to a Pomgranate cut in the middest to which there is annexed and groweth a round couer as if turned and framed on purpose hauing those eminent clefts as I said like to the midst of a Pomgranate resembling the pointed and sharp thornes and pricking blades Now it contayneth a certaine fruit vnder the couer and in the whole cup is like to the seed of the herbe Sideritis his flower is not much vnlike that which springeth from the poppey Such was this crowne about the necke and the two Temples for these cups came not neere the front or brow For on the same there was as it were a bend of gold on which the name of God was engrauen Such were the ornaments of the high priest I cannot therfore but greatly wonder at the strange and causelesse malice which other nations haue conceiued against vs as if we were iniurious against the diuine maiestie which they say they so much honour For if a man marke the composition of the Tabernacle and examine the habit of the high priest and consider all the necessaries which we vse in celebrating the diuine seruice they shall find that our lawmaker was a man of a diuine spirit and that we without any desert are iniuried by other nations For if without partialitie a man will duely examine it he shall find that all things haue beene done to represent and figure the world For the Tabernacle is of thirtie cubits diuided into three parts whereof two are left for the sacrificers as a place prophaned and common signifying the land and sea wherein all sorts of creatures are conuersant But the third part is sequestred and reserued for God alone in like sort as the heauen is vnaccessible by men The table on which the twelue loaues were placed signifieth the yeare diuided into twelue moneths The candlestick made of seuentie pieces signifieth the twelue signes thorow which euery one of the seuen planets passe the seuen lampes that were therein represented the seuen planets The vailes made of foure seuerall kinds of stuffes resembled the foure Elements For the linnen seemed to represent the earth from whence it was drawen and deriued The purple resembled the sea because the purple colour is made of the bloud of a shell fish called Murex The Hyacinth signifieth the ayre and as touching the Scarlet it signifieth the fire The tunicle likewise of the high priest demonstrateth the earth for it is made of linnen The Hyacinth sheweth the pole the Pomgranates resembled the lightning as the bels the noyse of the thunder The sircot sheweth that the whole world is compassed of foure Elements resembled in his foure colours to which gold is annexed as I interprete it for that light is annexed to all things Essen also is planted in the middle thereof in such sort as the earth obtaineth the middle place of the world Likewise the girdle wherewith he is girt resembleth the sea which enfoldeth and begirteth all things The two Sardonix stones set as buttons or loops in the high Priests garment signifie the Sunne and Moone the number of the gems are alluded to the number of the moneths or the twelue houses or the equall number of the parts of that circle which the Graecians call the Zodiacke he shall not much erre that followeth eyther the one or the other of these opinions The cap likewise hath an allusion to heauen by reason of his azure or Hyacinthine colour for otherwise the name of God might not be placed therein For it was beautified with a crowne of gold to signifie the light wherein God highly delighteth Let this suffice for the present for that which we shall discourse hereafter will furnish vs with sufficient and ample matter to shew and set out the vertue of our lawmaker CHAP. IX Of Aarons priesthood and the lawes which appertaine to the feastes and sacrifices AFter these things abouesaid were finished and left as yet vnconsecrated God appeared vnto Moses commaunding him to establish Aaron his brother in the priesthood who in respect of his vertue deserued that title of honour aboue all the rest For which cause Moses assembling the congregation discoursed vnto them his vertues and discouered his good affection and reckoned vp vnto them how many daungers he had suffered in their behalfe whereof each of them gaue ample testimonie declaring the forward zeale and loue they alwaies bare vnto him whereupon he spake vnto them after this manner The worke is now brought to such an end as it hath pleased God and hath beene possible for vs and for that you know we are to receiue him into this Tabernacle we ought aboue all things to haue an especiall care in the election of such a one who shall make sacrifice and supplication for vs. Touching my selfe if the matter depended on my priuate choise I should esteeme no man more worthy then my selfe to execute this function both for that naturally men loue themselues and for that I am well assured how many trauels I haue supported for your safetie sake But God himselfe hath iudged Aaron worthy of this honour and hath chosen him for his high priest and sacrificer in that he excelleth all other of vs in equitie and iustice commaunding that he should be inuested with the robe consecrated to God and that he should take charge of the altars and sacrifices He shall make prayers for you vnto God who will heare them willingly by reason that he hath care of your race and will receiue them proceeding from a personage whom he himselfe had elected These words of his were gratefull vnto the people and they all of them approued the election which God had made For Aaron was more capable of that honour then any other both by reason of his race as also in regard of the prophecing spirit and vertue of his brother he had at that time foure sonnes Nadab Abihu Eleasar and Ithamar But whatsoeuer remained of those things which were gathered for the building of the Tabernacle was employed to make vailes to couer the Tabernacle Candlesticke Altar and the other instruments to the end that in their trauaile they should not be soiled eyther by raine or dust And hauing once more assembled the people together he commaunded them to offer euerie one of them halfe a sicle now the sicle is a kind of Hebrew coyne that is as much in value as foure Athenian drammes whereunto they obeyed willingly so that the number of them that offered was sixe times one hundreth thousand fiue hundreth and fiftie and they that brought this money were such as were of a free condition and betwixt the yeares of twentie and fiftie and that which was receiued was imployed in the necessaries of the Temple Then did he purifie the Tabernacle and the priests in manner and forme following He tooke the waight of fiue hundreth sicles of chosen Mirrhe and the like quantitie of Ireos of Cinnamon and of Calamus which is a
motiue but diuers and verie different causes of their labours for some of them are addicted to this studie vnder pretence to exemplifie their eloquence and vnder hope to purchase glorie thereby other some to the end to giue them content whose worthy actions they couch and commend in their writings haue intermitted no time nor to their power spared no labour Some there are that hauing beene present in person and eie witnesses in the execution of great affaires haue necessarily beene inforced to reduce and digest the same in writing neither wanted there some who seeing occurrences of high and necessarie consequence which otherwise had beene buried in ignorance haue beene incited in respect of common good to imploy both hand and head in the publishing thereof now of these forenamed causes the two last are they that incited me to the like For the warre which we had with the Romaines and the accidents and issues on both parts all which in person I beheld and to my perill I haue learned do compell me to declare the same and the rather for that there are some who in their writings haue depraued and peruerted the truth I haue therefore taken this worke in hand for that in my opinion the knowledge thereof will be both pleasing and profitable to the Graecians for it shal containe the antiquitie of our whole nation their forme of common-weale both translated and gathered out of the Antiquities and Chronicles of the Hebrewes Truth t is that heretofore and at such time also as I composed the Historie of the foresaid warre I had prâ—…ected and purposed with my selfe to lay open to the world how and whence the Iewes had their first originall what alterations in fortune they had falne into by what law-maker they had