them We ought indeed to grant the Superiority to the Grecians in all that concerneth Eloquence and the Ornament of Language but not in that which appertaineth to Antiquity or Truth of History and especially in what concerneth the truth of ancient History and what hath passed in every Country Wherefore as the Egyptians and Babylonians long since used all diligence in writing because their Priests were hereunto enjoyned who did most curiously treat of all such matters the same also did the Chaldees amongst the Babylonians and the Phoenicians also inhabiting amongst the Greeks taught them to use Registers both concerning publick K and private affairs which because all men confess I will omit to speak off I let pass also to recount what care our Nation hath had of this point no doubt greater than those Nations above mentioned had charging our High Priests and Prophets to execute this Office which Custom hath been observed even until this Age and if I may presume so far will be observed in all succeeding Ages as by my ensuing discourse I will endeavour to make manifest For our Nation did not only depute this Office to the most virtuous and religious men amongst them in the beginning and to such as were consecrated to the Service of God but they also provided to preserve the Line and Descent of Priests from all impurity and from being intermingled with others For no man amongst us can be a Priest who is not born of a Woman descended from the same L Line Neither in this case is any respect made either of Riches or Honours but the party who claimeth the dignity of Priesthood must by many Witnesses prove his Genealogy and that he is descended from Priests This Custom is not only of force in Judea but wheresoever else any of our Nation inhabit A custom which the Priests observed as in Egypt and Babylon and in any other place where continually the Priests in their Marriages have this respect not to marry with any Woman that is not of their own Line they send to Jerusalem the Name and Pedigree of the Woman whom they have married and all the Testimony hereof which they can deduce from her Ancestors Now if War molest our Nation as often it hath in the time of Antiochus sirnamed Epiphanes of Pompey the Great Quintilius Varus and especially in this our Age then M those Priests who survive make new Genealogies and Pedigrees out of the ancient Registers for those that remain of the Sacerdotal Race And they marry none that have been Captives for fear they may have had commerce with strangers What more evident token can there be of the Priests integrity than that every Priest during the revolution of two thousand years is Registred together with the Names of their Fathers The Priests amongst the Jews are every one registred with the name of their Fathers and this custom contiuued two thousand years and if any one do erre or falsify any of the things before-said 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 necessity 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 ancient times beyond the memory of men were only written by N our Prophets who had the knowledge thereof by inspiration from God himself but other things of latter time are only recorded by those who lived in the Age wherein the things they writ of were done The Books amongst us containing the Histories of all Ages are neither infinite nor one repugnant to another Two and twenty Books of holy Writ for all our Chronicle is contained in 22 Books to which Books it is impiety to deny credit Five of these Books were written by Moses comprehending Genealogies and the beginning of mankind with such notable events as hapned even from the beginning of the World til his death which is little less than three thousand years After the death of Moses till the time wherein Artaxerxes lived who was King of the O Persians and Son to Xerxes every one of the Prophets of our Nation wrote the History A of his time wherein be lived so that of these mens Writings we have thirteen Books the four other Books which make up the Number already mentioned are known to contain holy Hymns made to the praise of God and wholsome Precepts for mans life and conversation All things which from Artaxerxes until our time have hapned are also set down in writing yet the Books wherein they are registred do not deserve so much credit as the former of ancient times for that there was no certain succession of Prophets in that Age. Moreover it is evident that to the former works we give as great credit as to things which we our selves write and notwithstanding they have 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 Jews even from their Cradle do believe these B Books to be sacred and divine and therefore give all credit possible unto them yea and would willingly suffer death rather than do the contrary Many Captives of our Nation have been cruelly tormented and divers ways put to death in open Theaters The Jews and Grecians are compared together only for that they would not commit any thing either in word or deed against their Laws nor violate the writings of their fore-fathers Now who amongst the Greeks did ever sustain the like Nay they are so far from doing it that none can be found among them who would suffer any loss in his goods or fortunes to preserve all the writings of their Nation from destruction and the reason hereof is because every one esteemeth the verity of their Histories to depend upon the will of the Writer And this they do also concerning their most ancient Historians and not C without cause for they every day see men of their own times writing Histories of matters long before past in former ages Some others have written of â—he Wars of the Jews wherein neither themselves were present neither yet do they vouchsafe to credit the writings of such as were then eye-witnesses thereof yea some among them have divulged Histories of such things as of late befel our Nation when themselves never have been in the place where such matters past as they writ of nor have lived in any neighbour place where they might have probable report how matters past but only compiling a few broken stories they most impudently arrogate to their patcht stuff the name of a History I my self have composed a most true History of the last War Joseph was present in all the Wars of the Jews and of every particular thing there done as well I might having been present
Titus repairs to Jerusalem news was brought to him of what was done at Rome And Embassadors came to him from all parts of the World to congratulate him And although next after Rome this City was the greatest in the World yet was it scarcely able to receive the people that came thither to him Vespasian being now established Emperour of all the World and the Common-wealth of the Romans being contrary to his expectation freed from troubles he now began to think upon the reliques of Judea Titus comes to Cesaeea and gathers his â—orces there And he himself winter being ended prepared to go to Rome and in the mean time he hasted to dispose of all things at Alexandria Moreover he sent his Son Titus N with his best Troops to destroy Jerusalem Titus departed by land from Alexandria to Nicopolis which is distant from it 20 furlongs and there he ship'd his men and sailed along the River Nilus by Medensia to Thumin here landing his men he came to the City called Tanis The second place he rested in was the City Heraclea and the third Pelusium where having refresh'd his Souldiers two days space the third day he past the borders of Pelusium and having gone one days journey through the wilderness he pitcht his Camp at the Temple of Jupiter Cassian and the next day at Ostracine where there is no water but all that the Inhabitants use they have from other places After this he rested at Rhinocolura and from thence in four dayes he went to Raphia where begin the borders of Syria and the fifth day he lodged at Gaza and from thence going to Ascalon O and so to Jamnia and Joppa he arrived at Caesarea purposing to gather some other Forces there A The SIXTH BOOK Of the WARS of the JEVVS The year of the World 4034. after the Nativity of Christ 72. B Written by Flavius Josephus The Contents of the Chapters of the Sixth Book 1 OF Three Seditions in Jerusalem 2 How Titus went to Jerusalem to see their strength and how he was in danger 3 How the Jews did issue out upon the Romans pitching their Tents C 4 Of the fight within the City upon the Feast of Unleavened-Bread 5 Of the deceit of the Jews used against the Romans 6 The Description of Jerusalem 7 The Jews refuse to yield and assault the Romans 8 Of the fall of the Tower and how two of the Walls were won 9 How Castor the Jew did flout the Romans 10 How the Romans did twice get the second Wall 11 Of the Mounts raised against the third Wall and a long Oration of Joseph perswading the Jews to yield and of the Famine within the City 12 Of the Jews that were Crucified and how the Towers were burnt 13 How the Romans in three dayes space built a Wall about Jerusalem D 14 Of the Famine in Jerusalem and how they built another Tower or Mount 15 Of the Massacre of the Jews both within and without the City 16 Of the Sacriledge about the Temple and the dead Bodies that were cast out of the City and of the Famine CHAP. I. E Of the three sorts of Sedition in Jerusalem TItus being thus come out of Aegypt by the Desart into Syria he departed for Caesarea purposing there to set his Army in order And whilst he was with his Father Vespasian at Alexandria disposing of the Empires that God had given him it happened that the Sedition at Jerusalem divided into three parts and fought one against another and well it was they were so equally divided We have already sufficiently declared who were the Authors of the Faction of the Zealots A threefold Sedition in Jerusalem whose tyranny over the City was the ruine thereof and this may be said to F be a Sedition out of a Sedition which like a hungry wild Beast wanting his prey turned his cruelty against his own bowels So Eleazar the Son of Simon who was the first that in the Temple divided the Zealots from the People faining himself to be displeased with that which John every day did yet in Truth for that he envied that a greater Tyrant than himself should be Ruler desirous to be Chief and make himself Mighty he revolted from the rest and with him Judas the Son of Chelcias and Simon the Son of Ezron two of the most potent amongst them Besides them was also Ezechias the Son of Chobarus a Nobleman all of which had many of the Zealots following them and possessing themselves of the inner part of the Temple they set a Guard in the entrance and in the sacred Gates presuming upon the fulness of their Stores for there was great quantity of sacred Provision which they thought it no impiety to make G use of yet fearing their small number they permitted many of the Company that were killed to remain in the places where they were slain John was superiour in number but inferiour in the quality of the place for having his Enemies above his head he H could not without danger make incursions yet his Rage would not suffer him to forbear infesting his Enemies though thereby his party had more harm than those of Eleazars and he still assaulted them to his own cost Thus many Assaults were continually made and many Darts cast and the Temple was prophaned with murders Simon the Son of Giora incited by the People to be their Leader in hope he would have assisted them having in his hands both the higher part of the City and greater part of the lower did now more boldly than before assault John and his followers because they were assailed by those above yet he being as it were beneath John and his party sustained as much loss at their hands The fight between John and Eleazar as John himself did from them who were above him Thus John was doubly engaged with Eleazar who infested him from above and I Simon from below But Simons assaults from below were easily repulsed and it was not a little mischief he did those who gaul'd him with their Darts from above Simon and John skirmish in the Temple by certain Engines that he invented by which he cast Stones and Darts among them and slew several both of their Souldiers and Priests as they were offering Sacrifice to their God For though they were generally too prone to all manner of wickedness yet those that would were permitted to offer Sacrifice watching and diligently guarding those of their Nation For Strangers which came thither for devotion were not mistrusted But after these wicked People had permitted them to Sacrifice when they had finished their devotions Great slaughter in the Temple they were made a prey and consumed by this Sedition For Darts and other shot with force of the Engines came into the Temple and Altar and slew the K Priests at the Altar And many who came from the uttermost parts of the World unto that holy place
S. Matth. 23. ver 38 36. All these things had been foretold by our Saviour and written by the Evangelists before the revolt of the Jews and at a time when there was not yet the least appearance of so strange a Revolution Now inasmuch as Prophecy is the greatest of miracles and the most powerful way whereby God Almighty authorizes his doctrine this Prophecy of Jesus Christ to which no other is comparable may be justly accounted the chief and most irrefragable evidence to mankind of his Divine Birth and Mission For as no other Prophecy was ever more clear so neither was any more punctually accomplisht Jerusalem was destroy'd to the ground by the first Army that besieg'd it there remain'd not the least footstep of that proud Temple the wonder of the Vniverse and the object of the Jews vanity and the calamities which ruin'd them answer'd precisely to that dreadful Prediction of our Saviour But to the end so great an Event might serve as well for the instruction of those that were to be born in afier-times as for those that were spectators of it it was necessary as I have said that the History should be written by an irreprochable Witness To which purpose 't was fit the Writer should be a Jew and not a Christian lest he might be suspected to have accommodated the Events to the Prophesies 'T was fit he should be a person of quality to the end he might be fully inform'd of all things 'T was fit he should see with his own eyes the wonderful things which he was to relate to the end he might be capable of credit And lastly 't was fit he should be a Man whose eloquence and judgment might be sutable to the greatness of such a subject All which qualifications so necessary to render this History compleat in all points meet so perfectly in Josephus that 't is evident God Almighty chose him expresly to persuade all reasonable persons of the truth of this marvellous occurrence 'T is certain that having contributed in this manner to the confirmation of the Gospel it appears not that he made any benefit thereof for himself or that he had any share in the blessings so plentifully poured down in his time upon all the earth But if there be reason to commiserate his unhappiness in this point there is some also to bless the Providence of God who has made his blindness serve to our advantage since the things he writes concerning his own Nation are in respect of the incredulous incomparably of more force for confirmation of the Christian Religion than if he had embrac'd Christianity so that we may apply to him in particular what the Apostle saith of all the Jews III. Josephus's Answer to Appion The next of the Works of Josephus besides his Life written by himself is an Answer in two Books to what Appoin and some others had written against his History of the Jews against the Antiquity of their Race against the Purity of their Laws and against the Conduct of Moses Nothing can be more solid than this Answer wherein Josephus proves invincibly the Antiquity of his Nation by the Egyptian Chaldean Phenician and even by the Greek Historians themselves He shews that all which Appion and those other Authors have alledg'd to the disadvantage of the Jews are ridiculous Fables as well as the plurality of their Gods and he excellently sets forth the greatness of the actions of Moses and the sanctity of the Laws which God gave the Jews by his intervention IV. The Martyrdom of the Maccabees The Martyrdom of the Maccabees follows next 'T is a piece which Erasmus so famous among the Learned calls a Masterpiece of Eloquence and I confess I understand not why having with reason so advantagious an opinion of it he paraphras'd it and not translated it Never was Copy more different from its Original 'T is hardly any of its principal Lineaments and if I mistake not nothing can more advance the reputation of Josephus than to see that so able a Man intending to embellish his Work has on the contrary so much diminisht the beauty of it and thereby shew'd how much Josephus is to be esteem'd for writing not after the manner of most of the Greeks in a long-winded style but closely and compendiously as affecting to say nothing but what is necessary And I cannot sufficiently wonder that no person hitherto has made a Translation of it from the Greek either into Latin or French at least to my knowledge For Genebrard instead of Translating Josephus has only Translated Erasmus For my part I have faithfully adhered to the original Greek without following that Paraphrase of Erasmus any where which invents names that are neither in Josephus nor the Bible for the mother of the Maccabees It should seem Josephus did not write this famous Martyrdom authoriz'd by the Holy Scripture but to prove the truth of a discourse which he makes in the beginning to shew that Reason is the Mistress of Passions and he attributes to it a power over them which there would be reason to wonder at if it were strange that a Jew should be ignorant that this power belongs only to the grace of Jesus Christ He is contented to declare that he means only a Reason accompany'd with justice and piety V. The Embassy of Philo to C. Caligula the Roman Emperor This is a brief account of all the Works of Josephus Now because Philo although a Jew as well as he writ also in Greek upon part of the same Subjects but handles the same rather as a Philosopher than an Historian and because none amongst all his Writings is so esteem'd as that of his Embassage to the Emperor C. Caligula of whom Josephus speaks particularly in the 10th Chapter of the 18th Book of the Jewish Antiquities I conceiv'd that this Piece having so great affinity therewith it would not be amiss to shew by a Translation of it the different manner of writing of these two great Persons That of Josephus is undoubtedly more compendious and has nothing of the Asiatic style so that he expresses that in few words which Philo doth sometimes in as many lines The History of that Emperor may be made up from the Writings of these two famous Authors inasmuch as Philo relates as particularly and eloquently the Actions of his Life as Josephus has written nobly and excellently the passages of his Death Both the one and the other were so extraordinary that 't is an advantage there remains such Images thereof to Posterity to animate good Princes to merit by their Virtue as great affection for their Memory as People have horror for those who have shew'd themselves unworthy of the rank which they held in the World It remains only to add That as this Volume comprehends all the ancient holy History so the Readers are desir'd to peruse it not only for Divertisement or Curiosity but also with an aim to profit by the useful Considerations for which
were put to death I came out again and join'd my self with the Priests and chiefest Pharisees whom I found surprized with great fear when they saw the People in Arms and uncertain what to do wanting the means to pacifie these mutinies But apparently perceiving the danger both I and the Pharisees feign'd our selves of their mind and counselled them to contain themselves in peace and let the Roman Forces depart in hope that Gessius would with all expedition draw out great Forces and chastise these L Peace-breakers But as soon as he arrived and fought with them he was overcome and a great number of his men slain whereupon follow'd the utter ruine of our whole Nation For such as desired the War were puffed up with that Victory and conceived assured hope that in the end they should overcome the Romans Besides this ensuing occasion presented it self The Inhabitants of the Cities that border upon Syria The Jews are plagued both by strangers and their own Countreymen laid hands on those Jews that dwelt among them and slew them with their Wives and Children without any just cause or crime committed by them For they had not conspired any ways or intended to revolt from the Romans or to use any Hostility or any secret Conspiracy against any of those with whom they were conversant But amongst all the rest the Citizens of Scythopolis exceeded all other in M impiety and wickedness For being besieged by certain of the Jews they inforced those Jews that inhabited amongst them to take Arms and fight against those of their own Nation which is expresly prohibited by our Laws and having overcome by their assistance they by a detestable perfidiousness forgot the obligation they had the faith which they had engag'd to them and slew every one of them to the number of many Thousands The like misfortune also fell upon those Jews that inhabited Damascus But of this we have more amply spoken in those our Books which we have written of the Wars of the Jews and at this present I make mention hereof onely to signifie to the Reader The Jews constrained by necessity to make War that our Nation became engaged in War with the Romans not out of voluntary intent and purpose but in great part by necessity and constraint N After that Gessius was overcome as is before declared the chiefest men of Jerusalem perceiving that the Seditious were strongly armed and provided they began to fear lest if they should be found disarmed they should suddenly be overthrown by their enemies as in effect it fell out afterwards and hearing that all Galilee was not as yet wholly revolted from the Romans but that a part thereof as yet remained in peace they sent me with two other Priests Joazar and Judas who were both virtuous and honourable men to persuade the mutinous to lay down their Arms and to let them know that it was more advantagious for the Nation that such Men as were in Authority and Reputation should have the keeping thereof The resolution that was taken O by them was that they had them always ready upon all occasions but that they expected until they were certified what the Romans intended to do A With this Commission and the like Instructions I repaired into Galilee where I found the Sephorites were ready to come to a Battel with the Galileans The danger of the Sephorites for that these latter had threatned to ravage their Countrey in regard of their league of friendship with the Romans contracted and ratified by Senius Gallus Governor of Syria But I delivered them from that fear and appeased the Common people by permiting them to send at all times when they pleased Sedition in the City of Tiberias their Hostages to Gessius who lay at Dora a City of Phoenicia I found likewise that the Inhabitants of Tiberias were already in Arms upon this occasion There were in that City three different Factions the one of the Nobility whose Chief was Julius Capella Three Factions in the City of Tiberias to whom were joined Herod the Son of Miarus Herod the Son of Gamal and Compsus the Son of Compsus For Crispus the Brother of Compsus who in times past had been made B Governor of the City for Agrippa sirnamed the Great was in his own possessions on the other side of Jordan All these I say were of opinion to remain under the Romans authority and to obey their King But Pistus alone of the Nobility would no ways acaccord to this advice by the persuasion of his Son Justus The second Faction was of the common sort who concluded upon War Justus Son of Pistus who was the Ringleader of the third Faction carried himself very doubtfully touching the War yet notwithstanding he secretly thirsted after Innovation hoping that by a change he should encrease his power The Oration of Justus Pistus's Son to the multitude Presenting himself therefore in the midst of the multitude he endeavored to persuade them that their City was always one of the chief of Galilee and that during the days of Herod the Tetrarch who founded the same it was the C chiefest City whose pleasure it was that the City of Sephoris should yield obedience to that of Tiberias That they had not lost that preheminence in the time of King Agrippa the Father but had continued the same till Faelix obtained the Government of Judaea But for the present since they had been given by Nero to the younger Agrippa they had fallen from and lost their Superiority For the City of Sephoris obtained the Sovereignty of Galilee after that she acknowledged the Roman Government which had removed the Treasure of the Charters and the Receipts of the Kings Money By these words and others of like nature against King Agrippa he incited the People to Rebellion Justus incites the people to Rebellion signifying to them That an opportunity invited them to take Arms to the end that being associated with the Galileans they might recover the advantages which D they had lost unjustly To which purpose all the Province would willingly join with them through the hatred they bare the Sephorites on whom they would revenge themselves with great power because they continued in their Allegiance which they promised to the Romans By these words he won the Peoples hearts to him for he was a Man very eloquent and by his subtilty and politick discourse Justus the off-spring of War easily overthrew all that which his Adversaries produced against him He was also skilful enough in the Greek Language to attempt the writing of the History of those Transactions to the end to disguise the truth thereof But in the process of this discourse I will shew more particularly what his ill designs were and how by his and his Brothers means he wanted little of utterly overthrowing E his Countrey When therefore this Justus had persuaded the Citizens of Tiberias to take
the crown and reward of Felicity as on the contrary that they who depart from the diligent observance thereof instead of succeeding in their designs how just soever the same may seem to themselves fall into all sort of misfortunes and into miseries without recovery For which cause I exhort all those that shall read these Books to conform themselves to the Will of God and to observe in Moses our excellent Law-giver how worthily he hath spoken of his Divine Nature how he hath manifested that all his Works are proportionable to his infinite Greatness and how his whole Narration thereof is pure and free from the vanity of Fables wherewith all other Histories are poysoned For the Antiquity alone of his History secures him from the suspition K that one might entertain of his having mingled any thing of fabulous in his writings inasmuch as he was born more than two thousand years ago which is a continuance of Ages to which the Poets neither durst refer the original of their gods neither the deeds or laws of men whereof they make mention But in pursuit of our History the sequel of our Discourse shall declare all things exactly and in the order which is observ'd in the Sacred Books For in compiling this Work I have promised neither to add nor to pretermit any thing And for that all whatsoever we shall declare doth almost wholly depend on the knowledge which the wisdom of our Lawmaker Moses hath given us thereof it is necessary before all other things that I speak somewhat of himself lest perhaps any man should wonder that in a History wherein it may seem that I ought to relate nothing but Actions pass'd and Precepts concerning manners nevertheless L I intermix so many things which concern the knowledge of Nature We ought therefore to know that Moses thought it most especially necessary for him that will either virtuously dispose his own life or impose Laws to other men to begin with the knowledge of God and after having attentively consider'd all his Works to strive as much as in him lieth to imitate his most perfect example and follow him with all diligence For it is impossible that a Law-giver being void of this contemplation should have good sense or that his writings should be of any moment to induce them unto virtue who should receive those Laws except before all things they learn that God who is the Father and Lord of all and that seeth all giveth happy life unto those that follow him and contrariwise invironeth them with great calamities who forsake the way of virtue and righteousness Moses therefore intending to instruct his Citizens in M this doctrine began not his Ordinances with the Treatise of Contracts and Covenants which we practise one with another as other Lawgivers are accustomed to do but he hath raised their minds to the knowledge of God taught them in what manner this World was made by him and shew'd them that the principal work among all those things which God made in the World is Man And after that he had made them capable of things concerning Piety then might he more easily persuade them in the rest Whereas other Lawgivers addicting themselves unto Fables have in their discourse imposed on their gods the infamy of sins committed by men and by that means have brought to pass that the wicked sort are yet more wicked and addicted to evil doing But our admirable Lawgiver after having declared that God is in himself all virtue pure and unspotted he shews that men also ought to endeavor to imitate the same and on those N that neither conceive nor believe those things he inflicteth a grievous and inevitable punishment I exhort the Reader therefore to examine our Writings according to these Rules for to those that consider after this manner nothing shall seem either absurd or unworthy the Majesty of God or of his love to men by reason that all things have their disposition conformable to the universal nature which our Lawgiver hath declared sometimes obscurely sometimes in convenient Allegories gravely and elsewhere expressing that manifestly and publishing that in plain words which ought openly to be made known The causes whereof if any man would search he might find need of a most deep and philosophical contemplation which I overslip at this present without staying longer thereon but if God shall give me time I will inforce my self to compose it in a Volume as soon as I shall have finished this Work For this present then I O will apply my self to relate those things which have been done beginning at the Creation of the World according as Moses hath taught us and I have found written in the Holy Scriptures A The First Book of the History of the JEWS drawn out of the Old Testament and continu'd to the Empire of NERO by FLAVIVS JOSEPHVS under the Title of JEWISH ANTIQUITIES The Contents of the Chapters of the First Book 1. The Creation of the World Adam and Eve disobey the Command of God and are driven B out of the earthy Paradise 2. Cain kills his Brother Abel God banishes him for it His Posterity is as wicked as himself The Virtues of Seth the other Son of Adam 3. Of the Posterity of Adam till the Deluge from which God preserved Noah and his Family in the Ark. 4. Of the Tower of Babylon and the change of Tongues 5. How Noah's Posterity disperst themselves thorough the whole World 6. The Descendants of Noah down to Jacob. The several Countries which they possess'd 7. How Abraham the Author of our Nation departed from the Land of the Chaldeans and dwelt in the Countrey of the Canaanites which is now called Judea C 8. Abraham pressed by Famine departed into Egypt where having stayed awhile at last he returned back again 9. The overthrow of the Sodomites by the Assyrians Lot is taken Prisoner 10. Abraham parsueth the Assyrians and returneth victorious 11. The destruction of Sodom 12. Of Ishmael Abraham's Son and of the Arabians Posterity 13. Of Isaac Abraham's Legitimate Son 14. The death of Sarah Abraham's Wife Gen. 23. per totum 15. How the Nation of the Troglodytes descended from Chetura the Wife of Abraham 16. Of Abraham's death Gen. 25. 7 8. D 17. Of Isaac's Sons Esau and Jacob and of their Nativity and Education Gen. 25. 18. How Jacob fled into Mesopotamia for fear of his Brother Gen. 28. 19. Isaac dieth and is buried in Hebron Gen. 35. 29. CHAP. I. The Creation of the World Adam and Eve disobey the Command of God and are driven out of the earthly Paradise IN the Beginning God created Heaven and Earth The year of the World 1 before Christ's Nativity 3963. Now the Earth not being subject to sight but covered with thick darkness and traversed with an Air coming from E high God commanded that there should be Light and after the Light was made having considered the universal matter he separated
since it seemeth not good in Gods sight that either I should be agent or assistant in your affairs beyond Jordan Deut. 4. 1 ad 43. I have resolv'd to employ that little space of life which remains to me in order to establish your felicity according to the Grace that is given me and to provide that by laying open the way unto you that leadeth to the same I may oblige you to retain some affection for my memory Give I therefore ear unto me that when I have first declared unto you wherein both your felicity and the happiness of your posterity consisteth and have left this perpetual testimony and monument of my intire love towards you I may willingly depart out of this life For well I know that I deserve to be credited by you both for that hitherto I have incessantly in studying for your profits never deceived you and because the sentiments of our souls are never so pure as when they are ready to be separated from the body Ye sons of Israel there is but one onely way whereby men attain to felicity to wit the favour of God which he onely gives to those that deserve it and withdraws from those that offend him Towards him if you continue dutiful according as he requires and in such manner as I by his direction have instructed you you shall never fail to encrease in virtue and to draw all men to envy your happiness and which is more K those goods which you have now obtained shall be perpetual and that which you want shall shortly be plentifully bestowed on you Only take heed to be obedient to Gods Will and Commandments and never prefer any other Laws before those I have given you or through contempt innovate any thing in your Religion Moses exhorteth the people to be obedient to Gods will Which if you shall perform you shall excel all other Nations in war and be invincible by your enemies for by Gods assistance all things are possible Moreover there are great rewards in all the course of life proposed unto virtue which is also to it self a great reward besides by it all other blessings are easily obtained and if you practise it among your selves you shall both lead a blessed life and obtain immortal glory The promise of Gods assistance not onely amongst strangers but also to all posterity These things are you to hope for if neither you your selves violate those Laws which by Gods command and my L means are prescrib'd to you nor suffer any other to violate the same but in your selves continually meditate upon the understanding and use thereof As for my self I depart this life in fulness of joy Obedience to the Magistrates and the comfort to leave you in great prosperity commending you all to the Laws of piety and prudence and the virtue of your Guides and Magistrates who hereafter are to take care of your safety and felicity God likewise under whose conduct you have lived and to whose favour you owe whatsoever you have received by me will not fail to take care of you but as long as you shall honour both him and piety so long shall you remain in security under his protection neither shall you want such men who shall give you excellent instructions whose counsels if you obey you shall be fortunate namely Eleazar the High Priest and Josua with the Senate and Magistrates of the Tribes towards whom M beware lest you grow stiff-necked knowing and remembring this that he that is instructed to obey well will when he shall attain unto dignity govern well Neither imagine to your selves that liberty consisteth in disobeying your Superiors as hitherto you have done from which sin if hereafter you shall keep your selves you shall see your estate become still more flourishing and fortunate And God forbid that you should ever be so exasperated against them as you have been sometimes incensed against me For you may remember that I have been more often in hazard of my life by your means than by the enemy Which I speak not to upbraid you for I would not leave you afflicted with the remembrance hereof at the hour of my death who even at that time entertained the injury with a quiet mind but to the end that being by me admonished you may henceforward be wiser in those things which N hereafter shall concern you and lest you should grow contumelious against your Governors being made proud with affluence of your riches which you shall enjoy at such time as you have passed over Jordan and conquered Canaan Otherwise if made more insolent by these blessings you fall into contumacy and contempt of virtue Gods favour will never be extended towards you and if by your sins you shall incense him against your selves you shall both lose the Land which you have conquered by your courage by being shamefully oppressed by your Enemies and being dispersed over the face of the whole earth both the Land and Sea shall be full of the marks of your servitude which if it should come to pass then were it too late to repent you that you have not observed his holy Laws Wherefore to avoid this danger suffer not any one of your Enemies after your victory is once gotten to live and think it O most conducible for your affairs to kill all without sparing any for fear lest living with them and being intangled in the like customes and delights you fall into Idolatry and A abandon your Countrey Laws and Institutions Moreover I command you to destroy their gods their Altars and Temples as many as you shall meet with and so to ruine all the woods consecrated to their false gods both with Fire and Sword that there may not remain any token or memory of them any more For so shall you more safely maintain the possession of the goods which you enjoy The Israelites are commanded to kill their enemies and destroy their idols But lest through ignorance of better things you become depraved by Gods commandment I have written you Laws and a form of administration both of the Commonwealth and your private estates from which if you shall no ways divert or wander you shall prove the most fortunate People of the earth When he had spoken these things he delivered them a Book containing in Writing their Laws Moses delivereth the Israelites a book wherein their Laws and manner of life was written and customs of good life which when they had received they melted B into tears and now lamented both for the loss of their Captain and for that they remembered how many perils he had suffered for their sakes and how diligently he had procured their safety and security and their sorrow increas'd by their belief that they were not like to have ever again so good a Prince and they feared likewise that God would not hereafter be so favorable unto them in that they had not a Moses to pray
