for the foresaid women that are not deuoured by the furie of war For they come vnto these women not fearing the companie of strangers amongst whom they li◅e yea this is an euident token of the priests integritie that euerie priest during the reuolution of two thousand yeers are registred togither with the names of their fathers and if any one doe erre or falsifie any of the things beforesaid he is then interdicted from the altar and from exercising any priestly function So that in the writings of such men all things must of necessitie be true and as they ought to be for that neither all men are permitted to write nor yet any dissonance and disagreement is found in their writings For such things as past in auncient times quite beyond the memorie of men were onely written by our Prophets who had the knowledge thereof by inspiration from God himselfe but other things of latter time are onely recorded by those who liued in the age wherein the things they writ of were done The bookes amongst vs containing the histories of all ages are neither infinit nor one repugnant to another for all our Chronicle is contained in two and twentie bookes to which bookes it is impietie to denie credit Fiue of these bookes were written by Moses comprehending Genealogies and the beginning of mankind and such notable euents as hapned euen from the beginning of the world vntill his death which is little lesse then three thousand yeeres After the death of Moses vntill the time wherein Artaxerxes liued who was king of the Persians and sonne to Xerxes the Prophets of our nation euerie one writ the historie of his time wherein he liued so that of these mens writings we haue thirteene bookes the foure other bookes which make vp the number alreadie mentioned are knowne to containe holy Hymnes dedicated vnto God and wholsome precepts for mans life and conuersation All things which from Artaxerxes vntill our time haue hapned are also set downe in writing yet the bookes wherein they are registred do not deserue so much credit as the former of auncient times for that there was no certaine successor of Prophets in this age Moreouer it is euident that to the former works we giue as great credite as to the things we our selues write and notwithstanding they haue been so long written yet in all that time no man durst presume either to alter or to blot out any thing therein contained For all Iewes euen from their cradle do beleeue these bookes to be sacred holy and diuine and therefore do giue all credite possible vnto them and so would willingly suffer death rather then to doe the contrarie Many captiues also of our nation haue alreadie been cruelly tormented and diuers waies put to death in open theaters only for that they would not cōmit any thing either in word or deed against their lawes nor violate the writings of their forefathers Now who amongst the Greekes did euer sustaine the like nay they are so farre from doing it that none can be found amongst them who would any losse in his goods or fortunes thereby to preserue all the writings of their nation from perdition and the reason hereof is that euerie one esteemeth the veritie of their Histories to depend vpon the will of the writer And this they do also of their most ancient Historiographers and not without cause for they euery day see men of their owne times writing Histories of matters past long before in former ages wherin neither themselues were present neither yet vouchsafe they to credit the writings of such as were then eye witnesses thereof yea some amongst them haue diuulged Histories of such things as of late befell our nation when themselues neuer haue beene in the place where such matters past as they did write of warre nor haue liued in any neighbour place vvhere they might haue probable report how matters past but onely making a few centones or broken newes they most impudently arrogate vnto therr patcht stuffe the name of a Historie I my selfe haue composed a most true Historie of those vvars and of enerie particuler thing there done as well I might hauing beene present in all those affaires For I was captaine of the Galileans amongst our nation so long as any resistance could be made againg the Romans and then it so fell out that I was taken by the Romans and being prisoner vnto Titus and Vespasian they caused me to be an eye witnesse of all things that past First in bonds and fetters afterward freed from them I was brought from Alexandria with Titus vvhen he went to the siege of Ierusalem So that nothing could then passe whereof I had not notice For beholding the Roman armie I committed to writing all things with all possible diligence My selfe also did onely manage all matters disclosed vnto the Romans by such as yeelded themselues for that I only did perfectly vnderstand them Lastly being at Rome and hauing now leasure all buisines being past I vsed the helpe of some for the puritie of the Greeke tongue and so I published a historie of all that had hapned in the foresaid wars which Historie of mine is so true that I feare not to call Vespasian and Titus Emperors in those wars to witnesse for them I first gaue a copie of that booke to them afterwards to many noble Romans who also were present in those warres I solde also many of them to our owne nation to such as vnderstood the greeke language amongst whom were Iulius Archilaus Herode the honest and the most worthie king Agrippa who all doe testifie that my historie containeth nothing but truth Who would not haue beene silent if in any thing either for ignorance or flatterie I had chaunged or omitted any particuler yet notwithstanding all this some ill disposed persons endeuour to discredit my historie as though they were disputing pro and contra amongst children in schooles being sometime on a sodaine too for a feined accusation and otherwise to feine a slaunderous and sodaine detraction neuer considering that he who promiseth other men a true relation of matters past must either be priuie vnto them by his owne knowledge as hauing beene present in the affaires or else haue that which he speaketh from other mens mouthes by report of them who know them both which I haue done For I gathered my other bookes of Antiquitie out of holy Scripture being my selfe a Priest and skilfull in our law and the historie of our wars I haue written my selfe being an agent in many matters therein contained and an eye witnesse of the rest so that nothing was said or done whereof I had not notice How then can any man excuse them from impudencie and malice who labour against me to proue my relation false They perhaps alledge that they haue read the commentarie containing the Emperours acts yet for all this they were not present in any action repugnant to that
being about some hundreth stades off of the citie robbed one Steuen that was Caesars seruant in the high way and tooke from him all that which hee had Which when Cumanus vnderstood he presently sent some of his souldiers to spoyle those villages which were neerest to the place where the fact was committed and to bring the chiefest inhabitants thereof in bonds vnto him In this pillage a certaine souldier found a booke of the law of Moses in one of these villages which hee tooke and brought and before them all ◅ore it in peeces with hainous blasphemies and vile speeches against the law and whole nation The Iewes vnderstanding hereof sodainly assembled themselues in great numbers and ran to Caesarea where Cumanus kept for that present requiring him that he would reuenge not their cause but Gods whose law was on that sort dishonoured signifying vnto him that it was impossible for them to liue so long as their law was thus contemned Cumanus fearing least a second mutinie and vpore should be raised among the people by the counsell of his friends cut off the souldiers head who had committed that outrage against the law and by this meanes appeased he the sedition that was ready to take head CHAP. V. The sedition of the Iewes against the Samaritanes THere hapned also an enmitie betwixt the Samaritanes and Iewes vpon this occasion They of Galilee who resorted to the citie of Ierusalem at the times of our solemne feasts were accustomed to passe thorow the countrey of the Samaritanes And at that time it hapned that their way lay thorow a borough called Nais scituate in a great champion field where a quarrell arising betwixt diuers inhabitants of the place and certaine passengers a great number of the Galileans were murthered Which when the magistrates of Galilee vnderstood they resorted to Cumanus requiring him to execute iustice on those that had murthered their countrimen but he being corrupted with money by the Samaritanes made no account of their complaint The Galileans being prouoked by this contempt of his perswaded the common people of the Iewes to betake them to their weapons and maintaine their liberty telling them that seruitude is of itselfe tedious but that when it is accompanied with outrages it is intolerable But their gouernours laboured to pacifie them promising them to deale so effectually with Cumanus that he should take punishment of the murtherers but they gaue them no audience but fell to armes requiring Eleazar the sonne of Dinaeus to be their chieftaine This Eleazar was a theefe who for many yeeres made his abode in the mountaines They therfore spoyled and burnt certaine villages of the Samaritanes After that the report of all that which had passed came to Cumanus eares he tooke a company of the souldiers of Sebaste with foure bands of footmen and armed the Samaritanes likewise to go and make warre against the Iewes whom they tooke and slue many of them and led more of them away prisoners When the chiefest gouernours in Ierusalem saw into what an infinitie of mischiefs they were fallen they cloathed themselues in sackcloth and cast ashes on their heads exhorting those that were mutinous to forethinke themselues of the ruine of their countrey the daunger the temple was in to be burned the seruitude both of themselues their wiues and children to prophane and straunge nations and desired them to chaunge their aduice and to lay aside their weapons and cease to offer violence to the end that they might hereafter liue in quiet and that euery one of them would retire themselues peaceably to his owne habitation By which words in the end they being perswaded returned home and betooke them to their busines The theeues also retired themselues againe into their strong holds and from that time all Iudaea was replenished with thefts The gouernours of Samaria resorted to Numidius Quadratus gouernour of Syria who dwelt at that time in Tyre to accuse the Iewes for that they had fired their villages and spoiled them telling him that their losse did not so much trouble them as for that they saw the Romanes were contemned by the Iewes who notwithstanding ought to appeare before them as their competent Iudges yet naithelesse that they assembled themselues in such sort as if the Romaines were not their superiours For which cause they addressed themselues to him to the end they might haue redresse of those wrongs which they had receiued by them This is that wherewith the Samaritanes charged the Iewes who answered to the contrary alledging that the Samaritanes themselues had beene the authors of that mutiny and vprore and that Cumanus being wholy corrupted by their money had smothered the matter and done no iustice on the murtherers When Quadratus heard this he reserued the iudgement till another time telling them that he would giue sentence in the matter at such time as he came into Iudaea and had examined the truth of both sides so that they returned without doing any thing Anone after Quadratus came into Samaria where he heard that the Samaritanes had beene the authors of the trouble and on the other side knowing that some Iewes likewise intended some insurrection he caused them to be crucified whom Cumanus had left in prison From thence he transported himself to Lydda which is a burrow of no lesse bignesse then a citie in which place he sitting on his tribunall seat heard the Samaritanes the second time and discouered by the report of a certaine Samaritane that one Dortus one of the principallest among the Iewes and foure other his confederates induced the people to rebell against the Romanes These did Quadratus cause to be executed As for Ananias who was the high Priest and the captaine Ananus he sent them bound to Rome to render an account to the Emperour Claudius of that which they had don Moreouer he commaunded the chiefe gouernours both of the Samaritanes and Iewes that they should speedily repaire to Rome whither Cumanus and captain Celer should conduct them to the end they might be iudged by Caesar himselfe vpon the information taken on both sides And fearing least the common people of the Iewes should breake out into some rebellion he repaired to the citie of Ierusalē to giue order that the Iewes should attempt to raise no new stirres but when he came thither he found all in peace busied in the celebration of the feast and offering sacrifices to God according to their accustomed ceremonies Being therefore assured that no man would innouate or rebell in that place he left them to their solemnities and repaired to Antioch But the Iewes that were sent to Rome with Cumanus and the principall Samaritanes had a day assigned them by the Emperour to decide the differents that were betweene them Cumanus and the Samaritanes laboured all that they might by the mediation of Caesars friends and freemen to haue the vpper hand of the Iewes and indeed the day had beene theirs if young
of euery kind and of some of them seuen couples The sides of this Arke were strong and the couer also so that no water could pearce the same and whatsoeuer storme might come it was able to resist it Thus was Noe by succession of nature the tenth from Adam saued with all his household for he was the son of Lamech whose father was Methusala the sonne of Enos the sonne of Iared the sonne of Maleel who with diuers other brethren were begotten of Cainan by Enos who was the son of Seth the sonne of Adam This destruction happened the sixe hundreth yeare of Noahs age and the second moneth which was called Dius by the Macedons and by the Hebrewes Marsomane foâ—… so haue the Aegyptians distinguisht the yeare but Moses set downe Nisan for the first moneth in his Chronicles which is Zanthicus among the Macedons for that in this moneth he brought the Israelites out of the thraldome of the Aegyptians He made this law therefore that all things which appertaine to diuine seruice should take their beginning and reckoning from this moneth but in respect of the times and termes of buying and selling and all other trafficke he obserued the first pollicie of the yeare beginning in December Moses wrote that the Deluge began the seuen twentith day of the aboue named moneth which was the yeare two thousand sixe hundreth fiftie and fixe after the creation of the first man Adam which time is carefully calculated in holy writ in which the birth and death of great personages of that time are most exactly set downe At such time then as Adam was 230. yeares old his sonne Seth was borne vnto him and the said Adam liued 930. yeares Seth about the age of 250. yeares begat Enos who after he had liued 905. yeares left the gouernment of his affaires to his sonne Cainan whom he had begotten about the 190. yeare of his age After that Cainan had liued 910. yeares he had his sonne Maleel begotten by him the 170. yeare of his age The said Maleel hauing liued 195. yeares died leauing his sonne Iared who about the age of 162. yeares engendered Enoch who liued 962. yeares After Enoch succeeded his sonne Mathusala begotten about the age of 162. yeares at such time as the said Enochs father was yet aliue and after that Enoch had liued 365. yeares he was taken vp vnto God whence it commeth to passe that his decease hath not beene exemplified in writing Mathusala the sonne of Enoch in the yeare of 〈◊〉 â—…ge 187. yeares haâ—… Lamech for his sonne who liued 782. yeares to whom he left the soueraintie hauing heâ—…d the same 969. yeares And Lamech after he had gouerned 707. yeares declared his sonne Noe for gouernour at such time as the said Lamech had liued 182. yeares which Noe gouerned for the space of 900. yeares All these yeares calculated into one sonne accomplish the time aboue written Yet to perfect this accompt we ought not to seeke out the decease of these personages for they liued in the same time that their children and successors did but the onely thing we are to obserue is their birthes As soone then as God had giuen the signe and that it began to raine for the space of whole fortie daies the water fell and ouerflowed the whole earth fourteene cubits hie which was the cause that diuers could not escape because there was no means of â—…ight or place of refuge But as soone as the raine was ceased the water began to decrease by little and little for the space of one hundreth and fiftie daies about the 27. day of the seuenth moneth Noe perceiuing