were taken by him To the performance whereof Ananias perswaded Albinus by manifest reason and by obtaining his demaund encreased and begat a number of miseries For the theeues vsed all the wilie meanes they could deuise in apprehending some one of Ananias house and when they had taken any one of them aliue they would not deliuer him except before they might haue one of their owne deliuered So that increasing both in courage and number they waxed more more insolent to afflict the countrey At the same time king Agrippa enlarged the citie of Caesarea surnamed Philippi and in honour of Nero called it Neronias He builded also to his great charge a Theater in fauour of the Berytians wherein euerie yeere he spent diuers thousands of siluer in sports He distributed oyle and corne to euery one of the people and garnished all the citie with most anticke and goodly counterfaited portraitures vpon the porches Briefely he welny transported into the citie all the ornamnts of the rest of his kingdom for which cause his subiects began to hate him seeing he depriued thē of their rare ornaments to adorn one strange citie Iesus the sonne of Gamaliel succeeded in the priesthood which the king had giuen him and taken away from Iesus the sonne of Damneus who resigned him his place against his will Whereupon there arose a discord betweene them For hauing assembled their resolutest followers they grew from bitter words to fatall blowes and stones But amongst all the rest Ananias was the richest in wealth and by his bountie reconciled the more vnto him Costobarus also and Saul gathered each of them a band of rascall and desperate men These two were of the bloud royall and by reason of their affinitie and alliance with Agrippa they were well beloued ◅or which cause they were outragious and violent in spoiling and rauishing the fortunes of the weaker sort From this time forward the estate of our Citie grewe desperate encrcasing daily more and more in wickednesse When Albinas vnderstood that Gessius Florus came to succeed him desirous that they of Ierusalem should acknowledge some good turne at his hands he called before him all those prisoners that were notoriously guiltie of murther and caused them to be executed As for those that were imprisoned vpon any small or sleight cause vpon paiment of their fines he deliuered them and in so doing the prison was cleansed of malefactors and from that time the countrey remained full of theeues and Robbers The Leuites who were ordained to sing the hymnes vnto God sollicited the king to assemble the councell and thereby to permi◅ them to weare the linnen Robe which the priests were accustomed to vse telling him that such an ordinance would dignifie his estate verie much in that he would be alwaies famous in memory of this new establishment This suit of theirs was easily respected and admitted For the king after he had consulted with those who were his assistants suffered the Leuites that sung the hymnes to lay aside their ordinarie Robe and to apparrell themselues in linnen as best liked them He permitted also that another part of the Leuites who intended the seruice of the temple should learne to sing the hymnes and psalmes according ◅s they had required All which he did contrarie to the ordinances of the countrey which being broken there was nought else to be expected but punishment At that time was the building of the temple finished And the people perceiuing that more then eighteene thousand workmen should be idle and depriued of wages whereupon they were accustomed to liue in trauailing in the building of the temple on the other side being Ioath to reserue their money thorow the feare they had of the Romanes to prouide that these workmen in the intertainment of whom they resolued to employ their treasure for if any one of them trauailed but one howre in the day he was sodainly paide his wages they requested the king that it might please him to repaire the Easterne gate on the outward part of the temple scituate in a descent the wals whereof were in height foure hundreth cubits made of square stones of white marble from the top to the bottome and euery stone twentie foot long and six foot thicke This worke was first builded by king Salomon who was the first that builded our temple But the king to whom Claudius Caesar had giuen the commission of building the temple thinking with himselfe that it was verie easie to breake it downe but very hard to build it vp and that to reedifie the porch it would cost much time and expence he denied their request permitting them neuerthelesse to paue their citie with broad stone Hee tooke the priesthoode from Iesus the sonne of Gamaliel and gaue it to Matthias the sonne of Theophilus In whose time the warre betwixt the Romanes and Iewes grew to the first head But I thinke it not amisse but verie answerable to the course of this present historie to speake of the priests and to shew how they had their beginning and to whom this honour may be lawfully communicated and how many they were in number vntill the end of the warre The first of them was Aaron Moses brother after whose death his children succeeded him and from that time forward the honour hath continued with their successors For it is a law obserued by our auncestors that no man shall be admitted to the priesthood except he be of Aarons posteritie for albeit he were a king if so be that he were of an other line it was impossible for him to obtaine the priesthood All the priests after Aaron who as we haue said was the first vntill Phanasus whom the seditious created priest in the time of the warre haue been in number 83. whereof 13 haue executed the office from the time that Moses erected Gods tabernacle in the desart vntil such time as arriuing in Iudaea king Salomon builded a temple to God For in the beginning the hie priesthood continued with the possessors for terme of life but afterwards although the priests were yet aliue yet were there other successors planted in their roomes These thirteene were of Aarons posteritie and obtained this degree in succession the one after the other Their first gouernment was Aristocratia which is the gouernment of the nobilitie afterwards a monarchy and finally a royall gouernment The number of yeers wherein these thirteene flourished were sixe hundreth and twelue yeeres from the day that our fathers departed out of Aegypt vnder the conduct of Moses vntill the edification of the temple that was builded in Ierusalem by king Salomon After these thirteene high priests there were eighteene others who after Salomons time succeeded one after another vntill the time that Nabuchodonosor king of Babylon hauing encamped before the Citie tooke the same and burned the temple and transported our nation into Babylon and led away the high priest Iosedech prisoner The time of the priesthood
a. high priesthood confirmed to him 80. g h i. giueth his stoole to Eleazar 82. h. his death ibid. h. Aarons rod fructifieth 81. a. Abdon Iudge of Israel 120. k. renowmed for his issue ibid. k. Abel second son of Adam 5. a. is commended ibid. a b. is stain by his brother and why ibid b c. Abias leuieth an army 211 b. ouercommeth Ieroboam 211. f. dieth 212. g. his issue ibid. Abiathar escapes Sauls hands 149. d. telleth Dauid of his families slaughter 150. g. asketh counsell of God 157. b. dispossessed of the priesthood 191. d. holpe Adonias 186. l. Abigal pacifieth Dauid 152 k l m. after married to Dauid 153. b. Abihu Aarons son burned 67. a. and why ibid a. Abimelech king of Gerar enamoured of Sara 16 i. plagued for taking her ibid i. made a couenant with Abraham ibid l. expelleth Isaac his countrey 21. b. after maketh a league with him ibid. c. d. Abimelech Gedeons bastard sonne 117. c. killeth 69. of his brethren and vsurpeth ibid. e f. practiseth against the Sichemites 118. i k. slaieth them and sacketh their Citie ib. l. burned the Sichemites fled to the rock 118. l m. taketh Tebez 119. a. is wounded and slaine ibid. Abiram rebellious 79. a b. he and those that were with him swallowed vp 80. g. Abisai ouercommeth the Idumaeans 167. c. sent against the Ammonites 169. a. Abisai 183. c. Abisace nourisheth Dauid 186. i. Abner Sauls vncle 132. l. questioneth with Saul ibid. m. Generall of his army 147. c. maketh Isboseth king 160. g. reuolteth from Isboseth 161. a. killeth Azael 160. perswadeth the Gouernours to create Dauid king 161. c d. is slaine 162. g. Abraham son of Thares 11. c. tenth from Noe ib. e. taught the Aegyptians religion artes 13. b c. first preacher of the word 12. i. his wisedome ib. an Astronomer 12. k. 13. c. an Arithmetitian ibid. c. his house 12. l. oppressed by famine ibid. m. deuided the land with Lot 13. c. rescueth Lot and the Sodomites 14. h. A son promised him 14. k. 15. b. foretolde his progenie to be euill intreated 14. k l. circumcised himselfe and Ismael 15. b. entertaineth Angels and entreateth for the Sodomites ib. d e. intended to offer his son 18. h. k. marrieth Chetura 19. prouideth a wife for his son ib. d. dieth 20. l. is commended ibid. Absence of Dauid excused 147. c d. Absolon killeth Amnon 173. a. fled to Gessur 173. c. reuoked from banishment and how ibid. d e. affecteth the kingdome 174. k. proclaimed king ibid. l. passeth ouer Iordan 177. d. his ouerthrow 178. h. slaine by Ioab ib. i. Abundance foretold 40. l. Abundance of siluer 204. h. Abundance of victuals foreshewed 228. i k. effected 229. d. Abundance of victuall shewed 722. g h. Acclamation of the people 451. c. Accusation of Laban against Iacob 25. b. of Iacob against him ib. d e. of Putifars wife against Ioseph 32. g. of Doeg against Achimelech 149. a. of Aristobulus and Hyrcanus 353. b c. of Antipater against his brethren 595. f. of Herod and Nicholaus 602. m. 603. a. 604. h. of Antipater against Archelaus 609. d. of the Iewes 612. k. Achab son of Amri king of Israel 214. h. followeth impieties ibid. tooke to wife Iesabell ibid. seeketh Elias 215. c. coueteth Naboths vineyard 217. b. his repentance ibid. f. twise ouercommeth the Syrians 219. a b d. reprooued for dismissing Adad 220. h i. imprisoneth Micheas and why 220. i. 221. b. reiected his aduice 221. e. f. wounded dieth 222. g h. Achabs 70. sons 232. Achar stole the spoiles dedicated to God 102 m. hid them in his tent 103. a. found guiltie and put to death ibid. c. d. Achaz of Iuda sacrificeth his son 241. a. serueth Idols ib. a b. 242. g. ouerthrown in battell 241. c. hireth Theglaphalasar 241. f. shutteth the temple gates 242. h. dieth ibid. Achias reprooued Salomon 204. l. foretold Ieroboam to be king ouer 10. tribes 205. c. Achis a king of the Philistines 148. h. leadeth out Dauid against the Hebrewes 156. k. dismisseth him and why ibid. l m. Achitophels counsell against Dauid 176. a. hangeth himselfe 177. b. Acmes letter to Antipater 446. m. 447. a. executed 450. g. Acquaintance of Rebecca with Abrahams seruant 20. g. Act of Saul most malicious 149. d. an Action how said to be good 140. h. Action of Saul and his people 139. e. Acts of the Israelites 109. b c d e f. Acts of Simon against the Zelous 692. h. c. Act most cruell 723. c. d. Actian warre 584 h. Adad king of Damasco ouercome 167. a. Adad king of Syria proposeth conditions to Achab 218. h i. k. ouerthrowne 