a certaine friend of his called Ionathan the sonne of Absalom with an army to Ioppe commanding him to expulse the inhabitants of that citie from thence for that he feared least they should submit themselues to Tryphon As for himselfe he remained in Ierusalem to secure the same Tryphon departing from Ptolemais with a great army came into Iudaea leading his prisoner Ionathan with him Whereupon Simon with his army went out against him as farre as Addida a Citie scituate vpon a mountaine at the foote whereof beginneth the champion countrey of Iudaea Tryphon knowing that Simon was made gouernour of the Iewes sent messengers vnto him intending to circumuent him by treason and pollicie giuing him to vnderstand that if he were des◅ous of his brothers enlargement he should send him one hundreth talents of siluer and two of Ionathans children for hostages to assure him that being set at liberty he should not withdraw Iudaea from the obedience of the king For till that present he was held and kept prisoner by reason of the money which he ought the king Simon was no waies ignorant of this cunning intent of Tryphons but knew well enough that he should both lose his money if he should deliuer the same and that his brother should not be enlarged no though his children were deliuered for hostages on the other side he feared least the people should conceiue sinisterly of him as if he had been the cause of his brothers death both by not deliuering the money neither yet the children Hauing therefore assembled the army he declared vnto them what Tryphon demanded telling them that the whole scope of his actions were nought els but traiterous stratagemes and subtilties yet notwithstanding he told them that he had rather send both the mony and the children to Tryphon then by refusing his conditions and demands to be accused to haue neglected the life of his brother Simon therefore sent both the money and children of Ionathan but Tryphon hauing receiued both kept not his promise but detained Ionathan and leading his army thorow the countrey intended to passe by Idumaea to repaire to Ierusalem He came therfore to Dora a Citie in Idumaea and thitherward marched Simon to encounter with him encamping alwaies right ouer against him They that were in the Castle of Ierusalem hearing newes hereof sent Tryphon word that he should hasten and come vnto them and send them munition whereupon he addressed his horsemen pretending that very night to ride vnto Ierusalem but the snow about that time fell in such abundance that it couered the way in such sort and was so thicke as the horses could not trauell which hindred his repaire to Ierusalem For which cause he departed from thence and came into Coelesyria and speedily inuading the countrey of Galaad he put Ionathan to death in that place and after he had buried him there he returned to Antioch But Simon sent vnto Basca and transported his brothers bones and interred them in his countrey Modin in his fathers sepulcher and all the people mourned and lamented for him many daies Simon also builded a great monument of white and polished marble for his father and his brethren and raised it to a great height and garnished it round about with galleries and pillers all of one piece which was an admirable worke to behold Besides that he erected seuen Pyramides for his father mother and brethren for each of them one so great and so faire as they mooued admiration in those that beheld them and are as yet to be seene at this present day So great was Simons care that Ionathan and the rest of his family should be honoured with so magnificent a sepulcher which Ionathan died after he had exercised the place of high priest and possessed the gouernment for foure yeeres Thus much as touching his death As soone as Simon had taken possession of the high priesthood by the election of the people the very first yeere of his gouernment he acquitted the people of the tribute which they were woont to pay to the Macedonians This libertie and exemption from tribute hapned amongst the Iewes one hundreth and seuentie yeeres since the time that Seleucus surnamed Nicanor obtained the kingdome of Syria And in so great honour was Simon amongst the people that in their priuate contracts and publike letters the date began from the first yeere of Simon the benefactor and gouernour of the Iewish nation For they prospered greatly vnder his gouernment and had the victorie of all their neighbouring enemies round about them For he destroied the Cities of Gaza Ioppe and Iamnia he raced also the cittadel of Ierusalem and leuelled it with the ground to the intent the enemies might be neuer seazed thereof any more nor retreat themselues thither to endomage the city as before time they had done Which when he had brought to passe he thought it not amisse but very profitable to leuell the hill whereon the Castle stood to the intent the temple might be the eminentest place All this perswaded he the people to doe in a common assembly laying before their eies how many euils they had suffered by the meanes of the garrisons and how much they were like to suffer hereafter if a stranger should once more be master of the kingdome and build a cittadel in that place By these exhortations he perswaded the people to finish these workes and all of them began to trauell without intermission both day and night so that in the space of three yeers they plained the mountaine and wrought it downe and from that time forward there was nothing but the temple that commanded the Citie See here what Simon performed hitherto CHAP. XII Simon besiegeth Tryphon within Dora and contracteth alliance with Antiochus surnamed the Deuout NOt long after the captiuity of Demetrius Tryphon slew Alexander the sonne of Antiochus surnamed God notwithstanding he had the care and charge of his education for foure yeeres during which time he raigned and spreading abroad a certaine noise and rumour that the yong king in exercising himselfe fortuned to die he sent his friends and familiars vnto the men of warre promising them that if they would elect and choose him king he would giue them a huge summe of money giuing them to vnderstand that Demetrius was prisoner among the Parthians and that if Antiochus his brother should obtaine the kingdome he would punish them diuers waies and reuenge their reuolt and rebellion which they had committed by forsaking him The army hoping that if they bestowed the kingdome on Tryphon it would redound highly to their profit they proclaimed him king But after he had attained the fulnesse of his desites he shewed how malicious and wicked his nature was For at such time as he was a priuate man he flattered the people and made shew of moderation and by such allurements he drew thē to do what him listed but after he had taken possession of
he sawe it turned into a bloodie colour Amased at these accidents he was commaunded to be of good courage and assured that he should haue great assistance Moreouer that he should vse these signes before all men to the end said God that all may beleeue that being sent by me thou dost all this according to my commaundements Furthermore I enioyne thee that without any further delay thou haste thee into Egypt and that thou â—…ell day and night without leesing time without delaying any more to succour the poore Hebrewes grieuously afflicted in Egypt Moses hauing no cause to distrust that which God had promised him and being confirmed by these things whereof he was both an eye witnesse and auditor he required God that if there were any occasion to expresse the like power in Egypt he would vouchsafe to further the effect beseeching him further that he would not conceale his name from him to whom he had participated the hearing of his voice and the sight of his presence that it might please him therefore to declare vnto him his name to the end that when he should offer sacrifice vnto him he might call vpon the same God declared vnto him his name which before time had beene concealed amongst men and of which also it is not lawfull for me to speake Moses wrought these signes not only at that time but also when or wheresoeuer he thought it requisite by all which he gaue further credit to the fire which had appeared vnto him and assured himselfe that God would be his fauourable defender that he would deliuer his brethren and intangle and enwrap the Egyptians in great calamities And after that he had vnderstood that Pharao King of Egypt was dead during whose life he fled from thence he requested Raguel that he would giue him leaue to depart into Egypt for the profit of those of his nation and taking with him Sephora who was Raguel daughter and his maried wife and Gerson and Eleazar his children which he had by her he departed to go into Egypt Now this name of Gerson in the Hebrew tongue signifieth Forraine and Eleazar signifieth fauoured by God in memory that Moses had escaped from amongst the Egyptians by the assistance of the God of his fathers And as he approched neere the mountaines Aaron his brother by the commaundement of God came forth to meete him to whom he declared all that which had happened vnto him in the mountaine and that which God had giuen him in charge And as they passed onward of their way the men of greatest estimation amongst the Hebrewes hauing intelligence of his comming came out to meete him to whom Moses presented the abouenamed tokens by reason that he could not perswade them by words and they being astonished at that which they had seene him doe beyond their expectation waxed confident and conceiued a good hope of all things seeing that God had a care of their safetie When he perceiued that the Hebrewes were readie to obey him and that they protested to follow him in al that which he should command them through the earnest desire they had to be at liberty he presented himselfe before the king who had newly vndertaken the gouernment and shewed him the great benefits he had done vnto the Egyptians at such time as they were despised by the Ethiopians who had spoyled all their countrey and how he had spared no trauell but sustained all the charge of the warre as if it had beene waged for his owne proper nation On the other side he opened vnto him the daungers which he had iniustly suffered for his recompence he afterwards discoursed vnto him that which had befallen him neere vnto the fountaine of Sinai and the talke which God had in that place with him and the signes in particular which had been shewed vnto him in confirmation of those things whereunto he was enioyned exhorting the King not to mistrust or impeach the ordinance of God The King hearing this began to mocke him but Moses made him see in effect the signes which were shewed vnto him neere to the mountaine of Sinai But the King waxed wroth and grieuously reuiled him accusing him for that in times past he fled away for feare to be slaine in Egypt and at this present returned thither vnder a subtill pretext cloaking his craft with magike and inchantment the more to afright him And at the same instant he called into his presence the priests of Egypt to let them see those signes and to make it manifest that the Egyptians were exercised in those sciences and that he onely was not master in those things the which he boasted to performe by Gods power but that they were but deceits shadowes of meruailes to deceiue the multitude whereupon the priests cast downe their rods and they became serpents Moses being nothing moued herewith said O King I despise not the wisedome of the Egyptians but I protest that that which I haue done doth so farre surpasse all their magike and art as there is difference betweene diuine and humane things I will therefore shew you that that which I do is not by enchantment nor vnder colour of apparent veritie but by the prouidence and power of God This said he cast his rod vpon the ground commaunding it to change it selfe into a serpent whereunto it obeyed and wandering here and there it deuoured all the rods of the Egyptians which seemed to be serpents vntill they were all of them consumed and that done Moses tooke his staffe into his hand againe and it reassumed his pristine forme But the King being neuer the more astonished but the rather incensed at that which was done said that this wisedome and subtilty of Moses should profit him nothing which he vsed in disgrace of the Egyptians He commaunded therefore the ouerseer of the workes who had the gouernment ouer the Hebrewes that he should remit nothing of their labour but that he should oppresse them with more tedious and grieuous taskes then they were wont to be put vnto whereupon where he was wont to allowe them straw to make their tile with he forbare after that time to giue them that allowance and taxing them in the day time to follow their worke he appointed them by night to find and bring in their straw doubling thereby the waight of their former labour Notwithstanding all this Moses would neither desist from his purpose in regard of the kings threatning nor the continuall cry of his countrimen neither was in any sort appauled thereat but with a confident and vnappauled mind in regard of both he wholy intended this to restore his countrimen to their desired libertie Hee therefore once againe accosted the King perswading him to dismisse the Hebrewes to the end they might repaire vnto the mountaine Sinai and sacrifice vnto God in that place for no lesse saith hee hath he commaunded neither can any resist his will For which cause he aduised
alreadie executed and testified vpon our nation For if you consider the worth and wonder thereof you shall conceiue his greatnes that hath brought them to passe and hath neuer denied to talke with me heare me when I spake for your profit For it is not Moses the sonne of Amram and of Iochabel but he it is that constrained Nilus to flow with bloud and that thorow diuers plagues hath tamed the pride of the Aegyptians it is he that hath giuen you passage thorow the midst of the sea it is he that hath furnished you with meat prepared from heauen at such time as you were in extremitie it is he that made water spring out of the rocke to coole your thirsts at such time as you were in necessitie it is he by whom Adam had the possession and fruition both of the fruit of the earth and the fishes of the sea By him Noe escaped from the Deluge by him our auncient father Abraham of a wandring pilgrime became an inhabiter of the land of Chanaan by him Isaac was borne at such time as his father and mother were olde by him Iocob hath beene ennobled by the vertue of his twelue sonnes by him Ioseph became Lord ouer all the forces of the Aegyptians He it is that gratiously imparteth these words vnto you by me his messenger let therefore these holsome lawes of his be holy and inuiolable amongst you and more deere vnto you then eyther your wiues or children for in obseruing the same you shall lead a happie life enioy a fruitfull countrey a calme sea and a progenie made happie according to the lawes of nature finally you shall become alwaies dreadfull vnto your enemies For I haue talked face to face with God and haue heard his immortall voice so dearely beloued are you vnto him and so carefull is he of the prosperitie of your nation This said he conducted the people both men women and children to the end they might heare God talke vnto them and teach them what to do for feare the law should haue been in lesser regard if it had beene presented to their vnderstandings by a humane tongue they all of them therefore heard his voyce descending from the mountaine so that euerie one vnderstood the same But these precepts which Moses left registred in two Tables it is not lawfull for me to expresse in so many words and therefore I will onely expresse the sentences For he teacheth vs First of all that there is one God who is onely to be worshipped Secondly that no Image of any creature is to be adored Thirdly that no man ought to sweare rashly Fourthly that the seuenth day is not to be prophaned by any worke Fiftly that father and mother should be honoured Sixtly that we should abstaine from murther Seuenthly that adultery is not to be committed Eightly that no man ought to steale Ninthly that false witnesse must not be borne Tenthly that no man ought to couet his neighbours goods When the multitude with great ioy had heard God himselfe speake vnto them according as Moses had foretold them he dismissed them and each one departed to his tent But some few daies after they presented themselues before his pauilion beseeching him that he would bring them those lawes which he had receiued at Gods hands Heâ—…o the intent to gratifie them opened the lawes and prescribed vnto each of them what they ought to doe at the same time as in due place it shall be expressed But the greater part of the lawes I deferre till an other time meaning in priuate to comment thereupon About the verie same time Moses once more ascended the mountaine of Sinai hauing premonished the people thereof and ascended the same in their sights but when the time seemed tedious vnto them for he was sequestred from them for the space of fortie dayes they were in great feare least some inconuenient had hapned vnto him neither were they so much aggrieued at that which had chanced vnto them as for that they were perswaded of the death of Moses For there fell a contention amongst them the one affirming that he was dead and deuoured by wild beasts which was their opinion who conceiued a hatred against him the other said that he was rauished vp vnto God But they of the wiser sort among them who tooke no pleasure to heare any one of these them suspitions contayned themselues being equally affected in respect of both the opinions for that the one seemed not to be estranged from humane chance and the other had some correspondence with the vertues of the man so that they indured his fortune with an equall mind and lamented their owne mishap in that they were depriued of such a gouernour and patron as he was and whose like they thought it a matter impossible to find neither did their care suffer them to hope neither depriued of hope could they choose but complaine neyther durst they remoue their tents in that they were commaunded to expect his returne At length when fortie daies and fortie nights were past he returned vnto them hauing during that time tasted no mortall sustenance and by his arriuall the whole host was replenished with great ioy whom he certified that Gods prouidence was alwaies assisting them and that during the terme of those daies he had learned the meanes how they should liue ciuilly orderly and blessedly telling them that God commaunded them to make him a Tabernacle whereinto he would descend as often as it pleased him which also in their trauell they might carry about with them so that they should haue no more need to ascend vnto Sinai but that he himselfe might come and lodge with them and be assistant to their prayers He told them likewise the measure and order of the said Tabernacle and that there wanted nothing but that they presently addressed themselues to the building thereof This said he shewed them the two Tables contayning the ten commaundements written therein in each of them fiue now were these written by the hand of God They all of them reioycing at that which they had heard and seene ceased not to employ themselues to their vttermost so that they brought in siluer gold brasse and store of wood fit for building and which would not be worme eaten the haires of goates and the skins of sheepe the one died azure and the other white wools of the same colour fine linnen stones enchased in gold wherewith men were accustomed to decke themselues with great quantitie of perfumes Such was the matter of the Tabernacle which was made like to a portable mouing Temple this stuffe being thus gathered together collected with so great affection according to each mans vtmost abilitie he appointed work-masters according to the commandement of God but such as the like might not haue been chosen although the matter had beene committed to the peoples suffrages their names are now likewise extant in the volumes of the sacred
