maidseruants of theirs who were their bondwomen as also certaine other of their free seruants Now when the fact would not be extorted by reason that none of them confessed the same at length shee that was last of all put to her triall ouercome by the paines shee endured said nought else but that shee praied God that Antipaters mother might feele the like torments since shee was the cause of all those mischiefes which they endured These words of hers made Herode the more eager and inquisitiue so that by force of tortures he wrought out all the secrets of these women their banquets their secret assemblies and those verie words that Herode had spoken apart betwixt his sonne and himselfe which had beene reported vnto the women that Pheroras entertained namely that he would giue him one hundreth talents prouided he would vse no conference with Pheroras Moreouer they reckoned vp the hatred that Antipater bare vnto his father the complaints that he made vnto his mother of the too long life and continuance of his father for that in regard of himselfe he was already waxen olde so that although the kingdome should fall into his hands presently yet could he receiue but verie little contentment thereby Moreouer hee alleadged that diuers brothers and brothers children were brought vp togither with him so that he might not securely hope for any thing for that already if he should fortune to die the kingdome was to descend not to his sonne but to his brother besides this he was accustomed to accuse the king of diuers cruelties committed by him and of that murther which he executed vpon the persons of his children That for feare least he should practise his tyrannie against those that remained Antipater had found out the deuise to be summoned to Rome and Pheroras withdrew himselfe into his Tetrarchy These words which as he knew had reference vnto that which his sister had often informed him of were not by him held incredible so that being pressed with the malice of Antipater he sequestred Doris his mother from his presence spoiling her before her departure of all her iewels which were valued at many talents and from that time forward he shewed himselfe more fauourable towards those women of Pheroras household But nothing did more whet Herods displeasure against Antipater then did a certaine Samaritane who was also called Antipater who had the ordering of the affaires of Antipater the kings sonne For he being brought in question and tortured declared amongst other things that Antipater had mixed a mortall poison and deliuered the same to Pheroras his vncle commanding him to practise the kings death in his absence and by that meanes least suspected That this poison was brought out of Aegypt by one called Antiphilus Antipaters friend That it was sent to Pheroras by one called Theudion Antipaters mothers brother That this poison was kept by Pheroras wife and was committed by her husband to her custodie She being examined by the king hereupon confessed no lesse hastning forth as if she intended to fetch the same she cast her selfe downe headlond from the toppe of the house yet did she not murther her selfe because she fell vpon her feet Now after she was recouered out of her swoune and the king had promised all securitie both to her selfe and her family if so be she would discouer the truth and contrariwise threatned her with extreme torments if she obstinately continued in concealing these treasons she sware that she would discouer all things according as they were acted and as many men thought at that time she tolde nothing but the truth That poison said she was brought by Antiphilus out of Aegypt and bought there by the meanes of a brother of his who was a physition After this Theudion brought it to our house and I hauing receiued it from Pheroras hands kept the same but bought by your sonne Antipater to poison you that are his father Now therefore after that my husband fell sicke and you in kindnesse came to visit and comfort him he being mooued with compassion and conquered by your brotherly kindenesse by your good affection and louing care in giuing order for his health called me vnto him and said O Wife Antipater hath circumuented me whilest by his pestilent counsailes and poisoning practises he desireth to cut off his father and depriue me of a kinde brother Now therfore since as I perceiue there is no part of my brothers louing and naturall affection diminished towards me wherewith he was wont to entertaine me and that my latest houre of life approcheth God forbid that being ready to sleepe with my forefathers I should present them with a ghost soiled and sweltred in my brothers bloud Dispatch therefore and burne this poison before mine eies Hereupon said she I presently brought it forth according as my husband commaunded me and burnt the greatest part of the poison and the rest I reserued that if after my husbands death your grace should vse me vnkindly it might serue me to escape those extremities that would betide me After she had spoken thus she brought forth before them all the poison and the box wherein it was kept After her another of Antiphilus brothers and the mother to them both confessed no lesse being constrained thereunto by force and violence of torture and acknowledged the box The kings wife also who was the daughter of the high priest was accused for confederacie and concealement of all these treasons For which cause Herode put her away from him and raced his sonnes name out of his testament wherein he had bequeathed him the kingdome after his decease He displaced also his father in law Simon the sonne of Boëthus from the priesthood and placed Matthias the sonne of Theophilus who was borne in Ierusalem in his steed In the meane space Bathillus Antipaters freeman returned from Rome who being tortured confessed that he brought a poison with him to deliuer it to Antipaters mother and Pheroras to the ende that if the first poison were not effectuall enough to dispatch the king they might make vse of this other to cut him off speedily There came letters also to Herods hands from his friends in Rome written and deuised by Antipaters meanes to accuse Archelaus and Philip for that verie often they had refreshed the memorie of Alexander and Aristobulus death contriued by their father and for that they lamented the miserable fate of them who were innocently betraied and that now also they themselues were called backe into their countrey for no other cause but vpon their arriuall to be made partakers of their brothers miserable destinie These things did Antipaters friends certifie Herod of in that by many and mightie presents he wrought them thereunto He himselfe also wrote vnto his father colourably after a maner excusing the young men and imputing their words to their indiscretion young yeers Meane while he busied himselfe in accusing Syllaeus and coutted the chiefest Romans buying
and siluer that was in the kings treasurie and in the temple of God and caried it vnto Damasco and gaue it to the king of Assyria according to those promises he had made him and after much gratuitie and thankesgiuing he returned backe againe to Ierusalem This King was so sencelesse and ignorant of his owne profit that although he were ouerpressed by warre by the Syrians yet ceased he not to adore their gods but persisted in their honour as if he expected the victorie by their meanes And although he were ouercome againe yet intended he the honour of the Assyrian gods choosing rather to reuerence any then the true God whom his forefathers worshipped Yea so farre grew he in contempt and neglect of all true pietie that at length he shut vp the temple gates and prohibited the ordinarie sacrifices hauing before that taken all the precious presents out of the same After he had in this sort committed these outrages against God he died when he was thirtie six yeers old and after he had raigned sixteene yeers and left his sonne Ezechias to succeed him in the kingdome At that very time died Phaceias King of the Israelites by the meanes of a certaine conspiracie which Oseas his intended friend wrought against him who held the kingdome for the space of nine yeeres shewing himselfe both to be wicked and a contemner of God Against him Salmanasar King of Assyria moued warre and ouercame him because God was not fauourable vnto him neither assistant in his enterprises he was therefore subdued and constrained to pay a certaine tribute imposed vpon him The fourth yeere of the raigne of Oseas Ezechias the sonne of Achaz and Abia a Citizen of Ierusalem raigned ouer the two tribes He was a man of a vertuous disposition and one that loued iustice and pietie for as soone as he came vnto the kingdome he resolued with himselfe first of all that the chiefest and most necessarie and most profitable thing that might be was the establishment of the seruice of God When as therefore he assembled the people the Priests and the Leuites hee began to discourse and deuise with them in these or such like wordes There is no one of you but knoweth that for my fathers offences and for your irreuerent regard and seruice towards God yee are fallen into many and mightie calamities because thorow your extreme madnes you haue suffered yourselues to be perswaded to adore those whom hee esteemed to be gods Since therefore you haue learnt to your owne miserie how pernicious a thing impietie is I exhort you that forgetting the same you purifie both yourselues your Priests and your Leuites from your former pollutions that yet at length you may assemble togither and open the temple and clense the same with ordinarie sacrifices to the end it may be restored to the auncient honour which erst it possessed for by this meanes we shall haue God fauourable vnto vs when his wrath shall be appeased that was kindled against vs. As soone as the king had spoken after this manner the Priests opened the temple and after they had gathered the sacred vessels and cast all vncleannesse out of the same they offered sacrifice vpon the altar according to the custome Afterwards the king sent to all the prouinces vnder his dominion and gathered togither the people of Ierusalem to celebrate the feast of vnleauened bread which had been intermitted a long time thorow the impietie of the kings his predecessors He sent also vnto the Israelites exhorting them to forsake the customes which of long time they had wickedly obserued and to returne to the true and auncient manner of seruing God certifying them that he would permit them to repaire to Ierusalem to celebrate the feast of vnleauened bread promising them that he himselfe would solemnize the same with them also protesting that hee did this not in respect of his owne profit but thorow the desire he had to further their felicitie who should be happy if they obeyed this his counsaile When Ezechias embassadours came vnto the Israelites and had deliuered vnto them the message that they had in charge so farre were they from conformitie that they mocked them and esteemed them to be mad and spit vpon those Prophets that exhorted them to pietie and foretold them the euils they should suffer vnlesse they subscribed to the seruice of God and finally they laid hold on them and put them to the sword And not contenting themselues with this presumption they yet attempted farre worser things and neuer gaue ouer vntill that God in punishment of their impietie made them subiect vnder the hands of their enemies as shall appeare manifestly hereafter But diuers of the tribes of Manasses Zabulon Issachar respecting the good counsailes of the Prophets submitted themselues to the seruice of God and repaired al togither to Ierusalem to King Ezechias to honour God As soone as they were arriued there Ezechias ascended into the temple accompanied with the gouernours and all the people and offered there seuen bulles seuen rammes and as many goates and after that he and all the gouernours had laid their hands vpon the heads of the sacrifice they deliuered them to the Priest according as it appertained to them and they sacrificed and made burnt offrings of them The Leuits also assisting round about with instruments of musique sung hymnes and songs vnto God according as they had been taught by the ordinance of Dauid The other Priests had trumpets with which they reported to the tune of their hymnes Which done the king and all the people cast themselues prostrate vpon the ground and adored God and afterwards sacrificed seuentie oxen a hundreth sheepe and two hundreth lambes The King likewise bestowed six hundreth oxen and three thousand sheepe vpon the people to feast withall And when as the Priests had ioifully performed all things according to the custome contained in the law the King tooke great pleasure and banquetted with the people giuing thanks vnto God And when the feast of vnleauened bread was come they sacrificed the Passeouer and during the seuen other daies they offered vp their other sacrifices The King gaue in way of gratuitie vnto the people besides that which had been offered two thousand oxen and seuen thousand sheepe The gouernours did the like and gaue the people a thousand buls and one thousand foure hundreth sheepe and thus was the feast solemnized which had not beene so magnificently and deuoutly celebrated since Salomons time When the solemnitie of the feast was past they iournied and went thorow the countrey and purified it They purged the Citie likewise of all vncleannesse of Idols and the King ordained that the daily sacrifices should be made according to the law vpon his charge He enacted also that the people should pay the tenths to the Priests and Leuites with the first fruits to the intent they might wholy intend pietie and neuer estrange themselues from
be helde for vs to be conuicted to be the murtherers of our brother whose death will heape sorrow on our fathers head and draw our mother into great griefe and desolation thorough the losse of her sonne robbed and bereft from her beyond the ordinarie course of men For which cause he praied them to be aduised in these things that they would consider in their mindes what thing might happen if this child who was faire vertuous and yoong should be done to death praying them to giue ouer this vnnaturall resolution and to feare God who was both the iudge and witnesse of their deliberation intended against their brother and that if they would desist from this haynous act God would take pleasure in their repentance and reconcilement but if they proceeded in their enterprise he assured them that he would punish them like fratricides since nothing is hidden from his prouidence whether it be committed in the desart or attempted in the Citie For wheresoeuer men are there is it alwaies to be thought that God likewise is Further that when they should haue perpetrated this fact that they should alwaies haue their consciences as an armed aduersarie against them which neuer would forsake them whether they were good or whether such as theirs would be if they should fortune to murther their brother Furthermore he alleadged that it was an impious fact to kill a mans owne brother although he had done him iniurie and much more meritorious to forgiue a mans friend that had offended against him Moreouer he said that Ioseph had done them no wrong whose tender yeares rather required care and compassion at their handes then hate and tyrannie Besides that the cause of his slaughter would aggrauate their offence if it should be knowen that for enuie of his future felicitie they should take away his life all which good happe they likewise might participate by reason of consanguinitie and that it was their dutie to thinke that whatsoeuer blessing God imparted to Ioseph was theirs that for that cause they were to imagine that God would be more displeased against them if they should endeuour to depriue him of his life whom he had esteemed and adiudged worthy of prosperitie to come Ruben alledging these and many other things besought them and laboured to diuert them from shedding their brothers bloud but seeing that all these his motiues could in no sort mollifie them but that they hastened the rather to commit and perpetrate the murther he counselled them that at least wise they should allot him some milder kinde of death Telling them that he endeuoured all what in him lay at the first to disswade them but since it was throughly resolued among them that he should not liue that lesse mischiefe should follow of it if they would be ruled by his counsell for by that meanes their will should haue effect yet a more milde and lesse hurtfull in comparison of murther that it were better for them to temper their hands and keepe them immaculate by casting him into the next pit and there leauing him in the hands of death to this counsell all of them agreed So Ruben tooke Ioseph and bound him with cords and let him downe easily into a pit which was drie which done he departed to seeke out a more conuenient place for pasture But when Ruben was gone Iuda one of Iacobs sonnes espying certaine merchants of Arabia of the countrey of the Ismaelites who from the countrey of Galadena caried Spicerie and Syrian merchandise into Egypt he counselled his brothers to draw vp Ioseph out of the well and to sell him to those Arabians assuring them that by that meanes it would come to passe that Ioseph should die the farther off from them amongst straungers and as touching themselues they should be exempt from that pollution which counsell of his being commended by them all they drew Ioseph out of the pit and sold him to the Arabians for the summe of twentie siluerlings at such time as he was seuenteene yeares of age Now had Ruben resolued in himselfe to saue Ioseph without his brothers priuitie for which cause comming by night vnto the pit he called him with a loud voice seeing that he gaue him no answer he began to coniecture with himselfe that his brethren had done him to death he reproued them therefore verie bitterly but after they had told him what was become of him he gaue ouer his mourning After these things were thus brought to passe the brethren consulted amongst themselues in what sort they might cleere themselues from their fathers suspition and conclude among themselues to teare the coat wherewith Ioseph was attired at such time as he came vnto them and which they had taken from him when they cast him into the well to the end that hauing defiled it in the bloud of a Goate they might afterwards beare it vnto their father and shew it him to the ende he might suppose that Ioseph was slaine by wild beastes which done they came vnto the olde man not altogether ignorant of his sonnes misfortunes and told him that they had not seene their brother Ioseph neither could they assure him what mishappe had befallen him but that notwithstanding they had found his Ierkin altogether bebloudied and torne which made them suspect that he was slaine by some wilde beastes if so be he were sent vnto them attired in that coate But Iacob that hitherto expected and hoped for more succesfull tidings in that he supposed and hoped that Ioseph had onely beene captiue gaue ouer this opinion and tooke the coate for a most assured testimonie of his sonnes death for he knew that he was apparelled therewith at such time as he sent him to his brothers for which cause he lamented Ioseph from that time forward as being dead and as if he had not any more sonnes And such was the griefe of his heart that he conceiued no consolation in the rest but suffered himselfe to be perswaded by the brothers that Ioseph had beene slaine by sauage beastes he therefore sat him downe being clothed in sackcloth and charged with sorrow and neither could his sonnes by their counsels mittigate his moanes nor he himselfe remit the rigor of his Iamentation Now Ioseph was sold by the merchants and bought by Putiphar an Aegyptian Lord and a steward of King Pharaos houshold who held him in high estimation and trained him vp in all liberall sciences suffering him to liue not after a seruile but liberall manner and committing vnto his charge the care of all his houshold all which fauours he made vse of Yet was he no waies diuerted by these his priuiledges and promotions from his innated vertue testifying hereby that prudence doth not submit to aduerse fortune if a man vse the same orderly and not at that time onely when fortune fauneth and flattereth It fortuned not long after that his masters wife was enamoured with him both in
of the Amorites with this condition that together with the people ioyned vnto them in c◅nsanguinitie they should warfare against their common enemie till all things were accomplished according to their desires and by this meanes hauing receiued that which they demaunded and building them walled Cities they left their children wiues and substance in the same Moses also builded ten Cities in that Region which are to be reckoned in the number of those fortie and eight in three whereof he appointed sanctuaries and places of refuge which they onely might take benefit of who fled thither for chaunce-medlie and he appointed them their tearme of exile till such time as the high Priest died vnder whom the manslaughter was committed at such time they might safely returne into their countrey And during the time of their exile it was lawfull for any of the kinne to take reuenge against the offender by his death onely at such time as he found him without the Citie of refuge and that right he onely ratified to those that were akinne but not vnto others Now the Cities of refuge were these in the confines of Arabia Bosora in the Region of Galadena Arimanum in the countrey of Bataneades Gauladeaman And after the conquest of Chanaan so many Cities of the Leuites by the commaundement of Moses were appointed to that end that they might giue refuge and habitatior to such sort of offenders At that time when one of the Magistrates called Salpades of the tribe of Manasses was dead and had onely left behind him children of the worser sexe the gouernours of the tribe came vnto Moses and asked his counsell whether in the distribution of the lands they should leuie out any part of portion for them who aunswered them that if they married within their tribe they should haue their dowrie but if they made choyce to handfast themselues in an other tribe that then they should leese their patrimonie in their owne and for this cause made he this ordinaunce to the ende that euerie tribe should continually possesse his proper inheritaunce But whereas now there remayned but thirtie daies onely to fulfill the number of those fortie yeares since their departure out of Egypt he sommoning an assemblie in that place neere to Iordan where now the Citie of Abila is scituate inuironed with a fielde beset with Palme trees as soone as hee saw the people addressed to heare him spake vnto them after this manner CHAP. VIII Moses Lawes and how he was taken out of this world from the companie of men MY deare friends and fellow soldiers companions in my long trauell since it is so thought requisite by God and mine age attayning to the full number of one hundreth and twentie yeares requireth no lesse but that I must depart out of this life and since it seemeth not good in Gods sight that eyther I should be agent or assistant in your affaires beyond Iordan I haue thought it requisite that in as much as appertayneth to your felicitie I should not now also faile or default in my dutie towards you but that according to the grace that is giuē me I should prouide that by laying open the way vnto you that leadeth to the same I may seeme worthie amongst you to merit eternal glorie memorie Giue therfore eare vnto me that when as I haue first declared vnto you wherein both your felicitie and the happines of your posterity consisteth and haue left this perpetual testimonie monument of my intire loue towards you I may willingly depart out of this life for well I know that I deserue to be credited by you both for that before times I haue incessantly in studying for your profits neuer deceiued you as also for that the soule being readie to be separated from the bodie becommeth more accomplished in all vertue and veritie Ye sonnes of Israel there is but one onely cause whereby men attaine vnto felicitie to wit the fauour of God which he is onely able to giue to those that deserue it and to withdraw if from those that offend him towards whom if you continue dutiful according as he requireth and in such manner as I according to his direction do institute you you shall neuer faile to multiply in vertue and to draw all men into emulation of your happines and that which is more those goods which you haue now obtayned shall be perpetuall and that which you want shall shortly be plentifully bestowed on you Onely indeuour you your selues to be subiect to Gods will and obedient to his commandements and neither propose vnto your selues any other lawes then those I haue giuen you neither thorow contempt innouate any thing in your religion Which if you shall performe you shall excell all other nations in warre and grow inuincible against your enemies for by Gods assistance all threats are easily contemned Moreouer there are great rewards in all the course of life proposed vnto vertue and she her selfe to her selfe is a chiefe and especiall reward besides by her all other blessings are easily obtayned which if you intertaine amongst your selues you shal both lead a blessed life obtaine immortal glorie not onely amongst straungers but also in all posterities These things are you to hope vpon if neither you your selues violate those lawes which by Gods commaund and mine industrie are set downe vnto you neither suffer any other to violate the same but in your selues continually meditate vpon the vnderstanding vse therof As for my selfe I depart this life in fulnes of ioy reioycing at these your good fortunes commending you all to the lawes of pietie and prudence the vertue of your guides magistrates who hereafter are to take care of your safe◅ie and felicitie God likewise vnder whose conduct you haue liued and to whose fauour you owe whatsoeuer profit you haue receiued by me will not faile to take care of you but as long as you shall honour both him and pietie so long shall you remaine in securitie vnder his protection neither shall you want such men who shall giue you ghostly instructions whose counsels if you obey you shal be fortunate namely Eleazar the high priest Iesus with the Senate and Magistrates of the tribes towards whom beware that you grow stifnecked knowing and remembring this that he that is instructed to obey well when he shall attaine vnto dignitie will gouerne well Neither suppose you that libertie consisteth herein if you mutine against the commaundements of your Princes for hitherto haue you reposed your libertie in your contumacie towards your benefactors from which sinne if hereafter you shall blesse your selues you shall see your estate waxe still more flourishing and fortunate And God forbid that you should euer be so exasperated against these as you haue beene sometimes incensed against me For if you remember your selues I haue beene more oftentimes in hazard of my life by your meanes then by
thereof shall not be offerd vnto God neither shall any man eate thereof by reason that the time is inconuenient and permitteth not that the trees should fructifie as yet and nature her selfe is as it were inforced before her time whereby the fruite is neither conuenable for God nor conuenient for the vse of man But all that fruit that shall grow in the fourth yeare for then is the time that the trees should beare shall be gathered and brought into the holy Citie together with the tenth of all other fruits and they shal be eaten during the feast which the Lord therof maketh to his friends and with Orphanes and Widowes But in the fift yeare it shall be lawfull for him to gather the fruit for himselfe Sow not a field that is planted with vines for it sufficeth that it nourisheth one sort of plants so that it needeth not to be laboured and manured with the plough The land is to be plowed with Oxen neither are any other sorts of beasts to be yoaked with them but the tillage must alwaies be performed by beasts of the same kind The seeds also ought to be cleane and without any mixture so that two or three sorts ought not to be sowed together for nature alloweth not a commixtion of things that are different It is not lawfull also to couer the female with a male of an other kind for it is to be feared that this filthines should draw men to forget themselues and grow in contempt of that sexe which is appropriate vnto them for it often falleth out that from small beginnings things waxe worser and worser For nothing ought to be admitted by the imitation whereof there might chance to grow any maime in policie for which cause the lawes dissemble not no not the lightest things to the end they may no way seeme to be deficient in their nature They that mow and reape corne ought not to gleane but to leaue some eares for those that are in necessitie to the end to succour them They likewise that plant vines ought to leaue some clusters for the poore and some fruit on the Oliue trees to the intent that they that haue none of these may gather some little thing for their reliefe for the owners of the field shall not reape so much profit by the sparing inning of their corne as may be compared with the good and profit which the poore shall reape by their gleaning for God will bring to passe that their land who regard not their particular profit but shall haue care of the nourishment of those that are in necessitie shal be farre more fat and fertile to bring forth and nourish her fruit Neither is the mouth of the Oxe to be mouzled at such time as he treadeth the corne in the mowe for it standeth not with reason that they who haue beene partakers of the labour and haue trauelled for the increase of the fruites should bee bridled from the vse and benefite thereof Neither ought the trauailer also in his iourney to be denied to gather and taste the fruits of Autumne but he is to be permitted to take his fill as if they were his owne whether hee be of the countrey or a stranger who shall depart ioyfully in that they haue beene made partakers of such fruite but it is not lawfull for them to carie anie away with them They likewise that gather grapes ought not to forbid any man to taste of them as they beare them to the presse for it is an vniust thing that the goods which are giuen by the will of God for the sustenance of man should be denied them that desire to taste the fruit which God giueth in due season and must sodainly passe away They likewise are to be inuited that through shame make nice to touch the same yea and to be intreated to take part if they be Israelites for such are companions and maisters in that they are of the same race and if they trauell into anie place they ought to be intreated to take part of those benefites which God presented vnto them according to the season For it is not to be supposed that that is ill imployed which in way of curtesie a man permitteth another man to take since it is God that furnisheth and giueth the abundance and fo◅son of all things not to the end to enioy them in priuate but also to bestow them willingly and he it is that by this means would declare vnto other people the good will he beareth to the people of Israel and the felicitie whereof he maketh them partakers by reason that in that abundance which they haue his will is that other men should haue part thereof But whosoeuer shall do the contrarie let him be chastised for this his dishonestie and in publike receiue thirtie nine stripes if he be a free man for that making himselfe a slaue vnto his gaine he hath dishonoured his excellent qualitie It shall verie well become you said Moses since you haue tasted miseries both in Egypt and the desart that you haue care of those who are in like estate and for that you are made rich by Gods mercie and prouidence it behooueth and becommeth you to impart somewhat to the indigent who at the present are in that estate in which you were Besides the two tenthes which I commaunded you yearely to pay the one to the Leuites and the other for your festiuals you shal for euery yeare annexe a third to be distributed amongst the poore to women widowes and orphanes Incontinently after a man hath gathered his first fruits he shall bring them to the Temple after he hath giuen thanks vnto God for that the land which he hath giuen him in possessiō hath brought forth fruit and as soone as he hath accomplished that sacrifice which the law commandeth him to make he shall giue the first portion to the Priests And after he hath done all that which concerneth him to do as well the tenths vnto the Leuites as also those other things which were ordained for the feasts and first fruits being readie to returne vnto his home let him stand vpright neere vnto the Temple and aboue all things giue thanks vnto God that hauing deliuered them from the grieuous seruitude of Egypt he hath giuen them a plentifull and ample land to enioy and making protestation that he hath paid the tenths according to Moses law let him beseech God that he will be fauourable both to himselfe in priuate and the Hebrewes in publique and that he will continue those goods vnto him which hitherto he hath bestowed vpon him and of his great goodnesse and mercie vouchsafe to encrease them Let those that are of full yeares to be married match themselues with vertuous virgins and such as are borne of honest parents And he that will not take a virgin to wife let him not abuse himselfe with one that is married to another man least he breed discontent
prepared a great number of talents of gold and far more of siluer and wood besides a great multitude of carpenters and hewers of stone a great quantitie likewise of Emeraulds and other sorts of pretious stones Lastly he told them that now also for the present he would bestow on them to that vse other three thousand talents of pure gold out of his owne treasurie to adorne the holy place and the chariot of God and the Cherubims that should stand vpon the Arke and couer it with their winges Now when the king had spoken after this manner all the gouernours priests and Leuites according togither shewed a great readinesse and made many signall and heroicall offers For they tied themselues to bring fiue thousand talents of gold and ten thousand stateres of siluer a hundreth thousand and of iron many thousand talents and if any one of them had a pretious stone he brought it and deliuered it to the treasurers custody who was called Ialus being one of Moses posteritie This thing highly contented all the people and Dauid seeing the affection and readinesse of the gouernors and priests and in generall of all the rest began to blesse God with a loud voice calling him the creator and father of this whole world the fashioner both of diuine and humane things and the president and gouernour of the Hebrewes and their felicitie and the kingdome by him committed vnto him After this he praied for all the people that they might be bountifully blessed and priuately he besought God to giue his sonne a good and iust minde furnished and adorned with all vertue He commanded the people likewise to sing praises vnto God which they performed and prostrated themselues vpon the earth and afterwards gaue thankes vnto Dauid for all those benefits they had receiued during the time of his gouernment The next day in way of sacrifice vnto God they offered vp a thousand calues a thousand rammes and a thousand lambes for sacrifice and a burnt offring in way of peace offrings also they slew many thousand other beasts The king celebrated a feast all that day with the whole people and Salomon was annointed with oyle the second time and proclaimed king Sadoc also was established high priest of all the people and Salomon was conducted into the kings house and placed in his fathers throne and from that day forward they obeied him CHAP. XII The death of Dauid and how much he left his sonne towards the building of the temple NOt long time after this Dauid fell sicke thorow age and knowing that he should depart out of this world he called for Salomon his sonne and spake vnto him after this manner following My sonne I must now depart and sleepe with my fathers and enter the common way which both they that now liue and those which come after shall tract from whence we may not returne neither behold and reuisit those things that are done in this life For which cause whilest I yet liue and drawe onward to my death I earnestly exhort thee as heretofore I haue counselled thee that thou behaue thy selfe iustly towards thy subiects and deuoutly towards God that hath honored thee with this kingdome charging thee to keepe his precepts and lawes which he hath giuen vs by Moses and to take heede least either surprised by slatterie or misled by fauour or seduced by couetousnesse or any other sinister affection thou be drawne to neglect and forsake the same for thou canst by no meanes continue in Gods fauour except thou keepe his lawes for otherwise he will withdraw his prouidence from thee But if in such sort as it becommeth thee and we wish thou behauest thy selfe towards him thou shalt continue the kingdome in our family and no other house at any time but our owne shall obtaine the dominion ouer the Hebrewes Remember likewise the iniquitie of Ioab who thorow emulation slew two good and iust generals Abner the sonne of Ner and Amasa the sonne of Iethram punish him according as thou thinkest meete for that hitherto he hath escaped punishment by reason he was stronger and more powerfull then my selfe I commend also vnto thee the sons of Berzillai the Galaadite whom for my sake aduance to honor and adorne with dignities not in bestowing any benefits on them but in repaying those curtesies I haue receiued which their father with a liberal hand bestowed vpon me during the time of my banishment and for which he made vs indebted to him As touching Semei the sonne of Gera of the tribe of Beniamin who during the time of my flight and at such time as I retired my selfe into my campe iniured me with great outrages and afterwards came out to meete me neere vnto Iordan and tooke assurance of me that for that time I should not punish him at this present seeke you after him and doe iustice vpon him After he had thus exhorted his sonne and had communicated with him all his affaires both as touching his friends as those also whom he thought worthy of punishment he gaue vppe the ghost after he had liued seuentie yeeres and raigned in Hebron a Citie of Iuda for the space of seuen yeeres and a halfe thirtie three in Ierusalem ouer the whole nation He was a iust man adorned with all vertue requisite in a king that should haue the gouernment of so many nations For he was valiant beyond comparison and in those battels which he fought for his subiects he was the first that thrust himselfe into danger and exhorted his souldiers to behaue themselues valiantly not commanding them like their gouernour but trauailing and fighting with them as their fellow souldier He was sufficient both in knowledge and foresight both how to accept of the present and how to manage his future occasions he was moderate and iust curteous and fauourable to those that were afflicted and both iust and gentle which are those ornaments wherwith princes ought to be beautified and in this great authority wherein he was placed he stepped not any waies awry but in respect of Viras wife He left as much or rather more riches behinde him they any other king of the Hebrewes or other nations had done His sonne Salomon buried him most royally in Ierusalem with all those ceremonies which were accustomed in royall obsequies amongst other things he buried a great and huge value of riches with him the incredible estimate whereof may be coniectured by that which followeth For one thousand three hundreth yeares after the hie Priest Hircanus being besieged by Antiochus surnamed the wicked who was Demetrius son willing to gratifie him with some sum of mony to the intent he might leuie the siege and transport his armie some otherwaies and vnable to leuie money by any other means he opened one Cabinet of the monuments of Dauid from whence he drewe three thousand talents which he deliuered to Antiochus and by this meanes deliuered the Citie
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
to ascribe alwaies more credit vnto them then to the vaine plausible speech of such as currie fauour and no lesse to respect them then things of infinit profit since by them we are diuinely admonished what we ought to take heed of It behooueth vs also to consider what force the ordinance of God is of by examining those things which befell Achab. For it is impossible to auoid the preordinance of God notwithstanding that men flatter and nourish themselues with vaine hopes which inueigle them so far that finally they are ouertaken in the snares thereof For this carelesse inconsideration was fatall to King Achab in that he beleeued not his death which was foretold him but being deceiued by the flattering perswasions of false Prophets ranne headlong vpon his owne danger and death After him succeeded his sonne Ochozias THE NINTH BOOKE OF THE ANTIQVITIES OF THE IEWES WRITTEN BY FLAVIVS IOSEPHVS The Contents of the Chapters of the 9. booke 1 Ioram Achabs sonne ouercommeth the Moabites in battell 2 Ioram King of Ierusalem obtaining the crowne killeth his brothers and his fathers friends 3 Iorams army is ouerthrowne by his enemies and his sonnes are slaine only one excepted at length he himselfe dieth a miserable death 4 The king of Damasco warreth against the king of Israel 5 Ioram with all his posteritie is slaine by Iehu Ochosias king of Ierusalem is slaine also 6 Iehu raigneth amongst the Israelites in Samaria and his posteritie after him till the fourth generation 7 Athalia raigneth fiue yeeres in Ierusalem and after she is slaine by the hie priest Ioas Ochosias sonne is proclaimed king 8 Azael King of Damasco gathereth an army first against the Israelites and afterwards against Ierusalem 9 Amasias King of Ierusalem maketh warre against the Idumeans and Amalechites and obtaineth the victorie 10 Amasias making warre against Ioas king of the Israelites is ouercome 11 Ozias ouercommeth the nations round about him 12 Rasin or Rabe king of Damasco vexeth the inhabitants of Ierusalem with warre Achaz their king is compelled to call the king of Assyria to assist him 13 The King of Assyria taketh Damasco by force and slaieth the king and translateth the people into Media and planteth other Colonies in the same 14 Salmanazar taking the king of Israel captiue translateth ten of the 12. Tribes into Media and causeth the Cuthaeans to inhabite their region CHAP. I. Ioram Achabs sonne ouercommeth the Moabites in battell AS soone as King Iosaphat was returned backe againe to Ierusalem from the warre wherein he had giuen succour to Achab against Adad the King of Syria as we haue heretofore declared the Prophet Iehu in his returne came forth and met him and reproued him because he had giuen Achab who had been a man both impious and wicked his assistance assuring him that God was displeased with that his confederacie yet notwithstanding that he of his goodnesse had deliuered him from his enemies although contrarie vnto his duetie he had demeaned himselfe vniustly After this admonition Iosaphat began to celebrate sacrifices and to offer vp thankesgiuings and peace offrings vnto God Which done he rode in progresse and circuit round about those countries that were vnder his dominion giuing order that the people should be instructed in those ordinances which were deliuered from God by the hands of Moses and exhorted his subiects to the practise of pietie contained in the same Hee planted iudges likewise in euery city commanding them to execute iustice vnto the people without respect of any thing but only iustice He charged them likewise that they should not be corrupted with rewards or seduced by dignitie riches or nobilitie but that they should doe iustice indifferently vnto all men knowing that God seeth all things how secretly soeuer they be carried or contriued Hauing in this sort ordered euery thing in each Citie of the two Tribes he returned againe into Ierusalem where he likewise chose iudges from amongst the Priests and Leuites and the Elders among the people exhorting them in all things to giue vpright and exact iudgement And if they of other cities had any causes of greater consequence which should bee referred to their finall determination he charged them with earnest industrie to decide them with as vpright and iust measure as might be for that it was very conuenient that the most exact and accomplished sentences should be deliuered in that Citie where as God had his temple and the King made his ordinarie aboad Ouer all these he placed his two friends Amasias the Priest and Zabadias of the Tribe of Iuda After this manner did the King dispose of his estate About this very time the Moabites and Ammonites and with them their confederates a great number of Arabians assaulted and assembled themselues against him and encamped themselues neere vnto Engaddi a Citie scituate neere vnto the lake Asphaltites and distant from Ierusalem some three hundreth stounds in which place flourish those goodly and holesome Palme-trees whence distilleth the pure and perfect liquor of balme When Iosaphat had intelligence that the enemies had past the lake and were already farre entred into his countrey he was affraid and assembled the people of Ierusalem in the temple and standing vpright and turning his face toward the propitiatorie he besought and requested God that he would giue him power and force to ouercome his enemies For such had been the forme of their supplication who in times past builded the temple namely that it might please him to fight for that Citie and oppose himselfe against those that durst attempt or assault that place to the intent to dispossesse them of that country which he himselfe had giuen them in possession and in pronouncing this prayer he wept and all the people likewise both men women and children made their requests vnto God Presently vpon this a certaine Prophet called Iaziel arose vp in the midst of the congregation and cried out and certified both the people and the King that God had heard their praiers and promised them to fight for them against their enemies enioyning them the next day to sally out in armes and go make head against their aduersaries whom they should incounter in the mountaine scituate betwixt Ierusalem and Engaddi in a place called the hillock of Sis which place in Hebrew signifieth Eminency willing them not to fight against them but onely to arrest in that place and see how God would fight and make warre for them When the Prophet had spoken these words the king and all the people prostrated themselues vpon their faces giuing thankes vnto God and adoring meane while the Leuites sung continuall hymnes with instruments and voices About the beginning of the day the king departed into the desart that is vnder the Citie of Thecoa aduising the people to beleeue all that which the prophet had said vnto them and not to arrange themselues in battell ray he commanded the Priests to march before
