the banquet ministreth meat according to euerie mans affection Some therefore are seduced with the sweetnes of the stile and in seeking their pleasure lose their profit who reape no other fruit of Historie then to beguile time and beget officious idlenes laughing away houres and nourish repent others in reading glorie hunt it in a shadow where if they could make vse of it in proportion they could not fall to repent it And whereas no man can aspire to true glorie without true vertue neither no wise man will hope further yet see we many men that because they haue read many excellent works will be Capricious and pretend wisedome resembling those tragedians who will after they haue discharged themselues of their parts and apparrell wherein they counterfaited the Emperour yet retaine his royall and princely manners Some triuiall and light witted that make an Eclipse of a shadow make more of the embleme then the worke the habit then the Doctor So admirable effects worketh history in mens mind Now whereas it is the most exact and chiefest intent of historie to awaken mans idlenes and arme them against casualties and the whole bent of example hath no other issue it falleth out thorow mens securitie who suppose that their neighbours perils concerneth them not that whatsoeuer is of note is ouerslipt with a deafe and sleeping iudgement and things that memorie should best loue are lost in her To conclude there are some that will haue euerie mans shooe fitted on their owne last tie all mens pens to their own pleasures For which cause partly by reason of this secret partly thorow this ill ordered confused and rash method of reading as of corrupt humours so is there growen a certaine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of iudgement and resolution and as in intemperate bodies meat yeeldeth verie little profit so reape they no fruit or benefit by their reading By this good reader thou maist easily conceiue how a historie ought to be read how mens liues ought in them selues be examined finally how equal a proportioÌ„ is required in both And truly in my opinion the chiefest ground of this difficultie is the peruersnes of our iudgements which is the cause we the rather respect our own inclinations what they are then the true life and force of example Furthermore this is no lesse miserie then the former that such as write set downe such things as are acted not onely for their profit sake but to feed their owne humours and like to certaine Architects by interposing their iudgements doe vainely praise some things supposing that our imitation should betied to their pleasure where if they performed what they ought to do the reader should incounter with no such distractions but now in like manner as Cookes who rather expect their masters pleasurable taste then his profit would God the Historiographer did not affect flatterie It therefore appeareth that in two sorts first in our owne iudgement and next to the preiudice of those that write we are circumuented in that they set not downe such euents as passe in their owne nature and as they are For he that writeth an Historie is the interpretor of those things that are past whose iudgement being depraued it fareth with him as with the purest most richest wine which waxeth mustie by reason of that vessel wherein it is inclosed or is by sophistication corrupted which is the greatest folly most intolerable deceit that may befal men They therfore who negligeÌ„tly vndertake a historiy or suppose that life were to be past rashly and without an exact obseruance of all offices are no lesse deceiued then certaine countrey pesants in the last troubles of France of whose folly I drewe some example who attempting and entring vpon a citie not farre off from them lighting into an Apothecaries shop furnished with all kind of drugs and dainties and being allured by the pleasure odors and delight of the confections they tasted and supposing all to be of the same kind deuoured tasted and swallowed downe euery thing whereupon some fell sicke of feauers some grew phrensie and manie lost their liues to please their appetites at leastwise he that scaped best gaue occasion of laughter to the lookers on For as life so Historie the image of life is fraught with pleasure and displeasure and onely in the vse of life the wisedome of life consisteth Fare well vse this and my selfe as two twinnes borne for thy profit Thine Thomas Lodge THE TITLES OF ALL SVCH BOOKES AS ARE CONTAINED IN THIS HISTORIE 1. A Historie in twentie bookes wherein the Antiquitie of the Iewes is discouered 2. Seuen bookes of the Warres of the Iewes 3. Two bookes against Apion the Gramarian in Iustification of the Antiquitie of the Iewes 4. A booke as touching the memorable martyrdome of the Machabees 5. Iosephus Life Written by himselfe all A briefe computation of time verie profitable and necessarie in the vnderstanding of this Historie FRom Adam vntill the Deluge there were 1656 From the Deluge vntill Abrahams time 292 From Abraham vntill the departure out of Aegypt 500 From the departure out of Aegypt vntill the building of the temple by Salomon 480 From the building of the temple vntill the captiuitie in Babylon 410 From the returne from the captiuitie vntill the Machabees time 432 From the Machabees time vntill Herods 134 From Herods time vntill the finall and fatall destruction of Ierusalem 103 The Iewes haue two sorts of yeeres the Politique sort which beginneth in September and the Sacred or Ecclesiastique which beginneth in March They haue twelue Moneths or Moones euerie third yeere hath a thirteenth Moneth of 22. daies and the fourth yeere hath a thirteenth moneth of 23. daies Before the captiuitie of Babylon they accounted the moneths successiuely by 1. 2. 3. c. since their returne they haue named them rather after the maner of the Chaldees then Hebrewes The Hebrew The English The Greeke Nisan March Andimen Ziu or Iar Aprill Leritien Sluan May Distre Tamaz Iune Xantique Ab Iuly Arthemisien Eâ—…ul August Desien Ethanin or Tisrij September Paneme Bul or Markesuan October Loïe Casleu Nouember Gorpian Thebet December Hiperberetâ—… Sebath Ianuarie Dien Adar Februarie Apelleen This nation in their beginning was gouerned by Iudges Moyses Iosuah Othoniel Aod Baruc and Debora Gedeon Abimelech Thola Iair Ieptha Absan Elon Abdon Sampson Eli Samuel After them they had these Kingâ—… Saul Dauid Salomon Roboam Abia Asa Iosaphat Ioram Ochozias Athalia Ioas Amasias Ozias Ioathan Achaz Ezechias Manasses Amon Iosias Ioachas Eliachim Ioachin Sedechias The Captiuitie of Babylon continued 70. yeeres Gouernors after the Captiuitie Zorobabel Rhesa Iehan Ben Resa Iudas Hyrcanus Ioseph Abner Heli Mahat Nagge Hagaâ—…eli Naum Amos Matâ—…hathias Ioseph Arses Iannes Hyrcanâ—… Mattathias The Machabees who haue been â—…oth Gouernorâ—… and Priests Iudas Ionathaâ—… Simon Iohn Hyrcanus These following haue been both Kings and Priests Aristobulus 1. Iohn Alexander Alexandra Aristobulus 2. Hyrcanus Aristobulâ—… the son of Arist.
Nabal for such was his name was a rude and currish person leading his life in hunting Yet had he a wife that was good wise and faire To this Nabal did Dauid send tenne of his seruants about the time of his sheepe-shearing both to salute him as also to wish him all good and to beseech God that for diuers yeares hee would grant him grace to doe the like Meane while he requested him that he would impart vnto him somewhat of that which was in his power when as his shepheards could informe him that hauing long time remained in the desart we haue said they beene so farre off from doing your flockes any harme as we haue rather seemed to be their shepheards and keepers they promised him likewise that whatsoeuer courtesie he should shew vnto Dauid he should bestowe it on a mindfull and thankfull personage Thus spake the messengers vnto Nabal but he answered them verie discourteously and rudely demaunding of them what that Dauid was and being informed that he was the sonne of Iesse Now said he these fugitiues and slaues forsaking their masters liue proudly and insolently Dauid hearing of this report was grieuously displeased and commanded fower hundreth of his men to take vp their weapons and follow him commanding two hundreth to keepe the baggage for at that time he had sixe hundreth and in this equipage marched he forward against Nabal swearing that that verie night he would vtterly exterminate roote out all his race and ransacke all his riches Neither was he onely displeased for that Nabal was ingratefull towards them without respect of that humanitie which they had shewed towards him and his but also for that without any cause or iniurie offered he had iniured outraged him in words In the meane while certaine shepheards that attended Nabals cattell told their mistresse their maisters wife that Dauid hauing sent vnto her husband to require some small courtesie had not onely obtained nothing but also receiued insupportable iniuries whereas till that day he had suffered his flocks to be vntouched telling her that that insolencie of their Lord might breede them all much woe and miserie Which when Abigal heard for so was the woman called she loded diuers Asses with all sorts of presents without making any motion to her husband who was so drunke that he was insensible and went towards Dauid As therefore she descended the streights of the mountaine Dauid encountred her marching towards Nabal accompanied with foure hundreth men As soone as Abigal perceiued him she leaped from her Steed and falling vpon her face she prostrated her selfe before him beseeching him to forget Nabals words knowing that Nabals nature was answerable to his name For in the Hebrew tongue Nabal signifieth folly she excused her selfe likewise saying that she saw none of them that were sent vnto her husband For which cause she said I beseech thee grant me pardon and giue God thankes that by my meanes he hath hindred you from polluting your hands in innocent bloud for if thou remaine pure and innocent from bloudshed he shall exact a punishment at their hands that haue hurt thee For those misfortunes that attend on Nabal shall fall on the heads of thine enemies onely be thou fauourable vnto me in accepting these my humble presents and for my sake remit that wrath which thou hast iustly conceiued against my husband for clemencie and humanitie becommeth him whom the fates haue destinated a kingdome Dauid accepting her presents gaue her an answere after this manner Women said he God of his goodnes hath this day brought thee hither otherwise thou haddest not liued or seene the next morning For I haue sworne that this night I would ouerthrow thy house and leaue none aliue of that vngratefull mans familie who hath so contumeliously abused both me and mine but now God hath put thee in mind wisely to preuent and pacifie my wrath As touching Nabal although at this present he be exempted by thy meanes from punishment yet shall he not escape but he shall lose his life for his manners vpon an other occasion shall be the cause of his ruine This said he dismissed Abigal who returning to her house and finding her husband amidst his other companions loaden and ouerwhelmed in wine told him nothing at that time of that which had hapned but the next day when he was sober certifying him thereof he lost all his forces and his body became mortified thorow the griefe he conceiued at her words so that some ten daies after and no more he departed out of this life Which when Dauid vnderstood he said that he was deseruedly punished by God because that his owne wickednesse was the cause of his punishment and that he was afflicted and yet his hands who receiued the iniurie were vndistained with bloud and by this example he learnt that no wicked man can escape Gods iudgement and that all humane affaires are not rashly disposed as if neglected by God but that the good are rewarded with goodnesse and the wicked punished according to their wickednesse He afterwards sent messengers to his wife and caused her to come vnto him to the intent he might marrie her and take her to his wife She answered the messengers that she thought her selfe vnworthy to lie at his feete notwithstanding she repaired vnto him with all her furniture and meanes whatsoeuer and was married to Dauid hauing obtained that degree of honour both in that she was modest and iust as also for that she was beautifull Now Dauid had a wife before her whom he had married out of the Citie of Abesar As touching Michol the daughter of Saul and other-whiles his wife Saul gaue her to wife at Lissa to the sonne of Phalti of the Citie of Gethla After this certaine Ziphians comming vnto Saul told him that Dauid was returned againe into their countrey and that if it pleased him to assist them they might easily apprehend him Whereupon Saul issued with three thousand armed men and being surprised by night he encamped in a certaine place called Sicelleg When Dauid was certified that Saul was issued forth against him he sent out certaine spies whom he gaue in charge to bring him intelligence into what place at that time Saul was retired who ascertaining him that he was at Sicelleg he watched all that night without the knowledge of any of his followers and went into Sauls campe attended onely by Abisai his sister Saruias sonne and Achimelech the Chittite Now whilest Saul was a sleepe and both his generall Abner with all his souldiers wholy deuoured in drowsinesse Dauid entred into the kings campe and although he knew the kings pauilion by reason of his Iauelin that stood at the dore thereof yet slew he him not neither permitted he Abisai who was both willing and addressed to execute the slaughter to performe it But this he said that although the king were euill yet notwithstanding it were a strange and vndecent
was her daughter slaine which was very young This did Lupus certifie Chaereas of with all expedition This was Caius end after he had liued 4. yeers wanting 4. moneths Before such time as he obtained the Empire he was an intemperate and wicked man addicted to his pleasure a fauourer of tale-bearers exceedingly fearefull and for that cause when he got the vpper hand of any man he was ready to kil him He esteemed this the only fruit of his power when he abused the same against innocents and gathered or heaped vp great spoiles and booties by wicked and vniust murthers rapines and oppressions lifting himselfe aboue all humane authoritie and affecting to be esteemed as a God suffering himselfe to be trāsported by the peoples praises Furthermore all that which the lawe condemned and punished as a thing most detestable that made he vse of to punish vertue with He neuer remembred any friendship that had been done him how great soeuer it either was or had been at such time as he was in his choler and was apt to inflict punishments in his rage on iust and vpright men All that which was answerable to vertue was odious in his eies In all things that him listed he had so violent appetites that it was impossible to contradict him so that he was not ashamed to vse the vnlawfull companie of his owne sister whereby it came to passe that the Citizens of Rome began to hate him extremely for that the like matter had not been seene nor heard of of a long time men could not beleeue the same yet notwithstanding they sufficiently expressed the hatred they bare against the fact he had committed It cannot be said of him that he builded any worke beseeming his royall magnificence worthy the mentioning or profitable either to the present or future world except some ports that he made neere to Rhegium and Sicilia for harbour of such ships as came and went into Aegypt for corne which doubtlesse is a goodly and mightie worke and verie profitable for such as trauell by sea True it is that it was not brought to perfection but onely halfe finished because the workemen trauailed leisurely But the chiefe cause thereof was that he spent his study in vnprofitable matters and loued rather to consume his substance to feede his owne priuate lustes wherein he tooke great delight then to erect and build any goodly or famous worke which might haue redounded to the profit of the common weale Otherwise he was a man well spoken and verie expert in the Greek and vulgar Roman tongues apprehending presently that which others said and although they had spent long time in discouering their mindes yet answered he them vpon the instant and in affaires of consequence he had such a moouing perswasion and power as no man could exceede him both in regard of his quicke spirit and easie apprehension as of the exercise and paine he had taken For being Tiberius brothers sonne whole successour also he was he was enforced to be studious seeing that Tiberius who was of the same veers was in like manner excellently learned Caius therefore inforced himselfe to imitate the Emperor Tiberius whose neere kinsman he was surpassed all those that were in Rome at that time yet notwithstanding all these great aduantages which his good instruction had bred in him could not hinder the misfortune that befell him by the abuse of his authoritie So rare a thing it is to see them who haue libertie to doe what they list without punishment to gouerne themselues with modestie In the beginning he tooke delight in the friendship of verie honest men to get credit and reputation thinking to outstrip the most excellent but after he was giuen ouer to licentiousnes the affection that he bare them was changed and in steede thereof he grew in hatred of them from day to day whereby they were inforced to conspire against him and seeke his ruine Now as I haue heretofore declared Claudius vnderstanding of that which had befallen Caius his Nephew and seeing all his house wholy troubled for this occasion was in such distrust that he