set vpon the Altar to be sanctified They that sacrifice likewise doe bring oyle the halfe part of a Hin for a Bull for a Ramme the third of the same measure and for a Lambe the fourth part this Hin is an Hebrew measure which contayneth two Attique Choas they brought also the like measure of wine as of oyle and poured out the wine neere to the Altar And if any without sacrificing offer vp fine flower he putteth the first fruits vpon the Altar that is to say one handfull and the rest is taken by the priests for their maintenance eyther fried for they are kneaded in oyle or with loaues made thereof but whatsoeuer the priest offereth all that must be burned The law likewise forbiddeth to offer any beast whatsoeuer that day that it is borne or to kill it with his damme or in any other sort before it hath fed twelue daies There are also other sacrifices made for deliuerance from sicknes or for other causes in which sacrifices they employ wine or licour with that which is offered of which licours it is not lawfull to reserue any thing against the next morrow when the priests haue taken that portion which belongeth to them and sufficeth them The law commandeth that on the common purse there be euery day killed a Lambe of a yeare old the one in the morning the other at the shutting vp of the euening and on the seuenth day which is called the Sabaoth that two should be offered in that manner as hath beene declared And on the new moone besides their daily offerings they sacrifice two Oxen seuen yearling Lambes and a Wether and a Kid for the abolition of those sinnes which are committed thorow forgetfulnes On the seuenth moneth which the Macedonians call Hiperberete besides the aboue-named they sacrifice a Bull one Mutton seuen Lambes and a Kid for sinnes The tenth day of the same month according to the Moone they fast till the euening and on the same day they sacrifice a Bull two Muttons seuen Lambes and a Goat for a sinne offering besides which they bring two Kids one of which is sent aliue out of the limits of the campe into the desart on whom all the euill may fall if so be any be threatned to the people the other is borne without the campe into a cleane place where it is burned with the skin being not any waies purged with this they burne a Bull which is not allowed out of the common charge but by the proper costs of the priest This Bull being opened and slain the bloud therof with that of the goat being caried into the Tabernacle he besprinkleth the couer thereof with his finger seuen times the pauement as many times and the Tabernacle and the Altar of gold and al the rest about the great Altar which is abroad in the court Besides that they set on the Altar the raynes and the fat with the lobe of the liuer and the priest offereth vnto God a Mutton for a burnt offering The fifteenth day of the said month at such time as it draweth towards winter he commaunded them to plant Tabernacles euerie one in his family against the instant cold weather which the increasing yeer was wont to bring that when they should enioy their countrey and should enter that Citie which they should hold for their Metropolitane by reason of the Temple which should be there builded they might celebrate a feast during eight daies space in offering burnt offerings and sacrifices vnto God and that in witnesse of their thanksgiuing they should beare in their hands a braunch of Mirtle and of Willow tied together with woole and a bough of Palme likewise to which a Peach was fastned and that the first day they should sacrifice thirteene Oxen and fourteene Lambs and two Sheepe with a Goat for a sinne offering Those daies that insued they sacrificed likewise a like number of Lambes and Wethers with a Kid and in rebating day by day the number of Oxen they come backe to the seuenth The eight day they cease from worke on this day as we haue said they sacrifice a Calfe a Ram and seuen Lambs and a Kid for a sinne offering and it is the custome of the Hebrewes to performe these sacrifices at such time as they pitch their Tabernacles In the month Xantique which we call Nisan which is the first month of the yeare the fourteenth day after the new Moone the Sunne being in Aries for at that time were we deliuered out of Aegypt he ordained that euerie yeare we should do sacrifice vvhich we cal the Passeouer which as I said was celebrated the same time that we departed out of Aegypt This solemnitie of Easter we celebrate by companies without reseruing any thing of that vvhich is offered till the next day The fifteenth day the feast of vnleuened bread followeth the solēnity of the Passeouer during those seuen daies it is vnlawfull to eate any le◅ened bread and euerie day are slaine two Buls one Ram and seuen Lambes vvhich are all consumed vvith fire to vvhich there is added a Kid for a sinne offering for a seuerall daies banquet to feast the priests vvith The second day of this feast of vnleuened bread vvhich is the sixteenth of the month they begin to enioy the fruits that are mowed and before that time vntouched and for that it is verie conuenient that God should be honoured vvith the first fruites thereof from whom they receiue such aboundance they offer the first fruits of Barley after this manner After they haue dried a handfull of the eares they beat or thresh it and clense the Barley from the chaffe and offer an Assar of the same vpon the Altar vnto God and after they haue cast a handful of the same on the Altar they leaue the rest for the priestes vse and from that time forward it is lawfull for them to reape as wel in publike as in particular With these first fruits they sacrifice vnto God a Lambe for a burnt offering Seuen weekes after the feast of the Passeouer that is fortie nine dayes on the fiftieth which the Hebrewes by reason of the number call Asartha they offer vnto God a leauened bread made of wheate flower of the quantitie of two Assars and sacrifice two Lambes which are onely offered vp to God and afterwards are prepared for the Priests dinner and it is not lawfull for them to reserue any thing thereof vntill the next day But the burnt offerings are of three Calfes two Wethers and fourteen Lambs besides two Kids for a sin offering There is not any feast wherein they offer not a burnt offering and desist not from all manuel labor but in euerie one of the same there is ordained a certaine sort of sacrifice which they ought to do and it is presently ordered that they rest from their labours and after sacrifice fal to banquet On the common charge they offered vnleauened
princes that they should send away Zorobabel and those of his company to build the temple Moreouer he sent letters to them of Syria and Phoenicia commaunding them to cut downe the Cedars of Libanus and to send them to Ierusalem towards the building of the Citie publishing a lawe that all Iewes should be made free if so bee they would resort into Iudaea forbidding all commissaries and Princes to impose any charge vpon the Iewes for the necessities of the kingdome permitting that all the countrey which they might occupie might be inhabited by them and exempt from tributes commanding the Idumaeans Samaritanes and Coelesyrians to restore those lands vnto the Iewes which they vnlawfully held and the other lawfully claimed for their inheritance And besides that to deliuer them in way of contribution fiftie talents of siluer towards the building of the temple permitting them to offer their ordinarie sacrifice He likewise commaunded that all the necessaries and vestments which either the high Priest or the ordinarie sacrificers vsed in the seruice of God should be furnished at his charges He willed also that the Leuites should haue instruments of Musicke deliuered vnto them to praise God with and that certaine portions of land might be allotted for them that had the gard of the Citie and the temple Moreouer he allowed them a certaine summe of money euery yeare for their ordinarie maintenance After this he sent backe all those vessels which Cyrus before time had resolued to restore vnto Ierusalem When Zorobabel had obtained these things abouenamed at the kings hands he issued out of the pallace and lifting vp his eies vnto heauen he began to giue God thanks for the wisedome and victorie he had granted him for the good successe he had giuen him in Darius presence For said he O Lord if thou hadst not beene fauorable vnto me I had not obtained it After he had at this time in this sort giuen thanks for the present praied God to shew himself alwaies fauourable hereafter he repaired to Babylon and told his countrimen what good newes he had receiued from the King who heating the same gaue God thanks also who had restored them once more to the possession of that countrey wherein they were borne and they fell to feasting and banquetting for seuen daies space for the restoring vnto their countrey as if they had solemnized the feastes of their birth daies Anon after they made choise of those gouernours and common sort that with their wiues their children and horses should returne vnto Ierusalem who by the assistance of Darius conuoy performed their iourney to Ierusalem with ioy and consolation playing on their Psalteries Flutes and Cymbals and were after this manner conducted on their way with delight by the number of those Iewes that remained as yet in Babylon Thus therefore went they forward being a certaine and determinate number of euerie family I haue not thought it meet to repeat these families name by name for feare I should confound my storie and least the readers should any waies be distracted or interrupted in their readings Notwithstanding the whole number of those that went and were aboue twelue yeares olde of the tribes of Iuda and Beniamin were foure millions sixe hundreth twentie and eight thousand There were likewise foure thousand and seuentie Leuites And of their wiues and children togither fortie thousand seuen hundreth fortie and two Besides these there were of singers of the tribe of Leui one hundreth twentie and eight of porters one hundreth and tenne and of sacred seruants three hundreth twentie two There were certain others likewise that pretended that they were of therace of the Israelites yet could they not giue testimony of their descent the number of whom were sixe hundreth fiftie and two Of the number of priests they that had espoused wiues whose genealogie could not be deriued and who were not found also in the genealogies of the Priests and Leuites they were about fiue hundreth twentie fiue The multitude of seruants that followed or attended on them were seuen thousand three hundreth thirtie and seuen There were also two hundreth fortie and fiue singers of men and women foure hundreth thirtie and fiue Camels and fiue hundreth twentie and fiue other beasts to beare their carriage The conductor of this aboue named multitude was Zorobabel the sonne of Salathiel descended of Dauids line and of the tribe of Iuda and Iesus the sonne of Iosedech the high priest besides which were Mardochaeus Serebaeus who were chosen by the people to be their gouernors who contributed one hundreth pounds of gold and fiue hundreth of siluer Thus the priests and Leuites and a part of all the people of the Iewes which were then in Babylon were conducted to dwell at Ierusalem the other part of them following a little after returned euery one into his owne countrey The seuenth moneth after their departure out of Babylon the high priest Iesus and the gouernour Zorobabel sent messengers thorow all the countrey and assembled the people from all quarters of the region who with all alacritie and expedition repaired to Ierusalem There erected they an Altar in the same place where before time it was builded to the end they might offer lawfull sacrifices thereon according to Moses law in which action of theirs they yeelded little content to their neighbour nations who in generall were incensed against them They ceebrated also at that time the feast of tabernacles according as the law-maker had ordained afterwards they offered oblations and continuall sacrifices obseruing their Saboths and all holy solemnities And they that had made any vowes performed the same and sacrificed from the new moone vntill the seuenth moneth After this they began to build the temple and deliuered great summes of money to the hewers of stone and masons and gaue straungers their ordinarie diet who brought them stone and timber For it was an easie matter for the Sidonians and an act well pleasing vnto them to bring wood and timber from Libanus and to bind it and gathering it together in rafters to ship it and land it at the port of Ioppa For Cyrus had before time giuen them that commaundement and now the second time they were enâ—…yned thereunto by Darius The second yeere after their arriuall in Ierusalem the Iewes assembled together in the second moneth and the building of the temple went forward so that hauing laid the foundation thereof in the first day of December they builded vpon the same the second yeare Ouer this worke those Leuites that were aboue twentie yeares of age were ouerseers with them also was Iesus and his sonnes and brothers ioyned and Zolimiel the brother of Iuda the sonne of Aminadad and his sonnes And thorow the diligence that these ouerseers of the temple vsed it was sooner finished then it was expected As soone as the sanctuarie was builded the priests apparrelled in their accustomed habits and the Leuites
