at length they should too lately and vnprofitably repent them of their errour yet that God their establisher should restore Cities to the Citizens and a Temple to his people And that it should come to passe that they should not lose this only one time but also very many times Then did Moses also exhort Iesus that he should lead his army against the Chanaanits promising him that God would be assistant in his actions prophecying besides much good hap vnto the people Since that saith he I go vnto mine ancestors and that God hath prefixed this day and time of my departure I protest before you that liuing as yet and standing in your presence I giue him thanks for the care and prouidence which he hath hitherto had of your affaires not onely in propulsing your aduersaries but also in largely imparting his blessings vnto you and for that he hath alwaies fauourably helpt me whilst I indeuoured by my labour and care to reduce your fortunes to a better state And that which is more it is he that hath giuen both the entrance and the issue making vse of me but as his committee and seruant in all that good which he would should be done vnto his people For all which things I haue thought it requisite that in departing from you I should blesse the power of God who in time to come shall haue the care and charge of you And to acquit my selfe of that debt I leaue you this in remembrance which is that you ought to serue and honour him and reuerence the ordinances which he hath giuen you whereby continuing his fauours towards you he will grant you grace to conserue and keepe this excellent gift Truly that law-maker that were no more then a man would be greatly displeased and highly discontented with those men who should violate his ordinances and should set them at noughts doe not you therefore tempt God who is prouoked vnto anger when those lawes which he himselfe hath established and giuen you shall be contemned and neglected Whilest Moses pronounced these his last words and discoursed vnto the tribes their seuerall destinies the whole multitude brake into teares and the women beating their breasts shewed and expressed the sorrow they had conceiued at his death The children likewise lamented making it knowne that they could not be masters of their owne sorrow because that in their tender yeares they had vnderstood the vertue and famous acts of Moses and betwixt the elder and younger sort there was as it were a conflict who should weepe more bitterly for the one vnderstanding of how worthie a gouernour they were depriued lamented the time to come and the other were perplexed because they should then forsake him before they had sufficiently tasted and made triall how great his vertue was But how great the compassion and complaint of the people was a man may make coniecture by this that then befell the Prophet For although he were assuredly perswaded that a man was not to lament vpon the instant of his death in that it chanced vnto him both according to the will of God and the law of nature yet he beholding the affection of the people could not temperate and restraine himselfe from teares And whilest he was borne thither where he vanished out of their sight all of them followed him wetting their faces and bosomes with flowing teares Then did Moses beckening with his hand warne them from a farre off that they should stand stil and keep their places exhorted them that were neerest him by word of mouth that they should not follow nor prosecute him any further with teares for feare least they should make his departure tragicall and lamentable Onely the Senate led him forth and Eleazar the high Priest and the chiefetaine Iesus And when he was arriued vpon the mountaine called Abarim which is verie hie and scituate neere vnto Iericho and from whence he might discouer the greater part of the land of Chanaan he dismissed the elders and whilest with mutuall embraces he tooke his last leaue of Eleazar and Iesus and discoursed with them a cloud sodainly enuironed him and he was taken away into a certaine valley but in the scripture he writeth that he died fearing least for the excellencie of his vertue they might report that he was rauished and taken away by God The whole time of his life was one hundreth and twentie yeares the third part whereof he spent in gouernment one month onely exempted He died the last month of the yeare the first day of that month which the Macedonians call Dystrus and our countrimen Adar Of all men the wisest that euer was and who in execution of his good counsels had no man to equall him Moreouer in eloquence he was incomparable and in dexteritie and grace to intertaine and perswade the people he had no second and so were his affections alwaies leuelled and limited by his wisedome that he seemed vtterly to want them and that onely he knew the names of those passions which he perceiued to be too actiue in other men In his gouernment he was matchlesse in his prophecies peerlesse so that all the orations that he made seemed to be Oracles For which cause the whole multitude mourned for him during the terme of thirtie daies neither were the Hebrewes euer seased with so extreme griefe as they were at that time when the Prophet died neither did he onely leaue behind him a present desire of him but a great estimation amongst all men who haue euer chanced to read and examine his writings whilst by them they make estimate of his vertues And these are those things which I thought good to be spoken of the death of Moses THE FIFTH BOOKE OF THE ANTIQVITIES OF THE IEWES WRITTEN BY FLAVIVS IOSEPHVS The Contents of the Chapters of the 5. booke 1 How Iesus Generall of the Hebrewes hauing ouercome and slaine the Chanaanites deuided their land amongst the Tribes by Lot 2 How after the death of the Generall the Israelites neglecting the ordinances of their forefathers fell into extreme calamities and thorow a ciuill warre that was raised amongst them there were but 300. of the tribe of Beniamin left aliue 3 How for their impietie the people of Israel were deliuered by God into captiuitie under the Assyrians 4 Their libertie by Cenizus 5 How the people once more were ouercome by the Moabites and exempt from seruitude by Iodes otherwise called Ehud 6 How they were brought vnder the subiection of the Chanaanites and restored to their libertie by Barac 7 How the Amalechites hauing entred the countrey of the Israelites and conquered them possessed and spoyled the same for the space of seuen yeares 8 How Gedeon deliuered the people 9 How some successors of Gedeon waged warre against the neighbour nations round about them 10 Of Sampsons strength and what mischiefes he did in Palestine 11 How the sonnes of Eli the Prophet were slaine in battell by
bethinking them on their imminent perill supposing that they had trauailed this long iourney all in vaine for that they saw their accusation must be answered Ruben the eldest of them began after this maner to plead their cōmon cause Neither are we come hither said he as spies neither vnder pretence to indomage the king but dire famine whose furie we seeke to preuent hath cōpelled vs to come into this countrey grounding our selues on your humanitie who as we haue heard haue not onely made offer of sale of come and meanes of sustenance to your citizens but also vnto all straungers And that we are brothers and borne of the same father our verie countenances testify no lesse in that they varie not very much the one from the other Our father by name is Iacob by nation an Hebrew who begat vs his twelue sonnes on foure women who while they all were in safety our affaires were fortunate and prosperous but one of them being dead whose name was Ioseph our domesticall fortunes began to grow to ruine Our father languisheth in continuall lamentations whose teares do no lesse afflict vs then in times past the vntimely death of our dearest brother did affect vs. Now are we come to buy corne hauing left in our fathers custody the youngest of our brothers called Beniamin That thus it is if so thou please to send any one vnto our house thou maist be assured Thus spake Ruben both on his owne and his brothers behalfe whereby he might exempt from Ioseph his sinister opinion of them who knowing that both his father and brother were in health commaunded them to be shut in prison vnder pretence to call them to further examination vpon his better leasure Some three daies after calling them before him he began thus Since saith he you protest that you came not hither into this kingdome on purpose either to preiudice the King or worke treasons towards the state and that you pretend your selues to be the sonnes of one father you shall induce me to beleeue that your allegations be true if leauing some one with me as pledge of your loyalties who shall be well entertained you beare hence your desired corne vnto your father and returne againe vnto me bringing with you your brother whom as you say you left behind you for this shall be an argument that you faine not Amased at these words and supposing that their extreame calamitie was at hand they lamented their fortunes oftentimes expostulating amongst themselues that the dire reuenge of their brother oppressed with vndecent tyranny was fallen vpon them Moreouer Ruben reprehended their too late and vnprofitable penitencie saying that those afflictions which God the iust reuenger of innocencie had inflicted on his impious brothers were constantly to be borne After this manner spake they one vnto another supposing that no man was present who vnderstood the Hebrew tongue and they all lamented being inwardly touched with the words of Ruben and condemned their perpetrated wickednes as if they had not beene the authors of the fact for which at that time they thought that God did most iustly punish them Ioseph beholding them in this perplexitie vnable to dissemble any longer his brotherly loue in that the teares alreadie began to burst out of his eyes which at that time he desired to conceale he departed from among them Not long after returning againe vnto them he retained Simeon with him who in the meane time should remaine as pledge with him vntil their backe returne and giuing them licence to buy their corne he commaunded them to depart giuing withall a speciall commaundement to one of his seruants that the money which they had brought to buy corne should secretly be shut vp into their sackes and they permitted to depart all which his seruant performed But Iacobs sons returning into Chanaan told their father all that which had happened vnto them in Aegypt and how they were attached for spies and traitors to that countrey and that when they protested that they were brethren and that the eleuenth was left at home with their father they would not beleeue them moreouer that Simeon was left pledge with the gouernour vntill Beniamin came thither to giue testimony of their truth whereupon they desired their father that without contradiction or sinister conceit to send their yonger brother with them But Iacob was displeased with that which his sonnes had done and whe◅as he was not a little grieued that Simeon was left behind he thought it worse then death also to be depriued of Beniamin and neither could Ruben with his praiers offering his sonnes for pledges that if any sinister fortune should fall vpon Beniamin by the way the Grandfather might reuenge him on his children perswade Iacob to yeeld consent but they vncertaine what to do were more and more terrified in that they found their money inclosed in their sackes of corne Now when corne began alreadie to faile them Iacob being compelled by force of famine determined to send Beniamin with his other brothers for it was vnlawfull for them to returne into Aegypt except they kept their couenant And whereas necessitie pressed them daily more and more and his sonnes ceased not instantly to call vpon him yet as yet was he doubtfull and vnresolued at last Iuda a man vehement by nature began more liberally to reproue his father in that he was too carefull of his brother to whom nothing might happen without the will of God whether it were abroad or at home and that without reason he had care of his sonne Beniamin in such sort as it was not possible for them to get ought out of Pharaos countrey which was necessarie for their nourishment that he ought also to haue care of the life of Simeon least whilest he dallied and delayed to send Beniamin on the iourney Simeon in the meane time should be slaine by the Aegyptians Moreouer he exhorted him to commit the care of his sonne vnto God promising to bring him backe againe in safetie or else to die together with him Moreouer he said that certaine giftes gathered from the profits of Chanaan as the iuice of Mirabolans Stacte Terebinth and Hony should be sent as presents vnto Ioseph together with the double price of their come Thu◅ shedding teares on both sides they depart from their father leauing him miserably tormented for the health of his sonnes contrariwise suspecting with themselues least thorow his absence their father should be slaine with sorrow In this perplexitie spent they a whole day At last the old man remained in his house wholy afflicted and they trauailing into Aegypt did mitigate their present griefe with the hope of better fortune where no sooner were they atriued but they repaired vnto Ioseph being sore afraid least it should be laid to their charge that vnder colour of fraud and deceit they had caried away with them the price of their former come which presently before Iosephs
out of doores from them vpon the breake of day But she being wholy desolate and discomforted by this desaster returned to her lodging and both by reason of the agonie which she had suffered as also for the shame that hindered her from appearing before her husband who would be incredibly and extremely tormented with that accident she fell downe and gaue vp the ghost Her husband supposing that she was onely seased with some sound sleepe not suspecting any other inconuenient thought to awake her with that deliberation to comfort her because she had not willingly condescended to their violences and lusts but maugre her resist was rauished by them and taken out of his lodging But so soone as he perceiued that she was dead he moderated his affections considering the extremitie of his euils and laying the dead bodie vpon his Asse he caried it to his house where he no sooner arriued but that he deuided and cut the same into twelue pieces which he sent to the twelue tribes of Israel commaunding them that bare the same to tell euerie tribe who they were that were the authors of the death of his wife and what villany they had practised against her The tribes were verie much discontented at that which they both saw and heard hauing neuer before that time heard of any the like aduenture and incensed with extreme displeasure and yet iust they assembled themselues in Siloe and being arraunged before the Arke they resolued sodainly to take armes and to assaile the Gabeonites as their capitall and mortall enemies But the elders with-held them declaring vnto them that they ought not after that manner enterprise a headlong warre against their brethren before they had conferred and debated the cause with them and examined the crimes whereof they were accused the rather for that the law permitteth not any warre no not against straungers before an enterparle embassage which might reclaime those that were held culpable reduce them to reason For which cause they told them that they should conforme themselues both according to the letter of the law and the bond of brotherhood to send certaine messengers to the Gabeonites to demaund at their hands the authors of that villanie to the end that when they were deliuered they might take their satisfaction by their punishment but if they should not regard that which was demaunded then that it was lawfull for them to assaile them with open warre Hereupon they sent certaine messengers to the Gabeonites to accuse those yong men that had perpetrated that indignity against the woman to demaund them at their hands to the intent they might suffer condigne punishment by death for the breach they had made of the law But the Gabeonites would not yeeld vp the young men supposing it to be an indignity for them for feare of warre to be obedient to other mens commaundements by reason that they thought themselues no waies inferiour vnto others in feats of warre both in respect of their number and the courage both in the one and the other The rest of the tribe also made great preparation by reason they were all of thē resolued vnited together mutually to defend thēselues against whosoeuer should assaile them After that the report of the Gabeonites answer was brought vnto the Israelites they sware an oth the one vnto the other that none of thē would giue their daughters in mariage to a Beniamite promising each of them to issue make warre against them against whom they were more incensed then our predecessors haue bin animated against the Chanaanites as we haue bin giuen to vnderstand They speedily therfore leuied led into the field an armie of 400000 men against them The Beniamites host consisted of 26000. armed men and 600. others fiftie of which were expert in shooting and fighting with the left hand The field was fought neere to Gaba wherein the Beniamites put the Israelites to flight who were slaine to the number of twentie two thousand and more of them had bin slaughtered that day had not the night sodainly ouertaken them and ended the skirmish Thus did the Beniamites ioyfully returne vnto their cities the Israelites were discomforted thorow their vnexpected calamitie The next day they once more renewed the battel and the Beniamites had the vpper hand once againe so that the Israelites lost eighteene thousand men more and by that meane forsooke their campe thorow feare and retired to Bethel which was not farre off from the place The day after they fasted and besought God by the mediation of Phinees the high Priest that it would please him to appease his wrath against them and that contenting himselfe with the two ouerthrowes which he had sent them he would now at last both giue them victorie and valour to encounter their enemies All which God promised them by the prophecy of Phinees Whereupon they deuided their army into two parts and laid the one thereof in ambush neere vnto the Citie In the meane time whilest the other halfe that made head against the Beniamites retired themselues to the intent their enemies should assault them the Beniamites sodainly issued and set vpon them that orderly retired and the more they retired vnder purpose to draw them the further from the towne the more eagerly the enemie insisted so that all they likewise who thorow age and weaknes were left in the Citie sallied out as companions and sharers in the future pray But when as they were drawne farre enough from the Citie the Hebrewes staied made head and fought against them Then gaue they a signe to those that were in ambush in such sort as was accorded amongst them who sodainly issuing out together rushed in vpon their enemies with a huge crie Who seeing themselues so sodainly surprised knew not what to doe but retiring themselues into certaine Baricadoes they defended themselues with arrowes but all of them were slaine except it were sixe hundreth who making head and closely filletted and embattailed together thrust themselues desperately into the midst of their enemies and by this meanes escaped they into the mountaines hard by where they encamped All the rest to the number of twentie fiue thousand or thereabouts were slaine And the Israelites burned Gaba vtterly slew both the women and children They exercised no lesse iustice on the other cities of Beniamin so much were they fleshed and transported with furie And for that Iabes a Citie of Galaad would not ioyne with them in battell against the Beniamites they sent twelue thousand chosen men out of their companies to destroy the same who slew all those that might beare armes with their wiues and children except foure hundreth virgins So much griefe and furie had they conceiued thorow the accident that chaunced to this woman and the despight they had conceiued against the Beniamites for prouoking them vnto armes which furie when it was somewhat appeased they repented themselues reputing themselues to be depriued of one
letters did now without any hesitation beleeue that in deede some treacherous practise was plotted against him by his sonnes But Alexander affirmed that Diophantus the scribe had counterfeited his hand and that that letter was Antipaters deuise For Diophantus was accounted cunning in such matters and afterward being taken with the like he was therefore put to death And the king produced them that had been tortured at Iericho before the people to accuse his sonnes where they were stoned to death and the people hereat moued would also haue killed Alexander and Aristobulus with the same death But Herode by the meanes of Ptolomeus and Pheroras did restraine them and commanded the young men to be cast into prison and there to be kept so streight that no man was admitted vnto them but manie spies were set who should narrowly marke all their actions and words and now they were acconnted as condemned men both by other mens opinions and also by their owne One of them to wit Aristobulus for griefe enuiting his Aunt and mother in law to compassionate his present calamitie and to hate him that was the author hereof affirming that she also was in great danger being accused in hope to marry with Syllaeus to haue signified vnto him by letters all that past in Herods court Which words the woman presently came and recounted vnto her brother Herod The king no longer able to bridle his furie commanded them both to be bound and kept in seueral places one from another and each of them to write what they had plotted against their father being thus commanded they wrote that they neither prepared treason nor yet thought of any treason against him onely they purposed to flie because they perceiued that they could no longer liue here because they were so suspected in continual care At that time a prince of Cappadocia came Embassadour from Archelaus named Mela who was one of the greatest lords of the country and Herod willing to shew his sons malice he sent for Alexander out of prison commanding him to recount how and after what order or whither they meant to flie he answered vnto Archelaus who had also promised them to send them to Rome but that they had no further intent or purpose to effect any vnlawfull practise against their father and that all other accusations were false And that he requested that Tyrannus and the rest might haue been better examined but Antipater preuented that who by his owne forged tumours spread amongst the people did cause them to hasten their deaths Which being said Herode commanded both him and Mela to be lead vnto Glaphyra that she might be asked whether she were any way priule vnto the conspiracie against Herod and comming vnto her the woman seeing her husband bound presently tore her haire and being amazed with great compassion cried out amaine The young â—…ans cheekes were also bedewed with teares so that a long time after those that were present amazed and mooued to compassion at this miserable sight could neither speake or doe the kings commaund At last Ptolomeus to whose charge Alexander was committed willing him to speak whether his wife was priuie to his intent he answered how could it be otherwise who is dearer vnto me then my owne life being mother of her and my children Then she answered crying out alowd that she was priuie to nothing that was any harme yet quoth she if it will auaile you any thing or helpe to saue your life I am ready to tell any lie whatsoeuer seeing I must die and will denie nothing you would haue me to say Alexander answered neither did I purpose any impietie against my father as some suppose who ought not to thinke so neither doest thou know of any one this thou knowest that thou and I purposed to flie vnto Archelaus thy father and that he promised to conuay vs to Rome which she also affirmed Herode now thinking that Archelaus was conuicted of euill will towards him deliuered letters vnto Olympus and Volumnius commanding them in the way as they went to passe by Eleusa a towne of Cilicia and deliuer certaine letters vnto Archelaus himselfe to the same effect and that from thence they should go to Rome and if so be when they came there they found that Caesar had been reconciled vnto him by Nicholaus his meanes that then they should also deliuer certain letters vnto him declaring all that was past betweene him and his sonnes and the proofes alleaged to conuince the young men Archelaus writ againe vnto Herod that indeede he would haue entertained the young men for feare that any greater mischance should befall them or their father by reason of the suspition against them yet was he not minded to send them to Caesar nor to haue confirmed them in any malicious course The messengers comming to Rome found Caesar reconciled vnto Herode and deliuered the letters vnto him For Nicholaus his embassage was to this effect So soone as he came vnto Rome and had entred the pallace beside the charge he had giuen him he did also vndertake to accuse Syllaeus For he perceiued the Arabians at variance amongst themselues and that some of them had declared all Syllaeus his bad practises and that by his means and procurement many of Obodas kinsmen were murthered as his aduersaries manifestly prooued by certaine of his letters which they intercepted Now Nicholaus desirous to reconcile Herode vnto Caesar omitted not this occasion by chance offered him for he well knew that if he began with the kings defence he should then find a hard and heauie iudge against him but if he began to accuse Syllaeus he should finde also fit occasion to pleade his kings cause Wherefore Nicholaus taking vpon him to prooue the accusation against him at the day appointed he accompanied with the king Aretas Embasladours accused Syllaeus as a murtherer of his Lord and king and many other Arabians and that he had borrowed much money to trouble the peace of the common wealth and that he had corrupted many women and honest matrons both at Rome and in Arabia He added hereunto a most grieuous crime to wit that he by his lies and false reports had deceiued Caesar whom in all things he had misinformed concerning that which Herode had done Which when he once mentioned Caesar commaunded him to omit the rest and onely to recount the matter concerning Herod whether Herod did not enter into Arabia with an army and did slay two thousand and fiue hundreth men and carrie away captiues and robbe and spoile the countrey Nicholaus answered that to these demannds himselfe was able to answere that Herode did none of all these or at least verie little hereof which he did recount and that he did not deserue any displeasure Caesar contrarie to his expectation hearing this began to giue diligent eare to what Nicholaus said and hereupon Nicholaus recounted vnto Caesar howe Herode had lent
temples also some are desolate others newly erected as men pleased Whereas contrariwise they ought most constantly to keepe their opinion of God and his religion Appolonius Molon was one of these prowd fooles but those Grecians that followed true Philosophie knew all that is already said and the colde reasons of this allegorie and therefore did iustly despise them and agreed with vs in the true and decent opinion of gods nature Which Plato well seeing affirmeth that Poets are not to be permitted in a common wealth and sendeth Homer away verie honourably crowned and annointed least that he with fables should destroy or depraue the true opinion of God For Plato of all others especially imitated our law-maker as he did herein also commanding all his Citizens that all of them should perfectly learne his lawes and that for no casualtie any strange forraine custome should be admitted into their Citie but that their common wealth should be pure and they persist in the obseruation of their lawes But Appolonius Molon not respecting this inueigheth against vs for not receiuing into our societie men of strange opinions or religion whereas not onely we doe so but commonly all Greekes yea and the most prudent amongst them The Lacedemonians did expell all strangers and did not permit their Citizens to trauell into other countries fearing that by both these waies their lawes might be corrupted They therefore are to be spoken against rather then we seeing they neither admit strangers to conuerse with them nor to inhabite amongst them no nor impart their religion vnto them but we though not desirous to learne other nations religigion yet doe we not denie to impart ours to strangers that desire to embrace it which if I be not deceiued is a token of magnanimitie and clemencle in vs but this shall suffice concerning the Lacedemonians Apollonius was ignorant how matters stood with the Athenians who boast that their citie is free for all nations for they did most seuerely and without all mercy punish those that did but speak any word against their God For what was the cause of Socrates his death he neither betraied the city to enemies nor destroyed their temples but onely swore by a strange oath which as he said whether in iest or in earnest a diuell taught him and for this offence was he put to death by drinking hemlocke his accusers alledging that he corrupted young men and contemned the lawes and religion of his countrey And this Socrates sustained being a citizen of Athens Anaxagoras was of Clazomenia and for that he affirmed the sunne which the Athenians worshipped for God to be a fierie stone he was by the sentence of some few condemned to die They also proclaimed that whosoeuer would kill Diagoras of Melus should be rewarded with a talent for his labour onely for that this Diagoras was said to deride their misteries Protagoras also had beene by them taken and put to death had he not made quicke escape onely for that they supposed him to haue written certaine doubts of the Athenian Gods And what wonder is it that they so vsed these famous men who spared not to vse the like crueltie vpon women For they killed a priest for that some accused her to worship straunge Gods and their law appointed that who so did introduce straunge Gods into their citie should be punished with death It is therefore euident that they who enacted such streight lawes did not beleeue the Gods of other nations to be Gods for had they beleeued in them they would not haue depriued themselues of the benefit of many Gods The verie Scithians who delight in manslaughter so that they verie little differ from bruit beasts yet do they thinke themselues bound to maintaine their owne lawes as best so that they slew Anacharsis a famous Greeke that came vnto them onely for that he seemed to attribute too much vnto the Grecian Gods yea thou maist find many amongst the Persians who for this cause haue beene tortured And it is euident that Appolonius approued the Persian lawes for when the Greeks admited their fortitude and concord of opinions concerning God I meane the fortitude they shewed in the burning of their temples this Appolonius in all things imitated the Persians violating other mens wiues and putting out their childrens eies Whereas our lawes adiudge him to death that so vseth vnreasonable beasts And neither the feare and terrour of potentates nor the fauour of them whom all men reuerence could euer cause vs to forsake or abandon these lawes neither do we exercise fortitude to the end to depriue other men of their goods and fortunes by warre but to keepe our owne lawes and we who patiently put vp all other iniurie yet if any man do in our religion prouoke vs we presently seeke reuenge not respecting our owne abilitie yea though thereby we worke our owne vtter ruine and calamitie What therfore should moue vs to imitate the lawes of other nations when they that made those lawes yea euen the lawmakers themselues did transgresse them Or how can the Lacedemonians auoid reproch for their inhospitalitie neglecting mariage Or the Elians and Thebans for accompaning with men contrarie to the law of nature which fact most shamefull they deemed good necessary Yea not content to do so themselues they also ascribed the like vnto their gods to be done by them which the Greeks also now of late haue done for this cause they refused to marry with their own women iudging their satisfaction to be contrarie to the prescript of nature But I wil speak no more of punishment neither how great malefactors those first lawmakers freed from punishment being bribed with mony how vniust they were in the lawes appertaining to wedlock It is long to examine how great occasions of impietie they gaue For many haue alreadie long ago forsaken their lawes which cannot be said of vs who for our lawes haue suffered losse of our cities fortunes and liues we keeping and persisting in our lawes euen vnto death if any Iew be in a straunge countrey where there is a tyrant king yet doth not he so feare him that he would for his commaund any iot transgresse our lawes if therefore we do valorously endure thus much for our lawes all men must needs grant our lawes to be verie good but if they say we suffer all these calamities for to maintaine wicked or naughtie lawes what punishment are they not worthie of who hauing as they say better lawes then we do so easily forsake them whereas we do maintaine ours euen with our owne liues But seeing antiquitie of lawesis the greatest argument to prone their goodnes I will set downe of what antiquitie our lawes are together with our law-makers opinion of the Dietie if therefore any one compare our lawes with the lawes of all nations he shall find that ours are of more antiquitie then theirs
his mind would haue beene troubled and his countenance appalled his legs vnder him would haue trembled and he with feare cōfounded so that he wold haue presētly stept back frō such an agonie would forthwith haue alleadged himselfe vnable to beare so many so grieuous torments saying My selfe being vnwise what should I haue made choyce of Whether to endure those torments or accept of the promised benefits Whether should I haue beene moued to pittie mine owne age or to compassionate my mother God would not haue denied pardon for this deede I being forced thereunto and by doing it though against my will I shall get the Kings fauour But where reason and aduise taketh place and hath well trained the mind to perfection the other consequently followeth As by the example of these brethren I will declare who as it were all with one voice denied to eate of the sacrificed swines flesh as they were commaunded Wherefore said they O tyrant dost thou persecute vs that are innocent We both desire and wish to die and will vntill such time as death expelleth life firmely keepe that which God commaunded and Moyses taught vs. And thou tyrant do not seeke to seduce vs by protesting feined loue towards vs thou louer of iniustice master of crueltie deuiser of iniquitie the pardon which thou doest offer is to vs more painefull then punishment we are armed with contempt of death and esteeme not thy words as being by our late master Eleazar taught to despise thē Why then dost thou esteeme such pusillanimitie to be in vs young mē seeing of late thou foundest such courage in an old man We follow him thou canst not trie and know our minds except by tearing our bodies thou search them out wee will safely and securely suffer for our God any thing and leauing this earth we shall be entertained into heauen and thou for so tyrannizing most cruelly vpon innocent soules shalt bee reserued to eternall fire The tyrant greatly mooued to see that hee could neither preuaile by faire promises nor by threatnings he caused them to be beaten with buls peasels first of all he commanded Macchabeus the eldest of the seuen brethren to be stripped and stretched out vpon a racke and his hands to bee bound behind him and then to bee most cruelly beaten who wearied his tormentors by suffering so great the force of vertue is so that they desired more to leaue beating him then he requested they should leaue This done he was put vpon a wheele and a weight hanged at his feete and so stretched round about it that his sinewes and entrailes brake and so his paines increased yet he being ouercome with paine his mouth was not for all this stopped or hindred from calling vpon God who beheld all and reprouing the tyrant who deuised those torments for the innocents and taking strength he is said to haue cried out after this manner Bloudie tyrant who persecutest the maiestie of God I whome thou thus tormentest am no Witch nor one who haue murdered and killed another man but one who dyes for iustice obseruing the law for charitie Then whē the torturers ouercome with compassion willed him to submit himselfe vnto the Kings pleasure he answered O ye wicked ministers of tyrannie your wheeles are not so sharpe and cruell that I thereby will be forced to forsake heauen whereon my mind is fixed teare my flesh yea if so you please rost it at the fire torture and torment each parcell of my bodie with seuerall crueltie you shall for all this finde your selues vnable to force vs young men to impietie As he thus spake a fire was kindled and hee as hee was vppon the wheele racked was so throwne into the fire and thus hee was by flames and torments so burned that his bowels appeared his mind nothing moued when his flesh yeelded ouercome with paines who amidst his pangs cried thus vnto his brethren O beloued brethren learne of me an example of vertue consider the strength of an inuincible courage contemne and despise the alluring baites of this world and rather obey God then the tyrant who can if hee please humble the proud and mightie and exalt the lowly and deiected As thus he spake hee was taken out of the flame and fleane aliue his tongue was pulled out of his mouth and he put into a frying pan and so hee departed out of this life to the great admiration of all that beheld him and the ioy of his brethren and mother and went before them to heauen there to prepare a kingdome for himselfe and them After him the second brother called Aber was hailed by the souldiers and before the tyrant asked him whether he would relent hee caused all those torm ents to be shewed him thereby to terrifie him but hee nothing thereat moued and denying to eate of that foresaid sacrifice his hands were bound with yron chaines and hee being hanged vp by them the skinne of his bodie was fleane from the crowne of his head vnto his knees so that the entrailes in his brest appeared naked yet in such manner as yet he might abide greater torments For hee was cast before a cruell Libarde thirsting most extremely after bloud to the intent that hee might deuour with his teeth the rest on his bodie but the beast smelling of him no doubt by the great handie worke of Almightie God forgot his crueltie and turning away his face hee did no hurt to the martyr But hereat the tyrants rage increased and the Martyr by suffering such torments was made more constant crying alowde O how pleasant is that death vnto me which is caused by all sorts of torments for Gods sake yea so much the more pleasant for that I assuredly hope to finde reward for it in heauen Let these torments inflicted vpon me O tyrant satisfie thy crueltie for my paine is not by thy tortures increased but rather my pleasure as thou shalt finde by my patience in this agonie More willing am I to suffer then thou to punish yea my paine in suffering is lesse then thine by inflicting the same vpon me I am tormented for vertue and obseruing the law and the iustice of God shall banish thee from thy regall seate thou by tormenting art tormēted almost consumed thy wrath and furie being almost spent vpon me in vaine thou shalt not escape the day of iudgement eternall paines are there prepared for thee which neither thy prophane minde is able to endure nor thy crueltie of power to decline thy sinful soule being condemned to eternall punishments Thus hee remaining constantly in his faith and animated by his brothers example departed vnto heauen Then Michir the third sonne was brought whom all men now pittied for the death of his two brethren and many exhorted him by his brothers examples to desist from his opinion so auoid punishment but he being hereat angrie thus replied One father begot vs one mother bore vs one master