knew not what to doe to saue himselfe but went and hid himselfe in a certaine corner where he was surprised hauing no other cause to apprehend his danger except his nobilitie For during the time that he liued a priuate man he behaued himselfe modestly kindly and fauourably vnto all men being well seene in the sciences and principally in the Greek tongue shunning as much as in him lay all tumult and traine that might breed trouble When as therefore the people at that time were wholy amazed at the trouble and the pallace was replenished with souldierlike furie and feare and nothing raigned more in generall then confusion and disorder the souldiers of the guard who were the most experienced and hardy amongst the men of warre consulted amongst themselues what course they were to take Neither were they much discontented with Caius death in that they supposed that vpon iust occasion he was done to death for which cause they rather bethought themselues on that which concerned their estates and how they might assure themselues in those dangers seeing the Germans were wholy bent against those who had slaughtered Caius rather incited thereunto of their owne cruell natures then of any good affection they had towards the welfare of the common weale All which things troubled Claudi◅s and put him in feare of his life the rather for that he sawe Asprenas head and the rest of the nobilitie that were massacred carried about to be seene for this cause he kept himselfe in a certaine place which was onely accessible by certaine steps or staires and hid himselfe therein because it was obscure In that place one of the souldiers of the pallace called Gratus being vnable to discerne who he was in regard of the obscuritie of the place and supposing him to be some one that desired to be concealed he drew neere vnto him to the intent he might the better know him And when as Claudius besought him that he would depart and leaue him he passed the more onwards and laying hold of him and drawing him into the light knew him crying out to those that followed him This is Germanicus let vs take holde of him and create him Emperor Claudius perceiuing that he was ready to be attached and fearing least they should put him to death in the like manner as they had done Caius besought them that they would pardon him protesting vnto them his innocencie and how he had in no sort bin either accessarie or agent in that which had been done Whereupon Gratus beginning to smile tooke him by the hand saying that he had no cause in that sort to suspect his life For said he it behooueth thee to pull vp thy spirits and to bethinke thee how to gouerne an Empire of which the gods who haue the care of the whole world haue despoiled Caius to reward thy
further increased and incensed his appetite he required them at his hands that he might eate them But he taking the oportunitie and occasion of his brother Esaues hunger constrained him to forsake his birth-right and to sell him the same on condition he should giue him what to eate Esau then transported with famine surrendred vnto him his birth-right and confirmed it with a solemne oath And thereupon his equals in age in way of mockerie called him Edom by reason of this redde meate for Edom in Hebrew signifieth Red. His countrey likewise was called Edom but the Greekes to the ende they might make the name more currant called it Idumea He became the father of fiue children of whom he had three by his wife Alibamma whose names were Iaus Iolamus and Choraeus as touching the other two Aliphaces was the sonne of Aza and Raguel of Mosametha these children had Esan Aliphaces had fiue legitimate children Theman Omar Ophus Iotham Ocauaxes for Amelech was illegitimate borne by one of his concubines whose name was Themana The◅e dwelled in that part of Idumaea which is called Gobolitus and in that part which by reason of Amelech is called Amelechitis For Idumaea being in times past a land of great extent continued the name of Idumaea thorough the whole countrey and the particular p◅ouinces of the same kept the names of those that first inhabited the same CHAP. II. Ioseph the yongest of Iacobs children is enuied by his brothers BVt Iacob attained to that felicitie that scarcely any other hath been so happy for he surpassed all the inhabitants of that countrey in riches and by reason of the vertues of his children he was both enuied and regarded For they were accomplished in all perfections animated and endowed with stout hearts prepared to execute any worke of the hand and to indure all sorts of trauell finally all of them were furnished with knowledge and prouidence But God had such care of him and so diligently procured and furthered his good fortunes that that which seemed vnto him to be griefefull and contrarie hee brought to an issue prosperous for him and increasefull for his riches and brought to passe that both he and his children were the first motiue to our auncestors to forsake the land of Egypt for that cause which here insueth Iacob hauing begotten Ioseph of Rachel loued him intirely both in respect of the beautie of his body as also of the ornaments and vertues of his spirit and besides both these his prudence wherein he outstripped all his other brothers This cordiall affection of his father moued enuie and hatred amongst his brothers towards him And besides these the dreames which he had seene and told both to his father and brethren which foreprophecied vnto him a singular felicitie For it is the common custome of men to be iealous of their prosperitie with whom they are familiar Now the visions which Ioseph saw in his dreame were these Being sent by his father in the companie of his brothers to reape come in the time of haruest he saw a vision farre different from those which accustomably happen in sleepe which as soone as he awoake he told vnto his brethren to the end they should interpret it He told them therefore that him thought in his dreame the night past that his sheafe of corne was setled in a place where he had fixed it and that theirs ranne towards his and worshipped the same Which vision of his seemed to foretell him of his ample fortune and how he should obtaine the Lordship ouer all of them But they concealed all these things from Ioseph making shew that they could in no sort interpret the dreame but being by themselues apart they breathed foorth contrarie imprecations wishing that nothing of that which they interpreted as touching his dreame might take effect but perseuering more and more in enuie and hatred towardes him But God opposing his power against their enuie sent Ioseph a second and more strange vision For he dreamed that the sunne the moone and eleuen of the starres descended downe to the earth and humbled themselues before him Which vision he reuealed to his father in the presence of his brethren without suspition of any hatred in them towards him and besought him to interpret vnto him the meaning thereof Now as touching Iacob he greatly reioiced at this dreame by reason he conceiued in his mind the interpretation thereof and in comparing and alluding his coniectures not rashly but with prudence he reioiced at those great matters which were signified by that dreame which foretold that his sonne Ioseph should be highly fortunate and happy and that the time should come in which his father mother and brethren should honor him and worship before him For he compared the moone which ripeneth and encreaseth al things that grow to his mother and the sunne which giueth forme and force to his father And as touching his brothers who were eleuen in number he compared them to the eleuen starres which receiued their force both from the sunne and moone Neither did Iacob without iudgement and consideration so interpret this vision But Iosephs brothers were highly aggrieued at this presage conceiuing as hainously and hatefully thereof as if this felicitie had been portended to a stranger and not to their brother with whom they might equally partake his good fortunes whatsoeuer being as well allied in felicitie vnto him as in consanguinitie Whereupon they resolued on his death and destruction and hauing complotted these counsailes amongst themselues and gathered in their haruest they retired themselues with their flockes towards Sichem which was a part of that countrey verie fit to nourish and feede their cattell where they kept their flockes without giuing any notice of their departure to their father But he perceiuing that no man came from the herd that might tell him any tydings being sorrowfull and carefull of his sonnes he sent Ioseph to the flocks to vnderstand how they did and how their affaires prospered CHAP. III. How Ioseph was solde into Egypt by his brethren and grew in great credit in that countrey and how his brethren at length were vnder his subiection BVt as soone as they saw their brother comming towards them they reioiced not as at the arriuall of one of their houshold friends sent vnto thē by their father but as if their enemie had encountred them who by the will of God was deliuered into their hands They therefore mutually agreed to put him to death and not to let slip the present oportunitie But Ruben the eldest amongst them seeing their disposition and conspiracie to kill him endeuoured to disswade them setting before their eies how hainous and wicked the enterprise was and what hatred they might incurre thereby For said he if before God and before men it be a wicked and detestable thing to lay hands on and to murther a stranger how much more haynous a crime will it
appertained to a more commodious and peaceable life Moses thus hauing encouraged the people by his words he called vnto him the chiefest of the tribes and euerie one of them that had the charge of them both in priuate and publike assembly commaunding the younger to obey the elder and the elders to be obedient to their Generall But they contemning their daunger and desirous of fight hoped that this conflict would proue the final end of their calamity for which cause they instantly besought Moses to lead them forth against the enemie praying him not to dull the alacritie of the soldiers by any vntimely delay Whereupon chusing out amongst the whole multitude such as were most fitte for warre he chose Iesus the sonne of Naueus the Ephraimite to lead them a man valiant in armes and prouident in counsaile and exceeding in pietie and not degenerating in that respect from Moses his master He also in such sort disposed certaine bands that he might not in any sort be cut off from water he left also so many as might guard the multitude keepe the campe and weake company Thus stood they all the night long in a readines to take armes such as they had fitted for them expecting their captaines who should lead them out to fight as soone as Moses should command them On the other side Moses slept not but instructed Iosuah how he should conduct the army And as soone as the day appeared he encouraged Iosuah to shew himselfe such a one in that battell as both the place where with he was honoured and the cause for which they fought required wishing him by his prowesse and good deserts to giue life and courage to his soldiers that followed him He likewise exhorted the chiefest of the Hebrewes in particular and in generall heartned and emboldened all other that entred the battell And as touching himselfe after he had thus disposed the armie by words and effect he retired himselfe vnto a mountaine committing the armie to Gods protection and Iosuahs conduct Then encountred the armies on both sides and euerieone foug◅t most valiantly neither wanted there encouragements on either sides and as long as Moses lifted vp his hands the Hebrewes had the better against the Amalekites B◅ for that he was vnable continually to support the same and because hee throughly perceiued and obserued that as often as he held downe his hands so long the enemies droue the Israelites to re◅eat he willed his brother Aaron and Vron his sister Maries husband to stand on each side of him and sustaine his hands and succour him for feare his forces should faile him Which when they had perfourmed the Hebrewes by maine force ouercame the Amalechites so that all of them had beene slaine if so be the chace had continued and had not beene cut off by the approch of the night At this time our predecessours obtained a most happie and necessarie victorie For they had the vpper hand ouer them that were embattelled agai◅st them and astonished and amated the nations round about and got great strength and riches by their trauell for being seased of the enemies campe they generally gate great riches and particularly were all of them relieued whereas before that time they had not necessarie meanes to maintaine themselues And this victorie of theirs was the cause of their verie great good fortune not onely for the present but also for the time to come For not onely had they their enemies bodies vnder their subiection but also their spirits so as they were feared by all the nations round about And they multiplied both in strength and riches for there was a great quantitie of gold and siluer taken in the campe Diuers vessels likewise and tables of brasse we◅e found therein likewise great quantity of tissue worke and excellent furniture for armes Moreouer they had all their baggage tents harnesse and horses and generally the whole prouision of an arranged battel became their pray Then after also they became more vertuous and industrious then before supposing that the end of all actions was obtained by industrie Thus ended this battell The next day Moses caused the enemies that were slaine to be rifled and gathered the scattered armes of those that fled He honored them also that had brauely demeaned themselues in the battell praised the Captaine Iosuah in publique whose honour was confirmed by the applause of the whole armie There was not one Hebrew that perished that day and so manie of the enemies were there put to the sword as their number cannot be expressed He offered likewise a sacrifice of thanks giuing vnto God and erected an altar vnto him and dedicated it to God the victor Hee prophesied moreouer that all the Amalechites should be vtterly extinguished so that none of them shuld be left aliue in that they had assaulted the Hebrewes that in the desart and at such time as they were in affliction He feasted the Generall in like sort This issue had this battell which was the first that was leuied against them or dur◅t assault them since their departure out of Egypt But as soone as Moses had celebrated a fe◅st in memorie of the victorie to the end he might giue the Hebrewes some repose after the battell abouenamed hee caused them to march in array for now at that time they had manie armed souldiers Thus passing onwards by little little they arriued the third month after their departure out of Egypt neere to the mountaine of Sinai where as before time it hath beene declared Moses saw the vision in the bush and other such like wonders CHAP. III. What counsel Raguell gaue to his sonne in law WHen Raguel Moses father in law vnderstood of this his good successe he came with great ioy vnto Moses vnder purpose to salute him his daughter Zephorah and her childrē who greatly reiovcing at his arriuall prepared a sacrifice and feasted the people neere vnto the bush which could not be consumed by fire and in the banquet time the people was distinguished according to the order and place of euerie family But Aaron with the assistance tooke Raguel and they sung praises vnto God ascrib◅g to him both the meanes and manne◅ of their libertie They also spake much in honour of their Generall by whose vertue all things had had so fortunate an issue Raguel on his side highly praised the people and dignified Moses their Gouernour by whose prudence so many good and valiant men were g◅ded But on the next day Raguel seeing Moses oppressed with the multitude of businesse by reason that he decided all their debates that appealed vnto him who were thus perswaded of him that at that time they were onely rightly censured when Moses gaue the sentence and they that were condemned by him endured the verdict patiently knowing that their cause was by him decided rather by the rule of iustice then the instinct of amerce he for