he commaunded him to honour Nehemias and to furnish him with all things necessarie for that building which he intended As soone as he came to Babylon he tooke diuers of his countrimen with him who willingly followed him went with him vnto Ierusalem in the fiue and twentith yeare of the raigne of Xerxes and after he had presented his letters before God he deliuered them to Sadeas and the other gouernours Afterwards assembling the people in Ierusalem he stood vp in the midst of them and spake vnto the whole congregation to this effect You men of Iury there is none of you but knoweth that God hath our forefathers Abraham Isaac and Iacob in perpetuall memorie and that in regard of their iustice he hath neuer failed to haue care of vs by his mercy likewise I haue receiued the fauour from the king to repaire your wals and finish the rest of the temple I therefore pray you who are assuredly perswaded of the enuie and hatred the neighbouring nations beare vnto you who hearing that we are intent and busie in our building will ouerpresse vs and labour by all meanes possible to hinder vs first to assure your selues in Gods prouidence who will oppose himselfe against the hatred which they beare vs and afterwards to intermit neither day nor night in prosecution of the building but with all care continue the worke in that the oportunitie of the time doth challeng our diligence therein After he had spoken to this effect he gaue order that the gouernours should take the measure of the wall and distribute the taske amongst the people according to the burroughs and townes and according to euerie mans abilitie and after he had promised to imploy both himselfe and all his family therein he dismissed the assembly Hereupon the Iewes incited by his authoritie addressed themselues to the worke which name of Iewes was first imposed both on them and their religion by reason of the tribe of Iuda who first of all came into these places The Ammonites Moabites Samaritanes and all the inhabitants of Coelesyria vnderstanding the walles were raised with such haste and diligence were sore agrieued and resolued with themselues to lie in ambush and to hinder them in their deliberations so that they slew diuers Iewes and sought the meanes likewise to murther Nehemias himselfe and hauing hired certaine strangers with money to commit the fact they layd in waite for him They bred also a feare and trouble amongst them by spreading certaine rumors that diuers nations intended to make war against them by which reports being too much distracted they desisted somewhat in the prosecution of their building Yet none of these things could weaken Nehemias diligence or resolution but that keeping a court of guard round about him he instantly prosecuted his purpose setting light by all occurrents so great was his affection to accomplish his intent And for that cause did he carefully and intentiuely stand vpon his guard not for that he feared death but for that he beleeued that after his departure the Iewes would not finish the building of the walles He commanded afterwards that the workemen in their trauell should haue their furnitures fast by them so that both Masons and labourers carried their swords Moreouer he gaue order that they should haue their targets by them and he placed certaine trumpeters some fiue hundreth foote distant the one from the other charging them that as soone as they discouered the enemy from any part they should incontinently sound the allarum and giue notice vnto the people to arme themselues and prepare for the fight for feare they should be surprised and found naked He himselfe also walked the round about the citie by night time with an indefatigable courage and without either eating or sleeping at his pleasure but onely for necessitie sake and this labour endured he for the space of two yeeres and three moneths For the wall of Ierusalem was builded againe in that time in the eight and twentith yeere of the raigne of Xerxes and in the ninth moneth After the Citie was fortified Nehemias and the people offered sacrifices vnto God and spent eight daies in feasting When the rumor was spred abroad that this building was finished the inhabitants of Syria were sore displeased But Nehemjas perceiuing that the Citie was weakely manned besought the Priests and Leuites to forsake their dwellings without the Citie and to come and dwell within and to that intent he builded them houses vpon his owne charge He ordained likewise that they that intended their husbandry should bring the tenths of their fruits vnto Ierusalem to the intent that the Priests and Leuits by enioying their continnall maintenance might intermit no time in the seruice of God wherein he was willingly obeied By this meanes the Citie of Ierusalem was very well peopled After that Nehemias had honourably executed diuers other worthy actions deseruing praise he died at such time as he was loaden with age He was a man of a good nature iust and highly affectionated towards his countrey he left the Citie of Ierusalem incompassed with a wall for a perpetuall memorie of his loue vnto his countrey All these things hapned during the raigne of Xerxes CHAP. VI. How during the raigne of Artaxerxes the whole nation of the Iewes were in danger to bee extinguished by Amans trecherie AFter the death of Xerxes the kingdome fell to Cyrus his sonne who by the Graecians was called Artaxerxes Vnder his gouernment all the race of the Iewes both men women and children were in danger to be vtterly exterminated the cause whereof I will hereafter declare But first of all it behooueth me to speake somewhat of the king and to declare how it came to passe that he married an Hebrew woman of the bloud royall by whose meanes as it is said our nation was preserued After that Artaxerxes had taken the kingdome vpon him and established gouernours ouer one hundreth and seuen and twentie prouinces from India as farre as Aethiopia in the third yeere of his raigne he entertained and feasted all his friends with great magnificence the nations of Persia likewise with their gouernours according as it became a king so opulent who was prepared for one hundreth and eightie daies to make shew of his wealth and bounty He feasted after this for the space of 7. daies the Embassadors of all nations in his Citie of Susa and the setting foorth of the banquet was such as ensueth He sate in a tent whose pillers were of golde and siluer couered with linnen and scarlet vailes which were of that greatnes that diuers thousands of men might take their refection therin All the acates were serued in in vessels of gold inriched with precious stones very glorious to behold The king likewise commanded his seruants that attended the feast that they should enforce no man to drinke by filling continually according to the manner of the Persians but to permit
haue obeyed him Aristobulus submitted and in discontent repaired to Ierusalem with full intent to prepare for warre Not long after this when as Pompey marched towards him with his army certaine messengers comming from Pontus certified him of Mithridates death who was slaine by his sonne Pharnaces CHAP. VII They of Ierusalem shut their gates against the Romanes WHen Pompey was encamped neere vnto Iericho in which place there were a number of Date trees and where also groweth that balme which is the most precious of all other oyntments distilling from a little shrub which is opened and slit by a sharpe cutting stone the next morning he marched towards Ierusalem At that time Aristobulus being sorie for his misbehauiour came vnto him offering him money and promising him to receiue him into Ierusalem he besought him that dismissing publike enmities and quarrels he would peaceably doe what him listed hereafter Whereupon Pompey pardoned him and condescended to his request and sent Gabinius with his soldiers both to receiue the money as also to enter the citie but his purpose failed him in both for Gabinius returned because he was excluded out of the citie neither receiued he any money for that Aristobulus soldiers would not permit that any promise should be performed Hereupon Pompey waxed wroth so that after he had committed Aristobulus to prison he went in person against the citie which was strongly fortified on euerie side except toward the quarter that extendeth northward which was easie to be beaten downe for this side is inuironed with a large and deepe valley compassing the temple which is inclosed with a meruailous strong wall of stone CHAP. VIII Pompey taketh the Temple and lower part of the Citie perforce BVt within the Citie there grew a diuision and faction by reason of the difference and dissident opinions of those that kept the same for some thought good to yeeld vp the citie into Pompeies hands othersome that were of Aristobulus faction counsailed that the gates should be kept shut and preparation for warre should be made for that the Romanes detained Aristobulus prisoner These later preuailing more then the rest seazed the temple and breaking downe the bridge which was betwixt it the Citie addressed themselues to stand on their defence But the others not onely deliuered the Citie into Pompeies hands but the royall pallace also who sent Piso his lieutenant thither with his forces to take possessiō therof to plant his garrisons therein and to fortify the houses neere adioining the temple whatsoeuer conuenient habitation without the walles First therefore Piso offered the besieged certaine conditions of peace which for that they refused he fortified and shut them in on euerie side being in all these his indeuours assisted by Hircanus On the out side of the Citie Pompey incamped with his army on the north part of the temple which was the easiest and meetest side to be assaulted on this side also there were certaine high towers and a huge trench besides a deepe valley tha◅ begirt the temple For towards the citie all waies and passages were so broken vp that no man could either go vp or downe and the bridge was taken away on that side where Pompey was encampt Each day did the Romanes trauell earnestly to raise a mount and cutting downe all the timber round about them hauing fitly applied the same the trench being fild vp although very hardly by reason of the incredible depth thereof the Rammes and Engines that were brought from Tyre were addressed with which they inforced and darted stones against the temple and had not the ordinance of the countrey commaunded to keepe the Sabbath which was the seuenth day of the weeke holy and to labour in no sort on that day the Romans had neuer bin able to haue raised their bulwarke if they within the temple had opposed themselues against them For the law permitteth to defend themselues against their enemies at such time as they are assailed vrged to fight but not assaile them when they intend any other worke Which when the Romanes vnderstood they neither gaue assault nor proffered skirmish on those daies which we call Sabbaths but they built their fortifications and towers and planted their engines so that the next day they were readie to put them in vse against the Iewes And hereby it is easie to coniecture how incredible the piety of our nation is how studious industrious they be in obseruing the diuine lawes For notwithstanding any present or imminent feare yet desisted they neuer to offer their solemne sacrifices but twice a day in the morning about the ninth houre the Priests offered vpon the altar notwithstanding any difficultie or daunger of the siege that might happen they omitted not the course of their oblations For at such time as the temple was taken in the third moneth and on a fasting day in the hundreth seuentie nine Olympiade in the yeere wherein Caius Antonius and Marcus Tullius Cicero were Consuls the enemy entred the temple by force and slue those that withstood them Yet notwithstanding all this the priests ceased not to exercise their accustomed sacrifice and neither the hazard of their liues nor the great number of those that were dead could force them to fly but that they held it more conuenient for them to indure all things that might happen in attending vpon the Altar thē to transgresse or vary one iot from their ordinances And that this may seeme to be no fable or praise of their dissembled deuotion but the exact and perfect truth all those that write the Histories concerning Pompey and his actes do witnesse no lesse amongst the number of which are Strabo Nicholas Titus Liuius the Romane Historiographer the most famous among the rest The greatest of those towers was battered by these engines and fell bearing a great pane of the wall to the earth with it which was the cause that the enemies in multitudes brake in by the breach The first that ascended the wal was Cornelius Faustus the sonne of Sylla with his soldiers After him mounted the Centurion Furius accompanied with those that followed him on the other side and thorow the midst of the breach did the Centurion Fabius enter with a strong squadron The whole circuite was filled with murthers and some of the Iewes died by the Romanes swords other some slue one another the rest cast themselues downe headlong from the steepie places many likewise set fire on their houses and consumed themselues therein for feare they should behold the executions that were performed by their enemies There died about twelue thousand Iewes and verie few Romanes Absolom also who was Aristobulus father in law and vncle was taken prisoner The religion of the temple likewise was not a little prophaned For whereas before that time no prophane man eyther entered or beheld that which was in the temple Pompey and diuers others that accompanied him entred the
so many sacrifices as that scarcely they may be comprehended in number for that their multitude exceedeth their estimate About the verie time of the celebration of this feast in honour of the reedification of the Temple the kings day of coronation fell out which he was woont to solemnize euerie yeere with great ioye and for this twofolde occasion the solemnitie and ioy was farre more sumptuous and compleate The king also caused a conduit of water to be made and conuaied by pipes vnder ground drawing it from the Castle Antonia vnto the Orientall gate of the temple neere to which he builded an other Tower also to the end that by the conduits hee might ascend priuily vnto the Temple if happely the people should practise any insurrections against his roialtie It is reported that during the building of this temple it neuer rained by day time but onely by night to the intent the worke might not be interrupted and our predecessors haue testified no lesse vnto vs. Neither is this thing vncredible if we attentiuely consider those other effects of Gods prouidence Hitherto concerning the reedification of the Temple THE XVI BOOKE OF THE ANTIQVITIES OF THE IEWES WRITTEN BY FLAVIVS IOSEPHVS The Contents of the Chapters of the 16. booke 1 How Alexander and Aristobulus returning vnto Herode their father were calumniated by Salomes and Pheroras meanes 2 How Herode gaue Alexander and Aristobulus wiues 3 How Herode sailed vnto Agrippa 4 The Iewes of Ionia accused the men of that countrey before Agrippa for indeuouring to take away their priuiledges granted vnto them by the Romans 5 How Herode returned into Iudaea 6 Of the discord in Herodes house betweene him and his sonnes 7 How Antipater being at Rome Herode brought Alexander and his brother and accused them before Caesar. 8 Of the defence of Alexander and how he was reconciled vnto his father 9 How Herode did celebrate euery fiue yeeres certaine sportes for hauing finished Caesarea 10 The Embassage of the Cyrenian and Asian Iewes vnto Caesar. 11 How Herode needing money entred into Dauids Sepulchre 12 How Archelaus king of Cappadocia did reconcile Alexander vnto his father 13 How the Trachonites reuolted 14 Of Herodes expedition into Arabia 15 How Syllaeus accused Herode vnto Caesar. 16 Of Euryclis his calumniations against Herodes sonnes 17 How Herodes sonnes were condemned in a councell at Berytus CHAP. I. How Alexander and Aristobulus being returned vnto their father were assailed and calumniated by Salome and Pheroras AMongst the rest of the affaires of the common wealth the king thought it behooued him to redresse and hinder priuate iniuries both in the Citie and country for the which purpose he made a new law vnlike to the former that it should be lawfull for such as were wall-breakers to be sold for slaues out of the limits of his kingdome which law did not seeme so much to intend the punishment of malefactors as the dissolution of his own countrey customs For to serue forraine nations who liued not after the manner of the Iewes and to doe whatsoeuer they commanded them was more preiudiciall vnto religion then vnto the parties conuicted of that fact Wherefore it was sufficiently already in the olde auncient lawes prouided for the punishment of such people to wit that a theefe should restore four times as much as he stole which if he was not able to doe that then he was to be solde not vnto strangers nor into perpetuall bondage but onely for seuen yeeres at which time he should againe be set free So that the common people did interpret this new lawe to set downe an vniust punishment and rather to sauour of tyrannie then of princely dignitie and to be enacted not without contempte of their auncient lawes so that for this cause all men spoke verie ill of the king At the same time Herode sayled into Italy to salute Caesar and to see his children liuing at Rome Where Caesar receiuing him verie curteously permitted him to take his sons home with him as being now sufficiently instructed in the liberall artes Who returning into their country were ioyfully receiued of all their countrimen both for that they were of comely stature and of curteous conditions and in their very behauiour did shew that they came of kingly linage Which things mooued Salome and the rest by whose false accusations their mother Mariamme was oppressed to enuy them fearing their puissance and verily perswading themselues that they would be reuengers of their mothers iniuries So taking hereby occasion they began also falsly to accuse them as misliking their father who had caused their mother to be slaine and as though they had an auersion from him whose hands was imbrued in their mothers bloud For they well perceiued that by such calumniations they might draw them into hatred and auert their fathers good will from them Yet did they not carrie these their inuentions to the kings eares but contented themselues to brute them abroad amongst the common people which so in the end comming to his hearing would cause in him such enmitie and hatred against his sonnes as that it would ouercome in him all naturall affection CHAP. II. How Herode gaue wiues vnto Alexander and Aristobulus BVt the king as yet mistrusting nothing moued with a fatherly care ouer them had them in such estimation as reason did require and for that they were now come vnto mans estate he married them both and vnto Aristobulus he gaue Bernice the daughter of Salome and vnto Alexander Graphyra the daughter of Archelaus king of Cappadocia Which done vnderstanding that Marcus Agrippa was returned out of Italy into Asia he went vnto him thither and inuited him into his kingdome requesting him to accept of his friends entertainment Which Agrippa yeelding vnto Herode omitted nothing that might delight him for he receiued him in his Cities newly built shewing him the faire houses and goodly edifices entertaining him and the rest of his friends and followers with all sorts of delights pompe magnificence as well at Sebaste as at the hauen of Caesarea and in the Castles he built to wit Alexandrium Herodium and Hircania He also brought him to Ietusalem where all the people met him apparelled in such goodly and braue attire as they were accustomed to adorne themselues withall when as they celebrated their festiuals and with many ioyfull acclamations receiued and saluted him Agrippa offered a hundreth head of fat oxen to God and feasted all the people and although he would willingly haue made a longer abode there yet winter drawing nigh fearing tempestuous weather he was forced to saile away with all speed into Ionia both he and his friends being honoured with very great presents CHAP. III. How Herode sayled vnto Agrippa HErode hauing past the winter at home and hearing that Agrippa was now with an army minded to go to Bosphorus the spring time being now at hand he sayled vnto him againe and