217. a. his second expedition ibid. c. taken prisoner is dismissed ibid. d e. discomfiteth and slaieth Achab 222. g. h. asketh counsell of Elizaeus 229. c. his death foretold 229. f. Adam created and how 3. f. placed in paradice 4. g. forbidden the tree of knowledge onely 4. h. transgresseth ibid. i. cast out of Paradice 5. a. begot Cain and Abel ibid. a and other children also 6. g. his age and death ibid. g h. 7. b. prophecied of a twofold destruction ibid. h. Adar a moneth of the Hebrewes 99. e. Ader enemie to Salomon 205. a. spoiled the landes of the Israelites 205. c. Adoni-bezec taken 109. c. punished confesseth Gods iustice ibid. c. Adonias affecteth the kingdome 186. i. flieth to the Altar 187. d. requireth Abisace 291. a c. slaine ibid. c. Aduersities befell the Israelites 113. c. and why ibid. c. Aduice of Raguel allowed 58. i. of the Elders reiected 206. i. of young men accepted ibid. l. Adulteresse her policie 32. g h. Adulterie 71. b. punished 94. h. Adulterie of Elies sonnes 125. b. Adulterie of Dauid 169. d. Affaires of Ioseph 639 b. Affection of Ioseph toward his brethren 38. l. of Ionathan to Dauid 144 m. Affinitie of Iacob with Rachel 23. b. of Saul and Ionathan with Dauid 144. i. 145. b. of Demetrius with Ptolemey 326. h. Affliction of the Hebrewes with the causes thereof 41 b c d. 46. g. l. 47. e. Africa from whence it tooke his name 19. c. Agag king of the Amalechites taken 139. c. spared and why ibid c. put to death 140. l m. and why ibid. Agar Saraes handmaid 14. m. contemned her mistris and why ibid. m. fled commanded to returne 14. m. 15. a. promised happines 17. c. brought forth Ismael ibid. a. cast out with her sonne 17. b. comforted ibid c. Age of Isaac at his offring 18. g. when he died 27. d. Age of the fathers before the floud 7. a b c. Age of Abraham 20. l. of Iacob 40. m. Aggaeus the prophet encourageth the Iewes 271. b. Agreement of the seditious 700. m. 710. h. Agrippa offereth 100. fat Oxen 413. c. reconciled to the Ilyensians 414. g. confirmeth the Iewes priuiledges 415. c. writeth to the Ephesians 422. h. Agrippa becommeth poore 472. i. k. borroweth money 473. b c e admitted to Caesars
that their auncestors had transgressed the lawes of Moses they should be in danger to be dispossessed of their countrey and abandoned by all men should at length perish miserably When the prophetesse had heard the kings commandement she willed those that were sent vnto her to returne vnto the king and to certifie him from her that God had giuen a sentence against them which might not be reuoked by any praiers whatsoeuer namely that since they had transgressed the law of Moses the people should perish and should be cast out of their countrey and depriued of al their goods that they had and for that they haue not grown to amendment in so long time notwithstanding the prophets had exhorted them to repentance and had foretold the punishment of their impieties which should happen vnto them to the end that they might beleeue that God is God and that he faileth not in any thing that he hath foretold by his prophets Furthermore she said that he forbore as yet to send these afflictions vpon them for Iosias sake who was a vertuous man but that after his decease God would poure his intended punishments vpon the people This prophecie of the woman they signified vnto the king who sent into all parts and assembled the people in Ierusalem commanding the Priests and Leuites and generally all men without distinction of age or person to be present in that conuention Now when they were assembled he first of all caused the sacred bookes to be read and afterwards standing aloft vpon his throne he caused all the people to sweare and promise that they would serue God and keepe Moses lawes Whereupon all of them did willingly approoue whatsoeuer he said promising to doe that whereunto they were exhorted And therewithall offering vp present sacrifices vnto God they besought him to shew himselfe fauourable and mercifull towards them The king likewise commanded the hie priest that if there were any necessarie in the temple which were made by his predecessors in honour of Idols and strange Gods he should cast it out And after that a great quantitie was found therein all of it was gathered togither and burnt and the ashes afterwards were scattered here and there And as touching the Priests that appertained to Idols that were not of the race of Aaron he put them to death When these things were thus executed in Ierusalem he came afterwards to the plaine countrey and all that which Ieroboam had erected there in honour of Idols he vtterly defaced it and the bones of the false Prophets were burnt vpon the altar that Ieroboam had builded This had the prophet foretold that came to Ieroboam at such time as he offered sacrifice and told him in the presence of all the people all that which should happen namely that one of Dauids posteritie called Iosias should doe these abouenamed things which prophecie tooke effect three hundreth sixtie and one yeere after After this King Iosias transported himselfe to the Israelites who had auoided the captiuitie and seruitude of the Assyrians and perswaded them to forsake their impieties and the seruices they had performed to strange Gods and to honour the soueraigne and true God of their fathers and to cleaue vnto him He made a search also thorow euerie house borough and citie fearing least as yet there should be any Idol hidden Hee likewise sought out the chariots that were made by his auncestors in honour of the sunne and all that which was adored whatsoeuer it were and vtterly abolished the same After hee had in this sort purged the countrey he assembled all the people in Ierusalem where he celebrated the feast of vnleauened bread and the solemnitie of Easter Towards the performance whereof he gaue the people young kiddes and lambes to the number of thirtie thousand and three thousand bullocks for burnt offrings and the chiefe amongst the Leuites distributed amongst the other Leuites fiue hundreth lambs and fiue hundreth bullocks Hauing therefore such an abundance of beasts they sacrificed according to the law of Moses the priests taking charge thereof and confirming the rest of the people by their example Neither was there euer such a solemnitie kept by the Hebrewes since the time of Samuel the Prophet because all things were done according to the lawes and auncient customes which were obserued in the time of their fathers After this Iosias liued in peace riches honour and estimation amongst all men and thus finished his life CHAP. V. Diuers exploits of Nechao NEchao King of Aegypt hauing gathered great forces conducted his army towards the floud Euphrates to warre against the Medes and Babylonians who had destroied the empire of Assyria for Nechao affected the gouernment of all Asia Now when he drew neere vnto the Citie of Mende which was vnder Iosias subiection King Iosias denied him passage and would not suffer his army to march thorow his countrey For which cause Nechao sent a Herauld vnto him to let him vnderstand that it was not against him that he made warre but that he bent his course towards Euphrates for which cause he wished him in no sort to hinder his intended iourney least thereby he should be constrained to make warre vpon him But Iosias respected not this demaund of his but resolued himselfe to hinder his passage thorow his countrey And truely I suppose that the destinies pricked him forward to this arrogance to the end he might haue some occasion to doe something against Nechao For whilest he disposed his army and rode from one band to an other being mounted vpon his chariot he was strooken with an arrow that was shot by a certaine Aegyptian which cooled and tempered the spleene he had in warre For feeling himselfe sorely ouerpressed with paine by reason of his wound he commanded his army to retire and returned himselfe to Ierusalem where he died of his wound and was buried with his fathers with great magnificence after he had liued nine and thirtie yeeres and raigned thirtie and one For him the people mourned with great heauinesse lamenting and sorrowing for many daies The Prophet Ieremy also made a deploration ouer him in lamentable verse which is as yet extant euen in these daies This Prophet left in writing those euils that should afterwards happen vnto the citie and the captiuitie wherewith we are entangled at this present and the surprisall of Babylon Neither hath he alone foretold the same but the Prophet Ezechiel hath likewise done the like who first left two bookes written of the same argument These two Prophets were of the race of the Priests But Ieremy kept in Ierusalem from the fourteenth yeere of the raigne of Iosias vntill the destruction of the Citie and temple as in time and place conuenient we will declare setting downe those occurrences that hapned to this Prophet After the death of Iosias heretofore mentioned his sonne Ioaz succeeded him in the kindome at such time as he was
who respited the execution of the Magitians for that night vntill he might see what would become of Daniels promise who retiring himselfe with his companions into his chamber besought God all the night long to manifest vnto him the dreame and deliuer the Magitians and Chaldees from the kings wrath with whom both he and the rest of his companions were like to die except he might know what the king had dreampt the night past and what was the interpretation thereof Whereupon God hauing compassion of the daunger wherein they were and taking pleasure in Daniels wisedome signified vnto him both the dreame and the signification thereof to the intent the king might be resolued in the meaning thereof Daniel hauing receiued the truth from God arose verie ioyfully and certified his brethren who had alreadie lost all hope of life and thought on no other thing but death and gaue them courage and hope of life Hauing therefore rendred thanks vnto God for that he had had compassion of their young yeeres as soone as it was day he went vnto Arioch requesting him that he might be brought to the kings presence certifying him that he would open vnto him the dreame which he had seene the night past Now when Daniel was brought vnto the kings presence he besought him that he would not esteeme him to be more wise then the other Chaldeans and magicians in that whereas none of them could expound his dreame he did attempt to expresse the same for that came not to passe by reason of his experience or for that he was more industrious then they were but said he God hath had compassion on vs that were in daunger of death and at such time as I requested him to grant me and my countrie men life he hath certified me both of your dreame and the signification thereof I was not so much agrieued for that in our innocency we were adiudged to death by thee as afraid of thine estimation and glory which was hazarded by condemning so many and so innocent and iust men to death whereas that which you haue required of them sauoreth nothing of humane wit but is the onely worke of God Whilest therefore thou thoughtest in thy selfe who it was that should commaund the whole world after thy selfe at such time as thou wert asleepe God intending to let thee know all those that