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
obedient to his omnipotent will and for that cause that honor and thanksgiuing should wholy be ascribed to him For which causes and counsailes of his seeing the Chaldeans and Mesapotamians began to mutiny against him he thought it expedient to forsake that countrey and following the will and fauour of God he went and dwelt at Chanaan where beâ—…ng seated he builded an aultar and sacrificed vnto God Berosus amongst other things maketh mention of our father Abraham although he nameth him not when he speaketh after this manner After the Deluge and during the tenth generation there dwelt among the Chaldeans a most iust excellent and vpright man and exercised in the knowledge of the celestiall bodies But Hecataeus made more then a mention of him for he hath left a volume which he hath written of him And as touching Nicholaus Damascenus heare what he saith of him in the fourth booke of his Histories Abraham raigned in Damasco where he was a stranger whether he arriued with his army from a countrey scituate aboue Babylon called Chaldaea who a little while after departing out of that region went and dwelt with his people in a countrey at that time called Chanaan and at this day Iudea and his posteritie multiplied therein In an other treatise I will recite that which is reported of him The name of Abraham euen at this day is honourable in the countrey of Damasco aâ—…d there is a village to be seene which beareth his name and is called Abrahams house CHAP. IX Abraham oppressed by famine departeth into Egypt where staying a while at last he returned backe againe AFter this when famine had inuaded the land of Chanaan Abraham had intelligence that the Egyptians abounded in all plentie and decreed with himselfe to retire himselfe towards them as well to conferre with their priest and discourse with them of diuine things and their knowledge as touching God as also to follow them if they were more grounded in vnderstanding or reconcile them if his iudgement were more assured then theirs he led with him his wife Sara and vnderstanding that the Egyptians were much addicted vnto women to the end the King should not put him to death of purpose that he might enioy his wife Sara who was very beautiful he deuised this excuse to say that she was his sister charging her that if the matter came in question she should not faile but confirme the like But no sooner came he into Aegypt but the like fortune encountred tâ—…m as Abraham had before time suspected for the beawtie of his wife was sodainly published in euery place For which cause Pharao the King of that Nation desirous to see that with his eies 〈◊〉 which he had heard with his eares he sought for sent and lusted after her but God withstood this his vnbridled lust by afflicting the Kings subiects with a plague and his affaires by sedition Whereupon taking counsell of the Priests what remedie might be vsed and meanes might be sought to appease the diuine maiesty they answered him that this was the cause of their afflictions for that he thought to haue done violence to the straungers wife whereat being much affrighted the King first questioneth with the woman what she was and who her companion should be and at last resolued of the trueth he satisfied Abraham saving he supposed her to be his sister not his wife and that his purpose was not to offer iniury but seeke alliance so giuing him a great summe of money hegaue him leaue to conferre with the most excellentest learnedest Priests among the Egyptians Whence it came to passe that he grew into great estimation in regard of his vertues for whereas that Nation was deuided into different sects and opinions thorow mutuall contempt diuision were incensed the one against the other he declared that their opinions different and confuted by themselues in respect of religion were most vaine and deuoide of all trueth For these his disputations he was held in great regard amongst them and esteemed for a man most wise and a personage most exccellent not onely in well conceiuing but also in expressing and perswading that which he vndertooke to teach to these most gratiously imparted he the science of Arithmetike and the obseruation of the celestiall bodies For before that Abraham came into Aegypt the Aegyptians vvere altogether ignorant of those sciences but he transported them from Chaldaea into Aegypt and from thence are they deriued to the Greekes As soone as he returned into Chanaan he deuided the countrey with Lot and for that there grew a contention betwixt their shepheards as touching the bounding of those pastures where they fed their cattel he gaue Lot the choise and election of the countrey vvhich best pleased him reâ—…aining vnto himselfe that which was left Thus pitching his tents neere the mountain in a Citie called Hebron which is by seuen yeares more auncient then Tanis in Aegypt he dwelled there But Lot chose the plaine neere to the floud of Iordane not farre from Sodome vvhich in those daies vvas a goodlie Citie but at this present by the diuine iustice and vvrath of God is vtterly defaced so that no memorie remayneth thereof The causes of which iudgemenâ—… shall bee expressed hereafter CHAP. X. The ouerthrow of the Sodomites by the Syrians AT that time when the Assyrians were Lords ouer all Asia the estate of Sodome flourished in all affluence increased in great riches and mulâ—…itude of gallant youthes and the countrey was gouerned by fiue Kings these were Ballas Bareas Senabarus Symoborus and Balin each one particularly seased of his prouince and kingdome Against these the Assyrians incamped themselues and hauing deuided their armie into foure parts vnder the conduct of foure gouernours they waged battell with them in which the Assyrians attayning the day they imposed a tribute on the Kings of Sodome who after they had for twelue yeares space performed their duety and paid their tribute in the thirteenth yeare reuolted from them Whereby it came to passe that the Assyrians leuied a new armie against them vnder the conduct and commaund of Marphad Arioch Chodollogomor Thargal who sacked all Syria and extinguished the posteritie of the Giants And drawing neere to Sodome they encamped neere to the bituminous pits for at that time there were pits in that place but as soone as Sodome was destroyed there arose a lake in that place which by reason of the bituminous matter that flowed in the same was called Asphalâ—…ites that is to say bituminous of this lake hereafter we wil speake somewhat But the Sodomites encountering with the Assyrians there was a dangerous skirmish fought wherein many perished on both sides and the most were eyther staine or taken amongst whom was Lot led away captiue who came thither to assist the Sodomites CHAP. XI Abraham pursueth the Assyrians and returneth victorious ABraham hearing of these things and moued both
to be almost desperate yet our only hope as yet resteth in your goodnes and clemencie For which cause we beseech you that you will not only haue compassion of vs but of your owne nature and that in this cause you would be pleased to take counsaile not of your iust indignation but your natiue goodnesse gouerning your wrath with a great mind to which vulgar men both in great and small occurrences are wont to submit Consider I pray you whether it stand with your dignitie to kill those who present themselues to be punished desire in no sort to liue except it be by the benefit of your mercie Suffer not your selfe to be depriued of this honour that after you haue deliuered vs from famine and liberally furnished vs with come so of your mercie likewise you haue permitted vs to returne vnto our family being trauelled by the same perill and to bring them home sustonance For one and the same bounty is it to continue them in life who are trauelled with famine and to forgiue them death who haue merited it by their offences to whom their wickednes hath enuied that bounty which you haue heroically extended towards them It is one and the same grace imparted by you in diuers manners For thou shalt saue those whom thou hast fed and that life which thou wouldest not suffer to faile by force of famine thou shalt redeliuer and giue againe whereby thy clemencie may be more commendable whilest both thou giuest life and those things likewise whereby life is maintained Moreouer I thinke that God himselfe hath giuen thee this meanes to expresse thy vertue that it may appeare that thou settest lighter by the iniuries offered vnto thee then by thy will to doe good and that thou art not liberall to them only who are poore and innocent For although it bee a great praise to yeeld succour in aduersities yet is a prince no lesse honoured by his clemencie especially in a cause that concerneth his particular interest For if they that remit small offences are followed by deserued praise what is it to restraine a mans ire in a capitall crime doth it not most neerely approximate the diuine clemencie And hadde I not good experience by Iosephs death how grieuously my father digesteth the want of his children I would not so earnestly intreat for his safety but so farre forth and no otherwise but as it might redound to the praise of thy clemencie and were there not some to whom our death would bring both griefe and discontent we were willing all of vs to suffer punishment But now whereas we haue not so much commiseration of our selues although as yet we be but yong and haue not much tasted the pleasures and fruit of this life as of our wretched parents being drowned in yeares and cares we offer vp vnto thee these our prayers in his name also and beseech thee to graunt vs life though at this day wee are vnder thy iustice for our offences Assuredly hee is a good man and begate vs that we should be like vnto him worthy is he neuer to taste or to be tried by any such calamitie who now thorow our absence is discruciate with care and sorrow Now if so be he should receiue any tydings either of our death or the cause thereof he will not indure any more to liue the infamy of our deaths will shorten his daies and make his death by this meanes more vnhappy who rather then he should heare the rumors of our shame would hasten his death in supposing them All these wel considered although thou art iustly moued by this offence remit the reuenge vnto our father and rather let thy pity towards him then our iniquity towards thee preuaile with thee Impart this honor to his old age which if it be depriued of our presence neither wil nor can desire to liue yeeld this respect to thy fathers memory yea ascribe it to the very name of a father wherewith thou art honoured so God the father of all men will blesse thee in that name and fortunate thee in thy increase whom also thou shalt honour if in respect of that common name thou take compassion of our father in considering the sorrow that he shall endure if perhaps he shall be depriued of his children It now lieth in your power to giue vs that which you may depriue vs of by that power which God hath giuen you and in doing vs this fauour you shall imitate the nature of God and in this respect become like vnto him For since it lieth in your power to doe both the one and the other it were better thou didst good then euill and contenting thy selfe with thy power not to remember or vrge thy reuenge but onely to thinke that thy power was giuen thee to keepe and conserue men and that the more mercie thou extendest towards many the more honour thou redoublest on thy head now it lieth in thy power by for giuing our brothers errour to giue vs all life For neither can we be safe except he be saued neâ—…ther may we returne home vnto our father except he returne but here must we suffer whatsoeuer our brother suffereth Neither doe we craue any other mercy at thy hand dread prince if we be repulsed in this but that thou wilt inflict one and the same punishment on vs in no other manner then as if we had been partakers of the felony for this were more better for vs then that we our selues thorow sorrow should offer violence to our owne soules I will not alleadge or vrge his youth or iudgement as yet vnripened neither will I inferre that pardon is vsually granted vnto such but here will I make an end that whether we be condemned in that I haue not sufficiently pleaded his cause or whether we be absolued we may wholy ascribe this grace to your fauour and clemencie to the bounds of whose praise this likewise shall be added that not onely thou hast saued vs but also in pardoning vs of the punishment which we haue iustly deserued hast had more care of vs then we our selues If therefore it be thy pleasure to adiudge him to die suffer me to suffer for him and send him backe vnto our father or if it please thee to retaine him for thy slaue I am more fit then he to doe all sorts of seruices as you may perceiue and am ready to suffer all that which may be inflicted on me When Iuda had spoken thus he humbled himselfe at Iosephs feete indeuouring as much as in him lay to mollifie and appease his ire in like sort also all the other brothers prostrated themselues offering themselues to die for Beniamin But Ioseph conquered with pitie and vnable any longer to personate a displeased man sent away all those that were present and being alone with them discouered himâ—…elfe vnto his brothers and in this sort to them onely he disclosed himselfe and said I cannot but commend the
them For they were inioyned by them to cut Nilus into diuers trenches and to e◅iron their Cit◅es with walles and to build fortifications and banks whereby the inundations of the floud might be diuerted They also vexed our nation in building their hie and vaine Pyramides compelling them to learne diuers artes and to accustome themselues to endure labour and in such afflictions led they their liues for the space of 400. yeares the Aegyptians studying nought else but to tire the Israelites with continuall labour our country men endeuouring themselues alwaies to performe farre more then was expected from thē Liuing thus in this estate there grew afterwards an other occasion which instigated them the more to seeke the ruine and desolation of our Nation For one of the sacred secretaries to whose predictions those kind of people do very much attribute foretold the King that about that time there should be one bred and borne amongst the Israelites that in time to come should grieuously afflict the estate of the Aegyptians and wonderously enhance the good hap of the Israelites who should su◅passe all other in vertue and purchase to himselfe immortal glory if so be he should attaine to ◅ns estate Wherewith the King being greatly terrified he published an edict by the aduise of this secretary that whatsoeuer male child should be borne amongst the Israelites he should be cast into the floud to be drowned he commaunded likewise the Aegyptian midwiues diligently to obserue the time when the Hebrew women trauelled with child carefully to keepe marke their children at such time as they were deliuered For it was enioyned thē that they should be brought to bed by such midwiues who by reason of consanguinitie with that Nation should not transgresse the king◅ commaundement He enacted also a law with a penaltie that if any should be so bold to conceale their children both they and all their family should be done to death Great was this their calamity not onely in that respect because they were depriued of their children and for that the parents themselues were made the ministers to murther their owne children but foreseeing also the future time they were intolerably dismayed expecting nought else but the certaine and fatall ex◅pation of their wholenation by reason that when the children were s◅ine the parents themselues not long after were ass◅ed to die thus conceited they in themselues into what extreame misfortune they were fallen But no man whosoeuer although he complot neuer so many stratagems can resist the wil of God For both the child of whom the sacred secretary had fore prophecied was secretly brought vp vndiscouered by the kings spies and approued by the euents of his life that he was no false Prophet Amarames an Hebrew borne a noble man amongst his Nation fearing both the pub like perill least the wholenation should be brought to nothing thorow the want of issue and his owne priuate misfortune whose wife at home was big with child and readie to lye downe was troubled in his mind and vncertaine what to doe For which cause he made his recourse vnto God beseeching him that at the length he would haue mercy on those men of whom onely he had beene perpetually honoured and that it would please him to bring to end the present affliction which threatned the whole nation with vtter ruine and destruction But God being moued vnto mercy by his most humble prayer appeared to him in a dreame and recomforted him commaunding him to be confident telling him that he had in memory the pietie of his auncecestors and that he would for euer remunerate them euen as in times past he had beene gratious to their forefathers For it was he that had increased their posteritie and multiplied them to so mighty a nation that by his fauor Abraham departing alone out of Mesopotamia into Chanaan besides other felicities had issue by his wife that was before time barren and left ample possessions to his successors to Ismael Arabia to Chaeturas children Troglottida and to Isaac Chanaan Neither can you euer forget without note of impietie and ingratitude the attempts also which were happily atchieued in warre by my meanes but Iacobs name also is renowmed amongst forraine nations both in respect of the felicitie wherein he liued also for that prosperitie which by hereditarie right happened vnto his posteritie who taking their originall from 70. men that accompanied their father into Egypt are now increased to the number of sixe hundreth thousand know therefore now also that I inwardly and heartily affect your publike securitie and priuately thy glory For this child for feare of whose natiuitie the Egyptians haue condemned all your children vnto death shall be borne vnto thee he neither shall be discouered by the constituted spies and after he hath escaped beyond all expectation shall he be brought vp and in his time shall he deliuer the Hebrewes from the thraldome of the Egyptians and shall obtaine an eternall memorie for this his famous action not onely amongst his owne nation but also amongst straungers for this fauour will I extend vnto thee and on thy posteritie that followeth after thee he shall also haue such a brother who shall deserue both in himselfe and in his posteritie to inherite the priesthood for euer After these things were declared in a vision vnto Amram he awaked and told it to his wife Iochabel and by reason of the prediction of this dreame their suspition and feare the rather increased more and more for they were not onely pensiue in respect of their child but also by reason of the future great good fortune that was promised them But anone after the woman being brought a bed gaue credit to the Oracle who had so easie and gentle a labor that she beguiled the ouerseers spies in that she felt none of those throwes which do commonly afflict such as are in labor so that she nourished the infant three moneths secretly in her house without being in any sort discouered But afterwards Amram fearing to be surprised sore doubting least he should incurre the kings displeasure if the matter were discouered whereby both he and the child should be made away and Gods promises should be frustrate he had rather wholy commit the safety of his sonne to his prouidence supposing that if the boy were hidden which notwithstanding would be hard to effect yet that it would be troublesom vnto him to liue in continuall perill both of his owne and his sonnes safetie moreouer he thought that God would puruey some meanes of assurance to the intent that nothing of that which he had foretold might be proued false Grounding himselfe on this resolution they prepared and made a cradle of sedge after the manner of a couch so great as it was sufficient to lay the child in at ease and hauing pitched it on euery side least the water should pierce the same they put the child into it and
bread of twentie foure Assars of flower and those loaues they baked two by two the day before the Sabboth and the day of the Sabboth in the morning they bring it and set it on the sacred Table opposing sixe to sixe the one against the other and vpon them are imposed two platters full of incense and these things remaine after this maner till the next Sabboth and then set they new in the place of the first which are giuen to the Priests for their maintenance The incense is cast into the sacred fire in which the burnt offerings are consumed and in place thereof there is new incense put The Priest also sacrificeth on his owne charge flower mingled with oyle and a little baked by fire and this doth he twise euerie day and bringeth to the fire halfe an Assar of flower in the morning and the other halfe in the euening But I will entreat hereof more expresly hereafter for the present me thinks I haue sufficiently spoken already Moses separated the tribe of Leui and exempted them from the other people to the end they might be consecrated vnto God and he purified them with liuing fountaine water and purged them with solemne sacrifice and committed the Tabernacle to their charge with all the holy things pertaining therunto and all the rest which had bin made for the couer of the Tabemacle to the end they might be ministers to the Priests their superiours who were already consecrated to God After this he distinguished the beasts also namely those that were to be eaten froÌ„ those which were to be forborne and abstained from of which we will speak at such time as occasion is offered vs and will bring proofes and the reason which induced him to ordaine that some were proper to feede vpon and for what cause he would that we should abstaine from other some He hath generally interdicted all vse of bloud in meates esteeming the bloud to be the soule and spirit of beasts He hath also generally prohibited to eat the flesh of those beasts that died by theÌ„selues likewise the caule and fat of goates of sheepe and oxen He thrust them likewise out of the company and conuersation of men who were leprous such as were troubled with the fluxe of their seed And as touching women that haue their sicknesse he sequestred them for the space of seuen dayes after which it was lawfull for them to conuerse indifferently the one with the other The like decreed he of those that had assisted the buriall of a dead man whom he permitted to conuerse with other after seuen dayes were expired It was a thing also decreed by law that he that was surprised with vncleannesse and vnpurified beyond the number of those dayes he should sacrifice two Wethers one of which should bee purified and the other giuen to the Priests The like sacrifice is made for him that hath had vnnaturall pollution who first washeth himselfe in cold water The like must they offer that haue vse of their lawfull wiues Hee altogether droue the leprous out of the citie not permitting them to frequent any mans companie but esteeming them as men little differing from the dead And if any one by his prayers made vnto God was deliuered from this disease and his skin reduced to his natiue colour such a one presented himselfe before God in diuers oblations and sacrifices of which wee will speake hereafter For which cause they are worthy to be laughed at who say that Moses fled out of Aegypt because he was a leper and that he conducted with him other such as were trauelled with that disease and brought them into the land of Canaan For if that were true Moses had not made these ordinances to his owne preiudice which if other had proposed it behooued him to haue opposed himselfe against them especially since amongst diuers other nations there are lepersâ—… who are held in great honour and who are so far from disdaine and contempt as that they haue beene made Generals of most notable armies and elected for Gouernours of common-weales hauing libertie to enter the Temples and to be present at the sacrifices What therefore hindred Moses if he had beene polluted with the like hatefull sicknesse to make such lawes and ordaine such statutes among those people who honoured and obeyed him whereby such as were therewith infected might be preferred By which it is manifest that those things that are obiected against him are rather of malice then probability But Moses being cleane from such sickenesse and conuersing amongst his countrimen which were vntainted made these ordinances for them that were sicke hauing regard to the honour of God But of these things let each man censure as best liketh him He forbad that women should enter into the Temple after their deliuerance or to assist the sacrifice vntill fortie dayes were expired if they had beene brought a bed of a sonne but if it were a daughter he willed that the number of the dayes should be doubled and that when they should enter they should present their offerings vnto God and to the Priests that offered them And if any one suspected that his wife had committed adultery hee brought an Assar of grinded barley and cast a handfull thereof before God and the rest was reserued for the maintenance of the Priests and then the Priest placing the woman in the porch which is right ouer against the Temple and taking the couer from her head writeth the name of God vpon a skinne and maketh her sweare that she hath not plaid false with her husband and wish if she had transgressed thè bounds of chastity that her right thigh might be put out of ioint her womb might rot and that death might follow thereupon but if through entire loue and iealousie proceeding therefro her husband had beene inconsiderately drawne into that suspition that she might within ten moneths bring forth a male child And after such an oath ministred vnto her the Priest wipeth out the name of God that was written on the skinne and wringeth it into a viall and then taking of the earth of the Temple according as he findeth it and hauing mingled the same giueth it the woman to drinke and if she hath beene vniustly accused she continueth with child and beareth her fruit her full time but if she hath falsified her faith to her husband forsworn herselfe before God then dieth she a shameful death for her thigh is nummed her wombe growes full of water See here how Moses hath prouided for these sacrifices at the purifying of a woman He furthermore made these lawes which ensue He generally forbad adulterie iudging it to be a great good hap if men demeaned themselues honestly in mariageÌ„ that both in politique estates and priuate families it was a thing most profitable that children should be borne in lawfull matrimonie The law also forbiddeth a man to haue the
vp with great care and diligence sparing nothing that might appertaine to their sustenance or instruction Now therfore shall they say surely the follies of youth are to be pardoned let this suffice you that hitherto you haue forgotten your duetie for which cause remember your selfe and grow wise thinking with your selfe that God is grieuously offended against those who disobey or disdaine their parents by reason that he himselfe is the father of all mankind who seemeth to be preiudiced in himselfe in that dishonour which is done vnto those that beare his name at such time as they receiue not such dutie from their childrens hands as he commaundeth The law likewise inflicted an meuitable punishment against such which thou oughtest with all prouidence to preuent and not incurre If by these medicines the vnbridled irregard of youth may be healed let no man either impute or reproch him in his submission for in so doing the law-maker shall be accounted mercifull and the parents shall be held to be happie when as they see that their sonne or daughter is exempt from punishment But if such speeches and instructions of the father are set light by the sonne let the lawes be irreconciliable enemies against such continuall outrages committed by the children against their parents and let them drag them out of the Citie in the sight and presence of all the people and there let him be stoned to death and after the offender hath lien there a whole day in the sight of the people let him be interred and buried by night In like manner ought they to be buried who for any occasion whatsoeuer are condemned and executed by iustice Let the enemie also be enterred after the same manner and let no dead man lye vnburied after such time as he hath beene iudged and hath satisfied the lawes It is not lawfull for any Hebrewe to lend vpon vsurie whether it be meat or drinke for it is an vniust thing to make profit of the forumes of the tribes but it is better to succour their necessities and impute their thanksgiuing and Gods retribution to be a gaine vnto them which are wont to follow such kind of benefits But they that haue borrowed either money or any fruit either drie or moist when as by the fauour and assistance of God they shall reape their owne haruest and gather their fruit let them make a willing restitution to those that haue lent them as if they laid them vp for themselues to possesse them at such time as they had need of them But if there be any so impudent as they will not make satisfaction let no man enter into their houses to take a pawne before the iudges haue giuen order that the pledge should be demanded before their doore and the debter without contradiction shall bring it vnto him being assisted by the maiestie of the law If he of whom the pledge is taken haue sufficient abilitie the creditor may retaine the gage till such time as he be paid but if he be poore he shall restore him his pawne before the sunne set and especially if it be any garment whereon he is accustomed to sleepe for God doth naturally bestow his mercy on those that are poore It is not lawful to receiue in way of gage either a mill or ought else that belongeth thereunto least any debter should be depriued of the necessarie instruments to prouide his victuals with and he should endure any euill thorow pouertie Let him that committeth any theft be punished with death but he that hath stolne either gold or siluer let him restore it twofold If any man kill such as breake into their houses to rob them or they that breake their walles let not such a one be punished Who so shall steale a beast shall restore foure for it except it be an Oxe for which one shall satisfie fiuefolde and if the thiefe want meanes to pay this penaltie let him be their slaue against whom they haue trespassed and at whose suit they are condemned If any one be sold vnto one of his owne tribe let him serue him seuen yeares and at the seuen yeares end he shall depart with libertie but if during the time that he remaineth with the buyer he beget any child vpon a female fellow slaue and that he be willing to serue by reason of the good affection and great amitie that he beareth vnto the house in the yeare of lubile which happeneth euerie fiftith yeare let him be set at liberty leading away with him his children wife with their freedom If any man find money or gold by the way let him seeke out him that hath lost it and make knowne the place where he found it to the intent he may restore it knowing that the profit is not good which commeth and accrueth by an other mans iniurie The like is to be done with beasts for if any man find them straied in the desart if he find not out the owner let him presently keepe it by him taking God to witnesse that he will not detaine with him an other mans goods If any man find an other mans beasts bemired or bebogd let him not passe further but succour them or if he find them trauailed with foule weather let him indeuour himselfe to saue the same and helpe him that is the owner not sparing or making nice of any labour Let each man direct the ignorant trauailer in his way and set him in the right path if he wander without deluding him or hindering him in his necessities or misleading him in his iourney Let no man speake ill of him that is either absent or deafe If any man be stroken in a quarrell and it be not with a weapon let him that stroke him be presently punished in receiuing the like outrage as he hath offered him But if he be caried into his house and lie sicke vpon it diuers daies and in the end die thereof he shall be exempt of the penaltie But if he escapeth and during the time of his sicknes hath beene greatly hindred and charged then let him that stroke him pay all the charges he hath beene at during the time he kept his bed and satisfie the Phisitions He that with his foot shall strike a woman with child if the woman miscarry he shall be by the Iudges amerced in a summe of money for that he hath lesned the number of the people by the losse of him that is dead in his mothers wombe Let him likewise be condemned to pay a summe of money vnto the husband But if the woman die of the stroke he that offered the violence must die the death also by reason that the law iustly ordaineth that life should be satisfied with life Let not any one among the Israelites vse any mortall poyson nor any drugge that may do hurt vnto any man and if any man be found with such things about him let him die dying that death which he
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
