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
at length they should too lately and vnprofitably repent them of their errour yet that God their establisher should restore Cities to the Citizens and a Temple to his people And that it should come to passe that they should not lose this only one time but also very many times Then did Moses also exhort Iesus that he should lead his army against the Chanaanits promising him that God would be assistant in his actions prophecying besides much good hap vnto the people Since that saith he I go vnto mine ancestors and that God hath prefixed this day and time of my departure I protest before you that liuing as yet and standing in your presence I giue him thanks for the care and prouidence which he hath hitherto had of your affaires not onely in propulsing your aduersaries but also in largely imparting his blessings vnto you and for that he hath alwaies fauourably helpt me whilst I indeuoured by my labour and care to reduce your fortunes to a better state And that which is more it is he that hath giuen both the entrance and the issue making vse of me but as his committee and seruant in all that good which he would should be done vnto his people For all which things I haue thought it requisite that in departing from you I should blesse the power of God who in time to come shall haue the care and charge of you And to acquit my selfe of that debt I leaue you this in remembrance which is that you ought to serue and honour him and reuerence the ordinances which he hath giuen you whereby continuing his fauours towards you he will grant you grace to conserue and keepe this excellent gift Truly that law-maker that were no more then a man would be greatly displeased and highly discontented with those men who should violate his ordinances and should set them at noughts doe not you therefore tempt God who is prouoked vnto anger when those lawes which he himselfe hath established and giuen you shall be contemned and neglected Whilest Moses pronounced these his last words and discoursed vnto the tribes their seuerall destinies the whole multitude brake into teares and the women beating their breasts shewed and expressed the sorrow they had conceiued at his death The children likewise lamented making it knowne that they could not be masters of their owne sorrow because that in their tender yeares they had vnderstood the vertue and famous acts of Moses and betwixt the elder and younger sort there was as it were a conflict who should weepe more bitterly for the one vnderstanding of how worthie a gouernour they were depriued lamented the time to come and the other were perplexed because they should then forsake him before they had sufficiently tasted and made triall how great his vertue was But how great the compassion and complaint of the people was a man may make coniecture by this that then befell the Prophet For although he were assuredly perswaded that a man was not to lament vpon the instant of his death in that it chanced vnto him both according to the will of God and the law of nature yet he beholding the affection of the people could not temperate and restraine himselfe from teares And whilest he was borne thither where he vanished out of their sight all of them followed him wetting their faces and bosomes with flowing teares Then did Moses beckening with his hand warne them from a farre off that they should stand stil and keep their places exhorted them that were neerest him by word of mouth that they should not follow nor prosecute him any further with teares for feare least they should make his departure tragicall and lamentable Onely the Senate led him forth and Eleazar the high Priest and the chiefetaine Iesus And when he was arriued vpon the mountaine called Abarim which is verie hie and scituate neere vnto Iericho and from whence he might discouer the greater part of the land of Chanaan he dismissed the elders and whilest with mutuall embraces he tooke his last leaue of Eleazar and Iesus and discoursed with them a cloud sodainly enuironed him and he was taken away into a certaine valley but in the scripture he writeth that he died fearing least for the excellencie of his vertue they might report that he was rauished and taken away by God The whole time of his life was one hundreth and twentie yeares the third part whereof he spent in gouernment one month onely exempted He died the last month of the yeare the first day of that month which the Macedonians call Dystrus and our countrimen Adar Of all men the wisest that euer was and who in execution of his good counsels had no man to equall him Moreouer in eloquence he was incomparable and in dexteritie and grace to intertaine and perswade the people he had no second and so were his affections alwaies leuelled and limited by his wisedome that he seemed vtterly to want them and that onely he knew the names of those passions which he perceiued to be too actiue in other men In his gouernment he was matchlesse in his prophecies peerlesse so that all the orations that he made seemed to be Oracles For which cause the whole multitude mourned for him during the terme of thirtie daies neither were the Hebrewes euer seased with so extreme griefe as they were at that time when the Prophet died neither did he onely leaue behind him a present desire of him but a great estimation amongst all men who haue euer chanced to read and examine his writings whilst by them they make estimate of his vertues And these are those things which I thought good to be spoken of the death of Moses THE FIFTH BOOKE OF THE ANTIQVITIES OF THE IEWES WRITTEN BY FLAVIVS IOSEPHVS The Contents of the Chapters of the 5. booke 1 How Iesus Generall of the Hebrewes hauing ouercome and slaine the Chanaanites deuided their land amongst the Tribes by Lot 2 How after the death of the Generall the Israelites neglecting the ordinances of their forefathers fell into extreme calamities and thorow a ciuill warre that was raised amongst them there were but 300. of the tribe of Beniamin left aliue 3 How for their impietie the people of Israel were deliuered by God into captiuitie under the Assyrians 4 Their libertie by Cenizus 5 How the people once more were ouercome by the Moabites and exempt from seruitude by Iodes otherwise called Ehud 6 How they were brought vnder the subiection of the Chanaanites and restored to their libertie by Barac 7 How the Amalechites hauing entred the countrey of the Israelites and conquered them possessed and spoyled the same for the space of seuen yeares 8 How Gedeon deliuered the people 9 How some successors of Gedeon waged warre against the neighbour nations round about them 10 Of Sampsons strength and what mischiefes he did in Palestine 11 How the sonnes of Eli the Prophet were slaine in battell by
vertue of his ancestors as his owne particular valour the rather for that he had beene trained and maintained in warlike seruice To him they sent a messenger requiring him that he would assist them promising him that he should continue in the gouernment during the terme of his life But he was nothing mollified with this their request but reprochfully obiected against them that they had abandoned him at that time when as his brothers had done him open wrong for by reason he was not their brother by the same mother but a straunger begotten on a woman which their father had entertained for his paramour they had driuen him out of their family setting light by him by reason of his base birth yet notwithstanding he had liued in Galaad receiuing all those into wages which came vnto him of what place soeuer they were But after they had besought him and sworne vnto him that he should continue in the gouernment he became their generall in warre and speedily prouiding and foreseeing whatsoeuer was necessarie he encamped himselfe neere vnto Maspha and sent Embassadours to the Ammonites accusing them for inuading a countrey that belonged not vnto them They contrariwise blamed the Israelites for that they were fled like fugitiues from Egypt and commaunded that the Israelites should depart out of Amorrhaea which was their ancient patrimonie Ieptha answered that they had no reason to accuse their ancestors in respect of Amorrhaea but rather that they ought to giue them thanks for that they hac permitted them to enioy the countrey of Ammon by reason it was in Moses power to haue commaunded the same In a word they were resolued not to forsake the countrey which God had both giuen and purchased for them and which they had held in their possession for the space of three hundreth yeares alledging that he would defend the same against them by dint of sword with these words dismissed he the Embassadours of the Ammonites Then besought he God that it might please him to grant him victotie and he made a vow that if he returned vnto his house whole and in safetie he would offer vp in sacrifice that of his which he should first meete withall in his returne whereupon incountring the enemie he defeated him and pursued him killing those that fled continually till he came to the Citie of Maniathen Then entring the countrey of the Ammonites he destroyed diuers Cities and led away a great pray and deliuered and ransomed diuers slaues of that nation who had endured that seruitude for the space of eighteene yeares But as he returned homeward he fell into such an inconuenient as was no waies answerable to his noble actions For his onely daughter of the age of eighteene yeares came out to meete him whereupon resoluing and melting himself into teares he began to checke her for that so hastily she had issued forth to meet him by reason he had consecrated the first thing he mette withal to God But this accident was no waies displeasant vnto the Damsell but that she willingly died both for the victorie of her father and the deliuerance of her brethren she therefore besought her father that it would please him to grant her two months before she should be sacrificed to the end she might lament her youth with her companions and that after that terme her father might acquit himselfe of that vowe which he had made Ieptha granted her the terme and time she had limited which being expired he sacrificed his daughter for a burnt offering which oblation of his was neither conformable to the law nor agreeable vnto God by reason he examined not in his vnderstanding before â—…ee committed the act how it would be taken by those that should heare the report thereof The tribe of Ephraim hearing of his victories would haue sent out men of warre against him by reason he had not communicated his enterprise against the Ammonites with them but had onely reserued the pray and vsurped the honour of the execution to himselfe whereunto he answered first of all that being of his kinred they could not be ignorant that both hee and his were assailed by warre and had besides that also beene required to giue them their assistance whereunto they had answered verie faintly and being requested would not be present Secondly he tould them that that which they vndertooke was both vnlawfull and most wicked in that not daring to confront or assaile the enemie they made no bones to set vpon and assault their own brothers and familiars threatning them that if they gouerned not themselues he would by the assistance of God be reuenged on them But these words of his were both neglected and despised so that he was forced to arme himselfe against them and with an host of men sent from Galaad he made a great slaughter partly in pursuing those that fled partly also in preuenting their passage who fled vnto Iordan and the number of those that were slaine amounted to fortie thousand or thereabouts But after that Ieptha had gouerned sixe yeares he deceased and was buried in Sebei in the place where he was borne and in the countrey of Galaad After his decease Apsan tooke vpon him the gouernment He was of the tribe of Iuda of the Citie of Bethleem and had sixtie children thirtie males thirtie females which he left all aliue and maried he died when he was verie old without performing any thing worthie either recitall or memory during the space of his seuen yeers gouerment he was buried in his countrey Elon a Zabulonite his successour differed nothing from him in the same during the terme of ten yeares wherein he gouerned he atchieued nothing that was worthie commendation Abdon the sonne of Elon of the tribe of Ephraim of the Citie of Pharathon was declared soueraigne Iudge after Elon and is renowmed onely for his felicitie in his children by reason that the estate was in peace and securitie and that he exployted nothing worthy glorie he had fortie sonnes who had thirtie other children and he rode accompanied with these seuentie who were all of them expert on horsebacke He left them all aliue and died when he was verie old and was magnifically buried in Pharathon CHAP. X. Of Sampsons valour and how many mischiefes he did vnto the Philistines AFter his death the Philistines had the vpper hand ouer the Israelites and exacted tribute from them for the space of fortie yeares From that miserie were they ransomed after this manner Manoach an excellent man and one of the chiefest of the tribe of Dan recounted without exception for the onely esteemed Prince amongst them had a wife most famous for her beautie and excellent amongst all other of that time yet had he no children by her whereat he was verie sore displeased and for this cause he made his continuall praiers vnto God departing with his wife to his countrey farme beseeching him that it
Varus sitting in iudgement commanded all proofes to be brought and witnesses to appeare amongst whom were certaine of Antipaters mothers seruants lately apprehended who had letters from her to carie vnto him to this effect For asmuch as all those things are now knowne vnto thy father beware that thou returne not vnto him before thou hast obtained some warrant of thy safetie from Caesar. These and others being brought in Antipater also came in with them and prostrating himselfe before his fathers feete he said I beseech thee O father beare no preiudicate opinion against me lend me an open eare whilst I purge my selfe for if you please to giue me leaue I will proue my selfe guiltlesse But Herod with a vehement voice commanding him to hold his tongue spake thus vnto Varus I know Varus that both thou or anie other iust and indifferent Iudge will adiudge Antipater to haue deserued death and I feare me least you also should disdaine me for my bad fortune and thinke me worthy of all calamitie who haue begotten such sonnes as you see And yet this should moue thee so much the more to pitie me who haue beene so mercifull and carefull for such wicked caitifes For I had alreadie appointed those young men that are dead to be kings and brought them vp at Rome gotten them Caesars fauor but they whom I had so much honored and exalted vnto the crowne became traitors against mine owne life whose death was much auaileable to Antipater For his securitie I sought therein because he was a young man and the next that should succeed me but this cruell beast being more then full gorged with my sufferance patience hath emptied his stomacke euen vpon my selfe and thinketh my life too long is grieued that I liue to be old hath attēpted to make himself king not any other way but by murthering his father And for what cause did this come so to passe for that I recalled him out of the field where he was contemptible and casting them off whom I had begotten of a Queene appointed this to be heire of my kingdome I confesse vnto thee Varus my errour for I incited them against mee because that for Antipaters sake I depriued them of their right For wherein had I so well deserued of them as at this mans hands vnto whom being yet aliue I committed the sway and rule of my kingdome and openly in my will and testament declared him to be my heir and successor whole charges I with mine owne money haue still supported notwithstanding that I had bestowed vpon him the yeerely reuenues of fiftie talents And lately when he was to saile to Rome I gaue him three hundred talents and commended him vnto Caesar as the onely man of all my house who had preserued his fathers life And what was their offence if it be compared with Antipaters and what proofe vvas there of that for vvhich they suffred none but that vvhich this fellovv trecherously inuented Nay I may boldly say so of him vvho hath attempted to murder his father and novv doth hope to colour all againe vvith craft and deceit Beware Varus that he deceiue not thee for I knovv this beast and I euen novv see by his fained teares hovv probable a tale he vvill tell This fellovv once vvarned me that vvhilest Alexander liued I should bevvare of him and not put euerie one in trust vvith my person This is he vvho vvas vvont to go before me into my bed-chamber and looke about in euerie corner least some should haue lyen in vvait to haue effected any treason against me This is he vvho vvatched me in my sleepe and through vvhom I thought my selfe secure vvho comforted me vvhen I mourned for them that vvere put to death This is he vvho censured the good vvil of his brethren vvhen they vvere aliue This vvas my defender chāpion O Varus vvhen I remember his crafts and subtilties and all his counterfeitings I scarcely thinke my selfe aliue admiring how I escaped the hands of such a traitor and seeing that Fortune stirreth vp those of mine owne house against me and that those whom I most esteeme of are my greatest enemies I will bewaile mine owne fortune and alone lament mine owne desolation and not one that hath thirsted after my bloud shall escape although proofe be brought against euerie one of my children And thus his heart being surcharged with sorrow hee was forced to breake off his speech and presently he commanded Nicholaus one of his friends to shew all the proofes and euidences All this while Antipater lay prostrate at his fathers feete and lifting vp his head he cryed aloud Thou thy selfe O father sufficiently purgest me For how should I be one who sought to murther thee when thy selfe dost confesse that I alwayes haue preserued thee from all dangers Or if as thou saist I did it fainedly was it probable that I wold be so circumspect in other affaires and at other times and now in so waightie a matter play the part of a foolish sencelesse man nay I might well thinke that although such a thought might haue beene kept secret from men yet it could not be hidden from God who seeth all things Was I ignorant what befell my brethren whom God so punished for their wicked intents towards thee Or what should cause me to enuie at thy life The hope of the kingdom Why I had the kingdome Or a suspition of thy hatred towards mee I knew thou louedst mee Or anie feare which I had of thee Nay in obeying thee I was feared of others Perhaps want might cause mee thereto Much lesse For who might spend more then I Truly if I had beene the wickedst person in the world or the cruellest beast vpon the earth yet should I haue relented being ouercome by the benefits of so louing a father seeing as thy selfe hast said thou didst recall and preferre me before so many sonnes And thou yet aliue didst proclaime me king and made me a spectacle to all men for to emulate through the benefits thou bestowedst vpon me O wretch that I am O vnhappie time of my absence out of my country what an head did I giue to enuie what oportunitie to malicious deceitfull people Yet O father it was for thy sake and about thy affaires that I went to Rome that Syllaeus might not triumph ouer thy old age Rome can witnesse my pietie and Caesar the Prince of the whole world who did often call me a louer of my father Receiue here O father his letter farrer 〈◊〉 then these fained calumniations against me let these plead my cause let these shew my affection towards thee remember how vnwilling Iovas to saile to Rome knowing I had here in thy countrey many secret enemies Thou like an vnwise father hast cast me away thou force 〈◊〉 to giue enuie time to frame accusations against mee but now I vvill come to the proofes of
our God giueth vs more courage to suffer then thou hast to punish and so the precept of God remaineth firme in vs. And as he thus spake one tooke holde of his tongue with a hot paire of tongs and he suffering the same torments that his brethren had done and fried in a frying pan he gaue vp the Ghost Sixe of the brethren being now dead by diuersitie of torments onely one of the seuen remained aliue with his mother named Iacob younger in yeeres but not in constancie of minde then the rest of his brethren hee presenting himselfe before the tyrant moued him to compassion both for that he was left alone and the last of his brethren and also that he was to perish wherefore he called the child vnto him and into a place where no instruments of torment were and taking him by the hand he said thus vnto him hoping to winne him by faire speeches By thy brethrens calamitie thou now well hast learned what is prepared for thee if thou disobey me deliuer thy selfe therfore from these torments I will giue thee what honour my kingdome can affoord thou shalt be a Magistrate and generall of my armie and one of my councellors But perceiuing himselfe not to preuaile he caused the young mans mother to be called vnto him who comming and standing neere her sonne the tyrant said thus vnto her Where are now O worthie woman all thy children Behold of such a number if thou please the destinie affoords thee one aduise therefore thy child and mollifie his obstinate minde by wholesome corunsell The mother hauing heard what the king said she enclined her selfe vnto the king which done that the king might not vnderstand her she spake in Hebrew to her child as followeth Pitie thy mother O sonne and comfort thy sorrowfull mother who bare thee nine moneths in my wombe and gaue thee sucke three yeeres and with great industrie haue brought thee vpto this age I pray thee deare sonne consider the heauen and earth and al that in them is and know that God created them all of nothing who also of nothing made mankind Feare not this Ethnicks paines and torments but imitate thy brethren and contemne death that in the day of mercie I may receiue thee and thy brethren againe in heauen As his mother thus admonished him he in the Hebrew tongue requested to be vnbound for that he had a secret to disclose vnto the king who being vnlettered he presently ranne to the torments prepared for there was a frying pan red hot that was prepared for such as were to suffer vnto the which the child comming remembring his brethren beholding also the king he said vnto him Cruell tyrant I now know thee not onely to haue beene cruell against my brethren but euen crueltie itselfe Wretch that thou art who gaue thee this purple and who exalted thee to this kingdom dignitie euen he whom thou in vs dost persecute whose seruants and worshippers thou killest and tormentest for which thy wickednes thy selfe shall suffer eternal fire and torments which shall haue no end Thou art of higher dignitie authority in this world then other men yet he that made other men made thee also of the same nature that they are of al men are borne must die alike He that killeth another sheweth that himselfe may bee killed thou tearest and tormentest thy owne picture and image all in vaine thou in thy furie killest him whom not long since God created like thy selfe and according to the same law thou thinkest all lawfull which thy kingly power can commaund thou pullest out our tongues and tearest our bodies with fleshhookes and consumest vs with fire but they who haue alreadie suffered this haue receiued euerlasting ioy for their reward and thou shalt anuswere for all the punishment inflicted vpon them Thinke not that I expect any fauour at thy hands I will follow my brethren and remaine constant in our law The tyrant hearing thi swas wroth and caused him to be tormented but his mother in torment comforted him and with her kind hands held his head when with violence of the tortures bloud issued out of his mouth nose and priuie parts the tormentors not ceasing till life in him was almost spent but they by Gods appointment gaue ouer and so he tooke strength againe to endure more then any of his brethren had done at last his hands and armes being cut off he lifted vp his eies to heauen and cried O Adonai O Sabaor be mercifull vnto me and receiue me into the companie of my brethren let thy wrath now cease and grant them mercie who by vs doe make intercession to thee hauing said thus his tongue being pulled out he of his owne accord went into the fierie frying pan and so to the great admiration of Antiochus died Behold how euident it is that reason can rule our affections seeing that children hereby shewed more constancie then the tyrant could shew crueltie For it was reasons force that wrought in them that determination to suffer all torments rather then to forsake the way of saluation These constant young men doe fitly resemble inexpugnable towers and them who after a great tempest and shipwracke doe safely enter the harbour of saluation who guiding their course amidst the boysterous waues at last obtaine the wished shoare For euerie one of them strengthened the other by aduice and good counsaile and none of them was like an effeminate person loath to suffer martyrdome None vsed delay herein but one followed an others example Let vs therefore die for our law and imitate the three children whom the Assyrians fury condemned to the fierie furnace whose patience spread their fame euen vnto heauen Whilst thus one of them exhorted the other it came to passe that none of them offended but each one resolute in his religion tooke example of the vertue courage and constancie of their forefather Isaac who vnderstanding that it was Gods will he should be sacrificed he refused not to submit his bodie to his fathers sword Let vs quoth they yeeld our soules to him of whom we receiued both soule and bodie It is a small matter for vs to suffer losse of these members seeing that we shall in lieue of them receiue euerlasting blisse Abraham Isaac and Iacob doe ioyfully expect vs as coheires of their kingdome let vs glorifie that wombe wherein we were for ten moneths space let none of vs be more coward then the other nor none of vs degenerate from the other Wee that were all begotten of one father and sucked of one milke must in all things resemble one another wee had one teacher and one law inuiolate And in this golden bond of concord were these brethren linked togither and none of them mourned to see the other tormented but all reioyced at the others death O children whose dignitie farre surpasseth the royaltie of Kings and Princes whose glory and vertue is
