these speeches he ioyfully yeelded vp the Ghost It is most true therefore which we at first affirmed to wit that the enduring of paines and torments is wrought by our reasons lore which once determined and resolued maketh a prosperous suffering of paines with all patience who wisely aduising men to that which is best doth settle confirme our opinions to follow it If therefore reason and the inferiour powers be at variance we must subiect them to reason if we will make a perfect victorie With this guide of reason our father Eleazar was most safely directed neither to be ouercome with paines nor to giue place vnto vnlawfull enticements and allurements he saued the ship of his bodie from all shipwracke that might arise by the tempestuous stormes of vanitie and suffered himselfe with no contrarie winde to be driuen from the right course yea though it was tossed vpon the waues of tyrannie yet did it remaine sound and vnbroken and keeping a direct course arriued in the hauen of saluation Neuer any man did seeke so valiantly to defend his Citie from an enemie as this holy olde man did his soule who amongst stripes crosses and flames was still the same man he was before For as the toppe of a high rocke standeth sase and resisteth the waue without any domage vnto it selfe euen so did the rocke of reason in this man beat backe the rage of those tempestuous waues that did beat against his bodie not permitting them to breake in and pierce the celestiall and diuine power of the soule O happie olde man more blessed then all of thy age O priest more sacred then all other priests who didst not pollute thy sacred lips with prophane meats impietie found no entrance that way from whence so many praiers to God had proceeded The tyrants cruelty could not preuaile against thee thou therfore art made an example for all priests of God to imitate Such a one behooued it a priest to be more strong then torments more able to suffer then the torturers to inflict punishment more forcible then princes commands yea and more potent then the fire wherein thou didst perish and finally thou wast ordained to be crowned with the lawrell of martyrdome for thy sufferance Thou hast surpassed all antiquitie thou shalt be an example to all posterity If then feeble olde age wherein al strength and heat of bodie was extinguished now vnfit to suffer torments as being alreadie broken with age could by the aduice of reason endure so many torments so many miseries who dare denie reason to be the chiefe cause of our sufferance We haue seene that all cruelty hath beene ouercome by a determination to persist in the seruice and feare of God yet many affirme that not all men who vse the aduice of reason are able to vndergoe such agonies but their assertion is vaine and of no force for most euident it is that he onely is ouercome by paine whom wisedome hath not armed with patience And no maruaile if he who rashly enterprise so waightie a matter and with due consideration do at last forsake and repent himselfe of that which he so vnaduisedly vndertooke But if we with due aduice and deliberation arme ourselues it is not an easie matter to remoue vs by any misfortune from our determination when we make account that misfortune will betide vs we are not easily dismaied thereat when it doth beride for that nothing befell vs that we expected not Therefore he that is wise and valiant is able to conquer his passions for that he doth well deli berate and when he commeth to his agony can put his determination in execution Neither is the wisedome of this olde man so much to be admired seeing children and as it were infants haue so deserued commendations in this point that they did worke astonishment in their tormentors for the courage and crueltie of Antiochus being ouercome by the wisedome of old age was now the more increased and by wicked counsell caused seuen worthie children of the Hebrews to be brought vnto Antioch out of their Castle Sosandrum who being young in yeeres and so as hee thought weake and vnable to suffer torments his hope was that either by perswasions or terror of tortures he might force them to renounce their religion He therefore commaunded these seuen together with their mother Salomona who now grew well in yeeres to bee brought before him so they according to his commaund were brought being of excellent beautie and worthie children of so vertuous a mother yea they resembled angels their faces shining like the cleare light of the Sunne their eyes sparkled in most comely and decent maner as testifying that they surpassed in vertue al other of humane race and condition Shee was descended of most vertuous and noble parentage and so shee her selfe had continued and liued but that excellent feature of body enriched with nobilitie of bloud and dignitie was now also made more noble by vertue and fortitude wherein shee passed all other things that could bee said in her commendations The tyrant beholding them and their mother amongst them with merrie and gladsome countenance hee thus craftily spake vnto the children I wish your good O admirable young-men for so both your