could speak they would accuse you that without cause they are ill treated against all right and that if they had the power to depart from thence they would transplant themselves into L another Countrey But when the Battel is ended and the day is yours kill all those Enemies that resisted you in the Fight Deut. 20. 15 16 17. the rest reserve as your tributaries except the people of the Land of Canaan The Canaanites are wholly to be extinguished for they with all their Families are to be exterminated Beware also but especially in War that neither a Woman use a Mans apparel nor a Man that of a Womans These are the Laws which Moses left Deut. 30. 31 32 33 34. He gave them likewise certain Institutions which he had written forty years before whereof we will speak in another Treatise Some few dayes after for he assembled the people six days together he gave them his blessing and pronounced his maledictions against those which should not live according M to his Laws but should transgress the determinations thereof He read also unto them a Canticle of six measures which he had registred in the holy book containing a prediction of things to come according to which all things have and do fall out without varying any ways from the truth These Volumes and the Ark he gave to the Priests in which he also placed the ten Commandments written in the two Tables Deut. 25. 19. He committed also unto them the custody of the Tabernacle He likewise exhorted the people that when by force they had conquered the promised Countrey The Amalechites to be punished and were planted therein they should not forget the injury which the Amalechites had done them but that they should lead forth their Army against them and take vengeance of the wrongs they had done them at such time as they were in the Desart And N he commanded them that as soon as they had taken the Countrey of Canaan they should exterminate and extinguish all the people He commanded them also to erect an Altar towards the East not far from the City of Sichem between the two Mountains Garizim on the right hand and the other called Gebal on the left and that distributing the people into two parts six Tribes in every part they should place them on these Mountains And he commanded that the Levites and Priests should be with them and that they that were upon the Mountain of Garizim should pray to God to multiply his blessings upon them that are zealous of his service and careful of the conservation of his Laws which had been given them by Moses The six other also were appointed to answer them and when these six O last had prayed the six first were to answer them and confirm that which they had pronounced This done they pronounced maledictions against the transgressors each one A answering the other in ratification of that which had been spoken He reduced also into writing these blessings and curses to the intent that the memory thereof might never be suppressed or extinguished by time which he also being near his death caused to be written on the Altar on the two sides thereof and permitted the people to come near it onely that day and there to offer burnt offerings which is forbidden to them by the Law These ordinances did Moses establish and these the Hebrew Nation observe inviolably even unto this day On the next morning he re-assembled all the people with their Wives and Children he likewise commanded Deut. 29 1 ad 10. the slaves should be present binding them by an oath to maintain and keep the Laws Moses bindeth the Hebrews by an oath to keep the Law and that diligently tying themselves to the will of God they B should not so much esteem either their kindred or means or perils or any other cause whatsoever as thereby to be driven to neglect the Laws or depart from the ordinances thereof but whether any one of their kindred or any City whatsoever should seek to alter and disturb the same or strive to weaken the authority thereof that both in particular and publick they should expose themselves and endeavour to punish them and if they should fortune to take such a City they should raze and utterly deface the same and if it were possible not leave one stone upon another but destroy the foundation But if they were too feeble to take such a revenge yet that they should make it known that they were not consenting to their impiety Hereunto the whole multitude consented and promis'd with an oath He afterwards told them how the people should C know when the Sacrifices were agreeable unto God and how they ought to march out to Battel taking a sign from the stones of the High Priest's Rational of which I have fore-spoken Josua likewise during the life and in the presence of Moses Prophesied whatsoever he intended to perform for the profit of the people either abroad in the administration of War or at home in prescribing Laws and preparing them to that order of life which was newly prescribed them he told them that by instructions from God he Prophesied that if they violated their Countrey Religion they should not escape destruction their Countrey should be filled with Foreign Arms their Cities Sackt their Temple Burnt and themselves sold under the Spear and that they should serve a D Nation Deut. 33. 23. which would not be moved or touched with commiseration of their afflictions and miseries and at length they should too late and unprofitably repent of their error yet that God their establisher would restore the Cities to the ancient Citizens and the Temple to his people Deut. 34. 9. And that this should come to pass not onely once but also many times Moses exhorteth Josua Then did Moses also appoint Josua to lead his Army against the Canaanites promising him that God would be assisting to his actions and wishing all sort of happiness to the people Seeing that saith he I go unto mine Ancestors and God hath prefixed this day for my departure it is very just that living as yet and standing in your presence I give him thanks for the care and providence which he hath hitherto had of your affairs not onely in delivering E you from so many evils but also in largely imparting his blessings unto you and for that he hath alwayes favourably helpt me whilest I endeavoured by my labour and care to reduce your fortunes to a better state Deut. 3. 13. 23. for it is he which hath given both the beginning and the accomplishment Deut. 34. 9. making use of me but as his Minister and Servant in all that good which hath been done to his people For all which things I have thought requisite in departing from you to bless the goodness of God who in time to come shall have the care and charge of you
taken they should never more come into his presence Now Phinces executed the office of the High Priest by the permission of his Father by reason he was very aged The Hebrews upon the arrival of the Ark conceived great hope that they should have the upper hand of their Enemies v. 5. ad 11. The Philistines likewise were dismayed fearing the presence of the same v. 11. 12. c. but the event was not answerable to the one or to the others expectation Ophni and Phinees with thirty thousand are slain and the Ark is surprised by the Enemy For when they joyned battel the victory which the Hebrews hoped N would be theirs fell to the Philistines and the loss which the Philistines feared fell upon the Hebrews who at last perceived that they had reposed their confidence on the Arke in vain For as soon as their Enemies gave them the first charge they turned their backs and lost about thirty thousand men amongst whom were the two Sons of the High Priest and the Ark was taken and carried away by the Enemy O A CHAP. XII The year of the World 2871. before Christ's Nativity 1093. Eli understanding the loss of his Sons fell from his Seat and dyed AS soon as the news of this overthrow was brought to Silo 1 Sam. 4. 13 ad 18. and it was certainly known that the Ark was taken Eli understandeth of the loss of his sons and the surprizal of the Ark. for a young Benjamite who had escap'd out of the Battel came to bring tydings thereof all the City was filled with sorrow and Eli the High Priest who sate in one of the gates on a high Throne understanding the lamentation and judging that some disaster had befallen his People sent to seek out this young B Messenger by whom he was advertis'd of that which had hapned This accident of his Sons and the Army he heard with great moderation because that before that time God had told him what should happen Ver. 18. and those adversities which are foreseen do less afflict us when they happen But when he knew that the Ark was taken Eli hearing of the loss of the Ark dyed and in the Enemies hands a Calamity so beyond his expectation in such sort augmented his grief that he suffered himself to fall from his Throne upon the ground where he dyed he lived 98 years in all and spent 40 of them in the Government of the People The same day dyed the Wife of Phinees the Son of Eli soon after she understood the misfortune of her Husband Ver. 19 20 21. for she was with Child when the message of his death was brought to her Phinees wiâ—e bare Ichabod and dyed and she was deliver'd of a Son in the seventh month which lived and C was called Ichabod which signifieth ignominy by reason of the Infamy received at that time by the Army Eli was the first that governed among the Successors of Ithamar one of the Sons of Aaron The genealogy and progeny of Eli the High Priest for before that time the house of Eleazar was possessed of the Priesthood the Son receiving it from his Father Eleazar left it to Phinees after him Abiezer his Son enjoy'd the place and left it to his Son Boci whose Son called Ozes receiv'd it after whom Eli of whom we speak at this present took the same whose Posterity retain'd that dignity till the time of the Reign of Solomon when the Posterity of Eleazar were restored to it D E F G The Sixth Book of the Antiquities of the JEWS The year of the World 2850. before Christ's Nativity 1114. H Written by FLAVIVS JOSEPHVS The Contents of the Chapters of the Sixth Book 1. How the Philistines compelled by Pestilence and Famine sent the Ark of God back again unto the Hebrews 2. The Victory of the Hebrews under the Conduct of Samuel 3. How Samuel when his strength failed him through age committed the administration of I Affairs to his Sons 4. How the People being offended with the manners of Samuels Sons required a King that might rule over them 5. Saul by Gods Commandment anointed King 6. Sauls Victory against the Ammonites 7. The Philistines assailing the Hebrews are over come by them in Battel 8. The Victory of Saul against the Amalekites 9. Samuel translateth the Royal Dignity unto David 10. The Expedition of the Philistines against the Hebrews 11. Davids single Fight with Goliath and the slaughter of the Philistines that follow'd K 12. Saul admiring Davids fortitude giveth him his Daughter in marriage 13. How the King sought Davids death 14. How David oftentimes hardly escaped the Kings malice yet having him twice in his power he would not hurt him 15. The Hebrews are overcome in a great Battel by the Philistines wherein Saul the King and his Sons fighting valiantly are slain CHAP. I. How the Philistines compelled by Pestilence and Famine sent back the Ark of the L Covenant unto the Hebrews AFter the Philistines had got the Victory over the Hebrews 1 Sam. 5. 1 ad 6. and taken the sacred Ark Hedio Ruffiâ—us cap. 1. as we have before declared they brought it with their other spoils to the City of Azot and plac'd it in manner of a Trophee in the Temple of Dagon their Idol The sacred Ark is carried into the Temple of Dagon But the next day after when early in the Morning they entred into the Temple to adore their god they found him fallen from that Base or Pillar that sustained him and lying along the ground his face upward They of Azot are horribly plagued for taking away the Ark. before the Ark whereat being much moved they took him up and fastened him in his former place and when they came often thither and always found him prostrate M and as it were adoring before the Ark a great fear and perturbation invaded the whole People Mice devour the fruit of the Countrey of Azot At length a grievous Plague not only ranged in the City of Azot but also seized on all the Inhabitants of the Countrey For the People being suddenly taken with the Flux dyed in great Torment and some of them vomited up their Bowels being corrupted and corroded with the disease Besides this the whole Land swarmed with Mice which destroying all things neither spared the Corn nor any other Fruit. The Azotians being afflicted with these Calamities and unable longer to endure the same understood that the Ark was the cause thereof and that neither the Victory or the taking of the same had any ways procured their advantage They therefore sent to the Ascalonites desiring them to receive the Ark into their City who willingly condescending N to their Embassage and Demand received the Ark and were presently plagued with the same sicknesses which the Azotians had suffered For together with the Ark the
worthy of a great Prince and in this great authority wherein he was placed he stept not any ways awry but in the case of Vria's Wife He left as much or rather more riches behind him than any other King of the Hebrews or other Nations had F done His Son Solomon buried him most Royally in Jerusalem with all those ceremonies which were accustomed in Royal obsequies and amongst other things he buried a great quantity of riches with him the incredible estimate whereof may be conjectured by that which followeth The sumptuous Sepulchre of David For one thousand three hundred years after the High Priest Hircanus being besieged by Antiochus surnamed the Religious who was Demetrius's Son and willing to gratifie him with some summe of money to the intent he might raise the siege Hircanus â—aketh a huge sum of money out of Davids Tomb. and remove his Army and unable to levy money by any other means he opened the Sepulchre of David from whence he took three thousand talents which he delivered to Antiochus and by this means delivered the City from the siege as we have declared in another place Herod spoileth Davids Sepulchre And again a long time after this Herod also opened it and took from G thence a great summe Nevertheless no man violated that part of the monument where the body of the King was laid for it was so artificially hidden under ground that it would be very difficult to discover it A The Eighth Book of the Antiquities of the JEWS Written by FLAVIVS JOSEPHVS The Contents of the Chapters of the Eighth Book 1. How Solomon obtaining the Kingdom expelled his enemies 2. Of the riches prudence and wisdom of Solomon and how first of all he builded the Temple in Jerusalem B 3. How Solomon being dead the people revolted from Rehoboam his son and made Jeroboam King of the ten Tribes 4. How Susac King of Egypt sacking Jerusalem carried away the riches of that City into Egypt 5. The War of Jeroboam against Abias Rehobohams son and the slaughter of his Army and how Basanes extirpated Jeroboams posterity and possess'd the Kingdom 6. The Invasion of the Ethiopians under Asa and the overthrow of their Army 7. The Race of Basanes being rooted out Zamri ruled in Israel with his son Ahab 8. Adad King of Damascus and Syria is twice overthrown by Ahab 9. Of Jehoshaphat King of Jerusalem C 10. Ahab being provoked to War by the Syrians is overcome and slain in battel CHAP. I. How Solomon obtaining the Kingdom expelled his enemies WE have declared in the former Book what David was how great his virtue hath been 1 Kings 2. what profits and benefits those of his Nation received by him Solomon King of Israel after Davids death what Wars he undertook what Victories he obtained and how happily at last through extremity of age he departed D out of this life But after that Solomon his son being at that time very young had obtained the Kingdom and was placed in his fathers Throne according as David had determined and the divine power had decreed the whole people according to the common course in the election of new Princes with many acclamations wished him a long and prosperous Reign But Adonias who during his fathers life-time thought to possess and seize himself of the Royal estate came unto the Kings mother and with all humility and reverence saluted her To whom Bethsabe said That if there were any thing wherein she might serve him he should let her know it and that she would willingly apply her self unto it Whereupon he began to say That it was a thing very well known that the Kingdom appertained unto him both in regard of his age as also in respect of E the favor and good liking of the people Ver. 17 ad 24. but since that it had been transferred unto Solomon her son Adonias requireth Abisag to wife by the Will of God he was content therewith and would be his servant being very glad of the fortunate success of his Affairs He therefore besought her that she would sollicite Solomon in his behalf and persuade him to give him Abisag to Wife â—ho had slept with David for that he had not any carnal company with her by reason of his age and that as yet she was fully possessed of her virginity Bethsabe promised him to further his suit to the uttermost of her power and willingly to employ herself toward the accomplishment of the Marriage since she knew the King was willing to gratifie her in whatsoever she should desire as also for that she would instantly intreat him so that he departed from her with assured hope of good success in F his designed Marriage Hereupon Bethsabe presently addressed herself to the King intending to certifie him both what Adonias had requested and what she had granted When Solomon heard that his Mother came to visit him he went out to meet her and embraced her and afterwards conducting her into his Presence-chamber he sate him down and commanded his servants to place a seat on his right hand for his Mother who being seated by him spake unto him after this manner My son vouchsafe me one favor that I shall request at thy hands and send me not hence discontented and dissatisfied through thy refusal Solomon answered her That she should command him by reason that duty tyed him to the satisfaction and favor of his Mothers suits reproving her for that insinuation she had used by reason that thereby she evidently expressed that she was not G thorowly assured to obtain her demand but that she feared a refusal and repulse she therefore required him to give the Damsel Abisag for Wife to Adonias his Brother The King displeased at this her suit dismissed his Mother alledging that Adonias had ill designs and that he wondered that in requiring Abisag to Wife he had not requested Solomon H likewise to give him place in the Kingdom for Adonias was elder than he and had more mighty friends than he had namely the General Joab and the High Priest Abiathar For which cause he forthwith sent Benaia Captain of his Guard to kill Adonias his Brother Ver. 25. Then calling unto him the High Priest Abiathar The pains said he that thou hast endured by accompanying my father David Adonias is slain and attending and bearing the Ark with him make thee escape from death yet notwithstanding for that thou hast been assistant to Adonias Ver. 26. 27. and followed his faction Abiathar iâ— dispossessed of the Priesthood I banish thee from my presence charging thee not to see my face any more but to retire thy self to thine own house and there to live in thy Countrey until thou hast ended thy dayes since you have made your self unworthy of that charge wherewith you are entrusted For this cause was the House of Ithamar deprived of the Priestly I
led thence and kept Prisoner with Achmon the Governor of the City allowing him nothing but bread and water for his sustenance Thus marched these two Kings with their Armies against Ramath which is in Galaad Hedâ—o Râ—ffinus cap. 15. which when the King of Syria understood he drew his Army into the field and came out to meet them and encamped near unto Ramath 1 Kings 22. 28 ad 38. Now it was concluded betwixt these two confederate Kings that Achab should enter the battel in a private habit 2 Chron. 18. 28 ad fin and Jehoshaphat should be invested with the Royal ornaments and supply Achabs place to the intent that Micheas prediction might be made frustrate Achab and Jehosaphat War against the Syrians But notwithstanding this disguise Gods justice prevented him for Adad King I of Syria commanded his Army that they should put no one of the Enemy to the sword but only the King of Israel As soon as the battel was begun the Syrians perceiving Jehoshaphat in the front of the Army and conjecturing that it was Achab they made head all together against him and having invironed and pressed him very nearly they perceived that it was not he for which cause they retired back again But although they had fought from the morning until the evening Ver. 34. and had the upper hand yet slew they no man because they sought after no other but Achab to put him to the sword whom notwithstanding they could by no means meet withall Achab wounded by an arrow in the battel dyeth At length one of Adads servants called Aman shot at random amongst the Enemies and hurt Achab in the breast and shot him thorow the lungs K This hurt of his concealed he from his Soldiers for fear lest they should be discomforted For which cause he commanded his servant to drive his Chariot out of the battel for that he felt himself mortally wounded Ver. 38. and although he were in much pain yet sate he in his Chariot until Sun-set The dogs liâ—â— Achabs blood according to Elias prediction at which time he gave up the ghost When night came the Syrian Army withdrew themselves into their Camp and receiving tydings by an Herald that Achab was dead every one retired home unto his house but Achabs body was conveyed to Samaria and interred in that place As for his Chariot it was washed in the fountain of Jezrael 1 King 22. 28. because it was bloody by reason of the Kings hurt whereby the truth of Elias Prediction was ratified and confirmed 2 Chron. 18. 27. for the Dogs lickt his blood and from that time forward The oracles of the Prophets are to be reverenced the common Women continually washed themselves in that L fountain he dyed also in Ramath according as Micheas had prophesied Whereas therefore all things fell unto Achab according as two Prophets had foretold him it appeareth that we ought to honour and magnifie the Majesty of God and to reverence his Prophesies and to ascribe always more credit unto them than to the vain and plausible speech of flatterers and no less to respect them than things of infinite profit since by them we are divinely admonished what we ought to take heed of It behoveth us also to consider what force the Decree of God is of by examining those things which befell Achab. For it is impossible to avoid what God has fore-ordain'd notwithstanding that Men flatter themselves with vain hopes which inveigle them so far that finally they are overtaken in the snares thereof The matchless necessity of fate For this careless inconsideration was fatal to King Achab M in that he believed not his death which was foretold him but being deceived by the flattering persuasions of false Prophets ran headlong upon his own danger and ruine After him succeeded his son Ochozias N O The Ninth Book of the Antiquities of the JEWS The year of the World 3048. before Christ's Nativity 916. A Written by FLAVIVS JOSEPHVS The Contents of the Chapters of the Ninth Book 1. Joram Achabs Son overcometh the Moabites in battel 2. Joram King of Jerusalem obtaining the Crown killeth his brothers and his fathers friends 3. Jorams Army is overthrown by his Enemies and his Sons are slain only one excepted at B length he himself dieth a miserable death 4. The King of Damascus warreth against the King of Israel 5. Joram with all his posterity is slain by Jehu Ochozias King of Jerusalem is slain also 6. Jehu reigneth amongst the Israelites in Samaria and his posterity after him till the fourth generation 7. Athalia reigneth five years in Jerusalem and is slain by the High Priest Joas Ochozias Son is Proclaimed King 8. Azael King of Damascus gathereth an Army first against the Israelites and afterwards against Jerusalem 9. Amasias King of Jerusalem maketh War against the Idumaeans and Amalechites and obtaineth the victory C 10. Amasias making war against Joas King of the Israelites is overcome 11. Ozias overcometh the Nations round about him 12. Rasin or Rabe King of Damascus vexeth the inhabitants of Jerusalem with War Achar their King is compelled to call the King of Assyria to assist him 13. The King of Assyria taketh Damascus by force and slayeth the King and translateth the people into Media and planteth other Colonies in their City 14. Salmanazar taking the King of Israel captive translateth ten of the twelve Tribes into Media and causeth the Cuthaeans to inhabit their Countrey D CHAP. I. Joram Achabs Son overcometh the Moabites in battel AS soon as King Jehosaphat was returned back again to Jerusalem from the War wherein he had assisted Achab against Adad the King of Syria 2 Chron. 19. 2 v. 2. as we have before related the Prophet Iehu in his return came forth and met him Jehu the Prophet reprehended Jehosaphat for helping Achab. and reproved him because he had given Achab who had been an impious man his assistance assuring him that God was displeased with that his confederacy yet notwithstanding that he of his goodness had delivered him from his Enemies Jehosaphat reneweth the true service of God although he had provoked him to anger After this admonition Jehosaphat E began to offer sacrifices and thanksgivings and peace offerings unto God Which done he rode in progress about those Countries that were under his dominion v. 5. giving order that the people should be instructed in those ordinances which were delivered from God by the hands of Moses Jehosaphat placed Judges and Magistrates in every City aud exhorted his Subjects to the practice of piety He placed Judges likewise in every City commanding them to execute justice without respect of persons He charged them likewise that they should not be corrupted with rewards or seduced by dignity riches or Nobility but that they should do justice indifferently to all men knowing that God seeth
forth once more against them and he was furnished by the Phoenicians with 60 ships and 800 rowers The Tyrians charging their ships with 12 of their vessels overthrew the Navy of the Assyrians and took about 500 men Prisoners which act of theirs wonderfully increased their honour But the King of Assyria returning back again planted a Garison upon the River set a guard upon the fountain heads to the intent the Tyrians might draw no water which act of B his continuing for the space of five years they were enforced to find and dig for new springs to sustain themselves These things are written in the Registers of the Tyrians themselves as also the exploits of the King of Assyria against them But these Chutheans from the Region of Chut which is in Persia Gods displeasure against the idolatrous Chuthites where there is a River of that name for that they were of five several Nations they brought with them each of them the god whom they honour'd in their Nation to the number of five gods whom they served after the manner of their Countrey Whereupon the true God was displeas'd and provok'd against them for a Plague fell amongst them that consumed them in such sort that they could find no remedy until they were told that they ought to adore the God of the Hebrews The Chutheans embrace the service of God and in prosperity claim kinred of the Jews and that therein consisted C their safety They therefore sent unto the King of Assyria requiring him to send them Priests from amongst the Israelites whom he had led away Prisoners in War By whose assistance they learnt the Law and the manner of Gods service and began very diligently to observe both by which means the Plague ceased And now even unto this day continue they in the same Religion and are called by the Hebrews Chutheans and Samaritans by the Greeks These as often as they find the Jews in prosperity call them their Cousins according to the variety and changes of time but if they perceive their fortunes to be on the declining hand then adjure they consanguinity and renounce their relation to them and say That they were planted in the Countrey and drawn thither from a foreign Nation But in time and place convenient we will speak of them more largely D E F G H The Tenth Book of the Antiquities of the JEWS The year of the World 3231. before Christ's Nativity 733. Written by FLAVIVS JOSEPHVS The Contents of the Chapters of the Tenth Book 1. Senacherib King of Assyria besiegeth Ezechias in Jerusalem 2. Ezechias having lived for a certain time in peace dyeth and leaveth his Son Manasses I to succeed him 3. The Kings of the Chaldees and the King of Babylon make War against Manasses and lead him away Captive 4. The History of King Josias 5. Josias death in battel he hindereth the King of Egypt from leading his Army against the Babylonians and the event thereof 6. The Army of Nabuchodonosor cometh into Syria 7. Nabuchodonosor putteth Joachim to death and maketh Joachin King 8. Nabuchodonosor changeth his purpose besiegeth Joachim and is reconciled upon composition K 9. Sedechias is appointed King over Jerusalem 10. Jerusalem is taken and the people translated into Babylon by Nabuchodonosor 11. The Successors of Nabuchodonosor the destruction of Babylon by Cyrus King of Persia CHAP. I. Senacherib King of Assyria besiegeth Ezechias in Jerusalem IN the Fourteenth year of the Reign of Ezechias King of the two Tribes 2 King 18 19. Senacherib L The destruction of Judea King of Assyria drew forth a huge Army against him and surprized all the Cities of Juda and Benjamin by strong hand To him Ezechias sent Ambassadors promising him obedience and such a Tribute as it should please him to impose When Senacherib had heard the Ambassadors he resolved on Peace and accepted Ezechias offer promising that he would depart as soon as he should have received Three hundred Talents of silver and Thirty Talents of gold swearing unto the Ambassadors The oath of Senacherib and his breach thereof That upon these conditions he would depart away without committing any outrage Ezechias giving credit to these words of his emptied the Treasuries and sent the prefixed sum to Senacherib hoping to be delivered from his enemy and the hazard wherein his Countrey stood But the Assyrians having received the money set light by their promises M so that Senacherib went in person to make War against the Egyptians and Ethiopians and left Rapsaces his General in Judaea with a great power accompanied with two of his chief Minions and Courtiers with commission to spoil Jerusalem The names of these two were Tharata and Anacheris As soon as they were encamped near unto the Walls they sent unto Ezechias and commanded him to come and speak with them but he through fear which he had conceived went not unto them but sent three of his most familiar friends Eliacim the Superintendent of his Realm Sobna and Joachas that had the commission of his Registers These three presented themselves before the Chieftains of the Assyrian Army whom when Rapsaces beheld he commanded them to return unto their Master and to tell him N That the great King Senacherib was desirous to know upon what hope he slighteth his Summons and refuseth to admit his Army into the City Is it perhaps because he hopeth the Egyptians will have the upper hand of the Kings Army If that be his hope doubtless he is deceived shewing himself to be like unto a man that stayeth himself upon a broken reed by which he is not only not supported but in his fall hath his hand pierced therewith He likewise wished him to conceive that this his expedition was not without the Will of God who as in times past hath given them the victory over the Israelites so now also is pleased to humble Ezechias and to make both him and his Subjects stoop under the Assyrian government Whil'st Rapsaces spake thus in the Hebrew language Ver. 17. wherein he was very skilful Eliacim fearing lest the multitude should be strucken with fear upon the hearing of these words besought him O to speak in the Syriack Tongue Rapsaces persuasion to cause Ezechias to submit But he sufficiently instructed what it was that he feared answer'd him with a louder voice in the Hebrew Tongue and told them They ought to give ear unto the Kings commandment and to yield themselves to his mercy because it concerned their security The year of the World 3231. before Christ's Nativity 737. I am not ignorant said he that both you and your King do flatter the people A with vain hopes and fraudulently allure them to bear Arms against us But if your Valor be ought at all and you suppose that you can raise the siege from your walls let us have same specimen of your courage and send out 2000
