had not such successe as he hoped for he came to Rome and brought Ionathas and the rest bound with him thinking that no more inquirie would be made of the false accusations inuented by himselfe But Vespasian suspecting the matter made diligent inquirie to know the truth and finding these crimes iniuriously imposed vpon those men at Titus intreatie he acquited them and punished Ionathas according to his desert who being first whipped was afterward burned aliue And Catullus at that time by reason of the mildnesse of the Emperours had nothing said vnto him but not long after he fell into a grieuous disease and was cruelly tormented not onely in bodie but also in mind For he was greatly terrified and still imagined to see the ghostes of them whom hee had so vniustly slaine readie to kill him so that hee cried out and not able to containe himselfe lept out of his bed as though hee had beene tortured with torments and fire And this disease dayly increasing on his guts and bowels rotting and issuing out of him at last he died in this manner leauing behind him an euident argument that the diuine iustice doth punish impious malefactors And this is the end of the Historie which we promised to bee set downe with all fidelitie for them that are desirous to know the euent of the warres betweene the Iewes and the Romanes And as for our stile we leaue it to the iudgement of the Reader but touching the veritie of the Historie it is such as no man neede to doubt of for I doe affirme that to bee the onely scope which I aymed at in this whole worke The end of the seuenth and last Booke of Flauius Iosephus of the Warres of the Iewes THE FIRST BOOKE OF FLAVIVS IOSEPHVS THE SONNE OF MATTHIAS WRITTEN AGAINST APION AS TOVCHING THE ANTIQVITIE OF THE IEWES ISuppose O thou worthiest amongst worthie men Epaphroditus that I haue sufficiently testified vnto them who shall reade those bookes which I haue written as touching the autentique historie of the Iewes that our nation is most auncient and that they haue had their originall from themselues and haue from the first beginning inhabited that Countrie whereof they are now possessed at this present To which effect I haue gathered out of our sacred writings and published in the Greeke tongue a Historie containing the occurrences of fiue thousand yeeres And for that I see their are diuers who being too much addicted and seduced by the scandalous blasphemies and reports which some of those who are Iewdly affected towards vs haue published against vs haue misconceited and misbeleeued that which I haue written of our antiquitie and labour to approue our nation to bee moderne because none of the most auncient and most renowmed Historio graphers among the Grecians haue thought our auncestors worthie to bee enrowled in their writings I haue for these causes held it a part of my dutie to write som short treatise hereupon both to reproue the euill intent and affected lying of those our calumners as also to correct their ignorance by teaching those who are desirous to know the truth what the originall of our motion is For proofe whereof I will reduce no other testimonie then those who from antiquitie haue beene iudged worthie of credite among the Greekes laying open before their eyes that they who haue slaunderously and falsely written against vs are conuicted by their owne mouthes I will also enforce my selfe to expresse the causes wherein verie few Grecians haue made mention of vs in their Histories and moreouer I will make it knowne to those that are ignorant either in effect or in pretence who they haue beene that omitted not our Historie First of all therefore I doe not a little maruaile at those who in respect of antiquitie suppose that the truth ought onely to be gathered from the Greekes and that they iustly may claime the honour and knowledge of faithfull writing whereat they neither vouchsafe either vs or any others the credite or truth in that wee set downe although I am able to proue that all things haue fallen out quite contrarie For which cause it behoueth vs not to looke vnto mens various opinions but to examine that which is right and gather the same by the effects For all that whatsoeuer is set downe by the Greekes is new and of late memorie and hath beene brought to execution in a maner but yesterday I meane the foundations of Cities the inuentions of Arts and the descriptions of Lawes and the latest practise amongst them hath beene and is the diligent trauaile in Historie But among the Aegyptians Chaldeis and Phoenicians for I presume not to compare my countrimen with them as they themselues confesse the memorie of their writings is most ancient and infallible For all these nations dwell in such countries as are not subiect to the corruption of aire and haue carefully prouided that none of those things that haue been done by them should sleepe in obscuritie but should be kept in memorie in the publike writings of the learnedest men Whereas innumerable corruptions haue crept in among the Greeks by which the memorie of things forepassed is defaced But they alwaies who haue established new estates haue each of them supposed in their owne behalfe that whosoeuer was of theirs he was the first of the world Yet notwithstanding they haue had the knowledge of the nature of letters verie late and haue attained the same with verie great difficultie For they that speake of the most auncient vse of the same doe boast and glorifie themselues that they haue receiued the knowledge thereof from the Phoenicians and Cadmus Yet notwithstanding there is not any one of them that can shew any record of that time either in their temple or in their publike registers whereas after there arose a great doubt and question whether those letters were in vse during their time who sithence haue for the space of many yeeres continued the siege before Troy And in sooth their opinion who affirme that they were ignorant of the vse of those letters which are at this present allowed and accustomed amongst vs is not to be refused For it is most manifest that there is not any writing extant among the Greekes that is more auncient then Homers poesie which as it is most manifest hath bin in allowance and continuance since the time of the siege of Troy and yet it is reported that he left no part of that his poesie in writing which was composed of diuers songs and onely sung by roate by which meanes it came to passe that there are so many contradictions in the same And as touching those who haue vndertaken to write histories among them I meane Cadmus the Milesian and Acusilaus the Argiue and after him if there were any others they were not aliue but verie little time before the passage of the Persians into Greece Furthermore they who among the Greekes were the