beautie of body and noble parentage perswade me doe not therefore like mad men resist my commaund auoide not onely torments but death also For I desire not onely to exalt you vnto honour but also to increase your riches and possessions contemne the superstitious and superfluous beliefe of your Countrimen and imbrace our religion Which if you refuse to doe as I hope you will not I will deuise all torments whereby I may by a lingering and paineful death consume you And to the end to terrifie them the more he commaunded all instruments of torment to bee presented vnto their view and eye-sight So wheeles roddes hookes rakes rackes caudrons cagâ—… gridirons were brought forth and engines to torment the fingers and hands gauntlets awles bellowes brazen pots and frying pans for these are the names which we find For that which I terme bellowes was a thinne plate of yron to kindle or blow the fire with like a fanne and farre more horrible deuises of torments were shewed vnto them too long to rehearse whereof they hauing had a sight Antiochus said Consent vnto me O prudent young men for if that I commaund you to commit a sinne yet doe you not offend in doing it seeing you commit it onely vpon compulsion But the young youthes inflamed with a diuine spirit and sense contemned so many kinds of torments and despised the tyrants threates and flatteries and most godly for they gaue him no iust occasion they did driue the tyrant into a greater rage And by this it is euident how reason is maister ouer passion for if any slouthful man not before trained vp to it should of a sodaine come to such a push at the verie sight of such torments
it desired For example sake reason cannot hinder thee from being angrie but it can so worke that thou commit no impietie when thou art angrie in like manner it cannot hinder thee from desiring filthy pleasure yet can it cause thee not to yeeld vnto it Reason therefore cannot vtterly extinguish vice but onely bridleth it Witnesse in this the example of holy Dauid who fighting against strangers with great successe and being at euening wearie and faint he came vnto his princely tabernacle that was guarded by his souldiers where he found them all at meate yet himselfe being thirstie durst not drinke notwithstanding water was hard by onely for that religion disswaded him for he had vowed not to drinke before he had conquered his enemies He also forbad his men to drinke so that they might fight more couragiously if not for that they were valiant at least for that they might so haue drinke Whilest thus his thirst encreased three young men of strong bodies armed themselues and taking with them a vessell to put water in they went vnto the enemies campe and there assaulted the watchmen who for feare of death fled and so they past thorow the campe till such time as they came where the water was and taking some from thence they brought it to the king But holy Dauid so bridled his humane appetite that by reason he quenched his desire and shewed an excellent token of patience teaching how the feare of God was to be preferred before all things For taking the water he had much wished for and which had been gotten with such danger he presently powred it on the ground as a sacrifice to God chusing rather to die for thirst then to offend the diuine maiestie yet reason is not so forcible that it is able without due consideration to represse the inordinate motions of the minde and mitigate the griefe of the bodie But it is now time to come to our historie yet is not this former discourse to be thought impertinent for that it is somewhat appertaining to the matter ensuing Such was the wisedome and fidelitie of our forefathers that Seleucus king of Asia enriched our priests and being a man of another religion did ascribe all his actions and worthy deedes to the religion and faith of our auncestors But wicked mens madnesse could not herewith be satisfied For one Simon hating the high priest Onias and finding no waies or meanes to be reuenged of him in his owne countrey he went vnto Appolonius Gouernour of Syria Phoenicia and Cilicia and before him in a publike assembly tolde him that he could helpe the king to an infinite treasure for quoth he there is hidden in Ierusalem an infinite deale of golde and siluer which by right belongeth vnto king Seleucus Appolonius hearing this praised and commended Simon and confiscated the golde and siluer to the treasure house of Seleucus and hauing authoritie from the king to get it he leuied an army and so accompanied with Simon came vnto our country purposing if any violence were offered to vse the defence of his souldiers When the treasure house of our temple was now a sacking Onias wept bitterly and said that it was a heauy sight to them to whom this treasure was committed to see it or any part of it taken away But Appolonius neither respecting the teares and entreaties of the olde men women nor children pressed into the temple they all praying God to punish him and to defend their temple Being now with a great guard of armed men entred into the holy temple there appeared certaine angels on