then that the Arke was on ground vpon the top of a certaine mountaine of the countrey of Armenia he opened the same and seeing the earth did a little discouer it selfe round about the same he conceiued some better hope and held himselfe satisfied Some fewe daies after when the water was ebbed somewhat more he sent out a Crow desiring to know if the rest of the earth were deliuered from the waters and whether without danger he might issue out of the Arke but the Crow finding the earth bebayned in water returned vnto Noe who the seuenth day after sent out a Pigeon to finde out the estate of the earth which returned bemired and bearing in his neb an Oliue braunch whereby Noe perceiued that the earth was deliuered from the Deluge and hauing as yet expected seuen daies more he â—…et at libertie all liuing creatures that were in the Arke But as soone as himselfe his wife and his family forsooke it he offered sacrifice vnto God and feasted and reioyced both he and al his houshold The Armenians in their language haue called the place where Noe descended by a name Aprobaterion which signifieth as much as discent and in that place euen at this present the inhabitants of that countrey shewe some remnants and memories of the same All those that haue written strange histories haue made mention of this Deluge and of the Arke among the number of whom is Berosus the Chaldean who setting downe occurrences of this Deluge writeth after this manner Some say likewise that a certaine part of this Arke is in Armenia neere to the mountaine of the Cordaeans and that some men haue brâ—…ght from thence some part of the pitch wherewith it was calked which the men of that place are wont to vse in stead of a preseruatiue against inchantment Hierome the Aegyptian also who hath written the antiquitie of the Phenicians hath made mention of this mâ—…tter as also Mnaseus with diuers other Nicholas of Damas likewise in his nintie sixe booke speaketh heereof after this manner Aboue the Region of Mineans there is a great mountaine in Armenia called Baris in which it is reported that diuers retyred themselues for safetie during the time of the Deluge and there escaped they and that a certaine man borne on an Arke arriued vpon the highest top of that mountaine and that certaine timbers of that bottome had beene kept a long while and it may be that this is that whereof Moses the law-maker of the Iewes maketh mention But Noe fearing least God hauing condemned all men to a generall perdition should euery yeare ouerflow the earth after this manner offered burnt sacrifice vnto God beseeching him that hereafter he would entertaine the auncient order and that no so great calamitie might succeede by which all liuing creatures should come in daunger to be vtterly extinct and extermâ—…nated but that inflicting deserued punishment on the reprobate he would spare the innocent whom in his mercie he had preserued from daunger otherwise they should be more miserable and condemned by a harder censure if they were not wholy warranted but should be reserued to be swallowed vp by an other Deluge and hauing suffered the feare and sight of the first to perish by the second He praied him therefore that he would be
from the siege as we haue declared in an other place And againe a long time after this Herod also opened an other Cabinet from whence he tooke out a great summe And as touching the tombes of Princes no man defaced them because they were most magnificently builded for feare least they should be esteemed destroyers of monuments But for the present it sufficeth that I haue certified thus much THE EIGHTH BOOKE OF THE ANTIQVITIES OF THE IEWES WRITTEN BY FLAVIVS IOSEPHVS The Contents of the Chapters of the 8. booke 1 How Salomon obtaining the kingdome expelled his enemies 2 Of the riches prudence and wisedome of Salomon and how first of all he builded the Temple in Ierusalem 3 How Salomon being dead the people reuolted from Roboam his sonne and made Hieroboam king of the ten tribes 4 How Susac king of the Aegyptians sacking Ierusalem caried away the riches of that Citie into Aegypt 5 The warre of Hieroboam against Abiam Roboams sonne and the slaughter of his armie and how Basanes the rooter out of Hieroboams posteritie occupied the kingdome 6 The irruption of the Aethipians into the land of the Hebrewes vnder Asa and the ouerthrow of their armie 7 Basans stocke being wholy rooted out amongst the Israelites Zamri ruled in Israel with his sonne Achab. 8 Adad king of Damasco and Syria encamping and fighting two seuerall times against Achab is ouerthrowne 9 Of Iosaphat king of Ierusalem 10 Achab being prouoked to warre by the Sryans is ouercome and slaine in the battell CHAP. I. How Salomon obtaining the kingdome expulsed his enemies WE haue declared in the former Booke what Dauid was how great his vertue hath beene what profits and benefits those of his nation receiued by him what warres and battels he worthily exployted and how happily at last through extremitie of age he departed out of this life But after that Salomon his sonne being at that time verie young had obtained the kingdome and was placed in his fathers throne according as Dauid had determined and the diuine power had decreed the whole people according to the common course in the election of newe Princes with happie acclamations wished him perpetuall felicitie in all his affaires and after his well gouerned estate and royaltie long many prosperous yeares But Adonias who during his fathers life time thought to possesse and seaze himselfe of the royall estate came vnto the kings mother and with all humilitie reuerence saluted her To whom Bethsabe said that if there were anything wherin she might sted him he should manifest it vnto her and that she would grant it him willingly Whereupon he began to say that it was a thing verie well knowen that the kingdome appertained vnto him both in regard of his age as also in respect of the fauour and good liking of the people but since that it had beene transferred vnto Salomon hir sonne by the will of God he was content therewith and would be his seruant being verie glad of the fortunate successe of his affaires He therefore besought her that she would solicite Salomon in his behalfe and perswade him to giue him Abisace to wife who had slept with Dauid for that he had not had any carnall company with her by reason of his age and that as yet she was fully possessed of her virginitie Bethsabe promised him to further his suit to the vtmost of hir power and willingly to employ her selfe toward the accomplishing of the marriage both for that the king was willing to gratifie her in whatsoeuer she should desire as also for that she would instantly intreat him so that he departed from her with assured hope of good successe in respect of his marriage Hereupon presently did Bethsabe addresse her selfe to the king intending to certifie him both what Adonias had requested and what she had granted When tidings came to Salomon that his mother came to visit him he went out to meete her and embraced her afterwards conducting her into the place where the royall treasure was he sate him downe and commaunded his seruants to place a seat on his right hand for his mother who setled by him spake vnto him after this manner My sonne vouchsafe me one fauour that I shall request at thy hands and send me not hence discontended and confused thorow thy refusall Salomon answered her that she should commaund him by reason that dutie tied him to the satisfaction and fauour of his mothers suites reprouing her for that insinuation she had vsed by reason that thereby she euidently expressed that she was not thorowly assured to obtaine her demaund but that she feared the refusall and repulse in the same she therefore required him to giue the Damsell Abisace for wife to Adonias his brother The King displeased at this her suit dismissed his mother alledging that Adonias hammered hie thoughts in his head that he wōdred that in requiring Abisace to wife he had not requested Salomō likewise to giue him place in the kingdome for Adonias was elder than he and had more mightie friends then he had namely the generall Ioab and the high Priest Abiathar For which cause he incontinently sent Banaia captaine of his guard to kill Adonias his brother Then calling vnto him the high Priest Abiathar The paines said he that thou hast endured by accompanying my father Dauid and attending and bearing the Arke with him make thee escape from death yet notwithstanding for that thou hast beene an assistant to Adonias and followed his faction I condemne thee to depart from my presence charging thee not to see my face any more but to retire thy selfe to thine owne house and there to liue in thy countrey vntill thou hast ended thy daies for hauing in this sort neglected me it is not conuenient that thou shouldest be in honour with me For this cause was the house of Ithamar depriued of the priestly dignitie according as God had foreprophecied to Eli one of the auncestors of Abiathar and translated to the race of Phinees and established in Sadoc Those of the race of Phinees who led a priuate life all that time that the Priesthood remained in the familie of Ithamar wherof Eli was the first were these Boccias the sonne of Ioseph Ioatham the sonne of Boccias Maraeoth the sonne of Ioatham Aropha the sonne of Maraeoth Achitob the sonne of Aropha Sadoc the sonne Achitob who was the first high Priest vnder king Dauid Ioab hauing tidings of the death of Adonias was seazed with sodaine and extreme feare for he loued him more than king Salomon and by reason of that friendship which he bare vnto him he iustly and vpon good grounds apprehended his owne danger and in this respect he fled vnto the altar hoping in that place to be secured in regard of that reuerēce which the king bare vnto God But when Ioabs resolution was made knowne vnto the king he sent Banaia vnto him with commission to bring him from the
entrance of my history I haue answered those obiections so that I haue openly protested that I will onely faithfully translate the Hebrew Histories into the Greeke tongue according to my promise relate that which is contained therin without adding any thing of mine owne or concealing ought of an other mans After that Nabuchodonosor had raigned fortie three yeares he died he was a man of execution and more happie then any of his predecessors Berosus maketh mention of his actes in the third booke of his Chaldaique historie where he speaketh thus His father Nabuchodonosor hauing notice that the gouernour whom he had appointed ouer Aegypt the neighbouring parts of Coelosyria Phaenicia was reuolted from him being at that time in himselfe vnable to endure the troubles of warre committed a part of his forces vnto his son Nabuchodonosor who was in the flower of his age and sent him forth against him who encountring the rebell and fighting with him ouercame him and brought the countrey vnder his subiection Meane while Nabuchodonosor the father died of a sicknes in Babylon after he had raigned one and twentie yâ—…ares Nabuchodonosor the sonne hauing notice of his fathers death gaue order to the affaires of Aegypt and the rest of the countrey and committing the care and transportation of the Iewes Syrians Aegyptians and Phaenicians to his friends to bring them to Babylon with his army and carriage he with a fewe men made hastie iourneies thorow the desaâ—…t And when he had taken the administration of the kingdome vpon him which in his absence was in the hands of the Chaldees and by their chieftaine was reserued vntil his returne vnto his vse he became Lord of all his fathers Empire When his prisoners were arriued he assigned them conuenient dwelling places in the countrey of Babylon and with the spoiles of the warre he magnificently repaired and decked the Temple of Bel other places He enlarged the olde Citie and repaired beautified it with other buildings by meanes wherof they that would besiege the same were hindred from cutting off of the currant of the riuer to the preiudice of the inhabitants He enuironed it inwardly with a treble wall and outwardly with as migâ—…tie and as many enclosures and made all of burnt bricke The wals were magnificently builded the gates brauely adorned in maner of temples He caused a pallace to be builded neere vnto his fathers auncient pallace the magnificenâ—… and ornament wherof I am too weake witted to expresse onely this thing most memorable 〈◊〉 â—…ue thought good to note downe that these huge great and pompous buildings were finished in fifteene daies In this pallace he had vaultes raised so high that in outward appearance they seemed to bee mountaines on which all sorts of trees were planted He deuised and prepared also a goodly garden and called it the hanging garden because his wife hauing beene brought vp in the countrey of Media desired to haue a place conformable to that of her birth Megasthenes in the fourth booke of his Indian Historie maketh mention of this garden in that place where he inforced himselfe to proue that this King surpassed Hercules in valour and execution of worthie actions For he said that Nabuchodonosor ouercame the chiefe Citie of Libya and a great part of Spaine Diocles in the second booke of his Persian Historie and Philostratus in his Phaeâ—…ician and Indian Historie make mention of this King saying that he ouercame the Citie of Tyre at the end of thirteene yeeres at such time as Ithobal raigned ouer the Tyrians This is the summe of all that which the Historiographers write as touching this King CHAP. XI Nabuchodonosors successors the destruction of Babylon by Cyrus King of Persia. AFter Nabuchodonosors death his sonne Euilmerodach obtained the kingdome who incontinently deliuered Iechonias king of Ierusalem out of prison and held him in the number of his most esteemed friends and gaue him presents and committed the gouernment of the pallace of Babylon into his hands For his father had not kept his promise with Iechonias when he surrendred himselfe his wife children and friends into his hands in the behalfe of his countrey and to the intent that the Citie of Ierusalem should not be rased by those that besieged it as we haue heretofore declared Euilmerodach died in the eighteenth yeere of his raigne and Niglisar his sonne obtained the kingdome which hee possessed fortie veeres and afterwards died After him the succession of the kingdome came vnto his sonne called Labosardach which continued in him but for the space of nine moneths and after his death it came vnto Balthasar who by the Babylonians was called Naboandel Against him Cyrus king of Persia and Darius king of Media made warre and at such time as he was besieged in Babylon there hapned a meruailous and prodigious spectacle Balthasar sate vpon a certaine festiuall in a royall chamber where he was serued with great store of vessell fit for his maiestie and royaltie and with him at the banquet there sate his concubines and most intirest friends At which time to shew his magnificence he caused those vessels to be brought out of the temple of his God which Nabuchodonosor his predecessor fearing to employ to his owne vse had stoared vp in his Idols temple But Balthasar was so puffed with pride that he dranke out of them and employed them to his vses Now so came it to passe that whilest he quaffed and blasphemed the name of God he sawe a hand issuing from a wall which wrote in the same certaine syllables by which vision being somewhat terrified he assembled his Magitians and Chaldees and all that sort of people who amongst those barbarous nations made profession to interprete prodigies and dreames to the intent they might signifie vnto him the meaning and vnderstanding of that writing Now when these Magitians had told him that they could in no sort sound or vnderstand the same the king was sore vexed and toubled at this vnexpected vision whereupon he caused it to be proclaimed thorow his countrey that whosoeuer should read that writing and declare the meaning thereof he would giue him a golden chaine and a purple robe such as the king of Chaldees wore and besides all this the third part of his Empire After this proclamation the Magitians assembled togither with greater concourse and were farre more diligent and inquisitiue to finde out the signification of the writing but they were no lesse grounded therein then they were at the first Meane while the kings grandmother seeing him wholy amated in minde began to comfort him and to tell him that there was a certaine man amongst the prisoners of Iuda led thither at such time as Nabuchodonosor destroied Babylon whose name was Daniel a man wise and expert in searching out of things that were impossible and only knowne vnto God who euidently expounded that which Nabuchodonosor required at such time as no other man
