a queen, and +was married to a king's daughter, permitted one that was born of +a mean woman to lay claim to the succession, and this when he had +Archelaus to support him in the most complete manner. Nor was his +advice thought to be other than faithful by the young man, +because of his pretended friendship with Archelaus; on which +account it was that Alexander lamented to him Antipater's +behavior with regard to himself, and this without concealing any +thing from him; and how it was no wonder if Herod, after he had +killed their mother, should deprive them of her kingdom. Upon +this Eurycles pretended to commiserate his condition, and to +grieve with him. He also, by a bait that he laid for him, +procured Aristobulus to say the same things. Thus did he inveigle +both the brothers to make complaints of their father, and then +went to Antipater, and carried these grand secrets to him. He +also added a fiction of his own, as if his brothers had laid a +plot against him, and were almost ready to come upon him with +their drawn swords. For this intelligence he received a great sum +of money, and on that account he commended Antipater before his +father, and at length undertook the work of bringing Alexander +and Aristobulus to their graves, and accused them before their +father. So he came to Herod, and told him that he would save his +life, as a requital for the favors he had received from him, and +would preserve his light [of life] by way of retribution for his +kind entertainment; for that a sword had been long whetted, and +Alexander's right hand had been long stretched out against him; +but that he had laid impediments in his way, prevented his speed, +and that by pretending to assist him in his design: how Alexander +said that Herod was not contented to reign in a kingdom that +belonged to others, and to make dilapidations in their mother's +government after he had killed her; but besides all this, that he +introduced a spurious successor, and proposed to give the kingdom +of their ancestors to that pestilent fellow Antipater: - that he +would now appease the ghosts of Hyrcanus and Mariamne, by taking +vengeance on him; for that it was not fit for him to take the +succession to the government from such a father without +bloodshed: that many things happen every day to provoke him so to +do, insomuch that he can say nothing at all, but it affords +occasion for calumny against him; for that if any mention be made +of nobility of birth, even in other cases, he is abused unjustly, +while his father would say that nobody, to be sure, is of noble +birth but Alexander, and that his father was inglorious for want +of such nobility. If they be at any time hunting, and he says +nothing, he gives offense; and if he commends any body, they take +it in way of jest. That they always find their father +unmercifully severe, and have no natural affection for any of +them but for Antipater; on which accounts, if this plot does not +take, he is very willing to die; but that in case he kill his +father, he hath sufficient opportunities for saving himself. In +the first place, he hath Archelaus his father-in-law to whom he +can easily fly; and in the next place, he hath Caesar, who had +never known Herod's character to this day; for that he shall not +appear then before him with that dread he used to do when his +father was there to terrify him; and that he will not then +produce the accusations that concerned himself alone, but would, +in the first place, openly insist on the calamities of their +nation, and how they are taxed to death, and in what ways of +luxury and wicked practices that wealth is spent which was gotten +by bloodshed; what sort of persons they are that get our riches, +and to whom those cities belong upon whom he bestows his favors; +that he would have inquiry made what became of his grandfather +[Hyrcanus], and his mother [Mariamne], and would openly proclaim +the gross wickedness that was in the kingdom; on which accounts +he should not be deemed a parricide. + +3. When Eurycles had made this portentous speech, he greatly +commended Antipater, as the only child that had an affection for +his father, and on that account was an impediment to the other's +plot against him. Hereupon the king, who had hardly repressed his +anger upon the former accusations, was exasperated to an +incurable degree. At which time Antipater took another occasion +to send in other persons to his father to accuse his brethren, +and to tell him that they had privately discoursed with Jucundus +and Tyrannus, who had once been masters of the horse to the king, +but for some offenses had been put out of that honorable +employment. Herod was in a very great rage at these informations, +and presently ordered those men to be tortured; yet did not they +confess any thing of what the king had been informed; but a +certain letter was produced, as written by Alexander to the +governor of a castle, to desire him to receive him and +Aristobulus into the castle when he had killed his father, and to +give them weapons, and what other assistance he could, upon that +occasion. Alexander said that this letter was a forgery of +Diophantus. This Diophantus was the king's secretary, a bold man, +and cunning in counterfeiting any one's hand; and after he had +counterfeited a great number, he was at last put to death for it. +Herod did also order the governor of the castle to be tortured, +but got nothing out of him of what the accusations suggested. +4. However, although Herod found the proofs too weak, he gave +order to have his sons kept in custody; for till now they had +been at liberty. He also called that pest of his family, and +forger of all this vile accusation, Eurycles, his savior and +benefactor, and gave him a reward of fifty talents. Upon which he +prevented any accurate accounts that could come of what he had +done, by going immediately into Cappadocia, and there he got +money of Archelaus, having the impudence to pretend that he had +reconciled Herod to Alexander. He thence passed over into Greece, +and used what he had thus wickedly gotten to the like wicked +purposes. Accordingly, he was twice accused before Caesar, that +he had filled Achaia with sedition, and had plundered its cities; +and so he was sent into banishment. And thus was he punished for +what wicked actions he had been guilty of about Aristobulus and +Alexander. + +5. But it will now be worth while to put Euaratus of Cos in +opposition to this Spartan; for as he was one of Alexander's most +intimate friends, and came to him in his travels at the same time +that Eurycles came; so the king put the question to him, whether +those things of which Alexander was accused were true? He assured +him upon oath that he had never heard any such things from the +young men; yet did this testimony avail nothing for the clearing +those miserable creatures; for Herod was only disposed and most +ready to hearken to what made against them, and every one was +most agreeable to him that would believe they were guilty, and +showed their indignation at them. + +CHAPTER 27. + +Herod By Caesars Direction Accuses His Sons At Eurytus. They Are +Not Produced Before The Courts But Yet Are Condemned; And In A +Little Time They Are Sent To Sebaste, And Strangled There. +1. Moreover, Salome exasperated Herod's cruelty against his sons; +for Aristobulus was desirous to bring her, who was his +mother-in-law and his aunt, into the like dangers with +themselves; so he sent to her to take care of her own safety, and +told her that the king was preparing to put her to death, on +account of the accusation that was laid against her, as if when +she formerly endeavored to marry herself to Sylleus the Arabian, +she had discovered the king's grand secrets to him, who was the +king's enemy; and this it was that came as the last storm, and +entirely sunk the young men when they were in great danger +before. For Salome came running to the king, and informed him of +what admonition had been given her; whereupon he could bear no +longer, but commanded both the young men to be bound, and kept +the one asunder from the other. He also sent Volumnius, the +general of his army, to Caesar immediately, as also his friend +Olympus with him, who carried the informations in writing along +with them. Now as soon as they had sailed to Rome, and delivered +the king's letters to Caesar, Caesar was mightily troubled at the +case of the young men; yet did not he think he ought to take the +power from the father of condemning his sons; so he wrote back to +him, and appointed him to have the power over his sons; but said +withal, that he would do well to make an examination into this +matter of the plot against him in a public court, and to take for +his assessors his own kindred, and the governors of the province. +And if those sons be found guilty, to put them to death; but if +they appear to have thought of no more than flying away from him, +that he should moderate their punishment. + +2. With these directions Herod complied, and came to Berytus, +where Caesar had ordered the court to be assembled, and got the +judicature together. The presidents sat first, as Caesar's +letters had appointed, who were Saturninus and Pedanius, and +their lieutenants that were with them, with whom was the +procurator Volumnius also; next to them sat the king's kinsmen +and friends, with Salome also, and Pheroras; after whom sat the +principal men of all Syria, excepting Archelaus; for Herod had a +suspicion of him, because he was Alexander's father-in-law. Yet +did not he produce his sons in open court; and this was done very +cunningly, for he knew well enough that had they but appeared +only, they would certainly have been pitied; and if withal they +had been suffered to speak, Alexander would easily have answered +what they were accused of; but they were in custody at Platane, a +village of the Sidontans. + +3. So the king got up, and inveighed against his sons, as if they +were present; and as for that part of the accusation that they +had plotted against him, he urged it but faintly, because he was +destitute of proofs; but he insisted before the assessors on the +reproaches, and jests, and injurious carriage, and ten thousand +the like offenses against him, which were heavier than death +itself; and when nobody contradicted him, he moved them to pity +his case, as though he had been condemned himself, now he had +gained a bitter victory against his sons. So he asked every one's +sentence, which sentence was first of all given by Saturninus, +and was this: That he condemned the young men, but not to death; +for that it was not fit for him, who had three sons of his own +now present, to give his vote for the destruction of the sons of +another. The two lieutenants also gave the like vote; some others +there were also who followed their example; but Volumnius began +to vote on the more melancholy side, and all those that came +after him condemned the young men to die, some out of flattery, +and some out of hatred to Herod; but none out of indignation at +their crimes. And now all Syria and Judea was in great +expectation, and waited for the last act of this tragedy; yet did +nobody, suppose that Herod would be so barbarous as to murder his +children: however, he carried them away to Tyre, and thence +sailed to Cesarea, and deliberated with himself what sort of +death the young men should suffer. + +4. Now there was a certain old soldier of the king's, whose name +was Tero, who had a son that was very familiar with and a friend +to Alexander, and who himself particularly loved the young men. +This soldier was in a manner distracted, out of the excess of the +indignation he had at what was doing; and at first he cried out +aloud, as he went about, that justice was trampled under foot; +that truth was perished, and nature confounded; and that the life +of man was full of iniquity, and every thing else that passion +could suggest to a man who spared not his own life; and at last +he ventured to go to the king, and said, "Truly I think thou art +a most miserable man, when thou hearkenest to most wicked +wretches, against those that ought to be dearest to thee; since +thou hast frequently resolved that Pheroras and Salome should be +put to death, and yet believest them against thy sons; while +these, by cutting off the succession of thine own sons, leave all +wholly to Antipater, and thereby choose to have thee such a king +as may be thoroughly in their own power. However, consider +whether this death of Antipater's brethren will not make him +hated by the soldiers; for there is nobody but commiserates the +young men; and of the captains, a great many show their +indignation at it openly." Upon his saying this, he named those +that had such indignation; but the king ordered those men, with +Tero himself and his son, to be seized upon immediately. + +5. At which time there was a certain barber, whose name was +Trypho. This man leaped out from among the people in a kind of +madness, and accused himself, and said, "This Tero endeavored to +persuade me also to cut thy throat with my razor, when I trimmed +thee, and promised that Alexander should give me large presents +for so doing." When Herod heard this, he examined Tero, with his +son and the barber, by the torture; but as the others denied the +accusation, and he said nothing further, Herod gave order that +Tero should be racked more severely; but his son, out of pity to +his father, promised to discover the whole to the king, if he +would grant [that his father should be no longer tortured]. When +he had agreed to this, he said that his father, at the persuasion +of Alexander, had an intention to kill him. Now some said this +was forged, in order to free his father from his torments; and +some said it was true. + +6. And now Herod accused the captains and Tero in an assembly of +the people, and brought the people together in a body against +them; and accordingly there were they put to death, together with +[Trypho] the barber; they were killed by the pieces of wood and +the stones that were thrown at them. He also sent his sons to +Sebaste, a city not far from Cesarea, and ordered them to be +there strangled; and as what he had ordered was executed +immediately, so he commanded that their dead bodies should be +brought to the fortress Alexandrium, to be buried with Alexander, +their grandfather by the mother's side. And this was the end of +Alexander and Aristobulus. + +CHAPTER 28. + +How Antipater Is Hated Of All Men; And How The King Espouses The +Sons Of Those That Had Been Slain To His Kindred;But That +Antipater Made Him Change Them For Other Women. Of Herod's +Marriages, And Children. + +1. But an intolerable hatred fell upon Antipater from the nation, +though he had now an indisputable title to the succession, +because they all knew that he was the person who contrived all +the calumnies against his brethren. However, he began to be in a +terrible fear, as he saw the posterity of those that had been +slain growing up; for Alexander had two sons by Glaphyra, +Tigranes and Alexander; and Aristobulus had Herod, and Agrippa, +and Aristobulus, his sons, with Herodias and Mariamne, his +daughters, and all by Bernice, Salome's daughter. As for +Glaphyra, Herod, as soon as he had killed Alexander, sent her +back, together with her portion, to Cappadocia. He married +Bernice, Aristobulus's daughter, to Antipater's uncle by his +mother, and it was Antipater who, in order to reconcile her to +him, when she had been at variance with him, contrived this +match; he also got into Pheroras's favor, and into the favor of +Caesar's friends, by presents, and other ways of obsequiousness, +and sent no small sums of money to Rome; Saturninus also, and his +friends in Syria, were all well replenished with the presents he +made them; yet the more he gave, the more he was hated, as not +making these presents out of generosity, but spending his money +out of fear. Accordingly, it so fell out that the receivers bore +him no more good-will than before, but that those to whom he gave +nothing were his more bitter enemies. However, he bestowed his +money every day more and more profusely, on observing that, +contrary to his expectations, the king was taking care about the +orphans, and discovering at the same time his repentance for +killing their fathers, by his commiseration of those that sprang +from them. + +2. Accordingly, Herod got together his kindred and friends, and +set before them the children, and, with his eyes full of tears, +said thus to them: "It was an unlucky fate that took away from me +these children's fathers, which children are recommended to me by +that natural commiseration which their orphan condition requires; +however, I will endeavor, though I have been a most unfortunate +father, to appear a better grandfather, and to leave these +children such curators after myself as are dearest to me. I +therefore betroth thy daughter, Pheroras, to the elder of these +brethren, the children of Alexander, that thou mayst be obliged +to take care of them. I also betroth to thy son, Antipater, the +daughter of Aristobulus; be thou therefore a father to that +orphan; and my son Herod [Philip] shall have her sister, whose +grandfather, by the mother's side, was high priest. And let every +one that loves me be of my sentiments in these dispositions, +which none that hath an affection for me will abrogate. And I +pray God that he will join these children together in marriage, +to the advantage of my kingdom, and of my posterity; and may he +look down with eyes more serene upon them than he looked upon +their fathers." + +3. While he spake these words he wept, and joined the children's +fight hands together; after which he embraced them every one +after an affectionate manner, and dismissed the assembly. Upon +this, Antipater was in great disorder immediately, and lamented +publicly at what was done; for he supposed that this dignity +which was conferred on these orphans was for his own destruction, +even in his father's lifetime, and that he should run another +risk of losing the government, if Alexander's sons should have +both Archelaus [a king], and Pheroras a tetrarch, to support +them. He also considered how he was himself hated by the nation, +and how they pitied these orphans; how great affection the Jews +bare to those brethren of his when they were alive, and how +gladly they remembered them now they had perished by his means. +So he resolved by all the ways possible to get these espousals +dissolved. + +4. Now he was afraid of going subtlely about this matter with his +father, who was hard to be pleased, and was presently moved upon +the least suspicion: so he ventured to go to him directly, and to +beg of him before his face not to deprive him of that dignity +which he had been pleased to bestow upon him; and that he might +not have the bare name of a king, while the power was in other +persons; for that he should never be able to keep the government, +if Alexander's son was to have both his grandfather Archelaus and +Pheroras for his curators; and he besought him earnestly, since +there were so many of the royal family alive, that he would +change those [intended] marriages. Now the king had nine wives, +(42) and children by seven of them; Antipater was himself born of +Doris, and Herod Philip of Mariamne, the high priest's daughter; +Antipas also and Archelaus were by Malthace, the Samaritan, as +was his daughter Olympias, which his brother Joseph's (43) son +had married. By Cleopatra of Jerusalem he had Herod and Philip; +and by Pallas, Phasaelus; he had also two daughters, Roxana and +Salome, the one by Phedra, and the other by Elpis; he had also +two wives that had no children, the one his first cousin, and the +other his niece; and besides these he had two daughters, the +sisters of Alexander and Aristobulus, by Mariamne. Since, +therefore, the royal family was so numerous, Antipater prayed him +to change these intended marriages. + +5. When the king perceived what disposition he was in towards +these orphans, he was angry at it, and a suspicion came into his +mind as to those sons whom he had put to death, whether that had +not been brought about by the false tales of Antipater; so that +at that time he made Antipater a long and a peevish answer, and +bid him begone. Yet was he afterwards prevailed upon cunningly by +his flatteries, and changed the marriages; he married +Aristobulus's daughter to him, and his son to Pheroras's +daughter. + +6. Now one may learn, in this instance, how very much this +flattering Antipater could do, - even what Salome in the like +circumstances could not do; for when she, who was his sister, and +who, by the means of Julia, Caesar's wife, earnestly desired +leave to be married to Sylleus the Arabian, Herod swore he would +esteem her his bitter enemy, unless she would leave off that +project: he also caused her, against her own consent, to be +married to Alexas, a friend of his, and that one of her daughters +should be married to Alexas's son, and the other to Antipater's +uncle by the mother's side. And for the daughters the king had by +Mariamne, the one was married to Antipater, his sister's son, and +the other to his brother's son, Phasaelus. + +CHAPTER 29. + +Antipater Becomes Intolerable. He Is Sent To Rome, And Carries +Herod's Testament With Him; Pheroras Leaves His Brother, That He +May Keep His Wife. He Dies At Home. + +1. Now when Antipater had cut off the hopes of the orphans, and +had contracted such affinities as would be most for his own +advantage, he proceeded briskly, as having a certain expectation +of the kingdom; and as he had now assurance added to his +wickedness, he became intolerable; for not being able to avoid +the hatred of all people, he built his security upon the terror +he struck into them. Pheroras also assisted him in his designs, +looking upon him as already fixed in the kingdom. There was also +a company of women in the court, which excited new disturbances; +for Pheroras's wife, together with her mother and sister, as also +Antipater's mother, grew very impudent in the palace. She also +was so insolent as to affront the king's two daughters, (44) on +which account the king hated her to a great degree; yet although +these women were hated by him, they domineered over others: there +was only Salome who opposed their good agreement, and informed +the king of their meetings, as not being for the advantage of his +affairs. And when those women knew what calumnies she had raised +against them, and how much Herod was displeased, they left off +their public meetings, and friendly entertainments of one +another; nay, on the contrary, they pretended to quarrel one with +another when the king was within hearing. The like dissimulation +did Antipater make use of; and when matters were public, he +opposed Pheroras; but still they had private cabals and merry +meetings in the night time; nor did the observation of others do +any more than confirm their mutual agreement. However, Salome +knew every thing they did, and told every thing to Herod. + +2. But he was inflamed with anger at them, and chiefly at +Pheroras's wife; for Salome had principally accused her. So he +got an assembly of his friends and kindred together, and there +accused this woman of many things, and particularly of the +affronts she had offered his daughters; and that she had supplied +the Pharisees with money, by way of rewards for what they had +done against him, and had procured his brother to become his +enemy, by giving him love potions. At length he turned his speech +to Pheroras, and told him that he would give him his choice of +these two things: Whether he would keep in with his brother, or +with his wife? And when Pheroras said that he would die rather +than forsake his wife? Herod, not knowing what to do further in +that matter, turned his speech to Antipater, and charged him to +have no intercourse either with Pheroras's wife, or with Pheroras +himself, or with any one belonging to her. Now though Antipater +did not transgress that his injunction publicly, yet did he in +secret come to their night meetings; and because he was afraid +that Salome observed what he did, he procured, by the means of +his Italian friends, that he might go and live at Rome; for when +they wrote that it was proper for Antipater to be sent to Caesar +for some time, Herod made no delay, but sent him, and that with a +splendid attendance, and a great deal of money, and gave him his +testament to carry with him, - wherein Antipater had the kingdom +bequeathed to him, and wherein Herod was named for Antipater's +successor; that Herod, I mean, who was the son of Mariarmne, the +high priest's daughter. + +3. Sylleus also, the Arabian, sailed to Rome, without any regard +to Caesar's injunctions, and this in order to oppose Antipater +with all his might, as to that law-suit which Nicolaus had with +him before. This Sylleus had also a great contest with Aretas his +own king; for he had slain many others of Aretas's friends, and +particularly Sohemus, the most potent man in the city Petra. +Moreover, he had prevailed with Phabatus, who was Herod's +steward, by giving him a great sum of money, to assist him +against Herod; but when Herod gave him more, he induced him to +leave Syllcus, and by this means he demanded of him all that +Caesar had required of him to pay. But when Sylleus paid nothing +of what he was to pay, and did also accuse Phabatus to Caesar, +and said that he was not a steward for Caesar's advantage, but +for Herod's, Phabatus was angry at him on that account, but was +still in very great esteem with Herod, and discovered Sylleus's +grand secrets, and told the king that Sylleus had corrupted +Corinthus, one of the guards of his body, by bribing him, and of +whom he must therefore have a care. Accordingly, the king +complied; for this Corinthus, though he was brought up in Herod's +kingdom, yet was he by birth an Arabian; so the king ordered him +to be taken up immediately, and not only him, but two other +Arabians, who were caught with him; the one of them was Sylleus's +friend, the other the head of a tribe. These last, being put to +the torture, confessed that they had prevailed with Corinthus, +for a large sum of money, to kill Herod; and when they had been +further examined before Saturninus, the president of Syria, they +were sent to Rome. + +4. However, Herod did not leave off importuning Pheroras, but +proceeded to force him to put away his wife; (45) yet could he +not devise any way by which he could bring the woman herself to +punishment, although he had many causes of hatred to her; till at +length he was in such great uneasiness at her, that he cast both +her and his brother out of his kingdom. Pheroras took this injury +very patiently, and went away into his own tetrarchy, [Perea +beyond Jordan,] and sware that there should be but one end put to +his flight, and that should be Herod's death; and that he would +never return while he was alive. Nor indeed would he return when +his brother was sick, although he earnestly sent for him to come +to him, because he had a mind to leave some injunctions with him +before he died; but Herod unexpectedly recovered. A little +afterward Pheroras himself fell sick, when Herod showed great +moderation; for he came to him, and pitied his case, and took +care of him; but his affection for him did him no good, for +Pheroras died a little afterward. Now though Herod had so great +an affection for him to the last day of his life, yet was a +report spread abroad that he had killed him by poison. However, +he took care to have his dead body carried to Jerusalem, and +appointed a very great mourning to the whole nation for him, and +bestowed a most pompous funeral upon him. And this was the end +that one of Alexander's and Aristobulus's murderers came to. +CHAPTER 30. + +When Herod Made Inquiry About Pheroras's Death A Discovery Was +Made That Antipater Had Prepared A Poisonous Draught For Him. +Herod Casts Doris And Her Accomplices, As Also Mariamne, Out Of +The Palace And Blots Her Son Herod Out Of His Testament. + +1. But now the punishment was transferred unto the original +author, Antipater, and took its rise from the death of Pheroras; +for certain of his freed-men came with a sad countenance to the +king, and told him that his brother had been destroyed by poison, +and that his wife had brought him somewhat that was prepared +after an unusual manner, and that, upon his eating it, he +presently fell into his distemper; that Antipater's mother and +sister, two days before, brought a woman out of Arabia that was +skillful in mixing such drugs, that she might prepare a love +potion for Pheroras; and that instead of a love potion, she had +given him deadly poison; and that this was done by the management +of Sylleus, who was acquainted with that woman. + +2. The king was deeply affected with so many suspicions, and had +the maid-servants and some of the free women also tortured; one +of which cried out in her agonies, "May that God that governs the +earth and the heaven punish this author of all these our +miseries, Antipater's mother!" The king took a handle from this +confession, and proceeded to inquire further into the truth of +the matter. So this woman discovered the friendship of +Antipater's mother to Pheroras, and Antipater's women, as also +their secret meetings, and that Pheroras and Antipater had drunk +with them for a whole night together as they returned from the +king, and would not suffer any body, either man-servant or +maidservant, to be there; while one of the free women discovered +the matter. + +3. Upon this Herod tortured the maid-servants every on by +themselves separately, who all unanimously agreed in the +foregoing discoveries, and that accordingly by agreement they +went away, Antipater to Rome, and Pheroras to Perea; for that +they oftentimes talked to one another thus: That after Herod had +slain Alexander and Aristobulus, he would fall upon them, and +upon their wives, because, after he Mariamne and her children he +would spare nobody; and that for this reason it was best to get +as far off the wild beast as they were able: - and that Antipater +oftentimes lamented his own case before his mother, and said to +her, that he had already gray hairs upon his head, and that his +father grew younger again every day, and that perhaps death would +overtake him before he should begin to be a king in earnest; and +that in case Herod should die, which yet nobody knew when it +would be, the enjoyment of the succession could certainly be but +for a little time; for that these heads of Hydra, the sons of +Alexander and Aristobulus, were growing up: that he was deprived +by his father of the hopes of being succeeded by his children, +for that his successor after his death was not to be any one of +his own sons, but Herod the son of Mariamne: that in this point +Herod was plainly distracted, to think that his testament should +therein take place; for he would take care that not one of his +posterity should remain, because he was of all fathers the +greatest hater of his children. Yet does he hate his brother +still worse; whence it was that he a while ago gave himself a +hundred talents, that he should not have any intercourse with +Pheroras. And when Pheroras said, Wherein have we done him any +harm? Antipater replied, "I wish he would but deprive us of all +we have, and leave us naked and alive only; but it is indeed +impossible to escape this wild beast, who is thus given to +murder, who will not permit us to love any person openly, +although we be together privately; yet may we be so openly too, +if we have but the courage and the hands of men." + +4. These things were said by the women upon the torture; as also +that Pheroras resolved to fly with them to Perea. Now Herod gave +credit to all they said, on account of the affair of the hundred +talents; for he had no discourse with any body about them, but +only with Antipater. So he vented his anger first of all against +Antipater's mother, and took away from her all the ornaments +which he had given her, which cost a great many talents, and cast +her out of the palace a second time. He also took care of +Pheroras's women after their tortures, as being now reconciled to +them; but he was in great consternation himself, and inflamed +upon every suspicion, and had many innocent persons led to the +torture, out of his fear lest he should leave any guilty person +untortured. + +5. And now it was that he betook himself to examine Antipater of +Samaria, who was the steward of [his son] Antipater; and upon +torturing him, he learned that Antipater had sent for a potion of +deadly poison for him out of Egypt, by Antiphilus, a companion of +his; that Theudio, the uncle of Antipater, had it from him, and +delivered it to Pheroras; for that Antipater had charged him to +take his father off while he was at Rome, and so free him from +the suspicion of doing it himself: that Pheroras also committed +this potion to his wife. Then did the king send for her, and bid +her bring to him what she had received immediately. So she came +out of her house as if she would bring it with her, but threw +herself down from the top of the house, in order to prevent any +examination and torture from the king. However, it came to pass, +as it seems by the providence of God, when he intended to bring +Antipater to punishment, that she fell not upon her head, but +upon other parts of her body, and escaped. The king, when she was +brought to him, took care of her, (for she was at first quite +senseless upon her fall,) and asked her why she had thrown +herself down; and gave her his oath, that if she would speak the +real truth, he would excuse her from punishment; but that if she +concealed any thing, he would have her body torn to pieces by +torments, and leave no part. of it to be buried. + +6. Upon this the woman paused a little, and then said, "Why do I +spare to speak of these grand secrets, now Pheroras is dead? that +would only tend to save Antipater, who is all our destruction. +Hear then, O king, and be thou, and God himself, who cannot be +deceived, witnesses to the truth of what I am going to say. When +thou didst sit weeping by Pheroras as he was dying, then it was +that he called me to him, and said, My dear wife, I have been +greatly mistaken as to the disposition of my brother towards me, +and have hated him that is so affectionate to me, and have +contrived to kill him who is in such disorder for me before I am +dead. As for myself, I receive the recompence of my impiety; but +do thou bring what poison was left with us by Antipater, and +which thou keepest in order to destroy him, and consume it +immediately in the fire in my sight, that I may not be liable to +the avenger in the invisible world." This I brought as he bid me, +and emptied the greatest part of it into the fire, but reserved a +little of it for my own use against uncertain futurity, and out +of my fear of thee." + +7. When she had said this, she brought the box, which had a small +quantity of this potion in it: but the king let her alone, and +transferred the tortures to Antiphilus's mother and brother; who +both confessed that Antiphilus brought the box out of Egypt, and +that they had received the potion from a brother of his, who was +a physician at Alexandria. Then did the ghosts of Alexander and +Aristobulus go round all the palace, and became the inquisitors +and discoverers of what could not otherwise have been found out +and brought such as were the freest from suspicion to be +examined; whereby it was discovered that Mariamne, the high +priest's daughter, was conscious of this plot; and her very +brothers, when they were tortured, declared it so to be. +Whereupon the king avenged this insolent attempt of the mother +upon her son, and blotted Herod, whom he had by her, out of his +treament, who had been before named therein as successor to +Antipater. + +CHAPTER 31. + +Antipater Is Convicted By Bathyllus ; But He Still Returns From +Rome Without Knowing It. Herod Brings Him To His Trial. + +1. After these things were over, Bathyllus came under +examination, in order to convict Antipater, who proved the +concluding attestation to Antipater's designs; for indeed he was +no other than his freed-man. This man came, and brought another +deadly potion, the poison of asps, and the juices of other +serpents, that if the first potion did not do the business, +Pheroras and his wife might be armed with this also to destroy +the king. He brought also an addition to Antipater's insolent +attempt against his father, which was the letters which he wrote +against his brethren, Archelaus and Philip, which were the king's +sons, and educated at Rome, being yet youths, but of generous +dispositions. Antipater set himself to get rid of these as soon +as he could, that they might not be prejudicial to his hopes; and +to that end he forged letters against them in the name of his +friends at Rome. Some of these he corrupted by bribes to write +how they grossly reproached their father, and did openly bewail +Alexander and Aristobulus, and were uneasy at their being +recalled; for their father had already sent for them, which was +the very thing that troubled Antipater. + +2. Nay, indeed, while Antipater was in Judea, and before he was +upon his journey to Rome, he gave money to have the like letters +against them sent from Rome, and then came to his father, who as +yet had no suspicion of him, and apologized for his brethren, and +alleged on their behalf that some of the things contained in +those letters were false, and others of them were only youthful +errors. Yet at the same time that he expended a great deal of his +money, by making presents to such as wrote against his brethren, +did he aim to bring his accounts into confusion, by buying costly +garments, and carpets of various contextures, with silver and +gold cups, and a great many more curious things, that so, among +the view great expenses laid out upon such furniture, he might +conceal the money he had used in hiring men [to write the +letters]; for he brought in an account of his expenses, amounting +to two hundred talents, his main pretense for which was file +law-suit he had been in with Sylleus. So while all his rogueries, +even those of a lesser sort also, were covered by his greater +villainy, while all the examinations by torture proclaimed his +attempt to murder his father, and the letters proclaimed his +second attempt to murder his brethren; yet did no one of those +that came to Rome inform him of his misfortunes in Judea, +although seven months had intervened between his conviction and +his return, so great was the hatred which they all bore to him. +And perhaps they were the ghosts of those brethren of his that +had been murdered that stopped the mouths of those that intended +to have told him. He then wrote from Rome, and informed his +[friends] that he would soon come to them, and how he was +dismissed with honor by Caesar. + +3. Now the king, being desirous to get this plotter against him +into his hands, and being also afraid lest he should some way +come to the knowledge how his affairs stood, and be upon his +guard, he dissembled his anger in his epistle to him, as in other +points he wrote kindly to him, and desired him to make haste, +because if he came quickly, he would then lay aside the +complaints he had against his mother; for Antipater was not +ignorant that his mother had been expelled out of the palace. +However, he had before received a letter, which contained an +account of the death of Pheroras, at Tarentum, (46) and made +great lamentations at it; for which some commended him, as being +for his own uncle; though probably this confusion arose on +account of his having thereby failed in his plot [on his father's +life]; and his tears were more for the loss of him that was to +have been subservient therein, than for [an uncle] Pheroras: +moreover, a sort of fear came upon him as to his designs, lest +the poison should have been discovered. However, when he was in +Cilicia, he received the forementioned epistle from his father, +and made great haste accordingly. But when he had sailed to +Celenderis, a suspicion came into his mind relating to his +mother's misfortunes; as if his soul foreboded some mischief to +itself. Those therefore of his friends which were the most +considerate advised him not rashly to go to his father, till he +had learned what were the occasions why his mother had been +ejected, because they were afraid that he might be involved in +the calumnies that had been cast upon his mother: but those that +were less considerate, and had more regard to their own desires +of seeing their native country, than to Antipater's safety, +persuaded him to make haste home, and not, by delaying his +journey, afford his father ground for an ill suspicion, and give +a handle to those that raised stories against him; for that in +case any thing had been moved to his disadvantage, it was owing +to his absence, which durst not have been done had he been +present. And they said it was absurd to deprive himself of +certain happiness, for the sake of an uncertain suspicion, and +not rather to return to his father, and take the royal authority +upon him, which was in a state of fluctuation on his account +only. Antipater complied with this last advice, for Providence +hurried him on [to his destruction]. So he passed over the sea, +and landed at Sebastus, the haven of Cesarea. + +4. And here he found a perfect and unexpected solitude, while +ever body avoided him, and nobody durst come at him; for he was +equally hated by all men; and now that hatred had liberty to show +itself, and the dread men were in at the king's anger made men +keep from him; for the whole city [of Jerusalem] was filled with +the rumors about Antipater, and Antipater himself was the only +person who was ignorant of them; for as no man was dismissed more +magnificently when he began his voyage to Rome so was no man now +received back with greater ignominy. And indeed he began already +to suspect what misfortunes there were in Herod's family; yet did +he cunningly conceal his suspicion; and while he was inwardly +ready to die for fear, he put on a forced boldness of +countenance. Nor could he now fly any whither, nor had he any way +of emerging out of the difficulties which encompassed him; nor +indeed had he even there any certain intelligence of the affairs +of the royal family, by reason of the threats the king had given +out: yet had he some small hopes of better tidings; for perhaps +nothing had been discovered; or if any discovery had been made, +perhaps he should be able to clear himself by impudence and +artful tricks, which were the only things he relied upon for his +deliverance. + +5. And with these hopes did he screen himself, till he came to +the palace, without any friends with him; for these were +affronted, and shut out at the first gate. Now Varus, the +president of Syria, happened to be in the palace [at this +juncture]; so Antipater went in to his father, and, putting on a +bold face, he came near to salute him. But Herod Stretched out +his hands, and turned his head away from him, and cried out, +"Even this is an indication of a parricide, to be desirous to get +me into his arms, when he is under such heinous accusations. God +confound thee, thou vile wretch; do not thou touch me, till thou +hast cleared thyself of these crimes that are charged upon thee. +I appoint thee a court where thou art to be judged, and this +Varus, who is very seasonably here, to be thy judge; and get thou +thy defense ready against tomorrow, for I give thee so much time +to prepare suitable excuses for thyself." And as Antipater was so +confounded, that he was able to make no answer to this charge, he +went away; but his mother and wife came to him, and told him of +all the evidence they had gotten against him. Hereupon he +recollected himself, and considered what defense he should make +against the accusations. + +CHAPTER 32. + +Antipater Is Accused Before Varus, And Is Convicted Of Laying A +Plot [Against His Father] By The Strongest Evidence. Herod Puts +Off His Punishment Till He Should Be Recovered, And In The Mean +Time Alters His Testament. + +1. Now the day following the king assembled a court of his +kinsmen and friends, and called in Antipater's friends also. +Herod himself, with Varus, were the presidents; and Herod called +for all the witnesses, and ordered them to be brought in; among +whom some of the domestic servants of Antipater's mother were +brought in also, who had but a little while before been caught, +as they were carrying the following letter from her to her son: +"Since all those things have been already discovered to thy +father, do not thou come to him, unless thou canst procure some +assistance from Caesar." When this and the other witnesses were +introduced, Antipater came in, and falling on his face before his +father's feet, he said, "Father, I beseech thee, do not condemn +me beforehand, but let thy ears be unbiassed, and attend to my +defense; for if thou wilt give me leave, I will demonstrate that +I am innocent." + +2. Hereupon Herod cried out to him to hold his peace, and spake +thus to Varus: "I cannot but think that thou, Varus, and every +other upright judge, will determine that Antipater is a vile +wretch. I am also afraid that thou wilt abhor my ill fortune, and +judge me also myself worthy of all sorts of calamity for +begetting such children; while yet I ought rather to be pitied, +who have been so affectionate a father to such wretched sons; for +when I had settled the kingdom on my former sons, even when they +were young, and when, besides the charges of their education at +Rome, I had made them the friends of Caesar, and made them envied +by other kings, I found them plotting against me. These have been +put to death, and that, in great measure, for the sake of +Antipater; for as he was then young, and appointed to be my +successor, I took care chiefly to secure him from danger: but +this profligate wild beast, when he had been over and above +satiated with that patience which I showed him, he made use of +that abundance I had given him against myself; for I seemed to +him to live too long, and he was very uneasy at the old age I was +arrived at; nor could he stay any longer, but would be a king by +parricide. And justly I am served by him for bringing him back +out of the country to court, when he was of no esteem before, and +for thrusting out those sons of mine that were born of the queen, +and for making him a successor to my dominions. I confess to +thee, O Varus, the great folly I was guilty for I provoked those +sons of mine to act against me, and cut off their just +expectations for the sake of Antipater; and indeed what kindness +did I do them; that could equal what I have done to Antipater? to +I have, in a manner, yielded up my royal while I am alive, and +whom I have openly named for the successor to my dominions in my +testament, and given him a yearly revenue of his own of fifty +talents, and supplied him with money to an extravagant degree out +of my own revenue; and' when he was about to sail to Rome, I gave +him three talents, and recommended him, and him alone of all my +children, to Caesar, as his father's deliverer. Now what crimes +were those other sons of mine guilty of like these of Antipater? +and what evidence was there brought against them so strong as +there is to demonstrate this son to have plotted against me? Yet +does this parricide presume to speak for himself, and hopes to +obscure the truth by his cunning tricks. Thou, O Varus, must +guard thyself against him; for I know the wild beast, and I +foresee how plausibly he will talk, and his counterfeit +lamentation. This was he who exhorted me to have a care of +Alexander when he was alive, and not to intrust my body with all +men! This was he who came to my very bed, and looked about lest +any one should lay snares for me! This was he who took care of my +sleep, and secured me from fear of danger, who comforted me under +the trouble I was in upon the slaughter of my sons, and looked to +see what affection my surviving brethren bore me! This was my +protector, and the guardian of my body! And when I call to mind, +O Varus, his craftiness upon every occasion, and his art of +dissembling, I can hardly believe that I am still alive, and I +wonder how I have escaped such a deep plotter of mischief. +However, since some fate or other makes my house desolate, and +perpetually raises up those that are dearest to me against me, I +will, with tears, lament my hard fortune, and privately groan +under my lonesome condition; yet am I resolved that no one who +thirsts after my blood shall escape punishment, although the +evidence should extend itself to all my sons." + +3. Upon Herod's saying this, he was interrupted by the confusion +he was in; but ordered Nicolaus, one of his friends, to produce +the evidence against Antipater. But in the mean time Antipater +lifted up his head, (for he lay on the ground before his father's +feet,) and cried out aloud, "Thou, O father, hast made my apology +for me; for how can I be a parricide, whom thou thyself +confessest to have always had for thy guardian? Thou callest my +filial affection prodigious lies and hypocrisy! how then could it +be that I, who was so subtle in other matters, should here be so +mad as not to understand that it was not easy that he who +committed so horrid a crime should be concealed from men, but +impossible that he should be concealed from the Judge of heaven, +who sees all things, and is present every where? or did not I +know what end my brethren came to, on whom God inflicted so great +a punishment for their evil designs against thee? And indeed what +was there that could possibly provoke me against thee? Could the +hope of being king do it? I was a king already. Could I suspect +hatred from thee? No. Was not I beloved by thee? And what other +fear could I have? Nay, by preserving thee safe, I was a terror +to others. Did I want money? No; for who was able to expend so +much as myself? Indeed, father, had I been the most execrable of +all mankind, and had I had the soul of the most cruel wild beast, +must I not have been overcome with the benefits thou hadst +bestowed upon me? whom, as thou thyself sayest, thou broughtest +[into the palace]; whom thou didst prefer before so many of thy +sons; whom thou madest a king in thine own lifetime, and, by the +vast magnitude of the other advantages thou bestowedst on me, +thou madest me an object of envy. O miserable man! that thou +shouldst undergo this bitter absence, and thereby afford a great +opportunity for envy to arise against thee, and a long space for +such as were laying designs against thee! Yet was I absent, +father, on thy affairs, that Sylleus might not treat thee with +contempt in thine old age. Rome is a witness to my filial +affection, and so is Caesar, the ruler of the habitable earth, +who oftentimes called me Philopater. (47) Take here the letters +he hath sent thee, they are more to be believed than the +calumnies raised here; these letters are my only apology; these I +use as the demonstration of that natural affection I have to +thee. Remember that it was against my own choice that I sailed +[to Rome], as knowing the latent hatred that was in the kingdom +against me. It was thou, O father, however unwillingly, who hast +been my ruin, by forcing me to allow time for calumnies against +me, and envy at me. However, I am come hither, and am ready to +hear the evidence there is against me. If I be a parricide, I +have passed by land and by sea, without suffering any misfortune +on either of them: but this method of trial is no advantage to +me; for it seems, O father, that I am already condemned, both +before God and before thee; and as I am already condemned, I beg +that thou wilt not believe the others that have been tortured, +but let fire be brought to torment me; let the racks march +through my bowels; have no regard to any lamentations that this +polluted body can make; for if I be a parricide, I ought not to +die without torture." Thus did Antipater cry out with lamentation +and weeping, and moved all the rest, and Varus in particular, to +commiserate his case. Herod was the only person whose passion was +too strong to permit him to weep, as knowing that the testimonies +against him were true. + +4. And now it was that, at the king's command, Nicolaus, when he +had premised a great deal about the craftiness of Antipater, and +had prevented the effects of their commiseration to him, +afterwards brought in a bitter and large accusation against him, +ascribing all the wickedness that had been in the kingdom to him, +and especially the murder of his brethren; and demonstrated that +they had perished by the calumnies he had raised against them. He +also said that he had laid designs against them that were still +alive, as if they were laying plots for the succession; and (said +he) how can it be supposed that he who prepared poison for his +father should abstain from mischief as to his brethren? He then +proceeded to convict him of the attempt to poison Herod, and gave +an account in order of the several discoveries that had been +made; and had great indignation as to the affair of Pheroras, +because Antipater had been for making him murder his brother, and +had corrupted those that were dearest to the king, and filled the +whole palace with wickedness; and when he had insisted on many +other accusations, and the proofs for them, he left off. + +5. Then Varus bid Antipater make his defense; but he lay along in +silence, and said no more but this, "God is my witness that I am +entirely innocent." So Varus asked for the potion, and gave it to +be drunk by a condemned malefactor, who was then in prison, who +died upon the spot. So Varus, when he had had a very private +discourse with Herod, and had written an account of this assembly +to Caesar, went away, after a day's stay. The king also bound +Antipater, and sent away to inform Caesar of his misfortunes. +6. Now after this it was discovered that Antipater had laid a +plot against Salome also; for one of Antiphilus's domestic +servants came, and brought letters from Rome, from a maid-servant +of Julia, [Caesar's wife,] whose name was Acme. By her a message +was sent to the king, that she had found a letter written by +Salome, among Julia's papers, and had sent it to him privately, +out of her good-will to him. This letter of Salome contained the +most bitter reproaches of the king, and the highest accusations +against him. Antipater had forged this letter, and had corrupted +Acme, and persuaded her to send it to Herod. This was proved by +her letter to Antipater, for thus did this woman write to him: +"As thou desirest, I have written a letter to thy father, and +have sent that letter, and am persuaded that the king will not +spare his sister when he reads it. Thou wilt do well to remember +what thou hast promised when all is accomplished." + +7. When this epistle was discovered, and what the epistle forged +against Salome contained, a suspicion came into the king's mind, +that perhaps the letters against Alexander were also forged: he +was moreover greatly disturbed, and in a passion, because he had +almost slain his sister on Antipater's account. He did no longer +delay therefore to bring him to punishment for all his crimes; +yet when he was eagerly pursuing Antipater, he was restrained by +a severe distemper he fell into. However, he sent all account to +Caesar about Acme, and the contrivances against Salome; he sent +also for his testament, and altered it, and therein made Antipas +king, as taking no care of Archclaus and Philip, because +Antipater had blasted their reputations with him; but he +bequeathed to Caesar, besides other presents that he gave him, a +thousand talents; as also to his wife, and children, and friends, +and freed-men about five hundred: he also bequeathed to all +others a great quantity of land, and of money, and showed his +respects to Salome his sister, by giving her most splendid gifts. +And this was what was contained in his testament, as it was now +altered. + +CHAPTER 33. + +The Golden Eagle Is Cut To Pieces. Herod's Barbarity When He Was +Ready To Die. He Attempts To Kill Himself. He Commands Antipater +To Be Slain. He Survives Him Five Days And Then Dies. + +1. Now Herod's distemper became more and more severe to him, and +this because these his disorders fell upon him in his old age, +and when he was in a melancholy condition; for he was already +seventy years of age, and had been brought by the calamities that +happened to him about his children, whereby he had no pleasure in +life, even when he was in health; the grief also that Antipater +was still alive aggravated his disease, whom he resolved to put +to death now not at random, but as soon as he should be well +again, and resolved to have him slain [in a public manner]. +2. There also now happened to him, among his other calamities, a +certain popular sedition. There were two men of learning in the +city [Jerusalem,] who were thought the most skillful in the laws +of their country, and were on that account had in very great +esteem all over the nation; they were, the one Judas, the son of +Sepphoris, and the other Mattbias, the son of Margalus. There was +a great concourse of the young men to these men when they +expounded the laws, and there got together every day a kind of an +army of such as were growing up to be men. Now when these men +were informed that the king was wearing away with melancholy, and +with a distemper, they dropped words to their acquaintance, how +it was now a very proper time to defend the cause of God, and to +pull down what had been erected contrary to the laws of their +country; for it was unlawful there should be any such thing in +the temple as images, or faces, or the like representation of any +animal whatsoever. Now the king had put up a golden eagle over +the great gate of the temple, which these learned men exhorted +them to cut down; and told them, that if there should any danger +arise, it was a glorious thing to die for the laws of their +country; because that the soul was immortal, and that an eternal +enjoyment of happiness did await such as died on that account; +while the mean-spirited, and those that were not wise enough to +show a right love of their souls, preferred a death by a disease, +before that which is the result of a virtuous behavior. + +3. At the same time that these men made this speech to their +disciples, a rumor was spread abroad that the king was dying, +which made the young men set about the work with greater +boldness; they therefore let themselves down from the top of the +temple with thick cords, and this at midday, and while a great +number of people were in the temple, and cut down that golden +eagle with axes. This was presently told to the king's captain of +the temple, who came running with a great body of soldiers, and +caught about forty of the young men, and brought them to the +king. And when he asked them, first of all, whether they had been +so hardy as to cut down the golden eagle, they confessed they had +done so; and when he asked them by whose command they had done +it, they replied, at the command of the law of their country; and +when he further asked them how they could be so joyful when they +were to be put to death, they replied, because they should enjoy +greater happiness after they were dead. (48) + +4. At this the king was in such an extravagant passion, that he +overcame his disease [for the time,] and went out, and spake to +the people; wherein he made a terrible accusation against those +men, as being guilty of sacrilege, and as making greater attempts +under pretense of their law, and he thought they deserved to be +punished as impious persons. Whereupon the people were afraid +lest a great number should be found guilty and desired that when +he had first punished those that put them upon this work, and +then those that were caught in it, he would leave off his anger +as to the rest. With this the king complied, though not without +difficulty, and ordered those that had let themselves down, +together with their Rabbins, to be burnt alive, but delivered the +rest that were caught to the proper officers, to be put to death +by them. + +5. After this, the distemper seized upon his whole body, and +greatly disordered all its parts with various symptoms; for there +was a gentle fever upon him, and an intolerable itching over all +the surface of his body, and continual pains in his colon, and +dropsical turnouts about his feet, and an inflammation of the +abdomen, and a putrefaction of his privy member, that produced +worms. Besides which he had a difficulty of breathing upon him, +and could not breathe but when he sat upright, and had a +convulsion of all his members, insomuch that the diviners said +those diseases were a punishment upon him for what he had done to +the Rabbins. Yet did he struggle with his numerous disorders, and +still had a desire to live, and hoped for recovery, and +considered of several methods of cure. Accordingly, he went over +Jordan, and made use of those hot baths at Callirrhoe, which ran +into the lake Asphaltitis, but are themselves sweet enough to be +drunk. And here the physicians thought proper to bathe his whole +body in warm oil, by letting it down into a large vessel full of +oil; whereupon his eyes failed him, and he came and went as if he +was dying; and as a tumult was then made by his servants, at +their voice he revived again. Yet did he after this despair of +recovery, and gave orders that each soldier should have fifty +drachmae a-piece, and that his commanders and friends should have +great sums of money given them. + +6. He then returned back and came to Jericho, in such a +melancholy state of body as almost threatened him with present +death, when he proceeded to attempt a horrid wickedness; for he +got together the most illustrious men of the whole Jewish nation, +out of every village, into a place called the Hippodrome, and +there shut them in. He then called for his sister Salome, and her +husband Alexas, and made this speech to them: "I know well enough +that the Jews will keep a festival upon my death however, it is +in my power to be mourned for on other accounts, and to have a +splendid funeral, if you will but be subservient to my commands. +Do you but take care to send soldiers to encompass these men that +are now in custody, and slay them immediately upon my death, and +then all Judea, and every family of them, will weep at it, +whether they will or no." + +7. These were the commands he gave them; when there came letters +from his ambassadors at Rome, whereby information was given that +Acme was put to death at Caesar's command, and that Antipater was +condemned to die; however, they wrote withal, that if Herod had a +mind rather to banish him, Caesar permitted him so to do. So he +for a little while revived, and had a desire to live; but +presently after he was overborne by his pains, and was disordered +by want of food, and by a convulsive cough, and endeavored to +prevent a natural, death; so he took an apple, and asked for a +knife for he used to pare apples and eat them; he then looked +round about to see that there was nobody to hinder him, and lift +up his right hand as if he would stab himself; but Achiabus, his +first cousin, came running to him, and held his hand, and +hindered him from so doing; on which occasion a very great +lamentation was made in the palace, as if the king were expiring. +As soon as ever Antipater heard that, he took courage, and with +joy in his looks, besought his keepers, for a sum of money, to +loose him and let him go; but the principal keeper of the prison +did not only obstruct him in that his intention, but ran and told +the king what his design was; hereupon the king cried out louder +than his distemper would well bear, and immediately sent some of +his guards and slew Antipater; he also gave order to have him +buried at Hyrcanium, and altered his testament again, and therein +made Archclaus, his eldest son, and the brother of Antipas, his +successor, and made Antipas tetrarch. + +8. So Herod, having survived the slaughter of his son five days, +died, having reigned thirty-four years since he had caused +Antigonus to be slain, and obtained his kingdom; but thirty-seven +years since he had been made king by the Romans. Now as for his +fortune, it was prosperous in all other respects, if ever any +other man could be so, since, from a private man, he obtained the +kingdom, and kept it so long, and left it to his own sons; but +still in his domestic affairs he was a most unfortunate man. Now, +before the soldiers knew of his death, Salome and her husband +came out and dismissed those that were in bonds, whom the king +had commanded to be slain, and told them that he had altered his +mind, and would have every one of them sent to their own homes. +When these men were gone, Salome, told the soldiers [the king was +dead], and got them and the rest of the multitude together to an +assembly, in the amphitheater at Jericho, where Ptolemy, who was +intrusted by the king with his signet ring, came before them, and +spake of the happiness the king had attained, and comforted the +multitude, and read the epistle which had been left for the +soldiers, wherein he earnestly exhorted them to bear good-will to +his successor; and after he had read the epistle, he opened and +read his testament, wherein Philip was to inherit Trachonitis, +and the neighboring countries, and Antipas was to be tetrarch, as +we said before, and Archelaus was made king. He had also been +commanded to carry Herod's ring to Caesar, and the settlements he +had made, sealed up, because Caesar was to be lord of all the +settlements he had made, and was to confirm his testament; and he +ordered that the dispositions he had made were to be kept as they +were in his former testament. + +9. So there was an acclamation made to Archelaus, to congratulate +him upon his advancement; and the soldiers, with the multitude, +went round about in troops, and promised him their good-will, and +besides, prayed God to bless his government. After this, they +betook themselves to prepare for the king's funeral; and +Archelaus omitted nothing of magnificence therein, but brought +out all the royal ornaments to augment the pomp of the deceased. +There was a bier all of gold, embroidered with precious stones, +and a purple bed of various contexture, with the dead body upon +it, covered with purple; and a diadem was put upon his head, and +a crown of gold above it, and a secptre in his right hand; and +near to the bier were Herod's sons, and a multitude of his +kindred; next to which came his guards, and the regiment of +Thracians, the Germans. also and Gauls, all accounted as if they +were going to war; but the rest of the army went foremost, armed, +and following their captains and officers in a regular manner; +after whom five hundred of his domestic servants and freed-men +followed, with sweet spices in their hands: and the body was +carried two hundred furlongs, to Herodium, where he had given +order to be buried. And this shall suffice for the conclusion of +the life of Herod. + +WAR BOOK 1 FOOTNOTES + +(1) I see little difference in the several accounts in Josephus +about the Egyptian temple Onion, of which large complaints are +made by his commentators. Onias, it seems, hoped to have :made it +very like that at Jerusalem, and of the same dimensions; and so +he appears to have really done, as far as he was able and thought +proper. Of this temple, see Antiq. B. XIII. ch. 3. sect. 1--3, +and Of the War, B. VII. ch. 10. sect. 8. + +(2) Why this John, the son of Simon, the high priest and governor +of the Jews, was called Hyrcanus, Josephus no where informs us; +nor is he called other than John at the end of the First Book of +the Maccabees. However, Sixtus Seuensis, when he gives us an +epitome of the Greek version of the book here abridged by +Josephus, or of the Chronicles of this John Hyrcanus, then +extant, assures us that he was called Hyrcanus from his conquest +of one of that name. See Authent. Rec. Part I. p. 207. But of +this younger Antiochus, see Dean Aldrich's note here. + +(3) Josephus here calls this Antiochus the last of the +Seleucidae, although there remained still a shadow of another +king of that family, Antiochus Asiaticus, or Commagenus, who +reigned, or rather lay hid, till Pompey quite turned him out, as +Dean Aldrich here notes from Appian and Justin. + +(4) Matthew 16:19; 18:18. Here we have the oldest and most +authentic Jewish exposition of binding and loosing, for punishing +or absolving men, not for declaring actions lawful or unlawful, +as some more modern Jews and Christians vainly pretend. + +(5) Strabo, B. XVI. p. 740, relates, that this Selene Cleopatra +was besieged by Tigranes, not in Ptolemais, as here, but after +she had left Syria, in Seleucia, a citadel in Mesopotamia; and +adds, that when he had kept her a while in prison, he put her to +death. Dean Aldrich supposes here that Strabo contradicts +Josephus, which does not appear to me; for although Josephus says +both here and in the Antiquities, B. XIII. ch. 16. sect. 4, that +Tigranes besieged her now in Ptolemais, and that he took the +city, as the Antiquities inform us, yet does he no where intimate +that he now took the queen herself; so that both the narrations +of Strabo and Josephus may still be true notwithstanding. + +(6) That this Antipater, the father of Herod the Great was an +Idumean, as Josephus affirms here, see the note on Antiq. B. XIV. +ch. 15. sect. 2. It is somewhat probable, as Hapercamp supposes, +and partly Spanheim also, that the Latin is here the truest; that +Pompey did him Hyrcanus, as he would have done the others from +Aristobulus, sect. 6, although his remarkable abstinence from the +2000 talents that were in the Jewish temple, when he took it a +little afterward, ch. 7. sect. 6, and Antiq. B. XIV. ch. 4. sect. +4, will to Greek all which agree he did not take them. + +(7) Of the famous palm trees and balsam about Jericho and +Engaddl, see the notes in Havercamp's edition, both here and B. +II. ch. 9. sect. 1. They are somewhat too long to be transcribed +in this place. + +(8) Thus says Tacitus: Cn. Pompelna first of all subdued the +Jews, and went into their temple, by right of conquest, Hist. B. +V. ch. 9. Nor did he touch any of its riches, as has been +observed on the parallel place of the Antiquities, B. XIV. ch. 4. +sect. 4, out of Cicero himself. + +(9) The coin of this Gadara, still extant, with its date from +this era, is a certain evidence of this its rebuilding by Pompey, +as Spanheim here assures us. + +(10) Take the like attestation to the truth of this submission of +Aretas, king of Arabia, to Scaurus the Roman general, in the +words of Dean Aldrich. "Hence (says he) is derived that old and +famous Denarius belonging to the Emillian family [represented in +Havercamp's edition], wherein Aretas appears in a posture of +supplication, and taking hold of a camel's bridle with his left +hand, and with his right hand presenting a branch of the +frankincense tree, with this inscription, M. SCAURUS EX S.C.; and +beneath, REX ARETAS." + +(11) This citation is now wanting. + +(12) What is here noted by Hudson and Spanheim, that this grant +of leave to rebuild the walls of the cities of Judea was made by +Julius Caesar, not as here to Antipater, but to Hyrcanas, Antiq. +B. XIV. ch. 8. sect. 5, has hardly an appearance of a +contradiction; Antipater being now perhaps considered only as +Hyrcanus's deputy and minister; although he afterwards made a +cipher of Hyrcanus, and, under great decency of behavior to him, +took the real authority to himself. + +(13) Or twenty-five years of age. See note on Antiq. B. I. ch. +12. sect. 3; and on B. XIV. ch. 9. sect. 2; and Of the War, B. +II. ch. 11. sect. 6; and Polyb. B. XVII. p. 725. Many writers of +the Roman history give an account of this murder of Sextus +Caesar, and of the war of Apamia upon that occasion. They are +cited in Dean Aldrich's note. + +(14) In the Antiquities, B. XIV. ch. 11. sect. 1, the duration of +the reign of Julius Caesar is three years six months; but here +three years seven months, beginning nightly, says Dean Aldrich, +from his second dictatorship. It is probable the real duration +might be three years and between six and seven months. + +(15) It appears evidently by Josephus's accounts, both here and +in his Antiquities, B. XIV. ch. 11. sect. 2, that this Cassius, +one of Caesar's murderers, was a bitter oppressor, and exactor of +tribute in Judea. These seven hundred talents amount to about +three hundred thousand pounds sterling, and are about half the +yearly revenues of king Herod afterwards. See the note on Antiq. +B. XVII. ch. 11. sect. 4. It also appears that Galilee then paid +no more than one hundred talents, or the seventh part of the +entire sum to be levied in all the country. + +(16) Here we see that Cassius set tyrants over all Syria; so that +his assisting to destroy Caesar does not seem to have proceeded +from his true zeal for public liberty, but from a desire to be a +tyrant himself. + +(17) Phasaelus and Herod. + +(18) This large and noted wood, or woodland, belonging to Carmel, +called apago by the Septuagint, is mentioned in the Old +Testament, 2 Kings 19:23; Isaiah 37:24, and by I Strabo, B. XVI. +p. 758, as both Aldrich and Spanheim here remark very +pertinently. + +(19) These accounts, both here and Antiq. B. XIV. ch. 13. sect. +5, that the Parthians fought chiefly on horseback, and that only +some few of their soldiers were free-men, perfectly agree with +Trogus Pompeius, in Justin, B. XLI. 2, 3, as Dean Aldrich well +observes on this place. + +(20) Mariamac here, in the copies. + +(21) This Brentesium or Brundusium has coin still preserved, on +which is written, as Spanheim informs us. + +(22) This Dellius is famous, or rather infamous, in the history +of Mark Antony, as Spanheim and Aldrich here note, from the +coins, from Plutarch and Dio. + +(23) This Sepphoris, the metropolis of Galilee, so often +mentioned by Josephus, has coins still remaining, as Spanheim +here informs us. + +(24) This way of speaking, "after forty days," is interpreted by +Josephus himself, "on the fortieth day," Antiq. B. XIV. ch. 15. +sect. 4. In like manner, when Josephus says, ch. 33. sect. 8, +that Herod lived "after" he had ordered Antipater to be slain +"five days;" this is by himself interpreted, Antiq. B. XVII. ch. +8. sect. 1, that he died "on the fifth day afterward." So also +what is in this book, ch. 13. sect. 1, "after two years," is, +Antiq. B. XIV. ch. 13. sect. 3, "on the second year." And Dean +Aldrich here notes that this way of speaking is familiar to +Josephus. + +(25) This Samosata, the metropolis of Commagena, is well known +from its coins, as Spanheim here assures us. Dean Aldrich also +confirms what Josephus here notes, that Herod was a great means +of taking the city by Antony, and that from +Plutarch and Dio. + +(26) That is, a woman, not, a man. + +(27) This death of Antigonus is confirmed by Plutarch and. +Straho; the latter of whom is cited for it by Josephus himself, +Antiq. B. XV. ch. 1. sect. 2, as Dean Aldrich here observes. + +(28) This ancient liberty of Tyre and Sidon under the Romans, +taken notice of by Josephus, both here and Antiq. B. XV. ch. 4. +sect. 1, is confirmed by the testimony of Sirabe, B. XVI. p. 757, +as Dean Aldrich remarks; although, as he justly adds, this +liberty lasted but a little while longer, when Augtus took it +away from them. + +(29) This seventh year of the reign of Herod [from the conquest +or death of Antigonus], with the great earthquake in the +beginning of the same spring, which are here fully implied to be +not much before the fight at Actium, between Octavius and Antony, +and which is known from the Roman historians to have been in the +beginning of September, in the thirty-first year before the +Christian era, determines the chronology of Josephus as to the +reign of Herod, viz. that he began in the year 37, beyond +rational contradiction. Nor is it quite unworthy of our notice, +that this seventh year of the reign of Herod, or the thirty-first +before the Christian era, contained the latter part of a Sabbatic +year, on which Sabbatic year, therefore, it is plain this great +earthquake happened in Judea. + +(30) This speech of Herod is set down twice by Josephus, here and +Antiq. B. XV. ch. 5. sect. 3, to the very same purpose, but by no +means in the same words; whence it appears that the sense was +Herod's, but the composition Josephus's. + +(31) Since Josephus, both here and in his Antiq. B. XV. ch. 7. +sect. 3, reckons Gaza, which had been a free city, among the +cities given Herod by Augustus, and yet implies that Herod had +made Costobarus a governor of it before, Antiq. B. XV. ch. 7. +sect. 9, Hardain has some pretense for saying that Josephus here +contradicted himself. But perhaps Herod thought he had sufficient +authority to put a governor into Gaza, after he was made tetrarch +or king, in times of war, before the city was entirely delivered +into his hands by Augustus. + +(32) This fort was first built, as it is supposed, by John +Hyrcanus; see Prid. at the year 107; and called "Baris," the +Tower or Citadel. It was afterwards rebuilt, with great +improvements, by Herod, under the government of Antonius, and was +named from him "the Tower of Antoni;" and about the time when +Herod rebuilt the temple, he seems to have put his last hand to +it. See Antiq. B. XVIII. ch. 5. sect. 4; Of the War, B. I. ch. 3. +sect. 3; ch. 5. sect. 4. It lay on the northwest side of the +temple, and was a quarter as large. + +(33) That Josephus speaks truth, when he assures us that the +haven of this Cesarea was made by Herod not less, nay rather +larger, than that famous haven at Athens, called the Pyrecum, +will appear, says Dean Aldrich, to him who compares the +descriptions of that at Athens in Thucydides and Pausanias, with +this of Cesarea in Josephus here, and in the Antiq. B. XV. ch. 9. +sect. 6, and B. XVII. ch. 9. sect. 1. + +(34) These buildings of cities by the name of Caesar, and +institution of solemn games in honor of Augustus Caesar, as here, +and in the Antiquities, related of Herod by Josephus, the Roman +historians attest to, as things then frequent in the provinces of +that empire, as Dean Aldrich observes on this chapter. + +(35) There were two cities, or citadels, called Herodium, in +Judea, and both mentioned by Josephus, not only here, but Antiq. +B. XIV. ch. 13. sect. 9; B. XV. ch. 9. sect. 6; Of the War, B. I. +ch. 13. sect. 8; B. III. ch. 3. sect. 5. One of them was two +hundred, and the other sixty furlongs distant from Jerusalem. One +of them is mentioned by Pliny, Hist. Nat. B. V. ch. 14., as Dean +Aldrich observes here. + +(36) Here seems to be a small defect in the copies, which +describe the wild beasts which were hunted in a certain country +by Herod, without naming any such country at all. + +(37) Here is either a defect or a great mistake in Josephus's +present copies or memory; for Mariamne did not now reproach Herod +with this his first injunction to Joseph to kill her, if he +himself were slain by Antony, but that he had given the like +command a second time to Soemus also, when he was afraid of being +slain by Augustus. Antiq. B. XV. ch. 3. sect. 5, etc. + +(38) That this island Eleusa, afterward called Sebaste, near +Cilicia, had in it the royal palace of this Archclaus, king of +Cappadocia, Strabo testifies, B. XV. p. 671. Stephanus of +Byzantiam also calls it "an island of Cilicia, which is now +Sebaste;" both whose testimonies are pertinently cited here by +Dr. Hudson. See the same history, Antiq. B. XVI. ch. 10. sect. 7. + +(39) That it was an immemorial custom among the Jews, and their +forefathers, the patriarchs, to have sometimes more wives or +wives and concubines, than one at the same the and that this +polygamy was not directly forbidden in the law of Moses is +evident; but that polygamy was ever properly and distinctly +permitted in that law of Moses, in the places here cited by Dean +Aldrich, Deuteronomy 17:16, 17, or 21:15, or indeed any where +else, does not appear to me. And what our Savior says about the +common Jewish divorces, which may lay much greater claim to such +a permission than polygamy, seems to me true in this case also; +that Moses, "for the hardness of their hearts," suffered them to +have several wives at the same time, but that "from the beginning +it was not so," Matthew 19:8; Mark 10:5. + +(40) This vile fellow, Eurycles the Lacedemonian, seems to have +been the same who is mentioned by Plutarch, as (twenty-live years +before) a companion to Mark Antony, and as living with Herod; +whence he might easily insinuate himself into the acquaintance of +Herod's sons, Antipater and Alexander, as Usher, Hudson, and +Spanheim justly suppose. The reason why his being a Spartan +rendered him acceptable to the Jews as we here see he was, is +visible from the public records of the Jews and Spartans, owning +those Spartans to be of kin to the Jews, and derived from their +common ancestor Abraham, the first patriarch of the Jewish +nation, Antiq. B. XII. ch. 4. sect. 10; B. XIII. ch. 5. sect. 8; +and 1 Macc. 12:7. + +(41) See the preceding note. + +(42) Dean Aldrich takes notice here, that these nine wives of +Herod were alive at the same time; and that if the celebrated +Mariamne, who was now dead, be reckoned, those wives were in all +ten. Yet it is remarkable that he had no more than fifteen +children by them all. + +(43) To prevent confusion, it may not be amiss, with Dean +Aldrich, to distinguish between four Josephs in the history of +Herod. 1. Joseph, Herod's uncle, and the [second] husband of his +sister Salome, slain by Herod, on account of Mariamne. + +2. Joseph, Herod's quaestor, or treasurer, slain on the same +account. 3. Joseph, Herod's brother, slain in battle against +Antigonus. 4. Joseph, Herod's nephew, the husband of Olympias, +mentioned in this place. + +(44) These daughters of Herod, whom Pheroras's wife affronted, +were Salome and Roxana, two virgins, who were born to him of his +two wives, Elpide and Phedra. See Herod's genealogy, Antiq. B. +XVII. ch. 1. sect. 3. + +(45) This strange obstinacy of Pheroras in retaining his wife, +who was one of a low family, and refusing to marry one nearly +related to Herod, though he so earnestly desired it, as also that +wife's admission to the counsels of the other great court ladies, +together with Herod's own importunity as to Pheroras's divorce +and other marriage, all so remarkable here, or in the Antiquities +XVII. ch. 2. sect. 4; and ch. 3. be well accounted for, but on +the supposal that Pheroras believed, and Herod suspected, that +the Pharisees' prediction, as if the crown of Judea should be +translated from Herod to Pheroras's posterity and that most +probably to Pheroras's posterity by this his wife, also would +prove true. See Antiq. B. XVII. ch. 2. sect. 4; and ch. 3. sect. +1. + +(46) This Tarentum has coins still extant, as Reland informs us +here in his note. + +(47) A lover of his father. + +(48) Since in these two sections we have an evident account of +the Jewish opinions in the days of Josephus, about a future happy +state, and the resurrection of the dead, as in the New Testament, +John 11:24, I shall here refer to the other places in Josephus, +before he became a catholic Christian, which concern the same +matters. Of the War, B. II. ch. 8. sect. 10, 11; B. III. ch. 8. +sect. 4; B. VII. ch. 6. sect. 7; Contr. Apion, B. II. sect. 30; +where we may observe, that none of these passages are in his +Books of Antiquities, written peculiarly for the use of the +Gentiles, to whom he thought it not proper to insist on topics so +much out of their way as these were. Nor is this observation to +be omitted here, especially on account of the sensible difference +we have now before us in Josephus's reason of the used by the +Rabbins to persuade their scholars to hazard their lives for the +vindication of God's law against images, by Moses, as well as of +the answers those scholars made to Herod, when they were caught, +and ready to die for the same; I mean as compared with the +parallel arguments and answers represented in the Antiquities, B. +XVII. ch. 6. sect, 2, 3. A like difference between Jewish and +Gentile notions the reader will find in my notes on Antiquities, +B. III. ch. 7. sect. 7; B. XV. ch. 9. sect. 1. See the like also +in the case of the three Jewish sects in the Antiquities, B. +XIII. ch. 5. sect. 9, and ch. 10. sect. 4, 5; B. XVIII. ch. 1. +sect. 5; and compared with this in his Wars of the Jews, B. II. +ch. 8. sect. 2-14. Nor does St. Paul himself reason to Gentiles +at Athens, Acts 17:16-34, as he does to Jews in his Epistles. + +BOOK II. + +Containing The Interval Of Sixty-Nine Years. + +From The Death Of Herod Till Vespasian Was Sent To Subdue The +Jews By Nero. + +CHAPTER 1. + +Archelaus Makes A Funeral Feast For The People, On The Account Of +Herod. After Which A Great Tumult Is Raised By The Multitude And +He Sends The Soldiers Out Upon Them, Who Destroy About Three +Thousand Of Them. + +1. Now the necessity which Archelaus was under of taking a +journey to Rome was the occasion of new disturbances; for when he +had mourned for his father seven days, (1) and had given a very +expensive funeral feast to the multitude, (which custom is the +occasion of poverty to many of the Jews, because they are forced +to feast the multitude; for if any one omits it, he is not +esteemed a holy person,) he put on a white garment, and went up +to the temple, where the people accosted him with various +acclamations. He also spake kindly to the multitude from an +elevated seat and a throne of gold, and returned them thanks for +the zeal they had shown about his father's funeral, and the +submission they had made to him, as if he were already settled in +the kingdom; but he told them withal, that he would not at +present take upon him either the authority of a king, or the +names thereto belonging, until Caesar, who is made lord of this +whole affair by the testament, confirm the succession; for that +when the soldiers would have set the diadem on his head at +Jericho, he would not accept of it; but that he would make +abundant requitals, not to the soldiers only, but to the people, +for their alacrity and good-will to him, when the superior lords +[the Romans] should have given him a complete title to the +kingdom; for that it should be his study to appear in all things +better than his father. + +2. Upon this the multitude were pleased, and presently made a +trial of what he intended, by asking great things of him; for +some made a clamor that he would ease them in their taxes; +others, that he would take off the duties upon commodities; and +some, that he would loose those that were in prison; in all which +cases he answered readily to their satisfaction, in order to get +the good-will of the multitude; after which he offered [the +proper] sacrifices, and feasted with his friends. And here it was +that a great many of those that desired innovations came in +crowds towards the evening, and began then to mourn on their own +account, when the public mourning for the king was over. These +lamented those that were put to death by Herod, because they had +cut down the golden eagle that had been over the gate of the +temple. Nor was this mourning of a private nature, but the +lamentations were very great, the mourning solemn, and the +weeping such as was loudly heard all over the city, as being for +those men who had perished for the laws of their country, and for +the temple. They cried out that a punishment ought to be +inflicted for these men upon those that were honored by Herod; +and that, in the first place, the man whom he had made high +priest should be deprived; and that it was fit to choose a person +of greater piety and purity than he was. + +3. At these clamors Archelaus was provoked, but restrained +himself from taking vengeance on the authors, on account of the +haste he was in of going to Rome, as fearing lest, upon his +making war on the multitude, such an action might detain him at +home. Accordingly, he made trial to quiet the innovators by +persuasion, rather than by force, and sent his general in a +private way to them, and by him exhorted them to be quiet. But +the seditious threw stones at him, and drove him away, as he came +into the temple, and before he could say any thing to them. The +like treatment they showed to others, who came to them after him, +many of which were sent by Archelaus, in order to reduce them to +sobriety, and these answered still on all occasions after a +passionate manner; and it openly appeared that they would not be +quiet, if their numbers were but considerable. And indeed, at the +feast of unleavened bread, which was now at hand, and is by the +Jews called the Passover, and used to he celebrated with a great +number of sacrifices, an innumerable multitude of the people came +out of the country to worship; some of these stood in the temple +bewailing the Rabbins [that had been put to death], and procured +their sustenance by begging, in order to support their sedition. +At this Archclaus was aftrighted, and privately sent a tribune, +with his cohort of soldiers, upon them, before the disease should +spread over the whole multitude, and gave orders that they should +constrain those that began the tumult, by force, to be quiet. At +these the whole multitude were irritated, and threw stones at +many of the soldiers, and killed them; but the tribune fled away +wounded, and had much ado to escape so. After which they betook +themselves to their sacrifices, as if they had done no mischief; +nor did it appear to Archelaus that the multitude could be +restrained without bloodshed; so he sent his whole army upon +them, the footmen in great multitudes, by the way of the city, +and the horsemen by the way of the plain, who, falling upon them +on the sudden, as they were offering their sacrifices, destroyed +about three thousand of them; but the rest of the multitude were +dispersed upon the adjoining mountains: these were followed by +Archelaus's heralds, who commanded every one to retire to their +own homes, whither they all went, and left the festival. + +CHAPTER 2. + +Archelaus Goes To Rome With A Great Number Of His Kindred. He Is +There Accused Before Caesar By Antipater; But Is Superior To His +Accusers In Judgment By The Means Of That Defense Which Nicolaus +Made For Him. + +1. Archelaus went down now to the sea-side, with his mother and +his friends, Poplas, and Ptolemy, and Nicolaus, and left behind +him Philip, to be his steward in the palace, and to take care of +his domestic affairs. Salome went also along with him with her +sons, as did also the king's brethren and sons-in-law. These, in +appearance, went to give him all the assistance they were able, +in order to secure his succession, but in reality to accuse him +for his breach of the laws by what he had done at the temple. +2. But as they were come to Cesarea, Sabinus, the procurator of +Syria, met them; he was going up to Judea, to secure Herod's +effects; but Varus, [president of Syria,] who was come thither, +restrained him from going any farther. This Varus Archelaus had +sent for, by the earnest entreaty of Ptolemy. At this time, +indeed, Sabinus, to gratify Varus, neither went to the citadels, +nor did he shut up the treasuries where his father's money was +laid up, but promised that he would lie still, until Caesar +should have taken cognizance of the affair. So he abode at +Cesarea; but as soon as those that were his hinderance were gone, +when Varus was gone to Antioch, and Archclaus was sailed to Rome, +he immediately went on to Jerusalem, and seized upon the palace. +And when he had called for the governors of the citadels, and the +stewards [of the king's private affairs], he tried to sift out +the accounts of the money, and to take possession of the +citadels. But the governors of those citadels were not unmindful +of the commands laid upon them by Archelaus, and continued to +guard them, and said the custody of them rather belonged to +Caesar than to Archelaus. + +3. In the mean time, Antipas went also to Rome, to strive for the +kingdom, and to insist that the former testament, wherein he was +named to be king, was valid before the latter testament. Salome +had also promised to assist him, as had many of Archelaus's +kindred, who sailed along with Archelaus himself also. He also +carried along with him his mother, and Ptolemy, the brother of +Nicolaus, who seemed one of great weight, on account of the great +trust Herod put in him, he having been one of his most honored +friends. However, Antipas depended chiefly upon Ireneus, the +orator; upon whose authority he had rejected such as advised him +to yield to Archelaus, because he was his elder brother, and +because the second testament gave the kingdom to him. The +inclinations also of all Archelaus's kindred, who hated him, were +removed to Antipas, when they came to Rome; although in the first +place every one rather desired to live under their own laws +[without a king], and to be under a Roman governor; but if they +should fail in that point, these desired that Antipas might be +their king. + +4. Sabinus did also afford these his assistance to the same +purpose by letters he sent, wherein he accused Archelaus before +Caesar, and highly commended Antipas. Salome also, and those with +her, put the crimes which they accused Archelaus of in order, and +put them into Caesar's hands; and after they had done that, +Archelaus wrote down the reasons of his claim, and, by Ptolemy, +sent in his father's ring, and his father's accounts. And when +Caesar had maturely weighed by himself what both had to allege +for themselves, as also had considered of the great burden of the +kingdom, and largeness of the revenues, and withal the number of +the children Herod had left behind him, and had moreover read the +letters he had received from Varus and Sabinus on this occasion, +he assembled the principal persons among the Romans together, (in +which assembly Caius, the son of Agrippa, and his daughter +Julias, but by himself adopted for his own son, sat in the first +seat,) and gave the pleaders leave to speak. + +5. Then stood up Salome's son, Antipater, (who of all Archelaus's +antagonists was the shrewdest pleader,) and accused him in the +following speech: That Archelaus did in words contend for the +kingdom, but that in deeds he had long exercised royal authority, +and so did but insult Caesar in desiring to be now heard on that +account, since he had not staid for his determination about the +succession, and since he had suborned certain persons, after +Herod's death, to move for putting the diadem upon his head; +since he had set himself down in the throne, and given answers as +a king, and altered the disposition of the army, and granted to +some higher dignities; that he had also complied in all things +with the people in the requests they had made to him as to their +king, and had also dismissed those that had been put into bonds +by his father for most important reasons. Now, after all this, he +desires the shadow of that royal authority, whose substance he +had already seized to himself, and so hath made Caesar lord, not +of things, but of words. He also reproached him further, that his +mourning for his father was only pretended, while he put on a sad +countenance in the day time, but drank to great excess in the +night; from which behavior, he said, the late disturbance among +the multitude came, while they had an indignation thereat. And +indeed the purport of his whole discourse was to aggravate +Archelaus's crime in slaying such a multitude about the temple, +which multitude came to the festival, but were barbarously slain +in the midst of their own sacrifices; and he said there was such +a vast number of dead bodies heaped together in the temple, as +even a foreign war, that should come upon them [suddenly], before +it was denounced, could not have heaped together. And he added, +that it was the foresight his father had of that his barbarity +which made him never give him any hopes of the kingdom, but when +his mind was more infirm than his body, and he was not able to +reason soundly, and did not well know what was the character of +that son, whom in his second testament he made his successor; and +this was done by him at a time when he had no complaints to make +of him whom he had named before, when he was sound in body, and +when his mind was free from all passion. That, however, if any +one should suppose Herod's judgment, when he was sick, was +superior to that at another time, yet had Archelaus forfeited his +kingdom by his own behavior, and those his actions, which were +contrary to the law, and to its disadvantage. Or what sort of a +king will this man be, when he hath obtained the government from +Caesar, who hath slain so many before he hath obtained it! +6. When Antipater had spoken largely to this purpose, and had +produced a great number of Archelaus's kindred as witnesses, to +prove every part of the accusation, he ended his discourse. Then +stood up Nicolaus to plead for Archelaus. He alleged that the +slaughter in the temple could not be avoided; that those that +were slain were become enemies not to Archelaus's kingdom, only, +but to Caesar, who was to determine about him. He also +demonstrated that Archelaus's accusers had advised him to +perpetrate other things of which he might have been accused. But +he insisted that the latter testament should, for this reason, +above all others, be esteemed valid, because Herod had therein +appointed Caesar to be the person who should confirm the +succession; for he who showed such prudence as to recede from his +own power, and yield it up to the lord of the world, cannot be +supposed mistaken in his judgment about him that was to be his +heir; and he that so well knew whom to choose for arbitrator of +the succession could not be unacquainted with him whom he chose +for his successor. + +7. When Nicolaus had gone through all he had to say, Archelaus +came, and fell down before Caesar's knees, without any noise; - +upon which he raised him up, after a very obliging manner, and +declared that truly he was worthy to succeed his father. However, +he still made no firm determination in his case; but when he had +dismissed those assessors that had been with him that day, he +deliberated by himself about the allegations which he had heard, +whether it were fit to constitute any of those named in the +testaments for Herod's successor, or whether the government +should be parted among all his posterity, and this because of the +number of those that seemed to stand in need of support +therefrom. + +CHAPTER 3. + +The Jews Fight A Great Battle With Sabinus's Soldiers, And A +Great Destruction Is Made At Jerusalem. + +1. Now before Caesar had determined any thing about these +affairs, Malthace, Arehelaus's mother, fell sick and died. +Letters also were brought out of Syria from Varus, about a revolt +of the Jews. This was foreseen by Varus, who accordingly, after +Archelaus was sailed, went up to Jerusalem to restrain the +promoters of the sedition, since it was manifest that the nation +would not he at rest; so he left one of those legions which he +brought with him out of Syria in the city, and went himself to +Antioch. But Sabinus came, after he was gone, and gave them an +occasion of making innovations; for he compelled the keepers of +the citadels to deliver them up to him, and made a bitter search +after the king's money, as depending not only on the soldiers +which were left by Varus, but on the multitude of his own +servants, all which he armed and used as the instruments of his +covetousness. Now when that feast, which was observed after seven +weeks, and which the Jews called Pentecost, (i. e. the 50th day,) +was at hand, its name being taken from the number of the days +[after the passover], the people got together, but not on account +of the accustomed Divine worship, but of the indignation they had +['at the present state of affairs']. Wherefore an immense +multitude ran together, out of Galilee, and Idumea, and Jericho, +and Perea, that was beyond Jordan; but the people that naturally +belonged to Judea itself were above the rest, both in number, and +in the alacrity of the men. So they distributed themselves into +three parts, and pitched their camps in three places; one at the +north side of the temple, another at the south side, by the +Hippodrome, and the third part were at the palace on the west. So +they lay round about the Romans on every side, and besieged them. +2. Now Sabinus was aftrighted, both at their multitude, and at +their courage, and sent messengers to Varus continually, and +besought him to come to his succor quickly; for that if he +delayed, his legion would be cut to pieces. As for Sabinus +himself, he got up to the highest tower of the fortress, which +was called Phasaelus; it is of the same name with Herod's +brother, who was destroyed by the Parthians; and then he made +signs to the soldiers of that legion to attack the enemy; for his +astonishment was so great, that he durst not go down to his own +men. Hereupon the soldiers were prevailed upon, and leaped out +into the temple, and fought a terrible battle with the Jews; in +which, while there were none over their heads to distress them, +they were too hard for them, by their skill, and the others' want +of skill, in war; but when once many of the Jews had gotten up to +the top of the cloisters, and threw their darts downwards, upon +the heads of the Romans, there were a great many of them +destroyed. Nor was it easy to avenge themselves upon those that +threw their weapons from on high, nor was it more easy for them +to sustain those who came to fight them hand to hand. + +3. Since therefore the Romans were sorely afflicted by both these +circumstances, they set fire to the cloisters, which were works +to be admired, both on account of their magnitude and costliness. +Whereupon those that were above them were presently encompassed +with the flame, and many of them perished therein; as many of +them also were destroyed by the enemy, who came suddenly upon +them; some of them also threw themselves down from the walls +backward, and some there were who, from the desperate condition +they were in, prevented the fire, by killing themselves with +their own swords; but so many of them as crept out from the +walls, and came upon the Romans, were easily mastere by them, by +reason of the astonishment they were under; until at last some of +the Jews being destroyed, and others dispersed by the terror they +were in, the soldiers fell upon the treasure of God, which w now +deserted, and plundered about four hundred talents, Of which sum +Sabinus got together all that was not carried away by the +soldiers. + +4. However, this destruction of the works [about the temple], and +of the men, occasioned a much greater number, and those of a more +warlike sort, to get together, to oppose the Romans. These +encompassed the palace round, and threatened to deploy all that +were in it, unless they went their ways quickly; for they +promised that Sabinus should come to no harm, if he would go out +with his legion. There were also a great many of the king's party +who deserted the Romans, and assisted the Jews; yet did the most +warlike body of them all, who were three thousand of the men of +Sebaste, go over to the Romans. Rufus also, and Gratus, their +captains, did the same, (Gratus having the foot of the king's +party under him, and Rufus the horse,) each of whom, even without +the forces under them, were of great weight, on account of their +strength and wisdom, which turn the scales in war. Now the Jews +in the siege, and tried to break down walls of the fortress, and +cried out to Sabinus and his party, that they should go their +ways, and not prove a hinderance to them, now they hoped, after a +long time, to recover that ancient liberty which their +forefathers had enjoyed. Sabinus indeed was well contented to get +out of the danger he was in, but he distrusted the assurances the +Jews gave him, and suspected such gentle treatment was but a bait +laid as a snare for them: this consideration, together with the +hopes he had of succor from Varus, made him bear the siege still +longer. + +CHAPTER 4. + +Herod's Veteran Soldiers Become Tumultuous. The Robberies Of +Judas. Simon And Athronoeus Take The Name Of King Upon Them. +1. At this time there were great disturbances in the country, and +that in many places; and the opportunity that now offered itself +induced a great many to set up for kings. And indeed in Idumea +two thousand of Herod's veteran soldiers got together, and armed +and fought against those of the king's party; against whom +Achiabus, the king's first cousin, fought, and that out of some +of the places that were the most strongly fortified; but so as to +avoid a direct conflict with them in the plains. In Sepphoris +also, a city of Galilee, there was one Judas (the son of that +arch-robber Hezekias, who formerly overran the country, and had +been subdued by king Herod); this man got no small multitude +together, and brake open the place where the royal armor was laid +up, and armed those about him, and attacked those that were so +earnest to gain the dominion. + +2. In Perea also, Simon, one of the servants to the king, relying +upon the handsome appearance and tallness of his body, put a +diadem upon his own head also; he also went about with a company +of robbers that he had gotten together, and burnt down the royal +palace that was at Jericho, and many other costly edifices +besides, and procured himself very easily spoils by rapine, as +snatching them out of the fire. And he had soon burnt down all +the fine edifices, if Gratus, the captain of the foot of the +king's party, had not taken the Trachonite archers, and the most +warlike of Sebaste, and met the man. His footmen were slain in +the battle in abundance; Gratus also cut to pieces Simon himself, +as he was flying along a strait valley, when he gave him an +oblique stroke upon his neck, as he ran away, and brake it. The +royal palaces that were near Jordan at Betharamptha were also +burnt down by some other of the seditious that came out of Perea. +3. At this time it was that a certain shepherd ventured to set +himself up for a king; he was called Athrongeus. It was his +strength of body that made him expect such a dignity, as well as +his soul, which despised death; and besides these qualifications, +he had four brethren like himself. He put a troop of armed men +under each of these his brethren, and made use of them as his +generals and commanders, when he made his incursions, while he +did himself act like a king, and meddled only with the more +important affairs; and at this time he put a diadem about his +head, and continued after that to overrun the country for no +little time with his brethren, and became their leader in killing +both the Romans and those of the king's party; nor did any Jew +escape him, if any gain could accrue to him thereby. He once +ventured to encompass a whole troop of Romans at Emmaus, who were +carrying corn and weapons to their legion; his men therefore shot +their arrows and darts, and thereby slew their centurion Arius, +and forty of the stoutest of his men, while the rest of them, who +were in danger of the same fate, upon the coming of Gratus, with +those of Sebaste, to their assistance, escaped. And when these +men had thus served both their own countrymen and foreigners, and +that through this whole war, three of them were, after some time, +subdued; the eldest by Archelaus, the two next by falling into +the hands of Gratus and Ptolemeus; but the fourth delivered +himself up to Archelaus, upon his giving him his right hand for +his security. However, this their end was not till afterward, +while at present they filled all Judea with a piratic war. +CHAPTER 5. + +Varus Composes The Tumults In Judea And Crucifies About Two +Thousand Of The Seditious. + +1. Upon Varus's reception of the letters that were written by +Sabinus and the captains, he could not avoid being afraid for the +whole legion [he had left there]. So he made haste to their +relief, and took with him the other two legions, with the four +troops of horsemen to them belonging, and marched to Ptolenlais; +having given orders for the auxiliaries that were sent by the +kings and governors of cities to meet him there. Moreover, he +received from the people of Berytus, as he passed through their +city, fifteen hundred armed men. Now as soon as the other body of +auxiliaries were come to Ptolemais, as well as Aretas the +Arabian, (who, out of the hatred he bore to Herod, brought a +great army of horse and foot,) Varus sent a part of his army +presently to Galilee, which lay near to Ptolemais, and Caius, one +of his friends, for their captain. This Caius put those that met +him to flight, and took the city Sepphoris, and burnt it, and +made slaves of its inhabitants; but as for Varus himself, he +marched to Samaria with his whole army, where he did not meddle +with the city itself, because he found that it had made no +commotion during these troubles, but pitched his camp about a +certain village which was called Aras. It belonged to Ptolemy, +and on that account was plundered by the Arabians, who were very +angry even at Herod's friends also. He thence marched on to the +village Sampho, another fortified place, which they plundered, as +they had done the other. As they carried off all the money they +lighted upon belonging to the public revenues, all was now full +of fire and blood-shed, and nothing could resist the plunders of +the Arabians. Emnaus was also burnt, upon the flight of its +inhabitants, and this at the command of Varus, out of his rage at +the slaughter of those that were about Arias. + +2. Thence he marched on to Jerusalem, and as soon as he was but +seen by the Jews, he made their camps disperse themselves; they +also went away, and fled up and down the country. But the +citizens received him, and cleared themselves of having any hand +in this revolt, and said that they had raised no commotions, but +had only been forced to admit the multitude, because of the +festival, and that they were rather besieged together with the +Romans, than assisted those that had revolted. There had before +this met him Joseph, the first cousin of Archelaus, and Gratus, +together with Rufus, who led those of Sebaste, as well as the +king's army: there also met him those of the Roman legion, armed +after their accustomed manner; for as to Sabinus, he durst not +come into Varus's sight, but was gone out of the city before +this, to the sea-side. But Varus sent a part of his army into the +country, against those that had been the authors of this +commotion, and as they caught great numbers of them, those that +appeared to have been the least concerned in these tumults he put +into custody, but such as were the most guilty he crucified; +these were in number about two thousand. + +3. He was also informed that there continued in Idumea ten +thousand men still in arms; but when he found that the Arabians +did not act like auxiliaries, but managed the war according to +their own passions, and did mischief to the country otherwise +than he intended, and this out of their hatred to Herod, he sent +them away, but made haste, with his own legions, to march against +those that had revolted; but these, by the advice of Achiabus, +delivered themselves up to him before it came to a battle. Then +did Varus forgive the multitude their offenses, but sent their +captains to Caesar to be examined by him. Now Caesar forgave the +rest, but gave orders that certain of the king's relations (for +some of those that were among them were Herod's kinsmen) should +be put to death, because they had engaged in a war against a king +of their own family. When therefore Varus had settled matters at +Jerusalem after this manner, and had left the former legion there +as a garrison, he returned to Antioch. + +CHAPTER 6. + +The Jews Greatly Complain Of Archelaus And Desire That They May +Be Made Subject To Roman Governors. But When Caesar Had Heard +What They Had To Say, He Distributed Herod's Dominions Among His +Sons According To His Own Pleasure. + +1. But now came another accusation from the Jews against +Archelaus at Rome, which he was to answer to. It was made by +those ambassadors who, before the revolt, had come, by Varus's +permission, to plead for the liberty of their country; those that +came were fifty in number, but there were more than eight +thousand of the Jews at Rome who supported them. And when Caesar +had assembled a council of the principal Romans in Apollo's (2) +temple, that was in the palace, (this was what he had himself +built and adorned, at a vast expense,) the multitude of the Jews +stood with the ambassadors, and on the other side stood +Archelaus, with his friends; but as for the kindred of Archelaus, +they stood on neither side; for to stand on Archelaus's side, +their hatred to him, and envy at him, would not give them leave, +while yet they were afraid to be seen by Caesar with his +accusers. Besides these, there were present Archelaus's brother +Philip, being sent thither beforehand, out of kindness by Varus, +for two reasons: the one was this, that he might be assisting to +Archelaus; and the other was this, that in case Caesar should +make a distribution of what Herod possessed among his posterity, +he might obtain some share of it. + +2. And now, upon the permission that was given the accusers to +speak, they, in the first place, went over Herod's breaches of +their law, and said that be was not a king, but the most +barbarous of all tyrants, and that they had found him to be such +by the sufferings they underwent from him; that when a very great +number had been slain by him, those that were left had endured +such miseries, that they called those that were dead happy men; +that he had not only tortured the bodies of his subjects, but +entire cities, and had done much harm to the cities of his own +country, while he adorned those that belonged to foreigners; and +he shed the blood of Jews, in order to do kindnesses to those +people that were out of their bounds; that he had filled the +nation full of poverty, and of the greatest iniquity, instead of +that happiness and those laws which they had anciently enjoyed; +that, in short, the Jews had borne more calamities from Herod, in +a few years, than had their forefathers during all that interval +of time that had passed since they had come out of Babylon, and +returned home, in the reign of Xerxes (3) that, however, the +nation was come to so low a condition, by being inured to +hardships, that they submitted to his successor of their own +accord, though he brought them into bitter slavery; that +accordingly they readily called Archelaus, though he was the son +of so great a tyrant, king, after the decease of his father, and +joined with him in mourning for the death of Herod, and in +wishing him good success in that his succession; while yet this +Archelaus, lest he should be in danger of not being thought the +genuine son of Herod, began his reign with the murder of three +thousand citizens; as if he had a mind to offer so many bloody +sacrifices to God for his government, and to fill the temple with +the like number of dead bodies at that festival: that, however, +those that were left after so many miseries, had just reason to +consider now at last the calamities they had undergone, and to +oppose themselves, like soldiers in war, to receive those stripes +upon their faces [but not upon their backs, as hitherto]. +Whereupon they prayed that the Romans would have compassion upon +the [poor] remains of Judea, and not expose what was left of them +to such as barbarously tore them to pieces, and that they would +join their country to Syria, and administer the government by +their own commanders, whereby it would [soon] be demonstrated +that those who are now under the calumny of seditious persons, +and lovers of war, know how to bear governors that are set over +them, if they be but tolerable ones. So the Jews concluded their +accusation with this request. Then rose up Nicolaus, and confuted +the accusations which were brought against the kings, and himself +accused the Jewish nation, as hard to be ruled, and as naturally +disobedient to kings. He also reproached all those kinsmen of +Archelaus who had left him, and were gone over to his accusers. +3. So Caesar, after he had heard both sides, dissolved the +assembly for that time; but a few days afterward, he gave the one +half of Herod's kingdom to Archelaus, by the name of Ethnarch, +and promised to make him king also afterward, if he rendered +himself worthy of that dignity. But as to the other half, he +divided it into two tetrarchies, and gave them to two other sons +of Herod, the one of them to Philip, and the other to that +Antipas who contested the kingdom with Archelaus. Under this last +was Perea and Galilee, with a revenue of two hundred talents; but +Batanea, and Trachonitis, and Auranitis, and certain parts of +Zeno's house about Jamnia, with a revenue of a hundred talents, +were made subject to Philip; while Idumea, and all Judea, and +Samaria were parts of the ethnarchy of Archelaus, although +Samaria was eased of one quarter of its taxes, out of regard to +their not having revolted with the rest of the nation. He also +made subject to him the following cities, viz. Strato's Tower, +and Sebaste, and Joppa, and Jerusalem; but as to the Grecian +cities, Gaza, and Gadara, and Hippos, he cut them off from the +kingdom, and added them to Syria. Now the revenue of the country +that was given to Archelaus was four hundred talents. Salome +also, besides what the king had left her in his testaments, was +now made mistress of Jamnia, and Ashdod, and Phasaelis. Caesar +did moreover bestow upon her the royal palace of Ascalon; by all +which she got together a revenue of sixty talents; but he put her +house under the ethnarchy of Archelaus. And for the rest of +Herod's offspring, they received what was bequeathed to them in +his testaments; but, besides that, Caesar granted to Herod's two +virgin daughters five hundred thousand [drachmae] of silver, and +gave them in marriage to the sons of Pheroras: but after this +family distribution, he gave between them what had been +bequeathed to him by Herod, which was a thousand talents, +reserving to himself only some inconsiderable presents, in honor +of the deceased. + +CHAPTER 7. + +The History Of The Spurious Alexander. Archelaus Is Banished And +Glaphyra Dies, After What Was To Happen To Both Of Them Had Been +Showed Them In Dreams. + +1. In the meantime, there was a man, who was by birth a Jew, but +brought up at Sidon with one of the Roman freed-men, who falsely +pretended, on account of the resemblance of their countenances, +that he was that Alexander who was slain by Herod. This man came +to Rome, in hopes of not being detected. He had one who was his +assistant, of his own nation, and who knew all the affairs of the +kingdom, and instructed him to say how those that were sent to +kill him and Aristobulus had pity upon them, and stole them away, +by putting bodies that were like theirs in their places. This man +deceived the Jews that were at Crete, and got a great deal of +money of them for traveling in splendor; and thence sailed to +Melos, where he was thought so certainly genuine, that he got a +great deal more money, and prevailed with those that had treated +him to sail along with him to Rome. So he landed at Dicearchia, +[Puteoli,] and got very large presents from the Jews who dwelt +there, and was conducted by his father's friends as if he were a +king; nay, the resemblance in his countenance procured him so +much credit, that those who had seen Alexander, and had known him +very well, would take their oaths that he was the very same +person. Accordingly, the whole body of the Jews that were at Rome +ran out in crowds to see him, and an innumerable multitude there +was which stood in the narrow places through which he was +carried; for those of Melos were so far distracted, that they +carried him in a sedan, and maintained a royal attendance for him +at their own proper charges. + +2. But Caesar, who knew perfectly well the lineaments of +Alexander's face, because he had been accused by Herod before +him, discerned the fallacy in his countenance, even before he saw +the man. However, he suffered the agreeable fame that went of him +to have some weight with him, and sent Celadus, one who well knew +Alexander, and ordered him to bring the young man to him. But +when Caesar saw him, he immediately discerned a difference in his +countenance; and when he had discovered that his whole body was +of a more robust texture, and like that of a slave, he understood +the whole was a contrivance. But the impudence of what he said +greatly provoked him to be angry at him; for when he was asked +about Aristobulus, he said that he was also preserved alive, and +was left on purpose in Cyprus, for fear of treachery, because it +would be harder for plotters to get them both into their power +while they were separate. Then did Caesar take him by himself +privately, and said to him, "I will give thee thy life, if thou +wilt discover who it was that persuaded thee to forge such +stories." So he said that he would discover him, and followed +Caesar, and pointed to that Jew who abused the resemblance of his +face to get money; for that he had received more presents in +every city than ever Alexander did when he was alive. Caesar +laughed at the contrivance, and put this spurious Alexander among +his rowers, on account of the strength of his body, but ordered +him that persuaded him to be put to death. But for the people of +Melos, they had been sufficiently punished for their folly, by +the expenses they had been at on his account. + +3. And now Archelaus took possession of his ethnarchy, and used +not the Jews only, but the Samaritans also, barbarously; and this +out of his resentment of their old quarrels with him. Whereupon +they both of them sent ambassadors against him to Caesar; and in +the ninth year of his government he was banished to Vienna, a +city of Gaul, and his effects were put into Caesar's treasury. +But the report goes, that before he was sent for by Caesar, he +seemed to see nine ears of corn, full and large, but devoured by +oxen. When, therefore, he had sent for the diviners, and some of +the Chaldeans, and inquired of them what they thought it +portended; and when one of them had one interpretation, and +another had another, Simon, one of the sect of Essens, said that +he thought the ears of corn denoted years, and the oxen denoted a +mutation of things, because by their ploughing they made an +alteration of the country. That therefore he should reign as many +years as there were ears of corn; and after he had passed through +various alterations of fortune, should die. Now five days after +Archelaus had heard this interpretation he was called to his +trial. + +4. I cannot also but think it worthy to be recorded what dream +Glaphyra, the daughter of Archelaus, king of Cappadocia, had, who +had at first been wife to Alexander, who was the brother of +Archelaus, concerning whom we have been discoursing. This +Alexander was the son of Herod the king, by whom he was put to +death, as we have already related. This Glaphyra was married, +after his death, to Juba, king of Libya; and, after his death, +was returned home, and lived a widow with her father. Then it was +that Archelaus, the ethnarch, saw her, and fell so deeply in love +with her, that he divorced Mariamne, who was then his wife, ,and +married her. When, therefore, she was come into Judea, and had +been there for a little while, she thought she saw Alexander +stand by her, and that he said to her; "Thy marriage with the +king of Libya might have been sufficient for thee; but thou wast +not contented with him, but art returned again to my family, to a +third husband; and him, thou impudent woman, hast thou chosen for +thine husband, who is my brother. However, I shall not overlook +the injury thou hast offered me; I shall [soon] have thee again, +whether thou wilt or no." Now Glaphyra hardly survived the +narration of this dream of hers two days. + +CHAPTER 8. + +Archelaus's Ethnarchy Is Reduced Into A [Roman] Province. The +Sedition Of Judas Of Galilee. The Three Sects. + +1. And now Archelaus's part of Judea was reduced into a province, +and Coponius, one of the equestrian order among the Romans, was +sent as a procurator, having the power of [life and] death put +into his hands by Caesar. Under his administration it was that a +certain Galilean, whose name was Judas, prevailed with his +countrymen to revolt, and said they were cowards if they would +endure to pay a tax to the Romans and would after God submit to +mortal men as their lords. This man was a teacher of a peculiar +sect of his own, and was not at all like the rest of those their +leaders. + +2. For there are three philosophical sects among the Jews. The +followers of the first of which are the Pharisees; of the second, +the Sadducees; and the third sect, which pretends to a severer +discipline, are called Essens. These last are Jews by birth, and +seem to have a greater affection for one another than the other +sects have. These Essens reject pleasures as an evil, but esteem +continence, and the conquest over our passions, to be virtue. +They neglect wedlock, but choose out other persons children, +while they are pliable, and fit for learning, and esteem them to +be of their kindred, and form them according to their own +manners. They do not absolutely deny the fitness of marriage, and +the succession of mankind thereby continued; but they guard +against the lascivious behavior of women, and are persuaded that +none of them preserve their fidelity to one man. + +3. These men are despisers of riches, and so very communicative +as raises our admiration. Nor is there any one to be found among +them who hath more than another; for it is a law among them, that +those who come to them must let what they have be common to the +whole order, - insomuch that among them all there is no +appearance of poverty, or excess of riches, but every one's +possessions are intermingled with every other's possessions; and +so there is, as it were, one patrimony among all the brethren. +They think that oil is a defilement; and if any one of them be +anointed without his own approbation, it is wiped off his body; +for they think to be sweaty is a good thing, as they do also to +be clothed in white garments. They also have stewards appointed +to take care of their common affairs, who every one of them have +no separate business for any, but what is for the uses of them +all. + +4. They have no one certain city, but many of them dwell in every +city; and if any of their sect come from other places, what they +have lies open for them, just as if it were their own; and they +go in to such as they never knew before, as if they had been ever +so long acquainted with them. For which reason they carry nothing +at all with them when they travel into remote parts, though still +they take their weapons with them, for fear of thieves. +Accordingly, there is, in every city where they live, one +appointed particularly to take care of strangers, and to provide +garments and other necessaries for them. But the habit and +management of their bodies is such as children use who are in +fear of their masters. Nor do they allow of the change of or of +shoes till be first torn to pieces, or worn out by time. Nor do +they either buy or sell any thing to one another; but every one +of them gives what he hath to him that wanteth it, and receives +from him again in lieu of it what may be convenient for himself; +and although there be no requital made, they are fully allowed to +take what they want of whomsoever they please. + +5. And as for their piety towards God, it is very extraordinary; +for before sun-rising they speak not a word about profane +matters, but put up certain prayers which they have received from +their forefathers, as if they made a supplication for its rising. +After this every one of them are sent away by their curators, to +exercise some of those arts wherein they are skilled, in which +they labor with great diligence till the fifth hour. After which +they assemble themselves together again into one place; and when +they have clothed themselves in white veils, they then bathe +their bodies in cold water. And after this purification is over, +they every one meet together in an apartment of their own, into +which it is not permitted to any of another sect to enter; while +they go, after a pure manner, into the dining-room, as into a +certain holy temple, and quietly set themselves down; upon which +the baker lays them loaves in order; the cook also brings a +single plate of one sort of food, and sets it before every one of +them; but a priest says grace before meat; and it is unlawful for +any one to taste of the food before grace be said. The same +priest, when he hath dined, says grace again after meat; and when +they begin, and when they end, they praise God, as he that +bestows their food upon them; after which they lay aside their +[white] garments, and betake themselves to their labors again +till the evening; then they return home to supper, after the same +manner; and if there be any strangers there, they sit down with +them. Nor is there ever any clamor or disturbance to pollute +their house, but they give every one leave to speak in their +turn; which silence thus kept in their house appears to +foreigners like some tremendous mystery; the cause of which is +that perpetual sobriety they exercise, and the same settled +measure of meat and drink that is allotted them, and that such as +is abundantly sufficient for them. + +6. And truly, as for other things, they do nothing but according +to the injunctions of their curators; only these two things are +done among them at everyone's own free-will, which are to assist +those that want it, and to show mercy; for they are permitted of +their own accord to afford succor to such as deserve it, when +they stand in need of it, and to bestow food on those that are in +distress; but they cannot give any thing to their kindred without +the curators. They dispense their anger after a just manner, and +restrain their passion. They are eminent for fidelity, and are +the ministers of peace; whatsoever they say also is firmer than +an oath; but swearing is avoided by them, and they esteem it +worse than perjury (4) for they say that he who cannot be +believed without [swearing by] God is already condemned. They +also take great pains in studying the writings of the ancients, +and choose out of them what is most for the advantage of their +soul and body; and they inquire after such roots and medicinal +stones as may cure their distempers. + +7. But now if any one hath a mind to come over to their sect, he +is not immediately admitted, but he is prescribed the same method +of living which they use for a year, while he continues +excluded'; and they give him also a small hatchet, and the +fore-mentioned girdle, and the white garment. And when he hath +given evidence, during that time, that he can observe their +continence, he approaches nearer to their way of living, and is +made a partaker of the waters of purification; yet is he not even +now admitted to live with them; for after this demonstration of +his fortitude, his temper is tried two more years; and if he +appear to be worthy, they then admit him into their society. And +before he is allowed to touch their common food, he is obliged to +take tremendous oaths, that, in the first place, he will exercise +piety towards God, and then that he will observe justice towards +men, and that he will do no harm to any one, either of his own +accord, or by the command of others; that he will always hate the +wicked, and be assistant to the righteous; that he will ever show +fidelity to all men, and especially to those in authority, +because no one obtains the government without God's assistance; +and that if he be in authority, he will at no time whatever abuse +his authority, nor endeavor to outshine his subjects either in +his garments, or any other finery; that he will be perpetually a +lover of truth, and propose to himself to reprove those that tell +lies; that he will keep his hands clear from theft, and his soul +from unlawful gains; and that he will neither conceal any thing +from those of his own sect, nor discover any of their doctrines +to others, no, not though anyone should compel him so to do at +the hazard of his life. Moreover, he swears to communicate their +doctrines to no one any otherwise than as he received them +himself; that he will abstain from robbery, and will equally +preserve the books belonging to their sect, and the names of the +angels (5) [or messengers]. These are the oaths by which they +secure their proselytes to themselves. + +8. But for those that are caught in any heinous sins, they cast +them out of their society; and he who is thus separated from them +does often die after a miserable manner; for as he is bound by +the oath he hath taken, and by the customs he hath been engaged +in, he is not at liberty to partake of that food that he meets +with elsewhere, but is forced to eat grass, and to famish his +body with hunger, till he perish; for which reason they receive +many of them again when they are at their last gasp, out of +compassion to them, as thinking the miseries they have endured +till they came to the very brink of death to be a sufficient +punishment for the sins they had been guilty of. + +9. But in the judgments they exercise they are most accurate and +just, nor do they pass sentence by the votes of a court that is +fewer than a hundred. And as to what is once determined by that +number, it is unalterable. What they most of all honor, after God +himself, is the name of their legislator [Moses], whom if any one +blaspheme he is punished capitally. They also think it a good +thing to obey their elders, and the major part. Accordingly, if +ten of them be sitting together, no one of them will speak while +the other nine are against it. They also avoid spitting in the +midst of them, or on the right side. Moreover, they are stricter +than any other of the Jews in resting from their labors on the +seventh day; for they not only get their food ready the day +before, that they may not be obliged to kindle a fire on that +day, but they will not remove any vessel out of its place, nor go +to stool thereon. Nay, on other days they dig a small pit, a foot +deep, with a paddle (which kind of hatchet is given them when +they are first admitted among them); and covering themselves +round with their garment, that they may not affront the Divine +rays of light, they ease themselves into that pit, after which +they put the earth that was dug out again into the pit; and even +this they do only in the more lonely places, which they choose +out for this purpose; and although this easement of the body be +natural, yet it is a rule with them to wash themselves after it, +as if it were a defilement to them. + +10. Now after the time of their preparatory trial is over, they +are parted into four classes; and so far are the juniors inferior +to the seniors, that if the seniors should be touched by the +juniors, they must wash themselves, as if they had intermixed +themselves with the company of a foreigner. They