offering up Sacrifices unto God they besought him to shew himself favourable and merciful towards them The King likewise commanded the High-Priest that if there were any vessels in the Temple which were made by his Predecessors in honour of Idols and strange gods he should cast them out and after that a great number were found therein all of them were gather'd together and burnt and the ashes afterwards were scatter'd abroad And as touching the Priests that appertained to Idols that were not of the Race of Aaron he put them to death The truth of the divine oracles When these things were thus executed in Jerusalem he came afterwards to the plain Countrey and all that which Jeroboam had erected there in honour of Idols 1 Kings 13. 1. ad 4. he utterly defaced it and the bones of N the false Prophets were burnt upon the Altar that Jeroboam had built This had the Prophet foretold that came to Jeroboam at such time as he offered Sacrifice and told him in the presence of all the people all that which should happen namely That one of Davids posterity called Josias should do thâ—se things which Prophecy took effect 361 years after After this King Josias applied himself to the Israelites who had avoided the captivity and servitude of the Assyrians and persuaded them to forsake their impieties and the services they had performed to strange gods and to honour the sovereign and true God of their fathers and to cleave unto him He made a search also thorow every house borough and city fearing lest as yet there should be an Idol hidden He likewise sought out the Chariots that were made by his ancestors in honour of the Sun O and all that which was adored whatsoever it were and utterly abolished the same After he had in this sort purged the Countrey he assembled all the people in Jerusalem where he celebrated the Feast of unleavened bread which we call Easter Towards the performance whereof The year of the World 23â—â— before Christ's Nativity 643. he gave the people young kids and lambs to the number of 30000 A and 3000 Bullocks for burnt-offerings and the chief among the Levites distributed amongst the other Levites 500 Lambs and 500 Bullocks Having therefore such an abundance of Beasts they sacrificed according to the Law of Moses the Priests taking charge thereof 2 Kings 23. â— 11. and confirming the rest of the people by their example Neither was there ever such a solemnity kept by the Hebrews since the time of Samuel the Prophet because all things were done according to the Laws and the ancient Customs Tâ—e celebration of the Pâ—sseover which were observed in the time of their Fathers After this Josias lived in peace riches honour and estimation amongst all men Ver. 21 c. and thus ended his life Hedio Ruffinus cap. 9. 〈◊〉 cap. 5. CHAP. V. B Divers Exploits of Nechao Nechao The Eâ—yptians 〈…〉 King of Egypt having gathered great Forces conducted his Army towards the River Euphrates to war against the Medes and Babylonians who had destroyed the Empire of Assyria for Nechao affected the government of all Asia Now when he drew near unto the City of Mende which was under Josias subjection King Josias denied him passage and would not suffer his Army to march thorow his Countrey For which cause Nechao sent an Herald unto him to let him understand That it was not against him that he made War 〈…〉 but that he bent his course towards Euphrates for which cause C he wished him in no sort to hinder his intended journey 2 Chrâ—n â—5 22 23 24. lest thereby he should be constrained to make War upon him An Epitâ—ph written by Jeremy on Josiâ—â— But Josias regarded not this demand of his but resolved himself to hinder his passage thorow his Countrey And I am persuaded that his evil Genius put him upon making this resistance to the end that he might have some occasion to do something against Nechao Ver. 25. For whil'st he set in order his Army and rode from one Band to another Which was the 〈…〉 being mounted upon his Chariot he was strucken with an Arrow that was shot by a certain Egyptian which put a stop to his proceedings For feeling himself oppressed with pain 〈…〉 by reason of his wound he commanded his Army to retire and returned himself to Jerusalem where he dyed of his wound and was buried with his Fathers with great magnificence after he had lived 39 years and reigned 31. For him D the people mourned with great heaviness 〈…〉 lamenting for many days The Prophet Jeremy also made an Elegy upon him in verse 〈…〉 which is as yet extant even in these days This Prophet foretold in writing those evils which should afterwards happen unto the City and the Captivity wherewith we are intangled at this present 〈…〉 and the surprisal of Babylon 〈…〉 Neither hath he alone foretold the same but the Prophet Ezekiel hath likewise done the like who first left two Books written of the same Argument These two Prophets were of the race of the Priests â—span â— But Jeremy kept in Jerusalem from the 14th year of the Reign of Josias 〈…〉 until the destruction of the City and Temple as in time and place convenient we will declare setting down those occurrences that hapned to this Prophet After the death of Josias hitherto mentioned his son Joaz succeeded him E in the Kingdom at such time as he was 23 years old he reigned in Jerusalem and his mothers name was Ametala he was a man full of impiety and of a malignant and perverse nature The King of Egypt returning from the War sent unto Joaz commanding him to meet him in Samath a City of Syria where he was no sooner arrived but he kept him Prisoner committing the Kingdom to Eliachim his brother on the Fathers side who was his elder brother likewise He changed his name likewise and call'd him Joachim he impos'd a Tribute also on Judea of 100 Talents of silver and a Talent of gold which Joachim paid and as touching Joaz he led him into Egypt where he finished his days after he had been King three months and ten days Now Joachims mother was called Zâ—buda of the City of Abuma He was a wicked person and of a malignant nature F having neither piety towards God nor respect towards men CHAP. VI. Nabuchodonosors Army cometh into Syria IN the fourth year of the Reign of Joachim 〈…〉 a certain man called Nabuchodonosor possessed the Kingdom of Babylon who at that time went out with a great Army against 〈◊〉 a City scituate near unto Euphrates resolving with himself to fight against Nechao King of Egypt under whose power all Syria was subject Nechao understanding G of the Babylonians intent and how great his Army was made very little account thereof but with a huge Army
the four Winds of the World He hath written also that from them there shall arise another little one also which as God L who presented the Vision to him told him being grown to perfection should war against the whole Nation of the Jews and take the City by force and confound the Estate of the Temple and hinder the Sacrifices for one thousand two hundred ninety and six days Daniel writeth that he saw these things in the field of Susa and hath declared that God himself told him what that Vision signified which was that the Ram signified the Kingdoms of the Persians and the Medes His Horns signified the Kings that were to Reign in those Kingdoms and that the last Horn signified the last King who should surpass all the rest in Riches and Glory That the Goat signified that there should come a certain King among the Greeks who should fight at two several times with the Persian M and should overcome him in War and afterwards possess the whole Government And that by the great Horn that grew in the forehead of the Goat the first King was represented and how that after he was taken away four other should spring out of it And whereas every one of these turned themselves towards the four corners of the World it was a signe that after the death of the first he should have four successors that should part the Kingdom between them who neither should be his Allies or Children yet such notwithstanding as should command the world for many years That from them there should arise a certain King that should oppose himself against the Hebrew Nation and their Laws and should overthrow their policy spoil their Temple and be a lett that for three years space the Sacrifices should not be solemnized Now so hath it N happened that our Nation hath been so handled under Antiochus the famous as Daniel had foreseen and hath written divers years before all that which should happen At the same time Daniel wrote concerning the Empire of the Romans Daniels Predictions of the Roman Empire how it should destroy our Nation and hath left all these things in writing according as God declared them unto him so that they who read and consider those things that have happened Dan. 9. per totum admire Daniel for the Honour God dignified him with and find thereby that the Epicureans are mistaken who exclude all Divine Providence from intermedling with the concerns of humane life and affirm that God Governeth not the affairs of the World or that the World is ruled by a happy and incorruptible Essence which causeth all things to continue in their Being but say that the world is managed by O it self by casualty without any Conductor or such a one that hath care thereof For if it were so The Epicures error convicted and that it were destitute of a Soveraign Governor as we see Ships destitute of their Pilots to be drowned by the Winds and Chariots that have no Drivers to conduct them The year of the World 3416. before Christ's Nativity 538. to beat one against another even so should it perish and ruinate A it self by such an irregular motion By these things therefore that Daniel hath foretold I judge that they are far estranged from the Truth that affirm that God hath no care of humane affairs for if we see that all things happen casual then happen they not according to his Prophecy The Epicures error convicted But I have written hereof according as I have found and read and if any one will think otherwise let him continue his opinion as long as he pleaseth The Eleventh Book of the Antiquities of the JEWS Written by FLAVIVS JOSEPHVS B The Contents of the Chapters of the Eleventh Book 1. Cyrus King of Persia dismisseth the Jews from Babylon and permitteth them to return into their Countrey and contributeth towards the reparation of the Temple 2. The Kings Governours hinder the building of the Temple C 3. Cambyses commandeth the Jews that they should not build the Temple 4. Darius Hystaspis Son buildeth a Temple for the Jews 5. The bounty of Xerxes Darius Son toward the Hebrew Nation 6. How during Artaxerxes Reign the whole Nation of the Jews were almost extinguished through Amans treachery 7. Bagoses General of Artaxerxes the younger's Army doth much injury to the Jews 8. How bountiful Alexander of Macedon was unto the Jews CHAP. I. D Cyrus King of Persia dismisseth the Jews from Babylon and permitteth them to return into their Countrey and contributeth towards the building of the Temple THE first year of the Reign of Cyrus which was the 70 after that our Nation was translated from Judea to Babylon God had compassion on the captivity and calamity of his afflicted People The end of the Babylonian captivity after 70 years and accomplish'd that which he had foretold by the Prophet Jeremy Ezra 1. per totum before the destruction of the City The Edict of Cyrus King of Persia viz. That after they had served Nabuchodonosor and his posterity E for 70 years he would again restore them to their native Countrey where they should build a Temple and enjoy their former felicity For he awakened the Spirit of Cyrus and put it into his heart to write Letters throughout all Asia to this effect Thus saith King Cyrus since Almighty God hath made me King of the whole world I am perswaded that it is he whom the Jewish Nation do adore for he hath declared my name by his Prophets before I was born and hath said that I should build his Temple in Jerusalem which is in the Countrey of Judea Now Cyrus knew these things by Reading of a Book of Prophecies Esay Chap. 44. Ver. 5. ad 10. written by Esay two hundred and ten years before his time For he saith that God did secretly reveal these things unto F him Chap. 45. Ver. 1. ad 8. speaking to this effect I will that Cyrus whom I have declared King over many Nations shall send my people back into their Countrey of Judea and shall build my Temple Prophecy of Cyrus These things did Esay foretell one hundred and forty years before the ruine of the Temple Cyrus in reading these things being ravished in admiration of the Majesty of God was carried on with a great affection and zeal to finish that which was written He therefore called for all the Men of greatest account among the Jews that were in Babylon and told them that he gave them Licence to return into their Countrey Ver. 3. and to repair the City of Jerusalem Cyrus permitteth the Jews to return into their Countrey to build their Temple and City and to rebuild the Temple of God promising them that he himself would assist them And to that effect he wrote unto his Governnours and Princes of those Countreys that confined upon Judea charging them to
your customs ever since the time that Salmanazar King of Assyria removed us out of Chuthea and Media hither To these demands of theirs Zorobabel and Jesus the High-Priest and the Governors of the Tribes answer'd The Samaritans suppose to hinder the building of the Temple That it was impossible for them to admit of their assistance in the building of the Temple because they had received their first commandment from Cyrus to perform it and afterwards from Darius notwithstanding they gave them licence to worship therein offering them O that the Temple should be common to both C. 4. v. 1. ad 6. if they pleased yea and accessible to all other Nations that would repair thither to adore God The Chutheans for so were the Samaritans call'd hearing this were much offended and persuaded the other Nations of Syria to require the Princes who continued their authority since the time of Cyrus The year of the World 3â—44 before Christ's Nativity 520. and afterwards A ruled in Cambyses time to hinder the building of the Temple and to delay the Jews who were so intent and busie in their work Whereupon Sisin Governor in Syria and Phoenicia and Sarabazan accompanied with others came unto Jerusalem and demanded of the Chieftains of the Jews By whose permission they built the Temple which rather seemed to be a Fort than a Temple The Syrian Princes examine the cause why the Jews repair their City and Temple and for what cause they fortified their City with gates and so strong walls Zorobabel and Jesus the High-Priest answer'd That they were the servants of the living God and that their Temple had been built by one of their Kings who was rich and surpassed all other in virtue that afterward it had continued so long time in venerable estimation but by reason their fathers had been guilty of impiety against God Nabuchodonosor King of Babylon and Chaldaea 1 Esdras 5. v. 3. 4 5 6. having taken the City by force destroyed the same B and after he had spoiled the City he burned it and transported the people captive into Babylon But after that Cyrus King of Persia had obtained the Kingdom of Babylon he commanded by his express Letters sealed with his Royal Seal that they should re-edifie the Temple and ordained that all those Treasures which Nabuchodonosor carried from thence and of the consecrated vessels should be deliver'd to Zorobabel and the Treasurer Mithidrates to be conveyed to Jerusalem and placed again in the Temple as soon as it should be built And he commanded also that it should be presently re-edified appointing Abassar to repair to Jerusalem and give order for all that which was requisite who hastening thither as soon as he had received Cyrus's Letters did speedily lay the foundations anew From that time forward until this present it hath been hindered by the subtilty and malice of the neighbouring Nations who have always been C our Enemies so that as yet it remaineth imperfect If therefore it please you and you think good signifie what you hear by your letters to Darius to the end that examining the Registers of the Kings he may find that all things have proceeded after the manner which we have related When Zorobabel and Jesus had answer'd to this effect Sisin and they that accompanied him thought not good to hinder the building until such time as they had certified Darius hereof V. 1 2 3. for which cause they wrote unto him presently Aggeus and Zachary the Prophets Hereupon the Jews were much discomforted and troubled fearing lest the King should change his mind and put a stop to the building of Jerusalem and the Temple But two Prophets Aggeus and Zachary who were amongst them began to persuade them willing them to fear no ill D from the Persians because God had assur'd them that they should receive no harm hereupon the people gave credit to the Prophets and diligently intended their building without intermission When the Samaritans had after this manner written to Darius C. â— a v. 7. ad finem and accused the Jews unto him for fortifying their City and re-edifying their Temple and inform'd him how it seem'd rather to be a Fort The Samaritans endeavouring to hinder the reparation of the Temple and City do further it the more than some sacred place and had further alledg'd that it would be no profit unto him and moreover had produced Cambyses letters by which they were forbidden to build the Temple he understood that the re-establishment of Jerusalem stood not with the security of his state But when he had read Sisins letters and his associates he commanded that the Chronicles of the Kings should be search'd E and there was found in Echatane a City of the Medes in a Tower a certain Book in which these things were written C. 6. 4 5 6. The first year of the Reign of Cyrus Cyrus decree as 〈◊〉 the Temple and the Jews commandment was given to build the Temple of Jerusalem and the Altar therein It was likewise decreed that the heighth of the Temple should be sixty cubits and the breadth as many three stories of hewed stone and one story of the wood of that Countrey and it was ordained that the expence of that building should be deducted out of the Kings Revenues Moreover he commanded that restitution should be made unto the Inhabitants of Jerusalem of those vessels that were taken away by Nabuchodonosor and carried away to Babylon And the commission to effect all these things was given to Abassar Governor of Syria and Phoenicia and his companions to the end that they might depart from F these places and the Jews might be permitted to build therein Furthermore he ordained that the charge of this building should be gathered out of the Tributes of his Countries and that they should furnish the Jews with Bulls Weathers Lambs Goats Flower Oyl and Wine and all other things which the Priests should think meet to offer sacrifice to the intent that they might pray for the preservation of the King of Persia commanding that they that should transgress or oppose this commandment 〈…〉 3. 4. should be laid hold on and hanged on a Gibbet and that their goods should be confiscate to the Kings use Moreover he besought God that if any man went about to hinder the building of the Temple that he would execute his vengeance upon that person and punish him for his wickedness When Darius had found these things written in his Registries he wrote back to Sisin and his companions in this form G H King Darius to Sisin and Sarabazan The year of the World 3450. before Christ's Nativity 514. with their Associates health Having found amongst the Memorials of Cyrus the Copy of his Instructions for the building of the Temple Ver. 7 8. I have sent it you and my pleasure is that the Contents thereof be executed Farewell Darius
a Watch by reason that from that place a man may discover the City and Temple of Jerusalem The Phoenicians and Chaldeans that were in Alexanders Army grounding their hopes upon his displeasure doubted not but that he would give I them leave to sack the City and to hew the High-Priest in pieces but it fell out quite contrary for Alexander espying the People from afar in white Rayments and the Priests going before them in their Rochets and the High-Priest attired in a Robe of Purple broidered with Gold having his Mitre on his head and his plate of Gold wherein the Name of God was written Alexander himself marched forward before the rest of his company and fell prostrate on his face before that Name saluting first of all the High Priest and at the same instant all the Jews together saluted the King with one voice and encompassed him round about The Kings of Syria and the rest that saw that which hapned were wonderfully astonished and thought that the King was out of his wits Parmenio only drew near unto him and ask'd him what he meant to adore the Priest of the K Jews whereas all other men adored him To whom he answer'd I do not adore him but that God whom the Priest worshippeth for in my sleep I saw him in such a habit as I see him in at this present at such time as I was in Dio a City of Macedonia and whilest I consulted with my self by what means I might attain to the conquest of Asia he counselled me to make no delay but to march forward boldly assuring me that it would be he that would guide both me and mine Army and would deliver the Empire of the Persians into my hands Since that time I have not seen any one attired after the same manner and at this present beholding this man and calling to mind the vision and exhortation that he gave me in my sleep I hope that mine Army being conducted by divine providence I shall overcome Darius and discomfit the Persians and that my designs shall have a happy issue L When he had thus answer'd Parmenio Alexander's sacrifice in the Temple the confirmation of his conquest by Daniel's prophecy his bounty to the Jews he gave the High-Priest his hand and went with him into the City being conducted by the Priests after this when he came into the Temple he offered sacrifice according to the High-Priests direction whom he honoured likewise with very great reverence And when Jaddus shewed him the Prophecy of Daniel wherein he declared that a certain man of the Nation of the Greeks should destroy the Empire of the Persians and that in his opinion he was the man Alexander was very joyful and dismissed the multitude that attended him for that time The next day assembling the Jews he commanded them to let him know what favors they desired at his hands Whereupon the High-Priest answer'd That he desired that they might be permitted to live according to the Laws and Customs of their Forefathers and that every seventh year they M might be exempted from tributes Which was granted them fully They besought him likewise That by his permission the Jews that were in the Countries of Babylon and Media might live according to their laws And he promis'd them willingly to do all that which they desired He made Proclamation also among the People That if any one of them would bear Arms under him and live according to the custom of their Nation he was ready to receive them whereupon divers listed themselves under him in the Wars After that Alexander had thus behaved himself at Jerusalem he marched with his Army against the neighbouring Cities and wheresoever he went he was received with great affection But the Samaritans whose Metropolitan City at that time was Sichem scituate near unto the Mountain of Garizim in which there dwelt divers Jews also that were N revolted from their Nation seeing how favourably Alexander had received those of Jerusalem they resolved to profess themselves to be Jews For such is the nature of the Samaritans as we have declared heretofore that when the Jews are in affliction they renounce all alliance with them wherein they confess the truth But when they perceive our Affairs to be in prosperous condition The Samaritans be kinsmen to the Jews in prosperity strangers in adversity they endeavour to persuade the World that we are both sprung from the same original and are descended of the race of Ephraim and Manasses the sons of Joseph They came therefore to the Kings presence and met him near unto Jerusalem with great magnificence and demonstration of singular affection towards him And after that Alexander had entertained them they of Sichem approached near unto him being accompanied with those Men of War that Sanaballath had sent O unto the King beseeching him That he would visit their City and honour their Temple with his presence whereupon he promised That at his return he would visit them They required him also The year of the World 3632. before Christ's Nativity 332. That he would acquit them of the Tribute of the seventh year because they did A not sowe in the same He ask'd them Who they were that made that request They answer'd him That they were Hebrews but that they were called Sichemites by the Sidonians He ask'd them again If they were Jews And they said They were not Well said he I have made this grant unto the Jews The Temple on the Mount of Garizim when therefore I shall return and be more particularly informed I shall do that which shall be requisite Thus dismissed he the Sichemites but he commanded Sanaballaths Men of War to follow him into Egypt Onias son of Jaddus High-Priest promising in that place to give them possessions by lot which afterwards he did enjoining them to live in Garison in the City of Thebais to make good that Countrey After Alexander's death his Empire was divided amongst his Successors and the Temple built near unto Mount B Garizim remained entire And if any one were accused in Jerusalem for eating unlawful meats or for breaking the Sabbath or for any such like fault he fled unto the Sichemites saying That he was accused unjustly In that time deceased the High-Priest Jaddus and Onias his son succeeded him This was the state of the Inhabitants of Jerusalem at that time C D E F G H The Twelfth Book of the Antiquities of the JEWS The year of the World 3643. before Christ's Nativity 321. Written by FLAVIVS JOSEPHVS The Contents of the Chapters of the Twelfth Book 1. Ptolomey the Son of Lagus is made Governour of Jerusalem and the rest of Judaea by a stratagem and leadeth divers Jews with him Prisoners into Egypt I 2. Ptolomey Philadelphus translateth the Laws of the Jews into the Greek tongue and dismissing divers Captives of that Nation he dedicateth many presents to the
Temple of God 3. In what estimation the Jews were with the Kings of Asia and how the freedome of those Cities which they built was granted them 4. Joseph the Son of Tobias driveth away the Jews imminent calamity by reason of his friendship with King Ptolomey 5. The friendship and society between the Lacedaemonians and Onias the High Priest of the Jews 6. The Jews distracted by seditions call Antiochus to their assistance 7. How Antiochus leading his Army to Jerusalem and taking the City spoyled the Temple K 8. Antiochus forbiddeth the Jews to use the Laws of their forefathers the Son of Asmonaeus called Matthias contemned the King and put his Captains to flight 9. Mathias being dead Judas his Son succeeded him 10. Apollonius a Captain of Antiochus is overcome in Jewry and slain 11. The overthrow and death of Lysias and Gorgias sent out against the Jews 12. How dividing their Armys Simon overcame the Tyrants and Ptolomaidans and Judas the Ammonites 13. The death of Antiochus Epiphanes among the Persians 14. Antiochus Eupator overthrowing the Army of the Jews besieged Judas in the Temple 15. Antiochus giving over his siege plighteth a league of friendship with Judas L 16. Bacchides a Captain belonging to Demetrius being sent with his Army against the Jews returneth back to the King without success 17. Nicanor elected Captain after Bacchides and sent out against the Jews is slain with his whole Army 18 Bacchides sent out once more against the Jews overcometh them 19. How Judas being overcome in battle is slain CHAP. I. After the death of Alexander the Great his Army is divided amongst his Captains M Ptolomey one of the chife of them makes himself Master of Jerusalem by surprise sends several Colonies of Jews into Egypt and puts great confidence in them continual Wars betwixt the Inhabitants of Jerusalem and the Samaritans ALexander King of Macedon having overcome the Persians and establisht the state of the Jews according as hath been related departed this life The death of Alexander and the Wars of his succssors Whereupon his Dominions and Kingdoms fell into divers mens hands Antigonus made himself Governor of Asia Seleucus of Babylon and the bordering Nations Jerusalem surprized by policy and the Jews lead way captive Lysimachus had the Hellespont Cassander Macedon and N Ptolomey the Son of Lagus held Egypt Now when these men were at discord amongst themselves whilest each of them affected the soveraignty and fought the one against the other they raised divers great and bloody Wars which ruined many Cities and destroyed great numbers of their Inhabitants Syria had sufficient experience of all these miseries under the Government of Ptolomey the Son of Lagus surnamed Soter a Title which he little deserved He it was that seized on Jerusalem by a stratagem for he entred the City upon a Sabbath day under pretext to offer sacrifice and whilst the Jews suspected nothing but spent the day in ease and idleness he surprised the City without resistance and made the Citizens captives Agatharchides the Cnidian who wrote the Acts of Alexanders successors testifieth the same reproaching us of superstition as if by that means we lost our City O He writeth to this effect There is a certain Nation which are called Jews who inhabit a City which is call'd Jerusalem both strong and mighty They suffered it to fall into Ptolomeys hands because they would not stand upon their guard and through their unseasonable superstition they permitted themselves to be subdued by a Tyrant conquerour The year of the World 3634. before Christ's Nativity 321. See A here what Agatharchides saith in this place of our Nation But Ptolomey leading away with him divers prisoners from the better quarters of Judaea and the places near unto Jerusalem of Samaria and mount Garzim sent them into Egypt to inhabit there and being assured that those of Jerusalem were most firm in maintaining their oaths and promises according as it appeared by their answer made to Alexander when after the discomfiture of Darius he sent Ambassadors unto them he put divers of them into his Garrisons giving them the same priviledges in the City of Alexandria which the Macedonians had After he had received their oath that they should be faithful unto him and his successours in memory of the great trust and favours he had bestowed on them many of the other Jews likewise of their own accord went into Egypt partly B allured thereunto by the plenty of the countrey Sedition betwixt the Jews and Samaritans as touching the Temple partly by the liberality of Ptolomey towards their Nation Yet were there continual quarels betwixt their posterity and the Samaritans because they would keep and maintain the customes and ordinances of their forefathers whereupon divers wars arose amongst them For they of Jerusalem said that their Temple was the true Sanctuary of God and would have the offerings and sacrifices sent thither the Samaritans on the other side commanded them to be brought to the mount Garazim CHAP. II. Ptolomey Philadelphus caused the Laws of the Jews to be translated into C the Greek tongue and dismissing many Captive Jews dedicateth many presents to the Temple of God AFter the death of Ptolomeus Soter his Son Ptolomeus Philadelphus succeeded in the Kingdom of Egyptt Hedio Ruffinus chap. 2. and held it for nine and thirty years space he it was that translated the law into the Greek tongue and delivered the Jews from that servitude wherein they were inthralled in Egypt to the number of sixscore thousand upon this occasion 〈◊〉 library of Ptolomey Phyladelphus Demetrius Phalereus Master of the Kings Library endeavoured to make a collection of all sorts of Books that were in the world and brought all which he thought would be agreeable to the King who was very curious in his collection of Books D The Kings demanding one day how many thousands of Volumes he had already gathered he answered him that he had already gott about two hundred thousand Volums but that shortly he hoped to have to the number of five hundred thousand Besides he told him that he had been lately informed that there ware divers Volumes among the Jews wherein many things touching their Laws and policies were written which were worthy to be known and deserved a place in so memorable and famous a Liberary but that it would be very difficult to translate them into the Greek tongue for their characters seem to have some relation to the Syriack and their pronunciation likewise is not much different from it notwithstanding they have their phrase proper and peculiar unto themselves But nevertheless he believed it might be done since his Majesty would E not think much of any charge the King approved of this proposal and wrote unto the High Priest of the Jews to help him to these books In the mean time a certaâ—n man called Aristaeus who was intirely beloved by
advice given by Demetrius is this O Demetrius to the great King Health A Most mighty Prince since you have committed the trust unto me to find out such Books as are wanting to your Library Demetrius exhortatory Letter to Ptolomy touching his Library and to search for such Volumes as hitherto have been hid from my sight to the end that I might gather them together after that I had used herein all the care that was possible I have found that amongst others we want the Books of the Laws of the Jews For they being written in Hebrew Characters we have no notice thereof nor have we taken the pains to inquire after them because your Majesty hath not as yet thought fit to desire them But I think it necessary that your Majesty should have them procured and that they be faithfully B Translated because those Laws proceeded from God himself and it is most certain that of all other Laws in the World they are the wisest and incorruptest For which cause Hecateus the Abderite saith That neither Poets nor Historians have made any mention of them nor of those that have been governed under the same because in themselves they are pure and are not to be published by the mouth of the profane May it therefore please your Majesty to write unto the High-Priest of the Jews commanding him to send you six of every Tribe such as he shall know to be most expert in their Law by whom we may clearly apprehend the sence contained in those Books to the end that having the faithful interpretation of those things that are contained therein we may collect and gather them together to the satisfaction of your Majesty When the King had in this manner been advised he wrote unto Eleazar the High-Priest C of the Jews The Kings liberality towards the Jews touching this matter letting him know what liberty was by him granted unto the Jews that were in his kingdom He sent him also 50 Talents of gold to make cups ewers and vessels with an infinite number of precious stones commanding his Cofferers who had the charge of his Jewels to suffer the Workmen to choose what stones they liked best Furthermore he appointed that a hundred Talents should be given for the sacrifices and oblations and other uses of the Temple But after that I have declared what was the Copy of the Letter sent unto Eleazar the High-Priest and the manner how he obtained that Sacerdotal dignity I will give an account of the rich Presents and their curious Workmanship After the death of Onias the High-Priest his son Simon sirnamed the Just succeeded D in his place who for that cause was so called by reason of the piety which he shewed toward God and good affection which he bare unto his Countreymen This Simon dying and leaving behind him one onely son of young and tender years who was called Onias his brother which was this Eleazar of whom we speak at this present took upon him the Priesthood and to him wrote Ptolomy in such manner as is hereafter expressed King Ptolomy to the High-Priest Eleazar Health Whereas divers Jews dwelt in my kingdom whom my father had honoured though during the Reign of the Persians they were sent thither as Prisoners and made some of them E Captains in his Wars Ptolomy's Epistle to Eleazar for Interpreteâ—s to translate the Bible allowing them honourable wages and conditions To others born in his time in Egypt he hath committed his Forts and Garisons which made them much honoured and feared among the Egyptians Since my coming to the Government I have behaved my self graciously towards all men and especially toward those of your Nation of whom I have delivered more than 100000 out of Captivity paying their ransom out of mine own Coffers I have likewise listed some of those that were of age in the companies and bands of my men of War I have received some into my Court whom I took to be faithful and loyal and in my opinion well worthy of such preferment supposing this to be the most acceptable Present that I could offer up unto God for his Providence in advancing me to the Kingdom And being desirous not only to gratifie them but also all those Jews that are in the whole world I have determined to cause F your Law to be Translated out of Hebrew into Greek that I might put it in my Library You shall therefore do well if you choose out six discreet and learned men of every Tribe amongst you and send them unto me such as by reason of their age shall be well instructed in your Laws and sufficiently enabled to expound the same And I doubt not but that the work succeeding as I hope it will I shall thereby gain great glory Wherefore I send unto you Andrew the chiefest Captain of my Guard and Aristeus also whom we especially honour to confer with you by whom I have sent you 100 Talents of silver as the first-fruits of those gifts and sacrifices which we intend to offer in the Temple You will do us an especial favor if you signifie your mind unto us by your Letters G As soon as Eleazar had received the Kings Letters he returned him an answer full of respect as followeth A The High Priest Eleazar to King Ptolomey health If your self your Queen Arsinoe and your children be in health we do very much rejoyce thereat We have received your Princely Letters with no small joy and have read and considered the contents thereof we have also published them in the presence of all the People and have declared unto them your piety towards God and have shewed them those vesselles which you sent us twenty of Gold and thirty of silver with five vessells and a Table which you have sent us as Presents We have likewise shewed them those hundred talents which Andrew and Aristeus vertuous and excellently learned men Eleazars Letters in answer to Ptolomey and honoured by you amongst your B dearest friends have brought unto us to be employed in sacrifices and other uses in the Temple Know therefore that whatsoever you are pleased to command we will readily observe that we may acknowledge the benefits which you have divers wayes bestowed upon our Nation We have therefore daily offered sacrifice for you your Queen Arsinoe your children and friends the people likewise have prayed that God would send you happy success in whatsoever you desire that your Kingdom may be continued in peace and that the translation of our Law may be accomplished at your desire for our own satisfaction To that intent we have chosen six Elders out of every Tribe whom we send unto you together with the original of our Law Our request is that according to your accustomed piety and justice you return us both our Laws and these interpreters in safety as soon as they have answered your expectation Fare C you well This is the answer