motiue but diuers and verie different causes of their labours for some of them are addicted to this studie vnder pretence to exemplifie their eloquence and vnder hope to purchase glorie thereby other some to the end to giue them content whose worthy actions they couch and commend in their writings haue intermitted no time nor to their power spared no labour Some there are that hauing beene present in person and eie witnesses in the execution of great affaires haue necessarily beene inforced to reduce and digest the same in writing neither wanted there some who seeing occurrences of high and necessarie consequence which otherwise had beene buried in ignorance haue beene incited in respect of common good to imploy both hand and head in the publishing thereof now of these forenamed causes the two last are they that incited me to the like For the warre which we had with the Romaines and the accidents and issues on both parts all which in person I beheld and to my perill I haue learned do compell me to declare the same and the rather for that there are some who in their writings haue depraued and peruerted the truth I haue therefore taken this worke in hand for that in my opinion the knowledge thereof will be both pleasing and profitable to the Graecians for it shal containe the antiquitie of our whole nation their forme of common-weale both translated and gathered out of the Antiquities and Chronicles of the Hebrewes Truth t is that heretofore and at such time also as I composed the Historie of the foresaid warre I had prâ—…ected and purposed with my selfe to lay open to the world how and whence the Iewes had their first originall what alterations in fortune they had falne into by what law-maker they had beene instructed in pietie and incited to the exercise of vertue how many warres they haue sustained by long and diuers times and finally how against their will they haue beene intangled in this last warre which they waged against the Romaines But for that the content of this matter was too ample and copious I haue separated it apart assigning thereunto this treatise accomplished from the beginning euen vnto the end afterwards in processe of time as it vsually hapneth to those that attempt matters of mightie consequence I was surprized with a certaine delay and slothfulnesse that withdrew me from the translation of so waightie a matter in an vnfamiliar and forraine language Yet some there were who inflamed with a desire of knowledge animated me in this action and especially Epaphroditus a man enamoured of all learning and who in especial tooke it for a pleasure to take knowledge of the diuers occurrences of common-weales as he that had beene agent in diuers affaires of importance and sundrie accidents in all which he hath shewed a maruaâ—…lous magnanimitie of courage with an vnmoueable resolution to follow vertue Being thus perswaded by him who is accustomed to incourage those vnto good actions whome hee perceiueth to be apte and prepared to performe things profitable and honest and that which is more being ashamed in my selfe that I should rather take delight to follow idlenesse than addict my selfe to any laudable exercise I inforced my seâ—…fe more couragiously then before time and besides all that which hath beene spoken I haue effectually considered with my selfe that our auncestors haue thought good to communicate and publish the knowledge of our Histories to the Grecians if so be that any of them were curious to vnderstand the same I haue found therfore that Ptolomey king of Egypt the second of the name highly affectioned to good letters and desirous to store and gather bookes was earnestly desirous that our lawe and the rules thereof and the prescript forme of ouâ—… liuing should be translated into the Greeke tongue And as touching the hie Priest Eleazar who hath not been second in vertue to any other whatsoeuer he refused not to make the said King partaker of the effect of his desire to which he had wholy contradicted had it not beene the ordinarie course of our auncestors not to conceale from other men what thing soeuer was honest For which cause I haue helde it a matter no waies vndecent for me to follow the vertuous courage of that same great sacrificer and the rather for that at this day onely in as much as concerned learning I supposed many also to be no lesse affected to good letters then the king for he vndertooke not to haue all the writings which we had but those translators who were sent vnto him to Alexandria did onely communicate that vnto him which was in our lawe But those things that are found written in the sacred bookes of holy Scripture are infinite being such as containe in them the Historie of fiue thousand yeares in which diuers vnexpected chances sundry fortunes of warre and many changes of politike estates are discouered In some if any one haue a desire to reade this Historie he shall principally learne and apprehend that all things fall out happily and beyond their expectation to those men who obserue the will of God and are affraid to transgresse the lawes of his commandements and that God hath prepared for such the crowne and reward of felicitie Contrariwise if they shall depart from the diligent obseruance thereof that which is easie shall be made impossible and their indeuours in their opinion good shall end in incurable calamities For which cause I exhort all those that shall reade these bookes to fix their mind vpon God and that they approue our law-maker if as it worthely deserued he hath considered the diuine nature and attributed to the same such actions as are alwaies agreeable to his power and hath kept and continued his narration free from the vanitie of fables wherwith others are poisoned although in respect of the length of time and the antiquity of things he might without controule faine and imagine whatsoeuer vanities for hee was borne more then two thousand yeeres ago which is a continuance of ages to which the Poets neither durst referre the original of their Gods neither the deedes or lawes of men whereof they make mention But in pursuit of our Historie the sequell of our discourse shall declare all things exactly and in conuenient order For in compiling this worke I haue promised to adde nothing neither to pretermit any thing and for that all whatsoeuer we shall declare doth almost wholy depend on the wisedome of our law-maker Moses It is necessarie before all other things that I speake somewhat of himselfe least perhaps any man should wonder how this labour hauing been enterprised to discouer the words and workes of certaine persons is also employed for the greatest part in describing and discouering things that are naturall We ought therefore to know that Moses thought it most especially necessarie either for him that will rightly dispose his life or impose lawes to other men that first and in especiall he haue the knowledge of the nature