bread of twentie foure Assars of flower and those loaues they baked two by two the day before the Sabboth and the day of the Sabboth in the morning they bring it and set it on the sacred Table opposing sixe to sixe the one against the other and vpon them are imposed two platters full of incense and these things remaine after this maner till the next Sabboth and then set they new in the place of the first which are giuen to the Priests for their maintenance The incense is cast into the sacred fire in which the burnt offerings are consumed and in place thereof there is new incense put The Priest also sacrificeth on his owne charge flower mingled with oyle and a little baked by fire and this doth he twise euerie day and bringeth to the fire halfe an Assar of flower in the morning and the other halfe in the euening But I will entreat hereof more expresly hereafter for the present me thinks I haue sufficiently spoken already Moses separated the tribe of Leui and exempted them from the other people to the end they might be consecrated vnto God and he purified them with liuing fountaine water and purged them with solemne sacrifice and committed the Tabernacle to their charge with all the holy things pertaining therunto and all the rest which had bin made for the couer of the Tabemacle to the end they might be ministers to the Priests their superiours who were already consecrated to God After this he distinguished the beasts also namely those that were to be eaten froÌ„ those which were to be forborne and abstained from of which we will speak at such time as occasion is offered vs and will bring proofes and the reason which induced him to ordaine that some were proper to feede vpon and for what cause he would that we should abstaine from other some He hath generally interdicted all vse of bloud in meates esteeming the bloud to be the soule and spirit of beasts He hath also generally prohibited to eat the flesh of those beasts that died by theÌ„selues likewise the caule and fat of goates of sheepe and oxen He thrust them likewise out of the company and conuersation of men who were leprous such as were troubled with the fluxe of their seed And as touching women that haue their sicknesse he sequestred them for the space of seuen dayes after which it was lawfull for them to conuerse indifferently the one with the other The like decreed he of those that had assisted the buriall of a dead man whom he permitted to conuerse with other after seuen dayes were expired It was a thing also decreed by law that he that was surprised with vncleannesse and vnpurified beyond the number of those dayes he should sacrifice two Wethers one of which should bee purified and the other giuen to the Priests The like sacrifice is made for him that hath had vnnaturall pollution who first washeth himselfe in cold water The like must they offer that haue vse of their lawfull wiues Hee altogether droue the leprous out of the citie not permitting them to frequent any mans companie but esteeming them as men little differing from the dead And if any one by his prayers made vnto God was deliuered from this disease and his skin reduced to his natiue colour such a one presented himselfe before God in diuers oblations and sacrifices of which wee will speake hereafter For which cause they are worthy to be laughed at who say that Moses fled out of Aegypt because he was a leper and that he conducted with him other such as were trauelled with that disease and brought them into the land of Canaan For if that were true Moses had not made these ordinances to his owne preiudice which if other had proposed it behooued him to haue opposed himselfe against them especially since amongst diuers other nations there are lepersâ—… who are held in great honour and who are so far from disdaine and contempt as that they haue beene made Generals of most notable armies and elected for Gouernours of common-weales hauing libertie to enter the Temples and to be present at the sacrifices What therefore hindred Moses if he had beene polluted with the like hatefull sicknesse to make such lawes and ordaine such statutes among those people who honoured and obeyed him whereby such as were therewith infected might be preferred By which it is manifest that those things that are obiected against him are rather of malice then probability But Moses being cleane from such sickenesse and conuersing amongst his countrimen which were vntainted made these ordinances for them that were sicke hauing regard to the honour of God But of these things let each man censure as best liketh him He forbad that women should enter into the Temple after their deliuerance or to assist the sacrifice vntill fortie dayes were expired if they had beene brought a bed of a sonne but if it were a daughter he willed that the number of the dayes should be doubled and that when they should enter they should present their offerings vnto God and to the Priests that offered them And if any one suspected that his wife had committed adultery hee brought an Assar of grinded barley and cast a handfull thereof before God and the rest was reserued for the maintenance of the Priests and then the Priest placing the woman in the porch which is right ouer against the Temple and taking the couer from her head writeth the name of God vpon a skinne and maketh her sweare that she hath not plaid false with her husband and wish if she had transgressed thè bounds of chastity that her right thigh might be put out of ioint her womb might rot and that death might follow thereupon but if through entire loue and iealousie proceeding therefro her husband had beene inconsiderately drawne into that suspition that she might within ten moneths bring forth a male child And after such an oath ministred vnto her the Priest wipeth out the name of God that was written on the skinne and wringeth it into a viall and then taking of the earth of the Temple according as he findeth it and hauing mingled the same giueth it the woman to drinke and if she hath beene vniustly accused she continueth with child and beareth her fruit her full time but if she hath falsified her faith to her husband forsworn herselfe before God then dieth she a shameful death for her thigh is nummed her wombe growes full of water See here how Moses hath prouided for these sacrifices at the purifying of a woman He furthermore made these lawes which ensue He generally forbad adulterie iudging it to be a great good hap if men demeaned themselues honestly in mariageÌ„ that both in politique estates and priuate families it was a thing most profitable that children should be borne in lawfull matrimonie The law also forbiddeth a man to haue 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
answere his hart more more failed him in that he manifestly perceiued what sinister successe would betide him if God should not assist him in the conflict He therfore commāded that they should search him out some Pythonissa or cunning enchantresse who inuocated and raised the spirits of the dead to the end that by her meanes he might know if his warres should haue that successe which he pretended for the diuiners which giue answere by the belly which the Greekes call Engastrimythes declare their aduentures to those that aske them And when as by the report of a certaine familiar friend of his he was aduertised that there was such a one at Endor vnwitting to his whole arme and laying aside his royall habites and attended onely by two whom he esteemed for his most faithfull seruants he repaired to Endor to this woman requiring her to diuine and raise vp the spirit of him whom he should name The woman denied and said that she ought not contradict the kings edict who had driuen out of his realme all such sort of soothsaiers telling him that he did not well that hauing receiued no wrong at her hands he should thus sound her and seeke to bring her in lapse of the kings lawes cause her to be punished But Saul swore vnto her that no man should knowe thereof and that he would not discouer her diuination to others briefely that shee should incurre no daunger thereby After then that by his othes and protestations he had perswaded her that she should haue no cause to feare he commanded her to raise the spirit of Samuel She not knowing what Samuel was called him from hell and he sodainly appeared But when she perceiued that it was an honourable man and of diuine semblance she was sore troubled and being wholy discomforted with this vision she turned and said vnto the king art not thou Saul for Samuel had certified her no lesse Saul confessed that it was he and asked her for what cause she seemed to be so much troubled she answered that she saw a man ascend that resembled God Saul commanded her to declare vnto him his shape habite and age and she gaue him to vnderstand that he was a reuerend olde man attired in the vestment of a high priest By these markes Saul knew that it was Samuel whereupon prostrating himselfe on the earth he adored and saluted him The spirit of Samuel asked him for what cause he had troubled and raised him To whom he complained and lamented that he was inforced thereunto by necessitie for that a grieuous host of his enemies were at hand and that void of counsaile he was forsaken by God hauing from him no prediction either by prophecie or dreame for which cause said he I made my recourse vnto thee who hast alwaies had care both of me and my fortunes But Samuel foreseeing that the kings death was hard at hand answered him that it was in vaine for him to question with him as touching those things that should happen since thou knowest that thou art forsaken by God Know therfore said he that Dauid shall possesse the kingdome and that it is he that shall establish the estate by armes but as concerning thy selfe thou shalt lose both thy kingdome and thy life because thou hast disobeyed God in thy warre against the Amalechites and hast not obserued his commandements according as I foretold thee at such time as I was aliue Know therefore that thy people and host shall be discomfited by the enemy and that both thou and thy sons shall be to morrow slaine in the battell and be with me When Saul vnderstood these things he became speechlesse thorow the sorrow wherewith he was seased and fell downe on the pauement either for that his forces failed him thorow sodaine griefe or for his want of meat because that neither that night nor the day before he had vouchsafed his body any refection or sustenance At length hardly recouering himselfe out of his swoun the woman importuned him to receiue some sustenance beseeching him to doe her that fauour in recompence of her vnexpected diuination which though interdicted she had aduentured to performe for his sake before she were ascertained that it was he that had forbidden them in consideration wherof she prayed him that sitting downe at the table he would refresh himselfe with some sustenance to the end he might be the more able to returne vnto his army And although he resisted and vtterly refused to eat in that he had no appetite and was vtterly desperate yet so effectually importuned she that finally she perswaded him to receiue some little nourishment And whereas shee had but one calfe which she bred vp in her house with some particular care for she was but a poore woman and had no other riches yet spared she not to kill it and dresse the flesh for Saul his seruants Thus refected Saul returned backe againe into his campe The curtesie of this woman deserueth to be praised for although she knew that the king had prohibited her art whereby both she and her family sufficiently maintained themselues and although before that time she had neuer seene Saul yet so it is that without remembring her that it was he by whom her art had bin condemned she entertained him not as a stranger or like the man she had neuer seene before but had compassion of him and comforted him exhorting him to eate although he refused it and presented him willingly and hartily with that little which she had in her pouertie All which she did not vnder hope of recompence or expected preferment knowing well that Saul should shortly lose his life nor according to the ordinarie course of men that naturally honour those that haue bestowed some dignitie vpon them and become seruiceable to those from whom they pretend to draw some profit hereafter She therefore ought to be imitated and in her appeareth an excellent example of bountie approuing that there is nothing more worthie praise then to relieue those that are in necessitie neither any thing more becomming men or whereby we may obtaine Gods fauour and graces better then by it Thus much sufficeth at this present in respect of this woman But now methinketh I shall do vvell if I insert in this place and in these my vvritings another eaxmple both profitable to people and nations and in especiall an incitation to noble men and such as are borne vnto glory to follow vertue vvhich also shall expresse vvhat honour is and exemplifie how a man may eternize his memorie vvhich ought to engender in the hearts of kings of nations and of gouerners of commonweales a singular desire and affection to addict themselues to noble actions and to encourage them to entertaine dangers yea death it selfe and teach them to endure all difficulties vvhatsoeuer for their countries cause To vvhich intent the historie of Saul the king of the Hebrewes yeeldeth me matter
of them perished being loaden with sleep gorged with wine They likewise that were compleatly armed intending to make resistance were as easily slaine as they that lay naked vpon the earth Thus Dauids men abode with him from the first hower of the morning till the euening doing nought else but kill murther that that only foure hundreth of the Amalechites escaped who likewise fled being mounted on their Dromodaries So recouered he all that which the enemie had ransackt and amongst other things he released both his own wiues those of his companions Wherupon they returned to the place where they had left the other two hundreth which might not follow them because they were appointed to guard the baggage To these the abouesaid foure hundreth would not grant a part of the booty and profit because they had not as they said followed the enimie with them but shewed themselues slacke in the pursuit alledging that they ought to content themselues with the recouerie of their wiues But Dauid said that the sentence which was pronounced by them was both euill and vniust for since God had granted them the grace to defeat their enemies all of them merited to haue part in the profit which ought equally to be deuided amongst them both amongst those that had fought and amongst those likewise that staied behiâ—…d to guard the baggage And from that day forward this ordinance hath beene held firmely amongst them that they that keepe the baggage should haue equall part and portion of the pray with those that should goe out to the battell But when Dauid was returned to Siceleg he sent vnto all his familiars and friends of the tribe of Iuda a seuerall part of the spoyle In this manner was Siceleg sacked and burned and thus were the Amalechites discomfited But the Philistines assailed and fought a bloudie battell with Saul and his followers wherein the Philistines had the vpper hand and slew a great number of their enemies Saul king of Israell with his sonnes fought therin verie valiantly and with stout hearts seeing that all their honour consisted in that onely point to die nobly and to hazard themselues against all camisadoes of their enemies For since the Philistines bent all their forces against them they saw no meanes of recouerie so that encompassed by them they died in the middest of them and yet before their death slewe a great number of the Philistines There were there present Sauls three sonnes Ionathan Aminadab and Melchi who being defeated all the Hebrewe armie turned their backes so that being instantly pursued by the enemie there fell a great disorder confusion and slaughter amongst them Saul fled also although he had about him a strong squadron of men And although the Philistines marshalled foorth against him a multitude of archers that shot many dartes and arrowes at him yet were they all but a verie fewe repulsed and although he had fought verie brauely hauing receiued on him diuers wounds yet being vnable to support the paine and griefe of his woundes and trauailed with shortnesse of breath he commanded his esquier to drawe his sword and to thrust it thorow his body before he should be surprised aliue by his enemies which his esquire refused to doe not daring to lay hands vpon his master For which cause Saul drew his owne sword and setled the point to his breast and cast himselfe thereon but vnable to force it home enough nor make it by goaring himselfe thereon to pierce quite thorow him he looked backe and perceiued a yoong man hard beside him of whom he demaunded what he was and hearing that hee was an Amalechite he requested him that since himselfe was vnable to pierce himselfe with his owne hands that he would leaue vpon him and make the sword passe thorow him and bring him to that death which he so earnestly desired which he did and hauing taken from him the gold which he had about his armes and the royall crowne likewise he fled away The Esquire seeing Saul dead sodainly slew himselfe Not one of all the kings guard escaped but all of them were slaine neere vnto the mountaine Gelboa When they that inhabited the valley on the other side of Iordan and in the plaine had intelligence that Saul and his sonnes were dead and with them a great number of their nation was slaine they abandoned their Cities and fled to others that were more defenced The Philistines finding these Cities destitute of inhabitants encamped therein The next day whilest the Philistines spoyled the dead they found the bodies of Saul and his sons which they spoyled beheaded sending their heads round about the countrey to make it knowne that their enemies were defeated They offered vp their armes also in the temple of Astaroth and as for their bodies they hung them on the wals of the Citie of Bethsan at this day called Scythopolis When they of Iabes a Citie of Galaad vnderstood how the Philistines had thus cut off the heads of Saul and his sonnes they were sore moued and thought it became them not to be so carelesse of them but that they should be rescued For which cause the most valiant and hardie amongst them for that Citie bringeth vp men both valiant in heart and strong in body departed and marched all night long so as they attained Bethsan and approching neere the wals tooke downe the body of Saul and his sonnes and carried them vnto Iabes without any resistance of the enemy in that they durst not attempt the rescue These Iabesians lamented ouer their dead bodies and made publike lamentations and buried them in the fairest place of their countrey which place is called Arar They mourned after this manner weeping both men and women and children and beating their breasts and lamenting the king and his sonnes and tasting neither meat nor drinke This was the end of Saul according as Samuel had foretold him because he had disobeyed God in his war against the Amalechites and for that he had slaine the race of Achimelech and Achimelech himselfe also and destroyed the Citie of the Priests He raigned during the life of Samuel for the space of eighteene yeares and twentie two yeares after his death Thus finished Saul his life THE SEVENTH BOOKE OF THE ANTIQVITIES OF THE IEWES WRITTEN BY FLAVIVS IOSEPHVS The Contents of the Chapters of the 7. booke 1 Dauid is created king of one tribe in Hebron ouer the rest Sauls sonne obtaineth the soueraignty 2 Isboseth is slaine by the treacherie of his domesticall seruants and the whole kingdome commeth vnto Dauid 3 Dauid hauing surprised the Citie and cittadell of Ierusalem driueth the Chananites from thence and causeth the Iewes to inhabit the same 4 Dauid assayled by the Philistines obtaineth a famous victorie against them neere vnto Ierusalem 5 Dauid ouercomming the neighbouring nations imposeth tributes on them 6 They of Damasco are ouercome by Dauid 7 How Dauid ouercame the Mesopotamians 8 How