and are examined The yong men with the ringleaders condemned to die The king trobled with many diseases Ant. lib. 17. cap. 9. Herod seeketh remedie in his sicknes at the hot bathes Herod full of melancholy The embassadors signifie Acmes death and bring letters that authorize Herod to punish Antipater The yeare of the world 3963 after Christs birth 1. Herode ouercome with paine would haue slaine himselfe Ant. lib 17. cap. 16. Antipaters death Ant. lib. 17. cap. 12. Herodes death signified to the souldiers Archelaus proclaimed king after his fathers decease Herodes pompous funerall The yeare of the world 3964. after the birth of Christ. 2. Ant lib. 17. cap. 11. The lamentations and banquets Archelaus maâ—… The yeare of the world 3964. after Christs birth 2. Archelaus promiseth his subiects all fauour Asedition about the pulling downe of the Eagle and the agents thereof Ant. lib. 17. cap. 12. Archelaus bountie towards the seditious The feast of Easter solemnly kept and much sacrifice offered Three thousand of the Iewes slaine at the feast of Easter Sabinus commeth into Iudaea to sease y e fortresses and keepe the treasure Ant. lib. 17. cap. 13. Antipas elected king by Herodes former testament striueth with Archelaus for the kingdome The yeare of the world 3964. after Christs birth 2. Antipas accuseth Archelaus by letters to Caesar. Caesar calleth a councell of Romane nobilitie Antipaters vehement accusation against Archelaus Antipater spareth no vehemency in accusing Archelaus The will changed during Herods sicknes Antipater against Archelaus Nicholaus defendeth Archelaus Archelaus humbleth himselfe at Caesars feete Caesars bountie and humanitie towards him The yeere of the world 3964. after Christs birth 2. Ant. lib. 17. cap. 14. Sedition in Ierusalem Sabinus seazeth the kings treasure and laboureth to get possessioÌ„ of his fortresses Three campes of the Iewes Sabinus getteth into the highest tower of the strongest castle A skirmish betweene the Iewes and Romanes The Romans fire the porches The yeare of the world 3964. after the birth of Christ. 2. Ant lib. 17. cap. 15. Simon one of the kings seruants taketh the kingdome vpon him Athrongaeus a shepheard vsurpeth the kingdome The end and issue of the warre Ant. lib. 17. cap. 16. Varus assisteth the Romanes against the Iewes Varus taketh diuers cities and castles of Iudaea Ammaus burnt Varus commeth to Ierusalem with his army and with his onely preseÌ„ce dismaieth the Iewes The yeare of the world 3966. after Christs birth 4. Varus crucified two thousand of the seditious Varus mercy and bountie to the Idumeans Ant. lib. 17. cap. 17. Ethnarch a ruler oâ—… gouernour The Iewes call Archelaus in question A bitter accusation of the Iewes against Herod and his sonnes Herods tyrannie and cruelty The Iewes beseech the Romanes to haue compassion on the remainder of the Iewes The yeere of the world 3966. after Chrâ—…s Natiuitie 4. Nicholaus defendethâ—… Archelaus before Caesar and the â—…est Caesar maketh Archelaus Ethnarch of Juâ—…ie The distribution of the kingdome to Herods children Those cities that were vnder Archelaus subiection Salome Princesse of Iamnia Azotus and Phasaelis Ant. lib. 17. cap. 18. A certaine young man faiâ—…ing himself to be that Alexander whom Herod slew deciueth manie Caesar desireth to see the yong man The yeare of the world 3966 after Christs birth 4. Caesar maketh the counterfait Alexander a gallery slaue and executeth his counseller Ant. lib. 17. cap. 1â—… Archelaus banished for his tyranny and his goods confiscated Archelaus dreame of the oxen eares of corne Archelaus refusing Mariamme marieth Glaphyra Glaphyra saw Alexander in her sleepe Ant. lib. 18. cap. 1â—… The yeare of the world 3973. after Christs birth 11 Three sects among y e Iewes of which the Esseans were the best The Esseans doctrine of mariage Among the Esseans goods are common The yeere of the world 3973. after Christs birth 11. The Esseans hospitalitie The Esseans apparrell Their religion and labour The Esseans in compassion and helping others haue free choice in other things they are ruled by their gouernour The Esseans sweare not The Esseans vowes and couenants The yeere of the world 3973. after Christs birth 11 The Esseans circumspect in Iustice. The Esseans reuerence the Sabboths The Esseans liue long time The Esseans constancy in the warre with the Romanes The yeare of the world 3979. after Christs birth 17. The Esseans esteeme the soule immortall but they beleeue not the resurrection of the dead The Grecians opinion of the soule of man The yeare of the world 3979. after Christs Natiuitie 17. The Esseans prophecy There is a colledge of the Esseans that differeth from the former in the point of mariage The second sect of the Pharisees The third of the Sadduces Ant. lib. 18. cap. 5. The yeare of the world 3997. after the Natiuitie of Christ. 35. The people would not condescend to Pilate to alter their country lawes Pilate admiring the constancy of the Iewes in their religion sendeth statuaes from IerusaleÌ„ The yeare of the world 3998. after Christs birth 36. The yeare of the world 3998 after Christs birth 33. Pilate beateth the seditious with clubs The yeere of the world 4001. after Christs birth 39. Agrippa Aristobulus sonne hateth Tiberius and insinuateth himselfe into Caius Caligulas friendship Tiberius raigned 22. yeeres sixe moneths and 3. â—…daies Caius Caesar giueth the Tetrarchie to Agrippa Aristobulus sonne and maketh him a king Ant. lib. 18. cap. 14. Herode and his wife remaine in Spayne The yeare of the world 4002. after Christs birth 40. Ant. lib. 18. cap. 15. Caius Caesar calleth and reputeth himselfe a God The feare the Iewes had of Petronius armie The description of Ptolemais Sand like glasse neere Memnons sepulcher The yeare of the world 4002. after the birth of Christ. 40. Petronius certifieth y e Iewes of the Romans power and Caesars threats The constancy of the Iewes Petronius once more assembleth the Iewes and threatneth them Petronius sendeth to Caesar and signifieth the Iewes supplication Petronius receiueth letters of Caesars death The yeare of the world 4005. after Christs natiuitie 43 Ant lib. 19. cap. 3. Caius raigned three yeeres and six moneths Agrippa is chosen both betwixt the Senate and Claudius for an arbiter The yeere of the world 4005. afterChrists birth 43. The Senates answere to Agrippa The Senate follow the souldiers to Claudius Claudius honorably entertainâ—…th the Senate Agrippas kingdome The yeere of the world â—…08 after Christs birth 46. Ant. lib. 19. cap. 5. Agrippa after he had raigned three yeeres in Caesarea dieth Herod after he had raigned in Chalcis dieth Ant. lib. 19. cap. 7. 8. Alexanders and Aristobulus Genealogy The yeâ—…re of the world 4011. after Christs natiuitie 49. The yeare of theÌ„ world 4011. after Christs birth 49. A filthy fact and speech of a souldier against the Iewes on a festiuall day Cumanus 〈◊〉 the peoples rage Some tenne thousand men thronged to death A souldier cutteth the booke of the holy scripture in peeces and burneth it
touching Euphrates and Tygris they flow into the redde sea Euphrates is called Phora that is to say dispersion or flower Tygris is called Diglat which signifieth streight and swift Gehon runneth by the countrey of Aegypt and signifieth as much as comming from the East the Greekes call it Nilus Now God commanded Adam and his wife to eate of the fruites of all other plantes and that they should abstaine from that of science telling them that at what time soeuer they should taste of the same they should die the death Whereas then at that time all liuing creatures were at accord one with another the Serpent conuersing with Adam and his wife was inflamed with enuie for that he sawe they should be happy if they continued in the obseruation of Gods commandements and that contrariwise they should cast themselues headlong into ruine and destruction if they should disobey the same He therefore maliciously perswaded the woman to taste the fruit of the tree of intelligence giuing her to vnderstand that the knowledge of good and euill was in the same and that as soone as they had tasted thereof they should lead a life no lesse happy then Gods and by this meanes he caused the woman to fall which tooke no regard of the ordinance of God For hauing her selfe tasted of this fruit and finding it pleasant and delicious in taste she perswaded her husband also to taste the same at which time they vnderstood that they were naked and sought meanes to couer themselues for this fruit had in it selfe the vertue to giue vnderstanding and to quicken the thought Then couered they themselues with fig leaues which they put before their priuities esteeming themselues more happy then they were before in that they had found out that which they wanted But when as God came into the garden Adam who before times was accustomed familiarly to talke with him finding himselfe guiltie of sinne hid himselfe from his presence but God wondring hereat asked him for what cause he fled and shunned him at that time whereas before time he had taken pleasure to talke familiarly with him Adam knowing that he had transgressed the ordinances and commandements of God answered him not a word but God spake vnto him after this manner I had prouided for you the meanes whereby you might haue led your life without sufferance of any euill or sense of any miserie so that all whatsoeuer was requisite for necessitie or pleasure might happen of it selfe vnto you by my onely prouidence without any trauell or care on your parts which if you had well vsed age had not so soone ouertaken you but that you might haue liued many yeares but thou hast scorned this mine ordinance and broken my commandement For in that thou art silent at this time it proceedeth not of vertue but of euill of which thou findest thy selfe culpable wherefore both old age shall quicklier come vpon thee and the daies of thy life shall be shortened Adam excused his sinne and required at Gods hands that he would not be incensed against him laying the fault of that which had happened on his wife alleadging that he had offended by reason he was suborned by her and the woman accused the Serpent But at that time God punished him because he had suffered himselfe to be ouercome by the counsaile of a woman that the earth thence forward neuer more of her owne accord should bring foorth fruit but that when they had trauailed and almost deuoured themselues in labour it should sometimes giue them foode and at other times refuse to sustaine them And as touching Eue he chastised her with child-bearing and throwes in trauell for that being her selfe deceiued by the Serpent she had drawne her husband by the same meanes into extreame miserie He tooke also from the Serpent his voice and was displeased against him * by reason of the malice he had conceiued against Adam and he put venome on his tongue declaring him an enemie both to man and woman whom he commanded to bruise the head of the Serpent as well for that the euill which chanced vnto men consisted in the head as also â—…at being assaulted in that part he is most easily done to death Moreouer hauing depriued him of his feete he condemned him to slide and traile himselfe along the earth And after that God had ordained them to suffer those punishments he translated Adam and Eue out of the garden into another place CHAP. III. Of the Posteritie of Adam and of the ten ages euen vnto the Deluge BVt Adam and Eue had two male children the first whereof was called Cain which signifieth acquisition and the second was called Abel which is as much to say as mourning they had also daughters These brothers addicted themselues each one of them to their particular exercises Abel the younger honoured iustice and supposing that God was present in all his actions he alwaies and wholy fixed his thoughts on vertue and his exercise was keeping of sheepe But Cain being the wickedest man amongst men and addicted to vnsatiable desire of profit was he that first found out the vse of the Plough and who killed his brother for the cause which ensueth Hauing concluded among themselues to sacrifice vnto God Cain offered the fruites of his labour and planting Abell presented milke and the firstlings of his folde which sacrifice of his was more acceptable to God in that it rather consisted of things produced of themselues by the order of nature then that which a couetous man had forcibly in a manner extorted from nature Hereupon Cain being wroth because his brother Abell was more honoured by God then himselfe slewe his brother and hauing hidden his bodie out of sight he thought that such a murther should be concealed But God knowing well this fact appeared to Cain and questioned with him as concerning his brother what might become of him for that many daies since he had not seene him when as heretofore he had alwaies seene him conuersant before him Cain being troubled and ignorant what aunswere he should make vnto God said first that he wondered what was the cause his brother was so long time absent and finally aggreeued in that God continued the quest and did more exactly seeke after him he said he was â—…ot his brothers keeper or bound to take care of his affaires Then God reproued and conuicted Cain of murthering his brother and spake vnto him after this manner saying that he wondered he should denie the knowledge of his brothers death whereas he himselfe had slaine him notwithstanding he acquited him of the punishment deserued for this murther by reason that Cain had done sacrifice and made request vnto God that it might please him to remit somewhat of the seueritie of his iustice against him yet did God curse him and threaten to punish his successors to the seuenth generation Then did he driue him his wife out of
be helde for vs to be conuicted to be the murtherers of our brother whose death will heape sorrow on our fathers head and draw our mother into great griefe and desolation thorough the losse of her sonne robbed and bereft from her beyond the ordinarie course of men For which cause he praied them to be aduised in these things that they would consider in their mindes what thing might happen if this child who was faire vertuous and yoong should be done to death praying them to giue ouer this vnnaturall resolution and to feare God who was both the iudge and witnesse of their deliberation intended against their brother and that if they would desist from this haynous act God would take pleasure in their repentance and reconcilement but if they proceeded in their enterprise he assured them that he would punish them like fratricides since nothing is hidden from his prouidence whether it be committed in the desart or attempted in the Citie For wheresoeuer men are there is it alwaies to be thought that God likewise is Further that when they should haue perpetrated this fact that they should alwaies haue their consciences as an armed aduersarie against them which neuer would forsake them whether they were good or whether such as theirs would be if they should fortune to murther their brother Furthermore he alleadged that it was an impious fact to kill a mans owne brother although he had done him iniurie and much more meritorious to forgiue a mans friend that had offended against him Moreouer he said that Ioseph had done them no wrong whose tender yeares rather required care and compassion at their handes then hate and tyrannie Besides that the cause of his slaughter would aggrauate their offence if it should be knowen that for enuie of his future felicitie they should take away his life all which good happe they likewise might participate by reason of consanguinitie and that it was their dutie to thinke that whatsoeuer blessing God imparted to Ioseph was theirs that for that cause they were to imagine that God would be more displeased against them if they should endeuour to depriue him of his life whom he had esteemed and adiudged worthy of prosperitie to come Ruben alledging these and many other things besought them and laboured to diuert them from shedding their brothers bloud but seeing that all these his motiues could in no sort mollifie them but that they hastened the rather to commit and perpetrate the murther he counselled them that at least wise they should allot him some milder kinde of death Telling them that he endeuoured all what in him lay at the first to disswade them but since it was throughly resolued among them that he should not liue that lesse mischiefe should follow of it if they would be ruled by his counsell for by that meanes their will should haue effect yet a more milde and lesse hurtfull in comparison of murther that it were better for them to temper their hands and keepe them immaculate by casting him into the next pit and there leauing him in the hands of death to this counsell all of them agreed So Ruben tooke Ioseph and bound him with cords and let him downe easily into a pit which was drie which done he departed to seeke out a more conuenient place for pasture But when Ruben was gone Iuda one of Iacobs sonnes espying certaine merchants of Arabia of the countrey of the Ismaelites who from the countrey of Galadena caried Spicerie and Syrian merchandise into Egypt he counselled his brothers to draw vp Ioseph out of the well and to sell him to those Arabians assuring them that by that meanes it would come to passe that Ioseph should die the farther off from them amongst straungers and as touching themselues they should be exempt from that pollution which counsell of his being commended by them all they drew Ioseph out of the pit and sold him to the Arabians for the summe of twentie siluerlings at such time as he was seuenteene yeares of age Now had Ruben resolued in himselfe to saue Ioseph without his brothers priuitie for which cause comming by night vnto the pit he called him with a loud voice seeing that he gaue him no answer he began to coniecture with himselfe that his brethren had done him to death he reproued them therefore verie bitterly but after they had told him what was become of him he gaue ouer his mourning After these things were thus brought to passe the brethren consulted amongst themselues in what sort they might cleere themselues from their fathers suspition and conclude among themselues to teare the coat wherewith Ioseph was attired at such time as he came vnto them and which they had taken from him when they cast him into the well to the end that hauing defiled it in the bloud of a Goate they might afterwards beare it vnto their father and shew it him to the ende he might suppose that Ioseph was slaine by wild beastes which done they came vnto the olde man not altogether ignorant of his sonnes misfortunes and told him that they had not seene their brother Ioseph neither could they assure him what mishappe had befallen him but that notwithstanding they had found his Ierkin altogether bebloudied and torne which made them suspect that he was slaine by some wilde beastes if so be he were sent vnto them attired in that coate But Iacob that hitherto expected and hoped for more succesfull tidings in that he supposed and hoped that Ioseph had onely beene captiue gaue ouer this opinion and tooke the coate for a most assured testimonie of his sonnes death for he knew that he was apparelled therewith at such time as he sent him to his brothers for which cause he lamented Ioseph from that time forward as being dead and as if he had not any more sonnes And such was the griefe of his heart that he conceiued no consolation in the rest but suffered himselfe to be perswaded by the brothers that Ioseph had beene slaine by sauage beastes he therefore sat him downe being clothed in sackcloth and charged with sorrow and neither could his sonnes by their counsels mittigate his moanes nor he himselfe remit the rigor of his Iamentation Now Ioseph was sold by the merchants and bought by Putiphar an Aegyptian Lord and a steward of King Pharaos houshold who held him in high estimation and trained him vp in all liberall sciences suffering him to liue not after a seruile but liberall manner and committing vnto his charge the care of all his houshold all which fauours he made vse of Yet was he no waies diuerted by these his priuiledges and promotions from his innated vertue testifying hereby that prudence doth not submit to aduerse fortune if a man vse the same orderly and not at that time onely when fortune fauneth and flattereth It fortuned not long after that his masters wife was enamoured with him both in
beware thou neither conceale any thing for feare or speake ought for flatterie or to feed me with falsehoods but tell me all things truely although they shall in a sort breed my discontent to heare them Me seemed that I walked by a riuer side and that I saw seuen wel fed and verie fat kine which retired themselues from the floud into the pasture and againe me thought that seuen others came from the pasture to encounter them who were verie leane and vgly to behold who when they had deuoured the seuen others that were fat and great yet neuer the more increased but were all of them miserably vexed with hunger But after this vision being awaked out of my sleepe and troubled in my minde thinking with my selfe what that vision might signifie being seazed by little and little by a pleasant slumber I fell a sleepe once againe And againe I saw a vision more prodigious then the former which doth likewise trouble and terrifie me the more For I saw seuen eares sprong out of one roote that hung downe and bowed their heads because they were loaden with graine readie to be reapt after which there appeared seuen other weake and languishing for want of dewe who deuouring those other great and full eares left me highly astonished Hereunto Ioseph answered This dreame O king although it hath been seene in two figures yet so it is that it importeth one and the same accident which is to ensue For both those oxen which are creatures borne and bred vp for the plough and labour which you saw deuoured by the leaner and those eares of corne consumed by the weaker foresignifie a famine scarcitie in Egypt for so many yeares as there were Oxen and eares of corne in good plight so that the fertilitie of these good yeares shall be consumed by the sterilitie of so many other yeares according to their number and there shall be such scarcitie of necessarie prouision that it shall be hard to preuent and supply their defects all which is signified by those seuen leane kine who hauing deuoured the good could not be satisfied by the same All these things God foretelleth vnto men not to the end they should be terrified and affrighted but that being forewarned they might prouide for themselues to the end they might more easily preuent the imminent danger If therefore thou shalt lay vp and store the aboundance of the plentifull yeares Egypt shall not feele the penurie that shall follow And when as the king admiring at Iosephs prudence and wisedome demanded after what maner he might prouide in the time of plentie how to preuent and redresse the future sterilitie hee warned and counsailed him that the Egyptians should vse parcimony and that that which remained of those yeares superfluitie might be reserued for future necessities He counselled him also to bind the husbandmen that they should hoard vp their corne in their barnes and only to distribute to the people as much as was sufficient and no more Hereupon the king not onely praising Iosephs counsell but also his interpretation of his dreames made him Lord and commissarie of all the store and commanded him to prouide whatsoeuer he thought necessarie in that behalfe either of his owne or of the peoples assuring him that he thought no man more necessarie to execute this counsell then himselfe who was the author thereof Hauing therefore this authoritie giuen him by the king to vse his owne signet and to be cloathed in purple he was conducted thorow all the countrey vpon a chariot and he assembled the labourers of corne and distributed to euerie one by measure that which they wanted for seede corne and for their nourishment without letting any man vnderstand for what cause he did it About this time had he already attained to thirtie yeares olde being held in great honour by the king and was for his incredible prudence surnamed by him Psontom phanechus which signifieth the discouerer of hidden things he was also honoured with a wife of great dignitie for by the procuratiō of the king he tooke to wife a virgin daughter to Putifar the Heliopolitan priest whose name was Asaneth by whom he begat children also before the famine began in Egypt The elder of whom was called Manasses which signifieth Obliuion because attaining better fortune he grew in obliuion of his former miserie but the yonger was called Ephraim which signifieth returne for that he was restored to the libertie of his auncestors Now when as according to Iosephs interpretation the seuen yeares of plentie and affluence were ouerpassed in Egypt the eight yeare of famine began to infest the land and for that the euill was vnexspected the headlong multitude grieuously trauailed with hunger and miserie began to flocke about the kings gates and garners Hereon the king called for Ioseph who presently distributing graine to those that wanted it became without controuersie the father and conseruer of the cōminaltie Neither did he only make merchandize with those that inhabited that countrey but with strangers also deeming that the whole race of mankind was allied the one with the other and that it was conuenient that such as wanted should be succoured by their meanes who had better fortune And because the same calamitie both oppressed Chanaan and other kingdomes of the world Iacob also sent all his sonnes into Egypt to fetch come as soone as he vnderstood that strangers also had libertie to traffique in that place onely with himselfe he retained Beniamin whom he begat on Rachel and who was brother german vnto Ioseph who as soone as they arriued in Egypt repaired vnto Ioseph beseeching him that they might be permitted to buy come for nothing was done without his expresse command for euen then found each man fit occasion to honour the king when they bethought themselues howe to honour Ioseph He taking knowledge of his brothers who thought on nothing lesse then of him by reason that in his youth he was sold away by them and age had altered the lineaments of his face and besides no one of them might suspect that hee had attained to so great dignitie determined to trie and tempt them to the end he might the better gather how they were affected For he both denied them his licence to buy come cōmanded them also to be apprehended for spies telling them that they were gathered of diuers nations and they fained kinred for how can it be saith he that a priuat man should bring vp so many worthy sonnes which felicitie scarcely and very seldome is granted vnto kings This did he to the end he might gather some intelligence of his father and in what estate he liued during the time of his absence and what was become of Beniamin his brother for he was sore afraid least they had offered the same hard measure to the lad which they had inflicted on him But they were stroken with a mighty feare