and the sonnes of Asaph arose and with trumpets praised God according as Dauid first of all had set downe the manner of his seruice The priests and Leuites with the elders of the tribes calling vnto their minds how great and precious the first temple was and beholding that which was builded vpon the present farre inferiour to the precedent perceiuing how much the ancient wealth dignitie of the temple was abased they were confosed thereat and being vnable to ouercome their passion they burst out into lamentations and teares But the people were contented with that which they beheld and without any estimate or mention of the former temple they tormented not themselues in comparing the one with the other neither thought they vpon the difference and bignesse betwixt the present and that which stood in times past yet notwithstanding the elders lamented and the priestes complained that the new erected temple was farre lesse then the former yet the noise of the trumpets drowned their laments and the ioyfull applauses of the people their mournings The Samaritanes hearing the noise of the trumpets ranne out to know the cause thereof in that they were lewdly affected towards the tribes of Iuda Beniamin vnderstanding that the Iewes which were returned from Babylon had reedified the temple they addressed themselues to Zorobabel and Iesus and to the chiefe gouernours of the families requiring them that it might be lawfull for them to repaire the temple with them and to haue part in the building thereof For said they we honour God no lesse then you we pray vnto him and adore him we conforme our selues to your customes euer since the time that Salmanazar King of Assyria remoued vs out of Chuthea and Media hither To these demaunds of theirs Zorobabel and Iesus the high priest and the gouernours of the tribes answered that it was impossible for them to admit their assistance in the building of the temple for that they had receiued their first commandement from Cyrus to performe the same and afterwards from Darius notwithstanding they gaue them licence to adore therein offering them that the temple should be common to both if they pleased yea and accessible to all other nations that would repaire thither to adore God The Chutheans for so were the Samaritanes called hearing this answere were sore offended and perswaded the other nations of Syria to requite their princes who continued their authoritie since the time of Cyrus and afterwards ruled in Cambyses time to hinder the building of the temple and to delay the Iewes who were so intent and busie in their worke Whereupon Sisin gouernour in Syria and Phaenicia and Sarabazan accompanied with others came vnto Ierusalem and demannded of the chieftaines of the Iewes by whose permission they builded the temple which rather seemed to be a fort then a temple and for what cause they fortified their Citie with gates and so strong walles Zorohabel and Iesus the high Priest answered that they were the seruants of the liuing God and that their temple had beene built by one of their kings who was opulent and surpassed all other in vertue that after it had continued long time in venerable estimation by reason their fathers had committed impietie against God Nabuchodonosor king of Babylon and Chaldaea hauing taken the Citie by force destroyed the same and after he had spoyled the citie he burned it and transported the people captiue into Babylon But after that Cyrus king of Persia had obtained the kingdome of Babylon he commanded by his expresse letters sealed with his royall seale that they should reedifie the temple and ordained that all that which Nabuchodonosor carried from thence as well gifts as vessels should be deliuered to Zorobabel and the treasurer Mithridates to be conuaied to Ierusalem and be placed againe in the temple as soone as it should be builded And he commanded also that it should be presently reedified willing Abassar to repaire to Ierusalem and giue order for all that which was requisite who resorting thither as soone as he had receiued Cyrus letters did speedily lay the foundations anew From that time forward vntill this present it hath been continued but the subtiltie and malignitie of their enemy had wrought so much that as yet it remained imperfect If therefore it please you and you thinke it good signifie that you heare by your letters to Darius to the end that examining the registers of the kings he may find that we are not faultie in any thing of that which we haue said When Zorobabel and Iesus had answered to this effect Sisin and they that accompanied him thought not good to hinder the building vntill such time as they had certified Darius hereof for which cause they wrote vnto him presently Hereupon the Iewes were much discomforted and troubled fearing least the king should change his minde in respect of the building of Ierusalem and the temple But two Prophets Aggeus and Zacharie who were amongst them began to perswade them willing them to feare no desaster from the Persians because God had assured them for which cause the people gaue credit to the Prophets and diligently intended their building and intermitted no one day When the Samaritanes had in this sort written to Darius and accused the Iewes vnto him for fortifying their Citie and reedifying their temple and how it seemed to be rather a fort then some sacred place and had further alleadged that it would be no profit vnto him and moreouer had produced Cambyses letters by which they were forbidden to build the temple he vnderstood that the reestablishment of Ierusalem stood not with the securitie of his state But when he had read Sisins letters and his associates he commanded that the Panchartes and Chronicles of the kings should be searched how the matter hath past and there was found in Ecbatane a Citie of the Medes in a tower a certaine booke in which these things were written The first yeere of the raigne of Cyrus commandement was giuen to build the temple of Ierusalem and the altar therein It was likewise decreed that the height of the temple should be sixtie cubits and the breadth as many three stories of hewed stone and one storie of the wood of that countrey and it was ordained that the expence of that building should be deducted out of the kings reuenewes Moreouer he commanded that restitution should be made vnto the inhabitants of Ierusalem of those vessels that were taken away by Nabuchodonosor and carried away to Babylon And the commission to effect all these things was giuen to Abassar gouernour of Syria and Phoenicia and his companions to the end that they might depart from these places and the Iewes might bee permitted to build therein Furthermore he ordained that the charge of this pile and building should be gathered out of the tributes of his countries and that they should furnish the Iewes with bulles weathers lambes goates flower oyle
them also who before time had beene in his kingdome or that sithence likewise had beene brought thither and notwithstanding it was told him that the money that would be required for their ransome would amount to more then foure hundreth talents yet ceased he not to confirme that which he had promised But that it may more plainely appeare how great his royal magnificence was I haue thought good to insert in this place the copie of his edict which he sent abroad to this effect Whosoeuer of you that in my fathers seruice by bearing armes vnder him haue made any roades into Syria and Phaenicia and after the conquest of Iudaea haue taken any prisoners and brought them to our Cities and countries with an intent to sell them all they also who haue heretofore detained any or at this present haue any such captiues in their possession they are to set them at libertie that liue vnder their thraldome receiuing for the ransome of euery person six score drachmes namely the men of warre at such time as their wages shall be paid them as for the rest they shall receiue their money out of the kings treasury For I am of that opinion that contrarie to my fathers mind and against all right they haue beene taken prisoners and that their coūtry hath bin in this sort euilly intreated by the insolēcy of the soldiers who haue thought to make their profit and merchandize by them in transferring them into Aegypt Hauing therefore an especiall respect of iustice and intending to shew mercy to those who are wrongfully oppressed I commaund that all those Iewes who are detained in seruitude be discharged and that they who held them captiue receiue the ransome published by vs so as no deceit or fraud be vsed therein And to the end that our ordinance be exactly and fully fulfilled our will is that this edict of ours be publikely proclaimed three daies after it shall come vnto your hands and that those who hold such prisoners in their possession declare how many prisoners they hold For we suppose that in so doing it shall redound to our profit Moreouer it shall be lawfull for any man that will to accuse the contemners of this decree and our pleasure is that such as contradict the same shall haue their goods confiscate to the Kings vses When this edict of the Kings published to this effect was proclaimed abroad and that onely point was omitted that concerned those that before time had beene afterward the second time were led away prisoners in whose behalfe he had giuen no direction he shewed himselfe most bountifull in like manner toward these And gaue order that the number and tallie should be speedily gathered and the money distributed to the cōmittees tresurers appertaining to him Which being speedily performed in the space of seuen daies all the kings ordinance was accomplished and there was laid out for the ransomes of them all to the summe of more then foure hundreth and sixtie talents For the masters exacted sixescore drachmes for the children also grounding themselues vpon the kings edict by which it was ordained that for euerie person they should haue that summe extending the same euen vnto the children These things being thus magnificently exployted according to the kings commaund he gaue Demetrius in charge to make a decree as touching the translation of the bookes of the Iewes For the king did nothing rashly but administred all things with great wisedome and circumspection and for that cause the copie of Demetrius suggestion and the letters sent to this effect are orderly registred and recorded in writing The number likewise of the presents that were sent and by whom they were offered so that who soeuer shall behold the same he shall incontinently iudge by the curious workmanship the high perfection of the workman and by the excellencies of the pieces he shall incontinently know by whom each of them was fashioned The copie of the aduice and suggestion made by Demetrius is this Demetrius to the great king Health Most mightie Prince since you haue committed the trust vnto me to find out those bookes that are deficient in your librarie and to search for such volumes as hitherto haue beene hid from my sight to the end that I might gather them and perfect them and that those which are lost might be restored with all the diligence that thereunto belongeth after that I had vsed herein all the care that in me was possible I giue you to vnderstand that amongst others we want the books of the lawes of the Iewes For in that they are written in Characters and Hebrew words we haue had no notice thereof where through they haue beene more negligently handled then was behoouefull for that vntill this day it hath neuer hapned that any Princes thought hath extended so farre It therefore behooueth thee to haue them exactly interpreted for since that those lawes proceeded frō God himself it is most certaine that of all other lawes in the world they are the wisest and incorruptest For which cause Hecataeus the Abderite saith that neither Poets nor Historians haue made any mention of them neither of those who haue beene policied and gouerned vnder the same because in themselues they are pure and are not to be declared by impure lips May it therefore please your Maiestie to write vnto the high Priest of the Iewes commaunding him to send you sixe Auncients of euerie tribe such as he shall know to be most expert in their law by whom we may cleerely apprehend the sense contained in those bookes to the end that hauing the faithfull interpretation of those things that are contained therein we may collect and gather them together to the full satisfaction of your Maiesties desire When the king had in this sort beene both aduised and suggested he wrote vnto Eleazar the high Priest of the Iewes as touching this matter giuing him likewise to vnderstand of that libertie by him granted vnto the Iewes that were in his kingdome He sent him also fiftie talents of gold to make cups ewers and vessels with an infinite number of precious stones commaunding his coferers who had the charge of his Iewels to suffer the workmen to choose what stones they best liked Furthermore he willed that a hundreth talents should be giuen for the sacrifices and oblations and other vses of the temple But after that I haue declared what was the copie of the letter sent vnto Eleazar the high Priest and the manner howe hee obtained that sacerdotall dignitie I will set downe both the rich presents and their curious workemanshippe After the death of Onias the high Priest his sonne Simon surnamed the Iust succeeded him in his place who for that cause was so called by reason of the piety which he shewed toward God the good affection which he bare vnto his countrimen This Simon dying leauing behind him one onely son of yong tender yeres who was called Onias his
To the Ephores Senate and people of Sparta Health If you be in health and both your particular and publike affairers haue their desired successe we haue that which we desire For our selues we are in good disposition For as much as heretofore we haue receiued a letter by the hands of Demoteles written from Arius your king to Onias our high Priest making mention of that acquaintance and alliance which is betweene you and vs the copie whereof we haue hereunder inserted and haue receiued your letters with great content and haue with all kindly acceptance requited both Demoteles and Arius notwithstanding we were not ignorant of this consanguinitie long before for that we were instructed therein by our sacred scriptures And whereas we haue not first of all acknowledged you for our kinsmen it was to no other end but for feare we should rauish the honor of ratifying the friendship betweene vs which we intended alwaies should be yours Since which time wherein we haue contracted friendship with you we haue on our holy and solemne daies sacrificed vnto our God beseeching him to continue and keepe you in prosperitie and on the other side in as much as we haue beene inuironed with many warres caused by the disordered desires of our neighbours we haue neither thought it meet to be troublesome vnto you or to any other whatsoeuer But now at this time since we haue obtained a happie issue of all these troubles we haue sent Numenius the sonne of Antimachus and Antipater the sonne of Iason men honourable amongst our counsellers both to the Romanes to you also to whom we haue giuen our letters to be presented vnto you in our behalfe to the end they might renue the amitie which is betweene you and vs you shall therefore do well if you write backe vnto vs and certifie vs wherein we may steed you in that we haue euer had an earnest desire and wil to cōtinue our loue towards you or ought else that concerneth your welfare These Embassadours of his were kindly entertained by the Lacedemonians who made a publike ordinance as touching their association and amitie with the Iewes which they deliuered vnto them In this time were there three sects among the Iewes who had different and contrarie opinions as touching humane affaires the first was that of the Pharisees the second of the Sadduces and the third of the Essenians The Pharisees affirme that some things and not all things are directed by destiny and that some other things were tied to mens election whether they would performe them or not The Essenians said that destiny gouerned all things and that nothing hapned amongst men that was not disposed thereby The Sadduces auow that there is no destinie and that humaine affaires in that destinie is not cannot be gouerned and disposed thereby their onely opinion is that all things depend vpon our owne disposition so as in respect of our good deedes we are the authours thereof and in respect of our euill they are the fruites of our irregard But hereof haue I intreated more exactly in my second booke of the warres of the Iewes Demetrius Captaines desirous to abolish the dishonour of that discomfiture and recouer the losse that had lately befallen them gathered together a greater power then the former and went out against Ionathan who hauing intelligence of their comming marched speedily to encounter them neere vnto the plaine of Amath for he resolued to preuent their intended roade into Iudaea Encamping therefore some fiftie furlongs off of the enemie he sent out spies to discouer of what force they were and how they were encamped Who when they had by a most diligent view knowne all that possiblie they could returning tooke certaine prisoners and