should gouerne after thee presented thee with this dreame It seemed vnto thee that thou sawest a great statue wherof the head was of gold the shoulders and armes of siluer the belly and thighes of brasse and the legs and feete of yron Thou beheldst after that a great stone that was drawen from a mountaine that fell vpon the statue and beat downe and burst the same and left no whole peece thereof so that the gold siluer yron and brasse were poudered as small as dust whereupon a violent wind seemed to blow which by the furie and force thereof was borne away and scattered into diuers countries on the other side the stone grewe so mightie that it seemed to fill the whole earth This was that vision that appeared vnto you the signification whereof is expressed after this manner The head of gold signifieth your selfe and those kings of Babylon that haue been before you The two hands and shoulders signifie that your Empyre shal be destroied by two kings the one part by the king of the east cloathed in brasse whose force shall be abated by an other power resembling that of yron and he shal haue the power ouer the whole earth by reason of the nature of yron which is more strong then gold siluer or brasse he told the king also what that stone signified But for mine owne part I thought it not expedient to expresse it in this place because the onely but and intent of my writings is onely to register such things as are past and not such matters as are to come But if any man haue a desire to know these things and cannot bridle his curiositie but will vnderstand such matters as are hidden let him â—…ead the book of Daniel which he shal find amidst the sacred scriptures When king Nabuchodonosor had heard these things and remembred himself of his dreame he was astonished at Daniels wisedome and casting himselfe prostrate on the earth after the manner of those that adore God he embrased Daniel giuing direction that sacrifice should be offered vnto him as if he were God Moreouer he called him by the name of God and committed the administration of his whole kingdome to him and his companions who by reason of the commotions and conspiracies of their maligners and detractors hapned to fall into most eminent and dreadfull daunger vpon this occasion that ensueth The king built a golden Image sixtie cubits high and sixe in bignesse and erected it in a great plaine neere vnto Babylon and being readie to dedicate the same he assembled all the gouernours and princes of his countries commanding then first of all that as soone as they should heare the trumpet sound they should prostrate themselues on the earth to adore the statue threatning that whosoeuer should do the contrarie he should be cast into a burning furnace whereas therefore all of them adored the statue vpon the sound of the trumpet Daniel and his companions vtterly refused to performe that dutie alledging for their iustification that they would not transgresse the lawes of their countrey for which cause being apprenended they were instantly cast into the furnace of fire and protected therein by Gods prouidence escaped death beyond all mens expectation For the fire touched them not neither could it burne during their aboad in the furnace For God so fortified their bodies that they could not be consumed by fire which accident made them in greater estimation with the king for that he saw they were vertuous and beloued by God and for that cause they were highly honoured by him Not long after this the king saw an other vision in his sleepe which signified vnto him that being cast from his empire he should conuerse with sauage beasts and that hauing liued in that estate in the desart for the space of seuen yeares he should recouer his kingdom again Hauing had this dreame he assembled the Magitians once more demanding their answere and the signification thereof But it was impossible for any one of them eyther to find out or declare the intelligence of this dreame vnto the king onely Daniel discouered the same and the effect was answerable to his prediction For the king passed the forelimited time in the desart so that no man durst intermeddle with the affaires of estate during seuen yeares But after he had called vpon God that it would please him to restore him to his kingdome he repossessed the same again Let no man in this place accuse me for reporting these particularities according as I haue found them written in holy books for in the
Agrippa had not beene in Rome For he seeing that the matter was handled to the disaduantage of the Iewes besought Agrippina the Emperours wife that she would labour her husband in such sort that he would be pleased to take full knowledge of that which was done and that afterwards he should execute due iustice on those whom he found guiltie of that sedition Claudius fauourably gaue eare to this request and hearing the whole matter he found that the Samaritanes were the first authors of all those mischiefes and caused them to be put to death who came before him to pleade and banished Cumanus he gaue order also that captaine Celer should be sent backe to Ierusalem and that there in sight of all the people he should be dragged about the Citie vntil he died Furthermore he sent Claudius Foelix Pallas brother to gouerne Iudaea In the twelfth yeere of his raigne he gaue Agrippa Philips Tetrarchy with Batanea and besides that annexed thereunto Trachonitis and Abila which in times past appertained to Lysanias Tetrarchy taking from him the prouince of Chalcis which he had gouerned for the space of foure yeeres After that Agrippa had obtained this gift at Caesars hands he married his sister Drusilla to Azizus king of the Emesenians who consented to be circumcised because Epiphanes king Antiochus sonne would not giue care vnto the marriage for that he refused to entertaine the religion of the Iewes although in times past he had promised his father no lesse He gaue Mariamme also to Archelaus Chelcias sonne who by her fathers consent was before time promised him on whom he begat a daughter called Bernice A little after this the marriage of Azizus and Drusilla was broken off on this occasion following At such time as Foelix gouerned Iewrie he saw Drusilla and was surprised with her loue for that she surpassed all other women in beautie He therefore sent her a certaine Magician called Simon who was borne in Cypris and one of his greatest friends among the Iewes who perswaded her to forsake her first husband and to marrie with Foelix giuing her to vnderstand that she should be happy if she refused not this match She vnaduised and resolued to rid her selfe from the enuious affection which her sister Bernice bare towards her who hated her in regard of her beautie and for this occasion ceased not to iniurie her she condiscended to forsake the religion of the Iewes and to marrie with Foelix by whom she had a sonne who was called Agrippa His death hereafter will I declare and how in the Emperour Tiberius time he died and was burned in the fire of the mountaine Veâ—…ius with his wife Bernice remained a widow verie long time after Herodes death who was both her vncle and her husband and the report was that she had the company of her brother Finally she wrought so much that Polemon king of Cilicia caused himselfe to be circumcised to the end he might espouse her purposing by that means to make it knowne how falsely she had been accused Wherunto Polemon gaue eare because she was rich But this marriage continued not any long time For Bernice thorow her impudencie as it is reported abandoned Polemon who giuing ouer that marriage forsooke also the religion of the Iewes At the same time Mariamme hauing refused Archelaus her husband married with Demetrius one of the chiefest Iewes that were in Alexandria both in regard of his descent as also his riches who at that time also exercised the office of Alubarcha that is to say the gouernour of Arabia She caused the sonne she had by him to be called Agrippinus But of all this will I speake more exactly hereafter The Emperour Claudius died after he had raigned thirteene yeeres eight moneths and twentie daies Some say that he was poisoned by Agrippina his wife the daughter of Germanicus Claudius brother which was first married to Domitius Oenobarbus one of the greatest men of Rome after whose death and long widowhood she was finally married to Claudius into whose house she brought her sonne called Domitius by his owne fathers name Claudius had before time put Messalina his wife to death for the iealousie that he had of her although he had had children by her namely Britannicus and Octauius He had Octaâ—…ia also by his first wife Paetina which was elder then her brethren and was married to Nero whom Claudius so named and adopted for his sonne Agrippina fearing least Britannicus growing to mans estate should succeed his father in the Empire and desirous to make her owne sonne Emperor as it is reported she left nothing vnattempted that might bring her husband to his death and presently sent Bâ—…rrus who was generall of the army with certaine other captains and those of greatest power amongst his freemen to bring Nero into the field and to proclaime him Emperour He being thus established in the Empire caused Britannicus to be secretly poisoned and not long after this he openly caused his mother to be put to death yeelding her this recompence not onely for that she had borne him in her wombe but also for that by her pollicies he had obtained the Empire He likewise murthered Octauia his wife and diuers other noble men vnder colour of some conspiracie intended against him But I will no further prosecute this matter for that there are diuers who haue composed Neros historie of whom some haue had no regard of the truth but haue spoken at their pleasure for that he had been their benefactor othersome transported with hatâ—…ed and despite against him haue not been ashamed to publish such impudent lies against his renowne as they deserue to be condemned Neither doe I wonder that they haue inuented so many lies against Nero considering that in those histories which they wrote as touching the precedent Emperours they haue not studied to speake truth although they had not any occasion to hate them considering that they liued a long time after their death But let these contemners of truth write as them listeth for that they seeme to take delight in that licence For mine owne part I am intended to write nothing but the truth neither stand I much on that which concemeth not the matter which I intreat of purposing in all truth and diligence to declare that which hath befallen our nation of the Iewes without omitting of either their misfortunes or follies that haue proceeded with them I will therefore returne to the discouerie of our affaires Azizus king of Emesene being dead the first yeere of the Emperour Neros raigne his brother obtained the kingdome Aristobulus the sonne of Herode king of Chalcis had the gouernment of the signiorie of the lesser Armenia from Neros hands Caesar gaue Agrippa a certaine portion of Galilee commanding those of Tiberias and Tarichaea to liue vnder him Besides this he gaue him Iulias scituate beyond Iordan with fourteene burroughs neere adioyning thereunto CHAP.