rushing in amongst them made a great slaughter of them so that thorow the great quantitie of bloud which he shed his sword stuck fast to his hand and the Israelites seeing the Philistines put to flight by him came downe and ranne vpon them and obtained a miraculous and famous victorie ouer them For Eleazar slaughtered those that fled and the rest of the army followed and spoyled those that were slaine The third was the sonne of Ilus called Sebas who fighting against the Philistines in a place called the Iawe and seeing the Hebrewes to be affraid of their power and almost out of heart resisted them alone as if he had bin an arraunged army and slew some of them and pursued and put the rest to flight in that they were vnable to sustaine his force and violence These three exploited with their owne hands these executions of warre About that time that the king liued in Ierusalem the army of the Philistines came out to make warre vpon him and Dauid as we haue declared heretofore was gone vp into the higher citie to aske counsell of God what the euent of that warre should bee and the enemies being incamped in that valley that extendeth it selfe as farre as Bethleem a Citie some twentie furlongs distant from Ierusalem Dauid said to his companions There is verie good water in the place where I was born and especially that which is in the pitte which is neere vnto the gate if any one will bring me of that water to drinke I shall esteeme it more then if he gaue me great riches These three men hearing these words instantly ranne out and past thorow the enemies campe and went to Bethleem where hauing drawne water they returned backe vnto the king sallying thorow the midst of their enemies bringing newes that the Philistines being affraid of their hardinesse and great courage kept themselues vpon their guard not daring to charge them notwithstanding their small number But the king tasted not of this water which they brought him saying that it was bought with the danger of mens liues and therefore that it was no reason he should drinke thereof but he powred it out as an oblation vnto God giuing him thankes because he had deliuered his seruants After these three followed Abisai Ioabs brother who slew six hundreth of the enemy in one day The fift was Banaia of the race of the Leuites who being defied by certaine brothers famous amongst the Moabites for their vertue ouercame them Moreouer a certaine Aegyptian of a wonderfull stature hauing defied him notwithstanding the said Banaia was naked and the other armed yet charged he him and tooke away his iauelin and slewe him To these foresaid actes of his a man may annex this as the most valiant or very neerely equalling the rest For it came to passe that after a certaine snow a Lyon tossing amidst the flakes thereof fell into a pit whose mouth was so narrow that a man could not discerne where it was especially for that at the same time it was couered with snow where being inclosed and seeing no means to escape he roared out amaine which when Banaia who passed that way heard he followed the voice and drew neere vnto the place and afterwards went downe into the pit where with a staffe he bare in his hand he fought with ouercame and slew the Lyon The thirtie three other were of like valour and vertue But King Dauid being desirous to know how many thousands of men he could number amongst the people and forgetting the commaundement ordained by Moses who had giuen order that if the people had beene numbred there should be paid vnto God for euerie head halfe a sicle he commanded Ioab to go and number all the people and although Ioab had manifestly proued vnto him that it was a thing no waies necessarie yet could he not perswade him but that he enioyned him with all expedition to set forward on his way and muster the people of the Hebrewes Hereupon Ioab tooke with him the principals of the Tribes and Scribes and after circuited all the countrey of the Hebrewes to know how many men there were and at the end of nine moneths and twenty daies he returned to Ierusalem to the king and presented him with the list of the people the tribe of Beniamin only excepted for he neither numbred that tribe nor the tribe of Leui. This done the king perceiuing that he had displeased God was verie sorrowful and pensiue The route of the other Israelites was of nine hundreth thousand men able to beare armes and to follow the warre besides that the only tribe of Iuda contained 400. thousand men When the Prophets had certified Dauid how God was displeased with him he began to pray beseech him that it might please him to appease his wrath and to pardon his offence Hereupon God sent the Prophet Gad vnto him who brought him the choise of three things willing him to make election which of the three he would endure either that famine for seuen yeers space should raigne in his countries or that warre for three moneths space should afflict the same wherein he should haue the worst or that the plague and pestilence should for three daies space raunge amongst the Hebrewes Being thus distraught and troubled by reason of his difficult election amidst these imminent miseries and the Prophet vrging him to returne a short answere whereby God might be satisfied the king bethinking him that if he should aske famine he should rather seeme to respect his owne securitie then the common-weale in that no daunger might by that meanes touch him for that he had great store of corne in his barne and they vnfurnished and if for three moneths he should make choise to be ouercome by the enemy in that case also he might seeme to haue care of himselfe in that he had many strong Castles and a valiant guard of men to attend his person he therefore made choise of a plague that was both as incident to the prince as the subiect wherein each man was touched with equall and imminent feare saying that it was better to fall into the hands of God then into the hands of his enemies When the Prophet had receiued this answere from him he reported it vnto God who sent a plague and mortalitie amongst the Hebrewes whereby they died after diuers manners so that it was very hard to discerne the malady which being but one in kinde yet notwithstanding seased the people by ten thousand causes and vnknowne occasions For one of them died after another and the sicknesse surprising them at vnwares brought a sodain dissolution of the spirits and swouning vpon them so that some of them gaue vp the ghost with grieuous torments and most strange dolors Others were presently partched vp thorow the burning agonies they endured and vnrecouerable by any counsell or remedy consumed away amidst their languishing fits and tortures Others died strangled
telling her that he had neither graunge nor presse whereby he might any waies supply her necessitie The woman answered him that she had no need thereof and that she was not troubled for want of food but onely desired that hee would determine a debate betwixt her and an other woman Whereupon he commanded her to expresse and declare what she required Hereupon she said that she had made an accord with an other woman her neighbour and friend that since the famine and scarcitie was such as they could find no redresse for the same that they should kill their children for each of them had one and in this sort should nourish one another euery day As for my selfe said she I haue first of all strangled mine and we haue both of vs yesterday eaten thereof but now she will not doe the like but breaketh the accord betwixt vs and concealeth her childe Ioram was grieuously tormented to heare these words and rent his garments and cried out with a loud voice and afterwards wholy enraged against the Prophet he deuised in his heart to put him to death because he praied not vnto God to grant him meanes to escape those euils that inuironed them round about so that he sent a man presently to cut off his head who prepared himselfe with all expedition to the slaughter But Elizeus was not ignorant of this resolution of the kings for sitting at home with his disciples in his house he told them that Ioram the murtherers sonne sent a man to take away his head but said he when as he that hath the matter in charge shall come hither suffer him not to enter but make him attend and stay at the gate for the king will follow him and will resort vnto me in his owne person hauing altered his resolution and they according as they were commanded shut him out of the doores whom the king had sent Ioram repenting himselfe of that displeasure which he had conceiued against the Prophet and fearing least he that had the commission to murther him should speedily execute the same hasted himselfe all that he might to hinder the slaughter and saue Elizeus When as therfore he came into his presence he accused him for that he had not besought God to deliuer them from those many euils which they suffered considering that he himselfe was an eie-witnesse they were miserably consumed by them Elizeus promised him the next day about the same houre that the king came vnto him that he should haue so great aboundance of victuals that two measures of barley should be sold in the market for a sicle and a measure of flower for a sicle By these wordes of his the king with all his attendants were wonderfully comforted and made no difficultie to beleeue the Prophet because that before time they had beene ascertained by their experience of the truth of his prophecies and the expectation of this day was the cause that the necessitie and miserie of the present was more patiently endured But a certaine friend of the kings and the gouernour of the third part of his army on whose shoulder the king at that time hapned familiarly to leane spake vnto him after this manner Prophet thou tellest vs incredible matters for as it is impossible that God should raine downe heapes of barley and flower from heauen so cannot that which thou speakest come to passe To whom the Prophet replied Thou thy selfe said he shalt see the issue hereof but shalt partake no part thereof Which prediction of his had a most certaine effect according as hereafter it appeareth It was a custome in Samaria that they that were defiled with a leprosie should liue without the Citie walles for feare least their conuersation might infect others And at that time also there were some who for this cause had their dwelling without the gate These for that by reason of the extreme famine that raigned within the Citie they receiued no reliefe or sustenance out of the same and whether they had licence to returne into the Citie or whether they contained themselues in their houses they knew that they should assuredly perish by famine decreed amongst themselues to submit themselues to the enemies mercie to the end that if they spared them they might liue and if it hapned otherwaies that they might die with lesse torture Now hauing resolued vpon this deliberation amongst themselues they repaired by night vnto the enemies campe At that time God began to terrifie and trouble the Syrians and to fill their eares with a noise of chariots and armes as if an army had violently charged them Wherupon they grew suspitious and were so moued that they forsooke their tents and ranne vnto Adad and told him that Ioram King of the Israelites had entertained the king of Aegypt and the king of the Isles for his confederates whom he led out against them and how already they had heard the noise of them that approched to bid them the battell Adad whose eares wâ—… filled with no lesse rumour then those of the people was amated and amazed at their sayings so that all of them abandoned their campe their horses beasts of cariage and riches and betooke them to flight with disorder and confusion Those leapeâ—…s that were retired from Samaria into the enemies campe and of whom we haue hertofore made some mention being neere vnto the camp perceiued that there was great silence in the same and no lesse aboundance of all things for which cause approching the same and entring into a tent they found no body therein for which cause they fell to eating and drinking and that done to beare away a quantity of rayment and gold which they hid without the campe Afterward resorting to an other tent they bare away likewise that which was therin and did the like by foure others without any encountrie or contradiction of any man and coniecturing therby that the enemies were retired they began to accuse themselues because they had not giuen notice thereof to Ioram and the inhabitants of Samaria For which cause drawing neere vnto the walles of the Citie they cried out vnto the watch giuing them to vnderstand in what state they had found the enemies campe who signified no lesse to Iorams guard so that at last it came vnto his eares Whereupon he presently sent for his friends and captaines and told them that the departure of the Syrians made him suspect some stratageme or ambush for they said he hauing lost their hope to surprise vs by famine are retired vnder an intent that when we shall issue and fall a spoiling of their campe they may come vpon vs and kill vs and afterwards take our Citie without any stroke strooken For which cause said he I aduise you to keepe good guard within the Citie and let this retreat of our enemies make vs the more considerate Some one of his counsaile praised this aduise of his and allowed his foresight aduising him to
of his people the death of his wiues and children and lastly his owne death which should happen vnto him by a sicknesse in his belly wherewith hee should be so tormented that his entrailes strangely rotting within him should drop out of his belly and that he himselfe should see his misery which should be such as neither might be recouered by medicine or should euer leaue him vntill he had finished his daies These things did Elias denounce vnto him by his letters CHAP. III. Iorams armie is discomfited his sonnes are slaine except one and himselfe finally dieth a miserable death NOt long after the Arabian army that dwel towards Aethiopia confederating themselues with other Barbarians inuaded Iorams countrey and spoiled the same and ransacked the kings house and slew his sons and daughters and left him but one onely sonne called Ochozias who escaped from his enemies hands After this 〈◊〉 he himselfe was strooken with a long sicknes according as the Prophet had foretold him for God powred his displeasure vpon his entrailes whereupon he died miserably seeing them fall out of his belly The people likewise handled his bodie ignominiously supposing as I thinke that being cut off in that sort by Gods displeasure he was vnworthie of royall funerall for he was not buried in the sepulcher of the kings neither was there any honour done vnto him He liued fortie yeares and raigned eight and they of Ierusalem made his sonne Ochozias king CHAP. IIII. The king of Damasco warreth against the king of Israel IOram king of Israel hoping after the death of Adad to recouer Ramath in Galaad from the Assyrians after he had made greater preparation and apparation for the warre he led his army against the same In this siege he was hurt by an arrow which was shot by a certaine Syrian but not vnto the death and retired himselfe into the Citie of Iezrael vntill he were recouered of his wounds leauing behind him his whole armie at the siege of Ramath vnder the conduct of Iehu the sonne of Nimshi who tooke the Citie by force intending vpon his recouery to make warre against the Syrians But the Prophet Elizeus sent one of his disciples to Ramath gaue him the holy oyle and willed him to annoint Iehu to say vnto him that God had chosen and annointed him for king and after he had informed him likewise in certaine other instructions he commaunded him to depart after the manner of one that flieth making no man priuie of his departureâ—… When this disciple of his came vnto the appointed Citie he found Iehu sitting in the midst of the captaines at warre according as Elizaeus had told him and drawing neere vnto him he told him that he would communicate certaine secrets with him for which cause he arose and followed him into his chamber Whereupon the young man taking out the oile poured it on his head saying that God had chosen him to exterminate the race of Achab and reuenge the bloud of the Prophets vniustly murthered by Iezabel and that both he and his house might be brought to nought in like sort as the sonnes of Ieroboam the sonne of Nabat and the children of Basa were extinguished for their impietie so that no one of the race of Achab might suruiue in the world As soone as he had spoken thus he issued out of the chamber with all speed endeuouring that he might not be discouered by any of the army Now when as Iehu was come out he returned to his place where he sate with the captains who demaunded of him besought him to declare vnto them wherefore the young man came