horsebacke with weapons in their hands and shining with a fierie flame about them and they daunted the courage of this infidell Appolonius who presently fell downe flat vpon his face and lying so a great while at last he came a little to himselfe and rising vp he leaned vpon his shoulder who kept the temple not being able to stand alone he was so terrified with the vision he had seene When he came a little to himselfe and was in some hope of recouerie he stretched both his hands towards heauen and himselfe despairing to obtaine pardon for his offence committed hee besought the Hebrewes to spoile whose temple he came to make intercession for him himselfe with teares crauing pardon for his offence and not onely acknowledging his fault but also confessing himselfe to haue deserued death and all punishment possible Holy Onias seeing this and fearing also that if Appolonius should then die the Hebrewes would be suspected to haue made him away he made prayers to God for him and so obtained his enemies life Appolonius presently hasted to Seleucus to let him vnderstand what had happened but when he came he found Seleucus dead and Antiochus raigning in his steed a man of tyrannous nature who bare an auncient grudge to Onias the high priest and therefore made Iason his brother high priest in his steed Iason promising Antiochus in lieu of this good turne to pay him three thousand six hundreth and threescore talents of siluer euerie yeere This Iason being now made high priest and chiefe amongst all the nation of the Iewes hee presently forced all the people to impietie and to forsake religion so that to build bathes he hindred the defence and building of the temple and all Doctors of our nation conspired with him in this iniquitie But hereat God was presently wroth who being displeased it was not needfull to seeke forraine enemies for Antiochus himselfe was incited to rage against them Who warring against Ptolomaeus king of Aegypt he heard it reported that the Iewes did deeme him to be dead yet was he verie gallantly entertained by the inhabitants of Ierusalem and presently after the fight he made an edict that who so amongst the Iewes refused to offer sacrifice to the gods that he should presently die vpon the wheele But the godly minded of our nation did little esteeme this edict yea the women circumcising their infants as our lawe requireth did afterward cast themselues downe headlong to the end that they might so obtain a present death without longer delay Antiochus perceiuing that the seueritie of his edict could not compell the Hebrewes to forsake their religion but that men voluntarily did chuse death he sitting in an eminent place from whence all the Iewes might behold him calling all of them togither he caused swines flesh to be sacrificed vpon the altar and to be offered to euerie Hebrew to eate Amongst this whole multitude assembled from all places was one Eleazar a priest well instructed in learning and the feare of God a man of aged yeeres and of a verie reuerent countenaunce one that was knowne to all men and famous for his vertue To this man Antiochus said thus Be aduised by me holy olde man to eschew those torments prepared for such as are obstinate preserue thy reuerent age and contemne not the benefit of this life take
spoiled the temple of Diana in the countrey of Persia. For since he had onely intended to commit sacriledge but had not effected it he merited not to suffer punishment for the same And if it seemeth good vnto Polybius that Antiochus was punished by death for this occasion it is farre more likely to be true that his death befell him for the sacriledge he had committed in the temple of Ierusalem But our purpose is not to argue against those that maintaine that Polybius reasons are of greater truth and consequence then ours are CHAP. XIIII Antiochus Eupator discomfiteth the Iewes and besiegeth Iudas and shutteth him vp in the temple BEfore Antiochus gaue vp the ghost he called for Philip one of his chiefest familiars and made him gouernor of his kingdome And hauing deliuered the diademe into his hands his royall robe and his ring with other iewels he charged him to beare and deliuer them to his sonne Antiochus requiring him earnestly to haue care of his bringing vp and to maintaine the kingdome in his behalfe vntill he comming vnto the yeeres of discretion were fit to manage it himselfe This done Antiochus died the hundreth fortie and ninth yeâ—…re of the kingdome of Syria After that Lysias had certified the people of the kings death he pâ—…oclaimed his sonne Antiochus whom at that time he had in his protection king surnaming him Eupator according to the instructions that were giuen him About that time the garrisons and Apostataes that were in the fortresse in Ierusalem did much mischiefe vnto the Iewes For setting vpon those at vnawares who ascended the temple to worship and offer their sacrifice they slew them for the fortresse commanded the temple For these causes Iudas resolued to cutte off these garrisons and to that intent he assembled all the people and besieged it This enterprise was vndertooke