He gave besides this two vessels of Gold scaled from the bottom as far as the half part of the Cup and besides that inriched with divers precious Stones curiously enchased And in the midst of them there was a labyrinth a Cubit high made of all sorts of precious Stones and at the foot thereof were ingraven spires after the manner of twigs and M fast by them a certain fold like unto a net made in oval fashion that ascended even unto the brimes The midst thereof was filled with little targets of the bigness of four fingers made of precious Stones and round about the edges thereof were Lillies ivy flowers and vines with their clusters of grapes engraven round about This was the beauty and excellency of those two Cups each of them containing twenty and four pints There were also others made of Silver so transparent as if they had been of the purest Chrystal thorow which all things that were put into them were manifestly discovered He caused also thirty ewers to be made in which all the Gold that was not covered with precious stones was shadowed with ivy leaves and vine branches most curiously engraven and all these things were not only curiously wrought N by the wonderfull cunning of the workemen but were in like manner seconded by an ambitious diligence of the King who thinking it not enough that without sparing for any thing he had undertaken the charge did oftentimes forsaking his most serious affairs visit the shops and examine the workes and that which more and more increased their diligence was because they saw him so intent upon the work And these were the presents which were sent by this King to be dedicated in the Temple of Jerusalem The 70 Interpreters 〈…〉 All which being consecrated and layed up in the Temple by the High-Priest Eleazar after he had greatly honoured those that brought them thither and given them certain presents to be tendered in his behalf unto the King O he dismissed and sent them back again No sooner were they arrived in Alexandaria but the King having notice thereof and how the seventy two Elders were come with H them he sent to seek out his Ambassadors The year of the World 3684. before Christ's Nativity 280. Andrew and Aristaeus who came and presented him with letters from the High-Priest Eleazar and answered him to all which he demanded of them And being desirous to communicate with the Elders that came from Jerusalem to expound and interpret the Law he contrary to his ordinary custom and manner dismissed all those that came to him about private business to whome he was accustomed to give audience every fifth day as he used monthly to forrain Ambassadors Having therefore for that time dismissed them he kept those by him whom Eleazar had sent unto him who coming to his presence accompained with those presents which the High-Priest had delivered them to present unto him with the Original where in the Law was written in Golden Letters he asked them I where their books were and they discovering and opening them shewed them unto him After the King had seen them he was very much astonished to see the parchments so delicate and to behold the whole form thereof so perfectly conjoyned that it was impossible to discover the seames and he told them that he gave them thanks that were come unto him and unto him that had sent them but more especially unto God who was the Author of these laws Whereupon the Elders and those that assited them cried out altogether and wished that all good hap might befall the King who through the excessive joy that he conceived burst out into tears For naturally extream joy as well as great griefis the cause of tears After he had commanded that these books should be committed to their trust who were deputed to that office at length he saluted K the Elders telling them that it was very requisite after he should have treated with them concerning the occasion of their coming to take care of their particular entertainment In a word he confessed unto them that their coming was so acceptable unto him that he promised them so long time as he lived he would every year renew and honour the memory of that day and by good hap it was the very same day wherein he overcame Antigonus by Sea His pleasure was also that they should be his guests and he caused divers goodly lodgings to be assigned them under the Castle Nicanor likewise who had the charge to entertain strangers commanded Dorotheus who was ordinarily imployed in the same to prepare for every one of them such things as were necessary for their diet and entertainment For so was it ordained L by the King that in every City there should be a Commissary appointed to provide for forrainers that should come to that place to the intent they might be treated according to their own customes intending thereby that their entertainment should be the more agreeable unto them and that they might be the less tired with forrain novelties This custome of his was put in practice at this time by Dorotheus's care and exact diligence who in his own person disposed all that which was necessary for 〈◊〉 hospitality He prepared two places to banquet in in two several parts according as the King had commanded him so that some of them might sit on either side of him and the rest might be placed near unto his Table omitting nothing of that which concerned their honour When they were in this manner placed the King commanded Dorotheus M to entertain them as he was wont to do those who repaired unto his Court from Judaea Hereupon he dismissed the Egyptian Priest and others that were wont to make the ordinary prayers which done he commanded that one of the Elders called Elisaeus who was a Priest should bless the Table whereupon he standing upright in the midst of them all besought God to bless both the King and his Subjects with all happiness Whereupon there arose an applause and acclamation of all men which being ceased they fell to their banquet and made good cheer with that which was set before them When the King had kept silence so long as he thought convenient he began at last to Play the Philosopher The banquet that Ptolomey made for the Jews and their prayers before meat asking of every one of them certain questions in Physick praying them to discuss the same and when each of them in order had very pertinently N answered to the question that was propounded unto them the King took great pleasure therein and for twelve days space he continued this feast Whoso desireth to know the questions that were proposed unto them in particular let them read the Book which Aristaeus hath written to that effect The King was astonished at their answers and the Philosopher Menedemus confessed that they confirmed him in his opinion that all things were administred
a great warrior and very respective of the commandments of his father Matthias having done and suffer'd all that was possible to recover the liberty of his Countrey Being therefore after this manner accomplished he had left behind him a perpetual renown of his worthy acts and an honourable memory of himself obtained by the liberty in which he re-established his Nation delivering them from the servitude of the Macedonians He died after he had discharged the office of the High-Priest for the space of three years E F H The Thirteenth Book of the Antiquities of the JEWS The year of the World 3085. before Christ's Nativity 159. Written by FLAVIVS JOSEPHVS The Contents of the Chapters of the Thirteenth Book 1. Jonathan after his brother Judas's death succeedeth in the Government 2. Jonathan having wearied Bacchides by War compelleth him to make a League and draw I off his Army 3. Alexander the son of Antiochus Epiphanes maketh War upon King Demetrius 4. Demetrius sendeth an Ambassador to Jonathan with Presents persuading him to be of his party 5. Alexander by greater Presents than Demetrius and by offering the High-Priesthood to Jonathan draweth him over to his party 6. Of the Temple of God built by Onias 7. How Alexander after the death of Demetrius highly honour'd Jonathan 8. Demetrius the son of Demetrius overcoming Alexander possesseth the Kingdom and maketh an alliance with Jonathan K 9. Triphon Apamenus after he had overcome Demetrius reserved the Kingdom for Antiochus Alexander's son who receiveth Jonathan into favor 10. Demetrius being overcome by the Parthians Triphon breaketh his covenant of peace and laying hold on Jonathan traiterously killeth him and afterwards assaulteth Simon his brother 11. How the Nation of the Jews committed both the Priesthood and the Government of the Army to Simon 12. Simon driving Tryphon into Dora besieged him and maketh a League with Antiochus sirnamed Pius 13. A debate arising between Antiochus and Simon Cendebaeus the Kings Captain is driven L out of the Countrey 14. How Simon was traiterously slain at a banquet by Ptolomy his father-in-law 15. How Ptolomy's endeavors being made frustrate Hircanus obtaineth the Government 16. How Antiochus sirnamed the Just leading an Army against Hircanus for 300 Talents is reconciled and entreth into a League 17. Hircanus 's expedition into Syria 18. How Antiochus Cyzicenus assisting the Samaritans is conquered and enforced to flie 19. Aristobulus causeth himself to be crowned King 20. The acts of Alexander the King of the Jews 21. The victory of Ptolomy Lathurus against Alexander M 22. Demetrius Eucaerus overcometh Alexander in battel 23. The expedition of Antiochus Dionysius into Jewry 24. Alexander being dead his wife Alexandra succeeded him in the Kingdom CHAP. I. After the death of Judas Machabeus Jonathan his brother is by the Jews chosen General of their Army Bacchides the Commander of Demetrius's Army attempts to kill him treacherously but failing he assaults him openly A great battel and a fair retreat managed N by Jonathan The son of Amar kills his brother John and thereby draws the divine vengeance on his head Bacchides besiegeth him and Simon his brother in Bethalaga but they force him to raise his siege WE have declar'd in the former Book how the Nation of the Jews after they had been under the subjection of the Macedonians recovered their liberty we have likewise related the great wars of Judas their Captain and in which he was at last slain in the defence of their liberty how likewise after the death of Judas all the wicked Apostate Jews who had revolted from their Religion took courage molesting and doing many injuries O to the rest of their Countreymen Finally how besides their malice the Famine raged in the Countrey so that divers being unable to sustain these two scourges of Famine and War were constrain'd to submit themselves unto the Macedonians In the mean while Bacchides gathering together the Apostates who were fallen from the Religion A of the Jews with an intent to live after the manner of the Heathen committeth the government of the Countrey unto them who laying hold on Judas's friends and partakers betrayed and deliver'd them to Bacchides who first of all tormented and beat them The Jews compelled by the Apostates and by famine submit themselves to the Macedonians and afterwards put them to death This so great affliction than which the Jews had never endured a worse since their return from Babylon was the cause that those of Judas's faction who were yet alive fearing the total ruine of their Nation addressed themselves to Jonathan his brother exhorting him to imitate his brother Judas 's virtues and to have no less care of his Countrey than him who dyed in the defence of it beseeching him that he would not suffer his Nation to perish for want of a Captain Bacchides murthereth those of Judas's faction since he himself was so well B qualified to command them Jonathan answer'd them That he was ready to dye for them and being in all things esteemed no less valiant and politick than his brother Judas he was proclaimed General and Captain of the Jews Bacchides having notice hereof Jonathan by the publick instigation of the Jews undertaketh the government feared lest Jonathan should be no less troublesom to the King and the Macedonians than his brother Judas before him had been for which cause he sought means to make him away by Treason But both Jonathan and his brother Simon gat intelligence thereof and having discover'd his practice they took all their families with them Bacchides comploâ—teth to betray Jonathan and his brother and fled into the desart that confin'd upon the City of Jerusalem and retiring near unto a water call'd the Lake of Asphar they remained in that place When Bacchides perceiv'd that they mistrusted him and were driven thither he went out against them with all his Forces and being encamped on the other side of Jordan he gathered C his Army together Jonathan knowing well that Bacchides came out to seek him sent his brother John sirnamed Gaddis unto the Arabians and Nabatheans to commit the trust of their goods into their hands Bacchides draweth out his Forces against Jonathan until the end of the War betwixt him and Bacchides for the Arabians were his friends Whil'st therefore John marched towards the Nabatheans who were of the City of Medaba the sons of Amareus laid an ambush for him and after they had furiously set upon him on the way and laid hold on whatsoever he brought with him John the brother of Judas is slain by Amars son they at length slew him and all his company for which fact of theirs they were shortly after punished by his brethren as we shall relate hereafter When Bacchides knew that Jonathan was encamped in the Marshes of Jordan Bacchides assaileth Jonathan on the Sâ—bbath-day and loseth 2000 of his men he made D choice
lest he should revenge himself on those who had abused his servants and it was thought fit that both his Wife and Children should be committed to the Castle that adjoined to the Temple But from all parts round about there resorted Soldiers to Aristobulus so that he was attended K like a King for in the space of some 15 dayes he took 22 Forts whither he made his retreats and assembled an Army of Soldiers and levied them amongst the Lords that inhabited Libanus and Trachonitis For the multitude had alwayes resort 〈◊〉 the stronger side supposing that if they submit thereunto willingly and maintain and authorize the same that they shall draw some profit thereby as being those that were the occasion of the confirmation of his Monarchy Hereupon the ancient Jews and Hircanus repaired unto the Queen Hircanus and the Elders inform the Queen and accuse Aristobulus humbly intreating her to take some mature counsel and good advice concerning the present affairs because that Aristobulus her son was already very near Lord of the whole Countrey since he had so many Forts under his command Besides that it was inconvenient and undecent for them to consult L without her express order Alexandra's death notwithstanding she were grievously sick but that the present danger compelled them The Queen desired them to do that which they thought should be most profitable for the Commonweal telling them That they had many means for that their Nation was mighty great and strong and had great store both of money and riches in the common Treasury shewing them that because she knew that she had not long to live she had no more reason to take care of those affairs Having spoken thus she died after she had reigned nine years and lived in all 73. This Woman was endued with greater excellency than could be expected from one of her sex and expressed both in her actions and ordinances how fit she was to govern a kingdom and how unworthy some Princes are of the dignities they have amongst men For making more account of the present than future occurrences M and neglecting all other things in respect of those which are requisite in a moderate Government she never upon any instigation whatsoever perverted justice notwithstanding her family fell into such inconveniencies that the same sovereignty which she had obtained by divers dangers and labours was not long after that ruinated and lost for her scare effeminate desires For she gave ear unto those who were ill-affected towards her posterity Alexandra's Family incur much trouble and left the Kingdom destitute of such as were fit to govern so that the Government which she enjoyed during her life-time was after her death distracted with infinite troubles and calamities wherewith her family was involved And notwithstanding her Government after this manner yet during her life-time she kept the kingdom N in peace And thus died Alexandra O A The Fourteenth Book of the Antiquities of the JEWS The year 〈…〉 World 3899. before Christ's Nativity 65. Written by FLAVIVS JOSEPHVS The Contents of the Chapters of the Fourteenth Book 1. How after the death of Alexandra her youngest son Aristobulus made War against his brother Hircanus for the Kingdom who obtaining the victory compelled Hircanus B to flie into a Castle in Jerusalem And how after it was concluded between them that Aristobulus should be King and Hircanus live as a private man without dignity 2. Of the race of Antipater and how he purchased renown great power and authority both to himself and his children and the flight of Hircanus to Aretas King of Arabia 3. Aristobulus being vanquished is pursued as far as Jerusalem 4. Hircanus and Aristobulus send Ambassadors to Scaurus to request his aid and succor 5. Aristobulus and Hircanus present themselves before Pompey to debate their Titles touching the Kingdom 6. Pompey is seized of the Fortresses by a warlike stratagem 7. They of Jerusalem shut their gates against the Romans C 8. Pompey taketh the Temple and lower part of the City by force 9. Scaurus maketh War against Aretas and by the persuasion and sollicitation of Antipater maketh a league with him 10. Alexander being overcome by Gabinius retireth himself into a Castle where he is shut up and besieged 11. Aristobulus escaping out of Prison flieth from Rome who being taken again in Judea by Gabinius is sent back Prisoner to Rome 12. Crassus warring against the Parthians passeth thorow Jewry and spoileth the Treasury of the Temple 13. Pompey retireth into Epirus and Scipio cometh into Syria D 14. Caesar's voyage into Egypt wherein the Jews do him faithful service 15. Antipater's valiant acts and the amity betwixt him and Caesar 16. Caesar's Letters and the Senates decree as touching the friendship betwixt the Jews and Romans 17. Antipater committeth the government of Galilee to his son Herod and that of Jerusalem to Phasaelus his other son and how Sextus Caesar advanced Herod to great honour and dignity 18. Cassius afflicteth Jewry and exacteth 800 Talents 19. Malichus poysoneth Antipater 20. Herod putteth Malichus to death by Cassius's commandment E 21. Antigonus the son of Aristobulus seeking to recover his fathers Kingdom by the aid of the King of Tyre is discomfited and driven out of Judea by Herod 22. Herod meeting Antonius in Bithinia winneth his favor with a great sum of money to the intent he should give no ear to his accusers 23. Antonius arriving in Syria establisheth Herod and Phasaelus for Tetrarchs 24. The Parthians make War in Syria to restore Antigonus to the Kingdom 25. The Parthians take Hircanus and Phasaelus Prisoners and lead them away 26. Herod at Rome is declared King of Jewry by the Senate 27. Herod returneth from Rome and fighteth against Antigonus F 28. Antigonus is discomfited by Sosius and Herod CHAP. I. After the death of Queen Alexandra Hircanus and Aristobulus her two sons come to battel Aristobulus gets the victory and afterwards in a Treaty Aristobulus though youngest is to have the Crown and Hircanus is contented to live privately WE have already Treated in our former Book both of the Acts and Death of Queen Alexandra it now remaineth at this present to prosecute and continue the sequel of our History to the end that we G neither omit any thing through ignorance The office and duty of an Historiographer nor bury it in forgetfulness For they that make profession to write Histories and to recite such things as are observed by Antiquity ought not only studiously to conform their stile but also to beautifie the same with ornaments of eloquence that the Reader may peruse their H Writings with the more delectation But above all things they must have an especial care to set down the Truth exactly that they who know not how these things came to pass may be the more duly and fitly informed When as therefore Hircanus had taken upon him the High-Priesthood in
instantly to preserve it to the utmost asking him Herod sore troubled in pacifying the strangers If the Romans would leave him King of a Desart after they had voided the City of men and goods alledging furthermore That he esteemed the government of the whole World of no value The spoil of the City hindred in regard of the life of one of his Citizens Sosius answer'd That it was reason that the pillage should be given to the Soldiers who had born the hazard of the siege whereunto Herod answer'd That he would satisfie every man out of his own Treasury and by this means he ransom'd the rest of the City by fulfilling those promises for he gave many mighty gifts unto every one of the Soldiers and by proportion unto the Captains but above K all he royally rewarded Sosius so that every one of them departed very well satisfied These calamities hapned in the City of Jerusalem in the year wherein Marcus Agrippa and Canidius Gallus were Consuls When Jerusalem was taken which was in the 185 Olympiade in the third month on the dayes wherein the solemn Fast was celebrated as if this affliction had jumpt together in one instant with that of Pompeys which had hapned that very day 27 years Sosius offered a Crown of gold unto God and afterwards departed from Jerusalem leading Antigonus Prisoner with him unto Antonius But Herod fearing lest if Antigonus should be kept by Antonius and sent to Rome he should debate his Title with him before the Senate by protest Herod bribeth Antonius with mony to make away Antigonus that he was descended of the Royal Line whereas Herod was but a Plebeian and common person and that although he had offended the Romans and L thereby might not deserve to be King yet at least his Children who were of the Princely Line The end of the Asmonean family and the extinction of their Priesthood were not to be denied their Title Herod I say fearing these things prevailed so much by force of his money with Antonius that he caused him to put Antigonus to death so that at that time Herod was truly deliver'd from all his fear Thus ended the estate of the Asmoneans after 126 years This family was famous both for their Nobility and also by reason of their Sacerdotal dignity and for the noble actions and exploits which their Ancestors had atchieved for our Nation but they lost their authority through their mutual factions which sovereignty was derived to Herod Antipater's son who was ignoble by birth and of mean friends who were subjects and vassals to Kings See here what we have received from our Ancestors as touching the end of M the race of the Asmoneans N O The Fifteenth Book of the Antiquities of the JEWS The year of the World 3930. before Christ's Nativity 34. A Written by FLAVIVS JOSEPHVS The Contents of the Chapters of the Fifteenth Book 1. Jerusalem being overcome by Sosius and Herod Antigonus is beheaded by Antony's commandment Herod maketh away the chief friends of Antigonus 2. How Hircanus being dismissed by the Parthians returneth to Herod 3. Herod after he had made Aristobulus his wife Mariamnes brother High-Priest B practiseth and worketh his death 4. Cleopatra thirsting after the Kingdoms of Jewry and Arabia laboureth to beg a part of them at Antony's hands 5. The arrival of Queen Cleopatra in Judea 6. Herod maketh War against Aretas at such time as Antony was overthrown by Caesar in the Actiac War 7. Of the earthquake in Jewry 8. Herod's Oration to his Army 9. Herod intending to repair unto Caesar doth of necessity kill Hircanus C 10. How Herod obtained the continuance of his Kingdom of Judea at Caesar's hands 11. Herod maketh away Mariamne through false calumniations of her Enemies 12. Of the famine that afflicted the land of Jewry 13. The building of Caesarea 14. Herod buildeth a new Temple in Jerusalem CHAP. I. Antony causeth Antigonus King of the Jews to be beheaded D IN the former Book I have declared how Sosius and Herod took the City of Jerusalem by force Herod preferreth his Favorites and killeth his enemies and with it Antigonus Prisoner Now we will also declare that which hath subsequently followed for after that Herod had obtained the absolute government over the whole land of Judea he advanced all those among the common people The Pharisees honoured by him who favoured his proceedings as for those who were opposed against him there passed not a day wherein some one or other of them suffered not punishment Pollio fore-prophesied Herods Tyranny But amongst the rest Pollio the Pharisee and Sameas his Disciple were highly honoured by him For during the time of the siege of Jerusalem they counselled the Inhabitants to receive and entertain Herod for which cause he respected them accordingly E Some are of opinion that Sameas made this Prediction This Pollio heretofore when Herod was found guilty of death foretold to Hircanus and the rest of the Judges That being absolved by them he should one day inflict punishment on them all Which Prediction God in process of time approv'd by the event no sooner therefore became he Master of Jerusalem The slaughter of them that were of Antigonus's faction but he gather'd together all the rich Houshold goods that was in the Palace and furthermore having robb'd the rich men of their goods and by this means raised a great sum of gold and silver he sent great Presents to Antony and his friends Moreover he condemn'd 45 of Antigonus's principal and noblest Favourites to death setting a Watch about their doors that none of them might be carried out under colour of being dead The dead bodies likewise were trodden under foot and all the gold F silver or jewels that was to be found amongst them was carried to the King and converted to his use so that there was no end of these miseries For the covetousness of the Conqueror whose greedy and thirsty desire could hardly be quenched laid hold on whatsoever was theirs And because it was the seventh year it necessarily came to pass that the Land was left uncultivated for we are forbidden to sowe in this year Antony having taken Antigonus Prisoner Antigonus beheaded resolv'd to keep him in Prison until the time of his triumph Strabo of Anâ—igonus But after that he had heard the Jews were ready to rebel and continu'd their good affection towards Antigonus in regard of the hatred they conceiv'd against Herod he concluded with himself to take his head from him at Antioch for the Jews could scarcely contain themselves Strabo of Cappadocia testifieth no less in these words G Antony having brought Antigonus the Jew to Antioch caused his head to be cut off and was the first among the Romans that hath caused a King to be beheaded in this manner supposing H that the Jews might never otherwise be induced to change
finishing thereof and they celebrated a great Feast in honour of the restauration of the E Temple Then did the King offer up three hundred Oxen unto God and the rest of them each one according to his ability offered so many sacrifices that they can hardly be numbered About the very time of the Celebration of this Feast in the honour of the Re-edification of the Temple the Kings day of Coronation fell out which he was wont to solemnize every year with great joy A Conduit under ground from the Castle Antonia and for this two-fold occasion the solemnity and joy was far more sumptuous and compleat The King also caused a Conduit of Water to be made and conveyed by pipes under ground drawing it from the Castle Antonia unto the East gate of the Temple near to which he builded another Tower also to the end that by the Conduits he might ascend privily unto the Temple if haply F the people should practise any insurrections against his Royalty During the building of the Temple it never rained by day It is reported that during the building of this Temple it never rained by day time but only by night to the intent the work might not be interrupted and our Predecessors have testified no less unto us Neither is this thing incredible if we attentively consider those other effects of Gods Providence G A THE SIXTEENTH BOOK Of the B ANTIQUITIES of the JEWS Written by FLAVIUS JOSEPHUS The Contents of the Chapters of the Sixteenth Book 1. Herod maketh a Law which maketh him be reputed a Tyrant He goeth to Rome and brings back his Sons Alexander and Aristobulus his Sister Salome and those C of her Faction endeavour to render them odious to him 2. How Herod gave Wives unto Alexander and Aristobulus And how nobly he received Agrippa in his Dominions 3. Herod goeth to meet Agrippa at Pontus with a Fleet by which he re-enforceth his Army and returning back with him a great part of his way doth much good to several Towns 4. The Jews who lived in Jonia complain to Agrippa that the Grecians will not let them enjoy their Privileges D 5. How Herod returned into Judea and freed his Subjects from the payment of the fourth part of the Taxes 6. Salome Herod's Sister endeavoureth to ruine his two Sons Alexander and Aristobulus whom he begot of Mariamne He sends his Son Antipater whom he had by his first Wife to Rome 7. Antipater doth so incense his Father against his Brothers Alexander and Aristobulus that Herod bringeth them to Rome and accuseth them before Augustus for having attempted to poyson him 8. Of Alexander's defence and how the two Brethren were reconciled to their Father E Herod 9. Herod having compleated the building of Cesarea dedicateth it to Augustus and entertaineth the people with stately Plays and Past-times He causeth other Towns to be built with several Monuments His extream Liberality to Strangers and his excessive rigour to his own Subjects 10. Testimonies of the Roman Emperour's Affection towards the Jews 11. King Herod causeth David's Sepulchre to be opened to get money out of it for which God punisheth him strange Divisions and Troubles in his Family The Cruelties which this Prince's mistrustfulness and Antipater's malice causeth together with his Son Alexander's Imprisonment F 12. How Archelaus King of Cappadocia reconciled Alexander to his Father 13. Herod declareth War against the Arabians for protecting Trachonites Robbers 14. Syllaeus will perform nothing of what Augustus's Lieutenants had ordained but goeth to Rome to him Herod entreth into Arabia with an Army and taketh the Castle where the Trachonites were retired 15. Syllaeus doth so incense Augustus against Herod that he refuseth to give Audience to his Ambassadors neither will he admit those whom Aretas King of the Arabians sent This Aretas succeeded Obodas whom Syllaeus caused to be poysoned that he might G get the Kingdom Herod sends the third Embassage to Augustus 16. Herod more incensed than ever against his Sons Alexander and Aristobulus by several Aspersions causeth them to be imprisoned Augustus is made sensible of Syllaeus's wickedness condemns him to die confirms Aretas in the Kingdom of Arabia he H is sorry for having so ill an opinion of Herod adviseth him to call a great Assembly at Berite where his Sons after new complaints given in against them are to be judged 17. How Herod's Sons were condemned in the Council of Berytum CHAP. I. Herod maketh a Law which maketh him be reputed a Tyrant He goeth to Rome and I brings back his Sons Alexander and Aristobulus his Sister Salome and those of her Faction endeavour to render them odious to him AMongst the rest of the affairs of the Commonwealth The year of the World 3955. before Christ's Nativity 9. the King thought it behoved him to redress and hinder private injuries both in the City and Countrey For the which purpose he made a new law unlike to the former that it should be lawful for such as were Wall-breakers Hedio Ruffinus chap. 1. to be sold for slaves without the limits of his Kingdom Which Law did not seem so much to intend the punishment of Malefactors Herod made a new Law that wall-breakers should be sold into Bondage out of the Kingdom as the dissolution of his K own Countrey customs For to serve Forreign Nations who lived not after the manner of the Jews and to do whatsoever they commanded them was more prejudicial unto Religion than unto the parties convicted of that fact Wherefore it was sufficiently already in the old ancient Laws provided for the punishment of such people The punishment of theft according to the law of Moses Exod. 1. 22. to wit that a thief should restore four times as much as he stole Which if he was not able to do that then he was to be sold not unto strangers nor into perpetual bondage but only for seven years at which time he should again be set free So that the common people did interpret this new Law to set down an unjust punishment Deut. 12. 15. and rather to savour of tyranny than of Princely dignity and to be enacted not without contempt of their ancient Laws So that L for this cause all men spake very ill of the King At the same time Herod sailed into Italy to salute Caesar Herod sailed into Italy and brought home his Sons from Rome and to see his Children living at Rome Where Caesar receiving him very courteously permitted him to take his Sons home with him as being now sufficiently instructed in the Liberal Arts. Who returning into their Countrey were joyfully received of all their Countrey-men both for that they were of comely stature and of courteous behaviour and in their very carriage did shew that they came of Kingly lineage Salome and others falsely accused Herod his Sons and made their father hate them Which things moved Salome
