The
Life Of Flavius Josephus
Translated by
William Whiston
1. THE family from which I am derived is not an ignoble
one, but hath descended all along from the priests; and as nobility among
several people is of a different origin, so with us to be of the
sacerdotal dignity, is an indication of the splendor of a family. Now, I
am not only sprung from a sacerdotal family in general, but from the first
of the twenty-four
(1) courses; and as among us there is not only a considerable
difference between one family of each course and another, I am of the
chief family of that first course also; nay, further, by my mother I am of
the royal blood; for the children of Asamoneus, from whom that family was
derived, had both the office of the high priesthood, and the dignity of a
king, for a long time together. I will accordingly set down my progenitors
in order. My grandfather's father was named Simon, with the addition of
Psellus: he lived at the same time with that son of Simon the high priest,
who first of all the high priests was named Hyrcanus. This Simon Psellus
had nine sons, one of whom was Matthias, called Ephlias: he married the
daughter of Jonathan the high priest, which Jonathan was the first of the
sons of Asamoneus, who was high priest, and was the brother of Simon the
high priest also. This Matthias had a son called Matthias Curtus, and that
in the first year of the government of Hyrcanus: his son's name was
Joseph, born in the ninth year of the reign of Alexandra: his son Matthias
was born in the tenth year of the reign of Archclaus; as was I born to
Matthias in the first year of the reign of Caius Caesar. I have three
sons: Hyrcanus, the eldest, was born in the fourth year of the reign of
Vespasian, as was Justus born in the seventh, and Agrippa in the ninth.
Thus have I set down the genealog of my family as I have found it
described
(2) in the public records, and so bid adieu to those who calumniate me
[as of a lower original].
2. Now, my father Matthias was not only eminent on
account of is nobility, but had a higher commendation on account of his
righteousness, and was in great reputation in Jerusalem, the greatest city
we have. I was myself brought up with my brother, whose name was Matthias,
for he was my own brother, by both father and mother; and I made mighty
proficiency in the improvements of my learning, and appeared to have both
a great memory and understanding. Moreover, when I was a child, and about
fourteen years of age, I was commended by all for the love I had to
learning; on which account the high priests and principal men of the city
came then frequently to me together, in order to know my opinion about the
accurate understanding of points of the law. And when I was about sixteen
years old, I had a mind to make trim of the several sects that were among
us. These sects are three: - The first is that of the Pharisees, the
second that Sadducees, and the third that of the Essens, as we have
frequently told you; for I thought that by this means I might choose the
best, if I were once acquainted with them all; so I contented myself with
hard fare, and underwent great difficulties, and went through them all.
Nor did I content myself with these trials only; but when I was informed
that one, whose name was Banus, lived in the desert, and used no other
clothing than grew upon trees, and had no other food than what grew of its
own accord, and bathed himself in cold water frequently, both by night and
by day, in order to preserve his chastity, I imitated him in those things,
and continued with him three years.
(3) So when I had accomplished my desires, I returned back to the
city, being now nineteen years old, and began to conduct myself according
to the rules of the sect of the Pharisees, which is of kin to the sect of
the Stoics, as the Greeks call them.
3. But when I was in the twenty-sixth year of my age, it
happened that I took a voyage to Rome, and this on the occasion which I
shall now describe. At the time when Felix was procurator of Judea there
were certain priests of my acquaintance, and very excellent persons they
were, whom on a small and trifling occasion he had put into bonds, and
sent to Rome to plead their cause before Caesar. These I was desirous to
procure deliverance for, and that especially because I was informed that
they were not unmindful of piety towards God, even under their
afflictions, but supported themselves with figs and nuts.
(4) Accordingly I came to Rome, though it were through a great number
of hazards by sea; for as our ship was drowned in the Adriatic Sea, we
that were in it, being about six hundred in number,
(5) swam for our lives all the night; when, upon the first appearance
of the day, and upon our sight of a ship of Cyrene, I and some others,
eighty in all, by God's providence, prevented the rest, and were taken up
into the other ship. And when I had thus escaped, and was come to
Dieearchia, which the Italians call Puteoli, I became acquainted with
Aliturius, an actor of plays, and much beloved by Nero, but a Jew by
birth; and through his interest became known to Poppea, Caesar's wife, and
took care, as soon as possible, to entreat her to procure that the priests
might be set at liberty. And when, besides this favor, I had obtained many
presents from Poppea, I returned home again.
4. And now I perceived innovations were already begun,
and that there were a great many very much elevated in hopes of a revolt
from the Romans. I therefore endeavored to put a stop to these tumultuous
persons, and persuaded them to change their minds; and laid before their
eyes against whom it was that they were going to fight, and told them that
they were inferior to the Romans not only in martial skill, but also in
good fortune; and desired them not rashly, and after the most foolish
manner, to bring on the dangers of the most terrible mischiefs upon their
country, upon their families, and upon themselves. And this I said with
vehement exhortation, because I foresaw that the end of such a war would
be most unfortunate to us. But I could not persuade them; for the madness
of desperate men was quite too hard for me.
5. I was then afraid, lest, by inculcating these things
so often, I should incur their hatred and their suspicions, as if I were
of our enemies' party, and should run into the danger of being seized by
them, and slain; since they were already possessed of Antonia, which was
the citadel; so I retired into the inner court of the temple. Yet did I go
out of the temple again, after Manahem and the principal of the band of
robbers were put to death, when I abode among the high priests and the
chief of the Pharisees. But no small fear seized upon us when we saw the
people in arms, while we ourselves knew not what we should do, and were
not able to restrain the seditious. However, as the danger was directly
upon us, we pretended that we were of the same opinion with them, but only
advised them to be quiet for the present, and to let the enemy go away,
still hoping that Gessius [Florus] would not be long ere he came, and that
with great forces, and so put an end to these seditious proceedings.
6. But, upon his coming and fighting, he was beaten, and
a great many of those that were with him fell. And this disgrace which
Gessius [with Cestius] received, became the calamity of our whole nation;
for those that were fond of the war were so far elevated with this
success, that they had hopes of finally conquering the Romans. Of which
war another occasion was ministered; which was this: - Those that dwelt in
the neighboring cities of Syria seized upon such Jews as dwelt among them,
with their wives and children, and slew them, when they had not the least
occasion of complaint against them; for they did neither attempt any
innovation or revolt from the Romans, nor had they given any marks of
hatred or treacherous designs towards the Syrians. But what was done by
the inhabitants of Scythopolis was the most impious and most highly
criminal of all;
(6) for when the Jews their enemies came upon them from without, they
forced the Jews that were among them to bear arms against their own
countrymen, which it is unlawful for us to do;
(7) and when, by their assistance, they had joined battle with those
who attacked them, and had beaten them, after that victory they forgot the
assurances they had given these their fellow citizens and confederates,
and slew them all, being in number many ten thousands [13,000]. The like
miseries were undergone by those Jews that were the inhabitants of
Damascus. But we have given a more accurate account of these things in the
books of the Jewish war. I only mention them now, because I would
demonstrate to my readers, that the Jews' war with the Romans was not
voluntary, but that, for the main, they were forced by necessity to enter
into it.
7. So when Gessius had been beaten, as we have said
already, the principal men of Jerusalem, seeing that the robbers and
innovators had arms in great plenty, and fearing lest they, while they
were unprovided of arms, should be in subjection to their enemies, which
also came to be the case afterward; and, being informed that all Galilee
had not yet revolted from the Romans, but that some part of it was still
quiet; they sent me and two others of the priests, who were men of
excellent characters, Joazar and Judas, in order to persuade the ill men
there to lay down their arms, and to teach them this lesson, - That it
were better to have those arms reserved for the most courageous men that
the nation had [than to be kept there]; for that it had been resolved,
That those our best men should always have their arms ready against
futurity; but still so, that they should wait to see what the Romans would
do.
8. When I had therefore received these instructions, I
came into Galilee, and found the people of Sepphoris in no small agony
about their country, by reason that the Galileans had resolved to plunder
it, on account of the friendship they had with the Romans, and because
they had given their right hand, and made a league with Cestius Gallus,
the president of Syria. But I delivered them all out of the fear they were
in, and persuaded the multitude to deal kindly with them, and permitted
them to send to those that were their own hostages with Gessius to Dora,
which is a city of Phoenicia, as often as they pleased; though I still
found the inhabitants of Tiberias ready to take arms, and that on the
occasion following: -
9. There were three factions in this city. The first was
composed of men of worth and gravity; of these Julius Capellus was the
head. Now he, as well as all his companions, Herod the son of Miarus, and
Herod the son of Gamalus, and Compsus the son of Compsus; (for as to
Compsus's brother Crispus, who had once been governor of the city under
the great king [Agrippa]
(8) he was beyond Jordan in his own possessions;) all these persons
before named gave their advice, that the city should then continue in
their allegiance to the Romans and to the king. But Pistus, who was guided
by his son Justus, did not acquiesce in that resolution; otherwise he was
himself naturally of a good and virtuous character. But the second faction
was composed of the most ignoble persons, and was determined for war. But
as for Justus, the son of Pistus, who was the head of the third faction,
although he pretended to be doubtful about going to war, yet was he really
desirous of innovation, as supposing that he should gain power to himself
by the change of affairs. He therefore came into the midst of them, and
endeavored to inform the multitude that "the city Tiberius had ever been a
city of Galilee, and that in the days of Herod the tetrarch, who had built
it, it had obtained the principal place, and that he had ordered that the
city Sepphoris should be subordinate to the city Tiberias; that they had
not lost this preeminence even under Agrippa the father, but had retained
it until Felix was procurator of Judea. But he told them, that now they
had been so unfortunate as to be made a present by Nero to Agrippa,
junior; and that, upon Sepphoris's submission of itself to the Romans,
that was become the capital city of Galilee, and that the royal library
and the archives were now removed from them." When he had spoken these
things, and a great many more, against king Agrippa, in order to provoke
the people to a revolt, he added that "this was the time for them to take
arms, and join with the Galileans as their confederates (whom they might
command, and who would now willingly assist them, out of the hatred they
bare to the people of Sepphoris; because they preserved their fidelity to
the Romans), and to gather a great number of forces, in order to punish
them." And as he said this, he exhorted the multitude, [to go to war;] for
his abilities lay in making harangues to the people, and in being too hard
in his speeches for such as opposed him, though they advised what was more
to their advantage, and this by his craftiness and his fallacies, for he
was not unskilful in the learning of the Greeks; and in dependence on that
skill it was, that he undertook to write a history of these affairs, as
aiming, by this way of haranguing, to disguise the truth. But as to this
man, and how ill were his character and conduct of life, and how he and
his brother were, in great measure, the authors of our destruction, I
shall give the reader an account in the progress of my narration. So when
Justus had, by his persuasions, prevailed with the citizens of Tiberias to
take arms, nay, and had forced a great many so to do against their wills,
he went out, and set the villages that belonged to Gadara and Hippos on
fire; which villages were situated on the borders of Tiberias, and of the
region of Scythopolis.
10. And this was the state Tiberias was now in. But as
for Gischala, its affairs were thus: - When John, the son of Levi, saw
some of the citizens much elevated upon their revolt from the Romans, he
labored to restrain them, and entreated them that they would keep their
allegiance to them. But he could not gain his purpose, although he did his
endeavors to the utmost; for the neighboring people of Gadara, Gabara, and
Sogana, wth the Tyrians, got together a great army, and fell upon Gischala,
and took Gischala by force, and set it on fire; and when they had entirely
demolished it, they returned home. Upon which John was so enraged, that he
armed all his men, and joined battle with the people forementioned; and
rebuilt Gischala after a manner better than before, and fortified it with
walls for its future security.
11. But Gamala persevered in its allegiance to the
Romans, for the reason following: - Philip, the son of Jacimus, who was
their governor under king Agrippa, had been unexpectedly preserved when
the royal palace at Jerusalem had been besieged; but, as he fled away, had
fallen into another danger, and that was, of being killed by Manahem, and
the robbers that were with him; but certain Babylonians, who were of his
kindred, and were then in Jerusalem, hindered the robbers from executing
their design. So Philip staid there four days, and fled away on the fifth,
having disguised himself with fictitious hair, that he might not be
discovered; and when he was come to one of the villages to him belonging,
but one that was situated at the borders of the citadel of Gamala, he sent
to some of those that were under him, and commanded them to come to him.
But God himself hindered that his intention, and this for his own
advantage also; for had it not so happened, he had certainly perished. For
a fever having seized upon him immediately, he wrote to Agrippa and
Bernice, and gave them to one of his freed-men to carry them to Varus, who
at this time was procurator of the kingdom, which the king and his sister
had intrusted him withal, while they were gone to Berytus with an
intention of meeting Gessius. When Varus had received these letters of
Philip, and had learned that he was preserved, he was very uneasy at it,
as supposing that he should appear useless to the king and his sister, now
Philip was come. He therefore produced the carrier of the letters before
the multitude, and accused him of forging the same; and said that he spake
falsely when he related that Philip was at Jerusalem, fighting among the
Jews against the Romans. So he slew him. And when this freed-man of Philip
did not return again, Philip was doubtful what should be the occasion of
his stay, and sent a second messenger with letters, that he might, upon
his return, inform him what had befallen the other that had been sent
before, and why he tarried so long. Varus accused this messenger also,
when he came, of telling a falsehood, and slew him. For he was puffed up
by the Syrians that were at Caesarea, and had great expectations; for they
said that Agrippa would be slain by the Romans for the crimes which the
Jews had committed, and that he should himself take the government, as
derived from their kings; for Varus was, by the confession of all, of the
royal family, as being a descendant of Sohemus, who had enjoyed a
tetrarchy about Libanus; for which reason it was that he was puffed up,
and kept the letters to himself. He contrived, also, that the king should
not meet with those writings, by guarding all the passes, lest any one
should escape, and inform the king what had been done. He moreover slew
many of the Jews, in order to gratify the Syrians of Cesarea. He had a
mind also to join with the Trachonites in Batanea, and to take up arms and
make an assault upon the Babylonian Jews that were at Ecbatana; for that
was the name they went by. He therefore called to him twelve of the Jews
of Cesarea, of the best character, and ordered them to go to Ecbatana, and
inform their countrymen who dwelt there, That Varus hath heard that "you
intend to march against the king; but, not believing that report, he hath
sent us to persuade you to lay down your arms, and that this compliance
will be a sign that he did well not to give credit to those that raised
the report concerning you." He also enjoined them to send seventy of their
principal men to make a defense for them as to the accusation laid against
them. So when the twelve messengers came to their countrymen at Ecbatana,
and found that they had no designs of innovation at all, they persuaded
them to send the seventy men also; who, not at all suspecting what would
come, sent them accordingly. So these seventy went down to Caesarea,
together with the twelve ambassadors; where Varus met them with the king's
forces, and slew them all, together with the [twelve]
(9) ambassadors, and made an expedition against the Jews of Ecbatana.