bee hardly inuaded by the enemy both for that the riuer Euphrates hemmed it in on one side as also for that it was defenced with very strong walles Vpon the same riuer also there stood an other citie called Nisibis in which the Iewes in respect of the strength of the place kept their Dragma which they were accustomed to offer vnto God and the rest of their votiue money These two cities therefore serued them for two store houses and from thence according as the time required they sent the money they had gathered to Ierusalem and committed the conuoy thereof to diuers thousands of men for feare least it should be taken away by the Parthians who at that time had the soueraignty in Babylon Among these Iewes liued Asinaeus and Anilaeus two brethren borne in Nearda whose father being dead their mother set them and bound them to the weauers trade for that amongst those nations it was accounted no indignitie to follow that trade for both men and women exercise themselues therein It hapned that their master with whom they lernt their occupation beat them one day for that they came somewhat late vnto their worke They taking this chasticement of his as if a great iniury had beene done vnto them betooke themselues to their weapons whereof there were great store in that house and retired themselues into a place where the floud deuideth it selfe into two parts which naturally abounded with excellent pastures and such fruits as were reserued for the vse of winter To these men there flocked a number of needy persons whom they armed and became their captaines and no man opposed himselfe against their insolent proceedings Being by this meane growen absolute and impregnable for that they had builded themselues a strong fortresse they sent vnto the inhabitants commaunding them ◅o pay them tribute for their cattell which they pastured so that this tribute gaue sufficient to entertaine them promising vnto those who obeied them all friendship and that they would maintaime them against all those that should iniury them of what place soeuer they were but if they did not that which they commaunded them they threatned them that they would kill all their cattell The inhabitants of the countrey knowing themselues vnable to crosse them obeyed them and sent them the number of cattell which they required so that greater forces daily coupled themselues with them and they grew of that power that they could make their excursions against those whom they intended to hurt Euerie one respected them and they were feared by all men so that their renowne came at last to the eares of the king of Parthia The gouernour of Babylon likewise intending to cut off this mischiefe before it grew to greater head assembled as many men as he could possible both Parthians and Babylonians and marched forth against them with an intent to root them out before they should haue any inkling thereof to prepare themselues for their defence Hauing therefore prepared his army he lay in ambush neere vnto a marish and the next day following which was the Sabboth in which the Iewes forbeare all kind of worke he making his account that the enemie durst not make head against him but without stroke striking he should lead thē away captiues he marched easily thinking to charge them vnawares Asinaeus who at that time by chance sate idly with his fellowes uing his armes fast by him Ye men said he methinks I heare the neighing of horses not such as when they are in their heat but as when they are backt by men Moreouer I heare the noise of their bridles and I feare least the enemies secretly stealing vpon vs should circumuent vs let therefore some one of vs go and discouer what the matter is and certifie vs truly of that which he shall perceiue I would I were found a lyar in that which I haue told you This said some one of them went out to espie what the noise intended who returning hastily backe againe told him that he had not falsly coniectured as touching the intent of the enemy for that they were at hand and would not suffer themselues any longer to be outbraued by them Hee also declared that there was a mightie number of horsemen who were assembled like a droue of beasts sufficient able vtterly to ouercome Asinaeus all his cōpany forasmuch as they were not in a readines to defend thēselues for that we are forbidden by our law in any sort to trauel on the sabboth Asinaeus determined with himselfe not to doe that which the spie had said but thought that it was better for them to behaue themselues valiantly in that their necessity wherein they were plunged that if they must needly die it better became them to make breach of their law then to hearten their enemies by their submission He therefore presently betook himselfe to his weapons and encouraged all those that were about him to make it knowne in effect what their valour was Whereupon all of them at once marched forth against the enemy and slaughtered a great many of them for that they despising Asinaeus and his followers marched as if they went to lay holde on men alreadie vanquished but in the end they were constrayned to betake them to flight When the bruit of this skirmish was brought to the eares of the king of Parthia hee was wholy astonished at the boldnes of these two brethren and he had a desire to see them and to speake with them He therefore sent one of the trustiest of his guard to let them vnderstand that although king Artabanus had beene iniured by them in that they had inuaded his countrey notwithstanding said this embassador he making lesse account of the displeasure he hath conceiued against you then of your vertue hath sent me vnto you to giue you my hand and troth in his name for safe conduct securitie in your voyage requiring you to be his friends he conditioneth therfore with you without any deceit or fraud promising you gifts and honours and determineth to increase your dignity by his power Asinaeus refused to enterprise this voyage but sent his brother Anilaeus with certaine presents such as he could possibly find He therefore departed with the messenger and presented himselfe before Artabanus who seeing Anilaeus come alone asked him how it hapned that Asinaeus came not with him and vnderstanding that he staied in his marish thorow the feare that he had of him he swore by the gods of his ancestors that he would doe him no wrong wishing them to giue credit to his promise and he stretched out his hand which is the greatest signe which the kings of that countrey vse to assure those that parlie with them For after they haue mutually giuen one another their hands there is no sinister practise to be feared and they from whom a man expecteth any harme are no more to be feared at such time as they haue giuen this
countrimen haue been the actors of our tragedie This considered if any man of too seuere and stoicall iudgement shall reprehend this my lamentation let such a one attribute the deeds I recount to the historie which I write and reserue the lamentations and sorrowes therof to me who am the historiographer although in my mind I may iustly challenge the smoothe tounged Grecians for that notwithstanding these our so miserable and so memorable warres hapned in their daies in respect wherof all other former troubles were obscure and of no reckoning they haue restrained their tongues pens and vndertaken an ouercurious silence to the end they might carpe at those with greater libertie who vndertake the publishing thereof whom though in learning and eloquence they both exceede and outstrip yet are they inferiour vnto them in the matter and subiect they intreat of For they forsooth discipher and set downe the valiant acts of the Assyrians and Medes as who should say the ancient writers had but coldly and scarce conceitfully handled the same and yet God knoweth they come so far behinde those auncient authors in their writings as they neither second them in sense nor equall them in vnderstanding For such as in times past published any worthy historie endeuoured to write that which they themselues had seene and for that each of them were eie witnesses of those affaires they committed to writing they more effectually performed all that which they promised the rather for that they accounted it to be an act of dishonestie to report and publish lies in steed of a historie And truely in my opinion that man is both worthy commendation and praise who striueth by his studious indeuours to register not onely the occurrences of times past but also those memorable euents that haue hapned in his daies and he only and truely is to be accounted industrious not that altereth and prâ—…neth at his pleasure an other mans works but he that of himselfe compileth a historie wherof no man hath before time written For mine owne part the rather for that I am a stranger I haue beene inforced to my no small labour and expence to refresh the memorie and truth of these euents in the eares of the Greeks and Romans For as touching their owne learned men their mouthes are alwaies open to gaines and controuersies and to this purpose their tongues still run on pattens marie if they come to a historie wherein they should both tell truth and with great labour enquire of those things that are past here are they mum the trauell is too tedious the bit is in their teeth so that they leaue the matter to their performance who are incapable and vnapt both in stile and studie to register the noble actions of royall princes Since therefore the Grecians make no account of the truth of historie it behooueth vs both to esteeme and honour it Now to discouer vnto you the originall of the Iewes what their estate hath been in times past and after what manner they departed out of Aegypt to shew what countries theâ—… conquered and what colonies they planted were in my iudgment both impertinent and to little purpose considering that diuers of mine own nation haue before my time made and written an exact historie of the noble attempts of our auncestors yea many Greeks also haue translated these mens writings into their owne tongue and haue as truly as rhetorically exemplified the same I will therfore begin my historie in that time where these writers and our owne prophets ceased and set downe at large all those warres that hapned in my time and as for those things that exceede my knowledge and remembrance I will onely touch them briâ—…ly and in a word or two First how Antiochus surnamed Epiphanes tooke the Citie of Ierusalem and possessed the same for the space of three yeeres and six moneths and finally how he was driâ—…en out of that countrey by the Asmoâ—…eans After this I will set downe the dissensions that hapned amongst Antiochus successors for the kingdome and how by this meanes they drew Pompey and the Romans into the managing and medling with their affaires How Herod likewise the sonne of Antipater being assisted by Sosius vtterly ouerthrew and canceld their felicitie authoritie and how in Augustus Caesars time and after the death of Herod and during the gouernment of Quintilius Varo a sedition â—…s raised among the people and how in the twâ—… yeere of Neros raigne the warre began to take head and continuance That likewise which happened in Cestius time and what warlike executions the Iewes performed in their first attempts and reuolts how they strengthened the Cities and forts about them and how Nero hearing of the great â—…er throw which his army receiued vnder Cestius their Generall and fearing least he should lose all made Titus Vespasian the Generall of his army who being attended by his eldest sonne came into Iudaea accompanied with as great a company of Romans as he could possibly gather what number of their allies inuaded spoiled Galilee what Cities they surprised in that place eâ—…r by forcible assault or by any other composition Besides all these things I will expresse what order and discipline the Romans obserue in their wars and wherein they are accustomed to exercise their souldiers I will note downe also the places and nature of the countrey of Gâ—…ee and the description of Iudaea togither with the mountaines lakes and fountains thereof with all the properties of the same not forgetting those miseries which the captiue Cities suffered neither how they were surprised All which togither with all those â—…ils and miseries which during those troubles befell me will I discouer and discourse with all truth and diligence the rather in that I publish them in thâ—…r eares who are no waies ignorant of thâ—…m After this I will set downe how vpon the decliâ—…g and downfall of the Iewes Nero died and how at such time as Vespasian had vndertaken the expedition to Ierusalem he was withheld from the action to receiue and enioy the imperial dignitie How at that instant when he retired himselfe into Aegypt to establish that estate the Iewes began to mutinie among themselues how many tyrants arose amongst them who hatched much ciuil discord and debate in their gouernment Againe how Titus departing out of Aegypt came the second time into Iudaea and ranged ouer the countrey and how and where he leuied and encamped his armies How and how oftentimes the city hath been vexed by sedition especially at such time as he himselfe was present What onsets he gaue how many mounts he raised in begirting the city with a treble walithe strength and prouision of the Citie the scituation and platforme of the Temple and the altars therein the rites and ceremonies which were vsed vpon festiuall daies the 7. purifications and offices of the priests the garments also of the high priest and the holy sanctuary of the
but after he had made him high Priest in the seuenteenth yeere of his age he presently put him to death after he had so honoured him who when he came to the Altar clothed in sacred attire vpon a festiuall day all the people wept and the same night was he sent to Iericho and drowned in a lake by the Galatheans who had receiued commission to performe the murther These things did Mariamme daily cast in Herodes teeth and vpbraided both his mother and sister with verie sharpe and reprochfull words yet he so loued her that notwithstanding all this he held his peace But the women were set on fire and that they might the rather moue Herode against her they accused her of adulterie and of many other things which bare a shew of truth obiecting against her that she had sent her portraicture into Aegypt vnto Antonius and that through immoderate lust she did what she could to make her selfe knowen vnto him who doted vpon womens loue and was of sufficient power to do what wrong he pleased Hereat Herode was sore moued especially for that he was iealous of her whom he loued bethinking himselfe vpon the crueltie of Cleopatra for vvhose sake king Lysanias and Malichus king of Arabia were put to death and now he measured not the daunger by the losse of his wife but by his owne death which he feared For which cause being drawen by his affaires into the countrey he gaue secret commaundement vnto Ioseph his sister Salomes husband whom he knew to be trustie and one who for affinitie was his well-willer to kill his wife Mariamme if so be Antonius should haue killed him But Ioseph not maliciously but simply to shew her how greatly the king loued her disclosed that secret vnto her and she when Herode was returned and amongst other talke with many oaths sware that he neuer loued woman but her indeed quoth she it may well be knowne how greatly you loue me by the commaundement you gaue to Ioseph whom you charged to kill me Herode hearing this which he thought to be secret was like a mad man and presently perswaded himselfe that Ioseph would neuer haue disclosed that commaundement of his except he had abused her so that hereupon he became furious and leaping out of his bed he walked vp and downe the pallace vvhereupon his sister Salome hauing fit opportunitie confirmed his suspition of Ioseph For which cause Herode growing now raging mad with Iealousie commanded both of them to be killed Which done his wrath was seconded by repentance and after his anger ceased the affection of loue was presently renewed yea so great was the power of his affection that he would not beleeue she was dead but spake vnto her as though she were aliue vntill in processe of time being assertained of her funerall he equalled the affection he bare her during her life by the vehemencie of his passion for her death Mariammes sonnes succeeded their mother in her wrath and recogitating what an impious act it was they accounted their father as a mortall enemie both before and after they went to studie at Rome and especially after they came againe into Iudaea