in the yeere one hundreth and fiftie after that Seleucus had vsurped the gouernment of those countries Hauing therefore made him certaine engins and raised diuers rammes he industriously continued the siege But diuers of those Apostataes that were reuolted and of that garrison issued out by night and assembling togither such men as were of so malicious nature as themselues they came vnto king Antiochus requiring him that he would not suffer them to be abused in such sort by those of our nation nor so carelesly neglected by them considering their disgrace grew by his fathers seruice for whose sake they had forsaken their own religion followed his lawes and ordinances Furthermore they inferred that the fortresse was in danger to be surprised by Iudas and his associates except some present succours were sent vnto them When Antiochus the yonger had notice hereof he was sore displeased and sent for his captaines and friends commanding them to hire strange souldiers and all those in his kingdome who were of yeeres to beare armes so that he gathered in short time an army of one hundreth thousand footmen and twentie thousand horsemen and thirtie two Elephants and with this Equipage departed he out of Antioch committing his army to Lysias direction As soone as he came into Idumaea he went vp vnto Bethsura a walled Citie and very difficult to be surprised which he besieged and begirt but with such disaduantage that the Bethsurians resisting him valiantly and sallying out vpon him burned those preparations and engines which he had furnished for the batterie of the town When as therefore a long time was consumed about this siege Iudas hauing intelligence of the kings approch raised his campe from before the Castle of Ierusalem and marching forward to meet the enemy he shut his army in a certaine streight in a place called Beth-zacharia some seuentie stounds distant from the enemies campe The king hauing tidings hereof raised his siege from Bethsura marched towards the streight wherein Iudas army was inclosed and about the morning he set his souldiers in battel aray He first of all caused his Elephants to march one after another thorow the streight for that it was impossible for them to march in square About euery Elephant were one thousand footmen and fiue hundreth horsemen These Elephants bare high towers on their backs garnished with archers Touching the rest of his forces he caused them to ascend two seuerall waies by the mountaines vnder the conduct of his most intirest friends commanding them with a huge shout and crie to charge their enemies to discouer their golden and brazen bucklers to the end the reflection thereof might dazel the eies of the Iewes whereupon the mountaines resounded with fearfull cries of Antiochus army Yet was not Iudas any waies amated hereat For entertaining the charge with a noble courage he slew almost six hundreth of the forlorne hope But Eleazar surnamed Auranes Iudas brother seeing a huge Elephant among the rest armed with royal trappings supposing that the king was vpon the same he ran against him with a mightie courage and after he had slaine diuers of them that enuironed the Elephant and scattered the rest he thrust his sword into the belly of the beast and wounded him to the death so that the Elephant falling vpon Eleazar slew him with the waight thereof and thus nobly died this worthy man ouerthrowing a great number of his enemies thorow his infinite valour Iudas seeing his enemies forces so great in number retired backe to Ierusalem to continue his siege and Antiochus sent part of his army to Bethsura to surprise the same and with the rest he himselfe marched onward to Ierusalem The Bethsurites being affraid of this mighty army of the king and seeing their necessarie prouisions failed them yeelded vp their Citie after they had taken the kings oth that they should receiue no outrage When as therefore Antiochus became Lord of this Citie he offered them no iniurie onely he thrust them out disarmed from the Citie and planted a garrison therein Hee spent a long time also in besieging the temple of Ierusalem for that they who kept the same defended it valiantly For against euerie engine the king builded raised vp against them they erected a counter-engine Their only want was victuals because their old prouision was consumed the ground had not bin manured that yeere because it was the seuenth in which according to the law the countrey soyle should not be stirred which was the cause that diuers of those that were besieged fled secretly for want of victuals insomuch that very fewe remained for the defence of the temple In this estate were they who were besieged in the temple When as King Antiochus and Lysias the generall had receiued tidings that Philip comming out of Persia intended to make himselfe master and lord of the countrey they concluded to giue ouer the siege for that time and to march forward against Philip without giuing any inckling thereof either to his souldiers or captaines He onely commanded that Lysias should communicate the same with the captaines
