Vespasian to lose thy head whom he made Prisoner twice and as many times past the sentence of Banishment against and once commanded to be thine own Murtherer spar'd thy life upon the importunate sollicitation of his sister Bernice And after so many Crimes committed by thee having entertained thee for his Secretary when he found thy corruption in that office he banished thee from his presence O A But I will say no more of these matters notwithstanding I wonder at thine impudence that hast openly protested Justus knew nothing of the Wars of the Jews that thou hast written more exactly and perfectly of this matter than any man whereas thou art utterly ignorant of those things that were done in Galilee For at that time thou wert at Berytum with the King and knewest not what the Romans suffer'd at the siege of Jotapata seeing thou didst not follow us Neither couldst thou be able to learn how I behaved my self therein for that there was not one of those that helpt me to defend it left alive to give thee certain intelligence Thou wilt perhaps say that thou hast carefully described that which hapned during the siege of Jerusalem And how is this possible For thou wert neither agent nor spectator in that War neither hast thou read the Commentaries of Vespasian Which I clearly affirm because thou hast written clean contrary to that which is B contained therein Justus published his Book when Titus and Vespasian were dead And if thou art so confident that thy History is truer than others why didst thou not publish it during the lives of Vespasian and Titus who were the Generals of that War or during the life of King Agrippa and his Relations who were all of them very expert in the Greek tongue For thou hast kept it written by thee above twenty years and mightest have produced witness of thine exact diligence before them who were privy to all things But now when they are dead and thou thinkest that no man liveth that may reprove thee thou hast taken the boldness to publish thy Work I have used no such policy in my Books but presented them to the Emperors themselves Manifest Testimonies of the truth of Josephus History who were eye-witnesses and actors thereof For I knew in mine own soul that I had set down all things truly Whereupon I obtained my expected approbation Moreover I communicated the same History with divers others whereof C some of them were present in the War as was King Agrippa and some of his kindred And Titus the Emperor himself was so desirous that posterity should learn the truth of that History out of these Books that he placed them in his Library and caused them to be published being subscribed with his own hand As for King Agrippa he sent me seventy two Epistles testifying the truth of my Books whereof two are subjoin'd to the end that the truth may appear thereby King Agrippa to his dear friend Joseph Health I have with great contentment read the Book wherein thou seemest in my opinion to have handled this matter more exactly The first Epistle than any other For which cause I pray thee send me the rest Farewel my friend King Agrippa to Joseph his dear friend Health I perceive by thy writings that thou needest no information from me The second Epistle how matters passed from the beginning yet when we D meet next I will between me and thee tell thee certain things which thou knowest not Thus was he a witness of the truth of my History Josephus prosecuteth his History and leaveth to debare with Justus not flattering me for it became him not neither deriding me for far was it from so noble a mind to be subject to so servile a folly but onely to this end that the truth of my writings might be commended to the Reader by his testimony And thus much have I thought good to set down by way of answer to Justus Now as soon as I had pacified these troubles in Tiberias and had established a council of such as were well affected towards me I bethought my self of what concerned me to do in respect of John All they of Galilee were of the opinion that I should gather together all the forces of my Government and march against John and do justice upon E him as he that had been the Author of all this mischief But for mine own part I misliked their counsels because my desire was to extinguish these Troubles without blood-shed and for that cause I injoyn'd them with all diligence possible to learn the names of all those who served under him which being done I published a Proclamation by which I promised safety and pardon to all those that should forsake John assigning them the term of twenty daies to determine of that which seemed best for their own security and I threatned to set fire on their houses and confiscate their goods Four thousand of John's Followers forsake him and follow Joseph except they quitted their Arms. They hearing these things were greatly troubled and forsook John and after they had laid down their Arms they came unto me to the number of four thousand so that only about fifteen hundred Men remained F with John either of Citizens or strangers of Tyre When John perceived that he was circumvented by this policy he ever after remained quiet in his Countrey in great fear At that time the Sephorites grew so bold that they took Arms in confidence of the strength of their walls and for that they saw me distracted with other business They sent to Cestius Gallus Governour of Syria praying him to repair to them with all expedition and take possession of their City or send them a Garrison at least Gallus promised to come to them but he set down no certain time of his approach Whereof when I was advertised I took the Men of War I had and marched against the Sephorites and took their City by force The Galileans very glad of this opportunity and supposing the time was come wherein they might satisfy the insatiable hatred G they bare against that City omitted nothing that might wholly ruine the City with all the Inhabitants They set fire on the houses which they found desolate for the Inhabitants were fled away for fear and retired into a Fortress They plundred the Town and left nothing unspoiled neither was there any kind of misery which they H inflicted not on their Countrymen Sephoris spoiled Which when I saw I was much grieved and commanded them to give over telling them it was impiety in them to shew themselves so savage towards their Countreymen And seeing that neither by any prayer or command I could draw them to obedience for that their animosity was so violent I commanded those that were about me and whom I most trusted to spread a rumor that the Romans were entring on the other side of the City with
since it seemeth not good in Gods sight that either I should be agent or assistant in your affairs beyond Jordan Deut. 4. 1 ad 43. I have resolv'd to employ that little space of life which remains to me in order to establish your felicity according to the Grace that is given me and to provide that by laying open the way unto you that leadeth to the same I may oblige you to retain some affection for my memory Give I therefore ear unto me that when I have first declared unto you wherein both your felicity and the happiness of your posterity consisteth and have left this perpetual testimony and monument of my intire love towards you I may willingly depart out of this life For well I know that I deserve to be credited by you both for that hitherto I have incessantly in studying for your profits never deceived you and because the sentiments of our souls are never so pure as when they are ready to be separated from the body Ye sons of Israel there is but one onely way whereby men attain to felicity to wit the favour of God which he onely gives to those that deserve it and withdraws from those that offend him Towards him if you continue dutiful according as he requires and in such manner as I by his direction have instructed you you shall never fail to encrease in virtue and to draw all men to envy your happiness and which is more K those goods which you have now obtained shall be perpetual and that which you want shall shortly be plentifully bestowed on you Only take heed to be obedient to Gods Will and Commandments and never prefer any other Laws before those I have given you or through contempt innovate any thing in your Religion Moses exhorteth the people to be obedient to Gods will Which if you shall perform you shall excel all other Nations in war and be invincible by your enemies for by Gods assistance all things are possible Moreover there are great rewards in all the course of life proposed unto virtue which is also to it self a great reward besides by it all other blessings are easily obtained and if you practise it among your selves you shall both lead a blessed life and obtain immortal glory The promise of Gods assistance not onely amongst strangers but also to all posterity These things are you to hope for if neither you your selves violate those Laws which by Gods command and my L means are prescrib'd to you nor suffer any other to violate the same but in your selves continually meditate upon the understanding and use thereof As for my self I depart this life in fulness of joy Obedience to the Magistrates and the comfort to leave you in great prosperity commending you all to the Laws of piety and prudence and the virtue of your Guides and Magistrates who hereafter are to take care of your safety and felicity God likewise under whose conduct you have lived and to whose favour you owe whatsoever you have received by me will not fail to take care of you but as long as you shall honour both him and piety so long shall you remain in security under his protection neither shall you want such men who shall give you excellent instructions whose counsels if you obey you shall be fortunate namely Eleazar the High Priest and Josua with the Senate and Magistrates of the Tribes towards whom M beware lest you grow stiff-necked knowing and remembring this that he that is instructed to obey well will when he shall attain unto dignity govern well Neither imagine to your selves that liberty consisteth in disobeying your Superiors as hitherto you have done from which sin if hereafter you shall keep your selves you shall see your estate become still more flourishing and fortunate And God forbid that you should ever be so exasperated against them as you have been sometimes incensed against me For you may remember that I have been more often in hazard of my life by your means than by the enemy Which I speak not to upbraid you for I would not leave you afflicted with the remembrance hereof at the hour of my death who even at that time entertained the injury with a quiet mind but to the end that being by me admonished you may henceforward be wiser in those things which N hereafter shall concern you and lest you should grow contumelious against your Governors being made proud with affluence of your riches which you shall enjoy at such time as you have passed over Jordan and conquered Canaan Otherwise if made more insolent by these blessings you fall into contumacy and contempt of virtue Gods favour will never be extended towards you and if by your sins you shall incense him against your selves you shall both lose the Land which you have conquered by your courage by being shamefully oppressed by your Enemies and being dispersed over the face of the whole earth both the Land and Sea shall be full of the marks of your servitude which if it should come to pass then were it too late to repent you that you have not observed his holy Laws Wherefore to avoid this danger suffer not any one of your Enemies after your victory is once gotten to live and think it O most conducible for your affairs to kill all without sparing any for fear lest living with them and being intangled in the like customes and delights you fall into Idolatry and A abandon your Countrey Laws and Institutions Moreover I command you to destroy their gods their Altars and Temples as many as you shall meet with and so to ruine all the woods consecrated to their false gods both with Fire and Sword that there may not remain any token or memory of them any more For so shall you more safely maintain the possession of the goods which you enjoy The Israelites are commanded to kill their enemies and destroy their idols But lest through ignorance of better things you become depraved by Gods commandment I have written you Laws and a form of administration both of the Commonwealth and your private estates from which if you shall no ways divert or wander you shall prove the most fortunate People of the earth When he had spoken these things he delivered them a Book containing in Writing their Laws Moses delivereth the Israelites a book wherein their Laws and manner of life was written and customs of good life which when they had received they melted B into tears and now lamented both for the loss of their Captain and for that they remembered how many perils he had suffered for their sakes and how diligently he had procured their safety and security and their sorrow increas'd by their belief that they were not like to have ever again so good a Prince and they feared likewise that God would not hereafter be so favorable unto them in that they had not a Moses to pray