they were excellent and especially Alexander the eldest of them It had been enough for him suppose he had condemned them either to have kept them in perpetual Prison or banished them into some far Countrey seeing that he was assured of the Roman Power under whose protection he neither needed to have feared invasion nor secret Treason against him For to put them to death only to satisfie his own furious will what else doth it argue but only an impious liberty casting K off all Fatherly humanity and kindness especially seeing that he was aged whose years could neither plead ignorance nor that he was deceived For neither was he the more excused by the delay he used nay it had been a less offence if amazed with some sudden news he had been incited to so hainous an offence But after so long deliberation at last to effect such a matter betokens a bloody mind and hardened in wickedness as he shewed afterwards not sparing the rest whom before he held most dear Who though they were less to be pitied in that they justly suffered yet was it an argument of his like cruelty in that he abstained not from their deaths also But we will speak of this hereafter L M N O A THE SEVENTEENTH BOOK Of the B ANTIQUITIES of the JEWS Written by FLAVIUS JOSEPHUS The Contents of the Chapters of the Seventeenth Book 1. Antipater endeavoureth to hasten his Father's death that he may reign in his place The Children that Herod had by his nine Wives C 2. Of Zamaris a Babilonish Jew a man of singular virtue 3. Antipater Pheroras and his Wife conspire against Herod Salome acquainteth him with it he causeth some Pharisees who were of this Conspiracy to be put to death He endeavoureth to make Pheroras repudiate his Wife but he cannot be perswaded to it 4. Herod sendeth Antipater to Augustus with his Will by which he declareth him his Successor Syllaeus bribeth one of Herod's Guards to kill him but the plot is discovered 5. Pheroras's death D 6. Pheroras's Wife is accused and Herod is advertised of Antipater's Conspiracies 7. Antipater being returned back unto Judaea from Rome is convicted in the presence of Varus Governour of Syria for having endeavoured to poyson the King his Father Herod causeth him to be imprisoned and writeth to Augustus on that Subject 8. The Golden Eagle that Herod had consecrated and fixed on the Portal of the Temple is pulled off the severe punishment that he inflicteth for it The King 's terrible sickness and the cruel orders that he giveth to his Sister Salome and to her husband E 9. Augustus referreth it to Herod to dispose of Antipater as he pleaseth Herod falling into a relapse of his Torments desireth to kill himself Achiavus one of his Grand-children hindreth him It is reported that he is dead Antipater endeavoureth in vain to bribe his Keeper to set him at liberty as soon as Herod heareth of it he sendeth one to kill him 10. Herod altereth his Will declareth Archelaus his Successor he dieth five days after Antipater Herod's glorious Funeral ordained by Archelaus the peoples great acclamation in favour of Archelaus 11. Some Jews who demanded satisfaction for Judas and Matthias and others deaths F whom Herod caused to be burned for having pulled down the Eagle at the Portal of the Temple make an Insurrection which obligeth Archelaus to cause three thousand of them to be put to death He goeth afterwards to Rome to be confirmed King by Augustus His Brother Antipas who pretends to have right to the Crown repaireth thither also the Cause is pleaded before Augustus 12. A great Rebellion in Judea whilest Archelaus was at Rome Varus Governour of Syria stoppeth it Philip Archelaus's Brother goeth also to Rome in hopes to obtain one part of the Kingdom The Jews send Ambassadours to Augustus G to free them from their obedience to Kings and to re-unite them to Syria They complain to him against Archelaus and abhor the memory of Herod 13. Caesar confirms Herod's Testament and appointeth his Children to be his Successors H 14. An Impostor counterfeits himself to be Alexander Herod's Son Augustus finds out the Cheat and sends him to the Galleys 15. Archelaus marrieth Glaphyra his Brother Alexander's Widow Augustus having heard several of the Jews complaints of him confineth him to Vienna in France and uniteth his possessions to Syria Glaphyra's death CHAP. I. I Antipater endeavoureth to hasten his Father's death that he may reign in his place The Children that Herod had by his nine Wives AFter that Antipater had made away his Brothers through the extreme impiety and unbridled fury wherewith Herod their Father was incensed against them yet he did not immediately obtain that which undoubtedly he hoped for For being freed of K that fear he conceived lest his Brothers should be partakers with him in the Kingdom Hedio Ruffinus chap. 1. he found it a difficult and dangerous matter to find the means how to obtain it Antipater after he had made away his Brothers grew hateful both to the Souldiers and the people so strange and hainous a hatred had all the Nation conceived against him On the other side in shewing himself proud and lofty he more and more encreased that hatred which the Souldiers had conceived against him in whom the security of the Kingdom consisted if it should fortune to fall out that the people should attempt any alteration All which mischiefs were procured by his own sins and the unnatural murther of his Brothers Antipater governed the Kingdom with his Father Nevertheless he governed the Kingdom with his Father living only in less Authority than himself Herod also reposed more confidence in L him even in those things for which he was worthy to lose his head For the King conceived that in confirmation of his good affection towards him Antipater had accused his Brethren to continue his Father in security and not for any hatred he bore unto them more than to his Father though indeed he hated them for his Father's sake being transported with fury But all these were but as so many stratagems to insinuate himself into Herod's Counsels and Favours and these did he craftily make use of to cut off the occasion lest any should prevent or accuse him of that which he pretended to do and that Herod might be deprived of all relief if so be that Antipater should beâ—â— his Forces against him Antipater wisheth his Father's death For the Treason he complotted against his Brothers proceeded from the hatred he bare unto his Father But at that time he was the more egged on to prosecute M his intended purposes without any delay For if Herod should happen to die it was most sure that the Kingdom should be his and should his life continue any longer time and the practice Antipater went about should be discovered seeing himself invironed with these dangers he
sent for Archelaus also and esteeming it too base an indignity for him to write unto him Go said he unto him with all expedition and bring him unto me without delay He posting forward with all diligence at length arrived in Judaea where he found Archelaus banqueting with his friends and having acquainted him with Caesar's Commands Archelaus banished and confined he hastened him away As soon as he came to Rome after that Caesar had heard his Accusers and his justification he banished him and confined him in the City of Vienna in France and confiscated all his Goods But before Archelaus was sent for to Rome he reported unto his friends this Dream which ensueth He thought that he saw ten Ears full of Wheat and very ripe which E the Oxen were eating and as soon as he awaked he conceived an opinion that his Vision presaged some great matter For which cause he sent for certain Sooth-sayers who made it their profession to interpret Dreams Now whilst they were debating one with another for they differed for the most part in their exposition a certain man called Simon Simon the Essean interpreteth Archelaus's Vision an Essean having first of all obtained security and licence to speak said that the Vision prognosticated that a great alteration should befal in Archelaus's Estate to his prejudice For the Oxen signified Afflictions in respect that those kind of creatures do ordinarily labour and as for the change of Estate it was signified by this in that the earth being laboured by the Oxen altered its condition and shape and as touching the ten Ears of Corn they signified the like number of years F And therefore when as one Summer should be overpast that then the time of Archelaus's Sovereignty should be at an end Thus interpreted he this Dream And the fifth day after the Vision thereof Archelaus's Agent by Caesar's Command came into Jewry to summon him to Rome Some such like matter happened to Glaphyra his Wife also the Daughter of King Archelaus She as we have said married Alexander Herod's Son when she was a Maid and Brother to this Archelaus who being put to death by his Father she was married the second time to Juba King of Mauritania and he also being dead she living with her Father in Cappadocia was married to Archelaus who put away Mariamne his Wife for the love he bare unto Glaphyra She living with Archelaus Glaphyra's Dream had such a Dream She thought she saw Alexander by her she cherishing and G embracing him he checked her saying Glaphyra Thou verifiest that Proverb which saith Women have no Loyalty For having given me thy faith and married with me at such time as thou wert a Virgin and born Children by me thou hast forgotten and neglected my love thorough the desire thou hast had to be married the second time H Neither wast thou contented to have done me this wrong but hast taken unto thee likewise a third Husband lewdly intruding thy self into my Family and being married to Archelaus thou art content to admit my Brother for thy Husband Notwithstanding this I will not forget the love that I have born thee but will deliver thee from him who hath done thee this reproach by retaining thee for mine own as heretofore thou hast been After that she had told this Vision to some women that were her Familiars she died very shortly after Which accident I have thought good to register in this place in that I was to treat of those things and otherwise the matter seemeth to be a notable example containing a most certain argument of the Immortality of Souls and God's Providence And if any one think these things incredible let I him keep his opinion to himself and no ways contradict those who by such events are incited to the study of Virtue Cyrenius Censor of Syria Now when the Government of Archelaus was united to Syria Cyrenius who had been Consul was sent by Caesar to tax Syria and to dispose of Archelaus's house A THE EIGHTEENTH BOOK Of the B ANTIQUITIES of the JEWS Written by FLAVIUS JOSEPHUS The Contents of the Chapters of the Eighteenth Book 1. Judas and Sadoc taking an opportunity by vertue of the Tax which was imposed upon C all Judea endeavour to establish a fourth Sectary and kindled a great Civil War 2. Of the four sorts of Sectaries that were among the Jews 3. Salome's death the Sister of Herod the Great Augustus's death whom Tyberius succeeds Herod the Tetrarch caused the Town of Tyberias to be built in honour of Tyberius The Troubles among the Parthians and in Armenia Other Disturbances in the Kingdom of the Comagenes Germanicus is sent from Rome to the East to establish the Authority of the Empire He is poysoned by Piso D 4. The Jews are so highly offended that Pilat Governour of Judea had suffered the Imperial Standards to be brought into Jerusalem having the Emperour's Picture on them that he was forced to cause them to be carried out again The Commendations and Praises of JESUS CHRIST A horrid injury done to a Roman Lady by the Goddess Isis's Priests how Tyberius punished them 5. Tyberius causeth all the Jews to be banished from Rome Pilat punisheth the Samaritans for having drawn themselves together in Arms They accuse him to Vitellius Governour of Syria who sends him to Rome to clear himself 6. Vitellius restoreth the High Priest's Vestments to the Jews to keep as they did formerly E He treateth in Tyberius's behalf with Artobanus King of the Parthians The cause of his hatred against Herod the Tetrarch Philip Tetrarch of Trachonitis of Gaulanitis and of Bathanaea dieth without Children his Dominions are reunited to Syria 7. A War between Aretas King of Petra and Herod the Tetrarch who having married his Daughter would repudiate her to marry Herodias Aristobulus's Daughter and his Brother Herod's Wife Herod's Army is totally routed and the Jews impute it to John the Baptist's Imprisonment Herod the Great 's Posterity 8. By what several Accidents of Fortune Agrippa surnamed the Great who was Aristobulus's F Son and Herod the Great 's Grand-child and Mariamne's was made King of the Jews by the Emperour Caius Caligula as soon as he had succeeded Tyberius 9. Herodias Herod the Tetrarch's Wife and King Agrippa's Sister being impatient to see her Brother reign in so much Prosperity compels her Husband to go to Rome to obtain a Crown also but Agrippa having written to Caius against him he banisheth him and his Wife to Lions in France 10. The Sedition of the Jews and Grecians in the City of Alexandria 11. Caius commands Petronius Governour of Syria to compel the Jews by force of Arms G to receive his Statue in the Temple but Petronius mollified by their Prayers writeth to Caius in the Jews behalf 12. Two Jews called Asinaeus and Anilaeus both Brother and of a mean extraction become so powerful near Babylon that they give
Seleucus the Son of Nicanor who builded it In that City dwelt divers Macedonians divers Greeks and a great number of Syrians The Jews afflicted by the Babylonians repair to Seleucia The Jews fled thither and continued there about five years without any molestation But in the sixth year when the Plague encreased in Babylon the Jews that remained there were enforced to seek them some new habitation and that removing of theirs into the City of Seleucia was the cause likewise of their further mischief as I will make manifest The Greeks who dwelt in Seleucia are ordinarily at debate with the Syrians and have always the upper hand but after that the Jews came to inhabit that place in a certain Sedition that arose among them the I Syrians had the upper hand by the means of the Jews who joyned their Forces with theirs who of themselves were valiant and good Soldiers The Greeks being repulsed in this Tumult and having no other means left them to maintain their former honour but to break that League of Friendship which was between the Syrians and the Jews devised in private each one with those Syrians with whom they were acquainted promising to live in peace and amity with them whereunto they condescended willingly For the chiefest of these two Nations concluded the Peace which presently after followed to the end that on both parts they should joyn in hatred against the Jews Fifty thousand Jews slain in Seleucia So that altogether charging them at unawares they killed more than fifty thousand of them they were all put to the Sword K except some few who through the mercy of their Friends and assistance of their Neighbours were suffered to escape The Jews that were saved repair to Ctesiphon These retired themselves to Ctesiphon a City of Greece that was not far from Seleucia where the King resideth every year and keepeth the greatest part of his Moveables hoping in that place through the reverence of the King they might remain in more safety and security All the Nation of the Jews that were in these Quarters stood in great fear For the Babylonians and the Seleucians with all the Assyrians of that Countrey agreed amongst themselves to make a general War against the Jews The Jews retire into Nearda and Nisibis whereby it came to pass that they assembled themselves at Nearda and Nisibis trusting themselves to the strength of these Fortresses which were inhabited also by men who were expert in Arms. See here what the condition of the L Jews was who remained in Babylon A THE NINETEENTH BOOK Of the ANTIQUITIES of the JEWS B Written by FLAVIUS JOSEPHUS The Contents of the Chapters of the Nineteenth Book 1. The Cruelties and Follies of the Emperour Caius Caligula Several Conspiracies against him Chaereas being assisted by several others killeth him Some Germans of his Guard kill some of the Senators afterward The Senate condemns the thoughts of his memory 2. The Soldiers resolve to promote Claudius Caius's Vnkle to the Imperial Dignity Saturninus's Speech in the Senate for Liberty Chaereas sends to kill the Empress Cesonia C Caius's Wife and her Daughter Caius's good and evil Qualities The Soldiers carry Claudius into the Camp to make him Emperour The Senate sends to him to pray him to forbear 3. King Agrippa encourageth Claudius to accept of the Empire The Soldiers who had been for the Senate forsake it whether Chaereas would or not and joyn with those that had sworn to Claudius So Claudius becometh Master and condemns Chaereas to die He suffers with a wonderful Constancy And Sabinus who had been one of the chiefest of the Conspiracy killeth himself 4. Claudius the Emperour confirmeth Agrippa in the Kingdom adding Judaea and Samaria thereunto He giveth the Kingdom of Chalcis to Herod Agrippa's Brother D and maketh Edicts in favour of the Jews 5. King Agrippa goeth to his Kingdom and putteth his Chain being a token of his Imprisonment into the Sacred Treasury of the Temple of Jerusalem He provideth for the Dignity of the High Priesthood He is highly displeased at the Dorites insolence who had caused Caesar's Statue to be erected in the Jews Synagogue 6. Petronius Governour of Syria's Letters to the Dorites concerning the Emperour's Statue which they caused to be erected in the Jews Synagogue King Agrippa bestoweth the High Priesthood on Matthias Marsius is made Governour of Syria 7. Silas General of Agrippa's Forces his great Imprudence obligeth this Prince to put him in Prison Agrippa fortifieth Jerusalem but the Emperour Claudius commands E him to forbear His excellent Qualities his stately Buildings The cause of his falling out with Marsius Governour of Syria He bestoweth the Great Priesthood on Aelioneus dieth after a terrible manner Leaveth for his Successor his Son Agrippa and three Daughters The Inhabitants of Caesarea and Sebastes prove extreme ungrateful to his Memory Claudius the Emperour sends Fadus to be Governour of Judaea because of Agrippa's Minority CHAP. I. The year of the World 4004. after Christ's Nativity 42. The Cruelties and Follies of the Emperour Caius Caligula Several Conspiracies against F him Chaereas being assisted by several others killeth him Some Germans of his Guard kill some of the Senators afterward The Senate condemns the thoughts of his Memory CAius did not only express and manifest his fury towards those Jews that dwelt in Jerusalem Hedio Ruffinus chap 1. and in other neighbouring places Caius's Tyranny towards the Jews but also thorough all the Countreys both by Land and Sea which were subject to the Roman Empire filling the whole World with an infinite number of mischiefs yea such and so odious that the like hitherto have never been heard of Caius's Tyranny towards the Senators and Patricians But Rome especially felt the G force of his fury but especially the Senators Patricians and Noblemen were plagued They also that were called Roman Knights who in Wealth and Dignity were next unto the Senators for that out of their number such men were chosen who were to supply the Senate were most persecuted For with ignominies H they were abused with banishments and confiscations weakned and by slaughters wholly exterminated He likewise usurped the name of God commanding his Subjects to dignifie him with more than humane honours and ascending the Capitol which amongst all the Temples in Rome is most religiously honoured he was so bold as to salute Jupiter Cajus calleth himself Jupiters Brother and to call him Brother Many such impieties were committed by him which shews that his unbridled and extravagant madness did never forsake him Amongst other his mad pranks that he played this is worthy of memory for on a time thinking it to be too much trouble for him to cross the Sea between Puteol a City in Campania and Misenum another Town seated by the Sea-shore in a Gally and otherwise esteeming it a thing correspondent to his greatness who I
for they sent Ambassadours to Claudius to appease him and by this means they obtained the favour to remain in Judaea The Jews themselves were the cause of those Wars which began under Florus After this they gave beginning to those most grievous mischiefs and calamities that befell the Jews for they C spred the Seed of the War which was awakened under Florus's Government And for that cause after that Vespasian had obtained the Victory as it shall be hereafter declared he caused them to depart out of that Province and made them seek their Habitation elsewhere H THE TWENTIETH BOOK Of the ANTIQUITIES of the JEWS I Written by FLAVIUS JOSEPHUS The Contents of the Chapters of the Twentieth Book K 1. The Emperour Claudius taketh the Government of Syria from Marsus and giveth it to Longinus Fadus Governour of Judaea punisheth some seditious People and Robbers who disturbed the Province He commands the Jews to carry back the High Priest's Vestment to the Fort Antonia but the Emperour giveth them leave to keep them at young Agrippa's request He was King Agrippa the Great 's Son and was then at Rome 2. Izates King of Andiabena and Queen Helena his Mother embrace the Religion of the Jews Their singular Piety and the great Actions of this Prince whom God L protects visibly Fadus Governour of Judaea punisheth a man and his followers who deceived the Jews 3. Tiberius Alexander succeeds Fadus in the Government of Judaea and Cumanus succeeds Alexander Herod King of Chalcis's death his Children Claudius the Emperour giveth his Dominions to Agrippa 4. The horrid Insolence of a Roman Soldier causeth the death of twenty thousand Jews Another Soldier 's Insolence 5. A great Quarrel between the Jews of Galilee and the Samaritans who bribe Cumanus Governour of Judaea Quadratus Governour of Syria sends him to Rome M with Ananias the High Priest and several others to clear themselves before the Emperour who put some of them to death The Emperour condemns the Samaritans and banisheth Cumanus maketh Foelix Governour of Judaea giveth Agrippa the Tetrarchy that Philip had viz. Bathanaea Trachonit and Abila and taketh Chalcis from him The Marriage of Agrippa's Sisters The death of the Emperour Claudius Nero succeeds after him He giveth the Lesser Armenia to Aristobulus Herod's Son King of Chalcis and to Agrippa some part of Galilee viz. Tiberiades Tarichee and Juliad 6. Foelix Governour of Judaea causeth Eleazar the High Priest to be murthered and his Murtherers commit other Murthers even in the Temple Robbers and False N Prophets are punished A great debate betwixt the Jews and the other Inhabitants of Caesarea King Agrippa establisheth Ishmael High Priest Violences committed by the High Priests 7. Foestus succeeds Foelix in the Government of Judaea The Inhabitants of Caesarea obtain of Nero to have the Jews Freedom recalled King Agrippa causeth an Apartment to be built from whence all that was done about the Temple might be seen the people of Jerusalem cause a high Wall to be built to hinder it by the Emperour's Authority 8. Albinus succeeds Foestus in the Government of Judaea and King Agrippa giveth O and taketh away often the High Priesthood Ananus the High Priest causeth Saint James to be put to death Agrippa enlargeth the City of Caesarea and calleth it Neronias A 9. How Florus Albinus's Successor offered many injuries to the Jews which constrained them to take Arms against the Romans CHAP. I. The Emperour Claudius taketh the Government of Syria from Marsus and giveth it B to Longinus Fadus Governour of Judaea punisheth some seditious People and Robbers who disturbed the Province He commands the Jews to carry back the High Priest's Vestment to the Fort Antonia but the Emperour giveth them leave to keep them at young Agrippa's request He was King Agrippa the Great 's Son and was then at Rome AFter King Agrippa's decease as we have heretofore declared in our former Book the Emperour Claudius sent Cassius Longinus to succeed Marsus in the Government of Syria whom he deprived of that Honour in memory of Agrippa who during his C life time Hedio Ruffinus cap 1. had oftentimes required by Letters that he should not suffer Marsus to govern the State of Syria As soon as Cuspius Fadus came into Jewry Cassius Longinus Prefect of Syria to take charge of that Countrey which he was to govern under Caesar he found the Jews that dwelt on the other side of Jordan in an uproar who had taken Arms against the Philadelphians about the limits of a certain Village called Mia which was stored with valiant men Those who inhabit beyond Jordan had armed themselves in this manner without the consent of their Governours and had killed a great numper of the Philadelphians Fadus punisheth the Jews for their Insurrection against the Philadelphians Which when Fadus understood he was much displeased for that they had not reserved the cause to his hearing and complained to him of the D Philadelphians but were so bold of their own Authority and without fear as to take up Arms. Having therefore apprehended some three of them who had been Authors of the Sedition he commanded them to Prison and executed one of them called Annibas Annibas executed Amaramus and Eleazar banished and banished the other two whose names were Amram and Eleazar Not long after this Tholomaeus the Captain of the Thieves was also taken and brought unto him who commanded him to be executed for having committed many Robberies in Idumaea and Arabia Tholomaeus the Arch-thief and by this means all the Countrey of Judaea was cleared of all Thieves by the care and providence of Fadus After this he sent for the High Priests Fadus requireth that the High Priest's Garment should be delivered into the power of the Romans and kept in the Castle of Antonia aliàs chap 2. and the Governours of Jerusalem commanding them according to the Emperour's direction to deliver up into the Castle of Antonia the Sacred Robe E which the High Priest only was accustomed to wear to the end that it might be at the Romans disposal as in times past it had been They durst not contradict his Command yet notwithstanding they required Fadus and Longinus who at that time was come to Jerusalem with a great power for fear the Jews by reason of this Injunction should raise a Rebellion first that it may be lawful for them to send their Ambassadours unto Caesar to beseech him that the Sacred Robe might remain in their custody Secondly that it might please them to expect the answer which Caesar would return to their request The Jews deliver Pledges to the intent they might be permitted to send Letters to Caesar Fadus gave them this answer that he permitted them to send their Ambassadours to Rome provided that before-hand they delivered him their Children for Hostages which when they had readily performed the Ambassadours were sent
Fortresses of their Captives The Romans triumph over the Jews Finally how Titus travelling thorough the whole Countrey established a Form of Government and afterward returning into Italy triumphed with much honour All these things I have comprehended in seven Books endeavouring as much as in me lieth The cause why he wrote this History to avoid all occasion of reproof from those men who know these Affairs and were Actors in the War Which I have done for their sakes who love truth And according to that Order and Form I promised I will begin my History A THE FIRST BOOK Of the B WARS of the JEWS Written by FLAVIUS JOSEPHUS The Contents of the Chapters of the First Book 1. The Destruction of Jerusalem by Antiochus King of Syria The overthrow of the Syrians by Matthias Maccabaeus and his Sons C 2. The Succession of Princes from Jonathan to Aristobulus 3. Of Aristobulus Antigonus Judas Essaeus Alexander Theodore and Demetrius 4. Of the War of Alexander King of the Jews with Antiochus and Aretas and of Aristobulus and Hircanus 5. Of the War between Hircanus and the Arabians and of the taking of Jerusalem 6. Of the War of Alexander with Hircanus and also of Aristobulus 7. Of the death of Aristobulus and the War undertaken by Antipater and Mithridates 8. How Antipater was accused before Caesar of the Priesthood of Hircanus and how Herod made War 9. Caesar's death Cassius comes into Syria Herod ingratiates with him Malichus poysons D Antipater who had sav'd his life For which Herod causes him to be slain 10. How Herod was accused and set free 11. Of the War of the Parthians against the Jews and of Herod's Flight and Fortune 12. Of Herod's War for the recovering of Jerusalem after his return from Rome and how he warred against the Thieves 13. Of the death of Joseph How Herod besieged Jerusalem and how Antigonus was slain 14. Of the treacherous practices of Cleopatra against Herod Herod's War against the Arabians and of a very great Earth-quake 15. How Herod was confirmed in the peaceable Possession of the Kingdom of Judaea by Augustus E Caesar 16. Of the Cities and Monuments repaired and builded by Herod and of his felicity and liberality towards strangers 17. Of the disagreement between Herod and his Sons Alexander and Aristobulus 18. Of Antipater's Conspiracy against his Father Herod 19. How Herod should have been poysoned and how the Treason was discovered 20. How Antipater's malicious practices against Herod were discovered and punished 21. Of the Golden Eagle and of Antipater's and Herod's death F CHAP. I. The Destruction of Jerusalem by Antiochus King of Syria The Overthrow of the Syrians by Matthias Maccabaeus and his Sons AT such time as Antiochus surnamed Epiphanes made War against Ptolomey the Sixth King of Egypt The year of the World 3800. before Christ's Nativity 162. for the whole Dominion of Syria those of the chiefest Authority and Nobility among the Jews were divided into two Parties And that of Onias the High Priest being become the G strongest expelled the Sons of Tobias out of the City who fleeing to Antiochus for refuge besought him in all humility that he would lead his Forces into Judaea offering themselves to be his Guides in the Expedition Antiochus who had long desired such an occasion easily condescended to their request H and levying a great Army he entred their Countrey took Jerusalem and slew most part of them who favoured Ptolomey He gave his Soldiers liberty to sack the City spoiled the Temple of the great Riches which were in it and for the space of three years and six months forbad the Sacrifices Ant. l. 12. c. 6. which before time were accustomed to be offered every day to God in that place Antiochus being stirred up by Tubias's Sons invadeth Judaea and surpriseth Jerusalem Whereupon Onias the High Priest fled to Ptolomey of whom having obtained the grant of a piece of Land within the Liberties and Precincts of Heliopolis he built a Town and Temple there resembling the City and Sanctuary of Jerusalem of which we shall speak in due place But Antiochus not satisfied with the unexpected surprize of the City nor with the pillage and slaughter of the Citizens Ant. l. 15. c. 4. was so far transported by his passions and incenssed I with the remembrance of those toyls which he had sustained during this War The High-Priest Onias flieth to Ptolomey that he compelled the Jews to renounce their Religion to forbear the Circumcision of their Children and to immolate Swine upon the Altar The abhorrence which the chiefest and honestest amongst them Ant. l. 12. c. 7. could not refrain to declare against these Abominations Antiochus altereth the Customs of the Jews cost them their lives For Bacchides who was Governour of all the Garisons of Judaea by the appointment of Antiochus being naturally very cruel omitted no occasion to execute his wicked Orders insomuch that he particularly tormented such as were of Noble Birth and Quality Bacchides's cruelty towards the Jews and every day represented to them the fresh face and memory of the desolation of their City But at length a Tyranny so insupportable animated those that suffered it to attempt the means of freeing themselves K from it Ant. l. 1. c. 8. and of executing revenge upon the Authors Matthias or Mathathias Maccabaeus the Son of Asmoneus Matthias confederated with others maketh War against Antiochus one of the Priests who dwelt in a Village called Modin accompanied with his five Sons and his own houshold armed with Swords slew Bacchides and fearing the power and multitude of the enemy's Garrisons presently retired himself into the Mountains Thither resorted divers of the people unto him by which conflux growing more confident and couragious he descended from the Mountains and overcoming the Captains of Antiochus drave them out of the Borders of Judaea By many instances of such happy success he became so renown'd that he was by common consent of the people whom he had delivered from the subjection of strangers made their Ruler And when he died he left his eldest Son who was called L Judas to succeed him in the Government This brave Son of so brave a Father could not doubt of the endeavours which Antiochus would use to revenge the losses he had received and therefore he gathered together an Army of his own Countrey-men and was the first among the Jews that made a League with the Romans Antiochus failed not as he had foreseen to enter into Judaea with a powerful Army and this great Captain repell'd him with a great Overthrow And whilst the remembrance of this Victory was yet fresh in men's minds he assaulted the Garrison of Jerusalem which as yet was entire in which Conflict he forced them to forsake the high Town which is called Holy and betake themselves to the lower part And having recovered the