and sorrow in her first husband Let not free men match themselues with such as are seruants no not although they be thereunto moued by loue For it is a thing worthie and besitting honour to surmount a mans affections Let no man meddle with an Harlot whose sacrifice God refuseth by reason of the filthinesse of her bodie For the children shall be of a free heart and addressed in vertue not if they be engendred in villanous and vnlawfull concupiscence but if they be begotten and borne by a free father and mother If anie one that is married for a virgin bee afterwards found to the contrarie let her be brought before the Iudge and let him produce all the signes that hee can and let the new married wiues cause be defended by her father or brother or by them who next vnto them shall seeme to be her next in bloud and if the Damosell be found to haue committed no crime let her returne dwell with him that hath accused her who cannot any more refuse her except she giue him great occasions whereunto she cannot contradict But hee that without cause and rashly shall accuse and slaunder his wife he shall be punished with thirtie nine stripes and in way of amends shall pay fiftie sicles to her father But if it be proued that she hath beene defloured and hath beene common then shall she be stoned to death for that she hath not chastlie conserued her virginitie till the time of her lawfull marriage and if she be of the race of the Priests she shall be burned aliue If any man haue two wiues the one of which he holdeth in great honour and amitie either for loue or by reason of her beautie and that the other be not in the like condition and estimate if the sonne of her that is better beloued demaundeth to haue the prerogatiue of the elder which is two portions of that which commeth to all the rest by his fathers patrimonie for so much import our ordinances and challengeth the same by reason that his father more dearely loueth his mother then the other let it not be granted him For it is an act against iustice that the eldest should be depriued of that which appertaineth vnto him because his mothers condition is inferiour to that of the others by reason of his fathers affection Whosoeuer shall violate a maiden being betrothed to another man if by perswasion she hath consented to lie with him let her die with him For they are both of them equally guiltie of sinne the man because he hath perswaded the maiden to suffer an insufferable dishonour and to preferre her lust before an honest mariage and the maid for suffering her selfe to be ouercome and abandoning her bodie to villany either for lust or lucres sake But if meeting her alone he inforce her and she haue none to succour her hard by let him die alone He that shall defloure the virgin that is vnmarried he shall take her to wife but if he condescend not to the father to entertaine her in wedlocke he shall pay fiftie sicles for amends of the iniurie If any man pretend to separate himselfe from his wife for certaine causes such as ordinarily happen amongst married couples let him confirme it in writing that he will neuer more entertaine her againe and so may she marrie againe vnto another and refuse the former husband And if it hapned that she were euill intreated by the second or that he being dead the first would take her againe in marriage it is not lawfull for the wife to returne vnto him If the brother of him that is deceased without issue take to wife her whom his deceased brother had married and that the sonne which was borne by this second wedlocke beareth his name let him be brought vp as the successor of his inheritāce which thing is granted for publike profit sake to the end that families should not come to ruine and that the goods should remaine to those of the same kinred Furthermore it is allowed for the comfort of afflicted women that they may be ioyned in marriage with the next akin of their first husbands but if the brother will not take her to wife she shall repaire vnto the Senate and make this protestation that the brother of her deceased husband will not intertaine her although she had desired to remaine in that line and bring forth infants vnto him protesting that by him onely the memorie of her deceased husband was dishonoured And when the Senate shall haue examined the cause why he estrangeth himselfe from this marriage his excuse shall be allowed of how great or sleight consequence soeuer it be and then shall the widow vnloose his shoe and spit in his face and tell him that he hath deseruedly suffered these things in that he hath iniured the memorie of his dead brother and thus shall he depart out of the court being defamed for his whole life time and the woman may marry whomsoeuer she list If any man take a virgin prisoner or such a one as hath beene alreadie married and bee desirous to take her to his wife it is not lawfull for him to touch or approch her before such time as she hath beene shauen and hauing put on her mourning apparrell hath bewailed her parents or friends slaine in battell but after she hath in this sort asswaged her sorrow she may afterwards addict her selfe to mirth and marriage For it is a matter both honest and iust that he that entertaineth her to haue issue by her should condescend vnto her wil in all that wherein he might gratifie her and that he should not onely addict himselfe to the pursuit of his pleasure when as then the thirtie daies of mourning shall be expired for that time is sufficient for the wife to bewaile her friends in then may she harken after marriage and if after he hath had his pleasure with her it fortune that he mislike her and will not accept her for his wife he can no more make her his slaue but she may goe whither soeuer she pleaseth for that she beareth with her her liberite All those young men that shall make no reckoning of their fathers and mothers and that shall not doe them that honour which belongeth vnto them whether the same proceed of shame or spring from folly by which meanes they grow to neglect their dutie these first of all shall be admonished by discreete counsel of their parents who are by nature appointed sufficient iudges in that behalfe who shall signifie vnto them that they were matched together in matrimonie not for their pleasures sake neither that by vniting their possessions they might become the more richer but to the end they might beget children who might nourish them in their age and minister vnto them in their necessities That they had receiued them at Gods hands with great thanksgiuing and infinite ioy and brought them
occasion offered for a man to speake ill Touching the rest said he the matter standeth thus Thou hast a kinsman said he that is more neere thee in bloud then I am thou must enquire of him if it be his pleasure to take thee to his wife if he saith that he liketh thee thou then must necessarily submit vnto him but if he refuse thee I will take thee for my wife according as the lawe intendeth Now when she had reported these newes vnto her mother in lawe she gathered courage and conceiued hope that Boos would take care of her Thereupon Boos came into the Citie about noone-daies and called a councell of the Elders and sent for Ruth and his kinsman to whom in person he spake thus Doest thou possesse the heritage of Abimelech and his successors Who when he had publikely declared that he was seased thereof in right of proximitie according to the ordinance of the lawe Boos replyed Thou must not saith he onely obserue the lawes in part but thou must precisely execute them according as they are For behold here a yoong woman whom it behooueth thee to marrie according to the law if thou wilt be inheritor of his possessions But he surrendred vnto Boos not onely the possessions but also the woman by reason that Boos was allied also to those that were dead and especially for that the said kinsman had already both wife and children Boos therefore hauing first of all taken witnesse of all the councell called for the woman and willed her to draw neere vnto her kinsman and to vnloose his shoe and strike him on the face according as the law had ordained which done Boos espoused Ruth by whom about a yeare after he had a sonne which Naomi brought vp and by the aduice of the women she called his name Obed because she had nourished him in her age for Obed in the Hebrew tongue signifieth a slaue Obed begat Iesse and Iesse Dauid who was king and who left the Realme vnto his successours for one and twentie generations of men I haue beene enforced to declare these things as touching Ruth because I haue an intent to declare the power of God to whom it is possible to raise men from obscuritie to the highest tip and tittle of dignitie as he hath chosen Dauid who descended from these of whom I haue spoken The affaires of the Hebrewes were at this time in verie poore estate and they armed themselues anew against the Philistines vpon this occasion The high Priest Eli had two sonnes Ophni and Phinees They against all right and law offering outrages to men and vrging impieties against God suffered no sinne to ouerslip them which they committed not for they tooke presents partly in way of honour partly rauished by force and rapine And as touching those women that came vnto the Tabernacle in way of deuotion they abused them and rauishing some against their wils and corrupting some other by presents they so lewdly liued that their life seemed to be a true and licentious tyrannie for this cause their father was sore displeased with them but the people were so much the more ouerburdened with griefe because as yet they perceiued not that Gods punishmēt should so sodainly fal vpon them But incontinently after that God had declared to Eli and the Prophet Samuel who about that time was verie young what mishappe should fall vpon Elies children he mourned ouer them as if they had beene alreadie dead But I will first of all declare somwhat vnto you as concerning the Prophet Samuel and afterwards wil I speak of the children of Eli what inconueniēt fell vpon all the Hebrew nation Elcana was a Leuite of base condition liuing in Ramatha a part of Ephraim he had maried two wiues the one called Anna the other Phenanna by Phenanna he had children yet notwithstanding loued he Anna verie intirely although she were barren Now as Elcana with his wiues repaired to Silo where the Tabernacle of God was resident as we haue before declared to the intent to offer sacrifice in that place whilest I say during the festiuall he distributed the portion of his meat to his wiues and children Anna beholding the children of his other wife sitting round about their mother began to weepe and lament with her selfe because she was without issue and alone And after that by her grief she had ouercome all that consolation which her husband could giue her she went vnto the Tabernacle to beseech God that it might please him to giue her a sonne and make her a mother promising that her first begotten sonne should be dedicated vnto the seruice of God and should lead a particular life farre differing from that of other liuing men And for that she employed long time in making her praiers the hie Priest Eli who sate before the Tabernacle commaunded hir to depart from thence supposing that she had tasted too much wine but after that she had told him that she drunke nothing but water and that being oppressed with griefe she was come into the Tabernacle to beseech God that it might please him to grant her children he exhorted her to be of good courage promising her that God had heard her praiers whereupon she returned to her husband replenished with good hope and tooke her repast with ioy and gladnes When as then they returned to their owne house she began to waxe big with child and at last she bare a little young sonne whom she called Samuel that is to say Requested at Gods hands Afterwards they returned to offer sacrifice and giue thanks vnto God for the birth of the child which God had giuen them and to bring their tenths whereupon the woman remembring her of the vow she had made in his behalfe deliuered him into the hands of Eli and consecrated him vnto God to be his Prophet For which cause they suffered his haire to grow and he dranke nothing but water and Samuel was nourished and brought vp in the Temple Elcana had by Anna other sonnes and three daughters But as touching Samuel incontinently after he attained to the age of twelue yeares he prophecied On a certaine night therefore whilest he slept God called him by his name and he supposing that the high Priest had wakened him came vnto him but he told him that he had not called him This notwithstanding God continued to call him three times whereat Eli being fore amased he said vnto him Samuel I neither now at this present nor before this time haue spoken vnto thee but it is God that calleth thee answere him therefore and say here I am Now it chanced that he heard the voice of God once more and he required him that it might please him to speake and he would answere not failing any waies to doe him seruice in that wherein he should command him Whereunto God answered saying since saith he thou art here know that so great a calamitie shall
These meeting with Ioseph on the way began to mocke at his basenesse and pouertie But when he came to Alexandria and had intelligence that the king was at Memphis he set forward and went out to meet him When as therefore the king accompanied with the queen and Athenion his friend who had discharged the place of Embassadour in Ierusalem came riding onward in his chariot Athenion who had been honourably entertained by Ioseph perceiuing him vpon the way certified the king that it was he of whom he had spoken vpon his returne from Ierusalem protesting on his behalfe that he was both a good and honourable yoong man Whereupon Ptolomey embraced him aboue the rest and made him mount his chariot Where he was no sooner seated but the king began to accuse Onias for that which he had committed But Ioseph said vnto him Pardon him O King and haue respect to his old old yeeres For you know that ordinarily old men yong children haue one and the same vnderstanding but for our selues who are young you shall haue what you please to require without any pretext or cause of discontent Hereupon the king tooke pleasure in the good behauiour and pleasant discourse of the young man and began to loue him the more as if he had receiued a present attestation of his wisedome whereupon he commaunded that he should be lodged in his owne pallace and that daily he should accompany him at his princely table As soone as the king came back to Alexandria the Lords of Syria seeing Ioseph sitting neere vnto the king were sore displeased and the day drawing neere wherein they were to receiue the assurance of their tribute they that were of the greatest reckoning in their countrey farmed the same so that the tributes of Coelesyria Phaenicia Iudaea and Samaria amounted together to eight thousand talents Whereupon Ioseph arising blamed the farmers for that they had plotted amongst themselues to beate downe the price of the tributes promising to giue the double and that he would likewise returne the forfeitures that were leuied vpon the goods of such as offended which were farmed together with the tributes The king gaue eare to this discourse of his with great content and said that he approoued the sale of these tributes vnto Ioseph who in this sort augmented his reuenue When as therefore he was demanded whether he could giue sureties he made him answere with a bold courage O king said he I will giue thee such pledges as are both worthy and honourable and such as you cannot mistrust Whenas therefore the king instanted him to produce them I w◅ said he O king present thee for sureties thy selfe the Queene thy wife that one of you may be a suretie for me to the other Ptolomey smiling hereat granted him the farme of the tribute without further suretie This fauour of his displeased those gouernours of the Cities that were come into Aegypt in that they saw themselues contemned and constrained to returne with shame vnto their houses But Ioseph obtained two thousand footmen from the king to the end to enforce the tribute from those Cities who were negligent in their paiments and after he had borrowed fiue hundreth talents of the kings friends in Alexandria hee departed into Syria As soone as he came to Ascalon he demaunded the payment of the tribute at the Citizens hands which they not onely refused to performe but moreouer vpbraided him with iniurious words For which cause laying hold on about some twentie of the principals among them he put them to death and hauing gathered their substances togither he sent the King some thousand talents certifying him of that which he had done Ptolomey admiring at his wisedome and allowing of his execution permitted him to dispose of all things at his pleasure The Syrians vnderstanding hereof were sore abashed and perceiuing that the Acalonites were slaine by Ioseph thorow the seueritie of his iustice and their disobedience they opened him the gates and receiued him willingly and payed him their tributes Wheras also the Scythopolitanes in way of cōtumacy refused to lay down according to order their accustomed tributes he slue the chiefest amongst them the confiscations of whose goods he sent vnto the king When as therefore he had gathered much siluer and made great gaines of the purchase of the tributes to the intent to establish and make his power of more continuance he liberally employed his gettings considering with himselfe that it was a part of wisedome to keepe and entertaine his good happe by those riches which he himselfe had gotten For he sent many presents both to the King and Queene and bestowed liberall bountie both on their familiars and fauourites and also on all those which had any authoritie credit or fauour in the court to win and bind them vnto him by his beneuolence And in this felicitie of his continued he the terme of twentie two yeares during which time he was the father of seuen children by one wife and of an other called Hircanus whom he begot on the daughter of his brother Solymius whom he married vpon this occasion which ensueth Walking vpon a time in Alexandria in the company of his brother who led with him his daughter alreadie mariageable to the intent to bestow her vpon some Iewe of good qualitie whilest he sate at meat with the king there entred into the banquet a certain faire damsel trained vp in dancing with whom growing enamored he told his brother thereof praying him that since by the lawes of their countrey it was forbidden that a Iew might marry with a stranger that he would hide his fault and be a faithfull assistant vnto him to the end that he might enioy her whom his heart desired His brother promised him to shew his willing forwardnes herein and in the meane time he adorned and decked his owne daughter and brought her by night vnto his bed whereupon he lay with her not knowing who she was by reason he had drunke ouermuch and had her company Which comming to passe diuers times he was as yet farre more burningly inflamed with the loue of this dancer and told his brother that he was in daunger to be enamoured all his life time and that notwithstanding the king would not grant her vnto him His brother told him that he ought not to vexe himselfe promising him that he should assuredly enioie her whom he loued and that already she was his wife opening vnto him how all things had hapned and how he had rather wrong his owne daughter then to suffer his brother to fall into dishonour After that Ioseph had praised the kind natural affection of his brother towards him he tooke his daughter to wife who bare him a sonne called Hircanus as it hath beene said Who being thirteene yeares olde gaue testimonie of that naturall spirit and dexteritie that was in him by reason whereof his brethren conceiued a certaine hatred against him
the rather for that he excelled them in all things and had such parts in him as might draw them to emulate him Whereas therefore Ioseph was desirous to know which of his children had the ripest iudgement and vnderstanding he sent them one after another to those masters who were most renowmed for science in that time but all of them returned backe vnto him rude and illettered by reason they were negligent and idle Whereupon he sent Hircanus the youngest of them after all the rest into a desart place distant from the high way some seuen daies iourney and gaue him with him three hundreth couple of oxen to sow the ground in that barren place hiding from him before his departure the yokes that should couple them together When as therefore he came vnto the place and perceiued that the yokes were missing he asked aduise of some of the husbandmen who counsailed him to send some one backe vnto his father to fetch the couples But he supposing that he ought not to lose so much time as would be spent in sending backe a messenger deuised a cunning expedient stratageme more then might be expected from one of his yeares For he caused ten couple of oxen to be slaine and distributed the flesh amongst his workemen and made them cut the skins and fashion couples thereof and hauing yoked his oxen he caused the land to be manured according to his fathers direction and afterwards returned home vnto him Who loued him the more intirely by reason of his wisedom and the subtiltie of his vnderstanding praising besides that his resolution and execution esteeming him the more for that he was his only true sonne to the general discontent of the rest Whenas therefore newes was brought vnto Ioseph that about that time king Ptolomey was blessed with a young sonne and how all the chiefest Lords of Syria and the countries vnder his obeisance repaired to Alexandria in great pompe to celebrate the birth day of the kings sonne he being of himselfe vnable by reason of his age to repaire thither he sounded his children whether any one of them would go and visit the king Whenas therefore the elder sons had excused themselues and made refusall to vndertake the iourney pretending that they were of insufficient ability to performe the message and all of them gaue counsaile that their brother Hircanus might be sent Ioseph tooke great pleasure thereat and calling for Hircanus asked him if he would goe to king Ptolomey who promised to vndertake the iourney and told his father that he needed no great summe of money to performe the voyage because in the way he would trauell frugally and content himselfe for the whole expence with ten thousand drachmes Ioseph was verie glad to heare of his sons prudence and after Hircanus had kept silence for a while he counsailed his father that he should not present the King with any thing out of Iudaea but that he should write vnto his factor in Alexandria commaunding him to deliuer such summes of money as he thought conuenient to buy that which he found to be most magnificent of best esteeme in that Citie Ioseph imagining with himselfe that perhaps he would onely employ some tenne talents in presents and allowing his sonnes counsaile wrote vnto his factor Arion who had the vse of almost three thousand talents of his in Alexandria For gathering vp his money in Syria he was wont to send it thither and as oft as the prefixed time came wherein the kings tributes were to be paid he commaunded Arion to defray the same Hauing therefore letters of credence vnto him he iourneyed towards Alexandria Wherupon his brethren wrote presently vnto all the kings friends that by some meanes they would make him away As soone as he was arriued in Alexandria and had deliuered his fathers letters to Arion Arion asked him how many talents he would haue hoping that he would craue but ten or some little ouerplus but when Hircanus had told him that he had need of a thousand he waxed wroth and reproued him for his prodigalitie telling him how his father had gathered his goods with much trauaile and thriftie sparing and refusing his demaunds he praied him to imitate his fathers example who had begot him and in a word he told him that he would deliuer him no more then ten talents and that for no other vse then to buy giftes to present the king withall Whereupon Hircanus waxing angry caused Arion to be kept in prison All which his wife certified to Cleopatra praying her that she would moderate the young man for Arion was in great estimation with the Queene who for this cause acquainted the king with the matter Wherupon Ptolomey sent for Hircanus and said vnto him that he marueiled that being sent vnto him from his father he had not as yet visited him and besides that he had committed his fathers agent to prison he therefore commanded him to yeeld him a reason thereof Whereunto he answered that there was a law among the Iewes that no man should taste of the sacrifices that had not first of all visited the temple and sacrificed vnto God and that in that respect he had not hitherto visited his maiesty because he expected certaine presents to present his highnesse with from his father who was his bounden seruant Furthermore he alleadged that he had punished his fathers seruant because he had disobeyed his commandement which he ought not to doe whether his master were either noble or ignoble and if said he we chastise not such men as they haue deserued expect O King that you also shall be neglected by your subiects When Ptolomey heard these words he began to smile and wondered at the magnanimitie of the yoong man Arion perceiuing that the king held himselfe satisfied and that he was like to haue no assistance at his hands deliuered Hircanus the thousand talents and by this meanes was he set at libertie Some three daies after Hircanus came and saluted both the king and Queene who entertained him graciously and feasted him kindly for the affection sake which they bare vnto his father He priuily inquiring among the merchants bought one hundreth yoong laddes well lettered and in the flower of their age paying a talent for euery one and the like number of virgins for so many talents Being therefore inuited to a banquet by the king with all the Princes and other Lords he was placed beneath them all because that by reason of his yoong yeeres they that assigned the places according to euery mans dignitie made small accompt of him Now when as all the guests after they had eaten their meats laid all their bones before Hircanus so that the table was loaden round about him a certaine pleasant fellow of the Kings called Triphon whose merrie conceits and iests the king very willingly listned vnto during the time he was at meat being sollicited by those that were at the table came vnto the king and said