vnto him alledging that they supposed him to be out of his wits Truly said he you haue diuined well for he hath talked vnto me after the manner of a mad man wherein they desirous to vnderstand wherefore he came and beseeching him to expresse the cause he told them what he had said vnto him namely how God had chosen him to beking ouer the people As soone as he had spoken these words euery one of them cast off their garments spred them before him and sounding a trumpet they proclaimed Iehu king who assembling his army determined to conduct them toward the Citie of Iezrael against Ioram who lay there to recouer his wound which he had receiued at the siege of Ramath in Galaad as we haue heretofore declared Thither also was resorted in way of friendship and consanguinitie Ochozias king of Ierusalem both to visit Ioram and to see how he was recouered of his wound for he was his nephew and sonne vnto his sister as we haue said before Iehu desirous to surprise Ioram and his followers on the sodaine made an ordinance by which he prohibited that none of his soldiers should runne before to giue any intelligence of his repaire vnto Ioram alledging that it should be a manifest demonstration of their good will towards him whereas contrariwise they that did otherwise declared that they held him not for their king CHAP. V. Ioram with all his race is slaine by Iehu Ochozias king of Ierusalem is likewise slaine with him THe men of warre were very ioyful to execute this his ordinance and garded the waies to the intent that no man might secretly steale into Iezrael and beare tidings to the inhabitants of that which had hapned Meane while Iehu attended by certaine of his choicest horsemen and mounted â—…n his owne person vpon a chariot marched towards Iezrael And when as he drew neere vnto the Citie the sentinell that was appointed by Ioram to discouer those that repaired to the Citie perceiued Iehu resorting thither with a multitude of attendants and told Ioram that a troupe of horsemen were at hand Whereupon a scout was sent out to discouer who they were who drawing neere vnto Iehu asked him what newes there was in the army telling him that the king was desirous to know the same Iehu willed him to take no care thereof but to follow after him The sentinell perceiuing this certified Ioram that the messenger whom he had sent trouped along with them that came and followed their generall Whereupon the king sent out a messenger the second time and Iehu commanded him to attend him as he did the first which the sentinell signified to Ioram likewise who finally mounted his chariot to go out and meet them accompanied with Ochozias king of Ierusalem who as we haue said was come into the Citie to see how the king recouered vpon his hurt because he was neerely allied vnto him But Iehu marched on softly in goodly array til Ioram meeting with him in the field of Naboth asked him how the army did Who in steed of answere reuiled him bitterly and called him the son of a poisoner of a harlot For which cause Ioram fearing his turbulent spirit and suspecting least he hammered vpon some sinister intent turned his back and fled away as swiftly as his chariot could be
in the fift yeere after the destruction of Ierusalem which was the three and twentith yeere of the raigne of Nabuchodonosor Nabuchodonosor in his owne person led his army into Coelosyria and hauing conquered the same he made warre vpon the Ammonites and Moabites And after he had brought these nations vnder his obeisance he went and sought against the king of Aegypt and ouercame him and after he had slaine their king that gouerned at that time and planted an other in his place he afterwards tooke the Iewes that he found in that countrey and carried them prisoners into Babylon By this means we haue learned that the state of the Hebrewes being brought to this point hath bin translated twise to the other side of Euphrates For the people of the two tribes were captiued by the Assyrians during the raigne of Oseas and consequently that of the two tribes vnder Nabuchodonosor king of the Babylonians and Chaldees vpon the taking in of Ierusalem True it is that Salmanazar after he had displaced the Israelites planted the Chutheans in their place who beforetime inhabited the innermost of the countries of Persia and Media and were called Samaritanes according to the name of the place which they inhabited but the Babylonian hauing led the two tribes prisoners hath not planted any other people in their places For this cause Iudaea Ierusalem and the temple remained desert for the space of seuentie yeeres and all the time that passed betweene the captiuitie of the Israelites vntill the destruction of the two tribes was a hundreth and thirtie yeeres six moneths and ten daies But Nabuchodonosor chose the most noblest yoong men amongst the Iewes and such as were allied to king Sedecias and esteemed likewise for the good disposition and faire proportion of their bodies and faces and committed them to masters to be instructed commaunding that euery one of them should be gelded according as they were accustomed to deale with yoong children of other nations whom he subdued by force He allowed them victuall from his owne table and they were taught and instructed in the disciplines of the countrey and in the Chaldeetoong These were verie apte to learne wisedome and for that cause he commanded that they should be trained vp in the exercise thereof Of these there were foure of Zedechias kindred faire in body and vertuous in nature who were called Daniel Ananias Misael and Azarias whose names the Babylonian changed and willed them to be called by other names distinct and different from their own Daniel was called Balthasar Ananias Sidrach Misael Misach and Azarias Abdenago These did the king esteeme very highly for their excellent nature and for the great affection that they had to attaine vnto learning and wisedome wherein they profited greatly and were for that cause highly reckoned of by him And whereas Daniel and his kinsemen thought good to liue austerely and to abstaine from those meates that came from the kings table and in generall from all things that had life they went vnto Askenas the Eunuch who had the care and charge ouer them beseeching him to conuert those meates to his owne vse which were sent them from the kings table and to allow them herbes and dates and such things as had no life because they intended to hold that course of life and to forsake all other Askenas told them that he was ready to condescend vnto their demaunds but that he feared least being called for by the king they should be found to be leane in body and discoloured in face for without doubt in following that diet they must needly lose their colours and be lesse dispost in comparison of others which might be the cause to bring him into hazard of his head They perceiuing that Askenas intended nought els but his securitie perswaded him to allow them but ten daies of approbation vnder condition that if by that regiment of diet their habitude of body should not be any waies altered they might continue in that fashion of life and diet which they had intended from that day forwards but if they should be found leane and weake and lesse proportionable then they that sed vpon the kings allowance that then they should returne to their accustomed diet Now it so fell out that not onely their bodies were better in growth but they seemed rather better fed and of a taller statute then the rest so that they that liued vpon the kings ordinarie seemed leane and wearish where as Daniel and his companions made shew as if they had beene nourished with dainties and brought vp in aboundance From that time forward Askenas tooke all that which was allowed the foure yoong men from the kings table and boldly kept it to himselfe giuing them in steed thereof the diet that they chose and delighted in They hauing their spirits more pure and subtill to comprehend their masters instructions and their bodies more strong to endure labour for their spirits were not charged with diuersitie of meates nor their bodies effeminated for the same cause attained the more readily to all that doctrine that was taught them by the Hebrewes and Chaldees Daniel especially hauing profited in wisedome studied the interpretation of dreames and God appeared vnto him Two yeeres after the surprisall of Aegypt king Nabuchodonosor dreamed a wonderfull dreame the issue whereof God made him see in a dreame but he forgat the same when he arose out of his bed And for that cause sent he for his Chaldees and diuines telling them that he had dreampt a dreame but that he had forgot the same commanding them to declare vnto him what the dreame was and the signification thereof also Whereunto they answered that it was impossible for men to sound out the secret thereof notwithstanding they promised him that if he would declare his vision vnto them they would cause him to vnderstand the signification thereof Hereupon Nabuchodonosor threatned them with death except they represented his dreame vnto him and they protesting that they could not fulfill his request he commanded them all to be slaine But Daniel hearing how the King had condemned all the sages to death and knowing that both he and his companions had part in that danger addressed himselfe to Ariochus the captaine of the Kings guard requiring him to informe him for what cause the king had adiudged the Chaldees and sages to be put to death And hauing intelligence what had hapned as touching the dream how the king by forgetting the same had charged them to informe him therin how they had answered that it was impossible for them to performe the same and how thereby they had prouoked the king to displeasure he besought Ariochus to go vnto the king and to procure one nights repriue in the behalfe of the Aegyptians and Chaldees in that he hoped during that night time to beseech God and intreat from him both the dreame and the signification thereof Hereupon Ariochus told the king what Daniel had requested
who respited the execution of the Magitians for that night vntill he might see what would become of Daniels promise who retiring himselfe with his companions into his chamber besought God all the night long to manifest vnto him the dreame and deliuer the Magitians and Chaldees from the kings wrath with whom both he and the rest of his companions were like to die except he might know what the king had dreampt the night past and what was the interpretation thereof Whereupon God hauing compassion of the daunger wherein they were and taking pleasure in Daniels wisedome signified vnto him both the dreame and the signification thereof to the intent the king might be resolued in the meaning thereof Daniel hauing receiued the truth from God arose verie ioyfully and certified his brethren who had alreadie lost all hope of life and thought on no other thing but death and gaue them courage and hope of life Hauing therefore rendred thanks vnto God for that he had had compassion of their young yeeres as soone as it was day he went vnto Arioch requesting him that he might be brought to the kings presence certifying him that he would open vnto him the dreame which he had seene the night past Now when Daniel was brought vnto the kings presence he besought him that he would not esteeme him to be more wise then the other Chaldeans and magicians in that whereas none of them could expound his dreame he did attempt to expresse the same for that came not to passe by reason of his experience or for that he was more industrious then they were but said he God hath had compassion on vs that were in daunger of death and at such time as I requested him to grant me and my countrie men life he hath certified me both of your dreame and the signification thereof I was not so much agrieued for that in our innocency we were adiudged to death by thee as afraid of thine estimation and glory which was hazarded by condemning so many and so innocent and iust men to death whereas that which you haue required of them sauoreth nothing of humane wit but is the onely worke of God Whilest therefore thou thoughtest in thy selfe who it was that should commaund the whole world after thy selfe at such time as thou wert asleepe God intending to let thee know all those that should gouerne after thee presented thee with this dreame It seemed vnto thee that thou sawest a great statue wherof the head was of gold the shoulders and armes of siluer the belly and thighes of brasse and the legs and feete of yron Thou beheldst after that a great stone that was drawen from a mountaine that fell vpon the statue and beat downe and burst the same and left no whole peece thereof so that the gold siluer yron and brasse were poudered as small as dust whereupon a violent wind seemed to blow which by the furie and force thereof was borne away and scattered into diuers countries on the other side the stone grewe so mightie that it seemed to fill the whole earth This was that vision that appeared vnto you the signification whereof is expressed after this manner The head of gold signifieth your selfe and those kings of Babylon that haue been before you The two hands and shoulders signifie that your Empyre shal be destroied by two kings the one part by the king of the east cloathed in brasse whose force shall be abated by an other power resembling that of yron and he shal haue the power ouer the whole earth by reason of the nature of yron which is more strong then gold siluer or brasse he told the king also what that stone signified But for mine owne part I thought it not expedient to expresse it in this place because the onely but and intent of my writings is onely to register such things as are past and not such matters as are to come But if any man haue a desire to know these things and cannot bridle his curiositie but will vnderstand such matters as are hidden let him â—…ead the book of Daniel which he shal find amidst the sacred scriptures When king Nabuchodonosor had heard these things and remembred himself of his dreame he was astonished at Daniels wisedome and casting himselfe prostrate on the earth after the manner of those that adore God he embrased Daniel giuing direction that sacrifice should be offered vnto him as if he were God Moreouer he called him by the name of God and committed the administration of his whole kingdome to him and his companions who by reason of the commotions and conspiracies of their maligners and detractors hapned to fall into most eminent and dreadfull daunger vpon this occasion that ensueth The king built a golden Image sixtie cubits high and sixe in bignesse and erected it in a great plaine neere vnto Babylon and being readie to dedicate the same he assembled all the gouernours and princes of his countries commanding then first of all that as soone as they should heare the trumpet sound they should prostrate themselues on the earth to adore the statue threatning that whosoeuer should do the contrarie he should be cast into a burning furnace whereas therefore all of them adored the statue vpon the sound of the trumpet Daniel and his companions vtterly refused to performe that dutie alledging for their iustification that they would not transgresse the lawes of their countrey for which cause being apprenended they were instantly cast into the furnace of fire and protected therein by Gods prouidence escaped death beyond all mens expectation For the fire touched them not neither could it burne during their aboad in the furnace For God so fortified their bodies that they could not be consumed by fire which accident made them in greater estimation with the king for that he saw they were vertuous and beloued by God and for that cause they were highly honoured by him Not long after this the king saw an other vision in his sleepe which signified vnto him that being cast from his empire he should conuerse with sauage beasts and that hauing liued in that estate in the desart for the space of seuen yeares he should recouer his kingdom again Hauing had this dreame he assembled the Magitians once more demanding their answere and the signification thereof But it was impossible for any one of them eyther to find out or declare the intelligence of this dreame vnto the king onely Daniel discouered the same and the effect was answerable to his prediction For the king passed the forelimited time in the desart so that no man durst intermeddle with the affaires of estate during seuen yeares But after he had called vpon God that it would please him to restore him to his kingdome he repossessed the same again Let no man in this place accuse me for reporting these particularities according as I haue found them written in holy books for in the