and feasted for diuers daies Thus after the death of Athalia the citie was in quiet Ioas was 7. yeers old at such time as he was made king his mother was called Sabia was of the town Bersabe He carefully obserued the lawes and highly affected the seruice of God all his life time and when he grew to mans estate he maried two wiues which the high Priest gaue him by whom he had sonnes and daughters This is all that I haue thought good to declare as concerning Ioas both how he escaped Athalias treasons and obtained the kingdome CHAP. VIII Azael King of Damasco leuieth an army and first of all assaulteth the Israelites and after marcheth forward against Ierusalem BVt Azael king of Syria making warre against the Israelites and against their king Iehu destroyed the countrey on the other side of Iordan and all the easterne tract inhabited by the Rubenites Gadites and Manassites Furthermore he burnt spoyled Galaad and Bathanaea violenting and outraging all those that he met withall For Iehu went not out against him to resist him but being become a contemner of God a despiser of pietie and his lawes he died after he had raigned seuen and twentie yeares ouer the Israelites he was buried in Samaria and left behind him Ioas his sonne to succeed him in the kingdome But Ioas king of Ierusalem conceiued a certaine desire to renewe the Temple for which cause calling vnto him Ioiada the high Priest he commaunded him to send thorow all the countrey the Leuites and Priests and to leuie vpon euery one of their heads halfe a sicle of siluer for the building reparation of the temple which was fallen into decay in Ioram Athalia and her followers times But the high Priest would not obey him herein knowing well that no man would willingly disburse money But in the three and twentith yeare of his raigne the king sent both for Ioiada and the Leuites also and expostulated with them for disobeying his commandement enioyning them from that time forth to prouide for the building of the Temple Wherupon the high Priest vsed present dispatch in leuying the money wherewith the people were highly contented He therefore made a chest of wood closed on euerie side except that on the vpper lid thereof there was a little cranny left open which he placed neere vnto the Altar commaunding that euerie one should offer according to his deuotion and put in his offering thorowâ—… the cranny into the coffer to be imployed in the repairing of the Temple whereunto all the people shewed themselues affectionate so that they gathered together a great quantitie of gold and siluer with great zeale and when the cofer was filled it was emptied and the account thereof taken and sumde vp by the secretary and high Priest in the kings presence and afterwards all was brought together into one assigned place which order was obserued euery day And when as it was supposed that there was sufficient money gathered the high Priest Ioiada and king Ioas hired masons and carpenters and prepared great beames of excellent timber After that the Temple was repaired they imployed the remainder of gold and siluer which was of no small quantitie to make cuppes pots and vessels and other vtensils and euery day offered they sacrifice of great value vpon the Altar and this custome was continued so long as Ioiada liued But after his decease which hapned in the hundreth and thirtith yeare of his age after he had liued a iust and vpright life and was interred in the sepulcher of Dauid in Ierusalem because he had established the kingdome in Dauids posteritie king Ioas had no more care to serue God and with him the rest of the gouernours of the people were corrupted in contradiction of the lawes and ordinances which they knew were verie conuenient for them For which cause God being prouoked by this change and incensed against the king and the rest sent his Prophets vnto them to protest to expostulate with them for their offences and to withdraw them from their iniquitie But they pursued sinne the more vehemently so that neither the punishments by which they who had offended God before times had beene plagued with all their posterities neither all the aduertisments giuen them by the Prophets could induce them to amend or to forsake those sinnes wherein they were engaged but that which is worst King Ioas stoned Zacharie Ioiadas sonne and put him to death in the Temple forgetting himselfe most vngratefully of the benefits he had receiued by his father And the occasion was for that Zachary hauing receiued a charge from God to prophecy came into the midst of the people and counsailed both them him to follow iustice foretelling them that they should be grieuously punished except they did beleeue This Zachary did at his death call God to witnesse and iudge of those calamities he endured in dying grieuously and violently for the good counsaile which he had giuen them and the benefits which his father had in times past done vnto Ioas. But many daies passed not before the king suffered due punishment for these misdeeds For Azael king of the Syrians inuaded his countrey and after he had first of all ruinated Gitta he marched forward with an intent to besiege him at last in Ierusalem Ioas desperate of all succours emptied all the treasures of God and those of the kings and tooke away the presents that were hung vp in the Temple and sent them to the Syrian redeeming the siege by this meanes least he should be drawen into hazard to lose all The Syrian pacified with such and so great riches and aboundant treasure suffered not his army to passe to Ierusalem After this Ioas was seazed with a greeuous sicknes and to the intent that the death of Zachary the sonne of Ioiada might not escape vnreuenged his friends conspired against him and he died by their hands He was entombed in Ierusalem but not in the sepulcher of his ancestors because he had fallen from God He liued seuen and fortie yeares CHAP. IX Amasias king of Ierusalem made warre against the Idumaeans and Amalechites and obtained the victory AMasias his sonne succeeded him in the kingdome But in the one and twentith yeare of Ioas raigne Ioachas the sonne of Iehu tooke possession of the kingdome of Israel in Samaria and was seazed thereof for the space of seuenteene yeares But he followed not his fathers steps but rather behauing himselfe impiously according as his predecessors in the kingdom contemners of God had done For which cause the king of Syria subdued him and cut off a great part of his dominions and tooke his greatest cities from him and defeated his armies so that at length he had but ten thousand footmen and fiue hundreth horsemen All which hapned to the Israelits according to the prophecy of Elizeus which he foretold vnto Azael at such time as he prophecied
words moued the King vnto displeasure so that he commanded the prophet to silence threatning him to punish him if he intermedled with his affaires any more Who answered him that he would no further vrge him yet withall he foreprophecied vnto him that God would not suffer this his innouatiō to rest vnpunished Anon after Amasias not able to keep a moderation amidst his affluence and prosperitie but waxing more insolent against almightie God by whom he possessed the blessings he enioyed in height of his pride wrote to Ioas king of Israel commanding him and his to yeeld him homage according as in times past the Israelites were subiect to Dauid and Salomon threatning him that if he refused to doe him voluntarie seruice he would enforce him to decide the different by armes to whom the Israelite replied thus King Ioas to King Amasias There was in the mountaine of Libanus a cypres tree of great height to whom a little thistle wrote demanding of him his daughter in mariage for his son But during this interparlee betwixt them there came a certaine wilde beast that troad downe the thistle Let this example admonish and dissuade thee from attempting of too mighty matters nether growing proud of thy last victorie against the Amalechites least thorow thy presumption thou expose both thy life and fortune to the incertaine hazard of warre When Amasias had perused this answere of his he was the more whetted vnto warre God also as it seemed pricked him forward to the intent to chastise those iniquities that were committed by him When as therefore he had drawne his army into the field and both the armies were vpon the point to wage the battell a sodaine feare and discouragement seased him such as God in his displeasure is accustomed to inflict which made Amasias army turne their backes so that by the apprehension they had conceiued they were scattered before they came to handy strokes and Amasias being left alone was taken prisoner Him did Ioas threaten that except he perswaded the inhabitants of Ierusalem to open their gates and to receiue both him and his army into the Citie he would put him to death For which cause Amasias constrained by necessitie and feare of death wrought so much as his enemies were receiued into Ierusalem who made a breach of three hundreth cubits in their wall and there-thorow Amasias was led captiue into Ierusalem In this manner was Ioas made master of the Citie who afterwards carried away the treasures of the temple and tooke away the gold and siluer that Amasias had in his pallace and hauing in this sort raunsomed him from captiuitie he returned backe againe into Samaria This hapned in the fourteenth yeere of the raigne of Amasias who afterwards fled into the Citie of Lachis to auoide the conspiracie of his domesticall friends by whom notwithstanding he was surprised and slaine by them that were sent to doe the deede his body was brought and royally entombed in Ierusalem Thus died Amasias for introducing innouations in contempt of God he liued fiftie foure yeeres and raigned twentie and nine his sonne Ozias succeeded him in the kingdome CHAP. XI How Ozias ouercame his neighbour nations BVt in the fifteenth yeere of the raigne of Amasias Ieroboam Ioas sonne began to raigne ouer the Israelites in Samaria and enioyed the kingdome for the space of fortie yeeres This King dishonoured God and offended him grieuously in obseruance of Idols and diuers absurd and strange actions by which he heaped ten thousand mischiefes and miseries on the Israelites heads To him came there a certaine prophet called Ionas who prophecied vnto him that he should make warre against the Syrians and that he should ouercome them and enlarge his kingdome to the northward as farre as the Citie of Amatha and to the southward as far as the lake Asphaltites for these in times past were the limits of the countrey of Chanaan according as the generall Iosuah had confined them Ieroboam encouraged by this prophecie led forth his army against the Syrians and spoiled all their countrey according to the prophecie of Ionas And for that I haue promised to yeeld an exact historie in writing of all those things that hapned in our nation me thinks it shall not be amisse to declare that which I haue found written of this prophet in our Hebrew Chronicles This man being commaunded by God to repaire vnto the kingdome of Ninus to proclaime that which should happen to the Citie of Niniue namely that the gouernment thereof should be abolished thorow feare which he conceiued repaired not thither but fled from Gods presence into a Citie called Ioppa where finding a ship he entred the same and sailed towards Tharsis in Cilicia But there arose so vehement a tempest vpon the sea that the vessell was readie to be drowned and both the mariners master and owners of the ship made their vow of thankesgiuing vnto God if they might escape from this tempest but Ionas hid himselfe and couered his face performing no such matter as the rest had done Whereas therefore the turbulent waues incensed by violent windes increased more and more the mariners passengers began to imagine amongst themselues that some one of them in that barke had caused that tempest whereupon they agreed amongst themselues to cast lots to know which of them were the occasion of their danger Which done the lot fell vpon Ionas who being demanded whence he was and for what businesse he trauelled answered them that he was an Hebrew by nation and a Prophet of the most high God and counselled them that if they would be warranted from that danger they should cast him into the sea because it was hee onely that was the cause of that tempest Notwithstanding this confession of his they durst not performe that which he desired supposing that it would be an act of great impietie in that sort to thrust a stranger into that manifest perdition whose life had been committed to their trust But for that the storme more and more increased and grew so vehement that they wanted verie little of imminent shipwracke and being besides that incited by Ionas himselfe and whetted on likewise by the feare they conceiued to lose their liues they cast him into the sea whereupon sodainly the storme ceased It is likewise-said that being swallowed vp by a great fish for the space of three daies and three nights he was at the last vomited out and cast by the same fish vpon the shore of the Euxine sea aliue and without any maime in any of his members There besought he God that he would pardon him the sinne which he had committed and afterwards he resorted to the Citie of Niniue where ascending a place from whence he might be heard hee published with a loud voice vnto them that they should lose the Empire of Asia which after he had pronounced he returned backe againe This recitall haue I made according as
I haue found it registred in writing King Ieroboam hauing passed all his life time in prosperitie and raigned for the space of fortie yeeres departed this life and was entombed in Samaria and Zacharie his sonne succeeded him in his kingdome At the same time Ozias the sonne of Amasias raigned in Ierusalem ouer the two tribes after that Ieroboam had already raigned foureteene yeeres his mother was called Achia and was of the Citie of Ierusalem He was a man of a good nature and such a one as loued iustice of noble courage and very laborious in prouiding for all occurrences he made warre against the Philistines and after he had ouercome them in battell he tooke Ita and Amnia two of their strong forts and raced them This exploit done he set vpon the Arabians that neighboured vpon Aegypt and after that hauing built a Citie vpon the red sea he planted a garrison therein He afterwards discomfited the Ammonites constraining them to pay him tribute and subdued all as farre as the marshes of Aegypt After that he began to prouide for the Citie of Ierusalem for he built it a new and repaired the walles thereof that had been beaten downe or decaied either by continuance of time or by the negligence of those kings who were his predecessors hee repaired those also which the King of Israel had beaten downe at such time as hauing taken Amasias prisoner he rode in triumph into the Citie Besides this he erected a number of towers each of them one hundreth and fiftie cubits hie These inclosed he with walles to set garrisons therein and in diuers barren places he caused diuers fountaine-heads to be made for he had an infinite multitude of beasts of carriage and other cattell in that the countrey was fit for pasture He tooke pleasure also in tillage for which cause he was often busied about his land in trimming sowing and planting the same He had about him a chosen army to the number of three hundreth and seuenty thousand fighting men whose generals conductors and captaines were valiant and inuincible men and were in number two thousand He taught his souldiers to march in a square battell in manner of the Macedonian Phalanx arming each of them with swords targets and corselets of brasse with arrowes and darts He made also great preparation of diuers engins to batter Cities and to shoote stones and darts besides diuers hookes and other such like instruments But whilest he was intent on these studies and preparations he grew insolent and proud and being puffed vp with mortall arrogance he contemned the immortall force which endureth for euer which is pietie towards God and the obseruation of his commandements For which cause he was ouerthrowne by his prosperitie and fell into his fathers sinnes thorow the happinesse and greatnesse of his estate wherein he could not moderately containe himselfe So that vpon a certaine solemne feast day wherein all the people were assembled togither he attired himselfe in the hie priests vestments and entred into the temple to offer sacrifice vnto God vpon the golden altar which notwithstanding the hie Priest Azarias accompanied with fourescore Priests inhibited him the same telling him that it was not lawfull for him to sacrifice in that it was onely allowed in those that were of the posteritie of the hic Priest Aaron Whilest after this manner Azarias expostulated with him commanding him to go out of the temple and not to contradict the ordinances of God the king waxed wrath and threatned to take his life from him except he kept himselfe quiet Whereupon there fell a great trembling and earthquake and the temple cleft in twaine and a great light of the funne entred thereinto and reflected on the kings face in such manner that all his body was instantly couered with a leprosie and before the Citie in a place called Eroge the halfe of a mountaine that stood to the Eastward brake and fell and rowled and remoued for the space of foure stadia towards the orientall mountaine where it rested so that the publique waies were shut vp and choaked and the kings gardens of pleasure were wholy ruinated and disfigured When the Priests beheld the kings face couered with a leprosie they told him what inconuenient had hapned vnto him and enioined him to depart out of the towne according to the custome of men that were polluted Wherupon he wholy confused at so grieuous an accident and hauing no more audacitie to speake obeied the commaundement that was giuen him enduring a pitifull and lamentable punishment for being elate and proud more then became humanitie and for that he committed such impietie against God He therefore remained without the Citie for a certaine time and led a priuate life and his son Iotham succeeded him in the kingdome Finally he died thorow griefe and discontent after he had accomplished threescore and eight yeares whereof he raigned fiftie two and was onely buried in his garden Zachary Ieroboams sonne hauing raigned sixe moneths ouer the Israelites was slaine by treason complotted against him by a familiar friend of his called Sellum the sonne of Iabes who possessing the kingdome after him enioyed not the same aboue thirtie daies For the generall Manahem being at that time in the Citie of Tharsa and vnderstanding of that which had hapned to Zachary departed thence with all his force and came to Samaria and in a battell which hee fought he slue Sellum And afterwards obtaining the crowne he went from thence towards the Citie of Tapsa the inhabitants whereof locked and barred their gates against him and would not receiue him in reuenge whereof he spoiled all the countrey round about and tooke the Citie by force being highly incensed against the Tapsians for their insolence he put thē all to the sword not sparing their little children which was an incredible barbarous cruelty in him Manahem raigned in this manner for the space of ten yeares continuing a most cruell and vnbridled tyranny ouer the people Afterwards being assailed by Phul king of the Syrians he went not out against him neither practised to resist him but procured his peace for the summe of a thousand talents of siluer which in way of composition he paid vnto him The people furnished Manahem with this summe in way of contribution paying fiftie drachmes a peece Anon after he died and was buried in Samaria leauing behind him a sonne to succeede him in the kingdome whose name was Phaceias who imitating his fathers crueltie possessed the soueraigntie but two yeares for he was slaine at a feast in the middest of his friends by a treason practised against him by Phaceias the son of Romelias who enioyed the kingdome for the space of twentie yeares addicting himselfe to all impietie and wickednes But Teglaphalassar king of Assyria led forth his army against the Israelites and spoiled all the countrey of Galaad and that beyond Iordan and Galilee Cydida and
entrance of my history I haue answered those obiections so that I haue openly protested that I will onely faithfully translate the Hebrew Histories into the Greeke tongue according to my promise relate that which is contained therin without adding any thing of mine owne or concealing ought of an other mans After that Nabuchodonosor had raigned fortie three yeares he died he was a man of execution and more happie then any of his predecessors Berosus maketh mention of his actes in the third booke of his Chaldaique historie where he speaketh thus His father Nabuchodonosor hauing notice that the gouernour whom he had appointed ouer Aegypt the neighbouring parts of Coelosyria Phaenicia was reuolted from him being at that time in himselfe vnable to endure the troubles of warre committed a part of his forces vnto his son Nabuchodonosor who was in the flower of his age and sent him forth against him who encountring the rebell and fighting with him ouercame him and brought the countrey vnder his subiection Meane while Nabuchodonosor the father died of a sicknes in Babylon after he had raigned one and twentie yâ—…ares Nabuchodonosor the sonne hauing notice of his fathers death gaue order to the affaires of Aegypt and the rest of the countrey and committing the care and transportation of the Iewes Syrians Aegyptians and Phaenicians to his friends to bring them to Babylon with his army and carriage he with a fewe men made hastie iourneies thorow the desaâ—…t And when he had taken the administration of the kingdome vpon him which in his absence was in the hands of the Chaldees and by their chieftaine was reserued vntil his returne vnto his vse he became Lord of all his fathers Empire When his prisoners were arriued he assigned them conuenient dwelling places in the countrey of Babylon and with the spoiles of the warre he magnificently repaired and decked the Temple of Bel other places He enlarged the olde Citie and repaired beautified it with other buildings by meanes wherof they that would besiege the same were hindred from cutting off of the currant of the riuer to the preiudice of the inhabitants He enuironed it inwardly with a treble wall and outwardly with as migâ—…tie and as many enclosures and made all of burnt bricke The wals were magnificently builded the gates brauely adorned in maner of temples He caused a pallace to be builded neere vnto his fathers auncient pallace the magnificenâ—… and ornament wherof I am too weake witted to expresse onely this thing most memorable 〈◊〉 â—…ue thought good to note downe that these huge great and pompous buildings were finished in fifteene daies In this pallace he had vaultes raised so high that in outward appearance they seemed to bee mountaines on which all sorts of trees were planted He deuised and prepared also a goodly garden and called it the hanging garden because his wife hauing beene brought vp in the countrey of Media desired to haue a place conformable to that of her birth Megasthenes in the fourth booke of his Indian Historie maketh mention of this garden in that place where he inforced himselfe to proue that this King surpassed Hercules in valour and execution of worthie actions For he said that Nabuchodonosor ouercame the chiefe Citie of Libya and a great part of Spaine Diocles in the second booke of his Persian Historie and Philostratus in his Phaeâ—…ician and Indian Historie make mention of this King saying that he ouercame the Citie of Tyre at the end of thirteene yeeres at such time as Ithobal raigned ouer the Tyrians This is the summe of all that which the Historiographers write as touching this King CHAP. XI Nabuchodonosors successors the destruction of Babylon by Cyrus King of Persia. AFter Nabuchodonosors death his sonne Euilmerodach obtained the kingdome who incontinently deliuered Iechonias king of Ierusalem out of prison and held him in the number of his most esteemed friends and gaue him presents and committed the gouernment of the pallace of Babylon into his hands For his father had not kept his promise with Iechonias when he surrendred himselfe his wife children and friends into his hands in the behalfe of his countrey and to the intent that the Citie of Ierusalem should not be rased by those that besieged it as we haue heretofore declared Euilmerodach died in the eighteenth yeere of his raigne and Niglisar his sonne obtained the kingdome which hee possessed fortie veeres and afterwards died After him the succession of the kingdome came vnto his sonne called Labosardach which continued in him but for the space of nine moneths and after his death it came vnto Balthasar who by the Babylonians was called Naboandel Against him Cyrus king of Persia and Darius king of Media made warre and at such time as he was besieged in Babylon there hapned a meruailous and prodigious spectacle Balthasar sate vpon a certaine festiuall in a royall chamber where he was serued with great store of vessell fit for his maiestie and royaltie and with him at the banquet there sate his concubines and most intirest friends At which time to shew his magnificence he caused those vessels to be brought out of the temple of his God which Nabuchodonosor his predecessor fearing to employ to his owne vse had stoared vp in his Idols temple But Balthasar was so puffed with pride that he dranke out of them and employed them to his vses Now so came it to passe that whilest he quaffed and blasphemed the name of God he sawe a hand issuing from a wall which wrote in the same certaine syllables by which vision being somewhat terrified he assembled his Magitians and Chaldees and all that sort of people who amongst those barbarous nations made profession to interprete prodigies and dreames to the intent they might signifie vnto him the meaning and vnderstanding of that writing Now when these Magitians had told him that they could in no sort sound or vnderstand the same the king was sore vexed and toubled at this vnexpected vision whereupon he caused it to be proclaimed thorow his countrey that whosoeuer should read that writing and declare the meaning thereof he would giue him a golden chaine and a purple robe such as the king of Chaldees wore and besides all this the third part of his Empire After this proclamation the Magitians assembled togither with greater concourse and were farre more diligent and inquisitiue to finde out the signification of the writing but they were no lesse grounded therein then they were at the first Meane while the kings grandmother seeing him wholy amated in minde began to comfort him and to tell him that there was a certaine man amongst the prisoners of Iuda led thither at such time as Nabuchodonosor destroied Babylon whose name was Daniel a man wise and expert in searching out of things that were impossible and only knowne vnto God who euidently expounded that which Nabuchodonosor required at such time as no other man
that they that disobey and contradict these thinges shall be hanged on the gibbet and that their goods be confiscate These were the contents of his letters Now the number of those that returned togither from the captiuitie into Ierusalem was fortie two thousand foure hundreth sixtie two CHAP. II. The Gouernours for the King doe hinder the building of the Temple WHilest these men laid the foundations of the Temple and were verie affectionately busie about the building thereof the nations that bordered vpon them and in especiall the Chuteans whom Salmanazar king of Assyria sent from Persia and Media to inhabite in Samaria at such time as he translated the people of the ten tribes incited the princes and gouernours to interdict the Iewes from raising and building their citie and reedifying the temple Who corrupted with siluer sold their negligence and delay to the Chuteans which they vsed in those buildings For Cyrus intending his other wars was ignorant hereof and hauing conducted his army against the Massagetes it was his hap incontinently to finish his life When as therfore Cambyses his sonne had obtained the kingdome they of Syria and Phoenicia the Ammonites Moabites and Samaritanes wrote their letters to Cambyses in these termes O King thy seruants Rathimus the secretarie Semelius the Scribe and those men that are counsellers in Syria and Phoenicia giue thee to vnderstand that those Iewes that were led captiue into Babylon are returned backe into this countrey and doe build a wicked and rebellious Citie and repaire the places and walles of the same and reedifie their temple likewise Know therefore that if these things be permitted to be finished that they will no more endure to be thy subiects and tributaries but will oppose themselues against their kings holding it more fitter to commaund then to obey We haue therefore thought good that whilest they are thus on working and affectionat in rearing their temple to write vnto your maiestie to the intent you may not neglect to examine your fathers records wherein you shall alwaies finde that the Iewes haue been rebels and enemies to their kings and that their Citie hath been for this cause laid desolate vntill this present We haue thought good to signifie thus much to your maiestie which perhaps is vnknown vnto you because that if this Citie be once more reinhabited and inclosed with a wall your way is shut vp from passing into Coelesyria and Phoenice CHAP. III. Cambyses inhibiteth the Iewes to build the Temple WHen Cambyses had red this letter in that he was by nature both wicked and malicious he grew inwardly iealous and displeased at the contents thereof and wrote backe againe after this manner The King Cambyses to Rathymus the secretarie of his casuall euents and to Belsem and Semelius scribes and to al his other counsellers and inhabitants in Samaria Phoenicia health Hauing red your letters I haue commanded the records of mine auncestors to be examined and I finde that the Citie of Ierusalem hath bin alwaies enemy to their kings and that the inhabitants thereof haue alwaies raised sedition and wars I haue likewise found that their kings haue bin mightie and violent and that they haue vexed Syria Phoenicia with continuall tributes For this cause I haue ordained that the Iewes shall not be permitted to reedifie their Citie for feare least their malice should augment by such occasion which they haue continually vsed against their kings Incontinently after the receipt and reading of these letters Rathymus and the sâ—…ibe Semelius and those of their faction tooke their horse and rode hastily to Ierusalem leading with them a great number of people prohibiting the Iewes from the building either of their Citie or temple Thus was this worke interrupted vntill the second yeere of the raigne of Darius king of Persia for the space of nine yeeres For Cambyses raigned six yeeres during which time he subdued Aegypt and vpon his returne from thence he died in Damasco And after the death of Cambyses the Magi that held the Empire of the Persians for the space of one yeere being taken away the seuen families of Persia made Darius the sonne of Hystaspis king CHAP. IIII. Darius the sonne of Hystaspis causeth the Temple to bee builded THis Darius during the time that he liued a priuate life made a yow vnto God that if he obtained the kingdome he would send backe vnto the temple of Ierusalem all those vessels which were as yet remaining in Babylon It fortuned that about the same time Zorobabel who was appointed gouernour ouer the captiue Iewes came vnto him from Ierusalem For he was the kings auncient friend for which cause he with other two were chosen to be of his guard and obtained thereby that honor which he expected The first yeere of the raigne of Darius he entertained all his courtiers with great pompe and magnificence both those of his houshold as they also that were his gouernors and Princes of Media and Persia and the commanders in India confining vpon Aethiopia with all the chieftaines of his army in one hundreth twenty seuen prouinces Now after they had made great cheere and were full of wine they departed each of them vnto their lodgings to betake themselues to rest But king Darius laid in his bed reposed verie little all the night long but passed the time without sleepe for which cause seeing he could take no rest he began to deuise and discourse with three of his guard promising him that should most truely and aptly answere those questions that he should demaund to grant him licence in way of reward to weare a purple garment and to drinke in golden cups to lie on a gilded bed and to ride in a chariot harnessed with gold and to beare the Tiara or linnen wreath and weare a golden chaine about his necke and sit in the next place vnto the king and should likewise bee called his kinsman in regard of his wisedome After he had made these large promises he demanded of the first whether wine were the strongest of the second whether the king were stronger of the third whether women or truth were the most strongest of the three And as soone as he had deliuered them these questions to deliberate vpon he laid him downe to rest Vpon the next morrow he sent for the princes chiefetaines and gouernours of Persia and Media and afterwards sitting aloft in that throne from whence he was accustomed to determine the differents among his subiects he commanded those three yoong men of his guard in the presence of that princely assistance publikely to yeeld their resolution of those questions he had proposed vnto them Whereupon the first of them began after this manner to expresse the force of wine Noble princes when I consider the force of wine I find nothing that may surmount the same For wine entangleth and deceiueth the vnderstanding and maketh the princes vnderstanding like to the poore
and of his sonne Titus who behaued themselues with such moderation after so great a warre and so grieuous battels as they had fought against vs. Now will I returne to my purpose from whence I haue digressed At such time as Antiochus the great raigned in Asia the countrey of Iewry was grieuously spoiled and both the Iewes and the inhabitants of Coelesyria endured many miseries For Antiochus making war against Ptolomey Philopator and his son called Ptolomey the Famous they were pitifully perplexed For whether Antiochus either ouercame or was ouercome they were continually spoiled so that betwixt the prosperitie aduersity of Antiochus they fared like a ship tossed and tormented with a storm Finally after Antiochus had ouercome Ptolomey he conquered Iewry After the death of Philopator his sonne sent a great army into Coelesyria vnder the conduct of Scopas who seazed a great number of those Cities and our nation also was inforced by warre and conquered by him Not long after this Antiochus fought with Scopas neere vnto the floud Iordan and obtained the victorie discomfiting the greater part of his enemies army at which time Antiochus recouered againe those Cities of Coelesyria which were before time surprised by Scopas He tooke Samaria also which when the Iewes perceiued they submitted themselues of their owne accord vnto him and hauing entertained him in the Citie of Ierusalem they gaue both his army and his Elephants abundance of prouision and willingly assisted him with their forces to subdue those garrisons which Scopas had planted in the fortresses of the higher Citie For which cause Antiochus supposing it to be a matter behoouefull for his honor to acknowledge and remunerate the affection and forwardnesse which the Iewes had expressed in his seruice wrote vnto his captaines and friends signifying vnto them how forward the Iewes had been in his warres and to expresse likewise what gifts he intended to bestow vpon them Hereafter I will insert the copy of his letters which he wrote in fauour of them after I haue recited that which Polybius the Megalopolitane writeth answerable to this purpose which I will recite out of the sixteenth booke of his histories Scopas saith he the generall of Ptolomeies army marching towards the midland did in one winter ouercome the whole nation of the Iewes He reciteth also in the same booke that after that Scopas had beene ouercome Antiochus seazed Bathanaea Samaria Abila and Gadara and anon after the Iewes which dwelt at Ierusalem where the temple was ioyned themselues with him and although we are to speake more amply and particularly of that apparition that hapned neere vnto the temple yet notwithstanding we will referre the recitall thereof vntill an other time This is that which Polybius hath written But to returne vnto our purpose I will recite in this place the copy of those letters which were sent by the King King Antiochus to Ptolomey Health Whereas the Iewes haue giuen vs a most apparant testimony of their affection towards vs since the first time of our entrance into their countrey and haue magnificently entertained vs at such time as we were in person before their Citie by presenting themselues before vs with all their Elders and haue also furnished vs largely with all that which was necessarie for our souldiers and our Elephants and haue likewise taken armes with vs against the Aegyptian garrison we haue thought it a matter answerable to our honor to affoord them some satisfaction in repairing their Citie ruinated by humane casualties to the intent it might be inhabited and peopled againe by gathering togither those Iewes that are scattered abroad in diuers places and planting them againe in the same And in especiall to the end that the seruice of God may be renued we haue set downe a certaine summe of money to be imployed in sacrifices and in buying beasts for their offrings wine oyle and incense that is to say twenty thousand sicles of siluer and for fine flower according to the law of the place one thousand four hundreth and sixtie measures of wheate and three hundreth seuentie and fiue measures of salt And my will is that all these things that are abouenamed be deliuered vnto them according to the forme of our ordinance We likewise commaund that the worke of the temple be finished with the galleries and other necessary buildings and that all the stuffe of timber be brought out of Iudaea and other places and especially out of Libanus without any taxe or tallage which exemption also shall take effect in all other necessaries that are requisite towards the reparation of so famous a temple My pleasure likewise is that all they of the same nation gouerne their estate according to their owne lawes Let the ancient Priests and Scribes of the temple also and the singing men be freed from all taxations that are paide by the powle and the tributes of the crowne and all other whatsoeuer And to the end that the city may be the sooner builded I grant vnto all them that inhabite the same at this present or that hereafter shall transport themselues thither within the moneth of October to inhabite the same exemption of all charges for three yeeres space We forgiue them moreouer the third part of their tributes to the intent they may recouer themselues of their losses We will also that those Citizens that haue beene forcibly led from thence into seruitude be set at liberty both they themselues as also those that are of their alliance commanding their goods to be restored vnto them Farewell These were the contents of this letter And to yeeld the more honour vnto the temple he sent an edict thorow all his kingdom to this effect That it should not be lawful for any stranger to enter within the inclosure of the temple without the Iewes permission except those that should be purified according to the law and custome of the place That no man should bring into the Citie any flesh of horse mulet wilde or tame asses leopards foxes or hares or generally of any cattell prohibited to be eaten by the lawes of the Iewes That it should not be lawful likewise for any man to bring their skins into the Citie or to nourish any such beasts in the same but that it might onely be lawfull to vse those beasts which might be sacrificed vnto God according to the law of their ancestors That whosoeuer should contradict those inhibitions he should pay 3000. drachmes of siluer vnto the Priests Furthermore to expresse his pietie and fidelitie towards vs at such time as he heard of the troubles that hapned in Phrygia and Lydia he wrote also vnto Zeuxis gouernour of one of the higher prouinces and his intire friend commaunding him to send certaine of our nation from Babylon to Phrygia writing vnto him to this effect King Antiochus to Zeuxis his father Health If thou art well I am glad of it I likewise am no lesse healthy Vnderstanding that those