not to be of small force to correct and amend our manners These our customes hauing in them nothing that any that searcheth them can iustly reprehend they are now also though many are perswaded the contrarie consecrated and confirmed by their antiquitie So that we must needs make a conscience of it to forsake our lawes that haue endured so many ages These are the iniuries that these people by violence offer vs they sacrilegiously take from vs the money dedicated to God they impose tributes vpon vs who are free they vpon festiuall daies force vs to their tribunals to law and other prophane busines without any necessitie but onely in contumely and disgrace of our religion which they know well in the meane while that they persecute with vniust and vnlawfull hatred For your Empire equally prouiding for the good of all your subiects doth not onely nourish the mutuall concord of them all but also resisteth hatred and malice These are the iniuries most worthy Agrippa whereof we seeke redresse at thy hands requesting thee that hereafter we may liue according to our religion as before times and that our aduersaries may haue no more authority ouer vs then we ouer them which is not onely iustice and equitie but alreadie also granted by your clemencie And there are yet extant to be seene in the capitoll many decrees and ordinances of the Senate concerning this matter engrauen in brasse which are read vnto this day doubtlesse for our truth and fidelitie so oftentimes tried or at least though we not deseruing it yet holy and inuiolate For you do not only not withdraw from vs all other nations your former benefits granted vnto vs but you do rather euery day beside all hope and expectation increase them all which time will not suffer me to recount And that we may not seeme vanely to boast of our duties and officiousnes towards you and also omitting other things that are past our king now sitting with you can sufficiently testifie it so to be For what kind of loue good wil hath he omitted to shew vnto your nation where was he not prooued trusty what hath he not deuised to honour you where stood you in need when he was not the first man to helpe you Why therefore should not we receiue some fauour for his deserts I will not omit to put you in mind of the fortitude of his father Antipater who came with two thousand soldiers to assist Caesar in the Agyptian warres wherein he so valiantly behaued himselfe that neither by sea nor land any one in those warres deserued more commendations then himselfe I will not at this time recount how much good he did Caesar in those warres and what and how great rewards hee therefore receiued but rather I should first of all put you in remembrance of the letters that the Emperour writ vnto the Senate concerning this matter wherewith he obtained for Antipater the honours and priuiledges of the citie For this onely argument had beene sufficient to haue declared that we did not obtaine such fauour without desert request thee now to confirme the same of whom we might iustly hope for new benefits seeing such friendship and familiaritie betweene thee and our king For we haue vnderstood by our nation that dwell in Iudaea how many offerings thou didst there sacrifice vnto our God with what vowes thou honouredst him how thou feastedst the people and wast delighted in that mutuall hospitalitie All which are as it were an argument of the friendship confirmed betweene so great a Romane prince and the nation of the Iewes euen in Herodes house By all these we humblie request in the presence of the king nothing but this onely that thou wouldest not permit vs deceitfully to be defrauded of that which you your selues haue alreadie granted vnto the nation of the Iewes Now no one of the Greeks offered to oppose himselfe against that which Nicholaus did speake for this was no contention to a Iudge concerning their right but onely a deprecation and supplication to auoid iniurie Neither did they denie it onely thus they excused themselues that the Iewes dwelling amongst them were troublesome vnto them But the Iewes shewed themselues to be free citizens and to liue according to their religion and lawes of their countrey without any mans molestation or iniurie Wherefore Agrippa vnderstanding that they were wronged aunswered thus that he would not onely gratifie them for his friend Herods sake but also for that they seemed to him to demand a reasonable matter Wherfore though they had demanded a greater thing of him he would haue granted them whatsoeuer he might without preiudicying the people of Rome And now seeing they onely demaund of him that which alreadie the Romanes had granted vnto them he would ratifie and confirme vnto them the benefit which they had alreadie receiued at the Romanes hands and prouide that henceforth no man should molest them for liuing according to the institutions and ordinances of their countrey Hauing thus spoken he dismissed the assembly Then Herode arising thanked him in all their names And then after mutuall embracing one another they departed taking their leaues from Lesbus CHAP. V. How Herode returned into Iudaea THe king hauing a