and fortunate City yet in nothing more happy than for that it alone doth in her bosom shrine so many so sacred and excellent Pledges of Piety yet should it be more happy if it could express their Virtues whose sacred Reliques it so Religiously keepeth and imitate their Manners whose Bodies it possesseth to wit if in sincerity of Religion it imitated the Piety of three Kings and the sacred purity of the eleven Virgins if it resembled the most Valiant young Men the Maccabees and the invincible Courage of that Woman whose valorous Constancy no misery could conquer And this best portion and part of her felicity this worthy City might bestow upon her self yea and double the same Do thou go forward in that which thou hast in hand to wit in spreading the praise of those Martyrs making that M virtuous example more commendable and your City more famous Farewel N O A FLAVIUS JOSEPHUS OF THE B RULE of REASON A most Eloquent Book corrected by DESIDERIUS ERASMUS Most lively setting down the Martyrdom of the C MACCABEES I Am at the instant request of Polibius of Megalopolis to put in writing the constant Sufferings of the Maccabees worthy all admiration not in a Rhetorical and pleasing stile but rather after our own country fashion thereby to exhort our Nation to patience in their Calamities Reason hath dominion over our passions But first of all it is necessary to speak something of Reason and assign unto it the power and virtue to deliberate For he who hath once fully determined to suffer all misery for D Gods sake is in my opinion already a Martyr It is therefore great merit to have so determined and therefore as above-said Reason governeth our inferiour passions and though destiny deny us opportunity to suffer yet have we suffered all in purposing to suffer all Whoso therefore will renounce the World and aspire only to Coelestial things must exercise Sobriety banish Gluttony Lasciviousness and all other such Vices as may possess and captivate the mind He must likewise mount up to the top of Virtues Tower that from thence he may resist and impugn the Vices of his Body Grief and Fear E There are many examples of the Valiant Souldiers of God which I could produce but the brave persons descended from one single Woman not at one but several births may suffice And first I will speak of Eleazar and seven Brethren The death of the seven brethren and their mother and relate what Tortures and Torments their Mother endured yet cannot man but only God determine who amongst them was first and who last in this noble agony They therefore being all of one opinion resembling one another more in mind than in body duely considered the frailty of this Life and neither delighted in the flatteries of the World nor the alluring enchantments thereof They valued not torments fetters nor any other sort of tortures imposed upon them To return they resolved upon patience and to endure whatsoever F the Judges cruelty could devise I will therefore praise the fortitude of these Brethren or rather with all truth rehearse the noble conflicts of these holy men and setting all adulation apart prosecute with a bare Historical narration the manner of their Martyrdome But before I begin to declare the death of these brave men I will a little treat of Reason The description of Reason and Wisdom which as I have affirmed is no small motive to Martyrdom Reason it is that maketh us observe Fasts and Abstinence Reason makes us despise Money by it we are taught not to account of Dignities and Honours which all men generally aim at yea Reasons gift it is that we do resist the heat of lustful desires Hence cometh it that having once overcome such things as the flesh delights in we find our selves a little able to resist we also learn to despise pains and torments and by degrees resolve to suffer G all things that shall be imposed upon us Which that it may more plainly appear let us search out the cause of this order and wee shall find wisdom to be the cause hereof For no man can determine and distinguish H good from evil that is not endued with wisdom this wisdom is always accompanied with justice and justice is still joyned with vertue and vertue and temperance cannot be seperated so that this wisdom consisteth upon four parts Besides these Grief and pain cause or hinder passion there are two things that either do cause or hinder passion to wit pain and pleasure one of which we do always refuse and the other we do always desire yet where pleasure ariseth and is presently by reasons rule put away the mind is there strengthened and pain compared with glory is through hope of a greater reward contemned before it come and being come our mind is ashamed not to suffer that which before it was resolved to do Reason therefore is the guide of all our actions Reason resembleth a skilful Gardiner and by it we despise torments and I detest vice like a skilful Husbandman it pruneth and cutteth away superfluous branches and killeth the heat of all corrupt and hurtful humours only leaving that which may some way be profitable to us Thus reason corrects our passion encourages us to suffer and supports us in our sufferings Who is not desirous to eat the flesh of wild Beasts and Fishes And who lusteth not to eat of feathered Fouls nay do not the dainty dishes either from Sea or Land invite us to eat them What then causeth us to abstain from them what makes us all desire them and yet none of us eat them even reason by which the mind is taught to overcome it self in delightful objects and pleasure that when occasion of Martyrdom is offered setting aside all vanities we will not for a little pleasure K forget our accustomed virtue By reason it was that Joseph to his great praise master'd his concupiscence An instance of Joseph's chastity and suffered not himself to be overcome by his lust which was but too incident to his age Reason so worketh with sound advice and mature counsel that it again recovereth lost friendship gaineth new and suffereth no cruelty to be committed Of this we have also the example of Moses who had he not had just occasion to be angry against Dathan and Abiram reason no doubt would have caused him to have smothered his passion Did not our father Jacob with great vehemency reprove his Sons Simeon and Levi who without reason had used such cruelty saying Cursed be your anger Which anger had it been bridled with reason neither had they been cursed nor the other L had perished For this cause God the maker of mankind when he fashioned us and our manners having finished the lineaments of our body he placed the mind in it to rule it with certain concomitant precepts to wit temperance pursuance of