are long-lived +also, insomuch that many of them live above a hundred years, by +means of the simplicity of their diet; nay, as I think, by means +of the regular course of life they observe also. They contemn the +miseries of life, and are above pain, by the generosity of their +mind. And as for death, if it will be for their glory, they +esteem it better than living always; and indeed our war with the +Romans gave abundant evidence what great souls they had in their +trials, wherein, although they were tortured and distorted, burnt +and torn to pieces, and went through all kinds of instruments of +torment, that they might be forced either to blaspheme their +legislator, or to eat what was forbidden them, yet could they not +be made to do either of them, no, nor once to flatter their +tormentors, or to shed a tear; but they smiled in their very +pains, and laughed those to scorn who inflicted the torments upon +them, and resigned up their souls with great alacrity, as +expecting to receive them again. + +11. For their doctrine is this: That bodies are corruptible, and +that the matter they are made of is not permanent; but that the +souls are immortal, and continue for ever; and that they come out +of the most subtile air, and are united to their bodies as to +prisons, into which they are drawn by a certain natural +enticement; but that when they are set free from the bonds of the +flesh, they then, as released from a long bondage, rejoice and +mount upward. And this is like the opinions of the Greeks, that +good souls have their habitations beyond the ocean, in a region +that is neither oppressed with storms of rain or snow, or with +intense heat, but that this place is such as is refreshed by the +gentle breathing of a west wind, that is perpetually blowing from +the ocean; while they allot to bad souls a dark and tempestuous +den, full of never-ceasing punishments. And indeed the Greeks +seem to me to have followed the same notion, when they allot the +islands of the blessed to their brave men, whom they call heroes +and demi-gods; and to the souls of the wicked, the region of the +ungodly, in Hades, where their fables relate that certain +persons, such as Sisyphus, and Tantalus, and Ixion, and Tityus, +are punished; which is built on this first supposition, that +souls are immortal; and thence are those exhortations to virtue +and dehortations from wickedness collected; whereby good men are +bettered in the conduct of their life by the hope they have of +reward after their death; and whereby the vehement inclinations +of bad men to vice are restrained, by the fear and expectation +they are in, that although they should lie concealed in this +life, they should suffer immortal punishment after their death. +These are the Divine doctrines of the Essens (6) about the soul, +which lay an unavoidable bait for such as have once had a taste +of their philosophy. + +12. There are also those among them who undertake to foretell +things to come, (7) by reading the holy books, and using several +sorts of purifications, and being perpetually conversant in the +discourses of the prophets; and it is but seldom that they miss +in their predictions. + +13. Moreover, there is another order of Essens, (8) who agree +with the rest as to their way of living, and customs, and laws, +but differ from them in the point of marriage, as thinking that +by not marrying they cut off the principal part of human life, +which is the prospect of succession; nay, rather, that if all men +should be of the same opinion, the whole race of mankind would +fail. However, they try their spouses for three years; and if +they find that they have their natural purgations thrice, as +trials that they are likely to be fruitful, they then actually +marry them. But they do not use to accompany with their wives +when they are with child, as a demonstration that they do not +many out of regard to pleasure, but for the sake of posterity. +Now the women go into the baths with some of their garments on, +as the men do with somewhat girded about them. And these are the +customs of this order of Essens. + +14. But then as to the two other orders at first mentioned, the +Pharisees are those who are esteemed most skillful in the exact +explication of their laws, and introduce the first sect. These +ascribe all to fate [or providence], and to God, and yet allow, +that to act what is right, or the contrary, is principally in the +power of men, although fate does co-operate in every action. They +say that all souls are incorruptible, but that the souls of good +men only are removed into other bodies, - but that the souls of +bad men are subject to eternal punishment. But the Sadducees are +those that compose the second order, and take away fate entirely, +and suppose that God is not concerned in our doing or not doing +what is evil; and they say, that to act what is good, or what is +evil, is at men's own choice, and that the one or the other +belongs so to every one, that they may act as they please. They +also take away the belief of the immortal duration of the soul, +and the punishments and rewards in Hades. Moreover, the Pharisees +are friendly to one another, and are for the exercise of concord, +and regard for the public; but the behavior of the Sadducees one +towards another is in some degree wild, and their conversation +with those that are of their own party is as barbarous as if they +were strangers to them. And this is what I had to say concerning +the philosophic sects among the Jews. + +CHAPTER 9. + +The Death Of Salome. The Cities Which Herod And Philip Built. +Pilate Occasions Disturbances. Tiberius Puts Agrippa Into Bonds +But Caius Frees Him From Them, And Makes Him King. Herod Antipas +Is Banished. + +1. And now as the ethnarchy of Archelaus was fallen into a Roman +province, the other sons of Herod, Philip, and that Herod who was +called Antipas, each of them took upon them the administration of +their own tetrarchies; for when Salome died, she bequeathed to +Julia, the wife of Augustus, both her toparchy, and Jamriga, as +also her plantation of palm trees that were in Phasaelis. But +when the Roman empire was translated to Tiberius, the son of +Julia, upon the death of Augustus, who had reigned fifty-seven +years, six months, and two days, both Herod and Philip continued +in their tetrarchies; and the latter of them built the city +Cesarea, at the fountains of Jordan, and in the region of Paneas; +as also the city Julias, in the lower Gaulonitis. Herod also +built the city Tiberius in Galilee, and in Perea [beyond Jordan] +another that was also called Julias. + +2. Now Pilate, who was sent as procurator into Judea by Tiberius, +sent by night those images of Caesar that are called ensigns into +Jerusalem. This excited a very among great tumult among the Jews +when it was day; for those that were near them were astonished at +the sight of them, as indications that their laws were trodden +under foot; for those laws do not permit any sort of image to be +brought into the city. Nay, besides the indignation which the +citizens had themselves at this procedure, a vast number of +people came running out of the country. These came zealously to +Pilate to Cesarea, and besought him to carry those ensigns out of +Jerusalem, and to preserve them their ancient laws inviolable; +but upon Pilate's denial of their request, they fell (9) down +prostrate upon the ground, and continued immovable in that +posture for five days and as many nights. + +3. On the next day Pilate sat upon his tribunal, in the open +market-place, and called to him the multitude, as desirous to +give them an answer; and then gave a signal to the soldiers, that +they should all by agreement at once encompass the Jews with +their weapons; so the band of soldiers stood round about the Jews +in three ranks. The Jews were under the utmost consternation at +that unexpected sight. Pilate also said to them that they should +be cut in pieces, unless they would admit of Caesar's images, and +gave intimation to the soldiers to draw their naked swords. +Hereupon the Jews, as it were at one signal, fell down in vast +numbers together, and exposed their necks bare, and cried out +that they were sooner ready to be slain, than that their law +should be transgressed. Hereupon Pilate was greatly surprised at +their prodigious superstition, and gave order that the ensigns +should be presently carried out of Jerusalem. + +4. After this he raised another disturbance, by expending that +sacred treasure which is called Corban (10) upon aqueducts, +whereby he brought water from the distance of four hundred +furlongs. At this the multitude had indignation; and when Pilate +was come to Jerusalem, they came about his tribunal, and made a +clamor at it. Now when he was apprized aforehand of this +disturbance, he mixed his own soldiers in their armor with the +multitude, and ordered them to conceal themselves under the +habits of private men, and not indeed to use their swords, but +with their staves to beat those that made the clamor. He then +gave the signal from his tribunal [to do as he had bidden them]. +Now the Jews were so sadly beaten, that many of them perished by +the stripes they received, and many of them perished as trodden +to death by themselves; by which means the multitude was +astonished at the calamity of those that were slain, and held +their peace. + +5. In the mean time Agrippa, the son of that Aristobulus who had +been slain by his father Herod, came to Tiberius, to accuse Herod +the tetrarch; who not admitting of his accusation, he staid at +Rome, and cultivated a friendship with others of the men of note, +but principally with Caius the son of Germanicus, who was then +but a private person. Now this Agrippa, at a certain time, +feasted Caius; and as he was very complaisant to him on several +other accounts, he at length stretched out his hands, and openly +wished that Tiberius might die, and that he might quickly see him +emperor of the world. This was told to Tiberius by one of +Agrippa's domestics, who thereupon was very angry, and ordered +Agrippa to be bound, and had him very ill-treated in the prison +for six months, until Tiberius died, after he had reigned +twenty-two years, six months, and three days. + +6. But when Caius was made Caesar, he released Agrippa from his +bonds, and made him king of Philip's tetrarchy, who was now dead; +but when Agrippa had arrived at that degree of dignity, he +inflamed the ambitious desires of Herod the tetrarch, who was +chiefly induced to hope for the royal authority by his wife +Herodias, who reproached him for his sloth, and told him that it +was only because he would not sail to Caesar that he was +destitute of that great dignity; for since Caesar had made +Agrippa a king, from a private person, much mole would he advance +him from a tetrarch to that dignity. These arguments prevailed +with Herod, so that he came to Caius, by whom he was punished for +his ambition, by being banished into Spain; for Agrippa followed +him, in order to accuse him; to whom also Caius gave his +tetrarchy, by way of addition. So Herod died in Spain, whither +his wife had followed him. + +CHAPTER 10. + +Caius Commands That His Statue Should Be Set Up In The Temple +Itself; And What Petronius Did Thereupon. + +1. Now Caius Caesar did so grossly abuse the fortune he had +arrived at, as to take himself to be a god, and to desire to be +so called also, and to cut off those of the greatest nobility out +of his country. He also extended his impiety as far as the Jews. +Accordingly, he sent Petronius with an army to Jerusalem, to +place his statues in the temple, (11) and commanded him that, in +case the Jews would not admit of them, he should slay those that +opposed it, and carry all the rest of the nation into captivity: +but God concerned himself with these his commands. However, +Petronius marched out of Antioch into Judea, with three legions, +and many Syrian auxiliaries. Now as to the Jews, some of them +could not believe the stories that spake of a war; but those that +did believe them were in the utmost distress how to defend +themselves, and the terror diffused itself presently through them +all; for the army was already come to Ptolemais. + +2. This Ptolemais is a maritime city of Galilee, built in the +great plain. It is encompassed with mountains: that on the east +side, sixty furlongs off, belongs to Galilee; but that on the +south belongs to Carmel, which is distant from it a hundred and +twenty furlongs; and that on the north is the highest of them +all, and is called by the people of the country, The Ladder of +the Tyrians, which is at the distance of a hundred furlongs. The +very small river Belus (12) runs by it, at the distance of two +furlongs; near which there is Menmon's monument, (13) and hath +near it a place no larger than a hundred cubits, which deserves +admiration; for the place is round and hollow, and affords such +sand as glass is made of; which place, when it hath been emptied +by the many ships there loaded, it is filled again by the winds, +which bring into it, as it were on purpose, that sand which lay +remote, and was no more than bare common sand, while this mine +presently turns it into glassy sand. And what is to me still more +wonderful, that glassy sand which is superfluous, and is once +removed out of the place, becomes bare common sand again. And +this is the nature of the place we are speaking of. + +3. But now the Jews got together in great numbers with their +wives and children into that plain that was by Ptolemais, and +made supplication to Petronius, first for their laws, and, in the +next place, for themselves. So he was prevailed upon by the +multitude of the supplicants, and by their supplications, and +left his army and the statues at Ptolemais, and then went forward +into Galilee, and called together the multitude and all the men +of note to Tiberias, and showed them the power of the Romans, and +the threatenings of Caesar; and, besides this, proved that their +petition was unreasonable, because while all the nations in +subjection to them had placed the images of Caesar in their +several cities, among the rest of their gods, for them alone to +oppose it, was almost like the behavior of revolters, and was +injurious to Caesar. + +4. And when they insisted on their law, and the custom of their +country, and how it was not only not permitted them to make +either an image of God, or indeed of a man, and to put it in any +despicable part of their country, much less in the temple itself, +Petronius replied, "And am not I also," said he, "bound to keep +the law of my own lord? For if I transgress it, and spare you, it +is but just that I perish; while he that sent me, and not I, will +commence a war against you; for I am under command as well as +you." Hereupon the whole multitude cried out that they were ready +to suffer for their law. Petronius then quieted them, and said to +them, "Will you then make war against Caesar?" The Jews said, "We +offer sacrifices twice every day for Caesar, and for the Roman +people;" but that if he would place the images among them, he +must first sacrifice the whole Jewish nation; and that they were +ready to expose themselves, together with their children and +wives, to be slain. At this Petronius was astonished, and pitied +them, on account of the inexpressible sense of religion the men +were under, and that courage of theirs which made them ready to +die for it; so they were dismissed without success. + +5. But on the following days he got together the men of power +privately, and the multitude publicly, and sometimes he used +persuasions to them, and sometimes he gave them his advice; but +he chiefly made use of threatenings to them, and insisted upon +the power of the Romans, and the anger of Caius; and besides, +upon the necessity he was himself under [to do as he was +enjoined]. But as they could be no way prevailed upon, and he saw +that the country was in danger of lying without tillage; (for it +was about seed time that the multitude continued for fifty days +together idle;) so he at last got them together, and told them +that it was best for him to run some hazard himself; "for either, +by the Divine assistance, I shall prevail with Caesar, and shall +myself escape the danger as well as you, which will he matter of +joy to us both; or, in case Caesar continue in his rage, I will +be ready to expose my own life for such a great number as you +are." Whereupon he dismissed the multitude, who prayed greatly +for his prosperity; and he took the army out of Ptolemais, and +returned to Antioch; from whence he presently sent an epistle to +Caesar, and informed him of the irruption he had made into Judea, +and of the supplications of the nation; and that unless he had a +mind to lose both the country and the men in it, he must permit +them to keep their law, and must countermand his former +injunction. Caius answered that epistle in a violent-way, and +threatened to have Petronius put to death for his being so tardy +in the execution of what he had commanded. But it happened that +those who brought Caius's epistle were tossed by a storm, and +were detained on the sea for three months, while others that +brought the news of Caius's death had a good voyage. Accordingly, +Petronins received the epistle concerning Caius seven and twenty +days before he received that which was against himself. + +CHAPTER 11. + +Concerning The Government Of Claudius, And The Reign Of Agrippa. +Concerning The Deaths Of Agrippa And Of Herod And What Children +They Both Left Behind Them. + +1. Now when Caius had reigned three year's and eight months, and +had been slain by treachery, Claudius was hurried away by the +armies that were at Rome to take the government upon him; but the +senate, upon the reference of the consuls, Sentis Saturninns, and +Pomponins Secundus, gave orders to the three regiments of +soldiers that staid with them to keep the city quiet, and went up +into the capitol in great numbers, and resolved to oppose +Claudius by force, on account of the barbarous treatment they had +met with from Caius; and they determined either to settle the +nation under an aristocracy, as they had of old been governed, or +at least to choose by vote such a one for emperor as might be +worthy of it. + +2. Now it happened that at this time Agrippa sojourned at Rome, +and that both the senate called him to consult with them, and at +the same time Claudius sent for him out of the camp, that he +might be serviceable to him, as he should have occasion for his +service. So he, perceiving that Claudius was in effect made +Caesar already, went to him, who sent him as an ambassador to the +senate, to let them know what his intentions were: that, in the +first place, it was without his seeking that he was hurried away +by the soldiers; moreover, that he thought it was not just to +desert those soldiers in such their zeal for him, and that if he +should do so, his own fortune would be in uncertainty; for that +it was a dangerous case to have been once called to the empire. +He added further, that he would administer the government as a +good prince, and not like a tyrant; for that he would be +satisfied with the honor of being called emperor, but would, in +every one of his actions, permit them all to give him their +advice; for that although he had not been by nature for +moderation, yet would the death of Caius afford him a sufficient +demonstration how soberly he ought to act in that station. +3. This message was delivered by Agrippa; to which the senate +replied, that since they had an army, and the wisest counsels on +their side, they would not endure a voluntary slavery. And when +Claudius heard what answer the senate had made, he sent Agrippa +to them again, with the following message: That he could not bear +the thoughts of betraying them that had given their oaths to be +true to him; and that he saw he must fight, though unwillingly, +against such as he had no mind to fight; that, however, [if it +must come to that,] it was proper to choose a place without the +city for the war, because it was not agreeable to piety to +pollute the temples of their own city with the blood of their own +countrymen, and this only on occasion of their imprudent conduct. +And when Agrippa had heard this message, he delivered it to the +senators. + +4. In the mean time, one of the soldiers belonging to the senate +drew his sword, and cried out, "O my fellow soldiers, what is the +meaning of this choice of ours, to kill our brethren, and to use +violence to our kindred that are with Claudius? while we may have +him for our emperor whom no one can blame, and who hath so many +just reasons [to lay claim to the government]; and this with +regard to those against whom we are going to fight." When he had +said this, he marched through the whole senate, and carried all +the soldiers along with him. Upon which all the patricians were +immediately in a great fright at their being thus deserted. But +still, because there appeared no other way whither they could +turn themselves for deliverance, they made haste the same way +with the soldiers, and went to Claudius. But those that had the +greatest luck in flattering the good fortune of Claudius betimes +met them before the walls with their naked swords, and there was +reason to fear that those that came first might have been in +danger, before Claudius could know what violence the soldiers +were going to offer them, had not Agrippa ran before, and told +him what a dangerous thing they were going about, and that unless +he restrained the violence of these men, who were in a fit of +madness against the patricians, he would lose those on whose +account it was most desirable to rule, and would be emperor over +a desert. + +5. When Claudius heard this, he restrained the violence of the +soldiery, and received the senate into the camp, and treated them +after an obliging manner, and went out with them presently to +offer their thank-offerings to God, which were proper upon, his +first coming to the empire. Moreover, he bestowed on Agrippa his +whole paternal kingdom immediately, and added to it, besides +those countries that had been given by Augustus to Herod, +Trachonitis and Auranitis, and still besides these, that kingdom +which was called the kingdom of Lysanius. This gift he declared +to the people by a decree, but ordered the magistrates to have +the donation engraved on tables of brass, and to be set up in the +capitol. He bestowed on his brother Herod, who was also his +son-in-law, by marrying [his daughter] Bernice, the kingdom of +Chalcis. + +6. So now riches flowed in to Agrippa by his enjoyment of so +large a dominion; nor did he abuse the money he had on small +matters, but he began to encompass Jerusalem with such a wall, +which, had it been brought to perfection, had made it +impracticable for the Romans to take it by siege; but his death, +which happened at Cesarea, before he had raised the walls to +their due height, prevented him. He had then reigned three years, +as he had governed his tetrarchies three other years. He left +behind him three daughters, born to him by Cypros, Bernice, +Mariamne, and Drusilla, and a son born of the same mother, whose +name was Agrippa: he was left a very young child, so that +Claudius made the country a Roman province, and sent Cuspius +Fadus to be its procurator, and after him Tiberius Alexander, +who, making no alterations of the ancient laws, kept the nation +in tranquillity. Now after this, Herod the king of Chalcis died, +and left behind him two sons, born to him of his brother's +daughter Bernice; their names were Bernie Janus and Hyrcanus. [He +also left behind him] Aristobulus, whom he had by his former wife +Mariamne. There was besides another brother of his that died a +private person, his name was also Aristobulus, who left behind +him a daughter, whose name was Jotape: and these, as I have +formerly said, were the children of Aristobulus the son of Herod, +which Aristobulus and Alexander were born to Herod by Mariamne, +and were slain by him. But as for Alexander's posterity, they +reigned in Armenia. + +CHAPTER 12. + +Many Tumults Under Cumanus, Which Were Composed By Quadratus. +Felix Is Procurator Of Judea. Agrippa Is Advanced From Chalcis To +A Greater Kingdom. + +1 Now after the death of Herod, king of Chalcis, Claudius set +Agrippa, the son of Agrippa, over his uncle's kingdom, while +Cumanus took upon him the office of procurator of the rest, which +was a Roman province, and therein he succeeded Alexander; under +which Cureanus began the troubles, and the Jews' ruin came on; +for when the multitude were come together to Jerusalem, to the +feast of unleavened bread, and a Roman cohort stood over the +cloisters of the temple, (for they always were armed, and kept +guard at the festivals, to prevent any innovation which the +multitude thus gathered together might make,) one of the soldiers +pulled back his garment, and cowering down after an indecent +manner, turned his breech to the Jews, and spake such words as +you might expect upon such a posture. At this the whole multitude +had indignation, and made a clamor to Cumanus, that he would +punish the soldier; while the rasher part of the youth, and such +as were naturally the most tumultuous, fell to fighting, and +caught up stones, and threw them at the soldiers. Upon which +Cumanus was afraid lest all the people should make an assault +upon him, and sent to call for more armed men, who, when they +came in great numbers into the cloisters, the Jews were in a very +great consternation; and being beaten out of the temple, they ran +into the city; and the violence with which they crowded to get +out was so great, that they trod upon each other, and squeezed +one another, till ten thousand of them were killed, insomuch that +this feast became the cause of mourning to the whole nation, and +every family lamented their own relations. + +2. Now there followed after this another calamity, which arose +from a tumult made by robbers; for at the public road at +Beth-boron, one Stephen, a servant of Caesar, carried some +furniture, which the robbers fell upon and seized. Upon this +Cureanus sent men to go round about to the neighboring villages, +and to bring their inhabitants to him bound, as laying it to +their charge that they had not pursued after the thieves, and +caught them. Now here it was that a certain soldier, finding the +sacred book of the law, tore it to pieces, and threw it into the +fire. (14) Hereupon the Jews were in great disorder, as if their +whole country were in a flame, and assembled themselves so many +of them by their zeal for their religion, as by an engine, and +ran together with united clamor to Cesarea, to Cumanus, and made +supplication to him that he would not overlook this man, who had +offered such an affront to God, and to his law; but punish him +for what he had done. Accordingly, he, perceiving that the +multitude would not be quiet unless they had a comfortable answer +from him, gave order that the soldier should be brought, and +drawn through those that required to have him punished, to +execution, which being done, the Jews went their ways. + +3. After this there happened a fight between the Galileans and +the Samaritans; it happened at a village called Geman, which is +situate in the great plain of Samaria; where, as a great number +of Jews were going up to Jerusalem to the feast [of tabernacles,] +a certain Galilean was slain; and besides, a vast number of +people ran together out of Galilee, in order to fight with the +Samaritans. But the principal men among them came to Cumanus, and +besought him that, before the evil became incurable, he would +come into Galilee, and bring the authors of this murder to +punishment; for that there was no other way to make the multitude +separate without coming to blows. However, Cumanus postponed +their supplications to the other affairs he was then about, and +sent the petitioners away without success. + +4. But when the affair of this murder came to be told at +Jerusalem, it put the multitude into disorder, and they left the +feast; and without any generals to conduct them, they marched +with great violence to Samaria; nor would they be ruled by any of +the magistrates that were set over them, but they were managed by +one Eleazar, the son of Dineus, and by Alexander, in these their +thievish and seditious attempts. These men fell upon those that +were ill the neighborhood of the Acrabatene toparchy, and slew +them, without sparing any age, and set the villages on fire. +5. But Cumanus took one troop of horsemen, called the troop of +Sebaste, out of Cesarea, and came to the assistance of those that +were spoiled; he also seized upon a great number of those that +followed Eleazar, and slew more of them. And as for the rest of +the multitude of those that went so zealously to fight with the +Samaritans, the rulers of Jerusalem ran out clothed with +sackcloth, and having ashes on their head, and begged of them to +go their ways, lest by their attempt to revenge themselves upon +the Samaritans they should provoke the Romans to come against +Jerusalem; to have compassion upon their country and temple, +their children and their wives, and not bring the utmost dangers +of destruction upon them, in order to avenge themselves upon one +Galilean only. The Jews complied with these persuasions of +theirs, and dispersed themselves; but still there were a great +number who betook themselves to robbing, in hopes of impunity; +and rapines and insurrections of the bolder sort happened over +the whole country. And the men of power among the Samaritans came +to Tyre, to Ummidius Quadratus, (15) the president of Syria, and +desired that they that had laid waste the country might be +punished: the great men also of the Jews, and Jonathan the son of +Ananus the high priest, came thither, and said that the +Samaritans were the beginners of the disturbance, on account of +that murder they had committed; and that Cumanus had given +occasion to what had happened, by his unwillingness to punish the +original authors of that murder. + +6. But Quadratus put both parties off for that time, and told +them, that when he should come to those places, he would make a +diligent inquiry after every circumstance. After which he went to +Cesarea, and crucified all those whom Cumanus had taken alive; +and when from thence he was come to the city Lydda, he heard the +affair of the Samaritans, and sent for eighteen of the Jews, whom +he had learned to have been concerned in that fight, and beheaded +them; but he sent two others of those that were of the greatest +power among them, and both Jonathan and Ananias, the high +priests, as also Artanus the son of this Ananias, and certain +others that were eminent among the Jews, to Caesar; as he did in +like manner by the most illustrious of the Samaritans. He also +ordered that Cureanus [the procurator] and Celer the tribune +should sail to Rome, in order to give an account of what had been +done to Caesar. When he had finished these matters, he went up +from Lydda to Jerusalem, and finding the multitude celebrating +their feast of unleavened bread without any tumult, he returned +to Antioch. + +7. Now when Caesar at Rome had heard what Cumanus and the +Samaritans had to say, (where it was done in the hearing of +Agrippa, who zealously espoused the cause of the Jews, as in like +manner many of the great men stood by Cumanus,) he condemned the +Samaritans, and commanded that three of the most powerful men +among them should be put to death; he banished Cumanus, and sent +Color bound to Jerusalem, to be delivered over to the Jews to be +tormented; that he should be drawn round the city, and then +beheaded. + +8. After this Caesar sent Felix, (16) the brother of Pallas, to +be procurator of Galilee, and Samaria, and Perea, and removed +Agrippa from Chalcis unto a greater kingdom; for he gave him the +tetrarchy which had belonged to Philip, which contained Batanae, +Trachonitis, and Gaulonitis: he added to it the kingdom of +Lysanias, and that province [Abilene] which Varus had governed. +But Claudius himself, when he had administered the government +thirteen years, eight months, and twenty days, died, and left +Nero to be his successor in the empire, whom he had adopted by +his Wife Agrippina's delusions, in order to be his successor, +although he had a son of his own, whose name was Britannicus, by +Messalina his former wife, and a daughter whose name was Octavia, +whom he had married to Nero; he had also another daughter by +Petina, whose name was Antonia. + +CHAPTER 13. + +Nero Adds Four Cities To Agrippas Kingdom; But The Other Parts Of +Judea Were Under Felix. The Disturbances Which Were Raised By The +Sicarii The Magicians And An Egyptian False Prophet. The Jews And +Syrians Have A Contest At Cesarea. + +1. Now as to the many things in which Nero acted like a madman, +out of the extravagant degree of the felicity and riches which he +enjoyed, and by that means used his good fortune to the injury of +others; and after what manner he slew his brother, and wife, and +mother, from whom his barbarity spread itself to others that were +most nearly related to him; and how, at last, he was so +distracted that he became an actor in the scenes, and upon the +theater, - I omit to say any more about them, because there are +writers enough upon those subjects every where; but I shall turn +myself to those actions of his time in which the Jews were +concerned. + +2. Nero therefore bestowed the kingdom of the Lesser Armenia upon +Aristobulus, Herod's son, (17) and he added to Agrippa's kingdom +four cities, with the toparchies to them belonging; I mean Abila, +and that Julias which is in Perea, Tarichea also, and Tiberias of +Galilee; but over the rest of Judea he made Felix procurator. +This Felix took Eleazar the arch-robber, and many that were with +him, alive, when they had ravaged the country for twenty years +together, and sent them to Rome; but as to the number of the +robbers whom he caused to be crucified, and of those who were +caught among them, and whom he brought to punishment, they were a +multitude not to be enumerated. + +3. When the country was purged of these, there sprang up another +sort of robbers in Jerusalem, which were called Sicarii, who slew +men in the day time, and in the midst of the city; this they did +chiefly at the festivals, when they mingled themselves among the +multitude, and concealed daggers under their garments, with which +they stabbed those that were their enemies; and when any fell +down dead, the murderers became a part of those that had +indignation against them; by which means they appeared persons of +such reputation, that they could by no means be discovered. The +first man who was slain by them was Jonathan the high priest, +after whose death many were slain every day, while the fear men +were in of being so served was more afflicting than the calamity +itself; and while every body expected death every hour, as men do +in war, so men were obliged to look before them, and to take +notice of their enemies at a great distance; nor, if their +friends were coming to them, durst they trust them any longer; +but, in the midst of their suspicions and guarding of themselves, +they were slain. Such was the celerity of the plotters against +them, and so cunning was their contrivance. + +4. There was also another body of wicked men gotten together, not +so impure in their actions, but more wicked in their intentions, +which laid waste the happy state of the city no less than did +these murderers. These were such men as deceived and deluded the +people under pretense of Divine inspiration, but were for +procuring innovations and changes of the government; and these +prevailed with the multitude to act like madmen, and went before +them into the wilderness, as pretending that God would there show +them the signals of liberty. But Felix thought this procedure was +to be the beginning of a revolt; so he sent some horsemen and +footmen both armed, who destroyed a great number of them. + +5. But there was an Egyptian false prophet that did the Jews more +mischief than the former; for he was a cheat, and pretended to be +a prophet also, and got together thirty thousand men that were +deluded by him; these he led round about from the wilderness to +the mount which was called the Mount of Olives, and was ready to +break into Jerusalem by force from that place; and if he could +but once conquer the Roman garrison and the people, he intended +to domineer over them by the assistance of those guards of his +that were to break into the city with him. But Felix prevented +his attempt, and met him with his Roman soldiers, while all the +people assisted him in his attack upon them, insomuch that when +it came to a battle, the Egyptian ran away, with a few others, +while the greatest part of those that were with him were either +destroyed or taken alive; but the rest of the multitude were +dispersed every one to their own homes, and there concealed +themselves. + +6. Now when these were quieted, it happened, as it does in a +diseased body, that another part was subject to an inflammation; +for a company of deceivers and robbers got together, and +persuaded the Jews to revolt, and exhorted them to assert their +liberty, inflicting death on those that continued in obedience to +the Roman government, and saying, that such as willingly chose +slavery ought to be forced from such their desired inclinations; +for they parted themselves into different bodies, and lay in wait +up and down the country, and plundered the houses of the great +men, and slew the men themselves, and set the villages on fire; +and this till all Judea was filled with the effects of their +madness. And thus the flame was every day more and more blown up, +till it came to a direct war. + +7. There was also another disturbance at Cesarea, - those Jews +who were mixed with the Syrians that lived there rising a tumult +against them. The Jews pretended that the city was theirs, and +said that he who built it was a Jew, meaning king Herod. The +Syrians confessed also that its builder was a Jew; but they still +said, however, that the city was a Grecian city; for that he who +set up statues and temples in it could not design it for Jews. On +which account both parties had a contest with one another; and +this contest increased so much, that it came at last to arms, and +the bolder sort of them marched out to fight; for the elders of +the Jews were not able to put a stop to their own people that +were disposed to be tumultuous, and the Greeks thought it a shame +for them to be overcome by the Jews. Now these Jews exceeded the +others in riches and strength of body; but the Grecian part had +the advantage of assistance from the soldiery; for the greatest +part of the Roman garrison was raised out of Syria; and being +thus related to the Syrian part, they were ready to assist it. +However, the governors of the city were concerned to keep all +quiet, and whenever they caught those that were most for fighting +on either side, they punished them with stripes and bands. Yet +did not the sufferings of those that were caught affright the +remainder, or make them desist; but they were still more and more +exasperated, and deeper engaged in the sedition. And as Felix +came once into the market-place, and commanded the Jews, when +they had beaten the Syrians, to go their ways, and threatened +them if they would not, and they would not obey him, he sent his +soldiers out upon them, and slew a great many of them, upon which +it fell out that what they had was plundered. And as the sedition +still continued, he chose out the most eminent men on both sides +as ambassadors to Nero, to argue about their several privileges. +CHAPTER 14. + +Festus Succeeds Felix Who Is Succeeded By Albinus As He Is By +Florus; Who By The Barbarity Of His Government Forces The Jews +Into The War. + +1. Now it was that Festus succeeded Felix as procurator, and made +it his business to correct those that made disturbances in the +country. So he caught the greatest part of the robbers, and +destroyed a great many of them. But then Albinus, who succeeded +Festus, did not execute his office as the other had done; nor was +there any sort of wickedness that could be named but he had a +hand in it. Accordingly, he did not only, in his political +capacity, steal and plunder every one's substance, nor did he +only burden the whole nation with taxes, but he permitted the +relations of such as were in prison for robbery, and had been +laid there, either by the senate of every city, or by the former +procurators, to redeem them for money; and no body remained in +the prisons as a malefactor but he who gave him nothing. At this +time it was that the enterprises of the seditious at Jerusalem +were very formidable; the principal men among them purchasing +leave of Albinus to go on with their seditious practices; while +that part of the people who delighted in disturbances joined +themselves to such as had fellowship with Albinus; and every one +of these wicked wretches were encompassed with his own band of +robbers, while he himself, like an arch-robber, or a tyrant, made +a figure among his company, and abused his authority over those +about him, in order to plunder those that lived quietly. The +effect of which was this, that those who lost their goods were +forced to hold their peace, when they had reason to show great +indignation at what they had suffered; but those who had escaped +were forced to flatter him that deserved to be punished, out of +the fear they were in of suffering equally with the others. Upon +the Whole, nobody durst speak their minds, but tyranny was +generally tolerated; and at this time were those seeds sown which +brought the city to destruction. + +2. And although such was the character of Albinus, yet did +Gessius Florus (18) who succeeded him, demonstrate him to have +been a most excellent person, upon the comparison; for the former +did the greatest part of his rogueries in private, and with a +sort of dissimulation; but Gessius did his unjust actions to the +harm of the nation after a pompons manner; and as though he had +been sent as an executioner to punish condemned malefactors, he +omitted no sort of rapine, or of vexation; where the case was +really pitiable, he was most barbarous, and in things of the +greatest turpitude he was most impudent. Nor could any one outdo +him in disguising the truth; nor could any one contrive more +subtle ways of deceit than he did. He indeed thought it but a +petty offense to get money out of single persons; so he spoiled +whole cities, and ruined entire bodies of men at once, and did +almost publicly proclaim it all the country over, that they had +liberty given them to turn robbers, upon this condition, that he +might go shares with them in the spoils they got. Accordingly, +this his greediness of gain was the occasion that entire +toparchies were brought to desolation, and a great many of the +people left their own country, and fled into foreign provinces. +3. And truly, while Cestius Gallus was president of the province +of Syria, nobody durst do so much as send an embassage to him +against Florus; but when he was come to Jerusalem, upon the +approach of the feast of unleavened bread, the people came about +him not fewer in number than three millions (19) these besought +him to commiserate the calamities of their nation, and cried out +upon Florus as the bane of their country. But as he was present, +and stood by Cestius, he laughed at their words. However, +Cestius, when he had quieted the multitude, and had assured them +that he would take care that Florus should hereafter treat them +in a more gentle manner, returned to Antioch. Florus also +conducted him as far as Cesarea, and deluded him, though he had +at that very time the purpose of showing his anger at the nation, +and procuring a war upon them, by which means alone it was that +he supposed he might conceal his enormities; for he expected that +if the peace continued, he should have the Jews for his accusers +before Caesar; but that if he could procure them to make a +revolt, he should divert their laying lesser crimes to his +charge, by a misery that was so much greater; he therefore did +every day augment their calamities, in order to induce them to a +rebellion. + +4. Now at this time it happened that the Grecians at Cesarea had +been too hard for the Jews, and had obtained of Nero the +government of the city, and had brought the judicial +determination: at the same time began the war, in the twelfth +year of the reign of Nero, and the seventeenth of the reign of +Agrippa, in the month of Artemisins [Jyar.] Now the occasion of +this war was by no means proportionable to those heavy calamities +which it brought upon us. For the Jews that dwelt at Cesarea had +a synagogue near the place, whose owner was a certain Cesarean +Greek: the Jews had endeavored frequently to have purchased the +possession of the place, and had offered many times its value for +its price; but as the owner overlooked their offers, so did he +raise other buildings upon the place, in way of affront to them, +and made working-shops of them, and left them but a narrow +passage, and such as was very troublesome for them to go along to +their synagogue. Whereupon the warmer part of the Jewish youth +went hastily to the workmen, and forbade them to build there; but +as Florus would not permit them to use force, the great men of +the Jews, with John the publican, being in the utmost distress +what to do, persuaded Florus, with the offer of eight talents, to +hinder the work. He then, being intent upon nothing but getting +money, promised he would do for them all they desired of him, and +then went away from Cesarea to Sebaste, and left the sedition to +take its full course, as if he had sold a license to the Jews to +fight it out. + +5. Now on the next day, which was the seventh day of the week, +when the Jews were crowding apace to their synagogue, a certain +man of Cesarea, of a seditious temper, got an earthen vessel, and +set it with the bottom upward, at the entrance of that synagogue, +and sacrificed birds. This thing provoked the Jews to an +incurable degree, because their laws were affronted, and the +place was polluted. Whereupon the sober and moderate part of the +Jews thought it proper to have recourse to their governors again, +while the seditious part, and such as were in the fervor of their +youth, were vehemently inflamed to fight. The seditions also +among the Gentiles of Cesarea stood ready for the same purpose; +for they had, by agreement, sent the man to sacrifice beforehand +[as ready to support him;] so that it soon came to blows. +Hereupon Jucundus, the master of the horse, who was ordered to +prevent the fight, came thither, and took away the earthen +vessel, and endeavored to put a stop to the sedition; but when +(20) he was overcome by the violence of the people of Cesarea, +the Jews caught up their books of the law, and retired to +Narbata, which was a place to them belonging, distant from +Cesarea sixty furlongs. But John, and twelve of the principal men +with him, went to Florus, to Sebaste, and made a lamentable +complaint of their case, and besought him to help them; and with +all possible decency, put him in mind of the eight talents they +had given him; but he had the men seized upon, and put in prison, +and accused them for carrying the books of the law out of +Cesarea. + +6. Moreover, as to the citizens of Jerusalem, although they took +this matter very ill, yet did they restrain their passion; but +Florus acted herein as if he had been hired, and blew up the war +into a flame, and sent some to take seventeen talents out of the +sacred treasure, and pretended that Caesar wanted them. At this +the people were in confusion immediately, and ran together to the +temple, with prodigious clamors, and called upon Caesar by name, +and besought him to free them from the tyranny of Florus. Some +also of the seditious cried out upon Florus, and cast the +greatest reproaches upon him, and carried a basket about, and +begged some spills of money for him, as for one that was +destitute of possessions, and in a miserable condition. Yet was +not he made ashamed hereby of his love of money, but was more +enraged, and provoked to get still more; and instead of coming to +Cesarea, as he ought to have done, and quenching the flame of +war, which was beginning thence, and so taking away the occasion +of any disturbances, on which account it was that he had received +a reward [of eight talents], he marched hastily with an army of +horsemen and footmen against Jerusalem, that he might gain his +will by the arms of the Romans, and might, by his terror, and by +his threatenings, bring the city into subjection. + +7. But the people were desirous of making Florus ashamed of his +attempt, and met his soldiers with acclamations, and put +themselves in order to receive him very submissively. But he sent +Capito, a centurion, beforehand, with fifty soldiers, to bid them +go back, and not now make a show of receiving him in an obliging +manner, whom they had so foully reproached before; and said that +it was incumbent on them, in case they had generous souls, and +were free speakers, to jest upon him to his face, and appear to +be lovers of liberty, not only in words, but with their weapons +also. With this message was the multitude amazed; and upon the +coming of Capito's horsemen into the midst of them, they were +dispersed before they could salute Florus, or manifest their +submissive behavior to him. Accordingly, they retired to their +own houses, and spent that night in fear and confusion of face. +8. Now at this time Florus took up his quarters at the palace; +and on the next day he had his tribunal set before it, and sat +upon it, when the high priests, and the men of power, and those +of the greatest eminence in the city, came all before that +tribunal; upon which Florus commanded them to deliver up to him +those that had reproached him, and told them that they should +themselves partake of the vengeance to them belonging, if they +did not produce the criminals; but these demonstrated that the +people were peaceably disposed, and they begged forgiveness for +those that had spoken amiss; for that it was no wonder at all +that in so great a multitude there should be some more daring +than they ought to be, and, by reason of their younger age, +foolish also; and that it was impossible to distinguish those +that offended from the rest, while every one was sorry for what +he had done, and denied it out of fear of what would follow: that +he ought, however, to provide for the peace of the nation, and to +take such counsels as might preserve the city for the Romans, and +rather for the sake of a great number of innocent people to +forgive a few that were guilty, than for the sake of a few of the +wicked to put so large and good a body of men into disorder. +9. Florus was more provoked at this, and called out aloud to the +soldiers to plunder that which was called the Upper Market-place, +and to slay such as they met with. So the soldiers, taking this +exhortation of their commander in a sense agreeable to their +desire of gain, did not only plunder the place they were sent to, +but forcing themselves into every house, they slew its +inhabitants; so the citizens fled along the narrow lanes, and the +soldiers slew those that they caught, and no method of plunder +was omitted; they also caught many of the quiet people, and +brought them before Florus, whom he first chastised with stripes, +and then crucified. Accordingly, the whole number of those that +were destroyed that day, with their wives and children, (for they +did not spare even the infants themselves,) was about three +thousand and six hundred. And what made this calamity the heavier +was this new method of Roman barbarity; for Florus ventured then +to do what no one had done before, that is, to have men of the +equestrian order whipped (21) and nailed to the cross before his +tribunal; who, although they were by birth Jews, yet were they of +Roman dignity notwithstanding. + +CHAPTER 15. + +Concerning Bernice's Petition To Florus, To Spare The Jews, But +In Vain; As Also How, After The Seditious Flame Was Quenched, It +Was Kindled Again By Florus. + +1. About this very time king Agrippa was going to Alexandria, to +congratulate Alexander upon his having obtained the government of +Egypt from Nero; but as his sister Bernice was come to Jerusalem, +and saw the wicked practices of the soldiers, she was sorely +affected at it, and frequently sent the masters of her horse and +her guards to Florus, and begged of him to leave off these +slaughters; but he would not comply with her request, nor have +any regard either to the multitude of those already slain, or to +the nobility of her that interceded, but only to the advantage he +should make by this plundering; nay, this violence of the +soldiers brake out to such a degree of madness, that it spent +itself on the queen herself; for they did not only torment and +destroy those whom they had caught under her very eyes, but +indeed had killed herself also, unless she had prevented them by +flying to the palace, and had staid there all night with her +guards, which she had about her for fear of an insult from the +soldiers. Now she dwelt then at Jerusalem, in order to perform a +vow (22) which she had made to God; for it is usual with those +that had been either afflicted with a distemper, or with any +other distresses, to make vows; and for thirty days before they +are to offer their sacrifices, to abstain from wine, and to shave +the hair of their head. Which things Bernice was now performing, +and stood barefoot before Florus's tribunal, and besought him [to +spare the Jews]. Yet could she neither have any reverence paid to +her, nor could she escape without some danger of being slain +herself. + +2. This happened upon the sixteenth day of the month Artemisius +[Jyar]. Now, on the next day, the multitude, who were in a great +agony, ran together to the Upper Market-place, and made the +loudest lamentations for those that had perished; and the +greatest part of the cries were such as reflected on Florus; at +which the men of power were aftrighted, together with the high +priests, and rent their garments, and fell down before each of +them, and besought them to leave off, and not to provoke Florus +to some incurable procedure, besides what they had already +suffered. Accordingly, the multitude complied immediately, out of +reverence to those that had desired it of them, and out of the +hope they had that Florus would do them no more injuries. + +3. So Florus was troubled that the disturbances were over, and +endeavored to kindle that flame again, and sent for the high +priests, with the other eminent persons, and said the only +demonstration that the people would not make any other +innovations should be this, that they must go out and meet the +soldiers that were ascending from Cesarea, whence two cohorts +were coming; and while these men were exhorting the multitude so +to do, he sent beforehand, and gave directions to the centurions +of the cohorts, that they should give notice to those that were +under them not to return the Jews' salutations; and that if they +made any reply to his disadvantage, they should make use of their +weapons. Now the high priests assembled the multitude in the +temple, and desired them to go and meet the Romans, and to salute +the cohorts very civilly, before their miserable case should +become incurable. Now the seditious part would not comply with +these persuasions; but the consideration of those that had been +destroyed made them incline to those that were the boldest for +action. + +4. At this time it was that every priest, and every servant of +God, brought out the holy vessels, and the ornamental garments +wherein they used to minister in sacred things. The harpers also, +and the singers of hymns, came out with their instruments of +music, and fell down before the multitude, and begged of them +that they would preserve those holy ornaments to them, and not +provoke the Romans to carry off those sacred treasures. You might +also see then the high priests themselves, with dust sprinkled in +great plenty upon their heads, with bosoms deprived of any +covering but what was rent; these besought every one of the +eminent men by name, and the multitude in common, that they would +not for a small offense betray their country to those that were +desirous to have it laid waste; saying, "What benefit will it +bring to the soldiers to have a salutation from the Jews? or what +amendment of your affairs will it bring you, if you do not now go +out to meet them? and that if they saluted them civilly, all +handle would be cut off from Florus to begin a war; that they +should thereby gain their country, and freedom from all further +sufferings; and that, besides, it would be a sign of great want +of command of themselves, if they should yield to a few seditious +persons, while it was fitter for them who were so great a people +to force the others to act soberly." + +5. By these persuasions, which they used to the multitude and to +the seditious, they restrained some by threatenings, and others +by the reverence that was paid them. After this they led them +out, and they met the soldiers quietly, and after a composed +manner, and when they were come up with them, they saluted them; +but when they made no answer, the seditious exclaimed against +Florus, which was the signal given for falling upon them. The +soldiers therefore encompassed them presently, and struck them +with their clubs; and as they fled away, the horsemen trampled +them down, so that a great many fell down dead by the strokes of +the Romans, and more by their own violence in crushing one +another. Now there was a terrible crowding about the gates, and +while every body was making haste to get before another, the +flight of them all was retarded, and a terrible destruction there +was among those that fell down, for they were suffocated, an +broken to pieces by the multitude of those that were uppermost; +nor could any of them be distinguished by his relations in order +to the care of his funeral; the soldiers also who beat them, fell +upon those whom they overtook, without showing them any mercy, +and thrust the multitude through the place called Bezetha, (23) +as they forced their way, in order to get in and seize upon the +temple, and the tower Antonia. Florus also being desirous to get +those places into his possession, brought such as were with him +out of the king's palace, and would have compelled them to get as +far as the citadel [Antonia;] but his attempt failed, for the +people immediately turned back upon him, and stopped the violence +of his attempt; and as they stood upon the tops of their houses, +they threw their darts at the Romans, who, as they were sorely +galled thereby, because those weapons came from above, and they +were not able to make a passage through the multitude, which +stopped up the narrow passages, they retired to the camp which +was at the palace. + +6. But for the seditious, they were afraid lest Florus should +come again, and get possession of the temple, through Antonia; so +they got immediately upon those cloisters of the temple that +joined to Antonia, and cut them down. This cooled the avarice of +Florus; for whereas he was eager to obtain the treasures of God +[in the temple], and on that account was desirous of getting into +Antonia, as soon as the cloisters were broken down, he left off +his attempt; he then sent for the high priests and the sanhedrim, +and told them that he was indeed himself going out of the city, +but that he would leave them as large a garrison as they should +desire. Hereupon they promised that they would make no +innovations, in case he would leave them one band; but not that +which had fought with the Jews, because the multitude bore +ill-will against that band on account of what they had suffered +from it; so he changed the band as they desired, and, with the +rest of his forces, returned to Cesarea. + +CHAPTER 16. + +Cestius Sends Neopolitanus The Tribune To See In What Condition +The Affairs Of The Jews Were. Agrippa Makes A Speech To The +People Of The Jews That He May Divert Them From Their Intentions +Of Making War With The Romans. + +1. However, Florus contrived another way to oblige the Jews to +begin the war, and sent to Cestius, and accused the Jews falsely +of revolting [from the Roman government], and imputed the +beginning of the former fight to them, and pretended they had +been the authors of that disturbance, wherein they were only the +sufferers. Yet were not the governors of Jerusalem silent upon +this occasion, but did themselves write to Cestius, as did +Bernice also, about the illegal practices of which Florus had +been guilty against the city; who, upon reading both accounts, +consulted with his captains [what he should do]. Now some of them +thought it best for Cestius to go up with his army, either to +punish the revolt, if it was real, or to settle the Roman affairs +on a surer foundation, if the Jews continued quiet under them; +but he thought it best himself to send one of his intimate +friends beforehand, to see the state of affairs, and to give him +a faithful account of the intentions of the Jews. Accordingly, he +sent one of his tribunes, whose name was Neopolitanus, who met +with king Agrippa as he was returning from Alexandria, at Jamnia, +and told him who it was that sent him, and on what errands he was +sent. + +2. And here it was that the high priests, and men of power among +the Jews, as well as the sanhedrim, came to congratulate the king +[upon his safe return]; and after they had paid him their +respects, they lamented their own calamities, and related to him +what barbarous treatment they had met with from Florus. At which +barbarity Agrippa had great indignation, but transferred, after a +subtle manner, his anger towards those Jews whom he really +pitied, that he might beat down their high thoughts of +themselves, and would have them believe that they had not been so +unjustly treated, in order to dissuade them from avenging +themselves. So these great men, as of better understanding than +the rest, and desirous of peace, because of the possessions they +had, understood that this rebuke which the king gave them was +intended for their good; but as to the people, they came sixty +furlongs out of Jerusalem, and congratulated both Agrippa and +Neopolitanus; but the wives of those that had been slain came +running first of all and lamenting. The people also, when they +heard their mourning, fell into lamentations also, and besought +Agrippa to assist them: they also cried out to Neopolitanus, and +complained of the many miseries they had endured under Florus; +and they showed them, when they were come into the city, how the +market-place was made desolate, and the houses plundered. They +then persuaded Neopolitanus, by the means of Agrippa, that he +would walk round the city, with one only servant, as far as +Siloam, that he might inform himself that the Jews submitted to +all the rest of the Romans, and were only displeased at Florus, +by reason of his exceeding barbarity to them. So he walked round, +and had sufficient experience of the good temper the people were +in, and then went up to the temple, where he called the multitude +together, and highly commended them for their fidelity to the +Romans, and earnestly exhorted them to keep the peace; and having +performed such parts of Divine worship at the temple as he was +allowed to do, he returned to Cestius. + +3. But as for the multitude of the Jews, they addressed +themselves to the king, and to the high priests, and desired they +might have leave to send ambassadors to Nero against Florus, and +not by their silence afford a suspicion that they had been the +occasions of such great slaughters as had been made, and were +disposed to revolt, alleging that they should seem to have been +the first beginners of the war, if they did not prevent the +report by showing who it was that began it; and it appeared +openly that they would not be quiet, if any body should hinder +them from sending such an embassage. But Agrippa, although he +thought it too dangerous a thing for them to appoint men to go as +the accusers of Florus, yet did he not think it fit for him to +overlook them, as they were in a disposition for war. He +therefore called the multitude together into a large gallery, and +placed his sister Bernice in the house of the Asamoneans, that +she might be seen by them, (which house was over the gallery, at +the passage to the upper city, where the bridge joined the temple +to the gallery,) and spake to them as follows: + +4.(24) " Had I perceived that you were all zealously disposed to +go to war with the Romans, and that the purer and more sincere +part of the people did not propose to live in peace, I had not +come out to you, nor been so bold as to give you counsel; for all +discourses that tend to persuade men to do what they ought to do +are superfluous, when the hearers are agreed to do the contrary. +But because some are earnest to go to war because they are young, +and without experience of the miseries it brings, and because +some are for it out of an unreasonable expectation of regaining +their liberty, and because others hope to get by it, and are +therefore earnestly bent upon it, that in the confusion of your +affairs they may gain what belongs to those that are too weak to +resist them, I have thought proper to get you all together, and +to say to you what I think to be for your advantage; that so the +former may grow wiser, and change their minds, and that the best +men may come to no harm by the ill conduct of some others. And +let not any one be tumultuous against me, in case what they hear +me say do not please them; for as to those that admit of no cure, +but are resolved upon a revolt, it will still be in their power +to retain the same sentiments after my exhortation is over; but +still my discourse will fall to the ground, even with a relation +to those that have a mind to hear me, unless you will all keep +silence. I am well aware that many make a tragical exclamation +concerning the injuries that have been offered you by your +procurators, and concerning the glorious advantages of liberty; +but before I begin the inquiry, who you are that must go to war, +and who they are against whom you must fight, I shall first +separate those pretenses that are by some connected together; for +if you aim at avenging yourselves on those that have done you +injury, why do you pretend this to be a war for recovering your +liberty? but if you think all servitude intolerable, to what +purpose serve your complaint against your particular governors? +for if they treated you with moderation, it would still be +equally an unworthy thing to be in servitude. Consider now the +several cases that may be supposed, how little occasion there is +for your going to war. Your first occasion is the accusations you +have to make against your procurators; now here you ought to be +submissive to those in authority, and not give them any +provocation; but when you reproach men greatly for small +offenses, you excite those whom you reproach to be your +adversaries; for this will only make them leave off hurting you +privately, and with some degree of modesty, and to lay what you +have waste openly. Now nothing so much damps the force of strokes +as bearing them with patience; and the quietness of those who are +injured diverts the injurious persons from afflicting. But let us +take it for granted that the Roman ministers are injurious to +you, and are incurably severe; yet are they not all the Romans +who thus injure you; nor hath Caesar, against whom you are going +to make war, injured you: it is not by their command that any +wicked governor is sent to you; for they who are in the west +cannot see those that are in the east; nor indeed is it easy for +them there even to hear what is done in these parts. Now it is +absurd to make war with a great many for the sake of one, to do +so with such mighty people for a small cause; and this when these +people are not able to know of what you complain: nay, such +crimes as we complain of may soon be corrected, for the same +procurator will not continue for ever; and probable it is that +the successors will come with more moderate inclinations. But as +for war, if it be once begun, it is not easily laid down again, +nor borne without calamities coming therewith. However, as to the +desire of recovering your liberty, it is unseasonable to indulge +it so late; whereas you ought to have labored earnestly in old +time that you might never have lost it; for the first experience +of slavery was hard to be endured, and the struggle that you +might never have been subject to it would have been just; but +that slave who hath been once brought into subjection, and then +runs away, is rather a refractory slave than a lover of liberty; +for it was then the proper time for doing all that was possible, +that you might never have admitted the Romans [into your city], +when Pompey came first into the country. But so it was, that our +ancestors and their kings, who were in much better circumstances +than we are, both as to money, and strong bodies, and [valiant] +souls, did not bear the onset of a small body of the Roman army. +And yet you, who have now accustomed yourselves to obedience from +one generation to another, and who are so much inferior to those +who first submitted, in your circumstances will venture to oppose +the entire empire of the Romans. While those Athenians, who, in +order to preserve the liberty of Greece, did once set fire to +their own city; who pursued Xerxes, that proud prince, when he +sailed upon the land, and walked upon the sea, and could not be +contained by the seas, but conducted such an army as was too +broad for Europe; and made him run away like a fugitive in a +single ship, and brake so great a part of Asia at the Lesser +Salamis; are yet at this time servants to the Romans; and those +injunctions which are sent from Italy become laws to the +principal governing city of Greece. Those Lacedemonians also who +got the great victories at Thermopylae. and Platea, and had +Agesilaus [for their king], and searched every corner of Asia, +are contented to admit the same lords. Those Macedonians also, +who still fancy what great men their Philip and Alexander were, +and see that the latter had promised them the empire over the +world, these bear so great a change, and pay their obedience to +those whom fortune hath advanced in their stead. Moreover, ten +thousand ether nations there are who had greater reason than we +to claim their entire liberty, and yet do submit. You are the +only people who think it a disgrace to be servants to those to +whom all the world hath submitted. What sort of an army do you +rely on? What are the arms you depend on? Where is your fleet, +that may seize upon the Roman seas? and where are those treasures +which may be sufficient for your undertakings? Do you suppose, I +pray you, that you are to make war with the Egyptians, and with +the Arabians? Will you not carefully reflect upon the Roman +empire? Will you not estimate your own weakness? Hath not your +army been often beaten even by your neighboring nations, while +the power of the Romans is invincible in all parts of the +habitable earth? nay, rather they seek for somewhat still beyond +that; for all Euphrates is not a sufficient boundary for them on +the east side, nor the Danube on the north; and for their +southern limit, Libya hath been searched over by them, as far as +countries uninhabited, as is Cadiz their limit on the west; nay, +indeed, they have sought for another habitable earth beyond the +ocean, and have carried their arms as far as such British islands +as were never known before. What therefore do you pretend to? Are +you richer than the Gauls, stronger than the Germans, wiser than +the Greeks, more numerous than all men upon the habitable earth? +What confidence is it that elevates you to oppose the Romans? +Perhaps it will be said, It is hard to endure slavery. Yes; but +how much harder is this to the Greeks, who were esteemed the +noblest of all people under the sun! These, though they inhabit +in a large country, are in subjection to six bundles of Roman +rods. It is the same case with the Macedonians, who have juster +reason to claim their liberty than you have. What is the case of +five hundred cities of Asia? Do they not submit to a single +governor, and to the consular bundle of rods? What need I speak +of the Henlochi, and Colchi and the nation of Tauri, those that +inhabit the Bosphorus, and the nations about Pontus, and Meotis, +who formerly knew not so much as a lord of their own, but arc now +subject to three thousand armed men, and where forty long ships +keep the sea in peace, which before was not navigable, and very +tempestuous? How strong a plea may Bithynia, and Cappadocia, and +the people of Pamphylia, the Lycians, and Cilicians, put in for +liberty! But they are made tributary without an army. What are +the circumstances of the Thracians, whose country extends in +breadth five days' journey, and in length seven, and is of a much +more harsh constitution, and much more defensible, than yours, +and by the rigor of its cold sufficient to keep off armies from +attacking them? do not they submit to two thousand men of the +Roman garrisons? Are not the Illyrlans, who inhabit the country +adjoining, as far as Dalmatia and the Danube, governed by barely +two legions? by which also they put a stop to the incursions of +the Daeians. And for the Dalmatians, who have made such frequent +insurrections in order to regain their liberty, and who could +never before be so thoroughly subdued, but that they always +gathered their forces together again, revolted, yet are they now +very quiet under one Roman legion. Moreover, if eat advantages +might provoke any people to revolt, the Gauls might do it best of +all, as being so thoroughly walled round by nature; on the east +side by the Alps, on the north by the river Rhine, on the south +by the Pyrenean mountains, and on the west by the ocean. Now +although these Gauls have such obstacles before them to prevent +any attack upon them, and have no fewer than three hundred and +five nations among them, nay have, as one may say, the fountains +of domestic happiness within themselves, and send out plentiful +streams of happiness over almost the whole world, these bear to +be tributary to the Romans, and derive their prosperous condition +from them; and they undergo this, not because they are of +effeminate minds, or because they are of an ignoble stock, as +having borne a war of eighty years in order to preserve their +liberty; but by reason of the great regard they have to the power +of the Romans, and their good fortune, which is of greater +efficacy than their arms. These Gauls, therefore, are kept in +servitude by twelve hundred soldiers, which are hardly so many as +are their cities; nor hath the gold dug out of the mines of Spain +been sufficient for the support of a war to preserve their +liberty, nor could their vast distance from the Romans by land +and by sea do it; nor could the martial tribes of the Lusitanians +and Spaniards escape; no more could the ocean, with its tide, +which yet was terrible to the ancient inhabitants. Nay, the +Romans have extended their arms beyond the pillars of Hercules, +and have walked among the clouds, upon the Pyrenean mountains, +and have subdued these nations. And one legion is a sufficient +guard for these people, although they were so hard to be +conquered, and at a distance so remote from Rome. Who is there +among you that hath not heard of the great number of the Germans? +You have, to be sure, yourselves seen them to be strong and tall, +and that frequently, since the Romans have them among their +captives every where; yet these Germans, who dwell in an immense +country, who have minds greater than their bodies, and a soul +that despises death, and who are in rage more fierce than wild +beasts, have the Rhine for the boundary of their enterprises, and +are tamed by eight Roman legions. Such of them as were taken +captive became their servants; and the rest of the entire nation +were obliged to save themselves by flight. Do you also, who +depend on the walls of Jerusalem, consider what a wall the +Britons had; for the Romans sailed away to them, an subdued them +while they were encompassed by the ocean, and inhabited an island +that is not less than the [continent of this] habitable earth; +and four legions are a sufficient guard to so large all island +And why should I speak much more about this matter, while the +Parthians, that most warlike body of men, and lords of so many +nations, and encompassed with such mighty forces, send hostages +to the Romans? whereby you may see, if you please, even in Italy, +the noblest nation of the East, under the notion of peace, +submitting to serve them. Now when almost all people under the +sun submit to the Roman arms, will you be the only people that +make war against them? and this without regarding the fate of the +Carthaginians, who, in the midst of their brags of the great +Hannibal, and the nobility of their Phoenician original, fell by +the hand of Scipio. Nor indeed have the Cyrenians, derived from +the Lacedemonians, nor the Marmaridite, a nation extended as far +as the regions uninhabitable for want of water, nor have the +Syrtes, a place terrible to such as barely hear it described, the +Nasamons and Moors, and the immense multitude of the Numidians, +been able to put a stop to the Roman valor. And as for the third +part of the habitable earth, [Akica,] whose nations are so many +that it is not easy to number them, and which is bounded by the +Atlantic Sea and the pillars of Hercules, and feeds an +innumerable multitude of Ethiopians, as far as the Red Sea, these +have the Romans subdued entirely. And besides the annual fruits +of the earth, which maintain the multitude of the Romans for +eight months in the year, this, over and above, pays all sorts of +tribute, and affords revenues suitable to the necessities of the +government. Nor do they, like you, esteem such injunctions a +disgrace to them, although they have but one Roman legion that +abides among them. And indeed what occasion is there for showing +you the power of the Romans over remote countries, when it is so +easy to learn it from Egypt, in your neighborhood? This country +is extended as far as the Ethiopians, and Arabia the Happy, and +borders upon India; it hath seven millions five hundred thousand +men, besides the inhabitants of Alexandria, as may be learned +from the revenue of the poll tax; yet it is not ashamed to submit +to the Roman government, although it hath Alexandria as a grand +temptation to a revolt, by reason it is so full of people and of +riches, and is besides exceeding large, its length being thirty +furlongs, and its breadth no less than ten; and it pays more +tribute to the Romans in one month than you do in a year; nay, +besides what it pays in money, it sends corn to Rome that +supports it for four months [in the year]: it is also walled +round on all sides, either by almost impassable deserts, or seas +that have no havens, or by rivers, or by lakes; yet have none of +these things been found too strong for the Roman good fortune; +however, two legions that lie in that city are a bridle both for +the remoter parts of Egypt, and for the parts inhabited by the +more noble Macedonians. Where then are those people whom you are +to have for your auxiliaries? Must they come from the parts of +the world that are uninhabited? for all that are in the habitable +earth are [under the] Romans. Unless any of you extend his hopes +as far as beyond the Euphrates, and suppose that those of your +own nation that dwell in Adiabene will come to your assistance; +but certainly these will not embarrass themselves with an +unjustifiable war, nor, if they should follow such ill advice, +will the Parthians permit them so to do; for it is their concern +to maintain the truce that is between them and the Romans, and +they will be supposed to break the covenants between them, if any +under their government march against the Romans. What remains, +therefore, is this, that you have recourse to Divine assistance; +but this is already on the side of the Romans; for it is +impossible that so vast an empire should be settled without God's +providence. Reflect upon it, how impossible it is for your +zealous observations of your religious customs to be here +preserved, which are hard to be observed even when you fight with +those whom you are able to conquer; and how can you then most of +all hope for God's assistance, when, by being forced to +transgress his law, you will make him turn his face from you? and +if you do observe the custom of the sabbath days, and will not be +revealed on to do any thing thereon, you will easily be taken, as +were your forefathers by Pompey, who was the busiest in his siege +on those days on which the besieged rested. But if in time of war +you transgress the law of your country, I cannot tell on whose +account you will afterward go to war; for your concern is but +one, that you do nothing against any of your forefathers; and how +will you call upon God to assist you, when you are voluntarily +transgressing against his religion? Now all men that go to war do +it either as depending on Divine or on human assistance; but +since your going to war will cut off both those assistances, +those that are for going to war choose evident destruction. What +hinders you from slaying your children and wives with your own +hands, and burning this most excellent native city of yours? for +by this mad prank you will, however, escape the reproach of being +beaten. But it were best, O my friends, it were best, while the +vessel is still in the haven, to foresee the impending storm, and +not to set sail out of the port into the middle of the +hurricanes; for we justly pity those who fall into great +misfortunes without fore-seeing them; but for him who rushes into +manifest ruin, he gains reproaches [instead of commiseration]. +But certainly no one can imagine that you can enter into a war as +by agreement, or that when the Romans have got you under their +power, they will use you with moderation, or will not rather, for +an example to other nations, burn your holy city, and utterly +destroy your whole nation; for those of you who shall survive the +war will not be able to find a place whither to flee, since all +men have the Romans for their lords already, or are afraid they +shall have hereafter. Nay, indeed, the danger concerns not those +Jews that dwell here only, but those of them which dwell in other +cities also; for there is no people upon the habitable earth +which have not some portion of you among them, whom your enemies +will slay, in case you go to war, and on that account also; and +so every city which hath Jews in it will be filled with slaughter +for the sake of a few men, and they who slay them will be +pardoned; but if that slaughter be not made by them, consider how +wicked a thing it is to take arms against those that are so kind +to you. Have pity, therefore, if not on your children and wives, +yet upon this your metropolis, and its sacred walls; spare the +temple, and preserve the holy house, with its holy furniture, for +yourselves; for if the Romans get you under their power, they +will no longer abstain from them, when their former abstinence +shall have been so ungratefully requited. I call to witness your +sanctuary, and the holy angels of God, and this country common to +us all, that I have not kept back any thing that is for your +preservation; and if you will follow that advice which you ought +to do, you will have that peace which will be common to you and +to me; but if you indulge four passions, you will run those +hazards which I shall be free +from." + +5. When Agrippa had spoken thus, both he and his sister wept, and +by their tears repressed a great deal of the violence of the +people; but still they cried out, that they would not fight +against the Romans, but against Florus, on account of what they +had suffered by his means. To which Agrippa replied, that what +they had already done was like such as make war against the +Romans; "for you have not paid the tribute which is due to Caesar +(25) and you have cut off the cloisters [of the temple] from +joining to the tower Antonia. You will therefore prevent any +occasion of revolt if you will but join these together again, and +if you will but pay your tribute; for the citadel does not now +belong to Florus, nor are you to pay the tribute money to +Florus." + +CHAPTER 17. + +How The War Of The Jews With The Romans Began, And Concerning +Manahem. + +1. This advice the people hearkened to, and went up into the +temple with the king and Bernice, and began to rebuild the +cloisters; the rulers also and senators divided themselves into +the villages, and collected the tributes, and soon got together +forty talents, which was the sum that was deficient. And thus did +Agrippa then put a stop to that war which was threatened. +Moreover, he attempted to persuade the multitude to obey Florus, +until Caesar should send one to succeed him; but they were hereby +more provoked, and cast reproaches upon the king, and got him +excluded out of the city; nay, some of the seditious had the +impudence to throw stones at him. So when the king saw that the +violence of those that were for innovations was not to be +restrained, and being very angry at the contumelies he had +received, he sent their rulers, together with their men of power, +to Florus, to Cesarea, that he might appoint whom he thought fit +to collect the tribute in the country, while he retired into his +own kingdom. + +2. And at this time it was that some of those that principally +excited the people to go to war made an assault upon a certain +fortress called Masada. They took it by treachery, and slew the +Romans that were there, and put others of their own party to keep +it. At the same time Eleazar, the son of Ananias the high priest, +a very bold youth, who was at that time governor of the temple, +persuaded those that officiated in the Divine service to receive +no gift or sacrifice for any foreigner. And this was the true +beginning of our war with the Romans; for they rejected the +sacrifice of Caesar on this account; and when many of the high +priests and principal men besought them not to omit the +sacrifice, which it was customary for them to offer for their +princes, they would not be prevailed upon. These relied much upon +their multitude, for the most flourishing part of the innovators +assisted them; but they had the chief regard to Eleazar, the +governor of the temple. + +3. Hereupon the men of power got together, and conferred with the +high priests, as did also the principal of the Pharisees; and +thinking all was at stake, and that their calamities were +becoming incurable, took counsel what was to be done. +Accordingly, they determined to try what they could do with the +seditious by words, and assembled the people before the brazen +gate, which was that gate of the inner temple [court of the +priests] which looked toward the sun-rising. And, in the first +place, they showed the great indignation they had at this attempt +for a revolt, and for their bringing so great a war upon their +country; after which they confuted their pretense as +unjustifiable, and told them that their forefathers had adorned +their temple in great part with donations bestowed on them by +foreigners, and had always received what had been presented to +them from foreign nations; and that they had been so far from +rejecting any person's sacrifice (which would be the highest +instance of impiety,) that they had themselves placed those +donation about the temple which were still visible, and had +remained there so long a time; that they did now irritate the +Romans to take arms against them, and invited them to make war +upon them, and brought up novel rules of a strange Divine +worship, and determined to run the hazard of having their city +condemned for impiety, while they would not allow any foreigner, +but Jews only, either to sacrifice or to worship therein. And if +such a law should be introduced in the case of a single private +person only, he would have indignation at it, as an instance of +inhumanity determined against him; while they have no regard to +the Romans or to Caesar, and forbid even their oblations to be +received also; that however they cannot but fear, lest, by thus +rejecting their sacrifices, they shall not be allowed to offer +their own; and that this city will lose its principality, unless +they grow wiser quickly, and restore the sacrifices as formerly, +and indeed amend the injury [they have offered foreigners] before +the report of it comes to the ears of those that have been +injured. + +4. And as they said these things, they produced those priests +that were skillful in the customs of their country, who made the +report that all their forefathers had received the sacrifices +from foreign nations. But still not one of the innovators would +hearken to what was said; nay, those that ministered about the +temple would not attend their Divine service, but were preparing +matters for beginning the war. So the men of power perceiving +that the sedition was too hard for them to subdue, and that the +danger which would arise from the Romans would come upon them +first of all, endeavored to save themselves, and sent +ambassadors, some to Florus, the chief of which was Simon the son +of Ananias; and others to Agrippa, among whom the most eminent +were Saul, and Antipas, and Costobarus, who were of the king's +kindred; and they desired of them both that they would come with +an army to the city, and cut off the seditious before it should +be too hard to be subdued. Now this terrible message was good +news to Florus; and because his design was to have a war kindled, +he gave the ambassadors no answer at all. But Agrippa was equally +solicitous for those that were revolting, and for those against +whom the war was to be made, and was desirous to preserve the +Jews for the Romans, and the temple and metropolis for the Jews; +he was also sensible that it was not for his own advantage that +the disturbances should proceed; so he sent three thousand +horsemen to the assistance of the people out of Auranitis, and +Batanea, and Trachonitis, and these under Darius, the master of +his horse, and Philip the son of Jacimus, the general of his +army. + +5. Upon this the men of power, with the high priests, as also all +the part of the multitude that were desirous of peace, took +courage, and seized upon the upper city [Mount Sion;] for the +seditious part had the lower city and the temple in their power; +so they made use of stones and slings perpetually against one +another, and threw darts continually on both sides; and sometimes +it happened that they made incursions by troops, and fought it +out hand to hand, while the seditious were superior in boldness, +but the king's soldiers in skill. These last strove chiefly to +gain the temple, and to drive those out of it who profaned it; as +did the seditious, with Eleazar, besides what they had already, +labor to gain the upper city. Thus were there perpetual +slaughters on both sides for seven days' time; but neither side +would yield up the parts they had seized on. + +6. Now the next day was the festival of Xylophory; upon which the +custom was for every one to bring wood for the altar (that there +might never be a want of fuel for that fire which was +unquenchable and always burning). Upon that day they excluded the +opposite party from the observation of this part of religion. And +when they had joined to themselves many of the Sicarii, who +crowded in among the weaker people, (that was the name for such +robbers as had under their bosoms swords called Sicae,) they grew +bolder, and carried their undertaking further; insomuch that the +king's soldiers were overpowered by their multitude and boldness; +and so they gave way, and were driven out of the upper city by +force. The others then set fire to the house of Ananias the high +priest, and to the palaces of Agrippa and Bernice; after which +they carried the fire to the place where the archives were +reposited, and made haste to burn the contracts belonging to +their creditors, and thereby to dissolve their obligations for +paying their debts; and this was done in order to gain the +multitude of those who had been debtors, and that they might +persuade the poorer sort to join in their insurrection with +safety against the more wealthy; so the keepers of the records +fled away, and the rest set fire to them. And when they had thus +burnt down the nerves of the city, they fell upon their enemies; +at which time some of the men of power, and of the high priests, +went into the vaults under ground, and concealed themselves, +while others fled with the king's soldiers to the upper palace, +and shut the gates immediately; among whom were Ananias the high +priest, and the ambassadors that had been sent to Agrippa. And +now the seditious were contented with the victory they had +gotten, and the buildings they had burnt down, and proceeded no +further. + +7. But on the next day, which was the fifteenth of the month +Lous, [Ab,] they made an assault upon Antonia, and besieged the +garrison which was in it two days, and then took the garrison, +and slew them, and set the citadel on fire; after which they +marched to the palace, whither the king's soldiers were fled, and +parted themselves into four bodies, and made an attack upon the +walls. As for those that were within it, no one had the courage +to sally out, because those that assaulted them were so numerous; +but they distributed themselves into the breast-works and +turrets, and shot at the besiegers, whereby many of the robbers +fell under the walls; nor did they cease to fight one with +another either by night or by day, while the seditious supposed +that those within would grow weary for want of food, and those +without supposed the others would do the like by the tediousness +of the siege. + +8. In the mean time, one Manahem, the son of Judas, that was +called the Galilean, (who was a very cunning sophister, and had +formerly reproached the Jews under Cyrenius, that after God they +were subject to the Romans,) took some of the men of note with +him, and retired to Masada, where he broke open king Herod's +armory, and gave arms not only to his own people, but to other +robbers also. These he made use of for a guard, and returned in +the state of a king to Jerusalem; he became the leader of the +sedition, and gave orders for continuing the siege; but they +wanted proper instruments, and it was not practicable to +undermine the wall, because the darts came down upon them from +above. But still they dug a mine from a great distance under one +of the towers, and made it totter; and having done that, they set +on fire what was combustible, and left it; and when the +foundations were burnt below, the tower fell down suddenly. Yet +did they then meet with another wall that had been built within, +for the besieged were sensible beforehand of what they were +doing, and probably the tower shook as it was undermining; so +they provided themselves of another fortification; which when the +besiegers unexpectedly saw, while they thought they had already +gained the place, they were under some consternation. However, +those that were within sent to Manahem, and to the other leaders +of the sedition, and desired they might go out upon a +capitulation: this was granted to the king's soldiers and their +own countrymen only, who went out accordingly; but the Romans +that were left alone were greatly dejected, for they were not +able to force their way through such a multitude; and to desire +them to give them their right hand for their security, they +thought it would be a reproach to them; and besides, if they +should give it them, they durst not depend upon it; so they +deserted their camp, as easily taken, and ran away to the royal +towers, - that called Hippicus, that called Phasaelus, and that +called Mariamne. But Manahem and his party fell upon the place +whence the soldiers were fled, and slew as many of them as they +could catch, before they got up to the towers, and plundered what +they left behind them, and set fire to their camp. This was +executed on the sixth day of the month Gorpieus [Elul]. + +9. But on the next day the high priest was caught where he had +concealed himself in an aqueduct; he was slain, together with +Hezekiah his brother, by the robbers: hereupon the seditious +besieged the towers, and kept them guarded, lest any one of the +soldiers should escape. Now the overthrow of the places of +strength, and the death of the high priest Ananias, so puffed up +Manahem, that he became barbarously cruel; and as he thought he +had no antagonist to dispute the management of affairs with him, +he was no better than an insupportable tyrant; but Eleazar and +his party, when words had passed between them, how it was not +proper when they revolted from the Romans, out of the desire of +liberty, to betray that liberty to any of their own people, and +to bear a lord, who, though he should be guilty of no violence, +was yet meaner than themselves; as also, that in case they were +obliged to set some one over their public affairs, it was fitter +they should give that privilege to any one rather than to him; +they made an assault upon him in the temple; for he went up +thither to worship in a pompous manner, and adorned with royal +garments, and had his followers with him in their armor. But +Eleazar and his party fell violently upon him, as did also the +rest of the people; and taking up stones to attack him withal, +they threw them at the sophister, and thought, that if he were +once ruined, the entire sedition would fall to the ground. Now +Manahem and his party made resistance for a while; but when they +perceived that the whole multitude were falling upon them, they +fled which way every one was able; those that were caught were +slain, and those that hid themselves were searched for. A few +there were of them who privately escaped to Masada, among whom +was Eleazar, the son of Jairus, who was of kin to Manahem, and +acted the part of a tyrant at Masada afterward. As for Manahem +himself, he ran away to the place called Ophla, and there lay +skulking in private; but they took him alive, and drew him out +before them all; they then tortured him with many sorts of +torments, and after all slew him, as they did by those that were +captains under him also, and particularly by the principal +instrument of his tyranny, whose name was Apsalom. + +10. And, as I said, so far truly the people assisted them, while +they hoped this might afford some amendment to the seditious +practices; but the others were not in haste to put an end to the +war, but hoped to prosecute it with less danger, now they had +slain Manahem. It is true, that when the people earnestly desired +that they would leave off besieging the soldiers, they were the +more earnest in pressing it forward, and this till Metilius, who +was the Roman general, sent to Eleazar, and desired that they +would. give them security to spare their lives only; but agreed +to deliver up their arms, and what else they had with them. The +others readily complied with their petition, sent to them Gorion, +the son of Nicodemus, and Ananias, the son of Sadduk, and Judas, +the son of Jonathan, that they might give them the security Of +their right hands, and of their oaths; after which Metilius +brought down his soldiers; which soldiers, while they were in +arms, were not meddled with by any of the seditious, nor was +there any appearance of treachery; but as soon as, according to +the articles of capitulation, they had all laid down their +shields and their swords, and were under no further suspicion of +any harm, but were going away, Eleazar's men attacked them after +a violent manner, and encompassed them round, and slew them, +while they neither defended themselves, nor entreated for mercy, +but only cried out upon the breach of their articles of +capitulation and their oaths. And thus were all these men +barbarously murdered, excepting Metilius; for when he entreated +for mercy, and promised that he would turn Jew, and be +circumcised, they saved him alive, but none else. This loss to +the Romans was but light, there being no more than a few slain +out of an immense army; but still it appeared to be a prelude to +the Jews' own destruction, while men made public lamentation when +they saw that such occasions were afforded for a war as were +incurable; that the city was all over polluted with such +abominations, from which it was but reasonable to expect some +vengeance, even though they should escape revenge from the +Romans; so that the city was filled with sadness, and every one +of the moderate men in it were under great disturbance, as likely +themselves to undergo punishment for the wickedness of the +seditious; for indeed it so happened that this murder was +perpetrated on the sabbath day, on which day the Jews have a +respite from their works on account of Divine worship. + +CHAPTER 18. + +The Calamities And Slaughters That Came Upon The Jews. + +1. Now the people of Cesarea had slain the Jews that were among +them on the very same day and hour [when the soldiers were +slain], which one would think must have come to pass by the +direction of Providence; insomuch that in one hour's time above +twenty thousand Jews were killed, and all Cesarea was emptied of +its Jewish inhabitants; for Florus caught such as ran away, and +sent them in bonds to the galleys. Upon which stroke that the +Jews received at Cesarea, the whole nation was greatly enraged; +so they divided themselves into several parties, and laid waste +the villages of the Syrians, and their neighboring cities, +Philadelphia, and Sebonitis, and Gerasa, and Pella, and +Scythopolis, and after them Gadara, and Hippos; and falling upon +Gaulonitis, some cities they destroyed there, and some they set +on fire, and then went to Kedasa, belonging to the Tyrians, and +to Ptolemais, and to Gaba, and to Cesarea; nor was either Sebaste +[Samaria] or Askelon able to oppose the violence with which they +were attacked; and when they had burnt these to the ground; they +entirely demolished Anthedon and Gaza; many also of the villages +that were about every one of those cities were plundered, and an +immense slaughter was made of the men who were caught in them. + +2. However, the Syrians were even with the Jews in the multitude +of the men whom they slew; for they killed those whom they caught +in their cities, and that not only out of the hatred they bare +them, as formerly, but to prevent the danger under which they +were from them; so that the disorders in all Syria were terrible, +and every city was divided into two armies, encamped one against +another, and the preservation of the one party was in the +destruction of the other; so the day time was spent in shedding +of blood, and the night in fear, which was of the two the more +terrible; for when the Syrians thought they had ruined the Jews, +they had the Judaizers in suspicion also; and as each side did +not care to slay those whom they only suspected on the other, so +did they greatly fear them when they were mingled with the other, +as if they were certainly foreigners. Moreover, greediness of +gain was a provocation to kill the opposite party, even to such +as had of old appeared very mild and gentle towards them; for +they without fear plundered the effects of the slain, and carried +off the spoils of those whom they slew to their own houses, as if +they had been gained in a set battle; and he was esteemed a man +of honor who got the greatest share, as having prevailed over the +greatest number of his enemies. It was then common to see cities +filled with dead bodies, still lying unburied, and those of old +men, mixed with infants, all dead, and scattered about together; +women also lay amongst them, without any covering for their +nakedness: you might then see the whole province full of +inexpressible calamities, while the dread of still more barbarous +practices which were threatened was every where greater than what +had been already perpetrated. + +3. And thus far the conflict had been between Jews and +foreigners; but when they made excursions to Scythopolis, they +found Jew that acted as enemies; for as they stood in +battle-array with those of Scythopolis, and preferred their own +safety before their relation to us, they fought against their own +countrymen; nay, their alacrity was so very great, that those of +Scythopolis suspected them. These were afraid, therefore, lest +they should make an assault upon the city in the night time, and, +to their great misfortune, should thereby make an apology for +themselves to their own people for their revolt from them. So +they commanded them, that in case they would confirm their +agreement and demonstrate their fidelity to them, who were of a +different nation, they should go out of the city, with their +families to a neighboring grove; and when they had done as they +were commanded, without suspecting any thing, the people of +Scythopolis lay still for the interval of two days, to tempt them +to be secure; but on the third night they watched their +opportunity, and cut all their throats, some as they lay +unguarded, and some as they lay asleep. The number that was slain +was above thirteen thousand, and then they plundered them of all +that they had. + +4. It will deserve our relation what befell Simon; he was the son +of one Saul, a man of reputation among the Jews. This man was +distinguished from the rest by the strength of his body, and the +boldness of his conduct, although he abused them both to the +mischieving of his countrymen; for he came every day and slew a +great many of the Jews of Scythopolis, and he frequently put them +to flight, and became himself alone the cause of his army's +conquering. But a just punishment overtook him for the murders he +had committed upon those of the same nation with him; for when +the people of Scythopolis threw their darts at them in the grove, +he drew his sword, but did not attack any of the enemy; for he +saw that he could do nothing against such a multitude; but he +cried out after a very moving manner, and said, "O you people of +Scythopolis, I deservedly suffer for what I have done with +relation to you, when I gave you such security of my fidelity to +you, by slaying so many of those that were related to me. +Wherefore we very justly experience the perfidiousness of +foreigners, while we acted after a most wicked manner against our +own nation. I will therefore die, polluted wretch as I am, by +nine own hands; for it is not fit I should die by the hand of our +enemies; and let the same action be to me both a punishment for +my great crimes, and a testimony of my courage to my +commendation, that so no one of our enemies may have it to brag +of, that he it was that slew me, and no one may insult upon me as +I fall." Now when he had said this, he looked round about him +upon his family with eyes of commiseration and of rage (that +family consisted of a wife and children, and his aged parents); +so, in the first place, he caught his father by his grey hairs, +and ran his sword through him, and after him he did the same to +his mother, who willingly received it; and after them he did the +like to his wife and children, every one almost offering +themselves to his sword, as desirous to prevent being slain by +their enemies; so when he had gone over all his family, he stood +upon their bodies to be seen by all, and stretching out his right +hand, that his action might be observed by all, he sheathed his +entire sword into his own bowels. This young man was to be +pitied, on account of the strength of his body and the courage of +his soul; but since he had assured foreigners of his fidelity +[against his own countrymen], he suffered deservedly. + +5. Besides this murder at Scythopolis, the other cities rose up +against the Jews that were among them; those of Askelon slew two +thousand five hundred, and those of Ptolemais two thousand, and +put not a few into bonds; those of Tyre also put a great number +to death, but kept a greater number in prison; moreover, those of +Hippos, and those of Gadara, did the like while they put to death +the boldest of the Jews, but kept those of whom they were afraid +in custody; as did the rest of the cities of Syria, according as +they every one either hated them or were afraid of them; only the +Antiochtans the Sidontans, and Apamians spared those that dwelt +with them, and would not endure either to kill any of the Jews, +or to put them in bonds. And perhaps they spared them, because +their own number was so great that they despised their attempts. +But I think the greatest part of this favor was owing to their +commiseration of those whom they saw to make no innovations. As +for the Gerasans, they did no harm to those that abode with them; +and for those who had a mind to go away, they conducted them as +far as their borders reached. + +6. There was also a plot laid against the Jews in Agrippa's +kingdom; for he was himself gone to Cestius Gallus, to Antioch, +but had left one of his companions, whose name was Noarus, to +take care of the public affairs; which Noarus was of kin to king +Sohemus. (26) Now there came certain men seventy in number, out +of Batanea, who were the most considerable for their families and +prudence of the rest of the people; these desired to have an army +put into their hands, that if any tumult should happen, they +might have about them a guard sufficient to restrain such as +might rise up against them. This Noarus sent out some of the +king's armed men by night, and slew all those [seventy] men; +which bold action he ventured upon without the consent of +Agrippa, and was such a lover of money, that he chose to be so +wicked to his own countrymen, though he brought ruin on the +kingdom thereby; and thus cruelly did he treat that nation, and +this contrary to the laws also, until Agrippa was informed of it, +who did not indeed dare to put him to death, out of regard to +Sohemus; but still he put an end to his procuratorship +immediately. But as to the seditious, they took the citadel which +was called Cypros, and was above Jericho, and cut the throats of +the garrison, and utterly demolished the fortifications. This was +about the same time that the multitude of the Jews that were at +Machorus persuaded the Romans who were in garrison to leave the +place, and deliver it up to them. These Romans being in great +fear, lest the place should be taken by force, made an agreement +with them to depart upon certain conditions; and when they had +obtained the security they desired, they delivered up the +citadel, into which the people of Macherus put a garrison for +their own security, and held it in their own power. + +7. But for Alexandria, the sedition of the people of the place +against the Jews was perpetual, and this from that very time when +Alexander [the Great], upon finding the readiness of the Jews in +assisting him against the Egyptians, and as a reward for such +their assistance, gave them equal privileges in this city with +the Grecians themselves; which honorary reward Continued among +them under his successors, who also set apart for them a +particular place, that they might live without being polluted [by +the Gentiles], and were thereby not so much intermixed with +foreigners as before; they also gave them this further privilege, +that they should be called Macedonians. Nay, when the Romans got +possession of Egypt, neither the first Caesar, nor any one that +came after him, thought of diminishing the honors which Alexander +had bestowed on the Jews. But still conflicts perpetually arose +with the Grecians; and although the governors did every day +punish many of them, yet did the sedition grow worse; but at this +time especially, when there were tumults in other places also, +the disorders among them were put into a greater flame; for when +the Alexandrians had once a public assembly, to deliberate about +an embassage they were sending to Nero, a great number of Jews +came flocking to the theater; but when their adversaries saw +them, they immediately cried out, and called them their enemies, +and said they came as spies upon them; upon which they rushed +out, and laid violent hands upon them; and as for the rest, they +were slain as they ran away; but there were three men whom they +caught, and hauled them along, in order to have them burnt alive; +but all the Jews came in a body to defend them, who at first +threw stones at the Grecians, but after that they took lamps, and +rushed with violence into the theater, and threatened that they +would burn the people to a man; and this they had soon done, +unless Tiberius Alexander, the governor of the city, had +restrained their passions. However, this man did not begin to +teach them wisdom by arms, but sent among them privately some of +the principal men, and thereby entreated them to be quiet, and +not provoke the Roman army against them; but the seditious made a +jest of the entreaties of Tiberius, and reproached him for so +doing. + +8. Now when he perceived that those who were for innovations +would not be pacified till some great calamity should overtake +them, he sent out upon them those two Roman legions that were in +the city, and together with them five thousand other soldiers, +who, by chance, were come together out of Libya, to the ruin of +the Jews. They were also permitted not only to kill them, but to +plunder them of what they had, and to set fire to their houses. +These soldiers rushed violently into that part of the city that +was called Delta, where the Jewish people lived together, and did +as they were bidden, though not without bloodshed on their own +side also; for the Jews got together, and set those that were the +best armed among them in the forefront, and made a resistance for +a great while; but when once they gave back, they were destroyed +unmercifully; and this their destruction was complete, some being +caught in the open field, and others forced into their houses, +which houses were first plundered of what was in them, and then +set on fire by the Romans; wherein no mercy was shown to the +infants, and no regard had to the aged; but they went on in the +slaughter of persons of every age, till all the place was +overflowed with blood, and fifty thousand of them lay dead upon +heaps; nor had the remainder been preserved, had they not +be-taken themselves to supplication. So Alexander commiserated +their condition, and gave orders to the Romans to retire; +accordingly, these being accustomed to obey orders, left off +killing at the first intimation; but the populace of Alexandria +bare so very great hatred to the Jews, that it was difficult to +recall them, and it was a hard thing to make them leave their +dead bodies. + +9. And this was the miserable calamity which at this time befell +the Jews at Alexandria. Hereupon Cestius thought fit no longer to +lie still, while the Jews were everywhere up in arms; so he took +out of Antioch the twelfth legion entire, and out of each of the +rest he selected two thousand, with six cohorts of footmen, and +four troops of horsemen, besides those auxiliaries which were +sent by the kings; of which Antiochus sent two thousand horsemen, +and three thousand footmen, with as many archers; and Agrippa +sent the same number of footmen, and one thousand horsemen; +Sohemus also followed with four thousand, a third part whereof +were horsemen, but most part were archers, and thus did he march +to Ptolemais. There were also great numbers of auxiliaries +gathered together from the [free] cities, who indeed had not the +same skill in martial affairs, but made up in their alacrity and +in their hatred to the Jews what they wanted in skill. There came +also along with Cestius Agrippa himself, both as a guide in his +march over the country, and a director what was fit to be done; +so Cestius took part of his forces, and marched hastily to +Zabulon, a strong city of Galilee, which was called the City of +Men, and divides the country of Ptolemais from our nation; this +he found deserted by its men, the multitude having fled to the +mountains, but full of all sorts of good things; those he gave +leave to the soldiers to plunder, and set fire to the city, +although it was of admirable beauty, and had its houses built +like those in Tyre, and Sidon, and Berytus. After this he overran +all the country, and seized upon whatsoever came in his way, and +set fire to the villages that were round about them, and then +returned to Ptolemais. But when the Syrians, and especially those +of Berytus, were busy in plundering, the Jews pulled up their +courage again, for they knew that Cestius was retired, and fell +upon those that were left behind unexpectedly, and destroyed +about two thousand of them. (27) + +10. And now Cestius himself marched from Ptolemais, and came to +Cesarea; but he sent part of his army before him to Joppa, and +gave order, that if they could take that city [by surprise] they +should keep it; but that in case the citizens should perceive +they were coming to attack them, that they then should stay for +him, and for the rest of the army. So some of them made a brisk +march by the sea-side, and some by land, and so coming upon them +on both sides, they took the city with ease; and as the +inhabitants had made no provision beforehand for a flight, nor +had gotten any thing ready for fighting, the soldiers fell upon +them, and slew them all, with their families, and then plundered +and burnt the city. The number of the slain was eight thousand +four hundred. In like manner, Cestius sent also a considerable +body of horsemen to the toparchy of Narbatene, that adjoined to +Cesarea, who destroyed the country, and slew a great multitude of +its people; they also plundered what they had, and burnt their +villages. + +11. But Cestius sent Gallus, the commander of the twelfth legion, +into Galilee, and delivered to him as many of his forces as he +supposed sufficient to subdue that nation. He was received by the +strongest city of Galilee, which was Sepphoris, with acclamations +of joy; which wise conduct of that city occasioned the rest of +the cities to be in quiet; while the seditious part and the +robbers ran away to that mountain which lies in the very middle +of Galilee, and is situated over against Sepphoris; it is called +Asamon. So Gallus brought his forces against them; but while +those men were in the superior parts above the Romans, they +easily threw their darts upon the Romans, as they made their +approaches, and slew about two hundred of them. But when the +Romans had gone round the mountains, and were gotten into the +parts above their enemies, the others were soon beaten; nor could +they who had only light armor on sustain the force of them that +fought them armed all over; nor when they were beaten could they +escape the enemies' horsemen; insomuch that only some few +concealed themselves in certain places hard to be come at, among +the mountains, while the rest, above two thousand in number, were +slain. + +CHAPTER 19. + +What Cestius Did Against The Jews; And How, Upon His Besieging +Jerusalem, He Retreated From The City Without Any Just Occasion +In The World. As Also What Severe Calamities He Under Went From +The Jews In His Retreat. + +1. And now Gallus, seeing nothing more that looked towards an +innovation in Galilee, returned with his army to Cesarea: but +Cestius removed with his whole army, and marched to Antipatris; +and when he was informed that there was a great body of Jewish +forces gotten together in a certain tower called Aphek, he sent a +party before to fight them; but this party dispersed the Jews by +affrighting them before it came to a battle: so they came, and +finding their camp deserted, they burnt it, as well as the +villages that lay about it. But when Cestius had marched from +Antipatris to Lydda, he found the city empty of its men, for the +whole multitude (28) were gone up to Jerusalem to the feast of +tabernacles; yet did he destroy fifty of those that showed +themselves, and burnt the city, and so marched forwards; and +ascending by Betboron, he pitched his camp at a certain place +called Gabao, fifty furlongs distant from Jerusalem. + +2. But as for the Jews, when they saw the war approaching to +their metropolis, they left the feast, and betook themselves to +their arms; and taking courage greatly from their multitude, went +in a sudden and disorderly manner to the fight, with a great +noise, and without any consideration had of the rest of the +seventh day, although the Sabbath (29) was the day to which they +had the greatest regard; but that rage which made them forget the +religious observation [of the sabbath] made them too hard for +their enemies in the fight: with such violence therefore did they +fall upon the Romans, as to break into their ranks, and to march +through the midst of them, making a great slaughter as they went, +insomuch that unless the horsemen, and such part of the footmen +as were not yet tired in the action, had wheeled round, and +succored that part of the army which was not yet broken, Cestius, +with his whole army, had been in danger: however, five hundred +and fifteen of the Romans were slain, of which number four +hundred were footmen, and the rest horsemen, while the Jews lost +only twenty-two, of whom the most valiant were the kinsmen of +Monobazus, king of Adiabene, and their names were Monobazus and +Kenedeus; and next to them were Niger of Perea, and Silas of +Babylon, who had deserted from king Agrippa to the Jews; for he +had formerly served in his army. When the front of the Jewish +army had been cut off, the Jews retired into the city; but still +Simon, the son of Giora, fell upon the backs of the Romans, as +they were ascending up Bethoron, and put the hindmost of the army +into disorder, and carried off many of the beasts that carded the +weapons of war, and led Shem into the city. But as Cestius +tarried there three days, the Jews seized upon the elevated parts +of the city, and set watches at the entrances into the city, and +appeared openly resolved not to rest when once the Romans should +begin to march. + +3. And now when Agrippa observed that even the affairs of the +Romans were likely to be in danger, while such an immense +multitude of their enemies had seized upon the mountains round +about, he determined to try what the Jews would agree to by +words, as thinking that he should either persuade them all to +desist from fighting, or, however, that he should cause the sober +part of them to separate themselves from the opposite party. So +he sent Borceus and Phebus, the persons of his party that were +the best known to them, and promised them that Cestius should +give them his right hand, to secure them of the Romans' entire +forgiveness of what they had done amiss, if they would throw away +their arms, and come over to them; but the seditious, fearing +lest the whole multitude, in hopes of security to themselves, +should go over to Agrippa, resolved immediately to fall upon and +kill the ambassadors; accordingly they slew Phebus before he said +a word, but Borceus was only wounded, and so prevented his fate +by flying away. And when the people were very angry at this, they +had the seditious beaten with stones and clubs, and drove them +before them into the city. + +4. But now Cestius, observing that the disturbances that were +begun among the Jews afforded him a proper opportunity to attack +them, took his whole army along with him, and put the Jews to +flight, and pursued them to Jerusalem. He then pitched his camp +upon the elevation called Scopus, [or watch-tower,] which was +distant seven furlongs from the city; yet did not he assault them +in three days' time, out of expectation that those within might +perhaps yield a little; and in the mean time he sent out a great +many of his soldiers into neighboring villages, to seize upon +their corn. And on the fourth day, which was the thirtieth of the +month Hyperbereteus, [Tisri,] when he had put his army in array, +he brought it into the city. Now for the people, they were kept +under by the seditious; but the seditious themselves were greatly +affrighted at the good order of the Romans, and retired from the +suburbs, and retreated into the inner part of the city, and into +the temple. But when Cestius was come into the city, he set the +part called Bezetha, which is called Cenopolis, [or the new +city,] on fire; as he did also to the timber market; after which +he came into the upper city, and pitched his camp over against +the royal palace; and had he but at this very time attempted to +get within the walls by force, he had won the city presently, and +the war had been put an end to at once; but Tyrannius Priseus, +the muster-master of the army, and a great number of the officers +of the horse, had been corrupted by Florus, and diverted him from +that his attempt; and that was the occasion that this war lasted +so very long, and thereby the Jews were involved in such +incurable calamities. + +5. In the mean time, many of the principal men of the city were +persuaded by Ananus, the son of Jonathan, and invited Cestius +into the city, and were about to open the gates for him; but he +overlooked this offer, partly out of his anger at the Jews, and +partly because he did not thoroughly believe they were in +earnest; whence it was that he delayed the matter so long, that +the seditious perceived the treachery, and threw Ananus and those +of his party down from the wall, and, pelting them with stones, +drove them into their houses; but they stood themselves at proper +distances in the towers, and threw their darts at those that were +getting over the wall. Thus did the Romans make their attack +against the wall for five days, but to no purpose. But on the +next day Cestius took a great many of his choicest men, and with +them the archers, and attempted to break into the temple at the +northern quarter of it; but the Jews beat them off from the +cloisters, and repulsed them several times when they were gotten +near to the wall, till at length the multitude of the darts cut +them off, and made them retire; but the first rank of the Romans +rested their shields upon the wall, and so did those that were +behind them, and the like did those that were still more +backward, and guarded themselves with what they call Testudo, +[the back of] a tortoise, upon which the darts that were thrown +fell, and slided off without doing them any harm; so the soldiers +undermined the wall, without being themselves hurt, and got all +things ready for setting fire to the gate of the temple. + +6. And now it was that a horrible fear seized upon the seditious, +insomuch that many of them ran out of the city, as though it were +to be taken immediately; but the people upon this took courage, +and where the wicked part of the city gave ground, thither did +they come, in order to set open the gates, and to admit Cestius +(30) as their benefactor, who, had he but continued the siege a +little longer, had certainly taken the city; but it was, I +suppose, owing to the aversion God had already at the city and +the sanctuary, that he was hindered from putting an end to the +war that very day. + +7. It then happened that Cestius was not conscious either how the +besieged despaired of success, nor how courageous the people were +for him; and so he recalled his soldiers from the place, and by +despairing of any expectation of taking it, without having +received any disgrace, he retired from the city, without any +reason in the world. But when the robbers perceived this +unexpected retreat of his, they resumed their courage, and ran +after the hinder parts of his army, and destroyed a considerable +number of both their horsemen and footmen; and now Cestius lay +all night at the camp which was at Scopus; and as he went off +farther next day, he thereby invited the enemy to follow him, who +still fell upon the hindmost, and destroyed them; they also fell +upon the flank on each side of the army, and threw darts upon +them obliquely, nor durst those that were hindmost turn back upon +those who wounded them behind, as imagining that the multitude of +those that pursued them was immense; nor did they venture to +drive away those that pressed upon them on each side, because +they were heavy with their arms, and were afraid of breaking +their ranks to pieces, and because they saw the Jews were light, +and ready for making incursions upon them. And this was the +reason why the Romans suffered greatly, without being able to +revenge themselves upon their enemies; so they were galled all +the way, and their ranks were put into disorder, and those that +were thus put out of their ranks were slain; among whom were +Priscus, the commander of the sixth legion, and Longinus, the +tribune, and Emilius Secundus, the commander of a troop of +horsemen. So it was not without difficulty that they got to +Gabao, their former camp, and that not without the loss of a +great part of their baggage. There it was that Cestius staid two +days, and was in great distress to know what he should do in +these circumstances; but when on the third day he saw a still +much greater number of enemies, and all the parts round about him +full of Jews, he understood that his delay was to his own +detriment, and that if he staid any longer there, he should have +still more enemies upon him. + +8. That therefore he might fly the faster, he gave orders to cast +away what might hinder his army's march; so they killed the mules +and other creatures, excepting those that carried their darts and +machines, which they retained for their own use, and this +principally because they were afraid lest the Jews should seize +upon them. He then made his army march on as far as Bethoron. Now +the Jews did not so much press upon them when they were in large +open places; but when they were penned up in their descent +through narrow passages, then did some of them get before, and +hindered them from getting out of them; and others of them thrust +the hinder-most down into the lower places; and the whole +multitude extended themselves over against the neck of the +passage, and covered the Roman army with their darts. In which +circumstances, as the footmen knew not how to defend themselves, +so the danger pressed the horsemen still more, for they were so +pelted, that they could not march along the road in their ranks, +and the ascents were so high, that the cavalry were not able to +march against the enemy; the precipices also and valleys into +which they frequently fell, and tumbled down, were such on each +side of them, that there was neither place for their flight, nor +any contrivance could be thought of for their defense; till the +distress they were at last in was so great, that they betook +themselves to lamentations, and to such mournful cries as men use +in the utmost despair: the joyful acclamations of the Jews also, +as they encouraged one another, echoed the sounds back again, +these last composing a noise of those that at once rejoiced and +were in a rage. Indeed, things were come to such a pass, that the +Jews had almost taken Cestius's entire army prisoners, had not +the night come on, when the Romans fled to Bethoron, and the Jews +seized upon all the places round about them, and watched for +their coming out [in the morning]. + +9. And then it was that Cestius, despairing of obtaining room for +a public march, contrived how he might best run away; and when he +had selected four hundred of the most courageous of his soldiers, +he placed them at the strongest of their fortifications, and gave +order, that when they went up to the morning guard, they should +erect their ensigns, that the Jews might be made to believe that +the entire army was there still, while he himself took the rest +of his forces with him, and marched, without any noise, thirty +furlongs. But when the Jews perceived, in the morning, that the +camp was empty, they ran upon those four hundred who had deluded +them, and immediately threw their darts at them, and slew them; +and then pursued after Cestius. But he had already made use of a +great part of the night in his flight, and still marched quicker +when it was day; insomuch that the soldiers, through the +astonishment and fear they were in, left behind them their +engines for sieges, and for throwing of stones, and a great part +of the instruments of war. So the Jews went on pursuing the +Romans as far as Antipatris; after which, seeing they could not +overtake them, they came back, and took the engines, and spoiled +the dead bodies, and gathered the prey together which the Romans +had left behind them, and came back running and singing to their +metropolis; while they had themselves lost a few only, but had +slain of the Romans five thousand and three hundred footmen, and +three hundred and eighty horsemen. This defeat happened on the +eighth day of the month Dius, [Marchesvan,] in the twelfth year +of the reign of Nero. + +CHAPTER 9. + +Cestius Sends Ambassadors To Nero. The People Of Damascus Slay +Those Jews That Lived With Them. The People Of Jerusalem After +They Had [Left Off] Pursuing Cestius, Return To The City And Get +Things Ready For Its Defense And Make A Great Many Generals For, +Their Armies And Particularly Josephus The Writer Of These Books. +Some Account Of His Administration. + +1. After this calamity had befallen Cestius, many of the most +eminent of the Jews swam away from the city, as from a ship when +it was going to sink; Costobarus, therefore, and Saul, who were +brethren, together with Philip, the son of Jacimus, who was the +commander of king Agrippa's forces, ran away from the city, and +went to Cestius. But then how Antipas, who had been besieged with +them in the king's palace, but would not fly away with them, was +afterward slain by the seditious, we shall relate hereafter. +However, Cestius sent Saul and his friends, at their own desire, +to Achaia, to Nero, to inform him of the great distress they were +in, and to lay the blame of their kindling the war upon Florus, +as hoping to alleviate his own danger, by provoking his +indignation against Florus. + +2. In the mean time, the people of Damascus, when they were +informed of the destruction of the Romans, set about the +slaughter of those Jews that were among them; and as they had +them already cooped up together in the place of public exercises, +which they had done out of the suspicion they had of them, they +thought they should meet with no difficulty in the attempt; yet +did they distrust their own wives, which were almost all of them +addicted to the Jewish religion; on which account it was that +their greatest concern was, how they might conceal these things +from them; so they came upon the Jews, and cut their throats, as +being in a narrow place, in number ten thousand, and all of them +unarmed, and this in one hour's time, without any body to disturb +them. + +3. But as to those who had pursued after Cestius, when they were +returned back to Jerusalem, they overbore some of those that +favored the Romans by violence, and some them persuaded [by +en-treaties] to join with them, and got together in great numbers +in the temple, and appointed a great many