beene instructed in pietie and incited to the exercise of vertue how many warres they haue sustained by long and diuers times and finally how against their will they haue beene intangled in this last warre which they waged against the Romaines But for that the content of this matter was too ample and copious I haue separated it apart assigning thereunto this treatise accomplished from the beginning euen vnto the end afterwards in processe of time as it vsually hapneth to those that attempt matters of mightie consequence I was surprized with a certaine delay and slothfulnesse that withdrew me from the translation of so waightie a matter in an vnfamiliar and forraine language Yet some there were who inflamed with a desire of knowledge animated me in this action and especially Epaphroditus a man enamoured of all learning and who in especial tooke it for a pleasure to take knowledge of the diuers occurrences of common-weales as he that had beene agent in diuers affaires of importance and sundrie accidents in all which he hath shewed a maruaâ—…lous magnanimitie of courage with an vnmoueable resolution to follow vertue Being thus perswaded by him who is accustomed to incourage those vnto good actions whome hee perceiueth to be apte and prepared to performe things profitable and honest and that which is more being ashamed in my selfe that I should rather take delight to follow idlenesse than addict my selfe to any laudable exercise I inforced my seâ—…fe more couragiously then before time and besides all that which hath beene spoken I haue effectually considered with my selfe that our auncestors haue thought good to communicate and publish the knowledge of our Histories to the Grecians if so be that any of them were curious to vnderstand the same I haue found therfore that Ptolomey king of Egypt the second of the name highly affectioned to good letters and desirous to store and gather bookes was earnestly desirous that our lawe and the rules thereof and the prescript forme of ouâ—… liuing should be translated into the Greeke tongue And as touching the hie Priest Eleazar who hath not been second in vertue to any other whatsoeuer he refused not to make the said King partaker of the effect of his desire to which he had wholy contradicted had it not beene the ordinarie course of our auncestors not to conceale from other men what thing soeuer was honest For which cause I haue helde it a matter no waies vndecent for me to follow the vertuous courage of that same great sacrificer and the rather for that at this day onely in as much as concerned learning I supposed many also to be no lesse affected to good letters then the king for he vndertooke not to haue all the writings which we had but those translators who were sent vnto him to Alexandria did onely communicate that vnto him which was in our lawe But those things that are found written in the sacred bookes of holy Scripture are infinite being such as containe in them the Historie of fiue thousand yeares in which diuers vnexpected chances sundry fortunes of warre and many changes of politike estates are discouered In some if any one haue a desire to reade this Historie he shall principally learne and apprehend that all things fall out happily and beyond their expectation to those men who obserue the will of God and are affraid to transgresse the lawes of his commandements and that God hath prepared for such the crowne and reward of felicitie Contrariwise if they shall depart from the diligent obseruance thereof that which is easie shall be made impossible and their indeuours in their opinion good shall end in incurable calamities For which cause I exhort all those that shall reade these bookes to fix their mind vpon God and that they approue our law-maker if as it worthely deserued he hath considered the diuine nature and attributed to the same such actions as are alwaies agreeable to his power and hath kept and continued his narration free from the vanitie of fables wherwith others are poisoned although in respect of the length of time and the antiquity of things he might without controule faine and imagine whatsoeuer vanities for hee was borne more then two thousand yeeres ago which is a continuance of ages to which the Poets neither durst referre the original of their Gods neither the deedes or lawes of men whereof they make mention But in pursuit of our Historie the sequell of our discourse shall declare all things exactly and in conuenient order For in compiling this worke I haue promised to adde nothing neither to pretermit any thing and for that all whatsoeuer we shall declare doth almost wholy depend on the wisedome of our law-maker Moses It is necessarie before all other things that I speake somewhat of himselfe least perhaps any man should wonder how this labour hauing been enterprised to discouer the words and workes of certaine persons is also employed for the greatest part in describing and discouering things that are naturall We ought therefore to know that Moses thought it most especially necessarie either for him that will rightly dispose his life or impose lawes to other men that first and in especiall he haue the knowledge of the nature
to be almost desperate yet our only hope as yet resteth in your goodnes and clemencie For which cause we beseech you that you will not only haue compassion of vs but of your owne nature and that in this cause you would be pleased to take counsaile not of your iust indignation but your natiue goodnesse gouerning your wrath with a great mind to which vulgar men both in great and small occurrences are wont to submit Consider I pray you whether it stand with your dignitie to kill those who present themselues to be punished desire in no sort to liue except it be by the benefit of your mercie Suffer not your selfe to be depriued of this honour that after you haue deliuered vs from famine and liberally furnished vs with come so of your mercie likewise you haue permitted vs to returne vnto our family being trauelled by the same perill and to bring them home sustonance For one and the same bounty is it to continue them in life who are trauelled with famine and to forgiue them death who haue merited it by their offences to whom their wickednes hath enuied that bounty which you haue heroically extended towards them It is one and the same grace imparted by you in diuers manners For thou shalt saue those whom thou hast fed and that life which thou wouldest not suffer to faile by force of famine thou shalt redeliuer and giue againe whereby thy clemencie may be more commendable whilest both thou giuest life and those things likewise whereby life is maintained Moreouer I thinke that God himselfe hath giuen thee this meanes to expresse thy vertue that it may appeare that thou settest lighter by the iniuries offered vnto thee then by thy will to doe good and that thou art not liberall to them only who are poore and innocent For although it bee a great praise to yeeld succour in aduersities yet is a prince no lesse honoured by his clemencie especially in a cause that concerneth his particular interest For if they that remit small offences are followed by deserued praise what is it to restraine a mans ire in a capitall crime doth it not most neerely approximate the diuine clemencie And hadde I not good experience by Iosephs death how grieuously my father digesteth the want of his children I would not so earnestly intreat for his safety but so farre forth and no otherwise but as it might redound to the praise of thy clemencie and were there not some to whom our death would bring both griefe and discontent we were willing all of vs to suffer punishment But now whereas we haue not so much commiseration of our selues although as yet we be but yong and haue not much tasted the pleasures and fruit of this life as of our wretched parents being drowned in yeares and cares we offer vp vnto thee these our prayers in his name also and beseech thee to graunt vs life though at this day wee are vnder thy iustice for our offences Assuredly hee is a good man and begate vs that we should be like vnto him worthy is he neuer to taste or to be tried by any such calamitie who now thorow our absence is discruciate with care and sorrow Now if so be he should receiue any tydings either of our death or the cause thereof he will not indure any more to liue the infamy of our deaths will shorten his daies and make his death by this meanes more vnhappy