that which is good cleaving to justice by which rules we might be able to bridle our passions and observe the precepts of God But some will ask me why we commit wickedness seeing that reason ruleth our passion But it is ridiculous to think that reason hath so perfect a dominion for reasons rule cannot hinder the appetite from desire but only correct it so far that it suffer with patience the loss or abstinence from such things as it desired For example sake Reason cannot hinder thee from being angry but it can so work that thou commit no impiety when thou art angry in like manner it cannot hinder thee from desiring filthy M pleasure yet can it cause thee not to yield unto it Reason therefor cannot eradicate vice An instance of David's thirst but only bridle it Witness in this the example of holy David who fighting against Strangers with great success and being at Evening weary and faint retiring into his Tent that was guarded by Souldiers he found them all at meat yet himself being thirsty would not drink notwithstanding Water was hard by 2 Sam. 2. 18. because his Religion disswaded him for he had vowed not to drink but from a Fountain in the Camp of the Enemy Whilst thus his thirst encreased three lusty young men armed themselves and taking with them a vessel they went unto their Enemies Camp and assaulted the N watchmen who for fear of death fled and so they past through the Camp till such time as they came where the Water was and filling their pot they brought it to the King David in his thirst refused to drink the Water he so desired But holy David so bridled his appetite that his reason quenched his desire and shewed an excellent token of patience teaching how the fear of God was to be preferred before all things For taking the Water he had so much wished for and which had been gotten with such danger he presently poured it on the ground as a sacrifice to God chusing rather to die for thirst than to offend the divine Majesty yet reason is not so forcible that it is able without due consideration to repress the inordinate motions of the mind and mitigate the grief of the body But it is now time to come to our History yet is not this former discourse to be thought impertinent for O that it is somewhat previous to the matter ensuing Such was the wisdom and fidelity A of our forefathers that Seleucus King of Asia enriched our Priests and being a man of another Religion ascribed all his actions and worthy deeds to the Religion and Faith of our Ancestors Seleucus and Nicanor But wicked mens madness could not herewith be satisfied For one Simon hating the High-Priest Onias and finding no ways or means to be revenged of him in his own Country Simon a Traitor to his Country went unto Apollonius Governour of Syria Phoenicia and Cilicia and before him in a publick assemby declared that he could help the King to an infinite treasure for saith he there is hidden in Jerusalem an infinite deale of Gold and Silver which by right belongeth unto King Seleucus Apollonius hearing this praised and commended Simon and confiscated the Gold and Silver to the Treasure-house of Seleuchus Apollonius Captain of Syria came with an Army to Jerusalem and having authority from the King B to get it he levied an Army and so accompanied with Simon came unto our Country purposing if any violence were offered to use the defence of his Souldiers When the Treasure-house of our Temple was now a sacking Onias wept bitterly and said that it was a heavy sight to them to whom this treasure was committed to see it or any part of it taken away But Appollonius neither respecting the Tears and intreaties of the old Men Women nor Children pressed into the Temple they all praying God to punish him Angels upon Horses shining with fiery brightness and to defend their Temple Being now with a great guard of armed men entred into the holy Temple there appeared certain Angels on Horseback with weapons in their hands and shining with a fiery flame about them C and they daunted the courage of this infidel Apollonius who presently fell down flat upon his face and lying so a great while at last he came a little to himself and rising up he leaned upon his shoulder who kept the Temple not being able to stand alone he was so terrified with the vision he had seen When by degrees he recollected and found some little hope of recovery he stretched both his hands towards Heaven and despairing to obtain pardon by his own prayers for his offence committed he besought the Hebrews whose Temple he came to spoil to make intercession for him himself with Tears craving pardon for his offence and not only acknowledging his fault but confessing himself to have deserved death Onias by prayer obtaineth Apollonius's life and all punishment possible Holy Onias seeing this and fearing also that if Apollonius should then dye the Hebrews would D be suspected to have made him away made prayers to God for him and obtained his Enemies life Apollonius presently hasted to Seleucus to let him understand what had hapned but when he came he found Seleucus dead and Antiochus reigning in his stead a man of Tyrannous nature who bare an ancient grudge to Onias the high Priest Antiochus his rage against the Jews and therefore made Jason his Brother high-Priest in his stead Jason promising Antiochus in recompence to pay him 3660 Talents of Silver every year Jason being made high-Priest and chief amongst all the Nation of the Jews presently forced all the people to impiety and to forsake their Religion so that to build baths he hindred the defence and compleating of the Temple and many of our Nation conspired with him in this iniquity But hereat God was presently wroth and being E displeased it was not needfull to seek forreign Enemies for Antiochus himself was incited against them who warring against Ptolomeus King of Egypt had heard it reported that the Jews esteem'd him to be dead yet was he very nobly entertained by the inhabitants of Jerusalem and presently after the fight he made an edict that who so among the Jews refused to offer Sacrifice to the Gods should presently dy upon the wheel But the godly-minded of our Nation did little esteem this edict yea the Women circumcising their infants as our Law requireth did afterwards cast themselves down headlong to the end that they might so obtain a present death without longer delay Antiochus perceiving that the severity of his edict could not compel the Hebrews to F forsake their Religion but that men voluntarily did chuse death he sitting in an eminent place from whence all the Jews might behold him calling all of them together caused Swines flesh to be sacrificed upon the Altar and to be offered to
against Mardocheus Haman having all his treacheries and crulty discovered in the banquet is adjudged to the gallows and thereupon presently commanded that he should be hanged upon the same gibbet until he were dead And here we cannot but admire the Providence of God in considering his wisdom and justice in that he not only punished the wickedness of Haman as he had deserved but also caused him to fall into the same snare which he had prepared for another maâ— Thus died I Haman who had unjustly abused the Kings friendship as for his goods they were given unto the Queen After this the King called Mardochus unto him for already he had notice that he was his Wifes Uncle and gave him the ring which he had given unto Haman Hesther 8 1 2. the Queen likewise gave him his goods Hamans goods bestowed on Mardocheus and intreated the King to deliver her from those apprehensions into which she had been cast by those Letters which were sent out by that wicked man Haman in his Majesties name to the Governours of the several Provinces with instruction to Massacre the Jews extirpate and their whole Nation assuring him that she could not live to behold the death of her brethren and the total ruine of her Countrey The King made no difficulty in granting her request assuring her that K he would not contradict her will permitting her to write in the Kings name all that she would have done in the behalf of the Jews promising that when she had done the same he would Seal it with his own Seal and give her authority to send it thorow all his Provinces to the end that they that read those Letters confirmed by the Kings Seal should not any wayes oppose the execution of