the world keepe and solemnize this day for a festiuall and send presents the one vnto the other Mardocheus also wrote vnto the Iewes who liued vnder the Empire of Artaxerxes commanding them to obserue those daies and to solemnize them willing them to charge their successours to doe the like to the ende that this feast might continue for euer and out-liue all obliuion For since on that day they should haue been made away by Aman they should doe well if after they had escaped that danger and taken reuenge on their enemies the very same day they should obserue the same to giue thanks vnto God For this cause the Iewes keepe a solemne feast on these daies and call it Purim as who should say Lottes But Mardocheus was great and mightie with the king administring the kingdome with him he had also a part of the greatnesse of the Queene and for this cause the affaires of the Iewes had better successe then was hoped for See here how matters passed during the raigne of Artaxerxes CHAP. VII Bagoses Generall of Artaxerxes the youngers armie offereth many outrages to the Iewes AFter the death of Eliasib the high Priest Iudas his sonne succeeded in the office And after his death Iohn his sonne obtained the place in whose time Bagoses generall of Artaxerxes army polluted the temple and made the Iewes tributaries so that before they could offer their ordinarie and daily sacrifices they were compelled to pay for euery lambe fiftie drachmes which hapned vpon this occasion Iohn had a brother called Iesus whom Bagoses fauoured and promised to giue him the high priesthood Iesus woon by these perswasions quarrelled with his brother Iohn who was so much prouoked against him that he slew his brother Iesus in his choler It was a thing verie straunge that Iohn being a priest should commit such an impietie against his brother and yet farre more straunge in that so cruell an act and an offence so impious hath neither hapned amongst Greekes nor Barbariās God also left it not vnpunished but for the same sinne the people were reduced vnder captiuitie and the temple was polluted by the Persians When Bagoses had intelligence that Iohn the high Priest among the Iewes had slaine his brother Iesus in the temple he resorted thither in al haste and began to vtter and breake forth into bitter threats against the Iewes Haue you said he beene so bold as to commit murther in your temple And when he thought to haue entred into the same they hindred him Whereupon he replied Am I therefore more polluted then the bodie that leth dead in the temple and hauing spoken thus he entred thereinto and for the space of seuen yeares Bagoses being thus animated against the Iewes punished them for murthering Iesus After that Iohn was deceased Iaddus his sonne was made high Priest who had a brother called Manasses Sanaballath sent by the later King Darius to gouerne Samaria for he also was of the race of the Chutaeans from whom issued the Samaritanes knowing that Ierusalem was a famous Citie and that the Kings thereof wrought much trouble vnto the inhabitants of Assyria and Coelesyria he willingly married his daughter Nicazo to this Manasses with an intent that this marriage should be as a pledge of his good will to all the nation of the Iewes CHAP. VIII What benefits Alexander King of Macedon bestowed vpon the Iewes ABout that time Philip king of Macedō died in the citie of Aegaeas being traiterousle slain by Pausanias the sonne of Cerastes of the race of Orestes and his sonne Alexander succeeded him in the kingdome who passing ouer Hellespont gaue battell vnto the huge army of Darius neere the riuer Granic and there obtained a famous victorie And hereupon he also inuading the countrey of Lydia after he had conquered Ionia and ouerrunne Caria finally set vpon the quarters of Pamphilia as it is declared in an other place But the elders of Ierusalem were sore displeased for that Iaddus brother who was at that time high Priest and had married a forraine woman should be companion and associate with him in the priesthood so as they mutined against him For they supposed that that marriage would be but a means to animate those who had a mind to prophane marriages proue an inducement to other to cōmunicate in marriage with straungers remembring them that the cause of their euils and first captiuitie was because some of them had fallen and offended by coupling themselues with women of forraine nations They therefore commanded Manasses either to forsake his wife or else neuer more to approch the Altar The high Priest likewise being incensed against his brother as well as the people droue him in like manner from the sacrifice For which cause Manasses addressing himselfe to his father in law Sanaballath told him that although he loued his daughter Nicazo very intirely yet would he notwithstanding condescend for her sake to be depriued of the priesthood which was the greatest dignity that could be among their nation and which had euer continued in his race Whereupon Sanaballath answered and promised him that he would not onely continue him in the priesthood but also would giue him the power and dignitie of the high priesthood and make him gouernour of all places where he commaunded prouided the marriage solemnized betwixt his daughter and him were continued He furthermore assured him that he would build a temple resembling that in Ierusalem vpon the mountaine of Garizim which was the highest among the rest permitting him to do the same with Darius consent Manasses puffed vp by these promises remained with Sanaballath and grew in hope that he should obtain the priesthood by Darius meanes for Sanaballath was verie olde Whereas therefore diuers other both Priests and common people among the Israelites were intangled in such like marriages there arose no small commotion in Ierusalem For all they of this condition retired themselues to Manasses whom Sanaballath furnished with money and lands to till and houses to inhabite in all sorts to fauour the intent of his sonne in law At the same time Darius vnderstanding that Alexander hauing passed the Hellespont had ouercome those gouernours whom he had established neere vnto the floud Granicus and that he passed further spoyling of his countrey he gathered together both his horsemen and footmen resoluing to make head against the Macedonians before they should gaine all Asia he therefore passed Euphrates mount Taurus in Cilicia to encoūter fight with his enemies in the country Sanaballath ioyful of Darius descent incontinently told Manasses that he would fulfil his promises as soone as Darius should returne from the conquest of his enemies For not onely he but also all the Asians perswaded themselues most assuredly that the Macedonians would not abide the battell against the Persians by reason of their great multitude but it fell out altogether contrarie to their expectation For the
betweene the Romanes and the Iewes CHAP. XVIII Bacchides is sent once againe into Iudaea and obtaineth a victory WHen as Nicanors death and the discomfiture of his army was reported to Demetrius he sent a new army into Iudaea vnder the conduct of Bacchides who departing from Antioch and repairing to Iudaea encamped in Arbela a city of Galilee where hauing inforced conquered and taken a great number of those that were retired into caues he departed from thence and repaired in all haste to Ierusalem And vnderstanding that Iudas was encamped in the village of Berzeth he marched out against him with twentie thousand footmen and two thousand horsemen Now Iudas had not on his side in all aboue two thousand men who perceiuing the multitude of Bacchides soldiers were afraid so that some of them forsaking their camp fled away by which meanes there remained no more with Iudas but eight hundreth men Seeing himselfe therefore abandoned by so many of his men and pressed by his enemies who gaue him neither truce nor time to reassemble his forces he resolued to fight with those eight hundreth which he had whom he exhorted to be of good courage and to fight valiantly but they answered that they were insufficient to make head against so huge an army and counsailed him to retire and to stand on his guard for that time vntill he had gathered forces that might be able to confront the enemy But Iudas replied to this effect God forbid said he that the sunne should see me turne my backe vpon mine enemies And if by this meanes I meete with my death and that I must needes spend ◅y last bloud in this battell I will neuer soile so many notable actions so worthily atchieued nor staine so much glorie obtained with so great vertue by one ignominious flight And hauing in this sort exhorted the small remnant of those souldiers that were with him he commanded them that without any apprehension of danger they should bend themselues altogither against the enemy CHAP. XIX Iudas ouercome in the battell dieth BVt Bacchides drew out his army and arranged them in battell placing the horsemen on both the wings his light armed souldiers and archers in the front of the army and after these a strong band called the Macedonian Phalanx and he himselfe led the right wing of the battell And in this array he approched Iudas campe and caused the trumpets to be sounded commanding all his souldiers to giue a great shoute to charge their enemies Iudas did the like and encountred Bacchides so that on both sides there was a most cruell conflict which continued vntill the sunne-set And when as Iudas perceiued that Bacchides and the flower of his army fought in the right wing he chose out a certaine number of his most resolute followers and drew towards that quarter and setting vpon them he brake their squadron and afterwards thrusting into the midst of them he forced them to flie and pursued them as farre as the mount Aza They of the left wing perceiuing the flight of those in the right went after Iudas and enclosed him on the backpart He being vnable to flie and seeing himselfe enclosed by his enemies resolued with his souldiers to fight it out When as therefore he had slaine a great number of his enemies and being enfeebled more through wearinesse then by the woundes receiued of them he fell to the ground and was himselfe at last slaine likewise adding this honourable manner of death to his former notable and valiant exploites His souldiers seeing him dead and hauing no gouernour of respect left amongst them after the losse of so valiant a captaine betooke them all to flight Simon and Ionathan his brothers vpon intreatie recouered his body and carried it to Modim a place where his father was buried there was he interred by all the people who wept for him diuers daies and honoured him publikely according to the custome of their countrey Such was Iudas end who was a valiant man a great warriour and verie respectiue of the commandements of his father Matthias hauing done and suffered all that he might for the libertie of his countrey Being therefore after this manner adorned with vertue he hath left behinde him a perpetuall renowne of his worthy actes and an honourable memorie of himselfe obtained by the libertie in which hee reestablished his nation retyring them from the seruitude of the Macedonians who died also after he had discharged the office of the high priest for the space of three yeeres THE XIII BOOKE OF THE ANTIQVITIES OF THE IEWES WRITTEN BY FLAVIVS IOSEPHVS The Contents of the Chapters of the 13. booke 1 Ionathan after his brother Iudas death succeedeth him in the gouernment 2 Ionathan hauing wearied Bacchides by warre compelleth him to draw to a league and to depart away with his army 3 Alexander the sonne of Antiochus Epiphanes maketh warre vpon King Demetrius 4 Demetrius sendeth an embassador to Ionathan with presents perswading him to be of his faction 5 Alexander by greater proffers then Demetrius did offer and by offering the high Priests place to Ionathan draweth him to fauour his faction 6 Of the temple of God builded by Onias 7 How Alexander after the death of Demetrius highly honoured Ionathan 8 Demetrius the sonne of Demetrius ouercomming Alexander possesseth the kingdome and plighteth friendship with Ionathan 9 Tryphon Apamenus after he had ouercome Demetrius reserueth the kingdome for Antiochus Alexanders sonne who receiueth Ionathan into fauour 10 Demetrius being ouercome by the Parthians Tryphon breaketh his couenant of peace and laying hold on Ionathan traiterously killeth him and afterwards assaulteth Simon his brother 11 How the nation of the Iews cōmitted both the priesthood the gouernment of the army to Simon 12 Simon driuing Tryphon into Dora besiegeth him and entreth friendship with Antiochus surnamed Pius 13 A debate arising betweene Antiochus and Simon Cendebaeus the kings captaine is driuen out of the countrey 14 How Simon was traiterously slaine at a banquet by Ptolomey his father in law 15 How Prolomies endeuours being made frustrate Hircanus obtained the gouernment 16 How Antiochus surnamed the Iust leading an army against Hircanus for three hundreth talents is both reconciled and tied in league of friendshippe 17 Hircanus expedition into Syria 18 How Antiochus Cyzicenus assisting the Samaritanes is both conquered and enforced to flie 19 Aristobulus was the first that set the Diademe on his head 20 The actes of Alexander King of the Iewes 21 The victorie of Ptolomey Lathurus against Alexander 22 Demetrius Eucaerus ouercommeth Alexander in battell 23 The expedition of Antiochus Dionysius into Iewry 24 Alexander being dead his wife Alexandra succeeded him in the kingdome CHAP. I. Ionathan after the decease of his brother Iudas succeedeth him in the gouernment WE haue declared in our former booke how the nation of the Iewes after they had been vnder the subiection of the Macedonians recouered their liberty we
when by no pollicy nor prowes of theirs they were able to apprehēd him for that Ionathā hauing notice of their ambushes stood vpō his gard Bacchides the Macedonian was displeased with the Apostataes or fugitiues obiecting against thē that they had deceiued both the king and him and laying hold on fiftie of the principallest of them he put them to death But Ionathan and his brother with those of their company retired themselues vnto Bethalaga a certaine village in the desart for feare of Bacchides in which place he builded towers and walles to keepe his garrison in more securitie Bacchides vnderstanding hereof tooke the army that he had with him and those Iewes that were his confederates and marched forward against Ionathan where battering those fortifications that were made by him he besieged him for many daies But Ionathan for all his busie siege and violence was not awhit terrified but resisted him valiantly leauing his brother Simon in the citie to make head against Bacchides he secretly stole out and gathered a great number of soldiers that fauoured his proceedings and in the night time with valiant courage brake into Bacchides camp and after he had there slaine a number of them he gaue his brother Simon notice of his comming who assoone as he heard the noise in the enemies campe hastily issued forth with his soldiers and burnt all the Macedonians engines and for his part also made a great slaughter of them Bacchides seeing that he was circumuented by his enemies and that both before and behind he was pressed by them being astonished at this so hard sodaine and vnexpected encounter was almost out of his wits so sore was he confused at the issue of his siege that fell out altogither contrary to his expectation for which cause he discharged all his choler vpon those Apostataes supposing he was abused by them who had sent vnto the king and had caused him to be sent thither and full gladly would he haue returned home could he but make an end of the siege without his dishonour CHAP. II. Ionathan constraineth Bacchides to make peace with the Iewes and to depart out of the countrey BVt Ionathan knowing his deliberation sent an Embassadour vnto him to conclude a peace and amitie betwixt them with this condition that they should each of them deliuer vp those prisoners that were taken on either side Bacchides supposing that his request would be to his great honour and that a fit occasion was now offered him whereupon he might raise his siege without any disgrace promised Ionathan his friendship so that both of them swore from that time forward neuer to make warre the one against the other and each of them both receiued and restored their prisoners Thus returned Bacchides into Antioch vnto his King and after that retreat he neuer made warre againe vpon Iudaea But Ionathan hauing obtained this securitie went and dwelt in the towne of Machmas where administring and gouerning the commonweale he executed such seuere iustice on those that were reuolted from the religion of their countrey that he clensed the nation of all such kind of men CHAP. III. Alexander the sonne of Antiochus Epiphanes maketh warre against Demetrius IN the hundreth and sixtie yeare Alexander the sonne of Antiochus the Famous came into Syria and seazed the Citie of Ptolemais by the treason of those soldiers that were therein who were ill affected towards Demetrius by reason of his arrogancy which was such that he granted no man accesse vnto him for being locked vp in a royall fort defenced with foure towers which himselfe had builded neere vnto Antioch he suffered no man to approch his presence but was carelesse and wholy negligent in his affaires liuing in pleasure and idlenes whereby he grew into great hatred amongst his subiects as we haue alreadie declared in another place Now when Demetrius knew that Alexander had seazed Ptolemais he gathered all his forces and marched forth against him CHAP. IIII. Demetrius couenanteth a peace with Ionathan MOreouer he sent Embassadors vnto Ionathan that might confirme an alliance and ratifie a friendship betwixt them for he determined with himselfe to preuent Alexander for feare least he capitulating with him first of all should obtaine his assistance And this did he especially for the feare he had of Ionathan least remembring those iniuries he had before time receiued at his hands he should oppose himselfe against him He therefore sent vnto him requiring him to assemble his forces to make preparation for the warre cōmanding likewise that those Iewes should be deliuered into his possession whom Bacchides had shut vp for hostages in the fortresse of Ierusalem After that Demetrius had demeaned himselfe in this sort Ionathan resorted to Ierusalem and in the presence of all the people and of the garrison that was in the fortresse he red the kings letters and after the reading thereof the cursed and reuolted Iewes that were in the fortresse were sore afraid seeing that the king permitted Ionathan to leuy an army and to receiue the hostages But he receiuing them into his hands restored each of them to their fathers and mothers and by this meanes remained Ionathan in Ierusalem where he made diuers reparations and buildings according as him pleased For he builded the Citie walles of hewen stone to make them more forcible against the assaults of warre Which when they perceiued who were in the garrisons thorow out al Iudaea they forsooke them all and retired backe into Antioch except they that were in the Citie of Bethsura and those in the fortresse of Ierusalem for they consisted for the most part of those Iewes that had abandoned their religion who for that occasion feared to forsake their garrisons CHAP. V. Alexander draweth Ionathan to his partie BVt Alexander knowing what promises Demetrius had made vnto Ionathan and being well assured how valiant he was and how he behaued himselfe against the Macedonians moreouer how he was vexed by Demetrius and his Lieutenant Bacchides Hee told his friends and familiars that it was impossible for him to meete with a better allie at that time then Ionathan who had approoued himselfe a valiant man against his enemies and for particular causes bare hatred against Demetrius from whom he had receiued many iniuries and on whom he had wrought sundry reuenges for which cause if they thought it good to draw him vnto their side against Demetrius the time was veriefit to entertaine and confirme a mutuall peace betweene them which aduise of his being approoued by his fauorites he sent a letter vnto Ionathan to this effect King Alexander to Ionathan his brother Health We haue long sithence vnderstood of your valour and fidelitie which hath caused vs to send our Embassadours vnto you to intreat with you of alliance and amitie betwixt vs and from this day forward we elect and ordain you high Priest of the Iewes receiue you into the number of our chiefest
a certaine friend of his called Ionathan the sonne of Absalom with an army to Ioppe commanding him to expulse the inhabitants of that citie from thence for that he feared least they should submit themselues to Tryphon As for himselfe he remained in Ierusalem to secure the same Tryphon departing from Ptolemais with a great army came into Iudaea leading his prisoner Ionathan with him Whereupon Simon with his army went out against him as farre as Addida a Citie scituate vpon a mountaine at the foote whereof beginneth the champion countrey of Iudaea Tryphon knowing that Simon was made gouernour of the Iewes sent messengers vnto him intending to circumuent him by treason and pollicie giuing him to vnderstand that if he were des◅ous of his brothers enlargement he should send him one hundreth talents of siluer and two of Ionathans children for hostages to assure him that being set at liberty he should not withdraw Iudaea from the obedience of the king For till that present he was held and kept prisoner by reason of the money which he ought the king Simon was no waies ignorant of this cunning intent of Tryphons but knew well enough that he should both lose his money if he should deliuer the same and that his brother should not be enlarged no though his children were deliuered for hostages on the other side he feared least the people should conceiue sinisterly of him as if he had been the cause of his brothers death both by not deliuering the money neither yet the children Hauing therefore assembled the army he declared vnto them what Tryphon demanded telling them that the whole scope of his actions were nought els but traiterous stratagemes and subtilties yet notwithstanding he told them that he had rather send both the mony and the children to Tryphon then by refusing his conditions and demands to be accused to haue neglected the life of his brother Simon therefore sent both the money and children of Ionathan but Tryphon hauing receiued both kept not his promise but detained Ionathan and leading his army thorow the countrey intended to passe by Idumaea to repaire to Ierusalem He came therfore to Dora a Citie in Idumaea and thitherward marched Simon to encounter with him encamping alwaies right ouer against him They that were in the Castle of Ierusalem hearing newes hereof sent Tryphon word that he should hasten and come vnto them and send them munition whereupon he addressed his horsemen pretending that very night to ride vnto Ierusalem but the snow about that time fell in such abundance that it couered the way in such sort and was so thicke as the horses could not trauell which hindred his repaire to Ierusalem For which cause he departed from thence and came into Coelesyria and speedily inuading the countrey of Galaad he put Ionathan to death in that place and after he had buried him there he returned to Antioch But Simon sent vnto Basca and transported his brothers bones and interred them in his countrey Modin in his fathers sepulcher and all the people mourned and lamented for him many daies Simon also builded a great monument of white and polished marble for his father and his brethren and raised it to a great height and garnished it round about with galleries and pillers all of one piece which was an admirable worke to behold Besides that he erected seuen Pyramides for his father mother and brethren for each of them one so great and so faire as they mooued admiration in those that beheld them and are as yet to be seene at this present day So great was Simons care that Ionathan and the rest of his family should be honoured with so magnificent a sepulcher which Ionathan died after he had exercised the place of high priest and possessed the gouernment for foure yeeres Thus much as touching his death As soone as Simon had taken possession of the high priesthood by the election of the people the very first yeere of his gouernment he acquitted the people of the tribute which they were woont to pay to the Macedonians This libertie and exemption from tribute hapned amongst the Iewes one hundreth and seuentie yeeres since the time that Seleucus surnamed Nicanor obtained the kingdome of Syria And in so great honour was Simon amongst the people that in their priuate contracts and publike letters the date began from the first yeere of Simon the benefactor and gouernour of the Iewish nation For they prospered greatly vnder his gouernment and had the victorie of all their neighbouring enemies round about them For he destroied the Cities of Gaza Ioppe and Iamnia he raced also the cittadel of Ierusalem and leuelled it with the ground to the intent the enemies might be neuer seazed thereof any more nor retreat themselues thither to endomage the city as before time they had done Which when he had brought to passe he thought it not amisse but very profitable to leuell the hill whereon the Castle stood to the intent the temple might be the eminentest place All this perswaded he the people to doe in a common assembly laying before their eies how many euils they had suffered by the meanes of the garrisons and how much they were like to suffer hereafter if a stranger should once more be master of the kingdome and build a cittadel in that place By these exhortations he perswaded the people to finish these workes and all of them began to trauell without intermission both day and night so that in the space of three yeers they plained the mountaine and wrought it downe and from that time forward there was nothing but the temple that commanded the Citie See here what Simon performed hitherto CHAP. XII Simon besiegeth Tryphon within Dora and contracteth alliance with Antiochus surnamed the Deuout NOt long after the captiuity of Demetrius Tryphon slew Alexander the sonne of Antiochus surnamed God notwithstanding he had the care and charge of his education for foure yeeres during which time he raigned and spreading abroad a certaine noise and rumour that the yong king in exercising himselfe fortuned to die he sent his friends and familiars vnto the men of warre promising them that if they would elect and choose him king he would giue them a huge summe of money giuing them to vnderstand that Demetrius was prisoner among the Parthians and that if Antiochus his brother should obtaine the kingdome he would punish them diuers waies and reuenge their reuolt and rebellion which they had committed by forsaking him The army hoping that if they bestowed the kingdome on Tryphon it would redound highly to their profit they proclaimed him king But after he had attained the fulnesse of his desites he shewed how malicious and wicked his nature was For at such time as he was a priuate man he flattered the people and made shew of moderation and by such allurements he drew thē to do what him listed but after he had taken possession of
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
names of Iacobs sons Gen. 30. Rachel bringes in Iacob to Bala Lea bringeth in Zelpha The yeare of the world 2206. before Christs birth 1758. Gen. 31. Iacob with his wiues childré and flocks flye without his fathers priuity Rachel beareth away with her her fathers household gods Labon pursueth Iacob but God deliuereth him from his purpose The yeare of the world 22â—… before the Naâ—…itie of Christ. 1758. Labans accusation against Iacob Iacobs answer to Labans obiection Iacobs accusation against Laban Labans subtill dealing with Iacob Labans couenant with Iacob Genes 32. The yeare of the world 2206. before Christs Natiuâ—… 1758. Iacob sendeth messengers to his brother Esau. Genesis 38. Iacob reconcileth his brother with rewards Iacob wrastleth with an Angel and is called Israel Iacob saluteth his brother Esau. Gen. 34. Iacob commeth to Scenas The history of Dina Iacobs daughter The yeare of the world 2206. before Christs birth 17â—… Simeon and Leui kill the Sâ—…chemites Genes 35. Iacob digging vp Labans godâ—… goeth and sacrificeth at Bethel Rachel dieth in childbed Hedio Ruâ—…finus chap. 28. The yeare of the world 2230. before Christs birth 1734. Isaac dieth 185 yeares old Gen. 35. The yeare of the world 2230. before Christs Natiuitie 1734. Isaacs sonnes departed their habitations Esau the first begotten sâ—…lleth his birth right Esau called Edom. Gen. 36. Esaus sonnes and posterity The yeare of the world 2206. before Christs birth 1658. Gen 37. Hedio Ruffinus cap. 2. Iacobs sonnes hated their brother Ioseph Iosephs dreame The yeare of the world 2206. before the birth of Christ. 1758. Iosephs dreame of the Sonne Moone and Starres The interpretation of Iosephs dreame Iosephs brothers complot his death Sicima a fit place to grase in Ioseph commeth vnto his brothers who resolue to murther him Ruben disswâ—…deth his brothers death The yeare of the world 2217. before Christs natiuiâ—… 1747. The yeare of the world 2217. before Christs Naetiuitie 1747. Ruben perswadeth them to cast Ioseph into a pit Hedio Ruffinus chap. 3. Genes 37. 39. Ioseph by Iudas counsell is sold to the Arabian merchants Ruben by night commeth to the pit Iosephs brothers perswade his father that he is deuoured by wild beasts Iacob be waileth Ioseph for dead Ioseph is sold in Egypt to Putifar Putifars wife soliciteth Ioseph to lie with her The yeare of the world 2217. before the Natiuitie of Christ. 1747. Putifars wife complotteth a second subtilty to allure Ioseph Ioseph once more repulseth the assaults of her lust Ioseph leauing his rayment behinde him fled from the adulteresse The yeare of the world 2217. before Christs Natiuitie 1747. The adulteresse accusation against Ioseph Ioseph is cast into prison Hedio Ruffinus cap. 4. Gen. 39. Iosephs patience in bonds The keeper of the prison dealeth friendly wiâ—… Ioseph The butlers dreame expounded The yeare of the world 2238. before Christs birth 1736. â—…n the yeare of the world 2228. before Christes Natiuity 1726. The yeare of the world 2228. before the birth of Christ. 1736. The Bakers dreame The exposition of the Bakers dreame Genes 41. Pharao the King of Egypts dreame Ioseph is deliuered from bonds Pharaos dreame of the seuen kine The yeare of the world 2231. before Christs natiuitie 1733. The yeare of the world 2238. before Christs birth 1726. The interpretation of Pharaos dreame The yeare of the world 2238. before Christs birth 1726. By Iosephs counsell the succeeding scarcitie is made more tollerable Ioseph is entitled by Pharao to great honours Hedio Ruffinus chap. 5. Ioseph marieth a wife in Egypt on whom he begat Manasses Ephraim The famine in Egypt Iacob sendeth his sonnes into Egypt to buy wheat Genesis 42. Ioseph souÌ„deth his brothers to the end he might vnderstand his fathers and Beniamins estate Rubens answer vnto Ioseph both for himselfe and his brothers The yeare of the world 2238. before the Natiuitie of Christ. 1726. Ioseph commaundeth his brothers to prison Iosephs brothers repent them of that euill they had done vnto him Ioseph sendeth away his brothers and only retaineth Simeon Iacob is sore grieued for Simeons absence and because Beniamin should depart from him Genes 39. Iacobs sonnes but in especiall Iuda vrge their father to send Beniamin with them The yeare of the world 2238. before Christs Natiuitie 1726. Iacob sendeth his sonnes with presents into Egypt Iacobs sonnes arriue in Egypt and Simeon is set at liberty Ioseph vnknowen to his brethren saluteth both them and Beniamin Hedio Ruffinus chap. 6. Gen. 44. Ioseph tempâ—…eth Beniamins brothers whether they would assist him Iosephs brethren are staid in their iourny Iacobs sonnes are accused of theft The yeare of 〈◊〉 world 2238. before the 〈◊〉 of Christ. 1726. Beniamin is attached for theâ—… Iudas oratió vn to Ioseph for Beniamin The yeare of the world 2238. befâ—…e Christs birth 1726. Power giuen to saue Gen. 40. Ioseph maketh himself known to his brethren In the yeare of the world 2â—…38 before Christes Natiuity 1726. The king reioyceth to know that Iosephs brotherâ—… were arriued Hedio Ruâ—…nus ch 7. al. 4 Iacob reioyceth to heare the promotions and honours of Ioseph The yeare of the world 2239. before the birth of Christ. 1725. Genes 46. God appeareth to Iacob abouâ—… the fountaine of couenant Iacob with his â—…onnes and nephews depart into Egypt Iacobs progenie The yeare of the world 1293. before Christs birth 1725. Iacob almost decâ—…ased for ioy Ioseph with his fiue brethren reâ—…orteth to Piâ—…arao Gâ—…sis 47. Iacob talketh with Pharao and is appointed to inhabite Heliopolis The famine in Egypt The yeare of the world 2245. before Christs birth 1719. A great pâ—… redounded to the king by this famine Ioseph commanded them to pay the fift part of their profits to the king Hedio Ruffinus chap. 8. Iacob died when â—…e was 147. yeares old Iacob is buried in Hebron The yeare of the world 2311. before the Naâ—…uitie of Christ. 〈◊〉 Ioseph dieth when he was 110. years old Iosephâ—… hoâ—…es translated into Chanaâ—…n The history of the booke of Exodus Hedio Ruffinus chap. 9. Exod. 1. The enuie of the Egyptians towards the Hebrewes The yeare of the world 2353. before Christs natiuitâ—… 1611. The Hebrewes insupportable seruitude The prophecy as touching Moses Pharao commaunded that all the male children of the Israelites should be done to death Exod 2. The yeare of the world 2373. before Christs Natiuitie 1591. Amarames Moses father praieth God to be mercifull to the Hebrewes Moses birth Moses â—…ast into the floud Thermuthis Pharaos daugh ter causeth Moses to be taken out of the â—…uer The yeare of the world 2273. before the birth of Christ. 1591. The yeare of the world 2376. before Christs natiuitie 1588. Moses whence he receiued his name Moses the seuenth after Abraham Moses the adopted sonne of Thermuthis daughter vnto Pharao Moses deliuered from death Hedio Ruffinus chap. 10. al. 7. The Egyptians warre against the Ethiopians The yeare of the â—…ld 2376.
sithence the beginning of the world being compared with those the Iewes suffered are of no moment The Grecian Historiographers ouerpasse the wars of the Iewes with silence Who may rightly be called a Historiographer Antiochus Epiphanes the first author fountaine of the warres of the Iewes The Epiromâ—… of the warreâ—… of the Iewes The signes and changes after Neroes death Titus besiegeth Ierusalem The manners and sacrifices of the Iewes The humanity of thâ—… Romans towards the Iewes The burning of the temple and the ouerthrow of the citie The Romans triumph ouer the Iewes The cause why he wrote this historie The yeare of the world 3802 before Christs birth 162. Ant. li. 12. ca. 6. Antiochus being stirred vp by 〈◊〉 soâ—… inuadeth Iudaea and surpriseth Ierusalem Ant lib. 15. cap. 4. The yeare of thâ—… world 3802. before the birth of Christ. 162. The high priest Onâ—… flieth to Ptolomey Ant. lib. 1â—… cap. 7. Antiochus altereth the customes of the Iewes Bacchides crâ—…eltie towards the Iewes Ant. lib. 1. cap. 7. 8. Matthias confederated with others maketh warre againâ—… Antiochus Antiochus dieth and leaueth the kingdome to his sonne Antiochus who gathereth a huge power and inuadeth Iurie Ant. lib. 12. cap. 14. 15. Eleazar dieth being slaine bâ—… an Elephant Eleazar preferred honour before life The yeare of the world 3802. before Christs birth 162. Antiochus departing from Ierusalem leaueth sufficient garrison there Ant. lib. 12. cap. 18. ludas fighteth with Atiochuâ—… captains and is slaine Ant. li. 13. c2 1. The yeare of the world 3805. befoer Christs Natiuitie 159. Ionath as taken by Tryphons subtilue is slain Ant. lib. 15. cap. 9. The yeare of the world 3823. before Christs birth 141. Simon encouÌ„treth with Cendebeus ouercommeth him Ant. lib. 13. cap. 14. Simon by the treachery of his son in law Ptolemaeus is taken slaine Iohn otherwise called Hircanus the son of Simon The yeare of the world 3831. before the Natiâ—…itie of Christ. 133. Hircanus obtaineth the honour of the hie priesthood which his father had Ptolemaeus cruelty against Hircanus mother brethreÌ„ The yeare of thâ—… world 3831. before Christs birth 133. Ptolemaeus murthereth Hircanus mother and brethren The yeâ—… of the world 3839. before Christs birth 125. Antiochus vpon â—…e paimeÌ„t of three hundreth talents raiseth his siege Ant. lib. 13. cap 15. Aristobulus Antigonus besiege Sebaste Sebaste ouerthrowen and spoiled The seditios ouercome in warre Iohn after he had happily gouerned the countrey for 30. yeeres space dieth The yeare of the world 3861. before Christs birth 103. Ant. lib. 13. cap. 19. Aristobulus saÌ„misheth his mother Aristobulus loued Antigonus very deerly The yeare of the world 3861. afâ—… Christs birth 103. Antigonus in honour of his brother ascended vp into the temple Antigonus falsely accused to his brother Aristobulus commandeth his guard that if Antigonus came armed they should kil him The Queenes cunning Stratageme against Antigonus Antigonus suspecteth not his brother Iudas the prophet foretelleth Antigoâ—… death Aristobulus thorow the griefe he conceiued at his brothers death falleth sicke A seruant spilleth bloud in the same place where Antigoâ—…us was slaine The yeare of thâ—… world 3862. before the birth of Christ. 102. The eie of God discouereth euery sinne Aristobulus dieth milerably Ant lib. 13. cap 9. Alexander aduanced to the kingdome vâ—…eth much cruelty Alexander is ouerthrowne by Theodore The sedition of the Iewes against Alexander vpon a festiuall day Alexander assaileth the castle of Amathunt and raseth iâ—… Demetrius commeth to helpe y e Iewes Ant. lib. 13. cap. 20. The warre betwixt Demetrius and Alexander wherein Demetrius is conquerer The yeâ—…e of the world 3â—…62 before Christs birth 10â—… The Iewes reuolt from Deâ—…trius Aleâ—…aÌ„ders immoderate wrath who crucified eight hundreth captiues Alexander ceaseth from warre Alexander feareth Antiochus Demetriâ—…s brother The king of the Arabianâ—… inuadeâ—… Antiochus souldieâ—… vnawares The king of Arabia putteth Antiochus forces to flight and killeth a great number of them They of Damasco and Aâ—…ctas against Alexander Alexander sick of a quartane feuâ—…r Ant. lib. 13. cap. 2â—… Alexandra Alexanders wife thorow the opinion of vertue obtaineth the kingdome The yeare of thâ—… world 3862. before Christs Natiuitie 102. Hyrcanus first made high priest and afterwards king The Pharisees getting in fauour with the Queene are made her chief gouernours and enjoy all honours Alexandra willingly obeieth the Pharisees The Pharisees by their enuies and acculatioÌ„s are the death of many good men Aristobulus expostulâ—…teth with his mother Aristobulus proclaimeth himselfe king Alexandra imprisoneth Aâ—…stobulus wife and children The yeare of the world 3873 before the Natiâ—…itie of Christ. 95. Alexandra dieth and Hyrcanus succeedeth her in the kingdome Ant. lib. 14. cap. 1. The brethren contending for the kingdome are accorded vpon certaine conditions Ant. lib. 14. ca. 2. 3. 4 Antipater perswadeth Hyrcanus to flie to Aretas king of Arabia and to craue his assistance to recouer his kingdome The yeare of the world 3873 before Christs birth 95. Antipater with Hyrcanus flie from Ierusalem by night to Aretas king of Arabia Aretas furnisheth Hyrcanus with 50000 souldiers Scaurus captaine of the Romans The yeare of the world 3899. before Christs birth 65. Scaurus receibeth 300. talents from Atistobulus and commandeth the Arabians and Hyrcanus to depart out of the countrey Antipater and Hyreanus seek for Pompeies helpe Ant. lib. 14. cap. 6. 7. Pompey furnished both with the Syrians and Romane army setteth forth against Aristobulus Pompey commaundeth Aristobulus to descend Aristobulus resorteth to Pompey Aristobulus intendeth to fight with Pompey Hedio * Idumaea The yeare of the world 3903. before Christs birth 61. Pompey besiegeth Ierusalem Aristobulus humbly presenteth himselfe to Pompey Ant. lib. 14. cap. 7. 8. Pompey vieweth the citie which way it might most easily be battered Sedition within the citie betwixt Hircanus and Aristobulus friends Pompey his enter the citie and search the kings house Aristobulus with his frieÌ„ds flie to the temple Pompey filleth vp the trench and obserueth the seuenth day Pompey buildeth towers vpon his platformes The Iewes intermit not sacrifice in the midst and heat of the siege Twelue thousand Iewes slaine in the temple Pompey his followers enter the sanctuary Pompeies continencie Hyrcanus made hic priest The yeare of the world 3903 before Christs birth 61. Pompey causeth the chiefest conspirators to be beheaded Pompey deliuereth many goodly cities from the subiection of the Iewes Aristobulus his family caried to Rome Ant. lib. 14. cap 9. The Arabian is reconciled to Scaurus Ant. lib. 14. cap. 10. Alexander Aristobulus son gathereth a great power gainst Hyrcacanus The yeare of the world 3904 before the Natiuitie of Christs 60. Alexander gathereth 10000 footmen and 1500. horsmen Antipater with his forces goeth out to meet Alexanâ—…nder Alexander fighteth with his enemies and loseth sixe thousand men Marcus Antonius a captain What cities the Iewes receiued to inhabite The yeare of the world 3804. before Christs Natiuitie 60.