For as they encreased in yeeres so did the violence of their mind encrease And they being now mariageable one of them maried the daughter of their aunt Salome who accused their mother the other maried the daughter of Archelaus king of Cappadocia And now to their hatred was there ioyned a libertie to speake more freely against them and by this occasion of their boldnes many were animated to calumniate them so that some did openly tell the king that both his sonnes sought to worke treason against him and that the one of them prepared an army to helpe the other to reuenge the death of their mother and that the other to wit he that was sonne in law to Archelaus purposed to flie and accuse Herode before Caesar. Herode giuing eare vnto those calumniations sent for Antipater whom he had by Doris to the end he might defend him against his two sons and sought to aduance him aboue them But they thought this alteration intolerable seeing one whose mother was but a priuate woman so preferred and they moued with their owne noblenes of birth could not containe their indignation but vpon euerie occasion shewed themselues offended yet were they euery day lesse accounted of As for Antipater he wrought himselfe into fauour for he knew how to flatter his father and raised many slaunders vpon his two brethren partly inuented by himselfe partly diuulgated by some of his fauorites whom he set a worke about that matter till that at last he put his brethren out of all hope of hauing the kingdome For he was now by the kings Will and Testament declared king so that he was sent as a King vnto Caesar in a kingly habit and pompe only he wore no Crowne and in time he so preuailed that he wrought his mother into Mariammes steed and with flatteries and calumniation so moued the king that he began to deliberate about the putting to death of his sonnes For which cause he conducted his sonne Alexander with him to Rome and accused him before Caesar that he had giuen him poyson But he with much adoe hauing obtained libertie to plead his owne cause and that before an vnskilfull Iudge yet more wise then Herode or Antipater he modestly held his peace in all things that his father had offended in and first of all he purged his brother from daunger of that crime and taking the vvhole matter vpon himself he in verie good sort acquited himselfe therof And afterwards he inueighed against Antipaters subtiltie complained of those iniuries which had been offered him hauing besides the equitie of his cause sufficient eloquence to acquit himselfe for he was a vehement orator and knew wel how to perswade Last of al he obiected that his father hauing a desire to put both him and his brother to death had laid an accusation vpon him where at the whole audience wept and Caesar was so moued that not regarding the accusations that were laid vnto them he presently made Herode and them friends vpon these conditions that they in all things should be obedient vnto their father and that their father should leaue the kingdome to whom he pleased Hereupon Herode returned from Rome and though he seemed to haue forgiuen his sonnes yet laid he not his iealousie and suspition aside For Antipater stil vrged his argument to make Herod hate his other two sonnes though for feare of him that reconciled them he durst not openly shew himselfe an enemie vnto them Afterward Herode sailed by Cilicia and arriued at Elaeusa where Archelaus receiued him verie courteously thanking him for the safetie of his sonne in law and verie ioyfull for that they were made friends for he wrote vnto his friends at Rome with all speede possible that they should be
Eleazars companions rose vp communed together that it did not become them that rebelled against the Romans onely to recouer their lâ—…bertie that they should bee traytors thereof to their owne companions who were of the same condition and that they should indure a King or Lord ouer them who although he be no seuere man yet hee was of more abiect and base condition then they If it were so that it were expedient to haue one ruler ouer all the rest they had rather haue any one then Manahemus and being thus agreed they set vpon him in the Temple where he was praying with great Pompe apparelled like a King and hauing about him a gard of his friends in armour Now when Eleazar his followers set vpon Manahemus the people did also throw stones at him so stoned him hoping that by his death the sedition would be extinguished The gard of Manahemus at first made some resistance but when they perceiued the whole multitude against them euery one shifted for himselfe as he could those that were taken were put to death and they that escaped were afterward sought for onely a few of them fled vnto Massada amongst whome was Eleazar the sonne of Iairus who was Manahemus kinsman and afterward in Massada became a tyrant But Manahemus fled into a place called Ophlas where hee basely hid himselfe and being taken hee was drawne out from thence and after many torments put to death and with him all the Nobilitie that had assisted him as also Absalomon who was his onely helper And in this matter as I haue said the people greatly helped hoping hereby to haue some end of that sedition But the rebels did not kill Manahemus to the end to extinguish sedition but to the intent to rob and spoyle more freely The people with many intreaties besought them to let the Romans alone whome they did befiege but they were so much the more earnest against them till they being no longer able to make resistance with the consent of Metilius their Captaine and some other of more authoritie sent vnto Eleazar requesting him to giue them licence to depart with their liues and leaue their munition to the Iewes Who accepting their petition sent vnto them Gorion the sonne of Nichodemâ—…s and Ananias the Sadducee and Iudas the sonne of Ionathas to confirme the promise of their liues Which done Metilius led away the Souldiours and whilest the Romans had their weapons none of the rebels durst attempt any of their treacherie against them but so soone as euerie one according to couenant laide downe their shields and swords and so departed mistrusting nothing Eleazar his gard set vpon them and killed them who neither made any resistance nor any intreatie for their liues onely putting them in mind of their promise and oth So they wereâ—…ll slaine saue onely Metilius who greatly intreated for his life and promising that he would become a Iew in religion and be circumcised they spared him Yet was this a small losse to the Romans who onely had then but a verie few slaine of their great and almost infinite armie and this seemed the verie beginning of the Iewes captiuitie When they saw themselues to haue giuen sufficient cause of wars and too great and that the Citie was now so filled with iniquitie that the wrath of God did hang ouer it though there had beene no feare of any harme to them by the Romanes yet the whole Citie mourned and was sorrowfull and quietly minded lamented as though they themselues should answere for the seditious for that murder which was committed vpon the Sabaoth when it is not lawfull for the Iewes to doe any good worke CHAP. XIX Of the great massacre of the Iewes at Caesarea and in all Syria AT the same houre on the selfe same day it happened as it were by Gods prouidence that the Inhabitants of Caesarea did massacre the Iewes that dwelled amongst them so that at one time aboue twentie thousand were slaine and not one Iew left aliue in all Caesarea For those that escaped Florus tooke and brought them forth bound vnto the people After this massacre done at Caesarea the whole nation of the Iewes waxed mad and diuiding themselues into companies they wasted and destroyed in short time all the borders of Syria and the Cities thereabout to wit Philadelphia and Gebonitis Gerasa Pella and Scythopolis and then they made incursion into Gadara Hippon and Gaulanitis pulling downe some places firing other some And from thence they marched towards Cedasa a Citie of the Tyrians and Ptolemais Gaba Caesarea and neither Sebaste neither Asealon could resist them but they also were consumed with fire Likewise they destroyed Anthedon with Gaza and most places adioyning to these Cities were sacked to wit the fields and villages and a mightie slaughter was made of them that were taken in these places The Syrians made as great a massacre of the Iewes as this amongst them for all the Iewes that inhabited amongst them were murdered not only for an old grudge but also for the auoyding of imminent danger And al Syria was troubled in most grieuous maner and euerie Citie was diuided into two parts and either parts safety consisted in this to preuent the other in murdering them first the daies were spent in bloudshed and the nights in feare worse then death it selfe For though they onely pretended to destroy the Iewes yet were they drawne to suspect other nations that followed the Iewes religion and because they were as it were neuters the Syrians thought it not good to destroy them and againe for their agreeing in religion with the Iewes they were constrained to hold them as enemies Manie of the contrarie part who before seemed modest were now through auarice incited to meddle in this murder for euerie one tooke the goods of them that were slaine and carried them to other places as conquerers And he was most renowmed that had stolen most as hauing also killed most There might you see in euerie part of the Citie the dead bodies of all ages vnburied old men and children and women lying in most shamefull maner their secret parts being vncouered Briefely all the Countrie was filled with exceeding great calamitie and the feare of myserie to come was vnspeakable And these were the conflicts betweene the Iewes and strangers But afterward making incursion vpon the borders of Scythopolis the Iewes there dwelling were their enemies For they conspiring with the citizens of Scythopolis and preferring their owne commoditie and security before their kinred and consanguinitie ioyned with the Gentiles against the Iewes who for all that were suspected for their forwardnes Finally the Scythopolites searing that they would assault the citie by night and excuse their reuolting by their great miserie they commaunded all the Iewes that if they would shew themselues trustie vnto the Gentiles they with all their children should go into a wood hard by who forthwith did
compassionating the wel disposed people which were otherwise like to perish togither with the wicked attempted to take it by condition Wherefore the wals being full of people amongst whom were many of the seditious he told them that he maruailed what helpe they had or expected or by whose aduise all other cities being now taken they alone would abide the last brunt of the Roman forces especially when as they had already seene many townes farre stronger then theirs ouerthrowne at the first assault and contrariwise those who had yeelded themselues vnto the Romans liued in peace and peaceably enioyed all that was theirs Which offer said he I now also make vnto you and am not yet incensed against you because that which you doe is for your libertie but if quoth hee you doe still perseuere in this impossible course my displeasure shall be kindled against you And if so be that they refused his kind offer they should presently perceiue the Roman sword to be sharpned for their destruction and incontinently should find that their wals were but a mockery and no waies able to resist the Romane engines where contrariwise if they yeelded themselues and trusted vnto the fidelitie of the Romans they should be the most happie people of all Galilee None of the townsmen were admitted to make any aunswere not to come vnto the wals for the theeues were masters of them and a guard was placed at euerie gate least any one should go forth to submit themselues or any horsemen should be receiued into the citie Then Iohn made answere that he liked well of the conditions offered and that he would either perswade or compel the inhabitants to accept of them yet he requested that that day might be granted vnto the Iewes for it was the seuenth day wherein it was not lawfull for them to entreat of peace nor make warre For as the Romans knew the Iewes euerie seuenth day ceased from all worke and which if they prophaned they who caused it to be so abused though it were Titus himselfe were as great offenders as they who were forced to it Moreouer so short time could not preiudice the Romans to wit one ◅ghts space for nothing he could effect in that time to endomage them except onely by flying out of the citie which Titus might preuent by placing a strong guard and watch in euerie place thereabout and that he thought it a great priuiledge to be suffered to keepe the custome of his countrey and that it was his part who offered peace and safetie to them that expected it also to keepe their lawes whose safetie he graunted With these and such like speeches Iohn sought to delude Titus being not so religious about the keeping of the Sabboth as carefull for his owne safetie for he feared that the citie would presently be taken and he left alone so he determined in that night to flie as the onely way to saue his life Truly God would haue it so that Iohn should then escape to be the ouerthrow of Ierusalem and that Titus should not onely grant him the time he requested to deliberate but also that night should pitch his tents neere Cydaessa by the higher part of the towne which is the strongest village of al that are in the heart of the Tyrian soile which the Galileans alwaies hated In the night time Iohn perceiuing no Romans to keepe watch about the towne hauing now opportunitie fled not onely with the armed men about him but also with many of the chiefe of the citie and whole families whom he promised to conduct vnto Ierusalem But Iohn fearing captiuitie and carefull for his owne safetie hauing caried them twentie furlongs out of the citie forsooke them vvho being so left desolate began grieuously to lament For euerie one thought himselfe as neere his enemies as he was fa◅◅rom the citie and his friends and still euerie steppe they thought their enemies at hand readie to take them and euer they looked backe as though their enemies heard the noise they made as they went and so came against them insomuch that many rushed forward on heapes and many were killed in the way vvith the prease of them that followed so that vvomen and infants did perish miserably or if they spake any thing onely it vvas entreating their parentes or their kinsfolke to stay for them But Iohns exhortation tooke effect vvherein he cried vnto them to saue themselues and hasten vnto such a place vvhere they might be safe and reuenge themselues of the Romans for the outrages vvhich they that remained behind were like to endure and so the multitude that fled euery one as he was able dispersed themselues Titus earely in the morning came vnto the wals to know whether they accepted of his offer Then the people set open the gates and with their wiues and children came to meet him all crying that he was their safetie and vvorker of their welfare and that he had deliuered their citie out of captiuitie also they certified him how Iohn vvas fled and besought him to pardon them and execute iustice vpon those malefactors that remained in the citie And at their request he sent certaine horsemen to pursue Iohn but they could not take him for before they came he had gotten into Ierusalem yet they slew almost two thousand of them that fledde with him and brought backe againe three thousand women and children Titus was angrie that he suffered Iohns deceit to escape vnpunished yet his anger vvas something appeased for that hee perceiued Iohns purpose preuented in that so manie of his companie vvere slaine and so many brought backe for captiues Thus he peaceably entred the citie commaunding the souldiers to breake downe a little peece of the wall as it were to take possession of it and so punished the seditious rather with threats then torments For he thought that many were accused only for priuate hatred so were in daunger to suffer being innocent he thought it better to let the wicked liue in feare thē with them to destroy the guiltlesse Thinking moreouer that hereafter they would be more quiet either for feare of punishmēt or for shame of their former offence for the which they were pardoned that if any man suffered vnworthily he could not afterward complain Then he placed there a garrison both to represse the seditious and also to confirme them that desired peace And thus was Galilee conquered after it had much toyled the Romans CHAP. V. Of the beginning of the destruction of Ierusalem SO soone as Iohn was entered into Ierusalem all the people flocked about him and those that came with him enquiring what calamitie had be fallen them without the citie Some of them being yet out of breath and not able to speake by signes discouered their necessitie yet amidst these their miseries they boasted that it was not the Roman power that forced them to flie but that they of their owne accord fled thither to