was able without their assistance to subdue all the rest but Vitellius was not able with their helpe to keepe that he had speaking much to this effect he perswaded them to all that which he would haue done And so he with his whole armie ioyned with Antonius The same night the souldiers repenting themselues of that they had done and also fearing that Vitellius should get the vpper hand who sent them against Antonius drew their swords and would haue slaine Caecinna And had done it had not the Tribunes come and entreated them to the contra◅e wherefore they did not kill him but kept him bound meaning to send him to Vitellius as a traitor Primus Antonius hearing this came with his armie and assaulted them who were reuolted from him and they a while resisted yet at last forced to retire they fled vnto Cremona And Primus accompanied with horsemen preuented their courses and so slew the most of them before the citie and afterward setting vpon the rest gaue his souldiers the spoile of it wherein many merchants of other countries and many townsmen were slaine and all Vitellius his armie thirtie thousand and two hundreth men and Antonius lost in that battell foure thousand fiue hundreth of those whom he brought with him out of Moesia And deliuering Caecinna from prison he sent him to beare newes hereof to Vespasian who comming vnto him was praised for his fact greatly honoured aboue his expectation in reward of his treason Sabinus who was at Rome hearing that Antonius was at hand greatly reioyced and tooke courage and gathering togither the companies of the watchmen in the night time he tooke the Capitoll and in the morning many of the nobles came ioyned with him and Domitianus his brothers son who was a great cause and helpe to obtaine the victorie Vitellius little esteemed Primus but he was angr◅e against Sabinus those that had reuolted with him as it were naturally thirsting after the bloud of the nobilitie he set all the armie he brought out of Germany with him to assault the Capitol where many valiant deeds were shewed on both parts and at last the Germains being most in number got the Capitoll hill And Domitian with many braue noblemen as it were by the prouidence of God escaped safe the rest of the multitude were there slaine And Sabinus was caried to Vitellius and there by his commandement put to death the souldiers taking away al the gifts and treasure in the temple set it on fire The day after came Antonius and Vitellius his souldiers met him and fighting in three seuerall places of the citie they were all slaine Then Vitellius came drunke out of his pallace and being full gorged with delicate meat he was drawn through the midst of the people and after many contumelies slaine hauing raigned eight moneths and fiue daies who if he had liued longer I thinke verily the Empire had not beene sufficient to haue maintained this gluttony There were slaine aboue fiftie thousand of other people And this was done the third day of October The day after Mutianus with his armie came and entred into Rome and repressed the souldiers of Antonius who still sought about in euerie place for Vitellius souldiers and many other of his fauorits and slew whom they thought good not examining any matter by reason of their fury and bringing out Domitian he declared vnto the people that he was to gouerne the citie till his father came The people being deliuered from feare proclaimed Vespasian Emperour and made feasts and triumphs both vnder one for his establishing in the Empire and for ioy that Vitellius was deposed CHAP. XIIII How Titus was sent by his father against the Iewes WHen Vespasian came to Alexandria newes were brought vnto him what was done at Rome And Embassadours came vnto him from all parts of the world to congratulate him And although next after Rome this citie was the greatest in the world yet was it scarcely able to receiue the people that came thither vnto him Vespasian now being established Emperour of all the world the commonwealth of the Romans being contrarie to his expectation freed from troubles he now began to thinke vpon the reliques of Iudaea And so he himselfe winter being ended prepared to go to Rome and in the meane time he hastened to dispose of all things at Alexandria Moreouer he sent his sonne Titus with certain chosen men to destroy Ierusalē Who departed from Alexandria vnto Nicopolis by land which is distant from it twenty furlongs there he did ship his men so sailed along the riuer Nilus by Medensia vnto Thmuin there landing his men he came to the citie called Tanis And the second place he rested in was the citie Heraclea the third Peleusiū there resting refreshing his souldiers two daies space the third day he passed the borders of Peleusium and hauing gone one daies iourney through the wildernes he pitched his tents at the temple of Iupiter Cassian the next day at Ostracine where there is no water but all that the inhabitants do vse they bring from other places After that he rested at Rhinocolura and from thence in foure daies he came to Raphia where beginne the borders of Syria the fift day he lodged at Gaza from thence to Ascalon and so to Iamnia Ioppe from whence he went to Caesarea purposing to gather the rest of the souldiers there THE SIXTH BOOKE OF THE WARRES OF THE IEWES WRITTEN BY FLAVIVS IOSEPHVS The Contents of the Chapters of the 6. booke 1 Of the three seditions in Ierusalem 2 How Titus went vnto Ierusalem to see their strength and how he was in daunger 3 How the Iewes did issue out vpon the Romans pitching their Tents 4 Of the fight within the Citie vpon the feast of unleauened bread 5 Of the deceite the Iewes vsed against the Romane souldiers 6 The description of Ierusalem 7 The Iewes refuse to yeeld and assault the Romans 8 Of the fall of the tower and how two of the wals were wonne 9 How Castor the Iew did floute the Romans 10 How the Romans did twise get the second wall 11 Of the mounts raised against the third wall and a long Oration of Ioseph perswading the Iewes to yeeld and of the famine within the Citie 12 Of the Iewes that were crucified and how the towers were burnt 13 How the Romans in three dayes space built a wall about Ierusalem 14 Of the famine in Ierusalem and how they built another tower or mount 15 Of the massacre of the Iewes both within and without the Citie 16 Of the sacrilege about the Temple and the dead bodies that were cast out of the Citie and of the famine CHAP. I. Of the three sorts of seditions in Ierusalem TItus being thus come out of Aegypt by the desert into Syria hee departed from thence vnto Caesarea for there hee purposed to set his armie
woman nor more merciful thē a mother If religion make you refuse this my sacrifice I haue already eaten of it and will eate the rest Then the seditious departed hereat onely trembling and scarcely permitting this meate to the mother Presently the report of this hainous crime was bruted all about the Citie and euerie man hauing before his eyes this excecrable fact trembled as though himselfe had done it And now all that were vexed with this famine hastned their owne deathes and he was accounted happie that died before he felt this famine This vnnatural fact was soone after recounted vnto the Romanes and some of them would not beleeue it others pitied them within the Citie and many hereat encreased their hatred towards that nation Caesar before Almightie God protested that hee was not the cause of this hauing offered the Iewes peace free pardon forgiuenesse for all their offences past and that they did rather make choyce of warre then peace of sedition then quietnesse of famine rather then vvealth and plentie hauing with their owne hands begunne to set on fire the temple vvhich he had preserued for them and that therefore such like meate vvas fit for them and that hee vvould burie this abhominable crime of eating their owne children in the ruines of their countrey and that he would not in any part of the world suffer the sunne to shine vpon such a Citie wherein mothers did eate their owne children and that such food did more beseeme fathers then mothers who for all their miseries would not yet cease from armes Hauing thus spoken he considered the desperation of the enemies and that they would not recall themselues who had already endured all such calamities which might if it had been possible haue altred their opinions rather then haue endured them CHAP. IX How the wall was taken and the temple burnt THe eight day of August two of the Roman legions hauing finished their mounts they began to place their rammes against the East galleries without the temple hauing six daies togither without intermission already beaten the wall with their strongest rams and nothing preuailed the stones being so strong that the rams could not mooue them others of the Romans laboured to dig vp the foundations of the porch that was on the North side and after much toile they only could pul away the outward stones the inner stones did stil support the porch At last the Romans seeing themselues not preuaile by their iauelines and other instruments they set ladders to ascend into the galleries The Iewes did not greatly labour to hinder them from getting vp but when they were within the galleries then they came and fought with them and cast some of them downe headlong forcing them to retire others they slew that stood to it and others that were vpon the ladders going downe before they could defend themselues with their shields were with swords strooken downe and they also thrust downe some ladders full of armed men So that there was a great massacre of the Romans some fighting for their ensignes which the Iewes had taken from them esteeming the losse thereof a great shame vnto them At last the Iewes got their auncients and slew them that came vp to rescue them and the rest terrified with their deaths that were slaine went downe againe and no one of the Romans died who before he was slaine did not some valiant act and those seditious people that in the former battels did shew themselues valiant did now also fight valiantly and beside them Eleazar sonne vnto the tyrant the brother of Simon Then Titus perceiuing that he spared the temple of the Iewes to his losse and to the death of his souldiers he commanded fire to be put vnto the temple gates presently Ananus of Emaus the most cruell of all Simons followers and Archelaus the sonne of Magadatus fled vnto Titus who for their cruelties committed determined to put them to death yet they hoped for pardon for that they had now forsaken the Iewes when they had gotten the better hand But Titus affirmed they came not of goodwill but for necessitie and that they did not deserue to liue forsaking their countrey now set on fire for their offences yet his promise bridled his wrath and he dismissed them but they were not so much esteemed as the rest The Roman souldiers did now put fire vnto the temple doores and the siluer plates wherewith they were couered being molten the flame quickly fiered the wood and encreasing tooke hold presently on the next porch The Iewes seeing themselues inuironed with flames were now altogither discouraged and their strength failed them and being amazed no man sought to extinguish the flame and so they stood still beholding the fire yet not lamenting that which was set on fire more then desiring to saue the rest and so that day and all the next night the fire encreased for the porches were burnt by little and little and not all at once The next day Titus caused part of his army to quench the fire and calling vnto him his captaines and six that were the chiefest amongst them to wit Tiberias Alexander Generall of the whole army Sextus Cerealis commander of the fift legion Largius Lepidus of the tenth Titus Frigius of the fifteenth with whom was also Aeternius Fronto commander of the two legions that came from Alexandria and Marcus Antonius Iulianus Gouernour of Iudaea and with them the colonels and captaines he deliberated with them what was to be done concerning the temple Some councelled to vse the custome of warres for that the Iewes would neuer liue peaceably their temple standing all their nation wheresoeuer liuing assembling themselues thither at certaine times Others perswaded Titus that if so be the Iewes yeelded their temple and sought not for it then to saue it but if they fought for it to burne it for now it seemed a Castle and not a temple and if any man were offended hereat it should not be imputed to the Romans or to their general but to the Iewes who constrained them to do it and he offended not they forcing him to fire it But Titus affirmed that although the Iewes fought for their temple being men without conscience yet it should not be destroied for he would not so be reuenged of their iniquities neither would he euer fire so goodly a building for so it would redound vnto the losse of the Romans as also it would be a credit vnto them if it were left remaining And now Alexander Fronto and Cerealis perceiuing Caesars minde were of his opinion and so he dismissed the conuocation and commanded the souldiers and captaines to rest that they might be more able to fight when need required and presently he appointed certaine chosen men to make the waies euen easie for the army to passe by the ruines commanding them to quench the fire and that day the Iewes being fearefull and wearie did