and to acquit my self of that debt I leave you this in remembrance which is that you ought to serve and honour him and reverence the Ordinances which he hath given you whereby continuing his favour towards you he will grant you grace to preserve and keep this excellent gift Truly a Law-giver that were no more than a man would be greatly displeased with F those who should violate his Ordinances and set them at nought do not you therefore tempt God who is provoked unto anger when those Laws which he himself hath established and given you shall be contemned and neglected Whilst Moses pronounced these his last words and fore-told to the Tribes their several destinies Deut. 34. 8. and wish'd them a thousand blessings The Hebrews lamentation at Moses death the whole Multitude brake into tears and the women beating their Breasts shewed the sorrow they resented for his death The Children likewise lamented because that in their tender years they had understood the virtue and famous acts of Moses and betwixt the elder and younger sort there was as it were a conflict who should weep most bitterly for the one understanding of how worthy a Governor they were deprived lamented the time to come and the G other were perplexed because they should then lose him they before had sufficiently tasted and made tryal how great his virtue was But how great the compassion and complaint of the people was may be conjectured by this that then befell the Prophet For although he were assuredly persuaded that a man is not to lament at the instant of his H death because it happens to him both according to the Will of God and the Law of Nature yet beholding the affection of the People he could not restrain himself from tears After which he walkt towards the place where he was to dye and they all followed him weeping Then did Moses beckning with his hand warn them from afar off that they should stand still and keep their places and he desir'd them that were nearest him by word of mouth not to afflict him any longer by following him with so many testimonies of affection Accordingly to obey him they stood still and all together bewailed their calamity in so great and so general a loss only the Senators xEleazar the High Priest and the chief Captain Joshua accompanied him And when he was arrived on the Mountain called Abarim which is very high and scituate near Jericho I from whence he might discover the greater part of the Land of Canaan he dismissed the Elders and whil'st with mutual embraces he took his last leave of Eleazar and Joshua and discoursed with them a Cloud suddenly environed him and he was carried away into a certain Valley but the Holy Books which he left us say that he dyed fearing lest for the excellency of his virtue they might report that he was taken up into Heaven The whole time of his Life was 120 years the third part whereof wanting a month he spent in government of this great People Moses when he dyed was 120 years old Amongst the Hebrews Adar is the 12 month but amongst us it is called March He dyed the last month of the year and the first day of that month which the Macedonians call Dystros and our Countreymen Adar He was of all Men that ever liv'd the wisest and who in execution of his good counsels had no man to equal him Moreover in eloquence he was incomparable and K in dexterity and grace to entertain and persuade the People he had no second and so were his passions always govern'd by his wisdom that he seemed utterly to want them and only to know the names of those passions of which he saw the effects in other men Ver. 10. His skill in War may give him a rank amongst the greatest Captains Moses was a good Governor and a great Prophet and no man ever had the gift of Prophecy in so high a degree for his words seem'd so many Oracles and that as inspir'd to him by God himself The People mourned for him 30 days nor were they ever seized with so extreme grief as they were at this time when the Prophet dyed neither did he only leave behind him a present desire of him but a great estimation amongst all men who have ever chanced to read and examine his Writings and by them estimated his virtues And these are the things which I thought good to say of the L death of Moses M N O A The Fifth Book of the Antiquities of the JEWS Written by FLAVIVS JOSEPHV'S The Contents of the Chapters of the Fifth Book 1. How Joshua General of the Hebrews having overcome and slain the Canaanites divided their Land amongst the Tribes by lot 2. How after the death of the General the Israelites neglecting the Ordinances of their Forefathers fell into extreme Calamities and through a Civil War that was raised B amongst them there were but 600 of the Tribe of Benjamin left alive 3. How for their impiety the People of Israel were delivered by God into Captivity under the Assyrians 4. Their Liberty by Cenez 5. How the People were once more overcome by the Moabites and exempt from servitude by Jodes otherwise called Ehud 6. How they were brought under the subjection of the Canaanites and restored to their liberty by Barac 7. How the Amalekites having entred the Countrey of the Israelites and conquered them possessed and spoiled the same for the space of seven years C 8. How Gideon delivered the People 9. How some Successors of Gideon waged War against the Neighbor Nations round about them 10. Of Samsâ—â—'s strength and what mischiefs he did in Palestine 11. How the Sons of Eli the Prophet were slain in Battel by the Palestines 12. How Eli hearing of the death of his Sons and the loss of the Ark fell down from his Seat and dyed CHAP. I. D How Joshua General of the Hebrews having overcome and slain the Canaanites divided their Land amongst the Tribes by lot Josh 2. AFter Moses was taken from amongst Men in the manner which I have declared the last duties were paid to him The year of the World 2494. before Christ's Nativity 1470. and the time of mourning was pass'd Joshua commanded the People to prepare themselves and to march forward to Battel He sent Spies likewise to Jericho who might both sound their minds Joshua sendeth Spies into Jericho and discover their Forces Soon after he dislodged and encamped in the open field intending with all expedition to pass the River of Jordan as soon as any opportunity offered it self Josh 2. 1 2 3. Then assembled he the Princes of the Tribes of Reuben E and Gad Joshua calleth to memory and reckoneth up what the Tribes of Gad Reuben and Manasses had promised Moses and of the half Tribe of Manasses for to this half Tribe the Countrey of the
they protesting that they could not fulfil his request he commanded them all to be slain But Daniel hearing how the King had condemned all the Sages to death and knowing that both he and his companions were concerned in that danger addressed himself to Ariochus the Captain of the Kings Guard requiring him to inform him for what cause the King had adjudged the Chaldees and Sages to be put to death and having told what had happened as touching the dream and how the King forgetting the E same had charged them to inform him therein and how they had answered that it was impossible for them to perform the same and how thereby they had provoked the King to displeasure he besought Ariochus to go unto the King and to procure one nights reprieve on the behalf of the Egyptians and Chaldees in that he hoped during that night to beseech God and intreat from him both the Dream and the signification thereof Hereupon Ariochus told the King what Daniel had requested and he thereupon respited the execution of the Magicians for that night until he might see what would become of Daniels promise who retiring himself with his companions into his chamber besought God all the night long to manifest unto him the dream and deliver the Magicians and Chaldees from the Kings wrath with whom both he and the rest of his companions were F like to dye except he might know what the King had dreamt the night past and what was the interpretation thereof Whereupon God having compassion of the danger wherein they were and taking pleasure in Daniels wisdom signified unto him both the dream and the signification thereof to the intent the King might be resolved of the meaning thereof Daniel having received the truth from God à v. 20. ad 24. arose very joyfully and certified his Brethren who had already lost all hope of life The Vision and the Revelation thereof opened to Daniel and thought on nothing but death and gave them courage and hope Having therefore rendred thanks unto God for that he had had compassion of their younger years as soon as it was day he went unto Ariochus requesting him that he might be brought to the Kings presence assuring him G that he would open unto him the dream which he had seen the night past Now when Daniel was brought unto the Kings Presence he besought him that he would not esteem him to H be more wise than the other Chaldeans and Magicians The year of the World 3363 before Christ's Nativity 601. in that whereas none of them could expound his Dream he did attempt to express the same for that came not to pass by reason of his experience or for that he was more industrious than they were but said he God hath had compassion on us that were in danger of death and at such time as I requested him to grant me and my Countrey-men life he hath certified me both of your Dream and the signification thereof I was not so much aggrieved for that in our innocency we were adjudged to death by thee as concerned for thy reputation and renown which was hazarded by condemning so many and so innocent and just men to death whereas that which you have required of them á v. 26 ad finem savoureth nothing of humane wit but is the only work of God Whilest therefore thou thoughtst in thy self Daniel telleth the King his Dream and the interpretation thereof who it was that should command the whole world after thy I self at such time as thou wert asleep God intending to let thee know all those that should govern after thee presented the with this Dream It seemed unto thee that thou sawest a great Statue whereof the Head was of Gold the Shoulders and Arms of Silver the Belly and Thighs of Brass Nebuchodonosors Dream of the four Monarchs of the world and the Legs and Feet of Iron Thou beheldest after that a great Stone that was drawn from a Mountain that fell upon the Statue and beat down and burst the same and left no whole piece thereof so that the Gold Silver Iron and Brass were powdered as small as dust whereupon a violent wind seemed to blow which by the fury and force thereof was born away and scattered into divers Countreys on the other side the stone grew so mighty that it seemed to fill the whole Earth This was that Vision that appeared unto you the signification whereof is expressed after this manner The Head K of Gold signifieth your self and those Kings of Babylon that have been before you The two Hands and Shoulders signify that your Empire shall be restored by two Kings the one part by the King of the East cloathed in Brass whose force shall be abated by another power resembling that of iron and he shall have the power over the whole Earth by reason of the nature of Into á v. 46 ad finem which is more strong than Gold Silver or Brass he told the King also what the Stone signified But for mine own part I thought it not expedient to express in this place Daniel and his fellows advanced to honour because the only design and intent of my Writings is to register such things as are past and not such matters as are to come But if any man be so curious as to enquire into these things and to understand such matters as are hidden let him read the Book of Daniel which he shall find amidst the Sacred Scriptures L When King Nabuchodonosor had heard those things and remembred himself of his Dream he was astonished at Daniels wisdom and casting himself prostrate on the Earth after the manner of those that adore God he embraced Daniel giving direction that sacrifice should be offered unto him as if he were God Moreover he called him by the name of God and committed the administration of his whole Kingdom to him and his companions who by reason of the conspiracies of their malignours and detractours The Kings Edict for honouring the Golden Statue happened to fall into most imminent and dreadful danger upon the occasion that ensueth The King built a Golden Image sixty Cubits high and six in bigness and erected it in a great Plain near unto Babylon and being ready to dedicate the same he assembled all the Governours and Princes of his Countreys M commanding them first of all Dan. 3. 1. ad 9. that as soon as they should hear the Trumpet sound they should prostrate themselves on the Earth to adore the Statue threatening that whosoever should do the contrary á v. 19 ad finem he should be cast into a burning Furnace whereas therefore all of them adored the Statue upon the sound of the Trumpet Daniel and his companions utterly refused to perform that duty Daniel and his kinsmen refusing to adore the Statue are cast into the Furnace alledging for their justification that they