you according to your audacious enterprise Sauls sonne quickly taking hold of these their words and esteeming them for an ominous and assured token of victorie departed with his esquire from the place where they were first discouered answering them that he would shortly visit them So withdrawing himselfe on the other side of the rocke which by reason of the scituation thereof was left vnguarded ouercomming the difficultie of the place with great labour at last they attained the place where the enemy was whom they found asleepe and assailing them slew twenty of them and filled the whole army with terrour and amasednesse so that casting away their weapons they fled amain some other being ignorant which were either their friends or foes inuaded one another as enemies For imagining with themselues that onely two Hebrewes durst neuer ascend and enter their campe they addressed themselues to their mutuall murther and slaughter so that some of them were slaine others fled to escape the sword and fell headlong downe the rockes But when as the kings espials had told him what confusion and disorder was befallen in the campe of the Philistines Saul demaunded whether any of his companie were absent and hearing that his sonne and his harnesse-bearer were missing he commanded the high Priest that attired in his pontificall ornamens he should prophecie that which should succeede who assuring him that he should obtaine the victorie ouer his enemies he sallied out and assaulted the Philistines and ran vpon them who were thus confused and disordered and whetted the one against the other To him there flocked in great multitudes such as before times were fled into dens and places vnder ground as soone as they heard that the victorie inclined on Sauls side so that gathering togither to the number often thousand Hebrewes he pursued his scattered enemies thorow all the countrey But afterward a great inconuenient hapned vnto Saul proceeding from the ioy he had conceiued by this victorie for commonly such as are blessed by such good fortunes are not masters of their owne affections and reasons or rather proceeding from his ignorance For intending to saciate himselfe with reuenge for all those iniuries he had receiued from the Philistines he published an imprecation or curse amongst the Hebrewes against any one whomsoeuer that intermitting the chase and slaughter should take sustenance before night purposing vntill darke night neither to giue ouer pursuit or slaughter This execration thus published by Saul it chanced that his sonne that had not as yet heard of the imprecation of his father nor the generall ratification and allowance of the same by the people falling into a certaine groue belonging to the tribe of Ephraim wherein were many swarms of bees he by chance light vpon a hony combe and pressing the hony thereout afterwards did eat the same Afterwards hauing intelligence that his father had vnder a grieuous penaltie of execration forbidden any man to taste any sort of meate before sunne set he gaue ouer eating further yet said he that his father had done amisse therein in publishing that prohibition by reason that if they had receiued sustenance they might with greater force and forwardnesse pursue the enemy that fled and ouertake and slaughter them in greater number Killing therefore many thousands on the Palestines partie about the euening they began to ransacke and spoyle the campe of the Philistines and bore away from thence great spoyles and a wonderfull number of cattell part of which were slaine and eaten with the bloud contrarie to lawe Which when the Scribes had certified and signified to the king how the people had offended against God by slaughtering the beasts and eating the flesh of them before it was either washt or purified from the bloud Saul commanded that a great stone should be rowled into the midst of the place and commanded the people to kill and sacrifice their beasts vpon the same and that they should forbeare to eate the flesh with the bloud because it was not agreeable vnto God All which was performed according as the king had commanded and Saul erected an altar in that place on which he offered a burnt sacrifice vnto God This was the first altar that he erected But Saul being desirous incontinently to assaile the enemies campe and sacke all that was therein before the day spring whilest his men of warre diligently followed him and shewed great forwardnes in the execution of his command the king asked counsaile of the high Priest Achitob whether God would giue him the victorie and permit those that should enter the enemies campe to returne from thence with victorie The high Priest certified him that God returned him no answere which when he vnderstood It is not without cause said he that God is thus silent who heretofore was wont to giue a willing answere in that which we ought to doe but there must needs be some hidden sinne in vs that breeding an offence in him procureth him to be silent But I sweare by the same God that although mine owne sonne Ionathan hath committed that sinne to the end I may appease God I will with no lesse seueritie execute him then any one stranger that is neither by alliance nor affinitie tied vnto me Now when the people cried out and encouraged him to the performance of that he had spoken he presently assembled them in one place and he standing with his sonne apart began by casting lots to find out him that was faultie Now when the lot fell on Ionathan he asked him what he had committed and what crime in his owne conscience he was guiltie of To whom he answered I know no other thing but that yesterday being in pursuit of the enemy and ignorant of thine edict I tasted of a hony combe but Saul swore that he would slay him setting more by his oath then either by kinred nature or affection He nothing astonished with his present perill with a generous and dreadlesse mind presented himselfe with this reply O father saith he I intreat no fauour at thy hands for I will willingly submit to that death which may discharge thee of thy vow the more contentedly because I haue seene so famous a victorie For I shall die thorowly contented to see the insolencie of the Palestines ouermastred by the power of the Hebrewes This valour and courage of the yoong man moued the whole multitude to remorse and commiseration so that they swore all of them that they would not suffer that Ionathan who was the author of so famous a victorie should be slaine and therefore rescued they the yoong man from his displeased father and made vowes vnto God to the end he might pardon him that fault Saul after he had slaine about sixtie thousand of his enemies returned with victorie to his owne home and raigned afterwards very happily and ouercame by force the Ammonites Philistines Moabites Idumeans Amalechites and king Oba that dwelt neere about him He 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
law at such time as he made the similitudes of beasts of brasse to vnderprop the vessell called the great sea and those of Lyons which he caused to be set vnto his throne For that action of his ill beseemed him who had a most excellent and domesticall example of vertue in the person of his father besides the glorie that he had left him by being a faithfull seruant of God whence it came to passe that by neglecting to followe his steppes notwithstanding that God had exhorted him thereunto by appearing vnto him at two seuerall times he died most ignominiously There came therefore vnto him a prophet sent from God telling him that his sinnes were manifest and notorious in Gods sight threatning him that ere long he should repent the wickednesse he had committed Yet notwithstanding the realme should not be taken from him during his life because God had promised Dauid that he should be his successor in the same but after his decease his sonne should beare the penalty of the same not so as all the people should reuolt but that he would giue ten tribes vnto his seruant and leaue two vnto the grandchild of Dauid because he had loued God and by reason of the Citie of Ierusalem where it pleased him to make his habitation When Salomon heard these things he sorrowed and was sore troubled in that all his felicitie for which he toforetime was admired began to decline Neither passed there long time after this denunciation of the Prophet but that God so pleasing there rose vp an enemie against him who was called Ader by nation an Idumaean and of the princely stocke who vpon this occasion grounded his rebellion and insurrection For at such time as Ioab generall of Dauids army had conquered Idumaea and in the space of sixe moneths defeated all the youth and those that were capable to beare armes he fled vnto Pharao king of Aegypt who entertained him verie courteouly and gaue him an house and lands for his maintenance and loued him deerely when he came to mans estate so that he maried him with Taphines his wiues sister on whom he begat a sonne who was brought vp with the kings children who hauing intelligence in Aegypt of Dauid and Ioabs death addressed himselfe vnto Pharao and besought him to giue him leaue to repaire into his owne countrey The King asked him what he wanted or what the cause was that moued him to be so hastie to forsake him Notwithstanding therefore that he importuned and requested him diuers times yet preuailed he nothing with him for that time But when Salomons fortunes began to decline by reason of his iniquities aboue mentioned and the wrath of God prouoked against him Ader by Gods permission came into Idumea after he was licēsed by Pharao to depart But being vnable to moue the people to reuolt from Salomon by reason of the strong garrisons he held and knowing that without hazard of his owne person he could moue no alterations or innouation in that place he departed from thence went into Syria where cōfederating himself with a certaine man called Raas who was fled from his master Adarezar king of Sophene and liued like an outlaw in that Region he contracted friendship with him and a great sort of outlawes and theeues that were his followers and went into Syria and taking seazure of that countrey proclaimed himselfe king thereof From whence making excursions into the lands of the Israelites he spoyled and pillaged the same during Salomons life time Thus were the Hebrewes enforced to sustaine these outrages at Aders hands Moreouer a certaine man called Ieroboam the sonne of Nabat by nation a Iewe rebelled against Salomon and raised his hopes aboue his estate perswaded thereunto by a prophecie that concerned him and incited him vnto the action For being left verie young by his father and carefully instructed by his mother as soone as Salomon perceiued him to be of a noble and couragious spirit he made him commissarie ouer the building of the wals at such time as he immured and fortified Ierusalem In this office he behaued himselfe so well that the king thought very well thereof and in way of recompence gaue him the estate of Generall ouer the tribe of Ioseph Towards which whilest he trauelled from Ierusalem a certaine Prophet met him vpon the way who was of the Citie of Silo called Achias who approching neere vnto him and saluting him drew him out of the way into a place where none but thēselues were present there renting the garment which he wore vpon his backe into twelue peeces he commaunded Ieroboam to take ten telling him that God had so decreed and how he would rent the gouernment from Salomon and reserue only one tribe vnto his sonne with that other which was annexed vnto it by reason of the promise made vnto Dauid and to thee said he he giueth the other tenne because Salomon hath offended God and addicted himselfe to the loue of straunge women and the seruice of forraine gods Now since thou knowest the cause wherefore God hath alienated the kingdome from Salomon be thou iust and obserue thou the lawes for if thou behauest thy selfe in such sort as thou knowest Dauid did a great reward of thy pietie and recompence of thy obseruance attendeth thee so that thou shalt become as mightie as Dauid hath beene before thee Ieroboam confirmed in great hopes by these words of the Prophet being by nature haughtie in yeares young and besides that desirous of authoritie he tooke no rest but being possessed of the place of generall and remembring himselfe of that which had beene told him by Achias he presently beganne to perswade the people to reuolt from Salomon and to choose him for their king Salomon hearing newes of this his deliberation and enterprise sought the meanes to lay hands on him and to put him to death but Ieroboam preuenting him fled vnto Susac king of Egypt with whom hee remained vntill the death of Salomon And thus for that time escaped he punishment and thus was hee reserued to the fortune of a kingdome CHAP. III. After the death of Salomon the people reuolte from Roboam his sonne and proclaime Hieroboam king of the tenne tribes BVt when Salomon was very olde he died after he had raigned fourescore yeares and liued nintie foure and was buried in Ierusalem of all kings the most happy rich and prudent except that sinne wherunto he was drawen by women in his olde age of whom and those calamities that presently after befell the Hebrewes we haue sufficiently spoken After the death of Salomon as soone as his sonne Roboam whom he begat vpon an Ammonitish woman called Nooma succeeded him in the kingdome the gouernours of the people sent certaine messengers into Aegypt to recall Ieroboam who arriuing in the Citie of Sichem Roboam came thither also resoluing himself in that assembly of the Israelites to take the
a seruile fearefull maner being all his life time enemy to Ieroboam He died after he had liued fiftie seuen yeares wherof he raigned 17. He was a haughtie and vndiscreete man who lost his estate because he would not giue credit to his fathers friends He was buried in Ierusalem in the sepulcher of the kings and his sonne Abias succeeded him in his raigne at such time as Ieroboam had alreadie raigned eighteene yeares ouer the tenne tribes Thus were these things terminated It behooueth now at this present to declare that which Ieroboam did afterwards and how he died He obseruing no meane or end of his impietie imployed himselfe continually in making of Altars and high places and presumed to ordaine common sacrificers But God withheld not long time to heape the punishment of those his impieties on the head of him and of all his posteritie Whereas therefore his sonne Obimes was sicke about that time he commaunded his wife to lay aside her royal garment and to apparrel her selfe like a common woman and afterwards to go to Achias the Prophet assuring her that he was admirable for his knowledge in foretelling things to come and had foretold him that he should be king for which cause he willed her to repaire vnto him after the manner of a straunger and enquire of him if her sonne should escape that sicknes Whereupon she disguised her selfe according as her husband had commaunded her came vnto the Citie of Silo where Achias dwelt as she was vpon entring his house notwithstanding hee had lost his sight thorow age God appeared vnto him and certified him in these two points first that Ieroboams wife came vnto him and next all that he should answere to her demaund At such time therefore as she entred into his house after the guise of a common and straunge woman Achias cried with a loud voice Enter thou wife of Ieroboam wherefore hidest thou thy selfe Thou canst not hide thy selfe from God who hath certified me of thy comming and hath informed me what aunswere I shall giue vnto thee He therefore said vnto her that she should returne vnto her husband and certifie him of Gods answere to this effect Of little and nothing that thou wert I haue made thee great and hauing dismembred the kingdome from Dauids posteritie I haue giuen it vnto thee but thou hast forgotten the same hauing forsaken my seruice hast molten downe new gods whom thou honourest so also will I exterminate thee and abolish all thy posteritie and cast them off for a pray vnto dogs and fowles of the ayre For I wil constitute a king ouer my people that shall leaue no one of Ieroboams race aliue The people also shall haue part of this punishment and shall be depriued of this their fruitfull countrey and be scattered among the regions on the other side of Euphrates because they haue followed the impieties of their king and adoring those gods that were forged by him haue giuen ouer my sacrifice And as concerning thy selfe O woman haste thee and certifie thy husband of these things For thou shalt find thy sonne dead for no sooner shalt thou enter into the Citie but he shall finish his daies He shall be buried with the lamentation of the whole people in generall For he onely was good of all the race of Ieroboam When Achias had finished his prophecie the woman started backe sore troubled and dismaide thorow the daunger of her sonne and went lamenting onward on her way wounded with the future death of him and by reason of her so earnest affection she was afflicted with incredible torments The haste which she vsed was importunate because of her sonne whom she should see dead by so much the sooner she hasted homeward but it behooued her to vse expedition in the behalfe of her husband Whenas therefore she was arriued she found her sonne expiring as the Prophet had foretold her and recited the rest vnto Ieroboam CHAP. V. Ieroboams expedition against the sonne of Roboam the ouerthrow of his armie and how Basanes rooted out the whole posteritie of Ieroboam and made himselfe king BVt Ieroboam was nothing moued herewith but leuied a great armie with an intent to make warre against Abias the sonne of Roboam who had obtained his fathers kingdome ouer the two tribes For he despised him because he was young in yeares This notwithstanding the young king was no whit dismaide although he vnderstood of Ieroboams comming but with greater wisedome then was incident to his yeares and beyond all expectation of his forward aduersarie he leuied an armie of two tribes with which he encountred Ieroboam at the mountaine of Samaria where incamping his host neere vnto him he prouided all things in a readinesse that were requisite for the battell and had with him foure hundreth thousand fighting men but Ieroboam had twise as many Now when the armies were arranged and expected to giue the allarum and charge Abias stood vp in a certaine high place from whence he might be seene and heard making a signe with his hand he required that Ieroboam and the people would first of al heare him peaceably which granted to him each one attēding in silence he brake out into these words There is none of you but knoweth that God hath promised the kingdome to Dauid and his posteritie for euer I therefore greatly admire how you haue reuolted from my father to submit your selues to Ieroboam his seruant whom at this present you accompany to warre against those whom God hath ordained to raigne and to take the kingdome from them the greater part whereof Ieroboam vsurpeth iniustly euen at this day and which as I suppose he shall not enioy long time For he shall be punished by God and shall cease to contradict his lawes and to dishonour them as he doth continually in perswading you to do the like You haue receiued no iniurie at my fathers hands but by reason that he was misled by the sinister counsails of certaine wicked persons spake vnto you certain words which in apparance seemed vnfitting in your eares you haue forsaken him in your displeasure but in effect you haue separated your selues from God and his commaundements Truly you should haue pardoned a young man vntrained and vntaught in oratorie not only for the rude words which he vsed but although his youth and ignorance should haue moued him to commit some churlish and indiscreet action or errour yet should you haue endured the same For the fathers demerites ought to serue and satisfie the childrens defects But you haue had no regard of all this neither then nor at this present but leade forth a great army against vs. But whereupon ground you the hope of your victorie Is it on your calues of gold is it on your Altars on the mountaines which are witnesses of your impietie and irreligion Is it your great number that surpasseth ours by farre that maketh
and fraudulent man who during the siege of the Citie had retired himselfe to Bathal king of the Ammonites and had soiourned with him during all the troubles Who being in this sort assembled before him Godolias counselled to remaine in that countrey without any feare of the Babylonians promising that in manuring their land they should incurre no inconuenience All which he confirmed vnto them by an oth adding further that if any disturbance were offered to any man he would readily assist him He gaue each one this aduise likewise to inhabite any Citie that best liked them promising them to send them thither with such things as appertained to them to build them houses and furnish their habitations promising them that when time serued hee would make their prouision of corne wine and oyle for their maintenance during the winter time which when he had proposed these conditions vnto them he gaue them leaue to depart and inhabite the countrey wheresoeuer they best liked Now when the rumour ran amongst the people of Iudaea that Godolias had thus curreously entertained those that were fugitiues and how he had permitted them to inhabite and till the countrey prouided that they paid their tribute to the Babylonian diuers of them repaired incontinently to him and inhabited the countrey And Iohn and the other gouernours being with him and assured both of his clemencie and courtesie begā intirely to loue him For which cause they told him that Bathal king of the Ammonites had sent Ismael to murther him by some treacherie that by that meanes he might haue the dominion ouer the Israelites that remained in that he was of the bloud royal Assuring him that the means of his deliuerance from that treason was if so be he would commaund them to kill Ismael in secret assuring him on the contrarie side that they feared that if Ismael should happen to kill him their whole nation that remained was like to fall to vtter ruine But Godolias tolde them plainly that these stratagems they intended were practized against a man that had receiued pleasure at his hands and that it was not likely that he whom he had succoured during the time of his necessitie would be so wicked or impious against his benefactor as to attempt to murther him whom in any occasion or necessitie he could not but to his great shame and indignitie either flie or forsake Yea said he although those things are true which you informe me of yet had I rather die then oppresse a man that hath committed his life to my trust For which cause Ihon and the rest seeing their perswasions were in vaine departed from him Some thirtie daies after Ismael accompanied with ten men came to Masphath to Godolias who receiued them with presents and magnificent entertainment so that to expresse to Ismael and his companions how hartily they were welcome Godolias drunke so hard that he was somwhat ouerseene with wine Now when Ismael perceiued him to be in that key and ouerloaden with drinke and sleepe he stept vnto him with his ten associates cut both his throat and theirs who kept him company at the banquet after which murther he issued out by night and slew all the Iewes that were left in the citie those Babylonian soldiers also that were left in garrison in that place The next day there came fourescore men of the countrey to Godolias with presents being vtterly ignorant of that which had hapned Ismael knowing them called them vnto him as if he intended to bring them to Godolias and as soone as they were entred he locked the court and slew them and afterwards cast their bodies into a deepe ditch to the intent they might not be discouered Of this number there were some that escaped who besought him that they might not be put to death before they had deliuered certaine moueables garments and corne that they had hidden in the field which when Ismael vnderstood he spared them But he kept them prisoners that were in Masphath with their wiues and children in the number of whom were the daughters of Sedecias whom Nabuzardan had left with Godolias This done he retired backe againe to the king of the Ammonites Iohn and the gouernours of his company vnderstanding of the actes committed by Ismael in Masphath and aboue all of the murther of Godolias they were wonderfully displeased so that each of them assembling his priuate force issued forth to pursue and persecute Ismael whom they ouertooke neere vnto a fountaine in Hebron The prisoners that were with Ismael seeing Iohn his confederates tooke courage supposing that it was some succours that came to helpe them and forsooke him that led them and began to ioyne with Iohns followers and thus fledde Ismael with his eight men to the king of the Ammonites Iohn gathering togither all those whom he had rescued from Ismaels hands both Eunuches women and children retired into a certaine place called Mandra where he soiourned all that day resoluing from thence to depart into Aegypt fearing least the Babylonians should put him to death if they should remaine in Iudaea for that they would be displeased with the death of Godolias whom they had planted in the gouernment Being thus plunged and perplexed with these deliberations they addressed themselues to the Prophet Ieremy beseeching him to enquire of God and to certifie them what it behooued them to do in this their doubtfull estate binding themselues by an oth to doe that which Ieremy should commaund them Hereupon the Prophet promised that he would aske counsell of God for them and some ten daies after God appeared vnto him and willed him to certifie Iohn the gouernours and the rest of the people that if they inhabited Iudaea he would assist them and haue care of them and keepe them so as the Babylonians whom they feared should doe them no harme but if they departed into Aegypt he would abandon them and would be so incensed against them that he would thrall them in the like miserie as their brethren had indured in times past Whilest the Prophet thus warned them from God they would not beleeue him in that he commanded them to remaine in that place by Gods prescript ordinance but they imagined that vnder a false pretext of Gods commaund he had counselled them thereto but that in effect he spake in fauour of his disciple Baruch perswading them to stay there to the end they might be consumed by the Babylonians contemning therefore the counsell which God gaue them by the Prophet both Iohn and the rest of the multitude went into Aegypt and led with them both Baruch and Ieremy Whither they were no sooner come but God told the prophet that the Babylonian should lead his army into Aegypt for which cause he willed him to foretel the people that Aegypt should be destroyed and that they should partly be slaine in that place and partly led captiue to Babylon Which came in like manner to passe for
who respited the execution of the Magitians for that night vntill he might see what would become of Daniels promise who retiring himselfe with his companions into his chamber besought God all the night long to manifest vnto him the dreame and deliuer the Magitians and Chaldees from the kings wrath with whom both he and the rest of his companions were like to die except he might know what the king had dreampt the night past and what was the interpretation thereof Whereupon God hauing compassion of the daunger wherein they were and taking pleasure in Daniels wisedome signified vnto him both the dreame and the signification thereof to the intent the king might be resolued in the meaning thereof Daniel hauing receiued the truth from God arose verie ioyfully and certified his brethren who had alreadie lost all hope of life and thought on no other thing but death and gaue them courage and hope of life Hauing therefore rendred thanks vnto God for that he had had compassion of their young yeeres as soone as it was day he went vnto Arioch requesting him that he might be brought to the kings presence certifying him that he would open vnto him the dreame which he had seene the night past Now when Daniel was brought vnto the kings presence he besought him that he would not esteeme him to be more wise then the other Chaldeans and magicians in that whereas none of them could expound his dreame he did attempt to expresse the same for that came not to passe by reason of his experience or for that he was more industrious then they were but said he God hath had compassion on vs that were in daunger of death and at such time as I requested him to grant me and my countrie men life he hath certified me both of your dreame and the signification thereof I was not so much agrieued for that in our innocency we were adiudged to death by thee as afraid of thine estimation and glory which was hazarded by condemning so many and so innocent and iust men to death whereas that which you haue required of them sauoreth nothing of humane wit but is the onely worke of God Whilest therefore thou thoughtest in thy selfe who it was that should commaund the whole world after thy selfe at such time as thou wert asleepe God intending to let thee know all those that should gouerne after thee presented thee with this dreame It seemed vnto thee that thou sawest a great statue wherof the head was of gold the shoulders and armes of siluer the belly and thighes of brasse and the legs and feete of yron Thou beheldst after that a great stone that was drawen from a mountaine that fell vpon the statue and beat downe and burst the same and left no whole peece thereof so that the gold siluer yron and brasse were poudered as small as dust whereupon a violent wind seemed to blow which by the furie and force thereof was borne away and scattered into diuers countries on the other side the stone grewe so mightie that it seemed to fill the whole earth This was that vision that appeared vnto you the signification whereof is expressed after this manner The head of gold signifieth your selfe and those kings of Babylon that haue been before you The two hands and shoulders signifie that your Empyre shal be destroied by two kings the one part by the king of the east cloathed in brasse whose force shall be abated by an other power resembling that of yron and he shal haue the power ouer the whole earth by reason of the nature of yron which is more strong then gold siluer or brasse he told the king also what that stone signified But for mine owne part I thought it not expedient to expresse it in this place because the onely but and intent of my writings is onely to register such things as are past and not such matters as are to come But if any man haue a desire to know these things and cannot bridle his curiositie but will vnderstand such matters as are hidden let him â—…ead the book of Daniel which he shal find amidst the sacred scriptures When king Nabuchodonosor had heard these things and remembred himself of his dreame he was astonished at Daniels wisedome and casting himselfe prostrate on the earth after the manner of those that adore God he embrased Daniel giuing direction that sacrifice should be offered vnto him as if he were God Moreouer he called him by the name of God and committed the administration of his whole kingdome to him and his companions who by reason of the commotions and conspiracies of their maligners and detractors hapned to fall into most eminent and dreadfull daunger vpon this occasion that ensueth The king built a golden Image sixtie cubits high and sixe in bignesse and erected it in a great plaine neere vnto Babylon and being readie to dedicate the same he assembled all the gouernours and princes of his countries commanding then first of all that as soone as they should heare the trumpet sound they should prostrate themselues on the earth to adore the statue threatning that whosoeuer should do the contrarie he should be cast into a burning furnace whereas therefore all of them adored the statue vpon the sound of the trumpet Daniel and his companions vtterly refused to performe that dutie alledging for their iustification that they would not transgresse the lawes of their countrey for which cause being apprenended they were instantly cast into the furnace of fire and protected therein by Gods prouidence escaped death beyond all mens expectation For the fire touched them not neither could it burne during their aboad in the furnace For God so fortified their bodies that they could not be consumed by fire which accident made them in greater estimation with the king for that he saw they were vertuous and beloued by God and for that cause they were highly honoured by him Not long after this the king saw an other vision in his sleepe which signified vnto him that being cast from his empire he should conuerse with sauage beasts and that hauing liued in that estate in the desart for the space of seuen yeares he should recouer his kingdom again Hauing had this dreame he assembled the Magitians once more demanding their answere and the signification thereof But it was impossible for any one of them eyther to find out or declare the intelligence of this dreame vnto the king onely Daniel discouered the same and the effect was answerable to his prediction For the king passed the forelimited time in the desart so that no man durst intermeddle with the affaires of estate during seuen yeares But after he had called vpon God that it would please him to restore him to his kingdome he repossessed the same again Let no man in this place accuse me for reporting these particularities according as I haue found them written in holy books for in the
vnto him See here my liege what store of bones are before Hircanus hereby you may coniecture that his father hath fleeced all Syria as he hath bared these bones of flesh The king laughing at Triphons words asked Hircanus how he came by so many bones before him Not without great cause said he O king for dogs deuoure the flesh with the bones as these doe in which speech he glanced at those who sate with him at the table because they had no bones before thē but men eat the flesh and cast the bones away as I do because I am a man The king wondring at his discreet answere commanded all the rest to applaud him in approbation of his witty vrbanity The next day he sought out all the kings friends and the principals in court and saluted them one by one enquiring of their seruants what presents they would court the king with vpon the birth of his sonne Who told him that some of them would giue twelue talents and othersome that were in dignitie would present him according to their abilitie Whereupon Hircanus made a shew of discontent in that he wanted power to offer such a present pretending that he had no more but fiue talents All which these seruants presently reported to their masters who were very ioyfull thereat for the hope they had conceiued that Ioseph should be blamed and would offend the King thorow the abiectnesse of his present Now when the day of the solemnitie was come and they likewise that pretended to present the king most magnificently offered no more then twenty talents Hircanus presented the hundreth yoong Lads he had bought to the King and the virgins vnto Cleopatra for whom he had paid a talent by the powle At this vnexpected magnificence of his gift all men were amazed but beside this he gaue gifts of diuers talents to the King and Queenes fauourites and seruants and their attendants whereby he warranted himselfe from the danger that might fall vnto him by their meanes For the brothers of Hircanus had written vnto them to murther him Ptolomey was highly delighted in the great magnificence of this yoong man and willed him to aske whatsoeuer gift he best liked at his hands But he required no other thing but that it would please the King to recommend him by his letters to his father and brethren When as therefore the king had singularly honoured him and had giuen him many bountifull rewards he wrote vnto his father and his brethren and all his gouernours and commissaries and in that sort sent him away His brothers hearing newes how hee had in all things highly contented the king and that he returned with great glorie they issued out to meet with him with an intent to murther him with their fathers knowledge For he being displeased with him by reason of his aboue named large expence had no care to warrantize him yet concealed he his discontent for feare of the king But when his brothers came and encountred him on the way he slew diuers of those that accompanied them and two of his brethren also were left slaine vpon the place and the rest fled to Ierusalem vnto their father And when as vpon his repaire vnto Ierusalem he perceiued that no man entertained him he waxed affraid and departed presently from thence to the other side of Iordan where he past his life in receiuing and gathering the tributes of the Barbarians In that time Seleucus surnamed Soter the sonne of Antiochus the great raigned in Asia At that time also died Ioseph Hircanus father who was a man of good conceit and great courage who established the people of the Iewes in their entire peace and had released them from prouertie and many desasters and had held the tributes of Syria Phoenicia and Samaria for the space of twenty two yeers His vncle Onias died also about the same time leauing the priesthood to his sonne Simon after whose death his sonne Onias was made high priest to whom Arius king of Lacedemon sent an embassade and letters the copy whereof hereafter ensueth CHAP. V. The frienship and societie of the Lacedemonians with Onias the high Priest of the Iewes ARius King of Lacedemon to Onias Health We haue found out a certaine writing wherin it is recorded that the Iewes and Lacedemonians are of the same race and both of them descended from Abraham It is therefore requisite that since you are our brethren that you giue vs to vnderstand wherein we may pleasure you The like will we doe also and will repute that which is yours to be ours as that which is ours shall in communitie be yours Demoteles our messenger bringeth you our letters foulded in square the seale whereof is an Aegle holding a Dragon in hertalous These were the contents of the Lacedemonians letters After the death of Ioseph it came to passe that the people began to mutine in the quarrell of his children For the elder brethren made warre against Hircanus who was the yoonger by meanes whereof the people were deuided The greater part of them followed the Elder faction and the high Priest Simon also by reason of his affinitie with them followed their partie Whereupon Hircanus resolued to repaire no more vnto Ierusalem but fixing his habitation on the other side of Iordan he made continuall warre against the Arabians slaying a great number of them and taking many prisoners He builded a huge tower of white marble from the bottome to the toppe and on the same planted he the figures of many liuing creatures in sculpture of great height About the same he drew and forced a deepe trench of flowing water and hauing hewed the front of the rocke that stood opposite against his building hee made diuers caues therein many furlongs long He made also diuers chambers therein both to eate sleepe and dwell in He drew thither likewise currants of springing water in so great abundance that it gaue much delight to those that dwelt there and great ornament to the whole building The mouth of euery caue was so little that but one only man could enter at once which he therfore made so narrow because they might the better serue for his securitie and refuge that if so be he were at any time assailed by his brethren he might auoid the danger of surprisall Moreouer he builded many huge halles which he adorned with great and goodly gardens and this place thus builded was called by him Tyre and is scituate betweene Arabia and Iudaea on the other side of Iordan not far from the countrey of Essebonitis He commanded in this countrey some seuen yeeres all that time that Seleucus raigned in Syria After whose death his brother Antiochus surnamed Epiphanes obtained the kingdome Ptolomey also King of Aegypt who was likewise called Epiphanes died and left two children very young behind him of whom the eldest was called Philometor and the yonger Physcon When as therfore Hircanus perceiued that