them Whereupon he sent for his Secretaries of State commanding them to write unto the Magistrates of all the Nations touching the Jews and to the Princes and Governors of one hundred twenty and seven Provinces from India as far as Ethiopia The Contents of which Letters were these L Artaxerxes the great King to the Governours and those that faithfully rule under us Health Many men being puffed up withpride av 5 ad finem by reason of the many benefits and honors The Kings Letters for the security of the Jews which they receive throgh the liberality of their benefactors do not only excercise their pride towards their inferiours but also are not afraid to wax insolent against those who are the authors of their benefits extinguishing as much as in them lieth all manner of gratitude amongst men and believing that it is in their power to deceive God himself and rob him of his Justice so that when the favor of their Princes hath given them power and authority in the Government of their affairs in stead of applying themselves to the benefit of the publick they have given M place to the hatred they have conceived against some particular men and deceived their Princes by false accusations and detractions and provoked their wrath against those who have not done amiss whence it cometh to pass that they have been sometimes in extream danger to lose their life The proof whereof appeareth not only in ancient Histories the knowledg whereof we have only obtained by hear-say but by that likewise which hath been audaciously attempted before our eyes so that hereafter we ought not to give credit to detractions and accusations nor to such things as men inforce themselves to perswade but it behoveth every man to judge according to the truth of that he knoweth and to punish those which are guilty and to pardon the innocent in considering their acts and not the words that are spoken For it is most notorious unto all men that Haman the Son of Amaeath an Amalechite by Nation and by that N means a stranger and not of the Persian blood but entertained by us hath in all things enjoyed the fruit of our bounty hitherto so that he hath been called our father honoured by all men and obtained amongst all men and in all things the second place after us yet could he not make a moderate use of his happiness nor prudently entertain the greatness of his felicity but hath sought means to deprive Mardocheus of his life who preserved mine seeking by his fraud and malice to practise the ruine of Esther the companion of our life and Kingdome and by this means striving to dispossess me of my most faithfull friends he determined to transfer the Kingdom unto others Touching my self in that I know that the Jews who are by this wretch destinated to die are no wicked men but such as live vnder a strict and holy disipline praying God continually that it would please him to continue the Kingdom O in us and our Successors I absolve them not only from that penalty contained in my former Letters sent by Haman which by these presents I utterly disanul but my pleasure likewise is that they be had in all honour As for him that practised these things against them I have caused him and all his race to be hanged before the gates of Susan according to the just A Judgement of God inflicted on them for their offences My will and pleasure therefore is That the Copy of this Letter be sent through all Countreys belonging to us to the intent that the Jews be suffered to live according to their own Laws in peace and that assistance may be given them to the end they may revenge themselves of those who have offered them outrage in their adversity And I command that this be done the thirteenth day of the twelfth month called Adar which is the day that God ordained for their preservation when they were appointed to be slain which day I wish may be fortunate to those that love us and a monument of revenge on those that intended our ruine My pleasure likewise is that all men Cities and Nations should know that whosoever shall neglect through obstinacy to fulfil the tenor of this my Mandate he shall be pursued with fire and sword and let these Coppies be set up B throughout all our Dominions and let each man of the Jews upon the prefixed day prepare himself to be revenged on his enemies As soon as the Posts had received these Letters they presently mounted on horsback and rode each of them his appointed way The Jews reveng them on their enemies and Mardocheus being cloathed in a Royal habit and adorned with a crown of Gold on his head and a chain of Gold about his neck came forth and the Jews of Susan seeing him thus honoured by the King supposed that his good success was an assurance of their own and when the Kings Letters were published The Jews lookt upon them as a favourable ray of light which portended their deliverance and their enemies were in so great fear that divers of other C Nations circumcised themselves supposing in that
Caius in the Jews behalf L BUt Caius alias chap 17. being sore displeased that the Jews only despised his Ordinances sent Petronius into Syria Caesar sendeth Petronius into Syria and commandeth him in spight of the Jews to plant his Statue in God's Temple to succeed Vitellius charging him with a strong Army to invade Judaea and if they willingly admitted his Statue that then he should place it in the Temple of God but if they denied it then that overcoming them by force he should compel them to condiscend thereunto As soon as Petronius came into Syria he endeavoured to satisfie Caesar 's Command and having assembled as great an Army as he could possibly levy and leading forth with him two Legions of Roman Soldiers he wintred at Ptolemais intending at Spring to invade Judaea All which he signified to Caesar by his Letters The Jews repair to Ptolemais beseeching him that he would not bring his Statue into the Holy City who commending him for his industry advised him to use all expedition therein and to make War against those who should disobey his Commands M Mean while divers thousands of the Jews resorted to Petronius who was quartered at Ptolemais beseeching him not to constrain them to do that thing which was contrary to their Laws or to transgress the Ordinances of their Fore-fathers For if said they you have wholly decreed to bring and erect this Statue in our Temple first deprive us of our lives and afterwards do that which shall seem good in your eyes For it is impossible for us so long as our Souls remain within our Bodies to permit that which is forbidden by our Laws or to suffer such Impiety in regard of that honour which we owe unto our Law-maker and our Predecessors who have ratified our Laws to the intent we should encrease in Virtue Petronius answered thus If I were Emperour or if the Emperour would be ruled by my advice your reasons might prevail with me but I am enforced to obey him otherwise N my Life and Fortune is at Stake Hereunto the Jews answered My Lord said they since you are resolved not to transgress by any means the Commands and Contents of Caesar's Letters neither will we any ways violate or infringe the Prescript of our Law under hope of Divine Assistance and in imitation of the Virtue of our Ancestors For we are not so faint-hearted that for the hope of a vain and untimely desire of life we should break the Laws which Almighty God hath proposed unto us under the reward of Eternal Felicity For which cause we will endure all Fortunes whatsoever so that our Countrey Law and Religion may