prosperous winde within a fewe daies after atriued at Caesarea and from thence he went to Ierusalem and calling togither all the people as well the Citizens as also the countrey people then present there he tolde them the cause of his iourney and how he had obtained immunities for the Iewes liuing in Asia that they might conuerse there among the Gentiles without any molestation Then he recounted vnto them what felicitie they had receiued and enioyed by his raigne seeing that his greatest care was so to prouide for his subiects that they might want nothing And to gratifie them the more he told them that he would freely remit the fourth part of the taxes and tribute they were to pay for the yeere past The people greatly comforted as well with the kings speech vnto them as with his liberalitie departed ioyfully wishing the king all happinesse CHAP. VI. Of the discord in Herodes house betweene him and his sonnes IN the meane time the discord of his house was daily increased for Salome greatly maligned the two young men as hauing a hereditarie hatred rooted in her heart and presumed by reason of her good successe in her exploit practised against their mother to labour all waies possible not to leaue any aliue that might reuenge her death who died not deseruing it And she wanted no occasion for that it seemed the young men were not verie wel affected toward their father partly for the memorie of their mothers death partly also for that they desired the kingdome So that they vpbraiding Salome and Pheroras did renew their olde hatred against them who daily practised by all meanes they could to ouerthrow them the young men also hated them but not
After this they gaue an entrance to those most grieuous mischiefes and calamities that befell the Iewes for they spred the seed of that warre which was awakened vnder Florus gouernment And for that cause after that Vespasian had obtained the victorie as it shall be hereafter declared he caused them to depart out of that prouince and made them seeke their habitation elsewhere THE XX. BOOKE OF THE ANTIQVITIES OF THE IEWES WRITTEN BY FLAVIVS IOSEPHVS The Contents of the Chapters of the 20. booke 1 The dissension betweene the Philadelphians and the Iewes and of the Ephode which was the sacerdotall stole 2 How Helena Queene of Adiabena and her sonnes embraced the religion of the Iewes 3 The Gouernour Tiberius Alexander punisheth the sonnes of Iudas of Galtlee 4 How agreat number of Iewes were slaine about the temple 5 The sedition of the Iewes against the Samaritanes 6 The actions of Foelix president of Iudaea 7 The gouernment of Porcius Festus in Iudaea and of certaine murtherers 8 Albinus gouernment 9 How Florus who succeeded Albinus inforced so many iniuries against the Iewes that they were constrained to fall to armes CHAP. I. The dissension betweene the Philadelphians and the Iewes and of the Ephode which was the sacerdotall stole AFTER King Agrippas decease as we haue heretofore declared in our former booke the Emperour Claudius sent Cassius Longinus to succeede Marsus in the gouernment of Syria whom he displaced of that honor in memorie of Agrippa who during his life time had oftentimes required by his letters that he should not suffer Marsus to gouerne the estate of Syria As soone as Cuspius Fadus came into Iewrie to take charge of that countrey which he was to gouerne vnder Caesar he found the Iewes that dwelt on the other side of Iordan in an vprore who had taken armes against the Philadelphians about the limits of a certaine village called Mia which was stored with valiant men at armes Now had those who inhabite beyond Iordan armed themselues in this manner without the consent of their gouernors had slain a great number of the Philadelphians Which when Fadus vnderstood he was sore displeased for that they had not reserued the cause to his hearing and opened their griefes they had conceiued against the Philadelphians but were so bolde of their owne authoritie and without feare to betake themselues to their weapons Hauing therfore apprehended some three of them who had been principals and authors of the sedition he commaunded them to prison and executed one of them called Annibas and banished the other two whose names were Amaram and Eleazar Anon after this Tholomaeus the Archthiefe was also taken and brought vnto him who commaunded him to be executed in that he had done many robberies in Idumaea and Arabia and by this meanes all the countrey of Iudaea was cleered of all theeues by the care and prouidence of Fadus After this he sent for the high priests and the gouernours of Ierusalem commanding them according to the Emperours direction that they should deliuer vp into the Castle of Antonia the long and sacred robe which the high priest onely was accustomed to weare to the end that it might be at the Romans disposition as in times past it had been This commaund of his they durst not contradict yet notwithstanding they required Fadus and Longinus who at that time was come to Ierusalem with a great power for feare the Iewes by reason of this iniunction should grow to rebellion first that