that the gouernment which she enioyed during her life time was after her death distracted with infinite troubles and calamities wherewith her family was replenished And notwithstanding her regiment after this manner yet during her life time she kept the kingdome in peace And thus died Alexandra THE XIIII BOOKE OF THE ANTIQVITIES OF THE IEWES WRITTEN BY FLAVIVS IOSEPHVS The Contents of the Chapters of the 14. booke 1 How after the death of Alexandra her youngest sonne Aristobulus made warre against his brother Hircanus for the kingdome who obtaining the victorie compelled Hircanus to flie into a castle in Ierusalem And how after it was agreed and concluded between them that Aristobulus should be king and Hircanus liue as a priuate man without dignitie 2 Of the race of Antipater and how he purchaseth renowme great power and authoritie both to himselfe and his children and of the flight of Hircanus to Aretas king of Arabia 3 Aristobulus being vanquished is pursued as farre as Ierusalem 4 Hircanus and Aristobulus send Embassadours to Scaurus to request his aid and succour 5 Aristobulus and Hircanus present themselues before Pompey to debate their titles touching the kingdome 6 Pompey is seazed of the fortresses by a warlike stratageme 7 They of Ierusalem shut their gates against the Romans 8 Pompey taketh the Temple and lower part of the citie by force 9 Scaurus maketh warre against Aretas and by the perswasion sollicitation of Antipater maketh aleague with him 10 Alexander being ouercome by Gabinius retireth himselfe into a castle where he is shut vp and besieged 11 Aristobulus escaping out of prison flieth from Rome who being taken againe in Iudaea by Gabinius is sent backe prisoner to Rome 12 Crassus warring against the Parthians passeth through Iewrie and spoyleth the Treasurie of the Temple 13 Pompey retireth into Epirus and Scipio commeth into Syria 14 Caesars voyage into Egypt wherein the Iewes do him faithfull seruice 15 Antipaters valiant acts and the amitie betwixt him and Caesar. 16 Caesars letters and the Senates decree as touching the friendship betwixt the Iewes and Romans 17 Antipater committeth the gouernment of Galilee to his sonne Herod and that of Ierusalem to Phasaelus his other sonne and how Sextus Caesar aduāced Herode to great honour and dignitie 18 Cassius afflicteth Iurie and exacteth eight hundreth talents 19 Malichus poisoneth Antipater 20 Herode putteth Malichus to death by Cassius commandement 21 Antigonus the sonne of Aristobulus seeking to recouer his fathers kingdome by the aide of the King of Tyre is discomfited and driuen out of Iudaea by Herod 22 Herod meeting Antonius in Bithynia winneth his fauour with a great summe of money to the intent he should giue no ◅are to his accusers 23 Antonius arriuing in the prouince of Syria establisheth Herode and Phasaelus for Tetrarches 24 The Parthians make warre in Syria to restore Antigonus the sonne of Aristobulus to the kingdome 25 The Parthians take Hircanus and Phasaelus prisoners and lead them away 26 Herode at Rome is declared King of Iury by the Senate 27 Herode returneth from Rome and fighteth against Antigonus 28 Antigonus is discomfited by Sosius and Herode CHAP. I. How after the Contention betweene the two brethren touching the kingdome it was agreed that Aristobulus should be king and Hircanus liue as a priuate man WE haue alreadie intreated in our former Booke both of the actes and death of Queene Alexandra it now remaineth at this present to prosecute and continue the sequell of our History to the end that we neither omit any thing thorow ignorance or burie ought in forgetfulnes For they that make profession to write Histories and to recite such things as are obserued by antiquitie ought not onely studiously to conforme their stile but also to beautifie the same with the ornaments of eloquence to the intent the reader may conuerse in their writings with the more delectation But aboue all things they must haue an especiall care so exactly to set downe the truth that they who know not how these things came to passe may be the more duely and fitly informed When as therefore Hircanus had taken vpon him the high Priesthood in the third yeere of the hundreth seuentie and seuenth Olympiade and in the yeere that Q. Hortensius and Q. Metellus called the Cretensian were consuls at Rome Aristobulus sodainly vndertooke the warre against Hircanus and fought with him neere vnto Iericho where a great number of Hircanus followers submitted themselues of their owne accord to Aristobulus Thorow which accident Hircanus was inforced to fly to the fortresse of the higher citie wherein Alexandra Aristobulus mother had imprisoned both his wife and children as before this it is specified The rest of his faction for feare of his brother who had gotten the victory retired themselues within the enclosure of the temple where they were besieged and taken After this a peace was intreated of betwixt both the brethren and their different was accorded in this manner that Hircanus should passe the remnant of his life without entermedling with affaires of estate but should onely intend his security and peace and Aristobulus should commaund the kingdome This league was ratified betweene them in the temple and confirmed with othes coniunction of hands and embraces in the sight of all the people which being finished Aristobulus retired himselfe into the pallace and Hircanus to Aristobulus lodging to lead a priuate and quiet life CHAP. II. Of the race of Antipater and how he is aduanced to high estate and how Hircanus flieth to Aretas King of Arabia BVt acertaine friend of Hircanus by nation an Idumaean and by name Antipater being wel monied and by nature both factious and industrious and thorow ambition but badly affected toward Aristobulus the rather for that he affected Hircanus faction began to stir much trouble True it is that Nicholas Damascene writeth of this man that he was descended from the noblest amongst those Iewes who returned from out of Babylon into Iury but this he did of set purpose to gratifie Herode Antipaters sonne who by a casualtie became afterwards King of the Iewes as we will expresse hereafter in time and place conuenient This Antipater was at the first called Antipas according to his fathers name who as it is reported was made gouernour of all Idumaea by king Alexander and his wife and afterwards made a league with the Arabians Gazeans and Ascalonites corrupting them and insinuating himselfe into their fauours by diuers great presents bestowed vpon them This young Antipater considering with himselfe what Aristobulus power was and fearing least some mischiefe might be fall him thorow the hatred the young king had conceiued against him he communicated with certaine of the greatest reckoning amongst the lewes and secretly and cunningly incensed them against Aristobulus telling them that they had done amisse both to see and suffer Aristobulus to detaine the kingdome vniustly in his hands and to dispossesse
restored to his first owner And my pleasure is that whosoeuer disobeieth this ordināce he may be punished And he that shall be conuicted to haue disobeyed the same he shall be punished according to his demerit He wrote to the like effect to the Sidonians Antiochians and Arabians all which we wil insert in a cōuenient place to testifie what accoūt the Romans made of our nation CHAP. XXIII Antonius arriuing in the prouince of Syria maketh Herode and Phasaelus Tetrarches AFter this Antonius retired himselfe into Syria and Cleopatra came forth to meet him neere vnto Cilicia and entangled him in her loues At that time also one hundreth of the chiefest reckoning among the Iewes came once againe in embassade to him to accuse Herode his adherents who to this end had chosen out the most esteemed Orator that might be found Messala likewise vndertooke the defence of the young men that were accused and made them answere Hircanus also was there in person who was alreadie by marriage allied vnto them After that Antonius had heard both the one and the other in the citie of Daphen he demaunded of Hircanus which of both the parties gouerned the common-weale best who returned him answere that they who were on Herods side were most studious of the weale publike Antonius who long since had borne good affection towards them by reason of the auncient hospitalitie that he had receiued with their father during the time that Gabinius was in Iudaea established them both for Tetrarches committing to their hands the affaires in Iudaea And to this effect wrote he his letters and committed fourteene of their enemies to prison whom had not Herode besought for their liues he had condemned them to death This notwithstanding as soone as they returned from their embassade they could not containe themselues in quiet but resorted once more vnto Antonius to the number of one thousand to the citie of Tyre where Antonius soiourned But Antonius alreadie corrupted by store of money by Herode and his brother who commaunded in that place ordained that the Embassadours of the Iewes should be punished for that they had attempted and affected some innouation where contrariwise he confirmed Herodes gouernment At that time Herode who walked by the sea side came vnto them aduising both them and Hircanus who at that present was with them to giue ouer their appeale for feare least some grieuous misfortune should befall them Whereunto since they gaue no regard certaine Iewes and inhabitants of that citie all at once ranne vpon them who slue some of them and hurt other some and the rest taking their flight towards their countrey euer afterwards contained themselues and liued in quiet thorow the feare they had conceiued But when the people ceased not to exclaime and protest against Herode Antonius was in such sort displeased that he commaunded all those whom he held prisoners should be slaine The yeere after Pacorus the kings sonne and Barzapharnes a prince among the Parthians inuaded and seazed Syria And about this time died Ptolomey the sonne of Mennaeus and his sonne Lysanias raigned in his steed who plighted friendship with Antigonus the sonne of Aristobulus who obtained this fauour at his hands by the counsaile and solicitation of a certaine prince of great authoritie and credit with him CHAP. XXIIII The Parthians make warre in Syria to restore Antigonus sonne of Aristobulus to his kingdome AFter this Antigonus promised the Parthians to giue them one thousand talents of siluer and fiue hundreth women if so be they would depriue Hircanus of the kingdome and restore it vnto him and withall put Herode and his friends to death Yet did he not deliuer them that he promised notwithstanding the Parthians led their army into Iury to restore Antigonus to wit Pacorus by the sea coast and Barzapharnes to the landward The Tyrians locked their gates against Pacorus but the Sidonians and Ptolemaidans receiued him into their citie He sent a troupe of horsemen into Iury to discouer the estate of the countrey and to giue succours to Antigonus The chieftaine of these horsemen was the kings butler who in like sort was called Pacorus But for that certaine Iewes inhabiting about the mount Carmel ioyned themselues with Antigonus were prepared with him to inuade his enemies he conceiued some hope that he might by their meanes reduce a certaine part of the region vnder his gouernment which is called Drymae and certaine of his wel-willers meeting him in the way perswaded him to presse forward as farre as Ierusalem where being seconded by others and his followers alreadie much increased in number they addresse themselues to assault the kings pallace And whereas those of the faction of the brethren brought present supplies and the skirmish was maintained in the market place the young men repulsed the enemy and droue him into the temple Which done they sent certaine armed men into the houses neere adioyning to guard them but the people rushing in vpon them and seeing they were destitute of aide burned both them and the houses wherein they were But this iniquitie of theirs was presently reuenged by Herode who in a skirmish that he had with them slew a great number of them And whereas there were daily assaults betweene both parties the enemies expected vntill such time as the people assembled from all parts of the countrey should repaire to Ierusalem to celebrate the feast of Penticost Which being come many thousands of men assembled about the temple both armed and vnarmed who seazed both the temple and the Citie except the kings house onely which Herode made good with a few men of war The wall thereof did Phasaelus his brother keep But Herode with a companie of his followers sallied out vpon the enemy who were planted in the suburbes and fighting valiantly against them he put diuers thousands of them to flight whereof some retired themselues into the Citie other some into the temple the rest into a certaine bulwarke neere at hand In this battell also Phasaelus shewed no little valour But Pacorus conductor of the Parthians came into the Citie with some few horsemen at Antigonus request making shew that he came to appease the sedition but the effect and scope of his comming was to obtaine the soueraigntie for Antigonus Furthermore after that Phasaelus was come out to meete with him and had curteously entertained him in his house Pacorus perswaded him to go Embassadour with him to Barzapharnes laying a baite vnder this pretence to surprise him He suspecting no treacherie was easily perswaded notwithstanding that Herode misliked the course who knowing the perfidious manners of the Barbarians exhorted him rather to assaile Pacorus and to assault and oppresse his forces when they were come vnto him Naithelesse Hircanus and Phasaelus vndertooke this embassade and Pacorus leauing with Herode two hundreth horsemen and ten of those whom they call free men conducted the Embassadours Now
burrough of Idumaea Ioseph his brother came forth to meete him and to consult with him as touching their whole estate and to know of him what should become of that great multitude that followed them considering that they had no souldiers in pay and the Castle of Massada whither he pretended to flie was too little to hold all the people for which cause he sent away many to the number of nine thousand willing them to disperse themselues here and there in the countrey of Idumaea and for the better dispatch of their iourney he furnished them with victuals As for himselfe he tooke with him his most able souldiers and inward friends and repaired to the Castle of Massada in which place he left the women and their traine to the number of eight hundreth or thereabouts and furnishing the place with corne water and other prouisions necessarie he went vnto Petra the chiefest Citie of Arabia As soone as it was day the Parthians sacked all that which appertained to the Citizens of Ierusalem and amongst other things they spoiled the palace notwithstanding they medled not with Hircanus money which amounted to some three hundreth talents They left diuers other things behind them also that appertained to Herode and especially that which had been transported into Idumaea by his mature prouidence Neither were the Parthians content with the spoile of the Citie but they forraged all the countrey round about and raced Marissa a verie rich Citie Thus Antigonus brought backe into his countrey by the king of the Parthians receiued Hirtanus and Phasaelus that were prisoners yet was he vehemently displeased because the women had escaped whom according to his promise he intended to haue deliuered with the money and fearing least Hircanus thorow the fauour of the people should be reestablished in his kingdome who was then prisoner in the custody of the Parthians he cut off both his eares depriuing him by that meanes from enioying the priesthood any more by reason of that maime because the law commaundeth that they who are in that dignitie should be sound in all their members But Phasaelus is to be admired for his great courage at this time for vnderstanding that hee must needly die he was no waies dismaied with death but that which he held most miserable and dishonourable was that he must needs die by the hands of his enemy Seeing therefore that he could not dispatch himselfe by other meanes because he was bound and chaiâ—…ed he knockt out his owne braines against a stone and so ended his life with as great honour as may be imagined in such a desperate estate depriuing his enemy of that power which he intended to practise in tyrannizing ouer him at his pleasure It is said that the wound being very deepe Antigonus sent priuily surgeons to cure him and that vnder colour of healing him they should put poison into the same wherethrough he might die But before Phasaelus gaue vp the ghost he vnderstood by a certaine woman that his brother Herode had escaped from his enemies for which cause he endured his death with far greater cheerfulnesse and constancie seeing that he left behind him such a man as would reuenge his death and punish his enemies But Herode was no waies discomforted with the greatnesse of those aduersities which enuironed him round about but was the more whetted on to find out new inuentions and to aduenture dangerous attempts For he went vnto Malchus king of the Arabians to whom before time he had shewed much curtesie hoping to receiue the like of him in this time of his great necessitie and to draw some money from him either by loane or gift according as he had often and verie bountifully pleasured him For being ignorant of his brothers death he endeuoured himselfe to raunsome him speedily from his enemies by paying his raunsome which amounted to three hundreth talents and for that cause he led with him the sonne of Phasaelus who was onely seuen yeeres olde to leaue him in pledge amongst the Arabians for the summe that was demaunded But certaine messengers came vnto him from Malchus who charged him in the kings behalfe to retire backe againe for that the Parthians had enioyned him that he should neither receiue nor retaine Herode And this colourable pretence vsed he because he would not pay his debts and hereunto was he perswaded by the aduice of the greatest in authoritie among the Arabians who pretended thereby to make themselues masters of that treasure that Antipater had committed to their custody Herode answered them that he repaired not into their countrey to giue them cause of any trouble but onely to consult with him about certaine matters of great importance touching his owne estate and that afterwards he was resolued to depart and withdraw himselfe into Aegypt as secretly as might be possible He returned therefore to a certaine temple where he had left diuers of his followers and the next day hee came to Rhinocura in which place he heard tidings of his brothers death But afterwards Malchus repented himselfe of his in gratitude and speedily sent after Herode but he could not ouertake him for he had gotten farre onward of his way and was already arriued in post neere to Pelusium where being denied his passage to Alexandria in those ships that were there he addressed himselfe to the magistrates of the place who highly respected and honoured him and sent him to the Citie where Cleopatra was who entertained him kindly yet notwithstanding could she not perswade him to remaine with her Whereupon he repaired towards Rome notwithstanding the winter and those grieuous troubles that at the verie same time afflicted Italie as it was reported Embarking himselfe therefore to saile into Pamphilia he was tossed with a most cruell storme so that with great danger at last he arriued in Rhodes hauing been inforced in the tempest to cast into the sea a good part of his substance There met he with Sappinas and Ptolomey two of his indeered friends He found also that the Citie of Rhodes had suffered much miserie by Cassius warres and although his meanes were very scant yet profited he them in what he might and caused their walles to be repaired notwithstanding that by so doing he greatly hindred himselfe After that he caused a little frigote to be built and embarked himselfe with his friends to repaire into Italy and arriued at Brundusium and from thence went to Rome The first to whom he discouered his misfortunes was Marcus Antonius to whom he reported all the occurrences in Iudaea and how his brother Phasaelus was taken by the Parthians and slaine and how Hircanus was imprisoned with him The manner also how they had established Antigonus king vnder promise to giue them one thousand talentes and fiue hundreth of the fairest women whom hee intended to choose out of his owne race Lastly how he stole away by night and rescued them and escaping his enemies hands
was vpon the point of execution surprised her at such time as she thought to flye and yet notwithstanding he pardoned her that fault in that he durst not decree any punishmēt against hir though he could haue found in his heart to haue vsed seueritie for that Cleopatra vvould not haue contained her selfe had she but had such an occasiō offered her to expresse her hatred against Herod For which cause vnder the colour of a high and magnanimous spirit he made shewe to pardon her of his meere clemencie yet inwardly resolued hee to make young Aristobulus away yet not rashly and vpon the instant least the act should growe apparant and palpable Now the feast of Tabernacles was at hand which was one of those that was ceremoniously and solemnly celebrated among vs for which cause he concealed his intents during the festiuall daies intending both in himselfe and in the presence and companie of the people to follow all kinde of pleasure and delight yet did his enny incite him to hasten the execution of his will Aristobulus was at that time some seuenteene yeere olde who at such time as he approched the altar to offer sacrifices according to the lawe apparelled in the high priests ornaments to performe the ceremonies he who for amiable countenance and goodly stature surpassed the young and tendernesse of his yeeres expressing in his countenance the dignitie and nobilitie of his race drew the eies and good affection of all the people vnto him so that they openly called to remembrance the noble actions of Aristobulus his grandfather All the people therfore being surmounted by those their affections and at that present time being all of them troubled with the ioy they conceiued they brake out by little and little into happy acclamations mixed with wishes and praiers so that the good will the people bare to Aristobulus discouered it selfe openly and they manifestly although too hastily in such a kingdome declared what euils they generally endured For all which causes Herode concluded to execute that which he had heretofore complotted and conceited against Aristobulus As soone therefore as the feast was ouerpassed he soiourned in Iericho where Alexandra entertained him In that place he vsed Aristobulus with all kindnesse to the end to draw him into some place where he feared nothing playing also with him and counterfaiting to sport after the fashion of the young men to gratifie him Now for that the place where they disported themselues was by nature too hoat they quickly wearied left their sport and went out togither to take the fresh aire and recouering a pleasant shade vnder certaine arbors and neere certaine fishpooles which were largely spread round about they beheld certain of their seruants and friends that swomme therein with whom not long after Aristobulus began to swim being perswaded thereunto by Herode Whereupon Herodes confederates who were deputed to execute the murther laid hands of him and thrust him vnder the water pretending to duck him in sport and neuer gaue him ouer vntill such time as they had stifled him in the water This hapned about the euening and after this manner died Aristobulus after he had liued in all for the space of eighteene yeeres and administred the priesthood one whole yeere and after this Ananel presently recouered his former dignitie Now when this accident was reported to the women all of them were sodainly deuoured in teares and transported with strange lamentations which they spent ouer the dead body All the Citie also was marueilously amated neither was there any priuate family that thought not it selfe touched by this inconuenient but imagined the losse in particular to concerne himselfe and no other But aboue all when Alexandra had notice of this wicked deede she was more passionate and perplexed then any other being so much the more discomforted for that she knew how all things had hapned But the feare of a farre greater mischiefe constrained her to represse her passion in such sort that diuers times she was ready to bereaue her of her owne life and dispatch her selfe out of miserie with her owne hands But she contained her selfe to the end that suruiuing and liuing after her sonne who was so traiterously and fraudulently slaine and prolonging her owne life without giuing any suspition or shadow that she supposed her sonne to be thus cursedly murthered she might with more opportunitie expect the occasion to reuenge her selfe For which cause she dissembled all things gouerned her griefe and made shew that she knew nothing of that which was either intended or had hapned As for Herode he laboured by all means to perswade the strangers that this death had befallen Aristobulus without his knowledge and did not onely prepare that which was requisite for the funerall but vext himselfe likewise made shew of a man truely deuoured in his sorrow and it may be that in remembrance of Aristobulus beauty and flourishing young yeeres he was truely touched with compassion notwithstanding that he imagined that this death of his should be a means of his intire securitie demeasning himselfe in all things very circumspectly with intent to purge himselfe of that crime But especially he shewed his great magnificence in the interring of his body both in the furnishing and preparation of the herse as in the perfumes and other things thereunto belonging in such sort as the griefe which the Ladies had conceiued was pacified after this manner of consolation CHAP. IIII. Cleopatra thirsting after the kingdomes of Arabia and Iewry laboureth to beg a part of them at Anthonies hands BVt none of all these things could either mooue or mollifie Alexandra but that daily more and more she increased her sorrow and in the heart of her teares kindled her wrath and heate with a desire of reuenge She therefore certified Cleopatra by her priuate letters of Herodes treasons and her sonnes most miserable and vntimely death Cleopatra long before that time desirous to assist her and hauing compassion of her miserie vndertooke the matter and ceased not to incite Anthony to reuenge Aristobulus death telling him that it was an vnpardonable errour that Herode being created king in such a state whereunto he had no right should be suffered to practise such conspiracies against the true and lawfull kings Anthony perswaded by these her words as soone as he came vnto Laodicea sent for Herode to the end that making his appearance he might answere that which might be obiected against him as touching Aristobulus death for he disliked the act notvvithstanding that Herode himselfe had attempted it But although Herode vvas affraid of this accusation and did not a little suspect Cleopatraes displeasure for that she ceased not continually to prouoke Anthony against him yet obeyed he this commandement and transported himselfe thither the rather for that he durst not otherwise do notwithstanding he left his vncle Ioseph behind him committing the gouernment both of the kingdome his priuate
for that he would not haue discouered those things which had been spoken to him in secret except they had greatly trusted the one the other and in this emotion or rage of iealousie hardly contained he himselfe from killing his wife But the force of loue ouercame him so much that he bridled his rage notwithstanding it were irkesome and grieuous vnto him Yet gaue he order that Ioseph should be slaine without either audience or iustification of his innocencie and as touching Alexandra who was the cause of al these troubles he kept her prisoner About the same time there grew certaine troubles and alterations in Syria for that Cleopatra continually sollicited and importuned Anthony and whetted on his displeasure against all perswading him to remooue all from their gouernments and to bestow the same on her selfe And for that Anthony loued her extremely she was in great estimation and credit with him and being in her owne nature inclined to couetousnesse shee abstained from no kinde of corrupt dealing and wickednesse For knowing that the kingdome should descend vnto her brother she caused him to be poisoned when he was but fifteene yeeres olde as for her sister Arsinoe she caused her to be slaine by Anthonies meanes at such time as she made her prayers in the temple of Diana in Ephesus Moreouer in what place soeuer she vnderstood that there was any hope to get money whether it were in robbing of temples or in breaking open sepulchers she would be possessed thereof neither was there any religious place so sacred from whence she tooke not away the ornaments Furthermore there was not any thing so prophane and interdicted which she laid not hands on to satisfie her vnbridled auarice Neither was the whole world sufficient enough to content this magnificent Ladie who was made slaue to her owne desires and her disordinate appetite was such that all the riches in the world were not able to to saciate and fill the same For this cause she incessantly importuned Antonius to take from others to be liberall towards her and therefore intring into Syria with him she presently bethought her selfe how she might get it into her possession For she caused Lysanias Ptolomeies sonne to be put to death obiecting against him that he had priuate intelligence with the Parthians She begged Iury also at Antonius hands and required him besides that to dispossesse the kings of Arabia He was in such sort possessed by this woman that he seemed not only to be bewitched with her words but also inchāted by her poisons to obey her in whatsoeuer she thought meet yet was he ashamed to cōmit so manifest an iniquity for feare least being so farre ouerruled by her he should happen to offend in matters of more consequence Least therefore either by denying her he should draw her to discontent or by condiscending to her demands he should seeme to be the wickeddest man aliue he deducted a seuerall portion of both their dominions presented her with the same He gaue her likewise those cities that are scituate between the floud Eleutherius Aegypt except Tyre and Sydon which he knew to be free cities of long continuance although by earnest sollicitation she sought to be seazed of these also CHAP. V. Cleopatras progresse into Iudaea AFter that Cleopatra had obtained all these things and had accompanied Antonius as farre as Euphrates who at that time went to make warre in Armenia she returned backe againe and by the way visited Apamea and Damasco and at last tooke her progresse into Iury Where King Herode met with her and assured that portion which had beene giuen vnto her in Arabia with all the reuenewes of Iericho vnto her This countrey bringeth forth that balme which of all other oyntments is the most precious and onely groweth in that place and no other to the bignes of great Dates Being arriued in that place and growen inwardly familiar with Herode she fought to allure and draw him to her lust being of her selfe naturally addicted to such pleasures and intemperance and happily also being somewhat touched with loue or rather as it seemeth most likely she in this sort laid the foundation to intrap him vnder colour to reuenge her selfe of some outrage by that meanes But in effect she generally manifested that she was ouercome by her desire and sensuall lust But Herode was not ouer kindly bent towards Cleopatra knowing of long time how badly she was enclined towards al men and at that time he conceiued the greater hatred against her because by that intemperance of hers she pretended to destroy him and although that from the beginning he had reiected her sollicitations yet determined he to reuenge himselfe on her if so be by these her subtill vnderminings she should prosecute and continue her subtil pollicies to betray him He asked counsaile also of his friends whether hauing her in his possession he should put her to death For in so doing all those should be deliuered from diuers euils whom either in time past she had molested or hereafter s◅d bring in trouble Moreouer that it would be profitable for Antonius also whom without all doubt she would forsake if any occasion or necessitie should enforce him to make triall of her friendship But whilest he debated and discoursed vpon this resolution his friends restrained and disswaded him assuring him that it was a great indignitie for him who was a Prince of high thoughts and hautie resolutions to cast himselfe into manifest perill beseeching him to attempt nothing rashly For that Antonius would not endure the same notwithstanding it might be approued that it stood with his profit nay rather that by this meanes he should increase his desire for that by force subtilty he might seeme to haue lost her Further that no on colour of excuse should be left him in that she was the woman of greatest note nobility of that time that what soeuer profit might redound vnto him by her death should be annexed with Antonius iniurie Wherby it most euidētly appeared how great remediles domages would befall both to the kingdome the kings family also whereas nothing letted him by repulsing her vnlvwfull demand to dispose allthings for the present state with great discretion By these such like reasons and probable coniectures they deterred and disswaded him from aduenturing vpon his apparant daunger and attempting so hainous an act so that contrariwise they induced him to offer Cleopatra many rich presents and to conduct her onward on her way towards Aegypt As soone therefore as Antonius was seazed of Armenia he sent Artabazes Tigranes sonne with all his children who were great princes prisoners into Aegypt and presented them to Cleopatra with all those precious Iewels likewise which were taken by him or found in the kingdome But Artaxias his elder sonne who at that time had saued himselfe by flight raigned in Armenia whom Archelaus and Nero the
not to be of small force to correct and amend our manners These our customes hauing in them nothing that any that searcheth them can iustly reprehend they are now also though many are perswaded the contrarie consecrated and confirmed by their antiquitie So that we must needs make a conscience of it to forsake our lawes that haue endured so many ages These are the iniuries that these people by violence offer vs they sacrilegiously take from vs the money dedicated to God they impose tributes vpon vs who are free they vpon festiuall daies force vs to their tribunals to law and other prophane busines without any necessitie but onely in contumely and disgrace of our religion which they know well in the meane while that they persecute with vniust and vnlawfull hatred For your Empire equally prouiding for the good of all your subiects doth not onely nourish the mutuall concord of them all but also resisteth hatred and malice These are the iniuries most worthy Agrippa whereof we seeke redresse at thy hands requesting thee that hereafter we may liue according to our religion as before times and that our aduersaries may haue no more authority ouer vs then we ouer them which is not onely iustice and equitie but alreadie also granted by your clemencie And there are yet extant to be seene in the capitoll many decrees and ordinances of the Senate concerning this matter engrauen in brasse which are read vnto this day doubtlesse for our truth and fidelitie so oftentimes tried or at least though we not deseruing it yet holy and inuiolate For you do not only not withdraw from vs all other nations your former benefits granted vnto vs but you do rather euery day beside all hope and expectation increase them all which time will not suffer me to recount And that we may not seeme vanely to boast of our duties and officiousnes towards you and also omitting other things that are past our king now sitting with you can sufficiently testifie it so to be For what kind of loue good wil hath he omitted to shew vnto your nation where was he not prooued trusty what hath he not deuised to honour you where stood you in need when he was not the first man to helpe you Why therefore should not we receiue some fauour for his deserts I will not omit to put you in mind of the fortitude of his father Antipater who came with two thousand soldiers to assist Caesar in the Agyptian warres wherein he so valiantly behaued himselfe that neither by sea nor land any one in those warres deserued more commendations then himselfe I will not at this time recount how much good he did Caesar in those warres and what and how great rewards hee therefore receiued but rather I should first of all put you in remembrance of the letters that the Emperour writ vnto the Senate concerning this matter wherewith he obtained for Antipater the honours and priuiledges of the citie For this onely argument had beene sufficient to haue declared that we did not obtaine such fauour without desert request thee now to confirme the same of whom we might iustly hope for new benefits seeing such friendship and familiaritie betweene thee and our king For we haue vnderstood by our nation that dwell in Iudaea how many offerings thou didst there sacrifice vnto our God with what vowes thou honouredst him how thou feastedst the people and wast delighted in that mutuall hospitalitie All which are as it were an argument of the friendship confirmed betweene so great a Romane prince and the nation of the Iewes euen in Herodes house By all these we humblie request in the presence of the king nothing but this onely that thou wouldest not permit vs deceitfully to be defrauded of that which you your selues haue alreadie granted vnto the nation of the Iewes Now no one of the Greeks offered to oppose himselfe against that which Nicholaus did speake for this was no contention to a Iudge concerning their right but onely a deprecation and supplication to auoid iniurie Neither did they denie it onely thus they excused themselues that the Iewes dwelling amongst them were troublesome vnto them But the Iewes shewed themselues to be free citizens and to liue according to their religion and lawes of their countrey without any mans molestation or iniurie Wherefore Agrippa vnderstanding that they were wronged aunswered thus that he would not onely gratifie them for his friend Herods sake but also for that they seemed to him to demand a reasonable matter Wherfore though they had demanded a greater thing of him he would haue granted them whatsoeuer he might without preiudicying the people of Rome And now seeing they onely demaund of him that which alreadie the Romanes had granted vnto them he would ratifie and confirme vnto them the benefit which they had alreadie receiued at the Romanes hands and prouide that henceforth no man should molest them for liuing according to the institutions and ordinances of their countrey Hauing thus spoken he dismissed the assembly Then Herode arising thanked him in all their names And then after mutuall embracing one another they departed taking their leaues from Lesbus CHAP. V. How Herode returned into Iudaea THe king hauing a prosperous winde within a fewe daies after atriued at Caesarea and from thence he went to Ierusalem and calling togither all the people as well the Citizens as also the countrey people then present there he tolde them the cause of his iourney and how he had obtained immunities for the Iewes liuing in Asia that they might conuerse there among the Gentiles without any molestation Then he recounted vnto them what felicitie they had receiued and enioyed by his raigne seeing that his greatest care was so to prouide for his subiects that they might want nothing And to gratifie them the more he told them that he would freely remit the fourth part of the taxes and tribute they were to pay for the yeere past The people greatly comforted as well with the kings speech vnto them as with his liberalitie departed ioyfully wishing the king all happinesse CHAP. VI. Of the discord in Herodes house betweene him and his sonnes IN the meane time the discord of his house was daily increased for Salome greatly maligned the two young men as hauing a hereditarie hatred rooted in her heart and presumed by reason of her good successe in her exploit practised against their mother to labour all waies possible not to leaue any aliue that might reuenge her death who died not deseruing it And she wanted no occasion for that it seemed the young men were not verie wel affected toward their father partly for the memorie of their mothers death partly also for that they desired the kingdome So that they vpbraiding Salome and Pheroras did renew their olde hatred against them who daily practised by all meanes they could to ouerthrow them the young men also hated them but not