Caesar hauing ouercome Cassius neere vnto the Citie of Philippi Caesar went from thence into France and Antonius into Asia And being in Bithynia Embassadours resorted vnto him from all parts Thither also repaired certaine principall men among the Iewes to accuse Phasaelus and Herode saying that Hircanus had onely the name but he the authoritie of the kingdome But Antonius greatly honored Herode who came vnto him to answere those accusations that they had imposed on him for which cause they that were his opposites could obtaine no audience for Herode had bought that priuiledge from them with his money As soone as Antonius was arriued in Ephesus Hircanus the high priest and all our nation presently sent an Embassadour vnto him with a crowne of gold requiring him that hee would write vnto the prouinces that the Iewes whom Cassius had taken prisoners contrarie to the lawe of armes might be set at libertie and that their countrey which was taken from them in Cassius time might be restored Antonius supposing that the demaunds which the Iewes had proposed were reasonable wrote backe presently to the high priest Hircanus and the Iewes and sent an edict also to the Tyrians to this effect Marcus Antonius Emperour to Hircanus high Priest and Prince of the Iewes Health If you are well all goeth well I and mine army are in perfect estate Lysimachus the sonne of Pausanias and Ioseph the sonne of Mennaeus and Alexander the sonne of Theodore your Embassadors came vnto me to Ephesus and haue renued the same Embassade which they heretofore brought to Rome and at this present likewise they haue duely and faithfully acquited themselues of the Embassade which they present in the behalfe of you and your nation by giuing vs to vnderstand what affection you beare towards vs so that I esteeme you for our friend sith I am giuen to vnderstand how friendly you haue behaued your selfe towards vs both in words and deeds since we haue had any knowledge of your good and honest conuersation and pietie For at such time as our aduersaries and enemies of the Romane nation spoiled all the countrey of Asia and without regard of their othes spared neither cities nor temples we haue opposed our selues against them not onely for our priuate respect but in the quarrell of the commonweale to the intent to punish the authours of such offences committed agaiust men and of such impieties perpetrated against God for which wee suppose that the sunne hath in a manner obscured himselfe by beholding with vnwilling eies what an hainous offence was committed against Caesar. But wee haue gotten the vpper hand of their impious enterprises which are fallen vpon Macedonia as on the country and ayre from whence proceed such detestable and vngracious desseignes and wee haue likewise cut off the course of their desperate resolution which made them encounter vs neere to Philippi a citie of Macedonia where we seazed their places fortified by nature and enclosed with mountaines as if it were with wals as far as the sea in such manner as the passage was barred vp as it were with a gate had not the gods giuen vs way by resisting their vniust exploits and furthering ours Brutus likewise compelled to fly to Philippi where being inclosed by vs he suffered the like ruine with his consort Cassius and since they haue been punished as they deserued me seemeth that we are seazed of peace and that Asia hath had repose from warre and all the bodie thereof is relieued from a grieuous maladie by the meanes of our victory For which cause remembring vs of you and your nation to the end to increase your good fortunes we will bethinke vs of that which shall be commodious for you and we haue alreadie sent letters from citie to citie to the intent that if any one among you eyther captiue or free man haue beene sold to the vtmost by Caius Cassius or any of that army they may be set at liberty And our will is that you make vse of the bountie which we bestow vpon you both in our selfe as in Dolabellas right forbidding the Tyrians to molest you and commaunding them to restore all that which they haue taken from the Iewes in goods or possessions As for the crowne which you sent me I accept the same Marcus Antonius Emperour to the gouernours Senate and people of Tyre Health I haue been informed in Ephesus by Hircanus embassadours who is high priest and prince of the Iewes that you haue seazed their countrey and spoyled the same at such time as our aduersaries held that prouince But in as much as we haue vndertaken the warre for the Empire and that in defence of right pietie we haue punished these in gratefull disloyall and perfidious persons our will is that you suffer our allies to liue in peace and as touching that which you haue obtained by our aduersaries our pleasure is that you restore the same to those that are dispossessed For no one of them hath obtained either prouince or army by the consent of the Senate but haue rauished them by force and afterwards bestowed them on those who haue beene ministers of their impieties and iniustice But since they haue beene punished according to their deserts we require that our allies may enioy their owne without any impeachment and if you hold any places at this present which belong to Hircanus prince of the Iewes that were seazed since the time that Caius Cassius by vniust warre inuaded our prouinces restore them vnto him without offer of any violence to hinder him from the possession of his owne And if you haue or pretend to haue any right in them at such time as I shall repaire to those places it shall be lawfull for you to debate your right and wee will so iudge as that our allies shall receiue no wrong Marcus Antonius Emperour to the gouernours Senate and people of Tyre Health I haue sent you my edict which my pleasure is that you carefully looke vnto and that you register it amongst your publike records in Romane and Greeke letters and set it vp in writing in an open place to the end that it may be red by all men Marcus Antonius Emperour and Triumuir in the presence of the Tyrians assembled for their publike affaires hath declared that Caius Cassius during the troubles by the assistance of his soldiers hath rauished another mans prouince and hath in like sort spoiled our allies and hath ransackt the nation of the Iewes who are friends to the people of Rome and for that by our valour we haue repressed his insolence by our edicts and iudgements we will correct his offences to the end that all things may be restored to our allies and that all whatsoeuer hath beene sold appertained to the Iews whether they be prisoners or possessions be restored to their masters to the end that each man may be at liberty as he was before and that each mans possessiō may be
was vpon the point of execution surprised her at such time as she thought to flye and yet notwithstanding he pardoned her that fault in that he durst not decree any punishmēt against hir though he could haue found in his heart to haue vsed seueritie for that Cleopatra vvould not haue contained her selfe had she but had such an occasiō offered her to expresse her hatred against Herod For which cause vnder the colour of a high and magnanimous spirit he made shewe to pardon her of his meere clemencie yet inwardly resolued hee to make young Aristobulus away yet not rashly and vpon the instant least the act should growe apparant and palpable Now the feast of Tabernacles was at hand which was one of those that was ceremoniously and solemnly celebrated among vs for which cause he concealed his intents during the festiuall daies intending both in himselfe and in the presence and companie of the people to follow all kinde of pleasure and delight yet did his enny incite him to hasten the execution of his will Aristobulus was at that time some seuenteene yeere olde who at such time as he approched the altar to offer sacrifices according to the lawe apparelled in the high priests ornaments to performe the ceremonies he who for amiable countenance and goodly stature surpassed the young and tendernesse of his yeeres expressing in his countenance the dignitie and nobilitie of his race drew the eies and good affection of all the people vnto him so that they openly called to remembrance the noble actions of Aristobulus his grandfather All the people therfore being surmounted by those their affections and at that present time being all of them troubled with the ioy they conceiued they brake out by little and little into happy acclamations mixed with wishes and praiers so that the good will the people bare to Aristobulus discouered it selfe openly and they manifestly although too hastily in such a kingdome declared what euils they generally endured For all which causes Herode concluded to execute that which he had heretofore complotted and conceited against Aristobulus As soone therefore as the feast was ouerpassed he soiourned in Iericho where Alexandra entertained him In that place he vsed Aristobulus with all kindnesse to the end to draw him into some place where he feared nothing playing also with him and counterfaiting to sport after the fashion of the young men to gratifie him Now for that the place where they disported themselues was by nature too hoat they quickly wearied left their sport and went out togither to take the fresh aire and recouering a pleasant shade vnder certaine arbors and neere certaine fishpooles which were largely spread round about they beheld certain of their seruants and friends that swomme therein with whom not long after Aristobulus began to swim being perswaded thereunto by Herode Whereupon Herodes confederates who were deputed to execute the murther laid hands of him and thrust him vnder the water pretending to duck him in sport and neuer gaue him ouer vntill such time as they had stifled him in the water This hapned about the euening and after this manner died Aristobulus after he had liued in all for the space of eighteene yeeres and administred the priesthood one whole yeere and after this Ananel presently recouered his former dignitie Now when this accident was reported to the women all of them were sodainly deuoured in teares and transported with strange lamentations which they spent ouer the dead body All the Citie also was marueilously amated neither was there any priuate family that thought not it selfe touched by this inconuenient but imagined the losse in particular to concerne himselfe and no other But aboue all when Alexandra had notice of this wicked deede she was more passionate and perplexed then any other being so much the more discomforted for that she knew how all things had hapned But the feare of a farre greater mischiefe constrained her to represse her passion in such sort that diuers times she was ready to bereaue her of her owne life and dispatch her selfe out of miserie with her owne hands But she contained her selfe to the end that suruiuing and liuing after her sonne who was so traiterously and fraudulently slaine and prolonging her owne life without giuing any suspition or shadow that she supposed her sonne to be thus cursedly murthered she might with more opportunitie expect the occasion to reuenge her selfe For which cause she dissembled all things gouerned her griefe and made shew that she knew nothing of that which was either intended or had hapned As for Herode he laboured by all means to perswade the strangers that this death had befallen Aristobulus without his knowledge and did not onely prepare that which was requisite for the funerall but vext himselfe likewise made shew of a man truely deuoured in his sorrow and it may be that in remembrance of Aristobulus beauty and flourishing young yeeres he was truely touched with compassion notwithstanding that he imagined that this death of his should be a means of his intire securitie demeasning himselfe in all things very circumspectly with intent to purge himselfe of that crime But especially he shewed his great magnificence in the interring of his body both in the furnishing and preparation of the herse as in the perfumes and other things thereunto belonging in such sort as the griefe which the Ladies had conceiued was pacified after this manner of consolation CHAP. IIII. Cleopatra thirsting after the kingdomes of Arabia and Iewry laboureth to beg a part of them at Anthonies hands BVt none of all these things could either mooue or mollifie Alexandra but that daily more and more she increased her sorrow and in the heart of her teares kindled her wrath and heate with a desire of reuenge She therefore certified Cleopatra by her priuate letters of Herodes treasons and her sonnes most miserable and vntimely death Cleopatra long before that time desirous to assist her and hauing compassion of her miserie vndertooke the matter and ceased not to incite Anthony to reuenge Aristobulus death telling him that it was an vnpardonable errour that Herode being created king in such a state whereunto he had no right should be suffered to practise such conspiracies against the true and lawfull kings Anthony perswaded by these her words as soone as he came vnto Laodicea sent for Herode to the end that making his appearance he might answere that which might be obiected against him as touching Aristobulus death for he disliked the act notvvithstanding that Herode himselfe had attempted it But although Herode vvas affraid of this accusation and did not a little suspect Cleopatraes displeasure for that she ceased not continually to prouoke Anthony against him yet obeyed he this commandement and transported himselfe thither the rather for that he durst not otherwise do notwithstanding he left his vncle Ioseph behind him committing the gouernment both of the kingdome his priuate
are we ouermuch afflicted neither as some thinke hath this miserie befallen vs thorow Gods displeasure but these are the casualties of fortune And if by the will of God these things are come to passe it is maruell if by the same will our calamitie cease not and that our punishment should not satisfie his displeasure But that this present war is approued by him for iust he himselfe hath euidently declared For whereas diuers thorow the whole region haue been oppressed by the earthquake none of you that bare armes haue incurred any mischiefe but all of you haue beene preserued which is a manifest token of the will of God and if your children and wiues had generally followed the warres as you doe none of you should haue beene wanting When as therfore you shall haue bethought your selues of these things and moreouer in regard that God hath at all times an especiall care ouer you faile not to pursue this iniurious nation with a iust warre that neither respecteth the lawes of friendshippe nor keepeth the league of couenant valiunt in murthering sacred Embassadours and abiect and villanous where things are to be attempted by valour These perswasions of his did not a little encourage the Iewes to the battell and made them more forward then before As for Herode after he had offered sacrifice according to the custome he drewe his army foorth and led them with great confidence against the Arabians and passing Iordan he encamped neere vnto the enemy with an intent to surprise a fort scituate betweene them both making his account that it would further him much either if vpon the present he should be drawne forth to fight or if it concerned him to march onward for that this place would serue him to encampe in with more securitie The same resolution also had the Arabians for which cause they fell to skirmish in that place wherein the first on both sides that gaue the charge and afterwards some other followers were slaine so that those of the Arabians side being ouercome betooke them to retreat This successe of theirs bred no little hope in the Iewes who seeing the enemies army addressed to attempt any thing rather then to fight waxed the more hardie to assaile the Arabian in his trenches and beate him from his campe They being forced by these assaults drew forward to their defence in great disorder bringing neither courage nor hope of victorie with them yet notwithstanding they defended themselues both in regard of their great number as also in respect of that necessitie whereunto they were inforced by the Iewes The skirmish on both sides was hot and diuers on either party were put to the sword but in the end the Arabians being put to the worst turned their backes The slaughter was so great that they not onely perished by their enemies swords but they themselues also murthered one another in the prease and disorderly flight in which they were troaden vnder foote and lay slaughtered in a manner by their owne weapons So that in that discomfiture there died some fiue thousand the rest hastily fled on the other side of the rampire But being ouerpressed with want of victuals and in especiall with lacke of water they had not any ground or assurance to escape After them posted the Iewes and being vnable to recouer the fortresse with them they begirt the campe with a siege and shut vp all the passages that no succour could come vnto them and tooke from them all opportunitie to escape although they should affect flight When as therefore they saw themselues reduced into such extremitie they sent Embassadours vnto Herode first of all to demaund a truce and afterwards for that they were oppressed with thirst to craue some remedy for their present necessities But he neither respected the Embassadours neither the profered raunsome for the captiues nor any other whatsoeuer reasonable demaund desiring earnestly to reuenge himselfe of those iniurious treacheries they had practised against his Embassadours Being therfore inforced by thirst which amongst other plagues most grieuously afflicted them many of them forsooke their trenches and offered themselues to bonds and to be led away captiues so that within fiue daies space foure thousand of them yeelded themselues prisoners On the sixt day all the rest determined to sally out and assaile the enemy rather making choise of assured death then thus lingeringly and ignominiously to pine away When as therefore they had all concluded hereupon they incontinently brake out of their trenches but like vnapt souldiers for a skirmish decaied not onely in body but in minde reputing their death for an aduantage to escape thereby their extreme misfortunes For which cause vpon the first onset about some seuen thousand of them were slaine and thus the fiercenesse of this nation being alaied by this ouerthrow they submitted themselues to Herode whom to their owne sorrow they had approoued to be a valiant souldier CHAP. IX Herode constrained to repaire vnto Augustus Caesar putteth Hircanus to death HErode puffed vp with his succesfull good fortune returned backe into his owne country hauing obtained great estimation and reputation by his valour and vertue But at such time as he supposed his state to be most assured he grew in danger both to lose his dignitie and life by reason of that victorie that Caesar obtained against Anthony in the Actian war For at that time he not onely supposed himselfe to be vtterly ouerthrowne but both his friends and enemies that were round about him lost their hopes for that it was vnlikely that he should escape vnpunished who had beene so inwardly vnited in friendship with Anthonie Whereby it came to passe that his friends in no sort concealed their despaire and his enemies vnder their colourable and dissembled griefs couered their ioy promising themselues thereafter a better and more pleasing administration of the common weale Hereupon Herod perceiuing that except Hircanus there was not any one of the bloud royall aliue determined to cut him off resoluing with himselfe that if he hapned to escape the danger that a man who at that time was more worthier the kingdome then himselfe should not entermeddle amongst his affaires and if anie misfortune should be fall him in regard of Caesar he desired to dispossesse Hircanus of the kingdome in regard of the enuy which he bare him for that he was the onlie man who deserued to be aduanced to that dignitie Whilest thus he was tormented and trauelled in his thoughts he had an occasion offered him by Hircanus owne followers to execute his intention For Hircanus being of a mild and gentle nature during all his life time forbare to entermeddle with state affaires committing all things to fortune and contenting himselfe with whatsoeuer condition it pleased her to alot him But Alexandra being an ambitious woman and vnable to conceale with modestie the hope she conceiued of change sollicited her father that he should not any longer endure