remain inviolate and we are ready to encounter any mis-fortune under hope that God will assist us for whose honour we fear not to adventure on any danger This had we rather do than by obeying thee through Cowardice to incurr perpetual Ignominy and that O which is more God's wrath in neglect of his Laws whose Authority even in thine own judgment is more to be regarded than Caius's Commission A Petronius conjecturing by these their answers how hard a matter it was to force them from their opinion and perceiving he could not do for Caius what he expected in the erection of his Statue without great Blood-shed whereby much murther and inconvenience might follow he took some of his nearest and dearest friends with him and posted to Tiberias that he might more conveniently and circumspectly look into the Jews Actions They fearing some imminent danger through the Wars they expected from the Romans The Jews met Petronius at Tiberias beseeching him not to violate the Sacred City with his Images and greater mischief through the breach of their Laws assembled once more many thousands of them and met with Petronius at Tiberias beseeching him that he would not enforce them to that necessity nor defile their Sacred City with forbidden Images Whereunto Petronius answered Therefore saith he will you fight with Caesar without regard either of B his ability or your own weakness We will not fight said they but we will rather die than depart from our Laws Whereupon prostrating themselves and laying open their naked throats they said they were ready to die In these terms they continued for the space of forty days neglecting their Husbandry though that was the chiefest Seed-time For it was most resolutely concluded among them rather to suffer death than to admit the Statue Aristobulus King Agrippa's Brother and â—lcias the High Priest entreat Petronius in the Jews behalf Whilst the matter stood upon these terms Aristobulus Agrippa's Brother and Elcias accompanied with divers of their Train and some of the chiefest among the Jews came unto Petronius beseeching him that he would consider the obstinacy of the people neither give them occasion to draw them into desperate actions but rather that he would write unto Caius with what obstinacy the people refused C the Dedication of his Image in the Temple And how giving over the care of their Husbandry they prepared themselves for War without any trust or confidence in their own strength being rather resolved to die than to suffer so great an indignity to be offered to their Religion Besides how giving over their Tillage there was nothing to be expected but Robbery whereas they should want means to pay their Customs by which means they hoped that Caesar would be moved to moderate his severity towards that Nation and not to give them cause of Rebellion And that if he might not be moved from the prosecution of the War that then he might go forward with his business This was the effect of Aristobulus's request But Petronius Petronius promiseth the Jews to write unto Caius in their behalf and exhorteth them to follow their Husbandry partly in respect of their Prayers who instantly urged him and the D weightiness of the affair partly in regard of the contentious resolution of the Jews supposing that it was a matter unworthy a man to put so many thousands of men to death to satisfie Caius's foolish ambition and touched with the fear of God and remorse of his own Conscience he had rather to his own danger inform the Emperour of the absurdity of the matter by his Letters being no ways ignorant of his cholerick spirit and forwardness in revenge except his furious passion and expectation were answered For this thought he that although it altered not his resolution but haply enforc'd his displeasure against him in that he speedily executed not his Command yet that it was the duty of a good man not to refuse an assured death if so be it might save so guiltless and huge a multitude When therefore he had assembled the Jews together E in Tiberias when many thousands of them resorted thither and disposed all those warlike Forces that at that time gave attendance on him round about him he told the Jews first of all not
account that terrour wherein he had put his enemies C and his own indignation a sufficient revenge and that he would spare the King by whose favour he came to be so potent adding moreover that he ought not to take it ill that he was called to answer his accusations since he was acquitted of them and consequently ought to shew himself grateful to the King who had saved his life Moreover that Prudence obliged him to consider the fortune of war together with the cause thereof that the justice of Hircanus side might do more for him than a whole Army and that he ought not to hope for victory being to fight against his own King who had always been gracious unto him and never had thought of doing him hurt but only being as it were urged thereunto by some of his Council who through meer envy and to satisfie their own passions had framed a shadow of an D accusation against him Herod was satisfied herewith and suppos'd it to be sufficient in order to his great designs to have shewed his forces and his power unto his Nation At this time began Civil war among the Romans near Apamia Bassus murthereth Sextus Caesar by treason in which Caecilius Bassus for the love he bare to Sextus Pompey slew Sextus Caesar at unawares and made himself Governour of his Army and other Captains of Caesar's to revenge his death made after Bassus with all their forces unto whom Antipater by his two Sons sent aid both for the sake of Caesar that was slain and of him that was yet alive for he was an entire friend and well-willer unto them both and these wars continuing long Marcus came out of Italy to succeed Sextus E CHAP. IX Caesar's death Cassius comes into Syria Herod ingratiates with him Malichus poysons Antipater who had sav'd his life For which Herod causes him to be slain AT this time arose great and bloody Civil Wars amongst the Romans after Caesar was slain by the treason of Cassius and Brutus Marcus Sextus Successor having ruled the Empire F three years and seven months Ant. l. 14. c. 2. By reason of which murther their troubles daily increased Julius Caesar slain by Brutus and Cassius and the Nobility being at variance amongst themselves every one followed that couse that they thought most expedient for themselves Whereupon Cassius presently marched into Syria Cassius levieth money in the cities to take possession of the Government of the Army which was about Apamia where he made Marcus and Bassus friends took the conduct of the Legions which they commanded and rais'd the siege from Apamia and leading the Army in his own person Herod Cassius friend he forced every City to be tributary and exacted without measure He commanded the Jews to contribute seven hundred Talents Cassius severe in his exactions Antipater fearing his displeasure appointed his Sons and others of his friends presently to gather the money and especially amongst the G rest he gave this charge to one Malichus a friend of his But Herod first of all got Cassius his favour having brought him an hunndred Talents which he had collected out of Galilee which was his part or Province As for the rest he accused them of negligence and was angry at the other Cities So that having pillaged Gophna and H Ammauntes The year of the world 3922. before Christ's Nativity 40. and other two small Cities he march'd onwards with