who rather then he should heare the rumors of our shame would hasten his death in supposing them All these wel considered although thou art iustly moued by this offence remit the reuenge vnto our father and rather let thy pity towards him then our iniquity towards thee preuaile with thee Impart this honor to his old age which if it be depriued of our presence neither wil nor can desire to liue yeeld this respect to thy fathers memory yea ascribe it to the very name of a father wherewith thou art honoured so God the father of all men will blesse thee in that name and fortunate thee in thy increase whom also thou shalt honour if in respect of that common name thou take compassion of our father in considering the sorrow that he shall endure if perhaps he shall be depriued of his children It now lieth in your power to giue vs that which you may depriue vs of by that power which God hath giuen you and in doing vs this fauour you shall imitate the nature of God and in this respect become like vnto him For since it lieth in your power to doe both the one and the other it were better thou didst good then euill and contenting thy selfe with thy power not to remember or vrge thy reuenge but onely to thinke that thy power was giuen thee to keepe and conserue men and that the more mercie thou extendest towards many the more honour thou redoublest on thy head now it lieth in thy power by for giuing our brothers errour to giue vs all life For neither can we be safe except he be saued neâ—…ther may we returne home vnto our father except he returne but here must we suffer whatsoeuer our brother suffereth Neither doe we craue any other mercy at thy hand dread prince if we be repulsed in this but that thou wilt inflict one and the same punishment on vs in no other manner then as if we had been partakers of the felony for this were more better for vs then that we our selues thorow sorrow should offer violence to our owne soules I will not alleadge or vrge his youth or iudgement as yet vnripened neither will I inferre that pardon is vsually granted vnto such but here will I make an end that whether we be condemned in that I haue not sufficiently pleaded his cause or whether we be absolued we may wholy ascribe this grace to your fauour and clemencie to the bounds of whose praise this likewise shall be added that not onely thou hast saued vs but also in pardoning vs of the punishment which we haue iustly deserued hast had more care of vs then we our selues If therefore it be thy pleasure to adiudge him to die suffer me to suffer for him and send him backe vnto our father or if it please thee to retaine him for thy slaue I am more fit then he to doe all sorts of seruices as you may perceiue and am ready to suffer all that which may be inflicted on me When Iuda had spoken thus he humbled himselfe at Iosephs feete indeuouring as much as in him lay to mollifie and appease his ire in like sort also all the other brothers prostrated themselues offering themselues to die for Beniamin But Ioseph conquered with pitie and vnable any longer to personate a displeased man sent away all those that were present and being alone with them discouered himâ—…elfe vnto his brothers and in this sort to them onely he disclosed himselfe and said I cannot but commend the
of the Amorites with this condition that together with the people ioyned vnto them in c◅nsanguinitie they should warfare against their common enemie till all things were accomplished according to their desires and by this meanes hauing receiued that which they demaunded and building them walled Cities they left their children wiues and substance in the same Moses also builded ten Cities in that Region which are to be reckoned in the number of those fortie and eight in three whereof he appointed sanctuaries and places of refuge which they onely might take benefit of who fled thither for chaunce-medlie and he appointed them their tearme of exile till such time as the high Priest died vnder whom the manslaughter was committed at such time they might safely returne into their countrey And during the time of their exile it was lawfull for any of the kinne to take reuenge against the offender by his death onely at such time as he found him without the Citie of refuge and that right he onely ratified to those that were akinne but not vnto others Now the Cities of refuge were these in the confines of Arabia Bosora in the Region of Galadena Arimanum in the countrey of Bataneades Gauladeaman And after the conquest of Chanaan so many Cities of the Leuites by the commaundement of Moses were appointed to that end that they might giue refuge and habitatior to such sort of offenders At that time when one of the Magistrates called Salpades of the tribe of Manasses was dead and had onely left behind him children of the worser sexe the gouernours of the tribe came vnto Moses and asked his counsell whether in the distribution of the lands they should leuie out any part of portion for them who aunswered them that if they married within their tribe they should haue their dowrie but if they made choyce to handfast themselues in an other tribe that then they should leese their patrimonie in their owne and for this cause made he this ordinaunce to the ende that euerie tribe should continually possesse his proper inheritaunce But whereas now there remayned but thirtie daies onely to fulfill the number of those fortie yeares since their departure out of Egypt he sommoning an assemblie in that place neere to Iordan where now the Citie of Abila is scituate inuironed with a fielde beset with Palme trees as soone as hee saw the people addressed to heare him spake vnto them after this manner CHAP. VIII Moses Lawes and how he was taken out of this world from the companie of men MY deare friends and fellow soldiers companions in my long trauell since it is so thought requisite by God and mine age attayning to the full number of one hundreth and twentie yeares requireth no lesse but that I must depart out of this life and since it seemeth not good in Gods sight that eyther I should be agent or assistant in your affaires beyond Iordan I haue thought it requisite that in as much as appertayneth to your felicitie I should not now also faile or default in my dutie towards you but that according to the grace that is giuē me I should prouide that by laying open the way vnto you that leadeth to the same I may seeme worthie amongst you to merit eternal glorie memorie Giue therfore eare vnto me that when as I haue first declared vnto you wherein both your felicitie and the happines of your posterity consisteth and haue left this perpetual testimonie monument of my intire loue towards you I may willingly depart out of this life for well I know that I deserue to be credited by you both for that before times I haue incessantly in studying for your profits neuer deceiued you as also for that the soule being readie to be separated from the bodie becommeth more accomplished in all vertue and veritie Ye sonnes of Israel there is but one onely cause whereby men attaine vnto felicitie to wit the fauour of God which he is onely able to giue to those that deserue it and to withdraw if from those that offend him towards whom if you continue dutiful according as he requireth and in such manner as I according to his direction do institute you you shall neuer faile to multiply in vertue and to draw all men into emulation of your happines and that which is more those goods which you haue now obtayned shall be perpetuall and that which you want shall shortly be plentifully bestowed on you Onely indeuour you your selues to be subiect to Gods will and obedient to his commandements and neither propose vnto your selues any other lawes then those I haue giuen you neither thorow contempt innouate any thing in your religion Which if you shall performe you shall excell all other nations in warre and grow inuincible against your enemies for by Gods assistance all threats are easily contemned Moreouer there are great rewards in all the course of life proposed vnto vertue and she her selfe to her selfe is a chiefe and especiall reward besides by her all other blessings are easily obtayned which if you intertaine amongst your selues you shal both lead a blessed life obtaine immortal glorie not onely amongst straungers but also in all posterities These things are you to hope vpon if neither you your selues violate those lawes which by Gods