with like hatred that they were hated of them For they for their ingenuous manners and noble race dissembled not their anger but with lauish tongues declared their mindes But Salome and Pheroras contrariwise enuiously and craftily prepared themselues a way by calumniations alwaies prouoking the magnanimous spirits of these young men whose fiercenesse might soone bring them into suspition with their father to the intent that hee might gather hereby that they wanted not will to reuenge their mothers death yea euen with their owne hands forasmuch as they were not ashamed to be the children of such a mother and would contend that she was vniustly put to death And now all the whole Citie talked of them euerie one pitying the young mens simplicitie Salome not ceasing to gather by their owne speeches probable arguments of suspition that they did not only take their mothers death impatiently but also raging like young men did both bewaile her death and their owne case who were compelled to liue with the murtherers of their infortunat mother as it were contaminat themselues with liuing amongst them And the absence of the king greatly increased this their dissension who being returned and hauing made a speech vnto the people he presently was admonished both by Pheroras and Salome his sister that he was in great danger by reason of the two young men who did openly boast that they would be reuenged of them that killed their mother feining moreouer that they were incouraged for that they hoped that Archelaus king of Cappadocia would helpe them to accuse their father vnto Caesar. Herod hearing this was greatly troubled and so much the more for that he heard the same also reported vnto him by others And hereby he was put in memorie of that which was past how that for the dissension of his house he could not long enioy his friends and dearest wife And as it were foreseeing by that that was past what would ensue and fearing some greater calamitie would befall him he was altogither amazed And truely as abroad he was most fortunate aboue all hope so at home he was most vnhappy and infortunate beyond mens opinion So that one may well doubt whether his fortunate successe abroad did counteruaile his misfortunes at home or whether it had beene more expedient for him to haue had neither the one nor the other but to haue had onely a common and ordinarie fauour at fortunes hands Deliberating thus with himselfe he thought it good to call vnto the court another sonne of his whom he begat when he was a priuate man and to grace him with honours and to oppose him against the other two brethren to the end to bring downe and represse their fierce and hautie mindes this sonne of his was called Antipater not minded which after ouercome by affection he did to make him sole heire of all but thinking hereby to bridle Mariammes children and to diminish their arrogancie by setting them see that it was not needfull to keepe the inheritance of so flourishing a kingdome onely for them wherefore he introduced Antipater one opposed against them that thereby the young men laying their pride aside might shew themselues more tractable to their father and so now hee thought he had by this meanes prouided for the safetie of these young men But it fell out farre otherwise then he expected for the young men esteemed this fact as an iniurie done vnto them And Antipater was of that nature that hauing gotten promotion contrarie to his expectation he did endeuour all waies possible to be in greater account with his father then the two young men who was now through false accusations alienated from him and euerie day as he also desired ready to beleeue any thing that might incense him against them Wherefore this was all his labour yet had he an especiall care not to be thought an accuser of his brethren but he vsed others of his accomplices whom the king nothing suspected who for the trust the king put in them might also haue better credit giuen vnto their words For now this man had many followers and fauourers as it were gaping after preferment by his meanes who with a kinde of counterfeit goodwill made a shewe of loue and goodwill towards Herode And being many in number and trusty one to an other the young men were euerie day entrapped more and more for many times they shed teares for very griefe of the contumelies and iniuries that they suffered and many times they mentioned their mother and complained vnto those whom they thought to be their friends of their father as one that dealt not well with them all which Antipaters partakers malitiously noting and adding therunto something of their own inuention they did presently tell it vnto Herode and so did nourish the dissension of his house For the king being mooued hereat and purposing to humble Mariammes children did daily encrease and augment Antipaters honours and at his entreaties at last brought his mother into the court and many times secretly writing vnto Caesar in fauour of Antipater he especially commended him in particular vnto him and being to sayle to salute Agrippa who now was to depart out of Asia hauing gouerned that prouince ten yeeres he onely tooke with him Antipater of all his sonnes whom also he committed vnto Agrippa with many gifts to go with him to Rome and to be brought into fauour with Caesar so that now all things seemed to be done as it were by this mans becke and the young men to be already disinherited CHAP. VII How Antipater liuing at Rome Herode brought Alexander and his brother thither and accused them before Caesar. THis iourney did greatly aduantage Antipater and increase his honour and preeminence aboue his brethren for he became famous at Rome being by his fathers letters commended vnto all his friends there yet this was a great griefe vnto him that he could not daily calumniate his brethren for he feared least his fathers minde should change and so hee should affect Mariammes children most This was his daily cogitation but though he were absent yet he ceased not by letters to incite his father against them as hauing care of his safetie but in deede for that he thereby through his bad practises hoped to obtaine the kingdome so that he so encreased Herodes wrath against them that he now was become a deadly enemy vnto the young men But indeuouring to resist this affection and fearing rashly in his anger to commit any thing to preiudice them he determined to saile againe to Rome and there accuse his sons before Caesar least he being lead away thorow indignation and displeasure conceiued against the young men should seeme to cast off all loue fatherly affection towards them And repairing to Rome and not finding Caesar there he followed him vnto Aquileia and comming to speech of him and requesting him to take notice of his misfortunes he presented his
mischiefe was againse set on foote for Pheroras the kings brother meeting Alexander who as we haue said was Glaphyra her husband who was daughter to Archelaus he told him that he heard by Salome that Herod was far in loue with Glaphyra so that he could not shake off this affection The young man hearing this became iealous and was in a great rage and now what honour soeuer or gifts Herod for the loue of his sonne gaue her Alexander did interpret it in the worst sense being now made iealous by that which he had heard of Pheroras not able to put vp such iniuries as he thought he went vnto his father and with teares recounted vnto him what Pheroras had told him But Herod was hereat the more enflamed not enduring himselfe falsly to be accused of so shamefull a fact inueighin against the great malice of his friends who for his great good turâ—…s he did them so rewarded him And presently sending for Pheroras very sharpely he began toâ—… hide him saying O most impious that liueth amongst men art thou become so vngratefull either to speake or thinke such a matter of vs Thinkest thou that I do not perceiue thy drift that thou speakest not these words vnto thy sonne to discredite me but also to the intent by this meanes thou mightest worke some treason against me cause me to be poisoned For who but a good sonne as this is would suffer his father suspected for such a matter to liue and not be reuenged of him for such offence Whether doest thou thinke that thou didst put these speeches into his mind or by them a sword into his hand to kill his father withall or what was thy intent seeing thou hatest both him and his brother and only counter faiting good will towards me to belie me and to report that of me that without impietie could not be thought get thee hence thou wretched impe seeing thou hast thus abused thy brother who hath well deserued at thy hands and do as thou wilt all thy life time my selfe will endeuour to be better vnto my children then I haue been and neither will I punish them as they deserue but I wil honour them aboue their merits The king hauing discharged his choler against his brother Pheroras and he being taken in a manifest fault answered that that report was first deuised by Salome of whom he heard it which she being then present hearing began to exclaime saying it was not her deuise and that they all laboured to make the king hate her and to put her to death being one who did especially wish him well and what in her lay seeking his safetie and that now he was in daunger of more treason then euer before for said she I was the onely cause that you did put away the woman whom you so doated after perswading you to marrie the kings daughter and this is the cause that you hate me With these speeches tearing her haire and striking her breast she made a shew of innocency but this her gesture was a colour to hide her bad entent So Pheroras was left in great pexplexitie not knowing what to say or do and finding no pretence to excuse his fact for on the one side he confessed that he told it vnto Alexander and on the other that he could not make Herode beleeue that he heard it of Salome This contention endured a good while at last the king being wearied sent away his brother and his sister and greatly commending his sonnes moderate mind and that he had giuen him intelligence of those speeches verie late in the night he went to supper After this contention Salome was hardly thought of because she was iudged to be the authour of this ill report and the kings wiues wished euill vnto her because they knew her to be of strange qualities and hard to please and so variable that according to the time one while she would professe friendship and presently after hatred Wherefore they still had some thing to enforme Herode of against her taking occasion hapning by chaunce which was this There was a king of the Arabians named Obodas a slouthfull man and one giuen to idlenes and there was one Syllaeus that did gouerne all his affairs this man was a craftie fellow in the prime of his youth and very beautifull This Syllaeus comming vnto Herode about some busines and viewing Salome who then sate at supper with him began to set his mind vpon her and finding she was a widow he entred into talke with her and she finding her brother now not so friendly vnto her as before he had beene and also entangled with the beautie of this young man did not greatly denie to marie him many feasts being made at that time they shewed euident signes of their mutuall consent and loue one vnto another The kings wiues told the king of this in scoffing sort Herode herewith not contented demanded of Pheroras how the matter stood willed him at supper time to note if he could espie any tokens of familiaritie betwixt them And Pheroras told him that by signes mutuall viewing one another they sufficiently shewed their intents After this the Arabian being suspected departed into his owne countrey But two or three moneths after he came againe into Iudaea only for this purpose talked with Herod concerning this matter requesting him to let Salome be his wife affirming that that affinity would be profitable vnto him for the traficke between his people the Arabians whose prince he was to be did alreadie enioy a great part of the dominion Herod told al this vnto his sister asked her if she would marie him she answered she would Then they requested that Syllaus should become a Iew in religion or else it was not lawful for him to mary her He would not condescend hereunto affirming that he should be stoned to death by his people if he did it and so he departed without obtaining his purpose From that time forth Pheroras and especially the kings wiues accused Salome of intemperancy affirming that she had had the companie of the Arabian Now Herode determined to marry his daughter vnto Salomes sonne whom Pheroras refused for the loue of his maide which sonne of Salomes was her eldest that she had by Costabarus and that to shew his good will toward Salome his sister But he was disswaded by Pheroras who told him that the young man would neuer loue such a father in law because of his fathers death perswading him rather to marie her to his eldest sonne who was to succeed him in his Tetrarchie which he easily perswaded the king vnto and so obtained pardon for his former offence Wherefore the spousals being changed the maide was maried vnto the youg man who had an hundred talents in dowrie with her more then otherwise should haue beene giuen with her But all this while the dissension of Herodes house did not cease
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
before the people and the people throwing any thing that came to their hands at them they slew them euery one And Alexander and Aristobulus were caried vnto Sebaste there by their fathers command were strangled and their bodies buried by night in the castle Alexandrium where their grandfather by the mothers side and many of their progenitors lay buried But perhaps some will nothing maruaile that a hatred so long a breeding should in the end so preuaile that it ouercame naturall affection But one may iustly doubt whether the fault were in the yong men who exasperated by a hard father so long time fell into such hatred of him or whether it is to be imputed vnto his vnkindnes immoderate desire of honour rule who could not abide any to be his equal but rather chusing to do all at his owne pleasure Or rather vnto fortune whose power the wisest liuing is not able to resist Wherefore I am perswaded that fortune hath predestinated all humane actions so that they must haue a necessary euent And this ineuitable force we cal fate or fatal destinie for that there is nothing which it effecteth not But it sufficeth briefly to haue touched this high matter which is of it selfe very difficult which attributeth some thing vnto our actions and examineth the causes of the varietie of our actions which speculation is alreadie comprised in the two volumes of our law Furthermore as touching the yong mens fault we may accuse their youthly arrogancy the free kingly pride which was in them who did giue too great eare vnto their fathers accusers for that they were vniust serchers into his life actions and that they maliciously suspected him could not rule their tongues but hereby gaue double occasion vnto their aduersaries and matter vnto those tale bearers that sought to get the kings fauor But their fathers shamefull fault cānot be excused who suffered himselfe so to be ouerruled with passion that he put thē to death that were begotten of his own body without any proof or argumēt of the crimes laid vnto their charge yea two yong men of excellent feature of body not only beloued of their owne nation but also of strangers not slouthfull in hunting cōmendable in military affaires eloquent in ciuil discourses For in all these things they were excellent especially Alexander the eldest of them It had bin enough for him suppose he had condemned them either to haue kept thē in perpetual prison or to haue banished them into some far country seeing that he was assured of the Roman power vnder whose protectiō he neither needed to haue feared inuasion nor secret treason against him For so soone to put them to death only to satisfie his owne furious will what other thing doth it betoken but only an impious liberty casting off all fatherly humanity kindnes especially seeing that he was aged whose yeeres could neither plead ignorance not that he was deceiued For neither was he the more excused by the delay he vsed nay it had beene a lesse offence if amazed with some sudden newes he had beene incited vnto so hainous an offence but after so long delay deliberation at last to effect such a matter betokeneth a bloudie mind obdurate in wickednes as he well shewed himselfe afterward to haue not sparing the rest whō before time he held most deere who although they were lesse to be pitied in that they iustly suffered yet was it an argument of his like cruelty in that he abstained not from their deaths also but we will speake hereof hereafter THE XVII BOOKE OF THE ANTIQVITIES OF THE IEWES WRITTEN BY FLAVIVS IOSEPHVS The Contents of the Chapters of the 17. booke 1 Of Antipaters malice who was Herodes sonne 2 Of Zamaris the Babylonian Iew. 3 Of Antipaters treacherous practises against Herode his father 4 How Herode sent Antipater vnto Caesar. 5 Of Pheroras death 6 How Pheroras wife was accused for intending to poyson the king and how Herode knew Antipaters practises against him 7 How Antipater was condemned to die and imprisoned 8 Of Herodes sicknesse and the sedition amongst the Iewes 9 Of Antipaters death 10 Of Herodes death his testament and funerall 11 How the people began a sedition against Archelaus 12 Of the sedition of the Iewes against Sabinus and how Varus punished the authors thereof 13 How Caesar ratified Herodes testament 14 Of the false Alexander 15 How Archelaus being againe accused was banished vnto Vienna CHAP. I. Of Antipaters malice who was Herodes sonne AFTER that Antipater had made away his brothers thorow the extreme impietie and vnbridled furie wherewith Herode their father was incensed and whetted against them yet incontinently obtained he not that which vndoubtedly he hoped for For being deliuered and discharged of that feare he conceiued least his brethren should be partakers with him in the kingdome he found it a difficult and dangerous matter for himselfe to finde the meanes how he might obtaine the kingdome so strange and hainous a hatred had all the nation conceiued against him On the other side in shewing himselfe proud and loftie he more and more whetted and encreased that hatred which the souldiers had fore conceiued against him in whom notwithstanding the securitie of the kingdome consisted if it should fortune so to fall out that the people should attempt any alteration All which mischiefes were begotten by his owne sinnes and the vnnaturall murther of his brothers Naithelesse he gouerned the kingdome with his father liuing in no lesse authoritie then himselfe Herode also reposed more confidence in him euen in those things for which he was worthie to lose his head For the king conceiued that in confirmation of his good affection towards him Antipater had accused his brethren as vnder resolution to continue his father in securitie and not for any hatred he bore as well vnto them as to his father though indeed he hated them for his fathers sake being transported with furie But all these were but as it were many subtill stratagemes to insinuate himselfe into Herodes counsailes and sauours and these did he craftily make vse of to cut off the occasion least any should preuent or accuse him of that which he pretended to doe and that Herode might be depriued of all meanes and manner of reliefe if so be Antipater should bend his forces against him For the treason he complotted against his brothers proceeded from the hatred he bare vnto his father but at that time was he the more egged on to prosecute his intended purposes without any delay or procrastination For if Herode should happen to die it was a matter most assured that the kingdome should be his and should his life conti◅ any longer time and the practise Antipater went about should be discouered seeing himselfe inuironed with these dangers he should be inforced to make his father his enemy For which cause he vsed verie
was poisoned by Piso whereof he died as it is declared in another place CHAP. IIII. The rebellion of the Iewes against Pontius Pilate PIlate Gouernour of Iudâ—… led his army from Caesarea to Ierusalem where he wintered them with an intent to bring in Caesars statues and standards into the Citie in contempt of our lawe which forbiddeth vs to make images For which cause those Gouernours that were before him were wont to make their entries into the Citie without such pictures or paintings Pilate was the first who vnawares and by night entered Ierusalem bringing with him his images Which when the people vnderstood in great multitudes they resorted to Caesarea beseeching him for many daies that he would transport those images into some other place But when as Pilate denied them to performe their request because the matter would redound to Caesars dishonour and the Iewes also ceased not to sollicite him some sixe daies after commanding his souldiers to lie in ambush in a readinesse he sate him downe in the Tribunall within the Hippodrome making vse of the oportunitie of the place for that it was most fit for a stratageme There being vrged once more about the same businesse he gaue a signe to his souldiers to beset them threatning them with death except they would presently giue ouer their suite and repaire euerie one of them with all speed to their owne houses But they prostrating themselues vpon the earth and offering their naked throats tolde him that they rather desired to die then to see their lawes violated which were with so great iudgement and reason proposed vnto them Pilate amazed at the confidence they shewed in the conseruation of their lawes sodainly caused Caesars images to be transported out of Ierusalem into Caesarea and out of the sacred treasurie he made certaine conduits of water that had their fountaine heads more then two hundreth stades off But the people tooke no pleasure in those conduits and diuers thousands of men assembled themselues exclaiming against Pilate endeuouring thereby to make him giue ouer his enterprise Some of them also vttered diuers iniurious speeches against him as it ordinarily falleth out amongst an vnbridled multitude But he causing them to be hemmed in by a great number of his souldiers attired in a popular habite as soone as they began to exclaime against him gaue a signe to his souldiers they as it was before time commanded them made vse of their maces and without distinction either of the persons or the offenders fell on all those whom they had encompassed And so vnmercifully laid on them who were naked and disarmed that some of them were slaine othersome grieuously hurt and after this manner was the tumult and sedition appeased At that time was IESVS a wise Man if it be lawfull to call him a Man For he was the performer of diuers admirable workes and the instructer of those who willingly entertaine the truth and he drew vnto him diuers Iewes and Greekes to be his followers This was Christ who being accused by the princes of our nation before Pilate and afterwards condemned to the Crosse by him yet did not those who followed him from the beginning forbeare to loue him for the ignominie of his death For he appeared vnto them aliue the third day after according as the diuine Prophets had before testified the same and diuers other wonderfull things of him and from that time forward the race of the Christians who haue deriued their name from him hath neuer ceased At that time also there fell out another accident which verie sore troubled the Iewes and in the temple of Isis at Rome there were many shamefull acts committed But I will first of all recount the accident in the temple of Isis and then will I declare that which befell the Iewes There was in Rome a Ladie called Paulina renowmed both for the nobilitie of hir house as also thorow her studie and exercise in vertue Besides this she was verie rich and with her riches beautifull and in her flowring yeeres and notwithstanding a verie mirrhor of chastitie She was married vnto a certaine noble man called Saturnine that equald her in all those her excellent perfections A certaine young man called Decius Mundus one of the knights of greatest account at that time fell in loue with her But she was of that disposition that it was impossible for him to corrupt her by presents And the more she refused those infinite presents which he sent vnto her the more was Mundus heart inflamed with ardent affection so that to enioy her but onely one night he offered her two hundreth thousand drachmes amounting in our English money to some sixe thousand pound yet for all this he could not ouercome her For which cause being vnable to endure this his vnfortunate loue he thought best to pine himselfe away for want of sustenance thereby to deliuer himselfe from the tyrannie of that passion wherewith he was afflicted Finally that he confidently resolued he constantly put in execution Now there was a certaine free woman that belonged to Mundus father whose name was Idâ—… expert in all sorts of subtilties who being sore aggrieued to behold the young mans resolution whom she saw wholy addicted to a desperate death she addressed her selfe vnto him and encouraged him with hope promising him to bring him to Paulinas speech by the meanes of a certaine bribe which she intended to offer He reioycing verie much at her motion demanded what summe would serue her who requiring nothing more then fiftie thousand drachmes to obtaine Paulina he furnished her presently When as by this means she had quickened the young mans spirit and receiued all that which she demanded she shaped not the same course which others had kept that had the sollicitation of the matter before seeing she saw that money would not tempt her but knowing that she was deepely deuoted to the seruice of Isis she practised this subtill and vnexpected policie She addressed her selfe to certaine priests of the temple and vpon great hopes and offer of greater presents and paying them downe vpon the present twentie and fiue thousand drachmes and promising them as much more vpon the performance of the bargaine she disclosed vnto them the passionate loue which the young man bare vnto Paulina exhorting them to worke so wisely that he might enioy her They bewitched with this huge present they had and hoped to receiue promised her to worke the feat Whereupon the eldest among them resorted to Paulina and hauing free accesse vnto her presence he required that he might haue conference with her in secret which when he had obtained he tolde her that he was sent vnto her by God Anubis in that the God was surprised with her loue and desired that she would come vnto him Paulina tooke great pleasure in this his discourse and tolde her familiars how she had been honoured with the amorous solicitation of a God and certified
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
when I came to Belara which is scituate on the confines of Ptolemais distant some 20. furlongs frō Gaba where Ebutius encāped at that time and besetting all the passages with courts of guard whereby we might be more secure from the excursions of our enemies vntill we had carried out the wheate whereof there was a great quantitie stored vp in that place which was gathered out of the townships therabout belonging to Queene Berenice and loading diuers Camels and Asses which to that ende I had brought with me I sent the same corne into Galilee And hauing finished this businesse I offered Ebutius the battell and whereas he detracted the same being terrified by our boldnesse I tooke my course to encounter with Neopolitanus who as it was reported was in the territorie of the Tiberians and foraged there Now this Neopolitanus was a captaine of horsemen and had vndertaken to defend Scythopolis against their enemies Hauing therefore driuen him from doing any wrong in the countrey belonging to the Tiberians I prouided for the securitie of Galilee But Iohn the sonne of Leui who as we said liued at Gischala after he heard that all things sell out fortunately with me and that I was loued of my subiects and feared by mine enemies was fore aggrieued thereat and supposing his owne fortune was embased by my felicitie and being touched with no small enuie and in greater hope that he should hinder my good successe if so be that he could bring me in hatred with my subiects he sollicited those of Tiberias and Sephoris to forsake me and supposed also that the Gabarenians would reuolt vnto him which Cities are the chiefest in Galilee For he told them that vnder his conduct the common weale should be more discreetly gouerned but among the rest the Sephorites gaue least eare vnto him for that neglecting vs both they onely held for the Romans As for the Tiberians they would not consent to rebell yet notwithstanding they promised him some friendship But the Gabarenians wholy addicted themselues vnto Iohn by the meanes of one Simon a principall Citizen who was Iohns fellow and friend Yet did they not openly seeme to allow him for that they vehemently feared the Galileans whose good will towards me they were long time assured of but priuily they sought another meanes to entrap me And truely I fell into great danger vpon this occasion For when as certaine Dabarittenians being audacious young men had intelligence that Ptolomeis wife the kings steward vnder the conduct of certaine horsmen should in great pompe trauell along the great plaine out of the kings countrey into the Romans gouernment they sodainly set vpon them and putting the woman to flight they spoiled all that which shee carried with her Which done they droue to Taricheas a place where I then kept certaine moyles loaden with apparell and houshold stuffe of diuers sorts among which there were diuers siluer vessels and fiue hundreth pieces of gold Intending therefore to reserue these things for Ptolomey as being one of the same tribe in that our lawe permitteth not to defraud no not our enemies if they be of the same tribe I told those that brought the goods thither that they must be kept to be solde to the end that the price of the goods might be bestowed vpon the building of the wals of Ierusalem This motion of mine the young men interpreted verie hardly in that they were cut off from the part of the pray which they hoped for For which cause dispersing themselues in the streetes of Tiberias they spred a rumour that I would betray that country to the Romans alleadging that I onely fained that the pray was destinated toward the repairing of the walles of Ierusalem whereas the truth was that I kept the same to the intent I might restore it to the owner In which matter they were no whit deceiued in their opinion For after the departure of the young men I called vnto me two chiefe Citizens Dassion and Iannaeus the soones of Leui intire friends to the king and commaunded them that taking the houshold stuffe with them they should conuay it vnto the king threatning them with death if they reuealed this secret vnto any man But when as the rumour was spred thorow Galilee that I would betray the region into the hands of the Romans and all of them being grieuously bent and intent against me to punish me they of Taricheas also giuing credit to the young mens fained speeches perswaded my guard and the rest of the souldiers that forsaking me whilest I was asleepe they should come into the horse race and consult with other in that place how to degrade me and giue the honour vnto another They being perswaded came to the appointed place where they found many others there arriued and all of them cried out with one consent that it was meete to take punishment on a traytor who hath sought the destruction of the common weale But he that most of all incited them to these troubles was Iesus the sonne of Saphias who at that time had the magistracie of Tiberias in his hands a man giuen ouer to all wickednesse and borne to breed troubles and stirre vp seditions This man bearing Moses tables in his hands and comming out into the midst of the assembly spake thus with a loud voice If said he you be touched with no care of your selues yet at leastwise contemne not these sacred lawes which this your chiefetaine Ioseph a man worthy to be hated by all men hath of long time dared to betray and for that cause is worthy of extreame punishment After he had spoken thus and was applauded by the acclamations of the people he leading the armed men with him hastily repaired to the house where I kept with a certaine intent and purpose to put me to death Meane while I suspecting nothing of all this tumult and tired with labour and wearinesse tooke my rest when as sodainly Simon one of my guard who at that time only remained with me seeing the incursion of the people came and awaked me and certifying me of mine instant perill he gaue me counsell likewise that rather like a noble and vndaunted chieftaine I should shorten mine owne life then shamefully die by mine enemies direction Whilest he gaue me this counsell I committing my safetie to Gods hands and changing my garments went foorth into the assembly after a mournfull manner and wearing my sword hanging about my necke stealing by that way by which I knew that none of mine aduersaries might meete me and comming into the horse race I offered my selfe to euerie mans eie and lying prostrate on my face and watring the earth with my teares I mooued al men that beheld me to compassion And when I perceiued that the affections of the people were changed I laboured all that I might to deuide them in opinions before the armed soldiers returned from my house and confessing my selfe