generals for the war. +Joseph also, the son of Gorion, (31) and Ananus the high priest, +were chosen as governors of all affairs within the city, and with +a particular charge to repair the walls of the city; for they did +not ordain Eleazar the son of Simon to that office, although he +had gotten into his possession the prey they had taken from the +Romans, and the money they had taken from Cestius, together with +a great part of the public treasures, because they saw he was of +a tyrannical temper, and that his followers were, in their +behavior, like guards about him. However, the want they were in +of Eleazar's money, and the subtle tricks used by him, brought +all so about, that the people were circumvented, and submitted +themselves to his authority in all public affairs. + +4. They also chose other generals for Idumea; Jesus, the son of +Sapphias, one of the high priests; and Eleazar, the son of +Ananias, the high priest; they also enjoined Niger, the then +governor of Idumea, (32) who was of a family that belonged to +Perea, beyond Jordan, and was thence called the Peraite, that he +should be obedient to those fore-named commanders. Nor did they +neglect the care of other parts of the country; but Joseph the +son of Simon was sent as general to Jericho, as was Manasseh to +Perea, and John, the Esscue, to the toparchy of Thamna; Lydda was +also added to his portion, and Joppa, and Emmaus. But John, the +son of Matthias, was made governor of the toparchies of +Gophnitica and Acrabattene; as was Josephus, the son of Matthias, +of both the Galilees. Gamala also, which was the strongest city +in those parts, was put under his command. + +5. So every one of the other commanders administered the affairs +of his portion with that alacrity and prudence they were masters +of; but as to Josephus, when he came into Galilee, his first care +was to gain the good-will of the people of that country, as +sensible that he should thereby have in general good success, +although he should fail in other points. And being conscious to +himself that if he communicated part of his power to the great +men, he should make them his fast friends; and that he should +gain the same favor from the multitude, if he executed his +commands by persons of their own country, and with whom they were +well acquainted; he chose out seventy of the most prudent men, +and those elders in age, and appointed them to be rulers of all +Galilee, as he chose seven judges in every city to hear the +lesser quarrels; for as to the greater causes, and those wherein +life and death were concerned, he enjoined they should be brought +to him and the seventy (33) elders. + +6. Josephus also, when he had settled these rules for determining +causes by the law, with regard to the people's dealings one with +another, betook himself to make provisions for their safety +against external violence; and as he knew the Romans would fall +upon Galilee, he built walls in proper places about Jotapata, and +Bersabee, and Selamis; and besides these, about Caphareccho, and +Japha, and Sigo, and what they call Mount Tabor, and Tarichee, +and Tiberias. Moreover, he built walls about the caves near the +lake of Gennesar, which places lay in the Lower Galilee; the same +he did to the places of Upper Galilee, as well as to the rock +called the Rock of the Achabari, and to Seph, and Jamnith, and +Meroth; and in Gaulonitis he fortified Seleucia, and Sogane, and +Gamala; but as to those of Sepphoris, they were the only people +to whom he gave leave to build their own walls, and this because +he perceived they were rich and wealthy, and ready to go to war, +without standing in need of any injunctions for that purpose. The +case was the same with Gischala, which had a wall built about it +by John the son of Levi himself, but with the consent of +Josephus; but for the building of the rest of the fortresses, he +labored together with all the other builders, and was present to +give all the necessary orders for that purpose. He also got +together an army out of Galilee, of more than a hundred thousand +young men, all of which he armed with the old weapons which he +had collected together and prepared for them. + +7. And when he had considered that the Roman power became +invincible, chiefly by their readiness in obeying orders, and the +constant exercise of their arms, he despaired of teaching these +his men the use of their arms, which was to be obtained by +experience; but observing that their readiness in obeying orders +was owing to the multitude of their officers, he made his +partitions in his army more after the Roman manner, and appointed +a great many subalterns. He also distributed the soldiers into +various classes, whom he put under captains of tens, and captains +of hundreds, and then under captains of thousands; and besides +these, he had commanders of larger bodies of men. He also taught +them to give the signals one to another, and to call and recall +the soldiers by the trumpets, how to expand the wings of an army, +and make them wheel about; and when one wing hath had success, to +turn again and assist those that were hard set, and to join in +the defense of what had most suffered. He also continually +instructed them ill what concerned the courage of the soul, and +the hardiness of the body; and, above all, he exercised them for +war, by declaring to them distinctly the good order of the +Romans, and that they were to fight with men who, both by the +strength of their bodies and courage of their souls, had +conquered in a manner the whole habitable earth. He told them +that he should make trial of the good order they would observe in +war, even before it came to any battle, in case they would +abstain from the crimes they used to indulge themselves in, such +as theft, and robbery, and rapine, and from defrauding their own +countrymen, and never to esteem the harm done to those that were +so near of kin to them to be any advantage to themselves; for +that wars are then managed the best when the warriors preserve a +good conscience; but that such as are ill men in private life +will not only have those for enemies which attack them, but God +himself also for their antagonist. + +8. And thus did he continue to admonish them. Now he chose for +the war such an army as was sufficient, i.e. sixty thousand +footmen, and two hundred and fifty horsemen; (34) and besides +these, on which he put the greatest trust, there were about four +thousand five hundred mercenaries; he had also six hundred men as +guards of his body. Now the cities easily maintained the rest of +his army, excepting the mercenaries, for every one of the cities +enumerated above sent out half their men to the army, and +retained the other half at home, in order to get provisions for +them; insomuch that the one part went to the war, and the other +part to their work, and so those that sent out their corn were +paid for it by those that were in arms, by that security which +they enjoyed from them. + +CHAPTER 21. + +Concerning John Of Gichala. Josephus Uses Stratagems Against The +Plots John Laid Against Him And Recovers Certain Cities Which Had +Revolted From Him. + +1. Now as Josephus was thus engaged in the administration of the +affairs of Galilee, there arose a treacherous person, a man of +Gischala, the son of Levi, "whose name was John. His character +was that of a very cunning and very knavish person, beyond the +ordinary rate of the other men of eminence there, and for wicked +practices he had not his fellow any where. Poor he was at first, +and for a long time his wants were a hinderance to him in his +wicked designs. He was a ready liar, and yet very sharp in +gaining credit to his fictions: he thought it a point of virtue +to delude people, and would delude even such as were the dearest +to him. He was a hypocritical pretender to humanity, but where he +had hopes of gain, he spared not the shedding of blood: his +desires were ever carried to great things, and he encouraged his +hopes from those mean wicked tricks which he was the author of. +He had a peculiar knack at thieving; but in some time he got +certain companions in his impudent practices; at first they were +but few, but as he proceeded on in his evil course, they became +still more and more numerous. He took care that none of his +partners should be easily caught in their rogueries, but chose +such out of the rest as had the strongest constitutions of body, +and the greatest courage of soul, together with great skill in +martial affairs; as he got together a band of four hundred men, +who came principally out of the country of Tyre, and were +vagabonds that had run away from its villages; and by the means +of these he laid waste all Galilee, and irritated a considerable +number, who were in great expectation of a war then suddenly to +arise among them. + +2. However, John's want of money had hitherto restrained him in +his ambition after command, and in his attempts to advance +himself. But when he saw that Josephus was highly pleased with +the activity of his temper, he persuaded him, in the first place, +to intrust him with the repairing of the walls of his native +city, [Gischala,] in which work he got a great deal of money from +the rich citizens. He after that contrived a very shrewd trick, +and pretending that the Jews who dwelt in Syria were obliged to +make use of oil that was made by others than those of their own +nation, he desired leave of Josephus to send oil to their +borders; so he bought four amphorae with such Tyrian money as was +of the value of four Attic drachmae, and sold every half-amphora +at the same price. And as Galilee was very fruitful in oil, and +was peculiarly so at that time, by sending away great quantities, +and having the sole privilege so to do, he gathered an immense +sum of money together, which money he immediately used to the +disadvantage of him who gave him that privilege; and, as he +supposed, that if he could once overthrow Josephus, he should +himself obtain the government of Galilee; so he gave orders to +the robbers that were under his command to be more zealous in +their thievish expeditions, that by the rise of many that desired +innovations in the country, he might either catch their general +in his snares, as he came to the country's assistance, and then +kill him; or if he should overlook the robbers, he might accuse +him for his negligence to the people of the country. He also +spread abroad a report far and near that Josephus was delivering +up the administration of affairs to the Romans; and many such +plots did he lay, in order to ruin him. + +3. Now at the same time that certain young men of the village +Dabaritta, who kept guard in the Great Plain laid snares for +Ptolemy, who was Agrippa's and Bernice's steward, and took from +him all that he had with him; among which things there were a +great many costly garments, and no small number of silver cups, +and six hundred pieces of gold; yet were they not able to conceal +what they had stolen, but brought it all to Josephus, to +Tarichee. Hereupon he blamed them for the violence they had +offered to the king and queen, and deposited what they brought to +him with Eneas, the most potent man of Taricheae, with an +intention of sending the things back to the owners at a proper +time; which act of Josephus brought him into the greatest danger; +for those that had stolen the things had an indignation at him, +both because they gained no share of it for themselves, and +because they perceived beforehand what was Josephus's intention, +and that he would freely deliver up what had cost them so much +pains to the king and queen. These ran away by night to their +several villages, and declared to all men that Josephus was going +to betray them: they also raised great disorders in all the +neighboring cities, insomuch that in the morning a hundred +thousand armed men came running together; which multitude was +crowded together in the hippodrome at Taricheae, and made a very +peevish clamor against him; while some cried out, that they +should depose the traitor; and others, that they should burn him. +Now John irritated a great many, as did also one Jesus, the son +of Sapphias, who was then governor of Tiberias. Then it was that +Josephus's friends, and the guards of his body, were so +affrighted at this violent assault of the multitude, that they +all fled away but four; and as he was asleep, they awaked him, as +the people were going to set fire to the house. And although +those four that remained with him persuaded him to run away, he +was neither surprised at his being himself deserted, nor at the +great multitude that came against him, but leaped out to them +with his clothes rent, and ashes sprinkled on his head, with his +hands behind him, and his sword hanging at his neck. At this +sight his friends, especially those of Tarichae, commiserated his +condition; but those that came out of the country, and those in +their neighborhood, to whom his government seemed burdensome, +reproached him, and bid him produce the money which belonged to +them all immediately, and to confess the agreement he had made to +betray them; for they imagined, from the habit in which he +appeared, that he would deny nothing of what they suspected +concerning him, and that it was in order to obtain pardon that he +had put himself entirely into so pitiable a posture. But this +humble appearance was only designed as preparatory to a stratagem +of his, who thereby contrived to set those that were so angry at +him at variance one with another about the things they were angry +at. However, he promised he would confess all: hereupon he was +permitted to speak, when he said," I did neither intend to send +this money back to Agrippa, nor to gain it myself; for I did +never esteem one that was your enemy to be my friend, nor did I +look upon what would tend to your disadvantage to be my +advantage. But, O you people of Tariehete, I saw that your city +stood in more need than others of fortifications for your +security, and that it wanted money in order for the building it a +wall. I was also afraid lest the people of Tiberias and other +cities should lay a plot to seize upon these spoils, and +therefore it was that I intended to retain this money privately, +that I might encompass you with a wall. But if this does not +please you, I will produce what was brought me, and leave it to +you to plunder it; but if I have conducted myself so well as to +please you, you may if you please punish your benefactor." +4. Hereupon the people of Taricheae loudly commended him; but +those of Tiberias, with the rest of the company, gave him hard +names, and threatened what they would do to him; so both sides +left off quarrelling with Josephus, and fell on quarrelling with +one another. So he grew bold upon the dependence he had on his +friends, which were the people of Taricheae, and about forty +thousand in number, and spake more freely to the whole multitude, +and reproached them greatly for their rashness; and told them, +that with this money he would build walls about Taricheae, and +would put the other cities in a state of security also; for that +they should not want money, if they would but agree for whose +benefit it was to be procured, and would not suffer themselves to +be irritated against him who procured it for them. + +5. Hereupon the rest of the multitude that had been deluded +retired; but yet so that they went away angry, and two thousand +of them made an assault upon him in their armor; and as he was +already gone to his own house, they stood without and threatened +him. On which occasion Josephus again used a second stratagem to +escape them; for he got upon the top of his house, and with his +right hand desired them to be silent, and said to them, "I cannot +tell what you would have, nor can hear what you say, for the +confused noise you make;" but he said that he would comply with +all their demands, in case they would but send some of their +number in to him that might talk with him about it. And when the +principal of them, with their leaders, heard this, they came into +the house. He then drew them to the most retired part of the +house, and shut the door of that hall where he put them, and then +had them whipped till every one of their inward parts appeared +naked. In the mean time the multitude stood round the house, and +supposed that he had a long discourse with those that were gone +in about what they claimed of him. He had then the doors set open +immediately, and sent the men out all bloody, which so terribly +aftrighted those that had before threatened him, that they threw +away their arms and ran away. + +6. But as for John, his envy grew greater [upon this escape of +Josephus], and he framed a new plot against him; he pretended to +be sick, and by a letter desired that Josephus would give him +leave to use the hot baths that were at Tiberias, for the +recovery of his health. Hereupon Josephus, who hitherto suspected +nothing of John's plots against him, wrote to the governors of +the city, that they would provide a lodging and necessaries for +John; which favors, when he had made use of, in two days' time he +did what he came about; some he corrupted with delusive frauds, +and others with money, and so persuaded them to revolt from +Josephus. This Silas, who was appointed guardian of the city by +Josephus, wrote to him immediately, and informed him of the plot +against him; which epistle when Josephus had received, he marched +with great diligence all night, and came early in the morning to +Tiberias; at which time the rest of the multitude met him. But +John, who suspected that his coming was not for his advantage, +sent however one of his friends, and pretended that he was sick, +and that being confined to his bed, he could not come to pay him +his respects. But as soon as Josephus had got the people of +Tiberias together in the stadium, and tried to discourse with +them about the letters that he had received, John privately sent +some armed men, and gave them orders to slay him. But when the +people saw that the armed men were about to draw their swords, +they cried out; at which cry Josephus turned himself about, and +when he saw that the swords were just at his throat, he marched +away in great haste to the sea-shore, and left off that speech +which he was going to make to the people, upon an elevation of +six cubits high. He then seized on a ship which lay in the haven, +and leaped into it, with two of his guards, and fled away into +the midst of the lake. + +7. But now the soldiers he had with him took up their arms +immediately, and marched against the plotters; but Josephus was +afraid lest a civil war should be raised by the envy of a few +men, and bring the city to ruin; so he sent some of his party to +tell them, that they should do no more than provide for their own +safety; that they should not kill any body, nor accuse any for +the occasion they had afforded [of disorder]. Accordingly, these +men obeyed his orders, and were quiet; but the people of the +neighboring country, when they were informed of this plot, and of +the plotter, they got together in great multitudes to oppose +John. But he prevented their attempt, and fled away to Gischala, +his native city, while the Galileans came running out of their +several cities to Josephus; and as they were now become many ten +thousands of armed men, they cried out, that they were come +against John the common plotter against their interest, and would +at the same time burn him, and that city which had received him. +Hereupon Josephus told them that he took their good-will to him +kindly, but still he restrained their fury, and intended to +subdue his enemies by prudent conduct, rather than by slaying +them; so he excepted those of every city which had joined in this +revolt with John, by name, who had readily been shown him by +these that came from every city, and caused public proclamation +to be made, that he would seize upon the effects of those that +did not forsake John within five days' time, and would burn both +their houses and their families with fire. Whereupon three +thousand of John's party left him immediately, who came to +Josephus, and threw their arms down at his feet. John then betook +himself, together with his two thousand Syrian runagates, from +open attempts, to more secret ways of treachery. Accordingly, he +privately sent messengers to Jerusalem, to accuse Josephus, as +having to great power, and to let them know that he would soon +come as a tyrant to their metropolis, unless they prevented him. +This accusation the people were aware of beforehand, but had no +regard to it. However, some of the grandees, out of envy, and +some of the rulers also, sent money to John privately, that he +might be able to get together mercenary soldiers, in order to +fight Josephus; they also made a decree of themselves, and this +for recalling him from his government, yet did they not think +that decree sufficient; so they sent withal two thousand five +hundred armed men, and four persons of the highest rank amongst +them; Joazar the son of Nomicus, and Ananias the son of Sadduk, +as also Simon and Judas the sons of Jonathan, all very able men +in speaking, that these persons might withdraw the good-will of +the people from Josephus. These had it in charge, that if he +would voluntarily come away, they should permit him to [come and] +give an account of his conduct; but if he obstinately insisted +upon continuing in his government, they should treat him as an +enemy. Now Josephus's friends had sent him word that an army was +coming against him, but they gave him no notice beforehand what +the reason of their coming was, that being only known among some +secret councils of his enemies; and by this means it was that +four cities revolted from him immediately, Sepphoris, and Gamala, +and Gischala, and Tiberias. Yet did he recover these cities +without war; and when he had routed those four commanders by +stratagems, and had taken the most potent of their warriors, he +sent them to Jerusalem; and the people [of Galilee] had great +indignation at them, and were in a zealous disposition to slay, +not only these forces, but those that sent them also, had not +these forces prevented it by running away. + +8. Now John was detained afterward within the walls of Gischala, +by the fear he was in of Josephus; but within a few days Tiberias +revolted again, the people within it inviting king Agrippa [to +return to the exercise of his authority there]. And when he did +not come at the time appointed, and when a few Roman horsemen +appeared that day, they expelled Josephus out of the city. Now +this revolt of theirs was presently known at Taricheae; and as +Josephus had sent out all the soldiers that were with him to +gather corn, he knew not how either to march out alone against +the revolters, or to stay where he was, because he was afraid the +king's soldiers might prevent him if he tarried, and might get +into the city; for he did not intend to do any thing on the next +day, because it was the sabbath day, and would hinder his +proceeding. So he contrived to circumvent the revolters by a +stratagem; and in the first place he ordered the gates of +Taricheae to be shut, that nobody might go out and inform [those +of Tiberias], for whom it was intended, what stratagem he was +about; he then got together all the ships that were upon the +lake, which were found to be two hundred and thirty, and in each +of them he put no more than four mariners. So he sailed to +Tiberias with haste, and kept at such a distance from the city, +that it was not easy for the people to see the vessels, and +ordered that the empty vessels should float up and down there, +while himself, who had but seven of his guards with him, and +those unarmed also, went so near as to be seen; but when his +adversaries, who were still reproaching him, saw him from the +walls, they were so astonished that they supposed all the ships +were full of armed men, and threw down their arms, and by signals +of intercession they besought him to spare the city. + +9. Upon this Josephus threatened them terribly, and reproached +them, that when they were the first that took up arms against the +Romans, they should spend their force beforehand in civil +dissensions, and do what their enemies desired above all things; +and that besides they should endeavor so hastily to seize upon +him, who took care of their safety, and had not been ashamed to +shut the gates of their city against him that built their walls; +that, however, he would admit of any intercessors from them that +might make some excuse for them, and with whom he would make such +agreements as might be for the city's security. Hereupon ten of +the most potent men of Tiberias came down to him presently; and +when he had taken them into one of his vessels, he ordered them +to be carried a great way off from the city. He then commanded +that fifty others of their senate, such as were men of the +greatest eminence, should come to him, that they also might give +him some security on their behalf. After which, under one new +pretense or another, he called forth others, one after another, +to make the leagues between them. He then gave order to the +masters of those vessels which he had thus filled to sail away +immediately for Taricheae, and to confine those men in the prison +there; till at length he took all their senate, consisting of six +hundred persons, and about two thousand of the populace, and +carried them away to Taricheae. (35) + +10. And when the rest of the people cried out, that it was one +Clitus that was the chief author of this revolt, they desired him +to spend his anger upon him [only]; but Josephus, whose intention +it was to slay nobody, commanded one Levius, belonging to his +guards, to go out of the vessel, in order to cut off both +Clitus's hands; yet was Levius afraid to go out by himself alone +to such a large body of enemies, and refused to go. Now Clitus +saw that Josephus was in a great passion in the ship, and ready +to leap out of it, in order to execute the punishment himself; he +begged therefore from the shore, that he would leave him one of +his hands; which Josephus agreed to, upon condition that he would +himself cutoff the other hand; accordingly he drew his sword, and +with his right hand cut off his left, so great was the fear he +was in of Josephus himself. And thus he took the people of +Tiberias prisoners, and recovered the city again with empty ships +and seven of his guard. Moreover, a few days afterward he retook +Gischala, which had revolted with the people of Sepphoris, and +gave his soldiers leave to plunder it; yet did he get all the +plunder together, and restored it to the inhabitants; and the +like he did to the inhabitants of Sepphoris and Tiberias. For +when he had subdued those cities, he had a mind, by letting them +be plundered, to give them some good instruction, while at the +same time he regained their good-will by restoring them their +money again. + +CHAPTER 22. + +The Jews Make All Ready For The War; And Simon, The Son Of +Gioras, Falls To Plundering. + +1. And thus were the disturbances of Galilee quieted, when, upon +their ceasing to prosecute their civil dissensions, they betook +themselves to make preparations for the war with the Romans. Now +in Jerusalem the high priest Artanus, and do as many of the men +of power as were not in the interest of the Romans, both repaired +the walls, and made a great many warlike instruments, insomuch +that in all parts of the city darts and all sorts of armor were +upon the anvil. Although the multitude of the young men were +engaged in exercises, without any regularity, and all places were +full of tumultuous doings; yet the moderate sort were exceedingly +sad; and a great many there were who, out of the prospect they +had of the calamities that were coming upon them, made great +lamentations. There were also such omens observed as were +understood to be forerunners of evils by such as loved peace, but +were by those that kindled the war interpreted so as to suit +their own inclinations; and the very state of the city, even +before the Romans came against it, was that of a place doomed to +destruction. However, Ananus's concern was this, to lay aside, +for a while, the preparations for the war, and to persuade the +seditious to consult their own interest, and to restrain the +madness of those that had the name of zealots; but their violence +was too hard for him; and what end he came to we shall relate +hereafter. + +2. But as for the Acrabbene toparchy, Simon, the son of Gioras, +got a great number of those that were fond of innovations +together, and betook himself to ravage the country; nor did he +only harass the rich men's houses, but tormented their bodies, +and appeared openly and beforehand to affect tyranny in his +government. And when an army was sent against him by Artanus, and +the other rulers, he and his band retired to the robbers that +were at Masada, and staid there, and plundered the country of +Idumea with them, till both Ananus and his other adversaries were +slain; and until the rulers of that country were so afflicted +with the multitude of those that were slain, and with the +continual ravage of what they had, that they raised an army, and +put garrisons into the villages, to secure them from those +insults. And in this state were the affairs of Judea at that +time. + +WAR BOOK 2 FOOTNOTES + +(1) Hear Dean Aldrich's note on this place: "The law or Custom of +the Jews (says he) requires seven days' mourning for the dead, +Antiq. B. XVII. ch. 8. sect. 4; whence the author of the Book of +Ecclesiasticus, ch. 22:12, assigns seven days as the proper time +of mourning for the dead, and, ch. 38:17, enjoins men to mourn +for the dead, that they may not be evil spoken of; for, as +Josephus says presently, if any one omits this mourning [funeral +feast], he is not esteemed a holy person. How it is certain that +such a seven days' mourning has been customary from times of the +greatest antiquity, Genesis 1:10. Funeral feasts are also +mentioned as of considerable antiquity, Ezekiel 24:17; Jeremiah +16:7; Prey. 31:6; Deuteronomy 26:14; Josephus, Of the War B. III. +ch. 9. sect. 5. + +(2) This holding a council in the temple of Apollo, in the +emperor's palace at Rome, by Augustus, and even the building of +this temple magnificently by himself in that palace, are exactly +agreeable to Augustus, in his elder years, as Aldrich and from +Suttonius and Propertius. + +(3) Here we have a strong confirmation that it was Xerxes, and +not Artaxerxes, under whom the main part of the Jews returned out +of the Babylonian captivity, i.e. in the days of Ezra and +Nehemiah. The same thing is in the Antiquities, B. XI. ch.6 + +(4) This practice of the Essens, in refusing to swear, and +esteeming swearing in ordinary occasions worse than perjury, is +delivered here in general words, as are the parallel injunctions +of our Savior, Matthew 6:34; 23:16; and of St. James, 5:12; but +all admit of particular exceptions for solemn causes, and on +great and necessary occasions. Thus these very Essens, who here +do so zealously avoid swearing, are related, in the very next +section, to admit none till they take tremendous oaths to perform +their several duties to God, and to their neighbor, without +supposing they thereby break this rule, Not to swear at all. The +case is the same in Christianity, as we learn from the +Apostolical Constitutions, which although they agree with Christ +and St. James, in forbidding to swear in general, ch. 5:12; 6:2, +3; yet do they explain it elsewhere, by avoiding to swear +falsely, and to swear often and in vain, ch. 2:36; and again, by +"not swearing at all," but withal adding, that "if that cannot be +avoided, to swear truly," ch. 7:3; which abundantly explain to us +the nature of the measures of this general injunction. + +(5) This mention of the "names of angels," so particularly +preserved by the Essens, (if it means more than those +"messengers" which were employed to bring, them the peculiar +books of their Sect,) looks like a prelude to that "worshipping +of angels," blamed by St. Paul, as superstitious and unlawful, in +some such sort of people as these Essens were, Colossians 2:8; as +is the prayer to or towards the sun for his rising every morning, +mentioned before, sect. 5, very like those not much later +observances made mention of in the preaching of Peter, Authent. +Rec. Part II. p. 669, and regarding a kind of worship of angels, +of the month, and of the moon, and not celebrating the new moons, +or other festivals, unless the moon appeared. Which, indeed, +seems to me the earliest mention of any regard to the phases in +fixing the Jewish calendar, of which the Talmud and later Rabbins +talk so much, and upon so very little ancient foundation. + +(6) Of these Jewish or Essene (and indeed Christian) doctrines +concerning souls, both good and bad, in Hades, see that excellent +discourse, or homily, of our Josephus concerning Hades, at the +end of the volume. + +(7) Dean Aldrich reckons up three examples of this gift of +prophecy in several of these Essens out of Josephus himself, viz. +in the History of the War, B. I. ch. 3. sect. 5, Judas foretold +the death of Antigonus at Strato's Tower; B. II. ch. 7. sect. 3, +Simon foretold that Archelaus should reign but nine or ten years; +and Antiq. B. XV. ch. 10. sect. 4, 5, Menuhem foretold that Herod +should be king, and should reign tyrannically, and that for more +than twenty or even thirty years. All which came to pass +accordingly. + +(8) There is so much more here about the Essens than is cited +from Josephus in Porphyry and Eusebius, and yet so much less +about the Pharisees and Sadducees, the two other Jewish sects, +than would naturally be expected in proportion to the Essens or +third sect, nay, than seems to be referred to by himself +elsewhere, that one is tempted to suppose Josephus had at first +written less of the one, and more of the two others, than his +present copies afford us; as also, that, by some unknown +accident, our present copies are here made up of the larger +edition in the first case, and of the smaller in the second. See +the note in Havercamp's edition. However, what Josephus says in +the name of the Pharisees, that only the souls of good men go out +of one body into another, although all souls be immortal, and +still the souls of the bad are liable to eternal punishment; as +also what he says afterwards, Antiq. B. XVIII. ch. 1. sect. 3, +that the soul's vigor is immortal, and that under the earth they +receive rewards or punishments according as their lives have been +virtuous or vicious in the present world; that to the bad is +allotted an eternal prison, but that the good are permitted to +live again in this world; are nearly agreeable to the doctrines +of Christianity. Only Josephus's rejection of the return of the +wicked into other bodies, or into this world, which he grants to +the good, looks somewhat like a contradiction to St. Paul's +account of the doctrine of the Jews, that they "themselves +allowed that there should be a resurrection of the dead, both of +the just and unjust," Acts 24:15. Yet because Josephus's account +is that of the Pharisees, and St. Patti's that of the Jews in +general, and of himself the contradiction is not very certain. + +(9) We have here, in that Greek MS. which was once Alexander +Petavius's, but is now in the library at Leyden, two most +remarkable additions to the common copies, though declared worth +little remark by the editor; which, upon the mention of +Tiberius's coming to the empire, inserts first the famous +testimony of Josephus concerning Jesus Christ, as it stands +verbatim in the Antiquities, B. XVIII. ch. 3. sect. 3, with some +parts of that excellent discourse or homily of Josephus +concerning Hades, annexed to the work. But what is here +principally to be noted is this, that in this homily, Josephus +having just mentioned Christ, as "God the Word, and the Judge of +the world, appointed by the Father," etc., adds, that "he had +himself elsewhere spoken about him more nicely or particularly." + +(10) This use of corban, or oblation, as here applied to the +sacred money dedicated to God in the treasury of the temple, +illustrates our Savior's words, Mark 7:11, 12. + +(11) Tacitus owns that Caius commanded the Jews to place his +effigies in their temple, though he be mistaken when he adds that +the Jews thereupon took arms. + +(12) This account of a place near the mouth of the river Belus in +Phoenicia, whence came that sand out of which the ancients made +their glass, is a known thing in history, particularly in Tacitus +and Strabo, and more largely in Pliny. + +(13) This Memnon had several monuments, and one of them appears, +both by Strabo and Diodorus, to have been in Syria, and not +improbably in this very place. + +(14) Reland notes here, that the Talmud in recounting ten sad +accidents for which the Jews ought to rend their garments, +reckons this for one, "When they hear that the law of God is +burnt." + +(15) This Ummidius, or Numidius, or, as Tacitus calls him, +Vinidius Quadratus, is mentioned in an ancient inscription, still +preserved, as Spanhelm here informs us, which calls him Urnmidius +Quadratus. + +(16) Take the character of this Felix (who is well known from the +Acts of the Apostles, particularly from his trembling when St. +Paul discoursed of "righteousness, chastity, and judgment to +come," Acts 24:5; and no wonder, when we have elsewhere seen that +he lived in adultery with Drusilla, another man's wife, (Antiq. +B. XX. ch. 7. sect. 1) in the words of Tacitus, produced here by +Dean Aldrich: "Felix exercised," says Tacitas, "the authority of +a king, with the disposition of a slave, and relying upon the +great power of his brother Pallas at court, thought he might +safely be guilty of all kinds of wicked practices." Observe also +the time when he was made procurator, A.D. 52; that when St. Paul +pleaded his cause before him, A.D. 58, he might have been "many +years a judge unto that nation," as St. Paul says he had then +been, Acts 24:10. But as to what Tacitus here says, that before +the death of Cumanus, Felix was procurator over Samaria only, +does not well agree with St. Paul's words, who would hardly have +called Samaria a Jewish nation. In short, since what Tacitus here +says is about countries very remote from Rome, where he lived; +since what he says of two Roman procurators, the one over +Galilee, the other over Samaria at the same time, is without +example elsewhere; and since Josephus, who lived at that very +time in Judea, appears to have known nothing of this +procuratorship of Felix, before the death of Cureanus; I much +suspect the story itself as nothing better than a mistake of +Tacitus, especially when it seems not only omitted, but +contradicted by Josephus; as any one may find that compares their +histories together. Possibly Felix might have been a subordinate +judge among the Jews some time before under Cureanus, but that he +was in earnest a procurator of Samaria before I do not believe. +Bishop Pearson, as well as Bishop Lloyd, quote this account, but +with a doubtful clause: confides Tacito, "If we may believe +Tacitus." Pears. Anhal. Paulin. p. 8; Marshall's Tables, at A.D. +49. + +(17) i.e. Herod king of Chalcis. + +(18) Not long after this beginning of Florus, the wickedest of +all the Roman procurators of Judea, and the immediate occasion of +the Jewish war, at the twelfth year of Nero, and the seventeenth +of Agrippa, or A.D. 66, the history in the twenty books of +Josephus's Antiquities ends, although Josephus did not finish +these books till the thirteenth of Domitian, or A.D. 93, +twenty-seven years afterward; as he did not finish their +Appendix, containing an account of his own life, till Agrippa was +dead, which happened in the third year of Trajan, or A. D. 100, +as I have several times observed before. + +(19) Here we may note, that three millions of the Jews were +present at the passover, A.D. 65; which confirms what Josephus +elsewhere informs us of, that at a passover a little later they +counted two hundred and fifty-six thousand five hundred paschal +lambs, which, at twelve to each lamb, which is no immoderate +calculation, come to three millions and seventy-eight thousand. +See B. VI. ch. 9. sect. 3. + +(20) Take here Dr. Hudson's very pertinent note. "By this +action," says he, "the killing of a bird over an earthen vessel, +the Jews were exposed as a leprous people; for that was to be +done by the law in the cleansing of a leper, Leviticus 14. It is +also known that the Gentiles reproached the Jews as subject to +the leprosy, and believed that they were driven out of Egypt on +that account. This that eminent person Mr. Reland suggested to +me." + +(21) Here we have examples of native Jews who were of the +equestrian order among the Romans, and so ought never to have +been whipped or crucified, according to the Roman laws. See +almost the like case in St. Paul himself, Acts 22:25-29. + +(22) This vow which Bernice (here and elsewhere called queen, not +only as daughter and sister to two kings, Agrippa the Great, and +Agrippa junior, but the widow of Herod king of Chalcis) came now +to accomplish at Jerusalem was not that of a Nazarite, but such a +one as religious Jews used to make, in hopes of any deliverance +from a disease, or other danger, as Josephus here intimates. +However, these thirty days' abode at Jerusalem, for fasting and +preparation against the oblation of a proper sacrifice, seems to +be too long, unless it were wholly voluntary in this great lady. +It is not required in the law of Moses relating to Nazarites, +Numbers 6., and is very different from St. Paul's time for such +preparation, which was but one day, Acts 21:26. So we want +already the continuation of the Antiquities to afford us light +here, as they have hitherto done on so many occasions elsewhere. +Perhaps in this age the traditions of the Pharisees had obliged +the Jews to this degree of rigor, not only as to these thirty +days' preparation, but as to the going barefoot all that time, +which here Bernice submitted to also. For we know that as God's +and our Savior's yoke is usually easy, and his burden +comparatively light, in such positive injunctions, Matthew 11:30, +so did the scribes and Pharisees sometimes "bind upon men heavy +burdens, and grievous to be borne," even when they themselves +"would not touch them with one of their fingers," Matthew 23:4; +Luke 11:46. However, Noldius well observes, De Herod. No. 404, +414, that Juvenal, in his sixth satire, alludes to this +remarkable penance or submission of this Bernice to Jewish +discipline, and jests upon her for it; as do Tacitus, Dio, +Suetonius, and Sextus Aurelius mention her as one well known at +Rome.--Ibid. + +(23) I take this Bezetha to be that small hill adjoining to the +north side of the temple, whereon was the hospital with five +porticoes or cloisters, and beneath which was the sheep pool of +Bethesda; into which an angel or messenger, at a certain season, +descended, and where he or they who were the "first put into the +pool" were cured, John 5:1 etc. This situation of Bezetha, in +Josephus, on the north side of the temple, and not far off the +tower Antonia, exactly agrees to the place of the same pool at +this day; only the remaining cloisters are but three. See +Maundrel, p. 106. The entire buildings seem to have been called +the New City, and this part, where was the hospital, peculiarly +Bezetha or Bethesda. See ch. 19. sect. 4. + +(24) In this speech of king Agrippa we have an authentic account +of the extent and strength of the Roman empire when the Jewish +war began. And this speech with other circumstances in Josephus, +demonstrate how wise and how great a person Agrippa was, and why +Josephus elsewhere calls him a most wonderful or admirable man, +Contr. Ap. I. 9. He is the same Agrippa who said to Paul," Almost +thou persuadest me to be a Christian," Acts 26;28; and of whom +St. Paul said, "He was expert in all the customs and questions of +the Jews," yet. 3. See another intimation of the limits of the +same Roman empire, Of the War, B. III. ch. 5. sect. 7. But what +seems to me very remarkable here is this, that when Josephus, in +imitation of the Greeks and Romans, for whose use he wrote his +Antiquities, did himself frequently he into their they appear, by +the politeness of their composition, and their flights of +oratory, to be not the real speeches of the persons concerned, +who usually were no orators, but of his own elegant composure, +the speech before us is of another nature, full of undeniable +facts, and composed in a plain and unartful, but moving way; so +it appears to be king Agrippa's own speech, and to have been +given Josephus by Agrippa himself, with whom Josephus had the +greatest friendship. Nor may we omit Agrippa's constant doctrine +here, that this vast Roman empire was raised and supported by +Divine Providence, and that therefore it was in vain for the +Jews, or any others, to think of destroying it. Nor may we +neglect to take notice of Agrippa's solemn appeal to the angels +here used; the like appeals to which we have in St. Paul, 1 +Timothy 5:22, and by the apostles in general, in the form of the +ordination of bishops, Constitut. Apost. VIII. 4. + +(25) Julius Caesar had decreed that the Jews of Jerusalem should +pay an annual tribute to the Romans, excepting the city Joppa, +and for the sabbatical year; as Spanheim observes from the Antiq. +B. XIV. ch. 10. sect. 6. + +(26) Of this Sohemus we have mention made by Tacitus. We also +learn from Dio that his father was king of the Arabians of +Iturea, [which Iturea is mentioned by St. Luke, ch. 3:1.] both +whose testimonies are quoted here by Dr. Hudson. See Noldius, No. +371. + +(27) Spanheim notes on the place, that this later Antiochus, who +was called Epiphaues, is mentioned by Dio, LIX. p. 645, and that +he is mentioned by Josephus elsewhere twice also, B.V. ch. 11. +sect. 3; and Antiq. B. XIX. ch. 8. sect. I. + +(28) Here we have an eminent example of that Jewish language, +which Dr. Wail truly observes, we several times find used in the +sacred writings; I mean, where the words "all" or" whole +multitude,"etc. are used for much the greatest part only; but not +so as to include every person, without exception; for when +Josephus had said that "the whole multitude" [all the males] of +Lydda were gone to the feast of tabernacles, he immediately adds, +that, however, no fewer than fifty of them appeared, and were +slain by the Romans. Other examples somewhat like this I have +observed elsewhere in Josephus, but, as I think, none so +remarkable as this. See Wall's Critical Observations on the Old +Testament, p. 49, 50. + +(29) We have also, in this and the next section, two eminent +facts to be observed, viz. the first example, that I remember, in +Josephus, of the onset of the Jews' enemies upon their country +when their males were gone up to Jerusalem to one of their three +sacred festivals; which, during the theocracy, God had promised +to preserve them from, Exodus 34:24. The second fact is this, the +breach of the sabbath by the seditions Jews in an offensive +fight, contrary to the universal doctrine and practice of their +nation in these ages, and even contrary to what they themselves +afterward practiced in the rest of this war. See the note on +Antiq. B. XVI. ch. 2. sect. 4. + +(30) There may another very important, and very providential, +reason be here assigned for this strange and foolish retreat of +Cestius; which, if Josephus had been now a Christian, he might +probably have taken notice of also; and that is, the affording +the Jewish Christians in the city an opportunity of calling to +mind the prediction and caution given them by Christ about +thirty-three years and a half before, that "when they should see +the abomination of desolation" [the idolatrous Roman armies, with +the images of their idols in their ensigns, ready to lay +Jerusalem desolate] "stand where it ought not;" or, "in the holy +place;" or, "when they should see Jerusalem any one instance of a +more unpolitic, but more providential, compassed with armies;" +they should then "flee to the mound conduct than this retreat of +Cestius visible during this whole rains." By complying with which +those Jewish Christians fled I siege of Jerusalem; which yet was +providentially such a "great to the mountains of Perea, and +escaped this destruction. See tribulation, as had not been from +the beginning of the world to that time; no, Lit. Accompl. of +Proph. p. 69, 70. Nor was there, perhaps, nor ever should +be."--Ibid. p. 70, 71. + +(31) From this name of Joseph the son of Gorion, or Gorion the +son of Joseph, as B. IV. ch. 3. sect. 9, one of the governors of +Jerusalem, who was slain at the beginning of the tumults by the +zealots, B. IV. ch. 6. sect. 1, the much later Jewish author of a +history of that nation takes his title, and yet personates our +true Josephus, the son of Matthias; but the cheat is too gross to +be put upon the learned world. + +(32) We may observe here, that the Idumeans, as having been +proselytes of justice since the days of John Hyrcanus, during +about one hundred and ninety-five years, were now esteemed as +part of the Jewish nation, and these provided of a Jewish +commander accordingly. See the note upon Antiq. B. XIII.. ch. 9. +sect. 1. + +(33) We see here, and in Josephus's account of his own life, +sect. 14, how exactly he imitated his legislator Moses, or +perhaps only obeyed what he took to be his perpetual law, in +appointing seven lesser judges, for smaller causes, in particular +cities, and perhaps for the first hearing of greater causes, with +the liberty of an appeal to seventy-one supreme judges, +especially in those causes where life and death were concerned; +as Antiq. B. IV. ch. 8. sect. 14; and of his Life, sect. 14. See +also Of the War, B. IV. ch. 5. sect. 4. Moreover, we find, sect. +7, that he imitated Moses, as well as the Romans, in the number +and distribution of the subaltern officers of his army, as Exodus +18:25; Deuteronomy 1:15; and in his charge against the offenses +common among soldiers, as Denteronomy 13:9; in all which he +showed his great wisdom and piety, and skillful conduct in +martial affairs. Yet may we discern in his very high character of +Artanus the high priest, B. IV. ch. 5. sect. 2, who seems to have +been the same who condemned St. James, bishop of Jerusalem, to be +stoned, under Albinus the procurator, that when he wrote these +books of the War, he was not so much as an Ebionite Christian; +otherwise he would not have failed, according to his usual +custom, to have reckoned this his barbarous murder as a just +punishment upon him for that his cruelty to the chief, or rather +only Christian bishop of the circumcision. Nor, had he been then +a Christian, could he immediately have spoken so movingly of the +causes of the destruction of Jerusalem, without one word of +either the condemnation of James, or crucifixion of Christ, as he +did when he was become a Christian afterward. + +(34) I should think that an army of sixty thousand footmen should +require many more than two hundred and fifty horsemen; and we +find Josephus had more horsemen under his command than two +hundred and fifty in his future history. I suppose the number of +the thousands is dropped in our present copies. + +(35) I cannot but think this stratagem of Josephus, which is +related both here and in his Life, sect. 32, 33, to be one of the +finest that ever was invented and executed by any warrior +whatsoever. + +BOOK III. + +Containing The Interval Of About One Year. + +From Vespasian's Coming To Subdue The Jews To The Taking Of +Gamala. + +CHAPTER 1. + +Vespasian Is Sent Into Syria By Nero In Order To Make War With +The Jews. + +1. When Nero was informed of the Romans' ill success in Judea, a +concealed consternation and terror, as is usual in such cases, +fell upon him; although he openly looked very big, and was very +angry, and said that what had happened was rather owing to the +negligence of the commander, than to any valor of the enemy: and +as he thought it fit for him, who bare the burden of the whole +empire, to despise such misfortunes, he now pretended so to do, +and to have a soul superior to all such sad accidents whatsoever. +Yet did the disturbance that was in his soul plainly appear by +the solicitude he was in [how to recover his affairs again]. +2. And as he was deliberating to whom he should commit the care +of the East, now it was in so great a commotion, and who might be +best able to punish the Jews for their rebellion, and might +prevent the same distemper from seizing upon the neighboring +nations also, - he found no one but Vespasian equal to the task, +and able to undergo the great burden of so mighty a war, seeing +he was growing an old man already in the camp, and from his youth +had been exercised in warlike exploits: he was also a man that +had long ago pacified the west, and made it subject to the +Romans, when it had been put into disorder by the Germans; he had +also recovered to them Britain by his arms, which had been little +known before (1) whereby he procured to his father Claudius to +have a triumph bestowed on him without any sweat or labor of his +own. + +3. So Nero esteemed these circumstances as favorable omens, and +saw that Vespasian's age gave him sure experience, and great +skill, and that he had his sons as hostages for his fidelity to +himself, and that the flourishing age they were in would make +them fit instruments under their father's prudence. Perhaps also +there was some interposition of Providence, which was paving the +way for Vespasian's being himself emperor afterwards. Upon the +whole, he sent this man to take upon him the command of the +armies that were in Syria; but this not without great encomiums +and flattering compellations, such as necessity required, and +such as might mollify him into complaisance. So Vespasian sent +his son Titus from Achaia, where he had been with Nero, to +Alexandria, to bring back with him from thence the fifth and. the +tenth legions, while he himself, when he had passed over the +Hellespont, came by land into Syria, where he gathered together +the Roman forces, with a considerable number of auxiliaries from +the kings in that neighborhood. + +CHAPTER 2. + +A Great Slaughter About Ascalon. Vespasian Comes To Ptolemais. +1. Now the Jews, after they had beaten Cestius, were so much +elevated with their unexpected success, that they could not +govern their zeal, but, like people blown up into a flame by +their good fortune, carried the war to remoter places. +Accordingly, they presently got together a great multitude of all +their most hardy soldiers, and marched away for Ascalon. This is +an ancient city that is distant from Jerusalem five hundred and +twenty furlongs, and was always an enemy to the Jews; on which +account they determined to make their first effort against it, +and to make their approaches to it as near as possible. This +excursion was led on by three men, who were the chief of them +all, both for strength and sagacity; Niger, called the Persite, +Silas of Babylon, and besides them John the Essene. Now Ascalon +was strongly walled about, but had almost no assistance to be +relied on [near them], for the garrison consisted of one cohort +of footmen, and one troop of horsemen, whose captain was +Antonius. + +2. These Jews, therefore, out of their anger, marched faster than +ordinary, and, as if they had come but a little way, approached +very near the city, and were come even to it; but Antonius, who +was not unapprized of the attack they were going to make upon the +city, drew out his horsemen beforehand, and being neither daunted +at the multitude, nor at the courage of the enemy, received their +first attacks with great bravery; and when they crowded to the +very walls, he beat them off. Now the Jews were unskillful in +war, but were to fight with those who were skillful therein; they +were footmen to fight with horsemen; they were in disorder, to +fight those that were united together; they were poorly armed, to +fight those that were completely so; they were to fight more by +their rage than by sober counsel, and were exposed to soldiers +that were exactly obedient; and did every thing they were bidden +upon the least intimation. So they were easily beaten; for as +soon as ever their first ranks were once in disorder, they were +put to flight by the enemy's cavalry, and those of them that came +behind such as crowded to the wall fell upon their own party's +weapons, and became one another's enemies; and this so long till +they were all forced to give way to the attacks of the horsemen, +and were dispersed all the plain over, which plain was wide, and +all fit for the horsemen; which circumstance was very commodious +for the Romans, and occasioned the slaughter of the greatest +number of the Jews; for such as ran away, they could overrun +them, and make them turn back; and when they had brought them +back after their flight, and driven them together, they ran them +through, and slew a vast number of them, insomuch that others +encompassed others of them, and drove them before them +whithersoever they turned themselves, and slew them easily with +their arrows; and the great number there were of the Jews seemed +a solitude to themselves, by reason of the distress they were in, +while the Romans had such good success with their small number, +that they seemed to themselves to be the greater multitude. And +as the former strove zealously under their misfortunes, out of +the shame of a sudden flight, and hopes of the change in their +success, so did the latter feel no weariness by reason of their +good fortune; insomuch that the fight lasted till the evening, +till ten thousand men of the Jews' side lay dead, with two of +their generals, John and Silas, and the greater part of the +remainder were wounded, with Niger, their remaining general, who +fled away together to a small city of Idumea, called Sallis. Some +few also of the Romans were wounded in this battle. + +3. Yet were not the spirits of the Jews broken by so great a +calamity, but the losses they had sustained rather quickened +their resolution for other attempts; for, overlooking the dead +bodies which lay under their feet, they were enticed by their +former glorious actions to venture on a second destruction; so +when they had lain still so little a while that their wounds were +not yet thoroughly cured, they got together all their forces, and +came with greater fury, and in much greater numbers, to Ascalon. +But their former ill fortune followed them, as the consequence of +their unskilfulness, and other deficiencies in war; for Antonius +laid ambushes for them in the passages they were to go through, +where they fell into snares unexpectedly, and where they were +encompassed about with horsemen, before they could form +themselves into a regular body for fighting, and were above eight +thousand of them slain; so all the rest of them ran away, and +with them Niger, who still did a great many bold exploits in his +flight. However, they were driven along together by the enemy, +who pressed hard upon them, into a certain strong tower belonging +to a village called Bezedeh However, Antonius and his party, that +they might neither spend any considerable time about this tower, +which was hard to be taken, nor suffer their commander, and the +most courageous man of them all, to escape from them, they set +the wall on fire; and as the tower was burning, the Romans went +away rejoicing, as taking it for granted that Niger was +destroyed; but he leaped out of the tower into a subterraneous +cave, in the innermost part of it, and was preserved; and on the +third day afterward he spake out of the ground to those that with +great lamentation were searching for him, in order to give him a +decent funeral; and when he was come out, he filled all the Jews +with an unexpected joy, as though he were preserved by God's +providence to be their commander for the time to come. + +4. And now Vespasian took along with him his army from Antioch, +(which is the metropolis of Syria, and without dispute deserves +the place of the third city in the habitable earth that was under +the Roman empire, (2) both in magnitude, and other marks of +prosperity,) where he found king Agrippa, with all his forces, +waiting for his coming, and marched to Ptolemais. At this city +also the inhabitants of Sepphoris of Galilee met him, who were +for peace with the Romans. These citizens had beforehand taken +care of their own safety, and being sensible of the power of the +Romans, they had been with Cestius Gallus before Vespasian came, +and had given their faith to him, and received the security of +his right hand, and had received a Roman garrison; and at this +time withal they received Vespasian, the Roman general, very +kindly, and readily promised that they would assist him against +their own countrymen. Now the general delivered them, at their +desire, as many horsemen and footmen as he thought sufficient to +oppose the incursions of the Jews, if they should come against +them. And indeed the danger of losing Sepphoris would be no small +one, in this war that was now beginning, seeing it was the +largest city of Galilee, and built in a place by nature very +strong, and might be a security of the whole nation's [fidelity +to the Romans]. + +CHAPTER 3. + +A Description Op Galilee, Samaria, And Judea. + +1. Now Phoenicia and Syria encompass about the Galilees, which +are two, and called the Upper Galilee and the Lower. They are +bounded toward the sun-setting, with the borders of the territory +belonging to Ptolemais, and by Carmel; which mountain had +formerly belonged to the Galileans, but now belonged to the +Tyrians; to which mountain adjoins Gaba, which is called the City +of Horsemen, because those horsemen that were dismissed by Herod +the king dwelt therein; they are bounded on the south with +Samaria and Scythopolis, as far as the river Jordan; on the east +with Hippeae and Gadaris, and also with Ganlonitis, and the +borders of the kingdom of Agrippa; its northern parts are hounded +by Tyre, and the country of the Tyrians. As for that Galilee +which is called the Lower, it, extends in length from Tiberias to +Zabulon, and of the maritime places Ptolemais is its neighbor; +its breadth is from the village called Xaloth, which lies in the +great plain, as far as Bersabe, from which beginning also is +taken the breadth of the Upper Galilee, as far as the village +Baca, which divides the land of the Tyrians from it; its length +is also from Meloth to Thella, a village near to Jordan. + +2. These two Galilees, of so great largeness, and encompassed +with so many nations of foreigners, have been always able to make +a strong resistance on all occasions of war; for the Galileans +are inured to war from their infancy, and have been always very +numerous; nor hath the country been ever destitute of men of +courage, or wanted a numerous set of them; for their soil is +universally rich and fruitful, and full of the plantations of +trees of all sorts, insomuch that it invites the most slothful to +take pains in its cultivation, by its fruitfulness; accordingly, +it is all cultivated by its inhabitants, and no part of it lies +idle. Moreover, the cities lie here very thick, and the very many +villages there are here are every where so full of people, by the +richness of their soil, that the very least of them contain above +fifteen thousand inhabitants. + +3. In short, if any one will suppose that Galilee is inferior to +Perea in magnitude, he will be obliged to prefer it before it in +its strength; for this is all capable of cultivation, and is +every where fruitful; but for Perea, which is indeed much larger +in extent, the greater part of it is desert and rough, and much +less disposed for the production of the milder kinds of fruits; +yet hath it a moist soil [in other parts], and produces all kinds +of fruits, and its plains are planted with trees of all sorts, +while yet the olive tree, the vine, and the palm tree are chiefly +cultivated there. It is also sufficiently watered with torrents, +which issue out of the mountains, and with springs that never +fail to run, even when the torrents fail them, as they do in the +dog-days. Now the length of Perea is from Macherus to Pella, and +its breadth from Philadelphia to Jordan; its northern parts are +bounded by Pella, as we have already said, as well as its Western +with Jordan; the land of Moab is its southern border, and its +eastern limits reach to Arabia, and Silbonitis, and besides to +Philadelphene and Gerasa. + +4. Now as to the country of Samaria, it lies between Judea and +Galilee; it begins at a village that is in the great plain called +Ginea, and ends at the Acrabbene toparchy, and is entirely of the +same nature with Judea; for both countries are made up of hills +and valleys, and are moist enough for agriculture, and are very +fruitful. They have abundance of trees, and are full of autumnal +fruit, both that which grows wild, and that which is the effect +of cultivation. They are not naturally watered by many rivers, +but derive their chief moisture from rain-water, of which they +have no want; and for those rivers which they have, all their +waters are exceeding sweet: by reason also of the excellent grass +they have, their cattle yield more milk than do those in other +places; and, what is the greatest sign of excellency and of +abundance, they each of them are very full of people. + +5. In the limits of Samaria and Judea lies the village Anuath, +which is also named Borceos. This is the northern boundary of +Judea. The southern parts of Judea, if they be measured +lengthways, are bounded by a Village adjoining to the confines of +Arabia; the Jews that dwell there call it Jordan. However, its +breadth is extended from the river Jordan to Joppa. The city +Jerusalem is situated in the very middle; on which account some +have, with sagacity enough, called that city the Navel of the +country. Nor indeed is Judea destitute of such delights as come +from the sea, since its maritime places extend as far as +Ptolemais: it was parted into eleven portions, of which the royal +city Jerusalem was the supreme, and presided over all the +neighboring country, as the head does over the body. As to the +other cities that were inferior to it, they presided over their +several toparchies; Gophna was the second of those cities, and +next to that Acrabatta, after them Thamna, and Lydda, and Emmaus, +and Pella, and Idumea, and Engaddi, and Herodium, and Jericho; +and after them came Jamnia and Joppa, as presiding over the +neighboring people; and besides these there was the region of +Gamala, and Gaulonitis, and Batanea, and Trachonitis, which are +also parts of the kingdom of Agrippa. This [last] country begins +at Mount Libanus, and the fountains of Jordan, and reaches +breadthways to the lake of Tiberias; and in length is extended +from a village called Arpha, as far as Julias. Its inhabitants +are a mixture of Jews and Syrians. And thus have I, with all +possible brevity, described the country of Judea, and those that +lie round about it. + +CHAPTER 4. + +Josephus Makes An Attempt Upon Sepphoris But Is Repelled. Titus +Comes With A Great Army To Ptolemais. + +1. Now the auxiliaries which were sent to assist the people of +Sepphoris, being a thousand horsemen, and six thousand footmen, +under Placidus the tribune, pitched their camp in two bodies in +the great plain. The foot were put into the city to be a guard to +it, but the horse lodged abroad in the camp. These last, by +marching continually one way or other, and overrunning the parts +of the adjoining country, were very troublesome to Josephus and +his men; they also plundered all the places that were out of the +city's liberty, and intercepted such as durst go abroad. On this +account it was that Josephus marched against the city, as hoping +to take what he had lately encompassed with so strong a wall, +before they revolted from the rest of the Galileans, that the +Romans would have much ado to take it; by which means he proved +too weak, and failed of his hopes, both as to the forcing the +place, and as to his prevailing with the people of Sepphoris to +deliver it up to him. By this means he provoked the Romans to +treat the country according to the law of war; nor did the +Romans, out of the anger they bore at this attempt, leave off, +either by night or by day, burning the places in the plain, and +stealing away the cattle that were in the country, and killing +whatsoever appeared capable of fighting perpetually, and leading +the weaker people as slaves into captivity; so that Galilee was +all over filled with fire and blood; nor was it exempted from any +kind of misery or calamity, for the only refuge they had was +this, that when they were pursued, they could retire to the +cities which had walls built them by Josephus. + +2. But as to Titus, he sailed over from Achaia to Alexandria, and +that sooner than the winter season did usually permit; so he took +with him those forces he was sent for, and marching with great +expedition, he came suddenly to Ptolemais, and there finding his +father, together with the two legions, the fifth and the tenth, +which were the most eminent legions of all, he joined them to +that fifteenth legion which was with his father; eighteen cohorts +followed these legions; there came also five cohorts from +Cesarea, with one troop of horsemen, and five other troops of +horsemen from Syria. Now these ten cohorts had severally a +thousand footmen, but the other thirteen cohorts had no more than +six hundred footmen apiece, with a hundred and twenty horsemen. +There were also a considerable number of auxiliaries got +together, that came from the kings Antiochus, and Agrippa, and +Sohemus, each of them contributing one thousand footmen that were +archers, and a thousand horsemen. Malchus also, the king of +Arabia, sent a thousand horsemen, besides five thousand footmen, +the greatest part of which were archers; so that the whole army, +including the auxiliaries sent by the kings, as well horsemen as +footmen, when all were united together, amounted to sixty +thousand, besides the servants, who, as they followed in vast +numbers, so because they had been trained up in war with the +rest, ought not to be distinguished from the fighting men; for as +they were in their masters' service in times of peace, so did +they undergo the like dangers with them in times of war, insomuch +that they were inferior to none, either in skill or in strength, +only they were subject to their masters. + +CHAPTER 5. + +A Description Of The Roman Armies And Roman Camps And Of Other +Particulars For Which The Romans Are Commended. + +1. Now here one cannot but admire at the precaution of the +Romans, in providing themselves of such household servants, as +might not only serve at other times for the common offices of +life, but might also be of advantage to them in their wars. And, +indeed, if any one does but attend to the other parts of their +military discipline, he will be forced to confess that their +obtaining so large a dominion hath been the acquisition of their +valor, and not the bare gift of fortune; for they do not begin to +use their weapons first in time of war, nor do they then put +their hands first into motion, while they avoided so to do in +times of peace; but, as if their weapons did always cling to +them, they have never any truce from warlike exercises; nor do +they stay till times of war admonish them to use them; for their +military exercises differ not at all from the real use of their +arms, but every soldier is every day exercised, and that with +great diligence, as if it were in time of war, which is the +reason why they bear the fatigue of battles so easily; for +neither can any disorder remove them from their usual regularity, +nor can fear affright them out of it, nor can labor tire them; +which firmness of conduct makes them always to overcome those +that have not the same firmness; nor would he be mistaken that +should call those their exercises unbloody battles, and their +battles bloody exercises. Nor can their enemies easily surprise +them with the suddenness of their incursions; for as soon as they +have marched into an enemy's land, they do not begin to fight +till they have walled their camp about; nor is the fence they +raise rashly made, or uneven; nor do they all abide ill it, nor +do those that are in it take their places at random; but if it +happens that the ground is uneven, it is first leveled: their +camp is also four-square by measure, and carpenters are ready, in +great numbers, with their tools, to erect their buildings for +them. (3) + +2. As for what is within the camp, it is set apart for tents, but +the outward circumference hath the resemblance to a wall, and is +adorned with towers at equal distances, where between the towers +stand the engines for throwing arrows and darts, and for slinging +stones, and where they lay all other engines that can annoy the +enemy, all ready for their several operations. They also erect +four gates, one at every side of the circumference, and those +large enough for the entrance of the beasts, and wide enough for +making excursions, if occasion should require. They divide the +camp within into streets, very conveniently, and place the tents +of the commanders in the middle; but in the very midst of all is +the general's own tent, in the nature of a temple, insomuch, that +it appears to be a city built on the sudden, with its +market-place, and place for handicraft trades, and with seats for +the officers superior and inferior, where, if any differences +arise, their causes are heard and determined. The camp, and all +that is in it, is encompassed with a wall round about, and that +sooner than one would imagine, and this by the multitude and the +skill of the laborers; and, if occasion require, a trench is +drawn round the whole, whose depth is four cubits, and its +breadth equal. + +3. When they have thus secured themselves, they live together by +companies, with quietness and decency, as are all their other +affairs managed with good order and security. Each company hath +also their wood, and their corn, and their water brought them, +when they stand in need of them; for they neither sup nor dine as +they please themselves singly, but all together. Their times also +for sleeping, and watching, and rising are notified beforehand by +the sound of trumpets, nor is any thing done without such a +signal; and in the morning the soldiery go every one to their +centurions, and these centurions to their tribunes, to salute +them; with whom all the superior officers go to the general of +the whole army, who then gives them of course the watchword and +other orders, to be by them cared to all that are under their +command; which is also observed when they go to fight, and +thereby they turn themselves about on the sudden, when there is +occasion for making sallies, as they come back when they are +recalled in crowds also. + +4. Now when they are to go out of their camp, the trumpet gives a +sound, at which time nobody lies still, but at the first +intimation they take down their tents, and all is made ready for +their going out; then do the trumpets sound again, to order them +to get ready for the march; then do they lay their baggage +suddenly upon their mules, and other beasts of burden, and stand, +as at the place of starting, ready to march; when also they set +fire to their camp, and this they do because it will be easy for +them to erect another camp, and that it may not ever be of use to +their enemies. Then do the trumpets give a sound the third time, +that they are to go out, in order to excite those that on any +account are a little tardy, that so no one may be out of his rank +when the army marches. Then does the crier stand at the general's +right hand, and asks them thrice, in their own tongue, whether +they be now ready to go out to war or not? To which they reply as +often, with a loud and cheerful voice, saying, "We are ready." +And this they do almost before the question is asked them: they +do this as filled with a kind of martial fury, and at the same +time that they so cry out, they lift up their right hands also. +5. When, after this, they are gone out of their camp, they all +march without noise, and in a decent manner, and every one keeps +his own rank, as if they were going to war. The footmen are armed +with breastplates and head-pieces, and have swords on each side; +but the sword which is upon their left side is much longer than +the other, for that on the right side is not longer than a span. +Those foot-men also that are chosen out from the rest to be about +the general himself have a lance and a buckler, but the rest of +the foot soldiers have a spear and a long buckler, besides a saw +and a basket, a pick-axe and an axe, a thong of leather and a +hook, with provisions for three days, so that a footman hath no +great need of a mule to carry his burdens. The horsemen have a +long sword on their right sides, axed a long pole in their hand; +a shield also lies by them obliquely on one side of their horses, +with three or more darts that are borne in their quiver, having +broad points, and not smaller than spears. They have also +head-pieces and breastplates, in like manner as have all the +footmen. And for those that are chosen to be about the general, +their armor no way differs from that of the horsemen belonging to +other troops; and he always leads the legions forth to whom the +lot assigns that employment. + +6. This is the manner of the marching and resting of the Romans, +as also these are the several sorts of weapons they use. But when +they are to fight, they leave nothing without forecast, nor to be +done off-hand, but counsel is ever first taken before any work is +begun, and what hath been there resolved upon is put in execution +presently; for which reason they seldom commit any errors; and if +they have been mistaken at any time, they easily correct those +mistakes. They also esteem any errors they commit upon taking +counsel beforehand to be better than such rash success as is +owing to fortune only; because such a fortuitous advantage tempts +them to be inconsiderate, while consultation, though it may +sometimes fail of success, hath this good in it, that it makes +men more careful hereafter; but for the advantages that arise +from chance, they are not owing to him that gains them; and as to +what melancholy accidents happen unexpectedly, there is this +comfort in them, that they had however taken the best +consultations they could to prevent them. + +7. Now they so manage their preparatory exercises of their +weapons, that not the bodies of the soldiers only, but their +souls may also become stronger: they are moreover hardened for +war by fear; for their laws inflict capital punishments, not only +for soldiers running away from the ranks, but for slothfulness +and inactivity, though it be but in a lesser degree; as are their +generals more severe than their laws, for they prevent any +imputation of cruelty toward those under condemnation, by the +great rewards they bestow on the valiant soldiers; and the +readiness of obeying their commanders is so great, that it is +very ornamental in peace; but when they come to a battle, the +whole army is but one body, so well coupled together are their +ranks, so sudden are their turnings about, so sharp their hearing +as to what orders are given them, so quick their sight of the +ensigns, and so nimble are their hands when they set to work; +whereby it comes to pass that what they do is done quickly, and +what they suffer they bear with the greatest patience. Nor can we +find any examples where they have been conquered in battle, when +they came to a close fight, either by the multitude of the +enemies, or by their stratagems, or by the difficulties in the +places they were in; no, nor by fortune neither, for their +victories have been surer to them than fortune could have granted +them. In a case, therefore, where counsel still goes before +action, and where, after taking the best advice, that advice is +followed by so active an army, what wonder is it that Euphrates +on the east, the ocean on the west, the most fertile regions of +Libya on the south, and the Danube and the Rhine on the north, +are the limits of this empire? One might well say that the Roman +possessions are not inferior to the Romans themselves. + +8. This account I have given the reader, not so much with the +intention of commending the Romans, as of comforting those that +have been conquered by them, and for the deterring others from +attempting innovations under their government. This discourse of +the Roman military conduct may also perhaps be of use to such of +the curious as are ignorant of it, and yet have a mind to know +it. I return now from this digression. + +CHAPTER 6. + +Placidus Attempts To Take Jotapata And Is Beaten Off. Vespasian +Marches Into Galilee. + +1. And now Vespasian, with his son Titus, had tarried some time +at Ptolemais, and had put his army in order. But when Placidus, +who had overrun Galilee, and had besides slain a number of those +whom he had caught, (which were only the weaker part of the +Galileans, and such as were of timorous souls,) saw that the +warriors ran always to those cities whose walls had been built by +Josephus, he marched furiously against Jotapata, which was of +them all the strongest, as supposing he should easily take it by +a sudden surprise, and that he should thereby obtain great honor +to himself among the commanders, and bring a great advantage to +them in their future campaign; because if this strongest place of +them all were once taken, the rest would be so aftrighted as to +surrender themselves. But he was mightily mistaken in his +undertaking; for the men of Jotapata were apprized of his coming +to attack them, and came out of the city, and expected him there. +So they fought the Romans briskly when they least expected it, +being both many in number, and prepared for fighting, and of +great alacrity, as esteeming their country, their wives, and +their children to be in danger, and easily put the Romans to +flight, and wounded many of them, and slew seven of them; (4) +because their retreat was not made in a disorderly manner, +be-cause the strokes only touched the surface of their bodies, +which were covered with their armor in all parts, and because the +Jews did rather throw their weapons upon them from a great +distance, than venture to come hand to hand with them, and had +only light armor on, while the others were completely armed. +However, three men of the Jews' side were slain, and a few +wounded; so Placidus, finding himself unable to assault the city, +ran away. + +2. But as Vespasian had a great mind to fall upon Galilee, he +marched out of Ptolemais, having put his army into that order +wherein the Romans used to march. He ordered those auxiliaries +which were lightly armed, and the archers, to march first, that +they might prevent any sudden insults from the enemy, and might +search out the woods that looked suspiciously, and were capable +of ambuscades. Next to these followed that part of the Romans +which was completely armed, both footmen ,and horsemen. Next to +these followed ten out of every hundred, carrying along with them +their arms, and what was necessary to measure out a camp withal; +and after them, such as were to make the road even and straight, +and if it were any where rough and hard to be passed over, to +plane it, and to cut down the woods that hindered their march, +that the army might not be in distress, or tired with their +march. Behind these he set such carriages of the army as belonged +both to himself and to the other commanders, with a considerable +number of their horsemen for their security. After these he +marched himself, having with him a select body of footmen, and +horsemen, and pikemen. After these came the peculiar cavalry of +his own legion, for there were a hundred and twenty horsemen that +peculiarly belonged to every legion. Next to these came the mules +that carried the engines for sieges, and the other warlike +machines of that nature. After these came the commanders of the +cohorts and tribunes, having about them soldiers chosen out of +the rest. Then came the ensigns encompassing the eagle, which is +at the head of every Roman legion, the king, and the strongest of +all birds, which seems to them a signal of dominion, and an omen +that they shall conquer all against whom they march; these sacred +ensigns are followed by the trumpeters. Then came the main army +in their squadrons and battalions, with six men in depth, which +were followed at last by a centurion, who, according to custom, +observed the rest. As for the servants of every legion, they all +followed the footmen, and led the baggage of the soldiers, which +was borne by the mules and other beasts of burden. But behind all +the legions carne the whole multitude of the mercenaries; and +those that brought up the rear came last of all for the security +of the whole army, being both footmen, and those in their armor +also, with a great number of horsemen. + +3. And thus did Vespasian march with his army, and came to the +bounds of Galileo, where he pitched his camp and restrained his +soldiers, who were eager for war; he also showed his army to the +enemy, in order to affright them, and to afford them a season for +repentance, to see whether they would change their minds before +it came to a battle, and at the same time he got things ready for +besieging their strong minds. And indeed this sight of the +general brought many to repent of their revolt, and put them all +into a consternation; for those that were in Josephus's camp, +which was at the city called Garis, not far from Sepphoris, when +they heard that the war was come near them, and that the Romans +would suddenly fight them hand to hand, dispersed themselves and +fled, not only before they came to a battle, but before the enemy +ever came in sight, while Josephus and a few others were left +behind; and as he saw that he had not an army sufficient to +engage the enemy, that the spirits of the Jews were sunk, and +that the greater part would willingly come to terms, if they +might be credited, he already despaired of the success of the +whole war, and determined to get as far as he possibly could out +of danger; so he took those that staid along with him, and fled +to Tiberias. + +CHAPTER 7. + +Vespasian, When He Had Taken The City Gadaea Marches To Jotapata. +After A Long Siege The City Is Betrayed By A Deserter, And Taken +By Vespasian. + +1. So Vespasian marched to the city Gadara, and took it upon the +first onset, because he found it destitute of any considerable +number of men grown up and fit for war. He came then into it, and +slew all the youth, the Romans having no mercy on any age +whatsoever; and this was done out of the hatred they bore the +nation, and because of the iniquity they had been guilty of in +the affair of Cestius. He also set fire not only to the city +itself, but to all the villas and small cities that were round +about it; some of them were quite destitute of inhabitants, and +out of some of them he carried the inhabitants as slaves into +captivity. + +2. As to Josephus, his retiring to that city which he chose as +the most fit for his security, put it into great fear; for the +people of Tiberias did not imagine that he would have run away, +unless he had entirely despaired of the success of the war. And +indeed, as to that point, they were not mistaken about his +opinion; for he saw whither the affairs of the Jews would tend at +last, and was sensible that they had but one way of escaping, and +that was by repentance. However, although he expected that the +Romans would forgive him, yet did he chose to die many times +over, rather than to betray his country, and to dishonor that +supreme command of the army which had been intrusted with him, or +to live happily under those against whom he was sent to fight. He +determined, therefore, to give an exact account of affairs to the +principal men at Jerusalem by a letter, that he might not, by too +much aggrandizing the power of the enemy, make them too timorous; +nor, by relating that their power beneath the truth, might +encourage them to stand out when they were perhaps disposed to +repentance. He also sent them word, that if they thought of +coming to terms, they must suddenly write him an answer; or if +they resolved upon war, they must send him an army sufficient to +fight the Romans. Accordingly, he wrote these things, and sent +messengers immediately to carry his letter to Jerusalem. + +3. Now Vespasian was very desirous of demolishing Jotapata, for +he had gotten intelligence that the greatest part of the enemy +had retired thither, and that it was, on other accounts, a place +of great security to them. Accordingly, he sent both foot-men and +horsemen to level the road, which was mountainous and rocky, not +without difficulty to be traveled over by footmen, but absolutely +impracticable for horsemen. Now these workmen accomplished what +they were about in four days' time, and opened a broad way for +the army. On the fifth day, which was the twenty-first of the +month Artemisius, (Jyar,) Josephus prevented him, and came from +Tiberias, and went into Jotapata, and raised the drooping spirits +of the Jews. And a certain deserter told this good news to +Vespasian, that Josephus had removed himself thither, which made +him make haste to the city, as supposing that with taking that he +should take all Judea, in case he could but withal get Josephus +under his power. So he took this news to be of the vastest +advantage to him, and believed it to be brought about by the +providence of God, that he who appeared to be the most prudent +man of all their enemies, had, of his own accord, shut himself up +in a place of sure custody. Accordingly, he sent Placidus with a +thousand horsemen, and Ebutius a decurion, a person that was of +eminency both in council and in action, to encompass the city +round, that Josephus might not escape away privately. + +4. Vespasian also, the very next day, took his whole army and +followed them, and by marching till late in the evening, arrived +then at Jotapata; and bringing his army to the northern side of +the city, he pitched his camp on a certain small hill which was +seven furlongs from the city, and still greatly endeavored to be +well seen by the enemy, to put them into a consternation; which +was indeed so terrible to the Jews immediately, that no one of +them durst go out beyond the wall. Yet did the Romans put off the +attack at that time, because they had marched all the day, +although they placed a double row of battalions round the city, +with a third row beyond them round the whole, which consisted of +cavalry, in order to stop up every way for an exit; which thing +making the Jews despair of escaping, excited them to act more +boldly; for nothing makes men fight so desperately in war as +necessity. + +5. Now when the next day an assault was made by the Romans, the +Jews at first staid out of the walls and opposed them, and met +them, as having formed themselves a camp before the city walls. +But when Vespasian had set against them the archers and slingers, +and the whole multitude that could throw to a great distance, he +permitted them to go to work, while he himself, with the footmen, +got upon an acclivity, whence the city might easily be taken. +Josephus was then in fear for the city, and leaped out, and all +the Jewish multitude with him; these fell together upon the +Romans in great numbers, and drove them away from the wall, and +performed a great many glorious and bold actions. Yet did they +suffer as much as they made the enemy suffer; for as despair of +deliverance encouraged the Jews, so did a sense of shame equally +encourage the Romans. These last had skill as well as strength; +the other had only courage, which armed them, and made them fight +furiously. And when the fight had lasted all day, it was put an +end to by the coming on of the night. They had wounded a great +many of the Romans, and killed of them thirteen men; of the Jews' +side seventeen were slain, and six hundred wounded. + +6. On the next day the Jews made another attack upon the Romans, +and went out of the walls and fought a much more desperate battle +with them titan before. For they were now become more courageous +than formerly, and that on account of the unexpected good +opposition they had made the day before, as they found the Romans +also to fight more desperately; for a sense of shame inflamed +these into a passion, as esteeming their failure of a sudden +victory to be a kind of defeat. Thus did the Romans try to make +an impression upon the Jews till the fifth day continually, while +the people of Jotapata made sallies out, and fought at the walls +most desperately; nor were the Jews affrighted at the strength of +the enemy, nor were the Romans discouraged at the difficulties +they met with in taking the city. + +7. Now Jotapata is almost all of it built on a precipice, having +on all the other sides of it every way valleys immensely deep and +steep, insomuch that those who would look down would have their +sight fail them before it reaches to the bottom. It is only to be +come at on the north side, where the utmost part of the city is +built on the mountain, as it ends obliquely at a plain. This +mountain Josephus had encompassed with a wall when he fortified +the city, that its top might not be capable of being seized upon +by the enemies. The city is covered all round with other +mountains, and can no way be seen till a man comes just upon it. +And this was the strong situation of Jotapata. + +8. Vespasian, therefore, in order to try how he might overcome +the natural strength of the place, as well as the bold defense of +the Jews, made a resolution to prosecute the siege with vigor. To +that end he called the commanders that were under him to a +council of war, and consulted with them which way the assault +might be managed to the best advantage. And when the resolution +was there taken to raise a bank against that part of the wall +which was practicable, he sent his whole army abroad to get the +materials together. So when they had cut down all the trees on +the mountains that adjoined to the city, and had gotten together +a vast heap of stones, besides the wood they had cut down, some +of them brought hurdles, in order to avoid the effects of the +darts that were shot from above them. These hurdles they spread +over their banks, under cover whereof they formed their bank, and +so were little or nothing hurt by the darts that were thrown upon +them from the wall, while others pulled the neighboring hillocks +to pieces, and perpetually brought earth to them; so that while +they were busy three sorts of ways, nobody was idle. However, the +Jews cast great stones from the walls upon the hurdles which +protected the men, with all sorts of darts also; and the noise of +what could not reach them was yet so terrible, that it was some +impediment to the workmen. + +9. Vespasian then set the engines for throwing stones and darts +round about the city. The number of the engines was in all a +hundred and sixty, and bid them fall to work, and dislodge those +that were upon the wall. At the same time such engines as were +intended for that purpose threw at once lances upon them with a +great noise, and stones of the weight of a talent were thrown by +the engines that were prepared for that purpose, together with +fire, and a vast multitude of arrows, which made the wall so +dangerous, that the Jews durst not only not come upon it, but +durst not come to those parts within the walls which were reached +by the engines; for the multitude of the Arabian archers, as well +also as all those that threw darts and slung stones, fell to work +at the same time with the engines. Yet did not the otters lie +still, when they could not throw at the Romans from a higher +place; for they then made sallies out of the city, like private +robbers, by parties, and pulled away the hurdles that covered the +workmen, and killed them when they were thus naked; and when +those workmen gave way, these cast away the earth that composed +the bank, and burnt the wooden parts of it, together with the +hurdles, till at length Vespasian perceived that the intervals +there were between the works were of disadvantage to him; for +those spaces of ground afforded the Jews a place for assaulting +the Romans. So he united the hurdles, and at the same time joined +one part of the army to the other, which prevented the private +excursions of the Jews. + +10. And when the bank was now raised, and brought nearer than +ever to the battlements that belonged to the walls, Josephus +thought it would be entirely wrong in him if he could make no +contrivances in opposition to theirs, and that might be for the +city's preservation; so he got together his workmen, and ordered +them to build the wall higher; and while they said that this was +impossible to be done while so many darts were thrown at them, he +invented this sort of cover for them: He bid them fix piles, and +expand before them the raw hides of oxen newly killed, that these +hides by yielding and hollowing themselves when the stones were +thrown at them might receive them, for that the other darts would +slide off them, and the fire that was thrown would be quenched by +the moisture that was in them. And these he set before the +workmen, and under them these workmen went on with their works in +safety, and raised the wall higher, and that both by day and by +night, fill it was twenty cubits high. He also built a good +number of towers upon the wall, and fitted it to strong +battlements. This greatly discouraged the Romans, who in their +own opinions were already gotten within the walls, while they +were now at once astonished at Josephus's contrivance, and at the +fortitude of the citizens that were in the city. + +11. And now Vespasian was plainly irritated at the great subtlety +of this stratagem, and at the boldness of the citizens of +Jotapata; for taking heart again upon the building of this wall, +they made fresh sallies upon the Romans, and had every day +conflicts with them by parties, together with all such +contrivances, as robbers make use of, and with the plundering of +all that came to hand, as also with the setting fire to all the +other works; and this till Vespasian made his army leave off +fighting them, and resolved to lie round the city, and to starve +them into a surrender, as supposing that either they would be +forced to petition him for mercy by want of provisions, or if +they should have the courage to hold out till the last, they +should perish by famine: and he concluded he should conquer them +the more easily in fighting, if he gave them an interval, and +then fell upon them when they were weakened by famine; but still +he gave orders that they should guard against their coming out of +the city. + +12. Now the besieged had plenty of corn within the city, and +indeed of all necessaries, but they wanted water, because there +was no fountain in the city, the people being there usually +satisfied with rain water; yet is it a rare thing in that country +to have rain in summer, and at this season, during the siege, +they were in great distress for some contrivance to satisfy their +thirst; and they were very sad at this time particularly, as if +they were already in want of water entirely, for Josephus seeing +that the city abounded with other necessaries, and that the men +were of good courage, and being desirous to protract the siege to +the Romans longer than they expected, ordered their drink to be +given them by measure; but this scanty distribution of water by +measure was deemed by them as a thing more hard upon them than +the want of it; and their not being able to drink as much as they +would made them more desirous of drinking than they otherwise had +been; nay, they were as much disheartened hereby as if they were +come to the last degree of thirst. Nor were the Romans +unacquainted with the state they were in, for when they stood +over against them, beyond the wall, they could see them running +together, and taking their water by measure, which made them +throw their javelins thither the place being within their reach, +and kill a great many of them. + +13. Hereupon Vespasian hoped that their receptacles of water +would in no long time be emptied, and that they would be forced +to deliver up the city to him; but Josephus being minded to break +such his hope, gave command that they should wet a great many of +their clothes, and hang them out about the battlements, till the +entire wall was of a sudden all wet with the running down of the +water. At this sight the Romans were discouraged, and under +consternation, when they saw them able to throw away in sport so +much water, when they supposed them not to have enough to drink +themselves. This made the Roman general despair of taking the +city by their want of necessaries, and to betake himself again to +arms, and to try to force them to surrender, which was what the +Jews greatly desired; for as they despaired of either themselves +or their city being able to escape, they preferred a death in +battle before one by hunger and thirst. + +14. However, Josephus contrived another stratagem besides the +foregoing, to get plenty of what they wanted. There was a certain +rough and uneven place that could hardly be ascended, and on that +account was not guarded by the soldiers; so Josephus sent out +certain persons along the western parts of the valley, and by +them sent letters to whom he pleased of the Jews that were out of +the city, and procured from them what necessaries soever they +wanted in the city in abundance; he enjoined them also to creep +generally along by the watch as they came into the city, and to +cover their backs with such sheep-skins as had their wool upon +them, that if any one should spy them out in the night time, they +might be believed to be dogs. This was done till the watch +perceived their contrivance, and encompassed that rough place +about themselves. + +15. And now it was that Josephus perceived that the city could +not hold out long, and that his own life would be in doubt if he +continued in it; so he consulted how he and the most potent men +of the city might fly out of it. When the multitude understood +this, they came all round about him, and begged of him not to +overlook them while they entirely depended on him, and him alone; +for that there was still hope of the city's deliverance, if he +would stay with them, because every body would undertake any +pains with great cheerfulness on his account, and in that case +there would be some comfort for them also, though they should be +taken: that it became him neither to fly from his enemies, nor to +desert his friends, nor to leap out of that city, as out of a +ship that was sinking in a storm, into which he came when it was +quiet and in a calm; for that by going away he would be the cause +of drowning the city, because nobody would then venture to oppose +the enemy when he was once gone, upon whom they wholly confided. +16. Hereupon Josephus avoided letting them know that he was to go +away to provide for his own safety, but told them that he would +go out of the city for their sakes; for that if he staid with +them, he should be able to do them little good while they were in +a safe condition; and that if they were once taken, he should +only perish with them to no purpose; but that if he were once +gotten free from this siege, he should be able to bring them very +great relief; for that he would then immediately get the +Galileans together, out of the country, in great multitudes, and +draw the Romans off their city by another war. That he did not +see what advantge he could bring to them now, by staying among +them, but only provoke the Romans to besiege them more closely, +as esteeming it a most valuable thing to take him; but that if +they were once informed that he was fled out of the city, they +would greatly remit of their eagerness against it. Yet did not +this plea move the people, but inflamed them the more to hang +about him. Accordingly, both the children and the old men, and +the women with their infants, came mourning to him, and fell down +before him, and all of them caught hold of his feet, and held him +fast, and besought him, with great lamentations, that he would +take his share with them in their fortune; and I think they did +this, not that they envied his deliverance, but that they hoped +for their own; for they could not think they should suffer any +great misfortune, provided Josephus would but stay with them. + +17. Now Josephus thought, that if he resolved to stay, it would +be ascribed to their entreaties; and if he resolved to go away by +force, he should be put into custody. His commiseration also of +the people under their lamentations had much broken that his +eagerness to leave them; so he resolved to stay, and arming +himself with the common despair of the citizens, he said to them, +"Now is the time to begin to fight in earnest, when there is no +hope of deliverance left. It is a brave thing to prefer glory +before life, and to set about some such noble undertaking as may +be remembered by late posterity." Having said this, he fell to +work immediately, and made a sally, and dispersed the enemies' +out-guards, and ran as far as the Roman camp itself, and pulled +the coverings of their tents to pieces, that were upon their +banks, and set fire to their works. And this was the manner in +which he never left off fighting, neither the next day, nor the +day after it, but went on with it for a considerable number of +both days and nights. + +18. Upon this, Vespasian, when he saw the Romans distressed by +these sallies, (though they were ashamed to be made to run away +by the Jews; and when at any time they made the Jews run away, +their heavy armor would not let them pursue them far; while the +Jews, when they had performed any action, and before they could +be hurt themselves, still retired into the city,) ordered his +armed men to avoid their onset, and not fight it out with men +under desperation, while nothing is more courageous than despair; +but that their violence would be quenched when they saw they +failed of their purposes, as fire is quenched when it wants fuel; +and that it was proper for the Romans to gain their victories as +cheap as they could, since they are not forced to fight, but only +to enlarge their own dominions. So he repelled the Jews in great +measure by the Arabian archers, and the Syrian slingers, and by +those that threw stones at them, nor was there any intermission +of the great number of their offensive engines. Now the Jews +suffered greatly by these engines, without being able to escape +from them; and when these engines threw their stones or javelins +a great way, and the Jews were within their reach, they pressed +hard upon the Romans, and fought desperately, without sparing +either soul or body, one part succoring another by turns, when it +was tired down. + +19. When, therefore, Vespasian looked upon himself as in a manner +besieged by these sallies of the Jews, and when his banks were +now not far from the walls, he determined to make use of his +battering ram. This battering ram is a vast beam of wood like the +mast of a ship, its forepart is armed with a thick piece of iron +at the head of it, which is so carved as to be like the head of a +ram, whence its name is taken. This ram is slung in the air by +ropes passing over its middle, and is hung like the balance in a +pair of scales from another beam, and braced by strong beams that +pass on both sides of it, in the nature of a cross. When this ram +is pulled backward by a great number of men with united force, +and then thrust forward by the same men, with a mighty noise, it +batters the walls with that iron part which is prominent. Nor is +there any tower so strong, or walls so broad, that can resist any +more than its first batteries, but all are forced to yield to it +at last. This was the experiment which the Roman general betook +himself to, when he was eagerly bent upon taking the city; but +found lying in the field so long to be to his disadvantage, +because the Jews would never let him be quiet. So these Romans +brought the several engines for galling an enemy nearer to the +walls, that they might reach such as were upon the wall, and +endeavored to frustrate their attempts; these threw stones and +javelins at them; in the like manner did the archers and slingers +come both together closer to the wall. This brought matters to +such a pass that none of the Jews durst mount the walls, and then +it was that the other Romans brought the battering ram that was +cased with hurdles all over, and in the tipper part was secured +by skins that covered it, and this both for the security of +themselves and of the engine. Now, at the very first stroke of +this engine, the wall was shaken, and a terrible clamor was +raised by the people within the city, as if they were already +taken. + +20. And now, when Josephus saw this ram still battering the same +place, and that the wall would quickly be thrown down by it, he +resolved to elude for a while the force of the engine. With this +design he gave orders to fill sacks with chaff, and to hang them +down before that place where they saw the ram always battering, +that the stroke might be turned aside, or that the place might +feel less of the strokes by the yielding nature of the chaff. +This contrivance very much delayed the attempts of the Romans, +because, let them remove their engine to what part they pleased, +those that were above it removed their sacks, and placed them +over against the strokes it made, insomuch that the wall was no +way hurt, and this by diversion of the strokes, till the Romans +made an opposite contrivance of long poles, and by tying hooks at +their ends, cut off the sacks. Now when the battering ram thus +recovered its force, and the wall having been but newly built, +was giving way, Josephus and those about him had afterward +immediate recourse to fire, to defend themselves withal; +whereupon they took what materials soever they had that were but +dry, and made a sally three ways, and set fire to the machines, +and the hurdles, and the banks of the Romans themselves; nor did +the Romans well know how to come to their assistance, being at +once under a consternation at the Jews' boldness, and being +prevented by the flames from coming to their assistance; for the +materials being dry with the bitumen and pitch that were among +them, as was brimstone also, the fire caught hold of every thing +immediately, and what cost the Romans a great deal of pains was +in one hour consumed. + +21. And here a certain Jew appeared worthy of our relation and +commendation; he was the son of Sameas, and was called Eleazar, +and was born at Saab, in Galilee. This man took up a stone of a +vast bigness, and threw it down from the wall upon the ram, and +this with so great a force, that it broke off the head of the +engine. He also leaped down, and took up the head of the ram from +the midst of them, and without any concern carried it to the top +of the wall, and this while he stood as a fit mark to he pelted +by all his enemies. Accordingly, he received the strokes upon his +naked body, and was wounded with five darts; nor did he mind any +of them while he went up to the top of the wall, where he stood +in the sight of them all, as an instance of the greatest +boldness; after which he drew himself on a heap with his wounds +upon him, and fell down together with the head of the ram. Next +to him, two brothers showed their courage; their names were Netir +and Philip, both of them of the village Ruma, and both of them +Galileans also; these men leaped upon the soldiers of the tenth +legion, and fell upon the Romans with such a noise and force as +to disorder their ranks, and to put to flight all upon whomsoever +they made their assaults. + +22. After these men's performances, Josephus, and the rest of the +multitude with him, took a great deal of fire, and burnt both the +machines and their coverings, with the works belonging to the +fifth and to the tenth legion, which they put to flight; when +others followed them immediately, and buried those instruments +and all their materials under ground. However, about the evening, +the Romans erected the battering ram again, against that part of +the wall which had suffered before; where a certain Jew that +defended the city from the Romans hit Vespasian with a dart in +his foot, and wounded him a little, the distance being so great, +that no mighty impression could be made by the dart thrown so far +off. However, this caused the greatest disorder among the Romans; +for when those who stood near him saw his blood, they were +disturbed at it, and a report went abroad, through the whole +army, that the general was wounded, while the greatest part left +the siege, and came running together with surprise and fear to +the general; and before them all came Titus, out of the concern +he had for his father, insomuch that the multitude were in great +confusion, and this out of the regard they had for their general, +and by reason of the agony that the son was in. Yet did the +father soon put an end to the son's fear, and to the disorder the +army was under, for being superior to his pains, and endeavoring +soon to be seen by all that had been in a fright about him, he +excited them to fight the Jews more briskly; for now every body +was willing to expose himself to danger immediately, in order to +avenge their general; and then they encouraged one another with +loud voices, and ran hastily to the walls. + +23. But still Josephus and those with him, although they fell +down dead one upon another by the darts and stones which the +engines threw upon them, yet did not they desert the wall, but +fell upon those who managed the ram, under the protection of the +hurdles, with fire, and iron weapons, and stones; and these could +do little or nothing, but fell themselves perpetually, while they +were seen by those whom they could not see, for the light of +their own flame shone about them, and made them a most visible +mark to the enemy, as they were in the day time, while the +engines could not be seen at a great distance, and so what was +thrown at them was hard to be avoided; for the force with which +these engines threw stones and darts made them hurt several at a +time, and the violent noise of the stones that were cast by the +engines was so great, that they carried away the pinnacles of the +wall, and broke off the corners of the towers; for no body of men +could be so strong as not to be overthrown to the last rank by +the largeness of the stones. And any one may learn the force of +the engines by what happened this very night; for as one of those +that stood round about Josephus was near the wall, his head was +carried away by such a stone, and his skull was flung as far as +three furlongs. In the day time also, a woman with child had her +belly so violently struck, as she was just come out of her house, +that the infant was carried to the distance of half a furlong, so +great was the force of that engine. The noise of the instruments +themselves was very terrible, the sound of the darts and stones +that were thrown by them was so also; of the same sort was that +noise the dead bodies made, when they were dashed against the +wall; and indeed dreadful was the clamor which these things +raised in the women within the city, which was echoed back at the +same time by the cries of such as were slain; while the whole +space of ground whereon they fought ran with blood, and the wall +might have been ascended over by the bodies of the dead +carcasses; the mountains also contributed to increase the noise +by their echoes; nor was there on that night any thing of terror +wanting that could either affect the hearing or the sight: yet +did a great part of those that fought so hard for Jotapata fall +manfully, as were a great part of them wounded. However, the +morning watch was come ere the wall yielded to the machines +employed against it, though it had been battered without +intermission. However, those within covered their bodies with +their armor, and raised works over against that part which was +thrown down, before those machines were laid by which the Romans +were to ascend into the city. + +24. In the morning Vespasian got his army together, in order to +take the city [by storm], after a little recreation upon the hard +pains they had been at the night before; and as he was desirous +to draw off those that opposed him from the places where the wall +had been thrown down, he made the most courageous of the horsemen +get off their horses, and placed them in three ranks over against +those ruins of the wall, but covered with their armor on every +side, and with poles in their hands, that so these might begin +their ascent as soon as the instruments for such ascent were +laid; behind them he placed the flower of the footmen; but for +the rest of the horse, he ordered them to extend themselves over +against the wall, upon the whole hilly country, in order to +prevent any from escaping out of the city when it should be +taken; and behind these he placed the archers round about, and +commanded them to have their darts ready to shoot. The same +command he gave to the slingers, and to those that managed the +engines, and bid them to take up other ladders, and have them +ready to lay upon those parts of the wall which were yet +untouched, that the besieged might be engaged in trying to hinder +their ascent by them, and leave the guard of the parts that were +thrown down, while the rest of them should be overborne by the +darts cast at them, and might afford his men an entrance into the +city. + +25. But Josephus, understanding the meaning of Vespasian's +contrivance, set the old men, together with those that were tired +out, at the sound parts of the wall, as expecting no harm from +those quarters, but set the strongest of his men at the place +where the wall was broken down, and before them all six men by +themselves, among whom he took his share of the first and +greatest danger. He also gave orders, that when the legions made +a shout, they should stop their ears, that they might not be +affrighted at it, and that, to avoid the multitude of the enemy's +darts, they should bend down on their knees, and cover themselves +with their shields, and that they should retreat a little +backward for a while, till the archers should have emptied their +quivers; but that When the Romans should lay their instruments +for ascending the walls, they should leap out on the sudden, and +with their own instruments should meet the enemy, and that every +one should strive to do his best, in order not to defend his own +city, as if it were possible to be preserved, but in order to +revenge it, when it was already destroyed; and that they should +set before their eyes how their old men were to be slain, and +their children and wives were to be killed immediately by the +enemy; and that they would beforehand spend all their fury, on +account of the calamities just coming upon them, and pour it out +on the actors. + +26. And thus did Josephus dispose of both his bodies of men; but +then for the useless part of the citizens, the women and +children, when they saw their city encompassed by a threefold +army, (for none of the usual guards that had been fighting before +were removed,) when they also saw, not only the walls thrown +down, but their enemies with swords in their hands, as also the +hilly country above them shining with their weapons, d the darts +in the hands of the Arabian archers, they made a final and +lamentable outcry of the destruction, as if the misery were not +only threatened, but actually come upon them already. But +Josephus ordered the women to be shut up in their houses, lest +they should render the warlike actions of the men too effeminate, +by making them commiserate their condition, and commanded them to +hold their peace, and threatened them if they did not, while he +came himself before the breach, where his allotment was; for all +those who brought ladders to the other places, he took no notice +of them, but earnestly waited for the shower of arrows that was +coming. + +27. And now the trumpeters of the several Roman legions sounded +together, and the army made a terrible shout; and the darts, as +by order, flew so last, that they intercepted the light. However, +Josephus's men remembered the charges he had given them, they +stopped their ears at the sounds, and covered their bodies +against the darts; and as to the engines that were set ready to +go to work, the Jews ran out upon them, before those that should +have used them were gotten upon them. And now, on the ascending +of the soldiers, there was a great conflict, and many actions of +the hands and of the soul were exhibited; while the Jews did +earnestly endeavor, in the extreme danger they were in, not to +show less courage than those who, without being in danger, fought +so stoutly against them; nor did they leave struggling with the +Romans till they either fell down dead themselves, or killed +their antagonists. But the Jews grew weary with defending +themselves continually, and had not enough to come in their +places, and succor them; while, on the side of the Romans, fresh +men still succeeded those that were tired; and still new men soon +got upon the machines for ascent, in the room of those that were +thrust down; those encouraging one another, and joining side to +side with their shields, which were a protection to them, they +became a body of men not to be broken; and as this band thrust +away the Jews, as though they were themselves but one body, they +began already to get upon the wall. + +28. Then did Josephus take necessity for his counselor in this +utmost distress, (which necessity is very sagacious in invention +when it is irritated by despair,) and gave orders to pour +scalding oil upon those whose shields protected them. Whereupon +they soon got it ready, being many that brought it, and what they +brought being a great quantity also, and poured it on all sides +upon the Romans, and threw down upon them their vessels as they +were still hissing from the heat of the fire: this so burnt the +Romans, that it dispersed that united band, who now tumbled clown +from the wall with horrid pains, for the oil did easily run down +the whole body from head to foot, under their entire armor, and +fed upon their flesh like flame itself, its fat and unctuous +nature rendering it soon heated and slowly cooled; and as the men +were cooped up in their head-pieces and breastplates, they could +no way get free from this burning oil; they could only leap and +roll about in their pains, as they fell down from the bridges +they had laid. And as they thus were beaten back, and retired to +their own party, who still pressed them forward, they were easily +wounded by those that were behind them. + +29. However, in this ill success of the Romans, their courage did +not fail them, nor did the Jews want prudence to oppose them; for +the Romans, although they saw their own men thrown down, and in a +miserable condition, yet were they vehemently bent against those +that poured the oil upon them; while every one reproached the man +before him as a coward, and one that hindered him from exerting +himself; and while the Jews made use of another stratagem to +prevent their ascent, and poured boiling fenugreek upon the +boards, in order to make them slip and fall down; by which means +neither could those that were coming up, nor those that were +going down, stand on their feet; but some of them fell backward +upon the machines on which they ascended, and were trodden upon; +many of them fell down upon the bank they had raised, and when +they were fallen upon it were slain by the Jews; for when the +Romans could not keep their feet, the Jews being freed from +fighting hand to hand, had leisure to throw their darts at them. +So the general called off those soldiers in the evening that had +suffered so sorely, of whom the number of the slain was not a +few, while that of the wounded was still greater; but of the +people of Jotapata no more than six men were killed, although +more than three hundred were carried off wounded. This fight +happened on the twentieth day of the month Desius [Sivan]. +30. Hereupon Vespasian comforted his army on occasion of what +happened, and as he found them angry indeed, but rather wanting +somewhat to do than any further exhortations, he gave orders to +raise the banks still higher, and to erect three towers, each +fifty feet high, and that they should cover them with plates of +iron on every side, that they might be both firm by their weight, +and not easily liable to be set on fire. These towers he set upon +the banks, and placed upon them such as could shoot darts and +arrows, with the lighter engines for throwing stones and darts +also; and besides these, he set upon them the stoutest men among +the slingers, who not being to be seen by reason of the height +they stood upon, and the battlements that protected them, might +throw their weapons at those that were upon the wall, and were +easily seen by them. Hereupon the Jews, not being easily able to +escape those darts that were thrown down upon their heads, nor to +avenge themselves on those whom they could not see, and +perceiving that the height of the towers was so great, that a +dart which they threw with their hand could hardly reach it, and +that the iron plates about them made it very hard to come at them +by fire, they ran away from the walls, and fled hastily out of +the city, and fell upon those that shot at them. And thus did the +people of Jotapata resist the Romans, while a great number of +them were every day killed, without their being able to retort +the evil upon their enemies; nor could they keep them out of the +city without danger to themselves. + +31. About this time it was that Vespasian sent out Trajan against +a city called Japha, that lay near to Jotapata, and that desired +innovations, and was puffed up with the unexpected length of the +opposition of Jotapata. This Trajan was the commander of the +tenth legion, and to him Vespasian committed one thousand +horsemen, and two thousand footmen. When Trajan came to the city, +he found it hard to be taken, for besides the natural strength of +its situation, it was also secured by a double wall; but when he +saw the people of this city coming out of it, and ready to fight +him, he joined battle with them, and after a short resistance +which they made, he pursued after them; and as they fled to their +first wall, the Romans followed them so closely, that they fell +in together with them: but when the Jews were endeavoring to get +again within their second wall, their fellow citizens shut them +out, as being afraid that the Romans would force themselves in +with them. It was certainly God therefore who brought the Romans +to punish the Galileans, and did then expose the people of the +city every one of them manifestly to be destroyed by their bloody +enemies; for they fell upon the gates in great crowds, and +earnestly calling to those that kept them, and that by their +names also, yet had they their throats cut in the very midst of +their supplications; for the enemy shut the gates of the first +wall, and their own citizens shut the gates of the second, so +they were enclosed between two walls, and were slain in great +numbers together; many of them were run through by swords of +their own men, and many by their own swords, besides an immense +number that were slain by the Romans. Nor had they any courage to +revenge themselves; for there was added to the consternation they +were in from the enemy, their being betrayed by their own +friends, which quite broke their spirits; and at last they died, +cursing not the Romans, but their own citizens, till they were +all destroyed, being in number twelve thousand. So Trajan +gathered that the city was empty of people that could fight, and +although there should a few of them be therein, he supposed that +they would be too timorous to venture upon any opposition; so he +reserved the taking of the city to the general. Accordingly, he +sent messengers to Vespasian, and desired him to send his son +Titus to finish the victory he had gained. Vespasian hereupon +imagining there might be some pains still necessary, sent his son +with an army of five hundred horsemen, and one thousand footmen. +So he came quickly to the city, and put his army in order, and +set Trajan over the left wing, while he had the right himself, +and led them to the siege: and when the soldiers brought ladders +to be laid against the wall on every side, the Galileans opposed +them from above for a while; but soon afterward they left the +walls. Then did Titus's men leap into the city, and seized upon +it presently; but when those that were in it were gotten +together, there was a fierce battle between them; for the men of +power fell upon the Romans in the narrow streets, and the women +threw whatsoever came next to hand at them, and sustained a fight +with them for six hours' time; but when the fighting men were +spent, the rest of the multitude had their throats cut, partly in +the open air, and partly in their own houses, both young and old +together. So there were no males now remaining, besides infants, +which, with the women, were carried as slaves into captivity; so +that the number of the slain, both now in the city and at the +former fight, was fifteen thousand, and the captives were two +thousand one hundred and thirty. This calamity befell the +Galileans on the twenty-fifth day of the month Desius [Sivan.] +32. Nor did the Samaritans escape their share of misfortunes at +this time; for they assembled themselves together upon file +mountain called Gerizzim, which is with them a holy mountain, and +there they remained; which collection of theirs, as well as the +courageous minds they showed, could not but threaten somewhat of +war; nor were they rendered wiser by the miseries that had come +upon their neighboring cities. They also, notwithstanding the +great success the Romans had, marched on in an unreasonable +manner, depending on their own weakness, and were disposed for +any tumult upon its first appearance. Vespasian therefore thought +it best to prevent their motions, and to cut off the foundation +of their attempts. For although all Samaria had ever garrisons +settled among them, yet did the number of those that were come to +Mount Gerizzim, and their conspiracy together, give ground for +fear what they would be at; he therefore sent I thither Cerealis, +the commander of the fifth legion, with six hundred horsemen, and +three thousand footmen, who did not think it safe to go up to the +mountain, and give them battle, because many of the enemy were on +the higher part of the ground; so he encompassed all the lower +part of the mountain with his army, and watched them all that +day. Now it happened that the Samaritans, who were now destitute +of water, were inflamed with a violent heat, (for it was summer +time, and the multitude had not provided themselves with +necessaries,) insomuch that some of them died that very day with +heat, while others of them preferred slavery before such a death +as that was, and fled to the Romans; by whom Cerealis understood +that those which still staid there were very much broken by their +misfortunes. So he went up to the mountain, and having placed his +forces round about the enemy, he, in the first place, exhorted +them to take the security of his right hand, and come to terms +with him, and thereby save themselves; and assured them, that if +they would lay down their arms, he would secure them from any +harm; but when he could not prevail with them, he fell upon them +and slew them all, being in number eleven thousand and six +hundred. This was done on the twenty-seventh day of the month +Desius [Sivan]. And these were the calamities that befell the +Samaritans at this time. + +33. But as the people of Jotapata still held out manfully, and +bore up tinder their miseries beyond all that could be hoped for, +on the forty-seventh day [of the siege] the banks cast up by the +Romans were become higher than the wall; on which day a certain +deserter went to Vespasian, and told him how few were left in the +city, and how weak they were, and that they had been so worn out +with perpetual watching, and as perpetual fighting, that they +could not now oppose any force that came against them, and that +they might he taken by stratagem, if any one would attack them; +for that about the last watch of the night, when they thought +they might have some rest from the hardships they were under, and +when a morning sleep used to come upon them, as they were +thoroughly weary, he said the watch used to fall asleep; +accordingly his advice was, that they should make their attack at +that hour. But Vespasian had a suspicion about this deserter, as +knowing how faithful the Jews were to one another, and how much +they despised any punishments that could be inflicted on them; +this last because one of the people of Jotapata had undergone all +sorts of torments, and though they made him pass through a fiery +trial of his enemies in his examination, yet would he inform them +nothing of the affairs within the city, and as he was crucified, +smiled at them. However, the probability there was in the +relation itself did partly confirm the truth of what the deserter +told them, and they thought he might probably speak truth. +However, Vespasian thought they should be no great sufferers if +the report was a sham; so he commanded them to keep the man in +custody, and prepared the army for taking the city. + +34. According to which resolution they marched without noise, at +the hour that had been told them, to the wall; and it was Titus +himself that first got upon it, with one of his tribunes, +Domitius Sabinus, and had a few of the fifteenth legion along +with him. So they cut the throats of the watch, and entered the +city very quietly. After these came Cerealis the tribune, and +Placidus, and led on those that were tinder them. Now when the +citadel was taken, and the enemy were in the very midst of the +city, and when it was already day, yet was not the taking of the +city known by those that held it; for a great many of them were +fast asleep, and a great mist, which then by chance fell upon the +city, hindered those that got up from distinctly seeing the case +they were in, till the whole Roman army was gotten in, and they +were raised up only to find the miseries they were under; and as +they were slaying, they perceived the city was taken. And for the +Romans, they so well remembered what they had suffered during the +siege, that they spared none, nor pitied any, but drove the +people down the precipice from the citadel, and slew them as they +drove them down; at which time the difficulties of the place +hindered those that were still able to fight from defending +themselves; for as they were distressed in the narrow streets, +and could not keep their feet sure along the precipice, they were +overpowered with the crowd of those that came fighting them down +from the citadel. This provoked a great many, even of those +chosen men that were about Josephus, to kill themselves with +their own hands; for when they saw that they could kill none of +the