But one there was of the seventy who escaped, and made haste to inform the
Jews of their coming; upon which they took their arms, with their wives
and children, and retired to the citadel at Gamala, leaving their own
villages full of all sorts of good things, and having many ten thousands
of cattle therein. When Philip was informed of these things, he also came
to the citadel of Gamala; and when he was come, the multitude cried aloud,
and desired him to resume the government, and to make an expedition
against Varus, and the Syrians of Cesarea; for it was reported that they
had slain the king. But Philip restrained their zeal, and put them in mind
of the benefits the king had bestowed upon them; and told them how
powerful the Romans were, and said it was not for their advantage to make
war with them; and at length he prevailed with them. But now, when the
king was acquainted with Varus's design, which was to cut off the Jews of
Caesarea, being many ten thousands, with their wives and children, and all
in one day, he called to him Equiculus Modius, and sent him to be Varus's
successor, as we have elsewhere related. But still Philip kept possession
of the citadel of Gamala, and of the country adjoining to it, which
thereby continued in their allegiance to the Romans.
12. Now, as soon as I was come into Galilee, and had
learned this state of things by the information of such as told me of
them, I wrote to the sanhedrim at Jerusalem about them, and required their
direction what I should do. Their direction was, that I should continue
there, and that, if my fellow legates were willing, I should join with
them in the care of Galilee. But those my fellow legates, having gotten
great riches from those tithes which as priests were their dues, and were
given to them, determined to return to their own country. Yet when I
desired them to stay so long, that we might first settle the public
affairs, they complied with me. So I removed, together with them, from the
city of Sepphoris, and came to a certain village called Bethmaus, four
furlongs distant from Tiberius; and thence I sent messengers to the senate
of Tiberius, and desired that the principal men of the city would come to
me: and when they were come, Justus himself being also with them, I told
them that I was sent to them by the people of Jerusalem as a legate,
together with these other priests, in order to persuade them to demolish
that house which Herod the tetrarch had built there, and which had the
figures of living creatures in it, although our laws have forbidden us to
make any such figures; and I desired that they would give us leave so to
do immediately. But for a good while Capellus and the principal men
belonging to the city would not give us leave, but were at length entirely
overcome by us, and were induced to be of our opinion. So Jesus the son of
Sapphias, one of those whom we have already mentioned as the leader of a
seditious tumult of mariners and poor people, prevented us, and took with
him certain Galileans, and set the entire palace on fire, and thought he
should get a great deal of money thereby, because he saw some of the roofs
gilt with gold. They also plundered a great deal of the furniture, which
was done without our approbation; for after we had discoursed with
Capellus and the principal men of the city, we departed from Bethmaus, and
went into the Upper Galilee. But Jesus and his party slew all the Greeks
that were inhabitants of Tiberias, and as many others as were their
enemies before the war began.
13. When I understood this state of things, I was
greatly provoked, and went down to Tiberias, and took all the care I could
of the royal furniture, to recover all that could be recovered from such
as had plundered it. They consisted of candlesticks made of Corinthian
brass, and of royal tables, and of a great quantity of uncoined silver;
and I resolved to preserve whatsoever came to my hand for the king. So I
sent for ten of the principal men of the senate, and for Capellus the son
of Antyllus, and committed the furniture to them, with this charge, That
they should part with it to nobody else but to myself. From thence I and
my fellow legates went to Gichala, to John, as desirous to know his
intentions, and soon saw that he was for innovations, and had a mind to
the principality; for he desired me to give him authority to carry off
that corn which belonged to Caesar, and lay in the villages of Upper
Galilee; and he pretended that he would expend what it came to in building
the walls of his own city. But when I perceived what he endeavored at, and
what he had in his mind, I said I would not permit him so to do; for that
I thought either to keep it for the Romans or for myself, now I was
intrusted with the public affairs there by the people of Jerusalem. But,
when he was not able to prevail with me, he betook himself to my fellow
legates; for they had no sagacity in providing for futurity, and were very
ready to take bribes. So he corrupted them with money to decree, That all
that corn which was within his province should be delivered to him; while
I, who was but one, was outvoted by two, and held my tongue. Then did John
introduce another cunning contrivance of his; for he said that those Jews
who inhabited Cesarea Philippi, and were shut up by the order of the
king's deputy there, had sent to him to desire him, that, since they had
no oil that was pure for their use, he would provide a sufficient quantity
of such oil for them, lest they should be forced to make use of oil that
came from the Greeks, and thereby transgress their own laws. Now this was
said by John, not out of his regard to religion, but out of his most
flagrant desire of gain; for he knew that two sextaries were sold with
them of Caesarea for one drachma, but that at Gischala fourscore sextaxies
were sold for four sextaries. So he gave order that all the oil which was
there should be carried away, as having my permission for so doing; which
yet I did not grant him voluntarily, but only out of fear of the
multitude, since, if I had forbidden him, I should have been stoned by
them. When I had therefore permitted this to be done by John, he gained
vast sums of money by this his knavery.
14. But when I had dismissed my fellow legates, and sent
them back to Jerusalem, I took care to have arms provided, and the cities
fortified. And when I had sent for the most hardy among the robbers, I saw
that it was not in my power to take their arms from them; but I persuaded
the multitude to allow them money as pay, and told them it was better for
them to give them a little willingly, rather than to [be forced to]
overlook them when they plundered their goods from them. And when I had
obliged them to take an oath not to come into that country, unless they
were invited to come, or else when they had not their pay given them, I
dismissed them, and charged them neither to make an expedition against the
Romans, nor against those their neighbors that lay round about them; for
my first care was to keep Galilee in peace. So I was willing to have the
principal of the Galileans, in all seventy, as hostages for their
fidelity, but still under the notion of friendship. Accordingly, I made
them my friends and companions as I journeyed, and set them to judge
causes; and with their approbation it was that I gave my sentences, while
I endeavored not to mistake what justice required, and to keep my hands
clear of all bribery in those determinations.
15. I was now about the thirtieth year of my age; in
which time of life it is a hard thing for any one to escape the calumnies
of the envious, although he restrain himself from fulfilling any unlawful
desires, especially where a person is in great authority. Yet did I
preserve every woman free from injuries; and as to what presents were
offered me, I despised them, as not standing in need of them. Nor indeed
would I take those tithes, which were due to me as a priest, from those
that brought them. Yet do I confess, that I took part of the spoils of
those Syrians which inhabited the cities that adjoined to us, when I had
conquered them, and that I sent them to my kindred at Jerusalem; although,
when I twice took Sepphoris by force, and Tiberias four times, and Gadara
once, and when I had subdued and taken John, who often laid treacherous
snares for me, I did not punish [with death] either him or any of the
people forenamed, as the progress of this discourse will show. And on this
account, I suppose, it was that God,
(10) who is never unacquainted with those that do as they ought to do,
delivered me still out of the hands of these my enemies, and afterwards
preserved me when I fell into those many dangers which I shall relate
hereafter.
16. Now the multitude of the Galileans had that great
kindness for me, and fidelity to me, that when their cities were taken by
force, and their wives and children carried into slavery, they did not so
deeply lament for their own calamities, as they were solicitous for my
preservation. But when John saw this, he envied me, and wrote to me,
desiring that I would give him leave to come down, and make use of the
hot-baths of Tiberias for the recovery of the health of his body.
Accordingly, I did not hinder him, as having no suspicion of any wicked
designs of his; and I wrote to those to whom I had committed the
administration of the affairs of Tiberius by name, that they should
provide a lodging for John, and for such as should come with him, and
should procure him what necessaries soever he should stand in need of. Now
at this time my abode was in a village of Galilee, which is named Cans.
17. But when John was come to the city of Tiberias, he
persuaded the men to revolt from their fidelity to me, and to adhere to
him; and many of them gladly received that invitation of his, as ever fond
of innovations, and by nature disposed to changes, and delighting in
seditions; but they were chiefly Justus and his father Pistus, that were
earnest for their revolt from me, and their adherence to John. But I came
upon them, and prevented them; for a messenger had come to me from Silas,
whom I had made governor of Tiberias, as I have said already, and had told
me of the inclinations of the people of Tiberias, and advised me to make
haste thither; for that, if I made any delay, the city would come under
another's jurisdiction. Upon the receipt of this letter of Silas, I took
two hundred men along with me, and traveled all night, having sent before
a messenger to let the people of Tiberias know that I was coming to them.
When I came near to the city, which was early in the morning, the
multitude came out to meet me; and John came with them, and saluted me,
but in a most disturbed manner, as being afraid that my coming was to call
him to an account for what I was now sensible he was doing. So he, in
great haste, went to his lodging. But when I was in the open place of the
city, having dismissed the guards I had about me, excepting one, and ten
armed men that were with him, I attempted to make a speech to the
multitude of the people of Tiberias: and, standing on a certain elevated
place, I entreated them not to be so hasty in their revolt; for that such
a change in their behavior would be to their reproach, and that they would
then justly be suspected by those that should be their governors
hereafter, as if they were not likely to be faithful to them neither.
18. But before I had spoken all I designed, I heard one
of my own domestics bidding me come down, for that it was not a proper
time to take care of retaining the good-will of the people of Tiberias,
but to provide for my own safety, and escape my enemies there; for John
had chosen the most trusty of those armed men that were about him out of
those thousand that he had with him, and had given them orders when he
sent them, to kill me, having learned that I was alone, excepting some of
my domestics. So those that were sent came as they were ordered, and they
had executed what they came about, had I not leaped down from the
elevation I stood on, and with one of my guards, whose name was James,
been carried [out of the crowd] upon the back of one Herod of Tiberias,
and guided by him down to the lake, where I seized a ship, and got into
it, and escaped my enemies unexpectedly, and came to Tarichese.
19. Now, as soon as the inhabitants of that city
understood the perfidiousness of the people of Tiberias, they were greatly
provoked at them. So they snatched up their arms, and desired me to be
their leader against them; for they said they would avenge their
commander's cause upon them. They also carried the report of what had been
done to me to all the Galileans, and eagerly endeavored to irritate them
against the people of Tiberias, and desired that vast numbers of them
would get together, and come to them, that they might act in concert with
their commander, what should be determined as fit to be done. Accordingly,
the Galileans came to me in great numbers, from all parts, with their
weapons, and besought me to assault Tiberias, to take it by force, and to
demolish it, till it lay even with the ground, and then to make slaves of
its inhabitants, with their wives and children. Those that were Josephus's
friends also, and had escaped out of Tiberias, gave him the same advice.
But I did not comply with them, thinking it a terrible thing to begin a
civil war among them; for I thought that this contention ought not to
proceed further than words; nay, I told them that it was not for their own
advantage to do what they would have me to do, while the Romans expected
no other than that we should destroy one another by our mutual seditions.
And by saying this, I put a stop to the anger of the Galileans.
20. But now John was afraid for himself, since his
treachery had proved unsuccessful. So he took the armed men that were
about him, and removed from Tiberias to Gischala, and wrote to me to
apologize for himself concerning What had been done, as if it had been
done without his approbation, and desired me to have no suspicion of him
to his disadvantage. He also added oaths and certain horrible curses upon
himself, and supposed he should be thereby believed in the points he wrote
about to me.
21. But now another great number of the Galileans came
together again with their weapons, as knowing the man, how wicked and how
sadly perjured he was, and desired me to lead them against him and
promised me that they would utterly both him and Gischala. Hereupon I
professed that I was obliged to them for their readiness to serve me, and
that I would more than requite their good-will to me. However, I entreated
them to restrain themselves, and begged of them to give me leave to do
what I intended, which was to put an end to these troubles without
bloodshed; and when I had prevailed with the multitude of the Galileans to
let me do so, I came to Sepphoris.
22. But the inhabitants of this city having determined
to continue in their allegiance to the Romans, were afraid of my coming to
them, and tried, by putting me upon another action, to divert me, that
they might be freed from the terror they were in. Accordingly, they sent
to Jesus, the captain of those robbers who were in the confines of
Ptolemais, and promised to give him a great deal of money, if he would
come with those forces he had with him, which were in number eight
hundred, and fight with us. Accordingly, he complied with what they
desired, upon the promises they had made him, and was desirous to fall
upon us when we were unprepared for him, and knew nothing of his coming
beforehand. So he sent to me, and desired that I would give him leave to
come and salute me. When I had given him that leave, which I did without
the least knowledge of his treacherous intentions beforehand, he took his
band of robbers, and made haste to come to me. Yet did not this his
knavery succeed well at last; for as he was already nearly approaching,
one of those with him deserted him, and came to me, and told me what he
had undertaken to do. When I was informed of this, I went into the
market-place, and pretended to know nothing of his treacherous purpose. I
took with me many Galileans that were armed, as also some of those of
Tiberias; and, when I had given orders that all the roads should be
carefully guarded, I charged the keepers of the gates to give admittance
to none but Jesus, when he came, with the principal of his men, and to
exclude the rest; and in case they aimed to force themselves in, to use
stripes [in order to repel them]. Accordingly, those that had received
such a charge did as they were bidden, and Jesus came in with a few
others; and when I had ordered him to throw down his arms immediately, and
told him, that if he refused so to do, he was a dead man, he seeing armed
men standing all round about him, was terrified, and complied; and as for
those of his followers that were excluded, when they were informed that he
was seized, they ran away. I then called Jesus to me by himself, and told
him, that" I was not a stranger to that treacherous design he had against
me, nor was I ignorant by whom he was sent for; that, however, I would
forgive him what he had done already, if he would repent of it, and be
faithful to me hereafter." And thus, upon his promise to do all that I
desired, I let him go, and gave him leave to get those whom he had
formerly had with him together again. But I threatened the inhabitants of
Sepphoris, that, if they would not leave off their ungrateful treatment of
me, I would punish them sufficiently.
23. At this time it was that two great men, who were
under the jurisdiction of the king [Agrippa] came to me out of the region
of Trachonius, bringing their horses and their arms, and carrying with
them their money also; and when the Jews would force them to be
circumcised, if they would stay among them, I would not permit them to
have any force put upon them,
(11) but said to them, "Every one ought to worship God according to
his own inclinations, and not to be constrained by force; and that these
men, who had fled to us for protection, ought not to be so treated as to
repent of their coming hither." And when I had pacified the multitude, I
provided for the men that were come to us whatsoever it was they wanted,
according to their usual way of living, and that in great plenty also.