intent to kill Malichus for that he had been so careless and negligent in gathering the tribute-money But Antipater presently disbursing unto Cassius an hundred Talents saved both him and all the rest of the Cities Malichus forgetful of Antipater's kindness Yet Malichus after Cassius was departed did no more remember how beneficial Antipater had been unto him but oftentimes treacherously laid wait to murther him because he hindered and withstood his villanous pretensions notwithstanding that himself had often confessed that Antipater had saved his life Antipater Antipater gathereth an Army against Malichus fearing both his power and subtilty passed over the River Jordan to gather an Army that he might prevent those treacheries But Malichus being discovered saw nothing left for him to do but to dissemble and accordingly by many I oaths and excuses he won Phasaelus chief of the Garrison in Jerusalem and Herod who was master of the Army that they should be a means to reconcile him unto Antipater Whereupon Antipater intreating Marcus who was General of the Army in Syria and had determined to kill him he was saved The reason that Marus would have put him to death was because Malichus was of a turbulent and factious spirit The young Caesar Octavius Augustus succeedeth after Caesar surnamed afterwards Augustus and Antonius warring against Cassius and Brutus Brutus and Cassius gathered an Army in Syria and in consideration of the great capacity of Herod they made him Procurator of all Syria giving him a band of horse and foot Cassius promiseth Herod after the War to make him King of Judaea Moreover Cassius promised him that if the war had an K happy end he would make him King of Judea But it so came to pass that the merit of Herod which raisd this hope so high was the cause of Antipater his Fathers death For Malichus being hereby put in fear hired one of the Kings officers for a certain sum of money to poyson Antipater by which means he died being thus unjustly rewarded for his good will toward wretched Malichus Antipater poysoned by Malichus He was a worthy man and fit to govern and recovered the Kingdom being lost for Hircanus Malichus perceiving the people incensed against him because they suspected that he had poysoned Antipater pacified and moderated their displeasure by denying the fact yet for his better security he gathered about him a Guard of armed men for he thought that Herod would not let the matter slip so Herod intendeth to revenge his Father's death but would presently come with an Army to L revenge his fathers death But by the counsel of his brother Phasaelus who sent him word not openly to encounter Malichus lest a sedition might arise among the people he patiently permitted it so to be and suffered Malichus to justifie himself and celebrated a solemn funeral for his Father which done he went to Samaria and appeased the sedition wherewith that City was disquieted After this he returned to Jerusalem intending to celebrate the Festival and having sent certain of his armed men before him he appointed the rest to accompany him But Malichus who feared this approach of his sollicited Hircanus to give order that no strangers should intermingle themselves among the people Malichus joyneth with Hircanus to disturb their devotion But Herod contemning this Prohibition entered the City by night whereupon Malichus once more came to him M and wept for Antipater Herod although he could very hardly
committed no act of hostility and also spoiled all that was without the Cities and always repulsed the Inhabitants if at any time they took courage to revenge themselves Joseph seeing things in this posture assaulted the City Sephoris in hope to take it but before such time as it revolted unto the Romans he had compassed it with so strong Walls that the Romans themselves could not have taken it and so his hope was frustrate for neither by force nor fair means would the Sephorites yield to him Hereat the Romans being angry troubled the Country more than before they now neither night nor day ceased from destroying it but robbed and spoiled all they found and all men able to bear Arms they slew and made the rest their slaves Thus all Galilee K was filled with fire and sword and no man escaped that calamity only those saved themselves that fled into the Cities that Joseph had walled In the mean time Titus came to Alexandria during Winter sooner than he was expected Titus bringeth a mighty Army into Judaea and so received there the Souldiers that he was sent for and having a prosperous journey he quickly came to Ptolemais and finding his Father there to two of the chiefest Legions to wit the fifth and tenth he also adjoyned that fifteenth Legion that he brought with him and there followed them eighteen Companies five out of Caesarea one Troop of Horse and five Companies of Horse out of Syria ten of these Companies of Foot had in every one of them a thousand Men the rest only six hundred and thirteen and in every Troop of Horse were an hundred and twenty L The Princes that were Allies also brought great Aid for Antiochus Agrippa and Sohemus brought each of them two thousand Bowmen and a thousand Horse and Malchus King of Arabia brought five thousand Foot and one thousand Horse the most of his Foot were Archers so that the whole Army together with the Kings Aid amounted to the number of threescore thousand Horse and Foot together besides them that followed the camp who were a great multitude and inferiour to none but their Masters in warlike discipline for one cannot too much admire the Romans who so train up their servants in time of Peace that they are very fit for War So that whosoever well beholdeth their Military Disciplin he shall perceive that they gained not this their goodly Empire by chance and fortune but by their valour for they do M not only then begin to use weapons when they come to fight but they practise military discipline before they need and they are not idle in time of peace but always practise themselves therein without ceasing Their exercises are like War it self and every Souldier is every day inur'd to some sort of Weapon The diligence and labour of the Romans in providing things necessary for the Wars even as though they were fighting against the enemy so that hereby they easily indure the burthen and travel of War For no disorder makes them forget what to do neither doth fear dismay them nor continuance of Fight and War weary and tire them So that whosoever they fight against who are not so well expert in these affairs as they they always overcome them and one may well call their exercises amongst themselves conflicts without blood-shed and their wars conflicts with blood-shed They are not easily overcome N at unawares for in what Enemy-country soever they come they fight not before they have fortified their Camp about The industry of the Romans which they do not rashly nor pitch their Tents in marish or high places after a disordered manner for if the place be unequal they make it plain And they proportion their Camp four-square for they have many Smiths The order of the Romans in their Camp and all kind of Workmen needful which still follow the Army to perform such business And in the innermost part of the Camp they make Quarters whose outside resembleth a Wall with Towers equally distant one from another and between them Engines of War to cast Stones and such-like that all kind of shot may be in readiness They also build four Gates large and wide both for