of Lydia and Phrygia are newly growne to rebellion I haue thought good according to my duty to preuent the same and whilest I consulted with my friends what was to be done it hath been thought fit that two thousand families of the Iewes with all their housholds should be sent thither all which should be drawne out of Mesopotamia and Babylon to plant them in garrisons and places of securitie For I am perswaded of their good affection and zeale towards vs both in respect of their deuotion towards God as also for the testimony which our predecessors haue borne of them namely that they are faithfull and ready to execute that wherein they are imployed And although it be a difficult matter to remooue them yet resolue I my selfe that it shall be done and withall I permit them to liue according to their lawes Now when as they shall arriue in that place thou shalt bestow on euery one of them places to build them houses on with sufficient lands both for tillage and to plant their vineyards in for which they shall pay no tribute for ten yeeres space and during such time as they may gather of their owne for their sustenance they shall be allowed their prouision of corne for them and their seruants Our will is also that they who shall be employed in necessarie affaires be sufficiently prouided of that they neede to the intent that being so bountifully delt withall by vs they may shew themselues the more affectionate in that which concerneth vs. Thou shalt giue order also to the vttermost of thy power that this nation be no waies ouerpressed or interessed by any man Farewell Hitherto haue we sufficiently declared what friendship Antiochus the great bare vnto the Iewes After this Antiochus contracted alliance and friendship with Ptolomey who gaue him his daughter Cleopatra in mariage and assigned him for her dowry Coelesyria Samaria Iudaea and Phoenicia and for that these two kings deuided the tributes betweene them the chiefest in authoritie in euerie prouince redeemed the exaction of their countrey and paid the summe agreed vpon to the kings treasurie At that time the Samaritanes puffed vp with their prosperitie vexed the Iewes spoyling their countrey and leading them away prisoners perforce This hapned vnder the high Priest Onias For after the decease of Eleazar Manasses his vncle obtained the Priesthood and after the death of Manasses Onias the sonne of Simon surnamed the Iust enioyed this dignitie Simon was brother to Eleazar as I haue heretofore declared This Onias was of no great capacitie and withall was very couetous by which meanes he failed to paye the twenty talents of siluer which his predecessors were woont to pay to the kings of Aegypt of that tribute which the people paid vnto him Whereupon Ptolomey Euergetes the father of Philopator was grieuously incensed against him so as he sent an embassadour to Ierusalem to accuse him for that he failed to pay his accustomed tribute threatning him that if hence forward he receiued it not he would deuide his countrey amongst his souldiers and send them to inhabite the same When the Iewes were ascertained of his complaints they were confused and amazed but Onias was no whit mooued thereby because he was wholy giuen ouer to couetousnesse CHAP. IIII. Ioseph the sonne of Tobias preuenteth the imminent calamitie of the Iewes and becommeth Ptolomies friend BVt a certaine man called Ioseph the sonne of Tobias and of Onias sister who was the high Priest being yoong in yeeres but honoured in Ierusalem for his wisedome foresight and iustice hauing certaine notice by his mother of the arriuall of this Embassadour came vnto the Citie for he had been ablent in the village of Phicala where he was borne and sharpely reprooued Onias his vncle on the mothers side for that he did not any waies prouide for the securitie of his Citizens but sought to draw his countrymen into a generall hazard for that he retained in his hands that money which was leuied for the tribute Whereby he told him that he had obtained the gouernment ouer the people and purchased the high priesthood And that if he were so bewitched with money that for the loue of the same he could haue the patience to see his countrie in hazard and behold his Citizens also suffer all that which cruelty could inflict vpon them he counsailed him to repaire vnto the king and to require him to bestow the whole or the halfe of the Tribute vpon him Hereunto Onias answered that he would no more execute the gouernment and that if it were possible for him he was ready to giue ouer the priesthood and that therefore he would not repaire vnto the king because he was not any waies moued with these occurrences Whereupon Ioseph asked him if hee would permit him in the peoples behalfe to go Embassadour vnto Ptolomey Whereunto Onias answered that he gaue him free leaue Vpon this occasion Ioseph went vp into the temple and summoned the people to a generall assembly exhorting them to be no waies troubled and to conceiue no feare thorow the negligence of his vncle Onias requesting them to be confident in heart and estraunged from all sinister suspition promising them that he himselfe would go in Embassage vnto the king and faithfully pleade their cause before him and perswade him that they had committed no insolent neglect or contempt against his maiestie Which when the people vnderstood they gaue Ioseph harty thankes Whereupon he presently came downe from the temple and honourably entertained the Embassadors that came from Ptolomey and hauing presented them with gifts of great price and feasted them magnificently for many daies he sent them backe vnto their Prince assuring them that he himselfe would in person follow them And the rather was he incited to this iourney because the Embassador had perswaded him to repaire into Aegypt vnder such assurance that he would obtaine all his requests at Ptolomeies hands the rather for that he was woon with the yoong mans free spirit and noble entertainment Assoone as the Embassadour returned into Aegypt he certified the king of Onias ingratitude and Iosephs humanitie certifying him that he would come in person to intreat pardon for the people for that offence they had committed against him and the rather for that he was in especiall authoritie among the people and so farre vsurped he vpon Iosephs praises that both the king and the Queene Cleopatra had a good opinion of him notwithstanding he was as yet absent But Ioseph sent vnto Samaria vnto his friends and borrowed money making his preparation for his voiage Hauing therefore furnished himselfe with apparell vessels and horses with the expence of almost twenty thousand drachmes he arriued in Alexandria At that very time it chanced that the Princes and gouernours of Phoenicia and Syria repaired thither to buy their tributes for the king was accustomed euery yeere to sell them to the men of most respect in euery Citie
the rather for that he excelled them in all things and had such parts in him as might draw them to emulate him Whereas therefore Ioseph was desirous to know which of his children had the ripest iudgement and vnderstanding he sent them one after another to those masters who were most renowmed for science in that time but all of them returned backe vnto him rude and illettered by reason they were negligent and idle Whereupon he sent Hircanus the youngest of them after all the rest into a desart place distant from the high way some seuen daies iourney and gaue him with him three hundreth couple of oxen to sow the ground in that barren place hiding from him before his departure the yokes that should couple them together When as therefore he came vnto the place and perceiued that the yokes were missing he asked aduise of some of the husbandmen who counsailed him to send some one backe vnto his father to fetch the couples But he supposing that he ought not to lose so much time as would be spent in sending backe a messenger deuised a cunning expedient stratageme more then might be expected from one of his yeares For he caused ten couple of oxen to be slaine and distributed the flesh amongst his workemen and made them cut the skins and fashion couples thereof and hauing yoked his oxen he caused the land to be manured according to his fathers direction and afterwards returned home vnto him Who loued him the more intirely by reason of his wisedom and the subtiltie of his vnderstanding praising besides that his resolution and execution esteeming him the more for that he was his only true sonne to the general discontent of the rest Whenas therefore newes was brought vnto Ioseph that about that time king Ptolomey was blessed with a young sonne and how all the chiefest Lords of Syria and the countries vnder his obeisance repaired to Alexandria in great pompe to celebrate the birth day of the kings sonne he being of himselfe vnable by reason of his age to repaire thither he sounded his children whether any one of them would go and visit the king Whenas therefore the elder sons had excused themselues and made refusall to vndertake the iourney pretending that they were of insufficient ability to performe the message and all of them gaue counsaile that their brother Hircanus might be sent Ioseph tooke great pleasure thereat and calling for Hircanus asked him if he would goe to king Ptolomey who promised to vndertake the iourney and told his father that he needed no great summe of money to performe the voyage because in the way he would trauell frugally and content himselfe for the whole expence with ten thousand drachmes Ioseph was verie glad to heare of his sons prudence and after Hircanus had kept silence for a while he counsailed his father that he should not present the King with any thing out of Iudaea but that he should write vnto his factor in Alexandria commaunding him to deliuer such summes of money as he thought conuenient to buy that which he found to be most magnificent of best esteeme in that Citie Ioseph imagining with himselfe that perhaps he would onely employ some tenne talents in presents and allowing his sonnes counsaile wrote vnto his factor Arion who had the vse of almost three thousand talents of his in Alexandria For gathering vp his money in Syria he was wont to send it thither and as oft as the prefixed time came wherein the kings tributes were to be paid he commaunded Arion to defray the same Hauing therefore letters of credence vnto him he iourneyed towards Alexandria Wherupon his brethren wrote presently vnto all the kings friends that by some meanes they would make him away As soone as he was arriued in Alexandria and had deliuered his fathers letters to Arion Arion asked him how many talents he would haue hoping that he would craue but ten or some little ouerplus but when Hircanus had told him that he had need of a thousand he waxed wroth and reproued him for his prodigalitie telling him how his father had gathered his goods with much trauaile and thriftie sparing and refusing his demaunds he praied him to imitate his fathers example who had begot him and in a word he told him that he would deliuer him no more then ten talents and that for no other vse then to buy giftes to present the king withall Whereupon Hircanus waxing angry caused Arion to be kept in prison All which his wife certified to Cleopatra praying her that she would moderate the young man for Arion was in great estimation with the Queene who for this cause acquainted the king with the matter Wherupon Ptolomey sent for Hircanus and said vnto him that he marueiled that being sent vnto him from his father he had not as yet visited him and besides that he had committed his fathers agent to prison he therefore commanded him to yeeld him a reason thereof Whereunto he answered that there was a law among the Iewes that no man should taste of the sacrifices that had not first of all visited the temple and sacrificed vnto God and that in that respect he had not hitherto visited his maiesty because he expected certaine presents to present his highnesse with from his father who was his bounden seruant Furthermore he alleadged that he had punished his fathers seruant because he had disobeyed his commandement which he ought not to doe whether his master were either noble or ignoble and if said he we chastise not such men as they haue deserued expect O King that you also shall be neglected by your subiects When Ptolomey heard these words he began to smile and wondered at the magnanimitie of the yoong man Arion perceiuing that the king held himselfe satisfied and that he was like to haue no assistance at his hands deliuered Hircanus the thousand talents and by this meanes was he set at libertie Some three daies after Hircanus came and saluted both the king and Queene who entertained him graciously and feasted him kindly for the affection sake which they bare vnto his father He priuily inquiring among the merchants bought one hundreth yoong laddes well lettered and in the flower of their age paying a talent for euery one and the like number of virgins for so many talents Being therefore inuited to a banquet by the king with all the Princes and other Lords he was placed beneath them all because that by reason of his yoong yeeres they that assigned the places according to euery mans dignitie made small accompt of him Now when as all the guests after they had eaten their meats laid all their bones before Hircanus so that the table was loaden round about him a certaine pleasant fellow of the Kings called Triphon whose merrie conceits and iests the king very willingly listned vnto during the time he was at meat being sollicited by those that were at the table came vnto the king and said
spoiled the temple of Diana in the countrey of Persia. For since he had onely intended to commit sacriledge but had not effected it he merited not to suffer punishment for the same And if it seemeth good vnto Polybius that Antiochus was punished by death for this occasion it is farre more likely to be true that his death befell him for the sacriledge he had committed in the temple of Ierusalem But our purpose is not to argue against those that maintaine that Polybius reasons are of greater truth and consequence then ours are CHAP. XIIII Antiochus Eupator discomfiteth the Iewes and besiegeth Iudas and shutteth him vp in the temple BEfore Antiochus gaue vp the ghost he called for Philip one of his chiefest familiars and made him gouernor of his kingdome And hauing deliuered the diademe into his hands his royall robe and his ring with other iewels he charged him to beare and deliuer them to his sonne Antiochus requiring him earnestly to haue care of his bringing vp and to maintaine the kingdome in his behalfe vntill he comming vnto the yeeres of discretion were fit to manage it himselfe This done Antiochus died the hundreth fortie and ninth yeâ—…re of the kingdome of Syria After that Lysias had certified the people of the kings death he pâ—…oclaimed his sonne Antiochus whom at that time he had in his protection king surnaming him Eupator according to the instructions that were giuen him About that time the garrisons and Apostataes that were in the fortresse in Ierusalem did much mischiefe vnto the Iewes For setting vpon those at vnawares who ascended the temple to worship and offer their sacrifice they slew them for the fortresse commanded the temple For these causes Iudas resolued to cutte off these garrisons and to that intent he assembled all the people and besieged it This enterprise was vndertooke in the yeere one hundreth and fiftie after that Seleucus had vsurped the gouernment of those countries Hauing therefore made him certaine engins and raised diuers rammes he industriously continued the siege But diuers of those Apostataes that were reuolted and of that garrison issued out by night and assembling togither such men as were of so malicious nature as themselues they came vnto king Antiochus requiring him that he would not suffer them to be abused in such sort by those of our nation nor so carelesly neglected by them considering their disgrace grew by his fathers seruice for whose sake they had forsaken their own religion followed his lawes and ordinances Furthermore they inferred that the fortresse was in danger to be surprised by Iudas and his associates except some present succours were sent vnto them When Antiochus the yonger had notice hereof he was sore displeased and sent for his captaines and friends commanding them to hire strange souldiers and all those in his kingdome who were of yeeres to beare armes so that he gathered in short time an army of one hundreth thousand footmen and twentie thousand horsemen and thirtie two Elephants and with this Equipage departed he out of Antioch committing his army to Lysias direction As soone as he came into Idumaea he went vp vnto Bethsura a walled Citie and very difficult to be surprised which he besieged and begirt but with such disaduantage that the Bethsurians resisting him valiantly and sallying out vpon him burned those preparations and engines which he had furnished for the batterie of the town When as therefore a long time was consumed about this siege Iudas hauing intelligence of the kings approch raised his campe from before the Castle of Ierusalem and marching forward to meet the enemy he shut his army in a certaine streight in a place called Beth-zacharia some seuentie stounds distant from the enemies campe The king hauing tidings hereof raised his siege from Bethsura marched towards the streight wherein Iudas army was inclosed and about the morning he set his souldiers in battel aray He first of all caused his Elephants to march one after another thorow the streight for that it was impossible for them to march in square About euery Elephant were one thousand footmen and fiue hundreth horsemen These Elephants bare high towers on their backs garnished with archers Touching the rest of his forces he caused them to ascend two seuerall waies by the mountaines vnder the conduct of his most intirest friends commanding them with a huge shout and crie to charge their enemies to discouer their golden and brazen bucklers to the end the reflection thereof might dazel the eies of the Iewes whereupon the mountaines resounded with fearfull cries of Antiochus army Yet was not Iudas any waies amated hereat For entertaining the charge with a noble courage he slew almost six hundreth of the forlorne hope But Eleazar surnamed Auranes Iudas brother seeing a huge Elephant among the rest armed with royal trappings supposing that the king was vpon the same he ran against him with a mightie courage and after he had slaine diuers of them that enuironed the Elephant and scattered the rest he thrust his sword into the belly of the beast and wounded him to the death so that the Elephant falling vpon Eleazar slew him with the waight thereof and thus nobly died this worthy man ouerthrowing a great number of his enemies thorow his infinite valour Iudas seeing his enemies forces so great in number retired backe to Ierusalem to continue his siege and Antiochus sent part of his army to Bethsura to surprise the same and with the rest he himselfe marched onward to Ierusalem The Bethsurites being affraid of this mighty army of the king and seeing their necessarie prouisions failed them yeelded vp their Citie after they had taken the kings oth that they should receiue no outrage When as therefore Antiochus became Lord of this Citie he offered them no iniurie onely he thrust them out disarmed from the Citie and planted a garrison therein Hee spent a long time also in besieging the temple of Ierusalem for that they who kept the same defended it valiantly For against euerie engine the king builded raised vp against them they erected a counter-engine Their only want was victuals because their old prouision was consumed the ground had not bin manured that yeere because it was the seuenth in which according to the law the countrey soyle should not be stirred which was the cause that diuers of those that were besieged fled secretly for want of victuals insomuch that very fewe remained for the defence of the temple In this estate were they who were besieged in the temple When as King Antiochus and Lysias the generall had receiued tidings that Philip comming out of Persia intended to make himselfe master and lord of the countrey they concluded to giue ouer the siege for that time and to march forward against Philip without giuing any inckling thereof either to his souldiers or captaines He onely commanded that Lysias should communicate the same with the captaines
haue likewise discouered the great and grieuous conflicts which Iudas their captaine performed and in which he finally died in the behalfe of their libertie how likewise after the death of Iudas all the wicked Apostate Iewes who had reuolted from their religion tooke courage molesting and doing many iniuries to the rest of their countrimen Finally how besides their malice the famine inuaded the countrey so that diuers being vnable to sustaine these two mortall scourges of famine and warre were constrained to submit themselues vnto the Macedonians In the meane while Bacchides gathering togither the false Apostataes who were fallen from the religion of the Iewes with an intent to liue after the prophane manner of the Paganes committed the gouernment of the countrey vnto them who laying hold on Iudas friends and partakers betraied and deliuered them to Bacchides who first of all tormented and beat them at his pleasure and afterwards put them to death This so grieuous affliction then which the Iewes had neuer endured a worse since their returne from Babylon was the cause that those of Iudas faction who were yet aliue fearing the totall and cruell ruine of their nation addressed themselues to Ionathan his brother exhorting him to imitate his brother Iudas vertues to haue no lesse care of his countrimeÌ„ then the other had who fought for their libertie vntill his latest breath requiring him not to abandon the gouernment of his nation especially in that 〈◊〉 miserable estate wherin they were pluÌ„ged Ionathan answered them that he was ready to die for them and being in all things esteemed no lesse valiant and politique then his brother Iudas he was proclaimed generall and chiefetaine of the Iewes Bacchides hauing notice hereof feared least Ionathan should be no lesse infestuous to the king and Macedonians then his brother Iudas before him had been for which cause he sought the meanes to make him away by treason But both Ionathan and his brother Simon gat intelligence hereof and hauing discouered his practise they tooke all their families with them and fled into the desart that confined the Citie Ierusalem and retiring themselues neere vnto a water called the lake of Asphar they remained in that place When Bacchides perceiued that they mistrusted him and were drawne thither he went out against them with all his forces and being encamped on the other side of Iordan he gathered his army togither Ionathan knowing well that Bacchides came out to seeke him sent his brother Iohn surnamed Gaddis vnto the Arabians Nabatheans to commit the trust of their goods vnto their hand vntill the end of the warre betwixt him and Bacchides for the Arabians were his friends Whilest therefore Iohn marched towards the Nabatheans the sonnes of Amaraeus laid an ambuscado for him who were of the citie of Medaba and after they had furiously set vpon him on the way laid hold on whatsoeuer he brought with him they at length slew him and all his company for which fact of theirs they were shortly after punished by his brethren as we will make manifest in that which afterward followeth When Bacchides knew that Ionathan was incaÌ„ped in the marshes of Iordan he made choise of the Sabboth day to set vpon him hoping that he would not defend himselfe on that day because of the prohibition of the law But he contrary to his expectation incouraged his companions declared vnto them how it concerned their liues to be valiant for that it was impossible for them to escape because they were shut vp in the midst betwixt the floud and the enemy for they had the enemy before them and the floud on their backes As soone therefore as he had made his praier vnto God that it might please him to grant him the victorie he set vpon the enemy with a stout courage and slew a great number of them and perceiuing Bacchides how with great fiercenesse he set forward against him he stretched out his right hand to strike him but he preuenting the stroke by stepping aside Ionathan and his companions lept into the riuer and so saued themselues by swimming ouer to the other side of Iordan because the enemies durst not passe the water to pursue them Whereupon Bacchides returned incontinently to the Castle of Ierusalem after he had lost about some two thousand of his men After this he fortified diuers Cities which were before tâ—…ne ruinated namely Ierico Emaus Betheron Bethella Thamnata Pharathon Techoa and Gazara and builded in euery one of them certaine towers and great and strong walles and afterwards he planted garrisons therein to sally out vpon the Iewes and vex them but in especiall he fortified the cittadel of Ierusalem in which hee kept for hostages the children of the principallest men of Iudaea About that time there came a certaine man to Ionathan and his brother Simon bringing them newes that the sonnes of Amaraeus would solemnize their nuptials and were to leade the bride from the Citie of Gabatha which was daughter to one of the noblest amongst the Arabians for which cause she should be conducted with great magnificence and sumptuous pompe Ionathan and his brother supposing that a fit oportunitie was offered them to reuenge their brothers death and to punish the Medabanes for the wrongs they had done vnto their brother they tooke with them the greatest forces that they could and marched towards Medaba where they lay in ambush vnder the couert of a mountaine But when they saw them that led the bride and accompanied the bridegroome and a great troupe of their friends likewise according to the accustomed manner of marriages they brake out of their couert and put them all to the sword and after they had seazed their Iewels and all other bootie of that company that followed them they retired backe againe ioyfully hauing obtained their purpose and thus reuenged they the death of their brother Iohn vpon the sonnes of Amaraeus For not onely these alone but their friends that accompanied them with their wiues and children were all of them slaine to the number of foure hundreth And in this manner Simon and Ionathan returned into the marshes aforesaid and aboade there But Bacchides hauing fortified all the garrisons of Iudaea returned backe vnto the king And at that time the estate of the Iewes was in peace for the space of welny two yeeres But the wicked and such as were reuolted from the religion of the Iewes seeing that Ionathan and his followers conuersed in the countrey in great assurance by reason of the peace they sent certaine Embassadours vnto king Demetrius requiring him to send them Bacchides who might apprehend Ionathan declaring that it might easily be done and that in one night breaking in vpon them he might murther them all before they were aware When Bacchides by the kings commaundement came into Iury he wrote vnto all his friends both Iewes also his other allies requiring them to lay hold on Ionathan but
the solemnizing of this marriage Alexander by letters inuited the high Priest Ionathan commanding him to repaire vnto him to Prolemais Where after he was arriued and had both presented his seruice with other magnificent presents to both the kings he was highly honoured by both insomuch as Alexander constrained him to put off his ordinarie garments and to put on a purple to be and after that to sit vpon a royall throne commanding his captaines to march before him thorow the Citie and to commaund by publike edict that no man should dare to speake any thing against him neither offer him any cause of discontent in what sort soeuer All which the captaines performed so that they who purposely and maliciously repaired thither to accuse him seeing the honour that was done vnto him by this publication fled away hastily for feare least some mishap should befal the. This king Alexander loued Ionathan so intirely that he affoorded him the chiefest place amongst the number of his deerest friends CHAP. VIII Demetrius the sonne of Demetrius ouer commeth Alexander obtaineth the kingdome and contracteth friendship with Ionathan IN the hundreth sixtie and fifth yeere of the raigne of the Greekes Demetrius the sonne of Demetrius accompanied with diuers hired soldiers whom Lasthenes Candiot furnished him with departed out of Candia and came into Cilicia Which newes as soone as Alexander heard he was grieuously vexed troubled for which cause he instantly posted from Phaenicia to Antioch with intent to assure the affaires of his kingdome in that place before the arriual of Demetrius He left behind him for his gouernor in Coelesyria Apollonius Dauus who comming vnto Iamnia with a great army sent a messenger vnto the high Priest IonathaÌ„ signifying vnto him that it was not conuenient that he onely should liue in assurance at his owne ease and in authoritie without submitting himselfe vnto a King and that it was a great indignitie for him in all mens eies for that he had not inforced himselfe to stoupe vnder the obedience of a King For which cause said he deceiue not thy selfe neither hope thou by skulking in the mountaines or depending on thy forces to continue thy greatnes but if thou trustest to thy power come down into the field encounter with me my army in the plaine to the end that the issue of the victory may shew which of vs is most valiant Be not thou so ignorant that the noblest of euerie Citie beare armes vnder one who haue alwaies ouercome thy predecessors For which cause I challenge thee to meet me in that place where we may vse our swords and no stones and where the vanquished shall haue no aduantage by his flight Ionathan whetted by this bitter message chose out ten thousand of his best soldiers and departed from Ierusalem accompanied with his brother Simon and came vnto Ioppe and encamped without the Citie because the Citizens had shut the gates against him for they had a garrison planted in that place by Apollonius But as soone as he addressed himselfe to batter the Citie the inhabitants were afraid for feare least he should surprise the same by force and for that cause they opened him the gates Apollonius vnderstanding that Ioppe was taken by Ionathan he tooke three thousand horsemen and eight thousand footmen with him and came into Azot whence he departed leading out his army with a sober march foot by foot arriuing at Ioppe he retired back to draw Ionathan into the field assuring himselfe vpon his horsemen and grounding his hope of victorie vpon them But Ionathan issuing out boldly pursued Apollonius as farre as Azot who finding himselfe in the champion field tumed backe vpon him and charged him Ionathan was in no sort abashed to see the thousand horsmen that Apollonius had laid in ambush neere vnto a certaine streame to the end they might charge the Iewes behind but disposed his army in such sort that his soldiers on euery side turned their faces vpon the enemy commaunding his mento defend themselues on both sides fighting with those that assailed them eyther in the vantgard or the rereward This battell continued vntill euening and Ionathan had giuen his brother Simon a part of his forces charging him to set vpon the enemies battell as for himselfe he drew himselfe and his soldiers into a forme of a battalion resembling a Tortuse to the end that being couered with their bucklers ioyned the oâ—…e with the other they might beare off the horsmens arrowes to which all of them shewed themselues obedient The enemies horsemen shooting all their arrowes against them did them no harme for they pierced not as farre as the flesh but lighting vpon the bucklers enclosed and fastned the one within the other they were easily beaten backe borne off and fell downe being shot all in vaine But when as the enemies were wearied with shooting from betimes in the morning vntill euening and that Simon perceiued they could charge no further he set vpon them with his soldiers so couragiously that he put them all to flight The horsmen of Apollonius perceiuing that the footemen were disarâ—…aid grew heartles likewise and wearied also for that they had fought vntill the euening and hauing lost the hope that they had in the footmen they took their flight in great disorder and confusion so that they brake their rankes of themselues and were scattered thorow all the plaine Ionathan also pursued them as farre as Azot and taking the Citie by assault he slue diuers of them constraining the rest that were in despaire to flie into the temple of Dagon which is in Azot and taking the Citie by assault he burned it with the villages round about and spared not the temple of Dagon but burned it and al 〈◊〉 that were therein The number as well of those that were slaine in the battell as of those that were consumed by fire in the temple was eight thousand men Hauing therefore in this sort discomfited this army he departed from Azot and marched towards Ascalon and as he was encamped without the Citie the Ascalonites came out vnto him and both presented and honoured him He willingly entertaining their good affection departed from thence and iournied towards Ierusalem charged with great spoiles which after his victory against his enemy he droue before him after he had spoiled the countrey As soone as Alexander heard that Apollonius the generall of his army was discomfited and forced to flie he made a shew that he was glad thereof pretending that it was against his will that Ionathan had beene molested by warre who was both his friend and ally Whereupon be sent an Embassadour vnto him to signifie vnto him how much he reioyced at his victory offering him presents and honours with a chaine of gold such as the kings were accustomed to giue to those of their kinred he likewise gaue him Accaron and the countrey thereunto belonging to him and his heires for euer
the kingdome he discouered his hypocrisie and shewed plainly that he was not vnaptly called Tryphon that is to say a trifler or mocker By which meanes he drew the hearts of the better sort from him and as for his army they grew so much in hatred of him that they submitted themselues to Cleopatra Demetrius wife who had at that time shut vp both her selfe and her children in Seleucia And wheras Antiochus surnamed the Deuout and brother to Demetrius was driuen from place to place and had not any Citie that would entertaine him for feare of Tryphon Cleopatra sent vnto him enuiting him both to be her husband and to take the possession of the kingdome And hereunto did she the rather draw him partly for that she was thereunto perswaded by her friends and partly for the fear she had least some one of Seleucia should betray the citie to Tryphon As soone as Antiochus was arriued in Seleucia and that from day to day his forces increased he marched forth into the field and fought with Tryphon and ouercame him in battell and droue him out of the higher Syria and pursued him as farre as Phoenicia where after he had retired himselfe into Dora a strong and impregnable Castle he besieged him therein and sent present Embassadors to Simon the high priest of the Iewes to confirme a friendship and confederacie with him Simon very curteously accepted his demaunds and presently sent Antiochus both money and victuals sufficient to furnish his army at the siege of Dora so that in short space he was accepted amongst the number of his intire friends Tryphon flying from Dora to Apamea was in that place besieged taken and flaine after he had raigned three yeeres CHAP. XIII After Tryphons death Simon made warre against Antiochus and droue Cendebaeus out of Iudaea BVt the innated auarice that was in Antiochus and the malignitie of his nature made him forgetfull of those offices and seruices that Simon had done him so that he sent Cendebaeus his great friend with a mighty army to inuade Iewry and to surprise Simon But he hauing some priuie intelligence of Antiochus treacherie notwithstanding that at this time hee was verie olde was in such sort moued with the iniuries that Antiochus had done him as animated with courage more then became his age he went himselfe to the warre as if as yet he had beene but youthfull he therefore caused his sonne to march before with the picked soldiers of his army and hauing left a number of his soldiers in ambush in the hollow retreats of the mountains he executed al his deseignes without failing in any one of them so that after he had euery way obtained the vpper hand of his enemies he euer after enioied his gouernment in peace during the remainder of his life and renewed likewise the confederacy with the Romans CHAP. XIIII Simon is traiterously slaine by his sonne in law Ptolomey at a banquet HE gouerned Iudaea for the space of eight yeeres and was at length slaine at a banquet by the trechery of Ptolomey his sonne in law who being seased of Simons wife and his two children and detaining them in prison sent out certaine of his traine besides to kill Iohn the third sonne surnamed Hircanus But the young man hauing-some inkling of their drift retired himselfe speedily into the citie and auoided the daunger that they complotted against him assuring himselfe of the good will of the people in consideration of the benefits they had receiued at his fathers hands and the hatred that they bare vnto Ptolomey who intending to enter the citie gates was sharply repulsed by the citizens for that they had alreadie entertained Hircanus CHAP. XV. How Ptolomey failing of his hopes Hircanus obtained the Soueraigntie WHereupon Ptolomey retired vnto a certaine Castle scituate beyond Ierico called Dagon but Hircanus was made high Priest in his fathers steed who after he had recommended himselfe to God by the firstling sacrifices that he offered marched out against Ptolomey his brother in law to make warre vpon him Now when he was fully addressed to besiege the place whither Ptolomey was retired he had the aduantage in all other things but onely by the affection that he bare vnto his mother and his brethren he was ouercome For Ptolomey hauing taken them and whipt them vpon the walles in all mens presence threatned Hircanus that vnlesse he leuied his siege he would cast them downe headlong from the top of the Castle now whereas one way Hircanus had a great desire to enforce and surprise the place so also on the other side he was wholy weakned thorow the desire that he had to redeeme those whom he loued from the enemies tyranny True it is that his mother stretching out her hands besought him that for her sake he should not giue ouer valiantly to assault the place but that he should bee the more encouraged to surprise the fortresse and to lay hold vpon his enemy be reuenged on the wrong that was offered vnto his decrest friends alledging that she thought it better to die in the middest of a thousand torments then that the enemie should escape vnpunished who had beene so manifest an occasion of their misery When Hircanus heard his mother speake thus he was more furiously incensed to giue the assault but as soone as he saw his mother so beaten and so sore wounded his heart melted within him and that seruent desire which he before had to batter and beat downe the citie was presently alaid and cooled and so the pitifull compassion on his mother surmounted and ouercame his irefull affection of reuenge Whilest thus the siege was continued and prolonged the yeere of reposâ—… celebrated among the Iewes was come For they obserued the seuenth yeere as the seuenth day is obserued in the weeke so that by this occasion Ptolomey was deliuered of this siege who afterwards slue both Hircanus mother and brethren which done he fled vnto Zeno surnamed Cotyla who at that time tyrannized in the citie of the Philadelphians CHAP. XVI Antiochus the Deuout maketh warre against Hyrcanus and vpon the receit of three hundreth talents contracteth alliance with him ANtiochus calling to mind the manifold losses he had receiued by Simons meanes inuaded Iury in the fourth yeere of his raigne and in the first of Hyrcanus gouernment which was in the hundreth sixtie and two Olympiade And after he had spoiled all the countrey he locked vp Hyrcanus within the Citie of Ierusalem which he had besieged with seuen campes yet with no aduantage at all both in regard of the strength of the walles as in respect of the valour of the Citizens as also the want of water which he had in his campe which was notwithstanding remedied by a great fall of raine which fell about the setting of the Pleiades in the beginning of Aprill On the North side also where there is a great plaine Antiochus caused one hundreth towers
present attended him came downe from the tower and humbled himselfe on his knees before Sosius feet who hauing no compassion of the change of that estate wherein he saw him outragiously scorned him calling him Madame Antigona yet left he him not without guard after the manner of a woman but fast bounde for his further assurance But Herode was busied in deuising how he might moderate his associates and strangers after he had had the vpper hand ouer his enemies For the strangers swarmed into the Citie by heapes and not onely into the Temple but also into the Sanctuarie Hee therefore exhorted some and threatned other some and restrained the rest by force of armes and he was more troubled at that present in being a conquerour then if he had been conquered for that those things that were not lawfull to be seene were beheld by prophane men He preuented likewise the spoile of the Citie as much as in him lay beseeching Sosius most instantly to preserue it to the vtmost asking him if the Romans would leaue him king of a desart after they had voided the Citie of men and goods Alleadging furthermore that he esteemed the gouernment of the whole world of no valew in regard of the life of one of his Citizens Sosius answered that it was reason that the pillage should be giuen to the souldier who had borne the hazard of the siege whereunto Herode answered that he would satisfie euerie man out of his owne treasurie and by this meanes he raunsomed the rest of the Citie by fulfilling those his promises For he gaue many mightie gifts vnto euerie one of the souldiers and by proportion vnto the captaines but aboue all hee royally rewarded Sosius so that euerie one of them departed very rich in siluer This calamitie hapned in the Citie of Ierusalem in the yeere wherein Marcus Agrippa and Canidius Gallus were Consuls which was in the hundreth fourescore and fift Olympiade in the third moneth on the daies wherein the solemne fast was celebrated as if this affliction had iumpt togither in one issue and instant with that of Pompeies for on the same day had the same Citie been taken twentie and seuen yeeres before Sosius offered a crowne of gold vnto God and afterwards departed from Ierusalem leading Antigonus prisoner with him vnto Anthony But Herode fearing least if Antigonus should be kept by Anthony and sent to Rome he should debate his title with him before the Senate by protest that he was descended of the royall line whereas Herode was but a Plebeian and common person and that although hee had offended the Romans and thereby might not deserue to be king yet at least his children who were of the princely line were not to be denyed their title Herode I say fearing these things wrought so much by force of his money with Anthony that he caused him to put Antigonus to death so that at that time Herode was truely deliuered from all feare Thus ended the estate of the Asmoneans after sixe score and sixe yeeres This family was famous both for their nobilitie as also by reason of their Sacerdotall dignitie and for the noble actions and exploites which their auncestors had atchieued for our nation but they lost their authoritie thorow their mutuall factions which soueraigntie was deriued to Herode Antipaters sonne who was ignoble by birth and of meane friends who were subiects and vassals to kings See heere what we haue receiued from our auncestors as touching the ende of the race of the Asmoneans THE XV. BOOKE OF THE ANTIQVITIES OF THE IEWES WRITTEN BY FLAVIVS IOSEPHVS The Contents of the Chapters of the 15. booke 1 Ierusalem being ouercome by Sosius and Herode Antigonus is beheaded by Anthonies commandement Herode maketh away the chiefest friends of Antigonus 2 How Hircanus being dismissed by the Parthians returneth to Herode 3 Herode after he had made Aristobulus his wife Mariammes brother high priest practiseth and worketh his death 4 Cleopatra thirsting after the kingdomes of Iewry and Arabia laboureth to beg a part of them at Anthonies hands 5 The arriuall of Queene Cleopatra in Iudaea 6 Herode maketh warre against Aretas at such time as Anthony was ouerthrowne by Caesar in the Actianwarre 7 Of the earthquake in Iewry 8 Herodes oration to his army 9 Herode intending to repaire vnto Caesar doth of necessitie kill Hircanus 10 How Herode obtained the continuance of his kingdome of Iudaea at Caesars hands 11 Herode maketh away Mariamme thorow false calumniations of her enemies 12 Of the famine that afflicted the land of Iewry 13 The building of Caesarea 14 Herode buildeth a new temple in Ierusalem CHAP. I. Ierusalem being taken by Sosius and Herode Antigonus is beheaded by Anthonies command Herode maketh away all his chiefest friendes IN the former booke I haue declared how Sosius and Herode tooke the Citie of Ierusalem by force with it Antigonus prisoner now wil we also declare that which hath subsequently followed For after that Herode had obtained the absolute gouernment ouer the whole land of Iudaea he aduanced all those among the common people who fauoured his proceedings as for those who were opposed against him there passed not a day wherein some one or other of them suffered not punishment But amongst the rest Pollio the Pharisee and Sameas his disciple were highly honoured by him For during the time of the siege of Ierusalem they counselled the inhabitants to receiue entertaine Herod for which cause he respected them accordingly This Pollio in times past when Herode was found guiltie of death foretolde Hircanus and the rest of the Iudges in way of exprobration that being absolued by them he should one day inflict punishment on them all Which prediction God in processe of time approoued by the euent no sooner therefore became he master of Ierusalem but he gathered togither all the rich houshold stuffe that was in the pallace and furthermore hauing spoiled the rich men of their goods and by this means leuied a great summe of gold and siluer he sent great presents to Anthony and his friends Moreouer he condemned fiue and fortie of Antigonus principall and noblest fauourites to death setting streight watch about their doores that none of them might be carried out vnder colour of being dead The dead bodies likewise were troden vnder foote and all the gold siluer or iewels that was to be found amongst them was carried to the king and conuerted to his vse so that there was no end of these miseries For the couetousnesse of the conquerour whose greedy and thirsting desire could hardly be quenched said hold on whatsoeuer was theirs And for that it was the seuenth yeere it necessarily came to passe that the land was left vnmanured for we are forbidden to sowe in this yeere Anthony hauing taken Antigonus prisoner resolued to keepe him in prison vntill the time of his triumph But after he had receiued tidings that the