it might be lawfull for them to send their Embassadours vnto Caesar to beseech him that the sacred robe might remaine in their custodie Secondly that it might please them to expect the answere which Caesar would returne vpon this their request Fadus gaue them this answere that he permitted them to send their Embassadours to Rome prouided that before hand they deliuered him their children for hostages Which when they had readily performed the Embassadors were sent away Now when they came to Rome the younger Agrippa who was his sonne that lately died knowing the cause of their comming and being ordinarily accustomed to attend vpon Caesar according as we haue heretofore declared besought Caesar that he would grant the Iewes their request as touching the sacred Robe and that it might please him to signifie no lesse vnto Fadus On this his petition Claudius gaue the Embassadours audience and tolde them that he fauoured their suit willing them to be thankfull to Agrippa vpon whose suit he respected them and allowed of their demaunds and besides this answere he deliuered them a letter to this effect Claudius Caesar Germanicus Conseruer of the people Consul created the fift time Emperour the fourth time Father of the countrey the tenth time to the Magistrates of Ierusalem the Senate people and all the nation of the Iewes Health Being required by our welbeloued Agrippa whom I both haue and at this present doe bring vp with me and whom I know to be most deuout I haue heard your Embassadours who were admitted to my presence by his meanes and haue receiued their thankes for the benefits I haue bestowed on your nation I haue also willingly inclined to that instant and expresse request you haue made vnto me and it is my pleasure the sacred Robe of the high priest and the holy Miter remaine in your custodie in such manner as our most deere and right honoured ftiend Vitellius heretofore ordained To which demaund of yours I vouchsafe my allowance first in regard of mine owne pietie and for that I desire that euerie one should serue God according to his own religion next for that I am resolued that in so doing I shall gratifie king Herod yong Aristobulus whose pietie towards me I am priuie to and whose good affection towards you I can witnesse with whom I haue had diuers occasions of friendship both in regard of their vertue as for the honour that I beare vnto them I haue also written to this effect to Cuspius Fadus mine Agent The names of those who haue receiued my letters are Cornelius the sonne of Ceron Trypon the sonne of Theudion Dorotheus the sonne of Nathanael and Iohn the sonne of Iohn Giuen the eight and twentith of Iune in the yeere wherein Rufus and Pompeius Syluanus were Consuls At that same time Herode who was Agrippas brother that lately deceased to whose hands in times past the gouernment of Chalcis had been committed required the Emperour Claudius to grant him the power ouer the temple and the sacred vestments and necessaries and the authoritie of choosing the high priest All which he obtained and from that time forward vntill the end of the warre of the Iewes this power remained in all his successours According to this authoritie Herode deposed Canthara from the priesthood and gaue the succession thereof to Ioseph the sonne of Canëus CHAP. II. How Helena Queene of Adiabena and her sonnes embraced the religion of the Iewes AT that
by many ages For our lawes established amongst vs haue beene imitated of all other nations For though the first Greekes did colourably obserue lawes yet all their Philosophers did imitate ours and our opinions of God and in humilitie taught others communion of life and conuersation yea the common people did long since imitate our pietie neither is there any nation either Greekes or Barbarians who haue not after some manner obserued a Sabaoth as we do and fasting daies and candlestickes with light all which they learned of vs yea many do also obserue our customes concerning their meats and our vnitie and concord wherein we excell all other nations our communitie also and industrie in arts and labours and sufferance for our lawes And which is most to be admired our law not hauing any to force vs to obserue it hath so obliged our hearts that as God is of all the world honoured without compulsion so are our lawes amongst vs all we not forced therevnto And whosoeuer doth diligently consider his owne nation and family shall find that which I haue reported to be true I will now generally reprehend the voluntarie malice of all men for either they meane that we hauing these good lawes do yet little esteeme them and follow worse or if they do not so meane let theÌ„ hold their malitious tongue from any further calumniatiation For I doe not take vpon me the defence of this cause for that I beare any hatred to any man but for that I and all Iewes do honour and reuerence our lawmaker and beleeue that whatsoeuer he prophecied proceeded from God yea although our selues did not know the goodnesse of our lawes yet the multitude of them that imitate them were a sufficient motiue to enduce vs thereunto But I haue