brought them away by night with them by whose confession the entent of the enemies was discouered vnto Ionathan which was that they would set vpon them on the suddaine But Ionathan with a prouident care speedily fortified his campe and prepared all things necessarie for defence and placed a watch or Sentinell without his host keeping his souldiours vp in armes all the night and exhorting them to be both valiant and ready forasmuch as they must needs fight by night to the end that they might not be surprised by the subtilties and policies of their enemies But when the Captaines of Demetrius vnderstood that their intended purpose was discouered vnto Ionathan they were in suspence and knew not what counsaile to take for this troubled them because they saw that nothing would fall out to their good without the practise of subtill meanes to entrap their enemies and supposing themselues not to be of sufficient strength to bid Ionathan battell in the plaine field they therefore resolued to flie and leaue great fires through all their campe to the end their enemies might thinke they were asleepe and so they discamped by night On the morrow when Ionathan drew neere their campe to bid them battell and saw it abandoned and coniectured thereby that they were fled he followed after them but he could not ouertake them because they had already past the floud Eleutherus and were retired into their strong holds and places of securitie Returning therefore from thence into Arabia and making warre on the Nabatheans he spoiled their countrey tooke great booties and led away many prisoners and from thence came to Damasco and sold all in that place About this verie time Simon his brother marching thorow out al Iudaea and Palestine as farre as Ascalon planted his garrisons in all those places and fortified them both with men and munition and finally came to Ioppe which he tooke by force and planted a great garrison therein because he was aduertised that they of Ioppe intended to surrender the Citie to Demetrius forces When Simon and Ionathan had in this sort disposed all things they came to Ierusalem and assembled the people togither in the temple and perswaded them to fortifie the walles of the Citie and to strengthen the inclosure of the temple that was ruinated aduising thē to fortifie the same with strong towers and besides this he caused another wall to be builded in the middest of the Citie to warrantize the same against the garrisons of the Cittadel to the intent that by that meanes they might out off and stop vp the passages to victuall the sort He aduised them likewise to build farre stronger fortresses thorow out the countrey then those that were alreadie finished Now whenas the people had allowed of this his good aduice Ionathan gaue order as touching all those things that concerned the buildings within the Citie and set his brother Simon about the fortresses in the countrey But Demetrius passing the riuer came into Mesopotamia intending at one time to take possessiō both of it and the Citie of Babylon that being seazed thereof he might the better prouide for all the occurrences of his kingdome For the Greeks Macedonians who inhabited that countrey had
constrained by Embassadors to complaine of them vnto Caesar who wrote vnto euery prouince that it was his pleasure that the Iewes should enioy like priuiledges with the other inhabitants of the countrey The copy of which writing we haue here set downe that it may the better appeare how the Roman Emperors of ancient times were affected vnto our nation Caesar Augustus Pont. Max. Trib. potestatis thus decreeth For as much as the nation of the Iewes hath alwaies been trusty vnto the Romans not only at this day but also in all former ages and especially in the time of our father Caesar the Emperour vnder Hircanus their high priest I haue ordained that according to the common sentence of the Senate they shal liue after their countrey lawes vnder which they liued in the time of Hircanus the high priest of God and that their temple shall retaine the right of a sanctuarie and that it shall be lawfull for them to send votiue money vnto Ierusalem by certaine persons and that they shall not be compelled to appeare before any iudge vpon their Sabaoth daies or the day before their Sabaoths after nine of the clocke vpon the preparation day And if any one be knowne to steale the holy bookes or holy money laid vp in their places appointed for religion he shall be guiltie of sacrilege and his goods shall be confiscate vnto the treasurie of the people of Rome I also decree for the good will I beare vnto all men that their memoriall or request offered vnto me by C. Marcius Censorinus shall togither with this my edict be published in that famous place which all Asia hath dedicated vnto my name to wit Argyra And if any shall be so hardy as to doe contrarie to our decree he shall be punished extraordinarily This was engrauen in a pillar in Caesars temple Caesar wisheth health vnto Norbanus Flaccus let it be lawfull for all Iewes wheresoeuer liuing to carrie their sacred money vnto Ierusalem according to their auncient custome and that no man should forbid them so to doe and this did Caesar write in fauour of the Iewes Agrippa also wrote in the Iewes behalfe as followeth Agrippa wisheth health vnto the magistrates Senate and people of Ephesus I will that the Iewes liuing in Asia keepe their sacred money which according to the custome of their countrey they are wont to send vnto Ierusalem and if any one shall steale their holy money that the same person if he flie vnto a sanctuary shall be violently taken away from thence as a sacrilegious person and deliuered vnto the Iewes to be punished He also wrote vnto Syllanus the magistrate that the Iewes might not be constrained vpon their Sabaoths to appeare before a Iudge M. Agrippa wisheth health to the Cyrenian magistrates and Senate The Iewes inhabiting amongst you for whom Augustus hath already written vnto Flauius the president of Libya and vnto other magistrates of that prouince are not to be hindered from sending their holy money to Ierusalem as their custome is and they haue now complained vnto me that they are molested by the false accusations of some bad people and forbidden to doe it vnder pretence of a certaine tribute which notwithstanding they are not to pay Wherefore I commaund that they may be permitted to liue after their custome and free from all such matters and if in any of your Cities any sacred money of theirs be intercepted that by certaine persons which you knowing to be fit for that purpose make choise of them to send it againe vnto the Iewes Item C. Norbanus Flaccus proconsul Health vnto the magistrates of Sardinia Caesar hath written vnto me commaunding that no man hinder the Iewes according to their custome to send sacred money vnto Ierusalem wherefore I also write vnto you of the same that you may not be ignorant both of my will and Caesars also Moreouer Iulius Antonius proconsul did also write vnto this effect Health vnto the magistrates Senate and people of Ephesus The Iewes of Asia in the Ideas of Februarie I sitting in iudiciall seat at Ephesus signified vnto me that Caesar Augustus and Agrippa haue permitted them to vse their countrey customes and euerie one according as he thinketh good to contribute his first fruites for religion sake to be caried without let or hinderance vnto the temple of the most mightie God and they desired me to ratifie by my consent that which they had already granted them by the abouenamed Emperours Wherfore I would haue you to know that I also according vnto Caesars and Agrippas decrees and ordinances doe permit and grant them also to doe all things they please according vnto their countrey customes forbidding any man to hinder them therein I haue thought good to annex these decrees for that I know that these my writings will come vnto the Grecians hands that I may shew them that in former ages we were so esteemed of the publike magistrates that were not permitted to hinder vs from vsing our countrey rites and ceremonies and that by their consent we worshipped God in our own religion which I do inculcate the oftner that I may moue strange and forraine nations and take away their hatred conceiued against vs which is without all reasonable cause For no nation doth alwaies vse the same customes but almost whole townes amongst them doe sometimes alter and differ from the rest yet is iustice equally to be distributed vnto all men which is most profitable as well to the Greekes as to other barbarous nations which is greatly obserued in our lawes which if we follow and violate not are able to make all nations loue vs. Wherefore we request all men not to despise vs for that we differ from them in religion but fauour vs in that we follow vertue For this is common to all nations and without this mans life cannot stand But I will now returne vnto my Historie CHAP. XI How Herode hauing neede of money opened Dauids Sepulchre HErode spending lauishly much and many summes of money both at home and abroad hearing that Hircanus who raigned before him opened Dauids Sepulchre and tooke out of it three thousand talents of siluer and that there was left yet farre more able to defray any great charges whatsoeuer he long time purposed to doe the like And at this time in the night season accompanied only with his most trustie friends being verie warie that none of the people should know of it he entred into the Sepulchre but he found no money there as Hircanus did but he tooke from thence a great company of precious attires and ornaments of gold whereby he was entised to make a more diligent search and he sent two of his company for the nonce into the inner part of the Sepulchre where the bodies of Salomon and Dauid were intombed who were there lost and as it is reported fire came out of those secret places and consumed them Whereat Herode being terrified
librarie and caused them to be published being subscribed with his owne hand As for king Agrippa he sent me seuentie two Epistles testifying the truth of my bookes whereof two of them are vnderwritten to the end that the truth may appeare thereby King Agrippa to his deere friend Ioseph Health I haue with great contentment ouer-red thy booke wherein thou seemest in my opinion to haue handled this matter more exactly then any other For which cause I pray thee send me the rest Fare well my deere friend King Agrippa to Ioseph his deere friend Health I perceiue by thine owne writing that thou needest no intelligence from me how matters haue passed from the beginning yet when wee meet next I will betweene me and thee certifie thee of certaine things which thou knowest not Thus was he a witnesse of the truth of my accomplished historie not flattering me for it became him not neither deriding me as you perhaps may obiect for farre was it from so noble a minde to be subiect to so seruile a folly but only to this end that the truth of my writings might be commended to the reader by the worth of his testimonie And thus much haue I thought good to set downe in way of answere to Iustus Now as soone as I had pacified these troubles in Tiberias and had established a councell of such as were well affected towards me I bethought my selfe of that which concerned me to doe in respect of Iohn All they of Galilee were of the opinion that I should arme them all and that in battell array I should march against Iohn and doe iustice vpon him as he that had beene the author of all this mischiefe But for mine owne part I misliked their counsels for that my desire was to extinguish these troubles without bloudshed and for that cause I incited them with all diligence that was possible to learne the names of all those who serued vnder him which being done and I made priuie what they were I published a proclamation by which I promised both safetie and pardon to all those that would forsake Iohn assigning them the terme of twentie daies to determine of that which seemed best for their owne securitie and I threatned to set fire on their houses and confiscate their goods except they gaue ouer their armes They hearing these things were greatly troubled and forsooke Iohn and after they had laid downe their weapons they came vnto me to the number of foure thousand so that onely fifteene hundreth men remained with Iohn or thereabouts either of Citizens or strangers of Tyre When Iohn perceiued that he was circumuented by this policie he euer after remained quiet in his country in great feare At that time the Sephorites grew so bold that they tooke armes vnder the confidence and strength of their wals and for that they saw me distracted with other businesse They therefore sent to Cestius Gallus gouernour of Syria praying him to repaire vnto them with all expedition to take possession of their Citie or to send them a garrison of men at the least Gallus promised to come vnto them but he set downe no certaine time of his approch whereof when I was aduertised I tooke the men of warre that I had and marched against the Sephorites and tooke their Citie by force The Galileans verie glad of this opportunitie and supposing the time was come wherein they might satisfie the insatiable hatred that they bare against that Citie marched on with that intent as if they would haue wholy ruinated the Citie with all the inhabitants They therefore trauailed the streetes and set fire on the houses which they found wholy desolate For the inhabitants were fled away for feare and were retired into a fortresse They therefore ransackt all things and left nothing vnspoiled neither was there any kinde of miserie which they inflicted not on their countrimen Which when I sawe I was sore griened and commanded them to giue ouer signifying vnto them that it was impietie in them to shew themselues so sauage towards their countrimen And seeing that neither by anie praier or commaund that I made I could draw them to obedience for that their hatred surpassed my counsels I commanded those that were about me and whom I most trusted to spred a rumour that the Romanes charged vs on the other side of the Citie with great force All which I did to the ende that by this rumour I might pacifie the furie of the Galileans and saue the Citie of Sephoris and this policie took good effect For when they heard this newes they were affraid and forsooke their pillage to trust to their heeles in especial for that I who was their general did the like For I made a shew that I beleeued the rumour to be as true as they belieued it and by this stratageme the Citie Sephoris was saued beyond all hope And hardly escaped Tiberias from being spoiled by the Galileans thorow this occasion which ensueth The chiefest of their councell wrote vnto the king that he should come vnto them and take possession of their Citie The king promised to satisfie them verie shortly and answered them by his letters and deliuered them to one of his chamber called Crispus a Iewe borne to carrie them to the Tiberians The Galileans knowing this messenger tooke him and brought him vnto me which when the common people vnderstood of meere spleene they fell to armes and the next daie diuers of them assembled themselues from all parts and came to the Citie of Asoch where I made my aboad and made huge exclamations calling the Tiberians traitours and the kings friends and demaunding of me licence and libertie that they might repaire to Tiberias and race it to the ground being as much displeased against the Tiberians as they were against the Sephorites Which when I heard I stood in great doubt how I might deliuer the Tiberians from that displeasure which the Galileans had conceiued against them for I could not denie but that the Tiberians had written and sent for the king for the answere which he made them did euidently expresse the truth And hauing a long while debated the matter with my selfe I said vnto them I know as well as you that the Tiberians haue offended neither will I hinder you from spoiling their Citie yet must you proceede to the execution thereof with some iudgement For the Tiberians alone doe not betray our libertie but others also who are more accounted of in the countrey of Galilee Stay therfore vntil such time as I am thorowly informed who they be that are authors of this treason and then shall you haue them all vnder your hands with all those amongst them whom you may particularly thinke woorthy punishment By these perswasions I woon the people who departed from me wholy contented and pacified As for the messenger that was sent by the king I caused him to be imprisoned hauing respect to an vrgent