bethinking them on their imminent perill supposing that they had trauailed this long iourney all in vaine for that they saw their accusation must be answered Ruben the eldest of them began after this maner to plead their cōmon cause Neither are we come hither said he as spies neither vnder pretence to indomage the king but dire famine whose furie we seeke to preuent hath cōpelled vs to come into this countrey grounding our selues on your humanitie who as we haue heard haue not onely made offer of sale of come and meanes of sustenance to your citizens but also vnto all straungers And that we are brothers and borne of the same father our verie countenances testify no lesse in that they varie not very much the one from the other Our father by name is Iacob by nation an Hebrew who begat vs his twelue sonnes on foure women who while they all were in safety our affaires were fortunate and prosperous but one of them being dead whose name was Ioseph our domesticall fortunes began to grow to ruine Our father languisheth in continuall lamentations whose teares do no lesse afflict vs then in times past the vntimely death of our dearest brother did affect vs. Now are we come to buy corne hauing left in our fathers custody the youngest of our brothers called Beniamin That thus it is if so thou please to send any one vnto our house thou maist be assured Thus spake Ruben both on his owne and his brothers behalfe whereby he might exempt from Ioseph his sinister opinion of them who knowing that both his father and brother were in health commaunded them to be shut in prison vnder pretence to call them to further examination vpon his better leasure Some three daies after calling them before him he began thus Since saith he you protest that you came not hither into this kingdome on purpose either to preiudice the King or worke treasons towards the state and that you pretend your selues to be the sonnes of one father you shall induce me to beleeue that your allegations be true if leauing some one with me as pledge of your loyalties who shall be well entertained you beare hence your desired corne vnto your father and returne againe vnto me bringing with you your brother whom as you say you left behind you for this shall be an argument that you faine not Amased at these words and supposing that their extreame calamitie was at hand they lamented their fortunes oftentimes expostulating amongst themselues that the dire reuenge of their brother oppressed with vndecent tyranny was fallen vpon them Moreouer Ruben reprehended their too late and vnprofitable penitencie saying that those afflictions which God the iust reuenger of innocencie had inflicted on his impious brothers were constantly to be borne After this manner spake they one vnto another supposing that no man was present who vnderstood the Hebrew tongue and they all lamented being inwardly touched with the words of Ruben and condemned their perpetrated wickednes as if they had not beene the authors of the fact for which at that time they thought that God did most iustly punish them Ioseph beholding them in this perplexitie vnable to dissemble any longer his brotherly loue in that the teares alreadie began to burst out of his eyes which at that time he desired to conceale he departed from among them Not long after returning againe vnto them he retained Simeon with him who in the meane time should remaine as pledge with him vntil their backe returne and giuing them licence to buy their corne he commaunded them to depart giuing withall a speciall commaundement to one of his seruants that the money which they had brought to buy corne should secretly be shut vp into their sackes and they permitted to depart all which his seruant performed But Iacobs sons returning into Chanaan told their father all that which had happened vnto them in Aegypt and how they were attached for spies and traitors to that countrey and that when they protested that they were brethren and that the eleuenth was left at home with their father they would not beleeue them moreouer that Simeon was left pledge with the gouernour vntill Beniamin came thither to giue testimony of their truth whereupon they desired their father that without contradiction or sinister conceit to send their yonger brother with them But Iacob was displeased with that which his sonnes had done and whe◅as he was not a little grieued that Simeon was left behind he thought it worse then death also to be depriued of Beniamin and neither could Ruben with his praiers offering his sonnes for pledges that if any sinister fortune should fall vpon Beniamin by the way the Grandfather might reuenge him on his children perswade Iacob to yeeld consent but they vncertaine what to do were more and more terrified in that they found their money inclosed in their sackes of corne Now when corne began alreadie to faile them Iacob being compelled by force of famine determined to send Beniamin with his other brothers for it was vnlawfull for them to returne into Aegypt except they kept their couenant And whereas necessitie pressed them daily more and more and his sonnes ceased not instantly to call vpon him yet as yet was he doubtfull and vnresolued at last Iuda a man vehement by nature began more liberally to reproue his father in that he was too carefull of his brother to whom nothing might happen without the will of God whether it were abroad or at home and that without reason he had care of his sonne Beniamin in such sort as it was not possible for them to get ought out of Pharaos countrey which was necessarie for their nourishment that he ought also to haue care of the life of Simeon least whilest he dallied and delayed to send Beniamin on the iourney Simeon in the meane time should be slaine by the Aegyptians Moreouer he exhorted him to commit the care of his sonne vnto God promising to bring him backe againe in safetie or else to die together with him Moreouer he said that certaine giftes gathered from the profits of Chanaan as the iuice of Mirabolans Stacte Terebinth and Hony should be sent as presents vnto Ioseph together with the double price of their come Thu◅ shedding teares on both sides they depart from their father leauing him miserably tormented for the health of his sonnes contrariwise suspecting with themselues least thorow his absence their father should be slaine with sorrow In this perplexitie spent they a whole day At last the old man remained in his house wholy afflicted and they trauailing into Aegypt did mitigate their present griefe with the hope of better fortune where no sooner were they atriued but they repaired vnto Ioseph being sore afraid least it should be laid to their charge that vnder colour of fraud and deceit they had caried away with them the price of their former come which presently before Iosephs