Romans, they resolved to prevent being killed by the Romans, +and got together in great numbers in the utmost parts of the +city, and killed themselves. + +35. However, such of the watch as at the first perceived they +were taken, and ran away as fast as they could, went up into one +of the towers on the north side of the city, and for a while +defended themselves there; but as they were encompassed with a +multitude of enemies, they tried to use their right hands when it +was too late, and at length they cheerfully offered their necks +to be cut off by those that stood over them. And the Romans might +have boasted that the conclusion of that siege was without blood +[on their side] if there had not been a centurion, Antonius, who +was slain at the taking of the city. His death was occasioned by +the following treachery; for there was one of those that were +fled into the caverns, which were a great number, who desired +that this Antonius would reach him his right hand for his +security, and would assure him that he would preserve him, and +give him his assistance in getting up out of the cavern; +accordingly, he incautiously reached him his right hand, when the +other man prevented him, and stabbed him under his loins with a +spear, and killed him immediately. + +36. And on this day it was that the Romans slew all the multitude +that appeared openly; but on the following days they searched the +hiding-places, and fell upon those that were under ground, and in +the caverns, and went thus through every age, excepting the +infants and the women, and of these there were gathered together +as captives twelve hundred; and as for those that were slain at +the taking of the city, and in the former fights, they were +numbered to be forty thousand. So Vespasian gave order that the +city should be entirely demolished, and all the fortifications +burnt down. And thus was Jotapata taken, in the thirteenth year +of the reign of Nero, on the first day of the month Panemus +[Tamuz]. + +CHAPTER 8. + +How Josephus Was Discovered By A Woman, And Was Willing To +Deliver Himself Up To The Romans; And What Discourse He Had With +His Own Men, When They Endeavored To Hinder Him; And What He Said +To Vespasian, When He Was Brought To Him; And After What Manner +Vespasian Used Him Afterward. + +1. And now the Romans searched for Josephus, both out of the +hatred they bore him, and because their general was very desirous +to have him taken; for he reckoned that if he were once taken, +the greatest part of the war would be over. They then searched +among the dead, and looked into the most concealed recesses of +the city; but as the city was first taken, he was assisted by a +certain supernatural providence; for he withdrew himself from the +enemy when he was in the midst of them, and leaped into a certain +deep pit, whereto there adjoined a large den at one side of it, +which den could not be seen by those that were above ground; and +there he met with forty persons of eminency that had concealed +themselves, and with provisions enough to satisfy them for not a +few days. So in the day time he hid himself from the enemy, who +had seized upon all places, and in the night time he got up out +of the den and looked about for some way of escaping, and took +exact notice of the watch; but as all places were guarded every +where on his account, that there was no way of getting off +unseen, he went down again into the den. Thus he concealed +himself two days; but on the third day, when they had taken a +woman who had been with them, he was discovered. Whereupon +Vespasian sent immediately and zealously two tribunes, Paulinus +and Gallicanus, and ordered them to give Josephus their right +hands as a security for his life, and to exhort him to come up. + +2. So they came and invited the man to come up, and gave him +assurances that his life should be preserved: but they did not +prevail with him; for he gathered suspicions from the probability +there was that one who had done so many things against the Romans +must suffer for it, though not from the mild temper of those that +invited him. However, he was afraid that he was invited to come +up in order to be punished, until Vespasian sent besides these a +third tribune, Nicanor, to him; he was one that was well known to +Josephus, and had been his familiar acquaintance in old time. +When he was come, he enlarged upon the natural mildness of the +Romans towards those they have once conquered; and told him that +he had behaved himself so valiantly, that the commanders rather +admired than hated him; that the general was very desirous to +have him brought to him, not in order to punish him, for that he +could do though he should not come voluntarily, but that he was +determined to preserve a man of his courage. He moreover added +this, that Vespasian, had he been resolved to impose upon him, +would not have sent to him a friend of his own, nor put the +fairest color upon the vilest action, by pretending friendship +and meaning perfidiousness; nor would he have himself acquiesced, +or come to him, had it been to deceive him. + +3. Now as Josephus began to hesitate with himself about Nicanor's +proposal, the soldiery were so angry, that they ran hastily to +set fire to the den; but the tribune would not permit them so to +do, as being very desirous to take the man alive. And now, as +Nicanor lay hard at Josephus to comply, and he understood how the +multitude of the enemies threatened him, he called to mind the +dreams which he had dreamed in the night time, whereby God had +signified to him beforehand both the future calamities of the +Jews, and the events that concerned the Roman emperors. Now +Josephus was able to give shrewd conjectures about the +interpretation of such dreams as have been ambiguously delivered +by God. Moreover, he was not unacquainted with the prophecies +contained in the sacred books, as being a priest himself, and of +the posterity of priests: and just then was he in an ecstasy; and +setting before him the tremendous images of the dreams he had +lately had, he put up a secret prayer to God, and said, "Since it +pleaseth thee, who hast created the Jewish nation, to depress the +same, and since all their good fortune is gone over to the +Romans, and since thou hast made choice of this soul of mine to +foretell what is to come to pass hereafter, I willingly give them +my hands, and am content to live. And I protest openly that I do +not go over to the Romans as a deserter of the Jews, but as a +minister from thee." + +4. When he had said this, he complied with Nicanor's invitation. +But when those Jews who had fled with him understood that he +yielded to those that invited him to come up, they came about him +in a body, and cried out, "Nay, indeed, now may the laws of our +forefathers, which God ordained himself, well groan to purpose; +that God we mean who hath created the souls of the Jews of such a +temper, that they despise death. O Josephus! art thou still fond +of life? and canst thou bear to see the light in a state of +slavery? How soon hast thou forgotten thyself! How many hast thou +persuaded to lose their lives for liberty! Thou hast therefore +had a false reputation for manhood, and a like false reputation +for wisdom, if thou canst hope for preservation from those +against whom thou hast fought so zealously, and art however +willing to be preserved by them, if they be in earnest. But +although the good fortune of the Romans hath made thee forget +thyself, we ought to take care that the glory of our forefathers +may not be tarnished. We will lend thee our right hand and a +sword; and if thou wilt die willingly, thou wilt die as general +of the Jews; but if unwillingly, thou wilt die as a traitor to +them." As soon as they said this, they began to thrust their +swords at him, and threatened they would kill him, if he thought +of yielding himself to the Romans. + +5. Upon this Josephus was afraid of their attacking him, and yet +thought he should be a betrayer of the commands of God, if he +died before they were delivered. So he began to talk like a +philosopher to them in the distress he was then in, when he said +thus to them: "O my friends, why are we so earnest to kill +ourselves? and why do we set our soul and body, which are such +dear companions, at such variance? Can any one pretend that I am +not the man I was formerly? Nay, the Romans are sensible how that +matter stands well enough. It is a brave thin to die in war; but +so that it be according to the law of war, by the hand of +conquerors. If, therefore, I avoid death from the sword of the +Romans, I am truly worthy to be killed by my own sword, and my +own hand; but if they admit of mercy, and would spare their +enemy, how much more ought we to have mercy upon ourselves, and +to spare ourselves? For it is certainly a foolish thing to do +that to ourselves which we quarrel with them for doing to us. I +confess freely that it is a brave thing to die for liberty; but +still so that it be in war, and done by those who take that +liberty from us; but in the present case our enemies do neither +meet us in battle, nor do they kill us. Now he is equally a +coward who will not die when he is obliged to die, and he who +will die when he is not obliged so to do. What are we afraid of, +when we will not go up to the Romans? Is it death? If so, what we +are afraid of, when we but suspect our enemies will inflict it on +us, shall we inflict it on ourselves for certain? But it may be +said we must be slaves. And are we then in a clear state of +liberty at present? It may also be said that it is a manly act +for one to kill himself. No, certainly, but a most unmanly one; +as I should esteem that pilot to be an arrant coward, who, out of +fear of a storm, should sink his ship of his own accord. Now +self-murder is a crime most remote from the common nature of all +animals, and an instance of impiety against God our Creator; nor +indeed is there any animal that dies by its own contrivance, or +by its own means, for the desire of life is a law engraven in +them all; on which account we deem those that openly take it away +from us to be our enemies, and those that do it by treachery are +punished for so doing. And do not you think that God is very +angry when a man does injury to what he hath bestowed on him? For +from him it is that we have received our being, and we ought to +leave it to his disposal to take that being away from us. The +bodies of all men are indeed mortal, and are created out of +corruptible matter; but the soul is ever immortal, and is a +portion of the divinity that inhabits our bodies. Besides, if any +one destroys or abuses a depositum he hath received from a mere +man, he is esteemed a wicked and perfidious person; but then if +any one cast out of his body this Divine depositum, can we +imagine that he who is thereby affronted does not know of it? +Moreover, our law justly ordains that slaves which run away from +their master shall be punished, though the masters they run away +from may have been wicked masters to them. And shall we endeavor +to run away from God, who is the best of all masters, and not +guilty of impeity? Do not you know that those who depart out of +this life according to the law of nature, and pay that debt which +was received from God, when he that lent it us is pleased to +require it back again, enjoy eternal fame; that their houses and +their posterity are sure, that their souls are pure and obedient, +and obtain a most holy place in heaven, from whence, in the +revolutions of ages, they are again sent into pure bodies; while +the souls of those whose hands have acted madly against +themselves are received by the darkest place in Hades, and while +God, who is their Father, punishes those that offend against +either of them in their posterity? for which reason God hates +such doings, and the crime is punished by our most wise +legislator. Accordingly, our laws determine that the bodies of +such as kill themselves should be exposed till the sun be set, +without burial, although at the same time it be allowed by them +to be lawful to bury our enemies [sooner]. The laws of other +nations also enjoin such men's hands to be cut off when they are +dead, which had been made use of in destroying themselves when +alive, while they reckoned that as the body is alien from the +soul, so is the hand alien from the body. It is therefore, my +friends, a right thing to reason justly, and not add to the +calamities which men bring upon us impiety towards our Creator. +If we have a mind to preserve ourselves, let us do it; for to be +preserved by those our enemies, to whom we have given so many +demonstrations of our courage, is no way inglorious; but if we +have a mind to die, it is good to die by the hand of those that +have conquered us. For nay part, I will not run over to our +enemies' quarters, in order to be a traitor to myself; for +certainly I should then be much more foolish than those that +deserted to the enemy, since they did it in order to save +themselves, and I should do it for destruction, for my own +destruction. However, I heartily wish the Romans may prove +treacherous in this matter; for if, after their offer of their +right hand for security, I be slain by them, I shall die +cheerfully, and carry away with me the sense of their +perfidiousness, as a consolation greater than victory itself." +6. Now these and many the like motives did Josephus use to these +men to prevent their murdering themselves; but desperation had +shut their ears, as having long ago devoted themselves to die, +and they were irritated at Josephus. They then ran upon him with +their swords in their hands, one from one quarter, and another +from another, and called him a coward, and everyone of them +appeared openly as if he were ready to smite him; but he calling +to one of them by name, and looking like a general to another, +and taking a third by the hand, and making a fourth ashamed of +himself, by praying him to forbear, and being in this condition +distracted with various passions, (as he well might in the great +distress he was then in,) he kept off every one of their swords +from killing him, and was forced to do like such wild beasts as +are encompassed about on every side, who always turn themselves +against those that last touched them. Nay, some of their right +hands were debilitated by the reverence they bare to their +general in these his fatal calamities, and their swords dropped +out of their hands; and not a few of them there were, who, when +they aimed to smite him with their swords, they were not +thoroughly either willing or able to do it. + +7. However, in this extreme distress, he was not destitute of his +usual sagacity; but trusting himself to the providence of God, he +put his life into hazard [in the manner following]: "And now," +said he, "since it is resolved among you that you will die, come +on, let us commit our mutual deaths to determination by lot. He +whom the lot falls to first, let him be killed by him that hath +the second lot, and thus fortune shall make its progress through +us all; nor shall any of us perish by his own right hand, for it +would be unfair if, when the rest are gone, somebody should +repent and save himself." This proposal appeared to them to be +very just; and when he had prevailed with them to determine this +matter by lots, he drew one of the lots for himself also. He who +had the first lot laid his neck bare to him that had the next, as +supposing that the general would die among them immediately; for +they thought death, if Josephus might but die with them, was +sweeter than life; yet was he with another left to the last, +whether we must say it happened so by chance, or whether by the +providence of God. And as he was very desirous neither to be +condemned by the lot, nor, if he had been left to the last, to +imbrue his right hand in the blood of his countrymen, he +persuaded him to trust his fidelity to him, and to live as well +as himself. + +8. Thus Josephus escaped in the war with the Romans, and in this +his own war with his friends, and was led by Nicanor to +Vespasian. But now all the Romans ran together to see him; and as +the multitude pressed one upon another about their general, there +was a tumult of a various kind; while some rejoiced that Josephus +was taken, and some threatened him, and some crowded to see him +very near; but those that were more remote cried out to have this +their enemy put to death, while those that were near called to +mind the actions he had done, and a deep concern appeared at the +change of his fortune. Nor were there any of the Roman +commanders, how much soever they had been enraged at him before, +but relented when they came to the sight of him. Above all the +rest, Titus's own valor, and Josephus's own patience under his +afflictions, made him pity him, as did also the commiseration of +his age, when he recalled to mind that but a little while ago he +was fighting, but lay now in the hands of his enemies, which made +him consider the power of fortune, and how quick is the turn of +affairs in war, and how no state of men is sure; for which reason +he then made a great many more to be of the same pitiful temper +with himself, and induced them to commiserate Josephus. He was +also of great weight in persuading his father to preserve him. +However, Vespasian gave strict orders that he should be kept with +great caution, as though he would in a very little time send him +to Nero. (5) + +9. When Josephus heard him give those orders, he said that he had +somewhat in his mind that he would willingly say to himself +alone. When therefore they were all ordered to withdraw, +excepting Titus and two of their friends, he said, "Thou, O +Vespasian, thinkest no more than that thou hast taken Josephus +himself captive; but I come to thee as a messenger of greater +tidings; for had not I been sent by God to thee, I knew what was +the law of the Jews in this case? and how it becomes generals to +die. Dost thou send me to Nero? For why? Are Nero's successors +till they come to thee still alive? Thou, O Vespasian, art Caesar +and emperor, thou, and this thy son. Bind me now still faster, +and keep me for thyself, for thou, O Caesar, are not only lord +over me, but over the land and the sea, and all mankind; and +certainly I deserve to be kept in closer custody than I now am +in, in order to be punished, if I rashly affirm any thing of +God." When he had said this, Vespasian at present did not believe +him, but supposed that Josephus said this as a cunning trick, in +order to his own preservation; but in a little time he was +convinced, and believed what he said to be true, God himself +erecting his expectations, so as to think of obtaining the +empire, and by other signs fore-showing his advancement. He also +found Josephus to have spoken truth on other occasions; for one +of those friends that were present at that secret conference said +to Josephus, "I cannot but wonder how thou couldst not foretell +to the people of Jotapata that they should be taken, nor couldst +foretell this captivity which hath happened to thyself, unless +what thou now sayest be a vain thing, in order to avoid the rage +that is risen against thyself." To which Josephus replied, "I did +foretell to the people of Jotapata that they would be taken on +the forty-seventh day, and that I should be caught alive by the +Romans." Now when Vespasian had inquired of the captives +privately about these predictions, he found them to be true, and +then he began to believe those that concerned himself. Yet did he +not set Josephus at liberty from his hands, but bestowed on him +suits of clothes, and other precious gifts; he treated him also +in a very obliging manner, and continued so to do, Titus still +joining his interest ill the honors that were done him. + +CHAPTER 9. + +How Joppa Was Taken, And Tiberias Delivered Up. + +1. Now Vespasian returned to Ptolemais on the fourth day of the +month Panemus, [Tamus] and from thence he came to Cesarea, which +lay by the sea-side. This was a very great city of Judea, and for +the greatest part inhabited by Greeks: the citizens here received +both the Roman army and its general, with all sorts of +acclamations and rejoicings, and this partly out of the good-will +they bore to the Romans, but principally out of the hatred they +bore to those that were conquered by them; on which account they +came clamoring against Josephus in crowds, and desired he might +be put to death. But Vespasian passed over this petition +concerning him, as offered by the injudicious multitude, with a +bare silence. Two of the legions also he placed at Cesarea, that +they might there take their winter-quarters, as perceiving the +city very fit for such a purpose; but he placed the tenth and the +fifth at Scythopolis, that he might not distress Cesarea with the +entire army. This place was warm even in winter, as it was +suffocating hot in the summer time, by reason of its situation in +a plain, and near to the sea [of Galilee]. + +2. In the mean time, there were gathered together as well such as +had seditiously got out from among their enemies, as those that +had escaped out of the demolished cities, which were in all a +great number, and repaired Joppa, which had been left desolate by +Cestius, that it might serve them for a place of refuge; and +because the adjoining region had been laid waste in the war, and +was not capable of supporting them, they determined to go off to +sea. They also built themselves a great many piratical ships, and +turned pirates upon the seas near to Syria, and Phoenicia, and +Egypt, and made those seas unnavigable to all men. Now as soon as +Vespasian knew of their conspiracy, he sent both footmen and +horsemen to Joppa, which was unguarded in the night time; +however, those that were in it perceived that they should be +attacked, and were afraid of it; yet did they not endeavor to +keep the Romans out, but fled to their ships, and lay at sea all +night, out of the reach of their darts. + +3. Now Joppa is not naturally a haven, for it ends in a rough +shore, where all the rest of it is straight, but the two ends +bend towards each other, where there are deep precipices, and +great stones that jut out into the sea, and where the chains +wherewith Andromeda was bound have left their footsteps, which +attest to the antiquity of that fable. But the north wind opposes +and beats upon the shore, and dashes mighty waves against the +rocks which receive them, and renders the haven more dangerous +than the country they had deserted. Now as those people of Joppa +were floating about in this sea, in the morning there fell a +violent wind upon them; it is called by those that sail there +"the black north wind," and there dashed their ships one against +another, and dashed some of them against the rocks, and carried +many of them by force, while they strove against the opposite +waves, into the main sea; for the shore was so rocky, and had so +many of the enemy upon it, that they were afraid to come to land; +nay, the waves rose so very high, that they drowned them; nor was +there any place whither they could fly, nor any way to save +themselves; while they were thrust out of the sea, by the +violence of the wind, if they staid where they were, and out of +the city by the violence of the Romans. And much lamentation +there was when the ships were dashed against one another, and a +terrible noise when they were broken to pieces; and some of the +multitude that were in them were covered with waves, and so +perished, and a great many were embarrassed with shipwrecks. But +some of them thought that to die by their own swords was lighter +than by the sea, and so they killed themselves before they were +drowned; although the greatest part of them were carried by the +waves, and dashed to pieces against the abrupt parts of the +rocks, insomuch that the sea was bloody a long way, and the +maritime parts were full of dead bodies; for the Romans came upon +those that were carried to the shore, and destroyed them; and the +number of the bodies that were thus thrown out of the sea was +four thousand and two hundred. The Romans also took the city +without opposition, and utterly demolished it. + +4. And thus was Joppa taken twice by the Romans in a little time; +but Vespasian, in order to prevent these pirates from coming +thither any more, erected a camp there, where the citadel of +Joppa had been, and left a body of horse in it, with a few +footmen, that these last might stay there and guard the camp, and +the horsemen might spoil the country that lay round it, and might +destroy the neighboring villages and smaller cities. So these +troops overran the country, as they were ordered to do, and every +day cut to pieces and laid desolate the whole region. + +5. But now, when the fate of Jotapata was related at Jerusalem, a +great many at the first disbelieved it, on account of the +vastness of the calamity, and because they had no eye-witness to +attest the truth of what was related about it; for not one person +was saved to be a messenger of that news, but a fame was spread +abroad at random that the city was taken, as such fame usually +spreads bad news about. However, the truth was known by degrees, +from the places near Jotapata, and appeared to all to be too +true. Yet were there fictitious stories added to what was really +done; for it was reported that Josephus was slain at the taking +of the city, which piece of news filled Jerusalem full of sorrow. +In every house also, and among all to whom any of the slain were +allied, there was a lamentation for them; but the mourning for +the commander was a public one; and some mourned for those that +had lived with them, others for their kindred, others for their +friends, and others for their brethren, but all mourned for +Josephus; insomuch that the lamentation did not cease in the city +before the thirtieth day; and a great many hired mourners,(5) +with their pipes, who should begin the melancholy ditties for +them. + +6. But as the truth came out in time, it appeared how the affairs +of Jotapata really stood; yet was it found that the death of +Josephus was a fiction; and when they understood that he was +alive, and was among the Romans, and that the commanders treated +him at another rate than they treated captives, they were as +vehemently angry at him now as they had showed their good-will +before, when he appeared to have been dead. He was also abused by +some as having been a coward, and by others as a deserter; and +the city was full of indignation at him, and of reproaches cast +upon him; their rage was also aggravated by their afflictions, +and more inflamed by their ill success; and what usually becomes +an occasion of caution to wise men, I mean affliction, became a +spur to them to venture on further calamities, and the end of one +misery became still the beginning of another; they therefore +resolved to fall on the Romans the more vehemently, as resolving +to be revenged on him in revenging themselves on the Romans. And +this was the state of Jerusalem as to the troubles which now came +upon it. + +7. But Vespasian, in order to see the kingdom of Agrippa, while +the king persuaded himself so to do, (partly in order to his +treating the general and his army in the best and most splendid +manner his private affairs would enable him to do, and partly +that he might, by their means, correct such things as were amiss +in his government,) he removed from that Cesarea which was by the +sea-side, and went to that which is called Cesarea Philippi (6) +and there he refreshed his army for twenty days, and was himself +feasted by king Agrippa, where he also returned public thanks to +God for the good success he had had in his undertakings. But as +soon as he was informed that Tiberias was fond of innovations, +and that Tarichere had revolted, both which cities were parts of +the kingdom of Agrippa, and was satisfied within himself that the +Jews were every where perverted [from their obedience to their +governors], he thought it seasonable to make an expedition +against these cities, and that for the sake of Agrippa, and in +order to bring his cities to reason. So he sent away his son +Titus to [the other] Cesarea, that he might bring the army that +lay there to Seythopous, which is the largest city of Decapolis, +and in the neighborhood of Tiberias, whither he came, and where +he waited for his son. He then came with three legions, and +pitched his camp thirty furlongs off Tiberias, at a certain +station easily seen by the innovators; it is named Sennabris. He +also sent Valerian, a decurion, with fifty horsemen, to speak +peaceably to those that were in the city, and to exhort them to +give him assurances of their fidelity; for he had heard that the +people were desirous of peace, but were obliged by some of the +seditious part to join with them, and so were forced to fight for +them. When Valerian had marched up to the place, and was near the +wall, he alighted off his horse, and made those that were with +him to do the same, that they might not be thought to come to +skirmish with them; but before they could come to a discourse one +with another, the most potent men among the seditious made a +sally upon them armed; their leader was one whose name was Jesus, +the son of Shaphat, the principal head of a band of robbers. Now +Valerian, neither thinking it safe to fight contrary to the +commands of the general, though he were secure of a victory, and +knowing that it was a very hazardous undertaking for a few to +fight with many, for those that were unprovided to fight those +that were ready, and being on other accounts surprised at this +unexpected onset of the Jews, he ran away on foot, as did five of +the rest in like manner, and left their horses behind them; which +horses Jesus led away into the city, and rejoiced as if they had +taken them in battle, and not by treachery. + +8. Now the seniors of the people, and such as were of principal +authority among them, fearing what would be the issue of this +matter, fled to the camp of the Romans; they then took their king +along with them, and fell down before Vespasian, to supplicate +his favor, and besought him not to overlook them, nor to impute +the madness of a few to the whole city, to spare a people that +have been ever civil and obliging to the Romans; but to bring the +authors of this revolt to due punishment, who had hitherto so +watched them, that though they were zealous to give them the +security of their right hands of a long time, yet could they not +accomplish the same. With these supplications the general +complied, although he were very angry at the whole city about the +carrying off his horses, and this because he saw that Agrippa was +under a great concern for them. So when Vespasian and Agrippa had +accepted of their right hands by way of security, Jesus and his +party thought it not safe for them to continue at Tiberias, so +they ran away to Tarichete. The next day Vespasian sent Trajan +before with some horsemen to the citadel, to make trial of the +multitude, whether they were all disposed for peace; and as soon +as he knew that the people were of the same mind with the +petitioner, he took his army, and went to the city; upon which +the citizens opened to him their gates, and met him with +acclamations of joy, and called him their savior and benefactor. +But as the army was a great while in getting in at the gates, +they were so narrow, Vespasian commanded the south wall to be +broken down, and so made a broad passage for their entrance. +However, he charged them to abstain from rapine and injustice, in +order to gratify the king; and on his account spared the rest of +the wall, while the king undertook for them that they should +continue [faithful to the Romans] for the time to come. And thus +did he restore this city to a quiet state, after it had been +grievously afflicted by the sedition. + +CHAPTER 10. + +How Taricheae Was Taken. A Description Of The River Jordan, And +Of The Country Of Gennesareth. + +1. And now Vespasian pitched his camp between this city and +Taricheae, but fortified his camp more strongly, as suspecting +that he should be forced to stay there, and have a long war; for +all the innovators had gotten together at Taricheae, as relying +upon the strength of the city, and on the lake that lay by it. +This lake is called by the people of the country the Lake of +Gennesareth. The city itself is situated like Tiberias, at the +bottom of a mountain, and on those sides which are not washed by +the sea, had been strongly fortified by Josephus, though not so +strongly as Tiberias; for the wall of Tiberias had been built at +the beginning of the Jews' revolt, when he had great plenty of +money, and great power, but Tarichese partook only the remains of +that liberality, Yet had they a great number of ships gotten +ready upon the lake, that, in case they were beaten at land, they +might retire to them; and they were so fitted up, that they might +undertake a Sea-fight also. But as the Romans were building a +wall about their camp, Jesu and his party were neither affrighted +at their number, nor at the good order they were in, but made a +sally upon them; and at the very first onset the builders of the +wall were dispersed; and these pulled what little they had before +built to pieces; but as soon as they saw the armed men getting +together, and before they had suffered any thing themselves, they +retired to their own men. But then the Romans pursued them, and +drove them into their ships, where they launched out as far as +might give them the opportunity of reaching the Romans with what +they threw at them, and then cast anchor, and brought their ships +close, as in a line of battle, and thence fought the enemy from +the sea, who were themselves at land. But Vespasian hearing that +a great multitude of them were gotten together in the plain that +was before the city, he thereupon sent his son, with six hundred +chosen horsemen, to disperse +them. + +2. But when Titus perceived that the enemy was very numerous, he +sent to his father, and informed him that he should want more +forces. But as he saw a great many of the horsemen eager to +fight, and that before any succors could come to them, and that +yet some of them were privately under a sort of consternation at +the multitude of the Jews, he stood in a place whence he might be +heard, and said to them, "My brave Romans! for it is right for me +to put you in mind of what nation you are, in the beginning of my +speech, that so you may not be ignorant who you are, and who they +are against whom we are going to fight. For as to us, Romans, no +part of the habitable earth hath been able to escape our hands +hitherto; but as for the Jews, that I may speak of them too, +though they have been already beaten, yet do they not give up the +cause; and a sad thing it would be for us to grow wealthy under +good success, when they bear up under their misfortunes. As to +the alacrity which you show publicly, I see it, and rejoice at +it; yet am I afraid lest the multitude of the enemy should bring +a concealed fright upon some of you: let such a one consider +again, who we are that are to fight, and who those are against +whom we are to fight. Now these Jews, though they be very bold +and great despisers of death, are but a disorderly body, and +unskillful in war, and may rather be called a rout than an army; +while I need say nothing of our skill and our good order; for +this is the reason why we Romans alone are exercised for war in +time of peace, that we may not think of number for number when we +come to fight with our enemies: for what advantage should we reap +by our continual sort of warfare, if we must still be equal in +number to such as have not been used to war. Consider further, +that you are to have a conflict with men in effect unarmed, while +you are well armed; with footmen, while you are horsemen; with +those that have no good general, while you have one; and as these +advantages make you in effect manifold more than you are, so do +their disadvantages mightily diminish their number. Now it is not +the multitude of men, though they be soldiers, that manages wars +with success, but it is their bravery that does it, though they +be but a few; for a few are easily set in battle-array, and can +easily assist one another, while over-numerous armies are more +hurt by themselves than by their enemies. It is boldness and +rashness, the effects of madness, that conduct the Jews. Those +passions indeed make a great figure when they succeed, but are +quite extinguished upon the least ill success; but we are led on +by courage, and obedience, and fortitude, which shows itself +indeed in our good fortune, but still does not for ever desert us +in our ill fortune. Nay, indeed, your fighting is to be on +greater motives than those of the Jews; for although they run the +hazard of war for liberty, and for their country, yet what can be +a greater motive to us than glory? and that. it may never be +said, that after we have got dominion of the habitable earth, the +Jews are able to confront us. We must also reflect upon this, +that there is no fear of our suffering any incurable disaster in +the present case; for those that are ready to assist us are many, +and at hand also; yet it is in our power to seize upon this +victory ourselves; and I think we ought to prevent the coming of +those my father is sending to us for our assistance, that our +success may be peculiar to ourselves, and of greater reputation +to us. And I cannot but think this an opportunity wherein my +father, and I, and you shall be all put to the trial, whether he +be worthy of his former glorious performances, whether I be his +son in reality, and whether you be really my soldiers; for it is +usual for my father to conquer; and for myself, I should not bear +the thoughts of returning to him if I were once taken by the +enemy. And how will you be able to avoid being ashamed, if you do +not show equal courage with your commander, when he goes before +you into danger? For you know very well that I shall go into the +danger first, and make the first attack upon the enemy. Do not +you therefore desert me, but persuade yourselves that God will be +assisting to my onset. Know this also before we begin, that we +shall now have better success than we should have, if we were to +fight at a distance." + +3. As Titus was saying this, an extraordinary fury fell upon the +men; and as Trajan was already come before the fight began, with +four hundred horsemen, they were uneasy at it, because the +reputation of the victory would be diminished by being common to +so many. Vespasian had also sent both Antonius and Silo, with two +thousand archers, and had given it them in charge to seize upon +the mountain that was over against the city, and repel those that +were upon the wall; which archers did as they were commanded, and +prevented those that attempted to assist them that way; And now +Titus made his own horse march first against the enemy, as did +the others with a great noise after him, and extended themselves +upon the plain as wide as the enemy which confronted them; by +which means they appeared much more numerous than they really +were. Now the Jews, although they were surprised at their onset, +and at their good order, made resistance against their attacks +for a little while; but when they were pricked with their long +poles, and overborne by the violent noise of the horsemen, they +came to be trampled under their feet; many also of them were +slain on every side, which made them disperse themselves, and run +to the city, as fast as every one of them were able. So Titus +pressed upon the hindmost, and slew them; and of the rest, some +he fell upon as they stood on heaps, and some he prevented, and +met them in the mouth, and run them through; many also he leaped +upon as they fell one upon another, and trod them down, and cut +off all the retreat they had to the wall, and turned them back +into the plain, till at last they forced a passage by their +multitude, and got away, and ran into the city. + +4. But now there fell out a terrible sedition among them within +the city; for the inhabitants themselves, who had possessions +there, and to whom the city belonged, were not disposed to fight +from the very beginning; and now the less so, because they had +been beaten; but the foreigners, which were very numerous, would +force them to fight so much the more, insomuch that there was a +clamor and a tumult among them, as all mutually angry one at +another. And when Titus heard this tumult, for he was not far +from the wall, he cried out," Fellow soldiers, now is the time; +and why do we make any delay, when God is giving up the Jews to +us? Take the victory which is given you: do not you hear what a +noise they make? Those that have escaped our hands are ill an +uproar against one another. We have the city if we make haste; +but besides haste, we must undergo some labor, and use some +courage; for no great thing uses to be accomplished without +danger: accordingly, we must not only prevent their uniting +again, which necessity will soon compel them to do, but we must +also prevent the coming of our own men to our assistance, that, +as few as we are, we may conquer so great a multitude, and may +ourselves alone take the city:" + +5. As soon as ever Titus had said this, he leaped upon his horse, +and rode apace down to the lake; by which lake he marched, and +entered into the city the first of them all, as did the others +soon after him. Hereupon those that were upon the walls were +seized with a terror at the boldness of the attempt, nor durst +any one venture to fight with him, or to hinder him; so they left +guarding the city, and some of those that were about Jesus fled +over the country, while others of them ran down to the lake, and +met the enemy in the teeth, and some were slain as they were +getting up into the ships, but others of them as they attempted +to overtake those that were already gone aboard. There was also a +great slaughter made in the city, while those foreigners that had +not fled away already made opposition; but the natural +inhabitants were killed without fighting: for in hopes of Titus's +giving them his right hand for their security, and out of a +consciousness that they had not given any consent to the war, +they avoided fighting, till Titus had slain the authors of this +revolt, and then put a stop to any further slaughters, out of +commiseration of these inhabitants of the place. But for those +that had fled to the lake, upon seeing the city taken, they +sailed as far as they possibly could from the enemy. + +6. Hereupon Titus sent one of his horsemen to his father, and let +him know the good news of what he had done; at which, as was +natural, he was very joyful, both on account of the courage and +glorious actions of his son; for he thought that now the greatest +part of the war was over. He then came thither himself, and set +men to guard the city, and gave them command to take care that +nobody got privately out of it, but to kill such as attempted so +to do. And on the next day he went down to the lake, and +commanded that vessels should be fitted up, in order to pursue +those that had escaped in the ships. These vessels were quickly +gotten ready accordingly, because there was great plenty of +materials, and a great number of artificers also. + +7. Now this lake of Gennesareth is so called from the country +adjoining to it. Its breadth is forty furlongs, and its length +one hundred and forty; its waters are sweet, and very agreeable +for drinking, for they are finer than the thick waters of other +fens; the lake is also pure, and on every side ends directly at +the shores, and at the sand; it is also of a temperate nature +when you draw it up, and of a more gentle nature than river or +fountain water, and yet always cooler than one could expect in so +diffuse a place as this is. Now when this water is kept in the +open air, it is as cold as that snow which the country people are +accustomed to make by night in summer. There are several kinds of +fish in it, different both to the taste and the sight from those +elsewhere. It is divided into two parts by the river Jordan. Now +Panium is thought to be the fountain of Jordan, but in reality it +is carried thither after an occult manner from the place called +Phiala: this place lies as you go up to Trachonitis, and is a +hundred and twenty furlongs from Cesarea, and is not far out of +the road on the right hand; and indeed it hath its name of Phiala +[vial or bowl] very justly, from the roundness of its +circumference, as being round like a wheel; its water continues +always up to its edges, without either sinking or running over. +And as this origin of Jordan was formerly not known, it was +discovered so to be when Philip was tetrarch of Trachonitis; for +he had chaff thrown into Phiala, and it was found at Paninto, +where the ancients thought the fountain-head of the river was, +whither it had been therefore carried [by the waters]. As for +Panium itself, its natural beauty had been improved by the royal +liberality of Agrippa, and adorned at his expenses. Now Jordan's +visible stream arises from this cavern, and divides the marshes +and fens of the lake Semechonitis; when it hath run another +hundred and twenty furlongs, it first passes by the city Julias, +and then passes through the middle of the lake Gennesareth; after +which it runs a long way over a desert, and then makes its exit +into the lake Asphaltitis. + +8. The country also that lies over against this lake hath the +same name of Gennesareth; its nature is wonderful as well as its +beauty; its soil is so fruitful that all sorts of trees can grow +upon it, and the inhabitants accordingly plant all sorts of trees +there; for the temper of the air is so well mixed, that it agrees +very well with those several sorts, particularly walnuts, which +require the coldest air, flourish there in vast plenty; there are +palm trees also, which grow best in hot air; fig trees also and +olives grow near them, which yet require an air that is more +temperate. One may call this place the ambition of nature, where +it forces those plants that are naturally enemies to one another +to agree together; it is a happy contention of the seasons, as if +every one of them laid claim to this country; for it not only +nourishes different sorts of autumnal fruit beyond men's +expectation, but preserves them a great while; it supplies men +with the principal fruits, with grapes and figs continually, +during ten months of the year (7) and the rest of the fruits as +they become ripe together through the whole year; for besides the +good temperature of the air, it is also watered from a most +fertile fountain. The people of the country call it Capharnaum. +Some have thought it to be a vein of the Nile, because it +produces the Coracin fish as well as that lake does which is near +to Alexandria. The length of this country extends itself along +the banks of this lake that bears the same name for thirty +furlongs, and is in breadth twenty, And this is the nature of +that place. + +9. But now, when the vessels were gotten ready, Vespasian put +upon ship-board as many of his forces as he thought sufficient to +be too hard for those that were upon the lake, and set sail after +them. Now these which were driven into the lake could neither fly +to the land, where all was in their enemies' hand, and in war +against them; nor could they fight upon the level by sea, for +their ships were small and fitted only for piracy; they were too +weak to fight with Vespasian's vessels, and the mariners that +were in them were so few, that they were afraid to come near the +Romans, who attacked them in great numbers. However, as they +sailed round about the vessels, and sometimes as they came near +them, they threw stones at the Romans when they were a good way +off, or came closer and fought them; yet did they receive the +greatest harm themselves in both cases. As for the stones they +threw at the Romans, they only made a sound one after another, +for they threw them against such as were in their armor, while +the Roman darts could reach the Jews themselves; and when they +ventured to come near the Romans, they became sufferers +themselves before they could do any harm to the ether, and were +drowned, they and their ships together. As for those that +endeavored to come to an actual fight, the Romans ran many of +them through with their long poles. Sometimes the Romans leaped +into their ships, with swords in their hands, and slew them; but +when some of them met the vessels, the Romans caught them by the +middle, and destroyed at once their ships and themselves who were +taken in them. And for such as were drowning in the sea, if they +lifted their heads up above the water, they were either killed by +darts, or caught by the vessels; but if, in the desperate case +they were in, they attempted to swim to their enemies, the Romans +cut off either their heads or their hands; and indeed they were +destroyed after various manners every where, till the rest being +put to flight, were forced to get upon the land, while the +vessels encompassed them about [on the sea]: but as many of these +were repulsed when they were getting ashore, they were killed by +the darts upon the lake; and the Romans leaped out of their +vessels, and destroyed a great many more upon the land: one might +then see the lake all bloody, and full of dead bodies, for not +one of them escaped. And a terrible stink, and a very sad sight +there was on the following days over that country; for as for the +shores, they were full of shipwrecks, and of dead bodies all +swelled; and as the dead bodies were inflamed by the sun, and +putrefied, they corrupted the air, insomuch that the misery was +not only the object of commiseration to the Jews, but to those +that hated them, and had been the authors of that misery. This +was the upshot of the sea-fight. The number of the slain, +including those that were killed in the city before, was six +thousand and five hundred. + +10. After this fight was over, Vespasian sat upon his tribunal at +Taricheae, in order to distinguish the foreigners from the old +inhabitants; for those foreigners appear to have begun the war. +So he deliberated with the other commanders, whether he ought to +save those old inhabitants or not. And when those commanders +alleged that the dismission of them would be to his own +disadvantage, because, when they were once set at liberty, they +would not be at rest, since they would be people destitute of +proper habitations, and would he able to compel such as they fled +to fight against us, Vespasian acknowledged that they did not +deserve to be saved, and that if they had leave given them to fly +away, they would make use of it against those that gave them that +leave. But still he considered with himself after what manner +they should be slain (8) for if he had them slain there, he +suspected the people of the country would thereby become his +enemies; for that to be sure they would never bear it, that so +many that had been supplicants to him should be killed; and to +offer violence to them, after he had given them assurances of +their lives, he could not himself bear to do it. However, his +friends were too hard for him, and pretended that nothing against +Jews could be any impiety, and that he ought to prefer what was +profitable before what was fit to be done, where both could not +be made consistent. So he gave them an ambiguous liberty to do as +they advised, and permitted the prisoners to go along no other +road than that which led to Tiberias only. So they readily +believed what they desired to be true, and went along securely, +with their effects, the way which was allowed them, while the +Romans seized upon all the road that led to Tiberias, that none +of them might go out of it, and shut them up in the city. Then +came Vespasian, and ordered them all to stand in the stadium, and +commanded them to kill the old men, together with the others that +were useless, which were in number a thousand and two hundred. +Out of the young men he chose six thousand of the strongest, and +sent them to Nero, to dig through the Isthmus, and sold the +remainder for slaves, being thirty thousand and four hundred, +besides such as he made a present of to Agrippa; for as to those +that belonged to his kingdom, he gave him leave to do what he +pleased with them; however, the king sold these also for slaves; +but for the rest of the multitude, who were Trachonites, and +Gaulanites, and of Hippos, and some of Gadara, the greatest part +of them were seditious persons and fugitives, who were of such +shameful characters, that they preferred war before peace. These +prisoners were taken on the eighth day of the month Gorpiaeus +[Elul]. + +WAR BOOK 3 NOTES + +(1) Take the confirmation of this in the words of Suetonius, here +produced by Dr. Hudson: "In the reign of Claudius," says he, +"Vespasian, for the sake of Narcissus, was sent as a lieutenant +of a legion into Germany. Thence he removed into Britain " +battles with the enemy." In Vesp. sect. 4. We may also here note +from Josephus, that Claudius the emperor, who triumphed for the +conquest of Britain, was enabled so to do by Vespasian's conduct +and bravery, and that he is here styled "the father of +Vespasian." + +(2) Spanheim and Reland both agree, that the two cities here +esteemed greater than Antioch, the metropolis of Syria, were Rome +and Alexandria; nor is there any occasion for doubt in so plain a +case. + +(3) This description of the exact symmetry and regularity of the +Roman army, and of the Roman encampments, with the sounding their +trumpets, etc. and order of war, described in this and the next +chapter, is so very like to the symmetry and regularity of the +people of Israel in the wilderness, (see Description of the +Temples, ch. 9.,) that one cannot well avoid the supposal, that +the one was the ultimate pattern of the other, and that the +tactics of the ancients were taken from the rules given by God to +Moses. And it is thought by some skillful in these matters, that +these accounts of Josephus, as to the Roman camp and armor, and +conduct in war, are preferable to those in the Roman authors +themselves. + +(4) I cannot but here observe an Eastern way of speaking, +frequent among them, but not usual among us, where the word +"only" or "alone" is not set down, but perhaps some way supplied +in the pronunciation. Thus Josephus here says, that those of +Jotapata slew seven of the Romans as they were marching off, +because the Romans' retreat was regular, their bodies were +covered over with their armor, and the Jews fought at some +distance; his meaning is clear, that these were the reasons why +they slew only, or no more than seven. I have met with many the +like examples in the Scriptures, in Josephus, etc.; but did not +note down the particular places. This observation ought to be +borne in mind upon many occasions. + +(5) These public mourners, hired upon the supposed death of +Josephus, and the real death of many more, illustrate some +passages in the Bible, which suppose the same custom, as Matthew +11:17, where the reader may consult the notes of Grotius. + +(6) Of this Cesarea Philippi (twice mentioned in our New +Testament, Matthew 16:13; Mark 8;27) there are coins still +extant, Spanheim here informs us. + +(7) I do not know where to find the law of Moses here mentioned +by Josephus, and afterwards by Eleazar, 13. VII. ch. 8. sect. 7, +and almost implied in B. I. ch. 13. sect. 10, by Josephus's +commendation of Phasaelus for doing so; I mean, whereby Jewish +generals and people were obliged to kill themselves, rather than +go into slavery under heathens. I doubt this would have been no +better than "self-murder;" and I believe it was rather some vain +doctrine, or interpretation, of the rigid Pharisees, or Essens, +or Herodiaus, than a just consequence from any law of God +delivered by Moses. + +(7) It may be worth our while to observe here, that near this +lake of Gennesareth grapes and figs hang on the trees ten months +of the year. We may observe also, that in Cyril of Jerusalem, +Cateehes. 18. sect. 3, which was delivered not long before +Easter, there were no fresh leaves of fig trees, nor bunches of +fresh grapes in Judea; so that when St. Mark says, ch. 11. ver. +13, that our Savior, soon after the same time of the year, came +and "found leaves" on a fig tree near Jerusalem, but "no figs, +because the time of" new "figs" ripening "was not yet," he says +very true; nor were they therefore other than old leaves which +our Savior saw, and old figs which he expected, and which even +with us commonly hang on the trees all winter long. + +(8) This is the most cruel and barbarous action that Vespasian +ever did in this whole war, as he did it with great reluctance +also. It was done both after public assurance given of sparing +the prisoners' lives, and when all knew and confessed that these +prisoners were no way guilty of any sedition against the Romans. +Nor indeed did Titus now give his consent, so far as appears, nor +ever act of himself so barbarously; nay, soon after this, Titus +grew quite weary of shedding blood, and of punishing the innocent +with the guilty, and gave the people of Gischala leave to keep +the Jewish sabbath, B. IV. ch. 2. sect. 3, 5, in the midst of +their siege. Nor was Vespasian disposed to do what he did, till +his officers persuaded him, and that from two principal topics, +viz. that nothing could be unjust that was done against Jews; and +that when both cannot be consistent, advantage must prevail over +justice. Admirable court doctrines these! + +BOOK IV. + + Containing The Interval Of About One Year. + + + From The Siege Of Gamala To The Coming + Of Titus To Besiege Jerusalem. + + + CHAPTER 1. + + + The Siege And Taking Of Gamala. + +1. Now all those Galileans who, after the taking of Jotapata, +had revolted from the Romans, did, upon the conquest of + +Taricheae, deliver themselves up to them again. And the +Romans received all the fortresses and the cities, excepting +Gischala and those that had seized upon Mount Tabor; Gamala also, +which is a city ever against Tarichem, but on the other side of +the lake, conspired with them. This city lay Upon the borders of +Agrippa's kingdom, as also did Sogana and Scleucia. And these +were both parts of Gaulanitis; for Sogana was a part of that +called the Upper Gaulanitis, as was Gamala of the Lower; while +Selcucia was situated at the lake Semechouitis, which lake is +thirty furlongs in breadth, and sixty in length; its marshes +reach as far as the place Daphne, which in other respects is a +delicious place, and hath such fountains as supply water to what +is called Little Jordan, under the temple of the golden calf, (1) +where it is sent into Great Jordan. Now Agrippa had united Sogana +and Seleucia by leagues to himself, at the very beginning of the +revolt from the Romans; yet did not Gamala accede to them, but +relied upon the difficulty of the place, which was greater than +that of Jotapata, for it was situated upon a rough ridge of a +high mountain, with a kind of neck in the middle: where it begins +to ascend, it lengthens itself, and declines as much downward +before as behind, insomuch that it is like a camel in figure, +from whence it is so named, although the people of the + country do not pronounce it accurately. Both on the side and +the face there are abrupt parts divided from the rest, and ending +in vast deep valleys; yet are the parts behind, where they are +joined to the mountain, somewhat easier of ascent than the other; +but then the people belonging to the place have cut an oblique +ditch there, and made that hard to be ascended also. On its +acclivity, which is straight, houses are built, and those very +thick and close to one another. The city also hangs so strangely, +that it looks as if it would fall down upon itself, so sharp is +it at the top. It is exposed to the south, and its southern +mount, which reaches to an immense height, was in the nature of a +citadel to the city; and above that was a precipice, not walled +about, but extending itself to an immense depth. There was also a +spring of water within the wall, at the utmost limits of the +city. + + 2. As this city was naturally hard to be taken, so had + Josephus, by building a wall about it, made it still stronger, +as also by ditches and mines under ground. The people that + were in it were made more bold by the nature of the place than +the people of Jotapata had been, but it had much fewer fighting +men in it; and they had such a confidence in the situation of the +place, that they thought the enemy could not be too many for +them; for the city had been filled with those that had fled to it +for safety, on account of its strength; on which account they had +been able to resist those whom + Agrippa sent to besiege it for seven months together. + + 3. But Vespasian removed from Emmaus, where he had last + pitched his camp before the city Tiberias, (now Emmaus, if it +be interpreted, may be rendered "a warm bath," for therein is a +spring of warm water, useful for healing,) and came to Gamala; +yet was its situation such that he was not able to encompass it +all round with soldiers to watch it; but where the places were +practicable, he set men to watch it, and seized upon the mountain +which was over it. And as the + legions, according to their usual custom, were fortifying their +camp upon that mountain, he began to cast up banks at the bottom, +at the part towards the east, where the highest tower of the +whole city was, and where the fifteenth legion pitched their +camp; while the fifth legion did duty over against the midst of +the city, and whilst the tenth legion filled up the ditches and +the valleys. Now at this time it was that as king Agrippa was +come nigh the walls, and was endeavoring to + speak to those that were on the walls about a surrender, he was +hit with a stone on his right elbow by one of the slingers; he +was then immediately surrounded with his own men. But the Romans +were excited to set about the siege, by their indignation on the +king's account, and by their fear on their own account, as +concluding that those men would omit no + kinds of barbarity against foreigners and enemies, who where so +enraged against one of their own nation, and one that advised +them to nothing but what was for their own + advantage. + + 4. Now when the banks were finished, which was done on the +sudden, both by the multitude of hands, and by their being +accustomed to such work, they brought the machines; but + Chares and Joseph, who were the most potent men in the + city, set their armed men in order, though already in a fright, +because they did not suppose that the city could hold out long, +since they had not a sufficient quantity either of water, or of +other necessaries. However, these their leaders + encouraged them, and brought them out upon the wall, and for a +while indeed they drove away those that were bringing the +machines; but when those machines threw darts and + stones at them, they retired into the city; then did the Romans +bring battering rams to three several places, and made the wall +shake [and fall]. They then poured in over the parts of the wall +that were thrown down, with a mighty sound of trumpets and noise +of armor, and with a shout of the + soldiers, and brake in by force upon those that were in the +city; but these men fell upon the Romans for some time, at their +first entrance, and prevented their going any further, and with +great courage beat them back; and the Romans + were so overpowered by the greater multitude of the people, who +beat them on every side, that they were obliged to run into the +upper parts of the city. Whereupon the people + turned about, and fell upon their enemies, who had attacked +them, and thrust them down to the lower parts, and as they were +distressed by the narrowness and difficulty of the place, slew +them; and as these Romans could neither beat those + back that were above them, nor escape the force of their own +men that were forcing their way forward, they were + compelled to fly into their enemies' houses, which were low; +but these houses being thus full, of soldiers, whose weight they +could not bear, fell down suddenly; and when one house fell, it +shook down a great many of those that were under it, as did those +do to such as were under them. By this means a vast number of the +Romans perished; for they were so + terribly distressed, that although they saw the houses + subsiding, they were compelled to leap upon the tops of + them; so that a great many were ground to powder by these +ruins, and a great many of those that got from under them lost +some of their limbs, but still a greater number were suffocated +by the dust that arose from those ruins. The + people of Gamala supposed this to be an assistance afforded +them by God, and without regarding what damage they + suffered themselves, they pressed forward, and thrust the enemy +upon the tops of their houses; and when they + stumbled in the sharp and narrow streets, and were + perpetually falling down, they threw their stones or darts at +them, and slew them. Now the very ruins afforded them + stones enow; and for iron weapons, the dead men of the + enemies' side afforded them what they wanted; for drawing the +swords of those that were dead, they made use of them to despatch +such as were only half dead; nay, there were a great number who, +upon their falling down from the tops of the houses, stabbed +themselves, and died after that manner; nor indeed was it easy +for those that were beaten back to fly away; for they were so +unacquainted with the ways, and the dust was so thick, that they +wandered about without knowing one another, and fell down dead +among the crowd. + + 5. Those therefore that were able to find the ways out of the +city retired. But now Vespasian always staid among those that +were hard set; for he was deeply affected with seeing the ruins +of the city falling upon his army, and forgot to take care of his +own preservation. He went up gradually towards the highest parts +of the city before he was aware, and was left in the midst of +dangers, having only a very few with him; for even his son Titus +was not with him at that time, having been then sent into Syria +to Mucianus. However, he thought it not safe to fly, nor did he +esteem it a fit thing for him to do; but calling to mind the +actions he had done from his youth, and recollecting his courage, +as if he had been excited by a divine fury, he covered himself +and those that were with him with their shields, and formed a +testudo over both their bodies and their armor, and bore up +against the enemy's attacks, who came running down from the top +of the city; and without showing any dread at the multitude of +the men or of their darts, he endured all, until the enemy took +notice of that divine courage that was within him, and remitted +of their attacks; and when they pressed less zealously upon him, +he retired, though without showing his back to them till he was +gotten out of the walls of the city. Now a great number of the +Romans fell in this battle, among whom was Ebutius, the + decurion, a man who appeared not only in this engagement, +wherein he fell, but every where, and in former engagements, to +be of the truest courage, and one that had done very great +mischief to the Jews. But there was a centurion whose name was +Gallus, who, during this disorder, being encompassed about, he +and ten other soldiers privately crept into the house of a +certain person, where he heard them talking at supper, what the +people intended to do against the Romans, or about themselves +(for both the man himself and those with him + were Syrians). So he got up in the night time, and cut all +their throats, and escaped, together with his soldiers, to the +Romans. + + 6. And now Vespasian comforted his army, which was much + dejected by reflecting on their ill success, and because they +had never before fallen into such a calamity, and besides this, +because they were greatly ashamed that they had left their +general alone in great dangers. As to what concerned himself, he +avoided to say any thing, that he might by no means seem to +complain of it; but he said that "we ought to bear manfully what +usually falls out in war, and this, by considering what the +nature of war is, and how it can never be that we must conquer +without bloodshed on our own side; for there stands about us that +fortune which is of its own nature mutable; that while they had +killed so many ten thousands of the Jews, they had now paid their +small share of the reckoning to fate; and as it is the part of +weak people to be too much puffed up with good success, so is it +the part of cowards to be too much aftrighted at that which is +ill; for the change from the one to the other is sudden on both +sides; and he is the best warrior who is of a sober mind under +misfortunes, that he may + continue in that temper, and cheerfully recover what had been +lost formerly; and as for what had now happened, it was neither +owing to their own effeminacy, nor to the valor of the Jews, but +the difficulty of the place was the occasion of their advantage, +and of our disappointment. Upon reflecting on which matter one +might blame your zeal as perfectly + ungovernable; for when the enemy had retired to their + highest fastnesses, you ought to have restrained yourselves, +and not, by presenting yourselves at the top of the city, to be +exposed to dangers; but upon your having obtained the lower parts +of the city, you ought to have provoked those that had retired +thither to a safe and settled battle; whereas, in rushing so +hastily upon victory, you took no care of your safety. But this +incautiousness in war, and this madness of zeal, is not a Roman +maxim. While we perform all that we attempt by skill and good +order, that procedure is the part of barbarians, and is what the +Jews chiefly support themselves by. We ought therefore to return +to our own virtue, and to be rather angry than any longer +dejected at this unlucky misfortune, and let every one seek for +his own consolation from his own hand; for by this means he will +avenge those that have been + destroyed, and punish those that have killed them. For + myself, I will endeavor, as I have now done, to go first before +you against your enemies in every engagement, and to be the last +that retires from it." + + 7. So Vespasian encouraged his army by this speech; but for the +people of Gamala, it happened that they took courage for a little +while, upon such great and unaccountable success as they had had. +But when they considered with themselves that they had now no +hopes of any terms of accommodation, and reflecting upon it that +they could not get away, and that their provisions began already +to be short, they were exceedingly cast down, and their courage +failed them; yet did they not neglect what might be for their +preservation, so far as they were able, but the most courageous +among them guarded + those parts of the wall that were beaten down, while the more +infirm did the same to the rest of the wall that still remained +round the city. And as the Romans raised their + banks, and attempted to get into the city a second time, a +great many of them fled out of the city through impracticable +valleys, where no guards were placed, as also through + subterraneous caverns; while those that were afraid of being +caught, and for that reason staid in the city, perished for want +of food; for what food they had was brought together from all +quarters, and reserved for the fighting men. + + 8. And these were the hard circumstances that the people of +Gamala were in. But now Vespasian went about other work + by the by, during this siege, and that was to subdue those that +had seized upon Mount Tabor, a place that lies in the middle +between the great plain and Scythopolis, whose top is + elevated as high as thirty furlongs (2) and is hardly to be +ascended on its north side; its top is a plain of twenty-six +furlongs, and all encompassed with a wall. Now Josephus + erected this so long a wall in forty days' time, and furnished +it with other materials, and with water from below, for the +inhabitants only made use of rain water. As therefore there was a +great multitude of people gotten together upon this mountain, +Vespasian sent Placidus with six hundred + horsemen thither. Now, as it was impossible for him to + ascend the mountain, he invited many of them to peace, by the +offer of his right hand for their security, and of his +intercession for them. Accordingly they came down, but with a +treacherous design, as well as he had the like treacherous design +upon them on the other side; for Placidus spoke + mildly to them, as aiming to take them, when he got them into +the plain; they also came down, as complying with his proposals, +but it was in order to fall upon him when he was not aware of it: +however, Placidus's stratagem was too hard for theirs; for when +the Jews began to fight, he pretended to run away, and when they +were in pursuit of the Romans, he enticed them a great way along +the plain, and then made his horsemen turn back; whereupon he +beat them, and slew a + great number of them, and cut off the retreat of the rest of +the multitude, and hindered their return. So they left Tabor, and +fled to Jerusalem, while the people of the country came to terms +with him, for their water failed them, and so they delivered up +the mountain and themselves to Placidus. + + 9. But of the people of Gamala, those that were of the bolder +sort fled away and hid themselves, while the more infirm perished +by famine; but the men of war sustained the siege till the two +and twentieth day of the month Hyperberetmus, [Tisri,] when three +soldiers of the fifteenth legion, about the morning watch, got +under a high tower that was near them, and undermined it, without +making any noise; nor when they either came to it, which was in +the night time, nor when they were under it, did those that +guarded it perceive them. These soldiers then upon their coming +avoided making a noise, and when they had rolled away five of its +strongest stones, they went away hastily; whereupon the tower +fell down on a + sudden, with a very great noise, and its guard fell headlong +with it; so that those that kept guard at other places were under +such disturbance, that they ran away; the Romans also slew many +of those that ventured to oppose them, among + whom was Joseph, who was slain by a dart, as he was running +away over that part of the wall that was broken down: but as +those that were in the city were greatly aftrighted at the noise, +they ran hither and thither, and a great consternation fell upon +them, as though all the enemy had fallen in at once upon them. +Then it was that Chares, who was ill, and under the physician's +hands, gave up the ghost, the fear he was in greatly contributing +to make his distemper fatal to him. But the Romans so well +remembered their former ill success, that they did not enter the +city till the three and twentieth day of the forementioned month. + + 10. At which time Titus, who was now returned, out of the +indignation he had at the destruction the Romans had + undergone while he was absent, took two hundred chosen + horsemen and some footmen with him, and entered without + noise into the city. Now as the watch perceived that he was +coming, they made a noise, and betook themselves to their arms; +and as that his entrance was presently known to those that were +in the city, some of them caught hold of their children and their +wives, and drew them after them, and fled away to the citadel, +with lamentations and cries, while others of them went to meet +Titus, and were killed perpetually; but so many of them as were +hindered from running up to the + citadel, not knowing what in the world to do, fell among the +Roman guards, while the groans of those that were killed were +prodigiously great every where, and blood ran down + over all the lower parts of the city, from the upper. But then +Vespasian himself came to his assistance against those that had +fled to the citadel, and brought his whole army with him; now +this upper part of the city was every way rocky, and difficult of +ascent, and elevated to a vast altitude, and very full of people +on all sides, and encompassed with precipices, whereby the Jews +cut off those that came up to them, and did much mischief to +others by their darts, and the large stones which they rolled +down upon them, while they were + themselves so high that the enemy's darts could hardly reach +them. However, there arose such a Divine storm against them as +was instrumental to their destruction; this carried the Roman +darts upon them, and made those which they threw + return back, and drove them obliquely away from them; nor could +the Jews indeed stand upon their precipices, by reason of the +violence of the wind, having nothing that was stable to stand +upon, nor could they see those that were ascending up to them; so +the Romans got up and surrounded them, and + some they slew before they could defend themselves, and + others as they were delivering up themselves; and the + remembrance of those that were slain at their former + entrance into the city increased their rage against them now; a +great number also of those that were surrounded on every side, +and despaired of escaping, threw their children and their wives, +and themselves also, down the precipices, into the valley +beneath, which, near the citadel, had been dug hollow to a vast +depth; but so it happened, that the anger of the Romans appeared +not to be so extravagant as was the + madness of those that were now taken, while the Romans + slew but four thousand, whereas the number of those that had +thrown themselves down was found to be five thousand: nor did any +one escape except two women, who were the + daughters of Philip, and Philip himself was the son of a +certain eminent man called Jacimus, who had been general of king +Agrippa's army; and these did therefore escape, because they lay +concealed from the rage of the Romans when the + city was taken; for otherwise they spared not so much as the +infants, of which many were flung down by them from the + citadel. And thus was Gamala taken on the three and + twentieth day of the month Hyperberetens, [Tisri,] whereas the +city had first revolted on the four and twentieth day of the +month Gorpieus [Elul]. + CHAPTER 2. + + + + The Surrender Of Gischala; While John Flies Away From It To + Jerusalem. + + 1. Now no place of Galilee remained to be taken but the + small city of Gischala, whose multitude yet were desirous of +peace; for they were generally husbandmen, and always + applied themselves to cultivate the fruits of the earth. +However, there were a great number that belonged to a band of +robbers, that were already corrupted, and had crept in among +them, and some of the governing part of the citizens were sick of +the same distemper. It was John, the son of a certain man whose +name was Levi, that drew them into this rebellion, and encouraged +them in it. He was a cunning + knave, and of a temper that could put on various shapes; very +rash in expecting great things, and very sagacious in bringing +about what he hoped for. It was known to every body that he was +fond of war, in order to thrust himself into authority; and the +seditious part of the people of Gischala were under his +management, by whose means the populace, who seemed + ready to send ambassadors in order to a surrender, waited for +the coming of the Romans in battle-array. Vespasian sent against +them Titus, with a thousand horsemen, but withdrew the tenth +legion to Scythopolis, while he returned to Cesarea with the two +other legions, that he might allow them to + refresh themselves after their long and hard campaign, + thinking withal that the plenty which was in those cities would +improve their bodies and their spirits, against the difficulties +they were to go through afterwards; for he saw there would be +occasion for great pains about Jerusalem, which was not yet +taken, because it was the royal city, and the principal city of +the whole nation, and because those that had run away from the +war in other places got all together thither. It was also +naturally strong, and the walls that were built round it made him +not a little concerned about it. Moreover, he esteemed the men +that were in it to be so + courageous and bold, that even without the consideration of the +walls, it would be hard to subdue them; for which reason he took +care of and exercised his soldiers beforehand for the work, as +they do wrestlers before they begin their + undertaking. + + 2. Now Titus, as he rode ut to Gischala, found it would be easy +for him to take the city upon the first onset; but knew withal, +that if he took it by force, the multitude would be destroyed by +the soldiers without mercy. (Now he was already satiated with the +shedding of blood, and pitied the major part, who would then +perish, without distinction, together with the guilty.) So he was +rather desirous the city might be surrendered up to him on terms. +Accordingly, when he saw the wall full of those men that were of +the corrupted party, he said to them, That he could not but +wonder what it was they depended on, when they alone staid to +fight the + Romans, after every other city was taken by them, especially +when they have seen cities much better fortified than theirs is +overthrown by a single attack upon them; while as many as have +intrusted themselves to the security of the Romans' right hands, +which he now offers to them, without regarding their former +insolence, do enjoy their own possessions in safety; for that +while they had hopes of recovering their liberty, they might be +pardoned; but that their continuance still in their opposition, +when they saw that to be impossible, was inexcusable; for that if +they will not comply with such humane offers, and right hands for +security, they should have experience of such a war as would +spare nobody, and should soon be made sensible that their wall +would be but a trifle, when battered by the Roman machines; in +depending on + which they demonstrate themselves to be the only Galileans that +were no better than arrogant slaves and captives. + + 3. Now none of the populace durst not only make a reply, but +durst not so much as get upon the wall, for it was all taken up +by the robbers, who were also the guard at the gates, in order to +prevent any of the rest from going out, in order to propose terms +of submission, and from receiving any of the horsemen into the +city. But John returned Titus this answer: That for himself he +was content to hearken to his proposals, and that he would either +persuade or force those that refused them. Yet he said that Titus +ought to have such regard to the Jewish law, as to grant them +leave to celebrate that day, which was the seventh day of the +week, on which it was + unlawful not only to remove their arms, but even to treat of +peace also; and that even the Romans were not ignorant how the +period of the seventh day was among them a cessation from all +labors; and that he who should compel them to + transgress the law about that day would be equally guilty with +those that were compelled to transgress it: and that this delay +could be of no disadvantage to him; for why should any body think +of doing any thing in the night, unless it was to fly away? which +he might prevent by placing his camp round + about them; and that they should think it a great point + gained, if they might not be obliged to transgress the laws of +their country; and that it would be a right thing for him, who +designed to grant them peace, without their expectation of such a +favor, to preserve the laws of those they saved + inviolable. Thus did this man put a trick upon Titus, not so +much out of regard to the seventh day as to his own + preservation, for he was afraid lest he should be quite + deserted if the city should be taken, and had his hopes of life +in that night, and in his flight therein. Now this was the work +of God, who therefore preserved this John, that he might bring on +the destruction of Jerusalem; as also it was his work that Titus +was prevailed with by this pretense for a delay, and that he +pitched his camp further off the city at Cydessa. This Cydessa +was a strong Mediterranean village of the Tyrians, which always +hated and made war against the Jews; it had also a great number +of inhabitants, and was well fortified, which made it a proper +place for such as were enemies to the Jewish nation. + + 4. Now, in the night time, when John saw that there was no +Roman guard about the city, he seized the opportunity + directly, and, taking with him not only the armed men that +where about him, but a considerable number of those that had +little to do, together with their families, he fled to Jerusalem. +And indeed, though the man was making haste to get away, and was +tormented with fears of being a captive, or of losing his life, +yet did he prevail with himself to take out of the city along +with him a multitude of women and + children, as far as twenty furlongs; but there he left them as +he proceeded further on his journey, where those that were left +behind made sad lamentations; for the farther every one of them +was come from his own people, the nearer they + thought themselves to be to their enemies. They also + affrighted themselves with this thought, that those who would +carry them into captivity were just at hand, and still turned +themselves back at the mere noise they made themselves in this +their hasty flight, as if those from whom they fled were just +upon them. Many also of them missed their ways, and the +earnestness of such as aimed to outgo the rest threw down many of +them. And indeed there was a miserable + destruction made of the women and children; while some of them +took courage to call their husbands and kinsmen back, and to +beseech them, with the bitterest lamentations, to stay for them; +but John's exhortation, who cried out to them to save themselves, +and fly away, prevailed. He said also, that if the Romans should +seize upon those whom they left behind, they would be revenged on +them for it. So this multitude that run thus away was dispersed +abroad, according as each of them was able to run, one faster or +slower than another. + 5. Now on the next day Titus came to the wall, to make the +agreement; whereupon the people opened their gates to him, and +came out to him, with their children and wives, and + made acclamations of joy to him, as to one that had been their +benefactor, and had delivered the city out of custody; they also +informed him of John's flight, and besought him to spare them, +and to come in, and bring the rest of those that were for +innovations to punishment. But Titus, not so much regarding the +supplications of the people, sent part of his horsemen to pursue +after John, but they could not overtake him, for he was gotten to +Jerusalem before; they also slew six thousand of the women and +children who went out with him, but returned back, and brought +with them almost three + thousand. However, Titus was greatly displeased that he had not +been able to bring this John, who had deluded him, to punishment; +yet he had captives enough, as well as the + corrupted part of the city, to satisfy his anger, when it +missed of John. So he entered the city in the midst of +acclamations of joy; and when he had given orders to the soldiers +to pull down a small part of the wall, as of a city taken in war, +he repressed those that had disturbed the city rather by + threatenings than by executions; for he thought that many would +accuse innocent persons, out of their own private + animosities and quarrels, if he should attempt to distinguish +those that were worthy of punishment from the rest; and that it +was better to let a guilty person alone in his fears, that to +destroy with him any one that did not deserve it; for that +probably such a one might be taught prudence, by the fear of the +punishment he had deserved, and have a shame upon him for his +former offenses, when he had been forgiven; but that the +punishment of such as have been once put to death could never be +retrieved. However, he placed a garrison in the city for its +security, by which means he should restrain those that were for +innovations, and should leave those that were + peaceably disposed in greater security. And thus was all +Galilee taken, but this not till after it had cost the Romans +much pains before it could be taken by them. + + CHAPTER 3. + + + + Concerning John Of Gischala. Concerning The Zealots And The +High Priest Ananus; As Also How The Jews Raise Seditions One +Against Another [In Jerusalem]. + + 1. Now upon John's entry into Jerusalem, the whole body of the +people were in an uproar, and ten thousand of them + crowded about every one of the fugitives that were come to +them, and inquired of them what miseries had happened + abroad, when their breath was so short, and hot, and quick, +that of itself it declared the great distress they were in; yet +did they talk big under their misfortunes, and pretended to say +that they had not fled away from the Romans, but came thither in +order to fight them with less hazard; for that it would be an +unreasonable and a fruitless thing for them to expose themselves +to desperate hazards about Gischala, and such weak cities, +whereas they ought to lay up their weapons and their zeal, and +reserve it for their metropolis. But when they related to them +the taking of Gischala, and their decent departure, as they +pretended, from that place, many of the people understood it to +be no better than a flight; and + especially when the people were told of those that were made +captives, they were in great confusion, and guessed those things +to be plain indications that they should be taken also. But for +John, he was very little concerned for those whom he had left +behind him, but went about among all the people, and persuaded +them to go to war, by the hopes he gave + them. He affirmed that the affairs of the Romans were in a weak +condition, and extolled his own power. He also jested upon the +ignorance of the unskillful, as if those Romans, although they +should take to themselves wings, could never fly over the wall of +Jerusalem, who found such great + difficulties in taking the villages of Galilee, and had broken +their engines of war against their walls. + + 2. These harangues of John's corrupted a great part of the +young men, and puffed them up for the war; but as to the more +prudent part, and those in years, there was not a man of them but +foresaw what was coming, and made lamentation on that account, as +if the city was already undone; and in this confusion were the +people. But then it must be observed, that the multitude that +came out of the country were at discord before the Jerusalem +sedition began; for Titus went from Gischala to Cesates, and +Vespasian from Cesarea to Jamnia and Azotus, and took them both; +and when he had put + garrisons into them, he came back with a great number of the +people, who were come over to him, upon his giving them his right +hand for their preservation. There were besides + disorders and civil wars in every city; and all those that were +at quiet from the Romans turned their hands one against + another. There was also a bitter contest between those that +were fond of war, and those that were desirous for peace. At the +first this quarrelsome temper caught hold of private families, +who could not agree among themselves; after which those people +that were the dearest to one another brake + through all restraints with regard to each other, and every one +associated with those of his own opinion, and began + already to stand in opposition one to another; so that + seditions arose every where, while those that were for + innovations, and were desirous of war, by their youth and +boldness, were too hard for the aged and prudent men. And, in the +first place, all the people of every place betook themselves to +rapine; after which they got together in bodies, in order to rob +the people of the country, insomuch that for barbarity and +iniquity those of the same nation did no way differ from the +Romans; nay, it seemed to be a much lighter thing to be ruined by +the Romans than by themselves. + + 3. Now the Roman garrisons, which guarded the cities, partly +out of their uneasiness to take such trouble upon them, and +partly out of the hatred they bare to the Jewish nation, did +little or nothing towards relieving the miserable, till the +captains of these troops of robbers, being satiated with rapines +in the country, got all together from all parts, and became a +band of wickedness, and all together crept into Jerusalem, which +was now become a city without a governor, and, as the ancient +custom was, received without distinction all that belonged to +their nation; and these they then + received, because all men supposed that those who came so fast +into the city came out of kindness, and for their + assistance, although these very men, besides the seditions they +raised, were otherwise the direct cause of the city's destruction +also; for as they were an unprofitable and a useless multitude, +they spent those provisions beforehand which might otherwise have +been sufficient for the fighting men. Moreover, besides the +bringing on of the war, they were the occasions of sedition and +famine therein. + + 4. There were besides these other robbers that came out of the +country, and came into the city, and joining to them those that +were worse than themselves, omitted no kind of + barbarity; for they did not measure their courage by their +rapines and plunderings only, but preceded as far as + murdering men; and this not in the night time or privately, or +with regard to ordinary men, but did it openly in the day time, +and began with the most eminent persons in the city; for the +first man they meddled with was Antipas, one of the royal +lineage, and the most potent man in the whole city, insomuch that +the public treasures were committed to his care; him they took +and confined; as they did in the next place to Levias, a person +of great note, with Sophas, the son of Raguel, both which were of +royal lineage also. And besides these, they did the same to the +principal men of the country. This caused a terrible +consternation among the people, and everyone contented himself +with taking care of his own + safety, as they would do if the city had been taken in war. + 5. But these were not satisfied with the bonds into which they +had put the men forementioned; nor did they think it safe for +them to keep them thus in custody long, since they were men very +powerful, and had numerous families of their own that were able +to avenge them. Nay, they thought the very people would perhaps +be so moved at these unjust proceedings, as to rise in a body +against them; it was therefore resolved to have them slain +accordingly, they sent one John, who was the most bloody-minded +of them all, to do that execution: this man was also called "the +son of Dorcas," (3) in the language of our country. Ten more men +went along with him into the + prison, with their swords drawn, and so they cut the throats of +those that were in custody there. The grand lying pretence these +men made for so flagrant an enormity was this, that these men had +had conferences with the Romans for a + surrender of Jerusalem to them; and so they said they had slain +only such as were traitors to their common liberty. Upon the +whole, they grew the more insolent upon this bold prank of +theirs, as though they had been the benefactors and saviors of +the city. + + 6. Now the people were come to that degree of meanness + and fear, and these robbers to that degree of madness, that +these last took upon them to appoint high priests. (4) So when +they had disannulled the succession, according to those families +out of which the high priests used to be made, they ordained +certain unknown and ignoble persons for that office, that they +might have their assistance in their wicked + undertakings; for such as obtained this highest of all honors, +without any desert, were forced to comply with those that +bestowed it on them. They also set the principal men at + variance one with another, by several sorts of contrivances and +tricks, and gained the opportunity of doing what they pleased, by +the mutual quarrels of those who might have + obstructed their measures; till at length, when they were +satiated with the unjust actions they had done towards men, they +transferred their contumelious behavior to God himself, and came +into the sanctuary with polluted feet. + + 7. And now the multitude were going to rise against them +already; for Ananus, the ancientest of the high priests, +persuaded them to it. He was a very prudent man, and had perhaps +saved the city if he could but have escaped the hands of those +that plotted against him. These men made the + temple of God a strong hold for them, and a place whither they +might resort, in order to avoid the troubles they feared from the +people; the sanctuary was now become a refuge, + and a shop of tyranny. They also mixed jesting among the +miseries they introduced, which was more intolerable than what +they did; for in order to try what surprise the people would be +under, and how far their own power extended, they undertook to +dispose of the high priesthood by casting lots for it, whereas, +as we have said already, it was to descend by succession in a +family. The pretense they made for this + strange attempt was an ancient practice, while they said that +of old it was determined by lot; but in truth, it was no better +than a dissolution of an undeniable law, and a cunning + contrivance to seize upon the government, derived from those +that presumed to appoint governors as they themselves + pleased. + + 8. Hereupon they sent for one of the pontifical tribes, which +is called Eniachim, (5) and cast lots which of it should be the +high priest. By fortune the lot so fell as to demonstrate their +iniquity after the plainest manner, for it fell upon one whose +name was Phannias, the son of Samuel, of the village Aphtha. He +was a man not only unworthy of the high priesthood, but that did +not well know what the high priesthood was, such a mere rustic +was he ! yet did they hail this man, without his own consent, out +of the country, as if they were acting a play upon the stage, and +adorned him with a counterfeit thee; they also put upon him the +sacred garments, and upon every occasion instructed him what he +was to do. This horrid piece of wickedness was sport and pastime +with them, but + occasioned the other priests, who at a distance saw their law +made a jest of, to shed tears, and sorely lament the + dissolution of such a sacred dignity. + + 9. And now the people could no longer bear the insolence of +this procedure, but did all together run zealously, in order to +overthrow that tyranny; and indeed they were Gorion the son of +Josephus, and Symeon the son of Gamaliel, (6) who + encouraged them, by going up and down when they were + assembled together in crowds, and as they saw them alone, to +bear no longer, but to inflict punishment upon these pests and +plagues of their freedom, and to purge the temple of these bloody +polluters of it. The best esteemed also of the high priests, +Jesus the son of Gamalas, and Ananus the son of Ananus when they +were at their assemblies, bitterly + reproached the people for their sloth, and excited them + against the zealots; for that was the name they went by, as if +they were zealous in good undertakings, and were not rather +zealous in the worst actions, and extravagant in them beyond the +example of others. + + 10. And now, when the multitude were gotten together to an +assembly, and every one was in indignation at these men's seizing +upon the sanctuary, at their rapine and murders, but had not yet +begun their attacks upon them, (the reason of which was this, +that they imagined it to be a difficult thing to suppress these +zealots, as indeed the case was,) Ananus stood in the midst of +them, and casting his eyes frequently at the temple, and having a +flood of tears in his eyes, he said, "Certainly it had been good +for me to die before I had seen the house of God full of so many +abominations, or these + sacred places, that ought not to be trodden upon at random, +filled with the feet of these blood-shedding villains; yet do I, +who am clothed with the vestments of the high priesthood, and am +called by that most venerable name [of high priest], still live, +and am but too fond of living, and cannot endure to undergo a +death which would be the glory of my old age; and if I were the +only person concerned, and as it were in a desert, I would give +up my life, and that alone for God's sake; for to what purpose is +it to live among a people + insensible of their calamities, and where there is no notion +remaining of any remedy for the miseries that are upon + them? for when you are seized upon, you bear it! and when you +are beaten, you are silent! and when the people are + murdered, nobody dare so much as send out a groan openly! O +bitter tyranny that we are under! But why do I complain of the +tyrants? Was it not you, and your sufferance of them, that have +nourished them? Was it not you that overlooked those that first +of all got together, for they were then but a few, and by your +silence made them grow to be many; and by + conniving at them when they took arms, in effect armed them +against yourselves? You ought to have then prevented their first +attempts, when they fell a reproaching your relations; but by +neglecting that care in time, you have encouraged these wretches +to plunder men. When houses were pillaged, nobody said a word, +which was the occasion why they carried off the owners of those +houses; and when they were drawn through the midst of the city, +nobody came to their assistance. They then proceeded to put those +whom you have betrayed into + their hands into bonds. I do not say how many and of what +characters those men were whom they thus served; but + certainly they were such as were accused by none, and + condemned by none; and since nobody succored them when + they were put into bonds, the consequence was, that you saw the +same persons slain. We have seen this also; so that still the +best of the herd of brute animals, as it were, have been still +led to be sacrificed, when yet nobody said one word, or moved his +right hand for their preservation. Will you bear, therefore, will +you bear to see your sanctuary trampled on? and will you lay +steps for these profane wretches, upon which they may mount to +higher degrees of insolence? Will not you pluck them down from +their exaltation? for even by this time they had proceeded to +higher enormities, if they had been able to overthrow any thing +greater than the sanctuary. They have seized upon the strongest +place of the whole city; you may call it the temple, if you +please, though it be like a citadel or fortress. Now, while you +have tyranny in so great a degree walled in, and see your enemies +over your heads, to what purpose is it to take counsel? and what +have you to support your minds withal? Perhaps you wait for the +Romans, that they may protect our holy places: are our matters +then brought to that pass? and are we come to that degree of + misery, that our enemies themselves are expected to pity us? O +wretched creatures! will not you rise up and turn upon those that +strike you? which you may observe in wild beasts themselves, that +they will avenge themselves on those that strike them. Will you +not call to mind, every one of you, the calamities you yourselves +have suffered? nor lay before your eyes what afflictions you +yourselves have undergone? and will not such things sharpen your +souls to revenge? Is therefore that most honorable and most +natural of our passions utterly lost, I mean the desire of +liberty? Truly we are in love with slavery, and in love with +those that lord it over us, as if we had received that principle +of subjection from our ancestors; yet did they undergo many and +great wars for the sake of liberty, nor were they so far overcome +by the power of the Egyptians, or the Medes, but that still they +did what they thought fit, notwithstanding their commands to the +contrary. And what occasion is there now for a war with the +Romans? (I meddle not with determining whether it be an + advantageous and profitable war or not.) What pretense is there +for it? Is it not that we may enjoy our liberty? Besides, shall +we not bear the lords of the habitable earth to be lords over us, +and yet bear tyrants of our own country? Although I must say that +submission to foreigners may be borne, because fortune hath +already doomed us to it, while submission to wicked people of our +own nation is too unmanly, and brought upon us by our own +consent. However, since I have had + occasion to mention the Romans, I will not conceal a thing +that, as I am speaking, comes into my mind, and affects me +considerably; it is this, that though we should be taken by them, +(God forbid the event should be so!) yet can we + undergo nothing that will be harder to be borne than what these +men have already brought upon us. How then can we + avoid shedding of tears, when we see the Roman donations in our +temple, while we withal see those of our own nation taking our +spoils, and plundering our glorious metropolis, and slaughtering +our men, from which enormities those Romans themselves would have +abstained? to see those Romans never going beyond the bounds +allotted to profane persons, nor venturing to break in upon any +of our sacred customs; nay, having a horror on their minds when +they view at a distance those sacred walls; while some that have +been born in this very country, and brought up in our customs, +and called Jews, do walk about in the midst of the holy places, +at the very time when their hands are still warm with the +slaughter of their own countrymen. Besides, can any one be afraid +of a war abroad, and that with such as will have comparatively +much greater moderation than our own people have? For + truly, if we may suit our words to the things they represent, +it is probable one may hereafter find the Romans to be the + supporters of our laws, and those within ourselves the + subverters of them. And now I am persuaded that every one of +you here comes satisfied before I speak that these + overthrowers of our liberties deserve to be destroyed, and that +nobody can so much as devise a punishment that they have not +deserved by what they have done, and that you are all provoked +against them by those their wicked actions, whence you have +suffered so greatly. But perhaps many of you are aftrighted at +the multitude of those zealots, and at their audaciousness, as +well as at the advantage they have over us in their being higher +in place than we are; for these circumstances, as they have been +occasioned by your + negligence, so will they become still greater by being still +longer neglected; for their multitude is every day augmented, by +every ill man's running away to those that are like to +themselves, and their audaciousness is therefore inflamed, +because they meet with no obstruction to their designs. And for +their higher place, they will make use of it for engines also, if +we give them time to do so; but be assured of this, that if we go +up to fight them, they will be made tamer by their own +consciences, and what advantages they have in the height of their +situation they will lose by the opposition of their reason; +perhaps also God himself, who hath been + affronted by them, will make what they throw at us return +against themselves, and these impious wretches will be killed by +their own darts: let us but make our appearance before them, and +they will come to nothing. However, it is a right thing, if there +should be any danger in the attempt, to die before these holy +gates, and to spend our very lives, if not for the sake of our +children and wives, yet for God's sake, and for the sake of his +sanctuary. I will assist you both with my counsel and with my +hand; nor shall any sagacity of ours be wanting for your support; +nor shall you see that I will be sparing of my body neither." + + 11. By these motives Ananus encouraged the multitude to go +against the zealots, although he knew how difficult it would be +to disperse them, because of their multitude, and their youth, +and the courage of their souls; but chiefly because of their +consciousness of what they had done, since they would not yield, +as not so much as hoping for pardon at the last for those their +enormities. However, Ananus resolved to undergo whatever +sufferings might come upon him, rather than + overlook things, now they were in such great confusion. So the +multitude cried out to him, to lead them on against those whom he +had described in his exhortation to them, and every one of them +was most readily disposed to run any hazard + whatsoever on that account. + + 12. Now while Ananus was choosing out his men, and putting +those that were proper for his purpose in array for fighting, the +zealots got information of his undertaking, (for there were some +who went to them, and told them all that the + people were doing,) and were irritated at it, and leaping out +of the temple in crowds, and by parties, spared none whom they +met with. Upon this Ananus got the populace together on the +sudden, who were more numerous indeed than the + zealots, but inferior to them in arms, because they had not +been regularly put into array for fighting; but the alacrity that +every body showed supplied all their defects on both sides, the +citizens taking up so great a passion as was stronger than arms, +and deriving a degree of courage from the temple more forcible +than any multitude whatsoever; and indeed these citizens thought +it was not possible for them to dwell in the city, unless they +could cut off the robbers that were in it. The zealots also +thought that unless they prevailed, there would be no punishment +so bad but it would be inflicted on them. So their conflicts were +conducted by their passions; and at the first they only cast +stones at each other in the city, and before the temple, and +threw their javelins at a distance; but when either of them were +too hard for the other, they made use of their swords; and great +slaughter was made on both sides, and a great number were +wounded. As for the dead + bodies of the people, their relations carried them out to their +own houses; but when any of the zealots were wounded, he went up +into the temple, and defiled that sacred floor with his blood, +insomuch that one may say it was their blood alone that polluted +our sanctuary. Now in these conflicts the + robbers always sallied out of the temple, and were too hard for +their enemies; but the populace grew very angry, and became more +and more numerous, and reproached those that gave back, and those +behind would not afford room to those that were going off, but +forced them on again, till at length they made their whole body +to turn against their adversaries, and the robbers could no +longer oppose them, but were + forced gradually to retire into the temple; when Ananus and his +party fell into it at the same time together with them. (7) This +horribly affrighted the robbers, because it deprived them of the +first court; so they fled into the inner court + immediately, and shut the gates. Now Ananus did not think fit +to make any attack against the holy gates, although the other +threw their stones and darts at them from above. He also deemed +it unlawful to introduce the multitude into that court before +they were purified; he therefore chose out of them all by lot six +thousand armed men, and placed them as guards in the cloisters; +so there was a succession of such guards one after another, and +every one was forced to attend in his course; although many of +the chief of the city were dismissed by those that then took on +them the government, upon their hiring some of the poorer sort, +and sending them to keep the guard in their stead. + + 13. Now it was John who, as we told you, ran away from + Gischala, and was the occasion of all these being destroyed. He +was a man of great craft, and bore about him in his soul a strong +passion after tyranny, and at a distance was the adviser in these +actions; and indeed at this time he pretended to be of the +people's opinion, and went all about with Ananus + when he consulted the great men every day, and in the night +time also when he went round the watch; but he divulged + their secrets to the zealots, and every thing that the people +deliberated about was by his means known to their enemies, even +before it had been well agreed upon by themselves. And by way of +contrivance how he might not be brought into + suspicion, he cultivated the greatest friendship possible with +Ananus, and with the chief of the people; yet did this + overdoing of his turn against him, for he flattered them so +extravagantly, that he was but the more suspected; and his +constant attendance every where, even when he was not + invited to be present, made him strongly suspected of + betraying their secrets to the enemy; for they plainly + perceived that they understood all the resolutions taken +against them at their consultations. Nor was there any one whom +they had so much reason to suspect of that discovery as this +John; yet was it not easy to get quit of him, so potent was he +grown by his wicked practices. He was also supported by many of +those eminent men, who were to be consulted + upon all considerable affairs; it was therefore thought + reasonable to oblige him to give them assurance of his +good-will upon oath; accordingly John took such an oath readily, +that he would be on the people's side, and would not betray any +of their counsels or practices to their enemies, and would assist +them in overthrowing those that attacked them, and that both by +his hand and his advice. So Ananus and his party believed his +oath, and did now receive him to their + consultations without further suspicion; nay, so far did they +believe him, that they sent him as their ambassador into the +temple to the zealots, with proposals of accommodation; for they +were very desirous to avoid the pollution of the temple as much +as they possibly could, and that no one of their nation should be +slain therein. + + 14. But now this John, as if his oath had been made to the +zealots, and for confirmation of his good-will to them, and not +against them, went into the temple, and stood in the midst of +them, and spake as follows: That he had run many hazards o, their +accounts, and in order to let them know of every thing that was +secretly contrived against them by + Ananus and his party; but that both he and they should be cast +into the most imminent danger, unless some providential +assistance were afforded them; for that Ananus made no + longer delay, but had prevailed with the people to send + ambassadors to Vespasian, to invite him to come presently and +take the city; and that he had appointed a fast for the next day +against them, that they might obtain admission into the temple on +a religious account, or gain it by force, and fight with them +there; that he did not see how long they could either endure a +siege, or how they could fight against so many enemies. He added +further, that it was by the + providence of God he was himself sent as an ambassador to them +for an accommodation; for that Artanus did therefore offer them +such proposals, that he might come upon them + when they were unarmed; that they ought to choose one of these +two methods, either to intercede with those that + guarded them, to save their lives, or to provide some foreign +assistance for themselves; that if they fostered themselves with +the hopes of pardon, in case they were subdued, they had +forgotten what desperate things they had done, or could suppose, +that as soon as the actors repented, those that had suffered by +them must be presently reconciled to them; while those that have +done injuries, though they pretend to repent of them, are +frequently hated by the others for that sort of repentance; and +that the sufferers, when they get the power into their hands, are +usually still more severe upon the actors; that the friends and +kindred of those that had been destroyed would always be laying +plots against them; and that a large body of people were very +angry on account of their gross breaches of their laws, and +[illegal] judicatures, insomuch that although some part might +commiserate them, those would be quite overborne by the majority. + + CHAPTER 4. + + + + The Idumeans Being Sent For By The Zealots, Came Immediately To +Jerusalem; And When They Were Excluded Out Of The City, They Lay +All Night There. Jesus One Of The High Priests Makes A Speech To +Them; And Simon The Idumean Makes A Reply To It. + + 1. Now, by this crafty speech, John made the zealots afraid; +yet durst he not directly name what foreign assistance he meant, +but in a covert way only intimated at the Idumeans. But now, that +he might particularly irritate the leaders of the zealots, he +calumniated Ananus, that he was about a piece of barbarity, and +did in a special manner threaten them. These leaders were +Eleazar, the son of Simon, who seemed the + most plausible man of them all, both in considering what was +fit to be done, and in the execution of what he had + determined upon, and Zacharias, the son of Phalek; both of whom +derived their families from the priests. Now when + these two men had heard, not only the common threatenings which +belonged to them all, but those peculiarly leveled against +themselves; and besides, how Artanus and his party, in order to +secure their own dominion, had invited the + Romans to come to them, for that also was part of John's lie; +they hesitated a great while what they should do, considering the +shortness of the time by which they were straitened; because the +people were prepared to attack them very soon, and because the +suddenness of the plot laid against them had almost cut off all +their hopes of getting any foreign + assistance; for they might be under the height of their + afflictions before any of their confederates could be informed +of it. However, it was resolved to call in the Idumeans; so they +wrote a short letter to this effect: That Ananus had imposed on +the people, and was betraying their metropolis to the Romans; +that they themselves had revolted from the rest, and were in +custody in the temple, on account of the + preservation of their liberty; that there was but a small time +left wherein they might hope for their deliverance; and that +unless they would come immediately to their assistance, they +should themselves be soon in the power of Artanus, and the city +would be in the power of the Romans. They also charged the +messengers to tell many more circumstances to the rulers of the +Idumeans. Now there were two active men proposed + for the carrying this message, and such as were able to speak, +and to persuade them that things were in this posture, and, what +was a qualification still more necessary than the former, they +were very swift of foot; for they knew well enough that these +would immediately comply with their desires, as being ever a +tumultuous and disorderly nation, always on the watch upon every +motion, delighting in mutations; and upon your flattering them +ever so little, and petitioning them, they soon take their arms, +and put themselves into motion, and make haste to a battle, as if +it were to a feast. There was indeed occasion for quick despatch +in the carrying of this message, in which point the messengers +were no way defective. Both their names were Ananias; and they +soon came to the rulers of the Idumeans. + + 2. Now these rulers were greatly surprised at the contents of +the letter, and at what those that came with it further told +them; whereupon they ran about the nation like madmen, + and made proclamation that the people should come to war; so a +multitude was suddenly got together, sooner indeed than the time +appointed in the proclamation, and every body + caught up their arms, in order to maintain the liberty of their +metropolis; and twenty thousand of them were put into + battle-array, and came to Jerusalem, under four commanders, +John, and Jacob the son of Sosas; and besides these were Simon, +the son of Cathlas, and Phineas, the son of Clusothus. + 3. Now this exit of the messengers was not known either to +Ananus or to the guards, but the approach of the Idumeans was +known to him; for as he knew of it before they came, he ordered +the gates to be shut against them, and that the walls should be +guarded. Yet did not he by any means think of + fighting against them, but, before they came to blows, to try +what persuasions would do. Accordingly, Jesus, the eldest of the +high priests next to Artanus, stood upon the tower that was over +against them, and said thus: "Many troubles indeed, and those of +various kinds, have fallen upon this city, yet in none of them +have I so much wondered at her fortune as + now, when you are come to assist wicked men, and this after a +manner very extraordinary; for I see that you are come to support +the vilest of men against us, and this with so great alacrity, as +you could hardly put on the like, in case our metropolis had +called you to her assistance against + barbarians. And if I had perceived that your army was + composed of men like unto those who invited them, I had + not deemed your attempt so absurd; for nothing does so + much cement the minds of men together as the alliance there is +between their manners. But now for these men who have invited +you, if you were to examine them one by one, every one of them +would be found to have deserved ten thousand deaths; for the very +rascality and offscouring of the whole country, who have spent in +debauchery their own substance, and, by way of trial beforehand, +have madly plundered the neighboring villages and cities, in the +upshot of all, have privately run together into this holy city. +They are robbers, who by their prodigious wickedness have +profaned this most sacred floor, and who are to be now seen +drinking themselves drunk in the sanctuary, and expending the +spoils of those whom they have slaughtered upon their unsatiable +bellies. As for the multitude that is with you, one may see them +so + decently adorned in their armor, as it would become them to be +had their metropolis called them to her assistance against +foreigners. What can a man call this procedure of yours but the +sport of fortune, when he sees a whole nation coming to protect a +sink of wicked wretches? I have for a good while been in doubt +what it could possibly be that should move you to do this so +suddenly; because certainly you would not take on your armor on +the behalf of robbers, and against a people of kin to you, +without some very great cause for your so doing. But we have an +item that the Romans are pretended, and that we are supposed to +be going to betray this city to them; for some of your men have +lately made a clamor about those matters, and have said they are +come to set their + metropolis free. Now we cannot but admire at these wretches in +their devising such a lie as this against us; for they knew there +was no other way to irritate against us men that were naturally +desirous of liberty, and on that account the best disposed to +fight against foreign enemies, but by framing a tale as if we +were going to betray that most desirable thing, liberty. But you +ought to consider what sort of people they are that raise this +calumny, and against what sort of people that calumny is raised, +and to gather the truth of things, not by fictitious speeches, +but out of the actions of both parties; for what occasion is +there for us to sell ourselves to the Romans, while it was in our +power not to have revolted from them at the first, or when we had +once revolted, to have returned under their dominion again, and +this while the + neighboring countries were not yet laid waste? whereas it is +not an easy thing to be reconciled to the Romans, if we were +desirous of it, now they have subdued Galilee, and are + thereby become proud and insolent; and to endeavor to + please them at the time when they are so near us, would + bring such a reproach upon us as were worse than death. As for +myself, indeed, I should have preferred peace with them before +death; but now we have once made war upon them, + and fought with them, I prefer death, with reputation, before +living in captivity under them. But further, whether do they +pretend that we, who are the rulers of the people, have sent thus +privately to the Romans, or hath it been done by the common +suffrages of the people? If it be ourselves only that have done +it, let them name those friends of ours that have been sent, as +our servants, to manage this treachery. Hath any one been caught +as he went out on this errand, or seized upon as he came back? +Are they in possession of our letters? How could we be concealed +from such a vast number of our fellow citizens, among whom we are +conversant every hour, while what is done privately in the +country is, it seems, known by the zealots, who are but few in +number, and under + confinement also, and are not able to come out of the temple +into the city. Is this the first time that they are become +sensible how they ought to be punished for their insolent +actions? For while these men were free from the fear they are now +under, there was no suspicion raised that any of us were +traitors. But if they lay this charge against the people, this +must have been done at a public consultation, and not one of the +people must have dissented from the rest of the assembly; in +which case the public fame of this matter would have come to you +sooner than any particular indication. But how could that be? +Must there not then have been + ambassadors sent to confirm the agreements? And let them tell +us who this ambassador was that was ordained for that purpose. +But this is no other than a pretense of such men as are loath to +die, and are laboring to escape those + punishments that hang over them; for if fate had determined +that this city was to be betrayed into its enemies' hands, no +other than these men that accuse us falsely could have the +impudence to do it, there being no wickedness wanting to complete +their impudent practices but this only, that they become +traitors. And now you Idumeans are come hither + already with your arms, it is your duty, in the first place, to +be assisting to your metropolis, and to join with us in cutting +off those tyrants that have infringed the rules of our regular +tribunals, that have trampled upon our laws, and made their +swords the arbitrators of right and wrong; for they have seized +upon men of great eminence, and under no accusation, as they +stood in the midst of the market-place, and tortured them with +putting them into bonds, and, without bearing to hear what they +had to say, or what supplications they made, they destroyed them. +You may, if you please, come into the city, though not in the way +of war, and take a view of the marks still remaining of what I +now say, and may see the houses that have been depopulated by +their rapacious hands, with those wives and families that are in +black, mourning for their slaughtered relations; as also you may +hear their groans and lamentations all the city over; for there +is nobody but hath tasted of the incursions of these profane +wretches, who have proceeded to that degree of madness, as not +only to have transferred their impudent robberies out of the +country, and the remote cities, into this city, the very face and +head of the whole nation, but out of the city into the temple +also; for that is now made their receptacle and refuge, and the + fountain-head whence their preparations are made against us. +And this place, which is adored by the habitable world, and +honored by such as only know it by report, as far as the ends of +the earth, is trampled upon by these wild beasts born among +ourselves. They now triumph in the desperate + condition they are already in, when they hear that one people +is going to fight against another people, and one city against +another city, and that your nation hath gotten an army + together against its own bowels. Instead of which procedure, it +were highly fit and reasonable, as I said before, for you to join +with us in cutting off these wretches, and in particular to be +revenged on them for putting this very cheat upon you; I mean, +for having the impudence to invite you to assist them, of whom +they ought to have stood in fear, as ready to punish them. But if +you have some regard to these men's invitation of you, yet may +you lay aside your arms, and come into the city under the notion +of our kindred, and take upon you a middle name between that of +auxiliaries and of enemies, and so become judges in this case. +However, consider what these men will gain by being called into +judgment before you, for such undeniable and such flagrant +crimes, who would not + vouchsafe to hear such as had no accusations laid against them +to speak a word for themselves. However, let them gain this +advantage by your coming. But still, if you will neither take our +part in that indignation we have at these men, nor judge between +us, the third thing I have to propose is this, that you let us +both alone, and neither insult upon our + calamities, nor abide with these plotters against their + metropolis; for though you should have ever so great a + suspicion that some of us have discoursed with the Romans, it +is in your power to watch the passages into the city; and in case +any thing that we have been accused of is brought to light, then +to come and defend your metropolis, and to inflict punishment on +those that are found guilty; for the enemy cannot prevent you who +are so near to the city. But if, after all, none of these +proposals seem acceptable and moderate, do not you wonder that +the gates are shut against you, while you bear your arms about +you." + + 4. Thus spake Jesus; yet did not the multitude of the + Idumeans give any attention to what he said, but were in a +rage, because they did not meet with a ready entrance into the +city. The generals also had indignation at the offer of laying +down their arms, and looked upon it as equal to a captivity, to +throw them away at any man's injunction + whomsoever. But Simon, the son of Cathlas, one of their + commanders, with much ado quieted the tumult of his own + men, and stood so that the high priests might hear him, and +said as follows: "I can no longer wonder that the patrons of +liberty are under custody in the temple, since there are those +that shut the gates of our common city (8) to their own + nation, and at the same time are prepared to admit the + Romans into it; nay, perhaps are disposed to crown the gates +with garlands at their coming, while they speak to the + Idumeans from their own towers, and enjoin them to throw down +their arms which they have taken up for the + preservation of its liberty. And while they will not intrust +the guard of our metropolis to their kindred, profess to make +them judges of the differences that are among them; nay, while +they accuse some men of having slain others without a legal +trial, they do themselves condemn a whole nation after an +ignominious manner, and have now walled up that city + from their own nation, which used to be open to even all +foreigners that came to worship there. We have indeed come in +great haste to you, and to a war against our own + countrymen; and the reason why we have made such haste is this, +that we may preserve that freedom which you are so unhappy as to +betray. You have probably been guilty of the like crimes against +those whom you keep in custody, and + have, I suppose, collected together the like plausible + pretenses against them also that you make use of against us; +after which you have gotten the mastery of those within the +temple, and keep them in custody, while they are only taking care +of the public affairs. You have also shut the gates of the city +in general against nations that are the most nearly related to +you; and while you give such injurious commands to others, you +complain that you have been tyrannized over by them, and fix the +name of unjust governors upon such as are tyrannized over by +yourselves. Who can bear this your abuse of words, while they +have a regard to the contrariety of your actions, unless you mean +this, that those Idumeans do now exclude you out of your +metropolis, whom you exclude from the sacred offices of your own +country? One may + indeed justly complain of those that are besieged in the +temple, that when they had courage enough to punish those tyrants +whom you call eminent men, and free from any + accusations, because of their being your companions in + wickedness, they did not begin with you, and thereby cut off +beforehand the most dangerous parts of this treason. But if these +men have been more merciful than the public necessity required, +we that are Idumeans will preserve this house of God, and will +fight for our common country, and will oppose by war as well +those that attack them from abroad, as those that betray them +from within. Here will we abide before the walls in our armor, +until either the Romans grow weary in waiting for you, or you +become friends to liberty, and repent of what you have done +against it." + + 5. And now did the Idumeans make an acclamation to what + Simon had said; but Jesus went away sorrowful, as seeing that +the Idumeans were against all moderate counsels, and that the +city was besieged on both sides. Nor indeed were the minds of the +Idumeans at rest; for they were in a rage at the injury that had +been offered them by their exclusion out of the city; and when +they thought the zealots had been strong, but saw nothing of +theirs to support them, they were in doubt about the matter, and +many of them repented that they had come thither. But the shame +that would attend them in case they returned without doing any +thing at all, so far overcame that their repentance, that they +lay all night before the wall, though in a very bad encampment; +for there broke out a + prodigious storm in the night, with the utmost violence, and +very strong winds, with the largest showers of rain, with +continued lightnings, terrible thunderings, and amazing + concussions and bellowings of the earth, that was in an + earthquake. These things were a manifest indication that some +destruction was coming upon men, when the system of the world was +put into this disorder; and any one would guess that these +wonders foreshowed some grand calamities that were coming. + + 6. Now the opinion of the Idumeans and of the citizens was one +and the same. The Idumeans thought that God was angry at their +taking arms, and that they would not escape + punishment for their making war upon their metropolis. + Ananus and his party thought that they had conquered + without fighting, and that God acted as a general for them; but +truly they proved both ill conjectures at what was to come, and +made those events to be ominous to their enemies, while they were +themselves to undergo the ill effects of them; for the Idumeans +fenced one another by uniting their bodies into one band, and +thereby kept themselves warm, and + connecting