their Horse easily to come in at and also for themselves if need require to enter in or issue out speedily O Within the camp there are streets divided by certain spaces in the midst lodge A their Officers and the Pretorium or Generals Tent is like a Temple so that it seemeth a City and a Market full of shops made in an instant There are also seats built for the Chief Officers to judg of controversies if any arise between the Souldiers and others All this place and all things belonging thereto are made in an instant partly by reason of the multitude partly by the industry of such as work and if need require they compass it with a Trench four Cubits deep and as many broad Thus the Souldiers enclosed with their Arms live quietly in their Tents without disorder and all things are done with good advice and prudence whether they need Water or Corn or Wood they all go to dinner at the time appointed and all sleep at once and a Trumpet giveth notice when to watch and guard The reverence and obedience of the Roman Souldiers to their Cap-Captains and nothing is done that is not commanded B In the morning all the Souldiers come to their Captains to salute them the Captains go to the Tribunes and they all to the General who gives them a Watch-word and tells them what he thinks good and how they shall behave themselves towards those that are under them how in fight to demean themselves and when to assault and when to retire How the Romans forsake their Camp When they go forth of the Camp a Trumpet sounds and no man is idle but at the first notice takes away his Tent and makes all ready for departure Then the Trumpet soundeth again warning them to be ready and having loden their Beasts with their baggage they expect the sound again as though they were to run a race and at their departure they burn their Camp because it is easie to build the like again and also least afterwards it should advantage their Enemies When the C Trumpet hath sounded the third time which is a sign to set forward then they hasten those that are slow lest they break their ranks And a Herald standeth on the right hand of the General asking thrice if they be prepared to fight and they as often answer that they are holding up their right hands with courage and so they march on orderly every man keeping his rank The Armour of the Roman Footmen as though they were ready to give Battel The Footmen have a Head-piece a Breast-plate and a Sword on the left side and on the right side a Dagger The Footmen guarding the General have a Javelin and a Shield the
all the way was plain'd from Scopos to Herods Monument which is not far from the Lake of Serpents called formerly Bethora CHAP. V. The Jews stratagem against the Roman Souldiers M ABout this time the Jews devised this stratagem against the Romans The most couragious among the Seditious people went out unto the places called the Womens Towers and pretended to be driven thither by that party in the City that desired peace and that fearing the Romans they were come thither for shelter others got up on the Walls and pretended themselves Citizens they called out for Peace and desired their friendship promising to throw open their Gates that the Romans might enter and whilst they were so doing they threw stones at their Companions aforesaid pretending to drive them from the Gates The alacrity of the Souldiers among the Romans contrary to Titus ordinance They pretend likewise great earnestness N and importunity to the people for their consent and as if that had fail'd they seemed to endeavour to force their passage to the Gates sometimes advancing as if they would have gone off to the Romans and then again retreating as men in great trouble and confusion The Romans perceived not their designe but seeing the Seditious ready to fall into their hands and the people as they thought ready to open the Gates prepar'd in post-haste to have entred into the City But Titus suspected their Kindness as seeing no reason for it For the day before having by Joseph offered them peace he perceived their minds far from any such thoughts wherefore he commanded the Souldiers to keep their quarters and not remove yet some of them appointed to work in the Trenches taking their weapons ran unto the Gates and the Jews who O seemed to be driven out of the City fled in appearance but at last when they came unto A the Gates of the Towers faced about and encompassed the Romans and assaulted them upon their backs and they that were upon the Walls cast all kind of Darts and Stones upon them so that they slew many and wounded more for it was not easie to escape being assaulted both behind and before Moreover they were conscious that they had offended The Victory of the Jews and in fear of being punished caused them to resist the more stoutly so that after a long conflict and many wounds given and received at last the Romans were worsted and the Jews pursued them to Herods Monument And having done them much mischief the Jews returned with great joy deriding the Romans for being so easily deceived lifting up their Shields and Bucklers by way of exultation The Roman Souldiers were highly threatned by their Captains and Caesar accosted B them with this speech Caesar's sharp oration to his Souldiers The Jews led only with desperation do all things with advice and counsel devising deceits and fortune favoureth their practices because they are orderly and true one to another But the Romans whom for their Obedience and Discipline fortune was wont formerly to favour do contrariwise offend herein and for their rash and unadvised fighting are overcome and which is worst of all in Caesars presence offering to fight without Orders contrary to military Law and Discipline which I am sure my Father will be unsatisfied to hear For he who from his infancy hath been trained up in Arms never offended in this sort and what shall we say to our Law that punisheth the least disobedience with death when our whole Army disobey the Emperours command But saith he they who so arrogantly have disobeyed our command shall presently understand that among the Romans C Victory against the Generals command is but infamy Titus having spoken in anger declared what he would do and how he purposed to punish them Which strook them so deeply The Romans Souldiers beseech Titus for their fellows in Arms. they looked upon themselves as desperate and people appointed to die But all the other Legions flocking about Titus besought him to pardon their fellow-Souldiers and to remit the rashness of some few for the obedience of the rest assuring him that their future valour should be a recompence for this their offence Whereupon Caesar was pacified partly thinking it most profitable partly to gratifie the rest for he purposed to punish one man only but to rebuke all and signifie his displeasue and so he was reconciled to his Souldiers strictly charging them to be wiser for the future after which he devised how he might be revenged on the Jews D When all the ground between the Walls of Jerusalem and his Army was in four days made plain Titus being desirous to conduct the baggage and the rest of the multitude in safety placed the best of his men in good order and caused them to march from the North part of the City unto the West along by the Walls of the City placing his Foot in the Front his Horse in the Rear and between them both the Archers whereby the Jews were disabled to make any Salley Titus Souldiers being thus disposed the baggage of the three