24. Now king Agrippa sent an army to make themselves
masters of the citadel of Gamala, and over it Equieulus Modius; but the
forces that were sent were not allow to encompass the citadel quite round,
but lay before it in the open places, and besieged it. But when Ebutius
the decurion, who was intrusted with the government of the great plain,
heard that I was at Simonias, a village situated in the confines of
Galilee, and was distant from him sixty furlongs, he took a hundred
horsemen that were with him by night, and a certain number of footmen,
about two hundred, and brought the inhabitants of the city Gibea along
with him as auxiliaries, and marched in the night, and came to the village
where I abode. Upon this I pitched my camp over against him, which had a
great number of forces in it: but Ebutius tried to draw us down into the
plain, as greatly depending upon his horsemen; but we would not come down;
for when I was satisfied of the advantage that his horse would have if we
came down into the plain, while we were all footmen, I resolved to join
battle with the enemy where I was. Now Ebutius and his party made a
courageous opposition for some time; but when he saw that his horse were
useless to him in that place, he retired back to the city Gibea, having
lost three of his men in the fight. So I followed him directy with two
thousand armed men; and when I was at the city Besara, that lay in the
confines of Ptolemais, but twenty furlongs from Gibea, where Ebutius
abode, I placed my armed men on the outside of the village, and gave
orders that they should guard the passes with great care, that the enemy
might not disturb us until we should have carried off the corn, a great
quantity of which lay there: it belonged to Bernice the queen, and had
been gathered together out of the neighboring villages into Besara; so I
loaded my camels and asses, a great number of which I had brought along
with me, and sent the corn into Galilee. When I had done this, I offered
Ebutius battle; but when he would not accept of the offer, for he was
terrified at our readiness and courage, I altered my route, and marched
towards Neopolitanus, because I had heard that the country about Tiberias
was laid waste by him. This Neopolitanus was captain of a troop of horse,
and had the custody of Scythopolis intrusted to his care by the enemy; and
when I had hindered him from doing any further mischief to Tiberias, I set
myself to make provision for the affairs of Galilee.
25. But when John, the son of Levi, who, as we before
told you, abode at Gischala, was informed how all things had succeeded to
my mind, and that I was much in favor with those that were under me, as
also that the enemy were greatly afraid of me, he was not pleased with it,
as thinking my prosperity tended to his ruin. So he took up a bitter envy
and enmity against me; and hoping, that if he could inflame those that
were under me to hate me,. he should put an end to the prosperity I was
in, he tried to persuade the inhabitants of Tiberias and of Sepphoris,
(and for those of Gabara he supposed they would be also of the same mind
with the others,) which were the greatest cities of Galilee, to revolt
from their subjection to me, and to be of his party; and told them that he
would command them better than I did. As for the people of Sepphoris, who
belonged to neither of us, because they had chosen to be in subjection to
the Romans, they did not comply with his proposal; and for those of
Tiberias, they did not indeed so far comply as to make a revolt from under
me, but they agreed to be his friends, while the inhabitants of Gabara did
go over to John; and it was Simon that persuaded them so to do, one who
was both the principal man in the city, and a particular friend and
companion of John. It is true, these did not openly own the making a
revolt, because they were in great fear of the Galileans, and had frequent
experience of the good-will they bore to me; yet did they privately watch
for a proper opportunity to lay snares for me; and indeed I thereby came
into the greatest danger, on the occasion following.
26. There were some bold young men of the village of
Dabaritta, who observed that the wife of Ptolemy, the king's procurator,
was to make a progress over the great plain with a mighty attendance, and
with some horsemen that followed as a guard to them, and this out of a
country that was subject to the king and queen, into the jurisdiction of
the Romans; and fell upon them on a sudden, and obliged the wife of
Ptolemy to fly away, and plundered all the carriages. They also came to me
to Tarichese, with four mules' loading of garments, and other furniture;
and the weight of the silver they brought was not small, and there were
five hundred pieces of gold also. Now I had a mind to preserve these
spoils for Ptolemy, who was my countryman; and it is prohibited
(12) by our laws even to spoil our enemies; so I said to those that
brought these spoils, that they ought to be kept, in order to rebuild the
walls of Jerusalem with them when they came to be sold. But the young men
took it very ill that they did not receive a part of those spoils for
themselves, as they expected to have done; so they went among the villages
in the neighborhood of Tiberias, and told the people that I was going to
betray their country to the Romans, and that I used deceitful language to
them, when I said, that what had been thus gotten by rapine should be kept
for the rebuilding of the walls of the city of Jerusalem; although I had
resolved to restore these spoils again to their former owner. And indeed
they were herein not mistaken as to my intentions; for when I had gotten
clear of them, I sent for two of the principal men, Dassion, and Janneus
the son of Levi, persons that were among the chief friends of the king,
and commanded them to take the furniture that had been plundered, and to
send it to him; and I threatened that I would order them to be put to
death by way of punishment, if they discovered this my command to any
other person.
27. Now, when all Galilee was filled with this rumor,
that their country was about to be betrayed by me to the Romans, and when
all men were exasperated against me, and ready to bring me to punishment,
the inhabitants of Tarichee did also themselves suppose that what the
young men said was true, and persuaded my guards and armed men to leave me
when I was asleep, and to come presently to the hippodrome, in order there
to take counsel against me their commander. And when they had prevailed
with them, and they were gotten together, they found there a great company
assembled already, who all joined in one clamor, to bring the man who was
so wicked to them as to betray them, to his due punishment; and it was
Jesus, the son of Sapphias, who principally set them on. He was ruler in
Tiberias, a wicked man, and naturally disposed to make disturbances in
matters of consequence; a seditious person he was indeed, and an innovator
beyond every body else. He then took the laws of Moses into his hands, and
came into the midst of the people, and said," O my fellow citizens! if you
are not disposed to hate Josephus on your own account, have regard,
however, to these laws of your country, which your commander-in-chief is
going to betray; hate him therefore on both these accounts, and bring the
man who hath acted thus insolently, to his deserved punishment."
28. When he had said this, and the multitude had openly
applauded him for what he had said, he took some of the armed men, and
made haste away to the house in which I lodged, as if he would kill me
immediately, while I was wholly insensible of all till this disturbance
happened; and by reason of the pains I had been taking, was fallen fast
asleep. But Simon, who was intrusted with the care of my body, and was the
only person that stayed with me, and saw the violent incursion the
citizens made upon me, awaked me, and told me of the danger I was in, and
desired me to let him kill me, that I might die bravely and like a
general, before my enemies came in, and forced me [to kill myself], or
killed me themselves. Thus did he discourse to me; but I committed the
care of my life to God, and made haste to go out to the multitude.
Accordingly, I put on a black garment, and hung my sword at my neck, and
went by such a different way to the hippodrome, wherein I thought none of
my adversaries would meet me; so I appeared among them on the sudden, and
fell down flat on the earth, and bedewed the ground with my tears: then I
seemed to them all an object of compassion. And when I perceived the
change that was made in the multitude, I tried to divide their opinions
before the armed men should return from my house; so I granted them that I
had been as wicked as they supposed me to be; but still I entreated them
to let me first inform them for what use I had kept that money which arose
from the plunder, and, that they might then kill me if they pleased: and
upon the multitude's ordering me to speak, the armed men came upon me, and
when they saw me, they ran to kill me; but when the multitude bade them
hold their hands, they complied, and expected that as soon as I should own
to them that I kept the money for the king, it would be looked on as a
confession of my treason, and they should then be allowed to kill me.
29. When, therefore, silence was made by the whole
multitude, I spake thus to them: "O my countrymen! I refuse not to die, if
justice so require. However, I am desirous to tell you the truth of this
matter before I die; for as I know that this city of yours [Tarichee] was
a city of great hospitality, and filled with abundance of such men as have
left their own countries, and are come hither to be partakers of your
fortune, whatever it be, I had a mind to build walls about it, out of this
money, for which you are so angry with me, while yet it was to be expended
in building your own walls." Upon my saying this, the people of Taricheae
and the strangers cried out, that" they gave me thanks, and desired me to
be of good courage," although the Galileans and the people of Tiberias
continued in their wrath against me, insomuch that there arose a tumult
among them, while some threatened to kill me, and some bade me not to
regard them; but when I promised them that I would build them walls at
Tiberias, and at other cities that wanted them, they gave credit to what I
promised, and returned every one to his own home. So I escaped the
forementioned danger, beyond all my hopes, and returned to my own house,
accompanied with my friends, and twenty armed men also.
30. However, these robbers and other authors of this
tumult, who were afraid, on their own account, lest I should punish them
for what they had done, took six hundred armed men, and came to the house
where I abode, in order to set it on fire. When this their insult was told
me, I thought it indecent for me to run away, and I resolved to expose
myself to danger, and to act with some boldness; so I gave order to shut
the doors, and went up into an upper room, and desired that they would
send in some of their men to receive the money [from the spoils] for I
told them they would then have no occasion to be angry with me; and when
they had sent in one of the boldest of them all, I had him whipped
severely, and I commanded that one of his hands should be cut off, and
hung about his neck; and in this case was he put out to those that sent
him. At which procedure of mine they were greatly affrighted, and in no
small consternation, and were afraid that they should themselves be served
in like manner, if they staid there; for they supposed that I had in the
house more armed men than they had themselves; so they ran away
immediately, while I, by the use of this stratagem, escaped this their
second treacherous design against me.
31. But there were still some that irritated the
multitude against me, and said that those great men that belonged to the
king ought not to be suffered to live, if they would not change their
religion to the religion of those to whom they fled for safety: they spake
reproachfully of them also, and said that they were wizards, and such as
called in the Romans upon them. So the multitude was soon deluded by such
plausible pretenses as were agreeable to their own inclinations, and were
prevailed on by them. But when I was informed of this, I instructed the
multitude again, that those who fled to them for refuge ought not to be
persecuted: I also laughed at the allegation about witchcraft,
(13) and told them that the Romans would not maintain so many ten
thousand soldiers, if they could overcome their enemies by wizards. Upon
my saying this, the people assented for a while; but they returned again
afterwards, as irritated by some ill people against the great men; nay,
they once made an assault upon the house in which they dwelt at Tarichess,
in order to kill them; which, when I was informed of, I was afraid lest so
horrid a crime should take effect, and nobody else would make that city
their refuge any more. I therefore came myself, and some others with me,
to the house where these great men lived, and locked the doors, and had a
trench drawn from their house leading to the lake, and sent for a ship,
and embarked therein with them, and sailed to the confines of Hippos: I
also paid them the value of their horses; nor in such a flight could I
have their horses brought to them. I then dismissed them, and begged of
them earnestly that they would courageously bear I this distress which
befell them. I was also myself I greatly displeased that I was compelled
to expose those that had fled to me to go again into an enemy's country;
yet did I think it more eligible that they should perish among the Romans,
if it should so happen, than in the country that was under my
jurisdiction. However, they escaped at length, and king Agrippa forgave
them their offenses. And this was the conclusion of what concerned these
men.
32. But as for the inhabitants of the city of Tiberias,
they wrote to the king, and desired him to send them forces sufficient to
be a guard to their country; for that they were desirous to come over to
him: this was what they wrote to him. But when I came to them, they
desired me to build their walls, as I had promised them to do; for they
had heard that the walls of Tarichess were already built. I agreed to
their proposal accordingly; and when I had made preparation for the entire
building, I gave order to the architects to go to work; but on the third
day, when I was gone to Tarichess, which was thirty furlongs distant from
Tiberias, it so fell out, that some Roman horsemen were discovered on
their march, not far from the city, which made it to be supposed that the
forces were come from the king; upon which they shouted, and lifted up
their voices in commendations of the king, and in reproaches against me.
Hereupon one came running to me, and told me what their dispositions were,
and that they had resolved to revolt from me: upon hearing which news I
was very much alarmed; for I had already sent away my armed men from
Tarichess, to their own homes, because the next day was our sabbath; for I
would not have the people of Tarichess disturbed [on that day] by a
multitude of soldiers; and indeed, whenever I sojourned at that city, I
never took any particular care for a guard about my own body, because I
had had frequent instances of the fidelity its inhabitants bore to me. I
had now about me no more than seven armed men, besides some friends, and
was doubtful what to do; for to send to recall my own forces I did not
think proper, because the present day was almost over; and had those
forces been with me, I could not take up arms on the next day, because our
laws forbade us so to do, even though our necessity should be very great;
and if I should permit the people of Tarichess, and the strangers with
them, to guard the city, I saw that they would not be sufficient for that
purpose, and I perceived that I should be obliged to delay my assistance a
great while; for I thought with myself that the forces that came from the
king would prevent me, and that I should be driven out of the city. I
considered, therefore, how to get clear of these forces by a stratagem; so
I immediately placed those my friends of Tarichee, on whom I could best
confide, at the gates, to watch those very carefully who went out at those
gates: I also called to me the heads of families, and bade every one of
them to seize upon a ship
(14) to go on board it, and to take a master with them, and follow him
to the city of Tiberias. I also myself went on board one of those ships,
with my friends, and the seven armed men already mentioned, and sailed for
Tiberias.
33. But now, when the people of Tiberias perceived that
there were no forces come from the king, and yet saw the whole lake full
of ships, they were in fear what would become of their city, and were
greatly terrified, as supposing that the ships were full of men on board;
so they then changed their minds, and threw down their weapons, and met me
with their wives and children, and made acclamations to me with great
commendations; for they imagined that I did not know their former
inclinations [to have been against me]; so they persuaded me to spare the
city. But when I was come near enough, I gave order to the masters of the
ships to cast anchor a good way off the land, that the people of Tiberias
might not perceive that the ships had no men on board; but I went nearer
to the people in one of the ships, and rebuked them for their folly, ,and
that they were so fickle as, without any just occasion in the world, to
revolt from their fidelity to me. However, assured them that I would
entirely forgive them for the time to come, if they would send ten of the
ringleaders of the multitude to me; and when they complied readily with
this proposal, and sent me the men forementioned, I put them on board a
ship, and sent them away to Tarichese; and ordered them to be kept in
prison.