vnto him See here my liege what store of bones are before Hircanus hereby you may coniecture that his father hath fleeced all Syria as he hath bared these bones of flesh The king laughing at Triphons words asked Hircanus how he came by so many bones before him Not without great cause said he O king for dogs deuoure the flesh with the bones as these doe in which speech he glanced at those who sate with him at the table because they had no bones before thē but men eat the flesh and cast the bones away as I do because I am a man The king wondring at his discreet answere commanded all the rest to applaud him in approbation of his witty vrbanity The next day he sought out all the kings friends and the principals in court and saluted them one by one enquiring of their seruants what presents they would court the king with vpon the birth of his sonne Who told him that some of them would giue twelue talents and othersome that were in dignitie would present him according to their abilitie Whereupon Hircanus made a shew of discontent in that he wanted power to offer such a present pretending that he had no more but fiue talents All which these seruants presently reported to their masters who were very ioyfull thereat for the hope they had conceiued that Ioseph should be blamed and would offend the King thorow the abiectnesse of his present Now when the day of the solemnitie was come and they likewise that pretended to present the king most magnificently offered no more then twenty talents Hircanus presented the hundreth yoong Lads he had bought to the King and the virgins vnto Cleopatra for whom he had paid a talent by the powle At this vnexpected magnificence of his gift all men were amazed but beside this he gaue gifts of diuers talents to the King and Queenes fauourites and seruants and their attendants whereby he warranted himselfe from the danger that might fall vnto him by their meanes For the brothers of Hircanus had written vnto them to murther him Ptolomey was highly delighted in the great magnificence of this yoong man and willed him to aske whatsoeuer gift he best liked at his hands But he required no other thing but that it would please the King to recommend him by his letters to his father and brethren When as therefore the king had singularly honoured him and had giuen him many bountifull rewards he wrote vnto his father and his brethren and all his gouernours and commissaries and in that sort sent him away His brothers hearing newes how hee had in all things highly contented the king and that he returned with great glorie they issued out to meet with him with an intent to murther him with their fathers knowledge For he being displeased with him by reason of his aboue named large expence had no care to warrantize him yet concealed he his discontent for feare of the king But when his brothers came and encountred him on the way he slew diuers of those that accompanied them and two of his brethren also were left slaine vpon the place and the rest fled to Ierusalem vnto their father And when as vpon his repaire vnto Ierusalem he perceiued that no man entertained him he waxed affraid and departed presently from thence to the other side of Iordan where he past his life in receiuing and gathering the tributes of the Barbarians In that time Seleucus surnamed Soter the sonne of Antiochus the great raigned in Asia At that time also died Ioseph Hircanus father who was a man of good conceit and great courage who established the people of the Iewes in their entire peace and had released them from prouertie and many desasters and had held the tributes of Syria Phoenicia and Samaria for the space of twenty two yeers His vncle Onias died also about the same time leauing the priesthood to his sonne Simon after whose death his sonne Onias was made high priest to whom Arius king of Lacedemon sent an embassade and letters the copy whereof hereafter ensueth CHAP. V. The frienship and societie of the Lacedemonians with Onias the high Priest of the Iewes ARius King of Lacedemon to Onias Health We haue found out a certaine writing wherin it is recorded that the Iewes and Lacedemonians are of the same race and both of them descended from Abraham It is therefore requisite that since you are our brethren that you giue vs to vnderstand wherein we may pleasure you The like will we doe also and will repute that which is yours to be ours as that which is ours shall in communitie be yours Demoteles our messenger bringeth you our letters foulded in square the seale whereof is an Aegle holding a Dragon in hertalous These were the contents of the Lacedemonians letters After the death of Ioseph it came to passe that the people began to mutine in the quarrell of his children For the elder brethren made warre against Hircanus who was the yoonger by meanes whereof the people were deuided The greater part of them followed the Elder faction and the high Priest Simon also by reason of his affinitie with them followed their partie Whereupon Hircanus resolued to repaire no more vnto Ierusalem but fixing his habitation on the other side of Iordan he made continuall warre against the Arabians slaying a great number of them and taking many prisoners He builded a huge tower of white marble from the bottome to the toppe and on the same planted he the figures of many liuing creatures in sculpture of great height About the same he drew and forced a deepe trench of flowing water and hauing hewed the front of the rocke that stood opposite against his building hee made diuers caues therein many furlongs long He made also diuers chambers therein both to eate sleepe and dwell in He drew thither likewise currants of springing water in so great abundance that it gaue much delight to those that dwelt there and great ornament to the whole building The mouth of euery caue was so little that but one only man could enter at once which he therfore made so narrow because they might the better serue for his securitie and refuge that if so be he were at any time assailed by his brethren he might auoid the danger of surprisall Moreouer he builded many huge halles which he adorned with great and goodly gardens and this place thus builded was called by him Tyre and is scituate betweene Arabia and Iudaea on the other side of Iordan not far from the countrey of Essebonitis He commanded in this countrey some seuen yeeres all that time that Seleucus raigned in Syria After whose death his brother Antiochus surnamed Epiphanes obtained the kingdome Ptolomey also King of Aegypt who was likewise called Epiphanes died and left two children very young behind him of whom the eldest was called Philometor and the yonger Physcon When as therfore Hircanus perceiued that
the kingdome he discouered his hypocrisie and shewed plainly that he was not vnaptly called Tryphon that is to say a trifler or mocker By which meanes he drew the hearts of the better sort from him and as for his army they grew so much in hatred of him that they submitted themselues to Cleopatra Demetrius wife who had at that time shut vp both her selfe and her children in Seleucia And wheras Antiochus surnamed the Deuout and brother to Demetrius was driuen from place to place and had not any Citie that would entertaine him for feare of Tryphon Cleopatra sent vnto him enuiting him both to be her husband and to take the possession of the kingdome And hereunto did she the rather draw him partly for that she was thereunto perswaded by her friends and partly for the fear she had least some one of Seleucia should betray the citie to Tryphon As soone as Antiochus was arriued in Seleucia and that from day to day his forces increased he marched forth into the field and fought with Tryphon and ouercame him in battell and droue him out of the higher Syria and pursued him as farre as Phoenicia where after he had retired himselfe into Dora a strong and impregnable Castle he besieged him therein and sent present Embassadors to Simon the high priest of the Iewes to confirme a friendship and confederacie with him Simon very curteously accepted his demaunds and presently sent Antiochus both money and victuals sufficient to furnish his army at the siege of Dora so that in short space he was accepted amongst the number of his intire friends Tryphon flying from Dora to Apamea was in that place besieged taken and flaine after he had raigned three yeeres CHAP. XIII After Tryphons death Simon made warre against Antiochus and droue Cendebaeus out of Iudaea BVt the innated auarice that was in Antiochus and the malignitie of his nature made him forgetfull of those offices and seruices that Simon had done him so that he sent Cendebaeus his great friend with a mighty army to inuade Iewry and to surprise Simon But he hauing some priuie intelligence of Antiochus treacherie notwithstanding that at this time hee was verie olde was in such sort moued with the iniuries that Antiochus had done him as animated with courage more then became his age he went himselfe to the warre as if as yet he had beene but youthfull he therefore caused his sonne to march before with the picked soldiers of his army and hauing left a number of his soldiers in ambush in the hollow retreats of the mountains he executed al his deseignes without failing in any one of them so that after he had euery way obtained the vpper hand of his enemies he euer after enioied his gouernment in peace during the remainder of his life and renewed likewise the confederacy with the Romans CHAP. XIIII Simon is traiterously slaine by his sonne in law Ptolomey at a banquet HE gouerned Iudaea for the space of eight yeeres and was at length slaine at a banquet by the trechery of Ptolomey his sonne in law who being seased of Simons wife and his two children and detaining them in prison sent out certaine of his traine besides to kill Iohn the third sonne surnamed Hircanus But the young man hauing-some inkling of their drift retired himselfe speedily into the citie and auoided the daunger that they complotted against him assuring himselfe of the good will of the people in consideration of the benefits they had receiued at his fathers hands and the hatred that they bare vnto Ptolomey who intending to enter the citie gates was sharply repulsed by the citizens for that they had alreadie entertained Hircanus CHAP. XV. How Ptolomey failing of his hopes Hircanus obtained the Soueraigntie WHereupon Ptolomey retired vnto a certaine Castle scituate beyond Ierico called Dagon but Hircanus was made high Priest in his fathers steed who after he had recommended himselfe to God by the firstling sacrifices that he offered marched out against Ptolomey his brother in law to make warre vpon him Now when he was fully addressed to besiege the place whither Ptolomey was retired he had the aduantage in all other things but onely by the affection that he bare vnto his mother and his brethren he was ouercome For Ptolomey hauing taken them and whipt them vpon the walles in all mens presence threatned Hircanus that vnlesse he leuied his siege he would cast them downe headlong from the top of the Castle now whereas one way Hircanus had a great desire to enforce and surprise the place so also on the other side he was wholy weakned thorow the desire that he had to redeeme those whom he loued from the enemies tyranny True it is that his mother stretching out her hands besought him that for her sake he should not giue ouer valiantly to assault the place but that he should bee the more encouraged to surprise the fortresse and to lay hold vpon his enemy be reuenged on the wrong that was offered vnto his decrest friends alledging that she thought it better to die in the middest of a thousand torments then that the enemie should escape vnpunished who had beene so manifest an occasion of their misery When Hircanus heard his mother speake thus he was more furiously incensed to giue the assault but as soone as he saw his mother so beaten and so sore wounded his heart melted within him and that seruent desire which he before had to batter and beat downe the citie was presently alaid and cooled and so the pitifull compassion on his mother surmounted and ouercame his irefull affection of reuenge Whilest thus the siege was continued and prolonged the yeere of reposâ—… celebrated among the Iewes was come For they obserued the seuenth yeere as the seuenth day is obserued in the weeke so that by this occasion Ptolomey was deliuered of this siege who afterwards slue both Hircanus mother and brethren which done he fled vnto Zeno surnamed Cotyla who at that time tyrannized in the citie of the Philadelphians CHAP. XVI Antiochus the Deuout maketh warre against Hyrcanus and vpon the receit of three hundreth talents contracteth alliance with him ANtiochus calling to mind the manifold losses he had receiued by Simons meanes inuaded Iury in the fourth yeere of his raigne and in the first of Hyrcanus gouernment which was in the hundreth sixtie and two Olympiade And after he had spoiled all the countrey he locked vp Hyrcanus within the Citie of Ierusalem which he had besieged with seuen campes yet with no aduantage at all both in regard of the strength of the walles as in respect of the valour of the Citizens as also the want of water which he had in his campe which was notwithstanding remedied by a great fall of raine which fell about the setting of the Pleiades in the beginning of Aprill On the North side also where there is a great plaine Antiochus caused one hundreth towers
same and saw that which was not lawful to be beheld by any other but the high priests only But although he found a table of gold and a sacred candlesticke with diuers other vessels and odoriferous drugs in great quantitie and whereas beside that there was about two thousand talents of siluer in the sacred treasurie in the temple yet touched he nothing thereof thorow the reuerence he had of God and herein he behaued himselfe answerably to his other vertues The next day hee commaunded those that had the charge of the temple to purge the same and to offer sacrifices vnto God according to the law committing the high Priesthood to Hircanus hands both for that he had stood him in great steed in many things as for that he had hindred the Iewes that were of the countrey from ioyning themselues with Aristobulus After this he beheaded the authors of this warre and honoured Faustus and the rest with condâ—…gne gifts who with great courage had first attempted and ascended the wall As for Ierusalem he made it tributarie to the Romanes taking away from the Iewes those Cities they had conquered in Coelesyria and assigning them a proper and peculiar gouernment After this he inclosed the nation within certaine limits whereas before time their dominions were of a large extent Not long after this he repaired Gadara that not long before was destroyed all which he performed in fauour of Demetrius the Gadarenian his late seruant and bondman And as touching Hippon Scythopolis Dion Samaria Marissa Azot Iamnia and Arethusa he restored them to the auncient inhabitants thereof all which were scituate in the heart of the land besides Gaza Ioppe Dora the tower of Straton cities scituate vpon the sea coast and ruinated before times with diuers warres he set at liberty and annexed them vnto the prouince As for the tower of Straton it was magnificently builded by Herode and decked with gates and faire temples and the name thereof was chaunged and called Caesarea Thus Hircanus and Aristobulus thorow their dissensions and ciuill broiles were the cause of that seruitude and misery that fell vpon the Iewes For we haue lost our liberty and haue beene subdued by the Romanes Besides that we haue beene inforced to surrender vp those cities vnto the Syrians which we before time by force of armes had conquered and gotten from them And that which is to be lamented the Romans in a little time haue drawn from vs more then ten thousand talents and the roialty which before time was an honour reserued for those that were of the race of the high priests hath been bestowed on men of obscuritie and communitie whereof we will speake in place conuenient After that Pompey had giuen Ceelesyria to Scâ—…urus from Euphrates as farre as to the frontires of Aegypt with two legions of the Romans he went into Cilicia and from thence drew towards Rome leading with him Aristobulus in bonds and his children who were two sonnes and two daughters one of which called Alexander escaped by flight and as touching Antigonus who was the younger he was led to Rome with his sisters CHAP. IX Scaurus maketh warre against Aretas SCaurus led forth his army against Petra a Citie in Arabia and for that the Citie might verie hardly be besieged he spoiled all the countrey round about When as therefore his army was pressed with famine Antipater by the commandement of Hircanus furnished him with come and all other necessaries out of Iewry Who being sent Embassadour to Aretas from Scaurus in that he had sometime soiourned with him perswaded him to contribute a certaine summe of siluer to warâ—…antize his countrey from pillage and he himselfe also became pledge for three hundreth talents This done Scaurus finished the warre according to his desire and with no lesse contentment to Aretas and his countrey CHAP. X. Alexander ouercome by Gabinius retireth himselfe into a Castle wherein he is shut vp and besieged NOt long after this Alexander Aristobulus sonne made diuers inroads into Iewry for which cause Gabinius came from Rome into Syria and besides other things worthy of memorie which he atchieued he led forth his army against Alexander for that Hircanus had not as yet sufficient power to resist him being otherwise exercised in building the wals of Ierusalem that were beaten downe by Pompey notwithstanding the Romans that were in Iewry hindred him from performing the same This Alexander trauailing thorow the whole countrey assembled diuers Iewes so that in short time hauing gotten togither ten thousand footmen and fifteene hundreth horse with good munition he fortified the castle of Alexandrion neere vnto the Citie of Coreas He fortified Machaeron also in the mountaines of Arabia Gabinius therfore came forth against him hauing sent before him Marcus Antonius accompanied with other chiefetaines of warre who armed the Romans of their traine and the Iewes that were vnder their obedience whose captaines were Pitholaus and Malichus They tooke also those allies whom Antipater had hired and in this equipage came they to make head against Alexander Gabinius also seconded them with his troupes Hereupon Alexander drew more neere with his army towards Ierusalem where waging battell with the Romans he lost about three thousand of his followers and the like number of his men were led away prisoners After this Gabinius repaired to Alexandrion and inuited those that held the same to depart promising them pardon for the rebellion they had begun And where as many of his enemies had encamped themselues before the fort the Romans charged them in which conflict Marcus Antonius was adiudged to haue behaued himselfe verie valiantlv in that he slew diuers of his enemies Gabinius left a part of his army in that place to the end that during the siege thereof he might go and visit tâ—… countrey of Iudaea he commanded therefore that all those Cities which in his iourney he â—…und either desolate or destroied to be repaired so that Samaria Azot Scythopolis Anthedon Raphia Dora Marissa and Gaza with diuers others were new builded so that thorow the obedience that was giuen to Gabinius commaund it came to passe that the Cities were safely inhabited which had laine long time before desart And after Gabinius had behaued himselfe in this manner in the countrey he returned to Alexandrion Whilest therefore he thus insisted about the siege Alexander sent Embassadours vnto him demaunding pardon at his hand for his offences and restoring into his hands the Castles of Hircania and Machaeron and finally that of Alexandrion which Gabinius leuelled with the ground And whereas Alexanders mother came vnto him who fauoured the Roman faction and whose husband and children were kept prisoners in Rome she obtained all that which she requested at his hands and after he had carefully and friendly disposed of her affaires he led Hircanus to Ierusalem to take charge of the temple and priesthood He ordained also fiue
with like hatred that they were hated of them For they for their ingenuous manners and noble race dissembled not their anger but with lauish tongues declared their mindes But Salome and Pheroras contrariwise enuiously and craftily prepared themselues a way by calumniations alwaies prouoking the magnanimous spirits of these young men whose fiercenesse might soone bring them into suspition with their father to the intent that hee might gather hereby that they wanted not will to reuenge their mothers death yea euen with their owne hands forasmuch as they were not ashamed to be the children of such a mother and would contend that she was vniustly put to death And now all the whole Citie talked of them euerie one pitying the young mens simplicitie Salome not ceasing to gather by their owne speeches probable arguments of suspition that they did not only take their mothers death impatiently but also raging like young men did both bewaile her death and their owne case who were compelled to liue with the murtherers of their infortunat mother as it were contaminat themselues with liuing amongst them And the absence of the king greatly increased this their dissension who being returned and hauing made a speech vnto the people he presently was admonished both by Pheroras and Salome his sister that he was in great danger by reason of the two young men who did openly boast that they would be reuenged of them that killed their mother feining moreouer that they were incouraged for that they hoped that Archelaus king of Cappadocia would helpe them to accuse their father vnto Caesar. Herod hearing this was greatly troubled and so much the more for that he heard the same also reported vnto him by others And hereby he was put in memorie of that which was past how that for the dissension of his house he could not long enioy his friends and dearest wife And as it were foreseeing by that that was past what would ensue and fearing some greater calamitie would befall him he was altogither amazed And truely as abroad he was most fortunate aboue all hope so at home he was most vnhappy and infortunate beyond mens opinion So that one may well doubt whether his fortunate successe abroad did counteruaile his misfortunes at home or whether it had beene more expedient for him to haue had neither the one nor the other but to haue had onely a common and ordinarie fauour at fortunes hands Deliberating thus with himselfe he thought it good to call vnto the court another sonne of his whom he begat when he was a priuate man and to grace him with honours and to oppose him against the other two brethren to the end to bring downe and represse their fierce and hautie mindes this sonne of his was called Antipater not minded which after ouercome by affection he did to make him sole heire of all but thinking hereby to bridle Mariammes children and to diminish their arrogancie by setting them see that it was not needfull to keepe the inheritance of so flourishing a kingdome onely for them wherefore he introduced Antipater one opposed against them that thereby the young men laying their pride aside might shew themselues more tractable to their father and so now hee thought he had by this meanes prouided for the safetie of these young men But it fell out farre otherwise then he expected for the young men esteemed this fact as an iniurie done vnto them And Antipater was of that nature that hauing gotten promotion contrarie to his expectation he did endeuour all waies possible to be in greater account with his father then the two young men who was now through false accusations alienated from him and euerie day as he also desired ready to beleeue any thing that might incense him against them Wherefore this was all his labour yet had he an especiall care not to be thought an accuser of his brethren but he vsed others of his accomplices whom the king nothing suspected who for the trust the king put in them might also haue better credit giuen vnto their words For now this man had many followers and fauourers as it were gaping after preferment by his meanes who with a kinde of counterfeit goodwill made a shewe of loue and goodwill towards Herode And being many in number and trusty one to an other the young men were euerie day entrapped more and more for many times they shed teares for very griefe of the contumelies and iniuries that they suffered and many times they mentioned their mother and complained vnto those whom they thought to be their friends of their father as one that dealt not well with them all which Antipaters partakers malitiously noting and adding therunto something of their own inuention they did presently tell it vnto Herode and so did nourish the dissension of his house For the king being mooued hereat and purposing to humble Mariammes children did daily encrease and augment Antipaters honours and at his entreaties at last brought his mother into the court and many times secretly writing vnto Caesar in fauour of Antipater he especially commended him in particular vnto him and being to sayle to salute Agrippa who now was to depart out of Asia hauing gouerned that prouince ten yeeres he onely tooke with him Antipater of all his sonnes whom also he committed vnto Agrippa with many gifts to go with him to Rome and to be brought into fauour with Caesar so that now all things seemed to be done as it were by this mans becke and the young men to be already disinherited CHAP. VII How Antipater liuing at Rome Herode brought Alexander and his brother thither and accused them before Caesar. THis iourney did greatly aduantage Antipater and increase his honour and preeminence aboue his brethren for he became famous at Rome being by his fathers letters commended vnto all his friends there yet this was a great griefe vnto him that he could not daily calumniate his brethren for he feared least his fathers minde should change and so hee should affect Mariammes children most This was his daily cogitation but though he were absent yet he ceased not by letters to incite his father against them as hauing care of his safetie but in deede for that he thereby through his bad practises hoped to obtaine the kingdome so that he so encreased Herodes wrath against them that he now was become a deadly enemy vnto the young men But indeuouring to resist this affection and fearing rashly in his anger to commit any thing to preiudice them he determined to saile againe to Rome and there accuse his sons before Caesar least he being lead away thorow indignation and displeasure conceiued against the young men should seeme to cast off all loue fatherly affection towards them And repairing to Rome and not finding Caesar there he followed him vnto Aquileia and comming to speech of him and requesting him to take notice of his misfortunes he presented his