nation of the Iewes were ready to innouate and rebell and continued their good affection toward Antigonus in regard of the hatred they conceiued against Herod he concluded with himselfe to take his head from him at Antioch For the Iewes could scarcely containe themselues Strabo of Cappadocia testifieth no lesse in these words Anthony hauing brought Antigonus the Iew to Antioch caused his head to be cut off and was the first among the Romans that hath caused a king to be beheaded in this manner supposing that the Iewes might neuer otherwaies be induced to change their opinions and receiue Herodeâ—… yet this opinion of his was not answerable to equitie For notwithstanding whatsoeuer impulsion he might deuise yet could they not be induced to call him king in so high estimate and account held they their former king But Anthony supposed that that infamie would obscure his renown and lessen the generall hate that they bare to Herode See here what Strabo writeth As soone as the high priest Hircanus who was prisoner among the Parthians heard that Herode had taken possession of the kingdome he returned backe vnto him being deliuered after this manner following Barzapharnes and Pacorus princes of the Parthians had taken Hircanus who was first high priest and afterwards king and with him Phasaelus Herodes brother and led them away prisoners with them into their own countrey Phasaelus not able to endure the dishonour of imprisonment and preferring an honorable death before a reprochful and ignominious life murthered himselfe as I haue heretofore declared CHAP. II. How Hircanus dismissed by the Parthians returned vnto Herode PHraates king of Parthia vnderstanding how nobly Hircanus was descended who was brought prisoner vnto him entertained him gratiously and for this cause drew him out of prison permitting him to conuerse in Babylon in which place there were a great number of Iewes who honoured Hircanus verie much and no lesse then their high priest and king The like also did all they of that nation inhabiting as farre as Euphrates which did not a little content Hircanus But after that he was aduertised that Herode was possessed of the kingdome he transferred his hopes another waie being of his owne nature tenderly affected toward his friends expecting that one day Herode would requite him for that he had deliuered him from death whereunto he was condemned and in danger likewise of the penalty and punishment He began therefore to consult with the Iewes as touching his iourney who in way of duetie and loue came to visit him and who besought him and importuned him to abide with them offering him all seruice and honour assuring him that he should in no lesse manner be respected among them then their high priest and king yea in farre higher regard then he might any waies be in his owne countrey by reason of the maime he had in his bodie thorow Antigonus tyranny alleadging that kings doe not ordinarily call to their remembrance those pleasures that they haue receiued in their infant fortunes because that with their estates they change both their manners and inclinations But notwithstanding all these or such like allegations yet could not Hircanus be withdrawne from the desire he had to repaire homeward Herode also wrote vnto him that he should require Phraates and the Iewes that inhabited his kingdome in no sort to enuie his felicitie in that he should partake with him both in dignitie and royaltie alleadging that the time was now come wherein he might acknowledge the benefits he had receiued by being heretofore nourished and preserued by him With these letters he sent Samaralla likewise on an embassage to Phraates furnished with great rich presents endeuouring by that meanes to winne him that he in no sort should hinder his gratulation and good intent towards one that had so highly deserued at his hands yet were not his protestations answerable to his pretence For insomuch as he gouerned not with that vprightnes which became a iust king he feared least some alteration might befall him according to his demerites for which cause he sought to get Hircanus vnder his power or at leastwise to dispatch him out of his life which he afterwards performed When as therefore Herode had perswaded the Parthian to dismisse Hircanus and the Iewes to furnish him with money sufficient to beare his expence in his iourney he receiued him with all honour In common assemblies he gaue him alwaies the highest place and in the time of festiuals he made him alwaies sit downe before him and the more closely to deceiue him he called him brother endeuouring himselfe by all means wholy to extinguish in him all colour and cause of suspicion of treacherie neitherintermitted he any other stratagems whereby in his opinion he might any waies further or promote his cause and yet by these meanes occasioned he no small sedition in his owne familie For carefully prouiding least any one among the nobilitie should be established high Priest he sent to Babylon for a certaine man of bace condition called Ananel and gaue him the Priesthood For which cause Alexandra grew sodainly displeased not being able to endure that outrage This woman was Hircanus daughter and Alexanders wife who was king Aristobulus sonne who had two children by her husband the one wondrous beautifull who also was called Aristobulus the other was Mariamme who was likewise faire and maried to Herode She was sore moued and highly displeased to see her sonne so much indignified for that during his life another was called to the honour of high Priesthood for which cause she wrote vnto Cleopatra by the meanes of a certaine Musition beseeching her to beg the high Priesthood at Antonius hands for hir sonne But for that Antonius made little reckoning of those suites a certaine friend of his called Gellius who was come into Iury about certain of his affaires and who had seene Aristobulus fell in loue with him by reason of his beautie and being abashed likewise at his great and goodly stature and allured by Mariammes admirable beautie he openly protested that he accounted Alexandra a happie mother in her children and deuising to this effect with her he perswaded her to send the pictures of her two children to Antonius for that if hee should but behold them he would refuse him in nothing wherein he should request his friendship Alexandra perswaded by these words sent their pictures vnto Antonius Gellius also made the matter more wonderfull telling him that the children seemed rather to be engendred of no mortall straine but by some diuine power labouring as much as in him lay that Antonius might be allured to affection them Who supposing it to be a matter ill be seeming him to send for Mariamme who was married to Herode and desirous likewise to auoid Clopatras suspicions wrote vnto Herode that vnder some honest pretext he should send Alexandras sonne vnto him with this addition if it might
and because he would not be thought rashly to haue committed his sonne to prison he caused the most noble and eminent of all Alexanders welwillers to be tortured and they confessing no such matter as he expected he put them to death Whilest thus all the court did resound with feare torments and contentions a certaine man accused Alexander to haue sent letters to his friends at Rome to entreate them to cause him to be sent for by Caesar thither that he might accuse his father of certaine conspiracies against Caesar and how he more esteemed the friendship of Mithridates king of the Parthians then the friendship of the Romans affirming also that he had poison ready prepared at Ascalon Herod hearing this was comforted by the parasites about him as hauing not done any thing rashly and so he gaue now full credite vnto all yet the poison was diligently sought for but could not be found Alexander being now oppressed with this calamitie he yet tooke courage and because he would more incite his fathers displeasure against him he did not deny it perhaps meaning to make his father ashamed of himselfe for giuing credite so easily vnto forged tales or at least if he could not effect that entangle all the court and him too in calamitie and miserie Which that he might the better doe he writ foure little bookes and sent them vnto his father telling him that it was needlesse to vse any more torments for indeed treason was intended against him and that Pheroras and his most trustie friends were herein conspirators And that in the night time Salome came secretly vnto him and as it were forced him to lie with her and that all of them aymed at this mark to haue him made away that so they might enioy their wished liberty He also accused Ptolomeus and Sapinnius of this conspiracie who were more faithful vnto the king then all others so that now these men who before were most friendly one to an other began like madde men to rage one against another and punishment so hastily pursued euerie one that they had not leisure giuen them to speake in their owne defence neither was their punishment deferred till their cause was tried and the truth knowne that some were bound and imprâ—…oned othersome presently put to death other laughed in their sleeues to see that day yet discontented for that any delay was vsed for their punishment so that the kings court was now greatly defaced with sorrow and heauinesse wherewith the wonted felicitie thereof was destroyed Herode himselfe amidst these calamities could not but be wearie of his life who not daring trust himselfe in any bodies hand he was tormented with a daily and hourely feare of some vntimely death that would befall him and many times perswaded himselfe that he did see his sonnes before him with a drawne sword ready to kill him and this was his cogitation night and day so that herewith he almost ranne madde CHAP. XII How Archelaus king of Cappadocia reconciled Alexander vnto his father WHilest Herode was thus troubled in his minde Archelaus king of Cappadocia carefull for his daughter and the young man his sonne in law and pitying his friend Herode entangled in such calamities he thought it his duetie to make a iourney vnto him And finding him so affected as it was reported vnto him before his comming he thought it an vnfit way to argue him of too much credulitie and rashnesse perceiuing that thereby he would bee rather exasperated so much the more labouring to excuse himselfe Wherefore Archelaus deuised an other way to appease these troubles Wherefore he counterfaited indignation against the young man approouing all the kings actions for good affirming that he would breake the band of wedlocke betweene his daughter and Alexander and that if she knew of the conspiracie and did not informe the king thereof himselfe would punish her Then Herode contrarie to his expectation seeing Archelaus so angry for the offence committed against him began to remit his anger and now with iust consideration waighing what he had done by little and little he began to haue a fatherly affection and to be hereby mooued to compassion yet so oft as any one sought to excuse the young man he grew to be verie angrie thereat But when Archelaus also began to accuse him then Herods hart relented and he with teares besought Archelaus not to yeeld too much to anger nor for the young mans offence breake off the marriage Then Archelaus perceiuing him to relent began to turne the matter against Herods friends as the causers of all this mischiefe who had corrupted the young man who of himselfe was voide of malice and especially he aggrauated the matter against Pheroras the kings brother Pheroras hauing now incurred the kings displeasure perceiued that none could so soone reconcile him vnto the king as Archelaus wherefore cloathed in blacke and making other signes as though he despaired of his life he went vnto him who did not denie to helpe him what he could yet he tolde him that it was no easie matter for him to pacifie the king so highly offended perswading him rather himselfe to go vnto the king his brother and craue pardon of him confessing himselfe to haue beene cause of all this mischiefe by which confession of his the kings wrath would be greatly appeased and so he also should haue better occasion to entreat for him Pheroras followed his counsell which fell out happily for them both for the young man contrarie to any ones expectation was freed from all his troubles and Archelaus made Pheroras and Herode friends and he himselfe hauing now gotten great friendship of the king in those his aduerse and troublous times of his he returned ioyfull into Cappadocia being rewarded with rich gifts and being accounted of as Herodes chiefest friend They also agreed amongst themselues that Herode should go to Rome because he had already written vnto Caesar concerning this matter and they both went togither vnto Antiochia and there Herode reconciled Titus the president of Syria vnto Archelaus and so he returned into Iudaea CHAP. XIII How the Trachonites reuolted WHilest Herode going to Rome was absent from his kingdome the Arabian wars began hereby taking an occasion The inhabitants of Trachon whose countrey Caesar taking from Zenodorus gaue it vnto Herode being forbidden and hindered from stealing were now forced to frame themselues to liue like husbandmen in more ciuilitie then before but this kinde of life pleased them not neither did their countrey yeeld fruits worth their labours yet at first Herode compelling them thereunto they abstained from iniuring the inhabitants bordering vpon them which did greatly redound vnto Herodes credite by whose diligence they were brought vnto it But when Herode was sayled into Italy to accuse Alexander and to commend Antipater vnto Caesar the Trachonites hearing a bruite of his death reuolted and turned to their accustomed robberies Yet were
they at that time againe subdued in the kings absence by the captaines that he left at home and forty of the chiefest of the theeues amongst them being taken the rest terrified by their example left their owne countrey and fled into Arabia where Syllaeus receiued them in reuenge that he could not obtaine Salome for his wife and receiuing of him a strong hold to dwell in they did not onely make incursions and rob and spoyle the borders of Iudaea but also of Coelesyria and droue away the praies they got into the place allotted them Syllaeus protecting them and their villanies Herode returning from Rome found that his people were greatly endomaged by these theeues and seeing he could not subdue them by reason the Arabians did protect them not enduring that iniurie and entering into Trachon he killed all their families whereby they were so much the more enraged against his countrey for they had a law amongst them whereby they were commanded to reuenge the death of their families and so contemning all dangers they came and wasted all Herodes countrey with continuall incursions Then the king complained hereof vnto Saturninus and Volumnius then presidents sent thither by Caesar requesting that he might haue the theeues to punish them They hearing this newes with as much speede as they might gathered their forces togither and making themselues stronger then they were before with sodaine incursions wasted all where they came destroying both the fields and villages and killing all they could finde so that now this resembled a warre rather then a robberie for now they were a thousand in number Wherefore Herode required these theeues and robbers to be deliuered vnto him and required the debt that Obodas ought him for Herode had lent Obodas threescore talents and sent them vnto him by Syllaeus and now the time was expired where in the money was to be repaied But Syllaeus who had taken all the rule from Obodas and himselfe now gouerned all denied that those theeues were in Arabia and deferred the payment of the money so that now this matter was debated on before Saturninus and Volumnius then Presidents of Syria At last it was by them determined that within thirtie daies the money dewe to Herode should be repaied and the runnawaies of both countries deliuered each to other But there was no one Arabian that either had fled vnto Herode for any offence committed nor for any other cause but the Arabians were conuicted to receiue the theeues that fled from Herode CHAP. XIIII How Herode went into Arabia with an army WHen the day was come that was appointed Syllaeus not minded to stand vnto the agreement made went in the meane time to Rome But Herode exacted his money and the theeues to be restored vnto him Saturnius and Volumnius permitting him with force of armes to persecute those obstinate people so he leuying an army went into Arabia in three daies space going as farre as ordinarily men were wont to march in seuen and comming vnto the castle wherein the theeues kept at the first onset he tooke it destroyed it being called Repta did no other harme vnto the inhabitants And a captain of the Arabians named Nacebus came to succor the theeues and so fought with Herodes army in which battaile a few of Herodes men were slaine but of the Arabians were slain fiue twentie with their general and the rest were put to flight Being thus reuenged vpon the theeues he led three thousand Idumaeans into Trachon to keepe the inhabitants from robbing and sent letters vnto the Roman gouernours who aboad in Phaenicia that he had only vsed the authoritie which they gaue him against the rebellious Arabians that resisted him and nothing else which afterwrad also they making enquirie they found true CHAP. XV. How Syllaeus accused Herode vnto Caesar. BVt then were messengers hastily sent vnto Syllaeus at Rome and enformed him otherwise aggrauating euerie thing according vnto their fashion Syllaeus being then before insinuated into Caesars acquaintance by chance was then also about the pallace and hearing these newes he presently chaunged his apparrell and clothing himselfe in blacke he went in this manner vnto Caesar informing him how Arabia was afflicted with warres that the whole kingdome was wasted by Herode who had entred into the countrey with an army and with teares complained that two thousand and fiue hundreth of the Arabian nobilitie were slaine and amongst them his friend and kinsman Nacebus and great riches were taken away which were laid vp at Repta and that all this was done in contempt of Obodes who had no army readie nor a fit captaine for his forces he being not there Syllaeus hauing thus spoken adding moreouer that he would not haue come to Rome but that he was perswaded that Caesar would haue had a care of the common peace and tranquilitie of his subiects and that had he beene at home Herode to his cost should haue violated that peace Caesar hereat was greatly mooued and enquired of some of Herodes friends who were then present and of certaine men that were larely come out of Syria also whether Herode had led an army out of the limits of his owne kingdome Which they not denying and Caesar not vouchsafing to heare the cause why his displeasure against Herod was greatly encreased so that he writ threatning letters vnto him telling him that hitherto hee had vsed him as a friend but hereafter he would vse him as a subiect which also Syllaeus signified vnto the Arabians By which letters of his they were made proud and would neither render vp vnto him the theeues that were escaped nor restore the money he lent their king not pay him rent for the pasture ground that they hired of him boulstering themselues herewith that the king had offended Casar Moreouer the Trachonites hearing this rebelled against the garrison of the Idumaeans and ioyning with the Arabian theeues who wasted their countrey not so much respecting their owne gaine as their reuenge and particular profit they did many misciefes and exercised great cruelty against them Herode did put vp all iniuries and durst not once mutter Caesar being offended at him for the which cause he was not couragious nor valiant as before For first of all Caesar would not admit his embassadours whom he sent to pleade his cause before Caesar and Herode againe sending other embassadours Caesar sent them backe a-againe their busines vndone Wherefore Herod being in this perplexitie greatly feared Syllaeus who being now at Rome did easily perswade Caesar anything for that Caesar was now verie credulous and Syllaeus aymed at some greater matter For Obodas dying Aeneas succeeded him in the kingdome of Arabia who chaunging his name called himselfe Aretas whom Syllaeus by forged calumniations did seeke to depose from the crowne and vsurpe the kingdome vnto himselfe giuing great summes of money vnto the courtiers and promising great summes
D. talents and that he had a writing in pawne wherein he was permitted after the day appointed if then it were not repaied him againe to pray vpon all the whole country and satisfie himselfe and that this was no hostile inuasion but according to law and equitie a requiring of his right and debt due vnto him And that this was not rashly done though by the writing he was so permitted to doe but by the consent of Saturninus and Volumnius presidents of Syria in whose presence Syllaeus swore by Caesars good fortune at Bery◅m that within thirtie daies after both the debt and also certaine fugitiues from the king should be restored vnto him and that Syllaeus performed none of this and so Herod went againe vnto the presidents and they permitted him to go and take pledges for his money and that so by their permission he went into Arabia And this quoth he is the warre that his aduersaries haue so tragically exaggerated and yet quoth he how can it be called a warre seeing that it was done by the consent of the presidents and that by couenant after periurie wherewith both other gods and also Caesars name was violated It now quoth he remaineth that I speake something concerning the captiues There were fortie theeues of Trachon and afterward more that fled from Herode for feare of punishment and fled vnto Arabia whom Syllaeus protected and succoured to the iniurie of all men and gaue them ground to inhabite and was partaker of their praies notwithstanding that by his forced oath he was bound to restore them togither with the borrowed money neither can he name any man beside them taken in Arabia and carried away captiue and some of them also escaped Thus his forged tale concerning the captiues being thus refuted heare O Soueraigne Caesar the lying inuention which to prouoke thee to wrath himselfe deuised For I am well able to affirme this that when the Arabian army assaulted vs and one or two of our men were slaine then at last Herode forced to make resistance he slew Nacebus and with him fiue and twentie and no more for euerie one of which Syllaeus falsely recounted vnto Caesar a hundreth and so told him that two thousand and fiue hundreth were slaine Caesar hereat greatly mooued with an angrie countenance looking vpon Syllaeus he asked him how manie Arabians were slaine in that fight he amazed and knowing not what to reply answered that he erred in the number Presently Caesar commanded the writings to be read containing the conditions betweene them and the writings of the presidents and the letters of the Cities containing the complaints of the robberies And so the matter was brought to this passe that Caesar was reconciled vnto Herode and condemned Syllaeus to die and repenting himselfe to haue written so threatning letters vnto Herode he obiected that also vnto Syllaeus affirming that by his false enformations he had caused him to passe the limits of friendship in vsing his friend so hardly And so he sent Syllaeus into his countrey that after he had satisfied his creditors he might be punished according to the sentence But he still continued angry with Aretas for that without his authoritie he had vsurped the crowne and kingdome and he was minded also to bestow Arabia vpon Herode but the letters which Herode sent him changed his minde For Olympus and Volumnius so soone as they vnderstood that Caesars wrath towards Herode was pacified presently they deliuered vnto him the letters as they were commanded wherein was contained the arguments whereby his sons were conuicted of treason against him Which Caesar hauing read he thought it not conuenient to trouble the olde man infortunate with his sonnes with an other kingdome and so he admitted Aretas Embassadours and chiding them that their king had rashly vsurped the kingdome without his authoritie and knowledge not expecting his pleasure he receiued their gifts and confirmed him in the kingdome by his authoritie This done being now reconciled vnto Herode he writ vnto him that he was sorrowfull for him that had such children and that he should if they had attempted any treason against him punish them as men that sought to murther their father for he gaue him free and full authoritie but if they onely attempted to flie he should also be sufficed with a lesse punishment Wherefore he counselled him to call a consistorie at Berytum and togither with the Roman presidents and Archelaus king of Cappadocia and the rest of his friends and the nobilitie thereabout according as they should aduise him so to doe And this was the effect of Caesars letters CHAP. XVII How Herodes sons were condemned in the councell at Berytum HErode receiuing this letter reioyced aboue measure both for that he had againe obtained Caesars fauour and also for that Caesar had giuen him full authoritie to doe what he pleased vnto his sonnes And yet I know not how it came to passe that he who in his prosperitie was a hard father did yet shew himselfe not rash in putting his sonnes to death and now his estate being better then it was and he recouering his wonted assurance he now began anew hatred Wherefore by letters he called togither all those whom Caesar appointed onely Archelaus excepted either for that he hated the man or els for that he feared he would haue withstood that his purpose and when they were all come togither as well the presidents as the rest who were called out of diuers Cities he would not bring his sonnes into the councell but kept them in a village of the Sidonians named Platan not farre distant from the Citie to the intent that if they were called for he might bring them forth Then Herod himselfe alone entring into the councel before an hundreth fifty men there assembled for that purpose began to accuse his sonnes before them and vsed a speech not onely pitifull for his owne calamities but also little becomming a father For he was verie vehement and vnheady in inueying against their offence neither did he sufficiently expresse his minde shewing many signes of furie and anger neither did he deliuer in writing any proofes of the accusations vnto the Iudges but vndecently himselfe alleadged there the father against the sonne himselfe also reading before them certaine letters written by them wherein was contained no impietie nor treason but only a consultation to fly away and certaine hard speeches whereby they shewed themselues offended Which when he came vnto he exclaimed as though hereby they confessed their trecherous practises greatly exaggerating the matter and protesting that he had rather die then heare such speeches Lastly affirming that both nature and Caesar permitted him authoritie against them and that his country lawes so cōmanded that if any one being accused his father or mother should lay their hands vpō his head and the standers by must presently stone him to death which though he might easily do in
and ripped vp the outrage that was done vnto his daughters as it hath beene declared ascribing the same to the pride of this woman obiecting it for a crime against her for thereby she had iniued his honour Besides this he accused her that she had of set purpose stirred vp mutinies and by all meanes possible both in word and in effect contrarie to all law of nature shee stirred vp debate betwixt him and his brother and that the fine that he had imposed vpon his aduersaries was satisfied at her charge so that no ◅ot of that conspiracy was contriued without her priuitie and consent For which causes said he brother Pheroras it shall not be amisse for you of your owne accord to driue such a wretched woman from you before you be requested and the sentence be prouounced against her otherwise she will be the cause to kindle a warre betwixt you and me For if at this present you will continue the friendship and brotherhood betwixt you and me separate your selfe from her in so doing I will account you for my brother and you shall lose nothing by the affection which I beare vnto you For the bond of brotherly loue cannot continue safe and vnuiolate vnlesse you put her away Now although Pheroras was moued with the importance and waight of this discourse yet said he that for the loue he bare vnto his wife he would forget nothing of that dutie which consanguinitie required at his hands in regard of his brother but that he had rather die then to liue without her company whom he loued more deerely then his life Herode although he tooke this answere of his brothers for a most gricuous iniurie yet forbare he to discouer his displeasure towards him he onely forbad Antipater and his mother and in like manner Pheroras to frequent the one with the other any more He commaunded the women likewise that they should giue ouer their familiar entertainments the one with the other which all of them promised to performe Yet this notwithstanding vpon fit opportunities and occasions they visited one another and Antipater and Pheroras feasted one another by night The report also went that Antipater had the company of Pheroras wife and that his mother was the meanes and minister of their priuie meetings CHAP. IIII. Herode sendeth Antipater vnto Caesar. ANtipater suspecting his fathers dislikes and fearing least his hatred should by increase bring him into hazard he wrote vnto his friends in Rome requiring them to write their letters vnto Herod requesting him to send Antipater vnto Caesar with al expedition as was possible Which being brought to passe Herode sent him thither with diuers royall presents and gaue him his testament and will with him wherein he had bequeathed the kingdome to Antipater And if it should happē that Antipater should die before him then bequeathed he the same to his son Herod whom he had by the high Priests daughter About the same time Syllaeus the Arabian repaired to Rome notwithstanding he had neglected those things that Caesar had giuen him in charge Him did Antipater accuse before Caesar for the same defaults wherewith he was charged by Nicholaus Syllaeus also was accused by Aretas for murthering diuers of the best account in the citie of Petra contrarie to his mind amongst the which was Sohemus a man of much vertue and honour and Phabatus Caesars seruant of which crimes Syllaeus was accused vpon that occasion which ensueth There was a certaine man of Corinthus who was one of the kings gard and such a one as he putvery great trust in him did Syllaeus perswade by store of money and bribes to kill Herode which he promised to performe Phabatus made priuie to Syllaeus mind he presently told it to the king who caused him to be apprehended and tortured who confessed the whole matter He laid hands also on two Arabians perswaded by this Corinthians confession one of which was a man of commaund in his countrey and the other was Syllaeus chiefest friend They being examined confessed that they came thither to solicite and egge forward with many exhortations the Corinthian to execute the murther and to assist him if he stood in need of them Which being fully approued by Herode before Saturnine he sent them to Rome there more amply to be proceeded against and so to be punished CHAP. V. Pheroras death HErode perceiuing that his brother Pheroras did constantly continue his affection towards his wife he commaunded him to retire himselfe into his owne dominion whereupon he willingly departed to his Terrarchy protesting by many solemne othes that he would neuer more returne into the citie vnlesse he were assured that Herode was dead Not long after it hapned that the king falling sicke he was sent for to receiue certaine secret instructions as from the mouth of a dying man but Pheroras would not obey him in regard of his oth This notwithstanding Herode dealt more kindly with him and continued his loue and affection towards him for he came vnto Pheroras as soone as he heard of his first sicknes and being vnsent for also and after he was deceased he sent his bodie to Ierusalem and honourably entombed him in that place and grieously lamented his death This was the beginning of all Antipaters mishaps who at that time was departed to Rome For it was Gods pleasure that at last he should be punished for the murther of his brethren This matter will I discourse of at large that it may serue for an example vnto many kings how they ought to practise and follow vertue in all their actions CHAP. VI. Pheroras wife is accused and Herode is aduertised of Antipaters conspiracies AFter Pheroras death two of his freemen who were Taphnites by birth and such as Pheroras in his life time both inlie trusted and dearely loued came vnto Herode requiring him not to suffer his brothers death to passe vnpunished but to make diligent enquirie of that vnfortunate and vnexpected misaduenture Herode lent a willing care vnto their suite perceiuing that the matters they importuned him in were likely and verie credible Whereupon they told him that Pheroras the day before his vnexpected sicknesse had supt with his wife and that hauing receiued an vnaccustomed poison with his meate he was dead That this poison had been brought thither by a woman of Arabia who in her speech protested that it was some potion to increase loue but in effect it was to bring Pheroras to his end For the women of Arabia amongst all others are skilfull in poisons and are great sorcerers and she that was charged with this fact was esteemed a great freind and sauourer of Syllaeus best beloued That Pheroras mother and his wifes sister went into those quarters vpon purpose to buy that poyson and returned backe and brought this woman with them the day before the supper The king mooued by these words of theirs tortured both those
his letters vnto him as touching Antipater sending certaine appointed messengers who by word of mouth might certifie him of his cursed treasons At the verie same time there was a letter intercepted sent by Antiphilus to Antipater which Antiphilus remained in Aegypt which letter being opened by the king was written to this effect I haue sent you Armes letter hazarding thereby mine owne life for you know that I am in danger of the displeasure of two mightie families if I should be discouered As for your selfe bethinke you well of your affaires in this respect Such were the contents of this letter The king made diligent search for others also but he could finde none for Antiphilus seruant who had brought that which was read denied that he had any other But whilest the king was in this doubt one of his seruants and friends perceiued that the inside of the messengers vnder-coat was newly sowed for he had two garments the one vpon the other and coniecturing that the letters might be hidden in the sould thereof as indeed they were he ripped the same and found them The tēnour thereof was this Acme to Antipater Health I haue written the letters to your father according as you gaue me instructions and haue counterfaited the copy of my letter as if it had been sent by Salome my mistris I assure my selfe that when he hath read the same he wil punish Salome as one that hath practised treason against him But that letter that was supposed to haue been written by Salome to Acme was of Antipaters inuention and written in Salomes name according to his inuention and in Acmes stile The contents were these Acme to king Herode Health Whereas I haue an especiall care that nothing be concealed from thee that concerneth thy securitie hauing found a letter of Salomes written against thee vnto my Ladie I haue not without danger taken the copy therof and sent it vnto you in which she required that she might haue licence to marrie Syllaeus Teare this copy least thorow the knowledge of the same I grow in danger of my life Now in that which she had written to Antipater she had discouered that she had written these words to Herode according to that commandement he had giuen her as if Salome had conspired to worke some treason against him She sent also the copy of those counterfaite letters in the name of Salome and sent them vnto her mistris to worke treason This Acme was a Iew borne and chambermaid to Iulia Caesars wife and did that which is aboue written for the loue which she bare to Antipater whom he had hired by great summes of money to the end that she should assist him to execute the mischiefe which he practised against his father and against his Aunt Herode made almost desperate by the great mischiefes of Antipater was stirred vp on the sodaine to shorten his daies for that he was the only meanes that stirred vp these great tempests of sedition in his kingdome and who not only practised against his father and his Aunt but against his sister also and had in like sort corrupted Caesars familie Salome also incensed him the more beating her breasts and offering her selfe to all deaths if any such like matter might be duely prooued against her For which cause Herod sent for Antipater commanding him to speake freely all that which he had to say without feare But he hauing not one word to answere for his defence Herode said vnto him Since that on all sides thou art conuicted and surprised in thy wickednesse delay not but discouer those that are of thy confederacie Whereupon he laid all the fault vpon Antiphilus and named none other At that time Herode being wounded by extreme griefe would haue sent Antipater to Rome vnto Caesar that he might receiue his iudgement from him but afterwards he feared least by the interest of his friends he should escape the danger for which cause he kept him bound and fettered in prison as he had done before And in the meane while sent certaine messengers with letters to Caesar to accuse his sonne and to declare wherein Acme had been his confederate producing the copy of the letters These embassadors therefore resorted to Rome instructed in those things they were to answere to those interrogatories that should be offered them and with them he sent his letters CHAP. VIII Herodes sicknesse and the sedition amongst the Iewes MEane while Herode fell sicke and made his will and appointed his youngest sonne to succeede him in the kingdome for that through Antipaters instigations he had conceiued a hatred against Archelaus and Philip. He sent also one thousand talents vnto Caesar and fiue hundreth to his wife and to his children friends and freemen He bestowed also money rents and lands vpon his own children he gaue his sister Salome an ample possession for that she had alwaies perseuered in louing him and had neuer offended him And hauing lost all hope of recouerie for that he was about seuentie yeeres olde he became verie tutchie and froward in whatsoeuer his affaires The cause hereof was that opinion he had conceiued that he waxed contemptible and that the whole nation tooke pleasure in those mishaps which befortuned him which some of those who were fauoured by the people made him the rather beleeue vpon this occasion which ensueth Amongst those that were most learned among the Iewes Iudas the son of Saripheus and Matthias the sonne of Margalothus the most excellent interpreters of the lawes and ordinances of the countrey and for this cause were in greatest estimation among the people by reason that they instructed and trained vp the youth For all those that desired to obtaine vertue spent all their time with them who vnderstanding that the kings sicknesse was dangerous they incensed the younger sort counsailing them to ouerthrow all those workes that the king had caused to be made contrarie to the law and custome of the countrey to the ende that they fighting for pietie might obtaine the reward that attendeth the same For in that the king had enterprised and done many things contrarie to the law diuers vnaccustomed miseries had befallen him and namely that sicknes wherewith he was detained For Herod had done diuers things contrarie to the auncient lawe against which Iudas and Matthias exclaimed openly For he had erected ouer the portall of the great temple an Aegle of gold of great valew Now the law prohibiteth that they who pretend to liue according to the same should not in any sort erect any image nor represent any figures of liuing creatures whatsoeuer For this cause these doctors counsailed them to pull down that Aegle telling that that although the matter seemed to want no peril yet ought they rather to prefer an honest death before a pleasant life if so be it be imploied for the defence of their countrey lawes and religion For in so doing they should