touching Euphrates and Tygris they flow into the redde sea Euphrates is called Phora that is to say dispersion or flower Tygris is called Diglat which signifieth streight and swift Gehon runneth by the countrey of Aegypt and signifieth as much as comming from the East the Greekes call it Nilus Now God commanded Adam and his wife to eate of the fruites of all other plantes and that they should abstaine from that of science telling them that at what time soeuer they should taste of the same they should die the death Whereas then at that time all liuing creatures were at accord one with another the Serpent conuersing with Adam and his wife was inflamed with enuie for that he sawe they should be happy if they continued in the obseruation of Gods commandements and that contrariwise they should cast themselues headlong into ruine and destruction if they should disobey the same He therefore maliciously perswaded the woman to taste the fruit of the tree of intelligence giuing her to vnderstand that the knowledge of good and euill was in the same and that as soone as they had tasted thereof they should lead a life no lesse happy then Gods and by this meanes he caused the woman to fall which tooke no regard of the ordinance of God For hauing her selfe tasted of this fruit and finding it pleasant and delicious in taste she perswaded her husband also to taste the same at which time they vnderstood that they were naked and sought meanes to couer themselues for this fruit had in it selfe the vertue to giue vnderstanding and to quicken the thought Then couered they themselues with fig leaues which they put before their priuities esteeming themselues more happy then they were before in that they had found out that which they wanted But when as God came into the garden Adam who before times was accustomed familiarly to talke with him finding himselfe guiltie of sinne hid himselfe from his presence but God wondring hereat asked him for what cause he fled and shunned him at that time whereas before time he had taken pleasure to talke familiarly with him Adam knowing that he had transgressed the ordinances and commandements of God answered him not a word but God spake vnto him after this manner I had prouided for you the meanes whereby you might haue led your life without sufferance of any euill or sense of any miserie so that all whatsoeuer was requisite for necessitie or pleasure might happen of it selfe vnto you by my onely prouidence without any trauell or care on your parts which if you had well vsed age had not so soone ouertaken you but that you might haue liued many yeares but thou hast scorned this mine ordinance and broken my commandement For in that thou art silent at this time it proceedeth not of vertue but of euill of which thou findest thy selfe culpable wherefore both old age shall quicklier come vpon thee and the daies of thy life shall be shortened Adam excused his sinne and required at Gods hands that he would not be incensed against him laying the fault of that which had happened on his wife alleadging that he had offended by reason he was suborned by her and the woman accused the Serpent But at that time God punished him because he had suffered himselfe to be ouercome by the counsaile of a woman that the earth thence forward neuer more of her owne accord should bring foorth fruit but that when they had trauailed and almost deuoured themselues in labour it should sometimes giue them foode and at other times refuse to sustaine them And as touching Eue he chastised her with child-bearing and throwes in trauell for that being her selfe deceiued by the Serpent she had drawne her husband by the same meanes into extreame miserie He tooke also from the Serpent his voice and was displeased against him * by reason of the malice he had conceiued against Adam and he put venome on his tongue declaring him an enemie both to man and woman whom he commanded to bruise the head of the Serpent as well for that the euill which chanced vnto men consisted in the head as also â—…at being assaulted in that part he is most easily done to death Moreouer hauing depriued him of his feete he condemned him to slide and traile himselfe along the earth And after that God had ordained them to suffer those punishments he translated Adam and Eue out of the garden into another place CHAP. III. Of the Posteritie of Adam and of the ten ages euen vnto the Deluge BVt Adam and Eue had two male children the first whereof was called Cain which signifieth acquisition and the second was called Abel which is as much to say as mourning they had also daughters These brothers addicted themselues each one of them to their particular exercises Abel the younger honoured iustice and supposing that God was present in all his actions he alwaies and wholy fixed his thoughts on vertue and his exercise was keeping of sheepe But Cain being the wickedest man amongst men and addicted to vnsatiable desire of profit was he that first found out the vse of the Plough and who killed his brother for the cause which ensueth Hauing concluded among themselues to sacrifice vnto God Cain offered the fruites of his labour and planting Abell presented milke and the firstlings of his folde which sacrifice of his was more acceptable to God in that it rather consisted of things produced of themselues by the order of nature then that which a couetous man had forcibly in a manner extorted from nature Hereupon Cain being wroth because his brother Abell was more honoured by God then himselfe slewe his brother and hauing hidden his bodie out of sight he thought that such a murther should be concealed But God knowing well this fact appeared to Cain and questioned with him as concerning his brother what might become of him for that many daies since he had not seene him when as heretofore he had alwaies seene him conuersant before him Cain being troubled and ignorant what aunswere he should make vnto God said first that he wondered what was the cause his brother was so long time absent and finally aggreeued in that God continued the quest and did more exactly seeke after him he said he was â—…ot his brothers keeper or bound to take care of his affaires Then God reproued and conuicted Cain of murthering his brother and spake vnto him after this manner saying that he wondered he should denie the knowledge of his brothers death whereas he himselfe had slaine him notwithstanding he acquited him of the punishment deserued for this murther by reason that Cain had done sacrifice and made request vnto God that it might please him to remit somewhat of the seueritie of his iustice against him yet did God curse him and threaten to punish his successors to the seuenth generation Then did he driue him his wife out of
that the same God likewise now thinketh good that I should forsake thee put vpon thee a constant mind and take in good part that thus thou must be sacrifiecd for in so doing I fulfill the comm◅dements of God who requireth at our hands that wee doe him this honour for the fauours which he hath bestowed vpon me in assisting me and in familier manner conuersing and associating me both in warre and peace Since therefore that being borne thou art to die not after the accustomed manner of the liuing but being offered in sacrifice by thine owne father to the generall father God I deeme it reasonable that since it seemeth good vnto him that thou depart out of this life not by sicknes nor by warre nor by any other inconuenience that naturally happeneth vnto men that it is behoofull also that thou render thy soule vnto him in the midst of praiers and the celebration of this sacrifice to the end he may receiue and seate thee neere himselfe Thou shalt be my purueyor and stay of mine age which is the cause for which I haue nourished thee if thou leaue me God for my purueyor and comfort in thy place Then Isaac with a noble heart like the gratious sonne of so godly a father heard all that which his father said with great contentment and answered that he would rather neuer haue beene borne then that he should once neglect the ordinance of God and of his father or shew himselfe negligent to submit his will to both their pleasures considering that if his father onely should commaund the same he should doe verie euill if he disobeyed him which said he marched towards the Altar and offered himselfe to the slaughter which had surely happened at that instant if God had not regarded him for with a loud voice he called Abraham by his name commaunding him that he should not kill his sonne auerring that he had not giuen him that commaundement because he tooke pleasure in humane bloud neither for that by such impietie he would depriue him of that sonne of whom it was his pleasure to make him the father but that by this act he intended to proue his affection to see whether being commaunded such a thing he would be obedient and for that he had made triall of his faith and readines and his vnspeakable pietie he did not repent him of that good he had done vnto him that the time should neuer be wherein he would forget to haue care of him and his race whensoeuer he should pray vnto him and that when the course of his yeares were happily ouerpast he should leaue a great signiory to those of his children which should be good and legitimate He tolde him moreouer that he would multiply the race in diuers Nations and that he would bestow great benefits vpon them and that the memorie of the chiefe of his ofspring should be euerlasting that whē they had gotten the country of Chanaan by armes they should be enuied by all men for their greatnes After that God had spoken after this manner it pleased him on the sodaine no man knoweth how to cause a Ramme to be seene and found there abouts for the sacrifice and thus being deliuered from all euils and inconueniences beyond their expectations after they had heard so many promises of so many blessings they embraced one another and celebrated the sacrifice which done they returned towards Sara in safetie and past the remnant of their liues in happinesse God giuing them his blessing in whatsoeuer they vndertooke CHAP. XV. The death of Sara Abrahams wife NOt long time after this Sara died after she had liued one hundreth twentie and seuen yeares and was buried in Hebron for the Chananeans freely offered them free buriall yet Abraham chose rather to buy a place to burie in of Ephrem a certaine Cittisen of Hebron for fower hundreth sickles where the monuments both of him and his posteritie are builded CHAP. XVI How the Nation of the Troglodytes came of Chetura the wife of Abraham AFter this Abraham married Chetura by whom he had sixe children strong in trauell and excellent in wisedome namely Zembranes Iazar Madar Madian Lousoubac Suus who likewise had sons Suus had Sabacan Dadanes Of Dadanes issued Latusimus Assurus Luures The children of Madan were Epha Ophres Anochus Ebidas Eldas Of all these children and their successors Abraham gathered and established the Colonies which possessed the countrey of the Troglodytes and all the countrey of Arabia the happie whose confi◅es extend euen vnto the red sea Some report that this Ophres conducted an armie into Libia and possessed the same and that his successors making their abode in that countrey called it by the name of Aphrica And this my opinion is confirmed by Alexander Polyhistor who writeth after this maner Cleodemus the Prophet who is also called Malchus hath written the actes of the Iewes according as Moses their lawmaker hath compiled the same in writing saith that of Chetura there were diuers children borne vnto Abraham and he nameth three by their names to wit Apher Surim and Iapher and that of Surem the Assyrians tooke their name of the two others Apher and Iapher the Citie of Affricke and the countrey of Africa take their names That they warred with Hercules against Lybia and Antaeus and how Hercules hauing taken Ophra his daughter to his wife had begotten of her Dedor who was father to Sophon from whom those Barbarians that are called Sophaces haue taken their name But Abraham knowing that he should prouide a wife for Isaac his sonne being almost fortie yeares olde sent the oldest seruant of his famely to betroth and intreat for Rebecca the daughter of the sonne of Nachor his brother for Isaac and bound him to the performance thereof with great othes celebrated according to these ceremonies which were that laying their two hands one ore anothers theighes they should call God to witnesse of there intent he sent also straunge presents vnto them such as were seldome seene in those parts he then departing from him was long time vpon the way because that in winter time it is troblesome to trauell through Mesopotamia by reason of the deep bogs in sommer for want of water besides the robberies of the country which strangers trauellers could not possibly escape except they stood vpon their guard h◅d conuoy Hereupon at length he arriued and entered a Citie called Carras being in the suburbes of the same he encountered with diuers damsels that went to fetch water whereupon he inwardly besought God that if the mariage were pleasing in his sight he might find Rebecca amongst them for whose cause Abraham had sent him thither to require her in mariage for his sonne and that he might know her by this signe that asking all the rest for water they should refuse him and she onely should satisfie him Tormented and tossed with these thoughts he
be helde for vs to be conuicted to be the murtherers of our brother whose death will heape sorrow on our fathers head and draw our mother into great griefe and desolation thorough the losse of her sonne robbed and bereft from her beyond the ordinarie course of men For which cause he praied them to be aduised in these things that they would consider in their mindes what thing might happen if this child who was faire vertuous and yoong should be done to death praying them to giue ouer this vnnaturall resolution and to feare God who was both the iudge and witnesse of their deliberation intended against their brother and that if they would desist from this haynous act God would take pleasure in their repentance and reconcilement but if they proceeded in their enterprise he assured them that he would punish them like fratricides since nothing is hidden from his prouidence whether it be committed in the desart or attempted in the Citie For wheresoeuer men are there is it alwaies to be thought that God likewise is Further that when they should haue perpetrated this fact that they should alwaies haue their consciences as an armed aduersarie against them which neuer would forsake them whether they were good or whether such as theirs would be if they should fortune to murther their brother Furthermore he alleadged that it was an impious fact to kill a mans owne brother although he had done him iniurie and much more meritorious to forgiue a mans friend that had offended against him Moreouer he said that Ioseph had done them no wrong whose tender yeares rather required care and compassion at their handes then hate and tyrannie Besides that the cause of his slaughter would aggrauate their offence if it should be knowen that for enuie of his future felicitie they should take away his life all which good happe they likewise might participate by reason of consanguinitie and that it was their dutie to thinke that whatsoeuer blessing God imparted to Ioseph was theirs that for that cause they were to imagine that God would be more displeased against them if they should endeuour to depriue him of his life whom he had esteemed and adiudged worthy of prosperitie to come Ruben alledging these and many other things besought them and laboured to diuert them from shedding their brothers bloud but seeing that all these his motiues could in no sort mollifie them but that they hastened the rather to commit and perpetrate the murther he counselled them that at least wise they should allot him some milder kinde of death Telling them that he endeuoured all what in him lay at the first to disswade them but since it was throughly resolued among them that he should not liue that lesse mischiefe should follow of it if they would be ruled by his counsell for by that meanes their will should haue effect yet a more milde and lesse hurtfull in comparison of murther that it were better for them to temper their hands and keepe them immaculate by casting him into the next pit and there leauing him in the hands of death to this counsell all of them agreed So Ruben tooke Ioseph and bound him with cords and let him downe easily into a pit which was drie which done he departed to seeke out a more conuenient place for pasture But when Ruben was gone Iuda one of Iacobs sonnes espying certaine merchants of Arabia of the countrey of the Ismaelites who from the countrey of Galadena caried Spicerie and Syrian merchandise into Egypt he counselled his brothers to draw vp Ioseph out of the well and to sell him to those Arabians assuring them that by that meanes it would come to passe that Ioseph should die the farther off from them amongst straungers and as touching themselues they should be exempt from that pollution which counsell of his being commended by them all they drew Ioseph out of the pit and sold him to the Arabians for the summe of twentie siluerlings at such time as he was seuenteene yeares of age Now had Ruben resolued in himselfe to saue Ioseph without his brothers priuitie for which cause comming by night vnto the pit he called him with a loud voice seeing that he gaue him no answer he began to coniecture with himselfe that his brethren had done him to death he reproued them therefore verie bitterly but after they had told him what was become of him he gaue ouer his mourning After these things were thus brought to passe the brethren consulted amongst themselues in what sort they might cleere themselues from their fathers suspition and conclude among themselues to teare the coat wherewith Ioseph was attired at such time as he came vnto them and which they had taken from him when they cast him into the well to the end that hauing defiled it in the bloud of a Goate they might afterwards beare it vnto their father and shew it him to the ende he might suppose that Ioseph was slaine by wild beastes which done they came vnto the olde man not altogether ignorant of his sonnes misfortunes and told him that they had not seene their brother Ioseph neither could they assure him what mishappe had befallen him but that notwithstanding they had found his Ierkin altogether bebloudied and torne which made them suspect that he was slaine by some wilde beastes if so be he were sent vnto them attired in that coate But Iacob that hitherto expected and hoped for more succesfull tidings in that he supposed and hoped that Ioseph had onely beene captiue gaue ouer this opinion and tooke the coate for a most assured testimonie of his sonnes death for he knew that he was apparelled therewith at such time as he sent him to his brothers for which cause he lamented Ioseph from that time forward as being dead and as if he had not any more sonnes And such was the griefe of his heart that he conceiued no consolation in the rest but suffered himselfe to be perswaded by the brothers that Ioseph had beene slaine by sauage beastes he therefore sat him downe being clothed in sackcloth and charged with sorrow and neither could his sonnes by their counsels mittigate his moanes nor he himselfe remit the rigor of his Iamentation Now Ioseph was sold by the merchants and bought by Putiphar an Aegyptian Lord and a steward of King Pharaos houshold who held him in high estimation and trained him vp in all liberall sciences suffering him to liue not after a seruile but liberall manner and committing vnto his charge the care of all his houshold all which fauours he made vse of Yet was he no waies diuerted by these his priuiledges and promotions from his innated vertue testifying hereby that prudence doth not submit to aduerse fortune if a man vse the same orderly and not at that time onely when fortune fauneth and flattereth It fortuned not long after that his masters wife was enamoured with him both in
the Tabernacle was remoued this manner was obserued Assoone as the first charge was sounded they that were encamped towards the East first of all dislodged at the second charge they to the southward disincamped then was the Tabernacle vnpitched and caried in the midst sixe of the tribes marching before and sixe of them after the Leuites were all about the Tabernacle And when they sounded the third time the quarter towards the Westward remoued and the fourth was that to the Northward They made vse also of these Cornets in the diuine seruice with which they ordered the sacrifices on the Sabboth and other daies Then also was the first Passeouer celebrated with solemne offerings after their departure out of Aegypt they being in the desart CHAP. XII Sedition against Moses through the scarcitie of victuals and the punishment of the Rebellious NOt long after this they remoued their campe from the mountaine of Sinai and after certaine encampings of which we will speake they came to a place which is called Iseremoth where the people once more began to ruminate and reuiue their seditions and lay the fault of their laborious pilgrimage vpon Moses obiecting that by his perswasion they had left a fertile countrey and now not onely that they were destitute of the plentie thereof but also in stead of hoped felicitie forced to wander here and there in extreame miserie and trauelled with want of water and that if Manna likewise should in any sort faile them they were like all of them without question to perish for want of sustenance Hereunto annexed they diuers contumelies which were euery where inflicted against him being a man of so great desert and consequence Meane while there arose one amongst the people who admonishing them of the forepassed benefits receiued by the hands of Moses counselled them to be of good courage assuring them that at that time they should not be frustrate either of that hope or helpe which they expected at Gods hands But the people were the rather incēsed against him by these words and more more whetted their spleanes against the prophet who seeing them so desperate willed them to be of a good courage promising them that although by iniurious speeches he had vndeseruedly beene offenced by them yet that he would giue them store of flesh not for one day onely but also for many But they being incredulous and some one amongst them demaunding how he could make prouision for so many thousand men God saith he and I although we be euill spoken of by you yet will we neuer desist to be carefull for you and that shall you shortly perceiue Scarce had he spoken this but that all the campe was filled with quailes which they hunted for by heapes Yet God not long after that punished the insolencie and slaunder of the Hebrewes by the death of no small number for at this day the place retayneth his name which for that cause vvas imposed thereon and it is called Cabrothaba as if you should say the monuments of concupiscence CHAP. XIII Of the spies that were sent to search the land of Chanaan and how returning to the Israelites they amated them with feare BVt after that Moses had led them out of that place and had brought them into a countrey not so apt for habitation not farre from the borders of the Chanaanites which is called the Iawes he called the people to a councell and standing vp in the midst of them he spake after this manner God saith he hauing decreed to grant you two great benefits namely the libertie and possession of a happie countrey hath granted you alreadie the possession of the one and will shortly make you partakers of the other For we are vpon the borders of Chanaan from whence both the Cities and Kings are so farre from driuing vs as the vvhole nation being vnited together is not of power to expell vs. Let vs therefore addresse our selues verie confidently to attempt the matter for neither vvithout fight will they resigne the title of their countrey vnto vs neither vvithout great conflicts may we obtaine the palme of victorie Let vs therefore send out certaine spies to search into the secrets of the countrey and such as may coniecture how great their power is but aboue all things let vs be at vnitie one with another and let vs honour God who assisteth vs in all daungers and fighteth for vs. After that Moses had spoken after this manner the people applauding his counsels chose twelue out of the most noblest families of the tribes to go and search the countrey out of euery tribe one vvho beginning from the parts extending towards Egypt visited all the countrey of the Chanaanites vntill they came to the Citie of Amathe the mountaine of Libanus and hauing searched out both the land and the nature of the inhabitants they returned home againe hauing consumed fortie daies in those affaires Moreouer they brought with thē such fruits as the coūtrey yeelded by the beautie thereof by the quantity of those riches which they reported to be in that countrey they incouraged the harts of the people to fight valiantly but on the other side they dismaid thē with the difficultie of the conquest saying that there were certaine riuers impossible to be ouerpassed both for their greatnes depth that there were therin also inaccessible moūtalnes and Cities fortified both with wals and bulwarks moreouer they told them that in Hebron they found a race of Giants And thus these spies when as they had found all things farre greater amongst the Chanaanites then to that day they had seene since their departure out of Egypt they of set purpose by their feare brought the rest of the multitude into a dangerous suspition and perplexitie Who coniecturing by their discourse that it was impossible to conquer the land dissoluing the assembly returned each one to their houses lamenting with their wiues and children saying that God had onely in words promised many things but that in effect he gaue them no assistance moreouer they blamed Moses reuiled both him and his brother Aaron the high priest And thus spent they all the night in disquiet vrging their discontents both against the one and the other but on the morrow they reassembled their councell vnder this pretence that stoning Moses and his brother they might returne backe againe to Egypt from whence they came Which euent when two of the spies greatly suspected namely Iesus the sonne of Naue of the tribe of Ephraim and Caleb of the tribe of Iuda they went into the middest of them and appeased the multitude praying them to be of good hope and not to challenge Almightie God of deceit by yeelding certaine slight beliefe to some who by spreading vaine rumors of the affaires of Chanaan had terrified the credulous multitude but rather that they should follow them who both would be the actors and conductors also of
him whom you your selues haue chosen surpassing all the rest in valour For whereas there are diuers commanders it falleth out that that which ought necessarily and readily to be executed is hindered and commonly the issue is vnfortunate where there are diuers commanders Let your army be generally leuied of men that are strong in body and hardie in courage and sequester from your armie him that is fearefull least such men hapning to flie when they ought to fight do giue your enemies the aduantage Let them also be free from warre who hauing built them a new house haue not enioyed the same for a yeares space as also he that hath planted a vineyard and hath not gathered the fruit thereof and besides these he that hath wedded a wife and hath not as yet brought her home to his house least being transported with the desire of these things and reseruing themselues to their forsaken pleasures in the behalfe of their wiues they fight but faintly and coldly But when you haue brought your army into the field take heed you commit no outrage and when you shall assault any Cities if you fortune to haue any need of matter to make engins of grub not the land neither see you cut downe the fruitfull trees but spare them remembring you that they are planted for the good of men and that if they could speake they would accuse you alledging that without cause of warre they are ill intreated against all right and that if they had the power to depart from thence they would dislodge and remoue into another countrey But when the battell is ended and the day is yours kill all those enemies that resisted you in the skirmish the rest reserue as your tributaries except the people of the land of Chanaan for they with all their families are to be ruinated Beware also but especially in warre that neither a woman vse a mans apparrell neither a man a womans raiment These are the lawes which Moses left He gaue them likewise certaine institutions which he had written fortie yeares before that time whereof we will speake in an other treatise Some few daies after for he assembled the people sixe daies one after the other he gaue them his blessing and pronounced his maledictions against those which should not liue according to his lawes but should transgresse the determinations thereof He red also vnto them a Poeme of sixe measures which he had enregistred in the holy booke contayning a prediction of things to come according to which all things haue and doe fall out without varying any waies from the truth and veritie These volumes and the Arke gaue he vnto the Priests in which he also placed the ten commaundements written in the two tables He committed also vnto them the custodie of the Tabernacle He likewise exhorted the people that at such time as by force they had conquered the promised countrey and were planted therein they should not forget the iniurie which the Amalechites had done vnto them but that they should lead forth their army against them and take vengeance of the wrongs they had done them at such time as they were in the desart And commaunded them that as soone as they had taken the countrey of Chanaan they should exterminate and extinguish all the people He willed them also to erect an Altar toward the rising of the sunne not farre from the citie of Sichem betweene two mountaines the one Garizim on the right hand and the other called Gebal on the left and that distributing the people into two parts sixe tribes in euery part they should plant them on the mountaines And he commaunded that the Leuites and Priests should be with them to the intent that they first of all that were vpon the mountaine of Garizim should beseech God that he would multiply his blessings vpon them that should be zealous of his seruice and carefull of the conseruation of his lawes without diuerting from that which Moses had commaunded The sixe other also were appointed to answere the like and when as likewise these six last had praied the sixe first were to answere them and confirme that which they had pronounced This done they pronounced maledictions against the transgressors each one answering other in ratification of that which had beene spoken He reduced also vnder writing these blessings and curses to the intent that the memorie thereof might neuer be suppressed or extinguished by time which he also being neere vnto his death caused to be written in the Altar on the one side thereof in that part which extended it selfe toward the place where the people stood at such time as they sacrificed and offered burnt offerings Since which day there were no more sacrafices offered in that place because it was contrarie to law Thus did Moses establish and these the Hebrewe nation obserue continually and vnuiolably euen vnto this day On the next morrow he reassembled all the people themselues their wiues and children he likewise commaunded that the slaues should be there present binding them by an oth that they should maintaine keepe the lawes and that diligently tying themselues to the will of God they should not so much esteeme either their kinred or meanes of perils or any other cause whatsoeuer as that thereby they should be driuen to neglect their lawes or depart from the ordinances thereof but whether it were any one of their kinred or any Citie whatsoeuer that would seeke to alter and disturbe the same or striue to weaken the estate thereof that both in particular and in publike they should expose themselues and endeuour to punish them and if they should fortune to take such a Citie that they should race and vtterly deface the same and if it were possible not to leaue one stone vpon another but to destroy the foundation But if they were too feeble to take such a reuenge yet that they should make it knowen that they were not consenting to their impietie Hereunto the whole people subscribed and sealed it with an oth He afterwards told them how the people should know when the sacrifice were agreeable vnto God and how they ought to march out to battell taking a signe of the stones of which I haue forespoken Iosuah likewise during the life and in the presence of Moses foreprophecied whatsoeuer he intended to performe for the profit of the people either abroad in the administration of warre or home in prescribing lawes and preparing them to an order of life which was newly prescribed them he told them that by instructions from God he foreprophecied that if they violated their countrey religion they should not escape their destruction for that both their country should be filled with forraine armes and their Cities sackt and their Temple burnt that they themselues should be sold vnder the speare that they should serue a nation which would not be moued or touched with commiseration of their afflictions and miseries and that
three yeares space liued hidden amongst the mountaines flying the power of Abimelech Neither did there many daies ouerpasse but that the Sichemites being moued with compassion and iust reuenge in respect of the murther which was committed vpon the sonnes of Gedeon banished Abimelech out of their Citie and the whole tribe Whereupon he resolued to do some mischief to both the Citie and Citizens and for that their vintage was at hand they durst not gather the fruit fearing least they should receiue some iniury at the hands of Abimelech By good hap about that time a certaine Prince called Gaal retired thither with a troupe of soldiours and his kinred him did the Sichemites beseech that he would grant them a conuoy whilest they had gathered in their haruest which request of theirs being accepted by Gaal they issued out with their forces being seconded by him and his and securely brought in their fruits and feasting one with another in companies they were so bold as to scoffe at Abimelech and the chiefest of his followers and the chiefest of those straungers among them that came into the city to their assistance surprised by Ambuscado diuers of Abimelechs people slew them But Zebel one of the Sichemites and Abimeleches host signified vnto him by a messenger how Gaal incited the people against him inuiting him to lie in wait for him neere about the Citie promising him that he would bring Gaal thither to the end that he might easily reuenge him of that iniurie which his enemie had offered him Which done he promised to worke so wisely that he would reconcile him to the peoples fauour againe and whenas Abimelech had chosen a place fit to lie in ambush and Gaal with Zebel too carelesly liued and walked in the suburbes at length he sodainly espying certaine armed men cried out to Zebel that he had discouered the enemie whereunto Zebel replied that they were the shadowes of rocks but Gaal drawing more neere vnto them and perceiuing apparantly who they were answered Zebel that they were no shadowes but ambushes of men Whereunto Zebel replied dost not thou obiect cowardise to Abimelech why therefore shewest thou not thy great valour in fighting with him Gaal confusedly amazed assailed the soldiours of Abimelech in which conflict certaine of his followers were slaine and he himselfe fled into the Citie giuing example vnto the rest to follow him Hereupon Zebel laboured that Gaal might be expulsed out of the Citie accusing him of his cowardly encountry with the soldiers of Abimelech Now when as the same Abimelech had afterwards gotten certaine intelligence that the Sichemites would issue anew to gather to their vintage he laid an ambush neere vnto the Citie And no sooner were they issued but that the third part of his troopes surprised and seazed the gates to cut them off from their returne that thought to reenter the rest ranne after those that were scattered here and there so that there was a great slaughter on euerie side and the Citie was ruinated euen vnto the verie foundations for they could not withstand the siege and they sowed salt vpon the ruines thereof Thus perished all they that were in the Citie of Sichem But they that escaped thorow the conntrey and had auoided the daunger assembled and fortified themselues vpon a strong rocke and there incamped and began to defence the same But as soone as Abimelech had notice of their intention he hasted thither with his forces and inuironed the place with fagots of dry wood carying them thither in his owne person and encouraging thereby those of his armie to doe the like so that the rocke was incontinently compassed with wood Whereunto he set fire round about and in an instant it flamed and burned vehemently so as none of them were saued but all of them perished with their wiues and children to the number of fifteene hundred men besides many other of the weaker sort This calamitie hapned to the Sichemites in so grieuous a measure that there is not any griefe sufficient to deplore it were it not that that so horrible misfortune fel vpon them by reason of their ingratitude they had shewed to so vpright a iudge and so gratious a benefactor Abimelech alaid the courage of the Israelites by this encounter and conquest of the Sichemites and gaue sufficient testimonie that he aspired more higher and that he would neuer terminate his violence vntill he had vtterly extinguished them He therefore led forth his army against the Tebeans and their Citie which he tookè but in that towne there was a great tower whither all the people had retired themselues and whilest he prepared himselfe to besiege the same and approched likewise neere vnto the gates a certaine woman cast a peece of a milstone at him and hit him on the head which was the cause that Abimelech called at that time for his squier commaunding him to dispatch him to the intent it might not be reported that he died by the hands of a woman His squier did according as he had commaunded him and reuenged on Abimelech by putting him to death the crueltie he had committed against his brethren and the tyranny executed vpon the Sichemites on whom all these misfortunes fell according as Iothan had foretold them As soone as Abimelech was slaine all the armie was dispersed and euery one returned vnto his dwelling place and Iair the Galeadite of the tribe of Manasses tooke vpon him the gouernment Amongst other conditions of this man these were of the greatest note that he was rich and had thirtie worthie sonnes all expert vpon horse backe and exercised the magistracie in the countrey of Galaad he after he had gouerned the people for the space of twentie yeares died when he was very old and was honourably intombed in Chamon a citie of Galaad From this time forward the pollicie and estate of the Hebrewes grew more and more disordered and the lawes began to be neglected Whence it came to passe that the Ammonites and Philistines setting light by them destroyed all their countrey with a great army during which time they occupied all the land on this side Iordan and so much were they heartned as that they pressed further and possessed the better part on the other side of the riuer and conquered the same Wherupon the Hebrewes being brought to more moderation by these their aduersities had their recourse vnto God by praiers and sacrifices requiring him that it might please him to moderate his wrath and that hauing regard and respect of their supplication he would be pleased to stay his heauie hand ouer them This submission of theirs preuailed with God who inclined himselfe to assist them Whilest therefore the Ammonites led their armie into Galaad they of the countrey arose to meete and fight with them being disfurnished of a gouernour to conduct them Now there was a certaine man called Ieptha of great estimation as well for the
him in his owne chamber where he lay and hauing at that time a iauelin in his hand he commanded him to play on his harp to sing hymnes Now whilest Dauid executed that his commandement Saul stretching out his arme threw his dart at him but Dauid foreseeing it auoided the stroke and fled into his owne house where he soiourned all the day long Now when the night was come the king sent out certaine of his seruants to watch his house for feare least he should escape to the end that the next day being drawen and appearing in iudgement he might be condemned and put to death But Michol Dauids wife and Sauls daughter hauing intelligence of her fathers intention ran vnto her husband telling him in how great peril both he and she were who without his presence neither could nor would liue any longer Beware said she least the sunne finde thee in this place for he shall no more behold thee here hereafter Flie therefore whilest the present night offereth thee opportunitie which God doth lengthen for thy safetie-sake for be assured that if thou beest surprised in this place my father will make thee die a miserable death This said she let him downe by a window and so saued him and incontinently after she prepared his bed and trimmed it as if he laye sicke therein and vnder the couering thereof she laid the liuer of a new slanghtered Kid and when her father had sent the next morning to apprehend Dauid she answered that he had beene sicke all the night long then discouering the bed that was couered she gaue them to vnderstand that Dauid was laid therein making them touch the couerlet vnder which the liuer stirred and made them beleeue that the liuer that lay there was Dauid who panted breathed verie hardly Which being signified vnto Saul he commaunded that he should be brought vnto him in that estate wherein he was because he was resolued to put him to death But when Sauls messengers were arriued and returned thither and had discouered the bed they perceiued Michols subtiltie and went and certified the king thereof who reproued her verie grieuously for that she had saued his aduersarie and deceiued her father But she defended her selfe with words full of good apparance saying that Dauid had threatned to kill hir and how for that cause and by the impulsion of feare she was drawen and induced to aide and saue him For which cause she ought to be pardoned since by constraint and not of set purpose she had furthered his escape For said she I thinke that you seeke not so greedily after the death of your enemie as you preferre the same before the safetie and securitie of your daughter On these perswasions Saul pardoned his daughter Dauid deliuered from this perill came vnto the Prophet Samuel to Ramatha and told him what ambushes the king had laid for him how hardly he had escaped death by the stroke of his Iauelin whereas in all things that concerned Saul he had alwaies shewed himselfe obedient againe how he had neuer ceased to warre vpon his enemies and had by Gods assistance beene fortunate in all things which was the cause that Saul was so displeased with him The Prophet informed of Sauls iniustice forsooke the Citie of Ramath and led Dauid to a certaine place called Galbaath where he remained with him But as soone as Saul was informed that Dauid was retired and accompanied with the Prophet he sent out certaine soldiers to lay hands on him and bring him vnto him who repairing to Samuel and finding the congregation of the Prophets were seased with the spirit of God and began to prophecie Which when Saul vnderstood he sent out others who had the like incounter with the first For which cause he sent out others and seeing the third companie prophecie likewise he was in the end so much despited that he came thither in his owne person And when he drew neere the place before that Samuel saw him he made him prophecie so that Saul comming towards him was seased by aboundance of the spirit so that he was rauished out of himselfe and hauing despoyled himselfe of his raiment he lay prostrate all the day and the night long in the presence both of Samuel and Dauid Dauid departed from thence and went vnto Ionathan to whom he complained of those ambushes which his father had laid to intrap him in telling him that notwithstanding he had neuer committed either iniurie or fault against his father yet did he earnestly pursue him to put him to death Ionathan perswaded him that he should neither rashly suspect these things nor be ouer-credulous in those reports which perhaps might be brought vnto him but that he should trust him onely who was assured that his father intended no euill against him For if he had he would haue told him who is neuer wont to act any thing without his counsell But Dauid sware vnto him that it was so and besought him that he would beleeue his vnfained assertiōs wherby he might the more easily procure his securitie least contemning his words and supposing them to be fained and friuolous he should by his death be ascertained of the sight and truth thereof For he assured him that his father for that cause did not communicate his counsailes with him because he was assured of the loue and friendship that was betweene them Ionathan sore aggrieued that Dauid was so perswaded and Sauls intention was such asked him what he desired at his hands or wherein he might shew him friendship Dauid said vnto him I know that thou wilt further me in what thou maist and refuse me in nothing Now to morrow is the first day of the moneth in which I was accustomed to dine at the kings table and if thou thinkest good I will depart out of the Citie into the field where I will lie hidden if he aske for me thou shalt say I am gone into the countrey of Bethleem where my tribe solemnizeth a feast thou shalt certifie him also that thou hast giuen me leaue And if he say God speed him which is an ordinary wish that friends vse to such as go a iorney know that he hath no hiddē rancor nor secret malice conceiued against me but if he answer otherwise it shall be an assured testimonie that he complotteth some mischiefe against me and this shalt thou ascertaine me of as both becommeth my present calamitie and our mutual friendship which by vowed oth thou being my Lord hast plighted with me who am thy seruant And if thou thinke me vnworthie of this fauour and iniurious towards thy father without expecting the sentence of his iustice kill me now at this present with thine owne sword These his last words so grieuously stroke Ionathan to the heart that he promised him to accomplish his request assuring him to certifie him if he any waies could perceiue that his father was ill affected towards him
and to the intent he might the better be beleeued he caused him to walke forth with him into the cleare and open ayre and there sware vnto him that he would not pretermit any thing that might tend to the conseruation of Dauid For said he that God that filleth and moderateth all things in this wide spred Vniuers and who before I speake knoweth my mind he I say shall beare witnesse of that accord which shall be ratified betweene thee and me that I will not cease to sound my father till such â—…ime as I know and haue conceiued his intention and that I haue entred into his secrets to know what sicknes his soule is seazed with and that when as I shall apprehend the same I will not conceale it from thee but giue thee notice thereof be it that he be appeased or displeased against thee The same God knoweth how incessantly I beseech him to be assistant vnto thee as also he is at this present and that he abandon thee neuer but make thee Lord ouer thine enemies yea though it were my father or my selfe Onely remember me in this point that after my death if I chance to die before thee thou take care of my children and be as fauourable towards them as I am affected to theeward at this present After he had sworne this oth he dismissed Dauid willing him to conceale himselfe in a certaine place of the plaine where he ordinarily exercised himselfe For that as soone as he vnderstood his fathers mind he would returne thither with his Page and if saith he hauing shot three shafts at the marke I shall commaund my Page to gather them and bring them backe againe to me for that they are right before him know thou that thou art to expect no euill from my father but if thou hearest me speake to the contrarie thinke thou that my father is incensed and misaffected towards thee yet howsoeuer it happen I will doe my best that nothing shall befall thee otherwaies then we expect and wish Be thou therefore mindfull of these things at such time as thou shalt obtaine thy happie daies and be thou fauourable vnto my children Dauid being confirmed by Ionathans promises retired himselfe to the appointed place The next day after which was the solemnitie of the new moone after the king was purified according to the custome he sate downe to take his repast Now when his sonne Ionathan was set on his right side and Abner the General of his Armie on the left Saul perceiued Dauids place was void and spake not a word supposing that hee was absent from that companie by reason he was not purified since he had the companie of his wife but seeing the second day of the new Moone that he was absent likewise he asked his sonne Ionathan why Iesses sonne both the day before and at that instant was not present at that fast who answered him that he was gone into his countrie prosecuting the storie according as it had beene concluded betweene them alleaging that his Tribe celebrated a feast and that he had permitted him to assist the same Further said he he inuited me to the banquet and if it stand with your pleasure I will assist the feast for you know how intirely I loue the man At this time knew Ionathan the displeasure his father had conceiued against Dauid and perceiued most apparantly how hainously he was affected for Saul could not conceale his choler but began to raile vpon his sonne calling him rebell and his enemie and companion and confederate with Dauid telling him that he shewed reuerence neither to him nor to his mother since he was so minded and that he would not beleeue but that as long as Dauid liued their royall estate should be alwayes in continual disturbance He commanded him therefore to bring him before him to the end that he might do iustice vpon him Ionathan replied What euill hath Dauid committed for which he should be punished Hereupon Saul not onely expressed his choler in words and disgraces but taking hold of a iauelin he assaulted him and would haue slaine him but he missed his purpose by reason he was retained by his friends At that time did Ionathan clearely discouer the hatred that Saul bare towards Dauid and how instantly furiously he sought his ruine since welny for Dauids sake he had slaine his owne eldest sonne Then did Ionathan withdraw himselfe from the banquet seeing with how little profit he had pleaded and so much was he grieued that he ceased not to weepe and the rather since welny his father had vnkindly slaine him And seeing that Dauid was adiudged to die he passed all the night long without sleepe and about the day spring he departed out of the Citie to the appointed field making a shew that he walked out to take his exercise but indeed it was to discouer vnto his friend the intent which his father had according as it was couenanted betweene them After that Ionathan had done that which he had promised sending backe his Page into the citie he came vnto Dauid both to see and speak with him in priuate who as soone as he perceiued him cast himselfe prostrate at Ionathans feet calling him the conseruer and maintainer of his life But Ionathan lifted him vp from the earth so that both of them embracing one another and intermixing their mutuall kisses for a long time lamented their yeares with warme teares and their vnfortunate friendshippe with bitter sighes they bewailed likewise their future separation no lesse grieuous vnto them then death it selfe Finally scarcely giuing any truce to their aboundant teares and exhorting one another to haue in perpetuall remembrance their plighted faiths and promises they departed the one from the other Dauid flying from the king and the war which he made against him retired himselfe to the city of Nob to Achimelech the priest who seeing Dauid come alone vnto him without either friend or seruant was amased and desired to know the cause why he thus wandred without any attendance Dauid told him that the king had sent him about some secret execution which might not be communicated vnto him although he were desirous to know it and as touching my seruants said he I haue commanded them to attend me in this place He further required him that he would giue him such things as were necessarie for his voyage that he had to make wherin he might performe the part of a friend in succouring him at such time as he had neede of him Which when he had condescended vnto he requested him to giue him some armes either sword or iauelin now in this place was there present one of Sauls seruants that was called Doeg a Syrian by nation and the pastor of the kings mulets The Priest answered him that he had no such thing by him except it were Goliahs sword which he himselfe had hanged in the Tabernacle and dedicated vnto
expressing their affection therein not onely in outward shew but also with their whole power labouring what they might that surprising him they might deliuer him to the kings hands But their iniust desire had as infortunate successe who being to incurre no perill by concealing him from pursuit promised to betray into the kings hands thorow adulation and auarice a man that was both vertuous and wrongfully persecuted to death by his enemies For Dauid being made priuie to their malice and ascertained of the Kings approch leauing those narrow streights wherin they then incamped escaped to a certaine rocke which is situate in the desarts of Simon Neither desisted Saul to pursue him for knowing by the way that he had ouercome the streights he came to the other side of the rock Dauid had surely both bin taken and circumuented had not the king beene reuoked by fearfull tidings which assured him that the Palestines had forcibly entred and spoiled his kingdome For he thought it more conuenient to reuenge himselfe on those his hostile and sworne enemies and to giue succour to his countrey and people being ready to be spoiled and wasted then vnder desire to lay hands on a priuate enemie to betray both his countrie subiects to their swords and thus was Dauid saued beyond all expectation and retired himselfe to the streights of Engaddi But after that Saul had repulsed the Palestines certaine newes was brought him that Dauid dwelt in the streights of Engaddi whereupon presently taking with him three thousand of the choisest men in all his armie heled them speedily to the forenamed place and being not farre from thence he perceiued neere vnto the high way a deepe hollowe large long and open caue whereas Dauid with his foure hundreth men might be hidden and descended himselfe alone into the caue to disburthen the necessities of nature This was presently discouered by one of Dauids followers who told him that God had presented him a fit oportunitie to reuenge him on his enimie and counselled him to cut off Sauls head and discharge himselfe thereby of much trouble and torment who arising and finding him out onely cut off the lap of the vesture wherewith Saul was attired and presently thereupon repented himself saying that it were a wicked deed in him to kil his lord whom God by election had raised to the estate of Maiestie and Empire For said he although he be vniust toward me yet ought I not to be iniurious towards him But when Saul was issued out of the caue Dauid went out after and cried with a loud voice beseeching Saul that he would giue him audience who turning backe vnto him he cast himselfe prostrate before his feete and humbled him on his face according to the custome and spake after this manner How vnworthie is it for thee O King that opening thy eares to scandalous backbiters and giuing trust and credit to vaine loose men thou suspectest thy most tried friends whom thou rather oughtest to iudge by their sincere and vpright actions for words may be either false or true but the mind may be discouered by none more apparant arguments then by mens actions as at this present thou maist iudge whether thou hast rashly beleeued them that make me guiltie before thy Maiestie of that crime that was neuer yet so much as thought vpon and haue so much exasperated thee against me that day and night thou thinkest on nothing more then my destruction Seest thou not now how vaine thy opinion is whereby they perswade thee that I am an enimie of thy house and earnestly desirous of thy death Or with what eies thinkest thou doth God behold thy crueltie who requirest his death who hauing occasion and opportunitie offered him to be reuenged on thee spareth thy life whose life were it in thy hands were assuredly lost for as easily might I haue cut off thy head as this lap of thy garment and therewithall in confirmation of his words he shewed it him yet did I forbeare this iust reuenge yet contrariwise art not thou afraid to exercise thy vniust tyrannies against me But God shall beare witnesse hereof and shall approue which of vs both are of more peaceable behauiours Saul amased to see how straungely his life had beene preserued and rauished to consider the naturall mildnes and moderation in Dauid began to weepe and Dauid wept also but Saul said that he had greater cause to lament then he For said he by thy meanes haue I receiued many benefits and thou at my hands hast been repaid with infinit iniuries This day hast thou testified that thou retainest the ancient iustice of thy progenitors who commaunded that their enemies should be dismissed with life at such time as they were surprised in the desart now am I thorowly perswaded that God hath reserued the kingdome for thee and that the Empire of all the Hebrewes attendeth thee Assure thou me therefore by an oth that thou wilt not exterminate my race neither remember thee of those iniuries I haue done vnto thee but that sparing my posteritie thou warrantise and keepe them vnder thy protection Dauid sware vnto him according as he had required and suffered him to returne into his Realme and both he and his companies retired themselues to the streights of Maspha About the same time died Samuel the Prophet a man who by his merit was in great estimation amongst the Hebrewes the famous testimonie of whose vertue and the peoples obseruation towards him was expressed in this in that they celebrated his funerall and set out his sepulcher with great pompe and when they had performed his rites they buried him in Ramath his countrey and lamented him many daies not after the manner of a common or forraine misery but as if each one of them had in particular a preiudice and losse to lament for For he was a man that was naturally framed to all iustice and goodnes and for these his vertues most acceptable vnto God He gouerned the people after the death of Eli the high Priest first in his owne person for the space of twelue yeares and afterwards during the raigne of Saul eighteene yeares whose death hapned as I said about this time But in those places where Dauid at that time remained there was a certaine Ziphian in a towne called Emma a man verie rich and Lord of much cattell For he had a troupe of three thousand sheepe and a heard of a thousand Goats On these did Dauid commaund his people to commit no waste neither thorow desire nor necessitie nor hope of concealement they should doe him any hurt Charging them moreouer that they should offer no wrong vnto any man because that to violate and take another mans goods was both vnlawfull and wicked and contrarie to Gods commandement Hee instructed them in this sort imagining with himselfe that he should gratifie a good man and such a one as deserued to be in like sort fauoured but