to doe it We affect the kingdome of our father he being yet aliue Wherein Is not that purpose of ours vaine and friuolous we hauing alreadie beene graced with kingly honours And suppose we were not yet might we hope for them But could we expect them by killing of thee whom both earth and seas would disdaine after so execrable an offence Or could we haue expected that the loyaltie of thy subiects and the lawes of our nation would haue permitted vs hauing gotten the kingdome by murthering our father to haue enioyed the same and entred into the holy temple which thou didst repaire Or suppose we despised them all yet could any one that murthered thee escape Caesar being liuing Thy children by thee begotten are not so impious nor foolish though more infortunate then thy estate requireth And seeing thou hast nothing to accuse vs of or nothing to prooue any accusation laid vnto our charge how canst thou be perswaded that we are guiltie of such inhumane actes Is it because our mother was put to death But her death ought rather to haue made vs more warie then insolent and rash We could speake more in our owne defence then this but what need is it to excuse that which was neuer done Wherefore we beseech Caesar who is Lord of all and now our Iudge onely this that if thou canst O my father put away out of thy minde all suspition of vs to suffer vs to liue hereafter how vnhappie and vnfortunate soeuer for what is more miserable than to be rashly accused without cause But if thou canst not we liuing liue without feare of vs let vs die condemned by our owne censure For our liues are not so deere vnto vs that we desire to keepe them to his molestation that bestowed them vpon vs. Caesar with these words though before not greatly crediting such accusations and slaunders laid against them was now more mooued to beleeue that they were guiltlesse and the rather for that fixing his eies vpon Herode he perceiued him also to be much mooued and all that were present were sorrowful for the young men so that all courtiers present thought hardly of the king for the absurd friuolous accusation framed against thē and the flower of their age wherin they were now indaungered moued all mens minds what they could to assist them And much more were they incited after that Alexander had ingeniously refuted his fathers accusations the accused remaining stil in the same habit and place and for griefe fixing their eies vpon the ground At last some hope appeared so that the king himselfe seemed to need some excuse for hauing so rashly accused his sonnes without any certaine proofe of his accusations At last Caesar hauing a while deliberated with himselfe pronounced that the young men were innocent and guiltlesse of the crimes laid vnto their charge yet herein they were culpable in that they had so behaued themselues that they gaue their father occasion herein to suspect them And as for Herode he requested him to lay aside all suspition and to be reconciled vnto his children For it was vniustly done of him to beleeue such forged accusations against those whom he had begotten and that one might recompence another in time to come for their former offences and renew the good will betweene them in times past if to abolish all suspicions either did hereafter shew himselfe more friendly to other then before Caesar hauing thus admonished the young men they preparing themselues to intreat their fathers wonted fauour he not expecting so long came and embraced each of them one after another they weeping exceedingly and all those that were present both seruants and others did the like Then giuing humble thanks vnto Casar they departed togither and Antipater with them counterfaiting himselfe to congratulate their good hap for that they were now reconciled vnto his father Within a few daies after Herode gaue Caesar three hundreth talents who was now bestowing his gifts and presents at Rome and exercising his liberalitie vpon the people And Casar againe bestowed vpon him halfe of the reuenewes out of the mines of the mettall in Cyprus and the other halfe vnto the ouerseer thereof and gracing him otherwaies also he gaue him leaue to chuse which of his sonnes he pleased for to succeed him in his kingdome or if he had rather to distribute it amongst them all which Herode presently would haue done but Caesar would not permit him affirming that during his life he should keepe it all whole and vndeuided and his sonnes should be subject vnto him After this Herode returned againe into Iudaea in whose absence the Trachonites that were no small part of his kingdome were reuolted yet by the industrie of the captaines he left to ouersee all in his absence they were conquered againe and forced to doe as they were commaunded As Herode and his sonnes were sailing towards home arriuing at Eleusa a citie of Cilicia which is now called Sebaste he found Archelaus there who was king of Cappadocia Archelaus did courteously entertaine Herode and was verie ioyfull that his sonnes and he were made friends and that Alexander his sonne in law had so well cleered himself and his brother of the crimes laid vnto their charge And so each one bestowing vpon the other princely gifts they departed taking their leaues one of the other After this Herode being new returned into Iudaea and calling the people togither into the temple told them all that had past in his absence from them and the courtesie of Caesar and tolde them also of other affaires that he thought meet for them to know and turning the latter end of his speech vnto his sonnes and exhorting the courtiers and common people to concord he told them that his sonnes should raigne after him and first of all Antipater and after him his sonnes that he had by Mariamme Alexander and Aristobulus in the meane time euerie one of them should honour him as King and Lord notwithstanding his olde age which for long experience was the fitter to gouerne seeing there was nothing in him wanting to keepe both his subiects and children in their obedience and that the soldiers also if they onely respected him should liue in all happines and felicitie without molestation Hauing thus spoken he dismissed the people some thinking he had spoken according to equitie others thinking cleane contrarie For hauing now as it were caused an emulation amongst his children there was as it were alreadie a shew of some mutation CHAP. IX How Herode hauing finished Caesarea for ioy thereof did celebrate euerie fifth yeere certaine sports ABout this time Caesarea was finished the tenth yeere after it was begunne to be built the eight and twentith yeere of Herodes raigne in the hundreth foure score and twelue Olympiade In the dedication hereof there was great pompe and sumotuous preparations for all musitians were brought hither to striue one with another who was
departed out of it and mooued with religion to make satisfaction he builded a most sumptuous monument of white marble at the entrances into the Sepulchre of which building Nicholaus also a writer of that time maketh mention but he speaketh not how they went into the Sepulchre of Dauid thinking that therein he should not keepe decorum if he should make mention thereof Wherein he followed his accustomed order for his writings were to come to the eares of the king yet liuing wherein he did onely curry fauour mentioning onely that that might redound vnto the kings credit so that many of his open and wicked prankes he doth either colour vnder some other pretence or else alwaies possible he endeuoured to hide them For he doth as it were tell a tale of Herodes crueltie against Mariamme and his sonnes as though he did thereby deserue credit and praise accusing her of adulterie and them as traitors vnto their father and this he doth cleane thorow his workes too much extolling the kings good deedes and too diligently excusing his bad deedes and iniquities But as I haue said we must pardon him who did not so much write to leaue a memorie of things done vnto after ages as to gratifie and please his king But I who come of the linage of the Asamonian kings and execute the office of a Priest account it a shame to lie and doe intend truely to recount the historie of all things that were acted and done yet with a reuerence of the posteritie of that king who doe also now beare sway and rule yet with their pardon and leaue hauing a greater care to the veritie of our historie then to them After the Sepulchre was thus violated Herods house began to decay whether reuenge lighting vpon that part which was alreadie scarse sound or whether by meere chance such calamitie at that time befell him as might iustly be thought the reward of impietie For there was a discord in the court not vnlike vnto ciuill warres euerie one striuing against other with hatred and forged accusations but especially Antipaters politicke practise against his brethren was to be noted who entangling them by other mens forged accusations himselfe oftentimes seemed to take vpon him their defence that making a shew of good will vnto them he might secretly oppresse them the sooner and he did so craftily circumuent his father that his father deemed him to bee his onely conseruer Wherefore the king commended Ptolomeus his procurator vnto Antipater his sonne and did communicate all his secrets vnto his mother so that all things were done according as they pleased and they made him displeased ◅gainst those whom they knew the kings displeasure might redoud vnto their profit But Mariammes children did euerie day stomacke the matter more and more disdaining to giue place vnto their inferiour and for their nobiltie not enduring to be remoued from their places and not to keepe their dignitie also their wiues did the like and Alexanders wife Glaphyra who was the daughter of Archelaus king of Cappadocia did greatly enuy and disdaine Salome and she also her againe both for the loue that she bare vnto her husband and for that she disdained as women are wont that her daughter married vnto Aristobulus should be in equall honour with her Pheroras also the kings brother had a hand in this other contention about a priuate cause of suspition and hatred For he fell so farre in loue with one of his maides that he refused the kings daughter offered vnto him rather making choise of his maide Herode tooke this in verie euill part seeing his brother who had receiued so many benefits at his hands and was almost his fellow in his kingdome by his meanes not to shew the like brotherly affection to him againe as he then ought and himselfe to be an vnhappie brother And seeing he could not disswade him from that madnesse he maried his daughter vnto Phasaelus his sonne and afterward thinking that now his brothers mind towards his maide was satisfied he complaining of his iniurious dealing in repulsing his daughter offered vnto him to wife he now offered him another of his daughters named Cypros Then Ptolomeus aduised Pheroras not still to contemne his brothers offer and persist in such folly telling him it was his meere folly therefore to incurre the kings displeasure and hatred and losse of tranquilitie Pheroras vnderstanding this counsell profitable for him hauing beene once before iniuriously accused and obtained pardon at the kings hands sent away his maid by whom he now had a son and promised the king to mary this his other daughter appointed the thirtith day after to celebrate his mariage making a solemne oth vnto the king neuer after that time to vse the company of that womā whom he had put away The time appointed being expired he fell so farre in loue with the former woman that he would not stand to his promise but againe companied with his maid Then Herode not able any longer to conteine himselfe vsed many speeches whereby he euidētly shewed his mind to be alienated from his brother And there were many who taking hereat opportunitie did by forged calumniations encrease his alienation so that now there was no day nor hower past wherein he did not still heare some new alterations and stirs amongst his deerest friends whom nature willed to combine themselues to maintaine concord and amitie For Salome being now offended at Mariammes children did not permit her daughter maried vnto Aristobulus one of the young men to enioy mutuall loue and comfort of her husband enticing her to bewraie her husbands secret talke and if she heard any small occasions of offence as often it falleth out she should the more aggrauate them with suspicions whereby she also learned all their secrets and made the young woman hate her husband And she to please her mother recounted how that often when her husband and Alexander were alone that then they were wont to talke of Mariamme their mother and vse reprochfull words against their father and threatning that if they euer did obtaine the kingdome they would make the sonnes of the king whom he had by other wiues notaries and towne-clerkes and so they might reape profit of their learning which they now studied for and whensoeuer they saw any of the kings wiues weare any of Mariammes apparell that then they vowed in steed of that attire to cloath them with sackcloth and shut them vp where they should neuer see the Sunne Salome presently told all this to the king who though he were much grieued hereat yet he chose rather to seeke to amend it then to punish thē for he was greatly incited against them by suspition euery day waxing worse worse at last he beleeued all the reports of anie whomsoeuer But hee then contented only sharpely to chide his sonnes and pacified with their excuses and answers he for that time was quiet But presently the
which had passed to prosecute the rest that appertained to the inquest and approbation of his crime But Antipater turning himselfe towards his father began to iustifie himselfe vrging the same testimonies and fauours that his father had shewed vnto him and the honours hee had receiued at his hands which he would neuer haue shewed him if he had beene vnworthy of the same and had not by his vertue deserued these fauours He alledged also that by his vertue he had preuented all that which might haue hapned and that where the cause required his labour or diligence he dispatched all things with his owne industrie that it was vnlikely that he who had deliuered his father from those treasons which were intended against him by other men should himselfe attempt the like and as farre from probabilitie that he should go about to extinguish that vertue whereof euen vntill that day he had giuen testimonie to the end that alwaies hereafter he might be defamed for such an indignitie For long before this time he was named and entitled to succeede him and to enioy those verie honours whereof alreadie he pertooke no small part whereby he protested that it was vnlikely that he who might enioy the halfe of all that his father had in all securitie vertue and honour should desire the whole with infamy and daunger yea and with incertitude to obtaine the same considering in especial that the punishment which had befallen his brothers whom he had both disclosed and accused at such time as they were hidden was procured by him who if he had listed might haue concealed them in secret and whose wickednes towards their father after it was approued he himselfe had reuenged vpon them neither as he said repented he himselfe of that which he had done for that action of his might be an argument to approue how incorruptly he loued his father And as touching that which he had delt in at Rome Caesar himselfe was witnes thereof who could be no more deceiued then God himselfe whereof those letters bore record which were written by him which in equitie should be of no lesse force then the slaunders of those who fought to set them at oddes the most part of which obiections and reproches had beene complotted and deuised by his enemies who haue had the leasure to pursue the same during his absence which they could not haue performed in his presence Finally he auowed that all those confessions were false which were extorted by torture in that it ordinarily falleth out that such as are put to the triall confesse many things by force of torment that are vntrue to satisfie them that put them thereto briefly without all fauour he offered himselfe to the racke in iustification of his innocencie Vpon these his protestations all the councell and assistants were confounded For all of them had great compassion of Antipater who was wholy drowned in his teares so that his verie enemies began to pitie him And Herode himselfe made it appeare that he seemed in some sort to be altered in his opinion notwithstanding he enduoured to conceale the same But Nicholaus according as he was requested prosecuted that accusation which the king had begunne vrging all things to the vttermost and producing all the witnesses and those manifest prooues that were gathered from their examinations who were tortured In especiall he amply discoursed of the kings vertue which he had fatherly expressed in the education and instruction of his children for which he had beene so vnkindly and vnnaturally required Moreouer that his first childrens foolish rashnes was not so much to be wondred at for that being yong they had beene corrupted by the malice of their counsellors had blotted out of their hearts al the lawes of nature rather through ambition of rule then desire of riches But that Antipaters boldnes was both wonderfull and wicked who more cruell then the cruellest beasts who toward their benefactors acknowledge each good tume was nothing mollified by his fathers so great indulgence neither terrified by his brothers calamitie but that he must needs emulate them in their crueltie And thou thy selfe said he O Antipater wett the Iudge of their attempted treasons by thy inquisition they were indited thou didst execute the iustice against them being conuicted Neither do we disallow that thou didst prosecute them with iust indignation but rather admire thee for that thou imitatest their intemperance we easily gather that those acts of thine were not attēpted for thy fathers securitie but intended for thy brothers ouerthrow that by detesting their malice thou mightst insinuate thy selfe into the allowance and good liking of their father and thine that afterwards thou mightest more cunningly and securely bring him to his end which at length thou hast attempted to performe For whilest thou adiudgest thy guiltie brothers to death and sparest their confederates thou makest it manifest in all mens eies that thou art in good liking liking with them whose assistance thou mighest hereafter vse in oppressing thy father Thou hast therefore taken a double pleasure worthy thy manners the one openly as if reioycing and glorying that by thy brothers death thou hast atchieued a matter of honour the other secretly by indeuouring with greater wickednes but more secret fraud to make an end of thy father the reuenger of whose iniuries thou pretendedst to bee For if thou haddest truely detested their malice thou hadst neuer esteemed the same to be worthie of thy imitation For thou haste not cut them off for committing such capitall offences as were answerable vnto thine but for that they had a more iust and rightfull title to succeed in the kingdome then thou hast And thou hast thought good to mixe the murther of thy father with the slaughtered bodies of thy brothers for feare least thou shouldest be sodainly conuinced in thy conspiracies against them and to the end that the punishment which thou well deseruest to suffer should light vpon thy vnfortunate father proiecting with yourselfe such a patricide and so rare and hainous a murther that to this day the like thereof hath not beene heard of amongst men For thou being his sonne hast practised these treasons not onely against thy father but against him that loued thee aboue measure and did thee good beyond hope with whom thou hast actuall participation of the gouernment of the kingdome and who had appointed thee his heire in the same being no waies hindered eyther for the present or in times past to participate the pleasure of soueraigntie and being assured of the hope of succession both by the will and writings of thy father But you haue measured the course of your affaires not according to Herodes vertue but according to your owne appetite and malice intending to depriue such a father of his part who graunted you the whole and seeking in effect to murther him whom in words you pretended heretofore to protect from iniurie And not content of your selfe to
obtaine immortall praise for the present and a memorable and eternall glorie in time to come neither that they should protract the execution therof for feare of danger since death was a thing that might not be auoided so that since by the generall course of nature they must needly die it should become them brauely to forsake their liues with praise and honour in embracing vertue For to die in the execution of some noble exploit which cannot be atchieued without hazard or danger their children should be richly rewarded with the fruits thereof their other parents that should ou◅liue them of what sex soeuer should reape the fruits of that glorie which was honourably atchieued by them In these or such like words encouraged they the young men About that time there was a rumour spred that the king was dead which gaue verie great furtherance to the doctors resolution For at high noone they went vp into the temple they pulled and hewed downe the Aegle with their axes in the sight and assembly of a great number of people that were in the temple Now when the tidings hereof came vnto the eares of the kings captaine he fearing least some further and more fatall tumult might be raised drew out a strong companie of souldiers with him to repulse those that were assembled to hew downe the Aegle and charging the rude disarmed multitude who were gathered togither he easily flew and dispersed the most as for those 40. young men that valiantly addressed thēselues to resist he apprehended them and with them the authors of this sedition Iudas Matthias who thought scorne to submit thēselues and led them to the king who demanding of them how they durst deface the sacred image they answered that long before that time they had resolued it and that now according as they had resolued they had like valiant men performed the same For we said they maintaine the honour of God and the doctrine of our lawe whereof we are disciples neither ought you to admire that with contempt of your ordinances we haue preferred the lawes of our forefathers which Moses hath left vs in writing according as he was suggested and taught them by God neither doe we refuse any death or punishment which thou shalt inflict vpon vs being assured in our consciences that we suffer not for our impietie but pietie sake Thus spake they all of them continuing the like constant boldnesse in their answeres as they had shewed in their actions being also ready constantly to endure any punishment for that which they had attēpted Hereupon the king commanded them to be bound and sent them to Iericho then calling before him those principall Iewes who had the gouernment vnder him being brought into their assembly vpon his pallat by reason of his weaknesse he recited vnto them the numberlesse trauels he had endured for their sakes in like manner how vpon his great charges he had repaired and reedified the temple whereas the Asmoneans for the space of 125. yeeres wherein they raigned could not performe such a building in the honour of God Moreouer he signified vnto them how he had adorned the same with precious gifts for which he hoped that after his death his memorie and glorie should suruiue After this he expostulated with them for what cause they abstained not from offering him that outrage during his life time And why at noon daies and in the sight of all the people they had laid hands on those presents which he had dedicated vnto God and had taken those things away violently which though in words they appertained to him yet in effect if the act were well examined they had taken from God The gouernors suspecting his crueltie and fearing least his vnbridled passion should vrge him further by which meanes they might be assured of some seuere punishment answered him that those things were not done by their consents and that in their opinion the iniurie ought not to be let slip without punishment At that time Herod shewed himselfe more fauourable towards the rest but he caused Matthias to be depriued of the priesthood as one in part who had been the cause of that which had hapned and in his place substituted Iozar one of his wiues brethren During the priesthood of this Matthias it hapned also that an other high priest was elected that verie day wherein the Iewes did vsually celebrate their fast For Matthias the night before the day of the fast seemed in his dream to haue had the company of his wife and whereas for this cause he was vnfit to offer the deuine sacrifice he had Ioseph the sonne of Ellemus appointed him to be his assister and substitute by reason of his alliance Herode therefore deposed Matthias and as touching the other Matthias who had mooued this trouble both he and his companions were by his commandement consumed with fire This verie night the moone was ecclipsed Herods sicknesse grew more vehement For God punished those sins which he had committed For he was inflamed with a lent or slow fire which to the outward sense seemed not so vehement but Inwardly searched and afflicted all his entrails he had also a rauenous and an vnnaturall appetite to his meat which might no waies be satisfied Besides that he had an vlcer in his bowels with a strange and furious colicke His feet were swolne with moist and shining f◅egme and his stomacke was no lesse affected also His members rotted were full of crawling wormes with a filthie and no lesse troublesome Priapisme accompanied with an intollerable stench besides all this he had a strong con◅ulsion of his nerues and shortnesse of breath For which cause it was a generall opinion amongst holy men and such as had the knowledge of prophecie that the king was thus punished for his infinite impieties and sinnes committed against the maiestie of God And although he was tormented with an vnsupportable sicknes yet had he hope to escape and for that cause he sent for phisitions from all places and refused none of those remedies which they thought behoouefull for him He therefore past ouer Iordan and went into the hot bathes of Calliroes the waters whereof are potable besides other vertues they haue against all other kind of sicknes this water dischargeth it selfe into the lake called Asphaltite Being there it was thought good by his phisitions that he should refresh himselfe in those waters There being set by them into a bathing tub be filled with oyle he waxed so sicke that they held him for dead Whereupon all his household seruants wept and grieuously lamented and all his familiar friends crying out and bewailing him with their great noise caused him to come to himselfe and seeing himselfe wholy out of hope to escape he gaue order that there should a distribution be made to euery soldier the summe of fiftie drachmes and he offered great presents to their captaines his friends Afterwards