the miserie of Ierusalem vntill Albinus thinking him to bee out of his wits suffered him to depart This man euen vntill the time of warre neuer went to any Citizen nor was seene speake to any one but stil as it were studying of some speech he cried woe woe vnto Ierusalem Neither did he euer curse any one though euerie day one or other did beate him nor thanke any one that offered him meate All that he spake vnto any man was this heauie prophecie He went crying as is aforesaid chiefely vpon holy-dayes so doing continually for the space of seuen yeeres and fiue moneths his voice neither waxing hoarse nor wearie till in the time of the siege beholding that which he foretold them hee ceased and then once againe vpon the wals going about the Citie with a lowde voice he cried Woe woe vnto the Citie Temple and people and lastly he said woe also vnto my selfe which words were no sooner vttered but a stone shot from out an engine smote him and so he yeelded vp the ghost lamenting them all If any one doe diligently consider all these he shall find that God hath a care of mankind and doth euerie way foreshew betime what is most expedient for them and they through their owne madnesse to haue voluntarily perished in their wickednesse For the Iewes when the Castle Antonia was taken made the Temple foure square notwithstanding that it was written in the holy Scripture that the Citie and Temple should be taken when the Temple was made foure square But that which chiefely incited them to warre was the doubtfull prophecie likewise found in the holy Scriptures that at the same time one in their dominions should be Monarche of the whole world and many wisemen were deceiued in this interpretation making account that hee should be one of their owne nation yet indeed thereby was foretold Vespasians Empire But men cannot preuent destinie though they foresee it Thus the Iewes interpreted some of the signes as they pleased and at others they laughed till by the ruine of their Countrie and their owne wofull ouerthrow their iniquitie appeared CHAP. XIII How Titus was made Emperour and of the death of the priests AFter the seditious were fled into the Citie all the Temple and places thereabout being set on fire the Romans placed their ensignes in the Temple ouer against the East gate and there celebrating sacrifice with great cries declared Titus Emperour and the Romans got such prayes and booties that they sold gold in Syria for halfe the valew And amongst those Priests that kept on the wall a child being thirstie desired peace of the Romane watchmen saying that he was thirstie So they pittying both his yeeres and his need gaue him their hands that he should haue no harme and then he came downe and drunke and filled a bottle which he brought with him and when he had done hee ranne vp againe to his fellowes and none of the watchmen were able to ouertake him and they vpbraided him with falsehood But he answered that he had done nothing but that which hee and they intended for they did not giue him their hands to secure him to remaine with them but onely to come downe and take water which hee had done The Romane watchmen greatly admired the subtiltie of him that was but a child The fift day the Priests being almost famished came downe and the watchmen carried them to Titus whom they besought to graunt them their liues But he answered them that the time of pardon was past seeing that was destroyed for the which he might haue pardoned them and that it was meete that the Priests should perish with the Temple and so he commaunded them to be put to death Then the tyrants with their followers being on euerie side beset with warres and hauing no way to flie they being thus beleaguerd rounde requested to parly with Titus who for his naturall meeknesse his friends also perswading him thereto thought at least to saue the Citie iudging indeed that now the seditious had altered their minds and so he stood in the West part of the inner Temple for there was a gate built aboue a gallerie and a bridge that ioyned the Temple and Citie together which was then betweene Titus and the tyrants Many souldiers on both parts flocked about their rulers the Iewes about Simon and Iohn hoping for pardon the Romans about Titus desirous what he would say vnto them and Titus by an Edict commaunding the souldiers to be quiet and to shoote no arrowes spake vnto them first by an interpreter thereby shewing that he had the vpper hand and said O yee men of Ierusalem are you not now glutted with the calamities of your Countrie Neither calling to mind our power nor your owne infirmitie but with a rash furie haue destroyed your people Citie and Temple your selues also hauing instly deserued to perish who since Pompey first conquered you haue neuer ceased to be seditious and at last haue openly borne armes against the Romans Did you trust vnto your multitude You haue seene that a small parcell of the Romans armie hath sufficiently resisted you Or did you expect forraine aide What nation is not vnder our dominion and who wold rather make choyse of the Iewes then of the Romans Did you trust in your strength of bodie Why you know that the Germanes serue vs. Or in the strength of your wals What wall or what greater hinderance then the Ocean wherewith the Britaines inuironed haue yeelded vnto the Romane forces Or to your courage and politicke counsell of your Captaines You haue alreadie heard that the Carthaginians haue beene by vs surprised It was therefore the Romanes humanitie that incited you against themselues who first of all permitted you to possesse your Countrie and gaue you Kings of your owne nation and after all this wee kept your lawes inuiolate and suffered you to liue as your selues desired not onely in your owne Countrie but also amongst other nations and which is the greatest of all our benefits bestowed vpon you wee permitted you to gather tribute and gifts to the maintenance of your Temple and sacrifices to God of all which we neither forbad any to be brought vnto you neither hindered any that would offer vnto your Temple but suffered you our enemies to be made more rich then our selues so that you haue vsed our owne money against vs. Wherefore hauing receiued so many benefits at our hands you haue now disgorged your selues vpon vs and like spitefull Serpents spit your poyson vpon them that made much of you Let vs omit that by Nero his negligence you became forgetfull of your dutie and like some member in the bodie broken or shrunke you being still tumultuous at last were taken in a greater offence and were incouraged with immoderate desires to hope for vnlawfull libertie My father came into your Countrie not to punish you for your misdemeanour toward Cestius but by
good counsell and warning to reprehend and quiet you And whereas if he had come to destroy your nation hee ought first to haue cut downe the verie roote and to haue come vnto this Citie and destroyed it with the Inhabitants hee rather chose first to waste Galilea and the places adioyning that in the meane time you might repent you and consider of your estate But this his mercie towards you was held for cowardlinesse and infirmitie in him and by our long suffering you were emboldned against vs and when Nero was dead you did as treacherous subiects are wont to doe taking occasion by our ciuill dissension to reuolt from vs and whilest my father and I were gone into Aegypt you prepared your selues to war against vs neither were you ashamed to trouble them that were designed Pinces whō notwithstanding you had found most gentle Captaines vnto you At last when the Empire fell vnto vs and all things being now quieted all nations with gifts and presents came to congratulate vs Behold againe the Iewes shewed themselues our enemies and you sent an Ambassador beyond Euphrates onely to nourish your rebellion walling fortifying your townes a new and contending like seditious and tyrants one with another set abroach ciuill warres al which none but impious people would haue committed Wherefore being commanded by my father who was now vrged thereunto I came against this Citie with a heauie charge yet did I reioyce when I heard that the people desired peace Before I warred against you I exhorted you to peace after warre was begun I desisted awhile from vsing seueritie I spared all them that of their owne accord fled vnto me and kept my promise vnto them pitying those that were captiues I with strokes restrained them that hasted the warre against you against my will and euen forced so to doe I set the Romans against your wals and alwayes restrained my souldiers so much desirous of your bloud How often did I ouercome you so often did I exhort you to peace as though I had beene vanquished Againe when I approched vnto the Temple I willingly omitting the law of armes requested you to spare your Temple and holy things offering you leaue to depart and promising you safetie or else I gaue you leaue to fight another time in another place if so you thought good Al these my offers you refused with your own hands fired your temple And now you wicked wretches prouoke me to parly with you What thing can you now preserue so excellent as that which is already perished what pardon can you expect seeing your temple is destroied nay euen now yo◅ stand armed not so much as counterfeiting submission in the last cast O wretches with what hope Is not your people dead is not your temple destroied your citie now in my hands yea your liues also But do you thinke death the renowne of fortitude I will not striue with your obstinacie yet if you will cast downe your weapons and yeeld your bodies I will spare your liues And like as in priuate house I wil shew my selfe vnto you a gentle maister and after I haue punished that which otherwise is incurable I will reserue the rest for my selfe To this they answered that they could not receiue pardon at his hands hauing vowed the contrarie wherfore they requested licence to depart with their wiues and children by the camp which he had enuironed with a wall and so to go into the wildernesse and leaue the Citie vnto the Romans Titus was hereat greatly enraged that they being in a manner captiues should impose vpon him conditions as though they were victors and commaunded a crier to tell them that hence foorth they should not flie vnto him nor hope that he would pardon them for hee would spare nothing willing thē with all their forces to fight and saue themselues as they could for he would now in all things vse the law of armes and so he permitted the soldiers to sack the Citie and set it on fire And that day they did nothing but the next day following they fired the councell-house the pallace Acra and Ophla and the fire came vnto Queene Helens pallace which was scituate in the midst of Acra also the houses and streets of the Citie full of dead bodies were set on fire The same day the sons and brethren of king Izates and with them many nobles of the people assembled togither befought Caesar to pardon them and he though incensed against them all yet not changing his manner receiued them to mercie and put them all in prison and afterward carried them bound to Rome for hostages that were the kings sonnes and kinsmen CHAP. XIIII Of the pray of the seditious and how the inner part of the Citie was fired THe seditious went vnto the kings pallace where many had left all their wealth because it was a strong place and driuing the Romans from thence they slew all the people there assembled amounting to the number of eight thousand and foure hundreth and carried away all the money and they tooke there two Roman souldiers aliue one a horseman and another a footman and they slew the footman and drew him all along the Citie as it were in the body of that one reuenging themselues vpon all the Romans But the horseman affirmed that he had something to say vnto them which would greatly profit them and saue their liues who was carried vnto Simon and not hauing there any thing to say Simon deliuered him to one of his captaines called Ardala to be slaine and he brought him where the Romans might behold him with his hands bound behinde him and a veile before his eies meaning there to behead him but he whilest the Iew drew out his sword fled vnto the Romans And Titus would not put him to death because he had escaped from the enemies yet deeming him vnworthy to be a Roman souldier who suffred himselfe to be taken aliue he tooke from him his armes and discharged him from bearing them any more which to a wiseman was worse then death The next day the Romans putting the seditious to flight that were in the lower Citie they fired all vnto Siloa reioycing that the towne was destroied yet they got no booties because the seditious had already robbed and spoiled all and carried it into the higher Citie For they nothing repented them of their wickednesse but were as arrogant as though they had been in prosperitie so that they with ioy beheld the Citie on fire affirming that they desired death for that the people being slaine the temple destroied and the Citie on fire they should leaue nothing vnto their enemies Yet Ioseph in that extremitie laboured to saue the reliques of the Citie much inueighing against their crueltie earnestly exhorting them to saue thēselues yet he nothing profited in al this but was derided for his labour for neither would they yeeld vnto the Romans for