affectionate friend for such as enterprise any wicked action do often and subtilly dissemble and make shew of honestie to the end to expell out of the innocents mind all iealousie or euill suspition where singling him from his other company and making a shew to informe him of certaine secrets and hauing drawne him into a by-way besides the wall accompanied only with his brother Abisai he drew his rapier and thrust it into his short ribbes Of which wound Abner died surprised by the treason of Ioab who pretended and coloured that act of his with the reuenge and death of his brother Azael whom Abner had slaine vpon the chase in the first warre at Hebron but in truth it was but the suspition of his greatnesse and honour fearing least he should be depriued and Abner inseated by obtaining the next degree of honour vnto Dauid Hereby may a man conceiue how many and how mightie things men attempt and hazard for their auarice and ambition sake and to the end they may not be inferiour vnto any others in those matters For when as they desire to attaine riches and honours they atchieue it by ten thousand mischiefes and at such time as they feare to be dispossest they striue to continue their estates by meanes more pernicious because they thinke it to be the lesse sinne and that the calamitie is lesse actiue rather not to haue obtained to any greatnesse and power then after the possession thereof to fall into disgrace Thence it commeth that all of them intend and practise many hazards and difficult encountries thorow the feare they haue to lose their degree But it sufficeth to haue briefly touched this point Dauid hauing notice of the murther of Abner conceiued a great griefe in his heart and called all his assistants to witnesse lifting vp his hands vnto God and protesting that he was no partaker of the murther and that Abner had beene slaine without his commandement or will He likewise vttered most grieuous curses against the murtherer his house and accomplices by which he wished them to be subiect to the fatal penalty of murther for he greatly suspected least he should be held in suspition to be a party in that which had hapned vnto Abner contrarie to his faith oth and promise which he had past vnto him Moreouer he commanded that all the people should weep and lament for him and that the funerals of his bodie should be honored according to the accustomed fashion in renting of garments and putting on sackcloth and that the same should be done the coffin being carried before which both he and the chiefest gouernours of the Israelites followed beating on their breasts and shedding teares and testifying the loue which they bare vnto him during his life and their displeasure to see him dead who had bin murthered contrary to their wil and intention He was entombed in Hebron with great magnificence and Epitaphs composed in his praise by Dauid himselfe who setting himselfe on the tombe first of all lamented and gaue others cause of lamentation And so much was hee confused at the death of this Abner that he swore to forbeare all kind of meat vntill the sunne-set notwithstanding all the instances of his friends who vrged him to take refection which act of his purchased him much good will and loue amongst the people For they that loued Abner were verie glad to be witnesses of that honour which he did him in his death and that faith which he maintained in honouring him euerie way according to the custome as if he had been his kinsman or friend and not embasing him with a vilde and contemptible tombe as if he had beene his enemie And in generall all of them were so glad of the curtesie sweetnesse and royall nature of king Dauid that they esteemed in the like case that he would haue the like estimate of them as they saw him haue of deceased Abner And by this means Dauid happely maintained his credit and increased the peoples good opinion of him escaping thereby the suspition and conceit that he might in some sort haue bin accessarie to his death He protested also vnto the people that he conceiued no small griefe at the losse of so good a man declaring thereby that it was no small staine vnto the state of the Hebrewes to be depriued of him who had the meanes to maintaine their peace by his good aduise and to ratifie the same by his executions and warlike valour But God said he who hath care of all things shall not suffer him to die vnreuenged And he it is that shall beare me witnesse that it lieth not in my power to punish Ioab and Abisai who haue greater credit in the armie then my selfe yet shall they not escape Gods iustice for this fault Thus ended the life of Abner CHAP. II. Isboseth is slaine thorow the treason of his friends and followers the whole kingdome descendeth to Dauid WHen Isboseth Sauls sonne had notice of Abners death he was sore displeased not onely for that he perceiuing himselfe to be depriued of his neere kinsman but also of so great a personage as had setled the crowne on his head Neither did he himselfe long time remaine aliue after him but by the sonnes of Ieremon Banaoth and Thannus he was traiterously done to death These two being Beniamites and of the chiefest nobilitie amongst them made their reckoning that they would make away Isboseth and thereby obtaine great recompence at Dauids hands supposing that such an act of theirs would get them the chiefest place and dignitie in the army or some other credit For which cause finding Isboseth alone in his house about mid-day laide on his bed and asleepe and vnassisted by any of his guard and perciuing likewise that the porter was fast who thorow his trauaile and other businesse by reason of the extreme heate was laid downe to rest they entred into his lodging whereas Isboseth was a sleepe and slew him and hauing cut off his head they trauelled all the night and day long as if they fled from those whom they had offended and sought their rescues from them who would succour and assure them from perill and when they came to Hebron they presented Dauid with Isboseths head offering themselues as his most dutifull liegemen to doe him seruice who had deliuered him of an enemy and made away an aduersarie against his royaltie But Dauid allowed not their act in such sort as they hoped but spake thus vnto them O cursed men said he on whom I intend presently to execute iustice haue you not heard how I punished him that murthered Saul and brought his royall crowne vnto me Yea although he slew him vpon his owne instant request and to the intent the enemy should not surprise him aliue Were you of that opinion that I was changed and that I am not the same that I was but that I take delight to be partakers with you in your mischiefes
two last which were named by vs were the sonnes of concubines But Thamar was Absalons sister by the same father and mother CHAP. IIII. Dauid assayled by the Palestines obtaineth a famous victorie against them neere vnto Ierusalem NOw when the Palestines knew that the Hebrewes had created Dauid king they led forth their army against him towards Ierusalem where encamping themselues in the valley of the Giants which is a place not farre off from the Citie they in that place expected the encountrey But the king of the Hebrewes who was wont to do nothing inconsiderately without Gods aduise commanded the high priest to prophecie and foretell what successe and euent the warre should haue who after he had informed him that God smileth on fauoureth their attempts he presently drew out his armie against the enemie and striking the battell he sodainly assailed the enemies on their backes and partly slew them and partly put them to flight But let no man suspect that the army of the Palestines was either small in number or weake in courage which at that time assailed the Hebrewes in that he coniectureth in his mind that they were easily ouercome without either attempting or performing any noble or memorable action For he is to know that all Syria Phenicia and all other warlike nations beyond them bare armes with them and were confederates in this warre which was the onely cause that notwithstanding they were so many times ouercome and had lost diuers thousands of men that they desisted not to assaile the Hebrewes with more great force and that which is more hauing beene defeated in the battels before recited yet forbare they not to assaile Dauid a new with thrice as much power as before or to incampe in the same place For which cause Dauid tooke counsell of God once more what the issue of this battell should be and the high Priest told him that he should encampe in the forrest called Teares because it was not farre off from the enemies campe and that he should not depart from thence neither attempt them in battell before the trees did shake without any agitation or breath of wind Whereupon as soone as the trees shooke and the time which God had appointed was come without any delay he issued out to enioy a prepared and manifest victorie For the squadrons of the enemie were disarrayed and incontinently betooke them to flight and were swiftly followed and slaughtered vntill the Citie of Gerar which is a frontire towne of their countrey and their campe was thorowly ransacked wherein there were found great riches and amongst all other things their Gods were beaten to peeces The battell being brought to this end it seemed good vnto Dauid by the counsaile of the Elders and Coronels ouer thousands that all the flower of their youth should be assembled from all the parts of the countrey euery one according to his tribe Secondly that the Priests and Leuites should repaire to Cariathiarim and bring from thence the Arke of God and conueie it to Ierusalem to the end that when it should be there the seruice of God might thereafter be celebrated in that place other sacrifices and honours agreeable to the diuine maiesty might be performed And had the same beene done during the life of Saul no inconuenient had fallen vpon them When as al the people were assembled according as it was decreed by him the king came forth to transferre the Arke which the Priests carying out of Aminadabs house they laid it vpon a new waine which togither with oxen their brothers and children drewe The king marched formost and after him all the people praising God a◅d tuning all sorts of melodie then vsuall in that countrey with diuersitie of sounds of instruments of Dances and Shalmes Trumpets and Clarions and in this manner conducted he the Arke into Ierusalem But when they were come to the threshing floore of Chidō which is a certain place so called Oza died thorow the wrath of God for the oxen stumbling that drewe the chariot and the Arke somwhat shaken he stretched out his hand with intent to sustaine the same and because he was no Priest God stroke him till he died The king and the people were sore aggrieued at the death of Oza and the place where he died is called to this day Ozas Striking Dauid fearing least if he should retire the Arke with him into the Citie the like happe should attend him that had befallen Oza who was in that sort done to death for that he had onely thus stretched out his hand he placed it not with him in his owne house within the Citie but commaunded that it should be left in the possession of one called Obed by descent a Leuite and in behauiour a man good and vertuous where it remained for three months space during which time his house was blessed with al worldly goods and goodnes The king being ascertained what aduantages had befallen Obed who of a poore and needie man was sodainly become verie rich so that all men had their eies fixed on him they that heard speake of his house enuied him he assured himselfe that no inconuenient would befall him for which cause he retired the Arke into his own house which was caried by the Priests and seuen quires of singing men disposed by the king went before the same The king himselfe likewise touched and plaied vpon the Harpe so that Michol Dauids wife and Sauls daughter seeing him entertaining himselfe after that manner mocked at him The Arke then being thus caried was placed in a Tabernacle orected and dressed by Dauid who offered most magnificent sacrifices of all sorts and forgot not the sacrifices for prosperities he feasted all the people likewise both men women and children distributing vnto euery one a cake a morsell of rosted meat a cake fried in the pan and a portion of the sacrifice and after he had thus feasted the people he dismissed them and retreated himselfe into his owne house But Michol his wife and daughter to king Saul drawing neere vnto him vpon his returne besought God for him that it might please him in all other things she might expresse vnto her husband all that which became her intire and vnequald loue towards him but in this she blamed him because that being so great and mightie a king as he was he had dishonoured himselfe in dauncing despoiling himselfe and discouering partly that which became him not doing all this in companie of his seruants and handmaids To whom Dauid answered that he was not ashamed in performing a thing so acceptable vnto God as that was who had honoured him more then her father placed him aboue all others assuring her that he would play dance oftentimes after that sort without care whether his demeanor pleased either her or her chambermaids This Michol of whom we intreat had no children by Dauid but being maried againe to another to whom her father had
from the siege as we haue declared in an other place And againe a long time after this Herod also opened an other Cabinet from whence he tooke out a great summe And as touching the tombes of Princes no man defaced them because they were most magnificently builded for feare least they should be esteemed destroyers of monuments But for the present it sufficeth that I haue certified thus much THE EIGHTH BOOKE OF THE ANTIQVITIES OF THE IEWES WRITTEN BY FLAVIVS IOSEPHVS The Contents of the Chapters of the 8. booke 1 How Salomon obtaining the kingdome expelled his enemies 2 Of the riches prudence and wisedome of Salomon and how first of all he builded the Temple in Ierusalem 3 How Salomon being dead the people reuolted from Roboam his sonne and made Hieroboam king of the ten tribes 4 How Susac king of the Aegyptians sacking Ierusalem caried away the riches of that Citie into Aegypt 5 The warre of Hieroboam against Abiam Roboams sonne and the slaughter of his armie and how Basanes the rooter out of Hieroboams posteritie occupied the kingdome 6 The irruption of the Aethipians into the land of the Hebrewes vnder Asa and the ouerthrow of their armie 7 Basans stocke being wholy rooted out amongst the Israelites Zamri ruled in Israel with his sonne Achab. 8 Adad king of Damasco and Syria encamping and fighting two seuerall times against Achab is ouerthrowne 9 Of Iosaphat king of Ierusalem 10 Achab being prouoked to warre by the Sryans is ouercome and slaine in the battell CHAP. I. How Salomon obtaining the kingdome expulsed his enemies WE haue declared in the former Booke what Dauid was how great his vertue hath beene what profits and benefits those of his nation receiued by him what warres and battels he worthily exployted and how happily at last through extremitie of age he departed out of this life But after that Salomon his sonne being at that time verie young had obtained the kingdome and was placed in his fathers throne according as Dauid had determined and the diuine power had decreed the whole people according to the common course in the election of newe Princes with happie acclamations wished him perpetuall felicitie in all his affaires and after his well gouerned estate and royaltie long many prosperous yeares But Adonias who during his fathers life time thought to possesse and seaze himselfe of the royall estate came vnto the kings mother and with all humilitie reuerence saluted her To whom Bethsabe said that if there were anything wherin she might sted him he should manifest it vnto her and that she would grant it him willingly Whereupon he began to say that it was a thing verie well knowen that the kingdome appertained vnto him both in regard of his age as also in respect of the fauour and good liking of the people but since that it had beene transferred vnto Salomon hir sonne by the will of God he was content therewith and would be his seruant being verie glad of the fortunate successe of his affaires He therefore besought her that she would solicite Salomon in his behalfe and perswade him to giue him Abisace to wife who had slept with Dauid for that he had not had any carnall company with her by reason of his age and that as yet she was fully possessed of her virginitie Bethsabe promised him to further his suit to the vtmost of hir power and willingly to employ her selfe toward the accomplishing of the marriage both for that the king was willing to gratifie her in whatsoeuer she should desire as also for that she would instantly intreat him so that he departed from her with assured hope of good successe in respect of his marriage Hereupon presently did Bethsabe addresse her selfe to the king intending to certifie him both what Adonias had requested and what she had granted When tidings came to Salomon that his mother came to visit him he went out to meete her and embraced her afterwards conducting her into the place where the royall treasure was he sate him downe and commaunded his seruants to place a seat on his right hand for his mother who setled by him spake vnto him after this manner My sonne vouchsafe me one fauour that I shall request at thy hands and send me not hence discontended and confused thorow thy refusall Salomon answered her that she should commaund him by reason that dutie tied him to the satisfaction and fauour of his mothers suites reprouing her for that insinuation she had vsed by reason that thereby she euidently expressed that she was not thorowly assured to obtaine her demaund but that she feared the refusall and repulse in the same she therefore required him to giue the Damsell Abisace for wife to Adonias his brother The King displeased at this her suit dismissed his mother alledging that Adonias hammered hie thoughts in his head that he wōdred that in requiring Abisace to wife he had not requested Salomō likewise to giue him place in the kingdome for Adonias was elder than he and had more mightie friends then he had namely the generall Ioab and the high Priest Abiathar For which cause he incontinently sent Banaia captaine of his guard to kill Adonias his brother Then calling vnto him the high Priest Abiathar The paines said he that thou hast endured by accompanying my father Dauid and attending and bearing the Arke with him make thee escape from death yet notwithstanding for that thou hast beene an assistant to Adonias and followed his faction I condemne thee to depart from my presence charging thee not to see my face any more but to retire thy selfe to thine owne house and there to liue in thy countrey vntill thou hast ended thy daies for hauing in this sort neglected me it is not conuenient that thou shouldest be in honour with me For this cause was the house of Ithamar depriued of the priestly dignitie according as God had foreprophecied to Eli one of the auncestors of Abiathar and translated to the race of Phinees and established in Sadoc Those of the race of Phinees who led a priuate life all that time that the Priesthood remained in the familie of Ithamar wherof Eli was the first were these Boccias the sonne of Ioseph Ioatham the sonne of Boccias Maraeoth the sonne of Ioatham Aropha the sonne of Maraeoth Achitob the sonne of Aropha Sadoc the sonne Achitob who was the first high Priest vnder king Dauid Ioab hauing tidings of the death of Adonias was seazed with sodaine and extreme feare for he loued him more than king Salomon and by reason of that friendship which he bare vnto him he iustly and vpon good grounds apprehended his owne danger and in this respect he fled vnto the altar hoping in that place to be secured in regard of that reuerēce which the king bare vnto God But when Ioabs resolution was made knowne vnto the king he sent Banaia vnto him with commission to bring him from the
altar and to conduct him to the iudgement seat that he might in that place iustifie his actions But Ioab said that he would neuer abandon the Temple but that he had rather die in that place than in another When Banaia had certified the king of this his answer he commanded him to cut off his head in the same place according as he required and that in that sort he should be punished by reason of the two murthers which he had cursedly committed vpon the persons of Abner and Amasa commanding that his bodie should be buried in the same place to the end that his sinnes should neuer depart from his race and that both Dauid and Salomon might be held guiltlesse of the death of Ioab This commaund of his Banaia executed and was afterward made generall of all the men of warre Moreouer the king established Sadoc soly in the place of Abiathar whom he had deposed He commanded Semei also to build him a house in Ierusalem and to keepe himselfe therein without passing the floud of Cedron for if he chanced to breake that commaundement the penaltie which he should incurre should be no lesse then death and to the more serious performance of this his iniunction he tied him by a solemne oath Semei thanked Salomon for the charge he had imposed on him and swore that he would fulfill the same so that forsaking his owne countrey he came and dwelt in Ierusalem where after he had soiourned for the space of three yeeres it hapned that he had newes that two of his fugitiue slaues had fled and retired themselues in Geth whereupon he went to finde them out and no sooner returned he backe againe with them but that the king had intelligence that he had neglected his commandement and that which is more that he had broken that oath which he made vnto God wherewith he was wroth For which cause calling him vnto him he spake after this manner Hast thou not sworne said he that thou wilt no waies abandon or issue out of this Citie to depart into an other Truely thou shalt not escape the penalty of thy periurie but I will see iustice done vpon thee for the same and for those outrages thou didst offer vnto my father during his flight at which time thou didst shew thy selfe to be a wicked man in all things to the end that thou maiest vnderstand that the wicked receiue no priuiledge although that their punishments be for the present deferred but at such time as they suppose themselues to be assured because they haue suffered no punishment their punishment is augmented and made more grieuous then it had been if they had presently beene executed for their offences Whereupon Banaia slew Semei according as he was commanded From that day forward Salomon had his royall estate secured and after that his enemies had receiued condigne punishment he tooke to wife the daughter of Pharao king of Aegypt and afterwards builded the walles of Ierusalem farre greater and more stronger then they were before and all the rest of his life he gouerned his common-weale in peace so that his youthly yeeres hindred him not from the obseruation of iustice and the maintenance of lawes neither excluded the remembrance of that which his father had charged him at the houre of his death but behauing himselfe in all things exactly he executed the affaires of his kingdome with that circumspection that such as excelled him in yeeres and were aduanced in prudence could not surpasse him CHAP. II. Of the wisedome prudence and riches of Salomon and how first of all he builded the Temple in Ierusalem AS soone as he came to Hebron he determined to pay his vowes vnto God on that brazen altar which was erected by Moses and sacrificed thereon in burnt offrings a thousand head of cattell which honourable deuotion of his was most acceptable vnto God For the very same night after he had appeared vnto him in a dreame he commaunded him to aske whatsoeuer blessing as he imagined sufficient to recompence this his pietie But Salomon required a most high and excellent thing which God doth most liberally bestow and men in like sort very happily receiue For he demanded neither gold nor siluer nor any otherkind of riches such as a youthly man would require for these are onely affected by the common sort when the other are onely worthy of the diuine magnificence But giue me said he O Lord a ripe iudgement and a good vnderstanding to the intent that by these meanes I may administer iustice to this people with truth and equitie With this demaund of his God was greatly delighted and promised him to giue him all other things wherof he had made no mention namely riches and glorie and aboue all these such an vnderstanding and wisedome as no one man either king or priuate hath had before him Moreouer that he would continue the kingdome in his family for many ages if so be that he continued in the waies of iustice and obeyed God in all things and walked in his fathers waies in imitating his chiefest vertues After that Salomon had receiued these blessings from God and was made happy by these promises he forsooke his bed and worshipping God returned vnto Ierusalem where he offered great sacrifices before the Tabernacle and magnifically feasted all those of his houshold About the same time a verie difficult iudgement was brought him to decide the resolution whereof was very hard to bee discouered And I haue thought it necessarie to declare the occasions whereon at that present the debate was grounded to the end that the readers may vnderstand the difficultie of the cause in question and that if they happen at any time to be assistant in such like affaires they might draw as it were from the counterfeit of this kings wisedome a perfect modle whereby they may directly shape an answere to such demaunds as shall be offered them Two women of loose and lustfull conuersation came vnto him one of which who seemed to haue suffered the iniurie began after this manner I O king said she and this woman dwell togither in one chamber but so it fortuned that both of vs on one day and at the same houre bare each of vs a sonne some three daies after we were brought a bed this woman lying by her infant hath in sleepe ouerlaid it and stifled it and hath taken my childe from betweene my knees and laid it by her and setled the dead childe whilest I slept in my bosome Now on the morrow when I thought to offer the teate vnto mine infant I found not mine owne but perceiued that her child lay dead by me for I knew it because I had exactly marked it This my childe I haue redemaunded at her hands and because I could not recouer it I haue made my recourse vnto your maiesties iustice O king for in that we were sole women and she is obstinate and feareth not to be
this cause he was sought for by the kings wife that he might be done to death The voice replied againe and commaunded him to shew himselfe openly assuring him that he should vnderstand that which it behooued him to performe Hereupon as soone as it was day he forsooke the caue he heard an earthquake and saw a light and after all things were appeased the heauenly voice which proceeded he knew not from whence willed him that he should in no waies be discomforted with that which he saw for that no one of his enemies should haue power to hurt him charging him to return vnto his house to the intent to proclaime Iehu the son of Nimsi king of the people and Azael of Damasco king of the Syrians certifying him that in his place Elizeus of the citie of Abela should be prophet and that the wicked people should be destroied the one by Azael the other by Iehu When Elias had heard these things he returned into the countrey of the Hebrewes and met Elizeus the son of Saphat at the cart and with him diuers others driuing before them twelue couple of oxen him did he approch and cast vpon him his garment who instantly began thereupon to prophetize so that forsaking his oxen he followed Elias Yet required he him that before his departure hee might take leaue of his parents which licence when he had obtained he committed them vnto God and followed Elias attending on him during all the terme of his life like his disciple and seruant This issue had the affaires of this so excellent a Prophet But a certaine Citizen called Naboth of the Citie of Azar had a vineyard neere vnto the lands of Achab who required him that he would sell him the same at what price he thought conuenient at his owne election to the intent he might annex the same to his owne lands and make them all but one possession wishing him that if he would not sell it him for siluer to choose in exchange thereof any one field of his that best liked him Naboth answered him that he would not doe it but that he intended to gather the fruit of his owne land himselfe which he had receiued as an inheritance from his father The King no lesse tormented then if he had lost his owne inheritance in that he might not bee master of an other mans patrimony would neither wash nor receiue any sustenance For which cause Iezabel his wife questioned with him as touching the cause of his discontent and how it came to passe that he neither washt dinde nor supt who told her of Naboths rude behauiour and how hauing vsed al iust and reasonable composition vnto him in abasing himselfe more then his royall authoritie permitted he had been outraged by him in that he obtained not the thing which he requested at his hands Hereupon Iezabel willed him to be of good cheer aduising him that dismissing his displeasure he should continue his ordinarie entertainment because she her selfe would take vpon her to reuenge him on Naboth Wherupon she presently sent letters in Achabs name to the gouernours of the countrey whereby she enioyned them to celebrate a fast and to assemble the people charging them that in that place Nabotl should haue a seat prepared for him by reason of his birth nobilitie willing them afterwards that suborning three impudent and false witnesses to depose against him that he had blasphemed against God and the king they should by this meanes and for this occasion cause him to be stoned and put to death by the people All which was performed according as the Queene had written and Naboth conuinced by false witnesse for scandalizing both God and the King was stoned by the people and put to death When Iezabel had tidings hereof she repaired to the kings presence and told him that he should enioy Naboths vineyard and disburse nothing for the same But God displeased with this her wickednesse sent the Prophet Elias purposely to meete with Achab in Naboths ground and to tell him that he iniustly possessed the lawfull inheritance of a legitimate heire whom he had done to death As soone as the King perceiued that he came vnto him supposing it to be vnseemely for a king to be reproued he first of all confessed the fault and offered him to make restitution according to his arbitrement Then did the prophet foretel him that in the same place where Naboths carkasse was consumed by dogs that both his and his Queenes bloud should be shed and that all his race should be destroied for that they durst commit such an impietie and so wickedly slaughter against all law so good and guiltlesse a Citizen At length Achab vpon these words was seazed with displeasure repented for the offence he had committed so that apparelling himselfe in sackcloth and walking barefoote he tasted not any meate but confessed his sinnes vnder hope to appease Gods wrath For which cause God certified him by the Prophet that during his life time the punishment of his race should be deferred because he had repented him of his misdeeds but that the threats and menaces should take effect in his sonnes time all which Elias signified vnto the king CHAP. VIII Adad King of Damasco and Syria fighteth at two seuerall times with Achab and is ouerthrowne by him WHilest Achabs affaires were after this manner disposed the sonne of Adad that raigned ouer the Syrians and those of Damasco assembled the forces of his whole countrey and associated with himselfe two and thirtie other kings with whom he came and made warre against Achab. Who being farre inferiour to him in forces came not out into the open field to bid him battell but closing vp his souldiers in his strongest cities he himselfe retired into Samaria which was begirt with a very strong wall and generally very hard to be surprised For which cause the Syrian taking his army with him resorted to Samaria and incamping before the same intended to scale and batter the Citie But first of all he sent a Herauld to Achab to require him to giue audience to his embassadours which he would send vnto him by whom he should be certified what his resolution was As soone as the King of Israel had granted them free accesse the embassadours came and according to the kings directions required that Achabs goods his children and wife should be at Adads command which if he would confesse and suffer him to seaze so many of them as best liked him he would leuy the siege and batter the Citie no more Achab gaue the embassadours commission to certifie the King of Syria that both himselfe and all whatsoeuer was his was at his commaund Vpon which answere the King sent a second message vnto Achab enioyning him the next day to admit such of his seruants as hee should send vnto him to search his royall pallace and the houses of his friends and kinsmen and take from
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
euery one of the guests to drinke according to his discretion He sent also thorow out all the countrey commanding a cessation from all labour and that euery one should make holiday for many daies in honour of his roialty The Queene Vasthi also made a banquet vnto her women in the royall pallace Now whereas the king was desirous to shew the maiestie of his queen to those he had inuited he sent vnto her commanding her to resort vnto the banquet in more roiall manner then the rest of her attendants but she too curiously tied to the obseruation of the law of the Persians which forbiddeth women to be seene by strangers went not vnto the King and notwithstanding he sent his Eunuches diuers times vnto her yet persisted she in her refusall to come vnto him Whereupon the king mooued with displeasure gaue ouer his banquet arising therefro he called vnto him his seuen counsellers to whom according to the vse of the Persians it belonged to expound the lawes and accused his wife telling them how grieuously he had been wronged by her for that being sent for by him diuers times to accompany him at his banquet she had euerie way refused to obey him He therefore commanded them to declare their opinion what punishment appertained to her One amongst them called Muchaeus answered that the iniurie was not onely offered vnto him but to all the Persians who being after that manner despised by their wiues were like to passe their liues ignominiously for that no one of them would acknowledge duetie towards their husbands taking their example from the Queens disobedience which she shewed towards him who was the gouernour ouer all Whereupon he concluded that she that had thus dishonored him should be grieuously punished which done he thought it meete that this ordinance of the kings might be published thoroâ—… all nations that Queene Vasthi should be separated from his bed and another woman chosen in her place But the king who vehemently loued her and could hardly endure to be separated from her knowing that he could not keepe her contrarie to law was wholy deuoured in sorrow for that he might not be master of that which he desired Which when his familiars perceiued they counselled him to forget the memory loue of a woman so vnprofitable to send and seeke out thorow al his countries for the fairest woman amongst them whom he might choose and take to wife that surpassed all others in beauty for that by the interuiew company of an other woman the great affection which he bare vnto Vasthi might be extinguished The king allowing and ratifying this counsaile of theirs sent out certaine messengers and deputies commanding them to bring vnto his presence the fairest virgins that were to be found in his kingdome when as therefore they had assembled a great number of them they found in Babylon a yoong orphelin without either father or mother who was brought vp vnder her vncle whose name was Mardocheus of the tribe of Beniamin and one of the greatest men amongst the Iewes It came to passe that this Esther for such was her name was iudged to be the fairest amongst the rest who for her amiable countenance made all men stand at gaze to behold her She therefore was deliuered in charge vnto one of the Eunuches who carefully attended her with all the diligence that was possible decking her with odors and precious perfumes according to the custome of noble women and after this manner were foure hundreth virgins entertained for the space of six moneths Now when he that was put in trust with this commission thought these virgins to be sufficiently prepared and that they deserued to approch the princes bed he sent euery day one vnto the king to keepe him company who after some embraces sent her presently backe againe vnto the Eunuch But when as Esther came vnto his presence he setled his affection on her more then on all the rest and being surprised with hir loue he tooke her for his lawfull wife and the nuptials were solemnlie celebrated in the seuenth yeere of his raigne and in the twelfth moneth called by vs Adar and generally Februarie and he sent posts thorow all his kingdomes to proclaime a feast in honour of his marriage he himselfe also feasted the Persians and Medes and the Princes of the nations for a whole moneths space for the same cause At such time as Esther entred into the royall pallace he set a diademe vpon her head and so liued with her that he neuer questioned with her either of her birth or nation Her vnele also came from Babylon to Susa the chiefe citie of Persia where euery day he walked before the pallace gate enquiring how Esther did for that he loued her as deerely as if she had been his owne naturall daughter Now the king had made a law that no man should approch his presence except he were called during the time that he was in his throne round about his seat there stood certaine officers with their axes ready to punish those who being vncalled should attempt to approch the throne The king himselfe sate aloft and holding in his hand a golden scepter whensoeuer he intended to saue the life of any one that approched his throne vncalled he stretched forth the same and touched him therewith who being thus touched by these means auoided the penaltie of death And as touching these things we haue sufficiently spoken in this place Not long after this when as Bagathous and Theodestes two of the kings Eunuches had conspired against him Barnabazus who was of the Hebrew nation and one of their seruants disclosing their treason discouered it to the Queenes vncle Mardocheus who by her meanes made the king priuy to their conspiracie Who sore troubled herewith found out the truth by examination and after he had commanded them to be executed on the gibbet he for that time gaue no recompence to Mardocheus for the safegard of his life he onely commanded his name to be registred and chronicled in his commentaries commanding that he should attend in the pallace and be esteemed for one of the kings most inward friends Now as often as Aman the sonne of Amadath an Amalechite came vnto the pallace to visite the king all those that were either Persians or trangers according to the kings especiall direction did him honour But Mardocheus shewed him no honour both by reason of that vpright iudgement that was in him as also for that the lawes of the Iewes fâ—… bade the same Which when Aman had obserued he demaunded whence he was and vnderstanding that he was a Iew he was much displeased saying in himselfe that the Persians who were of freer condition cast themselues prostrate before him and he that was but a slaue disdained to do the like Intending therfore to reuenge himselfe on Mardocheus he thought it not sufficient to procure his punishment at the kings hands but resolued wholy
to beseech the King that it might be lawfull for him to put Mardocheus to death Now when the officers had brought the king tydings that Aman was before the pallace they were commanded presently to call him in As soone as he came into the kings presence he said vnto him Knowing that thou art my affectionate and onely friend I prithee giue me thy counsaile how I may condignly honour him according to my greatnesse whom I doe most affectionately loue Aman thinking the aduice he should giue should be giuen for himselfe because he supposed that he only was beloued by the king more then all others counsailed him that which in his opinion was the best in this manner For said he if you intend to inuest the man with glorie who as you say is beloued by you cause him to be mounted vpon a braue horse and let him be apparelled in a royall habit and put a chaine of gold about his necke and let some one of thy chiefest friends march before him and proclaime thorow out the Citie that thus is the man honoured whom the king loueth Aman gaue this counsaile in that he hoped that it should be his owne fortune But the king highly contented with this his aduise turning towards him spake thus vnto him Thou hast a horse a garment and a chaine seeke out therefore the Iewe Mardocheus and giue them him and match thou before him making this publike crie For said he thou art mine inward friend and it is verie decent that the execution of that thing be committed to thy trust which thou hast so faithfully counsailed And this commaund I to be done in this sort because Mardocheus hath been the preseruer of my life Aman hearing these words beyond al expectation was confused in his spirit being wholy discomforted knew not which way to turne him he therefore issued out hauing with him the horse the purple habite and the chaine of gold Meeting therefore with Mardocheus before the pallace who was cloathed in sackcloth he enioyned him to lay his mourning habite aside and to cloath himselfe in purple But he who was wholy ignorant of that which had hapned and supposing that he mocked him said O thou wickedest man amongst men doest thou thus mocke at our afflictions Notwithstanding being afterwards informed that the king had bestowed this honour on him for sauing his life and discouering the trecherie of those Eunuches that would haue slaine him he put vpon him the scarlet habite that the king wore ordinarily and put the chaine about his necke and afterwards mounting his horse he went round about the Citie Aman also walking before him and crying that thus should be dealt and done with him whom the king honoured loued and thought worthy of estimation Now after they had circuited the whole Citie Mardocheus gaue his attendance on the king but Aman came not in presence so much was he ashamed at that which had hapned for which cause he repaired home and told his wife and friends with teares of all that which had hapned who told him that it was no waies possible for him to reuenge himselfe as yet on Mardocheus because God was with him Now whilest they were discoursing and debating this matter togither Esthers Eunuches came to hasten Aman to the banquet and Sabuchadas one of the Eunuches seeing the gibbet erected in Amans lodging whereon he intended to execute Mardocheus demanded of one of the seruants wherefore it was raised vp and vnderstanding that it was for the queenes vncle whom Aman would require at the kings hands to the end he might put him to death for that time he held his peace But when the king being seated with Aman at the banquet required the Queene to declare what she would require that he might grant her she began to lament the danger of hir people saying that she with her whole nation were made a pray to the sword and that for that cause she brake out into that discourse For said she I had not troubled your maiestie neither had I been agrieued if you had commanded that all the Iewes should be sold and led away captiues to extreme miserie for that affliction might haue been borne she therefore praied him to redeeme them from those miseries When as therefore the king demaunded who it was that practised that tyrannic she began publikely to accuse Aman saying that he alone was that wretched and enuious man who had complotted their tragedie Hereupon the king was verie sore troubled and rose from the banquet to depart into the garden then began Aman to pray and beseech Esther to forgiue him his offence for that at that present he was in a dāgerous estate Now whilest he was fallen vpon her bed to beseech her fauour the king entred and grew the more displeased at that he saw and said O thou cursed amongst men darst thou attempt to enforce my wife Aman was wholy confounded with this question so as he had not a word to answere him Hereupon the Eunuch Sabuchadas stepping forth accused him for that he had found him in his lodging erecting a gibbet for Mardocheus assuring the king that one of his houshold seruants had told him it at such time as he was sent to call him to the banquet alleadging moreouer that the gibbet was fiftie cubits hie Which when the king vnderstood he adiudged Aman to no other death but that which he intended against Mardocheus and thereupon presently commanded that he should be hanged vpon the same gibbet vntill he were dead And in this place it behooueth me to admire the maiestie of God in considering what his wisedome and iustice is in that he not onely punished the wickednesse of Aman as he had deserued but also caused him to fall into the same snare which he had prepared for an other man Thus died Aman who had vniustly abused the kings friendshippe as for his goods they were giuen vnto the Queene After this the king called for Mardocheus vnto him for already he had notice that he was his wiues vncle and gaue him the ring which he had giuen vnto Aman the Queene likewise gaue him his goods and required the King to deliuer the nation of the Iewes from that dismay whereinto they were fallen thorow the perill of their liues letting him see those letters which were sent by Aman the Amadathite thorow all his countries assuring him that she could not liue to behold the death of her brethren and the totall ruine of her countrey The king assured her that he had vndertaken nothing that might discomfort her auowing to her that he would not contradict her will wishing her to write her selfe in the kings name all that which she would haue done in the behalfe of the Iewes promising that when she had done the same he would seale it with his owne seale giuing her authoritie to send the same thorow all his realmes to the end that they that read those letters
them also who before time had beene in his kingdome or that sithence likewise had beene brought thither and notwithstanding it was told him that the money that would be required for their ransome would amount to more then foure hundreth talents yet ceased he not to confirme that which he had promised But that it may more plainely appeare how great his royal magnificence was I haue thought good to insert in this place the copie of his edict which he sent abroad to this effect Whosoeuer of you that in my fathers seruice by bearing armes vnder him haue made any roades into Syria and Phaenicia and after the conquest of Iudaea haue taken any prisoners and brought them to our Cities and countries with an intent to sell them all they also who haue heretofore detained any or at this present haue any such captiues in their possession they are to set them at libertie that liue vnder their thraldome receiuing for the ransome of euery person six score drachmes namely the men of warre at such time as their wages shall be paid them as for the rest they shall receiue their money out of the kings treasury For I am of that opinion that contrarie to my fathers mind and against all right they haue beene taken prisoners and that their coūtry hath bin in this sort euilly intreated by the insolēcy of the soldiers who haue thought to make their profit and merchandize by them in transferring them into Aegypt Hauing therefore an especiall respect of iustice and intending to shew mercy to those who are wrongfully oppressed I commaund that all those Iewes who are detained in seruitude be discharged and that they who held them captiue receiue the ransome published by vs so as no deceit or fraud be vsed therein And to the end that our ordinance be exactly and fully fulfilled our will is that this edict of ours be publikely proclaimed three daies after it shall come vnto your hands and that those who hold such prisoners in their possession declare how many prisoners they hold For we suppose that in so doing it shall redound to our profit Moreouer it shall be lawfull for any man that will to accuse the contemners of this decree and our pleasure is that such as contradict the same shall haue their goods confiscate to the Kings vses When this edict of the Kings published to this effect was proclaimed abroad and that onely point was omitted that concerned those that before time had beene afterward the second time were led away prisoners in whose behalfe he had giuen no direction he shewed himselfe most bountifull in like manner toward these And gaue order that the number and tallie should be speedily gathered and the money distributed to the cōmittees tresurers appertaining to him Which being speedily performed in the space of seuen daies all the kings ordinance was accomplished and there was laid out for the ransomes of them all to the summe of more then foure hundreth and sixtie talents For the masters exacted sixescore drachmes for the children also grounding themselues vpon the kings edict by which it was ordained that for euerie person they should haue that summe extending the same euen vnto the children These things being thus magnificently exployted according to the kings commaund he gaue Demetrius in charge to make a decree as touching the translation of the bookes of the Iewes For the king did nothing rashly but administred all things with great wisedome and circumspection and for that cause the copie of Demetrius suggestion and the letters sent to this effect are orderly registred and recorded in writing The number likewise of the presents that were sent and by whom they were offered so that who soeuer shall behold the same he shall incontinently iudge by the curious workmanship the high perfection of the workman and by the excellencies of the pieces he shall incontinently know by whom each of them was fashioned The copie of the aduice and suggestion made by Demetrius is this Demetrius to the great king Health Most mightie Prince since you haue committed the trust vnto me to find out those bookes that are deficient in your librarie and to search for such volumes as hitherto haue beene hid from my sight to the end that I might gather them and perfect them and that those which are lost might be restored with all the diligence that thereunto belongeth after that I had vsed herein all the care that in me was possible I giue you to vnderstand that amongst others we want the books of the lawes of the Iewes For in that they are written in Characters and Hebrew words we haue had no notice thereof where through they haue beene more negligently handled then was behoouefull for that vntill this day it hath neuer hapned that any Princes thought hath extended so farre It therefore behooueth thee to haue them exactly interpreted for since that those lawes proceeded frō God himself it is most certaine that of all other lawes in the world they are the wisest and incorruptest For which cause Hecataeus the Abderite saith that neither Poets nor Historians haue made any mention of them neither of those who haue beene policied and gouerned vnder the same because in themselues they are pure and are not to be declared by impure lips May it therefore please your Maiestie to write vnto the high Priest of the Iewes commaunding him to send you sixe Auncients of euerie tribe such as he shall know to be most expert in their law by whom we may cleerely apprehend the sense contained in those bookes to the end that hauing the faithfull interpretation of those things that are contained therein we may collect and gather them together to the full satisfaction of your Maiesties desire When the king had in this sort beene both aduised and suggested he wrote vnto Eleazar the high Priest of the Iewes as touching this matter giuing him likewise to vnderstand of that libertie by him granted vnto the Iewes that were in his kingdome He sent him also fiftie talents of gold to make cups ewers and vessels with an infinite number of precious stones commaunding his coferers who had the charge of his Iewels to suffer the workmen to choose what stones they best liked Furthermore he willed that a hundreth talents should be giuen for the sacrifices and oblations and other vses of the temple But after that I haue declared what was the copie of the letter sent vnto Eleazar the high Priest and the manner howe hee obtained that sacerdotall dignitie I will set downe both the rich presents and their curious workemanshippe After the death of Onias the high Priest his sonne Simon surnamed the Iust succeeded him in his place who for that cause was so called by reason of the piety which he shewed toward God the good affection which he bare vnto his countrimen This Simon dying leauing behind him one onely son of yong tender yeres who was called Onias his
without discouering of his deliberation or enterprise against Philip and to tel them that for these reasons he leuied the siege first for the length thereof next for the strength of the place lastly for want of victuals and for many affaires that required some circumspect and carefull foresight in his kingdome Furthermore for that he thought it most expedient to capitulate with the besieged and contract friendship with all the nation of the Iewes promising and permitting them the exercise of their religion because they onely rebelled for that they were depriued of the same and for that he was assured that hauing the grant thereof they would each of them returne into their owne countries When Lysias had expressed and published these reasons all the army and the captaines approoued the same CHAP. XV. Antiochus giueth ouer his siege from before the Citie and entreth a league and alliance with Iudas WHereupon Antiochus sent a herauld to Iudas and those that were besieged with him promising them peace with permission to liue according to their religion Which conditions they willingly entertained and hauing taken an oath and assurance from the king they surrendred vp the temple Wherupon Antiochus entred the same and seeing it to be a place so well fortified he contrarie to his oath commanded his army to leuell the wall that enuironed the same with the ground which done he returned to Antioch leading away with him the high Priest Onias who was called Menelaus For Lysias had counselled the king to murther Menelaus if he intended that the Iewes should line in peace without any commotion and the rather because it was he onely who was the author of all these euils by reason of the counsaile he had giuen to Antiochus his father to inforce the Iewes to forsake their religion The King for that cause sent Menelaus vnto Beroea a Citie of Syria where he commanded him to be put to death after he had enioyed the high priesthood for the terme of ten yeeres He was a wicked and impious man who for his onely ambitious desire of authoritie had inforced our nation to reuolt from their religion As soone therefore as Menelaus was dead Alcimus was made high priest who was called Iacimus Now when Antiochus found that Philip had already conquered a great part of his countrey he fought with him and taking him prisoner slew him But Onias the sonne of the high priest whom as we haue heretofore declared was left an Orphan in his infancie seeing that the king had slaine his vncle Menelaus and giuen the priesthood to Alcimus who was not of the race of the priests and had transferred this honour into another family at the perswasion of Lysias he fled vnto Ptolomey King of Aegypt where being honourably entertained by the King and his Queene Cleopatra he obtained a place in the Heliopolitane signiorie where he builded a temple like vnto that which was at Ierusalem whereof wee shall hereafter haue more fit opportunitie to speake CHAP. XVI Bacchides generall of Demetrius army commeth to make warre against the Iewes and returneth backe againe vnto the king without performance of any thing AT that time Demetrius Seleucus sonne fled to Rome and tooke possession of Tripolis in Syria and after he had set the diademe vpon his head and had leuied and hired certaine souldiers he inuaded the kingdome where he was receiued to the generall content of all men who submitting themselues vnto him laid hold on the king Antiochus and Lysias and brought them aliue vnto him but he incontinently commanded that they should be put to death after that Antiochus had raigned two yeeres as we haue already declared in an other place To this new elected king diuers Iewes banished for their impietie and with them the high priest Alcimus made their resort who in general accused their nation and as principals Iudas and his brethren obiecting against them that they had slaine his friends and all such as were on his side and that among all those that were in the kingdome and expected his comming some of them were slaine and that the rest being driuen from their natiue countrey were banished into other places requiring him that he would send some one of his friends to take knowledge of the outrages committed by Iudas and his brethren Demetrius was much moued by these reports of theirs and for that cause sent Bacchides who was in times past much esteemed by Antiochus Epiphanes for his valour and to whose gouernment at that time all Mesopotamia was committed To whom he gaue an army ioyning with him the high priest Alcimus with commission to kill Iudas and his confederates Bacchides departing from Antioch with his army came into Iudaea and sent a certaine herauld to Iudas and his brethren to intreat with him vpon certaine articles of peace because his intent was to surprise them by some subtiltie and treacherie But Iudas smelling his drift gaue little trust vnto him for in that he came thither with so great an army he easily coniectured that he intended no peace but to make warre notwithstanding some of the people gaue eare vnto the peaceable proclamation of Bacchides and supposing that there was no sinister intent in Alcimus who was their countriman they submitted themselues vnder his gouernment Hauing therefore receiued an oth from them both that neither they nor any of their followers should any waies be endomaged by them they committed themselues to their protection But Bacchides setting light by his oth slue three score of them and by this breach of his faith towards these he caused others who intended to submit themselues to forsake and fly his gouernment As soone as therefore he had remooued his army from Ierusalem he came vnto the village of Bethzeth and there apprehending many of those which had fled and some others among the people he slue them all commaunding all those that liued in the countrey to obey Alcimus to whom he left in that place for the gard of his person a part of his army and that done he returned vnto Antioch to King Demetrius In the meane while Alcimus intending to assure his estate and gouernment and supposing that it should be so much the better confirmed if so be he could obtaine the good wil of the people he vsed all kind of plausible familiar speech vnto thē and deuising with euery man pleasantly graciously he adioyned in short time great forces to those which he had before amongst whom there were many fugitiues and vngodly men by whose helpe and assistance he marched thorow the countrey killing all those whom he found to be of Iudas faction Iudas perceiuing that Alcimus hauing gathered great forces had alreadie slaine diuers of the most vprightest men and such as feared God in all his nation he addressed himselfe also to ouerrunne the countrey and slue as many of Alcimus partakers as he could meet with Who perceiuing in himself that he was