This disease of his was an inflammation or paine in the necke he seemed also in some sort to raue and waxe mad neither could any remedies relieue him of his agony but when as the sicknes seemed rather to increase all men at last grewe almost desperate of his recouery For which cause his phisition partly in respect of the contumacy of his disease partly because in so great daunger there was not any free election of diet they gaue him leaue to taste whatsoeuer best pleased his appetite committing the vncertaine euent of his health to the hands of fortune Whilest thus he soiourned in Samaria which now is called Sebaste Alexandra inhabiting at that time in Ierusalem hauing notice of this his estate sought to reduce all the strong fortresses that were within the citie vnder her subiection the one of which abutted vpon the temple the other was scituate within the citie for they that are Lords of these keepe all the rest of the nation vnder their awe because that without these neither the vsuall and daily sacrifices may be performed neither may the Iewes liue without such sacrifices and oblations who had rather loose their liues then contemne their religion She therefore laboured those that had the gouernment thereof to surrender them vp to her and Herods children begotten of her daughter Mariamme for feare least he being dead they should be seazed by others and if it should fortune him to recouer his health in the meane while they might be kept and held by no man more securely then such as were his domesticall friends This suite and sollicitation of hers was but coldly conceited of and the captaines who at other times shewed themselues alwaies faithfull at that time were the rather farre more constant in their dutie both for that they hated Alexandra as also for that they thought it a great offence to dispaire of the health of their prince For these were the kings olde friends and one of them was Herodes owne nephew whose name was Achiabus For which cause they sent present messengers vnto him to certifie him of Alexandras intent who hauing heard these newes presently commanded her to be slaine and at length ouercōming his sicknes he grew so badly affected both in bodie and mind that hee waxed hatefull vnto all men so that all those who offended him for how little cause soeuer were readily sought for to be punished In this his intemperance he imbrued his hands in the bloud of diuers of his inward friends as Costabarus Lysimachus Antipater surnamed Gadias and Dositheus for this occasion that ensueth Costabarus was an Idumean and one of the greatest account amongst his countrimen who was descended from the Priests of Cozas whom the Idumaeans esteeme for a God Now after that Hircanus had drawen the policy of the Idumaeans to the reformed customes of the Iewes Herode was made king of the Iewes and appointed Costabarus to be gouernour in Idumaea and Gaza giuing him Salome his sister to wife after he had put Ioseph to death to whom she had bin maried before time as we haue heretofore declared Costabarus seeing himselfe in this estate beyond his expectation grew more elate and proud then his good fortune required and in a little time forgot himselfe so farre that he thought himselfe dishonoured if he should performe that which Herod commaunded him and scorned that the Idumaeans should be vnder the Iewes subiection notwithstanding they had receiued their manner of gouernment from them He therefore sent messengers vnto Cleopatra giuing her to vnderstand that Idumaea had alwaies beene vnder her ancestors subiection and for that cause she ought vpon iust cause to demaund and beg that countrie at Antonius hands and that in respect of himselfe he was readie to become her seruant All which he practised not to gratifie Cleopatra in any sort whatsoeuer but to the intent that if Herodes fortunes should be any waies weakned he might more easily by this meanes both inlarge and obtaine the kingdome of Idumaea And with these foolish hopes was he transported in regard of his birth and riches which he had heaped togither by such dishonest meanes as he continually practized as he that intended no small matters But notwithstanding Cleopatras often and earnest petition to obtaine this soueraigntie yet could she not obtaine it at Antonius hands When Herode had notice of these couert and cunning practises he was readie to kill Costabarus But vpon the earnest supplications of his sister and hir mother he dismissed and pardoned him yet held him alwaies in suspition by reason of this his practise Not long after it hapned that Salome fell at debate with Costabarus for which cause she sent a libell of diuorse to her husband notwithstanding it were against the lawes and ordinarie customes of the Iewes For according to our ordinances it is onely lawfull for the husband to do the same and as touching the wife notwithstanding she were separated yet is it not lawfull for her to marrie againe except hir husband first giue her licence But Salome without respect of the lawes of the countrey grounding her selfe too much vpon her owne authoritie forsooke her husband saying that she separated her selfe from her husband by reason of the great friendship which she bare vnto her brother for that she had receiued some notice that Costabarus practised some innouation with Antipater Lysimachus and Dositheus And this accusation of hers confirmed she by Babas children whom he had alreadie kept with him in all securitie for the space of twelue yeeres All which was true and at that time beyond all mens expectation wonderfully troubled Herode as soone as he heard it For as touching Babas sonnes he had heretofore resolued to cut them off for that they had been alwaies badly affected towards him and all his enterprises but all that time he had let them passe because by continuance they were growen out of his remembrance Now the cause of this enmitie and hatred which he bare towards them was gathered from this ground At such time as Antigonus enioyed the soueraignty and Herode besieged the citie of Ierusalem with an army now those incommodities necessities that ordinarily happen vnto those that are besieged were the cause that diuers acknowledged Herode and fixed their hopes vpon him But Babas sonnes being in authoritie and besides that attended by a great number of men perseuered in their faithfull obseruation of Antigonus and blamed Herode continually encouraging the inhabitants to continue the kingdome in those to whom it appertained by discent and they themselues followed that course which in their opinion was most profitably for the commonweale But after that the citie was surprised by Herode and he grew master of the estate Costabarus who was appointed to keepe the citie gates and to lie in wait that none of those who were accused to haue forsaken the kings side should escape knowing that the sonnes of Babas were greatly esteemed
him to disobey him therein and whilest he was in danger of death for this his delay the sodaine and successefull death of Caius warranted him from the same Yea so farre stretched his vnbridled fury that hauing a daughter newly borne he caused her to be caried into the Capitol and laid at the feete of the Image of Iupiter saying that that child was common betwixt him and Iupiter leauing the iudgement to all men which of the two parents were the greatest And notwithstanding all these his misdemeanours yet did men tolerate him He gaue liberty to slaues also to accuse their masters of whatsoeuer crimes they would which was so much the more hateful because all things were done by Caesars authoritie to his good liking so that Pollux who was Claudius bondman durst accuse him and Caius the Emperour was contented among the Iudges to heare his vncle brought in question for his life hoping although it fell out otherwise to picke out an occasion to put him to death For hauing filled all the countries of his Empire with false accusations and all sorts of mischiefes and giuing slaues a prerogatiue aboue their masters their Lords deuised many conspiracies against him some for spight and with an intent to reuenge them of those iniuries they had receiued other some pretending by his death to preuent those inconueniences that threatned them In a vvord his death concerned the securitie of the lawes and the safetie of all men and had he not beene speedily cut off on t nation almost had beene vtterly exterminated For which cause I thought good to make an exact and ample declaration of euerie occurrent namely for that the knowledge there of maketh very much towards the manifestation of Gods power and will which bring consolation vnto those who are in aduersitie and keepe them within the bounds of modestie who suppose that their prosperitie should continue alwaies firme and that although they neglect vertue thinke that no euill may befall them Three plots of conspiracie were intended against him and purposed to his vtter mine each of which was attempted by men of great reckoning For Aemilius Regulus who was borne in Corduba in Spaine was fully resolued to kil him himselfe or to make him away by the meanes of his confederates Chaereas Cassius colonel ouer a thousand men was the chieftain of an other band and Annius Minucianus was in no lesse readines to doe his vttermost herein The cause that moued thē to accord thus altogither in hatred against Caius was that in resp◅ct of Regulus he was by nature a detester of all iniquitie for he was a man endowed with great magnanimitie and beautified with a liberall spirit so as he dissembled not any of his counsails but communicated them with many who either were his friends or valiant men fit for execution And as touching Minucianus he was induced to seeke his reuenge thorow the desire he had to doe iustice on him in Lepidus behalfe who had beene one of his especial friends one of the rarest men that were euer found among the Roman citizens whom Caius had put to death thorow the feare he had conceiued of him knowing well that all they against whom Caius was incensed could not escape with lesser indignitie then losse of life As for the third man Chaereas he could not endure the shame reproch of cowardise that Caius had obiected against him but feared besides that his friendship inward familiarity with Caius would draw him into manifest dangers for which cause his owne securitie and honours sake he thought good to make him away Generally all of them were resolued to ridde the world of Caius bring an end to his pride and tyrannical power for their hope was that their attempt should haue good successe which if it happily fel out their coūtrey and cōmonweale should reape the fruits therof for whose securitie safetie it became them to hazard thēselues though it were with the losse of their heads But aboue all the rest Chaereas was egged on with a desire he had to grow famous and thorow the facilitie conuenient means he had to finish the same because his colonels roome gaue him most secure accesse vnto him About that time the Circensian games were solemnized which is a kind of pastime which the Romanes very willingly behold and to this intent they resort to the place of these exercises and the common people is wont to demaund somewhat at their Emperours hands which they desire to obtaine and they after they haue examined their requestes doe neuer refuse them Now they required with instant and importunate supplications that Caius would discharge them of their taxations and moderate the excessiue tributes which they paied but he would giue no eare vnto them and caused those to be apprehended who called vpon the matter most earnestly sending of his guard some of them one way some of them another to put them to the sword After he had giuen this commaundement and they who receiued the charge had fully executed it there were a great number of men slaine The people seeing this ceased to exclaime any more setting light by their goods and seeing before their eies that their refusall would be the cause of their deaths These considerations incited Chaereas the more to execute his enterprise to the end he might finish his furious and lawlesse life whose pleasure was all mens iniury preiudice And very oftentimes was he determined to set vpon him whilest he banqueted yet deferred he to do the same not for that he failed or fainted in his resolution but because he expected some fit oportunitie to hit him home and speede him to the death He liued captaine of Caius guard a long time yet tooke hee small pleasure in conuersing with him But after that Caius had appointed him to gather in his tributes and that money which was confiscate he seemed to haue lesse occasion then before for at that time he had doubled their paiments in the execution whereof he followed his owne nature rather then Caesars commaund and spared those of whom he ought to haue compassion for their pouertie sake Caius was sore displeased herewith and obiected it against him that the cause why he delayed the bringing in of his money was his cowardise and negligence And amongst other outrages that he offered him as oft as he gaue him the watchword as he vsually went to setch it once a day vpon his watch day he gaue him the names of women and other that were full of ignominie notwithstanding that he himselfe was not exempt from note of no lesse daintines For in certaine ceremonies which he himselfe had established he attired himselfe like a woman and was disguised with certaine vailes whereby he might the better counterfait that sexe and yet notwithstanding durst he obiect this dishonour to Chaereas As oftentimes as Chaereas receiued the watchword so often times grew he in choler which