the arrogancy of his Sons he thought it good to call unto Court another Son of his whom he begat when he was a private man and to grace him with honours and to oppose him against the other two Brethren to the end to bring down and repress their fierce and haughty minds this Son of his was called Antipater not minded which after overcome by affection he did to make him sole heir of all but thinking thereby to bridle Mariamne's Children and to diminish their arrogancy by letting them see that it was not needful to keep the inheritance of so flourishing a Kingdom only for them wherefore N he introduced Antipater one opposed against them that thereby the other two laying their pride aside might shew themselves more tractable to their Father And so thought by this means to provide for their safety Antipater inciteth his Father against his Brothers But it fell out far otherwise than he expected for they esteemed this fact as an injury done unto them And Antipater was of that nature that having gotten promotion contrary to his expectation he did endeavour all ways possible to be in greater account with his Father than the other two who was already through false accusations alienated from them and every day as he also desired ready to believe any thing that might incense him against them Wherefore this was all his business Yet he had an especial care not to be thought O an accuser of his Brethren but he used others of his Complices whom the King nothing suspected who for the trust the King put in them might also have better credit given A unto their words For this man had many followers and favourers as it were gaping after preferment by his means who with a kind of counterfeit good will made a shew of love and good will towards Herod And being many in number and trusty one to another the young Princes were every day entrapped more and more For many times they shed tears for very grief of the contumelies and injuries that they suffered and many times they mentioned their Mother and complained unto those whom they thought to be their friends of their Father as one that dealt not well with them all which Antipater's Favourites maliciously noting and adding thereunto something of their own invention they did presently tell it unto Herod and so did foment the dissention of his house For the King being moved hereat and purposing to humble B Mariamne's Children Herod brought Antipater's Mother into the Palace did daily encrease and augment Antipater's honour and at his entreaties at last brought his Mother into the Court and many times writing secretly unto Caesar in favour of Antipater he especially commended him in particular unto him And being to sail to salute Agrippa who was now to depart out of Asia having governed that Province ten years he only took with him Antipater of all his Sons whom he also committed to Agrippa with many gifts Herod delivereth Antipater to Agrippa to be carried to Rome to go with him to Rome and to be brought into favour with Caesar So that now all things seemed to be done as it were by his man's beck and the other two to be already dis-inherited C CHAP. VII Antipater doth so incense his Father against his Brothers Alexander and Aristobulus that Herod bringeth them to Rome and accuseth them before Augustus for having attempted to poyson him ANtipater's Journey to Rome Antipater was honoured at Rome with his Father's Letters of Recommendation to all his friends there proved both very advantageous and honourable to him yet this was a great grief to him Antipater when he was present incited his Father against his Brethren by lies and being absent he did the same by Letters that he could not daily calumniate his Brothers for he feared lest his Father's mind should change and so would affect Mariamne's Children D most This being his daily fear though he were absent he ceased not by Letters to incite his Father against them as having care of his safety but indeed for that he thereby through his bad practises hoped to obtain the Kingdom so that he encreased Herod's wrath against them that he was become a deadly enemy unto them both But fearing rashly in his anger to commit any thing to prejudice them he determined to sail again to Rome and there to accuse his Sons before Caesar lest he being led away through indignation and displeasure against them should seem to cast off all love and fatherly affection towards them Herod sailed to Rome and followed Caesar to Aquileia And repairing to Rome and not finding Caesar there he followed him unto Aquileia and coming to speech of him and requesting him to take notice of his misfortunes he presented his two Sons and accused them E before Caesar of insolency Herod accused his Sons before Caesar and for having attempted to poyson him complaining their hatred to be gone so far that now by any wicked and execrable way whatsoever they sought their Father's Kingdom notwithstanding that Caesar had given him full power and liberty to leave the Kingdom to him whom he found most dutiful unto him And that they though thereby they might not gain the Kingdom yet they could be contented with their Father's death and that they sought it with danger of their own lives and that this horrible and detestable hatred was now rooted in their hearts And that he having long endured this calamity was now forced to open it unto Caesar and trouble his ears with these complaints And spake after this manner Have I deserved this at their hands what wrong have I done F them or how can they think it reason that I who have exposed my self to so many dangers and undergone so difficult labours for a long time to obtain the Kingdom should not peaceably enjoy the same and suffer me to be Lord of my own Dominions and permit me the liberty to leave it unto him who shall deserve such honour in the best performance of a Son-like duty So that the beholders hereof seeing piety so rewarded might hereby be the more incited hereunto especially seeing that without violating the Law of Nature it is not lawful to think any such thought For no man can affect his Father's Kingdom but he doth also desire his Father's death seeing it is not permitted men to succeed those in the Kingdom who are yet alive He alledged moreover that for his part he had had a care that they should want nothing convenient for a kind G Father to provide for Princely Children neither ornaments nor followers nor delights That also he had provided for them Wives of a Noble Race and had married one of them unto his Sister's Daughter and the other unto Archelaus his Daughter King of Cappadocia And which was the greatest matter of all he had not used the H authority of a Father against them after
have ordained that according to the common sentence of the Senate they shall live after their Countrey-Laws The year of the World 3957 before Christ's Nativity 7. under which they lived in the time of Hircanus H the High Priest of God and that their Temple shall retain the right of a Sanctuary and that it shall be lawful for them to send votive money unto Jerusalem by certain persons and that they shall not be compelled to appear before any Judge upon their Sabbath days or the day before their Sabbaths after nine of the clock upon the preparation day And if any one be known to steal their holy books or holy money laid up in their places appointed for Religion he shall be guilty of Sacrilege and his goods shall be confiscate unto the Treasury of the people of Rome I also decree for the good will I bear unto all men that their Memorial or request offered unto me by C. Marcus Censorinus shall together with this my Edict be published in the famous place which all Asia hath dedicated unto my name to wit Argyra And if any shall be so bold as to do contrary to our Decree he shall be punished extraordinarily I This was engraven in a pillar in Caesar 's Temple Caesar wisheth health unto Norbanus Flaccus Let it be lawful for all Jews wheresoever living to carry their sacred money to Jerusalem according to their ancient custom and that no man should forbid them so to do And this did Caesar write in favour of the Jews Agrippa also wrote in the Jews behalf 〈…〉 as followeth Agrippa wisheth health unto the Magistrates Senate and people of Ephesus I will that the Jews living in Asia keep their sacred money which according to the custom of their Countrey they usually send unto Jerusalem and if any one shall steal their holy money the same person if he fly to a Sanctuary shall be violently taken away from thence as a sacrilegious person and delivered unto the Jews to be punished He also wrote unto Syllanus the Magistrate that the Jews K might not be constrained upon their Sabbaths to appear before a Judge M. Agrippa wisheth health to the Cyrenian Magistrates and Senate The Jews inhabiting among you for whom Augustus hath already written unto Flavius the President of Lybia and unto other Magistrates of that Province are not to be hindred from sending their holy money to Jerusalem as their custom is and they have now complained unto me that they are molested by the false accusations of some bad people and forbidden to do it under pretence of a certain Tribute which notwithstanding they are not to pay Wherefore I command that they may be permitted to live after their custom and free in all such matters And if in any of your Cities any sacred money of theirs be intercepted that by certain persons which you know to be fit for that purpose ye make choice of them to send it again unto the Jews Item C. L Norbanus Flaccus Proconsul Caius Norbanus Flaccus writeth in the Jews behalf Health unto the Magistrates of Sardinia Caesar hath written unto me commanding that no man hinder the Jews according to their custom to send sacred money unto Jerusalem wherefore I also write unto you of the same that you may not be ignorant both of my will and Caesar's also Julius Antonius Proconsul Moreover Julius Antonius Proconsul did also write to this effect Health unto the Magistrates Senate and people of Ephesus The Jews of Asia in the Ides of February I sitting in the judicial seat at Ephesus signified unto me that Caesar Augustus and Agrippa have permitted them to use their Countrey-customs and every one according as he thinketh good to contribute his first fruits for Religion sake to be carried without let or hinderance unto the Temple of the most mighty God and they desired me to ratifie by my consent that which they had already granted them by M the above named Emperours Wherefore I would have you to know that I also according unto Caesar's and Agrippa's Decrees and Ordinances do permit and grant them also to do all things they please according to their Countrey-customs forbidding any man to hinder them therein I have thought good to add these Decrees because I know that these my writings will come into the Grecians hands that I may shew them that in former ages we were so esteemed of the publick Magistrates that none were permitted to hinder us from using our Countrey-rites and Ceremonies and that by their consent we worshipped God in our own Religion which I do inculcate the oftner that I may move strange and forreign Nations and take away their hatred conceived against us which is without N all reasonable cause For no Nation doth always use the same customs but almost whole Towns among them do sometimes alter and differ from the rest yet is justice equally to be distributed unto all men which is most profitable as well to the Grecians as to the other barbarous Nations which is greatly observed in our Laws which if we follow and violate not are able to make all nations love us Wherefore we request all men not to despise us for differing from them in Religion but favour us in that we follow virtue For this is common to all Nations and without this man's life must needs be unhappy But I will now return unto my history O A CHAP. XI King Herod causeth David's Sepulchre to be opened to get money out of it for which God punisheth him strange Divisions and Troubles in his Family The Cruelties which this Prince's mistrustfulness and Antipater's malice causeth together with his Son Alexander's Imprisonment HHerod spending lavishly many summs of money Hedio Ruffinus chap. 7. al. 7. 