at large and with all sinceritie discoursed our lawes and commonwealth in my bookes of our antiquitie And I now againe haue made mention of them neither in contumely of other nations nor in praise of our own but only to reproue such as haue most maliciously and impudently belied vs contrarie to the knowne truth And I thinke I haue alreadie fully performed thâ—… which I promised For I haue shewed our nation contrarie to their affirmations to be most ancient which I haue proued by the testimonie of many ancient writers who in their works haue mentioned vs. Our aduersaries affirme vs to haue come of Aegyptians I haue shewed that our forefathers came into Aegypt out of some other place They alledge that we were expelled Aegypt for their miserie in that they were infected with disease I haue proued that they came from thence to their owne countrey by meanes of their owne prowesse and force of their owne accord Others labour to defame our lawmaker as a wicked person whose vertue many of ancient times so long time as hath beene since him do witnesse It is not needful to speake more largely of our lawes for they by themselues appeare pious and good such as do not inuite or incite vs to the hatred of other nations but rather to communion and friendshp being both enemies to iniquitie and commaunders of iustice banishers of luxuriousnes and teachers of frugalitie and labour forbidding all wars enterprised for auarice and preparing the people to shew fortitude in them and for them inflicting ineuitable punishment vpon their transgressors not easily to be deceiued by gloasings speeches and executing in action all that they in word commaund yea amongst vs the execution of them obseruation is more readie then the words of them I therefore confidently affirme that we do teach more pious and vertuous manners then other nations doe For what can be better then inuiolate pietie What more iust then to obey the law what more profitable and commodious then to be at vnitie and peace amongst ourselues and neither to forsake one another in calamity nor iniurie one another in prosperitie to contemne and dispise death in time of warre and in peace to labour and till our grounds to vse other arts and works and alwaies to thinke and beleeue that God beholdeth all our actions and ruleth and disposeth all things If this be either written or reserued by any one before this time we are then to thanke them as being their schollers but if they are knowne neuer before to haue beene extant then we are knowne to be the first authors and inuentors of it Let therefore all Apions and Moions go and all others that with them are conuicted of lying and slaundering And this bookeis written to the Epaphroditus who louest the truth and to others who by thee wil or are desirous to know the same DESIDERIVS ERASMVS ROTERODAMVS TO THE MOST VERTVOVS AND LEARNED FATHER HELIAS MARCEVS THE MACHABAETAN RVLER OF THE RENOWMED COLLEDGE OF THE MACHABAES I Haue not grudged vertuous Father to dedicate vnto thee a dayes labour wherein I haue perused and what in me lyeth amended the booke which Ioseph writ of the seuen Machabees brethren And would it had lyen in my power more aboundantly to haue answered your expectation I haue now for that I counted the Greeke copie by the Latine coniectured the Greeke and altered some things yet but verie few Ioseph doth not falfely boast himselfe to haue attained to the excellencie of the Greeke tongue and this booke will sufficiently witnesse the same wherein he shewed both great vanitie and Emphasis in so much as hee seemeth to haue handled that famous worke with eloquent stile and ornament of discourse Saint Ierome for this cause entitleth this booke great eloquence Suidas 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 out of them both wee amend the corrupted title cal it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is of the rule of reason for the scope of this booke tendeth all to proue that reason is of no force in man except it beare soueraigntie ouer all our inordinate appetites This is most euidently proued by the bookes of the Machabees in the Scripture which books the Iewes doe not receiue as Canonicall yet doe they account it amongst their sacred writ I cannot but congratulate this worthy Colledge which though famous for many other things yet is more happie for that it is so blessed as to inioy so worthie and vnspeakable a treasure Or rather all Colonia Agrippina that happie and fortunate Citie yet in nothing more happie then for that it alone doth in her bosome shrine so many so sacred and excellent pledges of pietie yet should it be more happie if it could expresse their vertues whose sacred reliques it so religiously keepeth and imitate their manners whose bodies it possesseth to wit if in sinceritie of religion it imitated the pietie of three Kings and the sacred puritie of the eleuen Virgins if it resembled the most valiant yong men the Machabes and the inuincible courage of that woman whose valorous constancie no miserie could conquer And this best portion and part of her felicitie this worthie Citie might bestow vpon