34. And by this stratagem it was that I gradually got
all the senate of Tiberias into my power, and sent them to the city
forementioned, with many of the principal men among the populace, and
those not fewer in number than the other. But when the multitude saw into
what great miseries they had brought themselves, they desired me to punish
the author of this sedition: his name was Clitus, a young man, bold and
rash in his undertakings. Now, since I thought it not agreeable to piety
to put one of my own people to death, and yet found it necessary to punish
him, I ordered Levi, one of my own guards, to go to him, and cut off one
of Clitus's hands; but as he that was ordered to do this, was afraid to go
out of the ship alone, among 'so great a multitude, I was not willing that
the timorousness of the soldier should appear to the people of Tiberias.
So I called to Clitus himself and said to him," Since thou deservest to
lose both thine hands for thy ingratitude to me, be thou thine own
executioner, lest, if thou refusest so to be, thou undergo a worse
punishment." And when he earnestly begged of me to spare him one of his
hands, it was with difficulty that I granted it. So, in order to prevent
the loss of both his hands, he willingly took his sword, and cut off his
own left hand; and this put an end to the sedition.
35. Now the men of Tiberias, after I was gone to
Taricheae, perceived what stratagem I had used against them, and they
admired how I had put an end to their foolish sedition, without shedding
of blood. But now, when I had sent for some of those multitudes of the
people of Tiberias out of prison, among whom were Justus and his father
Pistus, I made them to sup with me; and during our supper time I said to
them, that I knew the power of the Romans was superior to all others, but
did not say so [publicly] because of the robbers. So I advised them to do
as I did, and to wait for a proper opportunity, and not to be uneasy at my
being their commander; for that they could not expect to have another who
would use the like moderation that I had done. I also put Justus in mind
how the Galileans had cut off his brother's hands before ever I came to
Jerusalem, upon an accusation laid against him, as if he had been a rogue,
and had forged some letters; as also how the people of Gamala, in a
sedition they raised against the Babylonians, after the departure of
Philip, slew Chares, who was a kinsman of Philip, and withal how they had
wisely punished Jesus, his brother Justuses sister's husband [with death].
When I had said this to them during supper time, I in the morning ordered
Justus, and all the rest that were in prison, to be loosed out of it, and
sent away.
36. But before this, it happened that Philip, the son of
Jacimus, went out of the citadel of Gamala upon the following occasion:
When Philip had been informed that Varus was put out of his government by
king Agrippa, and that Equieulus Modius, a man that was of old his friend
and companion, was come to succeed him, he wrote to him, and related what
turns of fortune he had had, and desired him to forward the letters he
sent to the king and queen. Now, when Modius had received these letters,
he was exceedingly glad, and sent the letters to the king and queen, who
were then about Berytus. But when king Agrippa knew that the story about
Philip was false, (for it had been given out, that the Jews had begun a
war with the Romans, and that this Philip had been their commander in that
war,) he sent some horsemen to conduct Philip to him; and when he was
come, he saluted him very obligingly, and showed him to the Roman
commanders, and told them that this was the man of whom the report had
gone about as if he had revolted from the Romans. He also bid him to take
some horsemen with him, and to go quickly to the citadel of Gamala, and to
bring out thence all his domestics, and to restore the Babylonians to
Batanea again. He also gave it him in charge to take all possible care
that none of his subjects should be guilty of making any innovation.
Accordingly, upon these directions from the king, he made haste to do what
he was commanded.
37. Now there was one Joseph, the son of a female
physician, who excited a great many young men to join with him. He also
insolently addressed himself to the principal persons at Gamala, and
persuaded them to revolt from the king; and take up arms, and gave them
hopes that they should, by his means, recover their liberty. And some they
forced into the service, and those that would not acquiesce in what they
had resolved on, they slew. They also slew Chares, and with him Jesus, one
of his kinsmen, and a brother of Justus of Tiberias, as we have already
said. Those of Gamala also wrote to me, desiring me to send them an armed
force, and workmen to raise up the walls of their city; nor did I reject
either of their requests. The region of Gaulanitis did also revolt from
the king, as far as the village Solyma. I also built a wall about Seleucia
and Soganni, which are villages naturally of ver great strength. Moreover,
I, in like manner, walled several villages of Upper Galilee, though they
were very rocky of themselves. Their names are Jamnia, and Meroth, and
Achabare. I also fortified, in the Lower Galilee, the cities Tarichee,
Tiberias, Sepphoris, and the villages, the cave of Arbela, Bersobe,
Selamin, Jotapata, Capharecho, and Sigo, and Japha, and Mount Tabor.
(15) I also laid up a great quantity of corn in these places, and arms
withal, that might be for their security afterward.
38. But the hatred that John, the son of Levi, bore to
me, grew now more violent, while he could not bear my prosperity with
patience. So he proposed to himself, by all means possible, to make away
with me; and built the walls of Gischala, which was the place of his
nativity. He then sent his brother Simon, and Jonathan, the son of Sisenna,
and about a hundred armed men, to Jerusalem, to Simon, the son of Gamaliel,
(16) in order to persuade him to induce the commonalty of Jerusalem to
take from me the government over the Galileans, and to give their
suffrages for conferring that authority upon him. This Simon was of the
city of Jerusalem, and of a very noble family of the sect of the
Pharisees, which are supposed to excel others in the accurate knowledge of
the laws of their country. He was a man of great wisdom and reason, and
capable of restoring public affairs by his prudence, when they were in an
ill posture. He was also an old friend and companion of John; but at that
time he had a difference with me. When therefore he had received such an
exhortation, he persuaded the high priests, Ananus, and Jesus the son of
Gamala, and some others of the same seditious faction, to cut me down, now
I was growing so great, and not to overlook me while I was aggrandizing
myself to the height of glory; and he said that it would be for the
advantage of the Galileans, if I were deprived of my government there.
Ananus also, and his friends, desired them to make no delay about the
matter, lest I should get the knowledge of what was doing too soon, and
should come and make an assault upon the city with a great army. This was
the counsel of Simon; but Artanus the high priest demonstrated to them
that this was not an easy thing to be done, because many of the high
priests and of the rulers of the people bore witness that I had acted like
an excellent general, and that it was the work of ill men to accuse one
against whom they had nothing to say.
39. When Simon heard Ananus say this, he desired that
the messengers would conceal the thing, and not let it come among many;
for that he would take care to have Josephus removed out of Galilee very
quickly. So he called for John's brother, [Simon,] and charged him that
they should send presents to Ananus and his friends; for, as he said, they
might probably by that means persuade them to change their minds. And
indeed Simon did at length thus compass what he aimed at; for Artanus, and
those with him, being corrupted by bribes, agreed to expel me out of
Galilee, without making the rest of the citizens acquainted with what they
were doing. Accordingly, they resolved to send men of distinction as to
their families, and of distinction as to their learning also. Two of these
were of the populace, Jonathan
(17) and Ananias, by sect Pharisees; while the third, Jozar, was of
the stock of the priests, and a Pharisee also; and Simon, the last of
them, was of the youngest of the high priests. These had it given them in
charge, that, when they were come to the multitude of the Galileans, they
should ask them, what was the reason of their love to me? and if they said
that it was because I was born at Jerusalem, that they should reply, that
they four were all born at the same place; and if they should say, it was
because I was well versed in their law, they should reply, that neither
were they unacquainted with the practices of their country; but if,
besides these, they should say, they loved me because I was a priest, they
should reply, that two of these were priests also.
40. Now, when they had given Jonathan and his companions
these instructions, they gave them forty thousand [drachmae] out of the
public money: but when they heard that there was a certain Galilean that
then sojourned at Jerusalem, whose name was Jesus, who had about him a
band of six hundred armed men, they sent for him, and gave him three
months pay, and gave him orders to follow Jonathan and his companions, and
be obedient to them. They also gave money to three hundred men that were
citizens of Jerusalem, to maintain them all, and ordered them also to
follow the ambassadors; and when they had complied, and were gotten ready
for the march, Jonathan and his companions went out with them, having
along with them John's brother and a hundred armed men. The charge that
was given them by those that sent them was this: That if I would
voluntarily lay down my arms, they should send me alive to the city of
Jerusalem; but that, in case I opposed them, they should kill me, and fear
nothing; for that it was their command for them so to do. They also wrote
to John to make all ready for fighting me, and gave orders to the
inhabitants of Sepphoris, and Gabara, and Tiberins, to send auxiliaries to
John.
41. Now, as my father wrote me an account of this, (for
Jesus the son of Gamala, who was present in that council, a friend and
companion of mine, told him of it,) I was very much troubled, as
discovering thereby that my fellow citizens proved so ungrateful to me,
as, out of envy, to give order that I should be slain: my father earnestly
pressed me also in his letter to come to him, for that he longed to see
his son before he died. I informed my friends of these things, and that in
three days' time I should leave the country, and go home. Upon hearing
this, they were all very sorry, and desired me, with tears in their eyes,
not to leave them to be destroyed; for so they thought they should be, if
I were deprived of the command over them: but as I did not grant their
request, but was taking care of my own safety, the Galileans, out of their
dread of the consequence of my departure, that they should then be at the
mercy of the robbers, sent messengers over all Galilee to inform them of
my resolution to leave them. Whereupon, as soon as they heard it, they got
together in great numbers, from all parts, with their wives and children;
and this they did, as it appeared to me, not more out of their affection
to me, than out of their fear on their own account; for while I staid with
them, they supposed that they should suffer no harm. So they all came into
the great plain, wherein I lived, the name of which was Asochis.
42. But wonderful it was what a dream I saw that very
night; for when I had betaken myself to my bed, as grieved and disturbed
at the news that had been written to me, it seemed to me, that a certain
person stood by me,
(18) and said, "O Josephus! leave off to afflict thy soul, and put
away all fear; for what now grieves thee will render thee very
considerable, and in all respects most happy; for thou shalt get over not
only these difficulties, but many others, with great success. However, be
not cast down, but remember that thou art to fight with the Romans." When
I had seen this dream, I got up with an intention of going down to the
plain. Now, when the whole multitude of the Galileans, among whom were the
women and children, saw me, they threw themselves down upon their faces,
and, with tears in their eyes, besought me not to leave them exposed to
their enemies, nor to go away and permit their country to be injured by
them. But when I did not comply, with their entreaties, they compelled me
to take an oath, that I would stay with them: they also cast abundance of
reproaches upon the people of Jerusalem, that they would not let their
country enjoy peace.
43. When I heard this, and saw what sorrow the people
were in, I was moved with compassion to them, and thought it became me to
undergo the most manifest hazards for the sake of so great a multitude; so
I let them know I would stay with them. And when I had given order that
five thousand off them should come to me armed, and with provisions for
their maintenance, I sent the rest away to their own homes; and when those
five thousand were come, I took them, together with three thousand of the
soldiers that were with me before, and eighty horsemen, and marched to
thevillage of Chabolo, situated in the confines of Ptolimias, and there
kept my forces together, pretending to get ready to fight with Placidus,
who was come with two cohorts of footmen, and one troop of horsemen, and
was sent thither by Cestius Gallus to burn those villages of Galilee that
were near Ptolemais. Upon whose casting up a bank before the city
Ptolemais, I also pitched my camp at about the distance of sixty furlongs
from that village. And now we frequently brought out our forces as if we
would fight, but proceeded no further than skirmishes at a distance; for
when Placidus perceived that I was earnest to come to a battle, he was
afraid, and avoided it. Yet did he not remove from the neighborhood of
Ptolemais.
44. About this time it was that Jonathan and his fellow
legates came. They were sent, as we have said already, by Simon, and
Ananus the high priest. And Jonathan contrived how he might catch me by
treachery; for he durst not make any attempt upon me openly. So he wrote
me the following epistle: "Jonathan and those that are with him, and are
sent by the people of Jerusalem, to Josephus, send greeting. We are sent
by the principal men of Jerusalem, who have heard that John of Gischala
hath laid many snares for thee, to rebuke him, and to exhort him to be
subject to thee hereafter. We are also desirous to consult with thee about
our common concerns, and what is fit to be done. We therefore desire thee
to come to us quickly, and to bring only a few men with thee; for this
village will not contain a great number of soldiers." Thus it was that
they wrote, as expecting one of these two things; either that I should
come without armed men, and then they should have me wholly in their
power; or, if I came with a great number, they should judge me to be a
public enemy. Now it was a horseman who brought the letter, a man at other
times bold, and one that had served in the army under the king. It was the
second hour of the night that he came, when I was feasting with my
friends, and the principal of the Galileans. This man, upon my servant's
telling me that a certain horseman of the Jewish nation was come, was
called in at my command, but did not so much as salute me at all, but held
out a letter, and said, "This letter is sent thee by those that are come
from Jerusalem; do thou write an answer to it quickly; for I am obliged to
return to them very soon. Now my guests could not but wonder at the
boldness of the soldier. But I desired him to sit down and sup with us;
but when he refused so to do, I held the letter in my hands as I received
it, and fell a talking with my guests about other matters. But a few hours
afterwards, I got up, and when I had dismissed the rest to go to their
beds, I bid only four of my intimate friends to stay, and ordered my
servant to get some wine ready. I also opened the letter so, that nobody
could perceive it; and understanding thereby presently the purport· of the
writing, I sealed it up again, and appeared as if I had not yet read it,
but only held it in my hands. I ordered twenty drachmae should be given
the soldier for the charges of his journey; and when he took the money,
and said that he thanked me for it, I perceived that he loved money, and
that he was to be caught chiefly by that means; and I said to him," If
thou wilt but drink with us, thou shalt have a drachma for every glass
thou drinkest." So he gladly embraced this proposal, and drank a great
deal of wine, in order to get the more money, and was so drunk, that at
last he could not keep the secrets he was intrusted with, but discovered
them without my putting questions to him, viz. That a treacherous design
was contrived against me, and that I was doomed to die by those that sent
him. When I heard this, I wrote back this answer: "Josephus to Jonathan,
and those that are with him, sendeth greeting. Upon the information that
you are come in health into Galilee, I rejoice, and this especially
because I can now resign the care of public affairs here into your hands,
and return into my native country, which is what I have desired to do a
great while; and I confess I ought not only to come to you as far as
Xaloth, but farther, and this without your commands. But I desire you to
excuse me, because I cannot do it now, since I watch the motions of
Placidus, who hath a mind to go up into Galilee; and this I do here at
Chabolo. Do you therefore, on the receipt of this epistle, come hither to
me. Fare you well."