12. both at home and abroad hearing that Hircanus who reigned before him opened David's Sepulchre and B took out of it three thousand Talents of Silver The desire of Gold and that there was left yet far more able to defray any great charges whatsoever he purposed to do the like And at this time in the night season accompanied only with his most trusty friends being very wary that none of the people should know of it he entred into the Sepulchre but he found no money there as Hircanus did but he took from thence a great deal of Silver and Gold Plate whereby he was enticed to make a more diligent search And he sent two of his company on purpose into the inner part of the Sepulchre where the bodies of Solomon and David were entombed who were lost and as it is reported Herod lost two of his men in David's Sepulchre fire came out of those places and consumed them Whereat Herod being terrified departed out of it and moved with Religion to make satisfaction he C builded a most sumptuous monument of White Marble at the entrance into the Sepulchre Nicholaus the Historiographer reproved
enough to do to the Parthians H Their Actions their Death The Grecians and Syrians who lived in Sylesia unite against the Jews and kill fity thousand of them unawares CHAP. I. Judas and Sadoc taking an opportunity by vertue of the Tax which was imposed upon all Judea endeavour to establish a fourth Sectary and kindled a great Civil War I CYrenius the Roman Senator having passed through all Degrees The year of the World 3973. after Christ's Nativity 11. Offices and Dignities until such time as he obtained the Consulship a man of great account was sent into Syria by Caesar's order to do justice among the people and to sess and tax every man's goods Coponius a Captain of Horse was sent with him who was appointed to be Governour of all Jewry Hedio Ruffinus chap. 1. Cyrenius therefore came into Judea which was already united to Syria to tax the Goods of the Inhabitants thereof Cyrenius is sent by Caesar into Syria to execute Justice in that place and to confiscate Archelaus's Substance And although at the first the Jews thought this Tax very unreasonable yet notwithstanding K without contradiction they submitted themselves being perswaded thereunto by the counsel of the High Priest Joazar the Son of Boethus But after this there arose a certain Jew called Judas the Gaulanite Coponius Prefect of Judaea born in the Town of Gamala who having a certain man called Sadoc the Pharisee Confederate with him laboured to stir up the people to Rebellion The Taxation of the people of the Jews alledging that the Sess was no other thing but a confession of their servitude exhorting all the Nation to maintain their liberty and putting them in hope that they thereby should happily establish their estates Alias chap. 3. and enjoy their goods with security and besides this obtain both honour and glory in prosecution of such an enterprise Moreover that God would not afford them a more assured way to settle their Fortunes than by this means namely if they would employ themselves L in the execution of their designs and if having conceived in their minds high and noble attempts they forbore not to accomplish the same notwithstanding the execution cost them their lives These speeches of theirs were entertained by the people with great pleasure and by the same they were the more confirmed and heartened to Rebellion So that there was no kind of evil which these men set not abroach yea the whole Nation was so full of miseries that it was impossible to relate them For the Wars went on with such fury that it was impossible to restrain the violence thereof so that they neither spared friends nor enemies but were wholly given over to the spoil Slaughters Thefts Seditions and Famine in Judaea There was nothing but Robberies and Murthers of the Nobility under pretence to establish the state of the Commonweal but in effect for their private profit M sake whereby the Cities were ruined with Seditions and Murthers in which the Inhabitants killed one another after a strange manner of fury and desire they had not to spare any that was not of their Faction They were afflicted with Forreign Enemies and Famine yet none of these could pacifie their fury nor make them forbear to destroy Cities and shed innocent Blood till at length the horrible mischief took such a head The Temple of Jerusalem burnt that they consumed the Temple of God and burned all the stately buildings So dangerous a thing it is to change the Customs and Manners of a Countrey For Judas and Sadoc having introduced and raised a fourth Sect Judas and Sadoâ— the Authors of the fourth Sect. and tying the Sectaries to their command filled the whole Commonweal with many troubles and planted the roots of those mischiefs which afterwards spred abroad from this unaccustomed N Sect. For which cause I think it not amiss to discourse briefly of these Sectaries opinions whereby so many evils have fallen upon our Nation A CHAP. II. Of the four sorts of Sectaries that were among the Jews THere were three Sects among the Jews of long continuance and Antiquity Hedio Ruffinus c. 11. al 5 that of the Esseans that of the Saducees and that of those who were called Pharisees Of these we have spoken in our second Book Three Sects of whom mention is made in the second Book of the Wars of the Jews of the Wars of the Jews and yet now I think it not amiss to speak somewhat of them in this place also The Pharisees use a very austere and strict kind of life and addict not themselves to any delicacy but diligently B follow that which their reason induceth them unto They honour their Elders neither dare they reply or reproach them for their admonitions They attribute all things unto fate The Pharisees Doctrine and yet they take not an assent of will from man supposing that God tempereth all things in such sort that by his Ordinance and man's will all things are performed good or evil They believe also that the Souls of men are immortal and that after death they receive their reward according as they have addicted themselves to virtue or vice in their life times the one to lie in perpetual Prison the other to rise again very shortly For which cause they are in great esteem among the people and all that which appertaineth to the service of God whether they be Prayers or Sacrifices all things are done according as they give direction So ample a Testimony C do the Cities yield of their wisdom The Saducees opinion temperance and honest life But the Saducees are of that opinion that the Souls of men perish with their Bodies They observe no other thing but that which is in the Law and hold it a Virtue to dispute with their Masters concerning the Decrees of their Sect. Their opinion is entertained by very few yet such who for the most part are men of the best account there is hardly any thing done without their advice And when they are advanced to any honours they are enforced to allow of that which the Pharisees shall propose otherwise the common people will not endure them The Esseans Opinion The Esseans attribute unto God the Government and disposition of all things They say that the Souls of men are immortal and all the uttermost of their endeavour and delight is to maintain Justice and Equity They send their Offerings D unto the Temple yet sacrifice they not with other men by reason they use more sacred and different Ceremonies for which cause they are secluded out of the common Temple The Esseans life and manners and sacrifice a-part Otherwise they are men of most reconciled behaviour and such as are wholly addicted to cultivate their Land They have one custom which is worthy admiration and such a one as is not to be found amongst any other either
for they sent Ambassadours to Claudius to appease him and by this means they obtained the favour to remain in Judaea The Jews themselves were the cause of those Wars which began under Florus After this they gave beginning to those most grievous mischiefs and calamities that befell the Jews for they C spred the Seed of the War which was awakened under Florus's Government And for that cause after that Vespasian had obtained the Victory as it shall be hereafter declared he caused them to depart out of that Province and made them seek their Habitation elsewhere H THE TWENTIETH BOOK Of the ANTIQUITIES of the JEWS I Written by FLAVIUS JOSEPHUS The Contents of the Chapters of the Twentieth Book K 1. The Emperour Claudius taketh the Government of Syria from Marsus and giveth it to Longinus Fadus Governour of Judaea punisheth some seditious People and Robbers who disturbed the Province He commands the Jews to carry back the High Priest's Vestment to the Fort Antonia but the Emperour giveth them leave to keep them at young Agrippa's request He was King Agrippa the Great 's Son and was then at Rome 2. Izates King of Andiabena and Queen Helena his Mother embrace the Religion of the Jews Their singular Piety and the great Actions of this Prince whom God L protects visibly Fadus Governour of Judaea punisheth a man and his followers who deceived the Jews 3. Tiberius Alexander succeeds Fadus in the Government of Judaea and Cumanus succeeds Alexander Herod King of Chalcis's death his Children Claudius the Emperour giveth his Dominions to Agrippa 4. The horrid Insolence of a Roman Soldier causeth the death of twenty thousand Jews Another Soldier 's Insolence 5. A great Quarrel between the Jews of Galilee and the Samaritans who bribe Cumanus Governour of Judaea Quadratus Governour of Syria sends him to Rome M with Ananias the High Priest and several others to clear themselves before the Emperour who put some of them to death The Emperour condemns the Samaritans and banisheth Cumanus maketh Foelix Governour of Judaea giveth Agrippa the Tetrarchy that Philip had viz. Bathanaea Trachonit and Abila and taketh Chalcis from him The Marriage of Agrippa's Sisters The death of the Emperour Claudius Nero succeeds after him He giveth the Lesser Armenia to Aristobulus Herod's Son King of Chalcis and to Agrippa some part of Galilee viz. Tiberiades Tarichee and Juliad 6. Foelix Governour of Judaea causeth Eleazar the High Priest to be murthered and his Murtherers commit other Murthers even in the Temple Robbers and False N Prophets are punished A great debate betwixt the Jews and the other Inhabitants of Caesarea King Agrippa establisheth Ishmael High Priest Violences committed by the High Priests 7. Foestus succeeds Foelix in the Government of Judaea The Inhabitants of Caesarea obtain of Nero to have the Jews Freedom recalled King Agrippa causeth an Apartment to be built from whence all that was done about the Temple might be seen the people of Jerusalem cause a high Wall to be built to hinder it by the Emperour's Authority 8. Albinus succeeds Foestus in the Government of Judaea and King Agrippa giveth O and taketh away often the High Priesthood Ananus the High Priest causeth Saint James to be put to death Agrippa enlargeth the City of Caesarea and calleth it Neronias A 9. How Florus Albinus's Successor offered many injuries to the Jews which constrained them to take Arms against the Romans CHAP. I. The Emperour Claudius taketh the Government of Syria from Marsus and giveth it B to Longinus Fadus