and especially the engines that the tenth legion had to cast darts and others that cast stones which did not onely repulse them by whom they were assaulted but also those that stood vpon the wal for euerie stone was a talent weight and were shot more then a furlong and slew not onely those that they did first strike but also many that were stroken with the rebound But the Iewes alwaies espied the stones before they came for they were white and so auoyded them and they were not onely descried by the noyse they made in flying but they might easily bee perceiued and by this meanes the watchmen in the tovvers gaue vvarning alvvayes vvhen these engines vvere shot off and vvhen the stones came crying in their Countrie language The sonne commeth so the Ievves vpon the vvals knovving vvhat they meant auoyded the stones so receiued no harme Then the Romans deuised to blacke the stones vvith inke and so they could not be seene as they flevv but at one stroke slevv many But the Ievves vvere not herevvith so terrified that they permitted the Romans peaceably to build the mount but night and day they hindered them vvith stratagemes and valour Novv vvhen the Romans had finished their vvorke the Carpenters measured the space betweene the mounts the vvals with a plummet fastned vnto a line which they cast from one place vnto another for they could not measure it otherwise because of the darts cast from the wals and finding that they had Rams long enough they set them vp and Titus commaunded the wall to bee battered in three places to the end that the batterie might not bee hindred The noyse that these rams did make was heard round about the Citie and the Citizens cried mainely out and the seditious persons were also sore afraid And seeing themselues all in like danger they now determined to ioyne all together in resisting the Romans and the seditious cried one vnto another saying that they rather assisted the enemies then resisted them and therefore exhorted one another at least for that time to become friends if not for euer onely to resist the Romans And Simon sent a crier vnto the Temple licensing all such as would to come vnto the wals which also Iohn did permit notwithstanding he mistrusted Simon so they forgetting their old quarrell ioyned al together and resisted the Romans and guarding the wals round they cast much fire vpon the engines of the Romanes and against those that did rule them and threw darts against thē without intermission the boldest amongst thē in great companies lept downe and destroyed that wherewith the engines were couered and assaulted those that stood to defend them and so did the Romans much harme by reason of their desperate boldnes more then by their skill Titus was still at hand to succour them that stood in need and placing horsemen and Archers about the engines he repulsed the Iewes who came to cast fire and repressed them that cast darts and shot arrowes from the towers and so gaue the rams time and opportunitie to beate the wals Yet for all this the wall was not shaken with the rams saue onely that the ramme of the fift legion did shake the corner of a tower but yet the wall stood firme and was not harmed by the shaking of the tower for it was farre higher then the w◅ll and so could not draw downe any part of the wall as it fell So soone as they had a while ceased from excursions they perceiued that all the Romans were busied in one labour or other and so dispersed all ouer the campe thinking that the Iewes for feare durst come no more The Iewes all secretly issued out of the gate by the tower Hippicos and cast fire vpon the works and couragiously made incursion vpon the Romans euen vnto the tampire of their campe The Romans seeing what danger might ensue presently assembled themselues both they that were neere and those that were farre off The discipline of the Romans ouercame the furie of the Iewes and putting those to flight that first met them they assaulted those that opposed themselues against them afterward So there began a grieuous battell about the engines the Iewes striuing to fire them and the Romans fighting to hinder them and a doubtfull crie was raised on both parts and many in the forefront were sla◅e on both sides But the Iewes audacitie got them the vpper hand and their fire did somthing touch the engines and all had beene consumed quite with fire had not the chosen souldiers that came from Alexandria hindred it who for the opinion that they had of themselues did fight stoutly for they were accounted to haue beene the most valiant of all in this battell till such time as the Emperour with certaine selected horsemen came and set violently vpon the enemies and he himselfe slew twelue men that did resist him for whose deaths the rest fearing fled and were forced to retyre themselues into the Citie and so saued the engines from being fired It chanced that one of the Iewes was in this fight taken aliue and Titus commaunded that he should be crucified before the wall that perhaps the rest being herewithall terrified might yeeld After Caesar was retired Iohn the Captaine of the Idumaeans talking vpon the wall with one of his friendes being strucken in the brest with an arrow by an Arabian souldier presently died which caused great lamentation among the Iewes and sorrow amongst the seditious for he was valiant of his hands and verie wise and of good aduise CHAP. VIII Of the fall of the tower and how the two wals were taken THe night following there was a great tumult amongst the Romans For Titus the Emperour had commaunded to bee builded three towers fiftie cubits high a peece each one vpon a seuerall mount that from thence hee might the more easily beate the enemies from off the wals but one of these towers in the middest of the night fell downe without any assault And making a great noyse with the fall feare fell vpon the whole armie who suspecting that it came to passe by some stratageme wrought by the Iewes euerie one ranne and armed himselfe and so there was a great tumult in the armie and for that no man could tell what the matter was a longtime they stoode as it were all amazed euerie one asking his fellow what had happened and seeing no enemies come they began to feare some treason amongst themselues and so were in a great feare they knew not wherefore till such time as Titus vnderstanding the matter caused the truth thereof to be presently proclaimed throughout the campe and so the tumult although with much ado was appeased The Iewes valiantly bearing and enduring all other dangers were sore troubled by reason of these towers vvhich Titus had erected for they were slaine and vvounded from thence with smal engine shot darts arrowes neither could they build themselues any so
beene to view a place to build an other rampier and he greatly blamed the souldiers who hauing gotten their enemies wals did now suffer themselues to be in daunger in their owne wals and now forced to abide that which earst the Iewes did suffer being now as it were broken out of prison and so he with certaine chosen men assaulted the enemies on one side and they though stricken vpon the faces yet did they not giue backe but stoutly resisted him and so ioyning the battaile the dust was so thicke that none could see one another nor any heare what was said for the cries and noise so that now no man could discerne his friends from his foes The Iewes persisted still in the battaile not for that they trusted to their force or thereby preuailed but because they were desperate The Romans on the other part tooke courage and fought stoutly for shame and for that Caesar himselfe was in daunger amongst them So that I thinke that had not the Iewes retired themselues into the citie the furie of the Romans had then consumed the whole multitude The Romans were now sorrowfull for the losse of their rampiers who in one houre had lost that which with such labour and so long time they had beene making and many of their engines being now displaced they despaired to take the citie CHAP. XIII Of the wall which the Roman armie built about Ierusalem in three daies space TItus now deliberated with his captaines what was to be done and they that were most forwarde amongst them thought it best with all the whose armie to assault the wals for that as yet the Iewes had onely fought with one part of the armie but they were not able to withstand the force of the whole armie but would be all consumed with darts and arrowes The wiser sort againe perswaded Titus to build rampiers but others counselled the contrarie to hold themselues quiet there and onely to keep all places about that no food should be conueied into the citie and so famish the citie and neuer fight with the enemie For that the Iewes being now desperate and desiring to be slaine would not be ouercome by force or if not to slay others which was worse of all But Titus thought it a shame to lie there idle with so huge an armie and do nothing yet he deemed it superfluous to fight with them who would willingly fight to be slaine and he could not make any mounts because he wanted matter it was most difficult of all to guard euerie place about the citie that none could go forth for that it could not be beleagerd round on euery side by reason of the difficult places and huge compasse thereof fearing also the daungers that so might ensue the Iewes issuing out of the citie For the Iewes seeing their open waies all guarded by the Romans they would deuise some secret waies both vrged thereunto by necessitie and also because they knew all places there about verie well And if so be that the Iewes should secretly effect any thing to preiudice them that then their siege was like to continue so much the longer so that he feared that the countinuance of time would diminish the glorie of his victorie For though all these waies might be taken yet he preferred haste before glorie and if so be hee would both vse celeritie and safetie that then it was needfull for him to compasse the whole Citie round about with a wall for so all wayes and passages might bee hindred and so the Iewes seeing now no hope of saftie should either be compelled to yeeld the Citie or else be consumed with famine otherwise he could not be in saftie and at quiet and that so hee might erect mounts hauing that wall to defend them And if any one thinke that worke difficult and not to be atchieued let him cōsider that it did not become the Romans to make a base or slender peece of worke and that no man in the world could without labour effect any great matter but God onely Hauing with these speeches encouraged his Captaines he caused them to leade the souldiers and dispose them all in these businesses The souldiers had as it were some diuine force and courage fallen vpon them for the Captaine parting the circuit amongst them not onely they but the souldiers also did striue who should first effect their part And euerie souldier laboured to please his Decurio the Decurio to content the Centurion and the Centurion the Colonell the Colonell to please the Captaine and the Captaine to please Caesar who euerie day went round about and beheld the worke and so beginning at the place called the Assyrians campe where he was encamped he drew a wall all about euen vnto the new Citie and from thence by Cedron and mount Oliuet and so turned toward the South and inclosed the mountaine to the rocke called Peristereonos and the hill next adioyning thereunto which hangeth ouer Siloa and from thence bending his worke into the West hee brought it downe all along the valley of the fountaine from thence ascending to the monument of Ananus the high Priest where Pompey pitched his Tents so brought it about by the North side of the Citie and comming a long vnto the village called Erebinthonicus hee compassed the monument of Herode towards the East and so ioyned the wall vnto his campe where he began This wall was nine and thirtie furlongs about Without this wall he builded also thirteene forts euerie one ten furlongs in compasse And all this whole worke was finished in three dayes space which desired moneths to haue beene builded in so that the celeritie in the building thereof doth make it scarcely credible The Citie being thus encompassed with a wall and guards placed in euerie fort Titus himselfe did still goe round about the first watch to see al things in good order the second watch hee allotted vnto Alexander and the third vnto the Captaines of the legions and the watchmen appointed euerie one in his turne to sleepe in and so all night long some of them went about the Castle CHAP. XIIII Of the famine in Ierusalem and of the building of the second rampire by the Romans THe restraint of libertie to passe in and out of the Citie tooke from the Iewes all hope of saftie and the famine now increasing consumed whole housholds and families and the houses were full of dead women and infants and the streetes filled with the dead bodies of old men And the young men swollen like dead mens shadowes walked in the market place and fell downe dead where it happened And now the multitude of dead bodies was so great that they that were aliue could not burie them neither cared they for burying them being now vncertaine what should betide themselues And many endeuouring to burie others fell downe themselues dead vpon them as they were burying them And many being yet aliue went vnto their
was done so at last in the fifth houre of the day the fight ceased hauing continued from the ninth houre of the night neither party forsaking the place where first they began battaile neither any part hauing the victorie Many Romans there fought couragiously and amongst the Iewes these that follow Iudas the sonne of Merton Simon the sonne of Iosias Iacob and Simon Idumaeans this the son of Cathla but Iames vvas the sonne of Sosa and all these were of Simons company and of Iohns followers Gyphthaeus and Alexas of the Zealous Simon the son of Iairus But the seuenth day the rest of the Romans pulling downe the foundations of Antonia made a large entrance for the rest of the armie And the legions comming vnto the wal presently began to raise mounts one against the corner of the inner temple vvhich was scituat north east another against the gallery on the north side between the two porches the other two one against the porch on the west side of the outward temple the other against the north porch So with much toile labour they finished this work ferching wood to build it withal a hundreth furlongs off And many times they were endomaged by trechery not being wary by reason of their victory the Iewes despairing of themselues euerie houre more more were encouraged For many of the horsmen going either to get wood or hay whilest they were about it they took the bridles frō off their horse permitted them to feed til they had ended their busines and presently the Iewes issuing out in troups vpon them tooke them away Titus seeing that this fell out deemed as in deed it was that his mens horses were stolen rather by their negligence then their enemies valour wherefore he thought by the seuere punishment of one to make others looke better to their horses And so he condemned to death one of the souldiers that had lost his horse by whose punishment the rest of the souldiers being terrified kept their horses better For after that when they went about any busines they neuer left their horses in the pastures but kept alwaies with them Thus the Romanes assaulted the Temple and builded there mounts The day following certaine of the seditious who now could get no more booties in the Citie and now also began to taste of hunger assaulted the Romans that were placed towards mount Oliuet about the eleuenth houre of the day for they hoped to take them vnawares as being now at dinner But the Romans vnderstanding their intent came and out of their places resisted them who attempted violently to breake in vpon them ouer the wall so that there was a hot fight and many worthie deeds were done on either partie the Romans hauing both strength and knowledge in warlike affaires the Iewes led with a desperate furie and shame forced the Romans to fight and need compelled the Iewes for the Romans accounted it a shame not to ouercome the Iewes who were as it were fallen into their hands and the Iewes thought it the onely way to saue their owne liues to breake downe the wall by force And one of the horsemen called Pedanius the Iewes being put to flight driuen into the vally pursued them with his horse as fast as he could gallope and ouertooke a young man one of his enemies being of a heauie bodie armed all ouer and taking him about the anckle he caried him violently away thereby shewing the strength of his arme and of the rest of his bodie and his skilfull chiualrie and so brought the captiue vnto Caesar as a present Titus admiring Pedanius his strength and punishing the captiue for hauing attempted to assault the wal he now hasted to assaile the temple commanded the workemen quickly to dispatch their mounts In the meane time the Iewes being ill handled in the former wars and warre still encreasing to the ouerthrow of the temple they did as the custome is in a putrified bodie preuent the plague from going any further by cutting off the corrupted members For that part of the porch that reached from the North vnto the East ioyned vnto Antonia which they firing separated it twentie cubits from it hauing now with their own◅ hands begunne to cast fire into the holy place Two daies after which was the foure and twentith day of the foresaid moneth the Romans set the porch on fire and the fire hauing gone fourteene cubits the Iewes pulled downe the toppe thereof and not desisting from their accustomed works they pulled downe all adioyning vnto Antonia when it was easie for them and that they ought to haue hindred the fire The porch being on fire they permitted so much to be burned as they thought good for their purpose The fight about the temple neuer ceased many excursions were made one against each other About this time a certaine Iew of low stature and to see to a contemptible person euery way an abiect both by reason of his base parentage and otherwise named Ionathan who going to the monument of Iohn the Priest dared the strongest amongst the Romans to come and fight a single combate with him The Romans that beheld him disdained him yet some amongst them as commonly it is seene were afraid of him others wisely deemed that they ought not to fight with one that was desirous to die for they that vvere desperate neyther fought aduisedly nor had the feare of God before their eies and so that it was not a signe of valour but of ouermuch hardines to fight with such a one whom though they ouercame yet they could win no credit but with infamie hazard themselues to be vanquished So a long time none of the Romans came against him and he vpbraided them of cowardlinesse At last an arrogant and proud fellow one of the Roman horsemen named Pudens disdaining his insolency and perhaps also for that hee was of little stature came against him and fighting with him fortune frowned vpon him so that he was laught to scorne by his fellow for hee falling downe Ionathan slew him and setting his foote vpon the dead body with his left hand he flourished his shield and with his right his bloudie sword and striking his weapons one against another hee insulted ouer the Romane armie and ouer the dead body vpbraiding the Romanes so long till Priscus a Centurion as he was thus vanting shot him through with an arrow and so hee fell downe dead vpon the bodie of his enemie at which deed both the Romans and the Iewes raised a confused crie or noyse So Ionathan here shewed how quickly reuenge pursued the felicitie of warlike victorie falling out contrarie to all reason CHAP. VI. How the Romans through the deceite of the Iewes were consumed with fire and of one Artorius THe seditious that kept the Temple did now euerie day openly in fight resist the Romans that kept the mounts and the seuen and twentie