frequented verie familiarly with Alexander held it for a matter most assured that he was the man none other and affirmed vnto other vpon their othes that it was he so that this rumor at last came to Rome And all the Iewes that dwelt there came forth to meet him saving that it was Gods handie worke that he was after that sort preserued beyond all mens expectation and they greatly reioyced in his mother Mariammes behalfe from whom he was descended and hee was carried in a litter thorow the streets with all the apparrell of a king the charge whereof was defraied by those who were his friends He was attended with a great multitude of men and honoured with great applause as it ordinarily falleth out at such time as beyond all expectation any one is found to haue been miraculously preserued When this newes was brought to Caesars eares he gaue small credit thereunto perswading himselfe that it was a hard matter to deceiue Herode in a cause of so great importance notwithstanding conforming himselfe in some sort to the opinions of men he sent a certaine free-man of his called Celadus who had very familiarly conuersed with Alexander and Aristobulus during their infancy giuing him in charge to bring Alexander vnto him to the end he might see him which he did and was neuer the wiser in discouering him This notwithstanding Caesar was not fully deceiued For although he resembled him somewhat yet was he not so neerely like him that he could deceiue those who narrowly obserued him For this counterfait Alexander had hard hands in that he had beene accustomed to labour which the true Alexander could not haue in regard of his tender and delicate education and contrariwise this man was of a rough skin and hard flesh Caesar therefore discouering the trecherie both of the counterfait scholler and lying master and how they accorded in their confident iustifications he enquired of them what was become of Aristobulus who was secretly hidde with him for what cause he presented not himselfe to enioy the honor that appertained to those who were so nobly descended It was answered him that he remained in the Isle of Cyprus for feare of dangers to which they are exposed who saile by sea to the end that if any misfortune should befall them all Mariammes race should not be extinguished but that at leastwise Aristobulus might be left aliue Whilest he auowed these things the author of this fable iustified no lesse Caesar drawing the young man aside said vnto him my friend if thou wilt not deceiue me thou shalt haue this recompence that thou shalt not be punished Tell me therefore what thou art who hath emboldned thee to practise this fraud for this malice is so great that it surpasseth thine age Whereupon being vnable to conceale the truth he discouered the trecherie to Caesar how and by whom it was contriued At that time Caesar being loth to falsifie his promise that he had past to this false Alexander and seeing that in times past he had trauailed with his hands he caused him to be enrowled among the number of his saylers to row caused the other that induced him to this fraud to be put to death contenting himselfe that the inhabitants of Melos had lost their charges which they had employed vpon this false Alexander who had a shameful end as it hath been heretofore declared CHAP. XV. Archelaus is accused anew and afterwards banished and sent into Vienna AFter that Archelaus had taken possession of that Soueraigntie that was allotted him he came into Iudaea where he deposed Ioazar the son of Boëthus from the high priesthood accusing him to haue fauoured the seditious and established Eleazar his brother in his place After this he reedified the pallace in Iericho and sumptuously adorned it drawing away the halfe of those waters which serued the burrough of Neara and conuaying them thorow a field which he had planted with palme trees he builded a burrough in that place which he named Archelais and contrarie to the lawes of his country he married Glaphyra Archelaus daughter who had been his brother Alexanders wife by whom also he had diuers children notwithstanding the lawe of the Iewes forbiddeth a man to marrie his brothers wife Neither did Eleazar enioy the priesthood any long time but during his life time Iesus the sonne of Sias was substituted in his place The tenth yeere of Archelaus gouernment the chiefest gouernours among the Iewes and Samaritanes vnable any longer to endure his crueltie and tyrannie accused him before Caesar and especially after they had vnderstood that he had transgressed Caesars commaund who had charged him to behaue himselfe gratiously towards them Which when Caesar vnderstood he was sore displeased and caused Archelaus agent to be called before him who was then at Rome and sent for Archelaus also and esteeming it too base an indignitie for him to write vnto him Go said he vnto him with all expedition and bring him vnto me without delay He posting forward with all diligence at length arriued in Iudaea where he found Archelaus banquetting with his friends and hauing certified him of Caesars pleasure he incited him to hasten onward of his way As soone as he came to Rome after that Caesar had heard certaine of his accusers and his iustifications he banished him and confined him in the Citie of Vienna in France and confiscated all his goods But before Archelaus was sent for to Rome he reported vnto his friends this dreame which ensueth Him thought that he sawe tenne eares full of wheate and verie ripe which the oxen broused vpon and as soone as he awoke he conceiued an opinion that his vision presaged some great matter For which cause he sent for certaine soothsaiers who made it their profession to interpret dreames Now whilest they were debating one with an other for they differed for the most part in their exposition a certaine man called Simon an Essean hauing first of all obtained securitie and licence to speake said that the vision pretended that a great alteration should befall in Archelaus estate to his vtter disgrace For the oxen signified afflictions in respect that those kinde of creatures doe ordinarily trauell and as touching the change of estate it was signified by this in that the earth being laboured by the trauell of the oxen retained not the same estate and as touching the ten eares of corne they signified the like number of yeeres And therefore when as one sommer should be ouerpast that then the time of Archelaus soueraigntie should be at an end Thus interpreted he this dreame And the fift day after the vision therof his factor Archelaus by Caesars commandement came into Iewrie to summon him to Rome Some such like matter happened to Glaphyra his wife also the daughter of king Archelaus she as we haue said married Alexander Herods sonne when she was a maid and brother to this Archelaus who being
her husband how Anubis would banquet and lie with her Whereunto he consented knowing how great his wiues chastitie was She therefore repaired to the temple and after she had supt and the time was come wherein she was vsually accustomed to lay her downe to rest and the gates were lockt vp by the priests that were therein and the lights likewise were taken away Mundus who was hidden within failed not to accost her who thinking that it was the God Anubis satisfied his desires all the night long and in the morning betimes before the priests who were priuie to this trecherie were stirring he retired himselfe Paulina also early in the morning repaired to her husband and certified him how Anubis had appeared vnto her and boasting her selfe among her familiars what conference he had vsed with her But some of them beleeued her not in regard of the manner of their entertainment the rest were altogither amazed supposing those things to be no waies incredible at such time as they bethought themselues of the Ladies chastitie Some three daies after this act was committed Mundus meeting with Paulina said vnto her You haue saued me two hundreth thousand drachmes wherewith you might haue augmented your treasure and this notwithstanding you haue not failed to satisfie my request neither am I grieued that you haue contemned me vnder the name of Mundus since that vndertaking Anubis name I haue accomplished my desire and this said he departed But she presently amated with the mans audacious impudence tore her garments and hauing told her husband of all this subtill circumâ—…ention she requested earnestly his assistance and that he would not forsake her in the prosecution of her reuenge who presently certified the Emperour of each particular thereof Now when Tiberius had diligently vnderstood how all things had happened by the inquisition and examination of the Priests he condemned them and Ida who had been the inuentor and complottor of this treason against Paulina to be hanged he pulled downe the temple also and cast Anubis statue into Tyber and banished Mundus supposing that he ought not to be more grieuously punished considering that the fault which was committed by him proceeded from extreme loue Behold here the insolence committed in the temple of Isis by the priest that appertained to that temple Now intend I to declare that which hapned to the Iewes that were at that time in Rome according as heretofore I both purposed and promised CHAP. V. Of that which befell the Iewes that were at Rome in Pilates time THere was a certaine Iewe that hauing been accused for the breach of the lawes of his countrey and fearing to be punished for the same fled from thence being without respect a man of a most mischieuous behauiour He dwelling at that time in Rome professed himselfe to be an expounder of Moses lawe and drawing vnto him three other no lesse reprobates then himselfe he followed his ordinarie profession Fuluia a Ladie of much honour became their scholer and had embraced the religion of the Iewes whom they had perswaded to send certaine purple and gold to the temple of Ierusalem which after they had receiued at her hands they conuerted it to their owne vse as before that time they had determined to doe Tiberius who was informed hereof by Saturnine his familiar friend and Fuluias husband who had discouered the same vnto him commaunded all Iewes whatsoeuer to depart out of Rome Of these the Consuls chose out and enrowled to the number of foure thousand men whom they sent into Sardinia and punished diuers of them that refused to beare arms for feare they should transgresse the ordinances of their countrey So that by reason of the loose behauiour of foure wicked persons all those of our nation were driuen out of the Citie of Rome Neither was the nation of the Samaritanes exempt from this trouble for a certaine subtill companion who sought by all the meanes hee might to encroch vpon the peoples fauour perswaded them to withdraw themselues with him to the mount Garizim which they supposed to be the holiest amongst all their mountaines in which place he auowed that he would shew them the sacred Vessels buried in a certaine place where Moses had laid them and at that time they being gathered togither in armes by his perswasion incamped themselaes in a burrough called Tirathaba where they entertained those that repaired thither to adioyne themselues with them to the end they might ascend the mountaine with the greater companie But Pilate preuented them and got vp before them with his horsemen and footmen who charging those that were assembled in the burrough put them to flight and slaying some and putting the rest to flight led away a great number of them prisoners with him Pilate executed the chiefest ringleaders amongst them and those also of greatest force among the fugitiues The tumult of these Iewes being published abroad and their misfortune made knowne the Senate of Samaria addressed themselues to Vitellius who had bin Consul and who at that time gouerned Syria before whom they accused Pilate for the murther of those whom he had slaine saying that they assembled not in Tirathaba to rebell against the Romans but to warrantize themselues against Pilates tyrannie Whereupon Vitellius sent Marcellus his friend to take charge of Iudaea commaunding Pilate to returne to Rome and to satisfie the Emperor in those things whereof the people had accused him Hereupon Pilate after he had soiourned ten yeeres in Iewrie repaired to Rome hauing no meanes to contradict that commandement that Vitellius had giuen him But before he arriued there Tiberius was departed and dead CHAP. VI. Vitellius commeth to Ierusalem AS soone as Vitellius came into Iudaea he went vp to Ierusalem and celebrated there the feast of the passeouer and after he had been magnificently entertained in that place he forgaue the Citizens the tribute of all those fruits which were solde He deliuered them also the ornaments of the high priests with all the rest of the priestly furniture within the temple committing the charge thereof vnto the priests according as in times past they had the same But at that time they were laid vp in the castle of Antonia for this cause which followeth Hircanus the high priest the first of that name for diuers haue been so called hauing builded a tower neere vnto the temple did for the most part make his residence therein and there kept his vestments that were committed to his charge the rather for that he onely had the authority to put them on and returne them into their place at such time as hee came downe into the Citie and put vpon him his accustomed rayment His sonne and his sonnes sonnes entertayned the same custome till such time as Herode being exalted to the kingdome and seeing this tower to be strongly scited builded the same most magnificently and called it Antonia in honour of Antony who was his great friend
conferre with Anilaeus They hauing suruaied the place wherein Anilaeus kept assailed both himselfe and his followers by night and slew all those they encountred with without resist and among the rest Anilaeus When the Babylonians sawe that they were deliuered from the oppression of Anilaeus who till that time had been as it were a bridle vnto them to restraine and curbe the hatred they conceiued against the Iewes with whom they had oftentimes been at oddes by reason of the contrarietie of their religions whereby it grew that they oftentimes fell at debate vpon each opportunitie wherein they met At that time therefore that Anilaeus men were discomfited the Babylonians set vpon the Iewes on all sides who seeing themselues in danger by reason of the insolence of the Babylonians against whom they were too weake to make resist and on the other side vnable to liue amongst them they went and dwelt at Seleucia a Citie famous in regard of Seleucus the sonne of Nicanor who builded it In that Citie dwelt diuers Macedons diuers Greekes and a great number of Syrians The Iewes fled thither and soiourned there about some fiue yeeres without any molestation but in the sixt yeere when the plague grew rise in Babylon the Iewes that remained there vvere enforced to seeke them some newe habitation and that remooue of theirs into the Citie of Seleucia was the cause likewise of their further mischiefe as I will make manifest The Greeks who dwell in Seleucia are ordinarily at debate with the Syrians haue alwaies the vpper hand but after that the Iewes came to inhabite in that place in a certaine sedition that arose among them the Syrians had the vpper hand by the meanes of the Iewes who ioyned their forces with theirs who of themselues were valiant and good souldiers The Greeks who had been repulsed in this tumult seeing they had but one onely meanes left them to maintaine their former honour but to breake that league of friendship which was betweene the Syrians and the Iewes deuised in priuate each one with those Syrians with whom they were acquainted promising to liue in peace and amitie with them whereunto they condiscended willingly For the chiefest of these two nations concluded the peace which presently after followed to the end that on both parts they should ioyne in hatred against the Iewes So that altogither charging them at vnawares they slew more then fiftie thousand of them and all of them were slaine except some few who thorow the mercie of their friends and warâ—…ntize of their neighbours were suffered to escape These retired themselues to Ctesiphon a Citie of Greece that was not farre from Seleucia where the king soiourneth euerie yeere and keepeth the greatest part of his mooueables hoping in that place thorow the reuerence of the king they might remaine in more safetie and securitie All the nation of the Iewes that vvere in these quarters stood in great feare For the Babylonians and the Seleucians vvith all the Assyrians of that countrey accorded among themselues to make a generall warre against the Iewes vvhereby it came to passe that they assembled themselues at Nearda Nisibis trusting themselues to the strength of these fortresses which were inhabited also by men who were expert in armes See here what the estate of those Iewes was who remained in Babylon THE XIX BOOKE OF THE ANTIQVITIES OF THE IEWES WRITTEN BY FLAVIVS IOSEPHVS The Contents of the Chapters of the 19. booke 1 How Caius was slaine by Cheraeas 2 How Claudius obtained the Empire 3 Dissension betwixt the Senate and the people 4 How Claudius aduaunced Agrippa to his fathers Kingdome and his edicts in fauour of the Iewes 5 Agrippas returne into Iudaea 6 Petronius Epistle to Doritas in the behalfe of the Iewes 7 Agrippas actions vntill the time of his death CHAP. I. How Caius was slaine by Cheraeas CAius did not onely expresse and manifest his furie towards those Iewes that dwelt in Ierusalem and in other neighbouring places but also thorow all the countries both by land and sea which were subiect to the Romane Empire filling the whole world with an infinite number of mischiefes yea such and so hainous as the like hereof hitheâ—…to haue neuer beene heard of But Rome in especiall felt the force of his furie which partooke no lesse calamity and misery then any other citie but especially the Senators Patricians and noble men were plagued They also that were called Romane knights who in wealth and dignitie were next vnto the Senators for that out of their number such men were chosen who were to supply the Senat were vexed with intolerable iniuries For with ignominies they were detracted with banishments and confiscations weakned by slaughters wholy exterminated He likewise vsurped the name of a God commaunding his subiects to dignifie him with more then humane honours and ascending the Capitol which amongst all the temples in Rome is most religiously honoured he was so bold as to salute Iupiter and to call him brother Many such impieties committed he by which he expressed that his vnbridled and boundles madnes did neuer forsake him Amongst his other madde prankes that he plaied this is worthie of memorie for on a time thinking it to be too much trouble for him to crosse the sea between Puteol a citie in Campania and Misenum an other towne seated by the sea shore in a galley and otherwaies esteeming it a thing correspondent to his greatnes who was Emperour to exact that superioritie on the sea which was answerable to his soueraignty on the land betwixt one cape of the sea vnto another for the space of thirtie furlongs or stades betwixt which the gulph had his course he caused a bridge to be built on which he commaunded himselfe to be drawen in a chariot as if that way were aunswerable to the dignitie of his deitie He left not one temple of Greece whatsoeuer that he spoiled not of those excellent pictures or imagery that was therein Giuing a commission that all statues and whatsoeuer ornaments or gifts presents that were dedicated in any temple should be brought vnto him saying that such things as were admirable should be reserued for a place of admiration such as was the citie of Rome with these spoyles of the temples decked he his pallace and gardens and generally all his houses and pallaces that he had in Italy He was so impudent also as to giue direction that Iupiter Olympius statue which the Greekes had in great estimation and Phideas the Athenian caruer had made should be transported to Rome But Memmius Regulus to whom he had directed this commission executed it not because the masons informed him that without spoyling it they could not remoue it from the place It is reported also that he was hindered from this execution by such prodigies as are almost incredible which he certified Caius of giuing him to vnderstand what the occasion was that had moued
should assault and set vpon him They therefore thought it good that the opportunitie to set forward this businesse should be the time in which the games of the pallace were celebrated which were solemnized in honour of Caesar who first of all disanulled the peoples authoritie and appropriated it to himselfe This solemnitie is celebrated in a tent before the pallace where the noble Citizens with their wiues and children remained to behold the sport and Caesar himselfe likewise At that time concluded they that it would be an easie matter for them when as so many thousands of people should be shut vp in so narrow a place so that he who would steppe formost to giue the stroke might verie easily be succoured for that hee could haue no force in armes although his guard should haue the courage and desire to defend him Chaereas resolued vpon this and it was concluded that the first day of those sports that were next at hand the deed should be done but their aduenture was greater then their conclusion For the delay was such as the third day was almost past hardly could they be drawn to attempt the matter on the third day At which time Chaereas assembled all the confederates told them that the opportunitie of time that ouerslipt them accused and reproched them of slacknesse in that execution which had been so vertuously resolued amongst them and that it was to be feared least if any thing should be discouered the whole matter should waxe frustrate by which meanes Caius might grow more cruell then he was before See we not said he that by howe much libertie we take from our selues by so much we augment Caius tyrannie wheras we ought first of all to obtaine securitie for our selues and afterwards purchase perpetual felicitie to others the greatest glorie whereof shall redound vnto our selues Now they hauing nothing to reply against so honourable a resolution and yet notwithstanding no waies enforcing themselues towards the action but remaining altogither dismaied without one word speaking Chaereas spake thus Most noble and generous Gentlemen what is the cause that we linger and delay in this sort see you not that this day is the last day of the games and that Caius is readie to depart to sea For he hath determined to saile into Alexandria and to see Aegypt verely it will be a small honour for vs if we suffer him to escape our hands to the end that both by land and sea he may triumph ouer the Romans vaine boast and negligence How can we chuse but condemne ourselues iustly and challenge nothing but dishonour if some Aegyptian supposing that men of free condition could not any longer endure his insolence should put the matter in execution For mine owne part I vvill dreame no longer vpon your consultations but this verie day vvill I hazard my selfe and betide me vvhat can I will sustaine all fortunes vvith pleasure and courage For I am a man of that mind that no danger can be so great or grieuous to daunt me then that Caius should be slaine during my life time and I should be depriued of so deserued an honour which so vvorthy an attempt may chalenge This said he departed with an intent to attempt and end the matter and encouraged the rest to do the like so that all of them vvere desirous to set hand to the enterprise vvithout any further delay The custome vvas that the captaines of the guard entred the pallace with their swords by their sides and in such equipage they asked the Emperour the watchword At that time it fortuned that it vvas Chaereas turne to fet the vvord when as a great number of people flocked to the pallace to take vp their places to behold the games vvith great prease and noyce wherein Caius vvas greatly delighted for there was no distinction of place eyther for Senators or Knights but each one sate togither confusedly men and vvomen slaues and freemen Caius arriuing there first had offered sacrifice in honour of Caesar Augustus in dignifying vvhom likewise those sports vvere solemnised It came to passe that vvhilst those beasts vvere embowelled that vvere appointed for sacrifice Asprenas gowne vvho at that time was a Senator was besprinkled vvith bloud wherat Caius began to laugh yet notwithstanding this vvas a presage for Asprenas For he was slaine that verie day that Caius was It is reported that Caius at that time contrary to his own nature behaued himselfe most affably towards al men so that all the assistants were astonished to behold the courtesie that he vsed After the sacrifice was done he sate him downe to behold the pastimes and had about him the most noble of his friends familiars Now was there euery yeere a Theater builded according to this forme and fashion that ensueth It had two gates the one towards the open yard the other opening vpon the porch by which the actors had their egresse and regresse without disturbance of those who sate to behold the pastime There was within the same a certaine seueral roome separated from the rest where the plaiers musitions kept When the people were seated and Chaereas with the captaines were neere about Caesar who sate on the right side of the Theater Batibius one of the Senators a man very expert in feats of armes asked Cluuitus priuily in his eare who sate by him had in like sort beene Consul whether he had heard any news who answering him that he had heard nothing on this day said Batibius shal the tragedy be plaid of a tyrāts death Cluuitus made him this reply in Homers words Whist least some Greeke should listen to our talke Now whilest some one darted certaine apples and rare and precious birds at the people Caius tooke great pleasure to behold how they stroue one with another round about him buffeting one another to see who should get the same but at that present there chanced two presages for the sport that was represented was of a Iudge who was apprehended crucified and in the daunce they represented Cynera who was slaine with Mirrha hir daughter and there was a great quantity of bloud gathered to counterfait both the murther of the Iudge that was crucified as also of Cynera It is affirmed likewise that the day was the very same whereon Philip the sonne of Amyntas king of Macedon had beene slaine by Pausanias one of his familiars at such time as he entred a Theater Whilest Caius was incertaine with himselfe whether he should remaine vntil the sports were finished for that it was the last day of them or rather should resort to the bath and after he had taken his refection returne backe againe thither as he had done before time Minucianus sitting next vnto him fearing least the occasion should be ouerslipt arose for that he had seene Chaereas depart out of doores with an intent to go and incourage him But Caius catcht him by the gowne saying whither go
the second day of this solemnitie he shewed himselfe being apparrelled in a Robe of siluer made with admirable workmanship and came in the same to the Theater in the morning Whereas the first reflexe of the rising sunne â—…eat vpon his Robe he shined after such a sort that all those that beheld him were seazed with reuerence and feare Whereupon certaine sycophants which did not a little dishonour him exclaimed one on the one side the other on the other saluting him for a God and in speaking to him cried out thus Be mercifull vnto vs hitherto haue we feared thee as a man but hence forward we wil confesse and acknowledge thee to be of a nature more excellent then mortall frailtie can attaine vnto Agrippa reproued them not for vsing these words neither reiected he their palpable and detestable flattery But not long after he looking vpwards perceiued an owle ouer his head perched vpon a cord and knew the same incontinently that he was but a message of his misfortune whereas before time he had denounced vnto him his felicitie and conceiued thereupon a most hearty and inward griefe And sodainly he was seazed with a terrible griping in his belly which began with verie great vehemencie for which cause turning his eies towards his friends he spake vnto them after this manner Behold him said he whom you esteeme for a God condemned to die and destinie shall apparantly conuince you of those flattering and false speeches which you haue lately vsed in my behalfe For I who by you haue been adored as one immoitall am vnder the hands of death But I must willingly entertaine that which God pleaseth to send me For I haue not liued in obscuritie but in so great and wonderfull felicitie that each one of you haue tearmed and helde me happy Whilest he spake thus his griefes augmented in such sort as he was brought almost to his last for which cause with all expedition he was conuaied into his royall pallace and the rumor was spred in euerie place that verie shortly he would be dead For which cause the people with their wiues and children put on sackcloth according to the custome of the countrey to the end they might sollicit Gods mercie in the kings behalfe and all the Citie was filled with teares and lamentations The king that lay in an vpper chamber and looking downe into the court sawe them lying thus on the earth could not refraine himselfe from teares And after he had for the space of fiue daies without ceasing beene tormented with griping in his belly hee gaue vp the ghost in the fiftie fourth yeere of his age and the seuenth yeere of his raigne For hee had raigned foure yeeres vnder the Empire of Caius Caesar hauing first of all gouerned Philips Tetrarchy three yeeres to which was annexed the signiorie of Herode in the fourth yeere and three yeeres vnder the Empire of Claudius Caesar during which time he gouerned ouer the aboue named countries and moreouer ouer Iudaea Samaria and Caesarea His reuenue amounted to twelue hundreth myriades besides which he made many loanes For in that he was verie liberal in giuing he spent farre more then his reuenue and spared not any thing to shew himselfe magnificent Before the people knew of his death Herode his brother prince of Chalcis and Chelcias the kings lieutenaut and friend agreed betweene themselues to send Aristo one of their trustiest seruants to kill Silas who was their enemie as if they had beene commaunded by the king Thus died king Agrippa leauing behinde him a son called Agrippa seuenteen yeeres old and three daughters one of which that was called Bernice was married to Herode his fathers brother when she was sixteene yeeres olde The two other were Mariamme and Drâ—…silla this Mariamme being of the age of ten yeeres was promised in marriage by her father to Iulius Archelaus Chelcias sonne and Drusilla which was sixe yeeres olde was promised also to Epiphanes sonne to the king of Comagena After Agrippas death they of Caesarea Sebaste forgot themselues of those benefits they had receiued from him and vsed him no lesse despitefully then as if he had been their vtter enemy For they reprochfully abused him after his death and reuiled him in such sort as it is vnseemely to report the same Furthermore all the men of warre who were at that time many in number went vnto the kings lodging and with one accord seazed the statues of the kings daughters and carried them to the brothell house where after they had placed them they vttered all the indignities that they could possibly practizing such shamefull matters as they may not be expressed Besides this resting themselues in the publike places they banqueted in the open street wearing chaplets of flowres vpon their heads and perfuming themselues with odors to sacrifice to Charon drinking to one another for ioy the king was dead Thus expressed they their ingratitude not only towards their king Agrippa who had bestowed so many liberalities on them but also towards Herode his grandfather who had builded their Cities and to his extreame charge erected their ports and temples At that time Agrippa the deceased Agrippas son was at Rome and was brought vp vnder the Emperour Claudius When Caesar vnderstood how those of Caesarea and Sebaste had iniuriously dealt with Agrippa he was sore displeased and mooued with their ingratitude his purpose was to send the younger Agrippa with all expedition to take possession of the kingdome of his father and therewithall to discharge himselfe of his oath but diuers of his freeman and friends who were in great credit with him disswaded him from the same alleadging that it would be a dangerous matter to commit the greatnesse of such a kingdome to a young man who scarcely had as yet attained to the age of eighteene yeeres and for whom it was impossible to support the care of so great a kingdome considering that if he were at mans estate he should finde himselfe ouerburthened with the charge of a kingdome This aduice of theirs was allowed by Caesar and for this cause hee sent Cuspius Fadus to gouerne Iudaea and the whole realme honouring his dead friend in this in that he would not suffer Marsus who had been his enemy to enter into his kingdome He gaue especiall commission also that Fadus should sharply punish those of Caesarea and Sebaste for the outrages they had offered to his deceased friend and the excesse that was committed against his daughters who were yet liuing commaunding him to transport the companies of the Caesarians and Sebastens and the fiue Roman legions into the countrey of Pontus to serue in that place and to take those Roman souldiers that bare armes in Syria to serue in their place yet notwithstanding this commandement of his they were not displaced For they sent Embassadours to Claudius to appease him and by this means they obtained the fauour to remaine in Iudaea
awaked and so prepared as I was w◅nt I downe into the plaine and as soone as I came thither all the people of Galilee with their wiues and children humbling themselues vpon the earth and weeping besought me that I would not leaue them for a pray to their enemies neither that I would abandon their countrey to serue for a pray and mockerie to their aduersaries But seeing that I made small reckoning of their praiers they constrained me by oath to remaine amongst them and vttered diuers iniurious outrages against the people of Ierusalem that enuied them the peace and happines which they enioyed After I had heard these words and seene the desolation of the people my heart was broken with compassion and I resolued my selfe that in respect of so great a multitude my life could not be better hazarded then for their contentment I therefore gaue my consent to remaine with them I gaue order that fiue thousand of their best souldiers with their prouision should attend me as for the rest I sent them backe euerie owne to his owne house When these fiue thousand presented themselues I annexed them to the other three thousand that I had with me and drew out with them fourescore horsemen and marched on towards Chabalon a burrough vpon the marches of Ptolemais where I vndertooke to prepare them for the battell expecting some assault from Placidus who was come with two companies of footmen and one of horsemen sent by Cestius Gallus to burne the countrey townes of Galilee and other little burroughs that bordered on Ptolemais And for that he was entrenched before the Citie of Ptolemais I encamped mine army likewise not farre from the burrough Chabalon some sixtie stades off and diuers times drew I out my forces to bid him battell but neuer would he offer any thing but skirmishes For Placidus perceiuing my forwardnesse to fight was abashed thereat and retired himselfe yet departed he not from Ptolemais About that time came Ionathan with the other Embassadours who as we haue heretofore declared were sent by Simon and the high priest Ananus who laboured to entrap me by policie for that they durst not assaile me in open field They therefore wrote a letter vnto me to this effect Ionathan and the Embassadours with him who are sent by those of Ierusalem to Ioseph Greeting We are certified by the chiefest men of Ierusalem that Iohn of Gischala hath oftentimes sought to betray you for which cause we are sent to represse his malice and to exhort him hereafter to submit himselfe vnto you and being desirous to conferre with you as touching that which concerneth the publike profit we pray you to resort vnto vs as soone as you can with some few attendants because the burrough is not able to entertain many To this effect wrote they vnto me hoping that one of these two effects would fal out either that I comming disarmed should be easily surprised by them or that bringing with me a great companie I should be condemned for an enemy of my countrey The messenger that brought me this letter was a valiant young man mounted on horsebacke who had in times past borne armes for the king The time wherein he came vnto me was two houres within night and euen then was I banquetting with my friends and the chiefest goue◅nours of Galilee After that one of my houshold seruants had certified me that a certaine Iew on horsebacke came to speake with me I commanded he should be brought in who embracing me but coldly and deliuering me the letter said vnto me They that are come frō Ierusalem send you this letter giue them a speedy answere For I am commanded to make a speedy returne They that sate at the table with me were amazed at the souldiers boldnesse But for my selfe I willed him to sit downe and to make merrie with me but he refusing the same I kept the letter in my hand in such manner as I had receiued the same and began to talke with my friends of other affaires and not long after arising from supper and dismissing the rest to their rest I onely retained with me some of my most inward friends and commanding my page to fill me wine I opened the letters before any man perceiued the same and conceiting incontinently what they meant I sealed them anew and as if I had knowne nothing of the contents hauing the letter in my hands I gaue order that the soldier should receiue twenty drachmes for to beare the charges of his voiage He hauing receiued the same and giuing me thankes I perceiued well that he was addicted to gaine and might easily be wrought with money Wherupon I said vnto him if thou wilt drinke with me thou shalt haue a drachme for euerie glasse thou drinkest To this the souldier listned willingly and hauing dranke good store of wine to get him the greater store of money he grew drunken so that he was vnable any longer to conceale his secrets but of his owne accord he declared the treason that was prepared and how the sentence of death was giuen by them against me Which when I vnderstood I answered them to this effect Ioseph to Ionathan and those that accompanie him Health I am verie glad to heare that you are arriued in Galilee in good health especially for that I may now redeliuer into your hands the gouernment of the affaires thereof to the end according as I haue long time desired I might returne into my countrey I will not onely therefore visit you at Xallon but in anie further place also notwithstanding you had neuer sent for me Notwithstanding pardon me though I come not at this present for I am now at Chabalon to confront Placidus who pretendeth to inuade Galilee Resort you therefore vnto mee vvho shall reade my letters Farewell After I had written this answere and deliuered it to the souldier to carrie it vnto them I sent by the same way thirtie of my most approoued friends of Galilee commanding them to salute them that were come without anie further speech I assigned also to each of these one of my most resolute and best souldiers to take heede least any of those I sent should conferre with Ionathans men They therefore set forward on their way and Ionathan and the other seeing their first purpose failed them they sent me another letter after this tenour which ensueth Ionathan and his companie to Ioseph Health We commaund you that within three daies you make your appearance before vs without anie of your souldiers in the burrough of Gadara to the end you maie answere to that which Iohn hath obiected against you As soone as they had written this saluted those whom I had sent they went to Iapha which is the greatest towne of Galilee defenced with strong walles and peopled with manie inhabitants Against these the people of that Citie their wiues and children came forth exclaiming against them with huge cries
Ionathan and his adherents hearing this were afraid least if the Galileans should set vpon them they should grow in daunger of their lifes and began to bethinke themselues how they might escape But perceiuing that they might not retire for that I required them instantly to stay they were altogither dismaid and past their senses I therefore commaunded the people to surcease their shouting and planted the souldiers of greatest trust in euerie passage to preuent least Iohn should charge them vnawares After this I exhorted the people to betake them to their weapons to the end that if the enemie should sodainly assaile them they might not be driuen into disorder This done I first of all beganne to rippe vp to Ionathans followers and fellowes what letters they had written and how they had certified him that they were sent by the communaltie and inhabitants of Ierusalem to make an end of those debates that were betweene me and Iohn and how they had incited me to come vnto them Afterwards in sequell of my discourse I produced their letters in open view to the end they might not denie any thing seeing themselues conuicted by their owne hand writing and spake thus vnto them If being accused by Iohn I should produce two or three witnesses that were men of reputation to testifie for my life it were a matter most euident that thou shouldest be compelled O Ionathan and you my Lords Embassadours after you had foreinquired of their liues to acknowledge mine innocencie and to acquit me of that whereof I am accused But to the intent you may know that I haue faithfully gouerned the estate of Galilee I suppose that three witnesses are too little for an vpright man for which cause I produce all these Enquire of them how I haue liued and whether I haue gouerned this countrie in all honestie and Iustice. I adiure you all therefore who are my fellowes and friends of Galilee that you hide nothing of the truth but that before these men as before your iudges you professe if I haue done any thing that is contrarie to right Whilest I spake after this manner all of them with one accord called me their benefactor and defender and gaue testimonie of my forepassed gouernment and exhorted me to continue the same hereafter And all of them affirmed by a publike oth that I had carefully preuented least any woman should be violated or any man by my meanes should be drawne into any iniurie or inconuenience This done I publikely red the two letters in the presence of all the Galileans which were taken from Ionathans messengers by those who were appointed by me to beset the waies and were by them sent to me which were full of iniuries and falshoods alledging that I rather behaued my selfe like a tyrant then a gouernour towards them and besides that there were diuers other things written and vrged verie impudently These letters said I were voluntarily offered me by those that caried the same For I was vnwilling that mine aduersaries should know that I had beset the waies fearing least they should forbeare to write hereafter The people hauing heard this were displeased and animated against Ionathan and his followers and flocked on to murther them and they had surely done it had I not pacified the displeasure of the Galileans As for the Embassadours that accompanied Ionathan I told all of them that I pardoned whatsoeuer was past if so be they would repent themselues of that which was done and if vpon their returne into their countrey they would truely report vnto those who had sent them how all things had past vnder my gouernment This said I dismissed them notwithstāding that I knew they would performe nothing of that which they had promised But the whole multitude prosecuted their displeasure against them requiring me to giue them leaue to punish those with all rigour who had committed this slaunderous act But I laboured all that I might to perswade them to lay no hands vpon them knowing full well that whatsoeuer mutinie it be it cannot but breed preiudice to the common weale This notwithstanding the multitude would by no meanes be satisfied but all of them ranne in heapes with great furie to the lodging where Ionathan and the Embassadours kept Whereupon seeing that it was impossible to restraine their furie I incontinently betooke me to my horse and commanded the people to follow me to Sogan a borough of the Arabians distant from thence some twentie stades By this stratageme I brought to passe that the beginning of the ciuill warre might not be imputed to me After I came neere to Sogan I assembled the people and told them that they should not violently submit themselues to their froward displeasures nor entertaine their vnquenchable desire of reuenge I commanded them to pick out an hundreth of the chiefest oldest men amongst them who should make their repaire to the citie of Ierusalem and there complaine vnto the people against those that had kindled sedition in their country And I said vnto them if the people be fauourable and listen to your discourse you shall perswade them to write vnto me that according to their command I remaine in Galilee and that Ionathan and his partners depart from hence After I had giuen them this charge and that they were furnished with all things necessarie for their iourney in all expedition on the third day after the generall assembly I dispatched them and sent fiue hundreth armed men with them I wrote also to my friends in Samaria so to further them that they might finish their iourney in all securitie For Samaria was alreadie in subiection to the Romans and it behooued my men of necessitie who would make a short iourney to passe that way For from Galilee by this meanes a man may in three daies arriue at Ierusalem Furthermore I guarded the Embassadours my selfe as farre as the frontiers of Galilee laying forces and guards vpon the waies to the end that no man might easily discouer or know of their departure Which done I soiourned for a certaine time at Iapha But Ionathan and his companions hauing failed of their purpose intended against me dismissed Iohn to Gischala as for themselues they went to Tiberias hoping to bring the same vnder their obeisance For that Iesus who was President at that time had written vnto them and promised them to perswade the people to entertaine them and take their part if they came and vnder this hope they also retired themselues thither Silas who as I declared was left by me as mine Agent in Tiberias certified me of all this by his letters requiring me to vse all diligence and I condescending thereunto was brought in danger of my life vpon this occasion that ensueth Ionathan and his followers being come to Tiberias perswaded diuers who were mine enemies to reuolt from me but after they were certified that I was there in person they were affraid and