commaund and mine industrie are set downe vnto you neither suffer any other to violate the same but in your selues continually meditate vpon the vnderstanding vse therof As for my selfe I depart this life in fulnes of ioy reioycing at these your good fortunes commending you all to the lawes of pietie and prudence the vertue of your guides magistrates who hereafter are to take care of your safe◅ie and felicitie God likewise vnder whose conduct you haue liued and to whose fauour you owe whatsoeuer profit you haue receiued by me will not faile to take care of you but as long as you shall honour both him and pietie so long shall you remaine in securitie vnder his protection neither shall you want such men who shall giue you ghostly instructions whose counsels if you obey you shal be fortunate namely Eleazar the high priest Iesus with the Senate and Magistrates of the tribes towards whom beware that you grow stifnecked knowing and remembring this that he that is instructed to obey well when he shall attaine vnto dignitie will gouerne well Neither suppose you that libertie consisteth herein if you mutine against the commaundements of your Princes for hitherto haue you reposed your libertie in your contumacie towards your benefactors from which sinne if hereafter you shall blesse your selues you shall see your estate waxe still more flourishing and fortunate And God forbid that you should euer be so exasperated against these as you haue beene sometimes incensed against me For if you remember your selues I haue beene more oftentimes in hazard of my life by your meanes then by
which there sate an owle One of those prisoners vvho vvas by nation a Germane beholding that bird asked the soldier that was fettered with him who he vvas that vvas apparrelled in purple and vnderstanding that his name vvas Agrippa and that he vvas a lew and one of the nobilitie of that nation hee required the souldier who to the end to guard him was chained with him to suffer him to draw neere vnto Agrippa and to haue a little conference with him for that he had a great desire to aske him of certaine things concerning the customes of his countrey Which when he had obtained and hauing got neere him he certified him by an interpreter of that which followeth Young man said he the sodaine change that hath befallen thee at this present afflicteth and oppresseth thee with great and grieuous torment neither wilt thou easily beleeue that thou shalt escape from thy miserie yet so doth the diuine prouidence dispose all things that thou shalt shortly be deliuered Know therefore and I sweare vnto thee by the Gods both those of mine auncestors and those also who haue residence and presidence in this place and who haue procured vs this yron chaine that I will tell thee all not to yeeld thee pleasure by my vaine discourse or to entertaine thee with fruitlesse consolation knowing well that when these predictions shall happen to faile they will breede thee more sorrow then if thou hadst neuer heard speech of them But I haue thought it good yea although it were with mine owne danger to declare vnto thee the predictions of the gods It cannot otherwaies be but that shortly thou shalt be deliuered from these bonds and shalt be aduanced to great honour and power so that those who at this day haue compassion of thy calamitie shal beare enuie to thy glorie and thou shalt depart this life in great felicitie and shalt leaue thy children mightie possessions But beare this in thy remembrance that when thou shalt see this bird once more thou must needly die within fiue daies after These are those things which the gods thinke meete to foretell thee by this bird As for my selfe I haue supposed that I should doe thee wrong if I should conceale this prediction from thee hauing the foreknowledge thereof I haue therefore thought good to impart this ioy vnto thee wherby thorow hope of thy future profit thou maiest more easily indure thy present misfortune for which cause I beseech thee that as soone as thou shalt be partaker of this thy felicity thou wilt indeuour thy selfe to deliuer vs also from these aduersities This presage of the Germane seemed so ridiculous to Agrippa as it afterwars deserued most mightie admiration But Antonia being sore grieued at the young mans calamitie thought it not onely a difficult matter for her to intreat Tiberius for him but altogither vnprofitable in regard she should be repulsed yet wrought she so much with Macron that he was committed to the custodie of such souldiers who were of more reconciled behauiour and had a Centurion appointed to keepe him that suffered him to vse his daily bathings and gaue his friends and seruants leaue to visit him by whose seruice and kindnesse his necessities might be relieued His friend Silas also was admitted to speake with him and amongst his free-men Marsias and Stichus who brought him in such meates as he was delighted withall and couerings vnder colour to sell them which by the permission of the souldiers who had no lesse direction from Macron they spred by night for him to take his rest vpon See here the estate wherein Agrippa liued in prison for the space of six moneths But Tiberius being returned to Capreas began at first to bee attainted with a certaine lingring disease and for that his sicknesse increased more and more he began to conceiue a sinister hope of himselfe and commanded Euodus whom he most honoured amongst all his free-men to bring him his sonnes because he intended to talke with them before he died But the sooth is that he had not any children of his own but had adopted them For Drusus who was his onely childe was alreadie dead and had left behind him a sonne called Tiberius surnamed Gemellus He had Caius also his brother Germanicus sonne who was in the flower of his age and had trauailed verie diligently in good disciplines To him also the people ascribed verie much in remembrance of the vertues of his deceased father and as touching himselfe he was of a sweet conuersation and so modest that he was familiar and conuersant with all men Whereby it came to passe that not onely the people but the Senate also held him in great estimation as also all the subiects in euerie seuerall prouince For they that spake with him were drawne partly by his affabilitie partly by the fidelitie that they saw in him so that when he was dead all of them mourned not counterfaitly lamenting his losse but with vnfained sorrow for that there was not any one that supposed not his death to be euery mans particular losse He therefore demeaned himselfe so modestly towards all men that his sonne after his death was highly aduanced thereby For among the rest the men of warre made their reckoning that although it should cost them their liues to get him the Empire they would not refuse the hazard After that Tiberius had charged Euodus to bring him the two young men the next morrow by breake of day he besought the Gods of that place to giue him an euident signe whereby he might know who should succeed him For although he desired to leaue the Empire to his sons sonne yet made he more account of that which God should make manifest vnto him He therefore conceiued a presage that he who the next day should enter first to salute him it should be he who in the Empire should necessarily succeede him And hauing settled this thing in his fantasie he sent vnto his little sonnes Master charging him to bring him vnto him by breake of day supposing that God had ordained that the Empire should be his but the matter fell out quite contrarie to his expectation For being in this thought he commanded Euodus that as soone as he might and as soone as the day should arise he should suffer him of the two young princes to enter in vnto him who should arriue the first He walking out met with Caius before the chamber doore for Tiberius was not there who being ignorant of that wich his grandfather thought was busie about his breakfast and said vnto him That the Emperour his father called for him and with all suffered him to enter When Tiberius beheld Caius he sodainly began to consider vpon the power of God who depriued him of the meanes to dispose of the Empire according as he had determined with himselfe for that it lay not in his power and he lamented greatly not so much for that he sawe his