vnable to resist Iudas made his account to recouer Demetrius fauour For which cause he repaired to Antioch incensed Demetrius grieuously against Iudas accusing him for inforcing many iniuries against him protesting that he should endure farre more except he were preuented and punished by a good army sent out against him CHAP. XVII Nicanor being sent after Bacchides to be chieftaine of the warre against Iudas is discomfited with all his army DEmetrius imagining that if Iudas should increase in power it should be some preiudice to his estate he sent Nicanor his most intire and faithfull friend to make war against him who was one of them also who accompanied him in his flight from Rome Hauing therefore furnished him in his owne opinion with a sufficient army and able to make head against Iudas he commaunded him to spare no one of that nation As soone as Nicanor came to Ierusalem he intended not incontinently to make warre vpon Iudas but cast with himselfe to surprise him by some subtiltie to this intent he sent him a peaceable message alledging that it was neither necessary not conuenient for him to fight or hazard his fortune protesting vnto Iudas that he would offer him no iniury and that he resorted thither with his friends onely to expresse the good affection of king Demetrius towards him and how well he was affected towards the nation of the Iewes Iudas and his brethren beleeued this false embassage of Nicanors and suspecting no kind of sinister dealing they gaue him credite and entertained both him and his armie When as therefore Nicanor had saluted Iudas he conserred with him and in the meane while gaue a signe vnto his souldiers to lay hands on him who perceiuing and discouering his treason betime incontinently brake from him and fled vnto his souldiours When Nicanor sawe that his intent and subtiltie was discouered he resolued to make open warre vpon Iudas and to bid him battell neere vnto a borough called Caphar-salama in which place obtaining the victorie he constrained Iudas to retire himselfe into the fortresse in Ierusalem When as therefore Nicanor returned from the siege of Iudas in the temple of Ierusalem certaine of the Priests and Elders went out to meet with him and after they had done their reuerence they shewed him those sacrifices which as they said they intended to offer vnto God for the kings prosperity and health But he blaspheming threatned them that if the people did not deliuer Iudas into his hands he would destroy the temple vpon his returne and with these menaces he departed out of the citie Which when the Priests heard they began to shed aboundant teares praying God that it might please him to defend his sacred tēple togither with those which called on his name therin from the violence and outrage of their enemies Whenas therefore Nicanor departing from Ierusalem arriued neere vnto the borough of Bethoron he encamped there and to that place a great supply of soldiers came vnto him out of Syria Now Iudas was encamped in an other borough called Adas about thirtie furlongs distant from Bethoron hauing with him at the most not aboue one thousand men Notwithstanding he exhorted his soldiers not to be afraid of the multitude of their enemies neither to thinke with themselues against how many they were to fight but against whom and for what recompence they were to fight to the intent they might altogether couragiously set vpon the enemy at such time as he should lead them forth to the onset Whereupon assailing Nicanor there arose a dangerous conflict betweene them wherein Iudas had the vpper hand for he slue a great number of the enemie and finally Nicanor himselfe fighting couragiously was slaine and as soone as hee fell downe dead his army betooke them to flight For hauing lost their chieftaine they dispersed themselues and cast away their weapons Iudas speedily pursuing them made a great slaughter and by sound of trumpet certified them of the neighbouring villages that he had discomfited the enemie Whereupon the inhabitants there about vnderstanding hereof betooke them to their weapons and meeting with those that fled in the foreward slue them so as no one escaped from this battell notwithstanding they were to the number of nine thousand This victorie hapned on the thirteenth day of the moneth Adar as our countrimen call it and the Macedonians Distre And hereof each yeere there is both a solemne feast and memoriall obserued From this time forward the nation of the Iewes were in quiet without any inuasion and liued in peace for a little time but afterwards they were troubled with the like combates and daungers Whereas therefore the high Priest Alcimus intended to beate downe an olde wall of the sanctnarie which had beene builded by the holy Prophets he was sodainly strooken by God so that he incontinently lost his speech and fell to the ground and after he had endured many grieuous torments for diuers daies at last he died miserably after he had enioied the Priesthood for the space of foure yeeres After his death the people with a generall consent gaue his place to Iudas Who vnderstanding of the great power of the Romanes and how they had conquered Gaule Spayne Carthage Greece and the Kings Perseus and Philip and besides all these the great King Antiochus determined to make friendshippe with them and sent Eupolemus the sonne of Iohn and Iason the sonne of Eleazar his two intire friends vnto Rome to intreate the Romanes to be their allies and confederates and to write vnto Demetrius that he should giue ouer to warre against the Iewes When the Embassadours that were sent from Iudas were arriued in Rome the Senate entertained them and after they had discoursed with them vpon the occason of their Embassage they accepted and concluded vpon their alliance and made a decree the copie whereof was then brought into Iudaea and the originall reserued in the Capitoll engraued in a Table of Brasse Which arrest or decree of the Romanes as touching their alliance and good affection they bare vnto the Iewes contained these articles That no man vnder the obedience of the Romanes should maintaine warre against the nation of the Iewes neither should furnish them with victuals shippes or siluer who should make warre vpon them And if any enemies should assaile the Iewes the Romanes should giue them succours to the vttermost of their power And that likewise if any one should make warre against the Romanes the Iewes should succour them That if the Iewish nation would adde or diminish any thing of that association it should be done with the common aduise of the people of Rome and that that which should be ordained should remaine irreuocable This arrest was written by Eupolemus the sonne of Iohn and by Iason the sonne of Eleazar at such time as Iudas was high Priest and his brother Simon generall ouer the army See heere how the first amitie and alliance was contracted
friends Moreouer in way of present I send you a purple robe and a crowne of gold exhorting you that since you are thus honoured by vs you will in like sort yeeld vs an answerable respect and friendshio Ionathan hauing receiued this letter inuested himselfe in the habite of the high Priest and the day of the feast of the Tabernacles which was the fourth yeere after the death of his brother Iudas For during al that time there had not been any high priest He assembled also a great number of souldiers and caused a great quantitie of armors and weapons to be forged When Demetrius heard these newes he was much troubled and accused himselfe of sloth and too much negligence in looking to his affaires for that he had not preuented Alexander in the courteous entertainment of Ionathan but had suffered him to take the benefit of this occasion He sent letters likewise to Ionathan and the people containing that which followeth King Demetrius to Ionathan and to all the nation of the Iewes Health Since you haue obserued the friendship that you beare vnto vs and haue not entangled your selues with our enemies notwithstanding their diuers sollicitations we praise your fidelity and pray you to perseuere in the same estate assuring you that you shall receiue the like fauours from vs in all integritie For I will forgiue you the greater part of the tributes and taxes that you haue vsually paid either to the kings my predecessors or to me and from this time forward I acquite you from those tributes you are to pay hereafter And moreouer I release you of the price of salt and of the gold which you were woont to giue vnto vs for our crowne We likewise acquite you of the thirds of the fruit of your lands and the halfe of the fruit of your trees which heretofore you haue been accustomed to pay me to keepe and hold them peaceably from this time forward I acquite you also at this present for euer of all that which the inhabitants of Iudaea and the three prouinces annexed therunto Samaria Galilee and Peraea are bound to pay me willing and commanding that the Citie of Ierusalem be held sacred and to haue the right of the freedome exempt from all tributes and tenths both in it selfe also all the countrey belonging thereunto And I commit the fortresse in the same to the hands of Ionathan the high Priest permitting him to plant such a garrison therein as in his opinion shall be held both honest and lawfull and such as will faithfully maintaine it to his vse I will also that all the Iewes who are imprisoned in my countrey be set at libertie Moreouer it is my pleasure that no horses of the Iewes be taken vp to runne post for vs. I grant also on the Sabboths and other festiuall daies yea three daies also before euery one of those feasts libertie and freedome be vsed And my will is that the Iewes who inhabit within my dominions be likewise freed of all molestations The like priuiledge grant I them that will beare armes with me to the number of thirty thousand who in what place soeuer they shall be shall haue no worser entertainment then mine owne army and part of them will I place in my garrisons the rest shall be of my guard and I will make them captaines in my court and will permit them to liue according to the ordinances of their countrey which they shall obserue and I wil also that the three gouernments annexed to Iudaea be made subiect vnto the same lawes My pleasure is in like manner that the high Priest shall take order that no Iew adore in any other temple then in Ierusalem and of mine owne charge I giue euery yeere a hundreth and fiftie thousand sicles of siluer to be emploied in making sacrifices and that which shall be ouer and aboue those sacrifices my pleasure is that it shall be yours Moreouer I acquite the Priests and ministers of the tēple of the ten thousand drachmes of siluer which the kings leuied on the temple because they appertaine vnto the Priests who serue in the temple as I haue been rightly enformed I grant also to all those who shall repaire vnto the temple of Ierusalem for refuge and within the precincts thereof whether it be for money due vnto the king or for any other cause that they be acquit thereof and receiue not any domage in their goods I permit also that the temple be repaired and builded at my charge My will is also that the walles of the Citie be reedefied and that certaine towers be builded about the same at my costs Furthermore if there be any places fit to build fortresses and strong holes in through all the countrey of Iudaea and to place garrisons in them my will is that all this be done and fortified at the charges leuied out of mine owne coffers These are the promises and offers that Demetrius made vnto the Iewes But king Alexander hauing gathered great forces as wel of strange hired soldiers as of those who in Syria had reuolted from Demetrius led foorth his whole army against the enemy and after the ensignes were displaied and the onset giuen the left wing of Demetrius compelled Alexanders souldiers that fought against it to flie and his men pursuing them hard at heeles spoiled their campe But the right wing in which the king himselfe was being forced to retire was discomfited and as for the rest they betooke them all to flight but Demetrius fighting valiantly slew some of his enemies and in pursuing other some who could not endure his fierce assault was in the end by setting spurres to his horse mainly carried into a deepe and muddy bogge whereinto by misaduenture his horse fell and being vnable to get out he was slaine in that place For being discouered by his enemies they turned backe vpon him and hauing inclosed him they altogither shot their arrowes against him who being on foote and fighting valiantly was at length slaine after he had receiued diuers wounds and was no more able to sustaine himselfe Thus died Demetrius who departed this life the eleuenth yeere of his raigne as we haue discoursed in an other place CHAP. VI. Onias winneth the fauour of Ptolomey Philometor and obtaineth leaue of him to build a temple in Aegypt which was called the temple of Onias BVt Onias the sonne of the high priest called also Onias who flying out of his countrey liued in Alexandria with Ptolomey Philometor as we haue heretofore declared seeing all Iudaea destroied by the Macedonians and their kings and intending in his heart to purchase an immortall memorie he determined to beseech the king Ptolomey and the queene Cleopatra by letters that it might be lawfull for him to build a temple in Aegypt resembling in all points that which was at Ierusalem and that he might haue liberty to plant Leuites and Priests in the same of his owne kinred And hereunto was
haue obeyed him Aristobulus submitted and in discontent repaired to Ierusalem with full intent to prepare for warre Not long after this when as Pompey marched towards him with his army certaine messengers comming from Pontus certified him of Mithridates death who was slaine by his sonne Pharnaces CHAP. VII They of Ierusalem shut their gates against the Romanes WHen Pompey was encamped neere vnto Iericho in which place there were a number of Date trees and where also groweth that balme which is the most precious of all other oyntments distilling from a little shrub which is opened and slit by a sharpe cutting stone the next morning he marched towards Ierusalem At that time Aristobulus being sorie for his misbehauiour came vnto him offering him money and promising him to receiue him into Ierusalem he besought him that dismissing publike enmities and quarrels he would peaceably doe what him listed hereafter Whereupon Pompey pardoned him and condescended to his request and sent Gabinius with his soldiers both to receiue the money as also to enter the citie but his purpose failed him in both for Gabinius returned because he was excluded out of the citie neither receiued he any money for that Aristobulus soldiers would not permit that any promise should be performed Hereupon Pompey waxed wroth so that after he had committed Aristobulus to prison he went in person against the citie which was strongly fortified on euerie side except toward the quarter that extendeth northward which was easie to be beaten downe for this side is inuironed with a large and deepe valley compassing the temple which is inclosed with a meruailous strong wall of stone CHAP. VIII Pompey taketh the Temple and lower part of the Citie perforce BVt within the Citie there grew a diuision and faction by reason of the difference and dissident opinions of those that kept the same for some thought good to yeeld vp the citie into Pompeies hands othersome that were of Aristobulus faction counsailed that the gates should be kept shut and preparation for warre should be made for that the Romanes detained Aristobulus prisoner These later preuailing more then the rest seazed the temple and breaking downe the bridge which was betwixt it the Citie addressed themselues to stand on their defence But the others not onely deliuered the Citie into Pompeies hands but the royall pallace also who sent Piso his lieutenant thither with his forces to take possessiō therof to plant his garrisons therein and to fortify the houses neere adioining the temple whatsoeuer conuenient habitation without the walles First therefore Piso offered the besieged certaine conditions of peace which for that they refused he fortified and shut them in on euerie side being in all these his indeuours assisted by Hircanus On the out side of the Citie Pompey incamped with his army on the north part of the temple which was the easiest and meetest side to be assaulted on this side also there were certaine high towers and a huge trench besides a deepe valley tha◅ begirt the temple For towards the citie all waies and passages were so broken vp that no man could either go vp or downe and the bridge was taken away on that side where Pompey was encampt Each day did the Romanes trauell earnestly to raise a mount and cutting downe all the timber round about them hauing fitly applied the same the trench being fild vp although very hardly by reason of the incredible depth thereof the Rammes and Engines that were brought from Tyre were addressed with which they inforced and darted stones against the temple and had not the ordinance of the countrey commaunded to keepe the Sabbath which was the seuenth day of the weeke holy and to labour in no sort on that day the Romans had neuer bin able to haue raised their bulwarke if they within the temple had opposed themselues against them For the law permitteth to defend themselues against their enemies at such time as they are assailed vrged to fight but not assaile them when they intend any other worke Which when the Romanes vnderstood they neither gaue assault nor proffered skirmish on those daies which we call Sabbaths but they built their fortifications and towers and planted their engines so that the next day they were readie to put them in vse against the Iewes And hereby it is easie to coniecture how incredible the piety of our nation is how studious industrious they be in obseruing the diuine lawes For notwithstanding any present or imminent feare yet desisted they neuer to offer their solemne sacrifices but twice a day in the morning about the ninth houre the Priests offered vpon the altar notwithstanding any difficultie or daunger of the siege that might happen they omitted not the course of their oblations For at such time as the temple was taken in the third moneth and on a fasting day in the hundreth seuentie nine Olympiade in the yeere wherein Caius Antonius and Marcus Tullius Cicero were Consuls the enemy entred the temple by force and slue those that withstood them Yet notwithstanding all this the priests ceased not to exercise their accustomed sacrifice and neither the hazard of their liues nor the great number of those that were dead could force them to fly but that they held it more conuenient for them to indure all things that might happen in attending vpon the Altar thē to transgresse or vary one iot from their ordinances And that this may seeme to be no fable or praise of their dissembled deuotion but the exact and perfect truth all those that write the Histories concerning Pompey and his actes do witnesse no lesse amongst the number of which are Strabo Nicholas Titus Liuius the Romane Historiographer the most famous among the rest The greatest of those towers was battered by these engines and fell bearing a great pane of the wall to the earth with it which was the cause that the enemies in multitudes brake in by the breach The first that ascended the wal was Cornelius Faustus the sonne of Sylla with his soldiers After him mounted the Centurion Furius accompanied with those that followed him on the other side and thorow the midst of the breach did the Centurion Fabius enter with a strong squadron The whole circuite was filled with murthers and some of the Iewes died by the Romanes swords other some slue one another the rest cast themselues downe headlong from the steepie places many likewise set fire on their houses and consumed themselues therein for feare they should behold the executions that were performed by their enemies There died about twelue thousand Iewes and verie few Romanes Absolom also who was Aristobulus father in law and vncle was taken prisoner The religion of the temple likewise was not a little prophaned For whereas before that time no prophane man eyther entered or beheld that which was in the temple Pompey and diuers others that accompanied him entred the
had afterwards endured many paines and miseries Furthermore that his friends were in great daunger and left besieged for which cause hee had sailed by winter and despised all daungers onely to seeke for assistance at his hands on whom depended his hope and last refuge CHAP. XXVI Herode is made king of Iury by the Romane Senate ANtonius hearing all those alterations that had befallen Herode had compassion of his misery bethinking himselfe of the estate and condition of great men who are likewise subiect to no lesse casualties and the rather was he induced to doe him good both in remembrance of the friendship he had with Antipater his father as also by reason of Herodes promises of certaine summes of money if so be he were made king by his meanes as he had beene before time declared Tetrarch But that which most moued him hereunto was the hatred which he bare vnto Antigonus whom he accounted to be a mutinons man and an enemy to the Romans fortune On the other side Caesar was wel inclined to succour him both in regard of those armies which Antipater had brought into Aegyptin his fathers seruice as also because of the good hospitality and kindnes that he had shewed him in all things as in especiall to gratifie Antonius who was well affected towards Herode Whereupon the Senate being assembled Messala and Atratinus brought forth Herode and after they had praised him and recited the benefits which the Romans had receiued by his father and the great affection and good will which he bare to the people of Rome they accused declared Antigonus for the Romanes enemy not onely for his ancient crimes but also for that in contempt of the Romans he had receiued the kingdome from the Parthians Whilest the Senate was sore displeased at the report of these things Antonius arose and declared openly before thē all that in furtherance of the Parthian warre it were not amisse that Herode should be made king which opinion of his was generally allowed and finally ratified The principall demonstration of the loue and affection which Antonius bare vnto Herode was that he not onely obtained him the kingdome beyond all hope for neuer thought he that the Romans would grant that dignity vnto him who were wont to reserue that honour to those of the kings bloud and therefore he intended to haue demaunded it for his wiues brother Alexander and nephew to Aristobulus by the fathers side and to Hircanus by the mother which Alexander Herode afterwards put to death as it shall be declared in place conuenient but also for that within the terme of seuen daies he sent him out of Italy with the vnexpected titles of his felicitie As soone as the Senate weas risen Antonius and Caesar issued forth leading Herode betweene them and being accompanied by the Consuls and other magistrates went vp into the capitol to do sacrifice and to place there this decree the Senate had made as touching this matter The first day of Herodes raigne Antonius feasted him and after this sort was he established king in the hundreth eightie and fourth Olympiade in the yeere wherein C. Domitius Caluinus twice Consul and Caius Asinius Pollio were Consuls Meane while Antigonus besieged those that were in the castle of Massada who were plentifully furnished with all things necessary except it were water for which cause Ioseph Herodes brother that was within and two hundreth of his friends had concluded to flie vnto the Arabians for that they vnderstood that Malchus had repented himselfe of the fault he had committed against Herode But whilest they stoode vpon these termes God powred downe a huge raine on a certaine night that in short time filled their cestemes in such sort as that they had no more necessitie to flie and from that time forward they waxed confident and for that this abundance of water befel them by Gods prouidence they made a sallie vpon their enemies in which they charged Antigonus soldiers after such a maner somtime in open field sometime by couert assault that they slue a great number of them At that time Ventidius a Romane captaine was sent into Syria to driue the Parthians from thence after their departure he arriued in Iury making shew that he would assist Ioseph but in effect all his pretence was to draw money form Antigonus Being therefore encamped neer vnto Ierusalem and hauing drawn sufficient money from Antigonus he retired himselfe with the greater part of his forces and to the intent his deceitfull dealing might not be discouered he left Silo with a company of his soldiers who likewise was honoured by Antigonus for feare least he should be cause of some newe trouble before such time as the Parthians whose comming he expected should yeelde him aide CHAP. XXVII Herode returneth from Rome by sea and fighteth against Antigonus AFter that Herode was come from Italy by sea to Ptolemais and that he had assembled no small number of soldiers both straungers and his owne countrimen he marched forward against Antigonus and passed thorow Galilee Silo and Ventidius also gaue him assistance in this action hauing receiued direction by Gellius from Antonius that they should assist Herode to recouer his countrey But Ventidius was employed in appeasing the troubles that were raised in the cities by the Parthians and as touching Silo he kept in Iudaea hauing beene corrupted by Antigonus But the further that Herode daily marched into the countrey the more and more increased his forces and all Galilee except a very few submitted themselues vnto him Whilest therefore hee marched forward toward Massada being vrged thereunto in that he was to relieue his parents that were besieged therein the citie of Ioppe would not grant him passage for the citizens thereof were his enemies so that it behooued him first of all to ruinate the same to the end he might leaue no retreat or place of rescous for his enemy on his backe if so be he made towards Ierusalem Vpon which occasion Silo laying hold dislodged his army made thitherward whom when the Iewes did pursue Herode sallied out with a small company and put them to flight and saued Silo notwithstanding he fought very coldly and cowardly Afterwards being seazed of Ioppe he hasted onwards to deliuer his friends that were besieged in Massada but part of the inhabitants submitted themselues vnto him for the friendship they had borne vnto his father an other sort of them for the honour that they bare vnto him the rest admitted his goue◅ment in acknowledgement of those benefits they had receiued from them both But the greatest part was thereunto moued by the hope they had conceiued of their new elected king and the confirmation of his gouernment Thus by these meanes was his army mightily increased Whilest thus he marched forward Antigonus seazed those places that were fittest to lay ambushes in or to fight at aduantages by the way
in couert vntill such time as the passengers had recouered the plaine Now when the formost were past the ambush consisting of about some fiue hundreth horsemen sodainly charged Herode who was in the rereward when as therefore they had broken the former ranks whom they had met Herode with his troupe that was about him incontinently repulsed them and after he had encouraged his followers and whetted them on to the fight he wrought so much that he made those that fled to turne their faces and to fight so that the Barbarians were put to the sword on all sides The king also pursued them so long vntill at last he recouered that which had been taken by them which was a certaine number of sumpter horses and slaues But being charged afresh by others and they in greater number then those who encountred him at first he likewise rallying his forces togither charged and ouercame them and killing diuers of them he secured the way to those that followed after who al of them acknowledged him for their preseruer and guide When he drew neere vnto Samosata Anthony sent out his army in goodly array to meete and honour him and with all to succour him in that he had heard that the Barbarians had assailed him As soone as he came to Anthonies presence he entertained him kindly and after he had heard that which had befallen him in the way he embraced him in admiration of his vertue and did him great honour as to him whom a little before he had raised to royall dignitie Not long after this Antiochus surrendred the fort of Samosata to Anthony and vpon this occasion the warre was ended Whereupon Anthony committed the prouince with the army to Sosius and after he had commanded him to succour Herode he departed into Aegypt Sosius therefore sent two legions of souldiers before into Iudaea to succour Herode and afterwards hee followed with the rest of his army In the meane while Ioseph died in Iewry on this occasion that ensueth For forgetting his brother Herodes commandement which he gaue him at such time as he repaired to Anthony hee tooke to him fiue companies of souldiers which Machaeras had left him and marching towards Ierico to gather in the fruits of the field he pitched his tents vpon the mountaines And for that the Roman troupes were but newly leuied consisted of those men who were vntrained in the wars and for the most part were gathered out of the countrey of Coelesyria the enemies hauing aduertisement hereof assailed and surprised him in certaine places of disaduantage where there was a hot skirmish betweene them in which Ioseph died fighting valiantly and all his army was discomfited for six companies of them were slaine After that the dead bodies were at Antigonus command he cut off Iosephs head which Phaeroras his brother ransomed for the price of fiftie talents Which done the Galileans reuolting from their gouernours drowned Herodes partakers in the lake so that diuers commotions and troubles were raised in Iewry Machaeras he fortified the Castle of Geth This misfortune of Iosephs was reported to the king in a certaine suburbe of Antioch called Daphne who before the tidings had already conceiued some suspition and feare grounded vpon certaine dreames which gaue him certaine intelligence of his brothers death Departing therefore from thence with all expedition hee arriued neere to the mount Libanus where he tooke about 800. men with him and a Roman legion which he had and from thence came to Ptolemais from whence he departed with his army by night and crossed Galilee with them Wherupon the enemies came forth against him and were ouercome by him and shut vp in a fort from whence they were departed but the day before where Herode assailed them by breake of day But being vnable to offer them any preiudice by reason of the indisposition of the weather he led his men into the villages neer adioyning But when Antonius second legion was come and annexed to his forces they that were within the forte were dismaied and forsooke the same by night So that Herode marched with all diligence to Iericho with an intent to reuenge his brothers death and being encamped neere vnto the same hee banquetted and entertained the chieftaines of his armie and after the feast was ended and he had dismissed his companie hee withdrewe himselfe into his lodging In vvhich place it appeared how much God loued the king for the roofe of the house where hee had solemnized his feast fell downe vvithout hurt to any one vvhomsoeuer for no man was left vvithin it Whence it came to passe that each one perswaded himselfe that Herode vvas beloued by God considering hee had auoyded so great and vnexpected a perill The next day sixe thousand of his enemies came downe from the toppe of the mountaines to fight with him who affrighted the Romanes and their forelorne hope chased Herodes soldiers with darts and stones who was himselfe also hurt in the thigh with an arrow Antigonus sent a captaine to Samaria whose name was Pappas with some soldiers intending thereby to signifie vnto his enemies that he had more men of warre then he needed Pappus drew neere to Machaeras the Romane captaine and as touching Herode he tooke fiue cities by force and put some two thousand of them that were in garrison to the sword and afterwards hauing set the houses on fire he went out to encounter Pappus who was encamped in aborough called Isanas Diuers that came from Iericho Iurie submitted themselues to Herode who drawing neere the enemie who marched forward with great hardines fought with him and ouercame him and being inflamed with a great desire that he had to reuenge his brothers death he pursued them that fled and slue them euen within their borough The houses were incontinently filled with men of war and diuers fled hid themselues vpon the tops therof who were at last taken for the roofes of the houses were beaten downe and he saw that all was filled with soldiers whereby diuers were slaine by stones that were darted at them from aboue and afterwards cast and kild them by heapes which was the most grieuous spectacle of all those that had hapned in those warres to see an infinite number of bodies hidden one vnder another amidst the roumes of the houses This exploite of Herode did verie much abate the courage of his enemie who hereafter expected farre more worse fortune at his hands For a man might haue seene them flie away in heapes and had not a sodaine and forcible tempest fallen vpon them the triumphant army of Herode had incontinently entered Ierusalem with assurance of victory which had made a finall end of all that warre For Antigonus each day bethought him how to fly away and to forsake the citie But for that it was alreadie growen darke Herode commaunded his soldiers to refresh themselues and for that he himselfe was wearie
Emperour droue out of his kingdome and placed his younger brother Tigranes in his roome as it shall be declared hereafter As for the tributes of the countries which Herode was bound to pay vnto Cleopatra for the lands bestowed on her by Antonius he without deceit iustly paid them supposing it to be verie incident to his securitie to continue himselfe in her good fauour As for the Arabians they seeing that Herode had the leuying of such a tribute paied him for some little time two hundreth talents a yeere but afterwards they grew slow and negligent in their paiments and scarcely satisfied the halfe and that also verie negligently CHAP. VI. Herode maketh warre with Aretas at the same time that Antonius is ouerthrowne by Augustus Caesar in his Actian warre ARetas demeasning himselfe thus vngratefully and refusing to doe that which in right he ought to performe Herode made a shew to take armes against him but deferred his reuenge in regard of the contentions amongst the Romans For at that time nought else was expected then the Actian warre which fell in the hundreth eightie and seuenth Olympiade in which Augustus Caesar determined to trie his title with Antonius for the Monarchie In the meane while Herode who had alreadie for many yeeres beene master of a peaceable and fruitfull country from whence he drew rich reuenues many forces gathered diuers companies of men with the greatest expedition that he might to succour Antonius But he by letters signified vnto him that he had no need of his assistance notwithstanding he commaunded him to make a road vpon the Arabian whose perfidious dealing Antonius had not only vnderstood by Herode himselfe but also by Cleopatras aduertisements For she verie cunningly conceiued that it woulde redound vnto her profit if one of these two should ouerthrow the other Herode according to these instructions from Antonius returned backe into his countrey and retained his armie alwaies readie about him and incontinently with the same inuaded Arabia and with his forces both horsemen and footmen came directly to Diospolis where the Arabians hauing notice of his intended warre against them came out to meete him In this place fought they a most cruell battell wherein at the last the Iewes had the vpper hand After this a great army of Arabians assembled themselues at Cana a certaine place in Coelesyria Whereof when Herode was foreaduertised he marched forth against them accompanied with the greater part of his forces As soone as he drewe neere to Cana he determined to incampe in that place and after he had well fortified and entrenched his forces to set on the enemie vpon the first oportunity but whilest he imployed himselfe in the execution hereof all the armie of the Iewes cried out requiring him without delay to lead them forward against the Arabians And thus highly were they incouraged both in respect of the confidence they had in the good administration and ordering of their army as in regard of their forwardnes who had beene actors in the former warre and partakers of the victorie so that they scarce gaue their enemie leasure to settle themselues to their weapons Whenas therefore Herode perceiued that the heat and forwardnes of the soldier could hardly be appeased he thought good to make vse of the readines of his army and arming himselfe he marched formost being seconded by his soldiers in battell ray with a folderlike march This sodaine approch of his wonderfully abashed the Arabians For although for a while they made head against them yet perceiuing their enemies full of heart and themselues vnable to resist them diuers of them retreated and betooke themselues to flight so that all of them had beene vtterly defeated had not Athenio endomaged Herode and the Iewes For he hauing the commaund of that armie which Cleopatra had in that place and besides that bearing a priuie grudge towards Herode disposed his army in a readines expecting the euēt of the battell resolued with himselfe to containe his forces if the Arabians ouercame the Iewes and if so be they had the worst as indeed it came to passe to set vpon the Iewes who should be spent by that time and surprising them at vnawares euen in the height of their hope of good happe to massacre and slaughter them with his fresh supplies When as therefore the Iewes had spent all their strength against their professed enemies and expected nothing lesse then the assurance of the victory he charged and ouercame them who had retreated into certaine rough and difficult places whereunto their enemies were better accustomed then themselues where being grieuously wounded and ill intreated by the Arabians who returned backe and set vpon them diuers of them that fled were slaine and died sundrie kindes of deaths and of those that escaped few of them recouered the campe Herode losing the hope of this battell posted on horsebacke as fast as he might to bring on fresh supplies but notwithstanding all his expedition and diligence yet could he not recouer the place in due time but that the campe of the Iewes was taken and sacked and the Arabians obtained no smal good hap beyond their expectation becomming Lords of that victorie which was wholy vnexpected by them and wherin they slew a great number of their enemies From that time forward Herode began to make certaine incursions and roades into Arabia praying the countrey and doing them much mischiefe He encamped himselfe likewise vpon the mountaines forbearing to draw his whole forces into the field notwithstanding by his diligence and industrie in trauell his labours were not fruitlesse but that preuailing in some exploites he sought out all meanes to abolish and put away the ignominie of his former discomfiture CHAP. VII Of the earthquake that hapned in Iewry AT such time as Caesar and Anthony made triall of their titles in the Actian warre and in the seuenth yeere of the raigne of king Herode there hapned such an earthquake in the countrey of Iudaea that neuer the like was seene in any other place so that diuers beasts were slaine thereby and many men were ouerwhelmed with the ruines of their houses and perished to the number of ten thousand Onely the men of warre receiued no domage because they encamped in the open field The Arabians hearing tidings hereof which were made farre greater by report then they were in effect by such who in fauour of the Arabians and hate of the Iewes reported the same waxed proud yea so much was their courage increased hereby as if all the Cities of Iewry had been already ouerthrowne and the men thereof extinguished and as if they had no aduersaries remaining aliue to contradict them For which cause laying hold of those embassadours of the Iewes who came vnto them to intreat of peace in their desperate estates they slew them and afterwards in the heate of their spleen set vpon their enemies campe But the
should demaund what he meant he should certifie him that Mariamme hauing prepared a poison for his grace had dealt with him to deliuer it to his maiestie Charging him moreouer that if the king in hearing him speake of this portion should seeme to be mooued therewith that then he should proceede no further in his discourse He therefore being in this manner before hand instructed what he ought to doe at that very instant was sent in to discouer his treacherie vnto the king for which cause with a sober and staied countenance be entred in vnto him being seriously and well prepared to discourse and told him that Mariamme had bribed him to present his Maiestie with an amorous cup of drinke Now when he perceiued that the king was troubled with these words he prosecuted his discourse alleaging that the potion was a certaine medicine which Mariamme had giuen him the vertue whereof he knew not which he had receiued according as he had told him knowing that it concerned both his owne securitie and the kings safetie Herode who before this was highly displeased hearing these words was so much the more incensed for which cause he presently commanded Mariammes most faithfull seruant to be examined by torments as concerning the poison supposing that it was impossible for her to vndertake any thing whatsoeuer without his priuitie He being tired and tormented after this cruell manner confessed nothing of that for which he was tortured but declared vnto the king that the hatred which his wife had conceiued against him proceeded from certaine words that Sohemus had told her Scarcely had he finished these words but that the king cried out with a loud voice saying that Sohemus who before time had beene most faithfull both to him and his kingdome would not haue declared these his priuie commands except there had been some more inward familiaritie and secrecie betwixt him and Mariamme for which cause he presently commanded his ministers to lay hands on Sohemus and to put him to death As for his wife he drew her to her triall and to this effect he assembled his most familiar friends before whom he began to accuse her with great spight and spleene as touching these potions and poisons aforesaid wherin he vsed intemperate and vnseemly speeches and such as for their bitternesse did ill become him in cause of iustice so that in the end the assistants seeing the butte and bent of his desire pronounced sentence of death against her which being past both he and all other the assistants were of this opinion that she should not so speedily be executed but that she should be kept close prisoner in some sure place of the pallace But by Salomes sollicitations Herode was incited to hasten her death for that she alleaged that the king ought to feare least some sedition should be raised amongst the people if he should keepe her aliue in prison And by this meanes Mariamme was led vnto her death Alexandra her mother considering the estate of the time and fearing no lesse mischiefe from Herodes hands then her daughter was assured of she vndecently changed her minde and abiectedly laid aside her former courage and magnanimitie For intending to make it knowne that she was neither partie nor priuie to those crimes wherewith Mariamme was charged she went out to meete her daughter and entertained her iniuriously protesting publikely that she was a wicked woman vngrateful towards her husbād and that she wel deserued the punishment that was adiudged her for that she durst be so bold to attempt so hainous a fact neglecting to requite her husbands intire loue with her vnfained loyaltie Whilest thus dishonestly she counterfaited her displeasure and was readie to pull Mariamme by the haire the assistants according to her desert condemned her generally for her shamefull hypocrisie but she that was led to be punished conuicted her by her mild behauiour For first of all she gaue her no answere neither was any waies altered by her reproches neither would so much as cast her eie vpon her making it appeare that she discreetly concealed and couered her mothers imperfections was agrieued that she had so openly shewed so great indignitie expressing for her owne part a constant behaiour and going to her death without chaunge of colour so that those that beheld her perceiued in her a kind of manifest courage and nobilitie euen in her vtmost extremitie Thus died Mariamme hauing beene a woman that excelled both in continence and courage notwithstanding that she defaulted somewhat in affabilitie and impatience of nature for the rest of her parts she was of an admirable and pleasing beautie and of such a cariage in those companies wherein she was intertained that it was impossible to expresse the same in that she surpassed all those of her time which was the principall cause that she liued not graciously and contentedly with the king For being entertained by him who intirely loued her and from whom she receiued nothing that might discontent her she presumed vpon a great and intemperate libertie in her discourse She disgested also the losse of her friends verie hardly according as in open termes she made it known vnto the king whereby also it came to passe that both Herodes mother and sister and himselfe likewise grew at ods with her and in especiall her husband from whom onely she expected no hard measure After her death the king began more powerfully to be inflamed in his affections who before times as we haue declared was alreadie miserably distracted For neither did he loue after the common manner of maried folke but whereas almost euen vnto madnes he nourished this his desire he could not be induced by the too vnbridled manners of his wife to alay the heat of his affection but that daily more and more by doting on her he increased the same And all that time especially he supposed that God was displeased with him for the death of Mariamme his wife Oftentimes did he inuocate her name and more often vndecently lamented he her And notwithstanding he deuised all kind of delights and sports that might be imagined by preparing banquets and inuiting guests with princely hospitalitie to passe away the time yet all those profited him nothing For which cause he gaue ouer the charge and administration of his kingdome And in such sort was he ouerwhelmed with griefe that oftentimes he commaunded his ministers to call his wife Mariamme as if as yet she had beene aliue Whilest thus he was affected there befell a pestilence within the citie that consumed a great sort of the people and the better part of the nobilitie and each man interpreted that this punishment was inflicted by God vpon men for the vninst death of the Queene Thus the kings discontents being by these meanes increased he at last hid himselfe in a solitarie wildernesse vnder pretext of hunting where afflicting himselfe incessantly at last he fell into a most grieuous sicknes
and delight At the foote of this hill there are two houses worthie the sight for diuers their singularities namely by reason of those conduits of water which although they spring or in that place yet notwithstanding are they brought from farre with great cost and expence The plaine that adioyneth vpon it is all full of buildings after the manner of a citie and the top of the castle commaundeth all the plaine As soone as therefore he had disposed all his affaires according to his hearts desire he possessed his kingdome in great quietnes for that he made his subiects obediēt vnto him both by feare in shewing himselfe inexorable when it concerned him to punish and by liberality whereby he prouided for their publike necessities he therefore tooke an especiall care of himselfe as if the life and safetie of his person had beene the securitie of his people He behaued himselfe officiously and fauourably towards all forraine cities he entertained the princes by presents which according to his occasions he sent vnto them to insinuate himselfe into their fauours being in his owne nature magnificent and fit to gouerne so that all his fortunes increased and all things fell out happily according to his hearts desire True it is that the care which he imployed in honouring Caesar and other mightie magistrates of Rome caused him to outstrip his customes and to falsifie diuers ordinances of his countrey in building cities and erecting temples in honour of them although he builded them not in the land of Iury for the Iewes would not haue endured it because we are forbidden to honour Images and figures formed according to the likenes of a man as the Greekes are accustomed to do but he did this in the countrey and forraine cities and excused himselfe to the Iewes saying that he did it not of his owne head but performed that according to the charge and commaundement which he had from others who were greater then himselfe and in the meane while gratified Caesar and the Romanes in that he respected their honour more then he did the ordinances of his countrey although in all things he had a respect to his particular aduantage and determined with himselfe to leaue behind him after his death large and ample testimonies of his power and greatnes which was the cause that he builded cities with great charge and expence CHAP. XIII The building of the Citie of Caesarea WHen as therefore he had found out a fit and conuenient place vpon the sea coast to build a citie on which of long time had beene called the tower of Straton he both magnificently designed and set downe the modell and forme thereof and made many sumptuous buildings both of royall pallaces and of other priuate lodgings not builded after a sleight manner or of weake and fading matter but of marble stone But the greatest and busiest worke of all was the hauen which he made exempt and free from stormes and tempests that in greatnes resembled that of Piraeus and was so spacious that it was able to receiue many great ships into the road and had diuers roumes and warehouses to lay vp the merchandize therein And the more admirable was this pile because the stuffe that was fit to finish this so great work was not gathered or gotten in that place but must needly be brought from another place vpon great charge and expence This citie is seated in Phoenicia vpon the coast in the way to Aegypt betweene Ioppe and Dora certaine villages scituate vpon the sea coasts vnfit either for landing or harbour by reason of the Affricke wind that driuing the sand of the sea vpon the shore giueth not any quiet road vnto the ships but that the marchants are enforced for a long time to ride at ancor To correct this incommoditie of the place he made the circuit round about the port so spacious that it was able to receiue a great fleet and he cast downe to the bottome thereof which was about some twentie fathoms deepe certaine huge stones that for the most part were fifty foot long eight foot broad and nine foot high some more and some lesse The pile that was erected vpon this to affront the sea was a pane of two hundreth foot the halfe whereof was opposed against the waues to breake the fury of the streame and for this cause was called in the Greeke tongue Procymation that is to say Before floud The other halfe serued as a foundation to beare vp a wall of stone fortified with diuers towers the chiefest whereof was a faire pile or building which was called Drusus in memorie of Drusus Caesars sonne in law who died very young it had also diuers retreats or hostries in the same into which the mariners were receiued and lodged The descent being hard by encompassed all the portlike a round platforme that serued for a pleasant walking place for whom soeuer listed The entrance and mouth of the hauen was toward the north which is a wind that of all other most purifieth and cleanseth The supporter and strength of all the circuit on the left hand vpon the entrance to the port was an ample and huge tower to fasten it the more strongly and on the right hand were two huge pillars of stone more higher then the tower that stood opposite against them erected and fastned togither All round about the hauen there were certaine buildings abutting one vpon another of pollished marble and in the midst there was a little hillocke on which there was a certaine monument placed in honor of Caesar which presented it selfe to their sight who sayled to the port in which there were the figares of the Citie of Rome and of Caesar. This citie also was called Caesarea as much to be wondred at for the matter whereof it was built as for the arte whereby it was erected and no lesse cunning was there shewed in the vaults and conduits vnder ground then in those buildings that were aboue them some of them were conuaied toward the port and discharged themselues into the sea by certaine compassed spaces but there was one that went athwarts that comprehended all the rest to the end that there by the raine-water and the clensings of the Citie might be conuaied into the sea and that when the sea should flow it might wash and cleanse all the citie He erected also a Theater of stone and behinde the same to the Southward an Amphitheater that was able to receiue a great number of men and so pleasantly and fitly scituated that stom the same a man might discouer the sea This Citie was finished at the end of twelue yeers during which time the king was neither wearied by intending the worke nor negligent in furnishing the necessarie charges After this perceiuing that the Citie of Sebaste was already inhabited also hee resolued to send his two sonnes Alexander and Aristobulus to Rome to present them vnto the Emperour Caesar who no sooner