third at Amathunt the fourth at Iericho the fift at Sephoris a citie of Galilee and the Iewes being deliuered from the gouernment of one man only willingly suffered themselues to be ruled by the nobility But shortly after Aristobulus escaping from Rome raised new troubles who gathering a great army partly of those that desired a change partly of them that loued him before tooke Alexandrium began to compasse it again with a wal but hearing that Gabinius had sent Sisenna Antonius Seruilius against him with an army he went to Macherunt and forsaking those that were not fit for warre he tooke with him almost 8000. armed men amongst whom was Pytholaus gouernor of them that were reuolted who with 1000. men fled out of Ierusalem But the Romans followed pursued them and ioyning battell with them Aristobulus with his men fought valiantly till being by force ouercome the Romanes slue fiue thousand of them and almost two thousand fled into a mountaine and the other thousand breaking the ranks of the Romans with Aristobulus vvere forced to Macherunt where the king hiding himselfe the first night amongst the ruines hoped that hauing respite he might gather another army fortifie the castle but hauing for two daies sustained the forces of the Romans although vnable to do it at last he was taken with his son Antigonus who had bin imprisoned with him at Rome he was carried to Gabinius from thence to Rome and the Senate put him in prison but his sonnes they sent into Iudaea because Gabinius writ that he had so promised Aristobulus his wife vpon condition the castles might be yeelded Now Gabinius being prepared to warre against the Parthians Ptolomaeus hindred him who returning from Euphrates wēt into Aegypt leauing Antipater Hyrcanus his friends to dispose of al things belonging to the vvar for Antipater helped him vvith mony vveapons corne men and he perswaded the Iewes vvho kept the vvaies that lead vnto Pelusium to suffer Gabinius to passe Now in the other part of Syria at the departure of Gabinius there began a commotion Alexander Aristobulus son once more incited the Iewes to rebellion hauing gathered a mightie power purposed to destroy all the Romans that vvere in that country vvhich Gabinius fearing vvho vvas returned out of Aegypt at the beginning of these tumults he sent Antipater before who perswaded some of the rebels to be quiet yet 30000. remained with Alexander For which cause he was very forward to fight and went out to battel the Iewes came against him neere vnto Itabyrium they fought where 10000. were slaine and the rest were put to flight and Gabinius returned to Ierusalem through the counsell of Antipater who hauing established that estate went from thence and ouercame the Nabathaeans in battel he likewise permitted Mithridates Orsanes priuily to depart who were fled from the Parthians saying that they had escaped from the souldiers In the meane time Crassus who was appointed to be his successor had Syria deliuered him who toward the maintenance of the Parthian wars tooke all the gold that was in the temple of Ierusalem and the 2000. talents which Pompeius had forborne to do who passing ouer Euphrates was both himselfe and his whole army vtterly ouerthrowne of which thing it behooueth vs not to speake in this place After the death of Crassus the Parthians endeuored themselues to enter Syria but Cassius who succeeded him in the gouernment repulsed them and hauing gotten the vpper hand he speedily resorted into Iudaea and taking Tarichea he caried away about 3000. men captiues and put Pytholaus to death for gathering a company of seditious people vnto Aristobulus his part He that caused and consailed his death was Antipater who was maried vnto a noble woman of Arabia called Cypris by vvhom he had foure sons Phasaolus king Herode Ioseph and Pheroras and one daughter called Salome vvho sought the friendship of al potentates round about him by courtesie and hospitalitie and especially he got the good vvill of the king of Arabia by affinitie vnto whose fidelitie he committed his sonnes because he had vndertaken the wars against Aristobulus But Cassius made a truce vvith Alexander and in the meane time went to Euphrates to hinder the passage of the Parthians of which we vvill speake hereafter CHAP. VII Of the death of Aristobulus and the warre betweene Antipater and Mithridates AFter that Caesar had forced the Senate and Pompey to flie beyond the Ionian sea and by that means made himselfe sole Master of all at Rome he set Aristobulus at libertie and with two legions of men sent him in haste into Syria hoping through his means speedily to winne both it and also all places adioining to Iudaea but both the hope of Caesar and the forwardnes of Aristobulus was ouerthrown through enuie for he was poysoned by Pompeies fauorites and euen in his owne countrey his bodie lay vnburied which notwithstanding was preserued from putrefaction with hony till such time as Antonius sent it vnto the Iewes commaunding them to burie it in the kings sepulcher His sonne Alexander also was beheaded at Antiochia by Scipio being first according to the tenour of Pompeies letters accused before the tribunall seat of such things as he had committed against the Romanes Ptolemaeus the sonne of Minaeus who ruled Chalcis which was vnder Libanus hauing taken his brethren sent his sonne Philippio with them to Ascalon and he violently taking away Antigonus and his sisters from the wife of Aristobulus brought them to his father and falling in loue with the yongest tooke her to his wife for which cause he was afterward put to death by his father For Ptolemaeus hauing slaine his sonne married Alexandra and for that affinitie sake was more carefull for her brethren After the death of Pompey Antipater sought all meanes to get Caesars fauour and when Mithridates of Pergamenus was hindred by the garrison at Pelusium to passe any further with an armie into Aegypt and was by that meanes staied at Ascalon he perswaded the Arabians to assist him the rather because he was but a straunger and he himselfe also seconded him with almost three thousand armed Iewes Moreouer he incited the potentate of Syria and Ptolemaeus who inhabited Libanus and Iamblicus and another Ptolemaeus to assist him for whose sakes the cities of that countrey did willingly vndertake the wars And now Mithridates strengthned by Antipaters meanes came to Pelusium and because they would not suffer him to passe he besieged the citie in which siege Antipater shewed his valour for making a breach on that side of the wall where his quarter was he first of all with his company brake into the citie and so Pelusium was taken But the inhabitants of Onias countrey who were Aegyptians and Iewes suffered him not to passe any further yet did Antipater handle the matter so discreetly with them that they did not only suffer him to passe
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
torments which if they continue in wickednes they shall endure This is the Esseans Philosophie touching the immortalitie of the soule wherein they propose an ineuitable allurement to those who haue once tasted of their Philosophie There are also some amongst them who promise to foretell things to come who from their tender age haue studied and followed holy bookes diuers purifications and sayings of the Prophets and their diuination seldome faileth There is another colledge of these Esseans agreeing with the former both in apparrell meat and kind of life and obserue the same lawes and ordinances onely they differ in the opinion of marriage affirming that they who abstaine from mariage do cut off the greatest part of mans life to wit succession of mankind For say they if all men should follow that opinion presently all mankind would perish yet notwithstanding these people are so continent that for three yeeres space they maketrial of the women they are to marry and when they haue proued them fit to beare children then they marrie them None of them must lie with their wiues when they are with child to shew that they do not marry to satisfie lust but for to haue children When their wiues wash themselues they are couered with a garment as the men are and this is the manner and custome of this sect Of the two former sects the Pharisees are said to be most skilfull in interpreting the law and are of opinion that all things are to be attributed to God and Fate and that euerie man may of his owne power doe good or ill yet say they destinie helpeth in euery action â—…d that the soules of men are all incorruptible but onely the soules of good men goe into other bodies and the soules of wicked men are sent into euerlasting paine But the Sadduces denie Fate and Destinie and affirme that God is the author of no euil auowing likewise that a man hath free will to doe well or ill and euerie man may chuse whether he will be good or bad and they generally denie both paines and rewards for the soules after this life The Pharisees are sociable and louing one to another but the Sadduces are at discord among themselues liuing like sauage beasts and as vncourteous to their owne sect as to straungers This is all which I haue to speake concerning the Philosophers amongst the Iewes Now I will returne to my purpose CHAP. VIII Of the cities which Philip and Herode builded and of Pilates gouernment ARchelaus his Ethnarchie being now made a prouince the rest of his brethren to wit Philip and Herode who was surnamed Antipas gouerned their Tetrarchies And Salome dying left vnto Iulia by her testament the Toparchie which she ruled as also Iamnia a ground set with palme trees in Phasaelis When Tiberius Caesar after the death of Augustus was made Emperour of Rome after that he had raigned seuen and fiftie yeeres sixe moneths and two daies Herode and Philip remaining in their Tetrarchies Philip builded a citie neere vnto the head of Iordan in the countrey of Paneade and called it Caesarea and another he built in the lower part of Gaulanitis and named it Iulias Herode in Galilee built the Citie called Tiberias and another in Peraea on this side Iordan which also he named Iulias Pilate being sent by Tiberius to be gouernour ouer the Iewes caused in the night time the statua of Caesar to be brought into Ierusalem couered which thing within three daies after caused a great tumult among the Iewes for they who beheld it were astonished and moued as though now the law of their countrey were prophaned for they hold it not lawfull for any picture or Image to be brought into the citie At their lamentation who were in the citie there was gathered togither a great multitude out of the fields adioyning and they went presently to Pilate then at Caesarea beseeching him earnestly that the Images might be taken away out of Ierusalem and that the law of their countrey might remaine inuiolated When Pilate denied their suit they prostrated themselues before his house and there remained lying vpon their faces for fiue daies and nights neuer mouing Afterward Pilate sitting in his tribunall seat was verie carefull to call all the Iewes togither before him as though there he would haue giuen them an answere when vpon the sodain a company of armed souldiers for so it was prouided compassed the Iewes about with a triple ranke the Iewes were here at amazed seeing that which they expected not Then Pilate told them that except they would receiue the Images of Caesar he would kill them all and to that end made a signe vnto the souldiers to draw their swords The Iewes as though they had agreed thereto fell all downe at once and offered their naked neckes to the stroke of the sword crying out that they would rather lose their liues then suffer their religion to be prophaned Then Pilate admiring the constancy of the people in their religion presently commaunded the statuaes to be taken out of the citie of Ierusalem After this he caused another tumult amongst them for they haue a sacred treasure called Corban which Pilate vsed to bring water in vnto the Citie foure hundreth furlongs off for this cause the people murmured so that when Pilate came to Ierusalem they flocked about his tribunall crying and exclaiming Pilate fore seeing that tumult caused souldiers secretly armed to mingle themselues amongst the people in priuate apparrell and commanded them not to vse their swords but to beat those with clubs whom they saw make such clamours And when he had thus plotted the matter sitting in his Tribunall he gaue a signe vnto the souldiers and presently the Iewes were beaten and many of them partly with blowes and partly troden vpon by the multitude died miserably The multitude amazed aâ—… the calamitie of those that were slaine held their tongues For this cause Agrippa sonne to Herod the Tetrarch whose father Aristobulus Herode the King put to death went to Rome and accused him to Caesar. Tyberius not admitting his accusation he remained still at Rome and sought the fauour of other potentates there and especially he reuerenced Caius the sonne of Germanicus he being yet a priuate person vpon a certaine day being with him at a banquet he stretcht forth his hands openly began to beseech Almightie God that Tyberius Caesar might quickly die that he might see him Lord of all the world Tyberius hauing notice here of by one of his familiar friends caused Agrippa to be imprisoned where he endured a hard and streight imprisonment vntill the death of Tyberius which was six moneths after After he was dead hauing raigned 22. yeares sixe moneths and three dayes Caius Caesar who succeeded him in the Empire freed him from prison and gaue him the Tetrarchie of Philip who was now deceased and the title of a king When Agrippa came into his
by famine and the Romans hauing so much laboured at the lower vvals did now by fortune take these which their engines could neuer haue shaken for there vvere thre inexpugnable towers that could not be battered vvith the engines vvhereof before vve haue made mention So the tyrants hauing forsaken these or rather being by Gods vvill driuen from hence presently they fled vnto the valley Siloa after the feare was past they againe tooke heart and vvent vnto the wall that was in that place yet not vsing such courage and violence as their need required they were beaten by the watchmen that guarded it their strength now failing vvearied with labour feare famine and calamitie And some was driuen one way and some another so were forced to hide themselues in vaults and sinks The Romans hauing obtained the wal placed their colours in the towers and clapping their hands and singing for ioy they cried victorie finding the end of the warre nothing so terrible as the beginning Yet did they not beleeue that vvas the end because they got the vvall without any bloudshed but admired seeing no man did offer to resist them And now issuing into euerie street they slew whom soeuer they found without any respect and fired houses and all the people that had fled into them and destroying many whereas they entred 〈◊〉 to get a pray and they found whole families dead and houses full of dead bodies consumed by famine Thus terrified with that heauie sight they departed out not taking any thing away yet for all that they pitied not them that were left aliue but slew whom soeuer they met whereby they filled the narrow streets so ful of dead bodies by them slaine that none could passe that way for them all the whole citie flowed with bloud so that many things set on fire were quenched with the bloud of them that were slaine At euening they ceased from killing but all the night long the fire increased and so in the morning which was the eight day of September all was now on fire the citie in the time of the siege hauing endured more miserie and calamitie then euer it receiued ioy and happinesse from the time of the first foundation notwithstanding that they were so great that all cities might iustly enioy it and it no wise deserued so to be oppressed with such miserie saue onely for that it fostered and bred such impious persons as wrought the ouerthrow thereof Titus entring into the Citie amongst the rest admired the strong holds thereof and the rockie towers which the tyrants like madde men depriued themselues of seeing the height firmenes bignesse and the ioyning of the stones togither and their breadth and hight he said surely God hath assisted vs in the fight and he it was that did withdraw the Iewes from these fortresses For what could mens hands and engines preuaile against them And hauing spoken much to this effect communing with his friends he set them at libertie whom the tyraÌ„ts had left bound in the castles when he destroied the rest of the citie wals he left those towers standing as a monument of his good fortune and victorie by the which he had gained them though vnexpugnable The souldiers now being wearie with killing the miserable Iewes and yet a great multitude remaining aliue Caesar commaunded that onely the armed Iewes and they that resisted should be slaine and the rest left aliue But the souldiers also killed olde folkes and weake persons 〈◊〉 king all able men and lusty they caried them into the temple and shut them there in the place appointed for the women Caesar left one Fronto a libertine and his friend to keepe them giuing him also charge to make inquirie who had deserued punishment whollew all the thâ—… and seditious one of them bewraying another and reserued certaine chosen young men of 〈◊〉 stature and beautiful withall for the triumph and all the rest that were aboue sâ—…uenteen yeeres olde he sent bound into Aegypt to be imployed in certaine workes there as digging dâ—…ng 〈◊〉 manuring the fields and to be vsed in other publike busines Titus also sent many of â—…em vnto diuers prouinces to be slaine in the theaters with beasts or swords and they that were vnder seuenteene yeeres of age were sold. And during the time that Fronto kept them ten thousand died for hunger partly for that their keepers hating them would not giue them any meat parâ—…y for that som refused meat when it was offered them For there was now scarcitie of come by reason of the great multitude of the people CHAP. XVII Of the number of the captiues and them that were slaine THe number of all the captiues that were taken during the whole time of warre was foure score and seuenteene thousand the number of all that died and were slaine during the siege was eleuen hundreth thousand the most of them being Iewes by natioÌ„ but not inhabitants of that place For being assembled togither from all parts to the feast of vnleauened bread presently on a sodaine were enuironed with war and first of al a plague amongst them by reason of the streightnesse of the place and immediately after famine worse then it And that the Citie was capable of so many men it is euident for that Cestius before numbred them who desirous to signifie the flourishing estate and strength of Ierusalem vnto Nero who contemned our nation requested the high priests that if possibly they could they should number all the people in their Citie and that vpon the feast of Easter when they killed offerings from the ninth houre of the day vntill the eleuenth to eate a lambe not fewer then ten persons were assembled for it is not lawfull for any to feast alone yea many times twentie are in a companie they numbred two hundreth fiftie six thousand fiue hundreth oblations or lambs to be killed so that if we reckon to euery lambe ten men the number amounteth vnto seuen and twentie hundreth thousand men all purified whole sound For it was not lawful for any that were leapers or had a fluxe of seed nor women that had the monthly tearmes to eat of that sacrifice nor for any stranger except he came thither for religion sake And this multitude was assembled togither from other places was there by the prouidence of God shut vp as it were in a prison And the city being filled with men of warre was besieged that the number of them that were slaine passed all that euer perished either by any plague sent from God or by the means of men who were partly openly slaine partly taken by the Romans who searching the vaults opening the sepulchers spared none they met with all There also were found more then two thousand whereof some slew themselues with their own hands other some killed by others the rest perished with famine The stinch of dead bodies vvas so great that many
the sacred tongue signifieth a King and Sos a shepheard or shepheards according to the common speech and Hicsos is a compound word Some say these people were Arabians but in other coppies I find that Hicsos is not interpreted kings shepheards but shepheards that were captiues for Hic and Hac also when it is pronounced doth in the Egyptian tongue signifie a captiue and this latter exposition seemeth to me to bee the truest for it is more agreeable with the historie Wherefore Manathon reporteth these foresaide kinges and sheapheards to haue ruled Egypt fiue hundreth and eleuen yeares and after these the king of Thebes and the king of the residue of Egypt vniting their forces togither inuaded the sayde sheapheards and held on great and long wars against them and that the sayde sheapheards were ouercome by the king Alisfragumthosis also that then they lost all Egypt which hee had in their power and that they were shut vp in a place called Auaris conteining ten thousand acres of ground which as Manathon reporteth these shepheards enuironed round about with a huge wall to the end that all their whole prouision might be fortified and all their prayses which they got defended Moreouer that Themosis sonne of the saide Alisfragumthosis endeuored by force to subdue them and for this cause besieged them with foure hundreth and foure score thousand armed men and at last despairing to take them by siege he couenanted with them that they should safly depart out of Egypt whether they would and that they vpon these conditions togither with all their families and goods and cattle departed out of Egypt into the wildernes so into Syria being in number two hundreth fortie thousand that fearing the puissaunce of the Assirians who at that time raigned in Asia they builded a citie in the countrie now called Iudea which they made so large as that it might receiue them all and this citie they called Ierusalem Further the saide Manathon in an other booke of the Egyptians affaires sayth that in the holy writings he sendeth the foresaide shepheards called captiues wherein he saith most true For our auncesters were wont to feede cattle so leading a pastorall life were called shepheards neither are they vniustly called captiues for our forefather Ioseph tould the king of Egypt that he was a captiue and long time after hee called his brethren into Egypt by the kinges commaund but wee will hereafter examine this point more straightly I will now cite the testimonie of the Egyptians concerning this point and also relate the words of Manethon touching the time when this befell who sayeth as followeth After that the nation of shepheards were departed out of Egypt vnto Ierusalem king Themosis who droue them out of the land raigned twentie fiue yeares and foure moneths and then dyed and his sonne Chebron succeeded him who raigned thirteene yeares and after him Amenophis twentie yeares and seuen moneths next his sister Amesses one and twentie yeares and nine moneths then raigned Mephios twelue yeares and nine moneths Mephamuthosis twentie fiue yeares and ten moneths Thimosis nine yeares and eight moneths Amenophis thirtie yeares and ten moneths Orus thirtie sixe yeeres and fiue moneths after him his daughter Achencheres twelue yeeres and one moneth and the brother of Rathotis nine yeeres Achencheres twelue yeeres and fiue moneths an other Achencheres twelue yeeres and three moneths Armais foure yeeres and one moneth Armesis one yeere and foure moneths Armesesmiamus threescore and sixe yeeres and two moneths Amenophis nineteene yeeres and sixe moneths Moreouer that Sethosis hauing made readie a huge armie both of foote and horse and also a Nauie at Sea left the gouernment of Aegypt vnto his brother Armais and permitted vnto him all other kingly authoritie onely forbidding him to weare a Diademe and to oppresse the Queene mother to his children commaunding him also to abstaine from the rest of the Kings concubines And Sethosis himselfe went to Cyprus and Phaenicia against the Assirians and Medes and subdued them all partly by the sword partly by feare of his power and greatnesse and being proud of all this his fortunate successe he bent himselfe against the Easterne Countrie and destroyed with fire and sword the Cities of that place with whole Prouinces and spending much time in these warres his brother Armais whome hee left in Egypt did without feare commit all that hee forbad him to doe for hee oppressed the Queene violently and dayly lay with the rest of the Kings concubines and being thereto councelled by his friends hee put a Crowne vpon his head and rebelled against his brother Also that he who was then â—…hiefe of the Egyptians holy customes sent letters vnto Sethosis containing all that had happened and how Armais had rebelled against him who returning to Pelusia came and enioyed againe his owne kingdome which by his name was called Egypt for Manethon writeth that this Sethosis was named Egyptus and his brother Armais Danaus Thus farre Manethon out of whome it is euident by computation of the foresaid times that our nation was deliuered out of Egypt three hundred nintie and three yeeres before Danaus and inhabited this Countrie of Iudaea so long before Danaus came vnto Argos notwithstanding the Inhabitants of Argos boast that their Citie is most auncient Wherefore Manethon recounteth two things for vs out of the Egyptian letters first that we came from another place to them afterwards went out of their Countrie againe and that so long agoe as it was almost a thousand yeeres before the Troyan warres Touching those things which Manethon professeth himselfe not to haue gathered out of the writings of the Egyptians who did write out of certaine tales and reports I will hereafter shew how they are alleadged without any reason for them For I will once againe leaue these and go to the testimonie of the Phaenicians which they writ concerning our nation The Tyrians therefore haue Chronicles of verie great antiquitie which they haue kept with all diligence concerning that which hath beene done amongst them and indeed they are worthie of memorie Amongst these Recordes it is written that king Salomon built a Temple at Ierusalem a hundred fortie three yeeres and eight months before the Tyrians erected Carthage So they haue registred the building of our Temple for Hiramus king of the Tyrians was our kings Salomons friend obliged vnto him for his fathers sake who for this cause also of his owne liberalitie gaue Salomon a hundred and twentie talents of gold towardes the building of the Temple and cut downe the most goodly wood called Libanus which hee bestowed vpon him to make the roofe of the Temple withall for which bountie Salomon gaue him againe manie liberall gifts and among the rest a Countrie of Galilee named Zabulon but Salomons wisedome was the chiefe cause of this Kings friendship towards him For they sent problemes one to the other to bee answered and Salomon in his answeres appeared
enemies might tume the riuer and so haue accesse vnto the Citie he inuironed the inner Citie with three seuerall wals and the outmost Citie likewise The wals whereof were made of brick but the wals of the inner Citie were of bricke and bytumen this done he builded most sumptuous gates which might haue become temples and moreouer neere vnto his fathers pallace he builded another farre greater and more costly then it was the pompe wherof it were hard and perhaps tedious to expresse Yet this we will rehearse worth the nothing that this so ambitious and aboue all credit gorgeous pallace was builded in fifteene daies in it he erected rocks of stone like mountaines beset with all sorts of trees he also made a famous garden all supported with pillars for that his wife being brought vppe in the countrey of the Medes desired to haue a prospect into the fieldes and mountaines This he relateth of the forementioned king and many things more in his booke of the affaires of the Chaldeis wherein he reprooueth the Greeke writers who falsely affirme that Semiramis the Assyrian Queene built Babylon and that they falsely report those wonderfull works about Babylon to haue been by her made and finished We must needs thinke that the Chaldean historie is true seeing it agreeth with that of the Phoenicians which Berosus writ of the king of Babylon who subuerted both Phoenicia and al Syria with them also accordeth Philostratus in his historie in the siege of Tyria and Magasthenes also in his fourth booke of the affaires of India where he laboureth to proue that the said king excelled Hercules in strength and valour affirming that he subdued the greatest part of Affrique and Spaine and that the temple of Ierusalem was burnt by the Babylonians and againe reedified by Cyrus we will prooue it out of Berosus who in his third booke saith as followeth Nabuchodonosor hauing begun the third wall fell sicke and died when he had raigned fortie three yeeres and his sonne Euelmaradochus succeeded him who for his iniquitie and lustfull liuing was treacherously slaine by his sisters husband named Niriglissoroor after he had raigned two yeeres He being dead the traitor Niriglissoroor vsurped the kingdome and raigned foure yeeres whose sonne then a childe was made king called by name Laborosardochus and he raigned nine moneths who for that he seemed to be of verie corrupt manners was slaine by his owne friends after whose death they who slew him consulting togither did make one Nabonidus a Babylonian king At this time the wals of bricke and bytumen about the riuer of Babylon were built In the eight yeere of this kings raigne Cyrus comming with an army out of Persia conquered all Asia and came with his forces against Babylon but the king of Babylon hauing notice of his comming leuied an army meeting him in the way and ioined battell with him but being ouercome in the fight he accompanied with a verie few of his men was forced to flie into Borsippa Cyrus now besieged Babylon and purposed to destroy the outward wals thereof by reason that it was too strong and too hard to win and so he returned to Borsippa to besiege Nabonidus the king of Babylon who was fled thither But Nabonidus not abiding the euent of war yeelded himselfe vnto Cyrus who dealt mercifully with him and gaue him a territorie in Carmania but expelled him out of Babylon so Nabonidus led the rest of his life in that prouince This historie agreeth with ours for in our writings we finde that Nabuchodonosor in the eighteenth yeere of his raigne did destroy our temple and that it so remained threescore and ten yeeres Also that in the second yeere of king Cyrus the soundations thereof were laide againe and that it was finished and reedified in the second yeere of king Darius his raigne This done I will also relate the histories of the Phoenicians that we may abound with proofe of that we say for they make a computation of the yeeres after this manner In the raigne of king Ithobalus Nabuchodonosor besieged Tyre thirteene yeeres after whom Baal raigned ten yeeres next him iudges were appointed to wit them that follow Eâ—…nibalus the sonne of Balachus iudged two moneths Chelbis the sonne of Abdaeus ten moneths Abbarus the high priest three moneths Myttonus and Gerastus sonnes of Abdilimos iudged six yeeres after whom Balatorus raigned one yeere and after his death the Tyrians called Merbalus from Babylon and made him king and he raigned foure yeeres and he then dying they sent also to Babylon for his brother Iromus who raigned twentie yeeres in whose raigne Cyrus obtained the Persian Empire so that this whole time is fiftie foure yeeres three moneths for Nabuchodonozor began to besiege Tyre in the seuenth yeere of his raigne and in the fourteenth yeere of king Iromus his raigne Cyrus was made Emperour of Persia. Wherefore both the Chaldeis and Tyrian Historiographers agree with vs concerning our temple So that the antiquitie of our nation aboue mentioned is now made manifest and without all controuersie And that which is alreadie alleaged to this end may be sufficient for them who are not vpon purpose contradictions It is therefore requisite to satisfie them who giue no credit to the writings of other nations and contend that the Grecian histories onely are to be beleeued to bring many testimonies from the Greeks themselues who haue as opportunitie serued made mention of our nation and knowne it Pythonis a Samian borne both of great antiquitie and excelling all other Philosophers in holinesse towards the Gods is not onely conuinced to haue knowne the customes of our nation but he did also as it plainely appeareth imitate them in many things His writings are in no place extant but diuers haue recorded many notable things of him and especially Hermippus a man most diligent in searching of histories This Hermippus recounteth in his first booke of Pythagoras that the said Philosopher hauing one of his familiar friends named Calliphon dead who was a Crotonian borne reported this mans soule to be perpetually with him and that the said soule commaunded him not to passe the place where his asse fell and that hee should abstaine from vncleane water and that he should with all diligence eschue blasphemie and then it followeth this he did and said imitating the opinions of the Iewes and Grecians and applying them to himselfe For it is certainly reported that this man gathered much of his philosophie out of the Iewes lawes Our nation in times past was well knowne to diuers cities so that many of them do now obserue our customes and others esteeme them worth the imitation as Theophrastus doth witnesse in his booke entituled de legibus for he saith that the Tyrian lawes forbid to sweare by any straunge sacrament and amongst these straunge and forraine sacraments he reckoneth the oath called Corban which oathe is vsed onely amongst the
a tumult begun in Syria He also recordeth the greatnesse of our countrey and the fertilitie thereof they inhabite quoth he a countrey that hath almost thirtie hundreth thousand acres of most fertile ground for Iurie is of this largenesse that in time past we inhabited a large and very great citie which was verie populous he speaketh also of the building of our temple in this manner The Iewes haue many other townes and villages in euerie prouince but they haue one most strong citie the compasse of whose wals is fiftie stounds and in it inhabite a hundred and fiftie thousand men and this citie they called Ierusalem in the midst of it is a building of stone with foure porches a hundreth cubits about it hath also double gates wherein is a foure squared Altar made of vnhewen stones ioyned together and it is twentie cubites square euerie way and ten cubites high and about it is a most huge building where in is an Altar and a Candlesticke both of gold weighing two talents and there is kept a continuall light night and day which neuer goeth forth therein is no Image nor gift notrees nor wood growing there nor any thing of this sort Therein inhabite Priests both night and day celebrating certaine purifications and they drinke no wine in the Temple Moreouer he shewed how our nation warred vnder Alexanders successors and he reporteth that which he heard of a certaine Iew in the armie and I will set downe the Authors owne words As I went quoth he to the red Sea a certaine Iewe one of the horsemen that conducted vs named Mosollamus who was a couragious man and one who excelled all archers else both Greeks and other nations This Iewe euerie one hasting on forward of his iourney and being willed by a southsayer to stand he asked for what cause the multitude staied and went not forward presently the Southsayer shewed him a bird which hee diligently viewed and told the Iewe that if that bird did stand still in the place that then it was expedient for them to stand and if the bird did mount vp and flie that then they ought to march on forward but if it flew towards the place from whence they came that then it was wisedome to retire The Iewe hereat was silent yet drawing his bow hee shot an arrow and killed the bird whereat the Southsayer and certaine other were offended and cursed him But he taking the vnhappie bird in his hand said vnto them Are yee so mad as to thinke that this bird not hauing the foresight to preserue her selfe from this death is able to direct vs in the successe of our iourney Had this bird foreknowne future euents shee would haue eschewed this place for dread that Mosollamus a Iewe should haue strucken her with an arrow But wee will now leaue the testimonie of Hecataeus for euerie one that list may reade his booke and there vnderstand this more at large I will not omit the testimonie of Agatarchides a man of no euill in his owne opinion yet indeed one who hath vsed detraction to our owne nation This man speaking of Stratonice how leauing her husband Demetrius shee came into Syria and how Seleucus would not marrie her as shee hoped who hauing an armie at Babylon warred against Antioch and had taken the Citie and that shee fled into Seleucia where as she might haue made a more speedie escape by water but that shee was forwarned in a sleepe so to do that she was there taken and died c. Agatarchides hauing vsed this Preface and inueighed against Stratonices superstition he vseth an example of our nation in this manner The people that are called Iewes inhabite a most strong Citie which they call Ierusalem these people are wont to rest vpon the seuenth day and doe neither beare armes nor till their grounds nor doe anie other businesse vpon that day but their custome is to remaine in their Temple and there with stretched out armes continue in praier till night And so vpon a time they perseuering in that foolerie whilest they should haue defended their Citie Ptolomaeus Lagus entered it with many people and a great armie who greatly tyrannized ouer them and so they found by experience that the solemnitie appointed by their law was preiudiciall vnto them such like Churches as this did teach them and all nations else to flie vnto dreames which their law teacheth neuer considering that humane pollicie cannot preuaile against that which must necessarily happen Agatarchides thought this which he reporteth of vs to be ridiculous but they who weigh it with indifferencie shall perceiue that it is great commendation to our nation who rather suffer their Countrie and our saftie to be lost and endamaged then to violate the lawes of God I thinke I am thus able to shew that many writers omitted to make mention of our nation not for that they knew vs not but for enuie For Ierome who writ a booke of succession in the same time that Hecataeus liued who was a friend vnto King Antigonus and being president of Syria neuer mentioneth vs in all his Historie notwithstanding he was brought vp almost in our Countrie But Haecataeus writ a booke of vs so different are the minds of men for one of them thought our nation worthie to bee diligently recorded the other through malice was hindred from speaking the truth yet the Histories of the Chaldies Aegyptians and Phaenicians may suffice to proue our antiquitie together with the Greeke writers for besides those before mentioned Theophrastus also Theodotus Manaseas Ariphanes Hermogenes Euemeus Conon Zopyrion and many others no doubt for I haue not perused all mens bookes haue manifestly restified of vs. For many of the foresaid men were blinded with errors as not hauing gread our holy Scriptures yet they all ioyntly testifie our antiquitie for which I now alleadge them Truely Demetrius Phalereus Philon the elder and Eupolemus did not much erre from the truth and therefore reason it is that they should be borne with alâ—… for they were not so skilful as to search our writings with so much curiositie Being come thus farre it resteth that I now present one point more wherof I made mention in the beginning of this booke to wit that I declare the detractions and slaunderous reports of diuers concerning our nation to be false and voide of truth and I will vse the testimonie of those writers who record that the lying Historiographers at such time as they committed to writing the foresaid detractions did also euen against themselues register such like slaunders as they did against vs. And I doubt not but that all those who are conuersant in Histories can testifie that the like hath beene done by most writers for certaine priuate hatred or such like respects For some of the Gentiles haue attempted to deface the honour and reputation of the most renowmed Cities and to defame the manners of their Inhabitants Thus did Theopompus
fiftie yeeres before the foundations of Carthage The truth whereof I haue heretofore approued out of the records of the Phoenicians who report that Hyrâ—…m was Salomons friend who builded the temple in Ierusalem and that he furnished him with much timber and other matter toward the finishing of that building Now Salomon builded the temple sixe hundreth and twelue yeeres after the departure of the Israelites out of Aegypt and after he had inconsiderately reckened the number of those which were driuen out of Egypt in like manner as Lysimachus had done namely of one hundred and ten thousand men he yeeldeth a most admirable reason and such as may be easily beleeued from whence he pretendeth that the name of Sabath was deriued For saith he after they had trauailed for the space of six daies there grew certaine inflamations in their groines by reason whereof they rested on the seuenth day being safely arriued in the countrey which at this day is called Iudaea because the Egyptians cal Sabatosis an Vlcer that groweth about the groine Who can otherwise chuse but laugh at this fopperie or contrariwise who would not hate such an impudent custome in writing and coyning of lies For he reporteth as farre as a man may coniecture by his writings that all the Iewes who were to the number of one hundred and tenne thousand persons had these Vlcers in their secrets Now had all of them beene haulte lame blinde and sickely as Apion reporteth they could not haue iournied one day but since they trauailed thorow the desart and vanquished all armies that resisted them it is no likely matter that all of them were sicke of a disease in their priuy parts euerie seuenth day neither is it naturally possible that such a disease should befall so many thousand men in their iourney and that they euerie day should trauell a certaine space and a limited march neither standeth it with any probabilitie but rather a manifest absurditie that any such thing should befall them but this admirable Apion saith that they arriued in Iudaea within the space of sixe daies Againe he writeth that Moses ascending vp the mount Sinai which is betwixt Arabia and Aegypt hid himselfe in that place for the space of fortie daies and descending from thence gaue lawes vnto the Iewes But how I pray you was it possible for him to remaine fortie daies in a desart without water or how could all the Iewes within six daies trauell from Aegypt into Iewrie As for his Grammaticall diuination of the word Sabaoth it sauoureth too much of impudencie or at least of ignorance for these words Sabbo and Sabatum doe greatly differ for Sabatum in the Iewes language signifieth rest from worke but Sabbo in the Aegyptian tongue betokeneth a disease about the priuie parts as Apion saith See here what cauilling fictions this Aegyptian Apion vseth concerning Moses and our departure out of Aegypt wherein he counterfeiteth and coineth absurdities vnthought of by any others Shall we then wonder if he belie our forefathers who maketh no bones to belie himselfe for being brone at Oasis a towne in Aegypt this heigh vnreputed honour of the Aegyptians forsweareth both his countrey and nation and counterfeiting himselfe to be an Alexandrian he ratifieth his nations wickednesse No maruell then though he terme them Aegyptians whom he hateth and raileth against for if he had not been perswaded that the Aegyptians were wicked base people he would neuer haue denied himselfe to be their countriman for such as prowdly boast of their famous countrey esteeme it a credit to beare the denomination thereof and reprehend such as without iust cause make themselues of their nation Wherefore the Aegyptians are one of these two waies affected towards vs Iewes for either they claime vs to be their countrimen as glorying of vs and their countrey or else for that they and their countrey being infamous they desire that we should be partakers of their ignominie But indeed this worthy Apion seemeth so to inueigh against vs as thereby rewarding the Alexandrians for bestowing their Cities vpon him and knowing them to be at variance with the Iewes of Alexandria he as it were casteth a bone betweene them and raileth not onely on the Iewes of that Citie but of all wheresoeuer but he belieth both of them most impudently But let vs examine those hainous and enormous matters and as he saith such as are not to be suffered of which he accuseth the Alexandrian Iewes Comming quoth he out of Syria they seated themselues neere the sea coast where there was no hauen neere vnto the surges of the water Now if this place which they inhabited were ignominious yet it followeth not that the Iewes owne countrey was so also yet herein Apion raileth against Alexandria which he maketh his owne countrey for the sea coast is part of Alexandria and as all men iudge the best place thereof to dwell in Now if the Iewes by force of armes so vanquished this place that they could neuer since be driuen out of it it is no discredit to them but rather an argument of the valour But Alexander gaue them that place to inhabite and the Macedonians did allot them as great priuiledges as the Alexandrians had I know not what Apion would haue said if the Iewes had dwelt about Necropolis and not about the kings seate their tribes being euen at this time called Macedonians If therefore Apion haue read the Epistles of king Alexander and Ptolomaeus Lagus or others their successors kings of Egypt or seene the pillars that are erected in Alexandria containing the priuiledges that Caesar the great granted vnto the Iewes if I say he knew of these and yet did presume to write the contrarie then he was a bad fellow but if he was ignorant hereof he was then an vnlearned person The like ignorance also discouereth he where he wonders that the Iewes that were in Alexandria were called Alexandrians For all that are on Colonie though verie different people yet doe they all beare the name of their founder and that I may shun prolixitie the Iewes of Antioch are called Antiochians for Seleucus the founder made them also Citizens the like may also be said of the Iewes of Ephesus and at the other Ionia who by the kings gifts enioy the same priuiledges with the rest of the Citizens The Romans also of their clemencie haue granted the name of their nation which is no small gift not only to priuate persons but to great nations in generall To be short the auncient Spaniards the Tyrrhenes Sabines are called Romans or if Apion will take away this denomination of the Citie wherein men inhabite let him cease to call himselfe an Alexandrian for he being borne in the hart of Aegypt can no wise be an Alexandrian if the priuiledge of the Citie be taken from him as he would haue it from vs. And the Lords of the whole world the Romans haue amongst all other nations onely