preuaile against it but rather made it more stronger then before by ramming the morter together Silua perceiuing this iudged that he might sooner destroy the wall with fire then with his engine and so he commaunded the souldiers to cast vpon it many â—…uming firebrands and the fire did quickly take hold of the wall because it was for the most part built with wood and easily also peâ—…ced through it by reason it was not cleane wrought together and there was a great flame At the verie beginning of the fire the North wind did greatly annoy the Romans for the fire blowing furiously from aboue against them that were Romanes it did driue it extreamely vpon them so that they were in great dispaire fearing their engines would be burnt and presently the wind chaunging and blowing from the South as it were by Gods prouidence it turned the fire againe vpon the wall and now all of it euen vnto the foundation thereof was there most cruelly on fire And the Romanes hauing Gods assistaunce returned againe vnto their Campe ioyfully purposing the next morning betimes to assaile their enemies and that night to place stronger watches least any of the enemies should escape But Eleazer thought not to flie neither would hee permit any one of his companie so to doe And seeing now the wall was fierd and not knowing any way else to helpe himselfe considering likewise what the Romanes would doe vnto their wiues and children if they should take them hee deliberated of all their deaths which he in that extremitie iudged to bee the best way they could take And so hee assembled the most valiaunt of all his companie and exhorted euerie one of them thereunto after this manner Valiant companions we long agoe resolued our selues neither to serue the Romanes nor any other saue onely God for he alone is the true and iust Lord of all men Behold the time is now come that exhorteth you to shew your resolute minds let vs not therefore dishonour our selues and besides our slauerie suffer also intollerable torments if we bee taken aliue by the Romanes For we were the first that reuolted from them and the last that warre against them And I verily thinke that God hath giuen vs this benefit that wee may die well and in our owne libertie which he denied to others who were ouercome contrarie to their expectation We are certaine to bee conquered as soone as it is day light but to die valiantly with our dearest friends is a glorious resolution vnto valiant men and of this our enemies cannot debarre vs who doe labour to take vs aliue and carrie vs away captiues and wee are not able to vanquish them in fight For truely at the first when we who coueted libertie suffered all miserie at the hands of our owne Countriemen and worse at the hands of our enemies we should haue considered that God who was some time fauourable vnto the nation of the Iewes had now condemned them vnto perdition for had he yet beene fauourable vnto vs or had he beene but lightly offended at vs hee would not haue permitted so many men to haue perished and haue deliuered his holy Citie into the hands of the enemies to bee consumed with fire And we onely amongst all our nation hoped to liue in libertie as though wee had no wayes offended the diuine maiestie nor beene guiltie of any offence who indeede taught others iniquitie So you see how we are checked for longing after vaine hope being brought into greater extremitie then we expected Neither hath our Castle by nature in expugnable any thing profited vs to our preseruation but wee hauing store of victuals and armour and all other necessaries haue lost all hope of safetie God himselfe openly taking it from vs. For the fire that once was carried against our enemies did not of it selfe returne against vs and vnto the wall wee built But it was the punishment of our offences who furiously raged against our own nation For the which I request you let vs not be punished by the Romans whose forces are inuincible but by our selues let vs satisfie the ire of God and so it will bee more tollerable for vs euen by that meanes our wiues shall die vndefiled and our children shall not taste of seruile captiuitie After whose deathes wee will one helpe another to die with credite conseruing our libertie which is the best sepulture of all yet let vs first fire our Castle and burne our treasure for it will be no small griefe vnto the Romanes if they neither get our bodies aliue nor can finde any one iot of our riches for recompence of their labour Let vs onely leaue our victuals as sufficient testimonie that famine did not at any time cause vs to be conquered but that we as at the first wee resolued preferred also death before bondage Eleazer hauing thus spoken they that were present did not all accord vnto him for some ioyfully hasted to execute his aduise thinking it so glorious a death But they who mooued with compassion towards their wiues and families were some thing effeminate or else abhorred to kill themselues One looking vpon another with teares did shew his mind to disagree from that which Eleazer perswaded Which when Eleazar perceiued and that his counsell through feare was defeated fearing also that they who couragiously had accorded thereunto should be with drawne by the teares of the others hee did not so end his exhortation but standing vp and with a vehement spirit he began to speake vnto them of the immortalitie of the soule and fixing his eyes vpon them that wept he vsed a vehement exclamation saying How much am I deceiued who thought that valiant men fighting for their libertie would rather chuse to die then liue but yee doe shew your selues nothing to excell any ordinarie men who feare to die notwithstanding that thereby you may escape great miserie and calamitie when in this point you ought not to haue expected any admonition thereunto noâ—… to haue made any delay to doe it The auncient customes which haue endured euer since men had reason the diuine doctrine of our nation which hath continually been confirmed by the deeds of our predecessors doe instruct vs that it is miserie to liue and not to die For death freeth our soules from prison vnto their most pure proper place where neuer after they shall be touched with any calamitie Which whilest they are bound in a mortall body and doe participate of his miseries may probably be affirmed to be dead For it is an vnseemly coniunction for that which is diuine to be coupled and connexed vnto that which is mortall True it is that our soules can do much being ioyned to our bodies for they vse the bodies as their instruments secretly producing in them motion and many other actions passing the nature of mortal things But when the soule is loosed from that heauy burthen which doth weigh
in our graues before we had seene that sacred Citie fired by a hostile hand before we beheld the holy temple destroied by impietie and seeing that the hope we had to be reuenged vpon our enemies is now vanished away and that we are left alone in miserie and necessitie let vs hasten to die well and take compassion vpon our selues our wiues and children and that whilest we haue time to compassionate our selues For both we are borne to die and all that are begotten by vs and the strongest men liuing cannot auoid it but iniurie and bondage and to see our wiues and children abused before our faces is no necessitie proceeding from mans nature but they onely are forced to endure it who when they might haue died without it did refuse for feare We first of all trusting to our strength rebelled against the Romans nowe lastly they exhorting vs to obedience we denied which of them then will not be enraged against vs if they can take vs aliue Most miserable shall those young men be whose strength will endure many torments and those olde men will mooue compassion whose aged yeeres cannot suffer tortures one shall see his wife carried away from him and another his sonne hauing his hands bound behind him crie vnto his father for helpe who now whilest they are free from the thraldome of their enemies may gloriously assist vs with their swords Let vs with our wiues and children die freemen let vs altogither depart out of this life This our religion commandeth this our wiues and children perswadeth God himselfe hath driuen vs vnto this necessitie for this purpose The Romans would haue it otherwise who feare least any of vs should perish and not fal into their hands aliue Let vs therefore hasten that in steed of their expected hope whereby they verily perswaded themselues to take vs aliue we may contrarie to their expectation daunt them with asodain admiration of our glorious deaths Whilest Eleazar was yet speaking and desirous still to continue his exhortation they all interrupted him euerie one now in a furie bent to follow his aduice made haste to effect it and as though they had been vrged by some bad spirit thereunto euerie one laboured to preuent one another in the execution thereof iudging him to shew most valour and fortitude that first dispatched himselfe They were also desirous to kill their wiues and their children with themselues And which is most strange their mindes were nothing altered when they came to effect this bloudy worke but with the same resolution that they had when they heard Eleazars speech euerie one retained his good affection towards his friends yet permitting reason to take no place and perswading themselues that thus they had well prouided for their children they all at once embraced their wiues and children for their last farewell and tooke their leaues of them kissing them with teares and then at once slew them as though it had been done by the hands of other men and not their owne comforting themselues being forced so to doe in that hereby they should escape the tyranny and crueltie of their enemies Finally no man was so cowardly who durst not presume to this action so euerie one of thē killed his deerest friends O miserable people whom necessitie forced to slay their wiues and children accounting the action thereof to be the verie least of all their miseries Wherefore now not enduring the griefe that ensued vpon this fact and thinking that in liuing any while after them they should iniure them whom they had slaine they with all speed possible gathered all their riches togither and set them on fire which done they elected ten by lot who should slay the rest euerie one prostrating himselfe vpon his wife and children embracing them in his armes and was was so slaine willingly by them that executed that wretched office who hauing without feare dispatched them they cast lots whose fortune it was to kill all the rest and he vpon whom the lot did fall should kill the other nine and lastly himselfe vpon them all euerie one so encouraging one another that there was no difference betweene them that were to be killed and them that were to kill and so the rest offered themselues to death which done one who was the last of all being yet aliue went amonst the dead bodies and searched to see if none liued that needed his hand in so great a multitude of slaine people and finding all of them dispatched he went and fired the pallace which done he with all his force thrust his sword into his owne bodie vp to the hilts and so fell downe by his deerest freinds In this maner they died thinking they had left no one aliue to haue fallen into the Romās hands but one certaine olde woman another that was Eleazars cosins who in learning wisedome surpassed all other women fiue children who all hid themselues in a caue wherein water was reserued to drinke whilest the rest were busied in this massacre who were in number 900. and 60 beside women and children This calamitie hapned the fifteenth day of Aprill In the morning the Romans expecting that the Iewes would fight with them made bridges from their mounts vnto the wals and so assaulted the wals and seeing none of their enemies appeare but all the wals wasted and on fire and deepe silence in euerie place they could not coniecture what was done and at last they made a crie at once as though they had beene beating the wals with a Ramme thereby to see if they could make any enemies come out The women in the vaults heard this crie and comming forth they declared vnto the Romans all that had hapned one of them relating vnto them the euent of all the whole matter yet for all this the Romans did not easily beleeue her words by reason of the greatnesse of that fact but they endeuored to quench the fire and passing through it they presently came into the pallace where they beheld all the dead bodies yet they did not insult ouer them as their enemies but admired that so many should be so obstinately minded to despise death CHAP. XXIX Of the death of the Sicarians that were fled vnto Alexandria and Thebes THe Castle being thus taken the generall of the Romans leauing a garrison there went vnto Caesarea for there was no one enemie left in all that countrey but now all Iudaea was destroyed through continuance of long wars and many of that nation though far distant from it tasted of those troubles for it so fell out that afterward many Iewes perished in Aegypt at Alexandria for those Sicarians who had escaped thither were not content to be safe and free from daunger but there also they attempted alteration and to defend their liberty against the the Romans esteeming themselues nothing inferiour vnto them and that onely God was their Lord. And some of the nobler race of the Iewes
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.