their oths sake neither were they able to fight with the Romans being now as it were besieged round by them yet their accustomed murthers did encourage them to stand out Thus dispersed all ouer the Citie they lurked in the ruines lying in wait for those that sought to flie vnto the Romans and many of them were taken and all of them were slaine for famine had so weakned them that they could not flie and they cast their dead bodies vnto dogs And any death were easie in respect of famine So that many fled vnto the Romans hauing no promise no nor hope to be pardoned by them and vpon purpose fell into the hands of the seditious who neuer ceased from murther and now there was no place in the whole Citie voide but was filled with dead bodies who either perished by famine or sedition But the tyrants and factious theeues put their last refuge in the vaults where they hoped whatsoeuer hapned to saue themselues hoping that there they could not be found and so after the Citie was destroied to escape which was only their vaine phantasie For they could neither be hid from God nor the Romans yet at that time they trusted in those caues from whence they fired the Citie more then the Romans and cruelly murthered them that hauing escaped the flames came and fled into secret places and spoiled them also if they in any place found any meate though all bloudy yet they tooke it and did eate it and now one of them began to fight with an other about the spoile they gotte And I verily perswade my selfe that had they not beene preuented by the destruction of the Citie their crueltie would haue beene such that they would haue eaten the bodies of dead men CHAP. XV. How the higher part of the Citie was assaulted and how many Iewes fled vnto Titus Caesar perceiuing that the higher part of the Citie could not be woon without mounts being scituate in a soile round about the which were high and deepe places on the twentith day of August he set all his souldiers on worke and the carrying of wood for that purpose was verie painfull all trees within a hundreth furlongs off the Citie were already cut downe and vsed in the former worke as is before said So the foure legions raised a mount on the West side of the Citie and all the rest made a mount against the porch bridge and tower which Simon during his warres with Iohn had built About this time the captaines of the Idumaeans assembling togither deliberated to yeeld themselues and sent fiue of their companie vnto Titus beseeching him to confirme a peace vnto them and he hoping that the tyrants would yeeld after them who were the greatest part of his army with much ado granted them life and so sent them vnto their fellowes but Simon had notice of their departure and presently slew those fiue that were sent vnto Titus and taking the captaines the noblest of whom was Iames the son of Sosa he put them in prison and also kept and guarded the Idumaeans who now hauing no gouernours knew not what to do yet the guard could not hinder them from flying for although many of them were killed yet diuers fled and escaped and all were receiued by the Romans Titus curtesie being such as that he remembred not his former edict to the contrarie and now the souldiers hoping for gaine and hauing already gotten sufficient abstained from murthers for leauing onely the common people they solde the rest with their wiues and children for a small price many being exposed to sale and few comming to buy them so that he hauing made an edict that none should flie vnto him alone intending thereby to bring their families with them yet he now receiued them also appointing some to enquire who had deserued punishment and to inflict it on them And an infinite number was solde and more then fortie thousands of the people were saued whom the Emperour dismissed and permitted to go whither they pleased The same time a certaine priest the sonne of Thebathus named Iesus was promised pardon vpon condition that he should deliuer certaine holy things giuen vnto the temple and so he came and brought out of a wall two candlesticks like vnto them that were in the temple tables goblets cuppes all made of solide and massiue golde also the veile and the ornaments of the priests and the precious stones about them and many vessels made for sacrifice Moreouer the keeper of the holy treasure called Phineas brought forth the garments and all things that did belong vnto the priests and much purple and scarlet which were laid vp in store to make tapestrie or hangings amongst which also was some Cinamon Cassia and many other odoriferous things whereof were compounded sweet odors to be offered to God He also deliuered him much wealth of other mens and much sacred treasure for the which notwithstanding that he was taken by force yet he was pardoned as they were that fled vnto Caesar. CHAP. XVI How the rest of the Citie was taken THe seuenth day of September the mounts being finished which was the eighteenth day after they were begun some of the Romans placed theie rammes and engines to batter them some of the seditious who now despaired to keepe the citie left the wals and fled into Aâ—…a others hid themselues in certaine vaults and many hindred the Romans and resisted them for placing their rammes against the wals who were ouercome by them being both more in number then they were and also stronger and more valiant The Iewes being now all discouraged and sorrowfull so soone as any part of the wall was broken downe or shaken with the force of the rammâ—…s straight waies fled and now the tyrants were surprised with a greater feare then needed For euen before such time as the enemies had entred the wall they stood in doubt whether they might flie or no and they who a little before were proud and arrogant malefactors did now â—…emble and quake so that it was pitifull to see such a chaunge in them though they were wicked persons And they endeuored to assaile the vvall that Titus had built to compasse the whole citie vvithall but seeing themselues forsaken of all those that vvere vvont to be trustie vnto them euerie one fled vvhether necessitie did driue him Presently newes vvere brought them that all the west vvall of the citie was beaten downe others affirmed that the Romans had entred and that they had seene the enemies in the towers feare daseling their eies and prostrate vpon the ground they bewailed their misfortune and as though they had beene lame they stood still sought not to flie From vvhence one may chiefely perceiue Gods iustice towards the impious and the Romans fortune for the tyrants depriued themselues of their strong holds and voluntarily departed out of their towers vvherein they could neuer haue beene taken but
to the end that all people might haue a better view of them But the spectacles there exhibited both for number varietie and costlinesse cannot be described sufficiently being excellent in all things which any man could deuise both workmanship riches and varieties and nouelties of nature For almost all things that euer were in any place amongst men that liued in felicitie either rich or beautifull and pleasant to behold all of them were that day shewed and seene in that triumph giuing a testimonie of the large dominions of the Romans For there was such store of works of gold siluer and yuorie that one would not haue deemed them to haue beene made onely for the pompe of that day but to beene so plentifull as if they had flowed all about the citie some caried fine tapestrie made of all sorts of purple othersome caried others diligently wrought with pictures and Babylonian worke and there were so many gemmes and precious stones some set in crownes of gold some in other works that it appeared that without reason we iudged them to be rare and scarce Moreouer the pictures of their Gods were caried with them which were admirable both for greatnesse and workmanship and all of pretious matter And diuers sorts of liuing creatures were there to be seene all adorned with some attire agreeing and alluding vnto their nature There was also an infinite multitude of men in purple garmentes ouer wrought with gold which carried all these things and they who were separated from the rest to bee seene were attired in such garments that as many as beheld them admired The captiues went not without their gorgeous attires but the varietie and beautie of the garments hid all the deformitie of their bodies which happened through their bad vsage The Pageants that were borne in that triumph were of an admirable bignesse so that the people that beheld them wondred how it was possible that men should carie them for many were builded with three or foure lofts one aboue another surpassing all that can be imagined of them for worke and cost for many of them were hanged about with Tapestrie of gold and all things annexed vnto them whereon they were carried were made of wrought gold or Iuorie Therein was curiously represented the maner of warre and stratagemes and maners of fighting that could bee deuised some in one part of the Pageant some in another There might one haue beheld a most fertile and fortunate land destroyed and all the armie of enemies to be slaine and some flying others taken prisoners and strong and huge wals battered downe with Rammes and Castles and strong holds destroyed and the wals of populous Cities to be ruined and the armie entring the wals all places filled with massacred men and how those that were not able to fight yeelding themselues asked mercie the temples set on fire and after al else was wasted the houses throwne down vpon the owners heads and a riuer representing sorrow not flowing as it was wont into tilled places and to serue the vse of man nor for cattell to drinke but into a Countrie which was in euerie part burning and enuironed with flames all which the Iewes in their warres endured These things were so artificially represented vnto their viewes that had not seene them as though they were now a doing Before euerie Pageant went the Captaine of the Citie representing the maner how it was taken After all these followed many ships and in euerie place were caried the spoyles taken in warre amongst all which those that were taken in the Temple of Ierusalem were most excellent for there was a golden table weighing many talents and likewise a golden Candlesticke the vse whereof was now not such as we were wont to put it vnto for in the middest of the stem thereof was fixed a base and out of it proceeded many smal branches framed like a three forked speare euerie one being at the top made like a Lampe which were seuen in number shewing the honour of the seuenth day which is called the Sabaoth amongst the Iewes After all this was carried the Iewes law which was the last of all the spoyles Then followed many carrying the image of victorie all made of gold and Iuorie Afterwards came Vespasian and after him Titus and with him Domitian gallantly adorned and mounted vpon an excellent horse and so they went al to the Temple of Iupiter Capitolinus and there was the end of all this pompe where they made some abode For it was an auncient custome of their Countrie to repose themselues there till some came and brought newes vnto them of the death of him who was Generall of their enemies This as then was Simon Giora who was also carried in the triumph and hauing a rope fastned about his necke was drawne all along the market place where they that drew him did kill him For it is the custome of the Romanes there to put malefactors to death that are condemned After word was brought that he was dead all the people made ioyfull exclamations and so they began to sacrifice which done according to the custome they returned into the pallace and they feasted some other some had prepared banquets for themselues at their owne houses For this day was sacred amongst the Romanes in ioy of the victorie ouer their enemies and an end of ciuill calamitie and the beginning of good fortune and hope which they had in their new princes When the triumphs were ended and all the Romane Empire quieted Vespasian built a Temple and dedicated it vnto peace which hee did in so short a space as it was admirable and hauing bestowed great cost vpon it he also beautified it with diuers pictures and carued workes And hee placed in that Temple all things that men of former ages had come to see from the vttermost parts of the earth And he placed there all the golden vessels and other necessaries that the Iewes vsed in their Temple doing them great reuerence But their law and the Tapestrie or purple veiles of the Sanctuarie he commaunded to be kept in the pallace CHAP. XXV How Herodium and Machaerus were taken by Bassus Caesar sent Lucius Bassus into Iudaea to bee Lieutenant there who receiuing an armie of Cerealis Vetilianus hee tooke the Castle and garrison of Herodium being yeelded vnto him After this gathering together all his armie who were dispersed in diuers places of the Countrie he with the tenth legion purposed to warre against Machaerus for he thought it necessarie to destroy that Castle least that for the strength it might moue many to rebell for by reason of the situation of the place they that were in it had certaine hope of their safetie and those that sought to assault it were in great daunger for it was built vpon a rocke that was exceeding high which made it almost inexpugnable and nature had so deuised that it is hard to come vnto it who hath