Legions and the multitude passed along without any interruption How and in what places Titus besieged Jerusalem And Titus himself being advanced within two Furlongs of the City Walls pitched his Tent against that Angle that is called Psephynos where the compass of the Wall from the North bends into the West the other part of the E Army entrenched itself against that part of the Wall that is called Hippicos distant in like manner two Furlongs from the City But the tenth Legion remained upon Mount Olivet where it was before CHAP. VI. The description of Jerusalem F JErusalem was compassed round with a treble Wall The treble Walls of Jerusalem only on one side it was inclosed with Valleys inaccessible and on that side it had only one Wall It was built upon two little Hills opposit to one another and separated with a Valley wonderfully thick built with houses One of these Hills is far higher and steeper than the other insomuch that because of the strength of it The Castle of David King David in times past called it a Castle this David was the Father of King Solomon who first builded the Temple in that place but we at this day call it the high Market-place The other Hill called Acra Acra sustains the lower part of the City is the place where the lower part of the City stands Opposite against this Hill there was also another lower than this Acra and divided from it formerly with a large Valley but afterward when the Asmoneans reigned they fill'd up this G Valley to joyn the City unto the Temple taking down the top of Acra and making it lower that it might not hide the Temple The Valley by which the two higher Hills are separated is called Tyropoeon and reacheth unto Siloa which is a Fountain H of sweet Water Without the City were
He also commanded him as he hung to be pricked with awls that so the heat might pierce into the holes they made in his flesh Whilst thus he was tormented much blood like froth gathered about his head and face and he then spake in this manner O noble fight O valiant War O strife between piety and impiety These men have past their Agonies whose Crown of Martyrdom is the punishment of their persecutors I do most willingly B follow my brethren that as by blood I am conjoyned unto them so by death I may not be separated from them Devise O Tyrant some new Torment for these I have already overcome O master of cruelty Enemy of piety persecuter of justice we six Brethren have conquered the Kings power and what his Kingdom or the whole world could afford Thy fire is cold and heateth not The sixth brother sharply reproves Antiochus and the Kings weapons are bended and blunted in our bodies our God giveth us more courage to suffer than thou hast to punish and so the precept of God remaineth firm in us And as he thus spake one took hold of his tongue with a hot pair of tongs and so with the same torments that his brethren had suffered being fryed in a pan he gave up the Ghost C Six of the Brethren being now dead by diversity of torments only one of the seven remained alive with his mother named Jacob younger in year but not in constancy of mind than the rest of his brethren He presenting himself before the Tyrant moved him to compassion both for that he was left alone and the last of his brethren and also that he was to perish wherefore he called the child unto him and into a place where no instruments of torments were Jacob the seventh brother brought to torments and taking him by the hand he said thus unto him hoping to win him by fair speeches By thy brethrens calamity thou now well hast learned what is prepared for thee if thou disobey me deliver thy self therefore from these torments and I will give thee what honour my kingdom can afford thou shalt be a Magistrate and General of my Army and one of my Counsellors D But perceiving himself not to prevail he caused the young man's Mother to be called unto him who coming and standing near her Son the Tyrant said thus unto her Where are now O worthy woman all thy Children Behold of such a number if thou please the destiny affords thee one advise therefore thy Child and mollifie his obstinate mind by wholsom counsel The Mother having heard what the King said made her reverence to the King which done that the King might not understand her she spake in Hebrew to her Child as followeth Pitty thy Mother O son and comfort thy sorrowfull Mother who bare thee nine months in my E womb and gave thee suck three years and with great industry have brought thee up to this age I pray thee dear son consider the Heaven and Earth and all that in them is and know that God created them all of nothing who also of nothing created Mankind Fear not this Ethnick's pains and torments but imitate thy brethren and contemn death that in the day of mercy I may receive thee and thy brethen again in Heaven As his mother thus admonished him he in the Hebrew tongue requested to be unbound for that he had a secret to disclose to the King who being unfettered he presently ran to the torments prepared for there was a Frying-pan red hot that was prepared for such as were to suffer unto the which the Child coming remembring his brethren and beholding also the King he said unto him Cruel tyrant I now know thee not only to have been cruel against my brethren but even cruelty it self Wretch that thou F art who gave thee this purple and who exalted thee to this Kingdom and dignity even he whom thou in us dost persecute whose servants and worshippers thou killest and tormentest for which thy wickedness thy self shall suffer eternal fire and torments which shall have no end Thou art of higher dignity and authority in this world than other men yet he that made other men made thee also of the same nature that they are for all men are born and must die alike He that kills another sheweth that he himself may be killed thou tearest and tormentest thy own picture and image in vain thou in thy fury killest him whom not long since God created like thy self and according to the same law thou thinkest all lawful which thy Kingly power can command thou pullest out our tongues and tearest our bodies with flesh-books and consumest with fire but they who have already suffered this have received everlasting G joy for their reward and thou shalt answer for all the punishments inflicted upon them Think not that I expect any favour at thy hands I will follow my brethren and remain constant H in our Law The Tyrant hearing this was wroth and caused him to be tormented but his Mother in his torment comforted him and with her kind hands held his head when with violence of the tortures blood issued out of his mouth nose and privy parts the tormentors not ceasing till life in him was almost spent but they by Gods appointment gave over and so he took strength again to endure more than any of his brethren had done at last his Hands and Arms being cut off he lifted up his Eyes to Heaven and cryed O Adonai O Sabaor be mercifull unto me and receive me into the company of my brethren The death of the youngest brother let thy wrath now cease and grant them mercy who by us do make intercession to thee Having said thus his tongue being pulled out he of his own accord went into the fiery I Frying pan and so to the great admiration of Antiochus died Behold how evident it is that reason can rule our affections seeing that Children hereby shewed more constancy Reason Mistress of our affection than the Tyrant could shew cruelty For it was reason's force that wrought in them that determination to suffer all torments rather than to forsake the way of Salvation These constant young men do fitly resemble inexpugnable Towers and them who after a great tempest and shipwrak do safely enter the harbour of Salvation A similitude of the waves who guiding their course amidst the boysâ—etous waves at last obtain the wished shore For every one of them strengthened the other by advice and good counsel The seven brethren exhort one another to suffer death manfully and none of them was so effeminate as to decline his Martyrdom None used delay herein but K one followed anothers example Let us therefore dy for our Law and imitate the three Children whom the Asyrians fury condemned to the fiery Furnace whose patience spread their fame even unto Heaven Whilst thus one of them exhorted the other