345. d. Mithridates king of Pontus slaine 354 h. Mithridates warreth with the Egyptians 360. g. commendeth Antipater to Caesar ibid. Moabites put to flight 114. k l. warre against Iosaphat 223. c. kill one another 224. h. Modle of the Temple 188. k. Modle of the Tabenacle proposed to Moses 60. m. Moderation of Saul 133. c. of Dauid 151. d. Moderation in abundance hardly kept 237. e f. Monarchie of the Assyrians destroyed 247. b. Money taken out of Dauids tombe 290. g. 335. f. distributed 713. e. Monobazus king of Adiabena 513. f. Moone made 3. e. her end and motion ibid. c. Monument of the priesthood confirmed 80 i. Monument of Rachel 132. l. of Ionathan 332. l. of Dauid 335. e. of Iohn the high Priest 709. b. orning what 3 d. Moses the sonne of Amram 42. i k. foretold to afflict the Egyptians estate and aduance the Israelites 41. d. cast into the floud 42. k l. taken out thereof ibid. m. called Moses 43. b. adopted by Pharaohs daughter spurned the crowne ibid. b c d. conducted the Egyptians against the Ethiopians 44. g. c. his victory 44. the Iewes lawmaker 2. k l. more ancient then other lawmakers 791. a. flieth to Raguel and why 45. b. c. marieth his daughter ibid. d. sent to deliuer the Israelites 46. k l. confirmed in his calling ibid. g. h i k. perswadeth Pharao to dismisse the Israelites 47. b c. worketh miracles ibid c d e. instituteth the Passeouer 49. c d. conducteth the Israelites 50. g i. exhorteth them ibid. m. praieth to God 51. c. leadeth them through the red sea 51. d. praiseth God 52. g h. sacrificed to God in Sinai ibid. h. beseecheth God to sweeten the waters 53. d. putteth the people in mind of Gods benefits 54. h i. imploreth Gods helpe ibid. l. striking the rocke bringeth out water 55. e. encourageth the Israelites 56. i k. lifting vp his hands c. 57. a. ascendeth Sinai 58. l. how long remaineth there 60. h. fasted ib. asketh counsell of God c. 68. h. numbreth the people 72. h i. sendeth spies to search the land 73. e. retireth the people into the desart 76. l. sendeth forces against the Madianites â—…7 b. appointeth Iosuah his successor ibid. f. exhorteth the people to obedience 89. a b c. sweareth them to keepe the lawe 98. k. 99. a. exhorteth Iosuah 98. m. commaundeth the Iewes to heare the lawe 792. h i. dieth 99. e. Mother eateth her child 228 g h. 734. i k. Mother of the seuen brethren 805. a. 808. k. 810. g. c. Moueables of all sorts 103. f. Mourning of Ruben for Ioseph 30. i. of the Romans 638. l m. of them in Ierusalem 699. a. Mourning for thirtie daies 94. l m. Mourning for Moses death 99. b c. for Saul his sons 158. k. for Abners 162. i. for Herods 451. c. Mountaine of Sinai 45. f. 47. f. Mounts builded lost 719. e f. Mounts raised neere the Temple 732. g. Multiplication of Iacobs posteritie 42. h. Multitude of busines 57. f. of dead carcasses 725. f. Mundus defileth Paulina 467. a c. banished ibid. Murmur of the Israelites 53. f. 74. g. Murther of Simeon and Leui 27. a. Murther of Azael 160. k. of Abner 162. g. of Iorams brethren 230. k. of infants foretold 230. g. Murther of Saul punished 159 f. of Isboseth 163. d. Musicke by whom inuented 5. f. Mutabilitie of fortune 668. l. m. Mutinie of Chore and his complices 77. b c c. Mutinie about the golden Eagle 448. h. Mutinie against Archelaus 452. g h c. N Naas king of the Ammonites 133. c. his outrages offred the Israelites ibid. e f. proposeth hard conditions of peace 134. g. granteth to the inhabitants of Iabes a truce ibid. h. is slaine 134. l. Nabals flocks spared 152. g. his currish answere to Dauids men ibid. i died for griefe 153. a. Nabathaea the countrey of Ismaels posteritie 17. c. Nabathaeans spoiled 330. i. Naboth falsely accused 217. d. stoned to death ibid. d. Nabuchodonosor king of Babylon 250. m. vanquisheth Nechao ibid. 251. a. exacteth tribute and slaieth Ioachim 251. a. establish Ioachin king ibid. e. besiegeth and destroyeth Ierusalem 254. i. 255. a. dreameth a dreame 258. k. erecreth an Idol 259. c conuersed with beasts 260. g h. conquereth the rebels 771. e. builded a pallace 772. g h. besiegeth Tyre 773. b. his death 260. h. Nadab Aarons sonne burned and why 67. a. Nadab Ieroboams sonne 212. g. his impietie and death ibid. g. Name of Saul famous 134. l. Naming of the creatures 3. f. Names of Regions and Nations 10. g. Noami her sorrow 123. e f. returneth into her countrey 124. g. her counsell to Ruth ibid. i k. Norbanus for the Iewes 422. k. Narration of the Arabian wars 432. l. Nathan the Prophet 166. h. forbiddeth Dauid to build the Temple ibid. h. reprooued Dauid 170. m 171. a b. Natiuitie of Iacob and Esau 20 m. two nations proceed of them ibid. m. Nation of the Iewes mixed with all people 747. b. Nations whence descended 10. g c. 11. a. c. Nature forbids a man to kill himselfe 659. c. f. Nature of the Idumaeans 677. b. Nauie of Salomon 202. k. Naum the Prophet 240. l. foretelleth the ouerthrow of the Assyrians ibid. l. Nazarites 81. d. Nechao his exploits 250 h. is ouercome ibid. m. 251. a. 252. l m. Necessitie a sharpe weapon 651. a. Neglect of Gods seruice cause of all euill 207. e f. Negligence of Sauls guard 153. c. d e. Nehemias his sadnes and why 275. c d. inciteth the people to build the wals c. ibid. e. his ardent care in building them 276. h. his death ibid. k. Nemrod 9. b c. Sonne of Chus 11. a. Nephanus and Sabach Dauids captaines 182. m. 183. a. Nephewes of Iacob 39. e. of Herode 598. g h. Nepthalim the sonne of Iacob 24 k. his sonnes 40. g. Nero proclaimed Emperour 521. e. his murders ibid. e f. 622. h. amased at the actes of the Iewes 645. a. sendeth Vespasian to gouerne Syria 745. b. Nicanor labereth to surprise Iudas 314. g. slaine 315. a. Nicanor knowne to Ioseph 658. k. Nicanor wounded 709. b. Nicaule Queene of Ethiopia 202. h. resorteth to Salomon ibid. l. wondreth and praiseth Salomons wisedome 202. m. 203. a. giueth him presents ibid b. Nicholaus Oration 414. i. c. Nicholaus the Historiographer reproued 423. c. Nicholaus accuseth Syllaeus excuseth Herode 432. i. k. prosecuteth the kings accusation 444. k. 445. a c. excuseth Archelaus 454. k. 609. c. defendeth Herod and Archelaus 459. b. 613. a. Nicon the Romans great Ram 711. a. Niger slaine c. 683. c d. Nilus 4. h. maketh Aegypt fertile 40. i. how farre nauigable 694. k. Niniue admonished 239. a. her destruction prophecied 240. l. effected 247. b. Nisan a moneth with the Hebrewes 49. c. Noah the sonne of Lamech 6. m. admonisheth the wicked ibid. k l. buildeth the Arke 6. l. saued with
make no resistance The day following taking heart and assembled togither they assaulted the watchmen that kept without the temple the second houre of the day The Romans valiantly resisted their first assault so defending themselues with their shields as though they had a wal before thē yet sure it was that they would not long abide for that they were fewer in number then their enemies and not so desperat as they were Then Caesar before his men retired beholding the fight from Antonia with certain chosen horsmen came to succour them whose force the Iewes not sustaining but the first of them being slaine the rest fled and the Romans departing they returned and fought against them and when the Romans returned againe presently they fled till about the fift houre of the day the Iewes were forced to betake themselues into the temple and there they were shut vp Then Titus returned into Antonia purposing the next day to assault them with all his armie and winne the temple But the sentence of God had already determined that it should be consumed with fire and now the fatal day was come after many yeeres which was the tenth of August vpon which day also the king of Babylon did once before fire it yet was it now first set a fire by our owne countrimen who were indeed the cause thereof For the seditious being quiet till Titus was departed then againe they assaulted the Romans and so fought with the guard that were without the temple labouring to extinguish the flame who putting the Iewes to flight came vnto the temple CHAP. X. How the temple was burnt against the will of Titus THen a certaine souldier who expected no commaund nor feared to doe so execrable a fact being mooued with some diuine furie and lifted vp by his fellow tooke in his hand a flaming firebrand and cast it into the golden gate which entred into the roomes on the North part of the temple and the flame presently arose which caused a great crie amongst the Iewes expressing their calamitie and euerie one hasted to extinguish the fire now neither accounting of their liues nor forces hauing lost that for which they so fought Newes hereof was presently brought vnto Titus by one who came from the fight who then was resting in his tabernacle and he presently arose and ranne vnto the temple to hinder the fire and all the captaines after him whereat the souldiers being terrified followed and there arose a great crie and tumult in that army being vnordered Caesar both with voice and hand made a signe vnto the souldiers that were fighting to quench the fire But they did not heare him there was so great a noise neither did they perceiue the signe he made vnto them with his hand because that some were distracted with fight others with anger and the soldiers issued in not restrained neither by commaunds nor threatnings but euerie one went whither furie carried him and thronging togither at the entrance many pressed one another to death and many being amongst the firie ruines of the galleries perished as miserably as those that were ouercome When they came vnto the temple euerie one counterfeited himselfe not to heare Caesars command and so exhorted his fellowes that were before him to fire the temple The seditious now had no hope to withstand them but either fled or were slain and many vnarmed and vnable people wheresoeuer they were found were slaine so that about the altar was an innumerable companie of dead bodies heaped togither and their bloud flowed down the