thereof that the worthy nature of this king might be known vnto all men and how beloued he was of God and how surpassing in all kindes of vertue When Hiram king of Tyre vnderstood that Salomon succeeded his father in the kingdome he was glad thereof for he was Dauids friend for which cause he sent messengers vnto him to salute him and to congratulate with him of that good which had hapned vnto him by whom Salomon returned an answere in these tearmes Salomon to Hiram the king Know thou that my father hauing a wil to build a temple vnto God hath been withdrawen from the performance thereof by the continuall warres and troubles he hath had for he neuer tooke rest before he either had defeated his enemies or made thē tributaries vnto him For mine own part I thanke God for the peace which I possesse and for that by the means therof I haue opportunity according to mine own desire to build a temple vnto God for he it is that foretold my father that this house should be builded during my raign For which cause I pray you send some one of your skilfullest men with my seruants to the wood Libanus to hew downe trees in that place for the Sidonians are more skilfull in hewing and preparing timber then our people are and I will pay the cleauers of wood according to your direction When Hiram had read this letter he was very glad to p◅e the contents of the same and wrote backe againe vnto him to this effect The king Hiram vnto king Salomon Thou hast cause to thanke God in that he hath deliuered thy fathers kingdome into thy hands to thee I say who art a man wise and full of vertue For which cause since no newes can come vnto me more gratious nor office of loue more esteemed then this I will accomplish all that thou requestest for after I haue caused a great quantitie of Cedar and Cyprus wood to be cut downe I will send it thee by sea by my seruants whom I will commaund and furnish with conuenient vessels of burthen to the end they may deliuer the same in what place of thy kingdome it shall best please thee that afterwards thy subiects may transport them to Ierusalem You shall prouide to furnish vs with corne whereof we stand in need because we inhabit an Island The copies are yet at this day kept not onely by those of that nation but also by the Tyrians so that if any man desire exactly to know that they be let him search the publique records of the Tyrians and he shall finde in them matters accordant to that we haue said All which I say to that end that the readers might be assured that I outstrip not the truth in any sort and that I insert not in this historie matters that are meerly apparant deceitful and only fashioned for delight neither feare I that any man shall examine my writings neither desire I likewise that euery man giue credit at the first sight to the same or that I be held blamelesse in suffering my selfe any waies to vary or vnproperly dilate ought in this historie but contrariwise if I cannot approoue the truth by demonstration and sufficient testimonies I desire not to be allowed As soone as Salomon had receiued these letters from the King of the Tyrians he praised his facilitie and beneuolence and presently sent him that which he demanded euerie yeare therefore he sent him two thousand Cores of wheat and the like number of Ba ds of oyle this Bad containeth seuentie and two sextaries He gaue him also the like measure of wine From that time forward the friendship betwixt Hiram and Salomon increased more and more so that both of them protested that it should continue for euer The king imposed on his people the tribute of thirtie thousand workemen whom he gaue in charge to trauell continually and distributed them verie discreetly Hee ordained that ten thousand of them should cut wood in Libanus for the space of one moneth and that then they should rest two moneths returning euery man vnto his owne dwelling place vntill such time as the twentie thousand had in their turne accomplished the taske in the time that was prefixed vnto them and then the first 10000. renewed their work followed the same in the fourth month Ador◅ was constituted superintendēt ouer this tribute Besides these there were 70000. men appointed to cary stones wood who were the inhabitants of that countrey which Dauid had left There were foure score thousand hewers of stone ouer whichwere 3200. commissaries these had the king commaunded to cut the greatest stones to make the foundations of the temple which after they had hewed and prepared in the mountaine he commaunded should be drawne and brought into the Citie and not onely commaunded he his countrimen to performe this but those workemen also that were sent him by Hiram Salomon began this building in the fourth yeare of his raigne in the second month which the Macedons call Artemisium and the Hebrewes Iar fiue hundreth nintie and two yeares after the departure of the Israelites out of Aegypt one thousand and twentie yeares since the arriuall of Abraham in Mesopotamia one thousand foure hundreth and fortie yeares after the Deluge And since Adam the first man vntill Salomon who builded the Temple all the yeares that are passed haue beene three thousand one hundreth and two But the beginning of the building of the Temple hapned in the eleuenth yeare of the raigne of Hiram who gouerned in Tyre and since the first time that Tyre began to be inhabited vntil the said building of the temple there passed two hundreth and fortie yeares The king therefore laid the foundations of the Temple and made a most deepe trench and fortified it with most strong stones which might be able to resist al the iniuries of time These stones were so closely ioined the one vnto the other that for the strength of the foundations they might serue to make the base and ground both to fortifie the worke as also to sustaine that which should be builded thereupon either for embellishment or waight of the charge neither could the foundations be of lesse strength and hugenes which were to sustaine a sumptuous pile of that height greatnes magnificence and ornament The walles were made of white stone and continued of the same matter euen vntill the roofe The height of the Temple was sixtie cubits and the length as much and the bredth twentie Ouer that was another edifice hauing the like dimensions so that the whole height of the Temple was sixescore cubits and the entry therof was to the East-ward The porch that gaue entry thereinto had twentie cubits in length which was the bredth of the Temple and in bredth ten cubits and the height thereof was of sixescore cubits About the Temple were builded thirtie celles which inuironed the circuit of the same on