Governour of Judaea punisheth some seditious People and Robbers who disturbed the Province He commands the Jews to carry back the High Priest's Vestment to the Fort Antonia but the Emperour giveth them leave to keep them at young Agrippa's request He was King Agrippa the Great 's Son and was then at Rome AFter King Agrippa's decease as we have heretofore declared in our former Book the Emperour Claudius sent Cassius Longinus to succeed Marsus in the Government of Syria whom he deprived of that Honour in memory of Agrippa who during his C life time Hedio Ruffinus cap 1. had oftentimes required by Letters that he should not suffer Marsus to govern the State of Syria As soon as Cuspius Fadus came into Jewry Cassius Longinus Prefect of Syria to take charge of that Countrey which he was to govern under Caesar he found the Jews that dwelt on the other side of Jordan in an uproar who had taken Arms against the Philadelphians about the limits of a certain Village called Mia which was stored with valiant men Those who inhabit beyond Jordan had armed themselves in this manner without the consent of their Governours and had killed a great numper of the Philadelphians Fadus punisheth the Jews for their Insurrection against the Philadelphians Which when Fadus understood he was much displeased for that they had not reserved the cause to his hearing and complained to him of the D Philadelphians but were so bold of their own Authority and without fear as to take up Arms. Having therefore apprehended some three of them who had been Authors of the Sedition he commanded them to Prison and executed one of them called Annibas Annibas executed Amaramus and Eleazar banished and banished the other two whose names were Amram and Eleazar Not long after this Tholomaeus the Captain of the Thieves was also taken and brought unto him who commanded him to be executed for having committed many Robberies in Idumaea and Arabia Tholomaeus the Arch-thief and by this means all the Countrey of Judaea was cleared of all Thieves by the care and providence of Fadus After this he sent for the High Priests Fadus requireth that the High Priest's Garment should be delivered into the power of the Romans and kept in the Castle of Antonia aliàs chap 2. and the Governours of Jerusalem commanding them according to the Emperour's direction to deliver up into the Castle of Antonia the Sacred Robe E which the High Priest only was accustomed to wear to the end that it might be at the Romans disposal as in times past it had been They durst not contradict his Command yet notwithstanding they required Fadus and Longinus who at that time was come to Jerusalem with a great power for fear the Jews by reason of this Injunction should raise a Rebellion first that it may be lawful for them to send their Ambassadours unto Caesar to beseech him that the Sacred Robe might remain in their custody Secondly that it might please them to expect the answer which Caesar would return to their request The Jews deliver Pledges to the intent they might be permitted to send Letters to Caesar Fadus gave them this answer that he permitted them to send their Ambassadours to Rome provided that before-hand they delivered him their Children for Hostages which when they had readily performed the Ambassadours were sent
side he caused him to be killed by finding out a means to cause him to be stifled at such time as he bathed himself in a Fish-pond near to Jericho Aristobulus slain by Herod as we have declared before this After him he bestowed the Priesthood no more on any of the Line of the Asmoneans Archelaus his Son supra l 15. c. 3. followed his Father's steps in respect of the Priesthood and from that time forward the Romans have enjoyed the Sovereignty over Jewry All they then that have exercised the Priesthood from Herod's time until the day that Titus took the City and the Temple have been in all twenty and eight All the continuance of their Government was one hundred and seven years Some of these governed during Herod's I life and in the days of Archelaus his Son But after these two were dead the Government was Aristocratical or of the Nobility wherein the Priests had the Government over the whole Nation Thus much have we thought fit to speak at this time concerning the High Priests CHAP. IX How Florus Albinus's Successor offered many injuries to the Jews which constrained them to take Arms against the Romans K GEssius Florus being sent by Nero to succeed Albinus filled all Judaea with many mischiefs and miseries The year of the World 4028. after Christ's Nativity 66. He was a Clazomenian born and was married to a certain Woman called Cleopatra no less mischievous than himself who being beloved by Poppea Nero's Wife obtained this Dignity for him He behaved himself so insolently and violently in all his Government Gessius Florus Governour of Judaea that through the great injustice he committed the Jews praised Albinus as if he had been their Benefactor For he concealed his mischief taking care lest it should be discovered But Gessius Florus behaved himself so Gessius Florus worse than Albinus as if he had been sent to make open shew and sale of his Villanies published his injustice in the ears of our Nation without omitting any injustice in executing L and inflicting punishment on the innocent For he was pitiless and covetous and made no difference between Noble and Ignoble and was not ashamed to be partaker with Thieves of whom there were divers who made it their profession to steal without any fear in that they were assured of their safety because he was partaker with them The year of the World 4030. after Christs Nativity 68. And in a word there was no moderation in him so that the poor Jews being unable to endure such insolence were constrained to abandon their own houses and to fly their Countrey and remain in some more commodious place of security yea though it were among strangers What need I speak any more he that constrained us to draw our Swords against the Romans Florus the original cause of the Wars of the Jews was Florus we made this account that it was better for us to die all at once than to perish by little and little M In short the War began the second year of Florus's Government in that Province which was the twelfth year of Nero's Empire The beginning of the Wars but they that desire to know exactly all that which we have been constrained both to do and suffer may persue may Books of the Wars of the Jews For which cause in this place I will end this ancient History This ancient History containeth all that which hath been reported to be done since the first Creation of man The Epilogue of the Antiquities of the Jews until the twelfth year of Nero's Empire omitting nothing that hath befallen the Jews as well in Egypt as in Syria and Palestine All that likewise which we have been enforced to suffer under the Assyrians and Babylonians as also our Estate under the Persians and Macedonians and finally under the Romans N All this as I suppose I have compiled and gathered together with careful diligence and I have enforced my self to recite the number of those who have been High Priests for the space of two thousand years I have also collected the Succession of Kings their Actions and Government with the power of their Monarchies according as it is amply described in Holy Scriptures as also I have promised in the beginning of my History Moreover I dare boldly say that whatsoever I set down is so true that there is no man either Jew or of what Nation soever yea although he should have employed the uttermost of his power could more exactly communicate the same unto the Greeks than I have done For in their Confessions and Opinions who are of our Nation Joseph expert in the Greek and Hebrew Tongue I have such knowledge in that which concerneth our O Doctrine as I surpass them all And as for the Grecian Disciplines I have studied and learned the Tongue although I cannot boast of the familiar and fit Pronunciation A of the same for that I have lived in the Countrey For amongst us we make but slender reckoning of those who are exercised in divers Tongues for that this Study is accounted Prophane by us and common not only to free persons but also unto slaves and they only are esteemed to have profited in Wisdom who fully know the Contents of the Law and who can expound the Holy Scriptures For this cause although divers have busied themselves in this exercise of writing Histories yet there are scarcely two or three of them that have written successfully and have received the Fruits of their Labours And it may be that it will not be thought amiss if I freely speak somewhat of my Progeny and Life considering that there are men at this day living who can approve or reprove me in that I set down This Volume was written And in this place I will make an end of B my Antient History which I have reduced into twenty Books containing sixty thousand Verses The year of the World 4057. after Christ's Nativity 95. And if God grant me life I will shortly treat of our Wars and the events of the same that have happened hitherto which is the thirteenth year of Domitianus Caesar's Empire and the fifty sixth year of my Age. Moreover I am resolved to discover in four Books the divers Opinions of the Sects of the Jews as touching God and his Essence and our Laws according to which certain things are permitted us and others are forbidden The End of the Antiquities of the Jews THE Lamentable Tragical HISTORY OF THE WARS AND UTTER RUINE OF THE JEWS Comprised in Seven BOOKS BY FLAVIUS JOSEPHUS The Son of MATTHIAS Formerly Translated into English By Tho. Lodge D. M. P. And now Revised the Translation refined according to the late French Copy of it Published by Monsieur Arnauld D' Andilly LONDON Printed for Abel Roper Nathanael Ranew Jonathan Robinson and Obadiah Tomlins 1675. A THE B PREFACE C In which the Author taxeth divers
now lay murthered and naked in the open streets left as it were a prey to be torn in pieces by Doggs and wild Beasts Was Virtue ever more insolently outraged And could she N without shedding Tears behold Vice thus triumph over her A The FIFTH BOOK Of the WARS of the JEVVS B Written by Flavius Josephus The Contents of the Chapters of the Fifth Book 1 OF another Massacre and of the Return of the Idumeans and the Cruelty of the Zealots 2 Of the Civil Discord amongst the Jews 3 Of the Yielding of Gadara and the Massacre there C 4 How certain Towns were Taken and the Description of Jericho 5 Of the Lake called Asphaltites 6 How Gerasa was Destroyed the Death of Nero Galba and Otho 7 Of Simon of Gerasa Author of a new Conspircy 8 Of Galba Otho Vitellius and Vespasian 9 Of Simon 's Acts against the Zealots 10 How Vespasian was chosen Emperour 11 The Description of Aegypt and Pharus 12 How Vespasian Redeemed Joseph from Captivity 13 Of Vitellus his Death and Manners D 14 How Titus was sent against the Jews by his Father CHAP. I. Of another Massacre and of the Return of the Idumeans and the Cruelty of the Zealots SUch was the end of Ananus and Jesus After whose death the Idumeans and E the Zealots massacred the People as though they had been a flock of pernitious Beasts and very few escaped the Butchery The Nobility and chief sort of men were put in Prison The cruelty of the Idumeans and the Zealots in hope that by deferring their death some of them would become partakers with them Yet none was hereby moved but every one desired to die rather than impiously to joyn with these Wretches against their own Country Whereupon they were most cruelly whipped before they were put to Death their Bodies being made as it were one sore place by Whipping and Stripes and when they could not endure these Torments any longer they were killed Who so was taken in the day time was in the night carried to Prison and those that died in Prison and Torments they cast their dead Bodies out F that they might have place to imprison others in their room The People were so terrified that none durst weep openly for his Friend nor bury the dead Body of his Kinsman yea those that were in Prison durst not openly weep but secretly looking about them lest any of their Enemies should see them For whosoever mourned for any that was afflicted was presently himself used in the same manner as he had been for whom he lamented Yet sometimes some in the night scraped up a little earth with their hands and therewithal covered the dead body of their Friend and