their shields over their heads, were not so much +hurt by the rain. But the zealots were more deeply concerned for +the danger these men were in than they were for + themselves, and got together, and looked about them to see +whether they could devise any means of assisting them. The hotter +sort of them thought it best to force their guards with their +arms, and after that to fall into the midst of the city, and +publicly open the gates to those that came to their + assistance; as supposing the guards would be in disorder, and +give way at such an unexpected attempt of theirs, especially as +the greater part of them were unarmed and unskilled in the +affairs of war; and that besides the multitude of the citizens +would not be easily gathered together, but confined to their +houses by the storm: and that if there were any hazard in their +undertaking, it became them to suffer any thing whatsoever +themselves, rather than to overlook so great a multitude as were +miserably perishing on their account. But the more prudent part +of them disapproved of this forcible method, because they saw not +only the guards about them + very numerous, but the walls of the city itself carefully +watched, by reason of the Idumeans. They also supposed that +Ananus would be every where, and visit the guards every + hour; which indeed was done upon other nights, but was + omitted that night, not by reason of any slothfulness of +Ananus, but by the overbearing appointment of fate, that so both +he might himself perish, and the multitude of the guards might +perish with him; for truly, as the night was far gone, and the +storm very terrible, Ananus gave the guards in the cloisters +leave to go to sleep; while it came into the heads of the zealots +to make use of the saws belonging to the temple, and to cut the +bars of the gates to pieces. The noise of the wind, and that not +inferior sound of the thunder, did here also conspire with their +designs, that the noise of the saws was not heard by the others. + + 7. So they secretly went out of the temple to the wall of the +city, and made use of their saws, and opened that gate which was +over against the Idumeans. Now at first there came a fear upon +the Idumeans themselves, which disturbed them, as imagining that +Ananus and his party were coming to attack them, so that every +one of them had his right hand upon his sword, in order to defend +himself; but they soon came to know who they were that came to +them, and were entered + the city. And had the Idumeans then fallen upon the city, +nothing could have hindered them from destroying the + people every man of them, such was the rage they were in at +that time; but as they first of all made haste to get the zealots +out of custody, which those that brought them in earnestly +desired them to do, and not to overlook those for whose + sakes they were come, in the midst of their distresses, nor to +bring them into a still greater danger; for that when they had +once seized upon the guards, it would be easy for them to fall +upon the city; but that if the city were once alarmed, they would +not then be able to overcome those guards, because as soon as +they should perceive they were there, they would put themselves +in order to fight them, and would hinder their coming into the +temple. + CHAPTER V. + + + + The Cruelty Of The Idumeans When They Were Gotten Into The +Temple During The Storm; And Of The Zealots. Concerning The +Slaughter Of Ananus, And Jesus, And Zacharias; And How The +Idumeans Retired Home. + + 1. This advice pleased the Idumeans, and they ascended + through the city to the temple. The zealots were also in great +expectation of their coming, and earnestly waited for them. When +therefore these were entering, they also came boldly out of the +inner temple, and mixing themselves among the Idumeans, they +attacked the guards; and some of those that were upon the watch, +but were fallen asleep, they killed as they were asleep; but as +those that were now awakened made a cry, the whole multitude +arose, and in the amazement they were in caught hold of their +arms immediately, and betook themselves to their own defense; and +so long as they thought they were only the zealots who attacked +them, they went on boldly, as hoping to overpower them by their +numbers; but when they saw others pressing in upon them also, +they + perceived the Idumeans were got in; and the greatest part of +them laid aside their arms, together with their courage, and +betook themselves to lamentations. But some few of the + younger sort covered themselves with their armor, and + valiantly received the Idumeans, and for a while protected the +multitude of old men. Others, indeed, gave a signal to those that +were in the city of the calamities they were in; but when these +were also made sensible that the Idumeans were come in, none of +them durst come to their assistance, only they returned the +terrible echo of wailing, and lamented their misfortunes. A great +howling of the women was excited also, and every one of the +guards were in danger of being killed. The zealots also joined in +the shouts raised by the Idumeans; and the storm itself rendered +the cry more terrible; nor did the Idumeans spare any body; for +as they are naturally a most barbarous and bloody nation, and had +been distressed by the tempest, they made use of their weapons +against those that had shut the gates against them, and acted in +the same + manner as to those that supplicated for their lives, and to +those that fought them, insomuch that they ran through those with +their swords who desired them to remember the relation there was +between them, and begged of them to have regard to their common +temple. Now there was at present neither any place for flight, +nor any hope of preservation; but as they were driven one upon +another in heaps, so were they slain. Thus the greater part were +driven together by force, as there was now no place of +retirement, and the murderers were + upon them; and, having no other way, threw themselves down +headlong into the city; whereby, in my opinion, they + underwent a more miserable destruction than that which they +avoided, because that was a voluntary one. And now the + outer temple was all of it overflowed with blood; and that day, +as it came on, they saw eight thousand five hundred dead bodies +there. + + 2. But the rage of the Idumeans was not satiated by these +slaughters; but they now betook themselves to the city, and +plundered every house, and slew every one they met; and for the +other multitude, they esteemed it needless to go on with killing +them, but they sought for the high priests, and the generality +went with the greatest zeal against them; and as soon as they +caught them they slew them, and then standing upon their dead +bodies, in way of jest, upbraided Ananus with his kindness to the +people, and Jesus with his speech made to them from the wall. +Nay, they proceeded to that + degree of impiety, as to cast away their dead bodies without +burial, although the Jews used to take so much care of the burial +of men, that they took down those that were + condemned and crucified, and buried them before the going down +of the sun. I should not mistake if I said that the death of +Ananus was the beginning of the destruction of the city, and that +from this very day may be dated the overthrow of her wall, and +the ruin of her affairs, whereon they saw their high priest, and +the procurer of their preservation, slain in the midst of their +city. He was on other accounts also a venerable, and a very just +man; and besides the grandeur of that nobility, and dignity, and +honor of which he was + possessed, he had been a lover of a kind of parity, even with +regard to the meanest of the people; he was a prodigious lover of +liberty, and an admirer of a democracy in + government; and did ever prefer the public welfare before his +own advantage, and preferred peace above all things; for he was +thoroughly sensible that the Romans were not to be + conquered. He also foresaw that of necessity a war would +follow, and that unless the Jews made up matters with them very +dexterously, they would be destroyed; to say all in a word, if +Ananus had survived, they had certainly compounded matters; for +he was a shrewd man in speaking and persuading the people, and +had already gotten the mastery of those that opposed his designs, +or were for the war. And the Jews had then put abundance of +delays in the way of the Romans, if they had had such a general +as he was. Jesus was also joined with him; and although he was +inferior to him upon the + comparison, he was superior to the rest; and I cannot but think +that it was because God had doomed this city to + destruction, as a polluted city, and was resolved to purge his +sanctuary by fire, that he cut off these their great defenders +and well-wishers, while those that a little before had worn the +sacred garments, and had presided over the public worship; and +had been esteemed venerable by those that dwelt on the whole +habitable earth when they came into our city, were cast out +naked, and seen to be the food of dogs and wild beasts. And I +cannot but imagine that virtue itself groaned at these men's +case, and lamented that she was here so terribly + conquered by wickedness. And this at last was the end of Ananus +and Jesus. + + 3. Now after these were slain, the zealots and the multitude of +the Idumeans fell upon the people as upon a flock of + profane animals, and cut their throats; and for the ordinary +sort, they were destroyed in what place soever they caught them. +But for the noblemen and the youth, they first caught them and +bound them, and shut them up in prison, and put off their +slaughter, in hopes that some of them would turn over to their +party; but not one of them would comply with their desires, but +all of them preferred death before being enrolled among such +wicked wretches as acted against their own country. But this +refusal of theirs brought upon them terrible torments; for they +were so scourged and tortured, that their bodies were not able to +sustain their torments, till at length, and with difficulty, they +had the favor to be slain. Those whom they caught in the day time +were slain in the night, and then their bodies were carried out +and thrown away, that there might be room for other prisoners; +and the terror that was upon the people was so great, that no one +had courage enough either to weep openly for the dead man that +was related to him, or to bury him; but those that were shut up +in their own houses could only shed tears in secret, and durst +not even groan without great caution, lest any of their enemies +should hear them; for if they did, those that mourned for others +soon underwent the same death with + those whom they mourned for. Only in the night time they would +take up a little dust, and throw it upon their bodies; and even +some that were the most ready to expose + themselves to danger would do it in the day time: and there +were twelve thousand of the better sort who perished in this +manner. + + 4. And now these zealots and Idumeans were quite weary of +barely killing men, so they had the impudence of setting up +fictitious tribunals and judicatures for that purpose; and as +they intended to have Zacharias (9) the son of Baruch, one of the +most eminent of the citizens, slain, so what + provoked them against him was, that hatred of wickedness and +love of liberty which were so eminent in him: he was also a rich +man, so that by taking him off, they did not only hope to seize +his effects, but also to get rid of a mall that had great power +to destroy them. So they called together, by a public +proclamation, seventy of the principal men of the populace, for a +show, as if they were real judges, while they had no proper +authority. Before these was Zacharias accused of a design to +betray their polity to the Romans, and having + traitorously sent to Vespasian for that purpose. Now there +appeared no proof or sign of what he was accused; but they +affirmed themselves that they were well persuaded that so it was, +and desired that such their affirmation might he taken for +sufficient evidence. Now when Zacharias clearly saw that there +was no way remaining for his escape from them, as + having been treacherously called before them, and then put in +prison, but not with any intention of a legal trial, he took +great liberty of speech in that despair of his life he was under. +Accordingly he stood up, and laughed at their + pretended accusation, and in a few words confuted the crimes +laid to his charge; after which he turned his speech to his +accusers, and went over distinctly all their transgressions of +the law, and made heavy lamentation upon the confusion + they had brought public affairs to: in the mean time, the +zealots grew tumultuous, and had much ado to abstain from drawing +their swords, although they designed to preserve the appearance +and show of judicature to the end. They were + also desirous, on other accounts, to try the judges, whether +they would be mindful of what was just at their own peril. Now +the seventy judges brought in their verdict that the person +accused was not guilty, as choosing rather to die themselves with +him, than to have his death laid at their doors; hereupon there +arose a great clamor of the zealots upon his acquittal, and they +all had indignation at the judges for not understanding that the +authority that was given them was but in jest. So two of the +boldest of them fell upon Zacharias in the middle of the temple, +and slew him; and as he fell down dead, they bantered him, and +said, "Thou hast also our verdict, and this will prove a more +sure acquittal to thee than the other." They also threw him down +from the + temple immediately into the valley beneath it. Moreover, they +struck the judges with the backs of their swords, by way of +abuse, and thrust them out of the court of the temple, and spared +their lives with no other design than that, when they were +dispersed among the people in the city, they might + become their messengers, to let them know they were no + better than slaves. + + 5. But by this time the Idumeans repented of their coming, and +were displeased at what had been done; and when they were +assembled together by one of the zealots, who had + come privately to them, he declared to them what a number of +wicked pranks they had themselves done in conjunction with those +that invited them, and gave a particular account of what +mischiefs had been done against their metropolis. He said that +they had taken arms, as though the high priests were betraying +their metropolis to the Romans, but had + found no indication of any such treachery; but that they had +succored those that had pretended to believe such a thing, while +they did themselves the works of war and tyranny, after an +insolent manner. It had been indeed their business to have +hindered them from such their proceedings at the first, but +seeing they had once been partners with them in shedding the +blood of their own countrymen, it was high time to put a stop to +such crimes, and not continue to afford any more assistance to +such as are subverting the laws of their + forefathers; for that if any had taken it ill that the gates +had been shut against them, and they had not been permitted to +come into the city, yet that those who had excluded them have +been punished, and Ananus is dead, and that almost all those +people had been destroyed in one night's time. That one may +perceive many of themselves now repenting for what they had done, +and might see the horrid barbarity of those that had invited +them, and that they had no regard to such as had saved them; that +they were so impudent as to perpetrate the vilest things, under +the eyes of those that had supported them, and that their wicked +actions would be laid to the charge of the Idumeans, and would be +so laid to their charge till somebody obstructs their +proceedings, or separates + himself from the same wicked action; that they therefore ought +to retire home, since the imputation of treason appears to be a +Calumny, and that there was no expectation of the coming of the +Romans at this time, and that the government of the city was +secured by such walls as cannot easily be thrown down; and, by +avoiding any further fellowship with these bad men, to make some +excuse for themselves, as to what they had been so far deluded, +as to have been partners with them hitherto. + + CHAPTER 6. + + + + How The Zealots When They Were Freed From The Idumeans, Slew A +Great Many More Of The Citizens; And How Vespasian Dissuaded The +Romans When They Were Very Earnest To March Against The Jews +From Proceeding In The War At That Time. + + 1. The Idumeans complied with these persuasions; and, in the +first place, they set those that were in the prisons at liberty, +being about two thousand of the populace, who thereupon + fled away immediately to Simon, one whom we shall speak of +presently. After which these Idumeans retired from + Jerusalem, and went home; which departure of theirs was a great +surprise to both parties; for the people, not knowing of their +repentance, pulled up their courage for a while, as eased of so +many of their enemies, while the zealots grew more insolent not +as deserted by their confederates, but as freed from such men as +might hinder their designs, and plat some stop to their +wickedness. Accordingly, they made no longer any delay, nor took +any deliberation in their enormous practices, but made use of the +shortest methods for all their executions and what they had once +resolved upon, they put in practice sooner than any one could +imagine. But their thirst was chiefly after the blood of valiant +men, and men of good families; the one sort of which they +destroyed out of envy, the other out of fear; for they thought +their whole security lay in leaving no potent men alive; on which +account they slew Gorion, a person eminent in dignity, and on +account of his family also; he was also for democracy, and of as +great + boldness and freedom of spirit as were any of the Jews + whosoever; the principal thing that ruined him, added to his +other advantages, was his free speaking. Nor did Niger of Peres +escape their hands; he had been a man of great valor in their war +with the Romans, but was now drawn through + the middle of the city, and, as he went, he frequently cried +out, and showed the scars of his wounds; and when he was drawn +out of the gates, and despaired of his preservation, he besought +them to grant him a burial; but as they had + threatened him beforehand not to grant him any spot of + earth for a grave, which he chiefly desired of them, so did +they slay him [without permitting him to be buried]. Now when +they were slaying him, he made this imprecation upon them, that +they might undergo both famine and pestilence in this war, and +besides all that, they might come to the mutual slaughter of one +another; all which imprecations God + confirmed against these impious men, and was what came + most justly upon them, when not long afterward. they tasted of +their own madness in their mutual seditions one against another. +So when this Niger was killed, their fears of being overturned +were diminished; and indeed there was no part of the people but +they found out some pretense to destroy + them; for some were therefore slain, because they had had +differences with some of them; and as to those that had not +opposed them in times of peace, they watched seasonable + opportunities to gain some accusation against them; and if any +one did not come near them at all, he was under their suspicion +as a proud man; if any one came with boldness, he was esteemed a +contemner of them; and if any one came as aiming to oblige them, +he was supposed to have some + treacherous plot against them; while the only punishment of +crimes, whether they were of the greatest or smallest sort, was +death. Nor could any one escape, unless he were very +inconsiderable, either on account of the meanness of his birth, +or on account of his fortune. + + 2. And now all the rest of the commanders of the Romans + deemed this sedition among their enemies to be of great + advantage to them, and were very earnest to march to the city, +and they urged Vespasian, as their lord and general in all cases, +to make haste, and said to him, that "the providence of God is on +our side, by setting our enemies at variance against one another; +that still the change in such cases may be sudden, and the Jews +may quickly be at one again, either because they may be tired out +with their civil miseries, or repent them of such doings." But +Vespasian replied, that they were greatly mistaken in what they +thought fit to be done, as those that, upon the theater, love to +make a show of their hands, and of their weapons, but do it at +their own hazard, without considering, what was for their +advantage, and for their security; for that if they now go and +attack the city immediately, they shall but occasion their +enemies to unite together, and shall convert their force, now it +is in its height, against themselves. But if they stay a while, +they shall have fewer enemies, because they will be consumed in +this + sedition: that God acts as a general of the Romans better than +he can do, and is giving the Jews up to them without any pains of +their own, and granting their army a victory without any danger; +that therefore it is their best way, while their enemies are +destroying each other with their own hands, and falling into the +greatest of misfortunes, which is that of sedition, to sit still +as spectators of the dangers they run into, rather than to fight +hand to hand with men that love + murdering, and are mad one against another. But if any one +imagines that the glory of victory, when it is gotten without +fighting, will be more insipid, let him know this much, that a +glorious success, quietly obtained, is more profitable than the +dangers of a battle; for we ought to esteem these that do what is +agreeable to temperance and prudence no less + glorious than those that have gained great reputation by their +actions in war: that he shall lead on his army with greater force +when their enemies are diminished, and his own army refreshed +after the continual labors they had undergone. However, that this +is not a proper time to propose to + ourselves the glory of victory; for that the Jews are not now +employed in making of armor or building of walls, nor indeed in +getting together auxiliaries, while the advantage will be on +their side who give them such opportunity of delay; but that the +Jews are vexed to pieces every day by their civil wars and +dissensions, and are under greater miseries than, if they were +once taken, could be inflicted on them by us. Whether + therefore any one hath regard to what is for our safety, he +ought to suffer these Jews to destroy one another; or whether he +hath regard to the greater glory of the action, we ought by no +means to meddle with those men, now they are afflicted with a +distemper at home; for should we now conquer them, it would be +said the conquest was not owing to our bravery, but to their +sedition." (10) + + 3. And now the commanders joined in their approbation of what +Vespasian had said, and it was soon discovered how + wise an opinion he had given. And indeed many there were of the +Jews that deserted every day, and fled away from the zealots, +although their flight was very difficult, since they had guarded +every passage out of the city, and slew every one that was caught +at them, as taking it for granted they were going over to the +Romans; yet did he who gave them money get clear off, while he +only that gave them none was voted a traitor. So the upshot was +this, that the rich purchased their flight by money, while none +but the poor were slain. Along all the roads also vast numbers of +dead bodies lay in heaps, and even many of those that were so +zealous in deserting at length chose rather to perish within the +city; for the hopes of burial made death in their own city appear +of the two less terrible to them. But these zealots came at last +to that degree of barbarity, as not to bestow a burial either on +those slain in the city, or on those that lay along the roads; +but as if they had made an agreement to cancel both the laws of +their + country and the laws of nature, and, at the same time that they +defiled men with their wicked actions, they would + pollute the Divinity itself also, they left the dead bodies to +putrefy under the sun; and the same punishment was allotted to +such as buried any as to those that deserted, which was no other +than death; while he that granted the favor of a grave to another +would presently stand in need of a grave himself. To say all in a +word, no other gentle passion was so entirely lost among them as +mercy; for what were the greatest objects of pity did most of all +irritate these wretches, and they transferred their rage from the +living to those that had been slain, and from the dead to the +living. Nay, the terror was so very great, that he who survived +called them that were first dead happy, as being at rest already; +as did those that were under torture in the prisons, declare, +that, upon this + comparison, those that lay unburied were the happiest. These +men, therefore, trampled upon all the laws of men, and + laughed at the laws of God; and for the oracles of the + prophets, they ridiculed them as the tricks of jugglers; yet +did these prophets foretell many things concerning [the rewards +of] virtue, and [punishments of] vice, which when these + zealots violated, they occasioned the fulfilling of those very +prophecies belonging to their own country; for there was a +certain ancient oracle of those men, that the city should then be +taken and the sanctuary burnt, by right of war, when a sedition +should invade the Jews, and their own hand should pollute the +temple of God. Now while these zealots did not [quite] disbelieve +these predictions, they made themselves the instruments of their +accomplishment. + + CHAPTER 7. + + + + How John Tyrannized Over The Rest; And What Mischiefs The +Zealots Did At Masada. How Also Vespasian Took Gadara; And What +Actions Were Performed By Placidus. + + 1. By this time John was beginning to tyrannize, and thought it +beneath him to accept of barely the same honors that + others had; and joining to himself by degrees a party of the +wickedest of them all, he broke off from the rest of the faction. +This was brought about by his still disagreeing with the opinions +of others, and giving out injunctions of his own, in a very +imperious manner; so that it was evident he was setting up a +monarchical power. Now some submitted to him out of their fear of +him, and others out of their good-will to him; for he was a +shrewd man to entice men to him, both by deluding them and +putting cheats upon them. Nay, many + there were that thought they should be safer themselves, if the +causes of their past insolent actions should now be + reduced to one head, and not to a great many. His activity was +so great, and that both in action and in counsel, that he had not +a few guards about him; yet was there a great party of his +antagonists that left him; among whom envy at him weighed a great +deal, while they thought it a very heavy thing to be in +subjection to one that was formerly their equal. But the main +reason that moved men against him was the dread of monarchy, for +they could not hope easily to put an end to his power, if he had +once obtained it; and yet they knew that he would have this +pretense always against them, that they had opposed him when he +was first advanced; while every + one chose rather to suffer any thing whatsoever in war, than +that, when they had been in a voluntary slavery for some time, +they should afterward perish. So the sedition was + divided into two parts, and John reigned in opposition to his +adversaries over one of them: but for their leaders, they watched +one another, nor did they at all, or at least very little, meddle +with arms in their quarrels; but they fought earnestly against +the people, and contended one with another which of them should +bring home the greatest prey. But + because the city had to struggle with three of the greatest +misfortunes, war, and tyranny, and sedition, it appeared, upon +the comparison, that the war was the least troublesome to the +populace of them all. Accordingly, they ran away from their own +houses to foreigners, and obtained that preservation from the +Romans which they despaired to obtain among their own people. + + 2. And now a fourth misfortune arose, in order to bring our +nation to destruction. There was a fortress of very great +strength not far from Jerusalem, which had been built by our +ancient kings, both as a repository for their effects in the +hazards of war, and for the preservation of their bodies at the +same time. It was called Masada. Those that were called + Sicarii had taken possession of it formerly, but at this time +they overran the neighboring countries, aiming only to + procure to themselves necessaries; for the fear they were then +in prevented their further ravages. But when once they were +informed that the Roman army lay still, and that the Jews were +divided between sedition and tyranny, they boldly + undertook greater matters; and at the feast of unleavened +bread, which the Jews celebrate in memory of their + deliverance from the Egyptian bondage, when they were sent back +into the country of their forefathers, they came down by night, +without being discovered by those that could have prevented them, +and overran a certain small city called + Engaddi:--in which expedition they prevented those citizens +that could have stopped them, before they could arm + themselves, and fight them. They also dispersed them, and cast +them out of the city. As for such as could not run away, being +women and children, they slew of them above seven + hundred. Afterward, when they had carried every thing out of +their houses, and had seized upon all the fruits that were in a +flourishing condition, they brought them into Masada. And indeed +these men laid all the villages that were about the fortress +waste, and made the whole country desolate; while there came to +them every day, from all parts, not a few men as corrupt as +themselves. At that time all the other regions of Judea that had +hitherto been at rest were in motion, by + means of the robbers. Now as it is in a human body, if the +principal part be inflamed, all the members are subject to the +same distemper; so, by means of the sedition and disorder that +was in the metropolis,. had the wicked men that were in the +country opportunity to ravage the same. Accordingly, when every +one of them had plundered their own villages, they then retired +into the desert; yet were these men that now got together, and +joined in the conspiracy by parties, too small for an army, and +too many for a gang of thieves: and thus did they fall upon the +holy places (11) and the cities; yet did it now so happen that +they were sometimes very ill + treated by those upon whom they fell with such violence, and +were taken by them as men are taken in war: but still they +prevented any further punishment as do robbers, who, as + soon as their ravages [are discovered], run their way. Nor was +there now any part of Judea that was not in a miserable + condition, as well as its most eminent city also. + + 3. These things were told Vespasian by deserters; for + although the seditious watched all the passages out of the +city, and destroyed all, whosoever they were, that came + thither, yet were there some that had concealed themselves, and +when they had fled to the Romans, persuaded their + general to come to their city's assistance, and save the +remainder of the people; informing him withal, that it was upon +account of the people's good-will to the Romans that many of them +were already slain, and the survivors in danger of the same +treatment. Vespasian did indeed already pity the calamities these +men were in, and arose, in appearance, as though he was going to +besiege Jerusalem, but in reality to deliver them from a [worse] +siege they were already under. However, he was obliged first to +overthrow what remained elsewhere, and to leave nothing out of +Jerusalem behind him that might interrupt him in that siege. +Accordingly, he + marched against Gadara, the metropolis of Perea, which was a +place of strength, and entered that city on the fourth day of the +month Dystrus [Adar]; for the men of power had sent an embassage +to him, without the knowledge of the seditious, to treat about a +surrender; which they did out of the desire they had of peace, +and for saving their effects, because many of the citizens of +Gadara were rich men. This embassy the + opposite party knew nothing of, but discovered it as + Vespasian was approaching near the city. However, they + despaired of keeping possession of the city, as being inferior +in number to their enemies who were within the city, and seeing +the Romans very near to the city; so they resolved to fly, but +thought it dishonorable to do it without shedding some blood, and +revenging themselves on the authors of this surrender; so they +seized upon Dolesus, (a person not only the first in rank and +family in that city, but one that seemed the occasion of sending +such an embassy,) and slew him, and treated his dead body after a +barbarous manner, so very + violent was their anger at him, and then ran out of the city. +And as now the Roman army was just upon them, the people of +Gadara admitted Vespasian with joyful acclamations, and received +from him the security of his right hand, as also a garrison of +horsemen and footmen, to guard them against the excursions of the +runagates; for as to their wall, they had pulled it down before +the Romans desired them so to do, + that they might thereby give them assurance that they were +lovers of peace, and that, if they had a mind, they could not now +make war against them. + + 4. And now Vespasian sent Placidus against those that had fled +from Gadara, with five hundred horsemen, and three + thousand footmen, while he returned himself to Cesarea, with +the rest of the army. But as soon as these fugitives saw the +horsemen that pursued them just upon their backs, and + before they came to a close fight, they ran together to a +certain village, which was called Bethennabris, where finding a +great multitude of young men, and arming them, partly by their +own consent, partly by force, they rashly and suddenly assaulted +Placidus and the troops that were with him. These horsemen at the +first onset gave way a little, as contriving to entice them +further off the wall; and when they had drawn them into a place +fit for their purpose, they made their horse encompass them +round, and threw their darts at them. So the horsemen cut off the +flight of the fugitives, while the foot terribly destroyed those +that fought against them; for those Jews did no more than show +their courage, and then were + destroyed; for as they fell upon the Romans when they were +joined close together, and, as it were, walled about with their +entire armor, they were not able to find any place where the +darts could enter, nor were they any way able to break their +ranks, while they were themselves run through by the Roman darts, +and, like the wildest of wild beasts, rushed upon the point of +others' swords; so some of them were destroyed, as cut with their +enemies' swords upon their faces, and others were dispersed by +the horsemen. + + 5. Now Placidus's concern was to exclude them in their flight +from getting into the village; and causing his horse to march +continually on that side of them, he then turned short upon them, +and at the same time his men made use of their darts, and easily +took their aim at those that were the nearest to them, as they +made those that were further off turn back by the terror they +were in, till at last the most courageous of them brake through +those horsemen and fled to the wall of the village. And now those +that guarded the wall were in great doubt what to do; for they +could not bear the thoughts of excluding those that came from +Gadara, because of their own people that were among them; and +yet, if they should admit them, they expected to perish with +them, which came to pass accordingly; for as they were crowding +together at the wall, the Roman horsemen were just ready to fall +in with them. However, the guards prevented them, and shut the + gates, when Placidus made an assault upon them, and fighting +courageously till it was dark, he got possession of the wall, and +of the people that were in the city, when the useless multitude +were destroyed; but those that were more potent ran away, and the +soldiers plundered the houses, and set the village on fire. As +for those that ran out of the village, they stirred up such as +were in the country, and exaggerating their own calamities, and +telling them that the whole army of the Romans were upon them, +they put them into great fear on + every side; so they got in great numbers together, and fled to +Jericho, for they knew no other place that could afford them any +hope of escaping, it being a city that had a strong wall, and a +great multitude of inhabitants. But Placidus, relying much upon +his horsemen, and his former good success, + followed them, and slew all that he overtook, as far as + Jordan; and when he had driven the whole multitude to the +river-side, where they were stopped by the current, (for it had +been augmented lately by rains, and was not fordable,) he put his +soldiers in array over against them; so the necessity the others +were in provoked them to hazard a battle, because there was no +place whither they could flee. They then + extended themselves a very great way along the banks of the +river, and sustained the darts that were thrown at them, as well +as the attacks of the horsemen, who beat many of them, and pushed +them into the current. At which fight, hand to hand, fifteen +thousand of them were slain, while the number of those that were +unwillingly forced to leap into Jordan was prodigious. There were +besides two thousand and two + hundred taken prisoners. A mighty prey was taken also, + consisting of asses, and sheep, and camels, and oxen. + + 6. Now this destruction that fell upon the Jews, as it was not +inferior to any of the rest in itself, so did it still appear +greater than it really was; and this, because not only the whole +country through which they fled was filled with + slaughter, and Jordan could not be passed over, by reason of +the dead bodies that were in it, but because the lake + Asphaltiris was also full of dead bodies, that were carried +down into it by the river. And now Placidus, after this good +success that he had, fell violently upon the neighboring smaller +cities and villages; when he took Abila, and Julias, and +Bezemoth, and all those that lay as far as the lake + Asphaltitis, and put such of the deserters into each of them as +he thought proper. He then put his soldiers on board the ships, +and slew such as had fled to the lake, insomuch that all Perea +had either surrendered themselves, or were taken by the Romans, +as far as Macherus. + + CHAPTER 8. + + + + How Vespasian .Upon Hearing Of Some Commotions In Gall, (12) +Made Haste To Finish The Jewish War. A Description Of. Jericho, +And Of The Great Plain; With An Account Besides Of The Lake +Asphaltitis. + 1. In the mean time, an account came that there were + commotions in Gall, and that Vindex, together with the men of +power in that country, had revolted from Nero; which + affair is more accurately described elsewhere. This report, +thus related to Vespasian, excited him to go on briskly with the +war; for he foresaw already the civil wars which were coming upon +them, nay, that the very government was in + danger; and he thought, if he could first reduce the eastern +parts of the empire to peace, he should make the fears for Italy +the lighter; while therefore the winter was his + hinderance [from going into the field], he put garrisons into +the villages and smaller cities for their security; he put +decurions also into the villages, and centurions into the cities: +he besides this rebuilt many of the cities that had been laid +waste; but at the beginning of the spring he took the greatest +part of his army, and led it from Cesarea to Antipatris, where he +spent two days in settling the affairs of that city, and then, on +the third day, he marched on, laying waste and burning all the +neighboring villages. And when he had laid waste all the places +about the toparchy of Thamnas, he passed on to + Lydda and Jamnia; and when both these cities had come over to +him, he placed a great many of those that had come over to him +[from other places] as inhabitants therein, and then came to +Emmaus, where he seized upon the passage which + led thence to their metropolis, and fortified his camp, and +leaving the fifth legion therein, he came to the toparchy of +Bethletephon. He then destroyed that place, and the + neighboring places, by fire, and fortified, at proper places, +the strong holds all about Idumea; and when he had seized upon +two villages, which were in the very midst of Idumea, Betaris and +Caphartobas, he slew above ten thousand of the people, and +carried into captivity above a thousand, and drove away the rest +of the multitude, and placed no small part of his own forces in +them, who overran and laid waste the whole + mountainous country; while he, with the rest of his forces, +returned to Emmaus, whence he came down through the + country of Samaria, and hard by the city, by others called +Neapoils, (or Sichem,) but by the people of that country +Mabortha, to Corea, where he pitched his camp, on the + second day of the month Desius [Sivan]; and on the day + following he came to Jericho; on which day Trajan, one of his +commanders, joined him with the forces he brought out of Perea, +all the places beyond Jordan being subdued already. + 2. Hereupon a great multitude prevented their approach, and +came out of Jericho, and fled to those mountainous parts that lay +over against Jerusalem, while that part which was left behind was +in a great measure destroyed; they also found the city desolate. +It is situated in a plain; but a naked and barren mountain, of a +very great length, hangs over it, which extends itself to the +land about Scythopolis northward, but as far as the country of +Sodom, and the utmost limits of the lake + Asphaltiris, southward. This mountain is all of it very uneven +and uninhabited, by reason of its barrenness: there is an +opposite mountain that is situated over against it, on the other +side of Jordan; this last begins at Julias, and the northern +quarters, and extends itself southward as far as Somorrhon, (13) +which is the bounds of Petra, in Arabia. In this ridge of +mountains there is one called the Iron + Mountain, that runs in length as far as Moab. Now the region +that lies in the middle between these ridges of mountains is +called the Great Plain; it reaches from the village Ginnabris, as +far as the lake Asphaltitis; its length is two hundred and thirty +furlongs, and its breadth a hundred and twenty, and it is divided +in the midst by Jordan. It hath two lakes in it, that of +Asphaltitis, and that of Tiberias, whose natures are + opposite to each other; for the former is salt and unfruitful, +but that of Tiberias is sweet and fruitful. This plain is much +burnt up in summer time, and, by reason of the extraordinary +heat, contains a very unwholesome air; it is all destitute of +water excepting the river Jordan, which water of Jordan is the +occasion why those plantations of palm trees that are near its +banks are more flourishing, and much more fruitful, as are those +that are remote from it not so flourishing, or fruitful. + 3. Notwithstanding which, there is a fountain by Jericho, that +runs plentifully, and is very fit for watering the ground; it +arises near the old city, which Joshua, the son of Naue, the +general of the Hebrews, took the first of all the cities of the +land of Canaan, by right of war. The report is, that this +fountain, at the beginning, caused not only the blasting of the +earth and the trees, but of the children born of women, and that +it was entirely of a sickly and corruptive nature to all things +whatsoever; but that it was made gentle, and very wholesome and +fruitful, by the prophet Elisha. This prophet was familiar with +Elijah, and was his successor, who, when he once was the guest of +the people at Jericho, and the men of the place had treated him +very kindly, he both made them amends as well as the country, by +a lasting favor; for he went out of the city to this fountain, +and threw into the current an earthen vessel full of salt; after +which he stretched out his righteous hand unto heaven, and, +pouring out a mild drink-offering, he made this supplication, +That the current might be mollified, and that the veins of fresh +water might be opened; that God also would bring into the place a +more + temperate and fertile air for the current, and would bestow +upon the people of that country plenty of the fruits of the +earth, and a succession of children; and that this prolific water +might never fail them, while they continued to he + righteous. To these prayers Elisha (14) joined proper + operations of his hands, after a skillful manner, and changed +the fountain; and that water, which had been the occasion of +barrenness and famine before, from that time did supply a +numerous posterity, and afforded great abundance to the + country. Accordingly, the power of it is so great in watering +the ground, that if it do but once touch a country, it affords a +sweeter nourishment than other waters do, when they lie so long +upon them, till they are satiated with them. For which reason, +the advantage gained from other waters, when they flow in great +plenty, is but small, while that of this water is great when it +flows even in little quantities. Accordingly, it waters a larger +space of ground than any other waters do, and passes along a +plain of seventy furlongs long, and twenty broad; wherein it +affords nourishment to those most excellent gardens that are +thick set with trees. There are in it many sorts of palm trees +that are watered by it, different from each other in taste and +name; the better sort of them, when they are pressed, yield an +excellent kind of honey, not much + inferior in sweetness to other honey. This country withal +produces honey from bees; it also bears that balsam which is the +most precious of all the fruits in that place, cypress trees +also, and those that bear myrobalanum; so that he who + should pronounce this place to be divine would not be + mistaken, wherein is such plenty of trees produced as are very +rare, and of the must excellent sort. And indeed, if we speak of +those other fruits, it will not be easy to light on any climate +in the habitable earth that can well be compared to it, what is +here sown comes up in such clusters; the cause of which seems to +me to be the warmth of the air, and the fertility of the waters; +the warmth calling forth the sprouts, and making them spread, and +the moisture making every one of them take root firmly, and +supplying that virtue which it stands in need of in summer time. +Now this country is then so sadly burnt up, that nobody cares to +come at it; and if the water be drawn up before sun-rising, and +after that exposed to the air, it becomes exceeding cold, and +becomes of a + nature quite contrary to the ambient air; as in winter again it +becomes warm; and if you go into it, it appears very gentle. The +ambient air is here also of so good a temperature, that the +people of the country are clothed in linen-only, even when snow +covers the rest of Judea. This place is one + hundred and fifty furlongs from Jerusalem, and sixty from +Jordan. The country, as far as Jerusalem, is desert and stony; +but that as far as Jordan and the lake Asphaltitis lies lower +indeed, though it be equally desert and barren. But so much shall +suffice to have said about Jericho, and of the great happiness of +its situation. + + 4. The nature of the lake Asphaltitis is also worth describing. +It is, as I have said already, bitter and unfruitful. It is so +light [or thick] that it bears up the heaviest things that are +thrown into it; nor is it easy for any one to make things sink +therein to the bottom, if he had a mind so to do. Accordingly, +when Vespasian went to see it, he commanded that some who + could not swim should have their hands tied behind them, and be +thrown into the deep, when it so happened that they all swam as +if a wind had forced them upwards. Moreover, the change of the +color of this lake is wonderful, for it changes its appearance +thrice every day; and as the rays of the sun fall differently +upon it, the light is variously reflected. However, it casts up +black clods of bitumen in many parts of it; these swim at the top +of the water, and resemble both in shape and bigness headless +bulls; and when the laborers that belong to the lake come to it, +and catch hold of it as it hangs together, they draw it into +their ships; but when the ship is full, it is not easy to cut off +the rest, for it is so tenacious as to make the ship hang upon +its clods till they set it loose with the menstrual blood of +women, and with urine, to which + alone it yields. This bitumen is not only useful for the +caulking of ships, but for the cure of men's bodies; + accordingly, it is mixed in a great many medicines. The length +of this lake is five hundred and eighty furlongs, where it is +extended as far as Zoar in Arabia; and its breadth is a + hundred and fifty. The country of Sodom borders upon it. It was +of old a most happy land, both for the fruits it bore and the +riches of its cities, although it be now all burnt up. It is +related how, for the impiety of its inhabitants, it was burnt by +lightning; in consequence of which there are still the + remainders of that Divine fire, and the traces [or shadows] of +the five cities are still to be seen, as well as the ashes +growing in their fruits; which fruits have a color as if they +were fit to be eaten, but if you pluck them with your hands, they +dissolve into smoke and ashes. And thus what is related of this +land of Sodom hath these marks of credibility which our very +sight affords us. + + CHAPTER 9. + + + + That Vespasian, After He Had Taken Gadara Made Preparation For +The Siege Of Jerusalem; But That, Upon His Hearing Of The Death +Of Nero, He Changed His Intentions. As Also Concerning Simon Of +Geras. + 1. And now Vespasian had fortified all the places round + about Jerusalem, and erected citadels at Jericho and Adida, and +placed garrisons in them both, partly out of his own Romans, and +partly out of the body of his auxiliaries. He also sent Lucius +Annius to Gerasa, and delivered to him a body of horsemen, and a +considerable number of footmen. So when + he had taken the city, which he did at the first onset, he slew +a thousand of those young men who had not prevented him + by flying away; but he took their families captive, and + permitted his soldiers to plunder them of their effects; after +which he set fire to their houses, and went away to the + adjoining villages, while the men of power fled away, and the +weaker part were destroyed, and what was remaining was all burnt +down. And now the war having gone through all the + mountainous country, and all the plain country also, those that +were at Jerusalem were deprived of the liberty of going out of +the city; for as to such as had a mind to desert, they were +watched by the zealots; and as to such as were not yet on the +side of the Romans, their army kept them in, by + encompassing the city round about on all sides. + + 2. Now as Vespasian was returned to Cesarea, and was + getting ready with all his army to march directly to Jerusalem, +he was informed that Nero was dead, after he had reigned thirteen +years and eight days. Bnt as to any narration after what manner +he abused his power in the government, and + committed the management of affairs to those vile wretches, +Nymphidius and Tigellinus, his unworthy freed-men; and how he had +a plot laid against him by them, and was deserted by all his +guards, and ran away with four of his most trusty freed-men, and +slew himself in the suburbs of Rome; and + how those that occasioned his death were in no long time +brought themselves to punishment; how also the war in Gall ended; +and how Galba was made emperor (16) and returned + out of Spain to Rome; and how he was accused by the + soldiers as a pusillanimous person, and slain by treachery in +the middle of the market-place at Rome, and Otho was made +emperor; with his expedition against the commanders of + Vitellius, and his destruction thereupon; and besides what +troubles there were under Vitellius, and the fight that was about +the capitol; as also how Antonius Primus and Mucianus slew +Vitellius, and his German legions, and thereby put an end to that +civil war; I have omitted to give an exact account of them, +because they are well known by all, and they are described by a +great number of Greek and Roman + authors; yet for the sake of the connexion of matters, and that +my history may not be incoherent, I have just touched upon every +thing briefly. Wherefore Vespasian put off at first his +expedition against Jerusalem, and stood waiting whither the +empire would be transferred after the death of Nero. Moreover, +when he heard that Galba was made emperor, he + attempted nothing till he also should send him some + directions about the war: however, he sent his son Titus to +him, to salute him, and to receive his commands about the Jews. +Upon the very same errand did king Agrippa sail along with Titus +to Galba; but as they were sailing in their long ships by the +coasts of Achaia, for it was winter time, they heard that Galba +was slain, before they could get to him, after he had reigned +seven months and as many days. After whom Otho took the +government, and undertook the + management of public affairs. So Agrippa resolved to go on to +Rome without any terror; on account of the change in the +government; but Titus, by a Divine impulse, sailed back from +Greece to Syria, and came in great haste to Cesarea, to his +father. And now they were both in suspense about the public +affairs, the Roman empire being then in a fluctuating + condition, and did not go on with their expedition against the +Jews, but thought that to make any attack upon foreigners was now +unseasonable, on account of the solicitude they were in for their +own country. + + 3. And now there arose another war at Jerusalem. There was a +son of Giora, one Simon, by birth of Gerasa, a young man, not so +cunning indeed as John [of Gisehala], who had already seized upon +the city, but superior in strength of body and courage; on which +account, when he had been driven away + from that Acrabattene toparchy, which he once had, by + Ananus the high priest, he came to those robbers who had seized +upon Masada. At the first they suspected him, and only permitted +him to come with the women he brought with him into the lower +part of the fortress, while they dwelt in the upper part of it +themselves. However, his manner so well agreed with theirs, and +he seemed so trusty a man, that he went out with them, and +ravaged and destroyed the country with them about Masada; yet +when he persuaded them to + undertake greater things, he could not prevail with them so to +do; for as they were accustomed to dwell in that citadel, they +were afraid of going far from that which was their + hiding-place; but he affecting to tyrannize, and being fond of +greatness, when he had heard of the death of Ananus, he left +them, and went into the mountainous part of the country. So he +proclaimed liberty to those in slavery, and a reward to those +already free, and got together a set of wicked men from all +quarters. + + 4. And as he had now a strong body of men about him, he + overran the villages that lay in the mountainous country, and +when there were still more and more that came to him, he ventured +to go down into the lower parts of the country, and since he was +now become formidable to the cities, many of the men of power +were corrupted by him; so that his army was no longer composed of +slaves and robbers, but a great many of the populace were +obedient to him as to their king. He then overran the Acrabattene +toparchy, and the places that reached as far as the Great Idumea; +for he built a wall at a certain village called Nain, and made +use of that as a fortress for his own party's security; and at +the valley called Paran, he enlarged many of the caves, and many +others he found ready for his purpose; these he made use of as + repositories for his treasures, and receptacles for his prey, +and therein he laid up the fruits that he had got by rapine; and +many of his partizans had their dwelling in them; and he made no +secret of it that he was exercising his men + beforehand, and making preparations for the assault of + Jerusalem. + + 5. Whereupon the zealots, out of the dread they were in of his +attacking them, and being willing to prevent one that was growing +up to oppose them, went out against him with their weapons. Simon +met them, and joining battle with them, slew a considerable +number of them, and drove the rest before him into the city, but +durst not trust so much upon his forces as to make an assault +upon the walls; but he resolved first to subdue Idumea, and as he +had now twenty thousand armed + men, he marched to the borders of their country. Hereupon the +rulers of the Idumeans got together on the sudden the most +warlike part of their people, about twenty-five thousand in +number, and permitted the rest to be a guard to their own +country, by reason of the incursions that were made by the +Sicarii that were at Masada. Thus they received Simon at their +borders, where they fought him, and continued the + battle all that day; and the dispute lay whether they had +conquered him, or been conquered by him. So he went back to Nain, +as did the Idumeans return home. Nor was it long ere Simon came +violently again upon their country; when he pitched his camp at a +certain village called Thecoe, and sent Eleazar, one of his +companions, to those that kept garrison at Herodium, and in order +to persuade them to surrender that fortress to him. The garrison +received this man readily, while they knew nothing of what he +came about; but as soon as he talked of the surrender of the +place, they fell upon him with their drawn swords, till he found +that he had no place for flight, when he threw himself down from +the wall into the valley beneath; so he died immediately: but the +Idumeans, who were already much afraid of Simon's power, thought +fit to take a view of the enemy's army before they hazarded a +battle with them. + + 6. Now there was one of their commanders named Jacob, + who offered to serve them readily upon that occasion, but had +it in his mind to betray them. He went therefore from the village +Alurus, wherein the army of the Idumeans were gotten together, +and came to Simon, and at the very first he agreed to betray his +country to him, and took assurances upon oath from him that he +should always have him in + esteem, and then promised him that he would assist him in +subduing all Idumea under him; upon which account he was feasted +after an obliging manner by Simon, and elevated by his mighty +promises; and when he was returned to his own men, he at first +belied the army of Simon, and said it was manifold more in number +than what it was; after which, he dexterously persuaded the +commanders, and by degrees the whole multitude, to receive Simon, +and to surrender the + whole government up to him without fighting. And as he was +doing this, he invited Simon by his messengers, and promised him +to disperse the Idumeans, which he performed also; for as soon as +their army was nigh them, he first of all got upon his horse, and +fled, together with those whom he had + corrupted; hereupon a terror fell upon the whole multitude; and +before it came to a close fight, they broke their ranks, and +every one retired to his own home. + + 7. Thus did Simon unexpectedly march into Idumea, without +bloodshed, and made a sudden attack upon the city Hebron, and +took it; wherein he got possession of a great deal of prey, and +plundered it of a vast quantity of fruit. Now the people of the +country say that it is an ancienter city, not only than any in +that country, but than Memphis in Egypt, and + accordingly its age is reckoned at two thousand and three +hundred years. They also relate that it had been the + habitation of Abram, the progenitor of the Jews, after he had +removed out of Mesopotamia; and they say that his posterity +descended from thence into Egypt, whose monuments are to this +very time showed in that small city; the fabric of which +monuments are of the most excellent marble, and wrought + after the most elegant manner. There is also there showed, at +the distance of six furlongs from the city, a very large +turpentine tree (17) and the report goes, that this tree has +continued ever since the creation of the world. Thence did Simon +make his progress over all Idumen, and did not only ravage the +cities and villages, but lay waste the whole country; for, +besides those that were completely armed, he had forty thousand +men that followed him, insomuch that he had not provisions enough +to suffice such a multitude. Now, besides this want of provisions +that he was in, he was of a barbarous disposition, and bore great +anger at this nation, by which means it came to pass that Idumea +was greatly depopulated; and as one may see all the woods behind +despoiled of their leaves by locusts, after they have been there, +so was there nothing left behind Simon's army but a desert. Some +places they burnt down, some they utterly demolished, and + whatsoever grew in the country, they either trod it down or fed +upon it, and by their marches they made the ground that was +cultivated harder and more untractable than that which was +barren. In short, there was no sign remaining of those places +that had been laid waste, that ever they had had a being. + + 8. This success of Simon excited the zealots afresh; and though +they were afraid to fight him openly in a fair battle, yet did +they lay ambushes in the passes, and seized upon his wife, with a +considerable number of her attendants; + whereupon they came back to the city rejoicing, as if they had +taken Simon himself captive, and were in present + expectation that he would lay down his arms, and make + supplication to them for his wife; but instead of indulging any +merciful affection, he grew very angry at them for seizing his +beloved wife; so he came to the wall of Jerusalem, and, like wild +beasts when they are wounded, and cannot overtake + those that wounded them, he vented his spleen upon all + persons that he met with. Accordingly, he caught all those that +were come out of the city gates, either to gather herbs or +sticks, who were unarmed and in years; he then tormented them and +destroyed them, out of the immense rage he was + in, and was almost ready to taste the very flesh of their dead +bodies. He also cut off the hands of a great many, and sent them +into the city to astonish his enemies, and in order to make the +people fall into a sedition, and desert those that had been the +authors of his wife's seizure. He also enjoined them to tell the +people that Simon swore by the God of the universe, who sees all +things, that unless they will restore him his wife, he will break +down their wall, and inflict the like punishment upon all the +citizens, without sparing any age, and without making any +distinction between the guilty and the innocent. These +threatenings so greatly affrighted, not the people only, but the +zealots themselves also, that they sent his wife back to him; +when he became a little milder, and left off his perpetual +blood-shedding. + + 9. But now sedition and civil war prevailed, not only over +Judea, but in Italy also; for now Galba was slain in the midst of +the Roman market-place; then was Otho made emperor, + and fought against Vitellius, who set up for emperor also; for +the legions in Germany had chosen him. But when he gave + battle to Valens and Cecinna, who were Vitellius's generals, at +Betriacum, in Gaul, Otho gained the advantage on the first day, +but on the second day Vitellius's soldiers had the victory; and +after much slaughter Otho slew himself, when he had + heard of this defeat at Brixia, and after he had managed the +public affairs three months and two days. (18) Otho's army also +came over to Vitellius's generals, and he came himself down to +Rome with his army. But in the mean time + Vespasian removed from Cesarea, on the fifth day of the + month Deasius, [Sivan,] and marched against those places of +Judea which were not yet overthrown. So he went up to the +mountainous country, and took those two toparchies that + were called the Gophnitick and Acrabattene toparchies. After +which he took Bethel and Ephraim, two small cities; and + when he had put garrisons into them, he rode as far as + Jerusalem, in which march he took many prisoners, and many +captives; but Cerealis, one of his commanders, took a body of +horsemen and footmen, and laid waste that part of Idumea which +was called the Upper Idumea, and attacked Caphethra, which +pretended to be a small city, and took it at the first onset, and +burnt it down. He also attacked Caphatabira, and laid siege to +it, for it had a very strong wall; and when he expected to spend +a long time in that siege, those that were within opened their +gates on the sudden, and came to beg pardon, and surrendered +themselves up to him. When + Cerealis had conquered them, he went to Hebron, another + very ancient city. I have told you already that this city is +situated in a mountainous country not far off Jerusalem; and when +he had broken into the city by force, what multitude and young +men were left therein he slew, and burnt down the city; so that +as now all the places were taken, excepting Herodlum, and Masada, +and Macherus, which were in the + possession of the robbers, so Jerusalem was what the Romans at +present aimed at. + + 10. And now, as soon as Simon had set his wife free, and +recovered her from the zealots, he returned back to the + remainders of Idumea, and driving the nation all before him +from all quarters, he compelled a great number of them to retire +to Jerusalem; he followed them himself also to the city, and +encompassed the wall all round again; and when he + lighted upon any laborers that were coming thither out of the +country, he slew them. Now this Simon, who was without the wall, +was a greater terror to the people than the Romans themselves, as +were the zealots who were within it more + heavy upon them than both of the other; and during this time +did the mischievous contrivances and courage [of John] + corrupt the body of the Galileans; for these Galileans had +advanced this John, and made him very potent, who made + them suitable requital from the authority he had obtained by +their means; for he permitted them to do all things that any of +them desired to do, while their inclination to plunder was +insatiable, as was their zeal in searching the houses of the +rich; and for the murdering of the men, and abusing of the women, +it was sport to them. They also devoured what spoils they had +taken, together with their blood, and indulged + themselves in feminine wantonness, without any disturbance, +till they were satiated therewith; while they decked their hair, +and put on women's garments, and were besmeared over with +ointments; and that they might appear very comely, they had +paints under their eyes, and imitated not only the ornaments, but +also the lusts of women, and were guilty of such + intolerable uncleanness, that they invented unlawful pleasures +of that sort. And thus did they roll themselves up and down the +city, as in a brothel-house, and defiled it entirely with their +impure actions; nay, while their faces looked like the faces of +women, they killed with their right hands; and when their gait +was effeminate, they presently attacked men, and became warriors, +and drew their swords from under their + finely dyed cloaks, and ran every body through whom they +alighted upon. However, Simon waited for such as ran away from +John, and was the more bloody of the two; and he who had escaped +the tyrant within the wall was destroyed by the other that lay +before the gates, so that all attempts of flying and deserting to +the Romans were cut off, as to those that had a mind so to do. + + 11. Yet did the army that was under John raise a sedition +against him, and all the Idumeans separated themselves from the +tyrant, and attempted to destroy him, and this out of their envy +at his power, and hatred of his cruelty; so they got together, +and slew many of the zealots, and drove the rest before them into +that royal palace that was built by Grapte, who was a relation of +Izates, the king of Adiabene; the + Idumeans fell in with them, and drove the zealots out thence +into the temple, and betook themselves to plunder John's effects; +for both he himself was in that palace, and therein had he laid +up the spoils he had acquired by his tyranny. In the mean time, +the multitude of those zealots that were + dispersed over the city ran together to the temple unto those +that fled thither, and John prepared to bring them down + against the people and the Idumeans, who were not so much +afraid of being attacked by them (because they were + themselves better soldiers than they) as at their madness, lest +they should privately sally out of the temple and get among them, +and not only destroy them, but set the city on fire also. So they +assembled themselves together, and the high priests with them, +and took counsel after what manner they should avoid their +assault. Now it was God who turned their + opinions to the worst advice, and thence they devised such a +remedy to get themselves free as was worse than the disease +itself. Accordingly, in order to overthrow John, they + determined to admit Simon, and earnestly to desire the + introduction of a second tyrant into the city; which resolution +they brought to perfection, and sent Matthias, the high priest, +to beseech this Simon to come ill to them, of whom they had so +often been afraid. Those also that had fled from the + zealots in Jerusalem joined in this request to him, out of the +desire they had of preserving their houses and their effects. +Accordingly he, in an arrogant manner, granted them his + lordly protection, and came into the city, in order to deliver +it from the zealots. The people also made joyful acclamations to +him, as their savior and their preserver; but when he was come +in, with his army, he took care to secure his own + authority, and looked upon those that had invited him in to be +no less his enemies than those against whom the invitation was +intended. + + 12. And thus did Simon get possession of Jerusalem, in the +third year of the war, in the month Xanthicus [Nisan]; + whereupon John, with his multitude of zealots, as being both +prohibited from coming out of the temple, and having lost their +power in the city, (for Simon and his party had + plundered them of what they had,) were in despair of + deliverance. Simon also made an assault upon the temple, with +the assistance of the people, while the others stood upon the +cloisters and the battlements, and defended themselves from their +assaults. However, a considerable number of + Simon's party fell, and many were carried off wounded; for the +zealots threw their darts easily from a superior place, and +seldom failed of hitting their enemies; but having the + advantage of situation, and having withal erected four very +large towers aforehand, that their darts might come from higher +places, one at the north-east corner of the court, one above the +Xystus, the third at another corner over against the lower city, +and the last was erected above the top of the Pastophoria, where +one of the priests stood of course, and gave a signal beforehand, +with a trumpet (19) at the + beginning of every seventh day, in the evening twilight, as +also at the evening when that day was finished, as giving notice +to the people when they were to leave off work, and when they +were to go to work again. These men also set their engines to +cast darts and stones withal, upon those towers, with their +archers and slingers. And now Simon made his + assault upon the temple more faintly, by reason that the +greatest part of his men grew weary of that work; yet did he not +leave off his opposition, because his army was superior to the +others, although the darts which were thrown by the + engines were carried a great way, and slew many of those that +fought for him. + + CHAPTER 10. + + + + How The Soldiers, Both In Judea And Egypt, Proclaimed Vespasian +Emperor;And How Vespasian Released Josephus From His Bonds. + + 1. Now about this very time it was that heavy calamities +came about Rome on all sides; for Vitellius was come from + Germany with his soldiery, and drew along with him a great +multitude of other men besides. And when the spaces allotted for +soldiers could not contain them, he made all Rome itself his +camp, and filled all the houses with his armed men; which men, +when they saw the riches of Rome with those eyes + which had never seen such riches before, and found + themselves shone round about on all sides with silver and gold, +they had much ado to contain their covetous desires, and were +ready to betake themselves to plunder, and to the slaughter of +such as should stand in their way. And this was the state of +affairs in Italy at that time. + + 2. But when Vespasian had overthrown all the places that were +near to Jerusalem, he returned to Cesarea, and heard of the +troubles that were at Rome, and that Vitellius was + emperor. This produced indignation in him, although he well +knew how to be governed as well as to govern, and could not, with +any satisfaction, own him for his lord who acted so madly, and +seized upon the government as if it were + absolutely destitute of a governor. And as this sorrow of his +was violent, he was not able to support the torments he was +under, nor to apply himself further in other wars, when his +native country was laid waste; but then, as much as his + passion excited him to avenge his country, so much was he +restrained by the consideration of his distance therefrom; +because fortune might prevent him, and do a world of + mischief before he could himself sail over the sea to Italy, +especially as it was still the winter season; so he restrained +his anger, how vehement soever it was at this time. + + 3. But now his commanders and soldiers met in several + companies, and consulted openly about changing the public +affairs; and, out of their indignation, cried out, how "at Rome +there are soldiers that live delicately, and when they have not +ventured so much as to hear the fame of war, they ordain whom +they please for our governors, and in hopes of gain make them +emperors; while you, who have gone through so many labors, and +are grown into years under your helmets, give leave to others to +use such a power, when yet you have among yourselves one more +worthy to rule than any whom + they have set up. Now what juster opportunity shall they ever +have of requiting their generals, if they do not make use of this +that is now before them? while there is so much juster reasons +for Vespasian's being emperor than for Vitellius; as they are +themselves more deserving than those that made the other +emperors; for that they have undergone as great wars as have the +troops that come from Germany; nor are they + inferior in war to those that have brought that tyrant to Rome, +nor have they undergone smaller labors than they; for that +neither will the Roman senate, nor people, bear such a lascivious +emperor as Vitellius, if he be compared with their chaste +Vespasian; nor will they endure a most barbarous + tyrant, instead of a good governor, nor choose one that hath no +child (20) to preside over them, instead of him that is a father; +because the advancement of men's own children to dignities is +certainly the greatest security kings can have for themselves. +Whether, therefore, we estimate the capacity of governing from +the skill of a person in years, we ought to have Vespasian, or +whether from the strength of a young man, we ought to have Titus; +for by this means we shall have the advantage of both their ages, +for that they will afford strength to those that shall be made +emperors, they having already three legions, besides other +auxiliaries from the neighboring kings, and will have further all +the armies in the east to support them, as also those in Europe, +so they as they are out of the distance and dread of Vitellius, +besides such auxiliaries as they may have in Italy itself; that +is, Vespasian's brother, (21) and his other son [Domitian]; the +one of whom will bring in a great many of those young men that +are of dignity, while the other is intrusted with the government +of the city, which office of his will be no small means of + Vespasian's obtaining the government. Upon the whole, the case +may be such, that if we ourselves make further delays, the senate +may choose an emperor, whom the soldiers, who are the saviors of +the empire, will have in contempt." + + 4. These were the discourses the soldiers had in their several +companies; after which they got together in a great body, and, +encouraging one another, they declared Vespasian + emperor, (22) and exhorted him to save the government, + which was now in danger. Now Vespasian's concern had been for a +considerable time about the public, yet did he not intend to set +up for governor himself, though his actions showed him to deserve +it, while he preferred that safety which is in a private life +before the dangers in a state of such dignity; but when he +refused the empire, the commanders + insisted the more earnestly upon his acceptance; and the +soldiers came about him, with their drawn swords in their hands, +and threatened to kill him, unless he would now live according to +his dignity. And when he had shown his + reluctance a great while, and had endeavored to thrust away +this dominion from him, he at length, being not able to + persuade them, yielded to their solicitations that would salute +him emperor. + + 5. So upon the exhortations of Mucianus, and the other + commanders, that he would accept of the empire, and upon that +of the rest of the army, who cried out that they were willing to +be led against all his opposers, he was in the first place intent +upon gaining the dominion over Alexandria, as knowing that Egypt +was of the greatest consequence, in order to obtain the entire +government, because of its supplying of corn [to Rome]; which +corn, if he could be master of, he hoped to dethrone Vitellius, +supposing he should aim to keep the empire by force (for he would +not be able to support himself, if the multitude at Rome should +once be in want of food); and because he was desirous to join the +two legions that were at Alexandria to the other legions that +were with him. He also considered with himself, that he should +then have that country for a defense to himself against the + uncertainty of fortune; for Egypt (23) is hard to be entered by +land, and hath no good havens by sea. It hath on the west the dry +deserts of Libya; and on the south Siene, that divides it from +Ethiopia, as well as the cataracts of the Nile, that cannot be +sailed over; and on the east the Red Sea extended as far as +Coptus; and it is fortified on the north by the land that reaches +to Syria, together with that called the Egyptian Sea, having no +havens in it for ships. And thus is Egypt walled about on every +side. Its length between Pelusium and Siene is two thousand +furlongs, and the passage by sea from Plinthine to Pelusium is +three thousand six hundred furlongs. Its river Nile is navigable +as far as the city called Elephantine, the forenamed cataracts +hindering ships from going any + farther, The haven also of Alexandria is not entered by the +mariners without difficulty, even in times of peace; for the +passage inward is narrow, and full of rocks that lie under the +water, which oblige the mariners to turn from a straight +direction: its left side is blocked up by works made by men's +hands on both sides; on its right side lies the island called +Pharus, which is situated just before the entrance, and + supports a very great tower, that affords the sight of a fire +to such as sail within three hundred furlongs of it, that ships +may cast anchor a great way off in the night time, by reason of +the difficulty of sailing nearer. About this island are built +very great piers, the handiwork of men, against which, when the +sea dashes itself, and its waves are broken against those +boundaries, the navigation becomes very troublesome, and the +entrance through so narrow a passage is rendered + dangerous; yet is the haven itself, when you are got into it, a +very safe one, and of thirty furlongs in largeness; into which is +brought what the country wants in order to its happiness, as also +what abundance the country affords more than it + wants itself is hence distributed into all the habitable earth. + 6. Justly, therefore, did Vespasian desire to obtain that +government, in order to corroborate his attempts upon the whole +empire; so he immediately sent to Tiberius Alexander, who was +then governor of Egypt and of Alexandria, and + informed him what the army had put upon him, and how he, being +forced to accept of the burden of the government, was desirous to +have him for his confederate and supporter. Now as soon as ever +Alexander had read this letter, he readily obliged the legions +and the multitude to take the oath of fidelity to Vespasian, both +which willingly complied with him, as already acquainted with the +courage of the man, from that his conduct in their neighborhood. +Accordingly Vespasian, looking upon himself as already intrusted +with the + government, got all things ready for his journey [to Rome]. Now +fame carried this news abroad more suddenly than one could have +thought, that he was emperor over the east, upon which every city +kept festivals, and celebrated sacrifices and oblations for such +good news; the legions also that were in Mysia and Pannonia, who +had been in commotion a little + before, on account of this insolent attempt of Vitellius, were +very glad to take the oath of fidelity to Vespasian, upon his +coming to the empire. Vespasian then removed from Cesarea to +Berytus, where many embassages came to him from Syria, and many +from other provinces, bringing with them from + every city crowns, and the congratulations of the people. +Mucianus came also, who was the president of the province, and +told him with what alacrity the people [received the news of his +advancement], and how the people of every city had taken the oath +of fidelity to him. + + 7. So Vespasian's good fortune succeeded to his wishes every +where, and the public affairs were, for the greatest part, +already in his hands; upon which he considered that he had not +arrived at the government without Divine Providence, but that a +righteous kind of fate had brought the empire under his power; +for as he called to mind the other signals, which had been a +great many every where, that foretold he should obtain the +government, so did he remember what Josephus + had said to him when he ventured to foretell his coming to the +empire while Nero was alive; so he was much concerned that this +man was still in bonds with him. He then called for Mucianus, +together with his other commanders and friends, and, in the first +place, he informed them what a valiant man Josephus had been, and +what great hardships he had made + him undergo in the siege of Jotapata. After that he related +those predictions of his (24) which he had then suspected as +fictions, suggested out of the fear he was in, but which had by +time been demonstrated to be Divine. "It is a shameful thing +(said he) that this man, who hath foretold my coming to the +empire beforehand, and been the minister of a Divine + message to me, should still be retained in the condition of a +captive or prisoner." So he called for Josephus, and + commanded that he should be set at liberty; whereupon the +commanders promised themselves glorious things, froth this +requital Vespasian made to a stranger. Titus was then present +with his father, and said, "O father, it is but just that the +scandal [of a prisoner] should be taken off Josephus, together +with his iron chain. For if we do not barely loose his bonds, but +cut them to pieces, he will be like a man that had never been +bound at all." For that is the usual method as to such as have +been bound without a cause. This advice was agreed to by +Vespasian also; so there came a man in, and cut the chain to +pieces; while Josephus received this testimony of his integrity +for a reward, and was moreover esteemed a person of credit as to +futurities also. + + CHAPTER 11. + + + + That Upon The Conquest And Slaughter Of Vitellius Vespasian +Hastened His Journey To Rome; But Titus His Son Returned To +Jerusalem. + 1. And now, when Vespasian had given answers to the + embassages, and had disposed of the places of power justly, +(25) and according to every one's deserts, he came to + Antioch, and consulting which way he had best take, he + preferred to go for Rome, rather than to march to + Alexandria, because he saw that Alexandria was sure to him +already, but that the affairs at Rome were put into disorder by +Vitellius; so he sent Mucianus to Italy, and committed a +considerable army both of horsemen and footmen to him; yet was +Mucianus afraid of going by sea, because it was the + middle of winter, and so he led his army on foot through +Cappadocia and Phrygia. + + 2. In the mean time, Antonius Primus took the third of the +legions that were in Mysia, for he was president of that +province, and made haste, in order to fight Vitellius; + whereupon Vitellius sent away Cecinna, with a great army, +having a mighty confidence in him, because of his having beaten +Otho. This Cecinna marched out of Rome in great + haste, and found Antonius about Cremona in Gall, which city is +in the borders of Italy; but when he saw there that the enemy +were numerous and in good order, he durst not fight them; and as +he thought a retreat dangerous, so he began to think of betraying +his army to Antonius. Accordingly, he assembled the centurions +and tribunes that were under his command, and persuaded them to +go over to Antonius, and + this by diminishing the reputation of Vitellius, and by + exaggerating the power of Vespasian. He also told them that +with the one there was no more than the bare name of + dominion, but with the other was the power of it; and that it +was better for them to prevent necessity, and gain favor, and, +while they were likely to be overcome in battle, to avoid the +danger beforehand, and go over to Antonius willingly; that +Vespasian was able of himself to subdue what had not yet +submitted without their assistance, while Vitellius could not +preserve what he had already with it. + + 3. Cecinna said this, and much more to the same purpose, and +persuaded them to comply with him; and both he and his army +deserted; but still the very same night the soldiers repented of +what they had done, and a fear seized on them, lest perhaps +Vitellius who sent them should get the better; and drawing their +swords, they assaulted Cecinna, in order to kill him; and the +thing had been done by them, if the + tribunes had not fallen upon their knees, and besought them not +to do it; so the soldiers did not kill him, but put him in bonds, +as a traitor, and were about to send him to Vitellius. When +[Antonius] Primus heard of this, he raised up his men +immediately, and made them put on their armor, and led + them against those that had revolted; hereupon they put + themselves in order of battle, and made a resistance for a +while, but were soon beaten, and fled to Cremona; then did Primus +take his horsemen, and cut off their entrance into the city, and +encompassed and destroyed a great multitude of them before the +city, and fell into the city together with the rest, and gave +leave to his soldiers to plunder it. And here it was that many +strangers, who were merchants, as well as + many of the people of that country, perished, and among + them Vitellius's whole army, being thirty thousand and two +hundred, while Antonius lost no more of those that came + with him from Mysia than four thousand and five hundred: he +then loosed Cecinna, and sent him to Vespasian to tell him the +good news. So he came, and was received by him, + and covered the scandal of his treachery by the unexpected +honors he received from Vespasian. + + 4. And now, upon the news that Antonius was approaching, +Sabinus took courage at Rome, and assembled those cohorts of +soldiers that kept watch by night, and in the night time seized +upon the capitol; and, as the day came on, many men of character +came over to him, with Domitian, his brother's son, whose +encouragement was of very great weight for the compassing the +government. Now Vitellius was not much + concerned at this Primus, but was very angry with those that +had revolted with Sabinus; and thirsting, out of his own natural +barbarity, after noble blood, he sent out that part of the army +which came along with him to fight against the + capitol; and many bold actions were done on this side, and on +the side of those that held the temple. But at last, the soldiers +that came from Germany, being too numerous for + the others, got the hill into their possession, where Domitian, +with many other of the principal Romans, providentially + escaped, while the rest of the multitude were entirely cut to +pieces, and Sabinus himself was brought to Vitellius, and then +slain; the soldiers also plundered the temple of its ornaments, +and set it on fire. But now within a day's time came + Antonius, with his army, and were met by Vitellius and his +army; and having had a battle in three several places, the last +were all destroyed. Then did Vitellius come out of the palace, in +his cups, and satiated with an extravagant and luxurious meal, as +in the last extremity, and being drawn along through the +multitude, and abused with all sorts of torments, had his head +cut off in the midst of Rome, having retained the + government eight months and five days (26) and had he lived +much longer, I cannot but think the empire would not have been +sufficient for his lust. Of the others that were slain, were +numbered above fifty thousand. This battle was fought on the +third day of the month Apelleus [Casleu]; on the next day +Mucianus came into the city with his army, and ordered Antonius +and his men to leave off killing; for they were still searching +the houses, and killed many of Vitellius's soldiers, and many of +the populace, as supposing them to be of his party, preventing by +their rage any accurate distinction between them and others. He +then produced Domitian, and + recommended him to the multitude, until his father should come +himself; so the people being now freed from their fears, made +acclamations of joy for Vespasian, as for their emperor, and kept +festival days for his confirmation, and for the destruction of +Vitellius. + + 5. And now, as Vespasian was come to Alexandria, this good news +came from Rome, and at the same time came embassies from all his +own habitable earth, to congratulate him upon his advancement; +and though this Alexandria was the greatest of all cities next to +Rome, it proved too narrow to contain the multitude that then +came to it. So upon this confirmation of Vespasian's entire +government, which was now settled, and upon the unexpected +deliverance of the public affairs of the Romans from ruin, +Vespasian turned his thoughts to what + remained unsubdued in Judea. However, he himself made + haste to go to Rome, as the winter was now almost over, and +soon set the affairs of Alexandria in order, but sent his son +Titus, with a select part of his army, to destroy Jerusalem. So +Titus marched on foot as far as Nicopolis, which is distant +twenty furlongs from Alexandria; there he put his army on board +some long ships, and sailed upon the river along the Mendesian +Nomus, as far as the city Tumuis; there he got out of the ships, +and walked on foot, and lodged all night at a small city called +Tanis. His second station was + Heracleopolis, and his third Pelusium; he then refreshed his +army at that place for two days, and on the third passed over the +mouths of the Nile at Pelusium; he then proceeded one station +over the desert, and pitched his camp at the temple of the Casian +Jupiter, (27) and on the next day at Ostracine. This station had +no water, but the people of the country make use of water brought +from other places. After this he rested at Rhinocolura, and from +thence he went to Raphia, which was his fourth station. This city +is the beginning of Syria. For his fifth station he pitched his +camp at Gaza; after which he came to Ascalon, and thence to +Jamnia, and after that to Joppa, and from Joppa to Cesarea, +having taken a resolution to gather all his other forces together +at that place. + +WAR BOOK 4 FOOTNOTES + +(1) Here we have the exact situation of of Jeroboam's "at the +exit of Little Jordan into Great Jordan, near the place called +Daphne, but of old Dan. See the note in Antiq. B. VIII. ch. 8. +sect. 4. But Reland suspects flint here we should read Dan +instead of there being no where else mention of a place called +Daphne. + +(2) These numbers in Josephus of thirty furlongs' ascent to the +top of Mount Tabor, whether we estimate it by winding and +gradual, or by the perpendicular altitude, and of twenty-six +furlongs' circumference upon the top, as also fifteen furlongs +for this ascent in Polybius, with Geminus's perpendicular +altitude of almost fourteen furlongs, here noted by Dr. Hudson, +do none of' them agree with the authentic testimony of Mr. +Maundrell, an eye-witness, p. 112, who says he was not an hour in +getting up to the top of this Mount Tabor, and that the area of +the top is an oval of about two furlongs in length, and one in +breadth. So I rather suppose Josephus wrote three furlongs for +the ascent or altitude, instead of thirty; and six furlongs for +the circumference at the top, instead of twenty-six,--since a +mountain of only three furlongs perpendicular altitude may easily +require near an hour's ascent, and the circumference of an oval +of the foregoing quantity is near six furlongs. Nor certainly +could such a vast circumference as twenty-six furlongs, or three +miles and a quarter, at that height be encompassed with a wall, +including a trench and other fortifications, (perhaps those still +remaining, ibid.) in the small interval of forty days, as +Josephus here says they were by himself. + +(3) This name Dorcas in Greek, was Tabitha in Hebrew or Syriac, +as Acts 9:36. Accordingly, some of the manuscripts set it down +here Tabetha or Tabeta. Nor can the context in Josephus be made +out by supposing the reading to have been this: "The son of +Tabitha; which, in the language of our country, denotes Dorcas" +[or a doe]. + +(4) Here we may discover the utter disgrace and ruin of the high +priesthood among the Jews, when undeserving, ignoble, and vile +persons were advanced to that holy office by the seditious; which +sort of high priests, as Josephus well remarks here, were +thereupon obliged to comply with and assist those that advanced +them in their impious practices. The names of these high priests, +or rather ridiculous and profane persons, were Jesus the son of +Damneus, Jesus the son of Gamaliel, Matthias the son of +Theophilus, and that prodigious ignoramus Phannias, the son of +Samuel; all whom we shall meet with in Josephus's future history +of this war; nor do we meet with any other so much as pretended +high priest after Phannias, till Jerusalem was taken and +destroyed. + +(5) This tribe or course of the high priests, or priests, here +called Eniachim, seems to the learned Mr. Lowth, one well versed +in Josephus, to be that 1 Chronicles 24:12, "the course of +Jakim," where some copies have" the course of Eliakim;" and I +think this to be by no means an improbable conjecture. + +(6) This Symeon, the son of Gamaliel, is mentioned as the +president of the Jewish sanhedrim, and one that perished in the +destruction of Jerusalem, by the Jewish Rabbins, as Reland +observes on this place. He also tells us that those Rabbins +mention one Jesus the son of Gamala, as once a high priest, but +this long before the destruction of Jerusalem; so that if he were +the same person with this Jesus the son of Gamala, Josephus, he +must have lived to be very old, or they have been very bad +chronologers. + +(7) It is worth noting here, that this Ananus, the best of the +Jews at this time, and the high priest, who was so very uneasy at +the profanation of the Jewish courts of the temple by the +zealots, did not however scruple the profanation of the "court of +the Gentiles;" as in our Savior's days it was very much profaned +by the Jews; and made a market-place, nay, a "den of thieves," +without scruple, Matthew 21:12, 13; Mark 11:15-17. Accordingly +Josephus himself, when he speaks of the two inner courts, calls +them both hagia or holy places; but, so far as I remember, never +gives that character of the court of the Gentiles. See B. V. ch. +9. sect. 2. + +(8) This appellation of Jerusalem given it here by Simon, the +general of the Idumeans, "the common city" of the Idumeans, who +were proselytes of justice, as well as of the original native +Jews, greatly confirms that maxim of the Rabbins, here set down +by Reland, that "Jerusalem was not assigned, or appropriated, to +the tribe of Benjamin or Judah, but every tribe had equal right +to it [at their coming to worship there at the several +festivals]." See a little before, ch. 3. sect. 3, or "worldly +worship," as the author to the Hebrews calls the sanctuary, "a +worldly sanctuary." + +(9) Some commentators are ready to suppose that this" Zacharias, +the son of Baruch," here most unjustly slain by the Jews in the +temple, was the very same person with "Zacharias, the son of +Barachias," whom our Savior says the Jews "slew between the +temple and the altar," Matthew 23:35. This is a somewhat strange +exposition; since Zechariah the prophet was really "the son of +Barachiah," and "grandson of Iddo, Zechariah 1:1; and how he +died, we have no other account than that before us in St. +Matthew: while this "Zacharias" was "the son of Baruch." Since +the slaughter was past when our Savior spake these words, the +Jews had then already slain him; whereas this slaughter of +"Zacharias, the son of Baruch," in Josephus, was then about +thirty-four years future. And since the slaughter was "between +the temple and the altar," in the court of the priests, one of +the most sacred and remote parts of the whole temple; while this +was, in Josephus's own words, in the middle of the temple, and +much the most probably in the court of Israel only (for we have +had no intimation that the zealots had at this time profaned the +court of the priests. See B. V. ch. 1. sect. 2). Nor do I believe +that our Josephus, who always insists on the peculiar sacredness +of the inmost court, and of the holy house that was in it, would +have omitted so material an aggravation of this barbarous murder, +as perpetrated in. a place so very holy, had that been the true +place of it. See Antiq. B. XI. ch. 7. sect. 1, and the note here +on B. V. ch. 1. sect. 2. + +(10) This prediction, that the city (Jerusalem) should then "be +taken, and the sanctuary burnt, by right of war, when a sedition +should invade Jews, and their own hands should pollute that +temple;" or, as it is B. VI. ch. 2. sect. 1, "when any one should +begin to slay his countrymen in the city;" is wanting in our +present copies of the Old Testament. See Essay on the Old Test. +p. 104--112. But this prediction, as Josephus well remarks here, +though, with the other predictions of the prophets, it was now +laughed at by the seditious, was by their very means soon exactly +fulfilled. However, I cannot but here take notice of Grotius's +positive assertion upon Matthew 26:9, here quoted by Dr. Hudson, +that "it ought to be taken for granted, as a certain truth, that +many predictions of the Jewish prophets were preserved, not in +writing, but by memory." Whereas, it seems to me so far from +certain, that I think it has no evidence nor probability at all. + +(11) By these hiera, or "holy places," as distinct from cities, +must be meant "proseuchae," or "houses of prayer," out of cities; +of which we find mention made in the New Testament and other +authors. See Luke 6:12; Acts 16:13, 16; Antiq. B. XIV. ch. 10. +sect. 23; his Life, sect. 51. "In qua te quero proseucha?" +Juvenal Sat. III. yet. 296. They were situated sometimes by the +sides of rivers, Acts 16:13, or by the sea-side, Antiq. B. XIV. +ch. 10. sect. 23. So did the seventy-two interpreters go to pray +every morning by the sea-side before they went to their work, B. +XII. ch. 2. sect. 12. + +(12) Gr. Galatia, and so everywhere. + +(13) Whether this Somorrhon, or Somorrha, ought not to be here +written Gomorrha, as some MSS. in a manner have it, (for the +place meant by Josephus seems to be near Segor, or Zoar, at the +very south of the Dead Sea, hard by which stood Sodom and +Gomorrha,) cannot now be certainly determined, but seems by no +means improbable. + +(14) This excellent prayer of Elisha is wanting in our copies, 2 +Kings 2:21, 22, though it be referred to also in the Apostolical +Constitutions, B. VII. ch. 37., and the success of it is +mentioned in them all. + +(15) See the note on B. V. ch. 13. sect. 6. + +(16) Of these Roman affairs and tumults under Galba, Otho, and +Vitellius, here only touched upon by Josephus, see Tacitus, +Suelonius, and Dio, more largely. However, we may observe with +Ottius, that Josephus writes the name of the second of them not +Otto, with many others, but Otho, with the coins. See also the +note on ch. 11. sect. 4. + +(17) Some of the ancients call this famous tree, or grove, an oak +others, a turpentine tree, or grove. It has been very famous in +all the past ages, and is so, I suppose, at this day; and that +particularly for an eminent mart or meeting of merchants there +every year, as the travelers inform us. + +(18) Puetonius differs hardly three days from Josephus, and says +Otho perished on the ninety-fifth day of his reign. In Anthon. +See the note on ch. 11. sect. 4. + +(19) This beginning and ending the observation of the Jewish +seventh day, or sabbath, with a priest's blowing of a trumpet, is +remarkable, and no where else mentioned, that I know of. Nor is +Reland's conjecture here improbable, that this was the very place +that has puzzled our commentators so long, called "Musach +Sabbati," the "Covert of the Sabbath," if that be the true +reading, 2 Kings 16:18, because here the proper priest stood dry, +under a "covering," to proclaim the beginning and ending of every +Jewish sabbath. + +(20) The Roman authors that now remain say Vitellius had +children, whereas Josephus introduces here the Roman soldiers in +Judea saying he had none. Which of these assertions was the truth +I know not. Spanheim thinks he hath given a peculiar reason for +calling Vitellius "childless," though he really had children, +Diss. de Num. p. 649, 650; to which it appears very difficult to +give our assent. + +(21) This brother of Vespasian was Flavius Sabinus, as Suetonius +informs us, in Vitell. sect. 15, and in Vespas. sect. 2. He is +also named by Josephus presently ch. 11. sect; 4. + +(22) It is plain by the nature of the thing, as well as by +Josephus and Eutropius, that Vespasian was first of all saluted +emperor in Judea, and not till some time afterward in Egypt. +Whence Tacitus's and Suetonius's present copies must be correct +text, when they both say that he was first proclaimed in Egypt, +and that on the calends of July, while they still say it was the +fifth of the Nones or Ides of the same July before he was +proclaimed in Judea. I suppose the month they there intended was +June, and not July, as the copies now have it; nor does Tacitus's +coherence imply less. See Essay on the Revelation, p. 136. + +(23) Here we have an authentic description of the bounds and +circumstances of Egypt, in the days of Vespasian and Titus. + +(24) As Daniel was preferred by Darius and Cyrus, on account of +his having foretold the destruction of the Babylonian monarchy by +their means, and the consequent exaltation of the Medes and +Persians, Daniel 5:6 or rather, as Jeremiah, when he was a +prisoner, was set at liberty, and honorably treated by +Nebuzaradan, at the command of Nebuchadnezzar, on account of his +having foretold the destruction of Jerusalem by the Babylonians, +Jeremiah 40:1-7; so was our Josephus set at liberty, and +honorably treated, on account of his having foretold the +advancement of Vespasian and Titus to the Roman empire. All these +are most eminent instances of the interposition of Divine +Providence. and of the certainty of Divine predictions in the +great revolutions of the four monarchies. Several such-like +examples there are, both in the sacred and other histories, as in +the case of Joseph in Egypt. and of Jaddua the high priest, in +the days of Alexander the Great, etc. + +(25) This is well observed by Josephus, that Vespasian, in order +to secure his success, and establish his government at first, +distributed his offices and places upon the foot of justice, and +bestowed them on such as best deserved them, and were best fit +for them. Which wise conduct in a mere heathen ought to put those +rulers and ministers of state to shame, who, professing +Christianity, act otherwise, and thereby expose themselves and +their kingdoms to vice and destruction. + +(26) The numbers in Josephus, ch. 9. sect. 2, 9, for Galba seven +months seven days, for Otho three months two days, and here for +Vitellius eight months five days, do not agree with any Roman +historians, who also disagree among themselves. And, indeed, +Sealiger justly complains, as Dr. Hudson observes on ch. 9. sect. +2, that this period is very confused and uncertain in the ancient +authors. They were probably some of them contemporary together +for some time; one of the best evidences we have, I mean +Ptolemy's Canon, omits them all, as if they did not all together +reign one whole year, nor had a single Thoth, or new-year's day, +(which then fell upon August 6,) in their entire reigns. Dio +also, who says that Vitellius reigned a year within ten days, +does yet estimate all their reigns together at no more than one +year, one month, and two days. + +(27) There are coins of this Casian Jupiter still extant. + +BOOK V. + + + + Containing The Interval Of Near Six Months. + + + From The Coming Of Titus To Besiege Jerusalem, To The + Great Extremity To Which The Jews Were Reduced. + + + CHAPTER 1. + + + Concerning The Seditions At Jerusalem And What Terrible + Miseries Afflicted The City By Their Means. + + 1. When therefore Titus had marched over that desert + which lies between Egypt and Syria, in the manner + forementioned, he came to Cesarea, having resolved to set his +forces in order at that place, before he began the war. Nay, +indeed, while he was assisting his father at + Alexandria, in settling that government which had been + newly conferred upon them by God, it so happened that the +sedition at Jerusalem was revived, and parted into three +factions, and that one faction fought against the other; which +partition in such evil cases may be said to be a good thing, and +the effect of Divine justice. Now as to the attack the zealots +made upon the people, and which I esteem the beginning of the +city's destruction, it hath been already explained after an +accurate manner; as also whence it + arose, and to how great a mischief it was increased. But for +the present sedition, one should not mistake if he called it a +sedition begotten by another sedition, and to be like a wild +beast grown mad, which, for want of food from abroad, fell now +upon eating its own flesh. + + 2. For Eleazar, the son of Simon, who made the first + separation of the zealots from the people, and made them retire +into the temple, appeared very angry at John's + insolent attempts, which he made everyday upon the + people; for this man never left off murdering; but the truth +was, that he could not bear to submit to a tyrant who set up +after him. So he being desirous of gaining the entire power and +dominion to himself, revolted from John, and took to his +assistance Judas the son of Chelcias, and Simon the + son of Ezron, who were among the men of greatest power. + There was also with him Hezekiah, the son of Chobar, a + person of eminence. Each of these were followed by a + great many of the zealots; these seized upon the inner + court of the temple (1) and laid their arms upon the holy +gates, and over the holy fronts of that court. And because they +had plenty of provisions, they were of good courage, for there +was a great abundance of what was consecrated + to sacred uses, and they scrupled not the making use of + them; yet were they afraid, on account of their small + number; and when they had laid up their arms there, they did +not stir from the place they were in. Now as to John, what +advantage he had above Eleazar in the multitude of + his followers, the like disadvantage he had in the situation he +was in, since he had his enemies over his head; and as he could +not make any assault upon them without some + terror, so was his anger too great to let them be at rest; nay, +although he suffered more mischief from Eleazar and his party +than he could inflict upon them, yet would he not leave off +assaulting them, insomuch that there were + continual sallies made one against another, as well as darts +thrown at one another, and the temple was defiled every + where with murders. + + 3. But now the tyrant Simon, the son of Gioras, whom the people +had invited in, out of the hopes they had of his + assistance in the great distresses they were in, having in his +power the upper city, and a great part of the lower, did now make +more vehement assaults upon John and his + party, because they were fought against from above also; yet +was he beneath their situation when he attacked them, as they +were beneath the attacks of the others above them. Whereby it +came to pass that John did both receive and + inflict great damage, and that easily, as he was fought + against on both sides; and the same advantage that + Eleazar and his party had over him, since he was beneath them, +the same advantage had he, by his higher situation, over Simon. +On which account he easily repelled the + attacks that were made from beneath, by the weapons + thrown from their hands only; but was obliged to repel + those that threw their darts from the temple above him, by his +engines of war; for he had such engines as threw darts, and +javelins, and stones, and that in no small number, by which he +did not only defend himself from such as fought against him, but +slew moreover many of the priests, as they were about their +sacred ministrations. For notwithstanding these men were mad with +all sorts of impiety, yet did they still admit those that desired +to offer their sacrifices, although they took care to search the +people of their own country beforehand, and both suspected and +watched + them; while they were not so much afraid of strangers, who, +although they had gotten leave of them, how cruel soever they +were, to come into that court, were yet often destroyed by this +sedition; for those darts that were thrown by the engines came +with that force, that they went over all the buildings, and +reached as far as the altar, and the temple itself, and fell upon +the priests, and those (2) that were about the sacred offices; +insomuch that many persons who came thither with great zeal from +the ends of the earth, to offer sacrifices at this celebrated +place, which was + esteemed holy by all mankind, fell down before their own +sacrifices themselves, and sprinkled that altar which was +venerable among all men, both Greeks and Barbarians, + with their own blood; till the dead bodies of strangers were +mingled together with those of their own country, and those of +profane persons with those of the priests, and the blood of all +sorts of dead carcasses stood in lakes in the holy courts +themselves. And now, "O must wretched city, what + misery so great as this didst thou suffer from the Romans, when +they came to purify thee from thy intestine hatred! 'For thou +couldst be no longer a place fit for God, nor + couldst thou long continue in being, after thou hadst been a +sepulcher for the bodies of thy own people, and hadst + made the holy house itself a burying-place in this civil war of +thine. Yet mayst thou again grow better, if perchance thou wilt +hereafter appease the anger of that God who is the author of thy +destruction." But I must restrain myself from these passions by +the rules of history, since this is not a proper time for +domestical lamentations, but for historical narrations; I +therefore return to the operations that follow in this sedition. +(3) + + 4. And now there were three treacherous factions in the + city, the one parted from the other. Eleazar and his party, +that kept the sacred first-fruits, came against John in their +cups. Those that were with John plundered the populace, + and went out with zeal against Simon. This Simon had his supply +of provisions from the city, in opposition to the seditious. +When, therefore, John was assaulted on both + sides, he made his men turn about, throwing his darts upon +those citizens that came up against him, from the cloisters he +had in his possession, while he opposed those that + attacked him from the temple by his engines of war. And if at +any time he was freed from those that were above him, which +happened frequently, from their being drunk and + tired, he sallied out with a great number upon Simon and his +party; and this he did always in such parts of the city as he +could come at, till he set on fire those houses that were full of +corn, and of all other provisions. (4) The same thing was done by +Simon, when, upon the other's retreat, he + attacked the city also; as if they had, on purpose, done it to +serve the Romans, by destroying what the city had laid up against +the siege, and by thus cutting off the nerves of their own power. +Accordingly, it so came to pass, that all the places that were +about the temple were burnt down, and + were become an intermediate desert space, ready for + fighting on both sides of it; and that almost all that corn was +burnt, which would have been sufficient for a siege of many +years. So they were taken by the means of the famine, + which it was impossible they should have been, unless they had +thus prepared the way for it by this procedure. + + 5. And now, as the city was engaged in a war on all sides, from +these treacherous crowds of wicked men, the people + of the city, between them, were like a great body torn in +pieces. The aged men and the women were in such + distress by their internal calamities, that they wished for the +Romans, and earnestly hoped for an external war, in order to +their delivery from their domestical miseries. The citizens +themselves were under a terrible consternation and fear; nor had +they any opportunity of taking counsel, and of + changing their conduct; nor were there any hopes of + coming to an agreement with their enemies; nor could such as +had a mind flee away; for guards were set at all places, and the +heads of the robbers, although they were seditious one against +another in other respects, yet did they agree in killing those +that were for peace with the Romans, or were suspected of an +inclination to desert them, as their common enemies. They agreed +in nothing but this, to kill those that were innocent. The noise +also of those that were fighting was incessant, both by day and +by night; but the + lamentations of those that mourned exceeded the other; nor was +there ever any occasion for them to leave off their + lamentations, because their calamities came perpetually + one upon another, although the deep consternation they + were in prevented their outward wailing; but being + constrained by their fear to conceal their inward passions, +they were inwardly tormented, without daring to open their lips +in groans. :Nor was any regard paid to those that were still +alive, by their relations; nor was there any care taken of burial +for those that were dead; the occasion of both which was this, +that every one despaired of himself; for those that were not +among the seditious had no great desires of any thing, as +expecting for certain that they should very soon be destroyed; +but for the seditious themselves, they fought against each other, +while they trod upon the dead bodies as they lay heaped one upon +another, and taking up a mad rage from those dead bodies that +were under their feet, + became the fiercer thereupon. They, moreover, were still +inventing somewhat or other that was pernicious against + themselves; and when they had resolved upon any thing, + they executed it without mercy, and omitted no method of +torment or of barbarity. Nay, John abused the sacred + materials, (5) and employed them in the construction of his +engines of war; for the people and the priests had formerly +determined to support the temple, and raise the holy house twenty +cubits higher; for king Agrippa had at a very great expense, and +with very great pains, brought thither such materials as were +proper for that purpose, being pieces of timber very well worth +seeing, both for their straightness and their largeness; but the +war coming on, and interrupting the work, John had them cut, and +prepared for the building him towers, he finding them long enough +to oppose from + them those his adversaries that thought him from the + temple that was above him. He also had them brought and + erected behind the inner court over against the west end of the +cloisters, where alone he could erect them ; whereas the other +sides of that court had so many steps as would not let them come +nigh enough the cloisters. + + 6. Thus did John hope to be too hard for his enemies by + these engines constructed by his impiety; but God himself +demonstrated that his pains would prove of no use to him, by +bringing the Romans upon him, before he had reared + any of his towers; for Titus, when he had gotten together part +of his forces about him, and had ordered the rest to meet him at +Jerusalem, marched out of Cesarea. He had + with him those three legions that had accompanied his + father when he laid Judea waste, together with that twelfth +legion which had been formerly beaten with Cestius; which legion, +as it was otherwise remarkable for its valor, so did it march on +now with greater alacrity to avenge themselves + on the Jews, as remembering what they had formerly + suffered from them. Of these legions he ordered the fifth to +meet him, by going through Emmaus, and the tenth to go + up by Jericho; he also moved himself, together with the + rest; besides whom, marched those auxiliaries that came + from the kings, being now more in number than before, + together with a considerable number that came to his + assistance from Syria. Those also that had been selected out of +these four legions, and sent with Mucianus to Italy, had their +places filled up out of these soldiers that came out of Egypt +with Titus; who were two thousand men, chosen + out of the armies at Alexandria. There followed him also three +thousand drawn from those that guarded the river + Euphrates; as also there came Tiberius Alexander, who + was a friend of his, most valuable, both for his good-will to +him, and for his prudence. He had formerly been governor of +Alexandria, but was now thought worthy to be general of the army +[under Titus]. The reason of this was, that he had been the first +who encouraged Vespasian very lately to + accept this his new dominion, and joined himself to him with +great fidelity, when things were uncertain, and fortune had not +yet declared for him. He also followed Titus as a + counselor, very useful to him in this war, both by his age and +skill in such affairs. + + CHAPTER 2. + + + + How Titus Marched To Jerusalem, And How He Was In + Danger As He Was Taking A View O The City Of The + Place Also Where He Pitched His Camp + + 1. Now, as Titus was upon his march into the enemy's + country, the auxiliaries that were sent by the kings marched +first, having all the other auxiliaries with them; after whom +followed those that were to prepare the roads and measure out the +camp; then came the commander's baggage, and + after that the other soldiers, who were completely armed to +support them; then came Titus himself, having with him + another select body; and then came the pikemen; after + whom came the horse belonging to that legion. All these + came before the engines; and after these engines came the +tribunes and the leaders of the cohorts, with their select +bodies; after these came the ensigns, with the eagle; and before +those ensigns came the trumpeters belonging to + them; next these came the main body of the army in their ranks, +every rank being six deep; the servants belonging to every legion +came after these; and before these last their baggage; the +mercenaries came last, and those that + guarded them brought up the rear. Now Titus, according to the +Roman usage, went in the front of the army after a + decent manner, and marched through Samaria to Gophna, + a city that had been formerly taken by his father, and was then +garrisoned by Roman soldiers; and when he had + lodged there one night, he marched on in the morning; and when +he had gone as far as a day's march, he pitched his camp at that +valley which the Jews, in their own tongue, call "the Valley of +Thorns," near a certain village called Gabaothsath, which +signifies "the Hill of Saul," being distant from Jerusalem about +thirty furlongs. (6) There it was that he chose out six hundred +select horsemen, and went to + take a view of the city, to observe what strength it was of, +and how courageous the Jews were; whether, when they + saw him, and before they came to a direct battle, they + would be affrighted and submit; for he had been informed what +was really true, that the people who were fallen under the power +of the seditious and the robbers were greatly + desirous of peace; but being too weak to rise up against the +rest, they lay still. + + 2. Now, so long as he rode along the straight road which led to +the wall of the city, nobody appeared out of the + gates; but when he went out of that road, and declined + towards the tower Psephinus, and led the band of + horsemen obliquely, an immense number of the Jews + leaped out suddenly at the towers called the "Women's + Towers," through that gate which was over against the + monuments of queen Helena, and intercepted his horse; + and standing directly opposite to those that still ran along +the road, hindered them from joining those that had + declined out of it. They intercepted Titus also, with a few +other. Now it was here impossible for him to go forward, because +all the places had trenches dug in them from the wall, to +preserve the gardens round about, and were full of gardens +obliquely situated, and of many hedges; and to + return back to his own men, he saw it was also impossible, by +reason of the multitude of the enemies that lay between them; +many of whom did not so much as know that the king was in any +danger, but supposed him still among them. So he perceived that +his preservation must be wholly owing to his own courage, and +turned his horse about, and cried out aloud to those that were +about him to follow him, and ran with violence into the midst of +his enemies, in order to force his way through them to his own +men. And hence we may + principally learn, that both the success of wars, and the +dangers that kings (7) are in, are under the providence of God; +for while such a number of darts were thrown at Titus, when he +had neither his head-piece on, nor his breastplate, (for, as I +told you, he went out not to fight, but to view the city,) none +of them touched his body, but went aside + without hurting him; as if all of them missed him on + purpose, and only made a noise as they passed by him. So he +diverted those perpetually with his sword that came on his side, +and overturned many of those that directly met him, and made his +horse ride over those that were + overthrown. The enemy indeed made a shout at the + boldness of Caesar, and exhorted one another to rush upon him. +Yet did these against whom he marched fly away, and go off from +him in great numbers; while those that were in the same danger +with him kept up close to him, though + they were wounded both on their backs and on their sides; for +they had each of them but this one hope of escaping, if they +could assist Titus in opening himself a way, that he might not be +encompassed round by his enemies before he + got away from them. Now there were two of those that + were with him, but at some distance; the one of which the enemy +compassed round, and slew him with their darts, + and his horse also; but the other they slew as he leaped down +from his horse, and carried off his horse with them. But Titus +escaped with the rest, and came safe to the + camp. So this success of the Jews' first attack raised their +minds, and gave them an ill-grounded hope; and this short +inclination of fortune, on their side, made them very + courageous for the future. + + 3. But now, as soon as that legion that had been at + Emmaus was joined to Caesar at night, he removed + thence, when it was day, and came to a place called + Seopus; from whence the city began already to be seen, + and a plain view might be taken of the great temple. + Accordingly, this place, on the north quarter of the city, and +joining thereto, was a plain, and very properly named + Scopus, [the prospect,] and was no more than seven + furlongs distant from it. And here it was that Titus ordered a +camp to be fortified for two legions that were to be together; +but ordered another camp to be fortified, at three furlongs +farther distance behind them, for the fifth legion; for he +thought that, by marching in the night, they might be tired, and +might deserve to be covered from the enemy, and with less fear +might fortify themselves; and as these were now beginning to +build, the tenth legion, who came through + Jericho, was already come to the place, where a certain + party of armed men had formerly lain, to guard that pass into +the city, and had been taken before by Vespasian. + These legions had orders to encamp at the distance of six +furlongs from Jerusalem, at the mount called the Mount of Olives +(8) which lies over against the city on the east side, and is +parted from it by a deep valley, interposed between them, which +is named Cedron. + + 4. Now when hitherto the several parties in the city had been +dashing one against another perpetually, this foreign war, now +suddenly come upon them after a violent manner, put the first +stop to their contentions one against another; and as the +seditious now saw with astonishment the + Romans pitching three several camps, they began to think of an +awkward sort of concord, and said one to another, + "What do we here, and what do we mean, when we suffer + three fortified walls to be built to coop us in, that we shall +not be able to breathe freely? while the enemy is securely +building a kind of city in opposition to us, and while we sit +still within our own walls, and become spectators only of what +they are doing, with our hands idle, and our armor laid by, as if +they were about somewhat that was for our good and advantage. We +are, it seems, (so did they cry out,) + only courageous against ourselves, while the Romans are + likely to gain the city without bloodshed by our sedition." +Thus did they encourage one another when they were + gotten together, and took their armor immediately, and ran out +upon the tenth legion, and fell upon the Romans with great +eagerness, and with a prodigious shout, as they were fortifying +their camp. These Romans were caught in + different parties, and this in order to perform their several +works, and on that account had in great measure laid aside their +arms; for they thought the Jews would not have + ventured to make a sally upon them; and had they been + disposed so to do, they supposed their sedition would have +distracted them. So they were put into disorder + unexpectedly; when some of hem left their works they were +about, and immediately marched off, while many ran to + their arms, but were smitten and slain before they could turn +back upon the enemy. The Jews became still more + and more in number, as encouraged by the good success + of those that first made the attack; and while they had such +good fortune, they seemed both to themselves and to the + enemy to be many more than they really were. The + disorderly way of their fighting at first put the Romans also +to a stand, who had been constantly used to fight skillfully in +good order, and with keeping their ranks, and obeying the orders +that were given them; for which reason the + Romans were caught unexpectedly, and were obliged to + give way to the assaults that were made upon them. Now + when these Romans were overtaken, and turned back upon + the Jews, they put a stop to their career; yet when they did +not take care enough of themselves through the + vehemency of their pursuit, they were wounded by them; + but as still more and more Jews sallied out of the city, the +Romans were at length brought into confusion, and put to fight, +and ran away from their camp. Nay, things looked as though the +entire legion would have been in danger, unless Titus had been +informed of the case they were in, and had sent them succors +immediately. So he reproached them for their cowardice, and +brought those back that were running away, and fell himself upon +the Jews on their flank, with those select troops that were with +him, and slew a + considerable number, and wounded more of them, and put + them all to flight, and made them run away hastily down the +valley. Now as these Jews suffered greatly in the declivity of +the valley, so when they were gotten over it, they turned about, +and stood over against the Romans, having the + valley between them, and there fought with them. Thus did they +continue the fight till noon; but when it was already a little +after noon, Titus set those that came to the assistance of the +Romans with him, and those that belonged to the + cohorts, to prevent the Jews from making any more sallies, and +then sent the rest of the legion to the upper part of the +mountain, to fortify their camp. + + 5. This march of the Romans seemed to the Jews to be a + flight; and as the watchman who was placed upon the wall gave a +signal by shaking his garment, there came out a + fresh multitude of Jews, and that with such mighty violence, +that one might compare it to the running of the most terrible +wild beasts. To say the truth, none of those that opposed them +could sustain the fury with which they made their + attacks; but, as if they had been cast out of an engine, they +brake the enemies' ranks to pieces, who were put to flight, and +ran away to the mountain; none but Titus himself, and a few +others with him, being left in the midst of the acclivity. Now +these others, who were his friends, despised the + danger they were in, and were ashamed to leave their + general, earnestly exhorting him to give way to these Jews that +are fond of dying, and not to run into such dangers before those +that ought to stay before him; to consider what his fortune was, +and not, by supplying the place of a + common soldier, to venture to turn back upon the enemy so +suddenly; and this because he was general in the war, and lord of +the habitable earth, on whose preservation the + public affairs do all depend. These persuasions Titus + seemed not so much as to hear, but opposed those that + ran upon him, and smote them on the face; and when he + had forced them to go back, he slew them: he also fell + upon great numbers as they marched down the hill, and + thrust them forward; while those men were so amazed at + his courage and his strength, that they could not fly directly +to the city, but declined from him on both sides, and + pressed after those that fled up the hill; yet did he still +fall upon their flank, and put a stop to their fury. In the mean +time, a disorder and a terror fell again upon those that were +fortifying their camp at the top of the hill, upon their seeing +those beneath them running away; insomuch that the whole legion +was dispersed, while they thought that the sallies of the Jews +upon them were plainly insupportable, and that + Titus was himself put to flight; because they took it for +granted, that, if he had staid, the rest would never have fled +for it. Thus were they encompassed on every side by a kind of +panic fear, and some dispersed themselves one way, + and some another, till certain of them saw their general in the +very midst of an action, and being under great concern for him, +they loudly proclaimed the danger he was in to the entire legion; +and now shame made them turn back, and + they reproached one another that they did worse than run away, +by deserting Caesar. So they used their utmost force against the +Jews, and declining from the straight declivity, they drove them +on heaps into the bottom of the valley. + Then did the Jews turn about and fight them; but as they were +themselves retiring, and now, because the Romans + had the advantage of the ground, and were above the + Jews, they drove them all into the valley. Titus also pressed +upon those that were near him, and sent the legion again to +fortify their camp; while he, and those that were with him +before, opposed the enemy, and kept them from doing + further mischief; insomuch that, if I may be allowed neither to +add any thing out of flattery, nor to diminish any thing out of +envy, but to speak the plain truth, Caesar did twice + deliver that entire legion when it was in jeopardy, and gave +them a quiet opportunity of fortifying their camp. + + CHAPTER 3. + + + + How The Sedition Was Again Revived Within Jerusalem + And Yet The Jews Contrived Snares For The Romans. How + Titus Also Threatened His Soldiers For Their Ungovernable +Rashness. + + 1. As now the war abroad ceased for a while, the sedition +within was revived; and on the feast of unleavened bread, which +was now come, it being the fourteenth day of the + month Xanthicus, [Nisan,] when it is believed the Jews were +first freed from the Egyptians, Eleazar and his party opened the +gates of this [inmost court of the] temple, and admitted such of +the people as were desirous to worship God into it. (9) But John +made use of this festival as a cloak for his treacherous designs, +and armed the most inconsiderable of his own party, the greater +part of whom were not purified, with weapons concealed under +their