After this they gaue an entrance to those most grieuous mischiefes and calamities that befell the Iewes for they spred the seed of that warre which was awakened vnder Florus gouernment And for that cause after that Vespasian had obtained the victorie as it shall be hereafter declared he caused them to depart out of that prouince and made them seeke their habitation elsewhere THE XX. BOOKE OF THE ANTIQVITIES OF THE IEWES WRITTEN BY FLAVIVS IOSEPHVS The Contents of the Chapters of the 20. booke 1 The dissension betweene the Philadelphians and the Iewes and of the Ephode which was the sacerdotall stole 2 How Helena Queene of Adiabena and her sonnes embraced the religion of the Iewes 3 The Gouernour Tiberius Alexander punisheth the sonnes of Iudas of Galtlee 4 How agreat number of Iewes were slaine about the temple 5 The sedition of the Iewes against the Samaritanes 6 The actions of Foelix president of Iudaea 7 The gouernment of Porcius Festus in Iudaea and of certaine murtherers 8 Albinus gouernment 9 How Florus who succeeded Albinus inforced so many iniuries against the Iewes that they were constrained to fall to armes CHAP. I. The dissension betweene the Philadelphians and the Iewes and of the Ephode which was the sacerdotall stole AFTER King Agrippas decease as we haue heretofore declared in our former booke the Emperour Claudius sent Cassius Longinus to succeede Marsus in the gouernment of Syria whom he displaced of that honor in memorie of Agrippa who during his life time had oftentimes required by his letters that he should not suffer Marsus to gouerne the estate of Syria As soone as Cuspius Fadus came into Iewrie to take charge of that countrey which he was to gouerne vnder Caesar he found the Iewes that dwelt on the other side of Iordan in an vprore who had taken armes against the Philadelphians about the limits of a certaine village called Mia which was stored with valiant men at armes Now had those who inhabite beyond Iordan armed themselues in this manner without the consent of their gouernors had slain a great number of the Philadelphians Which when Fadus vnderstood he was sore displeased for that they had not reserued the cause to his hearing and opened their griefes they had conceiued against the Philadelphians but were so bolde of their owne authoritie and without feare to betake themselues to their weapons Hauing therfore apprehended some three of them who had been principals and authors of the sedition he commaunded them to prison and executed one of them called Annibas and banished the other two whose names were Amaram and Eleazar Anon after this Tholomaeus the Archthiefe was also taken and brought vnto him who commaunded him to be executed in that he had done many robberies in Idumaea and Arabia and by this meanes all the countrey of Iudaea was cleered of all theeues by the care and prouidence of Fadus After this he sent for the high priests and the gouernours of Ierusalem commanding them according to the Emperours direction that they should deliuer vp into the Castle of Antonia the long and sacred robe which the high priest onely was accustomed to weare to the end that it might be at the Romans disposition as in times past it had been This commaund of his they durst not contradict yet notwithstanding they required Fadus and Longinus who at that time was come to Ierusalem with a great power for feare the Iewes by reason of this iniunction should grow to rebellion first that it might be lawfull for them to send their Embassadours vnto Caesar to beseech him that the sacred robe might remaine in their custodie Secondly that it might please them to expect the answere which Caesar would returne vpon this their request Fadus gaue them this answere that he permitted them to send their Embassadours to Rome prouided that before hand they deliuered him their children for hostages Which when they had readily performed the Embassadors were sent away Now when they came to Rome the younger Agrippa who was his sonne that lately died knowing the cause of their comming and being ordinarily accustomed to attend vpon Caesar according as we haue heretofore declared besought Caesar that he would grant the Iewes their request as touching the sacred Robe and that it might please him to signifie no lesse vnto Fadus On this his petition Claudius gaue the Embassadours audience and tolde them that he fauoured their suit willing them to be thankfull to Agrippa vpon whose suit he respected them and allowed of their demaunds and besides this answere he deliuered them a letter to this effect Claudius Caesar Germanicus Conseruer of the people Consul created the fift time Emperour the fourth time Father of the countrey the tenth time to the Magistrates of Ierusalem the Senate people and all the nation of the Iewes Health Being required by our welbeloued Agrippa whom I both haue and at this present doe bring vp with me and whom I know to be most deuout I haue heard your Embassadours who were admitted to my presence by his meanes and haue receiued their thankes for the benefits I haue bestowed on your nation I haue also willingly inclined to that instant and expresse request you haue made vnto me and it is my pleasure the sacred Robe of the high priest and the holy Miter remaine in your custodie in such manner as our most deere and right honoured ftiend Vitellius heretofore ordained To which demaund of yours I vouchsafe my allowance first in regard of mine owne pietie and for that I desire that euerie one should serue God according to his own religion next for that I am resolued that in so doing I shall gratifie king Herod yong Aristobulus whose pietie towards me I am priuie to and whose good affection towards you I can witnesse with whom I haue had diuers occasions of friendship both in regard of their vertue as for the honour that I beare vnto them I haue also written to this effect to Cuspius Fadus mine Agent The names of those who haue receiued my letters are Cornelius the sonne of Ceron Trypon the sonne of Theudion Dorotheus the sonne of Nathanael and Iohn the sonne of Iohn Giuen the eight and twentith of Iune in the yeere wherein Rufus and Pompeius Syluanus were Consuls At that same time Herode who was Agrippas brother that lately deceased to whose hands in times past the gouernment of Chalcis had been committed required the Emperour Claudius to grant him the power ouer the temple and the sacred vestments and necessaries and the authoritie of choosing the high priest All which he obtained and from that time forward vntill the end of the warre of the Iewes this power remained in all his successours According to this authoritie Herode deposed Canthara from the priesthood and gaue the succession thereof to Ioseph the sonne of Canëus CHAP. II. How Helena Queene of Adiabena and her sonnes embraced the religion of the Iewes AT that
a mountaine neere Arabia hauing on one side a strong place of defence and this Castle he called Herodium after his owne name By the same name also he called a tomb which he builded sixtie stounds from Ierusalem artificially made in maner of a womans dug which he richly adorned for within compasse of the top of it he caused round turrets to be placed and round about it he builded princely houses gallantly adorned both within and without He also brought water from a great way off with great cost and charges and made a paire of staires of pure white marble to go vp which had two hundreth steps For the whole hill was made by arte and it was of an exceeding height at the foote thereof likewise he builded another pallace and houses to receiue his friends and their carriage so that this castle for the abundance of all necessarie places seemed a citie and yet was it all the kings pallace Hauing erected thus many buildings he shewed his braue minde in strange Cities likewise for at Tripolis and Damascus and Ptolemais he builded publike bathes which are called exercises He builded the wall of Biblus and seates porches temples and markets at Berytus and Tyre at Sidon and Damascus he builded a Theater and a water conduit at Laodicea a sea towne At Ascalon he builded fountaines or lakes very sumptuous and baths with pillers that for greatnes and gallant worke were miraculous To other places he gaue woods and ports and vnto many cities he added fields as though they had been fellow cities of his kingdome Also toward the maintenance of the bathes he gaue a yeerely annuitie for euer as namely to those at Cous to the intent he might be an eternall benefactor Moreouer he gaue all poore people corne and he often and in sundry places gaue the Rhodians money to built a nauy of ships At his owne proper cost he repaired Pythium which was burnt with fire What should I say of his liberalitie which he extended vnto them of Lycia and Samia or the magnificent gifts which he vsed toward all the people of Ionia yea all things which their hearts could desire whereby he relieued all their necessities Nay both the Athenians and Lacedemonians and Nicopolites and the Citizens of Pergamus in Mysia receiued very many benefits at his hands He paued also a large streete in Antiochia of Syria which was in length twentie stounds and that with faire marble This streete before that time was so full of durt that no man could goe thorow it and all along it he builded galleries that people might go drie thorow it in rainy weather Some one may say that these benefits that he thus bestowed were done for the proper vse of those people on whom he bestowed them but no man can denie but that which he did for the citizens of Elis was not onely common to those of Achaia but vnto all the world where the games called Olympica Certamina were solemnized For Herode seeing them decay onely for want of maintenance and that this was the only remainder of all the ancient monuments of Greece he not only in his own person at that time became one of the proposers of rewards in that Olympiade which he assisted when he went to Rome but also gaue a yeerely stipend to maintaine the same least for want it should be left off It is not to be told what debts and tributes he remitted for he deliuered the Phasaelites and Balaneotes and other townes of Cilicia from the paiment of a yeerly tribute yet was he not so liberall vnto them as he would haue been fearing least the enuy of some might accuse him of some further meaning if he should be more bountifull vnto the cities then those that were the owners thereof He exercised his body likewise in exercises fit for so valiant a minde for he was a verie skilfull hunter wherein he had alwaies his purpose by reason of his skil in riding so that in one day he killed fortie wilde beasts That countrey hath many bores but it hath most store of Harts and wilde Asses He was such a warriour as no man was able to encounter withall so that many were astonished to see him exercise himselfe who admired him for casting a dart and shooting an arrow Beside the vertue both of his mind and bodie he had also good fortune for very seldome the euent of warre was otherwise then he expected which if it sometime chanced it was not through his fault but through the rashnes of his souldiers or else through treason CHAP. XVII Of the disagreement betweene Herode and his sonnes Alexander and Aristobulus BVt his priuate and domesticall sorrowes seemed to enuie him his publike felicitie and most aduerse fortune befell him through the meanes of a woman whom he loued as himselfe For being now made king he put away his wife which he first maried which was a Ladie borne in Ierusalem whose name was Doris and maried Mariamme the daughter of Alexander who was Aristobulus sonne which caused troubles in his house both before but especially after he returned from Rome For he banished his eldest sonne Antipater whom he had by Doris out of the citie onely for his childrens sake that he had by Mariamme licensing him onely at festiuall times to come vnto the citie in regard of some suspicion of treason intended against him And afterward he slew Hyrcanus his wiues vncle notwithstanding that he returned out of Parthia vnto him because after he suspected that he intended some treason against him whom Barzapharnes after he had taken all Syria tooke away prisoner with him But his own countrimen that dwelt beyond Euphrates in commiseration redeemed him from thraldome had he beene counselled by them and not come vnto Herode he had not beene killed but the mariage of his neece caused his death for for that cause and especially for the loue of his natiue soyle he came thither That which moued Herode to kill him was not for that he sought the kingdome but because he had right vnto the kingdome Herode had fiue children by Mariamme two daughters and three sons The yongest was sent to Rome to studie where he died The other two he brought vp like Princes both for their mothers nobilitie sake for that they were borne after he was king But that which aboue al other was most forcible was the loue he bare to Mariamme which from day to day tormented him more violently in such sort that he felt not any part of those griefes which this his best beloued enforced against him For Mariamme hated him as much as he loued her and hauing a iust cause and colour of discontent moreouer being emboldened by the loue which he bare her she euerie day vpbraided him with that which he had done vnto Hyrcanus her vncle and vnto her brother Aristobulus For Herode spared him not although he was a child
kingdome and railed against such as he had no power ouer Antipater increased this mischiefe more and more and gathering togither a great company of his friends he omitted no kind of calumniation The king likewise was terrified by the rumours tales of pickthanks that he thought alwaies that he saw Alexander before him with a drawen sword For which cause he sodainly tooke him and cast him in prison and tortured his friends many of which died in torments because they would not confesse more then in conscience was true others not able to endure the torments were forced to confesse that Alexander and his brother Aristobulus thought to haue wrought treason against their father that they expected their time till he went a hunting resolued in themselues that hauing killed him they would presently flie to Rome Although these and such like calumniations were nowaies probable yet extremitie of paine forced men extempore to inuent them and the king willingly beleeued them as it were comforting himselfe thereby in that he might not be thought to haue imprisoned his sonne vn◅stly Alexander perceluing that it was vnpossible for him to abolish his fathers suspition thought it better to yeeld hi◅selfe guiltio and so wrote foure bookes against his aduersaries and confessed the treason affirming that he had many partakers therein namely Pheroras Salome who were the chiefe auouching that before that time he had had the vse of her body in the night time and how though he himselfe was vnwilling yet she forced him thereunto Now the bookes came vnto Herods hands which charged the greatest amongst the nobilitie with most hainous matters Archelaus fearing his son in law and daughter to be in great danger speedily came into Iudaea and ingeniously appeased the kings wrath for so soone as he came vnto Herod he cried where is that wicked son in law of mine or where may I see the face of that wre◅h that goeth about to murther his father that I may teare him in peeces with mine own hands marrie my daughter anew to a better husband for although she be not priuie to his cou◅sell yet is she defiled for that she was wife to such a man Nay I admire thy patience who art in such daunger and sufferest Alexander yet to liue for I came thus hastily out of Cappadocia thinking he had beene put to death to talke with thee concerning my daughter whom I maried to him for thy sake and honour Wherefore now let vs take counsell what to do with them both and seeing thouart too father like and not able to punish thy sonne thy ◅echerous sonne let vs chaunge roumes and let me be in t◅y place to reuenge thee with such like inuections he deceiued Herode though otherwise firme in his purpose Then Herode shewed him the bookes that Alexander had writ and reading euery chapter with deliberation Archelaus tooke occasion fit for his purpose and by little and little laid al the fault on Pheroras and those that were accused in the booke And perceiuing the king to giue eare vnto him let vs quoth he consider whether the young man was not circumuented by the trechery of so many lewde persens and not thou by the yong man for there appeares no cause why he should fall into such wickednes who now enioyed the kingdome and hoped to succeed thee therein had he not beene perswaded thereto by other men who seeing him a young man entised him vnto such naughtines For we see that through such men not onely young men but also olde men and most noble families yea and whole kingdomes are ruinated Herode vpon these speeches began somewhat to relent so that he appeased his wrath toward Alexāder encreased it towards Pheroras for he was as it were the subiect of the whole booke Who perceiuing the king so to trust vnto Archelaus friendship that he was lead by him to do what he pleased leauing Alexander he in humble manner came to Archelaus seeking impudently for succour at his hands of whom he had not deserued any fauour Archelaus answered him that he knew no waies to obtaine his pardon who was guiltie of so hainous crimes and conuicted manifestly to haue practised high treason against the kings owne person and to be the cause of all these miseries that had now befallen the young man except that he would lay aside all subtle dealing and denying of his fact and confesse the crimes wherof he was accused and so in humble wise go vnto his brother who loued him dearely and craue pardon promising him that if he would so do he would do him what good he could Hereupon Pheroras obeyed Archelaus his counsell and putting on a blacke attire he in pitifull maner and with teares prostrated himselfe at Herodes feete and crauing pardon obtained it confessing himselfe to be a most wicked and vile person and to be guiltie of al that which was obiected against him and that the cause which moued him to do al those things was the franticke and madde fits he fell into for the loue of that woman Now when Pheroras became his owne accuser a witnesse against himselfe then Archelaus endeuored to mitigate Herodes wrath towards him and excuse his faultes with fit examples for he alleaged that his brother attempted greater matters against him whom notwithstanding for natures cause he pardoned adding that in euery kingdome as in mightie bodies alwaies some part began to swell which notwithstanding was not presently to be cut off but to be cured by easie means Archelaus vsing many speeches vnto Herod to this purpose at last quite appeased his wrath toward Pheroras still counterfaiting himselfe to be angrie with Alexander affirming that he would take his daughter away with him till at last he forced Herode of his owne accord to entreat for the yong man requesting him again to despouse his daughter vnto him Archelaus after much entreatie answered that he was willing the king should bestow his daughter vpō any saue Alexander for he greatly esteemed the law of affinity Herod replied that if he did not diuorce his daughter from Alexander he should thinke that he bestowed his sonne vpon him for they had no children and his daughter was dearely loued of the young man so that if he would permit her to stay still there for her sake he would pardon all Alexanders offences Heereto Archelaus with much ado agreed and so was reconciled vnto his sonne in law and he vnto his father Yet Herode affirmed that he must needs be sent to Rome to speake with Caesar for he had written the whole matter vnto Caesar. Thus Archelaus craftily deliuered his sonne in law from daunger and after this reconciliation was made they spent the time in feasting and mirth Vpon Archelaus departure Herode gaue him seuentie talents and a throne of pure gold adorned with precious stones and Eunuches and a concubine named Pannychis and rewarded euery one of his
was to raigne so many yeares as there were eares of corne in number and then after he had abidden many mutations he should die Fiue dayes after this interpretation Archelaus was sent for to Rome to answer that before Augustus whereof he was accused I also thought it worth rehearsing to set downe the dreame of his wife Glaphyra daughter to Archelaus king of Cappadocia who was first married vnto Alexander brother vnto this man and sonne to king Herod by whom he was put to death as we haue said before after whose death shee was married to Iuba King of Lybia and he being dead she returned home to her father and liuing in her widowhood at home with her father Archelaus the Ethnarch beholding her was so inflamed with her loue that presently being diuorced from his wife Mariamme he married her Who shortly after she came into Iudaea dreamed that she saw Alexander her first husband standing before her and saying vnto her It had beene enough for thee to haue married the king of Lybia but thou not contented therewith comest againe to my house greedy of a third husband and which is worse of all now married to mine own brother I wil not conceale nor dissemble this iniurie which thou dostme but I will recouer you against your will And she scarcely liued two dayes after she had recounted this dreame CHAP. VII Of Simon the Galilean and the three sects amongst the Iewes AFter that Archelaus his dominions were made a prouince a certaine Roman knight called Coponiu's was made gouernour thereof receiuing authority from Caesar to punish and put to death In his time a Galilaean named Simon incited his countrimen to reuolt reprouing them for paying tribute to the Romans and for being subiect to anie mortall men but God This Simon was a Sophister hauing a sect of his own deuising nothing like other sects For there are three sects of Philosophers amongst the Iewes one is that which the Pharisies do follow another which the Sadduces do follow the third is that which the Esseans follow which is the most famous of the three The Esseans are Iewes borne but they are most friendly to one another who beside al other pleasures do eschew witchcraft neither do they suffer thēselues to be led with their owne affections but account it a great vertue to abstaine from all vices and to keep chastity For they refuse mariage account other mens children put to them to be taught whilest they be young as their kinsmen whom they do diligently instruct in their manners and opinion◅ not for that they condemne mariage and propagation of mankind but for that they thinke men should auoid womens intemperance for they think that none of them keepe themselues truly to one man Also they contemne riches and all things with them are common no man amongst them is richer then other And they haue a law amongst themselues that whosoeuer will followe their sect he must make his goods common to them all for so neither any amongst them shall seeme abiect for pouertie nor any great for riches sake but they haue as it were all equall patrimonies like brethren They account it a shame to vse oile and if anie man against his will bee annointed therewith they vse all diligence to wipe it away for they account homelines best and all their clothes are white They haue amongst them procurators to ouersee and vse all things for their common benefit and euerie one seeketh the good of all who are chosen from among them by a common consent They haue not one certaine citie but are in manie cities and if anie of their sect come vnto them from another place they giue him any thing they haue as if he himselfe were owner thereof And in briefe they goe boldly in to those whom they neuer in their liues did see before as though they were verie familiarly acquainted with them and therefore when they take a iourny they only arme themselues against theeues carie nothing with thē els In euerie citie there is one of them appointed whose office it is to haue a care of the guests see that they neither want cloathes nor any thing els necessarie for them All children vnder gouernment brought vp by them go apparelled alike they neuer change their apparel nor shooes except they haue cleane worne their first apparell or that by reason of long wearing they will do no more seruice They among themselues neither buy nor sell but euery man that hath any thing that another wanteth giueth him it and taketh that of him which himselfe needeth yet euerie one of them may take any thing he hath need of from whom he pleaseth without any change Aboue all towards God they are verie religious for before the sunne rise they haue no profane talke but they make certain vowes praiers after the custome of their countrie as it were praying that it may rise vpon them After this euerie one is dismissed to practise the art he knoweth and when euerie one hath diligently laboured till fiue of the clocke they all gather themselues together againe and being couered with linnen cloathes so they wash their bodies with cold water hauing thus purged themselues they haue a secret assembly vnto the which no man that is not of their sect is admitted and so they come into the refectorie as into a holy temple all sitting down with silence and the baker setteth euery man in order a loafe the cook euery man a messe of pottage of one sort Then before meate the Priest giueth thanks and no man may taste anie meat before they haue made their prayers to God Likewise when dinner is ended they pray againe for both before and after they giue thankes vnto God the giuer of all and then putting off that apparell as sacred they apply themselues vnto their worke till euening This done they doe as before causing their guests to suppe with them if by fortune any come Their house is neuer troubled with cries or tumults for euerie one is appointed to speake in his turne so that they who are without the house esteeme their silence as some sacred mysterie The cause hereof is their continuall sobrietie and that euerie one is limited howe much he should eate or drinke And although that in all other matters they are ruled by their gouernour yet in these two to wit compassionating and helping they may doe as they thinke good for euerie one may when hee pleaseth helpe those whom he thinketh deserue helpe and when they please giue meat to them that are in need Yet may not they giue any thing to their kinred without the leaue of their Gouernour These men giue not place to anger but refraine from wrath keepe their promise and maintaine peace and account euery word they speake of more force then if they had bound it with an oath and they shun oathes worse then