who respited the execution of the Magitians for that night vntill he might see what would become of Daniels promise who retiring himselfe with his companions into his chamber besought God all the night long to manifest vnto him the dreame and deliuer the Magitians and Chaldees from the kings wrath with whom both he and the rest of his companions were like to die except he might know what the king had dreampt the night past and what was the interpretation thereof Whereupon God hauing compassion of the daunger wherein they were and taking pleasure in Daniels wisedome signified vnto him both the dreame and the signification thereof to the intent the king might be resolued in the meaning thereof Daniel hauing receiued the truth from God arose verie ioyfully and certified his brethren who had alreadie lost all hope of life and thought on no other thing but death and gaue them courage and hope of life Hauing therefore rendred thanks vnto God for that he had had compassion of their young yeeres as soone as it was day he went vnto Arioch requesting him that he might be brought to the kings presence certifying him that he would open vnto him the dreame which he had seene the night past Now when Daniel was brought vnto the kings presence he besought him that he would not esteeme him to be more wise then the other Chaldeans and magicians in that whereas none of them could expound his dreame he did attempt to expresse the same for that came not to passe by reason of his experience or for that he was more industrious then they were but said he God hath had compassion on vs that were in daunger of death and at such time as I requested him to grant me and my countrie men life he hath certified me both of your dreame and the signification thereof I was not so much agrieued for that in our innocency we were adiudged to death by thee as afraid of thine estimation and glory which was hazarded by condemning so many and so innocent and iust men to death whereas that which you haue required of them sauoreth nothing of humane wit but is the onely worke of God Whilest therefore thou thoughtest in thy selfe who it was that should commaund the whole world after thy selfe at such time as thou wert asleepe God intending to let thee know all those that should gouerne after thee presented thee with this dreame It seemed vnto thee that thou sawest a great statue wherof the head was of gold the shoulders and armes of siluer the belly and thighes of brasse and the legs and feete of yron Thou beheldst after that a great stone that was drawen from a mountaine that fell vpon the statue and beat downe and burst the same and left no whole peece thereof so that the gold siluer yron and brasse were poudered as small as dust whereupon a violent wind seemed to blow which by the furie and force thereof was borne away and scattered into diuers countries on the other side the stone grewe so mightie that it seemed to fill the whole earth This was that vision that appeared vnto you the signification whereof is expressed after this manner The head of gold signifieth your selfe and those kings of Babylon that haue been before you The two hands and shoulders signifie that your Empyre shal be destroied by two kings the one part by the king of the east cloathed in brasse whose force shall be abated by an other power resembling that of yron and he shal haue the power ouer the whole earth by reason of the nature of yron which is more strong then gold siluer or brasse he told the king also what that stone signified But for mine owne part I thought it not expedient to expresse it in this place because the onely but and intent of my writings is onely to register such things as are past and not such matters as are to come But if any man haue a desire to know these things and cannot bridle his curiositie but will vnderstand such matters as are hidden let him â—…ead the book of Daniel which he shal find amidst the sacred scriptures When king Nabuchodonosor had heard these things and remembred himself of his dreame he was astonished at Daniels wisedome and casting himselfe prostrate on the earth after the manner of those that adore God he embrased Daniel giuing direction that sacrifice should be offered vnto him as if he were God Moreouer he called him by the name of God and committed the administration of his whole kingdome to him and his companions who by reason of the commotions and conspiracies of their maligners and detractors hapned to fall into most eminent and dreadfull daunger vpon this occasion that ensueth The king built a golden Image sixtie cubits high and sixe in bignesse and erected it in a great plaine neere vnto Babylon and being readie to dedicate the same he assembled all the gouernours and princes of his countries commanding then first of all that as soone as they should heare the trumpet sound they should prostrate themselues on the earth to adore the statue threatning that whosoeuer should do the contrarie he should be cast into a burning furnace whereas therefore all of them adored the statue vpon the sound of the trumpet Daniel and his companions vtterly refused to performe that dutie alledging for their iustification that they would not transgresse the lawes of their countrey for which cause being apprenended they were instantly cast into the furnace of fire and protected therein by Gods prouidence escaped death beyond all mens expectation For the fire touched them not neither could it burne during their aboad in the furnace For God so fortified their bodies that they could not be consumed by fire which accident made them in greater estimation with the king for that he saw they were vertuous and beloued by God and for that cause they were highly honoured by him Not long after this the king saw an other vision in his sleepe which signified vnto him that being cast from his empire he should conuerse with sauage beasts and that hauing liued in that estate in the desart for the space of seuen yeares he should recouer his kingdom again Hauing had this dreame he assembled the Magitians once more demanding their answere and the signification thereof But it was impossible for any one of them eyther to find out or declare the intelligence of this dreame vnto the king onely Daniel discouered the same and the effect was answerable to his prediction For the king passed the forelimited time in the desart so that no man durst intermeddle with the affaires of estate during seuen yeares But after he had called vpon God that it would please him to restore him to his kingdome he repossessed the same again Let no man in this place accuse me for reporting these particularities according as I haue found them written in holy books for in the