were taken from the Barbarians which king Herode had placed there with all those spoiles which he had taken frō the Arabians In a corner on the north side there stood a verie strong and defenced fortresse builded by the Asmonians who were Herods predecessors and had beene both kings and high priests and had imposed a name on that tower which was Baris in which they kept the priestly vesture where with the high priest was wont to be adorned at that time onely when he was to offer sacrifice King Herode kept the same in that place and there remained it after his death vntill the time of Tiberius Caesar vnder whom Vitellius gouernour of Syria came vnto Ierusalem where he was entertained by all the people with as great magnificence as was possible and being desirous to acknowledge the fauours that he had receiued at their hands being requested by them that they might haue the keeping of the high priests ornaments he wrote vnto Tiberius Caesar to grant them that fauour til the death of king Agrippa the Iewes had the same in their possessiō But after that Agrippa was dead Cassius Longinus that gouerned Syria Cuspius Fadus lieutenant of Iudaea commaunded the Iewes to return the same into the fortresse Antonia saying that the Romans ought to be Lord therof as they had beene in times past For which cause the Iews sent embassadors vnto Claudius Caesar to request his fauour therin who arriuing at Rome found the young king Agrippa there who besought the Emperour that it might be lawfull for him to haue the keeping of the habit who commaunded Vitellius the gouernour of Syria to deliuer it vnto his hands Before time it was kept vnder the seale of the high priest and the custodie of the tresurers on the eeue of a certaine solemne feast the tresurers went vp to the captain who kept the forttesse for the Romans and after they had opened their seale they tooke the habit and after the feast was past they returned it backe againe vnto the same place and shut it vp vnder the same seale in the presence of the captaine All which we haue thought good to lay open to make the diuersitie knowne that was vsed in that care After that Herode had in this sort builded this strong tower for the securitie and guard of the temple he called it Antonia for the loue of Antonius his friend and one of the chiefest men in Rome In the westeme part of this porch there were foure gates whereof the one opened vpon the kings pallace to which there was a direct way thorow the midst of the valley the two others led vnto the suburbes and the fourth opened vpon the rest of the citie and gaue open passage vnto the same by the meanes of a number of staires by which men might descend to the foot of the valley and from thence there was an ascent by other staires to ascend vpwards For the citie was scituate neere vnto the temple after the manner of a theater and was bended to the southward by a deepe valley As touching the fourth side turned toward the south it had likewise certaine gates in the midst thereof and vpon the same there was a triple gallery verie royall and princely the length whereof extended from the orientall valley as farre as the westerne For it was impossible to extend it any further This worke was one of the most famous peeces that was euer seene vnder the sunne For the depth of the valley was so great that it was impossible for a man to see the bottome if he looked downward from the higher part and notwithstanding on the same he erected this porch of so great a height that but to looke from the toppe thereof and to consider the depth as well of the valley as the height of the porch it would make a man giddie and his eye could not peirce vnto the immesurable bottom of the same It had in length foure rankes of pillars opposed the one right ouer against the other for the fourth pane of the wall was fortified with a wall of hewen stone the thicknesse of the pillars was such that it was as much as three men could fadome holding one an other by the hand and the length was of twentie and seuen foote with a double base at the bottome The whole number of them was one hundreth sixtie and two and they had Chapters engrauen and damaskt with Corinthian worke All this building was so huge that it mooued admiration in those that beheld the same Betwixt these foure rankes there were three porches whereof two were on either side containing in breadth each of them thirtie foote and in length a stade or furlong and more then fiftiē foote in height That in the midst was in breadth once and a halfe as much as these two and in height twise as much For it surpassed the rest by farre The floore was made of goodly plankes engrauen with diuers figures and the roofe thereof was farre higher then any of the rest in which certaine huge beames were morteised on which there were certaine pillars builded vnited and annexed so fitly togither that it is a matter incredible to those that haue not seene the same and admirable to him that beholdeth it Such was the fashion of the circuit of the first porch In the midst and not farre off from the other stood the second whereunto there was an ascent made with few steppes It was inclosed with a separation of stone with an inscription forbidding any stranger to enter the same vpon paine of death This inward porch both to the southward and the northward had three gates in ranke equidistant the one from the other and toward the eastward had one great gate by which those men entred who were cleansed with their wiues For beyond that place it was not lawfull for the women to haue accesse But the third inward space was onely accessible by the Priestes In it was the Temple and before the same the altar on which they were woont to offer burnt sacrifices vnto God But Herode durst not enter the interior sanctuarie from whence prophane men were excluded by the lawe but by the mediation of the priests he intended the structure and building of the inward porch and finishing in eight yeeres space the rest of the edifice at length also he finished the Temple it selfe by the indeuours of the same priests within the terme of one yeere and six moneths By which meanes the people were replenished with the fulnesse of ioye and euerie one gaue thankes vnto God for that the whole worke was finished so speedily and wished all happinesse to the king for his cost and diligence in the execution and finishing thereof and they celebrated a great feast in honour of the restauration of the Temple Then did the king offer vp three hundreth oxen vnto God and the rest of them each one according to his abilitie offered
his owne countrey and kingdome yet he thought good also to expect their censures Yet he came vnto them not for that they were to iudge his sons who were taken in a manifest crime but that by this occasion they might adde their suffrages to the iust indignation of a father offended and that they might leaue an example vnto all posteritie that such treasons ought not to be left vnpunished The king hauing thus spoken and not permitting the yong men to be brought vnto their answere all seeing what the king entended and that there was now no hope to reconcile the yong men vnto their father or saue their liues they all confirmed his authority And first of all Saturninus one that had beene Consul and had beene graced with many honours pronounced an indifferent sentence limited with circumstances to wit that he condemned Herodes sons yet not to die for quoth he my selfe haue sons and I would not adde this calamity to Herodes misfortune past After him also his three sonnes who were their fathers legats pronounced the same sentence But Volumnius pronoūced that they had deserued death who were so impious towards their father whose sentence after him the most part followed so that it seemed that they were now ordained to be put to death Presently Herode carried them with him to Tyre where he met Nicholaus who was now there arriued returning from Rome vnto whom the king first recounting what was done at Beryium he asked of him what his friends at Rome thought of his sonnes He answered that they iudged the yong mens intents impious and that they also iudged that they ought to be bound and imprisoned and then after due consideration if it were so thought expedient to be put to death least the king might be thought rather to haue giuen place vnto his choler then vnto reason yet if it might so please him they thought it best to acquit them least otherwise he do that which hereafter he may repent when it is too late And this was the opinion of most of his friends at Rome Then the king a long time pondered these his words and made no reply but commanded him to faile along in his company At his arriual at Caesarea all men were carefull what should become of his sonnes expecting an end of that tragedy for they greatly feared that by reason of the olde discord he would now cut them off yet notwithstanding they were sorrowful for them yet it was dangerous either to speake rashly or to heare any thing spoken freely concerning them but in their hearts compassionating them they concealed their griefes Onely one amongst all the rest an ancient soldier of the kings named Tyro others dissembling their griefe spake freely what he thought this Tyro had a sonne of Alexanders age and beloued of him whom Alexander much accounted of This follow many times amidst the multitudes exclaimed that truth and equitie was now banished from out of the world and that in their steede malice and vntruth reigned wherby there was such a mist and fogge caused ouer the whole world that no man could see his owne errors This his free speech though it was not without danger yet all men hereat were moued for that he had some reason to shew his fortitude in so dangerous a time and euery one was willing to heare this speech and though themselues for feare were silent yet did they not reprehend him for speaking freely For the expectation of the euent of so great mischiefe vvas able to haue wrested from euery one of them vvords of commiseration Tyro with great audacitie also came vnto the king and besought him that he might talke with him alone vvhich the king granting he vsed these words vvith great lamentation I can no longer O my king suppresse this my griefe vvhich causeth me so boldly to speake though with my own peril yet if it please thee my king that which I intend to speake shal be for thine aduantage Where now my Lord are thy wits where is that thy couragious mind euer hitherto able to match all difficult businesses whatsoeuer how hapeneth it that thou hast so few friends kinred for I account not them kinsmen or friends that permit such wickednes and hatred in thy court which earst was most happy and fortunate And what art thou vnto thy selfe wilt thou not looke and see what is done wilt thou put to death the two yong men borne vnto thee by the queene thy wife who abound in all vertue and commit thy selfe now in thy olde age vnto one onely sonne who nourisheth impious hopes desseignes and to thy kindred who by thy owne censure haue often deserued death Dost thou not perceiue that the people keeping themselues quiet and stil do both condemne the errour of thy friends and also pitie and compassionate the two young men Moreouer all thy soldiers and the captaines themselues haue compassion on them and curse the authors of this infortunate calamity The king at first tooke these words of Tyro in good part as being admonished of the perfidious dealing of them about him and his owne calamitie But Tyro immodestly and soldierlike vrging the king and for his owne simplicity not able to discerne what fitted that time the king at last thought this rather a turbulēt vpbraiding him then a friendly admonition and asking who those captaines and souldiers were he commanded them all Tyro also to be bound and kept in prison Then one Trypho the kings barbar taking hereat occasion told the king that Tyro had often sollicited him as he shaued the king to cut his throat with his razor promising him for a recōpence great rewards that he should be one of Alexāders chiefe friends Hauing spoken these words the King commanded him to be apprehended and the barbar and Tyro and his sonne to be tortured Tyro his sonne seeing his father in most miserable torments that he still obstinately persisted in them and by the Kings displeasure coniecturing that there was no hope of life told them that tortured his father that he would confesse all the truth conditionally that his father and himselfe might be no more tormented and hauing his request granted he told them that it was agreed that Tyro with his own hand should haue killed the king for he could get opportunitie to come vnto the king when no man else was with him so he would kill him and for Alexanders sake endure any torments whatsoeuer This spoken he deliuered himselfe and his father from further tortures but it is incertaine whether the tale he told was true or whether he deuised it to free them both from torments Then Herode now laying all doubt aside if before he were in any thought what death his sons should die leauing no place to repentance and mercie he hastened to execute his purpose and producing 300. captaines and Tyro his sonne and the Barbar his accuser he accused them all
which there sate an owle One of those prisoners vvho vvas by nation a Germane beholding that bird asked the soldier that was fettered with him who he vvas that vvas apparrelled in purple and vnderstanding that his name vvas Agrippa and that he vvas a lew and one of the nobilitie of that nation hee required the souldier who to the end to guard him was chained with him to suffer him to draw neere vnto Agrippa and to haue a little conference with him for that he had a great desire to aske him of certaine things concerning the customes of his countrey Which when he had obtained and hauing got neere him he certified him by an interpreter of that which followeth Young man said he the sodaine change that hath befallen thee at this present afflicteth and oppresseth thee with great and grieuous torment neither wilt thou easily beleeue that thou shalt escape from thy miserie yet so doth the diuine prouidence dispose all things that thou shalt shortly be deliuered Know therefore and I sweare vnto thee by the Gods both those of mine auncestors and those also who haue residence and presidence in this place and who haue procured vs this yron chaine that I will tell thee all not to yeeld thee pleasure by my vaine discourse or to entertaine thee with fruitlesse consolation knowing well that when these predictions shall happen to faile they will breede thee more sorrow then if thou hadst neuer heard speech of them But I haue thought it good yea although it were with mine owne danger to declare vnto thee the predictions of the gods It cannot otherwaies be but that shortly thou shalt be deliuered from these bonds and shalt be aduanced to great honour and power so that those who at this day haue compassion of thy calamitie shal beare enuie to thy glorie and thou shalt depart this life in great felicitie and shalt leaue thy children mightie possessions But beare this in thy remembrance that when thou shalt see this bird once more thou must needly die within fiue daies after These are those things which the gods thinke meete to foretell thee by this bird As for my selfe I haue supposed that I should doe thee wrong if I should conceale this prediction from thee hauing the foreknowledge thereof I haue therefore thought good to impart this ioy vnto thee wherby thorow hope of thy future profit thou maiest more easily indure thy present misfortune for which cause I beseech thee that as soone as thou shalt be partaker of this thy felicity thou wilt indeuour thy selfe to deliuer vs also from these aduersities This presage of the Germane seemed so ridiculous to Agrippa as it afterwars deserued most mightie admiration But Antonia being sore grieued at the young mans calamitie thought it not onely a difficult matter for her to intreat Tiberius for him but altogither vnprofitable in regard she should be repulsed yet wrought she so much with Macron that he was committed to the custodie of such souldiers who were of more reconciled behauiour and had a Centurion appointed to keepe him that suffered him to vse his daily bathings and gaue his friends and seruants leaue to visit him by whose seruice and kindnesse his necessities might be relieued His friend Silas also was admitted to speake with him and amongst his free-men Marsias and Stichus who brought him in such meates as he was delighted withall and couerings vnder colour to sell them which by the permission of the souldiers who had no lesse direction from Macron they spred by night for him to take his rest vpon See here the estate wherein Agrippa liued in prison for the space of six moneths But Tiberius being returned to Capreas began at first to bee attainted with a certaine lingring disease and for that his sicknesse increased more and more he began to conceiue a sinister hope of himselfe and commanded Euodus whom he most honoured amongst all his free-men to bring him his sonnes because he intended to talke with them before he died But the sooth is that he had not any children of his own but had adopted them For Drusus who was his onely childe was alreadie dead and had left behind him a sonne called Tiberius surnamed Gemellus He had Caius also his brother Germanicus sonne who was in the flower of his age and had trauailed verie diligently in good disciplines To him also the people ascribed verie much in remembrance of the vertues of his deceased father and as touching himselfe he was of a sweet conuersation and so modest that he was familiar and conuersant with all men Whereby it came to passe that not onely the people but the Senate also held him in great estimation as also all the subiects in euerie seuerall prouince For they that spake with him were drawne partly by his affabilitie partly by the fidelitie that they saw in him so that when he was dead all of them mourned not counterfaitly lamenting his losse but with vnfained sorrow for that there was not any one that supposed not his death to be euery mans particular losse He therefore demeaned himselfe so modestly towards all men that his sonne after his death was highly aduanced thereby For among the rest the men of warre made their reckoning that although it should cost them their liues to get him the Empire they would not refuse the hazard After that Tiberius had charged Euodus to bring him the two young men the next morrow by breake of day he besought the Gods of that place to giue him an euident signe whereby he might know who should succeed him For although he desired to leaue the Empire to his sons sonne yet made he more account of that which God should make manifest vnto him He therefore conceiued a presage that he who the next day should enter first to salute him it should be he who in the Empire should necessarily succeede him And hauing settled this thing in his fantasie he sent vnto his little sonnes Master charging him to bring him vnto him by breake of day supposing that God had ordained that the Empire should be his but the matter fell out quite contrarie to his expectation For being in this thought he commanded Euodus that as soone as he might and as soone as the day should arise he should suffer him of the two young princes to enter in vnto him who should arriue the first He walking out met with Caius before the chamber doore for Tiberius was not there who being ignorant of that wich his grandfather thought was busie about his breakfast and said vnto him That the Emperour his father called for him and with all suffered him to enter When Tiberius beheld Caius he sodainly began to consider vpon the power of God who depriued him of the meanes to dispose of the Empire according as he had determined with himselfe for that it lay not in his power and he lamented greatly not so much for that he sawe his
deliberation could not be brought to effect as for that his sonne Tiberius was distated of the Roman Empire and besides that was in danger of his life For he made reckoning that they who were more stronger then he would not suffer him to conuerse among them and that alliance could not assure him his life for sometimes for feare and other whiles for hatred some one would accuse him that he went about and busily sought to seaze the Empire or that he had complotted some stratageme least he should lose the Empire with his life In a word Tiberius was verie much addicted to Astrologicall predictions and natiuities so that the greater part of those things which he executed in all his life time was ordered thereby He seeing Galba one day comming towards him spake this of him to certain of his familiars Behold the man that shal be one day honored with the Roman Empire And amongst al the Emperors he gaue greatest credit to diuination for that in certaine things he had found the coniectures correspondent to truth But at that time he was so grieuously disquieted by reason of the misfortune that had hapned yea he was in such sort grieued as if his grandchild had bin already lost he blamed himselfe for that he had sought these presages for that he might haue died without falling into that desaster in being ignorant of that which was to come whereas now he should die in the knowledge of their mishaps whom he loued most intirely Being thus troubled to see that the soueraigntie of the Empire should contrarie to his intention fall into their hands who by his will should not enioy the same although it were with hearts griefe and contrarie to his will yet spake he to Caius after this manner which ensueth My sonne although that Tiberius be more neerly allied vnto me then you are yet notwithstanding both by mine owne aduice as also by the wil of the immortall Gods I cōmit vnto your hands the Empire of the Romans I require you therefore that when you shall enioy the same you forget not the good will I haue borne towards you who haue established you in so high and worthe a dignitie and charge you likewise that you forget not your Cousin Tiberius but knowing that by the will of the Gods I am he who after them am the author of so many goods which haue befallen you you returne me the like good will and affection and that likewise you take care of Tiberius by reason of your mutuall alliance for you ought to know that Tiberius serueth you for a bulwarke to maintaine your Empire and your owne life and if he die it will be the beginning of your mishap For it is a perilous matter for those who are raised to high dignities to be sole and without allies Furthermore the Gods doe neuer leaue them vnpunished who attempt or act any thing against the lawes of consanguinitie These were the last words which Tiberius spake to Caius who promised him to performe all that which he required notwithstanding he meant nothing lesse For incontinently after he was installed in the Empire he caused Tiberius to be made away bethinking him of those diuinations as also the same Caius died anon after by a conspiracie that was practized against him When that Tiberius had declared Caius his successor in the Empire he liued not many daies after and died after he had gouerned twentie two yeeres fiue moneths and three daies Thus Caius was the fourth Emperour The Romans hauing intelligence of Tiberius death greatly reioyced at the good newes yet durst they not assure themselues and though of long time they would haue willingly redeemed the truth of thése reports with a good summe of money yet feared they least the newes should be false and least if they shewed themselues too deligent in expressing their signes of ioy they should afterwards be accused for it and lose their liues thereby For onely Tiberius had done much mischiefe to the noble families in Rome being of himselfe a man cholericke implacable towards all men without any occasion hauing a naturall inclination so cruell that the easiest pain whereunto he adiudged those whom he condemned was death notwithstanding therefore that each man tooke pleasure to heare the newes yet did each one conceale it vntill such time as they might be more fully assured thorow the feare of those miseries they foresawe if the matter should fall out otherwaies But Marsyas Agrippas free-man hauing certaine notice of Tiberius death ranne speedily to comfort his Master Agrippa with these good newes and meeting with him as he came out of the Bath he made a signe vnto him and tolde him in the Hebrew toung the Lyon was dead Agrippa conceiuing that which he meant was rauished with ioy and said vnto him I will requite thee for all those benefits I haue receiued at thy hands and especially for this good newes prouided that it prooue true The Centurion who had the keeping of Agrippa considering what expedition Marsyas had vsed in running and the pleasure that Agrippa had conceiued in his report he began to suspect some alteration and asked them what had hapned and whereas they delaied to giue him an answere he importuned him the more Whereupon Agrippa tolde him plainly what he had heard in that he had growne alreadie into inward familiaritie with him The Centurion reioiced at this newes as well as Agrippa hoping to speede the better thereby and made Agrippa good cheere but whilest they were in the midst of their banquetting and drunke freely there came one vnto them who tolde them that Tiberius was aliue and that within fewe daies he would come to Rome The Centurion troubled with this newes for that he had committed a Capitall crime in eating in the companie of a prisoner vpon the newes of Caesars death and by reioycing with him he droue Agrippa out of the place where he sate and reprochfully saide vnto him Thinkest thou said he that I know not how falsely thou spreadest the rumor of Caesars death yes be assured thou shalt answere thy lie with the losse of thy head This said he caused Agrippa to be bound whom before time he had suffered to go at libertie and shut him vp in more close prison then he had been before so that Agrippa was all that night long in this extreame miserie The next day the rumour was spread thorow the whole Citie that confirmed Tiberius death and at that time euerie one boldly protested it There were some also who offered sacrifices for this cause and there came letters also from Caius which were addressed to the Senate by which he certified them that Tiberius was dead and how the Empire was committed to his hands He wrote an other also to Piso who had the guard of the Citie containing the like report and besides that commanding him to transferre Agrippa from the company of those souldiers by whom
conferre with Anilaeus They hauing suruaied the place wherein Anilaeus kept assailed both himselfe and his followers by night and slew all those they encountred with without resist and among the rest Anilaeus When the Babylonians sawe that they were deliuered from the oppression of Anilaeus who till that time had been as it were a bridle vnto them to restraine and curbe the hatred they conceiued against the Iewes with whom they had oftentimes been at oddes by reason of the contrarietie of their religions whereby it grew that they oftentimes fell at debate vpon each opportunitie wherein they met At that time therefore that Anilaeus men were discomfited the Babylonians set vpon the Iewes on all sides who seeing themselues in danger by reason of the insolence of the Babylonians against whom they were too weake to make resist and on the other side vnable to liue amongst them they went and dwelt at Seleucia a Citie famous in regard of Seleucus the sonne of Nicanor who builded it In that Citie dwelt diuers Macedons diuers Greekes and a great number of Syrians The Iewes fled thither and soiourned there about some fiue yeeres without any molestation but in the sixt yeere when the plague grew rise in Babylon the Iewes that remained there vvere enforced to seeke them some newe habitation and that remooue of theirs into the Citie of Seleucia was the cause likewise of their further mischiefe as I will make manifest The Greeks who dwell in Seleucia are ordinarily at debate with the Syrians haue alwaies the vpper hand but after that the Iewes came to inhabite in that place in a certaine sedition that arose among them the Syrians had the vpper hand by the meanes of the Iewes who ioyned their forces with theirs who of themselues were valiant and good souldiers The Greeks who had been repulsed in this tumult seeing they had but one onely meanes left them to maintaine their former honour but to breake that league of friendship which was betweene the Syrians and the Iewes deuised in priuate each one with those Syrians with whom they were acquainted promising to liue in peace and amitie with them whereunto they condiscended willingly For the chiefest of these two nations concluded the peace which presently after followed to the end that on both parts they should ioyne in hatred against the Iewes So that altogither charging them at vnawares they slew more then fiftie thousand of them and all of them were slaine except some few who thorow the mercie of their friends and warâ—…ntize of their neighbours were suffered to escape These retired themselues to Ctesiphon a Citie of Greece that was not farre from Seleucia where the king soiourneth euerie yeere and keepeth the greatest part of his mooueables hoping in that place thorow the reuerence of the king they might remaine in more safetie and securitie All the nation of the Iewes that vvere in these quarters stood in great feare For the Babylonians and the Seleucians vvith all the Assyrians of that countrey accorded among themselues to make a generall warre against the Iewes vvhereby it came to passe that they assembled themselues at Nearda Nisibis trusting themselues to the strength of these fortresses which were inhabited also by men who were expert in armes See here what the estate of those Iewes was who remained in Babylon THE XIX BOOKE OF THE ANTIQVITIES OF THE IEWES WRITTEN BY FLAVIVS IOSEPHVS The Contents of the Chapters of the 19. booke 1 How Caius was slaine by Cheraeas 2 How Claudius obtained the Empire 3 Dissension betwixt the Senate and the people 4 How Claudius aduaunced Agrippa to his fathers Kingdome and his edicts in fauour of the Iewes 5 Agrippas returne into Iudaea 6 Petronius Epistle to Doritas in the behalfe of the Iewes 7 Agrippas actions vntill the time of his death CHAP. I. How Caius was slaine by Cheraeas CAius did not onely expresse and manifest his furie towards those Iewes that dwelt in Ierusalem and in other neighbouring places but also thorow all the countries both by land and sea which were subiect to the Romane Empire filling the whole world with an infinite number of mischiefes yea such and so hainous as the like hereof hitheâ—…to haue neuer beene heard of But Rome in especiall felt the force of his furie which partooke no lesse calamity and misery then any other citie but especially the Senators Patricians and noble men were plagued They also that were called Romane knights who in wealth and dignitie were next vnto the Senators for that out of their number such men were chosen who were to supply the Senat were vexed with intolerable iniuries For with ignominies they were detracted with banishments and confiscations weakned by slaughters wholy exterminated He likewise vsurped the name of a God commaunding his subiects to dignifie him with more then humane honours and ascending the Capitol which amongst all the temples in Rome is most religiously honoured he was so bold as to salute Iupiter and to call him brother Many such impieties committed he by which he expressed that his vnbridled and boundles madnes did neuer forsake him Amongst his other madde prankes that he plaied this is worthie of memorie for on a time thinking it to be too much trouble for him to crosse the sea between Puteol a citie in Campania and Misenum an other towne seated by the sea shore in a galley and otherwaies esteeming it a thing correspondent to his greatnes who was Emperour to exact that superioritie on the sea which was answerable to his soueraignty on the land betwixt one cape of the sea vnto another for the space of thirtie furlongs or stades betwixt which the gulph had his course he caused a bridge to be built on which he commaunded himselfe to be drawen in a chariot as if that way were aunswerable to the dignitie of his deitie He left not one temple of Greece whatsoeuer that he spoiled not of those excellent pictures or imagery that was therein Giuing a commission that all statues and whatsoeuer ornaments or gifts presents that were dedicated in any temple should be brought vnto him saying that such things as were admirable should be reserued for a place of admiration such as was the citie of Rome with these spoyles of the temples decked he his pallace and gardens and generally all his houses and pallaces that he had in Italy He was so impudent also as to giue direction that Iupiter Olympius statue which the Greekes had in great estimation and Phideas the Athenian caruer had made should be transported to Rome But Memmius Regulus to whom he had directed this commission executed it not because the masons informed him that without spoyling it they could not remoue it from the place It is reported also that he was hindered from this execution by such prodigies as are almost incredible which he certified Caius of giuing him to vnderstand what the occasion was that had moued
time Helena Queene of Adiabena and her sonne Izates conformed themselues to the religion of the Iewes vpon this occasion that ensueth Monobazus king of Adiabena who was also called Bazeos being surprised with the loue of his sister Helena espoused her and got her with child Vpon a time it hapned that sleeping with her he laid his hand on her belly whilest she lay asleepe him thought that he heard a voice that commanded him to take away his hand from off her belly least he should crush the fruit that was therein which by Gods prouidence should haue a happie beginning and no lesse fortunate ending Monobazus was sore moued at this voice and as soone as he awoke he told it to his wife and afterwards when the child was borne he called him Izates Besides he had another elder sonne by the same wife who was called Monobazus according to his owne name And he had also other sonnes by his other wiues yet notwithstanding Izates was most manifestly his best beloued and so cherished by him as if he had beene his only begotten sonne For which cause his other brothers enuied him which increased their hatred for that all the rest of them were aggrieued because Monobazus made most account of Izates The father manifestly perceiued all this yet did he pardon them knowing that they did it not for malice but for the desire that euerie one of them had to be best esteemed by his father Notwithstanding being affraid least some mishap should betide Izates by reason of the hatred his brethren bare vnto him he gaue him many great gifts and sent him to Abemerigus who raigned at that time in a fort called Spasinus committing his sons life into his hand Abemerigus also intertained him with kind affection and loued him in such sort that in processe of time he gaue him Samacha his daughter to wife and for her dowry hee gaue him a countrey of great reuenew Monobazus being olde and seeing he had no long time to liue desired before his death that his sonne might come and visit him he therefore sent for him and receiued him very louingly giuing him a countrey which he called Caeron which bringeth forth great aboundance of excellent Amomum In this place was the remainder of the Arcke in which Noe was saued during the Deluge which remnants are to be seene at this day if any man haue a desire to behold the same Izates remained in that place vntill his fathers decease But on the very day of his death Helena sent for all the Lords and Gouernours of the kingdome and captaines of all the Army and vpon their assembly she spake vnto them after this manner I suppose said she that you are not ignorant of my husbands mind who hath desired that Izates might be king in his steed and hath esteemed him most worthy of such an honour yet expect I your iudgement in this point For he that receiueth the soueraigntie not from one mans hand but from many and hath the same confirmed vnto him by their consent is happie She vsed this discourse vnto them to trie what their intent was who were there assembled They vnderstanding her mind prostrated themselues first of all vpon the earth before the Queene according to the custome of their countrey and afterwards aunswered her that they approued the kings election and tooke pleasure to obey Izates whom his father deseruedly and to all their contents and the desire of the common people had preferred aboue the rest of his brethren alledging moreouer that they would put his brethren and kinsmen to death before his comming to the end that he might enioy the kingdom with all securitie for by their deaths all the feare that might grow by their hatred and enuie might be extinguished Hereunto the Queene answered that she gaue them thanks for the fauour they bare vnto her and her sonne Izates notwithstanding she required them to suspend their iudgements as touching the death of his brethren vntil such time as Izates himselfe should giue his consent thereunto They seeing they might not obtaine the libertie to put them to death gaue counsaile that they should be kept prisoners vntill his comming to the end at leastwise for their owne parts that they might be out of daunger and that moreouer vntill his comming there might one be appointed to gouerne the estate whom she should esteeme most trustie and faithfull vnto him Whereunto Helena condescended and made his elder brother Monobazus king and set the Diademe on his head and gaue him his fathers seale ring with that robe which they call Sampsera exhorting him to gouerne the kingdome vntill his brothers arriuall Izates hauing certaine notice of his fathers death resorted thither speedily and receiuing his brother Monobazus willing surrender tooke vpon him the gouernment of the kingdome During such time as Izates soiourned in the fortresse of Spasinus a certaine merchant who was a Iew called Ananias hauing accesse to the kings wiues taught them the maner how to serue God according to the religion of the Iewes and Ananias by their meanes growing acquainted with Izates taught him the like and accompained him into Adiabena being drawen thereunto by his earnest intreaties at such time as Izates resorted thither vpon his fathers sending for It chanced also in like sort that Helena was in like manner instructed by another Iew and retained the rites and religion of the Iewes After that Izates came into his kingdome and knew that his brethren and kinsfolke were imprisoned he was much grieued Conceiuing therefore with himselfe that it would be a great impietie in him to suffer them to be slaine or kept bound in prison and that on the other side it were a daungerous matter for him if being at liberty they should remember the euil they had indured for which cause he sent some of them to Rome for hostages with their children vnto the Emperour Claudius and the rest vnto Artabanus king of Parthia Afterwards when he was thorowly assured that his mother was wholy addicted to the religion of the Iewes he endeuoured himselfe the more to shew himselfe zealous therein and supposing that he could not be a perfect Iew except he were circumcised he prepared himselfe to be circumcised Which when his mother vnderstood she laboured to her vttermost to hinder his resolution certifying him that in so doing he should bring himselfe in great daunger for that in being king he would draw himselfe into the dislike of his subiects if they should haue notice that he was addicted to a new religion and to straunge ceremonies and that they would not endure that in being a Iew he should be their king so she for a while by her disswasion restrained him from his desire But the king required counsell of Ananias who according with Helena in the course of her dislike threatned Izates that if he would not obey his mother he would forsake him and depart from him
committed against the Iewes if Nero had not pardoned him vpon his brother Pallas submission and intreaty who importuned him and was at that time in great reputation with him Furthermore two of the chiefest amongst the Syrians that wrought Berillus who had sometimes beene Neros Master and at that time was secretarie of estate in the Greeke tongue by mightie bribes to begge at Neros hand the reuocation of the right and title which the Iewes enioyed in the gouernment and administration of the common weale For which cause Berillus sollicited the Emperour and obtained a letter at his hands which was the cause of those mischiefes that afterwards hapned in our nation For the Iewes of Caesarea vnderstanding what commission the Syrians had gotten were so much the more kindled and encouraged to make warre As soone therefore as Festus was arriued in Iudaea he found the countrey grieuously afflicted with robberies and the lower countrey was spoyled by sword and fire The theeues likewise at that time encreased wondrously they vsed short swords after the manner of a Persian Cymetre and crooked like the Roman faulchion with which they slew diuers men For thrusting themselues into the presse of people that came in great multitudes on the festiuall daies to celebrate Gods seruice they killed those verie easily whom they listed and oftentimes repairing to their enemies villages they spoiled and burnt the same But Festus sent diuers forces both of horse and foote against certaine Iewes that were seduced by an enchanter who had promised them security and repose from all their troubles and molestations if so be they would followe him into the desart who slew both the deceiuer and the deceiued that followed him At that time king Agrippa erected a stately building within the pallace at Ierusalem neere vnto the porch This pallace in times past appertained to the Asmoneans was scituate in a high place with a goodly prospect from whence they that listed might with pleasure behold the whole citie of Ierusalem wherein the king tooke great delight and beheld from thence that which was done in the temple The chiefest men of Ierusalem seeing this building were sore displeased For neither doth our custome or law permit that any one should looke on that which is done in the temple and especially forbiddeth that no man should behold the sacrifices and oblations They therefore builded a high wall vpon the gallerie which was within the temple on the West side which did not onely damme vp the sight of the royall chamber but also that of the gallery without the temple on the West side where the Romanes kept guard neere vnto the temple on the festiuall daies Herewith was King Agrippa sore displeased and the gouernour Festus farre more then hee who commaunded them to pull downe the wall But they besought him that he vvould giue them licence to send their Embassadours to Nero to this intent alleaging that it was impossible for them to liue if any part of their temple should be beaten downe Which being graunted them they sent tenne of their chiefest nobilitie and with them Ismael the high priest and Chelcias the Treasurer of the temple vnto Nero who no sooner heard their suit but he pardoned them not onely for that they had done but hee commanded that the building should remaine as it was All which hee did in fauour of his wife Poppea who was intreated by the Iewes for that she was a deuout Princesse to sue for them She therefore commaunded the tenne Embassadours to returne and kept Chelcias and Ismael for pledges vvith her The king vnderstanding how all things had past gaue the high priesthood to Ioseph surnamed Cabi vvhich was the sonne of Simon who in times past had beene high Priest CHAP. VIII The gouernment of Albinus CAesar being aduertized of Festus death sent Albinus to gouerne Iudaea But king Agrippa commaunding Ioseph to lead a priuate life and aduanced in his steed a certaine man called Ananus the sonne of Ananus who is reported to haue beene most happie For he had fiue sonnes al which supplied the place of the high priest after himselfe had long time before them enioyed the roome The like whereof hath neuer hapned to any of our high Priests The younger Ananus who as we said was aduanced to this place was a rash and headstrong man that followed the sect of the Sadduces who as we haue alreadie declared were amongst all other the Iewes the most seuere in executing Iustice whereas therefore Ananus was of this disposition he thought that he had a fit occasion offered him to do what him listed after Festus death and during the time that Albinus was as yet vpon his way He therefore ascended and sate down in the tribunal assisted by the Iudges and caused Iames the brother of Iesus who was called Christ to appeare before him with certaine others and accused them for transgressing the law and blasphemy against God and caused them to be stoned to death They that were men of vpright conscience within the citie and diligent obseruers of the law vvere verie much displeased with this act and sent secretly vnto the king beseeching him to prohibite Ananus that hereafter he should commit no such like offence for that his first action was not allowable Some of them also went to meet Albinus being on his vvay from Alexandria to enforme him that it was not lawful for Ananus to assemble the councel without his licence Albinus perswaded by these words wrote a cholericke letter to Ananus wherein he threatned to punish him And for the same cause king Agrippa dispossessed him of the Priesthood after he had held the same for the space of three moneths and in his steed he established Iesus the sonne of Damneus After that Albinus was arriued in Ierusalem he employed all his care and studie to pacifie the countrey by executing diuers of the theeues But the high priest Ananias daily increased in honour and credit and purchased the good will of the citizens by his liberalitie and great gifts But he had certaine mischieuous seruants about him who conuersed with those that were most intemperate and audacious who repairing from graunge to graunge tooke vp many tenths that belonged to the Priests and beat those that reâ—…used to tender them The priests vsed no lesse force then did their seruants hauing no man that might restraine them whereby it came to passe that the piests who were before time maintained by the tenths died at that time for want of victuals And the theeues renewing their entrance into the citie by night during the feast that was celebrated at that time tooke the secretarie of captaine Eleazar aliue who vvas Ananias sonne who was the high And hauing bound him led him out of the citie sending Ananias word that they would deliuer his secretarie if he would labour so much with Albinus as to deliuer them their tenne companions then prisoners who
of that countrey committed to my hands by the Citie of Ierusalem When as therfore he could winne nothing at my hands he appealed to my companions who were improuident of those troubles that were to come and greedy of rewards and obtained at their hands thorow his ◅auish liberalitie a libertie to dispose of all the come that was in the prouince in that I my selfe was vnable to contradict them both After this Iohn vsed another subtiltie for he said that those Iewes who inhabited Caesarea Philippi being by the commaund of their king to whom they were subiect kept prisoners within their wals being in want of pure oyle desired to buy the same at his hands for feare least contrarie to their custome they should be compelled to vse that of the Greekes But this spake he not in respect of religion or deuotion but for his filthy lucres sake For knowing that among the Caesareans two sextaries were sold for a drachme and that at Gischalis eightie sextaries were solde for foure drachmes he sent all that oyle that was in that place vnto them doing it as he thought by my permission But I did not willingly condescend thereunto but for feare least if I should withstand the same the people should stone me to death As soone therefore as I had giuen him leaue Iohn gathered a great summe of money by this cunning shift From this place dismissed I my companions and sent them backe to Ierusalem imploying my selfe wholy afterwards in preparing armor and fortifying cities After this calling the stoutest theeues before me when as I perceiued that I might not recouer their vveapons from them I perswaded the multitude to hire them by rewards telling them that it was more profitable for them to entertaine them in their seruice then to suffer their countrey to be spoiled by their excursions And thus hauing taken their oathes did I dismisse thē vnder condition that they should not come into our region except they were called or to receiue their due pay vnder condition that they should abstaine from spoiling either the Romans or the inhabitants of the countrey But aboue all things my care was to keepe Galilee in peace And whereas my desire was to get seuentie pledges of their loyaltie chosen out amongst their nobilitie vnder pretext of friendship as soone as they came vnto me in way of frienship I made them my companions and fellow Iudges and decreed many things according to their opinions hauing an especiall care least thorow rashnes I should iniurie Iustice or thorow corruption of rewards distaine mine incorrupted honour At such time therefore as I was thirtie yeeres olde at which yeeres although a man bridle himselfe from vnlawfull affections yet hardly can he escape from the poisoned sting of detraction especially if a great authoritie be annexed to his greene yeeres I neuer offered vaine and vnlawfull courting to any vvoman neither could any man fasten bribe on me in that I pretended want of nothing yea I refused those tenths which in right of priesthood I might haue receiued from those that brought them me Yet after the conquest of the Syrians I tooke part of the spoile which as I freely confesse I sent to Ierusalem to my kinsmen And whereas at two times I had forcibly ouercome the Sephorites the Tiberians foure times and the Gadarenians once and had brought Iohn vnder my subiection who had oftentimes sought to entrap me neither could I endure to reuenge my selfe on him neither on any of the aboue named people as in the sequel of this storie I will make manifest For which cause I suppose that God who is the trier and searcher of all iust hearts both deliuered me at that time out of the hands of mine enemies and afterwards and that many times out of daungerous and seuerall misfortunes as hereafter shall appeare in time and place But so great was the faith and beneuolence of the common people of Galilee towards me that their cities being ouerthrowne and their families led into captiuitie they spent not so many teares for their owne calamities as they bestowed cares for my perseruation and securitie Which when Iohn perceiued he began to enuie me and besought me by his letters that I would giue him licence for his health sake to bath himselfe in the hot bathes of Tiberias which I suspecting no treason willingly granted him that which he demaunded Moreouer I wrote vnto those t◅ whom I had committed the trust and administration of the citie to prepare him a lodging and furnish all his companions with victuals and to prouide him also of all things necessarie for his diet and entertainement In the meanespace I my selfe past my time in a certaine village of Galilee called Cana. But after that Iohn came to Tiberias he wrought the townsmen in such sort that forgetting both their faith and dutie they reuolted vnto him and many of them lent a willing eare vnto his intreaties especially such as reioycing in innouations were too prone to chaunge and greedie of dissension but in espec◅ll Iustus and his father Pistus willingly entertained this occasion to reuolt from my obedience and to submit themselues to Iohn yet was this conspiracy of theirs preuented by my speedie accesse For a certaine messenger came vnto me from Silas whom I had in former time preferred to the gouernment of Tiberias who certified me of the citizens intent and exhorted me in all haste to make my repaire thither for that otherwise the citie would shortly fall into another mans hands As soone therefore as I had perused Silas letters I trauailed all night long with two hundreth chosen men and sending a messenger before me who might signifie my approch to the citizens I lost neither time nor way And in the morning when I drue neere vnto the citie the whole people came out to meet me and among the rest Iohn who after he had beheld me and saluted me with a suspicious countenance fearing least his treason being discouered he should grow in daunger of his life speedily retired himselfe into his lodging And when as I drew neere the citie within a furlong dismissing all my guard but one and retaining onely tenne armed souldiers with me I began to expostulate with the Tiberians from a certaine high place from whence I might be heard and I counsailed them that they should not reuolt least in so doing they might shortly repent them of their mutabilitie and breach of faith for that no man hereafter would giue them credit being alreadie either suspected or guiltie of this their perfidiousnes Scarcely had I spoken this but that I heard one of my attendants who perswaded me to descend telling me that it was no time now to reconcile the Tiberians or to perswade them but rather to seeke for mine owne securitie and how I might escape mine enemies For after that Iohn had learnt that I was destitute of followers he sent a thousand of
past was called Bari and afterwards Antonia giuing his archers this commission that if Antigonus came vnarmed they should let him passe if otherwise that they should kill him He sent certaine messengers also to Antigonus requiring him to repaire vnto him disarmed But the enuious Queene preuented this good intent of his by a subtill stratageme complotted and acted by those that with her conspired against him For she perswaded those that were put in trust to discharge this message to discouer nothing of that which the king had commaunded them but to signifie vnto Antigonus that his brother hauing intelligence that he had made himselfe many accomplished and compleat armours with other faire and worthy furniture for the warre in Galilee which by reason of Antigonus sodaine departure from that place and his owne instant infirmitie he might not behold would count it no little fauour and felicitie to beholde and see him in his warlike ornaments Which when Antigonus vnderstood who by reason of his brothers disposition suspected no mischiefe he armed himselfe and resorted vnto him intending to delight and content him with his musters But no sooner arriued he in the streight which is called the tower of Straton but the guard of Aristobulus set vpon him and slaughtered him yeelding by this meanes a demonstratiue and certaine testimonie that detraction distracteth and destroieth all good nature and friendship and that amongst all our most accounted affections there is no one so defenced and fortified as may abate the edge of enuie At this time also who would not wonder at a certaine man called Iudas who being by birth an Essean was blessed with this felicitie in his prophecies that his predictions were neither touched with mistaking or tainted with lying This man perceiuing how Antigonus passed thorow the temple cried out to his familiars who attended him in no small number for ordinarily diuers of his disciples did attend vpon him Ah said he how happy were it for me at this present if I were dead since that truth dieth before me and some one of my predictions are found faulty and deficient For behold Antigonus yet liueth who should this day haue dwelt with death The place which was destinated for his departure is the tower of Straton which is distant from this place some six hundreth stounds and yet notwithstanding there are but foâ—… hours of the day to be past now therefore is the time wherein my diuination shall be falsified Hauing spoken to this effect the olde man sate him downe being altogither disconsolate and pensiue vntill such time as within a while after it was tolde him that Antigonus was slaine in a place vnder ground which was called the tower of Straton being of the same name with Caesarea which is scituate vpon the sea coast which was the occasion that Iudas staggered in his diuination The sorrow which incontinently seazed Aristobulus for committing this hainous murther augmented and increased his sicknesse in such sort that his soule was continually troubled with the thought of his sin and his body thorow extreame heate of passion dried vp and the griefe that he felt was so vehement that his entrailes became exulcerate so that he voided bloud in great abundance And it so fel out by the diuine prouidence that one of his seruants who was deputed to that office bearing out that bloud which came from him missed his way and came vnto that place where Antigonus had been slaine wherein as yet there appeared some signes and staines of the bloudshed of Antigonus on which he powred out the bloud of the murtherer Aristobulus Which when they perceiued who stood hard at hand they began to crie out with a lowd voice as if the seruant had purposely spilled the bloud in that place Aristobulus hearing this crie demanded the cause thereof and the more that each man fled and feared to discouer the same vnto him the more instantly sought he to vnderstand the truth so that at length after he had vsed threats and violence he was certified by some one of that which had past Whereupon his eies were sodainly filled with teares so that in vehement agonie of minde he at last cried out and said It is impossible but that the great eie of the diuine maiestie should see my wicked acts and the sodaine vengeance of my brothers bloudshed should pursue and ouertake me How long O thou impudent body wilt thou detaine a soule alreadie condemned and adiudged to my mother and dead brother How long shall I thus lingeringly languish in spending a parcell of my bloud vnto them Let them take it all at once and let not the diuine vengeance laugh any longer to see the effusion of mine entrailes This said he died after he had scarcely raigned one yeere His wife after his death deliuered his brother Alexander from prison annointed him king who was both the eldest and seemed to be the most staiedst among the rest of his brethren Who growing by this meanes to be both proud and potent put one of his brethren to death for aspiring and hunting after the kingdome as for the othâ—…r that remained aliue in that he contented himselfe with a priuate and contemplatiue life he kept him neere about him He made warre also against Ptolomey that was called Lathyrus who had surprised the Citie of Asoch put a great number of his enemies to the sword naithelesse Ptolomies side obtained the victorie who retiring himselfe into the countrey of Aegypt by reason that his mother Cleopatra pursued him with open warre Alexander forcibly entred the Citie of Gadara and the fort of Amathunt which was one of the greatest of all those that were round about Iordan in which place Theodore Zenos sonne had hoorded vp his chiefest and most precious mooueables who sodainly setting vpon him recouered all that which was his and furthermore laid hands on the kings carriage in seazing which he slaughtered many Iewes to the number of ten thousand But Alexander after he had recouered this losse inuaded the frontier townes vpon the sea coast and wan Raphia and Gaza and Anthedon which afterwards by king Herod was called Agrippias But after he had conquered and ouercome these places the common sort of the Iewes raised a mutiny against him during a certaine solemne and holy feast for all mutinies seditions are commonly raised at banquets and it is thought that he could not haue preuailed against those treacheries had he not been assisted by the Pisidians and Cilicians whom he hired to helpe him for the Syrians he refused to hire them by reason of their naturall hatred they bare against the Iewes Hauing therefore slaine eight thousand of the rebels he warted vpon Arabia ouercomming the Galaadites and Moabites and imposing vpon them a tribute he returned to Amathunt and wheras Theodorus was daunted with his prosperous successe he finding the Castle without any to defend it rased it vnto the