kingdome and railed against such as he had no power ouer Antipater increased this mischiefe more and more and gathering togither a great company of his friends he omitted no kind of calumniation The king likewise was terrified by the rumours tales of pickthanks that he thought alwaies that he saw Alexander before him with a drawen sword For which cause he sodainly tooke him and cast him in prison and tortured his friends many of which died in torments because they would not confesse more then in conscience was true others not able to endure the torments were forced to confesse that Alexander and his brother Aristobulus thought to haue wrought treason against their father that they expected their time till he went a hunting resolued in themselues that hauing killed him they would presently flie to Rome Although these and such like calumniations were nowaies probable yet extremitie of paine forced men extempore to inuent them and the king willingly beleeued them as it were comforting himselfe thereby in that he might not be thought to haue imprisoned his sonne vn◅stly Alexander perceluing that it was vnpossible for him to abolish his fathers suspition thought it better to yeeld hi◅selfe guiltio and so wrote foure bookes against his aduersaries and confessed the treason affirming that he had many partakers therein namely Pheroras Salome who were the chiefe auouching that before that time he had had the vse of her body in the night time and how though he himselfe was vnwilling yet she forced him thereunto Now the bookes came vnto Herods hands which charged the greatest amongst the nobilitie with most hainous matters Archelaus fearing his son in law and daughter to be in great danger speedily came into Iudaea and ingeniously appeased the kings wrath for so soone as he came vnto Herod he cried where is that wicked son in law of mine or where may I see the face of that wre◅h that goeth about to murther his father that I may teare him in peeces with mine own hands marrie my daughter anew to a better husband for although she be not priuie to his cou◅sell yet is she defiled for that she was wife to such a man Nay I admire thy patience who art in such daunger and sufferest Alexander yet to liue for I came thus hastily out of Cappadocia thinking he had beene put to death to talke with thee concerning my daughter whom I maried to him for thy sake and honour Wherefore now let vs take counsell what to do with them both and seeing thouart too father like and not able to punish thy sonne thy ◅echerous sonne let vs chaunge roumes and let me be in t◅y place to reuenge thee with such like inuections he deceiued Herode though otherwise firme in his purpose Then Herode shewed him the bookes that Alexander had writ and reading euery chapter with deliberation Archelaus tooke occasion fit for his purpose and by little and little laid al the fault on Pheroras and those that were accused in the booke And perceiuing the king to giue eare vnto him let vs quoth he consider whether the young man was not circumuented by the trechery of so many lewde persens and not thou by the yong man for there appeares no cause why he should fall into such wickednes who now enioyed the kingdome and hoped to succeed thee therein had he not beene perswaded thereto by other men who seeing him a young man entised him vnto such naughtines For we see that through such men not onely young men but also olde men and most noble families yea and whole kingdomes are ruinated Herode vpon these speeches began somewhat to relent so that he appeased his wrath toward Alexāder encreased it towards Pheroras for he was as it were the subiect of the whole booke Who perceiuing the king so to trust vnto Archelaus friendship that he was lead by him to do what he pleased leauing Alexander he in humble manner came to Archelaus seeking impudently for succour at his hands of whom he had not deserued any fauour Archelaus answered him that he knew no waies to obtaine his pardon who was guiltie of so hainous crimes and conuicted manifestly to haue practised high treason against the kings owne person and to be the cause of all these miseries that had now befallen the young man except that he would lay aside all subtle dealing and denying of his fact and confesse the crimes wherof he was accused and so in humble wise go vnto his brother who loued him dearely and craue pardon promising him that if he would so do he would do him what good he could Hereupon Pheroras obeyed Archelaus his counsell and putting on a blacke attire he in pitifull maner and with teares prostrated himselfe at Herodes feete and crauing pardon obtained it confessing himselfe to be a most wicked and vile person and to be guiltie of al that which was obiected against him and that the cause which moued him to do al those things was the franticke and madde fits he fell into for the loue of that woman Now when Pheroras became his owne accuser a witnesse against himselfe then Archelaus endeuored to mitigate Herodes wrath towards him and excuse his faultes with fit examples for he alleaged that his brother attempted greater matters against him whom notwithstanding for natures cause he pardoned adding that in euery kingdome as in mightie bodies alwaies some part began to swell which notwithstanding was not presently to be cut off but to be cured by easie means Archelaus vsing many speeches vnto Herod to this purpose at last quite appeased his wrath toward Pheroras still counterfaiting himselfe to be angrie with Alexander affirming that he would take his daughter away with him till at last he forced Herode of his owne accord to entreat for the yong man requesting him again to despouse his daughter vnto him Archelaus after much entreatie answered that he was willing the king should bestow his daughter vpō any saue Alexander for he greatly esteemed the law of affinity Herod replied that if he did not diuorce his daughter from Alexander he should thinke that he bestowed his sonne vpon him for they had no children and his daughter was dearely loued of the young man so that if he would permit her to stay still there for her sake he would pardon all Alexanders offences Heereto Archelaus with much ado agreed and so was reconciled vnto his sonne in law and he vnto his father Yet Herode affirmed that he must needs be sent to Rome to speake with Caesar for he had written the whole matter vnto Caesar. Thus Archelaus craftily deliuered his sonne in law from daunger and after this reconciliation was made they spent the time in feasting and mirth Vpon Archelaus departure Herode gaue him seuentie talents and a throne of pure gold adorned with precious stones and Eunuches and a concubine named Pannychis and rewarded euery one of his
rushed out to flie aboue tenne thousand people were prest and troden to death so that this festiuall day was turned into wofull lamentations and mournings in euerie place This calamitie was encreased afterward by a company of theeues for neere Bethoron one Stephanus seruant vnto Caesar caried some household stuff which the theeues tooke from him in the high way But Cumanus sending for those in the villages next adioyning to make inquirie of these theeues commaunded them to be bound and brought vnto him because they had not taken the theeues in one of which villages a certaine souldier finding the booke of the holy scripture cut it in peeces and burnt it Hereupon the Iewes gathered themselues togither from all places as though their religion were now violated and drawen by the force of their superstition as with an engine all of them at one call went to Caesarea to Cumanus there beseeching him that the souldier who had so blasphemed God and their law might not escape vnpunished But Cumanus perceiued the Iewes would not be appeased without some satisfaction wherefore he condemned the souldier to death and sent him to execution before their faces which done they all departed At last there arose a tumult betweene the Galileans and Samaritans for at a village called Geman scituate in the great field of Samaria a certaine Galilean of the number of the Iewes that came to the feast was slaine for which fact many Galileans ranne to fight with the Samaritans and the nobilitie of the countrey went vnto Cumanus requesting him before any more harme were done to go into Galilee and punish the authors of this euill But Cumanus being busied in greater affaires sent them away without granting their request When this murther was knowne in Ierusalem all the multitude left the solemnitie of the day and went into Samaria without any guide refusing to be restrained by the nobilitie Of this their tumult and sedition the sonne of Dinaeus called Eleazar and one Alexander were captaines who with violence entering the borders of the countrey of Acrabatena killed man woman and child sparing no age and burning the townes When Cumanus heard this he tooke a cornet of ho◅semen called the Sebastians to come and helpe them that were thus oppressed and so tooke and killed many of them who tooke part with Eleazar Now the nobles of Ierusalem came out to the rest of that multitude which so wasted Samaria clothed in sackcloth ashes vpon their heads beseeching them not so to seeke reuenge vpon the Samaritanes as thereby to moue the Romans to destroy Ierusalem and to be mercifull to their countrey the temple their wiues and children and not at once hazard all and ouerthrow their whole countrie and nation in reuenging the death of one Galilean The Iewes hereby were pacified and departed At the same time many conspired togither to robbe and steale as most commonly people by long peace grow insolent so that they robbed in euery part of the countrie they that were most strong and able offered violence to those that were weaker Then the princes of Samaria went to Tyre beseeching Numidius Quadratus being gouernour of Syria to reuenge them of those that so robbed and spoiled their countrey There was also the nobilitie of the Iewes Ionathas the sonne of Ananus who was high Priest who defended the Iewes against the Samaritanes accusations affirming the Samaritanes to haue beene cause of that tumult in killing the Galilean and after that Cumanus was cause of the rest of their calamities who refused to punish the murtherers Quadratus for that time sent away both parties promising thē that when he came into their countries he would diligently enquire of the matter and comming from thence to Caesarea he crucified all those whom Cumanus tooke aliue And departing from thence to Lydda he heard the Samaritans complaints and sent for eighteene men whom he vnderstood for certaine to haue bin in that broile beheaded them sent the two high priests Ionathas and Ananias his son Ananus with some other of the nobilitie of the Iewes to Caesar and also the chiefe of the Samaritans He likewise commanded Cumanus and Celer the tribune to go to Rome and yeelde account vnto Claudius for that which they had done in that countrey This done he went from Lydda to Ierusalem and finding there the multitude celebrating the feast of vnleuened bread without any tumults or disorders he returned to Antiochia Caesar at Rome hearing the allegations of Cumanus and the Samaritanes Agrippa was also there earnestly defending the cause of the Iewes as also Cumanus was assisted by many potentates he pronounced sentence against the Samaritans commanded three of their chiefe nobilitie to be put to death and banished Cumanus and sent Celer the tribune bound vnto Ierusalem that the Iewes might draw him about the citie and then cut off his head This done he sent Felix brother to Pallas to rule Iudaea Samaria and Galilaea And he preferred Agrippa from Chalcis vnto a greater kingdome making him king of that prouince whereof Philip had beene ruler to wit Trachon Batanaea and Gaulanitis adding thereunto Lysanias kingdome the Tetrarchy whereof Varus was gouernour And hauing raigned thirteene yeeres eight moneths and thirtie daies Claudius departed this life leauing Nero to succeed him whom by the perswasions of his wife Agrippina he adopted to the Empire hauing a lawfull begotten sonne of his owne named Britannicus by his former wife Messalina and a daughter called Octauia whom he maried vnto Nero he had also another daughter by Agrippina named Antonia How Nero abused his wealth and felicitie and how he slew his brother mother and his wife and afterward raged against all his kinred and how in a mad vaine he became a player vpon a stage because it requireth a long narration I will speake nothing thereof CHAP. XII Of the tumults in Iudaea vnder Felix WHerefore I will begin to recount what Nero did against the Iewes He made Aristobulus Herodes sonne king of the lesser Armenia and ioyned vnto Agrippas kingdome foure cities and the ground belonging vnto them two of them Abila and Iulias were in the countrey of Peraea the other Tarichaea and Tiberias were in Galilee and he made Felix gouernour ouer the rest of Iudaea This Felix tooke Eleazar captaine of the theeues after he had robbed and spoyled the countrey twentie yeeres and many more with him and sent them bound vnto Caesar and he crucified a great number of them who either were theeues and his confederates or else such as assisted him The countrey was no sooner clensed from these but presently another sort of theeues arose in Ierusalem called Sicarij with short swords who at high noone in the midst of the citie killed many in euery place and especially at the celebrating of holy feasts they mixt themselues with the multitude hauing short swords vnder their coates and therewithall killed those to whom they bare
enemies might tume the riuer and so haue accesse vnto the Citie he inuironed the inner Citie with three seuerall wals and the outmost Citie likewise The wals whereof were made of brick but the wals of the inner Citie were of bricke and bytumen this done he builded most sumptuous gates which might haue become temples and moreouer neere vnto his fathers pallace he builded another farre greater and more costly then it was the pompe wherof it were hard and perhaps tedious to expresse Yet this we will rehearse worth the nothing that this so ambitious and aboue all credit gorgeous pallace was builded in fifteene daies in it he erected rocks of stone like mountaines beset with all sorts of trees he also made a famous garden all supported with pillars for that his wife being brought vppe in the countrey of the Medes desired to haue a prospect into the fieldes and mountaines This he relateth of the forementioned king and many things more in his booke of the affaires of the Chaldeis wherein he reprooueth the Greeke writers who falsely affirme that Semiramis the Assyrian Queene built Babylon and that they falsely report those wonderfull works about Babylon to haue been by her made and finished We must needs thinke that the Chaldean historie is true seeing it agreeth with that of the Phoenicians which Berosus writ of the king of Babylon who subuerted both Phoenicia and al Syria with them also accordeth Philostratus in his historie in the siege of Tyria and Magasthenes also in his fourth booke of the affaires of India where he laboureth to proue that the said king excelled Hercules in strength and valour affirming that he subdued the greatest part of Affrique and Spaine and that the temple of Ierusalem was burnt by the Babylonians and againe reedified by Cyrus we will prooue it out of Berosus who in his third booke saith as followeth Nabuchodonosor hauing begun the third wall fell sicke and died when he had raigned fortie three yeeres and his sonne Euelmaradochus succeeded him who for his iniquitie and lustfull liuing was treacherously slaine by his sisters husband named Niriglissoroor after he had raigned two yeeres He being dead the traitor Niriglissoroor vsurped the kingdome and raigned foure yeeres whose sonne then a childe was made king called by name Laborosardochus and he raigned nine moneths who for that he seemed to be of verie corrupt manners was slaine by his owne friends after whose death they who slew him consulting togither did make one Nabonidus a Babylonian king At this time the wals of bricke and bytumen about the riuer of Babylon were built In the eight yeere of this kings raigne Cyrus comming with an army out of Persia conquered all Asia and came with his forces against Babylon but the king of Babylon hauing notice of his comming leuied an army meeting him in the way and ioined battell with him but being ouercome in the fight he accompanied with a verie few of his men was forced to flie into Borsippa Cyrus now besieged Babylon and purposed to destroy the outward wals thereof by reason that it was too strong and too hard to win and so he returned to Borsippa to besiege Nabonidus the king of Babylon who was fled thither But Nabonidus not abiding the euent of war yeelded himselfe vnto Cyrus who dealt mercifully with him and gaue him a territorie in Carmania but expelled him out of Babylon so Nabonidus led the rest of his life in that prouince This historie agreeth with ours for in our writings we finde that Nabuchodonosor in the eighteenth yeere of his raigne did destroy our temple and that it so remained threescore and ten yeeres Also that in the second yeere of king Cyrus the soundations thereof were laide againe and that it was finished and reedified in the second yeere of king Darius his raigne This done I will also relate the histories of the Phoenicians that we may abound with proofe of that we say for they make a computation of the yeeres after this manner In the raigne of king Ithobalus