by their Offices for one of them was his Butler the other was his Cook and the third waited upon him in his Bed-chamber These three Alexander with great gifts corrupted G Which the King understanding by torments forced them to confess and declare with what promises they were thereto by Alexander induced and how he had deceived them by affirming that there was no trusting to Herod who was a morose old man The year of the World 3956. before Christ's Nativity 6. and that he died his hair to make himself seem young and that in despight of H him he would be his Successor and then he would be revenged upon his enemies and make his friends happy and especially them And that the whole Nobility secretly joyned with him and the Captains of the Army and Governours privily came to him Herod feareth his Son Alexander Hereat Herod was so terrified that he durst not presently divulge their confessions but night and day he sent out spies to learn what was said or done and whom he suspected them he presently killed so that his whole Kingdom was full of Blood-shed For every one as his malice moved him feigned Calumniations and many desirous of Blood-shed abused the King's passion as they pleased against their enemies Credit was given to every lie and no man was so soon accused but presently he was punished and he who presently before accused others was now accused himself and I carried to be punished with him whom he had accused Ant. lib. 17. cap. 8. For the King's jealousy shortned the time of Trial for their lives and he became so tyrannous that he afforded not a good look Herod's cruelty even to them that were not accused but shewed himself most fierce and violent to his dearest friends So that he banished many out of his Kingdom and railed against such as he had no power over Antipater encreased this mischief more and more by employing all his friends to accomplish the ruine of Alexander By whose rumours and tales the King was so possessed that he fancied always that he saw Alexander before him with a drawn Sword Herod casteth Alexander into Prison and tortured his friends For which cause he suddenly cast him in Prison and tortured his friends many of which died in torments because they would not confess more than in conscience was true Others not able to endure the torments K were forced to confess that Alexander and his Brother Aristobulus designed Treason against their Father and that they expected their time till he went a hunting resolving with themselves that having killed him they would presently flee to Rome Although these and such like Calumniations were no ways probable yet extremity of pain forced men to invent them and the King willingly believed them as it were comforting himself thereby that he might not be thought to have imprisoned his Son unjustly Alexander perceiving that it was impossible for him to remove his Father's suspicion Alexander during his imprisonment wrote four Books against his enemies thought it best to yield himself guilty and so he made four Writings wherein he confessed the Treason and nominated his partakers therein namely Pheroras and Salome who were the chief which later he said had been so impudently L unchaste as to come in the night to him without his consent and lie in his bed These Writings which charged the greatest amongst the Nobility with most heinous matters were in Herod's hands when Archelaus fearing his Son-in-law and Daughter to be in great danger speedily came into Judaea and by his prudence appeased the King's wrath For so soon as he came to Herod he cryed Where is that wicked Son-in-law of mine or where may I see the face of that wretch that goeth about to murther his Father that I may tear him in pieces with mine own hands and marry my Daughter to a better Husband For although she be not privy to his counsel yet 't is enough to make her infamous that she is Wife to such a man Nay I admire your patience who are in such danger Archelaus King of Cappadocia and suffer Alexander yet to live For I came thus hastily out of Cappadocia thinking M he had been put to death to talk with you concerning my Daughter whom I married to him for your sake Wherefore now let us take counsel what to do with them both and seeing you are too Father-like and not able to punish your Son your treacherous Son let 〈◊〉 change rooms and let me be in your place to revenge you How great soever Herod's choler was this discourse of Archelaus disarmed it And Herod shewed him the Books that Alexander had writ Archelaus and Herod consult upon Alexander's Book and upon reading every Chapter with deliberation Archelaus took occasion fit for his purpose and by little and little laid all the fault on Pheroras and those that were accused in the Book And perceiving the King to give ear unto him Let us said he consider whether the young man hath not been circumvented by the treachery of so many malicious persons and not of himself formed a design against N you For there appears no cause why he should fall into such wickedness who already enjoyed the honours of the Kingdom and hoped to succeed you therein had he not been perswaded thereto by other men who seeing him a young man enticed him to such an attempt For we see that by such persons not only young men but also old men and most Noble Families Herod is incensed against his Brother Pheroras yea and whole Kingdomes are ruinated Herod upon these speeches began somewhat to relent and abate his animosity against Alexander but encreased it towards Pheroras for he was the Subject of the whole Book Pheroras perceiving the King so to trust to Archelaus's friendship that he was led by him to do what he pleased he in humble manner came to Archelans seeking humbly for succour at his hands of whom he had not deserved any favour Archelaus answered him that he knew O no ways to obtain his Pardon who was guilty of so heinous Crimes and convicted manifestly to have practised High Treason against the King 's own Person and to be A the cause of all these miseries that had now befallen the young man except that he would lay aside all subtil dealing and denying of his Fact and confess the Crimes whereof he was accused and so humbly go to his Brother who loved him dearly and crave pardon promising that if he would so do he would do him what good he could Pheroras attired in a mourning garment with tears falleth before Herod's feet and craveth pardon Hereupon Pheroras obeyed Archelaus's counsel and putting on a black Attire in a pitiful manner and with tears he prostrated himself at Herod's feet and craving pardon obtained it confessing himself to be a most wicked and vile person and to be guilty of all that
resolution For he caused the chief men of every Town and Village in all Judaea to be assembled together and then he shut them up in a place called the Hippodrome And calling unto him his Sister Salome and Alexas her Husband I know said he that the Jews will make Feasts for joy of my death yet if you will do what I desire it shall be mourned for and I shall have a remarkable Funeral As soon as I have given up the Ghost cause my Soldiers to encompass these men whom I have here in hold and kill them all By this means all Judaea and every N Hous-hold thereof shall have cause to lament The Ambassadors signifie 〈◊〉 death and bring Letters that authorize Herod to punish Antipater After he had commanded this to be done those whom he had sent to Rome brought him Letters wherein was shewed how Acme Julia's Servant was by Caesar's Command put to death and Antipater adjudged worthy to die yet Caesar writ that if his Father had rather banish him he permitted it Herod with this news was something pleased yet presently his pains and a vehement Cough seized him with that violence so that he thought to hasten his own death Herod overcome with pain would have 〈◊〉 himself and taking an Apple in his hand he called for a Knife for he was accustomed to cut the meat which he did eat and then looking about him lest any standing by should hinder him he lift up his arm to strike himself But Achab his Nephew run hastily to him and stayed his hand and presently there was made great lamentation O throughout all the King's Palace Ant. lib. 1◠cap. 16. as though the King had been dead Antipater having speedy news hereof took courage and promised the Keepers a piece of money to A let him go But the chiefest of them did not only deny to do it but also went presently to the King and told him what Antipater requested Herod hearing this lifted up his voice with more strength than was meet for a sick man and commanded his Guard to go and kill Antipater and bury him in the Castle called Hircanion And now again he altered his Testament Antipater's death and appointed Archelaus his eldest Son King and Antipas his younger Brother Tetrarch Five days after the death of his Son Antipater Herod died Ant. lib. 17. cap. 12. having reigned thirty and four years after he slew Antigonus and thirty seven years after the Romans had declared him King In many things he was as fortunate as any man for being born but a private person he got the Crown and kept it and left it to his Posterity But in his Domestick Affairs he was most unfortunate B Salome before it was known to the Soldiers that the King was dead went forth with her Husband and released all those that were in Hold whom the King had commanded to be slain saying that the King's mind was altered and therefore he gave them all Licence to depart Herod's death signified to the Soldiers And after their departure the King's death was published to the King's Soldiers who together with the other multitude were assembled in the Amphitheatre at Jericho by Ptolomey Keeper of the King's Seal who made a Speech to them and told them that Herod was now happy and he comforted the multitude and read unto them a Letter which the King left wherein he earnestly requested the Soldiers to favour and love his Successor After the Epistle read he recited the King's Testament wherein Philip was appointed Heir of Trachonitis and the places thereunto C adjoyning Antipas Tetrarch and Archelaus King He commanded his Ring to be carried to Caesar to whom he referred the cognizance and disposal of all with full Authority requiring that as to any thing else his said Testament should be performed This was no sooner read Archelaus proclaimed King after his Father's decease but presently the Skies were filled with the voices and cries of the people who congratulated Archelaus and the Soldiers and the People promised to serve him faithfully and wished him a happy Reign This done the next care was about the King's Funeral on which Archelaus spared no cost but buried the King with all Royal Pomp possible Herod's pompous Funeral The Herse whereon he was carried was adorned with Gold and Precious Stones upon it lay a Bed wrought with Purple whereupon was D laid the dead Corps of the King covered also with Purple a Crown and Diadem of pure Gold on his head and a Scepter in his Right hand About the Herse were his Sons and Kinsfolk and the Guard and Bands of Thracians Germans and Gauls all went before in order as though they had gone to Wars The rest of the Soldiers in Warlike order followed their Captains and Leaders and five hundred of his Servants and Freed-men carried Perfumes And thus the Corps was carried the space of two hundred furlongs from Jericho to the Castle of Herodion where as himself had appointed it was interred H THE SECOND BOOK OF THE WARS of the JEWS I Written by FLAVIUS JOSEPHUS The Contents of the Chapters of the Second Book 1. Of Herod's Successor Archelaus how he entred into the Temple and the Mutiny that arose for the revenge of those that were executed for taking away the Golden Eagle 2. Of the Fight and Massacre in Jerusalem between the Jews and the Sabinians K 3. Varus Governour of Syria for the Romans represseth the Insurrections in Judea 4. How the Jews had an Ethnarch constituted over them 5. Of the Impostor Alexander Herod's pretended Son and how he was taken 6. Of the Banishment and Death of Archelaus 7. Of Judas the Galilean who established a fourth Sect and of the three Sects amongst the Jews 8. Of the Cities which Philip and Herod built and of Pilat's Government L 9. The Emperour Caius orders Petronius Governour of Syria to constrain the Jews by Arms to receive his Statue into the Temple Petronius forbears to do it The death of Caius saves him from Punishment 10. The Roman Army declares Claudius Emperour Of the Reign and Death of Agrippa 11. Of divers Tumults in Judea and Samaria 12. Of the Tumults in Judea under Foelix 13. Of Albinus and Florus Presidents of Judea M 14. Of Florus his cruelty against the Jews of Caesarea and Jerusalem 15. Of another Oppression of the Citizens of Jerusalem by Florus 16. Of Politianus the Tribune King Agrippa's Speech to the Jews exhorting them to obey the Romans 17. Of the Rebellion which the Jews begun against the Romans 18. Of the death of Ananias the High Priest Manahem and the Roman Soldiers 19. Of the great Massacre of the Jews at Caesarea and in all Syria N 20. Cruelties exercised against the Jews in divers other Cities and particularly by Varus 21. Fifty thousand Jews slain at Alexandria 22. Of the Massacre of the Jews by Cestius Gallus 23.
that an Army was coming against him but for what cause D they knew not because it was kept secret And hereupon before he could prevent it four Cities revolted from him Four Cities of Galilee submit themselves to Joseph's Enemies to wit Sephoris Gamala Giscala and Tiberias which nevertheless he soon after easily recovered without Force of Arms And having taken the four Captains and Counsellors of his enemies he sent them to Jerusalem against whom the people being incensed would have killed them and those that sent them had they not fled in good time CHAP. XXVII E The Cities of Tiberias and Sephoris are recovered by Joseph NOw John Tiberias is recovered by Joseph and saved by a Stratagem for fear of Joseph kept himself within the Walls of Giscala and a few days after Tiberias revolting again from Joseph the Inhabitants called in Agrippa who came not at the day appointed only a few Roman Horse shewed themselves Joseph understanding this at Tarichea and having sent his Soldiers to fetch Corn he thought not good to go alone against the Rebels nor yet did he think it best to delay the time any longer fearing that whilst he delayed King Agrippa would come and possess the Town besides that the next day being the Sabbath he could do nothing F At length he resolved to overcome the Rebels by policy and so he commanded the Gates of Tarichea to be kept shut that his intent might not be revealed to them of Tiberias Then taking all the Boats that were in the Lake in number two hundred and thirty and in every one of them four Sailers he speedily sailed to Tiberias And when he came near the City yet so far off that the Inhabitants thereof could not easily descry him he commanded all the Boats to stop and the rowers to beat the water still as if they were rowing Joseph with seven Soldiers cometh to Tiberias and terrifieth his Enemies and taking only seven of his Guard with him unarmed he went near enough the City that they might see him When the Rebels perceived him and thought that the Boats were full of Armed men they threw down their Weapons and held up their hands to him beseeching him to spare the City Joseph with many threatning and bitter Speeches reproached them first that having undertaken G War against the Romans they with Civil Dissentions consumed their own Forces Secondly that they had sought his life from whom they ought to expect their safety and that they were not ashamed to shut the Gates against him who had built the Walls yet if any would come and talk with him and give him assurance of H their fidelity he would not refuse them So ten of the chiefest among them came to him whom he carried away in a Fisher-boat far from the City and he demanded fifty Senatours as though he required their promise also And devising new Causes he still under pretence of agreement sent first for one Joseph by a subtil policy touleth out the chiefest of Tiberias and carrieth them away in Boats to Tarichea and then for another as he thought good till he had loaded all the Boats which done he commnded all the Boatmen with all speed possible to go to Tarichea and put them in Prison so he carried away all the Council which were in number six hundred and 2000 more all whom he brought to Tarichea But they which remained in the City cried with one voice that one Clitus was cause of the revolt and therefore besought Joseph to punish him for all Clitus the Author of the sedition drawing his Sword with his right hand cut of his left Joseph told them that he would put none of them to death but commanded I one of his Guard called Levias to come and cut off Clitus his hands but he fearing to trust himself amongst so many enemies refused to do execution Clitus perceiving that Joseph was angry and ready to come out of his Boat to do it himself besought him to grant him one of his hands which Joseph did upon condition that he should cut off the other himself So Clitus drawing out his Sword with his right hand cut off his left After this manner Joseph brought Tiberias again under his subjection And within a few days after he took Giscala and Sephoris which had revolted having given the spoils thereof to his Soldiers yet afterward he restored most that was taken away to the people and the like he did to the inhabitants of Tiberias by which means he got the good will of them all K CHAP. XXVIII How the people of Jerusalem prepared themselves for War and of the Robberies of Simon Son of Gioras AFter that these broils The troubled Estate of Jerusalem which hitherto hapned only in Galilee were ceased they prepared themselves against the Romans And the chief men of Jerusalem and L Ananus the high Priest with all speed renewed and repaired the Walls and made all sorts of Instruments for war Arrows and other weapons so that all the City was busied herein and trained their men in warlike discipline All places were filled with agitation and tumult but the graver sort were very pensive and many as it were foreseeing the calamity that after ensued could not refrain from tears they that desired peace received no comfort in any thing all things were done at their beck who were cause of all this War And the Estate of the City even then before the Romans came was like a City to be destroyed But Ananus neglected that which was necessary for War and laboured to reconcile the seditious faction of those that were called Zelous Simon the Son of Gioras committeth great rapines and murthers in Acrabatena and Idumea but how he was overcome and what his end was we M will declare hereafter In the mean time one Simon the Son of Gioras in the Toparchy of Acrabatena having gathered together a multitude of seditious people robbed and spoled every where and he not only broke into rich mens houses but also beat them grievously openly exercising his Tyranny But when Ananus and the rest sent an army against him he fled to his fellow-thieves of Massada and there staid till Ananus and the rest of his Enemies were slain and then he wasted Idumea with the rest so that the Governours of that place were fain to put a Garrison in every Village so great was the number of them that were slain by these Thieves And thus stood the affairs of the Jews A THE THIRD BOOK Of the WARS of the JEVVS Written by Flavius Josephus B The Contents of the Chapters of the Third Book 1. OF the coming of Vespasian General of the Romans into Judea and of two Massacres of the Jews and how the Sephorites yielded themselves to Vespasian 2. The Description of Galilee Samaria and Judea 3. Of the Aid sent to them of Sephoris and of the military discipline amongst the
Genezareth Besides the temperature of the Air it is also watered by a plentiful Fountain called Capernaum Many think it to be an Arm of Nilus because it hath Fishes like the Corbe bred only in a Lake near Alexandria The length of this E Country along the Lake bearing the same Name is thirty Furlongs and the breadth twenty CHAP. XIX A Sea-Fight in which Vespasian defeats in the Lake of â—â—nezareth all those that had saved themselves at Tarichea VEspasian having built his Ships A Sea-Fight against the Taricheans and furnished them with as many men as he F thought sufficient against those whom he was to pursue he embarqued upon the Lake and himself also went against them The Taricheans could not possibly make any escape by Land although they would and they were not able to fight hand to hand with the Romans for their small Pyrate Boats could not withstand their Enemies great Vessels and besides they were not sufficiently manned so that they feared to encounter the Romans who pressed altogether upon them yet notwithstanding sometime they came about the Roman Ships and cast Stones at the Romans afar off and sometimes also they came near and skirmished with them yet they themselves always had more harm than the Romans for their Stones which they cast did only rattle G against the Romans Armour but hurt them not and they were killed by the Romans H Arrows and if at any time they were so bold as to come near the Romans they were slain before they could do them any harm or else sunk with their Boats And as many as attempted to assault the Romans were slain with their Javelins and Swords the Romans leaping into their Boats and many were taken with their Boats the Ships meeting one another Vespasian's Victory in the Lake of Genezareth against the Taricheans They that were in the water and lift up their heads to swim were kill'd with Arrows or over-taken with Roman Boats and if in desperation they came swimming towards their Enemies their Hands or Heads were presently cut off Thus some perished one way The end of the Battel by Sea wherein died 6500 men some another till at last they fled and arrived upon the shoar where their Ships were compassed round about So the Romans kill'd many upon the Lake and many upon the Land and one might then have seen all the Lake stained I with blood Vespasian consults with his Chieftains about the Jews and full of dead Bodies for not one escaped alive A few dayes after these dead Bodies corrupted the Air by their stench in such sort that the whole Country was annoyed with it and this spectacle was so hideous that it caused horror not only in the Jews but even in the Romans themselves who had been the cause of it And the Shores were all full of Boats that had suffered Ship-wrack and dead Bodies swollen in the water And this was the end of that War by water The number of them that perished here and in the City was 6500. The Fight being ended Vespasian sate in a Tribunal Seat and separated the Strangers from the Inhabitants for that the former seem'd to be the Authors of that War Yet he deliberated with the Captains and Governours whether he should likewise pardon them but they told him that their lives K might endamage him for said they if you send those men away and let them live they cannot live peaceably because they want abiding places and they are able to disturb and disquiet those to whom they shall fly Vespasian for this cause judged them unworthy to live presuming that if they were let go they would fight against them who pardoned their Lives it remained to consider what death to put them to But he thought with himself the Inhabitants would not patiently abide so many to be massacred who had fled to them for succour wherefore he sought to use no violence to them because he had promised them security But at last he was overcome by the perswasion of his Friends who told him that all things against the Jews were lawful and that profit was to be preferred before honesty seeing both could not be had so Licence being L granted to them to depart they suspecting nothing were commanded to take only that way that leadeth to Tiberias They willingly obeyed as they were commanded not misdoubting the safety of their goods or money But the Romans had placed themselves on every side the way even to Tiberias to the intent that none might escape and so shut them all in the City Presently after came Vespasian and enclosed them all in an Amphitheater and so killed 1200 persons who were all old men or young and unable for service The Destruction and sale of the Jews Of the rest that were all strong young men he sent 6000 to Nero to work at Istmos near Corinth The rest of the multitude he sold in number 30400 besides others that he gave to Agrippa whom also he permitted to do what he would with those that were of his Kingdom But Agrippa sold all those that were given him M The rest of them were fugitives and seditious persons of Trachonitis Gaulanitis and Hippenis and many of Gadara whose contempt of Peace procured the War They were taken the sixth of the Ides of September N O The FOURTH BOOK H Of the WARS of the JEVVS Written by Flavius Josephus I The Contents of the Chapters of the Fourth Book 1 HOw Gamala was besieged 2 How Placidus took Itaburium 3 How Gamala was destroyed 4 How Titus took Gischala 5 Of the beginning of the Destruction of Jerusalem 6 Of the coming of the Idumaeans to Jerusalem and of their deeds 7 Of the Massacre of the Jews by the Idumeans K CHAP. I. How Gamala was Besieged AFter that Tarichea was taken The Victory of the Romans against the Jews all those Cities that from the time that Jotapata was surprized till this instant had revolted from the Romans did now again unite themselves unto them so that the Romans L had now gotten into their hands all Castles and Towns of Galilee Giscala only excepted and Itaburium a Mountain so called With these two rebelled Gamala a Town over against Tarichea and scituate upon the Lake belonging to the Kingdom of Agrippa and also Sagane and Seleucia which two last belong'd to Gaulantis Sagane to the higher part called Gaulana Semeachonitis a Lake and Gamala to the lower Selucia unto the Lake Semechonitis which is thirty furlongs in breadth The Fountain of Jordan and threescore large whose Marshes reach even to Daphne which Country is very pleasant of it self The scituation of Gamala and famous for that it entertaineth the stream called little Jordan and at the foot of the Golden Mountain drives it into the great Jordan M Agrippa in the beginning of the Revolt had made a Treaty with Sagane and Seleucia but
now lay murthered and naked in the open streets left as it were a prey to be torn in pieces by Doggs and wild Beasts Was Virtue ever more insolently outraged And could she N without shedding Tears behold Vice thus triumph over her A The FIFTH BOOK Of the WARS of the JEVVS B Written by Flavius Josephus The Contents of the Chapters of the Fifth Book 1 OF another Massacre and of the Return of the Idumeans and the Cruelty of the Zealots 2 Of the Civil Discord amongst the Jews 3 Of the Yielding of Gadara and the Massacre there C 4 How certain Towns were Taken and the Description of Jericho 5 Of the Lake called Asphaltites 6 How Gerasa was Destroyed the Death of Nero Galba and Otho 7 Of Simon of Gerasa Author of a new Conspircy 8 Of Galba Otho Vitellius and Vespasian 9 Of Simon 's Acts against the Zealots 10 How Vespasian was chosen Emperour 11 The Description of Aegypt and Pharus 12 How Vespasian Redeemed Joseph from Captivity 13 Of Vitellus his Death and Manners D 14 How Titus was sent against the Jews by his Father CHAP. I. Of another Massacre and of the Return of the Idumeans and the Cruelty of the Zealots SUch was the end of Ananus and Jesus After whose death the Idumeans and E the Zealots massacred the People as though they had been a flock of pernitious Beasts and very few escaped the Butchery The Nobility and chief sort of men were put in Prison The cruelty of the Idumeans and the Zealots in hope that by deferring their death some of them would become partakers with them Yet none was hereby moved but every one desired to die rather than impiously to joyn with these Wretches against their own Country Whereupon they were most cruelly whipped before they were put to Death their Bodies being made as it were one sore place by Whipping and Stripes and when they could not endure these Torments any longer they were killed Who so was taken in the day time was in the night carried to Prison and those that died in Prison and Torments they cast their dead Bodies out F that they might have place to imprison others in their room The People were so terrified that none durst weep openly for his Friend nor bury the dead Body of his Kinsman yea those that were in Prison durst not openly weep but secretly looking about them lest any of their Enemies should see them For whosoever mourned for any that was afflicted was presently himself used in the same manner as he had been for whom he lamented Yet sometimes some in the night scraped up a little earth with their hands and therewithal covered the dead body of their Friend and some bolder than the rest did the like in the day-time 12000 of the Nobility executed And in this general slaughter were twelve thousand young Noblemen slain in this manner After which being hated for these Massacres they mocked and flouted the Magistrates and made no account of their Judgments So that when they determined to put to death Zachary the Son of Baruch one of the chief of G the City because he was an Enemy to their wickedness and loved the virtuous and one that was rich by whose death they hoped not only to have the spoil of his goods but also to be rid of one who might be able to resist their bad purposes they called seventy of H the best amongst the common People together as it were in Judgment with a pretended Authority and before them they accused Zacharie that he had betrayed the Common-wealth to the Romans and for that intent had sent to Vespasian but they neither shewed any evidence or proof thereof but only affirmed it to be so and therefore would have credit given to their words When Zacharie perceived that under pretence of being called to Judgement Zacharie condemned to death by the Zealots he was unjustly cast into Prison though he had no hope of Life yet he spared not to speak freely his mind and began to scorn the rage and pretence of his Enemies and purged himself of the crimes whereof he was accused and converting his speech against his Accusers he laid open all their Iniquities and much lamented the miseries and troubles I of the City In the mean-while the Zealots gnashed their teeth and could scarcely contain themselves from drawing their Swords and were desirous that their pretended Accusation and Judgment might be ended He also requested them who by these Miscreants were appointed his Judges Seventy Judges absolve acquit Zacharie to remember Justice notwithstanding the danger they might incur by it The seventy Judges all pronounced that he was to be absolved and freed as guiltless and rather chose to die than to cause his death who was Innocent This Sentence being pronounced the Zealots began to shout and cry with a loud voice and they all were angry at the Judges Zacharie slain in the midst of the Temple who did not understand to what end that counterfeit K Authority was given them Then two of the boldest amongst them set upon Zacharie and killed him in the midst of the Temple and insulted over him saying Thou hast now our Sentence and Absolution far more certain than the other was And presently they cast him down from the Temple into the Valley below and then contumeliously with the Hilts of their Swords they beat the Judges out of the Temple yet they did not kill them to the end that being dispersed thorow the whole City they might tell the People as Messengers from them of their miserable condition The Idumeans were now sorrowful for their coming One of the Zealots discovereth their cruelty and barbarous dealing to the Idumeans for they misliked these proceedings and being assembled together one of the Zealots secretly told them all that their Faction had done from the beginning that it was true the Idumeans had taken Arms L because they were informed that the Metropolitan City was by the Priests betray'd to the Romans but they might perceive there was no proof nor sign of any such matter and that indeed the Zealots who pretended themselves Defenders of the Liberty of the City were indeed Enemies and had exercised Tyranny over the Citizens even from the beginning And though they had associated themselves with such wicked persons and made themselves partakers of so many Murthers yet they ought now to cease from such wickedness and not assist men so impious to destroy their Country and Religion For though they took it in bad part that the City Gates were shut upon them yet now they were sufficiently revenged of those that were the cause thereof That Ananus himself was slain and almost all the People in one night whereof M many of them ere long would repent and that they might now themselves perceive the cruelty of those who requested their aid to be more than barbarous had not
Arabians in these Wars against Strangers do what they please and presently cause the infamy of their vile Facts to redound to the Romans by committing such murthers and exercising such cruelty against the Jews for now all that bare Arms under him were defamed with this vile report He declared to them That such as G hereafter were found in that guilt should be put to death Also he commanded his own Legions to make enquiry who were suspected among them for this matter and to bring him word thereof But avarice is not terrified by fear of punishment cruel H people have naturally a desire of gain and no passion can be compared to the desire of wealth though sometimes it is bridled and restrained for fear But now God who hath given over the people to Perdition suffered all things to be turned to their destruction Avarice is not terrified with any punishment for that which Cesar did so strictly forbid was still secretly commited upon the poor Jews that fled for mercy to the Romans So that now whosoever fled out of the City the Souldiers first looking about them left any of the Romans should see them ript up their Bellies and so got an ungodly and impious booty yet in very few did they find that they sought for for the most of them that were slain had no Gold nor Silver found within them And this mischief caused many that had fled to the Romans to return again into the City I CHAP. XVI Of the Sacriledge committed about the Temple and the dead Bodies cast out of the City and of the Famine WHen John could rob no more John falleh to Sacrildge and taketh away many Presents out of the Temple nor get any spoil from the Citizens whom he had robbed of all they had he presently fell to Sacriledge and took away many of the gifts that had been offer'd to God in the Temple and of the Sacred Vessels K appointed for Divine Service as Cups Plates Tables and the Cruets of Gold that Augustus and his Wife had sent thither Thus a Jew robbed and spoiled the Temple of those tokens of respect wherewith the Roman Emperours and other Nations had honoured it and he had the boldness to affirm to his Associates that without fear they might use the Holy things of the Temple seeing they sought for God and the Temple Moreover he dar'd to share amongst them the Holy Wine and Oyl which the Priests kept for Divine Sacrifice in the inner part of the Temple I will not cease to speak that which grief compelleth me I verily think that had the Romans forborn to have punished so great Criminals either the Earth would have swallowed the City up or some deluge have drowned it or else the Thunder and Lightning which L conâ—umed Sodom would have light upon it for the people of the City were far more impious than the Sodomites In brief their wickedness and impiety were the cause that the whole Nation was extinguished What need I recount every particular misery Mannaeus the Son of Lazarus flying to Titus out of the Gate that was committed to his custody and yielding himself to him related to Titus that from the time that the Roman Army encamped near the City from the fourteenth day of April until the first of July were carried out of that Gate he kept a hundred and fifteen thousand eight hundred and fourscore dead bodies and nevertheless he had reckoned only those the number of whom he was obliged to know by reason of a Publick Distribution of which he had the charge For others were buried by their Parents and this was their M burial Six hundred thousand dead carcases cast out of the City to carry them out of the City and there let them lie And certain Noblemen flying to Titus after him reported that there were dead in the City six hundred thousand poor people which were cast out of the Gates and that the others that died were innumerable and that when so many died that they were not able to bury them that then they gathered the Bodies together in the greatest houses adjoyning and there shut them up And that a bushel of Corn was sold for a Talent which is six hundred Crowns and that since the City was compassed with a Wall by the besiegers they could not go out to gather any more herbs so that many were driven to that necessity that they raked Sinks and privies to find old dung of Oxen to eat and even the dung that was loathsome to behold Cow-dung and dirt gathered together is the Jews food was their meat The Romans hearing this were moved N to compassion yet the Seditious within the City who beheld this miserable sight were nothing moved nor repented but suffered them to brought to this Calamity for their hearts were so blinded by God that they perceiv'd not the precipice into which they were going to fall with all this miserable City O A The SEVENTH BOOK Of the WARS of the JEVVS B Written by Flavius Josephus The Contents of the Chapters of the Seventh Book 1 OF the breach made in the Walls and how the Mounts were fired and how Sabinus assaaulted the Wall 2 How the Romans assaulted Antonia and were repulsed by the Jews 3 Of the exceeding valour of Julian a Roman Souldier 4 Joseph's speech perswading the Jews to yield their City and how the Jews fled to the C Romans 5 Of another Battel the Rampiers being again built and of the excursions of the Jews 6 How the Romans were by a device of the Jews destroyed with fire 7 Of the Famine amongst the Jews 8 Of a Woman that for hunger did eat her own Son 9 How the Walls were taken and the Temple burnt 10 How the Temple was set on fire against Titus his will 11 Of the Priests the Treasure-house and the Porch 12 Of the Signs and Tokens which appeared before the destruction of the City 13 Of Titus his Rule and Government and how the Priests were sâ—ain D 14 Of the prey of the Seditious and the burning of the inner part of the City 15 How the higher part of the City was assaulted and how some of the Jews fled to Titus 16 How the rest of the City was taken 17 Of the number of the Captives and of those that were slain 18 A brief History of the City of Jerusalem 19 How the Souldiers were rewarded 20 Of Vespasians sayling away and how Simon was taken and of the spectacles and shews made upon Vespasians birth-day 21 Of the calamity of the Jews amongst the Antiochians 22 How Vespasian at his return was received by the Romans E 23 Of Domitians acts against the Germans and Frenchmen 24 Of the River Sabbaticus and of the famous triumph of Vespasian and Titus 25 How Herodium and Machera were taken by Bassus 26 Of the Jews that were slain by Bassus and how Judea was sold 27 Of the death