the Iewes how he came how he fought against me the first time neere to the Citie of Taricheaâ—…how I departed from thence to repaire to Iotapata my taking my deliuerance and all my actions and fortunes during the warres of the Iewes and the siege of the Citie of Ierusalem But now me seemeth that it is necessarie that I describe other things exploited by me during my life time in other places then in the warres of the Iewes After the siege of Iotapata was ended I was prisoner with the Romans and kept verie carefully yet notwithstanding Vespasian did me much honour For by his commandement I married a virgin that was one of those that had been taken captiue in Caesarea But she remained not long time with me for after I was set at libertie and that I followed Vespasian she retired her selfe to Alexandria After which I married another woman in Alexandria from whence I was sent to Titus to the siege of Ierusalem where I was oftentimes in danger of death For the Iewes laboured what they might to take and punish me and the Romans supposing that as many and oftentimes as they were repulsed it was by my treason cried out continually to the Emperour to execute me for a traitor But Titus well experienced in the changes of warre pacified the violence which his souldiers intended against me by his silence And after the Citie of Ierusalem was taken Titus often solicited me to take that which I liked among the ruines of Ierusalem promising to giue it me But I making but small account of any thing after the ruine of my countrey besought him that he would giue me certaine free men and the sacred Bible which I receiued for a great consolation in my miseries All which he gratiously granted me Not long after hauing begd my brother and fiftie other of my friends they were giuen me and I was refused in nothing Entring into the temple by Titus permission I found a great number of prisoners shut vp therein and all those women and children of my friends and familiars whom I knew I deliuered them to the number of one hundreth and ninetie without paying any raunsome and I restâ—…d them to their former free condition Being sent with Cerealis and one thousand horse into the Citie of Thecoa by the Emperour Titus to espie if the place were fit for a campe in returning from thence I saw diuers prisoners who were on the gibbet amongst which were three of my familiars whereat I was grieued in my soule and I came and signified the same vnto Titus with teares who incontinently commaunded thâ—… they should be taken downe and as carefully drest and cured as might be two of which died notwithstanding the vtmost diligence of the Phisitions and the third suruiued After that Titus had appeased the troubles of Iudaea coniecturing with himselfe that the possessions which I had in Ierusalem would yeeld me but little profit by reason of the Roman garrison that should be placed there he planted me in a possession in a champion countrey and intending to embarke himselfe to depart for Rome he tooke me with him in his owne ship and did me great honour As soone as we came to Rome Vespasian had great care of me for he lodged me in his owne house where he kept before he was Emperour and honoured me with the title of a citizen of Rome and gaue me an annuall pension in money and as long as he liued continued his good affection towards me forgetting no kind of bountie which he might vse towards me Whereupon I was so much enuied that I grew in daunger thereby to lose my life For a certaine Iew called Ionathan hauing stirred vp a sedition in Cyrene gathered about him some two thousand inhabitants of the countrey was the cause of their ouerthrow and as touching himselfe being bound by the gouernour of that countrey and afterwards sent vnto the Emperour he said it was I that had sent him armes and money But Vespasian knew his falshood and condemned him to death and commaunded him to be executed After this mine enemies obiected diuers crimes against me in regard that I was in good reputation but God so wrought that I escaped them all Moreouer I receiued in gift from Vespasian an ample possession in Iudaea and at that verie time I forsooke my wife because her manners pleased me not although she were the mother of my three children of whom two are deceased and the third who was called Hircanus is yet aliue After this I maried a wife that was borne in Candie and was by nation a Iew and by birth noble and one of the greatest reputation amongst the inhabitants endowed with as laudable manners as any other vertuous woman whatsoeuer as her after life most plainly expressed By her I had two sonnes Iustus who was the eldest and Simonides who was also surnamed Agrippa Thus farre as touching my domesticall affaires That bountie which I receiued from the hands of the Caesars hath alwaies continued mine For after Vespasians death Titus who succeeded him in the Empire continued the same fauour which his father had shewed me For although I were oftentimes accused yet were not mine aduersaries beleeued Domitian who succeeded him augmented mine honours For he punished those Iewes that accused me and gaue order that the Eunuch and slaue whom I kept to teach my sonne and by whom I was accused should be punished He granted me extemption also from all the tributes of Iudaea which is one of the most greatest honours that a man may receiue And as touching Domitia the Emperours wife she alwaies continued her good affection towards me Behold heere the short recitall of my whole life whereby let each man coniecture of my manners as him listeth But O thrice excellent Epaphroditus after I haue giuen and offered thee all this ancient history of our nation I will for this present pause in this place THE LAMENTABLE AND TRAGICALL HISTORIE OF THE VVARS AND VTTER RVINE OF THE IEWES Comprised in seuen Bookes by Flauius Iosephus the Sonne of Matthias And newly translated out of the Latin and French into English by Tho. Lodge D. M. P. Printed at London on Bread-street hill at the signe of the Starre 1602. TO THE RIGHT WORSHIPFVL HIS esteemed friend M. Anthony Palmer Esquier SIR my affection that had rather be an actor then an orator doe well then speake well hath pickt you out to be the patron of this tragicall historie of the wars of the Iewes The reasons that draue me herevnto are neither the expectance of worldlie benefits nor the fruitlesse vp-shot of ostentation but your virtue which is not beloued respectiuelie but onely for it selfe hath created this good conceit in me which if you so please your acceptance may continue Now since as the Philosopher supposeth it is an action worthy a good man to do good vnto his friend so is it no lesse commendable to accept
person was to be brought into iudgement there to answere the matter and shew the king a reason and satisfie the lawes of his countrey which permitted no man to be put to death before by law he was conuicted By these perswasions Hyrcanus grew angrie so that not concealing his wrath he caused Herode to be sent for to answere the matter who both for that his father aduertised him thereto and because he trusted to the equity of his cause first leauing a garrison in Galilee he repaired vnto the king came accompanied with a strong guard least either he should seeme to derogate from Hyrcanus dignitie if he should lead forth many or that for want of defence he should expose himselfe to the enuie of his aduersaries Sextus Caesar also fearing the young man least any euill should betide him amongst his enemies sent vnto Hyrcanus manifestly warning him to free Herode from the crime of murther For which cause Hyrcanus who loued Herode and was willing so to do of his owne accord did acquite him Whereupon he supposing that he had escaped against the kings will went to Damascus vnto Sextus purposing not to obey if hereafter he were sent for Naithelesse Hyrcanus was once againe incited by bad people against Herode who certified him that he was gone away in a rage and that he would enterprise something against him which Hyrcanus beleeuing knew not what to doe seeing his enemie more potent then himselfe Shortly after Sextus Caesar proclaimed him Generall of the army both in Syria and Samaria so that now he was greatly to be feared not onely for that he was highly in fauour with the comminaltie but also for the forces which he commanded So that hereupon Hyrcanus fell into an extreme feare verily perswading himselfe that Herod with his whole army would presently come against him Neither was his suspition in vaine for Herod angrie at the pretended crime wherof he was accused came with a great army to Ierusalem intending to depose Hyrcanus which he had effected had not his father and his brother gone forth to meet him and pacified him entreating that he would account that terror wherein he had put his enemies and his owne indignation for a sufficient reuenge and that he should spare the king by whose fauour he came to be so potent adding moreouer that he should not thinke it a disdaine that he was called to answere his accusations but seeing that he was acquited of them he should shewe himselfe gratefull to the king Neither ought he so to reuenge the discontent he had taken that he should shew himselfe vnthankfull to him who had saued his life Moreouer he was to consider the fortune of warres togither with the cause thereof and thinke that the warres he now pretended were very vniust bidding him not to be too confident of the victorie being to fight against his owne king who had alwaies been gratious vnto him and neuer cruell only being as it were vrged thereunto by some of his councell who being meerely enuious rather to satisfie their owne mislikes then in regard of his disgraces framed a shadow of an accusation Herode pacified herewith supposing it to be sufficient for him to obtaine the thing he hoped for to haue shewed his forces vnto his nation At this time began Ciuill warre among the Romans neere vnto Apamia for Caecilius Bassus for the loue he bare to Sextus Pompey slew Sextus Caesar at vnawares and made himselfe gouernour of his army and other captaines of Caesars to reuenge his death made after Bassus with all their forces vnto whom Antipater by his two sonnes sent aide both for Caesars sake that was slain as for Caesars sake that was yet aliue for he was an entire friend welwiller vnto them both and these warres continuing long Marcus came out of Italy to succeed Sextus CHAP. IX Of the dissension amongst the Romans after Caesars death and of the treacherie of Malichus AT this time arose great and bloudy ciuill warres amongst the Romans at such time as Caesar was traiterously slaine by the treason of Cassius and Brutus after he had ruled the Empire 3. yeers and seuen moneths By reason of which murther their troubles daily increased and the nobilitie being at variance amongst themselues euerie one followed that course that they thought most expedient for themselues Whereupon Cassius presently marched into Syria to take possession of the gouernment of the army which was about Apamia where hee made Marcus and the legions that were at variance and Bassus friends and raised the siege from Apamia and leading the army in his owne person he forced euerie citie to be tributarie so that he grew to exact without measure Whereas therefore he commanded the Iewes to contribute seuen hundreth talents Antipater who feared his displeasure appointed his sons and other of his friends presently to gather the money and especially among the rest he gaue this charge to one Malichus a friend of his being by necessitie inforced thereunto But Herode first of all got Cassius his fauour who brought a hundreth talents which he had collected out of Galilee which was his part or prouince for this cause Cassius accounted him as a deare friend As for the rest he accused them of negligence and was angrie at the other Cities So that for that cause he destroied Gophna and Ammauntes and other two of the basest cities marching onward as if he intended to kill Malichus for that he had been so carelesse and negligent in gathering the tribute mony But Antipater presently disbursing vnto Cassius a hundreth talents saued both him and all the rest of the Cities Yet Malichus after Cassius was departed did no more remember how beneficiall Antipater had been vnto him but oftentimes did treacherously lie in waite for to murther Antipater who hindred and withstood his villanous pretence notwithstanding that himselfe had often confessed that Antipater had saued his life Antipater fearing both his power and subtiltie passed ouer the riuer Iordan to gather an army that he might reuenge those treacheries But Malichus being discouered by his impudencie ouercame Antipaters sons for through many oths and excuses he woon Phasaelus chiefe of the garrison in Ierusalem and Herod also who was master of the armorie that they should be a meanes to reconcile him to Antipater Whereupon Antipater entreating Marcus who was Generall of the army in Syria and had determined to kill him he was saued The reason that Marcus would haue put him to death was because Malichus sought to make an alteration Now Caesar being young and Antonius warring against Cassius and Brutus Marcus and Cassius hauing gathered an army in Syria in consideration that Herode had stood them in steed where need required they made him Procurator of all Syria giuing him a band of horsemen and footmen Moreouer Cassius promised him that if the warres had a happy end he would make him king of
but after he had made him high Priest in the seuenteenth yeere of his age he presently put him to death after he had so honoured him who when he came to the Altar clothed in sacred attire vpon a festiuall day all the people wept and the same night was he sent to Iericho and drowned in a lake by the Galatheans who had receiued commission to performe the murther These things did Mariamme daily cast in Herodes teeth and vpbraided both his mother and sister with verie sharpe and reprochfull words yet he so loued her that notwithstanding all this he held his peace But the women were set on fire and that they might the rather moue Herode against her they accused her of adulterie and of many other things which bare a shew of truth obiecting against her that she had sent her portraicture into Aegypt vnto Antonius and that through immoderate lust she did what she could to make her selfe knowen vnto him who doted vpon womens loue and was of sufficient power to do what wrong he pleased Hereat Herode was sore moued especially for that he was iealous of her whom he loued bethinking himselfe vpon the crueltie of Cleopatra for vvhose sake king Lysanias and Malichus king of Arabia were put to death and now he measured not the daunger by the losse of his wife but by his owne death which he feared For which cause being drawen by his affaires into the countrey he gaue secret commaundement vnto Ioseph his sister Salomes husband whom he knew to be trustie and one who for affinitie was his well-willer to kill his wife Mariamme if so be Antonius should haue killed him But Ioseph not maliciously but simply to shew her how greatly the king loued her disclosed that secret vnto her and she when Herode was returned and amongst other talke with many oaths sware that he neuer loued woman but her indeed quoth she it may well be knowne how greatly you loue me by the commaundement you gaue to Ioseph whom you charged to kill me Herode hearing this which he thought to be secret was like a mad man and presently perswaded himselfe that Ioseph would neuer haue disclosed that commaundement of his except he had abused her so that hereupon he became furious and leaping out of his bed he walked vp and downe the pallace vvhereupon his sister Salome hauing fit opportunitie confirmed his suspition of Ioseph For which cause Herode growing now raging mad with Iealousie commanded both of them to be killed Which done his wrath was seconded by repentance and after his anger ceased the affection of loue was presently renewed yea so great was the power of his affection that he would not beleeue she was dead but spake vnto her as though she were aliue vntill in processe of time being assertained of her funerall he equalled the affection he bare her during her life by the vehemencie of his passion for her death Mariammes sonnes succeeded their mother in her wrath and recogitating what an impious act it was they accounted their father as a mortall enemie both before and after they went to studie at Rome and especially after they came againe into Iudaea For as they encreased in yeeres so did the violence of their mind encrease And they being now mariageable one of them maried the daughter of their aunt Salome who accused their mother the other maried the daughter of Archelaus king of Cappadocia And now to their hatred was there ioyned a libertie to speake more freely against them and by this occasion of their boldnes many were animated to calumniate them so that some did openly tell the king that both his sonnes sought to worke treason against him and that the one of them prepared an army to helpe the other to reuenge the death of their mother and that the other to wit he that was sonne in law to Archelaus purposed to flie and accuse Herode before Caesar. Herode giuing eare vnto those calumniations sent for Antipater whom he had by Doris to the end he might defend him against his two sons and sought to aduance him aboue them But they thought this alteration intolerable seeing one whose mother was but a priuate woman so preferred and they moued with their owne noblenes of birth could not containe their indignation but vpon euerie occasion shewed themselues offended yet were they euery day lesse accounted of As for Antipater he wrought himselfe into fauour for he knew how to flatter his father and raised many slaunders vpon his two brethren partly inuented by himselfe partly diuulgated by some of his fauorites whom he set a worke about that matter till that at last he put his brethren out of all hope of hauing the kingdome For he was now by the kings Will and Testament declared king so that he was sent as a King vnto Caesar in a kingly habit and pompe only he wore no Crowne and in time he so preuailed that he wrought his mother into Mariammes steed and with flatteries and calumniation so moued the king that he began to deliberate about the putting to death of his sonnes For which cause he conducted his sonne Alexander with him to Rome and accused him before Caesar that he had giuen him poyson But he with much adoe hauing obtained libertie to plead his owne cause and that before an vnskilfull Iudge yet more wise then Herode or Antipater he modestly held his peace in all things that his father had offended in and first of all he purged his brother from daunger of that crime and taking the vvhole matter vpon himself he in verie good sort acquited himselfe therof And afterwards he inueighed against Antipaters subtiltie complained of those iniuries which had been offered him hauing besides the equitie of his cause sufficient eloquence to acquit himselfe for he was a vehement orator and knew wel how to perswade Last of al he obiected that his father hauing a desire to put both him and his brother to death had laid an accusation vpon him where at the whole audience wept and Caesar was so moued that not regarding the accusations that were laid vnto them he presently made Herode and them friends vpon these conditions that they in all things should be obedient vnto their father and that their father should leaue the kingdome to whom he pleased Hereupon Herode returned from Rome and though he seemed to haue forgiuen his sonnes yet laid he not his iealousie and suspition aside For Antipater stil vrged his argument to make Herod hate his other two sonnes though for feare of him that reconciled them he durst not openly shew himselfe an enemie vnto them Afterward Herode sailed by Cilicia and arriued at Elaeusa where Archelaus receiued him verie courteously thanking him for the safetie of his sonne in law and verie ioyfull for that they were made friends for he wrote vnto his friends at Rome with all speede possible that they should be
last for the same put to death Herod caused the Gouernour of the castle to be tortured but he confessed nothing that was laid against him and although he had no good proofe of any thing yet he commaunded his two sonnes to bee kept in hold He likewise called Eurycles who was the bane of his house and the breeder of all the mischiefe author of his safetie and one who had well deserued at his hands and gaue him fiftie talents who departing from Iudaea before matters were well knowne went to Archelaus and faining that he had reconciled Alexander and Herod he receiued there a peece of money From thence he went into Achaia and spent that which he had euilly gotten in as bad manner as he got it Lastly he was accused vnto Caesar that he had caused dissension in all Achaia and spoyled the Cities for the which cause hee was banished And this was the punishment which was inflicted vpon him for Alexanders and Aristobulus troubles It is not amisse here in this placeto compare Euaratus of Cous vnto this Eurycles who being a deare friend vnto Alexander and arriuing about the same time that Eurycles did being put to his oath sware that he heard the young men say nothing yet his oath nothing preuailed nor profited them poore soules For Herod would onely heare and giue eare vnto accusatitions and hee highly esteemed them that would beleeue them with him and shewe themselues moued thereat Moreouer Salome encreased his crueltie towards his sonnes for Aristobulus minding to bring her into the same trouble with himselfe who was his mother in law and his Aunt sent vnto her willing her to looke to her selfe as though the King was minded to put her to death Who being now called into question for the matters whereof she was before accused to wit that she purposed to marrie with the kings enemie Syllaeus the Arabian to whom she priuilie reuealed the Kings secrets and this was the vtter ruine of the young men wherewithall they were ouer throwne as it were with a violent tempest For presently Salome went vnto the King and told him what Aristobulus had admonished her of and he being now outragious caused both his sonnes to be bound and imprisoned in seuerall places Then sent he Volumnius who was the Generall of his Armie and Olympus one of his familiar friends vnto Caesar to carie him the informations against his sonnes in writing who sayling to Rome after their arriuall deliuered the Kings letters And Caesar was verie sorie for the young men yet hee permitted the father to doe what hee would with his children and so wrote vnto him that he should haue licence to do what he thought good yet he signified vnto him that he should do better to cal his Nobles together and let them make enquirie concerning the treasons and then if he found them guiltie of these things whereof they were accused to put them to death Hereupon Herod according to Caesars letters and appointment came vnto Berytum and there gathered an assembly to sit in iudgement the chiefe in that iudgement were the Gouernors that Caesar in his letters appointed Saturninus and Pedanius Ambassadors and with them Volumnius Procurator next the kings kinred and Salome and Pheroras and then the nobilitie of Syria Archelaus onely excepted who because he was father in law to his sonne Herod suspected him to be partiall But hee suffered not his sonnes to come into iudgement for he knew that the verie sight of them would haue moued all men to compassion And moreouer if they were permitted to speake for themselues that then Alexander would easily haue acquited them both for which cause they were kept in Platane in a Castle of Sidonia The king beginning his oration was as vehement as though they had beene present against whom he spake and he was halfe afraid to obiect anie treason against them for that he had no proofe thereof and therfore he prosecuted their opprobrious words iniuries and offences which they had committed against him the which he affirmed to be more grieuous then death At last when no man contradicted him he began to lament as though by ouercomming in such sort himself was also ouercome thereupon requested euery one to giue their vedict And first of all Saturninus condemned his sonnes but not to die saying that he had three sonnes present and he thought it not lawfull to adiudge other mens sons to death The two Legats also affirmed the same and many followed their aduise But Volumnius was the first that pronounced the sorrowfull sentence after whom all the rest followed some to flatter Herod some for hatred they bare him but none for anie indignation against the young men Then all Iudaea and Syria expected an end of this tragedie yet no man thought Herod to be such a Tyrant as that he would haue put his two sonnes to death Herod caused his sonnes to be brought to Tyre from thence by ship he conueyed them to Caesarea bethinking himself what death he should put them to In the meane time there was an old souldiour of the kings named Tyro who had a sonne belonging to Alexander and highly in his sauour and he himselfe greatly loued the two young men who being verie much grieued in mind at that which had past went about crying that iustice was troden vnder foote truth opprest that nature was confounded and the life of man full of iniquitie and whatsoeuer else griefe put into his mind who nothing esteemed his owne life At last this Tiro came boldly vnto the king and sayd vnto him O king thou seemest to me most vnhappie who doest giue credite vnto wicked and vile persons against thy dearest sons For Pheroras Salome thou beleeuest before thy owne children whom notwithstanding thou hast often found to haue deserued death and thou dost perceiue that they do this to the intent to make thee want lawfull successors and leaue thee none but Antipater whom they with all their harts would haue king because they can rule him as they list But bethinke thy selfe O king how all thy souldiours will hate him for the death of his two brethren for there is no man that doth not pitie the two young men and many of the Nobilitie are displeased hereat After he had spoken this he named them who were displeased whereupon the king presently commaunded them and him and his sonne to be laid hold on and presently one of the kings Barbers named Tryphon shewing himselfe to be in I know not what furie came forth and said vnto Herode Tiro perswaded me to kill thee with my razour promising me that if I would so do Alexander would giue me great rewards Herod hearing this caused Tiro and his sonne and the barber to be tortured and they denyed all and the Barber affirmed nothing more then hee had already said Then he commaunded Tiro to be more tormented Whereupon his sonne moued with
Varus sitting in iudgement commanded all proofes to be brought and witnesses to appeare amongst whom were certaine of Antipaters mothers seruants lately apprehended who had letters from her to carie vnto him to this effect For asmuch as all those things are now knowne vnto thy father beware that thou returne not vnto him before thou hast obtained some warrant of thy safetie from Caesar. These and others being brought in Antipater also came in with them and prostrating himselfe before his fathers feete he said I beseech thee O father beare no preiudicate opinion against me lend me an open eare whilst I purge my selfe for if you please to giue me leaue I will proue my selfe guiltlesse But Herod with a vehement voice commanding him to hold his tongue spake thus vnto Varus I know Varus that both thou or anie other iust and indifferent Iudge will adiudge Antipater to haue deserued death and I feare me least you also should disdaine me for my bad fortune and thinke me worthy of all calamitie who haue begotten such sonnes as you see And yet this should moue thee so much the more to pitie me who haue beene so mercifull and carefull for such wicked caitifes For I had alreadie appointed those young men that are dead to be kings and brought them vp at Rome gotten them Caesars fauor but they whom I had so much honored and exalted vnto the crowne became traitors against mine owne life whose death was much auaileable to Antipater For his securitie I sought therein because he was a young man and the next that should succeed me but this cruell beast being more then full gorged with my sufferance patience hath emptied his stomacke euen vpon my selfe and thinketh my life too long is grieued that I liue to be old hath attēpted to make himself king not any other way but by murthering his father And for what cause did this come so to passe for that I recalled him out of the field where he was contemptible and casting them off whom I had begotten of a Queene appointed this to be heire of my kingdome I confesse vnto thee Varus my errour for I incited them against mee because that for Antipaters sake I depriued them of their right For wherein had I so well deserued of them as at this mans hands vnto whom being yet aliue I committed the sway and rule of my kingdome and openly in my will and testament declared him to be my heir and successor whole charges I with mine owne money haue still supported notwithstanding that I had bestowed vpon him the yeerely reuenues of fiftie talents And lately when he was to saile to Rome I gaue him three hundred talents and commended him vnto Caesar as the onely man of all my house who had preserued his fathers life And what was their offence if it be compared with Antipaters and what proofe vvas there of that for vvhich they suffred none but that vvhich this fellovv trecherously inuented Nay I may boldly say so of him vvho hath attempted to murder his father and novv doth hope to colour all againe vvith craft and deceit Beware Varus that he deceiue not thee for I knovv this beast and I euen novv see by his fained teares hovv probable a tale he vvill tell This fellovv once vvarned me that vvhilest Alexander liued I should bevvare of him and not put euerie one in trust vvith my person This is he vvho vvas vvont to go before me into my bed-chamber and looke about in euerie corner least some should haue lyen in vvait to haue effected any treason against me This is he vvho vvatched me in my sleepe and through vvhom I thought my selfe secure vvho comforted me vvhen I mourned for them that vvere put to death This is he vvho censured the good vvil of his brethren vvhen they vvere aliue This vvas my defender chāpion O Varus vvhen I remember his crafts and subtilties and all his counterfeitings I scarcely thinke my selfe aliue admiring how I escaped the hands of such a traitor and seeing that Fortune stirreth vp those of mine owne house against me and that those whom I most esteeme of are my greatest enemies I will bewaile mine owne fortune and alone lament mine owne desolation and not one that hath thirsted after my bloud shall escape although proofe be brought against euerie one of my children And thus his heart being surcharged with sorrow hee was forced to breake off his speech and presently he commanded Nicholaus one of his friends to shew all the proofes and euidences All this while Antipater lay prostrate at his fathers feete and lifting vp his head he cryed aloud Thou thy selfe O father sufficiently purgest me For how should I be one who sought to murther thee when thy selfe dost confesse that I alwayes haue preserued thee from all dangers Or if as thou saist I did it fainedly was it probable that I wold be so circumspect in other affaires and at other times and now in so waightie a matter play the part of a foolish sencelesse man nay I might well thinke that although such a thought might haue beene kept secret from men yet it could not be hidden from God who seeth all things Was I ignorant what befell my brethren whom God so punished for their wicked intents towards thee Or what should cause me to enuie at thy life The hope of the kingdom Why I had the kingdome Or a suspition of thy hatred towards mee I knew thou louedst mee Or anie feare which I had of thee Nay in obeying thee I was feared of others Perhaps want might cause mee thereto Much lesse For who might spend more then I Truly if I had beene the wickedst person in the world or the cruellest beast vpon the earth yet should I haue relented being ouercome by the benefits of so louing a father seeing as thy selfe hast said thou didst recall and preferre me before so many sonnes And thou yet aliue didst proclaime me king and made me a spectacle to all men for to emulate through the benefits thou bestowedst vpon me O wretch that I am O vnhappie time of my absence out of my country what an head did I giue to enuie what oportunitie to malicious deceitfull people Yet O father it was for thy sake and about thy affaires that I went to Rome that Syllaeus might not triumph ouer thy old age Rome can witnesse my pietie and Caesar the Prince of the whole world who did often call me a louer of my father Receiue here O father his letter farrer 〈◊〉 then these fained calumniations against me let these plead my cause let these shew my affection towards thee remember how vnwilling Iovas to saile to Rome knowing I had here in thy countrey many secret enemies Thou like an vnwise father hast cast me away thou force 〈◊〉 to giue enuie time to frame accusations against mee but now I vvill come to the proofes of
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
whole armie and almost all of them came running to see their generall and especially Titus who feared his fathers death so that the whole armie partly for the loue of their generall and partly for the feare of Titus his sonne were greatly troubled but Vespasian presently freed the armie from al perturbation and his sonne Titus from feare For the griefe of the wound being past he shewed himself to all that were sorrowful for him and incited them to fight against the Iewes more earnestly then before and now euery one as it were to reuenge their generall despised all danger and assaulted the wals one exhorting another Ioseph and his associates notwithstanding that many of them were killed with shot darts and arrowes yet they forsooke not the wals but with fire and sword and stones fiercely assaulted them that being defended with hurdles battered the wals with the Ramme but to little purpose for they were continually killed being in the sight of their enemies and for that they could not see them presently were stroken downe For their fire did make such a light as though it had beene day so that the Romans easily perceiued whither to direct their shot and for that their engines were not perceiued a farre off the Iewes could not defend themselues from the arrowes and stones which were shot against them by which meanes many of them were slaine and the tops and corners of the towers beaten downe And there was no man so wel guarded but he was slaine by force of these stones so that any man may know of what force that engine is by that which hapned that night For one that stood neere Ioseph vpō the wal was strokē with a stone his head caried frō his body by violence of that blow three furlongs as though it had been cast out of a sling the next day a woman great with child was stroken on the belly with one of those stones and the child caried forth of her from the place where she was stroken three furlongs so great was the force of this engine Therefore the violence of the engines was more terrible and likewise the noise of darts arrowes and other shot And many were slaine on euerie side and the bodies of those that were killed stroken against the vvall made a noise and within the citie was heard a pitifull lamentation and weeping among the women without a heauy mourning and crie of them that were wounded to death and all that part of the wal where the fight was flowed with bloud so that now the multitude of dead bodies had so filled the ditch before the wall that the Romanes might easily passe ouer them into the citie and the mountaines about did eccho with the cries of the citizens and all that night long nothing vvanted that either might by the eie or eare moue terror And many stoutly fighting for Iotapata died most valiantly many also vvere sore vvounded and notwithstanding the vvall was continually battered yet it vvas almost morning before it fell being all night long beaten with the Ramme And then they of Iotapata repaired the breach vvith their bodies and armour before the Romans could set bridges to enter it CHAP. X. How Iotapata was againe assaulted IN the morning Vespasian brought his armie to enter the breach hauing giuen them but little rest after their whole nights labour and desirous to make the Iewes that defended the breach to forsake their place before such time as he entred hee tooke the most valiant of his horsemen and vnhorsed them being armed from the head vnto the foote and placed them in three rankes that they being so armed might besiege round that part of the wall that was battered and to take long pikes in their handes so that as soone as the bridges were set they should first enter the breach After them hee placed the strongest of his footemen the rest of his horsemen hee set round about the Citie vpon the mountaine to the end that none might escape thereout after the footemen he commaunded archers to follow with their arrowes readie in their hands and them that vsed slings also and other engines for shot And he caused other to scale the wals where they were not battered to the intent that the townesmen busied in resisting them might leaue the breach vnmanned and the rest being wearied oppressed with the thicknesse of the shot should of force forsake their standing But Ioseph perceiuing his intent placed old men and children and those that were alreadie wearied vpon those parts of the wals that were not battered and himselfe with the stowtest in the Citie went to defend the breach and placed sixe men before them whom he choose out himselfe being one of them to sustaine the first brunt of their enemies assault commaunding them likewise to stop their eares to the end that they might not be terrified with the cries of the armie He willed them also to defend themselues with shields against the darts and arrowes and giue backe a little till such time as the Archers quiuers were emptied and if so bee that the Romans should offer to make bridges that then they with their instruments should resist and that euerie one now should fight not to defend his Countrie but as it were to recouer it being in a manner alreadie lost and imagine that they now did see their aged men murdered with their children and their wiues almost taken by their enemies and now to reuenge themselues vpon those that hereafter would massacre their whole Citie and thus he appointed men in both places The weaker multitude women and children seeing the Citie compassed about with three ranckes of horsemen and that the Romans with swords drawne preased against the breach that all the mountaines about did shine and glitter with their weapons that were placed there and certaine Arabians to serue the Archers with arrowes they cried out as though the Citie were now taken so that a man would haue iudged them alreadie amidst their enemies swords and not onely in danger to fall into their hands Wherefore Ioseph commaunded the women to their houses least their cries should effaeminate his souldiers mindes willing them likewise to keepe silence and threatned them if they did not and so hee marched vnto the breach which place fell vnto his lot and gaue no heede to them that sought to scale the wals but onely beheld a farre off the force of the arrowes When all the trumpets began to sound and the ayre to bee obscured with the multitude of arrowes Iosephs companions remembring the charge giuen them stopped their eares and armed their bodies against the shot of arrowes And so soone as the bridges were set against the wal presently they ran before the Romans could enter vpon them they got them into their hands resisted them that sought to come vpon them shewing great prowesse and strength and themselues no way inferiour vnto the Romans though