45. When I had written thus, and given the letter to be
carried by the soldier, I sent along with him thirty of the Galileans of
the best characters, and gave them instructions to salute those
ambassadors, but to say nothing else to them. I also gave orders to as
many of those armed men, whom I esteemed most faithful to me, to go along
with the others, every one with him whom he was to guard, lest some
conversation might pass between those whom I sent and those who were with
Jonathan. So those men went [to Jonathan]. But when Jonathan and his
partners had failed in this their first attempt, they sent me another
letter, the contents whereof were as follows: "Jonathan, and those with
him, to Josephus, send greeting. We require thee to come to us to the
village Gabaroth, on the third day, without any armed men, that we may
hear what thou hast to lay to the charge of John [of Gischala]." When they
had written this letter, they saluted the Galileans whom I sent, and came
to Japha, which was the largest village of all Galilee, and encompassed
with very strong walls, and had a great number of inhabitants in it. There
the multitude of men, with their wives and children, met them, and
exclaimed loudly against them; and desired them to be gone, and not to
envy them the advantage of an excellent commander. With these clamors
Jonathan and his partners were greatly provoked, although they durst not
show their anger openly; so they made them no answer, but went to other
villages. But still the same clamors met them from all the people, who
said, "Nobody should persuade them to have any other commander besides
Josephus." So Jonathan and his partners went away from them without
success, and came to Sepphoris, the greatest city of all Galilee. Now the
men of that city, who inclined to the Romans in their sentiments, met them
indeed, but neither praised nor reproached me and when they were gone down
from Sepphoris to Asochis, the people of that place made a clamor against
them, as those of Japha had done; whereupon they were able to contain
themselves no longer, but ordered the armed men that were with them to
beat those that made the clamor with their clubs. And when they came to
Gabara, John met them with three thousand armed men; but, as I understood
by their letter that they had resolved to fight against me, I arose from
Chabolo, with three thousand armed men also; but left in my camp one of my
fastest friends, and came to Jotapata, as desirous to be near them, the
distance being no more than forty furlongs. Whence I wrote thus to them:
"If you are very desirous that I should come to you, you know there are
two hundred and forty cities and villages in Galilee; I will come to any
of them which you please, excepting Gaburn and Gischala; the one of which
is John's native city, and the other in confederacy and friendship with
him."
46. When Jonathan and his partners had received this
letter, they wrote me no more answers, but called a council of their
friends together; and taking John into their consultation, they took
counsel together by what means they might attack me. John's opinion was,
that they should write to all the cities and villages that were in
Galilee; for that there must be certainly one or two persons in every one
of them that were at variance with me, and that they should be invited to
come to oppose me as an enemy. He would also have them send this
resolution of theirs to the city of Jerusalem, that its citizens, upon the
knowledge of my being adjudged to be an enemy by the Galileans, might
themselves I also confirm that determination. He said also, that when this
was done, even those Galileans who were well affected to me, would desert
me out of fear. When John had given them this counsel, what he had said
was very agreeable to the rest of them. I was also made acquainted with
these affairs about the third hour of the night, by the means of one
Saccheus, who had belonged to them, but now deserted them and came over to
me, and told me what they were about; so I perceived that no time was to
be lost. Accordingly, I gave command to Jacob, an armed man of my guard,
whom I esteemed faithful to me, to take two hundred men, and to guard the
passages that led from Gahara to Galilee, and to seize upon the
passengers, and send them to me, especially such as were caught with
letters about them: I also sent Jeremias himself, one of my friends, with
six hundred armed men, to the borders of Galilee, in order to watch the
roads that led from this country to the city Jerusalem, and gave him
charge to lay hold of such as traveled with letters about them, to keep
the men in bonds upon the place, but to send me the letters.
47. When I had laid these commands upon them, I gave
them orders, and bid them take their arms and bring three days' provision
with them, and be with me the next day. I also parted those that were
about me into four parts, and ordained those of them that were most
faithful to me to be a guard to my body. I also set over them centurions,
and commanded them to take care that not a soldier which they did not know
should mingle himself among them. Now, on the fifth day following, when I
was at Gabaroth, I found the entire plain that was before the village full
of armed men, who were come out of Galilee to assist me: many others of
the multitude, also, out of the village, ran along with me. But as soon as
I had taken my place, and began to speak to them, they all made an
acclamation, and called me the benefactor and savior of the country. And
when I had made them my acknowledgments, and thanked them [for their
affection to me], I also advised them to fight with nobody,
(19) nor to spoil the country; but to pitch their tents in the plain,
and be content with their sustenance they had brought with them; for I
told them that I had a mind to compose these troubles without shedding any
blood. Now it came to pass, that on the very same day those who were sent
by John with letters, fell among the guards whom I had appointed to watch
the roads; so the men were themselves kept upon the place, as my orders
were, but I got the letters, which were full of reproaches and lies; and I
intended to fall upon these men, without saying a word of these matters to
any body.
48. Now, as soon as Jonathan and his companions heard of
my coming, they took all their own friends, and John with them, and
retired to the house of Jesus, which indeed was a large castle, and no way
unlike a citadel; so they privately laid a band of armed men therein, and
shut all the other doors but one, which they kept open, and they expected
that I should come out of the road to them, to salute them. And indeed
they had given orders to the armed men, that when I came they should let
nobody besides me come in, but should exclude others; as supposing that,
by this means, they should easily get me under their power: but they were
deceived in their expectation; for I perceived what snares they had laid
for me. Now, as soon as I was got off my journey, I took up my lodgings
over against them, and pretended to be asleep; so Jonathan and his party,
thinking that I was really asleep and at rest, made haste to go down into
the plain, to persuade the people that I was an ill governor. But the
matter proved otherwise; for, upon their appearance, there was a cry made
by the Galileans immediately, declaring their good opinion of me as their
governor; and they made a clamor against Jonathan and his partners for
coming to them when they had suffered no harm, and as though they would
overturn their happy settlement; and desired them by all means to go back
again, for that they would never be persuaded to have any other to rule
over them but myself. When I heard of this, I did not fear to go down into
the midst of them; I went, therefore, myself down presently to hear what
Jonathan and his companions said. As soon as I appeared, there was
immediately an acclamation made to me by the whole multitude, and a cry in
my commendation by them, who confessed their thanks was owing to me for my
good government of them.
49. When Jonathan and his companions heard this, they
were in fear of their own lives, and in danger lest they should be
assaulted by the Galileans on nay account; so they contrived how they
might run away. But as they were not able to get off, for I desired them
to stay, they looked down with concern at my words to them. I ordered,
therefore, the multitude to restrain entirely their acclamations, and
placed the most faithful of my armed men upon the avenues, to be a guard
to us, lest John should unexpected fall upon us; and I encouraged the
Galileans to take their weapons, lest they should be disturbed at their
enemies, if any sudden insult should be made upon them. And then, in the
first place, I put Jonathan and his partners in mind of their [former]
letter, and after what manner they had written to me, and declared they
were sent by the common consent to the people of Jerusalem, to make up the
differences I had with John, and how they had desired me to come to them;
and as I spake thus, I publicly showed that letter they had written, till
they could not at all deny what they had done, the letter itself
convicting them. I then said, "O Jonathan! and you that are sent with him
as his colleagues, if I were to be judged as to my behavior, compared with
that of John's, and had brought no more than two or three witnesses,
(20) good men and true, it is plain you had been forced, upon the
examination of their characters beforehand, to discharge the accusations:
that therefore you may be informed that I have acted well in the affairs
of Galilee, I think three witnesses too few to be brought by a man that
hath done as he ought to do; so I gave you all these for witnesses.
Inquire of them
(21) how I have lived, and whether I have not behaved myself with all
decency, and after a virtuous manner, among them. And I further conjure
you, O Galileans! to hide no part of the truth, but to speak before these
men as before judges, whether I have in any thing acted otherwise than
well."
50. While I was thus speaking, the united voices of all
the people joined together, and called me their benefactor and savior, and
attested to my former behavior, and exhorted me to continue so to do
hereafter; and they all said, upon their oaths, that their wives had been
preserved free from injuries, and that no one had ever been aggrieved by
me. After this, I read to the Galileans two of those epistles which had
been sent by Jonathan and his colleagues, and which those whom I had
appointed to guard the road had taken, and sent to me. These were full of
reproaches, and of lies, as if I had acted more like a tyrant than a
governor against them, with many other things besides therein contained,
which were no better indeed than impudent falsities. I also informed the
multitude how I came by these letters, and that those who carried them
delivered them up voluntarily; for I was not willing that my enemies
should know any thing of the guards I had set, lest they should be afraid,
and leave off writing hereafter.
51. When the multitude heard these things, they were
greatly provoked at Jonathan, and his colleagues that were with him, and
were going to attack them, and kill them; and this they had certainly
done, unless I had restrained the anger of the Galileans, and said, that"
I forgave Jonathan and his colleagues what was past, if they would repent,
and go to their own country, and tell those who sent them the truth, as to
my conduct." When I had said this, I let them go, although I knew they
would do nothing of what they had promised. But the multitude were very
much enraged against them, and entreated me to give them leave to punish
them for their insolence; yet did I try all methods to persuade them to
spare the men; for I knew that every instance of sedition was pernicious
to the public welfare. But the multitude was too angry with them to be
dissuaded, and all of them went immediately to the house in which Jonathan
and his colleagues abode. However, when I perceived that their rage could
not be restrained, I got on horseback, and ordered the multitude to follow
me to the village Sogane, which was twenty furlongs off Gabara; and by
using this stratagem, I so managed myself, as not to appear to begin a
civil war ,amongst them.
52. But when I was come near Sogane, I caused the
multitude to make a halt, and exhorted them not to be so easily provoked
to anger, and to the inflicting such punishments as could not be
afterwards recalled: I also gave order, that a hundred men, who were
already in years, and were principal men among them, should get themselves
ready to go to the city of Jerusalem, and should .make a complaint before
the people of such as raised seditions in the country. And I said to them,
that" in case they be moved with what you say, you shall desire the
community to write to me, and to enjoin me to continue in Galilee, and to
order Jonathan and his colleagues to depart out of it." When I had
suggested these instructions to them, and while they were getting
themselves ready as fast as they could, I sent them on this errand the
third day after they had been assembled: I also sent five hundred armed
men with them [as a guard]. I then wrote to my friends in Samaria, to take
care that they might safely pass through the country: for Samaria was
already under the Romans, and it was absolutely necessary for those that
go quickly [to Jerusalem] to pass through that country; for in that road
you may, in three days' time, go from Galilee to Jerusalem. I also went
myself, and conducted the old men as far as the bounds of Galilee, and set
guards in the roads, that it might not be easily known by any one that
these men were gone. And when I had thus done, I went and abode at Japha.
53. Now Jonathan and his colleagues, having failed of
accomplishing what they would have done against me, sent John back to
Gischala, but went themselves to the city of Tiberias, expecting it would
submit itself to them; and this was founded on a letter which Jesus, their
then governor, had written them, promising that, if they came, the
multitude would receive them, and choose to be under their government; so
they went their ways with this expectation. But Silas, who, as I said, had
been left curator of Tiberias by me, informed me of this, and desired me
to make haste thither. Accordingly, I complied with his advice
immediately, and came thither; but found myself in danger of my life, from
the following occasion: Jonathan and his colleagues had been at Tiberias,
and had persuaded a great many of such as had a quarrel with me to desert
me; but when they heard of my coming, they were in fear for themselves,
and came to me; and when they had saluted me, they said, that I was a
happy man in having behaved myself so well in the government of Galilee;
and they congratulated me upon the honors that were paid me: for they said
that my glory was a credit to them, since they had been my teachers and
fellow citizens; and they said further, that it was but just that they
should prefer my friendship to them rather than John's, and that they
would have immediately gone home, but that they staid that they might
deliver up John into my power; and when they said this they took their
oaths of it, and those such as are most tremendous amongst us, and such as
I did not think fit to disbelieve. However, they desired me to lodge some
where else, because the next day was the sabbath, and that it was not fit
the city of Tiberias should be disturbed [on that day].
54. So I suspected nothing, and went away to Tarichese;
yet did I withal leave some to make inquiry in the city how matters went,
and whether any thing was said about me: I also set many persons all the
way that led from Tarichese to Tiberias, that they might communicate from
one to another, if they learned any news from those that were left in the
city. On the next day, therefore, they all came into the Proseucha;
(22) it was a large edifice, and capable of receiving a great number
of people; thither Jonathan went in, and though he durst not openly speak
of a revolt, yet did he say that their city stood in need of a better
governor than it then had. But Jesus, who was the ruler, made no scruple
to speak out, and said openly," O fellow citizens! it is better for you to
be in subjection to four than to one; and those such as are of high birth,
and not without reputation for their wisdom;" and pointed to Jonathan and
his colleagues. Upon his saying this, Justus came in and commended him for
what he had said, and persuaded some of the people to be of his mind also.
But the multitude were not pleased with what was said, and had certainly
gone into a tumult, unless the sixth hour, which was now come, had
dissolved the assembly, at which hour our laws require us to go to dinner
on sabbath days; so Jonathan and his colleagues put off their council till
the next day, and went off without success. When I was informed of these
affairs, I determined to go to the city of Tiberias in the morning.
Accordingly, on the next day, about the first hour of the day, I came from
Tarichee, and found the multitude already assembled in the Proseucha; but
on what account they were gotten together, those that were assembled did
not know. But when Jonathan and his colleagues saw me there unexpectedly,
they were in disorder; after which they raised a report of their own
contrivance, that Roman horsemen were seen at a place called Union, in the
borders of Galilee, thirty furlongs distant from the city. Upon which
report, Jonathan and his colleagues cunningly exhorted me not to neglect
this matter, nor to suffer the land to be spoiled by the enemy. And this
they said with a design to remove me out of the city, under the pretense
of the want of extraordinary assistance, while they might dispose the city
to be my enemy.
55. As for myself, although I knew of their design, yet
did I comply with what they proposed, lest the people of Tiberias should
have occasion to suppose that I was not careful of their security. I
therefore went out; but, when I was at the place, I found not the least
footsteps of any enemy, so I returned as fast as ever I could, and found
the whole council assembled, and the body of the people gotten together,
and Jonathan and his colleagues bringing vehement accusations against me,
as one who had no concern to ease them of the burdens of war, and as one
that lived luxuriously. And as they were discoursing thus, they produced
four letters, as written to them from some people that lived at the
borders of Galilee, imploring that they would come to their assistance,
for that there was an army of Romans, both horsemen and footmen, who would
come and lay waste the country on the third day; they desired them also to
make haste, and not to overlook them. When the people of Tiberias heard
this, they thought they spake truth, and made a clamor against me, and
said I ought not to sit still, but to go away to the assistance of their
countrymen. Hereupon I said (for I understood the meaning of Jonathan and
his colleagues) that I was ready to comply with what they proposed, and
without delay to march to the war which they spake of, yet did I advise
them, at the same time, that since these letters declared that the Romans
would make their assault in four several places, they should part their
forces into five bodies, and make Jonathan and his colleagues generals of
each body of them, because it was fit for brave men, not only to give
counsel, but to take the place of leaders, and assist their countrymen
when such a necessity pressed them; for, said I, it is not possible for me
to lead more than one party. This advice of mine greatly pleased the
multitude; so they compelled them to go forth to the war. But their
designs were put into very much disorder, because they had not done what
they had designed to do, on account of my stratagem, which was opposite to
their undertakings.