Nabuchodonosor besieged Tyre thirteene yeeres after whom Baal raigned ten yeeres next him iudges were appointed to wit them that follow Eâ—…nibalus the sonne of Balachus iudged two moneths Chelbis the sonne of Abdaeus ten moneths Abbarus the high priest three moneths Myttonus and Gerastus sonnes of Abdilimos iudged six yeeres after whom Balatorus raigned one yeere and after his death the Tyrians called Merbalus from Babylon and made him king and he raigned foure yeeres and he then dying they sent also to Babylon for his brother Iromus who raigned twentie yeeres in whose raigne Cyrus obtained the Persian Empire so that this whole time is fiftie foure yeeres three moneths for Nabuchodonozor began to besiege Tyre in the seuenth yeere of his raigne and in the fourteenth yeere of king Iromus his raigne Cyrus was made Emperour of Persia. Wherefore both the Chaldeis and Tyrian Historiographers agree with vs concerning our temple So that the antiquitie of our nation aboue mentioned is now made manifest and without all controuersie And that which is alreadie alleaged to this end may be sufficient for them who are not vpon purpose contradictions It is therefore requisite to satisfie them who giue no credit to the writings of other nations and contend that the Grecian histories onely are to be beleeued to bring many testimonies from the Greeks themselues who haue as opportunitie serued made mention of our nation and knowne it Pythonis a Samian borne both of great antiquitie and excelling all other Philosophers in holinesse towards the Gods is not onely conuinced to haue knowne the customes of our nation but he did also as it plainely appeareth imitate them in many things His writings are in no place extant but diuers haue recorded many notable things of him and especially Hermippus a man most diligent in searching of histories This Hermippus recounteth in his first booke of Pythagoras that the said Philosopher hauing one of his familiar friends named Calliphon dead who was a Crotonian borne reported this mans soule to be perpetually with him and that the said soule commaunded him not to passe the place where his asse fell and that hee should abstaine from vncleane water and that he should with all diligence eschue blasphemie and then it followeth this he did and said imitating the opinions of the Iewes and Grecians and applying them to himselfe For it is certainly reported that this man gathered much of his philosophie out of the Iewes lawes Our nation in times past was well knowne to diuers cities so that many of them do now obserue our customes and others esteeme them worth the imitation as Theophrastus doth witnesse in his booke entituled de legibus for he saith that the Tyrian lawes forbid to sweare by any straunge sacrament and amongst these straunge and forraine sacraments he reckoneth the oath called Corban which oathe is vsed onely amongst the
to Athens and Polycrates to Lacedaemon and the Author that writ Tripoliticum for it was not Theopompus as some suppose vsed the Citie of Thebes verie hardly and Timaeus in his Histories of the foresaid places doth many times detract both them and others And this they doe calumniating the most excellent that are in something or other some for enuie and malice others that their fond babling may make them famous and so indeede it doth amongst fooles that are knowne to haue no sound iudgement but wise men will condemne their malice To bee short this is the cause of so many slaunderous reports forged against our nation Some to gratifie the Aegyptians haue attempted to depriue the truth and so haue neither reported the veritie concerning our auncestors comming into Egypt nor touching their departure from thence and they haue had many causes of malice and enuie vrging them hereto And chiefely for that our progenitors in their countrie waxed mightie and so departing to their owne Countrie were made happie and fortunate Secondly the diuersitie of our two religions made great discorde and variance amongst vs our religion so farre excelling theirs in pietie as the diuine essence of God excelleth vnreasonable creatures for they commonly worshippe such bruite beastes for gods and euerie one worshipeth diuers kinds vaine and foolish men who from the beginning haue beene accustomed to such sottish opinions as would not permit them to imitate vs in our diuine religion and conformable to reason and yet seeing many fauour and followe our religion they were hereby incited to such hatred that to derogate from vs they feared not to falsifie their owne auncient Recordes not considering that in so doing they were led through a blind passion to wit against themselues Moreouer I will proue all I haue now spoken to bee true by one mans words whom a little before being a famous Historiographer we haue produced as a witnesse of our antiquitie Manethon therefore who professeth himselfe to haue gathered the Egyptian Historie out of their holy writings hauing by way of a Preface recounted how our predecessors came into Egypt with many thousands and there conquered the Inhabitants hee afterwards confesseth that loosing all their possessions in Egypt they got that Countrie which is now called Iewrie and in it builded a Citie named Ierusalem and a Temple and thus farre hee imitateth auncient writers And then vsurping to himselfe authoritie to lie protesting that hee will inâ—…ert into his Historie â—…aine reports diuulged amongst the common people hee reporteth things of the Iewes all together incredible intending to mixe with our nation the Lepers of the Egyptians and other sicke people of other Countries who as he saith being abhominable to the Egyptians made an escape froÌ„ thence affirming also that they had a King named Amenophis which is a fained name and therefore he durst not presume to speake determinately of the time of his reigne whereas hee speaketh exactly of the reigne of all other kings Hereupon also he addeth certaine fables forgetting himselfe that he reported the shepheards departure out of Egypt to Ierusalem to haue beene almost fiue hundred and eighteene yeeres before his time for king Themusis reigned when they departed out of Egypt from whome the time that other kings did reigne vntill the two brethren Sethâ—… and Hermeus accomplisheth the terme of three hundred fourescore and thirteene yeeres Hee also saith that the eldest of these two Sethon was called Egyptus and the other Hermâ—…as was called Danaus whome his brother Sethon expelled and afterward reigned fiftie â—…ne yeeres and after him Rampses his eldest sonne reigned threescore and sixe yeers Hauing therfore confessed our auncestors to haue departed out of Egypt so many yeeres beâ—…e now lastly hee addeth that Amenophis was their king who was a contemplator of the gods as Orus their king before him was and that one Amenophis a Priest the soâ—…e of Papius did in all things most excellently accomplish his desire which Priest seemed to participate of some â—…ne nature for he excelled in wisedome could foretell things to come and that he gaue the king his surname that he might also see the gods if so be he would 〈◊〉 to clense the countrey from Lepers and other vncleane people Wherat the king reioycing gathered togither all the impotent people of his land amounting to the number of foure score thousand and sent them and other Aegyptians appointed to this worke into the East part of Nilus there to hew and square stones And that amongst them there were also certaine learned priests infected wich leprosie also that this diuine priest Amenophis greatly feared least the indignation of the gods would fall vpon the king and himselfe who had perswaded and councelled the king to doe violence vnto the foresaid Lepars likewise that he said that because he vsed the helpe of vncleane persons they should obtaine dominion ouer Aegypâ—… for thirteene yeeres yet durst he not presume to signifie this vnto the king but he killed himselfe leauing this written in a booke where men might finde it and the king hauing notice hereof fell into great sorrow and heauinesse This done he speaketh as followeth So the king being requested for their quietnesse and defence to assigne them a Citie to inhabite he appointed vnto them a desolate place called Auaris which had been the shepheards Citie this Citie the auncient diuines call Triphonis but they hauing gotten the possession of this place fit for rebellion they made choice of one of the priests of Heliopolis to be their captaine whose name was Osarsiphus and bound themselues with an oath to obay him in all things and he presently made a law that they should neither worship the gods of the Aegyptians nor that they should abstaine from those beasts which the Aegyptians count holy and that they should marrie with none but such as they iudged to be their friends Hauing ordained this and many things els contrarie to the Aegyptians religion he commanded them wiâ—…h great labour to enuiron their Citie with a wall and to make preparation to warre against king Amenophis and he himselfe making choice of some priests and a few other vncleane persons sent to Ierusalem to the shepheards which were driuen out of Aegypt by king Themusis declaring vnto them their owne and their fellowes iniuries and requesting them to leuie an army to fight with them against Aegypt promising them free entrance into Auaris the countrey where their forefathers inhabited and that he would furnish them with all necessaries telling them that they should now fight in so happy a time as that without all doubt they might conquer the countrey The shepheards hereat reioycing all of them armed themselues to the number of two hundred thousand and leauing their Citie they came to Auaris But Amenophis king of Aegypt hearing of their inuasion and remembring what Amenophis the sonne of the priest Papius had left in writing was in great feare and
presently assembling togither the people of Aegypt and consulting with the princes of his countrey he sent all holy beasts and all that the priests esteemed before him giuing the priests especiall charge to hide their Idols and he commended his sonne Sethones who also by his father Rampses was called Ramesses being but fiue yeeres olde vnto the custodie of a friend of his and then accompanied with three hundred fighting men he met his enemies but would not fight with them fearing least he should fight against the pleasure of the gods and so he retired himselfe vnto Memphis and taking Apis and the rest of the Aegyptian gods hee with all his troupes of Aegyptians tooke shippe and fled into Aethiopia For the king of Aethiopia vpon curtesie obeied him and for this cause he entertained him his followers prouided all necessaries for them for that fatall thirteen yeers banishment and this was done in Aethiopia In the meane time the inhabitants of Ierusalem came downe into the country with the vncleane Aegyptians and did so tyrannize ouer the inhabitants that all their beholders iudged their victorie to be full of crueltie for not contented to fire the cities and townes and to commit all manner of sacriledge and to destroy the Idols of the gods they did also most cruelly teare in pieces the sacred beasts and forced the priests and prophets to lay violent hands vpon them and kill them after which deed they draue them out of the countrey naked It is therefore reported that a Heliopolitan priest Osarsiphus by name made lawes for them and statutes to gouerne them This priest was called Osarsiphus taking his name from the God of Heliopolis called Osiris who being now thus conuersant with this people changed his name and called himselfe Moses Thus the Aegyptians report of the Iewes and many things els which for breuitie sake I omit Manethon furthermore writeth that afterward Amenophis the king came with a great power out of Aethiopia and his son Rampses with him accōpanied with a great army and that ioining battell with the shepheards and polluted persons he gaue them an ouerthrow and pursued them vnto the borders of Syria And this is Manethons report but for as much as he writeth olde wiues tales dotages and lies I will by manifest reason conuince him first distinguishing that whereof I am to speake hereafter He of his owne accord granteth and confesseth that our auncestors at first were not Aegyptians but strangers that came thither from another place and conquered the countrey and againe departed from thence I will now out of his owne writings endeuour to shew that the weake people of Aegypt were not mixed with vs and that Moses who indeed was our conducter out of Aegypt and liued many ages before was no Lepar He therfore first of all setteth downe a ridiculous cause of this forementioned faction which was that king Amenophis was desirous to see the gods Which gods trow yee he could already see the Oxe the Goate the Crocodile and the Munkey but the God of heauen how could he see And why had Amenophis this desire forsooth because a certaine king one of his predecessors had seene them he therefore knowing by him what things they were and how he came to the sight of them needed no new deuice to accomplish his desire but perhaps the foresaid prophet was a man of great wisedome by whom the king had confidence to attaine his desire but if so he had been how chanceth it that he was so vnwise he could not perceiue that it was an impossible thing to satisfie the kings desire for that which he promised was not brought to passe Or what reason mooued him to thinke that the gates were inuisible because of Lepars and weake people The gods are offended with mens impieties not with the defects of their bodies And how was it possible that at one instant so many thousand Lepars and infirme persons should be gathered togither or wherein did not the king obay the Prophet he commaunded that the Lepars and infirme persons should be exiled the countrey and the king did not banish them the countrey but sent them to hew stones as though he had needed workemen and not purposed to cleanse the countrey from Lepars Lastly he saith that the Prophet foreseeing that Aegypt was to suffer and fearing the wrath of the gods he killed himselfe and left his minde in a booke written vnto the king How chanced it then that the prophet did not at first foresee his own death and so opposed himselfe vnto the kings desire to see the gods or wherefore did he feare such calamities as were not to fall in his life or what great miserie hanged ouer his head which might worthily cause him to kill himselfe to preuent it But let vs heare that which followeth more sottish then all the rest The king quoth he hearing this and stroken with feare did not for all this expell those Lepars he ought to haue exiled but at their request gaue them as he saith a Citie wherein before time the shepheards did inhabite called Auaris whereinto they being come they made a priest of Heliopolis their prince who deuised lawes for them commaunding them neither to adore the gods nor to abstaine from offering violence to such beasts as amongst the Aegyptians are sacred but that they should kill and spoile all things that they should marrie with none but such as were their confederates that he bound the people with an oath to keepe those lawes and that they fortified Auaris to fight against the king Adding moreouer that he sent to Ierusalem for helpe promising to yeeld Auaris vnto them being a place sometime possessed by their ancestors and that they from that place leading their forces might easily subdue all Aegypt he then saith that the Aegyptian king Amenophis came against them with three hundreth thousand and yet for that he would not striue againct the decree of the gods he fled into Aethiopia and carried with him Apis and other holy beasts and that the inhabitants of Ierusalem comming downe inuaded the land fired the townes and Cities slew their nobles vsed all sort of crueltie possible and that the priests name who made lawes and statutes for them to liue vnder was one of Heliopolis Osarsiphus by name deriuing the same from Osiris the god of Heliopolis and that this man changing his name was afterward called Moses Moreouer that Amenophis hauing liued in banishment thirtie yeeres came with a strong power out of Aethiopia and fighting with the shepheards and polluted he slew many of them and put the rest to flight pursuing them vnto the borders of Syria Manethon remembreth not that heere againe he telleth a verie vnskilfull tale for although the Lepars and impotent persons were offended with the king for appointing them to hew stones yet is it to be thought that they receiuing their owne desire at the kings hands to wit a Citie to dwell in