some bolder than the rest did the like in the day-time 12000 of the Nobility executed And in this general slaughter were twelve thousand young Noblemen slain in this manner After which being hated for these Massacres they mocked and flouted the Magistrates and made no account of their Judgments So that when they determined to put to death Zachary the Son of Baruch one of the chief of G the City because he was an Enemy to their wickedness and loved the virtuous and one that was rich by whose death they hoped not only to have the spoil of his goods but also to be rid of one who might be able to resist their bad purposes they called seventy of H the best amongst the common People together as it were in Judgment with a pretended Authority and before them they accused Zacharie that he had betrayed the Common-wealth to the Romans and for that intent had sent to Vespasian but they neither shewed any evidence or proof thereof but only affirmed it to be so and therefore would have credit given to their words When Zacharie perceived that under pretence of being called to Judgement Zacharie condemned to death by the Zealots he was unjustly cast into Prison though he had no hope of Life yet he spared not to speak freely his mind and began to scorn the rage and pretence of his Enemies and purged himself of the crimes whereof he was accused and converting his speech against his Accusers he laid open all their Iniquities and much lamented the miseries and troubles I of the City In the mean-while the Zealots gnashed their teeth and could scarcely contain themselves from drawing their Swords and were desirous that their pretended Accusation and Judgment might be ended He also requested them who by these Miscreants were appointed his Judges Seventy Judges absolve acquit Zacharie to remember Justice notwithstanding the danger they might incur by it The seventy Judges all pronounced that he was to be absolved and freed as guiltless and rather chose to die than to cause his death who was Innocent This Sentence being pronounced the Zealots began to shout and cry with a loud voice and they all were angry at the Judges Zacharie slain in the midst of the Temple who did not understand to what end that counterfeit K Authority was given them Then two of the boldest amongst them set upon Zacharie and killed him in the midst of the Temple and insulted over him saying Thou hast now our Sentence and Absolution far more certain than the other was And presently they cast him down from the Temple into the Valley below and then contumeliously with the Hilts of their Swords they beat the Judges out of the Temple yet they did not kill them to the end that being dispersed thorow the whole City they might tell the People as Messengers from them of their miserable condition The Idumeans were now sorrowful for their coming One of the Zealots discovereth their cruelty and barbarous dealing to the Idumeans for they misliked these proceedings and being assembled together one of the Zealots secretly told them all that their Faction had done from the beginning that it was true the Idumeans had taken Arms L because they were informed that the Metropolitan City was by the Priests betray'd to the Romans but they might perceive there was no proof nor sign of any such matter and that indeed the Zealots who pretended themselves Defenders of the Liberty of the City were indeed Enemies and had exercised Tyranny over the Citizens even from the beginning And though they had associated themselves with such wicked persons and made themselves partakers of so many Murthers yet they ought now to cease from such wickedness and not assist men so impious to destroy their Country and Religion For though they took it in bad part that the City Gates were shut upon them yet now they were sufficiently revenged of those that were the cause thereof That Ananus himself was slain and almost all the People in one night whereof M many of them ere long would repent and that they might now themselves perceive the cruelty of those who requested their aid to be more than barbarous had not
them We ought indeed to grant the Superiority to the Grecians in all that concerneth Eloquence and the Ornament of Language but not in that which appertaineth to Antiquity or Truth of History and especially in what concerneth the truth of ancient History and what hath passed in every Country Wherefore as the Egyptians and Babylonians long since used all diligence in writing because their Priests were hereunto enjoyned who did most curiously treat of all such matters the same also did the Chaldees amongst the Babylonians and the Phoenicians also inhabiting amongst the Greeks taught them to use Registers both concerning publick K and private affairs which because all men confess I will omit to speak off I let pass also to recount what care our Nation hath had of this point no doubt greater than those Nations above mentioned had charging our High Priests and Prophets to execute this Office which Custom hath been observed even until this Age and if I may presume so far will be observed in all succeeding Ages as by my ensuing discourse I will endeavour to make manifest For our Nation did not only depute this Office to the most virtuous and religious men amongst them in the beginning and to such as were consecrated to the Service of God but they also provided to preserve the Line and Descent of Priests from all impurity and from being intermingled with others For no man amongst us can be a Priest who is not born of a Woman descended from the same L Line Neither in this case is any respect made either of Riches or Honours but the party who claimeth the dignity of Priesthood must by many Witnesses prove his Genealogy and that he is descended from Priests This Custom is not only of force in Judea but wheresoever else any of our Nation inhabit A custom which the Priests observed as in Egypt and Babylon and in any other place where continually the Priests in their Marriages have this respect not to marry with any Woman that is not of their own Line they send to Jerusalem the Name and Pedigree of the Woman whom they have married and all the Testimony hereof which they can deduce from her Ancestors Now if War molest our Nation as often it hath in the time of Antiochus sirnamed Epiphanes of Pompey the Great Quintilius Varus and especially in this our Age then M those Priests who survive make new Genealogies and Pedigrees out of the ancient Registers for those that remain of the Sacerdotal Race And they marry none that have been Captives for fear they may have had commerce with strangers What more evident token can there be of the Priests integrity than that every Priest during the revolution of two thousand years is Registred together with the Names of their Fathers The Priests amongst the Jews are every one registred with the name of their Fathers and this custom contiuued two thousand years and if any one do erre or falsify any of the things before-said he is then interdicted from the Altar and from exercising any Priestly function So that in the Writings of such men all things must of necessity be true and as they ought to be for that neither all men are permitted to write nor yet any dissonance and disagreement is found in their Writings For such things as past in ancient times beyond the memory of men were only written by N our Prophets who had the knowledge thereof by inspiration from God himself but other things of latter time are only recorded by those who lived in the Age wherein the things they writ of were done The Books amongst us containing the Histories of all Ages are neither infinite nor one repugnant to another Two and twenty Books of holy Writ for all our Chronicle is contained in 22 Books to which Books it is impiety to deny credit Five of these Books were written by Moses comprehending Genealogies and the beginning of mankind with such notable events as hapned even from the beginning of the World til his death which is little less than three thousand years After the death of Moses till the time wherein Artaxerxes lived who was King of the O Persians and Son to Xerxes every one of the Prophets of our Nation wrote the History A of his time wherein be lived so that of these mens Writings we have thirteen Books the four other Books which make up the Number already mentioned are known to contain holy Hymns made to the praise of God and wholsome Precepts for mans life and conversation All things which from Artaxerxes until our time have hapned are also set down in writing yet the Books wherein they are registred do not deserve so much credit as the former of ancient times for that there was no certain succession of Prophets in that Age. Moreover it is evident that to the former works we give as great credit as to things which we our selves write and notwithstanding they have been so long written yet in all that time no man durst presume either to alter or to blot out any thing therein contained For all Jews even from their Cradle do believe these B Books to be sacred and divine and therefore give all credit possible unto them yea and would willingly suffer death rather than do the contrary Many Captives of our Nation have been cruelly tormented and divers ways put to death in open Theaters The Jews and Grecians are compared together only for that they would not commit any thing either in word or deed against their Laws nor violate the writings of their fore-fathers Now who amongst the Greeks did ever sustain the like Nay they are so far from doing it that none can be found among them who would suffer any loss in his goods or fortunes to preserve all the writings of their Nation from destruction and the reason hereof is because every one esteemeth the verity of their Histories to depend upon the will of the Writer And this they do also concerning their most ancient Historians and not C without cause for they every day see men of their own times writing Histories of matters long before past in former ages Some others have written of â—he Wars of the Jews wherein neither themselves were present neither yet do they vouchsafe to credit the writings of such as were then eye-witnesses thereof yea some among them have divulged Histories of such things as of late befel our Nation when themselves never have been in the place where such matters past as they writ of nor have lived in any neighbour place where they might have probable report how matters past but only compiling a few broken stories they most impudently arrogate to their patcht stuff the name of a History I my self have composed a most true History of the last War Joseph was present in all the Wars of the Jews and of every particular thing there done as well I might having been present