Arabians helpe were driuen to hope for succour euen at their aduersaries hand For which cause as soone as Pompey after he had entred Syria came to Damascus they in humble manner came to him and giuing him many giftes protested vnto him that which before they had done to Aretas earnestly requesting him that he would consider the violence offered by Aristobulus and restore Hyrcanus to the kingdome to whom both by yeeres and manners it was due Meane while Aristobulus slept not but hauing corrupted Scaurus came in as royall pompe as he could but not abiding to debase himselfe and thinking it a disparagement in more abiect manner then beseemed a king to seeke his owne commoditie returned from Diospolis Wherat Pompey being angrie at the request of Hyrcanus and his followers he went against Aristobulus accompanied both with the Roman army and the Syrians who assisted them When they had passed Pella and Scythopolis and came to Corea where the confines of Iudaea begins as they passed thorow the midst of the countrey they vnderstood that Aristobulus was fled to Alexandriū which was a Castle richly built and scituate vpon a verie high hill Pompey arriuing in that place sent messengers vnto him commanding him to descend but he because he was called in question about the kingdome determined rather to hazard himselfe then obey But when he saw that the people began to feare and that his friends willed him to thinke of the power of the Romans whose strength he was no waies able to resist he allowed their counsaile and came vnto Pompey where hauing alleadged many reasons to shew that he had iust title vnto the crowne he returned againe into the Castle And afterward being vrged by his brother to come plead his title he came and returned thither againe without any contradiction from Pompey Thus wandred he betwixt hope and feare and doubting how the matter would go with him he came to Pompey as it were to entreat him to pardon all and returned againe vnto the mountaine least he should seeme to derogate any thing from the maiestie of a king yet because Pompey willed him to depart from his Castles and to warne his gouernours thereof to do the like whom he had commanded to disobey except they receiued letters written by his owne hand in this he fulfilled Pompeies minde yet being angrie and discontented he departed into Ierusalem and now fully determined to fight with Pompey But Pompey not thinking it best to let him haue time to prepare himselfe followed him with all speede and so much the willinger because that neere vnto Ierico he had newes of Mithridates his death euen in the fruitfullest place of * Iudaea where there are great store of palmes and balme This balsome is a shrub whose stem being cut with sharpe stones droppeth balme out of the wounds thereof which men gather as it droppeth from the wounds thereof After he had rested there that night he in the morning hasted to Ierusalem At whose sodaine arriuall Aristobulus being daunted in humble manner came vnto him and promising him money and to yeeld himselfe and the Citie into his hands he by this meanes appeased Pompeies anger But he performed no part of his promise for Aristobulus his associates would not suffer Gabinius who was sent for the money to enter into the Citie For which cause Pompey being mooued to displeasure put Aristobulus in hold and comming neere the Citie he tooke a view at what place it might be easiliest entred for he did not lightly perceiue how he might batter the walles they were so strong Moreouer there was a huge ditch before the wall and hard by he beheld the Temple so strengthened that although the Citie were taken yet it might be a second refuge for the enemy Whilest thus he long deliberated what to doe there arose a sedition within the Citie wherein Aristobulus confederates thought it meete to fight and deliuer the king out of prison but those that fauoured Hyrcanus woulde that the gates should be opened to Pompey At last Aristobulus friends hauing the worst fled into the temple and to the end that they might fight it out to the last they cut downe the bridge by which men go out of the Citie into the temple When the rest had receiued the Romans into the Citie and deliuered vnto them the kings pallace Pompey sent a captaine called Piso with souldiers to seaze the same who leauing agarrison in the towne seeing he could perswade none of them that were in the temple to peace prepared all places about it to batter it All which time Hyrcanus and his friends shewed themselues ready to helpe them with counsell and to doe whatsoeuer they were commanded Pompey at the north side filled the ditch and valley with all kind of matter which his souldiers carried although that by reason of the huge depth and for that the Iewes made resistance it was a thing hard to be done and it had been left vndone had not Pompey obseruing the seuenth day wherein the Iewes religion forced them to abstaine from all labour caused it to be filled vpon those daies forbidding the souldiers to fight at that time to the intent he might fill the ditch more conueniently for it is lawfull for the Iewes onely to fight for their bodies vpon the Sabboth At last when the ditch was filled and the towers were built vpon the rampire he beat the walles with those engines which he brought from Tyre but they were beaten backe by those who resisted from the top of the wals who darted diuers stones at them Against the violent power whereof the towers that were builded in that quatter being of a great and goodly building resisted as valiantly and as long as they possibly could But the Romans found but hard measure in this place and Pompey admired the constancie of the Iewes who being amongst the thickest of their enemies darts yet omitted not any ceremonie but as though they had had firme peace they euerie day obserued their ceremonies offered sacrifices and offerings and most diligently obserued all honour and diuine seruice yea in the verie taking of the place although euerie day they were killed at the altar yet did they not cease from the lawfull rites of their religion At last in the third moneth of the siege whereas scarcely one tower was beaten downe they brake into the temple and the first that attempted to climbe ouer the wall was Faustus Cornelius Sylas sonne and after him two Centurions Furius and Fabius with their regiments who compassing the temple about while some sought to hide themselues and other some resisted they slew them all There were many priests also among the rest who although they saw the enemies with naked swords rushing vpon them yet being nothing at all dismaied thereat continued still their sacrifices and were slaine euen whilest they offered and incensed in the temple preferring the duetie they ought to religion euen before their owne safetie
when they fled into the temple without respect of age or womanhood For although the king intreated the souldiers to spare the people yet for all that they neuer restrained their cruell hands but like mad men they raged against all men women and children At that time also Antigonus neither respecting his former condition nor his present estate came and prostrated himselfe at Sosius hi◅ feete beseeching him to be mercifull vnto him but Sosius nothing compassionating his calamitie cruelly derided him and called him Antigona yet did he not permit him to depart free as a woman but put him in prison Now when Herode had conquered his enemies he endeuoured to the vttermost to appease the furie of the souldiers for all the whole multitude were desirous to see the temple and the holy vessels therein but he resisted them appeasing some by threatnings reclaiming others by force and the rest by entreaties supposing that it had been better for himselfe to haue been conquered then by obtaining the victorie to minister a meanes whereby those things should be discouered which were not lawfull to bee reueiled He therefore presently repressed the souldiers from sacking the citie inueying much against Sosius and obiecting against him that the Romans would desolate the Citie both of men and money and leaue him king of a place without subiects adding further that he esteemed not the empire of the whole world to be a recompence for such a massacre of his Citizens Hereunto Sosius replied that in equitie the souldiers were to haue the sacking of the towne in recompence of that labour they had spent in the siege But Herode gaue him this answere that he had rather recompence euerie man out of his owne treasurie and by this means he redeemed as it were the reliques of his desolate countrey and in the end performed that which he had promised For he bountifully rewarded euerie souldier and captaine according to his merit and gaue Sosius a kingly reward so that no man went away without money This done Sosius dedicated a golden crowne vnto God and so departed leading Antigonus captiue with him to the intent to present him vnto Antonius This man desirous to continue his life and entertaining himselfe with this cold hope euen vntill the last receiued in the end that reward which his faint heart desired and was beheaded Herode being now king made a distinction betweene the Citizens and those who had fauoured him he vsed verie honourably and put those to death who had followed Antigonus and when money failed he distributed all his kingly ornaments and sent them to Antonius and his companie Yet did not he quite redeeme himselfe from all annoiances for Antonius being now captiuate through Cleopatra her loue in all things yeelded vnto her desire and Cleopatra hauing raged so against her owne kindred that she had not left one of them aliue now turned her furie vpon strangers and accusing the nobilitie of Syria vnto Antonius she perswaded him to put them to death that she might thereby the easier obtaine their possessions Afterward her couetous minde sought to effect the like against the Arabians and the Iewes also in so much as she secretly went about to cause the kings of those places Malichus and Herode to be put to death Antonius made a shew as though he would haue granted her request yet he thought it great impietie to kill good men and so great kings yet notwithstanding he no more accounted them his friends but tooke a great quantitie of ground from the limits of both their countries and a vineyard in Iericho where balme grew and gaue her all the Cities on this side the riuer Eleutherus Tyre and Sydon onely excepted Now when she had obtained the dominion of these Cities she followed Antonius vnto Euphrates who set forward to make warre against the Parthians and afterward by Apamia and Damascus she came into Iudaea where Herode hauing something pacified her angrie minde with great gifts obtained to pay her yeerely two hundreth talents for that part of his countrey which Antonius had giuen her and seeking by all meanes possible to get himselfe an interest in her fauour he conducted her vnto Pelusium and not long after Antonius returned out of Parthia and brought Artabazes the sonne of Tigranes captiue and gaue him vnto Cleopatra for all the money and riches which he had got and the captiue likewise were bestowed on her CHAP. XIIII Of the treacherous practise of Cleopatra against Herod of Herods warre against the Arabians and of a verie great earthquake ABout such time as the Actiacum war was on foot Herode prepared himselfe to attend Antonius for that for the time present all troubles were pacified in Iudaea and he had already gotten the castle of Hyrcanion which Antigonus sister had in her possession But Cleopatra c◅aftily preuented him in this his iourny so that he could not go with Antonius for she desiring the ruines of both the kings as was before mētioned perswaded Antonius that he should ◅se Herod to make warre against the Arabians whom if he ouercame then she should be made Queene of Arabia and if so be he himselfe were ouercome then she should be Queene of iudaea intending hereby that one of these potentates should ruinate the other But this practise of hers was greatly to Herods gaine For first of all making head against those of Syria that were his enemies with all the power of horsemen he could make which was verie many and meeting them at Diospolis he ouercame them although they valiantly resisted who hauing the ouerthrow stirred vp a mightie armie of the Arabians to helpe them so that an infinite company was gathered togither about Coelesyria expecting the Iewes neere vnto a citie called Canatha Where king Herode meeting them purposed not to fight vnaduisedly but to compasse his owne armie round about with a wall but his armie remembring their former victorie would not be counselled but violently assaulted the Arabians and at the first onset put them to flight Herode pursuing his enemie was greatly endaungered by the treason of the inhabitants of Canatha who were set on by Athenio that vvas one of Cleopatras captaines vvho had alwaies borne him ill vvill for the Arabians encouraged by their helpe returned againe to battel and they two ioyned their forces togither and set vpon Herode in stonie and difficult places and put his armie to flight and killed many of them those that escaped fled vnto a little village hard by called Ormiza vvhere the Arabians compassing them about took both the men their tents with al their furniture Not long after this ouerthrow of Herods souldiers he came and brought helpe but too late and to little purpose but the cause hereof was for that the captaines of his army would not obey his commaundement for if they had beene obedient Athenio had not had the opportunitie to worke him that iniury yet
rushed out to flie aboue tenne thousand people were prest and troden to death so that this festiuall day was turned into wofull lamentations and mournings in euerie place This calamitie was encreased afterward by a company of theeues for neere Bethoron one Stephanus seruant vnto Caesar caried some household stuff which the theeues tooke from him in the high way But Cumanus sending for those in the villages next adioyning to make inquirie of these theeues commaunded them to be bound and brought vnto him because they had not taken the theeues in one of which villages a certaine souldier finding the booke of the holy scripture cut it in peeces and burnt it Hereupon the Iewes gathered themselues togither from all places as though their religion were now violated and drawen by the force of their superstition as with an engine all of them at one call went to Caesarea to Cumanus there beseeching him that the souldier who had so blasphemed God and their law might not escape vnpunished But Cumanus perceiued the Iewes would not be appeased without some satisfaction wherefore he condemned the souldier to death and sent him to execution before their faces which done they all departed At last there arose a tumult betweene the Galileans and Samaritans for at a village called Geman scituate in the great field of Samaria a certaine Galilean of the number of the Iewes that came to the feast was slaine for which fact many Galileans ranne to fight with the Samaritans and the nobilitie of the countrey went vnto Cumanus requesting him before any more harme were done to go into Galilee and punish the authors of this euill But Cumanus being busied in greater affaires sent them away without granting their request When this murther was knowne in Ierusalem all the multitude left the solemnitie of the day and went into Samaria without any guide refusing to be restrained by the nobilitie Of this their tumult and sedition the sonne of Dinaeus called Eleazar and one Alexander were captaines who with violence entering the borders of the countrey of Acrabatena killed man woman and child sparing no age and burning the townes When Cumanus heard this he tooke a cornet of ho◅semen called the Sebastians to come and helpe them that were thus oppressed and so tooke and killed many of them who tooke part with Eleazar Now the nobles of Ierusalem came out to the rest of that multitude which so wasted Samaria clothed in sackcloth ashes vpon their heads beseeching them not so to seeke reuenge vpon the Samaritanes as thereby to moue the Romans to destroy Ierusalem and to be mercifull to their countrey the temple their wiues and children and not at once hazard all and ouerthrow their whole countrie and nation in reuenging the death of one Galilean The Iewes hereby were pacified and departed At the same time many conspired togither to robbe and steale as most commonly people by long peace grow insolent so that they robbed in euery part of the countrie they that were most strong and able offered violence to those that were weaker Then the princes of Samaria went to Tyre beseeching Numidius Quadratus being gouernour of Syria to reuenge them of those that so robbed and spoiled their countrey There was also the nobilitie of the Iewes Ionathas the sonne of Ananus who was high Priest who defended the Iewes against the Samaritanes accusations affirming the Samaritanes to haue beene cause of that tumult in killing the Galilean and after that Cumanus was cause of the rest of their calamities who refused to punish the murtherers Quadratus for that time sent away both parties promising thē that when he came into their countries he would diligently enquire of the matter and comming from thence to Caesarea he crucified all those whom Cumanus tooke aliue And departing from thence to Lydda he heard the Samaritans complaints and sent for eighteene men whom he vnderstood for certaine to haue bin in that broile beheaded them sent the two high priests Ionathas and Ananias his son Ananus with some other of the nobilitie of the Iewes to Caesar and also the chiefe of the Samaritans He likewise commanded Cumanus and Celer the tribune to go to Rome and yeelde account vnto Claudius for that which they had done in that countrey This done he went from Lydda to Ierusalem and finding there the multitude celebrating the feast of vnleuened bread without any tumults or disorders he returned to Antiochia Caesar at Rome hearing the allegations of Cumanus and the Samaritanes Agrippa was also there earnestly defending the cause of the Iewes as also Cumanus was assisted by many potentates he pronounced sentence against the Samaritans commanded three of their chiefe nobilitie to be put to death and banished Cumanus and sent Celer the tribune bound vnto Ierusalem that the Iewes might draw him about the citie and then cut off his head This done he sent Felix brother to Pallas to rule Iudaea Samaria and Galilaea And he preferred Agrippa from Chalcis vnto a greater kingdome making him king of that prouince whereof Philip had beene ruler to wit Trachon Batanaea and Gaulanitis adding thereunto Lysanias kingdome the Tetrarchy whereof Varus was gouernour And hauing raigned thirteene yeeres eight moneths and thirtie daies Claudius departed this life leauing Nero to succeed him whom by the perswasions of his wife Agrippina he adopted to the Empire hauing a lawfull begotten sonne of his owne named Britannicus by his former wife Messalina and a daughter called Octauia whom he maried vnto Nero he had also another daughter by Agrippina named Antonia How Nero abused his wealth and felicitie and how he slew his brother mother and his wife and afterward raged against all his kinred and how in a mad vaine he became a player vpon a stage because it requireth a long narration I will speake nothing thereof CHAP. XII Of the tumults in Iudaea vnder Felix WHerefore I will begin to recount what Nero did against the Iewes He made Aristobulus Herodes sonne king of the lesser Armenia and ioyned vnto Agrippas kingdome foure cities and the ground belonging vnto them two of them Abila and Iulias were in the countrey of Peraea the other Tarichaea and Tiberias were in Galilee and he made Felix gouernour ouer the rest of Iudaea This Felix tooke Eleazar captaine of the theeues after he had robbed and spoyled the countrey twentie yeeres and many more with him and sent them bound vnto Caesar and he crucified a great number of them who either were theeues and his confederates or else such as assisted him The countrey was no sooner clensed from these but presently another sort of theeues arose in Ierusalem called Sicarij with short swords who at high noone in the midst of the citie killed many in euery place and especially at the celebrating of holy feasts they mixt themselues with the multitude hauing short swords vnder their coates and therewithall killed those to whom they bare
one of them tumbling vpon another There was a great throng in the gates of the citie for euery one hastning and striuing to get in hindered themselues and others Many died most miserably in that throng and some were stifled and some prest to death being troden vpon so that their neighbours comming to bury them could not know them The souldiers also cruelly assaulted them killing all that they could come vnto and forced the people to go in by the entrance called Bezetha who desired to recouer the temple and the castle called Antonia Florus taking the souldiers with him pursued them thither striuing to get the castle yet did he not preuaile for the people made resistance and threw down stones from the house top and killed many of the Romans who being ouercome with darts cast from aloft and could not resist the people who on euery side came against them retired themselues vnto the rest of the armie at the kings pallace Those that were seditious fearing that Florus would againe assault them and by the castle Antonia make an entrance into the temple they got vpon the galleries that reached from the porch of the temple vnto Antonia and beat them downe hereby to represse the couetousnes of Florus Who greedilie gaped after the sacred treasure and striued to enter by Antonia into the temple to take them but seeing the porches beaten downe he offered no more violence And calling togither the high priests and nobilitie he said that he was content to depart out of the citie but he would leaue them as great a garrison as they would request Whereunto they answered that nothing should be altered if he would leaue one companie to keepe all quiet so he left not that which a while before did fight against the people because that the people would not easily brooke them for that which they had suffered at their hands So Florus as he was requested changing the garrison with the rest of the army departed to Caesarea CHAP. XVI Of Politianus the tribune and how Agrippa made a speech vnto the Iewes exhorting them to obey the Romanes FLorus yet deuised an other way to stirre the Iewes to rebellion for he reported vnto Cestius that the Iewes were reuolted impudently belying them to haue committed that which indeed they endured at his hands The nobles of Ierusalem and Berenice certified Cestius of all that Florus had done he receiuing letters from both partics deliberated with his nobles what to do Some cosisailed Cestius to go into Iudaea with an army punish the Iewes if they were reuolted and if they were not then to confirme them in their obedience Yet it pleased him better to send some about him thither before to bring him true newes of their estate and what had hapned So he sent Politianus the tribune who in his way met with Agrippa about Iamnia as he returned from Alexandria and told him all for what and from whom he was sent Where also were present the Priests and chiefe of the Iewes to welcome Agrippa And hauing saluted him as courteously as they could they presently bewailed the misery which had befallen their nation the cruelty of Florus Which although Agrippa disallowed yet made as if he were angry with the Iewes whō he greatly pitied purposing hereby to bridle their affections that they perswaded that they had had no iniury might abstaine from reuenge So that all the better sort who for their lands and liuings desired quietnes well perceiued that the kings reprehension was not of malice but for their good The people of Ierusalem went out to meete them threescore furlongs off and receiued Agrippa and Politianus verie courteously yet the women lamented the death of their husbands slaine and with their teares moued the whole multitude to sorrow who besought Agrippa to haue compassion on their nation intreating also Politianus to go into the citie and behold what Florus had done And so they shewed him the market place desert and the houses destroyed and by the meanes of Agrippa perswaded Politianus to go round about the citie as farre as Siloa onely with one man and behold with his eies what Florus had done and that they were obedient to the Romanes in all things and onely were enemies vnto Florus who had vsed them so cruelly Politianus hauing gone about the whole citie ascended into the temple well perceiuing many arguments of the Iewes fidelitie towards the Romanes and calling the people there togither he praised their loyaltie and exhorted them still to continue in like obedience and worshipped God and his ◅ites as farre as the law permitted him and so he returned vnto Cestius The multitude of the Iewes came to Agrippa and the high Priests requesting them to send Embassadors against Florus vnto Nero and not to giue an argument of rebellion by not complaining of such murthers for Florus would make him beleeue that they had rebelled except they went vnto him to shew that Florus gaue first occasion and it was certaine that the multitude would not be quieted if any one hindred that Embassage Hereupon Agrippa thought that it would be an hatefull matter to send Embassadours to Rome to accuse Florus and on the other part he perceiued that it was to no purpose to contradict the Iewes who were readie now to rebell wherefore calling the people togither he made a speech vnto them and seated his sister Berenice in an eminent place in the house of the Asmonaeans The porch wherin he called thē togither was in such a place that it ouerlooked all the higher part of the Citie for there was onely a bridge betweene it and the Temple which ioyned the Temple and it togither and there spake he vnto the Iewes in manner following If I had perceiued that you were bent to fight against the Romans or that the better part of the people were not enclined to peace neither would I haue come vnto you nor haue presumed to haue counselled you in any thinge For it is in vaine to giue counsell of such thinges as are expedient where all the auditors are alreadie determined to followe that which is contrarie to the counsell giuen them But for that some are ignorant what miserie wars induce because by reason of their young yeeres they haue not knowne it others are moued with a rash and vnaduised desire of their libertie others are drawne by auarice and hope of gaine in that hurlyburlie I thought it good to assemble you all togither and declare vnto you what meanes is to be vsed to restraine such people that the good may the better knowe howe to resist and ouercome the practises of the wicked But let no man frowne if he heare that which displeaseth him and I will tell you nothing but that which seemeth expedient for you For they that are so bent to rebellion that they will not be recalled may for all my words continue in the same minde still And I wil
Eleazars companions rose vp communed together that it did not become them that rebelled against the Romans onely to recouer their lâ—…bertie that they should bee traytors thereof to their owne companions who were of the same condition and that they should indure a King or Lord ouer them who although he be no seuere man yet hee was of more abiect and base condition then they If it were so that it were expedient to haue one ruler ouer all the rest they had rather haue any one then Manahemus and being thus agreed they set vpon him in the Temple where he was praying with great Pompe apparelled like a King and hauing about him a gard of his friends in armour Now when Eleazar his followers set vpon Manahemus the people did also throw stones at him so stoned him hoping that by his death the sedition would be extinguished The gard of Manahemus at first made some resistance but when they perceiued the whole multitude against them euery one shifted for himselfe as he could those that were taken were put to death and they that escaped were afterward sought for onely a few of them fled vnto Massada amongst whome was Eleazar the sonne of Iairus who was Manahemus kinsman and afterward in Massada became a tyrant But Manahemus fled into a place called Ophlas where hee basely hid himselfe and being taken hee was drawne out from thence and after many torments put to death and with him all the Nobilitie that had assisted him as also Absalomon who was his onely helper And in this matter as I haue said the people greatly helped hoping hereby to haue some end of that sedition But the rebels did not kill Manahemus to the end to extinguish sedition but to the intent to rob and spoyle more freely The people with many intreaties besought them to let the Romans alone whome they did befiege but they were so much the more earnest against them till they being no longer able to make resistance with the consent of Metilius their Captaine and some other of more authoritie sent vnto Eleazar requesting him to giue them licence to depart with their liues and leaue their munition to the Iewes Who accepting their petition sent vnto them Gorion the sonne of Nichodemâ—…s and Ananias the Sadducee and Iudas the sonne of Ionathas to confirme the promise of their liues Which done Metilius led away the Souldiours and whilest the Romans had their weapons none of the rebels durst attempt any of their treacherie against them but so soone as euerie one according to couenant laide downe their shields and swords and so departed mistrusting nothing Eleazar his gard set vpon them and killed them who neither made any resistance nor any intreatie for their liues onely putting them in mind of their promise and oth So they wereâ—…ll slaine saue onely Metilius who greatly intreated for his life and promising that he would become a Iew in religion and be circumcised they spared him Yet was this a small losse to the Romans who onely had then but a verie few slaine of their great and almost infinite armie and this seemed the verie beginning of the Iewes captiuitie When they saw themselues to haue giuen sufficient cause of wars and too great and that the Citie was now so filled with iniquitie that the wrath of God did hang ouer it though there had beene no feare of any harme to them by the Romanes yet the whole Citie mourned and was sorrowfull and quietly minded lamented as though they themselues should answere for the seditious for that murder which was committed vpon the Sabaoth when it is not lawfull for the Iewes to doe any good worke CHAP. XIX Of the great massacre of the Iewes at Caesarea and in all Syria AT the same houre on the selfe same day it happened as it were by Gods prouidence that the Inhabitants of Caesarea did massacre the Iewes that dwelled amongst them so that at one time aboue twentie thousand were slaine and not one Iew left aliue in all Caesarea For those that escaped Florus tooke and brought them forth bound vnto the people After this massacre done at Caesarea the whole nation of the Iewes waxed mad and diuiding themselues into companies they wasted and destroyed in short time all the borders of Syria and the Cities thereabout to wit Philadelphia and Gebonitis Gerasa Pella and Scythopolis and then they made incursion into Gadara Hippon and Gaulanitis pulling downe some places firing other some And from thence they marched towards Cedasa a Citie of the Tyrians and Ptolemais Gaba Caesarea and neither Sebaste neither Asealon could resist them but they also were consumed with fire Likewise they destroyed Anthedon with Gaza and most places adioyning to these Cities were sacked to wit the fields and villages and a mightie slaughter was made of them that were taken in these places The Syrians made as great a massacre of the Iewes as this amongst them for all the Iewes that inhabited amongst them were murdered not only for an old grudge but also for the auoyding of imminent danger And al Syria was troubled in most grieuous maner and euerie Citie was diuided into two parts and either parts safety consisted in this to preuent the other in murdering them first the daies were spent in bloudshed and the nights in feare worse then death it selfe For though they onely pretended to destroy the Iewes yet were they drawne to suspect other nations that followed the Iewes religion and because they were as it were neuters the Syrians thought it not good to destroy them and againe for their agreeing in religion with the Iewes they were constrained to hold them as enemies Manie of the contrarie part who before seemed modest were now through auarice incited to meddle in this murder for euerie one tooke the goods of them that were slaine and carried them to other places as conquerers And he was most renowmed that had stolen most as hauing also killed most There might you see in euerie part of the Citie the dead bodies of all ages vnburied old men and children and women lying in most shamefull maner their secret parts being vncouered Briefely all the Countrie was filled with exceeding great calamitie and the feare of myserie to come was vnspeakable And these were the conflicts betweene the Iewes and strangers But afterward making incursion vpon the borders of Scythopolis the Iewes there dwelling were their enemies For they conspiring with the citizens of Scythopolis and preferring their owne commoditie and security before their kinred and consanguinitie ioyned with the Gentiles against the Iewes who for all that were suspected for their forwardnes Finally the Scythopolites searing that they would assault the citie by night and excuse their reuolting by their great miserie they commaunded all the Iewes that if they would shew themselues trustie vnto the Gentiles they with all their children should go into a wood hard by who forthwith did
as they were willed suspecting nothing and the Scythopolites were quiet for two daies after and did nothing But the third night they sent forth scouts to see what they were doing who finding some of them a sleepe and others not resisting they surprised them in a moment and killed them all who were in number thirteene thousand and afterward tooke their goods I thinke it not amisse to speake of the death of Simon who was the sonne of Saul a man of regard he was a man of great courage and strength of bodie which both he vsed to the great hurt of his owne nation for he daily killed many Iewes who dwelt neere vnto Scythopolis and hee alone often scattered diuers companies and put whole armies to flight who had an end worthie for his deedes and murdering of his Countrimen For when the Scythopolites had compassed the wood about so that none could escape their hands they killed the Iewes in euerie part thereof Symon drawing his sword made no resistance to any of his enemies for he saw that it was bootlesse to striue against such a multitude Then pitifully crying out I receiue O Scythopolites a worthy reward for that which I haue done who to shew my fidelitie towards you haue killed so many of mine own countrimen it is a iust plague that a strange nation should be false vnto vs who impiously forsooke our own brethren I wil do therfore as a prophane person killing my selfe with my owne hands this death will bee a sufficient punishment for my offences a full argument of my magnanimitie that none of my enemies may boast of my death nor insult ouer me When he had thus spoken he beheld al his family with cōpassion and rage mixt togither he had a wife and children aged parents And first taking his father by the haire of the head stood vpō him thrust him through after him he killed his mother who was willing to die after them his wife and children euerie one of them as it were offering their bodies to the sword desirous to preuent the enemies When he had slaine all his kinred himselfe remaining aliue he stretched forth his arme that they might see what he would do and thrust his sword into his own bodie vp to the hilts A young man who for his magnanimitie strength of bodie was worthie to be pitied had yet a iust and deserued end for trusting forraine nations CHAP. XX. Of another grieuous slaughter of the Iewes AFter this so great a massacre of the Iewes in Scythopolis other cities also did rise against them where they inhabited and two thousand and fiue hundreth were slaine at Ascalon and two thousand at Ptolemais and the Tyrians killed diuers and kept many in prison likewise they of Gadara and Hippon slew the most valiant and those of least courage they cast into prison Also all other cities who either feared or hated the Iewes rose vp against them Onely they of Antiochia Sidonia and Apamia spared them that dwelt with them and neither killed nor imprisoned any of them perhaps they stood in no feare of them if they should haue risen because their citie was so populous yet I thinke they spared them onely for pitie sake because they saw that they were quiet and not seditious The inhabitants also of Gerasa did no harme to the Iewes amongst them but when they desired to depart they conducted them safely vnto the end of their borders In the kingdome also of Agrippa much crueltie was shewed against the Iewes For he being gone to Cestius Gallus at Antiochia left the rule of his countrey to one of his friends named Varus kinsman vnto king Sohemus and there came vnto him seuentie of the chiefe nobility of the country Batanaea requesting a garrison to represse those that should attempt rebellion amongst them Varus sent certain of the kings souldiers armed and killed them al as they were comming to him But he did this impietie without Agrippa his consent onely for auarīce a◅◅t were emboldened by this fact he ruinated the whole realme still continuing such crueltie and impietie against his nation til such time as Agrippa vnderstood therof who for Sohemus sake durst not put him to death but dispossessed him of his place In the meane while the rebels tooke the fort called Cyprus which is scituate aboue Iericho and after they had killed the garrison they destroyed the fortresse At the same time a multitude of Iewes laid siege before the Castle of Macheron and perswaded the souldiers left in garrison to yeeld the Castle who fearing that if they denied they should be compelled thereto deliuered it vnto them vpon condition that they might quietly depart and they of Macherunt placed a strong guard within it CHAP. XXI How the Iewes were slaine at Alexandria THe citizens of Alexandria had alwaies a quarrel against the Iewes that liued with thē since the time that that famous Alexander vsed their helpe against the Aegyptians and therefore permitted them to inhabite in Alexandria and to haue the same priuiledges that the rest of the citizens had And this honor was also continued with them vnto the time of the successors and heires of Alexander who also gaue them a certaine place in the citie to dwell in that there they might liue more commodiously the Gentiles hauing nothing to doe amongst thē permitted them also to cal thēselues Macedoniās And afterward when Aegypt was brought vnder the rule of the Romans neither Caesar nor any one else did diminish the Iewes dignitie in that place which Alexander had giuen them So that now there was daily conflicts betweene them and the Greekes and although the Iudges on both parts still punished them that were in fault yet the sedition more and more encreased and when all cities else were filled with troubles there the tumult was more vehement For when the Alexandrians had called togither the people to determine of an embassage to Nero certaine Iewes mingled themselues amongst the Greeks and so went into the Amphitheater who being espied by their aduersaries the Greeks cried out that the Iewes were enemies and came as spies and so laid violent hands vpon them Some of them ◅led onely three of them were taken by the Greeks whom they drew to a place to burne them aliue All the Iewes of the citie came to succour them and first they threw stones at them and then taking firebrands they ran in a rage into the Amphitheater and threatned to burne all the people there assembled which they had done if Tiberius Alexander gouernour of the citie had not appeased their furie who did not at the first vse force of armes against them but sent their nobilitie to perswade them to cease and not incite the Roman army against them But the seditious Iewes refused his admonition and mocked Tiberius who seeing that they would not otherwise be appeased sent two legions of armed Romans against them which
they were in extreame danger and the Romans in none and did not giue one foote backe till either they did kill or were killed But the Iewes had not any fresh men to second them that were tired and the Romans stil as they were wearied sent fresh supplie and ioyning together their long shields exhorting one another they became as it were a wall or defence inuincible and the whole armie like one bodie did beate backe the Iewes and so set foote on the wals Then Ioseph in this desperate case deuised some way to repell this present calamitle wherefore hee commaunded the Iewes to fetch scalding oyle which they had readie and powre it vpon the Romans yet seething who also cast the pans vpon them This deuise brake the ranckes of the Romanes so that with great paine and griefe they fell from the wall and tumbled downe for the scalding oyle easily got betweene their flesh and armour and scorched them like fire being easily heated and long continuing hot by reason of the fatnesse and the Romans being loaden with helmets and briest plates could not flie so that some lept downe off the bridge and others for griefe died others would faine haue retired themselues but could not because their enemies followed them so hard But neither the Romans wanted vertue and valour in aduerse fortune nor the Iewes prudence and good aduise For the Romans notwithstanding they were in intolerable paine being scalded with hot oyle yet did they freshly assault them that hurt them and euerie one did thrust him forward that was before him as it were desirous to shew their courage Then the Iewes vsed an other deuise to make them retyre for they powred fenugreeke boyled vpon the bridge so that they slid downe and neither they that would haue fled nor they who did striue to assault the Iewes could stand vpon their feete it was so slipperie and many falling downe vpon the bridge were by their owne companie troden to death others did slide downe vpon the Rampier and alwaies as they fell the Iewes strooke them and seeing that the Romanes were retyred from the place so that now they were not forced to handie blowes they had leasure to shoote arrowes and darts against them When Vespasian saw that his men in that fight endured much miserie towards euening he caused them to retyre manie being slaine and more wounded and sixe men of Iotapata were slaine and aboue three hundreth wounded this fight was vpon the twentith day of Iune But after that Vespasian had comforted his souldiers for that which had happened and perceiuing that they were angrie and desired to fight to reuenge themselues so that they needed no exhortation he raised the Rampier higher and erected three towers fiftie foote high couering them aloft with yron that so by reason of their weight they might stand stedfast and not bee consumed by fire and these hee placed ◅pon the Rampiers and in them Archers and men that cast darts and such like who not being perceiued of them that were vpon the wall because of the highnesse of the towers and the couering thereof easily wounded them who were placed thereon So the Iewes when they could not a◅oide the arrowes nor bee reuenged vpon them whome they could not see nor yet ◅e the towers being couered with plates of yron forsooke the wals yet alwayes encountred with them who sought to enter And the people of Iotapata thus resisted notwithstanding that many e◅rie day were slaine and that they did their enemies no harme without great danger to themselues CHAP. XI How Iapha was taken by Traianus and Titus AT this time Vespasian vnderstood that Iapha a Citie neere Iotapata minded to rebell encouraged so to doe for that they vnderstood how they of Iotapata had held ou◅ contrarie to all expectation wherefore he sent thither Traianus goue◅our of the tenth legion with him two thousand footmen a thousand horse who perceiuing the towne able to resist and the Inhabitants prepared for to fight and come out to meete him for the towne being for the situation strong enough it was also compassed with a double wall seeing this he fought with them and after a while put them to flight and the Romans following them brake in with them at the first gate which the Citizens perceiuing shut the second gate not suffering their ow◅ Citizens to enter in for feare that the enemies also should rush in with them as they had done into the first gate Truely God gaue that victorie vnto the Romanes whose will it was that all warlike men of the Citie should haue their owne gates shut vpon them and so fall into their enemies hands who were most greedie to destroy them For many came to the gates and called those that kept them by their names pitifully entreating that they might come in which whilest they did they were butchered like sheepe being enclosed betweene two wals their owne Citizens hauing shut one gate vpon them and the Romans the other and many thus enclosed perished with their fellowes swords and an infinite ◅umber by the rage of the Romans hauing no courage to resist and reuenge themselues For the treason of their owne Citizens and the terrour of their enemies together vtterly discouraged them and so they died all in number 12. thousand not cursing the Romans but the Iewes their owne Countrimen Traiane thinking that the Citie was now destitute of fighting men or if any were within that they durst not resist being thus terrified reserued the taking of the Citie for the generall and sent messengers vnto him requesting him to send his sonne Titus to make an end of the victorie Vespasian fearing that yet there would bee some resistance sent Titus with fiue hundreth horsemen and a thousand foot who hastning thither placed Traianus on the left side of the towne and himselfe on the right so the Romans on euerie side scaled the wals and the Galileans hauing awhile resisted presently left them Then Titus and his followers leaping downe presently got into the Citie and began a vehement fight with them that were assembled therein some valiantly issuing out of narrow streetes and assaulting them and the women casting such things as they could get vpon the Romanes from the tops of their houses and thus they held battell sixe houres When their fighting men were all slaine then the old men children al the other companie both in the streetes and in their houses were soon dispatched so that none of them were left aliue saue onely infāts vvho vvith the women were led captiues The number of thē that were slaine both in the citie and in the first conflict amounted vnto fifteene thousand and the nu◅er of those that were led into captiuitie vvere one thousand one hundreth and thirtie and this massacre of the Galileans happened the fiue and twentith day of Iune CHAP. XII How Caerealis conquered the Samaritans THe Samaritans also
So he commaunded Ioseph to be kept prisoner yet did he giue him apparell and diuers other things in most kind maner and Titus did greatly honour him The fourth day of Iuly Vespasian returned vnto Ptolemais and from thence he came into the Sea coast vnto Caesarea which is the greatest Citie of Iudaea whose Inhabitants are for the most part Greekes so the Inhabitants receiued the armie and the Generall with all friendship possible both for that they loued the Romanes as especially also for that they hated them who were destroyed so that many intreated Vespasian to put Ioseph to death But Vespasian iudging this a rash petition would make no answere vnto it and he left two legions to winter at Caesarea because he saw it was a fit place and sent the tenth and fift vnto Scythopolis because he would not ouercharge Caesarea with the whole armie This place is warme in winter and exceeding hot in sommer by reason it is situate on a plaine by the sea coast CHAP. XV. How Ioppe was taken againe IN the meane time a great multitude being gathered together who either were seditious persons or theeues or such as had escaped out of the ruinated Cities began to reedifie Ioppe for their refuge which Cestius before time had destroyed and seeing that they could not rob nor spoyle the Countrie which was alreadie wasted and left desolate by warres they purposed to become pirates and so building ships for that purpose they robbed the Phaenicians Syrians and Aegyptians not suffering any to passe those seas without danger Vespasian vnderstanding their intent sent horsemen and footmen thither who finding the Citie not guarded got into it in the night time which the Inhabitants perceiuing were so afraid that they durst not make any resistance to expel the Romans but they al retired thēselues vnto their ships there staied all night a flight shot from the shore Ioppe is naturally no road for ships for it is situated vpon a turbulent shore and on either side hath verie high and eminent rockes which trouble the seas and make huge waues in this place if wee may beleeue the fable one may see the signes of Andromedes chaines When the North wind bloweth it striketh the waues against the rockes and so causeth a dangerous sea that it were farre more safe to bee in the middest of the seas then at that shoare when the same wind bloweth The Inhabitants of Ioppe rode there all night and by breake of day the North wind began to blow fiercely and draue some of the ships one against another and others against the rockes and many striuing against wind and weather and seeking to get into the middest of the Sea for feare of the rockie shoare and their enemies there were drowned and they that escaped neither had any place of refuge nor hope of safetie for the tempest did driue them from the sea and the Romanes from the Citie so that the aire was filled with the cries of people expecting to bee drowned and with the noyse and sound of ships beaten one against another So some of the Inhabitants of Ioppe were swallowed by the waues others suffered shipwracke some killed themselues rather then to bee drowned many with the waues were stroken against the rockes so that the sea was bloudie and all the shoare was couered with dead bodies and whosoeuer escaped the sea and got to shoare the Roman souldiers there readie standing killed them There were foure thousand and two hundreth dead bodies cast vpon the shoare So the Romans hauing without any fight taken the Citie they destroyed it and thus was Ioppe taken and twise destroyed by the Romanes in a short time Vespasian builded there a Castle and placed in it some few horsemen and footemen to the end that none of the Iewes should come thither againe to play the Pyrates and that the footemen might keepe the Castle and in the meane time the horsemen might goe foorth and spoyle all the townes and villages and territories belonging to Ioppe which also they did When the newes of the destruction of Iotapata was brought vnto Ierusalem many gaue small credite vnto it partly for the greatnesse of that calamitie partly for that no one man could say that hee had seene the destruction of the Citie for none escaped that mas◅acre to bring newes but onely a report thereof was spread abroad but at last it was verified to bee true by those that dwelt neere vnto that place and then they beleeued it Many things also which were false were reported as true It was likewise bruted that Ioseph was slaine in the destruction of the Citie for whose death all Ierusalem sorrowed euerie one mourned for their lost kinred all bewayled the supposed death of the Generall and some of their sonnes others of their brethren and kinsfolke and others of their acquaintance They all mourned for Ioseph thirtie dayes spa◅ and hired many musicians to sing funerall songs for him At last truth discouered it selfe and the true newes of the destruction of Iotapata with the accidents there also how Ioseph was not slaine but liued with the Romans and that the Romans honored him more then a captiue could expect Then the Iewes began as much to hate him now liuing as before they mourned for him when they supposed him dead And some said he was a coward others that hee was a traytor vnto his Countrie and the whole Citie breathed out reprochfull speeches against him These heauie tidings encreased their rage and this their aduersitie which vnto wise men had beene a warning to prouide least the like befell them made them more outragious so that alwayes the end of one mischiefe was the beginning of another To bee short now they were more incensed against the Romans then before as it were that they might also be reuenged of Ioseph And this was the estate of the Citizens of Ierusalem CHAP. XVI How Tyberias was yeelded VEspasian was desirous to see the kingdome of Agrippa for the King had intreated him to goe thither partly to feast him and his whole army partly to represse some troubles arising in his kingdome in the time of his absence and so departed from Caesarea vpon the Sea coast and went vnto Caesarea Philippi where hee stayed and refreshed his souldiers twentie dayes himselfe also feasted giuing God thanks for his prosperous successe in the wars This done he had intelligence that Tyberias and Tarichea were reuolted both which Cities belonged vnto Agrippa his kingdome and fully determining vtterly to destroy the Iewes which inhabited there abouts he thought it good to lead his armie against these two places especially that he might reward Agrippa for his good entertainement by surrendring these Cities vnto him Wherefore he sent his sonne Titus to Caesarea to bring the souldiers there vnto Scythopolis which was the greatest of all the ten Cities which also is neere vnto Tiberias whither himselfe
to go out fight with them but first with peaceable words to perswade them to concord peace Wherefore Iesus the eldest of the priests next after Ananus stood in a tower opposite against them spake in this manner Though many and diuers tumults and troubles haue molested this citie yet did I neuer so much admire any of them as to come with such furie and readines to helpe these wicked people against all expectation for said he you are come against vs to helpe most vile persons and that so rashly as it behooued not you to haue done if your Metropolitan citie had requested your help against barbarous people If I should perceiue your manners like vnto theirs that haue requested your helpe I would then thinke you had some reason to come for nothing causeth firmer friendship then agreemēt or sympathie in maners But they if they were narrowly sought into haue euerie one deserued a thousand deaths For they are the basest and the verie outcast of all the countrey people who hauing spent their patrimonies riotously and plaied the theeues in all places and cities about them now at last haue got into this holy citie most religious of al cities and haue prophaned the holy place by their impietie they tremble not to be drunke euen in the holy temple and there they consume in banqueting the spoiles they haue gotten from them whom they haue massacred And you come to helpe these men with as great an armie prouision as though that this your mother citie had by publike consent requested your helpe against forraine enemies Is not this the iniurie of fortune that your whole nation hath conspired and bent all their forces against vs to help these miscreants Til now I knew not what moued you so quickly so sodainly to arme your selues to assist theeues against your natiue countrimē What haue you bin informed of the Romans comming of the betraying of the citie For euen now I heard some of you mutter that you came to deliuer your mother city Is it not a wōder to see this deuise inuentiō of these malefactors But they could deuise no other way to incite other against vs who euen naturally desire libertie are readie for the same to spend our deerest bloud in cōflict with the enemie but to feine vs to be destroiers of libertie But it behoueth you to cōsider who are these calumniators against whō these calumniatiōs are deuised then to gather the verity of the matter not frō forged tales fained at mens pleasures but frō the thing it selfe What should moue vs now to yeeld vnto the Romans hauing indured as yet nothing to cōstraine vs therunto when if we had liked to ◅iue vnder their obedience neither needed we at first to haue rebelled and beside that if we had repented our selues we might haue againe submitted our selues obtained their fauour before this time that all the countrey round about vs is destroyed Nay if now we would yeeld it is not easie for vs for the spoile of Galilee which they hauing alreadie conquered hath made them proud and that we in humbling our selues vnto them being neere vnto vs should incurre an infamie worse then death it selfe True it is I thinke peace better than wars yet being once prouoked to wars and the fight being begun I had rather die a glorious death then to liue in captiuitie Do they enforme you that we haue secretly sent the chiefe of our citie to the Romans or that by common consent of all the people we haue done it If they say that we did it secretly let them then tel what friends of ours we sent or what seruants of ours were ministers to effect this treason Did they take any messenger of ours and find letters about him How can that be hid from all our citizens with whom we do euerie houre conuerse And is it possible that a few shut vp in the temple who could not come out into the citie should know our secrets all the whole citie knowing nothing or doe they now first know it when they are like to b◅ punished for their impietie neuer suspecting any of vs to be traitors so long as they were in no feare If they say that it was done by common consent of all the people why then all men were there when the speech was made vnto the people to exhort them thereunto and request their good wils and so the newes thereof would quickly haue come vnto your eares Or what need had we to send Embassadours if we had beene now alreadie certaine to come to composition with the Romans Let them tell you who was appointed for that Embassage These are but deuises and excuses of them who feare to haue a death according to their deserts and a shift to escape punishment If fate had so decreed that our citie should be betraied vnto the enemie assure your selues that they who doe thus accuse vs would haue betraied it themselues who haue committed alreadie all sort of impieties treason onely excepted It is your part seeing you are come hither in armes first as reason and iustice requireth to assist your mother citie against them who tyrannize ouer vs and violate our lawes who treading downe our lawes make all that iustice which they can effect with their sword And first of all they tooke noble men and cast them in prison drawing them from amidst the publike assemblie and being neuer accused nor condemned nothing respecting their intreaties put them to death If it please you to come in peaceable and not hostile manner into our citie your selues shall plainly behold euident tokens of this that I speake vnto you to wit houses ruinated and made desolate by their robberies the wiues and families of them that are slaine in mourning apparrell and howling and crying in euerie part of the citie For there is no one amongst vs that hath not tasted the persecution of these wretched men who are gone so farre that not content to make this citie their refuge which is the chiefe a spectacle to all others for sanctity after they had robbed and spoiled al the country and villages and cities here about now lastly they haue made the sacred temple a refuge and place to carry all their spoile which they haue impiously gotten in this citie vnto This temple they doe make their bulwarke to issue out and to retire vnto and from thence they make incursions vpon the citizens and this is the place where they practise all their villanies against vs. And this sacred place which all the world euen the most barbarous and sauage people therof do reuerence is now defiled by the horrible robberies which one borne amongst vs committed And now being in desperation they reioyce to see nation against nation and citie against citie people against people and our own countrimen to turne themselues against their owne bowels when contrariwise as I haue alreadie said it had beene