that the gouernment which she enioyed during her life time was after her death distracted with infinite troubles and calamities wherewith her family was replenished And notwithstanding her regiment after this manner yet during her life time she kept the kingdome in peace And thus died Alexandra THE XIIII BOOKE OF THE ANTIQVITIES OF THE IEWES WRITTEN BY FLAVIVS IOSEPHVS The Contents of the Chapters of the 14. booke 1 How after the death of Alexandra her youngest sonne Aristobulus made warre against his brother Hircanus for the kingdome who obtaining the victorie compelled Hircanus to flie into a castle in Ierusalem And how after it was agreed and concluded between them that Aristobulus should be king and Hircanus liue as a priuate man without dignitie 2 Of the race of Antipater and how he purchaseth renowme great power and authoritie both to himselfe and his children and of the flight of Hircanus to Aretas king of Arabia 3 Aristobulus being vanquished is pursued as farre as Ierusalem 4 Hircanus and Aristobulus send Embassadours to Scaurus to request his aid and succour 5 Aristobulus and Hircanus present themselues before Pompey to debate their titles touching the kingdome 6 Pompey is seazed of the fortresses by a warlike stratageme 7 They of Ierusalem shut their gates against the Romans 8 Pompey taketh the Temple and lower part of the citie by force 9 Scaurus maketh warre against Aretas and by the perswasion sollicitation of Antipater maketh aleague with him 10 Alexander being ouercome by Gabinius retireth himselfe into a castle where he is shut vp and besieged 11 Aristobulus escaping out of prison flieth from Rome who being taken againe in Iudaea by Gabinius is sent backe prisoner to Rome 12 Crassus warring against the Parthians passeth through Iewrie and spoyleth the Treasurie of the Temple 13 Pompey retireth into Epirus and Scipio commeth into Syria 14 Caesars voyage into Egypt wherein the Iewes do him faithfull seruice 15 Antipaters valiant acts and the amitie betwixt him and Caesar. 16 Caesars letters and the Senates decree as touching the friendship betwixt the Iewes and Romans 17 Antipater committeth the gouernment of Galilee to his sonne Herod and that of Ierusalem to Phasaelus his other sonne and how Sextus Caesar aduāced Herode to great honour and dignitie 18 Cassius afflicteth Iurie and exacteth eight hundreth talents 19 Malichus poisoneth Antipater 20 Herode putteth Malichus to death by Cassius commandement 21 Antigonus the sonne of Aristobulus seeking to recouer his fathers kingdome by the aide of the King of Tyre is discomfited and driuen out of Iudaea by Herod 22 Herod meeting Antonius in Bithynia winneth his fauour with a great summe of money to the intent he should giue no ◅are to his accusers 23 Antonius arriuing in the prouince of Syria establisheth Herode and Phasaelus for Tetrarches 24 The Parthians make warre in Syria to restore Antigonus the sonne of Aristobulus to the kingdome 25 The Parthians take Hircanus and Phasaelus prisoners and lead them away 26 Herode at Rome is declared King of Iury by the Senate 27 Herode returneth from Rome and fighteth against Antigonus 28 Antigonus is discomfited by Sosius and Herode CHAP. I. How after the Contention betweene the two brethren touching the kingdome it was agreed that Aristobulus should be king and Hircanus liue as a priuate man WE haue alreadie intreated in our former Booke both of the actes and death of Queene Alexandra it now remaineth at this present to prosecute and continue the sequell of our History to the end that we neither omit any thing thorow ignorance or burie ought in forgetfulnes For they that make profession to write Histories and to recite such things as are obserued by antiquitie ought not onely studiously to conforme their stile but also to beautifie the same with the ornaments of eloquence to the intent the reader may conuerse in their writings with the more delectation But aboue all things they must haue an especiall care so exactly to set downe the truth that they who know not how these things came to passe may be the more duely and fitly informed When as therefore Hircanus had taken vpon him the high Priesthood in the third yeere of the hundreth seuentie and seuenth Olympiade and in the yeere that Q. Hortensius and Q. Metellus called the Cretensian were consuls at Rome Aristobulus sodainly vndertooke the warre against Hircanus and fought with him neere vnto Iericho where a great number of Hircanus followers submitted themselues of their owne accord to Aristobulus Thorow which accident Hircanus was inforced to fly to the fortresse of the higher citie wherein Alexandra Aristobulus mother had imprisoned both his wife and children as before this it is specified The rest of his faction for feare of his brother who had gotten the victory retired themselues within the enclosure of the temple where they were besieged and taken After this a peace was intreated of betwixt both the brethren and their different was accorded in this manner that Hircanus should passe the remnant of his life without entermedling with affaires of estate but should onely intend his security and peace and Aristobulus should commaund the kingdome This league was ratified betweene them in the temple and confirmed with othes coniunction of hands and embraces in the sight of all the people which being finished Aristobulus retired himselfe into the pallace and Hircanus to Aristobulus lodging to lead a priuate and quiet life CHAP. II. Of the race of Antipater and how he is aduanced to high estate and how Hircanus flieth to Aretas King of Arabia BVt acertaine friend of Hircanus by nation an Idumaean and by name Antipater being wel monied and by nature both factious and industrious and thorow ambition but badly affected toward Aristobulus the rather for that he affected Hircanus faction began to stir much trouble True it is that Nicholas Damascene writeth of this man that he was descended from the noblest amongst those Iewes who returned from out of Babylon into Iury but this he did of set purpose to gratifie Herode Antipaters sonne who by a casualtie became afterwards King of the Iewes as we will expresse hereafter in time and place conuenient This Antipater was at the first called Antipas according to his fathers name who as it is reported was made gouernour of all Idumaea by king Alexander and his wife and afterwards made a league with the Arabians Gazeans and Ascalonites corrupting them and insinuating himselfe into their fauours by diuers great presents bestowed vpon them This young Antipater considering with himselfe what Aristobulus power was and fearing least some mischiefe might be fall him thorow the hatred the young king had conceiued against him he communicated with certaine of the greatest reckoning amongst the lewes and secretly and cunningly incensed them against Aristobulus telling them that they had done amisse both to see and suffer Aristobulus to detaine the kingdome vniustly in his hands and to dispossesse