56. Now there was one whose name was Ananias (a wicked
man he was, and very mischievous); he proposed that a general religious
fast
(23) should be appointed the next day for all the people, and gave
order that at the same hour they should come to the same place, without
any weapons, to make it manifest before God, that while they obtained his
assistance, they thought all these weapons useless. This he said, not out
of piety, but that they might catch me and my friends unarmed. Now, I was
hereupon forced to comply, lest I should appear to despise a proposal that
tended to piety. As soon, therefore, as we were gone home, Jonathan and
his colleagues wrote to John to come to them in the morning, and desiring
him to come with as many soldiers as he possibly could, for that they
should then be able easily to get me into their hands, and to do all they
desired to do. When John had received this letter, he resolved to comply
with it. As for myself, on the next day, I ordered two of the guards of my
body, whom I esteemed the most courageous and most faithful, to hide
daggers under their garments, and to go along with me, that we might
defend ourselves, if any attack should be made upon us by our enemies. I
also myself took my breastplate, and girded on my sword, so that it might
be, as far as it was possible, concealed, and came into the Proseucha.
57. Now Jesus, who was the ruler, commanded that they
should exclude all that came with me, for he kept the door himself, and
suffered none but his friends to go in. And while we were engaged in the
duties of the day, and had betaken ourselves to our prayers, Jesus got up,
and inquired of me what was become of the vessels that were taken out of
the king's palace, when it was burnt down [and] of that uncoined silver;
and in whose possession they now were? This he said, in order to drive
away time till John should come. I said that Capellus, and the ten
principal men of Tiberias, had them all; and I told him that they might
ask them whether I told a lie or not. And when they said they had them, he
asked me, What is become of those twenty pieces of gold which thou didst
receive upon the sale of a certain weight of uncoined money? I replied,
that I had given them to those ambassadors of theirs, as a maintenance for
them, when they were sent by them to Jerusalem. So Jonathan and his
colleagues said that I had not done well to pay the ambassadors out of the
public money. And when the multitude were very angry at them for this, for
they perceived the wickednes of the men, I understood that a tumult was
going to arise; and being desirous to provoke the people to a greater rage
against the men, I said, "But if I have not done well in paying our
ambassadors out of the public stock, leave off your anger at me, for I
will repay the twenty pieces of gold myself."
58. When I had said this, Jonathan and his colleagues
held their peace; but the people were still more irritated against them,
upon their openly showing their unjust ill-will to me. When Jesus saw this
change in file people, he ordered them to depart, but desired the senate
to stay; for that they could not examine things of such a nature in a
tumult: and as the people were crying out that they would not leave me
alone, there came one and told Jesus and his friends privately, that John
and his armed men were at hand: whereupon Jonathan and his colleagues,
being able to contain themselves no longer, (and perhaps the providence of
God hereby procuring my deliverance, for had not this been so, I had
certainly been destroyed by John,) said, "O you people of Tiberias! leave
off this inquiry about the twenty pieces of gold; for Josephus hath not
deserved to die for them; but he hath deserved it by his desire of
tyrannizing, and by cheating the multitude of the Galileans with his
speeches, in order to gain the dominion over them." When he had said this,
they presently laid hands upon me, and endeavored to kill me: but as soon
as those that were with me saw what they did, they drew their swords, and
threatened to smite them, if they offered any violence to me. The people
also took up stones, and were about to throw them at Jonathan; and so they
snatched me from the violence of my enemies.
59. But as I was gone out a little way, I was just upon
meeting John, who was marching with his armed men. So I was afraid of him,
and turned aside, and escaped by a narrow passage to the lake, and seized
on a ship, and embarked in it, and sailed over to Tarichese. So, beyond my
expectation, I escaped this danger. Whereupon I presently sent for the
chief of the Galileans, and told them after what manner, against all faith
given, I had been very near to destruction from Jonathan and his
colleagues, and the people of Tiberias. Upon which the multitude of the
Galileans were very. angry, and encouraged me to delay no longer to make
war upon them, but to permit them to go against John, and utterly to
destroy him, as well as Jonathan and his colleagues. However, I restrained
them, though they were in such a rage, and desired them to tarry a while,
till we should be informed what orders those ambassadors, that were sent
by them to the city of Jerusalem, should bring thence; for I told them
that it was best for them to act according to their determination;
whereupon they were prevailed on. At which time, also, John, when the
snares he had laid did not take effect, returned back to Gischala.
60. Now, in a few days, those ambassadors whom he had
sent, came back again and informed us, that the people were greatly
provoked at Ananus, and Simon the son of Gamaliel, and their friends;
that, without any public determination, they had sent to Galilee, and had
done their endeavors that I might be turned out of the government. The
ambassadors said further, that the people were ready to burn their houses.
They also brought letters, whereby the chief men of Jerusalem, at the
earnest petition of the people, confirmed me in the government of Galilee,
and enjoined Jonathan and his colleagues to return home quickly. When I
had gotten these letters, I came to the village Arbela, where I procured
an assembly of the Galileans to meet, and bid the ambassadors declare to
them the anger of the people of Jerusalem at what had been done by
Jonathan and his colleagues, and how much they hated their wicked doings,
and how they had confirmed me in the government of their country, as also
what related to the order they had in writing for Jonathan and his
colleagues to return home. So I immediately sent them the letter, and bid
him that carried it to inquire, as well as he could, how they intended to
act [on this occasion.]
61. Now, when they had received that letter, and were
thereby greatly disturbed, they sent for John, and for the senators of
Tiberias, and for the principal men of the Gabarens, and proposed to hold
a council, and desired them to consider what was to be done by them.
However, the governors of Tiberias were greatly disposed to keep the
government to themselves; for they said it was not fit to desert their
city, now it was committed to their trust, and that otherwise I should not
delay to fall upon them; for they pretended falsely that so I had
threatened to do. Now John was not only of their opinion, but advised
them, that two of them should go to accuse me before the multitude [at
Jerusalem], that I do not manage the affairs of Galilee as I ought to do;
and that they would easily persuade the people, because of their dignity,
and because the whole multitude are very mutable. When, therefore, it
appeared that John had suggested the wisest advice to them, they resolved
that two of them, Jonathan and Ananias, should go to the people of
Jerusalem, and the other two [Simon and Joazar] should be left behind to
tarry at Tiberins. They also took along with them a hundred soldiers for
their guard.
62. However, the governors of Tiberias took care to have
their city secured with walls, and commanded their inhabitants to take
their arms. They also sent for a great many soldiers from John, to assist
them against me, if there should be occasion for them. Now John was at
Gischala. Jonathan, therefore, and those that were with him, when they
were departed from Tiberias, and as soon as they were come to Dabaritta, a
village that lay in the utmost parts of Galilee, in the great plain, they,
about midnight, fell among the guards I had set, who both commanded them
to lay aside their weapons, and kept them in bonds upon the place, as I
had charged them to do. This news was written to me by Levi, who had the
command of that guard committed to him by me. Hereupon I said nothing of
it for two days; and, pretending to know nothing about it, I sent a
message to the people of Tiberias, and advised them to lay their arms
aside, and to dismiss their men, that they might go home. But, supposing
that Jonathan, and those that were with him, were already arrived at
Jerusalem, they made reproachful answers to me; yet was I not terrified
thereby, but contrived another stratagem against them, for I did not think
it agreeable with piety to kindle the fire of war against the citizens. As
I was desirous to draw those men away from Tiberias, I chose out ten
thousand of the best of my armed men, and divided them into three bodies,
and ordered them to go privately, and lie still as an ambush, in the
villages. I also led a thousand into another village, which lay indeed in
the mountains, as did the others, but only four furlongs distant from
Tiberias; and gave orders, that when they saw my signal, they should come
down immediately, while I myself lay with my soldiers in the sight of
every body. Hereupon the people of Tiberias, at the sight of me, came
running out of the city perpetually, and abused me greatly. Nay, their
madness was come to that height, that they made a decent bier for me, and,
standing about it, they mourned over me in the way of jest and sport; and
I could not but be myself in a pleasant humor upon the sight of this
madness of theirs.
63. And now being desirous to catch Simon by a wile, and
Joazar with him, I sent a message to them, and desired them to come a
little way out of the city, and many of their friends to guard them; for I
said I would come down to them, and make a league with them, and divide
the government of Galilee with them. Accordingly, Simon was deluded on
account of his imprudence, and out of the hopes of gain, and did not delay
to come; but Joazar, suspecting snares were laid for him, staid behind. So
when Simon was come out, and his friends with him, for his guard, I met
him, and saluted him with great civility, and professed that I was obliged
to him for his coming up to me; but a little while afterward I walked
along with him as though I would say something to him by myself; and when
I had drawn him a good way from his friends, I took him about the middle,
and gave him to my friends that were with me, to carry him into a village;
and, commanding my armed men to come down, I with them made an assault
upon Tiberias. Now, as the fight grew hot on both sides, and the soldiers
belonging to Tiberias were in a fair way to conquer me, (for my armed men
were already fled away,) I saw the posture of my affairs; and encouraging
those that were with me, I pursued those of Tiberias, even when they were
already conquerors, into the city. I also sent another band of soldiers
into the city by the lake, and gave them orders to set on fire the first
house they could seize upon. When this was done, the people of Tiberinas
thought that their city was taken by force, and so threw down their arms
for fear, and implored, they, their wives, and children, that I would
spare their city. So I was over-persuaded by their entreaties, and
restrained the soldiers from the vehemency with which they pursued them;
while I myself, upon the coming on of the evening, returned back with my
soldiers, and went to refresh myself. I also invited Simon to sup with me,
and comforted him on occasion of what had happened; and I promised that I
would send him safe and secure to Jerusalem, and withal would give him
provisions for his journey thither.
64. But on the next day, I brought ten thousand armed
men with me, and came to Tiberias. I then sent for the principal men of
the multitude into the public place, and enjoined them to tell me who were
the authors of the revolt; and when they told me who the men were, I sent
them bound to the city Jotapata. But as to Jonathan and Ananias, I freed
them from their bonds, and gave them provisions for their journey,
together with Simon and Joazar, and five hundred armed men who should
guard them; and so I sent them to Jerusalem. The people of Tiberias also
came to me again, and desired that I would forgive them for what they had
done; and they said they would amend what they had done amiss with regard
to me, by their fidelity for the time to come; and they besought me to
preserve what spoils remained upon the plunder of the city, for those that
had lost them. Accordingly, I enjoined those that had got them, to bring
them all before us; and when they did not comply for a great while, and I
saw one of the soldiers that were about me with a garment on that was more
splendid than ordinary, I asked him whence he had it; and when he replied
that he had it out of the plunder of the city, I had him punished with
stripes; and I threatened all the rest to inflict a severer punishment
upon them, unless they produced before us whatsoever they had plundered;
and when a great many spoils were brought together, I restored to every
one of Tiberias what they claimed to be their own.
65. And now I am come to this part of my narration, I
have a mind to say a few things to Justus, who hath himself written a
history concerning these affairs, as also to others who profess to write
history, but have little regard to truth, and are not afraid, either out
of ill-will or good-will to some persons, to relate falsehoods. These men
do like those who compose forged deeds and conveyances; and because they
are not brought to the like punishment with them, they have no regard to
truth. When, therefore, Justus undertook to write about these facts, and
about the Jewish war, that he might appear to have been an industrious
man, he falsified in what he related about me, and could not speak truth
even about his own country; whence it is that, being belied by him, I am
under a necessity to make my defense; and so I shall say what I have
concealed till now. And let no one wonder that I have not told the world
these things a great while ago. For although it be necessary for an
historian to write the truth, yet is such a one not bound severely to
animadvert on the wickedness of certain men; not out of any favor to them,
but out of an author's own moderation. How then comes it to pass, O
Justus! thou most sagacious of writers, (that I may address myself to him
as if he were here present,) for so thou boastest of thyself, that I and
the Galileans have been the authors of that sedition which thy country
engaged in, both against the Romans and against the king [Agrippa, junior]
For before ever I was appointed governor of Galilee by the community of
Jerusalem, both thou and all the people of Tiberias had not only taken up
arms, but had made war with Decapolis of Syria. Accordingly, thou hadst
ordered their villages to be burnt, and a domestic servant of thine fell
in the battle. Nor is it I only who say this; but so it is written in the
Commentaries of Vespasian, the emperor; as also how the inhabitants of
Decapolis came clamoring to Vespasian at Ptolemais, and desired that thou,
who wast the author [of that war], mightest be brought to punishment. And
thou hadst certainly been punished at the command of Vespasian, had not
king Agrippa, who had power given him to have thee put to death, at the
earnest entreaty of his sister Bernice, changed the punishment from death
into a long imprisonment. Thy political administration of affairs
afterward doth also clearly discover both thy other behavior in life, and
that thou wast the occasion of thy country's revolt from the Romans; plain
signs of which I shall produce presently. I have also a mind to say a few
things to the rest of the people of Tiberias on thy account, and to
demonstrate to those that light upon this history, that you bare no
good-will, neither to the Romans, nor to the king. To be sure, the
greatest cities of Galilee, O Justus! were Sepphoris, and thy country
Tiberias. But Sepphoris, situated in the very midst of Galilee, and having
many villages about it, and able with ease to have been bold and
troublesome to the Romans, if they had so pleased, yet did it resolve to
continue faithful to those their masters, and at the same time excluded me
out of their city, and prohibited all their citizens from joining with the
Jews in the war; and, that they might be out of danger from me, they, by a
wile, got leave of me to fortify their city with walls: they also, of
their own accord, admitted of a garrison of Roman legions, sent them by
Cestlus Gallus, who was then president of Syria, and so had me in
contempt, though I was then very powerful, and all were greatly afraid of
me; and at the same time that the greatest of our cities, Jerusalem, was
besieged, and that temple of ours, which belonged to us all, was in danger
of falling under the enemy's power, they sent no assistance thither, as
not willing to have it thought they would bear arms against the Romans.