that our funerals should neither bee pompeous nor our sepulchres gorgious commaunding euerie houshold to performe all necessaries touching the buriall of their dead permitting all men at any ones death to assemble themselues together and bewaile the dead It also commaundeth euerie one yea euen the dead mans owne family to purifie themselues after the buriall and to goe a farreoff as seeming to bee vncleane It also appointeth punishment for them that haue committed murder either wilfully or against their will It bindeth euerie man to obey his parents next after God and commaundeth that those children that doe not shewe themselues gratefull vnto them or in any thing doe grieue them that they should be stoned to death It also commandeth all yong men to reuerence olde men because God is elder to vs all It permitteth not friends to councell any impietie for God is not their friend who doth not disclose them and if friends fall out that doe know one anothers secrets yet they are commaunded not to bewray them If any Iudge take a bribe he is to be punished with death for omitting iustice and assisting the guiltie No man must take any thing away that he himselfe placed not and no man must take that which is not his owne No man for lending must take vsurie and many such like things our law commaundeth concerning cause of communion betweene vs and others It is also not amisse to recount how our law maker prouided for the entertaining of strangers amongst vs For he seemeth so to haue prouided that to our knowledge wee neither corrupt our owne lawes nor denie to impart them to others but hee entertaineth all liberally that will come and liue vnder our lawes iudging the communitie of mans life not so much to consist in the nation whereof we come as in the vnitie of our minds and conuersation He forbiddeth others that are strangers and come not with that intent to be admitted to our solemnities yet he commanded vs to exhibite vnto them all other things necessarie and that wee should giue vnto all men fire water meate and burie them being dead He hath also most mildly determined how we ought to deale with our enemies that wee neither destroy their Countrie with fire nor out downe their fruit trees Wee are also forbidden to rob and spoyle those that are slaine in fight and deale iniuriously with our captiues and especially if they be women yea hee so endeuoured to teach vs humanitie mildnes that he prouided that we vse euen vnreasonable beasts courteously only imploy them to serue our lawfull need and no further for he forbiddeth vs to kill any tame thing bred in our houses and that we should not kill the olde beasts and their young together and although many wilde beasts enemies to mankind doe assist vs in our labours yet he commaunded to spare them also And that in euerie point hee established humanitie and mildnesse amongst vs vsing as is before said lawes to direct vs therein enacting also other how they who infringe the foresaid laws may be with al seueritie punished for the punishment allotted to the violaters hereof is for the most part death as if any man commit adulterie rauish a virgine vse the sinne against nature with another or suffer himselfe to bee so abused We also haue lawes concerning our seruants our measures and weights and vnlawfull bargaines and sales or deceite if either one take any thing that is an other mans or which is not his owne all these are to be punished not as other nations punish them but much more grieuously But whosoeuer either iniurieth his parents or committeth impietie against God he shall presently bee destroyed but they that obserue this law are rewarded not with gold or siluer nor with a crowne beset with precious stone but euerie one hauing his conscience to witnesse doth greatly profit and gaine eternitie as both our law-maker prophecieth and God himselfe doth most assuredly promise to them that obserue them And if it chance that we bee forced to suffer death for them yet doe we ioyfully goe to execution nothing doubting but that we shall so exchange this life for a better I should bee loth to report this if our deedes did not make it manifest for many of our forefathers onely for that they refused to speake against our lawes or otherwise then our lawes permitted haue most manfully and constantly indured all torments and death it selfe If our nation were vnknowne to all the world and that this our voluntarie obseruation of our lawes were not manifest to all people if any man should report vnto the Greekes that either hee had read this which I haue declared or else that hee had found people in a straunge land such as we bee hauing so pius and honest opinions concerning God and who had for many ages perseuered therein I doubt not but they would all admire and wonder hereat considering the great mutabilitie amongst themselues To bee short their are some who sticke not to deride them who haue lately written of the gouernement of Commonwealthes and lawes as though they had written thinges fabulous and altogether impossible And that I speake nothing of other Philosophers that haue written of this argument That diuine Plato amongst the Greekes a man who in honest life vertuous speech and sound Philosophie excelled all others This man is almost continually scoffed at by them who in their owne conceit are skilfull in ciuill affaires and brought in as a vice in a comedy Whereas whosoeuer considereth his writings with diligence shall often and easily finde matter agreeable with most mens manners yea this Plato himselfe confesseth that he dare not by reason of the common peoples ignorance set downe the true opinion of God But many thinke Platoes words full of varietie and licentiousnesse and admire Lycurgus and euerie one commendeth the Citie of Sparta for that it so long time perseuered in his lawes It is therefore an euident demonstration of vertue to remaine in their lawes But if those who so admire the Lacedemonians doe compare them with vs and the time during the which their lawes were in force with the time of our common wealth they shall finde that ours hath continued more then two thousand weeres They shall also finde that the Lacedemonians did onely perfectly obserue their lawes during such time as they were in prosperitie and libertie and that when their fortune chaunged that then they became vnmindefull of their lawes But we who haue felt many thousand mishaps by reason of the often chaunge of princes in Asia haue not in these our last miseries and euils forsaken our lawe Neither can any man say that libertie and licentious life is the cause why we so diligently obserue them seeing that who so please may see sufficient proofe that they tie vs to more strict life and laborious then those of the Lacedemonians did them For they neither tilled the
the sacrifice and eate of the swines flesh for it is contrarie to all wise mens aduice to credit the Iewes opinions and to refuse that meate which nature hath as well ordained for mankind as any other Wee shew our selues vngratefull for Gods benefits who contemne his graces and make difference where nature hath made none or what reason is there to shew that this beast is more abhominable then others Either all beasts are to be eaten or else all to be eschewed it is superstition and idlenesse to barre our selues from any thing by a law when we haue no other for it but our will Set apart those vaine and sottish opinions and at least in this venerable age chaunge thy opinion into better Or suppose your lawes are forcible and to be obserued yet will they excuse thee seeing thou dost not sinne voluntarily but by compulsion Eleazar being permitted to speake thus replied to Antiochus who both exhorted and forced him to breach of his lawes Wee Antiochus do not follow a vaine report but we obserue the veritie of religion which our fathers kept and feare of torments cannot make vs embrace an other religion and forsake our owne yea suppose our religion deliuered to vs by our forefathers had no firme grounds yet would I in nothing no not compelled by torments forsake it Do not esteeme it a small matter to eate impious meat and to taste of that which is sacrificed to the Idols for it is a prophane thing to touch things that are prophane Our law condemneth your philosophie wherein he is most ignorant that thinketh himselfe most wise We are taught to embrace sobrietie to subdue in vs all inordinate appetite to keepe our bodies chast and to suffer with patience whatsoeuer for Gods sake is inflicted vpon vs and not to denie the truth iustice or pietie or God who alone is true and thefore I refuse this prophane meat well knowing what I ought to eate as warranted therein by the precept of Almightie God whose lawes I haue learned to obey and eschew all meats sacrificed vnto Idols and embrace with all my force that which is expedient for the soule it is open tyranny to compell any one to that which religion forbiddeth and to commaunde that which is contrarie to iustice Doe what thou wilt mocke at thy pleasure yet shalt thou be more derided then thou thy selfe deridest I will persist in the holy steps of my forefathers notwithstanding thou therefore with tyrannous hands plucke out mine eies and with a sharpe knife rip vp my entrailes thou shalt neuer conquer me I will die safe and sound and patient in the loue of God neither flatter thy selfe for that I am aged and that my bodie is now feeble if need be that I must be sacrificed for Gods sake thou shald finde me in these yeeres as lustie as a child as constant as a young man yea most ioyful in torments and prepare an extraordinarie fire for me or what else soeuer thou shalt find me more constant midst torments then now I am before I came to them O sacred religion I will neuer violate thee the foundation of my saluation the defence of the beleeuer the ground of faith neuer will I lift vp my hands contrarie to thy precepts neuer will I beleeue any thing to be iust which is repugnant to that which thou hast taught me I wil not loose the merit of so many yeers nor relinquish the faith I haue hitherto embraced The chast pure deuout company of fathers shall receiue me into their number where I shall not feare O impious king thy threats But thou hast changed the name of king to tyrāt yet thou shalt neuer alleage against me my deed my consent my word Whilst Eleazar full of constancie and libertie spake thus the souldiers that stood there about hailed him to be tortured and stripping him naked they hanged him vp and whipped him and whilst on either side he was beaten a crier with an impious voice still cried vnto him obey the kings pleasure and commaund But worthie Eleazar was not ouercome by torment but suffered all tortures as though he had beene in rest and sleepe and did manfully and without feare endure all torments and fixing his venerable eies vpon heauen he knew in whom he beleeued and to whom he sacrificed his soule and beholding the flesh on each side rent and torne from his bodie and the bloud issuing out in great aboundance he admired his owne patience and thanked God the author thereof At last feeling in himselfe the frailtie of all flesh which is scarcely able to endure so sharpe torments he fell vpon his face which with stripes was all rent and torne still glorifying God as he did before his fall Then one of the souldiers to gratifie the king did like a mad man spurne and tread vpon him thereby to increase his torments more But Eleazar both strong in bodie and mind did like a right champion of the true God neuer shrinke at those paines but this patient olde man did by patience ouercome the crueltie of his tormentors so that euen the torturers thēselnes admired that he endured so many torments Then the kings officers comming vnto him said how long Eleazar wilt thou neglect to obey the king to free thy selfe from torments eate of the flesh of swine redeeme thy selfe from all thou endurest Eleazar although in this martyrdome he had beene silent yet could he not without answering endure to heare so prophane counsaile but as tormented with this speach he cried out We sonnes of the Hebrewes are not so effeminate as to forsake the way of our saluation wherein we haue walked euen vntil our olde age neither are we taught for the auoiding of contumelie which will not long continue to giue others example and occasion to sinne it is but a while that this life is to continue so that we forsake but a smal trifle yet hope we for that which is of great moment Wilt thou tyrant esteeme of vs if we should yeeld vnto thee nay thou mightest iustly reprooue our inconstancie We will therefore die and resigne our soules O venerable father Abraham into thy bosome The souldiers seeing his constancie did by the kings commaund cast him into the fire and powred stincking and loathsome liquors into his nostrils All which this reuerent olde man did most willingly suffer and so was consumed with the flame yet when nature began to faile hee spake after this manner lifting vp his daseled eies to heauen Thou art he O God from whom life and saluation proceedeth behold I die for obseruing thy lawes be mercifull vnto this thy nation and do not forsake them whom thou hast hitherto protected euen in thy bosome and vnder the shadow of the wings of thy clemencie let my death ende all miserie and pacifie thy wrath bent against our whole nation for their offences receiue me for them all and bestow them all vpon me And amidst
vnspeakable None of you were terrefied with feare but you so hastened to your deaths as though you had onely beene to go to blisse and felicitie you were truely brethren who euen by death were linked together God hath greatly in you magnified our nation and in you shewed vs all an example of fortitude whom therefore I thinke he caused to be so many in number as were the daies wherein he created the world so that seuen brethren may resemble the seuen daies wherein in all things were made And why should we so admire this fortitude in these young men when a woman armed her selfe with contempt of death who indeed is not to be called a mother but to be honoured with a higher title then humane frailtie can afford who bare into this world so many triumphs For the mother seeing her children dead was with a kind and godly zeale inflamed also to suffer and no maruaile seeing that the verie bruit beasts if they perceiue violence offred to their young do oppose themselues to perils in their defence and protect them with their wings teeth and talents yea and euerie one that is any way able to make resistance opposeth her selfe to the enemie to defend her young And not onely bruit beasts doe this but euen Bees doe defend not onely their young but also their honie threatning their sting to them that offer to taste thereof and more esteeming the good of their young then their owne liues But this zealous mother directed by the spirit of God and reasons loare hasted that her children might die before her who not being to liue depriued of her children chose rather to see them die ioyfully then to perish in care and sorrow Therefore when al her family had suffered she then the last glorie of them al came to her agony despising the tyrants threats and offering her motherly breast to those torments which her children had suffered O blessed stocke and blessed encrease of the selfesame wombe Why should I not affirme that in all lineaments and feature of the bodie you are like your mother and if this be a commendation in them that beside the shape of bodie receiue nothing else of their mother I will say more of you that you are like your mother in fortitude vertue and religion and that you so in all things resemble her that you are euerie way equall vnto her saue onely herein that she with her eies beheld the immanitie of your torments being also as constant in her owne martyrdome as you in yours She therefore herein excelled you that she suffered seuen torments before she came to suffer in her owne person and feared in euerie one of them least she should be ouercome But O thou example of all women I cannot tel whether thou bare these children in thy wombe or created them who could with drie eies looke vpon them whilst they were torne in peeces yea I say little affirming that thou with patience didst behold these sights for euen thou thy selfe didst exhort them thereunto thou reioycedst to see one of them torne in peeces with fleshhookes the other to be racked vpon the wheele and the third to be bound and beaten thou ioyfully admiredst the others burning and exhortedst the rest not to be terrified herewith and although whilest thou beheldest their torments thy griefe was greater then that which thou hadst in childbirth yet didst thou frame a lightsome and merry countenance as though it had beene one trumphing While they were a killing thou didst laugh and seeing onely one of all thy children left hereat thou didst nothing relent Can I describe how euerie one perished seeing thou their mother didst laugh at their deaths when their sinewes were cut in two their heads fleane their tongues pulled forth by the roots their hands broken their bodies in the fire and cast vpon yron plates red hotte and vpon wheeles and their ribs pulled in sunder and many other torments for the which we want names Neuer was any swanne which by the report of antiquitie sung so sweet a note before her death sweeter then the most melodious harmonie and the most pleasant voice was the funerall verses of those thy children that perished You children were not ouercome by the fabulous Syrens enchauntments who to honour God doubted not to leaue your mother without children And she sprung of noble stocke chose rather to want you all for a short time then to incurre eternall damnation wishing rather that the bodies of her children should be tormented then their soules Well she knew that nothing was more fraile infirme then our bodies which though persecutiō be wanting are often killed with agues and aboundance of blould or fluxes And who is ignorant of shipwracke incident to sailers hazard of life vnto them that trauaile and sodaine death to those that liue in ease Sodaine casualtie by fire and by the hands of theeues and a thousand other waies to dispatch our liues seeing then that our morrall bodies are subiect to so many miseries to bring vs to our ende who would not make choise of a quicke dispatch whereby we loose the goods of this world and gaine life euerlasting O thou most reuerent of all women the credit of thy nation and honour of our religion who like the Arke of Noe didst persist inuiolate amongst such stormie waues for as it withstood the force of the Deluge and being built strongly with firme bords did not suffer any thing within it to perish so thou sufferedst not the tyrant to ouercome the holy Ghost which thou hadst receiued in thy heart Behold of what force and efficacie reason is which often time maketh vs men inferiour to women For neither was Daniel so terrified at the sight of the Lions nor the three children with the firie furnace as this woman was grieued at the death of euery one of her children before she came to her owne agonie What would another woman mother haue done in this case but wept with pitiful lamentations haue cried Ah wretch that I am most vnhappie and miserable of all that breath who therefore bare so many children into this world that their seueral deaths might be so many seueral occasions of my griefe and sorrow she would haue iterated her frequent births and her toyle in her ten moneths bearing them she would haue bewailed her haplesse fortune who brought forth so many deaths and daungers she would haue recounted the milke wherewith she fed them and their meat she had prepared for them the paines she had taken with them how she had caried them in her armes and sung to them and taught them to speake her cares her watchings her feare least any mishap should betide them And with weeping teares would haue said shall I a grandmother embrace your children who a while agoe was a too fruitfull mother and am now depriued of you all If this day I die I haue none to burie me But this handmaide of
God forgot all these laments that another mother would haue had and with an adamant sense stouter then the neuer yeelding rocks did neither forsake her children in their torments nor in their death but in a manner compelled them to perish and neuer sorrowed thereat For being apprehended together with her seuen sonnes she considering Eleazars martyrdome did thus exhort them in the Hebrew tongue O my most deare and louing children let vs hasten to that agonie wherein we may bee a credite to our nation and gaine of God an euerlasting reward let vs without feare present our selues vnto those torments which Eleazars aged bodie endured call to mind our father Abraham of worthie memorie who hauing but one onely sonne did sacrifice him being willed by God so to doe and feared not to bring him to the Altar whome he scarcely in his age obtained Isaak also was willing to bee sacrificed by his father knowing that God was to be obeyed in all things the like may be said of Daniel and the three children beleeue me wee are rather tried then tormented For whatsoeuer this world affordeth is mortall and like a shadowe Thus did this mother arme her childrens minds with fortitude and shee a woman wrought in men manlike minds Last of all her children being all dead shee a worthie mother of so manie champions kneeling downe in the place of torment besought of God an end of this life protesting that shee had not for loue of life so long deferred to die but onely for her childrens sake and that now shee had seene them all seuen triumphing The furie of Antiochus now waxed hot and he commanded this worthie mother to be tormented who was as the tyrant willed stripped naked and hanged vp by the hands and most cruelly whipped her dugges and paps were pulled off and shee put into the red hot frying pan being most willing to follow her childrens steps in torment and lifting vp her eyes and hands to heauen shee praied for all women with child and so yeelded her chast soule to God But Antiochus was strucken with fire from heauen O mistris of iustice who followed thy triumphing children O conquerour of tyrants and a looking glasse for all Martyrs O example of patience not onely to women but to all men that shall bee after thee reuerenced of them that now are and to bee worshipped of them that are to come and to be admited not onely of our nation but of all other people Thy light obscureth the bright shining Moone and though shee fill the world with her brightnesse yet is shee not comparable to thy shining light Seuen lights enuiron thee about daseling the brightnesse of the seuen planets could any Painter expresse or any hand in writing declare the torments of your passions none could with drie eye read or behold them all people would flocke about to see it all people would praise and esteeme him to haue offered a great gift who to Gods glorie had painted that noble stratageme And if any skilfull workman should engraue this Tragedie vpon a sepulchre or in his house doubtlesse he should bee freed from all plague and misfortune But where could a stone bee found able to containe so many torments Therefore the olde man Eleazar the mother and her seuen sonnes are for their nobilitie graced with a sepulchre and great reuerence is done vnto them of all men yea euen by men that are not of our religion and there is a constellation of eight starres ordained as an argument of their iustice and Angels did execute their funerals The tyrant himselfe was astonished to see the constancie of such godly minds And thus haue they found such fauour in the sight of God that they haue obtained remission of the sinnes of our nation for presently after the tyrant was destroyed and Israell there was freed from his tyrannie But Antiochus seeing the greatnesse of their faith and their contempt of death gathered an armie of footemen out of the Hebrewes by whose helpe he terrified his enemies and got great renowne O blessed seede of Abraham behold what benefit the agonie of the mother and her seuen sonnes brought vnto vs their Countrimen let vs persist in this pietie that so we may bee like our forefathers behold the death of a few did end all the miseries and sinnes of our whole nation and you by your Countrimens hands vanquished your persecutors enemies and after that victorie our sinnes were remitted and last of all Antiochus being mad and his entrailes deuoured with wormes hee smelling most like carrion gaue vp the ghost and was euer after death punished for his offence For when he could not make the Citizens of Ierusalem to forsake their law he made warre against the Persians and there receiued that which he deserued It now remaineth that we briefely repeate all that is before said For in her agonie this sacred mother said thus vnto the standers by Whilest it was lawful for me I kept my selfe a virgine and then I married and liued a chast wife and forsooke not my owne house I brought forth such sonnes as I need not be ashamed of and though daunted with my husbands death yet I did not forsake my faith this and many things else shee recounted And what more Shee set before her childrens eyes the example of the Prophets how Abel by his brother was slain Isaak to be offered insteade of a sacrifice how Iacob was banished Ioseph kept in prison Daniel cast before the Lyons the three children into the fierie furnace she rehearsed also vnto them the booke of Esaias where it is said Although thou doe goe through the fire the flame shall not burne thee That of Dauid The iust shall haue much tribulation and Salomon who proposeth the tree of life to such as doe the will of God not omitting that of Ezechiel These drie and withered bones shall liue againe Also that of Moses Canticle I will kill and restore to life and the length of your dayes is in my hand Vnhappie tyrant what did thy caudrons red hot and thy torments profit thee what auailed it thee to cut away their eye lids and to pul out their tongues thou thy selfe for so doing dost now endure farre worse then all these And they whome thou killedst beleeue me enioy euerlasting comfort are now secure of blisse reuenge For they who suffer for Gods sake shall haue happie successe when God the Father of all things shall reward them with life euerlasting that follow him Thus haue I consecrated these worthie memorials which I find in the holy Scriptures of the sacred Machabees to the reading of all men that shall liue in any age heereafter The end of all Iosephus workes FINIS A Tahle of the chiefest and most memorable things which are handled in this Worke. A AAron Moses brother 47. a. commeth to meet him ibid. a. holdeth vp Moses hands 57. a. elected high priest 65. c. his sonnes 66.