4 How certaine townes were taken and the description of Iericho 5 Of the lake called Asphaltites 6 How Gerasa was destroied and of the death of Nero and of Galba and Otho 7 Of Simon of Gerasa Prince of a new conspiracie 8 Of Galba Otho Vitellius and Vespasian 9 Of Simons actes against the Zelous 10 How Vespasian was chosen Emperour 11 The description of Aegypt and Pharus 12 How Vespasian redeemed Ioseph from captiuitie 13 Of Vitellius his death and manners 14 How Titus was sent against the Iewes by his father CHAP. I. Of another massacre and of the returne of the Idumaeans and the crueltie of the Zelous SVCH was the end of Ananus and Iesus After whose death the Idumaeans and the Zelous massacred the people as though they had beene a flocke of pernicious beasts and euerie one was slaine wheresoeuer he was found and taking the nobilitie and younger sort of men they kept them bound in prison hoping that by deferring their deaths some of them would become partakers with them Yet none was thereby mooued but euerie one desired to die rather then impiously to conspire against their owne countrey yet were they most cruelly whipped before they were put to death their whole body being all as it were one sore place by whipping and stripes and so when they could not indure these torments any longer then were they killed And who so was taken on the day time was in the night carried to prison and those that died in prison and torments they then cast their dead bodies out that they might haue place to imprison others in their roome And the people were so terrified that none durst weepe openly for his friend nor burie the dead body of his kinsman yea those that were in prison durst not openly weepe but secretly looking about them least any of their enemies should espie them For whosoeuer mourned for any that was afflicted was presently himselfe vsed in the same manner as he had been for whom he lamented somtime some in the night scraped vp a little earth with their hands and therewithall couered the dead body of their friend and some bolder then the rest did the like in the day time And in this generall slaughter were twelue thousand young noblemen slaine by this means and thus being hated for these massacres they mocked and flouted the magistrates and made no account of their iudgments So that when they determined to put one Zacharie the sonne of Baruch to death a noble man one of the chiefe of the citie for they perceiued that he was an enemy to their wickednes and loued the vertuous and one that was rich by whose death they hoped not onely to haue the spoile of his goods but also to be rid of such a one who might be able to resist their bad purposes they called seuentie of the best amongst the common people togither as it were in iudgment yet they hauing no authoritie and before them they accused Zacharie that he had betraied the common wealth vnto the Romans and that for that intâ—… he had sent vnto Vespasian but neither shewed any euidence nor proofe thereof but onely they affirmed it to be so and therefore would haue credit giuen vnto their words When Zacharie perceiued that vnder pretence of being called into iudgement he was deceitfully brought into prison and hauing no hope of life yet he spared not to speake liberally his minde but began to scorne the rage and pretence of his enemies and purged himselfe of the crimes whereof he was accused and conuerting his speech against his accusers he laid open all their iniquities and much lamented the miseries and troubles of the Citie In the meane while the Zelous gnashed their teeth and could scarcely containe themselues from drawing their swords and were desrious that their pretended accusation and iudgement might be ended He also requested them who by these miscreants were appointed his iudges to remember iustice notwithstanding those dangerous times These seuentie iudges all pronounced that he was to be absolued and freed as vnguiltie and rather chose to die then to cause his death who was innocent This sentence being pronounced the Zelous began to shoute and crie with a loud voice and they all were angry at the iudges who did not vnderstand to what end that counterfeit authoritie was giuen them Then two of the boldest amongst them set vpon Zacharie and killed him in the middest of the temple and mocked him saying thou hast now our sentence and absolution farre more certaine then the other was and presently they cast him downe from the temple into the valley vnderneath and then contumeliously with the hilts of their swords they did beat the Iudges out of the temple yet they did not kill them to the ende that being dispersed through the whole citie they might tell the people as messengers from them of their miserable captiuitie The Idumaeans were now sorrowfull for their comming for they misliked these proceedings who being assembled altogither one of the Zelous secretly told them all that their faction had done from their beginning and that the Idumaeans had taken armes because they were enformed how that the Metropolitane citie was by the priests betraied vnto the Romans but as they might perceiue there was no proofe nor signe of any such matter and that in deede the Zelous who pretended themselues conseruers of the citie were meere enemies and exercised tyrannie ouer the Citizens euen from their beginning And although they had associated themselues with such wicked persons and made themselues partakers of such and so many murthers yet thought now to cease from such wickednes not assist men so impious to destroie their countrie lawes and religion For although they tooke it in bad part that the citie gates were shut vpon them yet now they were sufficiently reuenged of those that were the cause thereof Now was Ananus himselfe slaine and almost all the people in one night whereof many of them ere long would repent and that they might now themselues perceiue the crueltie of them who requested their aide to be more then barbarous so that they blusht not to commit their villanies openlie in the sight of them who had saued their liues and their misdemeanour and impietie would be imputed vnto the Idumaeans because they neither hindred their mischieuous practises nor sorsooke their societie And that therefore it was their parts seeing that it was now euident that the report of treason was onely calumniation and that no assault by the Romans was to be feared likewise that an inuincible force was established against the citie for to depart home and by forsaking the societie of the impious acquite themselues of their impietie as being by them deceiued and so against their wils made partakers thereof The Idumaeans were hereby perswaded and first of all they loosed them that were in prison in number two thousand of the vulgar sort
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
to the Iewes for all the old wals and the North part of the citie and many houses were filled with the multitude of them who came to view this sight and there vvas no part of the citie that was not filled with people to see and behold it And feare came vpon the verie boldest amongst all the Iewes seeing both the Romans armour and their order and perhaps that shew would haue caused the seditious people to haue relented had they not despaired to haue found mercy and pardon at the Romans hands for their offences committed and so they thought it better to be presently slaine in warres then to be put to death shamefully if they desisted from fight Destiny also hindred this vvhereby it was decreed that the innocent should perish vvith the wicked and the citie vvith the seditious And for foure daies space they were distributing necessaries vnto the souldiers and on the fift day Titus perceiuing that for ought he could do the Iewes were still obstinate he deuided his armie into two parts and about Iohns tomb he began to raise mounts against Antonia hoping that waies to take the higher part of the citie by Antonia to sease the temple vvhich except he could effect he could not safely take the citie against either of these places he raised two mounts euerie legiō making one The Iewes Simons followers did hinder the vvorke that vvas begunne before Iohns tombe and Iohn likewise with a great number of the Zealous hindred them that made the mounts ouer against Antonia vvho not only did fight vvith the aduantage of the higher ground but also had now learned the vse of engines for continuall vse by little and little made them skilfull and they had three hundreth engines called Balistaes and fortie engines to cast stones wherewith they greatiy annoyed the Romanes and hindred them from their worke Titus foreknowing that fortune vvould fauour him that the citie was like to perish he hasted to take it neuer ceasing to perswade the Iewes to yeeld and with his deeds he ioyned counsel For he knew that many times vvords preuaile more then violence of armes and exhorted them to saue themselues and yeeld the citie vnto him and told them of Ioseph how that he should make a speech vnto them in their owne language for he hoped that they would heare their owne countriman Then Ioseph going about the citie without the daunger of shot cried vnto them to spare themselues the citie the temple the people and not become more hard hearted against them then straungers vvere For the Romans did reuerence the holy places notwithstanding they had no societie or portion in them and how euen till this day they had abstained from violating them and they vvho were nourished within them and might onely saue them did vvilfully cause their destruction and bad them consider that their strongest wals were battered downe and onely now the weaker remaining vnbattered hee willed them to consider how they were not able to withstand the Romans forces And that it was no newes to the Iewes nor straunge to be subiect vnto the Romans For although it be a good and commendable thing to fight for libertie yet that was to be done in the beginning but he that vvas once subiect and would rebell hauing a long time liued vnder the obedience of the Romans seemed rather to be desirous of a shamefull death then a louer of libertie Moreouer that they should disdaine to be subiect vnto base people and not vnto them whom the whole world obeyed For said he what place haue not the Romans that may be inhabited Nay themselues might perceiue how fortune did still fauour them And that God who guided the Empire to be placed in all parts was now in Italy Also that euen by the law of nature aswell by the example of beasts as of men we are taught to giue place vnto them that are stronger then our selues and be contented that they should get the victorie that are valiantest in armes And this quoth he vvas the cause that your auncestors vvho vvere farre more strong and politicke then you and had better meanes to resist yet did they submit themselues vnto the Romans vvhich if God had not beene pleased withall hee would neuer haue permitted them to haue done And how could they hope to resist seeing the citie was as it were alreadie taken And that the citizens supposing their wals were vvhole yet were they all destroyed For the Romans well knew what famine was amongst them and how it did euerie day waste the people and would also in short time destroy the warriors amongst them For suppose that the Romans would cease and not besiege the citie nor offer with drawne swords to assault it yet is there a ciuill warre within the citie which the Iewes cannot ouercome or auert it euerie day increasing except they would also fight against hunger and they alone ouercome aduerse fortune Further he added that it was best before intollerable calamities befell them to chaunge their opinion and whilest they had time to be counselled by good aduise And that the Romās would not punish them for that which was alreadie past except they persisted obstinate euen vnto the end For they are quoth he kind courteous and gentle to their subiects and do prefer their commoditie before reuenge And they thought it an aduantage to haue the citie and the country inhabited therefore the Emperour would make a league of peace with them but if he tooke the citie by force he would not spare one especially seeing that they were willed by him to saue themselues euen in the greatest necessitie they refused to obey him Likewise he told them that the third wall would also be taken verie shortly as wel they might perceiue by the two other wals and suppose that their citie was inexpugnable yet the famine would cause it to be yeelded into the Romans hands in despite of them As Ioseph did thus aduise them many standing vpon the wals did rayle against him many vpbrayded him others shot at him Ioseph seeing hee could not auert thē from their imminent calamities recounted vnto them all their own Histories making for his purpose O wretches quoth he and vngratefull to them that helpe you you fight against the Romanes and beare armes against them as though this way you had cōquered some others that came as they now do against you When doth God the maker of all things denie his helpe vnto vs if we be oppressed Wil ye not remember your selues For what cause did you enterprise these warres and how great a friend and assister of yours doe you daily offend Doe yee not remember the myraculous workes of your auncestors and this holy place and how in times past it was by the enemies destroyed But I quake and tremble to recount the workes of God to such vnworthie hearers yet hearken that you may know that you doe not onely
destroy the citie telling that in so doing euen now at the last they should saue their owne liues country and temple which had not the like in the world and he continually went about the Rampiers hastening the workemē in their busines as though he presently meant to effect that in deeds which in words he had spoken The Iewes that stood vpon the wals cursed both him and his father reuiling them and affirming that they contemned death and that they did chuse rather to die then to become bondslaues and that whilest life lasted they would as much as lay in them harme the Romanes neither hauing care of themselues nor of ther countrey which Caesar sent them word were both presently to perish Moreouer he said that the whole world was a temple dedicated to God farre more excellent then that of theirs which notwithstanding should be conserued by him that dwelt in it whose helpe they also enioying would deride all his threatnings which could not come to passe God being the end of all And thus opprobriously they exclaimed against the Romans At this time arriued also Antiochus Epiphanes and with him many armed men and beside them guarded with a companie called the Macedonians who were all of like age and little older then young men in their youth all trained vp in armes and armed after the Macedonian manner whereof also they tooke their name yet for the most part not able to answere the expectation that men had of the Macedonians For the king of Comagene was the most fortunate and happie of all kings that were subiect vnto the Roman Empire till such time as he felt the frowne of fortune who in his aged yeeres shewed that none ought to be accounted happie before his death he yet florishing his sonne said hee marueiled that the Romans did delay so long to assault the Citie and enter the battered walles for this young man was a fine warrior and of exceeding strength to the which he trusted too much so that he did many things rashly Titus hereat smiled and answered that that was a labour not onely for the Romans but for all in common After he had said thus presently this young man Antiochus as he was accompanied with his Macedonians assaulted the wall and himselfe with his strength and dexteritie auoided the dartes of the Iewes and cast his darts at them but all his young men only a few excepted were there slain for ashamed of their boasting speeches they cōtinued longer in fight then it was expedient for them at last many being wounded retired themselues now perceiuing that the Macedonians to win a victorie had need of Alexanders fortune The Romans the 12. day of May began to build their Rampires and labouring full ieuenteene whole daies with much ado they ended them the nine and twentith day of the said moneth For they builded foure most huge rampiers one of them ouer against Antonia which was builded by the fift legion opposite to the midst of the Struthian waters another was builded by the twelft legion 20. cubits distant from the other But the tenth legion which was of more account then the two former erected a mount opposite to the pond called Amygdalon on the North side and the fifteenth legion made the fourth thirtie cubits distant from the other ouer against the monumēt of the high Priest Iohn The mounts being thus finished Iohn vndermined that which was ouer against Antonia and vnderpropped it with posts of wood and filling the mine with wood bitumen and pitch he fired it so the post that held it vp being burnt the mine fell and the mount also with a hideous noise fell into it and first of all there arose a great smoke and dust for the mines did couer the flame at last the fire hauing consumed the matter that couered it the flame cleerely appeared The Romans at this sodaine and vnexpected exploit were amazed being grieued at it so that thereby those who before made account of the victorie as though it had beene theirs alreadie began to despaire Two daies after Simon and his associates did set vpon the other Rampiers for thereon were planted Rammes where with the Romans began to beate the wals Amongst the rest a certaine man named Tepthaeus of Garsus a citie of Galilee and Megassarus one of Queene Mariammes seruants and with them one of Adiabena the sonne of Nabateus who for his fortune was named Agiras which signifieth lame these three taking firebrands ran vnto the engines and there was none found in all the Roman armie more valiant then these men nor more terrible for they ran amidst the throng of their enemies so boldly as though they had gone amongst their friends and neuer made any stay but breaking through the midst of their enemies they fired their engines and notwithstanding that on euerie side they were assaulted with darts and arrowes yet did they not giue backe nor seeke to auoid the daunger till such time as the fire had taken hold of the engines The flame mounting on high the Romans now came running out of their campe to succour their fellowes and the Iewes vpon the wall with dartes and arrowes hindred them fighting with them that sought to quench the flame nothing sparing their owne bodies The Romans began to draw away the Rammes their shelters being fired And the Iewes amidst the flames sought to keepe them there yet for all this the Romans saued their Rammes From thence the fire caught hold of the Rampiers and those that would haue preuented it were burned and the fire so increased that it could not be extinguished so the Romans now enuironed with a flame and despairing to rescue their workes retired themselues into their campe and left them on fire But the Iewes were so much the more earnest their number still encreasing by new supply comming out of the Citie so encouraged by this their victorie they rashly aduentured vnto the Romans campe and assaulted the guard there Whichguard was a companie placed round about before the campe in armour and there was a law made that whosoeuer of them that forsooke his place he should lose his life so that they esteeming rather to die a glorious death then ignominiously to suffer a penal punishmēt resisted verie valiantly so that many that had fled retired themselues back againe to fight both for shame that they had forsaken their place and for feare of punishment therefore and placing Engines vpon the rampier of their campe they hindred the Iewes from issuing out of the citie any more for they came out vnarmed hauing nothing to defend their bodies withall For the Iewes fought with whom soeuer they met and rashly running amongst their enemies pikes they stroke them with their fists For the Iewes preuailed more by their hardinesse then by their deeds and the Romans fled more for the Iewes boldnesse then for any harme they sustained by them Then Titus came from Antonia where he had
graues and there died Yet for all this calamitie was there no weeping nor lamentation for famine ouercame all affections And they who were yet liuing without teares beheld those who being dead were now at rest before them There was no noyse heard within the Citie and the still night found all full of dead bodies and which was most miserable of all the theeues at night came and tooke away that which couered the dead bodies nakednesse and went laughing away and in their bodies they proued their swords and vpon pleasure onely thrust manie thorough yet breathing Yet if any haue desired them to kill him or to lend him a sword to kill himselfe that so he might escape the famine they denied him And euerie one that died as he was dying fixed his eyes vpon the Temple and beheld it now with griefe leauing the seditious behind them The seditious now not able to endure the stincke of the dead bodies that lay corrupted aboue the ground first commaunded that all such should be buried at the charges of the Citie at last finding not place wherein to burie them all they threw them ouer the wals into the ditch When Titus going about the wals beheld all the ditch filled with dead mens bodies hee lamented and lifting vp his hands to heauen he called God to witnesse that it was not his doing Such was the estate of the Citie Now the Romanes when none of the seditious durst make any more excusions passed their time in ioy and myrth for they neither suffered famine nor sorrow hauing aboundance of Corne and all other necessaries out of Syria and the prouinces adioyning and many standing before the wals and shewing their aboundance of victuals vnto the Iewes did so much more increase their famine Yet were not the seditious people moued at these calamities wherefore Titus pitying the reliques of the nation and minding at least to saue them that were left aliue hasted to take the Citie and so he began anew to build mounts although he scarcely found matter to doe it withall For all the wood neere vnto the Citie was consumed in the first workes so that now the souldiers were forced to fetch more wood nintie furlongs off and onely against Antonia were erected in foure places foure mounts greater then the former Caesar went about and hastned the workmen and now shewed the theeues that they were fallen into his hands Yet for all this they would not repent and now as it were depriued of their wits and bodies they vsed both as though borrowed and not their owne For neither did any affection moue their minds nor any griefe their bodies for they rent and tore the dead bodies like dogges and filled the prisons with weake and languishing people CHAP. XV. Of the massacre of the Iewes both within and without the Citie AT last Simon hauing tormented Matthias put him to death notwithstanding that by his meanes he had obtained the Citie This Matthias was sonne vnto Boethus a Priest whom the people for his fidelitie towards them greatly esteemed of who seeing the outrage of the Zelous towards the people Iohn being now ioyned with them perswaded the people to call in Simon to helpe them conditioning nothing with him before for that they misdoubted no euil And when he was come into the Citie hee held him for his enemie as well as the rest notwithstanding that by his onely aduice hee was receiued into the Citie as though Matthias had onely done that of simplicitie Wherefore calling him before the people he accused him that hee did fauour the Romanes and so condemned him to die not suffering him to cleare himselfe and put to death likewise his three sonnes with him for the fourth was before this time fled vnto Titus Matthias requested Simon that he might bee put to death before his sonnes but Simon in regard that by his meanes he had gotten the Citie caused him to be executed last of all And so hee was killed vpon the murdered bodies of his sonnes in a place where the Romanes might behold him for so Simon commaunded Ananus his executioner who was the sonne of Bamadus This man was the most cruell of all Simons followers who euen when he was to kill Matthias derided him asking what they could now helpe him to whom hee sought to flie and not permitted their bodies to be buried After them Ananias a Priest the sonne of Masbalus a nobleman and chiefe secretarie to the councell a valiant strong man and borne at Emaus and with him fifteene of the chiefest men in the Citie were put to death They tooke also Iosephs father and kept him in prison and with the publike voice of a crier proclaimed that no man should talke with him nor visit him pretending feare of treason and whosoeuer bewailed his estate were put to death without any triall It happened a certaine man called Iudas the sonne of Iudas who was one of Simons Captaines seeing this who also kept a tower that Simon committed vnto his charge perhaps moued with compassion towards them that perished without desert yet rather fearing his owne life assembled together ten of his most trustie companions said How long shal we endure these calamities Or what hope haue we of life in being trustie to a most impious man Behold now famin doth take our Citie The Romanes are almost within our wals and Simon is cruell and faithlesse euen towards them that haue wel deserued at his hands with him we are in feare of punishment if we flie vnto the Romans we shall assuredly bee receiued into fauour Wherefore let vs deliuer the wall vnto them and saue our selues and our Citie Neither can Simon hereby sustaine any great losse in being punished a little sooner then otherwise hee should be being now desperate of his owne health and saftie The ten men to whom in this maner he brake his mind agreed herevnto and so he in the morning sent the rest of the souldiers vnder his rule into diuers places that they might not perceiue his intent and he at the third hower of the day standing vpon the tower called the Romans But some of the Romans proudly contemned their offer and other scarcely belieued them and the rest made no speede to come In the meane time while Titus with certaine armed men came vnto the wall Simon had notice of their intent so speedily got the tower and slew thē that were within in the sight of the Romans cast down their bodies ouer the wal And Ioseph going about the wal and comming thither for he neuer ceased from requesting the Iewes to remember their estate he was strook vpon the head with a stone so amazed with the blow fell down who being fallen down presently the Iewes made excursion out of the Citie and had carried him away into the citie had not Titus sent men to defend him and whilest they fought Ioseph was carried away scarcely knowing what was
Yet did that destinie befal him which no man can escape for hauing his shooes full of sharpe nailes as other souldiers haue running vpon the pauement he slipt and fell down his armour in the fall making a great noise whereat his enemies who before fled now turned againe vpon him Then the Romans in Antonia fearing his life cried out but the Iewes many at once strooke him with swords and speares And he defended many blowes with his shield and many times attempting to rise they strooke him down againe yet as he lay he wounded many neither was he quickly slaine because that all parts of his body which being wounded might cause present death were armed and shrunke in his necke a long time til the rest of his body being cut off no man helping him his strength failed Caesar was verie sorrowful to see a man of so great force and fortitude slaine in the sight of such a multitude and that the place wherein he was hindred him from helping Iulian and others that might haue helped him durst not for feare At last when Iulian had a long time striuen with death and wounded many of them that slewe him he was with much ado killed leauing behind him a renowmed memorie not only amongst the Romans and Caesar but also amongst his enemies Then the Iewes tooke his dead body and did beate backe the Romans and shut them in Antonia In this battell one Alexas and Gyphthaeus two of Iohns companie fought valiantly and of Simons companie Malachias and Iudas the sonne of Merton and Iames the sonne of Sosa captaine of the Idumaeans and two brethren of the Zelous the sonnes of Iairus Simon and Iudas CHAP. IIII. Iosephs speech perswading the Iewes to yeeld their Citie and how many of them fled vnto the Romans AFter that Titus had commanded his souldiers to pull downe the foundations of Antonia and make an easie entrance for the whole army He called Ioseph vnto him for he vnderstood that day being the seuenteenth of Iuly that the Iewes were woont to celebrate a certaine feast to God which they called Entelechismus and that it was not solemnized for want of men so that the people greatly mourned therfore and againe commanded him to tell Iohn that whereof before he had sent him word to wit that if he desired to fight he should haue libertie to come with what multitude he pleased so that the Citie and the temple might not both perish with him willing him now to desist from prophaning the holy place and not from sinning against God sending him also word that if he so pleased he would grant him leaue to celebrate the festiuitie which had been now long time omitted and that by what companie he pleased Ioseph to the intent that not onely Iohn might heare this offer of Titus but also the rest of the people he stood in an eminent place from whence he might be heard and in the Hebrew tongue he recounted vnto the Iewes Caesars pleasure earnestly requesting them to spare their countrey and forbid the fire now ready to take holde of their temple and to offer the accustomed sacrifices vnto God When he had thus said the people were verie sorrowfull and euerie one held his peace not knowing what to say But the tyrant Iohn hauing vsed many railing speeches against Ioseph at last he answered that he need not feare the destruction of the temple and Citie seeing that it belonged to God Then Ioseph with a lowd voice cried out true it is you haue kept it pure and vnprophaned for God and the holy things you haue kept inuiolate neither hast thou committed any iniquitie against him from whom thou expectest helpe but hast offred solemne sacrifice vnto him If any man should take from thee thy daily food no doubt thou wouldest account him thy enemy canst thou then hope that God whom thou hast depriued of daily sacrifice wil assist thee in these wars Doest thou impute these offences to the Romans why they euen now doe defend our religion and commaund sacrifice to be offered which thou hast forbidden Who doth not bewaile this vnexpected change and lament our Citie strangers and enemies correct thy impietie and thou a Iewe borne and brought vp in our lawe art more cruell then they But consider Iohn it is no shame to repent thy wickednes in extremitie and at the last cast if thou be desirous to saue thy countrey thou hast a good example of Iechonias sometime king of the Iewes who when the Babylonians warred against him of his owne accord went out of the Citie before it was taken and willingly endured captiuitie with all his family and kinred only least he should betray these holy places vnto his enemies and behold the temple fired And for this act of his he is of sacred memorie amongst the Iewes and hath thereby gained immortall credit amongst all his posteritie This is a good example O Iohn although danger be at hand and I wil promise thee also pardon from the Romans onely remember that I thy countriman admonish thee and promise this vnto the Iewes behold who is the author and counsellor hereof God forbid that euer I should so liue a captiue that I should not liue according to the lawes of our countrey Yet againe art thou incensed against me and exclaimest vpon me and cursest me But true it is I deserue worse then this who seeke to perswade contrarie vnto the determination of Gods prouidence and striue to saue them whom his sentence hath condemned Who is ignorant of the writings of the auncient prophets and their prophecies now hanging ouer this wretched citie For then it is foretold by them to be destroied when we murther our owne nation and now not onely the citie but also the temple is full of your dead bodies Certainly it is God God it is that togither with the Romans bringeth in fire to purge this citie filled with iniquitie Ioseph thus crying with teares and lamentations he could speake no more for sobbing And the Romans compassionating his sorrow and affliction were astonished But Iohn and his confederates were so much the more incited against the Romans and sought to take Ioseph yet his speech did mooue many of the nobles and diuers fearing the seditious watchmen remained still where they were making full account both of their owne destruction and the subuersion of the Citie Yet some there were who finding opportunitie fled vnto the Romans amongst whom were two priests Ioseph and Iesus and three sons of Ismael the priest who was beheaded at Cyren and foure sonnes of Matthias the priest and one of the other Matthias who escaped vnto the Romans before his father was put to death by Simon Giora with his three sons as is before said and many other nobles reuolted with the priests whom the Emperour receiued verie curteously and then sent into Gophna knowing that it was a griefe for them to conuerse amongst
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
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
their oths sake neither were they able to fight with the Romans being now as it were besieged round by them yet their accustomed murthers did encourage them to stand out Thus dispersed all ouer the Citie they lurked in the ruines lying in wait for those that sought to flie vnto the Romans and many of them were taken and all of them were slaine for famine had so weakned them that they could not flie and they cast their dead bodies vnto dogs And any death were easie in respect of famine So that many fled vnto the Romans hauing no promise no nor hope to be pardoned by them and vpon purpose fell into the hands of the seditious who neuer ceased from murther and now there was no place in the whole Citie voide but was filled with dead bodies who either perished by famine or sedition But the tyrants and factious theeues put their last refuge in the vaults where they hoped whatsoeuer hapned to saue themselues hoping that there they could not be found and so after the Citie was destroied to escape which was only their vaine phantasie For they could neither be hid from God nor the Romans yet at that time they trusted in those caues from whence they fired the Citie more then the Romans and cruelly murthered them that hauing escaped the flames came and fled into secret places and spoiled them also if they in any place found any meate though all bloudy yet they tooke it and did eate it and now one of them began to fight with an other about the spoile they gotte And I verily perswade my selfe that had they not beene preuented by the destruction of the Citie their crueltie would haue beene such that they would haue eaten the bodies of dead men CHAP. XV. How the higher part of the Citie was assaulted and how many Iewes fled vnto Titus Caesar perceiuing that the higher part of the Citie could not be woon without mounts being scituate in a soile round about the which were high and deepe places on the twentith day of August he set all his souldiers on worke and the carrying of wood for that purpose was verie painfull all trees within a hundreth furlongs off the Citie were already cut downe and vsed in the former worke as is before said So the foure legions raised a mount on the West side of the Citie and all the rest made a mount against the porch bridge and tower which Simon during his warres with Iohn had built About this time the captaines of the Idumaeans assembling togither deliberated to yeeld themselues and sent fiue of their companie vnto Titus beseeching him to confirme a peace vnto them and he hoping that the tyrants would yeeld after them who were the greatest part of his army with much ado granted them life and so sent them vnto their fellowes but Simon had notice of their departure and presently slew those fiue that were sent vnto Titus and taking the captaines the noblest of whom was Iames the son of Sosa he put them in prison and also kept and guarded the Idumaeans who now hauing no gouernours knew not what to do yet the guard could not hinder them from flying for although many of them were killed yet diuers fled and escaped and all were receiued by the Romans Titus curtesie being such as that he remembred not his former edict to the contrarie and now the souldiers hoping for gaine and hauing already gotten sufficient abstained from murthers for leauing onely the common people they solde the rest with their wiues and children for a small price many being exposed to sale and few comming to buy them so that he hauing made an edict that none should flie vnto him alone intending thereby to bring their families with them yet he now receiued them also appointing some to enquire who had deserued punishment and to inflict it on them And an infinite number was solde and more then fortie thousands of the people were saued whom the Emperour dismissed and permitted to go whither they pleased The same time a certaine priest the sonne of Thebathus named Iesus was promised pardon vpon condition that he should deliuer certaine holy things giuen vnto the temple and so he came and brought out of a wall two candlesticks like vnto them that were in the temple tables goblets cuppes all made of solide and massiue golde also the veile and the ornaments of the priests and the precious stones about them and many vessels made for sacrifice Moreouer the keeper of the holy treasure called Phineas brought forth the garments and all things that did belong vnto the priests and much purple and scarlet which were laid vp in store to make tapestrie or hangings amongst which also was some Cinamon Cassia and many other odoriferous things whereof were compounded sweet odors to be offered to God He also deliuered him much wealth of other mens and much sacred treasure for the which notwithstanding that he was taken by force yet he was pardoned as they were that fled vnto Caesar. CHAP. XVI How the rest of the Citie was taken THe seuenth day of September the mounts being finished which was the eighteenth day after they were begun some of the Romans placed theie rammes and engines to batter them some of the seditious who now despaired to keepe the citie left the wals and fled into Aâ—…a others hid themselues in certaine vaults and many hindred the Romans and resisted them for placing their rammes against the wals who were ouercome by them being both more in number then they were and also stronger and more valiant The Iewes being now all discouraged and sorrowfull so soone as any part of the wall was broken downe or shaken with the force of the rammâ—…s straight waies fled and now the tyrants were surprised with a greater feare then needed For euen before such time as the enemies had entred the wall they stood in doubt whether they might flie or no and they who a little before were proud and arrogant malefactors did now â—…emble and quake so that it was pitifull to see such a chaunge in them though they were wicked persons And they endeuored to assaile the vvall that Titus had built to compasse the whole citie vvithall but seeing themselues forsaken of all those that vvere vvont to be trustie vnto them euerie one fled vvhether necessitie did driue him Presently newes vvere brought them that all the west vvall of the citie was beaten downe others affirmed that the Romans had entred and that they had seene the enemies in the towers feare daseling their eies and prostrate vpon the ground they bewailed their misfortune and as though they had beene lame they stood still sought not to flie From vvhence one may chiefely perceiue Gods iustice towards the impious and the Romans fortune for the tyrants depriued themselues of their strong holds and voluntarily departed out of their towers vvherein they could neuer haue beene taken but
to the end that all people might haue a better view of them But the spectacles there exhibited both for number varietie and costlinesse cannot be described sufficiently being excellent in all things which any man could deuise both workmanship riches and varieties and nouelties of nature For almost all things that euer were in any place amongst men that liued in felicitie either rich or beautifull and pleasant to behold all of them were that day shewed and seene in that triumph giuing a testimonie of the large dominions of the Romans For there was such store of works of gold siluer and yuorie that one would not haue deemed them to haue beene made onely for the pompe of that day but to beene so plentifull as if they had flowed all about the citie some caried fine tapestrie made of all sorts of purple othersome caried others diligently wrought with pictures and Babylonian worke and there were so many gemmes and precious stones some set in crownes of gold some in other works that it appeared that without reason we iudged them to be rare and scarce Moreouer the pictures of their Gods were caried with them which were admirable both for greatnesse and workmanship and all of pretious matter And diuers sorts of liuing creatures were there to be seene all adorned with some attire agreeing and alluding vnto their nature There was also an infinite multitude of men in purple garmentes ouer wrought with gold which carried all these things and they who were separated from the rest to bee seene were attired in such garments that as many as beheld them admired The captiues went not without their gorgeous attires but the varietie and beautie of the garments hid all the deformitie of their bodies which happened through their bad vsage The Pageants that were borne in that triumph were of an admirable bignesse so that the people that beheld them wondred how it was possible that men should carie them for many were builded with three or foure lofts one aboue another surpassing all that can be imagined of them for worke and cost for many of them were hanged about with Tapestrie of gold and all things annexed vnto them whereon they were carried were made of wrought gold or Iuorie Therein was curiously represented the maner of warre and stratagemes and maners of fighting that could bee deuised some in one part of the Pageant some in another There might one haue beheld a most fertile and fortunate land destroyed and all the armie of enemies to be slaine and some flying others taken prisoners and strong and huge wals battered downe with Rammes and Castles and strong holds destroyed and the wals of populous Cities to be ruined and the armie entring the wals all places filled with massacred men and how those that were not able to fight yeelding themselues asked mercie the temples set on fire and after al else was wasted the houses throwne down vpon the owners heads and a riuer representing sorrow not flowing as it was wont into tilled places and to serue the vse of man nor for cattell to drinke but into a Countrie which was in euerie part burning and enuironed with flames all which the Iewes in their warres endured These things were so artificially represented vnto their viewes that had not seene them as though they were now a doing Before euerie Pageant went the Captaine of the Citie representing the maner how it was taken After all these followed many ships and in euerie place were caried the spoyles taken in warre amongst all which those that were taken in the Temple of Ierusalem were most excellent for there was a golden table weighing many talents and likewise a golden Candlesticke the vse whereof was now not such as we were wont to put it vnto for in the middest of the stem thereof was fixed a base and out of it proceeded many smal branches framed like a three forked speare euerie one being at the top made like a Lampe which were seuen in number shewing the honour of the seuenth day which is called the Sabaoth amongst the Iewes After all this was carried the Iewes law which was the last of all the spoyles Then followed many carrying the image of victorie all made of gold and Iuorie Afterwards came Vespasian and after him Titus and with him Domitian gallantly adorned and mounted vpon an excellent horse and so they went al to the Temple of Iupiter Capitolinus and there was the end of all this pompe where they made some abode For it was an auncient custome of their Countrie to repose themselues there till some came and brought newes vnto them of the death of him who was Generall of their enemies This as then was Simon Giora who was also carried in the triumph and hauing a rope fastned about his necke was drawne all along the market place where they that drew him did kill him For it is the custome of the Romanes there to put malefactors to death that are condemned After word was brought that he was dead all the people made ioyfull exclamations and so they began to sacrifice which done according to the custome they returned into the pallace and they feasted some other some had prepared banquets for themselues at their owne houses For this day was sacred amongst the Romanes in ioy of the victorie ouer their enemies and an end of ciuill calamitie and the beginning of good fortune and hope which they had in their new princes When the triumphs were ended and all the Romane Empire quieted Vespasian built a Temple and dedicated it vnto peace which hee did in so short a space as it was admirable and hauing bestowed great cost vpon it he also beautified it with diuers pictures and carued workes And hee placed in that Temple all things that men of former ages had come to see from the vttermost parts of the earth And he placed there all the golden vessels and other necessaries that the Iewes vsed in their Temple doing them great reuerence But their law and the Tapestrie or purple veiles of the Sanctuarie he commaunded to be kept in the pallace CHAP. XXV How Herodium and Machaerus were taken by Bassus Caesar sent Lucius Bassus into Iudaea to bee Lieutenant there who receiuing an armie of Cerealis Vetilianus hee tooke the Castle and garrison of Herodium being yeelded vnto him After this gathering together all his armie who were dispersed in diuers places of the Countrie he with the tenth legion purposed to warre against Machaerus for he thought it necessarie to destroy that Castle least that for the strength it might moue many to rebell for by reason of the situation of the place they that were in it had certaine hope of their safetie and those that sought to assault it were in great daunger for it was built vpon a rocke that was exceeding high which made it almost inexpugnable and nature had so deuised that it is hard to come vnto it who hath
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
it downe euen vnto the earth which hangeth vpon it and hath receiued his proper habitation then it enioyeth free perfect 〈◊〉 and remaineth inuisible to our mortall eies as God himselfe is neither is it visible in our bodies For it commeth secretly into them and so departeth from them againe that no man can perceiue it hauing onely a nature incorrupt and causing a change in our bodies For whatsoeuer the soule toucheth that presently liueth and flourisheth and what it forsaketh that incontinently withereth and dieth so much doth it participate of immortalitie The sleepe may be an euident argument vnto you of this which I speake where the soule not distracted taketh a most pleasant and sweete repose and â—…ommunicating with God it is with him present in euene place by reason of affinitie and foretelleth many future euents Wherefore should we then feare death who loue the rest that we take in sleepe were not he a mad man that for a short life would hinder himselfe of eternall life It were necessarie that we who are instructed in the law of our nation should giue example to other to despise and contemne death But if we seeke confirmation hereof from strangers let vs see the example amongst the wiser sort of the Indians for they being iust men doe tolerate this life as a necessarie office of nature for a certaine time though against their wils yet do they hasten to vnloose the soule bound in this mortall body though not vrged thereunto by any calamitie or necessitie but onely for desire of immortalitie telling others that they will depart out of this life neither doth any one seeke to hinder them but all men esteeming them most fortunate send by them commendations and other messages vnto their friends departed so firme is their beliefe that the soules of them that are dead haue communion and conuersation togither And so they hauing all instruction what to say to the soules departed doe with great applause leape into the fire that thereby their soules may be purified from their bodies And their friends go more ioyfully with them when they go to their deaths then any doth that bringeth his friend on the way when he is to go a great iourney and they bewaile themselues not those who are dead and haue attained immortalitie Shall not we then be ashamed not to beleeue so firmly as the Indians do despising through our own sloath our countrey lawes which are to be emulated of all men Nay supposing that by our law we had bin instructed contrariwise to wit that to liue in this life is blisse and to die is calamitie yet notwithstanding this present necessitie this present time had been a sufficient motiue to cause vs to embrace death rather then life seeing that by Gods appointment and of necessitie we must now die In times past it appeateth God so prouided that he shortned their daies of our owne nation that would not vse their life as they ought to haue done I dare not ascribe it vnto the Romans nor report of our selues that their warres consumed vs all For this did not happen through their forces but a more potent cause hereof there was which made them conquerours Which of the Romans slew the Iewes that inhabited at Caesarea whom the inhabitants thereof vpon the Sabaoth day they being assembled in one place togither with their wiues and children did massacre notwithstanding that they had no intent to reuolt from them nor neuer lifting vp their hands in their owne defence nothing fearing the Romans who onely accounted them of our nation their enemies that reuolted from them But some may obiect the Iewes at Caesarea and the inhabitants thereof were alwaies aâ—… variance and that now they reuenged their olde quarrel hauing gotten opportunitie What then shall we say of the Scythopolitans who bare armes with the Graecians against vs and denied to assist their owne kinred against the Romans What profit did they receiue by this their goodwill and fidelitie for they were altogither with their whole families cruelly slaine and this was the reward they had for their labour for hauing with stood vs to haue done the like vnto them it were too long to recount all things seuerally to this effect For as ye know there is no Citie in all Syria that hath not massacred the Iewes their inhabiting being more our enemies then the Romans were where they of Damascus although they could not deuise any probable cause for it yet did they massacre all the Iewes liuing amongst them who amounted to the number of eighteene thousand beside their wiues and families And as we haue heard it reported the number of the Iewes slaine by the Aegyptians were aboue three score thousand It may be that finding no aduersitie in a strange countrey they were put to death by their enemies But they that in their owne countrey fought against the Romans wanted nothing that might haue caused a perfect hope of a full victorie ouer the Romans they had weapons armour wals and strong holds inexpugnable their valorous courage in fighting for libertie shunned no danger and encouraged men to reuolt which all hauing a while serued their turnes at last was a cause of their greater miserie For all were taken and subdued by the enemies as though they had been built and made to make their enemies victorie more famous and not to doe them seruice And we may iustly deeme them happy who were slaine in the warre for they died in libertie Yet who doth not pitie the multitude of them that fell into the Romans hands or who would not hasten to die rather then endure the like miserie that they suffered Some of them being tortured and some with fire and stripes perished and others halfe eaten of wilde beasts were reserued aliue for their second foode and they are most miserable of all that are yet aliue who often wish for death and cannot finde it Where is now that gorgeous Citie where is it that was once the mother Citie of all the nation of the Iewes so strengthened with such strong wals so fortified with towers and castles to defend the wals scarcely able to containe the prouision made for warre hauing in it so huge a multitude of men to fight for it what is it now become wherein God himselfe was thought to dwell It is now razed downe euen vnto the verie foundations and no other memorie or reliques thereof is left standing their campe is destroied onely a few olde men and vnhappy suruiue who sate amongst the ashes of the temple and a few women whom their enemies reserued to satisfie their filthie lust And will any amongst vs considering all these things desire to behold the light of the sunne although he could liue without molestation Who is such an enemy to his natiue soile who is so effeminate or desirous of his life that doth not grieue to haue liued till this time Would God we had all been