garments, and sent + them with great zeal into the temple, in order to seize upon +it; which armed men, when they were gotten in, threw their +garments away, and presently appeared in their armor. + Upon which there was a very great disorder and + disturbance about the holy house; while the people, who + had no concern in the sedition, supposed that this assault was +made against all without distinction, as the zealots thought it +was made against themselves only. So these left off guarding the +gates any longer, and leaped down from + their battlements before they came to an engagement, and fled +away into the subterranean caverns of the temple; + while the people that stood trembling at the altar, and about +the holy house, were rolled on heaps together, and + trampled upon, and were beaten both with wooden and with iron +weapons without mercy. Such also as had differences with others +slew many persons that were quiet, out of their own private +enmity and hatred, as if they were opposite to the seditious; and +all those that had formerly offended any of these plotters were +now known, and were now led away + to the slaughter; and when they had done abundance of + horrid mischief to the guiltless, they granted a truce to the +guilty, and let those go off that came cut of the caverns. These +followers of John also did now seize upon this inner temple, and +upon all the warlike engines therein, and then ventured to oppose +Simon. And thus that sedition, which + had been divided into three factions, was now reduced to two. + + 2. But Titus, intending to pitch his camp nearer to the city +than Scopus, placed as many of his choice horsemen and + footmen as he thought sufficient opposite to the Jews, to +prevent their sallying out upon them, while he gave orders for +the whole army to level the distance, as far as the wall of the +city. So they threw down all the hedges and walls which the +inhabitants had made about their gardens and + groves of trees, and cut down all the fruit trees that lay +between them and the wall of the city, and filled up all the +hollow places and the chasms, and demolished the rocky + precipices with iron instruments; and thereby made all the +place level from Scopus to Herod's monuments, which + adjoined to the pool called the Serpent's Pool. + + 3. Now at this very time the Jews contrived the following +stratagem against the Romans. The bolder sort of the + seditious went out at the towers, called the Women's + Towers, as if they had been ejected out of the city by those +who were for peace, and rambled about as if they were + afraid of being assaulted by the Romans, and were in fear of +one another; while those that stood upon the wall, and seemed to +be of the people's side, cried out aloud for + peace, and entreated they might have security for their lives +given them, and called for the Romans, promising to open the +gates to them; and as they cried out after that manner, they +threw stones at their own people, as though they + would drive them away from the gates. These also + pretended that they were excluded by force, and that they +petitioned those that were within to let them in; and rushing +upon the Romans perpetually, with violence, they then + came back, and seemed to be in great disorder. Now the + Roman soldiers thought this cunning stratagem of theirs + was to be believed real, and thinking they had the one + party under their power, and could punish them as they + pleased, and hoping that the other party would open their gates +to them, set to the execution of their designs + accordingly. But for Titus himself, he had this surprising +conduct of the Jews in suspicion; for whereas he had + invited them to come to terms of accommodation, by + Josephus, but one day before, he could then receive no + civil answer from them; so he ordered the soldiers to stay +where they were. However, some of them that were set in + the front of the works prevented him, and catching up their +arms ran to the gates; whereupon those that seemed to + have been ejected at the first retired; but as soon as the +soldiers were gotten between the towers on each side of + the gate, the Jews ran out and encompassed them round, + and fell upon them behind, while that multitude which stood +upon the wall threw a heap of stones and darts of all kinds at +them, insomuch that they slew a considerable number, + and wounded many more; for it was not easy for the + Romans to escape, by reason those behind them pressed + them forward; besides which, the shame they were under + for being mistaken, and the fear they were in of their + commanders, engaged them to persevere in their mistake; + wherefore they fought with their spears a great while, and +received many blows from the Jews, though indeed they + gave them as many blows again, and at last repelled those that +had encompassed them about, while the Jews pursued + them as they retired, and followed them, and threw darts at +them as far as the monuments of queen Helena. + + 4. After this these Jews, without keeping any decorum, + grew insolent upon their good fortune, and jested upon the +Romans for being deluded by the trick they bad put upon + them, and making a noise with beating their shields, leaped for +gladness, and made joyful exclamations; while these + soldiers were received with threatenings by their officers, and +with indignation by Caesar himself, [who spake to them thus]: +These Jews, who are only conducted by their + madness, do every thing with care and circumspection; they +contrive stratagems, and lay ambushes, and fortune gives success +to their stratagems, because they are obedient, + and preserve their goodwill and fidelity to one another; while +the Romans, to whom fortune uses to be ever + subservient, by reason of their good order, and ready + submission to their commanders, have now had ill success by +their contrary behavior, and by not being able to restrain their +hands from action, they have been caught; and that which is the +most to their reproach, they have gone on + without their commanders, in the very presence of Caesar. +"Truly," says Titus, "the laws of war cannot but groan + heavily, as will my father also himself, when he shall be +informed of this wound that hath been given us, since he who is +grown old in wars did never make so great a + mistake. Our laws of war do also ever inflict capital + punishment on those that in the least break into good order, +while at this time they have seen an entire army run into +disorder. However, those that have been so insolent shall be made +immediately sensible, that even they who conquer among the Romans +without orders for fighting are to be + under disgrace." When Titus had enlarged upon this matter +before the commanders, it appeared evident that he would execute +the law against all those that were concerned; so these soldiers' +minds sunk down in despair, as expecting to be put to death, and +that justly and quickly. However, the other legions came round +about Titus, and entreated his + favor to these their fellow soldiers, and made supplication to +him, that he would pardon the rashness of a few, on + account of the better obedience of all the rest; and + promised for them that they should make amends for their +present fault, by their more virtuous behavior for the time to +come. + + 5. So Caesar complied with their desires, and with what + prudence dictated to him also; for he esteemed it fit to punish +single persons by real executions, but that the + punishment of great multitudes should proceed no further than +reproofs; so he was reconciled to the soldiers, but gave them a +special charge to act more wisely for the + future; and he considered with himself how he might be + even with the Jews for their stratagem. And now when the space +between the Romans and the wall had been leveled, + which was done in four days, and as he was desirous to + bring the baggage of the army, with the rest of the + multitude that followed him, safely to the camp, he set the +strongest part of his army over against that wall which lay on +the north quarter of the city, and over against the + western part of it, and made his army seven deep, with the +foot-men placed before them, and the horsemen behind + them, each of the last in three ranks, whilst the archers stood +in the midst in seven ranks. And now as the Jews + were prohibited, by so great a body of men, from making + sallies upon the Romans, both the beasts that bare the + burdens, and belonged to the three legions, and the rest of the +multitude, marched on without any fear. But as for Titus himself, +he was but about two furlongs distant from the + wall, at that part of it where was the corner (10) and over +against that tower which was called Psephinus, at which + tower the compass of the wall belonging to the north + bended, and extended itself over against the west; but the +other part of the army fortified itself at the tower called +Hippicus, and was distant, in like manner, by two furlongs from +the city. However, the tenth legion continued in its own place, +upon the Mount of Olives. + + CHAPTER 4. + + + + The Description Of Jerusalem. + + 1. The city of Jerusalem was fortified with three walls, on +such parts as were not encompassed with unpassable + valleys; for in such places it had but one wall. The city was +built upon two hills, which are opposite to one another, and have +a valley to divide them asunder; at which valley the +corresponding rows of houses on both hills end. Of these hills, +that which contains the upper city is much higher, and in length +more direct. Accordingly, it was called the + "Citadel," by king David; he was the father of that Solomon who +built this temple at the first; but it is by us called the "Upper +Market-place." But the other hill, which was called "Acra," and +sustains the lower city, is of the shape of a moon when she is +horned; over against this there was a + third hill, but naturally lower than Acra, and parted formerly +from the other by a broad valley. However, in those times when +the Asamoneans reigned, they filled up that valley + with earth, and had a mind to join the city to the temple. They +then took off part of the height of Acra, and reduced it to be of +less elevation than it was before, that the temple might be +superior to it. Now the Valley of the + Cheesemongers, as it was called, and was that which we + told you before distinguished the hill of the upper city from +that of the lower, extended as far as Siloam; for that is the +name of a fountain which hath sweet water in it, and this in +great plenty also. But on the outsides, these hills are + surrounded by deep valleys, and by reason of the + precipices to them belonging on both sides they are every where +unpassable. + + 2. Now, of these three walls, the old one was hard to be taken, +both by reason of the valleys, and of that hill on which it was +built, and which was above them. But besides that great +advantage, as to the place where they were + situated, it was also built very strong; because David and +Solomon, and the following kings, were very zealous about this +work. Now that wall began on the north, at the tower called +"Hippicus," and extended as far as the "Xistus," a place so +called, and then, joining to the council-house, ended at the west +cloister of the temple. But if we go the other way westward, it +began at the same place, and + extended through a place called "Bethso," to the gate of the +Essens; and after that it went southward, having its bending +above the fountain Siloam, where it also bends again + towards the east at Solomon's pool, and reaches as far as a +certain place which they called "Ophlas," where it was joined to +the eastern cloister of the temple. The second wall took its +beginning from that gate which they called + "Gennath," which belonged to the first wall; it only + encompassed the northern quarter of the city, and reached as +far as the tower Antonia. The beginning of the third wall was at +the tower Hippicus, whence it reached as far as the north quarter +of the city, and the tower Psephinus, and then was so far +extended till it came over against the + monuments of Helena, which Helena was queen of + Adiabene, the daughter of Izates; it then extended further to a +great length, and passed by the sepulchral caverns of the kings, +and bent again at the tower of the corner, at the monument which +is called the "Monument of the Fuller," + and joined to the old wall at the valley called the "Valley of +Cedron." It was Agrippa who encompassed the parts added + to the old city with this wall, which had been all naked +before; for as the city grew more populous, it gradually crept +beyond its old limits, and those parts of it that stood northward +of the temple, and joined that hill to the city, made it +considerably larger, and occasioned that hill, which is in number +the fourth, and is called "Bezetha," to be + inhabited also. It lies over against the tower Antonia, but is +divided from it by a deep valley, which was dug on purpose, and +that in order to hinder the foundations of the tower of Antonia +from joining to this hill, and thereby affording an opportunity +for getting to it with ease, and hindering the security that +arose from its superior elevation; for which reason also that +depth of the ditch made the elevation of the towers more +remarkable. This new-built part of the city was called "Bezetha," +in our language, which, if interpreted in the Grecian language, +may be called "the New City." + Since, therefore, its inhabitants stood in need of a covering, +the father of the present king, and of the same name with him, +Agrippa, began that wall we spoke of; but he left off building it +when he had only laid the foundations, out of the fear he was in +of Claudius Caesar, lest he should suspect that so strong a wall +was built in order to make some + innovation in public affairs; for the city could no way have +been taken if that wall had been finished in the manner it was +begun; as its parts were connected together by stones twenty +cubits long, and ten cubits broad, which could never have been +either easily undermined by any iron tools, or shaken by any +engines. The wall was, however, ten cubits wide, and it would +probably have had a height greater than that, had not his zeal +who began it been hindered from + exerting itself. After this, it was erected with great +diligence by the Jews, as high as twenty cubits, above which it +had battlements of two cubits, and turrets of three cubits + altitude, insomuch that the entire altitude extended as far as +twenty-five cubits. + + 3. Now the towers that were upon it were twenty cubits in +breadth, and twenty cubits in height; they were square and solid, +as was the wall itself, wherein the niceness of the joints, and +the beauty of the stones, were no way inferior to those of the +holy house itself. Above this solid altitude of the towers, which +was twenty cubits, there were rooms of great magnificence, and +over them upper rooms, and + cisterns to receive rain-water. They were many in number, and +the steps by which you ascended up to them were + every one broad: of these towers then the third wall had +ninety, and the spaces between them were each two + hundred cubits; but in the middle wall were forty towers, and +the old wall was parted into sixty, while the whole + compass of the city was thirty-three furlongs. Now the third +wall was all of it wonderful; yet was the tower Psephinus +elevated above it at the north-west corner, and there Titus +pitched his own tent; for being seventy cubits high it both +afforded a prospect of Arabia at sun-rising, as well as it did of +the utmost limits of the Hebrew possessions at the sea westward. +Moreover, it was an octagon, and over against it was the tower +Hipplicus, and hard by two others were + erected by king Herod, in the old wall. These were for + largeness, beauty, and strength beyond all that were in the +habitable earth; for besides the magnanimity of his nature, and +his magnificence towards the city on other occasions, he built +these after such an extraordinary manner, to gratify his own +private affections, and dedicated these towers to the memory of +those three persons who had been the + dearest to him, and from whom he named them. They were + his brother, his friend, and his wife. This wife he had slain, +out of his love [and jealousy], as we have already related; the +other two he lost in war, as they were courageously + fighting. Hippicus, so named from his friend, was square; its +length and breadth were each twenty-five cubits, and its height +thirty, and it had no vacuity in it. Over this solid building, +which was composed of great stones united + together, there was a reservoir twenty cubits deep, over which +there was a house of two stories, whose height was twenty-five +cubits, and divided into several parts; over which were +battlements of two cubits, and turrets all round of three cubits +high, insomuch that the entire height added together amounted to +fourscore cubits. The second tower, which he named from his +brother Phasaelus, had its + breadth and its height equal, each of them forty cubits; over +which was its solid height of forty cubits; over which a cloister +went round about, whose height was ten cubits, and it was covered +from enemies by breast-works and bulwarks. There was also built +over that cloister another tower, parted into magnificent rooms, +and a place for bathing; so that this tower wanted nothing that +might make it appear to be a + royal palace. It was also adorned with battlements and + turrets, more than was the foregoing, and the entire altitude +was about ninety cubits; the appearance of it resembled the tower +of Pharus, which exhibited a fire to such as sailed to +Alexandria, but was much larger than it in compass. This was now +converted to a house, wherein Simon exercised + his tyrannical authority. The third tower was Mariamne, for +that was his queen's name; it was solid as high as twenty cubits; +its breadth and its length were twenty cubits, and were equal to +each other; its upper buildings were more + magnificent, and had greater variety, than the other towers +had; for the king thought it most proper for him to adorn that +which was denominated from his wife, better than + those denominated from men, as those were built stronger than +this that bore his wife's name. The entire height of this tower +was fifty cubits. + + 4. Now as these towers were so very tall, they appeared + much taller by the place on which they stood; for that very old +wall wherein they were was built on a high hill, and was itself a +kind of elevation that was still thirty cubits taller; over which +were the towers situated, and thereby were + made much higher to appearance. The largeness also of + the stones was wonderful; for they were not made of + common small stones, nor of such large ones only as men + could carry, but they were of white marble, cut out of the +rock; each stone was twenty cubits in length, and ten in breadth, +and five in depth. They were so exactly united to one another, +that each tower looked like one entire rock of stone, so growing +naturally, and afterward cut by the hand of the artificers into +their present shape and corners; so little, or not at all, did +their joints or connexion appear. low as these towers were +themselves on the north side of the wall, the king had a palace +inwardly thereto adjoined, which exceeds all my ability to +describe it; for it was so very curious as to want no cost nor +skill in its construction, but was entirely walled about to the +height of thirty cubits, and was adorned with towers at equal +distances, and with large bed-chambers, that would contain beds +for a hundred + guests a-piece, in which the variety of the stones is not to be +expressed; for a large quantity of those that were rare of that +kind was collected together. Their roofs were also + wonderful, both for the length of the beams, and the + splendor of their ornaments. The number of the rooms was also +very great, and the variety of the figures that were about them +was prodigious; their furniture was complete, and the greatest +part of the vessels that were put in them was of silver and gold. +There were besides many porticoes, one beyond another, round +about, and in each of those + porticoes curious pillars; yet were all the courts that were +exposed to the air every where green. There were, + moreover, several groves of trees, and long walks through them, +with deep canals, and cisterns, that in several parts were filled +with brazen statues, through which the water ran out. There were +withal many dove-courts (11) of tame + pigeons about the canals. But indeed it is not possible to give +a complete description of these palaces; and the very remembrance +of them is a torment to one, as putting one in mind what vastly +rich buildings that fire which was kindled by the robbers hath +consumed; for these were not burnt by the Romans, but by these +internal plotters, as we have + already related, in the beginning of their rebellion. That fire +began at the tower of Antonia, and went on to the palaces, and +consumed the upper parts of the three towers + themselves. + + CHAPTER 5. + + + + A Description Of The Temple. + + 1. Now this temple, as I have already said, was built upon a +strong hill. At first the plain at the top was hardly sufficient +for the holy house and the altar, for the ground about it was +very uneven, and like a precipice; but when king Solomon, who was +the person that built the temple, had built a wall to it on its +east side, there was then added one cloister + founded on a bank cast up for it, and on the other parts the +holy house stood naked. But in future ages the people + added new banks, (12) and the hill became a larger plain. They +then broke down the wall on the north side, and took in as much +as sufficed afterward for the compass of the + entire temple. And when they had built walls on three sides of +the temple round about, from the bottom of the hill, and had +performed a work that was greater than could be + hoped for, (in which work long ages were spent by them, as well +as all their sacred treasures were exhausted, which were still +replenished by those tributes which were sent to God from the +whole habitable earth,) they then + encompassed their upper courts with cloisters, as well as they +[afterward] did the lowest [court of the] temple. The lowest part +of this was erected to the height of three + hundred cubits, and in some places more; yet did not the entire +depth of the foundations appear, for they brought earth, and +filled up the valleys, as being desirous to make them on a level +with the narrow streets of the city; wherein they made use of +stones of forty cubits in magnitude; for the great plenty of +money they then had, and the liberality of the people, made this +attempt of theirs to succeed to an incredible degree; and what +could not be so much as hoped for as ever to be accomplished, +was, by perseverance and length of time, brought to perfection. + + 2. Now for the works that were above these foundations, + these were not unworthy of such foundations; for all the +cloisters were double, and the pillars to them belonging were +twenty-five cubits in height, and supported the + cloisters. These pillars were of one entire stone each of them, +and that stone was white marble; and the roofs were adorned with +cedar, curiously graven. The natural + magnificence, and excellent polish, and the harmony of the +joints in these cloisters, afforded a prospect that was very +remarkable; nor was it on the outside adorned with any + work of the painter or engraver. The cloisters [of the + outmost court] were in breadth thirty cubits, while the entire +compass of it was by measure six furlongs, including the tower of +Antonia; those entire courts that were exposed to the air were +laid with stones of all sorts. When you go + through these [first] cloisters, unto the second [court of the] +temple, there was a partition made of stone all round, + whose height was three cubits: its construction was very +elegant; upon it stood pillars, at equal distances from one +another, declaring the law of purity, some in Greek, and some in +Roman letters, that "no foreigner should go within that +sanctuary" for that second [court of the] temple was called "the +Sanctuary," and was ascended to by fourteen + steps from the first court. This court was four-square, and had +a wall about it peculiar to itself; the height of its buildings, +although it were on the outside forty cubits, (13) was hidden by +the steps, and on the inside that height was but twenty-five +cubits; for it being built over against a higher part of the hill +with steps, it was no further to be entirely discerned within, +being covered by the hill itself. Beyond these thirteen steps +there was the distance of ten cubits; this was all plain; whence +there were other steps, each of five cubits a-piece, that led to +the gates, which gates on the north and south sides were eight, +on each of those sides four, and of necessity two on the east. +For since there was a partition built for the women on that side, +as the proper place wherein they were to worship, there was a +necessity for a second gate for them: this gate was cut out of +its wall, over against the first gate. There was also on the +other sides one southern and one northern gate, through which + was a passage into the court of the women; for as to the other +gates, the women were not allowed to pass through + them; nor when they went through their own gate could + they go beyond their own wall. This place was allotted to the +women of our own country, and of other countries, + provided they were of the same nation, and that equally. The +western part of this court had no gate at all, but the wall was +built entire on that side. But then the cloisters which were +betwixt the gates extended from the wall + inward, before the chambers; for they were supported by + very fine and large pillars. These cloisters were single, and, +excepting their magnitude, were no way inferior to those of the +lower court. + + 3. Now nine of these gates were on every side covered + over with gold and silver, as were the jambs of their doors and +their lintels; but there was one gate that was without the +[inward court of the] holy house, which was of + Corinthian brass, and greatly excelled those that were only +covered over with silver and gold. Each gate had two + doors, whose height was severally thirty cubits, and their +breadth fifteen. However, they had large spaces within of thirty +cubits, and had on each side rooms, and those, both in breadth +and in length, built like towers, and their height was above +forty cubits. Two pillars did also support these rooms, and were +in circumference twelve cubits. Now the + magnitudes of the other gates were equal one to another; but +that over the Corinthian gate, which opened on the east over +against the gate of the holy house itself, was much larger; for +its height was fifty cubits; and its doors were forty cubits; and +it was adorned after a most costly manner, as having much richer +and thicker plates of silver and gold upon them than the other. +These nine gates had that silver and gold poured upon them by +Alexander, the father of + Tiberius. Now there were fifteen steps, which led away from the +wall of the court of the women to this greater gate; whereas +those that led thither from the other gates were five steps +shorter. + + 4. As to the holy house itself, which was placed in the midst +[of the inmost court], that most sacred part of the temple, it +was ascended to by twelve steps; and in front its height and its +breadth were equal, and each a hundred cubits, + though it was behind forty cubits narrower; for on its front it +had what may be styled shoulders on each side, that + passed twenty cubits further. Its first gate was seventy cubits +high, and twenty-five cubits broad; but this gate had no doors; +for it represented the universal visibility of heaven, and that +it cannot be excluded from any place. Its front was covered with +gold all over, and through it the first part of the house, that +was more inward, did all of it appear; which, as it was very +large, so did all the parts about the more inward gate appear to +shine to those that saw them; but then, as the entire house was +divided into two parts within, it was only the first part of it +that was open to our view. Its height extended all along to +ninety cubits in height, and its length was fifty cubits, and its +breadth twenty. But that gate which was at this end of the first +part of the house was, as we have already observed, all over +covered with + gold, as was its whole wall about it; it had also golden vines +above it, from which clusters of grapes hung as tall as a man's +height. But then this house, as it was divided into two parts, +the inner part was lower than the appearance of the outer, and +had golden doors of fifty-five cubits altitude, and sixteen in +breadth; but before these doors there was a veil of equal +largeness with the doors. It was a Babylonian + curtain, embroidered with blue, and fine linen, and scarlet, +and purple, and of a contexture that was truly wonderful. Nor was +this mixture of colors without its mystical + interpretation, but was a kind of image of the universe; for by +the scarlet there seemed to be enigmatically signified fire, by +the fine flax the earth, by the blue the air, and by the purple +the sea; two of them having their colors the + foundation of this resemblance; but the fine flax and the +purple have their own origin for that foundation, the earth +producing the one, and the sea the other. This curtain had also +embroidered upon it all that was mystical in the + heavens, excepting that of the [twelve] signs, representing +living creatures. + + 5. When any persons entered into the temple, its floor + received them. This part of the temple therefore was in + height sixty cubits, and its length the same; whereas its +breadth was but twenty cubits: but still that sixty cubits in +length was divided again, and the first part of it was cut off at +forty cubits, and had in it three things that were very wonderful +and famous among all mankind, the candlestick, the table [of +shew-bread], and the altar of incense. Now the seven lamps +signified the seven planets; for so many there were springing out +of the candlestick. Now the twelve + loaves that were upon the table signified the circle of the +zodiac and the year; but the altar of incense, by its thirteen +kinds of sweet-smelling spices with which the sea + replenished it, signified that God is the possessor of all +things that are both in the uninhabitable and habitable parts of +the earth, and that they are all to be dedicated to his use. But +the inmost part of the temple of all was of twenty cubits. This +was also separated from the outer part by a veil. In this there +was nothing at all. It was inaccessible and inviolable, and not +to be seen by any; and was called the Holy of Holies. Now, about +the sides of the lower part of the temple, there were little +houses, with passages out of one into another; there were a great +many of them, and they + were of three stories high; there were also entrances on each +side into them from the gate of the temple. But the superior part +of the temple had no such little houses any further, because the +temple was there narrower, and forty cubits higher, and of a +smaller body than the lower parts of it. Thus we collect that the +whole height, including the sixty cubits from the floor, amounted +to a hundred cubits. + + 6. Now the outward face of the temple in its front wanted +nothing that was likely to surprise either men's minds or their +eyes; for it was covered all over with plates of gold of great +weight, and, at the first rising of the sun, reflected back a +very fiery splendor, and made those who forced + themselves to look upon it to turn their eyes away, just as +they would have done at the sun's own rays. But this + temple appeared to strangers, when they were coming to it at a +distance, like a mountain covered with snow; for as to those +parts of it that were not gilt, they were exceeding white. On its +top it had spikes with sharp points, to prevent any pollution of +it by birds sitting upon it. Of its stones, some of them were +forty-five cubits in length, five in height, and six in breadth. +Before this temple stood the altar, fifteen cubits high, and +equal both in length and breadth; each of which dimensions was +fifty cubits. The figure it was built in was a square, and it had +corners like horns; and the + passage up to it was by an insensible acclivity. It was + formed without any iron tool, nor did any such iron tool so +much as touch it at any time. There was also a wall of + partition, about a cubit in height, made of fine stones, and so +as to be grateful to the sight; this encompassed the holy house +and the altar, and kept the people that were on the outside off +from the priests. Moreover, those that had the gonorrhea and the +leprosy were excluded out of the city + entirely; women also, when their courses were upon them, were +shut out of the temple; nor when they were free from that +impurity, were they allowed to go beyond the limit + before-mentioned; men also, that were not thoroughly pure, were +prohibited to come into the inner [court of the] temple; nay, the +priests themselves that were not pure were + prohibited to come into it also. + + 7. Now all those of the stock of the priests that could not +minister by reason of some defect in their bodies, came + within the partition, together with those that had no such +imperfection, and had their share with them by reason of their +stock, but still made use of none except their own private +garments; for nobody but he that officiated had on his sacred +garments; but then those priests that were + without any blemish upon them went up to the altar clothed in +fine linen. They abstained chiefly from wine, out of this fear, +lest otherwise they should transgress some rules of their +ministration. The high priest did also go up with them; not +always indeed, but on the seventh days and new + moons, and if any festivals belonging to our nation, which we +celebrate every year, happened. When he officiated, he had on a +pair of breeches that reached beneath his privy parts to his +thighs, and had on an inner garment of linen, together with a +blue garment, round, without seam, with + fringe work, and reaching to the feet. There were also + golden bells that hung upon the fringes, and pomegranates +intermixed among them. The bells signified thunder, and + the pomegranates lightning. But that girdle that tied the +garment to the breast was embroidered with five rows of + various colors, of gold, and purple, and scarlet, as also of +fine linen and blue, with which colors we told you before the +veils of the temple were embroidered also. The like + embroidery was upon the ephod; but the quantity of gold + therein was greater. Its figure was that of a stomacher for the +breast. There were upon it two golden buttons like small shields, +which buttoned the ephod to the garment; in these buttons were +enclosed two very large and very excellent + sardonyxes, having the names of the tribes of that nation +engraved upon them: on the other part there hung twelve + stones, three in a row one way, and four in the other; a +sardius, a topaz, and an emerald; a carbuncle, a jasper, and a +sapphire; an agate, an amethyst, and a ligure; an + onyx, a beryl, and a chrysolite; upon every one of which was +again engraved one of the forementioned names of the tribes. A +mitre also of fine linen encompassed his head, which was tied by +a blue ribbon, about which there was + another golden crown, in which was engraven the sacred + name [of God]: it consists of four vowels. However, the high +priest did not wear these garments at other times, but a more +plain habit; he only did it when he went into the most sacred +part of the temple, which he did but once in a year, on that day +when our custom is for all of us to keep a fast to God. And thus +much concerning the city and the temple; but for the customs and +laws hereto relating, we shall + speak more accurately another time; for there remain a + great many things thereto relating which have not been + here touched upon. + + 8. Now as to the tower of Antonia, it was situated at the +corner of two cloisters of the court of the temple; of that on +the west, and that on the north; it was erected upon a rock of +fifty cubits in height, and was on a great precipice; it was the +work of king Herod, wherein he demonstrated his + natural magnanimity. In the first place, the rock itself was +covered over with smooth pieces of stone, from its + foundation, both for ornament, and that any one who would +either try to get up or to go down it might not be able to hold +his feet upon it. Next to this, and before you come to the +edifice of the tower itself, there was a wall three cubits high; +but within that wall all the space of the tower of Antonia itself +was built upon, to the height of forty cubits. The inward parts +had the largeness and form of a palace, it being parted into all +kinds of rooms and other + conveniences, such as courts, and places for bathing, and broad +spaces for camps; insomuch that, by having all + conveniences that cities wanted, it might seem to be + composed of several cities, but by its magnificence it + seemed a palace. And as the entire structure resembled + that of a tower, it contained also four other distinct towers +at its four corners; whereof the others were but fifty cubits +high; whereas that which lay upon the southeast corner + was seventy cubits high, that from thence the whole temple +might be viewed; but on the corner where it joined to the two +cloisters of the temple, it had passages down to them both, +through which the guard (for there always lay in this tower a +Roman legion) went several ways among the + cloisters, with their arms, on the Jewish festivals, in order +to watch the people, that they might not there attempt to make +any innovations; for the temple was a fortress that guarded the +city, as was the tower of Antonia a guard to the temple; and in +that tower were the guards of those three (14). + There was also a peculiar fortress belonging to the upper city, +which was Herod's palace; but for the hill Bezetha, it was +divided from the tower Antonia, as we have already + told you; and as that hill on which the tower of Antonia stood +was the highest of these three, so did it adjoin to the new city, +and was the only place that hindered the sight of the temple on +the north. And this shall suffice at present to have spoken about +the city and the walls about it, because I have proposed to +myself to make a more accurate + description of it elsewhere. + + CHAPTER 6. + + + + Concerning The Tyrants Simon And John. How Also As + Titus Was Going Round The Wall Of This City Nicanor Was + Wounded By A Dart; Which Accident Provoked Titus To + Press On The Siege. + + + 1. Now the warlike men that were in the city, and the + multitude of the seditious that were with Simon, were ten +thousand, besides the Idumeans. Those ten thousand had + fifty commanders, over whom this Simon was supreme. The + Idumeans that paid him homage were five thousand, and + had eight commanders, among whom those of greatest + fame were Jacob the son of Sosas, and Simon the son of + Cathlas. Jotre, who had seized upon the temple, had six + thousand armed men under twenty commanders; the + zealots also that had come over to him, and left off their +opposition, were two thousand four hundred, and had the + same commander that they had formerly, Eleazar, together with +Simon the son of Arinus. Now, while these factions + fought one against another, the people were their prey on both +sides, as we have said already; and that part of the people who +would not join with them in their wicked + practices were plundered by both factions. Simon held the upper +city, and the great wall as far as Cedron, and as + much of the old wall as bent from Siloam to the east, and which +went down to the palace of Monobazus, who was + king of the Adiabeni, beyond Euphrates; he also held that +fountain, and the Acra, which was no other than the lower city; +he also held all that reached to the palace of queen Helena, the +mother of Monobazus. But John held the + temple, and the parts thereto adjoining, for a great way, as +also Ophla, and the valley called "the Valley of Cedron;" and +when the parts that were interposed between their + possessions were burnt by them, they left a space wherein they +might fight with each other; for this internal sedition did not +cease even when the Romans were encamped near + their very wall. But although they had grown wiser at the first +onset the Romans made upon them, this lasted but a while; for +they returned to their former madness, and + separated one from another, and fought it out, and did + everything that the besiegers could desire them to do; for they +never suffered any thing that was worse from the + Romans than they made each other suffer; nor was there + any misery endured by the city after these men's actions that +could be esteemed new. But it was most of all unhappy before it +was overthrown, while those that took it did it a greater +kindness for I venture to affirm that the sedition destroyed the +city, and the Romans destroyed the sedition, which it was a much +harder thing to do than to destroy the walls; so that we may +justly ascribe our misfortunes to our own people, and the just +vengeance taken on them to the + Romans; as to which matter let every one determine by the +actions on both sides. + + 2. Now when affairs within the city were in this posture, Titus +went round the city on the outside with some chosen horsemen, and +looked about for a proper place where he + might make an impression upon the walls; but as he was in doubt +where he could possibly make an attack on any side, (for the +place was no way accessible where the valleys + were, and on the other side the first wall appeared too + strong to be shaken by the engines,) he thereupon thought it +best to make his assault upon the monument of John the high +priest; for there it was that the first fortification was lower, +and the second was not joined to it, the builders neglecting to +build strong where the new city was not much inhabited; here also +was an easy passage to the third wall, through which he thought +to take the upper city, and, + through the tower of Antonia, the temple itself But at this +time, as he was going round about the city, one of his + friends, whose name was Nicanor, was wounded with a + dart on his left shoulder, as he approached, together with +Josephus, too near the wall, and attempted to discourse to those +that were upon the wall, about terms of peace; for he was a +person known by them. On this account it was that + Caesar, as soon as he knew their vehemence, that they + would not hear even such as approached them to persuade + them to what tended to their own preservation, was + provoked to press on the siege. He also at the same time gave +his soldiers leave to set the suburbs on fire, and + ordered that they should bring timber together, and raise banks +against the city; and when he had parted his army + into three parts, in order to set about those works, he + placed those that shot darts and the archers in the midst of +the banks that were then raising; before whom he placed + those engines that threw javelins, and darts, and stones, that +he might prevent the enemy from sallying out upon + their works, and might hinder those that were upon the wall +from being able to obstruct them. So the trees were now + cut down immediately, and the suburbs left naked. But now while +the timber was carrying to raise the banks, and the whole army +was earnestly engaged in their works, the Jews were not, however, +quiet; and it happened that the people of Jerusalem, who had been +hitherto plundered and + murdered, were now of good courage, and supposed they + should have a breathing time, while the others were very busy +in opposing their enemies without the city, and that they should +now be avenged on those that had been the + authors of their miseries, in case the Romans did but get the +victory. + + 3. However, John staid behind, out of his fear of Simon, even +while his own men were earnest in making a sally + upon their enemies without. Yet did not Simon lie still, for he +lay near the place of the siege; he brought his engines of war, +and disposed of them at due distances upon the + wall, both those which they took from Cestius formerly, and +those which they got when they seized the garrison that lay in +the tower Antonia. But though they had these engines in their +possession, they had so little skill in using them, that they +were in great measure useless to them; but a few + there were who had been taught by deserters how to use + them, which they did use, though after an awkward manner. So +they cast stones and arrows at those that were making the banks; +they also ran out upon them by companies, and fought with them. +Now those that were at work covered + themselves with hurdles spread over their banks, and their +engines were opposed to them when they made their + excursions. The engines, that all the legions had ready + prepared for them, were admirably contrived; but still more +extraordinary ones belonged to the tenth legion: those that threw +darts and those that threw stones were more forcible and larger +than the rest, by which they not only repelled the excursions of +the Jews, but drove those away that were + upon the walls also. Now the stones that were cast were of the +weight of a talent, and were carried two furlongs and further. +The blow they gave was no way to be sustained, + not only by those that stood first in the way, but by those +that were beyond them for a great space. As for the Jews, they at +first watched the coming of the stone, for it was of a white +color, and could therefore not only be perceived by the great +noise it made, but could be seen also before it came by its +brightness; accordingly the watchmen that sat upon the towers +gave them notice when the engine was let go, and the stone came +from it, and cried out aloud, in their own country language, The +Stone Cometh (15) so those + that were in its way stood off, and threw themselves down upon +the ground; by which means, and by their thus + guarding themselves, the stone fell down and did them no harm. +But the Romans contrived how to prevent that by + blacking the stone, who then could aim at them with + success, when the stone was not discerned beforehand, as it had +been till then; and so they destroyed many of them at one blow. +Yet did not the Jews, under all this distress, permit the Romans +to raise their banks in quiet; but they shrewdly and boldly +exerted themselves, and repelled them both by night and by day. + + 4. And now, upon the finishing the Roman works, the + workmen measured the distance there was from the wall, + and this by lead and a line, which they threw to it from their +banks; for they could not measure it any otherwise, + because the Jews would shoot at them, if they came to + measure it themselves; and when they found that the + engines could reach the wall, they brought them thither. Then +did Titus set his engines at proper distances, so much nearer to +the wall, that the Jews might not be able to repel them, and gave +orders they should go to work; and when + thereupon a prodigious noise echoed round about from + three places, and that on the sudden there was a great + noise made by the citizens that were within the city, and no +less a terror fell upon the seditious themselves; whereupon both +sorts, seeing the common danger they were in, + contrived to make a like defense. So those of different + factions cried out one to another, that they acted entirely as +in concert with their enemies; whereas they ought however, +notwithstanding God did not grant them a lasting concord, in +their present circumstances, to lay aside their enmities one +against another, and to unite together against the + Romans. Accordingly, Simon gave those that came from + the temple leave, by proclamation, to go upon the wall; + John also himself, though he could not believe Simon was in +earnest, gave them the same leave. So on both sides + they laid aside their hatred and their peculiar quarrels, and +formed themselves into one body; they then ran round the walls, +and having a vast number of torches with them, they threw them at +the machines, and shot darts perpetually + upon those that impelled those engines which battered the wall; +nay, the bolder sort leaped out by troops upon the hurdles that +covered the machines, and pulled them to + pieces, and fell upon those that belonged to them, and beat +them, not so much by any skill they had, as principally by the +boldness of their attacks. However, Titus himself still sent +assistance to those that were the hardest set, and + placed both horsemen and archers on the several sides of the +engines, and thereby beat off those that brought the fire to +them; he also thereby repelled those that shot stones or darts +from the towers, and then set the engines to work in good +earnest; yet did not the wall yield to these blows, excepting +where the battering ram of the fifteenth legion moved the corner +of a tower, while the wall itself continued unhurt; for the wall +was not presently in the same danger with the tower, which was +extant far above it; nor could the fall of that part of the tower +easily break down any part of the wall itself together with it. + + 5. And now the Jews intermitted their sallies for a while; but +when they observed the Romans dispersed all abroad at + their works, and in their several camps, (for they thought the +Jews had retired out of weariness and fear,) they all at once +made a sally at the tower Hippicus, through an + obscure gate, and at the same time brought fire to burn the +works, and went boldly up to the Romans, and to their very +fortifications themselves, where, at the cry they made, + those that were near them came presently to their + assistance, and those farther off came running after them; and +here the boldness of the Jews was too hard for the + good order of the Romans; and as they beat those whom + they first fell upon, so they pressed upon those that were now +gotten together. So this fight about the machines was very hot, +while the one side tried hard to set them on fire, and the other +side to prevent it; on both sides there was a confused cry made, +and many of those in the forefront of the battle were slain. +However, the Jews were now too hard for the Romans, by the +furious assaults they made like + madmen; and the fire caught hold of the works, and both all +those works, and the engines themselves, had been in + danger of being burnt, had not many of these select + soldiers that came from Alexandria opposed themselves to +prevent it, and had they not behaved themselves with + greater courage than they themselves supposed they could have +done; for they outdid those in this fight that had + greater reputation than themselves before. This was the + state of things till Caesar took the stoutest of his horsemen, +and attacked the enemy, while he himself slew twelve of + those that were in the forefront of the Jews; which death of +these men, when the rest of the multitude saw, they gave way, and +he pursued them, and drove them all into the city, and saved the +works from the fire. Now it happened at this fight that a certain +Jew was taken alive, who, by Titus's order, was crucified before +the wall, to see whether the rest of them would be aftrighted, +and abate of their obstinacy. But after the Jews were retired, +John, who was commander of the Idumeans, and was talking to a +certain soldier of his acquaintance before the wall, was wounded +by a dart shot at him by an Arabian, and died immediately, +leaving the + greatest lamentation to the Jews, and sorrow to the + seditious. For he was a man of great eminence, both for his +actions and his conduct also. + + CHAPTER 7. + + + + How One Of The Towers Erected By The Romans Fell + Down Of Its Own Accord; And How The Romans After + Great Slaughter Had Been Made Got Possession Of The + First Wall. How Also Titus Made His Assaults Upon The + Second Wall; As Also Concerning Longinus The Roman, + And Castor The Jew. + + 1. Now, on the next night, a surprising disturbance fell upon +the Romans; for whereas Titus had given orders for the + erection of three towers of fifty cubits high, that by setting +men upon them at every bank, he might from thence drive + those away who were upon the wall, it so happened that + one of these towers fell down about midnight; and as its fall +made a very great noise, fear fell upon the army, and they, +supposing that the enemy was coming to attack them, ran + all to their arms. Whereupon a disturbance and a tumult + arose among the legions, and as nobody could tell what + had happened, they went on after a disconsolate manner; + and seeing no enemy appear, they were afraid one of + another, and every one demanded of his neighbor the + watchword with great earnestness, as though the Jews had +invaded their camp. And now were they like people under a panic +fear, till Titus was informed of what had happened, and gave +orders that all should be acquainted with it; and then, though +with some difficulty, they got clear of the disturbance they had +been under. + + 2. Now these towers were very troublesome to the Jews, + who otherwise opposed the Romans very courageously; for + they shot at them out of their lighter engines from those +towers, as they did also by those that threw darts, and the +archers, and those that flung stones. For neither could the Jews +reach those that were over them, by reason of their height; and +it was not practicable to take them, nor to + overturn them, they were so heavy, nor to set them on fire, +because they were covered with plates of iron. So they + retired out of the reach of the darts, and did no longer +endeavor to hinder the impression of their rams, which, by +continually beating upon the wall, did gradually prevail against +it; so that the wall already gave way to the Nico, for by that +name did the Jews themselves call the greatest of their engines, +because it conquered all things. And now + they were for a long while grown weary of fighting, and of +keeping guards, and were retired to lodge in the night time at a +distance from the wall. It was on other accounts also thought by +them to be superfluous to guard the wall, there being besides +that two other fortifications still remaining, and they being +slothful, and their counsels having been ill concerted on all +occasions; so a great many grew lazy and retired. Then the Romans +mounted the breach, where Nico + had made one, and all the Jews left the guarding that wall, and +retreated to the second wall; so those that had gotten over that +wall opened the gates, and received all the army within it. And +thus did the Romans get possession of this first wall, on the +fifteenth day of the siege, which was the seventh day of the +month Artemisius, [Jyar,] when they + demolished a great part of it, as well as they did of the +northern parts of the city, which had been demolished also by +Cestius formerly. + + 3. And now Titus pitched his camp within the city, at that +place which was called "the Camp of the Assyrians," having seized +upon all that lay as far as Cedron, but took care to be out of +the reach of the Jews' darts. He then presently began his +attacks, upon which the Jews divided themselves into several +bodies, and courageously defended that wall; while John and his +faction did it from the tower of Antonia, and from the northern +cloister of the temple, and fought the Romans before the +monuments of king Alexander; and + Sireoh's army also took for their share the spot of ground that +was near John's monument, and fortified it as far as to that gate +where water was brought in to the tower Hippicus. However, the +Jews made violent sallies, and that frequently also, and in +bodies together out of the gates, and there fought the Romans; +and when they were pursued all + together to the wall, they were beaten in those fights, as +wanting the skill of the Romans. But when they fought them from +the walls, they were too hard for them; the Romans + being encouraged by their power, joined to their skill, as were +the Jews by their boldness, which was nourished by + the fear they were in, and that hardiness which is natural to +our nation under calamities; they were also encouraged still by +the hope of deliverance, as were the Romans by their + hopes of subduing them in a little time. Nor did either side +grow weary; but attacks and rightings upon the wall, and +perpetual sallies out in bodies, were there all the day long; nor +were there any sort of warlike engagements that were not then put +in use. And the night itself had much ado to part them, when they +began to fight in the morning; nay, the night itself was passed +without sleep on both sides, and was more uneasy than the day to +them, while the one was + afraid lest the wall should be taken, and the other lest the +Jews should make sallies upon their camps; both sides also lay in +their armor during the night time, and thereby were ready at the +first appearance of light to go to the battle. Now among the Jews +the ambition was who should + undergo the first dangers, and thereby gratify their + commanders. Above all, they had a great veneration and + dread of Simon; and to that degree was he regarded by + every one of those that were under him, that at his + command they were very ready to kill themselves with their own +hands. What made the Romans so courageous was + their usual custom of conquering and disuse of being + defeated, their constant wars, and perpetual warlike + exercises, and the grandeur of their dominion; and what + was now their chief encouragement -Titus who was present every +where with them all; for it appeared a terrible thing to grow +weary while Caesar was there, and fought bravely as well as they +did, and was himself at once an eye-witness of such as behaved +themselves valiantly, and he who was to + reward them also. It was, besides, esteemed an advantage at +present to have any one's valor known by Caesar; on + which account many of them appeared to have more + alacrity than strength to answer it. And now, as the Jews were +about this time standing in array before the wall, and that in a +strong body, and while both parties were throwing their darts at +each other, Longinus, one of the equestrian order, leaped out of +the army of the Romans, and leaped + into the very midst of the army of the Jews; and as they +dispersed themselves upon the attack, he slew two of their men of +the greatest courage; one of them he struck in his mouth as he +was coming to meet him, the other was slain + by him by that very dart which he drew out of the body of the +other, with which he ran this man through his side as he was +running away from him; and when he had done + this, he first of all ran out of the midst of his enemies to +his own side. So this man signalized himself for his valor, and +many there were who were ambitious of gaining the like + reputation. And now the Jews were unconcerned at what + they suffered themselves from the Romans, and were only + solicitous about what mischief they could do them; and + death itself seemed a small matter to them, if at the same time +they could but kill any one of their enemies. But Titus took care +to secure his own soldiers from harm, as well as to have them +overcome their enemies. He also said that + inconsiderate violence was madness, and that this alone + was the true courage that was joined with good conduct. + He therefore commanded his men to take care, when they + fought their enemies, that they received no harm from them at +the same time, and thereby show themselves to be truly valiant +men. + + 4. And now Titus brought one of his engines to the middle tower +of the north part of the wall, in which a certain crafty Jew, +whose name was Castor, lay in ambush, with ten + others like himself, the rest being fled away by reason of the +archers. These men lay still for a while, as in great fear, under +their breastplates; but when the tower was shaken, they arose, +and Castor did then stretch out his hand, as a petitioner, and +called for Caesar, and by his voice moved his compassion, and +begged of him to have mercy upon + them; and Titus, in the innocency of his heart, believing him +to be in earnest, and hoping that the Jews did now repent, +stopped the working of the battering ram, and forbade them to +shoot at the petitioners, and bid Castor say what he had a mind +to say to him. He said that he would come down, if he would give +him his right hand for his security. To which Titus replied, that +he was well pleased with such his + agreeable conduct, and would be well pleased if all the + Jews would be of his mind, and that he was ready to give the +like security to the city. Now five of the ten dissembled with +him, and pretended to beg for mercy, while the rest cried out +aloud that they would never be slaves to the + Romans, while it was in their power to die in a state of +freedom. Now while these men were quarrelling for a long while, +the attack was delayed; Castor also sent to Simon, and told him +that they might take some time for consultation about what was to +be done, because he would elude the + power of the Romans for a considerable time. And at the + same time that he sent thus to him, he appeared openly to +exhort those that were obstinate to accept of Titus's hand for +their security; but they seemed very angry at it, and brandished +their naked swords upon the breast-works, and struck themselves +upon their breast, and fell down as if they had been slain. +Hereupon Titus, and those with him, were amazed at the courage of +the men; and as they were + not able to see exactly what was done, they admired at + their great fortitude, and pitied their calamity. During this +interval, a certain person shot a dart at Castor, and + wounded him in his nose; whereupon he presently pulled + out the dart, and showed it to Titus, and complained that this +was unfair treatment; so Caesar reproved him that shot the dart, +and sent Josephus, who then stood by him, to + give his right hand to Castor. But Josephus said that he would +not go to him, because these pretended petitioners meant nothing +that was good; he also restrained those + friends of his who were zealous to go to him. But still there +was one Eneas, a deserter, who said he would go to him. + Castor also called to them, that somebody should come + and receive the money which he had with him; this made + Eneas the more earnestly to run to him with his bosom + open. Then did Castor take up a great stone, and threw it at +him, which missed him, because he guarded himself + against it; but still it wounded another soldier that was +coining to him. When Caesar understood that this was a + delusion, he perceived that mercy in war is a pernicious thing, +because such cunning tricks have less place under the exercise of +greater severity. So he caused the engine to work more strongly +than before, on account of his anger at the deceit put upon him. +But Castor and his companions + set the tower on fire when it began to give way, and leaped +through the flame into a hidden vault that was under it, which +made the Romans further suppose that they were + men of great courage, as having cast themselves into the fire. + + CHAPTER 8. + + + + How The Romans Took The Second Wall Twice, + And Got All Ready For Taking The Third Wall. + + 1. Now Caesar took this wall there on the fifth day after he +had taken the first; and when the Jews had fled from him, he +entered into it with a thousand armed men, and those of his +choice troops, and this at a place where were the + merchants of wool, the braziers, and the market for cloth, and +where the narrow streets led obliquely to the wall. + Wherefore, if Titus had either demolished a larger part of the +wall immediately, or had come in, and, according to the law of +war, had laid waste what was left, his victory would not, I +suppose, have been mixed with any loss to himself. But now, out +of the hope he had that he should make the + Jews ashamed of their obstinacy, by not being willing, when he +was able, to afflict them more than he needed to do, he did not +widen the breach of the wall, in order to make a safer retreat +upon occasion; for he did not think they would lay snares for him +that did them such a kindness. When + therefore he came in, he did not permit his soldiers to kill +any of those they caught, nor to set fire to their houses +neither; nay, he gave leave to the seditious, if they had a mind, +to fight without any harm to the people, and promised to restore +the people's effects to them; for he was very desirous to +preserve the city for his own sake, and the + temple for the sake of the city. As to the people, he had them +of a long time ready to comply with his proposals; but as to the +fighting men, this humanity of his seemed a mark of his weakness, +and they imagined that he made these + proposals because he was not able to take the rest of the city. +They also threatened death to the people, if they + should any one of them say a word about a surrender. + They moreover cut the throats of such as talked of a peace, and +then attacked those Romans that were come within the wall. Some +of them they met in the narrow streets, and + some they fought against from their houses, while they + made a sudden sally out at the upper gates, and assaulted such +Romans as were beyond the wall, till those that + guarded the wall were so aftrighted, that they leaped down from +their towers, and retired to their several camps: upon which a +great noise was made by the Romans that were + within, because they were encompassed round on every + side by their enemies; as also by them that were without, +because they were in fear for those that were left in the city. +Thus did the Jews grow more numerous perpetually, + and had great advantages over the Romans, by their full + knowledge of those narrow lanes; and they wounded a + great many of them, and fell upon them, and drove them + out of the city. Now these Romans were at present forced to +make the best resistance they could; for they were not able, in +great numbers, to get out at the breach in the wall, it was so +narrow. It is also probable that all those that were gotten +within had been cut to pieces, if Titus had not sent them +succors; for he ordered the archers to stand at the upper ends of +these narrow lakes, and he stood himself + where was the greatest multitude of his enemies, and with his +darts he put a stop to them; as with him did Domitius Sabinus +also, a valiant man, and one that in this battle appeared so to +be. Thus did Caesar continue to shoot darts at the Jews +continually, and to hinder them from coming + upon his men, and this until all his soldiers had retreated out +of the city. + + 2. And thus were the Romans driven out, after they had + possessed themselves of the second wall. Whereupon the + fighting men that were in the city were lifted up in their +minds, and were elevated upon this their good success, + and began to think that the Romans would never venture to come +into the city any more; and that if they kept within it +themselves, they should not be any more conquered. For + God had blinded their minds for the transgressions they + had been guilty of, nor could they see how much greater + forces the Romans had than those that were now expelled, no +more than they could discern how a famine was + creeping upon them; for hitherto they had fed themselves out of +the public miseries, and drank the blood of the city. But now +poverty had for a long time seized upon the better part, and a +great many had died already for want of + necessaries; although the seditious indeed supposed the + destruction of the people to be an easement to themselves; for +they desired that none others might be preserved but such as were +against a peace with the Romans, and were + resolved to live in opposition to them, and they were + pleased when the multitude of those of a contrary opinion were +consumed, as being then freed from a heavy burden. + And this was their disposition of mind with regard to those +that were within the city, while they covered themselves with +their armor, and prevented the Romans, when they + were trying to get into the city again, and made a wall of +their own bodies over against that part of the wall that was cast +down. Thus did they valiantly defend themselves for three days; +but on the fourth day they could not support themselves against +the vehement assaults of Titus but were compelled by force to fly +whither they had fled before; so he quietly possessed himself +again of that wall, and + demolished it entirely. And when he had put a garrison into the +towers that were on the south parts of the city, he + contrived how he might assault the third wall. + + CHAPTER 9. + + + + Titus When The Jews Were Not At All Mollified By His + Leaving Off The Siege For A While, Set Himself Again To + Prosecute The Same; But Soon Sent Josephus To + Discourse With His Own Countrymen About Peace. + + 1. A Resolution was now taken by Titus to relax the siege for a +little while, and to afford the seditious an interval for +consideration, and to see whether the demolishing of their second +wall would not make them a little more compliant, or whether they +were not somewhat afraid of a famine, + because the spoils they had gotten by rapine would not be +sufficient for them long; so he made use of this relaxation in +order to compass his own designs. Accordingly, as the + usual appointed time when he must distribute subsistence money +to the soldiers was now come, he gave orders that + the commanders should put the army into battle-array, in the +face of the enemy, and then give every one of the + soldiers their pay. So the soldiers, according to custom, +opened the cases wherein their arms before lay covered, + and marched with their breastplates on, as did the + horsemen lead their horses in their fine trappings. Then did +the places that were before the city shine very splendidly for a +great way; nor was there any thing so grateful to + Titus's own men, or so terrible to the enemy, as that sight. +For the whole old wall, and the north side of the temple, were +full of spectators, and one might see the houses full of such as +looked at them; nor was there any part of the city which was not +covered over with their multitudes; nay, a very great +consternation seized upon the hardiest of the Jews themselves, +when they saw all the army in the same + place, together with the fineness of their arms, and the good +order of their men. And I cannot but think that the seditious +would have changed their minds at that sight, + unless the crimes they had committed against the people + had been so horrid, that they despaired of forgiveness from the +Romans; but as they believed death with torments must be their +punishment, if they did not go on in the defense of the city, +they thought it much better to die in war. Fate also prevailed so +far over them, that the innocent were to perish with the guilty, +and the city was to be destroyed with the seditious that were in +it. + + 2. Thus did the Romans spend four days in bringing this + subsistence-money to the several legions. But on the fifth day, +when no signs of peace appeared to come from the + Jews, Titus divided his legions, and began to raise banks, both +at the tower of Antonia and at John's monument. Now his designs +were to take the upper city at that monument, and the temple at +the tower of Antonia; for if the temple were not taken, it would +be dangerous to keep the city + itself; so at each of these parts he raised him banks, each +legion raising one. As for those that wrought at John's + monument, the Idumeans, and those that were in arms with Simon, +made sallies upon them, and put some stop to + them; while John's party, and the multitude of zealots with +them, did the like to those that were before the tower of +Antonia. These Jews were now too hard for the Romans, + not only in direct fighting, because they stood upon the higher +ground, but because they had now learned to use + their own engines; for their continual use of them one day +after another did by degrees improve their skill about them; for +of one sort of engines for darts they had three hundred, and +forty for stones; by the means of which they made it more tedious +for the Romans to raise their banks. But then Titus, knowing that +the city would be either saved or + destroyed for himself, did not only proceed earnestly in the +siege, but did not omit to have the Jews exhorted to + repentance; so he mixed good counsel with his works for + the siege. And being sensible that exhortations are + frequently more effectual than arms, he persuaded them to +surrender the city, now in a manner already taken, and + thereby to save themselves, and sent Josephus to speak to them +in their own language; for he imagined they might + yield to the persuasion of a countryman of their own. + + 3. So Josephus went round about the wall, and tried to find a +place that was out of the reach of their darts, and yet within +their hearing, and besought them, in many words, to spare +themselves, to spare their country and their temple, and not to +be more obdurate in these cases than foreigners themselves; for +that the Romans, who had no relation to + those things, had a reverence for their sacred rites and +places, although they belonged to their enemies, and had till now +kept their hands off from meddling with them; while such as were +brought up under them, and, if they be + preserved, will be the only people that will reap the benefit +of them, hurry on to have them destroyed. That certainly they +have seen their strongest walls demolished, and that the wall +still remaining was weaker than those that were already taken. +That they must know the Roman power was + invincible, and that they had been used to serve them; for, +that in case it be allowed a right thing to fight for liberty, +that ought to have been done at first; but for them that have +once fallen under the power of the Romans, and have now + submitted to them for so many long years, to pretend to + shake off that yoke afterward, was the work of such as had a +mind to die miserably, not of such as were lovers of + liberty. Besides, men may well enough grudge at the + dishonor of owning ignoble masters over them, but ought + not to do so to those who have all things under their + command; for what part of the world is there that hath + escaped the Romans, unless it be such as are of no use + for violent heat, or for violent cold? And evident it is that +fortune is on all hands gone over to them; and that God, when he +had gone round the nations with this dominion, is now settled in +Italy. That, moreover, it is a strong and fixed law, even among +brute beasts, as well as among men, to + yield to those that are too strong for them; and to stiffer +those to have the dominion who are too hard for the rest in war; +for which reason it was that their forefathers, who were far +superior to them, both in their souls and bodies, and other +advantages, did yet submit to the Romans, which + they would not have suffered, had they not known that God was +with them. As for themselves, what can they depend + on in this their opposition, when the greatest part of their +city is already taken? and when those that are within it are +under greater miseries than if they were taken, although their +walls be still standing? For that the Romans are not unacquainted +with that famine which is in the city, whereby the people are +already consumed, and the fighting men will in a little time be +so too; for although the Romans should leave off the siege, and +not fall upon the city with their swords in their hands, yet was +there an insuperable war + that beset them within, and was augmented every hour, + unless they were able to wage war with famine, and fight +against it, or could alone conquer their natural appetites. He +added this further, how right a thing it was to change their +conduct before their calamities were become incurable, and to +have recourse to such advice as might preserve them, + while opportunity was offered them for so doing; for that the +Romans would not be mindful of their past actions to their +disadvantage, unless they persevered in their insolent + behavior to the end; because they were naturally mild in their +conquests, and preferred what was profitable, before what their +passions dictated to them; which profit of theirs lay not in +leaving the city empty of inhabitants, nor the country a desert; +on which account Caesar did now offer + them his right hand for their security. Whereas, if he took the +city by force, he would not save any of them, and this +especially, if they rejected his offers in these their utmost +distresses; for the walls that were already taken could not but +assure them that the third wall would quickly be taken also. And +though their fortifications should prove too strong for the +Romans to break through them, yet would the + famine fight for the Romans against them. + + 4. While Josephus was making this exhortation to the Jews, many +of them jested upon him from the wall, and many + reproached him; nay, some threw their darts at him: but + when he could not himself persuade them by such open + good advice, he betook himself to the histories belonging to +their own nation, and cried out aloud, "O miserable + creatures! are you so unmindful of those that used to assist +you, that you will fight by your weapons and by your hands +against the Romans? When did we ever conquer any other + nation by such means? and when was it that God, who is + the Creator of the Jewish people, did not avenge them + when they had been injured? Will not you turn again, and look +back, and consider whence it is that you fight with such +violence, and how great a Supporter you have + profanely abused? Will not you recall to mind the prodigious +things done for your forefathers and this holy place, and how +great enemies of yours were by him subdued under + you? I even tremble myself in declaring the works of God before +your ears, that are unworthy to hear them; however, hearken to +me, that you may be informed how you fight not only against the +Romans, but against God himself. In old times there was one +Necao, king of Egypt, who was also + called Pharaoh; he came with a prodigious army of soldiers, and +seized queen Sarah, the mother of our nation. What + did Abraham our progenitor then do? Did he defend himself from +this injurious person by war, although he had three hundred and +eighteen captains under him, and an immense + army under each of them? Indeed he deemed them to be + no number at all without God's assistance, and only spread out +his hands towards this holy place, (16) which you have now +polluted, and reckoned upon him as upon his invincible supporter, +instead of his own army. Was not our queen + sent back, without any defilement, to her husband, the very +next evening? - while the king of Egypt fled away, adoring this +place which you have defiled by shedding thereon the blood of +your own countrymen; and he also trembled at + those visions which he saw in the night season, and + bestowed both silver and gold on the Hebrews, as on a + people beloved by God. Shall I say nothing, or shall I + mention the removal of our fathers into Egypt, who, (17) when +they were used tyrannically, and were fallen under + the power of foreign kings for four hundred ears together, and +might have defended themselves by war and by + fighting, did yet do nothing but commit themselves to God! Who +is there that does not know that Egypt was overrun + with all sorts of wild beasts, and consumed by all sorts of +distempers? how their land did not bring forth its fruit? how the +Nile failed of water? how the ten plagues of Egypt + followed one upon another? and how by those means our + fathers were sent away under a guard, without any + bloodshed, and without running any dangers, because God + conducted them as his peculiar servants? Moreover, did not +Palestine groan under the ravage the Assyrians made, + when they carried away our sacred ark? as did their idol Dagon, +and as also did that entire nation of those that + carried it away, how they were smitten with a loathsome + distemper in the secret parts of their bodies, when their very +bowels came down together with what they had eaten, till those +hands that stole it away were obliged to bring it back again, and +that with the sound of cymbals and + timbrels, and other oblations, in order to appease the anger of +God for their violation of his holy ark. It was God who then +became our General, and accomplished these great + things for our fathers, and this because they did not meddle +with war and fighting, but committed it to him to judge about +their affairs. When Sennacherib, king of Assyria, brought along +with him all Asia, and encompassed this city round with his army, +did he fall by the hands of men? were not those hands lifted up +to God in prayers, without meddling with their arms, when an +angel of God destroyed that + prodigious army in one night? when the Assyrian king, as he +rose the next day, found a hundred fourscore and five thousand +dead bodies, and when he, with the remainder of his army, fled +away from the Hebrews, though they were + unarmed, and did not pursue them. You are also + acquainted with the slavery we were under at Babylon, + where the people were captives for seventy years; yet were they +not delivered into freedom again before God made + Cyrus his gracious instrument in bringing it about; + accordingly they were set free by him, and did again + restore the worship of their Deliverer at his temple. And, to +speak in general, we can produce no example wherein our + fathers got any success by war, or failed of success when +without war they committed themselves to God. When they + staid at home, they conquered, as pleased their Judge; but when +they went out to fight, they were always disappointed: for +example, when the king of Babylon besieged this very city, and +our king Zedekiah fought against him, contrary to what +predictions were made to him by Jeremiah the + prophet, he was at once taken prisoner, and saw the city and +the temple demolished. Yet how much greater was the + moderation of that king, than is that of your present + governors, and that of the people then under him, than is that +of you at this time! for when Jeremiah cried out aloud, how very +angry God was at them, because of their + transgressions, and told them they should be taken + prisoners, unless they would surrender up their city, neither +did the king nor the people put him to death; but for you, (to +pass over what you have done within the city, which I am not able +to describe as your wickedness deserves,) you + abuse me, and throw darts at me, who only exhort you to + save yourselves, as being provoked when you are put in + mind of your sins, and cannot bear the very mention of + those crimes which you every day perpetrate. For another +example, when Antiochus, who was called Epiphanes, lay + before this city, and had been guilty of many indignities +against God, and our forefathers met him in arms, they + then were slain in the battle, this city was plundered by our +enemies, and our sanctuary made desolate for three years and six +months. And what need I bring any more + examples? Indeed what can it be that hath stirred up an army of +the Romans against our nation? Is it not the impiety of the +inhabitants? Whence did our servitude commence? Was it not +derived from the seditions that were among our forefathers, when +the madness of Aristobulus and Hyrcanus, and our mutual quarrels, +brought Pompey upon this city, and when God reduced those under +subjection to the Romans who were unworthy of the liberty they +had enjoyed? After a siege, therefore, of three months, they were +forced to surrender themselves, although they had not been guilty +of such offenses, with regard to our sanctuary and our laws, as +you have; and this while they had much greater advantages to go +to war than you have. Do not we know what end Antigonus, the son +of Aristobulus, came to, under whose reign God provided that this +city should be taken again upon account of the people's offenses? +When Herod, the son of Antipater, brought upon us Sosius, and +Sosius brought upon us the Roman army, they were then encompassed +and besieged for six months, till, as a punishment for their +sins, they were taken, and the city was plundered by the enemy. +Thus it appears that arms were never given to our nation, but +that we are always given up to be fought against, and to be +taken; for I suppose that such as inhabit this holy place ought +to commit the disposal of all things to God, and then only to +disregard the assistance of men when they resign themselves up to +their Arbitrator, who is above. As for you, what have you done of +those things that are recommended by our legislator? and what +have you not done of those things that he hath condemned? How +much more impious are you than those who were so quickly taken! +You have not avoided so much as those sins that are usually done +in secret; I mean thefts, and treacherous plots against men, and +adulteries. You are quarrelling about rapines and murders, and +invent strange ways of wickedness. Nay, the temple itself is +become the receptacle of all, and this Divine place is polluted +by the hands of those of our own country; which place hath yet +been reverenced by the Romans when it was at a distance from +them, when they have suffered many of their own customs to give +place to our law. And, after all this, do you expect Him whom you +have so impiously abused to be your supporter? To be sure then +you have a right to be petitioners, and to call upon Him to +assist you, so pure are your hands! Did your king [Hezekiah] lift +up such hands in prayer to God against the king of Assyria, when +he destroyed that great army in one night? And do the Romans +commit such wickedness as did the king of Assyria, that you may +have reason to hope for the like vengeance upon them? Did not +that king accept of money from our king on this condition, that +he should not destroy the city, and yet, contrary to the oath he +had taken, he came down to burn the temple? while the Romans do +demand no more than that accustomed tribute which our fathers +paid to their fathers; and if they may but once obtain that, they +neither aim to destroy this city, nor to touch this sanctuary; +nay, they will grant you besides, that your posterity shall be +free, and your possessions secured to you, and will preserve our +holy laws inviolate to you. And it is plain madness to expect +that God should appear as well disposed towards the wicked as +towards the righteous, since he knows when it is proper to punish +men for their sins immediately; accordingly he brake the power of +the Assyrians the very first night that they pitched their camp. +Wherefore, had he judged that our nation was worthy of freedom, +or the Romans of punishment, he had immediately inflicted +punishment upon those Romans, as he did upon the Assyrians, when +Pompey began to meddle with our nation, or when after him Sosius +came up against us, or when Vespasian laid waste Galilee, or, +lastly, when Titus came first of all near to this city; although +Magnus and Sosius did not only suffer nothing, but took the city +by force; as did Vespasian go from the war he made against you to +receive the empire; and as for Titus, those springs that were +formerly almost dried up when they were under your power (18) +since he is come, run more plentifully than they did before; +accordingly, you know that Siloam, as well as all the other +springs that were without the city, did so far fail, that water +was sold by distinct measures; whereas they now have such a great +quantity of water for your enemies, as is sufficient not only for +drink both for themselves and their cattle, but for watering +their gardens also. The same wonderful sign you had also +experience of formerly, when the forementioned king of Babylon +made war against us, and when he took the city, and burnt the +temple; while yet I believe the Jews of that age were not so +impious as you are. Wherefore I cannot but suppose that God is +fled out of his sanctuary, and stands on the side of those +against whom you fight. Now even a man, if he be but a good man, +will fly from an impure house, and will hate those that are in +it; and do you persuade yourselves that God will abide with you +in your iniquities, who sees all secret things, and hears what is +kept most private? Now what crime is there, I pray you, that is +so much as kept secret among you, or is concealed by you? nay, +what is there that is not open to your very enemies? for you show +your transgressions after a pompous manner, and contend one with +another which of you shall be more wicked than another; and you +make a public demonstration of your injustice, as if it were +virtue. However, there is a place left for your preservation, if +you be willing to accept of it; and God is easily reconciled to +those that confess their faults, and repent of them. O +hard-hearted wretches as you are! cast away all your arms, and +take pity of your country already going to ruin; return from your +wicked ways, and have regard to the excellency of that city which +you are going to betray, to that excellent temple with the +donations of so many countries in it. Who could bear to be the +first that should set that temple on fire? who could be willing +that these things should be no more? and what is there that can +better deserve to be preserved? O insensible creatures, and more +stupid than are the stones themselves! And if you cannot look at +these things with discerning eyes, yet, however, have pity upon +your families, and set before every one of your eyes your +children, and wives, and parents, who will be gradually consumed +either by famine or by war. I am sensible that this danger will +extend to my mother, and wife, and to that family of mine who +have been by no means ignoble, and indeed to one that hath been +very eminent in old time; and perhaps you may imagine that it is +on their account only that I give you this advice; if that be +all, kill them; nay, take my own blood as a reward, if it may but +procure your preservation; for I am ready to die, in case you +will but return to a sound mind after my death." + +CHAPTER 10. + + + +How A Great Many Of The People Earnestly Endeavored +To Desert To The Romans; As Also What Intolerable +Things Those That Staid Behind Suffered By Famine, And +The Sad Consequences Thereof. + +1. As Josephus was speaking thus with a loud voice, the seditious +would neither yield to what he said, nor did they deem it safe +for them to alter their conduct; but as for the people, they had +a great inclination to desert to the Romans; accordingly, some of +them sold what they had, and even the most precious things that +had been laid up as treasures by them, for every small matter, +and swallowed down pieces of gold, that they might not be found +out by the robbers; and when they had escaped to the Romans, +went to stool, and had wherewithal to provide plentifully for +themselves; for Titus let a great number of them go away into the +country, whither they pleased. And the main reasons why they were +so ready to desert were these: That now they should be freed from +those miseries which they had endured in that city, and yet +should not be in slavery to the Romans: however, John and Simon, +with their factions, did more carefully watch these men's going +out than they did the coming in of the Romans; and if any one did +but afford the least shadow of suspicion of such an intention, +his throat was cut immediately. + +2. But as for the richer sort, it proved all one to them whether +they staid in the city, or attempted to get out of it; for they +were equally destroyed in both cases; for every such person was +put to death under this pretense, that they were going to desert, +but in reality that the robbers might get what they had. The +madness of the seditious did also increase together with their +famine, and both those miseries were every day inflamed more and +more; for there was no corn which any where appeared publicly, +but the robbers came running into, and searched men's private +houses; and then, if they found any, they tormented them, because +they had denied they had any; and if they found none, they +tormented them worse, because they supposed they had more +carefully concealed it. The indication they made use of whether +they had any or not was taken from the bodies of these miserable +wretches; which, if they were in good case, they supposed they +were in no want at all of food; but if they were wasted away, +they walked off without searching any further; nor did they think +it proper to kill such as these, because they saw they would very +soon die of themselves for want of food. Many there were indeed +who sold what they had for one measure; it was of wheat, if they +were of the richer sort; but of barley, if they were poorer. When +these had so done, they shut themselves up in the inmost rooms of +their houses, and ate the corn they had gotten; some did it +without grinding it, by reason of the extremity of the want they +were in, and others baked bread of it, according as necessity and +fear dictated to them: a table was no where laid for a distinct +meal, but they snatched the bread out of the fire, half-baked, +and ate it very hastily. + +3. It was now a miserable case, and a sight that would justly +bring tears into our eyes, how men stood as to their food, while +the more powerful had more than enough, and the weaker were +lamenting [for want of it.] But the famine was too hard for all +other passions, and it is destructive to nothing so much as to +modesty; for what was otherwise worthy of reverence was in this +case despised; insomuch that children pulled the very morsels +that their fathers were eating out of their very mouths, and what +was still more to be pitied, so did the mothers do as to their +infants; and when those that were most dear were perishing under +their hands, they were not ashamed to take from them the very +last drops that might preserve their lives: and while they ate +after this manner, yet were they not concealed in so doing; but +the seditious every where came upon them immediately, and +snatched away from them what they had gotten from others; for +when they saw any house shut up, this was to them a signal that +the people within had gotten some food; whereupon they broke open +the doors, and ran in, and took pieces of what they were eating +almost up out of their very throats, and this by force: the old +men, who held their food fast, were beaten; and if the women hid +what they had within their hands, their hair was torn for so +doing; nor was there any commiseration shown either to the aged +or to the infants, but they lifted up children from the ground as +they hung upon the morsels they had gotten, and shook them down +upon the floor. But still they were more barbarously cruel to +those that had prevented their coming in, and had actually +swallowed down what they were going to seize upon, as if they had +been unjustly defrauded of their right. They also invented +terrible methods of torments to discover where any food was, and +they were these to stop up the passages of the privy parts of the +miserable wretches, and to drive sharp stakes up their +fundaments; and a man was forced to bear what it is terrible even +to hear, in order to make him confess that he had but one loaf of +bread, or that he might discover a handful of barley-meal that +was concealed; and this was done when these tormentors were not +themselves hungry; for the thing had been less barbarous had +necessity forced them to it; but this was done to keep their +madness in exercise, and as making preparation of provisions for +themselves for the following days. These men went also to meet +those that had crept out of the city by night, as far as the +Roman guards, to gather some plants and herbs that grew wild; and +when those people thought they had got clear of the enemy, they +snatched from them what they had brought with them, even while +they had frequently entreated them, and that by calling upon the +tremendous name of God, to give them back some part of what they +had brought; though these would not give them the least crumb, +and they were to be well contented that they were only spoiled, +and not slain at the same time. + + 4. These were the afflictions which the lower sort of people +suffered from these tyrants' guards; but for the men that were in +dignity, and withal were rich, they were carried before the +tyrants themselves; some of whom were falsely accused of laying +treacherous plots, and so were destroyed; others of them were +charged with designs of betraying the city to the Romans; but the +readiest way of all was this, to suborn somebody to affirm that +they were resolved to desert to the enemy. And he who was utterly +despoiled of what he had by Simon was sent back again to John, as +of those who had been already plundered by Jotre, Simon got what +remained; insomuch that they drank the blood of the populace to +one another, and divided the dead bodies of the poor creatures +between them; so that although, on account of their ambition +after dominion, they contended with each other, yet did they very +well agree in their wicked practices; for he that did not +communicate what he got by the miseries of others to the other +tyrant seemed to be too little guilty, and in one respect only; +and he that did not partake of what was so communicated to him +grieved at this, as at the loss of what was a valuable thing, +that he had no share in such barbarity. + +5. It is therefore impossible to go distinctly over every +instance of these men's iniquity. I shall therefore speak my mind +here at once briefly: - That neither did any other city ever +suffer such miseries, nor did any age ever breed a generation +more fruitful in wickedness than this was, from the beginning of +the world. Finally, they brought the Hebrew nation into contempt, +that they might themselves appear comparatively less impious +with regard to strangers. They confessed what was true, that they +were the slaves, the scum, and the spurious and abortive +offspring of our nation, while they overthrew the city +themselves, and forced the Romans, whether they would or no, to +gain a melancholy reputation, by acting gloriously against them, +and did almost draw that fire upon the temple, which they seemed +to think came too slowly; and indeed when they saw that temple +burning from the upper city, they were neither troubled at it, +nor did they shed any tears on that account, while yet these +passions were discovered among the Romans themselves; which +circumstances we shall speak of hereafter in their proper place, +when we come to treat of such matters. + + CHAPTER 11. + + + +How The Jews Were Crucified Before The Walls Of The +City Concerning Antiochus Epiphanes; And How The Jews +Overthrew The Banks That Had Been Raised By The +Romans, + +1. So now Titus's banks were advanced a great way, +notwithstanding his soldiers had been very much distressed from +the wall. He then sent a party of horsemen, and ordered they +should lay ambushes for those that went out into the valleys to +gather food. Some of these were indeed fighting men, who were not +contented with what they got by rapine; but the greater part of +them were poor people, who were deterred from deserting by the +concern they were under for their own relations; for they could +not hope to escape away, together with their wives and children, +without the knowledge of the seditious; nor could they think of +leaving these relations to be slain by the robbers on their +account; nay, the severity of the famine made them bold in thus +going out; so nothing remained but that, when they were concealed +from the robbers, they should be taken by the enemy; and when +they were going to be taken, they were forced to defend +themselves for fear of being punished; as after they had fought, +they thought it too late to make any supplications for mercy; so +they were first whipped, and then tormented with all sorts of +tortures, before they died, and were then crucified before the +wall of the city. This miserable procedure made Titus greatly to +pity them, while they caught every day five hundred Jews; nay, +some days they caught more: yet it did not appear to be safe for +him to let those that were taken by force go their way, and to +set a guard over so many he saw would be to make such as great +deal them useless to him. The main reason why he did not forbid +that cruelty was this, that he hoped the Jews might perhaps yield +at that sight, out of fear lest they might themselves afterwards +be liable to the same cruel treatment. So the soldiers, out of +the wrath and hatred they bore the Jews, nailed those they +caught, one after one way, and another after another, to the +crosses, by way of jest, when their multitude was so great, that +room was wanting for the crosses, and crosses wanting for the +bodies. (19) + +2. But so far were the seditious from repenting at this sad +sight, that, on the contrary, they made the rest of the multitude +believe otherwise; for they brought the relations of those that +had deserted upon the wall, with such of the populace as were +very eager to go over upon the security offered them, and showed +them what miseries those underwent who fled to the Romans; and +told them that those who were caught were supplicants to them, +and not such as were taken prisoners. This sight kept many of +those within the city who were so eager to desert, till the truth +was known; yet did some of them run away immediately as unto +certain punishment, esteeming death from their enemies to be a +quiet departure, if compared with that by famine. So Titus +commanded that the hands of many of those that were caught should +be cut off, that they might not be thought deserters, and might +be credited on account of the calamity they were under, and sent +them in to John and Simon, with this exhortation, that they would +now at length leave off [their madness], and not force him to +destroy the city, whereby they would have those advantages of +repentance, even in their utmost distress, that they would +preserve their own lives, and so find a city of their own, and +that temple which was their peculiar. He then went round about +the banks that were cast up, and hastened them, in order to show +that his words should in no long time be followed by his deeds. +In answer to which the seditious cast reproaches upon Caesar +himself, and upon his father also, and cried out, with a loud +voice, that they contemned death, and did well in preferring it +before slavery; that they would do all the mischief to the Romans +they could while they had breath in them; and that for their own +city, since they were, as he said, to be destroyed, they had no +concern about it, and that the world itself was a better temple +to God than this. That yet this temple would be preserved by him +that inhabited therein, whom they still had for their assistant +in this war, and did therefore laugh at all his threatenings, +which would come to nothing, because the conclusion of the whole +depended upon God only. These words were mixed with reproaches, +and with them they made a mighty clamor. + +3. In the mean time Antiochus Epiphanes came to the city, having +with him a considerable number of other armed men, and a band +called the Macedonian band about him, all of the same age, tall, +and just past their childhood, armed, and instructed after the +Macedonian manner, whence it was that they took that name. Yet +were many of them unworthy of so famous a nation; for it had so +happened, that the king of Commagene had flourished more than any +other kings that were under the power of the Romans, till a +change happened in his condition; and when he was become an old +man, he declared plainly that we ought not to call any man happy +before he is dead. But this son of his, who was then come thither +before his father was decaying, said that he could not but wonder +what made the Romans so tardy in making their attacks upon the +wall. Now he was a warlike man, and naturally bold in exposing +himself to dangers; he was also so strong a man, that his +boldness seldom failed of having success. Upon this Titus smiled, +and said he would share the pains of an attack with him. However, +Antiochus went as he then was, and with his Macedonians made a +sudden assault upon the wall; and, indeed, for his own part, his +strength and skill were so great, that he guarded himself from +the Jewish darts, and yet shot his darts at them, while yet the +young men with him were almost all sorely galled; for they had so +great a regard to the promises that had been made of their +courage, that they would needs persevere in their fighting, and +at length many of them retired, but not till they were wounded; +and then they perceived that true Macedonians, if they were to be +conquerors, must have Alexander's good fortune also. + +4. Now as the Romans began to raise their banks on the twelfth +day of the month Artemisius, [Jyar,] so had they much ado to +finish them by the twenty-ninth day of the same month, after they +had labored hard for seventeen days continually. For there were +now four great banks raised, one of which was at the tower +Antonia; this was raised by the fifth legion, over against the +middle of that pool which was called Struthius. Another was cast +up by the twelfth legion, at the distance of about twenty cubits +from the other. But the labors of the tenth legion, which lay a +great way off these, were on the north quarter, and at the pool +called Amygdalon; as was that of the fifteenth legion about +thirty cubits from it, and at the high priest's monument. And +now, when the engines were brought, John had from within +undermined the space that was over against the tower of Antonia, +as far as the banks themselves, and had supported the ground over +the mine with beams laid across one another, whereby the Roman +works stood upon an uncertain foundation. Then did he order such +materials to be brought in as were daubed over with pitch and +bitumen, and set them on fire; and as the cross beams that +supported the banks were burning, the ditch yielded on the +sudden, and the banks were shaken down, and fell into the ditch +with a prodigious noise. Now at the first there arose a very +thick smoke and dust, as the fire was choked with the fall of the +bank; but as the suffocated materials were now gradually +consumed, a plain flame brake out; on which sudden appearance of +the flame a consternation fell upon the Romans, and the +shrewdness of the contrivance discouraged them; and indeed this +accident coming upon them at a time when they thought they had +already gained their point, cooled their hopes for the time to +come. They also thought it would be to no purpose to take the +pains to extinguish the fire, since if it were extinguished, the +banks were swallowed up already [and become useless to them]. + +5. Two days after this, Simon and his party made an attempt to +destroy the other banks; for the Romans had brought their engines +to bear there, and began already to make the wall shake. And here +one Tephtheus, of Garsis, a city of Galilee, and Megassarus, one +who was derived from some of queen Mariamne's servants, and with +them one from Adiabene, he was the son of Nabateus, and called by +the name of Chagiras, from the ill fortune he had, the word +signifying "a lame man," snatched some torches, and ran suddenly +upon the engines. Nor were there during this war any men that +ever sallied out of the city who were their superiors, either in +their boldness, or in the terror they struck into their enemies. +For they ran out upon the Romans, not as if they were enemies, +but friends, without fear or delay; nor did they leave their +enemies till they had rushed violently through the midst of them, +and set their machines on fire. And though they had darts thrown +at them on every side, and were on every side assaulted with +their enemies' swords, yet did they not withdraw themselves out +of the dangers they were in, till the fire had caught hold of the +instruments; but when the flame went up, the Romans came running +from their camp to save their engines. Then did the Jews hinder +their succors from the wall, and fought with those that +endeavored to quench the fire, without any regard to the danger +their bodies were in. So the Romans pulled the engines out of the +fire, while the hurdles that covered them were on fire; but the +Jews caught hold of the battering rams through the flame itself, +and held them fast, although the iron upon them was become red +hot; and now the fire spread itself from the engines to the +banks, and prevented those that came to defend them; and all this +while the Romans were encompassed round about with the flame; +and, despairing of saying their works from it, they retired to +their camp. Then did the Jews become still more and more in +number by the coming of those that were within the city to their +assistance; and as they were very bold upon the good success they +had had, their violent assaults were almost irresistible; nay, +they proceeded as far as the fortifications of the enemies' camp, +and fought with their guards. Now there stood a body of soldiers +in array before that camp, which succeeded one another by turns +in their armor; and as to those, the law of the Romans was +terrible, that he who left his post there, let the occasion be +whatsoever it might be, he was to die for it; so that body of +soldiers, preferring rather to die in fighting courageously, than +as a punishment for their cowardice, stood firm; and at the +necessity these men were in of standing to it, many of the others +that had run away, out of shame, turned back again; and when they +had set the engines against the wall, they put the multitude from +coming more of them out of the city, [which they could the more +easily do] because they had made no provision for preserving or +guarding their bodies at this time; for the Jews fought now hand +to hand with all that came in their way, and, without any +caution, fell against the points of their enemies' spears, and +attacked them bodies against bodies; for they were now too hard +for the Romans, not so much by their other warlike actions, as by +these courageous assaults they made upon them; and the Romans +gave way more to their boldness than they did to the sense of the +harm they had received from them. + +6. And now Titus was come from the tower of Antonia, whither he +was gone to look out for a place for raising other banks, and +reproached the soldiers greatly for permitting their own walls to +be in danger, when they had taken the wails of their enemies, and +sustained the fortune of men besieged, while the Jews were +allowed to sally out against them, though they were already in a +sort of prison. He then went round about the enemy with some +chosen troops, and fell upon their flank himself; so the Jews, +who had been before assaulted in their faces, wheeled about to +Titus, and continued the fight. The armies also were now mixed +one among another, and the dust that was raised so far hindered +them from seeing one another, and the noise that was made so far +hindered them from hearing one another, that neither side could +discern an enemy from a friend. However, the Jews did not flinch, +though not so much from their real strength, as from their +despair of deliverance. The Romans also would not yield, by +reason of the regard they had to glory, and to their reputation +in war, and because Caesar himself went into the danger before +them; insomuch that I cannot but think the Romans would in the +conclusion have now taken even the whole multitude of the Jews, +so very angry were they at them, had these not prevented the +upshot of the battle, and retired into the city. However, seeing +the banks of the Romans were demolished, these Romans were very +much east down upon the loss of what had cost them so long pains, +and this in one hour's time. And many indeed despaired of taking +the city with their usual engines of war only. + +CHAPTER 12. + + +Titus Thought Fit To Encompass The City Round With A +Wall; After Which The Famine Consumed The People By +Whole Houses And Families Together. + +1. And now did Titus consult with his commanders what was to be +done. Those that were of the warmest tempers thought he should +bring the whole army against the city and storm the wall; for +that hitherto no more than a part of their army had fought with +the Jews; but that in case the entire army was to come at once, +they would not be able to sustain their attacks, but would be +overwhelmed by their darts. But of those that were for a more +cautious management, some were for raising their banks again; and +others advised to let the banks alone, but to lie still before +the city, to guard against the coming out of the Jews, and +against their carrying provisions into the city, and so to leave +the enemy to the famine, and this without direct fighting with +them; for that despair was not to be conquered, especially as to +those who are desirous to die by the sword, while a more terrible +misery than that is reserved for them. However, Titus did not +think it fit for so great an army to lie entirely idle, and that +yet it was in vain to fight with those that would be destroyed +one by another; he also showed them how impracticable it was to +cast up any more banks, for want of materials, and to guard +against the Jews coming out still more impracticable; as also, +that to encompass the whole city round with his army was not very +easy, by reason of its magnitude, and the difficulty of the +situation, and on other accounts dangerous, upon the sallies the +Jews might make out of the city. For although they might guard +the known passages out of the place, yet would they, when they +found themselves under the greatest distress, contrive secret +passages out, as being well acquainted with all such places; and +if any provisions were carried in by stealth, the siege would +thereby be longer delayed. He also owned that he was afraid that +the length of time thus to be spent would diminish the glory of +his success; for though it be true that length of time will +perfect every thing, yet that to do what we do in a little time +is still necessary to the gaining reputation. That therefore his +opinion was, that if they aimed at quickness joined with +security, they must build a wall round about the whole city; +which was, he thought, the only way to prevent the Jews from +coming out any way, and that then they would either entirely +despair of saving the city, and so would surrender it up to him, +or be still the more easily conquered when the famine had further +weakened them; for that besides this wall, he would not lie +entirely at rest afterward, but would take care then to have +banks raised again, when those that would oppose them were become +weaker. But that if any one should think such a work to be too +great, and not to be finished without much difficulty, he ought +to consider that it is not fit for Romans to undertake any small +work, and that none but God himself could with ease accomplish +any great thing whatsoever. + +2. These arguments prevailed with the commanders. So Titus gave +orders that the army should be distributed to their several +shares of this work; and indeed there now came upon the soldiers +a certain divine fury, so that they did not only part the whole +wall that was to be built among them, nor did only one legion +strive with another, but the lesser divisions of the army did the +same; insomuch that each soldier was ambitious to please his +decurion, each decurion his centurion, each centurion his +tribune, and the ambition of the tribunes was to please their +superior commanders, while Caesar himself took notice of and +rewarded the like contention in those commanders; for he went +round about the works many times every day, and took a view of +what was done. Titus began the wall from the camp of the +Assyrians, where his own camp was pitched, and drew it down to +the lower parts of Cenopolis; thence it went along the valley of +Cedron, to the Mount of Olives; it then bent towards the south, +and encompassed the mountain as far as the rock called +Peristereon, and that other hill which lies next it, and is over +the valley which reaches to Siloam; whence it bended again to the +west, and went down to the valley of the Fountain, beyond which +it went up again at the monument of Ananus the high priest, and +encompassing that mountain where Pompey had formerly pitched his +camp, it returned back to the north side of the city, and was +carried on as far as a certain village called "The House of the +Erebinthi;" after which it encompassed Herod's monument, and +there, on the east, was joined to Titus's own camp, where it +began. Now the length of this wall was forty furlongs, one only +abated. Now at this wall without were erected thirteen places to +keep garrison in, whose circumferences, put together, amounted to +ten furlongs; the whole was completed in three days; so that what +would naturally have required some months was done in so short an +interval as is incredible. When Titus had therefore encompassed +the city with this wall, and put garrisons into proper places, be +went round the wall, at the first watch of the night, and +observed how the guard was kept; the second watch he allotted to +Alexander; the commanders of legions took the third watch. They +also cast lots among themselves who should be upon the watch in +the night time, and who should go all night long round the spaces +that were interposed between the garrisons. + +3. So all hope of escaping was now cut off from the Jews, +together with their liberty of going out of the city. Then did +the famine widen its progress, and devoured the people by whole +houses and families; the upper rooms were full of women and +children that were dying by famine, and the lanes of the city +were full of the dead bodies of the aged; the children also and +the young men wandered about the market-places like shadows, all +swelled with the famine, and fell down dead, wheresoever their +misery seized them. As for burying them, those that were sick +themselves were not able to do it; and those that were hearty and +well were deterred from doing it by the great multitude of those +dead bodies, and by the uncertainty there was how soon they +should die themselves; for many died as they were burying others, +and many went to their coffins before that fatal hour was come. +Nor was there any lamentations made under these calamities, nor +were heard any mournful complaints; but the famine confounded all +natural passions; for those who were just going to die looked +upon those that were gone to rest before them with dry eyes and +open mouths. A deep silence also, and a kind of deadly night, had +seized upon the city; while yet the robbers were still more +terrible than these miseries were themselves; for they brake open +those houses which were no other than graves of dead bodies, and +plundered them of what they had; and carrying off the coverings +of their bodies, went out laughing, and tried the points of their +swords in their dead bodies; and, in order to prove what metal +they were made of they thrust some of those through that still +lay alive upon the ground; but for those that entreated them to +lend them their right hand and their sword to despatch them, they +were too proud to grant their requests, and left them to be +consumed by the famine. Now every one of these died with their +eyes fixed upon the temple, and left the seditious alive behind +them. Now the seditious at first gave orders that the dead should +be buried out of the public treasury, as not enduring the stench +of their dead bodies. But afterwards, when they could not do +that, they had them cast down from the walls into the valleys +beneath. + +4. However, when Titus, in going his rounds along those valleys, +saw them full of dead bodies, and the thick putrefaction running +about them, he gave a groan; and, spreading out his hands to +heaven, called God to witness that this was not his doing; and +such was the sad case of the city itself. But the Romans were +very joyful, since none of the seditious could now make sallies +out of the city, because they were themselves disconsolate, and +the famine already touched them also. These Romans besides had +great plenty of corn and other necessaries out of Syria, and out +of the neighboring provinces; many of whom would stand near to +the wall of the city, and show the people what great quantities +of provisions they had, and so make the enemy more sensible of +their famine, by the great plenty, even to satiety, which they +had themselves. However, when the seditious still showed no +inclinations of yielding, Titus, out of his commiseration of the +people that remained, and out of his earnest desire of rescuing +what was still left out of these miseries, began to raise his +banks again, although materials for them were hard to he come at; +for all the trees that were about the city had been already cut +down for the making of the former banks. Yet did the soldiers +bring with them other materials from the distance of ninety +furlongs, and thereby raised banks in four parts, much greater +than the former, though this was done only at the tower of +Antonia. So Caesar went his rounds through the legions, and +hastened on the works, and showed the robbers that they were now +in his hands. But these men, and these only, were incapable of +repenting of the wickednesses they had been guilty of; and +separating their souls from their bodies, they used them both as +if they belonged to other folks, and not to themselves. For no +gentle affection could touch their souls, nor could any pain +affect their bodies, since they could still tear the dead bodies +of the people as dogs do, and fill the prisons with those that +were sick. + +CHAPTER 13. + + + +The Great Slaughters And Sacrilege That Were In +Jerusalem. + +1. Accordingly Simon would not suffer Matthias, by whose means he +got possession of the city, to go off without torment. This +Matthias was the son of Boethus, and was one of the high priests, +one that had been very faithful to the people, and in great +esteem with them; he, when the multitude were distressed by the +zealots, among whom John was numbered, persuaded the people to +admit this Simon to come in to assist them, while he had made no +terms with him, nor expected any thing that was evil from him. +But when Simon was come in, and had gotten the city under his +power, he esteemed him that had advised them to admit him as his +enemy equally with the rest, as looking upon that advice as a +piece of his simplicity only; so he had him then brought before +him, and condemned to die for being on the side of the Romans, +without giving him leave to make his defense. He condemned also +his three sons to die with him; for as to the fourth, he +prevented him by running away to Titus before. And when he begged +for this, that he might be slain before his sons, and that as a +favor, on account that he had procured the gates of the city to +be opened to him, he gave order that he should be slain the last +of them all; so he was not slain till he had seen his sons slain +before his eyes, and that by being produced over against the +Romans; for such a charge had Simon given to Artanus, the son of +Bamadus, who was the most barbarous of all his guards. He also +jested upon him, and told him that he might now see whether those +to whom he intended to go over would send him any succors or not; +but still he forbade their dead bodies should be buried. After +the slaughter of these, a certain priest, Ananias, the son of +Masambalus, a person of eminency, as also Aristens, the scribe of +the sanhedrim, and born at Emmaus, and with them fifteen men of +figure among the people, were slain. They also kept Josephus's +father in prison, and made public proclamation, that no citizen +whosoever should either speak to him himself, or go into his +company among others, for fear he should betray them. They also +slew such as joined in lamenting these men, without any further +examination. + +2. Now when Judas, the son of Judas, who was one of Simon's under +officers, and a person intrusted by him to keep one of the +towers, saw this procedure of Simon, he called together ten of +those under him, that were most faithful to him, (perhaps this +was done partly out of pity to those that had so barbarously been +put to death, but principally in order to provide for his own +safety,) and spoke thus to them: "How long shall we bear these +miseries? or what hopes have we of deliverance by thus continuing +faithful to such wicked wretches? Is not the famine already come +against us? Are not the Romans in a manner gotten within the +city? Is not Simon become unfaithful to his benefactors? and is +there not reason to fear he will very soon bring us to the like +punishment, while the security the Romans offer us is sure? Come +on, let us surrender up this wall, and save ourselves and the +city. Nor will Simon be very much hurt, if, now he despairs of +deliverance, he be brought to justice a little sooner than he +thinks on." Now these ten were prevailed upon by those arguments; +so he sent the rest of those that were under him, some one way, +and some another, that no discovery might be made of what they +had resolved upon. Accordingly, he called to the Romans from the +tower about the third hour; but they, some of them out of pride, +despised what he said, and others of them did not believe him to +be in earnest, though the greatest number delayed the matter, as +believing they should get possession of the city in a little +time, without any hazard. But when Titus was just coming thither +with his armed men, Simon was acquainted with the matter before +he came, and presently took the tower into his own custody, +before it was surrendered, and seized upon these men, and put +them to death in the sight of the Romans +themselves; and when he had mangled their dead bodies, he threw +them down before the wall of the city. + +3. In the mean time, Josephus, as he was going round the city, +had his head wounded by a stone that was thrown at him; upon +which he fell down as giddy. Upon which fall of his the Jews made +a sally, and he had been hurried away into the city, if Caesar +had not sent men to protect him immediately; and as these men +were fighting, Josephus was taken up, though he heard little of +what was done. So the seditious supposed they had now slain that +man whom they were the most desirous of killing, and made +thereupon a great noise, in way of rejoicing. This accident was +told in the city, and the multitude that remained became very +disconsolate at the news, as being persuaded that he was really +dead, on whose account alone they could venture to desert to the +Romans. But when Josephus's mother heard in prison that her son +was dead, she said to those that watched about her, That she had +always been of opinion, since the siege of Jotapata, [that he +would be slain,] and she should never enjoy him alive any more. +She also made great lamentation privately to the maid-servants +that were about her, and said, That this was all the advantage +she had of bringing so extraordinary a person as this son into +the world; that she should not be able even to bury that son of +hers, by whom she expected to have been buried herself. However, +this false report did not put his mother to pain, nor afford +merriment to the robbers, long; for Josephus soon recovered of +his wound, and came out, and cried out aloud, That it would not +be long ere they should be punished for this wound they had given +him. He also made a fresh exhortation to the people to come out +upon the security that would be given them. This sight of +Josephus encouraged the people greatly, and brought a great +consternation upon the seditious. + +4. Hereupon some of the deserters, having no other way, leaped +down from the wall immediately, while others of them went out of +the city with stones, as if they would fight them; but thereupon +they fled away to the Romans. But here a worse fate accompanied +these than what they had found within the city; and they met with +a quicker despatch from the too great abundance they had among +the Romans, than they could have done from the famine among the +Jews; for when they came first to the Romans, they were puffed up +by the famine, and swelled like men in a dropsy; after which they +all on the sudden overfilled those bodies that were before empty, +and so burst asunder, excepting such only as were skillful enough +to restrain their appetites, and by degrees took in their food +into bodies unaccustomed thereto. Yet did another plague seize +upon those that were thus preserved; for there was found among +the Syrian deserters a certain person who was caught gathering +pieces of gold out of the excrements of the Jews' bellies; for +the deserters used to swallow such pieces of gold, as we told you +before, when they came out, and for these did the seditious +search them all; for there was a great quantity of gold in the +city, insomuch that as much was now sold [in the Roman camp] for +twelve Attic [drams], as was sold before for twenty-five. But +when this contrivance was discovered in one instance, the fame of +it filled their several camps, that the deserters came to them +full of gold. So the multitude of the Arabians, with the Syrians, +cut up those that came as supplicants, and searched their +bellies. Nor does it seem to me that any misery befell the Jews +that was more terrible than this, since in one night's time about +two thousand of these deserters were thus dissected. + +5. When Titus came to the knowledge of this wicked practice, he +had like to have surrounded those that had been guilty of it with +his horse, and have shot them dead; and he had done it, had not +their number been so very great, and those that were liable to +this punishment would have been manifold more than those whom +they had slain. However, he called together the commanders of the +auxiliary troops he had with him, as well as the commanders of +the Roman legions, (for some of his own soldiers had been also +guilty herein, as he had been informed,) and had great +indignation against both sorts of them, and said to them, "What! +have any of my own soldiers done such things as this out of the +uncertain hope of gain, without regarding their own weapons, +which are made of silver and gold? Moreover, do the Arabians and +Syrians now first of all begin to govern themselves as they +please, and to indulge their appetites in a foreign war, and +then, out of their barbarity in murdering men, and out of their +hatred to the Jews, get it ascribed to the Romans?" for this +infamous practice was said to be spread among some of his own +soldiers also. Titus then threatened that he would put such men +to death, if any of them were discovered to be so insolent as to +do so again; moreover, he gave it in charge to the legions, that +they should make a search after such as were suspected, and +should bring them to him. But it appeared that the love of money +was too hard for all their dread of punishment, and a vehement +desire of gain is natural to men, and no passion is so +venturesome as covetousness; otherwise such passions have certain +bounds, and are subordinate to fear. But in reality it was God +who condemned the whole nation, and turned every course that was +taken for their preservation to their destruction. This, +therefore, which was forbidden by Caesar under such a +threatening, was ventured upon privately against the deserters, +and these barbarians would go out still, and meet those that ran +away before any saw them, and looking about them to see that no +Roman spied them, they dissected them, and pulled this polluted +money out of their bowels; which money was still found in a few +of them, while yet a great many were destroyed by the bare hope +there was of thus getting by them, which miserable treatment +made many that were deserting to return back again into the city. + +6. But as for John, when he could no longer plunder the people, +he betook himself to sacrilege, and melted down many of the +sacred utensils, which had been given to the temple; as also many +of those vessels which were necessary for such as ministered +about holy things, the caldrons, the dishes, and the tables; nay, +he did not abstain from those pouring vessels that were sent them +by Augustus and his wife; for the Roman emperors did ever both +honor and adorn this temple; whereas this man, who was a Jew, +seized upon what were the donations of foreigners, and said to +those that were with him, that it was proper for them to use +Divine things, while they were fighting for the Divinity, without +fear, and that such whose warfare is for the temple should live +of the temple; on which account he emptied the vessels of that +sacred wine and oil, which the priests kept to be poured on the +burnt-offerings, and which lay in the inner court of the temple, +and distributed it among the multitude, who, in their anointing +themselves and drinking, used [each of them] above an hin of +them. And here I cannot but speak my mind, and what the concern I +am under dictates to me, and it is this: I suppose, that had the +Romans made any longer delay in coming against these villains, +that the city would either have been swallowed up by the ground +opening upon them, or been overflowed by water, or else been +destroyed by such thunder as the country of Sodom (20) perished +by, for it had brought forth a generation of men much more +atheistical than were those that suffered such punishments; for +by their madness it was that all the people came to be destroyed. + +7. And, indeed, why do I relate these particular calamities? +while Manneus, the son of Lazarus, came running to Titus at this +very time, and told him that there had been carried out through +that one gate, which was intrusted to his care, no fewer than a +hundred and fifteen thousand eight hundred and eighty dead +bodies, in the interval between the fourteenth day of the month +Xanthieus, [Nisan,] when the Romans pitched their camp by the +city, and the first day of the month Panemus [Tamuz]. This was +itself a prodigious multitude; and though this man was not +himself set as a governor at that gate, yet was he appointed to +pay the public stipend for carrying these bodies out, and so was +obliged of necessity to number them, while the rest were buried +by their relations; though all their burial was but this, to +bring them away, and cast them out of the city. After this man +there ran away to Titus many of the eminent citizens, and told +him the entire number of the poor that were dead, and that no +fewer than six hundred thousand were thrown out at the gates, +though still the number of the rest could not be discovered; and +they told him further, that when they were no longer able to +carry out the dead bodies of the poor, they laid their corpses on +heaps in very large houses, and shut them up therein; as also +that a medimnus of wheat was sold for a talent; and that when, a +while afterward, it was not possible to gather herbs, by reason +the city was all walled about, some persons were driven to that +terrible distress as to search the common sewers and old +dunghills of cattle, and to eat the dung which they got there; +and what they of old could not endure so much as to see they now +used for food. When the Romans barely heard all this, they +commiserated their case; while the seditious, who saw it also, +did not repent, but suffered the same distress to come upon +themselves; for they were blinded by that fate which was already +coming upon the city, and upon themselves also. + +WAR BOOK 5 FOOTNOTES + +(1) This appears to be the first time that the zealots ventured +to pollute this most sacred court of the temple, which was the +court of the priests, wherein the temple itself and the altar +stood. So that the conjecture of those that would interpret that +Zacharias, who was slain "between the temple and the altar" +several months before, B. IV. ch. 5. sect. 4, as if he were slain +there by these zealots, is groundless, as I have noted on that +place already. + +(2) The Levites. + +(3) This is an excellent reflection of Josephus, including his +hopes of the restoration of the Jews upon their repentance, See +Antiq. B. IV. ch. 8. sect. 46, which is the grand "Hope of +Israel," as Manasseh-ben-Israel, the famous Jewish Rabbi, styles +it, in his small but remarkable treatise on that subject, of +which the Jewish prophets are every where full. See the principal +of those prophecies collected together at the end of the Essay on +the Revelation, p. 822, etc. + +(4) This destruction of such a vast quantity of corn and other +provisions, as was sufficient for many years. was the direct +occasion of that terrible famine, which consumed incredible +numbers of Jews in Jerusalem during its siege. Nor probably could +the Romans have taken this city, after all, had not these +seditious Jews been so infatuated as thus madly to destroy, what +Josephus here justly styles, "The nerves of their power." + +(5) This timber, we see, was designed for the rebuilding those +twenty additional cubits of the holy house above the hundred, +which had fallen down some years before. See the note on Antiq. +B. XV. ch. 11. sect. 3. + +(6) There being no gate on the west, and only on the west, side +of the court of the priests, and so no steps there, this was the +only side that the seditious, under this John of Gischala, could +bring their engines close to the cloisters of that court +end-ways, though upon the floor of the court of Israel. See the +scheme of that temple, in the description of the temples hereto +belonging. + +(7) We may here note, that Titus is here called "a king," and +"Caesar," by Josephus, even while he was no more than the +emperor's son, and general of the Roman army, and his father +Vespasian was still alive; just as the New Testament says +"Archelaus reigned," or "was king," Matthew 2:22, though he was +properly no more than ethnarch, as Josephus assures us, Antiq. B. +XVII. ch. 11. sect. 4; Of the War, B. II. ch. 6. sect. 3. Thus +also the Jews called the Roman emperors "kings," though they +never took that title to themselves:" We have no king but +Caesar," John 19:15. "Submit to the king as supreme," 1 Peter +2:13, 17; which is also the language of the Apostolical +Constitutions, II. II, 31; IV. 13; V. 19; VI. 2, 25; VII. 16; +VIII. 2, 13; and elsewhere in the New Testament, Matthew 10:18; +17:25; 1 Timothy 2:2; and in Josephus also; though I suspect +Josephus particularly esteemed Titus as joint king with his +father ever since his divine dreams that declared them both such, +B. III. ch. 8. sect. 9. + +(8) This situation of the Mount of Olives, on the east of +Jerusalem, at about the distance of five or six furlongs, with +the valley of Cedron interposed between that mountain and the +city, are things well known both in the Old and New Testament, in +Josephus elsewhere, and in all the descriptions of Palestine. + +(9) Here we see the true occasion of those vast numbers of Jews +that were in Jerusalem during this siege by Titus, and perished +therein; that the siege began at the feast of the passover, when +such prodigious multitudes of Jews and proselytes of the gate +were come from all parts of Judea, and from other countries, in +order to celebrate that great festival. See the note B. VI. ch. +9. sect. 3. Tacitus himself informs us, that the number of men, +women, and children in Jerusalem, when it was besieged by the +Romans, as he had been informed. This information must have been +taken from the Romans: for Josephus never recounts the numbers of +those that were besieged, only he lets us know, that of the +vulgar, carried dead out of the gates, and buried at the public +charges, was the like number of 600,000, ch. viii. sect. 7. +However, when Cestius Gallus came first to the siege, that sum in +Tacitus is no way disagreeable to Josephus's history, though they +were become much more numerous when Titus encompassed the city at +the passover. As to the number that perished during this siege, +Josephus assures us, as we shall see hereafter, they were +1,100,000, besides 97,000 captives. But Tacitus's history of the +last part of this siege is not now extant; so we cannot compare +his parallel numbers with those of Josephus. + +(10) Perhaps, says Dr. Hudson, here was that gate, called the +"Gate of the Corner," in 2 Chronicles 26:9. See ch. 4. sect. 2 + +(11) These dove-courts in Josephus, built by Herod the Great, +are, in the opinion of Reland, the very same that are mentioned +by the Talmudists, and named by them "Herod's dove courts." Nor +is there any reason to suppose otherwise, since in both accounts +they were expressly tame pigeons which were kept in them. + +(12) See the description of the temples hereto belonging, ch. 15. +But note, that what Josephus here says of the original scantiness +of this Mount Moriah, that it was quite too little for the +temple, and that at first it held only one cloister or court of +Solomon's building, and that the foundations were forced to be +added long afterwards by degrees, to render it capable of the +cloisters for the other courts, etc., is without all foundation +in the Scriptures, and not at all confirmed by his exacter +account in the Antiquities. All that is or can be true here is +this, that when the court of the Gentiles was long afterward to +be encompassed with cloisters, the southern foundation for these +cloisters was found not to be large or firm enough, and was +raised, and that additional foundation supported by great pillars +and arches under ground, which Josephus speaks of elsewhere, +Antiq. B. XV. ch. 11. sect. 3, and which Mr. Maundrel saw, and +describes, p. 100, as extant under ground at this day. + +(13) What Josephus seems here to mean is this: that these +pillars, supporting the cloisters in the second court, had their +foundations or lowest parts as deep as the floor of the first or +lowest court; but that so far of those lowest parts as were equal +to the elevation of the upper floor above the lowest were, and +must be, hidden on the inside by the ground or rock itself, on +which that upper court was built; so that forty cubits visible +below were reduced to twenty-five visible above, and implies the +difference of their heights to be fifteen cubits. The main +difficulty lies here, how fourteen or fifteen steps should give +an ascent of fifteen cubits, half a cubit seeming sufficient for +a single step. Possibly there were fourteen or fifteen steps at +the partition wall, and fourteen or fifteen more thence into the +court itself, which would bring the whole near to the just +proportion. See sect. 3, infra. But I determine nothing. + +(14) These three guards that lay in the tower of Antonia must be +those that guarded the city, the temple, and the tower of +Antonia. + +(15) What should be the meaning of this signal or watchword, when +the watchmen saw a stone coming from the engine, "The Stone +Cometh," or what mistake there is in the reading, I cannot tell. +The MSS., both Greek and Latin, all agree in this reading; and I +cannot approve of any groundless conjectural alteration of the +text from ro to lop, that not the son or a stone, but that the +arrow or dart cometh; as hath been made by Dr. Hudson, and not +corrected by Havercamp. Had Josephus written even his first +edition of these books of the war in pure Hebrew, or had the Jews +then used the pure Hebrew at Jerusalem, the Hebrew word for a son +is so like that for a stone, ben and eben, that such a correction +might have been more easily admitted. But Josephus wrote his +former edition for the use of the Jews beyond Euphrates, and so +in the Chaldee language, as he did this second edition in the +Greek language; and bar was the Chaldee word for son, instead of +the Hebrew ben, and was used not only in Chaldea, etc. but in +Judea also, as the New Testament informs us. Dio lets us know +that the very Romans at Rome pronounced the name of Simon the son +of Giora, Bar Poras for Bar Gioras, as we learn from Xiphiline, +p. 217. Reland takes notice, "that many will here look for a +mystery, as though the meaning were, that the Son of God came now +to take vengeance on the sins of the Jewish nation;" which is +indeed the truth of the fact, but hardly what the Jews could now +mean; unless possibly by way of derision of Christ's threatening +so often made, that he would come at the head of the Roman army +for their destruction. But even this interpretation has but a +very small degree of probability. If I were to make an emendation +by mere conjecture, I would read instead of, though the likeness +be not so great as in lo; because that is the word used by +Josephus just before, as has been already noted on this very +occasion, while, an arrow or dart, is only a poetical word, and +never used by Josephus elsewhere, and is indeed no way suitable +to the occasion, this engine not throwing arrows or darts, but +great stones, at this time. + +(16) Josephus supposes, in this his admirable speech to the Jews, +that not Abraham only, but Pharaoh king of Egypt, prayed towards +a temple at Jerusalem, or towards Jerusalem itself, in which were +Mount Sion and Mount Moriah, on which the tabernacle and temple +did afterwards stand; and this long before either the Jewish +tabernacle or temple were built. Nor is the famous command given +by God to Abraham, to go two or three days' journey, on purpose +to offer up his son Isaac there, unfavorable to such a notion. + +(17) Note here, that Josephus, in this his same admirable speech, +calls the Syrians, nay, even the Philistines, on the most south +part of Syria, Assyrians; which Reland observes as what was +common among the ancient writers. Note also, that Josephus might +well put the Jews in mind, as he does here more than once, of +their wonderful and truly miraculous deliverance from +Sennacherib, king of Assyria, while the Roman army, and himself +with them, were now encamped upon and beyond that very spot of +ground where the Assyrian army lay seven hundred and eighty years +before, and which retained the very name of the Camp of the +Assyrians to that very day. See chap. 7. sect. 3, and chap. 12. +sect. 2. + +(18) This drying up of the Jerusalem fountain of Siloam when the +Jews wanted it, and its flowing abundantly when the enemies of +the Jews wanted it, and these both in the days of Zedekiah and of +Titus, (and this last as a certain event well known by the Jews +at that time, as Josephus here tells them openly to their faces,) +are very remarkable instances of a Divine Providence for the +punishment of the Jewish nation, when they were grown very +wicked, at both those times of the destruction of Jerusalem. + +(19) Reland very properly takes notice here, how justly this +judgment came upon the Jews, when they were crucified in such +multitudes together, that the Romans wanted room for the crosses, +and crosses for the bodies of these Jews, since they had brought +this judgment on themselves by the crucifixion of their Messiah. + +(20) Josephus, both here and before, B. IV. ch. 8. sect. 4, +esteems the land of Sodom, not as part of the lake Asphaltiris, +or under its waters, but near it only, as Tacitus also took the +same notion from him, Hist. V. ch. 6. 