Boldness of the Sicarians like some infectious disease spred over all the L Towns about Cyrene For one Jonathan a Weaver and a wicked man having escaped perswaded many simple people to follow him and led them into the Wilderness promising to shew them signs and visions A part of Jonathans companions were taken and slain the rest kept captive alive and brought to Catullus and so he deceived the simplest sort of the Jews but the noblest of them of Cyrene understanding his deceit gave Catullus notice of his preparation and departure who was then Governour of Lybia who sending some Horse and Foot easily surprized them being unarmed and the most part of them were slain yet some were taken alive and brought to Catullus But their Leader Jonathan at that time escaped yet being diligently laid and sought for over all those Countries he was at last taken and being brought to Catullus he sought to delay his own punishment by offering an occasion of Cruelty to Catullus For he accused the M richest among the Jews to have been his advisers to this matter Catullus was glad of these accusations and exaggerated them very much with Tragical terms so that he might have a pretext of War against the Jews and not content to credit whatsoever was maliciously spoken Three thousand Jews slain by Catullus he himself instructed the Sicarians to frame scandalous accusations and commanding them to nominate one Alexander a Jew whom he had long hated and his Wife Bernice he put them first of all to death and after them all that were rich who amounted to the number of three thousand And this he thought he did without controul because he confiscated their Possessions to Caesar And lest any Jew living in any other place Joseph by Catullus perswasion is accused by Jonathan should complain of his injustice he extended N his malicious lies against others further off and perswaded Jonathan and certain others that were taken with him to accuse the most trusty and faithful Jews both at Rome and Alexandria one of those who were thus falsely accused was Joseph who wrote this History But this proceeding of Catullus had not such success as he hoped for he came to Rome and brought Jonathan and the rest bound with him thinking that no more inquiry would be made of the false accusations invented by himself But Vespasian suspecting the matter made diligent inquiry to know the truth and finding these crimes injuriously imposed upon those men Jonathan being first beaten is burnt alive at the intercession of Titus he acquitted them and punished Jonathan according to his desert who being first whipt was afterward burnt alive O Catullus at that time by reason of the mildness of the Emperour had nothing said A to him The year of the World 4038. after the Nativity of Christ 76. but not long after he fell into a grievous Disease and was cruelly tormented not only in Body but also in mind For he was greatly terrified and continually imagined to see the Ghosts of those whom he had so unjustly slain ready to kill him so that he cried out and not able to contain himself leapt out of his Bed as though he had been tortured with torments and fire Aud this Disease daily increasing his Guts and Bowels rotting and issuing out of him at last he died in this manner leaving behind him an evident argument that the Divine Justice punisheth impious Malefactors This is the End of the History The Conclusion of the seven Books of the Wars of the Jews which we promised to set down with all fidelity for those that are desirous to know the event of the War between the Jews and the Romans And as for our Stile we leave it to the judgment of the Reader but touching B the Verity of the History it is such as no man need to doubt off for I do affirm that to be the only scope which I aimed at in this whole work The End of the seventh and last Book of Flavius Josephus of the Wars of the Jews The FIRST BOOK H OF FLAVIUS JOSEPHUS The Son of MATTHIAS I Written against APPION touching the Antiquity Of the RACE of the JEVVS K I Suppose most worthy Epaphroditus that I have sufficiently testified unto those who shall read the Books which I have written touching the Authentick History of the Jews that our Nation is most Ancient and that they had their Original from themselves and have from the first beginning inhabited that Country whereof they are possessed at this present The History of the Antiquity containeth the events of five thousand years To which effect I gathered out of our sacred Writings and published in the Greek tongue a History containing the occurrences of five thousand years But for that I see there are divers who being too much seduced by the scandalous Calumnies and Reports which some who are ill L affected towards us have published against us have misbelieved that which I have written of our Antiquity and labour to approve our Nation to be Modern because none of the ancient and most renowned Historians among the Grecians have thought our Ancestors worthy to be enrolled in their Writings For this cause I hold it a part of my duty to write a short Treatise hereupon The causes that moved him to write this Book both to reprove the malice and impostures of those our Calumniators and to correct their Ignorance by teaching those who are desirous to know the truth what the Original of our Nation is For proof whereof I will produce no other Testimony but such as from Antiquity hath been judged worthy of credit among the Greeks laying open before their Eyes that they who have slanderously and falsly written against us are convicted by their own mouthes I M will also endeavour to shew the Causes why very few Grecians have made mention of us in their Histories and moreover I will make it known that they who have written concerning us have been ignorant either really or feignedly of the Truth of those things which they have reported First of all therefore I do not a little marvel at those who in reference to matters of Antiquity suppose that the Truth ought only to be gathered from the Greeks and that they alone can justly claim the honour and knowledge of faithful writing whereas they neither vouchsafe either us or any others the credit of Truth in that we set down although I am able to prove that all things have fallen out quite contrary For which cause it behoveth us not to look to mens various opinions but to examine that which is N right and gather the same by the Effects For whatsoever is set down by the Greeks is new All things among the 〈…〉 and of late memory and hath been brought to execution in a manner but yesterday I mean the Foundations of Cities the Inventions of Arts and the Establishment
of Laws and their Application to write History with some care But for the Egyptians Chaldees and Phoenicians without mentioning us they themselves confess the memory of their Writings is most ancient and credible For all these Nations dwell in such Countries as are not subject to the corruption of Air and have carefully provided that none of those things that have been done by them should sleep in obscurity but be kept in memory in publick Writings of the learnedst men whereas innumerable corruptions have crept in among the Greeks by which the memory O of things past is defaced A But alwayes those who have established new estates have supposed in their own behalf Innumerable corruptions invaded Greece that whosoever was the Founder of theirs he was the first of the world Yet they have had the knowledge of Letters very late and have attained the same with very great difficulty For they that speak of the most ancient use of the same The Phoenicians and Cadmus the first Inventers of Letters boast that they received the knowledge thereof from the Phoenicians and from Cadmus Notwithstanding there is not any one of them that can shew any Record of that time either in their Temple or in their publick Registers whereas there is still great doubt and question whether those Letters were in use during their time who managed the siege of Troy B And indeed their opinion who affirm that they were ignorant of the use of those Letters which are at present allowed and accustomed among us Among the Greeks there is not any writing more ancient than Homers Poem is not to be refuted For it is most manifest that there is not any Writing extant among the Greeks that is more ancient than Homers Poem which as is most manifest was compos'd since the time of the siege of Troy And yet it is reported that he left no part of that his Poem in writing but that it was composed of divers Songs and only sung by roat by which means it came to pass that there are so many contradictions in the same And as for those who have undertaken to write Histories among them I mean Cadmus the Milesian and Acusilaus the Argive and others They lived but very little time before the passage of the Persians into Greece C Furthermore they who among the Greeks were the first that introduced Philosophy and the knowledge of Celestial and Divine things namely Pherecydes the Syrian Pythagoras and Thales all of them confess with one accord that they were instructed by the Egyptians and Chaldees and they published some few writings which are supposed to be the most ancient among the Greeks and it is hardly believed also that they were written by them What reason therefore have the Greeks to be so proud as if there were none but themselves only who knew the affaires of Antiquity and could exactly write the truth thereof Or who cannot easily conjecture by their own Writers themselves that their Writings were founded only upon hearsay and supposition and that they followed only vain conjectures Hence it commeth to pass that in their Books D they cavil and reprove one another and make no conscience to maintain and write contradictions about one and the same thing But it may be said that I should oblige my self to a fruitless labour if I should go about to inform those who are better experienced than my self in how many points Helicanus differeth from Acusilaus touching the Genealogies in how many places Acusilaus hath corrected Herodotus or how Ephorus hath proved that Helicanus was a liar in the greater part of that which he hath recited Ephorus hath been reproved by Timeus and in general all have taxed Herodotus Neither hath Timeus vouchsafed to accord with Antiochus or Philistus or Callias in the Histories of Sicily Neither do those who have writ the Histories of Athens and Argos agree better together E What need I reckon up the differences amongst those who in particular have treated of Cities or of less matters since in the Relation of the Persian War and the exploits performed therein Thucydides writ a most exact History of his time those of greatest authority are most at odds Thucydides is accused by some for a liar in divers places notwithstanding that he seemeth to have written the History of his time most exactly But the Causes of this discord are divers as they who shall narrowly pry into them shall find The causes of discord among the Jews For my own part those two which I shall here set down in my opinion are of greatest weight The first and in my judgement the chiefest is that amongst the Greeks from the beginning they have not been industrious to keep publick Registers of such matters as happened in any time or place which hath occasion'd them to erre and given those a priviledge F to lye who afterwards went about to write any thing of such matters as were acted long â—ince Neither are only other People of Greece to be accused of negligence for not making account of such Registers but amongst the Athenians also who glory in the antiquity of their Country and who are most exercised in Sciences there is no mention of them For it is said that the most ancient and publick Writings which they have are those Capital Laws which were set down by their Law-maker Draco who lived but a little time before Pisistratus the Tyrant What need we speak of the Arcadians who vaunt themselves of their Antiquity for who knows not that they have learned the use of Letters long after those before mentioned Whereas therefore there was not any Writing published before that time which G might instruct those that would learn or reprehend those that disguis'd the Truth from thence it is that so many differences have happened amongst Historians A second cause is Another cause of their discord recorded by the Grecian historigraphers for that they who addicted themselves to compose Histories did H not busie themselves about the inquisition of the Truth notwithstanding that all of them ordinarily promised no less but they laboured to shew how eloquent they were and fixed their whole study thereon as the only means whereby they hoped to obtain reputation above others Some of them therefore applyed their Stile to Fables others by flattering praises thought to curry favour with Kings and Cities The rest employed their studies to accuse and calumniate the works of other Writers in hope to build their own reputation upon the ruine of others In effect they have followed that course in composing their History that was every way different from the true nature thereof The sign of a true History For the assured sign of a perfect and true I History is when all men accord in setting down the same thing whereas these Writers have endeavoured to make men believe that they were the truest of all the rest because they contradicted
in all those affairs For I was D Captian of the Galileans amongst our Nation so long as any resistance could be made against the Romans and then it so fell out that I was taken by the Romans and being Prisoner to Titus and Vespasian they caused me to be an eye-witness of all things that past First In bonds and fretters and afterwards freed from them I was brought from Alexandria with Titus when he went to the Seige of Jerusalem So that nothing could then pass whereof I had not notice For beholding the Roman Army I committed to writing all things with all possible diligence My self did only manage all matters disclosed to the Romans by such as yielded themselves Joseph writ the History of the Jews wars being at Rome for that I only did perfectly understand them Lastly Being at Rome and having leisure after all business was past I used the help of some Friends for the skill of the Greek tongue and so I published a E History of all that had hapened in the foresaid War which History of mine is so true that I fear not to call Vespasian and Titus the chief Commanders in that War to witness for them I first gave a Copy of that Book to them and afterwards to many noble Romans who also were present in the War I sold also many of them to our own Nation to such as understood the Greek language amongst whom were Julius Archelaus Herod Some do derogate from Josephs History a Man of great vertue and to the most worthy King Agrippa who all do testify that my History containeth nothing but truth and who would not have been silent if either for ignorance or flattery I had changed or omitted any particular Yet notwithstanding all this some ill disposed Persons endeavour to discredit my History as though they were disputing pro and contra amongst children in schools never considering F that he who promiseth other men a true Relation of things past must either be privy to them by his own knowledg as having been present in the affairs or else have that which he speaketh from other mens mouths by report of those who know them both which I have done For I gathered my other Books of Antiquity out of holy Scripture being my self a Priest and skilful in our Law and the History of our War I have written my self being an Agent in many matters therein contained and an eye-wirness of the rest so that nothing was said or done whereof I had not notice How then can any one excuse them from impudency and malice who labour against me to prove my Relation false Perhaps they alledge that they have read the Commentaries of Vespasian and Titus yet for all this they were not present in any action repugnant G to that which my History recounteth Thus as I thought necessary I have made a digression to shew how they are able to H perform their word who discrediting my History promise to set down the truth in writing I have also sufficiently as I think demonstrated that the registring of things is more ancient amongst other Nations than amongst the Greeks I will now first of all dispute against those who labour to prove our Nation of no Antiquity because as they say no Greek Writer maketh any mention of it Two things which Joseph intendeth This done I will bring forth proof and testimony of the Antiquity thereof out of other Writers and so I will shew that their malice who seek to discredit our Nation First therefore our Nation neither inhabiteth a Country bordering upon the Sea nor are we delighted in merchandise nor for this cause wearied with pilgrimages from place to place The Jews care to bring up their Children But our Cities lye far from the Sea in a most fertile soil which we cultivate with all industry and our I whole endeavours are how to get food for our Children The ancient Jews had no need to traffick with the Grecians and to keep our country Laws and to leave to our posterity the knowledg of Piety in which work we think all our Age ought to be employed Beside all this we have a form of living different from all other Nations All which concurring together we had no need to traffick with the Greeks as the Egyptians and the Phoenicians do who give themselves to bargaining and merchandise only for the covetousness of money Neither were our Ancestors delighted in thefts and robberies nor did our Fathers make war upon any Nation for desire of larger possessions nowithstanding our Country was furnished with many thousands of strong warlike men Wherefore the Phoenicians sailing to the Greeks to traffick with them they were thus made known to them and by them the Egyptians K and all other Nations sailing upon the Seas brought Merchandise into Greece The Medes also and Persians were known to them after such time as they reigned over Asia and the Persians brought war even into Europe Moreover the Greeks knew the Thracians because they were their Neighbours and the Scythians by sailing to Pontus and finally all that were disposed to write knew all the Nations bordering either upon the Eastern and Western Seas but such as dwelt far from the Sea-coast were long time unknown as also appears in Europe For neither Thucidides nor Herodotus nor any other of that time make any mention of Rome notwithstanding that so long since it was mighty and made so great Wars because it was but lately that the Greeks heard of it The Romans were lately known to the Greeks Yea their most exact Writers L and particularly Ephorus were so ignorant of the French and Spaniards that they thought the Spaniards to be a People only denominated from one City Certain Historiographers report Spain to be only one City wherein they inhabited whereas the whole World now knoweth them to inhabit a vast Country and a great part of the Western World Likewise the said Greek Writers relate the manners of the foresaid People to be such as neither are nor were ever used among them And the only cause why they were ignorant of the Truth was the distance of place and these Writers would seem to tell something which others of former time had not spoken of No marvel therefore though our Nation was unknown and none of them in their Writings made any mention of us being both so far from the Sea and living after a different manner M Suppose therefore I should deny the Greeks to be of any antiquity and to prove my assertion should conclude their Nation to be modern because our Histories make no mention of them Arguments to prove the Jews of more antiquity than the Greeks would they not laugh at this reason and use the Testimony of their neighbour Nations to prove their Antiquity I therefore may argue in like manner and use the Testimony of the Egyptians and Phoenicians whose Record the Greeks cannot
named it Carthage so that from the time of King Hyramus unto the building of Carthage is by this computation a hundred fifty five years and two Months and for as much as the Temple of Jerusalem was built in the twelfth year of Hyramus his reign the computation of the time since that year until the building of Cartbage is a hundred forty three years and eight Months What need we more beside this testimony of the Phoenicians The truth is now sufficiently made manifest for our Ancestors must needs have come into this Country we inhabit before such time as they D built a Temple in it as I have also prov'd in my Books of Antiquity collected out of our Holy Scripture I will now speak of that which the Chaldees writ of us in their Histories Berosus the Historiographer a Chaldean which do much agree in all other Matters with those of our Nation And first let Berosus be my witness who was a Chaldean born a man famous and known unto all that love learning for he in the Greek tongue writ Astronomy and the Philosophy of the Chaldeans Berosus imitating the most ancient Histories writeth of the Deluge how mankind was therein extinguished and he in all things imitateth Moses He also speaketh of the Ark wherein our forefather was preserved and affirmeth that it was carried into the tops of the Mountains in Armenia after this he prosecuteth the Genealogy of all that reigned E from Noe Nabulassarus Father to Nabuchodonosor the King of Babylon and Chaldea until Nabulassarus King of the Babylonians and Chaldeans He likewise setteth down how long every one reigned and in prosecuting the deeds of this King he recounteh how he sent his Son Nabuchodonosor into Egypt our Country with great power who finding them in rebellion subdued them and burnt the Temple at Jerusalem Nabuchodonosor conquered the rebels and so departed carrying with him all our Nation into Babylon whereupon our City was desolate seventy years until the reign of Cyrus King of the Persians Moreover he affirmeth that this Babylonian kept in subjection Egypt Syria Phoenicia and Arabia exacting more of them than ever any King of Babylon or Chaldea had done before his time And the words of Berosus must needs be to this effect Nabulassarus his Father hearing that his Substitute in Egypt Coelosyria and Phoenicia had rebelled he himself F not being able to take such pains committed his Affairs unto his his Son Nabuchodonosor gave him a part of his Army for that he was in the flower of his age and sent him against him Nabuchodonosor fighting with the said Substitute overthrew him and subdued the Country which of old belonged unto them and at the same time his Father Nabulassarus fell sick in Babylon Nabuchodonosor succeedeth in his Fathers Kingdom and died having Reigned twenty nine years But Nabuchodonosor long after understanding his Fathers death disposed of Egypt and other Provinces as he thought good and taking the Captives of Judea Phoenicia and the Syrians that lived in Egypt he committed them to certain of his friends to be brought after with his Carriages and Army to Babylon and so he himself accompanied with a very few took his jorney to Babylon through the Desart being G arriv'd he found the Chaldees ruled all and that their Nobility reserved the Kingdom for him he was made King and commanded Houses to be built for the Captives that H were coming in the most convenient places of Babylon and with the spoil he beautified the Temple of Belus and other places most richly and built a new City without the Wall of the old and providing lest hereafter the Enemies might turn the River and so have access unto the City he invironed the inner City with three several Walls and the outmost City likewise the Walls whereof were made of Brick but the Walls of the inner City were of Brick and Bitumen this done he builded most sumptuous Gates which might have become Temples 〈…〉 and moreover neer unto his Fathers Palace he builded another far greater and more costly than they the beauty and costliness whereof were hard and perhaps tedious to express Yet this we will say and it is considerable that this rich and incredibly beautiful Palace was builded in fifteen days in I it he erected Rocks of Stone like Mountains beset with all sorts of Trees he made a famous Mount and supported it with Pillars for his Wife having been brought up in the Country of the Medes desired to have a prospect into the fields and Mountains according to their way 〈…〉 This he relateth of the forementioned King and many things more in his Book of the affairs of the Chaldeans wherein he reproveth the Greek Writers who falsly affirme that Sâ—miramis the Assyrian Queen built Babylon and that they falsly report those wonderful works about Babylon to have been by her made and finished We must needs think that the Chaldean History is true seeing it agreeth with that of the Phoenicians which Berosus writ of the King of Babylon who subverted both Phaenicia and K all Syria with them also accordeth Philostratus in his History of the siege of Tyria and Megasthenes also in his fourth Book of the affairs of India The King of Babylon excelled Hercules in strength and 〈…〉 where he laboureth to prove that the said King excelled Hercules in strength and valour affirming that he subdued the greatest part of Africk and Spain and that the Temple of Jerusalem was burnt by the Babylonians and again re-edified by Cyrus and we may prove it out of Berosus who in his third book saith as followeth Nabuchodonosor having begun the third Wall fell sick and died when he had reigned forty three years and his Son Evelmeradochus succeed him who for his iniquity and licenciousness was treacherously slain by his Sisters Husband named Niriglissoroor after he had reigned two years He being dead the Traytor Niriglissoroor usurped the Kingdom and reigned four years L whose Son then a child was mace King called by name Laborosardochus and he reigned nine months The Walls of Babylon built of brick and bitumen who for corruptness of his manners was slain by his own Friends after whose death they who slew him consulting together made one Nabonidus a Babylonian King At this time the Walls of Brick and Bitumen about the River of Babylon were built In the eighth year of this Kings reign Cyrus coming with an Army out of Persia conquered all Asia and came with his Forces against Babylon but the King of Babylon having notice of his coming levied an Army advanc'd against him and gaue him Battel but being overcome he with a very few of his men was forced to flye into Borsippa Cyrus now besieged Babylon and purposed to destroy the outward Walls thereof but finding them too strong and impenetrable he returned to Bersippa to besiege Nabonidus the King of Babylon Cyrus
marry her as she hoped who having an Army at Babylon warred against Antioch and had taken the City and that she fled into Selucia whereas she might have made a C speedier escape by water but was forewarned to the contrary in a sleep and that she was there taken and died c. Agatarchides having used this Preface and inveighed against Stratonices superstition useth an Examyle of our Nation on this manner The People that are called Jews inhabit a most strong City which they call Jerusalem these People are wont to rest upon the seventh day The Jews Sabbath and do neither bear Arms nor till their Grounds nor any other business on that day hut their custom is to remain in their Temple and there with stretched out armes continue in prayer till night And so upon a time they persevering in that foolery whilst they should have defended their City Ptolomeus Lagus entred it with a great Army and greatly tyrannized over them instructing them by experience that the solemnity appointed by their Law was prejudicial unto them Such like Churches as this did teach D them and all Nations else to flie unto dreams which their Law teacheth neither considering that humane policy cannot prevail against that which must necessarily happen Agatarchides thought this which he reports of us to be ridiculous but they that weigh it with indifferency shall perceive that it is greater commendation to our Nation who rather suffer their Country and safety to be lost and endamaged Why certain Writers omit to speak of the Jews than to violate the Laws of God I think I am thus able to shew that many Writers omitted to make mention of our Nation not for that they knew us not but for envy For Jerom writ a Book of the Successors in the same time that Hecateus lived and being a friend to King Antigonus and President of Syria never mentioneth us in all his History notwithstanding he was brought up almost in our Country whereas Hecateus writ an entire Book of us so E different are the minds of men for one of them thought our Nation worthy to be diligently recorded the other through malice was hindred from speaking the truth yet the Histories of the Chaldeans Egyptians and Phoenicians may suffice to prove our Antiquity together with the Greek Writers for besides those before mentioned Theophrastus also Theodotus Manaseas Ariphanes Hermogenes Euemeus Conon Zepyrion and many others no doubt for I have not perused all mens Books have manifestly testified of us For many of the foresaid men were blinded with errors as not having read our holy Scriptures yet they all joyntly testify our Antiquity for which I now alledge them Truly Demetrius Phalerius Philon the elder and Eupolemus did not much erre from the truth and therefore reason it is they should be born withal for they were not so skilful F as to teach our Writings with so much curiosity Being come thus far it resteth that I now present one point more whereof I made mention in the beginning of this Book The last part against certain detractions and slanders to wit that I declare the detractions and slanderous reports of divers concerning our Nation to be false and void of truth and I will use the Testimony of those Writers who record that the lying Historigraphers at such time as they committed to writing the foresaid detractions did also even against themselves register such like slanders as they did against us And I doubt not but that all those who are conversant in Histories can testifie that the like hath been done by most Writers upon private hatred or such like respects For some of the Gentiles have attempted to deface the honour and reputation of the most renowned Cities and to defame G the manners of their Inhabitants Thus did Theopompus to Athens and Ptolicrates to Lacedemon and the Author that writ Tripoliticum for it was not Theopompus as some suppose used the City Thebes very hardly And Timeus in his Histories of the foresaid H places doth many times detract both them and others And this they do calumniating the most excellent that are in something or other some for envy and malice others that their fond babling may make them famous and so indeed it doth among fools that are known to have no sound judgment but wise men will condemn their malice To be short The cause of malice between the Egyptians and Jews this is the cause of so many slanderous reports forged against our Nation some to gratify the Egyptians have attempted to deprave the truth and so have neither reported the Circumstances concerning our Ancestors coming into Egypt nor touching their departure from thence and they have had many causes of malice and envy urging them hereto And chiefly for that our Progenitors in their Country waxed mighty I and so departing to their own Country were made happy and fortunate Secondly The Egyptians Idolatry the diversity of our two Religions made great discord and variance amongst us our Religion so far excelling theirs in piety as the divine Essence GOD excelleth unreasonable Creatures for they commonly worship such bruit beasts for gods and every one worshipeth divers kinds vain and foolish men who from the beginning have been accustomed to such sottish opinions as would not permit them to imitate us in our divine Religion and comformable to Reason and yet seeing many favour and follow our Religion they were hereby incited to such hatred that to derogate from us they feared not to falsify their own ancient Records not considering that in so doing they were led through a blind passion to write against themselves Moreover I will prove K all I have spoken to be true Manethon an Egyptian Historiographer by one mans words whom a little before being a famous Historigrapher we have produced as a witness of our Antiquity Manethon therefore who confesseth himself to have gathered the Egyptian History out of their holy Writings having by way of Preface recounted how our Predecessours came into Egypt with many thousands and there conquered the Inhabitants afterward confesseth Manethons fabulous reports of the Egyptian Lepers that losing all their Possessions in Egypt they got the Country which is now called Jury and in it builded a City named Jerusalem and a Temple and thus far he followeth ancient Writers And then usurping to himself authority to lye protesting that he will insert into his History certain reports divulged amongst the common People he reports things of the Jews altogether incredible intending to mix with our L Nation the Lepers of the Egyptians and other sick people of other Countries who as he saith being abominable to the Egyptians fled to us affirming also that they had a King named Amenophis which being a feigned name he durst not presume to speak determinately of the time of his Reign though he speaketh exactly of the Reign of all other Kings Hereupon also