seeking to withstand that their enterprise were by these Sicarians slaine which was no sooner done but they exhorted the people to reuolt The chiefe and elders of the Iewes seeing this and that they could not represse them without daunger they assembled all the Iewes togither and declared vnto them the temeritie of these Sicarians shewing them to be the authors of all the miserie that had befallen the Iewe◅ and that now notwithstanding they were escaped yet they were not certaine of their liues for that if they were knowne the Romans would presently put them to death and draw them also into the like miserie who were not partakers of their wickednesse Wherefore they admonished the multitude to beware least they drew themselues into the same daunger wherein they were and to make satisfaction vnto the Romans for themselues by deliuering such people vnto them The Iewes were perswaded by these speeches and foreseeing the daunger that might ensue they furiously assaulted the Sicarians and tooke of them sixe hundreth and shortly after those who there escaping fled into Aegypt and Thebes were taken and brought backe againe whose hard hearted obstinacie was so great that none can without admiration heare of For notwithstanding that all torments and tortures that could be deuised were inflicted vpon them only to force them to confesse that Caesar was their Lord yet no one of them vvould say so nor make any shew thereof but all perseuered in their former opinion as though the bodie tormented had beene dead and not aliue Moreouer their children were most to be admired for not one of them could be constrained to call Caesar Lord. So much did their boldnesse ouercome the torments inflicted vpon their bodies CHAP. XXX How the Temple of Onias at Alexandria was shut vp AT that time Lupus was gouernour of Alexandria who with all speed by letters gaue Caesar notice of these troubles And Caesar seeing that it was necessarie to beware of the Iewes vvho were naturally enclined to sedition vnquietnesse fearing also that they would once againe gather themselues togither cause some to ioyne vvith them he commaunded Lupus to destroy the temple vvhich Onias erected in Aegypt vvhich vvas builded and named vppon this occasion Onias the sonne of Simon one of the high priests being driuen out of Ierusalem Antiochus king of Syria then warring against the Iewes he came vnto Alexandria was courteously entertained by Ptolomaeus who was then also enemie vnto Antiochus affirming that he would annex vnto his country the people of the Iewes if he would agree to that vvhich he required The king according to al that could be grāted he requested him to permit him to build a tēple in some place of his country that he might vvorship God therein according to the custome of their country for so the Iewes would hate Antiochus the more who had destroyed their temple at Ierusalem be frindly vnto him many of them did flie vnto him for religion sake Ptolomaeus agreed so to do gaue him a peece of ground for that purpose a hundreth fourescore stounds from Memphis in that place vvhich vvas called the vvay to Heliopolis vvhere Onias building a castle made also a temple vnlike to that of Ierusalem but he erected a tower like that of Ierusalem with stones that was threescore cubits long and he built an Altar after the fashion of that of his owne countrey and adorned it with all manner of gifts saue onely a candlesticke which had in steede thereof a lampe to giue light which he caused to be hung before the Altar in a golden chaine and he enuironed all the temple with a wall made of bricke and the gates he made of stone and the king granted vnto it great reuenewes of mony and ground to the intent that the priests might haue aboundance of all things which they required But Onias did not this with a good conscience but for that he was at variance with the Iewes of Ierusalem for that they forced him to flie and he perswaded himselfe that by the building of this temple he might withdraw all men from Ierusalem thither and of this there was a prophecie nine hundred threescore and ten yeeres before and Esaias foretold that a certaine Iewe should build a temple in Aegypt And thus that temple was build and Lupus hauing receiued the Emperours letters went vnto the temple and taking away certaine gifts from it he shut it vp And after him Paulinus who succeeded in his steed left not one gift there for he threatned the priests if they did not bring forth all and permitted not any that came thither for to sacrifice to come neere it but shutting vp the gate thereof he left no signe of diuine seruice there and from the time it was built till the time it was shut vp were three hundreth thirtie and three yeeres CHAP. XXXI Of the Massacre of the Iewes at Cyrene THe boldnesse of the Sicarians like some infectious disease infected also the townes about Cyrene For one Iohn a weauer and a wicked man hauing escaped perswaded many simple people to follow him and led them into the wildernesse promising to shewe them signes and visions and thus hee deceiued the simplest sort of the Iewes but the noblest of them of Cyrene vnderstanding his deceite gaue Catullus notice of his preparation and departure who was then Gouernour of Lybia who sending horsemen and footemen did easily surprise them being vnarmed and the most part of them were slaine yet some were taken aliue and brought to Catullus But their leader Ionathas at that time escaped yet being diligently laide and sought for ouer all those Countries hee was at last taken and being brought vnto Catullus he sought to delay his owne punishment in offering an occasion of iniquitie vnto Catullus For he accused the richest amongst the Iewes to haue beene his aduisers to doe this matter Catullus was glad of those allegations and exaggerated his accusations verie much with tragicall termes so that he seemed to haue made an end of the wars against the Iewes and which was worst of all to be content to credite whatsoeuer was maliciously spoken he himselfe instructed the Sicarians to framescandalous accusations commanding them to nominate one Alexander a Iew whom he had long hated and his wife Berenice he put them first of all to death and after them all that were well monied who amounted to the number of three thousand and this he thought hee did without controwle because hee confiscated their possessions vnto Caesar. And least that any Iew liuing in any other place should complaine of his iniustice he extended his malicious lies against others further off and perswaded Ionathas and certaine others that were taken with him to accuse the most trustie and faithfull Iewes at Rome and Alexandria one of whom who were thus falsely accused was named Ioseph who writ this Historie But this deuise of Catullus
a tumult begun in Syria He also recordeth the greatnesse of our countrey and the fertilitie thereof they inhabite quoth he a countrey that hath almost thirtie hundreth thousand acres of most fertile ground for Iurie is of this largenesse that in time past we inhabited a large and very great citie which was verie populous he speaketh also of the building of our temple in this manner The Iewes haue many other townes and villages in euerie prouince but they haue one most strong citie the compasse of whose wals is fiftie stounds and in it inhabite a hundred and fiftie thousand men and this citie they called Ierusalem in the midst of it is a building of stone with foure porches a hundreth cubits about it hath also double gates wherein is a foure squared Altar made of vnhewen stones ioyned together and it is twentie cubites square euerie way and ten cubites high and about it is a most huge building where in is an Altar and a Candlesticke both of gold weighing two talents and there is kept a continuall light night and day which neuer goeth forth therein is no Image nor gift notrees nor wood growing there nor any thing of this sort Therein inhabite Priests both night and day celebrating certaine purifications and they drinke no wine in the Temple Moreouer he shewed how our nation warred vnder Alexanders successors and he reporteth that which he heard of a certaine Iew in the armie and I will set downe the Authors owne words As I went quoth he to the red Sea a certaine Iewe one of the horsemen that conducted vs named Mosollamus who was a couragious man and one who excelled all archers else both Greeks and other nations This Iewe euerie one hasting on forward of his iourney and being willed by a southsayer to stand he asked for what cause the multitude staied and went not forward presently the Southsayer shewed him a bird which hee diligently viewed and told the Iewe that if that bird did stand still in the place that then it was expedient for them to stand and if the bird did mount vp and flie that then they ought to march on forward but if it flew towards the place from whence they came that then it was wisedome to retire The Iewe hereat was silent yet drawing his bow hee shot an arrow and killed the bird whereat the Southsayer and certaine other were offended and cursed him But he taking the vnhappie bird in his hand said vnto them Are yee so mad as to thinke that this bird not hauing the foresight to preserue her selfe from this death is able to direct vs in the successe of our iourney Had this bird foreknowne future euents shee would haue eschewed this place for dread that Mosollamus a Iewe should haue strucken her with an arrow But wee will now leaue the testimonie of Hecataeus for euerie one that list may reade his booke and there vnderstand this more at large I will not omit the testimonie of Agatarchides a man of no euill in his owne opinion yet indeed one who hath vsed detraction to our owne nation This man speaking of Stratonice how leauing her husband Demetrius shee came into Syria and how Seleucus would not marrie her as shee hoped who hauing an armie at Babylon warred against Antioch and had taken the Citie and that shee fled into Seleucia where as she might haue made a more speedie escape by water but that shee was forwarned in a sleepe so to do that she was there taken and died c. Agatarchides hauing vsed this Preface and inueighed against Stratonices superstition he vseth an example of our nation in this manner The people that are called Iewes inhabite a most strong Citie which they call Ierusalem these people are wont to rest vpon the seuenth day and doe neither beare armes nor till their grounds nor doe anie other businesse vpon that day but their custome is to remaine in their Temple and there with stretched out armes continue in praier till night And so vpon a time they perseuering in that foolerie whilest they should haue defended their Citie Ptolomaeus Lagus entered it with many people and a great armie who greatly tyrannized ouer them and so they found by experience that the solemnitie appointed by their law was preiudiciall vnto them such like Churches as this did teach them and all nations else to flie vnto dreames which their law teacheth neuer considering that humane pollicie cannot preuaile against that which must necessarily happen Agatarchides thought this which he reporteth of vs to be ridiculous but they who weigh it with indifferencie shall perceiue that it is great commendation to our nation who rather suffer their Countrie and our saftie to be lost and endamaged then to violate the lawes of God I thinke I am thus able to shew that many writers omitted to make mention of our nation not for that they knew vs not but for enuie For Ierome who writ a booke of succession in the same time that Hecataeus liued who was a friend vnto King Antigonus and being president of Syria neuer mentioneth vs in all his Historie notwithstanding he was brought vp almost in our Countrie But Haecataeus writ a booke of vs so different are the minds of men for one of them thought our nation worthie to bee diligently recorded the other through malice was hindred from speaking the truth yet the Histories of the Chaldies Aegyptians and Phaenicians may suffice to proue our antiquitie together with the Greeke writers for besides those before mentioned Theophrastus also Theodotus Manaseas Ariphanes Hermogenes Euemeus Conon Zopyrion and many others no doubt for I haue not perused all mens bookes haue manifestly restified of vs. For many of the foresaid men were blinded with errors as not hauing gread our holy Scriptures yet they all ioyntly testifie our antiquitie for which I now alleadge them Truely Demetrius Phalereus Philon the elder and Eupolemus did not much erre from the truth and therefore reason it is that they should be borne with alâ—… for they were not so skilful as to search our writings with so much curiositie Being come thus farre it resteth that I now present one point more wherof I made mention in the beginning of this booke to wit that I declare the detractions and slaunderous reports of diuers concerning our nation to be false and voide of truth and I will vse the testimonie of those writers who record that the lying Historiographers at such time as they committed to writing the foresaid detractions did also euen against themselues register such like slaunders as they did against vs. And I doubt not but that all those who are conuersant in Histories can testifie that the like hath beene done by most writers for certaine priuate hatred or such like respects For some of the Gentiles haue attempted to deface the honour and reputation of the most renowmed Cities and to defame the manners of their Inhabitants Thus did Theopompus
it desired For example sake reason cannot hinder thee from being angrie but it can so worke that thou commit no impietie when thou art angrie in like manner it cannot hinder thee from desiring filthy pleasure yet can it cause thee not to yeeld vnto it Reason therefore cannot vtterly extinguish vice but onely bridleth it Witnesse in this the example of holy Dauid who fighting against strangers with great successe and being at euening wearie and faint he came vnto his princely tabernacle that was guarded by his souldiers where he found them all at meate yet himselfe being thirstie durst not drinke notwithstanding water was hard by onely for that religion disswaded him for he had vowed not to drinke before he had conquered his enemies He also forbad his men to drinke so that they might fight more couragiously if not for that they were valiant at least for that they might so haue drinke Whilest thus his thirst encreased three young men of strong bodies armed themselues and taking with them a vessell to put water in they went vnto the enemies campe and there assaulted the watchmen who for feare of death fled and so they past thorow the campe till such time as they came where the water was and taking some from thence they brought it to the king But holy Dauid so bridled his humane appetite that by reason he quenched his desire and shewed an excellent token of patience teaching how the feare of God was to be preferred before all things For taking the water he had much wished for and which had been gotten with such danger he presently powred it on the ground as a sacrifice to God chusing rather to die for thirst then to offend the diuine maiestie yet reason is not so forcible that it is able without due consideration to represse the inordinate motions of the minde and mitigate the griefe of the bodie But it is now time to come to our historie yet is not this former discourse to be thought impertinent for that it is somewhat appertaining to the matter ensuing Such was the wisedome and fidelitie of our forefathers that Seleucus king of Asia enriched our priests and being a man of another religion did ascribe all his actions and worthy deedes to the religion and faith of our auncestors But wicked mens madnesse could not herewith be satisfied For one Simon hating the high priest Onias and finding no waies or meanes to be reuenged of him in his owne countrey he went vnto Appolonius Gouernour of Syria Phoenicia and Cilicia and before him in a publike assembly tolde him that he could helpe the king to an infinite treasure for quoth he there is hidden in Ierusalem an infinite deale of golde and siluer which by right belongeth vnto king Seleucus Appolonius hearing this praised and commended Simon and confiscated the golde and siluer to the treasure house of Seleucus and hauing authoritie from the king to get it he leuied an army and so accompanied with Simon came vnto our country purposing if any violence were offered to vse the defence of his souldiers When the treasure house of our temple was now a sacking Onias wept bitterly and said that it was a heauy sight to them to whom this treasure was committed to see it or any part of it taken away But Appolonius neither respecting the teares and entreaties of the olde men women nor children pressed into the temple they all praying God to punish him and to defend their temple Being now with a great guard of armed men entred into the holy temple there appeared certaine angels on horsebacke with weapons in their hands and shining with a fierie flame about them and they daunted the courage of this infidell Appolonius who presently fell downe flat vpon his face and lying so a great while at last he came a little to himselfe and rising vp he leaned vpon his shoulder who kept the temple not being able to stand alone he was so terrified with the vision he had seene When he came a little to himselfe and was in some hope of recouerie he stretched both his hands towards heauen and himselfe despairing to obtaine pardon for his offence committed hee besought the Hebrewes to spoile whose temple he came to make intercession for him himselfe with teares crauing pardon for his offence and not onely acknowledging his fault but also confessing himselfe to haue deserued death and all punishment possible Holy Onias seeing this and fearing also that if Appolonius should then die the Hebrewes would be suspected to haue made him away he made prayers to God for him and so obtained his enemies life Appolonius presently hasted to Seleucus to let him vnderstand what had happened but when he came he found Seleucus dead and Antiochus raigning in his steed a man of tyrannous nature who bare an auncient grudge to Onias the high priest and therefore made Iason his brother high priest in his steed Iason promising Antiochus in lieu of this good turne to pay him three thousand six hundreth and threescore talents of siluer euerie yeere This Iason being now made high priest and chiefe amongst all the nation of the Iewes hee presently forced all the people to impietie and to forsake religion so that to build bathes he hindred the defence and building of the temple and all Doctors of our nation conspired with him in this iniquitie But hereat God was presently wroth who being displeased it was not needfull to seeke forraine enemies for Antiochus himselfe was incited to rage against them Who warring against Ptolomaeus king of Aegypt he heard it reported that the Iewes did deeme him to be dead yet was he verie gallantly entertained by the inhabitants of Ierusalem and presently after the fight he made an edict that who so amongst the Iewes refused to offer sacrifice to the gods that he should presently die vpon the wheele But the godly minded of our nation did little esteeme this edict yea the women circumcising their infants as our lawe requireth did afterward cast themselues downe headlong to the end that they might so obtain a present death without longer delay Antiochus perceiuing that the seueritie of his edict could not compell the Hebrewes to forsake their religion but that men voluntarily did chuse death he sitting in an eminent place from whence all the Iewes might behold him calling all of them togither he caused swines flesh to be sacrificed vpon the altar and to be offered to euerie Hebrew to eate Amongst this whole multitude assembled from all places was one Eleazar a priest well instructed in learning and the feare of God a man of aged yeeres and of a verie reuerent countenaunce one that was knowne to all men and famous for his vertue To this man Antiochus said thus Be aduised by me holy olde man to eschew those torments prepared for such as are obstinate preserue thy reuerent age and contemne not the benefit of this life take
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
182. m. 183. c. Sabboth 3. called a day of rest and why ibid. c. Sabinus repaireth to Ierusalem 453. c. and why ibid. 608. l. 610. h i. Sabinus pursueth those that slue Caius 496. h. alloweth not of Claudius 505. c. killeth himselfe 506. h. Sabinus tooke the Capitol 696. h. slaine ibid. i. Sabinus valiant 728. g. slaine ibid. h. Sacks of chaffe 653. f. Sacred sanctuarie 706. l. Sacrifice acceptable to God 140. h. Sacrifice of Cain and Abel 5. b. Sacrifice of Noah 7. c. of Iacob 27. b. Sacrifices of the Princes of the tribes 67. e. f. Sacrifice of thanksgiuing 68. i k. Sacrifice for sinne 68. k. Sacrifice of Penticost 69. f. Sacrifice of Salomon at the dedication of the Temple 199. d. Sacrifice of Samuel 129. f. Sacrifice of Ezechias 243. a b. Sacrifice of Herode 585. b. Sacrifice of the olde testament 66. h. 793. c. Sacrifice consumed of it selfe 66. m. Sacrilege of Achar 102. m. punished with death 103. d. of Crassus 359. m. 569. c. of Iohn 724. g. Sadoc sent to Dauid 176. m. being pursued is hidden 177. a. Sadoc established high Priest 191. f. 192. g. Sadduces a sect 329. e. 463. e. 617. c. their opinion 617. b c. Safetie of Dauid respected 144. m. Sale of the Iewes 666. k. Salmanasar king of Assyria 242. h i. ouercommeth Oseas and why ibid. h i. taketh Oseas prisoner and transporteth the Israelites 243. e f. spoiled Syria and Phoenicia 244. g. Salome accused Mariamme 397. d. accuseth Alexander c. 416. k. entiseth her daughter c. 424. h. denied to Syllaeus in marriage 425. c d. excuseth her selfe ibid. a. mâ—…th Alexis 437. c. discouereth conspiracies 439 b. releaseth the Nobles 450. m. 606. h. princesse of Iamnia 613. b. dieth 464. l. Salomons coronation 189. a b. king of Israel 190. m. requireth wisedome of God 192. k. marrieth a wife ibid. i. decideth the two womens debate 193. b c. buildeth the temple 195. d. prayeth to God 198. i k. 199. a. exhorteth the people to praise God ibid c. builded a pallace 200. h. dissolueth hard questions 201. a. repaireth the wals of Ierusalem ibid. d. buildeth Cities 201. d e f. maketh the Chanaanites tributarie 202. buildeth a nauie ibid. k. remunerateth Nicaule the Queene 203. c. marrieth strange wiues 204. i. committeth Idolatrie ibid. i. his punishment decounced ibid. l m. had enemies raised against him 205. a. dieth 206. g. Saltis subdued the Aegyptians 769. a. Samaria besieged 227. f. of whom so called 214. g. taken 243. e. described 647. a. Samaritans hinder the building of the temple 266. h i. 270. l. their offer reiected ibidem k Iewes enemies 272. h. kinsmen to the Iewes when 286. k l. disdaine the Iewes 304. i. send letters to Antiochus ibid. k. contend with the Iewes 322. m. 323. a. accuse the Iewes 520. h. their strife with the Iewes 621. f. 11000. slaine 657. c. Samaeas reprooueth the Iewes impietie 209. e. comforteth the people ibid. Samaeas his admonition 362. m. honoured 363 a. Sampson killeth a Lyon 121. d. marrieth a wife ib. e. propoundeth a riddle ibid. e f. his actes against the Philistines 12â—… h i k l m. prayeth and why 122. l. betraied by Dalila 123. c. the slaughter of the Philistines and of himselfe ibid. d. Samuel his paâ—…ents 125. c. consecrated to God ibid. e. God called him tâ—…ise ibid. f. foreshewed the death of Eli and his sonnes 126. g. offereth sacrifice 129. m. comforteth the people ibid. his victorie and recouerie of lands 130. h i. committeth the common weale to his sonnes ibid. i k. troubled and why 131. a b. bidden to create a king ibid. c. sheweth the peoples estate vnder a king 131. c. annoinieth Saul king 132. k. iustiâ—…ieth himselfe and why 135. c. striueth to reconcile Saul to God 139. e. killeth Agag 140. l m. telleth Saul of Gods displeasure 140. i. annointeth Dauid king 141. a b c. his death buriall and praise 151. f. Sanabalâ—…ath gouernour of the Samaritans 284. h. followeth Alexander 285. b. buildeth a temple ibid. Sanctuarie 62. h. 196. g. 198. h. Sanctuaries or places of refuge for whom 88. k. Sand like glasse 618. l. Sara daughter of Aram 11. f. Abrahams wife 12. a m. her beautie 13. a. king of Aegypt enamoured on her ibid. a. bringeth Agar to Abraham 14. m. her age when she conceiued Isaac 15. c. preserued from Abimelech and how 16. i. brought foorth Isaac ibid. caused Ismael to be expelled c. 17. b. affecteth Isaac ibid. b d. her death 19. a. Saraeus high priest tooke prisoner 255. d. Saturninus president of Syria 428. l. 429. a. permitteth Herod to enter Arabia ibid. b. his indifferent sentence 434. h. Saul seeketh the lost Asses 132. g. annointed king by Gods commandement ibid. i k. confirmed therein 132. l. hideth himselfe 133. c d. saluted by the people for their king 133. d. promiseth the Iabasites assistance 134 i k. killeth k. Naas 134. l. sacrificeth and is reprooued 136. l. ouercommeth the Philistines 137. e. would haue slaine Ionathan 138. i k. alwaies a conquerour ibid. i. taketh and spareth Agag 139. c d e. slaieth the Amalechites and raseth their Cities ib. b c. offendeth God ibid. d e. loseth his kingdome and why 240. h i. denied pardon renteth Samuels garment ib. i k. slew the Philistines 143. d. resolueth to kill Dauid 144. g h l. darteth his Iauelin at Dauid 145. e. prophecieth 146. i. questioneth about Dauids absence c. 147. c d e. maketh an oration to his captaines 148. l. m. pursueth Dauid 150. k l. 151. a b. condemneth himselfe and iustifieth Dauid ib. d e. pursueth Dauid againe and his life saued 153. c e. banisheth diuiners 154. l. by a sorceresse is foretold the euent of the battell 155. a b c. praised 156. h i. is slaine 158. g h. Scarcitie foresignified 33. e f. how to be preuented 34. g h. among the Israelites 73. a. very greaâ—… in Claudius his time 75. a b. in Samaria 227. f. 228. g. Scarcitie of corne 744. h. Scaurus maketh peace with Aristobulus 352. k. president of Coelesyria 356. g. his warre against Aretas ibid. h. 566. h. bribed ibid. Science of the celestiall bodies 6. h. Schisar king of the Assyrians 113. d. oppressed the Israelites ibid. d. Scopas generall of Ptolomies army 296. i. discomsited ibid. ouercommeth the Iewes 296. k. Scythopolitans kill 3000. Iewes 634. l. Sea of Pamphilia deuided it selfe 52. h. red Sea deuided at the stroke of Moses rod 51. d. returning to his course drowneth the Aegyptians ibid. e. brazen Sea 196. k. Sebas 183. d. Sebaste a hauen 443. b. Secretarie of priest foretelleth Moses greatnes 41. d e. willeth him to be sâ—…lled 43. c. Securitie promised to Rahab and hers 101. c d. Sects of the Iewes 329. e. 463. d. 614. l. Secrets of Syllaeus disclosed 599. d. Sedechias a false prophet 221. d. contradicteth Micheas ibid d e. Sedechias king of Iuda 252. h. reuolteth ibid. seduced 252. i. 253. a
of the Israelites that were numbred Dauid hauing election of three sorts of punishment chose the plague A huge slaughter of those that died of the pastâ—…lence that was iâ—…flicted by God Dauid prayed for the innocent people A commaundement to â—…ld an Altar The yeare of the world 2930. before the Natiuitie of Christ. 1034. Oronna the Iebusite supra lib. 7. ch 3 called Orphona Oronna giueth Dauid his floore The summe that was paied for the threshing floore The place of the Altar that was built Gen 22. Supra li. 1. ch 13 Hedio Ruffinus chap. 14. The workmen allotted for the building of the Temple 1 Paral. 22. Dauid gathereth great store of iron brasse wood The building of Salomons Temple is commaunded Dauid counâ—…elleth Salomon â—…o honour God The yeare of the world 2930. before Christs Natiuity 1034. The treasure that was gathered towards the building of the Temple The assistants that Salomon had in building the teÌ„ple The commandement as touching the Arke and laying vp al other sacred vtensils within the Temple Hedio Ruffinus chap. 15. Dauid groweth old and numbe Abisace warmeth him 3. Reg. 1. Adonias affecteth the kingdome The yeare of the world 2931. before Christ birth 1033. Bethsabe by NathaÌ„s perswa sion certifieth Daiud of Adonias vsurpatioÌ„ The yeare of the world 2931. before Christs Natiuitie 1033. The kingdome is confirmed to Salomon by an oth Salomon is annointed king and placed in his fathers throne Adonias for feare of the kings displeasure flieth from his banquet and taketh hold of the hornes of the Altar Dauid numbreth the Leuites and distribuith their offices 1. Paral 13. The diuision of the Priests into 24. kinreds 2. Paral. 24. The yeare of the world 2931. before Christs Natiuitie 1033. He deuided the Leuites into 24. parts Moses posteritie appointed to keepe the diuine treasure 1 Paral. 26. The army deuided into 12 parts 1. Paral. 27. Dauid assembling the gouernors of the tribes commendeth his son Salomon to theÌ„ 1. Paral. 28. Dauid giueth his sonne the modle of the Temple The princes of the people gaue a huge summe of gold siluer brasse precious stones towards the building of the Temple The yeare of the world 2931. before Christs birth 1033. 1 Par. 29. The â—…fices and â—…stiuall solemâ—…ed vpon Salomons coronation Hedio Ruffinus ch 16. 3. Reg. 2. Dauids last counsaile to Salomon Dauid willeth Salomon to punish Ioab Dauid coÌ„mendeth Berzillai sonnes to Salomon How Simei should be punished The yeares of the age and raigne togither with the vertues of Dauid The yeare of the world 2923 before Christs birth 10â—… The sumptuous sepulchre of Dauid Hircanus taâ—…th a huge summe of money out of Dauids tombe Herode spoyleth Dauids sepulcher The reare of the world 2931. before Christ birth 1033. 3. Reg. 2. Salomon king of Israel after Dauids death The yeare of the world 2931. before Christi Natiuitie 1033. Adonias requireth Abisace to wife Adonias is slaine Abiathar is dispossessed of the priesthood The genealogy of the high Priest Sadoc Ioab is slaine Banaia is substituted in his place The yeare of the world 29â—…1 before Christs Natiuitie 1033. Sadoc obtaineth Abiathars place in the Priesthood Simeies punishment and death Hedio Ruffinus chap. 2. 3. Reg 3. Salomon marieth the king of Egypts daughter and establisheth the kingdome God appeareth to Salomon by night in a dreame and willeth him to â—…ke that which most of all he desired Salomon requireth wisedome at Gods hands who with it giueth him riches and honours also The yeare of the world 2931. before the Natiuitie of Christ. 1033. Two women accuse one an other for â—…chaunge of their children Salomon coÌ„mandeth both the children to be deuided into two parts Salomon by the speech and gesture of the women discouereth the true mother Salomons gouernours and captaines 3. Reg 4. The happy peace of the Israelites in Salomons time Salomons daily expences Salomons chariots and horsemen The yeare of the world 2931. before Christs Natiuity 1033. Salomons prudence and wisedome Salomons methode in coniuration whereby he cast out diuels The author in this place abuseth the giftes of God bestowed on Salomon in extending them to those artes which are sorbidden by the expresse word of God A Iew casteth out diuels Hirams embassadours to Salomon 3. Reg 5. Salomon requireth carpenters and workemen from Hiram Hiram promiseth Salomon wood and in steed thereof requireth corne The yeare of the world 2931. before Christs birth 1033. The truth of Iosephs history The king sendeth Hâ—… great quantity of wheat oyle and wine The order of the carpenters in Libanus The order of the malons and other workmen Hedio Ruffinus ch 9. 3. Reg. 6. When the building of the temple began The depth of the foundatioÌ„s of the temple The height length and breadth of the temple The porch before the teÌ„ple The cels which were builded in the circuit of the temple The beames and wals beautified with gold The yeare of the 〈◊〉 2933 before Christs birth 1031. Winding staires The temple deuided into two parts Two cherubims The pauement gates and all other things in the temple beautified with gold Salomon sendeth to Hiram for Vram a cunning workman 3. Reg. 7. A vessel called the brasen sea Ten brasen bases of the lauer Ten round lauers The yeare of the world 2933. before the Natiuitie of Christ. 1031. The vse of the sea and the other ten lauers The Altar and vessels appertaining to the same The Table of sacâ—…ed bread The candlesticke The cuppes and vials The bowles The censors Priestâ—… garmeÌ„â—… Instruments of musicke The inclosure before the temple The Fanâ—… The huge treÌ„ches where in the foundation of the temple was laid filled Hedio Ruffinus chap. 4 3. Reg 8. Salomons temple was consecrated in the moneth of October The Arke is caried into the temple The yeare of the world 2941. before Christs Natiuity 1023. The Priests place the arke of God in the sanctuarie and in it the tables of stone wherin the tenne commaundements were written The candlesticke table and altar of gold The bâ—…asen altar A cloud in the tabeinacle Salomons praier vnto God Godimmeasurable The cause why the temple was builded God is true in his promises Salomons praier wherein he thanketh God for his benefits and beseecheth his future protection The yeare of the world 2941. before Christs Natiuitie 1023. Salomon humbly beleecheth God that he will protect this temple as his own house He prâ—…ieth that â—…angers may be heard aâ—… 〈◊〉 this place A 〈◊〉 from heauen consumeth Salomons sacrifies 3. Reg. 8. Salomon exhorteth the people to praise God and to giue him thanke and to pray vnto him 3. Reg. 8. Salomons sacrifices in the dedication of the Temple The feast of Tabernacles The king dismisseth the people 3. Reg. 9. God appeareth againe to Salomon and promiseth him all blessings if he swarued not from his fathers precepts A grieuous commination against the Israelites if they fall from the way
Aristobulus Alexanders sonnes Hircanus high Priest The Pharisees admitted to the administration of the commonweale are greedie of reuenge Aristobulus his followers accuse the Pharisees of tyranny The yeare of the world 3890. before Chrâ—… 〈◊〉 74. Alexandra coÌ„mitteth the custody of the Castles to the Iewes Aristobulus iâ—… sent to 〈◊〉 against Ptolomy Tigranes inuading Syria heareth 〈◊〉 of Lucullus pursuit of Mithridates and returneth home The yeare of the world 3893. before Christs birth 71. The yeare of the world 3894. before Christs birth 70. Alexandras sicknes and Aristobulus attempt The yeare of the world 3897 before Christs birth 67. Aristobulus seazeth the castles and great coÌ„ course of people resort to him Hircanus and the elders informe the Queene and accuse Aristobulus Alexandras death The yeare of the world 3899. before Christs birth 65. The yeare of the world 3899. before the 〈◊〉 of Christ 65. Alexandras family in cuâ—… much trouble The yeere of the world 3899. before Christs Natiuitie 65. The office and duty of an Historiographer Aristobulus and Hircanus striue for the kingdome The peace betwixt Hircanus and Aristobulus Hedio Ruffinus chap. 〈◊〉 Antipater the Idumaean Hircanus friend Antipater of Iudaea as Nicholas Damascenus impliâ—…th first called Antipas The yeare of the world 3899. before Christs birth 65. Antâ—…er incenâ—… the princes of the lewes against Aristobulus The yeare of the world 3900. before Christs natiuitie 64. Hedio Ruffinus chap. 3. Aretas maketh warre against Aristobulus and enforceth him to flie to Ierusalem The Arabian besiegeth Aristobulus in the temple The Iewes flye into Egypt The yeare of the world 3900. before Christs birth 64. Onias contradicting the Iewes petition is stoned to death Breach of faith and the reuenge therof Hedio Ruffinus chap. 4. Hircanus and Aristobulus embassadours vnto Scaurus Scaurus is presented Aristobulus maketh warre against Aretas and Hircanus Pompey commeth into Syria and Aristobulus sendeth a royal present vnto him The yeare of the world 3900. before the Natiuitie of Christ. 64. Antipater for Hircanus and Nicodemus for Aristobulus come as embassadors to Pompey Hedio Ruffinus chap. 5. A castle destroyed in Apamea Ptolomey MeÌ„naeus fined at a great summe of money The yeare of the world 3902. before the birth of Christ. 62. Aristobulus Hircanus accused by the Iewes before Pompey Aristobulus Apology before Pompey Hedio Ruffinus chap. 6. Pompey marcheth out against Aristobulus Aristobulus descendeth from his fortresse to con ferre with Pompey The yeâ—…re of the world 3902. before Christs Natiuitie 62. Aristobulus deliuereth the fortresses to Pompeis haÌ„ds Hedio Ruffâ—…s chap. 7. Mithridates king of Pontus slaine by his sonne Pharnaces Gabinius comming to receiue the money Ariâ—…obulus had promised hath the citie gates shut against him Hedio Ruffinus chap. 8. Pompey besiegeth IerusaleÌ„ The yeare of the world 3903. before Christs birth 61. Ierusalem partly betraied partly besieged by Pompey Pompey maketh preparation to besiege the temple The yeare of the world 3903. before Christs birth 61. The Iewes intermitted not their sacrifice notwithstanding the siege The taking of the temple Twelue thousand Iewes slaine Pompey entering the temple neither toucheth or taketh away any thing Alias cap. 9. Pompey â—…estoweth the Priesthood on Hircanus Ierusalem tributary to Româ—… Gadara restored Cities taken from the Iewes The yeare of the world 3903. before Chriâ—…s Natiuitie 61. Stâ—…rus president of Coelesyria Hedio Ruffinus chap. 9. The yeare of the world 3904 before Christs birth 60. Hedio Ruffinus chap. 10. al. 11. Castles fortiâ—…ed Gabinius causeth dâ—…ers cities in Iury to be repaired that were defaced Hedio Ruffinus chap. 11. al. 11. Alexandrion other castles raâ—…ed The yeare of the world 3904. before Christs birth 60. Fiue presidiall â—…eidges in Iury. Hedio Ruffinus chap. 12. al. 13. Aristobulus returning 〈◊〉 Roâ—…e 〈◊〉 to reestablish Alexandrion Aristobâ—…s ouercome in battell by the Romans Aristobulus sent backe again prisoner to Rome with his son Antigonus Aristobulus sons discharged Antipater releeueth Gabinius in his iourney to Egypt to install Ptolomey Alexander Aristobulus son vsurpeth the Monarchie Alexander ouercome by Gabinius The conquest of the Nabatheans Mithridares and Orsanes The yeare of the world 3904. before Châ—…s birth 60. Hedio Ruffinus chap. 13. al. 14. Marcus Crassus in his expedition against the Parthians taketh the treasure out of the temple of Ierusalem The yearâ—… of the world 3911. before Christs birth 53. Crassus breaketh his oth Whence the temple of Ierusalem grew so rich Sâ—…abo of Cappadocia Crassus slaine in Paâ—…thia Cassius resisteth the Parthians The yeare of the world 3911. before Christs birth 53. Antipaters wife and children The yeare of the world 3917. before Christs birth 47. Hedio Ruffinus chap. 14. al. 15. Aristobulus deliuered out of prison iâ—… poysoned Hedio Ruffinus chap. 15. al. 16. The slaughter of Aristobulus sonne Hedio Ruffinus chap. 16. al. 17. Antipater gathereth soldiers out of Syria for Caesars seruice Antipater helpeth Mithridates to take Pelusium The Iewes 〈◊〉 Onias countrey are confederated with Caesar. Memphis in Egypt The yeare of the world 3917. before Christs Natinitiâ—… 47. The conflict of the Egyptians with Mithridates at Delta Alias cap. 18. Mithridates commendeth Antipaters seruice to Caesar Caesar confirmeth Hircanus in the priesthood and maketh Antipater a citizen of Rome Strabo Aâ—…nius Hypâ—…rates The yeare of the world 3919. before Christs birth 45. Antigonus Aristobulus sonne accuseth Hircanus and Antipater before Caesar. Antipaters answere to his obiection Antipater made gouernour ouer Iudaeâ—… Hedio Ruffinus chap. 17. al 18 Hircanus by Caesars permission repâ—…ireth the wals of Ierusalem The Senates decree as touching their league with the Iewes The yeare of the world 3919. before the Natiuitie of Christ. 45. Hircanus honoured by the Athenianâ—… Hedio Ruffinus chap. 18. Caesar departeth out of Syria Antipater pacifieth all occasion of commotion in Iudaea The yeare of the world 3921. before Christs birth 43. Alias chap. 20. Antipater maketh Phasaelus gouernour in Ierusalem and Herode in Galilee The yeere of the world 392â—… before Christs Natiuitie 43. Herode executeth Ezechias and his followers for robberies Sextus Caesar gouernour of Syria The forme of Phasaelus his gouernment Antipater notwithstanding his high authority was alwaies faithfull to Hircanus Antipater winneth the Romans hearts by Hircanus money and draweth the Iewes into hatred The Iewes accuse Antipater and Herode before Hircanus The yeare of the world 3922. before the birth of Christ. 42. Herode called in question appeareeth with a great traine Sextus Caesar writeth to Hircanus to discharge Herode Same as one of the Iudges foretelleth Hircanus and his counsailers of their imminent death by Herodsmeans The yeare of the world 3922. before Christs birth 42. Herode honoured Sameas Herode admonished by Hircanus saueth himselfe by flight and appeareth no more in iudgement Alias chap. 21. Sextus Caesar selleth his presidents place to Herode for ready money Herode marcheth
Citizens exhort the people to reuenge The yeere of the world 4032. after Christs birth 70. The Zelous the most wretched occasiō of these violences Ananus sharpe inuectiue against the Zelous Ananus twitteth the Iews with their feare The crueltie of the theeues The Temple the strongest fortres of the Citie Warres are intended for libertie The comparison of the Romans and Iews and their properties The yeare of the world 4032. after the birth of Christ. 70. An answere to their contrarie opinion who obiect the number and boldnesse of the enemy The Epilogue of Ananus Oration to the people Ananus disposeth his souldiers against the Zelous The fight of the Citizens and Zelous in the temple The yeare of the world 4032 after Christs birth 70. Iohnful of deceit and a betraier of the citizens Iohn sweareth to be faithfull to the people Iohn contrarie to his oath reuealeth their secrets to the Zelous Iohn stirreth vp the Zelous against the Citizens Eleazar one of the Zelous causeth the Idumaeans to besent for The yeare of the world 4032. after Christs birth 70. The Zealous require helpe from the Idumaeans The nature and manners of the Idumaeans Twentie thousand Idumaeās come to Ierusalem Iesus oration and exhortation to the Idumaeans The disproofe of the Zealous fiction who intended the ouerthrow of the citie and obiected the betraying thereof The yeare of the world 403◅ after Christs birth 70. Peace is better then death Iesus exhorteth the Idumaeans that since they are come they should oppose themselues against the Zealous Iesus requireth the Idumaeans to iudge the differents betweene the Zealous and them The end of Iesus oration to the Idumaeans The yeare of the world 4032. aftter Christs Naiuitie 70. Simons answer to Iesus oration The Idumaeans are displeased because the Citie gates were lockt against them The reproches the Idumeans obiect against the high priests and Citizens The Idumaeans pitch their tabernacles neer the wals A huge storme The Zelous consult to breake open the gates to assaile the watch and let in the Idumaeans The yeere of the world 4032. after Christs birth 70. The watchmen are oppressed with sleepe The Idumaeans by the meanes of the Zelous enter by night The Idumaeans ioyne themselues with the Zelous in the Temple The immanitie of the Idumaeans and Zelous against the Citizens of Ierusalem Ananus and Iesus the high Priests executed Ananus death the first cause of the destruction of the Citie The praise of Ananus the hie priest The yeare of the world 4032. after the birth of Christ. 70. The yeare of the world 4032. after Christs birth 70. The crueltie of the Idumaeans the Zelous Twelue thousand of the nobilitie executed Zacharie condemned to death by the Zelous Seuentie iudges absolue and acquite Zacharie Zacharie slaine in the midst of the temple One of the Zelous discouereth their crueltie and barbarous dealing to the Idumaeans The yeare of the world 4032. after Christs Natiuitie 70. The Idumaeans depart out of Ierusalem Gorions death and Niger Peraita Nigers praiers tooke effect as the end testified The souldiers incite Vespasian to resort to Ierusalem The yeere of the world 4032. after Christs birth 70 Vespasian expecteth victory by the ciuill dissension of his enemies Many citizens to flie the Zealous resorted to Vespasian The Zealous tytannize both ouer the liuing and the dead The yeere of th◅ world 4032. after Christs birth 70. Iohns pride and ambition The greater part of the con trarie faction fall from Iohn The tempest of three miseries assailed Ierusalem at once Of those desperate rebels that kept the Castle of Massada Slaughter and desolation thorow Iurie A Similitude The sugitiue◅ beseech Vespasian to assist the Citie and reserue ◅he rest of the people The ye◅re of the world 4032. after Christs birth 70. The Gadarensian◅ entertain Vespasian with ioy and acclamations Placidus con◅ct with the fugitiues Placidus taketh and burneth Bethenabris Placidus victorie ouer the fugitiues The yeare of the world 4032. after the birth of Christ. 70. Placidus maketh vse o◅ his good fortune against the Iewes Troubles in France Vespasian visiteth all Iudaea Vespasian commeth to Iericho The grea◅ field Two lakes Asphaltite and y e Tiberian lake A large fountaine neere Iericho The yeare of the world 4032. after Christs birth 70. A miracle wrought by Helizaeu◅ Fruitfull and pleasant gardens about Iericho The cause why the ground about Iericho is fruitfull The ayre temperate and warme An admirable propertie of the Asphaltite lake The land of Sodom is neer vnto the lake Asphaltite The yeere of the world 4032. after Christs birth 70. Ter◅ul in Apologet cap. 39. L. Annius taketh Gerasa Vespasian hath tidings of Neroes death Galba Otho Vitell◅ Vespasian de◅erreth his siege at Ierusalem Galba is slaine and Otho gouerneth The ye◅re of the ◅ld 4033. after Christs birth 71. Simon of Gerasa resorteth to the theeues Simon assemble◅ all robbers in the mountainous places The fight betweene Simon the Zealous Eleazar Simōs fellow casteth himselfe headlong into the trench and presently dieth Iames of Idumaea the betraier of his countrey The yeare of th◅ world 4033. after Christs birth 71. Simon beyond all expectation entreth Idumaea without bloudshed Hebron an ancient Citie where Abrahams house was A Turpentine tree that hath continued since the creation of the world Simon spoyled all Idumaea The Zelous take Simons wife Simons immanitie cruelty The Zelous ◅nd backe Simons wife Sedition thorow the whole Romane Empi◅e Vespasian onc◅ more inuadet◅ Iudaea The yeare of the world 4033. after Christs birth 71. Capharis submits to Cerealis Cerealis burneth the ancient Citie of Hebron The Zelous fill the whole Citie with iniquitie The way of flight was quite cut off The discord betweene the Zelous and the Idumaeans The fight of the Zealous with the Idumaeans in the Temple Simon entreth the Citie with a great army The yeare of the world 4033. after the birth of Christ. 71. Simon assaulteth the temple wherin the Zelous kept The office of the priests to sig◅e the beginning of the seuenth day by the sound of a ◅umpet Vitellius incampeth his army in Rome Vespasiā knew both how to gouerne and how to obey The captaines consult with the souldiers openly of a change Vespasians shame◅astnesse and modestie The yeare of the world 4033. after Christs birth 71. The causes that mooued the people to elect Vespasian Emperour The souldiers elect Vespasian Emperour The bounds of Aegypt The length and breadth of Aegypt A most high tower in the Island Pharos giuing light to those that faile three hundreth stounds off Tiberius Alexander gouerneth Alexandria Aegypt The yeare of the world 4033. after Christs birth 71. Vespasian by common voice is created Emperour and crowned Vespasian consulteth with his captains about Iosephs liberty Ioseph discharged out of bonds and rewarded Vespasian bethinketh himselfe to returne to Rome Caecinna perswadeth the souldiers to forsake Vitellius and honour Vespasian The yeere of the world 4033.
after Christs birth 71. Caecinna is apprehended for treason Vespasian honours Caecinna with vnexpected honors is acquâ—…ed of treasoâ—… Sabinus taketh the capitol anâ—… leaueth Vitellius Vitellius slaine The people of Rome proclaime Vespasian Emperour Titusrepaireth to Ierusalem Titus commeth to Caesarea and gethereth his forces there The yeâ—…re of thâ—… world 4034. after Christs birth 72. A three fold sedition in Ierusalem The yeare of the world 4034. after Christs birth 72. The fight betweene Iohn and Eleazar Simon Iohn skirmish in the temple Great slaughter in the temple Iohn assaulted on both sides They of Ierusalem had well nie burnt all their Corne. A wretched calamitie in Ierusalem The yeare of â—…he world 4034. after the 〈◊〉 of Câ—…st 7â—… Lamentation and mouâ—…ng in 〈◊〉 The crueltie of the sedâ—… in Ierâ—…alem Iohn made vse of the wood that was kept for holy vses to make engines of The order of Titus army Tiâ—…us coÌ„meth to Iudaea The yeare of the â—…ld 4034 aftâ—… Câ—… birth 7â—… Titus repaireth to Ierusalem to found the dispositioÌ„s of the people Titus in danger Titus fighteth valiantly with his enemies Titus putteth his enemies to flight and returneth in safetie to his camp Titus campe was 7. stades off the Citie The seditious agree among themselâ—…es The yeare of the world 4034. after Christs birth 72. The citizens assaile the Romans The Iewes driue the Romans froÌ„ their campe The fight of the Iewes with the Romans The Romans are dispersed by the Iewes and driuen to the mountaine Titus valour against the Iewes Feare and trouble among the Romans The Iewes fight in their retreat and are driuen into the valley The yeare of the world 4034. after Christs birth 72. Iohn entreth and seaseth the inward temple and all the furniture therof putteth the Zealous to flight and raiseth a mightie sedition A threefold sedition deuided into two parts Whatsoeuer abouâ—…â—…alem 〈◊〉 hollow or troubled withâ—… vallies is filled vp The alacritie of the souldiers among the Romans contrary to Titus 〈◊〉 The yearâ—… of thâ—… world 4034. after Christs birth 72. The victorie of the Iewes Caesars sharpe Oration to his souldiers The Romane souldiers beseech Titus for their fellowes in armes How and in what places Titus befieged Ierusalem The treble wall of Ierusalem The Castle of Dauid Acra sustaineth the lower part of the Citie The yeere of the world 4034 after Christs birth 7â—… The fountaine Siloa The older wall The second wall The third wall â—…ezetha the fourth hill Agrippas cost in building the wall The third wall had 50. towers Psephina was seuentie cubits hie Herod called three towers by the names of three his most deerest friends The yeare of the world 4034. after the birth of Christ. 72. Hippico 85. cuâ—…its high Phasaelus 90. cubits higâ—… Mariamme a goodly tower 55. cubits high The kings pallace The kings pallace burnt by the theeues and rebels The temple builded vpon a most strong hill All the sacred treasures spent in the building of the temple The yeare of the world 4034 after Christs birth 72. The porches were builded of white marble stone sustained by pillars A peculiar place destinated for women for religion sake Some of the gates were of gold some of siluer and one of Corinthian brasse The sacred sanctuaâ—…ie The yeare of the world 4034. after Christs birth 72. The Babylonian vaile of admirable workmanship The signification of the vaile Three admible works The candlesticke the table and censor The outward court of the temple couered with many plates of gold The priests in the old testament abstained from wine and were sober The hie priests garment The yeere of the world 4034. after Christs birth 72. The precious stones in the high priests garment The description of Antonia Antonia not much vnlike the citie Fifteene thousand follow Simon Simons campe against Iohn The yeere of thâ—… world 4034. after Christs birth 72. The sedition tooke the City and the Romans ouercame tooke the sedition Titus circuring the wall seeketh which way he should attempt his batterie Nicanor is wounded with an arrow in the left shoulder The darts did the Iewes little good because they were not expert in vsing them The yeare of the world 4034. after Christs birth 72. â—…tus comman deth the wall to be battered in three places The seditious forgetting their haâ—…ed and discords ioyne in one The ramme shaketh a corner of a tower Titus putteth the Iewes to flight and driueth them into the Citie Iohn Captaine of the Idumaeans by the shot of an arrow that woundeth him in the brest dieth The yeare of the world 4034. after the birth of Christ. 71. Nicon that is to say Vistor the Romans great ramme The Romans get the first wall The Iewes conflict with the Romans The Iewes boldnesse The custome of the Romans to conquer Longinus breaketh into the midst of the Iewes army and disturbeth it The yeare of the world 4034 after Christs birth 72. Castor a subtill and politique Iewe. Mercie in wars hurtfull Titus taketh the second wall The yeere of thâ—… world 4034. after Christs birth 72. They interpret war like Titus humanity for cowardize The Romans are driuen out by the Iewes The Iewes courage increaseth The people in want and many die for hunger Titus once more getteâ—… the second wal Titus surceasing the siege commaundeth money to be distributed to all his soldiers The yeere of the world 4034. after Christs birth 72. Destinie had decreed that the innocent should perish with the nocent and the citie with the seditious The Romans in their labour are hindred by the Iewes Titus bountie towards the Iewes Iosephs Oration the Iewess Fortune and God for the Romans Famine in the Citie The yeare of the world 4034. after Christs birth 72. The Emperor striueth to bee at peace with the Romans Ioseph tippeth vp the ancient Histories and some â—…aine Nechias a king of Egypt The Hebrewes vnder the tyrannie of Egypt foure hun dreth yeeres The sacred Arke taken away by the Assirians and restored to the Iewes Senacherib king of Assyria The captiuitie of Babylon The destruction of IerusaleÌ„ by the King of Babylon Iosephs bitter inuectiue against them The yeere of the world 4034 after Christs birth 72. The Iewes sins against the lawes The Romans vse the same maner of ouerthrow against the Iewes as the Assyrians did God knoweth when to reuenge The fountains that before time were dâ—…y now flow to Titus God is wont to shew mercie to those who con fesse and be penitent The yeare of the world 4034. after the birth of Christ. 72. Iosephs loue and constancie towards his countrey The people flie with their money A wonderfull famine in the Citie The argument of store of meat A miserable kind of liuing and a spectacle of great compassion The souldiers enter the houses take the meat vnchueÌ„d out of the Citizens mouths The yeare of the world 4034 after Christs birth 72. The honorable and rich are drawne before the tyrants The
flieth with his wife into Cilicia Epiphanes flieth to Vologesus the king of Parthia Antiochus taken The yeare of the world 4037. after Christs birth 75. Antiochus reconciled to Caesar. The Alans enter Media to spoile the same Armenia wasted The yeare of the world 4038. after Christs birth 76 The time among the Iewes which was most fruitful in all manner of impiety Iohn Giscala The yeere of the world 4038. after Christs birth 76. Simon sonne of Giora The Idumaeans The Zealous The end of the Iewes answerable to their liues Silua the captaine of the Romans besiegeth Massada The scituation of Massada The iourney by the rock called the Snake The top more fruitfull and fatter soile the the plaine Herods pallace The yeere of the world 4038. after Christs birth 76. A â—…ower to the Westside Great store of prouision in the Castle Fruit for a hundreth yeeres kept vncorrupt Herode suspecting a double perill builded this place for a refuge There was but one place about Massada to raise a mount to batter one The Citie battered with a large Ramme and by Siluas appointment Firebrands daâ—…â—…ed against the walâ—… The North wind diuerting the flame turneth it vpon the Romanâ—… The yeare of the world 4038. after Christs birth 76. Eleazars Oration to his companions Eleazar conteâ—… Gods wrâ—…t â—…o bee kâ—…led against tâ—…e people The punish 〈◊〉 â—…ese 〈◊〉 which 〈◊〉 â—…es â—…n 〈◊〉 attempâ—… agâ—…inst the â—…es 〈◊〉 graue 〈◊〉 â—…en lâ—… 〈◊〉 maintained Eleazars Oraâ—…n as touchâ—…g the immor talitie of the soule The yeare of the world 4038. after Christs birth 76. A soule tied in a mortal body The power of the soule Sleepe the argument of the immortalniâ—… of the soule The professors of wisedome among the indians burne themselues An exhortation to contemn death drawne from the time and place Example taken from the Iews that were staine in Caesâ—…a The Calamitie of the Iewes in Scithopoliâ—… The yeare of the world 4038. after Christs birth 76. Eighteen thousand Iews slain in Syria and threescore thousand in Aegypt The calamitie of those Iewes who were taken by the Romans Ierusalem the Metropolitane citie razed froÌ„ the foundations We are borne to die and the most strongest cannot auoid the same Eleazar telleth the Iewes of the Romans tyrannie It is a happines among the Iewes to die free The yeare of the world 4â—…38 after Christs birth 76. The Iewes gathering all their goods togither cast theÌ„ into the fire Ten chosen by lot to kill the rest of the Iewes The Romans expect the fight The Romans admire at the Iewes fortitude and obstinate contempt of death The murtherers authors of new calamitie The Iewes assemble and consult about the murtherers The yeere of the world 4038. after Christs birth 76. Diuers sorts of torments and tortures inflicted on them who reâ—…use Caesars soueraintie Onias by Ptoâ—…es consent buildeth a citie and temple in Egypt Onias temple built in Egypt Lupus shutteth the Iewes out of the temple The yeare of the world 4038. after Christs birth 76 A part of Ionathans companions were taken and slaine the rest kept captiue aliue and brought to Catullus Three thousand Iewes slaine by Catullus Ioseph by Catullus perswasion is accused by Ionathas Ionathas being first beaten is burnt aliue The conclusion of the seuen bookes of the warres of the Iewes The historie of the antiquitie containeth the euents of fiue thousand yeers The causes that moued him to write this book All things among the Greekes are moderne but such things as were done among the Egyp tians Chaldies and Phaenicians are of happie memorie and venerable antiquitie Innumerable corruptions inuaded Greece The Phoenicians and Cadmus the first inuentors of letters Among the Greekes there is not any writing more ancient then Homers poem Thucidides writ a most exact historie of his time The causes of discord among the Iewes Another cause of their discord recorded by the Graecian Historiographers The signe of a true historie A custome which the priests obserued The priests amongst the Iewes are euerie one registred with the name of their fathers and this custome hath continued 2000 yeers Two and twentie bookes of holy writ The Iewes and Greeks are compared together Some others haue written of the wars of the Iewes Ioseph was present in all the wars of the Iewes Ioseph did write the historie of the Iewes wars being at Rome Ioseph sold his bookes to many Some do derogate from Iosephs historie Two things which Ioseph entendeth The Iewes careto bring vp their â—…heildreÌ„ The ancient Iewes had no need to trafficke with the Graecians The Romans were lately knowne to the Greekes Certaine Historiographers report Spaine to be onely one citie Arguments to proue the Iewes of more antiquitie then the Greeks Manethon an Egyptian writer Saltis subdued the Egyptians Kings shepheards Sethosis king of Egypt made his brother Ar mais Gouernour of his Countrie Where upon Egypt tooke his name Manethon sheweth the Iewes comming into Egypt and their departure Salomon built a â—…emple in 〈◊〉 143. yeeres and eight months before the Tyrians builded Carthage The friendship of the Tyrian king and oâ—… king Salomon Problemes of Hiramus and Salomon The testimony of Menander the Ephesian The Genealogie of king Hiramus Carthage built in Affricke by Dido Pigmalions sister Berosus the Historiographer a Chaldean Nabulassarus father to Nabuchodonosor the king of Babylon and Chaldea Nabuchodonosor conquered the rebels Nabuchodonosor succeedeth in his fathers kingdome Nabuchodonosor builded a pallace Semiramis did not build Babylon The king of Babylon excelled Hercules in strength and noble valorous deeds The wals of Babylon built of bricke and bytumen Cyrus expelled Nabodâ—…us from Babylon The testimony of the Phoenicians touching the Iewes Antiquitie Nabuchodonozor besieged Tyre The Chaldaeis and Tyrians agree with the Iewes historie Hermippus writings and testimony of Pythagoras Theophrastus Corban the gift of God Herodotus the Halicarnassian touching the Iewes circumcision Chaerilus an ancient Poet his testimonie of the Iewes Asphaltites the lake The testimony of Clearchus disciple of Aristotle touching the Iewes Hecataeus Abderita brought vp with king Alexander A thousand fiue hundreth priests receiue the Iewes tenths The Iewes constancy against Alexander The largnes of Iurie Fiftie stounds are almost sixe Germaine miles The Priests do dwell in the Temple and drink no wine Agatarchides his testimonie of the Iewes The Iewes Sabaoth Why certaine writers omit to speake of the Iewes The last part against certain detractions â—…aunders The cause of malice betweene the Egyptians and Iewes The Egyptians Idolatrie Manethon an Egyption Historiographer Manethons fabulous reports of the Egyptian Lepers Osarsiphus captâ—…ine of Auaâ—…is The warre of the banished against the Aegyptians The Aegyptian king fled into Aethiopia and was by the Aethiopian king courteously entertained Osarsiphus was afterwards called Moses Manethons lies are confuted Manethons words repeated A conâ—…utation of Manethons words alleadged The Epiloge that the Iewet came not of the Egyptians An answere vnto Manethous slanders touching