7, which the great Reland +takes to be the very truth, both in his note on this place, and +in his Palestina, tom. I. p. 254-258; though I rather suppose +part of that region of Pentapolis to be now under the waters of +the south part of that sea, but perhaps not the whole country. + + +BOOK VI. + + + +Containing The Interval Of About One Month. + + +From The Great Extremity To Which The Jews Were +Reduced To The Taking Of Jerusalem By Titus. + + +CHAPTER 1. + + +THAT THE MISERIES STILL GREW WORSE; AND HOW +THE ROMANS MADE AN ASSAULT UPON THE TOWER +OF ANTONIA. + +1. Thus did the miseries of Jerusalem grow worse and worse every +day, and the seditious were still more irritated by the +calamities they were under, even while the famine preyed upon +themselves, after it had preyed upon the people. And indeed the +multitude of carcasses that lay in heaps one upon another was a +horrible sight, and produced a pestilential stench, which was a +hinderance to those that would make sallies out of the city, and +fight the enemy: but as those were to go in battle-array, who had +been already used to ten thousand murders, and must tread upon +those dead bodies as they marched along, so were not they +terrified, nor did they pity men as they marched over them; nor +did they deem this affront offered to the deceased to be any ill +omen to themselves; but as they had their right hands already +polluted with the murders of their own countrymen, and in that +condition ran out to fight with foreigners, they seem to me to +have cast a reproach upon God himself, as if he were too slow in +punishing them; for the war was not now gone on with as if they +had any hope of victory; for they gloried after a brutish manner +in that despair of deliverance they were already in. And now the +Romans, although they were greatly distressed in getting together +their materials, raised their banks in one and twenty days, after +they had cut down all the trees that were in the country that +adjoined to the city, and that for ninety furlongs round about, +as I have already related. And truly the very view itself of the +country was a melancholy thing; for those places which were +before adorned with trees and pleasant gardens were now become a +desolate country every way, and its trees were all cut down: nor +could any foreigner that had formerly seen Judea and the most +beautiful suburbs of the city, and now saw it as a desert, but +lament and mourn sadly at so great a change: for the war had laid +all the signs of beauty quite waste: nor if any one that had +known the place before, had come on a sudden to it now, would he +have known it again; but though he were at the city itself, yet +would he have inquired for it notwithstanding. + +2. And now the banks were finished, they afforded a foundation +for fear both to the Romans and to the Jews; for the Jews +expected that the city would be taken, unless they could burn +those banks, as did the Romans expect that, if these were once +burnt down, they should never be able to take it; for there was a +mighty scarcity of materials, and the bodies of the soldiers +began to fail with such hard labors, as did their souls faint +with so many instances of ill success; nay, the very calamities +themselves that were in the city proved a greater discouragement +to the Romans than those within the city; for they found the +fighting men of the Jews to be not at all mollified among such +their sore afflictions, while they had themselves perpetually +less and less hopes of success, and their banks were forced to +yield to the stratagems of the enemy, their engines to the +firmness of their wall, and their closest fights to the boldness +of their attack; and, what was their greatest discouragement of +all, they found the Jews' courageous souls to be superior to the +multitude of the miseries they were under, by their sedition, +their famine, and the war itself; insomuch that they were ready +to imagine that the violence of their attacks was invincible, and +that the alacrity they showed would not be discouraged by their +calamities; for what would not those be able to bear if they +should be fortunate, who turned their very misfortunes to the +improvement of their valor! These considerations made the Romans +to keep a stronger guard about their banks than they formerly had +done. + +3. But now John and his party took care for securing themselves +afterward, even in case this wall should be thrown down, and fell +to their work before the battering rams were brought against +them. Yet did they not compass what they endeavored to do, but as +they were gone out with their torches, they came back under great +discouragement before they came near to the banks; and the +reasons were these: that, in the first place, their conduct did +not seem to be unanimous, but they went out in distinct parties, +and at distinct intervals, and after a slow manner, and +timorously, and, to say all in a word, without a Jewish courage; +for they were now defective in what is peculiar to our nation, +that is, in boldness, in violence of assault, and in running upon +the enemy all together, and in persevering in what they go about, +though they do not at first succeed in it; but they now went out +in a more languid manner than usual, and at the same time found +the Romans set in array, and more courageous than ordinary, and +that they guarded their banks both with their bodies and their +entire armor, and this to such a degree on all sides, that they +left no room for the fire to get among them, and that every one +of their souls was in such good courage, that they would sooner +die than desert their ranks; for besides their notion that all +their hopes were cut off, in case these their works were once +burnt, the soldiers were greatly ashamed that subtlety should +quite be too hard for courage, madness for armor, multitude for +skill, and Jews for Romans. The Romans had now also another +advantage, in that their engines for sieges co-operated with them +in throwing darts and stones as far as the Jews, when they were +coming out of the city; whereby the man that fell became an +impediment to him that was next to him, as did the danger of +going farther make them less zealous in their attempts; and for +those that had run under the darts, some of them were terrified +by the good order and closeness of the enemies' ranks before they +came to a close fight, and others were pricked with their spears, +and turned back again; at length they reproached one another for +their cowardice, and retired without doing any thing. This attack +was made upon the first day of the month Panemus [Tamuz.] So when +the Jews were retreated, the Romans brought their engines, +although they had all the while stones thrown at them from the +tower of Antonia, and were assaulted by fire and sword, and by +all sorts of darts, which necessity afforded the Jews to make use +of; for although these had great dependence on their own wall, +and a contempt of the Roman engines, yet did they endeavor to +hinder the Romans from bringing them. Now these Romans struggled +hard, on the contrary, to bring them, as deeming that this zeal +of the Jews was in order to avoid any impression to be made on +the tower of Antonia, because its wall was but weak, and its +foundations rotten. However, that tower did not yield to the +blows given it from the engines; yet did the Romans bear the +impressions made by the enemies' darts which were perpetually +cast at them, and did not give way to any of those dangers that +came upon them from above, and so they brought their engines to +bear. But then, as they were beneath the other, and were sadly +wounded by the stones thrown down upon them, some of them threw +their shields over their bodies, and partly with their hands, and +partly with their bodies, and partly with crows, they undermined +its foundations, and with great pains they removed four of its +stones. Then night came upon both sides, and put an end to this +struggle for the present; however, that night the wall was so +shaken by the battering rams in that place where John had used +his stratagem before, and had undermined their banks, that the +ground then gave way, and the wall fell down suddenly. + +4. When this accident had unexpectedly happened, the minds of +both parties were variously affected; for though one would expect +that the Jews would be discouraged, because this fall of their +wall was unexpected by them, and they had made no provision in +that case, yet did they pull up their courage, because the tower +of Antonia itself was still standing; as was the unexpected joy +of the Romans at this fall of the wall soon quenched by the sight +they had of another wall, which John and his party had built +within it. However, the attack of this second wall appeared to be +easier than that of the former, because it seemed a thing of +greater facility to get up to it through the parts of the former +wall that were now thrown down. This new wall appeared also to be +much weaker than the tower of Antonia, and accordingly the Romans +imagined that it had been erected so much on the sudden, that +they should soon overthrow it: yet did not any body venture now +to go up to this wall; for that such as first ventured so to do +must certainly be killed. + +5. And now Titus, upon consideration that the alacrity of +soldiers in war is chiefly excited by hopes and by good words, +and that exhortations and promises do frequently make men to +forget the hazards they run, nay, sometimes to despise death +itself, got together the most courageous part of his army, and +tried what he could do with his men by these methods. "O fellow +soldiers," said he, "to make an exhortation to men to do what +hath no peril in it, is on that very account inglorious to such +to whom that exhortation is made; and indeed so it is in him that +makes the exhortation, an argument of his own cowardice also. I +therefore think that such exhortations ought then only to be made +use of when affairs are in a dangerous condition, and yet are +worthy of being attempted by every one themselves; accordingly, I +am fully of the same opinion with you, that it is a difficult +task to go up this wall; but that it is proper for those that +desire reputation for their valor to struggle with difficulties +in such cases will then appear, when I have particularly shown +that it is a brave thing to die with glory, and that the courage +here necessary shall not go unrewarded in those that first begin +the attempt. And let my first argument to move you to it be taken +from what probably some would think reasonable to dissuade you, I +mean the constancy and patience of these Jews, even under their +ill successes; for it is unbecoming you, who are Romans and my +soldiers, who have in peace been taught how to make wars, and who +have also been used to conquer in those wars, to be inferior to +Jews, either in action of the hand, or in courage of the soul, +and this especially when you are at the conclusion of your +victory, and are assisted by God himself; for as to our +misfortunes, they have been owing to the madness of the Jews, +while their sufferings have been owing to your valor, and to the +assistance God hath afforded you; for as to the seditions they +have been in, and the famine they are under, and the siege they +now endure, and the fall of their walls without our engines, what +can they all be but demonstrations of God's anger against them, +and of his assistance afforded us? It will not therefore be +proper for you, either to show yourselves inferior to those to +whom you are really superior, or to betray that Divine assistance +which is afforded you. And, indeed, how can it be esteemed +otherwise than a base and unworthy thing, that while the Jews, +who need not be much ashamed if they be deserted, because they +have long learned to be slaves to others, do yet despise death, +that they may be so no longer; and do make sallies into the very +midst of us frequently, no in hopes of conquering us, but merely +for a demonstration of their courage; we, who have gotten +possession of almost all the world that belongs to either land or +sea, to whom it will be a great shame if we do not conquer them, +do not once undertake any attempt against our enemies wherein +there is much danger, but sit still idle, with such brave arms as +we have, and only wait till the famine and fortune do our +business themselves, and this when we have it in our power, with +some small hazard, to gain all that we desire! For if we go up to +this tower of Antonia, we gain the city; for if there should be +any more occasion for fighting against those within the city, +which I do not suppose there will, since we shall then be upon +the top of the hill (1) and be upon our enemies before they can +have taken breath, these advantages promise us no less than a +certain and sudden victory. As for myself, I shall at present +wave any commendation of those who die in war, (2) and omit to +speak of the immortality of those men who are slain in the midst +of their martial bravery; yet cannot I forbear to imprecate upon +those who are of a contrary disposition, that they may die in +time of peace, by some distemper or other, since their souls are +condemned to the grave, together with their bodies. For what man +of virtue is there who does not know, that those souls which are +severed from their fleshly bodies in battles by the sword are +received by the ether, that purest of elements, and joined to +that company which are placed among the stars; that they become +good demons, and propitious heroes, and show themselves as such +to their posterity afterwards? while upon those souls that wear +away in and with their distempered bodies comes a subterranean +night to dissolve them to nothing, and a deep oblivion to take +away all the remembrance of them, and this notwithstanding they +be clean from all spots and defilements of this world; so that, +in this ease, the soul at the same time comes to the utmost +bounds of its life, and of its body, and of its memorial also. +But since he hath determined that death is to come of necessity +upon all men, a sword is a better instrument for that purpose +than any disease whatsoever. Why is it not then a very mean thing +for us not to yield up that to the public benefit which we must +yield up to fate? And this discourse have I made, upon the +supposition that those who at first attempt to go upon this wall +must needs be killed in the attempt, though still men of true +courage have a chance to escape even in the most hazardous +undertakings. For, in the first place, that part of the former +wall that is thrown down is easily to be ascended; and for the +new-built wall, it is easily destroyed. Do you, therefore, many +of you, pull up your courage, and set about this work, and do you +mutually encourage and assist one another; and this your bravery +will soon break the hearts of your enemies; and perhaps such a +glorious undertaking as yours is may be accomplished without +bloodshed. For although it be justly to be supposed that the Jews +will try to hinder you at your first beginning to go up to them; +yet when you have once concealed yourselves from them, and driven +them away by force, they will not be able to sustain your efforts +against them any longer, though but a few of you prevent them, +and get over the wall. As for that person who first mounts the +wall, I should blush for shame if I did not make him to be envied +of others, by those rewards I would bestow upon him. If such a +one escape with his life, he shall have the command of others +that are now but his equals; although it be true also that the +greatest rewards will accrue to such as die in the attempt." (3) + +6. Upon this speech of Titus, the rest of the multitude were +afrighted at so great a danger. But there was one, whose name was +Sabinus, a soldier that served among the cohorts, and a Syrian by +birth, who appeared to be of very great fortitude, both in the +actions he had done, and the courage of his soul he had shown; +although any body would have thought, before he came to his work, +that he was of such a weak constitution of body, that he was not +fit to be a soldier; for his color was black, his flesh was lean +and thin, and lay close together; but there was a certain heroic +soul that dwelt in this small body, which body was indeed much +too narrow for that peculiar courage which was in him. +Accordingly he was the first that rose up, when he thus spake: "I +readily surrender up myself to thee, O Caesar; I first ascend the +wall, and I heartily wish that my fortune may follow my courage +and my resolution And if some ill fortune grudge me the success +of my undertaking, take notice that my ill success will not be +unexpected, but that I choose death voluntarily for thy sake." +When he had said this, and had spread out his sheild over his +head with his left hand, and hill, with his right hand, drawn his +sword, he marched up to the wall, just about the sixth hour of +the day. There followed him eleven others, and no more, that +resolved to imitate his bravery; but still this was the principal +person of them all, and went first, as excited by a divine fury. +Now those that guarded the wall shot at them from thence, and +cast innumerable darts upon them from every side; they also +rolled very large stones upon them, which overthrew some of those +eleven that were with him. But as for Sabinus himself, he met the +darts that were cast at him and though he was overwhelmed with +them, yet did he not leave off the violence of his attack before +he had gotten up on the top of the wall, and had put the enemy to +flight. For as the Jews were astonished at his great strength, +and the bravery of his soul, and as, withal, they imagined more +of them had got upon the wall than really had, they were put to +flight. And now one cannot but complain here of fortune, as still +envious at virtue, and always hindering the performance of +glorious achievements: this was the case of the man before us, +when he had just obtained his purpose; for he then stumbled at a +certain large stone, and fell down upon it headlong, with a very +great noise. Upon which the Jews turned back, and when they saw +him to be alone, and fallen down also, they threw darts at him +from every side. However. be got upon his knee, and covered +himself with his shield, and at the first defended himself +against them, and wounded many of those that came near him; but +he was soon forced to relax his right hand, by the multitude of +the wounds that had been given him, till at length he was quite +covered over with darts before he gave up the ghost. He was one +who deserved a better fate, by reason of his bravery; but, as +might be expected, he fell under so vast an attempt. As for the +rest of his partners, the Jews dashed three of them to pieces +with stones, and slew them as they were gotten up to the top of +the wall; the other eight being wounded, were pulled down, and +carried back to the camp. These things were done upon the third +day of the month Panemus [Tamuz]. + +7. Now two days afterward twelve of those men that were on the +forefront, and kept watch upon the banks, got together, and +called to them the standard-bearer of the fifth legion, and two +others of a troop of horsemen, and one trumpeter; these went +without noise, about the ninth hour of the night, through the +ruins, to the tower of Antonia; and when they had cut the throats +of the first guards of the place, as they were asleep, they got +possession of the wall, and ordered the trumpeter to sound his +trumpet. Upon which the rest of the guard got up on the sudden, +and ran away, before any body could see how many they were that +were gotten up; for, partly from the fear they were in, and +partly from the sound of the trumpet which they heard, they +imagined a great number of the enemy were gotten up. But as soon +as Caesar heard the signal, he ordered the army to put on their +armor immediately, and came thither with his commanders, and +first of all ascended, as did the chosen men that were with him. +And as the Jews were flying away to the temple, they fell into +that mine which John had dug under the Roman banks. Then did the +seditious of both the bodies of the Jewish army, as well that +belonging to John as that belonging to Simon, drive them away; +and indeed were no way wanting as to the highest degree of force +and alacrity; for they esteemed themselves entirely ruined if +once the Romans got into the temple, as did the Romans look upon +the same thing as the beginning of their entire conquest. So a +terrible battle was fought at the entrance of the temple, while +the Romans were forcing their way, in order to get possession of +that temple, and the Jews were driving them back to the tower of +Antonia; in which battle the darts were on both sides useless, as +well as the spears, and both sides drew their swords, and fought +it out hand to hand. Now during this struggle the positions of +the men were undistinguished on both sides, and they fought at +random, the men being intermixed one with another, and +confounded, by reason of the narrowness of the place; while the +noise that was made fell on the ear after an indistinct manner, +because it was so very loud. Great slaughter was now made on both +sides, and the combatants trod upon the bodies and the armor of +those that were dead, and dashed them to pieces. Accordingly, to +which side soever the battle inclined, those that had the +advantage exhorted one another to go on, as did those that were +beaten make great lamentation. But still there was no room for +flight, nor for pursuit, but disorderly revolutions and retreats, +while the armies were intermixed one with another; but those that +were in the first ranks were under the necessity of killing or +being killed, without any way for escaping; for those on both +sides that came behind forced those before them to go on, without +leaving any space between the armies. At length the Jews' violent +zeal was too hard for the Romans' skill, and the battle already +inclined entirely that way; for the fight had lasted from the +ninth hour of the night till the seventh hour of the day, While +the Jews came on in crowds, and had the danger the temple was in +for their motive; the Romans having no more here than a part of +their army; for those legions, on which the soldiers on that side +depended, were not come up to them. So it was at present thought +sufficient by the Romans to take possession of the tower of +Antonia. + +8. But there was one Julian, a centurion, that came from +Eithynia, a man he was of great reputation, whom I had formerly +seen in that war, and one of the highest fame, both for his skill +in war, his strength of body, and the courage of his soul. This +man, seeing the Romans giving ground, and ill a sad condition, +(for he stood by Titus at the tower of Antonia,) leaped out, and +of himself alone put the Jews to flight, when they were already +conquerors, and made them retire as far as the corner of the +inner court of the temple; from him the multitude fled away in +crowds, as supposing that neither his strength nor his violent +attacks could be those of a mere man. Accordingly, he rushed +through the midst of the Jews, as they were dispersed all abroad, +and killed those that he caught. Nor, indeed, was there any sight +that appeared more wonderful in the eyes of Caesar, or more +terrible to others, than this. However, he was himself pursued by +fate, which it all not possible that he, who was but a mortal +man, should escape; for as he had shoes all full of thick and +sharp nails (4) as had every one of the other soldiers, so when +he ran on the pavement of the temple, he slipped, and fell down +upon his back with a very great noise, which was made by his +armor. This made those that were running away to turn back; +whereupon those Romans that were in the tower of Antonia set up a +great shout, as they were in fear for the man. But the Jews got +about him in crowds, and struck at him with their spears and with +their swords on all sides. Now he received a great many of the +strokes of these iron weapons upon his shield, and often +attempted to get up again, but was thrown down by those that +struck at him; yet did he, as he lay along, stab many of them +with his sword. Nor was he soon killed, as being covered with his +helmet and his breastplate in all those parts of his body where +he might be mortally wounded; he also pulled his neck close to +his body, till all his other limbs were shattered, and nobody +durst come to defend him, and then he yielded to his fate. Now +Caesar was deeply affected on account of this man of so great +fortitude, and especially as he was killed in the sight of so +many people; he was desirous himself to come to his assistance, +but the place would not give him leave, while such as could have +done it were too much terrified to attempt it. Thus when Julian +had struggled with death a great while, and had let but few of +those that had given him his mortal wound go off unhurt, he had +at last his throat cut, though not without some difficulty, and +left behind him a very great fame, not only among the Romans, and +with Caesar himself, but among his enemies also; then did the +Jews catch up his dead body, and put the Romans to flight again, +and shut them up in the tower of Antonia. Now those that most +signalized themselves, and fought most zealously in this battle +of the Jewish side, were one Alexas and Gyphtheus, of John's +party, and of Simon's party were Malachias, and Judas the son of +Merto, and James the son of Sosas, the commander of the Idumeans; +and of the zealots, two brethren, Simon and Judas, the sons of +Jairus. + +CHAPTER 2. + + +How Titus Gave Orders To Demolish The Tower Of Antonia +And Then Persuaded Josephus To Exhort The Jews Again +[To A Surrender]. + +1. And now Titus gave orders to his soldiers that were with him +to dig up the foundations of the tower of Antonia, and make him a +ready passage for his army to come up; while he himself had +Josephus brought to him, (for he had been informed that on that +very day, which was the seventeenth day (5)of Panemus, [Tamuz,] +the sacrifice called "the Daily Sacrifice" had failed, and had +not been offered to God, for want of men to offer it, and that +the people were grievously troubled at it,) and commanded him to +say the same things to John that he had said before, that if he +had any malicious inclination for fighting, he might come out +with as many of his men as he pleased, in order to fight, without +the danger of destroying either his city or temple; but that he +desired he would not defile the temple, nor thereby offend +against God. That he might, if he pleased, offer the sacrifices +which were now discontinuned by any of the Jews whom he should +pitch upon. Upon this Josephus stood in such a place where he +might be heard, not by John only, but by many more, and then +declared to them what Caesar had given him in charge, and this in +the Hebrew language. (6) So he earnestly prayed them to spare +their own city, and to prevent that fire which was just ready to +seize upon the temple, and to offer their usual sacrifices to God +therein. At these words of his a great sadness and silence were +observed among the people. But the tyrant himself cast many +reproaches upon Josephus, with imprecations besides; and at last +added this withal, that he did never fear the taking of the city, +because it was God's own city. In answer to which Josephus said +thus with a loud voice: "To be sure thou hast kept this city +wonderfully pure for God's sake; the temple also continues +entirely unpolluted! Nor hast thou been guilty of ally impiety +against him for whose assistance thou hopest! He still receives +his accustomed sacrifices! Vile wretch that thou art! if any one +should deprive thee of thy daily food, thou wouldst esteem him to +be an enemy to thee; but thou hopest to have that God for thy +supporter in this war whom thou hast deprived of his everlasting +worship; and thou imputest those sins to the Romans, who to this +very time take care to have our laws observed, and almost compel +these sacrifices to be still offered to God, which have by thy +means been intermitted! Who is there that can avoid groans and +lamentations at the amazing change that is made in this city? +since very foreigners and enemies do now correct that impiety +which thou hast occasioned; while thou, who art a Jew, and wast +educated in our laws, art become a greater enemy to them than the +others. But still, John, it is never dishonorable to repent, and +amend what hath been done amiss, even at the last extremity. Thou +hast an instance before thee in Jechoniah, (7) the king of the +Jews, if thou hast a mind to save the city, who, when the king of +Babylon made war against him, did of his own accord go out of +this city before it was taken, and did undergo a voluntary +captivity with his family, that the sanctuary might not be +delivered up to the enemy, and that he might not see the house of +God set on fire; on which account he is celebrated among all the +Jews, in their sacred memorials, and his memory is become +immortal, and will be conveyed fresh down to our posterity +through all ages. This, John, is an excellent example in such a +time of danger, and I dare venture to promise that the Romans +shall still forgive thee. And take notice that I, who make this +exhortation to thee, am one of thine own nation; I, who am a Jew, +do make this promise to thee. And it will become thee to consider +who I am that give thee this counsel, and whence I am derived; +for while I am alive I shall never be in such slavery, as to +forego my own kindred, or forget the laws of our forefathers. +Thou hast indignation at me again, and makest a clamor at me, and +reproachest me; indeed I cannot deny but I am worthy of worse +treatment than all this amounts to, because, in opposition to +fate, I make this kind invitation to thee, and endeavor to force +deliverance upon those whom God hath condemned. And who is there +that does not know what the writings of the ancient prophets +contain in them, - and particularly that oracle which is just now +going to be fulfilled upon this miserable city? For they foretold +that this city should be then taken when somebody shall begin the +slaughter of his own countrymen. And are not both the city and +the entire temple now full of the dead bodies of your countrymen? +It is God, therefore, it is God himself who is bringing on this +fire, to purge that city and temple by means of the Romans, (8) +and is going to pluck up this city, which is full of your +pollutions." + +2. As Josephus spoke these words, with groans and tears in his +eyes, his voice was intercepted by sobs. However, the Romans +could not but pity the affliction he was under, and wonder at his +conduct. But for John, and those that were with him, they were +but the more exasperated against the Romans on this account, and +were desirous to get Josephus also into their power: yet did that +discourse influence a great many of the better sort; and truly +some of them were so afraid of the guards set by the seditious, +that they tarried where they were, but still were satisfied that +both they and the city were doomed to destruction. Some also +there were who, watching a proper opportunity when they might +quietly get away, fled to the Romans, of whom were the high +priests Joseph and Jesus, and of the sons of high priests three, +whose father was Ishmael, who was beheaded in Cyrene, and four +sons of Matthias, as also one son of the other Matthias, who ran +away after his father's death, (9) and whose father was slain by +Simon the son of Gioras, with three of his sons, as I have +already related; many also of the other nobility went over to the +Romans, together with the high priests. Now Caesar not only +received these men very kindly in other respects, but, knowing +they would not willingly live after the customs of other nations, +he sent them to Gophna, and desired them to remain there for the +present, and told them, that when he was gotten clear of this +war, he would restore each of them to their possessions again; so +they cheerfully retired to that small city which was allotted +them, without fear of any danger. But as they did not appear, the +seditious gave out again that these deserters were slain by the +Romans, which was done in order to deter the rest from running +away, by fear of the like treatment. This trick of theirs +succeeded now for a while, as did the like trick before; for the +rest were hereby deterred from deserting, by fear of the like +treatment. + +3. However, when Titus had recalled those men from Gophna, he +gave orders that they should go round the wall, together with +Josephus, and show themselves to the people; upon which a great +many fled to the Romans. These men also got in a great number +together, and stood before the Romans, and besought the +seditious, with groans and tears in their eyes, in the first +place to receive the Romans entirely into the city, and save that +their own place of residence again; but that, if they would not +agree to such a proposal, they would at least depart out of the +temple, and save the holy house for their own use; for that the +Romans would not venture to set the sanctuary on fire but under +the most pressing necessity. Yet did the seditious still more and +more contradict them; and while they cast loud and bitter +reproaches upon these deserters, they also set their engines for +throwing of darts, and javelins, and stones upon the sacred gates +of the temple, at due distances from one another, insomuch that +all the space round about within the temple might be compared to +a burying-ground, so great was the number of the dead bodies +therein; as might the holy house itself be compared to a citadel. +Accordingly, these men rushed upon these holy places in their +armor, that were otherwise unapproachable, and that while their +hands were yet warm with the blood of their own people which they +had shed; nay, they proceeded to such great transgressions, that +the very same indignation which Jews would naturally have against +Romans, had they been guilty of such abuses against them, the +Romans now +had against Jews, for their impiety in regard to their own +religious customs. Nay, indeed, there were none of the Roman +soldiers who did not look with a sacred horror upon the holy +house, and adored it, and wished that the robbers would repent +before their miseries became incurable. + +4. Now Titus was deeply affected with this state of things, and +reproached John and his party, and said to them, "Have not you, +vile wretches that you are, by our permission, put up this +partition-wall before your sanctuary? Have not you been allowed +to put up the pillars thereto belonging, at due distances, and on +it to engrave in Greek, and in your own letters, this +prohibition, that no foreigner should go beyond that wall. (10) +Have not we given you leave to kill such as go beyond it, though +he were a Roman? And what do you do now, you pernicious villains? +Why do you trample upon dead bodies in this temple? and why do +you pollute this holy house with the blood of both foreigners and +Jews themselves? I appeal to the gods of my own country, and to +every god that ever had any regard to this place; (for I do not +suppose it to be now regarded by any of them;) I also appeal to +my own army, and to those Jews that are now with me, and even to +yourselves, that I do not force you to defile this your +sanctuary; and if you will but change the place whereon you will +fight, no Roman shall either come near your sanctuary, or offer +any affront to it; nay, I will endeavor to preserve you your holy +house, whether you will or not." (11) + +5. As Josephus explained these things from the mouth of Caesar, +both the robbers and the tyrant thought that these exhortations +proceeded from Titus's fear, and not from his good-will to them, +and grew insolent upon it. But when Titus saw that these men were +neither to be moved by commiseration towards themselves, nor had +any concern upon them to have the holy house spared, he proceeded +unwillingly to go on again with the war against them. He could +not indeed bring all his army against them, the place was so +narrow; but choosing thirty soldiers of the most valiant out of +every hundred, and committing a thousand to each tribune, and +making Cerealis their commander-in-chief, he gave orders that +they should attack the guards of the temple about the ninth hour +of that night. But as he was now in his armor, and preparing to +go down with them, his friends would not let him go, by reason of +the greatness of the danger, and what the commanders suggested to +them; for they said that he would do more by sitting above in the +tower of Antonia, as a dispenser of rewards to those soldiers +that signalized themselves in the fight, than by coming down and +hazarding his own person in the forefront of them; for that they +would all fight stoutly while Caesar looked upon them. With this +advice Caesar complied, and said that the only reason he had for +such compliance with the soldiers was this, that he might be +able to judge of their courageous actions, and that no valiant +soldier might lie concealed, and miss of his reward, and no +cowardly soldier might go unpunished; but that he might himself +be an eye-witness, and able to give evidence of all that was +done, who was to be the disposer of punishments and rewards to +them. So he sent the soldiers about their work at the hour +forementioned, while he went out himself to a higher place in the +tower of Antonia, whence he might see what was done, and there +waited with impatience to see the event. + +6. However, the soldiers that were sent did not find the guards +of the temple asleep, as they hoped to have done; but were +obliged to fight with them immediately hand to hand, as they +rushed with violence upon them with a great shout. Now as soon as +the rest within the temple heard that shout of those that were +upon the watch, they ran out in troops upon them. Then did the +Romans receive the onset of those that came first upon them; but +those that followed them fell upon their own troops, and many of +them treated their own soldiers as if they had been enemies; for +the great confused noise that was made on both sides hindered +them from distinguishing one another's voices, as did the +darkness of the night hinder them from the like distinction by +the sight, besides that blindness which arose otherwise also from +the passion and the fear they were in at the same time; for which +reason it was all one to the soldiers who it was they struck at. +However, this ignorance did less harm to the Romans than to the +Jews, because they were joined together under their shields, and +made their sallies more regularly than the others did, and each +of them remembered their watch-word; while the Jews were +perpetually dispersed abroad, and made their attacks and retreats +at random, and so did frequently seem to one another to be +enemies; for every one of them received those of their own men +that came back in the dark as Romans, and made an assault upon +them; so that more of them were wounded by their own men than by +the enemy, till, upon the coming on of the day, the nature of the +right was discerned by the eye afterward. Then did they stand in +battle-array in distinct bodies, and cast their darts regularly, +and regularly defended themselves; nor did either side yield or +grow weary. The Romans contended with each other who should fight +the most strenuously, both single men and entire regiments, as +being under the eye of Titus; and every one concluded that this +day would begin his promotion if he fought bravely. What were the +great encouragements of the Jews to act vigorously were, their +fear for themselves and for the temple, and the presence of their +tyrant, who exhorted some, and beat and threatened others, to act +courageously. Now, it so happened, that this fight was for the +most part a stationary one, wherein the soldiers went on and came +back in a short time, and suddenly; for there was no long space +of ground for either of their flights or pursuits. But still +there was a tumultuous noise among the Romans from the tower of +Antonia, who loudly cried out upon all occasions to their own men +to press on courageously, when they were too hard for the Jews, +and to stay when they were retiring backward; so that here was a +kind of theater of war; for what was done in this fight could not +be concealed either from Titus, or from those that were about +him. At length it appeared that this fight, which began at the +ninth hour of the night, was not over till past the fifth hour of +the day; and that, in the same place where the battle began, +neither party could say they had made the other to retire; but +both the armies left the victory almost in uncertainty between +them; wherein those that signalized themselves on the Roman side +were a great many, but on the Jewish side, and of those that were +with Simon, Judas the son of Merto, and Simon the son of Josas; +of the Idumeans, James and Simon, the latter of whom was the son +of Cathlas, and James was the son of Sosas; of those that were +with John, Gyphtheus and Alexas; and of the zealots, Simon the +son of Jairus. + +7. In the mean time, the rest of the Roman army had, in seven +days' time, overthrown [some] foundations of the tower of +Antonia, and had made a ready and broad way to the temple. Then +did the legions come near the first court, (12) and began to +raise their banks. The one bank was over against the north-west +corner of the inner temple (13) another was at that northern +edifice which was between the two gates; and of the other two, +one was at the western cloister of the outer court of the temple; +the other against its northern cloister. However, these works +were thus far advanced by the Romans, not without great pains and +difficulty, and particularly by being obliged to bring their +materials from the distance of a hundred furlongs. They had +further difficulties also upon them; sometimes by their +over-great security they were in that they should overcome the +Jewish snares laid for them, and by that boldness of the Jews +which their despair of escaping had inspired them withal; for +some of their horsemen, when they went out to gather wood or hay, +let their horses feed without having their bridles on during the +time of foraging; upon which horses the Jews sallied out in whole +bodies, and seized them. And when this was continually done, and +Caesar believed what the truth was, that the horses were stolen +more by the negligence of his own men than by the valor of the +Jews, he determined to use greater severity to oblige the rest to +take care of their horses; so he commanded that one of those +soldiers who had lost their horses should be capitally punished; +whereby he so terrified the rest, that they preserved their +horses for the time to come; for they did not any longer let them +go from them to feed by themselves, but, as if they had grown to +them, they went always along with them when they wanted +necessaries. Thus did the Romans still continue to make war +against the temple, and to raise their banks against it. + +8. Now after one day had been interposed since the Romans +ascended the breach, many of the seditious were so pressed by the +famine, upon the present failure of their ravages, that they got +together, and made an attack on those Roman guards that were upon +the Mount of Olives, and this about the eleventh hour of the day, +as supposing, first, that they would not expect such an onset, +and, in the next place, that they were then taking care of their +bodies, and that therefore they should easily beat them. But the +Romans were apprized of their coming to attack them beforehand, +and, running together from the neighboring camps on the sudden, +prevented them from getting over their fortification, or forcing +the wall that was built about them. Upon this came on a sharp +fight, and here many great actions were performed on both sides; +while the Romans showed both their courage and their skill in +war, as did the Jews come on them with immoderate violence and +intolerable passion. The one part were urged on by shame, and the +other by necessity; for it seemed a very shameful thing to the +Romans to let the Jews go, now they were taken in a kind of net; +while the Jews had but one hope of saving themselves, and that +was in case they could by violence break through the Roman wall; +and one whose name was Pedanius, belonging to a party of +horsemen, when the Jews were already beaten and forced down into +the valley together, spurred his horse on their flank with great +vehemence, and caught up a certain young man belonging to the +enemy by his ankle, as he was running away; the man was, however, +of a robust body, and in his armor; so low did Pedanius bend +himself downward from his horse, even as he was galloping away, +and so great was the strength of his right hand, and of the rest +of his body, as also such skill had he in horsemanship. So this +man seized upon that his prey, as upon a precious treasure, and +carried him as his captive to Caesar; whereupon Titus admired the +man that had seized the other for his great strength, and ordered +the man that was caught to be punished [with death] for his +attempt against the Roman wall, but betook himself to the siege +of the temple, and to pressing on the raising of the banks. + +9. In the mean time, the Jews were so distressed by the fights +they had been in, as the war advanced higher and higher, and +creeping up to the holy house itself, that they, as it were, cut +off those limbs of their body which were infected, in order to +prevent the distemper's spreading further; for they set the +north-west cloister, which was joined to the tower of Antonia, on +fire, and after that brake off about twenty cubits of that +cloister, and thereby made a beginning in burning the sanctuary; +two days after which, or on the twenty-fourth day of the +forenamed month, [Panemus or Tamuz,] the Romans set fire to the +cloister that joined to the other, when the fire went fifteen +cubits farther. The Jews, in like manner, cut off its roof; nor +did they entirely leave off what they were about till the tower +of Antonia was parted from the temple, even when it was in their +power to have stopped the fire; nay, they lay still while the +temple was first set on fire, and deemed this spreading of the +fire to be for their own advantage. However, the armies were +still fighting one against another about the temple, and the war +was managed by continual sallies of particular parties against +one another. + +10. Now there was at this time a man among the Jews, low of +stature he was, and of a despicable appearance; of no character +either as to his family, or in other respects: his flame was +Jonathan. He went out at the high priest John's monument, and +uttered many other insolent things to the Romans, a challenged +the best of them all to a single combat.But many of those that +stood there in the army huffed him, and many of them (as they +might well be) were afraid of him. Some of them also reasoned +thus, and that justly enough: that it was not fit to fight with a +man that desired to die, because those that utterly despaired of +deliverance had, besides other passions, a violence in attacking +men that could not be opposed, and had no regard to God himself; +and that to hazard oneself with a person, whom, if you overcome, +you do no great matter, and by whom it is hazardous that you may +be taken prisoner, would be an instance, not of manly courage, +but of unmanly rashness. So there being nobody that came out to +accept the man's challenge, and the Jew cutting them with a great +number of reproaches, as cowards, (for he was a very haughty man +in himself, and a great despiser of the Romans,) one whose name +was Pudens, of the body of horsemen, out of his abomination of +the other's words, and of his impudence withal, and perhaps out +of an inconsiderate arrogance, on account of the other's lowness +of stature, ran out to him, and was too hard for him in other +respects, but was betrayed by his ill fortune; for he fell down, +and as he was down, Jonathan came running to him, and cut his +throat, and then, standing upon his dead body, he brandished his +sword, bloody as it was, and shook his shield with his left hand, +and made many acclamations to the Roman army, and exulted over +the dead man, and jested upon the Romans; till at length one +Priscus, a centurion, shot a dart at him as he was leaping and +playing the fool with himself, and thereby pierced him through; +upon which a shout was set up both by the Jews and the Romans, +though on different accounts. So Jonathan grew giddy by the pain +of his wounds, and fell down upon the body of his adversary, as a +plain instance how suddenly vengeance may come upon men that have +success in war, without any just deserving the same. + +CHAPTER 3. + + + +Concerning A Stratagem That Was Devised By The Jews, +By Which They Burnt Many Of The Romans; With Another +Description Of The Terrible Famine That Was In The City. + +1. But now the seditious that were in the temple did every day +openly endeavor to beat off the soldiers that were upon the +banks, and on the twenty-seventh day of the forenamed month +[Panemus or Tamuz] contrived such a stratagem as this: They +filled that part of the western cloister (14) which was between +the beams, and the roof under them, with dry materials, as also +with bitumen and pitch, and then retired from that place, as +though they were tired with the pains they had taken; at which +procedure of theirs, many of the most inconsiderate among the +Romans, who were carried away with violent passions, followed +hard after them as they were retiring, and applied ladders to the +cloister, and got up to it suddenly; but the prudent part of +them, when they understood this unaccountable retreat of the +Jews, stood still where they were before. However, the cloister +was full of those that were gone up the ladders; at which time +the Jews set it all on fire; and as the flame burst out every +where on the sudden, the Romans that were out of the danger were +seized with a very great consternation, as were those that were +in the midst of the danger in the utmost distress. So when they +perceived themselves surrounded with the flames, some of them +threw themselves down backwards into the city, and some among +their enemies [in the temple]; as did many leap down to their own +men, and broke their limbs to pieces; but a great number of those +that were going to take these violent methods were prevented by +the fire; though some prevented the fire by their own swords. +However, the fire was on the sudden carried so far as to surround +those who would have otherwise perished. As for Caesar himself, +he could not, however, but commiserate those that thus perished, +although they got up thither without any order for so doing, +since there was no way of giving the many relief. Yet was this +some comfort to those that were destroyed, that every body might +see that person grieve, for whose sake they came to their end; +for he cried out openly to them, and leaped up, and exhorted +those that were about him to do their utmost to relieve them; So +every one of them died cheerfully, as carrying along with him +these words and this intention of Caesar as a sepulchral +monument. Some there were indeed who retired into the wall of the +cloister, which was broad, and were preserved out of the fire, +but were then surrounded by the Jews; and although they made +resistance against the Jews for a long time, yet were they +wounded by them, and at length they all fell down dead. + +2. At the last a young man among them, whose name was Longus, +became a decoration to this sad affair, and while every one of +them that perished were worthy of a memorial, this man appeared +to deserve it beyond all the rest. Now the Jews admired this man +for his courage, and were further desirous of having him slain; +so they persuaded him to come down to them, upon security given +him for his life. But Cornelius his brother persuaded him on the +contrary, not to tarnish his own glory, nor that of the Roman +army. He complied with this last advice, and lifting up his sword +before both armies, he slew himself. Yet there was one Artorius +among those surrounded by the fire who escaped by his subtlety; +for when he had with a loud voice called to him Lucius, one of +his fellow soldiers that lay with him in the same tent, and said +to him, "I do leave thee heir of all I have, if thou wilt come +and receive me." Upon this he came running to receive him +readily; Artorius then threw himself down upon him, and saved his +own life, while he that received him was dashed so vehemently +against the stone pavement by the other's weight, that he died +immediately. This melancholy accident made the Romans sad for a +while, but still it made them more upon their guard for the +future, and was of advantage to them against the delusions of the +Jews, by which they were greatly damaged through their +unacquaintedness with the places, and with the nature of the +inhabitants. Now this cloister was burnt down as far as John's +tower, which he built in the war he made against Simon over the +gates that led to the Xystus. The Jews also cut off the rest of +that cloister from the temple, after they had destroyed those +that got up to it. But the next day the Romans burnt down the +northern cloister entirely, as far as the east cloister, whose +common angle joined to the valley that was called Cedron, and was +built over it; on which account the depth was frightful. And this +was the state of the temple at that time. + +3. Now of those that perished by famine in the city, the number +was prodigious, and the miseries they underwent were unspeakable; +for if so much as the shadow of any kind of food did any where +appear, a war was commenced presently, and the dearest friends +fell a fighting one with another about it, snatching from each +other the most miserable supports of life. Nor would men believe +that those who were dying had no food, but the robbers would +search them when they were expiring, lest any one should have +concealed food in their bosoms, and counterfeited dying; nay, +these robbers gaped for want, and ran about stumbling and +staggering along like mad dogs, and reeling against the doors of +the houses like drunken men; they would also, in the great +distress they were in, rush into the very same houses two or +three times in one and the same day. Moreover, their hunger was +so intolerable, that it obliged them to chew every thing, while +they gathered such things as the most sordid animals would not +touch, and endured to eat them; nor did they at length abstain +from girdles and shoes; and the very leather which belonged to +their shields they pulled off and gnawed: the very wisps of old +hay became food to some; and some gathered up fibres, and sold a +very small weight of them for four Attic [drachmae]. But why do I +describe the shameless impudence that the famine brought on men +in their eating inanimate things, while I am going to relate a +matter of fact, the like to which no history relates, (15) either +among the Greeks or Barbarians? It is horrible to speak of it, +and incredible when heard. I had indeed willingly omitted this +calamity of ours, that I might not seem to deliver what is so +portentous to posterity, but that I have innumerable witnesses to +it in my own age; and besides, my country would have had little +reason to thank me for suppressing the miseries that she +underwent at this time. + +4. There was a certain woman that dwelt beyond Jordan, her name +was Mary; her father was Eleazar, of the village Bethezob, which +signifies the house of Hyssop. She was eminent for her family and +her wealth, and had fled away to Jerusalem with the rest of the +multitude, and was with them besieged therein at this time. The +other effects of this woman had been already seized upon, such I +mean as she had brought with her out of Perea, and removed to the +city. What she had treasured up besides, as also what food she +had contrived to save, had been also carried off by the rapacious +guards, who came every day running into her house for that +purpose. This put the poor woman into a very great passion, and +by the frequent reproaches and imprecations she east at these +rapacious villains, she had provoked them to anger against her; +but none of them, either out of the indignation she had raised +against herself, or out of commiseration of her case, would take +away her life; and if she found any food, she perceived her +labors were for others, and not for herself; and it was now +become impossible for her any way to find any more food, while +the famine pierced through her very bowels and marrow, when also +her passion was fired to a degree beyond the famine itself; nor +did she consult with any thing but with her passion and the +necessity she was in. She then attempted a most unnatural thing; +and snatching up her son, who was a child sucking at her breast, +she said, "O thou miserable infant! for whom shall I preserve +thee in this war, this famine, and this sedition? As to the war +with the Romans, if they preserve our lives, we must be slaves. +This famine also will destroy us, even before that slavery comes +upon us. Yet are these seditious rogues more terrible than both +the other. Come on; be thou my food, and be thou a fury to these +seditious varlets, and a by-word to the world, which is all that +is now wanting to complete the calamities of us Jews." As soon as +she had said this, she slew her son, and then roasted him, and +eat the one half of him, and kept the other half by her +concealed. Upon this the seditious came in presently, and +smelling the horrid scent of this food, they threatened her that +they would cut her throat immediately if she did not show them +what food she had gotten ready. She replied that she had saved a +very fine portion of it for them, and withal uncovered what was +left of her son. Hereupon they were seized with a horror and +amazement of mind, and stood astonished at the sight, when she +said to them, "This is mine own son, and what hath been done was +mine own doing! Come, eat of this food; for I have eaten of it +myself! Do not you pretend to be either more tender than a woman, +or more compassionate than a mother; but if you be so +scrupulous, and do abominate this my sacrifice, as I have eaten +the one half, let the rest be reserved for me also." After which +those men went out trembling, being never so much aftrighted at +any thing as they were at this, and with some difficulty they +left the rest of that meat to the mother. Upon which the whole +city was full of this horrid action immediately; and while every +body laid this miserable case before their own eyes, they +trembled, as if this unheard of action had been done by +themselves. So those that were thus distressed by the famine were +very desirous to die, and those already dead were esteemed happy, +because they had not lived long enough either to hear or to see +such miseries. + +5. This sad instance was quickly told to the Romans, some of whom +could not believe it, and others pitied the distress which the +Jews were under; but there were many of them who were hereby +induced to a more bitter hatred than ordinary against our nation. +But for Caesar, he excused himself before God as to this matter, +and said that he had proposed peace and liberty to the Jews, as +well as an oblivion of all their former insolent practices; but +that they, instead of concord, had chosen sedition; instead of +peace, war; and before satiety and abundance, a famine. That they +had begun with their own hands to burn down that temple which we +have preserved hitherto; and that therefore they deserved to eat +such food as this was. That, however, this horrid action of +eating an own child ought to be covered with the overthrow of +their very country itself, and men ought not to leave such a city +upon the habitable earth to be seen by the sun, wherein mothers +are thus fed, although such food be fitter for the fathers than +for the mothers to eat of, since it is they that continue still +in a state of war against us, after they have undergone such +miseries as these. And at the same time that he said this, he +reflected on the desperate condition these men must be in; nor +could he expect that such men could be recovered to sobriety of +mind, after they had endured those very sufferings, for the +avoiding whereof it only was probable they might have repented. + +CHAPTER 4. + + +When The Banks Were Completed And The Battering +Rams Brought, And Could Do Nothing, Titus Gave Orders +To Set Fire To The Gates Of The Temple; In No Long Time +After Which The Holy House Itself Was Burnt Down, Even +Against His Consent. + +1. And now two of the legions had completed their banks on the +eighth day of the month Lous [Ab]. Whereupon Titus gave orders +that the battering rams should be brought, and set over against +the western edifice of the inner temple; for before these were +brought, the firmest of all the other engines had battered the +wall for six days together without ceasing, without making any +impression upon it; but the vast largeness and strong connexion +of the stones were superior to that engine, and to the other +battering rams also. Other Romans did indeed undermine the +foundations of the northern gate, and after a world of pains +removed the outermost stones, yet was the gate still upheld by +the inner stones, and stood still unhurt; till the workmen, +despairing of all such attempts by engines and crows, brought +their ladders to the cloisters. Now the Jews did not interrupt +them in so doing; but when they were gotten up, they fell upon +them, and fought with them; some of them they thrust down, and +threw them backwards headlong; others of them they met and slew; +they also beat many of those that went down the ladders again, +and slew them with their swords before they could bring their +shields to protect them; nay, some of the ladders they threw down +from above when they were full of armed men; a great slaughter +was made of the Jews also at the same time, while those that bare +the ensigns fought hard for them, as deeming it a terrible thing, +and what would tend to their great shame, if they permitted them +to be stolen away. Yet did the Jews at length get possession of +these engines, and destroyed those that had gone up the ladders, +while the rest were so intimidated by what those suffered who +were slain, that they retired; although none of the Romans died +without having done good service before his death. Of the +seditious, those that had fought bravely in the former battles +did the like now, as besides them did Eleazar, the brother's son +of Simon the tyrant. But when Titus perceived that his endeavors +to spare a foreign temple turned to the damage of his soldiers, +and then be killed, he gave order to set the gates on fire. + +2. In the mean time, there deserted to him Ananus, who came from +Emmaus, the most bloody of all Simon's guards, and Archelaus, the +son of Magadatus, they hoping to be still forgiven, because they +left the Jews at a time when they were the conquerors. Titus +objected this to these men, as a cunning trick of theirs; and as +he had been informed of their other barbarities towards the Jews, +he was going in all haste to have them both slain. He told them +that they were only driven to this desertion because of the +utmost distress they were in, and did not come away of their own +good disposition; and that those did not deserve to be preserved, +by whom their own city was already set on fire, out of which fire +they now hurried themselves away. However, the security he had +promised deserters overcame his resentments, and he dismissed +them accordingly, though he did not give them the same privileges +that he had afforded to others. And now the soldiers had already +put fire to the gates, and the silver that was over them quickly +carried the flames to the wood that was within it, whence it +spread itself all on the sudden, and caught hold on the +cloisters. Upon the Jews seeing this fire all about them, their +spirits sunk together with their bodies, and they were under such +astonishment, that not one of them made any haste, either to +defend himself or to quench the fire, but they stood as mute +spectators of it only. However, they did not so grieve at the +loss of what was now burning, as to grow wiser thereby for the +time to come; but as though the holy house itself had been on +fire already, they whetted their passions against the Romans. +This fire prevailed during that day and the next also; for the +soldiers were not able to burn all the cloisters that were round +about together at one time, but only by pieces. + +3. But then, on the next day, Titus commanded part of his army to +quench the fire, and to make a road for the more easy marching up +of the legions, while he himself gathered the commanders +together. Of those there were assembled the six principal +persons: Tiberius Alexander, the commander [under the general] of +the whole army; with Sextus Cerealis, the commander of the fifth +legion; and Larcius Lepidus, the commander of the tenth legion; +and Titus Frigius, the commander of the fifteenth legion: there +was also with them Eternius, the leader of the two legions that +came from Alexandria; and Marcus Antonius Julianus, procurator of +Judea: after these came together all the rest of the procurators +and tribunes. Titus proposed to these that they should give him +their advice what should be done about the holy house. Now some +of these thought it would be the best way to act according to the +rules of war, [and demolish it,] because the Jews would never +leave off rebelling while that house was standing; at which house +it was that they used to get all together. Others of them were of +opinion, that in case the Jews would leave it, and none of them +would lay their arms up in it, he might save it; but that in case +they got upon it, and fought any more, he might burn it; because +it must then be looked upon not as a holy house, but as a +citadel; and that the impiety of burning it would then belong to +those that forced this to be done, and not to them. But Titus +said, that "although the Jews should get upon that holy house, +and fight us thence, yet ought we not to revenge ourselves on +things that are inanimate, instead of the men themselves;" and +that he was not in any case for burning down so vast a work as +that was, because this would be a mischief to the Romans +themselves, as it would be an ornament to their government while +it continued. So Fronto, and Alexander, and Cerealis grew bold +upon that declaration, and agreed to the opinion of Titus. Then +was this assembly dissolved, when Titus had given orders to the +commanders that the rest of their forces should lie still; but +that they should make use of such as were most courageous in this +attack. So he commanded that the chosen men that were taken out +of the cohorts should make their way through the ruins, and +quench the fire. + +4. Now it is true that on this day the Jews were so weary, and +under such consternation, that they refrained from any attacks. +But on the next day they gathered their whole force together, and +ran upon those that guarded the outward court of the temple very +boldly, through the east gate, and this about the second hour of +the day. These guards received that their attack with great +bravery, and by covering themselves with their shields before, as +if it were with a wall, they drew their squadron close together; +yet was it evident that they could not abide there very long, but +would be overborne by the multitude of those that sallied out +upon them, and by the heat of their passion. However, Caesar +seeing, from the tower of Antonia, that this squadron was likely +to give way, he sent some chosen horsemen to support them. +Hereupon the Jews found themselves not able to sustain their +onset, and upon the slaughter of those in the forefront, many of +the rest were put to flight. But as the Romans were going off, +the Jews turned upon them, and fought them; and as those Romans +came back upon them, they retreated again, until about the fifth +hour of the day they were overborne, and shut themselves up in +the inner [court of the] temple. + +5. So Titus retired into the tower of Antonia, and resolved to +storm the temple the next day, early in the morning, with his +whole army, and to encamp round about the holy house. But as for +that house, God had, for certain, long ago doomed it to the fire; +and now that fatal day was come, according to the revolution of +ages; it was the tenth day of the month Lous, [Ab,] upon which it +was formerly burnt by the king of Babylon; although these flames +took their rise from the Jews themselves, and were occasioned by +them; for upon Titus's retiring, the seditious lay still for a +little while, and then attacked the Romans again, when those that +guarded the holy house fought with those that quenched the fire +that was burning the inner [court of the] temple; but these +Romans put the Jews to flight, and proceeded as far as the holy +house itself. At which time one of the soldiers, without staying +for any orders, and without any concern or dread upon him at so +great an undertaking, and being hurried on by a certain divine +fury, snatched somewhat out of the materials that were on fire, +and being lifted up by another soldier, he set fire to a golden +window, through which there was a passage to the rooms that were +round about the holy house, on the north side of it. As the +flames went upward, the Jews made a great clamor, such as so +mighty an affliction required, and ran together to prevent it; +and now they spared not their lives any longer, nor suffered any +thing to restrain their force, since that holy house was +perishing, for whose sake it was that they kept such a guard +about it. + +6. And now a certain person came running to Titus, and told him +of this fire, as he was resting himself in his tent after the +last battle; whereupon he rose up in great haste, and, as he was, +ran to the holy house, in order to have a stop put to the fire; +after him followed all his commanders, and after them followed +the several legions, in great astonishment; so there was a great +clamor and tumult raised, as was natural upon the disorderly +motion of so great an army. Then did Caesar, both by calling to +the soldiers that were fighting, with a loud voice, and by giving +a signal to them with his right hand, order them to quench the +fire. But they did not hear what he said, though he spake so +loud, having their ears already dimmed by a greater noise another +way; nor did they attend to the signal he made with his hand +neither, as still some of them were distracted with fighting, and +others with passion. But as for the legions that came running +thither, neither any persuasions nor any threatenings could +restrain their violence, but each one's own passion was his +commander at this time; and as they were crowding into the temple +together, many of them were trampled on by one another, while a +great number fell among the ruins of the cloisters, which were +still hot and smoking, and were destroyed in the same miserable +way with those whom they had conquered; and when they were come +near the holy house, they made as if they did not so much as hear +Caesar's orders to the contrary; but they encouraged those that +were before them to set it on fire. As for the seditious, they +were in too great distress already to afford their assistance +[towards quenching the fire]; they were every where slain, and +every where beaten; and as for a great part of the people, they +were weak and without arms, and had their throats cut wherever +they were caught. Now round about the altar lay dead bodies +heaped one upon another, as at the steps (16) going up to it ran +a great quantity of their blood, whither also the dead bodies +that were slain above [on the altar] fell down. + +7. And now, since Caesar was no way able to restrain the +enthusiastic fury of the soldiers, and the fire proceeded on more +and more, he went into the holy place of the temple, with his +commanders, and saw it, with what was in it, which he found to be +far superior to what the relations of foreigners contained, and +not inferior to what we ourselves boasted of and believed about +it. But as the flame had not as yet reached to its inward parts, +but was still consuming the rooms that were about the holy house, +and Titus supposing what the fact was, that the house itself +might yet he saved, he came in haste and endeavored to persuade +the soldiers to quench the fire, and gave order to Liberalius the +centurion, and one of those spearmen that were about him, to beat +the soldiers that were refractory with their staves, and to +restrain them; yet were their passions too hard for the regards +they had for Caesar, and the dread they had of him who forbade +them, as was their hatred of the Jews, and a certain vehement +inclination to fight them, too hard for them also. Moreover, the +hope of plunder induced many to go on, as having this opinion, +that all the places within were full of money, and as seeing that +all round about it was made of gold. And besides, one of those +that went into the place prevented Caesar, when he ran so hastily +out to restrain the soldiers, and threw the fire upon the hinges +of the gate, in the dark; whereby the flame burst out from within +the holy house itself immediately, when the commanders retired, +and Caesar with them, and when nobody any longer forbade those +that were without to set fire to it. And thus was the holy house +burnt down, without Caesar's approbation. + +8. Now although any one would justly lament the destruction of +such a work as this was, since it was the most admirable of all +the works that we have seen or heard of, both for its curious +structure and its magnitude, and also for the vast wealth +bestowed upon it, as well as for the glorious reputation it had +for its holiness; yet might such a one comfort himself with this +thought, that it was fate that decreed it so to be, which is +inevitable, both as to living creatures, and as to works and +places also. However, one cannot but wonder at the accuracy of +this period thereto relating; for the same month and day were now +observed, as I said before, wherein the holy house was burnt +formerly by the Babylonians. Now the number of years that passed +from its first foundation, which was laid by king Solomon, till +this its destruction, which happened in the second year of the +reign of Vespasian, are collected to be one thousand one hundred +and thirty, besides seven months and fifteen days; and from the +second building of it, which was done by Haggai, in the second +year of Cyrus the king, till its destruction under Vespasian, +there were six hundred and thirty-nine years and forty-five days. + +CHAPTER 5. + + +The Great Distress The Jews Were In Upon The +Conflagration Of The Holy House. Concerning A False +Prophet, And The Signs That Preceded This Destruction. + +1. While the holy house was on fire, every thing was plundered +that came to hand, and ten thousand of those that were caught +were slain; nor was there a commiseration of any age, or any +reverence of gravity, but children, and old men, and profane +persons, and priests were all slain in the same manner; so that +this war went round all sorts of men, and brought them to +destruction, and as well those that made supplication for their +lives, as those that defended themselves by fighting. The flame +was also carried a long way, and made an echo, together with the +groans of those that were slain; and because this hill was high, +and the works at the temple were very great, one would have +thought the whole city had been on fire. Nor can one imagine any +thing either greater or more terrible than this noise; for there +was at once a shout of the Roman legions, who were marching all +together, and a sad clamor of the seditious, who were now +surrounded with fire and sword. The people also that were left +above were beaten back upon the enemy, and under a great +consternation, and made sad moans at the calamity they were +under; the multitude also that was in the city joined in this +outcry with those that were upon the hill. And besides, many of +those that were worn away by the famine, and their mouths almost +closed, when they saw the fire of the holy house, they exerted +their utmost strength, and brake out into groans and outcries +again: Pera (17) did also return the echo, as well as the +mountains round about [the city,] and augmented the force of the +entire noise. Yet was the misery itself more terrible than this +disorder; for one would have thought that the hill itself, on +which the temple stood, was seething hot, as full of fire on +every part of it, that the blood was larger in quantity than the +fire, and those that were slain more in number than those that +slew them; for the ground did no where appear visible, for the +dead bodies that lay on it; but the soldiers went over heaps of +those bodies, as they ran upon such as fled from them. And now it +was that the multitude of the robbers were thrust out [of the +inner court of the temple by the Romans,] and had much ado to get +into the outward court, and from thence into the city, while the +remainder of the populace fled into the cloister of that outer +court. As for the priests, some of them plucked up from the holy +house the spikes (18) that were upon it, with their bases, which +were made of lead, and shot them at the Romans instead of darts. +But then as they gained nothing by so doing, and as the fire +burst out upon them, they retired to the wall that was eight +cubits broad, and there they tarried; yet did two of these of +eminence among them, who might have saved themselves by going +over to the Romans, or have borne up with courage, and taken +their fortune with the others, throw themselves into the fire, +and were burnt together with the holy house; their names were +Meirus the son of Belgas, and Joseph the son of Daleus. + +2. And now the Romans, judging that it was in vain to spare what +was round about the holy house, burnt all those places, as also +the remains of the cloisters and the gates, two excepted; the one +on the east side, and the other on the south; both which, +however, they burnt afterward. They also burnt down the treasury +chambers, in which was an immense quantity of money, and an +immense number of garments, and other precious goods there +reposited; and, to speak all in a few words, there it was that +the entire riches of the Jews were heaped up together, while the +rich people had there built themselves chambers [to contain such +furniture]. The soldiers also came to the rest of the cloisters +that were in the outer [court of the] temple, whither the women +and children, and a great mixed multitude of the people, fled, in +number about six thousand. But before Caesar had determined any +thing about these people, or given the commanders any orders +relating to them, the soldiers were in such a rage, that they set +that cloister on fire; by which means it came to pass that some +of these were destroyed by throwing themselves down headlong, and +some were burnt in the cloisters themselves. Nor did any one of +them escape with his life. A false prophet (19) was the occasion +of these people's destruction, who had made a public +proclamation in the city that very day, that God commanded them +to get upon the temple, and that there they should receive +miraculous signs of their deliverance. Now there was then a great +number of false prophets suborned by the tyrants to impose on the +people, who denounced this to them, that they should wait for +deliverance from God; and this was in order to keep them from +deserting, and that they might be buoyed up above fear and care +by such hopes. Now a man that is in adversity does easily comply +with such promises; for when such a seducer makes him believe +that he shall be delivered from those miseries which oppress him, +then it is that the patient is full of hopes of such his +deliverance. + +3. Thus were the miserable people persuaded by these deceivers, +and such as belied God himself; while they did not attend nor +give credit to the signs that were so evident, and did so plainly +foretell their future desolation, but, like men infatuated, +without either eyes to see or minds to consider, did not regard +the denunciations that God made to them. Thus there was a star +(20) resembling a sword, which stood over the city, and a comet, +that continued a whole year. Thus also before the Jews' +rebellion, and before those commotions which preceded the war, +when the people were come in great crowds to the feast of +unleavened bread, on the eighth day of the month Xanthicus, (21) +[Nisan,] and at the ninth hour of the night, so great a light +shone round the altar and the holy house, that it appeared to be +bright day time; which lasted for half an hour. This light seemed +to be a good sign to the unskillful, but was so interpreted by +the sacred scribes, as to portend those events that followed +immediately upon it. At the same festival also, a heifer, as she +was led by the high priest to be sacrificed, brought forth a lamb +in the midst of the temple. Moreover, the eastern gate of the +inner (22) [court of the] temple, which was of brass, and vastly +heavy, and had been with difficulty shut by twenty men, and +rested upon a basis armed with iron, and had bolts fastened very +deep into the firm floor, which was there made of one entire +stone, was seen to be opened of its own accord about the sixth +hour of the night. Now those that kept watch in the temple came +hereupon running to the captain of the temple, and told him of +it; who then came up thither, and not without great difficulty +was able to shut the gate again. This also appeared to the vulgar +to be a very happy prodigy, as if God did thereby open them the +gate of happiness. But the men of learning understood it, that +the security of their holy house was dissolved of its own accord, +and that the gate was opened for the advantage of their enemies. +So these publicly declared that the signal foreshowed the +desolation that was coming upon them. Besides these, a few days +after that feast, on the one and twentieth day of the month +Artemisius, [Jyar,] a certain prodigious and incredible +phenomenon appeared: I suppose the account of it would seem to be +a fable, were it not related by those that saw it, and were not +the events that followed it of so considerable a nature as to +deserve such signals; for, before sun-setting, chariots and +troops of soldiers in their armor were seen running about among +the clouds, and surrounding of cities. Moreover, at that feast +which we call Pentecost, as the priests were going by night into +the inner [court of the temple,] as their custom was, to perform +their sacred ministrations, they said that, in the first place, +they felt a quaking, and heard a great noise, and after that they +heard a sound as of a great multitude, saying, "Let us remove +hence." But, what is still more terrible, there was one Jesus, +the son of Ananus, a plebeian and a husbandman, who, four years +before the war began, and at a time when the city was in very +great peace and prosperity, came to that feast whereon it is our +custom for every one to make tabernacles to God in the temple, +(23) began on a sudden to cry aloud, "A voice from the east, a +voice from the west, a voice from the four winds, a voice against +Jerusalem and the holy house, a voice against the bridegrooms and +the brides, and a voice against this whole people!" This was his +cry, as he went about by day and by night, in all the lanes of +the city. However, certain of the most eminent among the populace +had great indignation at this dire cry of his, and took up the +man, and gave him a great number of severe stripes; yet did not +he either say any thing for himself, or any thing peculiar to +those that chastised him, but still went on with the same words +which he cried before. Hereupon our rulers, supposing, as the +case proved to be, that this was a sort of divine fury in the +man, brought him to the Roman procurator, where he was whipped +till his bones were laid bare; yet he did not make any +supplication for himself, nor shed any tears, but turning his +voice to the most lamentable tone possible, at every stroke of +the whip his answer was, "Woe, woe to Jerusalem!" And when +Albinus (for he was then our procurator) asked him, Who he was? +and whence he came? and why he uttered such words? he made no +manner of reply to what he said, but still did not leave off his +melancholy ditty, till Albinus took him to be a madman, and +dismissed him. Now, during all the time that passed before the +war began, this man did not go near any of the citizens, nor was +seen by them while he said so; but he every day uttered these +lamentable words, as if it were his premeditated vow, "Woe, woe +to Jerusalem!" Nor did he give ill words to any of those that +beat him every day, nor good words to those that gave him food; +but this was his reply to all men, and indeed no other than a +melancholy presage of what was to come. This cry of his was the +loudest at the festivals; and he continued this ditty for seven +years and five months, without growing hoarse, or being tired +therewith, until the very time that he saw his presage in earnest +fulfilled in our siege, when it ceased; for as he was going round +upon the wall, he cried out with his utmost force, "Woe, woe to +the city again, and to the people, and to the holy house!" And +just as he added at the last, "Woe, woe to myself also!" there +came a stone out of one of the engines, and smote him, and killed +him immediately; and as he was uttering the very same presages he +gave up the ghost. + +4. Now if any one consider these things, he will find that God +takes care of mankind, and by all ways possible foreshows to our +race what is for their preservation; but that men perish by those +miseries which they madly and voluntarily bring upon themselves; +for the Jews, by demolishing the tower of Antonia, had made their +temple four-square, while at the same time they had it written in +their sacred oracles, "That then should their city be taken, as +well as their holy house, when once their temple should become +four-square." But now, what did the most elevate them in +undertaking this war, was an ambiguous oracle that was also found +in their sacred writings, how," about that time, one from their +country should become governor of the habitable earth." The Jews +took this prediction to belong to themselves in particular, and +many of the wise men were thereby deceived in their +determination. Now this oracle certainly denoted the government +of Vespasian, who was appointed emperor in Judea. However, it is +not possible for men to avoid fate, although they see it +beforehand. But these men interpreted some of these signals +according to their own pleasure, and some of them they utterly +despised, until their madness was demonstrated, both by the +taking of their city and their own destruction. + +CHAPTER 6. + + + +How The Romans Carried Their Ensigns To The Temple, +And Made Joyful Acclamations To Titus. The Speech That +Titus Made To The Jews When They Made Supplication +For Mercy. What Reply They Made Thereto; And How That +Reply Moved Titus's Indignation Against Them. + +1. And now the Romans, upon the flight of the seditious into the +city, and upon the burning of the holy house itself, and of all +the buildings round about it, brought their ensigns to the temple +(24) and set them over against its eastern gate; and there did +they offer sacrifices to them, and there did they make Titus +imperator (25) with the greatest acclamations of joy. And now all +the soldiers had such vast quantities of the spoils which they +had gotten by plunder, that in Syria a pound weight of gold was +sold for half its former value. But as for those priests that +kept themselves still upon the wall of the holy house,(26) there +was a boy that, out of the thirst he was in, desired some of the +Roman guards to give him their right hands as a security for his +life, and confessed he was very thirsty. These guards +commiserated his age, and the distress he was in, and gave him +their right hands accordingly. So he came down himself, and drank +some water, and filled the vessel he had with him when he came to +them with water, and then went off, and fled away to his own +friends; nor could any of those guards overtake him; but still +they reproached him for his perfidiousness. To which he made this +answer: "I have not broken the agreement; for the security I had +given me was not in order to my staying with you, but only in +order to my coming down safely, and taking up some water; both +which things I have performed, and thereupon think myself to have +been faithful to my engagement." Hereupon those whom the child +had imposed upon admired at his cunning, and that on account of +his age. On the fifth day afterward, the priests that were pined +with the famine came down, and when they were brought to Titus by +the guards, they begged for their lives; but he replied, that the +time of pardon was over as to them, and that this very holy +house, on whose account only they could justly hope to be +preserved, was destroyed; and that it was agreeable to their +office that priests should perish with the house itself to which +they belonged. So he ordered them to be put to death. + +2. But as for the tyrants themselves, and those that were with +them, when they found that they were encompassed on every side, +and, as it were, walled round, without any method of escaping, +they desired to treat with Titus by word of mouth. Accordingly, +such was the kindness of his nature, and his desire of preserving +the city from destruction, joined to the advice of his friends, +who now thought the robbers were come to a temper, that he placed +himself on the western side of the outer [court of the] temple; +for there were gates on that side above the Xystus, and a bridge +that connected the upper city to the temple. This bridge it was +that lay between the tyrants and Caesar, and parted them; while +the multitude stood on each side; those of the Jewish nation +about Sinran and John, with great hopes of pardon; and the Romans +about Caesar, in great expectation how Titus would receive their +supplication. So Titus charged his soldiers to restrain their +rage, and to let their darts alone, and appointed an interpreter +between them, which was a sign that he was the conqueror, and +first began the discourse, and said, "I hope you, sirs, are now +satiated with the miseries of your country, who have not bad any +just notions, either of our great power, or of your own great +weakness, but have, like madmen, after a violent and +inconsiderate manner, made such attempts, as have brought your +people, your city, and your holy house to destruction. You have +been the men that have never left off rebelling since Pompey +first conquered you, and have, since that time, made open war +with the Romans. Have you depended on your multitude, while a +very small part of the Roman soldiery have been strong enough for +you? Have you relied on the fidelity of your confederates? And +what nations are there, out of the limits of our dominion, that +would choose to assist the Jews before the Romans? Are your +bodies stronger than ours? nay, you know that the [strong] +Germans themselves are our servants. Have you stronger walls than +we have? Pray, what greater obstacle is there than the wall of +the ocean, with which the Britons are encompassed, and yet do +adore the arms of the Romans. Do you exceed us in courage of +soul, and in the sagacity of your commanders? Nay, indeed, you +cannot but know that the very Carthaginians have been conquered +by us. It can therefore be nothing certainly but the kindness of +us Romans which hath excited you against us; who, in the first +place, have given you this land to possess; and, in the next +place, have set over you kings of your own nation; and, in the +third place, have preserved the laws of your forefathers to you, +and have withal permitted you to live, either by yourselves, or +among others, as it should please you: and, what is our chief +favor of all we have given you leave to gather up that tribute +which is paid to God (27) with such other gifts that are +dedicated to him; nor have we called those that carried these +donations to account, nor prohibited them; till at length you +became richer than we ourselves, even when you were our enemies; +and you made preparations for war against us with our own money; +nay, after all, when you were in the enjoyment of all these +advantages, you turned your too great plenty against those that +gave it you, and, like merciless serpents, have thrown out your +poison against those that treated you kindly. I suppose, +therefore, that you might despise the slothfulness of Nero, and, +like limbs of the body that are broken or dislocated, you did +then lie quiet, waiting for some other time, though still with a +malicious intention, and have now showed your distemper to be +greater than ever, and have extended your desires as far as your +impudent and immense hopes would enable you to do it. At this +time my father came into this country, not with a design to +punish you for what you had done under Cestius, but to admonish +you; for had he come to overthrow your nation, he had run +directly to your fountain-head, and had immediately laid this +city waste; whereas he went and burnt Galilee and the neighboring +parts, and thereby gave you time for repentance; which instance +of humanity you took for an argument of his weakness, and +nourished up your impudence by our mildness. When Nero was gone +out of the world, you did as the wickedest wretches would have +done, and encouraged yourselves to act against us by our civil +dissensions, and abused that time, when both I and my father were +gone away to Egypt, to make preparations for this war. Nor were +you ashamed to raise disturbances against us when we were made +emperors, and this while you had experienced how mild we had +been, when we were no more than generals of the army. But when +the government was devolved upon us, and all other people did +thereupon lie quiet, and even foreign nations sent embassies, and +congratulated our access to the government, then did you Jews +show yourselves to be our enemies. You sent embassies to those of +your nation that are beyond Euphrates to assist you in your +raising disturbances; new walls were built by you round your +city, seditions arose, and one tyrant contended against another, +and a civil war broke out among you; such indeed as became none +but so wicked a people as you are. I then came to this city, as +unwillingly sent by my father, and received melancholy +injunctions from him. When I heard that the people were disposed +to peace, I rejoiced at it; I exhorted you to leave off these +proceedings before I began this war; I spared you even when you +had fought against me a great while; I gave my right hand as +security to the deserters; I observed what I had promised +faithfully. When they fled to me, I had compassion on many of +those that I had taken captive; I tortured those that were eager +for war, in order to restrain them. It was unwillingly that I +brought my engines of war against your walls; I always prohibited +my soldiers, when they were set upon your slaughter, from their +severity against you. After every victory I persuaded you to +peace, as though I had been myself conquered. When I came near +your temple, I again departed from the laws of war, and exhorted +you to spare your own sanctuary, and to preserve your holy house +to yourselves. I allowed you a quiet exit out of it, and security +for your preservation; nay, if you had a mind, I gave you leave +to fight in another place. Yet have you still despised every one +of my proposals, and have set fire to your holy house with your +own hands. And now, vile wretches, do you desire to treat with me +by word of mouth? To what purpose is it that you would save such +a holy house as this was, which is now destroyed? What +preservation can you now desire after the destruction of your +temple? Yet do you stand still at this very time in your armor; +nor can you bring yourselves so much as to pretend to be +supplicants even in this your utmost extremity. O miserable +creatures! what is it you depend on? Are not your people dead? is +not your holy house gone? is not your city in my power? and are +not your own very lives in my hands? And do you still deem it a +part of valor to die? However, I will not imitate your madness. +If you throw down your arms, and deliver up your bodies to me, I +grant you your lives; and I will act like a mild master of a +family; what cannot be healed shall be punished, and the rest I +will preserve for my own use." + +3. To that offer of Titus they made this reply: That they could +not accept of it, because they had sworn never to do so; but they +desired they might have leave to go through the wall that had +been made about them, with their wives and children; for that +they would go into the desert, and leave the city to him. At this +Titus had great indignation, that when they were in the case of +men already taken captives, they should pretend to make their own +terms with him, as if they had been conquerors. So he ordered +this proclamation to be made to them, That they should no more +come out to him as deserters, nor hope for any further security; +for that he would henceforth spare nobody, but fight them with +his whole army; and that they must save themselves as well as +they could; for that he would from henceforth treat them +according to the laws of war. So he gave orders to the soldiers +both to burn and to plunder the city; who did nothing indeed that +day; but on the next day they set fire to the repository of the +archives, to Acra, to the council-house, and to the place called +Ophlas; at which time the fire proceeded as far as the palace of +queen Helena, which was in the middle of Acra; the lanes also +were burnt down, as were also those houses that were full of the +dead bodies of such as were destroyed by famine. + +4. On the same day it was that the sons and brethren of Izates +the king, together with many others of the eminent men of the +populace, got together there, and besought Caesar to give them +his right hand for their security; upon which, though he was very +angry at all that were now remaining, yet did he not lay aside +his old moderation, but received these men. At that time, indeed, +he kept them all in custody, but still bound the king's sons and +kinsmen, and led them with him to Rome, in order to make them +hostages for their country's fidelity to the Romans. + +CHAPTER 7. + + + +What Afterward Befell The Seditious When They Had Done +A Great Deal Of Mischief, And Suffered Many Misfortunes; As Also +How Caesar Became Master Of The Upper City, + +1. And now the seditious rushed into the royal palace, into which +many had put their effects, because it was so strong, and drove +the Romans away from it. They also slew all the people that had +crowded into it, who were in number about eight thousand four +hundred, and plundered them of what they had. They also took two +of the Romans alive; the one was a horseman, and the other a +footman. They then cut the throat of the footman, and immediately +had him drawn through the whole city, as revenging themselves +upon the whole body of the Romans by this one instance. But the +horseman said he had somewhat to suggest to them in order to +their preservation; whereupon he was brought before Simon; but he +having nothing to say when he was there, he was delivered to +Ardalas, one of his commanders, to be punished, who bound his +hands behind him, and put a riband over his eyes, and then +brought him out over against the Romans, as intending to cut off +his head. But the man prevented that execution, and ran away to +the Romans, and this while the Jewish executioner was drawing out +his sword. Now when he was gotten away from the enemy, Titus +could not think of putting him to death; but because he deemed +him unworthy of being a Roman soldier any longer, on account that +he had been taken alive by the enemy, he took away his arms, and +ejected him out of the legion whereto he had belonged; which, to +one that had a sense of shame, was a penalty severer than death +itself. + +2. On the next day the Romans drove the robbers out of the lower +city, and set all on fire as far as Siloam. These soldiers were +indeed glad to see the city destroyed. But they missed the +plunder, because the seditious had carried off all their effects, +and were retired into the upper city; for they did not yet at all +repent of the mischiefs they had done, but were insolent, as if +they had done well; for, as they saw the city on fire, they +appeared cheerful, and put on joyful countenances, in +expectation, as they said, of death to end their miseries. +Accordingly, as the people were now slain, the holy house was +burnt down, and the city was on fire, there was nothing further +left for the enemy to do. Yet did not Josephus grow weary, even +in this utmost extremity, to beg of them to spare what was left +of the city; he spake largely to them about their barbarity and +impiety, and gave them his advice in order to their escape; +though he gained nothing thereby more than to be laughed at by +them; and as they could not think of surrendering themselves up, +because of the oath they had taken, nor were strong enough to +fight with the Romans any longer upon the square, as being +surrounded on all sides, and a kind of prisoners already, yet +were they so accustomed to kill people, that they could not +restrain their right hands from acting accordingly. So they +dispersed themselves before the city, and laid themselves in +ambush among its ruins, to catch those that attempted to desert +to the Romans; accordingly many such deserters were caught by +them, and were all slain; for these were too weak, by reason of +their want of food, to fly away from them; so their dead bodies +were thrown to the dogs. Now every other sort of death was +thought more tolerable than the famine, insomuch that, though the +Jews despaired now of mercy, yet would they fly to the Romans, +and would themselves, even of their own accord, fall among the +murderous rebels also. Nor was there any place in the city that +had no dead bodies in it, but what was entirely covered with +those that were killed either by the famine or the rebellion; and +all was full of the dead bodies of such as had perished, either +by that sedition or by that famine. + +3. So now the last hope which supported the tyrants, and that +crew of robbers who were with them, was in the caves and caverns +under ground; whither, if they could once fly, they did not +expect to be searched for; but endeavored, that after the whole +city should be destroyed, and the Romans gone away, they might +come out again, and escape from them. This was no better than a +dream of theirs; for they were not able to lie hid either from +God or from the Romans. However, they depended on these +under-ground subterfuges, and set more places on fire than did +the Romans themselves; and those that fled out of their houses +thus set on fire into the ditches, they killed without mercy, and +pillaged them also; and if they discovered food belonging to any +one, they seized upon it and swallowed it down, together with +their blood also; nay, they were now come to fight one with +another about their plunder; and I cannot but think that, had not +their destruction prevented it, their barbarity would have made +them taste of even the + dead bodies themselves. + +CHAPTER 8. + + + +How Caesar Raised Banks Round About The Upper City +[Mount Zion] And When They Were Completed, Gave +Orders That The Machines Should Be Brought. He Then +Possessed Himself Of The Whole City. + +1. Now when Caesar perceived that the upper city was so steep +that it could not possibly be taken without raising banks against +it, he distributed the several parts of that work among his army, +and this on the twentieth day of the month Lous [Ab]. Now the +carriage of the materials was a difficult task, since all the +trees, as I have already told you, that were about the city, +within the distance of a hundred furlongs, had their branches cut +off already, in order to make the former banks. The works that +belonged to the four legions were erected on the west side of the +city, over against the royal palace; but the whole body of the +auxiliary troops, with the rest of the multitude that were with +them, [erected their banks] at the Xystus, whence they reached to +the bridge, and that tower of Simon which he had built as a +citadel for himself against John, when they were at war one with +another. + +2. It was at this time that the commanders of the Idumeans got +together privately, and took counsel about surrendering up +themselves to the Romans. Accordingly, they sent five men to +Titus, and entreated him to give them his right hand for their +security. So Titus thinking that the tyrants would yield, if the +Idumeans, upon whom a great part of the war depended, were once +withdrawn from them, after some reluctancy and delay, complied +with them, and gave them security for their lives, and sent the +five men back. But as these Idumeans were preparing to march out, +Simon perceived it, and immediately slew the five men that had +gone to Titus, and took their commanders, and put them in prison, +of whom the most eminent was Jacob, the son of Sosas; but as for +the multitude of the Idumeans, who did not at all know what to +do, now their commanders were taken from them, he had them +watched, and secured the walls by a more numerous garrison, Yet +could not that garrison resist those that were deserting; for +although a great number of them were slain, yet were the +deserters many more in number. They were all received by the +Romans, because Titus himself grew negligent as to his former +orders for killing them, and because the very soldiers grew weary +of killing them, and because they hoped to get some money by +sparing them; for they left only the populace, and sold the rest +of the multitude, (28) with their wives and children, and every +one of them at a very low price, and that because such as were +sold were very many, and the buyers were few: and although Titus +had made proclamation beforehand, that no deserter should come +alone by himself, that so they might bring out their families +with them, yet did he receive such as these also. However, he set +over them such as were to distinguish some from others, in order +to see if any of them deserved to be punished. And indeed the +number of those that were sold was immense; but of the populace +above forty thousand were saved, whom Caesar let go whither every +one of them pleased. + +3. But now at this time it was that one of the priests, the son +of Thebuthus, whose name was Jesus, upon his having security +given him, by the oath of Caesar, that he should be preserved, +upon condition that he should deliver to him certain of the +precious things that had been reposited in the temple (29) came +out of it, and delivered him from the wall of the holy house two +candlesticks, like to those that lay in the holy house, with +tables, and cisterns, and vials, all made of solid gold, and very +heavy. He also delivered to him the veils and the garments, with +the precious stones, and a great number of other precious vessels +that belonged to their sacred worship. The treasurer of the +temple also, whose name was Phineas, was seized on, and showed +Titus the coats and girdles of the priests, with a great quantity +of purple and scarlet, which were there reposited for the uses of +the veil, as also a great deal of cinnamon and cassia, with a +large quantity of other sweet spices, (30) which used to be mixed +together, and offered as incense to God every day. A great many +other treasures were also delivered to him, with sacred ornaments +of the temple not a few; which things thus delivered to Titus +obtained of him for this man the same pardon that he had allowed +to such as deserted of their own accord. + +4. And now were the banks finished on the seventh day of the +month Gorpieus, [Elul,] in eighteen days' time, when the Romans +brought their machines against the wall. But for the seditious, +some of them, as despairing of saving the city, retired from the +wall to the citadel; others of them went down into the +subterranean vaults, though still a great many of them defended +themselves against those that brought the engines for the +battery; yet did the Romans overcome them by their number and by +their strength; and, what was the principal thing of all, by +going cheerfully about their work, while the Jews were quite +dejected, and become weak. Now as soon as a part of the wall was +battered down, and certain of the towers yielded to the +impression of the battering rams, those that opposed themselves +fled away, and such a terror fell upon the tyrants, as was much +greater than the occasion required; for before the enemy got over +the breach they were quite stunned, and were immediately for +flying away. And now one might see these men, who had hitherto +been so insolent and arrogant in their wicked practices, to be +cast down and to tremble, insomuch that it would pity one's heart +to observe the change that was made in those vile persons. +Accordingly, they ran with great violence upon the Roman wall +that encompassed them, in order to force away those that guarded +it, and to break through it, and get away. But when they saw that +those who had formerly been faithful to them had gone away, (as +indeed they were fled whithersoever the great distress they were +in persuaded them to flee,) as also when those that came running +before the rest told them that the western wall was entirely +overthrown, while others said the Romans were gotten in, and +others that they were near, and looking out for them, which were +only the dictates of their fear, which imposed upon their sight, +they fell upon their face, and greatly lamented their own mad +conduct; and their nerves were so terribly loosed, that they +could not flee away. And here one may chiefly reflect on the +power of God exercised upon these wicked wretches, and on the +good fortune of the Romans; for these tyrants did now wholly +deprive themselves of the security they had in their own power, +and came down from those very towers of their own accord, wherein +they could have never been taken by force, nor indeed by any +other way than by famine. And thus did the Romans, when they had +taken such great pains about weaker walls, get by good fortune +what they could never have gotten by their engines; for three of +these towers were too strong for all mechanical engines +whatsoever, concerning which we have treated above. + +5. So they now left these towers of themselves, or rather they +were ejected out of them by God himself, and fled immediately to +that valley which was under Siloam, where they again recovered +themselves out of the dread they were in for a while, and ran +violently against that part of the Roman wall which lay on that +side; but as their courage was too much depressed to make their +attacks with sufficient force, and their power was now broken +with fear and affliction, they were repulsed by the guards, and +dispersing themselves at distances from each other, went down +into the subterranean caverns. So the Romans being now become +masters of the walls, they both placed their ensigns upon the +towers, and made joyful acclamations for the victory they had +gained, as having found the end of this war much lighter than its +beginning; for when they had gotten upon the last wall, without +any bloodshed, they could hardly believe what they found to be +true; but seeing nobody to oppose them, they stood in doubt what +such an unusual solitude could mean. But when they went in +numbers into the lanes of the city with their swords drawn, they +slew those whom they overtook without and set fire to the houses +whither the Jews were fled, and burnt every soul in them, and +laid waste a great many of the rest; and when they were come to +the houses to plunder them, they found in them entire families of +dead men, and the upper rooms full of dead corpses, that is, of +such as died by the famine; they then stood in a horror at this +sight, and went out without touching any thing. But although they +had this commiseration for such as were destroyed in that manner, +yet had they not the same for those that were still alive, but +they ran every one through whom they met with, and obstructed the +very lanes with their dead bodies, and made the whole city run +down with blood, to such a degree indeed that the fire of many of +the houses was quenched with these men's blood. And truly so it +happened, that though the slayers left off at the evening, yet +did the fire greatly prevail in the night; and as all was +burning, came that eighth day of the month Gorpieus [Elul] upon +Jerusalem, a city that had been liable to so many miseries during +this siege, that, had it always enjoyed as much happiness from +its first foundation, it would certainly have been the envy of +the world. Nor did it on any other account so much deserve these +sore misfortunes, as by producing such a generation of men as +were the occasions of this its overthrow. + +CHAPTER 9. + + + +What Injunctions Caesar Gave When He Was Come Within +The City. The Number Of The Captives And Of Those That +Perished In The Siege; As Also Concerning Those That +Had Escaped Into The Subterranean Caverns, Among +Whom Were The Tyrants Simon And John Themselves. + +1. Now when Titus was come into this [upper] city, he admired not +only some other places of strength in it, but particularly those +strong towers which the tyrants in their mad conduct had +relinquished; for when he saw their solid altitude, and the +largeness of their several stones, and the exactness of their +joints, as also how great was their breadth, and how extensive +their length, he expressed himself after the manner following: +"We have certainly had God for our assistant in this war, and it +was no other than God who ejected the Jews out of these +fortifications; for what could the hands of men or any machines +do towards overthrowing these towers?" At which time he had many +such discourses to his friends; he also let such go free as had +been bound by the tyrants, and were left in the prisons. To +conclude, when he entirely demolished the rest of the city, and +overthrew its walls, he left these towers as a monument of his +good fortune, which had proved his auxiliaries, and enabled him +to take what could not otherwise have been taken by him. + +2. And now, since his soldiers were already quite tired with +killing men, and yet there appeared to be a vast multitude still +remaining alive, Caesar gave orders that they should kill none +but those that were in arms, and opposed them, but should take +the rest alive. But, together with those whom they had orders to +slay, they slew the aged and the infirm; but for those that were +in their flourishing age, and who might be useful to them, they +drove them together into the temple, and shut them up within the +walls of the court of the women; over which Caesar set one of his +freed-men, as also Fronto, one of his own friends; which last was +to determine every one's fate, according to his merits. So this +Fronto slew all those that had been seditious and robbers, who +were impeached one by another; but of the young men he chose out +the tallest and most beautiful, and reserved them for the +triumph; and as for the rest of the multitude that were above +seventeen years old, he put them into bonds, and sent them to the +Egyptian mines (31) Titus also sent a great number into the +provinces, as a present to them, that they might be destroyed +upon their theatres, by the sword and by the wild beasts; but +those that were under seventeen years of age were sold for +slaves. Now during the days wherein Fronto was distinguishing +these men, there perished, for want of food, eleven thousand; +some of whom did not taste any food, through the hatred their +guards bore to them; and others would not take in any when it was +given them. The multitude also was so very great, that they were +in want even of corn for their sustenance. + +3. Now the number (32) of those that were carried captive during +this whole war was collected to be ninety-seven thousand; as was +the number of those that perished during the whole siege eleven +hundred thousand, the greater part of whom were indeed of the +same nation [with the citizens of Jerusalem], but not belonging +to the city itself; for they were come up from all the country to +the feast of unleavened bread, and were on a sudden shut up by an +army, which, at the very first, occasioned so great a straitness +among them, that there came a pestilential destruction upon them, +and soon afterward such a famine, as destroyed them more +suddenly. And that this city could contain so many people in it, +is manifest by that number of them which was taken under Cestius, +who being desirous of informing Nero of the power of the city, +who otherwise was disposed to contemn that nation, entreated the +high priests, if the thing were possible, to take the number of +their whole multitude. So these high priests, upon the coming of +that feast which is called the Passover, when they slay their +sacrifices, from the ninth hour till the eleventh, but so that a +company not less than ten (33) belong to every sacrifice, (for +it is not lawful for them to feast singly by themselves,) and +many of us are twenty in a company, found the number of +sacrifices was two hundred and fifty-six thousand five hundred; +which, upon the allowance of no more than ten that feast +together, amounts to two millions seven hundred thousand and two +hundred persons that were pure and holy; for as to those that +have the leprosy, or the gonorrhea, or women that have their +monthly courses, or such as are otherwise polluted, it is not +lawful for them to be partakers of this sacrifice; nor indeed for +any foreigners neither, who come hither to worship. + +4. Now this vast multitude is indeed collected out of remote +places, but the entire nation was now shut up by fate as in +prison, and the Roman army encompassed the city when it was +crowded with inhabitants. Accordingly, the multitude of those +that therein perished exceeded all the destructions that either +men or God ever brought upon the world; for, to speak only of +what was publicly known, the Romans slew some of them, some they +carried captives, and others they made a search for under ground, +and when they found where they were, they broke up the ground and +slew all they met with. There were also found slain there above +two thousand persons, partly by their own hands, and partly by +one another, but chiefly destroyed by the famine; but then the +ill savor of the dead bodies was most offensive to those that +lighted upon them, insomuch that some were obliged to get away +immediately, while others were so greedy of gain, that they would +go in among the dead bodies that lay on heaps, and tread upon +them; for a great deal of treasure was found in these caverns, +and the hope of gain made every way of getting it to be esteemed +lawful. Many also of those that had been put in prison by the +tyrants were now brought out; for they did not leave off their +barbarous cruelty at the very last: yet did God avenge himself +upon them both, in a manner agreeable to justice. As for John, he +wanted food, together with his brethren, in these caverns, and +begged that the Romans would now give him their right hand for +his security, which he had often proudly rejected before; but for +Simon, he struggled hard with the distress he was in, fill he was +forced to surrender himself, as we shall relate hereafter; so he +was reserved for the triumph, and to be then slain; as was John +condemned to perpetual imprisonment. And now the Romans set fire +to the extreme parts of the city, and burnt them down, and +entirely demolished its walls. + +CHAPTER 10. + + +That Whereas The City Of Jerusalem Had Been Five Times +Taken Formerly, This Was The Second Time Of Its +Desolation. A Brief Account Of Its History. + +1. And thus was Jerusalem taken, in the second year of the reign +of Vespasian, on the eighth day of the month Gorpeius [Elul]. It +had been taken five (34) times before, though this was the second +time of its desolation; for Shishak, the king of Egypt, and after +him Antiochus, and after him Pompey, and after them Sosius and +Herod, took the city, but still preserved it; but before all +these, the king of Babylon conquered it, and made it desolate, +one thousand four hundred and sixty-eight years and six months +after it was built. But he who first built it. Was a potent man +among the Canaanites, and is in our own tongue called +[Melchisedek], the Righteous King, for such he really was; on +which account he was [there] the first priest of God, and first +built a temple [there], and called the city Jerusalem, which was +formerly called Salem. However, David, the king of the Jews, +ejected the Canaanites, and set-tied his own people therein. It +was demolished entirely by the Babylonians, four hundred and +seventy-seven years and six months after him. And from king +David, who was the first of the Jews who reigned therein, to this +destruction under Titus, were one thousand one hundred and +seventy-nine years; but from its first building, till this last +destruction, were two thousand one hundred and seventy-seven +years; yet hath not its great antiquity, nor its vast riches, nor +the diffusion of its nation over all the habitable earth, nor the +greatness of the veneration paid to it on a religious account, +been sufficient to preserve it from being destroyed. And thus +ended the siege of Jerusalem. + +WAR BOOK 6 FOOTNOTES + +(1) Reland notes here, very pertinently, that the tower of +Antonia stood higher than the floor of the temple or court +adjoining to it; and that accordingly they descended thence into +the temple, as Josephus elsewhere speaks also. See Book VI. ch. +2. sect. 5. + +(2) In this speech of Titus we may clearly see the notions which +the Romans then had of death, and of the happy state of those who +died bravely in war, and the contrary estate of those who died +ignobly in their beds by sickness. Reland here also produces two +parallel passages, the one out of Atonia Janus Marcellinus, +concerning the Alani, lib. 31, that "they judged that man happy +who laid down his life in battle ;" the other of Valerius +Maximus, lib. 