a stratageme The yeare of the world 2525. before Christs birth 1439. Hedio Ruffinus ch 6. al 3. The Israelites omit warre Iudg. 19. The historie of the Leuites wife The yeare of the world 2526. before Christs birth 1438. Thirtie stadia are foure Italian miles Two Italian miles a halfe The horrible wickednes of the Gabeonites The yeare of the world 2526. before Christs Natiuitie 1438. The Leuite deuideth the bodie of his wife into 12. parts and sent them to the 12. tribes Iudg. 20. The Israelites send Embassa. dours to the Gabeonites to require those at their hands that had committed the rape They denie to yeeld theÌ„ vp hereupon the Israelites make an oth neuer to match their daughters with any one of theÌ„ tribe of Beniamin and they leuy and lead out against theÌ„ an army of foure hundreth thousand men Twenty two thousand Israelites slain in battell Eighteen thousand Israelites more slaine The Israelites place one half of their battell in ambush and as if they fought with disaduantage they retired by little and little The yeare of the world 2526. before Christes Natiuity 1438. Fiue and twentie thousand Beniamites slaine onely sixe hundreth escapealiue labes other Cities of the Beniamites burned Iud. 21. The Israelites reuoke the sixe hundreth that were fled The Israelites gaue the Beniamites the foure hundreth virgins of labes in mariage When how an oth ought to be kept The Beniamites are permitted to rauish them wiues The yeare of the world 2526. before the Natiuitie of Christ. 1438. Hedio Rufsinus chap. 7. al. 4. Iudg. 18. The tribe of Dan oppressed by the Chanaanites They of Dan seeke out a place to inhabite Iudg. 3. The Israelites oppressed by Schisar Ibidem Cenizus or as the holy scripture speakes his sonne Athniel raigned eight yeares The yeare of the world 2526 before Christs birth 1438. Hedio Ruffinus chap. 8. Iudg. 3. Eglon king of the Moabites coÌ„quereth the Israelites The yeare of the world 2534. before Christs birth 1430. Iodes or Ehud insinuateth himselfe into Eglons familiaritie Iodes killeth Eglon. The Moabites put to flight slaine by the Israelites The yeare of the world 2614. before the birth of Christ. 1350. Hedio Ruffinus chap. 9. Iudg. 4. Iabin king of the Chanaanites subdueth the Israelites The yeare of the world 2614. before Christs birth 1350. Sylares or Sylara the captain of the host Debora the Prophetesse Barac appointed Emperour against the enemy Debora and Barac charge the enemy Sisara slaine with his host Iael killeth Sysara with an yron naile Barac gouerned the Israelites 40. years The yeare of the world 2654. before Christs birth 1310. Hedio Ruffinus chap. 10. Iudg. 6. The Madianites confederate with the Amelechites ouercome the Israelites in a great battell The yeare of the world 2654. before Christs Natiuitie 1310. God commandeth Gedeon to deliuer the Israelites from the Madianites Iudg. 7. God commandeth Gedeon to choose a few men The victorie is to be attributed to God Gedeon repaireth to the enemies tents and by them in confirmed by a dreame Gedeon with three huÌ„dreth attempteth the fight The yeare of the world 2054. before Christ Natiuitie 1310. The Madianites and their confederates kill one another The Israelites pursue their enemies and kill Oreb and Zeb Iudg. 8. Gedeon taketh Zeeb and Ezarbon One hundreth and twentie thousand Madianites with their confederates slaine The yeare of the world 2292. before Christs natiuitie 1270. Gedeon raigned 40. yeares Hedio Ruffinus cap. 1. Iudg. 69. Abimelech killeth 69. of his brethren Iothan by an allusion vpbraideth the Sichemites of their ingratitude towards Gedeon The counsaile of the trees in choice of a king The yeare of the world 1694. before Christes Natiuity 1270. The Sichemites banish Abimelech Abimelechs practise against the Sichemits Gaal put to flight by Abimelech is banished out of Sichem Sichem takeÌ„ and sacked and rased to the ground The Sichemites flying are burned vpoÌ„ a rocke The yeare of the world 2694. before Christis birth 1270. Abimelech taketh Tebeâ—… A woman woudeth Abimelech and his squier killeth him Hedio Ruffinus chap. 12. al. 19. Iudg. 10. The yeare of the world 2697. before Christs birth 1267. Thola raigned 23. yeares After him lair 22. yeares The yeare of the world 2719. before the birth of Christ. 1245. The Israelites oppressed by the Ammonites and Palestines The yeare of the world 2742 be Christs birth 1222. Ieptha is created the Iudge of Israel The yeare of the world 2760 before Christs birth 1204. Ieptha maketh a vow He ouercommeth the Ammonites The yeare of the world 2760. before Christs Natiuitie 1204. Ieptha sacrificeth his daughter The Ephaimites are incensed against Ieptha Iud. 12. Almost fortie thousand of the Ephraimites slaine Ieptha dieth Apsan was for seuen yeares space the Iudge in Israel Elon raigned ten yeares The yeare of the world 27â—…3 before Christs natiuitie 1191. Abdon Iudge The Israelites are ouercome by the Palestines Hedio Ruffinus cap. 13. al. 10. The yeare of the world 2783. before Christs birth 1181. The Angell foretelleth Sampsons birth The yeare of the world 2783. before the Natiuitie of Christ. 1181. The Angel appeareth once more vnto Manoach Sampsons birth Iudg. 14. Sampsons teareth a lion in pieces with his hands Sampson marrieth one of the daughters of the Palestines Sampson propoundeth a riddle to the Thamnites The yeare of the world 2791. before Christs birth 1173. Sampsons wife discouereth the riddle to the Thamnites Sampson killeth certaine Ascalonites his wife marieth with an other Iudg. 15. Sampson burneth the Palestines fruit Sampson is deliuered to the Palestines Sampson with the lawbone of an Asse killeth a thousand men Sampson by his praiers causeth a fountain to breake out of a rocke Sampson beareth away the gates of Gaza The yeare of the world 2791. before Christs Natiuitie 1171. Dalila the strumpet soundeth Sampson to finde our wherein his strength consisted and is dcluded Sampson discouereth to Dalila wherin his strength consisted his eies are pulled out and he is led away prisoner The yeare of the world 2811. before Christs birth 1153. Sampson with three thousand Palestines is slaine Sampson ruled twenty yeares Ruth 1. Hedio Ruffinus chap. 14. A famine in the daies of Eli. The yeare of the world 2811. before Christes Natiuity 1153. Naomi after the decease of her husband sonnes departeth with Ruth into her owne countrey Ruth goeth into Bethleem Ruth 2. Boos friend to Naomi and Ruth Ruth 3. Ruth by her mother in laws perswasion lieth at Boos feete Ruth 4. Boos exhorteth his kinsman to marry Ruth The yeare of the world 28â—…1 before the Natiuitie of Christ. 1153. Boos begetteth Obed Dauids grandfather vpon Ruth 1 King 2. Ophni and Phinees the wicked sonnes 〈◊〉 Eli the high Priest Hedio Ruffinus chap. 15. al. 12. Anna the wife of Elcana requireth a son at Gods hands The yeare of the world 2818. before Christs birth 1146. Anna bare
king of the Amalechites is slaine by Samuels commaund 1. Reg. 16. God sendeth Samuel to Bethleem to annoint Dauid king The yeare of the world 2883. before Christs Natiuitie 1081. God respecteth not the beauties of the bodie but the perfections of the mind Iesses sonnes being goodly in personage were not to be perferred to the souerainty Samuel annointeth Dauid king Gods spirit forsaking Saul descendeth on Dauid who beginneth to prophecie Saul maketh Dauid one of his pentioner or guard The yeare of the world 2883. before Christes Natiuity 1081. Hedio Ruffinus chap. 11. 1. Reg. 17. Another expedition of the Palestines against the Hebrewes Goliah a man of prodigious statute amongst the Palestines Goliah challeÌ„geth a single combate at the Hebrewes hands Saul sendeth Dauid backe againe to his father Dauid desireth to fight with Goliah Dauid redeemed a lambe from the lawes of a lion and slew him Dauid killed a beare The yeare of the world 1883. before Christs birth 1081. Dauid laying aside those armes wherewith he was furnished to fight with Goliah marcheth forward with his sling against the enemie Dauid drawing neere his enemie is contemned Dauids talke with Goliah before the combate Dauids victory against Goliah The I alestines fly and are discomfited Thirtie thousand of the Palestines slaine 1. Reg. 18. Saul priuily hateth Dauid Saul from one of his chiefe nobles maketh Dauid a tribune to the end that being often drawen out by the enemie he might be slain The yeare of the world 2883. before Christs Natiuitie 1081. Sauls daughter in loue with Dauid Saul subtilly obiecteth Dauid to slaughter vnder a colourable coÌ„ditioÌ„ of slaughtering the Palestines Saul vnder couenant of 600. Philistines heads promiseth Dauid his daughter 1. Reg. 19. Saul marieth Michol to Dauid Hedio Ruffinus chap. 〈◊〉 Saul resolueth to kill Dauid IonathaÌ„ loueth Dauid and sheweth him his fathers determination and counselleth him to haue care of his safety and stand on his guard The yeare of the world 2883. before the Natiuitie of Christ. 1081. Ionathan reckoneth vp vnto his father the good deserts of Dauid praying him to pacific his displeasure conceiued against him Ionathan certifieth Dauid how he hath pacified his father Dauid hath a great victorie against the Palestines Saul darteth his Iauclin at Dauid The yeare of the world 2883 before Christs birth 1081. Michol perswadeth the kings seruants that Dauid is sicke Michol excufeth her selfe for deliuering Dauid Dauid expresseth to Samuel how the â—…ing was affected towards him Saul sent armed soldiers to apprehend Dauid who began to prophecie and he himselfe likewise comming thither prophecieth 〈◊〉 Reg. 20. Dauid complaineth vnto Ionathan of his fathers iniuries IonathaÌ„ exculeth his father Dauid desired Ionathan to sound his father how he was affected towards him The yeare of the world 2883. before Christs Natiuitie 1081. Ionathan confirmeth his friendship towards Dauid with an oth IonathaÌ„ giueth Dauid certaine signes whereby he should know whether his father were displeased with him Saul questioneth about Dauids absence Ionathan by his answer asâ—…eth to know his fathers mind Saul discouereth his 〈◊〉 hate against Dauid Ionathan â—…cusing Dauid to his father is almost slaine with a Iauelin by him Ionathan flieth from the banquet Ionathan and Dauid meete in the field He dio Ruffinus chap. 13. 1. Reg 21. The yeare of the world 1883 before Christes Natiuity 108â—… Dauid coÌ„meth to Naban or Nob to Achimelech the high Priest Dauid receiuing Goliahs sword flieth to Geth to Achis king of the Palestines Dauid couÌ„terseits madnes to escape the furie of Achis 1. Reg. 22. Dauid repairing to the king of the Moabits committeth his father and mother to his protection Dauid commeth to SaroÌ„ Saul feareth Dauid Sauls oration to his captains friends and estates against Dauid The yeare of the world 2883. before the Natiuitie of Christ. 1081. Doeg telleth Saul how he saw Dauid in Noba with Achimelech Saul reproueth Achimelech for furnishing Dauid with victuals and armes Achimelechâ—… Apologie to Sauls accusation of treason The vniust slaughter of Achimelech with his whole family Noba the citie of the priests it burnt and all the inhabitaÌ„ts slaine Sup li. 5. ca. 11. 1. Reg. 2. 3. A manifest exemplification of that proueth Honours chaungeth maners Note diâ—…gerly The yeare of the world 2883 before Christs birth 1081. Abiathar escaping from Sauls hands telleth Dauid of the slaughter of Achimelech his father and of the priests Dauid defendeth Cilla against the incursions of the Palestines 1. Reg 23. Saul seeketh to besiege Dauid in Cilla Dauid admonished by God flieth from his daunger Dauid came with his army to Caena or Ziphia where Ionathan commeth vnto him coÌ„forteth him and renueth his couenant The Ziphians certifie Saul of Dauids abode in their countrey Dauid hearing of the kings comming flieth to saue himselfe The yeare of the world 2883. before Christs birth 1081. Saul pursueth Dauid and hauing circumueÌ„ted him had taken him had not he receiued newes that renoked him Dauid cut off the lap of Sauls garmeÌ„t Dauid vpbraideth Saul for his subtilties to seeke his death who was innocent Saul acknowledgeth his malice Dauids innocency and requesteth him that when he hath obtained the kingdom he would be fauourable to his family Samuels death and buriall 1. Reg. 25. The yeare of the world 2883. before Christs Natiuitie 1081. Nabals flocks spared by Dauid Dauids embassage to Nabal to require reliefe and his currish answer Dauid sallieth out against Nabal with 400. armed men Abigal Nabals wife appeaseth Dauid with presents Nabla signifieth a â—…oole Dauids prophecy of Nabal The yeare of the world 2889. before Christs Natiuitie 1075. Nabal conceiueth so much sorrow and feaâ—…e for his immodesty against Dauid that he dieth Apoplecâ—…ique An example of Gods prouidence that no sin can escape vnpunished Dauid marieth Abigal Nabals wife Saul marieth his daughter Michol to an other husband 1. Râ—… 26. The Ziphians once more labour to betray Dauid in their countrey Dauid once more attended by two entring into Sauls campe stole away his dart his pitcher of water Dauid vpâ—…deth â—…ner 〈◊〉 Sauâ—… general for suffering his kings Iauelin and pitcher of water to be taken from him Saul praiseth Dauid and willeth him to be of good courage and exhorteth him to returne to his own house The yeare of the world 2889. before Christes Natiuity 1075. Dauid declareth his innocencie to Saul 1. Reg. 27. Saul desisteth to persecute Dauid Dauid with six hundreth men and his two wines went into Palestine to Achis king of Gitta Dauid requireth a certaine place at the kings hands to make his habitation in The king giueth him Siceleg Dauid spoyled the Sarrâ—…es Amalechites and giueth part of the pray to the king perswading him that he tooke it froÌ„ the Iewes that inhabited the South plaine The yeare of the world 2890. before Christs birth 1074. Saul banisheth all diuiners enchanters out of his kingdome Saul hearing the Philistines made head against him
asked counsel of God The yeare of the world 2890. before Christs birth 1074. Saul repaireth to Endor to aske counsaile of a 〈◊〉 Saul commandeth the witch to raise Samuels ghost Saul complaineth him of his miseries to Samuel and asketh his aduise Samuels ghost certifieth Saul of the euent of his battell against the Philistines Saul through sodain sorrow sel in a swoun The enchantres intreateth him to refresh himselfe and take some refection An example of courtesie and liberalitie in the enchantresse The yeare of the world 2890. before Christs Natiuitie 1074. Iosephus praiseth Saul for a worthy and valiant king in that foreknowing his daunger and death he exposed himselfe to assuredperil 1. Reg. 29. Achis leadeth out Dauid with him against the Hebrewes and is reproued by the chiâ—…taines of the Palestines for so doing Achis dismisseth Dauid The yeare of the world 2890. before the Natiuitie of Christ. 1074. The Amalechites in Dauids absence spoile and burne Siceleg and cary away the pray Dauid taketh counsell of God whether he will assist him to recouer his wiues and goods out of the hands of the Amalechites Dauid guided by an Egyptian slaue ouertaketh the Amalechites Dauid assaileth the Amalechites and maketh a great slaughter of them and recouereth the whole pray Dauid compâ—…mitteth the debate betwixt those that pursued the chace and those that keptt he baggage touching the pillage 1. Reg. 31. Saul and his sons seeing their army ouercome by the Philistines are desperately dismaid and slaine The yeare of the world 2890. before Christes Natiuity 1074. Saul striueth to kil himselfe and being vnable vseth the assistance of a young Amalechite The Hebrewes that inhabit the valley beyond Iordan leauing their townes fly to defenced cities The Palestines hung vp the bodies of Saul and his sons The Citizens of Iabes rescue the bodies of Saul and his sons and both bury and lament them The yeare of the world 2891. before Christs birth 1073. 2. Reg. 1. An Amalechite certifieth Dauid of Sauls death and in testimony thereof presenteth his bracelets and crowne Dauid lamenteth Saul and Ionathans death Dauid commandeth the Amalechite to be slaine that killed Saul The yeare of the world 2891 before Christs birth 1073. Dauid by Gods commaundement commeth and dwelleth at Hebron and is declared king of the tribe of Iuda Dauid praiseth the Iabesines for burying Saul and his sonnes Abner the son of Neâ—… crowneth Isboseth Sauls sonne Abner leadeth out his army against the tribe of Iuda Ioab with all Dauids army issueth out to meet him Twelue soldiers fight and kill one another and Abners side are ouerthrowne Azael Ioabs brother pursueth Abner Abner in his flight killeth Azael Ioab Abisai pursued Abner till sunne set Ioab sounding a retreat restraineth his soldiers How many on each side died in the battell 2 Reg 3. The beginning of ciuill warre amongst the Hebrewes The yeare of the world 2891. before the Natiuitie of Christ. 1073. Dauid had sixe sonnes borne in Hebron Abner bridled and gouerned the multitude so that along time they were subiect to Isboseth Abner sendeth embassadours to Dauid in Hebron to â—…e a couenant with him Dauid requireth his wife Michol at Abners hands Abner consulteth with the â—…lders and gouerners of the army to reuolt to Dauid The elders captaines perswaded by Abner â—…llow Dauid The Beniamites accord with Abner 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to Dauid and certifieth him there oâ—… Abner being kindly intertained by Dauid is friendly ly dismissed The yeare of the â—…orld 2899. before Christs Natiuity 1065. Men inclined to ambition and auarice date al things Dauid with the whole people bewaile Abner and honour his funerals Dauid salueth his honour and auoideth the suspition of Abners death The yeare of the world 2899. before Christs Natiuitie 106 5. Hedio Ruffinus â—…hap 〈◊〉 2 Reg 4. Isboseth hand is brought to Dauid Dauids sharpe inuectiue against then urtherers of Isboseth and their punishment 2. Reg. 5. The nobles of the Hebrewes retaire to Dauid to Hebron and declate him king Dauid entertained the nobles kindly The armed soldiers that came to Dauid The yeare of the world 1899. before Christs Natiuitie 1065. Hediâ—… Ruffinus chap. 3. The siege of Ierusalem vndertaken by Dauid Dauid surpriseth the lower towne Dauid gettâ—…th the vâ—…per towne The valour of Dauids soldiers in especiall of Ioab Daâ—…id expelleth the Iebusâ—…tes out of the towne and citie of Ierusalem The league of â—…hip betwâ—…â—…iram Daâ—…id How Ierusalem was called Solyma and what mention Homâ—… made therof The years since Ioâ—…uaâ—…s conquest to this time 515. Oâ—…phon a Iebusite friend to Dauid 2. Reg. 24. Dauids sonnes borne in Ierusalem Hedio Ruffinus chap. 4. The yeare of the world 2899. before Christâ—…â—…rth 1065. The Palestines mouing warre against Dauid are partly staine or put to â—…light The Palestines inuaded the Hebrewes with a mightie army gathered out of sundry nations The Palestines flight 2. Reg. 6. Dauids commaund as touching the traÌ„sportation of the Arke Oza stretching out his hand to stay the Arke is sodainly stroken dead Dauid placeth the Arke in Obed. Edomes house who prospereth there through in all felicitie The Arke transported into Dauids house and placed in a tabernacle Dauid is mocked by his wife Michol The â—…re of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 beâ—… Chriâ—… bâ—… 10â—…4 2. Reg. 7. Dauid decree eth to build a temâ—…le vnto God God certifieth Dauid by Nathan that Salomon should build the teÌ„ple Dâ—…uid giueth Gâ—…d thanks â—…or the blessings which were promised him by NathaÌ„ Hedio Ruffâ—…us chap. 5. Dauid warreth against the Palestines and â—…keth a great part of the inâ—…eritance from them 2. Reg 8. A greate slaughter of the Moabites Dauid ouercommeth the king of Sophona The yeare of the world 2904. before Christs Natiuitie 1064. Adad king of Damasco and Syria is ouercome by Dauid in battell Nicholaus the historiographer maketh meÌ„tion of king Adads warre with Dauid Of an other king of Syria that spoyled Samaria 3. King 20. Dauid imposeth tribute on the Syrians whom he subdued 2. Reg. 8. Ierusalem spoiled by Syâ—…ac king of Egypt 3. Reg. 14. The pray thaâ—… was made in the warre 2. Reg. 8. The king of the Amatheâ—… requireth a league at Dauids hands Dauid â—…ompelled the Idumeans to pay tribute by the pole The distribution of offices 2. Reg. 9. The yeare of the world 2900. before Christs Natiuitie 1064. Dauid maketh an enquirie if any of Ionathans kinred were left aliue Dauid giueth Mephiboseth his father Ionatâ—…ans house Sauls inheritance Dauid committeds the disposing of Mephiboserhs lands to Siba and commaundeth him to make the returne of his reuenues in Ierusalem Hedio Ruffinus chap. 6. 2. Reg. 10. Dauid sendeth embassadors to comfort the sonne of the king of the Ammonites who are basely abused Dauid is sore displeased with the iniury offered to his embassadors intending reuenge The Ammonites hire their confederates and prepare for the warre against Dauid Dauid sendeth out Ioab with the choisest flower
Aristobulus Alexanders sonnes Hircanus high Priest The Pharisees admitted to the administration of the commonweale are greedie of reuenge Aristobulus his followers accuse the Pharisees of tyranny The yeare of the world 3890. before Chrâ—… 〈◊〉 74. Alexandra coÌ„mitteth the custody of the Castles to the Iewes Aristobulus iâ—… sent to 〈◊〉 against Ptolomy Tigranes inuading Syria heareth 〈◊〉 of Lucullus pursuit of Mithridates and returneth home The yeare of the world 3893. before Christs birth 71. The yeare of the world 3894. before Christs birth 70. Alexandras sicknes and Aristobulus attempt The yeare of the world 3897 before Christs birth 67. Aristobulus seazeth the castles and great coÌ„ course of people resort to him Hircanus and the elders informe the Queene and accuse Aristobulus Alexandras death The yeare of the world 3899. before Christs birth 65. The yeare of the world 3899. before the 〈◊〉 of Christ 65. Alexandras family in cuâ—… much trouble The yeere of the world 3899. before Christs Natiuitie 65. The office and duty of an Historiographer Aristobulus and Hircanus striue for the kingdome The peace betwixt Hircanus and Aristobulus Hedio Ruffinus chap. 〈◊〉 Antipater the Idumaean Hircanus friend Antipater of Iudaea as Nicholas Damascenus impliâ—…th first called Antipas The yeare of the world 3899. before Christs birth 65. Antâ—…er incenâ—… the princes of the lewes against Aristobulus The yeare of the world 3900. before Christs natiuitie 64. Hedio Ruffinus chap. 3. Aretas maketh warre against Aristobulus and enforceth him to flie to Ierusalem The Arabian besiegeth Aristobulus in the temple The Iewes flye into Egypt The yeare of the world 3900. before Christs birth 64. Onias contradicting the Iewes petition is stoned to death Breach of faith and the reuenge therof Hedio Ruffinus chap. 4. Hircanus and Aristobulus embassadours vnto Scaurus Scaurus is presented Aristobulus maketh warre against Aretas and Hircanus Pompey commeth into Syria and Aristobulus sendeth a royal present vnto him The yeare of the world 3900. before the Natiuitie of Christ. 64. Antipater for Hircanus and Nicodemus for Aristobulus come as embassadors to Pompey Hedio Ruffinus chap. 5. A castle destroyed in Apamea Ptolomey MeÌ„naeus fined at a great summe of money The yeare of the world 3902. before the birth of Christ. 62. Aristobulus Hircanus accused by the Iewes before Pompey Aristobulus Apology before Pompey Hedio Ruffinus chap. 6. Pompey marcheth out against Aristobulus Aristobulus descendeth from his fortresse to con ferre with Pompey The yeâ—…re of the world 3902. before Christs Natiuitie 62. Aristobulus deliuereth the fortresses to Pompeis haÌ„ds Hedio Ruffâ—…s chap. 7. Mithridates king of Pontus slaine by his sonne Pharnaces Gabinius comming to receiue the money Ariâ—…obulus had promised hath the citie gates shut against him Hedio Ruffinus chap. 8. Pompey besiegeth IerusaleÌ„ The yeare of the world 3903. before Christs birth 61. Ierusalem partly betraied partly besieged by Pompey Pompey maketh preparation to besiege the temple The yeare of the world 3903. before Christs birth 61. The Iewes intermitted not their sacrifice notwithstanding the siege The taking of the temple Twelue thousand Iewes slaine Pompey entering the temple neither toucheth or taketh away any thing Alias cap. 9. Pompey â—…estoweth the Priesthood on Hircanus Ierusalem tributary to Româ—… Gadara restored Cities taken from the Iewes The yeare of the world 3903. before Chriâ—…s Natiuitie 61. Stâ—…rus president of Coelesyria Hedio Ruffinus chap. 9. The yeare of the world 3904 before Christs birth 60. Hedio Ruffinus chap. 10. al. 11. Castles fortiâ—…ed Gabinius causeth dâ—…ers cities in Iury to be repaired that were defaced Hedio Ruffinus chap. 11. al. 11. Alexandrion other castles raâ—…ed The yeare of the world 3904. before Christs birth 60. Fiue presidiall â—…eidges in Iury. Hedio Ruffinus chap. 12. al. 13. Aristobulus returning 〈◊〉 Roâ—…e 〈◊〉 to reestablish Alexandrion Aristobâ—…s ouercome in battell by the Romans Aristobulus sent backe again prisoner to Rome with his son Antigonus Aristobulus sons discharged Antipater releeueth Gabinius in his iourney to Egypt to install Ptolomey Alexander Aristobulus son vsurpeth the Monarchie Alexander ouercome by Gabinius The conquest of the Nabatheans Mithridares and Orsanes The yeare of the world 3904. before Châ—…s birth 60. Hedio Ruffinus chap. 13. al. 14. Marcus Crassus in his expedition against the Parthians taketh the treasure out of the temple of Ierusalem The yearâ—… of the world 3911. before Christs birth 53. Crassus breaketh his oth Whence the temple of Ierusalem grew so rich Sâ—…abo of Cappadocia Crassus slaine in Paâ—…thia Cassius resisteth the Parthians The yeare of the world 3911. before Christs birth 53. Antipaters wife and children The yeare of the world 3917. before Christs birth 47. Hedio Ruffinus chap. 14. al. 15. Aristobulus deliuered out of prison iâ—… poysoned Hedio Ruffinus chap. 15. al. 16. The slaughter of Aristobulus sonne Hedio Ruffinus chap. 16. al. 17. Antipater gathereth soldiers out of Syria for Caesars seruice Antipater helpeth Mithridates to take Pelusium The Iewes 〈◊〉 Onias countrey are confederated with Caesar. Memphis in Egypt The yeare of the world 3917. before Christs Natinitiâ—… 47. The conflict of the Egyptians with Mithridates at Delta Alias cap. 18. Mithridates commendeth Antipaters seruice to Caesar Caesar confirmeth Hircanus in the priesthood and maketh Antipater a citizen of Rome Strabo Aâ—…nius Hypâ—…rates The yeare of the world 3919. before Christs birth 45. Antigonus Aristobulus sonne accuseth Hircanus and Antipater before Caesar. Antipaters answere to his obiection Antipater made gouernour ouer Iudaeâ—… Hedio Ruffinus chap. 17. al 18 Hircanus by Caesars permission repâ—…ireth the wals of Ierusalem The Senates decree as touching their league with the Iewes The yeare of the world 3919. before the Natiuitie of Christ. 45. Hircanus honoured by the Athenianâ—… Hedio Ruffinus chap. 18. Caesar departeth out of Syria Antipater pacifieth all occasion of commotion in Iudaea The yeare of the world 3921. before Christs birth 43. Alias chap. 20. Antipater maketh Phasaelus gouernour in Ierusalem and Herode in Galilee The yeere of the world 392â—… before Christs Natiuitie 43. Herode executeth Ezechias and his followers for robberies Sextus Caesar gouernour of Syria The forme of Phasaelus his gouernment Antipater notwithstanding his high authority was alwaies faithfull to Hircanus Antipater winneth the Romans hearts by Hircanus money and draweth the Iewes into hatred The Iewes accuse Antipater and Herode before Hircanus The yeare of the world 3922. before the birth of Christ. 42. Herode called in question appeareeth with a great traine Sextus Caesar writeth to Hircanus to discharge Herode Same as one of the Iudges foretelleth Hircanus and his counsailers of their imminent death by Herodsmeans The yeare of the world 3922. before Christs birth 42. Herode honoured Sameas Herode admonished by Hircanus saueth himselfe by flight and appeareth no more in iudgement Alias chap. 21. Sextus Caesar selleth his presidents place to Herode for ready money Herode marcheth
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
suspition and he exhorreth the father to be reconciled to his children Herode is reconciled to his children Antipater friendly dotâ—… congratulate his brethreÌ„ returned into his fathers fauour Herode ditâ—… giue Caesar â—…00 taleâ—… The yeare of the world 3956. before Christs Natiuitie 8. Caesar gaue Herode halfe his reuennes out of the mines of Cyprus The rebels are conquered The yeare of the world 3957. before Christs natiuitie 7. Hedio Ruffinus chap. 5. al. 10. Caesrea is finished Oâ—…nale â—…men Caesar and Agrippa commend Herods magnanimity Aâ—…ipartis is built Cypron is built The tower and towne of Phasaelus is built The yeare of the world 3957. before Christs birth 7. Herode built the temple of Pythius The sports of Olympus Why Herode was liberall to strangers and cruell to his owne nation Herod greedie of honour Hedio Ruffinus chap. 10. The Iewes of Asia and Cyrenc being afflicted by the inhabitaÌ„ts there send an embassage to Caesar and do obtain of him immunitie The yeare of the world 3957. before Christs Natiuitie 7. Agrippa writ vnto the rulers of Ephesus in the Iewes behalfe and to Syllanus and the magistrats of Cyrena Caius Norbanus Flaccus writeth in the Iewes behalfe Iulius Antonius procoÌ„full The yeare of the world 3957. before Christs birth 7. Hedio Ruffinus chap. 7. al. 7. 12. The desire of gold Herode lost two of his men in Dauids sepulchre Nicholaus the histotiographer reproued Ioseph came of the priestly line of the Asamoncens A discord in Herods house Antipaters crafty plotting against his brethren The women ax discord and variance Pheroras refused the kings daughter offered him tâ—… wife The yeere of the world 3957. before Christs Natiuitie 7. Salome entised 〈◊〉 daughter to bewray her husbands seâ—…ts Herode greatly moued against Pheroras for aâ—…firming that he was a in loue with Glaphyra The yeare of the world 3957. before Christs birâ—… 7. Salome excuseth her selfe The effect of calumniation Syllaeus the Arabian desiring Salome to wife was denied Herod maried his daughter to Pheroras son The sons hatred towards their father is bewraied The yeare of the world 3957. before Christs Natiuitie 7. Herode crediteth all tales and so putteth many to death vniustly Hedio Ruffinus chap. 8. Herode denieth to be familiar with Andromachus and Gemellus Antipater the cause of all mischiefe Many were tortured and examined for Alexanders cause The yeare of the world 3957. before the Natiuitie of Christ. 7. Alexander being in prison his frieÌ„ds were tortured One accused Alexander to haue sent letters to Rome against his father Alexander confesseth the treason and who had a hand in it Herode was so troubled with the contention in his house that he was wearie of his life Hedio Ruffinus chap. 9. al. 13. Archelaus the king of Cappadocia seineth displeasure against Alexander his son in law and so reconciled Herods vnto him The yeare of the world 3957. before Christs birth 7. Archelaus lai cth the fault of Alexanders offence vpon others and especially vpon â—…roas Pheroras confessed himselfe to be author of all mischiefe and obtaineth pardon of his brother Herode accompanied Archelaus vnto Antioch The yeare of the world 3958. before Christs natiuitie 6. The cause of the Arabian warre Caesar gaue Trachonitis to Herode Alias chap. 14. Herodes captaines subdue the rebels in Arabia The theeues taken and punished Alias chap. 15 Herode demaunded the theeues to be deliuered vnto him and the money he had lent to be repared The yeare of the world 3958. before Christs birth 6. Saturninus Volumnius the rulers of Syria do reconcile Herod the ArabiaÌ„s Herode by the permission of Saturninus Volumnius entred into Arabia with an army destroied the castle callep Repra Nacebus with 25. Arabians slaine Herode caried 3000. Idumaeans into Trachon Hedio Ruffinus chap. 10. al. 16. Syllaeus accused Herode vnto Caesar. The Arabians and Trachonites vnderstanding that Caesar was offended with Herode resolce thereat The yeare of the world 3960. before Christs Natiuitie 4. Caesar offended with Herode Obodas dying Aeneassucceeded him in the Arabian kingdome Caesar would not giue audience to the Arabian embassadors Herode sent Nicholaus Damascene to Caesar. Hedio Ruffinus chap. 11. al. 17. Eurycles a Lacedemonian â—…nuateth 〈◊〉 into Herodes familiaritie Eurycles insinuated himselfe into Alexanders friendship Eurycles obseruing all Alexanders words and actions related them to Antipater and Herode Eurycles by craft got mony of Archelaus The yeare of the world 3960. before the Natiuitie of Christ 4â—… Herode doth giue care vnto the accusers of Alexander Aristobulus Iucundus and Tyrannus confesse that Alexander did solicite them to kill Herode as he was a hunting How AlexaÌ„der writ vnto the captaine of AlexandriuÌ„ to receiue him Dyophantus the scribe doth counterfait other mens hands Alexander and Aristobulus arâ—… imprisoned and Aristobulus warneth his mother in law AlexaÌ„der confesseth to Herode that he purposed to fly to Archâ—…laus Mela embassador of Archelauâ—… king of Cappadocia Glaphyra Alexanders wiâ—… is demanded if she knew of any treason against Herode The â—…art of the world 3960. before Christs birth 4â—… Archelaus excuseth himselfe to Herode Caesar and Herode made friends Hedio Ruffinus chap. 12. al. 18. Nicholaus accuseth Syllaeus and excuseth Herode A â—…arration of the Arabian wars the boâ—…owed money The theeues of Trachon The yeare of the world 3960. before Christs birth 4. Syllaeus condemned to dy Caesar was purposed to giue the kingdome of Arabia to Herode was altered by Herodes letters The yeare of the world 3961. before Christs birth 3. Hedio Ruffinus chap. 13. Aretas embassadors vnto Caesar. Caesar alloweth Herode to punish malefactors Herode affembleth all that Caesar willed except Archâ—…laus Herode â—…ccuseth his sons The yeare of the world 3961. before Christs Naâ—…tie 3. Saturninus doth pronouÌ„ce an indifferent sentence Volumnius other of Herods friends pronounce Herodes sons to be beheaded Herode asked of Nicholaus what his frieÌ„ds at Rome thought of his sonnes Tyro speaketh to Herode and not obseruing modesty he and the captaines were imprisoned The yeare of the world 3961. before Christs birth 3. Tyro is by his son and a barber accused to haue practised treason against the king Tyro with 300 captains are accused before the people and slaine Alexander Aristobulus strangled at Sebaste and buried in Alexandrium The cause of these calamities was destiny and Gods prouidence Wherein Alexander and Aristobulus offended Herod shamefull errour not to be excused The yeare of the world 3961. before Christs Natiuitie 3. Hedio Ruffinus chap. 1. Antipater after hee had made away his brothers grew hatefull both to the soldiers and the people Antipater gouerned the kingdom with his father Antipater wish eth his fathers death The yeare of the world 3961. before Christs birth 3. Antipater spared no cost to winne his fathers friends Antipater could not deceiue his aunt Herode compelleth Salome
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
his pouerty requireth her assistance Agrippa dwelleth at Tiberias Herode taunteth Agrippa with his pouerty The yeare of the world 4001. after Christs birth 39. Agrippâ—…â—…ieth himselfe to Flaccus Aristobulus draweth Agrippa into Flaccus disfauour Agrippa by Marsias meanâ—… borroweth mony of Protus Agrippa whilst HereÌ„nius Capito 〈◊〉 money at his hands fâ—…ieth to Alexandria by night Agrippa borroweth money at Alexandria Agrippa arriueth at Puteol is admitted to Caesars presence Agrippa borroweth 300000 siluer drachmes of Antonia Germanicus and Claudius mother Caius commended to Agrippas chargâ—… Allius Caesars freeman lendeth Agrippa money The yeare of the world 4001. after Christs Natiuitie 39. Hedio Ruffinus cap. 13. Eutychus Agrippas freemaÌ„ bethâ—…keth him to accuse Agrippa to the Emperour For what cause Tiberius changed not his gouernours Why Caesar would not giue audience to his prisoners Agrippa soliciteth Antonia to bring Eu â—…ychus to his answere Antonia verie much honoured by Tiberius Antonia discouereth Seianus conspiracie to Caesar. The yeare of the world 4001. after the Natiuitie of Christ. 39. Agrippa vrgeth Eutychuâ—… triall and for certaine speeches of his is cast into bonds Thaumastus Caius seruant giueth Agrippa drink whom he promiseth to procure his freedome The yeare of the world 4001. after Christs birth â—…9 A certaine Germane foretelleth Agrippa of his happie fortunes to come and the manner of his death Agrippa liued six moneths in prison Tiberius salleth sicke and sendeth for his sonnes Tiberius Gemellus the son of Drusus Caius the gracious Germanicus sonne Tiberius by an Augury vnderderstandeth Caius successe and succession before his death The yeare of the world 4001. after Christs birth 39. Tiberius addicted to the Mathemaâ—…kes He foretelleth Galbas succession in the empire Tibetius recommendeth the Romane empire and Tiberius his grandchild to Caius Caius killeth Tiberius Caius Caligula the foâ—… Romane emperour Tiberius a tyrant The yeare of the world 4001 after Christs Natiuitie 39. Marsias Agrippas freeman certifieth him of Tiberius death The rumour was spred in Rome that Tiberius was aliue Caius certifyeth the Senate and Piso of Tiberius death and his succession and willeth that Agrippa should be lent to his owne lodging Tiberius funerall Caius createth Agrippa king and giueth him two tetratchies Agrippa departeth into his kingdome The yeare of the world 4002. after Christs naâ—…uitie 40. Hedio Ruffinus cap. 14. Alias cap. 16. Herodias Agrippas fister enuieth hir brothers happines and inciteth her husband to seeke 〈◊〉 kingdome The yeare of the world 4002. after the Natâ—…tie of Christs 40. He rode with Herodias repaire to Rome Agrippa sendeth Forunatus with letters and presents after him Baiae are certaine hathes in Campanis not farre from Puteol Herode is accused for fauouring Artabanus the Parthian Herode is perpetually banished and confined in Liâ—…ons in Fraheâ—… and Agrippa is made Lord of his lands and goods and Herodias despising Caesars bounty accompanieth him in exile Caius at the first gouerned the common-weale verie happily but after wards vsurped diuine honours The yeare of the world 4002. after Christs birth 40. Hedio Ruffinus cap. 15. al. cap. 17. Appion prince of the Alexandrians embassage accuseth the Iewes because they ascribed not diuinitie to Caefar Philo Iudaeus for the Iewes is shut out and can get no audience committeth the cause to God Alias cap. 19. Caesar sendeth Petronius into Syria and coÌ„maundeth him in spight of the Iewes to plant his statue in Gods temple The Iewes repaire to Prolemais beseeching him that he would not bring his statues into the holy citie The yeare of the world 4002. after Chriss birth 40. The Iewes meet Petronius at Tiberias Beseeching him not to violate the sacred citie with his images Aristobulus king Agrippas brother and Elcias the high Priest intreat Petronius in the Iewes behalfe Petronius promiseth the Iewes to write vnto Caius in their behalfe and exhorreth them to follow their husbandry The yeare of the world 4002. after Christs Natiuitie 40. After a long continuall draught there fell a sodaine shower Petronius writeth to Caius Agrippa honoureth Caius in Rome and in rewarde thereof Caius willeth him to demand somewhat who desireth nothing else then that Petronius coÌ„mission to erect the statue should be reuoked The yeare of the world 4002. after Christs birth 40. Caius writeth to Petronius charging him to murther him selfe for neglecting his commaund Petronius receiueth letters of Caius death before those whereby he was commanded to kill himselfe Hedio Ruffinus cap. 16. al. cap. 20. A grieuous commotion among the Iewes in Mesopotamia and Babylon The yeare of the world 4003. after Christs Natiuitie 41. Nearda Nisibis two cities of Babylon Asinaeus and Anilaeus boris in Nearda retire into a certaine place and great companies flocke vnto them Asinaeus and his companions be set by the gouernors and princes of Babylon Asinaeus after he had incouraged his soldi ers putteth his enemies â—…o flight The yeare of the world 4003. after Christs birth 41. Asinaeus and Anilaeus are sought vnto by Artabanus for friendship Abdagasiâ—… would haue slaine Asinaeus but Artabanius will not permit him Artabanus committeth the territories of Babylon to Asinaeus charge and dismisseth him with gifts The yeare of the world 4003. after Christs Natiuitie 41. Anilaeus killeth a noble man of the Parthians and leadeth away his wife Anilaeus being reprooued for his wifes idolatrie killeth one of his friends Anilaeus is accused before his brother Asinaeus but he winketh at his Fault Asinâ—…us poisoned by the Parthian woman Anilaeus draweth his forces into Mithridates countrey and spoileth his villages and taketh him prisoner The yeare of the world 4003. after the Natâ—…tie of Christ. 41. Anilaeus dismisleth Mithridates A great number of dissolute persons flocke â—…o Anilaeus with whoÌ„ he spoyleth certaine boroughs of the Babylonians The Babylonians require Anilaeus that they may punish him they assaile â—…ay him The yeare of the world 4003. after Christs birth 41. The Iewes afflicted by the Babylonians repaire to Seleucia Fiftie thousand Iewes slaine in Seleucia The Iewes that were saued repaire to Câ—…phon The Iewes retire into Neâ—…da Nisibis The yeare of the world 4004. after Christs birth 42. Hedio Ruffinus chap. 1. Caius tyranny towards the Iewes Caius tyranny towards the Senators and Patricians Caius calleth himselfe Iupiters brother Caius spoyled al the temples of Greece Caius commaundeth Memmius Regulus to transferre Iupiter Olympius to Rome Caius compareth himselfe with Iupiter Caius gaue slaues â—…ree liberty to accuse their masters counteaÌ„nced Pollux to accuse his master Claudius Many conspiracies against Caius The yeere of the world 4004. after Christs Natiuitie 42. Three conspiracies against Caius Emilius Regulus Cassius Chaereas Annius Minucianus The Cireensian games Câ—…ius câ—…useth diuers to be murthered who request mitigation of their exactioÌ„s Chaereas for many causes is incited against Caius The yeare of the world 4004. after the Natiuitie of Christ. 42. Popedius is accused of a crime by Timidius vnto Caesar.