But as for thy country, O Justus: situated upon the lake of Gennesareth,
and distance from Hippos thirty furlongs, from Gadara sixty, and from
Scythopolis, which was under the king's jurisdiction, a hundred and
twenty; when there was no Jewish city near, it might easily have preserved
its fidelity [to the Romans,] if it had so pleased them to do, for the
city and its people had plenty of weapons. But, as thou sayest, I was then
the author [of their revolts]. And pray, O Justus! who was that author
afterwards? For thou knowest that I was in the power of the Romans before
Jerusalem was besieged, and before the same time Jotapata was taker by
force, as well as many other fortresses, and a great many of the Galileans
fell in the war. It was therefore then a proper time, when you were
certainly freed from any fear on my account, to throw away your weapons,
and to demonstrate to the king and to the Romans, that it was not of
choice, but as forced by necessity, that you fell into the war against
them; but you staid till Vespasian came himself as far as your walls, with
his whole army; and then you did indeed lay aside your weapons out of
fear, and your city had for certain been taken by force, unless Vespasian
had complied with the king's supplication for you, and had excused your
madness. It was not I, therefore, who was the author of this, but your own
inclinations to war. Do not you remember how often I got you under my
power, and yet put none of you to death? Nay, you once fell into a tumult
one against another, and slew one hundred and eighty-five of your
citizens, not on account of your good-will to the king and to the Romans,
but on account of your own wickedness, and this while I was besieged by
the Romans in Jotapata. Nay, indeed, were there not reckoned up two
thousand of the people of Tiberias during the siege of Jerusalem, some of
whom were slain, and the rest caught and carried captives? But thou wilt
pretend that thou didst not engage in the war, since thou didst flee to
the king. Yes, indeed, thou didst flee to him; but I say it was out of
fear of me. Thou sayest, indeed, that it is I who am a wicked man. But
then, for what reason was it that king Agrippa, who procured thee thy life
when thou wast condemned to die by Vespian, and who bestowed so much
riches upon thee, did twice afterward put thee in bonds, and as often
obliged thee to run away from thy country, and, when he had once ordered
thee to be put to death, he granted thee a pardon at the earnest desire of
Bernice? And when (after so many of thy wicked pranks) he made thee his
secretary, he caught thee falsifying his epistles, and drove thee away
from his sight. But I shall not inquire accurately into these matters of
scandal against thee. Yet cannot I but wonder at thy impudence, when thou
hast the assurance to say, that thou hast better related these affairs [of
the war] than have all the others that have written about them, whilst
thou didst not know what was done in Galilee; for thou wast then at
Berytus with the king; nor didst thou know how much the Romans suffered at
the siege of Jotapata, or what miseries they brought upon us; nor couldst
thou learn by inquiry what I did during that siege myself; for all those
that might afford such information were quite destroyed in that siege. But
perhaps thou wilt say, thou hast written of what was done against the
people of Jerusalem exactly. But how should that be? for neither wast thou
concerned in that war, nor hast thou read the commentaries of Caesar; of
which we have evident proof, because thou hast contradicted those
commentaries of Caesar in thy history. But if thou art so hardy as to
affirm, that thou hast written that history better than all the rest, why
didst thou not publish thy history while the emperors Vespasian and Titus,
the generals in that war, as well as king Agrippa and his family, who were
men very well skilled in the learning of the Greeks, were all alive? for
thou hast had it written these twenty years, and then mightest thou have
had the testimony of thy accuracy. But now when these men are no longer
with us, and thou thinkest thou canst not be contradicted, thou venturest
to publish it. But then I was not in like manner afraid of my own writing,
but I offered my books to the emperors themselves, when the facts were
almost under men's eyes; for I was conscious to myself, that I had
observed the truth of the facts; and as I expected to have their
attestation to them, so I was not deceived in such expectation. Moreover,
I immediately presented my history to many other persons, some of whom
were concerned in the war, as was king Agrippa and some of his kindred.
Now the emperor Titus was so desirous that the knowledge of these affairs
should be taken from these books alone, that he subscribed his own hand to
them, and ordered that they should be published; and for king Agrippa, he
wrote me sixty-two letters, and attested to the truth of what I had
therein delivered; two of which letters I have here subjoined, and thou
mayst thereby know their contents: - "King Agrippa to Josephus, however,
when thou comest to me, I will inform thee of a great many things which
thou dost not know." So when this history was perfected, Agrippa, neither
by way of flattery, which was not agreeable to him, nor by way of irony,
as thou wilt say, (for he was entirely a stranger to such an evil
disposition of mind,) but he wrote this by way of attestation to what was
true, as all that read histories may do. And so much shall be said
concerning Justus
(24) which I am obliged to add by way of digression.
66. Now, when I had settled the affairs of Tiberias, and
had assembled my friends as a sanhedrim, I consulted what I should do as
to John. Whereupon it appeared to be the opinion of all the Galileans,
that I should arm them all, and march against John, and punish him as the
author of all the disorders that had happened. Yet was not I pleased with
their determination; as purposing to compose these troubles without
bloodshed. Upon this I exhorted them to use the utmost care to learn the
names of all that were under John; which when they had done, and I thereby
was apprized who the men were, I published an edict, wherein I offered
security and my right hand to such of John's party as had a mind to
repent; and I allowed twenty days' time to such as would take this most
advantageous course for themselves. I also threatened, that unless they
threw down their arms, I would burn their houses, and expose their goods
to public sale. When the men heard of this, they were in no small
disorder, and deserted John; and to the number of four thousand threw down
their arms, and came to me. So that no others staid with John but his own
citizens, and about fifteen hundred strangers that came from the
metropolis of Tyre; and when John saw that he had been outwitted by my
stratagem, he continued afterward in his own country, and was in great
fear of me.
67. But about this time it was that the people of
Sepphoris grew insolent, and took up arms, out of a confidence they had in
the strength of their walls, and because they saw me engaged in other
affairs also. So they sent to Cestius Gallus, who was president of Syria,
and desired that he would either come quickly to them, and take their city
under his protection, or send them a garrison. Accordingly, Gallus
promised them to come, but did not send word when he would come: and when
I had learned so much, I took the soldiers that were with me, and made an
assault upon the people of Sepphoris, and took the city by force. The
Galileans took this opportunity, as thinking they had now a proper time
for showing their hatred to them, since they bore ill-will to that city
also. They then exerted themselves, as if they would destroy them all
utterly, with those that sojourned there also. So they ran upon them, and
set their houses on fire, as finding them without inhabitants; for the
men, out of fear, ran together to the citadel. So the Galileans carried
off every thing, and omitted no kind of desolation which they could bring
upon their countrymen. When I saw this, I was exceedingly troubled at it,
and commanded them to leave off, and put them in mind that it was not
agreeable to piety to do such things to their countrymen: but since they
neither would hearken to what I exhorted, nor to what I commanded them to
do, (for the hatred they bore to the people there was too hard for my
exhortations to them,) I bade those my friends, who were most faithful to
me, and were about me, to give on reports, as if the Romans were falling
upon the other part of the city with a great army; and this I did, that,
by such a report being spread abroad, I might restrain the violence of the
Galileans, and preserve the city of Sepphoris. And at length this
stratagem had its effect; for, upon hearing this report, they were in fear
for themselves, and so they left off plundering and ran away; and this
more especially, because they saw me, their general, do the same also;
for, that I might cause this report to be believed, I pretended to be in
fear as well as they. Thus were the inhabitants of Sepphoris unexpectedly
preserved by this contrivance of mine.
68. Nay, indeed, Tiberias had like to have been
plundered by the Galileans also upon the following occasion: - The chief
men of the senate wrote to the king, and desired that he would come to
them, and take possession of their city. The king promised to come, and
wrote a letter in answer to theirs, and gave it to one of his bed-chamber,
whose name was Crispus, and who was by birth a Jew, to carry it to
Tiberias. When the Galileans knew that this man carried such a letter,
they caught him, and brought him to me; but as soon as the whole multitude
heard of it, they were enraged, and betook themselves to their arms. So a
great many of them together from all quarters the next day, and came to
the city Asochis, where I then lodged, and made heavy clamors, and called
the city of Tiberias a traitor to them, and a friend to the king; and
desired leave of me to go down and utterly destroy it; for they bore the
like ill-will to the people of Tiberias, as they did to those of Sepphoris.
69. When I heard this, I was in doubt what to do, and
hesitated by what means I might deliver Tiberias from the rage of the
Galileans; for I could not deny that those of Tiborias had written to the
king, and invited him to come to them; for his letters to them, in answer
thereto, would fully prove the truth of that. So I sat a long time musing
with myself, and then said to them, "I know well enough that the people of
Tiberias have offended; nor shall I forbid you to plunder the city.
However, such things ought to be done with discretion; for they of
Tiberias have not been the only betrayers of our liberty, but many of the
most eminent patriots of the Galileans, as they pretended to be, have done
the same. Tarry therefore till I shall thoroughly find out those authors
of our danger, and then you shall have them all at once under your power,
with all such as you shall yourselves bring in also." Upon my saying this,
I pacifie the multitude, and they left off their anger, and went their
ways; and I gave orders that he who brought the king's letters should be
put into bonds; but in a few days I pretended that I was obliged, by a
necessary affair of my own, to out of the kingdom. I then called Crispus
privately, and ordered him to make the soldier that kept him drunk, and to
run away to the king. So when Tiberias was in danger of being utterly
destroyed a second time, it escaped the danger by my skillful management,
and the care that I had for its preservation.
70. About this time it was that Justus, the son of
Pistus, without my knowledge, ran away to the king; the occasion of which
I will here relate. Upon the beginning of the war between the Jews and
Romans, the people of Tiberias resolved to submit to the king, and not to
revolt from the Romans; while Justus tried to persuade them to betake
themselves to their arms, as being himself desirous of innovations, and
having hopes of obtaining the government of Galilee, as well as of his own
country [Tiberias] also. Yet did he not obtain what he hoped for, because
the Galileans bore ill-will to those of Tiberias, and this on account of
their anger at what miseries they had suffered from them before the war;
thence it was that they would not endure that Justus should be their
governor. I myself also, who had been intrusted by the community of
Jerusalem with the government of Galilee, did frequently come to that
degree of rage at Justus, that I had almost resolved to kill him, as not
able to bear his mischievous disposition. He was therefore much afraid of
me, lest at length my passion should come to extremity; so he went to the
king, as supposing that he would dwell better and more safely with him.
71. Now, when the people of Sepphoris had, in so
surprising a manner, escaped their first danger, they sent to Cestius
Gallus, and desired him to come to them immediately, and take possession
of their city, or else to send forces sufficient to repress all their
enemies' incursions upon them; and at the last they did prevail with
Gallus to send them a considerable army, both of horse and foot, which
came in the night time, and which they admitted into the city. But when
the country round about it was harassed by the Roman army, I took those
soldiers that were about me, and came to Garisme, where I cast up a bank,
a good way off the city Sepphoris; and when I was at twenty furlongs
distance, I came upon it by night, and made an assault upon its walls with
my forces; and when I had ordered a considerable number of my soldiers to
scale them with ladders, I became master of the greatest part of the city.
But soon after, our unacquaintedness with the places forced us to retire,
after we had killed twelve of the Roman footmen, and two horsemen, and a
few of the people of Sepphoris, with the loss of only a single man of our
own. And when it afterwards came to a battle in the plain against the
horsemen, and we had undergone the dangers of it courageously for a long
time, we were beaten; for upon the Romans encompassing me about, my
soldiers were afraid, and fell back. There fell in that battle one of
those that had been intrusted to guard my body; his name was Justus, who
at this time had the same post with the king. At the same time also there
came forces, both horsemen and footmen, from the king, and Sylla their
commander, who was the captain of his guard: this Sylla pitched his camp
at five furlongs' distance from Julias, and set a guard upon the roads,
both that which led to Cana, and that which led to the fortress Gamala,
that he might hinder their inhabitants from getting provisions out of
Galilee.
72. As soon as I had gotten intelligence of this, I sent
two thousand armed men, and a captain over them, whose name was Jeremiah,
who raised a bank a furlong off Julias, near to the river Jordan, and did
no more than skirmish with the enemy; till I took three thousand soldiers
myself, and came to them. But on the next day, when I had laid an ambush
in a certain valley, not far from the banks, I provoked those that
belonged to the king to come to a battle, and gave orders to my own
soldiers to turn their backs upon them, until they should have drawn the
enemy away from their camp, and brought them out into the field, which was
done accordingly; for Sylla, supposing that our party did really run away,
was ready to pursue them, when our soldiers that lay in ambush took them
on their backs, and put them all into great disorder. I also immediately
made a sudden turn with my own forces, and met those of the king's party,
and put them to flight. And I had performed great things that day, if a
certain fate had not been my hinderance; for the horse on which I rode,
and upon whose back I fought, fell into a quagmire, and threw me on the
ground, and I was bruised on my wrist, and carried into a village named
Cepharnome, or Capernaum. When my soldiers heard of this, they were afraid
I had been worse hurt than I was; and so they did not go on with their
pursuit any further, but returned in very great concern for me. I
therefore sent for the physicians, and while I was under their hands, I
continued feverish that day; and as the physicians directed, I was that
night removed to Taricheee.
73. When Sylla and his party were informed what happened
to me, they took courage again; and understanding that the watch was
negligently kept in our camp, they by night placed a body of horsemen in
ambush beyond Jordan, and when it was day they provoked us to fight; and
as we did not refuse it, but came into the plain, their horsemen appeared
out of that ambush in which they had lain, and put our men into disorder,
and made them run away; so they slew six men of our side. Yet did they not
go off with the victory at last; for when they heard that some armed men
were sailed from Taricheae to Juli, they were afraid, and retired.
74. It was not now long before Vespasian came to Tyre,
and king Agrippa with him; but the Tyrians began to speak reproachfully of
the king, and called him an enemy to the Romans. For they said that
Philip, the general of his army, had betrayed the royal palace and the
Roman forces that were in Jerusalem, and that it was done by his command.
When Vespasian heard of this report, he rebuked the Tyrians for abusing a
man who was both a king and a friend to the Romans; but he exhorted the
king to send Philip to Rome, to answer for what he had done before Nero.
But when Philip was sent thither, he did not come into the sight of Nero,
for he found him very near death, on account of the troubles that then
happened, and a civil war; and so he returned to the king. But when
Vespasian was come to Ptolemais, the chief men of Decapolis of Syria made
a clamor against Justus of Tiberias, because he had set their villages on
fire: so Vespasian delivered him to the king, to he put to death by those
under the king's jurisdiction; yet did the king only put him into bonds,
and concealed what he had done from Vespasian, as I have before related.