when I came to Belara which is scituate on the confines of Ptolemais distant some 20. furlongs frō Gaba where Ebutius encāped at that time and besetting all the passages with courts of guard whereby we might be more secure from the excursions of our enemies vntill we had carried out the wheate whereof there was a great quantitie stored vp in that place which was gathered out of the townships therabout belonging to Queene Berenice and loading diuers Camels and Asses which to that ende I had brought with me I sent the same corne into Galilee And hauing finished this businesse I offered Ebutius the battell and whereas he detracted the same being terrified by our boldnesse I tooke my course to encounter with Neopolitanus who as it was reported was in the territorie of the Tiberians and foraged there Now this Neopolitanus was a captaine of horsemen and had vndertaken to defend Scythopolis against their enemies Hauing therefore driuen him from doing any wrong in the countrey belonging to the Tiberians I prouided for the securitie of Galilee But Iohn the sonne of Leui who as we said liued at Gischala after he heard that all things sell out fortunately with me and that I was loued of my subiects and feared by mine enemies was fore aggrieued thereat and supposing his owne fortune was embased by my felicitie and being touched with no small enuie and in greater hope that he should hinder my good successe if so be that he could bring me in hatred with my subiects he sollicited those of Tiberias and Sephoris to forsake me and supposed also that the Gabarenians would reuolt vnto him which Cities are the chiefest in Galilee For he told them that vnder his conduct the common weale should be more discreetly gouerned but among the rest the Sephorites gaue least eare vnto him for that neglecting vs both they onely held for the Romans As for the Tiberians they would not consent to rebell yet notwithstanding they promised him some friendship But the Gabarenians wholy addicted themselues vnto Iohn by the meanes of one Simon a principall Citizen who was Iohns fellow and friend Yet did they not openly seeme to allow him for that they vehemently feared the Galileans whose good will towards me they were long time assured of but priuily they sought another meanes to entrap me And truely I fell into great danger vpon this occasion For when as certaine Dabarittenians being audacious young men had intelligence that Ptolomeis wife the kings steward vnder the conduct of certaine horsmen should in great pompe trauell along the great plaine out of the kings countrey into the Romans gouernment they sodainly set vpon them and putting the woman to flight they spoiled all that which shee carried with her Which done they droue to Taricheas a place where I then kept certaine moyles loaden with apparell and houshold stuffe of diuers sorts among which there were diuers siluer vessels and fiue hundreth pieces of gold Intending therefore to reserue these things for Ptolomey as being one of the same tribe in that our lawe permitteth not to defraud no not our enemies if they be of the same tribe I told those that brought the goods thither that they must be kept to be solde to the end that the price of the goods might be bestowed vpon the building of the wals of Ierusalem This motion of mine the young men interpreted verie hardly in that they were cut off from the part of the pray which they hoped for For which cause dispersing themselues in the streetes of Tiberias they spred a rumour that I would betray that country to the Romans alleadging that I onely fained that the pray was destinated toward the repairing of the walles of Ierusalem whereas the truth was that I kept the same to the intent I might restore it to the owner In which matter they were no whit deceiued in their opinion For after the departure of the young men I called vnto me two chiefe Citizens Dassion and Iannaeus the soones of Leui intire friends to the king and commaunded them that taking the houshold stuffe with them they should conuay it vnto the king threatning them with death if they reuealed this secret vnto any man But when as the rumour was spred thorow Galilee that I would betray the region into the hands of the Romans and all of them being grieuously bent and intent against me to punish me they of Taricheas also giuing credit to the young mens fained speeches perswaded my guard and the rest of the souldiers that forsaking me whilest I was asleepe they should come into the horse race and consult with other in that place how to degrade me and giue the honour vnto another They being perswaded came to the appointed place where they found many others there arriued and all of them cried out with one consent that it was meete to take punishment on a traytor who hath sought the destruction of the common weale But he that most of all incited them to these troubles was Iesus the sonne of Saphias who at that time had the magistracie of Tiberias in his hands a man giuen ouer to all wickednesse and borne to breed troubles and stirre vp seditions This man bearing Moses tables in his hands and comming out into the midst of the assembly spake thus with a loud voice If said he you be touched with no care of your selues yet at leastwise contemne not these sacred lawes which this your chiefetaine Ioseph a man worthy to be hated by all men hath of long time dared to betray and for that cause is worthy of extreame punishment After he had spoken thus and was applauded by the acclamations of the people he leading the armed men with him hastily repaired to the house where I kept with a certaine intent and purpose to put me to death Meane while I suspecting nothing of all this tumult and tired with labour and wearinesse tooke my rest when as sodainly Simon one of my guard who at that time only remained with me seeing the incursion of the people came and awaked me and certifying me of mine instant perill he gaue me counsell likewise that rather like a noble and vndaunted chieftaine I should shorten mine owne life then shamefully die by mine enemies direction Whilest he gaue me this counsell I committing my safetie to Gods hands and changing my garments went foorth into the assembly after a mournfull manner and wearing my sword hanging about my necke stealing by that way by which I knew that none of mine aduersaries might meete me and comming into the horse race I offered my selfe to euerie mans eie and lying prostrate on my face and watring the earth with my teares I mooued al men that beheld me to compassion And when I perceiued that the affections of the people were changed I laboured all that I might to deuide them in opinions before the armed soldiers returned from my house and confessing my selfe