deny For all the Egyptians in general are our Enemies and among the Phoenicians they especially of Tyre which I cannot justly say of the Chaldees who having been Princes over our Nation and because of their affinity and alliance with our Countrymen have in their Chronicles made mention of the Jews When I have proved what I now aver and refeld the slanderous reports against us I will then also N shew who amongst the Greeks have spoken of us that so the Greeks may also be deprived of this shift and refuge to excuse their malicious lies falsly forged against our Nation And first of all I will begin with the Writings of the Egyptians Manethon an Egyptian Writer who as they well know do nothing at all favour us Manethon an Egyptian born skilful in the Greek tongue as by his Works appears for he writ in Greek compiling a History of the Customs and Religion of his fore-Fathers collected as himself reporteth out of the Egyptian holy Writings often reprehendeth Herodotus of falshood through ignorance in the affairs of the Egyptians This Manethon in his second Book of the Egyptian Customs saith thus I will set down his own Words because I use them as a witness We have a King saith he named Timaeus in whose Reign God being angry with us contrary to all O expectation an obscure People took courage came from the East and pitching their Tents A in our Country over-ran it and no man resisted them and committing our Princes to bonds they burnt our Cities and destroyed the Temples of our gods and behaved themselves most cruelly against the Inhabitans killing many of them and making Slaves of the rest with their Wives and Children Finally they chose a King of their own and gave him the Government of our Country his Name was Saltis who coming to Memphis made the higher and lower Provinces Tributaries Saltis 〈◊〉 the Egyptians leaving Garrisons in the strong holds and fortifying certain places in the East And weighing with himself that the Assyrians were more potent than he and would in probability invade his Country he found out in this Province an ancient City called Saite fit for his purpose as being scituate on the East side of the River Bubastis which by an ancient Divine was called Avaris he repaired this City compassed it B with vast Walls and put a Garison in it of two hundred thousand armed men Saltis made this incursion in harvest time to the intent that he might both pay his Souldiers and be a terrour unto other people and after he had reigued nineteen years he died After him succeeded anothe King called Baeon who reigned four and forty years next to him Aphinas who reighned thirty six years and seven months then Aphosis who reigned threescore and one years and then Iandas who reigned fifty years and one month after them also reigned Alsis nine and forty years and two months and these six were the first Kings amongst them Kings Shepherds ever destroying and warring upon the Egyptians and labouring to extinguish their race This Nation was called Hicsos which signifieth Kings shepherds For Hic in the sacred Tongue signifieth a King and Sos C a Shepherd or shepherds according to the common speech and Hicsos is a compound word Some say these People were Arabians but in other Copies I find that Hicsos is not interpreted Kings shepherds but shepherds that were Captives For Hic and Hac also when it is pronounced doth in the Egyptian tongue signify a Captive and this latter exposition seemeth to me to be the truest for it is more agreeable with the History Wherefore Manethon reporteth these foresaid Kings and Shepherds to have ruled Egypt five hundred and eleven years and after these the King of Thebes and the King of the Residue of Egypt uniting their forces invaded the said Shepherds had great and long Wars with them and that the said Shepherds were overcome by the King Alisfragumthosis that then they lost all Egypt which had been in their power that they D were shut up in a place called Avarus containing ten thousand acres of ground which as Manethon reporteth these Shepherds environed round about with a huge Wall to the end that their whole Provision might be within their Fortifications and the prey which they got in a condition to be defended That Themosis Son of the said Alisfragumthosis endeavoured by force to subdue them and for this cause besieged them with four hundred and 80000 men That at last despairing to take them by force he capitulated with them that they should safely depart out of Egypt whither they would and that they upon these Conditions together with all their Families and Goods and Cattel departed out of Egypt into the Wilderness and so into Syria being in number two hundred and forty thousand and that fearing the puissance of the Assyrians E who at that time reigned in Asia they builded a City in the Country now called Judaea which they made so large that it might receive them all and this City they called Jerusalem Further the said Manethon in another Book of the Egyptian Affairs saith That in the holy Writings he findeth the feresaid Shepherds called Captives wherein he saith true For our Ancestors were wont to feed cattel and so leading a pastoral life were called Shepherds neither are they unjustly called Captives For our fore-Father Joseph told the King of Egypt that he was a Captive and long time after called his Brethren into Egypt by the Kings Command but we will hereafter examin this point more straitly I will now cite the Testimony of the Egyptians concerning this point and relate the words of Manethon touching the time when this befel who saith F as followeth After that the Nation of Shepherds were departed out of Egypt unto Jerusalem King Themosis who drave them out of the Land reigned twenty five years and four months and then died And his Son Chebron succeeded him who reigned thirteen years and after him Amenophis twenty years and seven months next his Sister Amesses one and twenty years and nine months then reigned Mephios twelve years and nine months and Mephamuthosis twenty five years and ten months Themosis nine years and eight months Amenophis thirty years and ten months Orus thirty six years and five months after him his Daughter Achemcheres twelve years and one months and the Brother of Rathotis nine years Achencheres twelve years and five months another Achencheres G twelve years and three months Armais four years and one month Armesis one year and four months Armesesmiamus threescore and six years and two months Amenophis nineteen years and six months Sethosis King of Egypt made his Brother Armais Governour of his Country Moreover that Sethosis having prepar'd a huge Army H both of foot and horse and a Navy at Sea left the Government of Egypt unto his Brother Armais investing him with soveraign Authority only he forbad him
why had Amenophis this desire Forsooth because a certain King one of his Predecessors had seen them he therefore knowing by him what things they were and how he came to the sight of them needed no new device to accomplish his desire But perhaps the foresaid Prophet was a Man of great G wisdom by whom the King had confidence to attain his desire if so he had been how chanceth it that he was so unwise not to perceive that it was an impossible thing to satisfy the Kings desire for that which he promised was not brought to pass Or what H reason moved him to think that the Gods were invisible because of the Leprosie and infirmity of the people The Gods are offended with mens impieties not with the defects of their bodies And how was it possible that at one instant so many thousand Lepers and infirm persons should be gathered together or wherein did not the King obey the Prophet He commanded that the Lepers and infirme persons should be exiled the Country and the King did not banish them the Country but sent them to hew Stones as though he had needed workmen and not purposed to cleanse the Country from Lepers Lastly he saith that the Prophet foreseeing that Egypt was to suffer and fearing the wrath of the Gods killed himself and left his mind in a Book written unto the King How chanced it then that the Prophet did not at first foresee his own death and so oppose I himself to the Kings desire to see the Gods Or wherefore did he fear such calamities as were not to fall in his life or what great misery hanged over his head which might worthily cause him to kill himself to prevent it But let us hear that which followeth more sottish than all the rest The King saith he heariug this Manethon's words repeated and striken with fear did not however expel those Lepers he ought to have exiled but at their request gave them as he saith a City wherein before time the Shepherds did inhabit called Avaris whereinto being come they made a Priest of Heliopolis their Prince who devised Laws for them commanding them neither to adore the Gods nor to abstain from offering violence to such beasts as amongst the Egyptians are sacred but that they should kill and K spoil all things that they should marry with none but such as were their confederates that he bound the people with an oath to keep those Laws and that they fortified Avaris to fight against the King Adding moreover that he sent to Jerusalem for help promising to yield Avaris unto them being a place sometime possessed by their Ancestors and that they from that place leading their Forces might easily subdue all Egypt he then saith that the Egyptian King Amenophis came against them with 300000 and yet for that he would not strive against the decree of the Gods he fled into Aethiopia and carried with him Apis and other Holy Beasts and that the inhabitants of Jerusalem coming down invaded the Land fired the Towns and Cities slew their Nobles used all sorts of cruelty possible and that the Priests name who made Laws and Statutes for L them to live under was one of Heliopolis Osarsiphus by name deriving the same from Osiris the God of Heliopolis and that this man changing his name was afterward called Moses Moreover that Amenophis having lived in banishment thirty years came with a strong power out of Aethiopia and fighting with the shepherds and polluted he slew many of them and put the rest to flight pursuing them unto the borders of Syria Manethon remembreth not that here again he telleth a very unlikely tale for although the Lepers and impotent persons were offended with the King for appointing them to hew Stones yet it is to be thought that receiving their own desire at the Kings hands afterwards to wit a City to dwell in that then they again became the Kings well-willers Supposing also their hatred still continued towards him they rather should have M attempted revenge by treason against him than towards all their Nation wherein they had many dear friends and alliance And although they had purposed to War against these men yet would they not have been so impious as to have rebelled against the Gods and to have violated the Laws wherein they were brought up We have therefore cause to thank Manethon A confutation of Manethon's words alledged in that he cleareth us and affirmeth his own country-men yea a Priest to be authors of this impiety and that by oath they bound themselves so to do What can be more extravigant than to say that neither any of their country-men nor kinsmen rebelled with them but that the poor distressed people were glad to send to Jerusalem for succour But what society or friendship had they with the people of Jerusalem of whom they came to demand help N Why they were more their Enemies than the rest of their Country-men and were all of quite different manners from us They of Jerusalem as he saith presently did as they were willed to do in hope that according as they were promised they might subdue Egypt Were they ignorant of that Country out of which they had been driven by force had they lived in poverty or misery perhaps they might have been induced to have done it but seeing they inhabited a fortunate and rich City and possessed a goodly fertile soil far better than Egypt what might move them thereto What reason had they at the request of their ancient Enemies and they also so diseased as they of Jerusalem could not abide their own friends among them that had the O like diseases to thrust themselves into danger they could not fore-know the Kings A intent to fly as for Manethon himself he saith he met them at Pelusia with 300000 men And this they that went to War well knew But what reason had they to conjecture that the Kings mind would change and he flye As to what he charges upon the Auxiliaries from Jerusalem that they seized upon the stores and secur'd all the Corn that was in Egypt which brought great distress and exigence upon the people hath he forgot that considering they entred as Enemies they are not thereby to be reproached Rapacity being unavoidable among Souldiers especially if Strangers and Conquerours Hath he forgot he said before that the Lepers had done the same formerly and had to that purpose obliged themselves by oath and that he assured us that some years after Amenophis repelled the Jerusalem-Confederats and Lepers slew B many of them drove them out of those parts and pursued them to the very borders of Syria as if Egypt was a Country so easily conquer'd or that those who were then in possession meerly by conquest would not upon the first alarme of Amenophis's march have block'd up the passages and secured the Avenues on that side towards Aethiope which they might easily have done and