by many ages For our lawes established amongst vs haue beene imitated of all other nations For though the first Greekes did colourably obserue lawes yet all their Philosophers did imitate ours and our opinions of God and in humilitie taught others communion of life and conuersation yea the common people did long since imitate our pietie neither is there any nation either Greekes or Barbarians who haue not after some manner obserued a Sabaoth as we do and fasting daies and candlestickes with light all which they learned of vs yea many do also obserue our customes concerning their meats and our vnitie and concord wherein we excell all other nations our communitie also and industrie in arts and labours and sufferance for our lawes And which is most to be admired our law not hauing any to force vs to obserue it hath so obliged our hearts that as God is of all the world honoured without compulsion so are our lawes amongst vs all we not forced therevnto And whosoeuer doth diligently consider his owne nation and family shall find that which I haue reported to be true I will now generally reprehend the voluntarie malice of all men for either they meane that we hauing these good lawes do yet little esteeme them and follow worse or if they do not so meane let theÌ„ hold their malitious tongue from any further calumniatiation For I doe not take vpon me the defence of this cause for that I beare any hatred to any man but for that I and all Iewes do honour and reuerence our lawmaker and beleeue that whatsoeuer he prophecied proceeded from God yea although our selues did not know the goodnesse of our lawes yet the multitude of them that imitate them were a sufficient motiue to enduce vs thereunto But I haue at large and with all sinceritie discoursed our lawes and commonwealth in my bookes of our antiquitie And I now againe haue made mention of them neither in contumely of other nations nor in praise of our own but only to reproue such as haue most maliciously and impudently belied vs contrarie to the knowne truth And I thinke I haue alreadie fully performed thâ—… which I promised For I haue shewed our nation contrarie to their affirmations to be most ancient which I haue proued by the testimonie of many ancient writers who in their works haue mentioned vs. Our aduersaries affirme vs to haue come of Aegyptians I haue shewed that our forefathers came into Aegypt out of some other place They alledge that we were expelled Aegypt for their miserie in that they were infected with disease I haue proued that they came from thence to their owne countrey by meanes of their owne prowesse and force of their owne accord Others labour to defame our lawmaker as a wicked person whose vertue many of ancient times so long time as hath beene since him do witnesse It is not needful to speake more largely of our lawes for they by themselues appeare pious and good such as do not inuite or incite vs to the hatred of other nations but rather to communion and friendshp being both enemies to iniquitie and commaunders of iustice banishers of luxuriousnes and teachers of frugalitie and labour forbidding all wars enterprised for auarice and preparing the people to shew fortitude in them and for them inflicting ineuitable punishment vpon their transgressors not easily to be deceiued by gloasings speeches and executing in action all that they in word commaund yea amongst vs the execution of them obseruation is more readie then the words of them I therefore confidently affirme that we do teach more pious and vertuous manners then other nations doe For what can be better then inuiolate pietie What more iust then to obey the law what more profitable and commodious then to be at vnitie and peace amongst ourselues and neither to forsake one another in calamity nor iniurie one another in prosperitie to contemne and dispise death in time of warre and in peace to labour and till our grounds to vse other arts and works and alwaies to thinke and beleeue that God beholdeth all our actions and ruleth and disposeth all things If this be either written or reserued by any one before this time we are then to thanke them as being their schollers but if they are knowne neuer before to haue beene extant then we are knowne to be the first authors and inuentors of it Let therefore all Apions and Moions go and all others that with them are conuicted of lying and slaundering And this bookeis written to the Epaphroditus who louest the truth and to others who by thee wil or are desirous to know the same DESIDERIVS ERASMVS ROTERODAMVS TO THE MOST VERTVOVS AND LEARNED FATHER HELIAS MARCEVS THE MACHABAETAN RVLER OF THE RENOWMED COLLEDGE OF THE MACHABAES I Haue not grudged vertuous Father to dedicate vnto thee a dayes labour wherein I haue perused and what in me lyeth amended the booke which Ioseph writ of the seuen Machabees brethren And would it had lyen in my power more aboundantly to haue answered your expectation I haue now for that I counted the Greeke copie by the Latine coniectured the Greeke and altered some things yet but verie few Ioseph doth not falfely boast himselfe to haue attained to the excellencie of the Greeke tongue and this booke will sufficiently witnesse the same wherein he shewed both great vanitie and Emphasis in so much as hee seemeth to haue handled that famous worke with eloquent stile and ornament of discourse Saint Ierome for this cause entitleth this booke great eloquence Suidas 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 out of them both wee amend the corrupted title cal it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is of the rule of reason for the scope of this booke tendeth all to proue that reason is of no force in man except it beare soueraigntie ouer all our inordinate appetites This is most euidently proued by the bookes of the Machabees in the Scripture which books the Iewes doe not receiue as Canonicall yet doe they account it amongst their sacred writ I cannot but congratulate this worthy Colledge which though famous for many other things yet is more happie for that it is so blessed as to inioy so worthie and vnspeakable a treasure Or rather all Colonia Agrippina that happie and fortunate Citie yet in nothing more happie then for that it alone doth in her bosome shrine so many so sacred and excellent pledges of pietie yet should it be more happie if it could expresse their vertues whose sacred reliques it so religiously keepeth and imitate their manners whose bodies it possesseth to wit if in sinceritie of religion it imitated the pietie of three Kings and the sacred puritie of the eleuen Virgins if it resembled the most valiant yong men the Machabes and the inuincible courage of that woman whose valorous constancie no miserie could conquer And this best portion and part of her felicitie this worthie Citie might bestow vpon
granted him to create the hie priest Hedio Ruffinus chap. 2. al. 5. Monobazuâ—… the king of Adiabena begetteth two sons on Helena his sister Monobazus and Izates The yeare of the world 4009. after Christs natiuitie 47. Izates sent to Abemerigus marieth his daughter Samacha Caeron very fruitful in Amomum in which the reliques of Noes aâ—…ke are to be seene Izates was made king by his mother Helena the nobility and Monabazus gouerneth the kingdome till his comming Izates and his mother Helena learne the true seruice of God according to the manner of the Iewes The yeare of the world 4009. after the Natiuitie of Christ. 47. Izates sendeth his brothers to Claudius Caesar and Artabanus Izates is disswaded by Helena his mother and Ananias from circumcision Eleazar perswadeth Izares to be circumcised They that â—…olie on God put their confideÌ„ce in him do alwaies reap the reward of their pietie Helena the Queene of Adiabena resorteth to Ierusalem Alias cap. 6. The yeare of the world 4009. after Christs birth 47. Artabanus reâ—…reth himselfe to Izates and requireth his assistance Izates comforteth Artabanus promiseth him his assistance Izates writeth to the Parthians and perswadeth them to receiue their king Cinnamus restoreth the kingdome to Artabanus Izates receiueth great honours and gifts at Artabanus hands Antiochia and Mygdonia builded by the Macedons Vardanes after his fathers death laboreth to perswade Izates to make warre against the Romanes but he preuaileth not The yeare of the world 4009. after Christs birth 47. After Vardanes was slaine the kingdome is comâ—…ted to Gotarza Vologelus king of Parthia Monobazus and his kinred thinke to receiue the Iewes religioÌ„ The Adiabenians conspire with the king of Arabia against Izates The Lords of Adiabena perswade Vologesus to kill Izates Izates calleth vpon God who sendeth the Dahans and Sacans into Parthiâ—… vpon whose arriuall Volgesus returneth The yeare of the world 4010. after Christs Natiuitie 48. Izates deliuereth vp the kingdome to his brother Monobazus and dâ—…eth Hedio Ruffinus cap. 5. al. 8. Theudas perswadeth the â—…eople that with a word he will cause Iordan to deuide it 〈◊〉 yeeld them passage he with his followers are slaine Hedio Ruffinus cap. 5. al. 8. Tiberius Alexander gouernour of Iudaea Iames and Simon the sons of Iudas of Galilee crucified The yeare of the world 4011. after Christs birth 49. The yeere of the world 4011. after Christs birth 49. Hedio Ruffinus cap. 9. al. 10. In the feast of Pascha a certaine souldier shewing his priuie members moueth a sedition amoÌ„g the people whereby twentie thousand Iewes lost their liues Stephen Caesars seruant robbed in his iourney for which cause Cumanus spoileth the villages neere to the place where the robbery was done A certaine soldier â—…eareth the bookes of Moses â—…aw and therefore is beheaded by Cumanus coÌ„maundement Hedio Ruffinus cap. 10. al. cap. 12. Certaine Samaritanes kill diuers Galileans in their way to Ierusalem The yeare of the world 4014. after Christs birth 52. The yeare of the world 4014. after Christs natiuitie 52. The Galileans in reuenge of their iniuries burne certaine villages of the Samaritanes and spoyle the same Hedio Ruffinus cap. 8. al. 12. The Samaritanes accuse the Iewes before Numidius Quadratus The Iewes lay the burthen of the warres on the Samaritanes and Cumanus Dortus with foure other are crucified Ananias Ananus Cumanus Celer and some other are sent to Rome Alias cap. 13. Agrippa moueth Agrippina to intreat Caesar to heare the cause of the Iewes The yeare of the world 4015. after Christs birth 53. Hedio Ruffinus cap 9. al. 14. Claudius â—…oelix gouernour of Iudaea Drusilla Mariamme â—…oelix getteth Drusilla from her former husband Polemon king of Cilâ—…cia marrieth Bernice The yeaÌ„re of the world 4018. after Christs birth 56. Mariamme scorning Archelaus marrieth Demetrius Hedio Ruffinus cap. 10. al. 15. Agrippina Meslaâ—…na and Paetinâ—… Clâ—…dius wiues Nero Emperour The yeare of the world 4019. after Christs birth 57. Nero a tyrant Neros tyranny The yeare of the world 4019. after Christs Natiuitie 57. Alias cap. 16. Foelix punisheth y t theeues and Magicians and other seducers of the people Eleazar the sonne of Dinaeus sent to Rome Foelix conspireth against Ionathas Butchery The deceitfull Magicians Hedio Ruffinus cap. 12. al. cap. 17. A falle prophet draweth the Iewes to the mount Oliuet The yeare of the world 4019. after the Natiuitie of Christ. 57. Hedio Ruffinus cap. 13. al 18. A broile in Caesarea betweene the Syrians and Iewes The yeare of the world 4020. after Christs birth 58. Ismael the son of Phabeus the high priest The strife betweene the high priests the priests Alias cap. 19. Foelix acculed Hedio Ruffinus cap. 14. The cutthroâ—… among the Iewes Festus discomfiteth a great deceiuer with all his â—…ollowers Hedio Ruffinus cap. 15. al. 10. The yeare of the world 4020. after Châ—…sts birth 58. The chiefest men of Ierusalem stop vp the prospect of Agrippaâ—… house Ioseph Cabi y t son of Simon made high priest Albinus gouernour of Iudaea Ananus the son of Ananus the high priest Hedio Ruffinus cap. 16. al. 21. Ananus had fiue sons that succeeded him in the priesthood The â—…eare of the world 4025. after Christs birth 43. Iames the brother of â—…ur Lord stoned Ananus accused before Albinus Iesus the sonne of Damneus possesseth Aâ—…anus place Some forcibly gather the tenths of the â—…riests The yeâ—…re of the world 4026. after Christs birth 64. The theeues apprehend Ananias kinred and seruants Caesarea Philippi new builded by Agrippa and called Neronias The Berytianâ—… receiue much kindnes at Agrippas hands Ananias Costobarus and Saul prepared to spoile the weaker Hedio Ruffinus cap. 17. al. 22. Albinus executeth the hainous malefactors Agrippa giueth them of the tribe of Leuâ—… leaue to wâ—…are linnen garments Agrippa permitteth the ministers of the temple to sing the sacred hymnes The people of the Iewes beseech the king that it may be lawfull for theÌ„ to repaire the porch Matthias the sonne of Theophilus high priest The yeare of the world 4026. after Christs natiuitie 64 Hedio Ruffinus cap. 18. The succession and number of the hie priests among the Iewes Aaron and his progenie There were 83. high priests in all The yeare of the world 4026. after the Natiuitie of Christ. 64. Aristobulus slaine by Herode supra lib. 15. cap. 3. The yeare of the world 4028. after the birth of Christ. 66. Gessius Florus gouernour of Iudaea Gessius Floruâ—… worse then Albinus The yeare of the world 4030. after Christs birth 68. Florus the originall cause of the wars of the Iewes The beginning of the warres The Epilog of the Antiquitles of the Iewes The yeere of the world 4030. after Christs birth 68. Ioseph expert in the Greeke and Hebrew tongues This volume was written The yeare of the world 4057. after Christs birth 95. Iosephus Ilnage Ioseph the son
thorow extreame thirst are inforced to yeeld to thâ—… Iewes Ant. lib. 〈◊〉 cap. 7. Herods oration to Augustus Caesar. Herode speaketh freely before Câ—… The yeare of the world 3934. before Christs birth 30 Caesars anâ—… to Herod Herods gratulation toward Caesar. Caesar increaseth Herodes Dominion Herode made gouernour of Syria The yeâ—…re of the world 3947. before Christs birth 17. Ant. lib. 15. cap. 10. 12. 13. 14. Herodes buildings The yeare of the world 3947. before the birth of Christ. 17. The fountaine head of Iordan Herod maketh a greater port then that of Piraeum An apt description of a haueÌ„ The yeere of the world 3947. before Christs birth 17. Caesarea in time past called the tower of Straton Ant. lib. 15. ca. 10. 12. lib. 17. cap. 5. Agrippium Antipatris Cyprus Phasaelus tower Herodium Herodium a castle resembling a citie Herods bountie to all men Herod famous thorow the world The yeare of the world 3954 before Christs birth 10. Herode a great hunter The yeare of the world 3954. before Christs Natiuitie 8. Herod besides the vertue of mind and body had the blessings of fortune Ant. lib. 15. cap. 3. 8. lib. 16. cap. 13. Herod expelseth Antipater out of the citie and killeth Hyrcanus his wiues grandmother Herods children by Maririamme Mariamme hatefully vpbraideth Herode with Hyrcanus death Herods mother and sister do falsely accuse Mariamme to him Herod secretly chargeth Ioseph to kill his wife Herodes suspition betwixt Ioseph and his wife The yeare of the world 3954. before Christs birth 10. Herode commandeth both Ioseph and Mariamme to be slaine Mariammes sons inheritor of her displeasure The yeare of the world 3956. before Christs birth 8. Herods debate with those sons he had by Mariamme Ant lib. 16. cap. 4. Antipater by disgracing his brothers is declared his fathers heire Herod accuseth Alexander before Caesar. A reconciliation betweene Herode and his sonnes Archelaus kindly entertaineth Herod and his sonnes Herods worthy oration to the people wherein he distributeth honours to his three sonnes The yeare of the world 3956. before the birth of Christ. 8. Herod giueth not the kingdome to his sons but the honours of the kingdome Herode conuerteth his speech to his sonnes Herod by his words did not vtterly extinguish the hatred betweenâ—… his sonnes Antipaters treason against his brother Alexander By whatmeans Antipater corrupted his brother Alexanders friends Anupater whetâ—…eth Herode and his courtiers against Alexander The yeare of the world 3956 before Christs birth 8. Glaphyra Alexanders wiâ—…e increased his conceiued suspition by her words Aristobulus obiecteth to his wife her base birth Ant. lib. 16. cap. 7. Alexander and Aristobulus often times bewaile their mother and by that meanes prouoke their father The two brothers excuse themselues before their father Herod The yeare of thâ—… world 3956. before Christs Natiuitie 8. Alexander corrupteth his fathers Eunuches and telleth them â—…e 〈◊〉 to succeed in the kingdome Herod seareth his sonne Alexander Ant. lib. 17. cap. 8. Hrods cruelty Herode casteth Alexander into prisoâ—… and tortured his friends Alexander during his imprisonment wrote â—…oure bookes against his enemies Archelaus king of Cappadocia The yeare of the world 3956. before Christs birth 8. Archelaus and Herode consulte vpon Alexanders bookes Herode is incensed against his brother Pheroras Pheroras attired in a mourning garment with teares falleth before Herodes 〈◊〉 and craueth pardon Pheroras by Archelaus meanes pacifieth Herode Archelaus compelleth Herode of his owne accord to be intreated for Alexander Herod dismisseth Archelaus and his friends with great presents Ant. lib. 16. cap. 11. Eurycles the Lacedemonian secretly accuseth AlexaÌ„der to his father and is the cause of his death The yeare of the world 3956. before Christs birth 8. Eurycles by fained friendship deceiueth Alexander Another false accusation of Alexander his brother moueth Herod to indignation The yeere of the world 3956. before Christs birth 8. Diophanrus the kings notary writeth fained letters in Alexanders name Cous Euaratus Ant. lib. 16. cap. 12. Herode by Salomes counsaile imprisoneth his sons The yeare of the world 3961. before Christs birth 3. Ant. lib 16. cap. 13. Herode gathereth a councell against Alexander Aristobulus Herode accuseth his sonnes in open iudgement Herodes sentence against his sonnes The yeare of the world 3961. before the birth of Christ. 