rather like his Son than his Grand-Child O A It is reported that Caius commanded him to kill himself in the presence of several Tribunes and Captains forbidding them strictly to give him any assistance because forsooth it was not decent that the descendents of an Emperour should die by any inferiour hands For he would needs pass for a strict observer of the Laws at the very time when he broke them and a Bigot in Religion when he was committing so great a Crime without the least compunction or remose for making a Stalking-Horse of the truth by so strange an hypocrisie The poor Prince who had never seen any murders before nor been accustomed to those counterfeit Combats in which young Princes are usually exercised in time of Peace presented his Throat to the person who stood next him but he and all the rest B refusing to dispatch him he took the Dagger himself ask'd them where he was to strike and they in their great Civility having instructed him he stab'd himself immediatly and that with many blows till by a lamentable and unmercifull compulsion he had murder'd himself CHAP. IIII. Caius puts to death Macro Colonel of his Pretorian bands to whom he was oblig'd C both for his life and his Empire VVHEN Caius had finished that business which of all his affairs was of the greatest importance there being no body left that could pretend to the Empire or to whom any turbulent persons could in prudence apply he turn'd his indignation upon Macro resolving that he also should feel the effects of his Cruelty and Ingratitude This Macro had not only serv'd him faithfully since his advancement to the Throne which would have been no extraordinary thing because Princes who are fortâ—nate shall never want flatterers but he had been a great means that Tiberius had chosen him D for his Successor For besides that there never was Prince of greater Sagacity and Penetration than Tiberius the experience which his years had given him gave him so large an insight into the secretest Cogitations of Man that he began to be jealous of Caius he suspected him an Enemy in his heart to the whole family of the Claudii and that if he had any natural affection at all it was only for his Relations by the Mothers side so that Tiberius began to be apprehensive for his Grand-Child if he should leave him a Minor Again he looked upon Caius as uncapable of the Government of so great an Empire by reason of the weakness and levity of his parts which seem'd rather inclining to folly than otherwise so little Solidity was there to be observed either in his word or his actions But there was no Stone that Macro left unturned to E discusse these suspitions and especially his apprehension for his Grand-Child He assured the Emperour that Caius had an extreme respect for him so great an affection for his Cousin that he would willingly leave the Empire to him that it was nothing but his retention and modesty that made people think him weak in his intellectuals When Macro found these Reasons would not work he feared not to offer himself in Caution and the Emperour had no reason to suspect his Sincerity after the Testimony which he had given of it not only in discovering but defeating the Conspiracy of Sejanus In short he was always commending Caius if it may be called commending to undertake his justification against all uncertain surmises and underermined accusations and carried himself so towards him that if Caius had been his Brother or F his Son he could not have done more Several have attributed the Cause to the respects which Caius always shew'd to Macro but more to the good offices of his Wife who for some private Reasons was always crying him up and magnifying him to her Husband and every one knows the influence of Women especially if they be immodest for then no Art nor Flattery can escape them that may conceal their transgressions from their Husband Macro being ignorant of some passages in his house interpreted these artifices for affection the greatest of his Enemies passed in his thoughts for the truest of his friends That he had preserved Caius in so many dangers and could not imagine that he would ever be ingrateful gave him the confidence to admonish him with great liberty upon an apprehension that he would either ruin himself G or be corrupted by other people He was like a good workman jealous of his own manufacture and could not endure it should be spoil'd Caius falling asleep one day at the Table Macro was bold to wake and admonish him that it was neither decent nor H secure for he in that condition might easily be slain When Caius was looking upon his Dancers or Mimicks with such extraordinary pleasure and attention that he could not contain from imitating their Gestures when not contenting himself to smile or be pleas'd he brake out into a loud Laughter among the Comedians or Buffoons or when he sung or play'd among the Musitians he jog'd him Gently if he was with in reach to the end he might give over and told him in his Ear what no body else durst have ventur'd to have said You are not SIR to abandon your self to the pleasures of your sence like other men but are rather to surpass them in gravity and prudence as much as you transcend them in dignity and I extraction How strange will it appear for the Monarch of the World to be unable to moderate himself in such slight and contemptible things The great honour that invirons you obliges you to do nothing unsuitable to the Majesty of so great and so redoubted an Emperour When you are in the Theatre or Circus or in the place of any publick exercise you are not to consider the show or spectacle so much as the pains and care which those persons who present it have taken to do it to your content and are to argue thus with your self If these persons have taken so much pains in things that are useless to the life of man and only serviceable to the pleasures of the spectators that thereby they may merit their applauses acclamation what is there incumbent upon a Prince who professes an art infinitely more estimable Do yoâ— not know that there is nothing equal to governing well seeing it causes plenty in all places capable of Cultivation and secures Navigation by which all the Provinces have Commerce and K communicate their respective Commodities Envy and Jealousie to frustrate this happy Communication have like poison infected some persons and some Towns But since your August Family has been advanced to the Sovereignty and Supreme power which extends it self as well over the Seas as Lands of the whole Earth it has repelled these monsters into the most recluse and obscure Solitudes To you alone it is that this supreme Authority is committed Providence has plac'd you as a judicious Pilot