what more She set before her Childrens Eyes the examples of the Prophets how Abel by his brother was slain Isaac to be offered in stead of a sacrifice how Jacob was banished Joseph kept in prison Daniel cast before the Lions the three Children into the O fiery furnace She rehearsed also unto them the Book of Isaiah where it is said Although A thou do go through the fire the flame shall not burn thee That of David The just shall have much tribulation and Solomon who proposeth the tree of life to such as do the will of God The joy of the blessed in everlasting Life not omitting that of Ezeckiel These dry and withered bones shall live again Also that of Moses Canticle I will kill and restore to life and the length of your days is in my hand Unhappy Tyrant what did thy Cauldrons red hot and thy torments profit thee what availed thee to cut away their Eye-lids and to pull out their tongues thou thy self for so doing dost now endure far worse than all these And they whom thou killedst believe me enjoy Everlasting comfort and are now secure of bliss and revenge For they who suffer for Gods sake shall have happy success when God the Father of all things shall reward them with life everlasting that follow B him Thus have I consecrated these worthy memorials which I find in the holy Scriptures of the sacred Maccabees to the reading of all men who shall live in any age hereafter The end of all Josephus Works FINIS PHILO'S RELATION H OF AN EMBASSY I In which he was the Chief Person From the Jews of Alexandria to the Emperour CAIUS CALIGULA The PREFACE of Philo upon the blindness of man and the incomprehensible K Grandeur and Majesty of God HOW long shall we confound old Age and Infancy and be as imprudent at sixty as at sixteen For what greater imprudence can there be than to look upon Fortune as a settled and certain thing when there is nothing more inconstant and to consider this Nature which is immutable as subject to continual changes Is it not to invert the order of things and shuffle them together like Counters to fix our Eyes upon uncertain things as if they were more firm and durable than those which were certain The reason of this Error L proceeds from this that present objects doe more easily affect Men of ordinary understanding than objects that are more remote and most men do allow more credit to their Senses though deceitfull than to the reflections of their mind because nothing is more easy than to suffer our selves to be taken with what is presented to our Eyes whereas there must be Argumentation and Reason to comprehend things that are future and invisible Not but that the Eye of the Soul is as quick and piercing as the Eye of the Body but some people dazle it by their intemperance and others by their stupidity which is the greatest fault of all So many extraordinary events happening in our Age inforces a beleif that there is a providence and that God Almighty takes particular care of virtuous Men who have recourse to him in their necessityes and more especially of those who are consecrated to his service M They are as it were the partage and propriety of this Supream Soveraign whose Empire has no end To these people the Chaldeans gave the name of Israelits which is as much as to say Seers of God and certainly it is an happiness preferrable to all the Treasures of the Earth For if the presence of those whose age renders them venerable to us as our Masters Superiours and Parents imprints so great a respect in us that it many times corrects our Enormities and disposes us to virtue How great an advantage and incouragment is it to us to elevate our minds above all Created things and accustom our selves to the contemplation of God who is not only uncreated but infinitely good infinitely beautiful infinitely happy or to speak more properly whose goodness surpasses all goodness whose beauty surpasses all beauty and whose happiness surpasses all happiness and yet this is but a weak and imperfect explication N of his Grandeur for how can words be able to describe him who is so transcendently above every thing that after our mind has advanced it self as high towards him as is possible by the attributes which it has given him as by so many stairs yet it is forced back again without being able to approach or understand him for he is so vastly incomprehensible that if every Ceature of the Creation was changed into so many Tongues they could not express that sovereign power by which he Created all things that Royall conduct meriting an Eternal Monarch and by which he preserves the World and that just distribution of rewards and punishments which are dispensed with so much equity and wisdom that our chastisments may be put into the number of his Mercies and Blessings not only as they are part of his justice but as they are many times serviceable to the conversion of sinners or at least as they restrain and hinder O them from continuing in their Crimes for fear of those pains which they see inflicted upon others A CHAP. I. The incredible Felicity of the first seven Months of the Reign of the Emperour Caius Caligula The Emperour Caius Caligula is an Eminent example of what I have said Never was there seen a greater tranquillity than that which was injoyd by all the Provinces both by Sea and Land when he was advanced to the Empire after the death of Tiberius B The East the West the North and South were all in profound peace The Greeks had no difference with the Barbarians The Souldiers and Citizens lived quietly and in good intelligence together So great a felicity seemed to be incredible it could not be sufficiently admired that so young a Prince mounting the throne he should be attended with so much prosperity that his desires could not exceed his injoyments His Riches were immence his Forces both by Land Sea great and formidable his Revenues prodigious flowing into his Exchequer as from an inexhaustible Stream from all parts of the habitable World For his Empire extended to the Rhine and the Euphrates the first separating it from Germany and other wild Nations and the other bounding it from the Parthians Sarmatians Scythians and other people no less C barbarous than the Germans So that it might be said from the rising to the setting of the Sun not only upon the continent but in the Isles and even in the parts on the other side of the Sea all was in peace and felicity The people of Rome all Italy and all the Provinces both in Europe and Asia lived in a perpetual feast For it was never seen before under the Reign of any of their Emperours that every man by the blessing of God injoy'd his estate in that quietness and
the Consecration of the Statue to the Artists who being to make it excellent had required more time that it might be done more suitable to the dignity of the person it was design'd to represent He thought by this trick to gain time and it was likely Caius might comply because Harvest was at hand and he might very well apprehend that the Jews being made desperate and not valuing their Lives after the violation B of their Laws might burn their own Corn and destoy all their fruit which would be the more inconvenient because he was assured that Caius was upon a Voyage to Alexandria for it was not likely that he would expose himself wholly to the dangers of the Sea with so great a Train but rather steer his Course along the Shore of Asia and Syria where he might imbark and disimbarke as he pleased and have the benefit of his Long-boats of which he had 200 in his fleet to supply it with provisions and forrage which was requisite to be prepared in great quantities in all the Towns in Syria but especially the Ports by reason of the vast numbers which attended him as well from Italy as from all other parts of the world It was not doubted but this Letter would have been kindly received by Caius and C that he would have approved of the delay not in consideration of the Jews but for the convenience of making such provision of Victuals and therefore it was written and dispatched But the Choller of this Prince was so inflamed at the reading of it that his Eyes sparkled with fury and clapping his hands together in a great transport he said How Petronius Have not you yet learned to obey your Emperour Your great imployments have puff'd you up with pride aud it seems you know nothing of Caius but his Name but you shall know him better hereafter by your proper experience You have more consideration of the Laws of the Jews who are my mortal Enemies than for my Commands who am your Prince You apprehend their great numbers as if you had not an Army as great and terrible D to the King of Parthia and the whole East yet your compassion for that pitiful Nation is stronger than your desire to please and obey me You pretend forsooth the necessity of making provision for my passage to Alexandria as if I could not be accommodated from the neighbouring Provinces and as if the plenty of other Countries were not able to supply the sterility of Judea But why do I protract and spend time in unprofitable words 'T is by the death of this impudent fellow that I must convince him of the greatness of his fault and that mine anger never ceases though my threatnings may This furious Prince returned an Answer to Petronius but being fearful of provoking such of his Governours as were capable of raising Rebellion and particularly those E who commanded such potent and large Provinces as that upon the Euphrates and who had the command of such Armies as that which was then in Syria he dssembled his Choller applauded the descretion and prudence of Petronius only advised him by the by not to protract the Consecration of his Statue any longer for seeing Harvest was over there could be no considerable reason to defer it F G CHAP. XVI H King Agrippa comes to Rome and being told by Caius that he would have his Statue erected in the Temple of Jerusalem he falls into a swond having recollected himself he writes a Letter to Caius NOT long after King Agrippa arrived at the Emperors Court knowing nothing of the Letter from Petronius nor of the Answer which Caius had returned when Agrippa came to pay his duty to the Emperour he easily discovered by the manner I of his reception that he was highly offended He considered with himself whether he had done any thing that might disgust him but remembring nothing of that he concluded as was true that his passion was against some Body else Nevertheless observing that that agitation of Spirit appeared not in his Countenance but when he cast his Eyes upon him his fear continued and it came often into his mind to take notice of it to him but he forbore lest by an imprudent curiosity he should pull the anger of his Prince which was fixed upon other People upon himself No man seeing farther into Peoples thoughts then Caius he quickly perceived that Agrippa was disturbed and told him I will tell you what you are so desirous to understand You know me too well to be ignorant that I speak no less with my Eyes than with my Tongue K These honest men of your Nation are the only People who disdain to acknowledge me for a God and do seem to run themselves desperately into ruine by refusing their obedience to an order that I have given for the setting up a Statue of Jupiter in their Temple They have met together from all the Cities and Countries to present a Petition which in effect is nothing but to testify their contempt and disrespect to my Commands He would have proceeded but Agrippa was surprised with so violent a sorrow that he fainted before him and had fallen down had he not been sustained by those who were about him He was carried off to his Lodgings where he continued insensible for a considerable time The concernment of this poor Prince augmented the hatred that Caius had conceived L against our Nation If Agrippa said he who has alwayes had an affection for me and has been obliged to me by so many favours has so great a Passion for the Laws of his Country that he is not able to endure that I should cross them or so much as mention it to him without hatred to his Life what am I to expect from the rest of the Jews who are not obliged by any Consideration of me to abandon their sentiments All that day and a good part of the next Agrippa remain'd in such astonishment that he could not recollect himself at length about evening he began to lift up his head and opening his eyes with much trouble he cast them upon the People who were about him but knew no body and having done so he fainted again but with something more freedom of breath Not long after he opened his eyes again and coming a little to himself M Where am I said he with the Emperour and is he present Take courage Sir said some about him You are in your own Lodgings and the Emperour is not present You have slept enough awake now if you please and try if you know us Here are none but your Friends and your Servants whom you love and I am sure they love you beyond their own Lives Then the Prince opened his Eyes recollected himself and found by their countenances what an impression his malady had made in their hearts The Physitians caused the greatest part of those who were present to withdraw that they might