11. ch. 6, who says, "that the Cimbri and Celtiberi +exulted for joy in the army, as being to go out of the world +gloriously and happily." + +(3) See the note on p. 809. + +(4) No wonder that this Julian, who had so many nails in his +shoes, slipped upon the pavement of the temple, which was smooth, +and laid with marble of different colors. + +(5) This was a remarkable day indeed, the seventeenth of +Paneruns. [Tamuz,] A.D. 70, when, according to Daniel's +prediction, six hundred and six years before, the Romans "in half +a week caused the sacrifice and oblation to cease," Daniel 9:27. +For from the month of February, A.D. 66, about which time +Vespasian entered on this war, to this very time, was just three +years and a half. See Bishop Lloyd's Tables of Chronology, +published by Mr. Marshall, on this year. Nor is it to be omitted, +what year nearly confirms this duration of the war, that four +years before the war begun was somewhat above seven years five +months before the destruction of Jerusalem, ch. 5. sect. 3. + +(6) The same that in the New Testament is always so called, and +was then the common language of the Jews in Judea, which was the +Syriac dialect. + +(7) Our present copies of the Old Testament want this encomium +upon king Jechoniah or Jehoiachim, which it seems was in +Josephus's copy. + +(8) Of this oracle, see the note on B. IV. ch. 6. sect. 3. +Josephus, both here and in many places elsewhere, speaks so, that +it is most evident he was fully satisfied that God was on the +Romans' side, and made use of them now for the destruction of +that wicked nation of the Jews; which was for certain the true +state of this matter, as the prophet Daniel first, and our Savior +himself afterwards, had clearly foretold. See Lit. Accompl. of +Proph. p. 64, etc. + +(9) Josephus had before told us, B. V. ch. 13. sect. 1, that this +fourth son of Matthias ran away to the Romans "before" his +father's and brethren's slaughter, and not "after" it, as here. +The former account is, in all probability, the truest; for had +not that fourth son escaped before the others were caught and put +to death, he had been caught and put to death with them. This +last account, therefore, looks like an instance of a small +inadvertence of Josephus in the place before us. + +(10) Of this partition-wall separating Jews and Gentiles, with +its pillars and inscription, see the description of the temples, +ch. 15. + +(11) That these seditious Jews were the direct occasions of their +own destruction, and of the conflagration of their city and +temple, and that Titus earnestly and constantly labored to save +both, is here and every where most evident in Josephus. + +(12) Court of the Gentiles. + +(13) Court of Israel. + +(14) Of the court of the Gentiles. + +(15) What Josephus observes here, that no parallel examples had +been recorded before this time of such sieges, wherein mothers +were forced by extremity of famine to eat their own children, as +had been threatened to the Jews in the law of Moses, upon +obstinate disobedience, and more than once fulfilled, (see my +Boyle's Lectures, p. 210-214,) is by Dr. Hudson supposed to have +had two or three parallel examples in later ages. He might have +had more examples, I suppose, of persons on ship-board, or in a +desert island, casting lots for each others' bodies; but all this +was only in cases where they knew of no possible way to avoid +death themselves but by killing and eating others. Whether such +examples come up to the present case may be doubted. The Romans +were not only willing, but very desirous, to grant those Jews in +Jerusalem both their lives and their liberties, and to save both +their city and their temple. But the zealots, the rubbers, and +the seditious would hearken to no terms of submission. They +voluntarily chose to reduce the citizens to that extremity, as to +force mothers to this unnatural barbarity, which, in all its +circumstances, has not, I still suppose, been hitherto paralleled +among the rest of mankind. + +(16) These steps to the altar of burnt-offering seem here either +an improper and inaccurate expression of Josephus, since it was +unlawful to make ladder steps; (see description of the temples, +ch. 13., and note on Antiq. B. IV. ch. 8. sect. 5;) or else those +steps or stairs we now use were invented before the days of Herod +the Great, and had been here built by him; though the later Jews +always deny it, and say that even Herod's altar was ascended to +by an acclivity only. + +(17) This Perea, if the word be not mistaken in the copies, +cannot well be that Perea which was beyond Jordan, whose +mountains were at a considerable distance from Jordan, and much +too remote from Jerusalem to join in this echo at the +conflagration of the temple; but Perea must be rather some +mountains beyond the brook Cedron, as was the Mount of Olives, or +some others about such a distance from Jerusalem; which +observation is so obvious, that it is a wonder our commentators +here take no notice of it. + +(18) Reland I think here judges well, when he interprets these +spikes (of those that stood on the top of the holy house) with +sharp points; they were fixed into lead, to prevent the birds +from sitting there, and defiling the holy house; for such spikes +there were now upon it, as Josephus himself hath already assured +us, B. V. ch. 5. sect. 6. + +(19) Reland here takes notice, that these Jews, who had despised +the true Prophet, were deservedly abused and deluded by these +false ones. + +(20) Whether Josephus means that this star was different from +that comet which lasted a whole year, I cannot certainly +determine. His words most favor their being different one from +another. + +(21) Since Josephus still uses the Syro-Macedonian month +Xanthicus for the Jewish month Nisan, this eighth, or, as +Nicephorus reads it, this ninth of Xanthicus or Nisan was almost +a week before the passover, on the fourteenth; about which time +we learn from St. John that many used to go "out of the country +to Jerusalem to purify themselves," John 11:55, with 12:1; in +agreement with Josephus also, B. V. ch. 3. sect. 1. And it might +well be, that in the sight of these this extraordinary light +might appear. + +(22) This here seems to be the court of the priests. + +(23) Both Reland and Havercamp in this place alter the natural +punctuation and sense of Josephus, and this contrary to the +opinion of Valesilus and Dr. Hudson, lest Josephus should say +that the Jews built booths or tents within the temple at the +feast of tabernacles; which the later Rabbins will not allow to +have been the ancient practice: but then, since it is expressly +told us in Nehemiah, ch. 8:16, that in still elder times "the +Jews made booths in the courts of the house of God" at that +festival, Josephus may well be permitted to say the same. And +indeed the modern Rabbins are of very small authority in all such +matters of remote antiquity. + +(24) Take Havercamp's note here: "This (says he) is a remarkable +place; and Tertullian truly says in his Apologetic, ch. 16. p. +162, that the entire religion of the Roman camp almost consisted +in worshipping the ensigns, in swearing by the ensigns, and in +preferring the ensigns before all the [other] gods." See what +Havercamp says upon that place of Tertullian. + +(25) This declaring Titus imperator by the soldiers, upon such +signal success, and the slaughter of such a vast number of +enemies, was according to the usual practice of the Romans in +like cases, as Reland assures us on this place. + +(26) The Jews of later times agree with Josephus, that there were +hiding-places or secret chambers about the holy house, as Reland +here informs us, where he thinks he has found these very walls +described by them. + +(27) Spanheim notes here, that the Romans used to permit the Jews +to collect their sacred tribute, and send it to Jerusalem; of +which we have had abundant evidence in Josephus already on other +occasions. + +(28) This innumerable multitude of Jews that were "sold" by the +Romans was an eminent completion of God's ancient threatening by +Moses, that if they apostatized from the obedience to his laws, +they should be "sold unto their enemies for bond-men and +bond-women," Deuteronomy 28;68. See more especially the note on +ch. 9. sect. 2. But one thing is here peculiarly remarkable, that +Moses adds, Though they should be "sold" for slaves, yet "no man +should buy them;" i.e. either they should have none to redeem +them from this sale into slavery; or rather, that the slaves to +be sold should be more than were the purchasers for them, and so +they should be sold for little or nothing; which is what Josephus +here affirms to have been the case at this time. + +(29) What became of these spoils of the temple that escaped the +fire, see Josephus himself hereafter, B. VII. ch. 5. sect. 5, and +Reland de Spoliis Templi, p. 129-138. + +(30) These various sorts of spices, even more than those four +which Moses prescribed, Exodus 31:34, we see were used in their +public worship under Herod's temple, particularly cinnamon and +cassia; which Reland takes particular notice of, as agreeing with +the latter testimony of the Talmudists. + +(31) See the several predictions that the Jews, if they became +obstinate in their idolatry and wickedness, should be sent again +or sold into Egypt for their punishment, Deuteronomy 28:68; +Jeremiah 44:7; Hosea 8:13; 9:3; 9:4, 5; 2 Samuel 15:10-13; with +Authentic Records, Part I. p. 49, 121; and Reland Painest And, +tom. II. p. 715. + +(32) The whole multitude of the Jews that were destroyed during +the entire seven years before this time, in all the countries of +and bordering on Judea, is summed up by Archbishop Usher, from +Lipsius, out of Josephus, at the year of Christ 70, and amounts +to 1,337,490. Nor could there have been that number of Jews in +Jerusalem to be destroyed in this siege, as will be presently set +down by Josephus, but that both Jews and proselytes of justice +were just then come up out of the other countries of Galilee, +Samaria, Judea, and Perea and other remoter regions, to the +passover, in vast numbers, and therein cooped up, as in a prison, +by the Roman army, as Josephus himself well observes in this and +the next section, and as is exactly related elsewhere, B. V. ch. +3. sect. 1 and ch. 13. sect. 7. + +(33)This number of a company for one paschal lamb, between ten +and twenty, agrees exactly with the number thirteen, at our +Savior's last passover. As to the whole number of the Jews that +used to come up to the passover, and eat of it at Jerusalem, see +the note on B. II. ch. 14. sect. 3. This number ought to be here +indeed just ten times the number of the lambs, or just 2,565,(D0, +by Josephus's own reasoning; whereas it is, in his present +copies, no less than 2,700,(D0, which last number is, however, +nearest the other number in the place now cited, which is +3,000,000. But what is here chiefly remarkable is this, that no +foreign nation ever came thus to destroy the Jews at any of their +solemn festivals, from the days of Moses till this time, but came +now upon their apostasy from God, and from obedience to him. Nor +is it possible, in the nature of things, that in any other nation +such vast numbers should be gotten together, and perish in the +siege of any one city whatsoever, as now happened in Jerusalem. + +(34) This is the proper place for such as have closely attended +to these latter books of the War to peruse, and that with equal +attention, those distinct and plain predictions of Jesus of +Nazareth, in the Gospels thereto relating, as compared with their +exact completions in Josephus's history; upon which completions, +as Dr: Whitby well observes, Annot. on Matthew 24:2, no small +part of the evidence for the truth of the Christian religion does +depend; and as I have step by step compared them together in my +Literal Accomplishment of Scripture Prophecies. The reader is to +observe further, that the true reason why I have so seldom taken +notice of those completions in the course of these notes, +notwithstanding their being so very remarkable, and frequently so +very obvious, is this, that I had entirely prevented myself in +that treatise beforehand; to which therefore I must here, once +for all, seriously refer every inquisitive reader. Besides these +five here enumerated, who had taken Jerusalem of old, Josephus, +upon further recollection, reckons a sixth, Antiq. B. XII. ch. 1. +sect. 1, who should have been here inserted in the second place; +I mean Ptolemy, the son of Lagus. + +BOOK VII. + + +Containing The Interval Of About Three Years. + + +From The Taking Of Jerusalem By Titus To The Sedition At Cyrene + + +CHAPTER 1. + + +How The Entire City Of Jerusalem Was Demolished, +Excepting Three Towers; And How Titus Commended His +Soldiers In A Speech Made To Them, And Distributed +Rewards To Them And Then Dismissed Many Of Them. + +1. Now as soon as the army had no more people to slay or to +plunder, because there remained none to be the objects of their +fury, (for they would not have spared any, had there remained any +other work to be done,) Caesar gave orders that they should now +demolish the entire city and temple, but should leave as many of +the towers standing as were of the greatest eminency; that is, +Phasaelus, and Hippicus, and Mariamne; and so much of the wall as +enclosed the city on the west side. This wall was spared, in +order to afford a camp for such as were to lie in garrison, as +were the towers also spared, in order to demonstrate to posterity +what kind of city it was, and how well fortified, which the Roman +valor had subdued; but for all the rest of the wall, it was so +thoroughly laid even with the ground by those that dug it up to +the foundation, that there was left nothing to make those that +came thither believe it had ever been inhabited. This was the end +which Jerusalem came to by the madness of those that were for +innovations; a city otherwise of great magnificence, and of +mighty fame among all mankind. (1) + +2. But Caesar resolved to leave there, as a guard, the tenth +legion, with certain troops of horsemen, and companies of +footmen. So, having entirely completed this war, he was desirous +to commend his whole army, on account of the great exploits they +had performed, and to bestow proper rewards on such as had +signalized themselves therein. He had therefore a great tribunal +made for him in the midst of the place where he had formerly +encamped, and stood upon it with his principal commanders about +him, and spake so as to be heard by the whole arrmy in the manner +following: That he returned them abundance of thanks for their +good-will which they had showed to him: he commended them for +that ready obedience they had exhibited in this whole war, which +obedience had appeared in the many and great dangers which they +had courageously undergone; as also for that courage they had +shown, and had thereby augmented of themselves their country's +power, and had made it evident to all men, that neither the +multitude of their enemies, nor the strength of their places, nor +the largeness of their cities, nor the rash boldness and brutish +rage of their antagonists, were sufficient at any time to get +clear of the Roman valor, although some of them may have fortune +in many respects on their side. He said further, that it was but +reasonable for them to put an end to this war, now it had lasted +so long, for that they had nothing better to wish for when they +entered into it; and that this happened more favorably for them, +and more for their glory, that all the Romans had willingly +accepted of those for their governors, and the curators of their +dominions, whom they had chosen for them, and had sent into their +own country for that purpose, which still continued under the +management of those whom they had pitched on, and were thankful +to them for pitching upon them. That accordingly, although he did +both admire and tenderly regard them all, because he knew that +every one of them had gone as cheerfully about their work as +their abilities and opportunities would give them leave; yet, he +said, that he would immediately bestow rewards and dignities on +those that had fought the most bravely, and with greater force, +and had signalized their conduct in the most glorious manner, and +had made his army more famous by their noble exploits; and that +no one who had been willing to take more pains than another +should miss of a just retribution for the same; for that he had +been exceeding careful about this matter, and that the more, +because he had much rather reward the virtues of his fellow +soldiers than punish such as had offended. + +3. Hereupon Titus ordered those whose business it was to read the +list of all that had performed great exploits in this war, whom +he called to him by their names, and commended them before the +company, and rejoiced in them in the same manner as a man would +have rejoiced in his own exploits. He also put on their heads +crowns of gold, and golden ornaments about their necks, and gave +them long spears of gold,. and ensigns that were made of silver, +and removed every one of them to a higher rank; and besides +this, he plentifully distributed among them, out of the spoils, +and the other prey they had taken, silver, and gold, and +garments. So when they had all these honors bestowed on them, +according to his own appointment made to every one, and he had +wished all sorts of happiness to the whole army, he came down, +among the great acclamations which were made to him, and then +betook himself to offer thank-offerings [to the gods], and at +once sacrificed a vast number of oxen, that stood ready at the +altars, and distributed them among the army to feast on. And when +he had staid three days among the principal commanders, and so +long feasted with them, he sent away the rest of his army to the +several places where they would be every one best situated; but +permitted the tenth legion to stay, as a guard at Jerusalem, and +did not send them away beyond Euphrates, where they had been +before. And as he remembered that the twelfth legion had given +way to the Jews, under Cestius their general, he expelled them +out of all Syria, for they had lain formerly at Raphanea, and +sent them away to a place called Meletine, near Euphrates, which +is in the limits of Armenia and Cappadocia; he also thought fit +that two of the legions should stay with him till he should go to +Egypt. He then went down with his army to that Cesarea which lay +by the sea-side, and there laid up the rest of his spoils in +great quantities, and gave order that the captives should he kept +there; for the winter season hindered him then from sailing into +Italy. + +CHAPTER 2. + + + +How Titus Exhibited All Sorts Of Shows At Cesarea Philippi. +Concerning Simon The Tyrant How He Was Taken, And +Reserved For The Triumph. + +1. Now at the same time that Titus Caesar lay at the siege of +Jerusalem, did Vespasian go on board a merchantship and sailed +from Alexandria to Rhodes; whence he sailed away ,in ships with +three rows of oars; and as he touched at several cities that lay +in his road, he was joyfully received by them all, and so passed +over from Ionia into Greece; whence he set sail from Corcyra to +the promontory of Iapyx, whence he took his journey by land. But +as for Titus, he marched from that Cesarea which lay by the +sea-side, and came to that which is named Cesarea Philippi, and +staid there a considerable time, and exhibited all sorts of shows +there. And here a great number of the captives were destroyed, +some being thrown to wild beasts, and others in multitudes forced +to kill one another, as if they were their enemies. And here it +was that Titus was informed of the seizure of Simon the son of +Gioras, which was made after the manner following: This Simon, +during the siege of Jerusalem, was in the upper city; but when +the Roman army was gotten within the walls, and were laying the +city waste, he then took the most faithful of his friends with +him, and among them some that were stone-cutters, with those iron +tools which belonged to their occupation, and as great a quantity +of provisions as would suffice them for a long time, and let +himself and all them down into a certain subterraneous cavern +that was not visible above ground. Now, so far as had been digged +of old, they went onward along it without disturbance; but where +they met with solid earth, they dug a mine under ground, and this +in hopes that they should be able to proceed so far as to rise +from under ground in a safe place, and by that means escape. But +when they came to make the experiment, they were disappointed of +their hope; for the miners could make but small progress, and +that with difficulty also; insomuch that their provisions, though +they distributed them by measure, began to fail them. And now +Simon, thinking he might be able to astonish and elude the +Romans, put on a white frock, and buttoned upon him a purple +cloak, and appeared out of the ground in the place where the +temple had formerly been. At the first, indeed, those that saw +him were greatly astonished, and stood still where they were; but +afterward they came nearer to him, and asked him who he was. Now +Simon would not tell them, but bid them call for their captain; +and when they ran to call him, Terentius Rufus (2) who was left +to command the army there, came to Simon, and learned of him the +whole truth, and kept him in bonds, and let Caesar know that he +was taken. Thus did God bring this man to be punished for what +bitter and savage tyranny he had exercised against his countrymen +by those who were his worst enemies; and this while he was not +subdued by violence, but voluntarily delivered himself up to them +to be punished, and that on the very same account that he had +laid false accusations against many Jews, as if they were falling +away to the Romans, and had barbarously slain them for wicked +actions do not escape the Divine anger, nor is justice too weak +to punish offenders, but in time overtakes those that transgress +its laws, and inflicts its punishments upon the wicked in a +manner, so much more severe, as they expected to escape it on +account of their not being punished immediately. (3) Simon was +made sensible of this by falling under the indignation of the +Romans. This rise of his out of the ground did also occasion the +discovery of a great number of others Of the seditious at that +time, who had hidden themselves under ground. But for Simon, he +was brought to Caesar in bonds, when he was come back to that +Cesarea which was on the seaside, who gave orders that he should +be kept against that triumph which he was to celebrate at Rome +upon this occasion. + +CHAPTER 3. + + + +How Titus Upon The Celebration Of His Brothers And +Fathers Birthdays Had Many Of The Jews Slain. +Concerning The Danger The Jews Were In At Antioch, By +Means Of The Transgression And Impiety Of One +Antiochus, A Jew. + +1. While Titus was at Cesarea, he solemnized the birthday of his +brother Domitian] after a splendid manner, and inflicted a great +deal of the punishment intended for the Jews in honor of him; for +the number of those that were now slain in fighting with the +beasts, and were burnt, and fought with one another, exceeded two +thousand five hundred. Yet did all this seem to the Romans, when +they were thus destroyed ten thousand several ways, to be a +punishment beneath their deserts. After this Caesar came to +Berytus, (4) which is a city of Phoenicia, and a Roman colony, +and staid there a longer time, and exhibited a still more pompous +solemnity about his father's birthday, both in the magnificence +of the shows, and in the other vast expenses he was at in his +devices thereto belonging; so that a great multitude of the +captives were here destroyed after the same manner as before. + +2. It happened also about this time, that the Jews who remained +at Antioch were under accusations, and in danger of perishing, +from the disturbances that were raised against them by the +Antiochians; and this both on account of the slanders spread +abroad at this time against them, and on account of what pranks +they had played not long before; which I am obliged to describe +without fail, though briefly, that I may the better connect my +narration of future actions with those that went before. + +3. For as the Jewish nation is widely dispersed over all the +habitable earth among its inhabitants, so it is very much +intermingled with Syria by reason of its neighborhood, and had +the greatest multitudes in Antioch by reason of the largeness of +the city, wherein the kings, after Antiochus, had afforded them a +habitation with the most undisturbed tranquillity; for though +Antiochus, who was called Epiphanes, laid Jerusalem waste, and +spoiled the temple, yet did those that succeeded him in the +kingdom restore all the donations that were made of brass to the +Jews of Antioch, and dedicated them to their synagogue, and +granted them the enjoyment of equal privileges of citizens with +the Greeks themselves; and as the succeeding kings treated them +after the same manner, they both multiplied to a great number, +and adorned their temple gloriously by fine ornaments, and with +great magnificence, in the use of what had been given them. They +also made proselytes of a great many of the Greeks perpetually, +and thereby after a sort brought them to be a portion of their +own body. But about this time when the present war began, and +Vespasian was newly sailed to Syria, and all men had taken up a +great hatred against the Jews, then it was that a certain person, +whose name was Antiochus, being one of the Jewish nation, and +greatly respected on account of his father, who was governor of +the Jews at Antioch (5) came upon the theater at a time when the +people of Antioch were assembled together, and became an informer +against his father, and accused both him and others that they had +resolved to burn the whole city in one night; he also delivered +up to them some Jews that were foreigners, as partners in their +resolutions. When the people heard this, they could not refrain +their passion, but commanded that those who were delivered up to +them should have fire brought to burn them, who were accordingly +all burnt upon the theater immediately. They did also fall +violently upon the multitude of the Jews, as supposing that by +punishing them suddenly they should save their own city. As for +Antiochus, he aggravated the rage they were in, and thought to +give them a demonstration of his own conversion, arm of his +hatred of the Jewish customs, by sacrificing after the manner of +the Greeks; he persuaded the rest also to compel them to do the +same, because they would by that means discover who they were +that had plotted against them, since they would not do so; and +when the people of Antioch tried the experiment, some few +complied, but those that would not do so were slain. As for +Ailtiochus himself, he obtained soldiers from the Roman +commander, and became a severe master over his own citizens, not +permitting them to rest on the seventh day, but forcing them to +do all that they usually did on other days; and to that degree of +distress did he reduce them in this matter, that the rest of the +seventh day was dissolved not only at Antioch, but the same thing +which took thence its rise was done in other cities also, in like +manner, for some small time. + +4. Now, after these misfortunes had happened to the Jews at +Antioch, a second calamity befell them, the description of which +when we were going about we premised the account foregoing; for +upon this accident, whereby the four-square market-place was +burnt down, as well as the archives, and the place where the +public records were preserved, and the royal palaces, (and it was +not without difficulty that the fire was then put a stop to, +which was likely, by the fury wherewith it was carried along, to +have gone over the whole city,) Antiochus accused the Jews as the +occasion of all the mischief that was done. Now this induced the +people of Antioch, who were now under the immediate persuasion, +by reason of the disorder they were in, that this calumny was +true, and would have been under the same persuasion, even though +they had not borne an ill-will at the Jews before, to believe +this man's accusation, especially when they considered what had +been done before, and this to such a degree, that they all fell +violently upon those that were accused, and this, like madmen, in +a very furious rage also, even as if they had seen the Jews in a +manner setting fire themselves to the city; nor was it without +difficulty that one Cneius Collegas, the legate, could prevail +with them to permit the affairs to be laid before Caesar; for as +to Cesennius Petus, the president of Syria, Vespasian had already +sent him away; and so it happened that he was not yet come back +thither. But when Collegas had made a careful inquiry into the +matter, he found out the truth, and that not one of those Jews +that were accused by Antiochus had any hand in it, but that all +was done by some vile persons greatly in debt, who supposed that +if they could once set fire to the market-place, and burn the +public records, they should have no further demands made upon +them. So the Jews were under great disorder and terror, in the +uncertain expectations of what would be the upshot of these +accusations against them. + +CHAPTER 4. + + + +How Vespasian Was Received At Rome; As Also How The +Germans Revolted From The Romans, But Were Subdued. +That The Sarmatians Overran Mysia, But Were Compelled +To Retire To Their Own Country Again. + +1. And now Titus Caesar, upon the news that was brought him +concerning his father, that his coming was much desired by all +the Italian cities, and that Rome especially received him with +great alacrity and splendor, betook himself to rejoicing and +pleasures to a great degree, as now freed from the solicitude he +had been under, after the most agreeable manner. For all men that +were in Italy showed their respects to him in their minds before +he came thither, as if he were already come, as esteeming the +very expectation they had of him to be his real presence, on +account of the great desires they had to see him, and because the +good-will they bore him was entirely free and unconstrained; for +it was, desirable thing to the senate, who well remembered the +calamities they had undergone in the late changes of their +governors, to receive a governor who was adorned with the gravity +of old age, and with the highest skill in the actions of war, +whose advancement would be, as they knew, for nothing else but +for the preservation of those that were to be governed. Moreover, +the people had been so harassed by their civil miseries, that +they were still more earnest for his coming immediately, as +supposing they should then be firmly delivered from their +calamities, and believed they should then recover their secure +tranquillity and prosperity; and for the soldiery, they had the +principal regard to him, for they were chiefly apprized of his +great exploits in war; and since they had experienced the want of +skill and want of courage in other commanders, they were very +desirous to be free from that great shame they had undergone by +their means, and heartily wished to receive such a prince as +might be a security and an ornament to them. And as this +good-will to Vespasian was universal, those that enjoyed any +remarkable dignities could not have patience enough to stay in +Rome, but made haste to meet him at a very great distance from +it; nay, indeed, none of the rest could endure the delay of +seeing him, but did all pour out of the city in such crowds, and +were so universally possessed with the opinion that it was +easier and better for them to go out than to stay there, that +this was the very first time that the city joyfully perceived +itself almost empty of its citizens; for those that staid within +were fewer than those that went out. But as soon as the news was +come that he was hard by, and those that had met him at first +related with what good humor he received every one that came to +him, then it was that the whole multitude that had remained in +the city, with their wives and children, came into the road, and +waited for him there; and for those whom he passed by, they made +all sorts of acclamations, on account of the joy they had to see +him, and the pleasantness of his countenance, and styled him +their Benefactor and Savior, and the only person who was worthy +to be ruler of the city of Rome. And now the city was like a +temple, full of garlands and sweet odors; nor was it easy for him +to come to the royal palace, for the multitude of the people that +stood about him, where yet at last he performed his sacrifices of +thanksgiving to his household gods for his safe return to the +city. The multitude did also betake themselves to feasting; which +feasts and drink-offerings they celebrated by their tribes, and +their families, and their neighborhoods, and still prayed God to +grant that Vespasian, his sons, and all their posterity, might +continue in the Roman government for a very long time, and that +his dominion might be preserved from all opposition. And this was +the manner in which Rome so joyfully received Vespasian, and +thence grew immediately into a state of great prosperity. + +2. But before this time, and while Vespasian was about +Alexandria, and Titus was lying at the siege of Jerusalem, a +great multitude of the Germans were in commotion, and tended to +rebellion; and as the Gauls in their neighborhood joined with +them, they conspired together, and had thereby great hopes of +success, and that they should free themselves from the dominion +of the Romans. The motives that induced the Germans to this +attempt for a revolt, and for beginning the war, were these: In +the first place, the nature [of the people], which was destitute +of just reasonings, and ready to throw themselves rashly into +danger, upon small hopes; in the next place, the hatred they bore +to those that were their governors, while their nation had never +been conscious of subjection to any but to the Romans, and that +by compulsion only. Besides these motives, it was the opportunity +that now offered itself, which above all the rest prevailed with +them so to do; for when they saw the Roman government in a great +internal disorder, by the continual changes of its rulers, and +understood that every part of the habitable earth under them was +in an unsettled and tottering condition, they thought this was +the best opportunity that couldd afford itself for themselves to +make a sedition, when the state of the Romans was so ill. +Classicus (6) also, and Vitellius, two of their commanders, +puffed them up with such hopes. These had for a long time been +openly desirous of such an innovation, and were induced by the +present opportunity to venture upon the declaration of their +sentiments; the multitude was also ready; and when these men told +them of what they intended to attempt, that news was gladly +received by them. So when a great part of the Germans +had agreed to rebel, and the rest were no better disposed, +Vespasian, as guided by Divine Providence, sent letters to +Petilius Cerealis, who had formerly had the command of Germany, +whereby he declared him to have the dignity of consul, and +commanded him to take upon him the government of Britain; so he +went whither he was ordered to go, and when he was informed of +the revolt of the Germans, he fell upon them as soon as they were +gotten together, and put his army in battle-array, and slew a +great number of them in the fight, and forced them to leave off +their madness, and to grow wiser; nay, had he not fallen thus +suddenly upon them on the place, it had not been long ere they +would however have been brought to punishment; for as soon as +ever the news of their revolt was come to Rome, and Caesar +Domitian was made acquainted with it, he made no delay, even at +that his age, when he was exceeding young, but undertook this +weighty affair. He had a courageous mind from his father, and had +made greater improvements than belonged to such an age: +accordingly he marched against the barbarians immediately; +whereupon their hearts failed them at the very rumor of his +approach, and they submitted themselves to him with fear, and +thought it a happy thing that they were brought under their old +yoke again without suffering any further mischiefs. When +therefore Domitian had settled all the affairs of Gaul in such +good order, that it would not be easily put into disorder any +more, he returned to Rome with honor and glory, as having +performed such exploits as were above his own age, but worthy of +so great a father. + +3. At the very same time with the forementioned revolt of the +Germans did the bold attempt of the Scythians against the Romans +occur; for those Scythians who are called Sarmatians, being a +very numerous people, transported themselves over the Danube into +Mysia, without being perceived; after which, by their violence, +and entirely unexpected assault, they slew a great many of the +Romans that guarded the frontiers; and as the consular legate +Fonteius Agrippa came to meet them, and fought courageously +against them, he was slain by them. They then overran all the +region that had been subject to him, tearing and rending every +thing that fell in their way. But when Vespasian was informed of +what had happened, and how Mysia was laid waste, he sent away +Rubrius Gallus to punish these Sarmatians; by whose means many of +them perished in the battles he fought against them, and that +part which escaped fled with fear to their own country. So when +this general had put an end to the war, he provided for the +future security of the country also; for he placed more and more +numerous garrisons in the place, till he made it altogether +impossible for the barbarians to pass over the river any more. +And thus had this war in Mysia a sudden conclusion. + +CHAPTER V. + + +Concerning The Sabbatic River Which Titus Saw As He +Was Journeying Through Syria; And How The People Of +Antioch Came With A Petition To Titus Against The Jews +But Were Rejected By Him; As Also Concerning Titus's And +Vespasian's Triumph. + +1. Now Titus Caesar tarried some time at Berytus, as we told you +before. He thence removed, and exhibited magnificent shows in all +those cities of Syria through which he went, and made use of the +captive Jews as public instances of the destruction of that +nation. He then saw a river as he went along, of such a nature as +deserves to be recorded in history; it runs in the middle between +Arcea, belonging to Agrippa's kingdom, and Raphanea. It hath +somewhat very peculiar in it; for when it runs, its current is +strong, and has plenty of water; after which its springs fail for +six days together, and leave its channel dry, as any one may see; +after which days it runs on the seventh day as it did before, and +as though it had undergone no change at all; it hath also been +observed to keep this order perpetually and exactly; whence it is +that they call it the Sabbatic River (7) that name being taken +from the sacred seventh day among the Jews. + +2. But when the people of Antioch were informed that Titus was +approaching, they were so glad at it, that they could not keep +within their walls, but hasted away to give him the meeting; nay, +they proceeded as far as thirty furlongs, and more, with that +intention. These were not the men only, but a multitude of women +also with their children did the same; and when they saw him +coming up to them, they stood on both sides of the way, and +stretched out their right hands, saluting him, and making all +sorts of acclamations to him, and turned back together with him. +They also, among all the acclamations they made to him, besought +him all the way they went to eject the Jews out of their city; +yet did not Titus at all yield to this their petition, but gave +them the bare hearing of it quietly. However, the Jews were in a +great deal of terrible fear, under the uncertainty they were in +what his opinion was, and what he would do to them. For Titus did +not stay at Antioch, but continued his progress immediately to +Zeugma, which lies upon the Euphrates, whither came to him +messengers from Vologeses king of Parthia, and brought him a +crown of gold upon the victory he had gained over the Jews; which +he accepted of, and feasted the king's messengers, and then came +back to Antioch. And when the senate and people of Antioch +earnestly entreated him to come upon their theater, where their +whole multitude was assembled, and expected him, he complied with +great humanity; but when they pressed him with much earnestness, +and continually begged of him that he would eject the Jews out of +their city, he gave them this very pertinent answer: How can this +be done, since that country of theirs, whither the Jews must be +obliged then to retire, is destroyed, and no place will receive +them besides?" Whereupon the people of Antioch, when they had +failed of success in this their first request, made him a second; +for they desired that he would order those tables of brass to be +removed on which the Jews' privileges were engraven. However, +Titus would not grant that neither, but permitted the Jews of +Antioch to continue to enjoy the very same privileges in that +city which they had before, and then departed for Egypt; and as +he came to Jerusalem in his progress, and compared the melancholy +condition he saw it then in, with the ancient glory of the city, +and called to mind the greatness of its present ruins, as well as +its ancient splendor, he could not but pity the destruction of +the city, so far was he from boasting that so great and goodly a +city as that was had been by him taken by force; nay, he +frequently cursed those that had been the authors of their +revolt, and had brought such a punishment upon the city; insomuch +that it openly appeared that he did not desire that such a +calamity as this punishment of theirs amounted to should be a +demonstration of his courage. Yet was there no small quantity of +the riches that had been in that city still found among its +ruins, a great deal of which the Romans dug up; but the greatest +part was discovered by those who were captives, and so they +carried it away; I mean the gold and the silver, and the rest of +that most precious furniture which the Jews had, and which the +owners had treasured up under ground, against the uncertain +fortunes of war. + +3. So Titus took the journey he intended into Egypt, and passed +over the desert very suddenly, and came to Alexandria, and took +up a resolution to go to Rome by sea. And as he was accompanied +by two legions, he sent each of them again to the places whence +they had before come; the fifth he sent to Mysia, and the +fifteenth to Pannonia: as for the leaders of the captives, Simon +and John, with the other seven hundred men, whom he had selected +out of the rest as being eminently tall and handsome of body, he +gave order that they should be soon carried to Italy, as +resolving to produce them in his triumph. So when he had had a +prosperous voyage to his mind, the city of Rome behaved itself in +his reception, and their meeting him at a distance, as it did in +the case of his father. But what made the most splendid +appearance in Titus's opinion was, when his father met him, and +received him; but still the multitude of the citizens conceived +the greatest joy when they saw them all three together, (8) as +they did at this time; nor were many days overpast when they +determined to have but one triumph, that should be common to both +of them, on account of the glorious exploits they had performed, +although the senate had decreed each of them a separate triumph +by himself. So when notice had been given beforehand of the day +appointed for this pompous solemnity to be made, on account of +their victories, not one of the immense multitude was left in the +city, but every body went out so far as to gain only a station +where they might stand, and left only such a passage as was +necessary for those that were to be seen to go along it. + +4. Now all the soldiery marched out beforehand by companies, and +in their several ranks, under their several commanders, in the +night time, and were about the gates, not of the upper palaces, +but those near the temple of Isis; for there it was that the +emperors had rested the foregoing night. And as soon as ever it +was day, Vespasian and Titus came out crowned with laurel, and +clothed in those ancient purple habits which were proper to their +family, and then went as far as Octavian's Walks; for there it +was that the senate, and the principal rulers, and those that had +been recorded as of the equestrian order, waited for them. Now a +tribunal had been erected before the cloisters, and ivory chairs +had been set upon it, when they came and sat down upon them. +Whereupon the soldiery made an acclamation of joy to them +immediately, and all gave them attestations of their valor; while +they were themselves without their arms, and only in their silken +garments, and crowned with laurel: then Vespasian accepted of +these shouts of theirs; but while they were still disposed to go +on in such acclamations, he gave them a signal of silence. And +when every body entirely held their peace, he stood up, and +covering the greatest part of his head with his cloak, he put up +the accustomed solemn prayers; the like prayers did Titus put up +also; after which prayers Vespasian made a short speech to all +the people, and then sent away the +soldiers to a dinner prepared for them by the emperors. Then did +he retire to that gate which was called the Gate of the Pomp, +because pompous shows do always go through that gate; there it +was that they tasted some food, and when they had put on their +triumphal garments, and had offered sacrifices to the gods that +were placed at the gate, they sent the triumph forward, and +marched through the theatres, that they might be the more easily +seen by the multitudes. + +5. Now it is impossible to describe the multitude of the shows as +they deserve, and the magnificence of them all; such indeed as a +man could not easily think of as performed, either by the labor +of workmen, or the variety of riches, or the rarities of nature; +for almost all such curiosities as the most happy men ever get by +piece-meal were here one heaped on another, and those both +admirable and costly in their nature; and all brought together on +that day demonstrated the vastness of the dominions of the +Romans; for there was here to be seen a mighty quantity of +silver, and gold, and ivory, contrived into all sorts of things, +and did not appear as carried along in pompous show only, but, as +a man may say, running along like a river. Some parts were +composed of the rarest purple hangings, and so carried along; and +others accurately represented to the life what was embroidered by +the arts of the Babylonians. There were also precious stones that +were transparent, some set in crowns of gold, and some in other +ouches, as the workmen pleased; and of these such a vast number +were brought, that we could not but thence learn how vainly we +imagined any of them to be rarities. The images of the gods were +also carried, being as well wonderful for their largeness, as +made very artificially, and with great skill of the workmen; nor +were any of these images of any other than very costly +materials; and many species of animals were brought, every one in +their own natural ornaments. The men also who brought every one +of these shows were great multitudes, and adorned with purple +garments, all over interwoven with gold; those that were chosen +for carrying these pompous shows having also about them such +magnificent ornaments as were both extraordinary and surprising. +Besides these, one might see that even the great number of the +captives was not +unadorned, while the variety that was in their garments, and +their fine texture, concealed from the sight the deformity of +their bodies. But what afforded the greatest surprise of all was +the structure of the pageants that were borne along; for indeed +he that met them could not but be afraid that the bearers would +not be able firmly enough to support them, such was their +magnitude; for many of them were so made, that they were on three +or even four stories, one above another. The magnificence also of +their structure afforded one both pleasure and surprise; for upon +many of them were laid carpets of gold. There was also wrought +gold and ivory fastened about them all; and many resemblances of +the war, and those in several ways, and variety of contrivances, +affording a most lively portraiture of itself. For there was to +be seen a happy country laid waste, and entire squadrons of +enemies slain; while some of them ran away, and some were carried +into captivity; with walls of great altitude and magnitude +overthrown and ruined by machines; with the strongest +fortifications taken, and the walls of most populous cities upon +the tops of hills seized on, and an army pouring itself within +the walls; as also every place full of slaughter, and +supplications of the enemies, when they were no longer able to +lift up their hands in way of opposition. Fire also sent upon +temples was here represented, and houses overthrown, and falling +upon their owners: rivers also, after they came out of a large +and melancholy desert, ran down, not into a land cultivated, nor +as drink for men, or for cattle, but through a land still on fire +upon every side; for the Jews related that such a thing they had +undergone during this war. Now the workmanship of these +representations was so magnificent and lively in the construction +of the things, that it exhibited what had been done to such as +did not see it, as if they had been there really present. On the +top of every one of these pageants was placed the commander of +the city that was taken, and the manner wherein he was taken. +Moreover, there followed those pageants a great number of ships; +and for the other spoils, they were carried in great plenty. But +for those that were taken in the temple of Jerusalem, (9) they +made the greatest figure of them all; that is, the golden table, +of the weight of many talents; the candlestick also, that was +made of gold, though its +construction were now changed from that which we made use of; for +its middle shaft was fixed upon a basis, and the small branches +were produced out of it to a great length, having the likeness of +a trident in their position, and had every one a socket made of +brass for a lamp at the tops of them. These lamps were in number +seven, and represented the dignity of the number seven among the +Jews; and the last of all the spoils, was carried the Law of the +Jews. After these spoils passed by a great many men, carrying the +images of Victory, whose structure was entirely either of ivory +or of gold. After which Vespasian marched in the first place, and +Titus followed him; Domitian also rode along with them, and made +a glorious appearance, and rode on a horse that was worthy of +admiration. + +6. Now the last part of this pompous show was at the temple of +Jupiter Capitolinus, whither when they were come, they stood +still; for it was the Romans' ancient custom to stay till +somebody brought the news that the general of the enemy was +slain. This general was Simon, the son of Gioras, who had then +been led in this triumph among the captives; a rope had also been +put upon his head, and he had been drawn into a proper place in +the forum, and had withal been tormented by those that drew him +along; and the law of the Romans required that malefactors +condemned to die should be slain there. Accordingly, when it was +related that there was an end of him, and all the people had set +up a shout for joy, they then began to offer those sacrifices +which they had consecrated, in the prayers used in such +solemnities; which when they had finished, they went away to the +palace. And as for some of the spectators, the emperors +entertained them at their own feast; and for all the rest there +were noble preparations made for feasting at home; for this was a +festival day to the city of Rome, as celebrated for the victory +obtained by their army over their enemies, for the end that was +now put to their civil miseries, and for the commencement of +their hopes of future prosperity and happiness. + +7. After these triumphs were over, and after the affairs of the +Romans were settled on the surest foundations, Vespasian resolved +to build a temple to Peace, which was finished in so short a +time, and in so glorious a manner, as was beyond all human +expectation and opinion: for he having now by Providence a vast +quantity of wealth, besides what he had formerly gained in his +other exploits, he had this temple adorned with pictures and +statues; for in this temple were collected and deposited all such +rarities as men aforetime used to wander all over the habitable +world to see, when they had a desire to see one of them after +another; he also laid up therein those golden vessels and +instruments that were taken out of the Jewish temple, as ensigns +of his glory. But still he gave order that they should lay up +their Law, and the purple veils of the holy place, in the royal +palace itself, and keep them there. + +CHAPTER 6. + + + +Concerning Macherus, And How Lucilius Bassus Took That +Citadel, And Other Places. + +1. Now Lucilius Bassus was sent as legate into Judea, and there +he received the army from Cerealis Vitellianus, and took that +citadel which was in Herodium, together with the garrison that +was in it; after which he got together all the soldiery that was +there, (which was a large body, but dispersed into several +parties,) with the tenth legion, and resolved to make war upon +Macherus; for it was highly necessary that this citadel should be +demolished, lest it might be a means of drawing away many into a +rebellion, by reason of its strength; for the nature of the place +was very capable of affording the surest hopes of safety to +those that possessed it, as well as delay and fear to those that +should attack it; for what was walled in was itself a very rocky +hill, elevated to a very great height; which circumstance alone +made it very hard to he subdued. It was also so contrived by +nature, that it could not be easily ascended; for it is, as it +were, ditched about with such valleys on all sides, and to such a +depth, that the eye cannot reach their bottoms, and such as are +not easily to be passed over, and even such as it is impossible +to fill up with earth. For that valley which cuts it on the west +extends to threescore furlongs, and did not end till it came to +the lake Asphaltitis; on the same side it was also that Macherus +had the tallest top of its hill elevated above the rest. But then +for the valleys that lay on the north and south sides, although +they be not so large as that already described, yet it is in like +manner an impracticable thing to think of getting over them; and +for the valley that lies on the east side, its depth is found to +be no less than a hundred cubits. It extends as far as a mountain +that lies over against Macherus, with which it is bounded. + +2. Now when Alexander [Janneus], the king of the Jews, observed +the nature of this place, he was the first who built a citadel +here, which afterwards was demolished by Gabinius, when he made +war against Aristobulus. But when Herod came to be king, he +thought the place to be worthy of the utmost regard, and of being +built upon in the firmest manner, and this especially because it +lay so near to Arabia; for it is seated in a convenient place on +that account, and hath a prospect toward that country; he +therefore surrounded a large space of ground with walls +and towers, and built a city there, out of which city there was a +way that led up to the very citadel itself on the top of the +mountain; nay, more than this, he built a wall round that top of +the hill, and erected towers at the corners, of a hundred and +sixty cubits high; in the middle of which place he built a +palace, after a magnificent manner, wherein were large and +beautiful edifices. He also made a great many reservoirs for the +reception of water, that there might be plenty of it ready for +all uses, and those in the properest places that were afforded +him there. Thus did he, as it were, contend with the nature of +the place, that he might exceed its natural strength and security +(which yet itself rendered it hard to be taken) by those +fortifications which were made by the hands of men. Moreover, he +put a large quantity of darts and other machines of war into it, +and contrived to get every thing thither that might any way +contribute to its inhabitants' security, under the longest siege +possible. + +3. Now within this place there grew a sort of rue (10) that +deserves our wonder on account of its largeness, for it was no +way inferior to any fig tree whatsoever, either in height or in +thickness; and the report is, that it had lasted ever since the +times of Herod, and would probably have lasted much longer, had +it not been cut down by those Jews who took possession of the +place afterward. But still in that valley which encompasses the +city on the north side there is a certain place called Baaras, +which produces a root of the same name with itself (11) its color +is like to that of flame, and towards the evenings it sends out a +certain ray like lightning. It is not easily taken by such as +would do it, but recedes from their hands, nor will yield itself +to be taken quietly, until either the urine of a woman, or her +menstrual blood, be poured upon it; nay, even then it is certain +death to those that touch it, unless any one take and hang the +root itself down from his hand, and so carry it away. It may also +be taken another way, without danger, which is this: they dig a +trench quite round about it, till the hidden part of the root be +very small, they then tie a dog to it, and when the dog tries +hard to follow him that tied him, this root is easily plucked up, +but the dog dies immediately, as if it were instead of the man +that would take the plant away; nor after this need any one be +afraid of taking it into their hands. Yet, after all this pains +in getting, it is only valuable on account of one virtue it hath, +that if it be only brought to sick persons, it quickly drives +away those called demons, which are no other than the spirits of +the wicked, that enter into men that are alive and kill them, +unless they can obtain some help against them. Here are also +fountains of hot +water, that flow out of this place, which have a very different +taste one from the other; for some of them are bitter, and others +of them are plainly sweet. Here are also many eruptions of cold +waters, and this not only in the places that lie lower, and have +their fountains near one another, but, what is still more +wonderful, here is to be seen a certain cave hard by, whose +cavity is not deep, but it is covered over by a rock that is +prominent; above this rock there stand up two [hills or] breasts, +as it were, but a little distant one from another, the one of +which sends out a fountain that is very cold, and the other sends +out one that is very hot; which waters, when they are mingled +together, compose a most pleasant bath; they are medicinal indeed +for other maladies, but especially good for strengthening the +nerves. This place has in it also mines of sulfur and alum. + +4. Now when Bassus had taken a full view of this place, he +resolved to besiege it, by filling up the valley that lay on the +east side; so he fell hard to work, and took great pains to raise +his banks as soon as possible, and by that means to render the +siege easy. As for the Jews that were caught in this place, they +separated themselves from the strangers that were with them, and +they forced those strangers, as an otherwise useless multitude, +to stay in the lower part of the city, and undergo the principal +dangers, while they themselves seized on the upper citadel, and +held it, and this both on account of its strength, and to provide +for their own safety. They also supposed they might obtain their +pardon, in case they should [at last] surrender the citadel. +However, they were willing to make trial, in the first place, +whether the hopes they had of avoiding a siege would come to any +thing; with which intention they made sallies every day, and +fought with those that met them; in which conflicts they were +many of them slain, as they therein slew many of the Romans. But +still it was the opportunities that presented themselves which +chiefly gained both sides their victories; these were gained by +the Jews, when they fell upon the Romans as they were off their +guard; but by the Romans, when, upon the others' sallies against +their banks, they foresaw their coming, and were upon their lard +when they received them. But the conclusion of this siege did not +depend upon these bickerings; but a certain surprising accident, +relating to what was done in this siege, forced the Jews to +surrender the citadel. There was a certain young man among the +besieged, of great boldness, and very active of his hand, his +name was Eleazar; he greatly signalized himself in those sallies, +and encouraged the Jews to go out in great numbers, in order to +hinder the raising of the banks, and did the Romans a vast deal +of mischief when they came to fighting; he so managed matters, +that those who sallied out made their attacks +easily, and returned back without danger, and this by still +bringing up the rear himself. Now it happened that, on a certain +time, when the fight was over, and both sides were parted, and +retired home, he, in way of contempt of the enemy, and thinking +that none of them would begin the fight again at that time, staid +without the gates, and talked with those that were upon the wall, +and his mind was wholly intent upon what they said. Now a certain +person belonging to the Roman camp, whose lame was Rufus, by +birth an Egyptian, ran upon him suddenly, when nobody expected +such a thing, and carried him off, with his armor itself; while, +in the mean time, those that saw it from the wall were under such +an amazement, that Rufus prevented their assistance, and carried +Eleazar to the Roman camp. So the general of the Romans ordered +that he should be taken up naked, set before the city to be seen, +and sorely whipped before their eyes. Upon this sad accident that +befell the young man, the Jews were terribly confounded, and the +city, with one voice, sorely lamented him, and the mourning +proved greater than could well be supposed upon the calamity of a +single person. When Bassus perceived that, he began to think of +using a stratagem against the enemy, and was desirous to +aggravate their grief, in order to prevail with them to surrender +the city for the preservation of that man. Nor did he fail of his +hope; for he commanded them to set up a cross, as if he were just +going to hang Eleazar upon it immediately; the sight of this +occasioned a sore grief among those that were in the citadel, and +they groaned vehemently, and cried out that they could not bear +to see him thus destroyed. Whereupon Eleazar besought them not to +disregard him, now he was going to suffer a +most miserable death, and exhorted them to save themselves, by +yielding to the Roman power and good fortune, since all other +people were now conquered by them. These men were greatly moved +with what he said, there being also many within the city that +interceded for him, because he was of an eminent and very +numerous family; so they now yielded to their passion of +commiseration, contrary to their usual custom. Accordingly, they +sent out immediately certain messengers, and treated with the +Romans, in order to a surrender of the citadel to them, and +desired that they might be permitted to go away, and take Eleazar +along with them. Then did the Romans and their general accept of +these terms; while the multitude of strangers that were in the +lower part of the city, hearing of the agreement that was made by +the Jews for themselves alone, were resolved to fly away +privately in the night time; but as soon as they had opened their +gates, those that had come to terms with Bassus told him of it; +whether it were that they envied the others' deliverance, or +whether it were done out of fear, lest an occasion should be +taken against them upon their escape, is uncertain. The most +courageous, therefore, of those men that went out prevented the +enemy, and got away, and fled for it; but for those men that were +caught within they + +5. When Bassus had settled these affairs, he marched hastily to +the forest of Jarden, as it is called; for he had heard that a +great many of those that had fled from Jerusalem and Macherus +formerly were there gotten together. When he was therefore come +to the place, and understood that the former news was no mistake, +he, in the first place, surrounded the whole place with his +horsemen, that such of the Jews as had boldness enough to try to +break through might have no way possible for escaping, by reason +of the situation of these horsemen; and for the footmen, he +ordered them to cut down the trees that were in the wood whither +they were fled. So the Jews were under a necessity of performing +some glorious exploit, and of greatly exposing themselves in a +battle, since they might perhaps thereby escape. So they made a +general attack, and with a great shout fell upon those that +surrounded them, who received them with great courage; and so +while the one side fought desperately, and the others would not +yield, the fight was prolonged on that account. But the event of +the battle did not answer the expectation of the assailants; for +so it happened, that no more than twelve fell on the Roman side, +with a few that were wounded; but not one of the Jews escaped out +of this battle, but they were all killed, being in the whole not +fewer in number than three thousand, together with Judas, the son +of Jairus, their general, concerning whom we have before spoken, +that he had been a captain of a certain band at the siege of +Jerusalem, and by going down into a certain vault under ground, +had privately made his escape. + +6. About the same time it was that Caesar sent a letter to +Bassus, and to Liberius Maximus, who was the procurator [of +Judea], and gave order that all Judea should be exposed to sale +(12) for he did not found any city there, but reserved the +country for himself. However, he assigned a place for eight +hundred men only, whom he had dismissed from his army, which he +gave them for their habitation; it is called Emmaus, (13) and is +distant from Jerusalem threescore furlongs. He also laid a +tribute upon the Jews wheresoever they were, and enjoined every +one of them to bring two drachmae every year into the Capitol, as +they used to pay the same to the temple at Jerusalem. And this +was the state of the Jewish affairs at this time. + +CHAPTER 7. + + + +Concerning The Calamity That Befell Antiochus, King Of +Commagene. As Also Concerning The Alans And What +Great Mischiefs They Did To The Medes And Armenians. + +1. And now, in the fourth year of the reign of Vespasian, it came +to pass that Antiochus, the king of Commagene, with all his +family, fell into very great calamities. The occasion was this: +Cesennius Petus, who was president of Syria at this time, whether +it were done out of regard to truth, or whether out of hatred to +Antiochus, (for which was the real motive was never thoroughly +discovered,) sent an epistle to Caesar, and therein told him that +Antiochus, with his son Epiphanes, had resolved to rebel against +the Romans, and had made a league with the king of Parthia to +that purpose; that it was therefore fit to prevent them, lest +they prevent us, and begin such a war as may cause a general +disturbance in the Roman empire. Now Caesar was disposed to take +some care about the matter, since this discovery was made; for +the neighborhood of the kingdoms made this affair worthy of +greater regard; for Samoseta, the capital of Commagene, lies upon +Euphrates, and upon any such design could afford an easy passage +over it to the Parthians, and could also afford them a secure +reception. Petus was accordingly believed, and had authority +given him of doing what he should think proper in the case; so he +set about it without delay, and fell upon Commagene before +Antiochus and his people had the least expectation of his coming: +he had with him the tenth legion, as also some cohorts and troops +of horsemen. These kings also came to his assistance: +Aristobulus, king of the country called Chalcidene, and Sohemus, +who was called king of Emesa. Nor was there any opposition made +to his forces when they entered the kingdom; for no one of that +country would so much as lift up his hand against them. When +Antiochus +heard this unexpected news, he could not think in the least of +making war with the Romans, but determined to leave his whole +kingdom in the state wherein it now was, and to retire privately, +with his wife and children, as thinking thereby to demonstrate +himself to the Romans to be innocent as to the accusation laid +against him. So he went away from that city as far as a hundred +and twenty furlongs, into a plain, and there pitched his tents. + +2. Petus then sent some of his men to seize upon Samosate, and by +their means took possession of that city, while he went himself +to attack Antiochus with the rest of his army. However, the king +was not prevailed upon by the distress he was in to do any thing +in the way of war against the Romans, but bemoaned his own hard +fate, and endured with patience what he was not able to prevent. +But his sons, who were young, and unexperienced in war, but of +strong bodies, were not easily induced to bear this calamity +without fighting. Epiphanes, therefore, and Callinicus, betook +themselves to military force; and as the battle was a sore one, +and lasted all the day long, they showed their own valor in a +remarkable manner, and nothing but the approach of night put a +period thereto, and that without any diminution of their forces; +yet would not Antiochus, upon this conclusion of the fight, +continue there by any means, but took his wife and his daughters, +and fled away with them to Cilicia, and by so doing quite +discouraged the minds of his own soldiers. Accordingly, they +revolted, and went over to the Romans, out of the despair they +were in of his keeping the kingdom; and his case was looked upon +by all as quite desperate. It was therefore necessary that +Epiphanes and his soldiers should get clear of their enemies +before they became entirely destitute of any confederates; nor +were there any more than ten horsemen with him, who passed with +him over Euphrates, whence they went undisturbed to Vologeses, +the king of Parthie, where they were not disregarded as +fugitives, but had the same respect paid them as if they had +retained their ancient prosperity. + +3. Now when Antiochus was come to Tarsus in Cilicia, Petus +ordered a centurion to go to him, and send him in bonds to Rome. +However, Vespasian could not endure to have a king brought to him +in that manner, but thought it fit rather to have a regard to the +ancient friendship that had been between them, than to preserve +an inexorable anger upon pretense of this war. Accordingly, he +gave orders that they should take off his bonds, while he was +still upon the road, and that he should not come to Rome, but +should now go and live at Lacedemon; he also gave him large +revenues, that he might not only live in plenty, but like a king +also. When Epiphanes, who before was in great fear for his +father, was informed of this, their minds were freed from that +great and almost incurable concern they had been under. He also +hoped that Caesar would be reconciled to them, upon the +intercession of Vologeses; for although he lived in plenty, he +knew not how to bear living out of the Roman empire. So Caesar +gave him leave, after an obliging manner, and he came to Rome; +and as his father came quickly to him from Lacedemon, he had all +sorts of respect paid him there, and there he remained. + +4. Now there was a nation of the Alans, which we have formerly +mentioned some where as being Scythians and inhabiting at the +lake Meotis. This nation about this time laid a design of falling +upon Media, and the parts beyond it, in order to plunder them; +with which intention they treated with the king of Hyrcania; for +he was master of that passage which king Alexander [the Great] +shut up with iron gates. This king gave them leave to come +through them; so they came in great multitudes, and fell upon the +Medes unexpectedly, and plundered their country, which they found +full of people, and replenished with abundance of cattle, while +nobody durst make any resistance against them; for Paeorus, the +king of the country, had fled away for fear into places where +they could not easily come at him, and had yielded up every thing +he had to them, and had only saved his wife and his concubines +from them, and that with difficulty also, after they had been +made captives, by giving them a hundred talents for their ransom. +These Alans therefore plundered the country without opposition, +and with great ease, and proceeded as far as Armenia, laying all +waste before them. Now Tiridates was king of that country, who +met them, and fought them, but had like to have been taken alive +in the battle; for a certain man threw a net over him from a +great distance, and had soon drawn him to him, unless he had +immediately cut the cord with his sword, and ran away, and +prevented it. So the Alans, being still more provoked by this +sight, laid waste the country, and drove a great multitude of the +men, and a great quantity of the other prey they had gotten out +of both kingdoms, along with them, and then retreated back to +their own country. + +CHAPTER 8. + + + +Concerning Masada And Those Sicarii Who Kept It; And +How Silva Betook Himself To Form The Siege Of That +Citadel. Eleazar's Speeches To The Besieged. + +1. When Bassus was dead in Judea, Flavius Silva succeeded him as +procurator there; who, when he saw that all the rest of the +country was subdued in this war, and that there was but one only +strong hold that was still in rebellion, he got all his army +together that lay in different places, and made an expedition +against it. This fortress was called Masada. It was one Eleazar, +a potent man, and the commander of these Sicarii, that had seized +upon it. He was a descendant from that Judas who had persuaded +abundance of the Jews, as we have formerly related, not to submit +to the taxation when Cyrenius was sent into Judea to make one; +for then it was that the Sicarii got together against those that +were willing to submit to the Romans, and treated them in all +respects as if they had been their enemies, both by plundering +them of what they had, by driving away their cattle, and by +setting fire to their houses; for they said that they differed +not at all from foreigners, by betraying, in so cowardly a +manner, that freedom which Jews thought worthy to be contended +for to the utmost, and by owning that they preferred slavery +under the Romans before such a contention. Now this was in +reality no better than a pretense and a cloak for the barbarity +which was made use of by them, and to color over their own +avarice, which they afterwards made evident by their own actions; +for those that were partners with them in their rebellion joined +also with them in the war against the Romans, and went further +lengths with them in their impudent undertakings against them; +and when they were again convicted of dissembling in such their +pretenses, they still more abused those that justly reproached +them for their wickedness. And indeed that was a time most +fertile in all manner of wicked practices, insomuch that no kind +of evil deeds were then left undone; nor could any one so much as +devise any bad thing that was new, so deeply were they all +infected, and strove with one another in their single capacity, +and in their communities, who should run the greatest lengths in +impiety towards God, and in unjust actions towards their +neighbors; the men of power oppressing the multitude, and the +multitude earnestly laboring to destroy the men of power. The one +part were +desirous of tyrannizing over others, and the rest of offering +violence to others, and of plundering such as were richer than +themselves. They were the Sicarii who first began these +transgressions, and first became barbarous towards those allied +to them, and left no words of reproach unsaid, and no works of +perdition untried, in order to destroy those whom their +contrivances affected. Yet did John demonstrate by his actions +that these Sicarii were more moderate than he was himself, for he +not only slew all such as gave him good counsel to do what was +right, but treated them worst of all, as the most bitter enemies +that he had among all the Citizens; nay, he filled his entire +country with ten thousand instances of wickedness, such as a man +who was already hardened sufficiently in his impiety towards God +would naturally do; for the food was unlawful that was set upon +his table, and he rejected those purifications that the law of +his country had ordained; so that it was no longer a wonder if +he, who was so mad in his impiety towards God, did not observe +any rules of gentleness and common affection towards men. Again, +therefore, what mischief was there which Simon the son of Gioras +did not do? or what kind of abuses did he abstain from as to +those very free-men who had set him up for a tyrant? What +friendship or kindred were there that did not make him more bold +in his daily murders? for they looked upon the doing of mischief +to strangers only as a work beneath their courage, but thought +their barbarity towards their nearest relations would be a +glorious demonstration thereof. The Idumeans also strove with +these men who should be guilty of the greatest madness! for they +[all], vile wretches as they were, cut the throats of the high +priests, that so no part of a religious regard to God. might be +preserved; they thence proceeded to destroy utterly the least +remains of a political government, and introduced the most +complete scene of iniquity in all instances that were +practicable; under which scene that sort of people that were +called zealots grew up, and who indeed corresponded to the name; +for they imitated every wicked work; nor, if their memory +suggested any evil thing that had formerly been done, did they +avoid zealously to pursue the same; and although they gave +themselves that name from their zeal for what was good, yet did +it agree to them only by way of irony, on account of those they +had unjustly treated by their wild and brutish disposition, or as +thinking the greatest mischiefs to be the greatest good. +Accordingly, they all met with such ends as God deservedly +brought upon them in way of punishment; for all such miseries +have been sent upon them as man's nature is capable of +undergoing, till the utmost period of their lives, and till death +came upon them in various ways of torment; yet might one say +justly that they suffered less than they had done, because it was +impossible they could be punished according to their deserving. +But to make a lamentation according to the deserts of those who +fell under these men's barbarity, this is not a proper place for +it; - I therefore now return again to the remaining part of the +present narration. + +2. For now it was that the Roman general came, and led his army +against Eleazar and those Sicarii who held the fortress Masada +together with him; and for the whole country adjoining, he +presently gained it, and put garrisons into the most proper +places of it; he also built a wall quite round the entire +fortress, that none of the besieged might easily escape; he also +set his men to guard the several parts of it; he also pitched his +camp in such an agreeable place as he had chosen for the siege, +and at which place the rock belonging to the fortress did make +the nearest approach to the neighboring mountain, which yet was a +place of difficulty for getting plenty of provisions; for it was +not only food that was to be brought from a great distance [to +the army], and this with a great deal of pain to those Jews who +were appointed for that purpose, but water was +also to be brought to the camp, because the place afforded no +fountain that was near it. When therefore Silva had ordered these +affairs beforehand, he fell to besieging the place; which siege +was likely to stand in need of a great deal of skill and pains, +by reason of the strength of the fortress, the nature of which I +will now describe. + +3. There was a rock, not small in circumference, and very high. +It was encompassed with valleys of such vast depth downward, that +the eye could not reach their bottoms; they were abrupt, and such +as no animal could walk upon, excepting at two places of the +rock, where it subsides, in order to afford a passage for ascent, +though not without difficulty. Now, of the ways that lead to it, +one is that from the lake Asphaltiris, towards the sun-rising, +and another on the west, where the ascent is easier: the one of +these ways is called the Serpent, as resembling that animal in +its narrowness and its perpetual windings; for it is broken off +at the prominent precipices of the rock, and returns frequently +into itself, and lengthening again by little and little, hath +much ado to proceed forward; and he that would walk along it must +first go on one leg, and then on the other; there is also nothing +but destruction, in case your feet slip; for on each side there +is a vastly deep chasm and precipice, sufficient to quell the +courage of every body by the terror it infuses into the mind. +When, therefore, a man hath gone along this way for thirty +furlongs, the rest is the top of the hill - not ending at a small +point, but is no other than a plain upon the highest part of the +mountain. Upon this top of the hill, Jonathan the high priest +first of all built a fortress, and called it Masada: after which +the rebuilding of this place employed the care of king Herod to a +great degree; he also built a wall round about the entire top of +the hill, seven furlongs long; it was composed of white stone; +its height was twelve, and its breadth eight cubits; there were +also erected upon that wall thirty-eight towers, each of them +fifty cubits high; out of which you might pass into lesser +edifices, which were built on the inside, round the entire wall; +for the king reserved the top of the hill, which was of a fat +soil, and better mould than any valley for agriculture, that such +as committed themselves to this fortress for their preservation +might not even there be quite destitute of food, in case they +should ever be in want of it from abroad. Moreover, he built a +palace therein at the western ascent; it was within and beneath +the walls of the citadel, but inclined to its north side. Now the +wall of this palace was very high and strong, and had at its four +corners towers sixty cubits high. The furniture also of the +edifices, and of the cloisters, and of the baths, was of great +variety, and very costly; and these buildings were supported by +pillars of single stones on every side; the walls and also the +floors of the edifices were paved with stones of several colors. +He also had cut many and great pits, as reservoirs for water, out +of the rocks, at every one of the places that were inhabited, +both above and round about the palace, and before the wall; and +by this contrivance he endeavored to have water for several uses, +as if there had been fountains there. Here was also a road digged +from the palace, and leading to the very top of the mountain, +which yet could not be seen by such as were without [the walls]; +nor indeed could enemies easily make use of the plain roads; for +the road on the east side, as we have already taken notice, could +not be walked upon, by reason of its nature; and for the western +road, he built a large tower at its narrowest place, at no less a +distance from the top of the hill than a thousand cubits; which +tower could not possibly be passed by, nor could it be easily +taken; nor indeed could those that walked along it without any +fear (such was its contrivance) easily get to the end of it; and +after such a manner was this citadel fortified, both by nature +and by the hands of men, in order to frustrate the attacks of +enemies. + +4. As for the furniture that was within this fortress, it was +still more wonderful on account of its splendor and long +continuance; for here was laid up corn in large quantities, and +such as would subsist men for a long time; here was also wine and +oil in abundance, with all kinds of pulse and dates heaped up +together; all which Eleazar found there, when he and his Sicarii +got possession of the fortress by treachery. These fruits were +also fresh and full ripe, and no way inferior to such fruits +newly laid in, although they were little short of a hundred years +(14) from the laying in these provisions [by Herod], till the +place was taken by the Romans; nay, indeed, when the Romans got +possession ofthose fruits that were left, they found them not +corrupted all that while; nor should we be mistaken, if we +supposed that the air was here the cause of their enduring so +long; this fortress being so high, and so free from the mixture +of all terrain and muddy particles of matter. There was also +found here a large quantity of all sorts of weapons of war, which +had been treasured up by that king, and were sufficient for ten +thousand men; there was east iron, and brass, and tin, which show +that he had taken much pains to have all things here ready for +the greatest occasions; for the report goes how Herod thus +prepared this fortress on his own account, as a refuge against +two kinds of danger; the one for fear of the multitude of the +Jews, lest they should depose him, and restore their former kings +to the government; the other danger was greater and more +terrible, which arose from Cleopatra queen of Egypt, who did not +conceal her intentions, but spoke often to Antony, and desired +him to cut off Herod, and entreated him to bestow the kingdom of +Judea upon her. And certainly it is a great wonder that Antony +did never comply with her commands in this point, as he was so +miserably enslaved to his passion for her; nor should any one +have been surprised if she had been gratified in such her +request. So the fear of these dangers made Herod rebuild Masada, +and thereby leave it for the finishing stroke of the Romans in +this Jewish war. + +5. Since therefore the Roman commander Silva had now built a wall +on the outside, round about this whole place, as we have said +already, and had thereby made a most accurate provision to +prevent any one of the besieged running away, he undertook the +siege itself, though he found but one single place that would +admit of the banks he was to raise; for behind that tower which +secured the road that led to the palace, and to the top of the +hill from the west; there was a certain eminency of the rock, +very broad and very prominent, but three hundred cubits beneath +the highest part of Masada; it was called the White Promontory. +Accordingly, he got upon that part of the rock, and ordered the +army to bring earth; and when they fell to that work with +alacrity, and abundance of them together, the bank was raised, +and became solid for two hundred cubits in height. Yet was not +this bank thought sufficiently high for the use of the engines +that were to be set upon it; but still another elevated work of +great stones compacted together was raised upon that bank; this +was fifty cubits, both in breadth and height. The other machines +that were now got ready were like to those that had been first +devised by Vespasian, and afterwards by Titus, for sieges. There +was also a tower made of the height of sixty cubits, and all over +plated with iron, out of which the Romans threw darts and stones +from the engines, and soon made those that fought from the walls +of the place to retire, and would not let them lift up their +heads above the works. At the same time Silva ordered that great +battering ram which he had made to be brought thither, and to be +set against the wall, and to make frequent batteries against it, +which with some difficulty broke down a part of the wall, and +quite overthrew it. However, the Sicarii made haste, and +presently built another wall within that, which should not be +liable to the same misfortune from the machines with the other; +it was made soft and yielding, and so was capable of avoiding the +terrible blows that affected the other. It was framed after the +following manner: They laid together great beams of wood +lengthways, one close to the end of another, and the same way in +which they were cut: there were two of these rows parallel to one +another, and laid at such a distance from each other as the +breadth of the wall required, and earth was put into the space +between those rows. Now, that the earth might not fall away upon +the elevation of this bank to a greater height, they further laid +other beams over cross them, and thereby bound those beams +together that lay lengthways. This work of theirs was like a real +edifice; and when the machines were applied, the blows were +weakened by its yielding; and as the materials by such concussion +were shaken closer together, the pile by that means became firmer +than before. When Silva saw this, he thought it best to endeavor +the taking of this wall by setting fire to it; so he gave order +that the soldiers should throw a great number of burning torches +upon it: accordingly, as it was chiefly made of wood, it soon +took fire; and when it was once set on fire, its hollowness made +that fire spread to a mighty flame. Now, at the very beginning of +this fire, a north wind that then blew proved terrible to the +Romans; for by bringing the flame downward, it drove it upon +them, and they were almost in despair of success, as fearing +their machines would be burnt: but after this, on a sudden the +wind changed into the south, as if it were done by Divine +Providence, and blew strongly the contrary way, and carried the +flame, and drove it against the wall, which was now on fire +through its entire thickness. So the Romans, having now +assistance from God, returned to their camp with joy, and +resolved to attack their enemies the very next day; on which +occasion they set their watch more carefully that night, lest any +of the Jews should run away from them without being discovered. + +6. However, neither did Eleazar once think of flying away, nor +would he permit any one else to do so; but when he saw their wall +burned down by the fire, and could devise no other way of +escaping, or room for their further courage, and setting before +their eyes what the Romans would do to them, their children, and +their wives, if they got them into their power, he consulted +about having them all slain. Now as he judged this to be the best +thing they could do in their present circumstances, he gathered +the most courageous of his companions together, and encouraged +them to take that course by a speech (15) which he made to them +in the manner following: "Since we, long ago, my generous +friends, resolved never to be servants to the Romans, nor to any +other than to God himself, who alone is the true and just Lord of +mankind, the time is now come that obliges us to make that +resolution true in practice. And let us not at this time bring a +reproach upon ourselves for self-contradiction, while we formerly +would not undergo slavery, though it were then without danger, +but must now, together with slavery, choose such punishments also +as are intolerable; I mean this, upon the supposition that the +Romans once reduce us under their power while we are alive. We +were the very first that revolted from them, and we are the last +that fight against them; and I cannot but esteem it as a favor +that God hath granted us, that it is still in our power to die +bravely, and in a state of freedom, which hath not been the case +of others, who were conquered unexpectedly. It is very plain that +we shall be taken within a day's time; but it is still an +eligible thing to die after a glorious manner, together with our +dearest friends. This is what our enemies themselves cannot by +any means hinder, although they be very desirous to take us +alive. Nor can we propose to ourselves any more to fight them, +and beat them. It had been proper indeed for us to have +conjectured at the purpose of God much sooner, and at the very +first, when we were so desirous of defending our liberty, and +when we received such sore treatment from one another, and worse +treatment from our enemies, and to have been sensible that the +same God, who had of old taken the Jewish nation into his favor, +had now condemned them to destruction; for had he either +continued favorable, or been but in a lesser degree displeased +with us, he had not overlooked the destruction of so many men, or +delivered his most holy city to be burnt and demolished by our +enemies. To be sure we weakly hoped to have +preserved ourselves, and ourselves alone, still in a state of +freedom, as if we had been guilty of no sins ourselves against +God, nor been partners with those of others; we also taught other +men to preserve their liberty. Wherefore, consider how God hath +convinced us that our hopes were in vain, by bringing such +distress upon us in the desperate state we are now in, and which +is beyond all our expectations; for the nature of this fortress +which was in itself unconquerable, hath not proved a means of our +deliverance; and even while we have still great abundance of +food, and a great quantity of arms, and other necessaries more +than we want, we are openly deprived by God himself of all hope +of deliverance; for that fire which was driven upon our enemies +did not of its own accord turn back upon the wall which we had +built; this was the effect of God's anger against us for our +manifold sins, which we have been guilty of in a most insolent +and extravagant manner with regard to our own countrymen; the +punishments of which let us not receive from the Romans, but from +God himself, as executed by our own hands; for these will be more +moderate than the other. Let our wives die before they are +abused, and our children before they have tasted of slavery; and +after we have slain them, let us bestow that glorious benefit +upon one another mutually, and preserve ourselves in freedom, as +an excellent funeral monument for us. But first let us destroy +our money and the fortress by fire; for I am well assured that +this will be a great grief to the Romans, that they shall not be +able to seize upon our bodies, and shall fall of our wealth also; +and let us spare nothing but our provisions; for they will be a +testimonial when we are dead that we were not subdued for want of +necessaries, but that, according to our original resolution, we +have preferred death before slavery." + +7. This was Eleazar's speech to them. Yet did not the opinions of +all the auditors acquiesce therein; but although some of them +were very zealous to put his advice in practice, and were in a +manner filled with pleasure at it, and thought death to be a good +thing, yet had those that were most effeminate a commiseration +for their wives and families; and when these men were especially +moved by the prospect of their own certain death, they looked +wistfully at one another, and by the tears that were in their +eyes declared their dissent from his opinion. When Eleazar saw +these people in such fear, and that their souls were dejected at +so prodigious a proposal, he was afraid lest perhaps these +effeminate persons should, by their lamentations and tears, +enfeeble those that heard what he had said courageously; so he +did not leave off exhorting them, but stirred up himself, and +recollecting proper arguments for raising their courage, he +undertook to speak more briskly and fully to them, and that +concerning the immortality of the soul. So he made a lamentable +groan, and fixing his eyes intently on those that wept, he spake +thus: "Truly, I was greatly mistaken when I thought to be +assisting to brave men who struggled hard for their liberty, and +to such as were resolved either to live with honor, or else to +die; but I find that you are such people as are no better than +others, either in virtue or in courage, and are afraid of dying, +though you be delivered thereby from the greatest miseries, while +you ought to make no delay in this matter, nor to await any one +to give you good advice; for the laws of our country, and of God +himself, have from ancient times, and as soon as ever we could +use our reason, continually taught us, and our forefathers have +corroborated the same doctrine by their actions, and by their +bravery of mind, that it is life that is a calamity to men, and +not death; for this last affords our souls their liberty, and +sends them by a removal into their own place of purity, where +they are to be insensible of all sorts of misery; for while souls +are tied clown to a mortal body, they are partakers of its +miseries; and really, to speak the truth, they are themselves +dead; for the union of what is divine to what is mortal is +disagreeable. It is true, the power of the soul is great, even +when it is imprisoned in a mortal body; for by moving it after a +way that is invisible, it makes the body a sensible instrument, +and causes it to advance further in its actions than mortal +nature could otherwise do. However, when it is freed from that +weight which draws it down to the earth and is connected with it, +it obtains its own proper place, and does then become a partaker +of that blessed power, and those abilities, which are then every +way incapable of being hindered in their operations. It continues +invisible, indeed, to the eyes of men, as does God himself; for +certainly it is not itself seen while it is in the body; for it +is there after an invisible manner, and when it is freed from it, +it is still not seen. It is this soul which hath one nature, and +that an incorruptible one also; but yet it is the cause of the +change that is made in the body; for whatsoever it be which the +soul touches, that lives and flourishes; and from whatsoever it +is removed, that withers away and dies; such a degree is there in +it of immortality. Let me produce the state of sleep as a most +evident demonstration of the truth of what I say; wherein souls, +when the body does not distract them, have the sweetest rest +depending on themselves, and conversing with God, by their +alliance to him; they then go every where, and foretell many +futurities beforehand. And why are we afraid of death, while we +are pleased with the rest that we have in sleep? And how absurd a +thing is it to pursue after liberty while we are alive, and yet +to envy it to ourselves where it will be eternal! We, therefore, +who have been brought up in a discipline of our own, ought to +become an example to others of our readiness to die. Yet, if we +do stand in need of foreigners to support us in this matter, let +us regard those Indians who profess the exercise of philosophy; +for these good men do but unwillingly undergo the time of life, +and look upon it as a necessary servitude, and make haste to let +their souls loose from their bodies; nay, when no misfortune +presses them to it, nor drives them upon it, these have such a +desire of a life of immortality, that they tell other men +beforehand that they are about to depart; and nobody hinders +them, but every one thinks them happy men, and gives them letters +to be carried to their familiar friends [that are dead], so +firmly and certainly do they believe that souls converse with one +another [in the other world]. So when these men have heard all +such commands that were to be given them, they deliver their body +to the fire; and, in order to their getting their soul a +separation from the body in the greatest purity, they die in the +midst of hymns of commendations made to them; for their dearest +friends conduct them to their death more readily than do any of +the rest of mankind conduct their fellow-citizens when they are +going a very long journey, who at the same time weep on their own +account, but look upon the others as happy persons, as so soon to +be made partakers of the immortal order of beings. Are not we, +therefore, ashamed to have lower notions than the Indians? and by +our own cowardice to lay a base reproach upon the laws of our +country, which are so much desired and imitated by all mankind? +But put the case that we had been brought up under another +persuasion, and taught that life is the greatest good which men +are capable of, and that death is a calamity; however, the +circumstances we are now in ought to he an inducement to us to +bear such calamity courageously, since it is by the will of God, +and by necessity, that we are to die; for it now appears that God +hath made such a decree against the whole Jewish nation, that we +are to be deprived of this life which [he knew] we would not make +a due use of. For do not you ascribe the occasion of our present +condition to yourselves, nor think the Romans are the true +occasion that this war we have had with them is become so +destructive to us all: these things have not come to pass by +their power, but a more powerful cause hath intervened, and made +us afford them an occasion of their appearing to be conquerors +over us. What Roman weapons, I pray you, were those by which the +Jews at Cesarea were slain? On the contrary, when they were no +way disposed to rebel, but were all the while keeping their +seventh day festival, and did not so much as lift up their hands +against the citizens of Cesarea, yet did those citizens run upon +them in great crowds, and cut their throats, and the throats of +their wives and children, and this without any regard to the +Romans themselves, who never took us for their enemies till we +revolted from them. But some may be ready to say, that truly the +people of Cesarea had always a quarrel against those that lived +among them, and that when an opportunity offered itself, they +only satisfied the old rancor they had against them. What then +shall we say to those of Scythopolis, who ventured to wage war +with us on account of the Greeks? Nor did they do it by way of +revenge upon the Romans, when they acted in concert with our +countrymen. Wherefore you see how little our good-will and +fidelity to them profiled us, while they were slain, they and +their whole families, after the most inhuman manner, which was +all the requital that was made them for the assistance they had +afforded the others; for that very same destruction which they +had prevented from falling upon the others did they suffer +themselves from them, as if they had been ready to be the actors +against them. It would be too long for me to speak at this time +of every destruction brought upon us; for you cannot but know +that there was not any one Syrian city which did not slay their +Jewish inhabitants, and were not more bitter enemies to us than +were the Romans themselves; nay, even those of Damascus, (16) +when they were able to allege no tolerable pretense against us, +filled their city with the most barbarous slaughters of our +people, and cut the throats of eighteen thousand Jews, with their +wives and children. And as to the multitude of those that were +slain in Egypt, and that with torments also, we have been +informed they were more than sixty thousand; those indeed being +in a foreign country, and so naturally meeting with nothing to +oppose against their enemies, were killed in the manner +forementioned. As for all those of us who have waged war against +the Romans in our own country, had we not sufficient reason to +have sure hopes of victory? For we had arms, and walls, and +fortresses so prepared as not to be easily taken, and courage not +to be moved by any dangers in the cause of liberty, which +encouraged us all to revolt from the Romans. But then these +advantages sufficed us but for a short time, and only raised our +hopes, while they really appeared to be the origin of our +miseries; for all we had hath been taken from us, and all hath +fallen under our enemies, as if these advantages were only to +render their victory over us the more glorious, and were not +disposed for the preservation of those by whom these preparations +were made. And as for those that are already dead in the war, it +is reasonable we should esteem them blessed, for they are dead in +defending, and not in betraying their liberty; but as to the +multitude of those that are now under the Romans, who would not +pity their condition? and who would not make haste to die, before +he would suffer the same miseries with them? Some of them have +been put upon the rack, and tortured with fire and whippings, and +so died. Some have been half devoured by wild beasts, and yet +have been reserved alive to be devoured by them a second time, in +order to afford laughter and sport to our enemies; and such of +those as are alive still are to be looked on as the most +miserable, who, being so desirous of death, could not come at it. +And where is now that great city, the metropolis of the Jewish +nation, which vas fortified by so many walls round about, which +had so many fortresses and large towers to defend it, which could +hardly contain the instruments prepared for the war, and which +had so many ten thousands of men to fight for it? Where is this +city that was believed to have God himself inhabiting therein? It +is now demolished to the very foundations, and hath nothing but +that monument of it preserved, I mean the camp of those that hath +destroyed it, which still dwells upon its ruins; some unfortunate +old men also lie upon the ashes of the temple, and a few women +are there preserved alive by the enemy, for our bitter shame and +reproach. Now who is there that revolves these things in his +mind, and yet is able to bear the sight of the sun, though he +might live out of danger? Who is there so much his country's +enemy, or so unmanly, and so desirous of living, as not to repent +that he is still alive? And I cannot but wish that we had all +died before we had seen that holy city demolished by the hands of +our enemies, or the foundations of our holy temple dug up after +so profane a manner. But since we had a generous hope that +deluded us, as if we might perhaps have been able to avenge +ourselves on our enemies on that account, though it be now become +vanity, and hath left us alone in this distress, let us make +haste to die bravely. Let us pity ourselves, our children, and +our wives while it is in our own power to show pity to them; for +we were born to die, (17) as well as those were whom we have +begotten; nor is it in the power of the most happy of our race to +avoid it. But for abuses, and slavery, and the sight of our wives +led away after an ignominious manner, with their children, these +are not such evils as are natural and necessary among men; +although such as do not prefer death before those miseries, when +it is in their power so to do, must undergo even them, on account +of their own cowardice. We revolted from the Romans with great +pretensions to courage; and when, at the very last, they invited +us to preserve ourselves, we would not comply with them. Who will +not, therefore, believe that they will certainly be in a rage at +us, in case they can take us alive? Miserable will then be the +young men who will be strong enough in their bodies to sustain +many torments! miserable also will be those of elder years, who +will not be able to bear those calamities which young men might +sustain! One man will be obliged to hear the voice of his son +implore help of his father, when his hands are bound. But +certainly our hands are still at liberty, and have a sword in +them; let them then be subservient to us in our glorious design; +let us die before we become slaves under our eneimies, and let us +go out of the world, together with our children and our wives, in +a state of freedom. This it is that our laws command us to do +this it is that our wives and children crave at our hands; nay, +God himself hath brought this necessity upon us; while the Romans +desire the contrary, and are afraid lest any of us should die +before we are taken. Let us therefore make haste, and instead of +affording them so much pleasure, as they hope for in getting us +under their power, let us leave them an example which shall at +once cause their astonishment at our death, and their admiration +of our hardiness therein." + +CHAPTER 9. + + + +How The People That Were In The Fortress Were Prevailed +On By The Words Of Eleazar, Two Women And Five +Children Only Excepted And All Submitted To Be Killed By One +Another. + +1. Now as Eleazar was proceeding on in this exhortation, they all +cut him off short, and made haste to do the work, as full of an +unconquerable ardor of mind, and moved with a demoniacal fury. So +they went their ways, as one still endeavoring to be before +another, and as thinking that this eagerness would be a +demonstration of their courage and good conduct, if they could +avoid appearing in the last class; so great was the zeal they +were in to slay their wives and children, and themselves also! +Nor indeed, when they came to the work itself, did their courage +fail them, as one might imagine it would have done, but they then +held fast the same resolution, without wavering, which they had +upon the hearing of Eleazar's speech, while yet every one of them +still retained the natural passion of love to themselves and +their families, because the reasoning they went upon appeared to +them to be very just, even with regard to those that were dearest +to them; for the husbands tenderly embraced their wives, and took +their children into their arms, and gave the longest parting +kisses to them, with tears in their eyes. Yet at the same time +did they complete what they had resolved on, as if they had been +executed by the hands of strangers; and they had nothing else for +their comfort but the necessity they were in of doing this +execution, to avoid that prospect they had of the miseries they +were to suffer from their enemies. Nor was there at length any +one of these men found that scrupled to act their part in this +terrible execution, but every one of them despatched his dearest +relations. Miserable men indeed were they! whose distress forced +them to slay their own wives and children with their own hands, +as the lightest of those evils that were before them. So they +being not able to bear the grief they were under for what they +had done any longer, and esteeming it an injury to those they had +slain, to live even the shortest space of time after them, they +presently laid all they had upon a heap, and set fire to it. They +then chose ten men by lot out of them to slay all the rest; every +one of whom laid himself down by his wife and children on the +ground, and threw his arms about them, and they offered their +necks to the stroke of those who by lot executed that melancholy +office; and when these ten had, without fear, slain them all, +they made the same rule for casting lots for themselves, that he +whose lot it was should first kill the other nine, and after all +should kill himself. Accordingly, all these had courage +sufficient to be no way behind one another in doing or suffering; +so, for a conclusion, the nine offered their necks to the +executioner, and he who was the last of all took a view of all +the other bodies, lest perchance some or other among so many that +were slain should want his assistance to be quite despatched, and +when he perceived that they were all slain, he set fire to the +palace, and with the great force of his hand ran his sword +entirely through himself, and fell down dead near to his own +relations. So these people died with this intention, that they +would not leave so much as one soul among them all alive to be +subject to the Romans. Yet was there an ancient woman, and +another who was of kin to Eleazar, and superior to most women in +prudence and learning, with five children, who had concealed +themselves in caverns under ground, and had carried water thither +for their drink, and were hidden there when the rest were intent +upon the slaughter of one another. Those others were nine hundred +and sixty in number, the women and children being withal included +in that computation. This calamitous slaughter was made on the +fifteenth day of the month Xanthicus [Nisan]. + +2. Now for the Romans, they expected that they should be fought +in the morning, when, accordingly, they put on their armor, and +laid bridges of planks upon their ladders from their banks, to +make an assault upon the fortress, which they did; but saw nobody +as an enemy, but a terrible solitude on every side, with a fire +within the place, as well as a perfect silence. So they were at a +loss to guess at what had happened. At length they made a shout, +as if it had been at a blow given by the battering ram, to try +whether they could bring any one out that was within; the women +heard this noise, and came out of their under-ground cavern, and +informed the Romans what had been done, as it was done; and the +second of them clearly described all both what was said and what +was done, and this manner of it; yet did they not easily give +their attention to such a desperate undertaking, and did not +believe it could be as they said; they also attempted to put the +fire out, and quickly cutting themselves a way through it, they +came within the palace, and so met with the multitude of the +slain, but could take no pleasure in the fact, though it were +done to their enemies. Nor could they do other than wonder at the +courage of their resolution, and the immovable contempt of death +which so great a number of them had shown, when they went through +with such an action as that was. + +CHAPTER 10. + + + +That Many Of The Sicarii Fled To Alexandria Also And +What Dangers They Were In There; On Which Account +That Temple Which Had Formerly Been Built By Onias The +High Priest Was Destroyed. + +1. When Masada was thus taken, the general left a garrison in the +fortress to keep it, and he himself went away to Cesarea; for +there were now no enemies left in the country, but it was all +overthrown by so long a war. Yet did this war afford disturbances +and dangerous disorders even in places very far remote from +Judea; for still it came to pass that many Jews were slain at +Alexandria in Egypt; for as many of the Sicarii as were able to +fly thither, out of the seditious wars in Judea, were not content +to have saved themselves, but must needs be undertaking to make +new disturbances, and persuaded many of those that entertained +them to assert their liberty, to esteem the Romans to be no +better than themselves, and to look upon God as their only Lord +and Master. But when part of the Jews of reputation opposed them, +they slew some of them, and with the others they were very +pressing in their exhortations to revolt from the Romans; but +when the principal men of the senate saw what madness they were +come to, they thought it no longer safe for themselves to +overlook them. So they got all the Jews together to an assembly, +and accused the madness of the Sicarii, and demonstrated that +they had been the authors of all the evils that had come upon +them. They said also that "these men, now they were run away from +Judea, having no sure hope of escaping, because as soon as ever +they shall be known, they will be soon destroyed by the Romans, +they come hither and fill us full of those calamities which +belong to them, while we have not been partakers with them in any +of their sins." Accordingly, they exhorted the multitude to have +a care, lest they should be brought to destruction by their +means, and to make their apology to the Romans for what had been +done, by delivering these men up to them; who being thus apprized +of the greatness of the danger they were in, complied with what +was proposed, and ran with great violence upon the Sicarii, and +seized upon them; and indeed six hundred of them were caught +immediately: but as to all those that fled into Egypt (18) and to +the Egyptian Thebes, it was not long ere they were caught also, +and brought back, whose courage, or whether we ought to call it +madness, or hardiness in their opinions, every body was amazed +at. For when all sorts of torments and vexations of their bodies +that could be devised were made use of to them, they could not +get any one of them to comply so far as to confess, or seem to +confess, that Caesar was their lord; but they preserved their own +opinion, in spite of all the distress they were brought to, as if +they received these torments and the fire itself with bodies +insensible of pain, and with a soul that in a manner rejoiced +under them. But what was most of all astonishing to the beholders +was the courage of the children; for not one of these children +was so far overcome by these torments, as to name Caesar for +their lord. So far does the strength of the courage [of the soul] +prevail over the weakness of the body. + +2. Now Lupus did then govern Alexandria, who presently sent +Caesar word of this commotion; who having in suspicion the +restless temper of the Jews for innovation, and being afraid lest +they should get together again, and persuade some others to join +with them, gave orders to Lupus to demolish that Jewish temple +which was in the region called Onion, (19) and was in Egypt, +which was built and had its denomination from the occasion +following: Onias, the son of Simon, one of the Jewish high +priests fled from Antiochus the king of Syria, when he made war +with the Jews, and came to Alexandria; and as Ptolemy received +him very kindly, on account of hatred to Antiochus, he assured +him, that if he would comply with his proposal, he would bring +all the Jews to his assistance; and when the king agreed to do it +so far as he was able, he desired him to give him leave to build +a temple some where in Egypt, and to worship God according to the +customs of his own + country; for that the Jews would then be so much readier to +fight against Antiochus who had laid waste the temple at +Jerusalem, and that they would then come to him with + greater good-will; and that, by granting them liberty of +conscience, very many of them would come over to him. + +3. So Ptolemy complied with his proposals, and gave him a place +one hundred and eighty furlongs distant from Memphis. (20) That +Nomos was called the Nomos of Hellopolls, where Onias built a +fortress and a temple, not like to that at Jerusalem, but such as +resembled a tower. He built it of large stones to the height of +sixty cubits; he made the structure of the altar in imitation of +that in our own country, and in like manner adorned with gifts, +excepting the make of the candlestick, for he did not make a +candlestick, but had a [single] lamp hammered out of a piece of +gold, which illuminated the place with its rays, and which he +hung by a chain of gold; but the entire temple was encompassed +with a wall of burnt brick, though it had gates of stone. The +king also gave him a large country for a revenue in money, that +both the priests might have a plentiful provision made for them, +and that God might have great abundance of what things were +necessary for his worship. Yet did not Onias do this out of a +sober disposition, but he had a mind to contend with the Jews at +Jerusalem, and could not forget the indignation he had for being +banished thence. Accordingly, he thought that by building this +temple he should draw away a great number from them to himself. +There had been also a certain ancient prediction made by [a +prophet] whose name was Isaiah, about six hundred years before, +that this temple should be built by a man that was a Jew in +Egypt. And this is the history of the building of that temple. + +4. And now Lupus, the governor of Alexandria, upon the receipt of +Caesar's letter, came to the temple, and carried out of it some +of the donations dedicated thereto, and shut up the temple +itself. And as Lupus died a little afterward, Paulinns succeeded +him. This man left none of those donations there, and threatened +the priests severely if they did not bring them all out; nor did +he permit any who were desirous of worshipping God there so much +as to come near the whole sacred place; but when he had shut up +the gates, he made it entirely inaccessible, insomuch that there +remained no longer the least footsteps of any Divine worship that +had been in that place. Now the duration of the time from the +building of this temple till it was shut up again was three +hundred and forty-three years. + +CHAPTER 11. + + +Concerning Jonathan, One Of The Sicarii, That Stirred Up A +Sedition In Cyrene, And Was A False Accuser [Of The Innocent]. + +1. And now did the madness of the Sicarii, like a disease, reach +as far as the cities of Cyrene; for one Jonathan, a vile person, +and by trade a weaver, came thither and prevailed with no small +number of the poorer sort to give ear to him; he also led them +into the desert, upon promising them that he would show them +signs and apparitions. And as for the other Jews of Cyrene, he +concealed his knavery from them, and put tricks upon them; but +those of the greatest dignity among them informed Catullus, the +governor of the Libyan Pentapolis, of his march into the desert, +and of the preparations he had made for it. So he sent out after +him both horsemen and footmen, and easily overcame them, because +they were unarmed men; of these many were slain in the fight, but +some were taken alive, and brought to Catullus. As for Jonathan, +the head of this plot, he fled away at that time; but upon a +great and very diligent search, which was made all the country +over for him, he was at last taken. And when he was brought to +Catullus, he devised a way whereby he both escaped punishment +himself, and afforded an occasion to Catullus of doing much +mischief; for he falsely accused the richest men among the Jews, +and said that they had put him upon what he did. + +2. Now Catullus easily admitted of these his calumnies, and +aggravated matters greatly, and made tragical exclamations, that +he might also be supposed to have had a hand in the finishing of +the Jewish war. But what was still harder, he did not only give a +too easy belief to his stories, but he taught the Sicarii to +accuse men falsely. He bid this Jonathan, therefore, to name one +Alexander, a Jew (with whom he had formerly had a quarrel, and +openly professed that he hated him); he also got him to name his +wife Bernice, as concerned with him. These two Catullus ordered +to be slain in the first place; nay, after them he caused all the +rich and wealthy Jews to be slain, being no fewer in all than +three thousand. This he thought he might do safely, because he +confiscated their effects, and added them to Caesar's revenues. + +3. Nay, indeed, lest any Jews that lived elsewhere should convict +him of his villainy, he extended his false accusations further, +and persuaded Jonathan, and certain others that were caught with +him, to bring an accusation of attempts for innovation against +the Jews that were of the best character both at Alexandria and +at Rome. One of these, against whom this treacherous accusation +was laid, was Josephus, the writer of these books. However, this +plot, thus contrived by Catullus, did not succeed according to +his hopes; for though he came himself to Rome, and brought +Jonathan and his companions along with him in bonds, and thought +he should have had no further inquisition made as to those lies +that were forged under his government, or by his means; yet did +Vespasian suspect the matter and made an inquiry how far it was +true. And when he understood that the accusation laid against the +Jews was an unjust one, he cleared them of the crimes charged +upon them, and this on account of Titus's concern about the +matter, and brought a deserved punishment upon Jonathan; for he +was first tormented, and then burnt alive. + +4. But as to Catullus, the emperors Were so gentle to him, that +he underwent no severe condemnation at this time; yet was it not +long before he fell into a complicated and almost incurable +distemper, and died miserably. He was not only afflicted in body, +but the distemper in his mind was more heavy upon him than the +other; for he was terribly disturbed, and continually cried out +that he saw the ghosts of those whom he had slain standing before +him. Where upon he was not able to contain himself, but leaped +out of his bed, as if both torments and fire were brought to him. +This his distemper grew still a great deal worse and worse +continually, and his very entrails were so corroded, that they +fell out of his body, and in that condition he died. Thus he +became as great an instance of Divine Providence as ever was, and +demonstrated that God punishes wicked men. + +5. And here we shall put an end to this our history; wherein we +formerly promised to deliver the same with all accuracy, to such +as should be desirous of understanding after what manner this war +of the Romans with the Jews was managed. Of which history, how +good the style is, must be left to the determination of the +readers; but as for its agreement with the facts, I shall not +scruple to say, and that boldly, that truth hath been what I have +alone aimed at through its entire composition. + +WAR BOOK 7 FOOTNOTES + +(1) Why the great Bochart should say, (De Phoenic. Colon. B. II. +ch. iv.,) that" there are in this clause of Josephus as many +mistakes as words," I do by no means understand. Josephus thought +Melchisedek first built, or rather rebuilt and adorned, this +city, and that it was then called Salem, as Psalm 76:2; +afterwards came to be called Jerusalem; and that Melchisedek, +being a priest as well as a king, built to the true God therein a +temple, or place for public Divine worship and sacrifice; all +which things may be very true for aught we know to the contrary. +And for the word, or temple, as if it must needs belong to the +great temple built by Solomon long afterward, Josephus himself +uses, for the small tabernacle of Moses, Antiq. B. III. ch. 6. +sect. 4; see also Antiq. B. lit. ch. 6. sect. 1; as he here +presently uses, for a large and splendid synagogue of the Jews at +Antioch, B. VII. ch. 3. sect. 3. + +(2) This Tereutius Rufus, as Reland in part observes here, is the +same person whom the Talmudists call Turnus Rufus; of whom they +relate, that "he ploughed up Sion as a field, and made Jerusalem +become as heaps, and the mountain of the house as the high Idaces +of a forest;" which was long before foretold by the prophet +Micah, ch. 3:12, and quoted from him in the prophecies of +Jeremiah, ch. 26:18. + +(3) See Ecclesiastes 8:11. + +(4) This Berytus was certainly a Roman colony, and has coins +extant that witness the same, as Hudson and Spanheim inform us. +See the note on Antiq. B. XVI: ch. 11. sect. 1. + +(5) The Jews at Antioch and Alexandria, the two principal cities +in all the East, had allowed them, both by the Macedonians, and +afterwards by the Romans, a governor of their own, who was exempt +from the jurisdiction of the other civil governors. He was called +sometimes barely "governor," sometimes "ethnarch," and [at +Alexandria] "alabarch," as Dr. Hudson takes notice on this place +out of Fuller's Miscellanies. They had the like governor or +governors allowed them at Babylon under their captivity there, as +the history of Susanna implies. + +(6) This Classicus, and Civilis, and Cerealis are names well +known in Tacitus; the two former as moving sedition against the +Romans, and the last as sent to repress them by Vespasian, just +as they are here described in Josephus; which is the case also of +Fontellis Agrippa and Rubrius Gallup, i, sect. 3. But as to the +very favorable account presently given of Domitian, particularly +as to his designs in this his Gallic and German expedition, it is +not a little contrary to that in Suetonius, Vesp. sect. 7. Nor +are the reasons unobvious that might occasion this great +diversity: Domitian was one of Josephus's patrons, and when he +published these books of the Jewish war, was very young, and had +hardly begun those wicked practices which rendered him so +infamous afterward; while Suetonius seems to have been too young, +and too low in life, to receive any remarkable favors from him; +as Domitian was certainly very lewd and cruel, and generally +hated, when Puetonius wrote about him. + +(7) Since in these latter ages this Sabbatic River, once so +famous, which, by Josephus's account here, ran every seventh day, +and rested on six, but according to Pliny, Nat. Hist. 31. II, ran +perpetually on six days, and rested every seventh, (though it no +way appears by either of their accounts that the seventh day of +this river was the Jewish seventh day or sabbath,) is quite +vanished, I shall add no more about it: only see Dr. Hudson's +note. In Varenius's Geography, i, 17, the reader will find +several instances of such periodical fountains and. rivers, +though none of their periods were that of a just week as of old +this appears to have been. + +(8) Vespasian and his two sons, Titus and Domitian. + +(9) See the representations of these Jewish vessels as they still +stand on Titus's triumphal arch at Rome, in Reland's very curious +book de Spoliis Ternpli, throughout. But what, things are chiefly +to be noted are these: (1.) That Josephus says the candlestick +here carried in this triumph was not thoroughly like that which +was used in the temple, which appears in the number of the little +knobs and flowers in that on the triumphal arch not well agreeing +with Moses's description, Exodus 25:31-36. (2.) The smallness of +the branches in Josephus compared with the thickness of those on +that arch. (3.) That the Law or Pentateuch does not appear on +that arch at all, though Josephus, an eye-witness, assures us +that it was carried in this procession. All which things deserve +the consideration of the inquisitive reader. + +(10) Spanheim observes here, that in Graceia Major and Sicily +they had rue prodigiously great and durable, like this rue at +Macherus, + +(11) This strange account of the place and root Baaras seems to +have been taken from the magicians, and the root to have been +made use of in the days of Josephus, in that superstitious way of +casting out demons, supposed by him to have been derived from +king Solomon; of which we have already seen he had a great +opinion, Antiq. B. VIII. ch. 2. sect. 5. We also may hence learn +the true notion Josephus had of demons and demoniacs, exactly +like that of the Jews and Christians in the New Testament, and +the first four centuries. See Antiq. B. I. ch. 8. sect. 2; B. XI, +ch. 2. sect. 3. + +(12) It is very remarkable that Titus did not people this now +desolate country of Judea, but ordered it to be all sold; nor +indeed is it properly peopled at this day, but lies ready for its +old inhabitants the Jews, at their future restoration. See +Literal Accomplishment of Prophecies, p. 77. + +(13) That the city Emmaus, or Areindus, in Josephus and others +which was the place of the government of Julius Africanus were +slain, to the number of one thousand seven hundred, as were the +women and the children made slaves. But as Bassus thought he must +perform the covenant he had made with those that had surrendered +the citadel, he let them go, and restored Eleazar to them, in the +beginning of the third century, and which he then procured to be +rebuilt, and after which rebuilding it was called Nicopolis, is +entirely different from that Emmaus which is mentioned by St. +Luke 24;13; see Reland's Paleestina, lib. II. p. 429, and under +the name Ammaus also. But he justly thinks that that in St. Luke +may well be the same with his Ammaus before us, especially since +the Greek copies here usually make it sixty furlongs distant from +Jerusalem, as does St. Luke, though the Latin copies say only +thirty. The place also allotted for these eight hundred soldiers, +as for a Roman garrison, in this place, would most naturally be +not so remote from Jerusalem as was the other Emmaus, or +Nicopolis. + +(14) Pliny and others confirm this strange paradox, that +provisions laid up against sieges will continue good for a +hundred ears, as Spanheim notes upon this place. + +(15) The speeches in this and the next section, as introduced +under the person of this Eleazar, are exceeding remarkable, and +oil the noblest subjects, the contempt of death, and the dignity +and immortality of the soul; and that not only among the Jews, +but among the Indians themselves also; and are highly worthy the +perusal of all the curious. It seems as if that philosophic lady +who survived, ch. 9. sect. 1, 2, remembered the substance of +these discourses, as spoken by Eleazar, and so Josephus clothed +them in his own words: at the lowest they contain the Jewish +notions on these heads, as understood then by our Josephus, and +cannot but deserve a suitable regard from us. + +(16) See B. II. ch. 20. sect. 2, where the number of the slain is +but 10,000. + +(17) Reland here sets down a parallel aphorism of one of the +Jewish Rabbins, "We are born that we may die, and die that we may +live.' + +(18) Since Josephus here informs us that some of these Sicarii, +or ruffians, went from Alexandria (which was itself in Egypt, in +a large sense) into Egypt, and Thebes there situated, Reland well +observes, from Vossius, that Egypt sometimes denotes Proper or +Upper Egypt, as distinct from the Delta, and the lower parts near +Palestine. Accordingly, as he adds, those that say it never rains +in Egypt must mean the Proper or Upper Egypt, because it does +sometimes rain in the other parts. See the note on Antiq. B. II. +ch. 7. sect. 7, and B. III. ch. 1. sect. 6. + +(19) Of this temple of Onias's building in Egypt, see the notes +on Antiq. B. XIII. ch. 3. sect. 1. But whereas it is elsewhere, +both of the War, B. I. ch. 1. sect. 1, and in the Antiquities as +now quoted, said that this temple was like to that at Jerusalem, +and here that it was not like it, but like a tower, sect. 3, +there is some reason to suspect the reading here, and that either +the negative particle is here to be blotted out, or the word +entirely added. + +(20) We must observe, that Josephus here speaks of Antiochus who +profaned the temple as now alive, when Onias had leave given them +by Philometer to build his temple; whereas it seems not to have +been actually built till about fifteen years afterwards. Yet, +because it is said in the Antiquities that Onias went to +Philometer, B. XII. ch. 9. sect. 7, during the lifetime of that +Antiochus, it is probable he petitioned, and perhaps obtained his +leave then, though it were not actually built or finished till +fifteen years afterward. + + + + + +End of The Wars of the Jews or History of the Destruction of Jerusalem + diff --git a/old/warje10.zip b/old/warje10.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..c5fbb2a --- /dev/null +++ b/old/warje10.zip |