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
consist in theeues and slaues but now manie people of the countrie came vnto him reuerencing him as their Prince and king So they made excursions into the Toparchie of Acrabatena and into the greater Id◅maea For he had fortified a towne called Nain walled about which he vsed for his defence like a castle And in the valley called Pharan he made many caues and found many alreadie made and in these caues he kept his treasure and the booties he got also all fruits of the earth that he robbed and stole there he laid vp in store as also munition for diuers companies And now no man doubted but that being thus furnished with men and munition he would go to Ierusalem The Zealous fearing this and desirous to preuent him whom they euery day did see encrease his number to grow more potent against them they armed many of their companie and went out to meet him Simon was not daunted at this but boldly incountred them gaue them so sharpe a battaile that he slew many of them in fight and forced the rest to retire themselues into the towne yet hauing men sufficient he would not besiege the towne but first of all he purposed to subdue Idumaea and so accompanied with twentie thousand armed men he hasted towards the borders thereof The princes of Idumaea vnderstanding this presently assembled fiue and twentie thousand armed men and leauing at home sufficient garrisons to defend their countrey against the incursion of the Sicarij which held the fortresse of Massada they accompanied with this train went out and expected Simons comming into the borders of their country where hauing met him they ioined battel and fought a whole day yet neither partie got the victorie Then Simon returned to Nain and the Idumaeans home Not long after Simon with a greater armie then before assaulted the borders of their countrie and pitching his tents in a village called Thecue he sent one of his companions named Eleazar to them that kept the castle Herodium not farre from that place to solicite them to yeeld it vnto him The garrison there presently receiued him into the castle not knowing the cause of his comming But so soone as he began to perswade them to treason they all pursued him with their drawne swords and he not hauing any place to flie vnto cast himsel◅e from off the castle wall into the valley vnderneath and so presently die◅ The Idumaeans something fearing Simons forces before they would offer him battell thought it best to espie what number of men he had to effect which busines one Iacob a ruler amongst them offered himselfe meaning indeed to betray his countrie to Simon So departing from Olu◅us where the Idumaeans forces were assembled he went vnto Simon first of all promised him to betray his country vnto him receiuing of him an oath that for reward of this deed he should alwaies be next in dignitie vnto Simon himselfe and so he presently promised to helpe to subdue all Idumaea For this cause he was welcome to Simon and feasted liberally and had great promises if he performed that which he offered and then returned vnto the Idumaeans and fained that Simons armie was farre greater then indeed it was And so at last terrifying the gouernours of his countrey and the people he by little and little perswaded them to receiue Simon and without any more fight yeeld vnto him the whole soueraigntie ouer thē ◅cob studying to bring this his purpose to passe priuily sent messengers to Simon willing him to come with his forces and promising him to subdue the Idumaeans for him which also he did For when the armie of Simon drew neere he first of all got vpon his horse and together with his associates that were partakers of his treason he fled vnto the enemie Then feare fell vpon the Idumaeans and euerie one without any more adoe departed home Thus Simon against his owne expectation entred Idumaea without bloudshed and first of all assaulting a little village called Chebron vpon a sodaine he tooke it and in it an exceeding great bootie a great quantie of Corne and many fruites which all hee carried away The inhabitants report that this Chebron is not onely more ancient then all Cities of that land but also then Memphis ◅n Aegypt for they affirme it to haue beene built two thousand and three hundreth yeres since They also say that this was the place where Abraham the father of the Iews dwelt after hee forsooke Mesopotamia and that his posteritie departed from hence to Aegypt And of this there are yet monuments in the Citie richly wrought in fine marble Sixe furlongs from the towne there is an exceeding great Turpentine tree which they affirme to haue endured euer since the creation of the world vntill this day Simon hauing obtained this place from hence he inuaded all Idumaea and not onely robbed and spoyled all townes and Cities thereof but also he wasted and destroyed many territories for besides his armie there followed him fortie thousand so that he could not find victuals sufficient for such a multitude Moreouer besides this calamitie that he brought vpon Idumaea hee exercised great crueltie and outrage vpon the Countrie and so caused a greater spoyle therein And like as after locusts the trees and woods where they haue beene are left without leaues so wheresoeuer Simon had beene al the countrie from whence he came he left desolate And either by fire or ouerthrowing it by ruinating places wher he came or else by treading vpon it with the feet of his armie or by deuouring such as they found they left nothing standing nor growing either in field or towne and onely by passing through fertile places he made the fields harder then barren ground left no signe in places which he had destroyed that euer they had beene tilled Hereat the Zelous were againe moued yet durst they not fight with him in open field but placing ambushes in the way he was to passe they tooke Simons wife and many of her seruants and so came againe into the Citie reioycing as though they had taken Simon himselfe For they perswaded thēselues that Simon would presently laying armes apart come in humble wise and intreate them to restore vnto him his wife But Simon was not moued with compassion for the losse of his wife but with furie and comming to the wals of Ierusalem like a cruell beast that had beene wounded and could not come to them that hurt him he killed and slew all he met And taking them that went out of the Citie to gather herbs and wood hee caused them to be whipped to death whether they were young or old and this crueltie seemed onely wanting in him that he did not eate the flesh of the dead bodies Also he tooke many and cut off their hands and so sent them into the Citie thereby to terrifie his enemies and to recall the people from the Zelous and bad
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
that our funerals should neither bee pompeous nor our sepulchres gorgious commaunding euerie houshold to performe all necessaries touching the buriall of their dead permitting all men at any ones death to assemble themselues together and bewaile the dead It also commaundeth euerie one yea euen the dead mans owne family to purifie themselues after the buriall and to goe a farreoff as seeming to bee vncleane It also appointeth punishment for them that haue committed murder either wilfully or against their will It bindeth euerie man to obey his parents next after God and commaundeth that those children that doe not shewe themselues gratefull vnto them or in any thing doe grieue them that they should be stoned to death It also commandeth all yong men to reuerence olde men because God is elder to vs all It permitteth not friends to councell any impietie for God is not their friend who doth not disclose them and if friends fall out that doe know one anothers secrets yet they are commaunded not to bewray them If any Iudge take a bribe he is to be punished with death for omitting iustice and assisting the guiltie No man must take any thing away that he himselfe placed not and no man must take that which is not his owne No man for lending must take vsurie and many such like things our law commaundeth concerning cause of communion betweene vs and others It is also not amisse to recount how our law maker prouided for the entertaining of strangers amongst vs For he seemeth so to haue prouided that to our knowledge wee neither corrupt our owne lawes nor denie to impart them to others but hee entertaineth all liberally that will come and liue vnder our lawes iudging the communitie of mans life not so much to consist in the nation whereof we come as in the vnitie of our minds and conuersation He forbiddeth others that are strangers and come not with that intent to be admitted to our solemnities yet he commanded vs to exhibite vnto them all other things necessarie and that wee should giue vnto all men fire water meate and burie them being dead He hath also most mildly determined how we ought to deale with our enemies that wee neither destroy their Countrie with fire nor out downe their fruit trees Wee are also forbidden to rob and spoyle those that are slaine in fight and deale iniuriously with our captiues and especially if they be women yea hee so endeuoured to teach vs humanitie mildnes that he prouided that we vse euen vnreasonable beasts courteously only imploy them to serue our lawfull need and no further for he forbiddeth vs to kill any tame thing bred in our houses and that we should not kill the olde beasts and their young together and although many wilde beasts enemies to mankind doe assist vs in our labours yet he commaunded to spare them also And that in euerie point hee established humanitie and mildnesse amongst vs vsing as is before said lawes to direct vs therein enacting also other how they who infringe the foresaid laws may be with al seueritie punished for the punishment allotted to the violaters hereof is for the most part death as if any man commit adulterie rauish a virgine vse the sinne against nature with another or suffer himselfe to bee so abused We also haue lawes concerning our seruants our measures and weights and vnlawfull bargaines and sales or deceite if either one take any thing that is an other mans or which is not his owne all these are to be punished not as other nations punish them but much more grieuously But whosoeuer either iniurieth his parents or committeth impietie against God he shall presently bee destroyed but they that obserue this law are rewarded not with gold or siluer nor with a crowne beset with precious stone but euerie one hauing his conscience to witnesse doth greatly profit and gaine eternitie as both our law-maker prophecieth and God himselfe doth most assuredly promise to them that obserue them And if it chance that we bee forced to suffer death for them yet doe we ioyfully goe to execution nothing doubting but that we shall so exchange this life for a better I should bee loth to report this if our deedes did not make it manifest for many of our forefathers onely for that they refused to speake against our lawes or otherwise then our lawes permitted haue most manfully and constantly indured all torments and death it selfe If our nation were vnknowne to all the world and that this our voluntarie obseruation of our lawes were not manifest to all people if any man should report vnto the Greekes that either hee had read this which I haue declared or else that hee had found people in a straunge land such as we bee hauing so pius and honest opinions concerning God and who had for many ages perseuered therein I doubt not but they would all admire and wonder hereat considering the great mutabilitie amongst themselues To bee short their are some who sticke not to deride them who haue lately written of the gouernement of Commonwealthes and lawes as though they had written thinges fabulous and altogether impossible And that I speake nothing of other Philosophers that haue written of this argument That diuine Plato amongst the Greekes a man who in honest life vertuous speech and sound Philosophie excelled all others This man is almost continually scoffed at by them who in their owne conceit are skilfull in ciuill affaires and brought in as a vice in a comedy Whereas whosoeuer considereth his writings with diligence shall often and easily finde matter agreeable with most mens manners yea this Plato himselfe confesseth that he dare not by reason of the common peoples ignorance set downe the true opinion of God But many thinke Platoes words full of varietie and licentiousnesse and admire Lycurgus and euerie one commendeth the Citie of Sparta for that it so long time perseuered in his lawes It is therefore an euident demonstration of vertue to remaine in their lawes But if those who so admire the Lacedemonians doe compare them with vs and the time during the which their lawes were in force with the time of our common wealth they shall finde that ours hath continued more then two thousand weeres They shall also finde that the Lacedemonians did onely perfectly obserue their lawes during such time as they were in prosperitie and libertie and that when their fortune chaunged that then they became vnmindefull of their lawes But we who haue felt many thousand mishaps by reason of the often chaunge of princes in Asia haue not in these our last miseries and euils forsaken our lawe Neither can any man say that libertie and licentious life is the cause why we so diligently obserue them seeing that who so please may see sufficient proofe that they tie vs to more strict life and laborious then those of the Lacedemonians did them For they neither tilled the
earth nor vsed any handy craft but ceasing from all labours and paines taking liued in their Citie far and faire-liking hauing both their meate and all other necessaries prouided and prepared for them by others and esteemed that onely their felicitie to doe or endure any thing so that they might preuaile against those against whom they enterprised warres and that they failed also herein I omit to rehearse For not onely one or two of them at once but oftentimes whole companies of them forgetting their owne lawes yeelded themselues to their enemies And can anie one tell of I say not so many but of one or two of vs that euer was treacherous to his own lawes or that feared to die for them I meane not a common death such as souldiers are subiect vnto but such a death as is effected by all torments and tortures that can be deuised Which I think those that preuailed against vs imposed vpon vs not for hatred but that they desired to see so admirable a matter and to see if we being but men and such who esteemed it the greatest impietie possible to doe it could be compelled by them to speake or doe any thing contrarie to our lawes Yet it is no wonder that we for our law doe die with such constancie rather then any other nation for other nations cannot abide to endure that which we account a triflle to wit labour and simple fare and that no man eate whatsoeuer or what he desireth or lie with them whom he ought not or be idle except he be of noble birth or go gallantly attired and we are alwaies carefull that when we fight against our enemy we obserue our lawes concerning our meats And thus we take pleasure to obserue and keepe our lawes and to exercise fortitude in obeying them Let now Lysimachus or Molonus passe and such as they be wicked lying writers and Sophisters deceiuers of young men and detracters of our owne nation as though we were the wickedest people liuing As for me I will not examine the lawes of other nations for it is our custome to keepe and obserue our owne not to detract others yea and our law-maker openly prohibited vs from blaspheming such as other nations hold for gods onely for the name of God attributed vnto them yet may we not leaue the obiections of our accusers vnanswered seeing that which wee are to speake against them is not our owne deuice but many before vs haue spoken it Who then of all the wise Greekes will not condemne the most famous Poets and especially the law-makers who at first brought and setled such vaine opinions of the gods amongst the cōmon people affirming the number of them to be so many as they thought good and to be borne at diuers times one of another allotting to euerie one his proper place as vnto other liuing creatures some to be vnder the earth others in the sea and the ancientest amongst them in Hell fettered and bound and those whom they place in heauen in words they do terme him a father but in deeds they shew him to be a tyrant and for this cause they report that his wife his brother and his daughter whom they affirme to haue been borne of his braine conspired against him to binde him and hang him as they report him also to haue dealt by his father Against these vanities all excellent and wise men doe worthily inueigh who beside this already rehearsed too in derision adde how some of the gods are young and some olde and some infants others are gods of artes and sciences and one is a Smith another a Weauer another a Pilgrime and is at variance with mortall men others delight in musicke others in shooting moreouer that they are at variance one with another amongst themselues and that they fall our one with another in mens behalfe and that not onely one of them laieth violent hands vpon the other but that also they are wounded by mortall men and sorrow feele griefe for the wounds and that which is most abominable of all do vse carnall copulation with mankind and that most vndecently that their vnbridled lust is extended both to men and women Then that their chiefe God of all whom they call father contemned and drowned certaine women whom he himselfe had deceiued and gotten with childe and that he could not deliuer the children borne of these women from calamitie for that destinie had obliged him not see their deaths without teares This is all good stuffe as also is that which followeth to wit adulteries committed in heauen so openly and impudently amongst the gods that some professe themselues to enuie their fellow gods and goddesses tied togither in such filthinesse And what should the rest of them doe when as their king and the most auncientest amongst them could not refraine his lustfull licentiosnesse from the company of women Moreouer some of them became seruants vnto men and some built houses for money and others became shepheards others like malefactors were chained in hell What man then that euer was accounted wise would not blush at these follies and reprooue the inuentors thereof and the foolish beleeuers also Others presumed to feigne both terror and feare and madnes and such simplicitie as that they might be deceiued and all other naughty passions to be found in the nature of their gods haue perswaded whole cities to offer sacrifices to the most noble amongst them And they are in great perplexitie thinking that some of the gods are the giuers of all good things others again to be their enemies and so seeke to please them with gifts as they would doe wicked men and they are verily perswaded that they shall sustaine great domage by their meanes except they doe daily pacifie their wrath by frequent gifts What is the cause of this shamefull ignorance and erronious iniquitie concerning God Truely I am perswaded for that their first law-makers were themselues herein to seeke and ignorant of the nature of God and that they did not faithfully deliuer vnto their common wealth so much as themselues knew concerning this point but as thought it had bin a thing of least moment did wilfully let it passe giuing licence to Poets and permitting them to deifie and make gods whom they pleased and that the Orators should write of the common wealths affaires and tell what them liked of strange gods Moreouer the painters and image-makers amongst the Greeks had a great hand in making of gods it being lawfull for them euerie one to frame what shape he list and how he list some of earth others in colours and the chiefest godmakers amongst them vse iuorie and gold to make their gods of a true argument of their mutable noueltie And then the auncient gods whom they first so honoured and reuerenced as they could possibly deuise being now withered with age are out of credit and other youngsters possesse their places and honours their
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
instructed vs we are all of one mind and all alike affected doe therefore no longer prolōg the time in vaine I came hither for to suffer not to speake vse all your tyrannie possible against this bodie for you haue no power at all ouer my soule The tyrant hereat moued to see this third nothing relent by his brothers death he deuised more crueltie thē humane wit alone could inuēt Wherefore he commaunded a globe to be brought and tied the holy martyr about it in such sort that all his bones were set out of ioynt and displaced whereat the holy martyr was nothing dismaid The skin also of his head and face was pulled off and then he was put vpon the wheele but he could not be racked any worse for that all his bones were displaced and did hang one separated from an other in most pitifull manner and when bloud issuing from him aboundantly he was depriued of the vse of his hands and feete but perceiuing his life to be spent he spake thus and died We O tyrant endure this torment for the loue of God and thou the author of such iniust crueltie shalt suffer euerlasting paine Then his tongue being cut out of his mouth he was put into a frying panne and so amidst those torments yeelded vp the Ghost Next after followed Iudas the fourth brother whom all the people perswaded and entreated to obey the king but he contemning their praiers and exhortations said thus with all constancie Your fire shall neither separate nor seuer me from the law of God nor from my brethren who in steed of this mortall life enioy life euerlasting I denounce vnto thee O tyrant destruction and ouerthrow but to such as beleeue saluation make triall of me therefore thou cruell wretch and see if God will forsake me who hath with open and stretched out armes receiued my three brethren that are gone before me and whom the wombe of so holy a mother at seuerall times brought forth vnto glorie The cruell tyrant hearing this was much moued and lept downe from his chaire to torment this martyr himselfe that so he might ouercome him and in his furie commaunded his tongue to be cut forth but he hereat not terrified said vnto Antiochus This crueltie will nothing auaile thee neither shalt thou hereby tyrannt as thou supposest conquer me Our God needs not by voice to be awakened but rather by secret cogitation to be praied vnto to helpe his seruants he prouideth for them that hold their peace and heareth the praiers of such as doe call vpon him if they deserue to be heard and onely requireth puritie of soule For our God knoweth all things before we aske and before we our selues enter into cogitation thereof he vnderstādeth our necessitie cut out my toong thou canst not cut out my mind while my life remaineth Those praiers which by it I haue vttered to Almightie God haue taught it to suffer would God thou wouldest so sanctifie all parts of my body by punishing them for thou therein inflictest punishment vpon thy selfe and reward vpon me thinke not that thou shalt thus escape long vnpunished When he had thus spoken his tongue was cut out of his mouth and he bound to a stake and there he was beaten with ropes ends and he did patiently endure this notwithstanding the colour of his face became dead and wanne Being loosed from thence he was put vpon the wheele and then praying for his countriemen he by death went vnto the rest of his brethren Then Achas the fifth brother before he was haled to torments spake in this manner Behold thou tyrant I come to be punished before thou commaund me hope not therefore any iot to alter his mind who as thou seest desireth to be tormented The bloud of my foure innocent brethren which thou hast shed hath condemned thee to hell fire I am to make them vp the number of fiue that by it thy paines may be encreased Tell me bloudie wretch for what offence by vs committed dost thou thus punish vs for what impietie dost thou so persecute vs what villany haue we committed what wickednesse what naughtinesse haue we attempted This is all thou canst alleage against vs that we honour God our creator liue iustly in obedience of his lawes and therefore do not esteeme thy punishments but they are to vs honour and saluation and not punishment we shall be greatly rewarded by God if no part of vs be left free from torment Whilest thus he spake his executioners by the kings commaund tooke him and cast him into a brasen pot and was prest downe in it his head to his feet and afterward he suffered all other torments which his brethren had indured yet not amazed hereat he sodainly started vp and thus bitterly inueighed against the tyrant Cruel tyrant how great benefits dost thou against thy will bestow vpō vs yea the more thou art incensed against vs the more acceptable to God shalt thou make vs yea I should be sory if thou shouldest shew mercie vpon me This short affliction gaineth vs life euerlasting if this tēporall death should not beride me euerlasting life could not befall me And thus he finished his agonie and died When the tormentors laid hands vpon the sixt brother who was called Areth whom the tyrant permitted either to chuse honour or else punishment but he agrieued at this offer said Although tyrant I be younger in yeeres then my martyred brethren yet my constancie of minde to theirs is not inferiour for we were all nourished vp togetheraltoger her instructed and we will all die together in the feare of God Hasten therfore to thy deuised torments that time which thou couldest spend in exhorting me spend it in deuising tortures for me Antiochus hereat confounded commaunded him to be bound to a pillar with his head hanging downe in such wise as humours running into it might cause ach and this done he caused a fire to be made so far Off him that it could not burne him but rost him He also commaunded as he hung to be pricked with awles that so the heat might pierce into the holes that they made in his flesh Whilest thus he was tormented much bloud like froth gathered about his head and face and he then spake in this manner O noble fight O valiant war O strife betweene pietie and impietie These men haue past their agonies whose crowne of martyrdome is the punishment of their persecutors I do most willingly follow my brethren that as by bloud I am conioyned vnto them so by death I may not be separated from them Deuise O tyrant some new torment for these which thou hast alreadie deuised are alreadie ouercome O master of crueltie enemie of pietie persecutor of iustice we sixe worthie young men haue conquered the kings power what his kingdome or the whole world could offorde Thy fire is cold and heateth not and the kings weapons are bended and blunted in our bodies
vnspeakable None of you were terrefied with feare but you so hastened to your deaths as though you had onely beene to go to blisse and felicitie you were truely brethren who euen by death were linked together God hath greatly in you magnified our nation and in you shewed vs all an example of fortitude whom therefore I thinke he caused to be so many in number as were the daies wherein he created the world so that seuen brethren may resemble the seuen daies wherein in all things were made And why should we so admire this fortitude in these young men when a woman armed her selfe with contempt of death who indeed is not to be called a mother but to be honoured with a higher title then humane frailtie can afford who bare into this world so many triumphs For the mother seeing her children dead was with a kind and godly zeale inflamed also to suffer and no maruaile seeing that the verie bruit beasts if they perceiue violence offred to their young do oppose themselues to perils in their defence and protect them with their wings teeth and talents yea and euerie one that is any way able to make resistance opposeth her selfe to the enemie to defend her young And not onely bruit beasts doe this but euen Bees doe defend not onely their young but also their honie threatning their sting to them that offer to taste thereof and more esteeming the good of their young then their owne liues But this zealous mother directed by the spirit of God and reasons loare hasted that her children might die before her who not being to liue depriued of her children chose rather to see them die ioyfully then to perish in care and sorrow Therefore when al her family had suffered she then the last glorie of them al came to her agony despising the tyrants threats and offering her motherly breast to those torments which her children had suffered O blessed stocke and blessed encrease of the selfesame wombe Why should I not affirme that in all lineaments and feature of the bodie you are like your mother and if this be a commendation in them that beside the shape of bodie receiue nothing else of their mother I will say more of you that you are like your mother in fortitude vertue and religion and that you so in all things resemble her that you are euerie way equall vnto her saue onely herein that she with her eies beheld the immanitie of your torments being also as constant in her owne martyrdome as you in yours She therefore herein excelled you that she suffered seuen torments before she came to suffer in her owne person and feared in euerie one of them least she should be ouercome But O thou example of all women I cannot tel whether thou bare these children in thy wombe or created them who could with drie eies looke vpon them whilst they were torne in peeces yea I say little affirming that thou with patience didst behold these sights for euen thou thy selfe didst exhort them thereunto thou reioycedst to see one of them torne in peeces with fleshhookes the other to be racked vpon the wheele and the third to be bound and beaten thou ioyfully admiredst the others burning and exhortedst the rest not to be terrified herewith and although whilest thou beheldest their torments thy griefe was greater then that which thou hadst in childbirth yet didst thou frame a lightsome and merry countenance as though it had beene one trumphing While they were a killing thou didst laugh and seeing onely one of all thy children left hereat thou didst nothing relent Can I describe how euerie one perished seeing thou their mother didst laugh at their deaths when their sinewes were cut in two their heads fleane their tongues pulled forth by the roots their hands broken their bodies in the fire and cast vpon yron plates red hotte and vpon wheeles and their ribs pulled in sunder and many other torments for the which we want names Neuer was any swanne which by the report of antiquitie sung so sweet a note before her death sweeter then the most melodious harmonie and the most pleasant voice was the funerall verses of those thy children that perished You children were not ouercome by the fabulous Syrens enchauntments who to honour God doubted not to leaue your mother without children And she sprung of noble stocke chose rather to want you all for a short time then to incurre eternall damnation wishing rather that the bodies of her children should be tormented then their soules Well she knew that nothing was more fraile infirme then our bodies which though persecutiō be wanting are often killed with agues and aboundance of blould or fluxes And who is ignorant of shipwracke incident to sailers hazard of life vnto them that trauaile and sodaine death to those that liue in ease Sodaine casualtie by fire and by the hands of theeues and a thousand other waies to dispatch our liues seeing then that our morrall bodies are subiect to so many miseries to bring vs to our ende who would not make choise of a quicke dispatch whereby we loose the goods of this world and gaine life euerlasting O thou most reuerent of all women the credit of thy nation and honour of our religion who like the Arke of Noe didst persist inuiolate amongst such stormie waues for as it withstood the force of the Deluge and being built strongly with firme bords did not suffer any thing within it to perish so thou sufferedst not the tyrant to ouercome the holy Ghost which thou hadst receiued in thy heart Behold of what force and efficacie reason is which often time maketh vs men inferiour to women For neither was Daniel so terrified at the sight of the Lions nor the three children with the firie furnace as this woman was grieued at the death of euery one of her children before she came to her owne agonie What would another woman mother haue done in this case but wept with pitiful lamentations haue cried Ah wretch that I am most vnhappie and miserable of all that breath who therefore bare so many children into this world that their seueral deaths might be so many seueral occasions of my griefe and sorrow she would haue iterated her frequent births and her toyle in her ten moneths bearing them she would haue bewailed her haplesse fortune who brought forth so many deaths and daungers she would haue recounted the milke wherewith she fed them and their meat she had prepared for them the paines she had taken with them how she had caried them in her armes and sung to them and taught them to speake her cares her watchings her feare least any mishap should betide them And with weeping teares would haue said shall I a grandmother embrace your children who a while agoe was a too fruitfull mother and am now depriued of you all If this day I die I haue none to burie me But this handmaide of
Elias foreprophecieth raine 3. Reg. 10. Elias flieth from Iezabel Gods care for his seruants God speaketh to Elias in the desart The yeare of the world 3040. before Christs birth 924. lehuking of Israel Elizeus calling Hedio Ruffinus chap. 14. al. 11. 3. Reg. 21. The story of Naboth who was stoned to death for denying Achab his vineyard Elias prophecieth what reuenge God wil take of Achab and Iezabel Achabs repentance The yeare of the world 3040. before Christ Natiuity 924. 3. Reg. â—…0 Adads warre against Achab The Syrians emballage to Achab. His answere to the Legates A ladâ—… confidence in his soldiers The Israelites God promiseth victory against the Syrians The yeare of the world 3040. before the Natiuitie of Christ. 9â—…4 Achabs victory against the Syrians Adads second expedition against the Israelites The yeare of the world 3041. before Christs birth 923. Adad is receiued into fauour by Achab and dismissed vpon conditioÌ„ The yeare of the world â—…041 before Christs Natiuitie 923. Achab was reproued for dismissing Adad The reward of learned preachers The yeare of the world 3042. before Christs birth 924. Iosaphats pietie 3. Paral. 17. The peace in Iosaphats time Iosaphats armie Iosaphats expedition with Achab against the Syrian 〈◊〉 3. Reg. 22. The yeare of the world 3047. before Christs birth 917. The false prophets prophecie plausibly Micheas the true prophet Hedio Ruffinus chap. 15. 3. Reg. 22. al. 〈◊〉 Achab and Iosaphats warre against the Syrian The yeare of the world 3â—…47 before Christs Natiuity 917. Achab wounded by an arrow in the battell dieth The dogs licke Achabs bloud according to Elias prediction The Oracles of the Prophers are to be reuerenced The matchles necessitie of fate The yeare of the world â—…048 before Christs Natiuitie 916. 4. Reg 3. 2. Pâ—… 19. 20. Iehu the Prophet reprehendeth Iosaphat for helping Achab. Iosaphat reneweth the true seruice of God Iosaphat placed Iudges and Magistrates in euery citie The Moabites and Ammonites warre against Iosaphat Iosaphats praier in the temple of Ierusalem for victory Iaziel the prophet assureth theÌ„ of victorie The yeare of the world 3048 before Christs birth 916. The manner and weapons whereby Iosaphat ouercame his enemies The Ammonites and their confederates kill one another The spoiles of the Ammonites The fame and praise of Iosaphat in euerie place Hedio Ruffinus chap. 2. Ochozias Achabs sonne king of Israel 4. Reg. 1. Ochozias hauing a grieuous fall seeketh to be informed of a false Oracle and is reproued by Elias Elias forme and habit Ochozias soldiers fear to fetch Elias are consumed with lightning The yeare of the world 3048. before the Natiuitie of Christ. 916. The yeare of the world 3049. before the birth of Christ. 915. Ochozias dying without issue â—…am his brother raigned in his steede Elias according as Enoch was taken froÌ„ the sight of men Hedio Ruffinus chap. 3. 4. Reg. 3. Eliâ—…aeus Ioram asketh aâ—…d against the Moabites Want of wâ—… in the Hebrew army The kings seeke for counsell at Elizaeus hands Elizaeus fore-prophecieth store of water and their victory The yeare of the world 3049. before Christs Natiuitie 915. A wonderfull blindnes of the enimy grouÌ„ded on the rednes of the water that flowed The victory of the Hebrewes against the Moabites The king of the Moabires sacrificeth his owne sonne Iosaphats death The yeare of the world 3050. before the birth of Christ. 914. Ioram Iosaphats sonne king of Ierusalem 4. Reg. 4. Elizaeus commandeth the widow to fill her empty vessels with oyle The yeare of the world 3050. before Christs Natiuitie 914. Elizeus aduiseth Ioram to auoid Adads ambush who lay in wait to kill him 4. Reg 6. Elizaeus is besieged in Dothaim by his enemie The Angels about Elizaeus the prophet Elizeus leadeth the Syrians blinded into Samaria where by his perswasion they are courteously entertained and presented by Ioram and sent home Hedio Ruffinus chap. 4. Samaria besieged by the Syrians The yeare of the world 3050 before Christs birth 914. The famine so great in Samaria that women eate their owne children Ioram threatneth Elizaeus death 3. Reg. 7. 4. Reg. 7. The enemies flight by reason of a terror that God sent among them The yeare of the world 3050. before Christs birth 914. The lepers certifie the Samaritanes of the flight of their enemies Spies sent abroad The enemies campe spoiled by the Samaritanes The truth of Gods oracles The punishment of incredulitie 4. Reg. 8. Elizeus is senâ—… vnto by Adad to enquire counsell of him as touching his sicknes The yeare of the world 3055. before Christs Natiuity 909. The prophecy of Adads death and Azaels gouernment Hedio Ruffinus chap. 5. 4. Reg. 8. Iorams impietie The yeare of the world 3057. before Christs birth 907 The Idumaeâ—…s reuolt Iorams wickednes reproued by Elias letters The expedition of the Arabians against Ioram 2. Paral. 21. The yeare of the world 3060. before Christs birth 904. Iorams death The yeare of the world 3060. before the Natiuitie of Christ. 904. Hedio Ruffinus chap 6. Iorams expedition against Ramath 4 Reg. 9. Iehu by Gods commandement annointed king The yeare of the world 3060. before Christs Natiuitie 904. Iorams slaughter The truth of Eâ—…ias prophecy The death of Ochozias king of Ierusalem and his burial A famous example of Gods iudgement 4. Reg. 10. Achabs 70. children slaine in Samaria The yeare of the world 3060. before Christ birth 904. The roting out of Achabs line The slaughter of Ochozias seruants Ionadab The slaughter of Baals priests Baal God of the Tyrians The kingdome promised to Iehus posteritie Hedio Ruffinus chap. 7. 4. Reg. 11. Athalia rooteth out all the royall bloud onely Ioas Ochozias Ion is saued The yeare of the world 3060. before Christs Natiuity 904. Ioas by Ioiadas meanes who was the high Priest is createdding The yeare of the world 3067. before Christs birth 897 Athalias punishment The king and the people ioyned by oth to serue God The restoring of Gods seruice Ioas piety during Ioiadas time The yeare of the world 3067. before Christs Natiuitie 897. 4. Reg. 12. Hedio Ruffinus chap. 8. 4. Reg 12 13 The warre betweene Azael and Iehu The yeare of the world 3089. before Christs birth 875. The restoring of the temple Ioas im pie tie after Ioiadas death and how he was reproued by the Propher 2. Paral. 28. Zachary stoned to death The yeare of the world 3089. before Christs birth 875. The spoile of the temple Ioas death The yeare of the world 3105. before Christs birth 859. 4. Reg. 14. Amasias king of Ierusalem The forces of Israel weakned and restored by God The yeare of the world 3089. before the birth of Christ. 875. Ioas king of Israel and Samaria The yeare of the world 3103. before Christs birth 861. Elizâ—…us foretelleth that Ioas should ouercome the Syrians thrise Elizâ—…us death and the raising of a dead man to life that was cast into his tombe