displeaseth him for that there is no superiour to countermaund their sayings or that is exempt from reproofe if he offend against the commonweale or that may threaten with the authoritie of an Emperour for that shall be said For what else in these latter times hath increased and furthered our ouertopping tyranny then their slouthful feare who durst in no sort oppose themselues against his lust For being entangled by a certaine kind of pleasure of a quiet life and accustomed to liue after the manner of slaues and being afraid also to die vertuously and desirous to liue with shame we are fallen into these scarce sufferable calamities and into such mischiefs as haue concerned vs too neerely First of all therefore you ought to honour those who haue slaine the tyrant by dignifying them with as â—…reat honours as may be imagined and especially Chaereas For he only hath beene the man who by the power of the Gods and thorow his great wisedome and valour hath giuen you your liberty Neither ought you to forget him but to heape honours on his head yea especiall fauours as to the man who first of all consulted and first of all hazarded himselfe against a tyrant for your libertie It is an honest and wel beseeming action in men of free hearts to restore and repay condigne kindnes for the benefits that they haue receiued such is this man in your behalfe not like to Brutus and Cassius who murthered Caesar for they were the originals of seditions and ciuill warres in this citie and this man by the death of a tyrant hath not onely at once deliuered you of him but also hath cut off all those mischiefs that arose by him Thus spake Sentius and his aduice was entertained with great applause not onely by the Senators but the knights also that were there present Whereupon a certaine Senator called Trebellius Maximus arose and stepping to him pulled off the ring which Sentius had on his finger wherin was inchased a stone with Caius picture in it which Sentius had forgot to pul off so intent was he about that which he both said did and by this means the engraued Image was broken Now for that it was late Chaereas demaunded the watchword at the Consuls hands who gaue him the word Libertie Thus all of them were astonished at this chaunge and could scarcely beleeue that which had hapned For since that time that the popular gouernment had beene abolished the Consuls had neuer giuen the watchword vntill that present time For before the citie was oppressed by tyrannie the Consuls commaunded the men of warre After that Chaereas had receiued the word he gaue it to his souldiers who subscribed to the Senates authoritie of these there were about foure companies which preferred the lawfull gouernment before a tyrannie who also retired themselues to their chieftaines As for their parts the people returned to their seuerall houses full of ioy hope and courage for that they had regained the gouernment of the state which belonged vnto them and not to any particular gouernour In a word Chaereas was their onely hope He foreseeing that there would some mischiefe follow if Caius wife and daughter should remaine aliue and that if all his friends and family should not be vtterly extinguished all those who should be spared vvould serue to no other end but to the ruine of the commonweale and the lawes and on the other side desiring to see a finall end of that which he had begunne and to satisfie that hatred he had conceiued against Caius he sent Iuius Lupus one of the captaines of the guard to kill both his wife and daughter vvhich he did And the cause why hee gaue this charge chiefely to Lupus was for that Lupus was Clements kinsman who was a confederate in the execution of Caius to the end that partaking after this manner the death of the tyrant he might be knowne to haue dealt as forwardly for the common-weale as if from the beginning he had beene a counseller and agent in the conspiracie Notwithstanding there were some of his companions of that opinion that it should be but cruelty to deale with a woman in that sort for that Caius had offended thorow the corruption of his owne nature and not by the counsaile of his wife and that all those euils which he committed in the commonweale by desolating the flower thereof was his owne offence not hirs There were others that accused her to be the cause of all that which Caius had committed alledging that she had giuen him an amorous drinke by which he was tied and entangled in such sort vnto her and so led and transported by her loue that she gouerned all that which concerned the estate of Rome and the world subiect to Rome but her defenders preuailed nothing For finally it was resolued that she should lose her life To finish this Tragedie Lupus was dispatcht who lost no time in the accomplishment of their intent who had sent him for feare he had to be blamed and accounted but coldly affectionate towards the good of the common weale As soone as therefore he came into the pallace he found Caesonia Caius widow lying fast by the body of her slaughtered husband destitute of all that which the lawe gratifieth those that are dead with altogither bloudy and greatly afflicted hauing her daughter fast couched by her Being in this estate she was heard to vtter no other words but that she blamed Caius for that he had not giuen credit to that counsell which she had giuen him so often which words of hers were by certaine of them interpreted two waies For some of them thought that she meant that she had counsailed her husband to giue ouer his crueltie and murthers which he exercised against his Citizens and that in his gouernment he should vse a tempered measure with vertue for feare least his subiects misliking of his manners should seeke his destruction Others tooke it as if she had encouraged Caius to set vpon the conspirators and kill them without any delay yea before they had committed any offence and by that meanes prouide for his securitie They therefore said that Caesonia blamed Caius for that he had behaued himselfe too carelesly in that wherein she had counsailed him Such were the words Caesonia spake and such was the exposition as diuers men interpreted the same She seeing Lupus comming shewed him Caius body and besought him with teares and complaints to come no neerer But perceiuing that hee continued in his resolution and made no account of her words but did that for which he came after that she knew the cause of his arriuall she offered her naked throat vnto him with a great courage vsing such supplications as they ordinarily doe who despaire of their liues For she willed him to defer no longer to finish that Tragedie which his companions had begun and died in this sort couragiously by the hand of Lupus and after her
totter and many seeking to escape were maimed by some part of the ruines that fell vpon their bodies and many were choaked in the dust The Citizens of Gamala reioyced thereat thinking that this aide was sent from God and not regarding their priuate commodities they ceased not to compell the Romans into their houses and if any were in the narrow streetes them they slew with darts from aboue out of the high places Thus the ruines affoorded them stones enough and their slaine enemies swords and armour which they tooke from them being now halfe dead and vsed them against themselues many died who cast themselues headlong from off the houses being readie to fall and those that sought to flie could not easily escape for being ignorant of the wayes and there being such a dust that one could not see another one of them killed another And so with much adoe finding passage they went out of the Citie Vespasian who was alway amongst the middest of these hurlyburlyes was greatly moued to see the buildings fall so vpon his fouldiers and forgetting his owne safetie hee secretly retired himselfe with onely a few into the higher part of the Citie where he was left in great danger hauing verie few about him for Titus his sonne was not there being before this time sent vnto Mutianus in Syria and now he could not flie safely nor yet had it beene for his honour if hee could Wherefore remembring all that hee had done euen from his child-hood and his owne vertue he encouraged his men and with them ioyned armes and couered themselues with their shields and so as it were moued with some diuine motions defended themselues from all darts arrowes and stones which were cast from aloft vpon them and so remained there not terrified either by the number or might of his enemies till at last they wondring at his diuine vertue and courage asswaged their furie And now perceiuing his enemies to assault him but faintly he retired backe till at such time as he got without the Citie wals Many Romanes perished in that fight and amongst the rest Ebutius a Decadarch who not onely in that fight shewed himselfe valiant but also in many warres before and had done the Iewes much harme Also in that fight a certaine Centurion named Gallus accompanied with ten souldiers hid himselfe in a house and at supper time he heard the people of that house talke what the Citizens of Gamala were purposed to doe against the Romans this Gallus and they with him were Syrians and in the night time he slew them all and after escaped safe vnto the Romans Vespasian perceiued all his armie sorrowfull for that mischance and so much the more for that they neuer as yet had so bad a breakfast and especially for that they had forsaken their generall and left him in danger and distresse wherefore hee thought it good to comfort them nothing speaking conceming himselfe least hee should seeme to find fault with some in the beginning of his speech Wherefore hee told them that it behooued them patiently to abide that which was common to all men affirming that there was no victorie without bloudshed and that fortune was mutable and that he had alreadie slaine many thousand Iewes and now had paide a small bribe for his happie successe vnto aduerse fortune And that as it did not become any but vaineglorious people to boast in their prosperitie so it behooued none but cowards to feare and tremble in aduersitie For said he fortune is verie mutable both to the good and bad and hee is a valiant man that is not moued by aduersitie for hee hauing all his wits about him can euen in the middest of his troubles see where any fault is amend it Yet quoth he this hath not befallen vs throgh the weaknesse of our courage or the valour and prowes of the Iewes but the difficultie of the place was the cause that they should ouercome vs and we be ouercome Wherefore one may well reprehend the too much rashnesse of your spirits for when you saw your enemies flie into the higher places you should then haue held your hands and not to haue pursued them with so manifest danger to your selues as euerie one might foresee in this pursuite so you hauing gained the lower part of the Citie you might in time haue drawne them to a sure and safe conflict but you being eager of the victorie you did not respect your owne safetie It is not the manner of the Romanes rashly and vnaduisedly to fight who are woont to doe all thinges orderly and aduisedly for the other is fit for barbarous people and as you see proper to the Iewes Wherefore let vs call our owne vertues to minde and rather bee angrie for this that hath happened and so incite our selues to reuenge then sorrowfull And let euerie valiant soldier with his owne hand comfort himselfe so shall we both reuenge the deaths of our friends and be reuenged of them by whom they were slaine and I my selfe as also now I did will expose my selfe to all dangers with you and go first to fight and come last from fight With these and such like speeches he comforted his souldiers The people of Gamala were of great courage and much emboldened with their prosperous successe which notwithstanding did not happen through their valour but presently perceiuing that now all hope of pardon was taken away and that there was no way to escape they were verie sorrowfull and their hearts relented for now victuals failed them yet they omitted not to prouide for their owne safetie wherein they could for the most valiant amongst them kept the breach and the rest other strong places about the walles which were yet vnbattered The Romans againe builded mounts and attempted to assault the Citie and many of the Citizens fled by the vallies where no guard was and by secret vaults vnderneath the ground and they who for feare least they should be taken remained in the Citie perished for hunger for all the victuals were reserued for them that fought And they still continued in this calamitie CHAP. II. How Placidus tooke the mountaine Itaburium DVring this siege Vespasian made another expedition against them who kept the mountaine Itaburium scituated betweene the great field and Scythopolis which is thirty furlongs high and inaccessible on the North side In the verie top of this mountaine there is a plaine twentie furlongs ouer enclosed with a wal all which wal being of so huge a compasse Ioseph had built in 40. daies they receiued all necessarie prouision from beneath for they had only raine water Vnto this place a huge multitude were gathered and Vespasian sent Placidus against them with sixe hundreth horsemen who could no waies get vpon the mountaine wherefore he exhorted many of them to peace putting them in hope of pardon likewise diuers of the Iewes came downe vnto him as it were to entrap him
these speeches he ioyfully yeelded vp the Ghost It is most true therefore which we at first affirmed to wit that the enduring of paines and torments is wrought by our reasons lore which once determined and resolued maketh a prosperous suffering of paines with all patience who wisely aduising men to that which is best doth settle confirme our opinions to follow it If therefore reason and the inferiour powers be at variance we must subiect them to reason if we will make a perfect victorie With this guide of reason our father Eleazar was most safely directed neither to be ouercome with paines nor to giue place vnto vnlawfull enticements and allurements he saued the ship of his bodie from all shipwracke that might arise by the tempestuous stormes of vanitie and suffered himselfe with no contrarie winde to be driuen from the right course yea though it was tossed vpon the waues of tyrannie yet did it remaine sound and vnbroken and keeping a direct course arriued in the hauen of saluation Neuer any man did seeke so valiantly to defend his Citie from an enemie as this holy olde man did his soule who amongst stripes crosses and flames was still the same man he was before For as the toppe of a high rocke standeth sase and resisteth the waue without any domage vnto it selfe euen so did the rocke of reason in this man beat backe the rage of those tempestuous waues that did beat against his bodie not permitting them to breake in and pierce the celestiall and diuine power of the soule O happie olde man more blessed then all of thy age O priest more sacred then all other priests who didst not pollute thy sacred lips with prophane meats impietie found no entrance that way from whence so many praiers to God had proceeded The tyrants cruelty could not preuaile against thee thou therfore art made an example for all priests of God to imitate Such a one behooued it a priest to be more strong then torments more able to suffer then the torturers to inflict punishment more forcible then princes commands yea and more potent then the fire wherein thou didst perish and finally thou wast ordained to be crowned with the lawrell of martyrdome for thy sufferance Thou hast surpassed all antiquitie thou shalt be an example to all posterity If then feeble olde age wherein al strength and heat of bodie was extinguished now vnfit to suffer torments as being alreadie broken with age could by the aduice of reason endure so many torments so many miseries who dare denie reason to be the chiefe cause of our sufferance We haue seene that all cruelty hath beene ouercome by a determination to persist in the seruice and feare of God yet many affirme that not all men who vse the aduice of reason are able to vndergoe such agonies but their assertion is vaine and of no force for most euident it is that he onely is ouercome by paine whom wisedome hath not armed with patience And no maruaile if he who rashly enterprise so waightie a matter and with due consideration do at last forsake and repent himselfe of that which he so vnaduisedly vndertooke But if we with due aduice and deliberation arme ourselues it is not an easie matter to remoue vs by any misfortune from our determination when we make account that misfortune will betide vs we are not easily dismaied thereat when it doth beride for that nothing befell vs that we expected not Therefore he that is wise and valiant is able to conquer his passions for that he doth well deli berate and when he commeth to his agony can put his determination in execution Neither is the wisedome of this olde man so much to be admired seeing children and as it were infants haue so deserued commendations in this point that they did worke astonishment in their tormentors for the courage and crueltie of Antiochus being ouercome by the wisedome of old age was now the more increased and by wicked counsell caused seuen worthie children of the Hebrews to be brought vnto Antioch out of their Castle Sosandrum who being young in yeeres and so as hee thought weake and vnable to suffer torments his hope was that either by perswasions or terror of tortures he might force them to renounce their religion He therefore commaunded these seuen together with their mother Salomona who now grew well in yeeres to bee brought before him so they according to his commaund were brought being of excellent beautie and worthie children of so vertuous a mother yea they resembled angels their faces shining like the cleare light of the Sunne their eyes sparkled in most comely and decent maner as testifying that they surpassed in vertue al other of humane race and condition Shee was descended of most vertuous and noble parentage and so shee her selfe had continued and liued but that excellent feature of body enriched with nobilitie of bloud and dignitie was now also made more noble by vertue and fortitude wherein shee passed all other things that could bee said in her commendations The tyrant beholding them and their mother amongst them with merrie and gladsome countenance hee thus craftily spake vnto the children I wish your good O admirable young-men for so both your beautie of body and noble parentage perswade me doe not therefore like mad men resist my commaund auoide not onely torments but death also For I desire not onely to exalt you vnto honour but also to increase your riches and possessions contemne the superstitious and superfluous beliefe of your Countrimen and imbrace our religion Which if you refuse to doe as I hope you will not I will deuise all torments whereby I may by a lingering and paineful death consume you And to the end to terrifie them the more he commaunded all instruments of torment to bee presented vnto their view and eye-sight So wheeles roddes hookes rakes rackes caudrons cagâ—… gridirons were brought forth and engines to torment the fingers and hands gauntlets awles bellowes brazen pots and frying pans for these are the names which we find For that which I terme bellowes was a thinne plate of yron to kindle or blow the fire with like a fanne and farre more horrible deuises of torments were shewed vnto them too long to rehearse whereof they hauing had a sight Antiochus said Consent vnto me O prudent young men for if that I commaund you to commit a sinne yet doe you not offend in doing it seeing you commit it onely vpon compulsion But the young youthes inflamed with a diuine spirit and sense contemned so many kinds of torments and despised the tyrants threates and flatteries and most godly for they gaue him no iust occasion they did driue the tyrant into a greater rage And by this it is euident how reason is maister ouer passion for if any slouthful man not before trained vp to it should of a sodaine come to such a push at the verie sight of such torments