a tumult begun in Syria He also recordeth the greatnesse of our countrey and the fertilitie thereof they inhabite quoth he a countrey that hath almost thirtie hundreth thousand acres of most fertile ground for Iurie is of this largenesse that in time past we inhabited a large and very great citie which was verie populous he speaketh also of the building of our temple in this manner The Iewes haue many other townes and villages in euerie prouince but they haue one most strong citie the compasse of whose wals is fiftie stounds and in it inhabite a hundred and fiftie thousand men and this citie they called Ierusalem in the midst of it is a building of stone with foure porches a hundreth cubits about it hath also double gates wherein is a foure squared Altar made of vnhewen stones ioyned together and it is twentie cubites square euerie way and ten cubites high and about it is a most huge building where in is an Altar and a Candlesticke both of gold weighing two talents and there is kept a continuall light night and day which neuer goeth forth therein is no Image nor gift notrees nor wood growing there nor any thing of this sort Therein inhabite Priests both night and day celebrating certaine purifications and they drinke no wine in the Temple Moreouer he shewed how our nation warred vnder Alexanders successors and he reporteth that which he heard of a certaine Iew in the armie and I will set downe the Authors owne words As I went quoth he to the red Sea a certaine Iewe one of the horsemen that conducted vs named Mosollamus who was a couragious man and one who excelled all archers else both Greeks and other nations This Iewe euerie one hasting on forward of his iourney and being willed by a southsayer to stand he asked for what cause the multitude staied and went not forward presently the Southsayer shewed him a bird which hee diligently viewed and told the Iewe that if that bird did stand still in the place that then it was expedient for them to stand and if the bird did mount vp and flie that then they ought to march on forward but if it flew towards the place from whence they came that then it was wisedome to retire The Iewe hereat was silent yet drawing his bow hee shot an arrow and killed the bird whereat the Southsayer and certaine other were offended and cursed him But he taking the vnhappie bird in his hand said vnto them Are yee so mad as to thinke that this bird not hauing the foresight to preserue her selfe from this death is able to direct vs in the successe of our iourney Had this bird foreknowne future euents shee would haue eschewed this place for dread that Mosollamus a Iewe should haue strucken her with an arrow But wee will now leaue the testimonie of Hecataeus for euerie one that list may reade his booke and there vnderstand this more at large I will not omit the testimonie of Agatarchides a man of no euill in his owne opinion yet indeed one who hath vsed detraction to our owne nation This man speaking of Stratonice how leauing her husband Demetrius shee came into Syria and how Seleucus would not marrie her as shee hoped who hauing an armie at Babylon warred against Antioch and had taken the Citie and that shee fled into Seleucia where as she might haue made a more speedie escape by water but that shee was forwarned in a sleepe so to do that she was there taken and died c. Agatarchides hauing vsed this Preface and inueighed against Stratonices superstition he vseth an example of our nation in this manner The people that are called Iewes inhabite a most strong Citie which they call Ierusalem these people are wont to rest vpon the seuenth day and doe neither beare armes nor till their grounds nor doe anie other businesse vpon that day but their custome is to remaine in their Temple and there with stretched out armes continue in praier till night And so vpon a time they perseuering in that foolerie whilest they should haue defended their Citie Ptolomaeus Lagus entered it with many people and a great armie who greatly tyrannized ouer them and so they found by experience that the solemnitie appointed by their law was preiudiciall vnto them such like Churches as this did teach them and all nations else to flie vnto dreames which their law teacheth neuer considering that humane pollicie cannot preuaile against that which must necessarily happen Agatarchides thought this which he reporteth of vs to be ridiculous but they who weigh it with indifferencie shall perceiue that it is great commendation to our nation who rather suffer their Countrie and our saftie to be lost and endamaged then to violate the lawes of God I thinke I am thus able to shew that many writers omitted to make mention of our nation not for that they knew vs not but for enuie For Ierome who writ a booke of succession in the same time that Hecataeus liued who was a friend vnto King Antigonus and being president of Syria neuer mentioneth vs in all his Historie notwithstanding he was brought vp almost in our Countrie But Haecataeus writ a booke of vs so different are the minds of men for one of them thought our nation worthie to bee diligently recorded the other through malice was hindred from speaking the truth yet the Histories of the Chaldies Aegyptians and Phaenicians may suffice to proue our antiquitie together with the Greeke writers for besides those before mentioned Theophrastus also Theodotus Manaseas Ariphanes Hermogenes Euemeus Conon Zopyrion and many others no doubt for I haue not perused all mens bookes haue manifestly restified of vs. For many of the foresaid men were blinded with errors as not hauing gread our holy Scriptures yet they all ioyntly testifie our antiquitie for which I now alleadge them Truely Demetrius Phalereus Philon the elder and Eupolemus did not much erre from the truth and therefore reason it is that they should be borne with alâ—… for they were not so skilful as to search our writings with so much curiositie Being come thus farre it resteth that I now present one point more wherof I made mention in the beginning of this booke to wit that I declare the detractions and slaunderous reports of diuers concerning our nation to be false and voide of truth and I will vse the testimonie of those writers who record that the lying Historiographers at such time as they committed to writing the foresaid detractions did also euen against themselues register such like slaunders as they did against vs. And I doubt not but that all those who are conuersant in Histories can testifie that the like hath beene done by most writers for certaine priuate hatred or such like respects For some of the Gentiles haue attempted to deface the honour and reputation of the most renowmed Cities and to defame the manners of their Inhabitants Thus did Theopompus