temple staires and their bodies that there were slaine rouled downe Caesar seeing he could not restraine the surie of the madbraine soldiers and that the fire encreased entred into the temple with his nobles and beheld all the holy things there and vvhat soeuer else vvas there farre surpassing all report vvhich straungers had giuen of it and equall to that report vvhich the Iewes made of it And the flame not hauing yet pierced into the inner part of the temple nor yet consumed the houses and roomes about it he deemed that as yet it might be preserued vvherfore himselfe came and intreated the soldiers to extinguish the fire commaunding Liberalis the Centurion of his guard to beat those with a trunchion that vvould not be obedient and driue them away But their furie and the rage of vvarre and the hatred they bare against the Iewes ouercame in them all Caesars commaunds and feare of them that forbad them Many were incited so to do hoping of some bootie thinking that all the temple within vvas full of money because they saw the gates of gold Moreouer a certaine souldier vvhen Caesar sought to queneh the flame fired the poastes aboue the doores and presently the flame appearing within Caesar and the Captaines departed and so euerie one stood looking vpon it and no man sought to extinguish it Thus the temple vvas burnt against Titus his will And although enerieman will iudge it a lamentable case that such a building surpassing all that euer was seene or heard of both in greatnesse workemanship costlinesse and plentie of all things in this yet we may comfort our selues in that the destinies had so determined For neither liuing creatures nor places nor buildings can auoide their destinie One may also admire the exact and iust reuolution of time for it was now destroyed in the same moneth and on the same day that the Babylonians first destroyed it and from that time that Salomon beganne the first temple vnto the destruction of the second temple which hapned the second yeere of Vespasians raigne were a thousand a hundreth and thirtie yeeres seuen moneths and fifteene daies and from the building of the latter temple which Aggaeus built in the second yeere of the raigne of King Cyrus vnto the destruction thereof now in Vespasians raigne were sixe hundreth thirtie nine yeeres and fiue and fortie daies CHAP. XI Of the Priests the Treasure house and the Porch WHen the temple was thus consumed with fire whatsoeuer the soldiers found therein they caried away and put all to the sword that were in it which was an infinite number neither did they shew any pitie to olde age or infants but olde young priests common people all were slaine without respect all sorts of people tasted the calamitie of war whether they resisted or intreated mercy And now the flame encreased which grieued euen thē that were yeelding vp the ghost and by reason of the height of the hill and the building togither one would haue thought the whole citie had beene on fire Then a most lamentable crie was raised betweene the Roman legions and the seditious now enuironed with fire and sword and of the people that vvere taken in the higher part of the citie had fled vnto the Romans lamenting their calamitie and they of the citie answered the teares and cries of them in the hill and many whose eies death by famine
had alreadie closed tooke strength a while to bewaile the temple which they now opening their eies beheld on fire The countrey beyond Iordan and the mountains about did eccho with their laments and yet the calamitie surpassed that tumult For one would haue iudged the hil whereon the temple was scituate to haue beene burnt vp by the rootes it was so ful of fire Yet the multitude of bloud there shed surpassed the fire Many that were slaine were couered with them that slew them and all the ground was ouerspred with dead bodies so that the souldiers ran vpon the dead bodies to pursue them that fled At last the theeues hauing driuen the Romans without the temple they ran into the citie the rest of the people that were left fled into the outward porch And many of the priests first vsed spits and then their seats made of lead in steed of darts against the Romans at last nothing at all preuailing and the fire falling vpon them they went vnto a wall eight cubits broad and there staied Yet two of the nobles when they might either haue fled vnto the Romans and there haue beene saued or else haue endured like fortune with the rest they notwithstanding cast themselues into the fire and so were burnt with the temple one of them was named Meierus the sonne of Belga the other Ioseph the sonne of Dalaeus The Romans thought it in vaine to spare the buildings about the temple seeing the temple was alreadie consumed and so set fire on them all the porches galleries and gates two onely excepted one on the East side and the other on the South side both which afterward they raced vnto the ground they burnt also certaine chests called Gazophylacia or money boxes wherâ—…in was great store of coine and rich garments and other pretious things and indeed all the Iewes treasure for the richest of the citie had brought all their wealth thither There came into the porch that was left standing many men women children to the number of sixe thousand And before Caesar and the captains did determine any thing what should be done with them the furious soldiers fired the porch wherein they were and so they all perished in the flames saue a fewe that leaping downe to auoid the fire were slaine in the fall so that no one escaped of all that multitude A certaine false prophet was cause of all their deaths who the same day preached in the Citie and commaunded them to go into the temple and behold signes of their deliuerance for many false Prophets were then suborned by the tyrants to perswade them to expect Gods helpe thereby to hinder them from flying vnto the Romans and to cause the souldiers to fight more valiantly to defend their citie Men easily beleeue and are credulous in aduersitie so that if any deceitfull person promise deliuerance out of calamitie hee that suffereth miserie is in full hope thereof CHAP. XII Of the straunge signes and tokens that appeared before the destruction of Ierusalem THese miserable people were thus easily perswaded by impostors who did belie God yet would they not beleeue nor giue any eare or regard vnto certaine tokens signes of the ruine of their citie but as it were blinded neither hauing eies nor soules they counterfaited themselues not to see what God foreshewed them One while there was a comete in forme of a firie sword which for a yeere togither did hang ouer the citie an other time before the first reuolt warre the people being gathered togither to the feast of vnleuened bread which was the eight day of Aprill the ninth houre of the night there was so much light about the altar and temple as though it had beene bright day which remained halfe an hower this the ignorant people interpreted as a good signe but they that were skilfull in holy scripture did presently iudge what would ensue before it came to passe The same festiuitie a cow ledde to be sacrificed at the altar brought forth a lambe in the midst of the temple and the inner gate of the temple on the east side being of massiue brasse which at night time had alwaies at least twentie men to shut it was bound with locks of yron and was barred with barres the ends whereof went into morteis holes in the stones on either side the doore the foresaid stones being on each side one whole stone was seene at the first houre of the night to open of his owne accord which being presently related vnto the Magistrate by the keepers of the temple he himselfe came thither and could scarcely shut it and this also to the ignorant seemed a good signe affirming that God opened vnto them the gate of his blessings But the wiser sort iudged that the defence of the temple would decay of his owne accord and that the opening of the gate foretold that it should be giuen to the enemies affirming one vnto another that this signe signified desolation A little while after the feast daies on the one and twentith day of May there was seene a vision beyond all beleefe and perhaps that which I am to recount might seeme a fable if some were not now aliue that beheld it and that calamitie vvorthie to be so foretold ensued for before the sunne set were seene in the ayre yron chariots all ouer the countrey and an armie in battell aray passing along in the clouds and begitting the citie And vpon the feast day called Penticost at night the priests going into the inner temple to offer their vvonted sacrifice at first they felt the place to moue and tremble afterward they heard a voice vvhich said Let vs depart hence And that vvhich vvas most wonderfull of all one Iesus the son of Ananus a countrey man of the common people foure yeeres before the wars began vvhen the Citie flourished in peace and riches comming to the celebration of the feast to Ierusalem vvhich vve call the feast of Tabernacles sodainly began to crie out thus A voice from the East A voice from the West A voice from the foure vvinds A voice against Ierusalem and the Temple A voice against men and women newly maried A voice against all this people and thus crying night and day he vvent about all the streets of the citie Some of the nobilitie disdaining misfortune tooke him and scourged him with many stripes but he neither secretly speaking for himselfe nor vnto those that did beate him perseuered crying as before The Magistrates then thinking as in deed it was that the man spake this through some diuine motion led him vnto the Generall of the Romans where being beaten till his bones appeared he neuer intreated nor wepts but as well as he could framing a weeping voice hee cried woe woe vnto Ierusalem Albinus being then Iudge asked him what he was or of whence or wherefore he said so but he made him no answere Yet hee ceased not to bewaile