and continuance of these eighteene was foure hundreth sixtie six yeeres six moneths and ten daies so long as the Iewes haue had the royall gouernment After the surprisall of Ierusalem by the Babylonians vntill such time as Cyrus king of Persia dismissed the Iewes and gaue them leaue to returne from Babylon into their owne countrey with permission to reedifie their temple there are 70. yeeres and at that time the captiues beeing returned Iesus the sonne of Iosedech tooke vpon him the high priesthood who with those of his posteritie to the number of fifteene haue gouerned in a Democratie or popular estate vntill the time of Antiochus surnamed Eupator for the space of foure hundreth and fourteene yeeres This Antiochus was the first who with his generall Lysia displaced Onias surnamed Menelaus of his priesthood commanding him to be slaine at Beryth and after he had driuen his sonne out of the succession he established Iacim high priest who notwithstanding was of Aarons race but not of his family For this cause Onias the sonne of Onias and nephew to the deceased Onias retired himselfe into Aegypt where growing familiar with Ptolomey Philometor and Cleopatra his wife he perswaded them to build a temple in the confines of Heliopolis not vnlike to that of Ierusalem and to create a high priest in the same of which temple in Aegypt we haue made verie oftentimes mention After that Iacim had held the priesthood for the space of three yeeres he died without successor For the Citie remained seuen yerees without a high priest Againe the Asmoneans recouered the gouernment of their nation and after they had warred against the Macedons they established Ionathan hie priest who exercised the office seuen yeeres but afterwards he was slaine by an ambush and treason conspired against him by Tryphon as we haue declared elsewhere After him Simon his brother vndertooke the priesthood who was not long after slaine treacherously by his sonne in lawe at a banquet After him succeeded his sonne Hyrcanus who enioying this dignitie for the space of thirtie one yeeres died when he was verie olde leauing behinde him Iudas surnamed Aristobulus who dying by sicknesse left his brother Alexander his heire both of the kingdome and high priesthood After that Aristobulus had obtained the royal gouernment he enioyed both dignities one whole yeere For this Iudas surnamed Aristobulus was the first that set the diademe on his head causing himselfe to be called a king The which Alexander did continue for he also ioyned the kingdome with the high priesthood and raigned 27. yeers and feeling himselfe draw neere to his death he left it in Alexandras his wiues hands to dispose of the priesthood as she pleased She therefore bestowed it on Hyrcanus and as touching the kingdome she kept it in her own hands nine yeers afterwards died Her son Hyrcanus was high priest for so long time for after Alexandras death his brother Aristobulus made warre against him and hauing ouercome him he tooke the kingdome from him and not onely seazed the crowne but the priesthood After he had raigned three yeeres and as many moneths Pompey repaired to Ierusalem and tooke it perforce and laying hold of Aristobulus sent him bound vnto Rome with his children After which he restored the priesthood once more to Hyrcanus committing the gouernment of the nation vnto his hands forbidding him in the meane space to weare the diademe Besides the first nine yeeres Hyrcanus gouerned twentie and foure but Barzapharnes and Pacorus princes of the Parthians passed Euphrates and made warre against Hyrcanus and tooke him aliue prisoner and made Antigonus Aristobulus sonne king But after he had gouerned three yeeres and three moneths Sosius and Herode tooke him aliue perforce and Antonius sent him to Antioch where he was put to death After that Herode was created king by the Romans there was neuer any hie priest created of the posterity of the Asmoneans for he gaue the hie priesthood to certaine men of obscure base condition who were of the order of the priests Aristobulus onely excepted This Aristobulus was Hyrcanus nephew who was prisoner among the Parthians and hauing giuen him the priesthood he married himselfe with Mariamme his sister to the intent to continue himselfe in the good liking of the people in remembrance of Hyrcanus but afterwards fearing least all of them should turne to Aristobulus side he caused him to be slaine by finding out a meanes to cause him to be stifled at such time as he bathed himselfe in a fishpond neere to Iericho as we haue declared before this After him he bestowed the priesthood no more on any of the line of the Asmoneans Archelaus his sonne followed his fathers steps in respect of the priesthood and from that time forward the Romans haue enioied the soueraigntie ouer Iewry All they then that haue exercised the priesthood from Herodes time vntill the day that Titus tooke the Citie and the temple haue been in all twentie and eight All the continuance of their gouernment was one hundreth and seuen yeeres Certaine of these gouerned during Herodes life and in the daies of Archelaus his sonne but after these two were dead the gouernment was Aristocraticall or of the nobilitie wherein the priests had the gouernment ouer the whole nation Thus much haue we thought meet to speake at this time as touching the high priests CHAP. IX How Florus Albinus successor offered many iniuries to the Iewes which constrained them to take armes GEssius Florus being sent by Nero to succeed Albinus filled all Iudaea with many mischiefs and miseries He was a Clazomenian borne and was married to a certaine woman called Cleopatra no lesse mischieuous then himselfe who being beloued by Poppea Neros wife obtained this dignitie for him He behaued himselfe so outragiously and violently in all his gouernment that thorow the great iniustice he committed the Iewes praised Albinus as if hee had been their benefactor For he concealed his mischiefe taking care least it should wholy be conceited or discouered but Gessius Florus behaued himselfe in such sort as if he had been sent to make open shew and sale of his villanies publishing his iniustice in the eares of our nation without omitting either rapine or iniustice in execution and inflicting punishment on the innocent For he was pitilesse and couetous and made no difference betwixt noble and ignoble and was not ashamed to be partaker with theeues of whom there were diuers that made it their profession to steale without any feare in that they were assured of their safetie because he was partaker with them And in a word there was no moderation in him in sort as the poore Iewes being vnable to endure the insolent rapines and spoilings of their goods that they receiued by these theeues were constrained to abandon their owne houses and to flie their countrey and remaine in some more commodious place of securitie yea though it were among strangers What neede I
that I was not wholy cleere of that which was obiected against me I besought them to vnderstand to what vse I reserued that pray that was brought vnto my hand after which if they list they might kill me And whilest the multitude commaunded me to speake the armed men returned backe and beholding me rushed in vpon me with an intent to murther me but being restrained by the peoples exclamations they moderated their furie supposing that after my confession of treason and reseruation of the kings money they might haue a better occasion to finish my Tragedy For which cause after silence I began thus Men and brethren said I if in your opinion I deserue death I refuse not to die yet before my death will I certifie you of the whole truth Truly when as I perceiued that this Citie was most commodious and fit to entertaine strangers and that I perceiued that many men forsaking their owne countries were delighted with your conuersations and willing to partake with you in all sorts of fortune I was resolued to build vp your wals with this money for which being thus destinated to doe you good your indignation is prouoked against me Vpon these words the Taricheans and strangers cried out giuing me thankes and willing me to be of a good courage But the Galileans and Tiberians continued in their hatred insomuch as they grew to debate betwixt themselues the one threatning me with punishment the other contrariwise willing me to assure my selfe of securitie But after I had promised the Tiberians that I would reedifie their wals and fortifie other conuenient Cities they giuing credit to my words repaired euerie one of them to their owne houses