fiftie yeeres before the foundations of Carthage The truth whereof I haue heretofore approued out of the records of the Phoenicians who report that Hyrâ—…m was Salomons friend who builded the temple in Ierusalem and that he furnished him with much timber and other matter toward the finishing of that building Now Salomon builded the temple sixe hundreth and twelue yeeres after the departure of the Israelites out of Aegypt and after he had inconsiderately reckened the number of those which were driuen out of Egypt in like manner as Lysimachus had done namely of one hundred and ten thousand men he yeeldeth a most admirable reason and such as may be easily beleeued from whence he pretendeth that the name of Sabath was deriued For saith he after they had trauailed for the space of six daies there grew certaine inflamations in their groines by reason whereof they rested on the seuenth day being safely arriued in the countrey which at this day is called Iudaea because the Egyptians cal Sabatosis an Vlcer that groweth about the groine Who can otherwise chuse but laugh at this fopperie or contrariwise who would not hate such an impudent custome in writing and coyning of lies For he reporteth as farre as a man may coniecture by his writings that all the Iewes who were to the number of one hundred and tenne thousand persons had these Vlcers in their secrets Now had all of them beene haulte lame blinde and sickely as Apion reporteth they could not haue iournied one day but since they trauailed thorow the desart and vanquished all armies that resisted them it is no likely matter that all of them were sicke of a disease in their priuy parts euerie seuenth day neither is it naturally possible that such a disease should befall so many thousand men in their iourney and that they euerie day should trauell a certaine space and a limited march neither standeth it with any probabilitie but rather a manifest absurditie that any such thing should befall them but this admirable Apion saith that they arriued in Iudaea within the space of sixe daies Againe he writeth that Moses ascending vp the mount Sinai which is betwixt Arabia and Aegypt hid himselfe in that place for the space of fortie daies and descending from thence gaue lawes vnto the Iewes But how I pray you was it possible for him to remaine fortie daies in a desart without water or how could all the Iewes within six daies trauell from Aegypt into Iewrie As for his Grammaticall diuination of the word Sabaoth it sauoureth too much of impudencie or at least of ignorance for these words Sabbo and Sabatum doe greatly differ for Sabatum in the Iewes language signifieth rest from worke but Sabbo in the Aegyptian tongue betokeneth a disease about the priuie parts as Apion saith See here what cauilling fictions this Aegyptian Apion vseth concerning Moses and our departure out of Aegypt wherein he counterfeiteth and coineth absurdities vnthought of by any others Shall we then wonder if he belie our forefathers who maketh no bones to belie himselfe for being brone at Oasis a towne in Aegypt this heigh vnreputed honour of the Aegyptians forsweareth both his countrey and nation and counterfeiting himselfe to be an Alexandrian he ratifieth his nations wickednesse No maruell then though he terme them Aegyptians whom he hateth and raileth against for if he had not been perswaded that the Aegyptians were wicked base people he would neuer haue denied himselfe to be their countriman for such as prowdly boast of their famous countrey esteeme it a credit to beare the denomination thereof and reprehend such as without iust cause make themselues of their nation Wherefore the Aegyptians are one of these two waies affected towards vs Iewes for either they claime vs to be their countrimen as glorying of vs and their countrey or else for that they and their countrey being infamous they desire that we should be partakers of their ignominie But indeed this worthy Apion seemeth so to inueigh against vs as thereby rewarding the Alexandrians for bestowing their Cities vpon him and knowing them to be at variance with the Iewes of Alexandria he as it were casteth a bone betweene them and raileth not onely on the Iewes of that Citie but of all wheresoeuer but he belieth both of them most impudently But let vs examine those hainous and enormous matters and as he saith such as are not to be suffered of which he accuseth the Alexandrian Iewes Comming quoth he out of Syria they seated themselues neere the sea coast where there was no hauen neere vnto the surges of the water Now if this place which they inhabited were ignominious yet it followeth not that the Iewes owne countrey was so also yet herein Apion raileth against Alexandria which he maketh his owne countrey for the sea coast is part of Alexandria and as all men iudge the best place thereof to dwell in Now if the Iewes by force of armes so vanquished this place that they could neuer since be driuen out of it it is no discredit to them but rather an argument of the valour But Alexander gaue them that place to inhabite and the Macedonians did allot them as great priuiledges as the Alexandrians had I know not what Apion would haue said if the Iewes had dwelt about Necropolis and not about the kings seate their tribes being euen at this time called Macedonians If therefore Apion haue read the Epistles of king Alexander and Ptolomaeus Lagus or others their successors kings of Egypt or seene the pillars that are erected in Alexandria containing the priuiledges that Caesar the great granted vnto the Iewes if I say he knew of these and yet did presume to write the contrarie then he was a bad fellow but if he was ignorant hereof he was then an vnlearned person The like ignorance also discouereth he where he wonders that the Iewes that were in Alexandria were called Alexandrians For all that are on Colonie though verie different people yet doe they all beare the name of their founder and that I may shun prolixitie the Iewes of Antioch are called Antiochians for Seleucus the founder made them also Citizens the like may also be said of the Iewes of Ephesus and at the other Ionia who by the kings gifts enioy the same priuiledges with the rest of the Citizens The Romans also of their clemencie haue granted the name of their nation which is no small gift not only to priuate persons but to great nations in generall To be short the auncient Spaniards the Tyrrhenes Sabines are called Romans or if Apion will take away this denomination of the Citie wherein men inhabite let him cease to call himselfe an Alexandrian for he being borne in the hart of Aegypt can no wise be an Alexandrian if the priuiledge of the Citie be taken from him as he would haue it from vs. And the Lords of the whole world the Romans haue amongst all other nations onely
and this wall was built ten cubites high and no doubt had beene raised higher had not his liberalitie who began this building beene hindered Yet againe by the Iewes industrie the same wall was raised twentie cubites high the battelments hereof were two cubites high and the tower three cubites and in all it was twentie and foure cubite high as before Vpon the wall were three towers twentie cubites broad and twentie cubites high built foure square verie strongly and was builded of as firme a foundation as the wall it selfe which for the building and faire stone was not inferiour to the temple aboue Within this strong tower which reached twentie cubites high were roomes for men to dwell in and cesternes to receiue raine water and large turning staires to goe into euerie place there and this third wall had fourescore and ten 〈◊〉 these towers and betweene euerie tower were two hundreth cubites space The middle wall had fouerteene towers and the old wall had threescore and the compasse of the whole Citie was three and thirtie furlongs And although the third wall was admirable yet the tower of Psephina which was built vpon a corner of the wall betweene the North and the West part of the Citie had a certaine excellencie of more wonder against which part Titus had encamped himselfe for it was seuentie cubites high so that from thence vpon a cleare Sunneshine day one might discouer Arabia and see the vttermost parts of all the dominions of the Hebrewes vnto the sea and it had eight corners Iust opposite vnto this was the tower Hippicos and neere vnto it were other two that king Herode builded vpon the old wall which in bignesse beautie and strength did surpasse all others in the whole world For king Herode beside his naturall liberalitie and desire to adorne this Citie did also for his owne pleasure so beautifie this building that it might excell all other and dedicated them to three most renowmed personages whose names they also did bear to wit to his brother his friend and to his wife she being as is aforesaid put to death for iealousie the other two being slaine in warres after they had fought valiantly The tower Hippicos called by the name of his friend had foure corners and euerie one of them were fiue and twentie cubites broade and as many in length and thirtie cubits in height being in no place hollow and aboue the high places and stone worke there was a well to receiue raine water twentie cubites deepe and aloft of it were houses with double roofes twentie fiue cubites high and deuided into many roomes and aboue them were battlements two cubits high and turrets three cubits high so that the whole height was accounted to be fourscore and fiue cubits The second tower that by his brothers name he called Phasaelus was in breadth and length fortie cubits and so many cubits high in figure of a square pillar all which height was solide and not hollow within and aboue this a porch ten cubits high decked with turrets and pinnacles Ouer the midst of this porch he builded another tower distinguished into goodly rooms and sumptuous bathes that it should not want any thing necessarie for a prince on the toppe it was beautified with turrets and pinnacles so that all his height was almost fourescore and ten cubits And it resembled the tower Pharus at Alexandria wherein continuall light is kept to guide the seamen that saile thither sauing that it had a greater compasse then it And in this house now at this time did Simon lodge who tyrannized ouer the people The third tower was according to the Queenes name called Mariamme the wife of Herode twentie cubits high all solide and other twentie cubits broade hauing more magnificent and beautifull houses and lodgings then the rest For the king so thought it meere that the tower called by his wiues name should be more beautiful then they who only bare the names of other men like as they were stronger then this that bare the name of a woman This tower was in all 55. cubits high Notwithstanding these three towers were of such height yet by reason of their scituation they seemed farre higher for the olde wall whereupon they were built was placed vpon high ground and the toppe of the hill whereupon they stood was abâ—…e thirtie cubites high whereby their height was much increased The greatnesse also was admirable for it was not ordinarie stone which men might beare but all white marble whereof euerie stone was twentie cubits long and ten cubits broade and fiue cubits thicke and they were so coupled one to another that euerie stone by it selfe seemed a tower and so cunningly conioyned by workemens hands that euerie tower seemed one stone And these were placed on the North side of the Citie and adioyning to them within the Citie was scituated the kings pallace surpassing all that can be spoken of it which for greatnesse and excellent worke may be compared to all that were in the world It was compassed about with a wall thirtie cubits high and adorned with goodly towers round about euerie one of like distance from other beautified with dwelling houses and lodgings for a hundreth of the nobilitie The varietie of the marble it was built withall was admirable all sorts being there vsed that were neuer so rare to be found and the tops of these houses for the length of the beames and the beautie thereof passed all credit and the multitude of roomes and diuersitie of buildings all filled and adorned with housholdstuffe and furniture And in euerie roome there were many vessels of gold and siluer and many porches round about one answerable vnto another and pillars in euerie one And there were many pleasant walkes replenished with diuers trees and many walking places or allies all beset with conduits that spouted vp water on high and cesternes full of brazen images from which ran out water and about the water many douehouses full of tame pigeons But it is vnpossible sufficiently to declare the riches and beautie of the kings pallace and a griefe to thinke what goodly things and how rich the theeues did there set on fire for these things were not burnt by the Romans but by the seditious theeues as is before said at the beginning of this rebellion who consumed all with fire euen from the Castle Antonia from whence the fire came and destroied the kings pallace and the couers and tops of the three towers The temple was as is before said built vpon a hard mountaine and at the first the plaine vpon the toppe thereof was scarcely bigge enough to containe it and the temple yard the hill being verie steepe But when king Salomon who also built the temple had compassed the East part thereof with a wall he also placed a porch vpon the rampire and so for many ages after it lay vnfenced on other parts wherfore the people euerie day
bringing earth thither at last made it plaine and large enough and breaking downe the North wal they tooke in all that space which the temple hath continually occupied euen vntill now and the hill being now enclosed with a threefold wal it was a worke passing all expectation in building To the effecting wherof many ages were spent and all the holy treasure offered vnto God euen from all parts of the world were imploied therein as well in the buildings of the higher as of the lower part of the temple the foundations whereof were laide three hundreth cubits deepe and in many places more yet could not all the height of the foundations be seene being now buried in vallies that were filled vp to make them equall with the straight streers of the Citie The stones of this building were of fortie cubits for the abundance of treasure and liberalitie of the people did effect that which was scarcely possible and that which all men thought could neuer haue come to passe in time and by industrie came to perfection The building was answerable vnto these foundations For all the porches were double and euerie one was supported by pillars each of them being fiue and twentie cubits high and all of one piece and of white marble the top whereof was all of Cedar whose natural beautie for the good conioyning of this wood polishing therof did astonish all that beheld it being adorned neither with painting nor carued workes These porches were thirtie cubites broade and the compasse of them altogither with the fort of Antonia was six furlongs All the ground whereon stood no building was curiously wrought paued with al sorts of stones The way to the second temple was al enclosed with stones of lattice work which were three cubits high and most beautifully wrought along in which place also were placed certaine pillars equally distant one from another to shew the law of purification some being written vpon in Latine letters other some in Greeke forbidding all strangers to enter into the holy place for the second temple is called the holy place To go vnto the second from the first one must passe vp fourteene staires and it was fouresquare aloft and enclosed with a wall by it selfe whose outside being fortie cubits high was all couered with staires to ascend vp into it and within it was fiue and twentie cubits high for al the part of the inner side was not seene because it was built on the descent of a hil After the foureteene staires there was a plaine made leuell with the wall of three hundreth cubits from thence passed on fiue other staires which lead vnto the gates whereof on the North side and the South there were eight foure on each side and two on the East For it was necessarie that there should be a peculiar place for women to exercise their deuotion in which also was enclosed with a wal And so it was necessarie there should be two doores and against the first gate there was opposite vnto it one gate on the North side another on the South both separated from the rest wherby one entred into the place alotted for women for it was not lawful for any to passe by any other gate vnto the women neither could they go beyond their owne doore because of the wal for that place was common both to the women of that nation and also to all strange women that came for religion sake There was no gate on the West part but a wall that reached all along in that place Betweene the gates were porches opposite one against another reaching from the wall vnto the treasure house supported with great and goodly pillars being as plaine and fully as bigge as they below The gates were couered vvith gold and siluer as also the posts and foreparts therof were one onely excepted that vvas couered vvith Corinthian brasse far surpassing in beautie the other that vvere couered with siluer or gold In euerie gate there were two doores each one thirtie cubits high and fifteene cubits broad and after the entrance where they were made larger euerie one had on each side seates thirtie cubits long and large like a tower and fortie cubits high each one supported vvith two pillars twelue cubits thicke And all other gates were of like greatnesse but that vvhich was couered with Corinthian brasse which vvas the entrance into the place alotted for the women and opened into the East gate of the temple doubtlesse vvas bigger then the rest for it was fiftie cubits high the gates vvhereof vvere fortie cubits and was more richly adorned then the rest for the couer of gold and siluer was thicker then it vvas in the rest vvhich Alexander Tiberius his father had melted to couer all the nine gates And there vvere fifteene staires that vvent from the vvall that separated the vvomen vnto the great gate of the temple for these staires vvere shorter by fiue degrees then those that vvent to other gates The temple it selfe vvas scituated in the midst of all to vvit the holy Sanctuarie and had twelue staires to go vnto it The forepart vvhereof vvas in height and breadth a hundreth cubits and behinde it vvas fortie cubits outright and before it vvas as it vvere two shoulders on each side rising vp in height twentie cubits The first gate here of vvas seuentie cubits hie and twentie fiue vvide and had no doore for it signified that heauen vvas spred al ouer might be seene in euerie place and all the foreparts vvere gilded vvith gold and al the first building did appeare and might be seene vvithout and all that vvas vvithin and about the gate glistered vvith gold The inner part thereof vvas deuided into two roomes vvherof only the first roome might be seene vvhich was in height fourescore and ten cubits and in length fortie and in breadth twentie The inner gate vvas as is already said all gilded vvith gold and all the vvall about it and aboue it it had a golden vine vvhereon vvere hanging clusters of grapes all of gold euerie cluster being as long as man is high And because the height vvas seeled aboue the inner temple did seeme to be lower then it was without and it had golden gates fiue and fiftie cubits high and sixteene cubits broad It had hangings also of the same length which was a Babylonian vaile all wrought with violet and purple silke and scarlet admirable to behold the permixtion of which colours had a mysticall meaning bearing as it were the signification of the whole world For the scarlet doth seeme to expresse the fire the silke signifieth the earth the violet sheweth the aire and the purple declareth the sea partly in their colours resembling them partly also as hauing their beginning from them for the purple is ingendred in the sea and the silke is produced by the earth In this tapestry work was curiously wrought and deciphered all the speculations of the