why had Amenophis this desire Forsooth because a certain King one of his Predecessors had seen them he therefore knowing by him what things they were and how he came to the sight of them needed no new device to accomplish his desire But perhaps the foresaid Prophet was a Man of great G wisdom by whom the King had confidence to attain his desire if so he had been how chanceth it that he was so unwise not to perceive that it was an impossible thing to satisfy the Kings desire for that which he promised was not brought to pass Or what H reason moved him to think that the Gods were invisible because of the Leprosie and infirmity of the 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 Lepers and infirm persons should be gathered together or wherein did not the King obey the Prophet He commanded that the Lepers and infirme persons should be exiled the Country and the King did not banish them the Country but sent them to hew Stones as though he had needed workmen and not purposed to cleanse the Country from Lepers Lastly he saith that the Prophet foreseeing that Egypt was to suffer and fearing the wrath of the Gods killed himself and left his mind in a Book written unto the King How chanced it then that the Prophet did not at first foresee his own death and so oppose I himself to the Kings desire to see the Gods Or wherefore did he fear such calamities as were not to fall in his life or what great misery hanged over his head which might worthily cause him to kill himself to prevent it But let us hear that which followeth more sottish than all the rest The King saith he heariug this Manethon's words repeated and striken with fear did not however expel those Lepers he ought to have exiled but at their request gave them as he saith a City wherein before time the Shepherds did inhabit called Avaris whereinto being come they made a Priest of Heliopolis their Prince who devised Laws for them commanding them neither to adore the Gods nor to abstain from offering violence to such beasts as amongst the Egyptians are sacred but that they should kill and K spoil all things that they should marry with none but such as were their confederates that he bound the people with an oath to keep those Laws and that they fortified Avaris to fight against the King Adding moreover that he sent to Jerusalem for help promising to yield Avaris unto them being a place sometime possessed by their Ancestors and that they from that place leading their Forces might easily subdue all Egypt he then saith that the Egyptian King Amenophis came against them with 300000 and yet for that he would not strive against the decree of the Gods he fled into Aethiopia and carried with him Apis and other Holy Beasts and that the inhabitants of Jerusalem coming down invaded the Land fired the Towns and Cities slew their Nobles used all sorts of cruelty possible and that the Priests name who made Laws and Statutes for L them to live under was one of Heliopolis Osarsiphus by name deriving the same from Osiris the God of Heliopolis and that this man changing his name was afterward called Moses Moreover that Amenophis having lived in banishment thirty years came with a strong power out of Aethiopia and fighting with the shepherds and polluted he slew many of them and put the rest to flight pursuing them unto the borders of Syria Manethon remembreth not that here again he telleth a very unlikely tale for although the Lepers and impotent persons were offended with the King for appointing them to hew Stones yet it is to be thought that receiving their own desire at the Kings hands afterwards to wit a City to dwell in that then they again became the Kings well-willers Supposing also their hatred still continued towards him they rather should have M attempted revenge by treason against him than towards all their Nation wherein they had many dear friends and alliance And although they had purposed to War against these men yet would they not have been so impious as to have rebelled against the Gods and to have violated the Laws wherein they were brought up We have therefore cause to thank Manethon A confutation of Manethon's words alledged in that he cleareth us and affirmeth his own country-men yea a Priest to be authors of this impiety and that by oath they bound themselves so to do What can be more extravigant than to say that neither any of their country-men nor kinsmen rebelled with them but that the poor distressed people were glad to send to Jerusalem for succour But what society or friendship had they with the people of Jerusalem of whom they came to demand help N Why they were more their Enemies than the rest of their Country-men and were all of quite different manners from us They of Jerusalem as he saith presently did as they were willed to do in hope that according as they were promised they might subdue Egypt Were they ignorant of that Country out of which they had been driven by force had they lived in poverty or misery perhaps they might have been induced to have done it but seeing they inhabited a fortunate and rich City and possessed a goodly fertile soil far better than Egypt what might move them thereto What reason had they at the request of their ancient Enemies and they also so diseased as they of Jerusalem could not abide their own friends among them that had the O like diseases to thrust themselves into danger they could not fore-know the Kings A intent to fly as for Manethon himself he saith he met them at Pelusia with 300000 men And this they that went to War well knew But what reason had they to conjecture that the Kings mind would change and he flye As to what he charges upon the Auxiliaries from Jerusalem that they seized upon the stores and secur'd all the Corn that was in Egypt which brought great distress and exigence upon the people hath he forgot that considering they entred as Enemies they are not thereby to be reproached Rapacity being unavoidable among Souldiers especially if Strangers and Conquerours Hath he forgot he said before that the Lepers had done the same formerly and had to that purpose obliged themselves by oath and that he assured us that some years after Amenophis repelled the Jerusalem-Confederats and Lepers slew B many of them drove them out of those parts and pursued them to the very borders of Syria as if Egypt was a Country so easily conquer'd or that those who were then in possession meerly by conquest would not upon the first alarme of Amenophis's march have block'd up the passages and secured the Avenues on that side towards Aethiope which they might easily have done and
O felicity in lying for he neither told what Nation those three hundred and fourscore thousand were nor yet how a hundred and fourscore thousand of them perished neither were they slain in the fight or fled unto Ramesses and which is most to be admired one cannot gather out of his words whom he calleth Jews or whether he attribute this name unto the two hundred and fifty thousand Lepers or unto the three hundred and fourscore thousand which were at Pelusium But it is folly to oppose my self against them who have sufficiently contradicted themselves for had other men controlled their Writings they had been the more to be born withal Lysimachus is reproved for lying Lysimachus was another of the same Stamp and one that not only seconds but surpasses them in their Lyes in so much that we need no more than the M extravigance of his Story to prove his hatred to our Nation He tells us that in the reign of Bocchâ—r King of Egypt the Jews that were Leprous or otherwise infected resorted in such numbers to the Temples to beg the charity of the people that they communicated their distempers to the Egyptians According to Lysimachus the scabbed and Leprous Jews were to be conveighed into the Wilderness and caâ—â— into the Sea Bocchor consulted the Oracle of Ammon and received this answer that he should purifie the Temples and send into the desart all those sick and infectious people upon whom the Sun could shine no longer without regret and that by so doing the Earth should recover its primitive fertility That hereupon the said Prince by advice of his Priests assembled all those diseased persons delivered them into the hands of certain Souldiers who lap'd some of them in lead and threw them into the Sea conducting the rest into the wilderness and leaving N them there to be destroyed by Famine That in that distress the poor people consulted together made great fires kept strong Guards all night and fasted very solemnly thereby to make their Gods more propitious and that a certain person called Moses advised them to remove the next day and march on till they found better quarters to trust no man to give no man good Counsel that ask'd them to ruine the Temples and Altars where ever they came and that this Counsel having been approved they passed the Wilderness and after much trouble and frequent distresses arrived in a Country that was inhabited where they gave the first instances of their crulelty by abusing the Natives and robbing their Temples in which course they continued till they came at length to Judea where they built a City and called it Jâ—rosula which is O as much as to say the â—poil of holy things but that growing afterwards more Potent A they changed that name as too infamous and called it Jerusalem and themselves inhabitants of Jerusalem This fellow found not that King which the two former speak of but he joyned a more new name and leaving the Dream and the Prophet goeth to Ammon for an answer touching the scabbed and Lepers he saith that a multitude was gathered together at the Temples Lysinius his opinion confuted but he leaveth it uncertain whether the Jews only were infected with this Disease for he saith the people of the Jews or whether they were strangers and such as were born in that Country If they were Jews why doest thou call them Egyptians If they were strangers why dost thou not tell of whence they were Or how came it to pass the King having drowned so many of them in the Sea and left B the rest in the Wilderness that still so many should be left how did they pass the Wilderness and get the Country we now inhabit and build a City and a Temple famous through all parts of the World Thou shouldest not only have told the name of our Law-maker but also what Country-man he was and of what Parents and what moved him in his journey to make such laws against the gods and against men For if they were Egyptians they would not so easily have forgotten the Religion wherein they were brought up or of what place else soever they were they had some laws or other which they had been accustomed to keep If they had vowed to have born no good will unto them by whom they were driven out of their Country they had some just occasion so to do But to undertake War against all the World and deprive themselves C of all friendship and help of mortal men doth not shew their sottishness so much as the foolishness of him who belies them who most impudently affirmeth that their City took the name of Church-spoiling and afterward changed it For what cause forsooth did they change the name thereof Nothing is to be said against an impudent lye marry for that the former name was ignominious to their posterity But the Gentleman underdood not that Jerusalem signifieth otherwise in Hebrew than in Greek And therefore what should I stand to inveigh against a lie so impudently told But this book having been long enough I will begin another in which I shall endeavour to acquaint my self of what I have undertaken D E F G The SECOND BOOK H OF THE ANTIQVITY of the JEVVS Written by I FLAVIUS JOSEPHUS Against APPION of ALEXANDRIA And dedicated to EPAPHRODITUS K THrice honoured and beloved Epaphroditus I have in my former Books so far forth as I was warranted by truth proved the Antiquity of our Nation out of the Writings of the Phoenicians Chaldees and Egyptians And for the further confirmation thereof I have produced the Testimony of divers Greek Authors Furthermore I have opposed my self against Manethon and Cheremon and divers others It remains now that I convince those who defied me more particularly and gives an L answer to Appion Appion wrote something very coldly though indeed I am scarce satisfied that he deserves it For as touching part of what he hath written it seemeth to be one the same with that which the rest have written And as touching the rest it is very cold and barren The greatest part thereof is stuffed with follies and detractions and betrayeth his ignorance shewing him to be a Man both loose in condition and turbulent in his life And forasmuch as divers men are so weak in their judgments that they rather suffer themselves to be won by these follies than to be wrought upon by that which is written with better consideration vainly doting on detractions and growing discontent to give ear to other mens well deserved praises I have thought it necessary to examine his Labours the rather for that he hath written against us as if he intended to accuse us before a M Tribunal and convict us by publick trial For I see that it is an ordinary course for the most part of men to hug and take pleasure though perhaps he that beginneth to blame another
man is himself convicted and found guilty of those defaults which he imputeth and objecteth against his Adversary The Discourse of this Appion is so difficult and perplexed that 't is no easy matter to understand what he means For troubled and confus'd with the incoherencies of his stories sometimes he relates the departure of our Ancestors out of Egypt according to the description of those whom I have confuted before Sometimes he calumniates the Jews of Alexandria and sometimes condemnes the ceremonies of our Temple and our whole Doctrine and Religion N Now that our Predecessors have not taken their original out of Egypt neither have been driven from thence for any infirmity Appion concerning Moses and the Jews or deformity of their Bodies or for any Wound Ulcer or Pollution I suppose that I have not only sufficiently proved but also produced far more Arguments than was requisite I will therefore briefly report and repeat that which Appion alledgeth For in the third Book of his Egyptian History he writes thus Moses as I have heard it from most ancient Egyptians was born at Heliopolis and being instructed in the fashions of his Country such Prayers as were wont to be said in open places and abroad he caused to be said in private within the City and ordained that in praying they should turn themselves towards the rising Sun for such is the situation of the City Heliopolis and instead of Obelisques or Pyramides O he erected certain Pillars under which there were certain ingraven Basons on which A the shadow hapning to fall the place wherein they stood being uncovered and in open air they observed the same course that the Sun doth in the Firmament See here what eloquence this learned Man used Appions fiction concerning the Temple and Moses is refuted Now this lye of his needeth no words to refute it seeing it is clearly refelled by the effects For when Moses first built that Tabernacle in honour of God he had no such intent nor fashioned any such form neither ordained his Successours to do the like And after this when as Solomon builded the Temple in Jerusalem he never thought of any such curiosity as Appion forgeth He saith that he hath been informed by those of Antiquity that Moses was a Heliopolitan for you must understand that Appion himself was young and believed the relation of the aged sort of his acquaintance which B conversed familiarly with him yet cannot this learned Grammarian justifie where Homer was born neither from what Country Pythagoras came although in respect they lived but yesterday And as touching Moses who lived so many ages and so great a number of years before them he decideth the matter so easily and giveth credit to the reports of Antiquity so slightly that it appeareth most manifest that he is but a lyar As touching the time wherein he saith that Moses led away the Blind Leprous and Lame this diligent Author accordeth very willingly with that which he himself hath said The computation of the time is different among the Historiographers For Manethon saith that the Jews departed out of Egypt about the Reigâ— of Themosis three hundred ninety six years before Danaus fled out of Greece Lysimachus C faith that this thing happened during King Bocchorus time that is to say one thousand and seven hundred years before that time Molon also and some others have alledged their Opinions But Appion who pretendeth to be a Man of more credit than the rest hath precisely and exactly set down the time averring that our departure was about the seventieth Olympiad Nay more in the first year thereof wherein as he saith Carthage was builded by the Phoenicians Now hath he purposely made mention of Carthage in this place as an infallible argument of the truth of his Allegation not considering that he draweth an argument against himself by which himself may be convinced For if we may give credit to the Phoenician Chroniclers as touching this Colony it appeareth by them that King Hyram lived more than one hundred and fifty years before the foundation of Carthage The friendship between Hyram and Solomon whereof we made mention in the first Book against Appion in the beginning The truth whereof I have D heretofore proved out of the words of the Phoenicians who report that Hyram was in amity with Solomon who builded the Temple of Jerusalem and that he furnished him with much Timber and other matter toward the finishing of that building Now Solomon builded the Temple six hundred and twelve years after the departure of the Israelites out of Egypt And after he had inconsiderately reckoned the number of those which were driven out of Egypt The Egyptians do call a disease about the privy parts Sabbatosis in like manner as Lysimachus had done namely of one hundred and ten thousand men he yielded a most admirable reason and such as may be easily believed From whence he pretendeth that the name of Sabbath was derived For saith he after they had travelled for the space of six days there grew certain inflammations in their Groins by reason whereof they rested on the seventh E day being safely arrived in the Country which at this day is called Judaea because the Egyptians call Sabbatosis an Ulcer that groweth about the Groin Can any man read these stories without laughter or indeed indignation to see a grave Author aver such trifles with that impudence and Authority How improbable is it that 110000 men should at one time be infected with the same disease and if they were made up of blind and lame and other infirmities as he affirms in another place how could they have been able to have marched one day in a desert or how could they have been able to have fought much less subdued the Nations that opposed them Can it be naturally believed of so great a multitude or can it without great absurdity be imputed to accident Yet Appion affirms that these 110000 men arrived all of them F in Judaea and that Moses being yet upon the Mount Sinai which in those parts parts Egypt and Arabia he continued there privately forty days and when he came down he delivered those Laws to the Jews which are still observ'd Appions fiction of the six days journey is confuted Upon which I would be resolved in two things How it was possible for so great a number of men to cross so vast a desert in six days and how he could subsist forty days in a place so wild and barren that there was not so much as water to be found for his refreshment His Etymologie of the word Sabbath is so idle and impertinent it can proceed from nothing but ignorance and folly for these words Sabbo and Sabbatum do greatly differ Sabbatum in the Jews language signifieth rest from work but Sabbo in the Egyptian tongue betokeneth a Disease about the privy parts as Appion saith See here what G
The Jews Laws are of great Antiquity But seeing the Antiquity of Laws is the greatest Argument to prove their goodness I will set down of what Antiquity our Laws are together with our Law-makers opinion of the Deity if therefore any one compare our Laws with the Laws of all Nations he shall find that ours are of more Antiquity than theirs by many Ages The Laws of the Gentiles For our Laws established amongst us have been imitated of all other Nations For though the first Greeks did pretendedly observe their own Laws yet all their Philosophers did imitate ours and our Opinions of God and taught others L the same manners and conversation yea the common people did long since imitate our Piety Neither is there any Nation either Greek or Barbarian who have not after some manner observed a Sabbath as we do and fasting days and Lamps all which they learned of us yea many do also observe our Customs concerning their meats and our unity and concord wherein we excel all other Nations our community also and industry in Arts and Labours and sufferance for our Laws And which is most to be admired our Law The Epilogue of this Book not having any to force us to observe it hath so obliged our hearts that as God is of all the world honoured without compulsion so are our Laws amongst us without any violence or force And whosoever doth diligently consider his own Nation and Family shall find that which I have reported to be true I will now generally M reprehend the voluntary malice of all men for either they mean that we having these good Laws do yet little esteem them and follow worse or if they do not so mean let them hold their malicious tongue from any further Calumniation For I do not take upon me the defence of this cause for that I bear any hatred to any man but for that I and all the Jews do honour and reverence our Law-maker The cause why â—â—seph writ these Books against Appion and believe that whatsoever he prophesied proceeded from God yea although our selves did not know the goodness of our Laws yet the multitude of them that imitate them were a sufficient motive to induce us thereunto A brief rehearsal of all that is abovesaid But I have at large and with all sincerity discoursed of our Laws and Common-wealth in my Books of our Antiquity And now again I have made mention of them neither in contumely of other Nations nor in praise of our own but N only to reprove such as have most malitiously and impudently belied us contrary to the known truth And I think I have already fully performed that which I have promised For I have shewed our Nation contrary to their affirmations to be most ancient The intention of the Jews Laws which I have proved by the testimony of many ancient Writers who in their Works have mentioned us Our Adversaries affirm us to have come of Egyptians I have shewed that our fore-fathers came into Egypt out of some other place They alledge that we were expelled Egypt for that we were infected with diseases I have proved that our Predecessors came from thence to their own Country by means of their own prowess and force of their own accord Others labour to defame our Law-maker as a wicked O person whose virtue many of ancient times and so long time as hath been since him do witness A It is not needful to speak more largely of our Laws for they by themselves appear pious and good and such as do not invite or incite us to the hatred of other Nations but rather to communion and friendship being both enemies to Iniquity and commanders of Justice banishers of Luxuriousness and teachers of Frugality and Labour forbidding all Wars enterprized for Avarice and preparing the people to shew Fortitude in them and for them inflicting inevitable punishment upon their transgressors not easily to be deceived by glozing speeches and executing in action all that they in word command yet amongst us the execution of them and observation is more ready than the words of them I therefore confidently affirm The Origine of the Jews Laws that we do teach more pious and virtuous manners than B other Nations do For what can be better than inviolate Piety What more just than to obey the Law What more profitable and commodious than to be at Unity and Peace amongst our selves and neither to forsake one another in calamity nor injure one another in prosperity to contemn and despise death in time of War and in Peace to labour and till our Grounds and to use other Arts and Works and always to think and believe that God beholdeth all our actions and ruleth and disposeth all things If this be either written or observed by any one before this time we are then to thank them as being their Scholars but if they were never extant before then we are known to be the first Authors Inventers of it Let therefore Appion and Molon perish and all others that with them are convicted of lying and slandering us This Book is written to thee C Epaphroditus who lovest the truth and to others who by thee will or are desirous to know the same D E F G DESIDERIUS ERASMUS H ROTERODAMUS To the most Virtuous and Learned Father HELIAS MARCEUS The Maccabetian Ruler of the Renowned Colledge of the I MACCABEES I Have not grudged vertuous Father to Dedicate unto thee a days labour wherein I have perused and what in me lieth amended the Book which Joseph writ of the seven Maccabees brethren and would it had lien in my power more abundantly to have answered your expectation I have now for that I counted the Greek Coppy by the Latine conjectured the Greek and altered some things yet but very few Joseph doth not falsly K boast himself to have attained to the excellency of the Greek tongue and this Book will sufficiently witness the same wherein he shewed great variety and emphasis insomuch as he esteemeth to have handled that famous work with eloquent stile and the Ornament of discourse Saint Jerome for this cause entituleth this Book Great Eloquence Suidas 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 out of them both we amend the corrupted Stile and call it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is The Rule of Reason For the scope of this Book tendeth all to prove that Reason is of no force in man except it bear Soverignty over all inordinate appetites This is most evidently proved by the Books of the Maccabees in the Scripture which Books the Jews did not receive as Canonical yet do they account it among their sacred Writ I cannot but congratulate this worthy Colledg which though famous for many other things yet is more happy L for that it is so blessed as to enjoy so worthy and unspeakable a Treasure Or rather all Colonia Agrippina that happy
and fortunate City yet in nothing more happy than for that it alone doth in her bosom shrine so many so sacred and excellent Pledges of Piety yet should it be more happy if it could express their Virtues whose sacred Reliques it so Religiously keepeth and imitate their Manners whose Bodies it possesseth to wit if in sincerity of Religion it imitated the Piety of three Kings and the sacred purity of the eleven Virgins if it resembled the most Valiant young Men the Maccabees and the invincible Courage of that Woman whose valorous Constancy no misery could conquer And this best portion and part of her felicity this worthy City might bestow upon her self yea and double the same Do thou go forward in that which thou hast in hand to wit in spreading the praise of those Martyrs making that M virtuous example more commendable and your City more famous Farewel N O A FLAVIUS JOSEPHUS OF THE B RULE of REASON A most Eloquent Book corrected by DESIDERIUS ERASMUS Most lively setting down the Martyrdom of the C MACCABEES I Am at the instant request of Polibius of Megalopolis to put in writing the constant Sufferings of the Maccabees worthy all admiration not in a Rhetorical and pleasing stile but rather after our own country fashion thereby to exhort our Nation to patience in their Calamities Reason hath dominion over our passions But first of all it is necessary to speak something of Reason and assign unto it the power and virtue to deliberate For he who hath once fully determined to suffer all misery for D Gods sake is in my opinion already a Martyr It is therefore great merit to have so determined and therefore as above-said Reason governeth our inferiour passions and though destiny deny us opportunity to suffer yet have we suffered all in purposing to suffer all Whoso therefore will renounce the World and aspire only to Coelestial things must exercise Sobriety banish Gluttony Lasciviousness and all other such Vices as may possess and captivate the mind He must likewise mount up to the top of Virtues Tower that from thence he may resist and impugn the Vices of his Body Grief and Fear E There are many examples of the Valiant Souldiers of God which I could produce but the brave persons descended from one single Woman not at one but several births may suffice And first I will speak of Eleazar and seven Brethren The death of the seven brethren and their mother and relate what Tortures and Torments their Mother endured yet cannot man but only God determine who amongst them was first and who last in this noble agony They therefore being all of one opinion resembling one another more in mind than in body duely considered the frailty of this Life and neither delighted in the flatteries of the World nor the alluring enchantments thereof They valued not torments fetters nor any other sort of tortures imposed upon them To return they resolved upon patience and to endure whatsoever F the Judges cruelty could devise I will therefore praise the fortitude of these Brethren or rather with all truth rehearse the noble conflicts of these holy men and setting all adulation apart prosecute with a bare Historical narration the manner of their Martyrdome But before I begin to declare the death of these brave men I will a little treat of Reason The description of Reason and Wisdom which as I have affirmed is no small motive to Martyrdom Reason it is that maketh us observe Fasts and Abstinence Reason makes us despise Money by it we are taught not to account of Dignities and Honours which all men generally aim at yea Reasons gift it is that we do resist the heat of lustful desires Hence cometh it that having once overcome such things as the flesh delights in we find our selves a little able to resist we also learn to despise pains and torments and by degrees resolve to suffer G all things that shall be imposed upon us Which that it may more plainly appear let us search out the cause of this order and wee shall find wisdom to be the cause hereof For no man can determine and distinguish H good from evil that is not endued with wisdom this wisdom is always accompanied with justice and justice is still joyned with vertue and vertue and temperance cannot be seperated so that this wisdom consisteth upon four parts Besides these Grief and pain cause or hinder passion there are two things that either do cause or hinder passion to wit pain and pleasure one of which we do always refuse and the other we do always desire yet where pleasure ariseth and is presently by reasons rule put away the mind is there strengthened and pain compared with glory is through hope of a greater reward contemned before it come and being come our mind is ashamed not to suffer that which before it was resolved to do Reason therefore is the guide of all our actions Reason resembleth a skilful Gardiner and by it we despise torments and I detest vice like a skilful Husbandman it pruneth and cutteth away superfluous branches and killeth the heat of all corrupt and hurtful humours only leaving that which may some way be profitable to us Thus reason corrects our passion encourages us to suffer and supports us in our sufferings Who is not desirous to eat the flesh of wild Beasts and Fishes And who lusteth not to eat of feathered Fouls nay do not the dainty dishes either from Sea or Land invite us to eat them What then causeth us to abstain from them what makes us all desire them and yet none of us eat them even reason by which the mind is taught to overcome it self in delightful objects and pleasure that when occasion of Martyrdom is offered setting aside all vanities we will not for a little pleasure K forget our accustomed virtue By reason it was that Joseph to his great praise master'd his concupiscence An instance of Joseph's chastity and suffered not himself to be overcome by his lust which was but too incident to his age Reason so worketh with sound advice and mature counsel that it again recovereth lost friendship gaineth new and suffereth no cruelty to be committed Of this we have also the example of Moses who had he not had just occasion to be angry against Dathan and Abiram reason no doubt would have caused him to have smothered his passion Did not our father Jacob with great vehemency reprove his Sons Simeon and Levi who without reason had used such cruelty saying Cursed be your anger Which anger had it been bridled with reason neither had they been cursed nor the other L had perished For this cause God the maker of mankind when he fashioned us and our manners having finished the lineaments of our body he placed the mind in it to rule it with certain concomitant precepts to wit temperance pursuance of
corrupted with money 278. E. F. Judges qualities 112. L. their office 234. E. placed in every City of Juda ibid. E. Judgment seat in several Cities 149. A. Julian his valour and death 743. D. E. Julius Ant. for the Jews 432. L. Jupiter Eâ—yelius reliques 33. D. Justice is Gods power 112. K. Justice of God 254. C. leaves nothing unpunished 598. H. Justice oppressed 149. D. Justice neglected 565. A. B. Justice of the Esseans 613. E. Justification of Samuel 153. C. Justus inciteth the people to rebellion 3. D. reproved 19. F. his Country Tyberius 20. K. accused 23. E. condemned to death 20. N. his book when published 21. B. desireth to command Galilee 22. M. Izates King of Adiabena 529. A. learneth the service of God ibid. disswaded from circumcision 529. B. writeth to the Parthians c. 531. A. calleth upon God 532. L. delivereth the Kingdom to his brother 532. M. dieth ibid. K. KEeper of the prisons entreaty of Joseph 54. K. Kind of living most miserable 731. E. F. Kindness of Agrippâ— 11. C. Kinds of sacrifice two 91. A. Kindness pretended 598. N. Kindness of Herod 599. F. Fat Kine and lean what they signifie 55. D. King desired 150. I. Kings field 37. E. Five Kings of the Midianites slain 108. O. Of a King to be elected what things are required 113. B. The Kings of Canaan war against the Hebrews 125. D. they and their whole Army put to the sword ibid. B. 31 Kings overcome by the Hebrews 126. H. Kings of Egypt why called Pharaoâ—s 214. M. N. Kings of Alexandria called Ptolomies 214. M. King of Moab sacrificeth his son 237. L. King enjoyned by oath to serve God 245. I. Kingdom of Solomon rent 217. O. 219. H. A Kingdom how continued 158. N. Kingdom promised to Jeâ—ues posterity 240. B. Kingdom of Herod divided 471. D. B. Kingdom not given but the honours thereof 587. G. Kingdom of Agrippa 618. L. Kindred 43. B. 45. F. Kinsman 47. E. Knowledge of celestial bodies 30. K. Knowledge of good and evil 28. L. L. LAban Bethuels son 45. E. conâ—enteth to Rebeccaâ—â— marriage 43. C. entertaineth Jacob 45. E. appointeth him master of his shepherds 4â— I. deceiveth him ibid. L. pursueth after him 47 C. maketh a covenant with him 48. H. his goods 47. B. Labour of the Esseans 613. A. of the Roman Souldiers 660. N. ceasâ—ess 735. C. Ladder of Jacob 45. B. Ladies at variance 595. E. Lake Asphaltites 37. C. described 702. K. the property thereof 702. K. Lake of Genezar 679. H. Lakes Asphaltites and Tiberias 701. D. Lamech his wives and issue 29. F. Lamech Methusalaâ—s son 30. O. Lamentation of Esau and why 44. N. Lamentation of Jacob 52. M. of the Hebrews 119. F. Lamentation of thirty days 115. E. Lamentation for Abner 177. F. for Aristobulus 381. L. Land of the Ammorites possessed 105. B. Land-marks not to be removed 113. B. Land of Canaan divided by Lots 126. K. Land of Sodom where 702. M. Lap of Sauls Garment cut 167. G. Largess of Titus to his Souldiers 761. B. Largeness of Jewry 790. N. Laver how sustained 209. M. round lavers ibid. N. A Law most cruel 62. O. Laws made by Moses 111. B. C. Laws of adultery and jealousie 93. F. of the seventh year 94. L. of the fathers forsaken 107. E. of the plough 113. D. of like for like 117. B. of violence 116. M. of war 118. H. I. against wall-breakers 422. I. against forsakers of their places 734. K. of poyson 117. A. Laws of the Jews of great Antiquity 814. K. Law-makers of the Gentiles 814. I. Laws of the Gentiles 814. L. Lea Labans daughter 46. L. sustituted in Rackels place ibid. L. bare to Jacob four sons ibid. N. League of Isaac with Abimelech 44. I. of David with Hiram 179. E. of him with Solomon 207. D. Hircâ—â—â—â— with the Romans 336. I. K. 346. D. E. Learning of Daniel 267. O. of Joseph 1. E. Lagacies of Herod 462. K. Legions of the Romans 660. K. 711. C. Lending upon usury unlawful 116. I. Length of the Ark of Noab 30. N. Length of the Temple 208. M. Lenity of Saul 153. A. Lenity of Magistrates 157. D. Lepers driven out of the City 93. Gâ— 39. N. 〈…〉 250. â— C. Leprosie of Oziâ—s 250. B. Letters of David 184. L. of Senacherib 256. C. of Artaxerxes for the security of the Jews 291. L. of Ptolomy 390. E. of Eleazar 301. B. of Demetrius 336. E. Levi son of Jacob 46. N. slew the Sichemites 49. C. his sons 61. B. Levites wife 130. H. I. abused dieth c. 130. M. N. Tribe of Levi sacred to God 93. A. Levites sing hymns 235. K. numbred 200. N. Liberality of the Enchantress 171. G. of Herod 585. B. of Helena 530. K. of Izates ibid. Liberty of the Israelites 73. D. restored 133. C. Liberty of speech 231. L. 582. M. Liberty a precious thing 514. I. Liberties granted to the Jews 800. L. M. Library of Ptol. Philadelphus 298. D. Lice a plague of Egypt 69. C. Lie of Posidonius confuted 802. O. Lie of Apion concerning our oath 805. B. C. Life of Moses 807. B. Life of subjects like to their Princes 221. C. Light created 27. E. called day ibid. E. Lightnings horrible when 78. O. Lightnings on the enemies 148. M. Limits of the nine Tribes and halfs possession 126. K. c. Limits of a Kingdom enlarged 248. G. Line of Achab rooted out 243. M. Line of Joseph 1. B. Linnen and woollen garment 112. H. Logion or rational of the High Priest 87. C. Longinus breaketh into the Jews army 726. H. Loss of the Ark 144. N. and why ibid. Loss of Sauls Kingdom foretold 157. F. and why ibid. of the Empire of Asia 249. K. Loss of the General dismays the Souldiers 233. K. Lot son of Aram 35. D. had choice of the Land 36. O. led away captive 37. C. rescued 11. E. receiveth Angels 39. A. fled to Zoar 39. C. committed incest ibid. D. Lots wife 39. C. Lots cast 124. I. 126. K. c. 151. E. 155. G. Lots cast to kill one another 776. L. 673. C. Love of women blindeth 107. E. and causeth to serve strange gods ibid. E. F. 216. G. 217. H. Love of Jonathan towards David 162. I. 164. H. 164. K. of Joseph to his Country 731. C. Lovers of Order c. 806. O. Lust of Putiphars wife 53. A. F. of the Gabeans 130. L. M. of Caius 516. L. of the Egyptians 36. L. Lusty Jews reserved 758. N. Lybia of whom called Africa 42. H. Lycurgus among the Lacedaemonians 811. E. Lysius General of Antiochus army 317. I. invadeth Judaea 318. G. is overcome 318. C. once again invadeth Judaea ibid. Lysimachus killeth Apollodotus 353. L. betrayeth Gaza ibid. M. MAchâ—ras killeth many Jews 387. M. fortifieth Geth 388. D. his iniquity 577. D. Madness counterfeited 165. D. Midianites Embassage to Balaam 105. E. their daughters seduce the Hebrews 107. D. put to flight and slain 108. L. subdue