Caius coÌ„mandeth Quintiliana to be tortured who confesseth nothing Popedius is absolued Cheraeas conferreth with Clement and Papinius The yeare of the world 4004. after Christs birth 42. Cornelius Sabinust Annius Minutianus Chaereas with certaine others intend to kill Caius Calisthus Caius freeman certifieth Claudius that Caius commaunded him to poison him The yeare of the world 4005. after Christs birtâ—… 43. Chaereas expeâ—…h the occasion to assaile Caius The finall conclusion of the confederates as touching Caius death The yeare of the world 4005. after Chrisâ—…s Natiuitie 43. Caius sacrificeth to Augustus Caesar. Asprenas The Theater Batibius Cluuitus The yeare of the world 400â—… after Christs birth 43. Caius slaine Aquila gaue Caius his deaths wound but Chaereas was the author and chiefe actor of the tragedie The yeare of the 〈◊〉 4005. after Chrâ—…ts Natiâ—…tie 43. Chaereas with his confederates reâ—…reth into Germanicuâ—… house The Germans Caesars guard Sabinus with his Germaine souldiers seeketh for those that slue Caius Asprenas cut in peeces Norbanus Anteius What sort of people they were that lamented Caius death The yeare of the world 4005. after Christs birth 43. Diuers â—…umors of Caesars death The Germain souldiers resort to the Theater Aruntius entreth the Theater and signifieth the Emperours death The Germainâ—… fury awakned by the death of Caius is pacified The yeare of the world 4005. after Christs Natiuitie 43. Chaereas Minutianus and ClemeÌ„t consult about Caesars death Arcion a certaine Phisition dismisseth some The Senate people enquire after those that flue Caius Valerius Asiaticus wisheth he had beene the author Hedio Ruffinus cap. 2. The souldiers elect Claudius Emperour The yeare of thâ—… world 4005. after the Naâ—…tie of Christ. 43. Cnaius Sentiuâ—… Saturninus declaimeth in the Senate Libertie a prâ—…cious thing Liberty purchased by vertue TyraÌ„nies breed many mischifes in commonweales Iulius Caesar. The yeare of the world 4005. after Christs birth 43. An exhortation to maintaine liberty Chaereas to be honoured for his noble attempt Chaereas requireth a watchword at the Consuls â—…ands Chaereas sendeth Iulius Lupus to kill Caius wife and daughter The yeare of the world 4005. after Christs birth 43. Caesonia accuseth Caius for that he would not giue credit â—…o her counsailâ—… Caius a wicked man Caius giuen ouer to lust Caius builded a hauen Caius an excellent Orator The yeare of the world 4005. after Christs natiuitie 43. Hedio Ruffinus cap. 3. Claudius against his will drawen vnto the Empire The cause that induced the army to make Claudius Emperour The yeare of the world 4005. after the Naâ—…tie of Christ. 4â—… Claudius caried on mens shoulders into the army Defference betwixt the citizens and Senators The Senate perswade Claudius to resigne the dignitie oâ—…ered him Claudius denieth to giue ouer the dignitie that was offered him Hedio Ruffinus cap. 4. al. 3. The yeere of the world 4005. after Christs birth 43. Claudius confirmed in his resolutions by Agrippa Agrippa telleth the Senat his opinion Agrippa with some other is sent to Claudius Claudius aunswere to the Embassadors The souldiers oaths taken The souldiers require a Monarch at the Senats bands The yeare of the world 4005. after Christs birth 43. Some affect the Empire The souldierâ—… with displaied ensignâ—…s repaire to Claudius Sabinus rather choseth death then to allow of Claudius Q. Pompeiuâ—… the Consul with otherâ—… resort to Claudiuâ—… Claudius is perswaded bâ—… Agrippa to vse the senators more mildly Those that murthered Caius are executed The yeâ—…e of the world 4005. after Christs Naâ—…itie 43. Sabinus killeth himselfe Hedio Ruffinus chap. 5. â—…l 4. Claudius giueth Agrippa Iudaea Samaria and Lysanias countrey Antiochus king of Comagena Alexander Lysimachus Alabarcha Herode Agrippas brother created king of Chalcis Sedirion in Alexandria betwixt the Greekes and Iewes Claudius edict in fauour of the Iewes in Alexandria Theâ—… yere of the world 4005. after Christs birth 43. Claudius edict in the behalfe of the Iewes scattered thorow the whole empire Claudius sendeth Agrippa into his kingdome Agrippa hangeth vp his golden chaine ouer the treasury chamber in the temple Simon the son of Boethus placed in Theophilus roome 〈◊〉 â—…finus cap. 6. Agrippa â—…eleaseth the tributes to those of Ierusalem Silas The Doriteâ—… place Caesars statue in the synagogue of the Iewes and thereby vehemently offend both Agrippa and Petronius The yeare of the world 4005. after Christs natiuitâ—… 43. Alias cap. 5. P. Petronius writeth to the Dorites to send them vnto him who haue broken Caesarâ—… edict Ionathan the sonne of Ananus is restored to the priesthood refuseth it and praieth that his brother Matthias may minister therin Marsus prefect of Syria The yeare of the world 4005. after Christs birth 43. Hedio Ruffinus cap. 7. Silas by too much reuiuing the kings miseries and misfortunes and ripping vp his owne deserts groweth into y e kings hatred and is sent prisoner into his countrey Agrippa sendeth for Silas out of prison who dissembling not his displeasure is left still in prison Agrippa fortifieth the wals of Ierusalem Claudius commandeth Agrippa to desist from building the wals Agrippa â—…ored the 〈◊〉 more then Herode The yeare of the world 4005. after Christs Natiuitie 43. Simon the lawyer backbiteth the king who crauing pardon is reconciled vnto him Alias cap. 6. Agrippa honoreth Beryth with good ornaments Hedio Ruffinus chap. 8. Agrippa is displeased with Marsus for sending away the kings Alias cap. 7. Aelioneus the sonne of Cithaeus made high priest Agrippa is salâ—…d in the Theater for a God and spieth the owle which the Germane foretold him of that fiue daies after he should die The yeare of the world 4005. after the Natâ—…itie of Christ 43. The yeare of the world 4009. after Christs birth 47. 1â—…00 Myriades amount to 15 tunnes o gold Herode the prince of Chalcis and Chelcias kill Silas Hedio Ruffinus cap. 9. al. cap. 8. Agrippaâ—… children aliue The Caelerias and SebasteaÌ„s râ—…uile Agrippâ—… being dead Agrippa Agrippas sonne Claudius inteÌ„deth to send yong Agrippa into his fathers kingdom but is disswaded sendeth Cuspius Fadus for president into Iudaea those parts The yeâ—…e of the world 4009. after Christs birth 47. The Iewes themselues were the cause of those wars which began vnder Flotus Hedio Ruffinus cap. 1. Casâ—… Longiâ—… presect of Syria Fadus punisheth the Iewes for their insurrection against the Philadelphians Theâ—… yere of the world 4â—…09 after Christs birth 47. Annibas executed 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 banished Tholomaeus the arch thiese Fadus requiteth the high priests gaâ—…meÌ„t should be deliuered into the power of the Romanes and kept in y e 〈◊〉 of Aâ—…onia Alias cap. 2. The Iewes deliuer pledges to the intent they might be permitted to send letters to Caesar. Claudius vpon the yonger Agrippâ—…s motâ—…on granteth the Iewes liberty to haue the custodie of the hie priests vestment Aliâ—…s cap. 3. Claudius Epistle to the Iewes Alias cap. 9. Herode prince of Chalcis hath authoritie
them For they were inioyned by them to cut Nilus into diuers trenches and to e◅iron their Cit◅es with walles and to build fortifications and banks whereby the inundations of the floud might be diuerted They also vexed our nation in building their hie and vaine Pyramides compelling them to learne diuers artes and to accustome themselues to endure labour and in such afflictions led they their liues for the space of 400. yeares the Aegyptians studying nought else but to tire the Israelites with continuall labour our country men endeuouring themselues alwaies to performe farre more then was expected from thē Liuing thus in this estate there grew afterwards an other occasion which instigated them the more to seeke the ruine and desolation of our Nation For one of the sacred secretaries to whose predictions those kind of people do very much attribute foretold the King that about that time there should be one bred and borne amongst the Israelites that in time to come should grieuously afflict the estate of the Aegyptians and wonderously enhance the good hap of the Israelites who should su◅passe all other in vertue and purchase to himselfe immortal glory if so be he should attaine to ◅ns estate Wherewith the King being greatly terrified he published an edict by the aduise of this secretary that whatsoeuer male child should be borne amongst the Israelites he should be cast into the floud to be drowned he commaunded likewise the Aegyptian midwiues diligently to obserue the time when the Hebrew women trauelled with child carefully to keepe marke their children at such time as they were deliuered For it was enioyned thē that they should be brought to bed by such midwiues who by reason of consanguinitie with that Nation should not transgresse the king◅ commaundement He enacted also a law with a penaltie that if any should be so bold to conceale their children both they and all their family should be done to death Great was this their calamity not onely in that respect because they were depriued of their children and for that the parents themselues were made the ministers to murther their owne children but foreseeing also the future time they were intolerably dismayed expecting nought else but the certaine and fatall ex◅pation of their wholenation by reason that when the children were s◅ine the parents themselues not long after were ass◅ed to die thus conceited they in themselues into what extreame misfortune they were fallen But no man whosoeuer although he complot neuer so many stratagems can resist the wil of God For both the child of whom the sacred secretary had fore prophecied was secretly brought vp vndiscouered by the kings spies and approued by the euents of his life that he was no false Prophet Amarames an Hebrew borne a noble man amongst his Nation fearing both the pub like perill least the wholenation should be brought to nothing thorow the want of issue and his owne priuate misfortune whose wife at home was big with child and readie to lye downe was troubled in his mind and vncertaine what to doe For which cause he made his recourse vnto God beseeching him that at the length he would haue mercy on those men of whom onely he had beene perpetually honoured and that it would please him to bring to end the present affliction which threatned the whole nation with vtter ruine and destruction But God being moued vnto mercy by his most humble prayer appeared to him in a dreame and recomforted him commaunding him to be confident telling him that he had in memory the pietie of his auncecestors and that he would for euer remunerate them euen as in times past he had beene gratious to their forefathers For it was he that had increased their posteritie and multiplied them to so mighty a nation that by his fauor Abraham departing alone out of Mesopotamia into Chanaan besides other felicities had issue by his wife that was before time barren and left ample possessions to his successors to Ismael Arabia to Chaeturas children Troglottida and to Isaac Chanaan Neither can you euer forget without note of impietie and ingratitude the attempts also which were happily atchieued in warre by my meanes but Iacobs name also is renowmed amongst forraine nations both in respect of the felicitie wherein he liued also for that prosperitie which by hereditarie right happened vnto his posteritie who taking their originall from 70. men that accompanied their father into Egypt are now increased to the number of sixe hundreth thousand know therefore now also that I inwardly and heartily affect your publike securitie and priuately thy glory For this child for feare of whose natiuitie the Egyptians haue condemned all your children vnto death shall be borne vnto thee he neither shall be discouered by the constituted spies and after he hath escaped beyond all expectation shall he be brought vp and in his time shall he deliuer the Hebrewes from the thraldome of the Egyptians and shall obtaine an eternall memorie for this his famous action not onely amongst his owne nation but also amongst straungers for this fauour will I extend vnto thee and on thy posteritie that followeth after thee he shall also haue such a brother who shall deserue both in himselfe and in his posteritie to inherite the priesthood for euer After these things were declared in a vision vnto Amram he awaked and told it to his wife Iochabel and by reason of the prediction of this dreame their suspition and feare the rather increased more and more for they were not onely pensiue in respect of their child but also by reason of the future great good fortune that was promised them But anone after the woman being brought a bed gaue credit to the Oracle who had so easie and gentle a labor that she beguiled the ouerseers spies in that she felt none of those throwes which do commonly afflict such as are in labor so that she nourished the infant three moneths secretly in her house without being in any sort discouered But afterwards Amram fearing to be surprised sore doubting least he should incurre the kings displeasure if the matter were discouered whereby both he and the child should be made away and Gods promises should be frustrate he had rather wholy commit the safety of his sonne to his prouidence supposing that if the boy were hidden which notwithstanding would be hard to effect yet that it would be troublesom vnto him to liue in continuall perill both of his owne and his sonnes safetie moreouer he thought that God would puruey some meanes of assurance to the intent that nothing of that which he had foretold might be proued false Grounding himselfe on this resolution they prepared and made a cradle of sedge after the manner of a couch so great as it was sufficient to lay the child in at ease and hauing pitched it on euery side least the water should pierce the same they put the child into it and
suffered him to float along the streame in committing him to the mercy of God Whilest in this manner it was borne downe by the streame Mariam the sister of the young infant by her mothers commaund went along the banke on the other side of the riuer obseruing whither at length the basket would be caried and where it did ariue At that time God manifestly declared that nothing is atchieued by mans wisedome but that all things are brought to passe by his omnipotent bountie and that they who for their profit and particular securitie seeke the ruine and destruction of others with neuer so much subtiltie care and diligence yet are they often times deceiued in their expectations againe that they that submit their wils vnto Gods will are warranted from all wrongs by such meanes as were neuer thought on which may most manifestly be perceiued by this child Thermuthis the kings daughter walking along the riuer side espied this basket caried away by the course of the streame presently commaunded certaine swimmers to draw the cradle on drie land and bring it before her who executing her commaund she opened the basket and beheld the child who in that he was faire and well featured did greatly delight her For God so loued and fauoured Moses that he caused him both to be nourished and brought vp by them who for feare least he should be borne had decreed to destroy all the rest of the race of the Hebrewes Thermuthis therefore commaunded them to fetch her some one nurse who might giue the child sucke who refusing the same and all other nurses whatsoeuer that were sent for to suckle him Mariam as if by good fortune and not of set purpose she had light into their company began to speake thus vnto Termuthis In vaine said she O Queene dost thou endeuour whilest thou striuest to giue this babe sucke by any but an Hebrewe nurse for he will not accept it but if thou call vnto thee a nurse of the same nation and agreeable with his nature doubtlesse he will take the nipple This speech of hers being both heard and plausibly accepted the Queene commaunded her to execute the same and to bring her an Hebrew woman that gaue sucke which she diligently performing returned and brought her mother with her whom none of the assistants knew who presenting her breast vnto the child he willingly tooke the dugge so that vpon the Queenes request the nourishment of the child was wholy committed vnto her And by reason of this accident and for that he was cast into the riuer he was called Moses for the Egyptians call water Mo and saued yses so this name composed of these two was imposed on this child who afterwards vvithout exceptions became the wisest man among the Hebrewes according as God had afore prophecled For he was the seuenth after Abraham for he was Amrams sonne and Amram sonne vnto Cathus and he to Leui and Leui to Iacob who tooke his originall from Isaac the sonne of Abraham He had a iudgementriper then became his age for euen amongst his childish delights he shewed himselfe more discreet then all his equals and in whatsoeuer he did it gaue testimony that at such time as he should attaine to mans estate he would mannage mightie things When he was but onely three yeares old God adorned and endowed him with an admirable audacitie He was so faire and amiable that there was not any one how austere and inhumane soeuer he were which but in beholding him would not be astonished and it chaunced also that diuers who encountered him as he was borne thorow the streetes turned themselues about to behold him and intermitted their other affaires onely to looke vpon him for the admirable and innated beautie which vvas in this infant did rauish all those that beheld him Whence it came to passe that Thermuthis in that she had no other issue adopted him for her heir and conducting him vnto her father she presented him before him saying that she was carefull of a successor by reason God had not vouchsafed him to haue any issue For saith she I haue brought vp this infant no lesse excellent in vvit then diuine in beautie and haue receiued him miraculously by the bountie and grace of Nilus whom I haue decreed to adopt my child and to establish him as successor to thee in thy kingdome This said she deliuered the infant into her fathers armes who after he had embraced and hugged him at his breast to giue his daughter the more content he put his Diademe vpon the childs head but Moses pulling it from his head after a childish manner cast it on the ground and spurned it with his feete which act of his vvas supposed ominous to the Realme and daungerous for the King Whereupon the sacred secretarie vvho had foretold that his natiuitie would be the destruction of the Egyptians vvilleth them to kill the child and inforced himselfe to enact it crying out with a loud voyce and speaking vnto the King after this manner O King this child by whose death God promiseth vs securirie hath alreadie confirmed the presage insulting ouer thy kingdome and spurning at thy Diademe Take from the Egyptians that feare which they haue conceiued thorow him by his death and from the Hebrewes that hope vvhich they build on his courage life But Thermuthis hastily conueied and snatched him thence and the King was not ouer forward to lay hands on him by reason that God dispensed all things in that sort in that he had a care of Moses preseruation He was therefore very carefully brought vp and in respect of him the Hebrewes in generall were replenished with good hope but to the Egyptians his education both vvas suspected and grudged at but by reason that if the lad should haue beene slaine there vvas not any one eyther a kinne or adopted or otherwise whatsoeuer that had regard of the estate of the Egyptians they abstained from his slaughter Being therefore thus borne and after this manner brought vp at such time as he increased in years he euidently by his vertue made it knowen vnto the Egyptians that he was borne to abase their pride and to exalt the Hebrewes by this occasion which ensueth The Aethiopians who confine vpon Egypt hauing spoyled and destroyed the country round about them spoiled and made pillage of all the goods of the Egyptians who incensed against them for the wrongs and iniuries which they had offered leuied an armie intending to reuenge them of that disgrace which their enemies had offered them but in the battell they were all put to flight so that some of them were slaine and the rest shamefully flying returned with ignominie worse then death into their owne countrey The Ethiopian made proud with this good fortune instantly pursued them and supposing it a cowaâ—…dly part in them not to take the benefite of their present good fortune and conceiuing an assured hope of