And I beyond all expectation escaping from so great a perill with certaine of my friends and some twentie souldiers returned to my house But once againe the theeues and authors of sedition fearing least they should be punished for these their offences begirt my lodging with six hundreth armed men intending to consume it with fire Of whose arriuall as soone as I had intelligence imagining with my selfe that it would be much dishonour for me to flie I resolued to vse valour and courage against them for which cause commanding the gates to be shut I required them from the top of the house that they would send in some of them vnto me to receiue that money for which they had been drawn into this mutinie whereby they might haue no further cause to be incensed against me Which done laying hold of one of the most troublesome fellowes that with the rest came in vnto me I caused him to be beaten with many grieuous strokes and his hand to be cut off and hung about his necke and thus handled we thrust him out of doores to returne vnto those who had sent him But they being wondrously affraid herewith and suspecting the like punishment if they should stay there any longer for that they suspected that I had diuers armed souldiers in my house they sodainly all of them fled away and so by this stratageme escaped I the other dangers Yet wanted there not some who incited the people once more against me saying that the kings seruants who were fled vnto me for refuge ought not to liue except they submitted themselues to their lawes and customes from whom they required protection They likewise accused them that they were of the Roman faction and poisoners and presently the people began to mutinie being deceiued by their words who laboured to flatter them Which when I heard of I once more enformed the people that they ought not to persecute those who resorted vnto them for rescous and I iested at their folly who accused them of impoisoning and that the Romans would not vainly nourish so many thousands of souldiers if they pretended to make away their enemies with poison Being by these words somewhat pacified they had scarcely withdrawn themselues awhile but that by certaine outcasts and wicked men they were incited against the nobilitie so that with armed weapons they resorted to the houses of the Taricheans intending to murther them Which when I heard I was sore affraid that if this wickednesse should be committed no man hereafter should dare to trust his life in my hands For which cause being assisted by diuers others I hastily resorted to their lodging and shut vp the gates and cutting a trench betwixt it and the lake I called for a barke and entring into the same with them I crossed ouer into the confines of the Hippenians and furnishing them with money to buy them horses for that they could not transport their owne with them in that flight I dismissed them requiring them to digest their present misfortunes with a constant minde For I my selfe tooke it verie heauily that I was once more inforced to land those men in the enemies countrey who had committed themselues to my trust yet thinking that if it should so fall out that they should fal into the Romans hands they should be safer then if by suffering them to remaine in my countrey I should see them opprest I aduentured them thus Yet were they saued and the king gaue them pardon And this was the end of this tumult But they of Tiberias wrote vnto the king requiring him to send a garrison into their country and promising him to reuolt and follow him Which done as soone as I came vnto them they required me that I would build them those wals which I had promised them for they had alreadie heard that Taricheas was inuironed with wals Whereunto I condescended and gathering stuffe from euerie place I set the workemen to their taske But some three daies after departing from Tiberias towards Taricheas which was thirtie stades distant from thence by chance a troupe of Roman horsemen were discouered not farre from the Citie which made the inhabitants beleeue that they were the kings army Whereupon they presently began to vtter many things in honour of the king and more in my reproch And presently a certaine friend posted vnto me and told me what their minde was and how they intended to reuolt from me Which when I vnderstood I was wondrously troubled For I had sent backe my men of warre from Taricheas to their houses for that the next day was the Sabboth day For I would by no means that the Citizens of Tarichea should be charged or troubled with entertaining souldiers And at all times when I remained in that citie I tooke no care of the guard of mine owne person hauing had often proofe of the loyaltie of the inhabitants towards me Being therefore at that time attended onely with seuen souldiers and a few of my friends I knew not what to do For I thought it not fit to call backe my forces for that the day was welny past and although they should haue beene with me the next morning yet they might not haue taken armes because our lawes forbad the same how
he was instructed But Herod who was alwaies woont to mistrust the perfidious practises of barbarous nations being certaine that those letters which discouered the treasons were fallen into the enemies hands would not go foorth though Pacorus pretended a iust cause inciting him to ride out and meete them that brought the letters wherein was contained neither the taking of Phasaelus nor the treasons but onely what Phasaelus had done But long before this Herod by others vnderstood that his brother Phasaelus was taken and Mariamme a very wise woman Hyrcanus daughter with many entreaties perswaded Herod not to go forth but that he should beware how he trusted himselfe to the mercie of that barbarous people who did now as it were openly assault him Whilest Pacorus was consulting with his accomplices how he might priuily effect his treasons seeing it was not possible openly to circumuent a man of so great wisdome Herod in the night time whilest his enemies neither knew nor suspected his intent tooke his neerest kinsfolke and fled into Idumaea which being once knowne the Parthians followed him For which cause he made his mother his brethren and the young maiden despoused and her mother and youngest brother to keepe on their iourney and he with his seruants warily assaulted the Parthians and hauing in euerie assault killed a great number of them he hasted towards the Castle of Massada and in his retreat sustained more harme by the Iewes then by the Parthians who as they had been alwaies troublesome so now some threescore furlongs from the towne set vpon him where Herod obtaining the victorie killed a great many of them and in remembrance of that valiant act he builded vpon that place a most rich pallace for the king and erected there a most strong tower which by his owne name he called Herodium And when he fled many ioyned vvith him but vvhen he came to Thresa a towne of Idumaea his brother Ioseph met him and perswaded him to lessen the number of his followers for Massada vvould not receiue such a multitude for the number of the multitude vvas aboue nine thousand for vvhich cause Herode according to his counsell dismissed those that were vnfit for his turne and sent them into Idumaea giuing them necessaries for their iourney As for those that were chosen men and fit for his purpose he retained them with him and so was he receiued into the Castle vvhere leauing eight hundreth souldiers to defend the women and prouision sufficient for those that were within he himselfe vvent vnto Petra a Citie of Arabia Now the Parthians at Ierusalem began to sacke the houses of them that were fled and the kings pallace they onely abstained from Hyrcanus money which did amount to more then three hundreth talents as for other mens goods they found not so much as they expected for Herod long before that time suspecting the infidelitie of the Parthians had carried all his riches and iewels into Idumaea and euerie one of his followers did the like When the Parthians had taken the spoile they were so impious that they left no place of the whole countrey free from their tyrannous warre They destroied the Citie Marsa also and bound Phasaelus and Hyrcanus and deliuered them to Antigonus to be scourged who presently with his teeth bit off Hyrcanus eares to the end that if by some alteration he chanced hereafter to get loose he might be no more high priest