Ant. lib. 14. cap. 11. Alexanders mother striueth to pacifie Gabinius with rewards The change of y e gouernment of the Iewes Ant. lib. 14. cap. 12. Aristobulus escaping from Rome raiseth new troubles Aristobulus fighteth with the Romans The Romans obtaine the victory and cary away Aristobulus and his son to Rome Alexander Aristobulus son once more prouoketh the Iewes to rebellion The Iewes ouercome by the Romans Gabinius ouercommeth the Nabathaeans in battell Ant. lib. 14. cap 13. Marcus crassus taketh away the rest of the gold of the temple Antipaters wife a noble woman of Arabia The yeare of the world 3917 before Christs birth 47. Ant lib. 14. cap. 14. Caesar deliuereth Aristobulus from his bonds Aristobulus his son slain by PoÌ„peies frieÌ„ds Ant. lib. 14. cap. 15. Ptolemaeus son marieth Antigonus yonger daughter and for that cause is slaine by his father Ant. lib. 14. cap. 16. Mithridates goeth to Pelusium therby obtaineth Antigonus helpe Mithridates victory against the Egyptians Antipater performeth many noble exploits and exposeth himselfe to all daunger for Caesars sake Caesar maketh Antipater a free citizen of Rome Antigonus Aristobulus son commeth to Caesar to accuse Pompeies friends for his fathers death The yeare of the world 3917. before the birth of Christs 47. Antigonus fallely accuseth Hyrcanus and Antipater Antipater casting off his garment sheweth his many woundes Caesar createth Hyrcanus hie priest and to Antipater he giueth the gouerâ—…ment of Iudaea Ant. lib. 14. cap. 16. Antipater repaireth y e wals of his country Antipater chargeth his subiects to obey Hyrcanus Phasaelus and Herode Antipaters sonnes Herodes fortitude Herod banisheth y e theeues out of Syria Phasaelus obtained the fauour of the people of Ierusalem Hyrcanus animated by enuious men against Antipater and his sonnes Herode called to his answere before the councell The yeare of the world 3922. before Christs birth 24. Hyrcanus absolueth Herod Hircanus once more incited by the wicked Herode gathering a great army commeth to Ierusalem to depose Hyrcanus Herode disswaded by Antipater from attempting against Hyrcanus Bassus murthereth Sextus Caesar by treason Marcus Sextus successor Ant. lib. 14. cap. 2. Iulius Caesar slaâ—…ne by Brutus Cassius Cassius leuieth money in the cities Herode Cassius friend Cassius seuere in his exactions The yeare of the world 3922. before Christs birth 42. Malichus forgetfull of Antipaters kindnes Antipater gathereth an armie against Malichus Octauius Augustus succeedeth after Caesar Cassius promiseth Herode after the warre to make him king of Iudaea Antipater poisoned by Malichus Herode intendeth to reuege his fathers death Malichus ioyneth with Hyrcanus Cassius chargeth Herode by letters to reuenge his fathers death The decree of fate laugheth at human hope Herods tribunes murther Malichus The yeare of the world 3923 before Christs birth 41. Ant. lib. 14. cap. 20. Foelix commeth with an army against Phasaelus Phasaelus ouercommeth Foelix toucheth Hyrcanus with ingratitude Antigonus Aristobulus son put to flight by Herode Doris Herods first wife of good birth by whom he had Antipater The chiefest Iewes repaire to Caesar to accuse Phasaelus and Herod Ant. lib. 14. cap 21. The Iewes once more coÌ„plaine against y e two brothers Antonius maketh the two brothers Tetrarches Antonius coÌ„mandeth in Tyre Sedition in IerusaleÌ„ against the brethren Antonius slue the captiues The yeare of the world 3923. before the birth of Christ. 41. Ant. lib. 14. cap. 21. Lysanias persuadeth Batzapharnes to depose Hyrcanus and enstate Antigonus A sore fight in the market place betwixt Antigonus and Hyrcanus Daily slaughters in Ierusalem Phasaelus entertaineth the Parthians and with him fiue hundreth horse Pacorus treason and subtiltie The yeare of the world 3924. before the Natiuitie of Christ. 40. * Or free Herode in Ierusalem and Phasaelus in the camp are in danger of their liues The yeare of the world 3924. before Christs birth 40. Herod is laid for to be betraied Herode in the night time flieth into Idumaea Herod more hotely pursued by the Iewes then the Parthians Herods victory Herodium Massada Petra a citie of Arabia The yeare of the world 3925. before Christs birth 39. Antigonus â—…weth off Hircanus eares Phasaelus words before he died The Parthians establish Antigonus king The yeare of the world 3925. before Christs Natiuitie 39. Animaters to impudence Herode perceiueth the Arabians to be his enemies Herod in great dangers repaireth to Rome Herod repairing to Rome hath conference with Antonius Ant. lib. 14. cap. 13. Herod â—…ndeth both Caesar and Antonius fauourable vnto him Herode praised before the Senate Herode made king by the 〈◊〉 Romane Senate The yeare of the world 3925 before Christs birth 39. Ant. lib. 14. cap. 23. Antigonus getteth Massada The wars between Antigonus soldiers Ioseph Herods brother Ventidius the Romane generall taketh money from Antigonus Ant. lib. 14. cap. 24. Herod against Antigonus Herod intendeth that after he hath taken Massada and Ioppe to besiege Ierusalem Herod begirteth Ierusalem with a siege proclaimeth the cause of his comming Siloes subtiltie being corrupted by y e Iewes Herod gathereth great store of prouision The yeare of the world 3925. before Christs birth 39. Herod accompanied with ten troupes commeth to Iericho The Romane got a great pray Ant. lib. 14. cap. 24. Herod taketh the citie of Sephoris Herode setteth forth against the theeues The yeare of the world 3926. before Christs birth 38. Ant. lib. ca. 25. The description of the caues where the theeues kept The yeere of the world 3926. before Christs birth 38. Ptolemey captaine of Herods souldiers slaine Machaeras iniquitie The yeare of the world 3927. before Christs birth 37. Antonius admireth Herods valour Antigonus cruelty against Iosephs care as The yeare of the world 3927. before Christs Natiuitie 37. Herode certified of his brothers death in a dreame Herods dining roume fell after he had forsaken it and gone to bed The number of the carcasses hinder the souldiers passage The yeare of the world 3928 before Christs birth 36. Herode beheadeth Pappus Antigonus captaine Ant. lib. 14. cap. 1â—… Ierusalem besieged The yeare of the world 3929 before Christs birth 35. The Iewes valiantly defend themselues Herods souldiers after fiue moneths siege enter the citie Slaughter in Ierusalem Sosius taketh Antigonus The yeare of the world 3929. before the birth of Christ. 35. Herode liberally bestoweth mony vpoÌ„ the souldiers Antigonus beheaded Ant. lib. 14. cap. 1. Cleopatras cruelty against her kinred Cleopatras couetousnes The yeare of the world 3934. before Christs birth 30. Ant. lib. 15. cap. 5. Clapatras subtill treason against Herode The yeare of the world 3934. before Christs birth 30. Ant. lib. 15. cap. 6. The Arabians defeat Herods army The Actian warre between Antonius and Augustus Another calamitie of Herodes Herodes oration to his dismaied souldiers Feare giueth confidence Thâ—… yâ—…re of 〈◊〉 world 3934. befoâ—… Christs birth 30. Herodes peroration Herode sacrificeth to God before the battell Herode assaileth the enemie The Arabiâ—…
thorow extreame thirst are inforced to yeeld to thâ—… Iewes Ant. lib. 〈◊〉 cap. 7. Herods oration to Augustus Caesar. Herode speaketh freely before Câ—… The yeare of the world 3934. before Christs birth 30 Caesars anâ—… to Herod Herods gratulation toward Caesar. Caesar increaseth Herodes Dominion Herode made gouernour of Syria The yeâ—…re of the world 3947. before Christs birth 17. Ant. lib. 15. cap. 10. 12. 13. 14. Herodes buildings The yeare of the world 3947. before the birth of Christ. 17. The fountaine head of Iordan Herod maketh a greater port then that of Piraeum An apt description of a haueÌ„ The yeere of the world 3947. before Christs birth 17. Caesarea in time past called the tower of Straton Ant. lib. 15. ca. 10. 12. lib. 17. cap. 5. Agrippium Antipatris Cyprus Phasaelus tower Herodium Herodium a castle resembling a citie Herods bountie to all men Herod famous thorow the world The yeare of the world 3954 before Christs birth 10. Herode a great hunter The yeare of the world 3954. before Christs Natiuitie 8. Herod besides the vertue of mind and body had the blessings of fortune Ant. lib. 15. cap. 3. 8. lib. 16. cap. 13. Herod expelseth Antipater out of the citie and killeth Hyrcanus his wiues grandmother Herods children by Maririamme Mariamme hatefully vpbraideth Herode with Hyrcanus death Herods mother and sister do falsely accuse Mariamme to him Herod secretly chargeth Ioseph to kill his wife Herodes suspition betwixt Ioseph and his wife The yeare of the world 3954. before Christs birth 10. Herode commandeth both Ioseph and Mariamme to be slaine Mariammes sons inheritor of her displeasure The yeare of the world 3956. before Christs birth 8. Herods debate with those sons he had by Mariamme Ant lib. 16. cap. 4. Antipater by disgracing his brothers is declared his fathers heire Herod accuseth Alexander before Caesar. A reconciliation betweene Herode and his sonnes Archelaus kindly entertaineth Herod and his sonnes Herods worthy oration to the people wherein he distributeth honours to his three sonnes The yeare of the world 3956. before the birth of Christ. 8. Herod giueth not the kingdome to his sons but the honours of the kingdome Herode conuerteth his speech to his sonnes Herod by his words did not vtterly extinguish the hatred betweenâ—… his sonnes Antipaters treason against his brother Alexander By whatmeans Antipater corrupted his brother Alexanders friends Anupater whetâ—…eth Herode and his courtiers against Alexander The yeare of the world 3956 before Christs birth 8. Glaphyra Alexanders wiâ—…e increased his conceiued suspition by her words Aristobulus obiecteth to his wife her base birth Ant. lib. 16. cap. 7. Alexander and Aristobulus often times bewaile their mother and by that meanes prouoke their father The two brothers excuse themselues before their father Herod The yeare of thâ—… world 3956. before Christs Natiuitie 8. Alexander corrupteth his fathers Eunuches and telleth them â—…e 〈◊〉 to succeed in the kingdome Herod seareth his sonne Alexander Ant. lib. 17. cap. 8. Hrods cruelty Herode casteth Alexander into prisoâ—… and tortured his friends Alexander during his imprisonment wrote â—…oure bookes against his enemies Archelaus king of Cappadocia The yeare of the world 3956. before Christs birth 8. Archelaus and Herode consulte vpon Alexanders bookes Herode is incensed against his brother Pheroras Pheroras attired in a mourning garment with teares falleth before Herodes 〈◊〉 and craueth pardon Pheroras by Archelaus meanes pacifieth Herode Archelaus compelleth Herode of his owne accord to be intreated for Alexander Herod dismisseth Archelaus and his friends with great presents Ant. lib. 16. cap. 11. Eurycles the Lacedemonian secretly accuseth AlexaÌ„der to his father and is the cause of his death The yeare of the world 3956. before Christs birth 8. Eurycles by fained friendship deceiueth Alexander Another false accusation of Alexander his brother moueth Herod to indignation The yeere of the world 3956. before Christs birth 8. Diophanrus the kings notary writeth fained letters in Alexanders name Cous Euaratus Ant. lib. 16. cap. 12. Herode by Salomes counsaile imprisoneth his sons The yeare of the world 3961. before Christs birth 3. Ant. lib 16. cap. 13. Herode gathereth a councell against Alexander Aristobulus Herode accuseth his sonnes in open iudgement Herodes sentence against his sonnes The yeare of the world 3961. before the birth of Christ. 3. Tiro an olde souldier exclameth against Herodes crueltie Tyro with his sonne are by the kings command laid hands on Ant. lib. 16. cap. 13. Another false accusation against Tyro Herode commaundeth his sonnes to be strangled and to be buried with Alexander their mothers vncle Ant. lib. 17. cap. 21. Anupater striueth by gifts and bribes to creepe into mens fauours The yeare of the world 3961 before Christs birth 3. Herode grieuously bemoned his sons expressing the same by his â—…ation toward their children Herode betrotheth his nephewes Herodes children by his seuen wiues Herode is perswaded by Antipaters flatteries to breake off the mariages Ant. lib. 17. cap. 3. Antipater buildeth vpon the kingdome Adebaâ—… betwixt the Ladies in y t court The yeare of the world 3961. before Christs birth 3. Ant. li. 17. ca. 4. Herode forbiddeth Antipater of his brothers company or to haue conference with his wife Fabatus Caesars gouernor discouereth Syllaeus secrets Herod banisheth his brother Pheroras and and his wife Pheroras died and was buried in Ierusalem Ant. lib. 17. cap. 5. The yeare of the world 3961. before Christs birth 3. A witch of Arabia The confession oâ—… the women in their tortures Doris Antipaters mother is spoyled of her Iewels and thrust out of the pallace Pheroras wife freely confesseth what was become of the poyson The yeare of the world 396â—… before Christs Natiuitie 3. Gods iustice leaueth nothing vnpunished Antipaters treasons against Archelaus and Philip his brothers Antipater giueth a great summe of money to those that counterfait letters against his brothers Ant. lib. 18. cap. 8. Antipater is solicited By Herode with many kind words to hasten his returne The yeare of the world 3961 before Christs birth 3. Antipater hated in Caesarea Antipaters entertainment at his fathers hands Antipater is iudged before Varus Herods accusation against Antipater The years of the world 3961. before Christs birth 3. Herodes kindnes towards his children Herode loued Antipater aboue the rest and bestowed many benefits on him Antipaters answer and excuse Antipater calleth Rome and Caesar to witnesse The yeere of the world 3â—…61 before Christs birth 3. Nicholaus by the kings commaund beginneth a most hainous and bitter accusation against Antipater Nicholaus peroration The venome tried vpon a condemned man An other proofe against Antipater Herod intendeth Antipaters punishment therefore blotteth his name out of his Testament Ant. lib. 17. cap. 8. The yeare of the world 3963. before Christs Natiuitie 3. Iudas and Matthias perswade the people to pul downe the golden Eagle The yong men that puld downe the Eagle are brought before Herod
The yeare of the world 4014 after Christs birth 52. The souldier executed that burned the Bible A Galilean slaine in Samaria Eleazar and Alexander two princes of the Iewes exercise much crueltie Conspiracy in robbery Quadratus gouernour of Syria heareth the Samaritanes Iewes Quadratus giueth sentence betwixt the Iewes and Samaritanes The yeere of the world 4014. after Christs birth 52. Claudius sentence against some Samaritanes Cumanus and Celer Claudius dieth and Nero succeeded him The yeare of the world 4015. after the Natiuitie of Christ. 53. Nero killeth his brother his mother and wife The yeare of the world 4018. after Christs natiuitie 56. Ant. lib. 20. cap. 1â—… Felix surpriseth Eleazar the captaine of the theeues and many others and sendeth them bound to Rome Another sort of theeues who at 〈◊〉 daies went about the city to murther men Ionathas the high priest with many others slaine Ant. lib. 20. cap. 12. An Egyptian Prophet gathereth welny â—…0000 men Felix ouerthroweth the Egyptian The theeues and magitians work much mischiefe to many men The yeare of the world 4020. after the 〈◊〉 of Christ. 50. Ant lib. 20. cap. 13. A fight betweene the Iewes and Syrians about Caesarea Sedition and slaughter among the Iewes The yeare of the world 4024. after Chrisâ—… 〈◊〉 62. Ant lib. 20. cap 11. Albinus president of Iudaea full of all wickednes The seditious bribe Albinus to winke at their robberies The yeare of the world 4028. after Christs birth 66. Ant. lib. 20. cap. 16. Gessius Florus succeeded Albinus and proued worser then Albinus The couetousnes of Florus spoileth whole cities The yeare of the world 4018. after Christs birth 66. Cestius Gallus appeaseth the people and requireth a mitigation of Florus seueritie The beginning of the warre of the Iewes the 12. yeare of Neros raigne Ant. lib. 20. cap. 15. The causes of the warre of the Iewes The yeare of the world 4030. after Christs birth 68. Florus periury and decoit toward the Iewes The conflict of the Iewes with the Caesareans Florus imprisoneth twelue of the chiefest Iewes in Caesarea Another cause of warre raised by Florus The yeare of the world 4030. after Christs Natiuitie 68. Another occasion of the war Florus scorneth the gratulation of the Iewes Florus in his tribunal requireth them to be yeelded vnto him who had spoken ill of him The outrage of Florus soldiers Florus soldiers kill 630. Iewes in one day Berenice requi reth Florus to pacifie his displeasure against the Iewes The furie of the souldiers against Beroâ—… nice The people exclaime against Floruâ—… The yeare of the world 4030 after Christs birth 68. Florus renueth the discontents of the people Florus subtiltie and treason The exhortation of the priests and princes to the people The euent sheweth Florus intent counsel The slaughter of the Iewes The seditious for 〈◊〉 least Florus should seâ—…se their spoiles flie to the temple Florus taketh the spoiles and entreth the temple Florus seeing the Iewes inexpugnable in the temple surceaseth his violence and leauing a band behind him goeth to Caesarea The yeare of the world 403â—… after Christs birth 68. Cestus Gallus president of Syria coâ—…ulteth with the princes what were bestro be done Politianus is sent to Ierusalem and meeteth with Agrippa The multitude of the people go out to meet Agrippa and Politianus Politianus assembleth the people and inciteth them to peace and after returneth to Cestius The Iewes require the king y t there might be some embassadors sent to Rome to conplaine of Florus to Nero. Agrippas oration to the Iewes Agrippa striueth to make the common sort flexible attentiue The yeâ—…re of the world 4030. after Christs birth 68. It be hooueth to honour the magistrate and not to prouoke him by iniury Agrippa excuseth Caesar and the Romanes Depulsion of the Iewes libertie which they so vehemently seeke forâ—… The exaÌ„ple of the Athenians others who obey the Romane empire The Lacedemonians The Macedonians The comparison of the Romans force with the Iewes weaknes The Romans haue brought the whole world vnder their gouernment haue â—…ought another world beyond the Ocean The 〈◊〉 of the world 4030. after Christs Natiuitie 68. Fiftie Cities of Asia obey the Romans The defence of France The Spaniards subiect to the Romans The Germains mulâ—…de vertue and huge stature The Britaines subiect to the Romans The Parthians The Carthaginians made subiect by Scipâ—…os hands The Romans gouerne the Moores The yeare of the world 4030 after Christs birth 68. Alexandria acknowledgeth the power of the Romans Gods fauour towaâ—…ds the Romans The last argument that proueth the Iewes destitute of Gods mans helpe and vnapt to make warre Whilest the ship is yet in the Port it is good to preuent the â—…uture tempest Agrippas prophecie of the Iewes future miserie Agrippâ—… protesteth that hee hath omit ted no counsel that he thoght expedient for the Iewes The yeare of the world 4030. after the birth of Christ. 68. Agrippa the king is by the people driuen out of the citie with stones The Iewes refuse Caesars sacrifices for the prosperitie of the Romanâ—… Against those who refuse forrain sacrifices None of the seditious gaue eare to those that were in authoritie Embassadours sent to Florus and Agrippa against the seditious The yeare of the world 4030. after Câ—…sts birth 68. Warre in Ierusalem between thâ—… seditious and those that â—…auored peace Xylophoria aâ—…east The kings souldiers are ouercome The Iews take Antonia and burne it Manahemus the chiefe of y t rebels giues the kings faction and friends licence to depart The Romans forsaking the Stratopedon flie into the Kings sortes The yeare of the world 4030. after Chrâ—…sts birth 68. The death of Ananias the high priest and Ezechias his brother Eleazars followers assault Manahem in the Temple Manahem with the princes slaine The Romans vnable any â—…on ger to resist yeeld themselues The Romanâ—… against all couenant law are all slaine saue Metiliâ—… Slaughter on the Sabaoth day The yeere of the world 4030. after Christs birth 68. The Iewes spoyle the villages and burn the Cities of Syria Al Syria full of miserable calamities Iewes against Iewes The Scythopolitans kill thirteene thousand Iewes Simon daily killeth many of his countrimen in Scythopolis The yeare of thâ—… world 4030. after the birth of Christ. 68. Simon killeth his parents his wife and children and at last himselfe An other slaughter of the Iewes The cities in armes against the Iewes Varus killeth 70. Iewes in in their iourney The Romans yeeld vp theiâ—… castle in Marichunte to the Iewes Sedition in 〈◊〉 betweene thâ—… Greeks and Ieweâ—… The yeere of the world 4030. after Christs birth 68. Tiberius Alexander exhorteth the seditious Iewes to keepe peace A cruell victorie wherein 〈◊〉 thousand Iewes are slaine Huge companies of the Romans Zâ—…bulon 〈◊〉 strong Citie of Galilee spoiled and burnt The Iewes kill two thousand Syrians The Romans take Ioppe and burne it and kill eight thousand and foure hundreth 〈◊〉 â—…nd
other Cities of Galilee doe friendly entertaine the Romanes The yeare of the world 4030. after the birth of Christ. 68. Two thousand seditious slaiâ—… in Galilee by the Romans Antipatris spoyled and burned Lydda burnt Cestius planteth his armie fiftie furlongs from Ierusalem The assault victorie of the Iewes against the Romans The courage of the Iewes against the Romans The rebels kill one of the kings Ambassadors an o ther of them escapeth being wounded Cestius draweth forth his whole armie against the Iewes The yeare of the world 4030. after Christs birth 68. Diuers Iewes cal for for Cestius as 〈◊〉 they intended to open their gates vnto him The Romans couer themselues with their shields and vndermin the wals and burne the Temple gates Cestius sodain departure maketh the theeues more confident The Iewes pur sue their enemies and bring them into a desperate estate The mourning and lamentation the Romans and the Iewes exhortation Cestius stratageme The yeare of the world 4030. after Châ—… birth 68. The yeare of the world 4031. after Christs birth 69. Diuers of the noblest Iewes forsake the Citie as if they had beene a ship ready to sinke The Damascenâ—…s kill ten thousand Iews in one houre Ioseph the son of Gorion and Ananus the high priest appointed to gouerneâ—…e the Citie Ioseph the Historiographer gouernour of both Galilees Ioseph maketh 70. Elders rulers in Galilee and appointeth seuen in euerie Citie to determine the causes of lesse waight The yeare of the world 403â—… after Christs birth 69. Ioseph fortifieth the conuenient cities with walles Ioseph instructeth the Galileans in warre Ioseph teacheth the Galileans how they should obey in the warres Euerle one of the cities of Galilee send the halfe of their multitude into warfare the rest they keepe to prouâ—…de them victuals Iohn a notable 〈◊〉 and a thirstie murtherer vnder hope of gaine The yeare of the world 4031. after Christs birth 69. Iohn imploieth the money he got against him by whose meanes he gained it Agrippâ—… president robbed An hundreth thousaÌ„d armed men come out against Ioseph All Iosephs friends and guard saue foure flie from him Iosephs oration to the seditious The yeare of the world 4031. after Christs birth 69. Another stratageme of Iosephs against the Iewes Iohns enuie treason against Ioseph Iohn perswadeth the Tiberians to reuolt from Ioseph Iohn sendeth certaine armed men to kill Ioseph Ioseph flies in a little boat by the lake Iohn flieth into his countrey Giscala The Galileans flocke to Ioseph against Iohn Iohns treason against Ioseph The yeare of the world 4031. after the birth of Christ. 69. Foure Cities of Galilee submit theÌ„selues to Iosephs enemies Tiberias is recouered by Ioseph and saued by a stratagem Ioseph with seuen souldiers commeth to Tiberias and terrifieth his enemies Ioseph by a sub till pollicie tolleth out the chiefest of Tybetias and carrieth them away in boates to Tarichea Clitus the author of the sedition drawing his sword with his right hand cut off his left The troubled estate of Ierusalem The yâ—…re of the world 4031. afâ—… Christs birth 69. Simon the Son of Giora committeth great rapines and murthers in Acrabatena and Idumaea The yeare of the world 4031. after the birth of Christ. 69. Nero is amazed and afraid at â—…ie valiant acts of y e Iewes Nero sendeth Vespasian to gouerne in Syria and direct his warres Vespasian and Titus gather great forces against y e Iewes The Iewes besiege Ascalon Antonie fighteth with the Iewes The Romans ouercome the Iewes make a great slaughter of them Ten thousand Iewes slaine The yeare of the world 4031. after Christs birth 69. Eight thousand Iewes slaine at Ascalon Vespasian with his whole army commeth to Ptolemais The Sephorits doe courteously entertaine the Romans The description and scituation of the higher Galilee The length and breadth of the lower Galilee The fertilitie of Galilee The description of the couÌ„trey beyond the floud The yeare of the world 4030. after Christs Natiuitie 68. The descriptioÌ„ of the Region of Samaria The description of Iury whose midle part is Ierusalem The diuision of Iudaea Vespasian sendeth helpe to the Sephorites but filleth Galilee with sword and fire Titus bringeth a mightie army into Iudaea The yeare of the world 4031. after Christs birth 69. The diligence and labour of the Romans in prouiding things necessary for the wars The industry of the Romans The order of the Romans in their campe The reuerence and obedience of the Roman souldiers to their captains How the Romans forsake their campe The armour of the Roman footmen The furniture of the Roman horsemen The Romans attempt nothing vnaduisedly or rashly The yeare of the world 4031. after Christs birth 69. The Romans grow more diligentby feare The obedience of the Romane souldier is no small occasion of his victorie How farre the Romane gouernment extendeth Placidus draweth his forces against Iotapata and being repulsed flies Vespasian directeth the Ro mans march The yeere of the world 4031 after Christs birth 69. The Eagle by the Romans is held the ensigne of the Empire and a signe of victorie Ioseph forsaken by his friends flies to Tiberias Ioseph is afraid of the Romans and writeth to Ierusalem Ioseph commeth to Iotapata from Tiberias Iotapata besieged The yeere of the world 4031. after the birth of Christ. 69. Nothing is more effectuall in warre or more desperate then necessitie A fight between the Romans and the Iewes continued a whole day and broken off by night The scituation of Iotapata Vespasian intendeth to begin a sharpe siege The Iewes break out and beat down the bulwarke Ioseph fixeth stakes in the ground and fastneth vnto them raw Oâ—… hides to raise the wall and beat off the shot The yeere of the world 〈◊〉 after Christs births 69. 〈◊〉 Vespasian restraineth his souldiers from fight and besiegeth the citie Ioseph deliuereth his souldiers water by measure Iosephs stratagem Another policie of Iosephs The people beleeched Ioseph that he would not forsake them Iosephs prudence The yeare of the world 4031. after Christs birth 69. Ioseph stayeth in Iotapata Where as there is no hope of helpe there was iâ—… the last remedie The audacious courage of the Iewes in their extreame desperation The Iewes with their slings are repulsed by the ArabiaÌ„ archers A Ramme Iosephs deuise how to breake the force of the Ramme The yeare of the world 4031. after Christs birth 69. Ioseph burneth the engines turneth off the Romans Eleazars strength and courage Netiras and Philips valour against the Romans Vespasian wounded in the sole of the foot by an arrow The warre renued against the Iewes The force of the Roman darts The yeare of the world 4031. after Christs Natiuitie 69. Vespasian leadeth on his armie to enter the Citie Iosephs subtill policie The cries of women and children in the battell The warre of the Romans with the Iewes vpoÌ„ the bridge The Iewes powre scalding oyle vpon the Romans The yeâ—…re of the world 4031. after
after Christs birth 71. Caecinna is apprehended for treason Vespasian honours Caecinna with vnexpected honors is acquâ—…ed of treasoâ—… Sabinus taketh the capitol anâ—… leaueth Vitellius Vitellius slaine The people of Rome proclaime Vespasian Emperour Titusrepaireth to Ierusalem Titus commeth to Caesarea and gethereth his forces there The yeâ—…re of thâ—… world 4034. after Christs birth 72. A three fold sedition in Ierusalem The yeare of the world 4034. after Christs birth 72. The fight betweene Iohn and Eleazar Simon Iohn skirmish in the temple Great slaughter in the temple Iohn assaulted on both sides They of Ierusalem had well nie burnt all their Corne. A wretched calamitie in Ierusalem The yeare of â—…he world 4034. after the 〈◊〉 of Câ—…st 7â—… Lamentation and mouâ—…ng in 〈◊〉 The crueltie of the sedâ—… in Ierâ—…alem Iohn made vse of the wood that was kept for holy vses to make engines of The order of Titus army Tiâ—…us coÌ„meth to Iudaea The yeare of the â—…ld 4034 aftâ—… Câ—… birth 7â—… Titus repaireth to Ierusalem to found the dispositioÌ„s of the people Titus in danger Titus fighteth valiantly with his enemies Titus putteth his enemies to flight and returneth in safetie to his camp Titus campe was 7. stades off the Citie The seditious agree among themselâ—…es The yeare of the world 4034. after Christs birth 72. The citizens assaile the Romans The Iewes driue the Romans froÌ„ their campe The fight of the Iewes with the Romans The Romans are dispersed by the Iewes and driuen to the mountaine Titus valour against the Iewes Feare and trouble among the Romans The Iewes fight in their retreat and are driuen into the valley The yeare of the world 4034. after Christs birth 72. Iohn entreth and seaseth the inward temple and all the furniture therof putteth the Zealous to flight and raiseth a mightie sedition A threefold sedition deuided into two parts Whatsoeuer abouâ—…â—…alem 〈◊〉 hollow or troubled withâ—… vallies is filled vp The alacritie of the souldiers among the Romans contrary to Titus 〈◊〉 The yearâ—… of thâ—… world 4034. after Christs birth 72. The victorie of the Iewes Caesars sharpe Oration to his souldiers The Romane souldiers beseech Titus for their fellowes in armes How and in what places Titus befieged Ierusalem The treble wall of Ierusalem The Castle of Dauid Acra sustaineth the lower part of the Citie The yeere of the world 4034 after Christs birth 7â—… The fountaine Siloa The older wall The second wall The third wall â—…ezetha the fourth hill Agrippas cost in building the wall The third wall had 50. towers Psephina was seuentie cubits hie Herod called three towers by the names of three his most deerest friends The yeare of the world 4034. after the birth of Christ. 72. Hippico 85. cuâ—…its high Phasaelus 90. cubits higâ—… Mariamme a goodly tower 55. cubits high The kings pallace The kings pallace burnt by the theeues and rebels The temple builded vpon a most strong hill All the sacred treasures spent in the building of the temple The yeare of the world 4034 after Christs birth 72. The porches were builded of white marble stone sustained by pillars A peculiar place destinated for women for religion sake Some of the gates were of gold some of siluer and one of Corinthian brasse The sacred sanctuaâ—…ie The yeare of the world 4034. after Christs birth 72. The Babylonian vaile of admirable workmanship The signification of the vaile Three admible works The candlesticke the table and censor The outward court of the temple couered with many plates of gold The priests in the old testament abstained from wine and were sober The hie priests garment The yeere of the world 4034. after Christs birth 72. The precious stones in the high priests garment The description of Antonia Antonia not much vnlike the citie Fifteene thousand follow Simon Simons campe against Iohn The yeere of thâ—… world 4034. after Christs birth 72. The sedition tooke the City and the Romans ouercame tooke the sedition Titus circuring the wall seeketh which way he should attempt his batterie Nicanor is wounded with an arrow in the left shoulder The darts did the Iewes little good because they were not expert in vsing them The yeare of the world 4034. after Christs birth 72. â—…tus comman deth the wall to be battered in three places The seditious forgetting their haâ—…ed and discords ioyne in one The ramme shaketh a corner of a tower Titus putteth the Iewes to flight and driueth them into the Citie Iohn Captaine of the Idumaeans by the shot of an arrow that woundeth him in the brest dieth The yeare of the world 4034. after the birth of Christ. 71. Nicon that is to say Vistor the Romans great ramme The Romans get the first wall The Iewes conflict with the Romans The Iewes boldnesse The custome of the Romans to conquer Longinus breaketh into the midst of the Iewes army and disturbeth it The yeare of the world 4034 after Christs birth 72. Castor a subtill and politique Iewe. Mercie in wars hurtfull Titus taketh the second wall The yeere of thâ—… world 4034. after Christs birth 72. They interpret war like Titus humanity for cowardize The Romans are driuen out by the Iewes The Iewes courage increaseth The people in want and many die for hunger Titus once more getteâ—… the second wal Titus surceasing the siege commaundeth money to be distributed to all his soldiers The yeere of the world 4034. after Christs birth 72. Destinie had decreed that the innocent should perish with the nocent and the citie with the seditious The Romans in their labour are hindred by the Iewes Titus bountie towards the Iewes Iosephs Oration the Iewess Fortune and God for the Romans Famine in the Citie The yeare of the world 4034. after Christs birth 72. The Emperor striueth to bee at peace with the Romans Ioseph tippeth vp the ancient Histories and some â—…aine Nechias a king of Egypt The Hebrewes vnder the tyrannie of Egypt foure hun dreth yeeres The sacred Arke taken away by the Assirians and restored to the Iewes Senacherib king of Assyria The captiuitie of Babylon The destruction of IerusaleÌ„ by the King of Babylon Iosephs bitter inuectiue against them The yeere of the world 4034 after Christs birth 72. The Iewes sins against the lawes The Romans vse the same maner of ouerthrow against the Iewes as the Assyrians did God knoweth when to reuenge The fountains that before time were dâ—…y now flow to Titus God is wont to shew mercie to those who con fesse and be penitent The yeare of the world 4034. after the birth of Christ. 72. Iosephs loue and constancie towards his countrey The people flie with their money A wonderfull famine in the Citie The argument of store of meat A miserable kind of liuing and a spectacle of great compassion The souldiers enter the houses take the meat vnchueÌ„d out of the Citizens mouths The yeare of the world 4034 after Christs birth 72. The honorable and rich are drawne before the tyrants The