3. Tiro an olde souldier exclameth against Herodes crueltie Tyro with his sonne are by the kings command laid hands on Ant. lib. 16. cap. 13. Another false accusation against Tyro Herode commaundeth his sonnes to be strangled and to be buried with Alexander their mothers vncle Ant. lib. 17. cap. 21. Anupater striueth by gifts and bribes to creepe into mens fauours The yeare of the world 3961 before Christs birth 3. Herode grieuously bemoned his sons expressing the same by his â—…ation toward their children Herode betrotheth his nephewes Herodes children by his seuen wiues Herode is perswaded by Antipaters flatteries to breake off the mariages Ant. lib. 17. cap. 3. Antipater buildeth vpon the kingdome Adebaâ—… betwixt the Ladies in y t court The yeare of the world 3961. before Christs birth 3. Ant. li. 17. ca. 4. Herode forbiddeth Antipater of his brothers company or to haue conference with his wife Fabatus Caesars gouernor discouereth Syllaeus secrets Herod banisheth his brother Pheroras and and his wife Pheroras died and was buried in Ierusalem Ant. lib. 17. cap. 5. The yeare of the world 3961. before Christs birth 3. A witch of Arabia The confession oâ—… the women in their tortures Doris Antipaters mother is spoyled of her Iewels and thrust out of the pallace Pheroras wife freely confesseth what was become of the poyson The yeare of the world 396â—… before Christs Natiuitie 3. Gods iustice leaueth nothing vnpunished Antipaters treasons against Archelaus and Philip his brothers Antipater giueth a great summe of money to those that counterfait letters against his brothers Ant. lib. 18. cap. 8. Antipater is solicited By Herode with many kind words to hasten his returne The yeare of the world 3961 before Christs birth 3. Antipater hated in Caesarea Antipaters entertainment at his fathers hands Antipater is iudged before Varus Herods accusation against Antipater The years of the world 3961. before Christs birth 3. Herodes kindnes towards his children Herode loued Antipater aboue the rest and bestowed many benefits on him Antipaters answer and excuse Antipater calleth Rome and Caesar to witnesse The yeere of the world 3â—…61 before Christs birth 3. Nicholaus by the kings commaund beginneth a most hainous and bitter accusation against Antipater Nicholaus peroration The venome tried vpon a condemned man An other proofe against Antipater Herod intendeth Antipaters punishment therefore blotteth his name out of his Testament Ant. lib. 17. cap. 8. The yeare of the world 3963. before Christs Natiuitie 3. Iudas and Matthias perswade the people to pul downe the golden Eagle The yong men that puld downe the Eagle are brought before Herod
betweene the Romanes and the Iewes CHAP. XVIII Bacchides is sent once againe into Iudaea and obtaineth a victory WHen as Nicanors death and the discomfiture of his army was reported to Demetrius he sent a new army into Iudaea vnder the conduct of Bacchides who departing from Antioch and repairing to Iudaea encamped in Arbela a city of Galilee where hauing inforced conquered and taken a great number of those that were retired into caues he departed from thence and repaired in all haste to Ierusalem And vnderstanding that Iudas was encamped in the village of Berzeth he marched out against him with twentie thousand footmen and two thousand horsemen Now Iudas had not on his side in all aboue two thousand men who perceiuing the multitude of Bacchides soldiers were afraid so that some of them forsaking their camp fled away by which meanes there remained no more with Iudas but eight hundreth men Seeing himselfe therefore abandoned by so many of his men and pressed by his enemies who gaue him neither truce nor time to reassemble his forces he resolued to fight with those eight hundreth which he had whom he exhorted to be of good courage and to fight valiantly but they answered that they were insufficient to make head against so huge an army and counsailed him to retire and to stand on his guard for that time vntill he had gathered forces that might be able to confront the enemy But Iudas replied to this effect God forbid said he that the sunne should see me turne my backe vpon mine enemies And if by this meanes I meete with my death and that I must needes spend ◅y last bloud in this battell I will neuer soile so many notable actions so worthily atchieued nor staine so much glorie obtained with so great vertue by one ignominious flight And hauing in this sort exhorted the small remnant of those souldiers that were with him he commanded them that without any apprehension of danger they should bend themselues altogither against the enemy CHAP. XIX Iudas ouercome in the battell dieth BVt Bacchides drew out his army and arranged them in battell placing the horsemen on both the wings his light armed souldiers and archers in the front of the army and after these a strong band called the Macedonian Phalanx and he himselfe led the right wing of the battell And in this array he approched Iudas campe and caused the trumpets to be sounded commanding all his souldiers to giue a great shoute to charge their enemies Iudas did the like and encountred Bacchides so that on both sides there was a most cruell conflict which continued vntill the sunne-set And when as Iudas perceiued that Bacchides and the flower of his army fought in the right wing he chose out a certaine number of his most resolute followers and drew towards that quarter and setting vpon them he brake their squadron and afterwards thrusting into the midst of them he forced them to flie and pursued them as farre as the mount Aza They of the left wing perceiuing the flight of those in the right went after Iudas and enclosed him on the backpart He being vnable to flie and seeing himselfe enclosed by his enemies resolued with his souldiers to fight it out When as therefore he had slaine a great number of his enemies and being enfeebled more through wearinesse then by the woundes receiued of them he fell to the ground and was himselfe at last slaine likewise adding this honourable manner of death to his former notable and valiant exploites His souldiers seeing him dead and hauing no gouernour of respect left amongst them after the losse of so valiant a captaine betooke them all to flight Simon and Ionathan his brothers vpon intreatie recouered his body and carried it to Modim a place where his father was buried there was he interred by all the people who wept for him diuers daies and honoured him publikely according to the custome of their countrey Such was Iudas end who was a valiant man a great warriour and verie respectiue of the commandements of his father Matthias hauing done and suffered all that he might for the libertie of his countrey Being therefore after this manner adorned with vertue he hath left behinde him a perpetuall renowne of his worthy actes and an honourable memorie of himselfe obtained by the libertie in which hee reestablished his nation retyring them from the seruitude of the Macedonians who died also after he had discharged the office of the high priest for the space of three yeeres THE XIII BOOKE OF THE ANTIQVITIES OF THE IEWES WRITTEN BY FLAVIVS IOSEPHVS The Contents of the Chapters of the 13. booke 1 Ionathan after his brother Iudas death succeedeth him in the gouernment 2 Ionathan hauing wearied Bacchides by warre compelleth him to draw to a league and to depart away with his army 3 Alexander the sonne of Antiochus Epiphanes maketh warre vpon King Demetrius 4 Demetrius sendeth an embassador to Ionathan with presents perswading him to be of his faction 5 Alexander by greater proffers then Demetrius did offer and by offering the high Priests place to Ionathan draweth him to fauour his faction 6 Of the temple of God builded by Onias 7 How Alexander after the death of Demetrius highly honoured Ionathan 8 Demetrius the sonne of Demetrius ouercomming Alexander possesseth the kingdome and plighteth friendship with Ionathan 9 Tryphon Apamenus after he had ouercome Demetrius reserueth the kingdome for Antiochus Alexanders sonne who receiueth Ionathan into fauour 10 Demetrius being ouercome by the Parthians Tryphon breaketh his couenant of peace and laying hold on Ionathan traiterously killeth him and afterwards assaulteth Simon his brother 11 How the nation of the Iews cōmitted both the priesthood the gouernment of the army to Simon 12 Simon driuing Tryphon into Dora besiegeth him and entreth friendship with Antiochus surnamed Pius 13 A debate arising betweene Antiochus and Simon Cendebaeus the kings captaine is driuen out of the countrey 14 How Simon was traiterously slaine at a banquet by Ptolomey his father in law 15 How Prolomies endeuours being made frustrate Hircanus obtained the gouernment 16 How Antiochus surnamed the Iust leading an army against Hircanus for three hundreth talents is both reconciled and tied in league of friendshippe 17 Hircanus expedition into Syria 18 How Antiochus Cyzicenus assisting the Samaritanes is both conquered and enforced to flie 19 Aristobulus was the first that set the Diademe on his head 20 The actes of Alexander King of the Iewes 21 The victorie of Ptolomey Lathurus against Alexander 22 Demetrius Eucaerus ouercommeth Alexander in battell 23 The expedition of Antiochus Dionysius into Iewry 24 Alexander being dead his wife Alexandra succeeded him in the kingdome CHAP. I. Ionathan after the decease of his brother Iudas succeedeth him in the gouernment WE haue declared in our former booke how the nation of the Iewes after they had been vnder the subiection of the Macedonians recouered their liberty we
haue likewise discouered the great and grieuous conflicts which Iudas their captaine performed and in which he finally died in the behalfe of their libertie how likewise after the death of Iudas all the wicked Apostate Iewes who had reuolted from their religion tooke courage molesting and doing many iniuries to the rest of their countrimen Finally how besides their malice the famine inuaded the countrey so that diuers being vnable to sustaine these two mortall scourges of famine and warre were constrained to submit themselues vnto the Macedonians In the meane while Bacchides gathering togither the false Apostataes who were fallen from the religion of the Iewes with an intent to liue after the prophane manner of the Paganes committed the gouernment of the countrey vnto them who laying hold on Iudas friends and partakers betraied and deliuered them to Bacchides who first of all tormented and beat them at his pleasure and afterwards put them to death This so grieuous affliction then which the Iewes had neuer endured a worse since their returne from Babylon was the cause that those of Iudas faction who were yet aliue fearing the totall and cruell ruine of their nation addressed themselues to Ionathan his brother exhorting him to imitate his brother Iudas vertues to haue no lesse care of his countrimeÌ„ then the other had who fought for their libertie vntill his latest breath requiring him not to abandon the gouernment of his nation especially in that 〈◊〉 miserable estate wherin they were pluÌ„ged Ionathan answered them that he was ready to die for them and being in all things esteemed no lesse valiant and politique then his brother Iudas he was proclaimed generall and chiefetaine of the Iewes Bacchides hauing notice hereof feared least Ionathan should be no lesse infestuous to the king and Macedonians then his brother Iudas before him had been for which cause he sought the meanes to make him away by treason But both Ionathan and his brother Simon gat intelligence hereof and hauing discouered his practise they tooke all their families with them and fled into the desart that confined the Citie Ierusalem and retiring themselues neere vnto a water called the lake of Asphar they remained in that place When Bacchides perceiued that they mistrusted him and were drawne thither he went out against them with all his forces and being encamped on the other side of Iordan he gathered his army togither Ionathan knowing well that Bacchides came out to seeke him sent his brother Iohn surnamed Gaddis vnto the Arabians Nabatheans to commit the trust of their goods vnto their hand vntill the end of the warre betwixt him and Bacchides for the Arabians were his friends Whilest therefore Iohn marched towards the Nabatheans the sonnes of Amaraeus laid an ambuscado for him who were of the citie of Medaba and after they had furiously set vpon him on the way laid hold on whatsoeuer he brought with him they at length slew him and all his company for which fact of theirs they were shortly after punished by his brethren as we will make manifest in that which afterward followeth When Bacchides knew that Ionathan was incaÌ„ped in the marshes of Iordan he made choise of the Sabboth day to set vpon him hoping that he would not defend himselfe on that day because of the prohibition of the law But he contrary to his expectation incouraged his companions declared vnto them how it concerned their liues to be valiant for that it was impossible for them to escape because they were shut vp in the midst betwixt the floud and the enemy for they had the enemy before them and the floud on their backes As soone therefore as he had made his praier vnto God that it might please him to grant him the victorie he set vpon the enemy with a stout courage and slew a great number of them and perceiuing Bacchides how with great fiercenesse he set forward against him he stretched out his right hand to strike him but he preuenting the stroke by stepping aside Ionathan and his companions lept into the riuer and so saued themselues by swimming ouer to the other side of Iordan because the enemies durst not passe the water to pursue them Whereupon Bacchides returned incontinently to the Castle of Ierusalem after he had lost about some two thousand of his men After this he fortified diuers Cities which were before tâ—…ne ruinated namely Ierico Emaus Betheron Bethella Thamnata Pharathon Techoa and Gazara and builded in euery one of them certaine towers and great and strong walles and afterwards he planted garrisons therein to sally out vpon the Iewes and vex them but in especiall he fortified the cittadel of Ierusalem in which hee kept for hostages the children of the principallest men of Iudaea About that time there came a certaine man to Ionathan and his brother Simon bringing them newes that the sonnes of Amaraeus would solemnize their nuptials and were to leade the bride from the Citie of Gabatha which was daughter to one of the noblest amongst the Arabians for which cause she should be conducted with great magnificence and sumptuous pompe Ionathan and his brother supposing that a fit oportunitie was offered them to reuenge their brothers death and to punish the Medabanes for the wrongs they had done vnto their brother they tooke with them the greatest forces that they could and marched towards Medaba where they lay in ambush vnder the couert of a mountaine But when they saw them that led the bride and accompanied the bridegroome and a great troupe of their friends likewise according to the accustomed manner of marriages they brake out of their couert and put them all to the sword and after they had seazed their Iewels and all other bootie of that company that followed them they retired backe againe ioyfully hauing obtained their purpose and thus reuenged they the death of their brother Iohn vpon the sonnes of Amaraeus For not onely these alone but their friends that accompanied them with their wiues and children were all of them slaine to the number of foure hundreth And in this manner Simon and Ionathan returned into the marshes aforesaid and aboade there But Bacchides hauing fortified all the garrisons of Iudaea returned backe vnto the king And at that time the estate of the Iewes was in peace for the space of welny two yeeres But the wicked and such as were reuolted from the religion of the Iewes seeing that Ionathan and his followers conuersed in the countrey in great assurance by reason of the peace they sent certaine Embassadours vnto king Demetrius requiring him to send them Bacchides who might apprehend Ionathan declaring that it might easily be done and that in one night breaking in vpon them he might murther them all before they were aware When Bacchides by the kings commaundement came into Iury he wrote vnto all his friends both Iewes also his other allies requiring them to lay hold on Ionathan but