for none might offer sacrifice that wanted any member of his body But Phasaelus his fortitude preuented the cruelty of Antigonus who hauing neither weapon nor his hands at libertie beat out his owne braines against a stone and died demonstrating himselfe by that act to be the true brother of Herode and that Hyrcanus had degenerated he died manfully by a woorthy death and answerable to so famous a life Yet some reported that he recouered after that hurt and that Antigonus sent a Chirurgion vnder pretence to cure the wound who filled the lame with venemous medicines and so killed him Well be it as it was it was in him a gallant resolution It is reported likewise that vnderstanding before his death by the meanes of a certaine woman that Herode was escaped he spake these words Now I shal die with a courage who leaue behinde me one that will take vengeance of my enemies and so he died Although the Parthians had not yet receiued the women which was the chiefe thing they looked for yet leauing them they established Antigonus in Ierusalem and lead Hyrcanus prisoner into Parthia But Herode with all speede hasted into Arabia as if his brother had beene yet aliue to the intent he might borrow money of the king of Arabia wherewith onely he hoped that the crueltie of those barbarous Parthians might be mitigated towards Phasaelus for his opinion was that although the Arabians had now forgotten his fathers friendship and were hard harted yet at least he would lend him money seeing it was to redeeme his brother whose sonne he meant to leaue in pawne for it For Herode tooke with him a sonne of his brothers into Arabia that was seuen yeeres olde and purposed to haue giuen three hundreth talents for his raunsome and had made the Tyrians intercessors for him to the Parthians but fortune preuented his endeuours so that his loue and care for his brother preuailed nothing He found also that the Arabians had now cast away the league of amitie for Malichus their king sent to him as he was yet in the way charging him with all speede to depart out of his dominions framing an excuse that the Parthians had sent Embassadours vnto him to request him to driue him out of his countrey but indeede the cause was that he would not repay that which Antipater had deserued nor recompence his sonnes now comfortlesse for those good turnes that he had receiued at their fathers hands and those who counselled him to this were such as offered to forsweare those summes which Antipater had put them in trust with who were the chiefest men about him For which cause Herod perceiuing the Arabians to be his foes for that which he thought would haue procured him friendship answered the messenger according as griefe mooued him and tooke his iourney towards Aegypt and the first night he lodged in a countrey temple to the intent that those of his companie that were behinde him might ouertake him The next day comming to Rhinocolura his brothers death was tolde him where after he had there mourned his fill he went forward Now the king of Arabia though too late repented himselfe of that which he had done to Herod and sent speedy messengers after him to will him to returne repenting himselfe that hee had so iniuriously entreated him When Herod was come to Pelusium the watchmen of the Citie would not permit him to passe for which cause he himselfe in person went to the gouernors who reuerencing the fame
out by flocks of their own accord they offered theÌ„selues to the Iewes so that in this sort there came â—…orth foure thousand 〈◊〉 daies the sixt day the whole multitude despairing of their liues came out to fight with whom Herod conflicting slew about seuen thousand Hauing in this sort weakned the Arabians that he had now extinguished all thâ—… strong men the countreymen admired him and were so much daunted at his puissance that they wished him for their ruler CHAP. XV. How Herode was exalted vnto the kingdome INcontinent after this his prosperous successe there did betide vnto him a sea of cares and griefes in respect of the loue which he bare vnto Antoâ—…s whom Caesar had now lately ouerthrown at the battel which was fought at Actium yet was he more aâ—…aid then hurt by this his suspition for Caesar accounted not Antonius fully conquered so long as Herode and he kept togither For which cause the king timely foreseeing those dangers that might ensue went to Rhodes where at that time Caesar abode in which place in the habit of a priâ—…te man and without a crown but with a kingly courage he presented himselfe before him and with vnfained constancy spake vnto him in such maner as followeth I was O Caesar made king of Iudaea by Antonius his means and I must confesse that I haue beene a king who what in mee lay haue serued his turne and sought his profit yea I must not denie but that had nor the Arabians hindred me I had with all the power I could haue made seconded and assisted Antony against thee yea although personally I could not go yet did I what I could to helpe him and sent him many thousand measures of corne Nay though he had the ouerthrow at Acâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sake him who had deserued wel at my hands although I was not able to assist him with 〈◊〉 of armes yet I confirmed him by my coâ—… the best I could inâ—…cating often times vnto him that there was one onely way to redresse his adueâ—…itie to wit by the death of Clâ—…ra whom if he killed I promised him to assist him with money strong holds and an army yea and with mine owne person against thee but the loue of Cleopatra and God who had already designed the victorie vnto thee stopped his eares For which cause O Caesar I am conquered with Antonius and haue forsaken my crowne and dignitie with his fortunes and am come vnto thee hoping that at thy hands I may obtaine pardon To this Caesar answered Liue in safetie and raigne now with greater securitie then before for thou deseruest to rule others who with such constancie didst defend and maintaine thy friendship At this time endeuour thy selfe to continue faithfull toward them that are more fortunate then Antonius was for for my part I haue conceiued a great hope and expectation of thy valour and prowesse yet did Antonius well in that he rather obeied Cleopatra then thee for by his follies haue we now purchased thy friendship That thou hast begun to doe well it thereby appeareth because Ventidius hath signified vnto me that thou hast sent him succours against his enemies For which cause by this my present decree be thou established in thy kingdome and I will shortly let thee know that I will be beneficiall vnto thee so as thou shalt haue no cause to bewaile the losse of Antonius By this speech he exhorted the king not to misdoubt of his friendship and withall put a crowne vpon his head and made a decree and sealed it testifying how he had remitted all things done by Herod and confirmed him in his kingdome and rehearsed many things therein greatly tending to Herodes praise Herode hauing first pacified Caesar with many gifts requested him to pardon Alexander one of Antonius his friends who earnestly and in humble manner desired the same but Caesar being verie angrie answered that he for whom he entreated had greatly and many times offended and so repeld Herod with this answere Afterward Caesar trauailing into Aegypt through Syria was entertained by Herode with all royall pompe possible and that was the first time that he shewed himselfe to take part with Caesar when neere vnto Ptolemais he tooke a view of the soldiers with Caesar made a banquet for him and all his friends feasted the whole army likewise And inasmuch as they trauailed to PelusiuÌ„ through drie grounds when they returned againe he prouided water for them and furnished the army with all necessaries so that both Caesar and the souldiers thought the kingdome a small recompence for his deserts For which cause after he came into Aegypt and that Antonius Cleopatra were now dead he did not only increase his honor but also restored vnto him that portion of his countrey which was taken away and giuen to Cleopatra and beside that Gadara and Hippon and Samaria and other cities about the sea coast to wit Gaza and Anthedon and loppe and Stratons tower and moreouer gaue him foure hundreth Galathians which before were Cleopatra her guard and there was nothing that so much mooued Caesars liberalitie as the couragious minde of him vnto whom he was so liberall after