But the people of Sepphoris met Vespasian, and saluted him, and had forces
sent him, with Placidus their commander: he also went up with them, as I
also followed them, till Vespasian came into Galilee. As to which coming
of his, and after what manner it was ordered, and how he fought his first
battle with me near the village Taricheae, and how from thence they went
to Jotapata, and how I was taken alive, and bound, and how I was afterward
loosed, with all that was done by me in the Jewish war, and during the
siege of Jerusalem, I have accurately related them in the books concerning
the War of the Jews. However, it will, I think, he fit for me to add now
an account of those actions of my life which I have not related in that
book of the Jewish war.
75. For when the siege of Jotapata was over, and I was
among the Romans, I was kept with much Care, by means of the great respect
that Vespasian showed me. Moreover, at his command, I married a virgin,
who was from among the captives of that country
(25) yet did she not live with me long, but was divorced, upon my
being freed from my bonds, and my going to Alexandria. However, I married
another wife at Alexandria, and was thence sent, together with Titus, to
the siege of Jerusalem, and was frequently in danger of being put to
death; while both the Jews were very desirous to get me under their power,
in order to haw me punished. And the Romans also, whenever they were
beaten, supposed that it was occasioned by my treachery, and made
continual clamors to the emperors, and desired that they would bring me to
punishment, as a traitor to them: but Titus Caesar was well acquainted
with the uncertain fortune of war, and returned no answer to the soldiers'
vehement solicitations against me. Moreover, when the city Jerusalem was
taken by force, Titus Caesar persuaded me frequently to take whatsoever I
would of the ruins of my country; and did that he gave me leave so to do.
But when my country was destroyed, I thought nothing else to be of any
value, which I could take and keep as a comfort under my calamities; so I
made this request to Titus, that my family might have their liberty: I had
also the holy books
(26) by Titus's concession. Nor was it long after that I asked of him
the life of my brother, and of fifty friends with him, and was not denied.
When I also went once to the temple, by the permission of Titus, where
there were a great multitude of captive women and children, I got all
those that I remembered as among my own friends and acquaintances to be
set free, being in number about one hundred and ninety; and so I delivered
them without their paying any price of redemption, and restored them to
their former fortune. And when I was sent by Titus Caesar with Cerealins,
and a thousand horsemen, to a certain village called Thecoa, in order to
know whether it were a place fit for a camp, as I came back, I saw many
captives crucified, and remembered three of them as my former
acquaintance. I was very sorry at this in my mind, and went with tears in
my eyes to Titus, and told him of them; so he immediately commanded them
to be taken down, and to have the greatest care taken of them, in order to
their recovery; yet two of them died under the physician's hands, while
the third recovered.
76. But when Titus had composed the troubles in Judea,
and conjectured that the lands which I had in Judea would bring me no
profit, because a garrison to guard the country was afterward to pitch
there, he gave me another country in the plain. And when he was going away
to Rome, he made choice of me to sail along with him, and paid me great
respect: and when we were come to Rome, I had great care taken of me by
Vespasian; for he gave me an apartment in his own house, which he lived in
before he came to the empire. He also honored me with the privilege of a
Roman citizen, and gave me an annual pension; and continued to respect me
to the end of his life, without any abatement of his kindness to me; which
very thing made me envied, and brought me into danger; for a certain Jew,
whose name was Jonathan, who had raised a tumult in Cyrene, and had
persuaded two thousand men of that country to join with him, was the
occasion of their ruin. But when he was bound by the governor of that
country, and sent to the emperor, he told him that I had sent him both
weapons and money. However, he could not conceal his being a liar from
Vespasian, who condemned him to die; according to which sentence he was
put to death. Nay, after that, when those that envied my good fortune did
frequently bring accusations against me, by God's providence I escaped
them all. I also received from Vespasian no small quantity of land, as a
free gift, in Judea; about which time I divorced my wife also, as not
pleased with her behavior, though not till she had been the mother of
three children, two of whom are dead, and one whom I named Hyrcanus, is
alive. After this I married a wife who had lived at Crete, but a Jewess by
birth: a woman she was of eminent parents, and such as were the most
illustrious in all the country, and whose character was beyond that of
most other women, as her future life did demonstrate. By her I had two
sons; the elder's name was Justus, and the next Simonides, who was also
named Agrippa. And these were the circumstances of my domestic affairs.
However, the kindness of the emperor to me continued still the same; for
when Vespasian was dead, Titus, who succeeded him in the government, kept
up the same respect for me which I had from his father; and when I had
frequent accusations laid against me, he would not believe them. And
Domitian, who succeeded, still augmented his respects to me; for he
punished those Jews that were my accusers, and gave command that a servant
of mine, who was a eunuch, and my accuser, should be punished. He also
made that country I had in Judea tax free, which is a mark of the greatest
honor to him who hath it; nay, Domitia, the wife of Caesar, continued to
do me kindnesses. And this is the account of the actions of my whole life;
and let others judge of my character by them as they please. But to thee,
O Epaphroditus,
(27) thou most excellent of men! do I dedicate all this treatise of
our Antiquities; and so, for the present, I here conclude the whole.
ENDNOTES
(1) We may hence correct the
error of the Latin copy of the second book Against Apion, sect. 8, (for
the Greek is there lost,) which says, there were then only four tribes or
courses of the priests, instead of twenty-four. Nor is this testimony to
be disregarded, as if Josephus there contradicted what he had affirmed
here; because even the account there given better agrees to twenty-four
than to four courses, while he says that each of those courses contained
above 5000 men, which, multiplied by only four, will make not more than
20,000 priests; whereas the number 120,000, as multiplied by 24, seems
much the most probable, they being about one-tenth of the whole people,
even after the captivity. See Ezra 2:36-39; Nehemiah 7:39-42; 1 Esdras
5:24, 25, with Ezra 2;64; Nehemiah 7:66; 1 Esdras 5:41. Nor will this
common reading or notion of but four courses of priests, agree with
Josephus's own further assertion elsewhere, Antiq. B. VII. ch. 14. sect.
7, that David's partition of the priests into twenty-four courses had
continued to that day.
(2) An eminent example of the
care of the Jews about their genealogies, especially as to the priests.
See Against Ap. B. 1 sect. 7.
(3) When Josephus here says, that
from sixteen to nineteen, or for three years, he made trial of the three
Jewish sects, the Pharisees, the Sadducees, and the Essens, and yet says
presently, in all our copies, that he stayed besides with one particular
ascetic, called Banus, with him, and this still before he was nineteen,
there is little room left for his trial of the three other sects. I
suppose, therefore, that for, with him, the old reading might be, with
them; which is a very small emendation, and takes away the difficulty
before us. Nor is Dr. Hudson's conjecture, hinted at by Mr. Hall in his
preface to the Doctor's edition of Josephus, at all improbable, that this
Banus, by this his description, might well be a follower of John the
Baptist, and that from him Josephus might easily imbibe such notions, as
afterwards prepared him to have a favorable opinion of Jesus Christ
himself, who was attested to by John the Baptist.
(4) We may note here, that
religious men among the Jews, or at least those that were priests, were
sometimes ascetics also, and, like Daniel and his companions in Babylon,
Daniel 1:8-16, ate no flesh, but figs and nuts, etc. only. This was like
the, or austere diet of the Christian ascetics in Passion-week. Constitut.
V. 18.
(5) It has been thought the
number of Paul and his companions on ship-board, Acts 27:38, which are 276
in our copies, are too many; whereas we find here, that Josephus and his
companions, a very few years after the other, were about 600.
(6) See Jewish War, B. II. ch.
18. sect. 3.
(7) The Jews might collect this
unlawfulness of fighting against their brethren from that law of Moses,
Leviticus 19:16, "Thou shalt not stand against the blood of thy neighbor;"
and that, ver. 17, "Thou shalt not avenge, nor bear any grudge against the
children of thy people; but thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself;" as
well as from many other places in the Pentateuch and Prophets. See Antiq.
B. VIII. ch. 8. sect. 3.
(8) That this Herod Agrippa, the
father, was of old called a Great King, as here, appears by his coins
still remaining; to which Havercamp refers us.
(9) The famous Jewish numbers of
twelve and seventy are here remarkable.
(10) Our Josephus shows, both
here and every where, that he was a most religious person, and one that
had a deep sense of God and his providence upon his mind, and ascribed all
his numerous and wonderful escapes and preservations, in times of danger,
to God's blessing him, and taking care of him, and this on account of his
acts of piety, justice, humanity, and charity, to the Jews his brethren.
(11) Josephus's opinion is here
well worth noting: — That every one is to be permitted to worship God
according to his own conscience, and is not to be compelled in matters of
religion: as one may here observe, on the contrary, that the rest of the
Jews were still for obliging all those who married Jewesses to be
circumcised, and become Jews, and were ready to destroy all that would not
submit to do so. See sect. 31, and Luke 11:54.
(12) How Josephus could say here
that the Jewish laws forbade them to "spoil even their enemies, while yet,
a little before his time, our Savior had mentioned it as then a current
maxim with them, "Thou shalt love thy neighbor, and hate thine enemy,"
Matthew 5:43, is worth our inquiry. I take it that Josephus, having been
now for many years an Ebionite Christian, had learned this interpretation
of the law of Moses from Christ, whom he owned for the true Melah, as it
follows in the succeeding verses, which, though he might not read in St.
Matthew's Gospel, yet might he have read much the same exposition in their
own Ebionite or Nazarene Gospel itself; of which improvements made by
Josephus, after he was become a Christian, we have already had several
examples in this his life, sect. 3, 13, 15, 19, 21, 23, and shall have
many more therein before its conclusion, as well as we have them elsewhere
in all his later writings.
(13) Here we may observe the
vulgar Jewish notion of witchcraft, but that our Josephus was too wise to
give any countenance to it.
(14) In this section, as well as
in the 18 and 33. those small vessels that sailed on the sea of Galilee,
are called by Josephus, i.e. plainly ships; so that we need not wander at
our evangelists, who still call them ships; nor ought we to render them
boats, as some do, Their number was in all 230, as we learn from our
author elsewhere. Jewish War. B. II. ch. 21. sect. 8.
(15) Part of these fortifications
on Mount Tabor may be those still remaining, and which were seen lately by
Mr. Maundrel. See his Travels, p. 112.
(16) This Gamaliel may be the
very same that is mentioned by the rabbins in the Mishna, in Juchasin, and
in Porta Mosis, as is observed in the Latin notes. He might be also that
Gamaliel II., whose grandfather was Gamaliel I., who is mentioned in Acts
5:34, and at whose feet St. Paul was brought up, Acts 22:3. See Prid. at
the year 449.
(17) This Jonathan is also taken
notice of in the Latin notes, as the same that is mentioned by the rabbins
in Porta Mosis.
(18) This I take to be the first
of Josephus's remarkable or divine dreams, which were predictive of the
great things that afterwards came to pass; of which see more in the note
on Antiq. B. III. ch. 8. sect. 9. The other is in the War, B. III. ch. 8.
sect. 3, 9.
(19) Josephus's directions to his
soldiers here are much the same that John the Baptist gave, Luke 3:14, "Do
violence to no man, neither accuse any falsely, and be content with your
wages." Whence Dr. Hudson confirms this conjecture, that Josephus, in some
things, was, even now, a follower of John the Baptist, which is no way
improbable. See the note on sect. 2.
(20) We here learn the practice
of the Jews, in the days of Josephus, to inquire into the characters of
witnesses before they were admitted; and that their number ought to be
three, or two at the least, also exactly as in the law of Moses, and in
the Apostolical Constitutions, B. II. ch. 37. See Horeb Covenant Revived,
page 97, 98.
(21) This appeal to the whole
body of the Galileans by Josephus, and the testimony they gave him of
integrity in his conduct as their governor, is very like that appeal and
testimony in the case of the prophet Samuel, 1 Samuel 12:1-5, and perhaps
was done by Josephus in imitation of him.
(22) It is worth noting here,
that there was now a great Proseucha, or place of prayer, in the city of
Tiberias itself, though such Proseucha used to be out of cities, as the
synagogues were within them. Of them, see Le Moyne on Polycarp's Epistle,
page 76. It is also worth our remark, that the Jews, in the days of
Josephus, used to dine at the sixth hour, or noon; and that in obedience
to their notions of the law of Moses also.
(23) One may observe here, that
this lay Pharisee, Ananias, is we have seen he was, sect. 39, took upon
him to appoint a fast at Tiberias, and was obeyed; though indeed it was
not out of religion, but knavish policy.
(24) The character of this
history of Justus of Tiberias, the rival of our Josephus, which is now
lost, with its only remaining fragment, are given us by a very able
critic, Photius, who read that history. It is in the 33rd code of his
Bibliotheea, and runs thus: "I have read (says Photius) the chronology of
Justus of Tiberias, whose title is this, [The Chronology of] the Kings of
Judah which succeeded one another. This [Justus] came out of the city of
Tiberias in Galilee. He begins his history from Moses, and ends it not
till the death of Agrippa, the seventh [ruler] of the family of Herod, and
the last king of the Jews; who took the government under Claudius, had it
augmented under Nero, and still more augmented by Vespasian. He died in
the third year of Trajan, where also his history ends. He is very concise
in his language, and slightly passes over those affairs that were most
necessary to be insisted on; and being under the Jewish prejudices, as
indeed he was himself also a Jew by birth, he makes not the least mention
of the appearance of Christ, or what things happened to him, or of the
wonderful works that he did. He was the son of a certain Jew, whose name
was Pistus. He was a man, as he is described by Josephus, of a most
profligate character; a slave both to money and to pleasures. In public
affairs he was opposite to Josephus; and it is related, that he laid many
plots against him; but that Josephus, though he had his enemy frequently
under his power, did only reproach him in words, and so let him go without
further punishment. He says also, that the history which this man wrote
is, for the main, fabulous, and chiefly as to those parts where he
describes the Roman war with the Jews, and the taking of Jerusalem."
(25) Here Josephus, a priest,
honestly confesses that he did that at the command of Vespasian, which he
had before told us was not lawful for a priest to do by the law of Moses,
Antiq. B. III. ch. 12. sect. 2. I mean, the taking a captive woman to
wife. See also Against Apion, B. I. sect. 7. But he seems to have been
quickly sensible that his compliance with the commands of an emperor would
not excuse him, for he soon put her away, as Reland justly observes here.
(26) Of this most remarkable
clause, and its most important consequences, see Essay on the Old
Testament, page 193--195.
(27) Of this Epaphroditus, see
the note on the Preface to the Antiquities.
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