houses The yeare of the world 3929. before Christs natiuitie 35. Herode being alone and naked in his house escaped vnhurt amoÌ„gst many armed enemies Herode sendeth Pappus head to his brother Phaeroras Herode besiegeth IerusaleÌ„ Herode repaireth to Samaria to marrie Alexanders daughter The yeare of the world 3929. before Christs birth 35. Hedio Ruffinus chap. 26. al. 27. Sofiâ—…s and Herode lead a mightie army against Ierusalem Herode preuenteth the dearth The Iewes without feare resist those that besieged them The outward part of the temple and the lower citie taken The Iewes flye to the vpper citie and the temple IerusaleÌ„ taken The yeare of the world 3929. before Christs birth 35. Antigonus submitteth himselfe to Sosius Herode sore troubled in pacifying the straungers The spoile of the citie hindred When Ierusalâ—… was taken Herode bribeth Antonius with money to make away Antigonus The end of the Asmonean family and the extinction of their priest hood The yeare of the world 3930. before Christs Natiuitie 3 4. Herode preferreth his fauorites and killeth his enemies The Pharisees honoured by him Pollio fore-prophecied Herodes tyrannie The slaughter of them that were of Antigonus â—…action The yeare of the world 3930. before Christs birth 34. Antigonus beheaded Strabo of Antigonus Hedio Ruffinus chap. 〈◊〉 Hircanâ—… heating â—…idings that Herode had obtained the kingdome returneth vnto him Hircanus highly honoured in Babylon by the Iewes Hircanus leauing his country expecteth fauour at Herodes hands Saramalla Herodes embasdour to Phraates Herode highly honoureth Hircanus The yeare of the world 3930. before Christs Natiuitie 34. Herode giueth the high priesthood to Ananel Alexandra soliciteth Antonius by Cleopatras mediation for the high priesthood for hir sonne Antonius requireth Aristobulus at Herods hands The causes why Aristobulus was not sent Herode inueieth against Alexandra for pretending to vsurpe the kingdome Alexandra excuseth herselfe and hauing promise of the priesthood for hir sonne is reconciled to Herode The yeare of the world 3930. before Christs birth 34. Hedio Ruffinus chap. 3. Herode taketh the Priesthood from Ananel The Priesthood taken from three Alexandra suspected by Herode is spied and watched and her actions obserued Alexandra pretending to flie into Egypt is betraied by her seruant Herode contriueth Aristobulus death The yeare of the world 3932. before Christs birth 33. Aristobulus is drowned by Herodes direction Ananell restored to the priesthood The lamentation for Aristobulus death Herodes counterfait sorrow The yeare of the world 3931. before the Natiuitie of Christ. 33. Alexandra certifieth Cleopatra of Herodes treasons and her sonnes traiterous murther Herode readie to repaire vnto Antony commaundeth Ioseph to whose charge he coÌ„mitted the kingdome to kill his wife A foolish rumour of Herodes death Herode appeaseth Anthony by presents and certifieth his friends by letters of his health The yeare of the world 3932. before Christs Natiuitie 32. Ioseph and Mariamme accused before Herode Mariamme excuseth purgeth hir selfe before the king and is reconciled Herode commandeth that Ioseph should be slaine and imprisoneth Alexandra Hedio Ruffinus chap. 4. Cleopatra verie couetous Cleopatra murthereth her brother and sister The yeare of the world 3932. before Christs birth 32. Cleopatra contrieth Lysanias death Antonius giueth Cleopatra a portion deducted out of Iury and Arabia Cleopatra coÌ„meth to Herode who enstateth hir in that the part of Arabia these reuenewes of lericho that were giuen her An intemperate woman giuen to lust Herode goeth about to put Cleopatra to death and is disswaded by his â—…riends Antonius conquereth Armenia Herode bringeth Cleopatra onward off her way towards Egypt The yeâ—…e of the world 3933. before Christs birth 31. Hedio Ruffinus chap. 5. Herode leuieth an army to assist Antonius against Octauian Herode is incited by letters to the Arabian warre Herodes battels and conquests The yeare of the world 3934. before Christs birth 30. Cleopatras chieftaine ouerthroweth Herode The Arabians returning to the barrell kill those that flie and cake the campe The yeare of the world 3935. before Christs birth 29. Hedio Ruffinus chap. 6. An earthquake in Iudaea killeth ten thousand men The Arabians kill the Embassadours of the lewes Herode comforteth the Iewes that were out of heart for their former losses Herode comforteth and exhorteth his soldiers The cause of warre against the Arabians The yeere of the world 3935. before Christs Natiuitie 29. Legates inuiolable With whom soeuer Iustice is there is God also The yeare of the world 3935. before the Natiuitie of Christ. 19. The Arabians are ouercome by Herode The Arabians enforced by thirst require truce at Herodes hands Hedio Ruffinus chap. 7. Herode dismaied at Antonius ouerthrow The yeare of the world 3935. before Christs Natiuitie 29. Herode determineth to make away Hircanus Alexandra solliciteth Hircanus her father to require assistance at Malchus haÌ„ds Three hundreth furlongs containe nine Germaine miles Hircanus by Herodes commaund is put to death Hircanus dieth guiltlesse Hircanus life The yeare of the world 3935. before Christs birth 29. Herodes disposition of his affaires before he repaired to Caesar. Herode commeth to Caesar and declareth vnto him what pleasures he had done Antony promising him no lesse dutie and loue if so be he might be receiued into his fauour The yeare of the world 3935. before Christs Natiuitie 29. Hedio Ruffinus chap. 8. Caesar confirmeth Herodes authoritie Herode conducteth Caesar toward Egypt and presenteth him with many sumptuous gifts Herode inter taineth both Caesar and his at my verie heroically Herode giueth Caesar eight hundreth talents Mariamme and Alexandra displeased with Herode The yeare of the world 3935. before Christs birth 29. Sohcmus discoueteth the kings secrets Herode but coldly entertained by his wife MariaÌ„me Herodes sorrowes to see his wiues affections distracted and chaunged Hrodes siâ—…t 〈◊〉 and his mother incense the king by slaunderous reports against Mariamme Antony and Cleopatra slain Caesar Lord of Egypt Sohemus honoured by Horod with dignities Hedio Ruffinus chap. 9. Caesar enlargeth Herodes dominions The yeare of the world 3935. before Christs birth 29. Mariamme a froward womaÌ„ The yeare of the world 3936. before Christs birth 28 Sohemus suspected by Herode in Mariammes behalfe is put to death Mariamme is accused by Herode and condemned and imprisoned Mariamme by Salomes instigations is led to execution The yeare of the world 3936. before the Natiuitie of Christ. 28. Alexandra vndecently striueth to acquit her selfe of Mariammes treason Herods miserable estate moane after the death of his wife A plague inuadeth IerusaleÌ„ Herode falleth grieuously sicke Alexandra in Herodes absence seeketh to get the possession of the castles The yeare of the world 3936. before Christs Natiuitie 28. Herodes councellors certifie him of Alexandras intent Alexandra put to death Costabarus whom Herode had matched with his sister Salome vsurpeth in Idumaea Costabarus preserued by his wiues intercession Costabarus Lysimachus Antipater
to marrie Alexas Glaphyra somtimes Alexanders wife is sent back to Archelaus king of Cappadocia Hedio Ruffinus chap. 2. Herode bringeth vp his sons children Antipater hateth his brothers children Antipater laboreth his father to breake of the mariages he 〈◊〉 Herodes ninâ—… wiues The yeare of the world 3961. before Christs Natiuitie 3. Herode buildeth a castle in the region of the Trachonites and maketh Zamaris the Iew that came from Babylon gouernour therein Iacim Philip the sonnes of Zamaris Hedio Ruffinus chap. 3. Pheroras deceiued by women The yeare of thâ—… world 3961. before the Natiuitie of Christ. 3. Salome discouereth to Herode the conspiracies of the Ladies and others The Pharisees subtill and arrogant The Pharisees would not sweare obedience but were finde Pheroras wife paieth their fine for which benefit they promise her the kingdome Bagoas Carus and others are put to death by Herode Hedio Ruffinus chap. 4. Herode accuseth Pheroras wife and commandeth him to put her away The reare of the world 3961. before Christs birth 3. Pheroras refuseth to put away his wife Herode interdicteth Pheroras and Antipater their priuic meetings and forbiddeth the Ladies no lesse Herod sendeth Antipater to Caesar. Antipater accuseth Syllaeus at Rome before Caesar. Aretas accuseth Syllaeus for killing Phabatus and others A traitor that sought the kings death is apprehended Anoth soleÌ„nly obserued Pheroras in his sicknes is visited by Herode and being dead is honourably buried by him The yeare of the world 3961. before Christs birth 3. Hedio Ruffinus chap. 5. Pheroras freemen accuse his wife for poisoning him Herode tortureth the Ladies bond women and soundeth out Antipaters their secrets Herode thrusteth Doris Antipaters mother cut of his pallace Antipater the Samaritane declareth how Antipater the kings sonne had prouided poison for his father The yeare of the world 3961. before Christs Natiuitie 3. Pheroras wife confesseth that she hath the poison and casts her selfe downe headlong from the roofe The yeare of the world 3962. before Christs natiuitie 2. The king putteth away his wife and blotteth his sonne out of his testament He degradeth Simon and enstateth Marthias in the Priesthood Archelaus and Philip are accused by Antipaters means Hedio Ruffinus chap. 6. Herod writeth friendly letters to Antipater and calleth him home from Rome The yeare of the world 3962. before the Natiuitie of Christ. 2. Celenderis in Cilicia Sebaste a hauen builded by Herode in honour of Caesar Antipater vpoÌ„ his returne is saluted by no man Quintilius Varus gouernout of Syria Herode calleth his son in question before Quintllius Varus Antipater accused by Herod The yeare of the world 3962. before Christs birth 2. Antipaters answere to his fathers obiectioÌ„ Nicholas Damascene prosecuteth the kings accusation The yeare of the world 3962. before Christs birth 2. Patricide the publike iniurie of life and nature The yeare of the world 3962. be fore Christs Natiuitie 2. Antipater accused by all men Varus giueth Antipater licence to iustify himselfe Antipater striueth by his protestations and inuocations of God to iustifie himselfe The poison is ministred to a condemned man and it killeth him Hedio Ruffinus chap. 7. Herode imprisoned his son sent embassadors to Caesar to certifie his abuses Antiphilus letter to Antipater Acmes letter to Antipater The yeare of the world 3962. before Christs birth 2. Acmes letters to Herode Herode inflamed with hatred against his sonne Antipater layeth all the fault vpon Antiphilus Hedio Russinus chap. 8. Herode falling sicke maketh his will and leueth his succession of the kingdome with his other goods to his friends and kinsfolkes Herode impatient in his old age and wonderous wayward The yeare of the world 3963. after Christs birth 1. A golden Eagle vpon the greatest gate of the temple The yeare of the world 3963. after Christs Natiuitie 1. Contempt of death The yong men pulling downe the goldeÌ„ eagle hew it in peeces with their axes Iudas Matthias with fortie other yong men being brought to the kings presence iustifie their actioÌ„s with ioy and the king sendeth them bounde to Iericho Herode assembleth the gouernours of the Iewes and expostulateth with theÌ„ about this coÌ„motion Matthias is depriued of the hie priesthood and Iozar is assigned his place Ioseph Ellemi for one day hie priest Matthias and Iudas burned The Ecclipse The yeare of the world 3963. after Christs birth 1. Hedio Ruffinus chap. 〈◊〉 Herodes horrible sicknes The hot bathâ—… of Calliroes that flow into the lake Asphaltite Herode bestoweth a distribution among his souldiers Herode commandeth that the noblest of the Iewes should be slain after his death The yeare of the world 3963. after Christs Natiuitie 1. Letters are sent froÌ„ Rome that Acme was executed by Caesars command and that he had authoritie to vse Antipater at his pleasure Herod calling for a knifâ—… and an apple intendeth to stab himselfe Achiab withholdeth his hand Antipater thinking his father to bee dead dealeth with his keeper for his deliuery which Herod heating of commandeth him to be slaine Hedio Ruffinus chap. 10. Herods will is changed His legacy to Caesar and Iulia his wife Herods death Herods mutable strange fortune Salome and Alexas after the kings death dismisse the Iewes y t were shut vp in the Hippodrome The yeare of the world 3963 after the Naâ—…tie of Christ. 1. Hedio Ruffinus chap. 11. Herods thaâ—…sgiuing to his armie and testament read Archelaus is applauded by the people Alias cap. 12. Herods corps is buried with great pompe and solemnity in Herodion The Germans and French serued vnder Herod Archelaus banquetteth the people Archelaus pro miseth that with Caesars approbation hee will carefully intend the desires and profits of the people The yeare of the world 3963. after Christs birth 1. Hedio Ruffinus chap. 12. â—…l 13. The seditious people bewail Matthias and those that were executed with them They would be reuenged on Herods friends and would depose the high priest The yeare of the world 3964. after Christs naâ—… 2. Sedition at the feast of the Passeouer The yeare of the world 3964. after Christs birth 2. Three thousand Iewes slaine Archelaus repaires to Rome and many of his faction follow him Hedio Ruffinus chap. 13. al. 14. Sabinus repaireth to Ierusalem with an intent to leaze Herodes treasures castles Antipas vnder hope to recouer the kingdome saileth to Rome Antipater Salomes son accuseth Archelaus before Augustus Caesar. The yeare of the world 3964. after Christs Natiuitie 2. Nicholaus excuseth Archelaus The yeare of the world 3964 after the Natiuitie of Chrisâ—… 2â—… Caesar pronounceth Archelaus to be worthy oâ—… the kingdome Hedio Ruffinus chap. 14. Marthace Archelaus mother dieth Varus pacifieth the seditious at Ierusalem Alias chap. 15. Sabinus auarice raiseth a great sedition in Ierusalem at the feast of Penticost A most bloudy battel fought betwixt the Romanes and Iewes neere vnto the teÌ„ple
Moses Moses was not a leper Moses tooke his name of Moy which in the Egyptian tongue signifieth water Against Chaeremon the historiographer Messenes son of Amenophis Manethons historie and Chaeremons compared together The difference betweene Manethons and Chaeremons historie Lysimachus is reproued for lying According to Lysimachus yeâ—…abbed and leprous Iewes were to be conueied into the wildernes and cast into the sea When the Iews got Iudaea and built Ierusalem Lysimus his opinion confuted Nothing is to be said against an impudent liâ—… Apion wrote something verie coldly Apion concerning Moses and the Iewes Apions fiction concerning the temple and Moses is 〈◊〉 The computatioÌ„ of the time is different among the Historiographerâ—… The friendship betweene Hiram and Salomon whereof we made mention in the first booke against Apion in the beginning The Egyptians doe call a disease about the priuie parts Sabatosis Apions fiction of the six daies iourney is confuted Apion denieth his countrey and origen Apion raileth against the Iewes as therby rewarding the Alexandrians The sea coast of Alexandria The liberties and priuiledges granted vnto the Iewes Alexander 1 Ptolomaeus Lagus 2 Ptolomaeus Philadelphus The seuentie interpreters 3. Ptolomaeus Euergetes 4. Ptolomaeus Philometor 5. Ptolomaeus Physcon ceased to to persecute the Iewes Of Cleopatra the last queene of Alexandria Anthonie the husband of Cleopatra The Iewes haue beene alwaies trustie to their princes The Egyptians do worship beasts not agreeable to mans nature The discord of the Iewes and the Alexandrians in religion The cause of discord betweene the Iewes and Alexandrians Apions fiction touching the Iewes being authors oâ—… sedition at Alexandria is confuted The Romans magnanimitie towards the Iewes The Iewes may haue no Images How Emperours and magistrates ought to be honored The lye of Possidonius and Apollonius concerning the Iewesis confuted An answere to the objection of the Asses head Who are accounted Asses amongst the Iewes and other wisemen Certaine Histo riographers endeuour to couer and hide Antiochus hiâ—… periutie and sacriledge That the Iewes ought once a yeare to sacrifice a Grecian The description of the Temple porches What was in the temple Foure Tribes of Priests and of euerie tribe more then fiue thousand men Another fable deuised by Apion of Zabidus Dora is a Citie of Phaenicia and not of Idumaea The gates of the temple Apions lie concerning the oath is confuted Apion vpbraided the Iewes with captiuitie Dauids and Salomons power Apion praiseth himselfe Why the Iewes doe sacrifice coÌ„mon beasts and do not eat swines flesh The Egyptian priests circumcised and eate no swines flesh Apions death The defence of Moses against Apolonius and Lysimachus Wherein Apolonius accuseth the Iewes The louers of order common lawes are excellent in meeknesse and vertue Moses more ancient then all other law-makers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This word law is not in Homer The life of Moses Moses maketh God his guide and counceller The Origen of lawes amongst the Greeks The opinion of the wisest Greeks coÌ„cerning God Moses compared with other lawmakers Two methods of moralitie and discipline Moses commaunded all the Iewes to come heare the law The concord of the Iewes in religion What sort of people are to be made priests Of God and of the diuine prouidence The workes of God The sacrifices of the old testament Purifications vsed in sacrifice Of marriage The punishment for him that doth rauish a virgine The purification for the bodie Of the funerals of the dead The honour due to parents Against these and vsurie How we ought to vse our enemies A repetition of the precepts of the law The reward of such as keepe the law The continuance of the lawes amongst the Iewes Plato admired amongst the Greekes Lycurgus the law-maker amongst the Lacedemonians The Iewes compared with the Lacedemonians The streit laws of the lewes Moses forbiddeth to deride and blaspheme false gods only for the name of God impured vnto them The number of Gods amongst the gentle infinit The fable of Iupiter and Pallas Iupiter What is the cause of such error concerning God Poets and pain ters cause the multitude of gods Plato decreed that no poet should be permitted in a comon wealth The Lacedemonians did expell al strangers The AtheniaÌ„s manners Socrates a citizen of Athens Anaxagoras A talent is 600 crownes The Scithians The Persians manners The Iewes coÌ„stancy in their lawes Against the lawmakers of the Gentiles The iniustice of lawmakers The Iewes strict obseruation of the law The Iewes lawes are of great antiquitie The lawes of the Gentiles The Epilogue of this booke The cause why Ioseph writ these bookes against Apion A briefe rehearsall of all that is aboue said The intention of the Iewes lawes The origen of the Iewes lawes Reason hath dominion ouer our passions The death of the seuen brethren and their mother The description of reason and wisedome Griefe and paine cause or hinder passion Reason resembleth a skilfull gardener An instance of Iosephs chastitie An instance of Dauids chirst Samuel 2. 28. Dauid in his thirst refused to drinke the water he so desired Seleucus and Nicanor Simon a traitor to his countrey Appolonius captaine of Syria came with an army to Ierusalem Angels vpon horses shining with fierie brightnesse Onias by prayers obtained Appolonius his life Antiochus his rage against the Iewes Eleazar is brought vnto Antiochus 〈◊〉 Macch. 6. Antiochus his exhortation to Eleazar Eleazars answere to Antiochus Eleazar constancie Eleazar cruelly whipped Eleazars last words in the fire Reasons victorie A similitude taken from the rocke Eleazars praise Antiochus caused seueÌ„ noble young men of the Hebrews and their mother to bee brought to Antioch 2. Macch. 7. The kings exhortation to the seuen brethren The young mens constancie The seuen brethren reply vnto Antiochus Antiochus coÌ„manded Macchabeus to bee racked The death of the elder brother The second brother bought Machir the third brother is brought Iudas the fourth brother is brought The death of the fourth brother Achas The fifth brother presecnted himselfe to torments before he was called The valour of the sixt brother The sixt brother sharpely reproueth Antiochus Iacob the seuenth brother brought to torments All men are borne and must die alike The death of the youngest brother Reason mistres of our affection A similitude of the waues The seuen brethren exhort one another to suffer death manfully True brotherhood A pledge and signe of brotherly amitie The mothers griefe The mother suffered seuen torments before she was tormented A similitude from the Deluge The mothers speech exhorting her seuen sons to suffer A golden saying of the mother of her seuen children The mother followed her sonnes in torments The light of the iust 1. Cor. 15. Antiochus leuied an armie of footemen from amongst the Hebrewes Antiochus dyed stinking exceedingly 2. Mach. 9. An Epitome of the life of the seuen sonnes and their mother The ioy of the blessed in euerlasting life
Antiochus grew mighty and strong and feared to be punished by him for his executions done against the Arabians he slew himselfe with his own hands and Antiochus enioied all his goods CHAP. VI. A mutinie of the rich Iewes the one against the other ONias the high Priest being dead about this time Antiochus gaue the priesthood to Iesus his brother For that sonne vnto whom Onias had left the succession was as yet verie yoong of whom we will speake in conuenient time and place This Iesus Onias brother was depriued of the priesthood thorow the kings displeasure conceiued against him who gaue it shortly after to his yonger brother called Onias For Simon had three sonnes who as we haue declared successiuely possessed the priesthood this Iesus caused himselfe to be called Iason as his other brother caused himselfe to be called Menelaus whereas his name was Onias But Iesus who had first of all been established in the place of the high priest arose against Menelaus who was elected in the place after him The people therefore were deuided into factions and Tobias sonnes were on Menelaus side but the greater number of people followed Iason so that Menelaus and the sonnes of Tobias being grieuously vexed by them retired themselues to Antiochus giuing him to vnderstand that it was their intent to forsake the religion and ordinances of their fathers and to follow that of the kings and to liue after the manner of the Greeks exhorting him to giue them licence to erect a place of Exercises in Ierusalem Which when Antiochus had granted them they so demeaned themselues that there appeared no more signe of Circumcision in them so that at such time as they were naked there was no difference betweene them and the Greekes and neglecting all the ordinances and customes of their countrey they conformed themselues to the behauiour and manners of other nations Antiochus hauing all things in his kingdome according to his hearts desire resolued to make warre in Aegypt desiring to be possessed of the same both for that he contemned Ptolomeies sonnes age who were as yet weake as also for that they were not as yet capeable to manage their so mighty estates Arriuing therfore neer to Pelusium with a great power he circumuented by a subtil pollicie the yong Ptolomey Philometor and subdued Aegypt for after he had besieged Memphis and taken the same he came to Alexandria with an intent to besiege the Citie and to lay hold of the king who was therein But he was driuen not onely from Alexandria but also out of all Aegypt by the sommons that was sent him in the name of the Romans who commaunded him to depart and dislodge his army out of that countrey as we haue heretofore declared in an other place Now will I more largely and particularly discourse the actes and gests of this king who ouercame Iudaea and spoiled the temple For hauing onely made a briefe mention of him in my former workes I thinke it necessarie in this place to make a more exact recitall of his Historie CHAP. VII Antiochus leadeth out his army against Ierusalem taketh the Citie and spoileth the Temple AFter that King Antiochus was returned out of Aegypt and for the feare of the Romans had forsaken that countrey he led his army against Ierusalem and encamped before the Citie and surprised it by surrender in that the gates of the Citie were set open vnto him by those of his faction all which hapned in the hundreth fortie and third yeere of the raigne begun by Seleucus Now when he faw himselfe Lord and master of Ierusalem he slew diuers of the contrarie faction and after he had gathered togither many great and rich spoiles he returned backe to Antioch This misfortune hapned some two yeeres after the surprisall of the Citie in the hundreth fortie and fiue yeere of the raigne of that family on the fiue twentith day of that moneth which we call Chasleu and the Macedons Apellaeus the Romans December in the hundreth fiftie three Olympiade at which time he neither spared them who gaue him peaceable entrance and opened him the gates and effected him the means to spoile the inestimable riches of the temple with greater freedome but being no lesse tyrannous to the friend then to the offender he spared neither For hauing seene what quantity of gold was in the temple and how huge a number of presents and precious ornaments were in the same he was so ouercome with couetousnesse that he brake and violated all conuentions and conditions After therefore he had spoiled the temple and carried away the vessels dedicated vnto God the golden candlesticke the golden altar the table of shew bread the censors and pulled downe the curtaines made of fine linnen and scarlet after he had emptied the treasures that were hidden and left nothing behind him of any valew he drowned all the Iewes in grieuous lamentations For he inhibited and forbad them to offer their vsuall and daily sacrifice vnto God according to the prescript order of the law and after he had spoiled the whole Citie he slew a part of the inhabitants and carried away the rest of them into captiuitie with their wiues and children to the number of ten thousand Furthermore he burned the fairest buildings of the Citie and rased the walles and raised a fortresse in the lower Citie For the temple was as it were a high cittadel commaunding the rest For this cause hauing inclosed it â—…ith high walles and towers he planted a garrison of Macedonians therein with whom remained the rabble and skumme of the wicked Apostate Iewes who were giuen ouer to all impieties and who also afflicted their fellow Citizens with many and mischieuous iniuries The King also commaunded that an Altar should be erected in the temple on which he caused swine to be slaughtered offering sacrifice contrary to the religion and ordinance of the Iewes He constrained them likewise to forsake their deuotion towards God and to adore those Idols whom he reuerenced for Gods building in euery Citie and Burrough both Temples Altars on which he ordinarily caused swine to be offered He forbadde them likewise to circumcise their children threatning to punish him whosoeuer he were that was found to do the contrary Moreouer he chose certaine ouersecrs that should constraine them to fulfill his commandement so that a great number of Iewes some of their owne accord othersome for feare of the threatned punishment endeuoured themselues to satisfie the kings decree But those men who were of vpright hearts and valiant minds little respected these menaces For hauing more respect to their lawes and customes then to the torments wherewith they were menaced if they performed not the edict they were beaten and exposed to most cruell punishment for many daies amidst the which they yeelded vp the ghost For after they were whipt and maimed in their bodies they were crucified and tortured aliue they strangled the women also
with their circumcised children whom according to the Kings commaund they hung about the neckes of their parents who were crucified And if in any place they found any sacred scripture they defaced burnt it and they with whom it was found were put to a most cruell death The Samaritanes seeing this affliction of the Iewes claimed them no more for their kinsmen and called their temple of Garizim no more the temple of God but as we haue heretofore declared they shewed their own corrupt and vnconstant natures and chalenged their descent from the Medes and Persians as in effect they were for which cause they sent embassadours to Antiochus with letters to this effect To King Antiochus the mightie God the suggestion of the Sidonians that dwell in Sichem Our ancestors enforced by the continuall pestilence that raunged in their countrey and induced by a certaine auncient superstition haue beene accustomed to obserue that day as festiuall which the Iewes call their Sabbath and hauing builded on the mount of Garizim a temple and dedicated it vnto a god who hath no name haue offered vp in the same diuers and solemne sacrifices But since that you haue inflicted punishment on the Iewes according as their wickednes deserueth the commissaries of the King supposing that we were tied to their customes by reason of some alliance betweene vs couple vs with them and charge vs with the same accusations whereas we are borne Sidonians as it appeareth by the rowles of our commonweale We therefore beseech you who are our benefactor and Sauiour to commaund your gouernour Apollonius and your steward Nicanor not to molest vs any more by charging vs with those accusations which appertaine vnto the Iewes who neither are tied vnto vs by alliance neither accord with vs in maners but that our temple which hath not hitherto born the name or title of any God may now be called the temple of Iupiter of Greece by which meanes we shall be deliuered from all trouble and being at libertie to intend our affaires we may the easier and more willingly pay you greater tributes To this request of the Samaritanes the King answered sending them backe their owne letter King Antiochus to Nicanor Health The Sidonians of Sichem haue sent vs this suggestion which wee annexe vnto these our letters Since therefore they who were sent vnto vs to this intent haue sufficiently approoued both to vs and our counsel of friends that they are vtterly strangers vnto those crimes wherewith the Iewes are charged and are desirous to liue according to the lawes of the Graecians we absolue them in as much as concerneth this cause and their temple which hereafter shall be called by the name of Iupiter of Greece we haue written to the like effect also to Apollonius our Magistrate Giuen the fortie and sixe yeere and the eleuenth of the Moneth Hecatombaeon which signifieth August CHAP. VIII Antiochus forbiddeth the Iewes to vse their lawes onely Matthias the sonne of Asmonaeas contradicteth him and obtaineth the victory against Antiochus captaines AT that same time there dwelt a certaine man in Modin a village of Iury whose name was Matthias who was the sonne of Iohn and who was the sonne of Simon the sonne of Asmonaeus a Priest of the ranke of Ioarib borne in Ierusalem This Matthias had fiue sons Iohn called Gaddis Simon called Matthes Iudas called Machabaeus Eleazar named Auran and Ionathas called Apphus This Matthias oftentimes complained vnto his sonnes as touching the miserable estate of their commonweale the sacke of their Citie the sacriledge of the temple and the miseries of the people telling them that it were better for them to die for the law then to liue in ignominie When as therefore the commissaries deputed by the King came vnto the Borough of Modim to constraine the Iewes to performe that which was enioyned them and to commaund them to sacrifice according to the ordinance requiring Matthias who surpassed the rest in honour and other qualities but in especiall in excellency of descent and nobilitie to begin first of all to offer sacrifice to the end that the rest might follow him and be induced by his example promising him that in so doing the King would honour him greatly Matthias answered thereunto that he would in no sort commit that idolatrie assuring them that notwithstanding al other nations of the world either in respect of loue or for feare of iustice should obey the edicts of Antiochus yet that neither he nor any of his children could or would be induced to forsake their fathers religion Now as soone as he had returned this answere and held his peace a certaine Iew stepped forth to offer sacrifice according to Antiochus ordinance wherewith Matthias was in such sort displeased that both he and his sonnes fell vpon him and with their swords hewed him to peeces He slew Apelles the kings captaine likewise with certaine other soldiers who would haue withstood him And not content herewith he ouerthrew the Altar crying out with a loud voice If said he any one be affectioned to the lawes of his fathers and the seruice of God let him follow me and this said he sodainly retired himselfe into the desart with his sons leauing the borough vtterly dispossessed The rest doing the like retired themselues into the desart with their wiues and children and made their habitation in certaine caues The Kings captains hauing intelligence hereof gathered those forces that were at that time in the Cittadel of Ierusalem and pursued the Iewes into the desart And hauing ouertaken them they laboured first of all to make them submit themselues and to make choice of that which stood with their profit rather then to indaunger themselues and inforce them to chastice their disobedience with bloud in warre But the Iewes respected them not a whit but contradicted them in their demands who had alreadie concluded and resolued among themselues rather to die then commit such an impietie For which cause they who omitted no oportunitie assailed the Iewes on a Sabbath day and burned them within their caues who neither resisted their enemies nor so much as closed vp the mouths of their caues And therefore abstained they from all defence by reason of the day resoluing with themselues in no sort to violate the Sabbath day for we are commaunded to cease from all labour on that day There were therefore about some thousand stifled in their caues accounting both men women and children Yet notwithstanding diuers escaped who ioyned themselues with Matthias whom they appointed likewise for their captaine who declared vnto them that they ought to fight on the Sabbath daie assuring them that if they did it not but scrupulously obserued the law they themselues should be enemies vnto themselues if perhaps the enemy should assaile them that day and should not stand vpon their garde for by that meanes they should be destroyed without resist By these words he perswaded them to doe as he