the first Actian solemnitie he added vnto Herodes dominion Trachon and Batanaea and Auranitis bordering vpon it For this cause Zenodorus who for mony hired Lysanias his house continually sent theeues out of Trachon to rob the people of Damascus who in humble manner went to Varus who was at that time gouernour of Syria entreating him to informe Caesar of their calamitie Caesar vnderstanding therof writ backe againe commanding him to extinguish all the theeues whereupon Varus with an army went to those places which were most suspected and ridde the countrey of the theeues and tooke the territorie from Zenodorus and Caesar least it should againe be a refuge for theeues to spoile Damascus gaue it to Herode and made him ruler ouer all Syria And ten yeeres after returning to his owne countrey he commanded the gouernours to doe nothing without Herodes counsell and after Zenodorus his death he gaue him all the countrey betweene Trachon and Galilee But that which Herod esteemed aboue all the rest was that Caesar loued him best of al next vnto Agrippa and Agrippa loued him most of all men next vnto Caesar. Thus nowe he touched the verie toppe of felicitie and so encreasing in high minde he employed himselfe chiefly to pietie CHAP. XVI Of the Cities and buildings reedified and built by Herod and of his liberalitie towards strangers and of his felicitie IN the fifteenth yeere of his raigne he repaired the temple and enclosed twise so much ground as was before about the temple with a strong wall whereon he bestowed great costs and charges to beautifie it as the great porches will testifie which he built about the temple and a Castle on the north part thereunto adioyning which he builded euen from the foundation
warre against the Romans in a safer place then that from whence they fled was for none but vnaduised and rash headed men would fight for such a citie as Giscala and other places that were not able to resist seeing that it behooued them all to reserue their vigour and strength to defend the Metropolitane citie They also signified vnto them how Giscala was taken by the Romans and that they departed in good sort away though some reported that they fled The people of Ierusalem hearing what these men reported and how many were captiues vnto the Romans they fell into a great feare as though that which they told did portend their ruine But Iohn nothing ashamed in that he had so shamefully forsaken them of Giscala who fled with him went first to one and then to another enciting them all to warre vnder a vaine hope alleaging the weakenes of the Romans and extolling their own puissance deceiuing the simple people perswading them that though the Romans sought to reuenge yet could they neuer enter the wals of Ierusalem who had so much adoe and endured such afflictiō in entering the little burges and villages of Galilee against whose wals they had broken all their engines These words of his encited many young men to sedition but all the wiser sort foresaw what was like to ensue and euen now mourned their lost citie And in this case were they of Ierusalem yet before this sedition in the citie the countrey people began to be at discord amongst thēselues For Titus departed from Giscala vnto Caesarea Vespasian went from Caesarea to Iamnia Azotus and took them both leauing there garrisons he returned to Caesarea bringing with him a huge companie of them who had yeelded vnto him All cities were at ciuill wars amongst themselues so that when the Romans did not war vpon thē one part of the Iewes in euerie citie fought against the other there was a great dissension between those that desired peace the seditious people and at first this discord began only in priuate houses but in the end euerie one ioyning with them that were of their mind they now beganne in companies to rebel openly Thus euerie place was troubled with ciuill discord and euery where rash young men who desired wars preuailed against wise and graue olde men who foreseeing the calamitie like to ensue desired peace At first the inhabitants one by one robbed and spoiled what they could but at last in whole troups they ioined togither robbed openly and wasted all the countrey about and they in their robberies shewed such crueltie that the harme and iniurie they did vnto their owne countreymen was altogither equal to the miseries which befel them by the means of the Romans they who by these miscreants were spoiled wished rather to haue fallen into the Romans hands But they who kept the citie either because they were loath to wearie themselues or else for that they hated the citizens or people did nothing or very little succour thē that fel into theeues hands At last the theeues assembled themselues togither from all places and ioyning companies they brake into Ierusalem This citie had no gouernour and according to the custome of that countrey receiued all that came thither that were their countreymen and so much more willingly at that time because they that thought that they came thither came of good will to helpe them which onely was afterward the cause that the citie was destroyed setting aside the ciuil dissension For a great multitude of people vnapt for fight being there cōsumed the victuals that would haue sufficed for the fighting men beside the wars they brought also vpon it famine ciuil dissensiō Then other theeues came out of the fields thereabout ioyning themselues with those that were within the citie omitted no kind of villanie for not content to rob and spoile they also attempted to commit murders not onely priuily or in the night vpon meane men but euen on the day time they publikely set vpon the chiefest of the nobilitie For first of al they tooke Antipasse who was borne of the bloud royall a man so eminent amongst them that the publike treasure was committed vnto his charge and custodie and put him in prison and after him they tooke Sopha a worthie man and sonne to Raguel and Laeuia both of them of the kings houshold and after them all that seemed to beare any sway or were in authoritie amongst the people Great feare fell vpon the Inhabitants and euerie one prouided to saue himselfe as though the Citie were euen now surprised by the enemies But these people were not content thus to haue imprisoned those potentates neither did they thinke it safetie for themselues any longer to detaine such men aliue for many came dayly vnto them to visit them and vnto their houses who were able to reuenge their iniuries and moreouer they feared that the people would make a head against them being moued with their iniquitie Wherefore they determined to kill them and to effect their purpose they sent one Iohn a cruel murderer who was the sonne of Dorcas he accompanied with ten more all hauing swords went vnto the prison and slew as many as they found there To excuse this cruell fact of theirs they alleaged this to wit that all they who were slaine in prison had conference with the Romans concerning the betraying of the Citie into their hands and that for this cause they had slaine them being traytors to their Countrie they also boasted that this fact of theirs had preserued the Citie and that therefore they had well deserued of it The people was brought vnto such slauerie and terror that the chusing of the high Priest was in their hands to elect whom they pleased so much was their insolence increased Thus they not respecting the families out of which it was onely lawfull to chuse the high Priest they now elected straungers and base persons to that sacred dignitie and such as would be partakers of their villanies and impieties for they who not deseruing it attained to such dignitie were as it were obliged vnto their will in all things by whom they were so exaited They also deuised many lies to make those that were in authoritie one at variance with another thereby as it were to hold them occupied who were able to refist their enterprises til that being now satisfied with the bloud of the Citizens they began to commit impietie against God himselfe and with prophane and vnpure feete to enter into the sanctuarie Then the people was incited against them by Ananus his meanes who was one of the priests and the most auncient and wisest of them all who perhaps had laued the Citie had he escaped the hands of these miscreants But they vsed the Temple as a Castle and defence of themselues against the people and made the Sanctuarie a place for them to exercise tyrannie in